I don’t know how long I am standing here, but I feel like the world itself has stopped. It feels surreal staring at the weird sky of the demon capital…
It’s the end of the journey for me…
I have said everything I need to say…
I honestly said everything for what, to lose someone, to lose something.
But that’s it. My efforts vanished in nothingness. No, can I even call it effort?
It was them, who worked hard the most. Who am I kidding?
What should I do from now on?
“Asagao!”
“Asagao! We are back!”
“Hmm. They said the demon lord is not present. We decided to head back.”
Ah…
I still have my friends.
My most treasured allies. The people willingly accompanied me in this adventure. I also love their smiles.
But… what if they were to know the truth about me? What if they leave me too?
These questions swirls inside my head. The fear that they will leave me too crept in my back.
“Asagao, where’s Violetta and that man?”
“They… For the time being, I told them I want to go on an adventure with you guys longer. They don’t have any complaints about it. So, what should we do now?”
Is what I answered while sprouting a smile on my face, I don’t want to them to be worried and…
I don’t want them to know about me yet… I’ll be… happy to be with them a little longer…
“I see. Is that so?”
“Master, Violetta is that disciple you told me about right?”
“Yes… I was… surprised too… now that I know how she feels about me. I think I can now go visit her in the human continent… My love for her got stronger yet again.”
“Good for you master.”
“I really don’t know what to do now. Let’s head to the next town now. I don’t want to stay here.”
“Why is that?”
“I might get hooked up in something here related to magic research.”
“Okay.”
I don’t want to stay in this place too… It’s too bitter and sad…
I’ll…never see them again…If I did… I wonder what expression I should show…
It’s painful… But… I can’t keep lying… it’s like… I am spitting on their kindness…
The same goes to Alstroe, Higan, and Master.
.
.
.
We immediately head out on a journey yet again and it’s been two days since we left the demon capital. I told master that we should now go to the fairy continent to visit another one of his friend there.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Today we are also camping out. When night falls, we set up tents and cook food for dinner as usual.
Like the other night, even though my food portion is small…I wasn’t able to finish it. Alstroe is now looking at me worriedly…
I have to pull myself together. I have built yet another lie so I can stay together with them. Someday, they will know. If that day comes, I wonder…
After cleaning up, I head alone towards a hill with a single large tree to gaze at the starry night sky to clear up my mind and to think of what happened in the past days, weeks, months.
I sit down on the grassy hill. I can hear the field of grass rustling calmly while the wind sways it with gentle gust. The chilly air permeates my shirt.
This beautiful, peaceful world…
Who would think it is now being infested by a calamity of an entity called devils. All of the major problems in this world and here I am having a mental turmoil.
The king, supposedly by big brother, is busy taking care of his nation and his people while keeping its peace and safety from those monstrosities.
o think that he wasted an effort to find someone like me… just to find out… I am just a liar…
Him leaving me behind in disgust is understandable… I can’t blame him… No one can blame him.
“Asagao.”
“Alstroe? What are you doing here?”
“Ehehehe~ Let me gaze the stars with you.”
“That’s no problem at all.”
"…..."
"…..."
“Asagao, you’re drowning…”
“Eh?”
What does she mean by that?
“You’re drowning yourself in sadness… I don’t want to see you like that.”
“Alstroe… is it… that obvious?”
“No, you’re good at acting.”
“Don’t worry about me Alstroe, I will just have to pull myself together. I have been thinking of something as of late. But, it’s nothing important.”
“’Asagao, even if you say that… is it… because of that man back in the demon capital?”
“…...”
“…You really don’t have to tell me about it. I won’t pester you. I am ready to listen when you are ready. And always remember that we are always here by your side.”
“Alstroe…”
“What?~”
“Could you… just…hold my hands… it’s rather cold…”
“I’ll be glad to.”
Alstroe sits beside and me and holds my hand. Even though she has a lot of strength and power, her hands that embrace mine is warm and gentle.
