Scarlet

I discuss various things about my little project with the old man for at least a few hours before realizing the rest of the event has come to an end. At which point I just give a mental shrug and continue talking with him all through the night into the next day.

Then I finally finish up and head to the meeting place for the final event of the wedding celebration.

The surprise event. One that they told me not to use my senses to sneak a peak even though I easily could.

And I can’t help but smile a wide smile all the way there. A smile that has Tar asking questions when he appears and flops down on my head while I walk over towards the strange venue for the place.

The very office building that I first awakened in.

Not sure why they’re having a celebration like this in the middle of an office building in the capital. Especially considering the locations of the last events.

But whatever.

I’m too excited to care right now.

Meanwhile Tar stays silent after hearing about my project with the old fanatic. The furball completely engrossed in trying to figure out if it’s all even possible.

I continue marching forth up the building, only passively noticing that the building is rather empty right now as I do so. All the way till I reach the very floor that the celebration is on.

Which, I notice, is the exact same floor I awakened on.

A realization that has my excitement dumbing down ever so slightly to curiosity. But I still march forwards, walking onto the floor and through it until I reach the office that they told me to enter. Room B543.

The very same office, I now realize, that I awakened in.

Tar? What’s going on?

He starts whistling as if he wasn’t here.

I frown at him, only to turn towards the door and just stare at it for several seconds. Then I eventually just sigh and reach for the knob.

And open the door, revealing the office – which I have to say, looks larger than it used to, and with none of the office stuff in it from before – with everyone inside of it.

The moment I see them, they all shoot off those little explody thingies that shoot out confetti during parties as they shout at the same time, “Thank you Scarlet, for saving the universe!!!! And for everything you’ve done for us all before and after that!!!!”

I find myself just kinda standing here dumbfounded, staring at them all as confetti rests on my hair and clothes.

The room is decorated with celebration types of decorations, and the only people in it are family and friends.

My family and friends.

Mom, Dad, Mother, Father, Belle, Gramps, my old team members, Arthur, and some others. Including some of their kids for the ones that have them.

All of the people I care about the most.

Eventually, after a while of silently staring, I mutter, “Huh?”

I hear Tar chuckling as he flies around me, having at some point left my head to avoid the confetti. And after moving in front of me, he says with a smile, “Thank you, Scarlet. For everything.”

My mind once again goes at a million miles per hour. But this time from shock and me trying to figure out what the heck is going on rather than any sort of discovery.

Everyone starts laughing as they see my reaction, which only confuses me even more.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

Then Belle steps forwards in front of the others, up next to Tar, and says, “We all talked it over, and decided that we wanted to throw you a thank you party for everything you’ve done for us and the universe. All of the pain, the anguish, and the fighting. Everything.”

I continue staring in shock.

“So, how did you like the surprise?” Tar asks with a grin on his face.

I finally snap out of it and turn towards Belle as I ask, “Wait, wasn’t this supposed to be another celebration for your wedding?”

She shakes her head with a sly grin on her face and says, “Nope. We only said that to get you to come without giving away the surprise.”

So… they tricked me.

Wow.

I raise my hand to cover my mouth as I look around, feeling a bit of heat coming to my cheeks.

“Looks like the surprise worked out splendidly!” Belle says with a chuckle. One that’s echoed by everyone else in the room.

My mind feels like it’s spinning in circles as I process everything that’s going on. Then I glance at everyone’s faces. At the happiness on them. The gratitude. The respect.

Not a hint of the pity I saw back when I was a kid, nor the discrimination.

None of the fear that I saw in some people’s gazes when I first got outed as a part demon.

Just gratitude, love, happiness, and respect.

I feel my eyes growing wet for some reason. Because I know I’m not crying.

Not at all.

Yeah. Definitely not.

Belle steps forwards and gives me a hug, patting the back of my head. And I just bury my face in the taller girl’s shoulder as the tears flow.

Then I sense the others stepping forwards and either joining the hug or patting me on the back or the head depending on who they are.

With Tar, of course, plopping himself down on my head.

Which only makes me cry even harder.

I have friends and family who I care for and who care for me. Who I can rely on emotionally.

People who will always be here when I come home.

I don’t have to figure everything out on my own.

Because I have them with me.

So I continue crying my heart out as everyone laughs and talks at once around me.

And when I finally calm down, the others take a step back with Belle pulling me by the hand and saying, “C’mon! Have a drink! We’ve got plenty of refreshments here!”

Meanwhile someone closes the door behind me.

But before I follow them, I stand firm and speak up after wiping my eyes on my sleeve, “Wait, I have something I want to say too.”

That quiets everyone down again, and within seconds, I have everyone’s full attention.

“So, as a lot of you seem to have noticed, I’ve been trying to figure out what I should do next over the past couple months,” I state, still sobbing once in a while from all the crying as the others nod their heads. But that doesn’t last for long before it clears up and I talk freely. “And I have finally come up with a decision. A perfect solution for my problem!”

The others look rather amused by my enthusiasm.

“Then go ahead and tell us!” Gramps exclaims with a grin on his face, the Demon King kind of standing out a little bit amongst the others, most of whom are all human.

“Yep! Tell us!” Belle says with a smile, still holding my hand.

I look at each of them before nodding and answering, “After everyone’s advice, I realized that I have a lot more power than I gave myself credit for, and I don’t have to limit myself to human standards in my actions. I also am not alone and can use someone’s help in creating something. So my plan is simple.”

A wide and slightly hungry grin stretches across my face that startles everyone as I state, “I’m going to create my own dimension! A hunting ground and home for any creatures that wish to hunt their fill forever. A goddess’s domain. And I’ll be using Isaac’s creation magic to help me supply it with beasts to start with.” I spread my arms out as everyone just kinda gapes at me for my idea. “I’ll create the perfect dimension for any hunter! The perfect place to level up for mortals in the universe! The perfect place to find a partner for the spirits! And the perfect place for beasts to grow stronger! To hunt!”

Silence fills the room for a good while after I finish.

I can see it now! A place I can hunt my fill without worrying about sapient creatures, since all of the monsters inside of it will be non-sapient and mindless beasts created by my own blood and Isaac’s creation branch eclipse magic! And others will be able to fight there as well. As much as they want!

Laughter soon breaks out amongst everyone, startling me for a second before I tilt my head a little in confusion.

“Is… something wrong?” I ask, unsure of what the laughter is about.

Dad just rubs his temples as if he has a headache, meanwhile Mom chuckles while hiding her mouth behind her hand.

Father and Gramps both grin like madmen who just found a new toy, clearly interested in my idea.

Mother just wryly smiles at me with this slightly exasperated look on her face.

And all of my friends laugh their heads off as Belle says, “Yeah, I kind of expected something ridiculous like this.”

I glance at Tar, only to find him facing the other way while hiding his own laughter.

In the end, I’m left scratching the back of my head for a few seconds before shrugging.

It’s a great idea in my opinion.

“C’mon, the refreshments’ll get cold if we wait any longer!” Belle says mid-laugh while trying to drag me forwards again, with me letting her this time.

And with that, we all begin to eat and drink the day away.

With my friends and family.

The ones I care about most in the universe.

I take a deep gulp of wine before letting out a sigh and grinning like a madwoman at the feeling of warmth that fills me up from this sight.

This is nice.