Chapter 236: Full of Agony (9)
When I had no idea how to get home, I didn’t particularly care if I was used as Card No. 1 for keeping the demon imprisoned.
The same went for being executed.
It was already a hopeless situation.
Whatever happened to my future was fine.
“Your body doesn’t contain only the demon. There is the demon, the soul suppressing the demon through a contract with it, and you, making a total of—”
But the moment I heard those words, every thought like that flew straight out of my head.
“So you were here.”
Apparently, the things that had brought me into this world had been close to me all along.
More precisely, it seemed they had been with me.
“You were right here. You were… right here all along….”
Then why had they never answered until now?
Why?
They must have watched me suffering that much, watched me in that much pain.
So why?
“I misspoke. This—what I just said….”
I gave a faint smile while listening to the Great Sage.
A slip of the tongue?
At this point?
There was no way I could simply let that pass.
“If what you said is true.”
I jerked my head up and spoke.
The emotions surging inside me sent heat climbing into my head, but I forced them down somehow.
The more agitated the moment, the colder my thoughts needed to be.
“Will I truly be able to go home?”
I pressed down on my burning eyes for a moment, then released them and quietly asked.
The Great Sage had held back and waited for my answer because they were worried the Temple would react inflexibly.
So would people like that truly let me go home?
“…I don’t want to.”
Of course, perhaps I was wrong.
Perhaps they would help.
Especially considering the companions who had traveled with me until now would likely take my side.
“I don’t want to.”
But.
But….
“I’m sick and tired of being thrown around by other people’s circumstances.”
My companions had their priority of killing Satan.
There was no way I could come before that.
They would say they would help me, sure, but in the process they would inevitably get dragged here and there into all sorts of things.
Because they were the Hero’s party.
Because they were Heroes who had to save not only me, but this entire world!
The belief that the Temple would sincerely devote itself to helping me was the same.
No matter how I thought about it, I couldn’t imagine relying on that flimsy possibility ending well for me.
If I was being completely truthful, I could more easily imagine them saying that, since things had come this far, I should continue helping them capture Satan….
Or that it would be troublesome if the demon rampaged, so I should kindly remain locked up somewhere.
“I’ve done enough, and now I want to go.”
So no.
I couldn’t endure any more.
Not the possibility of being restrained.
Not the fucking priests who looked at me with suspicion.
Not the unpleasant Divine Power spilling out of them.
Not the eyes of civilians who misunderstood me.
Not every hardship and trial that would continue tossing me around.
No.
Every single day I would have to spend in this world!
I hated all of it!
I didn’t want to endure it anymore!
I had only kept going because I couldn’t look away.
But now that there was a chance to escape, I didn’t want to endure even one moment longer!
There was a limit to how much I could lose for the sake of being considerate toward all of you.
I did not want to throw away even my chance to reclaim my own life!
“…Yes. I suppose so.”
And so I stared at the Great Sage gripping my forearm.
Whether because of my gaze or for some other reason, the Great Sage slowly withdrew their hand.
“I have no right to stop you.”
Watching them, I also slowly removed the hand that had been supporting their back.
The person lying neatly on the ground raised a hand.
Mana gathered.
Snap.
“Ghk!”
My hand may have instinctively gone to the hilt of my sword when I sensed the Mana moving.
But the gathered Mana did not strike me.
It shot toward the guards around us.
I stared in confusion.
“It’s backlash from using sleep magic. Cough. There’s no need to worry….”
The explanation that followed confused me just as much.
I swallowed a breath as I stared at the Great Sage, who had gone out of their way to help me even though doing so could cause trouble later.
“For your devotion… my thanks.”
…Even so, I’m not staying here.
“Make sure you go.”
“…I will.”
After settling the Great Sage down properly, I searched my inventory for a blanket.
I felt bad leaving an older person lying on the bare ground, and after everything they had done for me, I at least wanted to do this much.
It was the final consideration I would offer this place.
“Would it be all right if I defended you?”
…A trace of myself that I hoped would be the last.
“No… please don’t.”
I gave a sorrowful smile as I looked at someone still worrying about me to the very end.
Defending me after I ran away might cause you to be misunderstood too.
And yet you still ask, for my sake?
“Why?”
“…Who knows.”
Even if people learned that I was a soul from another world, nothing would change.
That truth would not erase the fact that I had abandoned the safety of this world under the pretext of returning home and fled.
Nor would there be many people willing to understand how I felt and consider my circumstances.
“More importantly, I really am leaving now.”
And if I failed to find a way home, then in the end I would have to die together with the demon.
I did not want to win people’s sympathy by being called some pitiable outsider then.
…I did not want to see certain young people cry after learning I had been innocent.
