35: A Private Audience with the Demon King
After Lizlit left, the one who entered was… an old man with white hair. Brown skin like tree bark, long, flowing white hair. An aged dark elf, reminiscent of a withered forest.
“You may leave us.”
“But…” He turned a sharp gaze on the two royal guards in jet-black armor who seemed reluctant to leave. The intensity in his deep blue, lake-like eyes was undeniable.
“I said, you may leave.”
““Yes!”” He possessed an undeniable authority, befitting the crown upon his head.
The door closed behind him, but it wasn’t locked.
“I am the king of the Listrea Demon Kingdom.”
“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Majesty.” I bowed my head slightly.
“Hmm… this is an informal meeting. You may relax. I don’t intend to harm you.”
He spoke with authority, but without excessive arrogance. First impression: positive. I was mature enough to understand that a certain degree of formality was necessary for a king.
“Please, have a seat.”
“Thank you.”
His Majesty sat, and I followed suit.
“I understand the general situation from the Dark Knight Commander’s letter. I’ve also been told that you’re ‘willing to cooperate.’ You said there were things you couldn’t put in writing. …Let me ask you plainly.”
His gaze pierced me, sharp and intense.
“What can you do?”
He wasted no time.
Even now, I wasn’t sure what to do. I’d placed my trust in Bridget. Not in this nation.
I didn’t know if I could trust the king—the Demon King.
I thought I could. At least, enough to take a gamble.
“I can bring about the extinction of humanity in three years.”
Be assertive. And give the most impactful number possible.
—Even if it was a bit of a bluff, I had to survive this moment.
Sometimes you had to believe that results would follow.
“…Oh?”
And it worked. He was clearly intrigued by me and my words.
“How? …Surely you’re not asking for an army ten times the size of the enemy’s?”
“Of course not.”
His slightly teasing tone made me smile.
“I want all of the doppelgangers. And undead skilled in assassination… especially wraiths.”
“…Doppelgangers? …What do you intend to do?”
“—Your Majesty. Let me assure you.” I smiled thinly at his suspicious gaze.
“Nations are made of people.”
“…Isn’t that obvious?”
“Yes, it is. This world operates on a foundation of obvious truths.” I nodded emphatically.
“This world is made of individuals, like us. Nations are made of people.” I reiterated the obvious truths, one by one.
“They are not made of ‘soldiers.’”
“…Indeed. You’re right.” The Demon King nodded. I continued.
“Then we target the rear.” I began to dismantle those obvious truths, one by one.
“Our targets are all citizens of the enemy nations.”
I continued, looking directly at the wide-eyed Demon King.
“We systematically target their rural areas. Ultimately, we destroy their agricultural heartland.”
“…………That… is that… war?” He choked out the words after a moment of silence.
“Yes.” I nodded without hesitation.
“The enemy refuses to acknowledge the existence of demons. Then we, too, should not acknowledge the existence of humans.”
“…No chance of… a truce?”
“None.” I shook my head.
“A truce is only possible when we’re on the verge of victory. We can only win through ruthlessness. And a truce achieved through such methods… isn’t a truce.”
“A simple, straightforward syllogism.”
My conversations with Bridget had given me a basic understanding of this world. A world of swords and magic. A world at war between different races.
—Magic or no magic, it’s no different from my world.
Sometimes, to gain something, you had to fight, to shed blood. This wasn’t a world where an all-powerful magic could eliminate all conflict.
“…Personally, I wouldn’t. But I’m not in a position to make such choices based on personal preferences…”
He’s kind. Perhaps too kind to be a king.
“Your Majesty. Give the order. —Tell me to protect this nation. If you give me a place and an opportunity, I will protect this place… this nation… in my own way.”
The nation where Bridget… my friend… lived.
The nation that had saved me.
The Listrea Demon Kingdom.
I wanted to protect it.
“No matter how ruthless the methods.”
I met the Demon King’s gaze.
“Indeed… I understand what you’re saying.” He nodded.
“But tell me once more, why do you fight? In your own words.”
I considered what to say. But my mind was already made up, so I abandoned the search for a serious answer.
“—Because I’m angry.”
“…Hmm?”
“I was living my life to the fullest. My reality, in my world, the way I wanted. I had family. I had friends. —All of it’s gone.”
None of the things I’d taken for granted remained. Even my memories had been shattered.
