Another Side
“Demon Lord, what did you just say?”
“Yes, Evia, I said I want you to go on a blind date.”
While Jiro and the others were diligently challenging dungeons and preparing for training, Evia was also preparing for the training while carrying out her normal duties.
This training is a necessary measure to establish contact with organizations in Japan, based on the information brought by Jiro.
If she can become someone who bridges the gap between worlds, she will play a crucial role. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare personnel specifically for this purpose, and without trust, it will not work. That’s why the surrounding people agreed with the selection of Evia, who can be said to be the Demon Lord’s right-hand, for this role.
Some even volunteered to be the bridge, while others argued that contact with Japan was still too early or should not be made at all.
“…Is this a demand from your family?”
“No, it’s because I thought you were necessary.”
However, the Demon Lord would never choose the foolish strategy of not acting when considering future developments. Evia herself sensed his intention and, just as she was about to take action to assist him, she was presented with a marriage proposal. As she is a noble herself, such proposals have happened many times in the past. In the world, noble daughters marry when they reach the age of marriage. However, she had been postponing marriage until she reached her current age. To put it bluntly, she was what society calls an old maid. She felt a sense of fulfillment in her loyalty to the Demon Lord and her work, so she thought that hearing about such things from others was enough. Therefore, she had always refused by making some excuse. Moreover, she was in a position where she could refuse. Being the Demon Lord’s right-hand is such a position. However, there are exceptions that cannot be refused. That is the Demon Lord, the only one who can command Evia. At this oddly timed marriage proposal, Evia surmised that the proposal had come to the Demon Lord through her family. But the Demon Lord’s answer was different from what Evia expected.
“I arranged this marriage proposal.”
A marriage proposal from the Demon Lord himself. It was no different than him ordering her to marry. Evia herself knew that her status and bloodline had value that would benefit the Demon Lord’s Army. She was prepared for the day when she would eventually marry for political reasons. She would not shy away from marriage if necessary. Especially if it was the Demon Lord’s order.
However, another thought connected to this matter came to Evia’s mind. She had managed to get everyone to agree to proceed with utmost caution and careful timing regarding contact with Japan, so why was this topic brought up now? Evia had been making arrangements to gain everyone’s understanding. The past year had been fraught with various troubles, and the Demon Lord’s Army was in a state of upheaval. No matter how solid the strategy, some trouble cannot be avoided. It was for this reason that she had been making preparations. It would be unacceptable to suddenly rush into things without preparation. For this purpose, the training was established with the goal of cultivating managers who would stand between humans and the Demon Lord’s Army, rather than relying solely on personnel within the Demon Lord’s Army. In this current flow of events, Evia took the lead, selecting promising individuals from the Japanese Dungeon Testers, including Jiro and his group. She inferred that the marriage proposal at this timing must be related.
“May I ask why?”
Given the circumstances, Evia had no free time. She was usually busy, and this extra work, though not entirely unwelcome, would only make her busier. Although she felt more at ease due to its connection with Jiro, and her work was progressing smoothly, she was still undeniably busy. The Demon Lord couldn’t possibly not understand this. Evia could predict his answer. However, on this matter, as time was precious, she decided to ask directly. It was a proposal brought up at this specific moment. It was possible it was a proposal with an important party.
“Because it’s necessary.”
Despite this, the Demon Lord answered with a smile and only that one word. If you think about it normally, you wouldn’t be convinced. This answer would likely even sow distrust.
“Understood. Please let me know when the date and time are decided. I will adjust my schedule accordingly.”
However, Evia understood that it was not something she needed to ask about and convinced herself with reason. Without distorting her expression, she bowed her head as usual and, returning to the topic of training, resumed her work as if nothing had happened. Unbeknownst to her, as the Demon Lord watched her leave, he smiled wryly and thought she was quite strong. He also looked forward to seeing what expression she would have if the proposal actually led to marriage.
“Well then, I pray that this action benefits her and our Demon Lord’s Army, and I shall continue to operate behind the scenes just a little longer. As they say in this country, ‘to deceive an enemy, first deceive your allies.'”
The Demon Lord quickly glanced at the documents Evia had brought, confirmed there were no issues, stamped them with his seal, and picked up the next set of documents. However, these documents were not from Evia, but from another subordinate he had requested.
“Yes, I’m glad to see this is also progressing smoothly. It must be quite a challenge to operate in her dungeon, but I’ll have to rely on them.”
