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“…I see. One of your concerns is that the being you defeated in your own world might not have been a Demon Lord, as this world would call it.”
“You catch on fast. As expected of a king, I guess?”
“The summoning method of Caeruleus calls forth the strong. One who had already saved a world, no, even just people, then surely that alone would qualify for it.”

I had felt like I’d saved the world back then. In truth, perhaps I had only saved the people. Living as Zygos, and with my thoughts aligned more toward the world’s perspective, I couldn’t help but think that way once I had learned about this world.

“But that alone can’t be it, can it? That wouldn’t be enough reason to keep you from hating this world.”
“In my world, when someone is summoned from another world and saves it, they’re called a ‘Savior.’ Becoming a Savior was considered an honor, and no one ever questioned it too deeply.”
“And now, in a sense, you are such a Savior as well. To deny that would be to deny your own world. But recognizing it puts you in conflict with yourself, caught between both truths.”

The world I came from had prospered precisely because of Saviors. Saviors, defeating evil for the sake of the world, granting peace to people—they must have been proud of that and must have met their end satisfied. At least, that’s what our education taught us. As a descendant of such Saviors, I grew up believing it, and surely others saw it the same way.

We, the descendants, risked even our lives proudly for the sake of the world.

But—what if the Saviors never truly wanted to save the world in the first place? What if they were suddenly summoned, with no chance to refuse, forced into the role of a Savior? What if they had wanted to return to their own world but could not?

What if the world I came from was built on their sacrifices?

If so, then how could I give in to rage now? Perhaps I exist only because of those sacrifices.

“But I will forget all of this. No, I must forget it. If I carry these memories back, the me of my old world could never endure it.”
“You can endure it only because you are a Demon Lord. Which means, you cannot be a king.”
“In that case, better not to be one. I never intended to anyway.”

The former king tossed out a light remark, and I returned it in kind. He was trying to put me at ease. Even so, I could already feel how much effort he was making to accommodate me. In words, I could never hope to win against him.

“No matter what it is, events that have already happened cannot be changed. You can pretend they didn’t happen or dress up failures to look like successes, but the fact remains. And one day, that fact will become an obstacle.”
“Like this world, then.”
“I won’t deny it. This world has turned away from its problems, clinging to a false prosperity as though it could last forever. It pushed its troubles onto those summoned from outside. And now, as a result, it is on the verge of collapse. Your world may suffer the same fate someday, but perhaps it is not yet so far gone as this one.”
“You’re right. At least, it’s nowhere near as bad as here. And I have no proof that my thinking is correct anyway. If we act quickly, things could still be salvaged.”
“But you will not remember the need to act.”

Whatever I thought, it always came back to that. Once I returned, there was no chance of regaining my memory, not by accident, not by some trigger. After all, this was the work of the gods. I had asked them to erase it. And so, it would be erased, utterly gone. There would be nothing left to remember.

“From here on… do you have the resolve to become the enemy of mankind?”
“…Is there some way to do that?”
“There is, perhaps. I cannot say for certain, but the possibility exists. I will ask you once more, do you have the resolve? Suppose, in truth, the being you defeated was one meant to protect the world. In that case, the collapse might have been delayed a thousand, even two thousand years. To act now might mean taking away people’s lives in the present, all in favor of a distant future. If so, then you would become mankind’s enemy. For who would abandon the present for a future a thousand years away?”

That was undeniable. From the perspective of the world, a thousand years was not so long. But for people, it was unimaginable. Even if I acted for the sake of the distant future, no one would understand.

“You have a point. But right now, it’s not me who needs that resolve.”
“You would entrust it to the self who returns.”
“If I can entrust it, yes. Since I won’t even remember, then I might as well leave behind more options.”
“Very well. The method itself is not difficult. If memories are erased, then you must carry back something that is not a memory.”

I had considered that. The contract only erased my memory before returning me. When I first came here, my clothes and belongings had been carried over. So perhaps a written note could be carried back as well.

“I thought of that. But when this world vanishes, everything belonging to it will vanish too. Even if I wrote a note, it would be erased when the world collapses. And sadly, I don’t have anything on me that could serve as a permanent reminder. Clothes, yes, but the ink here would vanish with the world.”
“In the worst case, you can still carve it into your body, can you not? Are there not others summoned here from other worlds?”
“…That’s true. Thank you.”

Thanks to him, I might not live carefree in ignorance after returning. Time was short. I would need to act quickly.

“Well then…”
“Wait. At least stay here for tonight. The eyes will return soon enough. And I tire of hearing his rambling.”
“…All right.”

I could indeed sense a great presence drawing closer. I owed the former king some gratitude, and besides, the world wouldn’t collapse this very day or tomorrow.

“Another strange being, I see.”
“You are one to talk, Ancient Dragon.”

Before I realized it, the sky above darkened, blotted out by the wings of a massive dragon.