Clang! Clang! Clang!
Swords clashed, and gazes intertwined.
Nurous intentions were exchanged.
Fluffy, in order to find the best move to pierce , sent nurous intentions through his gaze and posture, searching for an opening.
"You've only gotten better at cheap tricks."
Jjeong!
"Keuk!"
I shattered them all and swung my sword.
Fluffy frowned and retreated.
I grinned and beckoned with my sword.
"Is this all you've got? I'm bored to death. Do better."
"Hoo..."
Fluffy let out a long breath as if to calm himself, then raised Vald high.
Kwareureung!
Dark clouds quickly gathered in the sky, and red lightning struck down.
Most of it was directed towards Fluffy, who was holding his sword high, but a few blind lightning bolts just fell nearby.
"Yikes!"
A few of them dared to strike down at , so I swung my sword and split the lightning.
Chwaak!
Fluffy, who was charging his sword with red lightning, looked at with a dazed face for a mont.
"...What was that just now? Did you split the lightning?"
"Ah, it just happened."
"..."
Fluffy looked at with a dumbfounded expression.
"By the way, are you done? It's hard to wait any longer."
Fluffy's red eyes seed to darken, and he raised his sword and pointed it at .
Chijijijijik!
The sword, which had turned even redder after absorbing blood, was wrapped in red lightning.
Kwareung! Kwareureung!
Every ti he swung his sword, a loud thunderclap shook the heavens and the earth.
I carefully observed Fluffy's gaze as he held the sword.
"Sir Fluffy. Can you hear ?"
Fluffy, on the contrary, smiled and asked back.
"Why? Are you worried I'll be devoured by this thing?"
"Not worried, just curious."
"That won't happen, so rest assured!"
Flash!
A large red lightning bolt struck down at from the sky, and at the sa ti, Sir Fluffy disappeared from in front of .
"Oho. A simultaneous attack."
Jjeong! Jjejeong! Jjeong!
I simultaneously dealt with the red lightning falling from the sky and the knight swinging a vicious sword at .
He must have gained a lot of practical experience, as their timing was perfect.
The attacks weren't insanely fast.
But each one aid for a difficult direction to deal with, or lightning struck at a subtle mont.
I retreated slowly while dealing with him, then suddenly used my lightness technique and closed the distance in an instant.
My figure, which had torn through a mont and rushed in, was probably faster than his lightning.
"...!"
At the sa ti, I put the starlight that was burning blue into my sword and struck the red sword Valde.
Jjeoooong!!
Kwareureureureung!
Lightning scattered in all directions, and a loud thunderclap echoed.
Chijijijijik!
The lightning wrapped around Vald crackled and went on a rampage.
"Not a chance."
I suppressed it with the energy of the blue starlight that was blazing and undulating along my sword.
"Keuk...!"
Fluffy was pushed back little by little, and his heels dug into the training ground.
I held my sword against the struggling Fluffy, grinned, and provoked him.
"Is this really all you've got? It's a series of disappointnts."
"Kraaaak!"
Kwareung!
With a sound that was either a kiai or a scream, a red lightning bolt fell on from the sky.
It was a thick one.
I had no choice but to swing the sword that was pressing down on Fluffy and split it, and in the anti, Fluffy jumped back and pulled his sword behind his shoulder.
Anyone could see that he was preparing for a big attack.
Instead of imdiately rushing in and neutralizing the attack before it even began by beating him up, I took a stance on the spot and waited for him.
Because I was curious what kind of attack he would use.
I pulled my sword back slightly and held it diagonally in front of my eyes, looking at him.
"Co."
Tseutseutseutseu!
The blood that had been scattered around as he swung his sword gathered all at once.
At the sa ti, the red light that had filled all directions gathered as if being sucked into a single point and was absorbed by the sword.
Piiiiiit!
Vald was dyed a deep blood-red.
For a mont, the world, which had been full of thunder, fell silent.
Fluffy's arm, which was holding Vald, trembled.
It was as if he was holding back a creature that was about to fly away with all his might.
Kiiiiing!
A fleeting mont.
The world was dyed in monochro.
Only Fluffy's blazing eyes and the Vald in his hand were red.
Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!!
The mont Fluffy's eyes and Vald flashed red as if in resonance.
Tat.
Fluffy let go of the sword.
