novel"If you don't give up, definitely."
| ← Ch.22 | Ch.24 → |
- The Demon King Hotsprings Villa, in a Hotspring in the Morning
Steam rises.
East Fortress Base Commander: "Hey."
The Hero: "Hey, what's up."
East Fortress Base Commander: "What's up with you? You've got a very unpleasant expression on your face. Didn't you sleep?"
The Hero: "Well, lots of things happened..."
East Fortress Base Commander: "I see. Lots of things happened."
The Hero: "...Even though they're enemies with each other..."
East Fortress Base Commander: "There are many battles no matter where one is. Taadaa!"
The Hero: "What's that?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "Wine. I helped myself to some."
The Hero: "You're drinking so early in the morning?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "I'm drinking because it's so early in the morning, it makes it especially delicious."
The Hero: "Well, that's some reasoning."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Here, have some."
Pours out wine.
The Hero: "Right, just a cup then."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Cheers!"
The Hero and the East Fortress Base Commander: "Ahhhh!"
The Hero: "What snacks do you have to go with this wine?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "Well, I've got some barbecued fish and some pickled vegetables."
The Hero: "They look good."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Eat up, eat up."
The Hero: "Ahh... Thank you."
East Fortress Base Commander: "So, what's the situation?"
The Hero: "With what?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "Which one is the first wife?"
The Hero: "Eh? What are you talking about?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "You said this was a family vacation."
The Hero: "I said it looked like a family vacation."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Heh."
The Hero: "Wh-what's that mean?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "Stop hiding."
The Hero: "I'm not hiding anything."
Bubbling sound.
The Mage: "...How very interesting."
The Hero: "What?!"
East Fortress Base Commander: "Where are you?"
The Mage: "...I'm submerged."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Is that the Mage?"
East Fortress Base Commander: (small voice) "What sort of human is she?"
The Hero: "She's that kind of person. She's very elusive, but she's not a bad person. Though her heart isn't usually in the right place..."
The Mage: "...The struggle for the place of the first wife. What an extremely dramatic tale."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Umm, what sort of reaction should I have?"
The Hero: "Don't ask me."
East Fortress Base Commander: "So the Demon King is your first wife?"
The Hero: "Definitely not!"
The Mage: "...Don't you have a relationship closer than a first wife's?"
The Hero: "Why are you in here anyway? This is the men's bath."
The Mage: "...This is the mixed bath. That's the rumour anyway."
The Hero: "There's no mixed bath over here. Don't you find this indecent?"
The Mage: "...There won't be a problem if I use camouflage magic."
East Fortress Base Commander: "You've got a lot of squares flickering on your skin."
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Explanation
Squares on Skin: This refers to a mosaic. From a legal standpoint, mosaics can be applied to film media in order to provide privacy for the person in the film. Within the area, colours are blended so that specific shapes are difficult to make out without obscuring the colour palette of the image jarringly.
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The Hero: "What are you camouflaging?"
The Mage: "...The gradients are a bit thin, I suppose."
East Fortress Base Commander: "How very, very interesting."
The Hero: "The Mage is incredibly proficient in magic. She has more magic in her little pinky than a Master-class mage has."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Incredible!"
The Mage: "Not really."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Ahh, to sit in a bath all afternoon drinking wine, what a way to divorce ourselves from the trivial fetters of this transient life."
The Hero: "Hmm."
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Explanation
Blue Ass: This needs some explanation. The Japanese proverbial expression 'to have a blue ass' refers to being young and inexperienced. A young baby is born with a blue ass, hence the expression.
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The Mage: "...You aren't eager to divorce yourself? Is your ass still blue?"
The Hero: "It's already no longer blue."
The Mage: "...If it was red you would be a baboon." Heeheehee.
East Fortress Base Commander: "What's wrong? Is something up?"
The Hero: "Yeah, well..."
East Fortress Base Commander: "What is it?"
The Hero: "Do you know about the Kurultai?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "Yeah, it's a massive conference... The Demon King and that beautiful lady were discussing it last night. That being said, even a four year old in the Demon World would know that by now."
The Hero: "Is that so?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "Is something wrong with the Kurultai?"
The Hero: "I'm trying to find a route at that conference to suggest peaceful co-existence with humanity, but I'm not certain how that will turn out."
