Ch.108Cursed Journey (9)

I felt a certain kinship with the newly appeared reincarnator. Perhaps it was because they were in the same completely isolated situation as me.

In terms of human relationships, their situation is probably even more desperate than mine. There’s no one here who will help a reincarnator.

But I actually envy that kind of situation. At least in that situation, no one would mourn when they die.

However, I have no reason to help that person. Even though the Goddess asked me to, I’m someone who chose atheism.

Of course, the Goddess exists. But why did the two people who truly loved the Goddess die so miserably while only I, who didn’t believe in her, survived alone?

But my thoughts don’t matter at all. The owner of the mask I’m wearing now was a believer in the Goddess.

So I wore the mask and accepted the reincarnator as an employee. But I said I wouldn’t participate in defeating the Demon King.

Because I no longer know what’s right and what’s wrong.

That’s how I dealt with the newly appeared reincarnator while wearing my mask.

***

It’s been almost a week since the reincarnator arrived. And today I’m going to fight someone who challenged me on the internet.

Normally I don’t like getting involved with people, but getting involved with people this way negatively affects my reputation, which I like.

So I was preparing to go out today to deliberately lower my reputation, but demons invaded this place.

According to Rebecca, those demons were summoned targeting the new hero. But there seem to be too few of them for that.

Thanks to that, I should be able to handle them quickly. So let’s move as fast as possible before any casualties occur. At least that’s the minimum atonement I can make.

So I hurriedly tore apart the demons outside with my bare hands, not with the Holy Sword. Because I don’t want to draw the Holy Sword anymore.

After dealing with all those demon bastards, I went to visit the reincarnator who had lost a lot of stamina fighting the demons.

And while talking with the reincarnator, I learned a few things. The fact that this reincarnator had lost about three years of their lifespan.

“…Who on earth were you fighting that made you use so much?”

“A demon with disgustingly fast regeneration.”

“Ah, that bastard? That makes sense. But why did you stand and fight instead of running away?”

“If we ran away, there would be no one to protect the shelter from the demon.”

“…Don’t tell me there were only two of you guarding the shelter?”

“Yes.”

Usually, at least five people are assigned to guard a shelter. But there were only two people there.

Someone definitely had a hand in this. I should go inform the Archbishop about this. I’ll just tell him there’s a traitor hiding somewhere.

And this fact reminded me that my cursed journey isn’t over yet, making me sigh involuntarily.

“I’m going to ask that senile old man something. Don’t do anything weird while I’m gone.”

For now, I should go tell him that there seems to be a traitor hiding. At this rate, the reincarnator might really die.

Of course, I don’t think these guys can defeat the Demon King. There’s no way to get that strong in just a month.

Still, it would be nice if they could defeat the Demon King.

…How pathetic that I end up passing the burden to others because I lack courage.

As I was walking, weighed down by guilt again today, I felt someone following me.

I should head to a deserted alley. At least then I’ll be able to see their face.

So I changed course to a narrow alley where there were no people. Then someone appeared in front of me.

“Identify yourself.”

“A traitor just like you.”

“Then was it you who did all this?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, if you want to live, at least explain why you did it.”

“To lure you here.”

This is confusingly filthy. Were the demons summoned because of me, not that hero candidate?

“Then why attack the hero candidate?”

“I was going to take care of them while calling you. But I failed.”

“Then why did you call me?”

“Next Tuesday, I’m going to summon a high-ranking demon. And I’ll summon about 120,000 demons to guard the place.”

“…What?”

“And you need to kill every living being there.”

My mind goes blank. I don’t have much lifespan left, so I can only fight for about an hour, but how am I supposed to defeat all of them?

Even in my prime, it took me over 5 hours to fight a high-ranking demon. But now my physical condition is much worse than back then. So this is absolutely impossible.

“Do you think that’s possible?”

“You can handle demons, can’t you?”

“Then what about the high-ranking demon?”

