Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Breaking Lies - 3
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Somel bolted upright in horror.
“Gasp. W-who’s there?”
Idria floated toward him in that suspended state.
The lantern light illuminated her face.
Unnaturally violet hair and eyebrows.
Empty golden eyes that evoked a sense of hollowness.
It was exactly the hateful appearance from before his regression.
Idria opened her mouth in her characteristically languid tone.
“No matter how lowly a creature you are, as the spouse of a rather fine vessel, I should show some courtesy. Let me tell you why you must die.”
“......”
“I placed a precious soul into Marianna. The vengeful spirits who died during the descent of the two great Demon Kings will chase after Repia’s soul and come to this territory. In a dozen years or so, it’ll gain infamy as a haunted domain.”
“What are you talking about!”
“Then, who do you think foolish humans will blame as the culprit?”
Somel’s lips trembled.
Idria nodded in satisfaction.
“It will make for a truly splendid lie. But I realized a bit late that there’s a flaw in it.”
“......”
“I thought Marianna might not withstand the suspicion and pressure from the territory folk and flee in the night. Then, nurturing a new lie in a fresh territory would take years.”
“What the hell are you saying?”
“So, I intend to make sure that woman can’t leave the territory.”
I grasped what she meant immediately.
As expected, her thinking was the epitome of a Demon King.
“If her beloved husband suddenly goes missing, won’t she stay in the territory, clinging to the hope that he’ll return home someday? No matter how much hatred and persecution she faces.”
Naturally, Somel wore a face that couldn’t comprehend a word.
But judging from the atmosphere, he seemed to realize he couldn’t just sit idly anymore.
“I don’t know what kind of monster you are, but get out now. Or else...”
Snap.
At that moment, Idria suddenly snapped her fingers.
“On second thought, it’d be more fun to enjoy some entertainment than just kill you.”
Crack. Crack.
Suddenly, Somel’s body began to stiffen.
Well, it was already stiff, but... this was different.
‘He’s turning to stone?’
What the hell is that? It doesn’t even look like magic.
[If I had to name it, it’s probably a curse.]
‘Damn it. She can do anything. That’s a Demon King for you.’
[To be precise, Idria is the unusual one.]
By then, Somel’s entire body had turned completely to stone.
It resembled a finely crafted statue.
Idria clutched her stomach and burst into laughter, as if it were the funniest thing.
She even flipped over in midair, kicking her legs.
“Ahahaha. Look at that expression. It’s a masterpiece, a masterpiece.”
“......”
“Where should I hide it? Where to hide it...”
Her fit of laughter stopped.
And in its place, a smile spread across her face.
A smile that looked utterly cruel.
“Where to hide it so it becomes the most magnificent lie.”
Soon, she clapped her hands lightly.
Then snapped her fingers once more.
Swoosh.
Something split the space open.
Somel’s statue was sucked into that rift.
Click.
With that, the feed cut off.
That was when Neril’s voice reached me.
“Maide? What’s wrong.”
“Huh? What do you mean.”
“Your hand.”
I looked down at my hand—more precisely, my fist.
I was gripping it so hard my entire hand had gone white.
I released the tension casually and said.
“Suddenly had to hold in the urge to go to the bathroom.”
“Did I hear that right?”
“Anyway, let’s head back. To Marianna’s house.”
Jenia tilted her head.
Mindful of the lord, she whispered to me.
“Didn’t Marianna say she was exhausted from this ordeal and needed a day’s rest? Adwin decided to rest with her too.”
“Yeah.”
“So wouldn’t it be better for your reputation if you mingled with the crowds and gave some speech or something?”
These guys are even more concerned about my fame than I am now.
I chuckled and opened my mouth.
“That’s important too, but right now, Marianna is more important.”
“Huh?”
“I’m going to find Somel.”
Neril and Jenia were surprised by my simple reply, but probably not as much as Trail.
If he were visible, he’d likely be gaping as he shouted.
[Find him? The Eye of Omniscience just now didn’t even show where Idria hid Somel!]
‘I have a hunch.’
