178 And I'll pick one.

So, Hark-dog, did it work?

"Well, I may not have been able to change his mind about wanting to meet you, but I made him realize that he's no amateur to meet.

From the looks of Harkdock, it looks like everything went according to plan. It was well worth the detailed discussion.

Well, thank God.

Are you sure you're all right?

The voice of Ao, who was hiding in the back of the room for Harkdock, echoed. It's very nice to be able to talk to someone as long as you don't look directly at them.

"Oh, don't worry. But Natra-san, you were trying to contact Lakra's side.

I see. ...... So how did you deal with that?

I don't have any contacts in Morgana. No, well, I have you. There are a lot of adventurers registered with the Yugra cult, so I asked them to find someone who was registered with Morgana and meet him.

"I see. I'm not working as a Morgana at all to begin with.

The reason why Lakra and Wolfe joined the guild was to find out the background of the Jesters who were working with Rahite and his team. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

Oh, by the way, Lakra... An acquaintance of yours wants to show his face.

Well, who is it?

Uh, I don't remember.

You can't forget!

I got a glare from Mejis because I'm a wanted man. But you're the one who knows my husband, right?

I'm sure there are a lot of people out there who have a connection with ...... Uka?

If you are a Lakra from Mejlis, your face is probably known in Mejlis to some extent. But if he is also related to his countrymen, the possibility is high. If it was Pope Eupalo or the head of the Holy Knights, it was unlikely that Gilista would forget his name.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. At the same time, he heard a woman's voice.

"Rakura, are you there?

"Hello? The voice sounded familiar. ...... Oh, that's her, isn't it? Yes, I'm here. I'll open the door.

Hmm? There's a voice that sounds familiar. ...... Huh? But that's ...... just a minute.

Lakra opens the door. There was a woman dressed in the clothes of a Yugoslavian priest and a woman who seemed to be a villager ...... No, this face was ....... Lakra and Harkdock are frozen in place.

"To Mr. Masetta--mother.

"Lacula--......, right?

A dull thud sounded from behind. It was probably the sound of Ao. It was as if he had head-butted himself against a pillar in the wall, and yet it sounded as if he had stabbed himself in the corner.

"...... Yes. That's right.

And ...... is that you over there by any chance ...... ecdysiac?

It's impossible for him to disappear at this moment. Of course, I've been caught in their sight.

I've figured out what's going on. Perhaps the priest in front of me, Masetta, is an acquaintance of Lakra's, the woman who contacted Gillista. And the one that Harkdock had found at random: .......

When I look at Harkdock, he's trying to sneak off to the back room. Well, it looks like he's figured it all out. But on the way there, he was grabbed by Ao's hand and dragged limp to the back of the room with a sad voice.

Now, I could try to lie and deceive you, but I'm afraid that look on your face is a look of certainty. I can vaguely guess why.

"Yes.

Oh, my God. ...... I can't believe you're really, really alive. ......

There are a few tears in the corners of the mother's eyes. This is the first time I've seen someone cry tears of joy,......, and it makes me feel indescribable. But it was Lakra who made the first move in all this. She ignored Masetha and her mother and tried to go out.

I'm going out for a while then.

"Hey, hey, Lakra! Your mother came to visit you, didn't she? Can we at least talk?

No matter what you say. There's nothing I want to talk about.

Wait, I want to talk to you!

I don't want you to apologize. So long.

Lakra left the room without changing her expression. It was like a show of ignorance. This was not the usual behavior of Lakra, and Masetta seemed to have sensed something in her strangeness and was unable to stop her. It will probably be difficult to persuade him. Now I have to do something about it.

"...... Mother. So here's the deal. Lacla and I were both told that my mother was here, but we decided not to see each other. That's why I let Harkdock and Ao deceive me. For that, I apologize.

"Exdoik: ......

But now that it's happened, it's inevitable. I'll at least listen to what you have to say.

He invited his mother into the living room and sat her down. Masetta said she was going to look for Lakra and left the place. Gilista also disappeared. The three of us left were me, my mother, and an awkward-looking Ao. Harkdock is probably lying in a room somewhere.

The silence is heavy at times, but this is the first time I've felt myself at the center of it. At any rate, I'll start talking to him.

"Did I have a father figure in my life that made you realize I was your son?

Yes, you look like your father, especially in the eyes.

Is my father still alive?

...... He was killed by the devil the day he took you away.

...... I see.

I've had a feeling. If the birth father was still alive, he could help even if the situation was a bit harsh. He would not have wanted to leave Lakra in an orphanage.

I don't feel any differently than I did when Beguragud, the man who raised me, was killed. I feel nothing compared to when my parents, Beguragud, were killed. ...... No, considering the hatred Beguragud instilled in me towards humans, it's probably better that I have no feelings of joy.

You're an adventurer now, aren't you?

I'd say yes, but I'm working with my people now.

Compatriots?

I'm not in Mejlis. I'm in Garne, trying to find a way to fight the Scarlet Witch's army.

Oh, yeah. ...... That's dangerous work, isn't it?

I don't know. I'm not sure, but I'm still on the front lines keeping the enemy in check, and I'm less likely to encounter them than the soldiers. We'll fight when the time comes.

In terms of strength alone, it goes without saying that sending us to the front and letting us fight will kill more enemies. But our people will never treat us as if we were expendable.

I heard that ...... demon took you and raised you. ......

