I Was Abandoned by the Demon King I Served for 10 Years

Chapter 6

It has been a week since the Demon King, who left in search of love with the Hero, disappeared.

The chaos in the castle has effectively subsided. A new regime centered around two key figures has now emerged.

Chief Shaman Rudmila, who gathers the shamans of the Demon Realm to predict the future and set the direction for the castle.

Regent Durin, who firmly controls the forces attempting to deviate using his formidable power.

Although the state of emergency was still in place, the demons of the castle no longer defected. On the contrary, they were converging toward the center.

"Your Excellency. We have captured all the dissenters in the vicinity. As per your orders, they have all been gathered in the park."

Of course, it was by force.

A soldier of the Royal Guard defending the castle planted his spear into the ground as if offering it to Durin. With 500 spears driven into the ground at once, the scene resembled an orchard. Heads with tongues sticking out from their mouths adorned the tops like red fruits.

Drip... Drip... Drip...

Beads of blood left stains on the ground. One of the castle's few beautiful gardens had turned into an execution ground, collecting the heads of dissenters. From the day Durin declared an internal purge while planning the Southern Expedition, a large-scale cleansing began.

[Demon King's Castle Authority]

To gather forces under one banner, authority befitting such a task was essential. An army in disarray, no matter how skilled or well-equipped, was nothing more than a rabble.

Only war.

A military force that focuses solely on war without distraction was what Durin envisioned as the elite of the Demon King's Castle. To instill authority in them, it was necessary to show that the castle was still alive.

For demons, strength was everything in the world. Fear, the notion that disobedience would result in death, was the most effective means of instilling authority.

"Have you confirmed everything, including the Demon Beast Farm and the Barrier?"

"Yes, they have already dealt with the dissenters in those areas on their own. The heads will be sent here shortly."

"I will personally inspect them when they arrive. In the meantime, execute the remaining ones."

"Understood, Your Excellency."

At Durin's command, Verdia bowed deeply. Her posture was even more reverent than that of Spranches, Durin's personal aide. This change had occurred since the day he granted her a new life.

"They dared to defy the Demon King's Castle. Leave not a single one alive. Decorate this park for Her sake."

However, her devotion was so extreme that it bordered on the level of a human priest serving a god. Verdia personally went around verifying the faces of the captured. Most were nobles who had been caught after testing their loyalty to the castle or observing regional power struggles.

Golden eyes and blue horns. Beneath them, sharp features. Although demons from various regions were present, the Southern demons overwhelmingly dominated the numbers. They shouted as they saw Verdia, who walked among them with her sword.

"Verdia! What is the meaning of this? Are you not the daughter born of the Rock? Why are you doing this to us...!"

"Shut up."

Thwack!

Whenever someone raised their voice, Verdia kicked their head. A scream rang out as horns shattered under her steel boots, scattering into pieces.

"Guh! Ghrk..."

"If you give birth, you should take responsibility. Is the Mother Rock someone who discards her own when they become useless, huh?"

"Grrr..."

"Suddenly trying to tie me by blood at a time like this is the most disgusting thing. Did even one person come looking for me when I was held hostage? Or did anyone come saying, 'Let's survive together,' when this incident broke out? Ah, I understand the indifference, of course. After all, the friends who helped me are already skewered on these stakes before you."

Verdia crouched down and looked at the fallen Southern demon. Her deep delight was evident every time those fear-stricken eyes turned toward her.

"From now on, I won't help anyone. I'll seize and consume what’s mine. If you try to hold onto loyalty when a lifeline is thrown down, you'll only end up dead. And you, you’re from the kind that did absolutely nothing, aren't you? No need to think twice."

Schink.

The sharp sound of metal echoed through the execution grounds. The 500 Royal Guard soldiers followed her lead, raising their swords above their heads. Verdia smirked and spoke.

"Thanks for listening to my long story. Now, goodbye."

"W-wait!"

Screech!

A desperate scream erupted. With a clean arc, the traitor's head was severed, silencing him instantly. What followed was a violent gush of blood. Verdia spat on the ground and kicked the head.

"Impale it over there. We'll leave it on display until the Expedition returns."

"Understood."

A Succubus Maid carried the head away. An additional 500 heads were added to the garden, making a total of 800. Since the corridors used by castle staff surrounded the area, no worker in the castle could avoid witnessing the scene. Having completed the task as Durin had instructed, Verdia looked around with a satisfied smile.

"Everything is for our Excellency."

Her chilling laughter echoed softly through the garden. It persisted until the Dullahan and the Maid finished tidying up and left.

