CH 140

“……What can I say, it’s just another normal forest?”

Three days’ walk from the town. We stepped into the “Forest of Tranquility,” which we had come to in a hurry, and Tia looked at me with a startled expression when I muttered something.

“Eh, you are lying!? What part of this is a normal forest?”

“Ugh!? I meant.. in general?”

Looking around again at Tia’s suggestion, this place where trees and grass were growing normally looked like just a forest. The only thing that was unusual was that there were no signs of monsters or beasts around, but most wild beasts would run away at the first sign of a person, and even monsters were not encountered that often unless we were in a place with a high density of mana.

After all, from my point of view, the current situation was a peaceful forest. But to my words, Tia shook her head in disbelief.

“Incredible… It’s the first time I’ve ever thought that I couldn’t understand Ed so much.”

“Yeah, …? What about you, Eleas? Do you feel anything?”

“Yeah, It feels a bit suffocating, like something important is missing”

“Right! There is no spirit power around here that we would normally …. take for granted. To put it in a way Ed can understand, it’s like the spirit version of climbing a high mountain and the air getting thinner, I think?.”

“Ah, that’s right! Well, I certainly don’t get it.

Tia’s analogy was extremely convincing, but at the same time I knew that I couldn’t understand it in any way, because I couldn’t feel the power of spirits in the slightest. … Is it because this body of mine is human that I can’t feel the power of spirits? Or is it because I’m a Demon King and I’m incompatible with spirits or something……?

“Wait. Is that okay?”

“It’s okay. It’s not that I’m going to die just because I’ve lost the power of the spirits. It’s just that my body is confused because of the loss of something that I take for granted. Also, it’s impossible to use spirit magic here as usual. If there is a battle, I am sorry to say but I may not be able to be of much help.”

“….Right. It’s fine, It’s better to know in advance.”

Tia, who was unable to use spirit magic, would have much lower combat power. She would still be stronger than the average adventurer, but if she fights the same way she always does, she may make an irreversible mistake. We have to be careful about this.

“Then I guess it was rather a good thing that we brought Eleas.”

“I think so. I think that Eleas-kun is stronger than I am now in terms of pure swordsmanship without the aid of spirit magic.”

“No way!? That’s—“

“It’s true. Counting on you, okay?”

“Tia-san …. Yes, I’ll do my best!”

When Tia easily admitted that she was the weaker one and relied on Eleas, who was younger than her, Eleas was surprised and puzzled, but responded with a good spirit. Of course, neither Tia nor I had any real intention of relying entirely on Eleas, but it’s good to be motivated. I’ll just have to provide the necessary support so that he doesn’t spin out of control.

And so, while engaging in light conversation like this, we continued onward through the forest. We arrived at our destination with the [Akashic Compass], which was introduced as a “useful magical tool” to Eleas, and found a magnificent tree that was about twice as thick as the surrounding trees.

“It must be here.”

""

I went around the tree in a circle to check, and the response was definitely this is THE TREE. There was a small peep-hole in the trunk, so it was probably in there.

“I’m getting a reaction from this hole …., now what do we do?”

“Look into it? Or should I stick my finger in?”

“I don’t want to do either of those things.”

Tia said jokingly, to which I replied with a wry smile. Only a dumb goblin in heat could imagine having fun in such a dangerous place. Of course, my head was not made for such happy imaginings.

However, it was also true we would find nothing staying like this. So we want to somehow widen this hole so we can see inside. ….

“Can’t you just burn this hole with magic?”

“Hmm, normally I can do it, but it’s impossible in this place. Like I said earlier, it’s impossible to control the output, let alone the precise control.”

“I see. Well, if you can’t do it, I guess there’s nothing we can do.”

“Um, can’t we just try sticking a stick or something in there?”

“I do have a way to do it manually, but it’s inside… there? I want to confirm it without stimulating anything if possible. Which is better, cutting it down or not?”

If we cut it down, a large shock would be generated, but it would only be transmitted secondarily to the contents. On the other hand, if a stick was inserted, even though it was a small shock, it would directly stimulate the contents, so I think this was more dangerous. And that action was more like an attack, regardless of the intent.

“Hmmmmmmm…..Yosh, Let’s cut it down!”

After a reasonable amount of contemplation, I chose to cut down the tree. When cutting down a tree, we can get away from it as soon as it is cut down, but when poking it with a stick, we have to hold it in our hand at a short distance.

Once that was decided, all that was left was to do it. I had them stand back and took the [Dawnbreaker] in my hand and readied myself. I was thinking of cutting off the top part from the peep hole first, and if that didn’t make any difference, I was going to cut off the hole part from the base…….!?

“”””””KikiKiKakiKikiKakakakakakaka!!!””””””

“Whoa!?”

As if sensing my murderous intent, a familiar cacophony of sound suddenly echoed from within the hole. At the same time, the tree that seemed to contain the Demon King’s power began to tremble and wither at an alarming rate.

“Tsk, he’s on the move!”

“What should we do, Ed!? Attack?”

“No, Wait a minute.”

It was quite an unfortunate encounter last time, but it may not be the same this time. In front of me, the dead trees condensed into a human-like shape as I stood on guard, protecting Tia and the others behind me.

““““Kukakakikakokakoki…………kukii!”””””

It also spewed a black miasma from the chest area, but it did not spread indiscriminately and only lingered around the dead wooden doll. After waiting for a while, the black miasma cleared up and… there was a crude wooden doll that looked like me.

“Kuka,…… Kaki…””

“What is that, Ed-san…? Tia-san, what the hell is this…!?”

“Shhh! Shut up now!”

Eleas, who was the only one here who did not anticipate this, asked Tia a question, but Tia responded sharply. I was able to confirm that Eleas was not distraught at all from that exchange alone, so I called out to the Demon King in front of me once again.

“Yo, Maou-sama. Do you understand me?”

“Ka, kiki….Stomach, Hungry….”

“Are you hungry? Well, Want some …. food?”

I take a piece of dried meat from my waist bag and hold it out in front of the Demon King’s face. The Demon King looked at it curiously and …… his gaze crept up my arm, up my chest, and up to my face.

“Stomach, Hungry… Power… Power, Power? Power…. Alot….?”

“I have a really bad feeling about this, but why don’t we talk about it first? Conversations are important, you know?”

“POWER POWER! POWER EAT! I, ME, SAME!”

“Damn it, is there no room for discussion!?”

Numerous black tendrils extended from the body of the Wooden Demon King. I hastily jumped away from the scene while cutting them off, and my dependable companions lined up beside me.

“Well, yes, of course. I knew this would happen.”

“Then why didn’t you attack first?!”

“There are certain steps that adults have to take even though they know! Let’s go!”

Me, Tia, and Eleas. Holding our swords, in front of chuckling wooden Demon King with his tendrils wiggling. Looks like the other side is totally willing to do the same.

“Now, Subjugation Of Demon King, BEGINS!”

“Yes!”

“Yes! Wait, DEMON KING!?”

Leaving the astonished Eleas behind for a moment, Tia and I leaped at the Demon King.