Chapter 252 - Will It Mean Anything? (6)

[Enough of that. Shall we get back to the point? For those reasons, you don't really have a way to conceal your demonic energy. And there's no going back to Concealment Through Ignorance now.]

How long had I been silently seething? Yukkwi changed the subject, apparently noticing that I had calmed down. How he noticed, I had no idea. I thought I hadn't let it show.

It was exactly the help I needed, with so little time to spare. I couldn't afford to waste time like this. Without Yukkwi, I might have been in trouble.

“Then...”

On another note, was I a little sorry to lose such a useful card as Concealment Through Ignorance? Yes. But that didn't mean I regretted my earlier decision to hear him out.

After all, however hellish things became, knowing the situation properly at least let me prepare accordingly. Even if I had to work myself to the bone, being jerked around while knowing why was a hundred times better than being jerked around in ignorance. No, a thousand times. Ten thousand times!

“Is it impossible to convert demonic energy into magical energy, as the Mountain Lord does?”

So instead of dwelling on the card I'd lost, I sought another way.

[That's even less possible.]

Naturally, it wasn't that easy.

[I just told you that your body has become closer to a demon's than a human's. That doesn't simply mean the demon's influence has grown stronger.]

“...?”

[In other words... the substance making up your body is now demonic energy, not magical energy. And you want to remove every last bit of demonic energy from it? Do you think that would work?]

“... Are you saying it would cause problems?”

[I don't think it's anything so trivial that ‘it would cause problems’ does it justice, but yes. If you insist on putting it that way.]

Yukkwi offered an example as he spoke. What I was proposing was like replacing flour (demonic energy) with coal (magical energy) when making bread (my body).

[For the record, you and that fellow are in different situations. His peculiar feat is only possible because he was born with that particular trait. It has nothing to do with talent or effort. His very flesh has a quality that lets it shift between demonic energy and magical energy without breaking down.]

Yukkwi anticipated me before I could broaden my thinking. It wasn't a wasted effort. A little thought would have easily led me to that question.

[Your body, on the other hand, has no such quality. So the moment your demonic energy turns into magical energy, there will be consequences. At the mild end, the agony of your muscles and bones twisting out of place; at the severe end, physical deformities, and so on.]

He didn't even stop there. He spilled it all out, as though trying to shut down in advance every possibility I might consider.

[And think about creatures made of demonic energy. They're far more than a little hard to kill, aren't they?]

“... I'm not sure.”

Were... they? Most died in one hit, so I couldn't say. If I counted myself among creatures made of demonic energy, perhaps I could call them fairly tenacious.

[Apparently you don't know, but they're incredibly hard to kill. Beings that contain demonic energy have powerful regenerative abilities. By the same token, your body will probably keep trying to restore itself. And it's not just a little demonic energy pooled in one part of you. You have a core inside you that produces it endlessly, so the effect will be even more pronounced.]

“Then...”

[Of course, if you could suppress the core of demonic energy with overwhelming power and restrict its output, you could alter your body or do whatever else you liked... But as I said at the start, would you be in this state if you could do that?]

More importantly, did that mean there really was no way? Really?

... Did I really have to spend my life on the run like a criminal now?

“Then sealing is my only option after all.”

Trying not to show my dejection, I groped toward my future once more. Despite all the time I'd spent here feeling my way forward and holding up a light, I still couldn't see the path I needed to take. I could barely breathe.

[It would seem so.]

And yet, even so, I had to move forward.

I clenched my teeth without letting it show and briefly closed my eyes. Suddenly, I remembered the actual Legend of Heroes.

“... Thank you for confirming that.”

The Demon Knight had two class advancement paths in that game, too.

Ruin, the twisted avenger blinded by vengeance who joined forces with the demon. And Vanquisher, the living sacrifice who sealed the demon at the cost of his own life.

Of those, the real Demon Knight had already walked the path of Ruin. Whether by coincidence or fate, he had at least lived under that name.

Then was the Vanquisher path all that remained for me?

Was that the future I had to reach? Separating myself from the world through a seal, succeeding in completely suppressing the demon, only to lose all five senses as a side effect?

Existing in the world yet not existing, easily forgotten, beyond even time's reach and thus unable to grow old and die. Was my future to exist forever as nothing but a wedge holding it in place?

To perish in the name of overcoming?

I pursed my lips at those memories, which might well have been the answer sheet I'd been given.

I, I just wanted to go home. That single desire quietly painted itself over the answer sheet, covering the original answer entirely.

[... Are you leaving?]

Yukkwi asked as I moved. I didn't bother answering. An hour of questions and answers had delayed me long enough.

SHING.

Instead, I took up the Zweihander I hadn't yet collected and spun it around. Holding it by the ricasso rather than the hilt gave me enough reach to slot it onto my back. The long greatsword hung there.

[Leaving won't conjure up an answer where there isn't one.]

“But surely someone must know.”

[Who knows? Is there anyone who does? Even if there is, I doubt they'd tell you. You'll only end up hunted, with nothing to show for it.]

“I am already prepared for that.”

[You're taking into account that you're much closer to a demon now than you were before you came here, aren't you?]

“I am well aware.”

Now, was there anything else to take? I'd organized my inventory and gotten my body back into shape with plenty of rest. Did I need anything more?

[... Just so you know, even that flighty youngster can purify the demonic energy you give off. In other words, you could stay in this forest and look for a solution without worrying about being caught.]

No. At least under the circumstances, there was truly nothing else I could take.

