Chapter 15 — Are You Eating Well? (6)

Aranya and Liron wore bewildered expressions. Minoreus and Shwikviena found a little amusement in watching their seniors finally experience the same confusion they themselves had endured the previous morning. Naturally, they too could not understand the intent behind their lord's question.

After a long moment, Aranya finally spoke.

"Typically, when food was scarce, the demonkind used to consume humans."

"Ah... urgh."

The Demon King let out a small groan.

That was the worst possible answer among those he had anticipated.

Still, according to the head maid's words earlier, food didn't seem to be in short supply within the castle walls.... Hiding his bewilderment, Roan asked,

"Are you nobles also short on provisions? Or is food lacking within the castle or the capital?"

"Oh, that is not the case. Perhaps Your Majesty wishes to know why the humans in the castle are being eaten?"

Aranya was quick on the uptake. The chancellor, having already heard from Shwikviena and other servants that the Demon King was displaying a peculiar attitude toward humans, narrowed the scope of Roan's question.

As Roan nodded, Aranya offered a gentle smile.

"The humans within the castle are later supplied cheaply to the citizens of Basel outside the castle walls. Eating humans inside the castle, however, is a matter of taste."

"So what you're saying is, even without eating humans, it's manageable inside the castle for now?"

"That is correct, Your Majesty."

"If we don't release the slaves currently being held, will it greatly impact the food supply for the capital's people?"

Aranya's expression remained a smile, but her mind had never been this complicated before. She had never imagined she would hold such a conversation with her king. A discussion about politics? Did he even fully understand all of this? What whim was this?

Yet the Demon King didn't seem to be joking or asking thoughtlessly. The way he sat, pulled up close to the table in the seat of honor, was unprecedentedly earnest.

After giving Minoreus a sidelong glance that seemed to say, "See?," Aranya answered the Demon King's words.

"If limited to the capital, it would not be a tremendous problem immediately. Basel is a place through which many resources pass, and although prices may rise on occasion, there has never been a time when purchasing crops or meat was impossible."

"Saying 'not now' suggests that, in the long term?"

"Forgive my presumption, Your Majesty, but I have never considered a period during which humans could not be supplied. It would likely be acceptable for a short while at first, but I believe there would certainly be repercussions if it persisted for months or years.

I do not know what form it would take, but I expect it would be in the direction of increasing the value of other foodstuffs, Your Majesty."

Having heard Aranya's words, Roan ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hesitated for a moment.

It went beyond simply correcting the Demon King's conduct. If acts hostile to humans—war, cannibalism, and the like—did not cease, the Demon King would remain humanity's enemy.

Roan weighed the importance of keeping his demonkind subjects from starving against the importance of not being branded humanity's main enemy. Yet he could not abandon either one.

Roan made up his mind.

"If we were to procure foodstuffs with state funds and supply them to the people of Basel in place of humans, would that be feasible?"

"Pardon?!"

"Uh... hm. I am not sure, Your Majesty."

Minoreus and Shwikviena, junior members here without the right to speak, merely widened their eyes in shock, but Aranya's voice burst out involuntarily. Unaware of the discourtesy she had just committed, she was mulling over the king's words. It was the treasurer who answered with some composure.

The lich treasurer rubbed his chin with fingers that were little more than bone.

"Since supplies plundered during the war are arriving, the state coffers are not without some leeway.... I am uncertain how long a period Your Majesty has in mind... but it would be possible for a considerable duration. However...."

The lich's bright eyes fixed upon the Demon King. Because he was only bones, though his eyes gleamed, it was impossible to tell whether he was glaring, smiling, or shining with curiosity.

"How long-term a view are you taking, Your Majesty? To expend provisions because of cheap human foodstuffs is, frankly, to put the cart before the horse."

Liron's crisp voice sounded as though it carried a hint of reproach toward the Demon King, and Shwikviena shrank back. But the Demon King, as if utterly unbothered, spoke to Liron.

"As long as it can be done. Investigate how much food can be supplied relative to how great a burden is placed on the royal finances, and report it."

"Understood, Your Majesty."