East Fortress Base Commander: "That's probably impossible, right?"
The Hero: "Eh?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "Well, this Kurultai is meant to decide how best to invade the Human World after all."
The Hero: "Who said that?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "Everyone says that."
The Hero: "Well, that's a misunderstanding. The Demon King doesn't want such a thing. Even if we can't achieve everlasting peace and joint prosperity, we'll get a ceasefire, or at the very least we'll make sure we don't obliterate each other."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Well, yes, I know that's what she wants from our talk yesterday. But don't you think it's impossible with this Kurultai?"
The Hero: "What?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "The whole Demon World is abuzz with chatter, everyone is asking, 'How far into the Demon World are we going to invade this time?' and all their intentions are centred around that. I wouldn't say everyone wants a war to take place, but with rumours flowing the way they do, it would be a very good time for anyone who did want a war. Those people will definitely make use of this flow."
The Hero: "..."
East Fortress Base Commander: "A war is a grave event involving large amounts of weaponry and people, but even an 'atmosphere' which cannot be quantified in such a simple manner can be a very grave event as well. It is this atmosphere which can cause large-scale defeats for an army. A mercenary who has lived a long time understands the stench of this reality. This is the precise reason why there is no place for a mercenary in a defeated army after all."
The Hero: "...Yeah."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Furthermore, the Eight Great Demon Tribes."
The Hero: "?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "The Tribe of Fiends, the Demons of the Pale, the Tribe of Giants, the Tribe of Dragons."
The Mage: "...The Tribe of the Fang, the Tribe of Banshees, the Tribe of Fairies, and the Automatons."
The Hero: "Are those the Eight Great Demon Tribes?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "Didn't you know? Well, in any case, out of these Eight Great Demon Tribes, probably... only the Fairies want peace with the Humans."
The Hero: "Eh?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "Only the Fairy Tribe wants peace with the Humans."
The Hero: "But there are a lot of different Tribes in the City of the Gate, right? And the Fire Dragon Lady wants peace with the Humans as well, right?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "That's really on an individual basis. There're a lot of different kinds of people from everywhere. There are even those who are content to sit on the fence. If they have to co-exist with humans, then they don't mind. In the City of the Gate, at the very least, we co-exist superficially. But just how deep this goes is a different subject altogether. The truth is that we aren't actually co-existing, but let's not go into such sad topics just yet. In any case, you have to consider that there are very few members in the co-existence faction, and what you are going to do with that?"
The Hero: "...That's..."
East Fortress Base Commander: "From what I hear from the Fire Dragon Lady, the Fire Dragon Race may be stubborn, but they're not stupid. Most Dragons live in the highlands and mountainsides, at high altitudes where they do not come into much contact with the other Demon Races. Rather than co-existence, what they really want is to be left alone.
"However, there are massive veins of metals sleeping under the mountains where the Dragon Races reside. There are also large deposits of extremely pure iron, which is rare in the Demon World, in the mountains where the Dragon Races live. Living in such places, it is impossible not to run into trouble. That's why they are willing to send the Lady all alone to learn about the world outside and how to manage it. Of course, the Fire Dragon Lady can prove her mettle by her character alone too."
The Hero: "I see."
The Mage: "...The domestic situation for each of the Tribes is similarly complex."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Yes, you could say that."
The Hero: "How so?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "Consider the existence of Races within Tribes. Tribes are divided into smaller Races. For example, the Dragon Lady belongs to the Dragon Tribe, but within that, she is the daughter of the ruling nobility of the Fire Dragon Race. There are other Races like the Cloud Dragon Race or the Stone Dragon Race."
The Hero: "How complex."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Well, they're living things, so it can't be helped."
The Hero: "..."
East Fortress Base Commander: "What?"
The Hero: "But we need to do something."
The Mage: "..."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Hmm."
The Hero: "..."
East Fortress Base Commander: "We could use yours and the Demon King's incredible destructive abilities... But that's probably not good."
The Hero: "Yeah."
East Fortress Base Commander: "That would be like getting punched by your father."
The Hero: "Exactly. As much as possible, I would like to resolve this without having to do anything drastic."
The Mage: "..."
