novel"The Demon King's Castle, that Profound Audience"
| ← Ch.01 | Ch.03 → |
Bells toll in the distance.
The Hero: "..."
Wind howls.
The Hero: "This is... Where is this? Where is the Demon King!?"
Wind howls.
The Hero: "This Demon King's castle is massive, but it doesn't have any guards or warning systems. As for traps... Well there're a lot of traps. I just need to get over that and... Well I don't have any regrets..."
Wind howls.
The Demon King: "Good afternoon."
The Hero: "What?"
The Demon King: "Good afternoon, Hero."
The Hero: "Wha- What are you?!"
The Demon King: "The Demon King... Oh? You didn't know...?"
The Hero: "Wh- Wh- Why is the Demon King a woman?!"
Wind howls.
The Demon King: "Don't say that. It's a traditional title after all, I can't help it."
The Hero: "Dammit. This is a tactic to throw me off. Is that right?! Come out, real Demon King!"
The Demon King: "Hey hey. I am the real Demon King. The real thing. The forty-third Demon King, also known as 'Ruby Eyes'."
The Hero: "Hmph."
The Demon King: "Why won't you believe me? Look I've got a seal here too..."
The Hero: "Don't show me your chest?!"
The Demon King: "No, look. There's the evidence."
The Hero: "Shut up. Don't even think about seducing me."
The Demon King: "I haven't even done anything yet..."
Wind really howls.
The Hero: "Damn it. This is worse than traps or whatever else. I've already decided to take down the Demon King. This is the right thing. I'm going to make the right decision! I'm going to take this person down!"
The Hero: "Demon King! En garde!"
The Demon King: "Alright, let's do this again from the start. —Good afternoon"
The Hero: "Ugh... Why do I feel so exhausted?"
The Demon King: "Hmm. That was a bad response. Okay, let's try this... How farest you?"
The Hero: "Farest?"
The Demon King: "I've waited for a long, long time. Such a long, long time for the Hero to appear. You probably can't imagine how long I've been waiting. I've been really looking forward to having this conversation with you."
The Hero: "Eh...?"
The Demon King: "It's a bit sad that we can't exchange greetings. But since that's how it is, we've got no choice. —Well then. Let's raise the curtains. The very first Act of the legend of the Hero and I... Or the very last. Hero, it's finally here, these secrets I've kept within me for such a long time."
The Hero: "Wha... What are you saying, you Master of Demons!"
The Demon King: "Become mine, Hero."
The Hero: "I refuse!"
Wind howls.
The Demon King: "No matter what?"
The Hero: "Don't be stupid! How many countries do you think you've laid waste to?!"
The Demon King: "Is this about the Forest Kingdom?"
The Hero: "The sky turned black, the people fell into poverty..."
The Demon King: "Didn't they inflict this on themselves by converting the forest into charcoal and causing Pollution?"
The Hero: "Pollution...?"
The Demon King: "Ah. Umm... You don't know, huh."
The Hero: "Don't lie to me! The minister of the Tin Kingdom was possessed, are you telling me that wasn't the work of demons?!"
The Demon King: "Didn't that perverted, greedy minister just unsuccessfully embezzle the country's resources and attempt to create a massive harem of princesses? When he got caught he claimed his mind was being controlled by demons; seems like those are just the bad habits of bad humans."
The Hero: "I can't forgive... this lie..."
The Demon King: "I'm not lying."
The Hero: "Then how about the war with the Southern Kingdoms?! I've seen hundreds of humans being slaughtered by the armies of Demons with my own eyes."
The Demon King: "And?"
The Hero: "What? How can I forgive the Demon King who invaded the land of the humans!"
The Demon King: "We seem to have a different understanding of who has invaded whom. There are some good points on this side as well... Well, it's true that we are at war."
The Hero: "You are evil."
The Demon King: "You could say I am evil. —Of course, after you kill me, you're going to massacre the nobility of the Southern Kingdoms, aren't you?"
The Hero: "What? You're the only one that's evil."
The Demon King: "How about all the humans who've been killing demons? Who decided that demons are bad and humans are good?"
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "Wouldn't it be nice if as a Hero you could just say, 'I am the Law!' or 'I am God!' or maybe even 'I am Gundam!'"
The Hero: "Shut up!"
The Demon King: "I really like you, Hero, so we'll stop here."
The Hero: "Don't say that you like me."
The Demon King: "Take a look at these data."
