---

The Villainous Noble Who Kept Rewinding After Death: The Story Somehow Changed When I Committed Suicide

Chapter 285: The Demon Nation

“Phew, it’s a good morning to set off.”

It was early morning, two days after I had informed Fiera and the others that I would be leaving the academy.

Perhaps due to the rain last night, the air was a bit humid, yet refreshing.

“El.”

In the midst of this, I heard a sleepy voice, and when I turned around, there stood everyone—Fiera, Iris, and the rest of us.

“What’s up? Came to see me off?”

“Yup.”

Fiera seemed a bit drowsy, speaking less than usual and just staring at me.

“Lewis. I think you’ll be fine, but take care out there.”

“If you’re going to die, please do it in front of us. That way, we can make our next choice.”

“Isn’t that normally the part where you tell me not to die?”

“I’ve learned from our time together that telling you not to die is completely pointless.”

“Haha, that’s true.”

Indeed, Sonia was right; looking back at my actions thus far, it was only natural for her to arrive at such a conclusion.

“Lord Lewis. Please take care and have a good trip.”

“I wish you happiness on your journey.”

“Lord Lewis. We will always be waiting for your return.”

“Take care, Is.”

As everyone took turns offering their own form of farewell, Fiera slowly approached me, extending her arms, and then hugged me tightly.

“To be honest, I want to stay with El forever. It’s lonely without you, and it scares me to think about you dying where I can’t see.”

“I see.”

“Yup. But like I said before, I don’t want to be a hindrance to you. So this time, I’ll hold it in and see you off, but please don’t die where I can’t see. If you do, then I won’t be able to follow you anymore.”

Receiving Fiera’s words as they were, it was like she was saying that if I died, she would follow. But considering her actions and statements up to now, that realization felt old hat.

“Well, who knows? Everyone eventually dies at some point, and predicting when or where is impossible. You could think you’re dead, but then you’re alive, or you think you’re lucky, and then poof, you’re dead. You get it, right?”

“…I understand. I know this is my selfishness. But I can’t endure a life where El doesn’t exist. If you’re about to die, just send me a message saying that.”

“Haha. I’ll do my best.”

When Fiera casually glanced at my earring, I realized she was indicating to let her know if something happened. I laughed in response.

“Alright then, I’m off.”

As Fiera reluctantly released her embrace, I took a step back and glanced around, making eye contact with everyone who had come to see me off.

“Take care.”

With those final words, I left the academy as Fiera and the others waved goodbye, starting my run towards the Demon Domain.

“Haah. Finally made it. Damn, the Demon Nation Imperia is way too far.”

About two months had passed since I left the Suzette Imperial Academy with Fiera and the others.

At last, I had arrived at my destination, the Demon Nation Imperia.

Although it was a nation built by demons, it was protected by impressive castle walls and gates, showing no distinct difference from human territories.

The only notable difference was that the concentration of magic was higher here than in human lands, and the nights, devoid of the moon, always blanketed the sky.

Indeed. In the Demon Nation Imperia, the sun never shines; night dominates the sky regardless of morning or evening, creating a unique atmosphere.

“I had planned to arrive with plenty of time to spare, but I ended up cutting it close. All because of those bandits and monsters that attacked me along the way.”

Originally, I had intended to arrive with a week’s cushion, but I was ambushed by bandits and then faced A-Rank and S-rank monsters after entering the Demon Domain. It also didn’t help that the weather was terrible, with rain and snow constantly falling, hindering my progress.

I had used the magical tools Sonia had given me, but since this was the Domain of Demons, the constant onslaught of monsters caused their effects to wear off quickly, leaving me with little benefit.

“Haah. So, what am I supposed to do now? The letter just said to come to Imperia. Why didn’t they specify where or when?”

I must have been accumulating stress without realizing it as I glared at the pitch-black castle walls surrounding Imperia.

“Should I just blow it up?”

“I would prefer you not to do that.”

“Huh?”

Just as I began to seriously consider demolishing the castle gate to get in, a voice suddenly called out from behind me. When I turned around, it was Wilhelm, whom I hadn’t seen since we last met in Saramāju.

“What’s up? Did you come to pick me up?”

“Yes, that’s correct. While I was working, I sensed your magic power and rushed over to greet you.”

“Tch. That’s boring. I was just about to show you something interesting.”

“By ‘interesting,’ you mean destroying the gate to our country, right? That’s not a joke we can laugh about, and it would prevent you from achieving your goals, so I ask that you behave prudently.”

“Ah, right.”

I half-listened to Wilhelm’s scolding and turned my gaze back towards Imperia, questioning what to do next.

“So, what now? The letter only said to come here, without mentioning the exact time or place. What gives?”

“Oh dear, I apologize for that. We demons rarely correspond through letters or invite other races into our country, so it slipped my mind.”

“Haah… fine. Just let me in quickly. I’ve had a long day getting here and I’m exhausted. Of course, you’ll give me a warm welcome, right?”

“Rest assured. I will take care of you during your stay. For now, let me guide you to a place you can use for your stay, so let’s go inside.”

Wilhelm said that and walked ahead towards the castle gate, so I followed behind him.

“Is it really okay to just walk in? I’m a human, you know?”

“Don’t worry. I hold a considerable position in this country, so as long as you’re with me, there shouldn’t be any issues. In this country, power defines status, so those weaker than me can’t say a thing.”

“I see. That’s simple enough.”

In human territories, ‘power’ could refer to various factors like wealth, military strength, or influence, making it hard to categorize which is better or worse.

These powers can easily shift with time and global events.

However, if the demons define power strictly as military force and tie it to authority, then they can ignore global happenings, making it significantly simpler to understand.

“Though, this puts me in a precarious position when you’re not around. I might end up being attacked.”

“It’s a possibility, but if that happens, feel free to kill them without concern. Demons don’t generally form deep attachments to others, so complaints will mostly come from family.”

“Haha, true. Well then, I won’t hold back.”

Saying this, I returned a smile to the aura of hostility from the gate guards, and the gigantic black gate slowly creaked open.

Thus, after a long journey, I finally set foot into the country of the demons—Demon Nation Imperia.

 

---