Chapter 213: This Is Where It Ends, Once and For All

A few simple words—enough to lay bare every secret.

There was nowhere left to hide. From her true identity to the reason she’d become an elf, he had deduced it all.

So this is the terrifying Demon Lord who once led the demons to drive humanity back to the very borders of the Empire?

Unlike the lich, who believed Lady Sabela’s claim that he was a traitor to the demonfolk, I—once a goblin, little more than livestock—never cared whether the old Demon Lord was a traitor or not.

All I ever felt was gratitude to Lady Sabela for rescuing a half-monster like me.

But gratitude only goes so far. When it comes to life and death, you can’t pledge your life in blind loyalty.

After all the hardship it took to finally walk this world with a clear mind, I’m not about to throw my life away so easily!

“What do you want to know, Demon Lord?”

I pressed my forehead to the ground, not daring to meet his gaze. The Demon Lord before me could snuff out my life with the flick of a finger.

If he hadn’t already seen through my disguise, I’d probably be on my knees beside him, polishing his shoes.

“Start by telling me how the Cult of the Evil God turned you into an elf.”

“Though I have a few theories of my own,” Lin Wei continued, “goblins have always been male-only. So how did you end up like this? What’s with your gender?”

This one had seduced both the Hero and the party’s support staff into bed. Lin Wei couldn’t imagine it was just a matter of men with men. Perhaps, at her core, she truly had become female.

“I… I didn’t have a gender before.”

No hesitation. She revealed a secret known to only a handful in the world.

Rein, beside her, looked as if he might vomit from disgust, but Eileen’s only thought was survival—she would say whatever it took to stay alive.

Nothing else mattered.

“Lord Hertide altered some of the Fertility Mother’s abilities and fully awakened the elf genes in my body. Thanks to my throwback goblin bloodline, I was given the chance to choose my own gender.”

“Hertide?”

Hearing the unfamiliar name, Eileen hurried to explain.

“That’s the Grand Commander of the Judgement Knights, the one who betrayed the Holy See.”

“Oh… so that’s him. And he managed to alter the Evil God’s powers? Fascinating.”

Lin Wei nodded, a hint of genuine appreciation in his voice.

At the very least, from an ability standpoint, he could respect this former Grand Commander, even if they’d never met.

To orchestrate all these schemes with the Cult of the Evil God—and even pull off something akin to genetic engineering with divine power?

If not for his treacherous ambitions, someone like that would be a rare genius within the Holy See.

But in the end, he wound up an enemy anyway.

“Not bad… you’re more adaptable than I imagined.”

Lin Wei’s gaze cooled, his fingers drumming rhythmically as his presence filled the chamber, suffocating.

“I’m honored if my knowledge can be of use to you, Demon Lord.”

Eileen’s heart finally loosened at the faintly pleased note in his voice.

She remained kneeling, her expression the very image of abject supplication, desperate to survive.

“If you’ll just let me live, I’ll share everything I know—no tricks, no bargaining. This is merely a humble servant begging for the smallest reward.”

“Please, just give me a chance. I’ll swear my loyalty to you, Demon Lord. I’ll even infiltrate Lady Sabela’s side as your agent—whatever you require!”

After clawing her way up from monster to sentient being, Eileen’s survival instinct was all-consuming.

The response she received nearly made her collapse with relief. That terror-stricken face finally showed a flicker of hope after calamity.

“A pitiful life like yours isn’t worth killing… for now.”

Lin Wei’s expression didn’t change, as if he were discussing something utterly trivial.

“As long as you’re willing to hand over your intel, I’ll guarantee—on my honor as Demon Lord—that you’ll leave here alive.”

“Now then…”

He raised a hand, conjuring a barrier to isolate Eileen from the rest, ensuring no word of their conversation would leak out.

Lin Wei’s gaze sharpened; it was time to get to the heart of the matter.

“Tell me about the mission Sabela assigned you, and what you know about the demonfolk’s full retreat and the defense of the Demon Lord’s castle.”

“I’ve also heard rumors of Peers of the Empire working with the Cult of the Evil God from within. That interests me as well.”

Intel like this always needed to be pieced together from multiple sources to reach the truth.

Unfortunately, the traitorous Grand Commander guarded these secrets with exceptional care.

