The Heavenly Demon Is Just Stuck In My Head

Chapter 343 : Farewell

[Yes, my son.]

Contrary to my worries, Ketel accepted my words with an even more pleased smile.

I thought I was going to get beaten to a pulp for blasphemy, but I'm glad.

Excited, I continued the conversation.

"Mom, have you eaten?"

[Of course.]

"What did you have?"

[I had pig's feet. The way you ate it looked so delicious.]

"Did you like it?"

[It wasn't bad. I'm thinking of having beef jerky for dinner tonight.]

"Beef jerky is good."

[I've developed a taste for it since I received it from you. Here, look. I have a few with me right now.]

"Wow, beef jerky!"

As I was chatting with Ketel, the gods who had been watching quietly cleared their throats.

Are they giving me a hint?

[Let's continue our small talk later. There are things to be done now.]

Ketel said with a gentle smile.

[Well then, since you have done your job well, I must give you a reward.]

"A reward?"

[Why, did you not make a contract?]

Flutter—

Then she held up a piece of paper.

"Ah."

It was the request contract I had written to steel my resolve before heading into battle.

It wasn't a sacred oath used in a temple, just an ordinary contract used by a mere mercenary when accepting a request, so I honestly didn't think the contract would be valid.

[Client: The Nine Gods of the World]

[Performer: Ashuban Sherwood]

[Request Goal: To save the world by killing the fallen Evil God]

[Reward: One wish]

Ketel shook the paper and said.

[Is there anything you desire?]

I slowly nodded my head.

"...There is."

[Speak.]

"If you have been watching me, don't you already know what wish I will make?"

I pulled out the wish that only the gods could grant from the deepest part of my heart.

"Tina... please let me meet her just once."

My voice trembled.

"Just once is fine. Please..."

Her face, her voice, her warm touch.

I missed them so much.

To the point of aching.

[Really, will that be enough?]

"Yes, that will be enough."

Ketel looked around at the other eight gods.

As their eyes met, they nodded one by one, so it seemed she was getting their consent.

Soon, after receiving everyone's consent, Ketel looked at me and said.

[Do you believe in reincarnation?]

It was what she had said earlier when talking about the Heavenly Demon.

[All living things go round and round along the band of fate. Therefore, the world repeats itself. And the cycle of reincarnation continues.]

I suddenly couldn't understand why Ketel was talking about this.

"...I don't really understand when you put it like that. I'm ignorant."

Ketel smiled.

[Your friend is not in the heavens.]

"What? Then..."

Ketel pointed downwards with her finger.

[She is on the earth.]

"...!"

I was so surprised I couldn't breathe.

Tina is on earth?

"W-wasn't she dead?"

[Of course, she died. But she was reborn. The same soul, but a different body.]

"...!"

[That is what reincarnation is.]

I was so surprised that I couldn't speak properly.

I barely opened my mouth and stammered.

"Wh-where..."

Ketel, who was looking at me with gentle eyes, said.

[Go to the east.]

The east?

Beyond the Misty Cliff, is she talking about the Blake Kingdom?

[There is one who has a connection with you there. Try to find her.]

"Aah..."

[Fate is connected by a thin, invisible thread, but you must not take it lightly. It is a connection that cannot be broken even if you try. In a sense, fate is more frightening than destiny.]

I bowed my head again and again to Ketel and the other gods.

"Thank you... thank you...!"

The gods looked at me with pleased expressions.

[You may leave now.]

I walked towards the door I had entered through, under the gazes of the nine gods.

I grabbed the doorknob.

And, just before opening the door and leaving, I turned around and shouted.

"Mom, thank you!"

Ketel smiled brightly and waved her hand.

***

When I closed the door and came out, the woman in the gray robe who had guided me here was staring at me blankly.

It seemed she had been waiting for me outside the door all this time.

"...Mom?"

I nodded my head.

"It turned out that way."

"..."

The woman stared at me as if I were a madman, then walked ahead.

Togak, togak—

I followed behind her.

We passed through the long corridor, entered the room again, and sat facing each other.

