Chapter 17: The Human Who Loved a Demon (3)

The black crow leaned in close to Benedict’s ear and whispered something.

As Benedict tilted his head and focused intently on listening, Avelin turned to me with trembling eyes and asked,

“What does this mean, Kayron? You killed someone?”

“Don’t waver. It was the same as with Razen.”

“……Ah!”

Fortunately, Avelin caught on immediately.

She had witnessed Razen revealing his true form right in front of her, together with me.

“I can guess what happened, more or less. But what is Sir Benedict doing right now?”

“……I don’t know. But I do know one thing—he’s not in his right mind.”

Unlike Avelin, who quickly grasped the situation, Benedict kept nodding fervently, fully engaged in an intense conversation with the crow.

“Yes, that’s right. Yes, exactly. I cannot just stand by and let that bastard go after he took someone precious from me!”

‘It’s not even a person, though…….’

After saying everything it had to say, the black crow flapped its wings and took off from Benedict’s shoulder, soaring into the distant sky.

And in the eyes of Benedict, who had just finished his conversation with the crow, the madness burned even stronger.

“What the hell did you talk about with that crow, Benedict?”

“Watch your mouth, Kayron. The Advisor’s crow isn’t just an ordinary bird. It possesses mystical and profound knowledge!”

“I know crows are smart, but at least normal ones don’t perch on people’s ears and whisper sinister things.”

“Enough!”

Benedict roared, raising his sword and pointing it directly at me.

“No more useless talk. Draw your sword, Kayron!”

“Wait. Benedict, you’re misunderstanding something. You heard about Razen recently, right? The truth is—”

“I told you to shut up!”

Benedict cut me off mid-sentence and charged straight at me.

And he wasn’t holding back. From the very start, he had enveloped his entire body in mana, reinforcing his strength.

Boom—

“Ugh…!”

The moment our swords clashed, the sound that rang out was different from usual.

Because Benedict had launched himself from quite a distance, blocking his attack wasn’t too difficult. But still, as the vice-captain, he was not someone to be underestimated.

Moreover, the trembling of my blade and the stinging pain in my hands made it painfully clear—

Right now, Benedict genuinely intended to judge me.

Just as the fight was about to escalate, Avelin stepped forward.

“Sir Benedict, stop! Listen to Kayron first—calm down and talk—”

“Shut up! So you’re on his side too, huh? Stay right there. Once I finish him off, you’re next!”

“Ah….”

Now, he wasn’t just lashing out at me—he was snapping at Avelin too.

Seeing that made me frown.

But in the end, maybe things turned out this way because of the white lie I had told.

“Step back, Avelin.”

“What? But…”

“This is my fault. So it’s only right that I settle it myself.”

Tightening my grip on my sword, I met Benedict’s gaze head-on.

“Benedict. If you need to vent your rage, then unleash all of it on me. I’ll take it.”

With a battle cry, I struck Benedict’s sword away.

He stumbled for a brief moment, but quickly regained his footing and charged again, slashing at me with relentless, ferocious strikes.

Each swing carried immense force, infused with mana.

If I failed to block even one and let it hit me—

That would be the end.

“Die, Kayron! Just die already!”

Benedict wasn’t just fighting me.

He truly wanted me dead.

As I focused solely on blocking his attacks and observing his movements, a thought naturally crossed my mind.

‘Was Benedict always this strong?’

Within the Order, aside from Commander Balthazar, Avelin and I had always been considered the strongest.

But right now, Benedict was proving that he was no pushover either.

Perhaps it was because he had never shown his true strength during training matches, only ever going all out against demons.

Fighting him now was an entirely new experience for me.

“I can see it, Kayron. I can see your openings!”

Even in his deranged state, Benedict fully utilized his keen vision and sharp instincts.

His combat style was uniquely threatening—he never missed even the slightest moment of vulnerability.

Feeling the extent of his abilities firsthand, another thought crossed my mind.

‘If this guy had stayed with us longer…’

Maybe the Order wouldn’t have fallen so quickly.

In my past life, the reason the Order weakened was clear.

With every battle, we lost more comrades, and our strength steadily declined.

‘If I hadn’t stopped Sophia, then Benedict would have met the same fate as before. In that case…’

Even if he was currently under a demon’s influence, I couldn’t afford to let go of a valuable ally.

“I see another opening, Kayron!”

Benedict’s relentless strikes rained down mercilessly, aiming for the opening I had deliberately exposed.

