Chapter 288

Chapter 288

The Demon King’s horn was cut off.

The voice that echoed in the room, where I thought only the Demon King and I were present, belonged to none other than Luna.

Luna, who had entered the castle with me but had remained silent and unseen, hadn’t shown herself at all, even during the battle with Keltus.

Of course, I hadn’t thought for a moment that she was in danger.

Luna’s stealth skills had surpassed mine to such an extent that it had become difficult for me to sense her presence when she concealed herself.

I had doubted if she could even fool the Demon King’s aura, but seeing her caught off guard, even if it was just a horn, it seemed the Demon King hadn’t sensed Luna’s presence either.

“Are you okay, Senior?”

As the Demon King’s face, which had been expressionless until now, showed the first sign of surprise, I, freed from her grasp, took a moment to catch my breath with a slight cough.

“I’m not hurt. Thanks for helping me at such a timely moment.”

This was also why I hadn’t been too worried after being caught by the Demon King.

Even though I couldn’t sense Luna’s presence, I trusted her as a comrade.

Luna had essentially become my spare life.

Furthermore, Luna seemed to have grasped the general situation from our conversation, even if she didn’t know the details.

Instead of aiming for the Demon King’s neck, she had cut off the Demon King’s horn.

Well, perhaps she simply couldn’t aim for the neck.

What would happen if a person suddenly lost an arm?

It wouldn’t stop at just losing an arm.

For a swordsman, their body’s balance would be off, preventing them from executing their honed swordsmanship properly.

For a mage, they wouldn’t even be able to form hand seals correctly.

What if the severed arm was the one they primarily used?

They would struggle even to eat.

For a demon, a horn must hold at least as much significance as an arm, if not more.

I didn’t know what kind of handicap losing a horn would cause for the Demon King, but the situation had at least become slightly more favorable for us.

Luna, who had performed admirably, looked at the Demon King, whose appearance resembled mine, with a complex expression, as if she had many questions.

However, she put them aside for now and approached me.

Luna didn’t hide in the darkness again but showed concern for me.

No matter how excellent Luna’s stealth skills were, now that she had revealed herself, it was practically impossible to launch another surprise attack on the Demon King, who was aware of the assassin’s presence.

Even if weakened by the loss of a horn, the Demon King was still the Demon King.

The Demon King was not so foolish as to be ambushed twice after being ambushed once.

“If you’re thankful, let’s go on a date when we get back!”

“…That word came out of nowhere, didn’t it?”

It didn’t seem like something one should say in front of the Demon King, especially in the Demon King’s castle, but Luna pouted and insisted, regardless of the Demon King’s presence.

“But last time, I was drunk, so I don’t even remember the date I had with Senior properly!

Please? Please? You’ll go on a date with me, right?

If you don’t do this, it’ll be hard to be alone with you because of those other aunties!”

‘Aunties.’

She casually said things that would make my other friends flip out.

Even I, though I often forgot because I was used to acting as ‘Elysia Frentz,’ was actually two years younger than Celian and the same age as Presia.

Hmm….

This means I’m a step away from being one of the ‘aunties’ Luna is talking about.

“Alright. Alright, so go back down and help the others.

Thanks to you, I can handle it from here on my own.”

There was nothing an assassin who had already revealed herself could do against someone more skilled than herself.

If she were a swordsman with exceptional skill, perhaps, but unfortunately, in this situation, all Luna could do was cheer me on.

Of course, receiving Luna’s support would be somewhat encouraging, but it wouldn’t be of any practical help.

Luna, being a sharp and quick-witted assassin, knew this fact and didn’t argue, only furrowing her brow for a moment.

“…You definitely promised.

If you break your promise, I’ll follow you to the grave!”

Instead, knowing that it would be more helpful to me if she quickly sorted things out with the other party on the lower floor, Luna quickly left, leaving only me and the Demon King.

Speaking of a date with Luna….

Recalling the memory of being swayed by a drunken Luna last time made my face flush with embarrassment.

“Well, it’s common sense that a hero isn’t alone, right?

You can accept this much, can’t you?”

Putting aside such trivial thoughts for a moment, I picked up the holy sword I had dropped and threw a joke at the Demon King.

She didn’t seem to find it very funny, as there was no reaction from the Demon King.

