God’s words were true; most of the answers Lara sought would be hidden in temples. She found the name of God in the secret space of the High Priest’s abode, she was able to dig into the secret of the temple in the old library, and numerous artifacts poured out of the cemetery. And save for Abraxas, the God of Fate, all the names of other Gods were there.
“The High Priest's kept all of this a secret so they could use their followers' faith to rise in power…”
Hiding the truth, creating fake legends, using black magic to replace the missing power of God.
“How far were they corrupted?”
Suddenly, Lara’s previous life came to mind. When the war with demon worshippers officially began, the Temple of Glory was angrier than anyone else and screamed that they had to be punished in the name of God.
However, unable to use the power of God, they could not provide practical help other than by agitating people and sending them to the battlefield.
Lara was also a fake saintess, so she did not think they were suspicious at that time. She just thought it was the temple’s job.
“Even good and evil coexist in God’s heart, what more can be said for the imperfect human? I wouldn’t be surprised if the demon worshippers and the priests join hands.”
“Lara, call God.”
Said Demian.
“Pardon?”
“Now that you know his real name, ask for your present. That cunning God… He must have sent you here on purpose.”
Demian had a point.
Can I call God here?
While Lara was hesitating, Abraxas, the God of Fate, appeared and talked to her when she did not even call for him.
<Are you disappointed?>
This time, Demian did not seem to hear his voice. Lara did not know which of the two statues to look at, so she stood in the middle of the stone chamber and asked.
“What does it mean that you forgot your duty and were destroyed?”
<It is just as it is. God is a being, fair and perfect, and yet a being that I could never be. For this, I was destroyed.>
“Because you love humans so much?”
Lara’s speculation was true, God had feelings just like humans. He was very sad now, the voice of God echoing in Lara’s head was terribly lonely.
<I made a saintess for humans. I wanted to give her everything, be it eternal life, or even this world. I fell in love with her. But the weight of the world shall only be fair, it should not have been leaning toward her, toward a single human. As much as I loved the saintess, the world was also heading for destruction.>
“Abraxas.”
<After that, the demon lord was born.>
The will of the world wanted the demon lord to correct the tilted weight and to kill the saintess who had captured the heart of God.
<Lara, a demon lord is born to kill the saintess.>
God’s hand reached Lara. His warm, soft hand stroked her head. His sad but friendly gaze rested on Lara for a moment, then moved towards Demian.
Demian looked at Lara, who was talking to God, with his arms crossed.
<He is fated to become the demon lord.>
Lara did not answer. It was fortunate that only she could hear the voice of God. Demian was the demon lord of this time and she was the saintess of this time. If she had to kill Demian as the saintess, Lara would rather die with him.
In her past life, Demian lost both this world and his own life because of his love for Lara. And because of her love for him, Lara could not turn her back on him just because he might become a demon lord.
Their feelings had already crossed their limits. Lara would do anything for Demian. This was not guilt. An imperfect human could only be perfected through love.
It was fine, Lara did not despair. If Demian became the demon lord once more and led the world to destruction, she could go back to the past and start over from the beginning. She could love him all over again.
“Give me my present.”
Lara said. She deliberately said with a nonchalant face and a voice that was not different from usual so that Demian did not notice.
“I found your name. Good and evil, light and darkness, life and death, the destroyed God, Abraxas. You said that the more I got to know you, the more powerful I would be, like the saintesses in the legend.”
<I will give you a fire that can burn the demon.>
God said.
<Keep this in mind. The power you use comes from me. Thus, it must not exceed the size of the sins committed by the demon.>
<ol start="25">
After returning from the basement, the two remained silent for a while. Lara agonized over Demian’s fate and he was silent out of consideration for Lara, who was lost in thought.
It was already deep into the night. No one was awake except for the knights guarding the abode outside. Lara took Demian into the bedroom that Konny had cleaned up. Then, she suddenly asked.
“When are you going to leave?”
“As soon as possible. It will be easier to attack before they build their power.”
“Listen carefully.”
Lara searched the High Priest’s desk and found a map. It was a map that recorded the location of temples throughout the continent.
