Book 2: Chapter 12

「Yosh, it’s done!」

After a bit of time passed after she started choosing the clothes, Rokuna expressed a satisfied-looking smile.

First, Vermudol was still in Ichika’s coordinated outfit, a western Majin-style outfit.

And then, Ichika was in sharp attire that was somehow similar to knight clothes. Her usual long sword was hung on her waist, but her hairstyle wasn’t long and straight but gathered into a ponytail.

As for Nino, she had leather armor on top of rough cloth clothes, leather pants and leather shoes. In place of her usual curved swords, both of her hands were placed in leather gloves.

「The theme is a senpai guiding their kouhai around the castle town on a day off, and an associate that joined up for some reason or another, I guess.」

Orel, who was nodding things like “Hoー” and “Fumu”, kept distant while listening to her to ensure his safety.

「……Senpai.」

Seeing Nino point at herself as she said that, Rokuna shook her head sideways.

「……Can’t agree to this.」

「It’s fineー. It’s because my selection is perfect. Rightー……wait, arya, and Orel isn’t here.」

Vermudol thought “Well, what she says is true……”.

For Vermudol and Nino who were absent for a while and are unfamiliar with the castle town, having Ichika guide them to a certain extent would give him a peace of mind, and there wouldn’t be any unnaturalness to their attitudes.

「……Well, isn’t this fine? It is true that Nino and I don’t know about the recent castle town after all.」

Nino made a dissatisfied-looking face at Vermudol’s words but……in the end, she sank into silence without saying anything.

「Now then, let us get going.」

「Ah, Ichika. Although I think you know this.」

「Yes, of course. So please proceed with your own work as well.」

After she and Rokuna nodded to one another, Ichika stood at the Throne Room entrance so that she could guide Vermudol and Nino.

「Nino, let’s go.」

「Nn.」

Vermudol and Nino caught up to her, and then the three of them and headed to the stairway that headed down just like that.

「Don’t forget my souvenirー.」

After leaving the words that Rokuna said at the corner of his mind for the moment, Vermudol casually threw a question at Ichika.

「Come to think of it, Ichika.」

「Yes, what would you like to know?」

It was about what Rokuna and Ichika were talking about earlier.

About what she 「knows」 about.

「That is a simple story.」

Ichika nodded and answered.

「To pass through the rear entrance, and show Demon King-sama’s great figure to Gordy……that is all.」

「Ahh, now that you mention it, that guy does protect outside after all.」

「Yes, he is usually at the back.」

Walking while having that conversation, the three of them arrived at the rear entrance of the Demon King Castle.

Although it was called a rear entrance, it was something quite splendid.

Acknowledging the figures of Vermudol’s group, a Magic Operated Armor started to open the door.

After making a simple greeting to the Magic Operated Armor that completely finished opening the door and had taken a bowing posture, Vermudol’s group came to the outside of the Demon King Castle.

Beneath the usual unchanging gray sky, the Demon King Castle’s rear garden spread out.

It was once the place that Ichika’s kitchen garden was at, but nowadays, it had been changed completely.

「It is a farm……isn’t it.」

「Yes, I had believed that it was no longer necessary but……I came to learn that it had a popularity that went beyond expectations as given goods.」

What was there wasn’t on the level of a potato field and kitchen garden, but a splendid plantation that used roughly half of the wide rear garden that was spread out.

There was a focus on raising things that could be preserved, and since they were carefully produced by the Demon King Castle, it seems that they are treated as top quality products.

「This is surely Demon King-sama’s natural virtue.」

In response to Ichika who said that sounding a bit boastful, Vermudol tilted his head wondering if that really was the case.

「How are things going around there, Gordy.」

Vermudol talked to the gigantic stone statue that took up a position at the center of the remaining half of the rear garden.

「Well, the point that they are crops that Ichika-dono is looking after is surely greatly taken into account -no dearimashou na.」

The stone statue answered like that.

Wearing full-body armor, the statue of a knight with wings was made with a material that had a black luster to it.

That figure of being down on one knee, gripping the hilt of a sword that was thrust into the ground, and offering a prayer, this place being what it was, it brought about even a divine atmosphere.

However, in this place called the Demon King Castle, it had nothing but a strange intimidating air.

Wearing a full-face helmet, that appearance where not even its expression could be seen spurred that intimidating air on.

However, with a red magical power light fired from the part where the eyes would be, it was very clear that it wasn’t just a simple stone statue.

This stone statue……Or more accurately, this Golem was Gordy, the worldly-wise man that, although reluctantly, had assumed the position of the Central General, which was the position that Orel and Rokuna completely refused to take on.

Incidentally, he was called a Golem, but his abilities can’t be contained on being of the level of the simply stone statue type Mazoku. He is a Majin that Vermudol created as the guardian of the Demon King Castle, and possessed a strength that surpassed even the Ancient Golems of the south.

Therefore, Gordy’s race ended up being the 「Master Golem」 where he was the sole member of at the present time.

He was a powerful person worthy of being the Demon King Castle’s guardian, but fortunately, things have not fallen into a situation where he would have to release that power so far.

「It is because Ichika-dono is quite popular even among the Majin after all. They were personally raised by her, and furthermore, with the place they are being grown at being this place where Demon King-sama lives, it cannot be helped that its value makes it the best in the Zadark Kingdom.」

「Is it something like that.」

「It is something like that -degozaimasu. Well, there is no mistake in Ichika-dono’s words that it is because your, the supreme one, the Demon King’s existence.」

After saying that, Gordy once again sank into silence, but after a bit of silence, he spoke once again.

「……At any rate, Vermudol-sama. I have been awaiting your grand return.」

「Yeah, thank you, Gordy.」

As a Majin……No, as a Mazoku, Gordy was a special existence in a different way from Rokuna.

He showed no interest in the 「the top」 or 「strength」 that almost all Mazoku sought after, nor did he hold any interest in anything that could generally be called amusement.

Even for the typical Golem, they would have an interest in something, and there were cases where they would change into their Majin form and go to a town.

However, Gordy didn’t do any of that.

Even for Vermudol, the only time that he saw Gordy’s Majin form was after his creation, when he had no choice but to change into it in order to pass through the Demon King Castle.

For the usual Gordy, quietly standing still in the rear garden and working hard at the security like this was his normal state.

Though, since he would be covered in moss if left alone as he had no need to even move since there were no scoundrels, Ichika would occasionally polish Gordy.

「How about it, Gordy. Would you like to come with us to the castle town?」

「What grateful words. However, seeing as how we would stand out if I were to accompany you all, I believe that it would not be a good idea for travelling incognito.」

「……I don’t think that would be the case though. Well, that’s fine. Let’s go another time.」

「At your will.」

Hearing Vermudol’s reply, Gordy answered while letting out a slightly delighted-sounding sound.

Seeing Gordy once again sink into silence like that, Ichika and Nino started to peek at him from below with somewhat questioning-looking faces.

「……What’s wrong, you two.」

「No, it is nothing important but.」

「Gordy’s Majin form, I haven’t seen it.」

That’s right, Vermudol was the only one that knew about Gordy’s Majin form.

Since the person himself didn’t feel any meaning to turning into his Majin form, it couldn’t be helped.

After all, if he stayed in his Golem form, there wasn’t even a need to eat things.

As far as Gordy, who was proud of his duty as guardian, was concerned, staying like that was ideal……That was probably how it was.

「That doesn’t matter, right? More importantly, let’s hurry up and get going.」

「Yes.」

「Un.」

Ichika and Nino chased after Verumodol who urged them on.

After sending his gaze after their leaving figures for only an instant, Gordy once again entered a long silence.