I’m incredibly busy. Not just busy, but frustratingly busy.
“Jiro-kun, next is an interview with Marquis Erich, then with the vice president of the Kandeluta Trading Company, known as the wealthy merchant of the West. After that, there’s paperwork to organize and approve, and tonight, a banquet with the noble lords from the north.”
Keiri-san, who has recently taken on a role akin to my secretary, informs me of my day’s schedule, which changes by the minute. I’m now accustomed to pulling names from a recently memorized list as they are mentioned one after another. It’s crucial to match faces with names, or things get difficult later.
Ever since that party, invitations have been flooding in. This is both to understand who I am and because it’s now public knowledge that I have connections with the current generals.
There’s no time to rest. Recently, I haven’t been able to return home while my daughters are still awake, which is truly disheartening.
“Alright, is that all for the appointments?”
“Let’s skip asking about surprise visits too.”
“Please don’t. Just prioritize those you think are worthwhile for a later follow-up.”
“Understood, as usual.”
Honestly, the current workload is so abnormal that I find it healing just to spend time doing regular work. I’m spending less time at the department and have had fewer opportunities to eat with Kaido and the others lately.
“Once this wave passes, things will calm down to some extent, so try to hide that dejected look a little longer.”
“Oops.”
Being unable to do things I normally can is quite stressful. However, that’s no excuse to show weakness. I need to keep my guard up at least within the company and during interviews. Even sighing with fatigue is forbidden. It feels suffocatingly constrained to be in such an environment. But, time is running out.
“What about your approval ratings, or rather, your supporters? Are they gathering?”
“We’ve established a foundation. Muil-san is currently working on building the groundwork. Once that’s done, we’ll move on to fortifying it.”
“It’s a long road ahead. But, this is the first time.”
“The first time what?”
The remaining time is dwindling, and the real event is approaching. But strangely, I don’t feel anxious. I have no choice but to move forward, taking each step firmly. Falling behind even a little will not be easily rectified. Normally, I would be conscious of such anxiety, but strangely, it’s not there. Because…
“It’s… work, I guess? I feel like I can do more, go higher, achieve more.”
Confidence surges through me. I can accomplish more, I can do more. A chuckle escapes me.
“You’re dependable in that regard, and you truly are a disciple of the Oni King and the Undead King.”
“No doubt about it.”
I find myself enjoying the busyness and the hardship. I’m eager to see what lies beyond this hurdle.
“Well then, shall I go to the interview?”
“Yes.”
With my spirit and stamina both feeling full, I press on through the day.
###
There are many who dislike Jiro’s actions. Chief among them are the other general candidates.
Within the company, talented individuals who are relatively friendly toward humans have been selected and placed. However, being friendly doesn’t necessarily mean they can be trusted. There are factions within the company, and they originate from different regions. While certain actions are tolerated, there are those who will not permit transgressions beyond a certain line. Naturally, for these individuals, Jiro’s challenging for the general position is a blatant transgression, and they resent it.
The company members Jiro interacts with are only a small fraction of the whole. Furthermore, those who resent Jiro’s rise in power are, in the next tier, the high-ranking nobles. Their families each have a long history and immense pride. Countless blood relatives have participated in wars to maintain their status. Families that have survived through the succession of many Demon Lords. Because of this pride, the appointment of a human to the general position, something never seen in history, is an unbearable development. They’ve schemed to block it with pressure from various directions, believing that exceptions should not be made, but…
The first obstacle standing in the way of those nobles was the Demon Lord. Cunningly, meticulously, and tenaciously. The dark machinations woven by history. The Demon Lord, foreseeing this approaching poison moth, swiftly struck it with a needle.
