Chapter 98
Hell.
Even a young Seere knew well what kind of place it was. However, aside from that knowledge, she couldn’t understand why Nahun was going to hell.
Seere, who was severely taken aback by Nahun’s words about going to hell, forgot her anger and was filled with worry for him instead.
“W-Why are you going there, Teacher!?”
“I told you. I have something to do.”
“So what is it? How do you plan to come back after going to hell…!”
An ordinary demon couldn’t just enter and exit hell at will. Seere knew very well that entering was tough, but leaving was practically impossible.
A mass of malevolent spirits, powerful demons, and above all of them, the ten transcendent beings.
“Archdemon.”
These entities, unique in their dominion over demons, were stronger and older than even demon kings. With the long years they had lived, their knowledge and wisdom were unparalleled, and their strength was terrifying.
Even the top-ranking demon kings, like Seir von Debata, who had ruled at the pinnacle of the demon world for ages, and Beelzebub von Deus, who maintained that position since the appearance of the demon king, could not guarantee victory against them.
They were beings of a different caliber altogether. It was only natural that any demon who carelessly set foot in the hell governed by such beings could face unimaginable dangers.
“It’s alright. I can come back.”
Seere also understood. Nahun was incredibly strong.
In fact, he was so strong that one might doubt where he had been living until now to become such a standout. Just the whale named Leviathan that he commanded was a powerful monster strong enough that even Seere herself would question whether she could win against it.
But still, sending Nahun to hell made her uneasy. Seere grabbed the collar of Nahun’s cloak and spoke.
“No! You absolutely can’t go! Please go back to the human world instead and work there. If you go to hell, you might really…!”
“It’s alright, Seere. Contrary to your worries, I can come back.”
“So, Teacher, that doesn’t make sense….”
“I am a being who can return.”
With Nahun’s quiet statement, Seere, who was trying to persuade him otherwise, widened her eyes. This bright child realized what Nahun’s meaningful words truly meant.
“Teacher, you don’t mean….”
“Seere, this is a story I’m telling you for the first time.”
First. Seere, who valued the importance of that word more than anyone, unconsciously nodded. Nahun then told her.
“You must not tell anyone else. That’s how I can continue to be by your side.”
Nahun smiled gently. Then he extended his hand to Seere, holding out his pinky finger. This act revealed how Nahun still saw her as a child.
“Can you promise?”
“…Yes.”
Seere linked her finger with Nahun’s, and he nodded.
“From your reaction just now, it seems you have an inkling… yes, I am not an ordinary demon.”
Nahun revealed his magic power to its fullest extent. In that moment, Seere was overwhelmed. Not only was she overwhelmed, but it became hard to breathe. As she witnessed that immense and powerful magic, Seere trembled slightly and broke into a cold sweat, and Nahun quickly retracted his magical power.
“I am a demon. Among demons, one who reigns above them….”
She understood without needing Nahun to explain further. Just from witnessing that formidable magic, Seere could intuitively grasp the truth. She looked at Nahun, her eyes quivering slightly.
“An archdemon.”
Seere wore a look of astonishment. It was only natural. Even a young child like Seere understood what the existence of an archdemon entailed. After all, how many people in hell could claim ignorance of what an archdemon means?
To such a Seere, Nahun spoke candidly.
“However, I never intended to hide it from the beginning. Just know that I only learned who I really am not too long ago.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“For some reason, I locked away my own memories. I only became aware of who I was and what existence I had in the past after meeting the progenitor of my bloodline. She, having lived a long time, knew quite a lot.”
“…….”
Seere stared blankly at Nahun. Sitting on his knee, turning her body and clutching the fabric of his cloak, she didn’t even have time to think about how embarrassed she should feel in that position.
“I came to know what my existence truly is through the progenitor’s stories, and I was not the only one to notice that.”
“What?”
“Do you know that a demon visited previously?”
“Was it on the 72nd floor?”
“Yes. But in fact, they had come once more before that.”
“!?”
Nahun, unlike the Demogorgon he had sent away, had thrown Abaddon directly to the whale food. He had dealt with that swiftly, believing the matter to be resolved, and had chosen not to disclose it.
But now he felt the need to go to hell directly, and so he was revealing everything to Seere.
“I handled it myself at the time, but afterwards, demons and angels invaded the 72nd floor as a result. So I has been thinking that I could not let things be.”
