The Changing SceneryAlba side
Since meeting the demon G.o.d-sama, I learned that in this world, the area that was Baren country was split into six, and six countries were made
I also learned the country names and the present day kings" names as well
When I was an orphan I only knew things about Gudoudotelia
Living inconspicuously on the streets, digging through trash cans, and committing theft to live, I didn"t have time to listen to things like information on other countries
It was unnecessary
Since I didn"t have the courage to leave the town, nor the means to protect myself
Demons would often appear in town as well
Though since the knights would exterminate them, the town was the safest
So, I never went out of the town
An orphan like me wouldn"t have [something like] a sword
They also wouldn"t understand how to use magic
To begin with, who knows whether they could even use it [magic]
Meeting demon G.o.d-sama, I was allowed to learn swordsmanship
Though it seems I do not have magic power
Twin who was with me had magic power and is now learning magic from the spirit teacher
In the country demon G.o.d-sama made, everyone"s said so, but this Veiden is the safest
There"s no need to fear demons
There"s no oppression from humans
No one who scolds us
Anyone in this country won"t be killed, unless they do something to demon G.o.d-sama"s things
Or if we just make demon G.o.d-sama angry
If demon G.o.d-sama is angered, we could also possibly be banished
Though it may become the death penalty
That, is this country"s rules
So, no one violates the rules
Since they wouldn"t want to do something like leave from [this] safe country
Even though I live desperately clinging to life, I don"t want to actually die
I think everyone feels the same
According to what I"ve heard said even Rune-san that he cherishes so much, has made him angry it seems
Though I"ve yet to see demon G.o.d-sama when he"s angry
Rune-san seems to have received various restrictions when he became demon G.o.d-sama"s wife
Currently, within this country the one who makes him angry the most, "is probably myself" is what I heard Rune-san say
Perhaps because of that he very rarely let Rune-san go out to town
Only when the demon G.o.d-sama falls asleep can he do thing like deliver the food Rona-san makes or play with the children
However, as soon as demon G.o.d-sama wakes up he comes to bring Rune-san back
One day Dea-san explained it to me that since he"s the demon G.o.d-sama"s wife he won"t let him work
Rune-san is demon G.o.d-sama"s wife, Rau-chan is demon G.o.d-sama"s thing, Dea-san and Rona-san are demon G.o.d-sama"s slaves…….
Then, what am I, I wonder?
Demon G.o.d-sama will occasionally pamper me
Within his arms it"s very warm, almost like he"s telling me I"m actually cherished
The hand he pats my head with is also gentle
However, he doesn"t request anything of me
He just tells me that "kids should eat well, sleep well, and play well," he also told me it was fine not to clean the castle walls anymore
"Instead of that attend school and study" he said
Reading and writing letters is quite difficult
Everyone else around, almost all the kids, had never attended school, everyone started together though……..
I am the oldest among the children, so I always end up thinking I must work my hardest
I must learn faster than everyone else…..
I must hang in there…..
—only such things
Demon G.o.d-sama, when I"m suffocated thinking about such things, will pamper me
"It"s fine not to work your hardest"
"It"s fine not to worry about other guys"
He says so while patting my head
"Alba is only a child"
If it wasn"t from demon G.o.d-sama, I probably wouldn"t obediently listen to those words
However, I"m not everyone"s big brother, I"m not their parent, there"s no need for me to hang in there, he told me
He told me to be a good child and be spoiled by an adult
However, although I also heard this from Dea-san, it seem that demon G.o.d-sama is only one year old
Within this country, he"s the youngest
Although his appearance is an adult"s, his age is just too young
It seems there are various circ.u.mstances, I didn"t really get it, but he also said that he was 18
I was told it was fine just to not worry about it if I was in confusion and unable to understand though
It seems we"ve started diplomatic relations with Kieshye, a lot of humans entered Veiden
The first were people like the king, knights and magicians
And then, in order to reach an actual decision the king would come and after that merchants selling various things and such would come
Various decisions like merchants selling what things would be let in and such were left to Dea-san
That, Sei-sama……I mean, Sei-san (demon G.o.d-sama told me not to attach the original sama for the governor) communicated it to Kieshye
I was told that once I became big, I would be able to do a similar job to Sei-san"s too
It seems to be a position called a diplomat
Dea-san is a prime minister or such
And so, the day the merchants would arrive came
Although most children are frightened by a large number of humans, I was in town
The ones who will buy the goods they brought are the adults
It seems they will also barter vegetables and such
Things like cloth and dishware, cooking utensils and accessories, in Veiden they are things that no one can make yet and a lot are being sold
Probably the only one that can make them would be just demon G.o.d-sama
When I tried getting closer, there are goods ranging from simple to expensive
"…….how about something like this?"
