Episode 12: Sociopath
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Yohan opened his eyes to the sound of someone banging on a tray. The morning sunlight streamed into the tent, brightening it.
‘The day has finally come.’
Today was the day they would set out to scout the much-dreaded Demon’s Lair (Magul). It was also the day he would cross the first hurdle to be with Francia.
And, perhaps most importantly, it was a day when the Crown Prince was likely to pull some kind of scheme.
‘Everything’s prepared. Let’s go.’
Yohan got up from his makeshift bed and stepped outside the tent. Knights and soldiers were inspecting their weapons, while the cooks were busy preparing breakfast.
“Oh, you’re awake?”
As Yohan emerged from the tent and looked around, a familiar voice called out from beside him.
“Deputy Commander, did you sleep well?”
It was Thersis Galectico, the deputy commander of the 2nd Division. Judging by the sweat dripping from his entire body, he’d been up early and working out.
“Same as always. It’s just another day for me. How about you, Yohan? Did you sleep well?”
“I didn’t have any trouble sleeping either.”
Thersis seemed satisfied with the answer and laughed heartily, giving Yohan a solid pat on the back with his large hand.
“Hahaha! You’ve got a strong heart for a mage, don’t you?”
“I don’t get nervous about these things,” Yohan replied with an awkward smile.
“Hmm.”
Despite Yohan’s words, his expression remained stiff. Sensing this, Thersis offered reassurance.
“You don’t need to worry too much. The southern region of the East is safer than it seems. The Demon’s Lair (Magul) there is smaller and the monsters are weaker compared to others.”
The Demon’s Lair (Magul) in the southern part of the empire’s eastern territory was the simplest and weakest of the three Demon’s Lair (Maguls) in the region.
It was so unremarkable that not even a single high-grade monster, let alone a top-grade one, was expected to appear. As long as they stayed alert, they’d return unscathed.
Having explained this, Thersis gave a sly smile.
“That’s all for my briefing. See? Nothing to worry about.”
“That’s reassuring. I’ll try to relax a bit more.”
In truth, Yohan’s stiff expression wasn’t because he was afraid of the Demon’s Lair (Magul). It was because he didn’t know what the Crown Prince might pull.
“Thank you for your concern,” he added with a light smile and a slight nod.
“Hahaha! Of course, we have to take care of our newest special-class mage. There aren’t many who reach that rank, you know.”
Thersis waved casually as he turned to leave.
“See you when it’s time to depart. Enjoy your breakfast.”
“You too. Enjoy your meal.”
As Thersis left, Yohan narrowed his eyes.
“The deputy commander has a great personality.”
Wasn’t he the second son of the Galectico family? He was not only warm-hearted but also considerate of others—qualities rare in a noble.
“But why don’t I remember him?”
The thought struck him suddenly. While he didn’t recall every detail of the original story, he was confident in his knowledge of its characters.
Yet, he’d never heard the name Thersis Galectico before.
“A man like that wouldn’t just be some extra.”
Was it because the original story was a dark story devoid of hope, where good people didn’t get much attention? Or was it something else?
‘Never mind. Thinking about Thersis won’t get me anywhere now.’
Yohan dismissed the thought quickly—it wasn’t important at the moment.
‘Let’s eat.’
Today was going to be a busy day, and he needed a full stomach to face it.
***
After breakfast, when the knights and soldiers had completed their preparations, the officers from each unit stepped forward to form a formation.
The 1st and 2nd Division were mixed together, and Francia’s unit was no exception.
“May I ask your name?”
A man spoke to Francia, prompting her to turn toward the voice.
He had jet-black hair and languid purple eyes—a strikingly handsome man who didn’t look like he belonged on a battlefield.
It was Cassis Lenokhohnen.
The eldest son of the Lenokhohnen ducal family and the empire’s greatest swordsman. A war demon who carried bloodshed wherever he went.
To most women, his looks alone would’ve been enough to charm them into submission. But Francia knew him all too well.
“I have no name to share with you.”
“…….”
Even in the face of her thorny demeanor, Cassis’s expression didn’t falter.
“I am Cassis Lenokhohnen, heir to the Lenokhohnen ducal family. If you have no name to share with me, then allow me to share mine.”
“…….”
“I’m not sure why you’re so wary of me, but rest assured—I’m no threat to you.”
Francia’s brow furrowed at his words.
‘No threat? Nonsense.’
She barely held back a derisive laugh.
“Oh, is that so? Understood.”
Francia answered curtly and turned her horse away.
