Ch.105Cursed Journey (6)

Now only the Demon King remains. Just a little further and this cursed journey will finally end. I’ll take a brief rest before tomorrow’s final battle.

While setting up a simple base camp, I suddenly felt a strong demonic presence nearby.

Whatever’s there isn’t an ordinary demon. At least it seems threatening. How fortunate that such demons would come to me on their own—today must be my lucky day.

I’ll deal with them first and rest afterward.

***

After slaughtering all the demons, I took out a syringe from my pocket and extracted blood from the heart of the strongest one.

Then I injected the extracted blood directly into my arm, introducing demon blood into my body.

As always, excruciating pain followed. But I could feel my body’s condition improving significantly.

While forcing myself to move and tearing apart the demon’s corpse to eat it, people appeared behind me.

“Identify yourself.”

“…We came to support the Hero. But what exactly are you doing right now?”

“A strengthening ritual.”

I continued speaking while enduring the burning pain in my mouth, throat, and stomach.

“Do you know what happens when demonic energy accumulates in a human body?”

“I’ve heard you lose your mind and become a demon.”

“That’s correct, but there are exceptions. If your mental strength is strong enough, you become a demon with consciousness, and if your body can withstand the demonic energy, you can gain power similar to a demon’s.”

“So Hero, you’re doing this to gain demonic power?”

“That’s part of it, but my main purpose is to repair my broken body.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

As I continue eating the demon’s corpse, my entire body feels like it’s been submerged in lava. But since I’ve always experienced this pain, I can endure it with composure.

Humans are creatures of adaptation. Pain and demonic energy are things one can adapt to over time.

Still, it’s undeniably painful. If I didn’t have a goal, I’m certain I would have committed suicide three years ago.

Anyway, I continued speaking while forcibly chewing the tough, disgustingly tasteless demon corpse.

“Do you know what happens when your lifespan is reduced by 30 years? Normally, you die. And Heroes are no exception.”

“…How much lifespan do you have left, Hero?”

“Probably about six years. Anyway, my body isn’t human anymore. If anything, it’s closer to a Demon King’s body. That’s why I can endure like this now.”

Even though I’m enduring, it’s an unstable endurance. It’s essentially like forcing a corpse to move.

Still, I can definitely stay alive for about five more years. No, I’ll die with the Demon King tomorrow anyway, so that doesn’t matter.

In any case, the end of this cursed journey is finally approaching.

“What are you doing all this for, Hero?”

“I promised to defeat the Demon King no matter what.”

I made a deep commitment long ago to create the peaceful world that Adrian and Zoe dreamed of—a world without war.

There’s also the desire to give meaning to the deaths of all those who’ve been sacrificed so far, and I have plenty of personal feelings toward the Demon King.

So I absolutely cannot stop yet. My cursed journey isn’t over.

After devouring the entire demon corpse, I spoke to the group standing behind me.

“By the way, do you know that immediate execution is the principle for traitors?”

“…”

“It’s not too late. If you flee now, I can turn a blind eye.”

I wish they would retreat. But instead, they pointed their weapons at me.

“Hero, we’re sorry. But we also have something we must accomplish.”

These people… no, these traitors are showing hostility toward me.

What stands before me are no longer allies or humans.

What stands before me are enemies.

***

I took out a cross-shaped necklace from my pocket, gripped it tightly with both hands, and prayed for these enemies… no, these people with different ideologies.

“Goddess, please grant peace to these pitiful souls.”

I sincerely prayed that if there is a next life or afterlife, these people could live peacefully there.

“…Ha.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at this rotten situation. What right do I have to pray for these people whose lives I’ve ended?

In the end, what I’ve done is no different from what the Demon King has done. Murder can never be justified.

If hell exists, the Demon King and I will burn there forever. But that’s a fitting end for villains, so that’s fine.

As I stared at the reflection of another Demon King called a Hero in the pool of blood, I heard the presence of more people approaching.