Even with a promise of survival, Lin Wei doubted the goblin-turned-elf would know much.

But the answer he received was more useful than expected.

“Lady Sabela tasked me with staying close to the Hero, doing whatever I could to disrupt their progress and delay the assault on the Demon Lord’s castle. If I could break them up, all the better.”

“As for the demonfolk’s full retreat… the fake Demon Lord in the castle is still recovering strength. Lady Sabela’s original plan was for a staggered withdrawal, but the sudden retreat to the Northern Fortress was just poor command.”

“But Lord Hertide said it didn’t matter; it wouldn’t affect his plans for the counterattack. Beyond that, I know nothing.”

So a command blunder had turned a planned withdrawal into a full-blown rout?

Lin Wei sighed. Back when he’d driven the Coalition Army out of demon territory and pushed all the way to the Empire’s border, he’d used plenty of feints and tactical retreats—but never large-scale, staggered withdrawals. No wonder Sabela’s strategy collapsed.

She’d never been taught how. In a way, that was his own failing.

“But… you do know quite a lot.”

“When I was being kept as a pet, I still had some wits about me. Sometimes Lord Cain would bring me into the front hall to play, and I’d overhear their conversations. That’s how I learned some things.”

So Cain’s bad habit of keeping rare monsters as pets had actually paid off in unexpected ways.

Maybe he should have cracked down on that back in the Demon Lord’s castle.

“You managed to overhear quite a bit, then. So… what do you know about the Peers of the Empire working with the Cult of the Evil God, or Hertide’s specific plans?”

Lin Wei’s voice was intent, waiting for any hint.

“That traitorous Grand Commander orchestrated so much behind the scenes. He must have a secret or two—maybe even one he shared with one of the Four Heavenly Kings?”

“I’m sorry. I never heard anything about those matters.”

This time, the answer was a dead end.

Even with her life hanging by a thread, some things simply couldn’t be answered.

“Oh, right… there’s one thing I can tell you, Demon Lord. Before my transformation, Lord Hertide personally visited the Demon Lord’s castle. After that, the demonfolk lines began their full retreat, and I could sense a powerful aura rising within the castle.”

“But I don’t know what they were doing. Even Lord Cain mumbled to himself, wondering what plan was being carried out. I think only Lady Sabela knows the truth.”

Tch… so her usefulness ends here?

She seemed genuinely terrified, not like someone hiding anything.

And even if she were, it hardly mattered now.

“Your job’s done, then.”

“Next…”

She wasn’t killed on the spot, nor otherwise harmed.

Feeling the dispelling touch of the barrier, Eileen took a deep, trembling breath.

She had survived the Demon Lord’s interrogation.

Loyalty—she had to pledge loyalty!

No hint of resistance, not even a thought of trusting Lady Sabela’s talk of ‘traitors.’

At this point, Eileen’s mind was consumed by a single goal: serve the Demon Lord. If it meant living, she’d be his dog without a second thought.

“Morteir, is there anything you want to say to me now?”

“…Why did you betray the demonfolk?”

Unexpected, yet somehow inevitable—the question radiated from the headless knight’s body.

He didn’t answer, but met Lin Wei’s gaze with fearless challenge.

Even facing death, there was no fear in him.

“You really are the undead knight I personally raised from the grave.”

Lin Wei regarded his former subordinate with calm detachment.

Morteir had always been like this.

No punishment could faze him. He existed only for slaughter and vengeance—a Headless Horseman, the most feared presence on the battlefield.

“I remember… when I first brought you back, you fought and lost over a hundred times, letting me tear you apart again and again. You would have rather returned to the grave, fallen forever into the hells, than serve me.”

“It was only after I promised you vengeance that you finally submitted, and helped the demonfolk conquer territory after territory.”

“I don’t care for pointless chatter, nor do I want to force answers out of you. At this point, I just want to know one thing.”

Krulu’s betrayal had its reasons.

But what about Sabela, Cain, Kuba, or even Morteir standing here now?

After their resurrection, he had personally trained both Krulu and Morteir, healed the dying Kuba, and, with Sabela and Cain’s devotion, had driven the Coalition Army out of demon territory.

“You five… why did you betray me!?”

Behind him, flames roared, threatening to consume everything.

Lin Wei stared down at Morteir, the Demon Lord’s aura erupting in full force.