The Hero: "What's this, this is... Isn't it Vellum? It's thin, and white, and smooth..."
The Demon King: "That's Printing Paper. But that's not important, what's written on it is important."
The Hero: "...Umm, Explosion in Demand... Employment? Curve? Consumption Trends... Economic Dependency Ratios?"
The Demon King: "Do you understand?"
The Hero: "What the hell is this, some kind of evil ritual?"
The Demon King: "No. It's an economic analysis of the Utility of war to the consumption market."
The Hero: "...Utility?"
The Demon King: "That's right."
The Hero: "What meaning is there in war? You damn demons invaded the human world to wipe us out. Do you think you can fool me, Demon King? Don't try to wrap this all up in smoke!"
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Explanation
Pollution: In the process of heavy industry, various contaminating by-products are created which may be harmful to people. Even in the Middle Ages, there were numerous cases of mineral residue which flowed down rivers and caused diseases among the people.
Vellum: The hairs of animals (particularly sheep) are removed from the hide, which is then tanned, flattened and cut thinly so that it may be used for writing purposes. Strictly speaking, vellum is not paper. It can be resiliently folded and hence fetches a high price.
Printing Paper: Paper was invented in the 2nd Century BC in China and was brought to Europe around the 12th Century AD. Compared to vellum and papyrus, paper was thinner, could be folded and bent and was easy to store.
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The Demon King: "Hero..."
The Hero: (Ugh. Why is it a woman. And such a beautiful one too?! This is unbelievable!)
The Demon King: "If you really have to fight, then let's fight."
The Hero: "?!"
The Demon King: "Like I said, I'm cool with us fighting."
The Hero: "I'll take your head right this instant."
The Demon King: "Alright, so listen to what I have to say for just half a day."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "Such an opportunity will never present itself again during the entire eternity of the universe."
The Hero: "... Fine. Speak. But if you say anything strange, I'll chop your head off at any time." Unsheathes sword.
The Demon King: "I understand. Then allow me to explain. Please look at the first page of the data in your hands."
The Hero: "It's a diagram."
The Demon King: "It's a graph... That's a visual representation of the spending patterns and expenditure of the Central Continent over the last 50 years."
The Hero: "...Umm"
The Demon King: "You will notice that since the war started 15 years ago, the economic climate of the Central Kingdom has been steadily improving."
The Hero: "... That's a lie."
The Demon King: "That's not a lie. Take a look at page two. This one combines a few sets of data."
The Hero: "The death toll of people in this war has been..."
The Demon King: "Since the war began, the population of the Human World has started increasing."
The Hero: "What kind of lousy reasoning is that?! How could the population be increasing when people are dying from this war?"
The Demon King: "Well, usually that would be the case. But in this world, the pre-war conditions were different. Before the war—well, it's been this way for a few hundred years—the primary causes of death among humans were pestilence and famine."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "These two are very strong enemies, and they've been undefeated for the last 500 years or so. Sometimes pestilence rears its ugly head, and far from a population increase, entire countries are wiped out."
The Hero: "Pestilence and famine are things beyond human control. Perhaps they're a way by which the spirits are testing us humans. Don't compare them to the Demon invasion!"
The Demon King: "Well, it's true that they're sometimes unavoidable. But that doesn't mean they're undefeatable, or that they shouldn't be defeated."
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Explanation
Consumption Trends: Trends which determine whether consumers (buyers of goods and services) loosen or tighten their purse strings. Also, trends of what this expenditure is directed at.
Market: A place where goods are bought and sold. Originally referred to the marketplace itself. Economics is concerned with aggregating every market in the world, then considering the behaviour and changes of this abstraction of a massive market. That's a market.
Utility: In Economic terminology, the value of satisfaction which a consumer receives from the purchase of a good or service. However, even though there may be utility, a less scarce resource (like water) would still fetch a lower price. In other words, prices are not determined solely by utility.
Demand: Demand refers to the portion of desired goods which people are actually willing to spend. In other words, "I don't have pocket money, but I really want this game" isn't demand, but "I have the money to buy it too" is demand.
Employment: To employ is to give money to people so that they will work for you. Employers are obligated to pay their workers and employees are obligated to create output for their employers.
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The Hero: "That's..."
The Demon King: "Ever since the start of the war, the death toll from these two causes has fallen by 60%."
The Hero: "What's the reason for that? Is it not a grace granted by the Spirits upon witnessing the tyranny of the Demons?"
