I kicked off the ground, closing the distance between Shion and me.
However, Shion, while scattering black lightning and flames, tried to keep distance from me.
"Crow! Hand the Holy Sword over to Shion!"
"Can't you possess her from here?"
"Shion is in the same state as before we met! I can't possess her without making her touch the Holy Sword first!"
Always complicating things, both Shion and Holly never listen to me.
Ever since we met, I've been cleaning up after both of them.
But fine.
I can do this as many times as needed!
"Give me more power! More!"
"Understood!"
My physical abilities enhanced further, I pursued Shion.
Yet, I couldn't close the distance.
No matter how fast I ran or jumped on the footholds, Shion floated away with superior speed.
Without the ability to fly, I couldn't catch her.
"…Damn!"
Every time the black lightning or flames hit me, they mercilessly gouged out parts of my body.
The power of the lightning and flames was ruthless.
If I were hit with the full force of the Dark Sword in this state, I'd be obliterated.
Was this their plan, to have me kill Shion in such a state?
"Damn! I can't get close!"
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
As Shion roared, a shockwave hit me.
I tried to anchor myself by stabbing the Holy Sword into the foothold, but I was blown away before I could stabilize.
She had that ability too?
Far from getting closer, I was being pushed further away.
"…!"
It didn't matter anymore.
I was blown to a place without footholds, the remnants of the Demon King's castle.
I was falling!
If that happened, getting close to Shion would be impossible.
But I didn't fall.
Something other than a foothold saved me from plummeting.
"…The Pegasus Sword!"
The Pegasus Sword, Ramlei, with the ability to fly, carried me through the air.
"Please! Take me to Shion!"
The Pegasus Sword moved straight towards Shion, against the shockwave.
Despite being relentlessly attacked by black lightning and flames from all around, it dodged them all while closing the distance to Shion.
"Ha ha ha!"
"Crow?"
"This is the battle between the hero and the Demon King!"
"…Eh?"
"My dream has come true! After all, I wanted to be the one who saves, not the one who destroys!"
"Crow…"
"I will save Shion! No matter how many times it happens, I will always choose to save Shion!"
"As you wish!"
While drawing out my strength to its limit, I close the distance between Shion and me.
However, attacks too fast for even the Pegasus Sword to dodge assail us.
Literal darkness in the form of black lightning and flames attack us.
"Ramlei! Keep going! Charge straight ahead!"
For the first time, I call the Pegasus Sword by its name.
Responding, the Pegasus Sword flies towards Shion.
I swing the Holy Sword, cutting through the black lightning and flames.
However, Ramlei's movements stiffen from the impact.
Using the Pegasus Sword as a foothold, I leap with all my might.
With an extraordinary leap, I nearly reach Shion.
But still, I can't reach her.
Then!
"Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
With throwing strength as unnaturally enhanced as my leap, I hurl the Holy Sword.
"Holly!"
Holly, leaping out from within me, corrects the trajectory of the thrown Holy Sword, guiding it beneath Shion.
Then, Shion, who had been scattering black light around, suddenly extends her right hand and touches the Holy Sword.
The moment Shion touches the Holy Sword, the horns and wings sprouting from her disappear.
She then falls limply.
Shion, I, and the Pegasus Sword, Ramlei, crash down onto the remnants of the Demon King's castle with a loud thud.
"…"
"Really… Kicking me out and then dragging me back in. What do you think I am?"
Maris, having returned from Shion's body to mine, complains with a hint of exasperation.
"How is Shion…"
I lay on the remains of the Demon King's castle, looking up at the sky.
"Shion is…"
"Back to normal. And you're back to being the Demon King as usual. It's the same old cycle."
"Then, that's fine…"
"Huh?"
"I won't listen to what you say…"
"…"
"I will master the power of the Demon King. I will use it according to my will. I'll become a Demon King who doesn't kill."
"…Try if you can."
I stand up shakily, surveying my surroundings.
Shion had already gotten up and was looking around, and the Pegasus Sword, Ramlei, seemed to be unharmed as well.
The worst-case scenario has been avoided.
I walked across the damaged foothold towards Shion.
"Big brother…"
Her way of addressing me had reverted from "brother" to "big brother."
Well, it doesn't really matter what she calls me.
"Shion, we're going back to the royal capital."
"Eh?"
"I can't kill you, and you can't kill me. That's fine now."
"But… big brother…"
Shion gently touched the horns sprouting from my head.
While the wings can be retracted at will, the horns are permanent.
"I can't change the fact that I'm the Demon King. But I can't let you become the Demon King and die in my place."
"Then you’ll…!"
"I'll become a Demon King who doesn't kill. I'll suppress the power of the Demon King for life."
"That's impossible…"
"I'll suppress it. Because I can't be with you otherwise."
"…Big brother…!"
Shion hugged me and started crying.
"I promised, didn't I? To be together. As long as you want me with you, I'll always be there."
"Yeah… yes!"
"…"
"…"
Behind Shion, who was crying in my arms, Holly.
And behind me, Maris.
Both of them were giving me a sharp look.
What's with that?
Why are they giving me such a look during such a touching moment?
Both of them seemed to have a "I'm going to be sick" expresshion.
"…"
However, nothing has been resolved yet.
Shion and Holly have returned to their original relationship as the hero and the Holy Sword. This is good.
As for me and Maris, we remain the Demon King and the Dark Sword.
As long as Maris is by my side, there's a risk that dungeons and monsters will continue to be generated.
Unless I fully master the abilities of the Demon King, many people on this continent will die.
The risk of many people dying always looms over Shion's happiness.
It's difficult to say everything is resolved in this state.
Somehow, I must persuade Maris to fully master the abilities of the Demon King.
"Shion, let's head back to the royal capital for now. There are things I want to discuss with everyone."
"Okay. Cattleya was really angry, you know?"
Shion, having stopped crying, pulled my hand towards the foothold where the Pegasus Sword awaited.
"Eh? Why would the instructor be angry?"
"After she read the letter from you, she seems to have been searching everywhere for you but couldn't find you. She was worried, but when she heard you became the Demon King, she got really mad."
"…Well, I'm in trouble if she's angry about that."
"Big brother doesn't understand a girl's heart~. If you decide things on your own without consulting…"
While Shion was talking cheerfully, she suddenly averted her gaze from me,
"Big brother!"
She pushed me with incredible force.
"Ugh!"
Even though I wasn't possessed by Holly, I was blown away with considerable force.
Eh? Why? Why was I pushed away by Shion?
Puzzled, I stared at Shion, who had pushed me,
"…Eh?"
A single-edged blade was protruding from Shion's chest.
Bleeding profusely from her chest, Shion was looking at me.
Someone had stabbed her from behind.
And the place where Shion stood was where I had been just moments before, so…
"Shion!"
Shion, with the sword piercing through from her back to her chest,
"I finally… protected you…"
Said such a thing before collapsing forward.
At that moment, I saw the figure of the man standing behind Shion.
No, I knew even before I saw him.
Who else would do something like this, I had known from the start.
"Geranium!"
"It seems I got the order wrong. I told you, if I didn't kill Crow first, it would cause trouble later."
Geranium, who had appeared suddenly, muttered as if it was someone else's problem.
"Shion! Shion!"
Holly rushed to the fallen Shion, pressing down on the wound.