Chapter 8: Leaving after a Pitiful Victory
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Beneath a sky painted blood-red by the setting sun, the battlefield was strewn with bodies.
Despite Ash's earlier use of gravity magic, the beasts had been slaughtered the moment the magic vanished, and the young, strong villagers lay scattered across the ground. However, the elite light cavalry, who should have easily massacred the village, had been reduced to only three men in the blink of an eye.
The remaining cavalrymen, covered in blood and clearly wounded, wore damaged armor. Their expressions were grim.
"It's just a village... and it turned out like this..." Maynard, the captain of the elite cavalry, shook his head in disbelief. His eyes settled on the old, weak, and injured villagers, among them Aura, who looked troubled and clearly had no fight left in her. Gripping his sword, Maynard marched forward, fury in his voice. "You damned demons! Just... die already!"
"Hu..." A faint breath, untimely yet easily overlooked in the chaos of the battlefield, echoed softly.
Ash, whose neck had been pierced by an armor-piercing spike and should have been dead, stood up again, silently and without fanfare.
The sun's fading light cast a long shadow behind him as he approached Maynard from behind, like a phantom waiting for the right moment. With a quick motion, Ash pulled the spike from his own neck, blood splattering in its wake. Without hesitation, and before Maynard could sense the danger, Ash drove the spike into the gap in the captain's armor at the neck.
"—Gah?!!"
Maynard's eyes widened in shock as fear and despair finally washed over him. He couldn't even turn to face his killer. Blood gushed from his neck, and his strength left him, causing him to collapse to the ground. From behind him came a chilling whisper, as though it had risen from the depths of hell.
"...You still don't understand demons... or me. This level of injury won't kill me."
"Maynard--?!" gasped one of the remaining soldiers.
"—Captain?!" the other cried out in disbelief.
Ash, standing over Maynard's body, pressed his foot against the captain's shoulder, using the leverage to yank the spike out. Maynard's lifeless form slumped to the ground.
"How dare you...!"
"—You bastard!!" The two remaining cavalrymen, filled with rage, raised their swords, ready to strike Ash down to avenge their fallen captain. But Ash merely glanced at them, raising his hand slightly.
Once more, the abnormal gravity took hold of their bodies, and the two men—already exhausted, both physically and mentally—were forced to their knees, their heavy armor crushing them beneath the increased weight.
Ash wasted no time. He repeated his previous actions, ignoring their desperate curses and pleas, driving the armor-piercing spike into the gaps in their armor, swiftly ending their lives. When it was done, the battlefield was quiet.
Ash, now soaked in blood, sat on the back of one of the fallen cavalrymen, releasing a deep sigh. "Why... Why am I doing this in the midst of humanity's internal conflicts?"
Aura stepped forward from the crowd, crouching in front of him, her hands propping up her chin as she grinned mischievously. "But this world is quite interesting, isn't it?"
"...Maybe." Ash didn't respond to her directly. Instead, he lowered his head, staring at his blood-covered hands, letting his thoughts drift far away from the battlefield.
It was Ash's first time killing someone, yet for some reason, he didn't feel any fear or hesitation. Was it the demon instinct within him? Or had the years of fighting and bloodshed numbed him to it? He couldn't quite understand what was happening to him.
Although the village had won the battle, no one felt any joy. A deep sorrow hung over the entire place. Death had touched every household, and under the village chief's orders, the villagers gathered their courage to deal with the bodies scattered across the ground. They also prepared to sell the armor and weapons of the fallen cavalrymen in a few days.
Ash stood watching the busy villagers, absentmindedly touching the bandage wrapped around his neck. His thoughts drifted to when he should leave.
Aura, who had been silently observing him with a mischievous smile, toyed with a scale in her hand and spoke slowly, "Tell me~ If I use obedience magic on you right now, what do you think would happen?"
"...Your magic is far from perfect," Ash replied. "It still has many flaws. For example, the stronger will dominate the weaker, so the chances of you being controlled instead are high. Are you sure I've used up all my magic power?"
"Hmm~ That's an issue, too," Aura admitted with an innocent smile, still shaking the scales. She sighed playfully, "Although my control has improved, it's a risky gamble for a young demon like me."
"...Your magic has too many weaknesses. You should switch to something more reliable," Ash, pale from blood loss, shook his head, offering advice.
"Thanks for your concern, but~ if we were to compare on a larger scale, it's impossible for us to lose if we're on the same level~ So~ are you jealous?"
"...Think whatever you like," Ash muttered.
Though the injury to his neck wasn't fatal—demons could survive such wounds unless decapitated—he still felt drained. He had no energy left to argue with Aura. Shakily, he stood up and began to walk toward the village, hoping to rest for a bit before deciding what to do next.
Aura followed closely behind, skipping and chatting away, her endless chattering making Ash feel her usual annoyance had increased tenfold.
...
After resting briefly in the village, Ash ignored the villagers' pleas for him to stay. He took some food, most of the village's cash, and the cavalry captain's sword, and left with the villagers waving reluctantly.
Ash knew the deaths of the enemy cavalry would soon be discovered, and the village would likely attract unwanted attention. Staying there was no longer an option.
Of course, taking most of the village's money might seem cruel, but the value of the remaining cavalry weapons and armor would provide the villagers with enough funds to rebuild their homes.
However, half a year later...
As Ash and Aura passed by the village again, this time with a new herd of animals, their curiosity led them to the outskirts. What they found was a scene far different from the prosperous recovery they had imagined.
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