The Demon King: "I've lived for a really long time but I've never seen anything like Spirits... The reason is clear. The biggest reason is the formation of the Central Continental Emergency Council."
The Hero: "...?"
The Demon King: "In other words, the Human Kingdoms coming together in order to combat the Demons."
The Hero: "And why would deaths decrease from that...?"
The Demon King: "Countries with an abundance of food send them to countries without, countries advanced in healthcare or agricultural technology also share this expertise."
The Hero: "Doesn't that just display this feat of human cooperation!"
The Demon King: "That humans need a war with the Demons to achieve such a basic level of cooperation is quite astonishing really."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "Don't feel sad. We Demons aren't that far away ourselves."
The Hero: "Is... That so...?"
The Demon King: "It's just chaos. Demons operate in a feudal society. Powerful chieftains and expansive Warlords have time and again fought bloody wars to attempt to gain power."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "Well, in this case, the war has saved both Humans and Demons."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "Don't bite your lip like that. Isn't it already bleeding?"
The Hero: "Don't touch me!"
The Demon King: "If that's what you want, then I won't touch you..."
The Hero: "...?"
The Demon King: "Do you understand the benefits now?"
The Hero: "... I suppose... War might have some benefits."
The Demon King: "I am relieved to hear you say that."
The Hero: "But that's no reason for it to continue. And that's no reason for it to begin either. You are a war criminal. Put an end to this war right now and prepare to stand trial at a tribunal."
The Demon King: "Oh—"
The Hero: "I see now that this war was not waged for your own selfish benefit. I will escort you there, so just surrender."
The Demon King: "That could be a bit difficult."
The Hero: "Why?"
The Demon King: "There're two reasons. Please take a look at page six."
Flips pages.
The Demon King: "This records the relationship of the Goods Flow between the Southern Kingdoms and the Central Continent."
The Hero: "Goods Flow...?"
The Demon King: "Well to put it simply, the flow of goods. Food or clothing, from daily necessities to weaponry, metal, wood and so on."
The Hero: "And these are heavily utilized by the Southern Kingdoms?"
The Demon King: "That's right. Wars require massive consumption after all."
The Hero: "...And how are the Southern Kingdoms paying for this?"
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Explanation
Warlord: A warlord independently controls territory and civilians, with a sovereign armed forces gathered by himself. However, if one takes orders from a Central Government, even if one controls a territory and leads a large army, as long as one is dependent on a higher command, he is not a warlord.
Goods Flow: The flow of goods. If one creates a good, were he to just leave it there, he would be unable to generate any significant income. The passing of these goods to consumers is necessary. That's a good flow.
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The Demon King: "Hm?"
The Hero: "Don't you need money to buy these goods?"
The Demon King: "Oh, you've noticed the point. Very good."
The Hero: "Don't even think of touching me."
The Demon King: "Oh whoops that was accidental. I can't touch you as long as you don't give me permission. I'm the type that takes promises very seriously heehee."
The Hero: "So how do they buy it?"
The Demon King: "Using the Conflict Aid Fund provided by the Central Continental Emergency Council Resolution."
The Hero: "...?"
The Demon King: "In other words, the world sends aid money to the Southern Kingdoms."
The Hero: "Is that so! Humans really are warm hearted. Do you see now, Demon King, this is the nobility of the human race."
The Demon King: "Well, most of this money is used to buy goods from the countries in the Central Continent. In other words, they give pocket money for people to buy from their own stores."
The Hero: "...?"
The Demon King: "This system is a bit hard to explain... In other words, stockpiling money might create 'Wealth, ' but it doesn't contribute to 'Prosperity. ' Goods and capital flows must be established without stagnation in order to achieve 'Prosperity. '"
The Hero: "...Are you trying to lie to me?"
The Demon King: "Well, that's the way it is. Rather than trying to do everything yourself, you cooperate with skilled workers from different countries. Theoretically, that's the best thing to do. By exchanging timber and metals you can best improve the standards of living of the people."
The Hero: "Hmm... I can kind of understand that. It's rather like the market in the Royal Square, isn't it?"
The Demon King: "That's exactly it."
The Hero: "But isn't this situation different?"
The Demon King: "In what way?"
The Hero: "The countries of the Central Continent send money to the war-ravaged Southern Kingdoms, right? And in the end, while this—Goods Flow?—does take place, the money they send is sent back to themselves, isn't it?"
The Demon King: "Mmhmm."