A human who saw I seemed to be looking at the things, suggested an expensive looking gla.s.s
It"s probably because he saw the slave collar that was proof I was subordinated to the demon G.o.d-sama
They should be kind to the people subordinated to the demon G.o.d-sama
That"s probably something everyone knows by now
"….it"s not something I need"
I who was always being beaten by whips and never received anything like gentle words, was spoken to by the merchant with a smiling face
Probably because I was subordinated by demon G.o.d-sama, but since I"m not accustomed to it it"s scary
I hid behind Talis-san who was next to me
"Alba"
"Demon G.o.d-sama!"
When I turned toward the voice that called out to me, demon G.o.d-sama was there
Around demon G.o.d-sama there was Rune-san and Rau-chan and Haju-kun
"I"ll buy Alba whatever he likes as well"
When I looked toward demon G.o.d-sama who told me so, both Rau-chan and Haju-kun were carrying something in their hands
Rau-chan had a ribbon, Haju-kun had a gem
Rune-san……didn"t seem to be carrying anything though
However, there was nothing I wanted
While I was bewildered he pa.s.sed me a bag
When I looked inside I was surprised
There was a bunch of gold coins inside it
"Call everyone else to buy something for them too"
It seems there"s a share for everyone, but even so there"s too much
Although he probably doesn"t mean for us to use it all, it"s too much money for me to carry around
"Since Alba has my divine protection these guys can"t do anything to you, you know?"
Perhaps understanding that I was scared, he told me so but my fear didn"t disappear
"For Alba, humans are something you must get used to after all, will it not be as scary if I embedded a magic stone for you?"
Saying so demon G.o.d-sama took my hand and touched my collar
(Magic stone?)
For my collar too?
"Ah— the same stone as Rune!"
I tilted my head [in confusion] at Rau-chan"s words
Since Rune-san wears various different colored magic stones
"Since Alba is learning the sword, it"s a magic stone that raises offensive and defense power"
Although demon G.o.d-sama said so, it doesn"t feel real
"You, were……Talis? Go together with Alba and the others"
Demon G.o.d-sama calls out to Talis-san, thinking something for a moment he opens his mouth again
"Say your name"
"Talian Rodokous"
"Talian Rodokous, wear this"
Talis-san was subordinated and handed a slave collar
And, the magic stone embedded in that collar, was violet
What he was handed was not just that collar but also a sword
Talis-san seemed to be surprised, but he wore the sword at his waist after receiving it
The merchant……had his eyes wide open
He"s probably surprised that various things appeared from demon G.o.d-sama"s hands?
Even I who should have become used to the sight was surprised though
The children all gathered and together with Talis-san went around looking at goods
Although I was told to buy things they wanted, there was nothing to buy except things like cloth that felt good to the touch
Moreover, they would have to bring it to a clothes shop in this country and have them make it [into clothes]
I could also buy ready-made clothes, but they cost too much
Though I can buy it with the money that I received from demon G.o.d-sama
The merchants that have currently come are all people from Kieshye
However soon other country"s merchant will also come it seems
Will the merchants who beat and whipped us also be coming, I wonder?
That…… is scary
I don"t want those people to come
Since demon G.o.d-sama is here I probably won"t be beaten anymore, but, as expected, it"s scary
I think my appearance has changed quite a bit since that time, so the other party may not recognize me though
When I was an orphan I wore dirty clothes and my hair was also tangled and stiff
Alba side end
AN: thanking for comments and support, concurrently doing other works so sorry for the slow updates this may be delayed again though [not relevant as it"s already done]
TN: next chapter is R18, with a short two year time lapse and a step forward(???) for Shin and Rune"s relationship