CH 1

Chapter 1: I Thought I Picked Up a Girl Who Had Fallen Down, But It Turned Out To Be The Future Demon Lord.

What does it mean to live - and what does it mean to die?

I think about this as I take my worn dagger from my waist and wipe off the blood with my beast skin.

In front of me, there were two rabbits that had been dismantled and turned into food, and residue. I quickly dug a hole in the ground and filled it with the inedible organs, and then I continued what I had become accustomed to doing.

I clapped my hands together and bowed silently, the sound of the clapping spreading throughout the area.

There was no one to hear the sound but for me and the dense trees.

Enjoying the tranquility, I flicked one of my fingers and drew out the magic power from my body.

I felt like a gas burner. Well, there is no such thing in this world, though.

I blew out flames from my fingertips and used the dead leaves I had collected as an igniter to make a fire.

As I polished the dagger with familiar motions, I saw a familiar face reflected in the blade.

I frowned at the dagger, my face reflected in the mirror also frowned. No, it would be scary if It didn't make the same expression.

The blond hair is curly at the tips and the gray eyes are amber in color. he has a distracted expression that doesn't seem to be in high spirits, and his cheeks are slightly puffy.

I had been in this world for about 25 years now. Even after that, I couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort for a while, instead I got used to it.

As the word "Japanese" implies, I had memories of my previous life, and more importantly, I knew about this world.

It was the world of a smartphone app game that I had played in a previous life.

It's a fantasy world that was popular a long time ago. The main character, who is a stranger to the world but has a charm that attracts people, pulls out a holy sword and travels with his childhood friend, a beautiful girl, with the goal of defeating the demon king. Along the way, a group is formed, people gather, and a guild is formed… I'm nostalgic.

It was a game with no freshness, somewhere between an action game and a game that is ridiculed as a "snap-and-grab" game. At best, it was a sense of security; at worst, it was a common game.

The title was "The Last Sword”.

But the music, the characters, the graphics, and the ease of use of the interface are all very different from those of other games, and it was an interesting game because it was a classic... Unfortunately, there weren't that many users.

I don't know why I'm here in this world when I'm supposed to be dead, and I'm not even close to being a top ranker.

Well, I'm alive, and I'm enjoying my second life. Thank you Kami-sama. 

While saying a few words of gratitude in my mouth to a god I've never met.

As I stared at the fire, which was blazing and providing relief and heat, I took care of the tools I had worn out over the course of the day.

...The smell of roasting meat is quite intoxicating. I'm hungry.

I took a quick glance around the area.

This place is called "Whispering Forest". I wonder if it has anything to do with the village I'm going to, but I don't know the origin of the name.

After passing through this forest, I heard that there was a human village in the middle of the forest, surrounded by nature on all sides. It's called Parose Village, and it seems to have a huge hole called the "Devil's Mouth," and we're crossing the forest with the goal of visiting it.

The sun was beginning to set, and the light from the bonfires cast thick shadows around us. A visibly thick pool of magical energy - magical elements glowing like fireflies, poisonous mushrooms that are taller than a man, and red and orange wildflowers make me feel uncomfortable.

The crystal-like lumps rising up from the ground were so beautiful that I wanted to take them home and decorate them, but they were formed by a thick mass of magical power. If I carelessly touch it, it may cause magic sickness, and it may even explode if triggered.

The whirlwind rushed around, making a creaking sound, and the smell of ripe nature stimulated the back of my nose.

It's not a place I want to be, but that's why I enjoyed it.

Having grown up in a concrete jungle in my previous life, traveling to places where there are few people has become a hobby of mine.

The untouched scenery, which I call "spectacular scenery," fills my heart with joy, and the fresh, regional food delights my taste buds.

I was glad when I came to this world. There are many sights that I could not have imagined in my previous life.

Fairies flying in flocks, people lining up to practice their magic. Magic, magic tools, what an exciting sound. There are many non-human species and an endless supply of food that I have never seen before. There are many dangers to life, but in hindsight, it's a good experience. Even if I lost my life, I would have no regrets about this way of life. It's not that I'm complacent, but I can say that I'm living a very fulfilling life. Of course, I don't want to die, and it would definitely be better if my life was not in danger, but when you're traveling, there are always… offshoots.

The other day I visited a place that served a specialty dish that was the worst.

A small winged worm's egg was planted in the cheese made from the milk of a sheep-like demon called a mour, and fermented to the point of mold growth. It is said that you can enjoy the texture of the larvae and the flavor of the savory cheese, but the intimidation I felt when it was offered to me made me feel like I was being tested to the bottom of my being. As a result, I retired after one bite. I want someone to praise me for not spitting it out though.

Well, such an experience is a funny story. It would be a good conversation topic.

Occupation: Traveler.

A free man who lives for his hobby, otherwise known as unemployed.

I've been wandering around the vast and fertile land of... but I haven't been able to confirm the existence of a demon king, a threat to humans. I visited a place where fairies live and asked the fairy king about the Demon King, but he didn't know anything about it. The only thing he told me was that there was a demon king in the far past.

I also visited the village where the protagonist would be born and raised, but I couldn't see anyone who looked like the protagonist among the children and young men. Maybe he was never born, or maybe it was a long time ago.

I regretted that I should have played the game a little more thoroughly if I was going to be born in the world named The Last Sword, but there was nothing I could do about it.

Well, there's no imminent danger, so that's good.

While I'm just polishing my combat skills for when the time comes - I'm enjoying this world where there are no significant crises.

Great.

Rabbit meat, is it time to eat?

Before eating, I hit the ground hard. The firm texture echoes the dull sound of hitting something stuck in the ground… Okay, we're good.

There is a demon beast called the Sandman.

It's a huge collection of sand, but as the word "man" suggests, it's humanoid. It's not a very strong demon, but its movements are slow yet powerful. It is known as a troublesome demon that kills travelers.

They lurk in the ground and attack the moment a person lets their guard down.

If a place has more mana than usual, the more likely it is to be inhabited. It would be strange if they weren't in the forest, where the mana element is so visible.

The way to check is simple, just hit the ground as I did. If you feel a gaping hole in the ground, there's a good chance the Sandman is lurking there.

I can't be too sure when my life is in danger.

Just as I was about to open my mouth and start eating.

From far away, I heard a small noise of something chopping through the trees and grass. 

Is it a demon? No, it is too low for that, but it is noisy for a small animal.

And then, as the… sound of falling down became quieter and quieter, the sound stopped.

There is no one to help you when you are traveling alone. It's too late to regret what happened.

A wise and dangerous demon will be watching me until dark, and may even attack me if I expose if I let my guard down.

Anyway, I decided to check.

I stood up, dusted off my butt, put out the fire, and sharpened my nerves in the direction of the sound.