The Hero: "In other words there's no mutual exchange of specialized products."
The Demon King: "Yes there is."
The Hero: "The Central Continent doesn't receive anything from the Southern Kingdoms. In other words, this is just charity. This is all donations and charity."
The Demon King: "The Southern Kingdoms provide 'Safety. ' In other words, the human blood which is shed in this war is changed for money. —You've seen it haven't you? How the whole world is stained by the fires of this war."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "The inventions of new and more advanced chariots, brighter lights, richer plantations... Do people not continue to dance and revel into the night? Are there no nobility who continue to be inebriated by wine?"
The Hero: "...That's certainly true. But it's just a few people."
The Demon King: "In other words, it's this way. Human society is dependent on the Southern Kingdoms as a defensive line and as a great consumer of their products."
The Hero: "Dependent...?"
The Demon King: "That's right, completely reliant. One might even say, drowning in it."
The Hero: "But most people don't have the capability to fight. That's why they need the Southern Kingdom's warriors and knights protect them, and can only send food and supplies back. How is this system wrong?!"
The Demon King: "Well, it's not wrong. This could be charity, and from an emotional standpoint one cannot refute this argument. But at the same time, economically, were this to end, human Goods Flows and Foreign Exchange would definitely crumble. At this point, the Government Sector is already entwined with the Private Sector to the roots."
The Hero: "Crumble..."
The Demon King: "That's right. It's in the data, isn't it? If this massive consumption were to stop, the Central Kingdom's industry will suffer significant damage, especially the metallurgy and shipbuilding industries. As this damage spreads, tens of thousands of people could die."
The Hero: "... That's..."
The Demon King: "But since this comes from the mouth of The Demon King: it's probably a lie, huh."
The Hero: "It's a lie?"
The Demon King: "At the very least, I'm completely serious. But maybe there's a way of preventing this that I don't know about."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "Well, this warped economic system which is dependent on Goods Flows is just one of my two reasons."
The Hero: "What else is there...?"
The Demon King: "The other one is much easier to explain"
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "The explanation might be simple, but the problem itself isn't..."
The Hero: "What do you mean?"
The Demon King: "Since being involved in a war with the Demons, human society as we know it has ended. Goods Flows have improved, medical technology is widespread, pestilence and famine have been reduced."
The Hero: "Yeah, you said that already."
The Demon King: "That's just half of the explanation. Goods Flows are indeed more vibrant than they were before. In the past, countries where half the people starved to death did not cooperate with their rich neighbouring countries."
The Hero: "Yes...?"
The Demon King: "However, while Goods Flows have increased, world production of food has not increased significantly."
The Hero: "...?"
The Demon King: "You don't get it? ...In other words, there are still people starving to death."
The Hero: "Ahh. In my travels I have seen many villages with starving children."
The Demon King: "In this world, what would happen if people didn't die from wars? If people didn't fall by the sword in this long war, who knows how many tens of thousands would still be alive. And if they're alive, then they need food. The human population is increasing, isn't it? —But, food stocks aren't increasing. Humans have after all just invented the wheel."
The Hero: "That's..."
The Demon King: "That's the reality."
The Hero: "But, but..."
The Demon King: "Just why have you come here on your own?"
The Hero: "...What?"
The Demon King: "This is the corrupted Demon King's palace, you'd expect it to be swarming with Guards hunting for you. Don't tell me you came here on a whim and only managed to get here by some freak coincidence of happenstance?"
The Hero: "What are you saying?"
The Demon King: "The job of ending the war is the military's, isn't it? Aren't you a hero?"
The Hero: "I am a hero. This is my mission."
The Demon King: "Isn't the job of singlehandedly taking the enemy king's life that of an assassin's?"
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "The human kings probably understand this as well. —Whether the humans win the war or lose the war, humanity will suffer."
The Hero: "..."
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Explanation
Foreign Exchange: Instead of using cash, this system relies on credit. By cross referencing accounts from both places, one can avoid the risk of physically transferring large amounts of cash over long distances. The Catholic Church in the Middle Ages gained significant profit from this practice.
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The Demon King: "That's why you went out on your own."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "That might be somewhat one-sided, but the truth is that it's the same for the Demons as well. You probably know this, but even though you call us Demons, the truth is we're just the same... In this feudal society, powerful people keep this war going on, catering for just a minority of the people. There are of course sadistic elements, but most powerful chiefs just cruelly enjoy war and adopt a selfish view."
