| Author: Kobayashi Homare | Original Source: Syosetu | Word Count: 2727 characters |
| Translator: Nomad | English Source: Re:Library | Word Count: 1160 words |
| Editor(s): Deximus_Maximus | ||
–––Freya’s viewpoint
“Meria?!”
“It’s been a while, Freya. I heard a lot of stories about you, but it’s been what… ten years since we last saw each other?”
I was finally seeing my long-lost sister again, but rather than joy, I felt my heart filling with desperation. I had tried to take out the enemy’s general to throw their army into disarray, but that turned out to be a really powerful demon. Before I could finish the demon off, Meria interrupted me…
Considering the power Meria had gained, I could assume she was aligned with the demons. In other words, I had to fight two enemies at once now, and I still did not know the extent of Meria’s power so I really disliked the idea of being at a disadvantage.
“You..! Right, you’re that lackey they told me about, you came at the right moment. Help me kill the saintess or whatever her name is, and then we’ll crush Lumielle.”
The demon held what remained of her arm as she gave Meria orders. That pretty much confirmed she was under the authority of demons. Ideally, I did not want to kill Meria, my only relative, but that could be unavoidable in this situation. Resentment had been rooted deep inside her heart, trying to change her mind now would be nearly impossible.
Knowing that, I held my sword ready and waited to see which one would act first. But against my expectations, Meria just started cackling loudly.
“Ahah..! Ahahahahah! Now that’s just hilarious!”
“Wh-What’s so funny?! Why are you laughing?!”
“Ahahah…hah… Isn’t it obvious? It’s actually so funny! You’ve always acted so arrogant and prideful, but the moment something goes wrong you start crying for help. Do demons have no self-respect?”
“Wha-?!”
Meria looked at the demon with eyes full of derision and ridicule, which left the demon perplexed, not having expected that response at all.
“Wh-what?! You’re just a pawn that would’ve died without our help, and you’re turning on us?!”
“But I never asked you to help me, did I? You did that all on your own. Also, some pawns have their own will, unlike the disposable monsters below.”
Saying that, Meria pointed down. I looked down too and saw the monsters were still blowing up one after another. Each explosion caused a lot of damage to the other monsters and knights, bathing the battlefield in blood.
“Th-then why did you come here?! Just to watch?!”
“No, I wish I could afford that luxury. I’m here for just one thing, to kill both of you and then defeat both humans and demons.”
“Meria?! Have you lost your mind?!”
Wanting to get rid of both humans and demons… was not something someone in their right mind would say. Meria… my sister, was declaring war on the entire world. Not even the hero of old, Brave, or the previous Demon King, had attempted something so preposterous. Meria seemed entertained by my confusion and spoke to me with a calm voice that belied her deranged mind.
“Don’t look at me like I’m crazy, Freya. I just won’t show any mercy to the humans that cast me aside, nor the demons that tried using me. I’ll fight for as long as my life lasts to rid this world of both of them. That’s my only goal now, and I won’t let anyone get in my way. Be it a hero or a Demon King, I’ll kill them all myself.”
She unsheathed her sword as her speech came to an end. Her eyes lit up with bloodlust, ready to prove she meant every single word she said. I prepared my sword to fight back, but the female demon1 made the first move.
“Enough! I let you live just because you were a useful tool, but I see you don’t know when to be grateful! You can just split apart like the mindless monsters!”
The demon shouted loudly and raised her remaining hand, a black wave spreading from it and hitting Meria before she could move.
“I guess you had big plans, but it all ends here for you! Thinking you could be more than a pawn was your downfall! Blow up with the holy girl!”
Was that the same magic she used to make the monsters blow up then?! The memory of the oppressed man who blew up in front of me flashed in my mind. He had not been particularly strong, but the explosion had been devastating. If someone with Meria’s power blew up… neither me or the army below would survive that. The demon would also be caught up in the explosion, so I thought this was her last-ditch effort, but that was not the case.
“I’ll use this scroll to escape, so all of you can lament your lives and die-”
Before she could finish her sentence, Meria’s blade cut off the arm holding the scroll.
“Wha-?! H-how!”
“I’m sorry to inform you like this, but I undid the curse on the gemstone a long time ago.”
“Ghah?!”
The arm holding the escape scroll spun freely in the air. Then Meria rushed in and firmly grasped the demon’s neck, grinning menacingly again.
“I’m sure you’re aware of the limits placed on us oppressed by you demons, aren’t you? Like needing to take the life force of other humans to continue living. But recently I’ve noticed something… funny. Do you know what that is?”
“Gh…hah..!”
The demon was struggling to breathe and weakly shook her head. Meria looked satisfied with that and continued talking.
“Every time I took life force from humans I felt my own power growing, ever so slightly. At first I thought it was my mind playing games on me, but after enough repetition that changed into conviction. I was getting stronger with each life I took. The stronger they were, the stronger I became after their life force became mine.”
The gemstone on Meria’s chest was glowing eerily, and the demon’s face became more pained as it got brighter.
“That’s when I got this idea, what would happen if I took the life of a demon? Humans already gave me so much power, so what would a demon, a far stronger being, give me with their life?”
“!”
The demon realized her impending doom and began to try wrestling herself free, but Meria just narrowed her eyes and tilted her head slightly, like she was looking at a bad-mannered puppy.
“..! ..?!”
“Aww, don’t move so much. You’ll make it harder to take your life force… still, this is quite incredible. I can already tell I’m getting stronger. Demons are even better than I thought!”
Meria continued to happily take the demon’s life force until her body went limp and stopped moving. Her skin turned white like salt, before vanishing into the wind.
