Eugene stood in place with his jaw agape, staring at Molon’s approaching figure. The moron was exactly the same as Eugene had seen him a few days ago in the Great Hammer Canyon, except he wasn’t holding an ax. However, what Molon was holding was none of Eugene’s business.
“That bas….”
Eugene barely managed to swallow the words before they could escape his mouth. Instead, he uttered a curse in his mind — bastard. When Eugene had gone through the trouble to see him, the moron had chased him out without even sharing a proper conversation. Molon had acted all solemn and shit as if he couldn’t come down from the cliff for a profound reason.
‘You swung your ax at a friend you met after three hundred years with an expression as if we wouldn’t see each other again. Son of a bitch. You should have at least said that you would be coming later.’
Eugene kept his expression under control while soothing the simmering heat boiling in his heart. He had never imagined Molon would descend from the Grand Hammer Canyon and come directly to Fort Lehain. It was the same with Aman, Molon’s descendant. As far as he knew, the founder had never come down from the Grand Hammer Canyon after suddenly going into seclusion hundred years ago. Since then, a new tradition had been made that the descendants of the royal family had to go to the Grand Hammer Canyon to have their qualifications for the throne tested, even though no one, not even those from the royal family, knew why the founder had gone into seclusion.
“As expected,” muttered Aman, looking around. His gaze found Eugene and Kristina. Aman couldn’t think of any other reason than the two for the founder’s sudden descent from the mountain.
“Molon Ruhr,” muttered Gavid.
His anxious heart was reflected in the Black Fog as it suddenly wriggled and squirmed. The demon knights brought their hands to the pommels of their swords in the fog in preparation for a possible battle. Gavid immediately raised his hand and dissuaded them.
“So you were alive?” asked Gavid.
“As you can see,” answered Molon.
“A reunion after three hundred years. Though I’m sure we’ve had plenty of chances to see each other in the meantime, neither of us wanted a meeting,” continued Gavid.
“Obviously. Gavid Lindman. I’ve hated you since three hundred years ago. Don’t tell me you don’t share the same sentiment?” said Molon.
“Rather than classifying it as like or hate, I would say it’s more of a reluctant feeling. After all, it was without a doubt that you were my enemy,” responded Gavid.
“I’m glad you do not like me since I still hate you,” retorted Molon.
“Then why did you command them to open the door? If you hate me, you shouldn’t have a reason to allow me inside,” asked Gavid.
“Because I don’t think you’ll just walk away,” answered Molon. He stopped walking, then stared at Gavid and the Black Fog behind him. “If I do not open the gate of the fortress, will you go back quietly? Can you swear that you won’t spread that sinister mist to turn the night terrible in the snowfield?”
“The only one who can have me declare an oath is His Majesty the Demon King,” said Gavid.
“I thought so. So you won’t back down,” said Molon.
“Do you perhaps think I’ll launch a cowardly ambush at night? Molon Ruhr, I am not fond of such perverse actions,” said Gavid.
“Maybe, maybe not. You said you would not swear an oath, so I cannot trust your words,” answered Molon.
“It is still difficult for me to fathom your words. You are saying you do not trust me, yet you are willing to allow me and the Black Fog inside the fortress. Why is that?” asked Gavid.
“The snowfield is wide,” said Molon while spreading his arms. “If you hide in the vast snowfield and plot dirty, cowardly schemes, there is no way for me to see through it. You will sully the white of the snowfield. But if I let you into the fortress, I can watch you, and not just me either. Everyone else in the fortress will keep their eyes on you.”
“Me, hiding… plotting dirty, cowardly schemes. Haha! What a funny yet unpleasant thing to say,” said Gavid with a grimace.
He took great pride in being called the Sword of Incarceration and had strictly abided by his chivalry for more than three hundred years. Regardless of what his enemies considered him, Gavid considered himself to be the only knight of the Demon King of Incarceration.
“If someone else had spoken those words, I would not have held back my anger. But Molon Ruhr, since it’s you… I will forgive it. I’m sure humans and demonfolks have different definitions for dirty, cowardly schemes,” said Gavid.
