episode_0029

“You don’t seem to be very afraid of dying.”

Master said, looking at Astesia who was sitting calmly.

What I saw of Astesia showed no fear.

“I don’t want many people to die. Whether it’s a demon or a human. I think that when we talk about people, it includes both current demons and humans. Even though she is a succubus, she was raised in a monastery since she was young.”

“Monastery? While being a demon?”

Peria was surprised when the unexpected confession came out.

“Yes. Although he was of Baron’s blood, he was an illegitimate child born to a low-class succubus, so he was abandoned in a secluded village where humans live nearby. The monastery treated me as a human child and raised me as such. But gradually it started to grow.”

Small bat wings flutter behind the succubus’ head.

“In the religious order, if a demon is caught because of its doctrine, it is tortured. So, if it is discovered that I am in the monastery that hid me, everyone will be in trouble.”

I remember things that happened in the past.

In the case where a demon was captured alive, heresy judges from the Gaia Church came running, patched up the wounds, tore them open, and soaked them in water.

‘It was almost impossible to distinguish between demons and humans.’

There was no interrogation. They just kept doing things to make the death as painful as possible.

“I realized that the others were demons, so I ran away to the demon territory before I was caught. There, I happened to meet the Demon King, who recognized my magical power, and it was taken away. So I cannot disobey his words.”

“But then…”

‘Isn’t it abandoned again?’

I swallowed the last words that were about to come out of my mouth.

A child who was abandoned and ran away out of fear that others would get hurt.

Then, he was scouted by the Demon King, who recognized his potential for power, but even the Demon King couldn’t handle it, so he threw it to us.

There is no place to stand either in the land of humans or the land of demons.

‘Can we really say that the Demon King took Astesia out of pure good intentions? Rather, wouldn’t it be possible to pretend not to know, build up debt by collecting money, and then use it as a weapon?’

So a little doubt arises.

Is the medicine I am currently taking really a medicine that will cause me to die painlessly?

‘There is a possibility that it is not.’

Rather, there is a possibility that it is a medicine to bring down the devil.

The succubus in front of me is so innocent. They are so innocent demons that they are talking to us right in front of us. Therefore, it is more reasonable to believe that she, who was innocent, was deceived by the devil.

‘Even if that’s true. There’s no other way.’

The problem is that there is currently no way to prevent the devil from coming to us.

Absence of forces to fight against the devil.

The knights, the church’s paladins, and the high-ranking wizards would all be heading towards the royal castle now.

‘The Minotaurs are a distraction, and by releasing the demons here, one front line will be completely devastated.’

I put my tongue out at the devil’s elaborate plan.

I get scared because I think there is no way to stop the devil from coming.

One day later, all the troops and spirit soldiers will leave, and 10 days later, when the devil descends, everyone there will die.

It is clear that this is not an incident on a scale that I can prevent.

“This is really difficult.”

The teacher was perplexed as if he had guessed something similar to me, and then just sipped the tea with one arm.

“If there is nothing you can do, you will have no choice but to step down. It’s admirable that they ask our opinions even though they’re talking about their own death, but I don’t like that there’s only one option.”

I still have regrets, but I gave up.

This is just a guess. There is a possibility that Astesia’s words are true and that our guess was based on the assumption that events were progressing in a very hopeless direction.

Either way, it is no longer a matter for us to resolve.

Astesia tries to reassure us until the very end.

“If you are at all concerned, I will tell you one more thing. This is a secret even to the demons outside. In fact, the demon king told me to dismantle this castle if a demon descends, but I plan to move the castle again if something happens.”

Astesia took out a map hidden under a cushion and showed it to us.

It was a map showing the geography of this area, and in one corner of the map there was a circle she had marked.

“ Looking at the surrounding geography of this territory, I found a place called the Land of Death. If the devil shows signs of coming, I will move the castle there. I’m sorry for breaking the Demon Lord’s expectations in the end, but I will make sure no harm comes to you.”

