The next morning, I slowly opened my eyes.
The first thing I saw was Dia-chan sleeping beside me.
For a moment, I simply stared at her.
Without thinking, I gently touched her cheek.
Her skin felt warm.
Her long eyelashes trembled softly as she breathed in her sleep. Her pink lips looked delicate, and her long pink hair spread across the pillow like silk.
She really was my type.
"Umhh…"
Dia-chan slowly stirred.
Her eyes fluttered open.
"Good morning, Satou-kun."
"Good morning, Dia-chan," I replied.
She smiled brightly.
"Ufufu~"
"We're lovers now."
I smiled back.
She slowly leaned closer to my face.
Then our lips met.
The kiss was soft and warm.
---
A little later, we met Leo and Taiga at the tavern for breakfast.
Taiga was already eating a huge plate of food.
Leo placed a map on the table.
"We heard that several nearby villages have been attacked," Taiga said.
Leo nodded.
"So our plan is to help them along the way while we head toward the Demon Castle."
He looked at us.
"Is that alright, Rosalia-san? Satou-kun?"
We both nodded.
"Let's go," Leo said.
Right.
The storyline is still the same.
It took us about a month to reach the Demon Castle.
During the day, we fought beasts and demons along the road.
At night, we stayed in nearby villages.
Sometimes we had dinner in lively taverns filled with laughter and stories.
Villagers often begged Leo to let them join the hero's party.
At first he refused.
But eventually, some of them managed to convince him.
At night we usually stayed in inns.
As usual, we rented two rooms.
Leo and Taiga shared one.
Dia-chan and I shared the other.
There were always two beds.
But somehow…
We always ended up sleeping on the same one.
This kind of life…
Fighting during the day.
Laughing with villagers at night.
Falling asleep beside Dia-chan.
It felt like the kind of journey I used to dream about when reading adventure stories back in my old world.
Precious memories.
Yet even so…
The fear of my inevitable death never left my mind.
---
Eventually, we finally arrived.
The Demon Castle.
A massive black fortress stood before us.
Its enormous gate was guarded by two giant demons.
By this point, our group had grown to thirty people.
Everyone gathered in front of the gate.
One of the giant demons stepped forward.
"You have finally come, Hero."
"But this is where your journey ends. Surrender now or—"
Moonslash.
Leo's sword flashed.
In a single swing, he cut diagonally through both giant demons.
The slash even split the massive gate behind them.
Their bodies collapsed instantly.
Leo lowered his sword.
"Sorry," he said calmly.
"We don't have time."
He turned toward us and led the party forward, guiding everyone through the shattered gate and into the castle.
"Everyone. Let's go."
This is it.
The peak of the story.
The moment the Hero's party defeats the Demon King.
Taiga stepped forward.
"I'll make a path!"
He crossed his massive arms and charged forward.
Demons rushed toward him.
They didn't last long.
Leo followed behind him.
The rest of the party clashed with the Demon King's elite guards.
Meanwhile, I stayed in the back line with Dia-chan, two other healers, and two porters.
Soon, Leo reached the throne room.
The Demon King sat upon a massive throne.
He was nearly three meters tall.
A huge black broadsword rested beside him.
He slowly stood up.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Welcome, Hero."
"I am the Demon King, the strongest demon in this world."
"You have no chance of defeating me."
"I suggest you surrender—"
Moonslash.
Leo swung his sword.
The Demon King's head flew off instantly.
It rolled across the floor before stopping.
Silence filled the room.
"…Eh?"
That's it?
One of our party members laughed.
"Guys! Leo defeated the Demon King! We won!"
Another man grinned.
"After this I'm going to propose to my girlfriend and live together!"
"Heh, I'll open a bar in the capital and become rich," another said.
My face stiffened.
You idiots.
Why are you raising death flags?!
Then—
CLANG.
The Demon King's body suddenly moved.
His massive broadsword slammed into Leo's blade.
"Muhahaha…"
"You thought I was dead?"
The head lying on the ground began dissolving into dark smoke.
A new head slowly formed on his body.
His grin widened.
And I realized—
Right.
This is where the real battle begins.
The hardest part of the story.