The End Of Everything, A New Pulse, And The Fruit Of Love

Long shadows fell across the valley at dusk.

The “Great Wailing Canyon” lay at the southernmost tip of the Fortis Kingdom.

A sturdy fortress had been built so as to block the gently rising valley.

There, a rugged carriage arrived.

When the guard soldiers opened the locked door, prisoners filed out of the carriage one after another.

They were prisoners who looked unmistakably like rough customers. They were well-built.

Despite being prisoners, they swaggered their shoulders as they entered the fortress.

At the front was Gadwin, the eyepatch-wearing boss of an underworld organization.

“Damn it, of all places, they had to send us to the death canyon… I’ll never forgive that bastard…”

“Heh heh, Boss. Let’s look for a chance to escape.”

“Yeah. Better yet, building up more underlings here is an option too.”

“That’s our Boss. You haven’t given up.”

They were led through the fortress’s narrow corridor in a line and taken to a barred room.

A guard led them into a large room that could hold dozens of people.

Once they were all inside, the bars were locked behind them. The guard left.

The prisoners who had already been there began to stir and sit up.

Gadwin glared at the prisoners with the eye that was not covered by the eyepatch.

“You lot, I’ve got something to say.”

“What is it, newbie?”

Sensing the ominous atmosphere, all the prisoners stood up.

Gadwin glared back without flinching.

“From today on, I’ll be the one running this place… You’ve heard the name, haven’t you? Gadwin, the don of the underworld.”

“Heh~, so you’re the one, huh?”

A burly bearded man approached with a smirk.

The men around him also approached with leering grins on their faces.

At that eerie attitude, Gadwin involuntarily stepped back.

“W-what’s so funny, you bastards?!”

“Nothing at all. You must be tired from the long trip, right? We’re saying we’ll help you relax. By the rules of this place.”

“S-stop!”

He backed away to avoid the men reaching out toward him ominously, but behind him appeared a tall, slender man.

It was Marius, the blond, blue-eyed man.

His formerly handsome features were gone, and with crimson eyes like those of a dead fish, he smiled with hollow cheeks.

“This place is fun too, once you get used to it… Heh, heh heh…”

“S-stay away! Don’t come near me—uwaaaaah!”

The thugs who had lived in the underworld were subdued one after another.

Screams rose from all around the hall.

Marius wore a dark smile as he reached a hand toward one of the fallen men.

“This place is a graveyard. Heaven is right over there, heh heh.”

“Uwaah—!”

The men’s heated cries of welcome did not end no matter how much time passed.

Meanwhile, at that very time.

In the island nation at the far eastern edge, the Yamata Kingdom.

Because of the time difference, it had already become a moonlit night there.

A room in the castle in its capital, Kyō, was still lit up.

In Mikoto’s private chamber were the Demon King, Gobe, and the evil god Sklasis.

There was a mannequin in front of them.

It was fitted with a light suit of armor that covered the entire body in a tights-like material, with a breastplate, gauntlets, and greaves.

Gobe, the small goblin and Great Archmage, spoke with slight nervousness.

“U-um, this is the latest model of Holy Wave defense armor, improved again and again: Absolute Defense-kun No. 28.”

“Hm. It got thinner.”

“It looks a lot sleeker, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, Demon King-sama, Sklasis-sama. The joints were reinforced by covering them with rubber material, and by using a mithril alloy, we also succeeded in reducing the weight of the main body. Furthermore, whereas before we used only the hides of sacred beasts, we succeeded in blocking Holy Wave by mixing powdered bone into the rubber covering. We have succeeded in reducing the amount of materials used!”

Gobe spoke tensely, but there was a faintly proud note mixed into his voice.

The Demon King stroked his chin and grinned.

“Well done, Gobe. As expected of my right-hand man.”

“Haha! I am deeply honored! I intend to do my utmost toward mass production!”

Gobe was so happy that tears welled up in his smiling eyes.

But Sklasis furrowed her brow.

