—–How unfortunate, boy.
However, this is something that happens everywhere.
The survival of the fittest has continued since ancient times, it just happened to get to you.
Suffering.
Parting from loved ones.
Pain of not getting what you want.
Pain of meeting those you don"t want.
……It is an inescapable pain while alive, I"ll be blunt.
Everyone has to continue living after parting with their loved ones.
After all, you were born into this cruel world.
It"s sorrowful, humans are born into this world crying aren"t they?
And in order to find further joy, you must continue living.
If not, then it"d be inexcusable to the parents who loved you?
…….Come now, if you are still sad, I will be by your side until you can stand by yourself.
……My name?
I"ve told you my name before, did you forget it. What a hopeless child.
Got it?
Don"t forget it this time. My name is —-
…………On the morning of the third week since I came to Augusta.
I lazily wake up. That I wasn"t beaten means that I woke up early for the first time in a while.
I"m not able to get a sense of time since the sun doesn"t reach.
My body is cold since I wasn"t given a blanket.
While resenting this body that doesn"t warm up, I straighten out to let the blood flow throughout my body.
Aah, what a nostalgic dream.
After Tisama destroyed Nile Village, she looked after me in the Ungiving Forest.
Gently, even though my body was cold, when we were together my heart was warm. She was like another Mother to me.
She taught me how to live as a human, but because I didn"t need those things anymore, I instead made a promise with her.
A very important promise that supports me now.
……I understand, Tisama.
First is that werewolf.
She"s called Gallon-san, but she"s quite a cute person.
It won"t be too long now, that I"ll be able to introduce her to you.
That"s why, please be a good child and wait a bit?
As if moving with my mood, I begin to stretch.
At any rate, I can"t get out of this dungeon if no one unlocks the door.
…..That"s right, I"ll start with having Gallon-san improve my bed.
She is, hmm, my『Mother』, so the setting goes……let"s see if she"ll spoil me a bit.
Do your best to accompany me in our family play.
You should at least have that resolve.
Today is also another day of work.
Other than the fact that I was. .h.i.t for taking a bit of food, there"s nothing special to report.
And so, it was finally time for the awaited study session with Gallon-san.
What will I be taught today.
With the sun setting, Gallon-san and I face each other inside the library.
There aren"t many teaching materials today, what are we going to do.
「…… I"ve been thinking. You can read and do arithmetics to some extent. You have the minimum amount of manners to not be killed. Then what"s after that. We first have to see if the common sense of humans is the same as the one here」
「That"s right」
「 You saw the castle so you should understand, we demons hold some human engineering and culture. But It seems that in the past we only ate the food we hunted」
Certainly, I thought it when I saw the castle, I felt that the buildings around the castle aren"t much different from the one humans build.
The food too, they have the general idea of raising livestock and growing vegetables.
Besides, if they had no money, then they wouldn"t even be able to buy human slaves.
Well, they have used the beast people of Rilu Maal as an intermediary to expand the slave industry.
I was originally working under a slave merchant, so I can grasp the circ.u.mstances here.
It wouldn"t come out of anyone"s mouth, but there are stories of humans selling demons.
In other words, because they secretly traded with humans, they inevitably came in contact with human culture.
On the other hand, there is the possibility that the humans just didn"t know of the demons culture.
I think about these things as I give my answer.
「Eeh, it was pa.s.sed down in the scriptures of the Salia Faith that demons had a history of hunting humans」
「That"s right. Whether it was human or animal, we hunted and ate anything, but it seems we overdid it」
「Receiving G.o.d"s wrath, Augusta was closed off, so I heard. At that time, the humans gave Rilu Maal to the beast people allied to them, and the beast people allied with the demons ran off to Augusta together」
「……That"s something a Salia believer says, whether it"s true or not isn"t something known…… but that doesn"t matter. It was then that in order to live in this barren land, my ancestors copied the human"s ways.」
「…… So you"re saying?」
「The point is, cultivation, domesticating livestock, we had to make our own food for ourselves」
「…………」
…….There"s something wrong about this.
It was written in the scriptures of the Salia Faith that the one called devils were monsters that had to eat the flesh and blood of humans in order to live.
To live by eating the same thing as humans, why do they go out of their way to eat humans.
It may be tasty for them, but if Augusta was closed off because of that, the risk would be to big.
But even then, they still have the part of their culture of eating humans.
They can live without eating them. Why.
Whether G.o.d is real or not, I"d understand if the demons reject it.
In the end it"s a scripture that was written by humans, it"s not really something you can trust in.
Tisama didn"t really talk about the situation here.
I don"t understand it.
