827 Live as a human, die as a human (2/2)

But… if this was the only ending possible…

If he had to leave the world like this.

If at least one person could still remember him, perhaps… that would count as evidence as him having once lived.

”I… don't want to die!!!” Koutarou clutched on to Seiji even tighter and cried loudly.

”Yeah,” Seiji responded.

”I also don't want my younger sister to die… I want her to become human again… so that she can live a good life…”

”Yeah.”

”My mom… my younger brother… they didn't do anything wrong… they shouldn't have died…”

”Yeah.”

”That person told me to kill you… but I couldn't bring myself to kill you in the end…”

”Yeah.”

'You are a very kind person.

'Even though you became a demon, you're still human.

'Koutarou… you lived as a human, and you died as a human.'

Seiji hugged Koutarou tightly and listened to every single of Koutarou's dying words, memorizing everything.

Finally, the coal seller was no longer able to say anything.

...

Kungo slowly opened his eyes.

He felt that something was wrong with himself.

No, not just something minor. Something was majorly wrong!

His body felt completely different!

He didn't know how to describe it. To use an analogy… if his previous body felt like snow, then his current body felt like water.

His body was now heavier, more physical, and possessed a different power.

The only problem with his body was that it was missing its left hand.

He couldn't feel his left hand… this body didn't have a left hand.

And then, Kungo understood what happened to his body.

Or, more accurately, what had been done to him.

”Master… why?” he asked the extravagantly clothed beautiful woman in front of him.

This black-haired woman smiled gently while looking at him. ”You have always called me Master. Yet, I have never viewed you as a servant… never. I created you. You will live on even after I die. You are… my son. Isn't it only natural for a mother to want her son to live on during a life-and-death situation?”

Kungo was absolutely astounded.

He never knew before that his master had viewed him in such a way.

Kungo thought that he was only a servant, a tool to slay demons for his master's sake.

That was enough. He didn't need anything else… he had never desired anything more.

He would do anything that she desired, even if she commanded him to die.

He had been born because of her. He considered it his destiny to die for her.

Kungo had never tried to go against what he viewed as his fate. He was even happy with it. He felt that he was truly blessed to have such a fate in comparison to others who only lived for the sake of being alive.

Yet, his master had…

”No… I don't need to live on… Master should…”

”I have already lived,” the beautiful woman told him. ”I've finally remembered my past when this small closed-off world started collapsing. I had once been human… a real, living human who experienced an entire life in the real world.

”Although that world is countless times larger than this one, there are still many similarities, such as things that one is helpless about.

”It's impossible to change your personal background, there are things you must do, there are cages that are inescapable, and inexorable fate…

”I have lived already. I have experienced life, and I died while feeling pain, anger, sadness, hatred, and helplessness.

”I have no need to experience life once again.

”Rather than living in that so-called real world, my days here in this fake paradise were far happier and more peaceful.

”That's why, this is more than enough for me.

”I will die here, for the second time. And you… you have yet to truly live, so please go in my place to the real world.

”Perhaps the real world has become a better place. Or, perhaps it has become a worse place.

”Please come tell me about the real world when you finally die in the future and meet me again.”

”Master…” Kungo widened his eyes in panic because he was witnessing his master gradually transforming into mist!

”Goodbye, my child.” The woman smiled, and bade him farewell. ”Please live well in the real world… Although things might be really difficult, please live as happily and blissfully as you can.”

”No… no! Master, I don't want to!! Please take back this body!!!” Kungo grabbed on to the woman, but she was now transforming into mist at an even quicker pace.

”Finally, let me tell you the truth—I actually don't like this body that I gave to you. First of all, he's male. Second, he's missing a hand. Third, he's probably…” The woman then stopped. ”Forget it, there's no need to tell you.

”Kungo, here is my final command for you. Please continue living on as well as you can to the best of your abilities.”