Luna's eyes trembled.
She looked frightened, fear taking hold within her.
I knew this was harsh for Luna, who hadn't yet achieved mental maturity.
But Luna wasn't an ordinary person—she was the Hero.
She had to make a choice.
"Luna, take out the Holy Sword. You need to annihilate that Demon King."
"U-Uncle...! I, I can't... How can I stab someone with a sword...!"
Someone, she says.
Does she really think that?
Even after seeing that form?
"Look at that. Despite thousands of needles piercing its body, it's still alive. Does that look human to you?"
It was merely a life form made of demonic energy.
An evil existence that would only massacre humans if left alive.
A demon wearing human form.
That's what a Demon King is.
I decided to tell Luna the truth.
"If you don't annihilate that thing with the Holy Sword here, it will resurrect. And then it will massacre your family just like that Greed did. It's a predetermined future, and the reason the Demon King's existence always accompanies you is because you're the Hero. This is reality."
"De-Demon King... And you calling me the Hero too..."
"I don't lie, Luna."
Pieces of the puzzle fitting together one by one.
Even without completing it all, you could see the outline of the picture and guess what it depicted.
No matter how foolish Luna might be, she could understand what the puzzle was pointing toward.
I spoke firmly to Luna.
"You are the Hero. It's an undeniable fact."
"Th-That's impossible... Me, me being the Hero... U-Uncle, you're lying... Me being the Hero..."
Denial wouldn't change reality.
"I told you, didn't I? You're the Hero."
"H-How can I believe that...!! How can someone who only farmed in a village suddenly believe they're the Hero...!!"
"Didn't I say? I don't lie, Luna."
"Ah, ahhh..."
Was her head spinning?
Luna looked completely disoriented.
However, whether she accepted it or not wasn't important right now.
*I need to quickly plunge the Holy Sword into its heart before Lust, the Demon King of Lust, dies from the needle stabs.*
I couldn't let it resurrect again.
There was no time.
I felt sorry for Luna, but I couldn't give her time to organize her thoughts.
"You're an existence that must kill Demon Kings, Luna. Quickly take out the Holy Sword."
"B-But... I understand I need to kill the Demon King, but how do I take out the Holy Sword...? It only appeared when I tried to turn back time."
"I don't know exactly either, but won't it come out if you call it? Try calling it in your heart."
Nod—
Luna nodded at my words.
Then she closed her eyes for a moment and began to concentrate.
The moment blood flowing from her eyes dripped into her mouth, leaving an astringent taste—
Luna's chest area began to glow, bright light filled the dungeon, and a sword began to float in the air.
*...Is that the Holy Sword? It looks like it has holy power, but...*
There's an ominous aura emanating from it somehow.
Meanwhile, seeing the Holy Sword appear before her eyes, Lust began screaming in agony.
She looked like she had a premonition of her own annihilation.
"H-Holy Sword...?! Wh-Why does a chick-like bitch have the, the Holy Sword...!! N-No... This, this can't happen...!!"
"Struggling won't change anything. Die in agony, Lust."
The Holy Sword was a sword that destroys demons.
If you plunge it into a Demon King's heart, it annihilates the Demon King who would resurrect even after death, erasing them from the world.
Without leaving even a speck of dust behind.
*That's what was written in the previous Hero's book...*
The Saint Estia could handle the final cleanup.
I just needed to eliminate the possibility of Lust taking her own life.
I moved behind Luna and grabbed her arm to control her with my own hands.
"It'll be difficult since it's your first time. I'll help you."
"U-Uncle... I'm, I'm so scared... Can't we not do this...?"
"If you stop because you're scared, that Demon King will massacre people."
Bear the weight.
Grow your responsibility.
Until you become a proper Hero.
I'll shoulder some of the burden for you.
I grabbed Luna's arm and made her reach for the Holy Sword, making her grasp it.
"Ah, uhhh... Ah..."
As the Holy Sword was held in her hand and the blade pointed toward Lust, Luna trembled in fear.
That trembling transmitted to me, enough to make even my body shake.
I spoke to reassure Luna.
"Calm down, Luna. If you close your eyes, I'll handle it."
"U-Uhhh..."
Even if she made pained sounds, I couldn't stop.
The moment we entered this dungeon—
The outcome was already decided.
So I manipulated Luna and brought her before Lust.
Lust, in her wretched state, looked at us and shouted.
"Y-You—!! You rotten bastards—!! Do, do you think you can annihilate me, the Queen of the Night—!!? If I'm annihilated, the Demon Kings will notice and start moving in earnest—!! Lots of humans will die too—!! Are you still okay with that—?!"
"I'm okay with it."
"What—!? O-Oppa, are you crazy—?? You're saying it's okay for people to die—??!"
"No."
People dying was unavoidable.
We would just do our best to minimize the damage.
The ending was predetermined; we just had to do our best in the process.
I moved Luna's hand forward, bringing the sword tip to Lust's neck.
"I'd like to give you more pain. But since the children are watching, I'll restrain myself. So, relay this message."
To the Demon King of Envy.
That the Hero Party is coming for him.
That we'll definitely kill him.
Firmly gripping Luna's trembling hand holding the Holy Sword—
"Ah, ahhh... U-Uncle... C-Can't we not do this...?"
"Stay still. Keep your eyes closed."
