I made a mistake

“···Ha.”

Bodies so mutilated that their forms were unrecognizable. Once human in appearance, they now lay scattered like clay that had been haphazardly disassembled.

Quiet.

Just a few minutes ago, the battlefield was chaotic with screams and shouts, but now only the lonely sound of breathing lingered.

In this silent stillness, there was a sense of sacrifice and finality, encompassing various meanings, including them.

“···Better than me.”

They were people who, despite their powerlessness, were not irresponsible.

Watching them, a thought suddenly crossed my mind. Perhaps the title of ‘hero’ suited them more than me.

[ You···. ]

At the momentary voice, I turned my head.

And faced him clearly.

[ Underestimating you as human was my mistake. ]

He was a man.

But the mystery emanating from his appearance was definitely not that of a living being. It would be more appropriate to mistake it for a phenomenon of nature.

That man is the one.

Self-proclaimed as the demon king, the enemy of humanity and the mastermind behind the current catastrophe.

[ Humans are a perplexing species. Sometimes weak, sometimes strong, truly contradictory beings. ]

“Don’t act so high and mighty. Who are you to talk about killing those humans?”

At my irritated words, the demon king let out a short chuckle.

After finishing his laughter, he continued nonchalantly.

[ Among them, you seem to be the most reluctant. Hero Mayer. What did you gain your drive from and what did you sacrifice for? ]

“What? What nonsense is that?”

Sacrifice? It couldn’t be praised so grandly.

For the peace of humanity? For the survival of comrades? For a vow with a goddess?

Others may not know, but I have no interest in such things.

The only reason I stand on this battlefield is for one thing.

“You said if I kill you, you’ll send me back to Earth. That damn goddess.”

[ I don’t understand what you’re talking about. ]

“No need to understand. You’re going to die soon anyway.”

As I closed my eyes in frustration, the demon king suddenly let out a mocking laugh.

Seeing that smirk, an inexplicable annoyance surged within me.

[ You are just like me. The strange sensation you’ve been feeling all this time, that was it. ]

He’s spouting nonsense as he nears death.

I forced my trembling legs to stand and approached the demon king.

And soon, I stood right in front of him.

“Enough. Let’s end this now.”

[ Such a powerless death. Especially for a human. I never expected to hear such words, but they are somewhat acceptable. ]

Thud!

Even as a knife pierced my chest, the demon king remained indifferent.

He had the luxury of forgetting even the fact that a knife had been plunged into him.

[ But remember this. My death is the end of it. There is no other meaning. The victory of humanity, the continuation of existence, none of that matters. It may be just a brief extension. ]

“Are you always this talkative? Or did you become talkative as death approached?”

[ Our corruption is not over. Until we completely eradicate the demons, we will never be able to rid ourselves of worry. ]

That’s true. But it’s not my concern.

I will now kill the demon king and return to Earth.

I will become a member of South Korean society and enjoy a normal life.

That was the only wish I held dear in this world.

[ It seems it’s the end. Your lament as you watch your kind perish, I can somewhat understand― ]

Swish!

A fierce sword strike severed the demon king’s neck before he could finish his last words.

And just like that, before he could conclude his final words, the demon king took his last breath.

#

“Phew. Is it finally over?”

The demon king was a significant obstacle for humanity. But that’s all in the past now.

Even with his head severed, the demon king was not diligent enough to be a nuisance.

▶ [Quest: Achievement of Subduing the Demon King]

▶ [Quest Reward Calculation in Progress: 3%··· 5%······]

The status window accurately informed me of the death of the Demon King. Thanks to that, I was spared the trouble of confirming the kill.

I slowly read the words displayed on the status window for a while.

Only after absorbing every last word did I finally let out a sigh of relief.

“Phew! Thank goodness. It’s finally over…!”

Fifteen years ago, I was kidnapped into the world of a novel I was reading.

The reason was absurd. Was it because I corrected the spelling a few times?

It was ridiculous. Why would spelling be spelling? It’s supposed to be correct spelling, meaning to spell correctly.

Regardless, the one who kidnapped me was the author of that novel, or rather, the goddess who created this world.

