A Regressor's Bucket List

Chapter 194 : Emily (6)

Loxy looked up at the Red Moon and murmured softly.

“…Has that much time passed already?”

The Red Moon, floating in the center of the sky, looked down as if observing.

Contrary to the powerful symbolism its image conveyed, the Red Moon itself didn't have any significant effect.

It merely changed its visible color to red; there were no comic-book-like effects such as powers strengthening or weakening.

However, the reason she still felt something while looking up at the Red Moon was that, apart from its direct influence, it held a separate meaning for her.

No.

More precisely, for 'Demonic Species' like her.

“Time flies, doesn’t it?”

The Red Moon rose in the Central Continent of Eden only once a year.

In the Order Territory, the night of the Red Moon was called by various names depending on the region and culture, but in the Demon King's Territory, it was unified under a single term.

[Walpurgis Night]

No matter which part of the Demon King's Territory one went to, it was unified under that name.

Of course, the night of the Red Moon didn't originally have such a unified name.

Until the Magical Beasts were still divided and opposed in their respective factions and species, they, like the Order Territory, called the night of the Red Moon by different names.

But after the Demon King unified the Demon King's Army, he began to create Demonic Species descended from his bloodline every Red Moon night.

This became an annual event, and Walpurgis Night solidified as a kind of 'Demonic Species' Day'.

And that wasn't all.

The Demonic Species, increasing each year, certainly played a significant role in the War against Demons, but the special privilege of being descended from the Demon King's bloodline brought them arrogance and a desire for ostentation.

As various Magical Beasts were incorporated into the Demon King's Army, the division between Demonic Species with Black Wings and other Magical Beasts grew increasingly.

The Demonic Species boasted of their lineage and looked down on other Magical Beasts as mongrels, while the other Magical Beasts couldn't stand the sight of those with no proper traditions swaggering simply because they inherited the leader's blood.

Of course, the way to resolve such a situation was to stop producing Demonic Species or reduce the absorption of other Magical Beasts.

If that were done, the confrontational dynamic might persist, but it wouldn't escalate or worsen beyond that.

However, as the leader of a faction engaged in the ongoing War against Demons, the Demon King could not abandon either option.

Ultimately, as a last resort to prevent unnecessary conflict and division between Demonic Species and other Magical Beasts, the Demon King outlawed 'flight using Black Wings' in the airspace above the Demon King's Territory.

It was quite an effective solution.

Frankly speaking, it was merely about preventing outward displays, but that alone significantly reduced the conflict between Demonic Species and other Magical Beasts.

However, even the most successful policies inevitably come with side effects.

In this case, it was the dissatisfaction of the Demonic Species.

If one were to pinpoint the side instigating conflict and division, it was indeed the Demonic Species, but even so, the responsibility ratio was roughly 6:4.

Naturally, the Demonic Species, unilaterally restricted by the outlawing of Black Wings, grew dissatisfied with the policy, and over time, their voices of complaint grew louder.

Of course, the Demon King's authority within the Demon King's Army was overwhelming, so direct rebellion against his orders didn't occur.

Nevertheless, it was inevitable that things would creak whenever Demonic Species and other Magical Beasts fought on the same battlefield.

Ultimately, to resolve that side effect, the Demon King amended his order.

Just one day out of the year.

For the night of the Red Moon, which could be called the Demonic Species' Day, he granted them the freedom to spread their Black Wings.

Of course, this wasn't a complete solution either, but the feeling of being given a day, their birth date, and a day just for them, was quite favorable to the Demonic Species.

It solidified culturally, becoming just one day out of 365.

Walpurgis Night became a day entirely for the Demonic Species.

Of course, one could say what was so special about a winged creature flapping its wings, but joy, by its very nature, arises when a deficiency is fulfilled.

Enduring such a natural act for a year and then unleashing it all at once generated an energy that couldn't be simply summarized by the word 'joy'.

As such, in Loxy's memory, Walpurgis Night was an image of great noise and clamor.

To the extent that the sounds of all Demonic Species freely spreading their hidden Black Wings and cackling with laughter still echoed in her ears at this very moment.

“……”

The current silence felt utterly unnatural to Loxy.

A quiet Walpurgis Night.

Could there be a stranger phrase?

She let out a small, wry chuckle, her lips curling upwards.

She felt that nothing could better express her current state than the awkwardness evoked by the phrase 'a quiet Walpurgis Night'.

No matter how she thought about it, it didn't quite fit.

Just as she shook her head and was about to sigh.

“The view here must be good? Valencia always comes up here too.”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind her.

