Chapter 573 - Chapter 12: The Ice Vice-Demon Lord ②
On the premise of only having a discussion, everyone went up to the surface. We found a suitable depression to gather, and everyone except for Wilson-san's team, who was on standby in the air, showed themselves. We had the Vice-Demon Lord wait a bit, and Harold-sama flew the saucer to fetch Price-sama.
「Ye've brought quite a crowd for just one old man.」
Even though he likely noticed we were still hiding, he was laughing with a calm face.
「Since a total war was expected if you did not respond to the discussion.」
Eleanor-sama answered.
The current arrangement on the human side was Price-sama in front of the Vice-Demon Lord, Harold-sama to the left, Henry-sama to the right, Eleanor-sama next to Henry-sama, and next to her, for some reason, was me merged with the Wetlands Priestess. Next to Harold-sama was his brother-in-law Gwyn-sama, and next to him was his brother-in-law Eowyn-sama. Harrison-san, Will, Bonnie, and one clone of the Priestess were in the second row. By the way, two clones of the Priestess have completely vanished, and I don't know where they are. Eleanor-sama and Henry-sama have already had Will and Bonnie bring the Finis liquor and are pouring it into the bowls they distributed to everyone. Of course, everyone helped.
「With the strength ye lot have, there's no need to fear someone like me.」
「You were called the right hand of that Demon Lord. We cannot underestimate you.」
「What, do ye know the Demon Lord?」
「I have faced him once along with my comrades.」
There are four former heroes and one current hero. Considering only their track records, five people with experience facing him might be insufficient.
They introduced themselves to each other again.
「What, royals from three nations are involved? That's quite grand.」
Actually, it's royals from four nations, the White Island's church number two, and one great noble, but we kept quiet about that.
We toasted with Henry-sama's lead and first took a sip.
「Phew, it's really been a long time since I've had liquor. It's delicious.」
Saying so, he drained it in one breath.
It must be hundreds of years since he last drank. "You can really hold your liquor," Eleanor-sama said as she poured more. The Vice-Demon Lord was accepting it in a good mood.
「So, ye lot intend to subjugate the Amphisbaenas on this island and then defeat me, right?」
He asked bluntly.
「There are other things we want to confirm.」
Eleanor-sama continued, ignoring the Vice-Demon Lord's words.
「What is it?」
「Are you not a ghost?」
「Hoho, why do ye think so?」
Eleanor-sama spoke about the Alarm. Since it's already been revealed that we have a ghost with us, it's easy to talk. Of course, the Priestess has already confirmed that he is not a ghost. She probably wants to know the opponent's fighting strength.
「That was the work of my old friends.」
「Friends? Are they demons?」
「No, demons don't become ghosts. They were originally human.」
「Human?」
According to the Vice-Demon Lord, they were apparently former Demon Lord worshippers. They were raided during a gathering by a mercenary group led by a church inquisitor and were all arrested at once. After that, they were tortured extensively and died. They must have intended to kill them from the start. No prayers were offered for them, and their bodies were burned. It's a dark history of the church. Price-sama's expression darkened visibly. We don't do such things now. We encourage conversion, but we shouldn't torture or kill.
They apparently relied on the Vice-Demon Lord after becoming ghosts. Since they could use Alarm and Subordination, they were useful. The fact that they could use such magic means they must have had ability. The fact that they became Demon Lord worshippers would be the Wilson-san/Lich pattern.
「Then, the defense of the extinct volcano's crater?」
「Umu. That's their responsibility. They use poison from burning sulfur and send out many bugs. It should have been effective against humans. I didn't think ye'd be able to break through.」
「And the depression from before?」
「No, that's my hobby. When ye get old, playing in the dirt becomes more interesting than fighting.」
Come to think of it, there was someone who said something similar.
When I looked at Harold-sama, he was nodding greatly. As I thought.
According to the Vice-Demon Lord, he used to keep snakes in the Northern Gram wetlands too. He also gathered frogs for food and bugs for the frogs' food.
「Amphisbaenas too?」
「That's my hobby.」
It seems it's like humans keeping dogs or cats. For a Vice-Demon Lord, they're quite powerful guard dogs.
「Were they originally on this island?」
「I caught them on the continent originally. It was an era when magic could still barely be used on the continent. But I knew that eventually magic power would be lost and monsters would disappear. Since they aren't on the White Island, I thought I'd keep them alive. I brought them to this island and was keeping them secretly. But, you see, a subordinate accidentally teleported an egg. I hurried back to the White Island and killed it. But some remained?」
The subordinate must be the demon we defeated in the wetlands. Apparently, he permitted the transfer from this island on the condition that it only be bugs and eggs of snakes or frogs. If it were found that Amphisbaenas, which shouldn't be on the White Island, were being sent from this island, humans would surely come. That's what he thought. That prediction turned out to be a bullseye.
