Demon King of Phantom Thief – a Betrayed Thief Stole the Stats and Skills of the Hero Party Then Reigned Over the World

"Deanna, you need to step back now."

Keith flipped a pitch-black cloak and stepped off the throne.

Deanna lowered to the side of the throne and Aleira watched as she harried in the dark.

Keith shoots back with sharp eyes at Marie's serious obsession.

"Let's hear it again. What's your purpose?

Marie answered with strength in her hand holding the wand.

"It's about saving you, and stopping the war"

"A brave man is an arrogance to make, convenient, and therefore difficult to save..."

Keith sighed a small.

"Am I in some kind of predicament, and you want me to save it? From something I don't realize myself. That's exactly what the clergyman would say. Faith forges predicament. Do it. You're turning your back on God, do it. You're going to hell like this. You seriously think the Demon King would lend an ear to such a worldly discourse?

"I am not here to preach the way of God"

Marie's words narrowed Keith's sharp eyes.

"Brave man, you are pathetic. For an exchanger, there is no more convenient being than a brave man. If you take my neck, you will get a vast amount of ore from this territory, and the glory of the Demon King Killer will be brought to your country. The exchanger who held you will make that position a cornerstone. If it's the Virgin, it's a shame."

Keith's footsteps echo during a cold glance.

"There is no such thing as your will. Eventually, if it is seen as worthless, it will be relentlessly erased. It's really convenient. I don't know if you believe me, but I was part of a brave party once."

Keith showed her white teeth and laughed.

It was - far from the pleasant smile I had when I had Marie's memory, and it was bitter.

"And I was murdered by the king's will. Human Keith is dead, and I don't know why... but he showed up as the Demon King."

Marie gave the Devil King's cloak, and healed Keith, who was dying.

That thing, of course, has disappeared from Keith's memory.

"I'm a lot freer now than I was when I was at a brave party. I can go about things the way I think. A brave man is a puppet. I don't mean murder as a hobby. You should stop being such a foolish brave man and go home as adults. Run anywhere, live quietly as one cleric."

"That's not how it works... and besides, I'm not here for anyone, I'm here for myself"

Keith became like someone else during a dark glance.

Speaking of not being afraid makes me lie.

But I have to tell you something.

That's why I'm here.

Marie often went through, telling Keith off.

"I... came here as your friend! To get yourself back!

Keith made a deep wrinkle between his brows.

"To me... no friend of the Demon King"

Keith spread his hand toward Marie.

The red jewel of the cape shines.

- [Shockwave].

The roar echoed into the wide room and an invisible ripple thrust through Marie's immediate side.

The wall behind him swells away, scattering hard fragments.

"If you still keep spitting the world's crap, I'll hit you next"

On Marie's cheek, sweat flows.

"If you say the Demon King doesn't have any friends, I will... as I once did!

"Once...? Friendship would mean mutual understanding at all costs. What do I understand when I'm a brave man? Have you really seen friendship in the first place?"

Keith's palm, unchanged, is pointed at Marie.

It means I can kill you at any time.

"The essence of man is use, betrayal, repression, hatred… these ugly mixtures. Where is there room for friendship?

"I have friendship...... to us"

"I don't feel anything."

Marie took a step toward the spiralling Keith.

"Mr. Keith. Why are you talking to me now?

Keith's grin disappeared.

Marie's black-eyed eyes glanced at Keith.

"I am one brave man. You can kill me now. 'Cause if you hadn't stopped Mr. Deanna earlier, I'd be dead."

Marie takes a step further.

It's okay, the person in front of me is listening to me.

Then there's still a way out.

Believe me.

"He preached his thoughts to me, persuaded me to go home, and let me take off my current attack as well. Why is that?

A small footstep, no loud.

Both Deanna and Alleyra were listening to Marie.

"Because there is love. Because mercy beyond mutual understanding is rooted in Mr. Keith's heart. There's no longer anything to do with demon kings, brave men, bandits or clerics."

"I thought I told you not to spit the world out."

"Still, you don't kill me"

Finally, Marie came in front of Keith.

There is an open palm at a distance that just touches the tip of the nose.

If Keith cares about that, Marie's face will blow up in an instant.

Marie said.

"If your heart has been closed to cold ice, I will let it melt over and over again. That's my love."

How much bone Keith broke and chest irritated to melt Marie's heart ice.

She has no reason to know.

But Marie declared to Keith that she would do the same.

This connection, which you shouldn't know about each other, caused a slight vortex in Keith's mind.

What appeared in Keith's mind was anxiety.

Anxiety turns to suffering, suffering turns to anger.

"... that's what you said if I don't kill you. Let's do it right. Let's get you home alive. But"

Keith grabbed the open palm.

"You will experience the same suffering as those who“ killed ”me. And then again, I want you to talk about friendship and love... if you can talk."

Thieves can steal everything they see.

Thieves can give people everything they can have.

That's the kind of occupation.

Keith put his finger on Marie's side, right there, to take all of Marie's.

- Marie doesn't move.

Just point your straight gaze at Keith.

I was sure Keith would return to his original Keith, and I truly believed him.

I don't care what they do for it, I'm not afraid anymore.

The moment Keith tried to take his skills and stats from Marie, the chest he was tearing open in battle with Deanna.

………………

What was there was a major scratch from the clavicle to the chest.

It's not what I got in the fight with Deanna, it's a much older scar.

"It's..."

For the first time, a werewolf was born in Keith's expression.

Marie doesn't know what it's about.

Keith glanced at Marie's chest wound with his finger.

Marie closes her eyes.

I don't know what it is.

But right now, something is definitely happening in Keith.

That was all that was clear.

"That's not your wound..."

Something hot pours into Keith's frozen mind blank.

Remains of memory illuminate the deserted darkness.

"That's... that's my wound"

In Keith's chest, the key to memory was unlocked.

Memories of the wound have plunged into Keith's chest as a rapidity.