Episode 200: The Demon King and the Holy Maiden
There was a huge time difference between finding an unfamiliar route using a map and retracing a known path. Returning to Sick Village from the regression point was a breeze.
The moment I returned to Sick Village, a striking scene caught my eye.
“Hurry up, coward! Weren’t you the one who volunteered to ask?”
“… Ugh, ah.”
It was Ruci. And Yuria.
The two were cornered in a secluded part of the village, glaring at the church while bickering heatedly.
Yuria especially looked like she was on the verge of tears, fidgeting anxiously, while Ruci enthusiastically mocked her.
“…What’s going on again?”
It was obvious Ruci was up to her usual antics again. And after less than half a day since she arrived, no less. She truly was a walking trouble factory with legs.
I deliberately approached them quietly, intending to surprise them a bit.
“We decided to uncover the slimy frog-man’s schemes, didn’t we?”
“… Waaah.”
The two hadn’t noticed my approach and continued their argument.
I wasn’t exactly sure what happened, but when Ruci raised her voice, I instantly understood the situation.
‘… Right. I didn’t inform them about this.’
Judging from the situation, it seemed Skaro had approached Yuria and Ruci following my request to protect them. However, they likely misunderstood Skaro and were on guard against him like this.
I sighed uncomfortably at this predicament. But I could somewhat understand how they felt.
‘Admittedly, this is entirely my fault for not explaining things beforehand.’
Skaro was… well, ugly.
No, really, incredibly ugly.
Even as someone who doesn’t care about appearances, I couldn’t cover for his looks. He was just that ugly. Even considering our similar circumstances, it was pitiful how grotesque his appearance was.
‘Ugly isn’t the right word… more like repulsive.’
He’s literally a frog-human hybrid.
Out of all the cute creatures in the world, it just had to be a frog.
If it were a cartoon character combining cute traits, it might be different. But this is reality. A bizarre, grotesque hybrid of human and frog that was strangely realistic. That was Skaro.
‘And I don’t care about appearance since I owe my life to him…’
Most people, especially women who dislike amphibians, might instinctively recoil at his looks. This was a fact Skaro himself tearfully admitted.
‘… His face is truly repulsive. Hmm.’
Skin resembling a smooth, slimy mix between a human and an amphibian. Sticky liquids oozing off his body.
Unusual seaweed-like green hair. Bright yellow eyes with horizontal slit pupils.
Wearing light armor giving him a hunter-like appearance, with frog-like reverse jointed legs. Webbed fingers and toes.
‘Ugh…’
Just thinking about it made me crave instant rice. I’m confident I could finish three servings right away.
“There’s nothing to hesitate about! We even decided via rock-paper-scissors!”
As if on cue, Ruci pressured Yuria. She demonstratively made a scissor gesture with her hand and waved it in front of Yuria.
“… Gah.”
Yuria fell silent at Ruci’s words and carefully wrote a note before cautiously showing it to Ruci.
[He’s too disgusting. I’m scared. What if he eats me?]
Even for Yuria, always mild-mannered, this was an unusually agitated response. She clearly didn’t want any contact with Skaro.
Skaro, what kind of life have you led? Tears blur my vision.
“I’m not scared… No, wait! You were the one who agreed to do this cowardly task! When ordered, you should just do it without any excuses!”
“… Gah.”
Yuria didn’t really respond to that either through writing.
What? Really? The Holy Maiden turned into the Demon King’s errand girl? What happened between them while I was gone? My curiosity exploded.
“We don’t have time for this! The hero… my foolish servant is in danger!”
Suddenly, Ruci, who had been about to reveal herself and explain the situation, decided against it. Entering now would just create an awkward atmosphere, so I held my ground.
Meanwhile, Ruci gripped Yuria’s shoulder tightly.
“The timeline has already reset four times. Something is definitely happening!”
“Ah… uh.”
“There was something strange about the frog-man and the hero. That frog-man must know where the hero went! We need to confront him immediately to follow the hero!”
“… Waaah.”
“You don’t want the hero to die, do you? Didn’t you say you’d do anything to help?”
As Ruci harshly interrogated Yuria, she nodded carefully.
“I feel the same way. Though I don’t understand why I feel like this… I cannot stop worrying about him. Even if he can revive! I still don’t like it! I don’t want him dying in some place I don’t know!”
Ggginggggkkk.
Ruci firmly grabbed Yuria’s supple cheeks and stretched them apart.
“What are you hesitating about? Hurry up and confront that monstrous frog!”
“Eeek! Ahh!”
Whether from pain or Ruci’s strangulation attempt, tears welled up in Yuria’s eyes as she wildly flailed her arms to break free.
But Ruci wouldn’t let go. In fact, she joyfully kneaded Yuria’s cheeks even more.
“This, THIS is what I’ve been craving! That hero keeps messing with my cheeks! Now… it’s my turn to… touch!!”
