CH 15

“It’s been a while, Gregor. Won’t you introduce me to your fiancee?”

“Hmph. I get it Dale. Is it alright to kill you?”

That’s how the conversation with a “Friend” he hasn’t seen in a while started at the capital.

Coming all the way from Dale’s normal base Kroix, to the capital Aosbrick, was for the sake of this friend’s father, Duke Eldishtett’s request.

The Duke, as a descendant of the founding king, even within the country of Rabando has a family with a long history. Even now as the prime minister, the trust from the king was strong and his authority was massive.

Nevertheless, Gregor is the youngest of three boys. The second wife, his mother, was a foreigner born in the East Borderlands and his support within the country is weak. The oldest, who was his brother even had a child, and thus the possibility of him being the successor was completely abandoned.

Leaning more towards his mother’s blood, Gregor was a young man with tough features, straight black hair tied behind him, and an appearance like a foreigner. A tall figure about half a head taller than Dale, today his slender body was wearing quality clothes seeming of a noble.

Polishing his sword techniques in the style of the East Borderlands, even piling up on studies about his own country, Gregor doesn’t really adhere to his noble title. In the future, becoming an adventurer is one of the paths he is considering.

Becoming friendly with a mere adventurer like Dale was also because of those circumstances. Another likely reason is also probably because their ages are similar.

The woman Gregor called his 『Fiancee』, wasn’t one of those formal arrangements but rather his childhood friend, a young lady with whom he shared a mutual love with.

The two had a delicate problem concerning their statuses and it meant that having an official marriage was difficult. Which at the same time was one of the reasons why Gregor couldn’t throw away his status as a noble.

“I wanna buy a souvenir and go home but, I need to choose myself something that would make that little girl happy…”

“Did you plan on leaving as soon as you came”

“Truthfully speaking, I wanna go home right now”

“And that little girl? Was she a child born at the place you’re renting a room from?”

“Nah. It’s my kid”

Dale hadn’t noticed when he had grabbed hold of Gregor.

“Geez, she’s such a good girl, such a cute, cute, cutiepie. Really. And she’s so brave, even taking care of the house right now…. Ahhh…. I wanna go back quickly. What should I do, missing out on something like her growing up, what kind of torture is that. Un, I’m going back. Going back right now. Oi, Gregor. What’s the job this time? It’s fine to just go right now, immediately exterminate it for you and leave right?”

“Seriously what happened to you”

Probably, Gregor’s reaction is normal.

“You… took in a child of the demon race with one horn?”

Listening to Dale’s story inside of Gregor’s private room in the Duke’s house, Gregor looked astonished after hearing the details of how he took in Latina.

“Ahh. She’s super cute”

And Dale was completely infatuated, completely satisfied with narrating how cute Latina is. “Who are you”. Is what Gregor probably wanted to say to criticize someone.

“I searched on “Akudarl’s Message Board” but, there was no information corresponding to Latina. There’s a chance that she’s native of a completely locked out Demon race village or, maybe she’s an orphan with no relatives and no one looking for her. There’s no clues whatsoever so, I can’t find out her hometown. …It’s a single horn but the “Sin” of a child like, the person herself probably doesn’t even know the reason. I’m of a different species but, there’s no possible reason I can ignore her”

What Dale said, even Gregor understood.

What he couldn’t understand was Dale’s transformation. Just how much has that kid from the Demon race touched his heartstrings.

“While it may true that she’s a demon, there’s no way that everyone is dangerous. There shouldn’t be a problem even if I live with Latina”

“If there was a problem, wouldn’t it be that kid knowing that you’ve slaughtered her kind before”

To Gregor’s quiet voice, Dale was silent for a little while.

“….Depending on the details of the job, even if their the same race as me, I’ll kill. It’s not just about demons”

“Well, that’s true”

Swinging a sword, that is what it means. It’s not just magic beasts who are harmful to people. It’s not rare for “Human” Countries to be hostile to “Other races” as well.

And the “Demon race” have a deep relationship with the “Demon King”

The seven “Demon King” existences in this world are, represented with their respective number as prefixes. Like “First Demon King” or “Second Demon King”.

Their abilities and how they are vary but, even they have a thing they share in common.

“Demon Kings”, are endowed with horns. Like the “Demon race”.

And each of the Demon Kings are accompanied by “Demons” as followers.

There aren’t any “Demons” by birth. “Demons” abide by the “Demon King” and are things which are given power way beyond their original race.

They are not limited to people. Included in some of them are those with beasts shapes and high intelligence called “Phantom Beasts”. However, the ratios are such that the “Demon Race” are the overwhelming majority.

Because of these things, it’s even been questioned that, ‘Aren’t “Demon Kings” the kings of the “Demon Race”.’

“It’s been confirmed to be something that seems to be a follower of the seven demon kings”

“Demons? Just a servant?”

“We aren’t sure yet. That’s probably why you were called”

Gregor says that and looked at Dale.

“It’s also been decided I’m coming with you”

“Are you gonna fine…”

Dale answers mixing in a sigh and gets up.

The time to have an interview with his excellency the duke is almost nearing. It wouldn’t be good to go with the leather coat he always wears. Because of that there was a need to prepare his attire.

This was the reason for him visiting the Duke’s residence before facing him at the office of the royal palace. It wasn’t for the sake of chatting with a friend.

“Anyways in the presence of my father, hold your head up a bit more”

“I got it geez”

Flailing his hands around, Dale headed towards the room allotted to him.

The youth who got off the carriage with the crest of the Eldishtett Duke family was wearing clothes of a black theme.

From the youth who had a presence of wildness which nobles didn’t have,  you could sense the air of a long time soldier unbefitting of his age.

As the palace guards were guessing who he was, they straightened their backs.

Even the one glance he gave to the soldier who greeted and is guiding him, was one of terribly dead calm.

Stern and cruel, an elite warrior who excelled at both magic and swordsmanship.

These were the rumours about “Him”. That impression probably isn’t an exaggeration.

Walking next to Dale, Gregor, seeing Dale acting “Normally” seemed relieved, but also like he wasn’t. He was embracing a complex mental state.

Right. This is the man normally known as Dale Reki.

To the people he was close to, he shows a charming and calm expression but, on the battlefield he is cruel warrior who would never consider even pardoning hostile enemies.

Although he is still young, in order to devote himself to his work, you could say that he had no choice but to do that.

Fully straightening his back, he walks in the royal palace looking like a warrior.

Because to him, this place was just another battlefield.