The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody - Volume 3 - Chapter 56

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CHAPTER 56

The Ex–Demon Lord’s Return to the Present

I could feel that disgusting resistance of cutting through flesh.

This sensation traveled through my hand as the blade pierced Rogue’s chest—it was one that told me I had taken a life.

But I was familiar with this feeling. I didn’t think much of it…simply staring at myself in front of me.

“Blegh…!” He vomited blood, which streamed from his mouth, and his entire body convulsed. Rogue glared at me.

“You’ve…committed another sin…! Don’t forget…! With this, you’ve…killed Lydia…with your own hands…once more!”

Saying nothing, I looked at the dying man and grit my teeth.

He was right. I knew I had cemented the future, but I did it anyway: I had sealed Lydia’s death with my own hand.

…Because that was her wish.

“Cough.” He hacked up pools of blood. At this rate, Rogue’s life…

Just as I began this thought—

His body began to dimly shine, before finally beginning to break into particles and disappear.

What’s going on…?!

“Ah, it looks like…they want to end this world…,” Rogue murmured in understanding as he continued to vanish.

“What do you mean…?!”

“Think about it…for yourself… All…I can say is…”

After a beat, Rogue smiled a little. It was in no way a gentle one. It was one of hatred for me, demonstrating a mad sense of purpose. It was chilling, brimming with repulsive intention.

“It’s not over…! If they expect me…to be the Demon Lord…I’ll boldly play the part…! If I can…seek atonement and find Lydia happiness, then…!” His words faded as if he was the only person who could fully understand them.

At last, Rogue acted like he had suddenly remembered something. The madness in his features eased a little.

“…Don’t let Ireena and Ginny die. Those two are my last hope. You may be my greatest enemy, but…on that point alone, I pray for your success.”

And with these words, he completely disappeared… I was now the only one there.

A number of points concerned me. However, I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I told myself it was all over.

I…noticed the tears in my eyes and looked up at the sky. Before I knew it, the clouds had cleared, and a blue sky spread out before me. At that moment, I loathed that color from the bottom of my heart. As a single tear spilled down my cheek, I spoke to no one in particular.

“Is this really all right…?”

It was a sudden development. It happened shortly after Lydia destroyed the host that held the Demon Lord’s astral spirit.

With no advance warning, Ireena and Ginny began to dimly glow—and, starting with their feet, began to slowly disappear.

“What…?!”

“Th-this is…?!”

Inside, both of them thought the same exact thing.

First, Ard had won.

Second…they were returning to the present.

They looked at each other with soft smiles that were mixed with joy and relief.

Right next to them…

“…You’re going back home, huh? Well, I guess that’s best for you guys.”

They widened their eyes at Lydia’s statement.

“Huh? L-Lady Lydia, could mean you…”

“Did you know we were from the future?!”

As the two gazed in wonder, Lydia had a wry smile on.

“Well, in a way. I may be an idiot, but I’ve got sharp intuition. Even this made my imagination run wild… Man, to think I was right. You really got me good.” Even Lydia had been a bit shocked. The smile on her beautiful face was indescribable.

After that, Lydia scratched her cheek in a slightly hesitant gesture.

“Hey, can I ask you just one thing? …How’s the future? Is it peaceful? Is it a world where everyone is happy?”

In that moment, the two were at a loss for words. If they were to answer her question honestly…the answer would be no. What she wished for was more than just the smiles of people. She must have wished for a world where people and demons coexisted, holding each other’s hands as kin.

However…reality was much crueler. In the future, demons would be more discriminated against than ever, making coexistence impossible, and they themselves would look down on humanity as monkeys. Both groups would keep on fighting until the other was annihilated.

But…it was unfathomable for them to give this terrible an answer.

“The future…is even more wonderful than you can ever imagine, Lady Lydia!”

“Yeah, that’s right! We all have fun, and everyone lives happily! I’d say it’s a world full of smiles!”

They both lied. It was all they could do. They couldn’t possibly tell her the truth.

Lydia smiled, pleased.

“I see… Which means our sacrifice wasn’t in vain.”

She didn’t say everyone’s sacrifice—or even my friends’. She had said “our.”

In other words, it meant…she had sensed her own fate.

“Lady Lydia… Lady Lydia, um…”

“Yeah. I die, too, right? In a terrible way, I bet.” She said it so casually that Ireena and Ginny gazed in wonder.

“It’s fine that way. I said it before, right? I don’t want a cushy death… It’s not anything you two should be worrying about,” she spoke to them kindly. She must have picked up on their anguish.

They had been very confused when they first met this person. She was nothing like the legend. Ireena’s initial impression had been disappointment. Ginny had felt the same way. They didn’t think they could possibly come to like this lascivious monster.

