Charon paused. Suddenly, he stopped moving with a blank expression as if he had been possessed.
"What… what are you doing to me?!", Charon suddenly shouted at the Doppelganger.
– Brainwashing is a good excuse, isn't it? Even if you kill your comrades in war, betray their trust, lie to them, kill their loved ones, it all is perfectly fine as long as you brainwash yourself into thinking you were just being a loyal knight… kekekek!
"Shut up! Shut up!"
Charon rushed in with the sword being swung in a completely flimsy trajectory, clearly showing signs of him losing his composure. The Doppelganger continued to mock Charon, avoiding the sword being swung without any grace or intricate movements.
– You're not a knight. Your Lord Halvark has taken you in and made you swear allegiance to him, but what does he really think of you? Do you think he trusts a traitor? Do you think he has no doubt about your terrible deeds of the past?
"Shut up!"
Charon swung the sword; his eyes filled with fury and rage. It was a simple movement that even beginner swordsmen could avoid without difficulty. The Doppelganger stopped moving and caught the sword with its hand.
– I am a Demon you fool. Your fear is just a weakness for me to exploit.
The dark arm moved in a blur, and Charon's armor was crushed. Charon coughed up blood as it spilled from the corners of his lips and fell on the floor.
– Your fear is quite delicious to feast on. This is why human beings are so weak… kekeke!
The Doppelganger stretched out it's arm. The Demonic mana rose up and formed several thorny vines that shot out at the multiple soldiers standing there, frightened out of their wits. The soldiers struck with fear, had their eyes widen and their complexions pale. Boros clenched his teeth fiercely.
"…You bastard demon!"
– Come to your senses my filthy son.
"Don't call me your son, you dirty monster!
– But I am your father. And you are my filthy son.
The Doppelganger giggled as it teased Boros cruelly.
– Didn't you call me your father? Even if I was acting crazy, even if I killed, raped innocent women in the village, stole money, drank and cursed at my servants; you just thought of me as your father…. kekekeke!
The Doppelganger laughed at Boros as if he found his reaction hilarious.
– After all, you idiotic human beings judge people by their appearances and their pasts. Since I look like your father and have his memories, aren't I technically your father you little shit?… kekekeke!
"...."
Boros tried to refute the words of the Doppelganger, but his mouth wouldn't open. He was struck speechless as if his throat was blocked by something. The Doppelganger waved at him as he turned towards the window in the room.
– Goodbye, my foolish son.
The Doppelganger flew out of the window.
***
How long had it been? The soldiers' groans began to subside. Boros managed to come to his senses.
"I'm… for- for this…."
He was now the Lord responsible for the soldiers. The sense of duty forced Boros to move his body toward the injured soldiers. He lost consciousness earlier but could not stay weak in front of his dead people. He had to wake up and lead his people to safety.
"...."
There was no such thing as the Great Hero, Balbaca Belturia anymore. Everyone was played for a fool after all. Especially him. Boros bit his lip.
The soldiers assembled and came from the outside as they were called in to assist the injured guards and soldiers inside the former Lord's room. Those who came in from outside were shocked, but the one's involved didn't have time to explain, so they roughly gave a summary of what happened to the newly arrived soldiers. Boros looked at Charon.
"No… It's not my fault.."
Charon was constantly muttering something incoherently. It was not an atmosphere where the once proud and chivalrous knight could converse. Boros turned his gaze to the other side of the room and found one person. Or rather… the absence of one person.
"…huh?"
Boros became flustered. Asher was nowhere to be found.
***
– It's annoying.
The Doppelganger grumbled as it was walking through the forest outside of the territory. The Doppelganger once saw Reika as a beautiful flower to soil, but now it had no intention of touching her. It strolled through the forest with a bored face.
It had been stuck imitating an old human for over twenty years.
It was not a short time for him to stay hidden in plain sight as Balbaca Belturia. Even if he was a demon, twenty years was not easy to withstand being among humans. He wanted to quit the act many times over and leave, but was stopped every time.
It was because he was a lower ranked demon, and he was acting on the orders of someone else.
Luckily, his twenty years of servitude and acting as a human had ended, but he never thought it would forcibly end like this.
– It was all his fault.
The Doppelganger murmured. The young man who knew his identity, his weaknesses, and his characteristics. The Doppelganger questioned itself, trying to gather it's thoughts.
– How did the little human know?
"Because I remember your kind vividly."
The Doppelganger quickly jerked its head and moved its hand in a defensive posture at the voice from beyond the bushes. The wind started to sway and a murderous and bloodthirsty killing intent poured out from beyond the bushes. The Doppelganger was a demon, but it had never seen a killing intent so vicious and hellbent like the one being emitted from the voice approaching him from beyond the bushes.
As the sound of footsteps rang out in the quiet forest, a young man's figure could be seen.
– You.
Asher was walking towards the demon with cold eyes.