I Can Hear the Saint’s Inner Thoughts

80 – The Arena Fight Where You Can’t Die (3)

* * *

The Dullahan watched Astar’s match and couldn’t hide his discomfort.

– From what I hear, the Heavenly King that’s here now begged the Demon King for his life and became a Death Knight…

It was because of the words Astal had spat out just moments before.

Recalling memories from so long ago that they were barely even memories anymore wasn’t exactly pleasant.

“Does he really think he wouldn’t…?”

A sigh escaped from the flames flickering above the Dullahan’s neck.

He only regretted not having his head at times like this.

Normally, he could frown at Astal’s behavior, or express his displeasure with anger.

This was the brand of defeat by the Demon King,

Like having his arms and legs severed so he could never dream of revenge again.

The Dullahan leaned back against the comfortable, plush chair,

Lamenting his body, clad in armor.

“…I miss it. I used to be like that too.”

The Dullahan muttered, watching Astal claim his first victory in the arena.

Eyes that showed no despair, a hero party moving forward with the support and trust of reliable companions.

There was a time when the Dullahan, too, thought he could be filled with such hope and defeat the Demon King.

“The Demon King Ergosum isn’t some simple creature you can easily defeat. He’s closer to a nameless god.”

The Dullahan could never forget the moment he first encountered the Demon King Ergosum.

Even though so much time had passed that his own name, friends, companions, and lovers had faded into the depths of his memory.

A figure with white hair, bleeding, kneeling and offering prayers with multiple arms – it was an affront to call him human.

A god beyond human reason.

He almost gave the illusion of being a creature akin to a butterfly just emerged from its chrysalis; his appearance was closer to divinity than filth.

“…Everyone will turn to dust before him, begging for their lives, crawling on their hands and knees.”

The first hero, Durahan, knew the moment he saw the Demon Lord Ergosum,

that he was closer to a god than a demon lord.

Ergosum was surrounded by demons and monsters, eyes closed in prayer as if following a prophet from myth.

Among them were fanatics who tore at their own mouths, splitting their lips into grins, and gouged out their eyes to weep tears of blood.

People commonly believed that a demon lord was the leader of evil, taking the forefront in slaughtering and killing humans.

But what stood before them was so sublime, it left one speechless,

a scene of flowers and fields blooming in abundance.

“You will taste despair too, Astal. The Demon Lord could move a single finger and the heads of everyone here would be gone.”

Durahan superimposed Astal’s companions onto memories of the past.

There were heroes, much like himself now, who had sprayed blood from their necks and turned into cold corpses.

Now, so much time had passed,

he couldn’t even remember their names or faces properly,

but he was sure it was a party with a similar composition to Astal’s.

A saint, a hero, a mage, and a warrior.

Durahan fondled the ring on his left ring finger, recalling those longed-for memories once more.

“Even if it’s your precious companions, or your lover.”

A token of a promise to marry and,

spend the rest of their lives together in a peaceful world, once the demon lord was defeated.

But now, the one who could keep that promise no longer existed anywhere.

“…Who knows? Maybe you too, just like me, will end up stabbing your lover’s heart with a sword, just to save your own skin.”

The Dullahan spoke, his gaze fixed on his own long-faded holy sword, remembering the bloodstains that wouldn’t wash away, no matter how hard he tried.

The sacred blade that had destroyed evil and slaughtered countless demons and monsters couldn’t even scratch the Demon King.

Seeing Ergosum meticulously crush his companions one by one, or chop off their limbs to watch them writhe like overturned insects – it wasn’t even worthy of being called a tragicomedy.

The Dullahan ultimately killed the first Holy Maiden right in front of the Demon King,

and in exchange, he swore allegiance and became a Death Knight.

And this is the reason why the celestial being Lumina forbade all contact between men and successive Holy Maidens.

The horrifying incident of even the child in the womb being murdered by the hands of the man she loved was something Lumina never wanted to see repeated.

* * *

As I killed Sahat, my opponent, and prepared for the next match, the atmosphere within the arena began to subtly change.

