Demian’s view was flipped over. After returning to reality from the past, he slowly closed his eyes. Then, he quickly opened them again.
How could Lara live again?
He was always curious about it. Demian wanted to know more about how she could think of living again when it was so difficult and hurtful. He was more curious about that than her past. Was it because of regret? Was it because of longing? Or was it because of revenge?
Lara said that she returned to fix her mistakes. But Demian thought that was not all.
Lara would have wanted to live. Happily. She would have wanted to enjoy a normal and happy life with her loved ones. Thus, when one day she faced the moment of death again, she would not have wanted to leave the same regrets she had then.
Even though Demian was the saintess’ lover, he did not believe in God. He did not even think that Abraxas was a perfect existence. Even when God mentioned Demian being a ‘fragment’ to him, he just thought that God was making a trick to use humans. But now he could not deny it.
Demian watched himself go crazy in Lara’s past. He tore out a demon’s heart and became the demon lord. The ones who defiled the world were the demons and their worshippers, and the one who destroyed the world was Demian himself.
The fragment of God. Returning to reality from Lara’s past shown by Abraxas, he looked at Abraxas and said.
“It seems that the past me already knew.”
Abraxas nodded.
<Since you’re a fragment of God, you must have realized it without anyone telling you. If you become the demon lord, you can give Lara one more chance.>
Demian was angry. His voice was lowered and he continued as though growling.
“What price…”
Her scarlet eyes came to mind. A firm gaze, a calm tone, and a stubbornness to always take everything alone.
“…did Lara pay?”
Demian asked. Abraxas answered his question without hesitation.
<You’re the one who paid the price.>
“But WHY is she still being used by you in this life even though she’s become a saintess? Why?”
<Because Lara wanted it.>
Abraxas looked very sad. Water with deep gloom fluttered in his blue eyes. Whenever Abraxas opened his mouth and said Lara’s name, Demian thought he was holding his tears.
<Demian, you should not have fallen in love with Lara.>
An alter ego that God made from his body. When Abraxas was going out of his mind, he made Demian, his alter ego. Among the many things that made up Abraxas, Demian was created solely for destruction, love and compassion were excluded from him. He was a perfect executor who was unshakable by any emotion and did not fall in love with anyone. It had to be like that.
<Because that was how you were made from the beginning.>
“Bullshit!”
<But you fell in love with Lara. As soon as you meet her, as soon as you make eye contact with her… That’s how you ended up. You repeat the same mistakes I made when I was going insane and destroyed the world you were supposed to protect>
The moment Demian fell in love with Lara, Abraxas realized their future would turn into tragedy.
It was around that time that he came to his senses and began to fulfill his duty as God. He looked back on the world he had turned away from and found things that had disappeared. But it was already too late for many things. While he was recovering from his broken self, Lara was already in a rampant mess.
<You must choose.>
Abraxas said.
<Between this world and Lara, there is only one thing you can protect.>
Then, the answer that Demian could give was decided.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
The necklace that had emitted a mournful red light every night had finally called down. Now, Demian’s voice calling to Lara could not be heard. Lara held the long-distance magic receiver with one hand and hung it back around her neck.
“Master.”
After coming a long way, Paimon knelt in front of Lara with a messy look.
“I hope everything went well in the East.”
“Yes, I think Prince Nicholas and the Imperial Army’s power alone will be enough. The demon worshippers are scattered around, and all the black sorcerers who were active in Lafort were either captured or killed by Demian’s hands.”
“What about Vassago?”
“He’s finishing up.”
Valac used a bat to contact Paimon in the East. After being told to come back to his master right away, Paimon left the East without contemplating for long. As long as he had pledged his obedience, he had to follow Lara’s orders.
But when Paimon arrived across the border, another demon lord candidate, Vassago, was crouching on a stump in the sunny yard wiping Lara’s shoes. He waved at Paimon as if he was pleased to see him.
Lara asked Paimon.
“Is there a God in hell?”
“God… I have never thought about that. Most demons die while fighting. If we survive, we can live a very long time. Us demons serve the demon lord, but we don’t think of him as a God.”
“What would it be like if a God appeared in hell?”
“Then us demons would want to test how strong the existence called God is.”
Paimon replied with a devilish answer. When Lara nodded, Paimon carefully asked.
