Chapter 21: The Demon Who Bowed

“Krhahahaha! I’ve been waiting, Swordmaster! During the past three years since you bested me, not a moment passed that I forgot you! Krhahahaha!”

Whoosh!

Flames rose with red flesh-colored fire.

El Diablo of the Crimson Flame.

The king of demons who crossed into our world.

But he was a demon I had defeated once before.

Quickly gripping my sword, I stepped back.

Wait.

Aren’t demons supposed to go to the Void when they die?

No.

That wasn’t important right now.

If I made a single mistake, even this Valhalla…

“Hey. Red.”

“Hm?”

Suddenly, a voice echoed.

Diablo hesitated and turned his head.

“You’re blocking the way. Don’t just stand there—move or I’ll throw you out.”

There stood a little kid, barely visible because Diablo blocked the view.

‘Could he be talking to Diablo?’

Just as I sensed trouble was about to break out, “Ah, yes! You need to pass! Please, go ahead! Sorry! Hehe!”

“Be careful. I’m only letting you pass because you seem kind.”

“Ah, kind? Please take care! Yes!”

Diablo bowed submissively and stepped back.

I was speechless.

‘Is this the demon I once knew?’

‘Is this submissive demon really Diablo?’

“Haa…”

After the kid passed, Diablo exhaled sharply.

Then the flames flared up again.

“Krhahahaha! Greetings, mortal! You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you! The endless agony throughout eternity—I will never forget it…!”

“What was that kid just now? Why are you so scared?”

“Krhahaha! Scared? Who said I’m scared? I am the ruler of fear itself! Fear does not exist within me!”

“Did you… get hit? Your face looks bruised. Are you okay?”

I asked sincerely.

At that, Diablo’s flames suddenly died down with a pop!

“Tch. It’s been a while, so I’m rusty. I was going to surprise you when you came, but I don’t even remember how I used to do it. Ugh…”

Diablo muttered with a sigh.

There was a strange atmosphere.

He was the demon I knew, but something was missing.

The malice that made up the demon ‘Diablo.’

That malice seemed to have vanished.

“Anyway, good to see you! I always thought you’d come someday, but I didn’t expect it would be today. Did you die today? Who—E||?”

“What’s with you? Why are you like this?”

“Ah, come on! I’m just happy, that’s all. The days we fought for life and death… Ugh… I miss them so much… Hic! Sniff! Waaah!”

The demon hugged me and cried.

But I wasn’t about to fall for it.

I pushed him away and drew my sword.

“I don’t know what your scheme is, but I’m not falling for it. I’ve been here for about three hours. So, you also ended up in Valhalla? Aren’t demons supposed to go to the Void when they die?”

“Ah, that? Yeah, normally I should’ve gone to the Void, but I got bound to your world! So it got all tangled up! If I’d known, I wouldn’t have gone to your world. I only found out later. Kyahaha! I want to die! I want to go to the Void! Please… damn… let me go…”

Diablo laughed as he hit me.

‘Or was he crying?’

Anyway, he showed no sign of attacking.

I put my sword away and asked him,

“I think I get it. So you fell into Valhalla too? Three years after you died by my hand, right?”

“That’s right! Three years and three months! But how come you look older? Had a hard time?”

“You left a lot of trash behind. I’ve been busy cleaning it up. Did those guys come too?”

“Ah, yeah! Kyah. You’re really ruthless. How did you kill all those bastards? Every time new demons showed up, I was speechless. Oh, remember Shallas? You soaked him in holy water and killed him! He couldn’t even go near water for a while! His trait turned into an outright water phobia! Hahaha!”

Diablo laughed, clutching his stomach.

‘So other demons came too?’

Well, I liked that outcome.

Demons who should’ve gone to the Void had fallen into Valhalla.

For me, it was a sweet revenge.

“So. Who killed you? Ah, too good a topic to discuss here. Come on in! Everyone will be glad to see you! Even our demons! Kyaha!”

Diablo opened the door with a laugh.

