Chapter 6 - The Heavenly Demon Just Wants to Live Quietly
Why did I end up blurting out my true feelings without realizing it?
I don’t know.
Perhaps, after dying and reviving hundreds of times, I’d been secretly longing for someone—anyone—to hear the countless cries I could never voice aloud.
I glanced at the Saintess and noticed she looked slightly startled. Had she sensed the change in my demeanor?
“…What do you mean by that?”
“You asked about my identity, didn’t you? That’s my answer. I’m just an ordinary human. A human with unbelievably rotten luck.”
Memories of the countless deaths I endured in the Heavenly Demon Simulator flashed through my mind.
…Enough. No point dwelling on it.
Why am I even telling this to someone I just met—no, to someone who immediately labeled me a demon and tried to kill me on sight?
But the Saintess seemed to think differently.
“Then, let me ask another question. What is your goal?”
“…Goal?”
She nodded.
“If you successfully escape the Holy Nation’s pursuit, what do you plan to do?”
I was about to snap back—What does it matter to you?—but then our eyes met.
Her golden pupils, so pure and saintly, seemed to say:
I genuinely want to hear your answer.
“…What I want to do.”
Hypnotized by those holy eyes, I found myself confessing without realizing it.
“I want to live quietly. Normally.”
“Huh?”
“Find a decent place to settle down. Somewhere not too hot or too cold—that’d be perfect.”
Though I’m a proud Korean, the extreme climate of the peninsula was honestly unbearable.
If I had to settle somewhere, I’d prefer a place with mild, stable weather year-round.
“Once I settle, I’d like a decent job that earns decent money. Not looking to become filthy rich—just something respectable enough that I wouldn’t be ashamed to tell others about it.”
Yeah. The kind of life I should’ve had as a university student in modern-day Korea.
A life stolen from me by whatever trickery that Heavenly Demon Simulator pulled.
So, isn’t it only natural that I’d want to reclaim that lost life, even if it’s in another world?
“A wife… I wouldn’t mind not having one, but if I did end up with someone, as long as she’s not too clingy, it’s fine. Have two or three kids, live till about eighty, then close my eyes peacefully without illness. That’s all I want.”
“…”
The Saintess stared at me, mouth slightly agape, as if I’d said something utterly ridiculous.
“There’s so much to unpack here… But first, if you wanted such an ordinary life, shouldn’t you have avoided kidnapping a Saintess?”
That stung a little.
“Then let me ask you this. If I’d insisted, I’m just a normal person, back there, would you have believed me? If I’d tried to run away, would you have let me go? And who was it that swung a hammer at me while calling me a fallen angel?”
“Uh…”
Her eyes darted away, unable to meet mine.
…The fact that I’m rambling like this must mean I’m mentally exhausted.
Maybe I should see a psychiatrist once this is over.
Do they even have psychiatrists in this world?
“…I’m going to sleep.”
With that, I turned my back to her and lay down on the bed.
“…One last thing.”
“…”
I said I’m sleeping.
“Your attitude now is completely different from when you first appeared in the cave. What happened?”
Survival. In the Heavenly Demon Simulator, I had to play the damn Heavenly Demon or die.
If anything, this is my real personality.
…But again, I kept that answer to myself.
The Saintess lay down beside the Heavenly Demon on the bed.
Staring at his back, she sank into thought.
He was a strange man.
At times, he acted with the cruelty of a true demon, yet now, he seemed like nothing more than an ordinary person.
His true nature remained elusive, but…
At the very least, his confession just now felt sincere… Maybe he isn’t a demon after all.
Half-asleep, the Saintess entertained that thought.
After sending off the Heavenly Demon and the Saintess, the Village Chief quietly descended the stairs and returned to his bedroom.
“…How did it go?”
His wife’s gaze, though belonging to a kindly old woman, was sharp beyond measure.
“Nothing particularly noteworthy. The Saintess didn’t even secretly ask for my help.”
The Village Chief shook his head in response to his wife’s question.
“Any word from the Radain Church or the Guild?”
“None.”
“What in the world is going on…?”
The Saintess had assumed that an elderly village chief in such a remote area wouldn’t recognize her—after all, she’d only been a Saintess for about seven years, with barely four years of active service.
It was a reasonable assumption.
If the Village Chief had been an ordinary man.
In truth, he was Jakteain, a former A-rank adventurer and ex-deputy guild master of the Radain Holy Kingdom’s northwestern branch.
Whether by luck or misfortune for the Saintess, he had retired and was spending his remaining years as the Village Chief of Petin with his partner.
Thus, the Village Chief recognized her instantly. There was no way he wouldn’t know the appearance of the second most important figure in the Radain Church after the Pope.
But he played along, pretending not to know.
Decades of adventuring had honed his instincts, and they warned him:
Perhaps the Saintess is being coerced by that man beside her.
So throughout the meal, he maintained the act of a simple village chief while observing the pair closely.
“That black-haired man with the Saintess… I couldn’t begin to guess his identity.”
He was bizarre. His appearance was unlike anything seen in the Radain Holy Kingdom—or anywhere else on the continent.
But more unsettling than his strange looks was the fact that nothing emanated from him.
Even the most ordinary person emits faint traces of life energy, yet from him, not a shred of mana could be detected.
“I don’t know the details, but… There’s no way the Saintess would abandon the Church’s escort and come all the way here with some outsider of her own volition, right?”
