Book 2: Chapter 1

A few days passed since the Ogre extermination request in mankind’s territory──in the Shutaia Continent.

Having returned to the royal capital, the Adventurer Shion──the Demon King Vermudol, after buying several books at a bookstore, shut himself up in his own room at the lodging house, the 『Steel Fish Store』, and started reading. Maybe because he had really wanted to concentrate and read them, he specifically told the shopkeeper Garadd “even if I have guests, absolutely do not let them through……” just to be sure. Actually, even with the Maid Knight Nino playing around and writing letters on Shion’s back with her finger, he didn’t bother with her at all.

「……So boring.」

Nino, who was lying down on top of the bed, muttered that sounding dissatisfied.

After returning to the inn, Shion stared at his books the whole time.

Even if she wrote letters on his back with her finger, or placed her head dress on his head as a joke, he didn’t notice at all.

Even when she leaned on his back as a test, he was rude and only muttered the one word of 「Heavy」.

She felt that he should have said more about something else, but there was no helping it if he wouldn’t respond.

While sulking, Nino didn’t know what to do with her spare time.

What Shion bought up seemed to be publications that were popular in this country for some reason.

She recalled how plenty of the same books were piled up in the bookstore.

Nino gazed at the titles of the volumes that were stacked up next to Shion.

『A Report on Demi-Humans』

『Following the Hero’s Journey (Volume One)』

『Following the Hero’s Journey (Volume Two)』

『Following the Hero’s Journey (Volume Three)』

『Mysteries of the Dark Continent』

『Maid Knight Legends』

『The Bible of Life』

『Investigation on the Country of Darkness』

And then, what Shion was reading right now was a book called 『Sea of Farthest Ends』.

Nino didn’t really understand what had made Shion so enthusiastic about them, but for the time being, she picked out the book that had 『Maid Knight Legends』 written on it, and tried opening it on top of the bed.

「Let’s see……When speaking of Maid Knights, we must first speak of the existence called the 『Origin of the Maid Knights』……」

『──Origin of the Maid Knights, Reina.

The Maid Knight that not even the former Hero Ryuuya could get to obey him.

Since that time──and even at the time of writing this book──she freely goes around the world with an unchanging appearance.

To begin with, how should we consider the existences known as Maid Knights.

Maid Knights are said to search on their own for the master that suits them.

Being both knights and maids, those women are the best in both fighting and in skills as a maid, and are therefore existences that anyone would employ.

I have heard that with there being too much of a yearning for Maid Knights, there has recently been a trend of taking in 「Battle Maids」 which are similar to Maid Knights as one’s employees, but no matter how similar they are, they are not Maid Knights.

As for why, it is because the unique equipment that the Maid Knights wear have special characteristics.

Let us consider this point later.

Before that, let us see what qualifications makes a Maid Knight a Maid Knight.

In regards to this, there are many parts that have not been divulged, but this author believes that the secret is most likely with Reina.

It is thought that it was most likely Reina who personally imparted the secret ceremony to those who have the qualities of Maid Knights……』

「Hーn」

Since Nino was an innate Maid Knight created by Vermudol, she had never met this Reina or whatever.

However, excluding cases like Nino, cases where normal people become Maid Knights, just like this author said, Nino thought that they might have received some sort of influence by means of Reina. She wasn’t too sure though.

To begin with, Maid Knight was an 「Occupation」.

Normally, occupations are said to be determined through the person’s own battle method and living environment, as well as through a strong will and awareness.

For example, Shion’s occupation right now is Magician. It could be said that the current Shion’s battle style had influenced it. However, if Shion were to use a sword as well, there was also the possibility that it would change to Magic Swordsman.

On the other hand, those with a strong recognition of their own occupation could also establish their occupation no matter what their battle style was. For example, if one had a strong awareness that they were a Weapons Dealer, no matter how much magic they used to fight, they would not change from being a Weapons Dealer or Merchant.

However, this 『Maid Knight Legends』 pointed out that Maid Knights possessed a 「Uniqueness」 that made it different from other occupations.

「……Let’s see, there is one example here.」

According to the book, in a certain experiment in the past, it was said that an inspection was performed where a Battle Maid was strongly put under the impression that she was a Maid Knight, and then they checked what decision the item that is able to confirm one’s Status, the 『Reveal Crystal』, had made.

The result of it, the 『Reveal Crystal』 decided that she was a Battle Maid.

Through this, it became known that a Maid Knight was a 「special occupation」 like the Hero, and at the same time, the fact that it was impossible to feign being a Maid Knight was also spread.

And then, for that reason, it seemed that the number of people that sought genuine Maid Knights increased even more.

Incidentally, the special and unique equipment that was mentioned was probably about the clothes and armor that Nino also used.

While having a function of automatically cleaning dirt, a function of automatically repairing itself, and being made of an unknown material, it had a high defensive power. The Maid Knight’s equipment that could always maintain a state of being perfectly good as new, if one had to say if it was special or not, it certainly was special.

However, by comparing the equipment of Nino and the equipment of Ichika who was another Maid Knight, since the color and shape as well as the decoration details differed, one could guess that even though the functionality was the same, the designs would be different depending on the individual.

「Poitto」

Nino threw the 『Maid Knight Legends』 onto the bed.

There was truly nothing more asinine than this.

This was something she had strongly felt ever since she came to the Shutaia Continent, but there were too many people that misunderstood Maid Knights as some sort of high class decoration or something.

Among Humans, it seemed that there were many who feel that they themselves would become remarkable if they decorate themselves with gorgeous and high priced things and surround themselves with excellent people.

One is not remarkable because they are decorated.

One is not remarkable because they are surrounded by subordinates.

It is because they have calibre that those around them try to decorate them.

It is because they have calibre that people try to become their subordinates.

Becoming remarkable, is nothing but a result of that.

That should be one’s natural state, that is what all Majin think. That is why the Majin have a meritocracy.

However, for some reason, in mankind’s territory, it seems that status is something inherited, and there is a rule that usurpation of that is not allowed.

Nino felt that they had become rotten because of that, but she also had no obligation to go out of her way to point that out.

「Uuー……」

Rolling on top of the bed, she ended up face up.

After returning from the Ogre extermination, that long eared woman──The Edios Adventurer School’s board chairman, Luuty Ligas, didn’t meddle with them.

It was truly peaceful and quiet, but it wasn’t like they had come to enjoy peace either.

When Nino turned her gaze to Shion while thinking about such things, it was right when Shion raised his face from his book.

Nino immediately jumped off from the bed, and started to massage Shion’s shoulders.

「Done?」

「……For the time being. I’ve formulated a conjecture. Though, I don’t have much confidence in it.」

Chapter 48

Volume 2, Chapter 2