Chapter 2: Disaster in the Land of the Elves

Episode 12: The Blood-Stained Princess ① – Cursed Memories

While traveling through the kingdom and heading for the Elven Kingdom, I found the remains of a village that had been attacked by monsters and the bodies of many humans who had fled from villages and forts but had been caught and killed by monsters.
Unfortunately, I didn't have the time or the space to mourn them all, so I had to leave them there, with joined hands in prayer.
……The invasion of the monsters that have appeared in large numbers seems to be worse than expected, and it is possible that their reach may extend to the countries surrounding the kingdom. Since they have heard that the kingdom has fallen, the other countries will probably organize to mount a resistance. Maybe Roger and Irene are being called back again.

At one point, a bird that Luqur had sent found me and brought me a letter.
I heard the good news that the friends whom I asked for protection in the Elven Kingdom had arrived safely and were living peacefully there.
After writing about everyone's recent activities, such as the fact that the bakery owner had started baking pastries and bread in the Elven Kingdom, she continued to write words of concern for me.
Is it because she suspects why the kingdom fell or because she knows something about “what will happen after” when she visited my house that time, or is she going to wait until I tell her myself? Either way, I think I'll tell Luqur everything when I see her in person.
I have to properly respond to her kindness and favor.
After entrusting the reply to the bird, I started walking again, and after a while...

"Oh, right, what was your hometown like, Celestial Knight? "

The devil walking next to me asked me that without any particular meaning. Is the reason why she is not even breathing hard despite walking the same distance as me because she is a devil? I could have ignored her, but just walking in silence wouldn't be any different, so―――― Or perhaps it was just a whim, or maybe I was reminiscing as I answered.

"It was a small village near the kingdom. The monsters attacked and killed a lot of the residents, and I escaped to the kingdom with my childhood friends and the other adults who survived. So I guess I don't have much of a hometown anymore."

Yes, just like Al had a childhood friend, I had a childhood friend too. She was a lively girl who liked to run around the village and the fields with me.

"A childhood friend! So even you had a childhood friend, Celestial Knight? ……So, did that person die in the kingdom we were just talking about? "

"……No, that girl, Janice, was already gone. Before I became a Celestial Knight, we were in an adventurer party together, but after I left, she changed jobs to become a member of the kingdom's guards.
However, she was attacked and kidnapped by the Demon King's army. The next time we met... she had betrayed humanity and become a demon under the Demon King, with purple skin and horns, standing in our way."

Now that it's all in the past, there's no point in saying what I should have done at the time. These are nothing but regrets. Janice and I were childhood friends and lovers…… maybe we had a future together like Al, but Janis, who was kidnapped, became addicted to the pleasure and power given by the Demon King and gave up being human, being reborn as a demon.

Having become a being called a general of the Demon King's army, Janice attacked and destroyed many countries, and the number of soldiers and civilians who became victims of her actions must have been in the tens of thousands. ……By the time I met up with Janice again, she had become someone I could no longer ignore.

I think it's only natural that Janice resented me for being dragged into this, as I was a close friend of hers. I feel bad about that…… I really feel bad…… and it pains me every time I remember it.
……However, even so, the only way to stop Janice, who had become a demon and killed too many people, was to kill her.

"So you killed her with your own hands, then?"

The devil must have guessed what was bound to happen because she read my mind and said what I was going to say. As I thought, this devil is more than just perceptive―― she's sharp.

"I couldn't let my other friends bear such a burden, and Janice became a demon because of me."

Even though it was no use saying such things to a complete stranger, or rather, to a red devil, I couldn't help but look up at the sky as I remembered that time.

"I see. ……Did that person regain her humanity after being defeated by you, Celestial Knight? "

"No, she died while cursing me for being the reason she was kidnapped and turned into a demon."

―――Die, you damned piece of trash!! Because you were my childhood friend, I was kidnapped and turned into a demon! I didn't do anything wrong, and if it weren't for you, none of this would have happened! It's all your fault that I succumbed to the Demon King and killed people! And yet you still want to cut me down, you piece of trash!!
Go to hell, you evil bastard!! I won't forgive you! I will never forgive you! Curse be the heroes, may your souls be defiled! When you die in the depths of despair someday, remember my grudge!!

I remember Janice's final death scream and her curse of resentment.
She shed tears of blood from her eyes and continued to curse me until the very end, lamenting as her body collapsed on the ground after being pierced through the heart by my sword.
……Even with a grand title like “Celestial Knight,” guardian of the heavens, I was unable to protect what was important. It was only because there was a “hero” who led everyone that we were able to defeat the demon king and save the world, and I was merely a shield.
"……What a saddening story, Celestial Knight."

As if to break the darkness of my thoughts, the devil spoke to me. The voice felt so gentle that it made it even harder.
……Ah, the road to the Elven Kingdom is still a long way off, about halfway there. I bit my lip as I looked up at the gray sky, which made it look like it might rain at any moment.