Extra in a Romance Fantasy

193 – King (5)

A reunion after hundreds of years.

What that meant, I didn’t need to ask or have explained to me.

The man’s face, his demeanor, spoke volumes.

“…….”

I swallowed hard as I looked at him.

From the moment the man revealed himself outside the ‘door,’ I had poured my heart and soul into understanding him.

However, despite my efforts, I couldn’t grasp him.

No matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I strained my senses.

I couldn’t even gauge the extent of his power.

Yet, despite that, I felt a certainty.

A certainty that the man before me was the strongest being I had ever encountered.

I hadn’t even fought him yet, but I knew.

Even the continent’s mightiest warrior, the Sword Master, would be nothing more than a firefly in the presence of this man.

That’s how absurdly powerful he was.

And now, I had to fight such an absurd monster.

“…….”

I had known this would happen long before.

That the man and I would end up fighting.

From the very beginning.

From the moment he appeared before my eyes, from the moment I stepped into this world.

So, there was no surprise.

Only.

“…What is your purpose? Is it still to bring about the destruction of humanity?”

Instead of gripping my sword, I asked him.

I had no other intention.

I was simply, purely curious.

“Hmm?”

At my question, the man showed a momentary expression of confusion.

“Right. That’s exactly what I mean.”

Soon after, he lightly nodded his head.

In response so light, I couldn’t help but ask again.

“…Why is that?”

I pressed on.

“…I don’t sense much of that will from you.”

Even while discussing the extinction of humanity, I didn’t feel any particularly negative emotions toward humanity from the man.

No, beyond that, he seemed to have no thoughts on the matter at all.

I didn’t think it was a simple misunderstanding.

My intuition was telling me the same.

“Oh.”

At my inquiry, the man looked at me with an expression of interest.

“Just as you said. Ferdion.”

He nodded with a calm face.

“I don’t really think I want to destroy humanity.”

With a voice utterly serene, the man said that.

“…Then why are you so intent on eradicating humanity?”

At his calm response, I immediately asked him again.

If he didn’t particularly want to destroy humanity, then why was he trying to do so?

To my question, the man slowly shifted his gaze to the still prostrated cult leader and spoke.

“Because that’s the condition of the contract.”

In that gaze, in that composed voice, a single hypothesis flashed in my mind.

And I voiced that hypothesis.

“…The cult leader is a ‘Connected One,’ isn’t he?”

“Oh.”

The interest in the man’s eyes deepened.

Seeing that reaction, I sensed it.

That my hypothesis was not wrong.

Once upon a time, there were striking similarities between the empire that was destroyed by demons and the current situation.

So much so that it could not simply be dismissed as coincidence.

If one assumes that the leader is the ‘Connected One,’ all of this becomes understandable.

Not only that, but even other aspects as well.

“Indeed, was the prohibition placed for such a reason?”

Cheryl had said.

Even the transcendent beings, the ‘demons,’ with powers akin to gods, have their own restrictions.

In order for them to interfere in another world, they must pay a considerable price.

From that perspective, imposing a prohibition on all of humanity, on the world itself, would originally require a significant cost.

Perhaps even for demons with boundless power, it would not be an easy task.

Yet, the man had indeed placed a prohibition on this world.

He concealed the death of Ferdion and ensured that none of those living in this world could take an interest in the source of the monsters.

If one assumes that the leader is the ‘Connected One,’ that part can also be resolved.

If the leader had devoted his soul to the man, and through him, the man had devoured a part of the source, then it would not have been difficult for the man to impose a prohibition on this world.

“Was that intention… to open the ‘Gate’ once more?”

I then speculated about that intention.

In response, the man simply smiled without saying a word, but I understood.

It was a signal of affirmation.

“…So it is.”

I slowly nodded my head.

At the same time, I felt that the man’s choice was justified.

If the man had not imposed the prohibition, the ‘Gate’ would not have opened again, and he would not have set foot in this world once more.

