CH 92

“Hey, Berudeus.”

“What is it My Demon Lord?”

“Is this a joke or something?”

“Doesn’t it suit me?”

“No, it looks very nice, but why are you wearing a red dress? More than that, why do you have a pair of large breasts?”

“About that, I¹, didn’t I explain that I could switch between both genders?”

“I have never heard anything about that. But details aside, do you want to step on me?”

“I do not. In the future, when we are at the nightclub in Warren, I will go by Berunal, Beruiel’s sister, so I would thank you to call me as such when we are there together.”

“Okay, but is there a reason for this?”

“Not really. But I would like to get used to walking around in heels, so I will be staying this way for awhile.”

“I see, then I will just call you Berunal from now on in order to get used to it.”

“You have my deepest gratitude. I will go ahead and explain this figure to our other demon executives as well in a bit.”

“Very good Berunal. By the way, I will repeat myself but, would you like to step on me with those heels you’re wearing?”

“I do not.”

That was the story inside the Demon Lord’s castle. The fact that the Demon Lord’s right hand man had changed his name and gender for a stupid reason like to make his nemesis Lady Bluegreen cry out in anguish, was something that only the person in question was to know.

“Gise, sorry I made you wait.”

“No, I don’t mind.”

The Hero had dragged Gise along with him after he had been invited to watch the wrestling match for a bit, but it was what the person in question had wanted which meant there were no problems.

This time Gise decided to visit the live house and watch over the newest wrestling match followed by a visit over to Masters’ Hideaway. After a large game of Warren Numbers, he would inevitably end up at the Jewelry Box Teahouse for a little relaxation.

“Now this is comfort.”

Gise was what could be described as a cool man. No matter who would approach him and with what intent, he would never drop his guard or a modicum of doubt. And he would never talk about any unnecessary things. He was always serious and made sure to always carry himself professionally.

On the flip side of that, if he were to ever find a place where he did not have to worry or if that string of tension he always hangs himself on is cut, then his demeanor becomes quite….slovenly.

“Beloved customer, how was your tea today?”

And when it came to the exalted smile of the mature feminine spirit of Aiful, Gise easily melted.

“A, ah, today’s tea was so fragrant and tasted superb. By the way, I realize I never introduced myself, I’m Gise from Skycastle.”

Even Gise wasn’t sure why he was introducing himself here, let alone why he was adding extra things like the fact he was from Skycastle.

“Yes, I remember Gise was a member of the Brave Party right?”

Aiful replied to Gise in a gentle tone and with a small smile. But that fact mattered little as the words she said forced Gise to refocus. ‘Why does Aiful know that I am a member of the Brave Party?’ was running through his head at a million kilometers per minute.

However, Aiful’s next words would make everything grind to a halt.

“I am indebted to you for what you did in Wheat Grace.”

Gise’s mind fell into turmoil.

What the Brave Party had done in Wheat Grace was expunge a secret high demon that had been working with the then current lord in the area. But why would that affect Aiful who owns a business in Warren?

Gise remembered instantly.

At the time after the death of the high demon, While there was a congratulatory conversation between the tax official, the man who would end up becoming the new lord and Gray, Gise had handled arresting the Durkfienance family men for their trip to Skycastle…..

Yes, Gise remembered now.

At that time, the wife and daughter of the lord had been crying by themselves in one corner of the room. At the time, he had held no interest for them and barely spared a second glance.

Gise was one of the foremost thieves inside Skycastle. There was no mistake in his memory. That was why he knew any attempt to doubt the connection between the woman in front of him and the woman at that time was pointless.

How hard had she and her daughter suffered to get to this point? He had never cared about such things before, so why did it suddenly feel like someone had punched him in the gut now?

“Gise, is there something wrong?”

“No, I was just remembering something from my past…..It’s a little embarrassing, but would you let me cry for a bit?”

Aiful said nothing, but she did softly pour out another cup of tea into Gise’s cup before leaving him be.

Gise started to rub his eyes in order to limit the amount of tears he was shedding as much as possible. He tried to take a sip from the tea Aiful had poured him, but he noticed the gaze of his own reflection in the drink.

