Perhaps it was the same back then, too.
As I spent more time with Anju and the others, little by little, the feeling grew stronger within me—that I didn't want to lose them, that I didn't want to part from them.
—I saw hell.
I was wounded, bathed in blood.
—I saw hell.
I mimicked movements. I mimicked weapons.
—I saw hell.
And when I realized it, there was nothing left around me.
Anju's fleeting smile. Her sad face. Her angry face.
The affection the children direct toward me.
A true heart—different from the imitation possessed by a demon who acquired it only to masquerade as human.
Such things could never exist within that hell.
That hell trampled mercilessly over all such things.
The one who trampled them… was myself.
Enemy and ally alike—I cut them all down.
In a hollow wasteland where nothing remained but corpses besides myself, I stood alone.
Was that truly the right thing to do?
—The first time I saw that hell.
A burning village. A burning apple orchard.
Wanting to erase that hell flashing through my mind, I created hell after hell, and kept plunging through them.
The first hell.
Even before facing it… had I already known that warmth…?
…Was it precisely because I knew it that it became "hell"?
…
If the bitter taste of flesh that still lingers in my mouth was a warning bell crying out that it was a mistake—
Then what… was the right choice for me back then?
◇
About a month after the dragon's attack, snow fell in the southern nations—something rare for the region.
The northern nations, beginning with the Schwera Mountain Range, were famous for heavy snowfall year-round. But this time, it was the southern lands—the complete opposite of the north. Even in winter, they were known for their mild climate. And yet, snow had piled up there.
"Hey, over here!!"
"Hehe, you can't hit me!!"
Within the monastery grounds, children threw snowballs at one another, laughing.
Seated in front of the entrance, Rinie watched them without a word.
…
A landscape painted entirely in white.
A chill unsuited to the region.
And yet, children possessed a mysterious vitality. Unbothered by the cold, they threw snowballs and built snowmen.
As for the snowmen… they were far from impressive.
After all, for children born in the south, the sight of a snowy landscape itself was probably their first in life.
Perhaps it was that curiosity toward an unknown world that kept them from tiring.
…Rinie suddenly recalled herself before she had lived as an Executor.
Back when she had been no taller than those children, she too had played like that with the village children. Able to mimic any movement, Rinie would use "the imitation magic Airfarsen" to copy every game, never losing no matter what they played.
And when toys broke, she would create replacements with magic and continue playing.
…Back then, she had not yet mimicked his inner world. But now she realized, with a trace of irony, that it was precisely because of that foundation that she had been able to wield it at all. She devised magic to substitute for possession, honed spells that generated objects from mana as a substitute for projection magecraft. The latter was a basic, even nameless spell among demons, yet Rinie—who had used it to the point of boredom even before imitating him—finally understood that this groundwork had shaped her own blade-forging.
Though unable to empathize, she could face and mimic, retracing experience in hindsight. That was why, despite being a demon lacking in empathy, she could wield swordcraft to a certain degree.
(…Why am I remembering this now…?)
As that realization sank in, Rinie stared at her hands and questioned herself.
Contrary to her thoughts, her expression was not bright—but neither was it tormented.
…Deep down, she already understood.
("Nor faced to light, without even seeking victory"… I turned my eyes from the light… is that it…?)
The second verse of the incantation she had only recently begun to chant—her own incantation—was slowly becoming clear to her.
…Was there never any need to seek victory from the start?
…Had I merely turned away, while the thing I truly wanted was already in my hands?
…Even if that thing is now like moonlight beyond my reach.
(…Then what have I been fighting for all this time…?)
If everything until now had been wrong—then what would have been right?
As Rinie lowered her eyes in silent turmoil, the familiar voices of three children behind her pulled her back to reality.
"Big Sis Rinie!"
"What about training today?"
"Teach us Warrior Eisen's techniques again!!"
Abel, Karl, and Else.
The usual trio who trained under Rinie.
Abel with a sword. Karl with an axe. Else with a bow.
Each wielded a weapon Rinie excelled in, looking at her with eager excitement—though each in their own way.
…
Brought back to the present, Rinie slowly turned toward them.
Meeting their gazes directly, she then quietly looked away—as if escaping.
The three exchanged puzzled glances but waited for her answer.
