We live in the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Demon Race Conference
“What, you say you were an adventurer in your youth?”
“I rode my partner, an Earth Dragon, and went to various places.”
“And now you are in an inconvenient state. That must be troublesome.”
“No, no, I think it was for the best this way. I have a cute person who takes care of me diligently.”
The King of the Yorttenitos Kingdom, who was conversing enjoyably with a high-ranking demon who carried himself like a noble, looked at Lyra at his side.
“Oh, a magic beast that ravaged the country? But surely, it’s a magic beast that humans could defeat?”
“What are you talking about? It was only because I, the Queen, and the Princesses combined our strength that we were able to take its head.”
The King of the Armēdo Kingdom was also boasting of his exploits surrounded by sturdy demons.
Just as there are various kinds of people among humans, from saints to very wicked individuals, so too are there cheerful and serious demons among the demon race. Understanding this allows one to see that humans and demons are both beings living in the same world, and preconceptions begin to disappear.
It seems that all the fathers in the group have also come to understand that demons are not solely fearsome, as they drink and eat together in harmony.
Well, we had interactions during the recent unrest in the human kingdom and at our wedding ceremony, and there are demons with whom we deepened our friendships then.
Thus, the groundwork for being able to become friends across races was already in place.
With alcohol flowing, those gathered in the main hall were in high spirits.
Amidst this, the Demon Lord, who had been drinking with my father, stood up.
I wonder if it’s my imagination. I felt as if I were being told “Follow me” with a slight glance, so I stood up as well.
Then, Ruilala and several other demons who appeared to be close aides quietly began to withdraw from the banquet.
I left the main hall with the Demon Lord.
Mistral and the others were cheerfully participating in the party, so I was the only one from my family to leave.
The Demon Lord, Ruilala, and the others left the main hall and proceeded down a long corridor.
Through the transparent glass windows lining one side of the corridor, the night landscape could be seen.
We passed through the long, straight corridor and then turned right and left down a cloister.
It seemed we were heading to a secluded part of the Demon Lord’s Castle.
As I followed the Demon Lord, I looked again at the demons who had left the banquet.
They were all high-ranking demons.
Some looked like warriors, others like civil officials. Their appearances and atmospheres varied, but they all possessed the demeanor and presence of the Demon Lord’s close aides.
Then, I found myself bothered again.
“Hey, hey, Ruilala. Where is Charlotte?”
I couldn’t help but ask Ruilala about her whereabouts. It was strange that Charlotte, the Chancellor, was nowhere to be seen since our arrival, especially with so many aides present. Besides, if she were absent again, I wouldn’t be able to show them the completed Orichalcum Mirror.
Ruilala answered without slowing her pace, “She’s busy. I believe she’s somewhere in the Demon Lord’s Castle, but she’s probably extremely busy.”
“Oh, she’s busy?”
“Of course, she’s busy. Things are chaotic near the northern border.”
I see. So that’s why the four-armed Demon General isn’t here either. It seems the country ruled by the Giant Demon Lord is experiencing military disturbances.
“Perhaps I shouldn’t have come on this male journey?” I asked the Demon Lord in front of me. He denied it without looking back.
“No, there’s no need to worry. My country is not so fragile that we cannot receive guests due to a minor disturbance like this.”
One of the aides chuckled, saying it was a good opportunity to show how much余裕 we have to invite guests from a distant human country.
“Speaking of which, the border disturbances are related to the Baltnowar incident, right?”
North of the Giant Demon Lord’s country lies the territory once ruled by Kusharilla. However, Kusharilla was relocated to the west, and it is now a lawless zone. And it is a faction of Baltnowar that is secretly operating in that lawless zone.
“There’s no sign of them breaching the border and infiltrating deeply, but we still need to be vigilant so we don’t get caught off guard.”
“Weren’t there bandits appearing in Ruilala’s territory?”
“Yes, that’s right. Disturbances like that are happening everywhere.”
“Could you be more specific?”
I am also concerned about the turmoil caused by Baltnowar, and I wanted to know what information the demon race had, so I asked the Demon Lord rather than Ruilala. After navigating the long corridor, the Demon Lord entered a room that looked like his office. There was no sense of being refused, so I followed him in.
