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Chapter 104. Surviving The End

“What exactly would you say is the difference between demons of the past and now?”

Vanessa, threatened by Elixira, opened her mouth, though she seemed hesitant.

“How life changed because of the war, whether there was interaction with humans before the war… things like that. Also, if you know any famous demons from back then.”

“As long as I only say what I know, right?”

“Yes… as long as you don’t lie.”

“I-I won’t! I swear I won’t lie, so please don’t kill me!?”

Haha... I can’t see Elixira’s expression from where I am, but she’s probably giving Vanessa a pretty scary look. Elixira tends to act like a quiet bookworm sitting in the corner of a classroom, but when irritated, her rough side comes out. Considering her ancestor was known as the “Slaughtering Knights,” it makes sense.

“B-before the war, demons built their own nation centered on the southern peninsula. It was similar to the human monarchy, but… instead of a bloodline, the king was the smartest person.”

“The smartest person? Not the strongest or most magically powerful?”

“No, the smartest… Something about intelligence being more important than strength for survival… though I don’t fully understand it either.”

Hmm… I think it makes sense.

A king doesn’t need to be strong but must always be wise. A nation led by brute strength alone would collapse in no time. Humans tend to imagine demon kings as overwhelmingly strong, but reality seems to be different.

“If the smartest person becomes king, how did the war even happen?”

Even Sun Tzu’s Art of War states that war is inherently a mistake. If a truly wise person ruled, war wouldn’t start so easily. Perhaps humans invaded without reason?

“The war happened because both the human and demon kings at the time were idiots.”

“…Yeah, figures.”

Of course.

“Normally, intelligence would take precedence, but someone with power forced their way to the throne… And the humans wanted lands where demons lived, so they started the war.”

The Aklaren Peninsula is rich in resources. As civilization advanced, they probably needed more materials, which led them to desire that region.

“So, what about now?”

“We’re living quietly in the mountains, growing plants.”

“Plants?”

“‘Popo trees’… They emit magical essence and serve as our food.”

Huh… that’s interesting.

Humans absorb magical essence from the atmosphere and convert it into magic power within their bodies, but I always wondered where the lost essence comes from. Some speculated that released magic turns back into magical essence, but maybe these Popo trees are responsible for that conversion?

“There are plenty of them growing in human lands, too.”

“I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“Maybe… you have?”

“Exactly.”

I pointed to a tall tree outside the window of the old library, and she nodded.

Ah… Since magical essence is invisible to humans, those ordinary street trees were doing the job all along.

“So, did demons interact with humans in the past?”

“I wouldn’t know. I wasn’t born yet… But my grandmother said her mother told her that humans were trash.”

“Guess not, then.”

Seems that humans and demons had a strained relationship from the beginning.

“Any famous demons?”

“Not really… Most were just lumped together as victims of the Slaughtering Knights.”

“…Alright, that’s enough about demons.”

Ah, she mentioned the Slaughtering Knights and tried to change the subject.

“What about the first Magic Knights?”

“I don’t know. What even are Magic Knights? Are they knights, or magicians?”

“They’re a style founded by the Slaughtering Knights.”

“Ugh… I’m sorry!”

Wait, do demons apologize just from hearing the name “Slaughtering Knights”? Do they tell their children that if they misbehave, the Slaughtering Knights will come for them?

“Next, let’s talk about Grimoires.”

“My grandmother said Grimoires are tools humans developed to kill demons.”

“Huh… So demons can’t use Grimoires?”

“…Now that you mention it, some might be able to.”

Then that’s not entirely true.

“But after humans started using Grimoires, the power balance shifted in their favor.”

“Wait, after they started using Grimoires? Are you saying there was a time when humans couldn’t use them?”

“Huh? I-I guess so…?”

Seriously? That suggests some external influence might have enabled humans to use Grimoires. Demons have existed for ages, so maybe they know what that influence was.

“…Finally, let’s talk about the End Dragon.”

“That’s what we’re most interested in. When was the last time the End Dragon appeared?”

“Cladius… I think it was about a thousand years before the war.”

The war happened roughly a thousand years ago, which means Cladius appeared two thousand years ago—lining up perfectly with the ancient dynasty mentioned in Elixira’s research. So, the End Dragon did appear two thousand years ago.

“Do you know what happened back then?”

“Well… when Cladius appeared, many demons were killed, and most humans were wiped out.”

That’s terrifying.

But this still doesn’t explain why Cladius appeared, what caused all the destruction, or where the dragon has been hiding for the last two thousand years.

All I know for sure is that if Cladius showed up now… humanity wouldn’t stand a chance. We’d be wiped out in an instant.

“Ugh… Why do I have to deal with all this?”

“Calm down. We’re just starting to gather information.”

I know.

I know, but… I can’t see any future where we survive. A monster that powerful wouldn’t just devastate humans—it would leave demons in ruins too. Just imagining it is terrifying… I can’t even begin to picture how massive it must be.

“You guys… You’re not seriously planning to fight Cladius, are you?”

“So what if we are?”

“You idiots… The only reason demons have survived until now is that we never provoked it. Last time, humans poked at it and almost got wiped out. It’s a miracle the species still exists.”

Even so…

“I refuse to live my life trembling in fear of an unknown threat.”