Volume 3 - CH 4.2

Malm War. It was a legendary battle in which each country is divided into two camps and fought fierce battles all over the continent.

Originally it was a battle between two great powers, but it eventually developed into a big war involving other nations as allies. The battle lasted for a long time and in the end, it incurred the wrath of the goddess, and it was said that the two great nations that caused the problem were transformed into lands wherein the power of spirits could not flow as punishment.

The vast Malm Desert in the middle of the continent is said to have been the site of the two countries. However, it is remained a legend and it is still uncertain whether it really existed.

“Yes, that was the Malm War. It seems that many people think that it is just a legend but that war actually happened. Because of that, the number of humans decreased──by about half of what it was before the war.”

“Half……”

The world’s population has been cut in half. In other words, one out of two is dead. Even the invasion of the demons 400 years ago, which is said to have been terrible, would not have cost that much.

“It was the biggest battle of all time. That was enough to upset the world…… And even as of today, during wars, those with great magical powers are being placed at the front lines. Magic was already established by the time of the War of Malm, and the battle mainly used magic. But magic takes a lot of sacrifices. Human lives were lost steadily. So are magicians. The war also reduced the number of magicians…… Do you understand what that means? Those with great magical powers died. As a result, magical power rapidly evaporated from the world. To the extent that the survival of the world was jeopardized.”

Although the goddess ended the war by directly intervening with it, along with the Spirit Kings, neither the lost lives nor the magical powers were immediately restored. It seemed that the world that lost the magical powers was heading for its destruction.

However, the magical powers brought from another world is a power that the goddess cannot produce. And then she remembered that humans came from another world.

And the conclusion she made──was to summon a new existence with magical powers…… In other words, she summoned the demons.

“The demons are typically a race that lives individually and does not flock. They do not grow so rapidly. Even so, even weak demons have many times the magical power of humans. It was perfect for replenishing magical power. In addition, by giving the threat of demons, conflicts between humans can be suppressed. For the goddess, their existence is like hitting two birds with one stone . . . or it was supposed to be.”

Rufaga-sama looked down, interrupting his speech for the first time.

“No, it did work as the goddess expected for a while after summoning them, but there was a miscalculation.”

“The Demon King……?”

When I blurted out those words, Rufaga-sama nodded.

“Yes, it is the Demon King. The Demon King was born in this world through mutation.”

Although demons were summoned in a hurry to replenish the magical power, it seems that it was done after careful consideration. The goddess summoned mainly demon beasts, and did not include high-ranking demons.

It seems that there was a Demon King in the original world where the demons came from. However, high-ranking demons were not born from demon beasts. Therefore, even if you summon a demon beast, only the demon beast will increase. In that case, the goddess thought that it would be possible for humans to subdue it, and that it would not pose a threat to the world…… No, maybe it was the survival instinct of the demon species.

As the demons settled down, their magical power increased, the number of humans who stopped fighting recovered, and the world regained its stability. Even if there was a conflict between the demon beasts and humans, it is trivial for the goddess and the Spirit Kings. The most important thing for them was the survival and stability of the world.

……But it seems that such a peaceful period did not last long.

It seems that high-ranking demons were born through mutation from the weak demon beasts. ──Handsome and possesses enormous magical powers, an existence called Demon King.

Based from the original world principle that high-ranking demons will not be born from demon beasts, it sounds impossible. Contrary to the expectations of the confused goddess and Spirit Kings, it seems that high-ranking demons were born one after another following the birth of the Demon King.

──It seems that the world has become unstable again. This time the amount of magical power has increased too much.

Even though humans decreased in number again after several attacks from the proliferating demons, the total amount of magical power continued to increase, and it seems that the magical power that is supposed to protect the world has begun to oppress the world itself.

