We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Kindness and sternness.
“Why… me…?”
My words faltered from the shock. I looked down at the thin man I had subdued and asked the question.
I knew from the start that he was looking at me strangely. But I never imagined he would try to kill me…
“W-Why are you…?”
The thin man let out a pained groan and looked at me from behind. His eyes still carried a complex expression. It wasn’t pure killing intent, but I couldn’t say there was no envy or jealousy. He didn’t seem to be controlled by anyone, nor was he being threatened. Despite the clear hostility towards me, I could also sense the opposite emotion of being of the “same human race.” I couldn’t understand why this person had attacked me.
Just as the thin man was about to say something.
“To think you would cause such a commotion.”
Grandpa Ganjario pushed through the circle of demons that had gathered around me. Even though his slave had caused a disturbance, Grandpa Ganjario seemed to be enjoying it like an outsider, as if he was looking forward to the next development. More than the thin man who attacked me, I found Grandpa Ganjario’s attitude of observing us, the slaves, and me like a spectacle, to be sickening. I’m sure he doesn’t care about his responsibilities as a master. He probably only thinks that if his slave messes up, the slave should take responsibility and deal with it. Or perhaps, he thinks they should kill them.
The thin man also understood his master’s cruel personality and returned a hateful gaze. However, when the onlookers among the demons started chanting, “Kill him!”, his face turned pale for a moment and he began to tremble uncontrollably under my knee.
“The one who attacked me, that was your own will, wasn’t it?”
To my repeated question, the thin man shifted his gaze to me.
“Why… why are you, of all people, happy? We are the same human race.”
Hearing the words the thin man squeezed out, I inwardly slumped my shoulders, thinking, “Ah, so that’s what it is.” I had come to expect this. I knew that once I started operating in the Demon Race’s Country, I would eventually run into these kinds of problems. I was aware of it, but I had hoped to avoid it as much as possible.
“We are worked to the bone by the demons from before sunrise until late at night. We’re not given proper food, and our sleeping quarters are treated the same as livestock. Yet, you converse with the demons amicably, eat with them, and sleep in a circle. Why, why is that…?”
But my heart no longer wavered at the thin man’s muttering.
“Hahaha, that’s a ridiculous way of thinking.”
Ruilala laughed heartily at the thin man’s words. To the thin man’s gaze, asking what was so funny, Ruilala opened her mouth as if asking, “What are you surprised about now?”
“The law of the jungle. The weak obey the strong. That is this world. It’s simple. Elnea-kun is stronger than anyone else here. That’s why the demons recognize him. He also secured the most food. He has the right to eat his fill, doesn’t he? In contrast, what about you? You are as weak as a bug. You are not recognized because you are weak, and you are not treated poorly because you are a slave. You are treated so carelessly that you could be disposed of at any time because your presence has no impact on those around you. What productive thing have you ever done?”
“Ruilala!”
“Oh, if I speak too harshly, Elnea-kun will get angry. He’s scary when he’s angry. He might just kill everyone here… ah, everyone except me.”
The thin man, as well as the surrounding demons, were dumbfounded by Ruilala’s nonchalant words. But I was different. Ruilala was exaggerating. True, what Ruilala said was correct. Humans might be able to escape the status of slavery if they had the strength to be self-reliant. But not all slaves have such opportunities or abilities. The difference in abilities between races is too great. The same goes for the thin man. Forced to do heavy labor in an environment where he couldn’t even eat properly, his emaciated body was unbearable to look at. These people do not have the environment to learn swordsmanship or self-defense, or to train and study freely. To say it is because they lack strength is too harsh.
At my glare, Ruilala shrugged her shoulders in exasperation.
“So, what will you do? You tried to take his life, regardless of the circumstances. I think killing him would be the quickest solution. Or perhaps, show a little mercy and leave him behind?”
Ruilala’s eyes sparkled, asking what choice I would make. I saw that Grandpa Ganjario also looked very interested in my choice and was observing the situation.
Honestly. This is why I dislike demons…
I looked down at the thin man without a word. The thin man was stunned, perhaps because Ruilala’s words were too shocking.
“You know, I don’t think you should give in to the evil nature of demons. Just because demons are wicked, it doesn’t mean we have to become wicked too.”
Everyone gazed at me, wondering what I was saying.
“What Ruilala said, that if you have strength, you can become equal, is not correct. Even with strength, you can be envied instead. Because of that, I myself have come all the way here from another country. I don’t think strength is the most important thing. I think it’s the effort to get along with each other. Well, normal demons don’t seem to want to get along with humans. But just because the other party isn’t interested, it doesn’t mean we have to be indifferent or give up.”
I removed one knee from the thin man’s back and released my arm which I had held behind me.
“Therefore, I believe I can surely become friends with you and understand each other. So, I will consider this incident a minor misunderstanding and pretend it never happened.”
“Then, what if you get targeted again, Elnea-kun?”
“That’s a problem for then. Didn’t you say it yourself, Ruilala? I don’t intend to fall behind anyone here except you.”
“Fufufu. You’ve certainly become eloquent.”
I responded to Ruilala’s grin with a bitter smile. I had to assert myself, or they might really try to attack me.
I offered my hand to the thin man, who was bewildered by his release. The thin man hesitated, looking alternately at my hand and my face.
“Perhaps Elnea-kun’s words were difficult to understand. The question of whether to forgive you or not doesn’t even exist. Elnea-kun is saying he wants to be friends with you.”
