Chapter 269: Their respective decisions

269 – Their respective decisions

「There really is no way other than those two options?」

「None.」

I immediately dismiss the hope in oni-kun’s question, that he asks in a trembling voice. This world already has one foot in the grave. It’s already impossible to resolve this perfectly without any sacrifices. That’s just how much a quagmire it’s become.

「Say, since we have lots of skills, doesn’t that mean we’ll also die?」

Vampire girl’s voice doesn’t tremble. However, since her pupils are lurching, I can tell that she’s in turmoil.

「I will expand the System’s soul sheltering functionality, improving it so that at least the reincarnators can be saved.」

It’s not yet completed though, but I’ll make sure to have it ready before destroying the System. Or rather, while it’s incomplete I intend to even postpone the destruction of the System, so there’s no need to worry.

「If that’s the case, then apply it to everyone in the world!」

「Impossible. A massive amount of surplus energy would be required for that.」

Basically, the amount of energy required would be equivalent to having another god sacrifice themselves. If we had that much spare energy, we could just pack it into the System and be done with it.

「After the System is destroyed, what will become of this world?」

「Who knows?」

I don’t care about that. The task that I was assigned, was to assist the Demon King. After the System is gone I have no intention of watching over the future of this world.

「I’m asking a serious question here, okay?」

「I gave a serious reply.」

As for what will happen to this world after the System is destroyed, that is up to the people of this world to decide, and is nothing to do with me. It’s fine if the humans and demons continue their strife. It’s also fine for them to work to revive the ruined hemisphere. Whatever they do is up to the residents of this world to decide. After that point, if another cataclysm occurs, there’d be no Goddess to save them next time though.

「Shiro-san, what will happen to those who die after the System is gone?」

「Thank you.」

What is the meaning of that gratitude?

The Demon King simply continued to sob.

All alone, the Demon King had continued to think about the Goddess.

She was neither god, nor human, nor demon.

She was weak.

Lacking the strength to save the Goddess.

She was strong.

All alone, she continued to hold to the Goddess’s ideals and watch over the world.

Her former comrades had already gone.

Even so, she continued her solitary battle.

Then, realising that the time of her death was approaching, she opposed the Goddess’s will for the first time.

Even though she opposed the Goddess’s will, it was for the sake of saving the Goddess.

I have seen her resolve and her wish. That only began when I devoured the soul of Mother, the Demon King’s subordinate, though that glimpse of her was only from the perspective of her follower. Even so, I was certainly able to see her true thoughts.

Personally, I don’t want to save the Goddess. To be honest, it’s better to say that I hate the Goddess herself. I find her methods to be nauseating. Whether or not I feel able to approve of her methods, I cannot like her.

However, I wanted to grant the Demon King’s wish. The wish of this weak yet strong girl. Like me, she doesn’t possess a cheat, and she truly was weak. Yet, she stayed alive, kept on struggling, this strong girl who kept her promise. I want her last moments to be glorious.

Demon King Ariel. Her soul has approached the limits. With the System, a part of the opponent’s soul is absorbed in the form of experience points. That distorts the soul itself, evolving it into an unnatural form. The Demon King’s soul, after such a long time, has amassed a lot of experience points. That is why the Demon King is so strong, but at the same time, her soul has been increasingly distorted. She couldn’t become a god. Her soul could not withstand becoming a god. It is only a matter of time before the Demon King’s soul collapses. That’s why, in order to accomplish a grand task in her last moments, she decided to become the Demon King.

At the beginning, I was doing all this because D forced me to. However, while I traveled together with the Demon King, she let me eat delicious food, and we chatted together. I’m not sure what I should call this emotion that welled up while doing so. I, out of respect for the Demon King’s purpose, want to grant her wish. Her wish to save the Goddess.