Chapter 49
“…Hmph.”
Ruci flinched for a moment when our eyes met, but then she defiantly raised her chin and faced me.
Given how the situation had turned much more favorable for her, her boldness made sense.
I flashed a wry smile and threw out a jest.
“You damn migratory bird, betraying me over some bird?”
“Hmph. Is there a problem with the Demon King killing a hero? I merely pursue my own interests.”
“Hmm… That’s right. You’ve left me no grounds to argue.”
I muttered this half-heartedly and immediately lifted Vestark, my weapon, without hesitation.
The Demon King, who had been muttering ominous spells while staring at me, was startled and commanded Eldritch.
“Dearness! He’s attempting suicide! Stop him! Hurry!!”
“Too late.”
I had already plunged the blade into my own neck.
A dizzying wave of pain washed over me for a moment. Soon, my vision blurred and my consciousness began to swiftly fade.
“…I’ve obtained everything I needed. I entrust this to… my next self.”
With those final, heartfelt words, I closed my eyes.
“Ahh! I’ve hatched!”
The Demon King finally emerged from the egg after a long wait.
At the same time, a notice of checkpoint update appeared in my vision, but I brushed it aside to take in the Demon King’s appearance.
“So… this is the Demon King?”
I muttered this, then slowly scanned the figure of the Demon King Park Hyeong-geose.
Her silver-white hair that trailed down to the floor, wine-red eyes, porcelain white skin, black wings, tail like electric wires, and three horns on her forehead made an impressive figure.
Our eyes caught for a moment.
“…Hhkk.”
She let out a soft gasp and suddenly recoiled.
Her eyebrows were downturned in what seemed to be worry. Her crimson eyes glimmered with a captivating light.
After a moment, she cautiously approached me, perched lightly on the edge of the bed, and spoke with a flirty demeanor.
“Um, you see, it was a joke! Joke! How could the undying Demon King Rustica Asmodeus betray anyone! Surely, as a hero, you’re not such a petty person that you can’t take a joke? Right? Won’t you forgive me? Huh?”
…What nonsense is this creature spewing the moment she’s born?
I was flustered by the Demon King latching onto me, throwing tantrums and trying to cajole me.
And she needs to back off! Your… soft skin keeps brushing against me!
“…… Hhruurng.”
Furthermore, Seop Baek’s gaze towards me, the one clinging to the Demon King, had turned especially cold.
She ignored my pleading eyes, pulled the blanket over herself, and curtly said,
“Whatever the situation is, it seems like you’re having fun. Go for it. I’ll just leave the room.”
“But wait! You saw it, didn’t you? You should know what’s going on! I don’t…”
“Sure, sure. I get it. Just please leave the room.”
Seop Baek completely turned her back on me, refusing even to meet my eyes.
What’s gotten into her? With a heavy heart, I led the Demon King to my room.
“Hey. Sit there quietly for a moment.”
“Okay, I will. I’m an amiable Demon King who respects the opinions of my guardian!”
I made sure to separate myself from her and had her sit on the bed.
After sitting in front of her, I looked her straight in the eye.
Despite her appearance, she has a striking beauty… But that’s not the point.
“Hey. Just what have you been saying since just now?”
“What do you mean? That you got tricked by one of my followers earlier and betrayed you…”
While speaking hesitantly and glancing at me, the Demon King suddenly stopped.
She stared at my bewildered face for a moment, then stopped speaking. Gasping in surprise with wide eyes, she suddenly got up and leaned toward me.
…That impressive bosom captured my gaze.
I quickly averted my eyes.
“Ahhh! I’ve remembered now! Hero! You lost your memories when you were resurrected! That makes sense!”
“So that does make sense… But, wait…”
I remembered something from the Demon King’s actions and words.
I looked intently at her with suspicion. She quietly met my eyes.
I asked with a trembling voice.
“Was I… killed once?”
“So it is.”
“Do you remember it?”
“So it is.”
The Demon King continuously nodded her head. I was stunned for a moment, unable to breathe.
Damn it. I thought I’d gotten used to how these situations unfolded, but learning about this was a fresh shock. It took some deep breaths before I could finally regain my composure.
Then, I suddenly recalled the words the Demon King had first said to me after her “birth.”
I shot her a sharp gaze.
“What do you mean about your betrayal earlier?”
“Ah… Th-that! There is… there is nothing! Nothing at all…”
The Demon King’s usually cocky and arrogant tone vanished completely.
All that remained was a white-haired woman cowering like a child who’d done wrong. She even started speaking respectfully.
There’s definitely something here.
Smiling broadly, I promptly locked the door.
Click. At the sound, the Demon King’s voice rose in panic.
