Chapter 180
In Nahun’s story, both Seere and Lin bore expressions of tension. Only Ersha seemed to understand his actions.
Seere and Lin were not familiar with Nahun’s original personality, but Ersha was aware of it.
“It may be hard for you to understand my character now, but back then, I had no interest in anything, including Seir and everything around me. I referred to them as friends, but that was merely a form of amusement for me.”
Nahun spoke about his past self, which even he, having possessed his current body, could not fully comprehend.
The past Nahun was not as warm as he is now. He was indifferent to everything and did not care about anything happening around him. His harmlessness was such that even the power-hungry Taumiel felt no need to suppress him.
Seir, who approached him first and sought a close relationship, was no different. Although they spent time together, he never felt joy from it. He merely thought that his time spent alone had decreased slightly.
However, he would come to realize that this was not the case, but that was a later event.
“It was only after losing him that I truly began to consider him a friend.”
Nahun smiled bitterly.
“If I had intervened sooner, I could have probably prevented the interference of the Great Demons. No, I could have done so with plenty of time to spare. Taumiel would not have been able to ignore my words.”
It was only after Seir’s death that he felt the magnitude of that absence. When it was already too late to turn back, he realized what a friend truly meant. Only after Seir’s departure did he feel the sensation of loneliness again.
Thus, Nahun… the Great Demon ■■■ moved. Late, to fulfill his friend’s final request.
“Seere.”
Nahun called the name of that friend’s last bloodline. As per his friend’s wishes, he guided her to become a proper Demon Queen.
Yet, all of this was nearly a responsibility for failing to stop something he could have prevented. Just caring for Seere did not change the fact that he had let his friend die.
“You must seek revenge not only against Belzebut.”
Nahun pointed a finger at himself.
“Everyone, including myself, the Great Demons, led your father to death.”
The reason Nahun had not held the Great Demons accountable when he met them before. And the reason he did not get angry. Because he was, too, in no position to criticize, being the same as them.
The one who had to carry out the revenge was Seere, and Nahun himself believed he was included in that list of targets.
“So I wish to ask you, Seere.”
“……”
“I was a passive observer during your father’s death. If you’re thinking of avenging your father, I am included in that.”
Nahun asked.
“Even so, can you still love me?”
#
Seere felt as if her head was about to burst. Perhaps it was because she had been hit with so many shocking revelations all at once.
Seir did not simply die from being defeated by Belzebut. And the Great Demons intervened in that war.
But perhaps the most significant impact came from the fact that… the Teacher was her father’s friend. And that despite being friends, he passively observed her father’s death.
She tried to understand. No, she could understand it rationally. The Great Demons were, by nature, beings far above the Demon King, and it was not unreasonable to think they might not care for the death of a mere Demon King.
As Nahun himself said, there was a high probability he did not see what he considered a friend at that time. To the indifferent Nahun, her father might have appeared merely as a slightly unusual Demon King.
All of this made rational sense to her…
But her emotions could not agree with this understanding. She had watched as she lost her father and most of her influence, all from a child’s perspective. Only she knew what sort of scars those experiences had left behind.
“……”
The rational understanding of Nahun clashed with the emotion that could not forgive him. And entwined with her heart, which already loved him, it felt as if her head would burst.
“Ah….”
Seere could not respond to Nahun’s question. She had no time to formulate an answer. As she let out a pained moan, Nahun spoke calmly as if he had anticipated it.
“I’m done saying what I needed to say. I know it’s difficult to answer right away.”
Nahun gazed quietly at Seere. Seere had always liked the way her Teacher looked at her like that. She had never disliked it. However, now it felt slightly different.
“…I need to think for a while.”
“Alright. Take your time to think.”
Seere bit her lips firmly. The kiss they shared that morning was sweet, yet now it was painful.
She stormed out of the office. After a moment of looking at Seere’s empty space, Nahun turned to Lin and asked.
“Is Daejeong alright?”
“Of course not. It’s a rather… shocking story.”
“Yet, you haven’t shown me a single glance filled with resentment.”
“Just because I learned that fact doesn’t erase all the things you have done for us, Nahun. From lending your strength to caring for the young sovereign… I haven’t forgotten that debt.”