—The other brats are fooling around carefree, and yet these three…
Half exasperated inwardly, Rinie reflected on how she had treated them.
(…Maybe I've been a little too strict.)
Until now, she had merely drilled into them what she considered obvious. But her thinking was beginning to change.
True, a snowy day like this offered training opportunities of its own.
The three had already grown capable enough to drive off small monsters that raided the orchard—even without help from Rinie or Anju.
They could feel themselves growing stronger. Of course they wanted the next step. Rinie understood that.
It was a perfect day to simulate combat under harsh northern conditions.
But the current Rinie had no desire to go that far.
"…Training is suspended for a while."
"…Huh? But Big Sis Rinie—"
"For today, put those weapons down and go join them."
As she spoke, the weapons in their hands dissolved into black mana and vanished.
The weapons they carried were all Rinie's imitations to begin with. She could erase them at will.
By taking them away, she made it clear—more than words could—that she had no intention of training them today.
Ignoring their confusion, she continued.
"Your bodies are already built differently from theirs. Do your best to hold back. If anything, that's today's training. Especially you, Karl."
With that, she turned her gaze toward the other children playing in the snow.
The trio followed her line of sight.
Now that they thought about it, it had been a long time since they had joined in like that.
Rinie had told them never to skip independent practice. Somewhere along the way, they had forgotten what it meant to simply play.
Perhaps the fact that they still ate from the same pot dulled that awareness.
"!"
Unable to hold back, Else was the first to dash forward.
Even as she ran, a snowball had already formed in her hand. With the keen eyesight she had developed under Rinie's tutelage, her throws struck the other children squarely.
Yet she avoided aiming at their faces—she was holding back.
"I—I'm going too!"
Abel followed next, unable to sit still, running into the snow-filled yard.
…Only Karl remained behind.
"…Then I'll go too."
Karl cast a worried glance at Rinie, but his desire to play was no different from the other two. He turned his back to her and started to run—
"…Wait, Karl."
Rinie stopped him.
She stood up, walked over to him, and crouched down so their eyes were level.
"What's wrong, Sis, all of a sudden—?"
"—Imitation Trace, Start On."
The moment he heard her voice, Karl felt something soft and warm wrap gently around his neck.
Before he realized it, Rinie had skillfully wrapped a scarf—replicated from mana—around him. Most demons wore clothes woven from their own magic to mimic humans. Just like that, she had created this scarf for Karl.
"You're planning to take snowballs dressed that lightly? No matter how much you train as a warrior, that doesn't give you resistance to the cold."
Even a renowned warrior could easily lose their life in the freezing cold of a snowy mountain.
And the children here—including Karl—were war orphans from the southern nations.
There was no way they were used to the cold of such a rare snowfall.
"I-I'm fine with just this much—ah-choo!?"
Despite his words, Karl immediately sneezed in front of her.
Rinie closed her eyes in exasperation.
"So you were just pretending to be tough… Imitation Trace, Start On."
This time, she created a warm-looking red coat from black mana.
Since she had drilled axe techniques into Karl, she naturally knew the right size for him.
She draped the coat over his shoulders and guided his arms through the sleeves.
"That should do… hm?"
After finishing and letting go, Rinie noticed something strange.
Karl's cheeks were faintly red with embarrassment.
Unaware of the reason, she gently placed a hand against his cheek.
"Eh!?"
Feeling the warmth, Karl let out a startled sound.
When he realized it was Rinie's hand, his face flushed even deeper.
Watching him curiously, Rinie muttered to herself.
"…Your temperature's high, considering I just dressed you."
She moved her hand from his cheek to his mouth, his neck, and his forehead, checking his warmth.
After confirming the same heat everywhere, she murmured:
"…I see. You're warm, aren't you?"
Still touching his cheek, she looked at him as she said it.
"~~~~~~~~!!"
Karl turned his face away, blushing furiously.
His heart was beating even faster than before.
—W-Why…?
Rinie, who had always been blunt, lazy-looking, and expressionless… now had narrowed, slightly sorrowful eyes, and perhaps even the faintest smile at the corner of her lips.
To Karl—who had seen her as reliable yet unsociable, and terrifying during training—that fragile smile was nothing short of lethal for a boy not even in adolescence yet.
And the slender, pale, smooth hand touching his cheek reminded him unmistakably that the demon before him was, in fact, a girl.