No, the very existence of the cult would have been difficult to establish in the first place.

Even if they somehow managed to create the cult, it would have been hard to grow their influence.

The moment even a hint of their purpose or existence leaked out, all the forces of the continent would have relentlessly pursued the cult and its leader, thoroughly obliterating them.

From that perspective, the man’s choice to impose a prohibition on the world was entirely appropriate.

Thus, while many of the questions I had were resolved,

there remained one lingering question.

“……”

I slowly shifted my gaze to look at the leader.

A long time ago, the man who brought down the empire sought revenge against it.

To the emperor who had destroyed everything he held dear, to the citizens of the empire who had harmed his loved ones, he sold his soul to the devil.

But then, why does the cult leader wish to annihilate humanity?

What story lies behind the cult leader?

I found myself a bit curious about that.

However.

“I hope we can start soon.”

The man allowed no further questions.

His expression still wore a smile, but I could sense a resolute will behind that laughter.

The man’s eyes spoke. No more than this.

In response, I took a deep breath to steady my mind.

I then turned my head to look at Beluid and Ethan and said,

“Please take the others and evacuate.”

To escape this place.

“…….”

“…….”

They stared at me silently for a while.

“…Understood.”

Beluid nodded heavily.

“…Tch.”

Ethan made a face of discontent but nodded reluctantly.

He too must have known that staying here would not be of any help.

“…Do we not need to exchange farewells?”

At that moment, Beluid suddenly asked me.

“…….”

At his question, I turned my gaze to the familiar faces within Beluid’s protective barrier.

Familiar faces looking at this place with questioning eyes.

The male leads from the novel, including Alexis.

Rachel, Ira, and even Mary.

As I gazed into their eyes, filled with a mix of emotions.

“…It’s okay.”

I slowly shook my head.

“…I see.”

Beluid stared at me with a complex expression, then slowly nodded and began to turn away.

“…I’m sorry. I’ve put such a heavy burden on you alone.”

He offered his apology in a heavy voice.

“Let’s talk about that later, after everything is over.”

I returned my response to him without meeting his gaze, in light of his somewhat sudden apology.

“…I understand.”

Hearing my answer, Beluid nodded heavily and soon began to draw upon his magical power.

And then, shortly after, he and Ethan began to rise into the air.

Along with the barrier he had created.

It seemed he was planning to escape this place using flight magic.

Under normal circumstances, until just a moment ago, escaping this place with flight magic would have been impossible, but now that the ‘gate’ had fully opened, the boundary surrounding the crater had vanished, making it a feasible option.

Thus, I quietly watched as my companions began to ascend slowly.

“────!”

“──────!”

Whether they understood what was happening or not, the companions inside the barrier were reacting urgently.

Some were shouting something while looking this way, and others were even pounding on the barrier with their hands.

However, their cries, their voices did not reach me.

It was because Beluid’s barrier completely blocked their voices.

I felt relieved that I couldn’t hear them.

Even if I had heard their voices, it wouldn’t have changed my mind, but it would have stirred my emotions a little.

Thinking that, I continued to watch my ascending companions in silence.

Before long, the speed of their ascent quickened.

I realized that the time to part ways had come.

And then it happened.

“Hey.”

A rough voice reached my ears.

Looking in the direction of the voice, I saw Ethan staring at me with sharp eyes.

“…Don’t die.”

With an unusually serious expression, Ethan said that.

At his words, before I could respond in any way.

Swoosh─!

The group soared into the sky, drifting away from me.

I stood still, watching the diminishing figures of my companions.

How much time passed in that state, I wondered.

Not long after, when their forms had completely vanished from sight.

“Have you said your goodbyes?”

A voice, now feeling almost familiar, reached my ears.

Turning my gaze, I saw the face of a man still looking at me with a smile.

Seeing that face, I slowly gripped my sword.

“Well then, let’s begin.”

At last, the fight began.