Chapter 1: Trying Out Going to the Royal Castle – Part 7

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Part 7

There was a laughter.
Just when he was wondering who that was, it was the king who didn’t move all this time, and who he started to suspect was just a doll that was left there──Darouch Sandros.
「Kuhahahaha! To think you would be a Demon King!」
「……」
Diablo peeked at his appearance.
The King asked him a question.
「Are you an Adventurer, the Greenwood King, as well as a Demon King?」
「That is how it is. I am not some small timer that would sneakily lie or make excuses.」
──The Demon King thing is all an act though.
Darouch leaned forward.
「It is also true that you defeated the Great Demon King Modinalaam?」
「How annoying. Shall I show you my true power?」
「No, no, this was plenty. I have seen many boasts of strength and technique, but to penetrate through Grandios’s walls and show the sky, you are the first to do so.」
「Hmph……It means that you have seen nothing but small fry.」
──Well, there isn’t anyone else irrational enough to destroy the royal castle──that might be what that means.
「You sure are an interesting man, Diablo. To think you would protect a town of the Races despite claiming to be a Demon King. Are Demon Kings not ones who kill people of the Races?」
──There is also a Demon King who loves biscuits you know?
「Hmph……I have no interest in the life or death of the Races.」
Noa spoke with a conservative voice.
「Diablo-sama is a Demon King of another world. He is different from the Demon Kings of this world……I am sure that is what he means.」
Darouch nodded with a triumphant look.
「I see. So, in that case──Diablo, do you have any interest in serving me?」
「Haa!?」
The retainers grew lively.
Noa knitted his brows.
However, Darouch did not change his opinion.
「I hate tradition. Things like style or social rules, who decided them and when? Whether it be the place to live, the things to eat, even the speech and conduct to take, all of those were things decided in the past. Am I not a King? Why must I obey the things decided by the kings of the past?」
「……」
「Within the history of the Lifelia Kingdom, there has not been a king that has employed a Demon King. Diablo, you should serve me.」
He was being somewhat excited.
Diablo replied.
「I──」
I refuse!
Before he was about to say that, Noa gave advice.
「Your Majesty, Diablo-sama is the Greenwood King and, although it is of another world, a Demon King. Making a king into your retainer would be the same as dominating a foreign country. Regrettably, speech and conduct that would disrupt the peace and produce strife between countries would not be in your best interests.」
「But however!」
「Your Majesty, none of the kings of the past have reconciled with a Demon King either. Even if you do not employ him, would that not be enough to carve your name in history?」
「……Fumu……That is true.」
Diablo felt relieved at how it seemed that the conversation had calmed down.
The retainers did too.
And then, Rem and Shera also breathed sighs.
Darouch asked a question to Noa.
「What, should I do?」
「I believe that acknowledging Diablo-sama as the Greenwood King, and confirming an unchanging friendship between both countries would be enough.」
「Is there anything else? Are there no plans that could make it known to the princes of the neighboring countries that I have reconciled with a Demon King?」
Noa pondered for a bit.
「Diablo-sama is an Adventurer as well. How about giving him a request in Your Majesty’s name? There is the matter from this morning, which is just perfect.」
Darouch’s complexion became brighter.
「Ohh! As expected of you, Noa. That is an ingenious idea!」
It looks like things have become troublesome──is what Diablo thought.
However, it was probably better than being chased as a criminal, or having things turn into a war between the Lifelia Kingdom and the Greenwood Kingdom.
Shera silently listened.
In place of Diablo who was fundamentally bad at talking, Rem inquired about it.
「……Will His Majesty, acknowledge Diablo as an Adventurer, and confer a request?」
「Umu!」
Noa explained the details.
「Recently, the fortress of the newly developed southern territory of Caliture was attacked by a pack of wild beasts and has fallen.」
「……Caliture.」
Rem’s voice faintly trembled.
Noa continued.
「Exterminating wild beasts that attack a town of the Races──That is truly a request fitting of an Adventurer, is it not? However, the enemy has the strength to bring down four fortresses that the kingdom’s army was stationed at. I have heard that even a giant Spriggan had appeared……I am sure it will not be easy.」
Expression vanished from his face, and there was an impression as if he had a mask.
──A Spriggan huh.
In the MMORPG Cross Reverie, they were guards meant to prevent anyone from stepping foot into important places. To think they would attack a fortification of the Races……it seemed that they were different from how they were in the game.
Rem asked while sounding uneasy.
「……What do you think, Diablo?」
The enemy seems strong, but he doesn’t want to become a criminal or go to war, and he didn’t want to become the king’s retainer even more.
A quiet and comfortable life free from worldly cares in another world……although it didn’t reach that far, he could wake up when he liked, eat when he liked, and accept quests if he felt like it.
Even though he finally became free.
Why would he have to cast away that carefree life and get a job!?
──I’m not good at talking with other people, but going to work is even more impossible.
Diablo folded his arms.
「It is a pain but……Well, if you say that it is a quest, then I am fine with accepting it.」
Rem nodded and moved onto the more specific negotiations.
「……What will the rewards be?」
「Of course, a suitable amount has been prepared. Recently, I have heard that the Greenwood Kingdom received a Demonic Being attack, and that a considerable amount of victims came out of that. How would sending support funds from the Lifelia Kingdom sound as a reward? I believe that it would be possible to prepare an amount of money that other countries would not be ashamed of.」
「……Thank you very much, for the consideration.」
Was he actually thinking of this from the start? The proposal from Noa came out without any hesitation to the point that it seemed like that.
Shera cast her eyes down.
「Nn……」
It was rare for this girl who would usually speak out without thinking to swallow her words.
Going “Yosh!”, Darouch clapped his hands.
「Diablo, go and exterminate those wild beasts that attacked Caliture!」
The conclusion was acceptable.
Normally, he would lower his head and exit the room.
──However!
Diablo took out the 《Tonnerre Empereur》.
「Hmph!」
「Mu?」
Darouch made a puzzled face, while Noa revealed unease for the first time.
「Wh, what do you plan on doing, Diablo-sama!?」
Even if this caused a settled negotiation to become unsettled──if he were to allow this, he wouldn’t be a Demon King.
He pointed the Magic Staff at the King.

「Do not be mistaken! I do not obey you. I am only lending you my strength after you requested it. Do not think that you have conquered a Demon King!」

「Di……」
「……ablo!?」
Rem and Shera were at a loss for words.
With sweat showing on his forehead, Noa’s shoulders were trembling.
「……ッ」
Among the retainers, there were even some that looked like they were going to try and cut him down at any moment.
Tension filled with bloodlust ran through the area.
However, Darouch was the only one that was different.
He gave a broad smile.
「Kuhaha! Good! I shall firmly remember that! However, I am the Lifelia King──the one who governs over the Races. To tremble violently from a Demon King, is impossible!」
「Hmph……It would seem that you are not some coward that just hides away in a castle.」
「That true strength said to have defeated the Great Demon King……I will have you demonstrate that it is the real deal, you know?」
「Who do you think you’re saying that to!」
As they glared at each other, they expressed fearless smiles.
Diablo turned his back, and left the Audience Room.
「Ah, wait upー」
Shera followed him with a semi-jog.
Rem flusteredly made a deep bow to the king, and hurriedly chased after them.
Next to Darouch, who was expressing a smile, Noa was displaying a cold expression that was like ice.

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