After unintentionally destroying the Demon King’s patrol, we moved a little further with the two prisoners tied to our car and reestablished the camp.
In the process, there was a very brief uproar because of the vigilant patrol captain, but it was somehow solved by knocking him out and putting him in his car.
The Demon King, who voluntarily paid the tax, showed an attitude that seemed insignificant even while watching the whole process. There was no plan to capture prisoners from the beginning, so there was no way to tie up the demons, but the guy handed over all his weapons to us and cooperated very actively, even saying that he would take the lead according to the instructions.
Thanks to that, there were a lot of things I wanted to ask, but I had to put it off until later because it was more important to satisfy the curiosity of the party than to satisfy my own curiosity. After moving for more than half a day like that, we settled back in a suitable location, unpacked, prepared dinner, and continued the conversation.
“So… he was originally a demonic sword?”
Mainly about things related to me.
Carl Kansi not only hugged Laika curiously, but also stroked it around to check her reaction, and Emmett looked at him and stroked his beard with great interest.
“Certainly, it is said that in the days when research on artificial souls was lacking, it was common to use the souls of highly intelligent animals. I couldn’t have imagined that a change would happen.”
That’s how it is. Who would have thought that a synergistic effect would occur when a piece of a holy sword permeates a demonic sword?
Even if it was just the first time I brought Esther to Valkun’s workshop, there were so many magic sword experts who were having heated discussions about whether it was a magic sword or a holy sword over the boundary between divine power and magic, so it might have been an unprecedented case in the history of the continent.
When I think about it, I feel like I only have really strange weapons… But since Laika has never been used as a sword, it felt like a pet, and most of all, because of the conversations in my head right now, I can’t help but feel like I can’t do anything about it. I didn’t feel any excitement either.
[That’s why it’s true that this body, the oldest sword, is the best!]
[You didn’t even have an ego back then. It’s just nested in the sword its master used for a long time, isn’t it nothing more than that?]
Actually, that unprecedented demonic sword, along with an equally unprecedented holy sword, are in heated discussion over the trivial topic of who is the best.
[Yo, the dragon and the holy sword are one body!]
[Then it’s not the best, it’s the closest. I am definitely the best.]
To others, it’s just a buzzing sword and a panting dog stroking its chin, but the conversation between them didn’t back down an inch. It seemed that Leica was only answering questions and only esthete was feverish, but that was the case anyway.
At first, I remember that he insisted that he was a thief, asking why his own piece was absorbed by Leica, but I don’t know where the hell the topic of conversation came to this point.
I don’t want to hear it because it’s too loud, but the way Laika and Este have a conversation is a function of the holy sword, so it’s impossible to turn it on or off.
“You look like you’re having trouble with something.”
“The two of you are talking so loud right now. It’s just sad that we can’t share this noise.”
Emmet, who was staring at Laika with his chin resting on his chin full of interest as he expressed his raw sincerity, pulled back with a laugh. Not only did he move his upper body, but he also pushed back the coat he was sitting on, revealing his definite intention to reject it.
“Originally, enduring pain and joy alone is beneficial to those around you.”
Then, the first thing I heard was the sound of a person collapsing.
“It’s very different from the maxim I know. Isn’t pain supposed to be halved by dividing it, and joy should be doubled by sharing?”
“You’re firmly mistaken. Sharing pain will only increase the number of people who suffer with you or enjoy your pain, and sharing joy only fuels envy and envy.”
“……what?”
Why do you think you’re right?
While embarrassed by the sudden cognitive dissonance, Emmett, who finished the conversation with me, turned to the demon army, who had been silently observing us, sitting next to the fainted patrol captain, and asked a question.
“Rather than that, you surrendered quite readily. Is there any other reason?”
It seemed like it was nothing special, but it was the content I was most curious about. So far, I’ve dealt with a lot of guys who say they’re the Demon King’s Army, but I’ve never seen a guy who surrenders so calmly, so I’m still wondering if he has other ulterior motives.
But his answer was as calm as his attitude.
“What reason could there be for surrendering to live?”
“I don’t think that friend and your other co-workers think so.”
“They’re… they’re in the Demon King’s Army according to their beliefs. Just like the priests who follow the Order.”
It’s not exactly wrong, but hearing it from the mouth of the demon king made me feel strange.