For our part, the original goal was to subjugate those who were sending Amphisbaenas. Otherwise, the Northern Gram wetlands would remain a Demon Realm. However, judging from what he said, he doesn't seem to be involved in anything now, so as long as he keeps it that way, there should be no problem.
The negotiation was the turn of Eowyn-sama, the interested party.
「Our nation aims for coexistence and co-prosperity with spirits and monsters if possible. In fact, there are cases where we've reached agreements, recognizing each other's territories and making them mutually non-aggression as a national policy. We also strictly forbid the clearing of forests and are carrying it out systematically, centered on the wastelands in the plains.」
Eowyn-sama gave examples of Dryads and Dullahans, and at the same time explained the policies for protecting spirits like Goblins and Alraunes, and the joint work being done with low-level demons.
「Hoho, that's quite something. Rare for a human.」
Northern Gram is hardcore. After all, the circumstances of its founding are what they are.
「As you know, the region in question is a wetland, and it is not suitable for clearing or development, besides being extremely difficult, so we have no intention of touching the wetland itself. However, a situation where there are many powerful monsters like Amphisbaenas is not desirable. Just recently, we subjugated two demons who were lurking to teleport monsters to other regions, and we've also been able to subjugate the parent Amphisbaenas we could confirm. Currently, we are making efforts to reduce the number of baby snakes, which could be said to be countless.」
In short, don't ever teleport Amphisbaenas again. As expected of a Crown Prince, he spoke boldly without flinching.
「Ye won't destroy forests or crush wetlands, then?」
「Please allow us to cut some trees. However, that too will be done after consulting with the Dryads and Alraunes we are on friendly terms with. As for the wetlands, once the Amphisbaenas are exterminated and the bugs have sufficiently decreased, we plan to basically leave them untouched and use them for fishing.」
「Fumu. Then, with conditions, I'll promise that at least I won't intervene in the future.」
An agreement with a demon? Is it okay?
When I looked at Price-sama, he was nodding. In other words, it's okay... I guess.
The problem is the condition.
「It's to fight me and win.」
As expected. As long as it's not a fight to the death, anything should be fine.
In that case, Price-sama also set a condition. He wanted him to allow the building of a church and several shrines on the Ice Island.
「If we make this entire island the property of the church, other people won't be able to settle here. Of course, the church won't do any clearing.」
By the way, the Ice Island's church head will apparently be the Grand Archbishop himself for the time being. Since they plan to stop connecting via Teleport once this matter is over, he'll be lucky if he can come even once during his tenure. In the first place, it's such a cold land. It's been judged that fishing is better than farming, so the fishing season will be limited, and only during that period will those involved in fishing come by ship and stay in the lodging facilities attached to the church... which have already been built... while making dried fish and salted fish. During that period, a bishop acting as the Grand Archbishop's deputy will surely be dispatched.
「Fumu. If ye lot swear to the Goddess ye worship, I might believe ye and enter into an agreement.」
「Can you swear that you will not attack our base?」
「I cannot. We live by our own strength alone. No matter who the opponent is, we do not make oaths. However, I shall keep the contract.」
「Very well.」
Thus, the agreement between both parties was reached. All that's left is to fight.
Speaking of fighting, what will we do? If it's a serious battle, it'll be a fight to the death. The humans will die, and the Vice-Demon Lord will perish and remain in some unknown place until the Demon Lord is resurrected.
「I'm not wishing for a fight to the death. As I said before, I like struggles and battles, but I hate killing. Well, we high-level demons revive even if we die, so I can say that.」
Isn't it cheating not to call that a fight to the death?
「Besides, if I wanted to revive, I could do it anytime. Those remaining on the White Island are just matching the Demon Lord's timing.」
Is that so? That's a surprise.
「Then, can the Demon Lord also revive anytime if he feels like it?」
「Ye should ask the Demon Lord that directly. If I said it, I'd be killed.」
Eleanor-sama probably asked without thinking. Demons who spoke about the Demon Lord or the Demon Lord's army die. Both the earthworm user and Keira said so.
Eleanor-sama sincerely apologized, saying, "I was rude."
「Then, even if you were to be dealt a fatal wound by someone here and die, would you revive exactly as you were immediately?」
「It wouldn't be 'immediately'. It would take several years to regain my original form and power.」
「Then it's impossible. I thought of something.」
「What did ye think of?」
Eleanor-sama apparently intended to select three people from our side, have them make one decisive attack, and if he blocked it, the Vice-Demon Lord would win; if they defeated him, the humans would win; and if he was injured, it would be a draw.