Then, she pushed a piece of paper and a quill towards me.

"What is this?"

"Read it and sign."

When I glanced at it, it was an oath.

It seemed this was what she had been writing earlier.

'Don't tell me, an oath to make me forget what happened in the heavens?'

I was suddenly scared.

'No! I can't lose the mom I just got!'

When I read further, it was just an oath not to divulge what had happened in the heavens.

'Oh, it's not.'

I let out a sigh of relief.

I signed it and gave it back.

Then, another piece of paper was slowly pushed towards me.

'Another one?'

I thought it was another oath, but it was just a blank piece of paper.

"...?"

When I looked at the other side with a bewildered face, she cleared her throat with a still-expressionless face and said.

"...Please sign there as well."

Seuseuk—

I signed in a corner of the blank paper and gave it back.

"Please make it bigger. Fill it up."

"Ah, yes."

After signing it bigger and giving it back, she took it and looked at it.

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

"What kind of oath is that?"

"Ah, this is not an oath."

"Then?"

"It is for personal use. It is difficult to explain in detail."

"..."

She neatly put down the paper with my signature and looked at me straight.

"Junior. I have watched your journey with interest. It reminded me of the old days and made my heart pound. To the point where I found myself cheering for you without realizing it."

"...?"

"I look forward to the day we can work together."

"What? Wait—"

"Well then."

With a brilliant light, I lost consciousness.

***

I opened my eyes.

It was dark, probably night.

As soon as I woke up, I circulated my energy to check my body's condition.

"...?"

Strangely, most of it was fine.

There was only a slight throbbing sensation.

When I carefully sat up, I could see the reason.

Three of them were sleeping in the room in their own postures, breathing softly.

Siri was sleeping leaning against the bed,

Linda was sleeping on her stomach on the bed, drooling,

and Shushuruta was sleeping curled up in a dark corner of the room.

It seemed these guys had been nursing me while I was asleep.

With Siri's divine power and Linda's medical skills, wouldn't they be able to revive even a dead person?

As I was looking at the sleeping guys, I suddenly turned my head.

Moonlight was seeping in through the window.

I looked around the dark room once, then used my stealth technique so as not to wake them.

Moon Shadow.

A deep darkness enveloped me, completely hiding my presence.

I quietly got out of bed, jumped out the window, and then.

I walked through the village and into the forest path.

The place I had been was Salos Village.

The place where I had died after meeting a B-rank magical beast in the past, and the village where Guston had opened a restaurant.

The place I had been sleeping was also the room on the second floor of the captain's restaurant.

Fortunately, it seemed to have been safe from the aftermath of the war with the Evil God.

Sabak— Sabak—

A dark night sky.

Starlight was falling, and the clear moonlight was looking down on me today.

The sound of insects and the hooting of an owl could be heard faintly.

As I was walking along the peaceful forest path, at some point, a man was walking next to me, matching my pace.

[Have you woken up?]

"Yes, Master. Your sleepy disciple has woken up."

[You insolent fellow. If you've woken up, you should immediately pay your respects. Do you make your master come to you?]

It was the Heavenly Demon who had come out of my head.

But why?

It didn't feel particularly sudden or surprising.

Was it because I had unconsciously known that the Heavenly Demon had been staying inside me of his own will?

Was it because I had known that he could leave at any time?

I felt that it wasn't very important.

The Heavenly Demon was wearing a magnificent jet-black robe over a pure white martial arts uniform.

It was a stark contrast to the time when he used to wander around in my mindscape with a fishing rod slung over his shoulder.

"You're dressed up nicely."

[It is the attire of the Divine Cult. It is the clothes worn before an important ritual.]

"...Is that so?"

I walked along the forest path with the Heavenly Demon in silence for a while.

[A madman who acknowledges his own madness is in fact a sage, and a foolish man who thinks he is wise is the true madman.]

At the sudden words, I looked at the Heavenly Demon.

[The words of the Buddha.]

"Buddha? What are you pouring?"

[Tsk. A fellow like this can't be a sage...]

The Heavenly Demon clicked his tongue in disapproval.

