We live in the foothills of Dragon Peak.
The Demon Lord’s Return
“Elnea-kun. Hey, Elnea-kun, wake up.”
“U-un…”
Gently shaken awake, I rubbed my eyes and emerged from sleep.
“Gyaah!”
Then, with a scream, I dived back under the covers.
Why is Ruilala here to wake me up!
This must be some kind of mistake. Thinking that, I peeked out of the gap in the covers to look around the room. But there was no one else in the room but Ruilala, who had come to wake me.
…Have they all betrayed me!?
I was supposed to have slept in the same room as everyone else, so what’s going on that I’ve been left behind when I woke up.
“Elnea-kun, you’re a sleepyhead.”
“Hey, be quiet.”
“If you don’t get up soon, everyone’s going to leave without you?”
“W-w-what did you say!?”
At Ruilala’s shocking declaration, I leaped up.
I scrambled out of the covers in a hurry and quickly got dressed. Then, without even fixing my bedhead, I burst out of the room.
I overslept!
It wasn’t that everyone betrayed me, but that I overslept.
Everyone must have tried to wake me up. But I wouldn’t wake up. Inevitably, Ruilala might have come to wake me.
Ah, to oversleep at a time like this, how pathetic I am.
Hurriedly bursting out of the room, I rushed outside.
“Oh, good morning. You’re up already?”
“Good morning, Elnea-kun. You’re up quite early today.”
“Elnea-sama, your hair is all messy.”
“…Huh?”
However, upon going outside, I blinked and my thoughts stopped as I witnessed the usual peaceful scenery.
The Dragon Race housewives, led by Mistral and Ruiseine, were preparing breakfast. Laira was also helping.
In the eastern sky, the sun, not yet fully visible, could be faintly seen.
It was early morning, very early morning. The morning scenery was still a little dim, and my head couldn’t catch up.
What is this?
Weren’t we supposed to depart already?
Behind me, confused, Ruilala was laughing.
“M-m-m-maybe…”
I turned around and glared at Ruilala with a look of resentment.
“Well, Your Majesty gave me permission, and I thought I’d take a walk now that I’m finally free, and I saw everyone leaving the building where you’re staying.”
“You tricked me!”
“How can you say that! I was just gently waking you up, who was indulging in a long sleep all alone.”
“Hey, whether you’re gentle or fierce, I don’t want you to wake me up!”
“I want to wake you up.”
“Disgusting! Hey, don’t come near me!”
Ruilala deliberately tried to hug me, so I roughly pushed her away.
“How cruel. I’m devoted to you, though.”
“Don’t say you’re devoted to yourself. Besides, what you’re interested in is my Dragon Sword Dance, right!”
“I’m interested in you, the one who uses the Dragon Sword Dance.”
“Either way, I don’t want demons to be interested in me.”
“You’re shy, aren’t you?”
“No, why do you say that?”
As Elnea and Ruilala were bickering, the housewives preparing breakfast looked at us and laughed.
“It’s noisy in the morning.”
“You two are close.”
“It’s just like Elnea-sama to be on friendly terms with a demon.”
“No, that’s not true…”
Mistral and the others also stopped their work and laughed.
“I understand now why Elnea came to wake up early. Laira, please fix Elnea’s hair.”
“Yes.”
“Shall I fix it for you?”
“No, I refuse!”
Leaving Ruilala, who continued to tease me, outside, I returned inside the building with Laira.
“Well then, please sit down.”
In front of a small dressing table, I sat on a small chair, and Laira began to fix my bedhead with a comb.
I can fix my own bedhead, but for some reason, everyone wants to touch my hair in turns. Today, it’s Laira’s turn.
Personally, I don’t mind having my hair touched, so I always ask them to do it.
Well, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I’m spoiled!
“By the way, where are the Twin Princesses?”
I thought I hadn’t seen Priscilla-chan and Nimia.
“They are out for their morning walk. We will be departing from here today, so it seems to be their last outing.”
“I see.”
The Twin Princesses and Priscilla-chan. In a sense, they might be the strongest troublemakers, but they shouldn’t cause any disturbances here… right?