“Let me say this first. I am not the kind of person who can solve the slave system in the Demon Race’s Country. However, I believe I can become friends with you all.”
Saying that, I took myself the initiative to take the thin man’s hand and helped him up.
“R-Really…?”
“Yes. Everyone is tired from the unfamiliar journey. This commotion tonight must have been a dream. That’s right, isn’t it, Ruilala?”
“Hahaha. We’ll leave it at that.”
It was all a dream. It’s strange how everyone has the same dream, isn’t it? But we can’t blame reality for what happened in a dream, can we? I looked at those around me with an unyielding gaze. Following Ruilala, Meduria, who had been silently watching, nodded. Then, her retainers reluctantly agreed. With that, the other demons, who were merely onlookers, also seemed to accept the explanation.
“To lead to such an interesting conclusion. As expected of Ruilala’s friend.”
“Elnea-kun and I are the best of friends.”
Ruilala smiled happily at Grandpa Ganjario’s words.
“No punishment. This applies to you as well. Is that understood?”
And then, Meduria looked at Grandpa Ganjario. She was essentially saying that he wouldn’t hold the master or other slaves responsible, so he shouldn’t arbitrarily punish his slave either. Grandpa Ganjario nodded in agreement and looked at the thin man.
“It was an interesting dream for the first time in a while. You too, become a remarkable person who can pique my interest like this young boy. If you do, I might consider improving your treatment.”
Grandpa Ganjario said that, and then took the thin man away. Demons are a race that smiles while lying, but can I believe him? Just in case, I decided to keep an eye on their movements. Also, I was worried that the slaves might become restless after this commotion. How can I make things proceed without causing any trouble? The commotion in the middle of the night subsided, leaving a faint sense of unease.
After the night I was attacked, similar problems did not occur. However, a different problem resurfaced. The issue of securing drinking water, which had been a problem from the beginning. My hunting had secured enough food to meet the minimum requirements, but drinking water was different. The only stream where we could get drinking water was when we were moving around the city’s vicinity. Five days into our retreat towards the east, we were finally facing a serious water shortage as we hadn’t found a new source.
“If we don’t secure water by the end of today, we might have casualties,” Ruilala said, making me feel anxious. I didn’t want to lose any more people or have anyone drop out at this point. Since the commotion, I had also started to become closer to the thin man and the other slaves. It would be a lie to say I didn’t have feelings for them.
“I need to concentrate for a bit.”
“Are you going to search a wide area with Dragon Sword Dance? If so, I’ll be your opponent!”
“No, thank you! Actually, it’s impossible because Ares-chan hasn’t returned yet…”
However, I now have a way to search a wide area other than Dragon Sword Dance.
“Excuse me for intruding.”
Then, I got into the carriage where the people who could no longer walk were packed. To those who were wondering why I was in the carriage, I gently shifted some space and began to meditate. I delved deep into my consciousness, feeling the endlessly stretching world. Herds of animals, flocks of birds. I expanded my consciousness along with the flow of the wind. It seemed it hadn’t rained much recently, as the dry earth thirsted for water just like us. The grass and trees were singing, “Give us water!” But there were no rain clouds in the sky.
It doesn’t have to be a river. I was searching for a stream or a pond somewhere, when I detected a gathering of people in the distance.
“Everyone, that way—!”
I stopped meditating, leaned out of the carriage, and pointed to the northeast.
“There’s a village, so we can replenish our water there!”
Villages are always located near a water source. We can’t live without water. At my command, not only the slaves but also the demons let out joyous war cries and changed course, seeking relief. We pressed on, enduring our thirst, everyone united. The demons also helped the slower-moving humans, trying to reach the water source as quickly as possible. It seemed there were no demons who tried to rush ahead on their own. That made sense, in this day and age. If a small group were to descend upon a village, they might be mistaken for bandits or something, leading to an unnecessary conflict. It was safer, they probably calculated, to use Meduria’s connections as the former lord of a regional city.
Thus, we marched faster than ever before and arrived at our destination village before we dehydrated.
“Please, share your water with us.”
Meduria, as expected, stepped up to negotiate with the villagers. The villagers, who had been wary of the approaching group, accepted Meduria’s request.
“Please, feel free to use it.”
“Water? We’re too busy for that now!”
“If that city fell, then eventually… here too…”
We had only come to ask for water, but when the villagers heard about the dire situation in the regional city from Meduria, they hastily returned to their homes. Then, they ordered the slaves to pack their belongings.
“Please, let us join you too…”
“It’s all over!”
“After this commotion subsides, I’m going to confess to that guy in the next village…”
The unrest in the nearby city seemed to be not just an isolated incident. The packed villagers joined us, and our group became even larger.
“Hahaha. If we become too bloated, our march will slow down even more. At worst, we might even be caught by slave hunters. What do you think?”
It was Ruilala, of course, who said that with a laugh upon seeing over two hundred refugees. What choice do I have? This has already been decided by my decision, which she already knows. Even though Ruilala is my friend, she is a wicked friend, no doubt about it.
“If we get caught, I’m counting on you, Ruilala!”
I winked with one eye and asked. She scrunched up her face as if she was going to gag. However, despite our cheerful exchange, Ruilala’s warning proved accurate. A group raising dust high into the sky from beyond the horizon was approaching from behind when we were only half a day away from the Necropolis.
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