Chapter 20: The Lifted Veil (3)
Chapter 20: The Lifted Veil (3)
'.......'
I pressed my eyes shut against the dark futures that kept rising unbidden in my mind.
If there really were a world or a god that decided all of this and observed it, I didn't know what form they would take—but it certainly would not be a 'human' form.
Humans were beings who possessed the richest emotions among all living creatures.
If they claimed the appearance of beings who, no matter how hard they tried to judge rationally, were ultimately ruled by their emotions, then there was no way they could be this cold and merciless.
'Ahh.'
Death drew right up to the tip of his nose. Unable to prop up his gradually collapsing body, he leaned against Deon Hart.
Now he couldn't even hold his head up, and as it drooped powerlessly, a complicated expression filled his vision, set against the black night sky studded with its three round moons.
An expression that said he didn't know what to say.
The Hero simply smiled helplessly.
It's all right if you don't say anything. All that matters is that you live.
But if I had to choose the words I wanted most to hear....
'My name.'
Not the title of Hero, but my name.
But you wouldn't know it. There's no way you could know a name that even I have forgotten.
Once one became a Hero, no matter what life one had lived before, one's value as an existence came down to 'killing the Demon King.'
No one called him by name. Buried under his purpose, he couldn't even repeat his own name to himself....
'......I'll correct myself. I do not wish to watch you lose your name.'
I hope the next generation's Hero is someone other than Deon Hart.
Watching Death quietly reach out a hand toward him, the Hero slowly closed his eyes.
Whatever the outcome, the result was decided, so he felt lightened regardless of success or failure. Death itself was even welcome.
Because it meant he could finally rest.
'My name—still, it'll probably be mentioned at least once at my funeral.'
If.
Should you return alive and witness my funeral.
Would you remember my name?
──His vision went black.
***
The administrator in charge of the 'First City'—one of the four major cities, recognized by the Demon King—was, unusually, trembling as he stood outside the city gates.
Originally, an 'administrator' was a figure comparable to a 'feudal lord' in the human world.
At least within that city, an administrator was as good as a king, so there was no need to explain why he stood there so tense.
A visit from the rumored '0th Legion Commander.'
This was a situation where even if it were any other Legion Commander, he would have to bow and scrape with both hands. And now a major figure among major figures, whose very disposition was barely known, was arriving.
If one had to put his impressions into words, he wanted to say 'troubling.'
Think about it.
Not knowing his disposition, one could neither easily flatter him, nor could one simply act stiff and formal.
And on top of that, what if one failed to please him? Then one risked parting forever with a head one had grown quite fond of over a long time.
'If I slip up, I die. If I slip up, I die....'
He swallowed dryly. His back had long since grown damp.
Rubbing his equally clammy hands against his trousers, the administrator waited only for the carriage stopped before him to open its door.
In the end, there was just one method.
Act in a way that gave absolutely no offense, and discern his disposition as quickly as possible.
So he had to keep his wits sharply about him. His counterpart was the 0th Legion Commander, surrounded by rumors that even the Demon King could not treat him carelessly. He didn't need to see to know what would happen if he so much as grazed his mood.
'I want to live a long, long time and enjoy this power!'
Before long, the carriage door opened, and a lean, well-built man leaped lightly out.
Neatly swept-back hair and a clean-cut impression. Ominous demonic energy that felt mismatched with his aristocratic appearance.
Was this the 0th Legion Commander? No, he had demonic energy. The 0th Legion Commander was definitely said to be 'human,' so he wouldn't possess a single speck of demonic energy.
As expected, this man seemed to be something like the 0th Legion Commander's right hand, because he held the carriage door in an infinitely deferential gesture, as if waiting for someone else to emerge.
Then, a figure in a black robe stepped slowly down the carriage steps.
'That's him.'
He felt he knew it without being told.
That leisurely movement, the unconcerned attitude, even the oppressive pressure he exuded despite wearing a robe.
To begin with, he wore the robe that was practically the symbol of the 0th Legion Commander—if not him, who else could it be?
His build was unexpectedly not that large. Rather, he was so small-framed that had you run into him on the street while dead drunk and unable to read the room, you might even have picked a fight with him.
But right now, he hadn't been drinking, his mind was perfectly clear, and therefore he could read the atmosphere better than anyone.
To whom was that strapping man with powerful demonic energy showing such devoted respect? Whom was the man with the medical bag caked all over in blood so attentively looking after?
Whose reaction were the figures likewise smeared with blood here and there, as if they'd been in a fight with demonic beasts, so carefully gauging?
And lastly....
'Who is the most composed?'
Gulp.
He swallowed dryly once more, quietly cleared his throat, and took a step forward.
Then he bowed respectfully toward the man in the robe and opened his mouth.
"I wholeheartedly welcome you to the First City."
***
The repeated assaults from demonic beasts had delayed us a little, but we weren't stuck in that spot forever, so I had figured we'd arrive eventually.
Yeah, I'd 'only figured.'
In other words, I wasn't mentally prepared yet.
"......."
I sat in my seat and stared blankly at the open carriage door.
'I don't want to get off.'
It was already too late anyway, but didn't getting off here mean I was truly, utterly stuck defending this city from those hideous demonic beasts?
The probability that my incompetence would be exposed would increase by that much, too. Ah, now that I thought of it, I wanted to get off even less.
Before getting off, I dawdled, tugging down firmly on the hood of the robe Ed had put on me. From outside the carriage, Ed, who was holding the door, called to me with a puzzled look.
"Demon-nim?"
"......Coming."
I rose reluctantly from my seat.
As I stepped slowly down the carriage steps, my eyes met with a plump demon who appeared to be the city's administrator.
I didn't know if that was his usual expression, but his face was frozen stiff.
