59 - Red Rose

The Demon King sat on her throne.

The city had become an empty shell. Inside the castle is a girl who calls herself the Demon King.

The blade that had been handed down through the generations as a legendary magic sword rests beside her.

“We’ll both be wearing wedding dresses.”

The words she said, the promise she made… could she uphold it?

When she saw Lucille crying and shaking, she couldn’t say that this was the end. She had the flowers that Lucille had bought for her one day.

The red rose, “I love you.”

The white rose, “I deserve you.”

Merle knew flower language. She remembered being so happy that Lucille had put her words and thoughts into the flowers.

She remembers her words to the people. The omen of a new era. There was no place for Heroes nor Demon Kings there.

A new era will come, forsaking broken titles and values.

She was ready for death.

No matter how many they numbered or whoever they are, they would slaughter whoever was on the Demon King’s side, just as they would kill Merle.

In this world, there was no longer a place for Heroes nor Demon Kings.

It was time to break the cycle that caused conflict and tragedy over and over again.

She was sure it was her destiny to pull out Levantine.

“Lucille…”

She dearly wanted her by her side. She wanted to tell her that.

She was sure Lucille wanted to be with her, as well.

But Lucille doesn’t need to die to break the cycle. Lucille is not the Demon King. Merle didn’t want to involve her.

When she asked if she could wear a wedding dress, Merle imagined Lucille in front of her. She would surely be so beautiful, surely be so precious, of that she was sure, of that she was certain, of that she had no doubt.

Merle cried out for a dream that was unlikely to come true; with no one around, her tears just spilled down her cheeks.

“… If I could have… If I could have, I wanted to be with Lucille… forever, forever! I want to be with you forever. I wanted to get married.”

She recalled the time since they first met, she recalled how she was always beside her; a bittersweet joy rose inside her.