The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

After I sealed that bastard away, I gave up my identity.

I gave up my name and everything else and set out on my last wandering journey.

Along the way, I set up in various places, while at the same time continuing to hunt demons that incite human malice.

I have nothing against demons.

But their way of life is nothing but poison to those who live in this world.

They corrupt people and cause wars in order to gain fear.

I have done my last work for the future, for the people of the world I will put to the test.

"Huh. ......"

In the deep forest where the rain is pouring down.

I sit down in the shade of a large tree to take shelter from the rain and look up at the cloudy sky.

"Six, huh?"

Staring at the six balls of light floating in the air from my deep cloak, I look back on my journey so far.

I have extinguished demons as soon as I found them.

But not all of them.

Only a limited number of them have remained sealed in my possession.

I wonder if I should put them through the same trials as that dragon.

We have left enough trials behind.

All that remains is for the people of the future ...... to face the challenges of their time.

I knew it would be too difficult to leave the devil as it is. It would be impossible to cope with an evil dragon, an evil demon king, and a demon in a normal way.

---But on the other hand, I don't care about the future.

I don't care about the future.

"...... is a terrible face."

I look into a pool of water on the ground, and my own face on the pool makes a self-mocking sound.

My reflection on the surface of the water was not that of a living person.

Scarred cheeks, long hair and beard, and eyes as black as the darkness that had been cast into them.

It was as if I had reverted to the time before I was summoned to this world, when I was dead and alive.

"The original world of ......?"

A life that should have died in the original ...... now distant other world.

Pierced by spears held by warriors too numerous to count, I thought I could finally die.

I had lost my wife and daughter to illness,

Lost a battle ineptly,

His lord, to whom he had sworn allegiance, was killed,

I was about to lose even my own life in the end, but I survived in this world.

Even in such a world, there was constant strife.

People fight each other for land and food.

I laughed to myself at the joke that the world had supposedly changed, but nothing had changed at all.

But in such a world, I met a young child with the ears and tail of a beast.

I named the child <>, who showed the face of my daughter, Hinagi, who was supposed to have died of an illness.

"......I'm sorry."

The words of apology spilled out unconsciously.

To tell the truth, I had not been able to face Nagi.

She reminds me of the remains of my daughter and wife, whom I buried in the ground with my own hands.

But still, I guess his presence has saved me.

"......"

But the world is too cruel for such a little bit of luck.

The small kindness of people is trampled down by more malice.

No matter how many people I have saved, a little distortion can change the words of gratitude and good intentions.

Like that girl who laughed at me in Samaritan.

That's why I..,

"......What the hell do I want ......?"

I whisper such a thing now.

Despairing of the people of today, I bet on the future.

I've done a lot of dirty work for it.

I betrayed Nagi, who trusted me.

I myself know that I cannot stop now.

I stand up, forcing my creaking, screaming heart to stay together.

"...... let's end this."

The last demon is where we're headed.

We will destroy him, and the devil will disappear from this world.

I'm going to get rid of it.

"Yes, there is. There's a monster."

In the target village, there were indeed signs of the presence of a demon and villagers who were frightened by the presence of the demon.

Unexpectedly, the villagers were frightened but did not seem to be visibly harmed.

This is a bit unusual for a demon who manipulates the human mind so skillfully.

"Fearless! It looks like a man. It has wings and horns like a demon.

"...... where is it?"

In a hut on the edge of the village. You're an exterminator, aren't you?

I nodded at the man with the rough tone.

It's not that unusual to find an exterminator who disposes of demons.

It's a good first step.

"If you're going to exterminate them, do it quickly, will you?　You're a nuisance in that house.

The man's voice was tinged with unusual disgust as he said this.

"Has anyone lived in that house before?"

"What the hell are you asking me that for?"

I'm just curious. It doesn't mean anything.

The man clicks his tongue in annoyance and looks in the direction where the hut might be.

"There was a woman living there. She's the daughter of some nobleman. She was disowned for something she did. She used to be a pretty girl, but since she came to the hut, she's been a bit worn out, and to tell the truth, she's kind of creepy.

What does this woman have to do with demons?

"...... don't know. She's already dead.

I guess they don't want to talk about it.

And I guess how the people in the village treated the woman who came to this village.

I don't know much about the nobles, and I don't want to know them willingly, but I am strangely curious about them.

"Back to the question, what did this demon do to this village?"

Of course it did! They steal our food. We don't have any food to sell to that monster!

"Sell ......?　He came to your store to buy something?　As a customer?"

"Yeah."

The man chokes up at my question.

The gazes of the people around me become sharper in response.

Sensing hostility toward me as a stranger and a warning not to "go any further," I quietly back away.

I apologize for asking such a strange question. ...... I'll be at the cabin after dark."

"Please. ...... but when you die, ......"

"Yeah, it's none of your business."

--- Not so unusual.

There are many villages that do not welcome strangers.

In fact, those who accept them unconditionally should be suspected of some kind of trap.

......Lingle was a nice place in that sense.

It was the first and last time I ever received such open and honest hospitality.

It's funny now that I left the country at the end of my stay, wondering when the assassins would come.

"The world is still a rough place ......"

Defeating the Demon King does not immediately restore the world ...... to the desolate hearts and minds of the people.

I should have known that, but the fact that I knew that left my heart stagnant.

Once I leave the village, I get ready and head for the hut.

"There it is..."

The sun is setting and darkness surrounds us.

I find a hut a short distance outside the village and approach it, drawing my iron sword.

"...... there you are!"

There is a demon inside this hut.

I sense it by its presence and push open the door with magic to illuminate the darkness.

It is a neat little room.

A place with a minimum of furniture and dishes, and I hear a small breathing.

I shine the light toward the voice that sounds as if it is stifling my fear.

And there it is..,

"......!"

He lowered his gaze (...)---and then his eyes met mine.

A small shadow trembling in the corner of the room.

"Oh, shit."

The sound of my sword falling from my hand, or the cracking of a broken heart.

I looked into the fear-stained eyes of this horned creature with inhuman wings, and for the first time I cursed my own bad luck.