The Demon King Calsas lay in the hall, his spread black wings stiff, immersed in a pool of deep red blood. Facing upward, his mask had slipped beside him, revealing his beautiful and pale face. His eyes were tightly closed, his black and long eyelashes looking harmless.
Soft footsteps sounded, and a girl’s hand picked up the terrifying mask, carefully placing it back on the Demon King’s face. The girl hesitated for a moment, then stumbled backward and fled as if escaping.
The hall was left with only the lonely licking of flames.
The eyes beneath the mask slowly opened, two deep red pools calm and still. Kalsas slowly sat up, holding the mask in his palm, his fingers turning to his chest, almost tenderly picking up a fallen strand of hair.
Light brown, soft to the touch, seemingly retaining the girl’s gentleness. The Demon King gazed in the direction the girl had left, his eyes gradually brightening.
He brought the strand to his lips, kissing it reverently.
“Her name is Nelly, right?” the Demon King murmured in a youthful voice.
Blood-stained chest revealing light, Kalsas clicked his tongue impatiently, covering the wound.
The sound of a lock mechanism clicked, and time-space ripples spread in circles, smoothing the wound and restoring the surrounding scenery. Kalsas stood up unharmed, surveying the empty Shlos main hall, dancing flames wildly in his eyes. He covered his eyes, unable to suppress a hoarse laugh.
The world returned to zero again.
Kalsas, the Demon King who wreaked havoc on Verdaia, continued to wait day after day to be defeated by a hero.
But this time was different. He had finally found the meaning of his existence, the only guiding light: That girl named Nelly.
★, Chapter 22: Source
“How… could this be…” the Demon King reluctantly recited his dying lines, slowly falling to the ground.
The hero jumped up excitedly, shouting: “I did it! I saved the world!”
The healing priestess from the temple smiled and nodded, tears glistening in her eyes: “I knew you could do it.”
Facing the hero and his love interest’s affectionate gaze, Nelly turned away, unable to watch.
“We should go see His Majesty now, let’s go!” The hero, full of heroic spirit, led the healer out of the demon’s lair.
Once again briefly forgotten, system spirit Nelly helplessly pouted, turning around. Before she could take a step, a hesitant call came from behind: “Please wait.”
Startled, Nelly turned in shock to see the Demon King, who should have been killed by the hero’s ultimate technique, slowly sitting up. The mask slid from his face, revealing the same face Nelly had seen before. The beautiful young Demon King looked at her almost timidly, softly saying, “Don’t be afraid.”
“I…” The Demon King paused, biting his lip, “I just want to ask if you could stay and talk to me each time?”
He casually touched his blood-covered chest, white fingers stained crimson.
Nelly was momentarily stunned, stammering, “O-okay…”
“Thank you,” he smiled slightly, ripples of light in his red eyes. Then he lowered his gaze, restrainedly saying, “You can go now.”
Nelly replied awkwardly, “Well, goodbye.”
“Goodbye,” Kalsas curved his eyes, watching the girl leave, then hunched in pain, taking a breath.
— Click-clack.
Time flowed back, everything returning to its original state.
Hmm. Thank you, Nelly, I’ll give it a try.” “Tell me your thoughts next time.” “Hmm.” This was an intermittent and eerie conversation, separated by an entire adventure cycle, with Kalsas’s incomplete death as the precondition for continuation. Kalsas appeared shy: “The book is interesting. I’m going to start growing flowers.” “Grow… flowers?”
The Demon King’s eyes held a brilliance that outshone the stars: “What flowers does Nelly like?” “Rose… roses,” Nelly answered breathlessly, blurting out the first thing that came to mind. So the next time they met, Kalsas hesitantly conjured a delicate pink rose from behind him. Nelly was stunned for a moment, softly asking: “Do you really want to destroy the world?” “Is that important?” Kalsas seemed very calm. “It’s important.” The Demon King lowered his eyelashes, not answering: “You should go.” “Please give me an answer next time.” Kalsas had clearly thought seriously about Nelly’s question, and as soon as they met, he frowned and asked: “Please tell me first, is this world really worth protecting?” “Why not?” “Then, next time, please convince me, Nelly.” He pulled out another rose, this time white and even more beautiful than the last. Nelly thought for a whole cycle but couldn’t come up with an interesting answer: “This world has many beautiful things, like love, kindness, nature…” “Love? Kindness?” Kalsas repeated with an almost innocent tone. Nelly felt uneasy: “I, I should go.” “Goodbye, Nelly.” Kalsas did not try to stop her.
Kalsas silently let her go, blinking, the corner of his mouth curved with a hint of mockery, muttering to himself: “It hurts a bit.” Nelly had decided not to speak to the Demon King again. She felt that this relationship born of unnecessary sympathy would become unmanageable. After all, he was a demon, an opponent she would need to overcome.
Moreover, she ultimately had to go home, and getting too deeply involved with anyone would only bring trouble. When the Demon King spoke quietly, Nelly found herself unable to move. She did not turn back: “Is that so?”
“I am a demon, naturally prone to hatred and anger,” he said, pausing briefly before adding, “but love, I cannot do it.”
“Nelly, can you teach me?”
The brown-haired girl turned back, smiling but looking somewhat sad: “I’m sorry, Karl. I cannot teach you.” Her voice lowered as time and space began to distort: “I’m glad to have known you, Karl. But I can’t talk to you like this anymore. I’m sorry.”
Kalsas bent down, looking at the area of his heart and chuckling: “It really hurts… Is this heartlessness?”
” If this is the opposite of love, why does he want to blame her like this? A flash of insight. The Demon King suddenly laughed like a child. He understood the true meaning between the lines of the books. Emotions were no longer a difficult concept; he comprehended their flavor, understanding why the most talented poets would have tears in their eyes when reciting love poems. He was overjoyed: She had actually taught him what love is. On a night of first snow, Nelly turned around in her inn room to find black wings in her view. Kalsas, who should not have left the demon’s lair, climbed through the window and gently kissed her hand with a touch as light as a feather. His eyes were brighter than ever, and he said: “I’ve collected the best books from across the continent, I’ve grown the most beautiful roses. Nelly, I love you.”
☆, Chapter 23: Oath
Nelly was stunned. She watched the Demon King’s fingers elegantly produce a beautiful red rose, extending it to her. It took her a long time to find her voice: “You… is it okay to leave the demon’s lair?” Kalsas curved the corners of his eyes, looking slightly shy: “It’s fine.” Doubt flashed briefly in her mind, and bewilderment ultimately prevailed. Nelly belatedly became embarrassed, blushing as she looked out the window. “
Gentle snow was softly swept into the room by the fluttering curtains, and a thin layer of sugar-like frost accumulated on the windowsill. Somewhere, someone was singing a ballad on the winter street, drifting along with the wind.
