Chapter 95: The End of the Leader

"What...?"

My eyes widen as I see my sword cutting into my father's chest.

I pull out my sword in a panic, and Garondolf's chest gushes out a gush of blood.

"Huh...!? What are you doing! You're going to die, you kno!?"

I think I'm talking crazy.

Even though I had been fighting with the intention of killing Garondolf, when the moment came, I became very upset.

I reach out to heal him, but Garondolf shakes off his son's hand as he falls to the ground.

"No need... my task is done..."

"Your task is done!? You can't just..."

"The next one is you, my son. Take over the task..."

Blood bubbles out of Garondolf's mouth.

His hands fall to the ground and his eyes lose their power.

"Hey, don't just leave me to my own devices!? If you're going to die, explain to me before you die!"

"..."

I grab his shoulders and shake him... but Garondolf no longer speaks.

Garondolf Baskerville.

The underworld leader who ruled the nights of the Slayers Kingdom has died so easily, so quickly.

"...You've got to be kidding me!"

I clenched my fists tightly, biting my back teeth at my father's corpse.

I don't know why.

I felt frustrated even though I had won.

I don't feel as if I have won. Instead, a sense of defeat fills my heart for some unknown reason.

"Congratulations, Zenon-sama. Congratulations on your victory."

"...Zaius?"

The man with romance gray hair and a beard called out to me from behind. Zaius Oren, an old butler with a monocle over his left eye.

Behind Zaius are all the servants of the Baskervilles, along with an unidentified black-clad figure.

"Let us pay our allegiance to the new head of the Baskerville family, the 'Baskerville's Demon dog'."

Zaius and most of the others in the room kneel down and bow their heads.

"From now on, Zenon-sama is our new Lord. Please use us as you wish."

"..."

I stand in front of the kneeling servants, some of whom appear to be members of the underworld, but then, I open my mouth.

"...The Baskervilles is now dissolved. And so does the underworld. There is no more evil in this Baskervilles. All of you can do as you please."

That's what I decided long ago.

To dismantle the Baskervilles, the feared rulers of the underworld, and to cut the roots of evil.

It was the greatest good I could do. Apart from defeating the Demon King as a hero, it meant eliminating the evil that threatens the Slayers Kingdom.

"...Are you going to abandon us? That's unforgivable."

"I don't care. I'm not going to be the leader of evil. If you want to be evil... do it at your own risk."

"Well... that's a problem."

Zaius looks disappointed... but strangely enough, there is a satisfied smile on his face.

I am about to ask him why, but then a new intruder appears.

"Well, we can't afford to lose the Baskervilles. It would be a loss for our country."

"Huh...!?"

A third voice suddenly interrupts.

I turned my head in the direction of the voice and saw a big middle-aged man emerging from the darkness.

He is dressed in the luxurious clothes of a nobleman, and on either side of him stands a knight in armor. They are knights of the Kingsguard working in the castle.

Even though it's late at night, it's impossible to miss the three figures standing side by side in the training ground where a bonfire was burning. Perhaps they had disappeared by magic or some magic item.

"A knight of the Kingsguard...? Who are you...?"

"You are...!"

It was not me who reacted to the man's appearance, but Aeris, who was standing by my side.

Aeris' blue eyes widened in disbelief, and her shoulders trembled in shock.

"Do you know that man?"

"How come Zenon-sama doesn't know!? That man..."

"It's fine, daughter of Centorea. Make yourself at ease."

"Y-Yes...!"

The middle-aged man says in a confident tone, and Aeris bows her head in awe.

Aeris' attitude and the fact that the middle-aged man is accompanied by a knight of the Kingsguard indicate that he is of a very high rank.

"This is the first time I've met you. The eldest son of Baskerville... no, the new 'Baskerville's Demon Dog'."

"..."

"My name is Julius the Slayers. The 13th King of the Slayers Kingdom!"