102 – But I Refuse

Just because you can see it doesn’t mean it’s close.

A mountain of rocks, piled haphazardly on top of each other.

Naturally, there wasn’t a proper trail to be found.

Having lost the ability to use bodily enhancements, I was just a regular man, and Kanya was frail to begin with.

Our ascent took up three days like that.

During that time, Kanya and I shared many stories.

Mostly about food.

Kanya said she had no memories of ever having eaten a proper meal.

So, I described the various dishes I’d tasted to her, and each time, her eyes would sparkle as she listened.

At night, we huddled together in rock crevices to escape the frigid winds of the high mountains.

No more pursuers appeared.

We continued to walk and walk toward the summit, exchanging trivial stories.

And then, one morning, after three days of arduous climbing…

“Mashed potatoes, drizzled with sauce, and then asparagus and meat on top…”

“Jericho.”

Just as I was describing a steak I’d once eaten, Kanya cut me off.

We had reached the summit.

There was nowhere higher to climb.

Despite being the highest point, the rocky summit of Talhaim was trapped in a deathly quiet, without even a whisper of wind.

Kanya and I stared blankly at the surrounding scenery for a moment.

“Do you see those two rocks in the distance, leaning against each other, forming a triangular shape? That’s where the Goddess’s hidden shrine is. Only I can enter it. I believe she took measures to ensure that no one else can enter or find it.”

Wordlessly, Kanya pointed to the rocks in the distance.

I gave Kanya’s back a gentle push.

“Go. Kanya.”

Kanya took a few steps at my words, but stopped shortly after.

“Jericho.”

She gazed intently at me for a long while.

“I believe I have the right to know the truth. I’ll ask one last time. Why are you helping me this much? Who are you?”

It was a question that was bound to come up.

I can only imagine how curious she must be.

“I’m the one who should bear your pain.”

After a moment of contemplation, I said that.

“I’m such a bad guy that it seems more fitting for me to carry it than you. There’s something bad inside me. Something very evil.”

I was merely a man who wished to face death at the hands of the three Demon Lords in place of the girl before me.

So this must be the correct explanation.

“So, Kanya. Don’t worry about me. No matter what happens to me, never look back. Go and seize your salvation with your own hands. You deserve it. The foods we talked about on our way here. Remember? Just think about eating them. You deserve to be happy. More than anyone.”

Kanya looked at me with a complicated expression at my words.

“Tell me your name. Jericho isn’t your real name, is it?”

“It’s my real name. Or rather, more accurately, the name of my family.”

I stroked Kanya’s head.

“Amal. Jericho Amal is my name.”

At my words, Kanya placed her hand on my chest.

“I don’t know why you’ve helped me so far, or why you were able to use those unbelievable abilities, or why you still won’t tell me clearly. I don’t know anything. But I swear this one thing.”

Kanya bows her head with grave respect.

“I will remember you, Amael. I will never forget you.”

Having spoken, she turned and began to walk towards the triangular rock.

As Kanya drew near, a rough tremor followed from the rock, and then the ground sunk, revealing a staircase.

Kanya glanced back at me one last time before descending the stairs and disappearing.

I stared at her retreating form for a long while before approaching the edge of the staircase.

No one shall pass.

Be it the followers they send.

Or the Demon Lords themselves descending.

I will stop them, with all my strength.

And I hope, more than anything, that they are captured by the enraged Demon Lords and their souls are destroyed.

While, in the meantime, Kanya succeeds in ascending Belia and finds salvation.

I waited.

And, whether fortunately or unfortunately.

I didn’t have to wait long.

The azure sky suddenly split.

And slowly.

Something enormous began to descend.

*

What came down was something beyond human comprehension.

My limbs tremble.

It was difficult to stand properly, but I desperately focused my mind, striving not to move.

And finally.

Three beings landed atop the rocky mountain, barely five meters from me.

A long-haired woman who looked sickeningly emaciated, as if afflicted by severe anorexia.

A giant of a man, easily over two meters tall, his entire body encased in armor.

And a child standing there, with a listless expression.

The three began to silently scrutinize me.

Cold sweat breaks out.

I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth.

“If you came down yourselves, Kanya must be important indeed?”

I carefully delved into the follower’s memories that I had extracted and implanted within my mind.

According to his memories, three orders would be mobilized to pursue Kanya.

The orders of Envy. Sloth. And Wrath.

These three must be them.

“Kanya has already gone down. You are too late. You will not pass, not simply. To pass, you will have to kill me and cross over.”

I wanted to attempt a more creative provocation, but this was my best.

Even standing before hungry tigers and bears would not feel like this.

Just facing them was enough to feel my very sanity being chipped away.

I gazed intently at the three Demon Lords.

Surely, this is enough to be angry.

Now, just kill me already.

It was around then, as I somehow endured the presence of these three, battling my own thoughts, that one of the demon lords moved.

The young girl with the languid expression, who’d been standing farthest back, stepped forward.

“[The Goddess of War isn’t our priority to begin with. It’s you, Amael. You are our priority.]”

The girl’s words, uttered with a smile, nearly brought me to my knees.

The sensation of hearing a human voice and a voice that resonated deep within my skull simultaneously was truly bizarre.

Seeing me stagger, the girl’s smile widened.

“[Amael. Let’s talk. We aren’t your enemies. We are different from the gods of the Pantheon. We want what’s best for you.]”

The girl playfully waved her hand in a gesture.

“A demon lord wants what’s best for me? Couldn’t you try to lie a little less blatantly?”

Even at my sharp words, the girl’s smile remained.

“[Indeed. To be more precise, we wish to utilize you. We want you to come to our side. We desire you to join us in destroying the Pantheon and the Evil Gods.]”

