Chapter 84
Chapter 84
It was information I was hearing for the first time.
No, to be precise, it was information Ran Winterbell was hearing for the first time. But another set of memories within me, the memories of Van Descartes, began to surge violently.
A high-ranking demon…….
The moment I repeated that word to myself, old memories flooded in like a deluge. Ran Winterbell might not know much about demons, but Van Descartes knew them all too well. Just how much effort had I put into killing that damned Demon King?
The sound of blades slicing through flesh, the rain of blood pouring down, and the sight of winged monsters filling the night sky flashed before my eyes. The countless hours spent to execute the Demon King, the deaths of my comrades, the endless battles and the memories of agony.
‘Those vermin have started moving again? And they’re even targeting the North?’
Rage surged up inside me. Sweat dampened my palms, and my nails dug into my flesh. Before I knew it, I had clenched my teeth.
Cannibalism
Even that word alone sent a chill down my spine. In the memories of the past, I saw corpses torn apart in gruesome ways. The day when an entire village had turned into a sea of blood. Even now, it felt as if the screams of the survivors were still echoing in my ears.
The demons’ main source of sustenance was humans. That was the reason humans and demons were destined to stand in opposition. A merciless predator and its prey. In their eyes, humans were nothing more than walking provisions.
Of course, it wasn’t that they couldn’t eat anything other than humans. But without consuming humans, they couldn’t survive. Just as a cat would grow weak without eating meat, human blood and flesh were essential nutrients for demons.
At the thought of their way of eating, my stomach churned. Low-ranking demons tearing apart their prey alive, high-ranking demons pretending to be elegant as they savored human blood like wine. And among them, the most horrifying beings were the high-ranking demons.
Only by eating human flesh could they remain healthy and powerful demons. Their strength was proportional to the quality of their prey. The stronger the human they consumed, the stronger they became. Humans possessing mana were, in particular, the finest delicacies to them.
Suddenly, a scene from the past came to mind. The moment a high-ranking demon devoured the residents of a certain village. The creature’s refined table manners stood in stark contrast to its brutal nature. The sight of it smiling with blood staining the corners of its mouth made my teeth grind.
‘Why are they targeting Winterbell? Could it be… for their own strength?’
As that thought reached its conclusion, a cold shiver ran down my spine. Every member of the Winterbell Ducal Family possessed powerful mana. To them, we would be nothing less than the finest prey.
I mulled over Ryan Winterbell’s words. The unrest in the North, and the existence of demons hidden behind it. This might not merely be the agitation of a criminal organization, but the beginning of the greatest threat to humanity.
I felt my fingertips tremble. The memories of Van Descartes from the past and my duty as Ran Winterbell in the present collided and swirled within me.
But one thing was certain.
The demons had to be stopped. Just as it had been Van Descartes’ destiny, it would now become Ran Winterbell’s mission.
“Where did you obtain this information, Brother?”
I was puzzled.
It was possible that Arkan Winterbell, the Patriarch, had deliberately chosen not to speak of it, but at least on the surface, even he had spoken as if he had not obtained information about ‘Pandemonium’.
Yet Ryan Winterbell possessed extremely detailed information.
Information so advanced that one could not know it without being an insider of Pandemonium.
“Isn’t it interesting, Ran?”
Ryan’s voice rang through the quiet study. The smile hanging at the corners of his lips remained unchanged, but his gaze had grown noticeably sharper.
“What do you mean?”
“That the true nature of Pandemonium, which you have been searching for so desperately, is connected to demons.”
I could not hide my discomfort. There was something strange in his tone. It felt as though he was testing my reaction.
“Since when have you known this fact, Brother?”
Ryan slowly rose from his seat. His movements were elegant, but the threat hidden within them was unmistakable.
“Are you curious?”
With each step he took, the air in the room seemed to grow heavier. Instinctively, I did not lower my guard.
“When you dealt with Zephyr’s leader in the North, I already knew that Pandemonium, and demons, were behind them.”
At those words, I frowned. Something was off.
‘He already knew back then? Then why didn’t he tell me before sending me?’
Ryan stopped in front of me. He was about a head taller than I was, which made his presence feel even more overwhelming.
“Judging by your expression, you seem to have many questions.”
His voice was gentle, but I did not miss the warning contained within it.
“As the eldest son of the Winterbell Ducal Family, there were things I had to do. And for that…… I needed you.”
I mulled over his words. Something was strange. There was always a reason behind every action Ryan took. He never moved on impulse.
“So you put me in danger?”
There was an edge in my voice. Ryan’s eyes turned cold for a brief moment before softening again.
“Danger? No. I believed you would be more than capable.”
