CH 36

Seeing how Latina was, Dale asks the people inside the store and borrowed a pen and paper.

Latina, who was handed that, starts copying the characters inside that silver bracelet with a serious face.

“The words written inside the bracelet, are they all the same?”

“Let’s see… the words of blessing might be different depending on the region. However, there shouldn’t be too much of a difference.”

“Is that so”

Kokun. And nods, she compares the words she had copied down with the bracelet.

Before long, Latina ponders for a little while as she started to compose some characters in a corner of the paper.

“Latina…. this is?”

“The words written in Latina’s bracelet… felt something like this. Maybe it’s Rag’s name….”

“May I have a look?”

Latina hands the piece of paper to Glaros. She briefly looks and ponders over what Latina had written but, then wrote down characters next to it.

“Was it not…. something like this? 『Smaragdi』 — a word that means a jade”

“Smaragdi… Rag’s name?”

Latina tilts her head in confusion at the word that she isn’t used to but, Glaros nodded as if saying “Most likely”.

“It’s possible for the Demon race to tell their young children to call them a shortened name. It might be that your father, only taught you the abbreviated version since you were so young”

“Latina should be, born in the country of the 『First Demon Lord』…. Vasirio right”

“I don’t think that’s likely…. There are also large settlements next to the 『Third Demon Lord’s』 and 『Sixth Demon Lord’s』 territories but… there isn’t this sort of custom. Although this is also only what I’ve heard from my mother”

“『Third Demon Lord』? 『Sixth Demon Lord』?”

Given that Latina was tilting her head, Dale provided her with some additional information.

“The 『Third Demon Lord』 has another name, 『Demon Lord of the Sea』. It seems that he is establishing a coexistence relationship with the 『Fish Scale Race』 at the Eastern Borders. The 『Sixth Demon Lord』 is the 『Demon Lord of the Giants』. They are a faction that even within the Demon race, have larger physiques and…. I hear that he treats his tribe as his followers and wanders all over, without a place to settle down”

“Fueee…”

“Indeed. Apart from that, are just the really tiny settlements which are dotted everywhere and such. Going to that extent, even I of the Demon race, don’t know too much”

It was when Glaros had said that.

“But… does the 『First Demon Lord』 exists?”

Suddenly, Latina asked that question to the two of them.

“Eh?”

“Well…”

Dale was taken back and Glaros made a surprised face.

“Eh?… If it’s the 『First Demon Lord’s』 Country then… he exists right?”

“Is that so? Wasn’t the 『First Demon Lord』 killed by the 『Second Demon Lord』?”

Latina says, then tilted her head looking curious.

Dale looks to Glaros, and she nodded, still surprised.

“You sure know your stuff…….even though you’re so small”

She continues her words, sighing as if she was admiring her.

“It was an incident before I had left my home town. That the 『First Demon Lord』 was murdered by the 『Second Demon Lord』. …… At that time, most of Vasirio was panicking as well, and it became the excuse I used to leave my home town.

It’s a story from a some time ago already. After that, whilst still having an absent 『First Demon Lord』, the government structure should have been maintained due to the Demons who were left behind.”

“So what you’re saying is…. right now Vasirio has no 『Demon Lord』?”

“Yes. Since 『Demon Lords』 don’t have an inheritance system like that of human kings…”

“< *****、********、『**』*** >”

Hearing Glaros’ words, Latina muttered. The words were spoken too fast for Dale to catch but, Glaros makes a large nod.

“That’s right…. similar to how, according to the other 『Races』, the presences called 『Hero』 who are 『One who is loved by god and overrules』 appear, Us of the 『Demon Race』 have 『One who is chosen by god and protected』 — the 『Demon Lord』 appear”

“Then the new 『First Demon Lord』 is…”

“If the gods lay down their judgement, that the time has come for that then, we(Demon Race)will probably be crowned with a new 『King』”

Dale took a deep breathe after listening to the story up to there.

“We(Human Race) seriously don’t know anything about the 『Demon Race』… just the 『Demon Lord』 is a terrifying symbol for us”

Seeing how Dale was reacting, Glaros directs him a smile.

