Having ended the battle, I cradled her corpse in my arms.
Sheathing the heirloom sword and hanging it at my hip, I teleported the standby undead to their assigned locations.
Once alone, I used a transfer spell.
I arrived at the Valley of the Dead.
It was a land isolated by my barrier, a place no living being could enter.
"..."
I surveyed the surroundings.
The entire area was shrouded in a profound silence.
I could sense no traces of life.
Should any intruder somehow breach the boundary, they would likely perish in moments.
The concentration of miasma in the air was that dense.
As an undead, I felt my power surging simply by being here.
This place was a source of power.
It could be called the origin point of my existence as the Demon King.
It held no pleasant memories, tangled as it was with countless fateful ties.
I walked, carrying her, and gazed down into the valley from the cliff's edge.
Below, thick, dense miasma spread like a fog.
Visibility was zero.
"——!"
A jolt ran through me, making my shoulder twitch as if struck by lightning.
Images flashed through my mind, one after another.
It inevitably reminded me of the day of my execution.
We died here.
For ten long years I suffered at the bottom of the valley, until I finally resolved to become the Demon Lord.
I devoured the miasma, gained power, and clawed my way up from the depths.
Then I killed soldiers and usurped a kingdom.
Everything felt so familiar.
It felt like it had all happened in the blink of an eye.
I had truly taken countless lives.
Back then, we were executed on the presumption that we would be the next Demon Lord.
The pretext they trumped up had become the truth.
It was a result no one had desired.
"...Farewell."
After a few moments of hesitation, I released her from my grasp.
I levitated her body with magic and slowly lowered it into the valley's depths.
This was also a necessary measure.
So her remains could not be used by a third party.
She must never be resurrected.
I had promised we would never meet again.
The Valley of the Dead was certainly the safest place for that.
Interference was impossible by any means.
Should anyone attempt to set foot in this land, regardless of who they might be, they would be obliterated without exception.
That was my unwavering resolve.
As she descended, she was gradually swallowed by the miasmic fog.
Eventually, she vanished entirely from sight.
(It’s ironic, isn’t it?)
Back then, I had returned to the surface, bearing her remains.
This time, I laid her resurrected form to rest in this valley.
Both were my own choices.
However, I harbor no regrets.
I do not deny the past; I will carry it with me.
Next, my gaze fell to my waist.
I unfastened the heirloom sword I had been wearing and cast it into the valley depths as well.
It was no longer necessary for me.
It had been a symbol of my dependence on that person, but through my dialogue and struggle with her, I severed those lingering attachments.
From now on, I could proceed by my own strength.
Returning it to its rightful owner felt like the proper course.
At that moment, the morning sun fell upon the Valley of the Dead.
Shielding my face with my hand, I gazed toward the horizon.
Dawn was arriving.
As if waiting for my reckoning.
Blinding light gradually illuminated the world.
With the morning sun behind me, I turned on my heel.
I had overcome one ordeal, but this was not the end.
Having survived, there was still much I had to do.
First, I must report the full account to my subordinates.
They were all waiting for my return.
Many would be worried.
"…Well then, I shall take my leave."
I glanced back just once and bowed deeply.
I departed the Valley of the Dead.