It’s a belief… I
thought that the problem the demon army was experiencing was placed on a very delicate boundary to use such words, but it’s too calm that the person concerned doesn’t think so at all.
“They only have faith in being the Demon King?”
I feel like I’m missing something… but the feeling of being confused about what it is is interrupting my thinking. Even as I groaned and embraced the frustration, Emmet’s questions continued…
“Yes. I’m not particularly interested in that. Whoever wins is the same demon anyway, right? I’ll stick to the side that can live a long time.”
…This time, the words that could be the answer to my question came out of the mouth of the demon king, so I intervened without knowing it.
“It’s the same demon anyway? They say that if the demon army wins, they will kill the gods?”
At my sudden question, the demon lord expressed his doubts for a moment, but soon as if he realized something, he said, ‘Ah.’ he asked aloud.
“‘For true freedom.’ Are you talking?”
“Yes, that.”
Could it be that he doesn’t even know the true intentions of the commander? Thinking so, I waited for his answer, but the demon king only answered cautiously, raising his eyebrows as if he was very embarrassed.
“Um… I’m not sure how much you know, but do you know what that slogan specifically means?”
A nuance as if trying to say ‘I’ll tell you what you don’t know.’ Looking at that alone, it was clear that he knew exactly what the slogan meant.
“I heard from the special operations department that captured the plan to abandon the god who doesn’t care for demons and make the demon king a new god.”
Doubting the guy’s intentions more than this seemed useless, so I just plugged it in directly, and instead his expression brightened up and unexpected answers continued.
“Uh, you know everything. If so, it’s not that I don’t particularly understand… Ah, this is a bit disrespectful to the hero.”
It’s not sarcastic, and it’s not an atmosphere that worries about blasphemy even though they know the demon king’s intentions.
If I have to compare it… that is a response close to politeness to not show another person’s religion in front of that person.
“…Doesn’t that make sense? Why do you think so?”
Every time the Demon King’s reaction and answer continued, I felt like the puzzles that had been scattered in my head were coming together one by one.
“Elves, dwarves, humans, fulllings, lizardmen, beastmen, etc. The gods of other races all protect those who serve them. In contrast, the demons are dissatisfied because it is normal for the demons to say that their generation is far away and to be robbed of the demon castle by the warriors of the human race. Wouldn’t it be more strange not to have one?”
I wasn’t the only one who was momentarily at a loss for words as he didn’t know why he had to say this obvious thing.
Carl Kansi, who was playing with the Leica, and Emmit, who was just about to pour tea, stopped moving and only looked at the demon king. Of course, I’m looking at it with a lot of firmness.
It was close to not being able to keep his mouth shut in shock, but the Demon King army continued to answer with difficulty, as if he had accepted it as urging his words.
“Isn’t the history book saying that demons were also ordinary demons and then ascended to heaven? I think what the demon king is trying to do is similar, only the method is different. Anyway, even if the church wins, it’s a daily life where you get beaten by a human hero, so don’t give yourself up to such a gamble. I thought I could understand leaving it to you.”
“Even though they’re doing it while using the remnants of the dead demons?”
“Isn’t he dead? If you were to force people to believe in evil spirits, of course you would have removed your feet first, but that’s not the case, and since you’re using it as a tool, I thought it was just like a high-powered magic sword or a holy spell.”
Even though the conversation between Laika and Este was over, I felt a migraine attacking me. Unless it was the fault of a particularly stupid guy, this guy’s opinion was an issue that could never be ignored.
“So you’re considering this war… like a major civil war.”
“Uh…isn’t it?”
Of course not, but I didn’t bother to say it. He probably knew that he had made a mistake just by looking at our facial expressions anyway.
I couldn’t help but fully sympathize with Karl Kansi’s muttering, whistling as if surprised and saying, ‘The faith of the demon tribe is crawling on the floor beyond imagination.’ I thought it would not happen that hundreds or thousands of people voluntarily split in order to make one person a god unless there was some kind of mental remodeling, but that premise was wrong.
“Are there many demon kings who think like you?”
“I don’t know if it’s a lot, but at least it wasn’t without it in our unit.”
Since this side was blind, I thought that the other side would also be blind.
Bow down to the strong.
It was the moment when I realized that there might be more people participating in the war than I thought with just the way of thinking derived from that unique racial value.
![Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]](https://cpunovel.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/arcane-sniper.jpg "Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]")
