Book 4: Chapter 18

「……Mu.」

Within his warm futon, Vermudol opened his eyes.

It seemed that he had slept quite a bit after that.

His vague vision slowly became clearer.

「Ou, good morning.」

A familiar voice came from overhead.

When Vermudol turned his gaze towards it, what was there was the figure of the Central Army affiliated Orel who was looking down at Vermudol with a daunting pose.

「How are ya feeling?」

「……Nn, yeah. This is the worst waking I’ve had.」

「Well that can’t be helped. If ya were ta say that this was the best, then I’d be the one feeling troubled.」

Vermudol’s tension suddenly declined right from the morning.

He felt like he wanted to go back to sleep right away, but unfortunately, his physical condition was perfect.

「So, why are you here? Where did Ichika go?」

「She seems to be readying today’s preparations. So, well. I did something helpful and kept a lookout.」

「……I see. I’m so thankful, I could cry.」

「Oh, that so?」

Maybe because he was feeling bashful, Orel’s face blushed and he was briskly scratching the back of his head.

While tasting a sensation he couldn’t really stomach first thing in the morning, Vermudol expressed a vague smile.

「……Orel. I’m already quite awake, so please return to your work.」

「Yes. Well then, ‘scuse me.」

After saying that, Orel readily left the room.

Seeing him off, Vermudol breathed a sigh.

Normally, Nino would be there when he woke up in the morning……but that Nino was currently in the Jiol Forest Kingdom.

After being shown Orel’s hairy face first thing in the morning like this, Nino’s value relatively sank into his body.

「Is something the matter?」

「Ahh, no. Seeing you nonchalant like normal, I get the real feeling that I was actually quite saved.」

「Haa……Is that so.」

Replying like that to Ichika who had returned, Vermudol breathed another sigh.

「So, I heard from Orel that you were making preparations.」

「Yes. As I will be accompanying you in today’s outing, I have finished making various preparations. Here is your change of clothes.」

「Nn, got it. Let’s transfer directly there from this room.」

「Understood. Shall I assist you in changing your clothes?」

「We’ll do it the same as usual. That’s not necessary.」

After making a bow to those words, Ichika exited Vermudol’s room.

Vermudol changed from his sleep-wear into his extravagant outfit as a Demon King.

Switching gears, he inhaled a deep breath of the cold, morning air.

「……Yosh. Let’s go, ichika.」

「Yes, Demon King-sama.」

Answering his call, Ichika appeared right at Vermudol’s side.

「Gate」

Light enveloped the two……and Transfer Magic was invoked.

When the light settled down……Vermudol and Ichika had transferred into a room different from the one they were in just a little while ago.

The inside of the room could be summarized with having white and cold colored colors, and outside of the fixed fitted windows were a snowy landscape.

The interior design of this chilly room was to the preferences of the owner, the Northern General Altejio.

In this office, a sphere that generates heat was dazzling and shining red.

Incidentally, the other rooms in the Northern Army facilities had interior designs that used warm colors and had warmth to them.

Anyhow, when the owner that room──Altejio raised his head from the document on his desk, he went into a smile.

It seemed that he was in the middle of work……but for him to be pressed with paperwork this early in the morning, only the Northern Army would be like this in the vast Zadark Kingdom.

「Welcome to the Northern Army Headquarters, Demon King-sama, Ichika. I am happy to have you here.」

「Yeah. It’s been a while since I came here……but it looks like things are the same as usual.」

「Yes, the northern region of the Zadark Kingdom is a constantly snowy place. It looks like it doesn’t change……however, it is also a dangerous place that changes its appearance every day.」

Although he thought “I wasn’t talking about the northern region but Altejio’s room though……”, Vermudol kept quiet and nodded.

Vermudol wasn’t insensitive enough to speak out about a person’s preferences.

「Well, putting that kind of talk aside, allow me to guide you to Margaret’s workshop without delay.」

After saying that, Altejio stood up.

He said “time is precious after all”, but he couldn’t hide how his voice was lively and sounded happy.

Thinking “I see, he certainly is a devoted husband……”, Vermudol made a wry smile.

Margaret’s workshop was in the underground area of the Northern Army Headquarters.

That workshop was an important asset to the Demon King army as well as something created to protect Margaret the Blacksmith……Of course, the original proposer of the facility was Altejio.

The arms that Margaret creates have high performance and are valuable. For that reason, Altejio protected Margaret and her arms from the fellows that would try to obtain her arms, and even brought in the power of the organization known as the Northern Army.

Even if he didn’t go that far, there shouldn’t be any Mazoku that would try and pick a fight against Altejio who was the north’s strongest……but that part of it might be due to him being madly in love to the point of being reckless.

「Now then, this way.」

After being prompted by Altejio and leaving the office, a soldier in the middle of patrolling discovered Vermudol’s figure, and made a salute with a panicked look.

