The Lofty Knights were directly under Deon Hardt. It was also an ambiguous force said to be a full-fledged part of the Demon King's Army that has barely stepped foot on the fence of the Demon King's Army as they were 'affiliated with Deon Hardt'.
How dare a Corps Commander do something personal in a situation where even the Demon King doesn't mess with him?
If this was discovered, it was an issue that had nothing to say even if everything was blown away. Not a metaphor, really.
"It's ridiculous that you just ordered things to happen... ha."
"..."
"If you are going to die, die alone. Why are you dragging my kids into it?"
Perhaps that was why cold anger appeared in Deon's eyes.
Dernivan was shocked when he discovered the madness suppressed beneath the anger. That was forcibly holding on to reason. A dangerous situation that could explode if anything went wrong.
"Are you crazy?"
"Sorry."
"Do you think I was that easy? Well, I was away for a long time. It's almost ridiculous."
The murderousness in the voice became deeper.
Oel, who was feeling restless, tried to crawl out, but Dernivan gently pressed the back of her hand to stop her and calmly answered.
"No. Sorry."
"Then what is it?"
"That-."
"Wow! Captain!"
The tension, which had become tense as if blood would be shed at any moment, was relaxed by the knights who suddenly shouted.
Oel, who was startled, looked at them and Dernivan, who had been lowering his head, also slowly turned his eyes to look at those with swollen livers. Deon had already looked away when they suddenly started shouting.
For a moment, the mad dogs began to babble in moving voices as they cringed as they discovered the deadly force that had not yet escaped from their indifferent eyes.
"Are you worried about us?!"
"I'm impressed!"
"You said we're your kids!"
"I can't believe you've grown enough to worry about us...! When did you grow up so big?"
"Tears are blocking my vision...!"
"... Ha, you guys..."
They didn't give a chance to get serious.
Deon touched his forehead with a deep sigh. The members, who read his softened expression, exchanged glances with each other and grinned and shouted as if they had made a promise.
"Captain, please don't scold them!"
"It wasn't a freebie, it was a fair deal! We got paid!"
"... Paid?"
"Yes! It was a satisfactory transaction!"
"What did you get? ... No, no."
There was no need to listen.
"Just give it back and back out of the deal."
"Yes?!"
Deon raised an eyebrow at the more dramatic reaction than expected. Milan, who met eyes filled with doubt and irritation, broke out in a cold sweat and avoided his gaze. An excuse that was almost like a mutter came out.
"It's... not the kind that can be returned..."
"... Really?"
In the past, he would have grabbed that guy by the collar and asked him what on earth he received. They must have worked hard to somehow pay a price equivalent to returning it.
But it's different now.
A voice came out so indifferent and calm that it was embarrassing for the guys who had their eyes tightly closed and were preparing for a reprimand.
"Then you don't have to give it back."
"...?"
Before they knew it, the calmly sunken eyes turned to Dernivan and Oel.
"I think taking care of you this much is enough. Yes?"
"... Yes, it is."
Before trading, they were sinners.
Regardless of whether the target was young or old, they brought a human into the Demon King's Castle without permission. Even if they died right now, they would have nothing to say.
Of course, if they were smart enough, they could claim or threaten Deon Hardt as an accomplice under the pretext of making a deal with the mad dogs, but he had no intention of letting them go quietly. They probably knew that too, so they refrained from doing foolish things.
Whether they were tangled up as accomplices or killed, the Demon King would take his side. The 'warrior' was confident.
'If I'm caught as an accomplice... he can't kill me, so he'll figure out the circumstances based on my remarks in order to at least get me out. Even if I kill them later or before they do anything, he will give me priority.'
Was it the already dead Commander of the 5th Corps and her adjutant, or was it the alive 'warrior' of the 'Devil King's Army'? Wasn't the result obvious? Well, putting everything else aside, as long as there was a difference between high status and overwhelming force, no demon will dare to reach out to him.
Anyway, Deon felt a little relieved by their obedient attitude. It's strange that the crazy dogs involved were saying it's okay, but he's even angrier here.
He knew that the reason the guys suddenly started yelling and talking nonsense a moment ago was to lighten the mood, so Deon calmed down his anger and spoke calmly.
"About that human baby..."
Oel trembled noticeably.
"... I won't ask anything."
"...!"
"Honestly, I'm not interested. Whether you pick up humans or whatever you do, as long as you don't associate them with me and my people."
In other words, he'll turn a blind eye to it, so don't ever entrust such a dangerous time bomb to the Lofty Knights again. Dernivan, realizing the meaning, quietly lowered his head.
Deon raised his head and checked the sky. Seeing that the three moons were almost overlapping, it seems that it was still a long way before morning.
'... I'm tired.'
Let's go back to the room. He fell asleep, but it was in an uncomfortable position and he woke up in the middle of the dream because of the strange dream, so there was no way his fatigue would go away.
As he was walking without thinking, he suddenly lowered his gaze when he felt the wet sensation on the soles of his feet.
"... Oh yeah. You guys."
"Captain?"
"I'm going back. Come here before then."
He was almost certain it was a hallucination, but no matter how he looked at it, this puddle of blood looked real to him.
Was it really a hallucination that only he could see, or was it a curse that they could also see? Confidence was needed. Deon pointed his finger at his feet.
"Do you see this?"
"Yes? What... Huh!"