It would have been easier if I’d lost everything.
But I remembered being happy.
I remembered having things I cherished.
And I knew they were gone, that they no longer existed, not even in my memories.
“Have you heard about my circumstances from Bringit Finis? —I came from another world. I was just an ordinary citizen, working in my own country. I had no reason to be involved in this world, and yet, I was summoned here. —As a mere mana battery, a fuel tank.”
How could I forgive that? What they’d done to me.
—And what they might do to others.
All of it… it…
“I cannot forgive that.”
“…Anger? A desire for revenge?”
“The thought of my family and friends being brought to this world by those humans… by the same methods… it’s terrifying.”
The Demon King pressed further.
“A sense of righteous indignation?”
“Nothing so grand.” I shook my head slightly.
“I will simply do what I believe is necessary.”
“…And why does that… lead to killing non-combatants? —Doesn’t that make you the same as those who summoned you?”
“It’s a matter of order. If those bastards think they can do whatever they want in another world, then I’ll do the same. I will protect those who saved me, and I will kill the race that tried to kill me. —Is there a flaw in my logic?”
I stared into the Demon King’s eyes.
“…Do you have no qualms about killing your own kind?”
“That would be a lie. —But they are the same race, the same force that tried to kill me… or rather, to ‘use me up.’ They probably felt some resistance too, but it wasn’t enough to stop them. I’m probably the same.”
“Ethics? Does such a word not exist in your world?”
“It does. But unfortunately, it wasn’t… a universally enforced concept.”
If only ethics were something all humans shared. Something inherent, something that transcended worlds.
“I don’t know if you’re right. But it was your enemies who summoned us, and it was this nation that saved me.”
I had been wronged.
I had been shown kindness. I would repay wrong with wrong, kindness with kindness.
I couldn’t imagine a future where both sides coexisted.
Choosing a side was easy. I couldn’t consider those humans from another world my comrades. I’d been summoned as a mere fuel tank—a ‘resource.’
I didn’t think that meant the humans of this world deserved to die. I imagined most of them were capable of kindness towards those they considered close.
But I had decided to trust those who had shown kindness to someone different from themselves.
I would do as I had been done by. I would kill the race that had tried to use and kill me, and I would ensure the survival of the nation that had shown me trust and kindness. Perhaps the only enduring logic from Earth’s history was the Code of Hammurabi.
“I have the necessary knowledge and ability. …If Your Majesty grants me the position and the subordinates.”
“…Very well. There will be a magical contract. And surveillance. But personally… I believe you.”
His Majesty nodded slowly.
“It’s… fortunate… that our nation hasn’t yet utilized summoning magic.”
“Indeed, it is. But why? …Surely there are practical applications.”
Bridget had told me that while the theory of summoning magic had been proven, there were no known practical applications. It was because of her disgust at the idea of summoning humans from another world to use as fuel that I was now speaking with the Demon King.
…But if a convenient technology existed, wouldn’t they explore its applications?
Especially a nation. A king. —Especially during a war. But the Demon King simply sighed.
“Theory is one thing, but practical application is another. …Would you use a spell that doesn’t even specify what it will summon, or from where?”
“Absolutely not. I’m glad the demons are more rational. Humans are strange.”
My immediate, candid response made the Demon King’s expression twitch.
“…Coming from a human?”
“—I am now an ‘enemy of humanity,’ Your Majesty.” I smiled.
“I sincerely hope you continue to refrain from using it. …I shall be the sole, and worst, example of summoning magic.”
“Very well. But we’ll keep that quiet. You may choose who to tell about your circumstances, about the fact that you’re human.”
“Thank you.” His words were reassuring.
I’d been prepared for the possibility that they would use my situation, the atrocities committed by humans against another human, as propaganda. While I’d been resigned to it, it wasn’t a pleasant thought, so I was relieved.
They really are kind.
“We’ll talk again later. I need to decide what forces to assign to you.”
His Majesty stood up. I followed suit.
“The official orders will come later. For now, consider this a preparatory period. I don’t even know if your plan is feasible. …Therefore, you are still a guest, and I don’t actually have the authority to give you orders.”
It was a practical assessment. I was still a nobody.
“But I will give you this command. —Protect this nation.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. As long as this nation does not betray me.”
And so, I was inducted into the Demon King’s army.
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