The Regressed Demon Lord is Kind

its original, tree branch-like form.

“Where is the tree?”

Windur’s blades began to swerve again.
It was now certain; Windur was pointing at where the tree was. 

“What is up with this guy?” If it wanted to tell them the location of the tree, it should have told them earlier on.
Zich grumbled and sat back down in his chair.

“Perhaps, can that sword actually talk?” 

Lyla’s words sounded extremely persuasive, and it wasn’t because Zich was going crazy.
Zich asked a couple of questions in case this coy sword would reveal any other information.

Zich asked various questions to Windur about where Clowon’s important ruins were located and the locations of Demon People, Estellade and Tornuim, Glen Zenard, etc.
However, Windur didn’t react to any of the questions above.
The only thing it reacted to was the location of the tree.
Moreover, Windur only revealed the location of one tree.
From Zich and Lyla’s predictions, there should be two more trees left. 

“There might actually be only one tree left.
Or it could have judged that we don’t have the ability to find the other tree,” Zich said as he placed Windur back on his table.

“Or perhaps, both of the trees are in the location it’s pointing towards.” Lyla made another suggestion, but Zich was pessimistic about Lyla’s suggestion.

“That’s being way too optimistic, but the possibility is not zero.” Zich knew very well that hopeful predictions usually had very little possibility of turning into reality.

“Regardless of what it is, a clue is a clue.
I guess we’ll find out if we go to where this guy is pointing us towards,” Zich said as he tapped Windur next to him.

*     *     *

Before they left the city, Zich went to a mountain that was a short distance from Violuwin.
The only person with him was Lyla and the disciples remained in the city.
The mountain they went to was an extremely rough place to climb, but Lyla skillfully climbed up the mountain.
There was no need to even mention Zich’s expertise.
After they climbed up the mountain for a while, Zich and Lyla were able to reach the spot they saw from the bottom.

Among the rough terrain in the mountain, there was a spot that was easy to move around.
There was not even a big tree to block the sky so sunlight also came through very well.
Zich began digging the ground there.
In an instant, he dug a hole that was deeper than a person’s height.
Then, he took out the coffin that had Marilyn’s corpse from his magic box.
Before he put the coffin in the hole, Zich opened the top of the coffin and looked down at Marilyn’s corpse.
Her face was still in a horrible state, but her expression looked peaceful.
Zich closed the top.
He put the coffin inside the hole and pushed the dirt back into the hole to cover it up.

Lyla quietly watched this sight from a few steps away.
It did not take long for Marilyn’s grave to be completed.
After flattening out the earth, Zich put a rock the size of a human in front of the grave.
Then, he stretched out his finger and put it towards the surface of the stone. 

Crrrrrck!

His finger filled with mana easily scratched the surface of the rock.
Zich moved his finger and wrote on the rock.

[The one who desired a foolish and eternal dream lies here.]

After shaking off the rock dust by clapping his palms, Zich put a bouquet of flowers in front of the rock.
Lyla had been quietly watching Zich’s actions.
She stepped forward and also put flowers in front of the rock.
Then, they looked at the grave for a short while.

“It’s really over.”

“Yeah,” Zich calmly affirmed Lyla’s words.

“It feels weird to see her grave like this.” There was a trace of bitterness in Lyla’s voice.
Even though it hadn’t been very long since she traveled around with Marilyn, the latter had made a big impact on her.

“Now that I think about it, I became close to her really fast.”

“If not for her obsession with me, her personality was very friendly and lively.
It’s a really good way to make friends.”

“Yeah, that’s definitely true, but her obsession with you was horrible.
Whatever she said, she would start going on about how much she liked you.”

“She probably did that because she noticed your feelings early on and wanted to shake you up mentally so that she could more easily draw out any information that you had.
If you do a good job, it’s a very effective method.”

Lyla opened her eyes wide; her thoughts hadn’t reached that far.

“Well, she probably also wanted to keep you in check.
When two people like the same person, if you continuously express your feelings for the person you like to your rival, your rival would falter to express their feelings.
This method is also quite effective.”

Lyla said dejectedly, “…She really was an amazing person in various ways.” 

“Yeah, but she’s buried here now.” For the last time, Zich imprinted Marilyn’s grave into his eyes and then turned his back.
“We’ll never meet her ever again.” There was clear resolution in his voice.

*      *      *

After finishing all their work, Zich and his companions left Violuwin.
Even Zich, the leader of their group, did not know their destination.
They merely headed in the direction Windur pointed towards.
Like owner, like sword—Windur only gave its direction by pointing straight ahead.
Even while passing a high cliff, a wide river, and a dense forest, it didn’t provide any side paths or ways around those locations.
In the first place, it was funny to expect kindness from a sword.
However, thanks to Zich, the companions were able to move through the rough terrains without much trouble.
Then, what appeared in front of them was a gigantic mountain that seemed as if it would pierce through the sky.