The Hero Party Without Ahjussi (5)
The Demon King of Gluttony seemed to accept his death, not dodging the Holy Sword at all.
The result was, naturally, annihilation.
After that, the Demon King's butler loaded the Hero Party onto a carriage to guide them to the capital.
Just what was the Demon King thinking?
The Hero Party couldn't understand the meaning at all.
"Me, overeating? What nonsense are you talking about? I haven't even eaten any food."
More importantly.
"Now it's finally time to meet Ahjussi. Has it been a year? Everyone worked hard. Hare, Saten, Estia."
"...It's been one month, Luna."
"That's right, exactly one month and four days."
"What, it's only been that long... I was mistaken."
I've repeated time so many times I got confused.
Luna looked outside the carriage with tired eyes.
The carriage was leaving Underground City, Grim, and light was about to enter the carriage.
"Finally, I'll see Ahjussi..."
Just as the carriage safely emerged from the underground city.
With a tremendous roar, the entrance to the underground city began to collapse.
Luna and Saten shouted in surprise at the butler driving the horses.
"Wh-what's happening! The entrance collapsed right after we came out!"
"Don't tell me you were trying to kill us, Butler?"
Luna and Saten, brimming with murderous intent.
However, the butler shook his head as if that wasn't it at all.
"No."
"Then what was that!"
"It signifies the closure of the city. The Demon King said that if he were to die, to bury the underground city beneath the ground."
"Th-then the people inside—"
"They all lost their lives. However, they were criminals to the end. You could say they paid for the sins they committed outside. They were living thanks to the Demon King's mercy."
The butler spoke firmly.
He seemed to feel no particular emotion about the dead.
While Hare and Saten accepted the butler's words, Luna couldn't properly accept them.
"So you're saying the Demon King imprisoned those criminals like a jail...? That doesn't make sense! Why would a Demon King do such a thing!"
"It's natural to think that way. However, the Demon King was different from other Demon Kings. He needed humans to eat food endlessly, and he loved human food. That's why he gathered people with nowhere to go, placed them below, had them learn cooking, and ruled over them."
Unlike other Demon Kings, the Demon King of Gluttony was friendly toward humans.
Luna experienced momentary confusion at those words.
*He's a Demon King... but why... would he do such a thing...?*
Collapsing the underground city at the end was also to prevent the criminals from going outside?
Why would a Demon King go out of his way to do that?
The Demon Kings I know don't need to do that.
"Wait, my head hurts... Let's not talk about this..."
"Yes, understood. However, may I say one thing about the Demon King?"
"...Go ahead."
The butler looked up at the sky, then exhaled deeply.
As if letting out a sigh after much thought, he opened his mouth and spoke.
"Perhaps the Demon King wanted to be buried in the ground like a human, at least at the end."
Even though he always put food in his mouth...
"The Demon King's expression was never good."
"...I see."
Luna nodded faintly at the butler's words.
*Just as I became a Hero out of necessity, did the Demon King also become a Demon King out of necessity...? I feel uncomfortable...*
Though a sharp pain arose in one corner of her heart, Luna shook off the emerging thoughts.
"...I did it to save Ahjussi, after all. Honestly, about the citizens... I don't really know anymore. I don't even know why I should save them."
I don't really know what's right or wrong.
Luna, left with only an empty heart despite annihilating all the Demon Kings.
She wanted to meet Ahjussi quickly and pour out everything that had happened.
Only then did it seem her empty heart would be filled.
Time passed like that, and the butler stopped the carriage and said.
"We've arrived at the capital, Hero Party. Congratulations."
Even after a month had passed, the capital was unchanged.
People each enjoyed their own lives, doing satisfying work and living.
Luna walked through the peaceful city center, muttering.
"Is this the world that became peaceful after annihilating all the Demon Kings?"
"For that to be true, there's nothing particularly different. It's exactly the same as usual."
"...I find it strange that you're looking ahead in that state."
Saten, looking ahead through thin holes poked in her hood.
Luna sighed at the sight.
"She didn't used to be like that."
"Be quiet. You're different from before too."
"I know that. And Ahjussi called this evolution. You idiot."
"Are you saying I've devolved?"
Before entering the house.
Luna and Saten started bickering.
The two often fought normally.
However, this time, unlike usual, Saten closed her mouth first.
"We'll meet Ahjussi soon. I don't particularly want to waste my energy."
"Running away. Coward."
"...When Ahjussi returns, you're dead. As long as Ahjussi exists in this world, I have nothing to fear."
Though a world without Ahjussi is that frightening.
Saten, who succeeded in subjugating the Demon Kings thanks to at least having BlackMeow that Ahjussi left behind.
Like that, they walked toward the familiar house and placed their hands on the doorknob to enter.
For some reason, the sensation of opening the door wasn't familiar.
"It shouldn't have been this weight..."
Creeeeak—
Luna opened it by applying force to the doorknob with anxiety.
The interior of the house that unfolded before them wasn't the house they knew.
