We live at the foot of Dragon Peak.
What are your plans for tomorrow?
The investiture ceremony ended without a hitch. While there were continuing celebrations and various events, I don’t really remember much of it.
Why did I, a human, receive a special title like “Grand Duke” from the true ruler of the demon race? I’ve forgotten all about being mobbed by curious demons, rushing around to greet everyone who helped me, being toyed with by the Demon Lord and Charlotte, or being clung to by the Puppet King!
So, with the noisy business concluded, my entire family came to visit the rooms of the Shooting Stars.
Since the Shooting Stars are clergy, they had returned to the guest room after the investiture ceremony, where they attended as honored guests.
Ruiseine and Madrine also politely declined the banquet and other events, dedicating that time to interacting with the Shooting Stars, so we simply joined them.
We’re being considerate because the Shooting Stars must be tense staying in an unfamiliar demon country, especially in the Demon Lord’s castle.
It’s definitely not for the impure reason of avoiding the commotion that continues when the demons visit our rooms, right?
“Meow.”
“Nimia. Can you interpret Elnea’s impure heart for me?”
“I’ll give you sweets later, okay?”
“Ruiseine. Um, Priscilla wants sweets too!”
“No, no, no, Nimia. You don’t need to interpret anything. And Priscilla-chan, you just ate a whole lot of meat a little while ago, didn’t you?”
“Different stomachs!”
“Ares-chan!?”
We are always ourselves, no matter the time or place.
Even though we visited the Shooting Stars’ room, we were noisy and boisterous.
Nevertheless, the Shooting Stars watched us with gentle smiles.
What kind people they are. Truly priestesses filled with pure, innocent compassion.
“Meow.”
Nimia, who is smart enough not to say anything unnecessary when reading my mind, is now relaxing on Laira’s head.
For the shy Laira, the banquet after the ceremony must have been a very difficult time. Perhaps that’s why she is tired and quiet now.
She’s curled up at the edge of the circle we’re all making, with her eyes half-closed and a sleepy expression.
I’ll have to cheer Laira up later.
“Trap, meow.”
“!?”
Was it my imagination?
I thought I heard Nimia mutter something, but Laira immediately tucked Nimia deep into her chest, so I couldn’t confirm it.
“All the same, I never expected Elnea-sama to be granted a title by the demons.”
Isabel-san is looking at me with an intensely curious gaze.
The other Shooting Stars are also a little excited.
“I never expected to receive such hospitality in the land of demons.”
“Is it a flawed way of thinking to find it difficult to accept the fact that demons have prospered even more than humans and have built a superior culture…?”
“How did Elnea-sama and the others deepen their interactions with the demons?”
“Humans who are recognized by demons. It seems rather mysterious, doesn’t it?”
“I was bombarded with questions!”
The demure Shooting Stars. However, as beings destined to travel the world and find their fate, they are basically very curious and studious.
They eagerly fire questions at me and my wives, trying to incorporate everything they see and hear for the first time into their knowledge and experience.
We are surprised by their eagerness and look at each other, wondering where to begin.
We want the Shooting Stars to get to know us gradually, and at the same time, we want them to learn about the world around us.
How should we convey this information without causing misunderstandings?
“May I ask one question?”
So, I ask them in return.
“What do you think of me?”
The Shooting Stars tilt their heads at my question.
“As Isabel-san and the others know, I was once asked by the true ruler of the demon race, ‘Won’t you become the Demon Lord?’ And this time, I received a title like Grand Duke?”
I want to know how the Shooting Stars will react when they learn that I, a human, am the closest being to the Demon Lord, surpassing the demons who possess terrifying power.
Upon hearing my words, Annie, one of the priestesses, says,
“Elnea-sama already holds the title of Dragon King, doesn’t he?”
“Yes. It’s a title passed down among the dragon people and dragons who live in the area known as Dragon Peak, extending to the east of the Forbidden Territory. To be precise, I inherited the title of Eight Dragon Kings from my master, Jiludo-san.”
I explain that the Eight Dragon Kings were the eight dragon kings who fought the Rotten Dragon King that reigned in our homeland about four hundred years ago, and that I am a disciple of one of them, Jiludo.
Incidentally, I briefly recount the legends and history of our homeland.
It’s a legend from an era when humans named Armēdo and Yorttenitos, the Guardian Dragon of the Dragon Forest, dragons, dragon people, auricles, and many others were active.
Since the Shooting Stars have no connection to our homeland, instead of relaying history that has been conveniently twisted by later generations, I convey the stories of those who were active at the time, such as Old Man Sleigsta and Jiludo, as they were.
And I also related the related climate and current situation of my homeland.
“A hero who inherits the Holy Sword entrusted by the Eastern Magician? That’s an interesting person. But Elnea-sama became the Dragon King, not the hero, right?”
“A hero is a title that can only be inherited by someone chosen by the previous hero to inherit the Holy Sword. Hero Lisuter is my best friend!”
Then, I bragged about how amazing Lisuter the hero is, which made the Shooting Stars laugh.
“Elnea-sama is a mysterious person. You talk about the Hero-sama as if he were your own pride. Yet, you yourself have been granted the title of Dragon King from the hard-to-obtain Dragon Peak.”
