Dragon King: Throne of Demons and Gods-Chapter 133: Blind Hope

Bel stood frozen, staring at the little girl. How could she know him? He had never met her, never even seen her face until now.

His heart squeezed a bit, though his expression remained carefully neutral.

Midas chuckled quietly beside him.

"Surprised, Lord Ravager? Seems like even you have your own little fan club."

Bel shot him a sharp, irritated glance.

"Who is she?"

Midas sighed, looking toward the child with a thoughtful, almost sad expression.

"She’s special. Usually, demons come straight from the Demon Lords’ wills, you’ve heard the stories, right? Kill the lord, kill the demons." He shrugged lightly, eyes twinkling with amusement. "But there’s another way: corrupt a human with your mark, and voilà—instant demon."

Bel’s eyes narrowed.

"And this girl...?"

Midas smiled faintly, nodding toward the girl.

"Let’s just hear her story, shall we?"

Inside the room, the woman asked gently.

"Who is Lord Ravager, dear?"

The girl smiled sweetly, her blind eyes staring into nothingness.

"... My hero. I was an orphan," she began softly, her voice small but calm. "Nobody ever wanted me. But then, a kind viscount adopted me. He promised everything would get better, and gave me beautiful dresses and plenty of food."

Her tiny hand rose slowly, touching her horns with her delicate fingers.

"Then one day, he introduced me to a man in a strange black outfit. The man gave me a shiny gold coin. I was so happy because I’d never had something so pretty before."

Her smile faltered slightly.

"But when I woke up, I had these horns. I panicked, and I cried a lot. So the man bought my eyes." She touched her empty eyes softly. "Now I can’t see anything, but I don’t feel scared anymore."

She frowned slightly, reaching into her pockets.

"I wish I still had that gold coin. It was real gold; I could have bought a lot of food. But it’s gone now." Her face brightened again slightly. "But the man told me something important. He said I would face hard times, but when things got really scary, Lord Ravager would come save me. That’s why I’m happy being sacrificed—it means he’ll come soon."

The woman smiled gently, though worry clouded her eyes.

Bel slowly turned toward Midas, eyes darkening with anger and confusion. Midas sighed, giving a nonchalant shrug.

"Just a small experiment. Don’t worry—you’ll understand soon enough. The interesting part is just getting started."

The scenery blurred, rapidly passing through days and nights. Each morning, villagers praised the little girl, showering her with flowers, gifts, and prayers, worshiping her like a goddess who brought endless miracles.

But each night, they sacrificed a sheep above her, drenching her small body in blood.

By the fifth night, Bel’s unease grew unbearable. Nothing appeared different, the villagers still cheered joyously.

Yet, beneath their excitement, the girl stood silently with her head bowed.

Inside her mind, however, screams echoed.

She hated this. She hated every single thing about it.

Her heart raced with every terrified bleat from the sheep, every slash of the knife, every sickening splatter of warm blood dripping over her.

The iron smell of death made her stomach twist painfully.

Each night, the villagers’ laughter was joyful, oblivious, cruel, celebrating the miracles they believed she brought, ignorant of her silent agony.

"Please," she whispered desperately inside her mind, tears hidden by her empty eyes. "Lord Ravager, hurry and save me. I can’t take this anymore..."

She had counted each sheep, each night’s horror etched into her soul. Her calm facade was cracking, her desperation swelling with each passing second.

Just two sheep left. Two nights more, and it would be her turn.

Panic gripped her throat, her breath quickening. Her only hope, her single thread of sanity, was the promise made by the mysterious man.

"Please... come quickly," she begged silently, helpless as another wave of blood drenched her, deepening her despair.

Bel’s patience snapped. His calm facade cracked, replaced by a searing irritation.

"Enough," he growled, turning sharply to Midas. "Stop this now."

Midas raised an eyebrow, unfazed.

"Lord Ravager, if we don’t see this through to the end, you won’t fully understand—"

"Understand what?" Bel interrupted. "This child is your creation. She became a demon because you corrupted her. She’s your responsibility, your subordinate. Why haven’t you already stepped in to save her?"

Midas sighed softly, seemingly pleased by Bel’s sudden concern.

"It’s comforting to see you care about a demon from another faction. But please realize, this entire operation was planned in your honor. We anticipated your reaction, Lord Ravager. We wanted you to have a glimpse at possibilities, a suggestion for your rule."

"Enough of your games," Bel muttered.

"Patience," Midas urged gently, gesturing ahead. "Today is the final day."

The village bustled cheerfully, overflowing with laughter and joy.

Children chased each other gleefully, and adults exchanged teasing remarks as they carried baskets heavy with freshly harvested goods. Wealth had transformed their daily lives.

Yet, within the main house, the air was heavy, thick with dread.

The demon girl sat silently, head bowed, her tiny body stiff and motionless as visitors shuffled past.

Adults knelt before her, murmuring heartfelt gratitude filled with regret.

"Thank you for your sacrifice," one man whispered softly, voice cracking with emotion.

"It’s okay," she replied softly, though beneath her robes, her fingers trembled uncontrollably.

Inside, her thoughts screamed:

I’m scared... I’m scared... Please, someone... anyone... Lord Ravager, please hurry...

The shadows lengthened as afternoon deepened. Quiet footsteps approached, and the gentle caretaker entered carrying a tray of food, her face showed a deep concern.