The aides also entered the office. Upon seeing the mountain of documents piled on a large, magnificent desk, someone sighed without anyone in particular.
“Really, even the Chancellor’s competence becomes troublesome when it reaches this level.”
“I thought we finished processing this during the day, and here it is again.”
“Someone, go and stop the Chancellor!”
It seems Charlotte is so capable that even those working under her are overwhelmed with work. I glanced at the pile of documents. They were all related to our country’s response to the disturbances occurring in the northern lands. Although the disturbances near the border seemed to be contained, their impact was definitely reaching within the country.
“This is a disturbance that concerns you as well. I will explain it in as much detail as possible. First, let’s talk about the bandits.”
According to the Demon Lord, bandits wearing red cloth are rampaging over a wide area. The bandits, known as the Red Cloth Bandits, are led by a demon named Ryzen. I’ve heard that name before. He’s a high-ranking demon who specializes in close combat and attacked Sefina and the others at the Dragon King’s Capital.
The Red Cloth Bandits are brazenly ravaging various places. When they raid villages and settlements, they massacre the residents and steal all their valuables. Merchants, adventurers, and even bounty hunters are being attacked indiscriminately, so trade in the northern lands is reportedly suffering severe disruptions.
“However, if it were just one bandit group, it wouldn’t be so serious. We could concentrate our forces on the areas where the Red Cloth Bandits appear.”
“But it’s not like that?”
“That’s right. It seems that in the north, the red cloth is a symbol of being comrades. As long as they wear red cloth, anyone can claim to be a Red Cloth Bandit. And the Red Cloth Bandits are cooperating with each other and have begun to confront the subjugating forces. The people living in the north are afraid of retaliation from other bandit groups and are unable to intervene.”
“So, Ryzen is turning a blind eye to others operating in a similar manner to the bandit group he organized?”
“That’s right. In fact, he seems to be instigating them. They flaunt their red cloth conspicuously and rampage openly.”
This is truly out of control. Even in the lawless northern lands, there are demons who try to protect their territories and those who live by righteousness. However, as the Red Cloth Bandits multiply and rampage everywhere, and if one tries to stop them, they face retaliation from other bandit groups, any benevolent actions are bound to shrink away.
When I voiced my thoughts, the demons gave me a wry smile.
“If there were still demons like Elnea-kun in the north, that would have been fine…”
“Eh!?”
Ruilala’s sigh made my face twitch with a bad feeling.
“Do you remember the incident in the eastern lands where someone obtained a god-slaying magic sword?” the Demon Lord asked. I recalled the incident in the Yorttenitos Kingdom where a heavily armored swordsman took the Queen hostage.
“There are those who, although they wear the same red cloth, move differently from the bandits. According to a recently confirmed report, there is a swordsman who preys only on skilled fighters.”
“Is that the one who obtained the god-slaying magic sword?”
“Yes. He also seems to be wearing that cloth. And he is attacking not only local lords and high-ranking demons in various regions but also those who are vying for the Demon Lord’s seat, one after another.”
“That’s incredibly troublesome!”
By attacking those vying for the Demon Lord’s seat, is he also aiming for the position himself? I don’t know about that, but the problem is that he is also attacking high-ranking demons and lords who are unrelated to the Demon Lord Succession Battle.
Even in this situation, the lords and high-ranking demons remaining in the northern lands are like the last wedges. Even if the northern lands are in chaos, lords can maintain a certain level of order. Likewise, if someone tries to rampage in the vicinity of a high-ranking demon’s residence, they will incur the demon’s wrath and be defeated. However, if even these demons are attacked and the wedges of the region are lost, everything will collapse. Perhaps the reason the Red Cloth Bandits are acting so brazenly everywhere is because these regional wedges have disappeared.
“But didn’t you, Demon Lord, transfer the swordsman away without finishing him off?”
“What?”
“No, it’s nothing!”
