Nidome no Yuusha

Translator: Jay_Samuel

Chapter 3 – A Place Beyond Nobility

This world is full of the most horrible of all deceptions.

When I learned about the existence of the demon king, no, the system known as the demon king, I couldn’t help but think such.

Usually, demons have something like manastones called magic core in their bodies. Depending on the conditions, it is a demon with a strong regenerative power that can regenerate even the heart, but the demon will die if the magic core somewhere in its body is destroyed.

The demon who becomes the demon king has a magic core as a proof of the demon king, apart from his own manastone.

A special magic core called 『Demon King Core』.

A seed of the world tree that contains evil spirits that transforms the body of the demon who became the Demon King into a Demon-Spark Tree along with enormous power.

When the Demon King becomes a Demon-Spark Tree, the Demon-Spark Tree spreads evil spirits around it.

During the 100 years until the tree dies, monsters activities multiplies and the power of the demons increases.

This is because the magic core possessed by monsters and demons can in the evil spirits as a source of power.

However, for all other creatures that do not possess a magic corei, it is only extremely toxic, and the land on which the magic tree stands is turned into barren land.

So the Hero has to defeat the Demon King. He must destroy that one and only core that exists in the world and purify the evil spirit.

Only the Hero can purify the evil spirits.

And he would have to consider the time until the Demon King Core inhabits another random demon again, and protect the world.

……… I couldn’t do that.

It takes a long time before the Demon King transforms into a Demon-Spark Tree. But in the case of Leticia, the circumstance was different.

Neither did she tranform into a Demon-Spark Tree nor was her Demon King Core destroyed, Leticia, who seemed to have inherited the Demon King Core from the previous Demon King, simply ran out of time.

A few years of life.

Leticia reached out to me, to spend that little time in peace.

With a lonely face, a hopeless face, that there is nothing that can be done.

As originally planned, we should divide the world completely in half, so that the human race and the demons won't have to fight again.

We should pour all the powers of the hero and the demon king to create a barrier where no one can pass.

Then, we spend the little time left together in-between the barrier.

……… I couldn’t accept that.

I decided to find a way to remove the Magic Core from Leticia’s body.

In the battle against the Evil Dragon, which suddenly appeared on the battlefield, both the human side and the demon side suffered devastating damages.

Although I and Leticia managed to beat the evil dragon, neither side could afford to wage war anymore.

I entrusted Leticia, who had been weakened in the battle against the evil dragon, with Leticia’s older sister, Lilia, and Leon, a noble and fair warrior*. (TLN: Martial Artist)

I searched and searched and searched for a way to save Leticia and finally found it.

From vampires that have lived since ancient times, I got information that there was a secret treasure called 『The Book of Wisdom』 that could acquire all the knowledge that existed in the world.

In the depths of a completely decayed ruins, I got information about a dungeon that might house 『The Book of Wisdom』.

Profoundly deep in the forest of Elves, I dived into a sealed dungeon where horrendous demon beasts nest in search of 『The Book of Wisdom』.

I got the knowledge I wanted in a place I arrived at after breaking through a group of boss-class monsters that emerged like small fries close to the 500th floor.

I acquired the knowledge of how to extract and destroy on the Demon King Core without killing Leticia.

Yes, I found it.

How to save Leticia. I found it.

That’s why I came back. I came back.

Hey, Leticia.

I shook off your hands, so I could keep my promise to you.

Yet……, why…….

「Don't mess with me……, why, this early」

『GiluaaAaaAAAaaaAAAaAAAAAA……! 』

Your body has been taken in by the Demon-Spark Tree.

☆

I fought against Leticia, who became a Demon-Spark Tree.

There was no time to hesitate in the battle itself. Leticia’s consciousness was completely silenced, and the Demon-Spark Tree had created its own offshoots as if looking for food, and began to take in all the surrounding life and causing damages.

Neither the human race nor the demons had the spare energy to stop the completely rampaging Demon-Spark Tree, and if I didn't step in, the victims would likely continue to increase.

The fight lasted three days and three nights. It was stronger than anything I had fought so far, and I kept persisting in the face of despair to somehow save Leticia.

But I knew it was impossible. The reason is that once the Demon-Spark Tree sprouts, there is absolutely no way to separate Leticia, I got to know that through the knowledge I got with such desperate efforts and desire.

……No, there was one way to save Leticia.

Rather than destroying the core of the Demon-Spark Tree, the method is to suck out only the evil spirits inside it and disperse it around the world.

If I could just find the Demon King Core that should be somewhere there, I already possessed the necessary skills and knowledge to execute it.