I felt dejected for no reason and shut my mouth.

The Heavenly Demon walked for a while with his hands behind his back, then opened his mouth again.

[If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha. If you meet the patriarch, kill the patriarch. If you meet the arhat, kill the arhat. If you meet your parents, kill your parents.]

"What?"

I looked at the Heavenly Demon.

"...What does that mean?"

[If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha. If you meet the patriarch, kill the patriarch. If you meet the arhat, kill the arhat. If you meet your parents, kill your parents. If you do so, you will finally attain enlightenment.]

I thought about the meaning of those words for a moment and then asked.

"Then what if I meet you, Master?"

[You know the answer.]

"Do I kill you too, Master?"

[If necessary.]

"Why are you suddenly saying such scary things?"

The Heavenly Demon said calmly.

[It means to stand alone.]

As we walked like that, we soon came to a cliff.

It was a distance that would normally take several days to run, but walking with the Heavenly Demon, it was instantaneous.

Did he fold the earth or something?

It was the Misty Cliff, full of hazy mist, but now the mist was gone.

Since the Evil God's last breath had scattered, it was natural for the mist to clear.

Far away.

Under the bright moonlight, the figure of the Blake Kingdom could be seen faintly.

As I was quietly looking at the scenery below the sheer cliff.

The Heavenly Demon strode over the cliff.

The Heavenly Demon, who had naturally walked on the air, turned around and looked at me.

[My disciple.]

"Yes, Master."

Even if the Heavenly Demon didn't say anything, I could feel that the time for farewell had come.

"...Are you leaving?"

[Yes.]

"Why are you leaving so suddenly? Why don't you stay and play a little longer?"

The Heavenly Demon smiled.

[It's my will.]

"..."

It was a statement that left me with nothing to say.

[Well, it won't be boring. I'll take a look at the faces of the guys who threw me into your head. And if I beat them up a few times, it won't be boring, will it?]

Since the Heavenly Demon seemed like he would really beat up even a god, I said cautiously.

"Um... please spare Lady Ketel from that. She is a beautiful woman with long black hair."

[Why should I?]

"For my sake..."

The Heavenly Demon stared at me blankly.

[Who are you?]

I shouted.

"Am I not your proud disciple! The second Heavenly Demon!"

The Heavenly Demon grinned and answered.

[I'll think about it.]

"Hehe."

The Heavenly Demon's expression turned serious.

[What are you laughing at?]

"..."

[Do you know that every time you recklessly called yourself the second Heavenly Demon, I had to struggle to hold back the urge to beat you to death? A weakling dares to call himself the Heavenly Demon? Does that make any sense?]

"...What about now?"

The Heavenly Demon laughed slowly.

[Now you're somewhat presentable.]

"...Haha."

[I'll be watching from above. Because it was quite interesting.]

"Yes, Master."

I exchanged glances with the Heavenly Demon.

Numerous conversations were exchanged through our eyes.

[My disciple.]

The Heavenly Demon smiled and looked at me.

"Yes, Master."

I forced a smile and answered.

[You may descend the mountain now.]

I slowly lowered my posture and bowed.

The etiquette for a master from that world that I had picked up from the Heavenly Demon's words.

"The time I spent with you, Master, was not long. But it was the most brilliant time of my life."

As I bowed, I remembered the brilliant world of martial arts that the Heavenly Demon had shown me and opened my mouth.

"I'm so damn indebted to you!!!"

I couldn't raise my head.

Because tears, which I thought had dried up, were flowing.

I heard the Heavenly Demon's low laughter.

[My disciple.]

"Yes, Master."

[There is no such thing as an eternal farewell.]

"...Is that so?"

Suddenly, the Heavenly Demon looked behind him and said.

[Your companions are calling you.]

"..."

[Here, I'll give you a clue.]

"I will listen carefully."

[Look carefully at the eyes. The eyes are the windows to the soul.]

"...I will keep that in mind."

The Heavenly Demon's low laughter faded away.

When I raised my head, the moonlight was quietly pouring down over the cliff.

(End of Chapter)