Volume 4, Chapter 21: And so, a Legend was born…
A man was born in a small town in Japan.
When he was born, he wondered why he felt like some kind of [Compulsory Gift], and he marveled at the foreign [Brands] that he didn’t know, but other than that, he grew up ordinary and normal.
From a young age, he was a child that was more sensitive towards familial love over others.
Ever since he was a child, he had been searching for [Someone].
He wished to return somewhere… Without any knowledge of [Where] that place was, he graduated from college, and when he’d gotten a job and started to live alone, he met [Her].
She was a lady who seemed to have lost her husband right before she was about to be married.
She lived in the apartment where she was to live with her [Husband] without returning to her parents, and lived while thinking of her husband that had suddenly gone missing.
The man fell in love with her. Although the woman wasn’t extraordinarily beautiful, her tears stopped the moment he saw her, and before he had noticed, he was calling out to her.
Naturally, he had been rejected by her at first.
However, the man was still not willing to give up. This was the one that he’d been looking for ever since he’d been born, and he thought that he’d finally found it.
Three years passed, and he gradually healed her sorrow, and she seemed to miss the [Presence] of a man, and so the ice in her heart gradually melted.
Ever since he was young, he was being driven by this [Black Chain] on his mind.
In his pocket was an engagement ring that he’d poured three months’ salary into.
As he grasped it and gathered himself, he could hear a cat’s [Nyaa] as if it was encouraging him.
＊＊＊
A few months later, the [Black Vortex] disappeared after the girl called the [Saint of the Holy Kingdom] had gone in.
Nobody knew what had happened, and the girl never returned from that place.
The people prayed to the gods that the girl would return, even though rumors went that the [Saint] had sealed the evil at the expense of her own body.
There couldn’t be a settlement between the Daemons and humans.
The survivors of the Daemon King’s army had been touched by the mercy of the [Saint], and went back to the Daemon King’s territory without fighting any further, and after that, under the name of the Daemon King Hebrad, a non-aggression pact was made with the human nations.
The human nations were scared of the Forest of Monsters, and had never thought of robbing the Daemon Kingdom of its wastelands by force, and accepted the non-aggression pact, and the way to the Daemon Kingdom was sealed.
Later, according to the tales that travelled out, the Daemon King had apparently become devoted to the creation of strange seaweed dishes, and married a beautiful Dwarf princess.
“……Uho”
“That’s right. That girl will come again.”
“Uho~”
“Hahaha, that’s good. When that girl comes, let me know.”
The humans were saddened by the fact that the Saint didn’t return, but those who knew the girl didn’t despair or become lost hope.
After the girl had rushed into the black vortex, her attendants had returned once, and brought back a single message along with a girl who’d lost her memory.
[I went somewhere that’s a little troublesome, so I’ll be coming back home in about 1~2 years. Father, Mother, I’m sorry to make you worry, but I’ll leave Sister-sama in your care.]
With that polite sentence that was unmistakably like her, all of the people present had delicate expressions on their faces.
But it was thanks to her [Virtue] that the heavy atmosphere lightened with that.
The companions of the girl with amnesia that’d been rescued were already gone, and the elf and the female swordsman seemed to have been arrested by the guards in the city of Kolkopo, so she was sent home to Tariterudo where she’d been born.
And, the girl with amnesia……
“Athena-chan, call me mother.”
“………Ye…s…”
Athena lived in a separate residence from Duke Verusenia’s official one, under the protection of Duke Folt and Duchess Riastea.
A girl who’d lost most of her emotions along with her memory.
A girl who could do the bare minimum, and had become like a child.
Riastea felt pity for her, and took care of her as if she was her own, but the situation barely improved after six months.
It wasn’t uncommon for her to become dazed throughout the day, and the maids who had been harmed by her had initially hated her, but now, they took the initiative to talk to her.
Athena also began to learn to talk little by little, but her emotions barely returned.
Only one……
“Athena-sama, there’s a visitor for you”
The boy called the [Holy Warrior] of the Holy Kingdom came to see her at times.
The boy regretted being unable to convince Athena who was both his relative and a childhood friend, and came around to see her once every few days.
A girl who fell in love with the same prince as her mother and couldn’t be honest about her feelings, would only occasionally smile then.
The friends of the girl felt lonely rather than sad.
They believed that she was safe, but lived in loneliness and resentment for not being able to meet her.
“I wonder when Yu-Yuru will come back”
“Why, are you worried?”
Timothy, who was in the [Kyle Imperial Palace Garden], replied relaxedly while holding the indignant Beatrice by the shoulder.
What was the reason for this? At first Betty didn’t really understand, and it seems that he liked her during the time when they were a couple in school, and she was the [Prime Candidate for the Fiancé of the First Prince]…… that is, Timothy’s wife.
While it remained to be seen was whether this [disappointingly neat and trim black haired maiden] would be the future Queen, but unexpectedly it seemed that she got along very well with the light and fluffy Timothy. …… She was still anxious.
The Hero of the Holy Kingdom gained the title of [Count] at the tender age of 13 as a result of successfully repelling the Daemon King’s Army.
Although various calculations and intentions were hidden behind this, Noel, who had never attended magic school despite having an aptitude for magic, was sent to the magic school in the capital for the sake of improving his connections and refinement as a noble against his will.
For him, though, there was unexpectedly an [Enemy] waiting for him there.
“Noel-sama, where are you going! Are you going to search for Yuru-sama!?”
“Shelly-san, please don’t follow me.”
Noel had gone out of the school many times during the break in search of the girl who was the Saint.