“Alright, then let’s start the second round.

I won’t be easily caught like before.”

However, the Demon King seemed quite shocked by the loss of her horn.

Even when I spoke to her, she was still disoriented, staggering as she stood.

“Kuh….

How… It’s impossible….”

Even if losing a horn was a significant blow, this reaction seemed excessive.

It seemed she couldn’t believe that a mere assassin had fooled her senses and landed a surprise attack.

But that was short-lived.

Soon, as if regaining her senses, the Demon King slowly unfurrowed her brows, which had been scrunched up, and straightened her bent back.

And the Demon King’s eyes, which looked at me, were now filled with life, unlike before when they were only filled with emptiness.

“Zeno….”

The voice that called me was filled with warmth.

***

There was a girl.

If one were to be precise, she couldn’t be called an ordinary girl.

In the world, there are children abandoned by their parents due to poverty, and children who, despite being deserving of love, are not loved.

Compared to such children, a girl born into a wealthy noble family, loved by doting parents, and with a sibling to whom she could extend the love learned from her parents, might not be called ordinary, but she could certainly be called a happy girl.

Every day was filled with happiness.

When she woke up in the morning, her sibling, who had fallen asleep holding her hand tightly due to the thunderstorm the previous night, greeted her.

She always woke up tens of minutes earlier than her sibling, but because she would scrutinize her cute sibling’s face, she always stayed in bed until her sibling woke up.

The start of the morning was good.

‘Today is a little more enjoyable than usual.’

The girl whispered to herself and chuckled.

“Oh, my dear. You look so happy today!

Did something good happen?”

“Hehe, it’s a secret!”

It was time to greet her parents in the morning.

Her mother, seeing her daughter’s beaming face, asked with a smile.

But the girl, wanting to keep her sibling’s cute face all to herself, kept the reason for her good mood a secret from her mother as well.

Of course, a little girl’s secret was easily seen by her mother.

Therefore, her mother didn’t pry into her daughter’s small secret but asked back in a playful voice.

“Still, it’s good that you seem happy.

With that mood, you should be able to enjoy today’s history lesson, shouldn’t you?”

“Eek….”

The girl’s expression immediately soured, just as her mother had expected.

If asked to name her second most disliked thing recently, the girl would undoubtedly say the incredibly boring history lessons she had started attending not long ago.

Of course, the first was carrots in stew, but she never imagined there would be something that could rival it, making this a truly momentous event for her.

“Sister, Sister!

Can I listen too?”

If her adorable sibling, who was sitting next to her, holding a pen with their small finger and scribbling illegible letters, wasn’t there to listen to the lesson together, the girl would have unhesitatingly chosen it as her first dislike.

Even above those tasteless carrots!

“Yes, of course.

If you don’t understand anything during the lesson, feel free to ask me anytime!”

The girl puffed out her chest, placed her hands on her hips, and spoke proudly, intending to be a proud older sister for her sibling.

As expected, her sibling looked up with sparkling eyes and replied.

The fact that she consistently got one or two fewer questions right than her younger sibling on quizzes was not important to either the girl or her sibling.

“Haha, son.

Didn’t you agree to learn swordsmanship from this father starting today?”

“But I like reading and writing more….

Swordsmanship is too hard.”

It’s scary, too.

The boy mumbled, his head bowed low, barely audible.

“A man, after all, should have strength….

What if terrifying monsters appear?

You’ll have to protect your family, won’t you?”

Instead of reacting enthusiastically to his father’s words, the boy flinched at the mention of terrifying monsters and tightly clutched his sister’s sleeve.

“It’s okay!

Protecting you is my role as your sister!”

The girl declared confidently, tapping her chest with her hand instead of her brother.

The girl also hated scary things, but she could tolerate it for her sibling.

“Hoho….”

The father, who had dreamed of bonding with his son through swordsmanship lessons, didn’t know whether to be sad about being abandoned by his son or happy that he was at least saved by his daughter.

He could only let out a hollow laugh.

And so, the girl spent another ordinary but happy day, attending classes with her sibling, playing in the garden during breaks, getting covered in dirt, and getting scolded by her mother, yet still giggling.

Satisfied with the day she had spent so faithfully, the girl closed her eyes and drifted off to dreamland.

