Ch.270Chapter 10. Because Life Continues

All living beings reproduce.

Whatever the method of reproduction, they consider passing on their genes to future generations as the species’ mission.

What about humans?

Unlike other ordinary beasts, humans sometimes voluntarily give up reproduction.

There are various reasons, but perhaps most often it’s due to anxiety about not being able to raise children happily.

However, when humans meet someone they truly love, they live with the expectation that the future will be happier.

They live thinking that their child will be born, grow up, and live a happy life.

[Demon Mateless. You sought to deprive humans of the opportunity for offspring and prosperity.]

“…Heh.”

Mateless still lies spread-eagle on the ground.

Looking up at the sky, with a blank expression, she laughs with only her torso remaining, her limbs blown away.

“Talking about the beauty of making babies and all that…”

Mateless glared at Ymir and sneered.

“Why would you willingly enter a path of suffering? I don’t understand.”

[What?]

“When you have a child, you can’t freely do anything for ten months. For the sake of the child, you can’t freely drink alcohol or smoke.”

[I don’t do those things anyway.]

“What about patriotic sex?”

[…….]

Ymir kept her mouth shut for a moment.

“It’s disgusting. Why would you want to give birth to a child while tearing and damaging your own body? Your body will be ruined giving birth. Even after giving birth, you’ll suffer because of the child.”

[That’s just focusing on the negative aspects.]

“Is it really? If a man and woman truly love each other, couldn’t they just support each other and live together without needing to reproduce? Isn’t that why the term ‘DINK’ exists? Finding a lifelong companion to live with is happiness enough, so why seek unhappiness by having children?”

While Ymir couldn’t relate to the examples Mateless had given so far, the next example struck a chord.

“Even a demon whose reproductive ability has become obsolete can enjoy the pleasure of the baby-making process. Mixing flesh, indulging in carnal desires. It’s actually more comfortable. There’s no worry about pregnancy during the act.”

[You mean enjoying pleasure without responsibility?]

“There’s no need to take responsibility in the first place. Who said it? That humans have three basic desires: hunger, sleep, and sexual desire.”

Once again, Mateless started laughing.

“Then you just need to satisfy sexual desire. Isn’t reproductive desire a separate issue?”

[That’s the sophistry of a demon who doesn’t understand humans at all.]

“But isn’t it true? Earth’s resources are limited, and the population will increase enormously due to advances in medical technology. Eventually, humanity will fight over limited resources and perish together.”

[Since when did demons care about humans?]

“Since the beginning of the new era.”

After the Great Cataclysm.

“I’ve been watching everything. After falling into the East Sea, I learned about the world. That excessive human reproduction will eventually lead humanity to destruction. It’s even in textbooks. The scarcity of resources.”

[I don’t know why you suddenly became a social studies teacher, but that doesn’t particularly resonate with me.]

Ymir stretches one hand forward.

[Whatever bizarre logic you present, you don’t understand why men and women want to have children. You don’t understand the feelings of people who give birth and raise children even in difficult and painful environments, who have children despite worrying about what might happen in the future. So you’re just forcing any logic to fit. While the essence is simply that you desire the proliferation of yourself, of demons.]

“……!”

Though she had thrown out the topic as a joke.

[The starting point of all your logic isn’t that rational love and spiritual communion between men and women is paramount. You’re spouting such nonsense to proliferate demons.]

Though she had provoked the demon by sympathizing with a demon who doesn’t know the happiness of making children.

[Because you want demons to increase in your own way, you’ve brought in matching logic to fit that. You’re just looking for reasons to abandon the method of bearing offspring.]

In the end, the essence is that this demon is “Mateless.”

[If it were words from a woman who had given birth, raised a child, and suffered terribly because of that child, I would understand and sympathize. But you, have you ever given birth to a child?]

“…….”

[Have you ever purely given birth to a child through love with a man, not by multiplying yourself, not by creating something that looks like offspring?]

“…….”

[Of course not. Even if it were possible, you wouldn’t have done it, and you haven’t even tried. You’re just a demon, merely pretending to be human.]

In reality, whatever her other name might be, this demon might understand male-female sexual intercourse, but knows nothing about the necessity of mating, reproduction, and nurturing.

[Whatever grand picture you’ve painted, you’ll simply disappear from this angel’s island. If there’s even a trace of humanity in you, you’ll endure this and remain as a human.]

Whiiing.

[If you’re human, you’ll remain; if you’re a demon, you’ll perish.]

Golden energy began to sparkle in Ymir’s hand.

[If there’s even a trace, even 1% of humanity in you, at least that part would remain. But what should we do? I don’t see such a part in you.]

