Book 7: Chapter 25

Within the office that Raktor left, Vermudol quietly pondered.

The culprit of this time’s matter. Who was the one pulling the strings behind that Sword Demon.

The bigger origin was probably Philia, but the chances of her personally making a move was low. Just like how that was the case in the time with Ykslaas, someone should be making a move.

What he could think of for right now, was probably the Alva Queen that Nino said she had heard about before from an Alva that she happened to come across in mankind’s territory.

That being said, there was nothing he could do against an opponent that he only knew the name of.

「……In the end, there’s no choice but to go on the defensive, huh.」

「It will not be a problem. If we crushingly defeat all of those schemes, the mastermind will come out on their own in due course.」

Hearing Ichika’s words, Vermudol said “that’s true” and nodded.

As for what they could do as a countermeasure for right now, could it be strengthening their domestic defenses?

In regards to the Jiol Forest Kingdom……at this point where there was still nothing but anxiety, how would they take it? The Luuty route is something they should take effective use of, but he was doubtful of the diplomatic reliability of just that.

「……Come to think of it, there was a report of a Goblin Assassin or something, wasn’t there.」

「Yes. There have been such reports from the intelligence operatives in every nation.」

By Goblin Assassin, it was about the mysterious Goblins that were recently reported about from the intelligence operatives in the Shutaia Continent.

It seemed that they boast high intelligence and fighting strength for Goblins, but their ecology is a mystery.

「Let’s make use of that. The talk about there being Mazoku with unknown details similar to the Goblin Assassins……」

It was there that Vermudol’s words stopped.

If he remembered correctly, wasn’t there a concerning report about the manner of death for the Goblin Assassins?

That’s right……There should have been a story about now they turned into something like a black mist when defeated.

He thought that they just had that sort of ecology and left it alone but, by some chance.

「……」

「Vermudol-sama?」

After showing signs of being troubled for a little while, Vermudol slowly opened his mouth.

「……In addition to that, send out an order to our intelligence operatives in all nations.」

「Yes. What would it be?」

「Investigate the movements of the Alva in every nation. In regards to the Goblin Assassins, they’re either the Alva’s companions or their vanguard……Think that way in dealing with them.」

「Should we capture them?」

Thinking about those words for a bit, Vermudol denied it.

「No, it’s fine for now. Prioritize annihilating them.」

「Yes.」

Receiving his orders, Ichika immediately started moving, leaving Vermudol alone in his office.

Resurrected Mazoku.

And then, the Goblin Assassins that should be thought of either having received some sort of effect from the Alva, or actually Alva themselves.

If all of this was something done by the hands of the Alva Queen, it will be much more troublesome than Ykslaas who came attacking directly.

To most of mankind, they don’t differentiate between the Mazoku of the Shutaia Continent and the Mazoku of the Zadark Kingdom. They probably concluded that the cause of everything done by the Mazoku was him, the Demon King. Even the actions of the Alva are seen as such and causes hatred.

In regards to this, no matter how much they exclaim that it wasn’t them, there was no way to prove it.

After all, there has been no one that has even seen the existence known as the Alva Queen.

To begin with, where was the headquarters of the Alva?

The Dimensional Gap that Ykslaas’s group was at was suspicious, but there was no method of going there.

The story would be short if they were to use the Dimensional Castle that Ykslaas’s group used, but that Dimensional Castle had lost its power, and had now turned into a normal old castle. With Rokuna having investigated it to the point of being fed up with it and discovering nothing, the possibility that they would find something new from the Dimensional Castle hereafter was exceedingly low.

In that case, it meant that at present, there was no method of invading that Dimensional Gap or whatever.

「……It would be nice if we could somehow lure out that Alva Queen or whatever.」

However, even so, at the present point where the Alva Queen’s aim was unknown, that would be difficult.

It would be impossible to make a conjecture on what the other party’s aim is with the current movements of the Alva.

They would appear throughout mankind’s territory, and devote themselves to slaughter. That was the basic actions of the Alva. It seemed that there would occasionally be variation types and unique types that appear as well, but the reported cases of those were extraordinarily few.

At present where they only had that information, he couldn’t see what the Alva’s objective was no matter what he did. Unless their objective was just chaos itself, it was illogicality that couldn’t be explained.

「……Excuse me.」

The sound of a knock resounded with a timing as if cutting apart Vermudol’s thoughts that were caught in a loop, and Ichika entered.

「So it’s you, Ichika. That was fast.」

「Yes. Also, I have made some new tea.」

After saying that, a cup with vapor rising from it was place on top of Vermudol’s desk.

Taking in the refreshing aroma that seemed to be some type of herb, Vermudol made a small breath.

「……This is an aroma I don’t know of. What is it?」

「It is tea leaves that newly came in from the Jiol Forest Kingdom. I thought that it would be perfect for the current mood.」

「I see.」

Holding up the cup, he brought it to his mouth.

