Chapter 107 – In Search of the Holy Sword (1)

Knights clad in what was once pure white armor stood before me.

No, it was armor that *had been* pure white.

Scratched and stained with blood, the armor seemed to bear the brutal scars of the battlefield.

The knights surrounded me.

Each of them held their own weapon.

I couldn’t see their faces, as if they were obscured by black soot.

And so, I couldn’t read their expressions.

They said nothing.

I couldn’t tell where they were looking, but I could feel that all of them were watching me.

I had a feeling I knew who they were.

A corner of my mouth lifted unconsciously.

Did they want to blame me, even after all this time?

These men had died because of me.

In another life, they might have lived in comfort.

But they had not chosen such a life.

They had followed my ideal.

Of course, the ideal I dreamed of had been achieved.

Even if that bastard, the Immortal Demon King, had come and wrecked everything afterward.

Did they now want to resent me for dedicating their lives to a futile ideal?

I waited.

To see what my knightly order—no, what the ghosts of my former knights—wanted to say.

…

With their already damaged eyes, they stared at me.

With their already torn vocal cords, they whispered.

With their already extinguished lives, they burned their final flame.

A gloomy whisper that began with one became two, then three.

The whispers of the dead flowed together naturally, surrounding me.

* * *

I woke from my sleep.

Looking out the window, I saw it was dawn.

I opened the fridge and drank some water.

Gulp, gulp.

The cool water flowing down my throat cleared my head.

Four in the morning.

It was the kind of early morning that felt like a waste to just go back to sleep.

I changed into my running clothes and went outside.

The feeling of my body warming up as I ran, breathing in the cold dawn air, was just right.

As I jogged through the dawn, I sorted through the thoughts swirling in my mind.

-You have already done enough.

-The guilt.

-The remorse.

-You have no need for them.

The same voices, then and now.

Even with their bodies decayed and rotted, they spoke with the same conviction.

-Just live your own life, Captain.

As they said this, I heard a low, gloomy laugh.

Only then could I see the knights’ faces clearly.

They were smiling. With peaceful expressions.

They were rejoicing that by standing with the hero known as Hero, they had been able to adorn a page of history.

These men, who should have died as criminals, as nameless bodies on some unknown battlefield.

They said it was an honor to have died as warriors, as the Hero’s knights.

“Damn it all.”

A curse escaped my lips.

When I returned from my workout, Karin was awake.

“What are you doing up so early?”

“Hmm, just because? No. I think the lingering scent of the elf is giving me nightmares. Ugh, I can’t believe it’s still here even after I cleaned so much.”

Karin said, pinching her nose.

She really does hate elves with a passion.

No, to be precise, she hates Ria.

For Karin, who befriends people so easily, this was quite unusual.

But I couldn’t smell anything particularly unpleasant.

Karin, however, seemed to feel differently.

After coming home from school, she had sniffed out every spot Ria had been and cleaned them thoroughly.

It was as if she’d been watching on a CCTV.

Wait, did she secretly install a camera somewhere?

I looked around, but nothing seemed particularly suspicious.

“Want some breakfast? Or do you want to sleep a bit more before school?”

At my words, Karin thought for a moment.

Then, she gave the answer I expected.

“I’ll eat.”

Right, you wouldn’t be Karin if you didn’t like to eat.

I made some kimchi jjigae.

Smelling the savory aroma, Karin tapped her feet impatiently, her eyes full of anticipation, as if she had already become a true Korean.

“I heard the Seven Kingdoms are all gone.”

Karin, her chin propped on the table, answered nonchalantly.

“Is that so?”

She didn’t seem very curious, even though it was about her own world.

“A few cities with the goddess’s protection seem to be holding on. Your domain would have been in danger if it hadn’t come here.”

A mouthful of fluffy white rice topped with a piece of crisp seaweed. Then a sip of the spicy meat broth, its richness perfectly balanced by the sourness of the kimchi, instantly warmed me from the inside out.

“Your kimchi jjigae is the best, Ajeossi.”

“Was there ever a time you didn’t say something was the best?”

She has such a hearty appetite. She says bread is the best, ramen is the best, and kimchi is the best, too.

There’s probably nothing that doesn’t taste good to her.

She even enjoys her own cooking, after all.

“Delicious kimchi jjigae like this should be eaten every day. Right? For Koreans, kimchi jjigae for breakfast is the national rule.”

