The Man Who Remained — His Second Life Began with a Humble Bow of Apology. - Chapter 53: The Vast World I Had Never Seen.

The Vast World I Had Never Seen.

They kept walking until the royal capital completely vanished behind them, leaving no shadow or trace.

At the same time, there was no sign of any building around them anymore.

All that stretched out as far as the eye could see were plains, wastelands, or mountains.

No matter where they looked, there wasn’t a single soul in sight.

Instead, countless giant birds circled and soared across the sky above.

Cross and Ellie silently took in this scenery.

“…That said, we have a map and a compass, and the road is clearly marked. Even if it’s my first time here, I doubt I’ll get lost.”

Cross murmured this to himself.

“Haah… You really are used to travelling, aren’t you?”

Hearing Ellie’s voice, Cross turned to look back at her.

“Am I?”

“Yes. After all, it hasn’t even been two hours since the Demon Lord gave you this task, and yet you’ve already left the capital and come this far.”

“I figured if we hurried, we could reach the next town before nightfall. When you think of it, it’s best to act immediately… But maybe I should’ve rented a carriage instead? I skimped on the budget since it’s not that far… but now that I think about it, we might end up camping outdoors… Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I have no complaints, and I can handle camping just fine. I’m a knight, but I’ve also received standard soldier training. I can manage on my own for most things.”

“…Even though you can’t cook?”

Ellie quietly averted her gaze.

“…Well, either way, travelling alone would’ve been lonely, so I’m glad you came with me. Thanks, Ellie.”

“I am your attendant, after all. More importantly, without me, you wouldn’t even be allowed to go on such a long trip, Cross.”

“Eh!? Why!?”

“Because you haven’t completed your compulsory education yet. You’re not allowed to travel far unless you’re accompanied by a guardian or instructor like me. The country doesn’t permit situations where a student can’t receive education for an extended period.”

“…So that means… I still have to study even while travelling?”

“In some cases, yes, even during carriage rides. You do have academic requirements to meet.”

Hearing this, Cross let out a small sigh, touching one of his horns as he gazed up at the sky.

The sky was brilliantly clear, a deep, pure blue.

“By the way, Ellie… about this mission… if I’m not mistaken…”

“Yes?”

“This is… incredibly easy, isn’t it?”

“It is.”

“I mean, this is practically a vacation for me.”

“That’s right. I’m sure it’ll turn out to be a pleasant journey.”

“…Is it really okay, though…?”

“I think so. It’s something that needs to be done by someone, after all.”

Even after Ellie said that, Cross couldn’t quite accept it, tilting his head in confusion.

By accepting a task from Aura, Cross had officially become part of Aura Feel’s faction.

Though Cross had intended to do so from the beginning, Aura herself had been reluctant. However, Ellie’s remark about it being “too late” and Cross’s inability to find work elsewhere forced Aura to reluctantly acknowledge him as part of her camp.

But deciding on Cross’s first job proved unexpectedly difficult for Aura.

The problem was, if she gave him the wrong type of task, it could cause resentment among others.

If she gave him an easy, high-paying job, people would accuse her of favoritism. If she gave him work anyone could do, people would say he was taking jobs from them.

She could assign him something difficult and thankless – Cross would accept it without complaint – but then people might start dumping all the undesirable tasks onto him.

Finding an assignment that wouldn’t disrupt relationships, that Cross could handle, and that wouldn’t be seen as favoritism… There were very few options.

Ideally, it had to be work that wasn’t beneath him, yet wouldn’t be resented by others.

Perhaps if his true abilities were widely known, it would have been different. But at this stage…

Then, Aura realized something.

There was, in fact, a perfect job.

Something highly respectable, essential, not suited for just anyone, and undeniably appropriate for Cross.

With that, Aura promptly assigned him two such tasks – missions to act as her personal envoy.

“I’ll confirm it once more. Your assignment this time is to act as the Demon Lord’s representative, visit two distant towns, gather information, and contact the officials there. However, this is mostly just a formality…”

“Yeah, I get it. Basically, it’s just a meet-and-greet, right? They don’t particularly need Aura herself to go.”

“More than that, it’s practically a sightseeing trip under the guise of work. Both towns are peaceful and prosperous. They’ve been so problem-free that Lady Aura has had to keep postponing visiting them.”

Indeed, the job was essentially tourism.

Enjoy the local atmosphere, report back to the dignitaries, and bring home a certificate confirming his visit.

That was all.

Yet in terms of diplomatic relations, this was still an important job – one that only someone with special status could perform.

Only those with the fame of a sage, coupled with closeness to Demon Lord Aura, would be entrusted with such tasks.

“I see… So, do you have any information about these two places we’re heading to?”

“Yes. First, we’ll go to a region within the Demon Lord’s domain called ‘Hoorai.’ It isn’t inhabited by a single species, but rather by various races with similar lifestyles and cultural inclinations. The second place is the territory of the vampires outside the Demon Lord’s country.”

In the demon realm, there were countless types of monsters, each with their own needs and habitats.

Because of this, many regions within the Demon Lord’s territory had distinct cultures. Hoorai was one such place.

“What’s Hoorai like?”

Hearing Cross’s question, Aura pulled out a guidebook.

“Let’s see… It seems their culture is quite unique.”

“For example?”

“Well… there isn’t much detailed information, but… bamboo crafts and sake are among their most popular specialties.”

“Ooh, sake. That sounds good.”

“In Hoorai, ‘sake’ specifically refers to their local rice wine. So be careful when ordering. Of course, they also have wines and other alcoholic drinks. Their wines are said to be quite sweet.”

“Oh ho ho… Sweet wines, huh. That sounds interesting.”

