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Demon Lord’s Redemption: Chapter 22

Author: Literataku

Chapter 22

The rest of the day’s journey was mainly uneventful, the three managing to have a fairly peaceful, if very quiet ride, the rest of the day. Emiyo had taken to riding behind Korin and the packhorse, wanting as much distance between her and Haruko as she could afford. Riding beside that man didn’t feel as safe as being behind the sharp-eared drow slave girl.

Korin had recovered her sword, though now she was riding with a bow unslung in her arms ready to fire into the trees should any more surprises come their way. Her eyes and ears constantly on the lookout though she still seemed quite relaxed while they continued to ride. Her breathing seemed a little off, but there are no other signs to betray whatever was going on with her.

Emiyo did her best to keep control of her thoughts and her eyes on the road, trying to recite the litanies in her head for comfort. She realized there was a vital question to ask Haruko, but she would wait until her heart had recovered. How had he survived? What power does he have on that list that would let him live through something that would kill ordinary men? The simple ease at which he recovered and proceeded to slaughter those bandits wholesale shook her core.

He was right to do it. But was he right in how he killed them? She sighed and shook her head slowly. Did it really matter to her in the first place? Because they are still going to be dead in the end. Was a merciless butchering that different from a heroic battle when you still killed all of them? These must be the men he talked about earlier, the ones beyond salvation.

It suddenly hit her. He had done that on purpose! He let her believe he was dead, let her see the monsters that lived as men, let her taste the fear and horror at the possibility she would become a victim. And then he saved her, all to teach her the lesson he had started right before it all happened. Bile rose in her mouth as she processed such an idea.

That monster. He knew they were coming! He knew that they were going to do something to try and kill him! And he let it all happen just to show her the truth of evil men. Could she even believe the story now? Did she listen to the narrative he was teaching her?

“Do you need to talk?”

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