The Holy Sword in the Demon King's Heart
The Holy Sword pierced the Demon King's heart after ten long years of war. In that instant, the crimson demonic energy that had ravaged the world vanished without a trace.
“We have won the war!”
As I shouted, the imperial soldiers atop the crumbling ramparts let out a unified roar. “Long live Kelintar, the Hero!” “Savior of the Empire!” Cheers praising me echoed from every direction.
Basking in the applause, I closed my eyes and reflected on the past decade. I was not a native of this world. Ten years ago, I had been an ordinary citizen living in South Korea. One day I opened my eyes and found myself inside the imperial palace. The imperial magic knights had summoned me, they said. Following the Emperor’s declaration, I was officially named the Hero and granted the Holy Sword. Everyone began calling me the Hero.
“I want to run away… I don’t want to fight, damn it…”
At first, all I wanted was to escape. But there was no way back to Earth. Worse, the Demon King’s army slaughtered countless people every day, and I witnessed the carnage firsthand.
“Hero… please… please save my mom…”
The cries of children rang across the Empire day after day. So I fought. I couldn’t simply watch innocent people die. I nearly died thousands of times. Every night I regretted promising to become the Hero and battle on. The trauma of combat even made me contemplate suicide. But each time, my companions pulled me back from the edge.
Saintess Laurency, Archmage Herilis, Sword Saint Beliavel. The Empire’s greatest talents, and my irreplaceable companions.
“You’ve worked so hard, Hero.”
“We only made it this far because of you.”
“Even though we defeated the Demon King, we’ll stay together from now on.”
Beautiful, kind companions. A threat that had disappeared. The voices of countless people singing my praises. They were the happiest days of my life. After overcoming death thousands of times over ten years to reach this point, I had not a single regret. Every moment felt like a blessing.
“Hero, we won’t have to experience another horrible war like this, right?”
“Of course. All that’s left is to live happily.”
The Emperor also bestowed enormous rewards upon me.
To the Hero Kelintar, who saved the Empire, I hereby award the Empire’s highest knightly honor and a generous bounty.
Many things had happened since I was transported to this other world, but it all felt like compensation. After ten years of hardship, I thought I could finally live in peace.
That was what I believed.
One month after the Demon King’s death, a small red star appeared in the imperial sky.
At first, everyone dismissed it as nothing important. Unnamed stars appearing in the imperial heavens were common enough. Festivals still raged across the Empire. Barrels of wine rolled through the streets while drunk citizens shouted.
“I am the Hero Kelintar! Demon King, you bastard! I’ll kill you!”
“Graaaah! No one can withstand the power of the Holy Sword!”
It was a ridiculous play performed by grown men waving sticks, yet everyone watched and laughed heartily.
Why… why do I keep sensing such an ominous aura?
A sinister energy emanated from the red star floating in the sky. The Holy Sword was resonating with it.
What is this…?
The Holy Sword had only ever resonated once before—when I faced the Demon King directly.
I recognized the severity of the situation and sent a report to the Emperor. The red star could be a harbinger of the Demon King’s resurrection. The Holy Sword had reacted faintly to its presence. I requested three things:
1. Publicly announce to the citizens the possibility of the Demon King’s return and give them time to prepare.
2. Dramatically increase security forces in case of emergency.
3. Immediately halt all festivals and redirect every resource toward preparing for the threat.
The very next day, someone came to my house. It was the Imperial Knight Commander.
He looked at me and spoke without any greeting.
“Return the Holy Sword.”
“Why are you taking it back?”
“From the beginning, His Majesty only lent it until the Hero subjugated the Demon King. Retrieving it is only natural.”
“Did you not read the document I sent?”
The Knight Commander’s expression hardened. He stared at me and said,
“I read it.”
“Then why on earth…”
“It is the result of prolonged combat trauma.”
“Trauma?”
“After fighting the Demon King’s army for over ten years, it is only natural for the mind to become unstable. But the war is clearly over.”
“My mind is perfectly sound. And did I not tell you the Holy Sword reacted? The Demon King may be resurrecting.”
Imperial Knight Commander Pirvel twisted his face into a savage scowl and roared,
“Do not speak so carelessly of the Demon King’s resurrection!”
“I am not speaking carelessly. I am saying the Demon King might truly be returning.”
“The capital is currently enjoying its first victory in ten years with festivals everywhere. The people have finally obtained peace, and the Emperor’s popularity—which had plummeted due to war damage over the past decade—has now reached its peak. What do you think will happen if you suddenly start spreading rumors about the Demon King’s possible return?”
“If it is real, we must prepare.”
“And if it is not?”