'......No way that's his usual expression. He's clearly displeased with me.'
He'd gotten his hopes up when he heard they were sending a Legion Commander to protect the city, and then some scrawny nobody he'd never seen nor heard of showed up—how could he smile comfortably?
He was probably thinking 'Our city is doomed!' and despairing internally, or perhaps exploding with rage: 'That goddamn Demon King bastard!'
I wasn't so tactless as to greet him brightly in this situation.
So I kept my mouth shut in silence. Perhaps he'd sorted out his emotions in that time, because he stepped forward and bowed politely.
"I wholeheartedly welcome you to the First City."
And what followed was a long string of praise.
That it was an unprecedented honor for the great 0th Legion Commander to visit, that the city's people would all be reassured, and so on.
It was praise, but it was the kind of natural praise that didn't feel like outright flattery, if that made sense.
I could say this with certainty.
This guy's a pro! From his swift emotional regulation, this wasn't the skill of someone who'd flattered just once or twice.
Lacking the nerve to cut him off, I was merely marveling internally when Ed, who'd been subtly observing me, stepped forward with a stern expression.
"That's enough of the flattery."
"!"
I-Isn't that a bit too harsh?
He'd already seemed in a bad mood because some nobody showed up—how would he feel if that nobody started throwing their weight around, too?
Usually, in cases like this, the superior standing silently behind gets more flak than the subordinate mouthing off in front.
As expected, the administrator's eyes widened in surprise.
But soon, like a pro, he concealed his expression with an easy smile and nodded.
"Ah, I see. I was overly excited by the unprecedented visit of the 0th Legion Commander-nim and committed a discourtesy. I apologize."
"I am Ed, adjutant to the 0th Legion Commander Demon Arut-nim. Had our purpose been simple sightseeing, I might have heard you out to the end, but unfortunately, our purpose is to protect the city. So let's get to the main point."
"Thank you for your generous consideration."
By the time the administrator, who had bowed deeply once more, raised his head again, Ed had fully become the superior officer receiving a report.
Holding a pen, he flipped through the documents he'd been holding since inside the carriage and began asking questions.
"At exactly how many days' interval have the demonic beasts attacked?"
"Ah... There hasn't been any particular regularity. Still, if there's one thing I can say with certainty, it's that they will attack again within at least a week."
"How intense was their offensive, and what were their numbers? Were there enough to say that nearly every demonic beast in the vicinity came?"
"Yes, that's right. They, too, must eat to live, so perhaps because their survival is at stake, it seemed as though every demonic beast in the area had gathered. The offensive was just as ferocious. In truth, while it was a battle, I'd say it was more that we were heavily pushed back in terms of momentum."
"Momentum... So they were that desperate... Well, if momentum was the major issue, then it's practically resolved now."
'Practically resolved,' huh. I liked the sound of that positive statement, but... what did he mean by looking at me while saying it?
I wondered if it was just my imagination, but when our eyes met and he naturally averted his gaze, I could sense something ominous.
There was definitely something up!
H-Hey? Wait a moment....
"Anything out of the ordinary?"
I was ignored!
"Rather than viewing the opponent as mere demonic beasts, it would be more apt to consider this a defensive siege and conduct the battle accordingly."
"That's what he says, Demon-nim."
"......Yes?"
They'd been having a full conversation leaving me out of it this whole time, and now, only at a time like this, he called me. Just what did he want from me?
As I kept my mouth firmly shut with a 'so what' kind of feeling, Ed, who'd been quietly waiting for an answer, spoke again as if urging me on.
"What will you do?"
"......."
There was nothing to do, no decision to make.
I had no intention of going out specifically to find demonic beasts and suffer humiliation, so I'd just hole up here and nervously wait until the bastards came.
But there was no way I could say that.
"Demon-nim?"
"......They said they'll attack within a week, so we'll wait. There's no need to go out of our way to greet them outside, for their benefit."
"Then, in the meantime, the Legion members...."
"They're free until the demonic beasts attack. They may drink, they may shop. However, they must be able to respond immediately when the attack comes."
Perhaps those words were very welcome, because the Legion members' faces grew brighter by the second.
Confirming with my own two eyes that my choice was right, I puffed out my chest with pride for once.
It was an obvious decision, since I couldn't order them to just standby indefinitely when it might take up to a week, but—.
Of course, they would have done so even if I, as their superior, ordered them to standby, but their resentment meter toward me would have shot up accordingly, so it wasn't a great choice.
So it was better to take this chance to curry a little favor and stack up some goodwill toward me.
That way, my chances of survival would increase, even if just a little.
'You got it? So when the demonic beasts attack, you have to protect me first, right?'
While I was smiling contentedly to myself, the administrator, who'd been reading the mood for a while, seized his moment to subtly interject.
"We have prepared a place for you to rest. Would you like to go see it?"
"Oh."
From his words to his actions, he was incredibly skilled at not rubbing anyone the wrong way. As expected of a pro.
I nodded, then turned back to the Legion members, whose eyes were sparkling.
"Then, just confirm the location of the lodgings first. After that, you're free. Do whatever you want."
"Waaaaaah!!"
"Long live Demon-nim!!"
Listening to the cheers of the Legion members, I nodded with satisfaction.
Yeah, yeah, go ahead and play all you want.
Because I'm going to do whatever I want, too.
'It's been a while, so I'll have a drink.'
We were in a city, for once. On top of that, the other name for this place, the First City, was none other than 'the City of Pleasure.'
Liquor, gambling, prostitution—things related to pleasure were the representative symbols of this city!
Among them, the one that appealed to me perfectly was, naturally, liquor.
Excited at the thought of drinking, I couldn't show it outwardly for the sake of appearances. Humming a tune internally, I followed behind the administrator, who was leading the way.