The Hero: "Is that so...?"
The Demon King: "Yes. That's right....As you can see, my wrists are small and I'm just a weak, dainty lady, aren't I?"
The Hero: "Don't you fight with magic?"
The Demon King: "Well, that's true, I do, but I wouldn't say I can perform any incredible Demon magic."
The Hero: "Then why are you the demon king?"
The Demon King: "The most important reason would be timing. It's probably a coincidence. —My family has a lot of eccentric people and we're at the forefront of Demon world research on longevity. My speciality is actually Economics."
The Hero: "What's Economics?"
The Demon King: "I can't believe the level of human civilization..."
The Hero: "That makes me feel annoyed, Demon King."
The Demon King: "This isn't really about Demons or humans....If this war ends, for example, if it is the Demons who win, then a more chaotic world than ever before seen will emerge. This time, the human world will be the stage of the opening of a new Act of violence and a scramble for the proliferation of Slavery. Powerful Demon clans will invade the human kingdoms at will, pillaging and plundering as they establish a new era of Colonization.
Clans which have grown rich and powerful from the war will be able to oppress the weaker clans, larger and bloodier wars will be fought with the goal of Unification, but attempting to unify a world even more chaotic than it is now will be no mean feat. More blood than ever before will flow."
The Hero: "Colonization?"
The Demon King: "The practice of invading someone else's land and exploiting their resources for oneself."
The Hero: "I cannot forgive such a thing."
The Demon King: "If the humans won, the same thing would happen in the Demon World."
The Hero: "Humans wouldn't..."
The Demon King: "..."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "Do you mean to say humans wouldn't do it?"
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "Well, many worlds have already been laid waste to in this fashion."
The Hero: "Worlds?"
The Demon King: "Ah, that's just research that's been done by our clan. Don't worry about it. I want... I want to see something that has never been seen before."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "As The Hero, you should understand."
The Hero: "What about?"
The Demon King: "I can't really put it in words."
The Hero: "Aren't you a scholar?"
The Demon King: "A scholar...? Yeah I guess I am."
The Hero: "Then explain it."
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Explanation
Economics: The production of goods within a society and the storage of said goods until deemed fit, the searching of people who need these goods and the distribution of goods to said people, and the selling of goods to people who need them.
Slavery: The practice of making a person the property of another person. The slave has to follow the orders, work for, and may even be bought and sold by the owner. Most slaves were not allowed to own any wealth, but some countries like the Roman Empire allowed slaves to save money until they could buy back their own freedoms.
Colonization: The practice of acquiring territory outside one's own country. Particularly during the Great Age of Navigation, many European countries acquired colonies in Asia and Africa. Many colonized people were heavily exploited and lived in harsh conditions.
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The Demon King: "Hmm... in essence"
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "Have you ever thought, 'There's something beyond that hill yonder' or 'What will there be at the place where this ship is sailing?' That happy, expectant feeling?"
The Hero: "I suppose it happens, actually, it happens quite a lot."
The Demon King: "It does, doesn't it? You're a Hero after all!"
The Hero: "Why are you so happy?"
The Demon King: "That's exactly what I want to see!"
The Hero: "...You want to be a hero?"
The Demon King: "Close. But no cigar. Like I said I'm a scholar, and furthermore, I'm the Demon King..."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "I can't say it's a great fortune that I am, but I do feel a sense of responsibility, and I would hate to push this on to someone else. I don't intend to waste time on entertaining fantasies of a person who can never be a Hero trying to be a Hero. —But, I want to see things which I've never seen before."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "I'll say it again. 'Be mine, Hero. ' So that what I foresee will not occur, be my eyes, be my light, be my sword."
The Hero: "I refuse."
The Demon King: "No way?"
The Hero: "No way."
The Demon King: "Absolutely not?"
The Hero: "Absolutely not."
The Demon King: "Is there any room for negotiation?"
The Hero: "No."
The Demon King: "..."
The Hero: "Are you kidding? Of course not."
The Demon King: "I see that there is."
The Hero: "Why do you insist on looking down on me? You think you can adopt this attitude because you're a scholar?"
The Demon King: "I'm a scholar, but I'm also an economist. An economist never gives up. No matter what it is, there will always be a compromise for tomorrow."
The Hero: "That sounds even more heroic than me."
The Demon King: "According to the stories, I'm supposed to offer you 'Half the World. '"
The Hero: "Heh. Half."
The Demon King: "There's a lot of surplus."
