Book 7: Chapter 19

「……Nn?」

Vermudol, who was loitering in the Demon King Castle’s back garden, suddenly dropped his gaze onto the sword that was at his waist.

「What is the matter? Demon King-sama.」

「Nn, no……」

Being asked that by Gordy who was swinging her sword nearby, Vermudol lightly touched his sword.

Just now, he felt like his sword had shown a queer reaction to something……but even after looking at and touching it like this, there wasn’t anything strange in particular about it.

After thinking a bit, Vermudol answered with “it’s nothing”.

「At any rate, for you to be training in the middle of night like this……You are quite the hard worker as well, aren’t you.」

「……What might you be saying? Demon King-sama, you had that intention as well, did you not?」

While pointing out the sword on Vermudol’s waist, Gordy smiled.

The town of Arkverm was boisterous even in the middle of the night, but it was a time where everywhere except for a small part of the Demon King Castle was sleeping.

Just as Vermudol went to the back garden thinking of swinging his sword or something, he found that Gordy was training there. Once he found himself captivated by the movements of Gordy, who was also his teacher in the sword, he somehow missed the timing to start his training.

「However, is that alright? Demon King-sama, you also have to perform your official duties tomorrow as well. Although the tourism plan has genuinely started, I have heard that the workload has greatly increased as well, you know?」

「I am dealing with that appropriately. That isn’t a reason why I can’t do practice in the middle of the night.」

After Vermudol made his counterargument, Gordy shrugged her shoulders.

「Certainly. However, your health is what is important above all else. Devoting this body for your sake, Demon King-sama, until it breaks is my job as well as my fate, but Demon King-sama, you are different. Resting your body for the sake of tomorrow is also important.」

「……I understand that, so please don’t say something that sounds like way Ichika would say. It’s depressing.」

Seeing Vermudol breath a sigh, Gordy burst into laughter while covering her mouth with her hand.

「Pfft……Haha! So that is what you say! All of us are more concerned about you, Demon King-sama, more than ourselves, but even among us, Ichika is the one who worries the most, you know?」

「……I know that too. That’s why I came to practice like this.」

「Ahh, I see. Kuku, however, it would be best to give up on that. Demon King-sama, even if you were to train yourself up to the size of a large man as big as Raktor, I do not believe that anything would change.」

Hearing Gordy’s words, Vermudol breathed another sigh.

It wasn’t like he was being a bother. He helps out, and is even relied on.

However, what should he say about it?

「If you believe that you are not relied upon, that is wrong.」

Gordy sheathed her sword into its scabbard, and turned to face Vermudol.

「Rather, it would be much more difficult to find a Mazoku that does not rely on you, Demon King-sama.」

「……However.」

「Demon King-sama. You created this country. You gave the Mazoku order, and you gave them prosperity. That is something that no other Mazoku could have done. You are already this country’s supporting pillar, its emblem, and someone that it cannot do without.」

Seeing Vermudol keep silent, Gordy continued.

「Everyone relies on you. Therefore, everyone wants to be relied on by you. You are mistaken on that premise.」

Vermudol ruminated on those words. It was certainly just as Gordy had said.

「I see.」

Then he thought “however”.

Vermudol expressed a smile.

「In that case, I have a duty to continue being a king that can be relied on in all aspects. That also goes for the aspect of the art of war. I should train myself to have the ability to be able to force the enemy back from the front even if the Hero were to come attacking. Am I wrong?」

Hearing those words, Gordy went “Hou” and leaked out a voice of admiration. She didn’t expect him to switch it around like that. However, for Gordy personally, she found them to be truly likable words.

「……You are not wrong. However, was the daytime training not enough?」

「Even if you can compromise on what is satisfactorily enough in everything, there is no satisfactory amount in being perfectly enough. Am I wrong?」

「I see. However, if you are to aim for that, Demon King-sama, you will not have the time to rest.」

「That is just what I want. That is the sort of place that I was aiming for from the start.」

Hearing Vermudol’s words, Gordy also expressed a thin smile.

「Could you accompany me in my training, Gordy?」

「Yes, Demon King-sama.」

Gordy strongly gripped the hand that Vermudol held out.

And then, from above, Ichika quietly piled her hand on it.

