Unwanted Return – Part 03
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Translator: Kell
“He wished for it,” the demon said.
His face was pale, his heartbeat weak, and his breathing was shallow. She had closed all his wounds, but he had lost too much blood.
“Why?” Zero repeated. “I betrayed you so horribly so you would think twice about coming after me! Why did you come here?!”
No answer came from Mercenary.
“Give him the soul of a beast. He will survive.”
“No!”
Zero ignored the demon’s whispers. Beast warriors had tenacious vitality. Like the demon said, if she put the soul of a beast into his body, there was a good chance he would survive.
Summoning the demon to his body a year ago strengthened the adhesion between the soul of the beast and his own soul. With a demon, a beast’s soul, and Mercenary’s soul all mixed in one body, the result was bound to be something unexpected.
Mercenary already had a beast’s soul ripped out of him once. There was no telling what kind of effect it would have on his body and soul if a Beastowal ritual was performed on him again.
“Mercenary wanted to be human. He dreams of opening a tavern.”
He valued his dream more than his life. He wanted to fulfill it, even if it meant escorting a witch, a being he despised. Did she have the right to crush his dreams just because she thought it was better than him dying?
Only a while ago, they talked about how Mercenary would open a tavern, and Zero a fortune-telling shop. After dark, Zero would go to Mercenary’s for dinner. Recalling Mercenary’s face when he said it was not a bad idea warmed Zero’s heart.
“I swore I would protect Mercenary. Over and over! Not just him. I will protect everything he cares about, even at the cost of my life!”
In order to save Zero, the Mercenary made a choice to give up his life. Zero called it foolish, but if she were in his shoes, she would have done the same.
“Nameless Demon King, my father. I do not care what you take from me. You can have my heart. Please, save Mercenary!”
Chuckling, the demon reached out a chilly hand to touch Zero’s cheek. Its eyes were the same violet color as Zero’s. “Do not fear, my beloved daughter. Look around you. Multitude of sacrifices lay scattered across the icy sea.”
Zero’s eyes grew wide. Countless demon-possessed Beastfallen surrounded the warding. With the demons gone, only the Beastfallen remained on the frozen sea.
And a Beastfallen’s head, its blood, every part of it, made for excellent offering for Sorcery. With this many sacrifices, it might even be possible to revive the dead.
Sacrifice a hundred to save one. Then Zero and Mercenary would make their triumphant return. They could travel as much as they wanted.
Zero turned her eyes to the clear, blue sky.
“Forgive me, Mercenary.” Zero breathed a troubled gasp.
Lives of the common folk did not matter to Zero. But if the kind-hearted Mercenary found out, he would never appreciate his own life.
And he would never forgive her ever again.
Zero gritted her teeth. “I will offer my own life! You will not take anyone else. In exchange for my life, my heart, my soul, my flesh and blood, I want Mercenary to live!”
“Your wish is granted.” The demon’s hand moved from Zero’s cheek down to her neck. “I will use your life.”
I found myself lying in a field of burnt grass. Around me were rubble, dirt, and a pool of my own blood.
“Ow…”
I felt pain. Oh, I’m alive?
I noticed something soft and warm in my arms. Zero. Alive.
Huh. So the warding disappeared, the Murky Darkness Witch died, and we’re still alive.
“Sounds like a big win to me.”
I chuckled. My whole body ached as I laughed, but it felt good nonetheless—pain meant I was alive. With great difficulty, I lay down on my back and held my breath.
A clear, blue sky.
The world that had been so dark and dismal even in the morning, with thick clouds blanketing the heavens, was now as blue as a kid’s drawing of the sky.
I touched my body and found that my fatal wounds had closed. It wasn’t surprising, considering I was possessed by a demon. Actually, what happened to that demon? If it was on the Murky Darkness Witch’s side, did it disappear with her, then? Either way, it didn’t really matter now.
“Wake up, witch,” I said. “The sky’s so blue.”
There was no reply. I raised myself up and peered into Zero’s face. I shook her gently, but she wouldn’t wake up.
“Witch?”
Her body was warm, and she was breathing, but she looked as if she were dead. Worried, I lifted her up, but there was not even a stir.
Nah, I’m sure she’s fine. She’ll wake up soon. The people at Knox Cathedral would realize what happened once they looked up at the sky. The priest would then come for sure.
I could see the priest, preparing for the journey, yelling at Gouda, telling him to head for the Altar at once.
So I should just stay here and wait for them to come. I had never felt so secure before. I guess this is what it means to believe in your friends.
Suddenly, I heard confused voices. Sitting down on the burnt grass with Zero in my arms, I looked around to see a bunch of Beastfallen free from the demons’ control lying on the icy sea with puzzled looks.
“Wh-What’s going on?”
“Where the hell am I? Wait, the sea? Why are there bodies everywhere?!”
Some were confused, while some were panicking. No wonder. Up until moments ago, demons were killing each other here. There were piles of Beastfallen corpses everywhere, and the sea of blood dyed the waters a deep crimson.
In the midst of this hellish scene, the sky was unbelievably peaceful and blue.
Suddenly, a black blot appeared above. Is that a bird? No, it’s too big.
As I stared blankly at the sky, I heard a scream. I jumped to my feet, sword in hand. With Zero in my arms, I dashed toward the source of the scream and immediately realized what was happening.
“Is that a monster?”
It was a bird the size of a man, with unusually sharp claws. Red feathers fell as it wriggled its long tail in the wind like a snake.
The demons that the Murky Darkness Witch summoned were gone, but the traces of their presence still lingered. Like the horde of monsters that they created.
One of them attacked a wounded and immobile Beastfallen, ripping his belly apart and pulling out his internal organs to devour.
“Noooo! Stay away!”
Another scream came from a different direction. The creatures I saw right before I entered the Altar—the fish with bladed fins, and the strange ball with needles all over its body—were all gathering around, drawn by the intoxicating smell of blood.
I had no idea if these Beastfallen had any memory of the time when they were taken over by demons, but one thing was for sure: they were all confused.
What do I do? Run into the cathedral and wait for all this to blow over? No. They’ll come to pick us up.
Gouda would come with his ride. I doubt a young dragon could take down all these monsters. If the confused Beastfallen spotted a dragon, they would assume it was hostile and attack. The dragon might survive, but Gouda would undoubtedly get killed.
So I guess we run? Escape while the other Beastfallen are distracting the monsters?
I wasn’t sure how long I could run while carrying Zero in such a helpless state. As I stood there on the edge of Generos Island, desperately racking my brains, a black figure suddenly landed nearby. A snake, so big that it could swallow me and Zero in one bite, was rearing its head, venom dripping from its mouth.
Oh, shit. We’re dead.
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