I left the Research Institute, leaving the rest in the Director’s hands.
As I walked away, Gwen’s voice rose in a grief-stricken wail, but unfortunately, there was little I could do for her. The most I could do was pray that she somehow managed to keep her sanity. Beyond that, I had no choice but to trust the Director’s judgment.
When I returned to the Audience Chamber of the Royal Castle, I fixed my gaze upon the crystal positioned beside the throne.
Floating within it were the remains of that special someone. It was a sight that had remained unchanged since the day I first sealed them away. No matter how much power I obtained, I would never be able to grant her resurrection.
The Keepsake Sword leaned against the crystal. I picked it up in silence, the grip feeling familiar in my hand. It had once been the Hero’s beloved sword; now, it was the Demon King’s murder weapon.
This blade had struck down countless demons in the past, yet it had now become a weapon for slaughtering heroes. However, in both instances, it had been wielded for the sake of world peace. That was the one thing that remained constant.
Not only that person, but I myself had taken up the sword for the sake of peace. I could swear without a shadow of a doubt that this was no lie.
This time was no different. Though the circumstances had changed slightly, I was still fighting for the world. My opponent had simply shifted from a hero to a beast.
(To think that I, the one who ignited this invasion war, would be the one rising up to slaughter invaders from the outside...)
I felt a bitter smile tugging at my lips as I considered the current state of affairs. It was a truly ironic situation. There were times when I lost sight of my own identity, but I knew no clear answer would ever present itself.
One thing was certain: the path I had to take. The way forward had been laid out before me, and all that remained was to run toward the end.
Just recently, I had made an unexpected discovery regarding John Doe, who had self-destructed within the mental world. I had absorbed his memories and peered into them.
Within them, a world I never knew stretched out before me. No monsters or demons existed there, and its technology was far more advanced than our own. It was a world blessed with abundant resources. While some nations appeared poor, it was only to a degree that could have been remedied through the support of other nations.
Yet, in that world, humans waged ugly conflicts against one another. They slaughtered each other endlessly over their respective interests. They turned their high technological prowess toward weapon development and carried out horrific slaughter.
Having learned that fact, my conviction was renewed.
To realize true world peace, a Great Evil is a necessity. A common enemy is the very foundation upon which people join hands.
The Beasts of the Outside World were eyesores that brought only unnecessary chaos. I needed them to disappear immediately.
After all, I alone am all the evil this world requires.
It seemed the beasts viewed me as nothing more than the finest quality of prey. I would have to teach them which of us was truly the one being hunted.