Belled even forgot to breathe for a moment.
In the past, most of the countless deaths he had seen with his mind’s eye were due to magical power issues.
The appearances of demons that had turned into monsters due to lack of magical power and then died. Since the magical power issue could not be resolved before Beryl supplied magical power, those were unstoppable deaths.
“...”
But now it was different.
He tightened his grip. Since it wasn’t a magical power issue, he could change it.
No, he had to change it.
His head became colder than ever.
The ‘last’ seen with his mind’s eye wasn’t necessarily ‘death’.
Since the most intense last is usually death, it was often seen, but it could also be the end of a state.
At least when he looked at the future of a human, there were cases where a happy wedding ceremony was the last scene.
It meant ‘the last of being alone’.
Woof.
He saw Beryl’s last once again.
Whoosh.
The image of her being stabbed by a sword was clearly imprinted on his brain. That sight was death to anyone.
He bit his lip.
If there was a way to avoid the future he saw with his mind’s eye...
First, avoid going to that place, or entering that place in a stronger state than the present and escape the threat. Some might say that it would be okay if someone else took care of it, but that was not a sure solution.
Belled knew because he had seen countless endings.
And he had no intention of playing with the probability of Beryl’s future.
“There must be a sure way.”
He thought.
What should I do...
It was when he clenched his teeth.
Crack.
He must have unconsciously grabbed the bedsheet next to Beryl’s bed.
“...Beled?”
His eyes met Beryl’s, who had opened her eyes slightly before he knew it. When she, who looked slightly sleepy, opened her eyes wide at his face, Belled realized belatedly.
That he had failed to control his expression.
“I... was I asleep for a long time?”
He placed a soft pillow behind Beryl’s back as she rubbed her eyes and got up. He shook his head.
“No, not at all.”
Sleep more. Even though he said that Beryl seemed to have already woken up.
It was clear that she had seen the cold expression on his face.
“What’s wrong?”
When he finally asked, Belled briefly closed his eyes and opened them.
Wow!
His eyes once again shone with a deep light. Her last words were still the same.
“... Belled?”
Only after Beryl called him again did he come to his senses.
“Your future.”
His voice was cut off as he was about to answer.
“Yes?”
“Your...”
He narrowed his eyes. Then he let out a short breath and said,
“I saw death.”
At those words, Beryl felt as if even the sleep she had left had disappeared.
In an instant, she felt a cold sweat run down her back. Beryl opened her mouth slightly.
“What...?”
“At the altar...”
Belled opened his mouth.
Since she was already worried, he knew that hiding something would only make her worry more.
Beryl, who had heard his story, slowly closed her eyes.
“You were stabbed by a sword...”
Belled couldn’t bring himself to say that at that location, she would die instantly.
“Yes.”
Beryl let out a short sigh when he answered with a strained voice.
“Didn’t you see who it was?”
If only he knew who was swinging the sword, he would have been able to avoid it. But Belled shook his head.
“I didn’t see it clearly.”
In short, he couldn’t identify the culprit.
Then, if he killed all the humans gathered there, would you be able to live?
Even if he couldn’t perform the opening ceremony.
Even if all the demons died waiting for the chance to return at any moment?
It was true that he had such thoughts.
However, if he saved Beryl like that, she would end up alone.
His lips twisted.
Even if he saves her, he doesn’t want her to live like she's enduring in a place where he's not there, where the things she cherishes are not there.
Because he could guess what she would think and how hard it would be for her, who was so afraid of being left alone.
“You know the future, so you can change it.”
He narrowed his eyes as he looked at Beryl, who was comforting him.
She seemed used to enduring her pain and speaking for others.
It would be better if she were a little more selfish. He would be okay if she moved only for her happiness.
That would be his happiness.
“Belled said that. The end that you see with your mind’s eye is not necessarily set.”
Belled nodded at that.
“Yes, but. There’s... not much time.”
There were only two weeks left until the opening ceremony.
