Chapter 4

Abelin waited obediently in the corner of the training ground until the Vanguard’s training was over.

“Good work, everyone. You can go ahead. I’ll stay and talk with Abelin for a bit.”

“Yep! If Abelin tries to harm the Captain, shout loudly. We’ll stop eating and come running immediately!”

“Don’t worry. Even if Abelin dislikes me, she’s not cowardly. Go and eat well.”

I sent my subordinates off to have dinner and faced Abelin, who had been waiting obediently in the corner of the training ground until the training ended.

“Sorry for making you wait so long.”

“No need to apologize. I chose to wait.”

“So, why did you want to see me?”

“……”

Abelin stared at me intently before speaking.

I unconsciously averted my gaze.

“Why are you avoiding my gaze, Kairon? I haven’t said anything yet.”

“It’s just my mood.”

“Every result has a cause. It can’t just be your mood.”

“Let’s just say it’s my mood.”

Honestly, facing Abelin wasn’t the same as before.

‘After what happened, how could I be normal…’

Even now, the memory of that incident before I returned in time was absurd.

It was so absurd that the sensation on my cheek still felt vivid.

I didn’t know why, but after that incident, I found it hard to meet Abelin’s gaze properly.

“Be honest, Kairon. Did you do something?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Your voice is trembling, though.”

“Come on… Stop saying strange things and get to the point. It’s time for both of us to have dinner. Aren’t you hungry?”

“Then I’ll get straight to the point.”

Abelin’s eyes sharpened.

“Kairon. Please help me with my training.”

“Help with your training? Are you asking me that now?”

“Who else would I ask? It’s just you and me here.”

“Haha…”

“My skills haven’t improved because I haven’t had a good opponent. And the most suitable training partner for me is you.”

“Training partner, huh. But you know, right? Our fighting styles are completely different. Will it really help you improve your strengths?”

“Of course. Because…”

Abelin bit her lip.

“As much as I hate to admit it, I can tell. I don’t know how you changed so suddenly, but you’re stronger than me now. So please help me.”

Abelin bowed deeply as she spoke.

Thorough self-evaluation.

That was Abelin’s greatest strength.

Even before I returned, Abelin would reflect on every battle, thoroughly evaluate herself, and improve her weaknesses, becoming noticeably stronger with each fight.

At this point, I might be stronger because I’ve experienced more battles, but Abelin in the future was by no means weak.

Well-trained subordinates could handle ordinary demons, but for the stronger ones, only skilled commanders like me and Abelin could face them.

The problem was that the demons were growing stronger faster than we were.

‘This is a better request than I thought. If Abelin can quickly absorb the experiences I’ve gained, she might become much stronger than before.’

We had to grow stronger.

The Apostle said it.

More powerful demons would appear, and the world would soon be destroyed.

Then, we just had to become stronger too.

“Alright. I’ll be your training partner.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I can’t refuse when you’re asking so earnestly.”

“As expected…”

Abelin’s eyes sparkled with joy as she nodded.

“But.”

“But?”

I asked, noticing Abelin’s uneasy expression.

“Bare-handed? We’re not going to train just once or twice. Hehe, so…”

Abelin flinched at my sly laugh.

“…What do you want?”

“First, buy me a delicious dinner.”

“Huh? Ha, I thought…”

Abelin, who had been nervous about what I might ask, let out a sigh of relief.

“That’s no problem at all. Shall we go now?”

“Sure. What are you going to buy me?”

“You know there aren’t many options. Choose what you want from them.”

This place was the Vanguard’s fortress city, ‘Cresnig,’ at the northernmost part of the world.

It was hard to come here from outside or leave, so there were no fancy or expensive restaurants.

In fact, there weren’t many proper restaurants to begin with.

“Then, today, let’s try something different… Huh?”

I stopped as Abelin and I were leaving the Vanguard’s training ground.

“What’s wrong, Kairon?”

“That guy… Rajeing, right?”

I pointed at someone in the distance with my finger.

