105 – Escape (4)
However, excessive emotions tend to make it impossible to make a proper judgment.
I held back my anger as much as possible, calmly collected my emotions, and looked at the situation a bit more.
First of all, Vero could not reach the border and was captured by the Demon King.
So far, I think it can.
However, the Demon King acted more brutally than expected.
I see this as another sign.
The demon king no longer tried to win my heart.
But it didn’t make it to the point where it couldn’t be repaired at all.
“I never thought I’d make things like this.”
Two eyeballs were floating in the demon king’s hand.
Probably her eyeballs.
With proper treatment, Vero will probably be able to see right in front of him again.
The Demon King drew the Maginot Line.
If it goes beyond this, it shows that kind of will to see the end.
“I’ll give you one last chance.”
“chance?”
“If you want to serve the Demon King’s army from now on, I’ll give you this eyeball back. But…”
She put her hand on Vero’s shoulder.
Vero shuddered, but he couldn’t resist and just shrank.
“If you resist more than this, I will show you the worst results.”
I pondered for a while.
Pretend to accept her offer and rectify the current situation.
Or should I abandon Vero and leave this place?
As I stood still, other officers slowly approached me according to the signal given by the demon king.
Then I thought
Even in this situation.
Even now, she is willing to give me a chance.
He had already destroyed the castle, attacked the officers, and killed the Cyclops.
To give a chance even in this situation, there must be a really solid reason.
I know her method of recruiting talent even better because I have seen her from the side.
She treats her as best she can, and if she doesn’t like it, she removes the trouble.
However, I have only been doing hostile acts all along, but the demon king is constantly giving me opportunities.
This is completely unacceptable behavior.
An action that is not possible unless you look into the future.
…Or does the Demon King have the ability to see the future?
No, strictly speaking, that doesn’t even make sense.
If the demon lord knew about the return, she would know that I would never join the demon lord’s army.
I wouldn’t have done such a meaningless thing.
I smiled at the approaching Demon King’s army officers.
Whether the demon king can see the future or not, what I have to do is save Vero and run away from here.
So I asked.
“So what you’re doing is just taking hostages and pulling out their eyeballs?”
“If I threaten you, I don’t think you’ll care, so I’d rather harass a child who seems to have a little bit of a relationship.”
Still, the demon king placed his hand on Vero’s shoulder.
Vero’s trembling body is pitiful.
It was an experience she couldn’t handle, so it was natural.
It was my fault.
She had to find a better way, but the uncertainty was too great for her to escape the castle alone.
“And how many people died when the castle collapsed?”
Rather, the demon king asked me a question.
There is nothing to check.
“There must be countless numbers.”
“Yes, there are thousands and tens of thousands of casualties caused by your own hands, but isn’t it noble that your eyes are only plucked out?”
…If I had to compare it, it would be at best.
But I don’t care.
Everyone in the castle is my enemy.
It had to be killed, and only by dying could the damage to mankind be minimized.
I would do that even if I went back.
And this is a pointless discussion.
“Anyway, even if I had quietly escaped, I would have taken her hostage and dug out her eyes.”
“Oh, I know that.”
The demon king smiled.
The death that occurred in the demon castle had nothing to do with it now.
As long as her will to hold on to me by any means and methods does not disappear.
“Yes, this child is a hostage. If you want the hostage to survive unscathed and make him look you in the eyes, hold still.”
I kept getting into trouble.
I am not conflicted over whether I should give up Bero and escape from here alone, or whether I will be captured by the devil and save Vero.
I intend to escape anyway.
Then I tried to find the most efficient way.
“Also….”
I need to meet that guy.
A monster that has never shown any presence until now, but will always come to visit me if I die.
I raised my hand.
Death is still put on hold because of the gloves.
But I have to die right now to see him before I get caught.
I could sing it here, but I didn’t want to show the existence of the Great Devil in front of the Demon King.
So you must die.
how?
“Silent Demon.”
