Demon Lord, Does Even a Crap Game Have an Ending? - Chapter 6

“Arrr….”

 

“Um, could you switch seats with me?”

 

Liheros drove the carriage from the front seat, while I, the baby Lupusnis, and the shaggy-haired man sat in the back compartment. The Lupusnis, who had been whimpering earlier, recovered about 300 HP out of its total 500 after being given an HP potion. Although its HP couldn’t be filled beyond two-thirds due to the ‘Fracture’ status effect, it seemed to have regained its vigor, as it was now nipping at the shaggy-haired man. In truth, even though it was just a baby and posed no threat, the man seemed timid and was shrinking further into the corner.

 

“Just bear with it a little longer. It looks like we’ll be stopping soon.”

 

“Yes….”

 

“Speaking of which, what’s your name?”

 

“I’m Riki. And are you an Elf, sir?”

 

“Acris.”

 

He must have thought I was an Elf, seeing as I used a bow as my weapon and had pointed ears. Such narrow-minded humans. I didn’t bother to correct him. According to Aliento lore, demons and elves were, in a way, derived from the same species a very long time ago, so wouldn’t there be at least one Elf within the Demon King’s bloodline? Therefore, from now on, if anyone asks, I’ll just say I’m an Elf.

 

After exchanging names, the carriage stopped with the sound of horses whinnying. Liheros turned around and spoke to the back compartment.

 

“It looks like the sun will set soon, so it’s best to camp nearby.”

 

“Let’s do that. Everyone out.”

 

Liheros bent down and entered the back compartment.

 

“Lumi, come here.”

 

“Wang!”

 

As if it had been waiting, the baby Lupusnis approached Liheros, dragging its limping leg. I thought it would be completely devoid of any delicacy, but the way Liheros carefully held it, ensuring its injured leg wasn’t pressed, was quite unfamiliar. Skillful, perhaps… No, what? Lumi?

 

“You even gave it a name in the meantime?”

 

“Yeah, I can’t keep calling it ‘baby Lupusnis’ forever.”

 

When I gently scratched the top of baby Lupusnis… Lumi’s head with my finger, it purred contentedly. We got off, completely absorbed in our own little world. I watched them, dumbfounded, while Riki remained on the carriage, staring at me.

 

“What are you looking at? Want me to carry you too?”

 

“No! The rope is short, so Acris-nim should get off first. And it feels like I should be the one carrying Acris-nim.”

 

“….”

 

It was absurd. Who was supposed to carry whom? Was this the treatment I got for getting into a scuffle once in the dungeon? I felt frustrated, unable to shout back and ask if he knew who I was. I jumped off the carriage, holding the rope, regardless of whether Riki followed. A clatter sounded from behind.

 

＊＊＊

 

We found a spot to camp a little way off the road, in the woods, and set down our luggage. Liheros and I gathered dry branches and started a fire, while Lumi lay on the rope Riki had laid out, to prevent him from running away. It was clever, as expected of a Lupusnis. Before the sun completely set, we spread out the map to decide the route to our destination and spent time organizing our spoils. I felt pleased at the thought that, aside from unavoidable camps like today, we could lie down in proper inns instead of being bothered by insects.

 

‘I want to lie on a fluffy bed soon.’

 

For regular NPCs, you could see their HP gradually recovering when they entered sleep mode. It wasn’t a visible UI, but you could tell by their complexion, or something like that. Being able to perceive such things felt disconnected from reality. For me, ever since I entered this body, I hadn’t been able to sleep. Even when awake, my HP recovered quickly, and my condition never dropped just because I wasn’t sleeping. When I tried to sleep, there were no particular dreams, just a feeling of being powered down, which made me feel distant from reality due to a strange sense of detachment. I decided to stay awake to remember my full senses before returning to reality.

 

‘Still, it’s boring to be awake alone at night.’

 

There were no portable game consoles or smartphones in this world, so all I could do was count the stars and spend the entire night awake. Liheros wanted me to get some rest, but I adamantly refused. One day, we agreed to take turns keeping watch, and he stayed up all night. The next day, he was clearly exhausted, so I told him to just sleep. Looking at him like this, he really seemed like a person, not just game data.

