The Villain’s Ending

Chapter 117

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When killing demons, I tend to only take off their heads.

Especially if the opponent looks strong.They say that when demons kill strong humans, they drink their blood or roast and eat their corpses.

I don't know why, but they seem to get stronger that way.

Shouldn't I, who might be eaten, be more afraid instead?

"G-get back! I'll hold them off!"

One rather strong-looking demon roared and drew its sword.

It barely deflected a spell flying towards the back of its subordinate.

After blocking attacks about three or four times, it took a direct hit from mana flying at its head and exploded.

I glared at the fleeing demons, then pulled out a small knife from my pocket.

I approached the headless demon, cut open its belly, and checked inside.

It had nothing inside, as if it hadn't eaten for days.

This time, too, I couldn't find Lavin.

Since demons and monsters sometimes eat people, they might have eaten Lavin.

If so, I thought, perhaps I could take out whatever was inside and check, and if he had been eaten, the Saintess might be able to do something about it.

After all, she's received divine power, so reviving one person should be perfectly doable.

That corpse couldn't have been Lavin.

Because there's no way I would have attacked Lavin.

After repeating this process of diligently cutting and checking a few hundred times, one day, I stopped seeing demons in front of me.

They say demons now run away if they just see a woman with blonde hair.

Do demons also find a human who takes off heads, cuts open bellies, and then rummages inside for a long time, not to be in their right mind?

I actually know, that you're dead.

Still, I'll pretend you're not dead.

Otherwise, there's no reason to live.

Why did I try to break up with you?

Why did I want to break off our engagement?

Was I tired? Did I think you wouldn't change?

Or did my love for you just cool?

I only clung to you after I thought I might lose you, so perhaps I had just gotten used to you.

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so ambiguous.

If I hadn't been, we would have at least married before the demons invaded and lived a happy life.

Uninvolved with war or anything like that, we would have escaped to the safest place far away and lived happily, just the two of us.

Because I neglected you for a moment, a Saintess like her started circling around you.

The sight of me letting you go a little even made your sister want you.

If I were your family, I would have wanted you too.

I should never have let go of your hand for even a moment, never let you leave my embrace.

As I absentmindedly blew up and killed demons, chasing after the fleeing ones... suddenly, the surroundings felt quiet.

A canyon; many good hiding spots are visible around.

A clear killing intent directed at me was distinctly felt.

"Kill the demons!!"

With a shout, demons began to pour out from the surrounding cliffs.

Every single one of them seemed to be a high-ranking demon.

The weapons they held and the armor they wore were beyond excellent quality.

Countless spears and arrows flew towards me.

And among them, one flew in a particularly threatening manner.

"Seraphina!!"

Jena shrieked and ran.

She threw herself forward, trying to block it with her shield, but was pierced through along with the spear.

And shortly after, she slumped down.

Looking back, Kyle, the knights, and the priests were quite far away, and demons were also starting to charge at them.

They were somehow blocking the projectiles, but it seemed if things continued like this, they would just die a dog's death standing still.

After laying the slumped Jena on the ground in front, I didn't retreat but moved forward.

It was obvious that the back was already filled with demons, preventing any escape.

Countless magic spells sprouted and floated in the air.

It was a relief that no matter which direction I shot, I didn't miss.

Wherever I looked, there were only demons.

Each time I swept away dozens of demons, a few unblocked arrows would occasionally embed themselves in my body.

I managed to block the ones flying at my head, but there was no way to deal with the ones flying from the sides or behind.

Would Lavin call me a hedgehog if he saw me now?

Even as I approached you, pushing you away to say something, I would raise the thorns on my body and prick you when something displeased me.

Then you would also say harsh things to me.

It must have hurt.

But it didn't hurt enough for you to hate and dislike me.

I shouldn't have thought about whether we hurt each other or not, or finding a distance where we wouldn't be hurt until things got better.

Even if you hurt when I pricked you, even if I felt like I was dying, we should never have separated.

I shouldn't have left you behind in a dangerous place.

I shouldn't have blindly believed that the Saintess wouldn't let you die.

I don't need you to kiss me.

It's okay if we don't rub and entwine our naked bodies together.

I just want to hug you tight.

