With the death of the Goblin King,
it marked the sudden end of the battle.
The troops who were going to fight the surrounding enemies,
prepared to withdraw excitedly.
Most of the soldiers worked diligently while exuding a subtle atmosphere.
***
I came over to the Demon lord’s HQ.
Other than me, there are Lyle Gewalt, Rondo, Elena, Brandford and for some reason, Aya as well.
『So, Seiji. What is this group?』
『These people are the representatives of the humans. I’m told that they want to discuss peace with Demon lord-sama.』
Then, I introduced each and everyone.
Why must I become the interpreter?
Well, it can’t be helped since I’m the only one who can interpret……
When I finished the brief introduction, Demon lord-sama asked a question.
『Where is the King of the humans?』
『The King didn’t come here. He’s in the Royal Capital.』
『Wa? The King didn’t appear to all these battles?』
It seems in the culture of the demonkind,
they recognized that『The King shall go into battle』.
Afterwards, with my interpretation, the meeting safely advanced somehow or another.
but……
It happened during the break.
The meeting dragged on and we took a break for moment.
The demonkind’s side prepared tea.
On either side of a big table, the demonkind’s side and the humans’ side were drinking a cup of tea harmoniously.
The tea tasted a bit unusual but there wasn’t a stupid guy who committed rudeness at all.
However……
Without warning, Demon lord-sama suddenly became outraged.
『You b.a.s.t.a.r.d! What kind of magic did you cast on me!!?』
The Demon lord-sama suddenly yelled and approached Branford, grabbing him by the collar.
Branford was scared to death by Demon lord-sama, who suddenly flew into a rage.
(There might be some people who forgot but,
the man in question, Branford, is the fox-eyed aristocrat,
the guy who marched towards the Demon lord’s army without permission while we were fighting against the goblins.)
『What happened suddenly, Demon lord-sama!?』
『It’s neither ‘what happened’ nor such!
This fellow cast magic with evil intent towards me.』
Somehow or another, Demon lord-sama seems to have the ability to sense magic cast on himself.
「Branford-san, what on earth did you cast towards Demon lord-sama?」
「E-, E-, Err…… it’s a-, appraisal magic.」
Branford became incoherent, yelping and then freeze up.
That reminds me, this fellow cast【Appraisal】magic on me as well.
I was also glad that I didn’t carelessly use【Appraisal】on Demon lord-sama……
『It seems that this person used【Appraisal】magic on Demon lord-sama.』
『Curse you! Using【Appraisal】towards me, huh!!』
He’s terribly angry. What should I do?
Demon lord-sama threw away Branford from his collar-grip―
and pulled the j.a.panese sword out of its sheath.
『I deem this matter as a declaration of war against us!
Prepare yourselves!!』
N!? Declaration of war!?
This enraged Demon lord-sama is strange.
It’s unpleasant to be【Appraised】willfully but,
to get extremely furious to this extent?
Intimidated by Demon lord-sama, n.o.body from the humans’ side was able to move.
The other party was the one who severed the head of the Goblin King.
That person was furious and held a weapon before everyone’s eyes.
If one was to come across such situation, anyone will tremble in fear.
「S-, Seiji. What did the Demon lord-sama say?」
「Uhh……
He said that he deemed it as a declaration of war……」
「W-, What did you say!!?」
And then, everyone focused their gazes on Branford, who was thrown by the Demon lord-sama and inadvertently collapsed.
「I-, I……
as part of information gathering……
that kind of thing……」
With too much trouble, Branford’s face turned pale,
and collapsed just like that.
***
The discussion was called off.
The humans’ aristocrats returned to their camp,
and held a meeting to cope with it.
「What are we going to do, Lyle Gewalt-dono?」
「I don’t know either.
As it is, we’re going to war……
with the Demon lord, who buried the Goblin King with just a single blow.
It’s impossible for us to win.
We should avoid the war at any cost…..」
Well said by the guy who was full of spirit to go to war against the demon lord’s army some time ago.
「I’ll negotiate with the Demon lord alone from now on.
Seiji will continue to become an interpreter.」
Lyle Gewalt and I went to talk with the Demon lord.
***
※Seiji was interpreting in this scene.
「It’s our fault, I apologize for the matter a short while ago.」
『I don’t need an apology.』
「I ask for your forgiveness about it somehow or another.」
『No more discussion!
To begin with, your not the Humans’ King, right?
If you have something to say, bring your King.』
「The King would take half a month to get here since He’s in the Royal Capital.
Would you wait till then?」
『I’m not going to wait! You must bring your King by sunset today,
else, the Demon lord’s army will continue invade the humans’ town.
Prepare yourselves!』
Demon lord-sama was completely sulking.
Are you a child!?
***
Lyle Gewalt and I talked about how to deal with it in the anteroom tent.
「What to do……」
「Hmm, I wonder.」
「Y-, You! Can’t you think properly as well!?」
「Why do I have to think, it has nothing to do with me.」
「The country is on a brink of destruction!」
「It’s not my country.」
「……That’s, that’s right but……
Elena-sama, what about Elena-sama?
If the country were to perish, Elena-sama would be sad as well.」
「If it’s about Elena alone, I’ll shelter her and live peacefully.」
「What about Lela!?」
「Lela? As for your daughter, Lela……
the Demon lord-sama might rape her.」
「A!? S-, Say it again!!」
Lyle Gewalt grabbed me by my collar.
「That’s right! You were using magic that makes you suddenly disappear and reappear.
Is it possible to bring the King with it somehow or another?」
「It’s possible.」
「It’s possible!? You can do it?
Then bring the King quickly.」
「What about the reward?」
「Y-, You b.a.s.t.a.r.d…… you’re taking advantage of the hopeless situation.
How much do you want!?」
「100, 000 Aurum.」
「100, 000 Aurum!?」
「If you can’t pay, Lela is also fine instead.」
「What did you say!!?」
「What would you do? Are you going to pay 100, 000 Aurum?」
「I-, I understand……」
「Alright, the negotiation is established. Well then, shall I bring the King?」
I went to where the King is using【Teleportation】.
***
「Yo! King.」
「You are, Seiji! Why are you here!?」
「I’m here for a number of reasons because of the demonkind.」
「What did you say!?」
「Well then, guiding 1 great King to Demon lord-sama’s place.~」
Translator notes and reference:
The t.i.tle 逆鱗 Gekirin lit. ‘Imperial Wrath’ stem from Gekirin ni fureru 逆鱗に触れる — “Gekirin” is the scale on a dragon that grows in the opposite direction to all the others a.k.a ‘reverse scale’. A dragon doesn’t harm humans in general, but hates to have its “gekirin” (scale) touched. It is said that if a “gekirin” were touched, the dragon would become furious and kill the person responsible immediately. Therefore, “Gekirin ni fureru” means, “to incur the wrath of the Emperor; to provoke the Emperor’s wrath; to step on the toes of a man in power”.