East Fortress Base Commander: "I'm not even certain what you should say. You should probably look for other Tribes like the Dragon Tribe, who aren't opposed to co-existence but are looking to pursue a middle ground for their own advantage. However, I don't have friends like the Fire Dragon Lady there, so I'm not sure about the situations in those Tribes."
The Hero: "Yeah."
East Fortress Base Commander: "It would probably be very helpful if we researched about all the different Tribes."
The Hero: "Indeed."
The Mage: "...Book of Statutes."
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Explanation
Statutes: These are directives for governments to follow set by previous governments. In Japan, the Imperial Household Law of 1947 sets rules for the Emperor of Japan such as how to determine the order of succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne.
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East Fortress Base Commander: "?"
The Hero: "Did you say something, Mage?"
The Mage: "..."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Huh?"
The Hero: "Can you check it out?"
The Mage nods.
The Hero: "I don't really understand but you can check this Book of Statutes thing? I'm really bad at researching things."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Hahahahahaha, so am I."
The Mage: "..."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Well, it's fine, I'll get my Aide-de-Camp on it."
The Hero: "I'm sorry."
East Fortress Base Commander: "No, it's fine. We might not be able to avoid war, but if we work hard on this, I'm sure it won't go to waste. If we can reduce the number of Tribes taking part in the war by just one race, even if we went to war, we would dramatically reduce the number of blades on the battlefield and help sow some doubt into the situation as well. I would be willing to do anything to help you in this endeavour."
- The Backyard of The Demon King Hotsprings Villa, the Route to the Kitchen
Elder Sister Maid: "What a feast!"
Little Sister Maid: "What a feast~?"
Elder Sister Maid: "Where should I put the tableware?"
Little Sister Maid: "If you just leave it in the house, we won't be able to get the oil out easily."
Elder Sister Maid: "I see. You're very good at this."
Little Sister Maid: "Hehe—?"
Household Fairy chirps.
Elder Sister Maid: "Eh?"
Little Sister Maid: "Ah, how cute!"
Household Fairy chirps.
Little Sister Maid: "There's so much!"
Elder Sister Maid: "These are... potatoes, cereal, milk? They're carrying all this?"
Little Sister Maid: "They're carrying our food—"
Household Fairy: "We bring food. Humans. So small. Hungry?"
Elder Sister Maid: "Umm, we just ate."
Little Sister Maid: "And what a feast it was. ?"
Household Fairy: "Chirp. You smell like potatoes. Chirp. Was it delicious?"
Elder Sister Maid: "Yes, it was delicious!"
Little Sister Maid: "The bacon and eggs were delicious too!"
Household Fairy: "Chirp, chirp. Take this."
Elder Sister Maid: "What's... this?"
Little Sister Maid: "It smells sweet!"
Household Fairy: "Chirp. It's a Princess Apple. Chirp. From a good region. For lunch, we'll have twenty types of cheese with fruits."
Elder Sister Maid: "Wow."
Little Sister Maid: "Amazing! Amazing!"
Household Fairy chirps.
Little Sister Maid: "What a small person."
Elder Sister Maid: "...Yeah. She looks like a cute and nice person."
Little Sister Maid: "Yeah!"
- The Demon King Hotsprings Villa, in a Gazebo in the Courtyard
The Female Paladin: "Like this? Ah, wrong... like this?"
The Female Paladin: "L-like this?!"
The Hero: "...What are you doing?"
The Female Paladin: "H-Hero?!"
The Hero: "What are you doing?"
The Female Paladin: "No, nothing much. Nothing important, anyway. I'm just doing some warm-ups, right?"
The Hero: "I see. I just came from the hotsprings myself, to think you would be so serious."
The Female Paladin: "I've been told one should seize the day..."
The Hero: "?"
The Female Paladin: "Ah, no. Nothing. I'm just following advice from the Chief Maid to train up my body."
The Hero: "I see."
The Female Paladin: "...Especially around my chest area."
The Hero: "Ahhhh."
The Female Paladin: "What's wrong?"
The Hero: "No, I was being boiled in those hotsprings. It's so hot."
The Female Paladin: "Really? Shall I fan you?"
The Hero: "You brought a fan?"
The Female Paladin: "Of course. My master is here after all."
The Hero: "..."
The Female Paladin: "Shall I?" Smiles.
The Hero: "What's with that smug smile?! It's making this fanning thing seem very scary!"