「Vermudol-sama, I am deeply moved by your wonderful spirit.」

「Is, is that so.」

Although they had let their guard down, Ichika appeared slipping through his own and Gordy’s perceptions. While Vermudol was surprised by that fact, he made an interjection that showed he was paying attention.

「However, this and that are different stories. To be tired and unable to bring out your full strength when that Hero appears, that would not be a funny story. Just when will you understand that resting is also one of your duties?」

「No, but.」

「No, I will not listen. Vermudol-sama, making sure that your physical condition is flawless is also one of my jobs.」

Seeing that Ichika stubbornly wouldn’t yield, Vermudol breathed a sigh together with a wry smile.

「……Is that so. Then I will rest for today.」

「Yes, Vermudol-sama.」

「Well then, I will return to my room. Good night, Ichika.」

「Have a good night, Vermudol-sama.」

Seeing Vermudol off as he left, Ichika turned around to Gordy after confirming that she could no longer see his back.

「By the way, I have something to discuss with you as well.」

「What is it?」

「I would like to adjust Demon King-sama’s tasks from tomorrow onwards, and increase his training time. Are there any usable personnel in the Central Army?」

Hearing those words, Gordy closed her eyes so as to think……and before long, she shook her head sideways.

「If I had to speak of any, it would be Orel……but he is no good. I do not believe he is suitable.」

「That is true. His sense of responsibility is nonexistent after all. In that case, Rokuna I suppose……」

「……Is it not because you allocate jobs to her like that that she does not come out from the library……?」

「How rude. Rokuna merely does not come out from be library because she likes it. The level of the jobs that I allocate to her are things that Rokuna could deal with in the blink of an eye.」

The reason why Rokuna was busy everyday was due to the research type jobs that Vermudol asked her to do, but Ichika purposely did not mention that outloud.

「……About that training.」

「Yes, what is it?」

In response to Ichika who asked that back, Gordy made a worried-looking face.

「Are you truly fine with me being the one to teach him? Demon King-sama’s field of expertise is magic, right? No, I also understand that it would be best for him to be able to handle the sword as well. However, in that case, rather than me, the fighting style of an orthodox Magic Swordsman such as Sancreed would be better, would it not?」

Gordy’s sword style, rather than an offensive sword, it was instead a defensive sword.

She felt that having Vermudol, the Demon King, learn that was a bit plain. Wouldn’t flashy sword techniques that were more ostentatious be better?

Ichika replied with words of denial to Gordy who thought that.

「Demon King-sama wishes to learn your sword style. That should have the maximum amount of respect.」

「That might be true but……」

「Rather, I believe it suits him.」

Vermudol is fundamentally a Magician.

For the sword style that Vermudol should learn, one that would create an opening on the opponent so that he could use magic was appropriate.

Learning a sword style like Sancreed’s and adding sword attacks to his attack cards couldn’t be said to be a very good hand to play.

Of course, if Vermudol so desired, Ichika was willing to train him in any and all sword techniques though

「Come to think of it, Nino also looks over here looking jealous when it becomes training time.」

「She probably wants to teach him herself as well. However, she uses twin sword techniques after all.」

「Pretty much. That style is a bit too special……And above all, it is complex. It is unsuited for using together with magic.」

Gordy muttered “Nino probably does not barge in since she knows that as well”, then suddenly remembering something, she looked at the direction that Vermudol disappeared to.

「……Come to think of it, Demon King-sama was bothered about his sword. He had said that it was nothing, but there might have been something unfavourable about it.」

Vermudol’s Bale Blade was a sword that Margaret had forged.

That sword, which was unique in both materials and manufacturing method, was furnished with abilities that were unprecedented, and was special in various ways.

If there were something going on with the Bale Blade which was unique and special in all sorts of ways, the one who could do something about it would be someone like its producer Margaret.

「……Is that, so.」

It would be simple to call for Margaret, but if some sort of treatment would need to be applied, it would be impossible to perform except in Margaret’s workshop. The Demon King Castle did not have facilities that went as far as that.

In that case, there would be a need to create time for Vermudol to head out to see Margaret.

「I understand, thank you very much.」

「……You should rest properly as well, Ichika.」

「I do not want to be told that by you, Gordy. Please take a proper rest.」

Replying like that to Gordy, Ichika started to move to adjust Vermudol’s tasks for tomorrow.