It's okay if you just hold my hand tight.

I want to be with you, warm you.

"Crazy bitch... are all humans like this?"

A sound was heard, and looking down, the demon had no lower body.

"For days with such a body..."

It tried to continue speaking, so I blew its head off.

Looking around, there was nothing.

Rolling chunks of flesh, and steep mountains with blood-stained cliffs.

Neither demons nor humans were visible.

My vision was hazy.

I wondered if I would meet Lavin as a hedgehog if I died like this, so I started pulling out the arrows embedded in my body one by one.

I'm not unsightly as it is, but if I'm going to meet him, I should go in a prettier state.

Each time an arrow was pulled out, flesh tore, and blood seaped from the wounds.

So much blood had flowed from my body.

"Lavin, I'm cold. Hug me tight."

****

They say that crazy mage died.

Until the very end, she searched for Lavin, then overexerted herself fighting demons, fell into an ambush, and died without leaving a trace.

Well, I did think it might be better if she died, even when she brought demon corpses, cut open their bellies, pulled out putrid, foul-smelling chunks of flesh, and told me to revive Lavin, wondering if he had been eaten.

It seemed like a dog's death, yet it also seemed not entirely meaningless.

She crawled into the midst of demons and single-handedly wiped out hundreds of high-ranking demons, and tens of thousands of insignificant ones.

Thanks to this, the demons, far from even eyeing the city walls, actually retreated slightly from the capital and were building walls around a city near the river to avoid being pushed back further.

Something resembling peace had arrived.

Since those who rushed in this time were the vanguard, it was merely an extended reprieve.

At least, not having to see the wounded soldiers filling the tents around the church, groaning, was what I liked the most.

"She's doing that again today."

Levina, who was writing on her wrist with a blade, turned around.

"I think if I do this, he'll eventually pay attention."

She extended her wrist to me.

"Make it normal again. Keepsakes should be treated with care, shouldn't they?"

I grabbed her wrist, which was hard to even read what was written, and flowed holy power into it, and the wounds slowly began to heal.

"In ancient times, they practiced ritual burial, do you know about it?"

"I didn't think there'd be anyone who'd want to be buried with me."

"Because you're the last thing Lavin left behind."

"Why, do you want to give up everything and die, Saintess?"

"Yes."

I nodded.

"Irresponsible."

"You too. It should have been Lavin here, not you."

Levina did not reply.

"Perhaps there is no God."

"Can a Saintess say that?"

"If it bothers Him, let Him strike me with lightning from the sky."

Levina let out a faint laugh upon hearing that.

"I've prayed thousands, tens of thousands of times, but He has never once answered, never once granted my wishes.

And just handed me this useless Saintess position."

"......"

"Do you think this is a good enough excuse to die?"

"Not at all, it's too cowardly. Enough to fall into hell."

"Lavin will definitely be in hell, so it's fine. Though I don't like that you'll probably be next to him."

I said so and approached Levina.

And I wrapped my hand around her carotid artery, then squeezed it.

Crunch.

Her neck was crushed, and the room began to fill with blood.

Levina slumped to the ground, unable to utter a word, only gurgling and bleeding until she went limp.

Her eyes, originally rotten, now only stared at the ceiling, completely devoid of life.

I approached Levina, stroked her head for a long time, then took down a holy-looking, ornamental sword hanging on the wall.

I brought it to my neck.

After placing the blade, I tried with all my might to slash my neck, but instead of cutting deep, it merely scratched somewhat shallowly, and a little blood flowed out.

I looked at the sky beyond the window.

"Why do you make living so agonizing, and dying so agonizing too?"

Then I drove the sword into my neck with all my might.

The tip of the blade only pierced the skin, narrowly missing the bone.

I twisted my body with all my strength, sawing at my neck for a long time as if cutting wood.

The blade caught on a bone and wouldn't go further.

After cutting it halfway, I couldn't put any more force into it.

Even though my mouth was filled with blood, I didn't feel like I was suffocating.

I slumped against the wall.

The floor was already soaked with my blood and Levina's.

My vision gradually turned red, then black.

They say that when people die, they see their past lives.

I don't know what dog-like bastard spread that story.

I didn't see any panoramic view of my life.

I wanted to see it.