The Female Paladin: "But—"
The Hero: "It's fine, it's fine... I'll just take a break."
The Female Paladin: "R-really? Then should I bring you a cold beverage?"
The Hero: "Don't worry about it. Just carry on with your exercise."
The Female Paladin: "Ah, I can do that later."
The Hero: "Really?"
The Female Paladin: "Yeah... Can I sit next to you?"
The Hero: "Sure, go on."
The Female Paladin: "Alright."
The Hero: "Do you want to undress a bit, it's very hot."
The Female Paladin: "What are you saying? Stop making such shameless advances!"
The Hero: "...You were the one making shameless advances last night."
The Female Paladin: "When I'm together with the Demon King... I feel like I have to best her as my rival, so I may cross a few boundaries then."
The Hero: "I don't really get it."
The Female Paladin: "That's okay."
The Hero: "Really?"
The Female Paladin: "..."
Wind blows.
The Hero: "How cooling."
The Female Paladin: "It's usually colder than this."
The Hero: "Well, I just got out of the bath."
The Female Paladin: "You're unexpectedly bad at coping with the cold."
The Hero: "Hotsprings sure are great."
The Female Paladin: "Hmm?"
The Hero: "Hotsprings are so great. Everyone can really get together and have fun."
The Female Paladin: "Indeed."
The Hero: "It's also great that we can eat in such nice rooms. Even getting drunk and collapsing all over the place is really fun as well."
The Female Paladin: "Really?"'
The Hero: "Getting into the bath early in the morning, having a scrumptious breakfast when I feel hungry, it's really the best thing that could ever happen!"
The Female Paladin: "Oh dear, you're becoming a glutton just like the Little Maid Sister."
The Hero: "Is that bad? ...If I don't eat, I can't get my Mana up."
The Female Paladin: "That being said, it was like that in the old days, too. The Mage was like that as well... Is food connected to Mana?"
The Hero: "That's probably so, it's some kind of fuel, I think."
The Female Paladin: "I can sort of understand that."
Wind blows.
The Hero: "Eh?"
The Female Paladin: "I'm having so much fun with everybody. It's so wonderful that there is this many people in my life. Those stupid disciples and that pervy old man as well."
The Hero: "Yeah."
The Female Paladin: "It's fun, and I'm so happy."
The Hero: "Yeah."
The Female Paladin: "...Yeah."
The Hero: "As expected—"
The Female Paladin: "?"
The Hero: "We have to negotiate at the Kurultai, but I'm bad at that."
The Female Paladin: "Yeah."
The Hero: "One could say that the Demon King doesn't want the war to return. Actually, she definitely doesn't... Even for someone like me, who has been slaying Demons left, right and centre, I can understand this emotion."
The Female Paladin: "My hands, too, are stained with blood."
The Hero: "...That's true."
The Female Paladin: "Yeah."
The Hero: "The Demon King doesn't have as much blood on her hands as we do."
The Female Paladin: "...Yeah."
The Hero: "Not that there's a second part to that statement or anything."
The Female Paladin: "Is that so? ...In that case, let me say it for you."
The Hero: "Eh?"
The Female Paladin: "A friend who hopes for peace. A friend who doesn't want war. Even though her hands are still not stained with so much blood, that's enough justification for me and for her to be on the battlefield. I am the Female Paladin. I like to think I am a loyal disciple of the Spirit, and one who is willing to walk along a cruel, blood-stained path is not one whom the Spirit will possibly endorse."
The Hero: "That's a very cool thing to say!"
The Female Paladin: "That's really something coming from you."
The Hero: "O-oh?"
The Female Paladin: "In any case, I have decided that I will help the Demon King. I don't understand this very well, but can the Kurultai really suppress the other Demon Tribes?"
The Hero: "Leave it to me!"
The Female Paladin: "I'm stupid, so I probably can't help you with anything, but!"
The Hero: "Oh come on!"
The Female Paladin: "You can always count me for anything, master!"
- The Demon King Hotsprings Villa, on a Terrace
Elder Sister Maid: "I have brought you some tea."
The Chief Maid: "Thank you."
Elder Sister Maid: "You're welcome... It's quiet here."
The Chief Maid: "Yeah."
Elder Sister Maid: "..."
Little Sister Maid: "～?"
