Chapter 20: The Demon Baron (6)

"……."

"……."

A brief silence fell over them as they stood before the fallen Baron. Kadim moved first, with Duncan wheezing as he clambered over the wall to follow.

"Is... is he dead, my lord?"

"Not yet."

True to his word, the Baron was still drawing faint breaths. But his wounds ran so deep that any chance of survival seemed impossibly distant. Blood kept gushing from his torn quilted armor in relentless spurts.

Kadim looked down at the Baron and spoke matter-of-factly.

“You’ve got a strong arm, Baron. Punching through armor that thick isn’t easy.”

The Baron's lips trembled as they curved upward.

“Ha, haha… It would have been impossible, had I not the demon’s strength…”

"……."

“This time as well, this time as well… it seems…”

Kadim narrowed his eyes. Then suddenly, he drew Mosquito.

Duncan flinched, thinking the barbarian was about to end the Baron's life.

But instead of swinging the blade, Kadim placed the hilt in the Baron's hand.

Then he pressed the blade against his own forearm and made a shallow cut.

“W-Wait, my lord! What are you doing...!"

Contrary to Duncan's concern, it wasn't meaningless self-harm. The blood-draining effect of Mosquito worked even when held by someone else.

The blade absorbed its master's blood and began healing the Baron's wounds. Thin wisps of smoke rose from the deep puncture wound, and a little bit of color returned to the Baron’s pale face.

“Nngh…”

But it was only enough to buy him a few extra moments. A wound like that would need the blood of a hundred men to heal properly. One little sip of Kadim’s blood wasn’t going to cut it.

Kadim wiped the blood from the blade and sat down cross-legged.

"When mortals face demons, all their noble intentions crumble, leaving only bone-chilling fear and the desperate hunger to survive."

"…"

“But you, Baron… you were like a bug that bites the finger that’s crushing it. You never gave up. You used your own willpower to kick that demon out of your head and took it down with you.”

"……."

"So stop blaming yourself. That kind of willpower isn't something just anyone can muster. The blood I just offered is my tribute to your iron will."

Duncan’s eyes went wide as saucers.

All this time, he’d figured the barbarian thought of people as talking slabs of meat. He never would’ve guessed he could show someone this much respect.

The Baron also blinked in bewilderment. Kadim’s tone was still gruff, but now there was a hint of respect in it.

“I can’t save your life. But I can at least keep you company until you die. If you have any last words, anything you need to get off your chest, now’s the time.”

"...Ha, haha. What an honor... To have a warrior as great as you... as my final companion..."

Cough—

A deep hacking brought up a surge of blood. The Baron forced himself to swallow it back down and began to speak.

"Think of this as the rambling of a worthless dying man... I'll tell you the story... about me... no, about Molden and me."

"……."

"...To cut to the chase, it was all... all because of my greed. I should've destroyed that demon the moment I found it..."

In the past, Baron Molden had been drowning in despair.

Being granted a title and territory in recognition of his ancestors' achievements had been wonderful. But the land he was given to rule wasn't the fertile territory near the Holy Capital that he'd dreamed of. It was Molden, a barren backwater in the middle of nowhere.

He really did try his best at first. He reformed the tax system, hired mercenaries to drive off bandits and monsters, and leased land cheaply to the landless. But no matter how many raiders he defeated, they never stopped coming, and the depleted farmland yielded nothing but failed harvests year after year.

"Then I discovered that grotesque mass of flesh in the castle basement..."

The demon looked like a pile of a monster’s guts, and it made him an offer he couldn't refuse. It promised to turn Molden into the most prosperous land in the entire region.

Of course, there was a catch. But it was a weird one. It didn't sound like a demon’s price at all.

"The demon told me... to cherish all my people like my own children... and devote myself to the territory with everything I had."

"……."

That was the deadliest trap of all, though he didn't realize it at the time. After wrestling with his conscience, he finally took the offer.

The demon kept its promise.

Suddenly, the bandits and monsters vanished, the land became fertile, and more people wanted to settle in Molden. These positive changes created a virtuous cycle, and Molden gradually transformed into a better place to live.

The Baron also faithfully fulfilled the contract's terms.

It was awkward at first. His people thought he was weird, and it was a little humiliating. But he didn't give up, and slowly, they started to warm up to him. He didn't have to fake being a good lord for very long. At some point, he realized he genuinely loved his people as much as his own children.