The door led to a large space.

The place that appeared before my eyes was…

“Huh?”

Everything looked familiar.

The Mercenary Corps’ waiting room where I had been.

The office of the Knight Order where I stayed.

The imperial palace where the Emperor lived.

Even the sanctuary where I fought the demons.

All tangled together.

Of course, not exactly as they were, but somewhat compressed.

The unreal, intertwined scenery made me feel like I was dreaming.

A jumbled mess.

Like a terrible dream.

“Is this… a dream? An illusion?”

“Illusion? Ah, housing? You can design it however you want! All familiar places, right? The Emperor’s palace, Mercenary Corps waiting room, Knight Order office, and our sanctuary! The waiting room and office were made by your subordinates. And that cup. Remember? It’s something you used.”

“Cup? Something I used?”

“That one by the window. See it? The kids insisted it had to be there for authenticity. They go crazy if you move it! I almost died when I touched it by mistake!”

“Authenticity?”

I lifted my head at Diablo’s words.

‘Ah.’

The memory came back.

Right.

There was something like that.

The cup I’d used since my days as Knight Commander.

I lost it when…

‘Was it when the Emperor betrayed me?’

That lost cup was here.

It felt like going back to my rookie days and returning to the Knight Order.

“Who put it here?”

“The ones who ended with that cup, of course! Anyway, come on! H421 worthless bastards! Look who’s here! Swordmaster! The biggest output on our channel has arrived! Hahaha!”

Diablo laughed, slapping my back.

Finally, many people came into view.

Familiar offices and waiting rooms.

Familiar equipment.

And faces I remembered.

Memories flashed before their names.

My head spun from all the scenes and recollections.

“Commander?”

“The boss? The boss is here?”

“It’s the commander!”

“Oh!”

“Boss!”

“Swordmaster!”

“Wow, hyung!”

“Commander!”

Many greeted me in unison.

Using the ‘names’ they remembered me by.

Those who shared memories flooded toward me.

“You were so young back in the Knight Order! You’ve really grown into a man!”

“A man? You just passed thirty, right? Or how old are you?”

“Oh dear! You should’ve come when you were younger! Look how much your handsome face has aged!”

“Why do you look so worn out?”

“The rookie commander has aged!”

“Let’s change your appearance! Back to sixteen, rookie days!”

“Right!”

The subordinates in Knight Order attire laughed.

They were the ones who had joined with me from the start.

The subordinates who died when the Emperor betrayed us.

They were here too.

“You really did it! Truly!”

“Hah! I knew you’d pull it off, hyung!”

“Welcome back! Have you eaten? Sit here!”

“Kyah. I was right there when this friend became Swordmaster! The day I died was the day he became Swordmaster!”

“Remember me? I was there when you killed Vapores. Not sure if you remember because it was too easy! You paid for my medical bills, hyung!”

Others too appeared.

***

When my subordinates were wiped out and I worked alone.

Even bonds that lasted only a day remained here.

Everyone welcomed me.

“Commander! I told them! Told them you’d come!”

From afar, I saw Pinless.

Maybe he couldn’t come closer because of the crowd.

My heart pounded relentlessly.

Mixed with emotion and laughter, I found it hard to say even a single word.

“Everyone… ha, I don’t know what to say. It’s not that I don’t remember! There’s just too much… I don’t know where to start…”

I looked at them all and spoke.

“Commander, are you crying?”

“Don’t cry! Don’t cry!”

“Look! Even the commander is crying! It’s natural! The first day’s like that!”

“Hahaha! Back in my day? The ‘Ice Knight Commander’ never smiled!”

“That’s because he was a stubborn kid! Became commander at sixteen!”

“I told you! This guy can cry and laugh now! Why won’t you believe me!”

“Hahaha!”

Many subordinates laughed.

One by one shaking hands, hugging, greetings that seemed endless.

“Everyone from Hillea, please step aside! Now it’s our turn! Yoochah!”

Then Diablo picked me up.