I couldn’t tell if it was because of the insults I’d hurled at the Dullahan at the end, or if it was because I’d shown them that I wouldn’t back down even against a seemingly strong monster.

“The, the winner is—! The Mad Mage, Astal Kaisaros! A truly incredible magic! To use Gigantification Magic like that!”

The Siren in charge of commentary paused for a moment, then, confirming that one match had ended, properly announced the results.

Even if they are monsters or demons, they must have sobered up when they saw someone who could easily massacre them like killing ants.

“Ugh…. Ughh…. Kill… me….”

Sahat, crushed beyond recognition under my gigantic foot, let out agonizing groans and begged me to just kill him.

Seeing him like that made me feel a little sorry for him, but he was already a dead man walking.

It was simply the characteristic of a Forsaken Hollow, the inability to truly die, that kept Sahat from the release of death.

I saw horned demons approaching Sahat’s remains, gathering up all the flesh and blood and heading outside the territory.

“What the hell? Weren’t they saying Sahat was definitely going to win?”

“Up until now, everyone who’s come to the arena’s been a weakling. Even if they’re a ‘hero party,’ I thought the talk of them killing demons and monsters was just rumors.”

The loser gets cast out beyond the territory to face death.

The spectators clearly saw it, and I could hear their voices buzzing, changing their tune about me.

“I bet on Astal from the beginning! You idiots!”

“Yeah, I heard this hero party was different from the start. I heard that guy’s the one who killed Bellamora, one of the Four Heavenly Kings.”

Some were cheering me on with their hearts instead of their heads,

And some were hearing our heroic tales spreading throughout the demon world and changing their minds.

“Whatever! Just kill each other and entertain us, I don’t care!”

And some were cheering me on for the pleasure and excitement that combat brought. It’s like their brains are in their crotches; these guys seem to follow their instincts more than reason.

“Fight and kill! Fight and kill! The weak don’t deserve to live!”

After a brief uproar, a loud voice echoed, chanting the Forsaken Hollow slogan again, urging the match to continue.

-[…Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?]

I could hear Victoria’s voice, softer than anyone’s, in my ear. It looked like Anima, the spirit mage, had borrowed a wind sprite so she and I could talk.

“Of course. My opponent was a pushover.”

– Still, don’t let your guard down too much. It’ll be a disaster if you die.

Victoria was chirping through a small bird made of swirling green, begging me not to die.

“I’m not dying until I’ve taken the head of that Dullahan, so don’t worry.”

-I hate how you always prioritize revenge over me…. Shouldn’t you be saying you won’t die for the sake of your adorable girlfriend at times like this?

I couldn’t help but smile, hearing Victoria’s sulky voice, she was so cute.

How did the saintess, who used to be so cynical towards me when we first met, come to express her love for me like this?

– Don’t laugh!! I might just kidnap this guy right here….

“Sorry, sorry. I didn’t realize you’d still act cute like that.”

– If you know that, then give me a deep kiss when this is all over. No, I *request* a kiss.

“Yeah, if I can make it back alive from here, that is.”

I burst out laughing and stroked the spirit that was channeling Victoria’s voice, and after finishing its job, it made a ‘cheep’ sound and flew back into the audience.

And then, when the name of the next opponent I had to fight was called, I couldn’t believe the cruel reality.

“The next opponent to kill the Mad Wizard…! Our eternal warrior, the Orc Barbarian Grakhtar!”

Someone who had been closer to me than anyone else in the past few days.

The only monster who had treated me, a human, kindly, was revealing a huge axe and green skin as he approached me.

“Grakhtar…?”

“So it’s come to this! I hope for a fight without regrets! Astal!”

Grakhtar couldn’t hide his regret,

and was reaching out his hand like when we first met, offering a handshake.

“…Didn’t the Dullahan change the match arbitrarily?”

“Probably! He must have found out about the secret!”

Grakhtar was laughing heartily as if my thoughts were right. Rather, he seemed refreshed that he could hit the Dullahan back.

“That son of a b*tch has the refined hobby of making close people fight! You don’t need to feel sorry!”

As soon as I heard those words, I was racking my brain to think of a way to save Grakhtar.