Chapter 72. Traitor

Author's Note:

Happy New Year!!!

*****

The enormous wave of demons disappeared, as the black dragon carrying tens of adventurers had soared beyond into the wispy clouds. The night sky was like an infinite void, constantly peering down at them with a vast hunger.

Not even their own shadows were visible to the naked eye.

"...it's getting warmer." Percival was the first to notice the sudden rise in temperature. The bone-chilling frost had melted into a blooming summer, gnawing on their bones like an itchy mosquito bite.

Upon hearing his exclamation, everyone understood.

They escaped from Isdis Kingdom. They're now in Ubel—the abandoned kingdom of the demons. The black dragon began flying lower to the land, allowing the group of adventurers to see the destroyed kingdom for themselves.

The land—which was supposed to healthy in rich greens and nurtured in supple soil—had completely died out. Every single plant had dwindled into an unsightly wilt, and every green rotted to a pecan brown. The soil burned mahogany red, as if a fire was ignited underneath the land and boiling it alight. Pebbles of rocks laid across the red land, and what was once a vast field of trees turned into a barren mine.

"...this is where I woke up," Farrah stated, "The Book of Memories should be somewhere here."

Her heart pumped the blood in her veins faster. She could feel a rush of excitement taint over her indifferent expression.

From the distance, there was the crumbling figure of a broken castle—pieces of its cobblestone broken off and rusting on the ground. Its spiky peak was leaning to one side, almost collapsing into halves. "We can begin searching by revisiting the places you remember," Lucilline offered to the Demon Princess.

Farrah agreed.

Slowly, the black dragon descended onto the red soil. Its claws left hideous marks on the already hideous piece of land.

Ubel Kingdom has become a lonesome piece of land—not a single living being insight.

The group of adventurers and knights disembarked the black dragon's back, climbing down and their heels sinking into the foreign soil. Ubel Kingdom stunk of the dead, with the thick scent of ashes clamouring the air, distorting almost everything before them. It appeared as if a great fire burned down the entire nation, with its charcoal staining every crook and cranny.

Azalea couldn't hold in his cough.

"Sorry," his chest heaved, "I need a breather." A fist stuck before his mouth, while he coughed his lungs out. The silver knight's amethyst purple eyes appeared a bit weary.

He was fatigued during the dragon ride.

"Brother, you—" Willow reached out a hand to him, but was interrupted by another nasty cough. Augustine gave her a side glance, raising a gloved hand to her, "Let him rest. There is something called 'air sickness'."

The silver knight continuously coughed, his face paling and becoming dreary.

At that point, Lucilline was sure that Azalea's voice would have given out.

However, he was proven wrong. Soon enough, Azalea had caught himself and stopped coughing. His face was almost as pale as his silver locks of hair, shining briefly like a polished diamond. The amethyst purple in his eyes flashed a hint of queasiness.

"We can rest for a bit more," Lucilline offered.

Azalea raised his head softly.

His gaze seemed to pierce deeply into Lucilline's flesh, making the latter lightly wobble on his feet. The black-haired nobleman was puzzled. What was that? He quickly regained his calm. Perhaps he was shocked to see Azalea in such a sorry state.

"Thank you, Lucilline." Azalea let out a choked cough.

His breathing slowly became steady, with his low breaths exhaling into the smoky breeze. Gradually, Azalea stood up from the ground.

"I'm ready now." He stated.

The group of adventurers explored what was left of Ubel Kingdom. There was absolutely nothing in the abandoned kingdom. They traversed through cracked pieces of rocks, the barren field of red soil, and more wilted plants.

The night sky had gradually brightened.

It was daytime.

"There's nothing here at all!" One of the ordinary knights wailed. "We've been searching for an entire night! The sun is already out!" Every single person in the group appeared fatigued, with their faces already ashen grey by the distinct scent of death.

"Do you think that the note lied to you?" Willow nudged her Young Master.

Lucilline pursed his lips. He was promised that the Book of Memory would be waiting for him at Ubel Kingdom—at the deserted castle.

A light bulb shone in his mind.

"There's one place we haven't visited yet." Lucilline added, "The castle."

