## Chapter 565 – 565 The Demon King’S Rebirth
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Inside the Demon King’s castle, I walk with my companions, following Prince Barba towards the conference room.
Besides us, both moderate and hardline demons are also heading to the conference room.
I notice that all the demons going to the conference hall have faint patterns on their forearms, indicating that they all possess the Demon King’s blood.
Among these demons, Urgos is walking at the center of the hardliners.
I quietly ask Jason, who is next to me,
“Come to think of it, the Second Prince’s eyes are red.”
“That’s because Lord Urgos’s eyes resemble the Queen’s.”
Ah, I see.
Just as my small question is resolved, we arrive at the conference hall.
Inside, there’s a long table with several chairs lined up.
The hardliners sit on the left, and the moderates sit on the right, facing each other.
Since we’re here as escorts, we decide to stand for now.
“Well… let’s begin the meeting.”
An elderly demon, who seems to be the moderator, announces the start of the meeting.
As soon as the meeting begins, the arguments between the two factions become intense and continue for over an hour.
To summarize, the hardliners’ opinion is that the pattern on their arms is the will of the God Bane to spread destruction and death again!
They, as Bane’s hands and feet, must accept this will!
On the other hand, the moderates believe that they cannot break the current peace.
They argue that unlike the old days, if a war were to break out with other races now, it would be the demons who would be destroyed.
“Are you trying to ignore the will of the gods!”
“The pattern is all that has appeared. God Bane has not given us a direct revelation.”
“He must have thought a revelation wasn’t necessary! You all know it too! The urge for destruction that has been boiling since this pattern appeared! The overflowing power! This is the will of God Bane!”
“We’re finally close to harmony with other races, and you’re talking about destruction? War? Are you going to undo the efforts of our ancestors who have been building this for hundreds of years!”
“Don’t change the subject! For us demons, the only thing that matters is the will of God Bane! Everything else is trivial!”
The arguments are mainly being made by older demons who seem to be close aides, not by Prince Barba or Urgos themselves.
I initially thought that Urgos, known for his fiery temper, would start by shouting loudly, but contrary to my expectations, he remains silent.
The arguments in the meeting continue without end, becoming more heated, and the atmosphere is about to reach its peak.
Both the moderates and hardliners are glaring at each other with hostile eyes.
It seems like a fight will break out soon.
Then, Prince Barba raises his hand, and the demons who were arguing instantly shut their mouths.
“The will of God Bane… if that’s really the case, then we demons might have to follow it.”
“Oh!”
“Y-Your Highness…!”
The hardline demons rejoice, while the moderate demons are taken aback.
“But if we really do it, we must succeed. Otherwise, we would only be smearing the face of God Bane, who gave us this pattern. Isn’t that right?”
“Hahaha! You’re right! But with the power of this pattern, we can defeat anyone! We have the protection of God Bane!”
Prince Barba raises the corner of his mouth and asks the demon who is confidently raising his fist and shouting,
“Are you… are you sure you can guarantee that?”
“Of course!”
“Hmm, I can’t believe that at all. Don’t you think so too, Urgos?”
“Ugh…”
Urgos makes a face as if he’s bitten into a bug when Prince Barba calls his name.
“Your Highness, if I may be so bold, could you explain what you mean by that?”
“It’s as I said. I can’t believe that we, with this pattern, can overwhelm other races as you say. Only those of us who have the Demon King’s blood have the pattern. Others don’t. Besides… do you really think that others will willingly follow us if we abandon the current peace?”
“The people will understand! They are also demons! They will surely follow this grand plan for God Bane!”
His confident appearance, raising both hands high, is similar to the scene I saw in the cult village with Lelia.
“You’re a frog in a well.”
“What… did you say?”
“I said you’re a frog in a well. You’re just so full of yourself that you can’t see reality. No, not just you, but most of you hardliners. But… Urgos seems to be a bit better.”
Bang!
Urgos slams the table loudly and glares at Prince Barba.
“Hey, brother. Stop talking.”
“Hahaha, sorry. It must be a painful memory for you.”
Prince Barba gets up from his chair with a squeak, approaches me, and lightly taps my back.
“Everyone must have heard the rumors, right? This man is Rant, an adventurer from Platan who came to Bendina temporarily as my escort. He’s also an S-rank adventurer from Platan. He’s the hero who stopped the dungeon overflow.”
“A hero from Platan…?”
“Is he the one who has been causing a stir in the Adventurer’s Guild recently?”
“But even if he’s S-rank, he’s still just a human… even if he fights well against us demons, he can’t be that strong…”
The hardline demons are looking at me warily, but from the way they’re talking, it seems they think they have a chance of winning against me.
Prince Barba bursts into laughter, holding his stomach at their reaction.
“Hahahahahaha! You’re really funny! Have you all been living only in Bendina that you’ve become so blind that you can’t even recognize the magnitude of events?”
“Prince Barba?”
“Even if you’re a prince, please retract what you just said.”
“Retract? Retract? Did I say anything wrong? An overflow… I’m talking about the dungeon overflow. The main player who stopped the overflow, which can be called a world disaster, is right here! In just one week! There’s a hero who stopped a world disaster!
Even with such a hero standing right here, you’re saying such ridiculous things about being able to win a war, how can I not laugh? Isn’t that right, Urgos! You know his strength very well, don’t you?”