Before she could get far, another man approached her.
“Lady Fervache, where are you off to? You’re supposed to stay in formation.”
It was Fedelian. Her entire face twisted in irritation.
“I am not the Lady of Fervache. I am the Special-Class Mage of Fervache. Kindly address me properly.”
“You’re being so formal again. Isn’t that unnecessary between us?”
Fedelian tilted her head slightly and raised her eyebrows. A sigh escaped Francia’s lips.
“By the way, Lenokhonen’s young Master—or should I call you the ‘War Demon’ Cassis? I didn’t expect you to take an interest in the Lady of Fervache. What are you thinking?”
Cassis looked at Fedelian without a change in expression. His amethyst-colored eyes flickered slightly.
“…This is not something for Your Highness to concern yourself with.”
“Is that so? From where I stand, it looks like you fell in love with the Lady of Fervache at first sight.”
“……”
“The Lady of Fervache is indeed stunningly beautiful, isn’t she? Beautiful enough to be beyond the reach of someone like the War Demon.”
Though Fedelian spoke playfully, there was a sharp sneer hidden within his words.
“Is that so?”
Cassis dismissed her remarks indifferently.
Francia, caught between them and listening to their conversation, felt a wave of nausea and silently thought of Yohan.
‘I miss Yohan.’
The damned Crown Prince had selfishly formed a unit, and Cassis Lenokhonen, as expected, had shown an interest in her.
Since there was no avoiding their attention, she had chosen to confront it head-on, but the stress it brought was beyond words.
‘Still, they won’t be able to manipulate me as they please.’
Things would change.
This time, she had Yohan, who truly loved her.
Supporting him fully was her role. Francia was confident she could overcome the challenges ahead with Yohan by her side.
***
A few hours after the reconnaissance mission in the Demon’s Lair began.
At the front of the group, leading the way, Tersis frowned.
“Something’s strange.”
Sensing his heightened alertness, Yohan asked, “What do you mean?”
“There are too few demon beasts around.”
“Ah.”
Indeed, Yohan found it odd as well.
‘We’re getting closer to the Demon’s Lair, yet the number of beasts is dwindling.’
It was an unusual sight.
Of course, it was possible that the beasts had been driven in another direction by the Dark Mages, having detected the arrival of a government official’s unit.
‘Or could this be one of the Crown Prince’s schemes?’
Although Yohan hadn’t read the entire story, one thing was clear.
The male protagonists in this work were all insane, through and through.
If the Crown Prince, the worst of them, was involved, he could very well be in collusion with the Dark Mages.
‘If only there were evidence, we could depose him immediately.’
But the prince was cunning and meticulous, unlikely to leave any evidence behind.
“Everyone, halt!”
Tersis raised the sword in his hand high and shouted. They had arrived at the entrance of the Demon’s Lair before anyone realized it.
“This is strange. We’re right in front of the demon cave, yet not a single demon beast is in sight. This has never happened before…”
Tersis, who usually exuded confidence and vigor, narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the surroundings.
He too seemed to feel a strange sense of unease.
“Has the Lair closed?”
“That’s never happened before.”
“Something seems off…”
The other knights and soldiers couldn’t hide their unease.
“We’ll turn the entire unit around! Head back to the outpost!”
The moment Tersis gave the command—
Whoosh—!
Boom!
A rock, roughly the size of a human head, came hurtling through the air, piercing Tersis’s abdomen.
“Urgh…!”
In an instant, half of his abdomen was obliterated. Tersis spat blood and fell from his horse.
Thud.
“What the…!”
“D-Deputy Commander!”
The knights and officials were thrown into chaos. Yohan was no exception.
“What is this…?”
Tersis’s innards had long since been obliterated. With half his abdomen gone, survival was impossible.
Thump, thump, thump.
Witnessing someone’s death for the first time, Yohan’s heart pounded wildly.
Blood rushed through his veins, his mouth hung open, and his hands began to tremble as his breathing grew ragged.
“Deputy Commander!”
Shaking his head, Yohan forced himself to stay calm, dismounted, and checked on the fallen Tersis. His eyes were unfocused, and he was on the verge of death.
“R-Run…”
Whoosh—!
Before he could finish his words, the sound of something slicing through the air resounded again.
Boom!
Another rock, the size of a human head, struck the ground, sending debris flying and creating a powerful shockwave.
“Aagh!”
“It’s… it’s a special-grade monster!”
“It’s a special-grade demon beast! Everyone, take cover!”
“Damn it, this is insane!”
