Chapter 56: Demonkin (2)

The male Demonkin with deer-like horns, addressed as Captain, was slightly shorter than Il-on, excluding his horns. He looked up at her and asked, “You know of mermaid habitats?”

“Yes. Three more besides this one. One has more mermaids than here.”

“Give me their locations.”

“I know you’ll kill us the moment I do. I’ll guide you myself.”

Ion was stunned internally.

Accompanying Demonkin directly!

That meant entering the Demon Realm.

There was a way like this!

Why hadn’t he thought of it?

“Insolent! Follow the Captain’s orders!” the female Demonkin snapped, a whip crackling with demonic energy forming. But the deer-horned Demonkin raised a hand to stop her.

“Where did you get that information? Prove you’re not a Titan spy.”

Il-on extended her hand, palm up. The female Demonkin approached, causing nearby Hunters to flinch. She wrapped her whip around Il-on’s arm, ostensibly to check her pulse, though she didn’t miss the chance to caress Il-on’s toned, veined forearm teasingly.

“Our world, Earth, recently experienced multidimensional divine intervention, granting a few special abilities. Mine lets me foresee future events, and through it, I learned of your war.”

“…All true, Captain,” the female Demonkin confirmed.

“Why share this with us, not Giants?”

“Allying with Demonkin, not Giants, ensures Earth’s peace with minimal damage.”

“…True.”

“Do you serve a god?”

“I serve neither the Demon God nor the Main God.”

“…All true.”

The female Demonkin withdrew her whip and returned to the Captain’s side.

He crossed his arms, tapping his forearm with long nails. “What do you want?”

“An alliance and exchange with your kind for three years. We’ll renegotiate after. We don’t ask much—just some of your technology and no harm to Earthlings in dungeons. That’s all.”

“…Wait.”

The deer-horned Demonkin waved, creating dozens of black discs that enveloped them, muffling their conversation.

During it, he turned his back to the Hunters.

“Hnng…!”

“Ugh…!”

Some Hunters jabbed their eyes, the Demonkin’s attire—akin to T-shaped underwear—too much.

“Onil, we need to talk,” Elliet said, glaring, unfazed by the outfit. Other Hunters nodded, regaining composure. She spoke for them. “Explain so we understand. What’s going on? It sounds like they’re at war with Giants. Can we ally with them? The Giants won’t stay quiet if they hear. Even with your foresight, you can’t decide Earth’s fate alone.”

“I’ll explain later. For now, follow my lead.”

“No, explain now. We’re not Earth’s representatives! Allying with one side means war with the other. We can’t decide that here.”

“I’m an Earthling too, and I won’t harm our world. This is the only way to survive this whale fight—”

“Then don’t decide alone!” Elliet shouted.

The Demonkin glanced over.

If forced to choose, Demonkin were the better ally—some Giants were already mad, while Demonkin were sane. But the others didn’t know this.

Il-on’s actions seemed recklessly authoritarian.

“…Sorry,” Il-on said.

“What—”

Elliet didn’t finish. Il-on’s eyes darkened, and Elliet’s blue eyes glazed over as she collapsed. Il-on caught her.

“Elliet!”

“What did you do?!”

“Just put her to sleep. Ason will explain everything outside, so calm down. They’re listening.”

“You…!”

The Hunters couldn’t retort—the Demonkin had stopped talking and were watching.

Il-on handed Elliet to Joseph. In the tense atmosphere, the whip-wielding Demonkin raised an eyebrow. “Seems you haven’t reached a consensus.”

Il-on replied politely, “They’re ignorant fools. The alliance will proceed, so don’t worry.”

“If you’re the only ‘wise’ one on Earth, this alliance might cost us.”

“There are others.”

Il-on stared directly at Ion, disguised as Peter Argen.

Were D-NATE’s Onil and mercenary Peter Argen acquainted?

Hunters looked between them, puzzled.

She knew it was me.

Ion spoke to the Demonkin. “I support this alliance. Our people aren’t ignorant—they’ll understand if explained. So, make a decision already.”

“You impudent—!” the whip Demonkin snapped, unlike Il-on’s deference.

The deer-horned Demonkin stopped her again.