"Yeah, I was raised by Beguragud, the great demon who controls the demons that attacked our village. He was offered as a sacrifice to save his own life, and so he resented humans and used them as tools to kill. He believed that the name Ecdysium was given to him by Beguragud.

That's not true! Your name was given to you by your father!

"I already know that I was lied to. I already know I was lied to. But it's true I was lied to for a while. But then Vegragudo was overthrown and I slipped into the human world.

I'll give you a brief history of how I came to be with my people. Maja must have already told him the general story. She showed little surprise. The only thing she was surprised about was that she and Lakra had killed each other.

"Oh ...... brother and sister killing each other is ...... terrible.

"Because she didn't want to kill me at that time. I was the one who wanted to kill her. But thanks to my defeat, both Lakra and I are alive today.

You're ...... so much stronger now, but I don't want you two to get into a dangerous fight.

I'm sorry, but I can't do that. Even if my life is cruel and miserable, I've lived it. I've built up my strength. If I don't do what I can now, I'll lose the value of everything I've done in my life. I can't take that.

Even if my people said the same thing, I would walk the path of accepting the fight. I am who I am because of the skills and experiences I have developed so far. I can't abandon that foundation if I want to reach a higher level.

"You've grown up ...... strongly, haven't you?

"No, not so long ago I was obsessively trying not to lose my value. I was obsessive about not losing my value, and my compatriots helped me through it. I want to repay that debt. I want to repay that debt, and I want to go beyond that.

"If ...... you are satisfied with the favor you've received, will you please come back to ......?

That's what you get. I felt the blue tremble in my heart. But I can't take that offer.

I can't promise that. Lacula and I are both adults now. We have our own lives.

You're right. ...... I really ...... hate demons ...... and demon kings .......

This time, I could definitely feel Ao's agitation on my skin. Her face was pale. But it was not hard to understand her anger. The demon had taken her husband's life and her son, and because she had been forced to leave the village, she had also lost Lakra. I can feel the hatred for the demon that took her precious child and husband, and the demon lord that created it, welling up from beneath her sad expression.

"The Demon Lord was once human. His body may have changed, but he still has a human heart.

"I don't believe that! The Demon Lord is a monster!

I knew this reaction was coming. Even I, who was raised by demons, thought the Demon Lord wasn't a person. But I'm glad. I've made my decision.

I see. Then I can't live with my mother any longer.

"...... Why?

"I'm fighting with my people now. "I'm fighting with my people now because they accept even the Demon Lord as a friend. Mejis announced it before. The people of the planet where Ygras was born suppressed the Demon Lord and made it neutral. My people are the man.

"...... What?

I'm also a friend of the Purple Demon Lord, the one who created the demon world of Mejis. I'm also fighting with the Purple Demon Lord.

The fact that the Demon Lord is back is widespread, but the details of what we are in this war are probably not widespread. If we spread the word, there's a chance that someone with a personal grudge will come to sabotage us.

The demon that killed my husband, took my son, forced me to give up my daughter, the one who created it. I can't ask my mother to forgive the Purple Demon Lord. So it is inevitable that they will be incompatible.

You can't ...... do that! Ecdysium! You're not supposed to be here.

I'm the reason you're here. And I'm not human anymore.

What does that mean?

I hugged Aoi's shoulders and looked at my mother. Her body is small and thin compared to men. I can feel her trembling a little on my skin.

I've become a demon. I've become a demon. I'm a demon of the Blue Demon Lord.

The Blue ...... Demon Lord ......?

I swore I'd live with him. I swore to live with him, to live with him, to find value in life. This is the path I've chosen, the path I've thought about and followed. Mother, I'm not asking you to forgive the Mad King. You have every right to hate her. But that's why I can't live with my mother. I will stay by the side of this Demon Lord until the end of time.

After that, my mother left the house without saying a word. There was no anger or hatred in her face, only a stunned emptiness.

I look at Aoi beside me. The shaking seems to have stopped, but what should I say to him? .......

It's ....... After all, you revealed everything.

The .......

What's ......?

"......, you idiot!

A sudden headbutt, or perhaps I should say a slap on the corner of the forehead from above. The impact was quite strong, but not that painful. His face is still pale, but it's clear that he's angry.

No, but you know what? Rather than continue to hide it half-heartedly--

"How can you be so sure? How can you do that? You're willing to cut off your life and your real family without hesitation! How can you be so calm about it?

...... It's that simple. I've chosen to live my life with you. I chose to live my life with you because that's what's most important to me, what I need to protect.

Do you really think I'm worth it? Do you think I'm worth it? I'm a desperate person, I'm a monster, I've stopped people, I've ruined the world, I've killed many people, I've humiliated their souls, and your mother is right!

I'm already a monster. I lived only to kill people, and even gave up being a human for my own greed. But I have no regrets. At least that's what I believe you're worth.

That's not possible.

If not, create it. No, I want you to create it. We may not be able to do it right now, but we have plenty of time.

If I hadn't met Ao, I might have reunited with my mother as a human and accepted her. But at that time, I thought from the bottom of my heart that I didn't want Aoi to want to die. That's why I'm happy with the result.

You're really out of your depth, aren't you?

"...... Well, I'm sorry. If you want me to improve, give me some time. I'll do my best.

You can't fix a personality like that! You'll never be able to fix it!

With that, Ao walked to the back room. Was it wrong that I broke my promise to hide it? I guess I have a right to be angry because I broke my promise.

I'm a little concerned about my mother, but I also have to follow up on the fact that I angered Ao. ...... I should probably consult with my people.

I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.