“My memory is not very accurate. Foolishly enough, I was not interested in anything in the world in my past life. I was just busy filling in my selfishness.”
“Lara.”
“If I knew this would happen, I would chase the Prince around and get the information about the war in detail…”
“Lara, it’s okay.”
“Anyway, I will tell you roughly what I remember. I don’t know where and how the massive battle that was stirred up by the demon worshippers started. But I know that the black sorcerers intervened in the conflict between the Tarragon Empire and the Eastern Union.”
Demian’s face became serious. He stared at the Eastern Union border, which Lara pointed with her finger.
“I don’t even know the order. However, I do remember that a herd of demonic beasts appeared in Western Gorgon, and that demon worshippers constantly sought out the lawless zone.”
“Are you talking about the land that I took over and became king at?”
“Yes. That place has always been the fiercest battlefield.”
Lara’s finger was pointing to the lawless zone this time. She kept saying.
“You always won.”
“I guess so.”
“No matter who you fought against on any battlefield, you always came back with a victory. Remember, you were an immortal warrior, an undefeated king.”
Demian nodded. Lara’s words sounded like a pledge to herself.
“So bring me victory.”
After killing all the demons that will appear in this land, let’s go to hell together.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Demian’s sleeping face was beautiful. His beauty was devastating, her heart ached for no reason when she looked at him still. As she kissed the shadow of his long eyelashes and swept his near eyebrows, it was already dawn.
Lara could not sleep all night. The word of God that the demon lord was born to kill the saintess remained in her mind, causing her to not sleep at all. Perhaps Demian led an unhappy life because he could not kill the saintess, and instead, fell in love with her.
Demian spent time with Lara who stayed up late. Then, he held her in his arms and fell asleep, drunk on her body temperature.
His body felt warm under the blanket. His skin was soft, and if she brought her nose against his body, a sweet odor flowed, making her mouth water. His chest went up and down evenly, and when she put her ear to it, she felt so happy that it did not feel real. Even if deep despair and a mountain-like tragedy waited outside the door, that night with him had made her like an endlessly reckless child.
I can start worrying tomorrow. Because loving you is more important now.
Lara’s long hair ran down her shoulder and touched Demian’s face. Demian woke up to the tickling sensation and slowly opened his eyes, smiling softly before doing so.
Lara.
Demian said as if he was sleep talking.
Lara rolled up her hair on Demian’s face. She put it behind her shoulders and lowered her head to kiss him.
Her swept-back hair fell all at once. A smooth, white back and a softly curved nape were exposed. Demian pulled his arms out of the blanket and hugged Lara’s waist, gently stroking her back. His fingers, touching her bare skin, moved delicately as if striking a musical instrument.
The sun would rise soon. Lara kissed him deeply and looked out at the window where dawn had faintly risen.
It was still dark but it would soon brighten. It did not please her. She thought it would be good not to have the sun rise today. Lara got out of the bed and closed the half-open curtain.
The room got dark again. Only the candles scattered subtle light, swaying dangerously as if they were going to go out. Returning to bed, Lara gathered her long hair to one side and told Demian.
“Don’t wake up.”
Demian reached out to Lara while lying down. He wrapped his hand around Lara’s neck and rubbed his fingers behind her ears where it led to her hair. Lara’s thin hair curled up between his long, rough fingers.
Demian’s fingers moved along her ear as he came out of her hair. As if painting along the round line of the earflap, he moved very carefully.
Demian said.
“If you tell me not to wake up, I won’t wake up forever.”
Lara grabbed his hand and took it off her ear. Then, she laid her fingers between his and lay down narrowly as if she was about to touch his body.
“Then, don’t wake up forever.”
“Lara.”
“When the morning comes, I will let…”
Lara could not conclude her sentence. Demian raised his head and swallowed her lips. Trapped between his lips, Lara’s lips were pressed gently, and a sweet sigh came out between them.
It was okay.
Lara thought so at that moment. It was okay for him to be the demon lord, and it was okay even if he killed her. She was confident that she would not regret dying with him. If she could keep this man in her arms and enjoy the time she had, then, for now, everything would be fine.
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