The small lizard Spranches trembled as he witnessed the scene alongside Durin.

"She’s a strange one. It seems her head got damaged after meeting Your Excellency."

"The castle is home to various kinds of demons. Just think of her as one of those types, Spranches. Verdia is a valuable asset to our Expedition Force."

"I worry about your path, Your Excellency. However, since she has already been brought into the Royal Guard, I can only assume there is a greater purpose. Please, do not heed the words of someone as lowly as myself and proceed as you see fit."

"I am already proceeding as I see fit. Stop fussing and get back to your work."

"Serving Your Excellency is my duty. I will remain by your side."

Although Spranches spoke grandly, Durin once again dismissed him. There was no time to indulge in such ostentatious flattery when there was still work to be done.

"Your Excellency, the troop assembly is complete. The volunteers are waiting at the Training Ground, so if you depart now, you’ll arrive on time."

The timely appearance of the Maid interrupted their conversation. Spranches, who had been about to add another comment, closed his mouth at her arrival. For Durin, it was a welcome distraction.

"Very well. Let us depart immediately."

"Understood. I will notify the Training Ground separately."

As the Maid retreated backward, Durin began moving as if he had been waiting for this moment. His strides were light and purposeful. Having been confined to the castle with Rudmila to handle the deluge of administrative work, he felt as though the frustration was about to burst through his armor. Even the executions aimed at bolstering the castle's authority had not been enough to quench his fundamental thirst.

Battle.

The driving force that sustained all demons and the essence of their existence.

This was also why Durin was passionately preparing for the Expedition. Having endured countless frustrations to fulfill his duty of protecting the castle, he now sought to unleash it all at once. His steps toward the Training Ground grew increasingly buoyant. Rudmila would take care of most of the logistics for the Expedition, so there was no need to waste unnecessary effort.

With such thoughts in mind, he arrived at the Training Ground in front of the King's Hall.

It was the site where the Defense Force had staged a massive protest when the King disappeared. Now, it had been transformed into a vast hall for war preparations. The neatly aligned spearheads and thick armor. Unlike the unruly and crude lower-ranking soldiers of the Demon Realm, the formation here was orderly and precise—truly elite.

Their resolve to avenge the shame of failing to capture the Hero in the past was unshakable. They pounded their spears on the ground. When Durin, who would lead them into war, appeared, their excitement became uncontrollable.

"At last, we march! We've waited so long."

"The Southern barbarians! We’ll cut off their heads."

It was the Royal Guard who shouted. The headless Dullahans' voices were twice as resonant as those of other demons. Having fought against angels, they felt no fear in facing barbarians.

"All the troops you requested have been prepared. Please review them."

The Dullahan Royal Guard Commander, who had been assisting him with war preparations, handed him a parchment. It was an overview of the forces created by the shamans. With simple illustrations and numbers, it allowed for easy comprehension of the large-scale army.

"Two Elite Royal Guard Regiments, four Twin-Handed Infantry Units, and three Scout Demon Beast Units..."

The numbers listed seemed pitifully small for an Expedition. Although Durin had told Rudmila the number would be 800, maintaining control over the still-unstable central forces required more troops than expected.

Thus, the finalized size of the Expedition Force was set. The main body would consist of 400 Heavy Armored Royal Guards. On either flank, 200 Light Infantry would provide support and engage in pursuits or skirmishes. Lastly, 50 Scout Demon Beasts would be deployed to detect ambushes in mountainous terrain.

Although the situation was said to have normalized, the current state of the castle, still incapable of fully extending its control amidst lingering chaos, laid bare the reality.

Thus, Durin decided to hasten the expedition.

"The Royal Guard Commander must focus on maintaining order here. I will return with news of victory no matter what."

"The forces gathering in the South have already surpassed 8,000. Although the border cities have yet to turn back to us, it is only a matter of time."

The Royal Guard Commander spoke with evident concern. Though headless, her hand gripping the sword's hilt trembled slightly. She was one of the few in the castle who, having served the Demon King closely, understood the gravity of the situation better than anyone else. Unlike those who yelled for battle at the training ground, she was a High Demon of a different caliber.

Durin placed a hand on the Royal Guard Commander's shoulder and responded.

"If we remain idle, the tides will turn against us. The withdrawal of the warlords will signal the division of the Demon Realm and give the angels the pretext for invasion. Everything must be dealt with before that happens."

"Your Excellency, in that case, I wish to accompany you. The Chief Shaman remains here in the castle. Please include me in the Expedition Force."