“The world exists by balancing the magical powers and the magic of the goddess. However, if one of them increases unilaterally…… the world will lose the balance of powers and will head for collapse. At any rate, the Demon King had to be eliminated. With his birth, demons enter breeding season and increase in number. But the goddess cannot directly intervene with what happens in the world. Her role is to guide the flow of things in the whole world. She cannot directly eliminate the Demon King. If she uses her power for such a thing, the balance of the power flowing in the world will be lost immediately. Therefore, the goddess chose a human with magical power that could oppose the demons, and decided to let him defeat the Demon King by giving him more powers and blessing…… Needless to say, that is a Hero. At the same time, the goddess gave the Hero another role. That is ‘keeping the balance of the magical powers in the world’.”

──The Hero defeats the Demon King and hunts the demons who have increased too much. But he should not excessively annihilate them. Because the demons are indispensable for the survival of the world. An existence that hunts only the necessary amount and keeps the balance between the magical power of humans and the magical power of demons. ──That is the Hero.

On the other hand, demons were forcibly summoned from another world to supplement this world with magical power. It was race that may have been mutated to preserve their species and created the existence of a demon king, but if their number increases too much, it will be harmful for the world……

Rufaga-sama used the word “exterminate”.

──A mechanism created by the goddess for the survival of the world.

To use the magical power of humans and demons to stabilize the world. And make them fight to adjust the amount of magical power. A cruel battle that ends in an endless cycle.

It is natural that demons hate humans. Humans think they are victims without knowing the truth of the world, when in fact, they play the role of suppressing the demons as the minions of the goddess.

At the same time, I found out.

“The Demon King attacking humans…… It is not just because of hatred……”

To leave as many demons as possible. To reduce the amount of human magical power and increase the room for the demons to increase their magical power as much as possible…… because as long as the goddess stipulates, the Demon King is destined to be hunted by the Hero.

The true victim of that cruel system are not human beings…… It is a being called the “Demon King”.

“However, if you sympathize with the Demon King and do nothing, it will lead to the destruction of human beings and the collapse of the world. It sounds ruthless, but in order to protect the world, the Demon King must be always subdued…… That’s the status quo. That is why there is a Hero. However, if the demons who have the Demon King at the top and the humans who have weaker magical power than them compete properly, the humans will definitely lose. That is why the goddess bestowed to the Hero great power and blessing…… Yes, it seems that humans were given preferential treatment and demons were given cold treatment. It is both right and wrong. That is why humans hid the truth.”

“Wh-What do you mean……?”

──“Humans were the last thing Atillard created before he went into slumber. On the other hand, the demons who were born from tears of mourning are hated in the world. That is why the demons envy and hate humans.” That is the creation myth we know.

……The hidden truth is the mechanism for the survival of the world. And what was conveniently altered was that both humans and demons came from different worlds.

But why did it have to be hidden or modified?

“The goddess does not want humans to perish. But keep in mind that it was never out of mercy. There is a reason why the goddess placed the responsibility on humans. It has a lot to do with the extent to which the goddess can intervene in the world.”

“The extent to which the goddess can intervene in the world?”

“Yes. In the first place, the goddess is not as omnipotent as humans think. You already know that from the story so far. The role of the goddess is to supply power to the world and keep an eye on its fate. The goddess thinks of the whole world, not of the individual’s circumstances. Even the Hero’s mission is like a last minute-intervention because it is related to the survival of the world. As such, the goddess can only work directly with what she has created. That’s why the goddess relied on humans.”

“Huh? If that’s the case, she should not be able to intervene with humans, right?”

I tilted my head. Humans are theoretically not created by the goddess. They came from another world. So, isn’t it impossible for her to exert her influence directly with them?

Rufaga-sama smiled.

“Well, in reality, half of humans belong to this world, so intervention is still possible. But demons are not. They are outside the scope of the goddess’s intervention…… Humans and demons. Why is there such a difference when they both came from another world? The answer lies in the vessel.”

Humans are born with physical bodies. Originally from a different world, they are born with blood and flesh in this world, and when they die, their bodies return to this world. So it seems that half of their beings belong to the world.

However, the demons are different. The main bodies of the demons are their nucleus, which is also a mass of magical power, and the vessel is created by their own magical power.