[Hmm. I’ll admit you’re exceptional, but figuring out the Lie Demon King’s scheme so quickly— isn’t that a bit boastful?]
‘As you know, I have a deep grudge against that Demon King.’
The Lie Demon King’s innate power was viciously strong, but what really turned my stomach were her twisted schemes.
Not because they were efficient.
She did it for fun.
Hiding Somel was likely the same.
‘She said, “Where to hide it so it becomes the most magnificent lie.” The moment I heard that, it clicked.’
[......]
‘My instincts are pretty random, but once they hit, they’re never wrong.’
[Hmm. Well, given what you’ve done so far, it’s not like I can’t believe you... So, where is it?]
‘I told you already.’
Let’s go to Marianna’s house.
We barely pushed through the swarming crowds and returned to Marianna’s house.
It wasn’t just talk; the mother and son were dead asleep, needing a full day’s rest.
Adwin was sleep-talking.
“Mmm. Heh. Not bad. As expected of the Peerless Demon King...”
Neril spoke in a baffled tone.
“What’s the Peerless Demon King? A Demon King who saves on taxes?”
“Assigning meaning to every word means you lose. Ophelia was like that too.”
“Don’t even want to win.”
Anyway, I shook him awake.
“Adwin. Wake up.”
“Hm? Oh, Brother Maide.”
Fortunately, he woke up coherent enough for conversation.
“What’s up? Weren’t you going to see the lord? Yawn.”
“Wake Marianna too. We can’t do it ourselves, no matter what.”
“Ah. Sure.”
He saw my serious expression and wordlessly went to wake Marianna.
Soon, we were seated around the kitchen table.
Marianna looked tired, but she forced the fatigue from her face and asked.
“Did you have something to say?”
“A sudden question, but where’s the room Somel used?”
“......Pardon?”
“Answer first.”
Marianna couldn’t reply right away.
Adwin answered instead.
“The room at the end of the second floor.”
“Can you show me?”
“Uh, it’s always locked. Mom can’t even go near it.”
Regaining her composure, Marianna spoke.
“The key’s here. Open it with this.”
She always carried the key in her pocket, it seemed.
Perhaps so she could open it the moment her husband returned. For a full 13 years.
“Mom. Is that okay?”
“Maide is the Hero. Whatever the Hero says, nothing bad will come of it, right?”
We chuckled along with her deliberately playful tone.
Thus, Somel’s room opened.
Dust covered everything, as expected.
“I was going to make him clean when he returned. As payback for leaving us so long.”
Marianna said this in a calm tone.
But her voice was already misty.
‘Hmm.’
Before my regression, one of our quests was like this.
Solving disappearances in a small mountain village.
By the time we investigated, half the villagers were already missing.
We learned much later that Idria had tampered with it ‘for fun.’
And where were the missing people?
‘Right beside them.’
[What?]
‘Right next to the grieving, wailing loved ones. Idria delighted in the deception she created.’
[......]
‘A Demon King can twist space to hide or move things, just like she did to Somel. It’s not magic, sorcery, necromancy, or curses.’
An Authority.
A mysterious power granted only to Demon Kings, unknown to humanity.
Before regression, Serein received a divine revelation and realized it was a Demon King’s Authority.
But we couldn’t solve it. No one knew how to tear space.
‘So I developed it.’
[Huh?]
I gripped my sword.
Neril flinched and asked.
“Huh? What are you doing?”
“Neril. Believe it or not, I’m the Hero.”
“What’s that all of a sudden.”
“Whether it’s Kaild or me, we’ve confirmed multiple times we have bizarre abilities others can’t understand, right?”
“Uh, well, yeah.”
“So don’t think weird of what I do next—just watch. Everyone, same for you.”
They looked puzzled but quietly stepped back a few paces without prying.
I was grateful they trusted me without questions.
[So? What are you really planning?]
‘Have you ever cut space with a sword?’
[I think you used it on Adwin...]
‘When you slash empty air versus hitting some barrier, the feel at your fingertips is different. Whether it’s a shield, mana barrier, or prison spell.’
[......]
