Chapter 40: The ending is far away
“You’re going through a lot too! You have to do things other than being a student!”
“You’re the one who’s possessed by a Demon King. . .that’s much harder.”
“I’m fine! I’ve always done things freely. Nothing has changed since we first met! You haven’t changed either! You still have that. . .boring expression on your face!”
“――! Is that how it looks to you?”
“That’s the only way it looks to me!”
Those were the words spat out by Belfist.
Not as the Demon King, but as a friend.
“You can do anything! You see things that ordinary people don’t see! And yet, why do you look so bored? I finally understand… You’re not enjoying yourself.”
“Enjoying myself? I’m having plenty of fun in my school life.”
“That’s a lie! I’ve never seen you really laugh! Not even once in the year we’ve been together! Can you really say you’re enjoying yourself like that?”
“. . .You always seemed to be having fun.”
“I was having fun. Playing around freely, skipping classes, getting scolded by you. I laughed because it was fun. I wanted you to do the same.”
Belfist clenched his fist and striked Seika.
Seika created a barrier of water, but it couldn’t withstand the attack, and he was blown away, crashing into the ground.
“Ugh. . .”
“I’ll continue to live freely from now on! Being myself, enjoying every day! What about you? Are you just going to fulfill your duty by carrying all those burdens?”
Belfist shouted.
It was like a fierce battle that beautified the end of a story.
the words of the book came to mind.
It was the same.
Belfist, who reigned as the Demon King, and Seika, who confronted him as the hero.
The two clashed as enemies, and Seika emerged victorious.
As the Demon King disappeared and Belfist’s soul was about to vanish, the words he left behind remained in Seika’s heart.
Try living freely Not for anyone else… but for yourself..
Yes, Bellfist left those words behind for his friend and disappeared.
I thought to myself.
Perhaps he, too, wanted to be by Seika’s side, enjoying his newfound freedom…
That’s why――
“I am who I am! I won’t change from now on! I’ll continue to live freely and show you! Watch from the sidelines and envy me! And then–“
The battle was over.
Belfist reached out his hand to the fallen Seika.
It was like a ray of light shining in the darkness.
“I’ll teach you how to enjoy freedom.”
“…Even as the Demon King?”
“Didn’t I say I am who I am? I’m still Bellfist, and I’m still the Demon King. That’s who I am now, and that’s who I’ll be from now on. Has anything changed from a year ago?”
“No. . .nothing has changed.”
Seika took his hand.
Laughing as if he were exasperated.
“You’re still the same as you were back then.”
“That’s right. You need to do something about your overly serious personality.”
“And you’re too carefree. Skipping classes so much that you might have to repeat a year.”
“Haha, when that time comes, i’ll have fun together with those guys.”
Belfist turned his gaze towards us.
The barrier was no longer necessary.
I released the isolation barrier, and the wind blew through the courtyard.
“…It’s a little lonely, isn’t it?”
“――! Then, don’t take your eyes off us.”
“I’ll do that.”
We watched the two facing each other with refreshing expressions from a distance.
“So, is it resolved?”
“I wonder.”
It was a problem for the two of them.
They maintain a distance that only men can comprehend and locked eyes as if they understood each other.
Unfortunately, there was no room for us to intervene.
However, watching them, I couldn’t help but feel envious. . .
◇◇◇
“It’s finally over.”
“Yes.”
After the fierce battle in the courtyard, we gathered in the same place after school.
I didn’t really understand the result of the two’s battle, but it seemed that they were able to recover their strength properly.
“What about Seika?”
“He told me to keep watching, so be prepared,”
“Well, that’s good, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s not. It’s like living under surveillance. Are they going to peek at our lovey-dovey moments too?”
“Well, as long as we don’t do anything, there won’t be a problem, right?”
“You’re so cold.”
While making light of the situation, I was relieved inside.
I dealt with the problems in a short time by interacting with the five heroes.
It was easy to say with words, and it took a short time.
But it had worn me down mentally.
Finally, it was over…that’s what I thought.
“Oh, there’s one thing I want to correct about that matter.”
“What is it?”
“. . .It seems like there’s still some power left.”
“”Huh?””
Flare and I said in unison.
“What do you mean!”
“Didn’t you recover it from all five people?”
“Yeah, but it’s not enough. It seems like there’s still someone else who has my power…”
“In that case…”
“Since the condition was to find everything, we still have to continue.”
Disappointed, all the strength in my body had drained away.
I thought I was finally free. . .but it seems it was still continuing after all.
And from now on, I won’t even know who the target is.
“Heh. . .it’s okay. I’ll do it. Otherwise, we won’t have a happy ending, right?”
“That’s right.”
“I’ll help too! Slayer-san’s happiness is my happiness!”
“Thank you.”
This story is fiction.
There is no connection to real people or organizations.
I can’t believe I’m saying this now.
The story I’m experiencing is reality, and it will continue from now on.
I absolutely refuse to have a tragic end.
I will definitely avoid tragedy.
“Now, let’s begin.”
The challenge to avoid the path of destruction is far from over.
