Volume 2 - CH 362

Chapter 8-34. From the Bottom of the Heart

“I adore them.”

These words bring our thoughts to a complete halt.

“…… what did you just …….”

“My feeling towards Humans is that I ‘Love’ them.”

That statement, which was followed up with a ‘I love humans’ reminded us that we had not misheard her.

The question that ran through my mind was, ‘Why?’.

I mean, you know.

If she didn’t hate humankind, she wouldn’t have killed them.

And yet, she loved them, but still killed them?

Besides, I don’t think there is anything hidden in her smile now.

Her smile is natural and different from her previous smiles.

The smile was so beautiful that it might be said that the one who would doubt it would be the devil.

There was no trickery in it.

It was not a skill.

That was her true heart.

“Ah, aaaaaaa. ……”

“!? What’s wrong!!”

Suddenly, Houen begins to shake with his head along with his hands.

The trembling is abnormal and shows no sign of stopping when I grab her by the shoulders with a gasp.

Something seems to be recoiling …….

These symptoms are not something that can be cured with a great heal.

Even restorative water is ineffective against mental health.

It can only dispel fatigue at best.

All I could do for now was rub his back.

“Houen-dono! Ouren-sama, what in the world is happening  ……!”

“I don’t know. ……! Lurimkos, did you do something?”

“No, I didn’t do anything. If you don’t mind, I can fix it for you.”

“……”

“Is that so?”

Honestly, I don’t want to entrust my friends to the devil.

But for now, I’ll trust Lize for now.

Rather than a man, a woman would be better for Houen’s current mental age.

“! What a tremor ……”

“……”

“? Houen, what was that ……?”

“……!　……!”

We don’t know what the hell Houen is saying.

Even Lize, who was closest to him, seemed to be unable to understand.

He shook his head and told us that he couldn’t hear us.

Obviously, there is something wrong with him …….

I wonder what this guy realized when he heard what Lurimkos just said ……?

At any rate, let’s leave Houen to Lize and Alena until he calms down.

I look at Lurimkos again.

“…… you, did you mean what you said earlier?”

“Yes, I did. I love humans from the bottom of my heart.”

“Then …… you also can’t tell us the reason.”

“That’s right.”

“So …… you would kill what you love if necessary for the sake of …… your goal?”

“Yes.”

Without a pause, Lourimkos answered yes.

They have their own reasons.

Even if they have to kill their beloved ones, even if they have to kill their own family members, they have to do it.

Their wills are so determined that it’s almost mind-boggling.

Is it that important?

Perhaps this is not just a matter of …… the devil anymore.

“How long have they been doing this? All of this.”

“Since the beginning Ouren-sama. Just since you were reborn, I thought.”

“…………”

It reminded me of a little bit of the past.

There was something that stuck in my mind.

Again, I was thinking in my head, what is this?

I know that these guys have been doing something since around the time of my reincarnation.

All I know is that Bamil territory and Uchikage’s hometown were attacked by slave traders.

These are the only major incidents I can think of.

………….

………………!

“YOU BASTAAAAAARD!!!”

I stomp my foot heavily and break down the desk with tea and confectionery on it.

I don’t care that the drinks and pastries fly toward me and stain my clothes.

I grab Lourimkos’ chest with both hands as hard as I can.

Then I smash my head against her forehead and look into her eyes.

“The slave traders raid the homeland of Uchikage and the territory of Bamil!　It was these devils who plotted it!”

“You observe it well.”

She was completely unmoved, and I was angry again.

I immediately took my face away from her and threw her as hard as I could, letting my emotions get the better of me.

She had no intention of resisting at all, and she was blown to the wall along with the chair.

Various books, glasses, and other items fell from the chair, making a dry sound.

“Why! WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT!!!”

“Because it is necessary …….”

“YOU FU- ……!”

“Ouren-sama!”

In an instant, Uchikage moved in and grabbed the handle of Kageorochi.

The power of the Oni was no match for me, so I could no longer pull it out.

“Uchikage,…… They’re the enemies of your species……. Alena, they’re enemies of your parents,……!”

“I understand that, but ……!”

“Ouren! Houren is ……!”

Alena’s call made me turn around.

Then, Hoen turned to me and desperately said something.

He’s trembling with empty eyes, but he’s reaching out to me. 

Everyone immediately rushed over to him and put their ears close to his voice so we wouldn’t miss it.

But his voice was really low and very hard to hear.

Due to the clattering of his teeth, his articulation was not very good either.

But I could hear it.

[“The devil is not our enemy” “You mustn’t kill them”]

He said this over and over again.

Perhaps that’s what he was trying to tell us from the beginning.

I finally realized that Atrak may have been trying to tell all of us that the devil was not our enemy.

Those words would never have come out of his mouth if we had already determined that the devil was an enemy.

Then I finally cooled down.

Just what the hell was I doing ……?

I would have thought earlier that what I was doing with this guy here wasn’t going to change anything. ……!

I walked over to where Lurimkos was sitting and held out my hand.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, everything’s fine.”

“You really don’t mean us any harm, do you? You really don’t want to hurt us, now that you didn’t fight back.”

“Yes, I did. But your headbutt was piercing, so I haven’t felt pain in a long time.”

“Are you a masochist or what ……?”

She didn’t seem to understand what that meant, and she tilted her head.

Well, it doesn’t matter.

As soon as I rose her up, Uchikage started to talk to me.

“Ouren-sama. The devil is certainly the ringleader of the attack, but we were beaten by the slave traders. We already avenged our enemy.”

“…… I see.”

“M-, me too,……. But …… now I’m not even sure if the devil is the enemy or not. …… At the time I thought they were enemies,…….”

“If everything you just said is true,…… we have to change our minds,……

“……Yeah, right,…….”

Then Lurimkos lightly waves her finger.

Within the next moment, the desk and the stains on my clothes were completely restored.

Her skill, really is too good.

“…… I know that you really don’t …… have any hostile intentions towards us, ……. I’ll trust you, including the words of Houen.”

“This makes me very happy.”

‘I’m sorry, but can you bring back Houen? I want to know what this guy is on to.”

“Yes.”

I said, and Lurimkos waved her finger lightly again.

Lize, who was actually holding Houen, confirms that his trembling has stopped immediately.

Even the symptoms are treated, or rather destroyed, huh?

She really is too strong.

Houen has been restored to his normal state by the effect of the skill.

Though he is still scurrying around, I guess there is no problem.

I’ll listen to what he has to say.

“Houen, what did you discover?”

“Eh? About what?”

“…… No, you were trembling just now, saying that the devil is not the enemy.

“What did I say?”

“””Hah?”””

“Eh ……?”

We all sounded in unison at Houen’s statement, and Lurimkos revealed for the second time a change of expression.