The Demon Lord’s Army operates on strength. The Demon Lord declared that if they wished to obstruct the path to the general position, they must challenge it head-on. Perhaps surprisingly, the Demon Lord’s Army tends to dislike open acts of subterfuge. If asked whether such things occur, clandestine operations are certainly happening. They are arguably happening constantly, even now. However, if they were to become public, the perpetrators would be labeled as cowards for eternity. In essence, it’s a double-edged sword. The sharpness of this blade is keen. It turns into a deadly weapon when wielded against an opponent, but it also becomes a deadly weapon when it turns back on oneself. Moreover, if wielded unilaterally, no harm will befall the wielder. This is precisely why so many make judgment errors. They believe they can wield the blade without issue, failing to anticipate that it could be blocked and returned. Simply knowing the sharpness of the blade is not enough. If one is to wield it, they must understand that it can be wielded against them.
Therefore…
“Ho ho ho ho, I was indeed looked down upon. To think they believed they could outsmart me with this level of information suppression.”
When establishing a new faction, one must be wary of such overly confident blades.
“Muil Hendelberg!! Why are you, a hero, siding with humans!! You must know!! Many of our brethren, many of our comrades!! Were killed by humans! Your father and grandfather were also killed by humans, weren’t they!!”
Finding allies openly is something anyone can think of. However, for some reason, one tends to believe that people won’t react excessively to this search for allies. Jiro Tanaka is sensitive to human malice, but he still lacks refinement. He also lacks self-awareness. Jiro Tanaka as a being is likely being watched with far more caution than surface-level information suggests. In fact, among some of the high-ranking nobles, there are those who accurately grasp his abilities and overestimate his threat level. While he is outwardly considered an unpopular investment, this is also a form of information manipulation. By spreading unreliable information, they are attempting to sabotage Jiro Tanaka’s chances of becoming a general. The nobles who engaged in this act believed their actions were correct. They worried that if they hadn’t, individuals capable of pursuing profit with personal feelings of hatred in check might lend their power to Jiro Tanaka as an individual. The results have indeed manifested. These strategists believed that if they hadn’t intervened, Jiro Tanaka’s forces would have already grown into a considerable power by this stage. After all, he gained backing with the potential to achieve such a feat.
Muil Hendelberg.
The hero of the Dark Elves.
A hero known only to those who know. A hero who protects the nation. That such a hero is providing backing, attempting to elevate a single human to the general position. An elf, currently being interrogated by Muil, indignantly reprimands him. Asking why he sides with humans.
“You misunderstand. I too lost many of my brethren during that war. I feel anger and sadness about it.”
“Then why!!”
Muil had anticipated this kind of interference as he expanded his forces. He had expected some faction to obstruct him. That’s precisely why he is working behind the scenes, acting secretly to avoid hindering Jiro. Thanks to Keiri, a fellow kin with whom he connected through Suella, he knows that Jiro’s forces are expanding smoothly, allowing him to manage the rear. Playing the scapegoat is the duty of an old soldier. Creating a path for the younger generation is his role. It is precisely because he kept his eyes, nose, and ears sharp that he has been able to capture so many spies. And when Muil appears before these spies, they all condemn him. Asking why he sides with humans.
“I’m saying you misunderstand. Jiro Tanaka is not involved in our war.”
“No! If he is human!! He will eventually turn his fangs, his wicked schemes, his malice upon us!! Wake up!! Muil Hendelberg!! It’s not too late now!!”
Therefore, Muil calmly advises the demon, as if to teach him. That Jiro Tanaka is not involved in the historical war between him and the Demon Lord’s Army. If, hypothetically, Jiro were from Isal and a member of the Temple, Muil would have gone to great lengths to prevent his marriage to Suella. But he smilingly accepted and blessed their love because he understood the distinction. He had firmly grasped that the enemy was the soldiers he fought against in that war, not him. That is why Muil shows displeasure at the demon’s words.
“Oh? So you mean to say that all humans are enemies? Regardless of whether they are women or children.”
“That’s right!! The Demon Lord was thinking of strengthening the Dungeon by using humans! That’s fine! I myself can agree with using humans as our food! But! They are not our brethren!! They are livestock to be used!! And slaves! They are definitely not a race that should attain the general position!!”