“Another mage will take care of the high-ranking demon.”

I want to smash this bastard’s head right now. If you’re just going to make one-sided announcements, why bother calling me all the way here?

“Could you please stop spouting things that only you understand?”

“A dragon mage is going to design a spell there. And just before the spell is completed, a horde of demons will attack the place.”

“Do you know that magic doesn’t work on demons?”

“What about magic made with a hero’s mana?”

“So you want me to design the magic, then deal with the demons, and then die?”

“That’s right.”

Let me ask one more question. If this bastard hasn’t prepared an answer for this question, I’ll kill him.

I can’t let a crazy person who would release that many demons into the world without any countermeasures live.

“You know that to defeat a high-ranking demon, ordinary magic won’t do. So you need at least a few years of preparation time, right?”

“We have enough scrolls. You just need to combine them all into one spell.”

“How many scrolls do you have there?”

“About 2,000.”

According to my calculations, that’s enough. No, it’s enough to create magic three times over.

“…You’re really thorough with your preparations.”

“I’ve been preparing for decades. So, will you do it?”

“Let me hear why you’re doing this.”

“The revival of the Demon King.”

It seems like this guy really wants to become the Demon King. In the end, it’s exactly as the Goddess said.

“What happens if I refuse?”

“Demons will be released into the world.”

“…Are you in your right mind saying that?”

“Either way, whether you die or the people of the world die, the result is the same.”

The energy that would have been generated from my fight with the Demon King has completely disappeared. Thanks to that, his revival has been significantly delayed.

And he said he would lie low to eliminate variables. So why is he doing this now?

“But didn’t he say he would gather energy naturally?”

“It seems he’s getting impatient because a big variable called a reincarnator has appeared. So, will you do it?”

“Gladly.”

It’s unpleasant to help his plan, but it’s much better for me to die than for other people to die.

Plus, I can finally find peace. This cursed journey will finally end. So there’s no reason to refuse.

“Alright, I’ll send someone to that place next Tuesday under the pretext of a request.”

After unfolding a scroll, he left me with some final words.

“By the way, the mask suits you.”

There’s nothing I like about this guy. He says what he wants and leaves, but he has to stab where it hurts before going.

Still, the news he brought is the only thing I like. It’s finally all ending.

For now, I should tell the reincarnator a bit about my past to prevent them from getting attached to me.

At least they’re not stupid enough to try to befriend someone with a terminal illness.

So I waited for the peace that would finally come to me.

***

I survived again this time. And once again, someone died in my place.

The righteous person I truly thought I could trust came back as just a traitor’s corpse. Thanks to that, my cursed journey continued.

If only I had kept the reincarnator with me until the end, would things have been different?

What have I been continuing this cursed journey for?

As I was drinking a whole bottle of alcohol alone, I heard the voice of the guy I met in the alley last time.

“You survived after all.”

“…”

“By the way, could you kill this reincarnator?”

“…Why them suddenly?”

“The Demon King said there are too many variables and told me to take care of it.”

I took out a dagger hidden in my sleeve and threw it at his abdomen. Then I glared at him as if I would kill him and said:

“Be grateful that I’m keeping you alive right now.”

I helped with the previous matter because only I could do it. But this time it’s different.

Asking me to move without any reason just for his purpose, is he in his right mind?

As I continued to glare at him, he spoke to me with an expressionless face, unconcerned:

“I’ll report to the Demon King that you’re looking for an opportunity to assassinate the reincarnator. Then at least no other assassins will be assigned to the reincarnator for a while.”

“…Is there any reason why you’re doing this?”

“This order is far from the greater cause that the Demon King pursues.”

After saying what he wanted to say, he unfolded a scroll. And like last time, he left after leaving some words.

“By the way, your mask is slipping a bit.”

He’s still an irritating guy. Even someone like him has his own beliefs, but what am I doing?

So once again, unable to die, I began to somehow continue this cursed journey.