They resumed their private talk.

Ion needed to speak with Il-on privately, ignoring the curious stares. “Tell me the mermaid habitats, and I’ll go to the Demon Realm.”

“No, I’ll go. You have other tasks. Ason will tell you.”

Her stiff tone held a hint of softness.

The orphans all treated Ion like the youngest, even the distant Il-on.

“Ason or someone else can go. My magic makes me safer in the Demon Realm. Let me go.”

Ion, desperate to enter the Demon Realm, pleaded. Il-on gazed at him.

“…Once you achieve your goal, what then?”

“What?”

“What will you do after all your goals are met?”

“…”

An unexpected question.

It stumped Ion.

Revive the Demon King, let the protagonists defeat it.

Then what?

Of course… he wouldn’t be in this world.

He’d trained solely for that ending.

After that?

A life post-finale.

He’d never considered or desired it. Did scum like him deserve one?

He opened his mouth to lie, but only his lips moved—no sound came, like trying to speak an unlearned language.

“…”

Il-on looked away, as if she’d heard his answer and it met her expectations.

In the heavy silence, Uiji raised a hand. “Hey, Onil, one question.”

“Ask Ason outside.”

“No, I won’t get the chance out there. The world’s gonna go nuts.”

Il-on nodded impatiently, and Uiji blurted, “You called them a great knight order, right? How do they wear… ugh, that? Is that normal there? Men, women, all like that…?”

“…”

“How about taking me to the Demon Realm too…?”

“…”

Il-on ignored the absurd question in this critical moment.

The Demonkin talked longer than expected. When the other male Demonkin returned with all the Solminium from the cave’s depths, their discussion ended.

“Fine. We accept. I hope we reach the mermaid habitats before the Giants.”

“I’ll guide you to the first now. In return, I want a teleportation crystal.”

“As expected.”

The deer-horned Demonkin smirked, unsurprised. The female tossed Il-on a small glass vial of blue powder.

“…”

Il-on checked it and handed it to Ion.

“…Ason will handle the rest.”

Ion shook the vial gently. The mystical blue powder swirled like crushed starlight.

“One-way. You allied with Demonkin for this?”

“You know where to go, right?”

“…Alone in the Demonkin Domain, isn’t that dangerous? Why not go together?”

Ion tried once more, but Il-on shook her head.

“Handle what’s left.”

Her thick dive suit’s dark visor hid her face, but a faint smile was clear—satisfaction with her plan’s progress.

“…”

Ion tucked the vial into his suit’s pocket.

Missing entry to the Demon Realm stung, but with the teleportation crystal, he didn’t need to push.

Il-on walked past the group to the Demonkin’s side. The deer-horned Demonkin eyed Ion curiously. “You even knew it’s one-way at a glance. Got a special info-gathering skill? Or did she tell you?”

“I know as much as she does. If you’re curious, take me to the Demon Realm too.”

“You’re eager for the Demon Realm. Don’t you know it’s harsh for an unevolved species?”

“He doesn’t even know mermaid habitats. No need to take him. Let’s move,” Il-on interjected bluntly.

The deer-horned Demonkin, still intrigued by Ion, prioritized Solminium and let it go.

As they moved to the black hole, Ion called out, “If you don’t return her unharmed after the deal, I’ll use this crystal to visit your fortress.”

The female Demonkin scoffed. “How would you know our fortress’s coordinates?”

“F93J.1.441.9OA.”

“…”

“I warned you. Return her intact, Knight Commander Luar Silon.”

Ion stared at the deer-horned Demonkin. He hadn’t known at first, but Il-on’s “Soul Knights” comment revealed it was Luar Silon—a character who, fighting madness’s erosion, killed his subordinates and himself in the end.

“…Earth has interesting folks. I’ll have to visit sometime.”

Luar twisted his lips into a smirk.

They vanished into the black hole.

Now left…

“Hey, Peter Argen! Did you know this would happen?”

“You know the D-NATE guildmaster? Are you two in cahoots?”

“One-way teleportation crystal? What’s it mean, you know where to go?”

“Are those exhibitionists really knights? Explain everything!”

…Ason wasn’t handling the aftermath— it was Ion’s job.