Episode 145: Why Is the Demon King Talking to a Servant?
In the middle of the bamboo grove, I sat there lost in thought for quite some time. How long had I been staring at the line of ants passing beneath my legs?
Suddenly, the sound of heavy breathing began approaching from beyond the bamboo.
“… Haa. Haa. Quite the journey it’s been. Hero.”
A frail voice reached my ears. When I looked up, Ruci was standing at a distance, panting.
She strode over to me and extended her hand sharply.
“Get up. Quickly.”
“…”
“Let me explain. Since you collapsed in front of me, another regression occurred in no time. What is going on?”
I grabbed Ruci’s offered hand and shakily stood up.
She had an expressionless face, but I avoided looking at it directly. Instead, I adjusted my disheveled appearance and hurried to return to the mansion.
Suddenly, Ruci grabbed my hand from behind and held on tightly.
“Talk! Why won’t you answer me? Did I… do something wrong?”
Ruci shouted in protest.
For a moment, I was seized with irritation and yanked my hand away sharply. She lost her balance and fell limply to the ground.
“Oof!”
Oh no. I didn’t intend to knock her over.
I scratched the back of my head awkwardly, then grabbed her shoulders to pull her up. Then I said,
“What difference would it make if I told you?”
“… What?”
“What can you do? You’re an incompetent Demon King, after all.”
“Urgh…!”
“Stay put. I’ll figure something out somehow. Things have always worked out for me this way. I’ll… bring this to a proper conclusion.”
Why aren’t you talking? It’s because I hate troublesome things. That’s all.
There’s no point in speaking if it won’t change anything.
“Stop treating me like useless junk!”
Ruci flinched, her touché hit. She glared at me, biting her lips in anger. I couldn’t help but smirk at the sight.
Seemingly irritated by my reaction, she raised her voice further,
“You! You’ve died so many times in Kern that a great deal of ominous energy has built up! I can now protect you properly if I set my mind to it!”
“Hahaha.”
I couldn’t suppress a hearty laugh out loud. Ruci reacted instantly, her anger bubbling over.
“What’s so funny?! You Hero!”
“Do you have any idea what you’re saying?”
“What, what’s wrong with that!”
“Isn’t it obvious? Don’t you have an unbreakable contract to protect me? And now you’re saying you want to protect me? Should I cry about this?”
My heart is in such a state that I want to cry.
Though I don’t really feel tears coming. It’s more like I emotionally want to cry. Since recovering my memories, I’ve always been consumed by feelings of emptiness, frustration, and unreasonable anger.
I stared at Ruci silently. I couldn’t help but say it.
“Why, why are you looking at me with such an expression?”
I found myself uttering the words from my dream in reality, and Ruci was giving me that exact look from the dream.
Her face, brimming with frustration, anger, and sorrow intertwined with many other emotions, spoke clearly.
“Stop pretending to be fine! I told you, I can feel it! You fool of a Hero!”
“What?”
“After the last two deaths, your ominous energy has exploded! You may be able to remain in your right mind once more at most, and perhaps… this life is your last!”
“… Is that so?”
“Yes!”
Indeed. Only thoughts of ‘kill, kill’ keep surfacing in my mind lately. I dislike sharp kids for this reason.
Then, if I die this time… this might be my real final death.
“So tell me. Please! What’s wrong with you?”
With an urgent expression, Ruci cried out.
Without noticing, my hand went to Vestark. The hand gripping the sword was trembling like crazy.
“Ah.”
Still, I sighed in relief inwardly.
It was a genuine sigh of relief, similar to when you’re flailing in the middle of a long and arduous nightmare and realize just before waking up that it was a nightmare.
On one hand, though, I felt a bit curious. Ruci’s reaction was a little different from before.
She used to find my repeated deaths amusing. What has changed to make her this way?
“Why do you worry about me? I’m not used to it. Go crazy or whatever, it’s none of my business, alright?”
“Wh, who said I was worried…”
A clumsy tsundere-like reaction from Ruci.
She soon closed her eyes tightly, letting out a low groan. Then she walked up to me and shouted,
“Ah, whatever! I’m about to go crazy with worry! All because of you, you cursed Hero!”
I was slightly surprised to hear her admit openly. Then I was doubly surprised when she immediately started poking me.
“… Why are you blaming me all of a sudden?”
“When you embraced me that day, my mind got all muddled! Feeling so much concern for just a disposable guardian… This isn’t like me!! I don’t even understand why I’m behaving this way!”
Ruci suddenly grabbed the front of my shirt and shook me violently.
As per her words, she looked considerably confused.
“I tried talking to that purple-haired woman and even lowered my pride… But she just giggled and talked nonsense! Something about rivals increasing and feeling troubled…”
“… Oh…”
Lately, it seems I keep having brain freezes.
As I emitted a dumbfounded exclamation, Ruci spoke with a trembling voice in front of me. Her head was bowed low so I couldn’t see her expression.
“I told you before. If the children in the poor district die, I would surely feel sad.”
“… Oh. You did say that.”
“But Hero. If you’re overwhelmed by ominous energy and can’t recognize me… I’m not sure what will happen to me. I can’t even begin to imagine how it would feel!”
“G, got it.”
