Volume 8 - CH 24

After a long silence, I open my mouth.

“But that’s… isn’t it a matter of course if you think about it?”

I hesitantly said to Risolera.

“If the settlement develops, the population will increase. If that happens, new fields and houses will be needed. Any creature will have to cultivate new land. Or is it different for demons?”

“Probably, but that tendency is not as strong in demons as it is in humans.”

Risolera answered quietly.

“They don’t want to leave their ancestral lands, and they don’t want to widen the borders of their settlements. On rare occasions, there are some eccentrics who want to set up new lands, but even in such cases, they carefully choose a place that doesn’t conflict with other settlements. For the settlement is the land of their ancestors.”

“…”

“So, wars between demon clans rarely occur. If the places where they live do not overlap, there will be no conflicts. Rather,……, it is more like the humans are too spread out and uncontrolled. No other creature likes to live from sea to mountain, from hot to cold. Isn’t that why humans are constantly fighting each other?”

“…”

If you ask me, it seems that way.

From scorching deserts to frigid snowfields, humans are everywhere. Surely this one might be an anomaly.

“But wouldn’t that make it harder for the population to grow?”

“Yes”

Risolera nodded.

“It is said that the demon territory has retreated to this point because it has become inferior to the ever-increasing number of humans. In the last 500 years, the demons’ territory has not been taken by humans. However, instead of that, there are more conflicts between the races. Or, the big monsters are disappearing, but there are harmful effects.”

“So that’s it……”

In retrospect, the king and representatives were also talking about such things.

Is there a background to that?

“I kind of understood it, but…you said earlier that there were two reasons.”

Risolera nodded.

“What is the other reason?”

“That is… the existence of the Demon King and the Hero.”

Risolera said with a slightly depressed expression.

“They are destined to fight, and because of that, demons and humans inevitably end up fighting.”

“…Isn’t it the opposite of cause and effect? Because humans and demons are at war, they are supposed to be given such a role. I heard that thanks to that, we are behind the times in terms of fighting power.”

“No. The conflict between demons and humans will always be centered on them.”

“That’s…why?”

“The hero and the demon king—one of them will definitely lose his sanity. Ever since I can remember, already.”

“……what?”

“No, it’s hard to say. It might be a little different from losing your mind.”

Risolera continued with a difficult face.

“But at least you won’t be able to live peacefully. If you’re a demon king, you’ll be hostile to humans, and if you’re a hero, you’ll be fiercely hostile to the demons, and you’ll throw yourself into the fight. Eventually, it will involve all races and lead to a great war. It will develop… The demon king will form a large army and invade the human country, and the hero will go to defeat the demon king with a small number of heroes, but the destination will be the same.”

“…”

“Even in the previous war, there was a sense of danger that the heroes would attack, and that is why we were able to form the Demon Lord’s army even though there was opposition from the forest elves and the dwarves. The reason why it ended without a hitch is that if the Demon King or the Hero, who will be the standard leader, is defeated, a war-weary atmosphere will suddenly drift between them. It seems that the demons and humans cannot fight all the way without the confrontation structure between the demon king and the hero. Because demons and humans are originally supposed to be separated inside that’s why”

I ask after a short pause.

“Is that… is it true?”

“…”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing. It’s not mentioned in the human lore, and Rurumu and the representatives didn’t even mention the possibility that I and the hero could somehow manage it.”

“Now there are fewer people who know about it.”

“Wait. Last time, anyway… before that?”

It is said that the last time the Hero and the Demon King were born was about 500 years ago. Even before that… it must have been over 800 years ago.

However, even the elves of the forest and the dark elves of the black forest, who are said to have the longest lifespans among the demons, should have lived about 500 years at most.

“Why do you know the story of the demons who lived 800 years ago? You… who the hell are you?”

Risolera, who heard that, blinked her eyes.

“Eh, that… Didn’t you hear from Rurumu and the other divine demons?”

“what?”

“…Maybe Seika… did you think I was just a child?”

“I didn’t know if you were old enough to be called a child in human terms… well, that’s right.”

Risolera let out a big sigh.

“What? What’s wrong? Are you much older than you look?”

“… I’m not a child.”

“…”

“When I say this, it may sound like a young divine demon just stretching the truth…. but it’s really not.”

Risolera said while casting her eyes down.

“I’ve lived longer than anyone else. More than Remzenel, more than Edentrada, more than Merdeva, more than Jormud Loo… on the contrary, more than the Elves of the Forest and the Elders of the Dark Elves of the Black Forest.”

“… what?”