I rose from my seat with a faint smile.
Ah.
I probably wouldn’t have anything to do with these people again.
No.
Maybe we would meet again?
If I failed, I would eventually have to return to them.
But if possible, I hoped that future would never come.
Thinking that, I walked across the land after the light had disappeared.
For the record, I gave up on Frederick.
Perhaps because of the danger I posed, my prison had been placed on the outskirts, but the horses had not.
And there was no reason to risk discovery just to retrieve Frederick.
If I reinforced my body with Mana, I couldn’t run as long or as fast as a horse, but I could imitate one well enough.
In other words, the benefit was too small compared to the risk.
I stepped out onto the plains alone.
“…You still don’t intend to answer me, do you?”
This, however, I could not let go.
I spoke to the two beings now confirmed to be with me—the two beings who had brought me into this world.
Naturally, no answer came.
A bitter smile spread across my face.
“Yeah. Of course you wouldn’t answer now. If you were going to, you would’ve done it long ago….”
But could they really hide until the very end?
I glanced at the bundle of papers stored in my inventory.
“All right. Let’s go. If I dig through the entire past, sooner or later I’ll find clues about you too.”
Leaving everything behind, my legs carried me into the plains.
Then I kicked off the ground and began to run.
“Let’s see who wins.”
I had only one destination.
Home.
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* * *
…Evening of May 5, Year 861. First sighted at the Shuburken Adventurer Branch. Obtained adventurer qualifications.
Appearance could not be verified, as neither the receptionist nor anyone else paid particular attention at the time. Activities within the city outside the visit to the Adventurer Branch are unknown. (Recorded 862. 9. 12.)
– Night of May 9, Year 861. Sighted at the Shuburken Adventurer Branch submitting the heads of wanted criminals Margarita and Schweiger.
According to the receptionist, the individual looked like an ordinary adventurer wearing shabby leather armor and a cloak. Race believed to be something other than Shaggi; sex presumed male. No witness remembers hair or eye color. Weapon used: longsword.
Activities within the town outside the visit to the Adventurer Branch are unknown. (Recorded 862. 9. 12.)
– Night of May 20, Year 861. Sighted at the Brisden Adventurer Branch submitting the heads of wanted criminals Till, Brühl, and Florian.
According to the receptionist, after submitting the heads, the individual asked about criminals and demons.
Activities within the town outside the visit to the Adventurer Branch are unknown. Confirmed to have departed the moment the city gates opened the following morning. (Recorded 862. 9. 12.)
– All subordinates accompanying the wanted criminals disappeared. Presumed killed. (Recorded 862. 9. 12.)
(Omitted)
– Night of July 13, Year 861. Sighted at the Hirsenzich Adventurer Branch submitting the head of wanted criminal Kaladan.
According to the receptionist, after submitting it, the individual asked about criminals and demons.
Activities within the town outside the visit to the Adventurer Branch are unknown. Confirmed to have departed the moment the city gates opened the following morning. (Recorded 862. 9. 12.)
– All subordinates led by Kaladan disappeared. Presumed killed. (Recorded 862. 9. 12.)
(Omitted)
– Daytime, April 13, Year 862. Sighted during the Brüsada Collapse Disaster in Mannhappelt. The following is the account of the branch head at the time.
⌈Immediately after the collapse of Brüsada Hill began, dozens of demons appeared. As evacuation was delayed and slaughter began near the city gates, an unidentified skilled combatant appeared.
With each swing of the individual’s sword, demons such as ogres, minotaurs, and three-eyed beasts were killed. Approximately five minutes elapsed before all dozens of demons had been slain. (However, every demon hunted by the individual disappeared as though its corpse had evaporated, making exact species and numbers impossible to verify. Testimony from the time confirms the presence of ogres, minotaurs, and three-eyed beasts.)
After slaying all demons, the individual headed toward the collapsed Brüsada Hill. Knights and soldiers called out to stop them, but the individual ignored them and crossed over the hill.
The individual has not been located as of the time of this report. I believe an investigation is necessary.
The individual’s appearance and characteristics are as follows.
* Leather armor. Hooded cloak. Longsword.
* Each swing of the sword releases black energy that billows like flame. The possibility that the individual is a mage should also be considered.
* The lack of fur on the hands and lower face, and the absence of visible ears protruding from the hood, make it highly likely the individual belongs to the Middle Race. Cannot be confirmed with certainty.
* Hair color, eye color, sex, voice, and other details unknown. The hood was pulled low, and due to the extreme confusion of the situation, no witness was able to verify them. No one is known to have conversed with the individual.
* Based on testimony that the bodies of hunted demons disappeared instantly, the individual is presumed to possess a magical storage item.