Human beings have magical powers, who came from another world, but whose bodies belong to this world. On the contrary, the demons, who do not have a physical body, make their existence viable only through their magical power. They remain foreign beings as they were when they were first summoned, and they do not belong to this world.

If the goddess can interfere with the demons, it should be possible for her to eliminate the cycle of the Demon King’s appearance itself, which occurs once every several hundred years. However, all the goddess actually does is select a hero from the humans and bestow her powers when the Demon King is born. So to speak, they only have a makeshift solution.

She dealt with it by setting up the existence of a hero and creating an unwritten rule that “the Demon King should defeated by the Hero”.

“This is also the reason why the goddess seems to be supporting humans. Humans and demons. One can be controlled to some extent while the other cannot. If she wants to pick on which side to rely on, naturally, she must be able to control it. It would be easy for her to deal with it once a problem arises. However……”

Rufaga-sama said something, then he suddenly shut his mouth and looked down. Based from his appearance, it seems that he himself is not convinced by the goddess’s support.

Feeling the anxiety rise in my chest, I clasped my hand tightly on my lap. Certainly, unlike the demons who are suppressed and hunted every time the Demon King is born, humans seems have been given preferential treatment. It makes sense for the goddess to choose a Hero, to be convinced that it is her patronage.

But…… is that really the case? Now that I know the truth of the world, I don’t think so. Rufaga-sama also said that she was never compassionate. That word must have some meaning.

Is it okay for humans to be given preferential treatment? Isn’t it just convenient for the goddess?

They should be eliminated as a foreign existence, but then she realized that their magical powers were useful so she allowed them to stay in the world.

It is easy to control, so you rely on them? But what does that mean?

……I trembled with fear when I realized something.

When the demons breed and the Demon King is born, it is the Hero who hunts him to stabilize the amount of magical power that flows in the world.

Then, within the two hundred-year gap where the Demon King was not born and there was no hero, how was that done? [T/N: Aria means that, how was the world stabilized?]

Neither the number of humans nor the number of demons is always constant. The longer the peaceful period, the more humans there will be, right?

Of course, the demons too. If that happens, the magical power that flows through the world will only increase.

──Without the demons’ attacks.

──Without war between humans.

──If the disease does not spread.

──If a natural disaster does not strike.

Rufaga-sama said that the goddess can interfere with humans to some extent.

I felt something cold feeling spread to the pit of my stomach.

I remembered Greed-sama’s words.

“This world is warped and unreasonable, not a kind world at all.”

Yes, Greed-sama. It really is. This world is warped, unreasonable, and unfriendly. For both humans and demons.

……Because for the goddess, both humans and demons are the same. By letting them kill each other, they are just gears that can be conveniently used. The gears of the device to stabilize the world.

And it lasts forever until the end of the world. The Demon King continues to be born, and the Hero keeps defeating it. It is a cycle…… Because the goddess wants it.

They are continued to be conveniently used by the hands of the stark cold destiny──

The truth of the world, which had to be obscured by a convenient myth.

“These facts are known to us elves and only a handful of humans. Many believe in the false myth and recognize that demons do harm to the world.”

It would be so. No one wants to think that humans are just a source of magical power to the world, just like demons. If they feel that all is lost in the world, humans will not be able to live.

They continue to provide magical powers to the world and are allowed to exist in return. To live in this world, they have to rely on the goddess.

──That is why the myth has been altered. In the hopes that humans could live in this world.

“Greed-sama said this world is distorted. So that’s what it was all about, huh……”

I cast my eyes downward and said in a quivering voice.

I felt the loneliness, suddenly becoming uncertain. As expected, I was shocked by this story.

An imperfect world. An imperfect system to keep it alive. A world that becomes even more distorted.

“……Yes. The truth is first told to the Hero and his comrades through us elves. Once they knew everything and won’t have the strength to fight, their hearts will break first before they could even reach the Demon King. Heroes fight on the front lines as the representatives of the human race. Since the demons knew the truth, the heroes will surely come into contact with the truth while fighting them. They will know the truth of this distorted world. But they don’t want to despair and abandon the battle.”

