I had braced myself for the parade after the ceremony, but honestly, it was ten times more grueling than I had imagined. The gazes were the worst part. As someone who had weathered countless battles, I had never experienced being the center of attention so boldly in a parade like this.
Smiling, I rode in the carriage, accompanied by the knights providing security, waving to the crowds gathered for this day. And then, the gazes, gazes, gazes poured in. What was so fun about looking at an ordinary person’s face?
This was all I was doing, yet…
Why were so many people gathered for me? It was so crowded on the streets beyond our path that for a moment, I wished they were just an illusion. It was almost comparable to a parade in a certain dreamland, perhaps even more so. I had to think of it as if it were happening to someone else to cope.
I admit that I am the first human general in this country’s history, but even so, people wouldn’t gather in such numbers just out of curiosity! I started to worry if my cheeks were twitching. But there was no way to confirm it here.
After all, I had just finished the post-ceremony unveiling. The carriage with the president was ahead of me, followed by my carriage, and then my family’s carriage. Currently, I was alone in this carriage.
Why was no one next to me? I felt completely out of my element! Even in my past life as a corporate slave, I had never had a job like this! President! You said only a few people would gather, that it would be alright! But there are quite a lot of people here!
Looking to my right, I saw people of various races gathered. Looking to my left, I saw more of the same. I could analyze the situation calmly, but the unprecedented sense of expectation was pressuring me. Instructor Kio taught me to enjoy myself even in tough situations, but how was I supposed to enjoy this kind of pinch?
As I thought about it, I imagined Instructor Kio thoroughly enjoying himself, and Instructor Fushio handling it with ease. The former would probably be laughing heartily and enjoying the atmosphere, while the latter would likely maintain an elegant demeanor. Seeing these images so clearly, I suddenly calmed down.
Thinking about it, I realized there was no need to panic. I wasn’t facing life or death. Compared to Instructor Kio’s right hook, the Dragon King’s breath, Instructor Fushio’s magic, or Evia’s magic sword, these gazes were nothing. Accepting it, I felt I could just keep repeating the same actions.
As long as the ceremony proceeded without further incident…
“Die, human!”
Ah, right. Of course, words like that would arise. Amidst the festive atmosphere, this insult pierced through. While normal people might not hear it amidst the cheers, when a giant man shouted, it naturally caught my ear.
“We absolutely will not recognize you as the general of this country!”
And then, they unfurled a large banner with a crudely drawn version of my face, crossed out with a large X, making it clear to everyone that they were opposed to my appointment as general. The escorting knights glanced towards the protesters.
What should I do? If this were just a quiet murmur, I could easily ignore it. But they had acted in a planned manner, blocking our path and deliberately revealing their dissent to me after the president had passed. Ignoring them would make me seem weak, and reacting forcefully would be childish.
This was an unexpectedly troublesome situation. However, it was troublesome, not impossible to handle.
“Please stop for a moment.”
“Huh?”
There was some leeway in the parade’s schedule. But I didn’t have time to deal with everyone individually.
“Ah, you there.”
“!”
The giant, who hadn’t expected me to stop, flinched and straightened his back.
“I didn’t quite hear you. It seems you have something to say to me. Please look me in the eye and say it clearly.”
From my carriage, I addressed the giant man who seemed to be the core of the protest. But the man who had been so boastful earlier was now speechless, like a frog staring at a snake, his mouth opening and closing.
Naturally. My eyes were now channeling the dragon’s blood, putting him under the dragon’s gaze. The killing intent honed by the instructors was too much for an ordinary person to withstand.
If I were to retaliate, they’d call me petty. If I ignored them, they’d become emboldened. So what should I do? It’s simple. I wouldn’t lay a hand on him, but I would silence him physically.
“Hmph, do you have nothing to say?”
I projected my killing intent, teaching him to read the room and back down. To the surrounding people, it would appear as if I, the general, were kindly asking for his opinion. In reality, I was doing no such thing. As you can see, I was unleashing my killing intent without holding back. The giant’s knees began to tremble, and his complexion grew pale.
Yet, he still seemed to want to say something. But the group holding the banner had already started to lower it, signifying the outcome. One should have the courage and resolve to say something when they have the chance.
“I see. It’s a special ceremony, so please, ‘enjoy’ it.”
He had been given an opportunity to speak but couldn’t. A man who only speaks ill of others will not gain trust later. In crucial moments, if you falter, no one will believe in you. Excuses like “I wasn’t prepared enough” cannot erase the fact that you failed when it mattered.
With a mere glance at the knights, I signaled them to resume the parade. I saw the group that had been at the forefront, exposed to the judgmental stares of the crowd, sheepishly retreat. The space they left was immediately filled by other spectators.
Well then, despite this minor trouble, let’s resume the parade. However, I was slightly shocked to see the reality that not all humans accepted me as their general. While I knew I couldn’t dwell on it, it made me realize that I had work to do to reduce the number of people like that. Well, I’m not a saint, nor am I someone who can win everyone’s approval. I’ll put this problem aside with a somewhat brute-force mindset, believing that my strength will earn the respect of many. For now, I’ll focus on completing this parade safely. Even thinking about it, all I could do was maintain my expression and keep waving.
However, moving through the entire city at a brisk pace would take approximately three hours, by my rough estimate. It was long. I worried my arms might develop tendonitis from something other than desk work, but my enhanced physique supported me.
“I… I’m tired.”