Crack…

Armor buckled and shattered under that overwhelming pressure.

This was the gear Morteir had worn since his resurrection as Headless Horseman Morteir.

But even the strength of a Four Heavenly King was nothing before a Demon Lord at full power.

“…You promised… to lead the demonfolk in conquering the world!”

He had no head, yet Lin Wei could feel the burning gaze fixed on him.

Pinned to the ground by sheer force, Morteir nevertheless struggled to his feet.

Bone-white blades gleamed with blue ghostfire, frigid flames burning bright.

He summoned every ounce of the terrifying aura that marked him as one of the Four Heavenly Kings.

“You said… you’d avenge me… destroy the kingdom that betrayed me… build my country anew.”

“…You broke your word.”

He looked up at Lin Wei, body trembling with effort but refusing to yield.

The pressure forced him to bend, but the necrotic energy pouring from him was overwhelming.

I broke my word?

Lin Wei looked back, recognizing the kneeling posture as respect for the former Demon Lord, but the struggle to rise as the pride of a Four Heavenly King.

“Morteir… the kingdom you wanted to destroy was wiped out by natural disaster centuries ago.”

It wasn’t that he’d broken his promise—he simply couldn’t fulfill it.

By the time he’d dug Morteir out of the grave, the kingdom he’d sworn to destroy was dust.

All Lin Wei could do was raze the cities built atop its ruins after defeating the Coalition Army.

“You betrayed me because I signed the Peace Accord with humanity?”

“Because you thought I’d given up on conquering the world, and rebuilding your nation?”

“…Yes!”

So that was it?

Lin Wei fell silent. For a moment, he wasn’t sure if he should blame his own judgment, or lament the undead knight’s simple mind.

“Sabela said… you’re human… a spy for the Empire… you’ll doom the demonfolk.”

“The true Demon Lord promised… after resurrection, to conquer the world and slaughter every last descendant of the kingdom.”

“I was only revived to be used by you… You’re the traitor!!!”

I’m the traitor?

“Heh… heh heh… hahahahaha!!!”

There was nothing left to say.

The bone blade in Morteir’s hand flared with ghostly fire, his aura surging.

Lin Wei couldn’t help but laugh, as if he’d just heard the funniest joke in history.

So that was their reason for betrayal—in the eyes of the demonfolk, he was the traitor all along?

Was that how the lich saw it, too?

“I led you all to defeat the Coalition Army, drove every enemy out of demon territory.”

His crimson eyes burned with an unearthly light.

The bone blade in his hand seemed to devour even the flames around it.

“I raised the five of you, hoping you’d carry the demonfolk’s future.”

“Taught you war, governance, did everything I could to help you grow stronger, shared everything I knew.”

“Even in the years we conquered the world, I never once slacked off or indulged in privilege. But just because I’m human, you all decided I was a traitor?”

Waves of blood-red energy erupted from him, shaking the entire chamber.

The crystal coffins trembled, as if the sleeping heroes inside might awaken at any moment.

Oshu, in the corner, had just recovered from his injuries when a fresh wave of energy slammed him into the wall. Blood and fragments of viscera spewed from his mouth, but the pain actually cleared his mind.

“Morteir… Morteir!!!”

“So this is why you all betrayed me? This is your reason!?”

No complex motives, nothing hidden—just a simple, direct betrayal. So simple, Lin Wei could hardly believe it.

For the first time, he truly felt the sting of betrayal, anger burning into something tangible.

He’d suspected, but now he knew for certain.

“Roar…”

Morteir, feeling the pressure, raised his bone blade high.

His shadow engulfed Lin Wei’s field of vision, the world growing dark.

“The Peace Accord was just to buy the demonfolk time to breathe.”

“We were at our limit. I couldn’t bet that the Coalition Army was at theirs… and I sure as hell couldn’t trust the elves or dwarves to keep their promises.”

Necromantic energy cloaked Morteir’s body as he aimed his one and only attack at his former lord.

Lin Wei watched him, recalling the day he’d decided to sign the Peace Accord.

The demonfolk generals had all knelt in submission. Yet even then, had they already seen him as a traitor?

Maybe, as Demon Lord, he’d been too confident all along.

“There was a clause in the Peace Accord—territory of the old kingdom was ceded to the demonfolk as part of the deal.”