To this, everyone else wore an exasperated expression. One of the two ordinary knights exclaimed in fright, "Uhm, Young Master Rubius... that shouldn't be right! Don't you see how broken down that castle is?" To the direction of his pointed finger, one would see the destroyed castle in the distance. It looked as if it would topple over at any moment. "If we were to enter... the building might just collapse on us!"

Indeed, the castle did not appear stable. It seemed to be on its hind legs—swaying on one side and ready to collapse.

Lucilline's face turned sour. He did not need to be told about such an obvious description.

The black-haired nobleman glared at the knight, "Then I will enter by myself. You're free to stay out here." Perhaps his patience had thinned out. Normally, he would've never presented the rage within himself. All he wished for were answers—just what was the truth of this world? Could he still prevent the destruction of Lydia Kingdom?

He wanted to understand what drove him to become a villain? How can he prevent his death in the present world? Additionally, why is it that the current events differ from what was written in the novel?

"Ah... Lucy?" Layla was taken aback.

Naturally, everyone else was too.

Lucilline Rubius was probably the embodiment of peace and shamelessness. He did not bother to put up airs, and almost kept a calm facade. No matter how bothered he was inside, Lucilline would instead present a sly smile.

His last strand of sanity was snapping.

"I will be entering the castle," Lucilline took a deep breath, trying to splash water over his growing flames. "...Nineteen, would you accompany me?"

Farrah nodded.

She wished to gain her memories back, and also wished to see what her home has become.

"I'll also join you," Azalea firmly nodded.

"Me too!" Willow raised her hand in the air, making up for her short height.

Augustine gave a side gaze, "Do you even need to ask me?"

"Don't forget about me." Percival grinned, his caramel brown hair untied to run down like a waterfall of strands.

Dimitri gave a low cough. "I have the duty to look after your safety," his hazel brown eyes averted from Lucilline's gaze. "I will make sure you do not injure yourself while on this journey."

"Likewise," Jacques piqued in, "I can heal anything." The one light pink eye of the mage seemed surreal to look at.

"I am strong enough to eliminate any obstacle in your path," Layla revealed his row of white teeth, his pink hair becoming less of a blinding colour and more comforting to look at.

Lucilline gave a small smile.

Farrah took a step forward. She opened her mouth, intending to say something. However, before she was able to make out a word, she was interrupted by an unknown force.

"Foolish humans." All the adventurers and knights in the group at present heard that voice. It was less of a voice—and more like an unknown noise that snuck in their minds. Nobody knew when it had entered, as if it was lingering within their subconscious the whole time.

"Do you truly believe that I'll let you all enter together?" It was an old and crinkling voice, belonging to what seems like an elderly woman. "I want only two—the demon and the Rubius kid. Come inside my castle at night."

"...then... the Book of Memories is yours."

The voice came then left without a trace.

*****

Daphnne raced anxiously around in her store. The heroine had brushed her locks of caramel brown hair into a single braid, hanging loosely over one shoulder. Her iris blue eyes focused upon the flickering candlelight, with the lick of the flame dancing within her pupils.

It was nighttime—Daphnne felt that she must've missed her friends—otherwise just why was her heart racing so fast?

She clutched her hands to her chest.

There was the feeling of a pair of malicious eyes gazing upon her... searing into her back... even though there was nobody else in the vicinity.

"...when will Lucilline and Az come back?" Daphnne complained to herself.

She sat down on a chair, her legs swinging back and forth from boredom. "I miss them already... and Willow..." Her face subconsciously blushed when thinking of the maidservant. The heroine could only silently wish for her friends to return back home.

The candle on her plate began to melt.

Beads of wax slid down—and the pool of white wax reflected a shadow behind the heroine. All of a sudden, Daphnne's heart leaped. She darted a look behind her.

There was nobody there.

She let out a sigh of relief, "...phew, I must be tired."

Daphnne stood up, drawing the curtains close to cover up her herbal store. Her white maiden nightgown had reached to her bare ankles, and her slippers let out soft clicks on the wooden floorboards. I should head to bed. Who knows, maybe they will return tomorrow.

She carried the plate of candle, blowing out the light.

Out of nowhere, an unknown force swept across the herbal store. Within a split second, Daphnne was gone from the store, and her plate of candle collapsed onto the floorboards. Wax spilled across the wood, searing a sandalwood scent.

When Daphnne came to, she found herself stranded in a lonesome dark room.

