The Melancholy of the Demon Army Officer
Translator: Tsukii
Editor: Shizukuku
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Chapter 102 – Year SS500 [B]
Leonhart was in a hurry.
Under the cold winter sky, he was running with all his might through the meadow lit by the certain sunlight.
The reason was simple.
Earlier, as he sat dumbfounded in his room, Carol had come for him.
According to her — [“I’ll be waiting on the eastern cliff.”]
Such was the message entrusted to her.
The moment Leonhart heard that, he ran with all his strength.
He jumped out of the window, went outside, and headed east immediately.
He knew the place. It was the location where he played together with everyone once. It wasn’t that far from where he was.
But that didn’t mean he shouldn’t hurry.
There was only a little time left. It was possible she might see her final moment before he reached there.
That was why he hurried there, so much that he felt he had never been faster.
After passing the meadow and going over the hill, he could see the cliff.
And there was,
“—Leonhart…”
“Ssulal…”
His most beloved and precious girl — Ssulal was there,
“…Ssulal…!”
He ran there with power exerted to his feet.
“…No good. I can’t bear it now that I’ve seen you, after all.”
Ssulal said so as she looked at his face. Ssulal dove into Leonhart’s chest as he ran toward her.
“Leonhart…!”
“Ssulal…!”
He embraced her strongly.
It was as if he was trying to tell her that he wouldn’t let her go.
She was in his arms, his most precious existence in the world.
However, there wasn’t much time left. Perhaps because she felt that, even as she buried her face in his chest,
“…Leonhart. Can you hear me?”
“………Aah.”
Leonhart nodded. He had no choice but to nod.
When Ssulal heard that, she started talking.
“…I don’t have any more time.”
“…Aah.”
“Thank you for all this time. You have listened to my request.”
“…Aah.”
“Because of that — It was a lot of fun.”
“…Aah, that’s great.”
“…That’s why, it is fine already.”
“…”
“It is enough—”
“…!”
The moment he heard that, he couldn’t control his heartfelt feeling.
“…Ssulal…!”
He said it without minding whatever was spilling from his eyes,
“Is there really nothing I can do…?!”
“…Yes, it’s already beyond help.”
“Why… why…?!”
Even though I finally earned it.
“Why do you have to give up on it?!!”
“…Because I made my wish.”
Ssulal said.
“It’s not Leonhart’s fault.”
After all,
“I’m sure that… even if nothing had happened, I still would’ve ended up this way.”
Even if Leonhart wasn’t with her,
“I was thinking of my safety and ended up making such a wish… It’s my own fault that things ended up this way.”
“That’s why,” she continued.
“Please don’t blame yourself.”
“That’s…”
Of course I would blame myself.
I might be able to make a difference.
However,
“Listen, Leonhart.”
Aah, I’ll listen. I’ll listen, so please don’t disappear from my life.
“I was happy. Even though I couldn’t be a human, I could at least do things the way a human would.”
I’m also happy. Because I met you, I could live like myself.
“I have learned how it feels to love and be loved.”
I’m the same. I have learned to love for the first time.
“I’m quite a terrible person, and I wanted my very own allies… so I ended up turning you, Galtia, and Kesselring into majins, you know?”
I’m also a terrible person. Because I refused to deny myself, you will be gone like this.
“Hm, I guess… it won’t be long before we’ve parted…”
No, stop it. I don’t want to part with each other.
“You see… I’m not afraid of death… what I’m afraid of… is thinking of what might happen to all of you after I’m gone.”
Aah, if you think so, then don’t leave us.
“Perhaps you might end up crazy after I’m gone… ahaha… I guess I’m being overly self-conscious about it, aren’t I?”
No, you’re not…!
I can’t endure it. To think I have to live in this world after you’re gone…!
“I got to meet you… I got to spend my time with Leonhart… I got to have many people I treasure, so I was happy… I could never imagine the world without all of you in it.”
Neither can I. I also received many things I treasured after I met you. That’s why,
“Because I managed to meet all of you… I began to think… that the world is actually a wonderful place.”
I also learned to like the world after meeting you. But I’ll hate it again if I lose you.
That’s why—
“That’s why — live on, just like how you would have… live honestly to yourself… find many precious people, then live your fullest with them…”
“! I… really am—”1
“…Stop right there—”
“—”
Suddenly, Ssulal’s mouth covered Leonhart’s.
The lips touched gently and slowly moved away.
Then,
“You shouldn’t say beyond that… if you do…”
Ssulal said I shouldn’t put my feelings into words.
In that case,
“You, then how about you…! What do you think about it…?!”
Leonhart asked that.
Ssulal looked at Leonhart’s tears drenched face,
“—I… about you…—”
At that moment, Leonhart saw what was happening in front of him.
“Ah…?”
The sensation in his arms suddenly disappeared and became red blood that floated off in the sky—
That was,
“Aaah…!”
Ssulal is,
“…Damn it…!”
Disappearing,
“Damn it…!!”
Leonhart clenched his fist and hit the ground.
“It’s something I finally found…!”
It was a precious thing. Yet,
“Why, why did she have to disappear…?!”
Why,
“Why did you leave me behind…?!”
I wanted to be together with you forever.
“Damn it… Screw it all…!”
I really wanted to…!
“—!!!”
Leonhart, who was down to his knees and unable to do anything, was left alone on the cliff as he wailed.
Ssulal was looking at him in her fading consciousness.
Her beloved person was wailing below. He was crying because she was gone.
…I’m sorry.
She apologized inwardly.
It was she who chose death.
I never thought I would actually choose that, thought Ssulal. However,
…Aah, I see.
She finally understood.
Once upon a time, she asked why some people chose death.
She couldn’t understand such a choice back then, but it was different now.
She had received a lot of things up until now.
She met a lot of precious people, learned about them, and came to love them.
And now, they were saddened by her passing.
…I see…
They didn’t want her to disappear. It was sad to have her gone.
She had lived her life well enough to make others think so.
She managed to carve her existence within them and left them with various things. It could be considered a great accomplishment for her, who was a shut-in.
However,
…This is not the end.
She might be gone, but the world would continue.
…I wouldn’t let things go your way.
What would the gods think about her passing?
Would they be sad? Laugh at her? Would they be angry? Panic? —Nay, they wouldn’t give a damn.
They didn’t give a damn about what happened to the world. Everything that lived within it were just replaceable toys for them. That was how much it was worth for them.
Sooner or later, the world would be destroyed. Its content would be turned over.
It was the world she lived in and the world the people she loved still lived in. She wouldn’t let that happen to it.
…I’ll eventually let all of you know the meaning of me being a shut-in all this time.
However, the things that she left behind might be comparable to dust in the face of the power of the gods.
Even so, her precious people… were very tough people.
…Be prepared. The ones who win in the end — will be us.
At the end of that word, Ssulal’s consciousness disappeared.
That day, the third generation maou, Ssulal, was swallowed by the blood of the maou and perished.
Her reign lasted for 500 years. The girl who created the foundation of the Demon Army was timid yet knowledgeable.
Also — she was the most loved maou among the generations — such was Ssulal.
Author Note:
Next chapter will be the last episode of the SS era — at least I hope so. I might split it if it goes too long.
Want early access to Cannon Fodder, Melancholy of the Demon Army Officer, and I Was a Man Before Reincarnating, So I Refuse a Reverse Harem? Support the translator on Patreon!
