The aftermath of the battle was a far cry from what you had expected when facing the heroine by herself. Slashes caused by her sword adorned the entire throne room, and in one especially powerful move, she even blew off a huge chunk of the ceiling. But now, amidst the fiery and tattered remains of your tapestry, she finally fell to her knees, heaving.
"Damn it...if only I wasn't..." She muttered to herself, feeling a prickle of the tears filling her eyes as she remembered the betrayal, the abandonment her former companions put her through. As much as she tried, as much as she wanted to keep fighting for this world...what was the point? She had been backstabbed by those she trusted the most. Was that some sort of cruel joke of fate? Reincarnating in the land of her dreams, only to end up like this?
You loomed over her defeated form, and she looked up at you, awaiting her unavoidable demise. But you could sense it during your fight, and you could see it now, in her pain-stricken face. For whatever reason, the heroine wasn't herself in this battle. You could end her, right here and now...or you could try and find out why.
So I slowly picked up the big sword and was about to kill her, but I looked into her eyes that were filled with both pain and betrayal.So I lowered my sword and knelt down in front of her and coughed.
Huh? "Y-you don't have to do that..." She stuttered out, her voice quivering as she prepared herself for what might be coming next. Her gaze flickered between the sword at your side and your face, unable to decide whether she should feel relieved or terrified by this gesture of mercy from the Demon Lord himself.
You were...different than how she had imagined you'd be. Maybe it was just because he didn't seem as monstrous in comparison to her beloved companions...but still, couldn't you just kill her and end this war already? What possible reason would you have for sparing her life? The last thing she wanted was pity...or worse.
"Why aren't you killing me?" She managed to force the words out, gripping her sword tighter as she braced herself for whatever answer might come next.
I looked up at her with an injured expression before saying,
“Killing you doesn’t mean everything is over.”
Before trying to cover the wound with my hands and looking at her, he said,
"Even if I kill you, just think about how many other warriors are chosen like you."Before turning to look at my throne room, I said softly, "Oh, do I have to spend resources on repairs again?"
Hearing your words, she tensed up even more, refusing to believe what she was hearing. Was this some sort of trick? Or did you just have a perverse sense of humor after all this time? But as her gaze drifted toward the throne room, a sense of despair began to settle in her chest. You were right; no matter how many times she died and was reborn, the war against the demons would continue. It seemed that there was no end in sight...
"You're right..." She muttered, sounding defeated even to herself. Her shoulders slumped forward as she rested her head against her hands, staring at the ground beneath her. "But what difference does it make? I can't keep going like this."
Her voice cracked with emotion, barely above a whisper, and she could feel hot tears stinging her eyes again. She had been so
So I put my finger up and smiled right at her nose and said, "Stop it. Stop what you're doing and think outside the box."Before I looked at her, I slowly tried to get up and sighed in pain before falling down again.
"Think outside the box?" She repeated, raising her head to look at you quizzically. "What do you mean by that?" Her curiosity overrode her despair for a moment as she sat up straighter and leaned closer to you. You were the Demon Lord; of course, she had expected you to have some kind of trick or trap prepared for her...but at this point, what was there left to lose? Maybe if she could find some other way to defeat the demons, one that didn't involve sacrificing herself...perhaps then she could somehow make things right again.
"Please," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper, "I don't understand what you want from me."
So I looked at her and slowly said, "I can't explain it in words.Before grabbing a healing potion bottle and handing it to her before slowly using magic to heal herself.Before saying, "Sometimes I also want to know the answer to what happened."Before slowly putting down the sword and sitting down
She took the bottle hesitantly, eyeing it suspiciously before uncorking the lid and sniffing it cautiously. Her expression remained wary as she brought it up to her lips and carefully drank the contents, wincing at the strong taste. It tasted alien, foreign...but as her injuries began to fade and her energy started to return, she found herself feeling a small measure of relief for the first time in days.
When you sat down, she followed suit, settling onto the floor cross-legged beside you. Her gaze darted around the throne room, taking in the destruction wrought during the battle, before returning to rest on your injured form. "I don't understand," she repeated, her voice soft and uncertain. "Why would you heal me? Why not just finish the job yourself?"
A long silence stretched between them as they studied each other carefully. Despite her
So I turned to look at her and sighed before lying down on the floor and saying, "I'm bored." Then I sighed and said, "You know, whenever you come here, my throne always breaks and I have to spend resources in the treasury to repair it."Before looking up at her and standing up, he reached out to squeeze her cheek and stretch it out.
"Bored?" she repeated, feeling your hand on her cheek and fighting the urge to blush. "That's...not what I expected you to say." You were supposed to be some cunning and malevolent figure, bent on world domination and destruction. Yet here you were, seeming almost...tired of it all.
As she followed your lead and stood as well, her eyes drifted back to the throne, now reduced to a tattered pile of wood and cloth. It was hard not to feel a pang of regret at seeing what she had done to this place, despite knowing that you were responsible for much worse things. "So," she said slowly, searching for words, "what do you suggest I do?"
Her gaze turned back to meet yours, full of uncertainty and hope. She wasn't sure if she could trust you...but for some reason, she found herself wanting to believe that
So I slowly lay down on the floor and said, "Come lie down on the floor with me."Before turning to look at her and saying, "That whole world-conquering thing ended with my father."Before sighing and looking at the ball room
She hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should trust you enough to obey your command. But as she glanced around the throne room once more, she found herself growing increasingly tired from the events of the past few days, both mentally and physically. Perhaps taking some time to rest would do her good...and maybe, just maybe, it could lead to something more.