The Hero: "There probably isn't such a Hero out there. Or if there is, he isn't a Hero if he can change his convictions."
The Demon King: "Yeah, all the stories I know of end in this way too."
The Hero: "Uncool."
The Demon King: "I think so too. From the beginning, there really isn't much point to this whole Demon King world conquest thing. Even if I were to transfer 50% of everything in the world to you, from a Market standpoint or even a Legal standpoint, there are a lot of problem with this agreement."
The Hero: "You can't shake a Hero's conviction with such lies."
The Demon King: "It's just as you say."
The Hero: "From the beginning, I would never accept 50% of the Demon World. Owning a land which I know nothing about wouldn't make me happy in the least. I'm also not the kind of Hero who's interested in Bribery or gold. As long as I have a bed, and have enough food to make me happy, that would be enough for me."
The Demon King: "So you have the convictions of Honourable Poverty."
The Hero: "Don't talk about poverty, you're the Demon King."
The Demon King: "Even I have no interest in the Annexation of territory anyway."
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Explanation
Bribery: The practice of giving gold or money to a person in order to obtain special favours and concessions for oneself. Originally, it was limited to Governments and people in positions of power, but the Hero has no wish to be involved in this practice.
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The Hero: "What? Really?"
The Demon King: "From the point of view of the next administration, there will be problems with pride or popular needs and the embers of conflict will still remain. While this negotiation is important, I have no intention of inflicting further evil on the next generation."
The Hero: "Hmm... Is that the case?"
The Demon King: "That's right. There's no easy way of expressing this '50%' agreement. It's not a simple case of pointing out 'This or That. '"
The Hero: "What do you mean?"
The Demon King: "In other words, it's a problem of how to divide the world. The problem is with focusing on dividing the world only into 'The Human World and the Demon World' or 'the Hero's World and the Demon King's World. '"
The Hero: "Yes, that's quite right."
The Demon King: "Isn't it? If we were to do this sort of transfer, the war will surely begin again in the next generation. This isn't a negotiation or a cooperation, it's just a delay."
The Hero: "Hmph."
The Demon King: "And that's why I reject such an arrangement."
The Hero: "Then, negotiations have failed. You've taken up exactly half a day....Even though I don't have the will to fight you anymore... Do you know what I'm saying, Demon King?"
The Demon King: "Wait, I have a proposition."
The Hero: "Really, what?"
The Demon King: "Let's not be stingy with just half of it. I'll give you the whole thing."
The Hero: "Eh?"
The Demon King: "I'll transfer the whole thing. But the land doesn't belong to me so I can't give it to you. I want—the Hero. In return, I give myself to you in my entirety. These are my terms, and I offer myself to you. So please, become mine."
The Hero: "Y-You—"
The Demon King: "You look stupid if you just flap your lips."
The Hero: "Wh-What the..."
The Demon King: "Those are the terms of my proposition."
The Hero: "Do you know what you're saying?"
The Demon King: "Yes I do."
The Hero: "So, you're serious?!"
The Demon King: "Of course."
The Hero: "Think about what you're saying! Ha-Ha-Have some discretion! You're The Demon King, aren't you?"
The Demon King: "You don't have to be so surprised. I've been told that in the Human World, even 15 year old sons of farmers and daughters of innkeepers get involved in such affairs and sweet talk and sweet promise all over the place."
The Hero: "Don't listen to these sort of things."
The Demon King: "I really read about it in a book. —But merely reading about something doesn't compare to experiencing it for oneself. This is another one of those 'Things I Haven't Seen Yet. '"
The Hero: "What are you saying?"
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Explanation
Honourable Poverty: The practice of not aiming to further one's desires or attain personal benefit, but merely to live righteously and in poverty. Some may even call it the Conviction of Honourable Poverty. The Demon King is probably referring to the Hero's stance of righteousness and his surprising lack of comprehension.
Annexation: The practice of ceding a country's territory to another country. This usually occurs after a war or diplomatic conflict. Annexation usually tears apart history and ethnicity, causing people to lose their homes and in the long term tends to sow the seeds of trouble.
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The Demon King: "A great proposal is a proposal that fulfils even 10% of the proponent's goals at the time of the proposition. I've never had this precious experience of confessing, 'Let me give you my virginity' before. It's making my heart beat so fast."
The Hero: "Yet you look perfectly calm."
The Demon King: "I'm not allowed to?"
The Hero: "N-no!"