Except for last night’s bath incident.
Recalling the embarrassing events of last night, I blushed a little.
“Elnea-sama, your face is red?”
“No, it’s nothing. More importantly. If Ruilala received permission, does that mean the Demon Lord is back?”
“Yes. It seems he returned early this morning. The breakfast is also very nutritious, made with ingredients brought by the Demon Lord.”
“We have a big move starting today. We need to eat a lot and gain strength.”
“It’s finally time, isn’t it?”
“Yes. We have to get motivated.”
We weren’t just idly waiting for the Giant Demon Lord to return.
We took breaks by going for walks and playing with everyone, but we spent much of our other time discussing what was to come.
The most important thing is Orta.
How to defeat Orta.
It will surely be a difficult battle. It will be a great disturbance involving the entire Dragon Peak. But we couldn’t think of any other effective plan.
If so, we just have to do it. It might not be the best, but we have to do our best with what we can do.
Once we return to Dragon Peak, we will begin preparations for the battle against Orta.
Therefore, once we leave this city, our days of peace will be over.
The Twin Princesses understand that too, which is why they are spending their last enjoyable moments with Priscilla-chan.
“What about Kusharilla’s army?”
As Laira was fixing my hair, someone entered the room. I knew who it was without turning around. It was the Giant Demon Lord.
“Good morning. And thank you for the supplies.”
Still, it would be rude not to face someone I met after a long time. I turned around and bowed my head to the Demon Lord. Laira followed my lead.
“We will leave the Demon Race’s army to the Dragon Race people.”
After all, the Demon Race’s army has been in Dragon Peak for quite some time. The fighting should have already begun. If we, who don’t know the details of the battle situation, were to interfere there, it would only be a nuisance to the Dragon Race people.
Furthermore, the opponents are tens of thousands of Demon Race soldiers. In contrast, even with Revalia and the others, we are a very small group.
Rather than wasting our meager strength, we decided it would be better to focus on the other problem, Orta.
Mistral also said that Dragon Race warriors are stronger than demons, and that we should be fine moving separately.
“Once they’ve entered Dragon Peak, we can’t easily lend a hand.”
“Yes. We will handle matters concerning Dragon Peak ourselves. We are grateful just for your help in rescuing the captives.”
“Well, we will at least keep track of Kusharilla’s movements and hold back any additional forces from this country.”
“Thank you.”
If even the Giant Demon Lord were to enter Dragon Peak, it could affect the dignity of the Dragon Race. I am grateful for the Demon Lord’s unseen consideration.
“I read the strategy for the battle against Orta.”
“Mumumu. When did you…”
He must have read my mind, where I was just thinking about how to counter Orta.
“Don’t push yourself too hard.”
“We’ll be alright!”
“If it comes down to it, I will lend you my hand.”
“In a different way, I may borrow your power. But if I borrow it, I’ll become the Demon Lord, won’t I?”
The Demon Lord offering to help doesn’t mean fighting together. It means lending the Soul Spirit Seat, which leads all who touch it to death.
“Fufufu. That’s right. When I intervene regarding Orta, I will make you the Demon Lord without a word.”
“Absolutely not!”
“The Demon Lord Seat is fun. You can treat demons as you please. You can control the country, and indulge in excessive luxury as you wish?”
“I don’t want to be king of a country, and I have no desire to rule demons. I don’t want excessive luxury either!”
“You seemed quite excited by the twins last night?”
“Kyaa! Don’t read my mind about that!”
“E-Elnea-sama. That’s unfair.”
“What’s unfair?”
“I want to take a bath with Elnea-sama too!”
“It’s that!”
“Kukuku. It’s alright, isn’t it? Why don’t you go in now. If you want, I’ll even boil the bath water myself.”
“I’ll pass!”
“I wouldn’t mind joining you.”
“Grumble grumble, you two are teasing me.”
“Elnea-sama, I’m serious.”
Laira said that, her face bright red.
She’s embarrassed, isn’t she? But she mustered the courage and said it.
“Okay… Let’s take a bath together next time, okay?”
“Y-yes.”
“Oh dear. I can’t watch.”
