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This had been the case during and before the Dragon Demon war. It was a demonic land that was left over from the olden days.......

“Can you guarantee that the wise Dragon Albatan won’t be hostile towards us?”

-I can’t.

“Wait a moment. You can’t?

-However, I can’t think of another place to go to. Especially now...

“Especially now?”

-The Demon King Balserk spoke about it. He said the answer is with Albatan.

“What?”

Yuren became surprised. Azell spoke.

-My curiosity is mounting as to who the guide really is. He is reading my moves as if he had seen my future. How could he arrange all of this without it?

“Mmmm.......”

-If there were other options available to me, I might have rejected what he had arranged for me. These subtle arrangements fit too well with my situation. It makes me wonder if I’m drinking from a poisoned well.

“You are saying we have no other options?”

-The cards we hold is limited. If we had been successful in completely escaping the clutches of our enemies then maybe.....

“It’s fine. If we are going to die anyways, I’d rather not to be killed by the Dragon Demon king worshippers. When we have time, I’ll take a nap. Maybe, the guide will give us a decent plan.”

Azell and Kairen was taken aback by his words, so they stared at Yuren. Kairen spoke.

“I know you trust the guide, but.... Is it ok to put all your eggs in one basket by blindly trusting the guide?”

“I’ve always lived liked this. Maybe, I’m the one that should be called a fanatic.”

Azell and Kairen was at a loss for words. The more they saw this side of Yuren it became harder for them to understand him.

Yuren queried.

“What was the truth that Balserk wanted to impart on us?”

-He wanted to tell us about the identity of the Demon race.

“Mmm?”

Azell told the two puzzled men about the last conversation he shared with Balserk.

3

Balserk spoke.

<When hearing a long story, don’t humans like to hear a summary that is three lines or less beforehand? Since I like buying the goodwill of my audience, I’ll tell you the summary first.>

“You are kind. So is it three lines?”

<Unfortunately, I’m not talented enough to put the summary into the form of a three line stanza..... I’ll resolve it with a single line. Demons are humans.>

“What?”

Azell became surprised at Balserk’s words.

Demons had deep ill will towards humans, and they led humans to destruction by baiting them with knowledge. How could beings that are so engrossed in destroying humans be humans themselves?

Balserk cackled.

<Are you surprised?>

“...honestly, I am surprised. However, it isn’t as if it is unbelievable.”

<Ho-oh. Why?>

“You said they were humans.”

<Mmm?>

“The beings that hate humans the most are humans. If you frame it like that, it seems obvious.”

The ones that had the deepest understanding of humans were other humans. The ones that were capable of hating humans the most was also humans.

Azell didn’t know any existence that hated humans more than other humans. Hatred and ill will towards other humans seemed like a natural phenomena.

Balserk spoke.

<Ah ah. It is quite unfortunate.>

“What are you referring to?”

<I regret the fact that I don’t have much time left to share my story with you. The act of sharing a story with someone is a very sweet thing. It is an opportunity where we can get to know about each other. If it was up to me, I want to extend this conversation for a thousand or ten thousand years to fill this emptiness..... My wish is to enjoy my life in that fashion.>

He had been in absolute isolation, and he had been pining for his own destruction. The Demon King spoke with a sad voice..

Azell didn’t give a reply. Balserk looked at him for a brief moment before he continued to speak..

<Yes, it is as you’ve said. Humans hate humans the most. In this world, the ones to kill the most humans isn’t wild beasts, natural disasters or even plagues.... If one thought about humans as a possibility, it is a logical conclusion.>

The Demon race yearned for human, yet they hated humans at the same time. If the Demon race were once humans, it really was an obvious conclusion.

<There are several myths that points to this truth. For example, the birth of the Dragon Demon race...>

They were the product between Dragons and the Demon race. Dragon Demons were a high rank species that was the last amongst the races to walk on the surface of this world.

They were a a completely different species, yet they held resemblance to humans. On top of that fact, they were able to procreate with humans. The Dragon Majins were the product of such unions.

<Dragon Slayer’s Ritual.>

In nature, the Dragons were tyrants that were born with massive amounts of energy. Humans were the weakest if one took away their wisdom and weapons. It was an odd match.

<Legend of Babel.>

The way one thinks differed depending on where one lived. Every humans are the same at a fundamental level, yet humans from different regions had different languages.

This led to magicians wanting to stop all tragedies that stemmed from a breakdown in communications. They consolidated the language of the human race into one.

<There are several other myths..... However, these are the classic examples.>

“Are you trying to say the existence of the Demon race should be included as one of them?”

<That’s right.>

Balserk gave an affirmation.

<I don’t know how or when humans came to walk on the surface of this world. However, I do know that Demon race originated from the human race.>

“There is something I am curious about.......”

Azell asked a question.

“Where do the Demon race get their knowledge? How can you be so sure that you are right?”

<Again, it all originates from humans.>

“What?”