“That might be something that just can’t be helped. Vasirio is a country that doesn’t interact with other countries. Contrary to that, 『Demon Lords of Calamity』 are also proactively related to this”

“『Demon Lords of Calamity』?”

“You don’t hear about them much here… That’s what the Demon Race, and even those amongst the 『Demon Lords』, call the Demon Lords who only convey harm and ill will to others.”

“Like the Demon Lord of War… the 『Seventh Demon Lord』?”

“Yes. This includes… The Dark Lord, the one who loves death and slaughter, the 『Second Demon Lord』, the Devil of Disease, the one who carries with him plagues, the 『Fourth Demon Lord』 and such are existences to be feared, even to us of the demon race after all”

Time passes before they realises, the business hours for the night of 『Silent Seagull』 was approaching them.

Glaros surveys the surroundings as if she had noticed that.

“Well… it’s already time. I apologize but I should start preparing for work soon as well”

“Not at all. It should be us who are thanking you. I was able to learn about a lot more than I had thought”

Dale gets up from his seat, says his thanks and gestured to Latina.

She bows slightly, and Glaros smiled. Using her hands to gently pat the top of Latina’s head.

Latina stared at Glaros motionlessly.

“Come on, let’s go Latina”

“Un”

As she was chasing after Dale who had turned to go towards the door of 『Silent Seagull』, Latina suddenly stopped in her tracks. Turning around, she rushed back to Glaros. And then asked a question.

“Anone… anone… your husband… how is he?”

“……..”

At Latina’s question, Glaros was silenced for a little bit but, in the short amount of time that she had considered, she guessed what the young girl before her eyes wants to ask. Then telling her the truth with a quiet voice.

“….Compared to Humans, we live a lot longer right? I saw him off… until the very end”

“!”

Latina gasped at Glaros’ answer, but even so, she swallows down her feelings and looked as if that was the answer she had expected her to say. And then raised another question.

“…Did you have children?”

“It’s unfortunate but…. Demons are a race who are rarely blessed with children…. and if that is a child with mixed blood from another race then… it becomes more and more difficult”

Glaros replies like so, and once more gently pat the young girl in front of her, who was living amongst the humans. For one of the Demon Race to live amongst the Humans, there comes with difficulties other than those of customs and birthplace, and Glaros knows this well.

“Anone… ne… were you happy…. having met your husband?”

“…Yes”

Glaros smiled. Because it was precisely the reason she was still living in this town today.

At this harbour town, where she had lived with and spent time together with her husband. Performing the song that he had loved.

“I am quite, content, yes”

“… Then, that’s great”

When Latina shows her a smile as if she is trying to hold back from crying, Glaros gently brought her close into her arms.

If a child was blessed to me and my husband’s side then, there may have been an opportunity where I could have embraced my child just like this as well.

Thinking like that whilst hugging her.

As they walk next to each other, Dale was glancing at Latina.

He had no clue what Latina had asked Glaros when she turned around back to her at the end.

However Latina, who was walking next to him was gripping his hand, tightly and full of strength. As if he was her lifeline. As if she fears that, should she let him go then, she would lose him.

Looking down, so that not even the long awaited scenery would come into view.

–Which is why he,

“Kyaa!?”

Having her field of vision suddenly turned around, Latina raised her voice like she was surprised. Making her big, grey eyes blink repeatedly.

“Dale?”

“Nn?”

Dale was lifting Latina into his arms. Even though when she was just a little bit younger than now, it felt like everyday was passing just like this, in this fashion, it really was quite some time ago.

“You’ve gotten heavier, naa…”

“Latina, is not a baby anymore? Can walk”

“You aren’t a baby. But you know, it’s alright for Latina to be pampered by me more. You’re my adorable, cute and precious daughter after all”

Gently patting her head, pofu pofu, then continuing to walk just like that.

Latina becomes compliant immediately, and clung onto Dale with her arms around his neck. To her, this was indeed the position she was used to.

From just having her line of sight become higher, she could see that the view has become different.

Even when she looked down, the fact that the distance from the ground was further than usual, has made the scenery different.

“Dale…”

“Nn?”

Latina whispered into Dale’s ear with a small voice filled with all her feelings.

“Thank you, always…. I love you”

–Like that.

From with the opening amongst the clouds, the very first star of the night was twinkling.