75
Chapter 75
I can only touch unfinished stories.
When someone still clings to life and tries to fill the blanks of their existence with presumptuous desires, I blind their eyes and deafen their ears, weaving a deception.
But in this case, there is nothing I can do. The story of the King of Humans was finally completed through the death of Saint Iroel—even if it didn't take the form of a literal end to life.
This feeling of helplessness... it's been a while. A strange sensation washes over me like a tide.
It is a predicament, indeed. I feel a bit unsatisfied because I've encountered a show I cannot intervene in.
Not that I'm disappointed with the ending. This wasn't my show, and from an objective perspective, it was a beautiful performance.
A boy who knew nothing but savagery and a woman from civilization. A poignant, forbidden love blooming between the two. The final show brought to life by the withered Saint named Iroel.
To an audience, it was so beautiful that any further embellishment would have only made it hideous, but from my position of having to take the King of Humans as an assistant, it's not exactly welcome.
And another headache has emerged. Something I hadn't considered until now.
"Muhahaha!"
The King of Humans laughs. I laugh along, but unfortunately, I'm not laughing on the inside.
The Saint.
She is human. A pitiful, lowly race that lives for a mere hundred years.
I, on the other hand, am a Demon. My lifespan easily exceeds hundreds or thousands of years, and beings like the King of the South can live for millions of years.
Yet, I took the Saint to heart. It wasn't a rational decision, nor did it take much time. After spending seven days with her in Tartarus of the Babel Tower, it happened naturally.
It was because of the bewitching charm humans like the Saint possess—the kind that fills the missing half of a Demon like me.
Perhaps her pristine and noble appearance played a part.
Since the Saint is also human, she will die one day. And I'll likely spend the rest of my life in utter boredom after she's gone. That is my concern.
Hmm...
I'll have to research a way to make her Immortal before she dies. There's still plenty of time, so for now, I'll deal with the task at hand.
"We've spent too much time. It's time to head back. The sun will set soon."
"Are we leaving today?"
"Do you have a lot of time? My heart is pounding."
"Wow, your heart is actually pounding. What a commendable attitude. Alright, let's head out as soon as we return. Is there anything you need to pack?"
"Leather..."
"...You're packing that to wear, right? In that case, I'll just give you some clothes."
"No, to eat."
"...Do Savages usually eat leather?"
"Tree bark, beast hide, root vegetables. Excellent emergency rations."
"...."
I consider myself quite the savage, but I can't even compare myself to the King of Humans. I guess that's the level you need to reach to call yourself a Savage.
The King of Humans stands up, straightening his knees. I stand up with him, constantly pondering how I might win his loyalty.
Step—.
I turned around and walked with the King of Humans, who was twice my height. We entered the forest path we had passed on our way to the cliff.
The fresh scent of grass and the crisp aroma of insects from the Demon Beast Forest welcomed me. And within it... there were three intruders.
Aru, Beatrice, and Uriel were still hiding behind the trees. Aru, whose fear of the King of Humans was deeply ingrained, was hiding the farthest away. Hehe, that little wolf. Next time she's rude, I'll drag her right in front of him.
"My Lord."
Beatrice was the first to emerge from the forest to greet me. She had a Greatsword strapped to her back and her brown hair tied tightly in a ponytail.
"Congratulations."
"Yikes! So stiff! Are you taking a knight's exam or something? Did you build your vocal cords out of bricks?"
"I sincerely congratulate you on gaining the King of Humans."
"Hahaha, but now won't you and the King of Humans have to compete for the positions of right-hand and left-hand man? Can you really bring yourself to congratulate me right now?"
"Your Lord's joy is the joy of God. How could I not be happy?"
"Good grief, for a corrupted knight, you're certainly formal. You really are an old soul."
Beatrice's physical and appearance age are proportional to mine. That's why we made the contract.
Hmm? Should I try the same trick with the Saint? No, then she would die if I died... I'll put that idea on hold.