I'd gotten my information from our conversation. Food, water, medicine, and clothes would have to be dealt with outside. I already felt terrible about imposing on them; I couldn't steal from them on top of that. And if I asked, they'd only cling to me to stop me leaving.

“I alone am enough for the gallows.”

Then that really was everything. Reaching that conclusion, I started walking away. Where would I go now? Where could I stop and keep thinking without being discovered? Questions I couldn't answer lodged in a corner of my mind and tormented me.

[Listen to that insolent brat.]

Then, after I'd taken two steps, Yukkwi spoke.

[Hey, descendant!!! He's running away!!!]

“...!?”

[Mmph... huh? Y-yes? Wh-what?]

It was a betrayal I had never imagined.

* * *

[Hehe.]

In the end, I was caught.

[Hehehehe.]

Of course, I hadn't given up on escaping the moment the Mountain Lord woke. In fact, shortly after I began running, I judged that I could get away if I truly committed to it.

“... Stop laughing.”

But my undoing was the Mountain Lord stopping mid-chase and shedding great drops of tears. If I had to add another reason, it was what he sobbed: if I wanted to leave so badly, why hadn't I simply said so? Did I hate them that much?

So I approached, thinking I'd at least clear up the misunderstanding before I left...

[But if I don't do this, you'll leave, won't you, sir?]

... And this was the result.

My head throbbed as I looked at the Mountain Lord coiled tightly around me. How much time had he even spent with me to like me this much? What had I really done for him to deserve this affection?

[Or did you really not like me...?]

“... If you keep this up, that may become true.”

[What a lie. You're only trying to leave because you don't want us branded as demons too.]

“...”

[Huh? Really?]

[Yes.]

It was true, but how could someone who knew that take the Mountain Lord's side? And why say it here? If he knew, shouldn't he keep his mouth shut and let me go?

[Just admit it, youngster. You need help right now, and you're in no position to worry about other people.]

“... I am considering myself quite enough—”

[If you're going to say you're being selfish because you ran from the gallows, don't bother. That's not selfish. It's only natural.]

But every argument I meant to offer was blocked from the outset. Yukkwi, who had been clinging to the tip of the Mountain Lord's tail, crawled up to my head.

[You must not know because you're still young, but the only person in this world who can put you and you alone first is yourself. Even this forest and I, who seem to be on your side now, could turn on you overnight and try to take everything you have.]

The turtle's head gently bumped my forehead. For some reason, that lukewarm touch made me ache with sorrow.

[You have a perfect example right here, don't you? Someone who treasured and cherished another more than himself, only to receive betrayal in return. There's no guarantee you won't end up like this too. You truly never know what the world will bring.]

“... Are you telling me not to trust anyone, then?”

[No. I'm telling you to make use of what you can, while you can. Or, to put it another way, don't save your food so carefully that you let it rot instead. You're in a position where that's what you have to do to survive.]

The sorrow was so overwhelming that I bit the corner of my lip.

“I don't want to repay your help by burdening you.”

Even so, I couldn't stop the tears from falling.

“You were the only ones who welcomed me. I don't want to see you suffer because of me.”

It was always like this.

“I don't want to find out how you'll look at me after I've brought disaster upon you.”

Kind people always tethered me to my miserable life.

“That's why I...”

“Then we need only hide our connection, so that we won't suffer on your account, benefactor.”

“...!”

And waited until that misery washed away.

“Don't we?”

A boy with disheveled clothes, as though he'd rushed out in a hurry, smiled brightly.

“That couldn't possibly...”

“It can. We only need to remove any evidence they could use to challenge us.”

“... Do you think all the Priestesses of the swamp can keep silent?”

“Hmm. I trust them, but... I cannot be certain. There are those who disapprove of me, and, I'm sorry to say, those who are averse to you as well, Black Thunder Snake.”

“Of course, their aversion to you is simply because a human is being compared to the Mountain Lord.” The boy added this softly, as though to prevent any misunderstanding.

“But wouldn't the problem be solved if they all believed the Thunder Snake had left?”

“...?”

“Even in this Great Forest, there are places few people visit. You could move to one of those, while we tell everyone you've departed.”

“... That would still cause problems.”

“Would it? As for your earlier stay, we need only say, ‘We had no idea he was such a person. We took him in simply because he was our benefactor.’ In truth, we've received no news of your circumstances or why you're being hunted, Black Thunder Snake. Apart from what you told us yourself.”

“So,” the Great Chief continued.

“If they have any sense, they'll stop there. Any further suspicion would be tantamount to picking a fight with us. If need be, we could threaten to cut off relations.”

That... sounded... fairly... plausible?

I wasn't sure. My mouth opened and closed a little before I finally poked at a hole I managed to think of.

“... What if I'm discovered hiding in that remote area?”

“Then we simply insist that we didn't know that, either. It wouldn't even be unreasonable. We don't know everything that happens in this enormous forest, after all. If we say we didn't know something we didn't know, and they demand to know why, wouldn't that ultimately be picking a fight as well...?”

Amazingly, the Great Chief had apparently already considered that, too.

“So please put your mind at ease and stay a while longer. If you have business elsewhere, that's another matter, but you needn't leave for the sake of this forest's safety.”

The Mountain Lord, who had listened to everything, squealed and thumped the ground with his tail. Yukkwi nodded in satisfaction.

“You have already saved this forest. Now it is simply our turn to be your home.”

It seemed I had lost.

Is It a Problem If the Protagonist Is a Roleplay Fanatic? (Serial)

Author │ Hae Inseol

Publisher │ Kim Juhyeong

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