Chapter 38: Nothing Has Ended

“El, are you truly alright?”

“What exactly are you referring to?”

“The speculation that something sinister was affecting Kariel, and that we were influenced by it. Also, I worry that treating your teacher in such a manner might narrow your standing; it leaves me with a sense of regret.”

The Emperor and the Princess.

And the Empress and the Chamberlain.

The four of them proceeded down a corridor that was opulent and wide, yet draped in a soft, heavy silence.

The contrast of light and shadow was stark between the areas with open windows and those without.

However, thanks to the elderly Chamberlain leading the way with a magical lamp, they did not suffer any discomfort or anxiety due to such matters.

A vague, bright light confuses the vision.

Yet, light that is too weak fails to illuminate the surroundings clearly.

The optimal intensity of light, and a quality and composition that does not grate on the eyes.

Even such trivialities could be seen as the products of the current era’s Demonic Path.

“I took a firm stance because it was necessary. You know, Father; a wounded beast is most likely to be targeted, anytime and anywhere.”

“Then, what about the matter regarding Kariel?”

“Are you referring to the part where someone may have played a hand? A curse? A Calamity? Or perhaps the suspicion that a comprehensive plot was orchestrated specifically targeting Kariel?”

“…That is too vague a speculation. It is not something that can persuade or make someone understand.”

“I do not care.”

“As I thought, is that it?”

The Emperor let out a long exhale.

The Empress thought that the breath sounded almost like a sigh of lament.

“Father. You know well that such things are not what is important, don’t you? In the first place, what does it matter if someone played a hand or not? That doesn’t erase the past we have created, does it? Therefore, I told you it does not matter which side it is. In the end, the fact that we must atone and apologize in some way remains unchanged.

However, if there was even the slightest intervention of an unknown external pressure or influence… I will use that as a pretext to burn everything to the ground.

I will incinerate everything related to it, without a single inch of error, until not a single speck of ash remains.”

And.

“Only by lowering the bridge in such a manner will there be a chance—truly, a one-in-a-million chance.”

Whether for Kariel.

Or for those who had repeatedly opposed him, slandered him, and bitten into him, including Lueld and Ermina.

…This was a kind yet cruel lie.

But perhaps.

It was the most harrowing fact, packaged under the name of truth.

“After all, does not every person among All People only see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear?”

“…….”

The Emperor finally let out a sigh.

“Furthermore, it is not favorable in many ways for an outsider to take a stance as if they are judging us over this matter.”

Even if a problem arises, it is the Empire’s burden.

And the way to resolve it—whether through apology, judgment, or whatever else.

“We should settle it within our own ranks.”

The Princess laid out her thoughts indifferently.

“Even the time spent regretting is a waste. Therefore, we must prevent the situation from worsening any further. For the sake of a better future as well.”

“…Do you believe it can be undone?”

“That is….”

For a moment, the Princess let her voice trail off.

“I do not know. Not at this moment.”

At the very least.

If Lueld had not shown her that letter.

The Princess would still be swelling with vain expectations.

That things had been resolved well.

That, at least, the final knot had not become tangled.

However, the moment she encountered the contents Lueld had handed over.

The Princess realized anew that she had been under a massive delusion.

“I am simply striving to protect both sides.”

The Hero and the Saintess who saved the world.

And….

====

“Once we find Kariel, let’s bring him to our country.”

As Geornia spoke while picking her long ear inside the VIP Room, Hamern’s eyebrows trembled anxiously.

“Will that be alright?”

“There’s no way Lueld would throw a tantrum over something like this. What, raise an army? No matter how much the Emperor’s military tactics and troop management are said to be the best on the continent, could he do it with such a poor pretext?”

“But, pretexts can be manufactured, can’t they?”

“That’s why Elhermina is the problem.”

Geornia had seen it.

And she shuddered once more.

That overwhelming sight.

That dyed and covered the room in pure white.

“So she has now completely made the Legacy of the Great Demon King her own.”

“Wasn’t that something you handed over, Lady Geornia?”

“It wasn’t me; that girl just snatched it at the right time.”

There were three Legacies of the Great Demon King handed over by the demons who surrendered to the Human Alliance.

But does possessing it make one the owner?

No, it does not.

And in the qualification screening, Elhermina proudly claimed it.

“The feeling of having no choice but to eat it, even knowing it is poison.”

They couldn’t simply refuse to take it.