I want to hold her hands forever like this so. I want to feel that she isn’t going anywhere whatever happens. I want her to be here with me, for me, forever…
That’s impossible…
“Asagao, it’s okay to cry.”
“I won’t!”
“You know, I used to cry a lot when I was younger.”
“Well… even now, I really can’t.”
“Hehehe. Then maybe you should start eating more.”
“I see… eat more to grow stronger…”
“Yes! Even Higan is asking for second or third servings lately.”
“I see.”
I want to hold Higan like this too… After all, they are what I only got right now…
I gaze at the moons that shine brilliantly among the stars.
“Alstroe, do you know any stories about those three moons?”
“Eh?”
“Hm?”
“Hahaha, there you go again Asagao, cracking a joke this late night.”
“No… I am not! Geez, Alstroe, just tell me if you don’t know any.”
“Eh?! No, no, no! Eh?! Asagao, there are only two moons.”
“What do you mean by that Alstroe? There are three, a blue and a yellow moon of the same size and behind it, a large red moon.”
“Asagao… there’s no large red moon. You’re being silly.”
Eh?! What’s going on here? I thought that those moons being three are natural. Are my eyes playing tricks on me?
I look up at Alstroe-nee’s dumbfounded face.
.
.
.
There’s… a dark portal that suddenly opens behind her head… a chill run past my spine…
From it, a hand came out and grabs Alstroe in the face covering her eyes…
Everything happened so fast… Eh?!
[Pain of the Heart.]
A jolt runs through my entire body. I feel like my mind went blank and I feel like I enter a dream-like state.
There’s a vision… I can see… something… an illusion?
No…
I can see a child a bit taller than me with silver hair and golden eyes with two other people whom I can see as her parents.
The girl is outside the city, crying and looks like she is begging.
“I’m sorry, mama, papa! Please, I’m going to be a good girl!”
“We can’t take care of you anymore. You have caused too much problem that we can’t take it, Alstroemeria. You do reflect on your actions, you always say you are sorry, but this is the last draw.”
“We don’t want a monster of a child like you in this house anymore. Please leave.”
“NO! Please! I am really sorry! I won’t do it again! *sob* Mama! Papa!”
The parents leave the child outside that gate of the city while she begs on her knees. She wept and wept and wept until no one cares anymore, closing the huge gate of the city.
.
.
.
I snap back to reality.
Alstroe curls up in the ground and sobs intensely while repeating the words…
“Sorry…*sob*… I won’t do it again…*sob*… sorry.”
I felt so much pain and pity to the crying Alstroe who seems to lose herself in crying.
And there was a man standing in front of us, smiling.
I know this man well. The face of the man I live with for twenty years and now, the one who fuels the fear and nightmare inside me.
Everything happened so abruptly. Why now!
He… did this to Alstroe…
My body trembles as I clench my fist.
Instead of feeling the fear he etched on my mind…
I can only feel hatred towards him.
“NIL!!!”
“Whoa there, scary, scary.”
“What… what did you do to Alstroe?!”
“So… that’s what you call her…”
“What do you mean?!”
Nil looks at Alstroe with a sorrowful expression. It turns into a gentle one and he starts saying words directed at Alstroe…
“I am sorry, Als. I don’t want to do this to you, but you are so strong that you will hinder my plans. The sickly girl you are that I first met, now turned into someone strong like this after all those thousands of [Revisions]."
“What are you talking about?! NIL!”
Revisions?! Sickly girl?! What the hell is he saying?!
“Oh my, of course, I can’t forget about you Asagao.”
“What did you do!!?”
“I… simply showed her past, the painful past that she has gone through.”
“What are you planning this time!? Because of…because of you!”
“Hahahaha! I came as soon as I heard! You really did tell that guy! Amazing!”
“...…”
“Well, well. It may be sudden but. We are going to start tonight’s segment!:
Nil ruins everything! A round of applause!”
“You…”
“I am basically here to rub all the dick moves you did in this world!”
No! Why now?!