"A great country like that was cast into utter ruin, The demons had no need for human prisoners. At the time of the attack, the majority of EUDAEMON'S people were slaughtered by the demons. The ones who survived were then picked off by the demons' human hunts; women were raped or sold off to as slaves. There are a lucky few who have survived to this day, but the population of EUDAEMON has been decimated" the pope said as he wiped the tears from his eyes and told the horrors that befell that nation and its people.
"Human hunts? No way…"
"They committed a genocide i-im-impossible"
Hearing pope's explanation everyone wore pale looks, the very idea of human's being butchered like animals, struck fear into their hearts, as they heard the tale some of the student's vomited their insides out, whereas most of girls held their body close trembling at the mentions of the horrors befell on the women, even Kelly was not immune to this he felt aghast and repulsive just by thinking about it, it was quite clear the demons of this world were different from the sort that commonly appeared in novels. There was no working together with creatures of that ilk for peace or the greater good.
"Wh-what about the children"
One of the students finally gathered the courage and asked but the pope only hung his head down and shook his head, the meaning of which was conveyed to everyone there, the student who asked to fell off from her chair putting a hand to her mouth and sobbing.
"How could they? How could they do such monstrous things, even to children!" Agawa's voice erupted with anger as he abruptly rose from his chair. His usually calm demeanor shattered, leaving everyone around him bewildered by the unexpected outburst. The intensity of his words fueled the growing anger towards the demon race. From the corner of his eye, Kelly caught a glimpse of a faint grin forming on the pope's lips as he resumed speaking.
"That, I'm afraid, is the true nature of these demons. They hold nothing but disdain for humans, treating them as mere prey. Their evil knows no bounds, and their power is their only noteworthy attribute. They would rather strike us down than engage in any form of negotiation or compromise," the pope's voice carried a tone of desperation as he turned his gaze towards Agawa, his words laced with a pleading undertone.
"The invasion of the demon army may have slowed for now, but we stand on the precipice of a future where not just this nation, but the entire human world will be trampled underfoot by those merciless demons. I implore you, great heroes, to protect our nation and humanity from these vile beings who kill without remorse. Without your intervention, our fate will be no different than that of EUDAEMON KINGDOM," the color drained from the pope's face, his voice turning somber. His plea seemed pitiful, but to Kelly, it felt sly and repulsive.
'What a complete load of bullshit. None of his story adds up. I do feel sympathy for the people of that Kingdom but asking us to believe this without any proof is absurd. If only Agawa was in his right state of mind, he would see through the holes in this man's story.'
After a brief pause, the pope posed the question once again, his eyes fixed on Reiji.
"Great Hero, would you be willing to accept the task of saving us all?"
Silence filled the room as Reiji lowered his gaze, lost in deep contemplation. Kelly's eyes darted around, taking in the resolute and determined gazes of his classmates, including Sumire, who despite her fear, showed a willingness to help. Knowing Agawa's personality and demeanor, Kelly had a strong hunch about his answer. And as if confirming his prediction, Agawa finally spoke.
"I will undertake your request," he answered.
Kelly sighed inwardly as his prediction came true.
"And don't forget me, no way in hell am I letting you go alone," Hiroya firmly answered.
"Guess I'll have to come too. Don't know what would happen if I left you two to your own devices," Haruka spoke after both of them. Swept along by the flow, the rest of the students naturally agreed to join the fight. Kelly closed his eyes, his heart heavy as he saw the satisfied smile on the pope's face. The weight of it all sent shivers down his spine. He slipped his hands into his pockets and tightly clenched the lighter he kept there, seeking strength from its presence.
Calm down, Kelly reminded himself, recalling his old man's words. "Think, then think a lot more before doing anything." With that in mind, he began formulating his next steps for survival.