Swish!
Vald flew in.
"Haha."
I laughed out of disbelief.
A sword that gets stronger by sucking the blood of the battlefield.
If you fought on a battlefield, there would be no one who could stand against it.
'This is the true power of the red sword, Vald, which was called a demon sword...!'
Indeed, it was worth Ophosis not releasing it to the world and burying it in a corner of his tomb.
The power it had shown by making its master go berserk was just the tip of the iceberg.
'In that case.'
I grinned and unleashed an ultimate technique that suited it.
Teudeudeuk!
The sword froze white, and moonlight mixed with it.
The pure white cold energy will freeze even the moonlight.
White Light Flash!
Vald, which had beco a blood-red lightning bolt itself and flew in, splitting a mont.
And my chillingly frozen sword clashed.
Kwaaaaaaaaaang!!!
***
A cloud of dust rose.
The royal knights and Herman, who were watching with a broken part sowhere, stared at the scene with wide eyes.
'What happened?'
Soon, the dust cloud cleared, and the sight that t their eyes was shocking.
"Keuk...!"
Ashuban was kneeling on one knee, and Roetgel was standing proudly, holding the red sword, Vald, which he had retrieved at so point.
"...!"
The onlookers doubted their own eyes.
Fluffy laughed.
"You let your guard down, devil. It seems even you, who were always on guard, let your guard down after becoming too strong."
Then, Ashuban grinned and muttered.
"The reason I knelt..."
"Hmm?"
"Was to gain montum!"
Ashuban, who had shot out, drawing a blood-red flash, struck Fluffy.
"Die!"
"Keoheok!"
Fluffy, who had poured out his strongest attack, could not deal with it and flew back, crashing into the wall.
Kwang!
Hoodoo-dook...
Ashuban grinned and said.
"It seems you were the one who let your guard down, sir."
Herman let out a groan.
"...It was an act."
Then he looked up at the sky, which was still full of dark clouds.
Moonlight Sword, First Form. Half Moon.
Chwaak!
He swung his sword and split the dark clouds.
A sight as if the sky had been split in half!
"...!"
The knights stared at the sky with pale faces.
The black dark clouds that had once dominated the sky were split in half and then completely scattered.
Under the blue sky, Ashuban quietly put his Half-Sword back into its scabbard and recited.
"Call the Second Heavenly Demon, Heavenly Demon Ashuban."
"..."
***
Shushuruta went to et her master, Saul, the head of the thieves' guild whom she called 'old man'.
A smirk appeared on my face as I thought of Shushuruta chattering away to her master about what had happened.
And Linda...
"Heehee."
"What are you doing?"
"Devil, say hello. This is my pet rock, Dolsun."
"...A pet rock?"
She had brought a pebble from sowhere and was calling it her pet rock, tickling it with a foxtail.
"Heehee. Doesn't that feel good?"
"..."
I've heard of pet dogs, pet cats, and even pet plants.
But a pet rock might be a first.
I shook my head at her, and then, a good joke ca to mind and I said.
"Linda."
"Yes?"
"What do you call a noisy rock?"
Linda thought hard, chewing on her finger.
"A noisy rock? My Dolsun is quiet, so I don't know... what is it?"
"A 'tteodeul-seok' (pun on 'noisy' and 'rock')."
"..."
"..."
Hurry.
Seeing Linda's gentle eyes slowly turning sharp, I hurriedly left the spot.
While I was at it, I went to see Uncle Hans.
I was originally planning to visit him today.
Really.
I went to the smithy in the royal palace where Uncle Hans was said to be.
Kang! Kang! Kang!
The sound of hamring iron could be heard even from outside.
I went inside, watched his back as he diligently hamred the iron for a mont, then knocked on the wall, *knock, knock*.
Then Hans wiped his sweat with a towel and asked.
"Who is it?"
"It's ."
Hans turned around.
His eyes widened.
"...Ashuban! You!"
Hans threw the towel to one side and strode towards .
I asked with a smiling face.
"Have you been well?"
"Haha, of course. When did you get here?"
"Not long ago."
"Have you t His Majesty?"
"Yes. I wanted to surprise you, so I asked him to keep it a secret from you."
"Haha, you succeeded. We shouldn't be doing this here, let's go out first."
I walked out of the hot and humid smithy with Hans.
