Translator: Manga0205
In the Jiol Forest Kingdom royal villa, there were three figures emitting sharp atmospheres.
One was the captain of the Jiol Forest Kingdom"s First Protection Chivalric Order, Zekwell.
One was the prided hero of the Jiol Forest Kingdom, Luuty.
One was the Zadark Kingdom"s Eastern General, Fainell.
Among them, two of them……Luuty and Fainell were glaring at each other.
「……Move out of the way, Fainell.」
「There"s no way I can let you run loose as you are now.」
Fainell"s gaze was cast onto Luuty"s bow.
That bow was a sacred treasure that Fainell had seen several times in the past……The Arslys Bow.
The Arslys Bow, which Luuty had received from the G.o.d of Wind, was a weapon that turned Luuty"s own magical power into arrows and fired them.
With it being possible to fire an amount of arrows that was close to infinite if Luuty were to use it, it possessed might appropriate of its name of being a sacred treasure.
「To begin with, what are you so angry about? Even though the fact that they drew their weapons is also a declaration saying that they are resolved to defeat or be defeated.」
From Fainell"s perspective, the thing that was going on at the conference location was simply that the other king had challenged Vermudol to a fight, and that Vermudol had accepted it.
How the result of the fight would turn out would be their own responsibility. If one picked a fight with the intent to kill, it"s only natural to be ready to be killed, that was an absolute logic to the Mazoku.
「This isn"t that kind of problem! Move out of the way, and if you don"t……!」
「L, Luuty!」
Zekwell hurried to stop Luuty who tried to ready her bow.
For Zekwell, he didn"t want let Luuty die here.
Above all, he also had a hunch that it was probably already too late.
As part of the Protection Chivalric Order, it was a state where he could be said to have abandoned his duties, but to Zekwell, he didn"t have the resolve to risk his life in that situation.
「Don"t get in my way, Zek! Beside, why"re you also doing this……!」
Watching them like that while folding her arms, Fainell then noticed something and turned her gaze to the air.
And then, in the next instant, in between Fainell and Luuty"s group, two figures appeared.
「Hohou, so this is the thing called Transfer Magic.」
「Yeah. Mankind might not be familiar with it though.」
Seeing those two, Luuty and Zekwell were astonished……and Fainell moved her eyebrows looking puzzled.
「Sa……」
「Sarigan, -sama……?」
The man that was cheerfully talking with Vermudol……He was without a doubt the King of the Jiol Forest Kingdom Sarigan.
「Wh, why……no, so you were safe?」
「Ahh, I"ve worried you, haven"t I. No, more importantly……」
When Sarigan said that, he took Zekwell"s hands.
What was expressed on his face, was deep fondness.
「In the negotiations earlier……you were the only one that calmly focused on the situation. And despite that, I the king made such a blunder……I am extremely embarra.s.sed.」
「Eh, ah, no……」
「Wh, what is……going on……?」
Zekwell and Luuty were bewildered.
However, when Luuty went *Ha* and came back to her senses, she brought out a crystal ball from a corner of the room.
「King, please forgive me for my rudeness. But by all means, use this……」
「Fumu, a 『Reveal Crystal』 huh.」
Sarigan took what Luuty held out into his hands.
A 『Reveal Crystal』 was a magic item that possessed the ability to display a person"s status.
It possessed an effect similar to the Status Confirming Magic that the Hero and Demon King used, therefore regardless of if they were Human or Majin, it was something that was widely used.
Luuty was asking him to use the 『Reveal Crystal』, and do an 「ident.i.ty verification」 to show he was the king.
「Well, that is a justified demand. I won"t think of it as rude……Let"s see.」
When Sarigan poured his consciousness into the 『Reveal Crystal』, his status emerged within the crystal.
Name: Sarigan
Race: Sylphid
Rank: C
Occupation: Jiol Forest Kingdom 「King」
Equipment: King"s Ring
King"s Clothes
Technical Skill: None
Bad Status: None
「How about it, Luuty. Am I, the the real thing?」
「Y, yes……There"s no mistake. However, in that case……why?」
「Umu, as embarra.s.sing as it is, my eyes were clouded with prejudice towards Mazoku……And Vermudol-dono, eliminated that.」
Hearing those words, Luuty felt an intensely uncomfortable feeling.
That place shouldn"t have been in a situation where it was possible to 「eliminate prejudices」.
「In the talks this time, it was a talk where there was no loss for us. The Zadark Kingdom side said that they would lend their strength to the defense of our country, and with me fearing being slandered as a traitor in the afterlife, he went as far as proposing the idea of creating the visage of being 『forced to obey』 from being annexed……For me to have turned blades towards him despite that……I am ashamed of myself.」
Seeing Sarigan hang his head, the inside of Zekwell"s head was filled with question marks.
Was this, really the same king from earlier?
The 『Reveal Crystal』 could only display the truth. In other words, this Sarigan was the real deal.
In that case, what in the world is this difference in att.i.tude from earlier?