“You frequently plotted dirty, cowardly things since three hundred years ago. The Black Fog spread throughout Pandemonium, interrupted resting warriors, and ambushed them. You ambushed Hamel and Sienna, who were on a reconnaissance mission. Although you had the skills and the power, you only sat waiting high in the Demon King’s castle while ordering around your lackeys,” said Molon with a glare.
But Gavid couldn’t do anything but blink with confusion after hearing Molon’s words. What was so dirty and cowardly about that?
After a while, he gave a response, “There was a considerable number of troops that made it all the way to Pandemonium three hundred years ago. The Army of Incarceration was strong, but we numbered far less than the humans. Therefore, in order for a small number of elite troops to effectively face a great army, ambushes were the right choice.”
“It wasn’t fought openly and squarely,” responded Molon.
“I only encountered Hamel and Sienna coincidentally. Just as they were on a reconnaissance mission, I, too, was on a reconnaissance mission,” continued Gavid.
“I know that.”
Gavid’s eyebrows wriggled with annoyance at Molon’s answer. He continued while feeling his frustration grow. “Putting my subordinates at the forefront in the castle? What a bewildering thing to point out. It is my role to guard the side of His Majesty, the Demon King of Incarceration, under any circumstances. When you lot broke into Babel, I…. It may be problematic for me to say this in this age of peace, but I wanted to be the first to stop you. I wanted to slaughter all of you, but I could not.”
“Why not?” asked Molon.”
“Because I knew how strong all of you were. If I came rushing out to meet you first in the heat of the moment, and if I died in the struggle, who would have guarded the side of His Majesty, the Demon King?” asked Gavid.
“So is it also due to loyalty you ran away at the end?” asked Molon.
Gavid’s face became devoid of an expression at Molon’s question. He glared at Molon with a bloodless, pale face.
“You’re reminding me of a shameful past,” said Gavid.
“It is true that you ran away. You who blocked the door to the palace were destined to lose your head by Vermouth’s sword,” said Molon.
“It was the will of His Majesty. He commanded me to hide without blocking you any further. My merciful and generous lord prioritized the preservation of the life of a knight who fought until the end over his faith,” continued Gavid.
“It does not change the fact that you ran away. You were lucky. If…. If Hamel had been there, you never would have had the chance to escape,” said Molon.
“Molon Ruhr. This conversation has no meaning unless your intention is to anger me,” said Gavid.
“Are you going to fight me?” asked Molon.
“I am warning you because I have no intention of fighting,” responded Gavid.
“I do not intend to fight you either, as long as you keep away from plotting dirty, cowardly things.” Molon scoffed while pointing at the closed gate. “Gavid Lindman. I do not know what you are up to, but if you do want to form a relationship with the heroes of this generation, as you said, then prove your words with your actions.”
“I do not scheme,” said Gavid while raising his hand. The looming fog scattered, and the demon knights were revealed. “And there was no lie in what I said. I… am quite interested in the heroes of this era. In particular, I am interested in Eugene Lionheart, Vermouth’s descendant and the one chosen by the Holy Sword, as well as Kristina Rogeris, the Saint who looks just like Anise.”
“I am interested in those two as well,” said Molon.
“What are your thoughts? Molon Ruhr, I have yet to speak a single word with them, but….” Gavid raised his head and stared directly at Eugene and Kristina before continuing. “I can feel Vermouth from Eugene Lionheart and Anise from Kristina Rogeris.”
“It is distasteful of you to speak their names when you weren’t a friend of theirs. Moreover, Vermouth was more handsome than Eugene Lionheart, and Anise was more like a warrior than Kristina Rogeris,” retorted Molon.
Eugene did not know how to react to Molon’s remark. Indeed, it was true that Vermouth had been handsome. However, objectively speaking, wasn’t Eugene’s face more handsome than Vermouth's?
‘Sister, what does he mean by being more like a warrior?’ asked Kristina.
[Molon must be talking about cracking open the heads of demonfolks with a mace when he talks about being more like a warrior. You don’t need to take that idiot’s words seriously,] Anise replied.