"Sweetheart, please, you haven’t eaten anything today," she whispered, kneeling beside the girl. "You need your strength."

The girl remained silent. Each passing second felt like an unbearable countdown.

Tenderly, the woman stroked her hair, her voice warm and soothing.

"Listen to me, dear. There’s no reason to fear what’s next. Do you remember the stories I told you? After life here, your soul will travel to the Great Tree of Worlds, with infinite leaves. Each leaf is a world filled with beauty and peace. Because you’ve been so good, you’ll go to a world where you’ll be safe, loved, and happy. You’ll even be a queen there."

The girl hesitated, her voice barely a whisper.

"Everyone always want me to leave... But... I... I don’t... I don’t want to go."

"Oh, sweetheart," the woman sighed, drawing her close gently. "Nobody wants you to leave. We truly do love you, please believe that."

The girl felt a fragile spark of hope. Her voice cracked softly, pleading.

"Then... can we just not do this? Can you keep me here instead?"

The woman paused, the comforting smile slipping from her face, replaced slowly by a cool, solemn expression.

"I’m afraid not," she said gently yet firmly.

"But why?" the girl pressed weakly, desperation creeping into her voice. "If you love me, please don’t do this!"

"It’s not that simple," the woman replied, her voice hardening just a little. "Your presence brought us prosperity. The blood that flows from you secures our future. Without this, we risk losing everything we’ve gained."

The girl shrank back, confusion and pain mingling in her blind eyes.

"But you said you loved me..."

"We do," the woman interrupted sharply, the warmth now gone entirely. "But love alone can’t feed us. It can’t build homes or ensure survival. Your death can do that. You must accept it."

Tears spilled silently down the girl’s cheeks. Her tiny body shook as despair and horror filled her completely.

Her mouth opened but no words came, the crushing truth leaving her utterly broken.

"I’m sorry," the woman continued softly, her tone soothing. "This is your purpose. This is why you were made. Everyone has to play a role, and yours will be tonight."

The girl sobbed quietly, her heart shattering piece by painful piece, the cold truth overwhelming any hope that remained.

Lord Ravager... please... hurry.

The preparations were underway.

Villagers bustled energetically around the village square, their voices cheerful and lively as if preparing for a great festival.

Torches were placed strategically, casting dancing shadows over the stone altar that had been meticulously cleaned and polished.

An ornate dagger, sharp and gleaming ominously under the flickering flames, rested carefully upon a cushion of velvet.

"This night will be remembered forever," one man boasted, clapping another on the back. "Our children will never know poverty."

"All thanks to the sacrifice," another replied.

Meanwhile, in her room, the little girl wept softly, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

Bel stood silently behind her, his eyes wide. He turned slowly, his gaze like sharp blades pointed directly at Midas.

Midas shifted uncomfortably under the intensity of Bel’s gaze, losing a bit of his earlier composure.

"It’s just a memory. There’s nothing we can change. Just... watch what happens next. It will make sense."

Bel’s jaw tightened, but he returned his attention to the crying girl.

"Lord Ravager," she whispered through her sobs, hands trembling as they clasped together desperately. "Please... save me... I..."

Her voice broke off, replaced by renewed crying.

She was trapped, helpless, and the reality of her impending fate closed around her like a suffocating shadow.

Then, a subtle shift in the darkness of the room drew Bel’s attention.

He watched closely, eyes narrowing slightly in surprise as a shadow emerged quietly from the corner, forming into the familiar shape of a man in a black suit.

"Hello, child," the shadow said gently, stepping toward her with a calm voice. "It’s me, the one who gave you your blessing."

She gasped, looking up, face stained with tears but filled with sudden relief.

"You... you really came!"

Following his voice, she rushed into his open arms, crying uncontrollably against him.

"I knew you’d come, I knew it."

The shadow gently stroked her hair, comforting her.

"There, there, little one. Everything will be fine."

Bel’s harsh expression softened, his anger replaced with cautious relief as he watched the scene unfold.

"We’re going now, right?" she asked hopefully, looking up at him with blind, trusting eyes.

"Yes," he whispered soothingly, "but first, I need to return something to you."

She tilted her head curiously, confused. The shadow reached into his pocket, producing a familiar gold coin.

He placed it gently in her small hand, closing her fingers around it.

The coin shone brightly, and suddenly, the girl’s eyes began to glow.

A moment later, her vision cleared, and she blinked, shocked, gazing around with newfound wonder.

"I... I can see!" she exclaimed, joy briefly lighting up her face. But when she turned around, the shadow was gone.

"L-Lord... Wait!" she called out, spinning around, panicking. "Where did you go? Come back!"

Bel turned sharply toward Midas in frustration.

"What are you doing, Midas?"

But this time, Midas stayed silent.

The girl, now able to see clearly for the first time in days, moved toward the window. She peered outside and saw the villagers joyously preparing for her sacrifice, their laughter echoing cruelly through the night.

Memories flooded back to her, mixing with the scene in front of her, the screams of the sheep, their blood spilling on her, the flames, the laughers the bodies thrashing in agony, the villagers’ grotesque smiles full of teeth and twisted delight.

Her heart sank heavily.

Then, footsteps approached her door.

Panic surged through her, overwhelming everything else. As the door opened, she bolted, sprinting desperately toward escape.

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