Chapter 89 - Humans, Fairies, and 'His Majesty the Demon Lord'
For that single moment when the song ended, the world seemed to shine.
The magic circle dissipated into mist, and the setting sun poured through the gaps in the clearing clouds. Raindrops on the branches and leaves sparkled, and the surface of the lake reflected the light.
All strength had left Elenoa's body. She had lost so much blood that maintaining consciousness was at its limit. She gazed at the leaves of a tree within her sight. Rainwater had gathered at the tip of one leaf, becoming heavy, until it finally fell, causing the leaf to bounce. Beyond that, there was her beloved husband.
"...Elenoa...!"
She heard Louis's voice. His blond hair was smooth and dry, a stark contrast to Elenoa, who was soaked to the bone. However, his clothes were slightly disheveled, and his collar was loosened, revealing his desperation.
—But even at a time like this, he is still wonderful.
He had only found his place in the darkness until now, but whether under the sun or anywhere else, he was the most important person to Elenoa. Reconfirming that fact, she strangely felt like laughing, and was just about to collapse her oddly relaxed face onto the ground. At the last second, she was supported by his arms and gently caught.
The other fairies were worried about Elenoa, panicking over whether she was okay or hungry, but with the appearance of the Demon Lord, they scattered with cries of "Wah!"
Louis lifted her up. Concerned for Elenoa's body, he draped his own coat over her.
Frowning at the bullet wounds on her left shoulder and right wing,
"To do such... cruel things..."
While ignoring what he himself had attempted to do, he treated Elenoa. Knowing more about fairy ecology than Elenoa herself, he was an expert in fairy treatment.
"It will close up soon, so it's alright," he gently comforted her, but resentment toward him flowed into Elenoa's mind.
—Poor thing. It must have hurt. To bleed this much again. I never wanted to see your blood again. Why. You did nothing wrong. I am making a mistake again. Did I make a mistake? Did I? I don't know. Elenoa's blood, it's scary, it looks painful, silver is poison to fairies, knowing that, those guys, humans are humans are humans are humans are humans are humans, those guys are humans, do they want to be killed again, humans are humans are humans,
I think we've both reached our limits, she realized. Both him and herself.
"My dear, His Majesty the Demon Lord."
With a voice hoarse from singing too much, Elenoa called out to him.
"Elie?"
"I sincerely apologize for defiling Your Excellency with the blood of a diminutive fairy, and for causing temporary chaos in the solemn Demon Lord's Castle and the Demon Realm."
She thought these were likely words the 'former' her had also spoken. She had said the same things and offered the same thing to him. She vaguely remembered kneeling before him as he sat on the throne, respectfully holding it up with both hands and pleading. And she knew that even with that life, they had not been able to find happiness.
"If you would forgive me, I have one request."
Lifting what she had been clutching in her hand all this time,
"I would like you to accept this."
The Fairy's Moon Clock.
Stained with mud, it was bathed in the setting sun. The silver reflected the madder red. The silver shone, reflecting the color of the light it received exactly. Elenoa thought it resembled herself somehow.
Louis wrapped his hands around Elenoa's, enclosing the Moon Clock within them.
"Did you go out just to retrieve this?"
Was he thinking that after showing such exaggerated resolve, this was all he asked for? Elenoa could no longer see his face. Her vision was beginning to blur, and she could no longer distinguish even the outlines of objects.
No matter what expression he wore, she didn't think he was happy.
She had gone outside seeking something like a Moon Clock, and various circumstances had tangled around that outing, nearly resulting in an attempted mass slaughter of humanity and a crisis where both Elenoa and the fetus could have been lost. The purpose and the result did not balance, and it wasn't even funny.
"I'm sorry. It seems nothing I do works. It always ends up strange."
"That is not true. You are not at fault at all. It is all them,"
"I hate this. Why did it come to this? It's unreasonable, isn't it?"
"It's fine now. Let's rest a little. Let's go home, take a hot bath, and warm up in bed, okay?"
"It's strange. I just—"
Just.
"I hadn't given Louis anything, so I thought I wanted to give you something. I felt I had to do something, or you wouldn't believe me. Even if I say I love you, words alone aren't enough. I have to wager something, just like you do, Louis."