Thump, thump, thump.
Molon resumed walking towards the castle, then stopped once he arrived right in front of the gate.
“Gavid Lindman. Let me tell you one thing. If you want to speak with Eugene Lionheart and Kristina Rogeris and wish to form a relationship with them, you will have to ask me for my permission first,” said Molon.
“Is it your desire to cherish and protect the descendants of your old friends?” asked Gavid.
“Already, I don’t like what you are saying. Protect them? From what? From something. From you? Then that means….”
Crack.
Molon clenched his fist, nothing more. But to Gavid, Molon was currently larger than the gate, the fortress, and even the Snowy Mountain Lehainjar in the distance. It had been truly a long time since he felt such intense pressure.
‘He did not even feel like a human being back then. Is this… what happens when such an existence lives for three hundred years?’ thought Gavid, feeling his skin go numb.
“Does that mean you are planning to harm Eugene Lionheart and Kristina Rogeris?” asked Molon. The instant Molon asked the question, he looked even bigger than before in Gavid’s eyes.
He was a man of marvelously disciplined and refined power. After staring at Molon in silence for a moment, Gavid shook his head.
“No.”
He had no intention of harming them. Gavid wanted the humans to wage war. It was contrary to the will of his great lord, but if a war was inevitable — then the Demon King of Incarceration would no longer be in a position to show mercy to the continent. The Hero and the Saint would need to be at the forefront of the war, and their very existence would be the cause of war. So Gavid had no intention of hurting the two. He simply wanted to gauge his enemies of the future, and his heart was unmistakably sincere. Moreover, he really wanted to connect with and form a relationship with the heroes of the current era. It was all true, though it was for the sake of getting to know those whom he would enjoy slaughtering one day.
“I do not have such thoughts. I only… want to form relationships with them. And if they do not want such a thing as a relationship, I will be satisfied watching them from a distance,” said Gavid, taking a few steps back. Then, he raised his hand and fixed his attire.
Not even a small wrinkle could be found on his black uniform. There was not a single flurry of snow nor a speck of dust. Even so, Gavid calmly dusted the top of his uniform and checked that his buttons were fastened correctly. After doing so, Gavid politely bowed his head.
“Please, will you open the door to the fort?”
Molon stared at him for a moment before nodding. The intense pressure he had been emitting had completely disappeared. Turning back towards the fortress, Molon reached for the gate.
“T-the door!” Aman shouted after belatedly coming to his senses. Then without waiting for the gatekeepers to act, he personally jumped down from the wall.
He had not dared to intervene in the conversation below, a conversation between living legends. But now that the conversation was over, Aman did not want the Founder of Ruhr, the Bold King, to have to open the door with his own hands.
“It’s been a long time, Aman,” said Molon.
“It is an honor… to have you remember me,” responded Aman.
“I remember all my descendants. I am not so stupid as to forget the name of my descendant who visited me last,” said Molon with a grin while patting Aman’s shoulder. Aman was quite big, but standing next to Molon, he looked smaller than he actually was. It was due to the differences in their presence.
Aman peered at Molon with eyes of admiration before bowing deeply. Then he pushed open the gate of the fortress. The door was large and heavy, but Aman pushed it open as easily as any regular door. Aman did not head straight in but rather bowed once more towards Molon. The knights of Ruhr fought to be the first ones to come down from the fortress wall, and the tribesmen of Bayar had already lined the street in front of the gate.
The Emperor of Kiehl and the Pope of Yuras were the leaders of only two empires on the continent besides Helmuth. Although they did not hurry, they did not dare to remain standing on the walls either. They descended a bit later than the others and greeted the returning hero with their knights. Soon, countless knights lined the streets and made way for Molon.
So the march began. Molon returned the welcome and the greeting of the kings with a smile and strode ahead while receiving respectful gazes from the knights as if it were natural.
“Are you not going to head in?”
Gavid was still standing in front of the gate. A Knight of the Black Fog standing behind him asked politely, and Gavid shook his head with a smile.
“We’ll go in after a little while.”