“But even if you can use bones too, isn’t it still hard to get sacred beasts themselves?”

“As for that, it seems a new sanctuary inhabited by many sacred beasts has been officially recognized in the Fortis Kingdom! It may be the perfect hunting ground, Demon King-sama!”

“Hoh! That would be ideal—hm? You said the royal capital of Fortis?”

“Hey, Demon King. That’s where Alec gave them protection…”

With a troubled look, Sklasis tugged at the hem of the Demon King’s clothes with her fingers.

The Demon King’s smile stiffened, and even his booming laugh trembled.

“Fuha, fuhaha… w-well, to think he would prevent the Demon King’s scheme in advance. I shall at least praise him as a hero blessed by the gods.”

“You’re putting on a brave face.”

Sklasis looked at the Demon King with half-lidded, exasperated eyes.

However, without faltering, the Demon King snapped his cape and thrust out his chest.

“Fuhaha! How naive, Sklasis! I am not a man who ever gives up! In contrast, Alec is, in the end, nothing but a straightforward fool who only knows how to fight! —But battle is not won only by charging head-on!”

“W-what exactly do you think you can do?”

“Hmph! My desire is a direct confrontation with the gods! Then I shall stain the humans protected by the gods with darkness! By using the corrupting power of entertainment!”

“That again… Even if that’s true, there’s only so much you can do alone, right?”

Sklasis shrugged in exasperation. Her long black-purple hair swayed lustrously.

The Demon King looked at her with a strong gaze, then curled his lips and grinned, his jagged teeth gleaming.

“I shall use the method you employed to corner Alec by using human hands! —I hereby announce the ‘1st Mao Mao Novel Grand Prize’! I will have humans write entertainment novels of every kind—works for men, works for women, works for children, works for adults—and increase the number of bullets that will corrupt those same humans! Naturally, the award-winning works will be sold aggressively with multimedia adaptation already assumed!”

Before Sklasis could say anything, Gobe lit up with a smile and shouted eagerly.

“Ohh, if the number of writers increases, we can secure more bookstore shelf space! And if a work becomes popular, we can make even more money with merchandise and collaboration products. As expected of you, Demon King-sama!”

“Indeed, indeed! Not a single human will notice my cunning strategy! By the time they realize it, entertainment works will already be overflowing throughout the world, and it will be too late! Fuhahahahaha!”

“Exactly so, Demon King-sama!!”

Gobe tearfully praised the Demon King to the skies.

Riding the momentum, the Demon King arched back his chest so far he looked ready to do a bridge as he kept laughing.

Though exasperated, Sklasis let out a small smile.

“Well, do whatever you can. …I’m cheering for you.”

“Kukuku, it seems even Sklasis has finally noticed my greatness. Excellent, excellent~ Fuhahahaha!”

His booming laughter echoed through Mikoto’s private chamber.

Meanwhile, Mikoto, a beautiful young man who could be mistaken for a woman, was standing in the hallway outside the private chamber. No, he had frozen there, unable to move.

But then his refined face darkened with fatigue, and with a weary sigh, he turned and walked away down the corridor.

Night came to the Fortis Kingdom.

The forest southeast of the royal capital was bathed in quiet moonlight.

I was sitting on the edge of the bed in the bedroom of the mansion.

Beside me was Liricia, beautiful as an angel. Though she was an angel.

I was reflecting on everything that had happened since I got fired as the hero.

—I had secured a place to live, found a prospect for income, and at last obtained the rejuvenation medicine.

A bottle filled with transparent liquid was in my hand.

This was the rejuvenation medicine.

I thought that I had now achieved all of my original goals.

As I slowly put my hand on the bottle’s cap, I smiled at Liricia.

“Well then. I guess it’s time to drink it.”

“Y-yes, Master!”

Liricia lifted her face, her silver hair bouncing.

With her straight nose bridge and violet eyes, her beautifully arranged features held an expression that mixed anxiety and anticipation.

I removed the bottle’s cap and brought it close to my mouth.

