|... Nothing to say, Knight?| Dauz muttered, carrying Knight's limp, powerless body through the air.
[...Mock me if that is your intent, Dauz.] Knight's voice was low, rasping, yet unbroken. [I can no longer tear your throat and appendages apart as I desire.]
|Alright, then I just want to say—|
[That you won? That you've bested me?] Knight scoffed. [Go ahead. Bask in your moment. You used my weakness against me, seized your opportunity, and struck me down. It is your right.]
|....| Dauz remained silent as he carried him.
|It took me a thousand years,| he admitted, his gaze shifting toward the endless sky as they passed through the clouds. |But I know I was a whoreson for how I treated you. And Evelyn.|
[Was?]
|....|
|I do regret it, Knight.|
[Do you?] Knight sneered. [Do you weep into Evelyn's bosom at night? Does she cradle your shame while you pretend to be whole? You poor thing… If I could, I'd pluck your eyes from your skull and chew them down my throat.]
|You've done that before. Aren't you tired of hating me?|
[NEVER.] The word came as a growl, raw and venomous. [NEVER.] He repeated, his voice like a storm. [You. Evelyn. Both of you. I thirst for the day I see your flesh torn apart.]
|Should've known talking to you was pointless.|
[And yet you keep trying.] A rasping chuckle followed. [Every time, knowing it's futile. A futile existence through and through.]
Dauz exhaled, steadying himself.
|Will you never see me in a different light?|
[I don't need to,] Knight spat. [That whore's aura wrapped around you already gives off light that—]
And then, his body ignited.
[GRRRRR...!!] A guttural snarl tore from Knight's throat as flames seared through his World Armor.
|You can insult me all you like,| Dauz warned, his voice low, measured.
|But keep your tongue in check when speaking of my Goddess.| His eyes darkened, a dangerous glint flickering within them.
[WHORE!! A WHORE OF A THOUSAND NIGHTS…!] Knight's voice boomed, his hatred undeterred. [A WHORE THAT DESERVES—]
Dauz seared him again. This time, the flames roared, the intensity a thousandfold.
And still—Knight spoke.
[THAT WHORE DESERVES TO BE IMPALED BY THOUSANDS OF RABID DOGS, COVERED IN SHIT—USED AND DEFILED UNTIL EVERY HOLE IN HER BODY IS BLOODIED AND TORN—!!]
|Shut... UP…!| Dauz's teeth clenched. The fire surged.
Knight's armor burned white-hot, a second sun blazing in the sky—but his voice never faltered.
[HAHAHAHAHAHA! THIS PAIN IS PROOF OF YOUR WRETCHEDNESS, DAUZ—PROOF OF YOUR EMPTY WORDS! AFTER EVERY HOLE IS BLOODY, A NEW ONE SHOULD BE CARVED INTO HER FLESH—A RUTTING SPACE FOR EVERY—]
Dauz's grip locked on his armor.
A moment away from ending him on the spot.
[Dauz. Stop.]
A voice, calm yet absolute.
|M-My Goddess, he—| Dauz's gaze snapped toward Varolia.
She floated before them, radiant, her wings spanning the heavens, far larger, brighter, more absolute than his own.
[I heard him.] Her voice did not waver.
She turned her gaze to the burnt, broken wretch.
And smirked.
One hand rested upon the curve of her pregnant belly.
[That is all he can do, Dauz.] Varolia spoke calmly, as if addressing something beneath her notice. [He speaks because it is the only weapon he has left. Let him.]
She descended, her steps measured, deliberate. Then, she leaned in close.
[Shout, wretch,] she whispered, her voice smooth, unshaken. [Shout, and shout all you like. In the end, that is all you have left—]
CLANG.
A brutal, sickening crack split the air.
A burst of blood sprayed from Varolia's nose.
Knight had slammed his head into her face.
[KRKRKR… HAHAHAHAHAHAHA…] His ragged laughter filled the air, raw and guttural. Dauz's face paled.
[NOT EVERYTHING, AS IT SEEMS… AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!]
|M-My Goddess, are you—|
She lifted a hand. A signal.
Stop.
Varolia wiped her nose. Straightened herself.
Then, she looked at the crimson stain on her fingers.
