Eugene had done nothing wrong and had no reason to flee, yet he ran without looking back. The sight of Melkith walking toward him with a beaming smile and a bouquet as large as himself was etched into his eyes with such a chilling force that he couldn't help but escape.
"Ugh," Eugene groaned as he felt a shiver run down his spine.
If he were caught, even killing Melkith a hundred times in his imagination wouldn’t satisfy his murderous intent.
Standing at the battlements, Eugene quickly glanced back. Fortunately, Melkith wasn’t following him, and he sighed in relief before looking forward again.
The meaning of Molon’s words was instantly clear to him. Indeed, the seal created by the Demon King of Incarceration had grown several times larger than it was a week ago. Without exaggeration, it spanned across half the plains and had swallowed the neglected Pandemonium completely.
'How many are there?' Eugene thought to himself as he squinted into the seal.
The number of Nur filling it, from the ground to the ceiling, was beyond any number he could conjure. And that wasn’t all. These Nur were merely drawn here by the Demon King of Destruction. Eugene’s brow furrowed as he recalled the original emergence of the Nur in Lehainjar.
'No word yet, so the gate there must still be intact…,' he concluded.
The only reason it remained so was the seal containing the Demon King of Destruction. If the seal were broken, countless Nur would pour out, which would signal the arrival of the Demon King of Destruction. That would, in turn, cause even more Nur to flood from Lehainjar, and Sienna’s seal would no longer be able to hold them back.
'Can it be stopped?' Eugene frowned as he contemplated the upcoming battle.The roles of Eugene, Sienna, Molon, and the Saints remained unchanged. They would follow the chains left by the Demon King of Incarceration and enter the inner realm of the Demon King of Destruction.
As it had been with Agaroth’s last stand, the Demon King of Destruction would be immobile at that moment. While Eugene and his group held Destruction inside, the Divine Army would have to hold back the countless Nur on the outside. Eugene would prefer to clear out the Nur before entering the depths of Destruction, but that seemed impossible.
With the seal intact, there was no way to attack the Nur from the outside. Then, would the seal completely open the moment Eugene entered?
"What are you pondering so deeply?" A voice came from the sky.
Looking up, Eugene saw Ciel mounted on a fluttering wyvern.
"Sir Eugene Lionheart," she added.
Her voice was cold and hard, devoid of any laughter. Her stare was as good as a glare, her eyes lifeless as if she were dead. From that alone, Eugene could perfectly understand Ciel's feelings.
"Phew..." Eugene exhaled deeply.
"A sigh? Are you sighing because you see me, sir? Does my face make you sigh? Do you realize how much my heart is torn to shreds when you sigh like that, Sir Eugene…?" Ciel asked mockingly.
"I’ve really been through a lot,” Eugene said, letting out another deep sigh and slumping onto the railing. "It’s too sordid to explain everything, but it’s unfair and heartbreaking. I haven’t done anything wrong; I’ve just been swept up in an unstoppable, massive flow of the world’s course…."
"You say it’s sordid, yet why do you talk so much?" Ciel asked with a glare.
"I’m being blamed for things I shouldn’t be... even harassed by one of the only two siblings in the world," Eugene muttered.
"Sibling? Don’t you know that sibling is the last word I want to hear from you?!" she shouted.
Overwhelmed by emotion, Ciel leaped down from the back of the wyvern Yongyong and stood beside Eugene, gasping for breath as she kicked him repeatedly.
"When we were kids, you used to claim you were my older sister,” Eugene protested.
"That was when I knew nothing! When I was just a child! If I could, I’d go back and tell my thirteen-year-old self not to awkwardly hover and just go for it. While I’m at it, I’d go back to my simpering days in Shimuin and slap myself for whining too much,” declared Ciel.
Ciel shivered at the thought of her past mistakes and embarrassments. Eugene could truly relate to her. If he could go back, he’d definitely never, ever cross-dress again.
"So, why are you sitting here sulking? You could’ve stayed lying down,” Ciel said scornfully.
"I was lying down until just now. Once I regained my senses, of course, I had to get up," Eugene explained.
"Oh, really? So you just came to your senses. I thought you were awake long ago but just stayed in because you liked the bed,” accused Ciel.
"I’m really frustrated and upset. It feels like I could cry,” Eugene cried.
