On the day the snow that seemed to last forever finally stopped, the Emperor’s funeral was held in a solemn atmosphere.

With countless soldiers watching, Acerus drove wooden nails into the Emperor’s coffin. With the reveal of the Emperor’s gruesome body suddenly becoming clean, rumors of it being a sign of victory or a miracle began to circulate.

Acerus did not cry. He moved the coffin with his father’s knights and ordered the Emperor’s body to be moved to the tomb of the Imperial family in Dandelion. Still, he did not cry.

“We will advance to Gorgon after three days.”

Acerus said while looking at the Emperor being driven away in a black carriage. The knights who stood by him told the news to each unit.

The whole city was bustling with preparations for the battle. The role of the infantrymen was very important because there was no guarantee that the Hell Corps would come down the mountain and fight. Acerus asked the Barbarians to spread out their hunting map. He looked at all the marks of the byways of the Gorgon Mountains Range. Then, he split the troops.

A meeting was held all night long. Acerus planned the operation without acknowledging the passing of time and only got up from his seat when dawn broke.

“Your Imperial Highness.”

His aide approached him, he had also stayed up all night. During their all-nighter, several people’s messages came in.

Prince Nicholas, who led a large number of troops from the three eastern countries, especially Sias, expressed his deep condolences for the Emperor’s death and vowed to fight with his life alongside the Tarragon Empire until the end of the war.

The North had quite as much information about demons and demonic beasts as they had been used by Lilith for a long time.

The countries of the southwest, including Hautean, mourned the death of the Emperor in their own ways and offered to help the war.

“It’s fascinating.”

“What do you mean?”

“They used to identify us as enemies not too long ago. They kept the Empire in check and condemned the conquest war.”

“Now that we have bigger enemies, it’s only natural to stick together.”

“So will we fight again after this war?”

“Well…”_.

The aide quibbled his words. Acerus smiled lightly at him and gave the documents he was holding into his arms.

“Do you remember when I first went to war?”

“How can I remember every single one of those times? I can’t even remember my mother’s birthday every year.”

“It ended in our victory. I was a rookie, I had no experience, my skill was terrible but I pushed myself to win.”

At that time, the Emperor scolded Acerus for rejoicing like an immature child and showing off his strength. He said.

“A sword is nothing.”

“Pardon?”

“So I said to him, he had ruled the Empire with his sword and power all his life, why couldn’t I do the same? At that time, my dream was to make Tarragon a unified Empire.”

“What did His Imperial Majesty say?”

“I was beaten up.”

Acerus laughed and said that now he knew how the Emperor felt back then when he thought of that time.

“My father also eventually realized. The Empire has been nothing more than a strong, unreasonable thug.”

But from now on, things would be different. After this war, the history of the continent would be written differently.

40. A Demon Lord Acts Like a Demon Lord and a Hero Acts Like a Hero

“Master, it’s time.”

After the endless regional war, the morning when Acerus declared an all-out war had finally come.

“Let’s go.”

Vassago’s voice was filled with indescribable excitement. Lara neatly organized the log house she had been staying at and came out. Valac grumbled.

“Why are you cleaning it up when you’re not even going to come back here?”

“People can find this place. They would wonder if this was the demon lord’s housing, and their eyes would be blazing with greed. It would truly be a sight to behold if they found leftover bread crumbs and smelly towels.”

“They’d say you’re very human.”

“Valac.”

“Okay, fine!”

Valac went back into the house. Even though he said so, he finished cleaning with the determination that he would not leave even a single strand of demon lord Lara’s hair.

“Today’s finally the day.”

Paimon stood side by side with Vassago. Valac, who ran late, also stood by him.

Lara tied her long hair tight in front of the three demons. Her appearance in black leather armor, long boots, and a fancy cloak was devilish enough to prevent the demon lord enthronement ceremony from being awkward. While looking at her appearance, Lara smirked.

“I look like a different person.”

“What? You totally look like yourself.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

Lara glanced at Valac and murmured.

“Compared to when I was a saintess.”

Lara was talking about herself as a fake saintess in her previous life. She was forced to dress like a white angel by Prince Sidhar and Marquess Bailey.

“It looks good on you.”

Vassago said graciously. Paimon also looked proud and showed that he liked Lara’s appearance.

Lara nodded and said.

“There’s always something that looks good on someone.”