Although he received no answer to his question, the treasurer first bowed his head. Then, the Demon King's next words once again flustered the members of the small council.

"I have visited the prison. I hear cannibalism occurs there as well. Is that also due to lack of food?"

"It is not. Typically, fights break out among the prisoners, or fury toward captured humans grows so strong that they are killed and then eaten."

"Then, you wouldn't starve to death even if you didn't eat humans after all. That will suffice."

And then.

Astonishing words burst from the Demon King's mouth.

"I intend to stop the eating of humans and our own kindfolk within the castle going forward."

"Pardon?!"

Aranya sprang up with her massive body and shouted, while the remaining three committed the sacrilege of staring at the Demon King with mouths gaping.

But Roan's words held no wavering.

"From now on, this castle will also find use in the weak."

"When you say 'use,' you mean... something other than... eating them, Your Majesty?"

"Yes."

Hoping against hope, Aranya asked cautiously. As the Demon King affirmed it, the treasurer and the knight commander instantly whipped their heads toward the correction officer. Shwikviena's face turned bright crimson.

'...What is this?'

As the Demon King looked at the correction officer and the chancellor as if asking for a reason, Aranya answered, sounding somewhat abashed.

"To be truthful, we heard that Your Majesty commanded yesterday and today that humans be kept alive and fed well even in the slave quarters and the prison."

The correction officer kept her head deeply bowed, unable to meet anyone's eyes. Not understanding the situation, Roan could only look back and forth between her and Aranya. Aranya continued.

"Seeing you fatten up human slaves you never used to pay attention to, we believed beyond a doubt that Your Majesty was preparing for the Harvest Festival...."

"The Harvest Festival?"

"Yes. We assumed you were intentionally preparing them to provide for the nobles and servants of the castle during the autumn Harvest Festival feast."

Had the shell not been that of the Demon King, a face gone stark pale would have shown at once.

In other words, like a pig or a young hen slaughtered on a feast day... something like that....

As the Demon King silently put a hand to his forehead, an eerie silence followed. Right, that's why Shwikviena kept following me around. I suppose it was a demon-like line of thought.

While Aranya showed the courtesy of averting her gaze, Liron stared intently at Shwikviena. The correction officer's face flushed crimson with embarrassment, making her look like an angry bird from a mobile game.

'She's going to blow up at this rate.'

While the Demon King, swallowing a sigh, had such an off-track thought, Minoreus spoke for the first time, his voice slightly excited.

"Your Majesty, when you said 'use,' did you after all mean the meat slaves you spoke of yesterday morning...?"

"I will not use them as sex slaves."

Having his suggestion denied in a single stroke, Minoreus lowered his head slightly. Not much expression showed on his cow-like head, but anyone could see he had become crestfallen. Roan spoke firmly.

"Seek out and report on uses for humans other than sex slaves or food."

"Your Majesty, perhaps...."

The chancellor gauged the Demon King's mood. The reduced sense of overwhelming presence was clearly a sign that His Majesty was directly adjusting the intensity of his skill. Previously, he had acted without such consideration. But since yesterday morning, His Majesty's air was completely different.

That did not, however, allow for any easing of caution. Far too many had already lost their heads for such a thing to be possible.

The young Minoreus and Shwikviena seemed quick to accept His Majesty's changes, but the years of blood Aranya had witnessed were long. So Aranya's question was careful.

"If Your Majesty would permit this humble servant, may I inquire of your august opinion on the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reason for such a command?"

An entirely unforeseen answer came back.

"I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠intend to stop the war."

The sound of someone's sharp intake of breath was heard.

"It has already been at war for many years. Only a war of attrition has continued. I consider this utterly useless for Evirgio."

'...Unbelievable.'

The chancellor's heart was complicated. Truthfully, when she heard of what had happened yesterday morning, she had not believed all of it. The knight commander and the correction officer had not lived even half of Aranya's years. She had assumed their accounts contained some exaggeration.

That His Majesty would suddenly show mercy was something she thought impossible.

Yet she finally realized the rashness of her own thoughts.

Aranya barely collected herself and looked around. Not only Liron, who was experiencing this situation for the first time alongside her, but even Minoreus and Shwikviena, who had somewhat noticed the Demon King's change, were listening intently to the Demon King with wide-open eyes.

