About the Truth. (1)
Just how far did I run, I wonder?
All I could do was run, run, and run.
Ignoring the clamorous sounds from behind, I ran for a long time.
Because those damned beastmen and monsters were all nothing but troublesome nuisances.
"...Ugh."
"Demon King-nim, are you alright?!"
Moreover, the Demon King-nim in my arms was in a serious condition.
Could it be that being exposed to Divine Power caused a problem?
Anger surged within me, and I glared at the Fox Beastman clinging to the Saintess's back.
If only it weren't for that bastard.
"...S-sorry."
Miko, noticing Hallibel's gaze, flinched.
Even now, Miko resented Demons, and if the opponent was the Demon King, she was hateful enough to want to tear her to death.
But that appearance.
Hearing her faint heartbeat, as if she might stop breathing any moment, Miko couldn't bring herself to do it.
'Is that really the Demon King?'
She drooped her ears, thinking, 'Perhaps her name isn't actually Demon King?'
Of course, that couldn't be, but she never imagined that the Demon King, a symbol of terror, could be such a fragile being.
"...There's some kind of structure up ahead."
"For now, let's rest a bit and then go. The wounds from the Divine Power, and I'm just so exhausted..."
Leaning against a nearby tree, I let out a sigh.
If we've put this much distance between us, we should be safe for a while.
My gaze fell upon the faint outline ahead, but then my eyes widened at the Demon King-nim's body, which was growing hotter and hotter.
"D-Demon King-nim..."
"Haa, h-..."
At this rate, Demon King-nim is in danger.
My heart sank with a thud.
What in the world was the Hero doing, and where, until she ended up in such a state?
Gritting my teeth, I calmly moved forward.
First, we go to a safe place, then we think.
"It's incredibly old."
"...Surely no one lives here, right?"
Rin ran her eyes over the moss-covered wall.
To the question of whether someone might live here, it seemed I had to answer in the affirmative.
Though moss-covered, it wasn't excessive, and the vines and grass were neatly trimmed, suggesting someone was maintaining this place.
After looking around for a moment.
"What brings you to this place?"
A voice came from behind them.
***
"If you had been a little later, it would have been dangerous."
A woman with a haggard appearance said.
She laid the Demon King-nim on the floor and slowly poured a transparent liquid into her mouth.
I couldn't tell what it was, but for now, I had no choice but to trust her.
Seeing that the little one wasn't reacting, it didn't seem like anything strange was in it.
"By the way, what kind of place is this?"
Elli, looking around at the scenery, shivered.
The eerie atmosphere typical of ruins was one thing, but the oppressive sensation weighing down on her body was something she couldn't get used to.
"This place is a Demon God Temple."
"...A Demon God Temple?"
Hallibel's eyes widened.
If it's a Demon God Temple, it's a temple that enshrines the Demon God.
The Demon God is, in short, the god of Demons.
Why would such a place exist in this world?
Of course, I didn't have absolute faith in something called a Demon God.
It was simply surprising that a Demon God Temple was here.
"Do you know something?"
"I don't know exactly either. I've never even seen a Demon God Temple in the Demon World to begin with."
Demons, to begin with, would never believe in a god.
Because those who only venerate power would never worship and devote themselves to something unseen.
Perhaps it was highly likely to be a different entity with only the same name, like a monster.
No, I had thought it was highly likely.
"The vessel of her body is quite broken. The most certain way to heal a Demon would be this, wouldn't it?"
The haggard woman took out a purple glowing fragment from her bosom.
Feeling the familiar aura from the fragment, Hallibel had no choice but to admit it.
That this place, and the god enshrined here, was indeed the Demon God, the god of Demons.
"Maseok, why here..."
A purple gem that could only be found in the Demon World.
It was an item said to be carried only by high-ranking Demons, amplifying their power.
As surprised as I was, I felt certain.
With that, I could definitely heal the Demon King-nim.
To Hallibel, who reached out as if possessed, the haggard woman spoke.
"Certainly, only Demons can handle Maseok... but can you bear it?"
"...Of course."
I would do anything to save the Demon King-nim.
She was the benefactor who saved my life, so even if it meant sacrificing my own, I would gladly do so.
And, it's an item that amplifies a Demon's power, so why wouldn't I be able to handle it?
The haggard woman handed the Maseok to Hallibel, who nodded confidently.