Although I feel relieved to say that, the decision remains that Astesia will die in the end no matter what.

Perhaps because she grew up in a monastery, unlike a demon, she had already thought about saving both demons and humans.

‘Actually, the monastery I know teaches that demons must be killed at all costs.’

I quietly look at the small succubus.

I heard that the growth speed of demons is similar to that of humans. Although she is not even an adult yet, she already has a wonderfully courageous mind.

A moment of silence.

Everyone was lost in their own thoughts and the conversation ended.

While everyone was quietly drinking their tea without saying a word, Peria pulled out a chair and came closer to Astesia.

Peria reacted loudly when the word “convent” was mentioned, but was deep in thought.

“Hey, you.”

“Yes? Is there anything else you would like to ask?”

Everyone focuses on Peria’s words. It looks like Peria may have thought of a good solution that we missed.

“Are you a virgin, by any chance?”

“Poooop!”

It wasn’t.

“Why is he suddenly acting so suddenly? I’m going crazy.”

At Peria’s sudden words, Master spits out the tea he was drinking.

“Cough! Cough!”

Peria leaves the Master, who continues to cough to make sure he heard the sound correctly, and takes out a small glass bottle and holds it out to him.

“If you are a virgin, will you do me a favor? Can I shed some tears here?”

‘Now that I think about it, one of the ingredients was the tears of a pure succubus.’

This is a desperate opportunity for Peria. Even so, it was definitely not a sound that would come out in this situation.

“Hey, is that still something to bring up now? It was a very solemn atmosphere.”

“Noisy, this is more important to me than anything else. Do the people who live here have any business with me?”

“No, whatever. From your perspective, it may be so.”

Even if the material was urgent, I think it was a story that could be brought up later. However, when Peria saw the young-looking succubus who had lived in a convent, her eyes widened.

“If you grew up in a convent, you are definitely a virgin. Right? Looking at his personality, I don’t think he went around messing around, right?”

“Ma, that’s true, but tears? I’m a little embarrassed because you said it so suddenly, but there’s nothing I can’t give you as a gift. But I don’t know if it will come out right away.”

Astesia was also embarrassed and took the glass bottle with both hands.

Even though it was a completely unexpected request, I accepted it.

After that, we thought about it again, but since we couldn’t do anything more, we decided to call it a day.

“Okay, what should I do, I should just go back and pray.”

Can not help it.

Whether you believe that or not, even though she looks weak, there is no way for us to kill her, and the only way to believe in the devil’s coming is to believe her.

“Do you know the way out?”

“I will send it outside. There are many ways in, but the only way out is by making my own.”

Astesia added as we all stood up.

“And when you return and report, will you keep the story about me a secret? You guys didn’t get this far in the end.”

“Why?”

“I did it because the Demon King told me to lead the army and fight, but in reality, there are many things involved.”

This is what Astesia says:

It is said that there was a big fight in the land of demons due to the conflict between those who were opposed to the war with humans and those who were in favor of the war. They reached a consensus and decided that if they failed, this would be the last time they sent in a final conquest.

So, on the surface, Astesia, who possessed powerful magical powers, was sent as a general, but with her death, the war ended in failure, and the intention was to calm public opinion about the war within the Demon Territory.

For me, it would be better if I reported simply and the war ended as it was, rather than making things complicated by talking about the bomb called Asmodeus.

Unless this isn’t true and Asmodeus suddenly descends.

“But then didn’t that mean you didn’t have to tell us? If we had been sent out before we came in, no one would have known the truth.”

Astesia pauses slightly before answering my words.

“… I did say that I was not afraid of dying. Still, I thought it would be nice if someone…someone remembered me. So, if you are here for the first time, I brought you in because I thought it would be good for you to know the truth.”

For the first time, her voice contained her own sadness.

‘It’s a trace of one’s life.’

He wants his image to remain in someone’s memory.

The demons pretend to be okay, but treat us politely for their own comfort.

The image of the demon within me has changed slightly.