A being with a bandage covering his mouth appears.
Amending contracts in the past, forgetting about them for a long time, now implement them.
As a demon, he had already received enough money from Ophelia anyway, so it didn’t matter much if the contract was postponed indefinitely.
The time has come to execute the contract that has been postponed.
“Ugh!”
As I was about to do something, the demon king squeezed Vero’s neck.
It was a threat to kill Vero at any time if he made an unexpected move.
but the devil
I’m not trying to do anything special right now.
It just wants to die very instant and fast.
The silent demon takes my life.
As his hand passed through my empty chest, my body tilted and rolled on the floor.
death comes
My body quickly cooled down in the pouring heavy snow.
**
[Long time no see.]
“yes.”
It’s been a while since this space and you too.
I thought I was going to do something strange, but for a while, it was a great evil that stayed very quiet.
[Would you like to fulfill your contract with me?]
“Well.”
The situation was urgent, so I met death right away and went to find him.
I still have to think more.
If you don’t do well and fall into madness, that’s a big problem.
You have to line up properly.
[So, do you need to roll your head? It’s just a matter of making a contract with me and resurrecting from the dead.]
“And what about the madness that follows?”
[That is, a blessing given to you.]
“Don’t bullshit.”
Still, the Great Devil wanted me to be stained with madness.
But is it necessary to face it straight away?
Shaking my head, I took out the contract I had originally thought of.
If you’re as careful as possible, you’ll be able to prevent some madness.
“Similar to the previous one. I will rise from the dead until the situation is over.”
[Can I just do that?]
“…It’s not enough to save one person.”
The problem is that Vero is being held hostage.
If I were to run away alone, I would have to endlessly resurrect from the dead and cross the border, but it is unclear whether I can survive Vero fully.
But can the great devil provide a clear answer?
He only adjusts the powers related to immortality anyway, but he didn’t do anything more.
Unexpectedly, however, the Great Devil pushed for various contracts.
[If there was a contract that could guarantee her safety, would you?]
“I’ll do it if I can.”
But the intentions were very questionable.
I didn’t know what to do with that bait, so I looked at the great devil, but there was no information to be obtained from his appearance.
[Check.]
The Prime Devil held out two contracts to me.
Do I have to hold your hand like this again?
It wasn’t very pleasant, but there was only one way.
I insisted on doing something alone, because if Vero died, I would regret it even more.
I picked up the Great Devil’s contract and examined each one.
And if there’s anything that stands out.
“… to offer her eyes.”
What was unacceptable was written in the contract.
Signing this would save Vero, but in the end Vero would have to lose his eyes.
As my face wrinkled, the Prime Evil seemed to smile.
Nothing passed easily.
nothing.
[If you want to save her life.]
The Archdemon suggested this.
[Put out your eyes.]
“It is unacceptable.”
[Or, put your eyes out permanently.]
“…Can’t even do that.”
The other measures that the great devil said are also unacceptable.
Even the choice to permanently lose my sight doesn’t feel like a reason to make that level of sacrifice.
No matter how much I try to save Vero, it’s only considering the relationship so far.
I had no intention of risking everything for her.
If you look at it objectively, this is correct.
Looking at the Great Devil, I was genuinely curious and asked.
“Why are you doing this?”
I couldn’t figure out his intention to present an alternative that he couldn’t choose.
And the Archdemon smiled.
[Because that’s fun.]
He sighs.
It may be the price of becoming an object of interest for an indescribable existence.
I bite the tip of my hand with my teeth and sign the contract with the blood that flows out.
…I’ll apologize to her after work.
For the sake of the woman who lost both eyes, the family will guarantee the rest of her life.
Or finding a replacement for the eye the devil took away.
Even if you do this, you won’t be able to compensate for the loss of an eye, but it’s a choice you can’t help it.
No matter which one you choose, there is no right answer.
So this is the best I can think of.
The sound of the Great Devil’s laughter echoed in my ears.