"I'm not exactly frustrated, but I feel heartbroken, sad, and angry enough to cry,” retorted Ciel.
"Are you going to keep this up?" Eugene asked.
"I’d like to, but I won't because you might start to dislike me,” said Ciel.
"I don’t dislike you. I wouldn’t ever dislike you over something like this,” said Eugene.
"Do you like me then?" Ciel questioned.
Taken aback by her sudden question, Eugene blinked and stared at Ciel. Her fist clenched when he didn't respond immediately.
"Let’s drop it. Don’t even bother answering," said Ciel.
"That was quite the curveball,” Eugene complained.
"When have I ever not been like this? Anyway, why are you sitting here?" Ciel asked.
"As you can see, I was looking at that,” Eugene responded while gesturing at the massive seal.
"Why watch from here? If you’re curious, go closer,” suggested Ciel.
"It’s the same from here or up close. What about you?" Eugene asked.
Up in the sky, the unfortunately named wyvern Yongyong[1] flapped its wings. Eugene glanced at the poor creature, destined to live with that name forever, and commented, “It doesn’t look like a casual flight."
"Of course not! I was on a reconnaissance mission!" shouted Ciel.
"Reconnaissance? The seal?" Eugene asked.
"That too, but my main focus was on the borders of Helmuth," Ciel said with a grimace and pointed across the seal towards the border. “The Demon King of Incarceration has admitted defeat, and Helmuth has become a defeated nation. The Demon King also entrusted you with the power over the life and death of all demons... and naturally, this has been conveyed to Helmuth.”
"Ah, I see," Eugene said with a nod.
He immediately understood the situation. The chains that held the fate of the demons were given to him by the Demon King of Incarceration, and while he had no immediate plans for them, he wasn’t about to transfer them to anyone else either.
"Given that they might lose their lives at any moment, there was a possibility of assassination attempts while I was asleep,” deduced Eugene.
"It's not just a possibility; there were several attempts. Several!" Ciel yelled back, but Eugene leaned on his chin nonchalantly.
"There were assassination attempts even while I was asleep in the papacy,” Eugene claimed.
"The desperation is different from back then!" Ciel shouted in exasperation.
"Well, why would they do that? I have no intention of exterminating all demons,” said Eugene.
"Really?" Ciel asked, her eyes widening in response.
Eugene's previous incarnation was that of the Stupid Hamel, who even in fairy tales couldn’t help but show a disdain for demons and was known among the demon clans as Hamel of Extermination.
"The war-faction demons were killed off by the Demon King of Incarceration without my intervention, and what’s left now are mostly the peaceful demons. If they don't harm others and just want to live peacefully, why should I kill them?" Eugene said.
"If that’s truly how you think, it would be best to make a formal statement later. So," Ciel paused, then subtly leaned towards Eugene. "What were you thinking about while sitting here?"
"I was thinking about how to deal with the monsters swarming inside there,” Eugene answered.
"What to do? Since they're not the kind you can talk to... just kill them as they come out, right?" Ciel suggested.
"It's easy to say, but you know they're not easy opponents,” Eugene reminded her.
"I know,” agreed Ciel.
Ciel had experience battling against the Nur in Hauria.
These monsters could disorient one’s senses by their mere presence. They fought unpredictably, and their very blood was toxic. These creatures were born from the corpses swept up by Destruction, imbued with dark power. They were the true vassals of Destruction, having contributed to the annihilation of life through the ages.
"We can’t just leave them be,” Ciel murmured. "Even if you take down the Demon King of Destruction and... saved the Ancestor. If we leave them be, the world might just end up a bit ruined."
"Likely, more than a bit. The Nur keep multiplying,” Eugene responded.
"Whether a little or a lot, we can't let the world be destroyed. You wouldn’t want it to be, would you?" questioned Ciel.
"If I wanted that, would I be here doing this?" Eugene responded.
He chuckled wryly. He could have given up or taken the easy way out at any time. There had been at least two opportunities for him, inevitable Destruction notwithstanding. One was to be trapped in an eternal dream with Noir, and the other was to move on to the next era with the Demon King of Incarceration.
He had the choices, and he chose. So, here he was now. Eugene instinctively knew there would be no such chances anymore. Either he would lose and perish inside Destruction or win and live for a future. At the thought of the two possible outcomes, Eugene laughed.