“Why do you ask that?”
“I’m curious why you lot are trying to ascend into the Gods’ realms.”
“Well, what did Vassago say?”
“He said it’s because hell is about to collapse.”
“I don’t think he’s wrong. But I think there is another reason.”
“What is it?”
“Because demons want to be human.”
It was a little unexpected this time. Lara looked at Paimon with surprised eyes, he opened his mouth and said, with a self-ridiculing smile on his lips.
“Demons have strong pride and will never acknowledge that fact… We think it’s not an elegant way of thinking. We have envied humans for a long time. That’s why we keep pretending to be human and being on edge to keep mingling in this land.”
“What does that have to do with ascending into the Gods’ realm?”
“Because that way, they will look at us. There’s nothing in hell. There are no flowers or sunsets, no love or sadness, not even countries or families, and not even shining cultures.”
“So you want something like that.”
“Even if we have a long life span and great power, us demons are no different from humans in the aspect of coveting something we don’t have.”
“You’re honest.”
“Because being honest is elegant. Lies are vulgar. In that sense, I think Vassago made a noble choice in being honest with master from the beginning.”
“Really?”
“I heard he asked you to be the demon lord.”
Uncontrollable expectations rose on Paimon’s face. At first glance, there was an innocence that was no different from a child on his face–an ignorant and destructive purity that was close to wickedness.
Lara wanted to tell these immature demons how tiring and tragic it was to live as a human being.
“Yeah.”
You must have not experienced the sadness of losing your loved one, the regret left for your family, or the dreams you can’t achieve.
“I’m going to be the demon lord.”
I will be that hell.
That was the only way to protect Demian and the world where her loved ones lived.
<ol start="33">
For Lara
“I don’t want to.”
Lara saw Konny cry so loudly for the first time. At first, she just repeatedly refused but she finally burst into tears and began to pour out resentment to Lara.
“If you can go to the battlefield, why can’t I? If it’s dangerous to me, then it’s also dangerous to you.”
“Konny!”
“Even though God is narrow-minded and has a small heart, would he ever let the only maid of the saintess die? If need be, the Barbarians can protect me! Moreover, there are three demons next to you!”
The maid with a loud voice paid no care toward the three demons that were looking at the scene right in front of her. She did not even care about Valentine, who became sullen because she did not call his name. She just clutched Lara’s clothes tightly.
“I want to go too. I already told you that I should be next to you. Milady, you think you are really perfect and mature. But you’re not like that at all.”
“Konny…”
“You’re clumsy at whatever you do so I have to take care of you every day. Why are you even walking on eggshells around other people? If someone doesn’t compliment you for being good or for acting cool, your worries will grow like mountains and your face will turn like a wicked witch!”
Valac was listening to Konny’s complaint and bit his lips hard. Paimon whispered to Vassago, asking if that was really true. Vassago replied that there was no way his master was like that.
Lara thought about how to send this stubborn maid back home.
“There aren’t just demon worshippers in Gorgon, there are demonic beasts there too. All the enemies you have seen so far have either looked like humans or were humans. Imagine a demonic beast as big as the carriage with many legs and drooling slippery poison.”
“Is the demonic beast that disgusting?”
“Do you think they only have multiple legs? They are also hairy and lay a lot of eggs. They smell so bad. When you turn it over when they’re dead, the legs on their stomachs will…”
Konny’s face became pale as Lara’s words got longer. Lara was just going on about the characteristics of bugs as she thought of it, but she got goosebumps imagining it.
“But, milady, you can’t even catch cockroaches!”
“Konny, we won’t be separated forever. I’m telling you to go to my mother and tell her my schedule so she doesn’t worry. If it’s not you, who else will do that? After you do so, bring Valentine and Crown Prince Acerus to the West. We can meet there.”
This was cheating. Until now, Konny had been yelling as if she would not leave Lara’s side no matter what, but now, she had drooped her shoulders.
“So I should tell Madam Isadora…and follow you afterward, right?”
“That’s right.”
“You have to wait for me.”
“I will be going slowly.”
“I will be back as soon as possible.”
Konny sprang up on her feet and let go of Lara’s clothes. The new shirt she was wearing was now crumpled.
Lara sent Konny off with a smile.