"..."
At some point, the other children had stopped throwing snowballs and were staring at the two of them.
Especially the boys… who were looking at Karl with obvious envy.
"Ah!"
One of them suddenly shouted dramatically.
Everyone's attention shifted to him.
"My scarf and coat… I dropped them."
That wasn't quite accurate.
They weren't merely dropped—they had been carefully buried beneath the snow.
The scarf sticking out slightly was buried far too deeply to have been accidental.
In other words, it was deliberate.
Shivering from the cold, the boy who had removed them looked expectantly at Rinie.
Understanding the reason for such foolishness—even risking freezing—the other boys quickly followed suit, tearing off their coats and scarves as well.
"M-Mine too!!"
"Me too!!"
"Me too!!"
They trembled violently, but their gazes remained fixed on Rinie.
The girls, meanwhile, watched with utterly unimpressed expressions.
As for Rinie—she had already returned to her usual blank face, merely observing the boys' absurd behavior.
A cold wind swept through, making the boys shudder as they gradually came back to their senses.
"Uh, well… maybe forget it—ghf!?"
Just as the first boy tried to dig his buried clothes out of the snow, a snowball cleanly smashed into his face.
Everyone stared in shock.
…Everyone except Karl.
Karl, with a stiff smile, cautiously turned toward the culprit.
There sat Rinie at the monastery entrance, already holding another snowball in one hand, her gaze piercing the foolish boys at absolute zero.
From that distance, without even standing up, she had struck him perfectly in the face.
The boys shivered—not from the snow, but from something far colder.
"…I don't know what you're trying to do,"
Rinie said quietly.
"But taking off your coats in weather like this… Ah, I see. You want more of this, don't you?"
She toyed with the snowball in her hand, her expression unchanged, as cold sweat trickled down the boys' faces.
They tried desperately to shake their heads, but the cold left them trembling too much to even manage that.
"I see. Then let's begin. For idiots like you, this should be sufficient medicine."
She stood and began walking forward.
Slowly. Like a snake locking onto prey.
"R-Run!!!"
"It's Big Sis Rinie's snowballs!!"
"They're definitely painful—and freezing!!"
"It's your fault!!"
"I-I didn't mean to!!"
Screaming in chaos, the boys tried to flee—but it was too late.
Faster than they could take a single step, Rinie formed snowballs one-handed in an instant and threw them just as quickly. They were perfect spheres, smooth as works of art.
She created and hurled them endlessly.
There was no escape.
"Go on. Dodge. Or throw them back."
—Yeah, impossible.
Every child present felt the same thought.
"…But,"
As the boys ran and Rinie mercilessly pelted them—
Come to think of it, this was the first time.
Rinie joining them like this.
Playing together.
And more than anything—
"Big Sis Rinie… looks like she's having fun."
Else, watching from afar with the girls, murmured softly.
Meanwhile, Karl had remembered the warmth of her hand on his cheek and was blushing again, staring down at the ground.
Eventually, the fleeing boys were joined by all the children, and what began as chaos turned into their very first full-hearted game with Rinie.
"Um… what exactly is going on here?"
Anju's confused voice—having just stepped down from the returning carriage—went unheard.
◇
Later, in front of the fireplace near the dining table of the monastery, the boys warmed their thoroughly chilled bodies.
But their shivering wouldn't stop.
"Ah-choo!!"
Some couldn't stop sneezing, clinging desperately to the warmth of the fire.
They understood this was the price of their foolishness.
And in the end, they had had fun—so they couldn't really complain.
Still, they regretted their stupidity.
"…So, do you have anything to say for yourself, Lady Rinie?"
"...Nothing."
In a corner away from the boys, Anju stood with her arms folded, smiling down—while in front of her, Rinie sat formally on her knees, perfectly still.
For demons, who determined hierarchy through magical power, such a scene would have been unthinkable. And yet, neither Anju, nor Rinie, nor any of the children found it strange in the slightest.
"What would you have done if they'd caught a cold? Unlike you, Lady Rinie, who came from the north, these children have no tolerance for snow or cold. You understand that, don't you?"
"…I understand…"
"Then why were you playing in the snow dressed so lightly!? I've already heard the circumstances from Karl and Else. It's stupid—really, truly stupid—but boys are just like that! So you, Lady Rinie, should at least hold back a little! Honestly, from the beginning… and another thing… etcetera!"