She was sitting on a chair—her wrist and ankles tied with a hemp rope, then tied back deliberately onto the chair. The rope tore into her skin. No matter how hard she tugged at the rope, it only bit into her flesh harder. Red marks became visible across her skin.

"HELP!" Daphnne cried out, but the sound only echoed off the walls. "SOMEONE HELP ME! I am trapped!" She shifted in the chair, but her feet were tied back onto the seat, making sure to not let them fall on the floor.

There was no exit.

It was as if she was the sole human at present.

"Calm down." A serene voice permeated in the air. Within the darkness, a single candlelight flickered, illuminating the dark room. Daphnne could see a slender finger pressed against a pair of lips, which curved upwards in amusement.

Locks of dark purple hair shone within the candlelight, resembling a nebula of stars written across the galaxies. November smiled, "We meet again."

Daphnne felt her heart stop for a second. Impossible...

"Didn't you... die?" She remembered that Lucilline's big sister had slain this demon.... this traitor. So why is it that she's still alive!?!

"I'm not a Shadow Demon for nothing." November crossed her hands behind, a nonchalant expression etched across her face. This demon once appeared as a shy girl who studied seriously in the classroom. However, that was only for show.

That was not the real her.

"I faked my death," November explained, "There were no ashes after my death, were there? Royal Demons have the same ability in common—their eyes glow. I merely made my eyes glow bright red—blinding that warrior. I faded in the shadows then, escaping."

Daphnne felt cold all over. Royal Demons? Then... that means—

"You're right," November smiled, "I'm a Royal Demon."

She paced back and forth in the dark room, the candlelight bobbing up and down with her every footstep. Strangely enough, her steps did not make any noise.

"Oh, and Daphnne." Her eyes glowed a brilliant red, "I'm going to kill you."

*****

In Ubel Kingdom, two slender figures approached the abandoned castle. The night sky seemed more lonely than before—as if not a single gaze cared to linger upon its sorry sight.

"It is a mind demon waiting for us," Lucilline calculated, "It was able to speak in everyone's minds at once... including yours, Farrah. Even though you are a Royal Demon..." A harsh glare stabbed at him. Farrah snarled, "I am not weak." The Demon Princess gave a sharp huff, then turned her gaze away to look at the abandoned castle.

Lucilline, "..." I never said that though?

The two stopped before the castle.

The double doors were broken off, leaving a barren entrance of dust and cobwebs. A horrid stench of death and muck had wafted across the entire building.

"Let's go." Lucilline gave a solid nod.

The cobblestone floor seemed to shake beneath their footsteps, their heels trembling from the unstable ground. There was not a single furniture that remained whole—broken into bits and pieces, making them rather barbaric to look at.

Lucilline and Farrah climbed the stairs.

It felt as if the staircase would give way any second, about to break down and crumble into dust. "Is this where you woke up in?" Lucilline asked.

Farrah gave a compliant nod.

They arrived at the second floor, where the crimson red carpet had been ripped into shreds. Not a single thread was able to escape the destruction. It seemed that the war between Ubel and Lydia was truly unfathomably violent.

"...the mind demon never specified where we're meeting though," Lucilline hummed to himself. "Is it in this room?"

He mindlessly pulled at a doorknob, opening the door.

In an instant, Lucilline shoved the Demon Princess aside. "Go on without me!" Within a split second, Farrah was hurled further down the corridor.

Meanwhile, the room that Lucilline opened had completely collapsed. The second-floor room sunk down, and that entire portion had fallen down to the ground.

"Lucilline!" Farrah called out.

The black-haired nobleman had fallen down the hole alongside with the room.

"Tch," Farrah was annoyed. He better be alright.

The Demon Princess continued running down the corridor, hoping to find the Book of Memories.

Meanwhile, Lucilline found himself stranded within a collapsed isle. He could hardly lift his body up from the debris—large fragments of the cobblestone floor beneath his sore self. Lucilline coughed heavily, feeling dust scrambled within his throat.

His body felt weak—he couldn't get up from the debris.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw the glare of a blade.

In an instant, Lucilline's heart skipped a beat. "You..." His golden eyes widened, and the black-haired nobleman could feel the rush of his blood, flooding his mind in a torrent of disbelief.

"...are the traitor," the figure in the distance finished his sentence. "Yes, I am."