“Yes! So I hate it! I’m scared! I’ve grown absolutely tired of seeing you die! Alright!!”
Hold on a moment. A plot development like this, at this timing?
My worst moment, when my life felt like it had bottomed out, is the exact moment my first green light has been turned on?
I was speechless for a moment in bewilderment before finally asking cautiously,
“Do you like me?”
I can’t beat around the bush. Cutting to the chase, no frills, straight to the point.
Ruci was startled and quickly released me as if scalded. She fumbled for a while, then shrank back and muttered uneasily.
“W, why are you asking that all of a sudden?”
“Well, you said those things, so I had to ask.”
“T, take it as a compliment! If we’re discussing whether I dislike or like you… I guess I don’t dislike you!”
“… Let’s stop talking.”
Upon hearing Ruci’s reddened face response, I smiled bitterly and chose to dismiss it.
Judging by her reaction, she probably doesn’t know the difference between ‘like’ and ‘love’. Asking this kind of question to someone like her is meaningless.
‘What was she doing all this time while living close to 150 years?’
I was aware that Ruci’s actions and mental age were childishly innocent.
Until now, I had let it slide thinking ‘she’s easy to deal with, so whatever’. But now, receiving this pure goodwill from her directly made me question for the first time.
‘What exactly is her identity?’
No matter how many deaths and rebirths she has gone through, it’s strange for someone who is approaching 150 years old to act like this.
Is this because she was an artificial creation made by the witch?
“Hey, Hero.”
While I was lost in thought, Ruci suddenly looked at me with a serious expression.
After hesitating for a while, Ruci extended her hand toward me.
“Let’s run away. Anywhere is fine. We’ll run away to a place where you won’t die.”
“You want us to run?”
“Yes. I’ve grown sick of seeing you die. I definitely don’t want to see you go berserk after being consumed by ominous energy. The world doesn’t matter anymore. You are more important to me than the world now. So… will you?”
Who would’ve thought that Ruci would say something like this?
She’s always been straightforward like me, but hearing such unconditional words like ‘I just need you’ caught me off guard.
‘Is she serious?’
Looking into her fiery red eyes, I knew she was.
I appreciate her sincerity. Despite frequent bickering, receiving such pure concern from her makes me truly grateful.
Still, I couldn’t agree with what Ruci was saying.
“There’s nowhere we can run.”
I almost reflexively repeated those words.
In reality, Hector Cassas has us under his complete control. He’s far more cunning than I imagined. No matter where we flee, we’re bound to be caught in his information net.
Isn’t this like in some manga where there’s no paradise at the destination you run to?
It’s exactly my situation right now.
“There’s no other option but to fight. Either I survive, or those trying to kill me win. Those are the only two options.”
Of course, there seems to be no visible way out. But that’s reality. I stated the facts in a monotonous voice.
Upon hearing this, Ruci furrowed her eyebrows deeply and extended both hands.
“Then, promise me. Promise me you’ll survive absolutely. Don’t be consumed by ominous energy! Make a promise to me!”
Seeing her earnest face made me feel somewhat embarrassed.
I don’t make promises I can’t keep. So I remained silent and shook my head.
“Hey, make the promise quickly!”
As Ruci impatiently kept pushing with her cheeks puffed up, her hands moved even closer.
I tilted my head slightly.
“Why are you extending your hands? You asking for a consultation fee or something?”
“Eh? A, Ah!”
Ruci seemed startled, quickly retracting her hands as if realizing her unconscious action.
She then crossed her arms behind her back and started rambling defensively.
“… Well, it’s that. Last time you hugged me and said you regained clarity, right? I, I don’t know, but I thought… it might help somehow…”
“…”
“If you don’t want, then never mind!”
Seeing my bewildered expression, Ruci hastily stepped back.
Ruci’s white face turned redder than ever before. It seemed like it might explode soon.
‘Who would have thought I’d have these feelings?’
Admittedly, she’s kind of cute like this.
Yeah. It seems I’m getting old enough to start noticing these things.
“I promise. I definitely won’t die.”
I chuckled and suddenly pulled her into a hug before she could react.
A startled gasp from Ruci was the last sound, and the bamboo grove fell silent.
“So you better not forget the promise you made earlier. If I ever go insane due to ominous energy… make sure to bring me back to my senses somehow. Got it?”
“… Y, Yes! I understand! Now let go of me! I’m going crazy myself here!!”
Ruci’s reaction level was completely different from before. I released her immediately this time.
She quickly distanced herself, her crimson face panting heavily. It was a level of awkwardness that even I had to commend.
I waved her off with a smirk.
“Go ahead first. I’ll join you after I organize my thoughts.”
“… Ugh. Insolent… For someone who’s just a guardian… insolent…”
While glaring and grumbling under her breath, Ruci ran off toward Adrang’s mansion, covering her flushed cheeks.
“Hmph.”
Her figure quickly disappeared from my vision.
I sighed, plopped down right there, and after a moment’s pause, spoke up.
“Hey, you. There’s something I’d like to ask you.”
I didn’t bring Ruci here just now for no reason. I could feel the tingling sensation at the back of my neck since earlier.
“… Oh my. How did you know I was observing?”
A voice responded instantly to my words. I turned my head slightly.
Minerva, with her dark blond hair flowing, was standing there.