“Kuh… yes, he’s definitely strong. I was helpless and immediately defeated.”
“Lord Urgos was?”
“Is that true!”
“What? You didn’t even know that? Urgos, as your brother, I advise you to at least keep those with excellent information-gathering skills by your side.”
“Hmph, it’s none of your business. He’s definitely strong. But fighting and war are unpredictable. Besides, we have the power of this pattern.”
“And you were the one who was miserably defeated even with the power of that pattern, Urgos.”
“No… that’s because the power of the pattern is still weak. If the patterns gather in one place… we have a good chance of winning!”
“Gather the patterns?”
Urgos says with a confident expression.
“I wasn’t just waiting for the meeting day, brother. I did my own research and found out something… those who have the pattern can transfer or take each other’s patterns. The more patterns you gather, the stronger the power becomes, and the stronger the control over the demons becomes.”
That was something I had heard from Bane once.
But… is it okay to explain such a fact so openly in front of me, a human, even if I’m just an escort?
He’s revealing it so casually without hiding anything that I’m a little worried.
“Yes! If we gather all the patterns, that demon will surely awaken as the true Demon King! If that happens, he will surely be able to defeat that guy too!”
Does he not even consider that I might subdue him before that?
I’m not the only one thinking that, as Craig, Amanda, and Nino are also giving Urgos strange looks.
“If we use this, my father, who is currently bedridden, will get better soon! I just need to absorb my father’s pattern!”
“As expected of Lord Urgos!”
“That’s an excellent plan!”
“Lord Urgos is the most suitable for the next Demon King!”
The hardline demons are praising Urgos with shining eyes as he speaks loudly.
Prince Barba sighs briefly at the sight of those hardline demons, puts his hand on his head, and calls out to Urgos.
“Urgos.”
“What is it, brother!”
“It’s admirable that you’re thinking about our father’s health, and as your brother… as family, I’m happy. But your actions are so pathetic that it’s giving me a headache.”
“Huh? What’s wrong with my actions!”
“Even if we put aside whether you can win or not… I think it’s very reckless to say such things so loudly in front of Rant and his companions. If they wanted to, they could subdue you or… take your life right away.”
“Ah…”
“Ah…”
At Prince Barba’s words, Urgos and the hardline demons turn to look at me with a creak.
Seeing that, Craig couldn’t hold back and opened his mouth.
“Are we watching a comedy show right now?”
“Pfft, a demon royal and noble showing us a comedy show, we’re being treated very well.”
“Ugh…”
I could hear the sound of Urgos and the hardline demons grinding their teeth.
The hardline demons are now looking at us with hostility, not wariness, and they are reaching for their weapons.
It was obvious that they were trying to eliminate us before we could subdue them, now that they understood the situation.
I was also preparing to subdue the hardline demons with telekinesis in an instant if there was even the slightest trigger, when…
Screeeak…
The door of the conference hall opens, and someone enters.
“So, everyone was here.”
The ones who entered were a pair of demons.
They were a middle-aged demon with a light purple complexion, blue eyes, and gray hair.
As soon as they saw the demon, all the demons in the conference hall widened their eyes in surprise.
“F-Father…”
“Father! Are you okay to be up!?”
Father.
That meant the demon who was entering was the Demon King.
The one who was said to be bedridden.
The Demon King’s face looked quite haggard, as if he had indeed been lying down.
“What are you all doing here?”
“Father!”
Urgos rushes towards the Demon King, grabs his shoulders, and asks.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’ve gained enlightenment and feel much better. So, what were you doing, Urgos?”
“Father was bedridden, so we were discussing what to do. Yes, Father! This is an opportunity! This pattern is God Bane’s will for us to wreak destruction! We must engage in destruction! That’s what demons are!”
Urgos continues, spreading his arms wide.
“Father! Moreover, I’ve found a solution to the pattern that has been troubling you! Give the pattern to me, Father! Then I will lead the demons and fulfill God Bane’s will! You advocated for peace like my brother, but that was when there was no revelation from God Bane, right?”
Urgos shows the pattern on his forearm to the Demon King.
“But this pattern is God Bane’s protection and revelation! Isn’t that right, Father!”
Prince Barba raises his voice at Urgos, who is passionately speaking to the Demon King.
“Urgos! Are you trying to upset Father, who has just gotten out of bed!”
“Upset him! I was only trying to make Father feel better!”
As Prince Barba and Urgos are glaring at each other, the Demon King grabs Urgos’s arm with his left hand and opens his mouth.
“Urgos. I’ve heard you well. Yes, it’s truly admirable that you’re trying to carry out God Bane’s will.”
“Huh? Father! You finally understand my intentions!”
“F-Father?”
“But…”
Thwack!
“Cough!”
“Father!?”
“Your Majesty!?”
The Demon King strikes Urgos in the abdomen with his right hand.
“Fath…er…”
As Urgos kneels down with a thud, the Demon King looks down at Urgos and says with an evil smile.
“I am the one who will fulfill God Bane’s will, Urgos. Hand over… the pattern!”
Wooooooom!
The Demon King’s arm, which is holding Urgos’s arm, glows with an ominous aura.
“Kaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!”
Urgos’s scream echoes throughout the conference hall.
