〈 Chapter 237 〉 After the Journey (2)
*
“It’s about time they should be back…”
At the inn in Basil’s township.
Elsie, bored, leaned against the counter and muttered.
And the one who answered her murmuring was Gwen, sitting on a sofa in the lobby.
“Yeah, they’re quite late this time.”
On her lap was her young daughter, soundly asleep, while she was braiding her hair.
Soft snores.
In the silence of the inn, the faint sound of the child’s breathing echoed.
Gwen had named her daughter Rose.
And true to her name, she was growing beautifully, just like a flower.
Red hair like her mother.
And her father’s blue eyes.
Even at her young age, her beauty was already noticeable.
“Rose misses her dad a lot.”
Whenever Allen was at the inn, Rose practically stuck to him like glue.
Whenever Allen briefly left the inn, it became increasingly difficult to pry her away.
“By the way…”
Elsie began to bring up the reason for this topic.
“Isn’t it about time we decided whose turn it is?”
“Now?”
“Yes, right now.”
Fortunately, Rose was still sound asleep.
If it were this timing, they could decide in a peaceful manner rather than clashing like usual.
However, with a smirk, Gwen casually asked, “But obviously, I should go first, right?”
“Why’s that?”
“Isn’t it the disciple’s duty to let the master taste the good stuff first?”
At that, Elsie revealed her true feelings.
“Well, sure, but hasn’t the master already had her fill?”
“You’ve grown up, disciple.”
Their conversation was small enough to avoid waking Rose.
Yet, the tension was palpable, making the atmosphere somewhat charged.
Maybe it was just the swords not flying, but the vibe was tenser than ever.
“By the way, you’re pregnant now, so wouldn’t it be better to quit the relationships?”
“I’m still in the early stages of pregnancy, so as long as I’m cautious, it should be fine.”
“I just learned today that the word ‘caution’ exists for you.”
As their conversation continued, the mood kept growing frostier.
At that moment, the inn’s door opened.
“Hmm?”
“Yeah?”
Both Elsie and Gwen looked toward the inn’s entrance at the same time.
However, the figure that walked in wasn’t who they were expecting.
“Uh…?”
It was Sara, who appeared to have returned to the inn after her regular business meeting.
Unfortunately, it was a bad timing.
The strange atmosphere had the two women glaring at her simultaneously.
In the midst of their gazes, Sara’s expression turned pale.
“Did I do something wrong again?”
“No, nothing’s wrong.”
“Well, if I had to pinpoint something, it’s that you were born a woman?”
“Yes, that would be it.”
With that, Elsie and Gwen ignored Sara and returned to their previous conversation.
“In any case, it’s my turn. I can’t give this one up.”
“Hmmm. But you just came back from a business trip with Allen not too long ago.”
Sara, who was fidgeting anxiously at the door, finally spoke up.
“Uh… isn’t it my turn…?”
However, Elsie and Gwen continued their discussion, ignoring her words.
Sara’s expression changed right before she could intervene.
“Sky…”
She grabbed the sword on her waist.
Now it was an utterly powerless sword, but it was still a sword nonetheless.
In terms of wielding force, it was more than enough of a tool.
Yes, Allen had always said she needed certainty.
So she was certain.
It was her turn this time.
“Slice…”
At that moment.
The inn’s door swung open.
Yet again, the person entering was not Allen.
“A letter has…”
In an inn that had become inhospitable even for the average human, a poor mailman stepped in.
The moment he made eye contact with the three women, his body froze.
“L-letters…”
Stammering, the mailman was met with Sara, who was closest to him.
She accepted the letters and her eyes widened.
“Allen?”
At that one word, both Elsie and Gwen’s eyes widened.
Elsie rushed over.
Meanwhile, Gwen said to Sara, “Quick, read it. I can’t get up right now.”
She couldn’t get up because of the sleeping Rose on her lap.
Following her request, Sara began to read the letter from Allen.
“I’m sorry, but I think I’ll be returning a bit late this time.”
It wasn’t a very long letter.
However, the contents were somewhat shocking.
“Just a quick trip to the Ice Valley with Lucy and Luel.”
Upon finishing the letter, Elsie said, “Well, we’ve been had.”
In their minds, they had already envisioned the subsequent developments.
After all, they knew Allen well.
And they were aware he couldn’t easily refuse requests from others.
But at least he wouldn’t just get involved with anyone, which was a relief.
In fact, Lucy and Luel were comrades who had deep bonds formed through fighting together.
However…
“Now we’re looking at having two more competitors.”
This significantly increased the waiting list.
In that despair, Sara displayed some of her wisdom as a guild leader.
“Why not just treat that as a 1+1 deal?”