"I know the anxiety you harbor. After all, I’m proposing to subjugate the South with an Expedition of fewer than 1,000 troops."

"That is not so. How could I entertain such a blasphemous thought…"

"You don’t have to say it. I already know. Those who left dew on the execution grounds often spoke such words. Without belief in one's ability, such feats are impossible. Speak now if something weighs on your mind."

"Your Excellency, please forgive me. I wavered, albeit briefly. As a member of the Royal Guard, it was a thought I should never have entertained."

The Royal Guard Commander knelt. She pressed her headless neck low to the ground in penance. All the soldiers gathered at the training ground witnessed this scene. Around that time, the excitement for the upcoming battle began to cool. They quietly lowered their weapons and closed their mouths.

Recognizing that the moment had come, Durin stepped forward.

"This is a crisis for the castle. The king has abandoned us, and the traitors are readying their swords to carve up what is ours. While some remain quiet for now, it won’t last. Soon, we will have to wage war against the entire continent."

Disgrace. Only disgrace.

It was one of the truths ignored by the soldiers, who had been venting their rage at the Hero who had taken the king.

"You must already feel it. The era centered around the king is over. A time of great chaos has arrived, where survival demands struggle. No, we’re already being dragged into it, and the time has come to fight."

Durin raised his voice, intending to engrave the reality they needed to face.

"A thousand years of peace are over. From now on, it’s kill or be killed. Think of nothing else. That’s the domain of cowardly nobles. Kill, as befits the Demon Tribe. And die, as befits the Demon Tribe."

"As befits the Demon Tribe."

"Fulfill your duties. That is all I have to say."

Without raising his voice to stir their fighting spirit, Durin spoke calmly and turned away.

As if there was nothing more to say, he walked toward another place.

........

Somewhere on the stairs connecting the training ground and the King’s Hall.

Rudmila was watching Durin from above. From this vantage point, the entire castle came into view. Goblin soldiers scurried about preparing supplies, while Dullahans compared their spear shafts, arguing over who could better fulfill their duties. There were even a few warlord nobles, enthralled by Durin’s words, singing his praises alone.

"That one seems completely unhinged."

Among them, one figure stood out. Unlike the central Demon Tribe with their red horns and eyes, she possessed yellow eyes and blue horns, marking her as a Demon from the South. While most had been cut down during internal purges, one woman had survived.

"Wasn’t her name Verdia Del Souden? No, now that she’s under Durin, her family name no longer applies."

The daughter born of rock. A member of the traitor’s bloodline and the current Expedition’s key advisor. If it were Rudmila, she would have decapitated that woman first, but Durin was different. Given the desperate circumstances, he utilized any available resources, even those from enemy factions. Concepts like honor or enmity meant little to him—they were the kind of notions that would have nobles offering up their necks to the blade.

"Hmph."

Verdia, as seen through Rudmila’s eyes, was no different. Birds of a feather, perhaps? Yet, as if aware of her presence, Verdia hesitated to step into the training ground, instead hiding behind a pillar and secretly observing Durin. Even so, her fervor rivaled that of the soldiers. Was it gratitude for Durin saving her life, or loyalty? Rudmila couldn’t discern her intentions, but one thing was clear.

"Ugh. It’s like seeing a female version of Spranches."

The Southern warriors were drawn to strength, and Verdia’s behavior perfectly aligned with that trait. When Durin stomped his foot, she flinched and trembled, then collapsed to the ground where she sat frozen. Judging by the fact that she still hadn’t gotten up, the impression had left a deep mark.

"There are all kinds of Demons in the castle. I know that, but… seriously, I can’t stand things like that."

Clicking her tongue in disapproval, Rudmila turned back toward the King’s Hall.

She no longer saw any value in gawking at Verdia, who continued to stare blankly at the spot where Durin had disappeared.

With the expedition looming, it was merely a trivial incident not worth her attention.

"What matters more is this."

She turned to her side. Like Spranches accompanying Durin, Rudmila had a dedicated Succubus Maid following her.

"You mentioned a report has arrived?"

"Yes, it was an urgent message from the observatory."

The maid knelt, retrieving a parchment, and respectfully presented it with both hands. For merely delivering a report, her actions were excessively formal.

"...Is it true?"

Yet Rudmila accepted it with a serious expression, hesitating to place her hands on the parchment as if shocked.

The maid lowered her head even further, answering Rudmila’s question.

"Yes, they have finally found traces of the previous Demon King who had fled."