And if that bomb were to vanish from sight, only to return later as an absurd Calamity.

How would they handle it then?

“Sealing it was the right answer… I should have just left it in the Demon Realm!”

“Isn’t that a problem in its own right? If someone becomes capable of handling it and becomes a Demon King and invades….”

“I don’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse that the other owners are still clumsy.”

Geornia clicked her tongue and sprawled out on the sofa.

“Those people probably know Kariel’s location as well.”

How insolent.

“How do you plan to report this news to the higher-ups?”

“I’ll watch a bit longer.”

There are still many unresolved questions.

And if.

If it truly was the result of some added influence, as the Princess imagined.

Then there must be a purpose behind it.

“Did the demons play a hand?”

To throw a proposal that cannot be refused?

Or was it simply that human malice had reached its peak?

She didn’t know yet.

But she would find out soon.

For that reason, they must have intentionally exposed even the flaws they could have hidden.

To uncover the truth of the matter.

====

My head felt like it was going to split.

Creeak—

Creeeeak—

“Ugh!”

I wondered if it would actually break.

After struggling for a long while.

I found myself in a place I had never seen before.

“Where is this…?”

A barren land.

A red sky.

Not a single plant, nor even a withered tree, was in sight.

The ground was not so much white as it was pale, like ash or bone powder.

Even this wasteland, where everything seemed to be fading away.

I wondered if anything could be more desolate and bleak than this.

“What on earth…?”

Just then, a small light descended in the distance.

Without knowing why, I vaguely headed toward it.

A small angel with wings was standing there.

‘An angel?’

The angel, who looked like a child, looked at me and then turned around and flew away.

Slowly.

…As if telling me to follow.

Creeak—

“Kh!”

The headache surged again.

No, it was something fundamentally different from a headache.

After panting and crouching down, groaning for several minutes.

“…….”

I didn’t understand.

Why am I here?

As I blindly headed toward where the baby angel was, it flew away again.

Toward the other side of the wasteland.

After following and following, I reached the place.

There lay a pit.

“…….”

I didn’t know why, but I began to feel anxious, as if my heart were sinking.

The angel was positioned there.

I quickly shouted for the angel to come here. I gestured. I cried out.

However.

The angel shook its head while weeping.

Praying with hands clasped together.

Without ever raising its drooping wings.

The angel just kept crying.

I… pondered.

And then.

I stepped into the pit.

…….

It is a familiar place.

“……?”

Therefore, I couldn’t understand.

For a moment, a chill surged through me, wondering if this was all a dream.

Did I doze off for a bit?

But why am I here?

It is a familiar place.

It was so familiar that beyond the chill, I got goosebumps.

My entire body began to tremble involuntarily.

This situation, sitting in a chair in front of a desk.

‘Why….’

Is this my room?

I definitely left the house?

I had left?

Was it all a dream?

Was it an imagination?

Uncontrollable emotions surged like a tidal wave.

My hands trembled, but… I barely suppressed the agitation with a deep breath.

Trembling in fear changes nothing.

‘It’s not too late even now.’

Composing myself, I familiarly opened the window as I always had….

“…….”

Why is it so high?

It was a height I used to jump from without a second thought.

Unconsciously, I felt that if I jumped now… I wouldn’t just be hurt, I would die.

Looking again, my hands and feet had become very small.

It wasn’t that the world had become higher; I had become smaller.

“How?”

No, it’s too early to panic.

Let’s focus on what needs to be done now.

First….

……I must leave through that door.

From that point, my breath felt constricted, as if blocked by a wall.

I didn’t even want to approach it.

For me, that door was the exit to another nightmare.

Anxious about who might enter by opening the door.

Always tense at the faint sound of footsteps from outside, tensing my shoulders, pretending to be engaged in something, pretending to be devoted, working hard, hard….

…But.

If I don’t go out, nothing changes.

I pressed my ear to the door and listened quietly.

…No sound came.

It was truly, deathly silent.

Opening the door quietly and stepping into the corridor.

…A chilling silence welcomed me.

My mind grew hazy from the intersection of anxiety and joy.

My legs trembled, and there was no strength in my ankles, but….

‘First… I’ll just say I came out to drink water because I was thirsty. I called out, but no one answered, so I came out.’

This excuse will do.

I’ll also think of a follow-up excuse, saying I intended to go to the bathroom while I was at it.

I hope I don’t run into anyone.

Killing my presence as much as possible, sharpening my senses and hearing to the limit.