Elenoa learned that ignorance was not a valid reason to remain inactive.
Love and sacrifice are not equivalent, but there are many opportunities to weigh love against something else. It could be work, promises, or the time of others—.
Just as Louis had devoted himself to Elenoa until now.
Since Louis finally fell silent, Elenoa took the opportunity to let her heart's voice flow out without filtering it through thought. She repeated "I like you" and "I love you" heavily, over and over, again and again. Louis stroked and combed her hair so as not to miss a single one of those words.
"And also, we have a child."
When she finally said it, Louis cautiously asked for permission, "May I confirm?" and Elenoa nodded willingly. His large hand, gently placed on her stomach, applied pressure that clearly showed he didn't know what to do.
He gasped. She could sense it.
"There is another source of magic within you. Still weak and small."
"Mhm."
"It is magic similar to mine."
"Mhm. It's a very strong child."
"...I see."
It was a response as if he were savoring the words. It sounded as if tears were permeating the end of his sentence.
The setting sun sank. The first star began to assert its presence.
The fairies, hiding among the trees, watched over the outcome of the two's conversation.
"Hey, is there anything you want?"
It was a quiet voice, fitting for the lakeside.
Louis's catchphrase, coming from Elenoa's mouth.
"I gave you a clock. We have a child. I have nothing else to give, so please tell me. Rare fruits, books, if Louis wants them, I will go find them."
Something he wanted. Louis nearly let out an absurd sound, as if hearing the question for the first time. Elenoa was almost in a dream, but Louis, who remained in reality, seriously considered his answer.
What Louis wanted. It wasn't the first time he had been asked. Neither Elenoa nor Louis remembered when it was, but it was definitely not the first time.
What he had tried to answer at that time remained vivid in Louis's mind.
—I thought I wanted you.
—I wanted your back as you stood in the kitchen, chatting with your sister.
—I wanted a town where you, a fairy, could live without hating humans.
Such modest wishes flowed into the head of the half-dreaming Elenoa.
A carefree fairy hummed a tune, and right next to her, her sister kept an off-beat rhythm, not to be outdone. The scene changed. The profile of Elenoa, diligently checking the freshness of fish in front of the fishmonger, suddenly turned toward him and smiled, saying "Louis."
Happily.
When asked what he wanted, that was all Louis could think of. It was a dream so modest it was heartbreaking.
Because that dream could no longer come true, perhaps there was nothing left for Elenoa to give him.
As if to emphasize it, as if to crush his own dream, Louis declared firmly.
"It is impossible."
Just like that.
The half-dreaming Elenoa asked, "Is that so?"
"Yes, it is impossible. Because this is what happens when I let you go out even a little."
Louis touched Elenoa's shoulder. The wound had closed, but the terror of being hurt had been freshly engraved.
"We can no longer turn back."
Even if the magic circle in the sky disappeared, it could be deployed again and again.
Completing it, flowing magic into it, and simply snapping his fingers once would be enough to kill off a percentage of humanity.
That is what Demon Lord Louis Stylus was.
The righteousness of turning the world into an enemy for the sake of love. The permissibility of hurting Elenoa's heart for Elenoa's sake. Even if no one forgave his great sins, Louis could not step down from that position.
The carefree fairy spoke just one word.
"I see."
She said it was too late for that. It was too late for Elenoa to start trying, and too late for her to notice. Louis had long since become the villain, and there was no going back.
He had chosen that path.
In that case, Elenoa thought it was fine.
Whether to strive to live like humans together, or to prepare to fall together.
In the end, Elenoa had been thinking about only that from the beginning.
Even if humans were put to sleep, it was only postponing the problem. Eventually, when they woke up, they would proceed into an era of conflict as if nothing had happened.
Therefore.
—'But, killing so many people, with this kind of method...'
First, kill the good person within herself who was pained by saying such things.
To live with him forever, even to the ends of hell.
Elenoa snuggled into Louis's chest and began to act spoiled in her own way. Her body no longer hurt, and her hunger had subsided. Reassured by the magic that had filled even her unborn child, she immersed herself in that happiness.
"Probably, everyone is asleep right now. So we won't have to scare them strangely."
"...What are you"
As Louis wished, Elenoa's hands were not stained at all.