“What on earth are you doing?” it asked him.

For the first time, Gise doubted himself. The way he lived his life, and the way he thought about the world.

Gise remembered, the happy smiles of his mother and father.

Gise thought to himself, he was convinced that he was a heavyweight inside the Skycastle Thieves’ Guild. He felt it was his duty to continue working with the Brave Party despite every nerve wracking headache. But was that really all there was to his life? Was him being a member of the Thieves’ Guild his only reason for living; so important that he couldn’t even confess his love to the woman in front of him? Was that all there was to his life?

Gise continued to cry by himself for a few minutes before eventually wiping them away with his sleeve and rising from his chair. He took a moment to walk over towards Aiful.

“I will come again. It was delicious today as well.”

“Thank you. We will be waiting for your next visit.”

And then Gise silently left to meet back up with Gray.

“Gray, a person’s happiness, what on earth is that?”

Unusually, Gise started up a conversation with Gray first.

“What’s the matter? Gise?”

“No, nevermind, it’s nothing. Just, I guess I’m just tired of waiting for a Demon Lord who might never show up.”

Gise’s words did little to abate Gray’s rising confusion.

“But there is a Demon Lord! Warren was actually attacked by demons not that long ago!”

“Gray, you should also know how that attack ended. Perhaps there is a Hero out there aside from us.”

The story of thousands of demons all being slaughtered in an instant had quickly spread across the country.

“Gray, are we really the Brave Party meant to defeat the Demon Lord?”

Gise’s question had hit a sore spot for Gray. Because recently he himself had started doubting God’s revelations. There were things like with the Wight Labyrinth that had not been happening like what the revelations had predicted, and to say that his journey so far had been unlike what he had imagined a Hero’s journey to be would be a gross understatement. All the same, Gray stood resolute.

“I believe that we are here to save the world from a crisis. If not, then why does a guy like me have this bogus power?”

Yes, Gray’s words brought Gise out of his funk just a bit. That’s right, Gray had inhuman power unheard of except for the most fantastical tales.

“You’re right. Your power must be for the sake of wiping out evil. There is no other explanation.”

This ridiculous power was gifted to the man in front of him. Just imagining what would have happened if this power had fallen into the hands of someone rotten made Gise shudder. It had instead fallen to a good, yet naive farmer, and guiding that farmer with insane power was the mission he had been given.

“Gray, let’s hurry back to the three idiots.”

Gise was able to regain his calm, and with it, he once again started giving out sensible instructions.

“Yes, I’m worried about what those three might have gotten themselves into in Wisdom.”

Gray nodded his head once with a smile.

And so the two of them leapt towards Wisdom, but a bit of anxiety had taken root and there was no sign of that dissipating.

Meanwhile at Lily Garden.

“According to Beru, the Demon Lord’s deputy officer is a demon with a bad character who really likes gambling.”

Margherita was reporting to Ellis about the conversation she had overheard during the other day’s wrestling match.

“Gray, the Hero using Gise as a pseudonym, mentioned that there really is no wizard in the Brave Party and it seems he is trying to drive the dancer claiming to be one away.”

Marilyn was also there reporting what she had learned to Ellis.

“That ‘Rosen Angel’ is almost assuredly that deputy officer on the Demon Lord’s side.”

Reeve put in her two cents about the report having played against the man in question.

“That thief party member of the Brave Party was been visiting the Jewelry Box Teahouse an awful lot lately nya.”

Katie meanwhile was able to pass on a report she had heard from the Thieves’ Guild.

“Hmm, so the two biggest members of the Brave Party and the Demon Lord’s army are here, and each one is visiting Warren for a different reason.”

Ellis tried to calmly assess the situation.

It the Hero and Demon Lord were here, they should have started killing each other long ago. So why weren’t they?

The only possible reason is because they have not yet started to recognize each other as enemies.

“Then, it should be possible to play any number of tricks on them like this.”

Ellis began making plans with a smile on her face for the Hero with an insane amount of strength and the Demon Lord with untold magic. Intelligence was power, and in that regard, she was far stronger than the both of them.

1. As you probably guessed, Berudeus starts using feminine pronouns here.