A Different Way of Living
"Why did you save me?"
At Evan's words, he smacked the top of his head as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"You crazy little brat. I save you and all you do is complain. At least say thank you."
"I'm not thankful, though."
"What a cocky brat."
He crushed the head of the undead that had been charging to devour Evan under his foot and turned away.
Evan called out to the man's back, which looked as if he was about to leave.
"Hey."
"I only saved you on a whim while passing by. I have neither the reason nor the desire to take responsibility for you."
"Kill me before you go."
At Evan's words, he stopped in his tracks and turned around.
"You seem like the type who'd kill me without any pain."
"You insane brat, how old are you?"
"I don't think I've even turned ten yet. It's so pitch black here that I haven't been able to keep track of time since I arrived."
"Ten years old?"
He approached with heavy steps and stroked Evan's face. He meticulously felt his hair, cheeks, ears, and chin before letting out a sigh.
"You're truly human."
"Aren't you?"
Abaddon was a land of pitch-black darkness. Even though he had come close enough to stroke Evan, his figure was only barely discernible as a silhouette.
"Follow me, brat."
"I asked you to kill me. What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
"A kid who's lived less than a hundredth of my life shouldn't be talking about death already."
"Are you a thousand years old?"
"I don't know. Just hurry up and follow me. I'll teach you how to survive in this place."
"But I want to die."
A tongue click sounded, followed by another light smack on Evan's head.
"Why did you hit me!"
"Brat, do you think there truly exists anyone in this world who wants to die?"
"You're looking at one right now."
Bam!
"Ugh..."
"When people say they want to die, they don't actually mean they want death."
"Then what does it mean!"
"It means they don't want to live like this. Those who genuinely desire death are either fools who believe they've experienced all the joys life has to offer, philosophers who think life is completed by death itself, or madmen who wish to explore death. You're none of those. You're just a stupid brat using death as an escape."
"So what! Have you ever lived like I have?"
When Evan raised his voice, he hit Evan's head once more without hesitation.
"Speak politely. You arrogant brat. You're standing before your master."
"Who said you're my master...!"
Tap.
This time, Evan blocked the incoming smack by overlapping both hands, and the man let out a surprised sound.
"You blocked that?"
"Yeah, what about it! Did you think I'd just take it again?"
"Not bad instincts."
"You've been hitting me in the exact same spot on my head this whole time. Only an idiot wouldn't be able to block that...!"
"Follow me."
"I told you I'm not going...!"
Ignoring Evan's protests, he grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, lifted him up, and dragged him along by force.
"I'll teach you a different way of living."
"Ugh! You damned old man...!"
"...I'll have to fix that foul mouth of yours."
That was the first meeting between Evan and his master.
"Kill me?"
Evan now felt like he could understand his master from when they first met.
"Yeah."
"Hoo......"
Evan had learned everything from his master. How to live in Abaddon. The curses and necromancy that he had only been using instinctively. Not only that, after his master left, he had somehow begun imitating him, adopting his way of speaking and his lifestyle.
So...
Bam!
"Ow!"
...this must also be his master's influence.
Just as his master had done, Evan mercilessly brought his hand down on the Saintess's head.
"Don't you dare use death as an escape in front of me, Saintess. Before I resurrect you as an undead."
"That's blasphemy. Reviving a Saintess as an undead would mean immediate war."
The Saintess rubbed her aching head as she looked at Evan.
"Is the deal off?"
"Yes, I won't make that kind of deal."
The Saintess nodded with an expression that seemed both disappointed and relieved.
"I won't get in your way either. And that child will come out again once I fall asleep. The structure is that we switch when one side loses consciousness."
"Does that mean you have the initiative?"
"Right now it's about half and half. That child can't come out if I don't sleep, and conversely, I can't come out if that child doesn't sleep."
"As more curses are lifted, the initiative will shift to your side."
"That's right. Once one more is released, that child won't be able to come out unless I permit it. If two more are lifted, she'll simply cease to exist."
She laughed as if teasing him.
"Are you starting to feel sad about not being able to see that child anymore? I can return the curse to myself anytime. I'd welcome it."
Catching the doll that the Saintess tossed back to him, Evan snorted as if to say that would never happen.
"I'm changing the terms of the deal."
"Huh?"
"Two. Two Holy Relics, excluding the Holy Spear."
The Saintess seemed to catch on to Evan's intention and shook her head with her mouth agape.
"Isn't that way too greedy? Two Holy Relics? With my power, I can only transfer ownership of one per person."
"It doesn't have to be given directly to me. As long as it's under my control, it's fine."
"Even then, I can't give Holy Relics to an undead. Divine power would flow into your body—do you think you could withstand it? You'd ascend to heaven immediately."