“In exchange, I handed over several metal mines near the Northern Countries.”

Lin Wei raised his hand, pointing it at his former subordinate.

A single blood-red seed drifted from his palm, so faint it was almost invisible—yet as it flew, even space itself warped.

When it struck Morteir, the seed erupted into a towering tree, swelling impossibly until it engulfed everything.

BOOM!!!

The explosion tore the world apart. Space buckled, and consciousness flickered at the edge of blackout.

A wash of white light swallowed everything, until even sound faded away.

As if the whole world had turned to bleak, colorless ash.

Plink…

Half a minute later, the crystal coffins—protected by barriers—remained untouched.

But the rest of the cavern was devastated.

Sheer rock walls shattered, magma gushed in, rivers of molten stone turned the cave into an apocalypse.

An ancient black insignia dropped from midair, landing in the dirt—a relic from a forgotten kingdom, its mysterious patterns spelling out a language lost to time.

Lin Wei took a deep breath and casually tossed it into his storage space.

He glanced at the bone blade from moments before and shook his head.

Even at the very end, Morteir hadn’t released his True Name, hadn’t wielded his full power.

“He fought me with only the strength he had when I first resurrected him.”

“Morteir… such a simple-minded undead.”

“A real headache of a subordinate.”

Maybe all those hundreds of times he’d had to hack him apart had been a warning.

Perhaps, after hearing the legends of the Headless Horseman, raising him had been a colossal mistake.

“D-Demon Lord, are we leaving now?”

So, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, Morteir, had fallen just like that?

Everyone knew the Demon Lord was strong, but for a battle to end so quickly, so decisively—it was almost absurd.

She had thought Morteir might at least put up a fight, maybe buy her a chance to escape.

But in the end, he’d been obliterated in an instant.

“Yes… we’re leaving.”

“But as for you—”

Sudden terror seized Eileen as she realized what those words meant.

Her eyes went wide, but she had no chance to speak.

BANG!

A surge of deep crimson energy exploded her body on the spot.

Putrid, viscous green blood drenched Rein, who gagged on the foul taste in his mouth.

“As Demon Lord, I promised you’d return to the surface alive.”

“But sorry… right now, Honor Knight Lin Wei has triumphed over the Demon Lord of old.”

“So you’re dead.”

No matter how much she knew, there was no way Lin Wei would let her leave.

Krulu, a subordinate he’d raised himself and reclaimed, might get a second chance as a slave.

But Eileen? She’d never get such mercy. Some people simply had to die.

“Too bad it wasn’t Iresha who took care of you herself.”

“But with her tsundere personality, she’d probably just rough you up, not finish the job.”

Lin Wei took a steadying breath, forcibly shaking off the Demon Lord’s mindset.

After slipping back into the role in the Demon Lord’s castle, it was oddly difficult to return to normal.

“All right… so, does the subjugation squad have any last words?”

Now, only three remained in the devastated cavern.

The gravely wounded priest of the Church (Evil God), Rein, and Oshu, who had just regained consciousness.

The Hero’s miraculous Blessing, combined with elixirs during his blackout, had actually healed Oshu’s wounds.

That was the kind of power that defied all logic.

Even as Demon Lord, Lin Wei couldn’t guarantee he’d never run into that one-in-a-million [Bond of Friendship] miracle.

“Hurry up and let me down!!”

A voice caught Lin Wei’s attention.

He looked up to see the priest pinned to the wall, moments from death, screaming his final words.

“Serve my god and you shall receive divine power.”

“Sacrifice your companions to the Blood Sacrifice Mother—with the Hero’s power added in…”

“There’s a way out. A path to escape. The spatial portal is right there!”

Oshu, already reeling from shock, was left speechless.

Eileen, sleeping all this time, was a goblin? Lin Wei, the Honor Knight, was actually the Demon Lord?

And right in front of him, he’d watched one of the Four Heavenly Kings—the legendary Headless Horseman—get killed?

The sheer weight of it all shattered his mind.

Only when the Evil God priest’s voice rang out did he finally snap back to reality.

Sacrifice your companions for the Evil God’s power and a way out?

Yes… I’m the Hero—I won’t die so easily!

Just like always, there’s a path out of even the direst straits. Maybe the Goddess Alicia is still guiding me, even now.

“Die for me!!!”