Maou, run through by the holy sword of light, stood right back up as if nothing were amiss. But it was more than nothing that had happened. Chiho instantly realized that the dark fog from his body was demonic force.
“Yusa… That holy sword… You used it on Camael…?”
“That’s right. Did Bell tell you about that?”
“Yeah… I—I was really surprised. I didn’t think you’d actually do it at this point…”
“It would be way too late. I can’t kill him with a sword that has Alas Ramus in it.”
She tried to make it sound like a joke.
“This is just settling matters. And Alciel’s on board with it, too. This was the final concern from the summit meeting.”
To them, the Hero Emilia was a human being. Despite her supernatural skills as a tactical weapon, they recognized her as a human who could be reasoned with—and that’s why they allowed her to live beyond worlds, in Japan.
That wasn’t the case for the Devil King Satan. Unlike Alciel, with a proven track record of running things in Efzahan, the summit member Satan was still a symbol of fear, someone who could bare his fangs to the world at any moment. Many were those who looked at this fear with pure hatred and malice.
“And those feelings become demonic force. If we want to have the demons work things out with humans in Ente Isla as soon as possible, that’s not a necessary force for them to have. So…I had to avenge your crimes.”
Emi shook her head.
“The Devil King is no longer a demon.”
“…Huh?”
This cascade of revelations made Chiho gasp.
“Based on what Ms. Shiba and Amane have found, the immortality that Caiel and Sikeena created no longer exists in Camael’s body. And everybody knows that if the ‘Devil King Satan’ loses all of his demonic force…”
Chiho couldn’t have felt more shocked.
“He…becomes human?”
“That is the punishment given to the Devil King who attempted to conquer the world. Normally, he could’ve lived for centuries and seen how the demons turned out, far into the future…but now he’s human, and he’s not even gonna live a hundred years. He’s got no power to fight with. This man…”
Emi embraced Chiho.
“He’s the man you love so much that you saved a faraway world for him.”
“…!”
Chiho’s eyes were filled with tears of joy and shock. They darted between Maou and Emi several times. Emi, watching her, gave Maou’s back an irritated slap, inspiring a coughing fit.
“Hrrgff! Hey! I lost my power? What did you…”
“Shut up. It doesn’t matter. Just wrap up your stuff already, too. And Chiho!”
“Y-yes!”
“Stop using me and Alas Ramus as an excuse. It’s not like you at all, letting that stop you.”
“…Yusa…”
“But outside of that, I’m hell-bent on making him step up for Alas Ramus, right up to the end…so forget the excuses and work that into your decision. Good night.”
Before anyone could react, Emi turned around, her pumps tapping against the sidewalk as she disappeared into the Sasazuka night. She almost seemed to disappear into the mist beyond, perhaps because she had left the barrier.
““…””
Maou and Chiho spent a few moments watching Emi’s back.
“…Hey, Chi…ah, no.”
Maou made the first attempt before correcting himself.
“…Chiho.”
It made her heart leap. It had never beaten harder in her life.
“We’ve been through a lot, but I can finally give you an answer… I’m not a demon any longer… I can only protect you with the kinda power any human man would have…but if you’re okay with that…”
“…”
Chiho silently nodded.
“…You know, though, I’m really not that courageous. With me, I’ve always been a coward bluffing his way to the top. So…”
Chiho stood there, waiting for the words. He placed his hands on her shoulders, eliciting tears in her eyes.
“The man I love isn’t a demon, or a human. It’s a man with two names—Satan and Sadao Maou. And he’s the most wonderful man in the world.”
“…If that’s what you have to say, then I better fulfill the other promise I left unattended. It’s you, Chiho, who gives the final reply…and…”
Maou’s face cast a shadow over Chiho’s. The wind had blown the clouds away, the moonlight illuminating the two of them, locked in the barrier.
“…Let me give you the ‘reward.’ The one I’ve been keeping all this time as Devil King.”
And the power from their lips touching was neither demonic force, nor holy energy, but simply the warmth between two people.
✦ ✦ ✦
“I’m all right. Back then, you were only looking at me. You selected me as your partner. I became your number one.”
“Chiho…”
“And I have no intention of giving up the number one spot. But I’d never want to take Alas Ramus’s daddy away from her. To her, Yusa is Mommy, and you’re Daddy. She’ll never give that up. We risked our lives, trying to do so much. You went through a lot of pain to make it here. You had to work so hard. So…why can’t we be a little selfish for a change?”
✦ ✦ ✦