“That sounds good!”
“Not bad.”
However, there was still something unsatisfying about it for them.
After all, they had already been bickering over turns even before Lucy and Luel existed.
And oddly, inspiration for a solution came from Elsie, who was influenced by Sara’s idea.
“Then how about we all just do it together?”
“But Elsie, then Allen…”
It was just when she was about to announce it was hard.
“Increasing the numbers is really up to him, isn’t it?”
“True.”
Moreover, Allen’s stamina seemed to have improved, probably because he had once been a Demon King.
“Uh… Elsie? Miss Gwen?”
To Sara, the current mood was terrifying.
But for some reason, she found herself not wanting to stop them.
After all, it was a disaster Allen had brought upon himself.
“Are you okay with this, Sara?”
Thus, Sara could only nod her head.
Seeing her agreement, Elsie said, “Then it’s settled. The day Allen returns, we’ll initiate the reckoning.”
*
“Huh, it doesn’t look peaceful at all, does it?”
“Yes, it seems so.”
In the Ice Valley.
Looking around the village where newcomers had settled, that was the impression one got.
Everyone had built their homes near the hot springs and were living well.
“Still, I’ve relayed a few points of caution. Like collapsing ice walls, crevasses, and…”
“Also the one about not going north?”
“I haven’t mentioned that yet.”
“But wouldn’t it be bad if they met the Demon Kings?”
If they ran into the Demon Kings, it would surely be hard to recognize them as such.
After all, the Demon Kings had already lost all their power.
Even so, there was a high possibility the grotesque forms of the Demon Kings would warrant aversion.
“Of course, if they meet them, that is.”
“What are you trying to say?”
In response to my question, Luel turned her head north.
“I’m getting a bad feeling.”
“A feeling? You?”
“Of course, I’m not relying solely on feelings. But still, checking it out is a priority.”
“Checking it out…”
Indeed.
Though it was her feeling, I had also been sensing something.
No matter how distant the Demon Kings’ dwelling was, the lack of any presence was strange.
If that was the case…
“Then let’s go investigate.”
“Yes.”
*
Clunk, clunk.
With every step, the sound of Lucy’s prosthetic arm echoed.
Other than that, only the sound of crunching snow filled the air.
‘As expected…’
As we neared the Demon Kings’ residence, a sense of certainty built within me.
There shouldn’t be any lack of presence from this distance.
If that was the case…
‘They must all be dead or disappeared.’
If it was the latter, that might pose a problem.
Well, I was curious about the reason if it was the former.
After all, the lifespans of the Demon Kings should still be long.
At that moment.
The sight of the Demon Kings’ dwelling came into view.
And finally, a presence was felt emanating from that place.
‘That’s…’
Two figures.
And they looked somewhat familiar.
A man holding a spear and a woman with purple hair.
The First Demon King Tel and the Sixteenth Demon King Violet.
They were sitting at the entrance of the village, seemingly waiting for us.
We hurried to approach them since they were the only ones in sight.
As we got closer, their altered appearances also became evident.
Tel, looking almost skeletal with most of his flesh melted away.
And for some reason, Violet had grown chubby instead.
“Tel, Violet.”
Upon calling out to them, Violet smiled and replied, “You’ve finally arrived. We’ve been waiting.”
“Waiting for what?”
“Because it was our turn.”
She turned her head to look at one side of the Demon Kings’ residence.
Then, Tel, who was beside her, said, “All the other Demon Kings are already dead. You were probably wondering about that, right?”
“While that is true, why…”
“They all achieved their goals to some extent.”
Tel was smiling too.
“They’ve been alive for hundreds of years. Most of them accomplished their objectives, and even if they didn’t, they had no obsession with the remaining lifespan.”
“Even so, isn’t it better to live out what remains for as long as you can, like ordinary humans?”
“Well, we might have already missed our chance to become ordinary humans. After living for so long, it might be more normal to welcome the end by now.”
His words were not entirely unfathomable.
I already knew that the values of the Demon Kings differed from those of humans.
However, it was still difficult to completely accept it.
“So, do you also… think that way?”
At that, Tel made a complex expression.
“Well, maybe. But what’s certain is that I also need an end.”
“An end?”
“The eternal lifespan of a Demon King is undoubtedly appealing. But that only pertains to the body. The being inside me is utterly exhausted.”
“But there are still things you wish to do…”
“Stopping destruction is all I ever wanted. I lived for hundreds of years just for that.”
Tel’s expression looked relieved when he spoke those words.
If what he said was true, then there’s no need for me to worry.
“Then is that the same opinion for you, Violet?”
