Book 6: Chapter 12

The door to his room was gently knocked upon.

Vermudol, who was sitting in his chair and looking through a document, noticed that, and turned his eyes to the outside of his window.

He knew that it took time for a woman to get dressed, but he ended up waiting longer than he thought.

It was still early for lunch, but would it be best to go through a meal once they reached the location?

「Yeah, come on in.」

When Vermudol answered like that, the door clicked open.

That appearance, it certainly was completely different from a maid outfit.

What covered their entire body was white full body armor.

Platinum white hair, white armor, and then a white shield carried on their back. Even the sword on their waist was white.

Making a troubled looking smile, that figure, it looked as if they were Shironos.

──No, it was Shironos himself.

「……」

「Is something the matter, Vermudol-dono?」

After placing the document on top of the desk, Vermudol lightly rubbed his brow.

And then, after letting out a small breath and looking up at the ceiling, he once again stared at the one who stood in front of the door.

As he thought, no matter how he looked, it was Shironos.

After Shironos entered the room, he closed the door behind him.

「Do you need something, Shironos?」

「Yes. A sudden matter has occurred that cannot be dealt with unless Ykslaas does it. I have been appointed as her replacement.」

Hearing that, Vermudol turned his gaze towards Shironos looking exasperated.

「Her replacement you say……Why you, did you accept this knowing the meaning of this time’s observation?」

「Yes, of course. With all due respect, Vermudol-dono, although Ykslaas-sama looks like that, she is quite ignorant of the ways of the world. She may act mature, but she also has many child-like parts to her. After all, even now, when she sees spicily seasoned cuisine, she……」

「Ahh, yeah. I got it. So?」

「On that point, I believe that I can offer a more accurate opinion.」

After being told that, Vermudol had no reason to refuse.

For the sake of an even better sightseeing plan, if there was an even more appropriate person for the job, it was obvious that that would be better.

「I see, I understand. In that case, let’s hurry up and go.」

「Eh!?」

Vermudol, who was about to stand up, came to a complete stop at Shironos’s surprised sounding word.

「Ah, no. Ahー……This is just a sudden thought, but if we think from the viewpoint of the sightseeing plan, I believe that taking the thing known as the mentality between a man and a woman into consideration would be necessary for drafting the plan.」

「……」

While averting his eyes from Vermudol who was staring at him while still in a half standing pose, Shironos added to his words.

「Well, to offer a full report to a superior from that point……Um, how should I put this. Vermudol-dono, how about your most……ahー, trusted woman?」

「I see.」

After Vermudol sat back down in his chair, he glared at Shironos.

「Was this Ykslaas’s idea?」

「Ahー……well……」

Seeing Shironos hesitate to say, Vermudol breathed a deep sigh.

「Well, I’m also at fault. It can’t be helped if she thought of this as an invitation under the pretext of being work.」

「R, right.」

「But you know, I am able to differentiate between work and private matters……And above all, now is not the time to be thinking about such things. I would like for that to be understood.」

Speaking that far, Vermudol called out to the other side of the closed door.

「Well, that’s how it is. Were you able to understand?」

As if answering to that voice, the door clicked open──First was the displeased looking Nino, then a wryly smiling Ykslaas, then a sleepy looking Rokuna and the expressionless Ichika showed their faces.

「……For even Ichika to be amongst them, honestly……」

After Vermudol breathed a deep sigh, Ichika averted her gaze looking awkward.

「That goes for you too, Ykslaas. Even though you should understand the talk about work.」

「Ara, it’s troubling if you think about things with such a man’s way of thinking, you know?」

「What do you mean by that?」

「There’s no way there’s an on and off switch to a maiden’s feelings, right? It’s obvious that they’ll hate it if they’re not number one at all times.」

Going “I see”, Vermudol understood.

In other words, it was that sort of thing.

After Vermudol placed a hand on his forehead, he once again breathed a deep sigh.

「……I understand the situation.」

Solemnly muttering that, Vermudol carefully thought about what he should do.

Just as he had said earlier, the current Vermudol didn’t have the leeway to think about that sort of thing.

Even if he did have the leeway, this was not the time to be occupied with it.

After all, there was an enemy that he was unable to predict when they would start a fight.

Being a special existence to him, wouldn’t just that be a primary factor for them to be targeted by the enemy?

And then, if such a situation happened, Vermudol could hardly say that the enemy wouldn’t come up with a trap that would make use of that.

Placing his own happiness and the happiness of the whole of the Mazoku on a scale, if he were to choose his own happiness, that would make it so that he himself was denying his qualifications as King.

And if he were to instead choose the Mazoku’s happiness, it meant that he would be abandoning himself as an individual.

No matter which one he chose, Vermudol would be unable to stay the current Vermudol.

That is why he chose nothing right now.

