Volume 8 - CH 37

In the midst of dawn, I quietly left the apartment with my luggage on my back.

I informed the landlord, Razurum, of the situation last night.

I did not want the representatives to get wind of it, so I kept the timing of my departure vague, but he seemed to have guessed somehow.

Razurum shook his head and refused the Imperial money i offered as a token of gratitude for his care.

And,

“Son of Gilbert, I wish you the best of luck.”

He gave me only a short farewell word with a calm expression.

The four of us silently proceeded down the still-dark road of the village.

Before long, the huge stone fence surrounding the village and the gate came into view――――That was the time.

“Ah, it looks like someone is here.”

At the same time as Ifa’s voice, I also noticed.

There was a figure near the gate.

It wouldn’t be strange if Risolera and Rurumu were there, but there were a lot of them.

“There are eight people.”

“Huh? Why?”

When I was upset, a group of figures noticed me and waved at me.

“Oh, it looks like they’re here!”

“Hey, Maou-sama!”

By that time, I finally knew who they were.

Instinctively, I rush over.

“W-why…everyone…”

“No matter what, nothing has been decided!”

King Gauss said with a hearty laugh.

“I came to see you off, Demon King!”

In addition to Rurumu and Risolera, there were six other kings.

“Everyone says it.”

“It’s watery, let’s just shut up and leave.”

“It’s not polite. You should let us say goodbye.”

“I was happy to spend time with you, Maou-sama.

“You can come and visit us anytime. Fili and the others are welcoming.”

“I-I’m grateful for that, but…”

I say, confused.

“Um, why do you know…”

“I’m sorry, Seika.”

Risolera said a little apologetically.

“I just talked about it. I’m sure everyone wants to say goodbye.”

King Athos said to me, who was at a loss for words, in a calm voice.

“It’s okay, Maou-sama. Nobody told anyone else. We came here on our own will.”

“…”

“If the delegation finds out, it will be troublesome.”

“That’s right, but…”

“I just wanted to see off the demon king-sama’s departure. I prepared a little parting gift. There.”

When I looked at what King Athos pointed out, there were two black horse-shaped monsters tied with luggage on the other side of the gate.

King Sigil said.

“We all secretly brought it from the supplies of the delegation. The pack horse is Risolera-sama, but food, cloth, and a little magic tool are in the luggage.”

“I’m sorry we don’t have much.”

“If it’s Fili’s house, there were a lot of leftover jewels…”

“Once you leave the forest, Darkmare and the others should just go home.”

Risolera said.

“Because they’re smart kids, they can come back here on their own. Seika will do his best to carry the luggage.”

“Umu, that’s right. It would be cruel to let the wives carry this much. Besides, if it’s a demon king, there won’t be any tricks.”

“… Hey, hey. I wonder if those three over there are the demon king’s wives…?”

“So, three people!? As expected of the Demon King…!”

“I’m a little shocked. I thought you were a more serious person…”

“Huh!? I can hear you, but who are you going to marry! What are you saying, you bastard demons!”

“Seika, you’re getting along with the strange ones again.”

“You’ve gotten used to it…”

I turned to face them and told them.

“No, it’s very helpful. And…”

Added hesitantly.

“I’m sorry I tried to leave silently. But… I can’t help you guys.”

“I already know”

King Athos said with a calm expression.

“Actually, everyone was vaguely aware that Demon King-sama wanted to return to the human country.”

“e……”

“The reason why everyone wanted to come to this village instead of the royal capital… To tell the truth, it was to see off the Demon King.”

I look around at everyone’s faces in surprise.

None of the kings blamed me, they just looked helpless.

“Well… well, it’s better to be where you were born and raised.”

“While learning about human culture, I realized that the Demon King has lived as a human after all.”

“Demon King-sama, you sometimes seemed like you were going home.”

“I’m sure there are important people over there. It was a cruel story to join the camp of the demons and seek hostility to humans as a demon king.”

“Oh! So don’t worry about it at all, Maou-sama!”

“… and what do you mean by saying this?”

King Athos added with a serious tone.

“Even if Demon King-sama wanted to stay here… we would have refused it.”

“e……?”

“What Risolera-sama has been saying for a long time, I truly understand this incident. Demon King-sama’s overwhelming power――――As expected, it will bring about a great war with humans.”

King Athos continues.

“If they know that power, all the demons will go mad. We can win against the human country. As long as we have the demon king, you can destroy the humans. To regain the former territory and glory in our own generation. I’m sure it can be done… This dangerous idea will surely spread throughout the Demons’ territory in an instant, causing an uncontrollable and terrifying world of war. I put it away.”

