"As I mentioned earlier, after finishing a lot of cleaning up, Ash looked into it at the Demon King Castle. I hear you found a handbook that says something like this has happened before."
"Hmm. I wish I'd found it sooner. But I can't change what happened. I swore that I would never do that again, and that I would prepare myself in advance."
Listening to my father's spectacular past, I was losing my words. I couldn't find a word to call along the way.
I've been having a bad feeling about this. My heart feels rough and restless. It was as if my expectations were almost certain of the facts.
"... Meg. Let me guess what you're thinking right now."
You must have noticed that I was pale, and your father said that with a gentle voice. That disturbs my mind even more. 'Cause that's not what I'm saying.
I shook my head to the side. This is what I want to say from my own mouth. I took a few small deep breaths before slowly opening my mouth.
"... Rich. When did Richard come to this world?"
I thought I couldn't let my dads tell me everything. This is a sin I have committed, and it is a part of my duty not to escape. I desperately endure the tears that are about to overflow, I say.
Keep your eyes on Richter.
"Because I summoned you...?
From what I've just told you, when you awaken the power of the Demon King, generations of Demon Kings subconsciously summon heroes, right? As a means to stop your magic runaway. That's why your father came to this world from Japan. This is where we all started.
Of course, my father didn't mean anything by it. I didn't realize I was summoning the brave. But that also means that I, the next demon king, will summon you without realizing that.
And I remember waking up the power of the Devil when I was younger ─ ─ ─
Monsters! Pepper! Get out of the way!!
─ ─ ─ ─ That incident in the village of Hielf.
The moment Shell caught me in the wind and escaped on my own, surrounded by monsters, I certainly left the monsters by my own will.
... yeah. Rather, I suppose they had the monsters on their knees. I didn't realize that at the time. I am not sure if that is the case even now. But it was the Devil's Intimidation. That's what everyone said, and above all, it's an indisputable fact that the monsters actually heard what they said.
At that moment, I awoke my powers as a demon king for the first time. I haven't been able to exert my powers since then...
"... I see. You have an idea, don't you? Meg activated Demon King's Intimidation in the High Elf Country. But since you were still young and there was nothing unusual about it, neither I nor Ash thought it was the power of the Devil."
"I think I was too young, so the summons was immature. I didn't expect the brave to be transferred to the human continent....."
Two words pierce my chest. All because I was immature....? Well, what Shaw said recently was in my head.
If that's the case, use summoning magic.
That's right, it was when Shaw suggested that you could use a lot of magic. I think you said in that nuance that you should use summoning magic to dissipate my magic, which is too much trouble.
But you don't actually consume that much magic, right? I mean, I'm young enough to be able to do it. Or did the Summon Monster have a halfway result because it consumed less magic?
Maybe I failed because I didn't have enough magic...?
Because your husband has used summoning magic before. But maybe your husband was unconscious back then? I made a little mistake, and there was a time difference... But now that you've been able to summon me safely, you think you can do better?
That's what Shaw said then.
Failure is the place to summon. That's because Rich was transferred to the human continent, not the Magic Continent.
Then, jet lag. When I first met Richter on the human continent, it was not ten years since Richter came to this world. I used the Devil's Intimidation before that.
It must have taken a while for the magic to run out.... it's all just speculation.
When I thought of this in silence, I heard my father continue to speak quietly.
"I was supposed to tell you when Meg got older, but there was a reason why we had to hurry," I said earlier.
Slowly nodding to his father's words, Richard now opened his mouth.
"Because I'm a brave man, I showed up. The Demon King... is not a brave man for Zahariash, but a brave man for the Demon King (Meg)."
"Lich, t...? Did you know that?
More or less sad, but still looking straight into my eyes, Richard says. I was shocked by what was said.
How long have you known? I mean, I'm the one who pulled Richter away from his family. How did you feel about seeing me after you found out? Maybe he didn't really want to face it. It's not strange for me to be hated.
But did Richard always smile... and put it inside his heart...? Were you making me suffer?
"Only Rich can solve Meg's magical runaway. But Rich is a human being. If I wait for you to grow up, I'll lose my life. That's why I had to tell Meg earlier."
"That's why I needed to be strong as soon as possible."
That's what my father and Richter said with their worried faces. That's what happened...
Human life is about a hundred years long. Richard will be a little longer because he has magic, but it won't be long for us.
I mean, if you did, someone who could stop my magic runaway would be gone from the world, right?
Happiness or misfortune, my runaway happened much sooner than expected, so I guess I was right in a hurry... After all, it's all my fault, right? It's all that Rich has had a lot of hard training and has come to this world in the first place.
"Rich, I felt incredible when you told me that you were a former Japanese. I didn't expect a brave man to show up so soon. At the same time, I was immediately convinced. I heard that summoning magic was still active in the High Elves."