“E-eh? Why are you locking it?! Wh-what are you planning to do?!”
“Nothing big. I’m just creating a ‘Room of Truth.'”
“Hieeek!”
Even before I’d done anything, the Demon King went into an uproar at the mention of the “Room of Truth.”
What’s this about? Did my past self do something to her? Was it the consequence of lecturing her for her insolence?
If so, maybe even she knows what’s about to happen now.
Deepening my smile, I approached the woman trembling like a leaf.
“Let’s have a truthful little talk.”
“… Hmm. So that’s it, right?”
“Y-yes. That’s what I said, isn’t it? By the heavens, I’ve told no lies!”
The Demon King, wearing just a shirt, sat cross-legged in the center of the room with her hands raised.
I sat on the bed, looking down at her from above.
“Tsk. Put your hands down. Raise them straight.”
“…”
“Answer.”
“….F-forgive me…”
The Demon King’s whole body shook, either from humiliation or from the effort. Her face, colored red, was lowered as she fidgeted.
At that moment, I decided to forgive this aggravating Demon King.
“Alright. You can lower your hands.”
“Pheww!”
At my words, the Demon King immediately lowered her hands. She then massaged her shoulders for a while, sniffling back tears.
As I approached her side and began to massage her shoulder, I asked,
“Is that all true? Swear on your name that it’s the whole truth?”
“Absolutely! Truly, it’s absolutely true! I’ve told you everything exactly as it happened! Just stop tormenting me already! I’ve done wrong!”
I’d learned all about my past life through the Demon King Rustica.
That I successfully infiltrated enemy territory and made contact with Eldritch.
That I had managed to acquire one of the two vessels said to exist.
That the Demon King betrayed me after being swayed by Eldritch.
That I had committed suicide just before the Demon King broke our contract.
And that I had returned to this very moment.
“What the hell.”
Even without memory, reflecting on it now makes me indignant.
I gave the Demon King’s head a sharp slap. Startled, she clutched her head and glared at me.
“Ai! Why do you hit me?”
“Because it’s aggravating. Any complaints?”
“Complaints…! None, but…”
Realizing her misdeeds, the Demon King quickly backed down.
That arrogant image she had when she first hatched seems almost fictional now. Was it the same in my past life?
“Anyway, this must be… one of Eldritch’s vessels, right?”
I looked anew at the scarlet gem in my hand with newfound appreciation.
I noticed it late due to the Demon King’s antics, but it was inside the renewed Box of the Dead. My past self, even in such a tense situation, had thought ahead to transfer the vessel to my next life if the need arose.
Of course, me. Amazing. Thrilling.
As I spaced out looking at the vessel, the Demon King, who had been idly playing with her hair beside me, suddenly muttered.
“Still, I’m astounded. I never expected the Celestial Realm to craft something that could interfere with my contract of immortality.”
“…You mean the Box of the Dead?”
“Yes. It’s surely the creation of those annoying triplets, the Reapers. They really disgust me.”
The Demon King was initially shocked to no end when she saw Eldritch’s vessel inside the Box of the Dead.
Her expression was akin to asking, ‘Why are you here?’
Of course. With time having looped, yet the vessel remained in my possession, it was a clear sign that her contract had been disrupted.
As I looked at the ruby while considering this,
Ping. As always, the item’s detailed description popped up.
[Name: Vessel of Eldritch (Legendary)]
[Modifier: ???]
[Details: A top-tier rune where the vital essence of the ancient demon clan, the King of the Undead, Eldritch, is sealed. Due to Eldritch’s powerful protective magic, it is impossible to copy or enhance it through any means.]
[Reinforcement Available: 0]
“Copying is impossible…”
Thank goodness. Smirking, I firmly grasped the vessel.
Fundamentally, objects from the previous life stored in the Box of the Dead are ‘created’ as entirely new objects in this life with no connection to the items of this life.
That’s why even if I tear my shirt to write a blood contract, it won’t affect my shirt in the next life.
‘You reap what you sow. Isn’t that right, Eldritch?’
The safety enchantment Eldritch set, ostensibly for protection, has become a critical flaw.
Copying is impossible by any method.
That is, with any means employed, this scarlet rune can only exist as one solitary item in this world.
‘But no matter how high you soar or slither, can you ever surpass either the gods or the Demon King?’
The Box of the Dead, an item under the contract of the Reaper.
Its effect is absolute, surpassing even the Demon King’s immortality.
Thus, as I put the vessel of Eldritch into the Box of the Dead, it carried over into this life.
Conversely, the vessel that should have existed in this life, belonging originally to Eldritch, has likely disappeared due to the copy prevention enchantment.
—You… what exactly are you…!
And at that moment, a voice echoed from within the ruby.
