126 ] A Four-Person Talk

Continuation of Book 15
Welcome to the Entrance


Chapter 126
A Four Person Talk (should be three but whatever)


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Oh my gosh, guys, I'm just gonna cry.


We reached 100k 
I don't deserve any of you.
I never even expected to get this many views...
Love you all!!


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2.


Reader's POV


I looked at Chris with a frown, not saying a word as I wished he would wake up.


"His complexion looks fine. His pulse and breathing are calm.
And Vincent said that there's no damage to his brain.
Don't worry, he'll wake up soon,"
Ray said, putting his hand on my shoulder.


I simply nodded.
"Yeah..."
Emma murmured.


"The bigger issue is Norman. He didn't return yesterday either."
Ray said.


"I want to talk to him soon."
Emma started.


I hadn't said a word to her today, she seemed to be keeping a distance from me...


"I've been thinking since then...
Even though we got go be friends... with Barbara, Cislo, and Vincent...
And even though they're a fun and good people... I didn't expect them to be so full of hatred,"
She said softly.


 I frowned slightly.
I tried to listen to what she was saying and pay attention, but after what happened last night I just couldn't.


I turned back to Chris with a frown.
I needed him to wake up,
I needed to see his smile again...
And I just couldn't lose another person.


"At Goldy Pond, Oliver and his friends all hated the demons too, but... I've never seen such an abyss of hatred. 
I was scared. It's not because of any empathy for the demons. I was scared of the depth of hatred in front of my eyes."
Emma continued.


"But... they said, "They're all the same." Even Mujika? And those demon children probably don't know anything either, right?
To call them all the same... is wrong. It's wrong!"
Emma said.


"Yeah. But to the victims it doesn't matter. The suffering they endured is unmistakable. You can't tell them not to hate.
Once you start hating, it won't stop and keeps ballooning. And it's a chain of hatred. Nothing can be done about it. That's probably what war is,"
Ray told us.


"Fear, poverty, a politician's scheme. Mistakes made by both sides. 
Various reasons could start a war.
If they had the time to care about the other side, they wouldn't think to kill them in the first place. Once the chain of hatred is born, a war won't stop. 
Killing each other, hating each other and then killing some more. That's why it won't go away. Even among humans. They repeated it for thousands of years,"
Ray continued.


Emma clenched her hand into a first.
"I still-"


"It's the boss!"
the kids cheered.


"Everyone! The boss is back!"


I perked up, standing up.
"Let's go!"
Emma said and we rushed out.


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"Emma? Ray? Y/n?"
Norman said as he saw us.


"Norman, we have to talk to you,"
Emma started.


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"Sorry to bother you when you just came back,"
I said as we entered his office.


"It's okay. So what is it?"
Norman asked.


"Well, there's a lot."
Emma said.


"But first, tell us. What kind of strategy do you have? How do you plan to destroy the demons without losing one of our own?
A civil war?"
Ray asked.


"Yeah. You make it easy because you can read my mind, Ray,"
Norman said with a smile.


"A civil war?"
Emma asked, blinking.


"Cause a civil war between the demons. I'm going to have the demons destroy each other,"
Norman said.


"So the pawns you went to see are..."
Emma said nervously.


"Demons. I went to form an alliance. 
The demon society isn't a monolith. There's a king, aristocrats, commoners, and demons below them. There's a clear hierarchy of status. At the top is the royal family and the five regent houses,"
Norman told us.


Emma was now sat down on the couch.
"Five regent houses?"
she asked.


"The five aristocrat families that have power below the royal family,"
Norman explained.


"Oh! The ones who built Lambda!"
Emma said.


"Yeah. The royal family and the five regent houses manage and run all of the farms.
By supplying the human meat, they hold and rule the balance of the demon society as well as absolute wealth and authority,"
Norman said.


"And there are some demons who are unhappy with... the disparity that grows bigger every year between them and the royal family and regent houses. We'll be using them,"
Norman said.


"Specifically, what are they like?"
Ray asked.


"The Geelan Clan, who are former aristocrats. They were framed for a crime they didn't commit... 700 years ago by the Royal family and the five regent houses. 
It was like a banishment. They were sentenced to the status of those who aren't allowed human meat. Historically, it was said they degenerated and turned into wild demons.
But they were hiding and waiting for a chance to get their revenge. For 700 years. 
They stole repeatedly from farms and towns to survive... and have barely maintained the form and intelligence of a human,"
Norman told us.


"I can't believe you found... such demons,"
Emma murmured.


"So is it safe? To make a deal with them?"
Ray asked.


"I'll make it work. It's true that there's a risk.
And I'm sure once we are useless to them, they're planning to eat us.
But like-wise we're hoping that they'll end up destroying each other and this is that sort of deal. it'll be fine,"
Norman responded.


I didn't say anything.


"Until they get their revenge, they won't touch us. 
In addition to their vindictiveness they have another circumstance that means they can't come after us until they achieve the revenge,"
Norman continued.


{ Another circumstance? }


"If we do this right, no one on our side will die.
The return would be a hundred times better than starting a war between us and the demons.
And if it's about deception, I won't lose. this isn't about conceit or pride.
It's about being prepared. We'll win without spilling blood. For sure,"
he said.


I nodded slightly, thinking.


"But... do you know, Norman? There are demons that aren't like that too."
Emma paused, glancing at me.


I nodded.
"There are demons that won't degenerate even if they don't eat humans. 
And they probably don't get affected by the new things they eat, either,"
I said, his eyes widened slightly.


"Yeah. And if there are a bunch of those demons who want to eat humans... your strategy will collapse from the foundation. That's why we wanted to ask about it,"
Ray said.


"And also-"


Norman's expression darkened.
"How do you guys know about that?"


"Huh?"


"Where did you hear about it?
You saw her? You met her? You all actually met her?
No way, I can't believe it,"
his voice shook uneasily.


"The Clan of the evil-blooded girl is still alive?"


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6.15.2020
Word Count-  1164

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