At the mention of a special-grade demon beast, Yohan turned his head in the direction the boulder had come from.
A creature with the head of a deer and the body of a human stood there, staring at them with a grin.
It was about 3 meters tall. It was smaller than reported, indicating it wasn’t a fully grown adult.
“It’s special-grade.”
Regardless, it was still a special-grade demon beast—one of the calamities that could annihilate an entire unit, something even nations took extreme precautions against.
It wasn’t hard to figure out why such a creature was in the smallest southern Demon’s Lair.
‘Fedelian, that lunatic.’
Was he planning to kill even his fellow second Division officers? The thought reminded Yohan of Fedelian’s sociopathic tendencies.
Keeping his body as low as possible, Yohan quickly analyzed the situation.
‘Stay calm. The deputy commander can wait. Right now, I need to save the people here.’
He didn’t know how a special-grade demon beast had been lured here, but one thing was clear: the Crown Prince was behind this.
Which meant it was up to Yohan to handle the situation.
Yohan stood up and shouted, “Pay Attention, everyone! From now on, I am assuming command! All units, turn your horses and retreat!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Turn the horses around!”
“Retreat!”
The soldiers and knights, who had been thrown into disarray by the deputy commander’s sudden death, regained their senses and turned their horses around.
Whoosh—!
But the barrage of boulders didn’t stop. Yohan gathered his magic to its limit and muttered under his breath.
“La Entus, Telekinesis.”
Whirrr!
A spiral of fiercely rotating magic gathered in his hand. The boulder hurtling through the air froze in place.
Telekinesis.
“I’ll handle the creature! Everyone else, focus on retreating!”
At the moment Yohan shouted—
Thud, thud, thud, thud—!
The ground began to rumble. Feeling an ominous shift, Yohan turned around.
Hundreds—no, far more—of demon beasts were charging toward them.
“Oh my god.”
“We’re all going to die…”
“I was going to propose after this mission…”
Yohan bit his lip hard.
‘Is he planning to wipe out the entire southern unit.’
He hadn’t expected him to sacrifice an entire unit just to take him out.
He had anticipated schemes but not on this scale.
Yohan turned his gaze back to the special-grade demon beast in front of him. It smirked mockingly, as if ridiculing him.
“So you’re acting like this even though you look barely newborn.”
Snap.
Yohan snapped his fingers and conjured two orbs in the air behind him.
“Everyone, scatter! I’ll open the path!”
The soldiers and knights, though overwhelmed with fear, were seasoned veterans. Even in their panic, they followed Yohan’s orders.
“Disperse!”
“Scatter!”
Like the parting of the Red Sea, the soldiers split into two lines as Yohan extended his hand to fix the orbs in place. His eyes glinted sharply as he chanted.
“high-tier magic.”
One orb spun endlessly at the center, absorbing ambient magic from the air.
The other emitted waves of magic, unleashing immense energy into the surrounding space.
The two orbs orbited each other, perfectly synchronized in an endless cycle of absorption and release.
Whirrr!
The absorbing orb spun faster, drawing in more magic from the atmosphere.
The releasing orb channeled that energy, creating a devastating storm of power.
The two worked together like cogs in a machine, cycling through absorption and release in perfect harmony.
“Spiral Heaven Breaker.”
Boom, boom, boom—!
A massive vortex surged forward, tearing through the space ahead.
The releasing orb plowed through, carving a path as the absorbing orb expanded the spiral at its center, pulverizing the demon beasts in its way.
The force was enough to rend the sky itself.
“Screeech!”
“Gyaaah…!”
Magic poured out in an endless cycle of destruction.
When the Spiral Cataclysm passed, the ground was left with a massive scar, as if a giant worm had burrowed through it.
The demon beasts that had blocked their retreat were obliterated, leaving no trace behind.
“Hah… hah…!”
The sudden, immense expenditure of magic left Yohan panting heavily. He clutched his abdomen and shouted.
“The path is clear…! Everyone, retreat!”
There was no time for anyone to marvel at the power of the high-tier magic Yohan had just unleashed.
“Retreat!”
“Maintain formation!”
“The special-class mage has cleared the way!”
Knights and soldiers alike fought off the remaining demon beasts and began their retreat.
At that moment, one of Yohan’s fellow second Division officers extended a trembling hand toward him.
“Master Harsen, special-class mage! Please, get on the horse!”
“I’m fine.”
“What? What are you—”
Yohan began walking forward, gathering his magic once more.
“I’ll handle the special-grade demon beast myself.”
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