With demons, one cannot measure age by appearance, nor is there much meaning in measuring it. However, Muil still described the man shouting before him as young, immature, and inexperienced. His ideology is biased, believing it to be absolute. Prejudice against one’s own race is common. They are tolerant of allies but harsh towards enemies. He has seen many such individuals. Muil thought of himself in his youth not much different from this young man, and did not particularly negate his claims.
“If that’s the case, then the Demon race becomes my enemy.”
However, he will not tolerate it. The demonic power that Muil had been suppressing until now leaks out. It is not because it contains anger, nor is it imbued with homicidal intent. However, Muil’s demonic power, possessing the strength of someone called a hero, shows an overwhelming difference in power to the young demon.
“…… uh,!?”
Muil, preventing him from even uttering a word, gently crouches down to meet the demon’s gaze.
“A dear friend of mine, long ago, was killed by a male demon in a minor skirmish. To borrow your words, it means that demons who killed my dear friend should not be trusted.”
“N-no! I didn’t say that! And demons and humans are different!!”
“They are not different. Looking at our long history, while fighting with Isal is notable, overall, we have engaged in war with other races far more often when the Demon Lord was absent. If you say humans cannot be trusted because we have been at war with them for a long time, then even looking only at the Dark Elf race, we have warred with many tribes living on this continent. If you consider this, you, as a demon, should understand. We have repeatedly warred with other races for longer than we have warred with humans.”
“You understand this, don’t you?” he says, pausing and meeting the demon’s gaze as if to confirm. The demon lowers his gaze, clearly frustrated.
“If we consider your argument, then we must become a single race. We must eliminate all races and place only the remaining race at the pinnacle as the lords of this continent. From there, we must slowly fight Isal and kill all humans.”
There are certainly peaceful times. But there are also times of war equally. The ideology of hating humans simply because they are human will eventually extend to beings other than humans. What awaits at the end of that is ruin. The end for those who believe they must be the absolute best is nothing more than a lonely death.
“Do you think there will be a world without conflict beyond that? It will never end. Even if the Demon race becomes the ruler of this world, what awaits beyond is war among their own kind. Wars will start for trivial reasons as long as they continue to fight based on reasons like ‘because they are human’ or ‘because they are Dark Elves’.”
“…”
If an ordinary civilian had said this, it might not have resonated with this spy. But coming from Muil, who experienced past great wars and is even called a hero, the persuasiveness is immense. If the hero says the war will not end, perhaps it will not. Such thoughts begin to form, cracking the spy’s perception of normalcy. The spy’s words dwindle, and Muil visibly lets out a sigh.
“You can only spew such grand pronouncements, which is why you are treated as a disposable pawn.”
“!? ”
He then says this as if pitying him. The demon, who had been looking away, suddenly looks at Muil.
“Surprised? Or did you think it was a bluff? Unfortunately, both are incorrect. I have captured others besides you. The others simply confessed more readily than you. So, they delivered a letter to their employer. ‘My subordinate spy was acting suspiciously by your side. This time, I’ll overlook it, so come and get him.’ To which the other party replied, ‘I don’t know anyone like that.’ Your employer valued their reputation more than their subordinate’s life. So, what will happen to you next?”
Assassins and spies are considered necessary evils. They are scapegoats, the ones who bear the filth. Hence, they are unpopular and few become them. However, they are also highly expendable. The reason for this is that when they make mistakes like this, there is no room for recovery. Failure equals a loss of trust. And a risk to one’s life. The spy, knowing this fate, slumps in defeat. But where there’s a will, there’s a way.
“Therefore, I have a proposal.”
Exploiting weaknesses is a common tactic in covert operations. No, one could say that showing such a lapse is their own fault.
“Are you interested in a job change?”
Muil Hendelberg. If you were to ask an old friend who knows him to describe him in one word, they would likely say: Talent Hunter. He recruits talented individuals through various means, and because he doesn’t treat them poorly, the circle of people around him grows. Muil inwardly smiles, knowing that the circle supporting Jiro has grown just a little bit larger.
Today’s word: Having composure is important.
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