 

‘Could it be that this isn’t a game world, but the real world?’

 

Since I couldn’t sleep, strange thoughts kept piling up.

 

‘…Nim….’

 

I was lost in thought, but the sound was so faint, I thought it was the wind rustling through the trees. However, when the silence fell without a single gust of wind, I finally heard it clearly.

 

‘Master?’

 

I wondered why this voice sounded familiar, lingering in my mind, and then I realized. It was Phero’s voice. Why was he here without me calling him?

 

‘What’s wrong?’

 

‘You haven’t contacted me all day, so I came to check.’

 

‘You came! Does that mean you’re nearby?’

 

‘Yes!’

 

With the booming reply echoing in my mind, I squeezed my eyes shut. It was useless, as he wasn’t speaking directly into my ear, even if I tried to cover them. I rubbed my throbbing temples and got up. It would be better to meet and talk quietly rather than have a one-sided conversation at full volume.

 

‘Alright. I’ll head your way.’

 

I confirmed that Liheros, Lumi beside him, and Riki, who was whimpering as if having a nightmare, were all soundly asleep, and then left the campsite.

 

‘He should be around here somewhere.’

 

Phero said he was a part of my body, so I could vaguely sense where he was. As I looked around, a voice called out, “Master!” from above. I looked up to see Phero flapping his wings on a tree branch, trying to make his presence known.

 

“Master, have you been well?”

 

“This is sudden. Why the formal tone?”

 

“Well, there’s something I need to discuss with you in a more official capacity.”

 

“Official talk? What kind?”

 

“The Demon Legion is awaiting the Demon King’s orders.”

 

‘Right. I’m the Demon King.’

 

I hadn’t even considered the status that came with being the Demon King. The Demon King didn’t command legions and was wandering around, so the subordinates must have been getting restless. I was so focused on escaping the castle on the first day that I didn’t even think about the Demon King’s duties.

 

“That, sigh… I was planning to return soon anyway.”

 

“Really?”

 

Phero’s voice brightened considerably, and he grinned, revealing his fangs. It was the same smile he had shown when I first woke up. I chuckled at his innocent, childlike demeanor.

 

“That’s great! Then you’ll return right away.”

 

─Rustle

 

I quickly turned towards the direction of the sound. There shouldn’t be anyone moving around in the darkness without light, so I assumed it was either a beast or a monster, but judging by the shape of the shadow, it was a person. I narrowed my eyes further, trying to make out the figure in the darkness.

 

“Li… Heros?”

 

My heart sank. He shouldn’t be here. He looked as bewildered as I was, wondering why I was here. As the clouds drifted across the full moon along the stars’ orbits, moonlight filtered through the leaves. Liheros, walking along the path the moon had laid, shone as if the night itself was irrelevant. Had my eyes gone strange? Or protagonist’s buff?

 

“Acris?”

 

“Uh… yeah, it’s me.”

 

…This wasn’t the time to get sentimental. He might have overheard our conversation. I desperately hoped he hadn’t.

 

“Who were you talking to? I heard voices.”

 

“No way. Aren’t you mistaken for the sound of pigeons?”

 

“Is that so….”

 

‘He didn’t hear, did he? Phero must be well hidden.’

 

Fortunately, it seemed he couldn’t see me from above in the dark branches. Liheros had a longsword sheathed at his hip. The thought of him drawing that sword and cutting me down without hesitation, accusing me of deceiving him, replayed in my mind, making me break out in a cold sweat. Based on the past few days, Liheros’s swordsmanship was arguably the best in Aliento. It wasn’t just pure strength; his agility, which seemed impossible for his build, and his lightning-fast movements were characteristic.

 

‘Even though it’s far in the future, having to fight such a monster… just thinking about it makes my legs tremble.’

 

“There seems to be something around here.”

 

“A monster?”

 

“I don’t know about that, but I felt like something was watching us. And then you disappeared too.”