‘Follow that fingertip sensation, apply precise force at the exact spot, and you can shatter most things. Simple principle.’
This time, the barrier was just a Demon King’s Authority.
In a way, an application of ‘cutting what I desire.’
Trail shouted in disbelief.
[Not simple at all! What human shatters an Authority?]
‘What if even you freak out?’
[Even me?]
‘Before regression, I solved that quest, and Kaild was shocked. Or rather, furious?’
He was angry that I stole ‘his job.’
I nearly got kicked from the real party then.
If Neril and the others hadn’t voted against it, it might’ve happened.
Anyway, I told Trail.
‘Heroes in history could all counter Demon King Authorities. What’s the point of being a Hero if you’re helpless against them?’
[You weren’t a Hero when you developed that technique, punk.]
‘Hm. True. Born different, I guess?’
[Ugh. Can’t even talk to you.]
Ignoring him, I activated the technique.
‘Space Slash!’
[Honest, too honest.]
-Shrieeek!
Unlike other techniques, this one moved my sword very slowly.
Slow enough for a beginner to see clearly.
It had to be.
Tearing space was like sawing through thick, tough wood.
“Urgh.”
I gritted my teeth, feeling my muscles scream.
Little by little.
The space began to tear.
It gradually widened, revealing something beyond my sight.
I shouted.
“Jenia! Put your hand in here. Pull out whatever you grab!”
“Y-yes!”
Jenia hurriedly did as told.
She yanked something out with a whoosh, tumbling backward onto her butt from the momentum.
Her face slightly flushed in embarrassment, she yelled.
“I’m fine!”
“Didn’t ask.”
“Ugh. Pretend you didn’t see.”
“I’ll think about it. More importantly, Maide, what was that just now? What did I pull out?”
I sheathed my sword and changed the subject.
“Never mind that, Jenia.”
A human-sized stone figure lay atop her fallen body.
I continued calmly.
“Try standing it up.”
“Ah, yes. ...Huh? It’s a statue.”
She carefully righted the statue.
Suddenly, a voice filled with shock came from behind.
“Darling!”
It was Somel.
Idria had cruelly hidden him in the closest place possible.
As if mocking Marianna, who had desperately searched and waited.
Leaving her the cruelest lie.
Then Trail muttered in a satisfied tone.
[Truly splendid. You shattered one of that guy’s lies.]
Marianna clung to Somel’s statue and sobbed uncontrollably for several minutes.
Adwin’s eyes reddened in turn.
How much time passed like that.
Finally regaining composure, Marianna spoke.
“That’s my husband, right?”
“Yes. Idria the Demon King’s doing. Don’t ask how I knew.”
“Don’t worry. After everything you’ve done, I wouldn’t even think to ask.”
She wiped her tears and continued.
“But I have to ask this: Can my husband return to normal?”
I couldn’t give a firm yes on that.
Breaking a Demon King’s curse, after all.
Only one solution came to mind right away.
Tap.
Then Neril lightly patted my back.
Turning, her eyes said:
It’s fine, go ahead and answer.
Feeling a bit more assured, I slowly opened my mouth.
“Of course. When the Demon King dies, the curse will lift.”
“......!”
“And needless to say, the Demon King will die by my hand.”
Surprisingly, Marianna’s expression softened at my words.
She nodded with a face full of trust.
“Of course it will. I asked a foolish question.”
“Marianna.”
“Even in this state, thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me reunite with my husband after 13 years. Hero Maide.”
She bowed her head sincerely to me.
Adwin followed.
“I’m grateful too. For making Mom smile like this.”
I always think it, but this kid is pretty mature when he’s normal.
Then Trail spoke in a warm tone.
[Look at this.]
[Marianna Ain regards you as ‘our family’s benefactor.’]
[Adwin Ain regards you as ‘the coolest big brother in the world.’]
Ahem.
I looked up slightly to hide my flushed face.
Suddenly, Adwin declared loudly.
“Mom. I’ve made up my mind.”
“Hm?”
“I’m going with Brother Maide.”
“W-what?”
“To follow him and kill the Demon King. And restore Dad to normal.”
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