As we walked, we talked about what had happened.
Contrary to my worries, it seed Hans was living very well, as the Black Crown Prince had said.
"By the way, I heard you blood my master's rainbow sword."
"Ah, that."
"You haven't forgotten your promise, have you? Can you show ?"
"That's..."
I scratched my head and said honestly.
"I can't."
"Hmm? I'm sure I heard from Sir Ashley that you did."
It would be better to show him directly.
I took out the Half-Sword and summoned the rainbow in my mind.
Chirit, chirit!
The dark bracelet shone with nine colors, and a brilliant light surrounded the half-broken sword.
But the flower couldn't bloom in the end, and only a bud was ford.
"That was because my master helped . I can't do it on my own yet."
"Ah..."
"When I can do it on my own later, I'll show you then. At that ti, let's go to the tomb and see it with Ophosis. I promised the old man too."
Hans laughed heartily.
"That sounds great."
I held out the Half-Sword I was holding to Hans.
"I thought it looked familiar, this is...?"
It was the silver sword that Hans had given on the day I was knighted.
"It's broken."
Hans smiled as he saw the broken balde and said.
"I thought so. It would be better to make a new one. You're not planning to leave right after seeing my face, are you?"
"Of course not. Now that I've saved the world, I'm planning to rest for a while."
And there's soone who's waiting to get her hands on when I get back.
"Good thinking. I just got so good materials. Have you heard of mithril?"
"...Mithril?"
"Yes, it's a tal that's stronger than any other tal, yet lighter than steel. It's difficult to handle, though..."
"Hmm."
I looked at the other sword hanging at my waist.
"It's a tal that can only be found deep in the demon realm of the Kingdom of Sorrow, where the demons live. I don't know the details, but a lot of mithril has suddenly been released into the market. I heard they finally made a truce with the empire... but I'm not sure."
"Hmm."
"But since I didn't bring much, I'll have to mix it with other tals..."
I untied the other sword I was wearing at my waist and handed it to Hans.
"? What is this?"
"It's called the Ash Bud Sword."
Sreung—
Hans's eyes widened when he drew the sword.
"Th-this is...! A mithril sword! And of considerable skill...!"
"But it's broken."
"It's broken."
Hans looked at with a dumbfounded expression.
"Do you have a grudge against swords or sothing? Why do you break every single one you use?"
"I got it as a gift when I stopped by for work, so use this too."
Hans smiled and said.
"Haha, with this much, I can make a really good sword! My heart is pounding for the first ti in a while."
"It's good to be excited about anything. As long as it's not arrhythmia."
"Just wait a little. I'll make you a sword that's perfect for you."
"I'll look forward to it. But, I'll take this one."
I put the silver sword I had given to Hans earlier back on my waist.
"Why that one?"
"I've grown attached to it."
Hans laughed heartily.
"Do as you please."
"What about Julia?"
Hans pointed to a place and said.
"Ah, she's coming just in ti."
There, Julia was walking this way with a basket.
Soon, her eyes widened when she saw .
"...Huh? Mr. Ashuban?"
I smiled and said.
"It's been a while."
"My goodness! Have you been well?"
I also greeted Julia happily, and we ate the sandwiches she had made for Hans and talked about various things.
"Ah, by the way, what about Joy?"
"Joy is probably in the garden by now."
"In the garden?"
"Yes. She's into gardening these days."
According to Julia, Joy was learning how to garden from the royal gardener these days.
As a result of persistently appealing by loitering next to the gardener who was tending the garden, she was able to receive his teachings.
She had once said her dream was to be a knight, and now she had beco a gardener.
She has so many things she wants to do.
I had also been rolling around in the garden, but it seed we hadn't run into each other because the royal garden was so large.
"Where is she?"
"If you go that way..."
I headed in the direction Julia had pointed.
As I went, my heart pounded.
Really, is Joy Tina?
I had t all the other kids I had a connection with in the Blake Kingdom.
Now, only the assassination captain, Joy, was left.
How long did I walk, calming my pounding heart?
In the distance, I saw the small back of Joy, wearing a cute straw hat and cute overalls.
She was diligently fiddling with flowers and learning sothing from an elderly gardener.
"..."
Just before I left with the teleportation magic circle, the face of the kid who had tried to hold back her tears and finally burst out crying overlapped.
