Chapter 24: Land of Sorrow

Time rewinds three years. Jin Jaehan is tirelessly searching for the defeated heroines, Vega Spica clashes with Eve White, and the Hero’s party receives devastating news.

“Is it true?”

“Yes, Hero. It seems… she’s heading this way.”

“And the Saint is away… Prepare yourselves, Epione, Hera.”

“Understood, Van.”

“Yes, Hero.”

“We can’t afford any casualties.”

The Demon King, Lilian Enslein, master of all monsters, is approaching the human world.

The Hero’s party confronts Lilian in Horizon’s largest wheat field. The Hero’s unwavering will clashes with the Demon King’s abyssal malice, shaking the world. Van Zikmund, the unyielding champion of humanity, emerges victorious, but the battlefield is cursed by Lilian’s dying breath, transformed into a wasteland.

“…Since then, no one has dared to invest in or purchase this land. The Saint tried to purify the demonic magic, but to no avail. It’s a tragedy, even for us in the real estate business, to see such fertile land go to waste.”

The agent sighs, his voice filled with regret. I stare at the document, marked “Wasteland.”

‘…2.5 million gold.’

The perfect location, twice the size of my current farm, incredibly fertile if purified… It’s the land of my dreams. But it’s cursed, uninhabitable unless Lilian’s magic is cleansed.

‘…Wait a minute.’

Something clicks.

‘Demon King’s curse… which means…’

I quickly recall the events of the third episode.

“…Alright.”

I make my decision.

“So, if you change your mind…”

“I’ve made my decision.”

“What? But…”

“…I’ll buy the Wasteland.”

Back at the half-destroyed cabin, Vega and Hera greet me hesitantly.

“…J-Jaehan?”

“Jaehan… welcome back…”

They’re clearly ashamed of blowing up the bathroom.

“I-I’m sorry… It was my fault…”

“We’re sorry…”

I did scold them, but I didn’t want them to be this dejected.

Pat. Pat.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

I pat their heads. I was planning to move anyway.

‘…Just not so suddenly.’

It’s not a big deal. I don’t want them to feel bad. They cheer up quickly.

“Shall we go inside?”

“…Yes!”

“Okay!”

I lead them into the cabin, our home, for now.

After dinner, I tell them about the move.

“What? You bought… where?”

“The Wasteland.”

“The… Wasteland?”

They stare at me in disbelief.

“It’s uninhabitable. Why would you…?”

Hera murmurs, confused. I have a question for her.

“Hera, you fought alongside Zikmund against the Demon King, right?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Do you remember the end of that battle?”

“Yes.”

“Can you tell me about it? In detail.”

She thinks for a moment.

“We… didn’t actually defeat her.”

Crash! Boom!

“Ugh!”

“Zikmund! Are you okay?”

“Hero! Fall back!”

Lilian’s magic cracks Zikmund’s holy sword, his unwavering will faltering.

“Your opponent… is me!”

Hera Nemesis faces the Demon King alone, buying time for Zikmund to recover. The constellations align, the stars watch as she unleashes her power. No one can resist her magic.

But…

“Aaargh!”

Lilian’s magic, infused with demonic energy, floods Hera’s mind, causing excruciating pain.

“…I hate you all! I hate you!”

Lilian, screaming, lunges at the incapacitated Hera.

Boom!

“Gah…”

Hera collapses, blood spilling from her mouth. The Demon King is about to claim victory, but there’s no joy in her eyes as she looks at the fallen heroes.

“…”

Hera sees only… sadness, fear, longing, and regret in Lilian’s eyes.

Lilian picks up the Hero’s sword and takes her own life.

“…It was an unsettling end to a long and arduous journey. The Demon King… she looked like she’d lost something precious.”

“…”

“The land where she fell became tainted, and then… I parted ways with the Hero.”

A somber silence falls over the room.

“Why did you ask about that?”

“…I know what to do.”

Hera’s story confirms my suspicions. That land isn’t just a wasteland; it’s a land of sorrow, filled with the regret and grief of the Demon King, Lilian Enslein, the third defeated heroine.

“I’m going to lift the curse.”

Eve White, the shield of Horizon, is busy.

“Saint! Monsters are attacking the south!”

“Saint, there’s a matter you need to attend to…”

“Saint, Byzel Guild rejected our proposal. You need to review the revised contract…”

“Saint! The Prince wants to know how long he has to eat only bread and water…”

She handles everything, from monster attacks to the Prince’s complaints. She barely had time to recover from her battle with Zikmund before returning to work. But one problem keeps nagging at her.

“Saint, there’s been another incident…”

“The Wasteland again?”

“The barrier around the Wasteland is weakening. It’s only a matter of time before it reaches the nearby villages.”

“Sigh…”

The Wasteland, the site of the battle between the Hero and the Demon King. Even her [Sanctuary] can’t purify the demonic magic; it can only contain it. With her overwhelming workload, this unsolvable problem weighs heavily on her mind.

As evening falls…

Scribble, scribble.

“If I handle this this way, and request assistance from Byzel, this village should be safe…”

She works late in her study, long after everyone else has left.

Knock.

“…?”

A knock, not on the door, but on the window.

“…”

She opens the window, and sees…

“What are you doing here, Jaehan?”

“Haha…”

…Jin Jaehan, riding a giant raven.