,

.

.

Early in the morning, the girl wakes up.

Her sibling, who had fallen asleep holding her hand tightly due to the thunderstorm the previous night, greeted her.

She always woke up tens of minutes earlier than her sibling, but because she would scrutinize her cute sibling’s face, she always stayed in bed until her sibling woke up.

Huh?

Did it rain last night?

Was there a thunderstorm?

A moment of doubt crossed her mind, but it was just a moment.

As soon as she saw her sibling’s cute face, breathing softly, the doubt vanished from her mind.

“Oh, my dear.

You look so happy today!

Did something good happen?”

“Hehe, it’s a secret!”

Her mother asks the daughter who came to greet her in the morning, and the girl replies.

“Still, it’s good that you seem happy.

With that mood, you should be able to enjoy today’s history lesson, shouldn’t you?”

“Eek….”

“Sister, Sister!

Can I listen too?”

“Yes, of course.

If you don’t understand anything during the lesson, feel free to ask me anytime!”

Her mood briefly soured at her mother’s words, but it immediately recovered at her sibling’s question.

“A man, after all, should have strength….

What if terrifying monsters appear?

You’ll have to protect your family, won’t you?”

“It’s okay!

Protecting you is my role as your sister!”

And then, in response to her brother’s fear, she steps forward.

And so, after a day that was as happy as it could be, the girl lies down in bed again and falls asleep.

.

.

The girl wakes up in the morning, and as always, she greets the day by seeing her cute sibling’s face.

She looks dejected at the mention of history class, but then her sibling speaks, and she smiles brightly as if nothing had happened.

She also declares in place of her frightened sibling that protecting her sibling is her role.

And so, she spends another fulfilling day and lies down in bed with a happy feeling again.

.

The happy days, as if drawn from a dream, repeat, spent with her loving family.

Yesterday.

Today.

Tomorrow.

“Sister…?”

“Uh, yeah?”

The girl suddenly startled at her sibling’s voice from beside her and turned around.

Her sibling looked at her with a worried gaze.

Even her anxious appearance was incredibly endearing.

By the way, what was I talking about?

“A man, after all, should have strength….

What if terrifying monsters appear?

You’ll have to protect your family, won’t you?”

Ah, right.

Her father always spoke persuasively to her brother, who was afraid of swordsmanship, and each time, she would reply like this.

“It’s okay!

Protecting you is my role as your sister!”

However, for some reason, after confidently answering, the girl tilted her head.

It felt as if she was forgetting something.

“Sister?

Are you sick?

You shouldn’t be sick….”

Seeing her act unusually, her sibling worriedly asked in a trembling voice.

For some reason, it sounded like a girl’s voice.

Ah.

Only then did the girl finally realize why a sense of déjà vu was flickering before her eyes.

The repeating days were certainly sweet.

She had loving parents and a beloved sibling.

There were no hardships or adversities mentioned in the hero’s tales, only joy.

It would be foolish to refuse it.

If she ignored it and endured for just a little longer, she could enjoy today, just like yesterday, the day before yesterday, a week ago, a year ago, countless repeated todays.

But seeing her sibling’s worried face, hearing her trembling voice, she realized.

This happiness was a lie, and the truth was terribly cruel.

Ah, my poor sibling.

How scared you must have been.

How hard it must have been.

Weren’t you hungry?

Weren’t you sick?

Thinking of the pain her frail sibling must have endured, such a sweet dream was never permitted to her.

She couldn’t be by her side.

Was that all?

Our wonderful sibling, perhaps tired of waiting, had come to find her in place of their incompetent older sister.

Yes.

As an older sister, she shouldn’t show such a pathetic side.

So, it is time to wake up from the dream.

“Protecting my sibling is my role as an older sister.”

“It’s okay!

Protecting you is my role as your sister!”

As she had declared in the repeating days, protecting her sibling was her role.

***

Thus, ‘Elysia Frentz’ awoke from her long slumber and finally opened her eyes.

What she saw before her was a woman who resembled her mother, and whom she imagined she would look like when she grew up.

Although their appearances were completely different, for some reason, the ‘girl’ naturally uttered the name of her ‘sibling.’

“Zeno….”

There was no doubt, no question, no hesitation in that voice.