“Beryl, if you’re not there, or if you’re not there, you have to have enough strength or resilience to not be threatened by them within two weeks.”
If she hadn’t been there, the opening ceremony itself wouldn’t have proceeded, so it would be impossible, and if there was a way to become stronger, humans wouldn’t have tried so hard to become stronger.
It was when he clenched his teeth again.
Beryl looked at him and said.
“There is a way.”
Belled looked at her. He couldn’t help but ask, even though he knew what Beryl was going to say.
“What?”
“If I become a demon...”
“Beryl.”
The words came out firmly as if she was trying to stop him.
“If I drink the water of the fountain of desire, I can become a demon.”
It was the closest and easiest way to obtain physical abilities and resilience that surpassed those of humans.
But Belled shook his head.
“You have too much to lose, Beryl.”
She wouldn’t receive even the most basic kindness from any human, and she would only receive unconditional hostility.
Above all, it would be painful. For a human to have a demonic body, they had to endure unimaginable pain.
“Is it more precious than life?”
Beryl didn’t waver even when she said that.
“That is...”
Belled closed his eyes, momentarily speechless.
“It’s not like we have time to prepare another method.”
Every word she said was correct.
But somehow.
Even if he had to force open the gates of hell.
If there was a way, he wanted to avoid her becoming a demon.
‘...’
The first day the devil story came up, he saw her tremble.
He knew she wasn’t ready to be hated yet.
She didn’t want her to have to prepare herself for that.
“I want to object, Beryl.”
Really. He said in a longing voice as if whispering.
He wanted to tear apart all the thoughts he had had on that foolish day, the day he had first met her. He wondered if he had made it seem like becoming a devil was a good idea for her.
“There were times when I thought that a curse didn’t seem like a curse. But it wasn’t, Beryl.”
He said, cupping Beryl’s cheek with both hands.
“That thought was all wrong. It was a deception of someone who had suffered. I had forgotten how painful the past was.”
He kissed Beryl’s beautiful forehead and whispered again.
“If you walk that path, I will.”
A long-forgotten memory came to mind. The pain that a human had to endure to become a devil, the memory of that day when he couldn’t hold back a scream even though he had scratched the floor until his fingertips bled.
When he closed his eyes.
“Belled.”
Beryl covered his face with both hands.
“Of course, I’m scared of being hated. And the pain... I don’t know how much it hurts, but I’m scared. But.”
Her fingertips were shaking a little, but her voice was firm.
“No matter what the outcome, it’s the result of my choice. Above all, one thing is certain.”
This time, she kissed Belled’s forehead. Then she smiled faintly.
“Belled will be by my side.”
For a very long time. The time they’ve spent together so far has felt like a fleeting moment.
If she could be with her.
“I haven’t gained much as a human.”
If the attitude of the priests who treated her hypocritically as a stepping stone to heaven was the kindness she could receive as a human, it would be better if she didn’t have anything.
“So if I become a devil, I can only enjoy happiness for a longer time.”
Of course, she would have to overcome the pain he mentioned.
Belled looked at Beryl quietly at those words.
“...It won’t be easy.”
There were so many people with desires that it was hard to resist. Among them, many didn’t care what price they had to pay.
However, in the end, the number of demons was not that many.
More people died trying to become demons than those who became enemies of humans and died. They couldn’t overcome that pain and just passed away.
“I just need to get you, Belled.”
Beryl repeated. Belled couldn’t nod his head even after hearing those exciting words.
Their eyes met for a long time.
“...Don’t you want to be happy with me for a long time?”
“I want to.”
Belled’s answer came right away.
“That’s why I’m becoming a demon.”
He knew. He knew. Even though he knew, he wanted to oppose it.
When he was about to say that, Beryl said.
“If this continues, I’ll either die during the opening ceremony, or the gates of hell won’t open and the demons will die.”
In the end, he’ll leave her too.
Then she’ll be left here alone.
Beryl’s lips were tightly shut. Then she opened her mouth.
“Do you wish for me to be happy next to someone else?”