Anju's lecture droned on and on—some of her words stabbing sharply into the backs of the boys warming themselves by the fireplace.
With her index finger raised in reprimand, Anju scolded her. Rinie accepted it without resistance.
When Anju got like this, she wouldn't stop. And when angry, she was troublesome.
Perhaps aware she had gone too far, Rinie silently endured the scolding.
"…And besides…"
Having said what she needed to say, Anju's tone softened. She slowly crouched to meet Rinie's gaze and gently wrapped both hands around Rinie's.
"Lady Rinie, your hands are freezing…"
Anju repeatedly clasped her cold hands—chilled from forming snowballs—trying to warm them.
"I'm fine. They're cold on the surface, but only externally. A demon's body, formed of mana, doesn't slow down from something like cold."
"Even so."
Despite Rinie's explanation, the worry in Anju's eyes did not fade.
Rinie recognized that expression.
The old her would never have remembered such a thing. But the current her—who had spent so much time with Anju and the others—understood.
"…Anju, you're almost like my parent."
"Eh?"
Caught off guard, Anju stared blankly.
Ignoring her surprise, Rinie gently squeezed Anju's hands in return, as if confirming their warmth again and again.
"…And you're warm. Just like Karl.
This warmth… I've known it for a long time."
She had known it—
And yet she had turned her eyes away.
If she compared it to what Anju once said, then this was probably what people called sin.
Seeing Rinie's expression—like an abandoned child on the verge of tears—Anju lowered her eyes sadly and asked:
"…Lady Rinie. Do you still intend to return to being an Executor?"
"…I don't know. But before long, I may have to part with you all."
Those words made Anju nearly grab her in protest. She barely swallowed the impulse and instead asked:
"…Why…?"
You said you wanted to stay.
So why say such a thing?
"The reason I could become what they call an Executor was largely because I left no trace of my activities—neither on the Demon King's side nor the human side. I hid my identity completely. But from now on, that may no longer be possible.
Because he's here. Solitaire."
"The nameless great demon you fought before?"
Rinie nodded.
"Because we were both nameless, it was a fight where neither of us could let the other live. The result was a draw. But the cost was far greater on my side."
Her lowered fist trembled faintly with frustration.
"He suffered deeper wounds. But becoming no longer nameless is far more disadvantageous for me. I'm hated by both humanity and demonkind. And I exposed my current trump card."
Solitaire was different. Even if he lost his anonymity, he did not carry the title of Executor—the butcher of humans and demons alike. But if Rinie's true identity were revealed, neither side would remain silent.
Especially the Empire—the one that had made the most use of the Executor. To them, Rinie was a symbol of their own shadow. At any moment, they might dispatch elite court mages or shadowed warriors after her.
"Even so… even so, there are so many people you've saved, Lady Rinie—!"
Anju stopped herself mid-sentence.
To say that would be to admit Rinie was becoming like him.
The one who saved ten by cutting down one.
The one who bore his regret silently and died by hanging after betrayal—without cursing anyone.
"That's why I'm staying here in the south, where the war between the Demon King's army and humanity has less influence. I need time… to obtain a new trump card."
"That trump card… is it…?"
A bad feeling rising in her chest, Anju asked hesitantly.
"…I think you already know."
At Rinie's confirmation, Anju collapsed weakly to the floor.
Yes. She already knew.
Rinie had told her almost everything about her past—the activities as an Executor, abandoning the journey north, the battle with Solitaire.
And… that she had mimicked his inner world.
"An inherent… barrier…"
Rinie nodded at the words Anju forced out.
"Three verses remain. Once I can chant those three… I will—"
—be able to deploy that Hill of Swords.
"Don't!!"
Anju cried out.
To complete that chant would mean forming the poem that told the story of her life.
In other words—ultimate self-understanding.
Ironically, by spending time with Anju, Rinie's self-awareness had deepened, and she had become able to chant parts of her own incantation that she once could not.
"—Unfaced to darkness, refusing to admit defeat."
"—Nor faced to light, not even seeking victory."
Those were the two verses Anju had heard when Rinie deployed that shield of light.
"That's no good! Because if you do that, you'll—"
"Anju…?"
