Another Side
It was a room within the company.
The clock struck midnight, and a single light illuminated the otherwise empty company building.
The light emanated from a room on the top floor.
“That is all for the report.”
“Yes, it seems the situation is moving towards resolution.”
There were two figures in that room.
One was Evia, standing before the room’s sole chair, a report in her hand. The other was the Demon Lord, receiving the report.
“Yes, the regional riots and rebellions are being suppressed, and after capturing the Hero, the Angels have retreated from the Dungeon. We are currently conquering the Dungeon as well, but with little resistance, the suppression should conclude without taking much time.”
“The Dragon King and the Giant King are involved. There shouldn’t be any mistakes, right?”
The President leaned back against the luxurious chair, as if finally showing the exhaustion he usually hid, and let out a sigh. On the opulent table spread before the chair was a summary of the current incident, from its beginnings to its conclusion. He had been reading it until just now.
It was usual for him to scrutinize vast amounts of information, but though he didn’t show it, a week had already passed since the battle with the Hero. During that time, the Demon Lord had been working tirelessly on resolving the incident, without a single moment of sleep.
Even with the Demon Lord’s robust body, which reigned supreme within the Demon Lord’s Army, a force composed of non-human, indeed monstrous beings, he seemed to be feeling fatigue. Although the battle was still ongoing, they had escaped the most dangerous phase and could finally catch their breath. This involved suppressing rioters, repelling enemy forces, attacking enemy strongholds, supporting villages and towns that had suffered damage, and compensating for the lives lost in this war. While he didn’t handle the most menial tasks, there were still many aspects that the Demon Lord, as the leader of the organization, had to approve.
“So? Shall we hear the other report?”
Indeed, problems tend to multiply the more you try to solve them. With a single sigh, the Demon Lord completed his mental shift. After a break so short it couldn’t even be called a respite, he straightened his posture.
“Yes, we investigated the background supporting the Hero, and it seems highly likely that someone affiliated with the Sun God was involved.”
Evia, who had been working tirelessly on damage control despite still recovering from her injuries, had been investigating the cause of this war. It would normally be impossible for a single territory to gather Angels in a Dungeon. The Demon Lord, suspecting some form of backup, had ordered her to investigate.
“They deployed a Seraph. They wouldn’t have had a mere supporter, would they? Of course, you’ve erased all traces, haven’t you?”
“Yes, our investigation traced them to an organization that we believe was likely used for communication. However, we confirmed the deaths of all members, and no documents were found. We are currently investigating the identities of the deceased members, but it’s unlikely we’ll find anything conclusive.”
“I anticipated this result. I know who has been pulling the strings from behind the scenes. However, they are careful to let us grasp at straws, but not to reach the true source. The Hero, this nameless individual, was merely used. It’s a common occurrence for us.”
It’s not as if invading is a privilege exclusive to the Demon Lord’s Army. Historically, there have been numerous invasions from the Hero’s side as well. This time was no exception. Usually, the Hero is the one tasked with spearheading such invasions. And most such Heroes are treated as expendable. They might manage to attack the Demon Lord’s Castle and defeat the Demon Lord, but due to the ferocity of the battle, almost none of them survive. In essence, they are disposable pawns for a future built on ideals.
“…This is a progress report, the enemy’s Dungeon may have stolen a regional Dungeon Core and used a combined core.”
The Demon Lord, possessing the bloodline of a Hero, respected his Hero mother in this peculiar environment where he bore the responsibility of a nation. Therefore, he might have some feelings about Heroes being used as expendables like this. Sensing this atmosphere, Evia, without confirming or denying, decided to change the subject.
“In that case, the stopping of the Dungeons in several towns is because of this, isn’t it? What a shame, considering operational Dungeons are so precious.”
The Demon Lord readily agreed to the change in topic. He projected an air of nonchalance, but his true feelings were impossible to discern. However, unable to press the matter further, Evia continued with her report. For a while, they continued a question-and-answer session, flipping through papers and confirming their contents. Suddenly, the Demon Lord’s gaze fixed on one particular document.
“Oh, what’s this?”
“…Is something wrong with Jiro Tanaka?”
“Evia, you know the answer, don’t you?”
“…”
It was a single report. Its author was Jiro Tanaka, a human who, despite being the lowest-ranking individual in the Demon Lord’s Army, held a certain position. Normally, a report like this wouldn’t reach the President’s eyes, but as he was directly involved and the contents summarized the outcome of this incident, it was present here. The atmosphere, which had been heavy until moments before, suddenly lightened as the Demon Lord, looking amused, began to flip through the document. Evia was also familiar with its contents. After all, Suella had submitted it, and Evia herself had brought it to this place. Naturally, she had scrutinized its contents.
“Heheheh, so many things happen around him. I thought it was unusual when he brought the Fallen Angel, but if things like this keep happening, I’m starting to think he’s destined by fate to be this way.”
With each report he read, the Demon Lord’s smile deepened.
“I never expected angels to flock to him again. How did the nobles around him not complain?”
“Do you think they wouldn’t complain?”
“No? I don’t think those obstinate blockheads would remain silent. They probably started preparing the execution grounds, didn’t they? But that didn’t happen. I suspect some meddling Onis or Undead moved, but there’s probably a demon’s shadow involved too.”
