Will I End Up As a Hero or a Demon King (WN)

Chapter 241

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Chapter 241 – A Courageous First Step

“Master!” [T/N: It’s “Master” as in “teacher” or something like that.]

As expected, Carla was the first to rush over.

Despite their master-servant relationship, he couldn’t help himself and threw himself into his master’s arms, crying like a child.

He fell asleep beside his master as if following him.

Before falling asleep, he must have watched his master grow weaker, unable to do anything about it.

His pent-up feelings overflowed. The Demon King smiled wryly, gently placing his hand on Carla’s head as he accepted him.

Their relationship was different from what I had originally imagined, but now they look like the ideal parent and child.

At the very least, it’s a scene I never experienced as a child, and it makes me a little envious.

Not wanting to disturb the moment, I remained silent for a while. However, the Demon King gently grabbed Carla’s shoulder, and the scene began to unfold again.

“Carla, first let me thank the one who woke me up.”

“Oh, I’m sorry!”

“Young man, I am truly grateful that you shared your blood with me. I am Zeo… Zeo Legmaier. I don’t know how many months have passed since I fell asleep. Are you one of my kind?”

“My name is Loki. I’m not sure if I’m a demon, but my magic is black, just like yours, right?”

I showed him my black magic, and Zeo nodded in response.

He had probably tried several times.

After a considerable amount of time, he created a small stone while enveloping himself in black magic.

It was impressive that he did it without chanting. However, he looked confused, so I couldn’t help but think there was some kind of adverse effect.

“W-what’s going on? My body feels strange, and I can’t control my magic.”

“Did you gradually lower the level of activation?”

“No. At first, I tried to materialize my magic, but it didn’t work. So, I had no choice but to activate magic equivalent to level one.”

“I see. How is your physical ability? Has it decreased significantly from before?”

When I told him, Carla exclaimed, “Eh?”

Using Insight, I could tell that Zeo was currently quite weak, though it wouldn’t be obvious just by looking at him.

“Indeed, compared to my prime, I’m a shadow of my former self. Hmph, is this the new divine punishment that has been handed down to me?”

After moving his body slightly, he struck the ground with his fist, presumably to assess his condition.

He’s self-deprecating, but his expression is somewhat detached and resigned.

But that’s definitely jumping to conclusions.

At the very least, the goddesses wouldn’t give him such a punishment.

“Maybe it’s because you’ve been asleep for so long, or maybe it’s because my magic is a little different from that of the demon race. There are many possible reasons, so I can’t say for sure.”

“…”

“But if you still had sufficient power after becoming a familiar, then there’s a better chance you can regain it, right?”

If this is the limit of a familiar’s abilities, then it may be impossible to do anything.

However, if Carla calls him master, then he must have been stronger than Carla and me, even when he was a familiar.

That’s not what I’m most worried about right now, though.

“What I’m most worried about is this.”

Saying this, I point to my temple.

It may be rude, but I think it’s the most appropriate thing to say to someone who has just awakened from a long sleep.

“”Huh?””

“The knowledge and memories you had before you fell asleep. I haven’t told Carla yet, but it’s been about 10,000 years since the Great War between Primus and the demi-humans. Even if it’s possible to regain lost abilities through effort and time, wouldn’t it be extremely difficult to regain lost knowledge and memories?”

“Huh? Ten thousand years?”

“That should be fine. I can’t tell if I’ve lost them or not, but I vividly remember the cruelty of humans and the deaths of my comrades.”

“…”

“Loki, you said 10,000 years, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“After such a long time, are the demon race still alive? Are they living happily without persecution?”

“Well… I’m still on my journey, and I only know a small part of the world. Within that limited knowledge, I have never met anyone I could clearly identify as a demon.”

“I-I see…”

Maybe they are in Hans-san’s country.

But probably not. I don’t think that’s very likely.

Why did the demons suddenly disappear?

The goddesses answered that question.

“They didn’t disappear. But we can’t answer that because it touches on the very foundation of the world.”

In other words, something did happen.

Zeo-san’s testimony also confirms this; he couldn’t find a single one of them during his travels around the world.

They didn’t disappear, which means they must be somewhere.

Somewhere that can’t be found by traveling normally.

“But I think I can find them.”

It’s unfounded confidence.

I know I’m giving him false hope by saying something scary.

Yet, in this world filled with game elements, I naturally feel that it will somehow work out.

It’s not that I’m overly self-conscious.

I’m confident that, as I enjoy this world and quench my thirst for knowledge, I’ll eventually find the answer.

I can’t help but feel that way.

“Then, may I join you on your journey? Would you take me as your companion?”

“Eh?”

“M-Master…”

“No, that was too sudden. With my weakened powers, I’d only be a burden. As Loki said, there’s a chance my powers will return, so let’s talk about it then. Besides…”

“Yes, you need blood, don’t you?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know how long I can maintain my current state. There’s no doubt that I’ll eventually return to that state.”

“…”

“Until just now, I thought that was fine. But my power has waned, and I don’t know where my comrades are. Finding meaning in living in this world against my will was difficult, but… Loki, can you find them?”

“…Yes, I believe I can.”

“Hmph. Then I will live on, even if it causes trouble, and see the current state of the demon race with my own eyes. I want to know if the battle I once risked my life for was meaningful and if I did something I can be proud of, even if it meant incurring the gods’ wrath. If possible, I want to die with that conviction.”

“I-if you’re going, I’m going too!”

At first, I thought I would offer my blood in exchange for rare information that only ancient people would have.

That was the extent of the relationship I expected.

But I never imagined…

There are similar words, like “party” and “team,” but this word has a very different meaning to me.

It’s something I’ve never had before.

I admired and envied it, yet I rejected it.

Even after coming to this world, that hasn’t changed.

Thanks to my unique abilities, I had no choice but to keep people at a distance for efficiency and safety reasons.

The only ones who understood my situation completely were the goddesses.

This is a scene I would normally avoid.

During my travels, I told them that I would inform them if I encountered any demonic beings, and then I distanced myself.

By building walls like that, I continued my carefree solo journey.

(Am I going to have to do this again?)

(After waking them up on my own?)

(When neither of them has anywhere to go or anyone to rely on?)

(Even though they understand my dark magic?)

(But can I tell them my secret?)

(Can I really trust the two of them?)

A moment of hesitation.

My thoughts are terribly calculating, and I am disgusted by my own nature. But this is who I am. This is what a normal human being is.

I’m not a hero who charges down the right path without a second thought.

But as a human being—or rather, a flawed human being—I want to protect what I must in my own way.

This is the first step toward that, and it takes a lot of courage.

It’s not about whether I can trust the two of them; it’s about taking the first step myself.

I can’t do everything at once, but I’ll get there little by little.

“I’m traveling alone, so I don’t have any companions, though.”

I say this with a wry smile, but I demand that they be my companions.

“I need Zeo-san’s knowledge and power. Of course, I also need Carla’s.”

“I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

“Me too! I’ll do anything to help my master!”

“Then there’s something we absolutely need for the future.”

I clench my sweaty hands tightly.

“Do you know how to acquire Spatial Magic?”

Zeo-san’s expression didn’t change.

He stared at me for a few seconds.

Feeling thirsty, I swallowed hard and waited.

“Yes, I know.”

He answered.

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