The Demon Lord, looking at me and Laira blushing and gazing at each other, chuckled and left the room.
“I wish this disturbance would end soon.”
“Yes. For that, we must do our best.”
“Yes!”
After the Demon Lord left, Laira began to comb my hair again.
I also let myself relax in the sensation of the comb gently stroking my scalp.
And when my bedhead was fixed, we both left the building.
The Dragon Race people, who had woken up late, were gradually coming out of the building, as if breakfast preparations were already complete.
“Good morning.”
Priscilla-chan, who had just returned from her walk, hugged me. After exchanging morning greetings with her, and the Twin Princesses who were walking companionably behind her, we lined up with everyone else to get our meal.
“Dragon Race food, huh. Interesting.”
“No, you’re a demon, so could you please not line up with us?”
I cast a glance at Ruilala, who had naturally joined the line behind us, telling her to go away.
“Are you sure you can say that to me? Saying that I’m a demon, you know, that’s disrespectful to His Majesty, who is ahead of you in line?”
“Eh?”
Following Ruilala’s gaze, we looked to the front of the line.
A little further ahead of where we were lining up, the Giant Demon Lord was standing in line, quite naturally.
…No, it wasn’t quite natural. The Dragon Race people in front of and behind us were pulling strained faces and looking at us for help.
“Demon Lord, what are you doing?”
“I’m lining up to get breakfast?”
“No, I can see that.”
Ruilala and the Demon Lord, they are demons after all.
They don’t care about the people around them.
An inconvenience? What’s that, is it delicious? They must be thinking with such unreasonable logic.
“I’ll get your share of the breakfast, so please leave the line. Everyone is troubled.”
“Is that so? Don’t worry about it.”
“I *will* worry about it!”
“Then, could you get my share as well? I’ve been standing at attention and haven’t eaten anything for a long time. A large portion, please.”
“No. You’re not eating. Alright, I’ll have the Demon Lord order it.”
“How cruel.”
“Can I eat?”
“Well, it’s the Demon Lord providing the ingredients.”
“That’s true.”
While Elnea, the Demon Lord, and Ruilala were exchanging words, everyone had unintentionally pulled away, stunned. Why?
“Elnea-kun is a terrifying Dragon King, despite his appearance.”
“He’s talking to the Demon Lord like it’s nothing.”
“And that Ruilala, she’s one of the High-ranking Demons from the rumors, right?”
“A young Dragon King conversing with them as equals? I am in awe.”
“Kst, is this the Dragon Princess’s husband… I’ve lost.”
“Are you… bald?”
I thought I caught snippets of strange conversations, but I couldn’t afford to worry about that now.
“In any case, Demon Lord, please leave the line.”
“There’s no other choice, I suppose.”
The Demon Lord, shrugging his shoulders as if to say ‘oh well,’ finally stepped out of the line.
“Alright, little girl. While we wait for breakfast, I’ll play with you.”
“Um, yay!”
“Ah!”
Before we could react.
Priscilla-chan used Spatial Jump and leaped into the Demon Lord’s chest.
The Demon Lord gently caught her.
With gleeful laughter, Priscilla-chan frolicked innocently in the Demon Lord’s arms. Seeing that, everyone else in the line took another step back.
“A child of the Mimicho Race playing without fear of the Demon Lord…”
“My child wouldn’t have that much courage.”
“Mom, I can’t do it…”
“What a terrifying family the Dragon Princess has.”
“We were about to fight against those south of here, where such people exist.”
“How foolish we northerners were.”
Just ignore them.
It’s probably just my imagination that the evaluation of us is becoming so frightening.
Besides me, Laira and the Twin Princesses were also lining up, pretending not to hear the voices around them.
“Hey! You three, help out!”
“That’s right. Why are you lining up as if it’s a matter of course? Please help out.”
“W-we’ve been found out.”
“Ruiseine is a ogre.”
“Mistral is a demon.”
…It seemed the three of them had just been trying to escape from helping.
With the Twin Princesses and Laira being pulled away by Mistral and Ruiseine, smiles finally returned to the faces of those in line and the people around them.