The Demon King: "Absolutely not?"
The Hero: "Absolutely."
The Demon King: "It seems to me that we have more room for negotiation than before."
The Hero: "Don't come any closer."
The Demon King: "As long as you don't give me your permission, I won't do anything of the sort. I'm a late-bloomer."
The Hero: "Didn't you say before that you were a Contract Idealist?"
The Demon King: "That's the truth. 'Late Bloomer' is just a cover for the truth."
The Hero: "Why do you have to be so impossible?!"
The Demon King: "Hero"
The Hero: "What?"
The Demon King: "Mm..., I'm not very good at talking."
The Hero: "You were very articulate when you were describing all those tragic futures."
The Demon King: "That's because it's my field of expertise."
The Hero: "What sort of expertise is death?"
The Demon King: "Economics is a war without blood."
The Hero: "That's scary. Actually, the thought of a Demon King who can't even fight in the first place is already scary."
The Demon King: "It wasn't my intention to scare you... I'm sorry for all the confusion."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "I'm going to do a bit of sales talk."
The Hero: "Ohh... There she goes again."
The Demon King: "You'll really benefit from owning me."
The Hero: "How so?"
The Demon King: "I'm a brilliant accountant, I can guarantee it'll be perfect."
The Hero: "So that's what it was? An accountant?"
The Demon King: "Also..."
The Hero: "?"
The Demon King: "We can finish this war."
The Hero: "Didn't you already say that was impossible?"
The Demon King: "Of course, it'll be impossible to end it immediately. The Human kings would never agree to it either. Even were I to surrender, I would simply face a coup. A new Demon King would rise in the Demon World and the humans would welcome that. This war has become a vital part of human society, no matter how bad you think it is."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "But, precisely because of this, if we can welcome this 'Alternate Future, ' not just for me, but for the Three Thousand Worlds, this will be another thing that has never been seen before."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "So what of it?"
The Hero: "It's..."
The Demon King: "Hm?"
The Hero: "You are—"
The Demon King: "Yes, I am."
The Hero: "You've been thinking about this all this while?"
The Demon King: "If ending the war is the job of the military, then finding the end is the job of the King."
The Hero: "And for that purpose—Umm, you want me...?"
The Demon King: "Yes, well. You could say that."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "Oh but don't be mistaken. I really do want you. I want to go with you together to the other side. I want to take morning walks with you. And I really am an accountant, that wasn't a lie. If you wanted me to, I could do our household budget sheets and our health planning. Is that enough? Is it enough? Oh, it isn't... Well, even though I won't say I'm the best, I'm pretty good to be around. I'm a very quiet Demon King. Even if you left me in a room all day, I promise I won't be a nuisance. I'm probably not very good to sleep with, but it all comes as part of the set."
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Explanation
Three Thousand Worlds: This refers to the entire universe. In Buddhism, a thousand small worlds makes a medium sized world and a thousand middle sized worlds makes a large sized world. In the biggest of the worlds, there are three levels of a thousand worlds, hence Three Thousand Worlds.
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The Hero: "Why are you so flustered?"
The Demon King: "So that you don't get cheated in this contract, let me just warn you that I'm horrible at cooking. Cooking is a science, isn't it? I lack the ability to do things like colloidization or emulsification so it might be really difficult."
The Hero: "She is really missing the point..."
The Demon King: "And also, ah—well. I think I really lack the physical beauty that most adult human males desire... I don't exercise enough, I don't have the proper upbringing..."
The Hero: "Is that so? I... I don't think so."
The Demon King: "No, it's true."
The Hero: "Oh, oh?"
The Demon King: "It's because I'm wearing these special robes which the Chief Maid made for me—They hide my flaws. You probably can't see it, but they pinch my flabby arms together."
The Hero: "You look like you're going to cry."
The Demon King: "Isn't it so flabby?!"
The Hero: "No, it's... You look gorgeous... Especially your chest and breasts."
The Demon King: "It's okay, you don't have to comfort me. I'm fully aware about this and I apologize for it. You must understand that I come from a race with a long tradition of prizing intelligence over physical appearances..."
The Hero: "Is that so?"
The Demon King: "We're a strange race of demons who are completely unconcerned with physical appearances. —When I was a little girl, about 150 years ago, if I had paid attention to my body and my appearance, I wouldn't be faced with this fear of a Recall that entrepreneurs tend to face during such an important negotiation."
The Hero: "Your terminology is very complex."
