Prelude (1)

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Crossing the night and skipping even the morning, the evening streets that I greeted were heartlessly shrouded in a terrible darkness once more. Strolling through the imperial streets and admiring the sights, we calmed our pounding hearts and turned our backs to the carriage.

I nonchalantly brushed off the falling starlight and indifferently averted my gaze.

‘It was a lavish city.’

Viewed from within, this place was incredibly beautiful, befitting a city for nobles. Frankly, the overall atmosphere wasn’t great, but I found pleasure in the act of sharing my impressions with someone.

And that was it. The sight of them stacking money upon money and cackling with glee. Excessive luxury only evokes revulsion.

‘It’s a luxury they can afford because it’s peaceful.’

It was a peaceful era where all wars between sentient beings were forbidden, but conversely, it also meant that even the possibility of retaliation had vanished. The wealthy remain wealthy, and the poor remain poor forever.

• Keolkeong, keolkeong.

Leaving the extravagance behind, I boarded the carriage and listened to the futile sound of the wheels turning. There were no people around, and the weather was dark, creating a terribly bleak atmosphere. Perhaps because of this, there was no conversation.

“….”

I turned my head towards Shuriel, who was quietly leaning back, exhausted. Then, breaking the heavy silence, I opened my mouth.

“Shuriel.”

He turned his head without a word. Gem-like eyes, sparkling even in the darkness, stared at me.

Beautiful, but lifeless eyes. Like a jewel that has been cut and polished to achieve brilliance. Eyes that, even if they don’t shine, are vastly different from those of an ordinary person who holds a jewel in their heart.

I spoke to him, who had been worn down by the storms of life.

“Demon hunting. Are you going to continue?”

-Do you think I will die with the Demon? Shuriel spoke to Kalsein indifferently. But unlike what he said confidently, he was not sure. As if he was really asking out of curiosity.

“I have to.”

Shuriel always gave the same answer.

We had captured Pluton, the Demon of Incineration, and learned the locations of the Demons from the information I had extracted through interrogation. If the Holy Empire gave the order, we could deploy immediately.

To make matters worse, everyone residing in the imperial palace had witnessed it. Until now, it had only been rumored and whispered, but it had finally been revealed. In front of them. To the one who might become the king of this country.

So, they will try to use him more actively.

I might be deceived. I might be used in political battles, or innocent people might die because of my power. I was still immature, a wanderer who had not yet adapted to the world, so I could not easily trust them.

Yes, distrust. The path I had walked was one of distrust. A coward who couldn’t trust humans, and was afraid to step forward because he didn’t even trust his own power.

‘Aileen….’

What should I do if I am used and betrayed as they please? Aileen said that if she failed, she would try twice. And if she failed again, she would keep believing until I changed.

‘A child should be like a child… leaning on someone, she said.’

And when I was overwhelmed, she told me to lean on her like a child.

‘…How foolish.’

The answer was already there. My daughter, of all people, had given me the answer. If it’s a problem I can’t solve with my own power, I can rely on someone else.

“Has the Holy Empire said anything else?”

I said, leaning my head back.

Shuriel frowned at the mention of the Holy Empire.

“They have. A lot.”

“Another request?”

“No. There won’t be any requests for the time being. Thanks to you.”

Thanks to me? I pondered for a moment, then realized the reason and opened my mouth.

“I guess it was worth extracting the information.”

Pluton.

“That’s right. If they know the location and characteristics, there’s no need to use an agent.”

The information obtained by torturing Pluton was passed on to the Holy Empire as is. At first, the investigation was slow for verification, but when the Demons moved as written in the memo, the suspicion became certainty. After that, it was smooth sailing.

“They say they caught three Demons in this short amount of time, so that says it all.”

And that wasn’t all. The Demons’ shells that Pluton had gathered in his lair became research material. The bizarre shells, ‘alive’ despite having no souls, were broken down and became weapons for humans.

It’s still not enough, but there was something to be learned from it.

Demons were no longer natural disasters.

“Still, take it easy. There are many variables with Demons. No matter how much information you have, it’s useless if a new Demon appears.”

I jumped onto Shuriel’s lap and whispered. Then, I turned around and hugged him tightly. There was a faint scent of male musk from the fluffy fabric, cleaned with Clean magic. I took a deep breath, feeling the strong male scent and the tight embrace.

Shuriel stroked my head, feeling my soft breasts pressing against his upper body. I purred like a cat and rubbed my cheek against him.

“There won’t be any time to rest. Unfortunately.”

He said, poking my flushed face. I buried my face in his chest again and mumbled.

“…Why?”

“I told you the Holy Empire had a lot to say.”

He did say that when I asked if there was anything else. I nodded with a sulky face.

“What’s going on?”

Shuriel stopped stroking my head at my question and pondered for a moment. A strange atmosphere where seriousness and levity coexisted. He looked like he was wondering if he should say it.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

So, I didn’t demand an answer. It was just nice to be close like this. But if he left without a word… even if I knew it was because of work, even if I knew he would come back, I would be very sad.