“Owww! AHH!”
… I’ve been raising a tigress, haven’t I?
Over the past six months since my resurrection, somehow all she’s learned is how to dominate others. At this conclusion, I abruptly grabbed the raving Ruci’s arm.
Did my sudden appearance from behind startle them? The two women jumped as if they’d seen a ghost, especially Ruci.
“AAAHHH! Yo, Hero! Wha-, Why are you here…? No, how long have you been there?!”
With an embarrassing scream, Ruci collapsed. It was a dramatic reaction straight out of a cartoon.
I unconsciously chuckled as I replied.
“I’ve been here for quite a while.”
“Haa… you’ve been here…?”
Ruci’s face suddenly turned beet red, then she deeply bowed her head.
Her slightly revealed ears were glowing bright red.
“Eh, that… did you hear?”
“I don’t understand why I feel this way… but I can’t stop worrying about that guy!”
“AAAAH! Don’t repeat it! I, I didn’t say such things!!”
Covering her ears, Ruci desperately denied reality.
Her face looked like it might explode at any moment. Her expression screamed that the world wasn’t allowed to treat her this way.
I mockingly nodded slowly.
“Well, if you’re so worried, you can come along too. Either way, it doesn’t matter whether I take just the Holy Maiden or both of you.”
“I’m not worried! Don’t spout nonsense!!”
“Understood. Let’s do it that way then.”
Since continuing to tease her might make her cry, I decided to stop mentioning it. Instead, I led the two women to the church.
Even without this incident, I would’ve visited the church first anyway. I had important business with Skaro.
“… Skaro.”
Calling his name, I slowly entered the dim interior of the tent. The humid summer evening air mixed with the stench of patients’ pus assaulted my nose.
I came here to uncover the truth. If the contents written in last life’s memo were accurate, there was a possibility Skaro, who had worked in relief activities with Altear, was involved in this.
‘In that case… I might even end up fighting Skaro.’
Of course, I hoped that wouldn’t be the case.
Isn’t it always that way though? The assumptions we’d rather not even consider are the ones that come to mind first.
Deep inside the large tent, Skaro slowly turned toward me at the altar. Various thoughts raced through my head in an instant.
“Did you forget something? You said you were going to kill Zadkiel… keekeehaa.”
Skaro briefly blinked at my unexpected return, then playfully made a joke.
From Skaro’s perspective, I had arrogantly declared I’d kill Zadkiel and returned not long after. His comment was to be expected.
His attitude suggested he was actually glad I had come back.
“After that one drink you bought me, how about returning the favor with another?”
Skaro poured wine into a wooden bowl from a bottle placed on the altar and offered it to me.
I shook my head with a bitter smile.
“No thanks. Alcohol isn’t good right now. There’s something I’d like to ask you briefly, though.”
“Something you’d like to ask? What is it, friend?”
“Altear is blocking Zadkiel’s path with the deserters.”
Skaro’s movements froze mid-sip of his wine.
Gluck. Swallowing the wine in his mouth, Skaro spoke.
“… So it seems you’ve really been to kill and come back. Kehee.”
Gradually lowering the wooden bowl covering his face, Skaro stared at me calmly with his yellow eyes. I met his gaze steadily.
That reaction just now wasn’t good. Tensing my body, I questioned.
“Skaro, did you know?”
No dancing around the issue. There would be no probing. We would confront it head-on.
This wasn’t because of my straightforward, no-nonsense personality traits. Rather, it was out of respect for this being who saved my life and was once my closest friend in this world.
“Yes. I did know.”
After a long silence, Skaro finally sighed lightly and nodded.
I felt as if the ground had collapsed beneath me. Reflexively, my hand was already fidgeting with the hilts of my black and white twin swords.
What his words mean. His behavior as I read it. These two aspects clashed chaotically inside me.
Finally, I exhaled a short laugh.
“Did you drink and drive, or at least avoid drunk driving?”
“Friend, I’m only keeping quiet about what she’s doing. I’m not aiding her in that.”
One part of me thought his words were nonsense, while another desperately wanted to believe him. The dichotomy engaged in a messy battle within me.
Eventually, I let out a brief chuckle.
“Did you drink and drive, but at least avoided drunk driving?”
“Friend, I needed her knowledge to care for the unfortunate. She also needed someone to care for the unfortunate and execute monsters while she pursued her dream of utopia.”
Slowly, the hand hesitating over the sword hilt lowered. However, the suspicion and hostility in my gaze remained directed at Skaro.
“… Can I trust your words?”
“Trust them, friend. Our cooperation was limited to healing the unfortunate. Outside of that, we mutually agreed to ignore each other’s private matters. It wasn’t my place to meddle carelessly.”
A silent war of words continued for some time. The humid air of the church tent was filled with razor-thin tension.
“Uncle… are you going to fight?”
And the silence and tension were broken not by either of us, but by a fragile, feminine voice.