“You seemed to have a tough time.”
“It didn’t seem that busy for you.”
Even though it was dusk, on this continent where it was nearly night, time was judged by the sound of bells. The parade, which lasted until just before 17:00, finally concluded successfully. I took a short break before the party tonight, leaning back on a sofa even more luxurious than the one in my mansion.
Seeing this, Suella giggled as she watched over the children. Although, the children were being looked after by small, green, rabbit-like spirits. With a familiar air, she swayed her long, fox-like tail, not unlike a rabbit’s, as she played with the children who were curiously reaching out to them.
“Yes, because the Demon Lord and Jiro-san were drawing attention, it wasn’t too busy for us. At most, people probably just thought Jiro-san’s wife was just like that.”
“Well, I suppose ordinary people aren’t interested in family structures…”
With such a scene unfolding, Suella sat beside me and told me she hadn’t been nervous during today’s parade.
“It’s not that you’re used to it, but you weren’t nervous during the award ceremony either, were you?”
“Well, I am a Dark Elf who has lived for many years. I have experienced one or two ceremonies. Of course, this is my first time participating in a parade of this scale.”
“I see.”
Despite our long association, she is more than five times older than me. That difference in experience is hard to bridge.
“You will continue to participate in such ceremonies. You can’t be nervous about something like this, Human King?”
“Please stop. Being called that by Suella gives me chills.”
“Fufu, in that case, I’ll just do as usual.”
“Yes, please do that.”
To gain such experience and maintain this position, I must strive. Fortunately, the dragon’s blood within me allows me to do so.
“Human King.”
“Is it time?”
“Yes, it’s time to change your clothes, please.”
“Understood.”
Sehas, whom I had brought from the mansion, knocked and entered, coming to inform me of the time. There were no clocks in this room, and it was a bit disorienting to have servants manage the time like this.
I slowly stood up and then knelt beside the children.
“Ahh…”
“Uuuh?”
“Haha, still don’t understand, huh?”
As I gently stroked their heads, the children looked at me with curiosity. It was good that they didn’t seem to mind, but I worried about being forgotten as a father because I had been spending less time with them lately. Well, I will eventually secure longer periods to spend with them…
“Then, I’ll see you later.”
“Yes, later.”
I entrusted the children to Suella. It was likely that Memoria and the others, who were changing in a separate room, would join us soon. There were also guards outside the room. As I left the room with Sehas, I caught a glimpse of a maid. On her head, she had dragon horns. Sehas had apparently arranged for maids stationed at the castle to be brought in, and according to Evia, they were skilled and coordinated, even more so than some knights. I still vividly remembered being shocked by the realization that maids in the Demon Lord’s castle had to be capable fighters.
“Now then, please change your clothes here.”
Sehas guided me into the changing room. Inside, maids and butlers were lined up. Each of them held costumes or tools for applying makeup. I was taken aback by the level of service, comparable to that of a famous actor, and felt too intimidated to insist on changing myself.
“Please.”
It had been years since I had someone else change my clothes. I endured the shame of having to get used to this. The meticulousness of the process was evident when I heard that what would normally take me about twenty minutes – changing clothes and applying makeup for my daily preparation – would take over an hour.
It wasn’t easy to stand still like a mannequin. But watching myself transform into someone else in the mirror was quite engaging. My face shouldn’t be that handsome, yet I was astonished at how transformed I looked with makeup.
“Finally, this outfit.”
“Understood.”
After having my hair styled, my face made up, and then dressed in a luxurious embroidered outfit, a full-length mirror was brought before me as I stood up.
“How is it?”
“…Who is that? You look like a completely different person.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
I had expected this outfit not to suit me, but I was unrecognizable, almost like a different person. The man standing before me looked like a handsome model from a fashion magazine. Was that really me? It felt like magic was bending reality. Only the usual sharp glint in my eyes proved it was me, allowing me to barely acknowledge the figure as myself.
Sehas, who accepted my words, which could be taken sarcastically, with a happy smile, received a wry smile from me.
“The ladies will also be finished changing soon. Would you like to see them?”
“How much time do we have until the party?”
“The participants have already entered the venue, but your entrance as the Human King is scheduled for about thirty minutes later, so we still have some time.”
“In that case, I’d like to see Suella and the others as well.”
“Understood. Please wait in the adjacent room. I will send someone to escort them.”
From this day of the ceremony onwards, my living environment was changing dramatically. Even the act of sending someone to escort me when meeting someone was not part of my daily life. If I wanted to meet someone, it was quicker for me to go to them. I almost acted on this thought, but given my current position, doing so would be considered undignified.
“I really feel like I’ve entered a different world.”
Sehas attended to me, and I leisurely sat on the sofa, waiting for Suella and the others.
“Aren’t you getting used to it?”
“I can’t say I am.”
“Please try to get used to it. You are now one of the most powerful individuals on this continent, and your advancement has been unprecedented. Many people are watching your actions.”
I am grateful to Sehas for pointing this out, even if it wasn’t out of criticism. I can only laugh, thinking that I must get used to these movements as well. I have to adapt. That’s how the world moves.
Today’s word: The concept of common sense is always changing.
Thank you for your continued feedback and for pointing out any typos. If you enjoyed this, please leave a review, rating, or bookmark.
I am currently serializing another work: “Pandora Pandemic Panic.” While Pandora’s Box has been reopened, I’m fighting back with secret bases and other means!! Please give it a read as well!!