"...H-huh?!"
It burns.
The power of life residing deep within my heart began to surge wildly.
This power, if it's this power...
Even as I gasped for breath, I focused my mind.
If I let my guard down even a little, I felt like I would be swept away and lose my reason.
"...Demon King-nim."
As I poured in power, color returned to her pale face.
But the vessel's size was so vast that no matter how much power I poured in, there was no end in sight.
How much more life force would be needed to restore this broken vessel?
Hallibel gritted her teeth.
Why did my beloved Demon King-nim have to be so broken?
'Just because she's the Demon King?'
No, that absolutely couldn't be.
All sins were committed by the Demons themselves, and the punishment for them was repaid with lost lives.
If there was an afterlife, they would surely be burning in hell forever.
In that sense, she was like a piece of evidence.
Because the only conscience remaining among countless Demons, and at the same time, the victim, was none other than the Demon King-nim.
"...Hallibel?"
"Demon King-nim."
My heart pounded at the sound of the Demon King-nim's voice in my ear.
She woke up.
I, I did it.
"Ah, AHHHHHHHHHH?!?!?!!!"
"Hallibel!"
Power runs wild.
Unable to control the overflowing life force, it eventually began to rage uncontrollably.
Sparks flew everywhere, and wind blew.
The walls exploded, and others hastily ducked to avoid the flying debris.
"I, I, Ah, AHHHHHH!!!!"
It wasn't just power that was amplifying.
The wounds and negative emotions that had been hidden deep within my heart until now were also explosively growing.
The pain from frequent torture by humans.
The agony to cast off that pain—no, to forget it.
Despair that unfolded at the end of the agony.
Sorrow and resignation that surged with despair.
And even the forced pleasure from drugs, and the terror that came with it.
"Calm down, calm down!!"
"Demon King, Demon King-nim, Ah, AHHH!!!"
I have to stop.
Wounds are being carved into the Demon King-nim's body!
Because I can't control this damned power, the Demon King-nim is in pain!
I tried to bite down on my screaming mouth, but I couldn't easily endure it.
So this is how overwhelming a power too vast to control truly is.
"H-horns, c-cut, I have to cut..."
It was a slightly off-topic thought, but a Demon's power came from their horns.
If I didn't have horns, wouldn't I be able to calm down somehow?
Such a thought reflexively crossed my mind as my head grew hotter and hotter.
"Y-you can't—"
"Please."
Please, don't let me hurt the Demon King-nim anymore.
Hallibel pleaded.
Now, just a little, a very little more, and the reason I'm barely holding onto will snap.
Before that happened, I had to cut off my horns.
I didn't know how painful it would be, but it was something that had to be done.
"Sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
"It's alright."
With the sight of the Demon King-nim shedding tears as the last thing I saw, my consciousness faded.
***
With the shattering sound of something breaking, Hallibel's body, which had been floating in the air, fell towards the floor.
I tried to catch her body, but perhaps due to a lack of strength, I got tangled up and fell to the floor.
"Haa, haa, haa..."
I couldn't control my trembling hands.
What had I just done?
I pressed my lips together at the feel of the dagger hilt in my palm.
The two horn fragments lying next to it felt utterly pathetic.
"Hallibel, are you alright? Hallibel!"
"..."
My heart pounded.
Surely, she's not dead, is she?
A fear I had once felt before pierced my mind.
'No, no. The count didn't go up.'
If Hallibel had died, the number of children I had to give birth to would surely have increased as well.
But the number remained the same.
I forced my trembling hand to move and placed it under her nose; a faint breath could be felt.
"...That's a relief."
Truly, truly a relief.
Perhaps from relief, tears flowed.
Thank goodness, thank goodness she's not dead.
I embraced Hallibel's powerless, fallen body and slowly stroked her hair.
The roughly cut surface of her horns seemed to represent her state.
"Ariel-ssi, are you alright?!"
"...Yes, I'm alright."
I slowly picked up the horn fragments scattered on the floor.
I fiddled with the roughly cut ends, then hugged them tightly to my chest.
I knew better than anyone how painful it was to cut off horns.
Just recalling that memory was enough to make my body tremble.
"Please, I hope there are no major complications..."
I felt like I would cry if I kept looking at the fallen Hallibel, so I reluctantly closed my eyes.