An enemy that requires no dialogue.

Since they were completely different from us in appearance, we did not even think of them as human and treated them without hesitation. From the beginning, no matter where they met, they fought proudly and risked each other’s necks.

So, the same common sense as the people here held that all demons should just be killed.

I’ve lived like that, but I had a new experience today.

‘Wasn’t today the first time I’ve had a conversation with a demon?’

We’ve lived our lives just crossing swords, but if it’s like this, it really seems like they’re no different from us. Gilbert, who was suffering from an inferiority complex, also learned a lot from the succubus in front of him.

Humanity.

Demons and humans only look different, but they think the same way as ordinary people.

So I don’t feel very good.

Until now, I have fought here, thinking I was fighting non-human beings who were killing people.

So I didn’t think deeply about killing someone.

Because I didn’t think it was murder.

But hearing things like this gets me into trouble.

‘… What does it matter now? ‘Where do I have time to think about other people’s circumstances?’

The future is just one inch away from me. They treat it coldly, dismissing it as something that has shaken their sensibilities after hearing something meaningless.

He looks down at Astesia and answers.

“I don’t care what you said. It is up to me whether I will remember you or not. In the first place, I am a human but also a soul disease, and you are just my enemy, a demon.”

“Oh, aren’t you being a bit harsh to me?”

“…”

Peria is embarrassed by the now hostile atmosphere next to her. Only Master seems to have sensed my thoughts, as he nods with his eyes.

‘Is it part-time work to deal with the demons’ circumstances?’

I don’t want to be shaken anymore, so I make up my mind.

But Astesia shakes me even more.

“I’m sorry. I guess I was a little selfish. It’s true that he didn’t belong in the monastery.”

‘Don’t make that face or say that.’

Astesia looks a little sad.

Then, tears suddenly flowed down from under the eyepatch.

“Ah.”

As if she remembered, she puts her tears in a glass bottle and hands them to Peria.

“Here. I felt a little sad for a moment. Then, I will send it to you now.”

A heavy atmosphere with no answer.

Astesia spoke cheerfully again to clear the mood.

“You don’t have to take it that seriously. I guess I said something pointless and made you all upset. Still, I am grateful from the bottom of my heart.”

‘Don’t show consideration to demons.’

It’s a succubus, a demon, a brat, it’s all a piece of shit.

Abandoned as soon as he was born, running away from a monastery, thinking he had finally found his place, he was told to die, but where is the human being who foolishly follows it?

This guy must have been an idiot before he was a demon.

This is a really upsetting story.

“Then I’ll send it back. Could you please close your eyes for a moment?”

Peria and Master quietly close their eyes.

I thought about closing my eyes too, but then I wanted to ask just one question.

“Just in case.”

“Yes?”

“If there was a way to stop the devil from coming without dying, would you do anything?”

“A way so I don’t have to die?”

“Yes, whatever the cost. As long as you don’t die.”

Astesia burst out laughing.

“Wouldn’t it be okay if just one more of you went into saving other people’s lives?”

A dream-like solution that will never come true.

Even though this is the best way to compromise, ask for an option that adds more greed.

“If that’s the case-

It might be nice to have a story like that, like a fairy tale.”

Astesia comes to me and closes my eyes.

And whispered in my ear.

“I don’t think there is a life that wants to die.”

Before my eyes completely closed, I thought I saw clear tears streaming down my chin.

——————————-

“I feel so uncomfortable.”

“That’s right. I feel like I stopped pooping.”

“I just felt worse because of your example.”

“I did it on purpose to make you feel bad.”

“Ugh.”

“Anyway, I guess I’ll end this for now.”

We were back at the entrance to Mongma’s castle.

All you have to do is turn around, walk to your unit, write a report, and wait quietly for 10 days.

Then Astesia will die and that castle will disappear as well.

“My heart hurts a little.”

“It might be because my arm was cut off. Let’s go and get treatment.”

We started walking towards the camp with heavy feelings.