"Everyone seems so happy since Crow's return. It's as if yesterday's gloom was a lie," Jasmine commented, prompting me to furrow my brow.
Everyone was gloomy while I was gone?
I involuntarily looked at Instructor Cattleya sitting next to me.
Though she averted her gaze from me, King Heath murmured in her stead.
"...It was terrible... Their dereliction of duty..."
At that moment, noticing the dark circles under Heath's eyes, I felt a chill.
"They went off on their own to search for you... Politics and military affairs were left leaderless... Dealing with the nobles' complaints and the public's unrest... It was impossible for me alone, yet no one helped... We almost had a civil war..."
"That sounds tough..."
"Cineraria, Saffron, even Iris and Instructor Cattleya, were on the brink of killing each other over trivial matters... And each time, I nearly died..."
"...Well, now that you're back, things should start going well again..."
I couldn't bear to look any longer at Heath, who had the eyes of a dead fish.
He had risen to the highest authority at such a young age, yet his luck seemed terribly poor.
Being skilled but unfortunately burdened with everyone else's troubles seemed to be his type.
He's a good king, I suppose.
"Ah, right. Platanus. I've recovered the Timeflow Sword, so please take it."
Platanus, looking at the Timeflow Sword I offered, seemed lost in thought.
"Why don't you keep it, Lord Crow?"
"No, thanks. Every time I see this sword, I'm reminded of Geranium. It gives me the creeps."
"Are you aware that Geranium appeared before us?"
"Eh?"
"Lord Crow, he came to tell us that you were trying to avoid harming humans and that it wouldn't last much longer. Afterward, he attacked us, and Amaranth confronted him,"
Platanus said, with Amaranth nodding in confirmation.
"Yes, there was resistance, but it seems the lord did not die. Since Crow, you possess that sword, it must have been you who delivered the final blow. Let me express my gratitude."
"Eh..."
For Amaranth, Geranium was supposed to be his former master.
He still refers to him as his lord, and it seems like his loyalty remains, yet why offer thanks?
"The lord... it was better for him to find peace. He lived too long and became too weary. That's why he could calmly scheme the extinction of humanity. It's time for him to rest."
"Right. He once saved the world, after all..."
As I remembered Geranium and looked down,
"Anyway! From now on, you're going to keep squeezing your brain with us! Demon lord or human, it doesn't matter! The real busy time starts now!"
"Ugh..."
Instructor Cattleya shouted in anger, and with my agreement to continue collaborating, the meeting, for now, concluded.
The meeting ended surprisingly quickly, probably considering that Shion and I were at our limit in terms of stamina.
However, why was the room prepared for me and Shion shared?
Why put us together?
Since losing Holly, Shion hadn't spoken a single word.
Honestly, I didn't know what to say to her.
Plus, Shion was about fifteen now.
It's normally awkward to be alone with a girl of that age.
Eventually, sitting down on the bed, Shion also sat next to me.
Thus, we spent some time in silence.
In moments like these, I deeply felt the loss of Holly.
Her presence might have been noisy, but it left no room for loneliness or awkwardness.
A creeping sensation seemed to gnaw at my heart.
I would never see Holly again.
"...Big brother..."
Shion began to speak softly.
"Holly... she used to wake me up every morning."
"Yeah..."
"She would wake me, dress me, and comb my hair every day."
"Ah..."
"In the bath, she would wash my hair and body."
"That so..."
"She even gave me lap pillows and cleaned my ears."
"Really!?"
That was news to me.
Really, that's an incredibly close relationship.
"Before bed, she would tell me old tales."
So, Shion had lost Holly, who was so dear to her, partly because of me.
"When I was bored, she'd let me touch her breasts."
"Seriously!? What were you two doing!?"
"And when I was asleep, she became my hug pillow."
What kind of relationship did they have with Holly?
"Really, she had the worst personality, but physically, she was great."
"Eh... That's an odd way to put it..."
"Just kidding."
Shion looked at me and flashed a bright smile.
"It's driving me crazy. Holly was always there for me, as if it was the most natural thing."
"Right."
"I never thought about what I'd do if she wasn't there. I don't know what I'm supposed to do now."
Saying so, Shion clung to my arm.
Um, Miss Shion.
It's highly impolite to think of this at such a time.
But your chest is pressing against me.
Your considerably grown chest is squeezing my arm.
"Holly said at the end, right? 'Be happy. Do whatever you like.'"
"In the end, I couldn't do anything, big brother. When it mattered most, I couldn't protect you."
"That's not..."
"I was semi-conscious, but I saw it. You becoming the demon lord and fighting that incredible opponent."
"It was amazing. You don't need anyone's help if you're that strong."
Indeed, that's true.
I could wield the power of all past demon lords.
With that power, I was invincible.
I could overwhelm not just heroes or demon lords, but even their creator.
In this world, there would be no one who could match me.
I even absorbed the abilities of my natural enemy, the hero Shion.
In that state, I didn't need anyone's help.
I didn't need to be protected by Shion or the Saintly Sword wielders.
I had become the overwhelming individual I had always wanted to be, independent of anyone else's strength.
Yet, I now understand.
I'm happier being unable to do anything without someone else's help, rather than being in that state where I could do everything on my own.
Being with everyone makes me happier.
And,
"That power... it was given to me by Shion."
"Eh?"
"I couldn't master the power of the demon lord at all. I couldn't produce even a single Sword of Darkness, the demon lord's sword. All the previous demon lords could summon the Sword of Darkness, but I couldn't."
"Uh-huh."
"Yet, after you tried to become the demon lord in my place, and I became the demon lord again, I could use that power. I became able to wield all the Swords of Darkness that the previous demon lords had used at once. So, that power was given to me by you. If you had abandoned me, I wouldn't have been able to use it."
"I won because of you, Shion."
"Big brother..."
Shion clung tightly to me.
"Did I manage to become a hero who could protect you properly?"
"You protected not just me, but all the people in the world. You're that kind of hero, Shion."
"That doesn't matter to me. As long as I could protect you, that's all I wanted."
It's not something that doesn't matter, though.
Shion, hugging me, stared intently at my face.
Just staring, intensely.
"Eh? What? What is it?"
Shion didn't answer, just continued to gaze up at me with her eyes.
Eh? Eh? What's this?
Is this that scenario?
The scenario where the hero who finished the last battle and the princess he saved get together?
No, is this okay?!
As I started to panic, Shion closed her eyes.
Seriously?!
Is this really, you know, THAT?
Is it okay for it to be me?!
I'm not on Shion's level!
No! I was a demon lord, so I'm the only one who could match a hero!
But, is it really okay?!
Is it okay with you, God?!
I mean, I defeated God!
Not that no-good so-called god, but the real God!
Is it okay for me to make a move on Shion?!
"…!"
No! The ones to decide are Shion herself and me.
If we want to be together, it shouldn't matter if anyone objects.
There's probably no one else like Shion who constantly worries about me.
I can't let such a wonderful girl feel embarrassed.
But calm down!
This isn't about embarrassing her.
I need to be honest with my feelings.
To cherish Shion, to be true to this heart that holds her dear!
With resolve, I pushed Shion down.
I pinned her to the bed, hovering over her.