"I'm not here to negotiate. Two Holy Relics. That's the minimum requirement, and I have no intention of compromising."
"So you need at least that much to overcome your principles and kill me?"
Evan frowned.
"I won't make that kind of deal. Even if you gathered every Holy Relic and handed them all to me, I'd refuse."
"Then what?"
"If you hand over two Holy Relics excluding the Holy Spear, I'll create a new way of life for you."
The Saintess blinked, as if she couldn't believe what she'd heard.
"The life of a Saintess—the position where you must bear everyone's expectations and death despite not wanting to go to the battlefield, the gazes of people who believe solely in the Saintess without knowing anything—you hate all that, don't you?"
"......"
"I'll make it so you don't have to."
"How?"
"By killing the Demon King, of course."
The Saintess had no response to Evan's bold statement. The war against the demons that had continued for nearly hundreds of years—Evan spoke as if he could end it whenever he wished.
It was a laughable claim, but his eyes didn't seem to be lying, which only confused her more. In his eyes, she could sense the feeling of 'This is such a hassle,' but there was absolutely no hint that he thought it was 'impossible.'
"......You said you wouldn't make a deal involving killing me, so why are you saying you'll kill the Demon King? Isn't that contradictory?"
"Saintess, there are only two situations in which I will personally kill someone."
Evan held up two fingers.
"When the opponent draws a blade against me with the intent to harm. At that point, whatever their circumstances are, it's none of my concern."
'The moment you point a sword at someone, you should have been prepared to die by one as well.'
Evan felt no reluctance in killing those who resorted to violence. He wouldn't necessarily say he'd kill them, but he would only spare them if killing would complicate matters or if he judged that sparing them would be more advantageous.
"Second, when seeking revenge for personal reasons. You fall into neither category."
"What about the Demon King?"
"I plan to talk with him, but if simply telling him to stop the war was enough for him to understand, the war wouldn't have dragged on this long to begin with."
The Demon King would eventually break the first condition by trying to harm Evan, who sought to stop the war. That's why he said he would kill him.
"What if the Demon King accepts, but the humans have no intention of ending the war?"
"Then the humans are my enemies as well."
"In the worst case, you'd be stuck between the demons and humans, getting pummeled from both sides?"
"So?"
Evan spoke nonchalantly, as if there was nothing wrong with that.
"That's what the two Holy Relics are for. To wage war against both sides simultaneously or to confront both at once and forcibly stop the war, I'll need at least that much power."
The Holy Relics were the only tools in the humans' arsenal capable of forcing 'attrition' upon Evan's undead legions. If he couldn't secure more than half of them, the war would break out no matter what he did. However, if he could obtain two Holy Relics excluding the Holy Spear, he could at least completely seal off the human frontlines.
Using Locke as the hero of the Holy Sword. Using the Holy Relic obtained in exchange for healing Iris to have it confront the remaining one from the Holy Kingdom, that would leave one. If that last one was in Evan's hands, then while he dealt with the demons, his undead legions would serve as an immortal wall that would keep rising no matter how many were slain. On the other hand, if it fell into the hands of the Holy Kingdom or the Empire, it would be nothing more than a temporary barrier destined to be breached eventually.
"...Why go to such lengths? Killing me would be much simpler. I'm not even your friend or anything."
"Much simpler... That's according to your standards."
"Huh?"
"For me, this is simpler. It's better than committing a murder that leaves a bad taste in my mouth and carrying that discomfort for the rest of my life—getting involved between humans and demons is preferable."
The Saintess couldn't understand.
"To honor a contract with just one person, you'd kill countless demons and humans?"
"Weren't you the one who wanted to abandon the title of Saintess because you found it painful to bear the lives of people who had nothing to do with you?"
Struck at her core, the Saintess's eyes wavered.
"I understand what you're worried about, but the chances of that happening aren't high."
Demons only killed humans. It was uncertain whether beings driven by such instincts could accept Evan's proposal to halt the war. Even if they did, the likelihood of vengeful humans rising up was small.
"The war between humans and demons takes the form of a war for survival."
They blocked because otherwise they'd die. They eradicated them because leaving them be would only lead to more attacks. The chances of the human side, now with a solid breakwater, attacking that breakwater were extremely low.
"Even after the Demon King is killed, if they still force the life and duties of a Saintess upon you, then come to Abaddon. I'll spare you a sleeping spot. You can farm and live peacefully. Iris seems completely absorbed in growing flowers these days."
"I can't tell if you're being kind or cruel."
"Think whatever you like."
— It's my heart. If you don't want to learn, then don't. That's for you to decide.
"I simply do as I please."
Because if he helped the Saintess, he might come to understand his master's reasons as well.
"Will you make the deal, Saintess?"