“True… You’re right, dear. We can’t just let this slide.”
If the Village Chief couple—no, the former A-rank adventurer couple—were correct… The battle tomorrow would be unavoidable.
The wife lifted the bed with a swift motion.
Beneath it lay a large bow, a crossbow, and two short swords, all meticulously maintained and gleaming under the lamplight.
Clearly, these were no ordinary weapons.
The Village Chief’s wife—former A-rank adventurer Eina, the “Red Butterfly”—retrieved the weapons, tossing the bow and crossbow to her husband while gripping her signature twin swords with crimson hilts.
“Let’s make sure everything’s in working order. Did you contact the Guild?”
“I sent a messenger owl earlier. The Guild should’ve received the request for backup by now.”
The Village Chief stared at his calloused palms, hardened from years of archery.
“Dear… It’s been five years since we retired, hasn’t it? I thought our later years would be quieter…”
“Well, think of it as a chance to stretch our limbs after so long.”
His wife grinned as she inspected her gleaming blades—every bit the warrior she once was.
“Good morning.”
At the crack of dawn, the Saintess, already awake, greeted the Heavenly Demon as he opened his eyes.
“…What’s gotten into you?”
“Who knows?”
“Hmm…”
Leaving him to his puzzled stare, the Saintess knelt and recited her usual morning prayers.
But even as she did, her mind was elsewhere.
I need to change how I treat him.
She hadn’t entirely dismissed her suspicions, but after last night’s conversation, she’d glimpsed another possibility in him.
He was someone she could talk to. Even if his attitude toward her wasn’t exactly proper.
I still can’t shake my doubts about him. But maybe… just maybe… if he really is an innocent caught up in that heretical summoning ritual, unrelated to demons… There might be hope for redemption.
His identity might be unclear, but he saw himself as human and dreamed of living as one.
“Do not hesitate to extend your hand to those who seek salvation.”
The Saintess recalled Juten’s teachings.
I want to help him.
Though circumstances had forced her to act coldly toward him, Euria was, at heart, a true Saintess who lived by Juten’s creed.
First, I’ll guide him to the border as he asked. Along the way, I’ll talk to him and learn more about him.
Whether he’s a heretic or not can be determined later.
If he truly is, then so be it. But if not, she planned to persuade him to return with her to the Radain Church.
I don’t know how he came by such ominous power, but if he was originally human, the Church must have a way to restore him.
…Yet unease lingered.
The problem is… his overwhelming strength.
A being who could force Holy Knights to their knees with a single word and strike her down in one blow.
Did such a force—capable of utterly crushing a Saintess—even exist on this continent?
If he ever decided to rampage, how many innocents would perish? The mere thought sent chills down her spine.
The silver lining… Based on what I’ve seen so far, he doesn’t seem the type to actively cause trouble, just as he claims.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have obediently slurped down that tasteless porridge the Village Chief served, all to maintain their cover as traveling clergy.
So let’s avoid conflict. Once we reach the next village, I’ll contact the Radain Church and urge them not to provoke him.
In that moment, the Saintess realized her mission.
To become the guide for this dangerous being—one who could bring calamity if he wished—
And to carefully coax him away from sin, leading him down the right path.
Having reached this conclusion, she finished her prayers and opened her eyes.
“Done?”
“Yes.”
I’ll be as kind to him as possible.
With that resolve, the Saintess smiled sweetly at the Heavenly Demon, who had waited for her.
“Thank you for waiting. Shall we depart now?”
“…Stop smiling out of nowhere. It’s creepy.”
Twitch.
The corners of her lips trembled slightly.
Bidding farewell to the Village Chief couple, the two set off once more.
Their bags were packed with supplies provided by the couple.
Thank you, and I’m sorry for lying to you both. I’ll return someday and explain everything.
Apologizing silently for her deception, the Saintess quickened her pace.
“So, where to next?”
“There’s another village about 35 kilometers in this direction. We should arrive before sunset. Ah, can’t you use that strange power of yours to get us there instantly again?”
“Want to cling to me again?”
“…Don’t flatter yourself. If there’s a convenient method, isn’t it stranger not to use it?”
“I thought our Saintess here was just longing for a man’s embrace.”
Patience. Patience. I must endure…
“Sadly, it’s not something I can use recklessly. I’d rather conserve it.”
“…Understood. Then let’s hurry.”
As they conversed and walked toward their next destination—
“…”
The Heavenly Demon suddenly stopped.
“?”
Just as the Saintess was about to ask what was wrong—
About 20 meters behind them, in the middle of a snowy plain where nothing should have been…
“My, my. Impressive. To think you’d notice my presence. And here I erased all traces with mana.”
The Village Chief of Petin emerged from thin air.
“…!”
“Don’t play dumb. I know there’s one more.”
“…What a shame.”
“…!!!”
As his wife appeared beside him, the Saintess froze in shock.
“This is… What in the world…?”
The white-haired Village Chief aimed a loaded crossbow at them, a massive bow and quiver strapped to his back.
His hunched wife gripped her twin swords in reverse grip, poised to charge at any moment.
“Saintess of the Radain Church. Let me ask once more… Who is that man beside you?”
The kindly Village Chief from yesterday was gone, replaced by a voice sharp as a blade.
But the Saintess’s first response wasn’t to answer—
Don’t tell me…
It was to glance at the Heavenly Demon.
And just as she feared, he had begun emitting that ominous aura once more.