The Shepherd Girl Delarang (2)
Cecilia was the first to react to Delarang's words.
"Hostages? What do you mean by that?"
Her voice, usually so bright and lively, had dropped into a chilling, quiet stillness.
As if her prickly hostility and vigilance were taking tangible form, a faint haze of radiant light began to bloom around her.
"It is just as I said. All 1,221 humans currently living in Shepherd Village are my hostages."
To an Intermediate Demon like Delarang, the divine power of a Saintess should have been lethal, yet she merely offered an elegant, untroubled smile.
"..."
All expression vanished from Cecilia's face. The radiance spilling from her body grew brighter and denser with each passing second, saturating the parlor in heavy brilliance.
"Fufu..."
Yet despite the overwhelming sacred pressure, Delarang showed no sign of harm. It was astonishing, considering she was merely an Intermediate Demon. Normally, divine power of that intensity would have blistered her skin at the very least.
"Cecilia. Stand down."
"Lord Aljen! We have to destroy this demon right now!"
"Cut it out. Stop before you do something you'll regret."
"Lord Aljen...!?"
Staring at me in utter shock, she ground her teeth in agonizing conflict before finally drawing her divine power back.
"Fufu. As expected of Lord Stanashila Aljen. Thank you for your wise decision."
"Save the flattery. Explain."
"Ah, but of course. After all, doing so will ensure my safety."
She smiled sweetly, long and sharp fangs subtly slipping past her lips.
"In the past, I happened upon a curious artifact by sheer luck. A fascinating relic capable of transferring any damage I sustain onto someone else."
"...What did you say?"
Cecilia and the others stiffened, their expressions instantly darkening. Being sharp, they grasped the implication immediately.
Only Lampon Pashtra stood there tilting her head in blank incomprehension. Well... her slow-witted nature was part of her charm, so I decided to look upon her with warm benevolence.
"Ah, but to prevent any misunderstanding, allow me to clarify: I cannot simply designate just anyone. If I could, I would be invincible by now, wouldn't I?"
Delarang curled her eyes into what looked like a mocking smirk, the crimson irises peeking beneath her lashes gleaming with an alluring, sinister light.
"To transfer damage through this artifact, it requires the subject's willing consent and permission. Oh, and brainwashing or mind control doesn't work, by the way. If there is coercion in any form, the artifact refuses to activate. Truly fascinating, isn't it? How does it even tell the difference?"
She cocked her head with playful innocence, then fixed her gaze squarely on Cecilia.
"So, if you wish to slay me, you must be prepared to slaughter all 1,221 villagers first. Do you understand the situation now?"
"An artifact like that... How could something so absurd exist...!?"
"A bitter pill for the Saintess to swallow, I imagine. But such is reality."
Having made her nonchalant declaration, she turned back to me.
"So then, Lord Stanashila Aljen? I believe I've explained everything necessary... Do you still intend to kill me?"
"Don't ask me. I don't plan on interfering with this if I can help it."
"Hm? What do you mean by that?"
"Wait a moment! Lord Aljen!?"
Delarang eyed me with curiosity, unable to read my intentions, but Cecilia, having caught on immediately, gasped and raised her voice.
"A-Are you telling us... that we have to make the choice...?"
"..."
"N-No, right? Lord Aljen. You have a plan, don't you? Some kind of way...?"
"Nope. Nothing like that."
I spat out the brazen lie without batting an eye, meeting Cecilia's gaze head-on.
"Make your choice. Do we kill her, or let her live?"
"...Lord Aljen. You heard what that demon just said. She can transfer all damage to 1,221 innocent villagers. That means... to kill her, 1,221 people have to die!"
"Don't repeat what we already know."
"...!"
Cecilia froze, the color completely draining from her face. Her trembling eyes and white-knuckled fists laid bare the sheer agony tearing through her heart.
"If... if I say I leave the decision to you, Lord Aljen... what will you do?"
"I kill her right here, right now. Along with all 1,221 humans. Slaying demons and taking their relics is my top priority."
Another lie, of course. Delarang was someone you could reason with without shedding blood. But Cecilia lacked the insight or experience to see through my bluff.
"N-No! You can't! There must be another way!"
"Is that so?"
After studying her frantic face for a moment, I shifted my gaze between Vivian and Arpe. Vivian wasn't in as deep a panic as Cecilia, but she was lost in serious thought. Arpe, on the other hand, appeared utterly unperturbed.
The way Arpe was scrutinizing me made me suspect she had already seen through my little performance, which felt a bit uncomfortable... but I couldn't back out now. Might as well push forward.
"You won't be able to decide right this second. Fine... I'll give you two days. Make up your minds within that time."
"...M-Me?"
"No, all of you. Discuss it, debate it, do whatever you want."
"..."
Tensing her trembling frame to steady herself, Cecilia managed a strained nod.
"My, this is quite an unexpected development... and a rather unpleasant one, I must say."
Delarang, who had been quietly watching the exchange, shot me a sharp glare.
"Are you using me as a stepping stone to help these children grow?"
"Sharp as a tack. Exactly right."
"...How utterly rude of you. Truly."
"Say whatever you want."