Violet nodded and said, “Yes, I think I’ve played enough now. I felt that way since Freira died. I think it’s time for playtime to end.”
It seemed they both desired the same thing.
An end.
In other words, death.
After burying the other Demon Kings, they had been waiting for those who would bury them as well.
“Understood.”
Confirming their will, I drew my sword from my waist.
And I pointed it at them.
“Sorry for the trouble. I imagine you didn’t want to spill any more blood.”
“Still, it’s quite an honor to die at the hands of a great hero.”
I didn’t really know.
This sword wasn’t my will.
“Please don’t misunderstand. This is your will.”
I didn’t understand their emotions or values.
I wasn’t a being who had lived for a long time like they had or shared the same experiences.
But I just respected their will and swung my sword as if to honor it.
“Well then, I wish you a safe journey.”
I swung my sword.
And thus, the lives of the two Demon Kings came to an end.
Now, I was the only remaining Demon King, the 73rd.
Effectively, this marked the complete end of the Demon King era.
It should be a good thing.
After all, their existence had been a tragedy, one by one.
However, for some reason, Tel’s words lingered in my heart.
‘An ending…’
*
We also buried the bodies of Tel and Violet next to the graves of the other Demon Kings.
And we returned to the base camp we had set up in advance.
Throughout the journey back.
No, perhaps even afterward, I couldn’t shake off Tel’s words.
‘An ending is necessary…’
Is that really the case?
Is there nothing eternal anywhere?
As I pondered, Luel called out to me.
“Allen?”
“Yeah?”
“I noticed your face darkening for a while, so I called you.”
“Oh, it’s just something on my mind.”
“Something on your mind?”
It felt a bit embarrassing to bring up my thoughts.
Maybe it was just a trivial worry.
But I believed it was better to consult the Water Sage than to stew alone.
“See, I’m the First Humanity.”
“That’s right.”
“I’ll probably live for quite a long time compared to others, right?”
“…”
“Then someday, when you all leave me, will I too become like the Demon Kings…”
At that, Lucy, who’d been quietly listening, spoke up.
“Can’t you just live a long time?”
Sure, one could think that way.
Generally, living long is indeed beneficial.
It would have remained a general perspective if it hadn’t twisted after witnessing the deaths of the Demon Kings.
“But living for another 500 years without you all…”
That was an important issue.
At the same time, it was a future I didn’t really want to imagine.
But Luel presented a cold response to my concern.
“Just make new connections then.”
Her words were correct.
It was just that the current bonds felt so radiant that it was hard to accept it.
Yet if that time came, I would have no choice but to accept.
As I thought that, Luel spoke up.
“But you don’t have to worry. This might not be a good thing, though.”
“Hmm?”
“You are aging faster than before. At the speed of an ordinary human, not the First Humanity.”
“What do you mean by that…”
“Probably due to the chaos that was injected into you to become a Demon King.”
In that case, it’s a relief…?
My emotions were complicated.
The reduction in lifespan somehow felt wasteful, but it did resolve my concerns.
“By the way, are you sure? That I now possess a normal human lifespan?”
“Well, to be sure, I might need to conduct more detailed studies.”
“Studies?”
“Like an autopsy…”
I don’t like that.
I shook my head vigorously to express strong rejection.
At that, Luel burst into laughter.
“It was a joke.”
“A joke?”
That was unexpected.
She usually focused on reason and reality, rarely making jokes.
However, with a faint smile, she said, “I learned how to do that by being next to you.”
I seemed to have taught her something wrong.
No, it felt like Albert’s influence was larger than mine.
“But…”
Luel began to think for a moment.
Then she opened her mouth.
“I’m still curious, though.”
“What’s that?”
“…”
She fell silent for some reason again.
“What is it?”
Seeing me curious, she spoke up.
“How about we check the changes that have occurred in your body?”
“So you mean… an autopsy?”
“No, not that. I, um…”
Luel’s face turned red.
In that moment, I could almost hear Albert’s voice, who was no longer beside me.
‘You know what that is, don’t you?’
And it overlapped with Lucy’s voice.
“I’m going to step out, so you have fun.”
She stood up and attempted to exit the tent.
At that, Luel shouted in a flustered tone, “Sister! This is strictly for research purposes…”
“Whether research or whatnot, it has nothing to do with me.”
“It does!”
For a brief moment, Luel’s voice grew louder.
But soon it shrank back down.
“After all, if it’s for research, then observing is better than doing it myself…”
At Luel’s words, Lucy pressed her hand to the back of her neck.
“Even if she’s a precious sister, I can’t agree to that…”
“Please, sister…”
Tears welled up in Luel’s eyes as she looked at Lucy.
Lucy’s pupils trembled.
*
