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Ruler Vol 1 Prologue

Author: Anit666

“Is it ready?”

“Yeah, it’s finally ready.” He replied confidently.

“Really ready?”

I got into a lot of troubles the last time he fucked up.

“I’m closing it.”

“Aight, aight, dude.” I sighed. “So it’s complete, huh. I can now finally go home. I’ve waited so long for this.”

Home-

“Home?” He frowned.

“Former home. Happy?”

My former home- or to be more precise, my place of birth- a place I haven’t visited in a really long time. But technically speaking, this area is also my place of birth, isn’t it?

“But is it really necessary for you to go back? You can just spend the rest of your life here, can’t you? You just have to let go.” He gave me a totally useless suggestion while knowing that I’ll never heed it.

And that’s exactly what he wishes for.

“Choose your words carefully, Hargreave. Considering the things I have done till now, you should know I’ll never give up.”

Yes. Letting go and forgetting about it is something I can never do, something that I must never do, and something that I will never do. No matter what it takes, no matter what I have to sacrifice, I’ll reclaim what was taken from me. I have to do it, for me, and for him.

“But…..” He sniffed back his fake tears.

“Ah you worry too much. It’s not like I’ll never come back.”

“Haaaah…. Fine, you win. But I’m also coming with you.” He sighed and gave up, but also declared something outrageous.

Hey, that’s illegal, ya know. You can’t just decide to come with me like that.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes. I’ve already made the necessary arrangements for it.” His eyes were more than enough to tell me that he won’t back down no matter what I say.

Well, there’s no harm in allowing him to accompany me, provided he remains prudent.

“Okay then. Let’s go back, to my home.”

“I look forward to it, Lord Hayden.” He smiled, and together we stepped into the teleportation portal.

The air around us suddenly changed, and the smell of blood was no longer tickling my nose. Gusts of wind blew and rustled my hair, while the sun was dispiritingly high.

I looked at the city below from the cliff we had been teleported to, and took a deep breath.

“Not bad for a Category 4 world.” Hargreave muttered as he looked at the city.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“So, what should we do now?” He turned to me.

“Mmm, let’s pay an old friend a visit.”

I wonder how Chloe’s doing nowadays.

“Ma’am, the preparations for the summoning ritual have been completed. That human is going to start the ritual in his world soon.” My subordinate reported while kneeling.

“Is that so? Then let’s aid that human right away and summon him, shall we?”

However, she didn’t move from her place. Did she have something to say?

“Is something wrong?”

She hesitated for some moment, but as if she had finally made up her mind, she finally spoke.

“Ma’am, I don’t understand why you’re doing so much for him. I mean, he’s just one inconsequential man. He’s nothing more than dirt in front of our Lord.”

Dirt? How impertinent. So that’s what she has been thinking about him, huh. Well, there was a time when I was the same, so I know that she is wrong.

“Why do you think he is alone? He is backed by the entirety Hell, no?”

“Hell supports his unholy crusade?!” She exclaimed in disbelief.  “But…… I don’t think that’s enough to defeat our Lord.” She added with conviction.

It’s not like I can’t see where she is coming from, but it is a bit displeasing for him to be underestimated so much. Though I’m sure he’ll say ‘Just as planned.’

“You see, our Lord has incurred his, and along with him Hell’s, wrath. That’s no small matter, you know. You’re actually grossly underestimating him. I’ll admit that he’s weaker and possesses inferior intellect than our Lord, but there’s one thing he has that our Lord doesn’t.”

“Something that even our Lord doesn’t…..?” Her eyes widened. “What is it?”

“Madness; he’s a monstrous maniac. He’s driven forward by a bottomless madness, so that’s why he will come to feast on the blood of our Lord, like he always had, like he always will. I’m just taking a side that’s more likely to win.”

She looked baffled for a moment, but finally sighed and spoke in a defeated tone.

“Are you sure you’re not doing it just because you love him?”

“W-Why you…..!”

“I mean, that’s the truth, no?”

“……….”

I didn’t have an answer for that, though I can’t deny her accusations.

I love him, I love him a lot. I’m willing to do anything for him, yet he has never looked at me with those eyes. For his heart has long been smitten by that wretch!

………

I wonder, if I give my all to him, if I destroy all that stands before him, if I help him accomplish all of his goals, if I satisfy his every desire, if I end his chronic nightmare, would he love me back?

Would he?