“…”

“That’s why you shouldn’t stay here. Please return to the human country, Maou-sama. May you live a peaceful and happy life there.”

King Athos added with a faint smile.

“Just be cunning to the extent that you don’t get used by human powers. The Demon King is a good person, so I’m a little worried.”

“It’s really bad that the Demon King is following the humans side…!”

“That’s right. Be really careful around here, Maou-sama.”

“… Oh, I understand.”

At their words, I involuntarily return a wry smile.

Certainly, we must continue to pay attention to that. Come to think of it, I showed a little too much power this time.

I’m really glad I’m not the kind of person that everyone wants to use me for.

If these children, who are not deceived by power, can rule, the demons will surely not rush into a world of conflict in the future.

I say.

“I’m really sorry, but… I ask you to take care of the rest. I think it’s a lot of trouble, especially with Sir Edentrada…”

“Yes, let’s do something”

King Athos also answered with a wry smile.

“I will give the Great Ravage a different role. From now on, the demons will inevitably change.”

If I were to soothe the demon who wanted to witness the upheaval, I certainly felt that it would be best to do so.

I’m sure there are many other influential people who can be troublesome, but… with these kids now, I’m sure they’ll be able to do something about it.

At that time.

“… Seika”

Rurumu, who had kept her mouth shut all this time, took a step forward and said.

“Are you really… going home? If you’re here, I’m sure the human…”

“Don’t hold him back, Rurumu. Seika shouldn’t be here.”

“But, Risolera-sama…”

“If it’s your dream, it’s okay.”

Risolera said with a reassuring smile.

“I—I will become the representative of the Demon Federation. I will carry the future of the Demons on my back and negotiate with the human nation. So don’t worry.”

“Risolera-sama…?”

“Eh… but you…”

I inadvertently interrupted.

Risolera has refused such a position for a long time because she was nothing more than a divine demon who lived for a long time.

But.

“I will change too.”

As the morning sun began to shine, Risolera said with a bright face.

“I can’t lose to these kids. It took 500 years, but it’s not too late now. If I’ve lived a long time, I’m sure everyone will agree. That’s why this is my role. ”

“…I see. You too, huh…”

I whispered a little and lowered my gaze slightly.

I was envious of her courage.

I wondered if I, who had lived for over a hundred years and could not change even after being reincarnated, would be able to do the same thing.

“… Rurumu!”

At that time, Amiyu raised her voice.

She turned to Rurumu, who still seemed to want to say something, and said with a cheerful smile.

“We’re going”

“A-Amiyu…”

“We can’t be indebted here forever. We have to live with ourselves.”

“…”

Hearing Amiyu’s words, Ifa and Mabel looked at each other and said to Rurumu with a smile.

“Um… If I find the person you’re looking for, I’ll definitely write you a letter! I’ll tell them about Rurumu-san too!”

“It was fun. Thank you. Tell Nozuro that too.”

Rurumu pulled her lips together for a moment and answered with a tearful voice.

“Yeah, I’m sorry… goodbye, everyone. I hope you do well.”

We exit the gate and mount two horse-shaped monsters.

After pulling Ifa behind me and confirming that Amiyu and Mabel had finished boarding safely, I turned to face everyone.

“…”

The parting words didn’t come out right away.

We’ve only been together for about a month. However, a surprising number of thoughts come to mind.

Perhaps…there might have been a way to share their ambitions as a demon lord.

But still.

“……Well then”

I raised my hand with a smile mixed with loneliness.

“See you guys sometime”

In the end, what came out was a word that seemed to have been spoken to the disciples leaving the nest in the previous life.

Everyone waved their hands together.

“Bye-bye, Seika!”

“See you soon, Maou-sama!”

“Don’t forget about us!”

“Take care.”

“Someday, let’s meet in the human country!”

“You can come and visit us anytime! Fili will be waiting for you!”

“Thank you very much, Maou-sama!”

I also wave back.

The packhorse began to walk at a leisurely pace.

The village recedes.

When I turned around, the road I had traveled a month and a half ago extended. In two days, you should be able to leave the forest and reach the human village.

I feel like I’ve been living in that place for quite some time.

Just like the anecdotes of living in a different world that I often heard in my previous life, when I returned, decades had passed… I don’t think so.

There were only a few memorable events.

Perhaps…that’s the extent of being taken into another world.

Just like the man named Gilbert, my father, who exchanged hearts with the demons and established a household there.

I look back at the village I’m leaving.

On the other side of the white megalithic gate that had become smaller――――everyone continued to wave their hands to me.