Demon Lord's Reincarnation 206 Valentine Special: Love that was never meant to be

Because fighting each other was getting boring and no new opponent has appeared, the incarnations decided to have a different kind of battle. Since the current incarnation was celebrating his anniversary with his current lover, the incarnations inside his soul started comparing their own tales of love. 

As expected most of them fell in love with a woman due to their battle capabilities. Most of their romantic encounters happened during a fight. Others were after they were able to save the girl from certain doom. Some fell in love when they were near death. 

As each incarnation was trying to impress the others with their encounters one incarnation was not joining in the fun. This incarnation was called Heirich and he had the face of a thirty-year-old man. While all the others were arguing who had the best love story he was reminiscing about a past he could never forget. 

....

Like most of the incarnations, Heirich was born with incredible power. He was the son of a farmer and had a childhood friend called Louise. The two were inseparable since they were young. But as they grew older Heirich found life in their little village to be quite boring. With his strength becoming a farmer wasn't for him. So when he came of age he told his parents that he wanted to become an adventurer. He told them that he wanted to see the world, to make a name for himself.

Knowing his dreams and abilities Heirich's parents agreed that their son should pursue his dreams. They only asked that he comes home when he finds a wife. After getting his parents to agree Heirich set off to start his grand adventure. 

As he was leaving the village he noticed that his childhood friend wasn't there to say goodbye to him. Heirich was a bit sad that Louise wasn't there to see him off, but he needed to move forward and left the village. Once Heirich was walking down the road to the next town he met Louise on the way.

"Where you, planning on leaving without me?" Seeing that smug look on Louise's face made Heirich smile. It turns out Louise told her parents that she wanted to join Heirich on his adventure. Knowing how their daughter feels about Heirich they reluctantly agreed. So from there the two childhood friends who knew nothing of the vastness of the outside world started their adventure in the most cliche of ways. 

...

The two who were able to reach the next town after some difficulties started their days as adventurers. In the beginning, they were mocked as a weak two-person group, but after some time they rose through the ranks and became the fastest to reach the Orichalcum rank. Their adventures sang by bards in every tavern, from their adventures of slaying legendary beasts to their adventures of saving royals from different kingdoms to finding ancient kingdoms, they even reached the literal edge of the world. 

As their fame grew so did their group, as two more people had joined in. The blind swordsman Nier, and the prince Roy of the Kingdom of Geruca. As the group continued to have many more adventures, as their fame grew, Heirich who was blinded by his fame and strength didn't notice what was happening with Louise. 

...

At the beginning of their journey, it was obvious that Louise was in love with Heirich, but the fool never took notice of her. If that wasn't bad enough numerous maidens tried and failed to capture his attention. There was the elven queen, the kingdom's princess, the forest fairy, the witch of time, and many more. Unfortunately for all of them, Heirich's love was for battle and adventure, he had only had eyes on the next fun adventure where he can fight the next exciting fight. 

Louise who has been following him for years wasn't able to get him to look at her at all. On the other hand, Prince Roy who had fallen in love with her, at first sight, tried every possible way to make her love him. As the years passed by, Louise finally understood that no matter what she did Heirich would never be with her. 

She was also painfully aware that what she was doing to Prince Roy wasn't fair. So, in the end, Louise tried to forget about Heirich and shifted her feelings to Roy. 

...

Heirich who finally noticed the change in their relationship felt something unusual. As their friend, Heirich had congratulated Roy and Louise on becoming a couple. But for some reason, he felt a sense of discomfort. 

As the group continued their adventures after one certain adventure Roy finally proposed to Louise. The moment that happened Heirich's feeling of discomfort increased. 

'Oh, I see... I was in love with Louise...' Heirich's who finally understood what he was feeling was too late. Still, instead of feeling sad he felt comforted. Now that he understood his own feelings the discomfort he was having disappeared. Though the woman he loved was taken by another man, she was happy and to Heirich that was enough. 

...

Unfortunately, as the reincarnation of the strongest mortal, his life was meant to end in tragedy. On the day of Louise's and Roy's wedding, an enormous dragon awoke from its slumber. This dragon was an ancient dragon called the dragon of Chaos. The dragon upon waking up destroyed a neighboring kingdom and had pledged to kill all of mankind for no reason whatsoever but just because it felt like it. 

Of course, mankind called for their greatest heroes to slay the dragon and that was Heirich's group. 