“What are you doing…!”

“Do you think these are the only ones who missed you? Let’s go!”

“What?”

“Krhaha! Move! Now it’s our turn!”

Diablo ran with me.

“Ugh!”

Then he set me down in front of our sanctuary.

Familiar faces were there too.

Most of them were demons I had killed with my own hand.

The demons gathered, creating a spectacular scene.

“Welcome, Swordmaster! We’ve been waiting!”

“Kyahaha! You finally died! Serves you right, mortal!”

“Who killed you? Spill it!”

“Swordmaster is dead! Yahoo!”

Familiar demons cheered.

“Hah.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

For some reason…

These demons felt like mere ‘trash.’

“Mess around, and I’ll kill you again.”

I joked, looking at the demons.

They raised their arms and laughed.

“Kyaha! Look at this guy talk! Is this the same guy we knew? He’s got a sense of humor now!”

“Kyahaha! Good to see you again!”

“C’mon! Shake my hand!”

“Me too! Me too!”

“Line up, you guys! This is the flesh of the Swordmaster who killed us!”

I shook hands with the demons as well.

Really…

It was an indescribable feeling.

If this was a dream, it was a nightmare.

“That’s enough teasing. The banquet’s ready. Return the commander, Diablo.”

At that moment, a familiar voice was heard.

“Ah. Your wife’s here!”

“Kyah! Ten years of waiting paid off? The tenacious spirit finally returned as Swordmaster!”

“Krhaha! Good joke!”

“Good, right? Getting better every day!”

All the demons sneered.

‘Wife?’

‘Did I have someone who could call me that?’

I glanced and saw a woman with her lips pressed tight, “Deputy Commander?”

I was startled without realizing it.

A woman in pristine white clothes with black hair.

‘Treya’ bowed her head.

“Welcome back, Commander. I hoped you wouldn’t come… but it would be a lie to say I wasn’t waiting. Please come this way. The banquet is prepared.”

“Banquet? You prepared this?”

“I prepared it after hearing from Pinless. If the demons want to come, they may. There are many things you like.”

Treya looked at the demons.

“Yahoo! Banquet time!”

“Of course, we have to go!”

“It’s the Swordmaster’s memorial day!”

“Bring the pig’s head! Stick the money!”

“Kiyaaahhou!”

The demons laughed loudly and rushed off.

I looked at Treya for a moment.

When the village was burning and I was the only survivor.

I was a rookie who caught the Emperor’s attention and was placed as the Knight Order’s deputy commander.

Here, Treya was my deputy commander in charge of my training.

Ha.

So many memories flashed by.

A lump of emotion welled up at the corner of my mouth, curled into a smile.

“Ah. Are you crying? It’s okay to cry! I’m ready to laugh!”

Diablo hit me lightly with a laugh.

Thanks to him, the lump in my throat eased.

‘Had it been ten years since the Emperor betrayed me?’

I held Treya’s hand and exchanged greetings.

“Long time no see, Deputy Commander. Almost… ten years, huh? I’m glad to see you again. Really.”

“Hoho. Thanks to demons coming back from the dead, I heard a lot. The rookie commander who knew nothing became our world’s first Swordmaster. Life’s full of surprises. I still remember that brat who was full of poison.”

“Hmph. Aren’t you too old to be called a brat? You look exactly the same.”

“The commander who always looked young… now I’m the one saying this.”

People are waiting. Today is for the commander.

Treya smiled and led me to my seat.

Many people had gathered in the hall.

Each one an unforgettable face.

Everyone raised their glasses toward me.

We’ve become the same age. Well, let’s go.

“Alright, every day is a banquet, but today is special! Everyone, raise your glasses!”

“For the Swordmaster!”

“For the Commander!”

“To the day of the mad avenger’s memorial!”

“Are these really demons?”

“Krhaha!”

“Hahaha!”

I looked around and laughed.

Valhalla.

I never understood why this place was called heaven.

But now, in this moment, I understood completely.