I stood still and watched her for a long ti without a word.
How long had I been there?
"Huh?"
The kid, perhaps feeling my gaze, suddenly turned around.
"...Huh?"
Our eyes t.
It seems kids really do grow up differently every day.
I smiled brightly at Joy, who had grown from a tomboy to a young girl.
I waved my hand awkwardly.
"...Hi?"
"Mister!"
Udadada!
Joy imdiately threw the small watering can she was holding to one side and ran to .
Her straw hat fell off and rolled on the ground, but Joy didn't care.
I lifted up Captain Charge Joy, who was body-slamming .
Perhaps because she had been fiddling with flowers, a strong scent of flowers wafted over.
"Aigoo, you've gotten heavier."
"Why did you co now! I've been waiting for so long!"
Thump, thump!
Joy patted my shoulder with her cotton-like hands.
"You didn't even want to see , did you? I'm right, aren't I?"
"Haha, sorry."
I had heard from Ashley and Rutie when I ca here.
That they had been attacked by Captain Ambush Joy as soon as they returned.
Inquisitor Joy, who had barged in and asked about , and ca back every day without getting tired of it, ordering them to tell her the story of how I defeated the Evil God again.
"Eeeing. I hate you. I hate you, mister."
Thump, thump.
Seeing Joy, who was patting my shoulder and tearing up, I just laughed.
***
I spent a lot of ti with Joy.
I carried her on my back and flew around the skies of Valeria, took gardening classes with her, learned how to make wildflower bracelets, and sat her on my lap and told her about what had happened in a vivid way.
"So, I said to that vicious magical beast. 'You scoundrel! How dare you enter where this Ashuban of the Half-Sword is watching!' Then that vicious magical beast, who had eaten a thousand people, went 'whimper! Aigoo, I'm sorry!' and begged for his life, rubbing his hands and feet raw..."
"Wow!"
Of course, there was a little bit of embellishnt.
It was just for fun.
Really.
A few days passed like that, and Shushuruta returned.
Her expression was much brighter, as if her long-awaited eting with Saul had been very satisfying.
"Wow, it's big sister Shushu!"
"Joy! You've grown so much!"
"Wow, it's Shushu!"
"...What about you?"
"Just. I was imitating."
"..."
Shushuruta, Linda, and Joy.
The three musketeers, who had been reunited after a long ti, ran around the garden and played again.
I was worried that Joy's future dream would beco an assassin or a poisoner again.
I spent most of my ti in the garden.
I took naps in the sparse shade created by the leaves,
had a toast with the poison Linda had made,
when my body felt a little stiff, I would barge into the royal knights' quarters and beat them up under the pretext of looking at their swords,
fell asleep drunk on the scent of flowers that filled the garden,
and when I was bored during a night walk, I would barge into the Black Crown Prince's office, where the lights were still on, steal his liquor, and nag him.
Was there ever such a peaceful ti in my life?
Without the obsession to beco stronger that had prevented from resting, without thoughts of tomorrow, without the guilt about Tina that would creep in when I was still.
I just felt this mont.
The warm sunlight on my cheek,
the wind that tickled my hair,
the satisfaction of beating up the royal knights,
the softness of the baldes of grass brushing against my fingertips,
the clear sound of birds pouring down from the trees,
the coldness of the morning dew.
On so days, we would all lie down together and just watch the clouds float by all day.
So I felt like I was beginning to understand what this thing called happiness was.
Happiness was a simpler thing than I thought.
Like Linda laughing foolishly while tickling her pet rock with a foxtail,
like Shushuruta sleeping soundly on a tree,
like Joy smiling brightly while watering the flowers.
Happiness was not far away.
The most beautiful things are the simplest things.
That was my conclusion.
"..."
But, apart from that.
I still couldn't be sure if Joy was Tina.
"Uiiing! Give back my Dolsun!"
"Hahaha! Try and catch !"
"If you run around holding her like that, my Dolsun will get motion sickness!"
"Huhu, I never knew revenge was so sweet!"
"Stop right there!"
Dadadada!
While Shushuruta and Linda were running around energetically as usual.
"Mister! Where are you going?"
I, who was just about to go and spread my teachings to the royal knights, was caught by Joy.
Garden Captain Joy sat down and began to explain the plants growing in the garden one by one.
