Chapter 16

Once, there existed a position at the top of society known as the Demon Lord. The Demon Lord’s breath wilted vegetation. Earth decayed beneath their feet. Clouds darkened with contaminants when they soared through the sky. Every obstacle crumbled in the face of their unyielding charge. This creature ruled over all demons as the most powerful of their kind. They were evil incarnate, surpassing the gods with might beyond human understanding. However, that was just a rumor spread by humans—one borne out of simple prejudice and fear. In reality, the Demon Lord had a kind soul and desired to live in harmony. The ruler had spent eight years living alone in the Holy Spring and strived to keep a promise she’d made to a young boy. She was pure, innocent, and the nicest person in the world. “Haaah…geez.” The Demon Lord collapsed onto her bed and sighed. She’d been feeling worried about the future ever since Makao, the member of the Down Below Demon Generals whom her father had sent to the Demon Lord Castle, arrived. Worst of all, due to her fear of men, the simple presence of one in her home had her feeling depressed. “…Ha-ha.” Still, she smiled. The Demon Lord wasn’t alone anymore. Just recently, a few humans had worked together with demons, her bonds with her dear subordinates had deepened, and above all, she was always connected to the Hero, whom she had developed feelings for. Indeed, it was hard not to be happy. The Demon Lord took out her phone and rechecked her messages. Then she looked at her chat history with the Hero, and her cheeks flushed red. Once, there existed a position at the top of society known as the Hero. The Hero was capable of breathing…but that was about it. His bones were wont to break from merely walking. Flying through the sky was a pipe dream to him. He couldn’t manage to run for more than five seconds without needing to catch his breath. This creature was the weakest of all human beings, a shut-in with the moodiest of personalities who spent all his free time on the internet. …However, he did have one redeeming feature: When he decided to do something or resolved to save someone, he possessed the courage to see it through. As a hero, he was pretty inept—quite possibly the weakest person in the world. Extreme shyness kept him from talking to people, and that only scratched the surface of his inadequacies. Yet by rescuing the Demon Lord, he’d proved his own declaration. “No matter one’s circumstances, anyone can change if they have the will to!” Those words were corny enough to make a person throw up in their mouth. Still, even as pitiful and unreliable as the Hero had been, his strong determination to save the Demon Lord had changed him. He wasn’t alone anymore, either. Along his journey, he’d found comrades with whom he shared mutual trust. It didn’t matter that they were demons. Above all, he was always connected through social media to the Demon Lord, who’d saved him from his dark room. [*Sigh*… Sleeping outdoors again yet again…] Once he’d sent the text, the Hero exhaled in real life as he sat in front of the bonfire at a camp his group had set up on their way to Charland. “What did you expect, a five-star hotel?” chided Mako. “You can burn me with a stick if you want,” suggested Nicoletta. “Shut up, masochist,” spat Pino. “Hero, the meat is done, so eat up,” Oniko said. The members of the Demon Army’s Four Demon Generals all regarded him kindly. “…” Unfortunately, the Hero couldn’t respond. They’d rescued the Demon Lord together, but it seemed his communication disorder was still going strong. “Still silent, huh? When will he be able to talk?” wondered Oniko aloud. “He can message us. That works just fine. No point worrying about it, meow,” Mako answered. “By the way, aren’t you cold in that sleeping bag at night, Hero?” inquired Pino. “Leave him be. He’s probably just adopted my masochist ways by now,” Nicoletta replied, speaking for the Hero. The young man broke into a smile at their cheeriness and clumsy attempts to help him. He ignored Nicoletta’s nonsense, took a haunch of meat, and sent another message in the group chat. [Thanks, everyone.] The members of the Demon Generals looked puzzled for a second, then they all grinned warmly. The Demon Lord had a dream. Her mother, who’d perished over ten years ago, was right in front of her, talking to someone in a gentle voice. “I love you, Demon Lord.” It was the moment right before her death. The Demon Lord’s younger self was there, too, wailing at her parent’s side. “I’m sure you’ll have to face a lot of hardship in your life… But you’ll be okay.” Her mother hugged the young Demon Lord tightly. “I know there is someone out there who you are destined to meet. Someone who will love you, no matter if you’re the Demon Lord or what kind of power you have. Don’t be afraid. Take that person’s hand and strive for happiness.” Tears began to flow as the Demon Lord remembered her mother’s final words. “I’m so glad I was able to bring you into this world and spend this time with you. You made me so happy. Please live. No matter what happens, rely on the people around you and keep moving forward. Do that, and you’ll find happiness, just as I did in my life.” At last, the Demon Lord was able to recall the words that she’d been unable to hear over her sobbing. “…No matter how far away I am, I will always love you, Demon Lord.” Her mother smiled affectionately. There was a brief flash of pale light, and the woman was gone. The Demon Lord awoke with a start and realized she was crying. Feeling a little anxious, she messaged the Hero despite the late hour. [What happened? Are you okay?] The Hero’s response was quick. A deep sense of relief washed over her. After they spent a little time texting about nothing in particular, the Demon Lord lay back down on her bed, feeling at ease. Both the Demon Lord and the Hero would undoubtedly face many hardships from here on. Trouble would follow them for the rest of their lives. But they would surely get through it just fine. No matter how far apart the two of them were, they were always connected through social media, and even more importantly, in their hearts.