Chapter 64: The Outcome

When Bane heard the Demon King’s casual “of course there must be punishment,” panic seized his heart in an instant.

Though he had long prepared himself, he could not guess how the Demon King would strike.

Would she cripple his power, or imprison him outright?

Even the soul within his withered bones trembled.

Vera, standing to the side, laughed even more freely.

Her fingernails lightly tapped the tabletop, as if she were eagerly awaiting the moment the bitter fruit would finally fall.

The Demon King maintained her faint smile, her tone as calm as if announcing a routine reassignment.

“Bane, as the supreme commander of the front lines, you should naturally bear the foremost responsibility for this catastrophic defeat.”

“Yes! Yes!”

Bane responded at once, his skeletal frame leaning forward slightly, his posture humble to the extreme.

“Everything you say is correct, Lady Demon King!

I am willing, wholeheartedly, to accept all punishment!”

“Very good.”

The Demon King nodded lightly, her smile deepening.

“Therefore, effective immediately—I strip you of all positions under your authority, including the post of front-line commander.

You are to return at once to the Undead territory, remain in seclusion, and reflect on your actions.

You are not to leave without permission.”

As her words fell, the council hall plunged into silence.

Vera still harbored lingering anger, yet she could not hide her smile.

She glanced sideways at Bane and sneered sarcastically.

“Oh? Bane, how extraordinarily loyal you are.

So devoted to your subordinates that you’re willing to shoulder such heavy responsibility for them… truly moving.”

She deliberately stressed the words “devoted,” dripping with mockery.

Bane had just opened his mouth to argue or retaliate when an invisible pressure, heavy as a mountain range, suddenly descended and crushed down upon his skeletal frame.

He was instantly unable to move.

Even the blue flames in his eye sockets were on the verge of going out.

The Demon King looked at him with a smile.

“Bane, tell me… do you think my punishment is severe?”

The tension in Bane’s heart, which had just eased, snapped tight once more.

He immediately put on an expression of tearful gratitude, his voice trembling with ingratiation.

“Not severe! Not severe at all!

Lady Demon King is benevolent and magnanimous, considerate of her subordinates.

Replacing punishment with mere reflection is truly a blessing for the demon race unseen in a thousand years!

Your grace is as lofty as mountains, as deep as the sea!”

“Since you have no complaints,” the Demon King nodded in satisfaction.

“Then that is best.”

She raised her hand and lightly tapped the table, her tone shifting as she proclaimed.

“Next, I will personally head to the front lines and assume the position of supreme commander.”

Before her words had even finished, the magic array at the center of the stone table flashed with light.

A clear image appeared—

It was the scene of Bane being brutally beaten by Rivina on the western battlefield.

He was punched clean through the chest and sent flying, smashing through rock walls… utterly miserable to behold.

“Pfft—”

Vera couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing.

Her shoulders shook, her eyes brimming with schadenfreude.

The Demon King tilted her head slightly, her gaze falling once more upon Bane.

“Bane, tell me—this human… what do you think of her?”

Watching that disgraceful image of himself, shame and rage surged within him.

Yet he could only force the emotions down and answer respectfully.

“In reply to Lady Demon King… this human is indeed… extremely powerful.”

“Oh?”

The Demon King chuckled softly, her tone suddenly turning meaningful.

“But I’ve heard that when she first appeared, she was merely a sealed madwoman, someone even ordinary soldiers could suppress.

And yet in such a short time, she grew to the point where even you were helpless?”

She leaned forward slightly, staring straight at Bane’s lowered skull.

“How did she become so strong?”

Bane’s soul jolted violently.

She knows?

No… impossible!

Had he still possessed flesh, his face would have gone pale on the spot.

He kept his head bowed, not daring to meet the Demon King’s eyes.

His voice grew unconsciously unsteady.

“R-replying to you, my lady… at the beginning, I was advancing the battle line according to your deployment.

Who could have expected such a monster to suddenly appear on the battlefield?

I immediately ordered an encirclement, but… but she only grew stronger the more she fought, the more she killed… utterly impossible to suppress…”

His voice dropped lower and lower.