Of course, it's on the premise that the Priestess is there so they can be healed, but even so, I feel a bit sorry for the Vice-Demon Lord.
「Ye think of quite nasty things. Weren't ye a bully when ye were young?」
「N-No. When I was young, I only did magic training.」
「Fumu. It's something to think about, pushing someone so hard from such a young age.」
「Haha...」
Price-sama and Harold-sama were grinning.
In the end, as a result of the consultation, it became the opposite. For some reason, it was decided that if I could block the Demon Lord's attack, it would be fine. It's because it was revealed that I used the First King series, and the Vice-Demon Lord said he definitely wanted to face me. No matter how I look at it, it's strange. I insisted that I definitely couldn't do it, but only two votes—mine and Eowyn-sama's—were against it, and it was pushed through by a majority in favor. By the way, Eowyn-sama reluctantly raised his hand after seeing me raise mine first in opposition.
「Ye are a super-high-level mage, aren't ye? I think it'll be quite a good match.」
No, a "good match" means I'll either be seriously injured or, at worst, die. If I die, even magic won't cure it.
(Jeanne, are you okay?)
The Priestess, still merged, was worried about me.
(I'm not okay at all.)
The Ice Vice-Demon Lord... surely, a super-high-level Cocytus is coming...
It's absolutely disadvantageous for me, who can't use Wind Barrier. With a normal wall of Light, never mind the cold, I can't stop the pressure of the flying ice pillars. At worst, I'll be crushed.
(I see, that's bad.)
I don't know whose tradition it is, but we stand facing each other, and at the signal, we release only one shot of our own magic. Rapid fire is forbidden. The distance between us is twenty steps. It's not a distance a human who can't fly can jump in one step. Moreover, since it's a magic match this time, movement is allowed, but attacking with weapons is forbidden. Of course, I could run around, but it's not so easy to run away from a Cocytus with a wide effective range. After all, I'm only defending. Even if I were to launch a feint to blind him for the first shot, he could just stop the attack, wait until he recovers, and then attack, so it wouldn't be a feint. It's a rule that seems to have sealed my original role. Fortunately, there are two people who can use super-high-level recovery magic. If I don't die somehow, I can be healed.
I held my staff as lightly as I could and waited for the signal from Henry-sama, who was acting as the referee, while taking deep breaths.
Henry-sama's right hand goes up.
「Begin!」
The signal.
The Vice-Demon Lord raised both hands high. Surely, it's Cocytus.
I started walking forward slowly.
Whether he was chanting or not, after a slight pause, the Vice-Demon Lord vocalized something. Surely, it's the demon language. Simultaneously, ice appeared in front of and above his raised hands. Cocytus.
(Now!)
At the Priestess's voice, I started running forward.
The five ice pillars grew larger and larger. The tips were all pointed at me. The five were arranged in a cross centered on one. It's probably to make it so I can't escape in any direction.
「Light!」
I have to block it somehow. I held a thick shield made of Light over my head.
Will I make it? Cait Sith, please!
I ran slowly toward the giant ice pillars that were about to be completed.
◆◆◆◆
Since I successfully won the match against the Vice-Demon Lord, we held a banquet with everyone back at the base. When I invited the Vice-Demon Lord, he said he couldn't disobey me since I won the match, and he came along. When Price-sama introduced him to those who had remained, there were various reactions, like some sinking to their seats as if their legs had given out or some being stunned, but when Price-sama explained that we had successfully concluded an agreement, everyone was happy, though their faces were twitching.
Gathering in the meeting hall, Finis liquor barrels were piled high, and although it was impromptu, food was also served. Since there were enough ingredients, it should suffice.
「You.」
The Vice-Demon Lord, sitting in the seat of the guest of honor, spoke to me, who was made to sit next to him, after we toasted with Price-sama's lead and took a sip.
「I am Jeanne.」
「Understood, I shall call ye Jeanne, then.」
「Yes.」
He did as I said with a smile. A winner is a good thing.
「Jeanne, why were ye able to move so quickly? Ye don't look particularly agile. Ye clearly exceeded the speed of a normal human.」
According to the Wetlands Priestess, ice magic... especially with Cocytus, there seems to be a noticeable tendency... the ice grows at the magic's manifestation point and then accelerates. It takes time until it reaches sufficient speed. So, taking a chance, I closed the distance all at once, and as a result of facing it with a light wall the size of a shield at an angle, I momentarily increased my running speed just before it was fired, successfully dove under it, and managed to deflect the direction. I was knocked over by the impact of the ice pillar hitting, but I was saved by the rule that I win if I take only one shot and dodge.
Of course, the effect of the cat's stone is large. I showed him the cat's stone and explained this and that.