But…as they spent more time with her, they realized that she was cute, and they’d begun to feel this way more and more.

At the same time, they revered her as one of the heroes who had carved her name into legend… Before they knew it, they had both come to respect and adore her.

All to say, they didn’t want her to die. They didn’t want her to suffer a cruel end.

But…what could they possibly do? Lydia’s death was shrouded in mystery. If they didn’t even know the truth, what measures could they take? Besides…even if there was something they could do, Lydia would be against it. She was unmoving in her convictions. They understood that, which was why they wanted to burn Lydia’s image into their mind’s eyes.

I won’t forget this person. That was the only thing they could do.

“…Looks like we’re running out of time. Aww, that’s too bad. I didn’t even get to kiss you, Ginny… And Ireena, I wanted to help you get more practice. Well, not much we can do about that.” Scratching her head, Lydia looked disappointed as she sighed. “Honestly, I would have liked to give you something with more substance…but I guess I can’t do that. Words it is.”

Lydia first turned her clear eyes to Ireena.

“I bet you’ll experience suffering in your lifetime…but when that happens, relax and look around you. You’ll see what’s most important. And I can say this for certain: You aren’t alone. Don’t forget that, even if it’s the last thing you do.”

“…Right!” Her eyes filled with tears and reluctant to say good-bye, Ireena nodded. Lydia gave her a hug, then turned to Ginny.

“It looks like you peeled back some of your layers during your time here. Even your expression looks a little different from before. You’re really grown, Ginny.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Lady Lydia…! Had you not encouraged me…!”

“I didn’t do much. In the end, it was through your own power… Listen, Ginny. Don’t forget what happened here. A barrier is nothing more than something you decide yourself. If things get painful, get stupid—more than anyone else, you should rush right in. If you do, you’ll go farther than anyone. Nothing is impossible.”

“Yes!” Ginny nodded with tears in her eyes, giving Lydia one last hug.

“Do you think you could pass on a final message for me? I’ve got something I need to tell that guy…Ard.”

There was no reason to deny her.

The two nodded, and Lydia began to speak. They burned each and every word into their memories…and finally, the time came. Ireena and Ginny were disintegrating into particles. Lydia had on a big smile that seemed to bloom until the very end.

“So long, guys. Take care on your way home. Live long without catching a cold. Don’t be picky about your food. And… Ha-ha, what am I—your mother?” She left them these parting words, chuckling innocently.

That was the last Ireena and Ginny saw of her.

They prayed—that at least in this world…even for just her alone…

That she could wear the same tranquil smile as she was now.

They wished for that with all their hearts.

When I came to, everything was over in a flash. It went a little something like this:

After our whirlwind time travel, we returned to the place where we started. In other words, a black space.

As darkness stretched out as far as the eye could see, I reunited with Ireena and Ginny.

“AAAH! AAARD! I MISSED YOUUU!”

A lot must have transpired while I was gone. Ireena’s tears streamed down like waterfalls as she came flying into my arms.

“Hey! That’s unfair, Miss Ireena! At least leave me somewhere to hug him… Oh, enough already! Get off him, you single-celled organism!”

“Shut up, dum-dum! Right now, Ard is mine! Go hug that ‘god’ over there or whatever!” Rubbing her cheek against my chest, Ireena pointed sharply.

Standing there was the genderless kid-god, looking at Ginny with the most apathetic expression possible.

“If…you’d like…” Slowly, the god opened both arms wide.

“I’m fine, thank you! I only really want to hug Ard!” she quipped.

“Ah…I see…” Without the slightest bit of concern, the child-god toyed with their hair. “This incident was…completely irregular. It was no less tragic…than usual. For you who put forth this effort…I cannot help but feel…a well of emotions.”

“You certainly don’t look it.”

“With this…the curtain will draw…on our program. But…your stage is not entirely…over. In your own world…I want you…to carry out your roles once more.”

With that, Ireena and Ginny suddenly disappeared.

“…I take that to mean you have sent those two back to our original world?” I asked.

“Yes.” The kid-god gave a small nod, and I asked a new question.

“May I ask why I’ve been left behind?”

“I entrusted you…with a cruel role. On that point…I am very sorry… However, it gave us the chance to talk…for a little longer. If there is something you wish to ask…anything…please do.” The kid-god looked straight at me with another one of those indifferent expressions.

I hounded them with questions. “What are you? From what Disaster Rogue told me, I know that you’re in a group. Verda called you a ‘higher dimensional being’ but I don’t know any details. Who are you all, and what are you planning? Also…are you a friend or a foe? That is what I wish for you to answer.”

The kid-god didn’t so much as flinch, answering plainly.