...

Heirich and his adventuring group battled the minions of the dragon of chaos and as they were nearing his lair, Roy and Heirich were separated from Nier and Louise. Even after being separated from their companions, Heirich and Roy knew that they had to continue onward to finish the dragon. 

...

The two finally reached the dragon's lair and where now face to face with the dragon of chaos. This wasn't the first time the two had faced a dragon in battle, but this was the first time they had to fight such an enormous intimidating dragon. The dragon of chaos was so huge that its head was even bigger than the capital of Roy's kingdom. Not only that the mana the dragon was emitting was leagues above anything they had faced.

This was also the first time in a long time that the two felt the ominous presence of death. Just one look at the dragon and both Heirich and Roy knew that leaving this place alive would be nothing short of a miracle. As Heirich and Roy held their weapons tightly, the atmosphere becoming tenser, the dragon of chaos spoke to them which caught the two off-guard. 

"Foolish mortals, I commend thee for thy bravery. As a show of respect, I shall allow one of you to flee this place alive. Do not worry I will not follow and kill you, consider this a whim of mine. So who between you shall die and who shall live?" 

The moment the dragon asked that question the two men looked at each other. The two knew that even together victory was far from their reach. So now that they had a choice of one of them surviving. They pointed their weapons at each other. 

"Roy it's you who should leave. We know that between the two of us I'm the stronger one and have a higher chance of victory. Also, you're about to marry my best friend, I don't want to see her sad because her beloved died." 

"You really are stupid aren't you Heirich! Even now it's not me who Louise loves! It's you, it has always been you! So you should go back and be with her! If it's you I know you'll be able to win if you prepare for the next battle. So it's obvious that it should be you that retreats, for the world needs you more than I." When Roy was finished saying his piece he saw Heirich smiling a very lonely smile and then shook his head. 

"It's too late for me... I can never give Louise the love she deserves... I guess it's alright to tell you this since this might be the end for me... I do love her, I really do, but the thirst for battle that I feel will never disappear for as long as I live. Knowing this, I cannot be with her the same way as you. She deserves better than me, and that's you." Roy was about to say something in response but before any words could come out of his mouth he felt a strong force hit the side of his neck. 

"Live for her, and love her with all your heart." Those were the last words Roy heard from Heirich.

Once Roy fainted Heirich drew a magic circle and used a teleportation spell. Seeing Roy's body fade in front of him Heirch turned around and looked at the dragon of chaos. 

"Sorry for the long wait, I just needed to send my friend off." 

"Do not worry mortal, for the two of you will meet again in the afterlife!" The dragon of chaos spread its wings showing off its massive size. Feeling the pressure being emitted by the dragon of chaos, Heircih smiled a very vicious smile. 

"Come then dragon of chaos! Show me that you are worthy to be my final foe!" The two clashed head-on. 

...

The battle between Heirich and the dragon of chaos was fierce as both sides unleashed everything they had. Heirich who was worried about involving the others in his fight forced the dragon of chaos to a different location, to the so called edge of the world. 

On a floating island near the literal edge of Heirich's world the two mighty beings fought. In the end, the dragon of chaos was the first to fall, but Heirich was nearing his limit as well. His right hand had been eaten, the majority of his left face has been scorched. His internal injuries were so severe that it was a miracle that he was still conscious. 

"That was a fine battle... to... end my adventures...." As Heirich said those words he started to cough up blood, and his vision was getting blurry. 

'I'm sorry dad I wasn't able to bring back a wife... I'm sorry mom I wasn't able to give you a grandchild...' As his consciousness was flickering he saw a dream. He was back in his village, for he and Louise had never left. He became a farmer just like his father and was able to marry Louise. Life was boring but at the same time fulfilling. He and Louise then had three beautiful children. He didn't have that grand adventure he always dreamt of, but he was satisfied. The dream ended and his consciousness slowly faded.

'Heh, what a waste...' Thus ended the life of Heirich the adventuring hero. 

...

Once Heirich was done with his recollection of his past, he wondered if Roy was able to make Louise happy. He then shook his head with a smile on his face. 

'Of course, he was able to make her happy. Cause at that time he didn't know it, but Louise had already lost any romantic interest she had for me and was fully devoted to him...' Heirich smiled wider as he thought that his beloved got the love she truly deserved.

Chapter end