* No record confirms the individual entering Mannhappelt. It is possible the individual secretly entered the city, or joined the battle from outside when fighting began…. (remainder omitted)⌋
Upon accepting the opinion of the Mannhappelt branch head, it was decided that information believed to pertain to this individual would be gathered and organized. (Recorded 862. 4. 30.)
(Omitted)
– All gathered material has been organized. However, no matter how thoroughly the matter is investigated, no sightings prior to May 5, Year 861 can be found. Further investigation appears unlikely to produce meaningful results.
Subsequent information will also be distributed to every branch and continually updated. (Recorded 862. 9. 12.)
– The lack of a name creates difficulty in drafting documentation.
Therefore, it is proposed that a provisional designation be assigned. (Recorded 862. 9. 13.)
– Approved. In light of the individual’s actions to date, the individual shall be designated “Ruin, the One Who Walks the Wasteland.”
All future documents are requested to refer to the individual as Ruin. (Recorded 862. 9. 15.)
(Omitted)
– Night of October 15, Year 862. Ruin sighted at the Klevech Adventurer Branch. According to the receptionist, after making a submission, Ruin asked about criminals and demons. Other activities within the city unknown. Confirmed to have departed the moment the gates opened the following morning. (Recorded 862. 10. 23.)
– Daytime, October 17, Year 862. Ruin sighted at the Klevech Adventurer Branch. Submitted something to the Adventurer Branch. What was submitted could not be confirmed.
Ruin immediately left the city afterward. (Recorded 862. 10. 23.)
– The Blue Kerchief Bandits, a group of brigands that had plagued several cities including Klevech, Pereyachuk, and Mukask, were discovered completely dead without a single survivor.
However, considering that news of the incident began spreading after Ruin visited the Mannhappelt Adventurer Branch, and that the Lord began searching for Ruin around the time the news spread, Ruin is presumed to have been responsible for eliminating the Blue Kerchief Bandits. (Added by Klevech branch head, 862. 10. 27.)
– Although the Blue Kerchief Bandits were widely believed to number around two hundred, only several dozen corpses were found.
It is unknown whether the reported number of two hundred was exaggerated or whether the remaining corpses were manipulated or concealed. Investigation deemed necessary. (Added by Pereyachuk branch head, 862. 11. 7.)
– Upon accepting the opinion of the Pereyachuk branch head, a joint investigation was approved. (Added by Klevech branch head, 862. 11. 15.)
– Joint investigation confirmed that the Blue Kerchief Bandits did indeed number close to two hundred and that, excluding the several dozen bodies remaining at the scene, the rest had vanished.
Considering Ruin is known to possess an item capable of storing objects, it is presumed Ruin took the corpses.
Reason unknown. Further investigation necessary. (Added by Pereyachuk branch head, 862. 12. 5.)
– Among the numerous criminal organizations previously believed to have been eliminated by Ruin, there are many cases where, apart from the severed head of the leader, none of the subordinates’ bodies were found.
I believe these incidents should be investigated in connection with the current case. (Added by Mannhappelt branch head, 862. 12. 17.)
– Investigation approved. (Added 862. 12. 30.)
– Night of November 9, Year 862. Ruin sighted at the Bogotia Adventurer Branch. According to the receptionist, after making a submission, Ruin asked about criminals and demons.
Other activities unknown. Confirmed to have departed the moment the city gates opened the following morning. (Recorded 862. 11. 14.)
– Night of November 14, Year 862. Sighted at the Bogotia Adventurer Branch submitting the heads of several wanted criminals.
Other activities unknown. Confirmed to have departed the moment the city gates opened the following morning. (Recorded 862. 11. 15.)
– The subordinates of the wanted criminals remain unaccounted for. (Added 862. 12. 2.)
(Omitted)
– December 9, Year 863. Ruin confirmed to have been involved in the Bloodshed of Lineiru. Ruin killed all forty Norda warriors who had descended upon the area to raid it, then collected every corpse.
Purpose for taking the bodies unknown. (Recorded 863. 12. 10.)
– December 14, Year 863. A cyclops appeared between Lineiru and Nikadumala. A nearby merchant caravan nearly suffered casualties, but an individual believed to be Ruin intervened, killed the cyclops with a single stroke, collected the corpse, and departed.
The individual’s appearance, as determined from witness testimony, is as follows.
* Long, unkempt hair. Color impossible to determine, as the incident occurred at night. (Recorded 863. 12. 23.)
– Based on this evidence, I believe several incidents in which demons appeared but suddenly disappeared before extermination orders could be issued require deeper investigation.
Their locations closely resemble Ruin’s travel route, making it highly likely Ruin eliminated them. (Added by Mukask branch head, 864. 1. 12.)