Knight Beatrice naturally took her place behind me and the King of Humans. More precisely, behind me. As if she were my personal guardian knight.
To think that a powerhouse who'd easily rank in the top twenty of the Demon Beast Forest would volunteer to be my guard. I'm feeling quite secure.
"Knight, serving a Demon?"
"...King of Humans, are you speaking to me?"
"Correct. The Great One asked the knight. Do you serve a Demon?"
"I do, but Oscar is my Lord."
"Oh! I've heard of this from Iroel! A knight who serves the dark! A Death Knight!"
"...."
Wow, our Beatrice has gone from a corrupted Holy Knight to a Death Knight. A living human has practically become a skeletal warrior.
Should I step in and correct him? As her Lord?
"Death Knight! How romantic! So cool! Iroel said they were the coolest monsters!"
"Let me make one thing clear, I am not a Death Knight..."
Pinch—.
"...That is correct. I am indeed a Death Knight. Would you like me to show you some Demonic Energy?"
"Oooh! Amazing! A beast from civilization! Nice to meet you! I am a human from the wild!"
"Nice to meet you too.... I look forward to working with you."
Seeing the King of Humans' endearing misunderstanding, I gave Beatrice's backside a pinch to signal her. As my loyal knight, Beatrice hesitated for a moment and then nodded, accepting her new identity as a Death Knight.
After all, a child's innocence must be protected. A child's dream is an absolute right that no one should take away.
Why am I calling the King of Humans a child? I, Oscar, am 209 years old. The King of Humans is barely reaching middle age, essentially a baby. That's why Iroel always called him a baby.
"Ms. Uriel, why don't you come on out now? We'll be seeing each other's faces for a while, so are you just going to stay hidden over there?"
"Hmm? Oh, I understand. Leader."
"Huh? Uriel, you..."
Upon my words to the air, Uriel stepped out from behind a massive tree. However, she looked different from usual.
"Your wings... they've grown?"
"...!"
Usually, Uriel's back is adorned with two small white wings. We call them baby angel wings because they're tiny.
Not anymore. They've grown. While not as large as when she was an Archangel, they've grown enough that when fully spread, they peek out from beside her shoulders.
"My wings grew...? It's true...! B-but, h-how...?"
Uriel seemed unaware of the change herself; she reached back and felt her wings. Then, she looked genuinely surprised.
I spoke with a mischievous grin.
"Hahaha! How can you not notice your own wings growing! Seriously, you're such a dummy!"
"D-dummy...! How dare you!"
"Aren't you too slow to be arguing? If I hadn't told you, you wouldn't have known until you saw a mirror!"
"Guh...!"
Uriel tried to think of a rebuttal, but she couldn't deny the truth. Honestly, she's such a clumsy angel. At this rate, she should change her name from the Angel of Destruction of Evil to the Angel of Clumsiness.
"Still... I think I know why."
"Why what?"
"The reason my wings grew... The King of Humans. When that man shouted toward the cliff, my heart trembled. After that, my back felt tingly. My wings must have grown then."
"Hmm?"
"The love between those two. It was truly noble. Seeing that noble love moved my heart."
Uriel spoke while staring intently at the King of Humans. It certainly was a beautiful story.
As a Demon, it didn't move me much, but perhaps Uriel the angel perceived it differently? That's entirely possible. Michael must have had his reasons for pairing Uriel with me.
Besides, Uriel is currently in the form of a girl. Anyone in their girlhood gets flustered by stories like romance novels. I can't blame Baby Angel Uriel for being excited when her mental age has regressed to that of a girl.
"Well... I get the gist. Congratulations on the wings. But we're not exactly swimming in time, right? Let's get moving."
As soon as I said that, Uriel scurried to the front of our group. Sigh, look at her. A total child.
"Hey, Aru. Just follow us through the brush on your own."
"...Woof...."
As for Aru, it seems accompanying us is impossible until she gets a bit closer to the King of Humans.
Step—.
Step—.
But...
Why has the scent of insects been so thick in the forest for a while now?
