A world full of adventure and romance, Silia.
With a sword strapped to my waist, I embark on a journey, fighting strong monsters with dazzling magic from my staff.
Some live in harmony with nature, like elves, while others, dwarves, hammer iron, befriending the heat of the forge.
It’s truly like a picture-perfect fantasy world.
However…
The world of Silia is not just a realm brimming with romance, as players might think.
Races are always busy fighting when they lock eyes.
The threat of monsters lurking around every corner.
The mischief of wandering rogues wielding swords.
The history of the Ardina Continent has always been filled with blood and screams.
But if you were to ask what claimed the most lives among all this, the people of Silia would unanimously respond: the two racial wars.
The first racial war, shorter than the second, was devastating as all races fought each other with hostility.
In contrast, the second racial war was different.
Only the demon race and humans fought.
While other races supported the humans, those who actively participated in the battles were few.
However, lasting over 50 years, it claimed more lives than the first war, which had involved all races.
No one directly counted the number of victims, so there’s no way to know for sure, but it was undoubtedly not a small number.
And the cause of both racial wars was the same.
The demons.
Both tragedies began when they crossed from Raxia to the Ardina Continent.
The decades-long war finally ended with a hard-won compromise facilitated by the Sedeth Kingdom.
During a meeting designated to end the conflict, someone from the human side asked the demons,
“Why did you create such chaos by crossing into Ardina?”
The demons’ answer was simple.
“To survive.”
The demons crossed from Raxia to Ardina to live.
And the people of the Ardina Continent desperately tried to stop them to survive.
The horrifying war, which took countless lives and devastated many more, began with just that story.
*
The next place we decided to go after the Holy Kingdom was the demon’s homeland, the Mad Continent, Raxia.
Thinking of that made me feel strangely uneasy.
“…Are we really going to hunt the Demon King? Was Kana the hero all along…?”
Da-eun mumbled something nonsensical as if she shared my sentiments.
“Not a chance.”
There are indeed people called heroes in Silia.
But judging by her statement, it seems the image of a hero in Da-eun’s mind is quite different from reality. Either way, one thing is certain: it’s a title that doesn’t suit me.
“Why would you go hunting someone who’s just living a happy life?”
“…Huh? Isn’t the demon race bad?”
“…Why?”
“Because they start wars, kill people… I heard they control scary monsters!”
Da-eun folded her fingers as she replied.
Ignoring everything else, I pointed out, “I killed people too.”
“Ah… Well, Kana had no choice during the war, right?”
“I killed even after that.”
“…Okay, I messed up.”
With my rebuttal coming in hot, Da-eun raised the white flag.
Since it was all a joke, I didn’t take offense at her surrender.
…Well, to be honest, Da-eun’s image of demons isn’t particularly unique.
If you were to ask people in Silia about demons, I’m sure 90 out of 100 would echo similar sentiments.
It’s been fifty years since the second racial war ended, which means it hasn’t been that long at all.
People who directly experienced the war are still alive, so fears and hatred are not likely to disappear.
This is how it goes.
Those who experienced the war don’t have a good opinion of demons, while those who have never seen them judge based on hearsay.
What’s more, information that might have been closer to the truth gets exaggerated and distorted through word of mouth, turning into unfounded rumors.
Rumors of them enjoying eating humans or seeking world domination, for instance.
And then there are those who believe such rumors…
This cycle continues.
“…Wasn’t it?”
“…Huh.”
Just like the person beside me now.
Garid… my dad was one of those who disliked demons.
But unlike ordinary people, he didn’t blindly believe in rumors or harbor prejudices.
In fact, he was quite the opposite.
His dislike for demons was simply because he lived in a time where it was hard to like them.
Anyway, thanks to my dad, I gained proper knowledge.
Plus, I understood why such rumors were borne.
“This is complicated…”
Da-eun’s face was a mix of confusion and realization, as if she wasn’t quite grasping it.
“So, are you saying that the demons were actually good?”
“No, from the perspective of the people of the Ardina Continent, they are indeed bad. While there’s a reason, the fact remains they invaded the continent.”
“A reason?”
She tilted her head.
“What’s the reason?”
“To survive.”
I didn’t know the exact reason why the demons invaded the continent by crossing the sea.
Not until I spoke with Edel.
After hearing from Edel why they couldn’t avoid such choices, it made sense.
The beings of the Ardina Continent wield an unknown power known as “Mana.”
In contrast, the demons wield “Magic,” another mysterious force.
Due to this, the places they inhabit are always choked with magic, and if they resist the magic, even approaching them can feel like life is threatening.
Magic is akin to poison for non-demonic beings.
That’s why the people of Ardina desperately tried to halt their migration.