The venue for Evia’s blind date is a restaurant in a subterranean facility within her dungeon. It is not a common izakaya, but a high-class establishment befitting her status. It is in an area that even Jiro and his group, despite their recent earnings, would not frequently visit. He mused that it must have been difficult to secure it without attracting attention, but seeing that it was acceptable, the Demon Lord memorized the contents of the document and then, as a means of destroying evidence, erased it with blue flames, leaving not even ashes. As he watched the blue flames gradually burn the documents, the Demon Lord suddenly recalled the day he met Evia.
“Come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since I met her.”
How many days has it been? Counting from before he became the Demon Lord, it’s been more than ten or twenty years. It was a story from much longer ago. Even so, the Demon Lord remembered their encounter vividly.
“Evia has certainly become quite strong. She’s now so desirable that she has trouble finding suitors.”
Comparing the Evia of the past with the one before him, the Demon Lord couldn’t help but smile. He wondered if she was cuter when she was a little younger. The Evia of the past, or rather, the Evia he first met, did not have such a strong attitude.
“I am Evia, the eldest daughter of the Nostalfer family.”
Dressed in a light purple dress that matched her crimson hair, she lifted the hem of her skirt with elegant movements, just like a noble young lady. She was a graceful, quiet girl who, despite coming from a demon family, seemed to embody purity. She came to the Demon Lord’s house as a maid in the past. It was common for daughters of lower-ranking noble families to serve in higher-ranking houses as maids, but her family was of high standing. It would be more accurate to say that a lady from such a family would come to *them*. Yet, she came to the Demon Lord’s house. The Demon Lord himself was the head of a clan of potential Demon Lords. His clan’s status was higher than Evia’s, but at the time, no one imagined he would become the Demon Lord, and he had only a small number of supporters. Her family remained neutral. Despite this, Evia came to serve at the Demon Lord’s house. At that time, the Demon Lord himself wondered if she had come to marry him, but he had a woman in his heart that he had pledged himself to. He would not waver for any other woman, nor would he have children with anyone other than her. While age-gap marriages were common among royalty and nobility, and marrying young girls was an everyday occurrence, the Demon Lord had no interest in anyone except for one particular woman. In such circumstances, he was troubled by Evia’s presence.
Furthermore, hearing the name Evia of the Nostalfer family brought a rumor to the Demon Lord’s mind.
“I may not have talent in magic, but I would be grateful if you would allow me to serve.”
Evia raised her head, her expression blank. Or rather, her eyes lacked emotion. Although her expression clearly conveyed feelings, her eyes made her appear expressionless. And the words Evia spoke confirmed the rumor. Demon race members generally have high aptitude for magic. Despite this, Evia’s aptitude for magic was low. Her magic aptitude was low, at nine, yet she possessed the potential to become a Demon Lord depending on the era. She had magic power, but no talent for magic. Because of this, the demon race treated Evia as if she were a contagious disease. A noble lady, in essence, is a being meant to bear the next generation. Her bloodline and abilities were important. It was not necessary for her to be able to fight, but having talent was certainly preferable. Even if her abilities were somewhat low, they didn’t want flaws. This is how nobles, who value bloodlines, think. And from that perspective, Evia was nothing but a ticking time bomb. If she were to marry into another family and have children, and if those children had high magic aptitude but, like her, lacked talent for magic, then the question of whether that child was suitable to be the next head would arise. Her magic aptitude was exceptional, but the associated risks were too great. Therefore, they found her difficult to handle, and she was labeled a failure.
And then, such a person came to the Demon Lord. To the Demon Lord, who was said to have the lowest chance of becoming the Demon Lord among the candidates. The intention behind sending her here was clear. It was a way to get rid of a troublesome person and a contingency plan. If the Demon Lord took action, it would be unfortunate. If he lost, the troublesome daughter would be disposed of, and if he won, Evia’s family would be seen as having foresight. Seeing her manipulated by such schemes, the Demon Lord’s words were:
“Ah, welcome! We are short-handed here. We appreciate anyone willing to come, even someone like you.”
It was a word of welcome. Not as a woman, but as a subordinate. Evia, who had not expected to be accepted, widened her eyes and showed a flicker of emotion for the first time.
“Thank you. I will serve with all my heart.”
“Yes, I expect great things from you.”
It was confusion. The Demon Lord, seeing the confusion in her eyes, which hinted at how she had been treated before, wondered how to handle her and suddenly had an idea.
“Now, the first thing I’ll say is that I have a woman I’ve sworn to marry. To be more precise, I cannot see anyone other than that woman as a romantic partner. So, I’m sorry, but I need you to understand that I cannot give you a role as a woman.”
