Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 261

261.

“Hmph, destined to be master and servant, my foot. That little kid is just eating food for the first time, so of course it’ll taste the best. Look at that guy already agreeing with the kid. He’s going to be a huge pushover.”

From the other side, Sibelius continued to grumble. But even as he said that, his eyes were already as red as a rabbit’s. I stared at him and chuckled.

“Sibyl, your eyes are red.”

“Huh? Oh, no, it’s not really… It’s just that I have tears in my eyes… Ah, right. It must be too dry here. Hahaha.”

“And I’m right next to you?”

“Oh? Haha, th-that’s right. El is the Water Spirit King. …Haha, geez. Anyway, it feels kind of strange. I didn’t think demons had any sense of camaraderie.”

I laughed again as I watched him awkwardly mutter. I could feel a wave of emotion washing over the entire room. It seemed like the afterglow would last for quite a while. …Of course, there was one person who wasn’t affected at all.

With a sullen feeling, I looked at that one person—Lapis. Even in the midst of all this, he was sitting in his spot, leisurely eating the last remaining cookie. He didn’t seem to care whether others were crying or not, or even notice it. Still, he must have felt my gaze, because he turned to look at me as soon as I looked at him. Only after making eye contact with me did he seem to grasp the situation, and he belatedly put on a serious expression.

“This cookie is delicious. Is there any more?”

“…….”

Maybe the way for everyone to get along harmoniously is actually closer than we think. In that sense, it’s kind of obvious, but… I think it’s best to just abandon that guy. Yeah, I think I should.

* * *

As an aide, Deron was excellent. Having begun to assist As full-fledgedly, he took care of the basic necessities for his activities first. He first obtained clothes and shoes that fit As’s body perfectly, and also prepared a horse for him to ride. It was basic for him to bring out whatever was needed immediately. From the moment he woke up in the morning until he fell asleep, he never took his eyes off As’s every action, and he carefully grasped his unspoken state. When I saw him observing As’s eating habits, classifying his favorite and disliked foods, related ingredients, tastes, and textures, and even taking notes, I felt like I was witnessing the experience of a butler with decades of experience.

But what he cared about most was As’s education. A newborn demon child was an existence with many unstable aspects because they could not control their power well. In particular, As had a strong innate magical power, so there was a very high possibility that a small mistake could lead to a major accident. If he made a mistake, he could go berserk and even endanger his own life. In preparation for this, Deron forbade As from using magic until he could control it himself and made related rules. The rule was that tools must be used whenever any force, including military force, had to be used.

“Use this sword.”

What he handed to As was a fairly large longsword. I thought it was too big for a child to hold, but surprisingly, when As received it, the sword shrank to a size that fit his body perfectly.

“A magic sword?”

As the surprised gazes of the group poured out, Deron nodded with an embarrassed face.

“I used to use it when I was a child, and it’s a sword that adjusts its size to fit the owner’s body. My lord will grow quickly for the time being, so it will be good for you to use until you become stable.”

“Okay.”

As’s expression was bright as he answered, as if he liked the sword he had received as a gift. Even though it was the first time he had held a sword, his posture was very stable. After repeatedly grabbing and releasing the handle, As tested the sword in the air. It seemed like he was just swinging it lightly, but a rather heavy sonic boom rang out. Deron looked surprised for a moment when he saw it, but soon wore a pleased expression.

“I was going to teach you how to handle it gradually, but I don’t think there’s any need to. I’ve seen many children so far, but you are the first person I’ve ever seen who can handle a sword so well from the beginning.”

“Am I good?”

“Yes, when you become an adult, no one among the demons will be able to surpass you.”

As’s face brightened even more at the unwavering boast.

“I’m going to be the strongest king.”

“Of course. You are more than capable of becoming one. I will risk my life to assist you until you safely ascend to the throne.”

“Okay, I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, my lord!”

With a powerful answer, Deron unleashed magical power from his entire body. The jet-black energy that bloomed from his body gathered into one and left two objects on his palm. It was the black bracelet I had seen before, and a dark navy blue ring that I was seeing for the first time. He handed it to As and said.