“Apparently, they’re also very fond of rice and beans.”

Cross’s excited expression visibly deflated.

“…Rice… I don’t know it, but it’s a plant, right? And beans… So the food might not be very substantial.”

“That might not be the case.”

“Even with beans?”

“They say it’s delicious.”

“I’m not too fond of meals that don’t feel filling… Well, I’ll keep my expectations low.”

“I’ll keep mine high. The reviews are good.”

“I see… Any other info?”

“Yes… The region is home to many beastkin and oni. The oni there are relatively mild-tempered, so just be cautious not to pick any fights.”

“Huh. I’m an oni too, but I don’t really have that tendency.”

Cross absentmindedly touched his horn, the mark of his oni heritage.

Oni were known for their fiery temperament. It was common knowledge shared by both humans and monsters.

“But you’re only half-oni, Cross, from Necromia. When the blood is diluted, oni personalities become milder. These days, few retain pure oni blood, so they aren’t as fierce as in the past.”

“I see… Anyway, we should pick up the pace. I’d like to stay at an inn tonight if possible.”

Ellie nodded, and the two quickened their steps.

For two more hours, they walked with only light conversation.

Then suddenly, Cross’s expression turned serious.

“Cross, is something wro…”

Before she could finish, Ellie noticed it too.

A thick black plume of smoke rising from a direction unrelated to their route.

This was no cooking fire, experiment, or signal smoke.

Visible from so far away, it could only mean one thing – a fire.

“What in the world…?”

Muttering this, Ellie extended her hand towards the smoke, channeling her magic to gather information.

“It seems… a large group of people are clashing. Some kind of conflict?”

Cross shook his head.

“No. I don’t think so. There’s a stench to this… something nostalgic and sickeningly infuriating. Hey, Ellie… can you hear the sound of weapons clashing?”

“…No. I can’t.”

“Yeah. I thought so. This is no battle. This is a slaughter – the reek of beasts preying upon the weak.”

With those words, Cross set off in the direction of the smoke without hesitation.

***

The cruel laughter of the attackers and the desperate screams of those he knew clung to his ears, refusing to leave.

The smell of blood and burning flesh still filled his nose.

He hated it. It made him sick to his core. But even so, the boy forced his legs to move.

To run away.

Someone was chasing him from the burning village.

Terrified, his legs threatened to buckle beneath him, but he didn’t stop running.

He didn’t understand that they were letting him run only to prolong his suffering.

His mind was blank, unable to think of his beloved family, his friends, or anything at all.

His head was filled with a fear so overwhelming, he couldn’t even comprehend what he was afraid of – only that he needed to escape.

And yet, the fear kept growing as his pursuers stayed close behind him, swelling inside him until he could no longer make sense of anything.

Run. Run. Run. Run.

He ran until his breath was ragged, his body stumbling, his legs unable to carry him further.

But even then, he crawled, dragging his body forward.

He didn’t understand why he could keep going.

Even though fear had consumed him entirely, his mother’s desperate words – “Go find someone to help” – remained within him, compelling him forward without him even realizing it.

Then, he saw a figure running towards him from the distance.

Maybe it was one of the attackers’ allies.

That thought crossed his mind for a moment, but he shook it away.

Rather than giving up, he chose to struggle until the very end.

His knees gave out, and he fell forward, collapsing.

A man he didn’t know caught him.

Using the last of his strength, the boy whispered a single plea:

“Please… save my mother…”

That was all.

Having spoken those words, the boy fell unconscious.

Cross trembled as he held the unfamiliar boy in his arms.

He shook, forcing out his words through clenched teeth.

“This… isn’t peace… This is… just like… the human world…”

To Cross, who possessed human sensibilities, Aura’s demon kingdom had seemed like an ideal nation.

A powerful military, a strong and wise ruler, and yet the people were free to live as they pleased, smiling happily without fear of oppression or persecution.

He had believed that the demon kingdom was peaceful, not just under Aura, but in general – with only a few exceptions.

He never even considered that Aura’s influence might have limits.

To Cross, who foolishly believed that capable people could do anything, it was unthinkable.

“Cross. Demon Lord Aura’s reign is among the greatest in history. Even so, her territory only covers thirty percent of the demon realm. The remaining lands… are all fractured and lawless.”

Cross had never known.

That in the demon world, with so many different races, conflicts were far more common than among humans.

And that such divisions were part of the reason they lost to humanity.

“Well, well… I was planning to slack off after pretending to chase that brat, but looks like I’ve found myself a nice little souvenir instead. Hey, you lot! Hands in the air, now! …Actually, forget it. As for the girl, how about you give us a little strip show instead?”

Cross heard the voice.

The speaker was a creature with a child-like build, draped in filthy rags.

Though humanoid, its skin color was far from human, resembling a goblin but even more grotesque.

Cross had seen similar beings countless times in the human world – not monsters, but bandits, robbers, marauders.

From the way this creature carried itself, Cross saw the same vile nature – those who preyed upon the weak out of sheer greed and laziness.

Cross gently laid the boy down on the ground, then stood up.

Ellie placed her hand on her sword, stepping forward.

“Ellie. Don’t kill them.”

His unexpected words made Ellie turn to him, eyes burning with anger.

“Why? After what they’ve done… I can’t just let them go.”

“Don’t kill them. They’re valuable sources of information.”

Cross’s eyes, as he whispered those words, were cold – sharp as honed blades.

Yes, Cross was used to this kind of situation.

He had seen the ugliest sides of humanity countless times when he was human.

That was why, even now, he could remain calm and act without hesitation.

And that… made Ellie unbearably sad.