But this was a sin. She could fall to a depth infinitely close to Louis.
Therefore, this was.
"An accomplice."
It was the best proposal of marriage the great fairy Elenoa, a character renowned for her purity, could offer.
"Whatever makes us unhappy should just disappear."
Tears streamed from her blue eyes. And she insisted. It will surely be okay. We can't go on unless we believe it will be okay. Just as humans wish for it, we too want to be happy with our loved ones. Making an effort is absolutely not a bad thing—.
Even if we destroy only what is necessary at this very moment.
Because everyone is doing it somewhere.
Surely, it is kinder because there is no pain or fear.
—While everyone is in their dreams, in this gap, let us do our best—.
Louis could not answer.
As if to express his tightening heart, he held Elenoa strongly in his arms. She was saying something terrifying, yet it was painfully dear to him.
Sweet and manageable, she was like a symbol of forgiveness.
Louis did not want to let go of such a her.
To repay her devotion, he attempted to deploy that magic circle again,
The wind blew, carrying the scent of greenery wet with rain,
Onii-chan
He heard it clearly by his ear,
Take care.
He turned around.
There was no one there.
There was only his sister's grave. A simple stone plate with her name and a fairy-themed picture carved into it.
"......"
Louis opened his mouth toward it, but in the end, said nothing.
Take care.
He correctly understood the meaning indicated by those words.
He turned back to Elenoa and spoke gently.
"Killing humans or not, revenge or forgiveness, I have one proposal that fulfills none of those."
Elenoa looked up at Louis with a blank, puzzled expression.
"There might be no place for us in this world. Despite repeating it many times, it seems there is no future where we can be happy."
Elenoa nodded lightly, thinking, Well, I had a feeling about that.
Louis gave a dry chuckle.
The sun had completely sunk below the horizon, and a large full moon was beginning to rise.
"Will you run away with me again tonight?"
"Sure. Are we going somewhere else?"
"Yes."
"What about Bis-kun? Is it a place where we can also visit Lumina-chan's grave?"
"It's not that we can never come back here, and in terms of sensation, we are just leaving the seat of the Demon Lord, so visiting the grave should not be a problem. I cannot take Bis with me now, so it will be just the two of us. But surely, I will be able to welcome him someday. Perhaps I might live an incredibly long life, rather than aging."
"What's that? Will you live even longer than now?"
"I will live very long. Actually, I am thinking of becoming God."
"...Hm?"
Louis stroked her, as she seemed to want to say, Are you really okay? having obviously not missed those words. She immediately calmed down with a drowsy expression. She must be quite tired, but fundamentally, a kept fairy is obedient to its owner. In such a miserable state, Louis himself became anxious about why she could trust him so much.
But well, understanding would come later.
"If things go poorly, I will live longer than even fairies. If I study magic more than I do now during that time, I might be able to retrieve Lumina. But I will need to hear Bis's hopes first."
Elenoa didn't quite understand, but she nodded with a "Hmm" for now.
"Can we meet Lumina-chan again?"
"Since this world seems to be a fabrication, if we wish to do the same thing, we should be able to."
Louis said they had plenty of time anyway. The outside world was overflowing with unknown magic and knowledge. Perhaps there was technology to manage things like time and life, which were beyond human control.
"You might not know this, but your husband is an excellent mage."
Elenoa nodded, saying, "Is that so."
"I'll be causing Louis trouble again."
"It is what I desire."
"If Louis is fine with it, I will go too."
*
Carrying Elenoa in his arms, Louis returned to the castle. Although she was already full of energy after filling her stomach with magic, she decided to stay attached to him, considering his feelings.
Unlike a typical couple eloping, Louis had a status to consider. There were mountains of things to think about, such as how to persuade everyone, the potential confusion, and the situation with war imminent.
Returning to the throne room with her, he had all but one of his subordinates, who were hastily bowing in panic, leave the room.
The one who remained was, as expected, the former Demon Lord with cat ears.
When Louis tried to explain the situation, Bis sullenly
"You're going somewhere, aren't you?"
declared.
"You have the same face you did when you came from the human world. Like you've made up your mind."
Do I look like that? Elenoa tilted her head at him as he looked down at her.
Bis let out a demonstrative sigh, "Ah, well," at the two kindred spirits.