“This is proof of the North and the East. Because I received the title of North while holding the title of Duke of the East, I am currently in charge of both territories. Please accept it as a token of my oath that I recognize you as king.”

“I know this. You need all the dukes’, right?”

“Yes, fortunately, I was able to give you two.”

“Okay, then all I need is the West.”

“Yes?”

“I already have the South’s.”

“……!”

Deron’s eyes widened. Seeing him gasp in surprise, As smiled brightly.

“I remember. Kanos engraved a geas [a magical compulsion or oath] on me. I need to awaken it, but my power is still insufficient. When I become stronger than I am now, the southern symbol will appear on its own.”

“…I see. The Demon God has already managed it that way. Lucarém…”

Deron muttered quietly, his face pained. Whether Kanos was Lucarém, it was clear that he was recalling those days that could never be returned. But that moment did not last long. When As took his hand as if to comfort him, Deron soon smiled brightly. No trace of old memories remained in his appearance, which had completely shed all remaining regrets.

From that day on, the two demons began to roam around. I don’t know exactly what they were doing, but it seemed like they were learning how to handle magical power. They sparred from time to time and went to catch monsters in the vicinity under the pretext of practical training. They were so busy that they had less time than when they were inside the unit.

Nevertheless, the presence of a young child was noticeable inside the unit. Many of the soldiers were keeping a close eye on As, wondering if it was strange that a child had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Of course, Deron sent a threatening gaze each time, so no major problems arose. It was clear that our group, which was already conspicuous, had become even more so.

The same daily life began to change around the time As’s existence gradually became part of this place. At dawn on the tenth day of the expedition, an emergency meeting was held inside the camp from early in the morning. It was because of a message that had arrived from the scouts who had left earlier.

“There’s a possibility of an ambush in the Yakon Valley.”

“…Hmm.”

The faces of the executives darkened rapidly at the news delivered by Vanguard Commander Count Marcus. We were currently moving towards the city of Avalon. Avalon was one of the outer cities built to defend the capital, and it was a strategic stronghold that could be used as a major supply route because it was a fortress and had a large river and farmland on one side. It was also an area that had to be passed through in order to get to the imperial city, so the goal was to secure a base ahead of the enemy.

The shortest route from Clamore to Avalon was to pass through the huge mountain range between the two regions, the Kran Mountains. However, there were not many routes that could carry luggage across the rugged mountains. So, for the time being, we were detouring on flat ground, but we were taking a route that utilized the mountain roads as much as possible. Yakon Valley was the best route to shorten the period the most. However, they had obtained information that traces of the enemy lurking there had been discovered.

“Yakon Valley has a narrow road, making it difficult to create a retreat, and it is not a suitable place for battle. If we allow a surprise attack, we run the risk of being annihilated. It would be better to give up this route.”

Count Marcus nodded without objection to the staff officer’s statement. It seemed that he had judged that it would be better to return safely than to bet on reckless possibilities in terrain unsuitable for combat. Instead, in order to shorten the increased schedule as much as possible, it was decided to take only short breaks for the time being and move without rest even at night.

“How long is ‘for the time being’?”

“Three days. It seems like that’s about how long it will take to match the originally planned schedule.”

“Tsk.”

Lapis made a very dissatisfied expression, as if he didn’t like the results of the meeting. I followed him because I couldn’t leave Alisa alone, but seeing that face, I thought it was a great relief that I went. If I had left it to him because it was annoying, he would have caused all sorts of trouble. Even while he was in charge of April, Lapis’s reputation was already at its worst among the executives. I could bet my entire fortune that he contributed to at least 70% of the reason why they didn’t like our group.

“Why bother doing it for three days? If you don’t eat or rest and run at full speed, you can finish it in less than a day.”

“Are you going to kill all the soldiers on the way? How can you do that?”

“Can’t they even endure that much?”

“Of course they can’t, they’re not supermen!”

“Haa, what a useless body. It’s pathetically weak.”

He nonchalantly spouts out things that enrage both gods and men, saying that he is not human. Fortunately, the other members of the group had gone to eat, so no one was there. If they had been here, everyone except Alisa would have agreed with that statement without hesitation. If I had seen that, my stomach would have been even more upset.