「……? What"s wrong? What"s with that weird face」
「No no, please continue」
「…….. So, you know of Indira right? We were lucky and that country accepted the large amounts of mana stones we produced here, that"s how we gathered money. That place is one that accepts anything as long as it makes a profit」
「Seems like it, thought I don"t know the details」
「I also don"t know too much. But, Seneca declared the trade that the demons began with Indira as heretical. So Indira acquired Folkus and attacked Seneca. Humans really do things I don"t understand, really」
「Those dark times. Luckily I was born in Ista which wasn"t caught up in that」
「From here I"ll talk about the arrangement with the humans. First of all, Augusta obtained human technologies and resources from Indira and we still continue our relationship 」
「Seneca is trafficking people within Seneca that were authorized by the believers. Well, Folkus must have some connection with this place. The world is complicated」
「The Miss too, rather than destroying humans……. Aah, I said too much. Forget about it.」
「…… Yes」
…… Well, Indira seems to be getting special treatment.
But even if demons were higher up, humans still compose the lower sections.
「……. Still, you really are strange」
「? What is it?」
「It"d be fine to skip the slave trade part. Isn"t it something unpleasant?」
「That"s because, I was originally the servant of a slave merchant」
「…… Human"s really are, complete trash. I can"t think of calmly selling my companions. There are people that irritate me, but even then they"re family」
「………」
Family, of course they aren"t.
Neighbors aren"t always good people.
There are hypocrites who say they"d help others, but there aren"t any people who would happily carry the baggage of someone in need.
…… But even then, I love humans.
But then it"d be pointless, so I will also love demons.
I will give them love.
「The ones sold to us are usually eaten. It was suppose to happen to you too, but ……」
「That"s no good, Gallon-sensei」
「……. What isn"t」
「You shouldn"t sympathize with humans. Humans are, exactly what you say, trash」
「…………」
「Gallon-sensei, I am being treated lower than a slave. Because I"m not even a product. Here, my body, it"s full of wounds isn"t it?」
The cloth I had couldn"t even hide the lower half of my body.
Whips, blade, this body that was injured by many things, it truly is shameful.
If Gallon-san can show just a bit of sympathy…… I"ll be lucky.
「Gallon-san. Please, please destroy the humans. The only thing I want from the demons…… Is only that. That"s why I"m here」
Though it"s a lie.
「…… Wait a bit」
Saying that, Gallon leaves her seat.
Aa, how cute. She believed it.
To be caught in this farce, it could only be Gallon-san
At the very least, I feel like Purisan would just laugh.
「…… It"d be better, for you, to not get too close to Gallon」
And a voice called out from behind me.
「Oh my Evsan, was I disturbing you」
「……I don"t know what you"re thinking. But I"d like you to stop deceiving Gallon」
「Another disreputable thing about humans」
「There is nothing that demons agree on with humans. Humans are instinctively scared of demons………. It"s obvious that you"re thinking about how to harm us」
「…… Instinct, I"m a servant based on reason」
「Humans that like c.o.c.kroaches are in the minority. And in the same way, to rid yourself of that psychological disgust is difficult」
「At times when I"m hungry, they are also quite a delicious thing」
「……Trying to change the topic……You"re an exception among humans. Still, whatever you"re planning is useless」
「…… ? I don"t understand what you"re trying to say」
What is she saying. I only want to love you all.
To be accused of scheming, how regrettable.
It hurts me.
It really hurts me.
I want an apology.
「……To feign idiocy, only fools and wise men do so. And for humans with little time, they cannot become wise」
「……」
She touches my shoulder.
「In the end, you"ll die soon enough. After all, you"re only a small human…………」
Evsan breaks off her words and stares into my eyes.
「? What is it?」
「…… ? What, are you?」
「No no no, what am I, what do you mean by that」
「Human?」
「I"m a human, a human. Genuine and born from Ista. Can it be I look like a demon」
Am I handsome?
Do I, look handsome to demons?
It"s embarra.s.sing.
To look at me like that is embarra.s.sing.
To receive this pa.s.sion, the last time this happened was 2 years ago by the slave san (32 year old · Man).
「…… It"s unavoidable」
She turns around and wanders away.
What a difficult to understand person.
While waiting on the chair, something covers me from above and my vision goes black.
「Here, put this on!」
「My, Gallon-san. Welcome back」
「It"s sensei. Se·n·se·i!」
She awfully fixated on that.
She must"ve been pleased with it.
Still, to go out of her way to bring a jacket.
Really, what a good person.
It surprised me just a little bit.
「Is…… this fine, to accept it」
「Huh, I"m just lending it. For that ugly sight to be in front of me, it"s an eyesore」
「I see…… but, thank you」
「Fuun」
「…………」
Sniff sniff.
「……… Oi」
「………………」
Sniff sniff sniff.
「…… Oi, stop. What are you doing…… !」
Sniff sniff sniff sniff haa haa.
