Chapter 67: Return

Though the Demon King was defeated, Selenoxia remained asleep.

“I can’t restore the world on my own. We’ll have to wait for Asteria to awaken.”
“…That’s… incredible.”
“There’s no need for formalities, Avalli. You are the savior of this world. You don’t have to be so polite.”

Lumia said respectfully. While always courteous, she was even more deferential now, after Avalli’s defeat of the Demon King. It was hard to believe she was the same being who had initially sent her Archangels to apprehend Avalli as a criminal.

“I prefer it this way.”
“Very well. As you wish.”

Lumia poured Avalli a cup of hot cocoa. They had grown accustomed to these tea parties, but this would be their last. It was time for Avalli to return to Asha Village.

“Lumia,”
“Yes, Avalli?”
“Was the Demon King always that strong? I… wasn’t expecting that.”

Lumia paused, then shook her head.

“He… is a manifestation of this world’s negative energy. When the continent was less populated, when we were still young… we could reason with him. But at some point, he succumbed to madness.”

Ancient Transcendent Beings had sacrificed their lives to defeat him, but he had always returned, a recurring threat. Lumia called him a ‘phenomenon’, not a being. If he were simply a living creature, he would have been destroyed long ago. But that was all in the past now.

“And you actually… defeated him permanently.”
“You said you could reason with him before…”

Avalli fiddled with the Demon King’s magic stone, which she’d fashioned into a necklace. Lumia had been horrified when she first saw it, then stunned when she realized it was devoid of any will, any consciousness. That was a few days ago.

Lumia’s increased deference stemmed from that realization. If Avalli, capable of destroying even the Demon King, turned malevolent… there would be nothing to stop her.

“Is something troubling you, Avalli?”
“No. Nothing at all.”

Avalli tucked the necklace away and sipped her cocoa. Then she spoke the name of the one who, instead of the Demon King, had now become the Goddesses’ new concern.

“So, how is Evan doing?”
“…He’s… calmer now, having accepted his… situation. But I don’t know how long that will last.”

Evan, the Hero. The leader of the “Last Hope,” the five-person party who set out 500 years ago to seal the Demon King.

The other four members had perished in the battle. Evan, mortally wounded, had plunged the holy sword into the Demon King’s heart, sealing him away, but he had been caught in Selenoxia’s world-freezing magic during his escape.

500 years later, when Avalli defeated the Demon King, Evan… had become a woman.

‘I don’t understand why.’

Neither did the Archangels or Lumia. Apparently, his ‘very soul had been reshaped,’ possibly a curse inflicted by the Demon King just before he was sealed. And only the caster could lift such a curse. While some weaker curses could be broken by killing the caster, the Demon King’s curses only grew stronger in death.

‘…He hasn’t blamed me.’

But Avalli still felt responsible.

Hearing his story had evoked a sense of pity within her. He had lost his family to the demons 500 years ago, joined the war effort, and lost countless comrades. He had carried the hopes of humanity, marched over the bodies of his fallen friends, and succeeded in sealing the Demon King—

—but his sacrifice had been… meaningless.

The world had still been on the brink of destruction. He had gained only a temporary reprieve, frozen in time, unable to enjoy even that small victory.

And now, he had awakened. 500 years had passed, his body was no longer his own, and the world he had fought to protect… was a broken, empty shell.

It was understandable that he was…unbalanced.

“I’m planning to return today.”
“There’s no need to rush, Avalli. We still have time before the next full moon… although your help would be appreciated, I can’t ask anything more of you, the savior of our world.”
“If you need me, just call. It’s not that difficult for me to travel between worlds.”

Avalli gave Lumia the antenna-like device she had received from Gail.

“What… is this?”, “A kind of… amplifier. I broke the other one fighting the Demon King. Gail is making another. You can use this to contact me directly. I don’t fully understand the principles, but… it’s like a satellite phone, I guess.”

“Satellite…?”

Lumia tilted her head, confused.

“…But even if communication is possible, the gate between worlds only opens during the full moon.”
“Then we can just… make it a full moon.”
“…What?”
“I’m sure it’s not that difficult if you understand the mechanics.”

Lumia’s eyes widened at Avalli’s casual remark. Even a Goddess was still bound by the laws of this world, this planet.

Avalli, with her knowledge of the ‘universe’, had a different perspective. While manipulating the moon’s cycles was a different matter entirely…

‘It’s possible.’

And for Avalli, it wasn’t that difficult. She was an overpowered character in a Very Easy world. With enough mana, and her unique ‘magic’, she could bend reality to her will.

“So, as I said, I’m leaving today. But could I ask you for one more favor?”
“Anything at all! Although, it’s a shame you won’t be here to enjoy all the snacks I prepared…”
“Then make it two favors. One, the snacks—”, Avalli said, then added with a slightly embarrassed smile, “—and… is this even possible?”
“I… don’t know, but I’m sure it’s possible.”
“Then it’s your turn to ask for a favor!”

Lumia took Avalli’s hands, her voice filled with a quiet desperation.

“Avalli… Evan’s power… I can’t control it alone. We’ll need all three of us, Asteria and Selenoxia as well, to… contain him. But that would be… cruel. So… we were hoping… you could help him.”
“I’ll see what I can do. Leave it to me.”

Avalli said, standing up.

“Now, about those snacks…”

She left the throne room and headed towards Evan’s chambers. Raziel, sensing her departure, appeared instantly.

“Are you leaving already, Avalli?”
“I can’t stay here forever.”
“That’s a shame. I was hoping we could spend more time together.”

Raziel looked disappointed.

‘…Is it really disappointment?’

Or perhaps just scientific curiosity? To Raziel, obsessed with mysteries, Avalli was a walking treasure trove of knowledge.

“I’ll come back. So don’t be sad.”
“Really? When? Why?”
“It seems waking Selenoxia isn’t easy.”

Raziel nodded at her words.

“It’s her dream, after all, that other world. Swapping it with the real world is theoretically possible, but… who knows what might happen?”
“I’ll come back then. It’s better than letting the world be destroyed while I’m away.”
“Really? That’s a relief!”

Raziel beamed, flapping his wings excitedly.

‘So that’s how they work.’

She could probably do something similar with mana, but it wouldn’t feel the same.

‘…Should I make myself some wings?’

She mused, then entered a building on the outskirts of the city, its walls scarred and broken. It seemed Lumia’s account of Evan’s outburst was accurate.

“Hello, Evan.”

She said, entering the room. A black-haired woman with empty eyes looked up at her. Even her loose-fitting clothes couldn’t hide her feminine curves.

“Hello.”
“Are you feeling better?”

Evan shook her head. “…I’m still confused. I… I don’t understand what’s happening.”

Her voice was filled with despair.

“None of this feels real. I don’t… know what to do.”
“Then come with me.”

Avalli approached and offered her hand.

“I’m not sure if it will work, but… let’s find a way to break that curse.”

A flicker of hope appeared in Evan’s eyes, then faded.

“The curse isn’t the problem. Even if I returned to my original body… everyone who remembers me is…gone.”
“Don’t be so gloomy. Let’s visit Sylvain.”
“…Sylvain? Is she… still alive?”
“Yes. I need to report back to her anyway. That’s why I’m here in the first place.”

Avalli pulled Evan to her feet.

“W…Wait. I’m not ready—”
“Ready for what? Just come with me. You’re bringing everyone down with your moping. …Are you even human anymore?”

There was no reply. Even if there had been, Avalli would have taken her anyway. After defeating the Demon King, there was no one in this world who could stop her.

“Let’s go. You should at least see the world you saved.”