"Just think of it as a newlywed lovey-dovey couple living in my castle for a while. If you're going somewhere, go quickly."
"But we cannot go as things are. With the chaos in the Demon Realm still,"
"I'll handle it. Even though I'm like this, I'm Louis's senior, meow."
Bis swung his tail discontentedly and took out something.
It was his favorite hidden weapon.
Pointing the blade at Louis,
"In exchange, give me your blood, okay?"
Nya-nyan.
Bis's pupils widened roundly, capturing his prey.
According to the customs of the demons, the conditions for succession to the throne had to be met. Louis smiled with apparent reluctance and put Elenoa down. She wavered for an instant but stood firmly, looking up at him as if asking what to do.
"Elie, I am sorry, but could you bring the hourglass from my room? I have released the barrier."
"Mhm."
"Ah, but it is dangerous, so please ask someone to accompany you. Take your time."
She obediently left the throne room. Marche was there, so she asked him to accompany her, and as Louis said, she walked slowly, step by step.
Even though her husband had a blade pointed at him, Elenoa was not worried at all.
Louis himself continued to smile gently at Bis, who was picking a fight.
The one who defeats the Demon Lord becomes the next Demon Lord.
But Bis was no match for Louis. No matter how hundreds or thousands of years Bis lived, that relationship would surely not change. The Stylus couple knew that.
Step by step, Bis watched for an opportunity.
No sounds came from outside. In the silent room, tension stretched.
...——.
With unresolved feelings, Bis gathered strength in his legs and closed in on Louis, thrusting the blade into him. There was no barrier. Louis did not break his smile. Even just before it pierced, even after it tore the skin, even as the blade buried itself while tearing through the muscle fibers.
Even so, Louis did not reject Bis's blade.
Blood dripped from Louis's arm, where the hidden weapon had pierced. It smelled delicious. But Bis could not pounce on it, and kept his head down, gripping the hidden weapon tightly.
Louis gripped the weapon over Bis's hand and gently pulled it out of his arm. Immediately, a tremendous amount of blood flowed, and Bis inadvertently cried out, "Ah...!"
On Bis's cheek, Louis rubbed his own blood with his finger.
Next, he filled a small bottle that could be taken out at any time with blood, applied a spell to prevent coagulation,
"Here you go."
Smiling bitterly at Bis, who still wouldn't accept it, he placed the small bottle in Bis's clothes pocket.
It was his own form of farewell gift.
For creatures that lived on magic, Louis's blood was special. Drinking even a mouthful would exhibit tremendous effects. Bis had always desired it and had actually begged for it, but receiving it like this seemed 'different.'
Bis bit his lip tightly and glared at Louis.
Creak, the door to the throne room opened. "Wow, it's gotten violent." It was Elenoa.
"What happened? Did Louis bully you?"
"Am I being suspected in this situation?"
Ignoring her husband, who denied the suspicion claiming he hadn't laid a hand on him and was innocent, she rushed over and slowly stroked Bis's head. His cat ears twitched. Usually, he would be purring, but today he only murmured "Nyan" sadly. Sensing this, Elenoa clung to Bis even more.
"You know, we can meet again. It's not that we can't come back here, and if Louis studies magic hard, Bis-kun might be able to come over here too. Will you come with us then?"
"I don't know. It depends on the political situation and circumstances at that time, meow."
"That's true."
Bis was probably the most detached of the three.
As if remembering, Elenoa said, "I brought it," and showed the hourglass to Louis.
Louis confirmed it, said a brief thank you, and took out the Moon Clock from his bosom. Heavy amounts of protective magic had already been applied to it, filled with Elenoa's life-risking love.
"So, what will you do?"
"What will I do, I wonder."
"Ehhh..."
"I was only told, 'Come here when you have made up your mind.' I don't really understand either, but perhaps this is what I should do."
Along with a conversation characteristic of the two carefree and airy individuals, the hourglass and the Moon Clock touched with a clink.
In that instant.
Humans and fairies disappeared, leaving only one person in the throne room.
In a space where their voices seemed like they could still be heard but weren't, leaving an aftertaste.
Bathed in the blood of the former Demon Lord Louis, only the new Demon Lord stood.
Next is the epilogue, probably