“Do you think so? I just think I was lucky. If I hadn’t met Grandpa, I would still be a weak young man. I probably wouldn’t have married Mistral and the others, and would have inherited my father’s craft in the royal capital of the Armēdo Kingdom? Ah, Grandpa is one of my masters!”
“Elnea-sama has many masters, doesn’t he?”
“Yes. Also, the official successor of the Dragon Sword Dance is Airi-san, and I’m still being taught many things I lack. I learn about everyday knowledge and useful ideas from Zan. In daily life, I can’t do anything without learning various things from Mistral and the others? So, I have many masters!”
As I counted them on my fingers, Isabel-san and the others laughed happily.
“I see. We understand Elnea-sama much better now. Elnea-sama’s charm must be his honest heart. That’s why so many beings, regardless of race, gather around Elnea-sama and try to get involved with him in various ways, isn’t it?”
That includes the ruler of the demon race, adds Isabel-san.
“Elnea-sama is the Hero-sama’s best friend, recognized as the Dragon King by the dragon people and dragons, and called Grand Duke by the demons. However, I believe his essence is one and the same. Elnea-sama is ‘Elnea Eris,’ regardless of any titles or positions he may hold. Therefore, no matter what position you are in, we will not doubt Elnea-sama’s true nature?”
The other four nodded along with Isabel-san’s words.
Then, upon hearing the conclusion of the five Shooting Stars, Mistral smiles.
“As expected of Shooting Stars, or so humans would say? That’s impressive. To be able to understand Elnea this much in such a short time, honestly, I didn’t expect it.”
Mistral, being a dragon person, speaks plainly even to the Shooting Stars.
Mistral seems satisfied with the answer the Shooting Stars have reached.
I am also, in fact, happy.
Honestly, I was worried, though not in the same way as Mistral.
I, who am close to demons. I chat with the Demon Lord, Charlotte, and Ruilala as if it were natural, and in the past, I was even recommended by the Demon Lord. Meduria, who was promoted to Baron, and the Ten Clans, who were jointly granted baronies, treat me with respect. Furthermore, today I even received a special title like Grand Duke.
I thought that if the Shooting Stars, who came from a different region, probably from the human cultural sphere far to the west, saw my strange position, they might harbour suspicion or hostility in the worst-case scenario.
However, the Shooting Stars looked at me with fair eyes.
That makes me very happy.
“It’s good that Elnea Older Brother let me travel with demons through rough treatment, meow.”
“Is that so!?”
Nimia, it’s fine to stick your face out from between Laira’s chest and eat sweets, but you shouldn’t drop crumbs and make a mess.
Laira, don’t reach into the valley of your chest to pick up fallen sweets!
Your abundant chest is about to overflow!
“Trap, meow.”
“!!?”
I thought I heard Nimia mutter something again, but Laira immediately hid Nimia deep within her chest, so I couldn’t confirm it.
“At first, everything was a series of surprises… But, yes. Interacting with the Ten Clans has greatly changed my values compared to when I was staying at the mansion in the Forbidden Territory.”
This is what War Priestess Michelle-san says.
Demons are enemies. Everyone in the human race believes this without question. Even clergy are no exception.
But seeing us having fun with the Demon Lord, Charlotte, and Ruilala in the Forbidden Territory, or traveling with demons to the Dragon King’s Capital, seems to have helped the Shooting Stars break down many of their fixed ideas.
“Alright, then!”
“Elnea Older Brother has a wicked plan, meow.”
“No, no, Nimia. I’m not thinking of any wicked plans, you know? So, Mistral, put away that one-handed club in your right hand!”
Mistral’s steady gaze is painful!
But I really don’t have any wicked plans!
“Well then, tell us what you’ve thought of.”
“Yes, I will!”
I said with a smile.
“To help you learn more about the demon race, let’s go out to the city and sightsee tomorrow!”
At my proposal, my wives visibly reacted.
However, it wasn’t a reaction of rejection or caution. Rather, it was an active reaction of thinking about what kind of sightseeing we should do!
“Isabel-san, what do you think? We ourselves have rarely toured the Demon Capital, so I’m sure it will be a wonderful experience!”
Tomorrow, let’s make it a day of hospitality!
Not for our own enjoyment, but to give the Shooting Stars an opportunity to learn more about demon culture.
So, you know?
To my wives over there. Don’t start a match betting on me!
Even Laira, who seemed tired until just now, is starting to perk up.
The Shooting Stars were surprised by my wives, who suddenly started to exchange sparks. I had no choice but to explain that this is the daily life of the Ys Family.
My fate tomorrow will be decided by my wives’ match, but I can’t intervene.
Who will win the exclusive rights to tomorrow!
Isabel-san and the others laughed again at my explanation.
“They are truly a lively family.”
“Yes. They’re so lively, we never have a dull moment!”
But that’s what makes it fun.
In the end, our noisy family, even joined by the Shooting Stars who got caught up in the fun midway, became even livelier in the Shooting Stars’ room!
Oh, dear.
I wonder what tomorrow will bring.
“It’s definitely going to be tough, meow.”
“Nimia, you’ve been muttering something for a while now, haven’t you? You’re reading everyone’s minds and predicting everything, aren’t you!?”
“Meeow.”
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