Mayuten ~The Demon King and the Hero Reincarnated as Twin Elementary School Students~

Volume 4 The Demon King and the Hero, Fighting for the Family

Chapter 7 The Demon King, the Hero, and Two Mothers

In a composed tone, Sensei began to speak.

“Kimijima Haru also had a tragic past. Her daughter was killed in the past. You may think this world is a peaceful place, but there are cruel criminals here too. These people don’t commit their heinous acts for justice or revenge, but out of their own desires, they attack and kill innocent elementary school girls.”

I see. So, Sensei had such a history.

“As you said, Kimijima-sensei loves children. So does Marionear.”

isumi chimed in, “Come to think of it…”

“Eleanor’s mother was a teacher for the children in that village.”

“Yes, Marionear also loved the children.”

So, Kimijima-sensei and Marionear shared such a common trait. Perhaps that’s why Eleanor was able to write at such a young age.

“In January, our two personalities merged, and we were confused. We couldn’t tell who was the Hero and who was the Demon King among the students.”

“Really? Zekar didn’t tell you that?”

“No, that mischievous creator god. Although Isumi-chan and Kageyō-kun were joking around during PE, saying ‘Hero’ or ‘Demon King,’ I thought they were just playing around.”

Well, we were indeed just fooling around.

“Besides, who would think that the Hero and the Demon King were reincarnated as twins? It’s not something you’d normally consider.”

“Yeah, I get it.”

“So, I observed everyone in the class for about three months. Not just you two, but also during break times and after school. It was challenging to find concrete evidence, but on the day after Hikaru-chan’s entrance ceremony, I caught you two secretly conversing behind the school building during the break. I tried to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t catch all the details. I did hear words like ‘Hero Shirene’ and ‘Demon King Benes,’ though.”

I see, that must have been the conversation where Isumi consulted me about staying the way we were. I was careless. I never thought anyone was listening, and even if they were, I assumed they would dismiss it as just another game discussion. I never imagined that someone from the other world would be at our school. In fact, even the words ‘Hero’ and ‘Demon King’ alone didn’t seem to give Kimijima sensei complete confidence.

But at that time, I did mention Shirene and Benes as well. If you hear specific names, it’s enough to give Kimijima sensei certainty.

“I can understand why Marionear would hold a grudge against me and Isumi. If Kimijima sensei had lost her daughter in that way, it’s understandable that her personality as Marionear wouldn’t oppose the revenge. But why involve Hikaru? I can’t accept that it was necessary to use a little girl as a hostage to win.”

Kimijima sensei = Marionear doesn’t possess any combat abilities. That much was evident when I easily defeated her earlier.

Even the way she held the knife clearly showed her lack of fighting experience.

However, even if that’s the case…

Using a young girl as a hostage goes completely against the sorrow of Kimijima Haru and Marionear, who lost their own daughters. It’s the complete opposite of their grief. I can’t make sense of it.

“I agree. As you said, I had no right to involve Hikaru-chan. But… I couldn’t help feeling frustrated.”

“Frustrated?”

“Yes. We… we lost our daughters, yet you two were happily walking to school with your sister this morning. When I saw that, I couldn’t help but cry. Kimijima Haru’s daughter and Marionear’s daughter won’t come back anymore. The one the creator god should have reincarnated wasn’t Marionear, the Hero, or the Demon King. Don’t you think so?”

That makes sense.

As someone who wished for Shirene’s reincarnation, I have to admit that we should have wished for the reincarnation of the young lives lost in the war.

Isumi seems to share the same thought.

“That might be true. Eleanor or the real Isumi and Kageyō should have been the ones to be reincarnated. A fool like me had no right to start a second life.”

I can’t deny their words.

Kimijima sensei continued to speak.

“You might not believe me, but Marionear never actually intended to seek revenge. She just wanted to vent her grievances towards the Hero and the Demon King. But… when I saw the three of you, including Hikaru-chan, I felt an indescribable anger and sadness welling up inside me. I wanted to destroy everything.”

I can understand that to some extent.

When my parents, who were the rulers of the human race, were assassinated, I was overwhelmed with rage, wanting to wipe out all humans. Even though I logically knew that innocent humans had no responsibility, the emotions were uncontrollable.

“I knew it was just a childish tantrum. In the first place, hating the Hero and the Demon King, or perhaps any form of resentment, might have been misplaced. Haru specialized in world history and political history, you see. With that knowledge, I somewhat understood that the Demon King wasn’t the sole cause of the war and that the sixteen-year-old Hero was merely manipulated. Moreover, Hikaru-chan had absolutely no connection to it. Yet…”

Kimijima sensei was in tears.

Not just her, Isumi too.

Their tears weren’t of sorrow but of regret and remorse.

“Sensei, I won’t deny that I also bear responsibility for Eleanor’s situation. I understand that I can’t help but blame myself when young children died, and the three of us were reincarnated. It’s reasonable to feel that way, thinking that Isumi, Kageyō, and others should have lived while the Hero and the Demon King had no right to. It’s possible to think that a mother who lost her young daughter also has no right to live. However, despite all that…

We are still alive. And if we were to die or give up, there would be people who grieve for us. So, we can’t lose hope. It might sound like we’re just pretending to be strong, but we have an obligation to cherish this life.”

“But you have families, and Haru doesn’t have anyone left. There’s no one to grieve for her.”

It was Isumi who countered Kimijima sensei’s words.

“That’s not true. Sora said it herself. He said it was good that you became our homeroom teacher. Maruki and the other students from our class too. If something happened to you, like if you became a criminal or, heaven forbid, died, everyone would be sad.”

Kimijima sensei murmured, “You might be right.”

“You’re right. When Marionear died, her students and husband must have grieved too. Taking one’s life is a selfish act, but I knew that… still, I never thought about how others would feel. Even when I was flattered by being called the Hero and used that self-destructive magic… I never imagined how much pain and despair Eleanor, the one left alone on the Demon Continent, would feel knowing that I died too.”

That’s right.

We mustn’t choose death lightly.

Because that is an act that makes someone else cry.

Thinking this far, I realized…

“I wonder if I, as the Demon Lord, felt the same way.”

“Huh? You never actually considered suicide, did you?”

“You’re right. But looking back now, I might have subconsciously wished for my own death. I couldn’t save the demon subjects, couldn’t fulfill my role as the Demon Lord, and perhaps I even wished for the Hero to kill me, ending it all.”

In the world where I met Zekar after the final battle and died, I felt a sense of relief as if a burden had been lifted off my shoulders. Before I knew it, I reached out to Kimijima sensei and Isumi.

“Let’s live on, both of you, here in Japan. For the sake of those who have passed away.”

It might sound selfish, but I wanted to live.

I wished to spend the remaining year of elementary school with Isumi, Kimijima sensei, Hikaru, and Sora.

Isumi and , Kimijima sensei each took one of my hands, holding them tightly.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“That’s true.”

They wiped away their tears and stood up.

Let’s live on.

The three of us made that promise… but…

At that moment…

In the center of the room, the space right next to the chair where Hikaru was held captive began to crack.

I widened my eyes.