「That Cait Sith... Did ye win against him too?」
「No, the one who won at that time was my ghost friend. Since she is a ghost, I am, so to speak, her substitute.」
「The Priestess over there?」
「No, someone else. We live together.」
「What, a ghost?」
「Yes.」
He's surprised, but isn't he the same?
「Jeanne is a bit unusual. After all, she has spoken with that Demon Lord.」
When Eleanor-sama, who forced me to talk at that time, spoke about the situation then, the Vice-Demon Lord started laughing.
「I see. Against that Demon Lord. Jeanne, how was the Demon Lord's reaction then?」
「He laughed and said, 'I do not mind.'」
At that time, the Demon Lord certainly laughed. That's why I can get along with Violet and Keira now. It's because I could truly believe that I could become friends with monsters too.
「That Demon Lord laughed? That's good.」
He was happy for me, smiling.
When I offered my bowl, he toasted with me.
The next day, on the condition that it be limited to Price-sama, the Henry Party, and me, the Vice-Demon Lord showed us around the forest in the depression he's doing as a hobby. The depression was originally there, and he apparently covered it with Camouflage. Actually, until the Finis drifters arrived, he wasn't doing anything. Considering the possibility that humans would come to the island from now on, he apparently disguised it. It's an incredible amount of magic power.
「There's a trick to it. It's a secret, though.」
He was grinning. Eleanor-sama must definitely want to hear it, but a demon's answer is bound to be the same. He'll surely say, "Find it yourself."
It seems he originally just wanted to make a forest in this rugged depression, but once he made it, he wanted animals. Since he's free until the Demon Lord is resurrected, he released bugs, frogs, and snakes, and finally even laid hands on Amphisbaenas. However, those Amphisbaenas are huge, as you saw. They need a lot of food. As a result, he made the underground lake for frogs and the Amphisbaena cave beyond it. Actually, he showed us that Amphisbaena cave too, but there were unexpectedly few of them. There are only three pairs.
「I can't take care of them all. This many is just right to keep.」
Apparently, he used to increase them and keep more, but they escaped while he was in the Demon Lord's army. The current complex structure is also apparently a measure to prevent escape made after that. He said he killed them as soon as he found them, but one wasn't found. It must be the one that jumped out from the geyser. No one would think it was living in such a place.
The location for building the shrine was also successfully decided, and we obtained his consent.
Even if he's a demon, he's retired from the Demon Lord's army. As long as he's harmless to humans, the spirit of coexistence and co-prosperity takes priority. It seems the agreement can be judged as valid.
「Please come to the banquet at our farm next time.」
I invited him as we were parting with the Vice-Demon Lord.
「I cannot do that. I shall not leave this island. That is the contract I made with the Demon Lord when I retired.」
He smiled a bit sadly.
Class of 175 Management Scale (Excluding personal assets like cash and jewels)
・Shops: Main Shop (Nakanohara, Kingdom of Sertoria), Second Shop (Village near the Sertoria border in eastern Regnentes), Third Shop (Sertoria Royal Capital), Fourth Shop (Flatlands), Temporary Shop (Primordia)
・Free Passage and Free Commercial Rights: Medioland, Regnentes, Finis, Northern Gram, Primordia, Engrio
・Special Transit Permit: Primordia
・Fields: Eight fields (including buildings with farm functions)
・Livestock: Goats, sheep, pigs, a few
・Contract Animals: Eight swarms of honeybees
Chapter 23: End
This marks the end of Chapter 23.
Thank you for reading this far.
The main story takes place on the Ice Island. You probably already know which island it's modeled after. It's that island famous for volcano and aurora tourism. It's one of the countries I want to visit. It's an island with a very interesting history, and I didn't quite know if it was found by someone trying to find it or found by chance. So, I took the liberty of making it like a common pattern where drifters found it by chance. If I've offended anyone, I apologize.
The fifth part, which started from Chapter 20, could be called Growth Period Part 2, and I'm trying to depict the changes in the protagonist's inner self. Occasionally, her way of thinking is shown, but in a sense, it's biased. I intended to write it that way, but did it come across? If it didn't, it means my expressive power is lacking. I'll do my best.
This Growth Period Part 2 will continue for a while longer. Please stay with me.
Now, as for the schedule for the next chapter, as usual, there will be one side story, and then Chapter 24 will start from Monday. Still, the distribution of word counts isn't going well, and the continuation of this chapter will be mixed into the next chapter. Please forgive me.
Also, upon posting this chapter, I received new bookmarks, ratings, and likes. I felt like it lost momentum toward the end, but both PV and unique users grew. And to those who maintained their support. Thank you very much. I'll do my best to write it through to the end. It seems there's still a long way to go... I look forward to your continued support.