"Hmm... In that case, I suppose I must plead my own defense if I wish to survive?"
With a soft sigh, she turned her attention back to Cecilia.
"Lady Saintess. I truly believe demons and humans can coexist."
"...What did you say...?"
"In fact, I take great pride in leading this village with distinction. As of right now, not a single person here suffers from hunger. Everyone receives equal opportunity for education, fair compensation for their labor, and even rich cultural pursuits. If you have ever seen commoners in other fiefs, you would know how extraordinary this is. Yet if I die, all of it will vanish in an instant like bubbles bursting."
"...If you truly desired coexistence, wouldn't holding the villagers hostage be the last thing you would do?"
"It was a necessity. Simply because I am a demon, I could meet an untimely death at any moment. Think of it as nothing more than a minimal measure of self-defense."
"Ugh...!"
Her words hit Cecilia right where it hurt, twisting the Saintess's expression into a pained grimace under Delarang's subtle gaze.
"B-But still! If what you say is true, the villagers should be happy! Yet the faces of the people I saw didn't look happy in the least! Why is that!?"
"I have no answer for that. Because I don't understand why either."
"I can tell you why."
The moment I spoke up, every eye in the room snapped toward me.
"As it stands, the people of this village are practically imprisoned. The second they step beyond a certain boundary, Delarang's kin hunt them down and drag them back."
"That was a matter of course. Acting as a vessel for my artifact and never leaving the village—those were the prices to pay for an affluent life."
"From your perspective, maybe. But humans don't think that way."
"Hm, I really cannot comprehend that. Why would they feel that way? When I bound them to the artifact, I explained every single clause in detail without hiding a thing."
"Because humans are fickle creatures. When they were starving and destitute, escaping that misery was their sole priority. But once their bellies are full and their backs are warm, gratitude and satisfaction fade. Then they start yearning for the freedom they gave away."
"Oho... And what should one do to solve such a problem?"
"You can't."
"Pardon?"
"That's just human nature. At their core, humans are fundamentally incapable of being satisfied. They crave endlessly, desire endlessly."
"...How complicated."
As she lapsed into pensive silence, a heavy hush settled over the parlor.
"Sounds like we've covered the basics... You guys can head to your rooms and rest now."
When I waved my hand dismissively, Delarang scowled in distaste.
"You certainly act as if you own the place."
"And what are you gonna do about it?"
"Hah... Are you a bandit or something...?"
Snickering, I took a swig of my drink and nudged the party with a glance.
"What about you, Lord Aljen?"
"I've got things to discuss with Delarang."
"Then I shall remain."
"As will I."
"Mm... Me too-ya."
"Suit yourselves."
Muriel, Rebecca, and Cacciola decided to stay by my side. The rest of the group stepped out of the parlor with complicated expressions.
"So, what is this matter you wish to discuss with me?"
Delarang's expression as she asked was rather peculiar. A strange blend of resignation and simmering bitterness made me feel as if I were playing the villain.
"Before that, there's one thing I'm curious about."
"Yes? Go ahead."
"Why didn't you mention that you're a half-demon, half-human hybrid?"
At my question, astonishment slowly spread across her face.
If anything, Muriel, Rebecca, and Cacciola were even more shaken by the revelation. Though they refrained from interrupting, their widened eyes said it all.
"...To think you knew that. The rumors truly were not exaggerated."
"Cut the nonsense and just answer. Why keep quiet about it?"
"Would that change anything?"
"You don't know until you try, do you?"
"No. I know all too well. Hybrid or not, in the eyes of humans, it makes no difference."
Her voice held the serene resignation of someone who had long transcended hope as she peered into my eyes.
"Isn't that true for you as well, Lord Stanashila Aljen? Even knowing I am a half-breed, your only thought is to kill me."
"That has nothing to do with your demonic ties. You possess the artifact I'm after, so killing you is merely one option among many. Even if you were pure human, I would've treated you the same."
"...You are far more ruthless than I anticipated."
Letting out a small sigh, she looked at me with a faint trace of expectation.
"Yet... perhaps you are someone I can truly reason with. Tell me, Lord Aljen. Did you know? I have a dream."
"The coexistence of humans and demons, right?"
"...Stop cutting me off. How rude."
"It's an impossible dream. Give it up."
"...Don't you agree one can never know without trying?"
"I've tried it dozens of times. That's how I know it's impossible."
"...? What does that mean?"
Leaving her puzzled question unanswered, I offered only a wry, bitter smile.
Origin World was a game of colossal scale. While fundamentally an open-world RPG, players were never strictly bound to the main storyline, resulting in a branching web of countless endings. The fact that not even all the possible endings had been discovered by the time I was transmigrated here spoke volumes.
Naturally, veteran hardcore players spent their days digging into the game's lore and combing through hidden settings, constantly hunting for unseen routes. It was in that very pursuit that the possibility of a 'Human-Demon Coexistence Ending' had once surfaced in the community.
And truth be told, the center of that entire route was none other than Delarang standing before me.
Indeed.
A demon who was simultaneously not quite a demon—she was, in fact, the first and only heroine candidate from the Demon Realm.