“…I hope you will be born as an ordinary human in your next life. I think I’ll feel better when I see you staggering after staying up all night as a human.”

“Why are you suddenly picking a fight?”

“You started it first, okay?”

He made an expression that he couldn’t understand at all at the words I snapped at him.

“I don’t know why you’re so annoyed, but you’re not human, are you?”

“I know! But I still feel bad!”

“You’re strangely edgy, so something must be wrong?”

…Anyway, this guy is annoyingly quick-witted. I rolled my eyes for a moment and quietly sighed. I needed someone to confide in anyway. Lapis might give me an unexpected answer.

“Ellyuen hasn’t been answering my calls lately.”

“Hmm.”

“I was going to find out about the situation in the Demon World because I was worried. But no matter how much I call, he doesn’t answer. No, to be exact, it seems like the connection isn’t working at all. It feels like it’s constantly getting tangled up in something? Like there’s interference in the communication.”

“That’s probably right.”

I was dumbfounded by the reply that came out so readily. When I stared at him, Lapis sent me the same blank stare.

“Right?”

“Interference, I mean. That’s it.”

“Isn’t the Divine Seal connected directly?”

“It is direct.”

“Then why…”

“That’s only when there’s one passage. You have one more.”

“……!”

It felt like a tsunami was raging in my head. I felt like all the blood I didn’t have was draining away in an instant.

“…Is the communication blocked because of Kanos’s seal?”

“Well, there’s never been a case like yours before, so it’s just a guess. But I’m pretty sure. When you receive a seal, your body’s wavelength is attuned to that god. Now that you have two, it’s bound to be unstable, whether they clash or mix. If you can’t believe it, try it out. You can contact the Demon God.”

I thought it was a plausible method, so I immediately tried to contact Kanos. But my expectations were short-lived and my despair was quick. I kept feeling like the energy wasn’t gathering into one and was getting tangled up here and there. It was the same phenomenon as when I tried to contact Ellyuen. Lapis smiled as if he knew it would happen when he saw my blank face.

“Am I right?”

“Ugh! What is this! Kanos must have known this would happen! But why did he give it to me?”

“I don’t know. To make soup or something?”

“I’m not in the mood for jokes right now!”

When I shouted in anger, Lapis lightly waved his ears with a frown.

“How would I know what’s inside that sly god’s head? Maybe he didn’t even think that far. Or maybe he was planning to interfere.”

“Why would he interfere?”

“Isn’t it because you seem to be too deeply involved in this? The threads of fate are quite subtle, and they say that the direction continues to move in the direction that you are interested in. Moreover, the greater the social influence, the greater the ripple effect. You’ve already gotten quite involved. Isn’t it a sign that you shouldn’t get involved any further because it could be dangerous?”

“But Kanos told me to contact him when he gave me the seal?”

“You believe that? How naive.”

“…….”

He always spoke as if I was pathetic when he pointed things out, but this time he was genuinely dumbfounded. His face was full of the question of how I could trust a Demon God, let alone any other being. Seeing that made me feel like I had become a huge idiot.

The image of Kanos smiling brightly with a kind face came to mind. Somehow, I thought he was being considerate of things he didn’t even ask for. I should have noticed that he already had other intentions at that time. When I think about it, he always showed excessive kindness until I let my guard down. That was all a process of gathering momentum to stab me in the back, but to be fooled again even though I knew that! At this point, I wonder if there’s something wrong with me for being fooled.

“Lapis. If the passage is unstable, can’t the gods contact me either?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“I guess so…….”

The answer that came back was so hopeless that I felt even sadder. Does Ellyuen even know about this situation? I have a feeling that he probably doesn’t. If he did, he wouldn’t have been quiet until now. He would have appeared in front of me right away. Despite his elegant and refined atmosphere, he’s surprisingly quite radical.

A god’s descent in the middle of an army procession. A huge uproar is bound to occur. In that sense, I think it’s fortunate that Ellyuen doesn’t know, but I don’t know why I feel so uneasy. It was like leaving something precious in a place where I couldn’t feel safe.