Lin said.
“Of course, as you mentioned, there are parts where I feel resentment towards you. But I still do not think badly of you because I believe you have changed.”
Lin offered an awkward smile. Although her words were sincere and not a lie, it was clear from her expression that she had also been heavily impacted by Nahun’s revelations.
“You did not hesitate to reveal all your power and even risk death to protect us.”
Lin vividly remembered Nahun’s actions from a month ago when he finished the Celestial Demon War despite sustaining serious injuries.
“…Thank you for thinking that way.”
“It’s the truth. But the reason I can think this way is that Seir and I had a lord-vassal relationship. On the other hand…”
“Right.”
For Seere, it was an issue related to family… a matter regarding her only parent. Unlike Lin, it was not easy for her to accept what she understood rationally with her heart.
“I will respect whatever decision Seere makes.”
“…Thank you.”
As Lin expressed her gratitude, Nahun shook his head.
“There’s no need for thanks. You, Seere, and no one else.”
At Nahun’s words, Lin paused briefly before rising from her seat. She politely bowed and saluted.
“…Do not think too hard about this. Everything will be alright.”
“…I understand.”
After Lin left the office, Ersha, who had been silent until then, looked at Nahun.
“Do you have something to say?”
“Why didn’t you explain everything?”
“What do you mean?”
“That can’t be the only reason you ignored it, Nahun.”
Ersha knew. She understood very well what would happen if this powerful Great Demon, symbolizing materialism, unleashed his power.
“When you intervened, no matter how much Taumiel feared your strength, he would not let my decisions go unchallenged.”
“……”
“In the end, Nahun, you would have clashed with the other great beings while trying to help Seir. It’s obvious that this could lead to a battle among the great beings.”
If a Great Demon could single-handedly slaughter the Archangel Mikael, what would happen if that Great Demon were to engage in battle with the other Great Demons? It was all too predictable.
“The girl is well aware of your power. Nahun may not be able to defeat all of them, but at least most of the great beings who oppose you would meet their deaths. Hell would become an even more dreadful place than it is now. If that happens, the Heavens…”
“Stop.”
Nahun interrupted Ersha. He simply stated.
“That’s all just an excuse.”
“……”
“It’s irrelevant what my reasons are; the fact that I passively observed Seir’s death does not change. And that is a great sin I committed against Seere.”
Nahun stood up from his seat.
“Is there a need to explain my excuses to a child who has lost her family?”
“The girl was just… saddened by the situation.”
“It doesn’t matter how my situation is.”
Nahun left the sofa and sat in a chair piled with documents.
“I had originally planned to tell this story at least when that girl entered the top five in ranking.”
“…So you were going to let Seere take revenge on her own?”
“Correct. By then, she wouldn’t need my teachings anymore.”
But circumstances had changed. Seere confessed her love to him, and at the moment he realized that this love was an unchangeable truth…
“…I had no choice but to tell her the truth now.”
“…It will be even harder to speak after entering into a deeper relationship, and when you do, the backlash will be greater, right?”
“You understand well.”
“Indeed, it was a wise choice. But…”
Ersha, who was speaking, swallowed her words again and looked at Nahun with a sad expression. And she thought of her unspoken words inwardly.
‘Then who will heal Nahun’s wounds?’
#
That evening, Seere locked herself alone in her room. Not allowing Rea, Cecili, or anyone else inside. Even Nahun was forbidden from entering, which caused great concern for both Rea and Cecili.
“What on earth… did Nahun say?”
“Who knows…”
The Demon King Castle, once vibrant that morning, was now filled with worry. She had said that she would handle the documents and provide them in due time, so no one could dissuade her from her actions.
Nahun did not shut himself away but quietly attended to his duties in the office.
With the Demon King incapacitated, and her teacher became silent. No one, not even a fool, could fail to notice that something had happened between the two who had recently returned from vacation.
However, under the orders of Rea, the head maid, Cain, the head butler, and Lin, the military chief, no one dared to speak of the matter.
Days passed in silence in the fifty-story Demon King Castle.
“What’s with this gloomy atmosphere?”
Suddenly, a single loudly cheerful Demon King appeared.
