23-23 Cursed Child (2/2)

But the country I was born and raised in.

If I can be of service to it... perhaps it's a good thing.

A lot of people are going to die.

No, I'm going to kill them.

Because I'm the one who controlled this hideous demon, the Black Death, and brought it here.

It is said that the demon race has this innate power.

It is a cursed power that allows them to communicate with demons and control them as they wish.

I learned this from a much older demon I happened to meet.

Long time ago, it was just an ability to control livestock.

He started using it on demons and killed many in wars.

That's why they hated him.

They said it was inevitable.

An outcast born to communicate with demons.

A cursed creature.

That's what I was always told growing up.

But I want to help people.

Even if I'm a demon, I want to be praised for my usefulness to other beings.

So, even though I was trembling, I decided that today I would do it.

Even if I'm scared, even if I don't want to, I'm going to do it.

It's the only thing I can do.

But the moment the boy made up his mind to do so, all of a sudden, the [concealment] he was wearing was removed.

I'm not sure what to do.

This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time and money.

At that moment, he thought, ”Oh no, .......

The eyes of the black death dragon glared at the boy.

Now I've made a mistake.

I've lost my focus.

Because of that, the mental manipulation technique on the black death dragon was released.

Now the black death sees you only as prey.

This creature has already learned to kill people and eat their flesh.

Because it was brought to the boy in that state.

There's no time for another round of mental manipulation.

I'm going to die.

I saw the black death dragon open its mouth wide and raise its huge claws high in the air.

Oh, it's going to tear me apart and I'm going to die.

The moment he realized this, he thought from the bottom of his heart.

Oh, I'm so glad I died here.

If I die here, I won't have to hurt anyone else.

If I die here, I won't have to hurt anyone else, and I won't have to feel the pain I inflict on others.

At the same time, I felt guilty about that thought.

Because of my mistake, someone else might get beaten up badly instead.

But I was only happy to make things easier for myself.

I'm sorry.

The boy was apologizing to no one.

I've always been a bad boy.

Bad boys get punished.

That's what I was taught.

I'm sorry I couldn't be of any help to you in the end.

So I guess this is my punishment.

For being useless.

For being born with a cursed power.

And to myself for thinking I'm prettier than other people.

It's punishment.

It's a punishment for the fact that I, a cursed child, exist in this world itself.

At the moment when the claws of the fierce black death dragon swung down, the boy was praying.

Demons don't have gods, and they are not allowed to have faith.

But if you die and are reborn, you can live a different life...

The boy had a little faith in this idea that he had heard somewhere.

So, he prayed to no one in particular.

If he could be reborn, he prayed that he wouldn't be beaten too badly in his next life.

And that he would be able to help someone, at least a little.

That was most of the boy's wish.

But in the end, he got a little greedy.

And one more thing, if I could have my wish...

If I could have one more wish, it would be that I could have a good meal, just once.

That was all the boy could wish for as he faced death.

The boy closed his eyes and waited for that moment.

But...

That moment never came.

The claws of the Black Death Dragon did not cut through the boy.

Because...

”Parry.

A stranger appeared out of nowhere.

That man, with a black sword in his hand, was flipping back the claws of the Black Death Dragon, which were supposed to bring death to the boy, high into the sky.