Milan followed Deon's finger and sighed. The eyes trembled with obvious agitation.
Can you see it? You mean it's not just his eyes? He shouted as Deon narrowed his eyes.
"Were you barefoot this whole time?!"
"..."
It seemed like he was too distracted by this strange phenomenon. Only then did Deon see his own white feet standing in a puddle of blood.
Now that he thought about it, he jumped out of the room right away. Of course he must have been barefoot.
"Not that, under my feet..."
"Under your feet?! Did you step on something sharp?!"
"Oh, just wear your shoes properly and come down the stairs! We wouldn't have run away!"
"Milan! Listen, Captain!"
"Okay!"
"..."
Deon thought as he was lifted up and made a fuss about.
'Okay, I understand that this puddle of blood is only visible to my eyes.'
If they had seen it, they would have made a fuss in a different direction instead of causing this mess now.
If they've confirmed that there are no injuries on his feet, why don't you put him down?
The members, who must have sensed the urging gaze, was supporting his feet with one hand and examining them closely, suddenly raised their head and spoke.
"Luckily there are no injuries, but you might get hurt on the way, so we'll take you to your room."
"... Can I go alone? Even if I get hurt, I will get better quickly. Besides, it's night now. You can't be noisy."
"You can be quiet!"
"You guys?"
A look of disbelief turned towards those making a fuss.
As if they were being pricked, they couldn't answer confidently and kept their mouths shut. As he was looking at this pitifully, Cleter, who handed the baby over to Dernivan, walked towards them and said.
"Yes, if you guys rush in, there will definitely be a commotion. Milan, you just go."
"Okay!"
Deon, who was suddenly lifted into his arms, was unable to understand what was going on, so he remained blank for a moment and then frowned.
Even if he asked them to set him down, they won't listen, so he'll put that on the back burner.
"... I think this one will be the loudest."
"But this guy has the best strength. Well, you must be tired, so get some rest, Captain."
"No, I–"
"I will take you there without making a sound! Erraaaa!"
"Hey Milan..."
... Okay, if you run and scream, you won't be able to hear your footsteps.
Milan felt like he heard his Captain swearing, but it was probably just his mood. Cleter skillfully ignored the two who were moving away.
At the end of the gaze, Oel and Dernivan were caught. Oel muttered in a harsh voice and called her adjutant.
"Dernivan, Deon's tone has returned..."
"Shh."
Dernivan, who placed his index finger on Oel's mouth, glanced at the two figures moving away. He remained silent even though his face was full of question marks, and only slowly opened his mouth after Deon and Milan disappeared from sight.
"Nothing's strange."
"Why?"
"From the beginning, Deon's speaking style was diverse."
"I know that. But why is it harsh?"
"It is said that when Deon first changed his tone of voice after taking the position of Commander of the 0th Corps, the demon who openly mentioned it was killed."
"I know that too. But they said he didn't kill them, but instead held a dagger to their neck and told them to shut up. But isn't the change in speech back then different from the change in speech now? In the past, it was a semi-honorific or overbearing informal speech, but now it is an elegant way of speaking..."
"It seems like only the type of speech is different."
Above all, there was nothing wrong with being careful in advance.
Dernivan quietly looked down at Oel. This time, she opened her mouth with round eyes as if to ask a question, but closed her mouth and lowered her gaze when she heard a cackling sound coming from below.
"Kyahaha!"
The baby was standing, holding on to the hem of Oel's clothes with difficulty. By human standards, the dragonfly-like compound eyes without any whites would have been disgusting, but instead of crying, the bright face smiled again as soon as their eyes met, and Oel absentmindedly called out a familiar name.
"... Dernivan, the baby grabbed my clothes."
"Yes."
"And laughed."
"Is that so."
"Why is he smiling?"
The matter of Deon Hardt's way of speaking has long been completely forgotten. Even while sighing at that sight, Dernivan could not easily take his eyes off Oel.
Because the round eyes did not contain only curiosity. Just as he was about to open his mouth, Cletor, who had been watching the situation happily, answered first, as if he had been waiting.
"He likes you."
"He likes me? Why?"
"Isn't it the love you feel for your guardian?"
"Guardian? Me?"
"Oel."
Dernivan belatedly opened his mouth to call her, but it was already too late. Oel lowered her hand and picked up the baby, carefully examining the baby's face as if she was seeing something unfamiliar.
"... I see. I am the guardian."
"..."
"Then I became a 'mom'? Dernivan is 'daddy'?"
However.
She leaned the baby on one arm and pointed to the tear stains on her cheeks with her free hand.
"Did the baby cry?"
"He fell while practicing walking."
"Practicing walking?"
"If he doesn't hold on to something, he still can't walk properly. I was holding his hand and teaching him how to walk, but this kid was distracted..."
"Ah, he rushed at me!"
In other words, it meant that he lost your grip and fell.
Hmm, she didn't know why, but strangely she didn't like it. Oel, who was watching the fight while holding the baby in her arms, tilted her head as she did not understand her emotions.
"Oel, I will carry the baby."
"Dernivan."
"Yes."
"I feel strangely bad. Do you know why?"
"..."
Although Dernivan was so insensitive to everything that it could be safely said that he had no emotions, he was able to understand and learn about emotions to a certain extent by serving Oel, who was curious and full of emotions. That's why he knew.
This was never a good sign.
That's why he took the baby from her without a reply.