Volume 5 epilogue (1/2)

TL note: Before you start reading, I’d like to say that I slightly altered last chapter. Instead of saying “in my place”, I made Marcho’s line to be “in my absence”.

“…I know it's a selfish request but from now on, will you, in my absence, please protect my dungeon and my monsters? If it's you, I'll have no worries.”

Marcho said that in exchange for rewarding me with all that she was, I had to protect her dungeon and her monsters.

Is it just me or is she saying she'll be completely gone right away?

”Marcho, wait, what do you mean by that?”

”In this war, you see, I kinda overdid it. My monsters had reached their limits long before your potions arrived. So, to support the frontlines, I had to use that power. I'm talking about [Awakening].”

[Awakening]? Marcho has that power too? Wait, no, of course she has it. That's nothing to be surprised about. If even I managed to Awaken, it's impossible for her not to.

”What does using [Awakening] have to do with anything?”

”You've already Awakened, right? I mean, I've heard from the subordinates I posted that you did. Anyway, don't use that power without thought, okay? Using it for a little while's fine but using it continuously and repeatedly will cause your existence to be consumed and your lifespan to be shortened… just like me. I don't have much time left anymore. I'm starting to feel my existence crumbling. I don't know whether I'll still be fine after a day, an hour, or just a few more moments; I have no idea. All that I know is that the being that is [Beast] Demon Lord Marchosias will very soon be gone.”

I was at a loss for words.

My head was full of ifs and questions and among them was did I not make it in time?

”Don't make that face, Procell. You were just in time. It's precisely because you were that I am able to stand here and entrust my beloved monsters to you. Most of all, I'm very glad to see your smiling face again. I would have hated it so much for us to part while on bad terms. Now, I can pass away without regrets.”

Don't screw with me. I came here because I wanted to be with Marcho longer. There's no sense if I end up alone. I won't accept such an outcome.

”The power to help you, I have it. I mean we can use the power I received from the Creator to solve this.”

I was talking about [Rebirth]. It was a power I received as a reward from the [War] with Stolas.

With it, I was able to turn somebody into a medal and have that medal be used in Synthesis, making that individual stronger than before. If I used this power, even someone whose lifespan was spent would be able to live long life.

”I'll pass. I'd like to accept my end and die properly as a Demon Lord.”

”I don't believe it! If that was the case, then why bother surviving long enough to hand your monsters over to me? You're reluctant in dying, aren't you? You're worried for the ones you'll leave behind, right? Well, if you won't accept the option of living longer, I won't accept the responsibility of taking care of your monsters. You said that my reward was all of you but doesn't that include you yourself??”

Even I thought I was being a coward for holding her monsters hostage just to get what I wanted. Nevertheless, I would rather do so than have her gone.

”That way of arguing is unfair. Very well, since you seem like you won't be convinced with this kind of explanation… and given that these are to be my final moments, well, I guess there's no harm in telling you the truth. For a very long time now, I have wanted to join the person I loved in death.”

”Eh?”

I issued out a dumb response to her entirely unexpected reply.

”Do you remember the medals I first gave you? One was my [Beast] and the other was [Flame]. The one I'm talking about is the owner of that medal. The [Flame] Demon Lord Amon. He was the first Demon LordPerson I ever loved. Oh, but it was unrequited though. Anyway, I was there when Amon died. I still remember it. I cried then as you are now.”

It was only when she mentioned it that I noticed that tears were flowing in my cheeks.

These tears were the first tears of the Demon Lord known as Procell.

”Back then, I wanted to follow him. But, you see, that person made me promise. To live out my life as a Demon Lord to the very end. It was because I made that promise that I am still alive to this day, that I held on until my proper end comes. And today, that end has finally come.”

”…Marcho, all this while, you wanted to die?”

”I wouldn't put it that way. What I wanted, all this time, is to be with that person. Procell, you've grown splendidly and that has made me finally proud of my life. So, won't you just please send me off with a smile? As my last request to you?”

With her answer of refusal, the distance between our hearts grew.

In my chest, I felt an emotion as strong as the sadness I felt: Anger.

I thought her story and her love was beautiful. I thought it to be noble. But, even so…

”Don't screw with me”

I screamed like so.

”If I were to agree to that, I wouldn't have come here in the first place and challenged those old Demon Lords. I want you to live, Marcho. That is why I came here.”

Those were my true feelings. I knew I was being selfish like a child but I had to say it out loud.

Marcho, with a desolate yet somewhat glad look on her face, then spoke.

”It's already been decided. But, I appreciate that you thought that much.”

I then embraced her.

”Do you remember what you said when I left your dungeon?”

”Why that all of a sudden?”

”You spoke back then about wanting me to embrace you, to etch my very essence into you. Well, I'm going to now.”

”Eeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh? Procell, wait, do you even know what you're saying right now!?”

While within my arms, Marcho was dumbfounded.

”I'm going to make you forget about your former love. So live. I'll make you never again think about reuniting in death with that man. I'm going to make you want to live because of me. I'm going to be the more desirable man.”

What I was saying was absurd. I didn't even understand it all.

Even so, I didn't mind.

In fear of her going someplace else, I continued to hug her.

Marcho seemed troubled at first but soon returned my embrace.

”Haa, geez. You're so selfish. Can you not still last a day without mommy?”

Unable to endure it anymore, laughter escaped from lips.

”I can. You said it yourself, I'm a full-pledge man now. More than that, I'm a man that's courting the woman I love. …Marcho, be mine. I'll make you happy. I'll risk my life for you. Always.”

I vigorously gave her my proposal.