Chapter 349: Suspicion

"Regis. Leader of the Sanguine Order."

Levada’s brows drew together as she looked at the young man before her. "You know that isn’t what I meant."

"I know." Regis wiped the blood from his mouth, only to wince when he moved his wrist. "But can it wait? I need to check on my people."

"Your people?"

He nodded while taking a spare robe from his storage ring. Even pulling it over himself made his wounds ache, and by the time he finished, a thin layer of sweat covered his forehead.

Levada watched without lowering her guard. However, just as she was about to speak again, a faint fluctuation of demonic power made her grip tighten around her sickles.

"What are you—"

Twelve figures suddenly appeared around Regis, causing her unfinished words to catch in her throat.

’People...?’

Her golden eyes moved from one face to another. Some could barely stand, while others were covered in blood, but every single one of them was alive.

Levada instinctively glanced at his storage ring before dismissing the thought. She had encountered many strange artifacts throughout her life, but none capable of housing living people.

Nor did she know of any magic that could keep twelve people hidden away like this, only to bring them out unharmed after such a fierce battle.

’Just where was he keeping them?’

"Brother!"

Before Levada could question him, a girl with ruby-red eyes threw herself into his arms. A young man reached him almost simultaneously, grabbing his shoulder with a trembling hand.

"Boss, you really..."

Killian could not finish as Aurelia rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Regis as well.

"Wait, all of you—!"

His injured knee buckled beneath him just as Vanessa and Perto reached his side. Someone tried to catch him, only to stumble along with the others as they fell onto the ground together.

Morgana and Rumi hurried over, while Aeola and Raxon half-carried Marzana between them. The injured elf stubbornly reached towards Regis, and their attempt to bring her closer only made the tangled pile grow larger.

"Argh! My ribs! You’re crushing my ribs!"

Regis’s protest was drowned beneath their overlapping voices. Pandora buried her face against his chest, her shoulders trembling, while Killian let out a laugh that sounded dangerously close to a sob.

Aside from Auryn and Patti, everyone had crowded around him until he could barely move.

’These guys...’

Regis tried to free his arm, but stopped when he felt someone cling tighter. Their weight pressed against his wounds, and every attempt to move made him wince.

Nevertheless, hearing their familiar voices so close to him, he could not help but smile as he finally stopped struggling and let them hold him.

Levada stood a few steps away, her sickles hanging awkwardly at her sides. None of the people before her seemed afraid of him.

If anything, they looked as though they were afraid he would disappear the moment they let go.

"Alright, give him some space," Vanessa finally said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "We didn’t survive all that just to finish him off ourselves."

It took some effort to untangle everyone. By the time Regis could sit up, he was breathing heavily, with Pandora still refusing to release his sleeve.

As Regis looked over their faces, his smile gradually weakened. Perto had gone quiet, while Morgana leaned against Rumi and began crying again.

His gaze drifted past them out of habit, searching for familiar faces before he remembered that they would no longer be joining them.

"What happened here?" Levada asked more quietly. "Why were all of you fighting alongside him?"

"He was helping us." Marzana lifted her head, her voice hoarse. "My mother trusted him."

Levada studied the black-haired elf. "Your mother?"

"Queen Elysia."

The executor’s expression changed. Her gaze swept across the ruined sacred land before returning to Marzana. "Where is Her Majesty?"

Marzana’s fingers tightened around Aeola’s arm as she turned towards Regis. He lowered his eyes before she could ask, and her grip grew tighter.

"My mother... She died fighting Aziza, didn’t she?"

Regis could only nod. Levada fell silent, while Marzana struggled to steady her breathing. She had held back so many questions before entering the sacred land, thinking there would be time to ask them afterward.

"Where...?" she managed to ask.

Regis looked towards a distant stretch of broken ground. "Over there. But her body..."

"It shattered," he continued with difficulty. "I’m sorry."

Marzana covered her mouth as Aeola drew her closer. Levada followed Regis’s gaze, her jaw tightening at the sight of the craters where the queen had fallen.

After a while, Perto slowly stood. "We should look for Brutt. We can’t just leave him here."

Vanessa took his arm and rose beside him. "I’ll go with you."

Regis immediately tried to follow, but his leg gave way before he could straighten. Killian caught him, grimacing as the sudden weight pulled at his own injuries.

"You can barely stand."

"I can still help."

"Then tell us where to look." Killian steadied him against a broken slab. "You don’t have to do everything yourself."

Regis opened his mouth, but nothing came out as he watched his companions begin searching through the rubble.

’Those demonic worshippers wouldn’t be able to kill them even if they tried.’

Remembering how confidently he had said those words to Elysia, Regis lowered his head and gripped his robe with his uninjured hand. He had known the mission would be dangerous, yet he had still believed he could bring everyone back.

Regis pointed out where he had last seen the fallen as those who could still move searched through the rubble. They carefully wrapped the remains they found, but so much of the sacred land had been destroyed that even recognizing where someone had fallen was difficult.

Eventually, their injuries forced them to stop. Marzana lingered where her mother had died, searching the broken ground until Auryn gently helped her back. She had found nothing she could recognize.

Levada watched Regis struggle to rise again, with Patti stepping forward to support his other arm.

"You still haven’t explained that demonic power," she said.

Patti glanced at her and responded in Regis’s stead. "He protected us."

"That doesn’t explain what he is."

"No," Patti admitted, looking at Regis before continuing. "But it should count for something."

Aurelia’s eyes softened as she watched her brother. He still looked uneasy, but the hand supporting Regis remained steady.

Levada let out a long breath. Her own ribs ached whenever she moved, and looking at the others, she knew they could not remain here much longer.

"Let’s head back to Paradis. My colleague is waiting for us there."

Regis raised his head as several others exchanged curious looks. "Your colleague?"

"And don’t try anything on the way," Levada continued, giving him a pointed look. "I still haven’t ruled out the possibility that you’re a demon lord."

Remembering the words he had used to force her cooperation, Regis could not help but smile wryly. "About that... I was joking."

"Zip it."

***

After leaving the Sanctuary of Life and Death under Levada’s guidance, the group made their way towards Paradis.

The return journey took much longer than their earlier trip. Those who could walk supported the others, and they had to stop several times whenever someone could no longer bear the pain of moving.

Nevertheless, they kept going. Elysia had ordered the surviving elves to gather in the capital, and reaching it would finally give them somewhere to treat their wounds and rest.

However, as they drew closer, the smell of burning wood gradually filled the air.

Collapsed buildings stretched across their view, their broken roofs buried beneath charred branches and rubble. Smoke rose from scattered fires, obscuring the streets further within the city.

Paradis, the capital where the elves had sought refuge, had been reduced to ruins.

Marzana loosened her grip on Aeola and took an unsteady step forward, her lips parting as she stared at the ruined capital.

Before she could say anything, her knees gave way beneath her, and she sank to the ground without seeming to notice.

"W-What..."