“…What happened here?”

A pink-haired Holy Knight asked me with wildly trembling pupils.

“Traitors.”

“…I understand. I’ll take care of it quickly.”

People began efficiently clearing away the bodies. I found a suitable corner to settle down.

As I tried to rest for tomorrow, the Holy Knight came to me and asked:

“What are you doing here?”

“Resting.”

“Isn’t it lonely by yourself?”

“It’s much more comfortable alone.”

I’ve already committed countless sins. With such a background, mingling with others—at least I know my place.

But this Holy Knight doesn’t understand that and keeps pestering me.

“What will you do when the war ends?”

“I won’t be there.”

“Let’s say things go smoothly and you return safely. What would you do then?”

“I told you, I won’t be there.”

“Come on, there’s always a ‘what if.’ Just think about it a little.”

“There is no ‘what if.'”

Tomorrow I will end this cursed journey and find eternal peace in death. That’s how it must be.

Living in this world is no different from hell for me.

“Then let me tell you what I’ll do.”

But the Holy Knight, unaware of this fact, continued to speak annoyingly. I’ll just keep ignoring her.

“I’m going to live life to the fullest! Until now, I’ve been stuck in the Holy Country with nothing but education and training related to the Goddess.”

“…”

“But there are so many fun things in this world! Especially novels! In the Holy Country, we were only allowed to read books related to the Goddess, which was boring, but there’s no such restriction here!”

“…”

“And there must be so many other fun things in the world! I’m so excited to try them all one by one!”

Suddenly, I remembered a conversation I had with Adrian. Holy Knights from the Holy Country lead more ascetic lives than anyone else.

Adrian had passionately criticized it as a madhouse that suppresses even basic desires like sexual urges.

Whatever the case, I’ve reached my limit for this kind of conversation. Talking about the future to someone like me who has none only brings pain.

“Go away now.”

“Oh, sorry! I got too excited and talked too much. Anyway, eat this and stay strong! See you tomorrow!”

The Holy Knight handed me a chocolate. It’s been a while since I’ve eaten food like this. I’ve been filling my stomach with demon corpses all this time.

But when I took a bite of chocolate after so long, I couldn’t taste anything. Have I lost my sense of taste too?

At least taste isn’t a sense needed for battle. With that bitter feeling, I went to sleep for the first time in a very long time.

***

I woke up about three hours earlier than others and headed for the Demon King’s castle. I alone am enough to defeat the Demon King.

But something feels strange. There are no guards protecting the Demon King, and I can only faintly sense the Demon King’s presence. Could they have fled?

With that anxiety, I entered the place where the Demon King’s energy felt strongest, and there was the Demon King.

The Demon King had committed suicide by stabbing their own heart with a demonic sword, seemingly quite some time ago.

“…Don’t mess with me.”

I’m supposed to die fighting here. And I must kill the Demon King with my own hands. But I’ve failed miserably at both.

No, this must be an illusion. The Demon King must be hiding somewhere, watching.

Yes. The Demon King is alive. Still alive somewhere here. That must be the case.

As I was about to search the castle for the Demon King, I heard someone’s voice from behind me.

“It’s been a while.”

A familiar voice. A truly familiar voice I’ve heard for years.

Turning toward that familiar sound, I saw my Master. My Master with a right arm emanating an ominous energy like the Demon King’s.

“…Master?”

“Would you like to talk for a moment?”

My Master slowly walked over and pulled out the demonic sword embedded in the Demon King’s heart with his right hand. Thanks to that, I could roughly grasp the situation.

“…Immediate execution is the principle for traitors.”

“Kill me if you want. But I won’t take responsibility for what happens next.”

The situation is utterly confusing. When did he become a traitor? What’s with that arm? And what is he doing here now?

But one thing is certain.

What stands before me is an enemy.

As I prepared to fight and take the enemy’s life, the enemy spoke.

“Did you know that your entire journey to this point was planned decades ago?”