Chapter 68: Return (2)

The childhood memories were hazy.

A rural village, a quiet father, a kind mother, friendly villagers, and boisterous friends. Despite the constant news of unrest and turmoil in the world beyond, she remembered a… happy childhood. Perhaps the shared sense of danger had strengthened their bonds.

Until that day.

‘Evan, hide in the basement. Don’t come out until it’s quiet…!’

She remembered her mother’s last words. She had heard the screams from above but covered her ears, holding her breath, trying not to make a sound, desperately clinging to life, even as she knew everyone else was dying.

It was one of her biggest regrets, a recurring nightmare. What was the point of surviving alone?

When the screams finally stopped, she crept out of the basement. The stench of burning flesh filled the air. Everyone was dead.

What happened after that… she couldn’t quite remember. Her childhood memories were too fragmented.

But one image remained vivid. A sword, unlike any she had ever seen, embedded in the ground.

‘Fight.’

The sword had spoken. And so, she had—

****

‘It works even without the full moon.’

The pathway between worlds existed regardless of the moon’s phase. It was just more unstable, more dangerous. But with enough mana to stabilize the passage, it was manageable.

Raziel would have protested, ‘But it’s daytime!’, but… the moon was often visible even during the day, simply obscured by the sun’s brightness.

Avalli nodded, satisfied, and looked at Evan, who emerged from the portal behind her, effortlessly levitating, as expected of the Hero who had plunged a holy sword into the Demon King’s heart.

‘The Hero’s more of a… jack-of-all-trades, not a pure swordsman.’

Avalli recalled her friend’s words.

He could wield various weapons, use magic and even divine magic. And depending on how he was leveled up, he could even acquire unique classes.

‘And I’m probably the Hero.’

The player, regardless of their chosen class, was always considered the ‘Hero’. That’s why Lumia had made such a… monumental request.

And now, having defeated the Demon King, she had essentially completed the game, a speedrun skipping most of the content, but a completion nonetheless.

“…Avalli.”

Evan’s hesitant voice interrupted her train of thought.

“What? Are you scared of heights?”
“No, it’s not that…”

She pointed at the city below.

“What… is that place?”
“The Holy Kingdom, of course.”
“…The Holy Kingdom?”

Evan looked shocked.

“Is it… different?”, “It looks… similar, but…”

The Holy Kingdom she remembered had been a city on the brink of collapse, consumed by despair, the Demon King’s forces closing in, every news bulletin a litany of defeats and destruction.

But the city below…

“…It’s… vibrant.”
“It’s the capital, after all. And in a world where gods actually exist… well, it makes sense.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t worry about it. I talk nonsense sometimes.”

Avalli took Evan’s hand, ignoring her attempts to pull away.

‘If only I were still in my original body…!’

Evan thought, frustrated. But even then, she wouldn’t have been able to break free. Her strength hadn’t changed; it was simply that Avalli’s strength was beyond her comprehension.

“Let’s go down.”
“…I don’t want to.”
“You should at least see the other Archangels.”
“The others? They’re…”, “Metatron, Azazel, Michael, Cassiel.”
Evan’s face brightened slightly.

“…They’re all… alright?”
“You protected them, didn’t you?”

Avalli said, pulling Evan downwards.

“I know this place better, so just follow my lead.”
“…Who first? I’m not… comfortable seeing Metatron.”
“Don’t worry, I need to talk to Azazel first.”

Avalli remembered Azazel’s reaction on the night of the full moon, his ecstatic cry of “She’s finally gone!”. He was understandably uncomfortable around her, but he didn’t have to announce it to the entire world.

‘Just a little teasing.’

Avalli grinned mischievously and headed straight for Azazel’s office. Evan, seeing her expression, was starting to have second thoughts about trusting her, but… she needed Avalli’s help to break the curse.

“Aza~zel!”
“Kyaaaaa!”

A shriek echoed through the office as Avalli appeared, having opened the window without a sound.

“M…Monster! I mean, Avalli!”

Azazel looked utterly terrified, then, realizing his slip-up, stammered, his wings trembling,

“Avalli…? B…But it’s not the full moon. How…?”
“I just… came.”
“…Just… came?”
“Yep.”

Her casual reply shattered his understanding of reality, but… it was Avalli, so he couldn’t argue.

“And… who is this?”

“Want to introduce yourself? Or should I do the honors?”
“…I’ll do it. It’s not like it’s difficult.”

Evan stepped forward, her fists clenched. Azazel’s gaze shifted, his eyes widening, and then his wings spread wide as he recognized her.

“Evan! It’s you!” He rushed forward and grabbed her hands. “What… are you…? No, wait. That’s not important. You’re… alive! I’m so glad!”
“How…?”

“Don’t you remember? I can see the colors of souls.”

It was a conversation they’d had during their first meeting, hundreds of years ago for Azazel, a few years ago for Evan. Evan had asked why he hadn’t killed her, and he’d said her soul was too bright for a demon.

“…Oh. Right. This… this body… it’s a curse. From the Demon King.”

Azazel flinched at the mention of the Demon King.

But only for a moment.

‘The Demon King is dead.’

Defeated 500 years ago. By Evan, who had plunged a holy sword into his heart. Selenoxia, the eldest Goddess, had then frozen time to preserve that victory, sacrificing herself to maintain the fragile peace.

That was Azazel’s reality. The Goddesses had deliberately concealed the truth about the war’s outcome.

“If I had known about the curse, I would have asked how to break it before I killed him.”
“…Don’t underestimate him. The Demon King wasn’t an easy opponent, even for you, Avalli.”
“He wasn’t easy, but… I could have asked at least one question… Well, maybe not. He wasn’t exactly the… conversational type.”

Azazel felt a wave of dizziness listening to their exchange.

“U…Um, Avalli… who did you… kill? I’m not… following…”
“The Demon King, obviously.”
“…What?!”

Azazel stared at her, dumbfounded. Avalli realized her mistake.

“Oh, right. Lumia told me not to mention it. That the Demon King was still alive, I mean… it’s classified information, even for Archangels, isn’t it?”
“…It’s probably fine now. It’s over, after all. And besides, we should be thanking you.”
“Well, if you say so.”

Azazel had experienced the Demon King’s power firsthand, having desperately erected defensive barriers to protect the Holy Kingdom from his devastating magic attacks. He knew those attacks, which required all of his power to block, were mere… whims of the Demon King. If the Demon King had attacked seriously, only direct intervention from one of the Goddesses could have stopped him.

The mere thought that such a being was still alive until recently was enough to make him panic, but—

‘She… killed him?’

And so casually?

“Azazel? What’s wrong? Are you alright?”

Avalli approached the pale-faced angel. He had always been wary of her, of course, seeing her as a monster, but after that revelation, he couldn’t even look at her.

“…”
“Azazel? Azazel? Look at me.”
“He’s always been a bit…sensitive.”

Evan said, watching Azazel faint.

“…That’s…a strangely comforting feeling.”
“What is?”
“That someone… remembers me.”

A faint blush colored Evan’s cheeks. Avalli grinned and took her hand.

“Let’s go see the others.”, “I can walk on my own.” Evan grumbled, but she didn’t try to pull away this time.

“It’s fine. Consider it a… girlish privilege.”
“…What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’ll tell you later. Or… maybe not. Let’s go!”

Avalli said, and they left Azazel’s office.

A while later, Azazel regained consciousness, looked around his empty office, and muttered,

“A dream?”