Did she like kimchi jjigae that much?

And does she actually think of herself as Korean?

“And only you can make kimchi jjigae this good, Ajeossi.”

Reaffirming her words, Karin picked up her dining pace.

Karin left for school, and I headed to the guild.

As soon as I arrived, I went to find the Demon King.

In his sharp suit and pomade-styled hair, he looked for all the world like a young, famous executive.

He looks much better than when he used to walk around with horns.

I wonder if he’s satisfied with it, too.

“What brings you here so early in the morning?”

“Came to get a cup of tea. You hearing this, Olivier?”

“Hmph… Do you think I’m your personal vending machine?”

Olivier shot back with a prickly expression.

No matter what she says, the tea she makes is exceptionally good.

I come up to the Guild Master’s office from time to time because I get a craving for it.

Without waiting for the owner’s permission, I settled onto the high-end sofa.

Im Jae-joon, the sofa’s owner, sat across from me.

Soon, a cup of freshly brewed, warm tea arrived.

The former Demon King and the former Hero, sitting face to face, sipping tea.

Just as I was about to take a sip, I noticed Olivier’s eyes glinting with a strange sort of glee.

Seeing her practically panting with anticipation, I couldn’t help but sigh.

She really never gets tired of this.

I put down the teacup I was about to drink and swapped it with the Demon King’s.

In that instant, I saw Olivier’s pupils tremble violently.

Mmm, as expected, a luxurious smoothness rolled pleasantly in my mouth.

This is the taste.

The Demon King also took a sip, despite Olivier’s stammering protests.

Immediately, his brow furrowed deeply as he looked at Olivier.

The Demon King pushed the tea he had drunk to the corner of the table.

The culprit, Olivier, retreated to fetch new tea.

That should stop her from pulling such pranks for a while.

Still, I wonder what she put in it.

“How was it?”

“What?”

“The tea you just drank.”

“Ah, it had its usual rich flavor.”

Liar. I saw his face twist into an expression like he’d just eaten shit.

Look at him, trying to cover for his right-hand woman.

“Then why’d you switch? Why not keep drinking it?”

“The tea got cold.”

It’s still steaming.

Honestly, they’re a surprisingly clumsy bunch for a former demon army.

“So, what’s the real reason you’re here?”

As expected of the Demon King, he’s sharp.

“I’m planning to take a vacation.”

“For how long?”

“Hmm, about a week?”

That should be enough, right?

“The Holy Sword?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry, I’m not planning to attack you.”

At my words, the corner of the Demon King’s mouth twitched up slightly before settling back down.

“The Holy Sword… hurts like a bitch. I can still feel the sting.”

The Demon King’s nonchalant words made me laugh despite myself.

“That world is already as good as finished. Just find the Holy Sword. Don’t do anything else.”

“Of course.”

Who does this guy take me for?

“The Demon King and holy power are fundamentally incompatible. The Holy Sword is extremely effective against Demon Kings. Especially when wielded by a Hero, it’s a planet-destroying weapon.”

Planet-destroying is a bit of an exaggeration.

In any case, I can chew through an entire legion by myself.

That’s not a bluff.

The Demon King himself is a witness to that fact.

“Good. The timing is perfect.”

“What is?”

Im Jae-joon crossed his legs, placed his clasped hands on his knee, and leaned back.

“A subordinate of the Immortal One paid a visit.”

“The Immortal One?”

That guy really gets around. For someone who drags around the dead as his soldiers, he’s surprisingly active.

“He said he’d give me a position if I sent him a gift.”

“You should have.”

At my words, Im Jae-joon flashes a grin, revealing his white teeth.

“I’m a businessman myself, you know. It seemed the gift would cost more than the reward, so I had to decline.”

It’s obvious what the new Demon King would request from the old one.

“But, have you ever considered this?”

“Considered what?”

“The thought that while you’re off retrieving the Holy Sword, I might just sit back and do nothing.”

A rather unexpected question from the Demon King.

“Is he that much of a threat that you need to test me like this?”

For the great Demon King to feel threatened by a newcomer.

“I don’t have legions that move at my command anymore.”

“But you have me.”

The two most troublesome enemies from the old continent had joined hands.

“How fortunate for me.”

The Demon King is a two-faced bastard.

He committed vile acts to achieve victory and was strict to prove his right as a conqueror.

We both moved with meticulous strategies, fighting with the best of our abilities.