Then Rufaga-sama bitterly smiled.

“……In the distant past, someone who knew the truth felt hopeless at the world, and abandoned the fight. Fortunately he wasn’t a hero…… But since then, it became customary to talk to the heroes first and ask their readiness. So Greed and the others now knew the truth. I told them. Because it is one of the roles of an elf. ”

“The role of the elf……?”

“Yes, as you may know if you have read ‘The Hero’s Tales’, there is always an elf in every Hero’s party. That is because he has a certain role.”

Certainly, the generations of heroes always had elves as their guide. However, the reason why the elf is called a guide and why he always accompanied the Hero in his journey was not written in “The Hero’s Tales”.

I haven’t questioned that until now. I simply assumed that the heroes had companion elves. For example, even a priest is always present in the Hero’s party. I thought they were appointed. But I had forgotten that there was a reason for the priest to accompany the Hero.

The priest accompanies the Hero to connect him to the temple and to bestow [Blessing] to the party’s battles.

……Then what about the elf? A guide? To where does he lead the Hero?

“One of the roles of the elf is to tell the heroes the truth of the world, as I said earlier. And to assist the heroes in their battles. We have a special ability──because we can feel the flow of magical powers. Perhaps this is because we are the descendants of the Spirit King.”

According to Rufaga-sama, the elves can vaguely understand how much magical power is flowing in the world and how it is balanced with the power of the goddess and the spirits. Broadening it, they can also feel where the nucleus of the demon’s magical power is.

……It now makes sense why Rufaga-sama’s name came out from Greed-sama’s mouth during his battle with Azul.

High-ranking demons will not be eliminated without crushing the core of their magical power. However, it seems that Greed-sama cannot see the nuclei of the demons. Therefore, he did not know where the nucleus of magical power was in Azul’s body so he went on slashing various parts of his body.

“But those roles are only secondary. The true role of the elf is to monitor the Hero.”

“Monitor?”

Despite my agitation borne from his disturbing words, Rufaga-sama continued.

“That’s right. The elf must keep an eye on the Hero so as not to excessively hunt for demons and for the heroes not to go on a rampage. That is why an elf always join the Hero’s journey. Because the elf race exists to keep the world in balance.”

“Keep . . . in balance?”

“This world is made up of a well-balanced flow of magical powers of the goddess and the spirits, as well as of humans and of demons. It is the role of us elves given to our ancestors by the goddess to monitor the flow and amount of power . . . and to keep the world alive. I am fulfilling that role by watching over Greed and the others to monitor them. And now that Demon King has been subdued, the biggest concern now is your existence. This is because you can influence Greed, who has the greatest power among all the heroes, in both good and bad ways. If you wish, Greed can annihilate the demons, upset the balance of the powers, and destroy the world…… You can see how fragile this world is from the explanations so far, right?”

“Ye-Yes……”

I nodded.

A world that is difficult to maintain but easy to destroy. That is our world, isn’t it? Just because the perilous equilibrium is broken, it is going to collapse. Such a fragile, fragile world.

Only one person──Greed-sama can destroy it.

And the key to him is…… I, the terribly unwilling maid A, who is supposed to be a mob.

……Isn’t the load a little too heavy?

But whether I want it or not, it is a fact that can’t be changed. Right now, I am giving my all in training Greed-sama to change…… no, I mean, I am educating him!

That is why Rufaga-sama is warning me. The situation is more serious than I thought. In other words, he wants me to act more cautiously with a sense of crisis.

──The world. Who would have thought that many people would be involved in the survival of the world……

Rufaga-sama then said to me with a faraway look.

“I think I’ve talked about what I want you to know. Then let me ask you as an elf . . . Do you despair of this world? This unnatural and distorted world, do you think it is better to destroy it?”

──Huh?

That was a question I did not expect.

Rufaga-sama asked me if I, not Greed-sama, want to destroy the world.