The color of her confusion deepened. Not giving her a woman’s role meant losing most of her roles as a noble daughter. For her, who had not studied anything else, it was tantamount to being told to be a mere decoration.
“Then, what do you require of me?”
Evia, who was beautiful, had resigned herself to the role of a bed partner for the night. Therefore, the Demon Lord’s words were beyond anything she had expected. She had been given permission to serve and told that he had high expectations, but he asked for something else.
“Yes, I intend to find that out from now on.”
“Eh?”
And then, to her surprise, there was no plan. The Demon Lord told her to follow him, and Evia, bewildered, followed. Wondering where she was being taken, she turned pale, fearing she might be used as an experimental subject for her magic. That prediction was, in a sense, correct. And in a sense, incorrect.
“Are you two both here?”
“Oh, boss. What’s up?”
“Kekekeke, I felt a great surge of magic, was it that girl?”
Two beings were indulging in a banquet in the hall from midday. Their power was immense, and to Evia, who knew nothing of battle at the time, it sent chills down her spine.
“Yes, I intend to make this child my subordinate. So, will you help me train her?”
“Oh! Sure!”
“Kekekeke, if it’s the young lord’s word, I have no objections.”
And Evia, the noble daughter, had no idea she was about to be taught the art of combat, and she couldn’t comprehend the conversation, feeling as if she were listening to someone else’s story.
“So, boss, what can she do?”
“Indeed. She appears to be of demon race. Do you intend to train her magic?”
“No, she seems to lack talent for magic, so I wanted to discuss it with you.”
“In that case, it’s fists, isn’t it!! If she can’t use magic, she can train her body!!”
“What, even without talent for magic, there are many ways to use magic. She’d be worth training.”
And these three, who had more leisure time than now, happily discussed Evia’s transformation plan. As for Evia herself, she had no idea what they were talking about, nor did she anticipate it happening to her, so she was unable to grasp the conversation, feeling as if she were listening to someone else’s story.
“Yes, for now, Evia.”
“Y-yes.”
Therefore, perhaps. Evia’s response to the Demon Lord’s words was merely instinctive.
“Let’s change into something easy to move in and go to the backyard.”
That was the trigger that created the current Evia. And later, when Jiro asked Evia about the beginning of her relationship with the two instructors, she said with a face like she had eaten a bitter bug:
“I should have punched them with all my might.”
“Ah, so many things have happened.”
He reminisced about those times. After beginning her training, they trained her relentlessly without letting her think, and when they discovered she had a certain talent, they honed that aspect. Then, as the political struggles for the Demon Lord’s throne intensified, they arranged for her to be adopted into the Nordis family, who had been her allies from the beginning, to protect her, and many other things happened. Not a trace of her initial demeanor as a sheltered young lady remained; she had become a spirited woman. Even so, to the Demon Lord, Oniō Raidou, and Undead King Nōraifu, who had known Evia for a long time, she was like a younger sister. He felt he had doted on her quite a bit. Amidst this brotherly affection, the Demon Lord had only one anxiety. It was that there was not a single man in her life. The Demon Lord, the Oni King, and the Undead King were all worried. They had arranged numerous marriage proposals for her in the past, but none of them had been successful. The Demon Lord, like the other two, was married, so this aspect was a concern. The Demon Lord did not realize that because of them, Evia was not treated as a woman by most men, let alone ordinary men. He pondered for centuries, despite meticulously teaching her etiquette and cooking skills, when Evia suddenly and frequently began to mention the name of one man from the opposite sex. Hearing this, he finally felt that spring had arrived and decided to meddle a little.
“Well, for that purpose, I will exert myself a little more now.”
He decided to finish his work with all his might to witness the scene.
Today’s word:
It’s impossible that you’re the only one suffering.
This was a little exposé, revealing that Jiro and the others weren’t actually the first victims of the instructors. How was it? That’s all for this time. Thank you as always for pointing out typos and for your feedback. If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review, rating, or bookmark.
*The first volume of the light novel has been decided to be published by Hayakawa Bunko JA. It was released on October 18, 2018. The e-book version was also released on October 31 of the same year. The second volume was released on December 19. The third volume was released on February 20, 2019. The content has been revised and expanded from the version posted on Shōsetsuka ni Narō, with the inclusion of unpublished intermissions. Please also check out the new releases!
A manga adaptation has also been decided for Kodansha’s “Young Magazine The Third.”
We ask for your continued support for this work.