He stepped closer and shouted,
“If we prepare because of your words and the Demon King does not return? The citizens will be gripped by needless fear, and the imperial authority will be shaken. Wasting finances on meaningless measures would only worsen the people’s livelihood and invite criticism. We have finally turned public sentiment around—why should we risk all of that over nothing but your intuition?”
He added,
“And even if the Demon King does resurrect, what do you think will happen if you simply kill him again and solve the problem? The citizens will shout that only the Hero Kelintar can save our Empire. Rumors already circulate that the Hero should be crowned Emperor. If public sentiment shifts any further, it will become irreversible.”
“What kind of nonsense is—”
Only then did I understand the true meaning behind his words. If the Demon King did not resurrect, public sentiment would collapse over wasted money. If he did resurrect and I killed him again, the Emperor feared the people would revere me more than him.
Further conversation was pointless.
“I will… return the Holy Sword.”
“You should have done so from the start.”
As the Knight Commander left, he said,
“Do not cross the line, Kelintar. The Empire is not the Hero’s country. It is His Majesty the Emperor’s country. Discard the foolish notion that nothing can be solved without you.”
My hand, which had always felt heavy with the sword’s weight, was now empty. For ten years—more than ten years—the Holy Sword had never left my grasp. It had been with me through thousands of battles and thousands of brushes with death. And now that sword was gone.
After that day, the nobles who used to visit my home stopped coming entirely. The gifts that arrived daily ceased. Even casual greetings and inquiries were cut off in an instant.
Strange things began happening day after day. All the portraits of me hanging in the capital were taken down. The statues erected to honor me were dismantled. Every piece of propaganda related to the Hero began disappearing one by one. It felt as if my very existence was being erased from the Empire.
A few days later, I met with my former party members for the first time in a while. Since the day the Holy Sword was taken, they had barely kept in touch, so I had arranged the meeting.
“Why do you all look so gloomy?”
When I asked, they only gave awkward smiles.
“Laurency, how are things at the Papal Court lately? Is the atmosphere alright?”
“…It’s fine. No particular problems.”
“What about you, Herilis? Anything unusual at the Magic Tower?”
“…No. Nothing for me either.”
“Beliavel. I heard you’ve been teaching swordsmanship at the imperial palace as the Sword Saint. How is the mood there?”
“I have no particular issues either.”
No matter what I asked, the answers were short and curt. Something felt off.
Maybe it’s combat trauma…
We had suffered tremendous losses fighting the Demon King. Countless sacrifices had been made. They probably still hadn’t recovered from those events.
“Let’s call it a day. You all look exhausted.”
As we were about to part after the brief gathering, Saintess Laurency grabbed my sleeve.
“Hero Kelintar.”
“Yes?”
“I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“No matter what happens… we’re still companions, right?”
I took her hand and answered,
“Of course. No matter what happens, no matter what trials stand in our way, we are precious companions.”
“…No matter what… right…?”
“Yes. I swear it.”
She hesitated, so I added,
“Laurency. If the Papal Court is giving you a hard time or if you have any worries, tell me. I’ll take care of it.”
“…Understood.”
Laurency held my hand for a long time without letting go. It looked like she had something to say… but in the end she released my hand without a word and said,
“See you next time.”
“Yeah. Come find me anytime if something happens. Even if the whole world turns its back on you, I will always be on your side. The same goes for Herilis and Beliavel. You three are more important to me than my own life.”
“…”
I slowly waved as I watched the women walk away. Laurency, who had been walking ahead, suddenly turned around and spoke quietly.
“The imperial family considers you a threat, Hero. Among the citizens, there are growing voices saying you should be crowned Emperor. The prevailing opinion is that your influence has grown too great. The Papal Court is also uneasy because more and more people are revering the Hero over the gods.”
“So that’s why you all looked so down? Thank you for telling me, Laurency. I’m fine. I have no desire for the Emperor’s throne. I’ll just live quietly at home for the rest of my days. If I stay quiet, His Majesty will eventually realize there’s no need to keep me in check. So don’t worry and head back safely.”
“…Understood.”
Four days later, five or six knights arrived at my door.
“His Majesty summons you, Kelintar.”
I immediately asked,
“Why does His Majesty suddenly wish to see me?”
“Just follow us and you’ll find out.”
I decided to go without resistance. The Emperor’s word was absolute in the Empire, and I held a faint hope that perhaps he had reconsidered after taking back the Holy Sword and now wanted to prepare for the Demon King’s possible return.
On the way to the imperial palace, the streets were strangely empty. Inside the palace, the number of knights was five or six times greater than usual. Such large-scale troop movements were rare unless the Empire was at war.
“Has something happened?”
“Go inside.”