But I was faster.

Thud—

“Urgh…!”

Fixated solely on the false opening I had shown, Benedict took my punch directly to the side of his face, sending him sprawling across the ground.

“Get up, Benedict. I said get up!”

“Hehe… heheheh… You’ve finally shown your true colors, Kayron.”

“That’s right. I’ve made up my mind. No matter what I say, you won’t listen right now. That means there’s only one way to settle this, isn’t there?”

I had been holding back, unwilling to seriously injure a comrade.

But now, I gathered far more mana than before.

As the abundant energy spread throughout my body, my muscles surged with uncontrollable power, excitement bubbling within me.

The blood of a warrior, thrilled by the prospect of a real battle, began to boil.

“Benedict, take tomorrow off. Because today, I’m going to knock you out completely.”

“You sure talk big, Kayron. I’ll be the one to cut you down.”

Rising back to his feet, Benedict steadied his stance, his eyes still gleaming with madness.

“You dared to lie to me—your own comrade? That wicked tongue of yours…!”

With another burst of reckless fury, Benedict charged straight at me.

But—

Thunk—

“Guh…!”

With a crisp, resounding impact, Benedict was sent flying through the air.

I had swung my massive greatsword like a club, launching him away.

Though he lost balance and was momentarily airborne, he quickly adjusted his posture, attempting to regain control midair.

“Damn… You’re freakishly strong, Kayron— huh?”

Even in his crazed state, Benedict must have realized something was wrong when he saw me appear above him.

I had leapt into the air in pursuit.

Then, with all my strength, I struck him down with the flat of my blade.

Thwack—

The sickening sound alone was enough to make anyone wince.

Benedict’s body plummeted straight down, crashing into the ground with a deafening boom.

Dust and debris scattered as the earth caved in from the impact, leaving him embedded in the ground.

“Ugh… Kgh… Ahh…!”

He groaned in pain, but he was too deeply lodged in the crater to move.

With Benedict successfully subdued, Avelin and I approached his twitching form.

“Wasn’t that a bit too much, Kayron? He’s an important ally. The waves will hit in two days.”

“And what was I supposed to do when he was swinging his sword at me, screaming for my death? It’s better to beat some sense into him now and force him to rest.”

“Well… I guess…”

Avelin glanced at my greatsword, which I had been using like a club, and muttered,

“You really are ridiculously strong, Kayron. No wonder you’re the captain of the Black Iron Brigade. But even still, Sir Benedict is the vice-captain, and yet you handled him this easily…”

“And you’re no weakling yourself, Avelin.”

As Avelin pointed out, Benedict wasn’t weak.

It was just that he happened to be up against me—someone who had dedicated his entire life to battle.

Among all the Order’s divisions, the Black Iron Brigade and the Silver Guard were considered the strongest.

Not just because of their members, but because their captains were on another level entirely.

“Now then, Benedict. I think you’re finally ready to talk.”

Since he still hadn’t managed to pull himself out of the crater, I crouched down and spoke to him directly.

“Tell me. When and where did you meet that ‘Advisor’?”

“……”

“If you’re still too angry to speak, just say the word. I’ll beat it out of you until you calm down.”

Even as I pressed him again, Benedict didn’t respond.

He no longer groaned in pain.

Instead, he just looked up at me in silence.

The madness had faded.

Now, his eyes were calm—but filled with sorrow.

“…Why?”

“Huh?”

“Why did you do it, Kayron?”

“……”

I could no longer lie to him.

He deserved to know the truth.

“Sophia was a demon.”

“A demon? What kind of nonsense is that? You saw her yourself, didn’t you? How kind and beautiful her smile was. And you expect me to believe she was a demon?”

“……Look closely.”

I picked up Benedict’s sword from where it had fallen and pointed to the melted sections.

“It’s partially melted, isn’t it? Ever wonder why?”

“How the hell should I know? No— I don’t even want to know.”

“She was a demon with a sickly yellow glow. No matter how many wounds she took, she mended herself effortlessly. And the fluids she spilled onto the ground? They dissolved everything they touched.”

I placed the sword back into Benedict’s hand.

“I’m sorry for lying. But please, try to understand—I followed you because I was worried about you as a comrade. If you still can’t forgive me…”

“Kayron!”

Avelin shouted sharply.

Because I had knelt before Benedict and exposed my neck.

“If you can’t forgive me, then strike me down. I won’t stop you.”

-- The End OF The Chapter --

 

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