He needed to be a king where everything was equal to him.

「Ichika.」

Vermudol looked at Ichika.

She was Vermudol’s first subordinate, and someone he came to deeply understand through connecting with her Life Seed.

There were many times where he felt relieved by leaving things to Ichika, and she was also literally his confidant.

But, recently, he felt that that wasn’t all.

「Nino.」

Next, he placed his eyes on Nino.

She was one of the subordinates under his direct supervision, and there were many times where he would end up meeting her somehow throughout the day.

There were also times where he thought of her like she was a troublesome little sister or daughter, but he also understood that she didn’t want him as an older brother or father figure.

「Rokuna.」

And then, he turned his gaze to Rokuna.

If described in a single phrase, his relationship with Rokuna would be like that of a partner in crime. At the same time, she was also an indispensable advisor.

If there was anyone that he had formed the best amiable relationship with, it was without a doubt with Rokuna.

「……I understand. Someday, I will give you all my answer. Could you all consent to that for now?」

The three of them sank into silence at Vermudol’s words.

The three of them understood.

It wasn’t like they had spent time with Vermudol up until now just for show.

They also fully understood that Vermudol was avoiding that.

That is why, although the feelings of those three were slightly different……they thought that it would be great if they themselves would be number one when that time came someday.

But, even so, they were anxious.

Would they be able to say that they would be the one by his side when that someday comes?

That might not be the case.

They might find themselves in a position of watching someone else beside him from far away.

It was a fact that the appearance of the new existence known as Ykslaas had accelerated the emotions of those three.

「……Understood.」

First, Ichika said that out loud.

「I myself cannot adequately explain my own feelings. And so, for now……I, am fine with that.」

「Nino is different.」

With timing there it didn’t matter if Ichika’s words had finished or not, Nino declared that with a dissatisfied looking face.

「Nino at least knows her own feelings. But, if Demon King-sama is troubled by it, Nino won’t say them for now. Well, it will be demonstrated through behavior though.」

Seeing Ichika and Nino give their own respective answers, Rokuna tilted her head looking troubled.

「Ahー……This is a flow where I need to say something too, huh……」

After folding her arms, and groaning with an *nnー*, Rokuna shuffled up until she was in front of Vermudol’s desk.

After hitting the desk with a *ton*, Rokuna made a deep breath.

「I won’t hold back a single bit. That’s why I’ll say this. Ver-cchi, I love you. That’s why, I’m expecting that you’ll choose me when that someday comes, and I’ll be acting so that I get chosen. Prepare yourself, okay.」

「Y……yeah.」

After Vermudol unconsciously nodded, Ichika and Nino made astonished faces.

「……Rokuna, that is.」

「Unfair.」

「Ha, I don’t care. Even though you all made this sort of situation while I was unaware, don’t just go sitting on the fence. In the end, no matter how things fall, we all know that Ver-cchi is a late bloomer.」

Ichika and Nino glared at Rokuna who was expressing a triumphant smile, and Ykslaas was smirkingly gazing at that situation.

「Is this also what they call a harem? Huh, Shironos.」

「I wonder. However, um……」

「It’s fine. It’s unhealthy to keep the things that should be said pent up. Someday they’ll naturally understand, that sort of thing will absolutely never happen. Shironos, you should know that as well, right?」

Shironos fell silent at Ykslaas’s words and nodded.

That’s right, it wasn’t just Ykslaas.

Shironos, Brutus……and even Olred, they were originally Elements.

The Spirit King Ystia, and the Element knights that served her.

That is the origin of Ykslaas’s group.

Therefore, her group knew.

That unless they communicated it themselves, the other party won’t understand.

There are also cases where that would become an eternal regret.

「In regards to what you’re worrying about, it’s not like I don’t understand. But you know, Vermudol. If you remain not saying anything, you will surely regret it someday, you know? That, is how you end up like us……see.」

「……Is that so.」

「It is.」

Fixedly staring into Ykslaas’s purple eyes, Vermudol breathed a small sigh.

「……That’s, true.」

It didn’t change the fact that he didn’t have to give his answer right now.

But, that much……it might have been good to announce their thoughts to each other.

「Ahー……And, so. I am thinking that it’s about time to go on the observation but……」

When Vermudol said that out loud, the gazes of everyone there gathered on Vermudol.

Receiving that, Vermudol expressed a troubled looking……yet, slightly refreshed looking smile.

「How about we go with everyone here? It is exactly lunch time after all.」

「Yes, of course.」

「Un.」

「Let me seeー. Can I take that as it being your treat, Ver-cchi?」

While the three unanimously spoke, Vermudol had a thought.

The things that he was burdened with had surely grown larger when he stopped thinking about things.

Whether or not things were truly correct with this, he did not know right now.

Even so, surely.

It was not a mistake.