Chapter 78: Back to the Demon Realm (6)
Chapter 78: Back to the Demon Realm (6)
Outside, the monsters I couldn't do anything about supposedly swarmed, but still, moving around seemed better than just being cooped up in my room.
I unsteadily got up from my seat and threw on my outer robe.
I wasn't going outside the Demon Castle, just planning to take a look around the vicinity, so there was no need for meticulous preparation. I roughly gathered only what I needed and stood in front of the door.
Before opening the door, I glanced back. What I saw was the completed puzzle sprawled across the floor.
I debated for a moment whether I should clean it up, but there was nowhere to put it anyway....
'If I leave it, Ed will take care of it.'
As he always did, he would put it in a frame and hang it on the wall.
Having confirmed there was nothing else to worry about, I opened the door without hesitation and stepped outside.
.......
"Ah, Demon-nim!"
Yeah, I figured it would be like this. I had roughly expected I might run into him... but I never thought I actually would.
I knew on some level that his audacity was absurdly oversized, but I never imagined he would be this brazen.
As if the whole incident where Ed dragged him off to warn him never to approach me again had never happened, Hien approached me, smiling nonchalantly.
I subtly pulled out the secret weapon I had brought with me in case I met him.
I couldn't just let him push me around forever, could I? This probably wasn't what Lemberveu had packed it for... but how I used it was up to me.
'I packed it thinking "no way, no way," and yet I brought it... and now I'm actually using it.'
Just as expected, Hien immediately showed interest in the thing in my hand.
"Demon-nim? What is that...? It looks like a seed...."
"Flower seeds."
"Flowers? What kind of flowers do they look like? Do they have eyes or mouths? Or tentacles? If they don't have anything like that, do they at least have the ability to lure living creatures or spray poison? What about their diet? Do they eat humans, or demon-race and demonic beasts? Or both?"
What the hell, this guy is terrifying.
I hastily spat out words, leaning my head back slightly to avoid Hien, who had shoved his face right up to mine with his eyes flashing.
"I don't know either."
"......Excuse me?"
"I know it's the seed of a special plant, different from the typical flora of the Demon Realm, but I don't know the specifics."
I couldn't just openly say it was a seed from the human world. Well, it probably wouldn't be a big problem even if I did, but revealing it in this situation would be troublesome for me.
Because I was planning to use this as bait to send Hien packing.
If I gave him this and sent him away, he'd be so absorbed in germinating this seed for a while that he wouldn't show up in front of me. This was the distance I had decided on between him and me.
'I can't keep him by my side, nor can I chase him away completely, so what can I do?'
I had to create some distance, even like this.
"Would you like to try growing this?"
"What? Me?"
"Yes."
"Is it truly alright for me to grow such a precious thing...?"
I nodded.
It's not particularly precious anyway... they're just rose seeds. The only catch was that they couldn't be grown in the Demon Realm.
Most plants from the human world fundamentally require sunlight. In the Demon Realm, where the sun never rises, it would be absolutely impossible to grow them.
Thinking of Hien showing up with a downcast face later pricked my conscience a little, but if I could send him away from in front of me quickly with this, a little pang of conscience was nothing.
Hien's hands trembled slightly as he received the flower seeds. His face filled with deep emotion, he clutched the seeds tightly to his chest and bowed deeply.
"Thank you! I will definitely make the flowers bloom and show them to you, Demon-nim!"
"Mm... yes, I'll be rooting for you."
As if he meant to start right away, Hien bowed politely and then dashed off somewhere.
Good, dealt with.
I sent a silent compliment to myself for neatly handling one ticking time bomb, then moved my halted feet, leisurely crossing the corridor.
Since I had nothing else to do, how about going down to the first floor? If need be, I could even go outside and walk around the building.
Going down to the first floor was temporarily postponed. It was because I discovered the library on my way down.
I raised my head and took in the sight of the massive door, emitting an overwhelming grandeur.
'Come to think of it, have I ever stopped by the library before?'
I remembered that I hadn't. Should I go in, since I'm here? But was it alright to enter...?
My worries proved pointless; as soon as I lingered in front of the door, the two demon-race guards at the library entrance immediately stepped aside and cleared the way.
Their stiff eyes tracked my movements. It was confusing whether they meant for me to come in or stay out, but I decided to trust their actions over their gaze.
When I confidently strode inside, the first thing I saw wasn't a book, but the librarian. The librarian, who had been sitting and reading a book, glanced at me as if to check who it was, then fixed their gaze back on the book.
"......."
"......!"
Bolting upright! Clatter-bang!
The book fell to the floor, and the chair toppled backward.
"D-D-De-De-Demon-nim! What brings you here, of all places...!"
Ah, they were slow to identify who it was. Had they been surprised because someone they didn't expect to come had shown up?
Or maybe it was because someone who shouldn't have come had arrived. After all, even with titles like Demon King's army or Legion Commander, I was human in the end.
"I just came because I wanted to look around... is that not allowed?"
"Not allowed? Of course not! You can look around as much as you like! If there's a book you're looking for, please be sure to let me know."
The librarian quickly retreated. After watching them return to their seat and fumblingly tidy up, I turned my head and scanned the countless bookshelves occupying the vast space.
Since I was just here to sightsee, I had no intention of rummaging through the entire place. I simply reached out to a bookshelf near the entrance. I pulled out a book within reach and examined its cover.
[Information on the Present Empire's Heroes]
[Authors: Idelia, Dvellania]
'The Present Empire?'
If this 'Present Empire' was the same one I was thinking of, it meant the content was updated immediately whenever new information came in. That's why this book was nearby.
I opened the book. A familiar portrait met my eyes.