“That guy? Be careful with your words. It’s Commander Rajeing.”

Rajeing, one of the commanders in charge of a small unit.

There was a reason I called him “that guy.”

I didn’t know how he became a commander in the Vanguard, but he was utterly incompetent.

It would have been fine if he were just incompetent, but the problem was that he caused trouble for other units.

He failed every mission he was given, and even when assigned to rear support, he couldn’t perform his duties properly, causing significant damage to several units.

My Black Iron Vanguard was one of the units that suffered due to Rajeing’s half-hearted support.

He even fled first when the Raging Archdemon appeared.

But…

“Abelin, don’t you see it?”

“See what?”

“That guy, there’s a purple aura flickering around him.”

“Huh…? Kairon, you must have trained too hard. Seeing a purple aura flickering around someone’s body. Maybe you should see a doctor instead of going to eat.”

“No, I’m fine.”

I didn’t know what was going on.

But a chilling, sinister purple aura was faintly glowing around Rajeing’s body.

And I had seen that color before.

…It was the same aura the Apostle tried to inject into me.

“Abelin, sorry, but let’s take a detour.”

Convinced, I left Abelin and strode toward Rajeing.

“A detour? Kairon, where are you suddenly…!”

Rajeing, noticing me approaching, smiled awkwardly and greeted me first.

“Oh? Hello, Commander Kairon. I hope your training went well… Whoa!”

Before Rajeing could finish his greeting, I grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up.

Then, avoiding the eyes of others, I dragged him into a nearby empty tent.

“W-What are you doing all of a sudden!”

“Who are you, really?”

“Who am I? I’m Rajeing! Commander of the 13th Unit! Let go of me first!”

“Yeah, you’re Rajeing. But what’s your real identity?”

I shook Rajeing roughly by the collar as countless thoughts raced through my mind.

The Apostle who served ‘Them,’ trying to destroy our world.

That guy who attacked me said he was doing something to please ‘Them.’

Does this guy, who has the same power, also serve as an Apostle?

Suspicion without evidence isn’t good, but somehow, everything made sense if this guy was an Apostle.

He failed missions as if it were natural, and his support was always late.

What if he did all that on purpose?

“Commander Abelin, please help me! Commander Kairon is suddenly…!”

“Kairon, what are you doing all of a sudden? Let go of Commander Rajeing right now!”

Abelin, who had followed, scolded me.

“Why are you suddenly harassing an innocent person?”

“Innocent? Do you really think he’s innocent?”

“…Even if he’s incompetent, that’s not a crime!”

“Ugh…”

Rajeing, who had been verbally slapped by Abelin, looked at me with a pleading expression.

“Why are you doing this? I’ll do better, I promise!”

He said that, but being this close, I could feel it more clearly.

The purple aura glowing around Rajeing’s body was weaker than what I felt from the Apostle, but it was exactly the same type.

I roughly let go of him.

“Huff, cough…”

“Are you okay, Commander Rajeing?”

Abelin checked on Rajeing, who was gasping for breath.

Seeing Abelin so calm, it seemed the purple aura was only visible to me.

Otherwise, I had no evidence to show.

But I…

I was sure.

“Kairon? K-Kairon!”

I picked up a sword lying in the corner of the tent.

And without hesitation, I cut off Rajeing’s arm.

“Ahhh! Aaahhh!”

Rajeing screamed, clutching the severed arm.

“Kairon, what are you doing!”

Abelin shouted sharply, drawing her sword.

“Do you know the consequences of attacking a comrade? Regardless of the reason…”

“No, look at him.”

At my calm response, Abelin paused and turned her gaze to Rajeing.

“Hehe, kuhaha…!”

Rajeing, now laughing, was engulfed in purple flames.

“I was going to play with you slowly, but you brought this on yourself!”

His human shell melted away like it was burning…

“Kyaaaah!”

A slender, long-tongued purple demon revealed itself.

“Haa, I thought so. I thought it would be better if he were a demon, but…”

I didn’t know.

I never thought he’d actually be a demon.