When I blurted it out, the Demon Lord glared at me! However, I felt something odd. For some reason, I sensed from the Demon Lord’s eyes that he wasn’t taking the current situation in the north very seriously. I don’t know the specific reason, but perhaps the Demon Lord has a secret plan?
“Honestly, just think of it as his profound wisdom.”
“Yes!”
The Demon Lord, having read my thoughts, shut me down with an unyielding tone. But, since he didn’t deny my thoughts, does that mean it’s not serious? However, from what I’ve heard, the northern lands seem to be devastated, and their influence is already beginning to reach this country.
“Shouldn’t we send a large-scale army, then?” Unlike the Demon Lord, who had a mysterious sense of security, some of his aides seemed to be concerned about the situation in the north. One of the aides proposed, with a sense of urgency, “No, wait. What about mobilizing the army? We sent troops once during the previous unrest. If we meddle any further, how will the central government react…”
“After the Demon Lord of the North left and our army retreated, the central government intervened last time, knowing how devastated the northern lands would become. If we show blatant interference again, the central government’s intervention could spill over to us as well.”
“But the situation now is completely different from back then!”
“No, it’s not different. The central government cannot possibly misjudge what will happen to the lands where those vying for the Demon Lord’s seat demonstrate their power.”
The “central government” refers to those above the Demon Lord, right? The aides seem to fear that by interfering in the north, the higher powers might turn their attention to them as well. The Demon Lord, perhaps concerned about this, or with other ulterior motives, did not approve the dispatch of the demon army.
“Then, should we hire adventurers?”
“If it’s a request from the provincial government, wouldn’t a considerable number of people gather?”
“In that case, we’ll need to discuss it with the Adventurer’s Guild.”
It seems there is an organization that supports adventurers even in the demon race’s country. Well, the adventurers in the demon race’s country are probably demons themselves.
“If we issue requests to adventurers, coordination with neighboring countries will also be necessary. If the rewards aren’t balanced, the adventurers won’t march in unison.”
Following the Demon Lord’s instructions, several aides hastily withdrew.
“As for us, we are prepared to offer adequate compensation to those who quell the disturbances in the north?” The Demon Lord then glanced at me.
“I refuse the Demon Lord’s request! Because the reward is scary. However, I am concerned about Baltnowar, and I am willing to help.”
“Oh, and what are the conditions for your assistance?”
As expected of the Demon Lord, he gets straight to the point. Without the Demon Lord telling me, I had already decided to confront Baltnowar. As someone who has been granted the same immortal life, I absolutely must face him. The Demon Lord fully understands our position. With that in mind, he offered me a reward and asked for my help. And he knows that I would refuse an exorbitant reward. Because if I demand too much, he might start talking about wanting the Demon Lord’s seat again. So, I maneuvered him into asking for a return, leading to the current situation. Understanding the Demon Lord’s intentions, I requested the support that is currently necessary.
“I understand that you cannot officially send out the demon army. With that in mind, there is something I would like to ask. Please dispatch skilled demons to defend the Necropolis.”
Returning to what was said earlier. If local lords are being attacked everywhere, there is a possibility that Meduria, the acting lord of the Dragon King’s Capital, and the city itself are in danger. It would be best if we could stay there, but we are also busy with various things. Therefore, I asked if an elite unit, such as the Black Winged Demon Race, could provide unofficial protection. To my surprise, it was readily agreed. As if they were waiting for my proposal, several more aides withdrew. Perhaps this entire conversation was just a prelude to guide me to make this statement? No, that must be it. In the first place, I don’t think they would be discussing how to deal with the army at this late hour. The Demon Lord and his aides are skilled demons. They wouldn’t make reactive decisions. They probably intended to have me propose the dispatch of skilled demons from my own mouth. The dispatched unit will not act as part of the national army but as a defense force protecting the Dragon King’s Capital. If the Dragon King’s Capital is attacked, it would be unavoidable to defeat the swordsman and the Red Cloth Bandits. Besides, maintaining public order around the city is also important, so interfering would be unavoidable, right? That’s probably the Demon Lords’ plan. In any case, having learned the details of the events in the northern lands and the Demon Lords’ response, I have begun to truly realize the machinations of Baltnowar and his followers.