<The Demon race cannot exist in this world. I don’t know who started calling us Demons, but it was an apt nickname. We live outside of the human world.... It is a place filled with emptiness. In other words, it is hell.>

“Do you mean hell really exists?”

<The place I am talking about is a little bit different from the hell discussed within the temples of this world. Let me put aside the explanation about hell for now. There are two qualities that are lacking from Demons that humans possess. >

“What is it?”

<It is sleep and forgetfulness.>

“Hmm.......”

<We do not fall asleep, and we never forget. We are always observing the world. When I say the Demons ‘observe’, you should think of it as..... Yes, it is a bit different than looking at someone from afar.>

“What do you mean by that?”

<When the Demon race observes a human, it is a similar experience as reading a novel. Basically, half of it is from an omniscient viewpoint.>

“Basically, you are saying it includes the thoughts within a humans head?”

<It isn’t just thoughts. We are even able to see the causal relationship. It isn’t as if we can pick and choose everything we want to see. However, this means we are able to gain a variety of knowledge.>

If a human discovers something, does the knowledge get transferred to everyone?

No.

Does an achievement attained by someone benefit all humans?

No.

<Many information gets lost, but if one is lucky, the knowledge may get passed on to another human. The knowledge of the Demon race is based on personal observation. Moreover....>

Balserk raised a finger, and he focused Azell’s gaze on it.

<The only condition needed for a human to become a Demon is hate.>

“Humans that possess hate becomes a Demon?”

<If we are to summarize it, your statement is correct.>

“...I’m just trying to confirm something. Death is part of the process in becoming a Demon?”

<Of course. You are correct.>

“So everyone that dies with hate in their heart becomes a Demon?”

<That isn’t the case. If one wants to become a demon, one has to fulfill two prerequisites..>

It didn’t matter how, but one had to hate humanity after being murdered by a stranger.

Moreover, the hate had to be so enormous that the hate doesn’t become limited to a single person. The person has to hate everything that was made by humans in this world.

<The first Demon was the very first human to be murdered by another human. I’ve met him before.>

“You’ve met him? How?”

<The magician that put me in this state made me confront him. It was an interesting experience.>

“The very first human to be murdered by another.... It really does sound like a myth.”

<Everything has a first. The being that imprisoned me was trying to find the origin of humans through this Demon. I’m not sure if he gained the answer he wanted.>

“Hmmm.......”

<I’m not sure if there are more conditions, but that is all I’ve discovered. The one to imprison me here found out the reason behind the birth of the Demon race. At the same time, he surmised that something went went awry when humans appeared on this world.>

“Something went awry? Do you mean this world? Or are you talking about humans?”

<Both. I’m not entirely sure what the problem was. However. From the perspective of a demon, humans were changed into Demons, and they were thrown into hell. It is a consensus amongst us that this is proof that something is wrong with this world. As a human, you probably see the Demons as evil existence. However, I told you about the prerequisite needed to become a Demon. Can’t you see that process is unfair?>

“The ones that have hate in their heart after being murdered is thrown into hell. The temple tells us that we reap what we sow. It seems that is far from the truth.”

<It means morality has nothing to do with hell, Demons and humans. One doesn’t become a demon, because one was evil or one had committed a wrong. It is akin to a human contracting a incurable disease. We were just unlucky in becoming Demons and being sent to hell..... This world is horrifying cruel, and there is something wrong with it.>

“Do you want sympathy from me?”

<It would be great if you could give me some.>

“.......”

<If you look at me like that, I’ll be wounded. All right. I’ll talk more about hell.>

Balserk let out a self-deprecating smile.

<The Demon race can watch the world strictly as outsiders. We are similar to humans.... To be precise, we used to be humans, and our minds had been corrupted. We couldn’t contact anyone in the outside world, so we could share our plight with anyone. Do you realize how horrifying that is?>

“That is hell?”

<That’s right. The only reason why we know know we are separate beings inside that place is the fact that we still have self-awareness. However....>

They knew where the world was, yet they couldn’t approach it.

Even as they brushed by it, they couldn’t reach the world.

<There is no conflict in that place. There is no discrimination. No one suffers from hunger or sickness. Since we’ve escaped the circle of life, we do not grow old. Do you know what some call such a world?>

“It is... paradise.”

<That is correct. It is a world everyone yearned for. It was an ideal world that everyone had dreamed about.>

They were able to perceive the existence of other beings, yet they were thrown into a world where they couldn’t vent their feelings. Moreover, it didn’t matter if one wanted to or not. One was able to observe the world that they had once existed in.

This world had happiness within it.

There was anger.

There was sadness.

There was joy.

<We could see it.>

They could only see it.

No matter how enticing it was they couldn’t possess it.

No matter how sad it was they couldn’t save them.

Moreover, they couldn’t share what they had seen and felt with others.

<When the ability to communicate is taken away, the problems that had to be gotten rid of to create a utopia is solved. However, it is also a hell where one’s soul is infriged on.>

“.......”