That road wasn’t meant for Gavid and the Black Fog, and he was willing to show respect for such a thing.
***
Eugene wasn’t given a chance to talk to Molon alone, but it was the most natural thing. He was the Founder of Ruhr, and he had gone into seclusion about a hundred years ago. He had suddenly returned when many had thought him dead.
Immediately after the march, Molon headed to the castle where the kings were staying. Naturally, Aman accompanied him along with the other kings. It was none of Eugene’s business what they would talk about there, but… wasn’t it quite obvious? They would ask why he had gone into seclusion and why he had returned. Eventually, they would discuss what to do with Gavid Lindman and the Black Fog.
Gavid Lindman and the Black Fog were residing on the outskirts close to the fortress wall. There was room for them in the buildings inside the fortress, but Gavid refused the offer and insisted on using an empty space on the outskirts as a campsite.
Although Gavid had explicitly stated his interest in Eugene several times, he did not attempt to make any contact. The only interaction they shared was making eye contact a few times on the fortress wall. Gavid was probably showing respect to Molon’s warning.
‘That’s better for me.’
Eugene did not want to become involved with Gavid already. Similar to Noir Giabella, Gavid Lindman was an existence Eugene was incapable of facing in his current state. Interest and curiosity? Probably. But a relationship?
‘That’s bullshit.’
Eugene snorted with disdain while walking. Kristina, who was walking by his side, looked quite nervous. She continued to fidget with the hem of her robe, fixed her hair with her hands, took deep breaths, and adjusted her expression.
“Are you okay?” asked Eugene.
“I-I am fine. I am just a little flustered,” answered Kristina.
Anise had insisted on not taking control of Kristina’s body for now. The body belonged to Kristina, and Anise was just sharing the space, so she insisted it was only proper for Kristina to be the one to face and greet Molon first. It was even more important since she wasn’t given the opportunity in Lehainjar.
“There’s no need to be so nervous. He’s just… well… he’s just an idiot,” said Eugene.
“To me…. Hmm…. He wasn’t the kind of person to be called so,” answered Kristina.
Though they weren’t given a chance to speak to him alone before, Molon invited the two of them. Beast King Aman personally came to the Lionheart’s mansion and delivered Molon’s invitation.
So Eugene and Anise were walking down the hallway after climbing to the top floor of the castle tower. It was the same corridor that Eugene had walked in the previous day. Aman had only guided them downstairs, then remained behind in accordance with Molon’s wish to speak to the two alone.
As a result, there was no sign of any other life in the hallway, and although it was prudent to always be careful with words, regardless of where you were, as the king’s residence, the top floor was covered by a high-level defensive spell. As such, there was no reason for them to not speak their minds.
“Not the kind of person to be…? You heard him talking to Gavid Lindman earlier, didn’t you?” asked Eugene.
“He was filled with majesty, befitting a great hero of three hundred years ago,” responded Kristina.
“But what he said was still stupid. Maybe he sounds a bit more convincing now that he’s gotten a bit older,” muttered Eugene while staring up ahead. He could see a door at the corridor’s end. After taking a deep breath, Eugene approached the door.
‘That idiot. He couldn’t possibly think of swinging an ax again after calling me here, right?’
It wasn’t possible, right? Eugene snorted and grabbed the doorknob. But before he could even turn the doorknob, the door burst open, or rather, it was hinged off. With it, Eugene was also flung into the air with the door with his hand on the knob.
“Hamel!” shouted Molon. He stared straight ahead and blinked a few times. Kristina gasped, even forgetting to give her greetings.
“Where is Hamel?” he asked once more.
“Hey, you idiot.” Eugene was still hanging in the air while holding the doorknob. He frowned, bewildered, and kicked Molon in the shoulder. “Why did you break the door for no….”
“Hamel!” roared Molon once more.
Boom!
Eugene fell to the ground along with the door, and Molon stretched out his arms and tightly embraced Eugene.
“I can’t believe my eyes. Hamel! I didn’t expect to see you again like this!”
It was suffocating.
Eugene struggled for his life buried in Molon’s stiff and humongous chest muscles.