“Now her strength… I estimate… is no longer… no longer beneath my own…”

After listening, the Demon King slowly leaned back into her chair and suddenly laughed.

“Bane, according to what you’re saying… she grew strong because I ordered the advance of the battle lines and gave her the chance to devour and grow?

And your failure was due to my flawed deployment?”

Her voice was gentle, yet every word cut like a blade straight into Bane’s core.

“So… all of this was my fault?”

When Bane heard the Demon King’s words—“all my fault?”—a chill ran straight down his spine.

In that instant, he understood.

The Demon King had already seen through his attempt to shift blame.

This interrogation had long surpassed the defeat itself.

He could not hesitate any longer.

Bane immediately lowered his skeletal frame to the ground, his voice suddenly trembling with terror, as if utterly frightened.

“No! That is absolutely not what I meant!

Lady Demon King, please calm your anger!

Everything is my fault… mine!

I should not have hesitated, nor failed to report the situation to you at once!

Even more so, I should not have… unilaterally mobilized the troops for an encirclement!

It was my cowardice and my arrogance that brewed this irreparable tragedy!”

His words poured out urgently.

He desperately shifted all blame onto himself, fearing the consequences of doing otherwise.

The Demon King listened, a barely perceptible chill flashing through her eyes.

Yet her lips curved into a gentle smile.

“It’s good that you understand.”

Her gaze suddenly turned toward Vera at the side.

“Vera, you’ve always been straightforward.

In your opinion, how should I punish Bane for his mistakes?”

Vera froze for a moment.

Then a blush of delighted surprise surfaced on her face, sweetness surging in her heart.

Sister Morgana is actually asking for my opinion on something this important!

She straightened her chest and answered loudly without hesitation.

“Death sentence!

Bane must be executed!

Let his life be used to appease the souls of those soldiers who died unjustly on the front lines!

Only then can military morale be set right!

Only then can the people be convinced!”

“No—!”

Bane roared in his heart, murderous intent nearly spiraling out of control.

He violently clenched the armrest of the stone chair beneath him.

His claw-like finger bones let out a piercing crack.

The solid stone armrest was crushed to powder in his grip.

“Vera!”

He glared at her, his skeletal frame shaking violently with rage.

“You’re sowing discord!

You want to use the Demon King’s hand to stir internal strife among the demon race’s leadership!

What are your true intentions?!

You just want me dead!!!”

“Hahaha—”

Vera not only felt no fear, but instead pointed at Bane with mocking contempt.

“Sowing discord?

You say I’m sowing discord?”

She swept her gaze across the room, her voice suddenly rising.

“Ridiculous!

Who was it that hoarded troops on the front lines and allowed a madwoman to grow unchecked?

Who secretly funneled resources and raised a tiger to invite disaster?

Who was it… that harbored dissatisfaction toward Sister Morgana’s position as Demon King and was itching to move?!”

She advanced step by step, her eyes sharp as blades.

“Everyone here has their eyes open!

Who doesn’t have a clear account in their heart?!”

“You—!”

Bane was furious beyond restraint.

He was about to shout “utter nonsense” when the insult had not yet left his mouth—

A pressure far more terrifying than before descended like a collapsing sky.

“Boom—!”

His entire body was smashed down as if struck by an invisible colossal hammer.

Along with the stone chair, he was driven deep into the ground.

His skeletal frame let out an unbearable groan.

The blue flames in his eye sockets were almost extinguished.

He could no longer make a sound.

The Demon King slowly rose to her feet.

Her black robe billowed without wind.

Demonic power surged around her like a dark tide.

She looked around at everyone present, her smile still gentle—yet chilling to the bone.

“Everyone—regarding responsibility for this catastrophic collapse of the battle lines, after intense discussion…”

She paused.

Her words fell like a verdict.

“Bane should have been sentenced to death, to serve as a warning to others.

However, in consideration of his past merits, I show mercy and commute the death penalty.”

“From today onward, sever one arm and one leg in place of death, to console the spirits of the soldiers who fell on the front lines!”

“Carry it out… now.”