Chapter 24 (1/2)

C. 24 ”Monologue?”

”Monologue?”

Note: This part contains depictions of cruelty.

This is the tyranny of the Demon King's army.

There are smoldering sparks of fire everywhere in the village. Our house, which was old but was made with a strong foundation, is burning with a roar, its heartbreaking cry reverberating.

It's my father's voice. It's my brother's voice.

My family is experiencing the pain of being burned alive after having oil poured on them. Crawling with a sword pressed against the back of my neck, all I can do is watch my family burn while I tremble and weep.

One clear, sunny day in summer. Hideous demons who resembled apes attacked our peaceful village without warning. With a broken roar, they began to lay waste to our village with monstrous smiles on their faces.

The demons run at frightening speeds and have sharp claws. The youth in our village, who had no real experience in combat, were helpless as they were either killed or captured.

Eventually, we gave up our resistance and lowered our heads before the demons. In less than half a day after they began their attack, the village was under their control and we became captives.

Then they started to sort out the humans.

An elderly giant ape who appears to be their leader gives out orders as the villagers are tied up and chaotically made to line up. The inhabitants of our village were divided into two groups: those who were tied up and thrown into a house, and those who were piled up in the square outside.

My elder sister and I were tied up and rolled to the square. When I looked around, all of the people in the square were women. Some of the women had their clothes torn off. It was easy for me to understand what that meant.

That the demons were interested in breeding with humans. I was still a child so I wasn't stripped of my clothes, but I imagined that I was captured to eventually be used that way.

... It's very regrettable that I, a male, was captured.

Meanwhile, the demons were throwing the men and the elderly into the house one after another. Will they be left in the village because they aren't women? If so, will my father and brother be saved?

... That couldn't be the case. After throwing them into the house, they poured oil over my father and brother before setting them on fire.

Their screams echoed throughout the village. Heartrending voices calling for their family. Voices expressing resentment towards the demons. The ominous wailing I couldn't bear to hear echoed throughout the square. I clearly see my father and brother, with their swollen, dark, red faces, in agony at the front door of the burning house.

I tried to run towards them, still tied up, but they quickly threatened me with a sword. Unable to move from the spot, I just sat by and watched as my father and brother's voices became fainter and fainter. There is a horrible sizzling sound and an unpleasant smell that I have never smelled before.

It's the smell of people burning. A sickening smell of burned oil.

────I lose hope. At my own futility. At the country for letting something so unjust happen. And at the world for not helping us.

”... Oh, a pretty girl. I'll help you. Water! !”

Yes, that was when I hated everything in this world. Suddenly everything in my sight turned white, and a cold wind was blowing through the village. Immediately, the flames that engulfed the houses all around us were extinguished.

What kind of abnormal weather is this? Am I dreaming now?

The demons also express their confusion at the sudden heavy fog. Apparently, this isn't something the demons caused.

Could they be reinforcements? Are they on our side? Was the voice of a young girl I had just heard the hopeful sign that we had been waiting for?

”Where are you? There must be someone there. Please help us ────”

”Shh, keep quiet now, young lady. Hey, the enemy is over here chief!  Let's rout them!”

When I turned toward the voice, the young girl was suddenly standing in front of the demons. A lively looking girl, around my age, with her blonde hair fluttering in the wind.

At the same time, the demons seemed to notice her presence. When they realized that she was the one who caused the heavy fog, they charged recklessly, growling as they rushed to the girl who was laughing fearlessly. But the girl showed no signs of panic. She must have a plan to deal with them.

But I noticed. The presence of a demon hiding in the fog behind the girl, in her blind spot. How could she not be aware that an enemy is right behind her!?

”Now cute ones, stay close to me.”

”H-hey, behind you! Be careful, there's a demon brandis.h.i.+ng a spear about to attack you...!”

”Oh, don't worry about it.”

The girl, who was supposed to be in a desperate situation didn't even turn around and stroked my sister and me with a smile on her face. All the while the demon behind her was closing in on her. At this rate, she will die. I tried desperately to tell her when she said,

”The chief's coming too.”

I realized immediately why she didn't turn around. The man she called ”Chief” roared and revealed his large body from behind the fog.

He moved at an incredible speed. The demon who was behind the girl was caught off guard, and the man quickly trampled him.

I was dumbfounded. The large man she called ”chief” didn't stop attacking. He roared again, vigorously beating the ground, causing an avalanche of earth and rocks.

The earth he displaced scattered in every direction like a pinwheel while still remaining merged to the ground, and began to drag the demons it came in contact with into the ground. With no time to escape, the demons were dragged into the ground screaming until not a single one of them was left. Eventually, all that remained of the demons who were dragged into the ground were their wriggling hands, growing out of the ground like weeds.

I was just stunned by the surreal and horrifying turn of events. Meanwhile, my elder sister who had realized that the situation had settled down, began to scream as though she had just come to her senses.

”F-father! Brother! Oh, look what they did to my father! ! Where's my brother! ? Which one is my brother! !”

Growing pale, she ran towards our collapsed house. Unlike me, my sister hadn't turned away. From the dreadful conditions of our father and brother.

When I looked back at the house that was no longer on fire, I saw two hideously burned bodies on the ground. My brother looked especially terrible. His face was swollen and his arms had come off. His skin was red and swollen, and he was moaning in pain.