I plunged the Holy Sword toward Lust, the Demon King of Lust's heart.
*Thunk—*
Then a scream dominated the dungeon, and Lust's body began to fade.
It was a sign of annihilation.
"Ah, ahhh...!!! How could I...!!! When I climbed all the way to the position of Demon King...!! Ah, ahhh..."
"I'm not interested in your past of selling your body. Shut up and disappear."
"Heh, heh... What a shame... With the amount of vitality Oppa has... I could have taken a high rank among the Demon Kings..."
Annoying.
That voice speaking was annoying.
But I wanted to hear more.
Since I could never hear it again, I wanted to hear even a little more.
This was such a contradictory emotion.
*Damn it...*
Thus the Demon King of Lust's form faded, becoming ash and scattering on the floor.
The thousands of needles that had been piercing her also disappeared when she vanished.
This was the best method I could obtain by offering my left eye as the price.
When Lust's presence completely disappeared, Luna collapsed trembling on the spot.
*Thud—*
"U-Uahhh... Ah... U-Uncle... M-My hand... I, I still feel the sensation... U-Ugh...!!"
*Retch retch—*
Luna showed a pained expression, dry heaving.
I used to struggle like that too when I first killed a magic beast.
I thought I'd never adapt, but I adapted quite easily.
"U-Ugh... M-My hand... It went in deep... Uhhh... I hate this... I never want to do this again..."
"...Still."
You endured well.
Luna.
I gently stroked her head.
It must have been a difficult burden for Luna, who wasn't yet complete, but she held on well without breaking down.
I don't usually give much praise, but today I wanted to praise her plenty.
"You did well, Luna. There will be times like this again, so next time do it with your own hands."
"What...? I, I have to do this with my own hands...? Wh-When I remember it... I feel like throwing up... Ugh...!!"
Luna dry heaving again.
As I watched her, I felt a presence behind me.
It was none other than Hare.
"U-Uncle... Your eye... Are you okay...?"
She was looking at my left eye with a worried expression.
I couldn't see with it anymore, but since we were able to annihilate the Demon King, it had meaning.
Looking at my covered left eye, Hare began to cry.
*Drip drip—*
"U-Uncle... *Sob*... Y-Your eye... Why did it end up like that... *Sob*..."
"It had meaning, so it's okay, Hare."
"I-If we... had been stronger... Uncle wouldn't have ended up like that, right...?"
"..."
I didn't answer that.
If the Hero Party had each pulled their weight, I wouldn't have had to sacrifice myself.
It was true.
*If the children had grown properly, I wouldn't have needed to use this method.*
Still, since the children faced the Demon King without any injuries—
It would definitely become good nourishment for their future growth.
Adventurers are beings who grow stronger the more they experience.
I stroked the head of Hare, who was sobbing and crying.
"*Hic*... I'm sorry... For being only a burden, I'm sorry... Because, because we're weak..."
"...It's okay. There probably won't be much hindrance. Saten, you're okay too, so come here."
Saten was standing still with an expressionless face, looking at my eye.
I had no idea what she was thinking.
But she didn't seem to have any intention of coming to my side.
*I wonder what she's thinking...*
And—
I had been prepared for the eye.
So the impact wasn't that great.
It would just be a bit inconvenient in daily life and combat.
*...For now, I need to wrap things up.*
To go home—
I had to finish this.
Leaving Luna retching on the floor—
I walked toward Estia, who hadn't grasped the situation.
Now it was time for her, the Saint, to finish things.
"Estia."
"Heh, hehe...?"
"...You're not in a condition to move. So I'll carry you."
*Heave—*
Tucking Estia's body under my arm—
I lifted her and approached where the Demon King of Lust had been.
There was a pile of ash there, with terrible demonic energy lingering.
*...If left like this, it was written that a Demon King could be born after thousands of years pass.*
The previous Hero, worried about such Demon Kings being born, had the ash processed with the Saint's power.
However, since they failed to kill the last remaining Demon King, new Demon Kings were born.
So it could be considered a failure.
*The previous Hero's journal said it was annihilated with the Saint's power...*
...Is this the only way?
I stood Estia, who was drooling, in front of the ash pile.
Then, to experiment, I sprinkled holy water on the ash.
"With ordinary holy water... it doesn't annihilate."
There was only a burning smell, but the ash remained.
So now I had to borrow Estia's power.
"Estia."
"Heh, heee heh, hihi...?"
"...Spit on this ash. If you do, I'll give you holy water at home."
"Holy waterrr...? I like..."
*Bweeeh—*
Whether she understood my words or not, Estia drooled toward the ash.
Though it was like desecrating a corpse, I felt somewhat more at ease.
Confirming the ash annihilating with a *sizzle* sound—
I spoke to the children.
"...The dungeon tour ends here. So..."
Let's go home now.
It's time to eat.
Luna, shocked by the sensation at her fingertips from stabbing a living creature.
Hare, shedding tears looking at my eye.
Saten, just staring at me expressionlessly.
And Estia, addicted to holy water and unable to perceive anything.
Taking the Hero Party that faced a Demon King for the first time today—
I headed toward our home.
Even so...
*I was prepared to get injured someday while living as an adventurer, but...*
I still couldn't get used to it.
The loss of my left eye—I really couldn't adapt to it.