“You think I would side with you?”

“[Or will you simply be used by the Pantheon until you die? We, at least, are honest. Is it better to be used until death by those sly beings?]”

The words coming from the girl’s mouth felt like they were cleverly burrowing into my mind.

“[The gods of the Pantheon aren’t the benevolent beings you think them to be. They are simply exploiting you as a means to amplify their faith. Their condition is far from optimal, you see. So they must exploit everything they can.]”

The Pantheon.

The beings who had been silent until now.

The beings who had poured out unfortunate prophecies and curses that I would fall into hell before disappearing.

At the girl’s words, the anger that had been lying deep within my heart slowly began to rise.

“[If you’re going to be used anyway, wouldn’t it be better to be used by us? We won’t burden you with heavy tasks and then turn a blind eye. For the work you do for us, we will pay you back. We can make your desires come true.]”

The young girl took a step towards me, extending her hand.

“[We will help you to live happily with the women you love. We will free you from the fear and suffering of worrying about the future. You want to know the truth, don’t you? Why you are suffering. Why lust entered your soul. We’ll tell you that as well. Take my hand, Amael. We will be your strong supporters and allies.]”

The words were sweet.

But still.

I couldn’t believe them.

“I don’t want the entire world to become unhappy because of me.”

“[Amael. If you take our hand, the things you worry about will not happen.]”

“How can I believe that? Believe the words of a demon lord?”

“[The moment you come over to us, all balance will be broken. Amael, you are a much more important being than you realize. If you come over to us, Pandemonium will become the most powerful divinity. You’ll be able to manipulate this world as you wish.]”

“I……..”

“[Imagine it. A world without war. Without unhappiness. Without the wickedness of humans. If that is what you desire, it will be so. Before overwhelming power, there is no dispute. You. You can make it so. Don’t you want to mold this world as you desire?]”

The being before my eyes was a demon lord.

I mustn’t listen to the sweet words she was speaking.

My mind knew that I had to refuse…

But I couldn’t deny the fact that a corner of my heart had stirred slightly.

“What do you want from me, exactly?”

“[It’s very simple, Amael. Very simple. Accept me. Accept me deep within your heart. Then all your worries will be resolved. Come over to us, not the Pantheon, Amael.]”

A child extends their hand towards me.

“[Take it. Child of man. Limitless gain and no loss, only a fool would refuse.]”

I stared blankly at the hand offered before me.

Should I take it?

Frankly, the thought of the Pantheon getting screwed over did spark a strange joy.

What I desire isn’t grand.

No.

It never has been.

I simply want to live a small, happy life.

But saints, Pantheons, succubus lords, and what all else…

It felt like an enormous story, one I couldn’t handle, was being forcibly piled upon my back.

If I take this, could things become easier?

Everything exactly as I want.

Could it really turn out that way?

It would be a lie to say I wasn’t tempted.

Honestly, the thought of just giving up crosses my mind several times a day.

Why the hell am I going through all this trouble, just to die?

“The women I love. Can I live happily with them?”

“[Of course, child.]”

“A peaceful world, too. One without sadness, can you create that as well?”

“[If you so desire.]”

“I want to live quietly. I hate complicated, grand things. Could I… live like that?”

“[I will grant you everything you wish for. I swear it upon my name.]”

The child’s smile widened.

Her voice was soft and sweet.

So sweet that…

The urge to simply take her hand grew stronger.

Right.

What I originally wanted was a simple life, spending my days with my wives.

If I can get what I want right away, why shouldn’t I accept?

Just take it, Amael.

Just grab it and find some peace.

How long am I going to wander around, worrying about who’s going to kill me?

How long am I going to live a life where I can’t relax and be happy with my wives?

If I just grab this, anything can be achieved, they say.

Let’s take it.

Let’s take it and just…

Just find some peace.

Unknowingly, I had raised my hand halfway when…

I felt like a thorn hidden within soft flesh had lodged in my throat.

“If I take this hand, what becomes of the pantheon’s gods, then?”

“[They will pay the price for using you, Amael. They will all die.]”

“Does that include the goddess of war?”

“[Yes. It will be so.]”

“Then what of Kanya? Kanya’s soul is intertwined with the goddess of war. If Bellia dies, Kanya dies with her.”

Kanya wasn’t just a simple Chosen One.

She was a being like me, a divinity itself nested within a soul.

If that divinity were destroyed, she wouldn’t be unharmed.

This was information I’d gleaned from the memories extracted from her followers.

At my words, the smile vanished from the child’s face.

“[She is only a human, Amael. What is there to hesitate about? If you do not take this hand, you will continue to be used by the pantheon.]”

The girl urged, extending her hand further.

“[Worry about yourself, Amael. Just take this hand. Wouldn’t that be so simple?]”

“I may resent the pantheon, but I don’t want to kill them. And I certainly don’t want Kanya to die.”

“[Amael. As long as they live, the chaos will not end. Trust me. This is the quickest, most effective path. Only you need to change your mind. Amael. Take my hand.]”

The child, her tone growing urgent, reached even deeper towards me.

I stared at the offered hand for a long moment.

Then, I could only manage a hollow laugh.

“Kill the entire pantheon, you say.”

Thanks to Kanya, my head cleared.

I had momentarily wavered, drawn to the neatly packaged comfort laid out before me, but the conclusion of taking this hand was obvious, wasn’t it?

The beings before me are demons.

There would be no happy ending…

…certainly not.

A guarantee of an ordinary, peaceful life?

A world without sorrow or pain?

Lies.

Therefore…

“I refuse.”

This is the correct answer.

The child’s face twisted into a frustrated scowl.

* * *

*