"Furthermore, if possible, do not send captured human prisoners to Basel."

"Does it not matter if they are eaten in the field?"

As the Demon King began discussing the war policy, the knight commander sharply asked. As one of the high-ranking nobles capable of moving the entire army, the disposition of humans captured during wartime was a critical issue.

Roan hesitated a moment before answering.

"On the battlefield, that can't be helped. It is a place where killing the enemy is only natural. Eating them might even be better than just killing them. But ensure the cannibalism does not take place in human sight. Humans already loathe us enough as it is."

Seeing the eyes of his four vassals as if asking the reason, Roan added,

"I am not saying we should tread carefully around humans. A trivial border dispute eventually grew into a war. It was not originally meant to overthrow Merde. In the end, it has been dragging on inconclusively for years without a concentrated offensive.

And such a war brings no benefit. Only the people suffer. Above all, it is most my fault. It was I who kept turning a blind eye."

To think the setting information he could recall, as someone who meticulously savored every line of the game's text, would be put to use this way. Roan wanted to praise his past self.

But unaware of Roan's thoughts, the four vassals closed their mouths and listened to their lord's words. In the Demon King's words, they dimly perceived a reproach toward both the foolish king himself and his vassals.

"But from now on, it will be different. We must no longer give the Kingdom of Merde the justification of 'saving humans.' And we must make the people of the border focus on their livelihoods, not on war. That, when considering the entire nation, is the efficient method. Is it not?"

"Your Majesty's words are entirely correct."

The beginning, in truth, had not been grandiose. It was simply the thought of preventing the kingdom and the Hero from recognizing the Demon King as their primary enemy.

Yet that thought, combined with Roan's conviction and the skill 'Will', produced an astonishing result.

Faced with the Demon King declaring the cessation of war, the four vassals felt complex emotions and each fell into thought.

Although the demonkind are said to despise the weak, they too possess love for their own kind and for their families; upon that foundation their society is built and they live their lives. No demon was pleased to see their kin clash endlessly with other species, suffering.

It was the eldest, Liron, who broke the long silence.

"...Had only the harvest been bountiful, such strife would not have occurred to begin with...."

Watching a bitter smile appear on Aranya's face, Roan thought,

'As I thought, this nation can only function properly once it secures enough to eat.'

Roan groped through his memories. As he recalled this and that rumor the Hero had heard back when he was still just a mercenary in the game, Roan abruptly asked the treasurer,

"You said the state coffers have some leeway. Would it not be possible to purchase grains like wheat or rice in bulk?"

"Hmm. Though we have the money, there would likely be no human nation willing to sell grain to us. Merde, for how it appears, holds considerable power among humans."

The Demon King, who had been slowly drumming his fingers on the table, spoke.

"I have one thing in mind for now, so proceed with this as instructed. And there is something you all must seek out."

***

"Carol, Peggy. Barbara too! Are you all all right?"

"Your Highness. We are relieved to see you safe."

A touching reunion took place in Princess Grünent's chambers. Was it thanks to the Demon King personally overseeing the matter? To think half-dead people would return fully whole in just a day.

The apothecary the Demon King had attached handed a few medicines rather than potions to the maids and vanished.

The princess cautiously addressed the demon who had brought the human maids.

"Would you perhaps be able to convey a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠message to His Majesty?"

"I will attempt to do so. Please speak."

"I truly want to express my gratitude."

The demon maid stared at the human with an awkward look. She had never in her life seen a human who felt gratitude toward the Demon King.

"...Understood."

Watching her maids chatter joyfully despite their tired state, Grünent decided she must offer thanks. Though her current position was ambiguous, the Demon King had nonetheless seen to returning her people.

Even if she were to become a concubine or consort, allowing a princess of an enemy nation to keep her original maids carried risks. Usually, they would all be replaced with servants from one's own nation. They could have been left imprisoned and killed. Yet the Demon King had sent them, humans all, back to the princess.

'As I thought, there seems to be a little something that differs from what I initially imagined.'

She revised her assessment of the king of Evirgio once more.