 

Could he have sensed Phero’s presence? I pretended to look around, glancing up at the tree. Phero, sensing Liheros’s power, was trembling with fear. I needed to lure him away quickly so Phero could escape.

 

“Really? Just in case, we should scout the area.”

 

“Yeah, it could be dangerous, so let’s go together.”

 

A reconnaissance mission by two people who were farthest from danger. For me, it was safer to be alone, as I could use my skills freely without Liheros around. Perhaps influenced by Riki’s dismissal earlier, I felt inexplicably annoyed that he didn’t understand my feelings.

 

“I can protect myself.”

 

“Ah….”

 

Liheros just gave an awkward smile. Without delay, I hurried away, and he followed immediately. He seemed lost in thought, his strides uneven and sometimes slowing down. I needed to get away quickly so Phero could escape, and feeling frustrated, I turned back and spoke to Liheros.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“…I was truly afraid you would get hurt back then.”

 

“Ah….”

 

Was he still thinking about the kitchen incident? It made sense. It must have been a shock for a novice adventurer, who had only just received the title of officially recognized hero, to enter a formal dungeon for the first time with such a bizarre setting, visuals, and a companion’s injury.

 

“Perhaps I’m not worthy of the title of hero yet?”

 

“Hmm….”

 

Meta-cognitively speaking, you were destined to be a hero from birth, so you shouldn’t worry about this. Then again, thinking about it, a hero’s growth often begins with such worries and the desire to protect those around them, which is indeed a ‘heroic’ awakening. It wouldn’t be bad for an ally by the hero’s side to offer encouragement and comfort at this point. Even if that ally happened to be the Demon King.

 

“Liheros, I think… Huh?!”

 

─Thump!

 

─Rustle

 

A black shape shot out from the bushes. Seeing it fly far into the sky, it was just a wild pigeon. More than being surprised by something jumping out, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I was surprised by Liheros, who immediately threw himself forward without hesitation. I was pushed towards a tree and hit my back hard, pinned against it so I couldn’t bounce off, effectively being crushed between the tree and his chest. It was the same spot I’d bumped into in the morning, so I gasped, rubbing my back.

 

“What are you….”

 

He seemed oblivious to my words; his brow furrowed in concentration as he scanned his surroundings. I could only stare blankly at him, trying to figure out what was making him so uneasy.

 

‘But….’

 

Hidden behind his clumsy facade was a face that could be called handsome. Under the blue moonlight, the shadows accentuated his facial contours, and his flawless skin seemed to glow. His arched eyebrows and long, almond-shaped eyes had double eyelids, giving them a not-too-sharp look. The irises of those eyes were so clear and pure, they resembled aquamarines. His lips were neither too full nor too thin, and the corners of his mouth always seemed slightly upturned, as if in a smile, contributing to his appealing appearance. Even looking up from below, his face was perfect, without a single flaw.

 

‘Game characters are pretty good, aren’t they?’

 

Realizing I had been staring at his face in such detail, I felt embarrassed, and my face flushed. His eyes slowly moved, finally meeting mine. They reflected my flushed face.

 

“Acris…”

 

“Uh… yeah?”

 

His pupils seemed to tremble slightly. There was an unsettling quality to them, but his gaze was irresistibly deep and pleading.

 

“We need to go back to our campsite.”

 

“What?”

 

“I have a bad feeling.”

 

My mind, which had been lost in his face, snapped back to attention. The forest air felt strange. I sensed a chaotic movement.

 

Liheros grabbed my hand and immediately ran towards the campsite. Only then did I understand the ‘feeling’ he had mentioned. An indescribable sense of unease, a phantom image of a faint smell of blood flashed before my eyes. I hoped our fears were unfounded, but the sky, indifferent to our wishes, did not grant them.

 

“Huff… huff….”

 

Arriving at the campsite, gasping for breath, was a scene so devastating that no words could describe it. The campfire, made of neatly gathered dry branches, was wildly disturbed, and the bags containing our spoils were torn, half of them seemingly stolen. But the bigger problem was elsewhere.

 

Riki and Lumi, who should have been sleeping there, were gone.