We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Young Lady Elin.
It wasn’t just us who were attacked by the Puppet King.
“I’ve had it. I was planning to visit famous spots, but the Puppet King interfered, so there was no time for sightseeing,” Mistral said.
“Hahahaha! The surrounding demons suddenly attacked me, and I was troubled,” a flustered voice exclaimed.
“The Puppet King’s strings are troublesome. No matter how many you cut, they’ll just be re-tied. There’s no end to it.”
In the Demon Lord’s Castle, Laira and Sefina, who had returned before us, were dejected, looking utterly exhausted. Annie Comet and Michelle were also worn out, caught up in the unexpected commotion.
“We had fun.”
“We thought it was interesting.”
“Muki! To lay hands on clergy and the weak is unforgivable!”
Unlike Mistral’s group, who looked exhausted, the adventurer group seemed to be enjoying themselves for some reason.
“Yufi and Nina were also attacked by the Puppet King, right? What was the situation?”
When I asked, Sefina answered for some reason.
“We were attacked right after leaving the Demon Lord’s Castle. However, they used slaves instead of demons.”
“Ah, is that why Madrine is having a tantrum?”
“I am not!”
“There, there. So, Madrine is angry that the Puppet King manipulated slaves who are already in a weak position, and also angry that he turned them against you, a clergywoman, right?”
The manipulated slaves were also followers of the Temple Religion. Yet, in an unwilling manner, they attacked the clergy. Madrine is most angered by the fact that she inadvertently made the slaves carry a needless burden of guilt.
“Then why did Yufi and Nina say they had fun?”
“Because we realized cutting the strings was pointless…”
“We went to confront the Puppet King directly.”
“Hah?”
“If you defeat the one controlling them, it will be resolved.”
“If you eliminate the source of the disturbance, the situation will calm down.”
“S-so you stormed the Puppet King’s stronghold…!?”
The Puppet King is staying at this Demon Lord’s Castle as a guest for yesterday’s investiture ceremony. According to the Giant Demon Lord,
“Inviting Young Lady Elin was just a prank. Well, perhaps seeing her receive her title will make her a little more subdued.”
That’s what he said, but unfortunately, the Puppet King, even after I was granted the title of “Grand Duke” by the ruler of the demons, did not refrain from bothering me.
Therefore, Yufilia and Nina, using the fact that they were attacked right in front of the Demon Lord’s Castle as an opportunity, immediately turned back and targeted the Puppet King himself, who was staying at the Demon Lord’s Castle!
“Fufufu. Elnea-kun. Here are the damage reports from the Twin Princesses’ rampage and the bill.”
“Charlotte!? No, no, please send the bill to the troublemaker, Young Lady Elin!”
Charlotte, who is in a good mood, is scary!
“U-um… what was the result of storming the Puppet King’s stronghold?”
“Elnea-kun, thank you for asking.”
“It’s all thanks to me and Nina.”
“Hou hou. And that is?”
“The Puppet King is currently confined to the reflection room!”
“What!”
Yufilia and Nina, leaving the handling of the manipulated slaves to Madrine and Isabel, stormed the Demon Lord’s Castle. The Twin Princesses, wielding the Ryūhōken, apparently had a fierce battle with the Puppet King. But, this is the stronghold of the Giant Demon Lord. The master of the Demon Lord’s Castle would not stand idly by while his guests caused a ruckus. Therefore, the Puppet King, who was apprehended by the Giant Demon Lord, is now confined to the reflection room.
“Yufi, Nina. You two should also go to the reflection room and reflect for a while.”
“Is Mist saying something?”
“Mist is spouting nonsensical things.”
“Thanks to me and Nina, Mist’s group’s attack has ended, you know?”
“Thanks to Yufi-nee-sama and me, the Puppet King’s evil deeds have stopped, you know?”
Chronologically, it seems we were fighting in the arena before Mistral’s group and the adventurer group were attacked simultaneously. Or rather, I was forced to watch, and it was Ruiseine and the others who did their best in the arena. Ruiseine is currently resting, wearing her sealing band.
“Ruiseine, are your eyes okay?”
As I approached, Ruiseine leaned on my shoulder.
“Elnea, that’s Ruiseine’s trap?”
“Fufufu. Mist-san, it is true that I, who have overused my eyes, am seeking healing?”
“Muki! Ruiseine, yield that role to me, the Head Miko!”
“Madrine-sama, that is tyrannical. More importantly, is it alright? As the Head Miko, don’t you have a duty to heal the hearts of the believers who raised their hands against clergy, even if they were manipulated?”
“That is the role of the temple in this city!”
At first, Ruiseine only leaned on me, but before long, she was hugging me tightly. Mistral and Madrine clung to her, trying to pull her away. And then, as usual, the women became noisy.
While being jostled in the center of the commotion, I turned my attention to the Shooting Star Sama, whose fun demon city tour had been ruined.
“Everyone, you must have been looking forward to it, right? I’m sorry. It’s because of us.”
When I apologized, Isabel, laughing at our commotion, told me, “Don’t worry.”
“In life, there are many things that don’t go as planned. Moreover, this is a country ruled by demons. Rather, we were able to fully experience what kind of society demons have in a short time.”
“That’s right,” Liz-san nodded.
“I was able to see firsthand how humans are treated as slaves in the demon’s country. Shamefully… I had actually thought slaves were treated even worse.”
Chained by their limbs, clad in tattered clothes, and constantly forced into unreasonable labor. Liz-san had apparently thought that demons treated slaves like that.
“That is, unfortunately, a true fact in some cases. To demons, human slaves are less than disposable items. However, demons also cannot live without slaves to do menial tasks, so they don’t abuse and kill slaves they just bought right away.”