"This is..."
"...Obviously not our house."
"Then there's only one possibility."
"House! I want to go hooome!"
"...Be quiet, Estia."
Mmph mmph—
After covering the chattering Estia's mouth.
The Hero Party climbed the stairs and headed up.
Passing through a small corridor, there was a large library.
Estia shouted as if remembering.
"Ah, right! This is the Goddess's space! There are tons of books!"
"Is that so. Then my prediction is correct."
Saten took off her hood and walked confidently toward the interior of the library.
"Hoot—"
Before that, she encountered a large owl.
Meowng blocked Saten's path and stretched its wings forward.
"Hoot—"
"...What are you trying to do with me right now?"
"Hoot—"
Meowng pointed at Saten's clothes with its beak.
Precisely at BlackMeow contained within.
"...BlackMeow is prohibited from entering?"
"Hoot—"
Meowng nodded.
Saten had no choice but to carefully hand over BlackMeow.
And when she headed further inside, as she expected, at the end of the library, the Goddess Minerva was waiting.
When Hare saw her, she quickly approached and shouted.
"I killed all the Demon Kings like you wanted. Hurry, revive Ahjussi."
"Wait, first calm down a bit—"
"Hurry—!! Revive Ahjussi—!!"
"She won't listen. Hero there? Can you pull this kid off?"
"Got it."
Luna calmly pulled Hare away.
"Hurrying is fine, but let's hear the story slowly, Hare. Before that, Goddess."
"What?"
"What are all these books?"
"Ah, these?"
As Luna said, there were books piled up like a mountain.
Minerva looked at the books with a slightly pained smile.
"These are all Jun-woo's books. Books that can be burned depending on your choice."
"You're going to burn all of Ahjussi's records?"
Nod—
"I'll have to decide according to your wish. First, you want to revive Jun-woo, right?"
"Yes, I want to revive Ahjussi. And I want to ask..."
Why he left us so urgently.
Whether I made Ahjussi that difficult.
"I want to know all of Ahjussi's thoughts..."
"Yeah, I think that's a natural thought. But, sorry. Jun-woo can't give you an answer."
"Wh...at do you mean?"
"Sorry for deceiving you. You can never see Jun-woo in this world again. Even the Goddess's power can't do that."
"..."
At the Goddess's statement, the Hero Party fell into silence.
It was because of the sense of betrayal at being deceived and the despair that Ahjussi couldn't be revived.
Hare cried out to Minerva.
"You said you'd revive him... You said you'd grant our wish if we annihilated the Demon Kings...!!"
"...I want to revive Jun-woo too. But even if Jun-woo is revived, he'll die again."
"Why...!! I just need to make it so he doesn't die...!!"
"Jun-woo's wounds remain continuously. The wounds don't heal well. And over time, they fester and rot. That's the predetermined future if you revive Jun-woo. Once a decision is made, the future absolutely won't change."
Jun-woo didn't care for his wounds for a long time.
So the memories he has always torment Jun-woo.
"...So I'm thinking of using your wish to erase Jun-woo's memories and return him to his original world."
"Then Ahjussi will... forget all of us...?"
"Yes."
"..."
Saten muttered with emotionless eyes.
"Then what are we who are left behind supposed to do?"
"You should live abundantly with the Empire's support. As the Hero Party that defeated all the Demon Kings."
"Without Ahjussi, we can't live peacefully though?"
"The Hero Party isn't my Apostle. Jun-woo comes first for me. That's not something I need to consider."
Minerva spoke while biting her lip.
Though harsh words, because she was thinking of her Apostle first, she spoke roughly to the Hero Party.
"If you truly think of Jun-woo, make a wish. To send Jun-woo back to his original world. Then Jun-woo can be happy."
The choice is yours.
Saying that, Minerva tossed a lighter between the Hero Party.
Hare and Saten couldn't move from shock, so Luna picked up the lighter on their behalf.
"I can't see Ahjussi...?"
If I burn these books... I can send Ahjussi back to his original world...
Then what about us who remain...?
We have to live our whole lives without Ahjussi...?
After leaving us with these feelings...?
"Absolutely not. Ahjussi...!! Has to be with me...!!"
However, Luna couldn't throw the lighter far away.
Even if revived, Ahjussi would fall into unhappiness again and take his own life.
For Luna, Ahjussi's happiness was the priority above all.
"Damn it, what's so good about that Ahjussi... Why did you give me these feelings..."
I'll hate you.
I'll curse Ahjussi until I die.
It's partly my fault, but Ahjussi who left is more at fault.
"So... if I die... and meet you later... I'll hold you accountable for your wrongs... forever..."
Drip drip—
Luna shed tears and threw the lit lighter toward the books.
At that sight, Minerva smiled faintly and muttered.
"I hope so. See you next time."
When the Hero Party closed and opened their eyes.
Only an empty house greeted the Hero Party.
The Ahjussi they desperately longed for naturally didn't exist.