Anju suddenly pulled Rinie into a tight embrace.
Because that meant Rinie would draw even closer to him.
Rinie could chant those two verses now because she had recognized her own sin.
And Anju knew the trigger for that recognition.
—Ah… it's my fault…
Because she had self-righteously lectured Rinie about human sin that day, Rinie had eventually reached this realization.
Anju finally understood that she herself had been the cause of bringing Rinie closer to that man.
She was certain now.
The moment Rinie acknowledged even the desire that lay beyond that sin—and completed the chant—
Rinie would become a "hero of justice."
Even during her time as Executor, her actions had already been complete.
If perfect self-awareness were added to that…
The outcome was obvious.
And when she awakened—
The first thing she would do would not be to return as Executor.
Because before heading north, the southern nations were already engulfed in wars that needed to be stopped.
A vortex of conflict with no sign of ending.
Perhaps someone was even pulling the strings from the shadows to keep it going. Otherwise, such endless war made no sense.
And there was no way a "hero of justice" would not throw herself into that vortex.
No… there's no way she wouldn't jump in.
Because there would surely be countless people there crying out for help.
The more Anju imagined what lay ahead, the more her heart was swallowed by despair.
Because if that happened, she knew all too well that the girl before her would be hurt far more than she ever had been—beyond comparison.
"Please, Lady Rinie, don't do that…!!"
"Anju, what on earth are you saying…?"
And Rinie, unaware of it herself, had no way of understanding why Anju was crying.
After sobbing for a while, Anju seemed to calm down slightly. She let go of Rinie and let out a long breath.
"…Anyway, Anju. I'm no longer nameless. If things stay as they are, I'll surely end up dragging you all into this.
Whether I become an Executor again or not, either way… I have to part from you."
Anju listened in silence, her head lowered.
"…I'm sorry. Even though I said I wanted to stay with you, now I'm saying we should separate. But if it means not losing you all… this is the best way."
—You're better off without someone like me.
That final addition pierced Anju's heart more deeply than anything else.
Even if Rinie's words were true, what this girl had given them was utterly irreplaceable.
How could she possibly accept that so easily?
How could she simply nod and agree?
"…I won't allow it. Absolutely not."
Anju forced the words out.
"I won't let you become fully aware of it. Realizing your sin is already enough. That alone is sufficient. I have no intention of letting you go any further than that."
—Your time is longer than ours.
Even if separation must one day come.
Still, until you come to believe that sins can be atoned for little by little—
I will not let your understanding advance beyond that point.
Facing the bewildered Rinie, Anju steeled her resolve.
That resolve was not strong.
Deep down, she already knew.
◇
That night, after the children had fallen asleep, Anju shut herself in the study and devoted herself to deciphering the Holy Scriptures.
…Or rather, she claimed to be concentrating—but in truth, her mind was entirely occupied with how to make Rinie stop.
How could she prevent Rinie from becoming a champion of justice, and instead have her face her sins in a way that wouldn't destroy her?
The fact that Rinie had recognized her sin was, without question, growth.
And it wasn't that Anju truly wished to stop her from realizing what lay beyond.
Anju understood well that halting that realization would not lead to true growth.
But if Rinie became fully aware at this stage, Anju was certain she would become like him.
"The Hero of Wrought Iron…"
Let it be said again—Anju did not wish to deny his life.
Even if he had embraced ideals far too heavy to bear alone, even if he had been betrayed countless times and wounded, even if he had known it was hypocrisy… if he had carried it through to the very end, then how could anyone deny him?
Even considering the despair that awaited beyond that.
Even so, Anju could not allow Rinie to live that way. She groaned softly, clutching her head as she thought.
Just then—
Knock, knock.
A sound came from the door.
"Anju, are you still awake?"
Rinie's voice drifted from the other side.
"Lady Rinie? Yes, I'm still up."
"…May I come in?"
Click. The door opened, and Rinie stepped inside.
Anju rose from her chair and peeked at her through the gaps between the stacks of books—
"Pff—!!"
She nearly burst out laughing.
Seeing a sight she would never have expected from Rinie, Anju quickly sat back down, desperately holding her trembling stomach.
"…Is it really that funny?"
"But— but—!"
Rinie frowned in irritation at Anju, who was struggling to suppress her laughter.