However, I was unable to find the Demon King Core during the battle. No, even if it was possible to find the location of the Demon King Core, I still wouldn’t have been able to do that.

Because I was a Hero. Because I knew the beautiful parts of this world.

Because I’ve come to like this world I spent with Leticia.

The evil energy that were extracted from the Demon King Core without being purified and dispersed, encroaches the world so densely that even the demons who can take it in and strengthen themselves cannot withstand it.

Because I knew that she wouldn’t want the world to become a place where most of the living creatures would die out.

Still, I hesitated, hesitated, and hesitated, even as I cornered the black tree monster that took Leticia into its central part, even after I noticed that the Demon-Spark Tree was beginning to self-destruct, I still couldn’t bring myself to defeat it.

And then a predicament, caused by my lack of concentration, as I continued to drag on the fight.

A moment where I came close to death, I was rescued by Leticia who regained consciousness.

『I decided I really wanted to destroy the world as a Demon King. With no hard feelings, win or lose』 with such obvious lie, the strike went through her back, piercing Leticia's heart which was the core, finally, I brought the battle to a close.

It was brought to a close.

「Leticia……」

「Fufuu, you should see how pitiful you look even though you're embracing such a beautiful girl」

「Why, it's still early ……, Idiot, hold it in with your will alright, I, I actually found it you know……, like I said, I really found a way to save you alright? Okay, you promised to go to my world together with me right. It was a promise to introduce you to my family, that you are my lover」

I could tell that Leticia's life force was fading away rapidly.

From her body I embraced, I could feel it spilling over and fading away.

「Unfortunately, I don’t think I will be able to go with you to your world. Anyway, it is alright. I have always taken from Kaito afterall, and I am always in your debt, but with this, it all goes away. I told you didn't I, I am a woman who always pays her debt properly」

Even though she is laughing like she usually does.

「Surely, you must return to your original world, to your hometown, and to your family. Ah, but, it wouldn't be nice if you just forgot about me so soon, so you should live while crying for a while. Make a super splendid tomb for me, and think only about me as you choke with tears. Because Kaito, you are always thinking about your family in your original world. So for a while, I am going to have Kaito all to myself! Hehehee, Ah, thinking so, it unexpectedly became more fun to die」

Even though she's being mischievous and laughing as usual.

「Oh, and finally one more thing. When you die someday, live so that you don’t have to leave behind things that are left undone. I gave my life for you afterall, If you live an irresponsible life of abandoning things midway, I will never forgive you. I will be watching you properly, so, prepare yourself. If you’re going to display some pathetic guise, I will either get reincarnated and come give you some nice whacking, or I appear before you as a ghost」

That voice that always struck me in the back, who was always so timid, is now hurtful and painful.

「Leticia……」

「Now now, are going to spill all your tears away here? Good grief, didn't you hear me say no hard feelings win or lose. Look here, smile, s-m-i-l-e-! 」

She extended her frail hands and pulls my cheek left and right.

「Ouch…… What are you doing? You this violent woman ……」

Leticia’s body continues to turn into smooth and dry sand.

The body couldn't endure Leticia’s magic core, which was polluted by the Magic-Spark Tree and gained enormous power as a demon king.

「Come on, now, smile, I want you to smile」

「Hh, like, this?」

「Pupuu, that's one ugly-ass face. I guess it means, you will grow bald in the future」

「……I, Idiot, there's no freakin way I'll go bald. Look at this fluffy hair, are your eyes for decoration?」

「Fuhmm, the foresight of this lady has a high rate of accuracy you know? Ku ku ku」

As usual, the forced smile she makes when she begins her foolish talks, seemed like it's about to collapse any moment now.

The shape of the face and mind that she made forcibly is so far that everything hurts so bad it is unbearable.

Leticia’s limbs had already disappeared.

There is almost no time left.

「Geez, you are. Even now……」

「Kuku, Kukuku. Ahh, …… like I thought, who am I kidding」

Distorted, distorted, distorted.

「I don’t want to die, I really don’t want to die」

「Leticia……」

Murmuringly, as if leaking out.

「More, more, much more, so why, why is it?」

「Leticia, Leticia……!!」

The words that keep crumbling and breaking.

「Don't want this, I want to be with Kaito. I, I, I……」

I know that it's because they pop like bubbles and disappear.

「I love you. I love you, I love you so much, I can’t help it, my beloved……」

As if waking from a dream, with only the tear-stained face vividly real.

「Aah, I love you……. I love you, Leticia. I love you so much. Me too, I love you……so so much……」

I kept crying quietly while embracing the sand that has lost its warmth.