I’m sure there are cruel demons who exist, but still, buying slaves costs money, and if they were constantly abused, they would have no one to support their own lives. Slaves don’t spawn infinitely. That’s why they hunt other races outside the demon country to replenish their numbers.
“Also, is the Giant Demon Lord’s country relatively gentle to slaves?”
When I looked at Charlotte, she smiled with her eyes narrowed.
“As living conditions improve, it becomes difficult to differentiate oneself from others with just jewelry, houses, and furnishings that show wealth. Therefore, many people adorn the appearance of slaves, who should be less than livestock, to further display their wealth. They can boast that they can spend lavishly even on slaves.”
And the extension of that is entertainment slaves, like gladiators.
“Raising slaves, providing them with arms and armor, and owning gladiators stronger than those owned by others. That is how wealthy demons show off their wealth.”
“Tris-kun, you are in such a world, aren’t you?”
Tris-kun, having been freed by Fairy Demon Lord Kusharilla, has now, as planned, entered the Winged Tribe’s country. The destination for Tris-kun and his companion Sheria is apparently to investigate the situation in the human country further south, so their journey will likely continue for a while. What is the Cat Duke Astel, who has been left behind, doing now? He must be lonely. I’ll go visit him next time!
“Fufufu. That is a good idea, isn’t it?”
“Can you please not read my mind!?”
“If you are worrying about that, then please also train your mind?”
“Guh…”
“Putting that aside. I think it’s a good thing for Elnea-sama and the others to visit the Cat Duke.”
“Why?”
Charlotte replied to me as I tilted my head.
“It was a little while ago. The Puppet Duke and the Cat Duke had a fight. In that battle, the Cat Duke’s side won.”
“Hou hou! So, if I ask Astel, I’ll know how to defeat the Puppet King? …Or rather, that means! We will continue to be involved in the troublesome disturbances that the Puppet King causes!”
Please, don’t let the Puppet King out of the reflection room! When I pleaded, Charlotte tapped her index finger on her cheek with a troubled expression, pretending to think. I have a bad feeling about this!
“That would be problematic. While the Puppet Duke cannot leave if the seal on the reflection room is not broken, if that is the case, then Priscilla-chan also cannot leave the reflection room?”
“Ah! Everyone, Priscilla-chan and Nimia!?”
My wives were lively. The Shooting Star Sama were observing our exchange with interest. However, the Young Girl Group was nowhere to be seen. Could it be…!?
“Priscilla-chan and Nimia-chan are in the reflection room with the Puppet Duke, as he is showing them a puppet show.”
“Why has it come to this!?”
I slumped my shoulders. The Puppet King is an extremely troublesome Primogenitor Race, but Charlotte and the Giant Demon Lord, who use Priscilla-chan and Nimia to toy with us further, are even more problematic!
“Ho? You consider our consideration to be troublesome?”
“Ugh!” I broke out in a cold sweat as my thoughts were read upon the appearance of the Giant Demon Lord.
“No, no, but why did you put Priscilla and Nimia in the reflection room along with the Puppet King, who caused the commotion!?” Priscilla and Nimia were not involved in this morning’s commotion. Yet, why involve them?
“You. What do you perceive the Puppet King to be?”
“An extremely troublesome Primogenitor Race!”
“That is indisputable. Then, why do I call that troublesome person ‘Young Lady Elin’ so affectionately?”
“Eh!? Is there some kind of meaning behind it?”
Huh? I wonder why the Giant Demon Lord calls the Puppet King Erinberyl “Young Lady Elin”? I deliberately call her “Young Lady Elin” because the Giant Demon Lord said it, but when I think about it, it is strange. Currently, the only one I know who calls the Puppet King “Young Lady” is the Giant Demon Lord. Others, perhaps due to their positions, call her “Puppet King,” “Puppet Duke,” or “Lord Puppet.” Then, why does only the Giant Demon Lord call her “Young Lady”? Well, from the perspective of the Giant Demon Lord, who is the oldest of the demon races, all demons are younger, and those born in the last few hundred years would naturally appear like babies.
“…Ah. Perhaps?”
“It seems you’ve realized something. Say it.”
“Hmm. I don’t know if it’s correct, but… perhaps the Puppet King is truly childlike?” The Giant Demon Lord, a fellow Primogenitor Race, has a serious and kind personality. Charlotte is fiercely loyal. And the Cat Duke is whimsical like a cat, driving everyone around him. So, what about the Puppet King? At the investiture ceremony, the Puppet King standing next to me had a distinctly girlish appearance. I had assumed the Demon Lord was calling her “Young Lady Elin” to mock her appearance, but what if it actually refers to her mental state, rather than her appearance? “The Puppet King is childlike in appearance, and therefore, even if she causes trouble, she doesn’t think it bothers others and just wants to have fun if she enjoys it?” And if she possesses a childlike mind? “For the Puppet King with her immature spirit, she would surely get along with Priscilla-chan, who has a similar mental age?” “To keep her from acting out, she is playing with Priscilla now, literally watching a puppet show.” “The Puppet King, young in both appearance and spirit. Therefore, she likes puppet shows, which children love…” Small children love puppets and plays. Therefore, the childlike Puppet King is just playing with the people around her with a “fun puppet show” without considering the inconvenience to others. And because she is playing, the outcome doesn’t matter, so the puppet show ends when she is satisfied. We finally understand the Puppet King. “Putting that aside! If we don’t call Priscilla-chan and the others back soon, I feel like they’ll gain some bad friends!” We hurriedly left the guest room and rushed to the reflection room. By clicking the heart, you can easily convey your support. (Login required.) Support If you have an account, please log in. Learn more about the reading experience on Kakuyomu.