He placed a hand on my shoulder. The touch felt like the approach of a venomous snake.
“But I didn’t expect you to succeed so easily. As if…… you had done something similar before.”
For a moment, it felt as if my heart had stopped. I did not miss the meaning behind his words. Did Ryan know something?
“What are you implying……?”
“Ran.”
He cut me off and stepped closer. Now the distance between us was less than a handspan.
“You’re truly special. Completely different from the child you used to be. As if…….”
His eyes seemed to peer deep inside me.
“As if you’ve become an entirely different person.”
Cold sweat ran down my back. He knew. No, at the very least, he suspected something.
“What kind of person do you think I am, Brother?”
I asked in return. A smile curved Ryan’s lips.
“I think you are the treasure of our family. Though you were crippled by poison, you never gave up and rose again. That is something everyone in the family ought to emulate. However……”
His grip tightened. Pain shot through my shoulder.
“If that treasure harbors poison, shouldn’t it be removed?”
It was a threat. A blatant threat. But I did not back down.
“I’m disappointed to hear you say that, Brother. I am merely a loyal member of the Winterbell Ducal Family.”
Ryan let out a low chuckle.
“Yes, you truly are remarkable. That perfect acting of yours.”
He slowly withdrew his hand. Yet the pressure of his presence still filled the room like air itself. His voice dropped by a tone, soft as though he were sharing a secret.
“I’m joking. Little brother.”
At the sudden shift in atmosphere, I swallowed. My throat had gone completely dry.
“…Your jokes go too far.”
Ryan Winterbell walked toward the window. The late afternoon sunlight illuminated his black hair, creating a soft halo around him.
“It's been a while since I’ve seen my younger brother…… Surely I can at least do this much? To be honest, I wanted you to be on guard. It’s true that you accomplished something remarkable, but you need to understand that the organization you’re facing is far more terrifying, dangerous, and powerful than you imagine.”
For the first time, genuine concern befitting an older brother seeped into his voice. I looked at him in silence.
“This time, I truly feared I might lose you.”
His gaze, directed out the window, wavered for a brief moment. It was an instant when his usual flawless mask slightly slipped.
“…….”
Ryan turned back toward me. His expression had grown serious once more.
“Never let your guard down. Remember clearly who you are, and recognize clearly where you stand. You are the youngest of the Winterbell Ducal Family. And your brothers and I are competitors for the position of the next Patriarch. Consider us enemies bound by blood.”
There was a bitter taste in his words. That was our fate. A destiny where we had to worry about one another while remaining wary at the same time.
Ryan Winterbell smiled brightly. His smile was warm, yet there was a trace of loneliness within it.
“I hope you do not die.”
Silence fell for a moment. Only the ticking of the clock echoed through the study.
“But that doesn’t mean I intend to hand over the position of Patriarch.”
His words carried both sincere affection and a cold warning. That was the contradictory relationship the brothers of the Winterbell family were destined to bear.
And yet, why was it?
Despite his seemingly sincere words, I felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort. Like a bitter aftertaste lingering on the tip of my tongue, an unpleasant sensation refused to fade. His warm smile and concerned tone instead stirred rejection within me.
I could not believe those words were genuine.
They simply felt unpleasant.
I did not even know the reason. Every word he spoke was flawless, and there was nothing to criticize in his expression. Yet the more perfect he was, the more alien he felt. Like a pearl necklace so perfect it appeared fake.
If I had to describe it, perhaps it was a sixth sense.
An instinctive wariness coiled around my entire body. The chill running down my spine had yet to disappear.
“Do you intend to become the Patriarch, Brother?”
At my question, the air in the room turned cold in an instant. Ryan Winterbell nodded. None of his earlier softness remained in that movement.
“Yes. I will become the Patriarch of Winterbell.”
There was no warmth left in his voice. It was cold and solid like ice.
“Even if it means staining your hands with your brothers’ blood?”
I asked while looking straight into his eyes. The sunlight streaming through the window was gradually fading.
“……I do not wish for it, but if it is necessary, I will do it without hesitation.”
His answer was firm. There was no more pretense, no more feigned warmth. That was the true Ryan Winterbell. His eyes gleamed eerily as they fixed on me.
Like a snake eyeing its prey.
In my view, he was closer to a snake than a wolf.
“Thank you for the valuable information. However, what should we do? I, too, intend to become the Patriarch.”
“Yes. I suppose you would.”
“I have no intention of giving up. From the day I was poisoned and became half-crippled, I made a vow. That I would become the Patriarch and…….”
My eyes, too, flashed ominously.
“Rip apart the one who made my body like this.”
“How interesting.”
“Even if that person happens to be a brother who shares my blood.”