Chapter 201
Chapter 201
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 201
Chapter Title: 58-1. Fate is Cruel.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, it was over.
The headless corpse, the sky clearing of darkness.
As soon as I completely severed the Demon King's neck, the sub-space returned to normal.
"We did it."
The armor enveloping my body vanished, and the sword that had merged into one split back into two, clanging as they hit the ground.
The Demon King transformation was truly at an end. I'd nearly lost Pine in the process.
Even if it was a glitch, it came with strict conditions. I could probably only use it when fighting the Hero Cult's Demon Kings.
"Licht..?"
"Kain!!"
Familiar voices called from behind me.
One was a murmuring voice. The other was rushing toward the golden-haired hero and embracing him.
"You idiot!! Why do you always fight alone like that!!"
"Sorry, sorry. But I couldn't bear to watch you get hurt by that Demon King."
The hero and the mage had finally slain the Demon King and reunited. They spoke with reddened eyes.
Their embrace might have turned my stomach under normal circumstances.
But for now, I left them be. The trauma that had tormented them for so long couldn't be healed all at once.
'They've avenged it now.'
People have to move forward even with their scars. That's what Pine had taught my younger self.
As that thought crossed my mind, I glanced sideways to see Pine slowly walking toward me.
Was she angry? Or worried?
Her golden eyes widened inside the glass helmet, her steps quickening.
From soft footsteps to heavy thuds.
The sight of the heavily armored glass knight charging at me might terrify a stranger.
But I knew what lay beneath.
"Mardol, it's taken care of."
I greeted her cheerfully. Her rushing steps halted abruptly, and Pine Granasia pointed a finger at my head.
"L-Licht.. your ears.. no, your tail too?"
"Pardon..? What are you talking about?"
Her sudden flustered reaction made me touch the top of my helmet, where something fluffy caught my fingers.
And then a massive, cotton-ball-like mass smacked against my back.
"Helmet dude. You've got dog ears and a tail right now?"
"Puhaha! What the hell is that look, Licht."
The hero couple nearby finally noticed and burst out laughing at me. Kainel was doubled over, clutching his sides.
Sure enough, wolf ears like they were made of cotton sat atop my helmet.
"Licht. You really turned into a wolf."
"Don't touch them. It feels all tingly and weird…"
Pine drew close, fondling my ears and tail repeatedly, then let out a satisfied chuckle.
Her golden eyes softened into gentle curves within the glass helmet.
Affection wrapped in conviction.
Was this karma for turning the Light Holy Sword she'd made me into my heart sword?
Or the price for fusing two swords into one?
Now I understood why Emperor Locke had once told me my soul had wolf ears and a tail.
Every time she touched them, it tickled so intensely my whole body shivered. How many minutes passed like that?
"Ah, they're gone. They were cute, too."
Soon, the ears and tail vanished from my head and back. Pine drooped her head in disappointment. I could picture the pure white wolf ears and tail hidden in her armor without even seeing them.
They must disappear naturally once heart sword usage ends. It might've been nice if they'd stayed.
"...."
As I let out a short sigh, a pink status window popped up before me.
The number 75 percent, and hearts overflowing to the point of spilling onto the floor.
The text approached like a reminder of reality, snapping me out of my relief.
Why not 100 percent?
My hand naturally went to the chin of my helmet.
Kainel's ultimate wasn't complete yet. Was that why it wasn't 100 percent?
'..In my memory,'
Near the end of Knight Heart, the two confessed their love for each other.
And Kainel and Ariel unlocked their ultimates.
"Ariel, taking down that cyclops was impressive. Your skills from when you burned my hair as kids haven't dulled a bit."
"What?! Seriously? Kain, you pick now to joke about that?!!"
Even after nearly dying, they bantered while worrying over each other. In a way, they were destined for one another.
The oblivious hero and the shy mage were now openly baring their feelings without restraint.
"Speaking of which… If it hadn't been you back then, Kain, I might've been scared to use fire magic forever."
"What? That was just an accident. Everyone messes up like that once or twice."
They shared stories from their childhood.
Memories only they could invade, faint recollections known solely to childhood friends.
When the girl with more mana than most accidentally singed the boy's hair, Kainel had just laughed it off.
"No, still… today, when we took down that Demon King."
The red-haired girl clung tightly to the golden-haired boy. No longer bearing the title of Blazing Flame Mage, she whispered something into Kainel's ear.