It was unfair, but what could I do? I had to follow the rules to return to Earth.

“It was daunting at first, but somehow I managed to get through it.”

If there was any consolation, it was that the possession was competent.

The body I possessed was that of the warrior Mayer. The title of warrior was not in vain, as the body was versatile.

The proof of that ability was the head of the fallen Demon King on the ground.

However, life was not smooth sailing.

Looking back, it would have been better to die than endure all the hardships.

From the lower demons to the higher demons, I hunted them down as they came, even uprooting the human cultists who worshipped them.

But the corruption ran deeper than just the cultists.

I also eliminated the empire’s high-ranking officials involved with the demons and thoroughly dealt with the troublesome remnants of the sect.

Ascending the stairs in this manner, I reached the final stage of subduing the Demon King.

This, too, was successfully completed.

Fifteen long years. It was a long and damn tough time.

I sighed in disappointment and looked up at the sky.

At that moment, the status window reappeared in my vision.

[You have fulfilled all the requirements for return.]

[Warrior Mayer, are you truly ready to return to the real world?]

Could it be that I can finally go home? I chuckled as if in disbelief.

“Damn, don’t even ask. Of course, you should send me back. Should I start a new life in this world?”

[Warrior, you are the savior who saved this world. Although cultures and values may differ, your sacrifice deserves praise.]

What? Sacrifice? This guy is just spouting the same nonsense as the Demon King.

“Is this guy really insane? I knew he was crazy before, but he’s even crazier than I thought?”

To return home, I have to kill the Demon King, make some psychopathic demand, and then push it away.

“Damn it! What kind of sacrifice are you talking about? You’re the one threatening me coercively. Huh?!”

[···In this world, Mayer is a symbol of faith. Everyone praises you, and everyone needs you. So, rethink the option of staying in this world···.]

“Stop talking nonsense. Send me back already.”

I adjusted my grip on the sword I was holding.

“I’ve endured a lot so far, you know? I wanted to smack you in the face and leave, but I still have some affection for you, right? So, I planned to part on good terms.”

I aimed the sword at the sky.

“But if you keep coming at me like this, you know what? This time, I’ll overthrow the emperor and start a rebellion. If you want to see all your children die, try me.”

It was not just an empty warning.

With two precedents already, my words carried significant weight.

Aware of that, the goddess willingly granted my request.

[Understood. I will send you back to your homeland, Warrior.]

I should have known. I shouldn’t have gone there for nothing. It was only then that I finally relaxed my tense body.

[ ···I will never forget the dedication of the hero. I pray for your safe return.]

Fifteen years of longing.

The reason I struggled to survive was because of the hope that I could return to my original world.

If it weren’t for that faint hope, I would have plunged a dagger into my own heart.

Everything in front of me turned white for a moment.

A massive aura engulfed my vision, a precursor to my return. It was a sign.

“Ha. What a fucking shitty time it was.”

The pounding of my heart echoes loudly in my ears.

It’s a moment more tense than when swords and arrows were pointed at me from both sides.

I tried to calm my trembling heart and focused on the growing aura.

How much time had passed? The light began to fade slowly.

And then, as my blurry vision cleared, it happened.

The faintly appearing status window made me doubt my eyes.

[ Oh, I messed up.]

Messed up… what?

Instead of stupidly questioning it, I focused my gaze.

“…?”

The familiar ceiling greeted me somehow.

Why does this pattern feel familiar? Why do I feel the same emotions as when I first possessed this world?

I turned my head laboriously to look around.

“Where… am I.”

At first, I thought it was my home on Earth.

But no matter how I looked, it was a medieval inn scenery.

“…No way.”

Curious, I approached the wall mirror.

With each step, I muttered to myself in denial.

“No way. This can’t be. Um, yeah, it’s not.”

But of course. The face reflected in the mirror was not mine.

I stood there dumbfounded, mouth agape.

“….”

Only the sound of my soul escaping through my open mouth for a while.

Finally coming to my senses, I couldn’t help but shout.

“Fuck this shit!!!!”

Fifteen years of possession reset.

I lost everything I had achieved and had to start over in a different body.

Honestly, I wanted to die.