“…”
This report concerned two Angels who had come to reside within the company premises, in addition to Himik, the Fallen Angel who had taken up residence here recently. Beings that would normally be impossible to accommodate were now freely walking within the Dungeon managed by Evia. In Himik’s case, it was a Fallen Angel, so a forced negotiation was possible, but this situation was different. These Angels were not fallen and remained within the company with their pure white wings. On a logical level, it was a scene completely unacceptable to the Demon Lord’s Army. However, as is often the case, exceptions exist. Due to this exception, there was a reason why such a situation could be tolerated. The Demon Lord, who knew of this exception and was in a position to grant permission, chuckled faintly and happily read that particular passage.
“I too did not expect this outcome. I thought something would happen, but… even though I intentionally gathered beings capable of becoming Heroes as Testers, I never imagined they would produce such results. Even when I made arrangements to prevent them from becoming Heroes, their potential marked them as Hero candidates. The Angel’s Vow. I never expected them to actually make such a contract.”
The Angel’s Vow was a kind of contract, akin to a direct command from the Overgod for beings like Angels. Originally, it was a superior version of a remuneration contract, where something was gained in exchange for not doing something, but in this instance, it was used slightly differently. The terms of the contract were to refrain from attacking the Demon Lord’s Army, except in self-defense, in exchange for being allowed to stay by the Hero’s side. There were finer details, but this was the essence of it. However, naturally, this alone would not satisfy those around them. Other forms of remuneration were also involved.
“From my perspective, gaining information about the Sun God’s current situation is beneficial. If we consider it a vow to verify its truthfulness, then embracing a danger or two is not a bad thing.”
The twin Angels presented the Demon Lord with invaluable information. This negotiation, which could normally be considered an act of betrayal and even lead to expulsion from the heavens, did not seem to bother the twins at all. They readily provided the Demon Lord’s Army with the information they possessed.
“However, I didn’t expect them to form a contract with Kaido Tadashi, rather than Jiro Tanaka, who had formed a contract with the Fallen Angel.”
“I received a report that he was rescued from the battlefield and became attached to them while taking care of the twins afterwards.”
“To tame Angels, especially top-tier Angels. I’m curious about what methods were used.”
They were top-tier Angels, after all. Not only in terms of combat power, but their personalities were also quite peculiar, often acting according to their own judgment, making them difficult to handle. The possibility of persuading such beings into cooperation made the Demon Lord consider, for the first time in a long time, the possibility of peace through dialogue.
“According to Jiro Tanaka, it seems to have been a series of miraculous coincidences.”
“Yes, the report states that the color of Tadashi Kaido’s soul, his personality, and his handling of the Angels this time all aligned as the result…”
When Evia’s expression clouded slightly, the Demon Lord, having known her for a long time, understood that she was experiencing hesitation. Her facial expression rarely changed, but the subtle shift in her demeanor led him to deduce that she was struggling whether to explain the method or not.
“It says they hit it off over something called ‘magical girls.’ Did you perhaps dispatch a Mage of the same age as the Angels in question?”
“I’m not privy to the details, but I heard it’s about fictional beings that exist in this world.”
“Is that so? I’ve heard this world is rich in entertainment, but it has things like that too.”
“It would seem to be a culture we haven’t fully grasped yet.”
“Perhaps this is why the summoned Heroes are able to adapt to our world so quickly. I heard that Jiro Tanaka has proposed such information in his Dungeon improvement plans. Do you think we should investigate such cultures?”
“It’s difficult to say definitively, but it might be worth considering.”
These were the Demon Lord’s opinions based solely on the information presented on paper. However, Evia had also spoken with Jiro, the person in charge, to confirm the contents of the report. When summoned, Jiro, with a wry smile rather than a troubled one, expressed his confusion and skepticism about the presence of Angels, wondering if everything was truly alright, while also reporting the current situation. In reality, under the guise of surveillance, Jiro had been kept close to the Angels. During his free time, Kaido had brought DVDs, some of which were anime aimed at young girls. It seemed that some of the Angels had become engrossed in them. Or perhaps, he wondered, if they had imposed a vow equivalent to the Overgod’s command, after hearing information from the Fallen Angel Himik, he had concluded that tastes vary among people and Angels, and as long as they remained quiet, it was fine. Evia, who had received the information straightforwardly, could not understand what was so appealing about the actual footage. However, since it had produced actual results, she judged it to have some value. Therefore, she was receptive to the Demon Lord’s opinion.
She did not know what impact this would have on the Demon Lord’s Army in the future. This was merely a snippet of a conversation during post-incident cleanup. However, perhaps this conversation could trigger something catastrophic.
End of Another Side
Today’s Thought:
When holding a review meeting, sometimes the results come from unexpected sources.
That is all for today.
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*The first volume of the novelization has been decided and will be released by Hayakawa Bunko JA.
It was released on October 18, 2018.
An e-book version was also released on October 31 of the same year.
The second volume will be released on December 19.
The content has been revised and expanded from the version posted on Shōsetsuka ni Narō, with an additional unpublished interlude included.
We hope you will also check out the new releases!!
Additionally, a comic adaptation has been decided for Kodansha’s “Young Magazine The Third.”