"It was mostly thanks to you, Kainel."
It was a pretty effective strike—Kainel's ears turned beet red. At the rare sight, the corners of my mouth twitched up.
Pine and my Love Meter had risen too. No idea when that happened.
Thinking that was the end of the status window messages, I turned away—
[Grand Route Failure Penalty Revealed]
[On Failure: Demon God Transformation]
A bitter taste filled my mouth, and my body felt like its screws had come loose.
Was this what the developer had been warning me about all along?
A Demon God—a being not even mentioned in the setting documents.
At best, it was the name of the war the Hero Cult's Demon Kings fought before their fall. A war that never ended until the Ten Heroes appeared.
My teeth ground together at the countless trials still ahead.
This was only the second Demon King. How much more effort would it take to defeat the final boss, Magic Hat?
'..A Demon God.'
The black-haired Pine Granasia from my dream lingered in my mind. Her sorrowful gaze upon seeing me, her reddened eyes. The overpowering rose scent that stole my breath.
Would I become the Demon God, or would Pine?
"Licht.. you're sweating cold. You okay?"
Pine placed a hand on my forehead, then pulled it away. Checking for a fever, probably. My fear must've shown.
"I'm fine."
I forced my helmet's visor down to hide my expression. Pine let out a brief sigh, her hand retreating without touching me.
How could I overcome this? What the hell…
Even if I told her about becoming a Demon God, it wouldn't solve the root cause. It had to be tied to the Hero Cult's Demon Kings.
If prophecy dictated Pine slaying the Demon God, and the Hero Cult aimed to suppress that—then it made sense.
Insurance kill. Strip her of all power, reduce her to the Nameless Saintess, then execute her. No loose ends.
"...."
In that instant, a flash of insight hit me. The bloodstained memo from the Library of Truth.
"Pine, how far is the Pantos Temple from here?"
I grabbed her shoulders and asked. If she truly was the Saintess of Conviction and needed awakening, no better place than there.
The god of emotions. The sand spirit Pantos. Answers lay in a temple where emotions tangled like a labyrinth.
Time passed, and we returned to the Calisium Valley where we'd started.
Gravel crunched underfoot. The valley was a mess from the floodwaters that had rushed in and receded.
Far off, Kuer lay bisected and fallen.
He must've sacrificed himself trying to stop Finn and Intinium.
—Grrrk.
With a heavy heart, I approached Kuer. He handed me a branch, gasping his last breaths. Did he know I was the Hero of Conviction?
Or maybe he sought vengeance. Clutching the branch like a keepsake, I tried casting healing magic—but
"His body's already past the limit, Licht.."
Pine shook her head at me. He was effectively dead; healing magic wouldn't work.
I bit my lower lip. Meanwhile, the faculty spotted us and shouted.
"Licht..?"
"Kainel, Ariel! Where have you been?!"
They'd all been worried about us.
Looking up at the blue sky, the sun was out. The battle had dragged on into morning.
The professors rushed over, checking for injuries and bombarding us with questions about what happened.
"Could I have a moment, Professor Dennis?"
I pulled Dennis aside separately.
Confirming he'd cast a soundproofing spell, and away from the students, I recounted everything.
"..The Hero Cult's doing, as expected. Even the rain was their scheme."
"Yes, Professor Dennis."
Kuer's death stirred a queasy feeling in me. I sensed it was too risky to spill everything right there.
"I barely managed a 3D Magic Circle to protect the students, but…"
Dennis tilted his head.
Like he'd spotted something off, he checked the roster for the valley trip.
"How the hell did the Hero Cult know we were heading to Calisium Valley?"
His eyes scanned the floating parchment's names one by one, then stopped.
"We've got an inside spy. One assistant's name is missing."
"...."
A blank spot where Drake's assistant should be. That was Blanc's name. So that's where the creepy woman vanished to.
"..Magic Hat?"
"Probably, Licht."
She'd hidden herself and exposed our position. With her Authority of Falsehood erasing names from records, I alone remembered Blanc.
"Let's turn the train around, Professor Dennis."
"..Where to? Back to the academy?"
Borrowing Dennis's power for teleportation risked tails like last time. Carriages were too slow.
After thinking, I eyed the train ahead—the transport the emperor had prepared for us.
No matter how far the temple was,
"No, to the Pantos Temple."
A mana-powered train could outpace the Hero Cult.