[...Send him to the dogs.] Her voice remained even. [Let him laugh all he wishes.]
She studied the blood a moment longer.
[This...] A pause. A flicker of something unreadable in her gaze. [This is just proof that you've lost.]
Her eyes lowered to Knight.
[You laugh, you kick, you scream like a delirious child—because you know you've lost.]
[I WON, whore.]
A slight twitch in her eye.
[I SHOWED my protégé the truth—how corrupt and morally bankrupt YOU are.]
He lifted his chin, eyes alight with certainty.
[Van Hellix wields the strength to challenge even you.]
A beat of silence.
[And if I don't impale you, he will.] His voice dropped, firm, absolute. [He will drive his greatsword through your heart.]
And then—another twitch.
Her mouth quivered.
[Your stomach is proof of that. I feel the BASTARD inside… Mark my words, even a Seraphim will fall to Van Hellix.]
[And you know it.] His charred lips curled. [You wear that confident smirk before me because you deem my willpower dangerous. Because you think it must be crushed.]
[My heart may be full of rage and hatred…]
[But I know you're just as PETTY… AND WEAK.]
Dauz felt it.
His skin crawled. Goosebumps prickled along his arms.
Varolia's gaze intensified.
Her eyes widened.
A silence, thick with something unspoken.
[…I changed my mind, Dauz.] Her voice was low. Measured. Dangerous.
[Send him to my room. Not the dungeon... But before you do...!]
Her fist clenched.
She stood above Knight, her form looming, ready to strike him with the sword resting by her waist.
But then—
A kick.
A shift, deep within her belly. The child inside moved.
Her fingers twitched.
And she stilled.
Her breath, sharp and brief.
She then gave Dauz a signal to send Knight away.
Dauz obeyed. He lifted Knight's limp form and flew away to do as she commanded.
Varolia did not move.
Her gaze lowered. Her palm rested against her stomach.
…Why?
A thought, intrusive and unwelcome.
'Why do I feel the need… to be wary? To watch my aggression?'
Her hand, normally so cold, traced a slow, deliberate path across the curve of her belly.
'Is this how pregnancy should feel?'
Her fingers curled slightly.
'How… troublesome you are.'
Her eyes lingered, distant, unreadable.
'I cannot wait for the day you finally leave.' She thought with a soft sigh.
"You small and fragile thing…"
"Sleep all you can for now."
"You will need it."
--------------------------------
"That's why, Varlog… I wanted your permission—"
"Go for it, Van."
Varlog's voice was calm, certain—and it silenced the entire room.
Van blinked.
"For... real?"
"Yes." Varlog nodded, his usual smirk present. "Did I stutter?"
"You didn't stutter," Van muttered, shaking his head. "But why are you agreeing so easily? You spent so much time teaching me about control, about duty, about doing my best—"
"That was before I heard your suggestion just now," Varlog interrupted, unbothered, as if the decision had already been made. "And I deemed it acceptable." He turned to the side, nodding. "We'll manage, won't we, dear Yilla?"
"I mean…" Yilla cleared her throat, shaking her head, still baffled. "Without any intent of treachery, we'd be well off with Master Varlog in charge. And most demons wouldn't have a problem with it." She murmured, deep in thought.
"You weren't treacherous, dear Yilla." Varlog smiled. Then, his gaze returned to Van.
"But I must ask, Van. What brought this on?"
Van exhaled. A slow, steadying breath.
"I just want to love her for a bit." He said it simply, but the weight behind it made the room feel smaller. "And myself, for a change."
Varlog's expression shifted.
"I know it's selfish," Van continued, his voice quieter. "And I know you told me to be considerate of her. I get that. And I will be. But not without this."
He met Varlog's gaze. Unwavering.
"Varlog, I need to be taken care of, too."
Silence.
Varlog's eyes widened slightly.
Van swallowed. "I'm worthy of feeling the joy of being in love. Not just Alicia."
His voice didn't crack. It was soft, but steady.
"And yeah, my ego gets struck every single time I feel like no one needs me anymore. And yeah, I feel guilty for leaving the people that do need me…"
A chuckle escaped him as he recalled Amoria's face as he said his goodbyes to her.