"Dying is not an option. So, thinking about accomplishing it even though it kills me is out of the question,” he muttered.
"What?" Ciel asked, unable to catch the sudden mutter.
"It's nothing," Eugene said as he shook his head.
Of course, Eugene had no intention of dying. He was determined, ready to risk death, if necessary, to defeat Destruction and save Vermouth. Yet paradoxically, he really did not want to die. It was always “even if it almost kills me.”
'Having been reincarnated so many times after dying, it would be too unfair if I just died,' Eugene thought to himself.
He was enduring all this hardship to live a happy, carefree life after saving the world. It wasn’t just grand, noble motivations — Eugene felt that after all his efforts for the world, the world owed him in return.
"We need to contact the rear first,” said Eugene.
"Why?" asked Ciel.
"The numbers are terrifying. The Divine Army alone won’t be enough. We need reinforcements from the rear," Eugene began.
"All those who are willing to come are already here,” Ciel spoke as if it was obvious, but Eugene blinked in misunderstanding.
"Ah. Did the Patriarch request it while I was asleep?" he questioned.
"Even before the request was made, they started arriving on their own,” Ciel answered.
"Why?" Eugene inquired, confused.
"Because this is the last Demon King," Ciel said as if he should know this obvious answer.
Hearing this response, Eugene stood up. He had defeated the Demon King of Incarceration, and only the Demon King of Destruction remained.
"If we kill it, it all ends. If we fail, the world ends. Where’s the room to hold back?" Eugene commented.
He leaped high enough to overlook all of Neran. Yet, even that was insufficient. Outside the walls of Neran, temporary encampments filled the area. Flags planted haphazardly represented not only the Divine Army but also those of every nation and mercenary group on the continent.
Eugene had never seen such a vast army in his life. It was no exaggeration to say that the armies of the entire continent had gathered.
"It’s all because of you. And for you," Ciel said from atop her wyvern. Yongyong flapped its wings as it approached Eugene. "You defeated the Demon King of Incarceration and made Helmuth a defeated nation. Now, the Demon King of Destruction stands before us."
That vast army and the fluttering flags began to appear differently to Eugene.
They shimmered as if all the stars of the night sky had gathered on the ground. Eugene saw a spreading fire that blended with the burning lights. What lay before him now was the Light fighting against Destruction.
"Who would have thought? Who could have imagined you would defeat the Demon King of Incarceration and Helmuth? But Eugene, you did it,” Ciel said, half-amused by her own words. "The Eugene I know — has never been defeated."
"I used to lose a lot in the old days,” Eugene said.
"But they don’t think so. And even I think that way. If it's a fight with you…"
Ciel paused and swallowed hard. The scene she had seen a week ago caused her a nauseating dread. Ciel clenched her fist and looked back.
"…I think you can defeat the Demon King of Destruction too. Everyone believes that."
Eugene also withdrew his gaze from the light and looked behind him. The distant seal of Destruction was visible. Something pushed at his back, but there was no need to look back. Eugene understood what was pushing him.
It was a craving for victory. A wish. All emotions and wills were forgetting the fear of war and death. Ultimately, everyone and everything pursued and wanted to achieve victory, and all of that had become faith in Eugene.
'Ah.'
Eugene’s mind reached the seal of Destruction in an instant. His transcendent mind could not leap past the solid seal, but he saw what he had not seen before. He saw the swarming ranks of the Nur and, beyond them, the center of Destruction.
What was needed for victory?
The answer was an enemy. An enemy to be defeated, to be vanquished, was required for victory. Victory required subjugating that enemy. As long as they were at war, it was imperative. The entire continent’s faith showed him the enemy that needed to be conquered.
He saw the image of a man kneeling with his head bowed. In the midst of shattered chains, a man crouched on the ground, hands pressing into the dirt.
‘The Demon King of Destruction.'
And.
“Vermouth.”
The dread remained, but Eugene could feel no fear. Eugene viewed the enemy with calm eyes.
Silently, Eugene averted his gaze and turned his head.
The next day, an army chanting victory and Eugene’s name marched towards the seal of Destruction.
1. Just a reminder that the ‘Yong’ in here means dragon. So, the wyvern is named Dragondragon and it’s supposed to be a cutesy name. ☜