The Demon King's Guide To Not Getting Defeated By A Paladin-Chapter 46 - 45: A Taste Of Carnage

< System Update... >

Quinn Winter’s eyes narrowed at the hovering text before him, a soft blue glow washing over his face in the heavily lit room. The System had been silent for weeks, its interface a constant yet unnerving reminder that he was not just anyone — he was the reincarnation of the Demon King, stuck in this human kingdom, Gran’le.

A low hum vibrated through his veins, a sensation that had become too familiar since the awakening. The power. The whispers. The surge of magic that threatened to consume him at every second. But still, he couldn’t quite grasp the full extent of it. Not yet.

< System Update Complete. >

But before he could blink, before he could even begin to decipher what the hell that meant, a soft voice drifted through the air, catching him off guard.

"Quinn?"

He twisted around, his gaze meeting the delicate curve of Emilia’s face. Her pink hair cascaded over one shoulder, the strands so soft they almost shimmered. And in her arms, she held a rabbit — a brownish thing with velvet fur and elk-like horns that spiraled from its tiny head. Its eyes were wide, almost unnervingly so, as Emilia absentmindedly stroked its fur. She tilted her head, her voice a soft lilt. "What are you doing?"

Quinn blinked, recovering quickly. His lips stretched into a slow grin, eyes darkening as he took in how close she was standing. Too close. "Just checking something out."

Emilia leaned forward, her pink hair brushing against his arm. "What kind of something?"

His gaze dropped to her lips, then back up to her eyes. "Nothing important."

Emilia smiled, that innocent, disarming smile that always got under his skin. She held up the rabbit, cradling it like a prized possession. "Look. Isn’t it cute?"

Quinn raised an eyebrow, feigning interest. "Super cute."

Her eyes twinkled with something mischievous. "It’s a new summoning I came across. Found it in the library yesterday. It’s harmless... for now."

Quinn chuckled, a low, throaty sound. "Harmless, huh?"

Emilia’s lips twitched, and she stepped closer. Close enough that Quinn could feel the warmth radiating from her skin. "You don’t believe me?"

"Oh, I believe you," Quinn said, his voice dropping an octave, a wicked smirk forming. "But cute things can be deadly."

Emilia tilted her head, her gaze locking onto his, and for a brief moment, the air thickened. Quinn’s heart drummed against his chest, a slow, powerful thump that rang through his veins. But then she broke eye contact, brushing her hair behind her ear, her cheeks tinged a faint pink.

"You think so?" she asked, her fingers trailing absently over the rabbit’s horns.

Quinn leaned back against the wall, folding his arms over his chest. "Oh, definitely. Especially ones with big eyes and little horns. You never know what they’re hiding."

Emilia giggled, the sound soft and sweet. "You’re ridiculous."

"And you like it."

"Who says I do?"

"I do," Quinn said smoothly, reaching out to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear, his knuckles grazing the curve of her jaw. "And I’m never wrong."

Emilia’s breath hitched, just for a second, and Quinn felt a surge of triumph. But then she stepped back, holding the rabbit to her chest like a shield. "Well, don’t get too cocky, Quinn. There are things out there even you can’t predict."

Quinn’s smile widened, eyes dark and dangerous. "Oh, Emilia. You have no idea."

But before she could respond, the System flashed again, the words burning across his vision like a brand:

< Power Unlocked: Demon King’s Ascendancy >

And Quinn’s grin only deepened.

*

They started walking, Emilia leading the way, the rabbit still cradled in her arms. Quinn caught up to her, the two of them side by side as the cobbled paths of the Academy stretched out before them. As they walked, Quinn’s eyes strayed to the rabbit, still nestled in Emilia’s arms, started to disintegrate. Its body broke apart into glowing flakes of light, rising into the air like fireflies.

Emilia stopped, watching as the last of the light faded. "Guess it was just a temporary summon," she said with a wistful sigh.

Quinn shoved his hands into his pockets, tilting his head as he watched her. "You really like that thing, huh?"

"Don’t act like you didn’t think it was cute too," Emilia teased, her eyes catching his.

Quinn raised a brow. "Wasn’t talking about the rabbit."

"Oh?" Emilia stepped closer, a grin playing at her lips. "What were you talking about, then?"

"Hmm." Quinn’s gaze dropped to her lips, but before he could answer, Emilia grabbed his hand, her fingers sliding between his. She smirked up at him, her expression a little too smug. "Come with me to the market."