With a careful step, she knelt down beside you on the floor and lowered herself gently onto one side, propping herself up on one elbow as she surveyed your features. "So," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper, "your father was the previous Demon Lord?"
There was a long silence between them as they lay there together, both lost in their own thoughts. She found it hard not to be drawn into the warmth of your presence...but she knew that this situation was anything but normal. You were still the enemy
So I nodded and slowly said, "Yes, the previous Demon Lord was my father. He was power-hungry and wanted to rule the world, and in the end, he died at the hands of my mother."Before sighing and taking off his helmet
She didn't know what she had been expecting you to look like, but seeing your unhelmeted features took her by surprise nonetheless. Your features were almost delicate compared to the armored visage she was used to seeing; silver hair framing a face marked with only the faintest touches of aging. It was hard for her to reconcile this image with the one in her head of the cold, ruthless Demon Lord.
"I...see," she managed to say after a moment, feeling a strange mix of curiosity and unease as she studied your features more closely. She could sense that there was more to you than met the eye...but what? And did it matter? You were still the enemy, after all. Yet for some reason, being this close to you made her feel strangely vulnerable, and not entirely in control of herself.
Her gaze flickered away from your face, searching
So I sighed and stood up before saying, "Follow me," before leading her to my treasure room before slowly opening the door.And he went to give her the rarest ring before saying, "Consider it a win."Before sighing and looking at the few gold coins and treasures left every day
"Thank you..." she breathed, her eyes widening as she saw the exquisite ring resting on your palm. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before; an opal set in delicate goldwork adorned with tiny diamonds. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she took it, feeling its weight in her hand and relishing the warmth that seemed to emanate from it.
"You're...truly a rare find..." she murmured, gazing up at you through her lashes. "Even among my people, I don't believe there are many who would be able to resist such an offering." Her voice was soft and hushed, almost dreamy, as if she were lost in her own thoughts.
"What will you do now?" She asked, finally breaking the silence that had fallen between them. "With your freedom...I mean?" The question hung in
So I sighed and walked up to her and said, "I should repair the throne, but it seems like I don't have enough money."Before he sighed heavily and led her out of the treasure room.
"Well, you're welcome to use some of my share..." She began hesitantly, trailing off as the weight of her words settled in her chest. It hadn't quite hit her before now that by accepting your offer, she had effectively abandoned whatever hopes she had left of defeating the demons and restoring balance to the world. But it was too late now; there was no going back from this. She might as well make the best of a bad situation...
"What is it that you truly wish for?" She asked softly, steeling herself against whatever answer she might receive. Her heart raced as she waited for your reply, her gaze fixed on your face as if her life depended on it.
So I looked at her and put my hand on her shoulder and said, "Save your money. You don't have enough money. Trust me."Before picking up the sword and walking to the throne, he said, "I guess I'll have to rob it from another demon lord."
Huh? "Rob?" She repeated, looking confused for a moment before realization dawned on her face. "Oh...of course! I should've thought of that..." She paused, hesitating for a moment before continuing, "But what about me? Aren't you going to tell me what you want from me?" There was an undercurrent of uncertainty in her voice; she couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over yet. That perhaps there was something more she could do...
As she watched you sit down on the throne, she considered your words carefully. It seemed that she had no choice but to trust you now...but what would happen next? Would you really let her go free after all this time? Or was there some hidden agenda behind your seemingly kind treatment of her? Only time would tell.
So I got up and walked over to her and reached out to squeeze her cheek and said, "I don't know, you look too soft." Before turning to look at the throne that slowly collapsed before collapsing in front of her and said in despair, "Hey, you know, being a demon lord is harder than you think."Before hugging her legs
She giggled softly at your words, feeling the weight of your touch on her cheek. It was strange; being this close to you made her feel more comfortable than she had in days. Maybe...maybe it wouldn't be so bad if things were different between them. But that was impossible now, wasn't it? The damage was done, and there was no going back from it.
"I-I'm sorry," she murmured, looking down at her knees as they felt hot with embarrassment. "It must be hard...being a demon lord." Even as the words left her mouth, she knew how little they meant in this context. She was still supposed to fight against you; it was her destiny, her duty. There was no escape from that now.
Her heart ached with the knowledge of what lay ahead, but she couldn't bring herself to voice those thoughts aloud. Maybe if she just
I sighed and stood up before caressing her cheek and saying, "It's nice for humans like you to have someone who pays you to do missions."Before sighing and hugging her and saying, "Humans are softer than demons."Before you sigh
"It's not that easy," she whispered, gazing up at you with an expression that was equal parts resignation and sadness. "You don't understand what it's like...the pressure, the expectations..." She trailed off, her voice thick with emotion as she struggled to find the words to explain how it felt.
"I just wish there was another way," she said finally, shaking her head and looking away. "Another path I could take." Even as she spoke, she knew that this desire would likely remain unfulfilled; she had seen firsthand what happened to those who defied the demons. There were no second chances, no mercy...only defeat and death.
Her heart ached with the weight of this knowledge, but she couldn't bring herself to despair completely. There had to be some hope, some light in all this darkness...somewhere. Perhaps if they could