Just being there was dangerous enough, so it goes without saying how saturated their homeland of Mad Continent, Raxia, is with magic.
Ironically, the demons crossed to the Ardina Continent because of the magic that enveloped Raxia.
“Eh, isn’t a lot of magic a good thing? Don’t demons handle magic?”
“Mana….”
I was about to say that too much mana would make survival impossible, but I swallowed my words.
As someone from Earth, Da-eun probably wouldn’t understand.
“…Humans need water to live.”
“Right.”
“But if there’s too much water, we can’t live.”
“…Ah-ha?”
The demons, overwhelmed by the dense magic, fled Raxia and settled in the Ardina Continent.
It wasn’t a perfect explanation, though it should suffice for grasping the gist.
Seeing Da-eun’s expression, she looked like she understood something.
Then she pondered as if she was chewing on the information.
“But… if the demons couldn’t endure it and fled, I shouldn’t weather it either, right?”
“…Maybe?”
“Then, I’ll be left with no choice but to wait until Kana returns! Be careful out there, Kana. …Just kidding!”
“…A joke?”
“Ugh, yes! Just a joke, so don’t give me that look. Now I feel like trash…!”
“That kind of joke isn’t funny at all.”
“I’m so sorry…”
As I relaxed my grip on Da-eun’s clothing, she mumbled in a gloomy voice.
“I’m trash… trash that can’t even be recycled…”
“Are you going to make that joke again?”
“I won’t! I swear, I won’t do it again…!”
“Good. That’s settled.”
“Kana… what am I doing to such a good girl…!”
Hug!
“…Sigh.”
Da-eun suddenly wrapped her arms around me.
As I shook my head, I sighed, finding myself blocked by her embrace.
“Don’t worry; I have a backup plan.”
While it’s true that apostolic bodies are stronger than ordinary beings, someone at Da-eun’s level wouldn’t be able to withstand the magic of the Mad Continent yet.
According to Edel, the magic in the deepest parts of the Mad Continent would be hard even for me to endure, so definitely.
As Da-eun tilted her head at my words, she asked, “Backup plan?”
Knock knock.
“May I come in?”
“Huh, Selin?”
The knocking sound followed by Selin’s voice made Da-eun look puzzled, yet she opened the door.
“Ah, good morning! Did both of you sleep well?”
“Thanks to you! Did you sleep well too, Selin?”
“Hehe, yes.”
“But what brings you here…? It doesn’t seem like it’s time for breakfast yet.”
“Oh, haven’t you heard?”
“…Heard what?”
Da-eun tilted her head again.
“Edel-sama said to accompany you two. Of course, if Joanie-sama doesn’t want to, it can’t be helped…”
Do you dislike it?
When Selin said this in a somewhat gloomy tone, Da-eun hurriedly waved her hands.
“Ah, no! I have no reason to dislike it! It’s just a bit sudden…”
“Hehe, I’m relieved. I almost thought Joanie-sama disliked me.”
“There’s no way I could dislike Selin.”
As Da-eun conversed with Selin, she leaned down and said, “Kana. Does the backup plan mean…?”
“Yeah, it’s Selin.”
“I see… wait a moment!”
Da-eun suddenly grabbed my shoulder.
It felt like she was putting some pressure on, but it was gentle enough not to hurt as she asked me.
“Did Selin say that Edel told her to accompany us? Does that mean you…?”
Then she swallowed hard.
“…You talked to Edel, didn’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Was it in the prayer room? Just the two of you?”
“Yeah.”
Since there was no reason to hide it, I answered honestly.
What mattered was the conversation’s content.
I asked just in case, but Edel said there was no need to hide it.
Moreover, because Ellen informed the higher-ups of the church about my conversation and even asked them to assist, I had inadvertently become a famous figure.
A divine revelation thirty years in the making was bound to create a stir.
If she was going to say something like that, she should’ve done it from the moment we arrived at the Holy Kingdom.
Then I wouldn’t have had to pretend to be a nun.
‘She wouldn’t do that on purpose, would she?’
Though I hoped not, memories of Edel’s mannerisms made me suspicious.
“Am I the weird one? Is talking alone with a deity something I should be talking about so casually?”
Da-eun muttered as if half-conscious.
I waved my hand slightly, but her eyes remained glazed over.
While it’s an astonishing claim, is it really that shocking?
I could understand Silia people’s panic.
To them, Edel is not just a deity whose existence they might question, but a living goddess akin to the mother of all things.
However, Da-eun, coming from a different world, couldn’t feel Edel’s impact as strongly as they did.
Still, I chose not to speak and quietly watched Da-eun.
Honestly, it was quite amusing to see her flustered.
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