At that time... That's when Richard decided to live in the Demon King Castle. I remember that both my father and I were in such a hurry that we were confused by an atmosphere that was not just the same. Now that I know everything, I'm convinced of their reaction.
At that time, my father and I were thinking and doing a lot of things for me.
It's my fault. It's my fault.
It's my fault.
... uhh, no. Hang in there, me. Your consciousness is still...! I couldn't help but think that I looked up at Gil. Gil looked at me worriedly, and we met for a moment.
That alone gave me a feeling of courage.
Yes, there are people around who are so worried about you. Absolutely, you'll be caught by the power.
I felt something black coming up from the depths of my chest. When I got caught, I went first and instinctively sensed it.
I look up to get away from it. I don't think you can get away with that... ah, that? Something's pulling your body out of the sky? Huh!?
Being confused, this time a slightly fluffy feeling began to attack me. Fluffy, fluffy...
I noticed that I was floating in space.
I (...) look at my feet. I was floating over everybody, looking down at everybody from there.
Gil, your father, Rich, they call me by my name like everybody was in a hurry. I wonder what happened to me. A phantom exit or something?
... oh, I wonder. I can't really think about it. It's all because of me. I shouldn't have been here. If you let go of your consciousness, it'll all be over.
I'm kind of tired. I don't care what happens now. I don't care about everything...
"Listen, Meg! Listen!!"
When my consciousness was about to sink, I was happier with the cries of Rich.
What was I thinking? I felt like I was thinking differently. It's like I'm not who I am anymore... I don't know, it's disgusting! Maybe this is the state where the magic has taken over. There is will in too much power, and it moves my body. Oh, no. I hate that!
When I looked at my feet in a hurry, I saw a black moya coming out of my body. What is that!? I've never seen anything like it before, even if it's overflowing with magic. Looks like your dads are seeing it too. I'm in a lot of a hurry.
In the meantime, Richard kept screaming at me.
"After listening to the demon king, I thought I'd get stronger by my own will. No matter how hard you train, you'll never give up. You know why that is!?
Grips his fist tightly, says Rich. It's a challenge from your fathers to be stronger than Gil, right?
That's right, because Rich doesn't have to be that strong. As a brave man, you need strength to defeat me, and you don't need to be stronger than Gil. It's so easy to defeat me. I mean, I'm still immature and weak.
But Richard never gave up on the goal. That's why.
That's... why?
"It's you! If I were such a weak guy, I'd be in danger when I shared my soul with you! That's why I wanted to be strong enough to beat Gil!
For me, huh? Certainly, if you share your soul, you will become Ichiroto. If one dies, the other dies. But that's not each other! I can't rely so much on you. If I get hit, I'll even be Rich...!
This is how the world calls me, and Richard never sees his family again. I had a very hard time on the human continent, and there was a case with Rabbi. You made me feel bad a lot.
Why don't you hate me? Don't you hate it? I, I...!
Even more, a black moya appeared from my body. I can see that my heart is getting rough. But I couldn't bear the fact that I screwed up Richard's life because of myself. Unstoppable, when I thought so, Richard shouted as if he had read my thoughts.
"Never regret summoning me to this world!
Don't regret it? That's what I said... That's what Richard said, isn't it?
"Besides, it's not like that because I'm kind. You know, Meg. If I hadn't come to this world, I would have died when I was eight."
Oh, really? On the day of the typhoon, Richter realized that he was flowing into a flooded river and came to the human continent of the world. So, either way, it didn't help.
Does that mean that Richard is walking his second life here? Just like me and your father.
"If it was true, my life was over, but I came to this world and I met a lot of people. Sometimes it was hard, but I think it was great to meet you. I'm glad you're alive! So!"
Richard, who had been shouting at my body all this time, suddenly looked up at the sky. I was just ahead of that gaze, and it was unexpectedly drenched. You can't see it, can you? But Richter said to me, pointing to the sky.
"Never regret it! I'm glad this world called me! Never lose to magic, Meg!!
Are you sure? Don't regret it. Are you happy to meet me?
Tears are overflowing. In fact, I may not be able to shed it because I don't have any substance now, but my heart was crying with joy.
... good. Thank you, Richard. I'm afraid I can't help it. I can't lose. I'm not giving you the power to run away! Don't come out, my magic. Leave me alone!!
Unconsciously, I stretched my arms towards my body with my eyes full. Like pushing in a black moya. Try to suppress the force.
I don't know if the action meant anything or if the power of my will worked for me, but the black moya gradually disappears.
Okay, thank you?... good. Is this going to hold us off for a while? I touched my body trying to get back inside.
"Ah, that? I can't touch it. But I can't go back!?
Somehow, my hand slipped through my body.
My body, which lost not only the black moya, but even my soul, collapsed without strength.
Without a body that was still floating in the universe, I could only stare at the parents who changed their blood phase and called me.