[The First Hero. Nemeseus.]
[...Became a count for actively aiding the current Emperor, Eduardo Desert, the former 9th Prince, during his coup. Later served as the supreme commander in the 'Eight-Year War' and received a marquisate. The only noble in the present Empire without a surname.]
Somehow, it feels like I'm digging into someone else's private life. I hurriedly turned to the next page.
It was still information about the General. I turned the page again.
'Just how much did they investigate... why do they even know the General's taste in food?'
The hand flipping the pages grew faster.
My busily moving hand stopped when a new figure appeared. A portrait with piercing eyes was staring at me.
[The Second Hero. Stigma Primiro.]
[Illegitimate child of Viscount Rowfel's family. Recognized for his merits during the 'Eight-Year War,' he received a new surname and the title of marquis. Focusing on eradicating barbarian tribes at the Empire's southern boundary, his overwhelming martial prowess....]
Uh... wait, if it's like this, then things about me are written in here too, aren't they?
I hurriedly flipped through the pages. The information about Stigma ended, and my name appeared.
There was no portrait there.
[The Third Hero. Deon Hart.]
[Investigation prohibited by order of His Majesty the Demon King.]
[Do not be curious.]
The tension drained out of me in a rush.
Right. There's no way the Demon King would handle things sloppily.
What a relief. I let out a sigh of relief and turned the empty page, where another portrait appeared. Black hair and green eyes. An expressionless man wrapped in a cold aura, staring straight ahead.
[The Fourth Hero. Cruel Hart.]
[Known to be blood-related to the Third Hero, Deon Hart. Although known as a person of the Duke who opposes him, not the Emperor's man....]
Just seeing it irritated me, so I shut the book. I was about to put it back in its place and leave, but one book caught my eye.
Its title was written in an archaic script, as if handwritten by someone directly.
[Concerning the Hero, the Demon King, and what is a True Hero]
[Author: Kaber]
Without much thought, I reached out and pulled the book out.
[The Hero.]
[A human chosen directly by the World and granted power to kill the Demon King.]
[Talent for weaponry arts, innate strength, intellect, and even lifespan. Everything that constitutes the individual far surpasses human standards.]
[When a Hero dies, they can make two choices....]
I thought there would be something special, but what is this? It's all stuff I already know, isn't it?
I flipped through the pages carelessly, eventually turning two or three at a time. After a few such turns, an explanation about 'heroes' appeared.
[...the dregs of a Hero. In Imperial terms, what is called a Hero's Fragment can, in other words, be called a 'Fragment of Talent.' The fragments, drifting in a state invisible and intangible, are absorbed by humans through pure chance, without any omen or reason. These humans are the 'heroes' who possess a Hero's Fragment. Not as powerful as a true Hero, but they surpass the human average....]
[※ Originally, humans possessing a Hero's Fragment were called 'heroes,' but the term 'Hero' used by the Empire began to include humans who achieved merits acknowledged by all, regardless of whether they possessed a Hero's Fragment or not, confusing the meaning. As 'Hero Candidate' and 'True Hero' are mainly used to refer to humans possessing a Hero's Fragment, use these two terms appropriately according to the situation if you are worried the other party might be confused.]
I already knew about this stuff in broad strokes... would the part about the Demon King be a little different?
Demon King, Demon King... Ah, found it!
[Demon King.]
[The World chooses the Hero....]
Before I could even finish reading the sentence, a voice spoke right beside me.
"What are you doing here?"
"!"
Ear! His breath touched my ear!
Startled, I dropped the book. The pages of the carelessly sprawled book flipped wildly before stopping at one spot.
Huh, the book isn't damaged, is it? Worried that the demon-race who managed the books might hold a grudge against me, I quickly reached out.
The text on the opened page, which seemed to be the last one, entered my sight. There, only a single sentence was written, as if summarizing the core point.
[The Hero and the Demon King are proof that this world is immature.]
Immature or whatever, was the book alright?
Thankfully, as far as I could see, there seemed to be no major damage. After confirming even the cover, I dusted off the outside.
Only then was I able to recall one fact I had momentarily forgotten.
"Uh...."
"You finally see me."
What was the reason I dropped the book in the first place? Wasn't it because someone suddenly spoke to me?
I barely managed to lift my stiffly frozen head. My eyes met the man wearing a mask-like smile.
'Fuuu...ck....'
As I suppressed the scream trying to burst out, a groan-like voice squeezed through my lips.
"De...mon King?"
"Yeah."
"Why... are you here...."
"I had a book to pick up."
He gestured with his chin toward the book in my hand.
I looked back and forth between the book and him, then eventually held the book out. The Demon King, who naturally took the book from my hand, casually tucked it under his arm and called out to me.
"More importantly, why did you come here?"
"Ah... I just wanted to look around...."
"Aha."
"......."
"......."
An awkward silence flowed. I wasn't sure about other members of the demon-race, but I'd never had this kind of moment with the Demon King before.
Unable to leave in this unfamiliar situation, I just rolled my eyes for a moment. The Demon King, who had been looking at me with unreadable eyes, opened his mouth with a sound of 'Ah.'
"Sorry, I was thinking about something else for a moment. Are you going to stay here longer?"
"No."
I'd even run into the Demon King; would I be crazy enough to stay here longer?
"If you're leaving because of me, I'm leaving too, so you don't need to worry about it."
"No."
I had nothing to do even if I stayed here anyway. I should just go outside the building as planned.
Dodging the Demon King's gaze, which stared at me intently as if gauging whether I was sincere or not, I hurriedly escaped the library as if fleeing.
And I succeeded in even getting outside as planned... but I got lost.