Belled clenched his fists at those words.
In the past, most of the countless deaths he had seen with his mind’s eye were due to magical power issues.
The appearances of demons that had turned into monsters due to lack of magical power and then died. Since the magical power issue could not be resolved before Beryl supplied magical power, those were unstoppable deaths.
“...”
But now it was different.
He tightened his grip. Since it wasn’t a magical power issue, he could change it.
No, he had to change it.
His head became colder than ever.
The ‘last’ seen with his mind’s eye wasn’t necessarily ‘death’.
Since the most intense last is usually death, it was often seen, but it could also be the end of a state.
At least when he looked at the future of a human, there were cases where a happy wedding ceremony was the last scene.
It meant ‘the last of being alone’.
Woof.
He saw Beryl’s last once again.
Whoosh.
The image of her being stabbed by a sword was clearly imprinted on his brain. That sight was death to anyone.
He bit his lip.
If there was a way to avoid the future he saw with his mind’s eye...
First, avoid going to that place, or entering that place in a stronger state than the present and escape the threat. Some might say that it would be okay if someone else took care of it, but that was not a sure solution.
Belled knew because he had seen countless endings.
And he had no intention of playing with the probability of Beryl’s future.
“There must be a sure way.”
He thought.
What should I do...
It was when he clenched his teeth.
Crack.
He must have unconsciously grabbed the bedsheet next to Beryl’s bed.
“...Beled?”
His eyes met Beryl’s, who had opened her eyes slightly before he knew it. When she, who looked slightly sleepy, opened her eyes wide at his face, Belled realized belatedly.
That he had failed to control his expression.
“I... was I asleep for a long time?”
He placed a soft pillow behind Beryl’s back as she rubbed her eyes and got up. He shook his head.
“No, not at all.”
Sleep more. Even though he said that Beryl seemed to have already woken up.
It was clear that she had seen the cold expression on his face.
“What’s wrong?”
When he finally asked, Belled briefly closed his eyes and opened them.
Wow!
His eyes once again shone with a deep light. Her last words were still the same.
“... Belled?”
Only after Beryl called him again did he come to his senses.
“Your future.”
His voice was cut off as he was about to answer.
“Yes?”
“Your...”
He narrowed his eyes. Then he let out a short breath and said,
“I saw death.”
At those words, Beryl felt as if even the sleep she had left had disappeared.
In an instant, she felt a cold sweat run down her back. Beryl opened her mouth slightly.
“What...?”
“At the altar...”
Belled opened his mouth.
Since she was already worried, he knew that hiding something would only make her worry more.
Beryl, who had heard his story, slowly closed her eyes.
“You were stabbed by a sword...”
Belled couldn’t bring himself to say that at that location, she would die instantly.
“Yes.”
Beryl let out a short sigh when he answered with a strained voice.
“Didn’t you see who it was?”
If only he knew who was swinging the sword, he would have been able to avoid it. But Belled shook his head.
“I didn’t see it clearly.”
In short, he couldn’t identify the culprit.
Then, if he killed all the humans gathered there, would you be able to live?
Even if he couldn’t perform the opening ceremony.
Even if all the demons died waiting for the chance to return at any moment?
It was true that he had such thoughts.
However, if he saved Beryl like that, she would end up alone.
His lips twisted.
Even if he saves her, he doesn’t want her to live like she's enduring in a place where he's not there, where the things she cherishes are not there.
Because he could guess what she would think and how hard it would be for her, who was so afraid of being left alone.
“You know the future, so you can change it.”
He narrowed his eyes as he looked at Beryl, who was comforting him.
She seemed used to enduring her pain and speaking for others.
It would be better if she were a little more selfish. He would be okay if she moved only for her happiness.
That would be his happiness.
“Belled said that. The end that you see with your mind’s eye is not necessarily set.”
Belled nodded at that.
“Yes, but. There’s... not much time.”
There were only two weeks left until the opening ceremony.
“Beryl, if you’re not there, or if you’re not there, you have to have enough strength or resilience to not be threatened by them within two weeks.”