But in a corner of the Baron's heart, guilt and anxiety were slowly growing.

"Molden's prosperity... wasn't built by my own blood and sweat... It came through the most... dishonorable method... making a pact with a demon..."

To cope with that, he became obsessed with being honorable in other ways. So obsessed that he’d insist on feeding guests a feast, even if his own family was going hungry.

But it wasn't enough to quiet the fear. Every night, he’d lie awake, terrified. Terrified that the demon would change its mind and the whole wonderful world he’d built would just vanish.

And eventually, the Baron's fear became reality.

"I don't know exactly when... whether I was possessed from the start or later... What's certain is that when Viscount Ardlen and his soldiers appeared before me... they were all already possessed by the demon..."

The demon knew well that slowly bleeding someone dry was more agonizing than immediate destruction. Through cunning means, it created the right circumstances and conditions to raise an army to completely surround Molden.

“I tried everything I could think of to find a way… to end it… But I realized… there was nothing I could do on my own… Everything I had, everything I’d built… it all came from the demon…”

For four months, he watched his people suffer, feeling as helpless as a father watching his child die from a disease he can’t cure.

Finally, he decided the only way to save Molden was to cut his ties with the demon by ending his own life.

Kadim just shook his head.

“If the demon’s mind had been whole, it never would have let you die. Instead, it would have forced you to live and watch Molden burn. Your despair was the whole point of its existence.”

"...I know. I know it well... In the end, destroying the demon... and saving Molden... that too wasn't my own power... I had to borrow someone else's strength... Ha, haha..."

A faint, fading, self-deprecating laugh. Life was draining from his eyes. The Baron cast a melancholic gaze through his bloodshot eyes.

“But still… with this… at least I got to decide how the story ends… right"

He wasn't wrong. Kadim gave him a slow, deliberate nod, making sure the Baron could see it.

The sadness in his eyes disappeared, replaced by pure relief. A serene smile appeared on his lips. The Baron squeezed out his last remaining strength to move his lips.

"Tell Delphina... that I'm sorry... I couldn't protect... the tulips..."

"……."

With those words, Baron Molden's breathing stopped.

His eyes remained open as his head fell toward Molden. The lonely morning wind brushed the hair from his face. Kadim stood in silence. Duncan let out a deep sigh and cast a sympathetic look.

"What a sad story… By the way… do you have any idea who this Delphina is, my lord?”

"Probably his wife. He didn’t seem to have any kids.”

Kadim gently closed the Baron’s eyes. Then he scooped up the body and looked over the merchant.

"You worked hard following my orders all night, merchant. Now go find that throwing axe I tossed and bring it back."

"Huh? Ah, yes! Got it. But... wh-what will you do after I bring the axe, my lord?"

"We're going back to Molden."

"……."

“This man deserves to be buried at home. In the treasure he loved more than anything.”

With the approaching dawn at his back and a life that had ended in his arms.

Kadim began walking toward Molden.

***

Every single person in Molden hung a black flag from their roof.

Even the poor who owned nothing but dilapidated shacks and the clothes on their backs were no exception. They dyed their only set of clothes black with ash and went without for a while, just to show their respect.

The Baron's grave was built in front of the inner castle so that all the people could come and pay their respects.

The young men carved his tombstone and dug the grave themselves. The children and young women gathered heaps of wildflowers to lay on it. The old folks even dug out the emergency coins they’d stashed away and offered them at the grave. Everyone was starving, but on the day of the funeral, not one person touched even a sip of water.

The people of Molden wanted to express their condolences this way, no matter what.

The Baron was said to have died fighting alone against the enemy to the very end. The people, who had no way of knowing the intimate details, simply mourned in grief.

But for the soldiers cleaning up the battlefield, it was a different story. As they hauled away more than four hundred bodies, they couldn’t stop the questions from piling up.

How could just the barbarian and the Baron defeat four hundred men? And how were those enemy soldiers even standing, starved as they were? Why did Viscount Adlen turn into a giant monster? What the hell had they actually been fighting all this time...?

They couldn't find answers to their questions. Because Kadim, the only person who knew the truth, wouldn't speak. And nobody had the nerve to try to force it out of the silent barbarian.

Following the late Baron’s will, his wife took over as the new lord of Molden. No one voiced any opposition. Even during the Baron's rule, the Baroness had been highly regarded as a smart advisor and a sensible lady of the manor.