– Upon accepting the opinion of the Nikadumala branch head, investigation of the matter was approved. (Added 864. 1. 29.)
– Night of January 4, Year 864. Ruin sighted at the Nikadumala Adventurer Branch. According to the receptionist, after making a submission, Ruin asked about criminals and demons.
Other activities unknown. Confirmed to have departed the moment the city gates opened the following morning. (Recorded 864. 1. 10.)
(Omitted)
– May 5, Year 864. The Osla Knight Academy announced that it would bestow upon Ruin the honor of “Knight.” (Recorded 864. 5. 5.)
(Omitted)
– Daytime, June 10, Year 864. At the Marnis Adventurer Branch, Ruin requested that the registered designation be changed to Demon Knight.
Afterward, Ruin stayed at an inn in Marnis.
Additional details concerning the individual’s appearance and characteristics discovered during this period are listed below.
* Hair divided in color from the crown. One side gray, the other pitch black.
* Eyepatch covering the right eye. (Recorded 864. 6. 10.)
– Night of June 17, Year 864. Ruin sighted at the Marnis Adventurer Branch submitting the heads of several wanted criminals. (Recorded 864. 6. 17.)
– Night of June 24, Year 864. Ruin sighted at the Marnis Adventurer Branch submitting the heads of several wanted criminals. (Recorded 864. 6. 25.)
– June 27, Year 864. After lengthy review, the Adventurers’ Guild approved the request.
All future documents are requested to use Demon Knight rather than Ruin. (Recorded 864. 6. 27.)
(Omitted)
– February 1, Year 865. Demon Knight sighted at the Pasar’el Adventurer Branch. According to the receptionist, after making a submission, Demon Knight asked about criminals and demons.
Updated details concerning changes to the individual’s appearance and characteristics are listed below.
* No longer wearing leather armor; now dressed in a light shirt. Continues to wear the cloak.
* A zweihander has been added alongside the longsword. (Recorded 865. 2. 2.)
(Omitted)
– April 8, Year 865. Demon Knight sighted at the Renant Adventurer Branch. According to the receptionist, after making a submission, Demon Knight asked about criminals and demons.
Updated details concerning changes to the individual’s appearance and characteristics are listed below.
* No longer wearing the cloak; now dressed in a shirt and coat. (Recorded 865. 4. 10.)
(Omitted)
– May 5, Year 866. Demon Knight sighted at the Tatara Adventurer Branch….
(Omitted)
…This concludes the record of the Demon Knight’s activities.
Below are questions and conjectures concerning the Demon Knight.
1. Demon Knight is presumed to have received formal knightly training.
However, among those who graduated from knight academies over the past twenty years, no one with a similar appearance has been found, making it highly likely Demon Knight was not a graduate.
Based on the swordsmanship used, there is a strong possibility of having attended Chechevator or Münmunt.
However, the style contains numerous modifications, so there is also a strong possibility that this assumption is incorrect.
2. The partial gray coloration of the hair suggests a high possibility of eastern origin.
3. The list of demons believed to have been slain by the Demon Knight is….
(Omitted)
…Lastly, as of May 5, Year 866, the person in question changed subtly.
Cause unknown… though I suppose that part is probably connected to your memories, isn’t it?
Well, people who don’t know that have occasionally raised the possibility that you might have made a contract with a demon, given your absurd combat strength.
Ah, for the record, that theory vanished completely once you began traveling with the Hero, so don’t worry.
Also, the documents enclosed separately contain material that the Information Guild does not classify as belonging to your record, but which I personally chose to add.
They consist of several unsolved incidents where the perpetrator was never identified—such as the massacre of Inquisitors near Dörfmain—as well as rumors like the claim of a famous layabout in Bemurchen who supposedly saw a boy wreathed in black flames.
For the record, the reason I included those materials is because some of them contain illustrations resembling the power you use….
But please don’t misunderstand me.
I don’t believe you were responsible for those incidents or rumors.
I only included them because you paid me that much.
Really.
So please, when we meet again, don’t charge me with insulting you or anything.
It would be even better if you used my services again.
That’s all. 🙂
* * *
“Daniel.”
“…….”
“Daniel!”
“…Ah, Senior.”
“I know hearing that a demon wreathed in black flames was sighted must leave you with complicated feelings, but focus. We aren’t on our way to hunt the demon. We’re going to help people.”
“…Yes. I know.”
“Good. Then let’s keep moving. It’s true that we’re the farthest away of all the cities asked for support, but that doesn’t mean we have to arrive last, does it?”
“Yes…!”
“Everyone else, keep it up!”
“Yes!”
“Got it!”