“There is…no name for us…anywhere. If you wish to call us…a ‘higher dimensional being,’ as Verda said…then that is…fine. You may call us…any other name… As for our identity and aim…that…I cannot currently…reveal. To begin with…coming in contact with our cast itself…is already a violation. This time was a unique exception.”

This was why the kid-god could never get to the point.

“So the bottom line is that you have no intention of answering my questions?”

“I suppose…that might be true. However…I wish for you…to believe this alone. At the very least…I am your ally. No matter what happens…even if the gallery tires of watching you…only I will always be your ally. After all, I am…your ……I’m forbidden from saying more…which I think…is a little cruel,” the kid-god mumbled with narrowed eyes.

It didn’t seem like I’d be finding out anything about this being after all, or at least, not here. Didn’t this “god” say I could ask anything? This was getting on my nerves.

That said, childishly stamping my feet wasn’t going to get me anywhere. If this was the way it had to be, I had only one other thought in mind.

“I pray with my dearest heart that we never meet again, Mister God.” I dripped with sarcasm. However, they didn’t act fazed in the slightest and simply nodded.

After that…my turn finally came, it seemed. My consciousness grew dimmer and dimmer. Would I finally return home? I’d have to get through the school trip exhausted.

“Sheesh,” I muttered to myself.

“I am…the same as you. I hope…we don’t meet again. However…the next time…we come face-to-face…”

At the very end, the kid-god said something.

“…that would mean the gallery has abandoned you…and the Dominator—the one who records—will…destroy you.”

…The “god” left me with a few disconcerting words before disappearing. I’d wanted to say something back…but before I could, my consciousness became completely dark.

………

……

…I could hear a voice. A familiar one.

“Hey. Hey, Ard Meteor. Wake up, we’re here.”

It was my big sister, Olivia. I could feel my body shake, and I came to.

I slowly opened my eyes…and saw I was inside of a carriage. I slowly began to realize I was back in the real world.

No… What if this was all some sort of silly dream?

Just as I thought this… I suddenly looked right next to me and found that untrue.

“Wakey-wakey! Come on! Wake up! Geez, you guys sleep like the dead!” Sylphy was trying to shake Ireena and Ginny awake. They still wore the shining hair ornaments that Lydia had given them.

And there was one more thing.

“Miss Sylphy. May I ask you an impolite question?”

“What?! Can’t you see I’m busy—”

“Are you still continuing your breast-enhancement exercises?”

“Excuse me? Obviously! …Wait, how did you know about that?!”

It was an insignificant amount. Microscopic, really.

But Sylphy’s chest…seemed just the slightest bit bigger.

“Wh-what?! Quit staring at me, pervert! B-but if you’re saying you wanna see that bad…I can make a special exception…”

“Ah, no. That’s quite all right. I’ve already received confirmation. I’m perfectly satisfied. I’ve never had any interest in your chest. Please be at ease.”

“Excuse you?!” Sylphy looked shocked.

…For some reason, I felt like I’d come home.

Finally, Ireena and Ginny came to their senses.

“Let’s get a move on. Hurry up and get out. Everyone else is waiting for us.” Olivia urged us off. We did as she ordered and disembarked from the carriage—to the same place we had only just walked around in.

We stepped into the former royal capital and ancient city…Kingsglaive.

“I didn’t think we’d be ‘coming back’ here, too…,” I muttered under my breath so no one could hear me.

“Wow, this takes me back! This place hasn’t changed one bit! I wonder if my henchman Johnny’s shop is still around!”

“Hey, don’t run off on your own. Stay together as a group.”

Sylphy was frolicking around, and Olivia was scolding her, moving slowly away from us.

“Well then, shall we be going?” I called out to Ireena and Ginny.

They nodded cheerfully…but then suddenly seemed to remember something.

“Oh, that’s right. When we parted, Lydia told us to relay a message,” said Ireena.

“…A message, huh?”

“Yeah. Um—”

Ireena began to speak. With their outer appearances resembling each other, it was as though Lydia was speaking to me directly. I held back my tears, but it wasn’t easy.

“Thanks for everything.

“I guess I should say you should forget about me, but…

“I’m sorry. I can’t do it. If you did, I would be inconsolable.

“So don’t forget about me…

“But don’t go living in the past, either. Live your life with your eyes looking ahead.

“Because no matter what happens, no matter what comes your way…

“We’ll always be best friends.”

………

……Geez, that idiot. How much longer was she planning to stir my heart?

“Heeeeey! What’re you guys doing?! You’re gonna get left behind!” screamed Sylphy.

“Okey-doke! We’ll be right there, so wait up!” Ireena called back.

“Our Sylphy is overly cheerful, huh?” Ginny noted.