In the uncanny silence of the moonlit church, Fia-sensei and I stood facing each other.
After a long period of quiet, she finally spoke.
"Miyama-kun. You’ve been wondering ever since you saw Hikari and me this afternoon, haven’t you? You were wondering why we were both so shaken..."
"You noticed?"
"Yes. Or rather, you’re just not the type of person who can hide things. It's written all over your face, so it was very easy to tell."
"..."
Why did that feel so familiar? Perhaps it was because I’d been told something similar once before... As Fia-sensei wore a gentle, bitter grin, Kuro’s smile seemed to overlap with her face for a fleeting moment.
I’d sensed it for a while now. I always found her strangely easy to talk to, and the reason was likely because Fia-sensei was so much like Kuro.
It wasn't their physical appearance, but rather the atmosphere they carried. Perhaps that was why I simply couldn't accept the word "sin" when it came from her lips.
"When I saw your reaction earlier, I realized it would be impossible to keep it from you... No, that's not it. I realized that continuing to deceive you would be too painful, Miyama-kun."
"What...?"
"I haven’t been able to say this until now, but... thank you, Miyama-kun. Thank you for saving Chrome-sama. You achieved what I never could..."
"Then, as I thought... you really are Kuro’s family, Fia-sensei?"
The words of gratitude confirmed it. I’d suspected as much ever since Noin-san appeared, but it seemed Fia-sensei really was part of Kuro’s family.
But if that was the case, why hide it? Was it simply because I hadn't asked?
"A 'former' family member."
"Former?"
"I haven't seen Chrome-sama for over a thousand years. Besides... I no longer have the right to call myself her family."
"What do you... mean?"
Her face twisted with grief as she spoke. Hearing her words, I recalled what Kuro had told me about her own past.
Kuro had said that because she hadn't been honest about her wishes, she had hurt her precious family. She hadn't mentioned a name at the time, but was she talking about Fia-sensei?
"Yes... That’s right. I suppose I should introduce myself properly."
"Fia-sensei?"
"My name is Fia. I am a demon raised by Underworld King Kuromueina... and I am the one who once called herself the Demon King and waged war against the Human Realm. I am the world's greatest fool."
"The... Demon King?"
I couldn't grasp what she was saying. I understood the words, but they wouldn't sink in.
By "Demon King," did she mean the legendary figure? The one who led a massive invasion a thousand years ago only to be struck down by the First Hero, Noin-san... That Demon King was Fia-sensei?
Confusion left me speechless, but Fia-sensei didn't wait for me to recover. She continued her story.
"I am a unique, single-species demon with no racial name. When I was newborn and knew nothing, when I was all alone in the world, Chrome-sama found me and raised me. Even the name 'Fia' is a precious treasure I received from her."
"..."
"I loved her so much... I thought of her as my real mother. I promised myself I would grow strong enough to help her. That's what I believed I was doing."
Come to think of it, Alice had mentioned something. She said the Demon King was like a younger sister to the Six Kings.
It made less and less sense. When I heard the story from Alice, I hadn't given much thought to the Demon King’s motivations. But if Fia-sensei was that person... how could someone so kind do something so terrible? The question burned in my mind.
"About eight thousand years after she took me in, I noticed that a shadow would occasionally flicker across Chrome-sama’s smile."
"And that was...?"
"Yes. Now that you’ve saved her, Miyama-kun, I understand the reason. But back then, I didn't know why she looked so sad."
"..."
"One thing was certain: I didn't want to see her looking like that ever again. So, I thought and thought... and I made a mistake so catastrophic there was no turning back."
Every word she uttered with such deep regret felt like a needle in my chest. I was overwhelmed by a surge of emotions I couldn't name. Sympathy? Anger? Pity? Concern? They all felt right, yet none of them fit perfectly.
"There was a legend widely known in the Demon Realm that Chrome-sama and the others had once challenged the God Realm. I didn't know the details, but I convinced myself that her sorrow stemmed from her failure to defeat the gods."
"That's..."
"I know now that Chrome-sama would never think like that. She's too kind. But back then, I was desperate. I was so obsessed with doing something for her that I lost all sense of reason."
"So, the reason you invaded the Human Realm was..."
"I wanted to make Chrome-sama the King of the World. I wanted to create a world where no one could ever hurt her or make her sad again—a world where she stood at the absolute pinnacle. I truly believed that accomplishing that was the only way to repay her for everything she had done for me."
"..."
I knew I should say something, but I was at a total loss.
This person already understood her mistake. She lived in a state of perpetual regret, continuing an atonement that would never end. Because I hadn't been there back then, I couldn't bring myself to blame her... nor could I offer her comfort.
"I was a fool. A complete fool. I hurt so many people... and it was agonizing. Every time I raised my hand against someone, it hurt so much I felt like I would burst into tears. But I kept lying to myself, telling myself it was all for her sake. I kept up that stupidity until the moment I lost to Hikari."
"..."
Large tears began to fall from Fia-sensei’s eyes as she spoke.
She really was a person of incredible kindness and love. And that was exactly why she had allowed it to become so warped—and why she continued to suffer for it.
"Even after Hikari defeated me, I wouldn't give up. I tried to stand up with my battered body, determined to make Chrome-sama the King of the World... and that was when she appeared before us."
"..."
"Chrome-sama was... weeping. She saw me, broken and bleeding, and she cried with such sorrow. I never wanted her to make that face. I wanted to protect her... but in the end, I was the one who hurt her the most."
"Fia-sensei..."
Tears flowed without end as she confessed her past.
This was the story of a demon who loved someone so much she broke herself to protect them, only to realize that she had dealt the deepest wound of all to the person she cherished most.
Dear Mother, Father—The truth Fia-sensei spoke of was far beyond anything I could have imagined. I couldn't find the right words to say, and I don't think I've even begun to process it all. But one thing is certain: Fia-sensei was—once the Demon King.
Serious-senpai was all smiles at this.