“Because of the divine demons who don’t have a very long lifespan… I was the only one who possessed the [Skill] of [Eternal Age].”

Risolera announced with a slight sorrow.

“I’ve been watching the demon territory for five hundred and twenty years now.”

****************************

520 years.

I was at a loss for words due to the unexpected length of time.

If that’s the case, does that mean she has direct knowledge of the previous war?

But how did she manage that much time…

“… I want to ask one thing, what is that [skill]?”

“More than 400 years ago, there was a man with a mysterious ability among the demons.”

Risolera began to speak quietly.

“That man was able to guess the talents of other people just by looking at them. Not only magic power and sword skills, but also things like business acumen and storytelling. Even talents that he did not know. That man said that his power was due to a [skill] called ‘Status Appraisal’.”

“Status appraisal……?”

“It is said that he could perceive the power of others as characters. He said that he was born with that [skill].”

“… I’ve never heard of it.”

Even in my previous life, I had never heard of such an ability.

“Is it unique to this world…?”

Risolera continued.

“At that time, I was surrounded by a temple because I didn’t grow old anymore, so I decided to have the man take a look at me through the arrangement of the village chief. He told me that I had the [skill] of [Eternal Age]. He said it was very rare.”

“That’s… I guess so.”

I still don’t know what a [skill] is. But I do know that inborn immortality is rare.

In my previous life, immortality was something to be acquired.

There must have been people who trained to the extreme and became hermits, people who ate the flesh of demons, and people like me who used curses, but in any case immortality is an acquired ability, and there are other examples. I had never heard of it occuring this way.

From my common sense, an example like Risolera is quite special.

That’s why it was a little hard to believe. Including the unknown concept of [skill] and the mysterious ability of [Status Appraisal].

“… Didn’t anyone with the ability of ‘Status Appraisal’ appear after that demon race man? Or maybe someone with ‘eternal age’ other than you.”

When I ask, Risolera shakes her head

“The temple has been looking for it, but neither of them have been found. However… it’s a pretty special power, so it wouldn’t be strange for some people to die without being aware of it for various reasons. Not only 『Status Appraisal』, but 『Eternal Age』 as well.”

“… ‘Status Appraisal’ can be hidden and live… but isn’t ‘Eternal Age’ impossible? 　You don’t age.”

“’Eternal age’ is not ‘immortality’. You can get hurt and get sick. That’s why it wouldn’t be strange for someone with ‘eternal age’ to die young without even realizing it. Especially if it’s a race that originally had a long lifespan.”

“Oh, is that so…”

“Certainly, it wouldn’t be strange.”

“Even if it’s “Status Appraisal”, it’s an ability that could be considered insane if you talk about it blindly.” It could not be said that there were no people who had hidden it in their hearts and lived out their natural lifespans.

I let out a breath.

I still find it hard to believe, but I have no reason to deny it, and I don’t think I’m being lied to.

After a short silence, I said to the demon girl.

“… Even so, I didn’t expect you to live that long. If you are a special divine demon that doesn’t age, i guess that’s why people of other races take notice of you.”

The mystery of Risolera has finally been solved.

However, if I asked Rurumu or the person himself, they would have told me normally, so it wasn’t a mystery or anything…

“Since no one told me, I thought that you were just a high-ranking child.”

“What? Are you saying that i have a childish personality?”

“Eh, no, that…”

Rizorella sulks at me, who is confused by the glare.

“…it can’t be helped. If you look like a child, the people around you will treat you that way…if you keep your appearance the same and live the same life, your personality won’t change. Years are much shorter to me. Children who live only as a child become adults in the blink of an eye.”

“Oh… no, I understand. Somehow.”

I say so.

In my previous life, someone I met for the first time told me, “You have a more bratty personality than I thought.”

It can’t be helped. If you are surrounded by young disciples and live the same life forever, you will never grow spiritually.

It’s the same for me, as I spent my life just being left behind.

From the moment I touched upon ancient wisdom in the West——and gave up trying to revive my wife, I haven’t changed a bit.

I say with a slight smile.

“But the people around you don’t treat you like a child, do they? Remzenel seemed to have a lot of respect for you.”

“Remzenel…I know him well since he was little.”

As if remembering her past, Risolera smiled.

“I’m sure I’ll always be a bit of an older sister to him.”

“Ah, now I understand why Remzenel-dono was somehow unreliable at the meeting place.”

“Maybe it’s because I was next to him? 　In that case, I have to be stricter from now on!”

“From now on?  I feel sorry for him.”

“Don’t sympathize with Remzenel-dono, who must be in old age.”

