It wasn't as if he hadn't grown accustomed to the deaths of people.

He knew enough about the cruelty of the world. That no matter how much naive nonsense a person can shout out, in the end it can only be foolishness, Ryner understood well enough.

Someone shouted out love.

Shouting that he wanted to protect the girl he had discovered he loved.

Yet, in front of his eyes, she died.

So readily, she died.

While crying, her body was torn apart.

And the murderers were laughing.

He howled his resentment.

Yet, he could do nothing.

Within the everlasting despair, he continued to scream.

And so, those screams led to the next revenge. As you kill, the more you kill, the more the world steadily advances into the depths of the deep darkness.

That was what Ryner observed every day.

"............"

Day after day, he continued to gaze upon it.

Ever since he could remember, he was gazing upon it.

Roland, the country he was born in, was completely engulfed with madness.

Ruled over by war, greed and madness.

Even though it would be good enough to pass the days with a small smile; in a blink of an eye, the madness would pervade those days.

In a blink of an eye, the greed would pervade.

And the screams would start again.

Despairing at the world, howling in resentment.

Even if you scream how much you can't bear it, reality will continue, indifferent.

Choosing the most unbelievably cruel path, reality will continue.

And now—

"............"

All his comrades died.

They died, yet until just yesterday they were smiling.

"............"

But having already grown accustomed it, Ryner, weakly muttered,

"So again this world...... would kill humans in such a way....."

And he believed it was a matter that couldn't be helped.

It couldn't be helped that he could do nothing.

Because it was always the same, since then until now.

And surely it would be the same from now on.

Anything and everything was too cruel, and to do anything about it, even thinking about it, was impossible.

And so again, people died.

The girl who said she loved him, died.

The friends who told him to become comrades with them, died.

Died.

Died.

Died.

Died.

"............"

While eternally gazing upon those deaths, suddenly, he could bear it no longer.

He felt, at this rate he could no longer live.

He was running away.

The world's cruelness was in front of his eyes

Because it could not be helped, the world's cruelness before his eyes. Because he could not do anything, he continued to run away.

One day abruptly, in the cup of the depths of his heart, the despair accumulated reached the limit and overflowed.

"............"

And so, while knowing it was but a pipe dream, he wrote that report.

But he has already lost that report. Left behind in the darkness of Roland, he had already lost that report.

Yet he still remembers the introduction.

Not expecting for it to be shown to anyone, to an embarrassing extent he poured out the feelings he kept hidden into the introduction.

"............"

Even though it felt like such a long time has passed since he wrote it, he began to recall the contents.

"............"

The beginning of the report went something like this.

People hate dying.

They hate killing as well.

They don't like making others cry, or cry themselves.

How would it feel to not be able to choose one's own life?

What about having one's family dead?

What about having one's lover dead?

No one should have wished for all that, but yet why is the world smiling and desiring only such senseless sorrow?

I have never thought of forcefully changing anything. But if I don't, it will be sorrowful, and neither do I want to lose any more things......

Such bothersome talk......

It's about time to move on. All this while, I've averted my eyes, but if needed, I shall try looking at my own past.

And.

In order to create a world where no one loses anything.

A world in which that child, and Kiefer don't have to cry, in which Tyle, Toni, and Fahl don't have to die, in which Sion doesn't have to brood.

A world in which everyone can laugh and just take afternoon naps.

Ryner Lute

"Ryner Lute."

He softly whispered.

He softly whispered his own name.

Then, he began to remember that report full of embarrassing things that he foolishly wrote.

That he wanted to obtain a world where he would no longer lose anyone or anything.

That because he did not want to lose anything, he would move forward.

At that—

At those words,

"............"

Just what-

"...... What am I saying?"

He whispered.

And then, he opened his eyes,

Faced the scenery spread before him,

And thought.

Just what can I do, I who did not notice Sion's despair? Just what can I do, I who could not save those who were precious to me? Just what can I do, I who spread such twisted despair?

"...... Just what am I trying to accomplish?"

That's right, he whispered—

A demon will descend.

A demon so cunning, so austere, enough to empty the deep, dark hole in the hearts of the people, will descend.

A king, not human— but a demon will.

And so, finally this story will begin.