The Demon King: "There are many complex things in this world."
The Hero: "Oh jeez."
The Demon King: "In any case, while this item may give a physically unsatisfactory impression, in terms of Economic knowledge... knowledge... Umm, isn't it just knowledge? Is that all I have to offer?!"
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "Another thing I can offer is loyalty. I come from a race of long lived scholars. And we really advocate contracts. Once a person like me takes up a contract, it is bound deep into our soul, regardless of past or present, with ties perhaps stronger than steel—I will stay by it. In sickness or in health, I will stay by your side, I promise it..."
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "What's wrong? Don't you want to be mine? I'm not selfish, I'll be satisfied as long as we can get to 'The Other Side of the Hill. '"
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "Hero—?"
The Hero: "Hey, Demon King."
The Demon King: "Yes..."
The Hero: "If... If I become yours... A lot of blood will flow"
The Demon King: "—Yeah"
The Hero: "I'd have to kill people, wouldn't I?"
The Demon King: "... Yes. I won't lie to you."
The Hero: "There'll be rivers of blood, won't there?"
The Demon King: "Until this all ends, I cannot promise your hands will not be sullied by blood. Whether it's you or me, we'll probably have to do some terrible things."
The Hero: "I... I'll be called a traitor."
The Demon King: "I can hide your true identity. While we use my name, your legend will remain beautiful, this I can also promise. The Hero is—the hope of humanity."
The Hero: "Do we really have to go to the other side of the hill?"
The Demon King: "... That's not true. We also have the choice of continuing this waltz-like conflict and waste of resources, enjoying a peace made from mountains of corpses and rivers of blood."
The Hero: "And that would require an unbelievable amount of sacrifice, wouldn't it? Ultimately... This extremely long war would have to continue. Even if I kill you, even if I take down the Demon King."
The Demon King: "But you wouldn't have to dirty your hands directly."
The Hero: "You don't want to make a contract with me anymore?"
The Demon King: "I don't want to make a dishonest contract. This is... The world's most important conversation."
The Demon King: "A gain from a lie lasts but a night."
The Hero: "You have very strong convictions."
The Demon King: "This isn't about good or bad. It's just economics proven by Game Theory.
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "In short, to overcome 'The Prisoner's Dilemma, ' we should cooperate to achieve a stable relationship."
The Hero: "Okay, I'll be yours."
The Demon King: "Is that okay?"
The Hero: "Yes....But just so you know"
The Demon King: "?"
The Hero: "I'm not just doing this for the boobs!"
The Demon King: "So all you need is this?" *rub rub*
The Hero: "Don't rub yourself!"
The Demon King: "Hero."
The Hero: "What is it, Demon King?"
The Demon King: "—"
The Hero: "?"
The Demon King: "I want to touch. May I please touch you...?"
The Hero: "..."
The Demon King: "You don't believe me?"
The Hero: "It's just that your voice suddenly became very polite."
The Demon King: "I want to touch you just for a little bit. —Am I not allowed to? I, I don't have any strange intentions. You can tie me up if you want, too. I'm a very contractually obligated Demon King."
The Hero: "That's enough, I understand. —Fine."
The Demon King: "..."
The Hero: "Your hands are very cold."
The Demon King: "Cold? —I'm sorry."
The Hero: "No, it feels good."
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Explanation
Game Theory: An extremely new 20th century branch of Mathematics. It is the study and investigation of what happens when several players work together to achieve a certain goal. It is especially important to the fields of Economics and Computer Science.
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Feels.
The Demon King: "—I belong to the Hero."
The Hero: "—I belong to the Demon King."
The Demon King: "The Contract is complete."
The Hero: "The Contract is complete."
The Demon King: "Yayyyy"
Squeeze.
The Hero: "...Ukh. Let me go."
The Demon King: "You said it was okay to touch you."
The Hero: "Ugh... Are you done? That's... So what should we do first?"
The Demon King: "That's true... Let's start with getting some food."
The Hero: "We've got a long trip ahead of us."
The Demon King: "You don't seem to like this."
The Hero: "No. I'm used to trips. More importantly, are you okay with this?"
The Demon King: "Of course. I'm going to have a Hero and... Well. From now on I never plan to leave you."
The Hero: "Of course. It's a promise, I'll protect you."
The Demon King: "Of course. —Let's go search for 'The Other Side of the Hill' in this great world."
| ← Ch. 01 | Ch. 03 → |