It was a clear day with a mild temperature. The sun rose in the cloudless sky for the first time after a long time. Spring was coming. Lara climbed on the back of a demonic beast that had bowed its head in front of her.

“Shall we go?”

Nervous ahead of the start of the huge battle, Lara kept rolling her fingertips. Her heart was beating fast. Her anxiety rose high and her mouth dried up.

It’s all right. Everything will go as planned. I have been working on it for so long.

A cold wind filled her lungs as she took a deep breath. Soon after, all of the countless thoughts in her head that continued throughout the night had disappeared, leaving only one goal.

The demon worshippers were marching in groups throughout the valley of the mountain range, they were going to defeat the Imperial Army with the Hell Corps. Even with them spending time with the terrible demonic beasts and Hell Corps, they still did not know what was wrong. Even with them being born as humans, they still did not know why humans should not be on the side of demons. All they knew was to just walk forward, drunk with carnage and madness.

From then on, Lara had decided not to categorize the demon worshippers as humans.

“It’s the demon lord!”

“The demon lord is here!”

Demon worshippers bowed down and cheered at Lara. They firmly believed that the demon lord would make this war a victory for the Hell Corps. The demonic beasts gasped and drooled without knowing what was going on, and the Hell Corps knelt before the power of Vassago and Paimon and bowed their heads to Lara.

The demon army, which overflowed into the wide mountain range and deep valleys, all looked at Lara. She passed through them on a huge demon beast and looked around with an arrogant face.

“From now on… I will show you what real hell is.”

Her cold voice pierced their ears like a knife.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

The all-out war has begun. Now, the Allied Forces have replaced the Imperial Army.

Nervous knights led the soldiers to camp in front of the Gorgon Mountain Range. A huge drum rang the ground and made a heavy sound.

Acerus climbed on his horse in the middle of the battlefield. Next to him was Demian riding his horse, wearing black armor and a white cloak.

Demian’s black hair sparkled in the sun.

The approaching spring was mixed with the wind. A warm air leaned out from above, pushing the cold winter atmosphere away. Demian suddenly raised his head and swept his hair in the wind with one hand.

Lara looked down at him from the high cliff.

Their eyes met. No matter how far they were, they could spot each other in an instant.

Lara stood on a cliff, a place without any sunlight. Though she could still feel the wind, she could not feel the warmth of spring.

Lara’s long hair soared high into the sky.

The demon lord with a pale face, red lips, black leather armor, and fancy cloak climbed onto the back of the demonic beast and looked down at the human encampment. She looked arrogant and bored.

Demian, who had been looking at her for a long time, tapped on Acerus’ side.

“What?”

“Look there.”

“Where?”

Acerus told his aide to check the operation for the last time. He came close to where Demian was and raised his head to where he was pointing.

“I can’t see it.”

Acerus could not really see what Demian was asking him to look at. The distance was too far and the sudden and intense sunlight made it difficult to open his eyes. Acerus blocked the sunlight from his eyes with one hand and narrowed his view toward what Demian was looking at.

“Oh?”

Acerus took a quick breath. He slipped his hand down and covered his mouth. Then, he whispered to Demian.

“That’s the saintess, right?”

“She’s not a saintess.”

“Oh, yeah. She’s the demon lord now.”

After calling Lara the demon lord, Acerus looked grim. Looking at Lara in the distance, he tried to say something, but held it in. Then, he tried to say something again but held it in again. After that, he patted Demian on the shoulder and said.

“Let’s do well.”

“Don’t worry.”

“Don’t worry about me, either. I’ll make it.”

“I got it.”

Demian nodded with a stiff look. No matter when he fought and which battlefield he went to, he had never been nervous. But for the first time ever, Demian felt his heart beating fast. Though, this tension he felt did not feel bad to have.

Lara’s eyes reached Demian again when he slowly breathed before the battle.

Acerus let out a yell that he had prepared beforehand.

“Listen here, demon lord!”

A declaration of war to the demon lord by the Allied Forces’ commander, Crown Prince Acerus Elin Tarragon.

“We will annihilate the Hell Corps today and drive you out of this land!”

“Aarrgghh!”

The Allied Forces let out a roar. They banged their weapons, beat their drums, and stomped their feet. The sound penetrated the mountain range and reached the demon lord.

Lara nodded.

“Of course.”

It was the beginning of a huge swindling scheme.