That same night but in another place…
“I’m sorry for earlier, Sion.”
Vila had come to my assigned room.
“Did I upset you with my attitude?”
Yes, during our stroll through the royal capital, I felt upset and returned alone. But the reason for my distress was not Vila.
The real reason…
“No, the mistake was mine. You were very kind to show me around the city.”
“Was it something I did that upset you? I was worried throughout the whole official business…”
“It’s not that!”
I said hurriedly.
I became agitated and shouted.
“I…”
I began to say, but the words got stuck.
How should I express it?
After all, I have killed many demons.
From the human perspective, I might be a hero, but for the demon kings, I should be a detestable enemy.
What does Vila think of someone like me?
“I…”
(I can’t express it properly. My mind is a mess.)
“Is it guilt and remorse?”
Murmured Vila.
“As I saw your expression, I can imagine it. Are you thinking about all the battles you’ve had so far? Seeing the people in the royal capital, do you feel guilty for those you faced in the past?”
“I… I have killed many demons,” I told Vila.
I stared at her.
“I thought that by killing them, I would bring peace to the world. I believed that by doing so, I could protect the people I cared about. That was my only thought as I wielded my sword over and over again…”
“When you killed the demons, you did so in combat, right? You shouldn’t have killed civilians. At least, that’s what I know about you,” said Vila.
“What?”
“Setting that aside. In summary, you and I… we both have fought to protect those we love, haven’t we? We have killed in the name of protection and peace… although we both want to live in peace…”
“Why do we fight…?”
“I don’t know the answer. Perhaps no one really knows it. That’s why we all keep searching for answers… believing that we still have much to discover,” reflected Vila.
“Vila…”
“Haha, maybe this is not a definitive answer.”
“No, it means there are no easy answers. Even I… actually know it. Simply, I feel that by confiding in someone… my burden might lighten. I feel that I could heal a bit,” I shared.
“Alright, it’s time to change the atmosphere. I will help you further heal your feelings,” proposed Vila.
“Eh?”
“Come to my room, Sion.”
I headed to the room assigned for the Demon King.
It was one of the rooms used for resting during intervals of official duties.
There, Vila prepared coffee for us.
“It’s delicious!”
The coffee was much more aromatic and flavorful than the coffee in the human world. Perhaps they used coffee beans exclusively cultivated by the demons.
“Isn’t it? It’s my favorite,” smiled Vila.
On the shelves, there was a large amount of coffee beans lined up, showing her love for the drink.
“You have a lot here.”
“Haha, each jar contains a different type,” explained Vila.
“…’Are there hundreds of them?”
“In total, there are 666.”
“That number is ominous,” I commented with concern.
Vila laughed.
“Each one has its own flavor. I choose one depending on my mood or the weather,” Vila explained with satisfaction.
“Who would have thought the Demon King is a coffee lover…?”
“Surprised?” asked Vila.
“Well, it’s somewhat… humanizing.”
I smiled ironically.
“Before meeting you, we only saw you as a symbol of terror, you know?”
“Hmp, I am also a living being. Despite the abilities, my mental essence doesn’t differ much from that of humans,” Vila replied.
“Definitely… spending time with you and the demons, I’ve started to change my way of thinking,” I reflected.
Do we really need to fight against the demons and Vila?
This thought began to grow inside me slowly, inevitably…