The knight shoved me forward with an overbearing attitude, making it clear no answer would be given. The place I was taken to was the imperial courthouse. Hundreds of nobles already occupied the seats inside, and Emperor Dorcal sat at the center on his throne. But that was not all. The Pope, the Tower Lord, the Imperial Knight Commanders, and even my companions—Saintess Laurency, Archmage Herilis, and Sword Saint Beliavel—were present. All three of them wore grim expressions. Laurency’s face in particular had gone deathly pale.
No matter what happens… we’re still companions, right?
Laurency’s earlier words suddenly came to mind. Had she caused some kind of accident? It didn’t matter. I would protect her. It seemed my companions had caused trouble and I had been called as a witness. Even if the situation turned against me, I was prepared to testify to prove their innocence.
That was what I thought—until Emperor Dorcal spoke.
“Hero Kelintar.”
His eyes were ice-cold, as if he were looking at garbage. The atmosphere was wrong.
“We shall now begin the trial for the crime of treason against the Empire committed by Kelintar, the so-called Hero.”
My mind went completely blank. A trial? For me? Treason? What the hell was this?
When I looked at the Emperor, he wore a twisted smile, as if he were enjoying some amusing game.
“Your Majesty, what is this nonsense about treason? I gave my life for the Empire to subjugate the Demon King. After that, I handed over the Holy Sword without any resistance when it was demanded. How can you accuse me of treason?”
“Your crimes are clear. You spread false rumors that the Demon King would resurrect, throwing the Empire into chaos. You tried to bury the Emperor’s achievement of defeating the Demon King. At the same time, using the resurrection as an excuse, you refused to return the Holy Sword—an imperial treasure—and even fought the Knight Commander.”
“What are you talking about? This is baseless slander!”
“Speak for yourself, Knight Commander Dejarvil.”
“His Majesty is correct. He ranted about the Demon King’s resurrection with absurd claims. When we tried to retrieve the Holy Sword, he refused and fought us.”
“What the hell are you saying?! I handed it over quietly! I only said the Demon King might resurrect because the Holy Sword reacted! I spoke with reasonable evidence! I said it for the sake of the Empire’s people!”
When I shouted in fury, the Emperor roared back,
“Silence!”
I looked around and shouted,
“You can’t possibly believe this, can you? I have sacrificed my life for the Empire for ten years. Why would I spread false rumors or antagonize the Knight Commander?!”
Then I turned to my companions.
“Laurency, Herilis, Beliavel, say something. I’m not that kind of person, am I? After the Knight Commander visited, I never even mentioned the Demon King’s resurrection again. The Emperor told me to shut up, so I didn’t say anything to you either. How could I have spread false rumors…?”
They lowered their heads, avoiding my gaze. My mind began to go numb.
As I stood there clenching my fists in a daze, the Emperor continued.
“If you deny it, I suppose I must ask your companions. Beliavel, did Kelintar truly not spread false information about the Demon King’s resurrection?”
“…On the last day we met the Hero, he told us the Demon King would resurrect soon. He also said he must reclaim the stolen Holy Sword.”
“Herilis, you speak as well.”
“Beliavel is correct… He said that if the Emperor refused to return the Holy Sword, we should fight to take it back and prepare for the Demon King’s resurrection.”
“…What are you saying…? When did I…? When did I ever say that…?”
Listening to my former companions’ testimony, I began laughing like a madman. The Emperor paid no attention and turned to Laurency.
“Laurency, speak.”
“The Hero…”
I shouted at her,
“Laurency. Did these bastards threaten you? Don’t worry. Just tell me what they did and I’ll fix everything. You were worried about me at the end, weren’t you? No matter how I think about it, this doesn’t make sense. They threatened you, right? You don’t need to explain at length. I’ll believe you. Just say one word—that you need help. No matter what trouble you’re in, I’ll solve it even if I have to kill everyone here. So just say it. Say you need help. Please, just say it!”
“…”
Laurency looked into my eyes and said,
“Hero. Please do not cause any more trouble. You asked me to secretly retrieve the Holy Sword that was stored in the Papal Court, didn’t you?”
“Fuck.”
I charged at the nearest knight, punched him hard enough to knock him down, then drew the sword he carried.
“What did you do to my companions? You threatened them, didn’t you? So this is how you plan to frame and exile me. You pathetic bastards. Do you really think this kind of trick will work? How many troops did you bring? A thousand? Two thousand? I don’t know how many you brought, but what will you do if I kill them all? Do you think you can stop me with just yourselves? These are companions I’ve fought alongside for ten years. We talked just days ago—how could they betray me overnight? Stop spouting bullshit and tell me what you did to my companions right now. Otherwise I’ll kill the Emperor and everyone else here.”
As I began to rampage, the nobles shouted,
“He has finally revealed his true nature! That vile wretch just said he would kill His Majesty the Emperor!”
“Clear evidence of treason! Execute him immediately!”