And the Baroness's first duty as lord was to see off her departing guests.

At Molden's central gate, the Baroness bowed respectfully to the barbarian and merchant.

"We are deeply in your debt, mercenary. Though we had no prior connection, on behalf of my late husband, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping Molden and standing against our enemies."

“No need to thank me. I already received payment from the Baron."

Kadim lifted the throwing axe hanging from his waist. Even the Baroness, who knew nothing about weapons, could tell at a glance it was an extraordinary treasure.

She had no regrets. A fine weapon shines brightest in the hands of a fine warrior. Leaving that axe in the castle would've made it nothing more than a decoration. If anything, the Baroness thought the savior of Molden deserved far more reward.

"That alone isn't enough. I've prepared some gold coins and food for you. It's modest compared to what you've done, but I hope this will aid your journey..."

But Kadim declined.

"I don't need pocket change and food scraps. But I do have a tip for you.”

"Yes? What kind..."

"If you head west from here, you'll find a ravine. It used to be some bandit gang's hideout, and if you search carefully, you should find plenty of leftover food and supplies there. It was too much to carry, so I just took what I needed and left the rest.”

"……."

"Take it and distribute it to the starving people. I killed all the bandits, so don't worry."

The Baroness just stared at him, speechless.

From Kadim's perspective, he was simply giving away stuff he couldn’t carry. But to her, this was life-saving news, like rain in the middle of a drought.

She hadn't even properly repaid the debt she already owed, and now she'd incurred another one just as great. All she could do now was bow respectfully and promise to return the favor.

"We will never forget this kindness. From this day forward, your friends are our friends. Your enemies are our enemies. And please, if you ever have the chance, come back to Molden. Next time you come, we will welcome you with the utmost hospitality."

Kadim waved his hand dismissively. The road to the Mage Tower was still long, and to say he would return again would be an empty promise. Unless, of course, fate decided to drag him back here someday.

He was about to leave, but he had one last thing to do. He turned back to the Baroness.

“Oh, one more thing. Your name is Delphina, right?”

"Yes, it is. But how did you..."

"Before he died, the Baron asked me to tell you this. He's sorry he couldn't protect the tulips."

"……."

It felt like time itself stood still.

The Baroness stood perfectly still.

A flicker of memory started in her eyes, then became a tidal wave that washed through her mind. That last moment when he'd tried so hard to joke around, worried his wife might be disappointed.

She was the lord now. She couldn’t just break down and cry. The Baroness squeezed her eyes shut and bit her trembling lips. But she couldn't stop a single tear from rolling down her cheek.

Kadim turned to leave. His business here was finished. The grief of the survivors was now their own business. It was time for the travelers to take their leave.

But they hadn't gotten far from the gate when Duncan spoke up.

"Uh, my lord...? L-look over there."

In the distance, they could see the Baroness running toward them.

Kadim stopped.

The Baroness barely managed to catch up to them. Without even catching her breath, she rushed to get her question out.

"M-mercenary, one last thing, just one thing. May I ask you something?"

"……."

"That night, I know something strange happened that night, something beyond mortal comprehension. I also understand that you have your reasons for burying the truth. But, but as someone who spent half her life with him, I must know this one thing."

"……."

“…The sword that killed him… it was his own, wasn’t it?”

His silence was her answer.

Her mouth went dry. The Baroness barely managed to force out the question that stuck in her throat like thorns.

"...Please tell me, mercenary. Was he just a puppet when he did it? Was he possessed? He wanted to die with honor more than anything… please don’t tell me he died in such a meaningless way.”

It was less a question and more a plea. She was desperate to know the truth, and terrified of it at the same time.

Kadim didn’t like telling lies just to make people feel better. Luckily, this time, he didn’t have to.

He simply told the Baroness the truth as it was.

"No."

"……."

"He struck down the demon with iron will and died with more honor than anyone I’ve ever met.”

And with that, he turned and walked away.

"……."

The midday sun settled gently over the grassland. With no trees for shade, the barbarian and merchant bore the brilliant light squarely on their shoulders. The Baroness stood and watched until they were just two specks on the horizon. She bowed her head, lower than she ever had before, and whispered.

Thank you. Thank you so much.

For allowing his name to be remembered as Baron Molden, and not the Demon Baron.

 

 

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