After laughing for a while, Risolera said quietly.

“The reason I’m considered special is… not only because I don’t get old, but because I’ve met the last Demon King .”

“Eh, the Demon King?”

“There are still a few demons who know about the last great war, among the elves of the forest and the dark elves of the black forest… but I’m probably the only one who knew the demon lord directly.”

“…What kind of guy was he? The previous demon king.”

Risolera smiled and said.

“He’s nothing like Seika at all.”

“yes……”

“That person was also of mixed blood. However, he was not of human race, but of various demon races. He had blond hair, a little red skin, devil’s horns on his head, and a black birdman on his back. He had wings, he had a third eye on his forehead, and yet… he had a very bright personality.”

“…”

“He was always in a good mood, a little good-natured, and well-liked by everyone. It was right around the time when he was traveling with those who would later be known as the Four Heavenly Kings.”

“…”

“Even though I’ve met him, when I was young, when I was still not known to be immortal, I was saved when I was lost in the woods, and it was just a small adventure. I wanted to know, I wanted to go anywhere with him.”

Risolera takes a few steps, then she turns to me and says,

“Actually, I was hoping that Seika… might have memories of his previous life.”

To me who was shocked for a moment, Risolera continued.

“Maybe you remember me… But that’s not the case. Because you don’t seem to have any memories of your previous life.”

“…”

“Even so, the reason I decided to go with Seika…maybe because I wanted to regain something from those days. At that time, I had more power, and I followed him on his journey. Even now, I’m not good at magic, and I can’t even swing a sword…but thanks to my long life, I’ve learned many things, I was able to prepare various things.”

“… Oh, that’s right. It helped me a lot.”

Then I ask after a short pause.

“You… then, by any chance, don’t you hold a grudge against heroes and humans?”

“…”

“Because the previous demon king was…”

The previous demon lord was defeated by the hero.

All the great wars that have happened so far have ended with one side being defeated by the other.

Risolera averts her eyes from me and answers.

“There was a time when I held a grudge against them, But the longer I lived, …… the less I felt that way.”

“…”

“Because no matter how hostile they are, there will be no end to the demons who choose humans as partners. Just like your mother. If marriage reports keep bringing humans happily… I couldn’t hold a grudge against them forever.”

Risolera said with a wry smile.

“I wish I could get along with humans.”

“… that’s right”

“But I don’t know what they think.”

“…”

“Heroes are a threat. Even in the last war, when the party of heroes attacked the demon territory, there were a lot of casualties. That’s why, this time too…”

Risolera said with a brooding expression.

“All demons may have to unite and confront humans.”

****************************

“On the way to the hot spring.”

Yuki sticks her face out from above her head and says.

“Eternal youth and immortality in a large volcano is somewhat like the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.”

“…Who’re the actors? I’m the emperor, and Risolera is Kaguya-hime, the gentle bamboo?”

“Then what will you burn on that mountain?”

I ignored more than half of Yuki’s nonsense. Because there was much more to think about than that.

I learned many new things from that brief exchange. Humans who have carved out the demon forest. The secret of Risolera’s longevity. But above all — it’s about the Demon King and the Hero.

“I’m going to lose my sanity, huh…”

Risolera said so.

However, in reality, such a thing did not occur.

Of course, I’m not hostile towards humans, and even Amiyu gets along well with Rurumu and the others. We may be adventurous and a little rough, but we are by no means unable to live in peace.

If you don’t think about the possibility that Risolera is mistaken, does that mean I’m not the Demon Lord after all?” However, in that case, there is no explanation for the fact that the Demon King, who was supposed to throw himself into battle, has yet to appear in the world…

“… No, it’s not.”

When I suddenly realized this, I stopped involuntarily.

“… me?”

Is it because I’ve been reincarnated…?” I was supposed to be hostile to humans and challenge them to battle, in the body of the Demon King.

There is no confirmation. But then everything fits together without contradiction.

If that’s the case, then I, a person from another world, distorted it. The hero and the demon king―――― Humans and demons are destined to fight.

“I’m here…”

A strained smile involuntarily appeared.

I never thought that i would have twisted the fate of this world to this extent just by being reborn.

I shouldn’t have been in a position where I could influence the fate of the world.

Cunning people who are not afraid of power will take advantage of those who have it and try to prey on them. That is why I went to the trouble of reincarnating and becoming one of the nameless people.

I muttered to myself as I looked at the great volcano at the end of the world that rose beyond my sight.

“I wonder if it’s …… inevitable after all.”

The destiny that awaits those who are powerful.