Published: September 10, 2025
This is Satou. I feel like it's quite common for famous picture book stories to have rather gruesome elements in their original versions. I think meaningful gore, unfortunate circumstances, or unhappy endings that serve as lessons are acceptable, but I really wish they would avoid pointless bad endings that only leave a bad aftertaste.
â—‡
"I know that one!"
Someone responded to the unsettling phrase "the end of the world" spoken by Princess Merryest.
"It's what the demon god said to the hero in 'The Hero's Marriage'!"
Miss Karina, who had been competing with Pochi and Tama over jerky, joined the conversation with sparkling eyes.
She must have wanted to join in upon hearing the topic about her beloved hero.
"Yes, exactly."
Princess Merryest nodded.
"That's to be expected from the daughter of His Excellency Leon Muno, the foremost expert on hero studies. Since these lines only appear in the first edition, it's rare for people to know them."
"I also have the first edition bestowed by His Majesty! I love 'The Hero's Marriage' so much that I've read it dozens of times and can recite my favorite scenes by heart!"
The story they were discussing, "The Hero's Marriage," is a fictional fairy tale about the first hero who founded the Saga Empire.
It is a two-volume story. In the first volume, the demon god who commands seven demon kings is defeated by the god Parion, who descended in human form, together with the hero, and banished to the moon beyond the sky. The ominous phrase from earlier is apparently a line spoken by the demon god toward the hero at the climax when defeat seems imminent.
The second volume, as the title suggests, tells how the hero undergoes trials set by the gods to become Parion's husband and is invited to the divine realm as a demigod.
Maybe the black-haired man who stopped the demon god's revival in the Saga Empire's imperial capital was actually the first hero — just a thought. Mixing fiction and reality like that would probably make me a laughingstock.
Come to think of it, the picture book I read to Tama and Pochi before had a similar story but with some differences. At least, it didn’t include the dire phrase "the end of the world."
Probably, the picture book was simplified for children.
â—‡
"So what exactly is this 'end of the world'?"
Arisa impatiently urged for more.
"The demon god said it to the hero—"
Miss Karina put on a voice and recited the demon god’s line.
'It’s a futile effort. No matter how many times you are reborn, your wishes shall never be fulfilled.'
—Just being reborn is not enough. The lifespans of gods and humans differ.
Overlapping with Karina’s voice, a voice I'd heard before echoed in my mind.
'That’s not true! I will definitely make them come true! Even the gods want that!'
'No matter how much the young goddess wishes, humans cannot become gods.'
—Gods are not omnipotent enough to grant divine status as they please.
I can’t recall when I heard those words.
'Even a hundred or a thousand ordinary mortals like you cannot do it.'
—One soul alone isn’t enough; many must be bound together.
A childish voice kept replaying in my mind.
"Slither~"
Tama curled around my neck.
"You alright~?"
Tama looked up at me with big round eyes.
The gaze of the others also gathered on me.
Seems like I had been lost in thought without listening to Miss Karina’s reading.
"Thanks, Tama. It’s nothing."
I said to the concerned faces around me.
"Sorry, I tuned out halfway. So what kind of thing is this 'end of the world' anyway?"
"It can’t be helped. I’ll tell you again."
Miss Karina showed no offense and recited the passage once more.
Apparently, it wasn’t as long as the "hundreds and thousands" part suggested.
The troubling phrase appears when the demon god is banished to the moon with the Jet-Black Holy Sword made by the dragon deity.
'Hero, terrible one who surpasses me, the demon god. No matter how strong you are, the fate of the world’s end will not change.'
'The end of the world? As long as I exist, I won’t let you have your way with this world that the gods cherish!'