"Look at this, mister. This is a flower called anchan flower, and you can pick the petals and drink them as tea..."
I stared blankly at Captain Explanation Joy, who was chattering away.
'Is this her?'
To be honest, I still didn't know.
I thought I would get a feeling as soon as I saw her, but there was no such feeling.
Joy was the last of the kids I had a connection with in the east, in the Blake Kingdom, that Ketel had ntioned...
It was a situation where it was ambiguous to conclude that she wasn't Tina, and also ambiguous to say that she was.
"This is a morning glory, and it has various colors. Isn't it pretty? The flower language is different for each color."
Instead of the plant Joy was pointing at, I looked at Joy.
Then suddenly, my gaze went to Joy's bright eyes.
'...Huh?'
Joy's eyes were a clear sky blue.
A blue color as if the sky was contained in them.
—Here, I'll give you a clue.
The last words the Heavenly Demon had left before he left brushed past my ears.
—Look carefully at the eyes. The eyes are the windows to the soul.
"You know, mister."
"Uh, huh?"
"People are just like flowers."
Joy said, looking at the morning glory.
"...Why?"
"They sprout, bloom, bear fruit... and eventually wither away."
I stared blankly at Joy, who was comparing a person's life to a flower.
"Is that why they say flowers are beautiful?"
—Do you know why flowers are beautiful? They say they are beautiful because they will one day wither.
It was as if soone's voice was overlapping.
A kid who was like a child, but once in a while, would say sothing mature out of the blue.
I had seen soone like that before.
"Mister! What do you think the flower language of this white morning glory is?"
I looked at the flower Joy was pointing at.
A flower with white petals and a sky-blue center.
For so reason, it was a familiar one.
Reminiscent of soone...
"...What is the flower language?"
Joy raised both hands and explained.
"Overflowing joy! Unchanging love!"
Joy giggled and rubbed her face against the white morning glory.
"I like this flower the best."
"...Really?"
"Yep!"
"Why?"
"I don't know! I just like it."
Then, she looked at with a playful smile.
"Who do you think is the flower?"
I looked at the brightly smiling Joy and the white morning glory next to her.
"...Haha."
Snow-white hair, and blue eyes that seed to contain the sky.
Tina was in front of .
After falling from the cliff, the first person I t was Joy.
And, the aning of the na that Joy had told as a secret.
Zoe.
A na that ans life.
—They say life is worth living.
Her voice seed to be faintly heard, mixed with Joy's giggling laughter.
"...I found you."
I smiled, looking at my treasure that I had finally found.
《The Heavenly Demon Is Just Stuck In My Head》
Fin
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
A night where a dark blue night sky, as if painted with watercolors, was spread out.
Sabak— Sabak—
Joy, for so reason, couldn't sleep and ca out to the garden, rubbing her eyes.
A midnight garden where the gentle moonlight had settled.
The chirping of insects could be heard.
There, Joy found him lying on the grass.
As if he had fallen asleep while counting the stars spread across the night sky.
He had his eyes closed with a peaceful face.
And, if you looked up from there.
Shushuruta was sleeping soundly on a tree.
And right below, Linda, as if she had fallen while sleeping, was sleeping with a bloody nose, hugging Dolsun tightly in her arms.
For so reason, the sight was so nice that Joy smiled warmly and quietly watched the scene.
Then she cautiously approached and squatted down next to him.
"Mister, are you sleeping?"
"..."
There was no answer.
Joy stared blankly at his sleeping face.
A strange mister who had suddenly fallen from the sky.
For so reason, she didn't know why, but when she looked at him, she felt a warmth in a corner of her heart.
"Hyaaam..."
Perhaps because of that, sleepiness suddenly crept in.
"Hehe."
Joy went next to the sleeping Ashuban, snuggled up, and lay down.
'Mom said I'd catch a cold if I slept outside...'
Joy looked up at the night sky, lying next to him.
The moon was floating, and the stars were shining brightly.
'Let's just lie down for a little while.'
The night sky was so pretty that she couldn't just leave.
'Just for a mont, just for a very short mont.'
At the pouring sleepiness, her eyes slowly closed.
And soon, the sound of her soft breathing mingled with the chirping of the insects.
《The Heavenly Demon Is Just Stuck In My Head》
'Real' Fin
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