In the end, he became the loser, and I, the winner.

However, I don’t consider myself the victor.

The war ended in just one year.

The reason for that was the Demon King’s death.

People praise the Hero’s achievements and mock the Demon King’s foolishness.

But I know.

I know why this guy didn’t avoid a direct confrontation with me.

The more we clashed head-on with the demon army, the more human casualties mounted with each passing day.

But the same was true for the demon army.

Especially since my rampages had wiped out several of his legions.

This guy fought me directly to protect his own subordinates.

Because even though he could win a war of attrition, he cared deeply for his underlings.

If he had coldly continued a war of attrition, it wouldn’t have ended so quickly.

More importantly, he had even left orders for what his demons should do after his death.

Just as the Demon King had predicted, once the troublesome enemy known as the demon army was gone, the Seven Kingdoms began to tear each other apart.

Thanks to that, the demon army lived peacefully in the lands they had occupied.

The Seven Kingdoms were too busy checking each other to continue their campaign against them.

A man like that can be trusted.

He probably feels the same way about me.

That’s why, even though we were mortal enemies, we don’t point our swords at each other’s throats now that we’ve met in this world.

We were enemies, yet we are the only ones who can truly understand each other.

“The Demon King used to complain an awful lot about how thick the Hero’s hair was, and how jealous he was.”

“…!”

At Olivier’s sudden comment, I saw the Demon King flinch.

So he was self-conscious about it, even if he didn’t say anything.

Could it be that he gave up being the Demon King because of his hair?

“The Immortal Demon King. Necromancy is tricky, but the more people die, friend or foe, the larger the immortal legion becomes.”

That’s what makes the undead so frightening.

Especially Demon Kings, who are overflowing with demonic energy, so they have no problem controlling their underlings.

Hey, why are you so calmly changing the subject?

“And the unique barrier of the Holy Sword Laevatein is a particularly bad match-up for an undead legion.”

As he said that, Im Jae-joon leisurely continued.

“You must be a terrifying existence to the Immortal One. Well, not to me, of course.”

“Is that so, senior Demon King who was kicked out first?”

“He’ll probably do whatever it takes to stop you.”

I expected as much. That’s why I came to you.

To make sure you guard the door properly.

“When the breadwinner goes out to work, the one at home has to manage the house.”

“How dare you make such a crude comparison?”

“It’s a metaphor for the division of labor. Besides, the only one for me is Ms. Oh Mi-ja.”

This guy, with that perfectly fine face of his, is into motherly types.

Anyway.

“I’m off, then.”

“Alright. I’ve already taken care of the Immortal One’s subordinates who crossed over.”

He’s fast.

And I didn’t even have to ask.

The Holy Sword. Once that is in my hands, the Immortal Demon King won’t even dare to cross over to this side.

In other words, my strength becomes the means to protect the peace, and a restraint.

The power to protect what is mine.

After my conversation with Im Jae-joon, I went to find my teammates in Team 3.

They were training on their own, as always.

There was no need for me to push them anymore.

Jeon-guk, No-rae, and Ja-rang had also awakened in a dungeon not long ago.

They would regain their strength quickly. Then I won’t have to worry about things here for a while.

“I’m going to take a little vacation.”

“A vacation…?”

Kim In-ho asked back, looking surprised.

“Yes. Everyone, take care. Don’t skip your training. Just keep doing what you’ve been doing while I’m gone. You’re all doing great.”

At my words, the team members looked at me with expressions of utter surprise.

“Try not to miss me too much. I’m heading out early to prepare for my trip. Let me know if anything comes up.”

“Miss you? You’ve worked hard, you deserve a break.”

“Aw, Team Leader, don’t you trust us?”

Kim In-ho and Kim Tae-yang said one after another.

For some reason, hearing them ask if I don’t trust them makes me trust them less.

“Well then, carry on. See you all later.”

“Yes, sir! Rest well!”

I said goodbye to my team and stepped outside. Then, I waited for a moment.

A few minutes passed.

“Whoo-hoo! It feels like *I’m* the one going on vacation! This freedom! Ahh!”

Kim Tae-yang’s voice was the first I heard.

Immediately, the sounds of everyone else cheering and celebrating followed.

So, I opened the door.

The moment I did, Kim In-ho spotted me first and froze.

“…”

Kim Tae-yang cautiously took off the party hat he was wearing.

I decided to do a little sparring before I left.