He was seen by others who looked over wondering what was going on with him, and they also took salute postures after being startled from recognizing Vermudol’s figure.

「Good morning. You don’t need to mind me, so please return to your duties, everyone.」

After Vermudol called out to them, every member of the Northern Army simultaneously made a salute and returned to their duties.

For them to be able to act while knowing etiquette even in a place like this, it was probably the result of Altejio’s teachings.

Even as they were walking right now, the members of the Northern Army could be seen making commanded movements.

If they were said to be stiff, then that would be the end of it, but it was also proof that they were very well trained.

After they descended the stairway that led to the underground, an awfully cute signboard entered their eyes.

The signboard that had “Margaret’s Workshop” written on it was hung above a door with a cute structure that was left open.

Seeing that place that seemed like the weapon workshop had been completely relocated, Ichika breathed an exasperated sounding sigh.

「How should I put this……Considering it’s you, this is quite……」

「This is not following my tastes. Besides, even the other blacksmith workshops are pretty much like this, you know?」

In the Demon King Army facilities, since they need to preserve arms in the best state, they are respectively kept in their affiliated blacksmith workshop.

Of the blacksmiths with enough skill to be invited into the army, many of them possess unique senses.

To choose the occupation called Blacksmith despite being Mazoku, who originally would pursue increasing their own strength, they might already be oddballs by that point, but at the moment they are invited, it was necessary to offer workshops that matched the person’s design.

With that being the case, just as Altejio said, offering to relocate the blacksmith workshops that they were using up until now just as they were would be the fastest and easiest way of doing it.

The 「Margaret’s Workshop」 that was in front of Vermudol’s group right now, rather than being a blacksmith workshop, it had the impression of being a candy store. Moreover, it used the highest grade building materials.

For Altejio who emphasized on frugality, this was quite the lavish hospitality.

That is what Ichika wanted to say, but to Altejio, he believed that Margaret had enough value to justify all of that, and both Ichika and Vermudol acknowledged that.

That being said, isn’t he being a bit to sweet on her……That is what they also thought.

「Margaret! Demon King-sama is coming in!」

「’Kaーy! I’m coming out right noww!」

A cute voice echoed from deep in the workshop, and before long, a *pata pata* sound of running footsteps could be heard.

「……Hou.」

「……This is.」

Seeing the figure that appeared at the workshop’s entrance, Vermudol and Ichika leaked out murmurs at the same time.

She had fluffy pink hair that went to the shoulders, and big and round blue eyes.

Her face that still had youth remaining in it was expressing a smile of innocence.

Her appearance of wearing thick clothes and coveralls was a normal appearance as a blacksmith, but for some reason it looked as if it was emphasizing her youth.

And then, above all.

「……She’s small.」

「……She is small, isn’t she.」

That’s right, she is small.

Nino is also on the smaller side in the Demon King Army, but most likely, if Nino were here in this place, she would probably be expressing a triumphant smile.

After Vermudol and Ichika exchanged glances, they turned their gazes to Altejio……and then, they turned their gazes to the young girl that came out.

「……May I ask what your name is?」

「Ah, yes. It’s Margaret! I’m Aー-cha……Altejio’s wife! I’m working as the blacksmith in the Northern Army Headquarters! It is a pleasure to meet you, Demon King-sama!」

「Yeah, nice to meet you.」

Although Vermudol replied like that, he thought the rude idea of “Ahh, so this kid really isn’t his daughter……”.

「……Do you normally call him Aー-chan?」

「Ah, yes. I’ve been wanting him to call me in the same way with 『Maー-chan』 though……but, recently, I’ve finally got him to call me Mar when we’re alone with each other.」

「Margaret. Please don’t say anything unnecessary to Ichika.」

Normally, it wasn’t often that Ichika would derail the conversation herself, but this time, one could say that it couldn’t be helped.

At any rate, when speaking of Altejio’s wife Margaret, she was one of the mysteries that the leaders of the Demon King Army, including the rest of the Four Cardinal Generals, wanted to know about.

Nino in particular had possessed an interest and followed Altejio around, but Altejio managed to earnestly keep it a secret.

That being said, he needed to move the conversation on.

After Vermudol lightly cleared his throat, he called out to Margaret.

「Ahー……Margaret. Allow me to make a formal self-introduction. I am Vermudol. Over here is Ichika. I had heard that my sword is ready. Let us go right away.」

「Ah, yes! I’ve finally prepared a weapon suitable for you, Demon King-sama!」

Seeing Margaret clasp her fists with a look that said she was brimming with confidence, Vermudol answered with “I’m looking forward to it……”.

「So, who was the one that proposed?」

「It was Aー-chan. I feel like I’m about to melt just remembering it.」

「Demon King-sama……」

Making a sidelong glance at Altejio’s exhausted look, Vermudol’s group peacefully advanced into the workshop.