Just perfect for my purposes. Heaven is certainly on my side. A smirk naturally played across my lips.
*****
Returning to his shack, John was organizing the items he had grown fond of over the years. He repositioned the table and tidied the chairs.
Of course, he couldn't take the furniture with him. If left behind, they would eventually be destroyed by something.
They weren't particularly special pieces of furniture. The items that held memories of Iroel—the source of John's longing—had all been blown away during the 'Explosion' long ago. The current shack and furniture were things John had carved to look as similar as possible to what Iroel had made in her lifetime, after he had buried her.
Still, there is such a thing as shared affection. These were pieces of furniture he had used for twenty years. John fought back the overflowing lingering attachment and stepped out of the shack.
"John! Come over here quickly!"
"Whine... Young Demon... I want a piggyback ride..."
"Where does this crazy mutt think he's getting a piggyback ride? Ack! Hey! Get off! I'll rub my back against the King of Humans!"
"Whine, whine... I want to hide on your back...!"
"Fine! Just stop! Seriously, Aru, I can't deal with you. Now you're even trying to wear out your owner's waist. Do you like being on your owner's back that much?"
"Woof! Yep!"
"...Stupid dog."
Outside, those who were to become John's new companions were waiting for him. John ran toward them with heavy thumps.
He was genuinely happy. Strangers who had promised to take him to 'civilization.' For the first time since the tragedy of Iroel, John felt the thrill of excitement.
"Lick, lick, lick."
"Hey! Don't lick my head! You're messing up my hair!"
"Woof woof? But if I lick your neck, it tickles, right? Isn't it hard to walk when it tickles?"
"Hey! Even if my head feels gross, it's just as hard to walk!"
"That's just hard! Woof woof woof! It's not that you can't walk!"
"Hmm, logically, that's true. Fine, you mutt. I'll allow you to lick my head. But keep the drool to a minimum. Nothing is more foul than the smell of dog on a head."
"Woof? I'm foul!?"
"Aru, please respect your Lord's dignity. No matter if you're his pet, you're being far too rude."
"Hahaha, just leave her be. Isn't it funny? The only person this always-smiling fellow gets angry with is the Wolf King."
They were a bit of a noisy group of companions.
"Muhahaha!"
Instead, John laughed loudly. He didn't dislike the light atmosphere. In the Demon Beast Forest, where the law of the jungle lurks in every corner, how many groups could be this cheerful? This is a place where even members of the same species backstab and eat each other if things go south.
Step, step—.
It was just as John had walked about thirty steps from the shack and joined the Demon's party.
Screech—.
A dissonant sound pierced John's ears.
It was a sound he could never forget. It was the chirping of Giant Bomb Beetles—the insects that had taken Iroel's life twenty years ago and caused massive explosions from time to time.
Grotesque insects emerged from the brush. They were huge, each one nearly the size of a human torso.
"Here they come again. Those tedious pests."
Since that day twenty years ago, Giant Bomb Beetles often visited John's shack to cause explosions. John speculated that some higher-level monster might have placed a suggestion on them.
Until now, he had annihilated them whenever they appeared, but this time, he had no such intention. He was leaving anyway, and there was no meaning in the shack they would blow up. He felt it was better to let them explode than to just leave it be.
"Those insects are...?"
"They're called Giant Bomb Beetles. I see you've never seen one, Beatrice."
"They are quite rare, after all..."
"Woof woof, they smell terrible."
The group didn't seem particularly flustered. That was because everyone there, except for Uriel, was not someone who would suffer unless they took a Giant Bomb Beetle's explosion head-on. And Uriel was an angel protected by all of them.
Thus, even as the insects rushed toward the shack in unison to self-destruct, the group turned away, intending to continue on their way.
Dash-!
"My Lord?"
"Leader!"
"A Demon?"
A Demon wearing a white suit suddenly turned around and began sprinting toward the shack, carrying the King of Wolves on his back.