"Why?"

"I need a breath of fresh air," she said, tugging him forward. "And you’re coming with me."

They exited Heavenward Academy, stepping onto the bustling streets of Gran’le. The cobblestones were uneven beneath their feet, the air carrying the scent of fresh bread, roasted meats, and spiced wine. Vendors shouted about their wares, children ran past in a blur, and somewhere, a musician strummed a slow, mournful tune.

Emilia led the way, her hand still entwined with his, her eyes bright as she took in the lively scene. "It’s nice, isn’t it?"

"Nice?" Quinn echoed, his eyes lingering on the way the fading sunlight painted her skin gold. "Yeah. Sure."

"You don’t sound convinced," Emilia said, nudging him with her shoulder. "What? You’d rather be training?" 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Quinn snorted. "What, and miss out on holding hands with you?"

Emilia rolled her eyes, but the flush on her cheeks gave her away. "Shut up."

They continued walking, chatting about nothing and everything, until a small, choked sob caught their attention. Emilia stopped, her eyes narrowing as she spotted a little boy standing by a stall. He was clutching a torn teddy bear, his face streaked with tears.

Emilia knelt down, her tone soft and motherly. "Hey, sweetie. What’s wrong?"

The boy sniffled, looking up at her with wide, watery eyes. "I can’t find my mommy. And... my daddy’s hurt."

Quinn stayed back, his hands still in his pockets, clearly uninterested. Emilia shot him a glare over her shoulder. "Oh, come on, Quinn," she whispered. "Help me out here."

Quinn groaned, stepping forward. "Fine. We can help. Where’s your house, kid?"

The boy’s eyes lit up. "Really!? You’ll help?"

"Yeah, yeah," Quinn muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Let’s just get this over with."

The boy led them down a narrow alleyway, the sun casting long shadows across the cobblestones. When they finally reached a small apartment building, Quinn’s shoulders tensed.

The door was ajar, the doorknob hanging loosely from a hinge. Deep claw marks were gouged into the wood, as though something had tried to tear its way inside.

Emilia’s expression tightened. "Quinn...?"

Quinn held up a hand, his eyes darkening. "Stay behind me."

The boy pushed the door open, and as they stepped inside, the scent of copper hit them hard. Blood splattered the walls in jagged streaks, and the air was thick with the stench of death.

They walked further in, following the blood trail, and then they saw it. A man, cowering in the corner, blood gushing from his side. Over him, a creature loomed. It was humanoid, but its skin was chitinous, like an insect’s, and its beady black eyes locked onto Quinn and Emilia as they entered.

The creature’s mandibles clicked, its voice a rasping hiss. "H-human?"

Quinn’s jaw clenched, his magic surging under his skin like wildfire. "Emilia," he said, voice cold. "Stay back."

But Emilia was already stepping forward, eyes sharp. "You’re going down, bug boy."

The creature’s beady eyes narrowed. "You... you have no idea what’s coming."

Quinn’s muscles tensed beneath the weight of the boy as he kept his grip firm, preventing the child from running toward his injured father. The bug-like creature skittered backward, its antennae twitching violently as it fixed its glossy, beady eyes on Quinn.

"Mine... mine... it’s mine... my catch!" it shrieked, its voice a grating sound that reverberated off the blood-splattered walls.

Quinn’s lips curled upward in a slow, almost feral grin. He lowered his eyes to the trembling boy in his arms, his voice calm but edged with a sharp undertone. "Stay calm," he said, his thumb brushing over the boy’s trembling shoulder. "I’m going to save your father."

The boy whimpered, tears streaming down his dirt-streaked face, but he nodded, his small hands clutching Quinn’s tunic. Quinn’s gaze flicked back to the creature, eyes glinting. The thing was large, hunched, its exoskeleton a dull black that oozed some kind of sickly fluid. And it stank — a pungent odor that made Quinn’s nose wrinkle in distaste.

Emilia took a step forward, her expression tight as she extended her palm. Threads of light flickered along her skin, gathering into a soft, pink glow. "That thing isn’t human."

"No kidding," Quinn muttered, setting the boy aside. He straightened, flexing his fingers as he took a step forward, his gaze pinned on the creature that still loomed over the man. "What are you supposed to be, huh? A giant bug? Or some lost experiment gone wrong?"

The creature’s mandibles clicked as its beady eyes darted to Quinn. "You... you smell... different," it rasped, its elongated arms twitching as though ready to strike. "Not... human."