「K, King.」
「What is it, Zekwell.」
「The other generals and imperial guards……what happened to them?」
Was what he was seeing an illusion or something……thinking something like that, Zekwell asked that to Sarigan.
When he did, Sarigan closed his eyes looking saddened.
「……They became sacrifices to my foolishness. With things turning out like this, I had thought that there was no other choice but to apologize to them with this life of mine but……」
「That would be troubling. For the king to have died due to my coming here, as expected, that would be on a level where finding opposition within the country wouldn"t be a joke.」
「……That is what Vermudol-dono said. He cannot let me die.」
「Also, it is troubling for you to do something like suddenly do suicide by the sword. My magical power has a limit to it.」
「Fufu……If I were to make any more debts to you……I wouldn"t be able to repay it.」
Hearing this conversation, Zekwell slowly swayed and crumbled down.
He was unable to understand what the king was saying at all.
Even though he should have been talking about the incident that occurred in the royal palace just a little while ago.
Why was he saying something like that.
No, to begin with, why didn"t he show that att.i.tude and understanding earlier?
Those emotions were running about within Zekwell.
「……Vermudol.」
「What is it, Luuty.」
While keeping her hand on her bow, Luuty asked a question to Vermudol.
「You……what did you do to the king……to Sarigan-dono?」
「What do you mean by what?」
「Please don"t play dumb with me. The fact that nothing appeared on the 『Reveal Crystal』 means that it isn"t some type of brainwashing……Just what in the world did you do to the king!」
「Luuty……You must calm down.」
Sarigan stepped in front of the exasperated Luuty.
「Vermudol-dono merely, he simply released me.」
「Released……?」
「From his way of thinking towards Mazoku, from his fixation on the framework called mankind, from the ties and lingering discomforts of the past, from animosity. Incidentally, even today"s portion of all that……Ahh, also from religious views. They were eliminated all at once.」
Luuty ruminated on the words that Vermudol said with a lighthearted tone……and thought about it.
Any one of those things were something that couldn"t be made to change in such a short time.
Especially for Sarigan, who had personally experienced the war between the Hero Ryuuya and the Mazoku, it shouldn"t have been possible to change his way of thinking towards the Mazoku.
What did Vermudol do?
It wasn"t brainwashing……What about an unknown magic that only the Mazoku had?
She thought of that possibility, but Luuty immediately denied it.
No matter what kind of magic it was, if it was something that sullied the person in question, the 『Reveal Crystal』 would detect it.
「By the way, Sarigan-dono. Although it"s a cooperative relationship, there are also some unclear points regarding the actual war potential. And even in regards to the Royal Palace Imperial Guards, although they were the ones that first laid a hand on me, I also have the mistake of killing them. During the time until you find replacements for them, I can dispatch subst.i.tute personnel if you so desire but……How about this, including the talks about that……I have made preparations to accept an observation of my country by your country"s delegation.」
「Fufu, you"re too hasty, Vermudol-dono. It"s customary practice for this sort of stuff to start with an exchange of doc.u.ments to conclude with a contract.」
While feeling an eeriness from the talk that was progressing amicably, Luuty frantically thought about things. When she did, she noticed how Fainell was looking at her.
「……What is it, Fainell.」
「I just thought that you looked really dissatisfied.」
「No matter how I think about it, this isn"t a joyous situation.」
Going *Fumu*, Fainell nodded.
「In other words, that king"s change bothers you, right?」
「Could it be……Do you know the cause of it!?」
While being a bit overpowered by Luuty who pressed her for an answer, Fainell vaguely nodded.
「W, well……Even if you ask me that. Demon King-sama said it, didn"t he?」
「He said it you say……A person"s sense of values isn"t something that be so simply……changed……」
After having said that much, Luuty"s eyes opened wide.
Grabbing Fainell"s clothes, Luuty squeezed out her words.
「……Could it be. Can he do it? Can the Demon King Vermudol……touch on the Life Seed?」
The Life Seed is the source of existence that the G.o.d of Life Philia was said to have planted.
That seed that could be said to be the core of all life, it could also be called the soul itself.
「No, I don"t know about that Life Seed and such.」
「I can do it.」
Vermudol, who was pleasantly chatting with Sarigan, answered like that without turning around.
「Well, I can"t do anything that significant though. Since the seed"s protective wall was too strong, it felt like a majority of my magical power was going to be taken away just cleaning off the grime that was clinging onto it.」
Looking at Vermudol who muttered "as expected of a work of a G.o.d"……Luuty became speechless.
That, was dangerous.
That wasn"t a power that should be allowed to be left alone.
It was……much too dangerous.
「Why……would you tell me about that?」
「Luuty, it"s because you are wise in the true meaning of the word.」
When Vermudol said that, it was then that he turned to Luuty"s direction for the first time.
「Once you know the truth, you will definitely come to this side. I told you because I am convinced of that.」
Vermudol expressed a thin smile.