488 The Demon King
Aries—the former Demon King—sighed as he felt the weight of both guilt and worry assail his heart.
That was the sole reason he left his chambers and stayed in the Throne Room for some time.
He donned his ceremonial robe and held us scepter, watching an empty room from his elevated platform.
Everything felt so empty and meaningless.
"The War..." He murmured, remembering the last battle that occurred in the past, and how it had ended.
The Demon Race was lucky to get a fresh start, a new beginning.
Aries understood that they were blessed. Not only did they have a definite territory, but they had the perfect environment for living.
He had thought his citizens would have the same thought as him, but it was the opposite.
They somehow thought the Demon Race was on the losing end in the deal that was made.
His son, Abellion, especially thought that the Demons were being relegated and looked down upon due to their reclusive territory.
He believed that someday, the Races would band together and extinguish them completely.
"If they wanted to do that, they would have done so all those years ago..." Aries mumbled to himself.
He still remembered the leader of the Delegates—how the man had proffered a solution that seemed too good to be true.
Aries wasn't averse to violence, but he preferred common sense.
So, once he realized the plan was possible, he readily agreed.
Till now, he didn't regret that choice.
"Why can't they see it? Why don't they understand?"
It wasn't even until about over a decade ago that the grievances against the other Races reached an unstoppable degree after being dormant for very long.
Abellion, his son, managed to seize control over his people—and little by little, there was no power left for him.
Aries was now old, and so Abellion was already more powerful.
It was to be expected that he became the next Demon King, but the old one still didn't like what it caused.
His loyal Demon Lords were eliminated as a result of Abellion's thirst for power, leaving Aries without any support.
All he had left was his life, and his frail body.
"The Demon Race... will lose..." Aries was certain about that outcome.
Why?
"That man said it. He said that if we broke the pact... we would be eliminated."
Usually, a Demon would hold the words of humans with contempt, but this particular one was different.
Lewis Griffith was a human unlike any other.
He had tried warning and stopping his foolish son and his supporters, to no avail.
All he could do was sit on his throne for the last time and wait for the horrible news of defeat to reach his ears.
It was at that moment Aries felt a presence manifesting in the room.
Surprise rang within him, but his body was too tired to accurately display his gushing emotion.
'Who is that? A human...?'
Aries was stunned that a human could make it to the Demon Palace, a place with an immense concentration of Miasma that even Inepts wouldn't be able to bear.
He could also sense Mana coming from the person... as well as Miasma!
Aries was stunned as to how a human could achieve something of the sort, but he remained seated and watched the exceptional boy approach.
"It's been a while, Demon King Aries." His voice wasn't entirely immature, but it didn't belong to an adult either.
Aries also didn't understand how such a child was able to address him with such levity, even addressing him as though they had met before.
No longer able to control his curiosity and unease, the seated Demon King, at least as he was in the past, finally opened his lips and spoke.
"Who are you?"
The man before him gave a short laugh and kept approaching.
"I can't say that. But, you should be well aware of our promise. Or did you forget what I said?"
"Uh?" Demon King Aries didn't completely grasp the situation, but so many things were being hinted at.
'C-could he be—?!'
"Let's not get into unimportant details, old man. You should know what is happening outside, right? The War."
Aries was still locked in an internal deliberation, but he still managed to nod his head in response.
"You were warned, Aries. You should have taught your son better, controlled your people more."
Aries could not argue or excuse himself from the accusations being rained on him. Despite his old and feeble frame, he was still Abellion's father.
He was still a Demon King.
If only he had done more to steer his people in the right direction, then maybe this wouldn't have happened.
"Have you come here to kill me?" Aries spoke hazily.
"No. I only came to say goodbye. Also, I've come to retrieve the Arcana that was given to you. It seems your Race has forgotten who found your source of nourishment."
Aries' heart was pained. As much as he knew who the rightful owner of the Arcana was, and that the Demon Race didn't deserve to be in possession of it after breaking their pact, he couldn't agree to the human's wish.
"I-If you are who I think you are, then you have to understand. Without it, my people will not survive." Desperation was evident in his plea, and he knew he was being shameless, but Aries had to appeal for his people.
Even though the ones foolish enough to go to battle already had their fates sealed, the innocents could still be spared.
"I don't see what the problem is. Your people won't be needing it anymore."
"W-wha...?
The human's face slowly turned dead cold, and his hand was outstretched.
Aries knew his statement could only mean one thing. It was bad for his heart, but the old Demon started panicking within himself.
"Yes. If us as you think. This very day, I will be wiping out the Demon Race from this world. The dead have no need for a means of sustenance, do they?"
Aries was beyond grieved to hear these words. He knew their sins deserved punishment, but this was too extreme.
"Now, I ask again... where is my Arcana?"
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