No one thought to stop him. It happened so suddenly. By the time the human knight, the young angel, and John reached out their hands, the Demon had already vanished into the shack—right as the Giant Bomb Beetles were charging.
Screech—!
BOOM—!
Immediately after, the bomb beetles that had reached the shack began to detonate one by one. Black smoke and red flames merged, creating a massive explosion.
It was a violent blast that shook the earth and sent debris soaring into the sky.
Whoosh—.
John, the human knight, and the young angel rushed forward toward the wreckage of the explosion, where ash and smoke billowed in countless clouds. They were utterly horrified by the Demon's inexplicable behavior.
No matter how much they searched the ashen ruins, they couldn't find the Demon. Whether injured or dead, there should have been a body, and just as their worry began to snowball...
Snap-!
A charred hand popped up from the wreckage. It was a gloved hand. Beatrice and John quickly grabbed the hand and pulled him up.
"Ptooey! Ack! I got ash in my mouth!"
"Grrr...! Why, why did you go in there...!"
The ones pulled out were the masked Demon and the Wolf Beastman. The Demon was frantically spitting out black ash from beneath his mask.
"Why indeed! *Cough*, I went in to save this!"
Clink—.
The Demon raised his left hand, which had been buried. At that moment, John's eyes flew open.
"H-how did you...!"
"Ah, you definitely left it inside the shack, but you didn't take it with you. It would have been better if I'd remembered sooner, but I just happened to think of it right before the bomb beetles charged. So I just bolted."
What the Demon held was the silver rosary—the very one Saint Iroel had given to the King of Humans, John.
"T-thank you...! Truly! Thank you so much! I made a terrible mistake! I am deeply indebted to you!"
"It's nothing. Life is hard enough as it is, we should help each other out."
"To think I left this cross behind when it is so precious...! Fool, fool! I am a fool!"
"Everyone makes a mistake once in a while. The important thing is not to do it a second or third time. Make sure to pack it well next time. By the way..."
As he handed the rosary to the thick hand of the kneeling John, the Demon tapped the cross portion.
Then, as if a lid were being opened, the top part of the cross clicked open.
"I guess it was designed with a lid? It's silver, so it didn't stand out. I think the impact from the blast popped it open."
"I didn't know... but there's a letter inside the cross...?"
"A letter? Let's read it right now! Since it's something Iroel used, this must be Iroel's letter! To John! She gave you the cross right before she died!"
"...!"
Hearing that, John hurriedly broke the seal of the letter. Inside the neatly unfolded old parchment were lines of carefully written text.
It had been twenty years since he last saw it, but John recognized it immediately. It was Iroel's handwriting.
"Iroel! Iroel, Iroel...!!"
The hand holding the letter trembled violently. As John's eyes scanned down the contents, his eyes grew red.
The contents were nothing extraordinary. It was simply a list of small things for John, who would be living alone.
How to cook various foods, which areas had plants that were easy to gather, hunting know-how, and... the structure of the mouth for each letter, so he wouldn't forget how to speak.
John's large eyes grew moist. To think that the first trace of Iroel he'd encountered in twenty years was for his own sake, for a man left alone. A trace of love that did not succumb to death.
"Ugh, ugh, hhh..."
A sob escaped his lips. Clutching the letter to his chest, John wept for the first time in a long while.
"Oh dear, looking at the content, it seems she wrote this on the day John left to seek revenge. That's why she entrusted him with the cross."
"Sob, thank you. Thank you so much! If it weren't for you, Demon, I, I would have never seen this...!"
"It's fine since you've seen it now. Don't dwell on it. I simply did what was natural as a companion!"
John wailed. The Demon looked at him and smiled warmly. Knight Beatrice and Angel Uriel also stood in silent admiration after seeing the contents of the letter.
However, there was only one. One being who stared intently at the Demon with a piercing gaze.
'Woof...? I'm sure I saw something when I was on the Young Demon's back...? As the Young Demon sprinted, I think I saw him snatch the cross from the gap in the monster-human's clothes...?'