Whether I want to ask for a reset out of despair of this distorted world──

Rufaga-sama’s serious look bored through me. I stared back at Rufaga-sama with a stunned expression.

──I, towards the world……?

……

……

……

Exactly three seconds later, I replied.

“I don’t want that, because I’m not interested in the world.”

Immediately after I answered, Rufaga-sama’s eyes constricted.

……is an exaggeration. But I am sure that he was flabbergasted. Isn’t it rare to see Rufaga-sama like this?

Indeed, I am not like Rufaga-sama who has the role of telling the truth, to end my statement with “I am not interested”. But that was what I honestly feel.

The story is too grand for a mob like me to keep in pace with. No, I understand. However, the self-awareness of the brain, emotions, and the status as a mob cannot keep up with it.

Though I cannot keep up with it, I still don’t think I should wish that it is better for the world to disappear out of despair.

“I want to hear the opposite. Why should I despair of the truth of the world and want to reset everything?!”

Rufaga-sama does not have enough understanding of mobs like me who think that way.

“……But there was actually such a human being. From an era of the hero many generations ago. Someone despaired of the endless chain of tragedy and wished for the end of the world.”

“Is that one of the Hero’s party you mentioned earlier?”

I frowned and asked Rufaga-sama, who has recovered from his shock a while ago.

“Yes. He was a swordsman with a good sword arm. According to one elf elder, his family was slaughtered by the demons, so he refined his sword arm out of revenge. However, he was fighting with a strong desire not only out of hatred and revenge, but also to create a world where demons would not kill families like what happened to his. Therefore, he could not accept it [T/N: the truth]. It was forbidden for the demons to be annihilated, and instead of stopping the same tragedy from happening again, that would make the cycle repeat again [T/N: demons killing humans]. He was indignant, anguished, hopeless, and the conclusions he made was──”

“To reset the world?”

“Yes, for him the purpose of his life was to eradicate the demons. He lost it, so the world has no meaning to him.”

However, the role of the hero is to keep the balance of magical power for the survival of the world. Naturally, he could not accept that idea, and he separated from the Hero’s party. Was it like that?

Heh, I thought. If I had not been sitting down, I would have been stamping my foot on the floor now.

……Really, that’s why quasi-protagonists are……!

Do they feel like they’re carrying everything on their shoulders and act like a tragic hero? Is his despair = human despair? His own hopelessness will result in the destruction of the world? [T/N: HAHAHAHAHA! OH MY! Really, Aria!? XDDD]

──Ridiculous! Go back to being a mob! [T/N: Rufaga must have fallen in his chair had he knew Aria’s thoughts. XD]

No one has the right to decide that. That person, and of course me. Then there is the modification of myth. Was it changed so that humans would not despair in the world?

……Let’s be clear. Most humans do not feel hopeless for the world even if they know it.

Because no matter how people feel, the world has always been that way. Humans will just accept it and continue to live. Worrying what to do about something that is beyond your power, let alone despair? That’s just a waste of time.

──When I said that, Rufaga-sama was stunned again. I still have a lot to say, okay?!

To put it bluntly, the world doesn’t matter to many others. People who know the truth of the world──if we analyze the story about the protagonists and quasi-protagonists, one might assume that it is because they didn’t know the truth, but that’s not the case.

Mobs are doing their best to live today and tomorrow. Even if they knew the truth of the world, what would it have to do with their daily lives? They are working hard with what they are given, and they cannot afford to think about the truth of the world and the relationship between humans and demons.

Are they thinking about the world until they stopped working? That’s what the protagonists of the story will do!

Mobs are different. Whenever I stop for a moment at work, I thought about myself, my friends and family, my daily life…… those kinds of thing, not the world. But that’s not because I ignore the world, but because I accepted it.

The world is actually different from what I thought? Unreasonable? The goddess was not really kind to humans?

That’s natural!

I never thought that the world was kind to me. Those who thought that the world is fair and kind are those who were fortunate. For most humans, the world is just unreasonable. However, they accepted it and continued to live.

──They lived as usual.