"I'm pretty fucked up in the head." He shrugged. "I won't deny that I'd be successful running the demonic realm alongside Alicia. But I can't do it right now. I…"
His fingers fiddled together.
"I want to focus on loving her, and myself, first of all. We barely even got screentime, after all."
Varlog tilted his head slightly, his smirk returning.
"…Van, what spurred on this change in your perspective?"
Van hesitated.
"My time in the Capital might've been brief. But the more I spent here, the more I realized that, beyond my Untrusted, I had… something else. A skill that didn't show up on my status window."
He looked downward.
"I doubted myself. I fed myself thoughts that ended up being completely off from what I expected…"
Marcy's face flashed in his mind.
Amoria's acceptance.
Ami's embrace when he returned; and the friendly chatter with his new party.
Anne regretting not dating him.
Melanie's kiss.
The people cheering for him.
His fists clenched.
"I realized… I don't deserve to drown myself. And more than that… Alicia deserves someone who doesn't do that. And I want to be that man for her."
His shoulders relaxed.
"But above all… I don't want to do that to myself anymore."
He exhaled, relief washing over him.
"And I can't be in a major conflict, or involve myself in anything else, before I truly get to know her. Before I understand why I love her in the first place."
Varlog hummed.
"So, you'll run away, then."
Van laughed.
"Pretty much. Still accepting this?"
Varlog's smirk turned into something warmer.
"Absolutely!" Varlog grinned. "And if you ask me why, I'll hit you. I'm tired. I need sleep, being the old demon that I am." He stretched, letting out a lazy yawn.
Van turned to Yilla. "You'll—"
"YES, we'll manage, dear Van! Now go—Alicia, your wife, is waiting for you…" Varlog cut in, waving him off mid-yawn.
Van smirked. "It is Her Majesty to you, Balrogothiel Asmodesous." He called in jest.
Varlog exhaled, closing his eyes.
---------- CHAPTER 8 ------------
"Ugh... Varlog, I told you, I was THIS close with Alicia! I nearly had her convinced!" Van exclaimed.
"It is 'Her Majesty' to you, Van Hellix. You do not have the privilege to address our Demon Lord so casually, no matter how passionate you are about making her yours," Varlog cautioned.
------------------------------------------
"Yes… You've grown, Van."
A pause.
"I'm proud of you."
Van's mouth twitched. His throat tightened slightly.
He swallowed.
"...Thanks."
His voice was softer now.
"I'll be seeing you..." He said as he got up and turned around, leaving his room through the window.
"Farewell, Van Hellix. Thank you... For everything."
------
"NO." Alicia's voice cracked like a whip as she sat on her Royal Throne.
"Yes." Van countered without hesitation.
"NO...!" She snapped, eyes narrowing. "I have a KINGDOM to run!"
"Varlog gave us his blessing. He'll take care of it."
"Ahhhh, OHHH! HE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT!? HE SAID HE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT!?" Her voice rose into a furious laugh. "So I should just abandon my throne because someone else said they'd handle it?!"
"YES!" Van affirmed without a hint of doubt.
Alicia exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples.
"You're really asking me to throw away my kingdom… for the likes of YOU?"
Van tilted his head. "…?"
A flicker of something passed over Alicia's face. Enough.
She bit her lip. Time to end this farce.
Her eyes hardened as she lifted her hand, a glinting ring catching the throne's candlelight.
"I never loved you, Van Hellix."
She held up the ring between two fingers, turning it in the light with thinly veiled contempt.
"This?" She scoffed. "I only accepted it because Varlog urged me to."
Her lips curled in disgust.
"Originally, I intended to slave-brand you. Make you my eternal servant."
Van remained silent. Unmoving. Unreadable.
Alicia continued, watching him closely. Waiting for a reaction.
"But Varlog talked me out of it." Her voice was quieter now, measured. "He said meddling with heroes brings nothing but bad outcomes. He was the one who urged me to play the part… to entertain you."
She lowered her hand, eyes still locked onto him.
"So, he told me to act like I was actually interested."
Her heels clicked softly against the marble floor as she began to circle him, slow, deliberate—a predator studying its prey.