But, no matter how much of a [Hero] he was, he couldn’t go looking on the other side of the dimension, and as a consequence he was frustrated with the distance of the school.
Originally, he had been surrounded by the female students, but now there were no girls who chose to speak to him, instead surrounding him at a distance.
However, Shelly, who had heard that Noel was going to search for the girl, had followed him about every time, and kept saying that she had come to follow Noel exploring.
“I am not going anywhere today. And aren’t the places I go to dangerous? A girl like Shelly-san……”
“It’s alright! I’ve learned to use weapons from Yuru-sama’s guardian knights, so, take a look. …Eii”
Shelly picked up a tree branch and swung it at a speed that wouldn’t even have killed an insect.
“…………Haa~”
If he took her along, he would surely have to protect both himself and her, Noel sighed.
He knew of Shelly’s thoughts and her efforts too. Every time he noticed it, he realized that he couldn’t refuse her, and he sighed heavily.
Everyone who knew of that [Saint] girl…… He believed that Yurushia would be safe, but he was anxious to have her come back soon.
That girl wished for the happiness of people, and used her mercy to stop the war with the Daemons, and the depth of her love caused even the evil monsters to repent.
People praised her as the [Legendary Saint], and started to tell tales of her to their children as bedtime stories.
What was Yurushia doing now……
＊＊＊
“[…………………]”
While absorbing the resentment left behind when a high-ranking Demon disappeared that tasted like [butter pancakes covered in vanilla ice-cream and honey], I took a rest at last.
“……Aah~ that was tough.”
Just how many days did it take…?
After that last [Meal], I was now completely out of magic power. Although a demon doesn’t need to eat or sleep, since it’s an [Indulgence], I got annoyed if I couldn’t have it.
Ah, uhm, err…… he was stronger than I was.
When his emotions swayed, his more demonic character came through, and although I had to fight unexpectedly, I thought that I had a good chance to win.
Well, victory ended up being through a difference in stamina.
“Fuu~…”
I sat on the shattered fragments of the floor that remained, and ate the octopus that was seasoned with souls. Thanks to this, I was able to replenish my magic power in the end.
Nonono, it would be nice if I didn’t have any [equipment that was cursed with marine products (dresses)].
I felt an octopus’ tentacles while I was fighting, but I was being looked at with horrified eyes……
Strong monkey-san, I’ll never forget your name. ……Rinne.
“……What’s the matter”
I wanted to sigh at this plane that spread out as far as I could see.
At first, there was still a passage and a room, but now there’s almost no floor nor ceiling……in short, the way from which I came has completely collapsed.
Yes, I know I was using my magic absurdly as I rampaged, but for the dimensions to be broken and distorted like this……
“………”
For now, I will wait patiently.
My magic power has hardly fully returned, and I’ve been waiting for something too.
I’d made a [Landmark] for myself to return from this broken plane, and it’s my aim.
Beyond that, my soul is connected to [Rinne]. I think I’ll be able to return someday if I followed it……
…… swoosh
“[I finally caught up with you, Yurushia]”
“………………………………”
Rinne, in his black cat mode, suddenly descended onto my shoulder, but why do you have that [I’ve come now so it’s alright] expression on your face, you muscle-brain.
Well, I guess I’ll just mofumofu as much as I can.
I’m in the mood now.
“[……I didn’t think you’d lose, but I didn’t expect that you’d win.]”
Mofumofu.
“Yeah, but there were various factors. For one, there was someone who taught me to fight during the battle.”
“[In a place like this? ……who was that?]”
Mofumofu.
“……Someone who called himself [Onii-chan]…”
“[What’s with that……?]”
Mofumofu.
Ever since I became a Devil, a number of things that I previously didn’t know have appeared.
How to distinguish souls. How to use the spirit language. And the Devil magic combined with the Holy magic……
He taught me all of those. Or rather, I don’t know anyone who could do such a thing other than that person.
That youth that had proclaimed that he and I were [Siblings] in an unknown dream.
A true [Devil] that had travelled the dimensions for thousands of years…
“I’ve got to figure out how to go back……”
“[I’ll say this first, it’s impossible to rely on the four of them. You see, they too have been chasing the presence of Yurushia.]”
“……Those children… Well, it’s okay. I still have my last resort.”
I’ll keep waiting.
In this laboratory connected to various dimensions. This broken plane, linked to [That Place].
“……come”
A click… and it was finally connected with that small sound.
I thought that it was a [Dream] all this time. But now I realized that it was a [Reality].
“[……This is]”
A crack ran through the space, and beyond it, high-rise buildings… trains… a myriad of automobiles… an endless cityscape…… it was the [World of Light] that I’d seen in my [Dream].
This was why I released the [Soul] that wanted to return to that place. To discover that [World].
There were many people. A countless number of them……
There were so many wonderful [Souls] that were so tainted with rot that was more than I could eat.
“Let’s go, Rinne. I’ll replenish my souls over there and then return home to where Father and Mother and everyone else is.”
A nostalgic world that was full of light. But it’s not my hometown any longer. I’ll just stop by a bit to get what I need to return.
But what floated up onto my face, was an unbearably delighted smile……
“Fufufu, it’s a pleasure to meet you in person for the first time, nostalgic-world-san Now, please excuse this [Demon] coming in.”
Author’s Notes:
Thank you for reading. The first part of the [Demon Princess] ends like this.
Thank you so much to everyone who’s read and supported this.
I was a bit lost on whether I should have extended it, but I just let it proceed according to the plot.
It’s quite a strange short tale.
The second part, [Demon Princess II ~The fluffy Devil’s travels~ [Remake]]
will be starting soon
I await both your comments and criticisms.
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