Volume 8 - CH 31

The next destination was the capital of the demon ogres.

What was passed was not the assembly hall, but the huge room where Queen Dowager Meredeva was waiting.

“I’ve already heard from Domvo.”

King Vill’s mother Meredeva says, with her enormous body lying on her bed.

“But if possible, I wanted to hear from you, Your Majesty. Were you there with the Demon King?”

“yes”

King Vill looks straight at his own mother and says.

“If you’ve heard that much from Domvo, you already know what I’m looking for.”

“Are you asking us to evacuate the people of the village at the foot of the mountain? This is not acceptable.”

On her bed, Meredeva shakes her head.

“It would be nice enough to tell them about the danger of an eruption.”

“What on earth is the way of life of a demon ogre?”

“The strong will survive and get what they want… Your Majesty. Needless to say.”

“……Is that so”

King Vill took a step forward.

“Then, even if I use my power here and now to get what I want―――― Mother will accept it.”

“Huh… Vill. I can’t help it.”

As Meredeva sighed, a soldier behind her stepped forward.

He was a strong demon ogre. Even larger than the large King Vill. He has a spear as his weapon and wears armor on his body.

Meredeva said like she was disappointed.

“Do you think that I am not prepared for that degree?”

The soldier stepped in and at the same time raised the butt of the spear.

To her son, who was also her king, Meredeva showed no hesitation in wielding her power.

For a moment, I hesitated as to whether I should intervene.

What stopped me was that King Vill didn’t seem to be afraid of the soldiers in front of him at all.

His big hand opens the book he was holding.

“――――Come from the bottom of the dark lake, [Abyss Kraken].”

Along with King Vill’s muttering, a violent flow of power springs up around the book.

Then, the particles of light that oozed out of the page materialized as thick tentacles lined with suction cups.

“Mmm…! Guuu…!!”

The tentacles grabbed the guard in an instant, lifted him up into the air and tightened around him.

In the meantime, materialization continued.

The black writhing tentacles increased from five to six. Four ominous beaks are formed in the pale glowing eyes.

It seemed to be a powerful aquatic monster, similar to an octopus or squid.

Abyss Kraken, a high-level monster with water and dark attributes.

That book must be the magic book that made a contract with him.

The demon ogre is not only physically strong, but also possesses excellent magical power, which is typical of demons. It wouldn’t be strange if King Vill could summon this many monsters.

However, it was unexpected.

“The game will be won.”

King Vill muttered and closed the book.

At that moment, the giant octopus that was trying to carry the guard to its mouth disappeared. It becomes a particle of light and is sucked in between the pages.

The guards who fell to the floor seemed to be unable to stand up due to their armor being distorted.

Looking down at the book in his hand, King Vill said.

“I’m glad I had time to analyze this magic book above the sky. Even so, to be able to summon an Abyss Kraken with this amount of magic… the content of the contract is really sophisticated. Human wisdom and ingenuity. Is wonderful”

“Oh, really this child”

Seeing King Vill like that, Queen Meredeva lamented.

“What a way he fights! I gave him such a big body.”

“Mom gave me this brain above all else. It’s just like I showed you.”

“…”

King Vill said to the silent Queen Dowager Meredeva.

“Are you satisfied with this, Mother?”

“…”

“I’m asking if you’re really satisfied with this kind of settlement. There’s no reason, no consideration of the superiority or inferiority of opinions, and the fact that things were decided through a mere comparison of violence… without reason or consideration of the merits of opinion?”

“… as expected, you don’t know anything. Vill.”

Meredeva smiled as she looked at her troubled child.

“Whether you agree or not, it doesn’t matter. Because the world has been like that since the beginning. Not only demon ogres, but also other races.”

“…”

“Many of these structures have been buried in the depths of society along with development, but the Demon Ogre has only preserved it as it was in its original form. Is it easy to understand, or is it not? The proof of that is that the humans you love have fought with each other more than we have.”

“…But we must change.”

“Can you do that? Vill”

Queen Meredeva asks calmly, but she is stern.

“You who have resorted to violence now. How long can you talk about your ideals when you turn a human grimoire on your mother?”

“Mother seems to be misunderstanding… I’m not a pacifist.”

King Vill declares to Meredeva who blinks her eyes.

“Fighting is fine. Even I have tried to win over others. I’m telling you to stop relying on unfair standards. The strong ones who survive from now on are the smart ones.  In order to survive, my ideals will make the ogre stronger.”

Then, King Vill announces.

“For that reason, I won’t choose any other means.

Meredeva closed her eyes and was silent for a moment.

But she  soon opens her mouth.

“Okay. Do whatever you want.”

Meredeva tells King Vill, who is staring at her with his eyes wide open.

There was a gentle smile on her lips.

“You have won your mother and you have earned the right.”

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

The next day.

We boarded the dragon and departed from the demon ogre’s royal capital.

“It was a little… unexpected.”

I say to King Vill.

“How could you stand up to you mother like that?”

I definitely thought it would be a debate.

King Vill seemed to spit on the savagery of violence.

“I just thought that if I didn’t do that, mother wouldn’t listen.”

King Vill answers curtly.

“King Plushe told me before, and I reflected a little on it myself. If fighting is the cultural foundation of the ogre people, I think we should be a little more supportive of them. If all we do is talk about it from a distance, we certainly won’t be able to make anything convincing.”

“Really……”

“Well, then”

As if to add, King Vill said quietly.

“I might have been influenced to some degree by the big idiot who often was training his number one spear.”

“But you’re welcome, Vildamund.”

King Plushe said happily.

“Not only did your request go through, but that terrifying mother seemed somewhat happy.”

“Eh… I guess so. It was more bland than I expected, and I didn’t really understand what you were thinking…”

“As someone who is sensitive to people, I understand. It seems that she was always worried about her big-headed son. I’m sure she will help you from now on.”

“It’s superfluous to have a big head. But… I hope so.”

“More importantly, the next problem is.”

King Sigil said in a somewhat uneasy voice.

“Hey Gauss, are you ready to go?”

“…Hmm! Did you say something?”

King Gauss raised his head as if he hadn’t heard.

In his hand was a book borrowed from King Vill.