The Chief Maid: "And what are you doing?"
Little Sister Maid: "I'm writing my diary—"
The Chief Maid: "Diary?"
Elder Sister Maid: "She's been writing a lot lately."
Little Sister Maid: "Hehe."
The Chief Maid: "Very good. If you write every day, the words will stay with you."
Elder Sister Maid: "...Umm."
The Chief Maid: "?"
Elder Sister Maid: "How about all the pictures she draws..."
Little Sister Maid: "I can't do without them!"
The Chief Maid: "There are pictures in your diary?"
Elder Sister Maid: "Tada ～? This is the soup we had yesterday!"
The Chief Maid: "Well, well."
Elder Sister Maid: "Did you like it that much?"
Little Sister Maid: "I did! There was vinegar in it too."
The Chief Maid: "Wow, the recipe too? Who did you get it from?"
Little Sister Maid: "That black, gloomy lady taught it to me ～?"
Elder Sister Maid: "Eh?"
Little Sister Maid: "She also taught me how to marinate the meat in vinegar for grilling!" Flip, flip.
The Chief Maid: "...This girl can really surprise me sometimes."
Elder Sister Maid: "I'm always afraid of what she'll come up with next..."
Little Sister Maid: "Yayyy!"
The Chief Maid: "Hahaha, you've done a lot of research into food, then?"
Little Sister Maid: "Yes. I write everyday about the yummy food we eat."
The Chief Maid: "It's good to write about things other than cooking."
Little Sister Maid: "Really?"
The Chief Maid: "The memory of a taste is an impression. Even if you wrote down that strong, vivid impression you had from this morning, you still wouldn't be able to summon up that emotion just from writing."
Little Sister Maid: "I see! Well, I also wrote down the lyrics to the song that the Female Paladin was singing～?"
Elder Sister Maid: "I think I'd much rather forget that."
- The Demon King Hotsprings Villa, in a Large Room
East Fortress Base Commander: "I always thought that beef was tough and difficult to eat, but this is really delicious."
Little Sister Maid: "This is beef?"
The Chief Maid: "Indeed."
Aide-de-Camp: "It's less chewy than pork and much softer."
Little Sister Maid: "Eh? Why is it so soft?"
The Chief Maid: "Usually, beef is tough because cows do a lot of work and build muscle. This is veal."
The Hero: "Oh, is that so?"
The Female Paladin: "Hmm, this is an interesting taste."
East Fortress Base Commander: "I like it a lot. I bet this would taste great as kushiyaki, with some rock salt to taste."
Aide-de-Camp: "That would be nice, I like these dango as well. They're floating in the soup so adorably."
Elder Sister Maid: "But why don't we usually eat beef?"
The Demon King: "That's a productivity issue. Compared to horses, cows are more obedient and are hence vital partners on the farm. They till the land and pull the bullock carts. They may be slower than horses, but far more powerful.
"As for consumption, compared to killing them for their meat, milking them is more valuable in the long term for many farmers. Unlike pigs, they also do not reproduce in litters, hence a cow which provides milk for a family can easily be considered a member of that family."
The Hero: "I see."
The Female Paladin: "That makes a lot of sense."
East Fortress Base Commander: "The ground is so much more fertile here in the Demon World compared to up there."
Aide-de-Camp: "It sure is!"
Elder Sister Maid: "Demon World?"
The Demon King: "Crap."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Should I not have said that?"
The Hero: "They still don't know."
The Chief Maid: "Oh dear."
The Female Paladin: "So that's how it is."
The Hero: "Female Paladin, I'm sure you can appreciate how delicate this is."
The Female Paladin: "Leave it to me."
The Hero: "Please handle this well."
The Chief Maid: "..."
The Demon King: "Should we just tell them the truth?!"
The Female Paladin: "This is the No. 1 Resort in all the Demon World."
The Chief Maid: "That's true, it's definitely the most expensive."
The Female Paladin: "Your Mistress over there is the owner of the resort."
Elder Sister Maid: "She is?!"
The Demon King: "Uhh... Yeah..."
The Female Paladin: "That's why we're borrowing it."
Elder Sister Maid: "So that's what's going on. I knew the Mistress was some kind of noblewoman, but to think this is the fief which she owns."
Little Sister Maid: "Everything is delicious!"