「…… Gallon-sensei"s scent is on it……」
「Y, y-yy, you idiot, gi, give it back! Give it back right now!」
「A really fragrant scent……」
「Stop bulls.h.i.tting me! Give it back idiot!」
「Nine」
「Haa!?」
「My name, Nine. You know it right?」
「Human names aren"t important! More importantly……」
「I"ll return it if you call me Nine」
「……Oi human, will you cut it out already? I took a modest approach and you got conceited……」
Ararara, she seriously got angry.
But pulling out here would be bad.
Exchanging names is important.
If she doesn"t properly get to know me, then my love won"t reach.
「Will you kill me?」
「Do you want to be killed?」
「I don"t want to die. But, rather than being killed by a human, I want to be killed by Gallon-san」
「…… How commendable. In consideration of that, I won"t make it hurt」
Gallon-san raises her right arm with those words.
Aah, she"s serious.
She"s seriously going to kill me.
It"s the first time she became serious with me.
I must convey my love at this moment.
I have to tell her how serious I am.
I"ve already put my life on the line in this game since 10 years ago.
「I have just one request」
「……What」
「……Can you eat my remains?」
And so, I close my eyes.
…… 10 seconds pa.s.s.
I"m still alive.
…… 20 seconds.
…………30 seconds.
I slowly open my eyes.
「……You, there really is something wrong inside of you」
Gallon-san crosses her arms.
Thinking about too many things must be a bother.
Feeling more refreshed than before, she continues her words.
「To say it clearly, Aroma can"t decide on your treatment from here on」
「Though she really want me to go and die」
「If I"m being frank, then yes. She made me look after you. Furthermore, she"s eagerly waiting for your death」
「My bad」
「……It doesn"t matter」
Saying that, Gallon-san glares at me.
「I"m going out of my way to accompany you. And for you to die immediately, it"d make me an idiot」
「…… It"d be fine for me to die at any time. As long as you destroy the humans, then I"ll have no regrets」
「Even if you don"t say it, we"ll surely slaughter those humans. It"ll be the proof that our Miss is the true ruler of Holz」
「………」
「Got it, Nine. You can be sure to witness it. That is your role here. I"m taking care of you after all, so don"t just go and die」
「Yes, Gallon-sensei」
「Ke…… It"s simple when you just answer」
With a click of her tongue, Gallon-san turns around.
In the end, I was lent the jacket.
Well, 「It doesn"t matter anymore, do as you like」she said that, I"ll make use of that good will.
……Aaah, it"s warm.
…… Well then, I want a blanket next.
Ah, that"s wrong.
Asking for a reward is no good, I have to reflect.
Love is something you"ll lose if you ask for it.
But, just a little pampering is fine.
Because, Gallon-san is my『Mother』after all.
…… Nevertheless, Evsan is a bit troublesome.
I understand it, but to be suspected it"s slander.
But it doesn"t matter, as long as I love you.
Even Evsan with her brilliant head, it won"t be long before you understand.
I only want to love you all, it"s only that.
Isn"t that right? Tisama?
Ahahaha.
Hihi.
(TL: This transition from third to first person)
–Eva Kalma, Head of the Central Library and magic research within the Diablo territory in Augusta.
She knows more about humans than anyone else.
Experiments with drugs, experiments with magic, she repeated many experiments on the human body, the medical treatment in the demon territory, pharmaceutics, magic, she contributed to many fields.
Including dead bodies, she may have come in contact with human bodies more than Elektra Vera Detora.
Currently, she is in contemplation.
Reaching the limits of her own thoughts, a thing that hasn"t happened in several years..
She had an uncomfortable feeling.
A small amount of magic was poured into that human called Nine when she touched his shoulders, and she felt his reaction was different from all the human up till now.
…… No magic.
No particular abnormality in the body.
There is a possibility of a mental abnormality.
He should surely be a human.
But it"s as if, a demon is disguised as a human…… no, it"s a bit different.
That, there is something wrong.
He is unmistakably a human.
She is convinced of that.
But, from her experience, she cannot recognize that as human.
Even if you could see it, you don"t notice it in your field of vision, that sort of bad feeling.
And yet, she does not understand what is different from the other humans.
……In other words.
That is, an existence that she does not know of.
Eva Kalma is, a machine that absorbs knowledge.
That is her own definition.
In that case, she must examine that.
If that is for Crystella"s benefit, or for the demon"s benefit, Aroma should give her approval.
Tomorrow without delay, she"ll ask.
It"s unfortunate it can"t be today, but the date has changed.
Yes, whatever that human is scheming, it"s unfortunate.
I"m sorry for Gallon too, it"s been decided that it"s my sample.
I decided so.
In the never ending search of knowledge.
A search until death.
Before death, I must know all there is to sorcery.
…… A single hindrance of a female fox sees it. And vanishes.