In the chaos, I tried to use the Hero’s power to kill them all. But at that moment, Laurency stepped forward.
“Hero.”
“Yes. Tell me how they threatened you. Even if it means war with the Empire, I will protect you all. I’ll say it again. Just say you need help. Then I’ll—”
“Please stop…”
“What…?”
Laurency spoke with tears streaming down her face.
“Just quietly leave the Empire. Admit all your crimes… please…”
“…”
“Laurency, what are you saying…? They’re threatening you, right? Is it brainwashing? No, it can’t be. There’s no brainwashing magic on you…? Tell me. I said I’d help you…?”
“Come to your senses. It’s not a threat…”
“…”
Only then did reality hit me like a thunderbolt.
“Ah… if it’s not a threat… then it really is betrayal.”
“…”
Laurency closed her mouth. I pointed my sword at her. The urge to kill her right then and there surged up, but I couldn’t bring myself to slay a companion I had spent over ten years with.
“Fuck…”
— BOOOOM!
When I slammed the sword into the ground, Archmage Herilis and Sword Saint Beliavel leaped down from the opposite side to stop me.
“Hero, cease this at once. If you continue to rampage, you will have to fight us.”
“Please do not make the situation worse.”
I looked at the Emperor with bare hands and said,
“Stop this disgusting farce of a trial and just give the verdict. This whole thing was meaningless from the start anyway, wasn’t it?”
The Emperor looked down at me with the coldest eyes imaginable and declared,
“I strip the former Hero Kelintar of his title and sentence him to banishment for the crime of treason against the Empire. Kelintar shall never again set foot in the Monlik Empire. This is the verdict.”
“You’re too scared to sentence me to death, you pathetic bastards. Why? Because if you tried to kill me I would resist, and you don’t have the confidence to stop me? Why not just issue a death sentence?”
At that moment, knights swarmed around me.
“Watch your tongue. The reason His Majesty showed mercy and sentenced you to banishment rather than death is out of recognition for your achievement in killing the Demon King.”
“Is that so? Too bad. If you had sentenced me to death, I could have killed you all without any guilt.”
“Stop your nonsense and disappear quietly. As you said, this is merely banishment, not execution. For the crime of treason, it is actually a lenient punishment.”
Countless knights moved in to take me away. I gathered my mana and spoke.
“Get lost. I’ll leave this disgusting Empire on my own.”
As I left the courtroom, I spoke to my former companions behind me.
“I want to kill you all… I really want to slaughter every last one of you, but I’ll hold back. This is my final consideration for you who helped me for over ten years. So please, let us never meet again. Because if we do, I don’t know what I might do to you.”
The despair of betrayal made me want to kill everyone on the spot, but affection was not so easily discarded. After living, sleeping, and eating together for more than ten years, I couldn’t simply erase those memories and slaughter them with my own hands.
“Fuck…”
After leaving the courtroom alone, a filthy feeling surged inside me. The end of a Hero who had devoted more than ten years was banishment.
Carrying the bare minimum of belongings, I crossed the desert to leave the Monlik Empire. After traveling for about a day, the red star in the sky began to flicker violently. The crimson star, brimming with ferocious demonic energy, grew larger and larger.
What is this…?
Then the red star fell toward a city in the Monlik Empire. With a tremendous explosion like a meteor strike, the Empire—which looked like a dot in the distance—burst into flames.
This is…
I focused my mind in a hurry. The Hero possessed the power to sense the Demon King’s energy. And I realized it. The Demon King I had killed months ago had resurrected.
I had been right. The Demon King had returned. The only thing I had been wrong about was how much faster it had happened than I expected.
This is bad. Only the Hero’s power can stop the Demon King. If he has truly resurrected, the Monlik Empire will surely be destroyed…
I hurriedly tried to turn back toward the Monlik Empire, but the faces of my betraying companions flashed before my eyes. The faces of the hundreds of nobles and the Emperor who had looked at me like garbage also rose up.
Should I save them? Those pieces of trash who betrayed me?
‘…’
I slowly stood up and began walking in the opposite direction of the Monlik Empire. I had decided to ignore the Empire’s crisis. Whatever happened to that trash Empire—whether it was destroyed by the Demon King or not—was no longer any concern of mine.
— KWAAAAAAAANG!
After a massive explosion, Imperial Knight Commander Dejarvil burst into the Emperor’s chambers in panic.
“Your Majesty!”
“What is it?”
“Th-the outer city of Lanzar…”
When the Knight Commander trembled so violently he could not continue, the Emperor shouted,
“Was Lanzar attacked?!”
“N-no, Your Majesty.”
“Then what?”
“Lanzar… has been obliterated.”
City of Lanzar: Completely Destroyed
Estimated Death Toll: 100,502