The Chief Maid: "This is a very bizarre situation."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Well, it's to be expected in the Demon World."
Aide-de-Camp: "Are the two linked?"
Elder Sister Maid: "So she's a Demon Noble?"
The Demon King: "Uhh, yeah... You could say that..."
The Female Paladin: "To be more precise, she's the royalty."
Elder Sister Maid: "So you're the Demon King. I understand now. I've always heard people call you Maou-sama or Demon King, but I just didn't believe it until now."
Little Sister Maid: "What's going on?"
Elder Sister Maid: "Umm, well..."
Little Sister Maid: "?"
Elder Sister Maid: "The Mistress is the owner of a great city where a lot of wonderful food is being made. Apart from the castle we're in now, she also owns a lot of land in many places."
Little Sister Maid: "So she's rich～?"
The Hero: "That's what's important to you?!"
The Demon King: "No, I'm not really rich... The castle is just something that has been passed down from generation to generation. With the inheritance tax from each generation steadily inflating, this is really beginning to cost me a lot of money..."
Elder Sister Maid: "So you're a noblewoman on hard times?"
Little Sister Maid: "I don't care what times you're on as long as there's good food."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Her true colours have finally shown, tiny lady."
Elder Sister Maid: "Well then, I'm sure dinner will be great."
Little Sister Maid: "Great?"
The Chief Maid: "It'll be another large banquet like yesterday."
Little Sister Maid: "Amazing! It's so great to be rich! You can always make such wonderful feasts～? Ahh, everyone in our house is such wonderful people."
The Demon King: "No. Umm. I didn't make it... And about the people? I'm just a......"
Elder Sister Maid: "Well, it doesn't matter if it's the Demon World or the Human World or whatever, the people are most important."
Little Sister Maid: "I knew you were someone great, but I didn't know you were so amazing! Wonderful! Make sure to teach me how to cook a lot of things!"
The Female Paladin: "...Hahahaha."
Aide-de-Camp: "Hahahahaha!"
Elder Sister Maid: "We'll try not to get in your way. We know you're busy."
Little Sister Maid: "Yep～?"
The Chief Maid: "Well, well."
The Demon King: "I have no experience with this cooking thing..."
The Hero: "You seem too shocked for a Demon."
- The Demon King Hotsprings Villa, in the Hotsprings
Steam rises...
Elder Sister Maid: "..."
Wind blows...
The Chief Maid: "What a nice wind."
Elder Sister Maid: "Ah. Yes..."
Elder Sister Maid: "..."
The Chief Maid: "..."
Wind blows...
The Chief Maid: "As expected, you're in shock."
Elder Sister Maid: "..."
The Chief Maid: "We were never trying to lie to you or anything."
Elder Sister Maid: "That's not it. I'm just a bit surprised... My sister may look ditzy, but she's a very strong girl."
The Chief Maid: "..."
Elder Sister Maid: "Even if the Mistress is a Demon, and you and the Hero are also Demons, it still doesn't change the fact that you were the ones who saved us. That night, without the warmth and the food that you provided for us, we would have starved to death. Not only that, you also gave purpose to our lives."
Elder Sister Maid: "But even so, I guess I'm still shocked."
The Chief Maid: "..."
Wind blows...
Elder Sister Maid: "Up till now, I still don't really know what war is, but I'm scared of it. That day, in the Kingdom of Metal, the one who tried to kill us was also from the Southern United Kingdoms... I will never forget those eyes, filled with insanity. They haunt me in my dreams at night. War is scary, it's insane... That's how I feel."
The Chief Maid: "..."
Elder Sister Maid: "...But because Demons are Demons... If we think this way... Well, actually, most people think along these lines: War is something that should definitely not happen, but war with Demonkind is not war. Many people think that way. Even myself at times... That's why I'm shocked. I'd always believed that Demons were evil. But if you think about it, it can't possibly be so clear-cut. I'm shocked at my old way of thinking, and appalled by the hypocrisy."
The Chief Maid: "There is a limit to the generosity of Demons though."
Elder Sister Maid: "But, you're not evil... Because I know both you and the Mistress, I can say that with certainty."
Wind blows...
Elder Sister Maid: "A long time ago, I went to look for the Mistress."
Elder Sister Maid: "I asked her, 'What is war?'"
The Chief Maid: "..."