“……!”

Loxy's eyes widened.

The reason was obvious.

The voice from behind belonged to the very person she had tried so hard to avoid: U-jin.

She didn't know how he could appear so directly without a trace, but even without turning around, she was certain just from his voice.

This was indeed U-jin.

“…How?”

“Turn around a bit. Let me see your face after all this time.”

“……”

U-jin spoke casually, as if it were nothing, but Loxy felt an indescribable gravitas in his voice.

Would it be better to say he hadn't 'spoken words' but rather 'issued a command'?

Even though she knew she couldn't defy his words, she couldn't readily comply.

Her whole body froze, as if she had become a mouse before a cat.

“I said turn around?”

U-jin repeated his request to the unresponsive Loxy, and Loxy, who had remained silent, helplessly had no choice but to turn her head at that single word, which was nothing short of a command.

In truth, she wanted to jump off this roof immediately.

If they hadn't met at all, it might have been different, but at such close proximity, she couldn't possibly pretend not to hear and run away.

‘…I knew it would come to this.’

And where she turned.

U-jin was holding something she hadn't expected at all.

“Happy birthday.”

“……!”

U-jin stood there, a slice of cake with a candle in it, his lips curled into a smile.

* * *

“…Here.”

Clink—

Loxy placed the teacup down and returned to her room.

Her tone was much stiffer and more indifferent than before, but it was still a significant improvement.

It was clear she was making an effort in her own way.

The trembling fingertips as she set down the teacup, and her inability to look me directly in the face, all showed how difficult she found me.

Yet, she had deliberately endured it.

It seemed the birthday greeting from yesterday had been effective.

‘…Walpurgis Night.’

I knew it as a piece of miscellaneous knowledge.

Once, on a day I infiltrated the Demon King's Territory, I had seen Demonic Species cackling madly and flying through the air.

After finding it strange and remembering it, I later asked Bamboo Hat Mister separately and only then belatedly learned that it was the night the Red Moon rose, and simultaneously, the day Demonic Species were born.

Even if it held no particular meaning in itself, I knew it was a somewhat special day for Demonic Species.

That's why I came to think that giving her a cake and wishing her a happy birthday might be a good idea.

So, a question.

Did I truly, genuinely offer my congratulations from the heart?

‘…No.’

I'm afraid not.

I hadn't forgotten yet.

That she was a Succubus who snapped human lives like flies.

I shouldn't forget that she was an abominable species, a being descended from the Demon King's bloodline.

After all, that was the one thing I had vowed when I took her into my party.

Even if others didn't know, I had a responsibility not to forget.

However, my deliberate and uncharacteristic action yesterday was a kind of experiment.

Before visiting Aileen Village, it was merely a thought like, ‘Something feels off.’

‘…Her name was Kim Sia, wasn’t it?’

Because now it was much clearer.

Loxy's soul was fusing with Kim Sia, the original owner of the body.

Originally, I thought Loxy would merge by devouring Kim Sia's soul, but it didn't seem to be the case.

Both Loxy's soul and Kim Sia's soul were clearly present.

No, more precisely, both were blurring.

They were intertwined to the point where they couldn't be clearly distinguished, vividly revealing each other's presence.

Of course, I'm an outsider in that field, so I don't know if soul fusion is theoretically possible, but to these eyes, which have grown somewhat closer to Demons, that's all I could see.

Honestly, I didn't think I was wrong.

If my thoughts were correct, Loxy's confusion and her attempts to flee from me were likely a kind of side effect occurring during this fusion process.

‘…….’

It might have seemed like a minor matter, but not to me.

Because I couldn't tell which way she would go.

At a point where I needed to gradually complete my plans for the Demon King Hunt, uncertainty was the most crucial thing to avoid.

The thought of simply dealing with her in a convenient way did cross my mind, but a sudden idea led me to offer a kindness, just once. To see how she would react.

Of course, this too was a bothersome task that didn't necessarily need to be done.

But since it wasn't difficult, it seemed worth trying once.

Honestly, I thought it wouldn't work, and in fact, I had never seen it happen before.

The 'Reformation' of a Demon.

To find out if it was truly possible.

More ultimately.

It was less a matter of curiosity and more a deliberation on how to bring an end to this tiresome War against Demons.

After all, in context, those two things had a largely similar underlying thread.

If I could grasp the answer to this question, at least its outline.

I felt I could then gauge how to end the War against Demons.

Sip—

Well.

With that excuse, more or less.

“…Have I grown fond of her?”

It seemed I had grown a little fond of her.