"What is that hairstyle— pfft— what in the world happened—?"
Holding her sides, Anju asked what kind of accident could possibly have resulted in such a way of tying her hair.
She could sort of tell Rinie had tried for twin tails. But they were so clumsily done, it looked as though someone half-asleep had tied them.
"…It was Else."
"…Else-chan?"
At the unexpected name, Anju tilted her head.
Now that she thought about it, Else had her hair tied in twin tails too—though not quite like this.
Surely not, Anju thought, waiting for Rinie to continue.
"She sat up in her sleep and started mumbling, 'I'll make Big Sister Rinie's hair the same as mine,' and then began tying my hair with her own ribbons. And this is the result."
"…Ah."
Anju exhaled in understanding.
So it truly had been tied by someone half-asleep.
And with Rinie's two horns, tying it exactly like Else's would inevitably be awkward. The hair had to be tied near the base of her horns to match.
And untangling it would probably be just as troublesome.
"I couldn't exactly shake her off. So I came to ask you."
"I see. Then please sit there. I'll untie it."
Anju started to stand—
"No. I don't want you to undo it."
"Eh?"
"I want you to fix it properly. Make it the same hairstyle."
Anju blinked in surprise.
"I don't understand why she wants to match with me, but… if I do, she'll be happy, right?"
"…Yes, she will."
Else had always admired Rinie more than any of the other children.
She had chosen the bow because she admired Rinie's. And when Rinie told her she had talent for it, she had been overjoyed.
There was no way she wouldn't be happy.
"I can't tie it well myself because of the horns. And…"
Rinie hesitated, averting her eyes slightly, looking faintly embarrassed.
"I wanted you to tie it for me."
That shy tone was unfair.
Faced with that expression, Anju had no choice but to accept.
With a soft smile, she replied happily, "Understood."
And so—
"All done. I'll get the mirror."
After finishing Rinie's hair, Anju fetched a hand mirror.
Rinie examined her reflection carefully before turning back.
"…How is it?"
With the hairstyle added, she looked unbearably adorable.
"…Yes. Very much so."
Her hair down had suited her beautifully. But with twin tails tied near the base of her horns—
"It's… incredibly cute, Lady Rinie."
Anju covered her mouth, overwhelmed.
To think such an adorable demon could exist.
For a moment, she felt her entire perception of demonkind overturn.
"…I see."
Relieved, Rinie closed her eyes.
"…That's… good…"
And just like that, she dozed off.
"Lady Rinie?"
Peering closer, Anju saw her leaning against the chair, breathing softly in sleep.
She chuckled.
"So you were tired from playing too."
She had looked so happy playing with the children.
It must have been truly wonderful.
So wonderful that Anju had even felt a flicker of jealousy at not being part of it.
And that made her unbearably happy.
"Up you go."
Anju lifted Rinie and laid her on the sofa.
Then she sat down and gently placed Rinie's head on her lap.
With a loving yet lonely expression, she stroked Rinie's sleeping face.
"…So cute."
Looking at her like this, Anju could understand the feelings of the farming couple in that old story.
If they could make such a child their daughter, they would surely use any means necessary.
And indeed, they had persuaded their entire village and welcomed her as their own.
It must have been happier than even the story her grandmother had told.
A single tear slipped from Anju's eye and fell onto Rinie's cheek.
Unaware, Rinie slept on.
"…I know. I know that I'm not enough…"
If Rinie hadn't come that day, Anju and the children wouldn't even be here.
Without Rinie, she would have died in the dragon's attack.
Rinie said they shouldn't stay together—but without Rinie, Anju wouldn't exist in this world anymore.
So this must be a miraculous time.
And if so, the parting that comes as its price must also arrive.
Surely, this child will reach that place.
She will understand her own inner world, and one day gain an ego powerful enough to paint over the world itself.
And like the Hero of Wrought Iron, she will be wounded again and again.
Even so—
"…Please. Anyone is fine. In my place, please make this child happy."
To someone Rinie would meet in the future, Anju offered that prayer.
"At the very least, even after I am gone, may I have been some small help on your path to happiness."
With a lonely smile, Anju pressed her magic into a page of the Holy Scripture and prayed.
She had a vague feeling that the time of completion—the end—was drawing near.