[BL]The Hero and his Party Won't Let Me Go

"Tsk, I am sure that you likely had no other choice in this matter and took this as a last resort. So I will let you go with a warning this time. But make sure this does not happen again."

Shuu felt just a hint of resentment at the fact that the Goddess was not punishing the general more heavily. But thinking back on the topic, the general was right...

It was Shuu’s fault that he had to step in. Had Shuu been a little more powerful and paid attention, things would not have come to this. He would have been able to protect himself just fine.

The goddess turned toward Shuu next, her eyes blazing with hidden fury. It made Shuu shiver, and he suddenly felt like it was his punishment. So he closed his eyes and accepted the slap from the goddess without flinching.

"Don’t think of this as a slap of resentment. I am only slapping you to free you from any extra magic you might be under. Are you feeling better now?"

The goddess asked, and Shuu felt for any foreign magic inside him. But he did not feel anything new or changed. He doubted that he had any external magic inside him to begin with.

But he did not tell that to the goddess and instead gave her a smile of reassurance.

"I am fine now. I thank the goddess for her benevolence."

Shuu told her, and the goddess raised her nose in the air in a proud manner before she walked out. The last thing Shuu saw of her was her eyes looking at him with caution before she left.

The room was silent for a moment before Shuu felt his eyes closing. His mind was too filled with what happened today, and he had a sudden desire to see that demon he had fought.

He had a feeling that something might change if he was able to meet that demon again and have a talk with him.

’Would I be able to find out more about who I am and where I am from if I get to talk to that demon again? Should...I try to find him on my own?’

The fight had ended for today, and both sides had retreated. But Shuu did not feel satisfied with the fight nor with his performance. He was sure that he could do much better.

But at the same time, he was not sure he wanted to do better either. This conflict inside his mind confused him more than he liked to admit.

In the end, he made a decision and decided to head out. His instincts were telling him that staying inside and waiting for something to happen would not help him.

His cheek throbbed hard, and he noticed that the place where he had been slapped by his master was still red. A wound like that did not heal simply because his healing was high.

"Ah, is this a curse? Master must be really angry with my actions today. I will do better in the future."

Shuu promised as he clutched his cheek. He did not wait around for much longer and went out of the prison-like room and toward the battlefield.

The fight might have ended, but Shuu might still be able to find his answers.

__________

The terrain had turned into a wasteland due to the fighting between the goddess’s side and the demon’s side. This terrain once housed humans and other creatures, but was now nothing more than a wasteland.

All Shuu saw around him was debris after the fight, along with twisted human bodies lying around. He avoided them all as he walked.

’It seems that no one is here. I guess coming here was a mistake. I should head back now-’

A hand grabbed Shuu’s, and he tensed, ready to retaliate. But then a familiar face stood in front of him, and Shuu involuntarily relaxed.

The demon king was holding Shuu’s wrist again, and Shuu felt at peace. His instincts told him that this was where he wanted to be, and he did not need to go anywhere else.

"Can...I help you with anything?"

Shuu asked as he looked at the man in front of him. But the demon king looked star-struck, almost as if he could see nothing but Shuu.

That expression made Shuu a little worried, and he tried to take a step back. But his arm was immediately grabbed by the demon king, and he was pulled toward him quickly.

"You don’t recall who I am, but your body sure does. I am so happy that you did not run away from me, honey."

The demon whispered, and his voice immediately made Shuu melt. His hands itched to wrap themselves around the demon king and pull him close. Shuu’s senses were telling him that things were going to be alright as long as he remained with the demon king.

But that was not right. He was not supposed to be with the demon king.

Were they not bitter enemies who needed to tear each other apart? Then what was this feeling of longing inside him?

Shuu’s hand reached toward his chest in order to ease the feeling he was having. But the demon king noticed this and reached his hand toward Shuu’s chest instead.

"Hey, do you recall who I am?"

Shuu nodded his head and replied softly.

"You are the demon king-"

The man let out a frustrated sigh at Shuu’s answer, and his hand moved from Shuu’s chest to his face. They were looking at each other, and Shuu could feel those red eyes swirling with emotions he had not seen before.

"Honey, how can you forget the face of your beloved husband? I am Kaiden. Can’t you recall me properly?"

Kaiden asked, and Shuu felt memories slamming into his mind at once. He was not sure why or how he could have forgotten about Kaiden and his life until now, but Shuu finally felt whole again.

He clutched his head in pain, and his hand gripped Kaiden’s shirt. He looked up and had only one thing to say.

"We never got married, so how can you be my husband?"