“…You didn’t tell me in advance again.”
“I’m sorry.”
Seere was intelligent. She understood at once why Nahun had to go to hell. The reason Nahun was being attentive to the human world was to prevent the outbreak of the Heavenly Demon War. However, it was clear that he needed to block its advance, so it seemed he intended to address that in advance.
The clever Seere realized fully why Nahun needed to head to hell. The reason Nahun aimed to prevent the Heavenly Demon War solely concerned Seere herself, making it impossible for her to stop him.
“So then, do you not know when you’ll be back?”
“…I don’t know how long it’ll take. But I will try. Until the Demon World Congress convenes, I will make sure to return.”
Nahun gently patted Seere’s head. She slightly lowered her head. Usually, she enjoyed when Nahun would stroke her head, but for some reason, she felt a bit displeased now.
“Dein will periodically report on the situation in the human world via letters. Normally, just hearing progress reports would suffice, but since the civil war is expected to last at least a year, if signs of peace are shown beforehand, send Dein and Eri to interfere in the human world.”
Nahun calmly informed her of what she had to do.
“Be cautious of Charlotte von Bismarck of the Bismarck Empire. I cannot easily dismiss her intellect, so it would be better to create a situation where there is only one option before making any plans.”
“…Does that mean I can’t kill that human?”
“If the gods notice that a demon has killed a human in the human world, it would cause problems.”
Nahun’s act of eliminating Schwarte’s army was made possible by the wonderful cleaner known as Leviathan. Seere nodded without putting up any resistance.
“Seere.”
“…Yes.”
“I know very well that you are still young and need my care. However, this is something that can no longer be postponed. You’re still young, and this force is not yet stable.”
“I understand.”
Even as she answered, Seere’s expression was filled with regret. The distinct obsession of a child who doesn’t want to part at all could be seen on her face.
Nahun gently held Seere’s cheek in his hand. Then, he pinched it slightly, releasing her expression from its tension.
“Isn’t it the true role of a teacher to solve problems their student cannot handle? I’ll take care of the complicated matters so that you can focus on what’s happening in the demon world without worry. And I will leave a training journal documenting your training, so make sure you do it every day without fail.”
“…I can work hard even without a training journal.”
“Ah, that’s true.”
Indeed, it was true. Seere had become diligent about her individual training to the extent that she was doing well on her own without Nahun needing to prompt her. She hadn’t missed a day.
“Until I return, you can manage well, right?”
Nahun asked with trust. Seere bit her lip. She simply couldn’t bring herself to respond with an “I can’t.”
“…Yes.”
Seere held tightly onto the hand resting on her head. Then, with sincerity, she spoke to Nahun.
“You must come back.”
“Where would I go without you?”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Her sea-like blue eyes sparkled. The gaze of a determined child shone brighter and was more noble than anything else.
“I’ll bring everything you’ve taught me and make it into a force that stands tall and proud.”
Nahun grinned widely. Then he lightly embraced Seere and patted her back, like a parent sending off a child they were tending to.
“I’m so glad to hear that. You don’t have to overdo it. Spread your skills and abilities as far as you can in a way that you can manage.”
“…Yes, Teacher.”
Nahun briefly straightened Seere up and rose from his seat. Then he placed Seere back into the throne. He stood before his seated disciple and spoke with a resolute voice.
“I trust you. No matter what anyone says, you….”
I personally taught and raised you.
“You are my only disciple.”
The best demon king.
#
Nahun left. Left alone, Seere sat in the throne for a long time, feeling the warmth he had left behind.
“…The fact that Teacher is leaving.”
It’s all because I’m weak. The reason he is going to hell is entirely to protect his weak self. If I weren’t weak, there would be no need for him to avoid the Heavenly Demon War, and there would be no reason for him to head to hell.
Seere, who etched that fact deep into her bones, gripped the armrests of the throne and stood up.
‘With this, I’ll always be just someone who is protected by Teacher, and he won’t see me as an equal.’
Seere looked at her own hands for a moment. Foolishly, childishly holding on to Teacher. Slowly, she clenched that hand into a fist.
‘I must change.’
By the time Nahun returns, she must create an even more respectable force and become stronger herself. And….
‘I want to be someone he can rely on.’
Seere left the audience chamber, vowing to herself as she relinquished her grip on the throne that still held some of Nahun’s warmth.
