Chapter 62: Death is Salvation, Not Punishment. (Patreon)

With just a word from Aurelius, who had unleashed his [Aura of Supreme] at its peak while gripping the Staff of the Seven Devil Angels in his hand, Sebas immediately collapsed to his knees.

His head bowed so low it nearly touched the ground.

A murderous crimson glint flashed in Aurelius's scarlet eyes, and even from his submissive position, Sebas could feel those eyes sweeping over him, scrutinizing him from head to toe like prey caught in the hunter's sights.

"Having lived among humans for so long, it seems you've forgotten your place as a lowly servant of the Supreme One. How dare you not kneel the moment you laid eyes upon him? Such audacity!"

As soon as those words dripping with venom escaped Albedo's lips, Sebas felt an icy shiver crawl down his spine. His sharp instincts screamed at him, warning him of the malice barely concealed beneath her calm façade.

He slowly shifted his gaze, and he was barely able to side-glare at the four Guardians, who seemed to be eyeing him, ready to attack at any second.

Sebas knew.

There was no trace of camaraderie in the tense atmosphere. No warmth, no recognition of an ally. They regarded him as something far lesser than a fellow servant.

Sebas could understand why they felt that way. He felt a heavy burden on him, and he was afraid that everyone would hear the thunderous beating of his heart.

"I allow you to raise your head and speak."

But then Aurelius's words eased the tension as he removed his aura from Sebas's head.

Sebas lifted his head slowly, hastily parting his lips to speak.

"Please… forgive my disrespect, Aurelius-sama."

Under normal circumstances, such an apology would suffice. Aurelius, who was carefree, magnanimous, and never cared about such small things, would wave it off, allowing him to stand once more. But this time, there was no such gesture.

No acceptance. Instead, an unnerving silence fell, thick with disdain.

Sebas felt the crushing weight of it—a suffocating sense of isolation that made it hard to breathe.

Nearby, Solution had entered alongside Sebas, but she remained by the door, quietly awaiting orders.

“Then—let me ask you, Sebas. Need I explain why I am here?”

There could only be one reason for that. Sebas swallowed hard.

“...No, there is no need for that.”

“Then, answer me this. You recently picked up a little pet, didn’t you?”

Sebas's heart skipped a beat. He had anticipated this question, but that did little to ease the dread creeping up his spine. It appeared as if icy shards had pierced his back.

“—Yes!”

"A little slow with your response, Sebas." Aurelius's voice dropped dangerously. "I'll ask again—did you or did you not pick up a little pet and decide to care for it?"

“Yes! I did take in a pet!”

“Very good. Now tell me, why was I—or anyone else—not informed of this? And Sebas, if you dare to repeat the pathetic excuses you gave to Solution, I promise you that the consequences will be something you won't want to face."

Sebas’ shoulders shuddered, and he stared at the ground. What could he say to avoid the situation developing in the worst possible way?

As he watched the silent Sebas, Aurelius leaned back into his throne. As he did so, the creaking of the chair sounded exceptionally loud in the confines of the room.

“What’s the matter, Sebas? You seem to be sweating quite heavily. Remember, I don't have the time nor the patience to play games with you. My patience is wearing thin.”

The underlying threat spurred Sebas into action. Without waiting a second longer, he spoke, his words tumbling out as he laid bare the truth.

"My Lord… When I first encountered her, my curiosity got the better of me. But then… I felt deep sympathy for her situation. She was desperately clinging to life, and I was... I couldn’t help but feel compelled to extend a hand. I thought to myself that, if it were Touch-Me-sama in my place, he would have done the same."

The room turned deathly cold in an instant.

Demiurge's voice rang out, sharp as a dagger.

"How bold of you, Sebas! Are you implying that you are capable of predicting the actions of a Supreme Being?!"

His venomous tone left no room for doubt.

"Demiurge, that was not my intention, I only meant—"

"Silence!"

The room fell into tense stillness once more as Aurelius raised a hand. His expression remained unchanged, cold and impassive, his face betraying none of his thoughts.

"Let's set aside your presumptions about Touch-Me's actions. And we’ll forget, for now, your reasons for saving this ‘pet’ of yours."

Aurelius shifted his gaze toward Demiurge, who stood nearby.

"Demiurge, allow me to address a question to you as confirmation. After all, you have read Sebas’ reports as well. Did those reports mention this little pet?”

“No, Aurelius-sama. I read them several times, but I saw nothing related to that subject.”

"So, Sebas… Why was there no report submitted regarding this? Why did you disregard a direct order from me? Is the word of Aurelius Nova Lucifer not enough to bind your actions?"

The words struck like a thunderclap, echoing through the room.

Sebas reacted immediately and hurriedly replied.