If she hadn’t been there, the opening ceremony itself wouldn’t have proceeded, so it would be impossible, and if there was a way to become stronger, humans wouldn’t have tried so hard to become stronger.
It was when he clenched his teeth again.
Beryl looked at him and said.
“There is a way.”
Belled looked at her. He couldn’t help but ask, even though he knew what Beryl was going to say.
“What?”
“If I become a demon...”
“Beryl.”
The words came out firmly as if she was trying to stop him.
“If I drink the water of the fountain of desire, I can become a demon.”
It was the closest and easiest way to obtain physical abilities and resilience that surpassed those of humans.
But Belled shook his head.
“You have too much to lose, Beryl.”
She wouldn’t receive even the most basic kindness from any human, and she would only receive unconditional hostility.
Above all, it would be painful. For a human to have a demonic body, they had to endure unimaginable pain.
“Is it more precious than life?”
Beryl didn’t waver even when she said that.
“That is...”
Belled closed his eyes, momentarily speechless.
“It’s not like we have time to prepare another method.”
Every word she said was correct.
But somehow.
Even if he had to force open the gates of hell.
If there was a way, he wanted to avoid her becoming a demon.
‘...’
The first day the devil story came up, he saw her tremble.
He knew she wasn’t ready to be hated yet.
She didn’t want her to have to prepare herself for that.
“I want to object, Beryl.”
Really. He said in a longing voice as if whispering.
He wanted to tear apart all the thoughts he had had on that foolish day, the day he had first met her. He wondered if he had made it seem like becoming a devil was a good idea for her.
“There were times when I thought that a curse didn’t seem like a curse. But it wasn’t, Beryl.”
He said, cupping Beryl’s cheek with both hands.
“That thought was all wrong. It was a deception of someone who had suffered. I had forgotten how painful the past was.”
He kissed Beryl’s beautiful forehead and whispered again.
“If you walk that path, I will.”
A long-forgotten memory came to mind. The pain that a human had to endure to become a devil, the memory of that day when he couldn’t hold back a scream even though he had scratched the floor until his fingertips bled.
When he closed his eyes.
“Belled.”
Beryl covered his face with both hands.
“Of course, I’m scared of being hated. And the pain... I don’t know how much it hurts, but I’m scared. But.”
Her fingertips were shaking a little, but her voice was firm.
“No matter what the outcome, it’s the result of my choice. Above all, one thing is certain.”
This time, she kissed Belled’s forehead. Then she smiled faintly.
“Belled will be by my side.”
For a very long time. The time they’ve spent together so far has felt like a fleeting moment.
If she could be with her.
“I haven’t gained much as a human.”
If the attitude of the priests who treated her hypocritically as a stepping stone to heaven was the kindness she could receive as a human, it would be better if she didn’t have anything.
“So if I become a devil, I can only enjoy happiness for a longer time.”
Of course, she would have to overcome the pain he mentioned.
Belled looked at Beryl quietly at those words.
“...It won’t be easy.”
There were so many people with desires that it was hard to resist. Among them, many didn’t care what price they had to pay.
However, in the end, the number of demons was not that many.
More people died trying to become demons than those who became enemies of humans and died. They couldn’t overcome that pain and just passed away.
“I just need to get you, Belled.”
Beryl repeated. Belled couldn’t nod his head even after hearing those exciting words.
Their eyes met for a long time.
“...Don’t you want to be happy with me for a long time?”
“I want to.”
Belled’s answer came right away.
“That’s why I’m becoming a demon.”
He knew. He knew. Even though he knew, he wanted to oppose it.
When he was about to say that, Beryl said.
“If this continues, I’ll either die during the opening ceremony, or the gates of hell won’t open and the demons will die.”
In the end, he’ll leave her too.
Then she’ll be left here alone.
Beryl’s lips were tightly shut. Then she opened her mouth.
“Do you wish for me to be happy next to someone else?”
Belled clenched his fists at those words.
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