Barely.

Truly barely.

…I reached the front gate.

The large front gate was another barrier to me.

I didn’t want to touch it.

I didn’t even want to approach it.

If I happened to approach it, what would happen?

I was afraid.

“…….”

But to leave this place, that is now the only way.

The windows are tightly closed.

I tried to open them, but they wouldn’t open.

However, the front gate had a very small gap.

It wasn’t locked.

In the first place, if I’m opening it from the inside, what does the lock matter?

…No, if it’s a confinement room, the story changes, but no, no. That’s not what’s important.

“…….”

Quickly scanning the surroundings, checking the stairs and the landing.

Muffling my footsteps as much as possible.

I approached the front gate.

Inserting my hand into the open gap.

The moment I tried to pull it to open the door.

Grab!

――My shoulder was seized.

“Kal.”

Right behind my ear.

The sound of breathing echoed.

“Where are you going?”

Cold sweat flowed, and my mind grew hazy.

My vision began to turn white.

My jaw trembled, and my teeth chattered involuntarily.

“Isn’t it time to study?”

“……..”

The sound of breathing.

Between the calm breaths.

Something like the grinding of teeth.

It is not heard.

“Why are you here? Answer me, Kal.”

“I, well….”

“Do not stutter. Speak clearly.”

“I, I was… thirsty….”

“Then shouldn’t you not have come here?”

“…….”

“You lied, didn’t you?”

“N-no, I didn’t.”

“You lied, Kal. To this mother.”

“I, I really….”

“You could have just told the truth.”

That I want to leave this house.

That I’m scared.

That I can’t breathe!

“And yet you lied! Why! To this mother! How could you do such an insolent thing! Whose habit did you learn this from!”

“N-no! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to….”

Belatedly, I turned and bowed my head deeply.

Still.

Her voice lingered by my ear.

Along with that bleak sound of breathing.

“Kal. Did you think you could escape from me?”

“?!”

“Give up. You will be here forever.”

You cannot escape.

“Because I am your mother.”

My neck was grabbed.

“Ugh!”

“So if you wish to leave, leave this body behind.”

Are you sleepy?

If you die, you can sleep eternally.

Are you tired?

That too is a blessing you can feel because you are alive.

“I suppose you do not wish to live with this mother forever?”

“Ugh! I’m sor—!”

“Eternal Life awaits if you trust and rely on me! Even in heaven, we must be together forever! I do not want to part! Never! Then why do you not understand this desperate heart! Atone! You must! Together with your father and mother! This small wish for us to live happily! Why do you not understand it! Whyyyyy!”

I can’t breathe.

I struggle, but with this tiny body, there is no resistance at all—.

“I tell you I love you… why do you not understand, Kaaaal!”

“Ke-huck!”

It feels like it’s about to break.

With my hands and arms, I resisted desperately.

But everything was meaningless.

‘I am….’

Just like this, dying…….

…….

Gold flickers before my eyes.

The whole world is buried in gold.

Like a passing rain shower.

The pouring gold was a spectacle, like countless petals scattering all at once in the wind.

A giant tree, its golden leaves sparkling, stood with its vertically bent trunk struggling to stay upright.

It stood there.

Beneath it, like a flowing wave of gold, leaves like gold coins stretched endlessly to the far edge of the world, across the vast wilderness where the vision reaches and does not reach.

“……?”

Where is this?

“I told you to save me! Save me! Why! Why only I! Why must only I suffer like this!”

“A hideous, fleeting, and overall annoying worm.”

While the Dark Figure screamed, the golden figure poured out mockery with a sneer.

“Someone like you! A mere wraith, how dare you!”

“Open your eyes, Mr. Worm. Despite how I look, I was once the Master of Ten Thousand Demons. Where does a failure think they can act as if they are on the same level? Do you wish to die?”

“Kyaaaaaah!”

“Ah, my eardrums are going to burst.”

The gold, who had been pretending to pick their ear.

“……And what are you?”

Suddenly, they tilted their head, looking at Kariel.

――

“?!”

Immediately after opening my eyes.

“Our handsome brother? Are you awake now?”

The first thing I witnessed and realized.

A presence that seemed to embody the pinnacle of motherhood, impossible to hide with a single thin layer of clothing.

Truly massive female breasts.

The reason I recognized them immediately was.

…Because this was not the first time I had been embraced, as if my face were buried in a pit of breasts.