A sharp, stinging odor pierced my nose.

“Mm… is this really okay?”

“Ah! Cordelia-san said that although it would be hard to drink, you had to finish every last drop within one minute.”

“Got it—here goes!”

I pinched my nose and downed the transparent liquid in one gulp.

A sharp irritation stabbed at my tongue and throat, making me feel like I was going to choke.

Even so, I desperately endured it and drank it all down.

The liquid that fell into my stomach spread through my whole body with a burning heat.

A breath escaped my mouth without my meaning it to.

“Guh! This is hot! Really hot!”

“A-are you alright, Master!?”

Liricia wrapped her supple hand around my shoulder, lowered her brows in concern, and gently embraced me.

The soft curves pressed against me soothed me.

I clenched both fists and endured the heat.

Then, together with a sensation like my whole body was turning inside out, my body glowed.

The light vanished in an instant, and the quiet of the night returned.

When I looked beside me, Liricia’s violet eyes were wide and round.

“How is it…? Did I really become young again?”

“—Y-yes! Please look!”

Liricia showed me a hand mirror.

The face reflected in the mirror had regained a youthful, dignified appearance.

There were no nasolabial lines, nor any sagging in my cheeks.

Next, I checked my body. My skin had regained firmness, and body hair such as my beard and leg hair had thinned. In contrast, my hair had become thick, black, and full.

Also, my whole body was lean yet toned. On top of that, I felt fulfilled, as though my vitality itself had increased.

—It was me in my prime.

“My voice sounds a little younger too.”

“The current Master is wonderful too.”

I raised my face and looked at Liricia.

Naturally, the two of us smiled at each other.

“Thank you, Liricia. Thanks to you, I got everything. —Thank you so much for staying by my side and supporting me.”

“Master… I only did what was natural. I’m truly so happy.”

Tears slowly welled up in the violet eyes that were looking at me.

I gently drew in her delicate shoulders and buried my face in her abundant silver hair.

“Thank you, Liricia.”

“Masteeer…”

Liricia wrapped her arms around me too and clung to me.

For a while, we embraced each other in silence. But our body heat and heartbeats spoke eloquently of our feelings.

Then I moved my hand and took an accessory out of my magic bag.

A ring adorned with white, silver, purple amethyst, and a transparent diamond.

I took her left hand and slipped the ring onto her ring finger.

Liricia caught her breath and stared at the ring.

I brought my mouth close to her cute ear and whispered softly.

“This is how I feel now. I need you, Liricia, and I want to cherish you forever from here on out—I love you. Marry me, Liricia.”

“Masteeer! I’m so happy, thank you so much!”

“Don’t call me Master. Call me Alec.”

I said it with a little embarrassment.

But Liricia shook her head with a face that looked ready to cry. Her silver hair swayed fleetingly.

“I can’t… because I am Master’s slave.”

“Don’t tell me that if you don’t call me Master, the Subjugation Crest sends a shock through you?”

“Yes…”

Liricia looked at me with a sorrowful expression.

When she made that face, it only made me want all the more to have Liricia call me by my name.

“Alright. Then the next goal is to make Liricia my equal wife and have her call me by my name.”

“Masteeer…!”

Tears scattering, Liricia clung tightly to me.

I placed a finger beneath her slender chin and lifted her face upward, then leaned in closer.

Liricia’s cheeks, her large eyes closed, were faintly dyed red, whether from embarrassment or happiness.

Then, slowly, our lips met. Soft lips, moist and supple.

Then our tongues entwined hotly with a small wet sound. Our panting breaths crossed.

A kiss alone could not stop our feelings, and we undressed each other.

Still carried by that momentum, we fell onto the bed.

When I showered kisses over her smooth white skin and slender collarbones, Liricia shook her breasts in round motions, her silver hair disheveled as she cried out.

“Ahh—! I am happy now. Masteeer—!”

Her white wings spread wide over and over, as if overwhelmed with emotion.

In the deepening night, white feathers continued to drift over the bed as though expressing joy.