Wind blows...
Elder Sister Maid: "She answered, 'Let's say there are two village kids who meet. The first kid is different from the second kid. The second kid is different from the first kid. They are completely different existences. It is a meeting between two different existences. One of the things which arises from that is conflict. Many people die from wars. Where sadness and misery meet foolishness and madness, wars begin. From an Economical standpoint, it is a massive waste of resources, from a Historical standpoint, it is a great loss. But, this misery is one part of meeting people. It is one form of making acquaintances. '"
The Chief Maid: "She said that..."
Elder Sister Maid: "It felt very sad."
The Chief Maid: "..."
Elder Sister Maid: "At that time, I didn't understand at all. People should just stop fighting, since we're all people. It's because of noblemen giving orders that wars begin, so without noblemen, there will be no wars. I thought it was that simple. But being so na?ve, I also thought that all Demons should be exterminated from the face of existence.
"Demons are things which even the Spirit... abhors and detests. How can such a miserable thing be an act of making acquaintances? In my pride, that was how I thought. I could not understand what the Mistress meant by 'the meeting of two existences. '"
The Chief Maid: "..."
Elder Sister Maid: "Even up to now, when I stand corrected, I still do not fully understand. Why do people have this emotion, why is war the result? But I must try my best to understand... for myself."
The Chief Maid: "You've become stronger."
Elder Sister Maid: "That's not true."
The Chief Maid: "Both you and your sister..."
Elder Sister Maid: "Sorry?"
The Chief Maid: "Such arrogant disciples."
Elder Sister Maid: "Ah..."
The Chief Maid: "..."
Elder Sister Maid: "..."
Wind blows.
The Chief Maid: "Get in, you're going to catch a cold."
Elder Sister Maid: "Yes."
The Chief Maid: "Listen."
Elder Sister Maid: "Yes."
The Chief Maid: "The world is massive and without limits. There are people with all sorts of souls, impure and cruel, corrupt and cowardly, but also those which are peaceful and beautiful, who seek to make the world a better place. The world holds all sorts of people, it's that massive. — But, you're already making great progress. So I'm sure that one day, you will understand. If you don't give up, definitely."
- The Demon King Hotsprings Villa, the Entrance
East Fortress Base Commander: "Right then. We're all packed."
Aide-de-Camp: "Did you forget anything important?"
Little Sister Maid: "I bought lots of souvenirs ～?"
The Chief Maid: "Are you ready, Demon King?"
The Demon King: "Yep, I'm all prepared."
The Female Paladin: "This teleportation thing really cuts down on travel time, how convenient."
The Hero: "Well, it's a secret technique."
East Fortress Base Commander: "Well, I don't think many people can say they've had the privilege of going to a hotspring holiday with the Demon King herself."
Aide-de-Camp: "Indeed! What a privilege."
The Female Paladin: "Oh, where's the Mage?"
East Fortress Base Commander: "Oh, she was walking around just now."
Footsteps.
The Mage: "...Arrived."
The Chief Maid: "Well then, shall we go home?"
The Demon King: "The Hero will send the East Fortress Base Commander back first. We'll wait here."
The Mage: "It's fine. I'll do it."
The Hero: "Oh? You know the City of the Gate well?"
The Mage nods.
East Fortress Base Commander: "Alright then, I'll go with the Mage."
Aide-de-Camp: "Thank you very much."
The Mage: "...It's nothing."
Teleportation flash.
The Chief Maid: "Let's go too, then."
Little Sister Maid: "Back to the Village of Wintering～?"
The Demon King: "Hero."
The Hero: "Yeah!"
The Female Paladin: "I'll be sure to come back here the next time I need a hotspring vacation."
The Demon King: "We'll have a mountain-load of work to do once we get back."
The Hero: "Yeah."
The Chief Maid: "We should get back as soon as we can."
The Demon King: "Hmm."
The Female Paladin: "?"
The Demon King: "The moon is very bright, it's about time for the Kurultai."
The Hero: "The reports must be piling up, and I'm sure there's a whole lot of trade issues by now. I'm also worried about the Lone Winter King and the Central Continent."
The Female Paladin: "Yeah. Let's go!"
The Hero: "Leave it to me."
Teleportation flash.
| ← Ch. 22 | Ch. 24 → |