"To seduce you for my own gain. For my kingdom. Because I am the Demon Lord."
Her footsteps echoed, sharp and steady.
And as she passed behind him, her lips trembled—just for a fraction of a second.
But she continued; as she knew it to be true in her head.
"We used you, Van. Completely." Alicia's voice was steady, calculated. "I never intended to love you. Never."
She tilted her head slightly, as if considering the absurdity of the idea.
"All of this?" She gestured vaguely. "The games, the moments, the warmth—it was all a means to an end. A trap to lure a powerful hero into my service. A loyal dog at my feet."
Her lips curled in amusement.
"But I was never interested in you. Nor what you had to offer."
She studied him, searching for a reaction.
"In the end, you were just another foolish hero, gazing at me like I was some extravagant trophy. A prize to be won."
Her voice turned sharp, cutting.
"So I used it to my advantage. I manipulated you into falling for me—so that I could own you. Eternally."
She let out a soft, mirthless chuckle, watching as his head lowered.
"Poor hero." Her tone was laced with condescension. "Not only were you deceived by your own friend, but by me as well."
She stepped closer.
"You don't deserve happiness, Van Hellix." Her voice dropped lower. "Not after treating me as your equal."
Silence.
Then—
"...I see."
Van exhaled, long, steady.
"It was all just manipulation, then?" His voice was unreadable. "You feel nothing for me?"
Alicia hesitated for a moment before she spoke.
Then—"Yes." Her answer was final, cold. "It appears you aren't as brainless as—"
"Then, isn't my suggestion perfect for you?"
Her breath hitched as Van lifted his head, his expression calm; no anger. No frustration. Not even sadness.
Just certainty.
"I… Wha… Huh…?" She stared at him, genuinely baffled. Her mind raced, trying to piece together his angle.
"Are you trying to bluff? Pretending you don't feel betrayed—"
"No." Van cut in as he took a slow, deliberate step forward. "Think about it. You want me on your side, don't you?"
Alicia narrowed her gaze in confusion as she instinctively stepped back.
"Y... Ah... Y-...yes...?"
"Then this is perfect." Van replied swiftly, "If we leave, you won't risk me being stolen away by someone else… and you'll have all the time in the world to ensnare me, wouldn't you?" He took another step forward.
"Bu... I... But... BUT I'M MANIPULATING YOU—"
Van grabbed her by the shoulders, his grip firm.
"LET ME GO—"
"If it's done by you," Van murmured, his voice low, "Then getting manipulated is totally worth it."
Alicia's entire body locked up.
"Wa... Ahhhh... You...!" She stammered, her face burning hotter than hellfire.
Her pulse thundered in her ears, her breath coming shallow, uneven.
Van tilted his head, amused.
"So, everything works in your favor, doesn't it—"
He didn't get to finish.
Because Alicia lunged, her lips crashed into his with a sharp inhale.
Alicia pulled back, face flushed, looking anywhere but at him.
"Bastard… It... Does..." Her voice was timid, barely above a whisper. "You're not as... foolish as you look..."
Van grinned.
And so, hand in hand, they left the Demonic Realm behind, stepping into the unknown together—determined to deepen their bond as they traveled the world.
"Oh, mind if we stop by some places along the way?" Van asked casually. "I still gotta take care of a few things."
Alicia's fingers tightened around his as they walked.
"...W-Whatever you want… Foolish hero…" She mumbled, looking away.
Van leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss against her cheek.
"Thank you, my queen."
A beat of silence.
Then—
"...Alicia."
Van glanced at her. "Hmm?"
Alicia hesitated.
Then, softer than before—"Call me Alicia…"
She took a breath.
"F... Familiarity would surely… trap you further in my… web… after all."
Van chuckled. "Happily."
His gaze softened.
"Alicia."
[BETRAYED, I MET THE DEMON LORD]
[SAGA 1: THE ROYAL CAPITAL]
[FIN]
Until next time...
------------
HELLOOOOO EVERYONE! 🎉
I might return to this story later with auxiliary chapters—filling in the gaps of what happens while Van and Alicia travel, and maybe even diving into their adventures on the road.
But make no mistake—this is definitely not the end…!
Thank you all for reading! 🙌🔥