Even if the truth of the world will be revealed, I can assure that it will not change.

“And if I may add, Rufaga-sama. People have no choice but to live to the fullest in what they were born with. Whether they are mobs or heroes, that doesn’t differ.”

I admit that I’m a mob and mediocre, but I am not without dissatisfaction with my status quo. I always wondered if I’m a little beautiful and I always wished I had a chest.

Besides, I used to long for something special.

……It’s strange, though. I myself am mediocre, but my family is unique. Even the nobles around me have looked at me with ridicule and disrespect and will call me, “That Mildford”.

Our clan is known for having extraordinary passion for hobbies despite how troublesome it is. The current head is horse crazy and the next head is a book nerd──that is, my father and my brother. The trend has always been attracting attention from other people.

I was born to such a family, but I was only recognized as a member of the clan. “The daughter of that Milford family”.

A few people saw me as “just Aria”. That is, other family members and relatives.

That’s why I wanted to be a special person. If that happens, I will be able to stay proud without feeling daunted. Like my father or my brother who didn’t care about the whispers around them.

But in the end, I became mediocre, possessed nothing special, and was just manipulated by my family every day. Standing between the extraordinary and the mediocre, I couldn’t be either.

……But it seems that some people around me still thought I was special.

I noticed that when I was ten or eleven years old.

There was a boy about the same age as me from a baron’s family, which possessed land adjacent to our Milford estate. He is my so-called childhood friend.

His name is Joshua. He has brown hair and black eyes, and is as inconspicuous as I am──he is an eldest son with a so-called mob temperament. That person said suddenly.

“I’m so envious at how special Aria is! I also wanted such a father. As a man, I admire the fact that he is always carefree and does everything even if he complains how troublesome it is!”

Joshua, who constantly repeated this, shocked me as if I had been hit in the head.

You envy that kind of life? The days I spent being exploited by my family and being frightened about what will happen next……?

Feeling frustrated at my father who kept on saying, “We’ll be able to manage it,” with my mother and servants trying to make ends meet? Dragging my brother who doesn’t come out of the library everyday?

But in Joshua’s eyes, even that seemed special. I was the one who envied his ordinary and sensible parents.

──At that moment I realized. That being special doesn’t mean anything.

Ordinariness. And that is fine. There is nothing you can do even if you long for something that doesn’t exist, and if you look at something that looks special from a different perspective, that’s what it is. And my father’s uniqueness is even supported by my mediocre mother and servants.

And many others. That’s enough. That’s just fine. Even if you want to be a protagonist, it can’t be helped it you have nothing equivalent to it.

An ordinary face and a small chest. I was born with these, so I have to live with them. Then, why not make the most of what I have?!

It is the same with the world. It can’t be helped that I was born in this distorted world. That is also one of the things I was born with. If I can’t change it easily, then I’ll just accept it and do what I need to do.

──A swordsman who wanted to reset the world.

I’m sure he was a very serious person.

I might be just imagining it, but I’m sure that person despaired for the world and at the same time for himself. To himself who cannot change the situation.

……That’s what I thought. That special human beings are given too much. So they desire for more. I think they had to do it because they can do it. They can’t accept unreasonable things. They carry something that others can’t carry on their shoulders.

However, the world is not easily changed or destroyed even by a goddess. If it was easy to reset, the goddess would have done it by now.

So before despairing for the world, he should have accepted the truth and did what he could, before becoming hopeless with himself…… I think.

“……The story is a little off, but in short, if we have been born in this world, we should accept it and live by doing what we can. No, we should accept the world. No matter how distorted, unreasonable and unkind it is to us. That’s what I meant with being uninterested. If I was born in such a world, I will live there. It is a matter of course. So I won’t despair. I don’t even want a reset. This is my answer.”

While I was talking, Rufaga-sama was listening intently all the time. First, with a blank expression, then with a serious look.

However, immediately after I finished talking, he suddenly sputtered!

“Wh-Why are you laughing!?”

So how do you find the story thus far? Let me know what you think. ^_^