Pouring it into his throat, and drinking it with a *gokuri*……he suddenly expressed a small smile.

「……I see. It’s a taste that corresponds with the aroma.」

「It is optimal for changing your mood, isn’t it?」

「Pretty much. With the current data, I can’t figure it out no matter how much I think, that is the conclusion I arrived at.」

After Vermudol returned the cup to the desk, Ichika went around to his back.

There was no time nor need to ask her “what is wrong”. Ichika placed her hands on both of Vermudol’s shoulders, and started to slowly massage them.

「Do I really look that tired?」

「Yes.」

While having that done to him, Vermudol gently closed his eyes. Feeling the comfortable pain that he felt in his shoulders, it was as if even his thoughts were unraveling.

Vermudol suddenly thought “come to think of it……”.

「……Ichika.」

「Yes.」

「About the Sword Demon, do you resent him?」

「No.」

It was a short answer. Hearing that denial that allowed for no misunderstanding, Vermudol thought it was surprising.

Since it was the opponent that killed her, he thought that she would resent him to some extent.

「……Certainly, the Sword Demon had killed my previous self.」

Without stopping her hands, Ichika answered.

「However, if I had to say if I resent him or not, the answer would be not.」

「And why, is that?」

The answer to that question of his, was a short silence.

Ichika’s hands stopped, and Vermudol opened his closed eyes.

「……It is because, I met you.」

The hands that touched Vermudol’s shoulders, softly separated from him.

「The end of the eternity that seemed like it would drive me crazy. At the end of the chains of life that continued to infinity, you were there. Having no one……not even the Hero, to save me, you were the one who had saved me.」

That’s right, Ichika was saved by Vermudol.

The fear of having an unknown beginning every time her life ended.

The despair from standing at a beginning where the ending was decided.

The desire to kill the God of Life Philia that she already thought was something that couldn’t be granted──The days towards a definite end, Ichika had obtained them.

「Vermudol-sama……My, Demon King-sama. The fact that I met you is my happiness. Once I think of that, something like the Sword Demon does not matter.」

「……Is that so.」

As he thought, scattering the Sword Demon was just for Vermudol’s self-satisfaction.

However, that was fine as well. It wasn’t like he was trying to get her to owe him anything after all.

「However, Vermudol-sama.」

「What?」

「The fact that you were thinking about me, I am grateful for that. The matter of the Sword Demon, was Ria’s regret.」

「……Is that so.」

Ichika’s presence separated from Vermudol, and just like that, Ichika walked towards the door.

「……Vermudol-sama.」

In front of the door, Ichika turned around.

「There is no need, to be reserved with me.」

「……What are you talking about?」

「The fact that I was Ria. Depending on how it is used, it should become the weapon that you desire, Vermudol-sama.」

She was probably talking about Luuty. Noticing that fact, Vermudol breathed a small sigh.

Certainly, it wasn’t like he hadn’t thought of that.

「……Yeah, thank you. But, she probably wouldn’t believe that.」

「She might not. However……she is a sharp person.」

「……I see.」

After Ichika left, Vermudol tapped his desk with his finger.

Making Luuty believe that Ichika was the Ria who had travelled together with the Hero.

Certainly, if he could do that, Luuty’s heart would lean his way all at once.

But, that was extraordinarily difficult. As for why, it was because information was something that could be investigated as much as one liked.

In particular, being the Demon King, Vermudol could touch upon the Life Seed. By forcibly reading the information from someone’s Life Seed, it was even possible to know about the relationship between Ria and Luuty.

「……If I were Luuty, I would first suspect this line of action.」

In that case, what should he do?

No, the answer in regards to this was already there.

It would be best to not move about clumsily. If he were to fail, there was the risk of losing everything that had been accumulated up until now.

「……Things just won’t go my way.」

Muttering that, he stood up to try and get a change of mood.

Taking out a heroic tale that Rokuna had placed there recently from the bookshelf, he flipped through its pages.

The hero would meet with new incidents one after another, and furthermore, the key, the culprit, or an important person that would resolve the incident would jump in of their own accord. It was a truly clear-cut yet refreshing tale.

「Fuu」

After Vermudol closed the book, he was about to unconsciously throw it onto the floor……when he imagined Rokuna’s face that was mad like a raging fire, and then gently returned it to the shelf.

「If everything went as good as this, I wouldn’t be having so much trouble……Jeez, this is why the guys called the Hero or just the heroes are so.……」

After letting his irritation show and turning around, the door was left half open, and his eyes met with Rokuna who was just staring at him.

「……」

「……」

After staring at each other for a full three seconds, Rokuna started to gently wipe the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief.

「……You must be tired, Ver-cchi. It’s fine, I don’t mind. Ah, that’s it. Shall I give you a lap pillow?」

「……I’ll just accept the sentiment.」

After answering with just that, Vermudol breathed a sigh with a tired face.