“No, it’s nothing. It’s not that serious.”

Shuriel answered, poking the top of my head.

“Then?”

“They’re making a fuss about subjugating Barfeugos.”

“…What? Isn’t that extremely serious?”

I said with a hardened face. The Demon of War, practically a Demon King. Subjugate him? Even when I demanded an answer, Shuriel just chuckled and shrugged. I said with a pouty expression.

“I’m serious. Why are you so lighthearted?”

“It’s a story that comes up every time. It’s just theoretical. It’s only been talked about, never executed.”

“If it was just a passing thing, there’s no reason to mention it now.”

I know that much too. Rather than such obvious talk, I asked about the reason he was hesitating. Shuriel pouted his lips and answered.

“The frequency of meetings has increased. They must be eager to deploy me and you to the battlefield.”

Shuriel said. The Empire is always ready to fight. And that was the same for the Holy Empire and Shuriel. Humanity has never extinguished the flames of hatred towards Demons.

But I wasn’t. Everything was a game. I had never seriously thought about this world. I will live as me. Yes. Only me. I only thought about me and the things around me.

“If. If the subjugation is decided. Even if I don’t go there.”

“I’ll go.”

…….

I am not from this place. I have not walked the path covered in their rage, so I cannot empathize. Why they are so obsessed with Demon hunting, why they hate them so much, I still couldn’t understand. Demons were nothing more or less than toys to me.

“…You’re like a hero, -nim.”

Hero, -nim.

I often tell Shuriel that he’s like a hero when I look at him. This wasn’t the first time. No wonder, since he confidently says that his ultimate goal is Barfeugos. He even puts it into practice, not just in words.

“A hero. Don’t talk nonsense.”

Shuriel denied it, waving his hands every time.

“A half-baked agent who can’t even use divine power can’t represent the warriors. Don’t you think?”

Even now.

Someone is fighting. They carve a knife into their souls to fight those born from evil. They struggle to live, dragging their wounded bodies. Shuriel said that he was too pathetic to compare himself to such people.

“Divine power. You can use it now, though.”

“I won’t use it in battle.”

“Why? You use blessings just fine.”

“Because anyone can receive those.”

“Then?”

To this short question, he gave an answer that was too unconventional for an agent.

“I don’t acknowledge God.”

Shuriel slowly chose his words, recalling the paths he had walked as an agent.

“I do not acknowledge a God who turns the boy who asked me for directions into a corpse in less than a day. I cannot acknowledge a God who does not extend a hand of salvation to his own creations, even when a girl drawing water is sucked dry of blood in the middle of the night, and a woman selling bread is found in the forest with her head cut off.”

A level that could even lead to dismissal from the agent position. I quickly cast a soundproof barrier and gave him a bewildered look. Even so, Shuriel said without hesitation.

“I know that not everyone can be saved. It may be because I am pessimistic and irreligious. But I still find it hard to understand. Was the reason they were not saved because they were not qualified? Am I qualified? If not, is life simply swayed by luck?”

If the world runs on luck, I can live in acceptance. But the reason he truly feels disillusioned is different.

“But God exists.”

But God exists, and always smiles beside us.

“I can even vaguely feel that presence now. Yes. This divine power. That’s why I hate it even more. Why did you make the world like this?”

Shuriel said that it was detestable.

“If you were going to let it run according to the laws of nature, you shouldn’t have intervened with humans. To show the power of God and then ask for salvation. It’s in bad taste.”

To bestow power upon himself, who does not believe in God.

As if to say, believe in me.

“Shuriel.”

I climbed into his arms and raised my head. Our eyes met. Shuriel still showed emotionless eyes. Then, he said in a soft voice.

“Do you hate God?”

“Haa……. It’s nonsense, so don’t listen.”

“No, no. It’s not nonsense. It’s perfectly understandable.”

An agent who doesn’t believe in God.

He was similar to Pluton, the Demon who believed in God, yet different.

“It is? What is?”

“The world is so shitty. I feel the same way. Who doesn’t? I don’t really believe in God either, but if I ever meet him, I want to give him a knuckle sandwich.”

The difference is that he always tries to move forward. Only with his own power, to prove that he is not wrong.

“……Yeah. It’s a really shitty world.”

I said to him, who was trying.

“Then let’s change it.”

“Change it?”

“Let’s change this shitty world.”

Like a hero.

“Of course, the path won’t be easy… I’ll help you. So, don’t regret excessive death. If it’s hard to move forward, I’ll push you from behind.”

A hero is not alone.

“Let’s do it together. Even if we know we can’t save everyone, let’s try. Yes. Let’s save everyone.”

Idealism.

Shuriel forgot what to say and only mumbled his lips.

“This, this……”

I smiled brightly and said.

“It’s like a hero, right?”

• Pishik.

A hollow laugh. Shuriel leaned back with a somewhat relieved face.