A ring of light unfurled from her wrist, targeting Mateless, and her outstretched palm shone with brilliant golden light.

[Do you have any last words? I’ll listen to your final statement.]

“Final statement? …I see. So I’m allowed to leave a final statement. Hmm. In that case.”

Mateless smiled fiercely and sneered at Ymir and me.

“Even if your child is born incompetent and with disabilities, would reproduction still be happiness?”

[I asked for final words, but you’re spewing curses. Until the end, truly, you’re a filthy and disgusting demon.]

“And.”

Mateless’s gaze shifted toward Qiongqi.

“For someone who’s dead and can’t even bear childr—”

Bang. Bang.

Two gunshots rang out simultaneously.

I pulled the trigger, and Ymir released the magical power she had prepared in her hand, shooting it toward Mateless.

Fsssssh.

Mateless’s body disappears.

Just like when Dueoksini died, Mateless crumbled into ash and vanished like mist.

“It’s over.”

I remove my mask.

Without completely undoing my transformation, I adjust the magical clothing created for battle into a more ordinary form.

Mateless.

The second demon from another world.

She died without ever understanding the concept of making children.

Fwooosh.

Ymir also undoes her transformation.

She’s briefly naked before transforming again into ordinary civilian clothes.

“…It’s fine if she talks nonsense to me, but I couldn’t stand her talking nonsense to others. I’m sorry.”

“No, that.”

“Well, it’s not wrong, is it?”

Qiongqi pats my back and winks.

I was trying to ignore it, but Qiongqi nods at me, indicating it’s okay.

“Is there a problem with knowing? There isn’t, right?”

“…….”

“It might be more comfortable to just tell. She probably already suspected something to some extent. Now she’s just become certain.”

“That….”

Ymir scratches her cheek and turns her gaze to Yoon Hye-ra.

“The reason for being Yimemangryang, is it what I think it is?”

“That’s right. As you think, this is the kind of person I am.”

Fssssh.

As Yoon Hye-ra extends her hand forward and releases magical power, her hand begins to become translucent.

“I can have physical force through mana power, but if I use up all my mana, I can’t maintain my sense of self.”

“That’s, a ghost….”

“Yes. I’m a dead person. An S-class abandoned by the country who returned as a vengeful spirit. Well, isn’t that common in a world of ability users? Just like a ghost joining a world domination organization to overthrow the country.”

Yoon Hye-ra raises one hand in front of her face and grins.

“I’m the S-class villain known as ‘Black Flame Demon Phoenix’ who tried to cause a national overthrow.”

“……Eh?”

“My name as a hero was tainted, I was treated as a villain and couldn’t use my previous name. Then, thanks to the boss’s grace, I was resurrected as ‘Qiongqi Yoon Hye-ra,’ if only as a soul. That’s who I am.”

“…….”

Ymir’s eyes shake greatly.

She’s asking me ‘is it true?’ with her eyes, and I had no intention of denying it.

“Mateless just said it. A body that can’t reproduce. Of course. Just as new life can’t dwell in a demon, the dead also cannot bear new life. That’s… the same for the other executives.”

“Resurrecting the dead….”

Ymir still doesn’t know about Lord of Radiant Wings’ condition.

“Even so, not just one or two people, but resurrecting the dead…!”

“Strictly speaking, it’s not resurrection. We’re just vengeful spirits.”

That’s why we are “Yimemangryang.”

“The Goblin here isn’t a ghost but a person though. Heheh.”

“…The Syndicate has various dead people. Those whose social identities have been erased. Those abandoned by the country. Those who killed their previous personalities and were reborn with new ones. But there are only four who actually died and were resurrected as ghosts, including Hye-ra.”

Lord of Radiant Wings doesn’t count since he’s not part of The Syndicate.

And his case is different, so he doesn’t count.

“Since I’m dead, I can’t have children. Sex… I can do that.”

“Ha, haha….”

“Still, I can’t sympathize with Mateless’s words. Why? Because we live with ‘hope.'”

Yoon Hye-ra hugged me from behind and grinned.

“I’m planning to be reborn with the Goblin’s help. Heheheh.”

“……?”

Ymir’s eyes shake greatly.

“Well, don’t think too complicated. The important thing is one.”

Yoon Hye-ra stroked my stomach from behind and slowly moved her hand downward.

“Patriotic Sex knows the answer. So, shall the three of us go to Ulleungdo to celebrate our victory? To have patriotic sex to commemorate the victory.”

“……Is everything okay if it’s patriotic sex?”

“Of course.”

This world is a patriotic light novel.

Patriotism is justice.