"Certainly not, Aurelius-sama! I simply believed... It was too trivial a matter to trouble you with. I thought there was no need to submit a report on such a small incident."

The room became gloomy, even more so than previously.

Sebas could feel murderous intent burning into him from all directions. Cocytus, Demiurge, Albedo, the angel at Demiurge’s side, and Solution—all of them were focused on him, ready to strike at Aurelius’s command, their hostility pressing down on Sebas like a suffocating blanket.

Though Sebas had no fear of death and would gladly die in service to Nazarick, the thought of being executed as a traitor sent a cold terror coursing through him.

For those created by the Supreme Beings, nothing was more shameful than being branded a traitor and put to death.

Sweat beaded on Sebas' forehead, his heart pounding in his chest as the silence stretched on. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Aurelius spoke again.

“So, in other words, all of this was a result of your foolish judgment... Is that correct?”

"Yes, Aurelius-sama. It is, as you say. Please... forgive my foolish mistake!"

"Foolish mistake, you say? Hahaha."

Suddenly, Aurelius erupted into laughter, a sound so unsettling that it sent shivers down the spines of everyone in the room.

None dared to breathe, knowing all too well that this laughter was not for amusement. It was filled with endless killing intent, a warning more terrifying than any spoken threat.

In the next second, Aurelius rose from his throne with a fluid, almost eerie grace. He moved in front of Sebas, his eyes gleaming with cold fury, and—

Bang!

His boot came down hard on Sebas's head, smashing it into the ground with enough force to make the entire house tremble.

Blood seeped from Sebas's head, causing the floor beneath him to become stained.

Nonetheless, despite the searing pain and the shame coursing through him, Sebas dared not utter a single word of protest.

Once again, Aurelius, calm as ever, spoke as though the bloodied man beneath his foot was of no consequence.

"When I sent you to the Royal Capital, I believe I ordered you to record any occurrence, great or small, in exacting detail and send it to Nazarick. After all, it is difficult for one person to determine the value of information collected. Not only that, I strictly ordered you to maintain a low profile as much as possible. But what did you do?"

He didn’t wait for Sebas to reply.

"Everywhere you went," Aurelius continued, his voice growing colder with each word, "you defied my orders. Helping humans—old, young, male, female—it didn’t matter. You insisted on meddling in matters that didn’t concern you, drawing unnecessary attention to yourself. Do you think I am unaware of your actions?"

The more Aurelius spoke, the lower his voice dropped, making it more menacing.

"I knew from the very beginning what you were up to, Sebas. We all did. However, I still decided to give you a chance, sending Solution to remind you to report repeatedly, in the hopes that you would come to your senses. But instead of rectifying your mistake, you continued to make foolish choices."

The room seemed to freeze as Aurelius's killing intent filled the space, even the Floor Guardians present shuddered under the weight of his rage.

Sebas, the direct target of his wrath, could feel his very soul being crushed under it. But Aurelius wasn't finished.

"I gave you chance after chance, and what did you do? You bet on Nazarick's benefits, compromising the mission. You offended an organization that is ruling the underworld of a kingdom without even a second thought for their strength or consequences for your actions. You even disregarded the plans of the other Floor Guardians in the kingdom—all for a prostitute, a lowly human."

The word dripped with disdain, and Sebas’s heart twisted painfully in his chest.

"You’ve not only disappointed me, Sebas, but you’ve disappointed everyone. But it’s not your foolish actions that concern me. Nazarick's strength far surpasses that of any mere kingdom. No, the real issue lies in your arrogance, your self-centeredness, and your indifference towards Nazarick as a result. At no point did you stop to consider what your actions might cost Nazarick. You never even thought about it, did you?"

Right after, Aurelius leaned down, pressing his foot harder into Sebas’s skull.

"I treated you like family, as if you were my own children. And yet, you had the audacity to betray me. You hid your actions, you disobeyed my orders, and you acted based on your pitiful emotions without once taking responsibility for the consequences."

Finally, Aurelius turned his gaze toward Albedo.

"Albedo, tell me—what should be done with this traitor?"

The word traitor struck Sebas like a death sentence. His heart shattered as regret flooded through him, drowning him in guilt. He regretted every decision, every impulse that had led him here. He wanted to scream, to beg for mercy, but with Aurelius’s boot still pressing him into the ground, he couldn’t even do that.

Without hesitation, Albedo answered in a cold and resolute voice.

"There is only one punishment for a traitor: execution, in front of all of Nazarick."

But this time, Aurelius shook his head slowly, his eyes narrowing.

"No, Albedo… death is not punishment."

He paused, letting the words sink in before delivering his final verdict as his eyes gleamed with an eerie light.

"For him, death is salvation. He deserves a true punishment."