106 - The Truth of the Demon King's Birth
In the northern regions of the Laurel Kingdom, a tense situation persists. That said, this is only from the perspective of the noble houses holding land in that area. The Kingdom shows no sign of intervening in the northern incidents. Most of the events occurring are kidnappings and robberies. It cannot be said with certainty that these are all the work of the demon race. The situation is not such that a decision to move the regular army would be made.
This was, of course, Ray's intention. There was no point in drawing the Laurel Kingdom army in to stop the noble houses' armies. He kept the incidents at a level that would make the nobles believe the situation could be resolved by recalling their own forces.
As a result, most of the noble houses' armies withdrew to their own territories before a full-scale invasion of Nordende could begin.
Now, the focus returned to countermeasures within Nordende. This included moving magic beasts to the plains and setting traps in the surrounding mountains to ensure that an invasion would not be easily permitted.
That was not all. Assuming that an invasion would occur, Ray provided advice to various races and tribes in the name of the Vampio race, suggesting they move their dwellings to the depths of Nordende or into the mountains where it would be easier to escape.
A strategy not to win the war, but to survive without fighting. Ray and the others intended to move forward with this.
However, not all demons were pleased with this. There were forces in Nordende who strongly opposed this and felt anger.
"We'll take down the Laurel Kingdom army's fort! You all join the fight too!"
The one demanding participation in the battle against the Laurel Kingdom army was Leo, the former Demon King. He still behaved as the Demon King.
"Do you intend to force us to participate?"
Opposing him was the chief of the Buffalo race, one of the beastmen races. Many demons had not served Leo as an absolute existence. They had simply decided for themselves whether to participate, positioned Leo as a sort of general commander, and followed him.
"There is no future for demons if we do not fight. Do you not understand that?"
"Then let me ask, if we fight, will a future certainly open up?"
If they fought and lost, far from opening a future, it would instead be closed.
"It's better than doing nothing and waiting for extinction."
"I have no intention of doing nothing. I was just about to move in order to survive."
The chief knew that some demons, centered around the Vampio race, were taking action. A request had reached the Buffalo race to consider relocating their dwellings, and a meeting regarding this was scheduled.
"...You are being deceived."
"Deceived? Why would the Vampio race need to deceive us?"
"That is exactly why you are being deceived. The one thinking of something pointless is not the Vampio race. It is that human brat."
"A human... could it be the man who was the commander of the Undead Legion?"
The Buffalo race had participated in the previous battle. They knew of the Undead Legion. And that was not all they knew.
"...If it is, then what?"
"I hear that he alone is still fighting the Laurel Kingdom army. I also hear that many comrades were saved."
"...That is a lie. A small skirmish happened, and the story just grew with exaggerations."
Leo denied the chief's words. It would be problematic if the Buffalo race, whom he was trying to get to join the fight, ended up acting in concert with Ray. That was precisely why he was contacting them before Ray and the others could.
"That is not what I heard. I heard that many comrades fled to the Undead Legion's base."
"...Having abandoned the fight."
Realizing that denial was useless, Leo decided to change the direction of the conversation.
"The ones who fled were women and children. It is strange to say they abandoned the fight."
"If the families do that, the men have no choice but to follow. Once those who resist are gone, the Laurel Kingdom will easily make Nordende their own."
"That sounds as if that man from the Undead Legion is acting for the sake of the Laurel Kingdom."
"The possibility is high."
He could not allow Ray's influence to expand. That would relatively lead to the shrinkage of his own power. Thinking this, Leo took action.
In reality, he had intended to act much earlier, but because the enemy, the Laurel Kingdom army, would not move, he could not take the actions he wanted. That too was Ray's fault.
Leo intended to obstruct Ray, who had obstructed his own actions. Even if he had to fabricate lies.
"...Do you have evidence?"
"I do. The Mad Sword Geel of the Laurel Kingdom army was coming and going from that base. They are communicating with the Laurel Kingdom behind the scenes."
Now, for the former Demon King faction, Ray was an existence that could not be ignored. They monitored his movements as much as possible. This was the information obtained as a result.
"...In other words, are you saying the Vampio race is also communicating with the Laurel Kingdom?"
"That... they might be deceived."
Saying the Vampio race was communicating with the Laurel Kingdom was a bit too much. Leo gave an ambiguous answer to the chief's question, however.
"We are not being deceived. If you intend to insult my race any further, you should be prepared for the consequences."
A voice interrupted. It was King Dracul of the Vampio race.
"...Why are you here?"
Leo seemed surprised by King Dracul's appearance. He knew he was visiting this place, but he had not expected it to be this early.
"I had a scheduled meeting. But I hurried because I learned of your movements. This talk is irrelevant. I cannot allow baseless slander. I ask that you correct your statement."
"...It is a fact that the Mad Sword was there."
"Yes, I know that too. Because I met and spoke with him. Geel came to persuade Ray-dono to stop his revenge. This is the fact."
"Revenge?"
"Have you forgotten? My wife and daughter were killed by the Laurel Kingdom. Ray-dono fought as the Demon King's army for the sake of that revenge."
King Dracul casually denied the possibility that Ray was communicating with the Laurel Kingdom. Leo understood that as well.
"Then why did you let the Mad Sword return alive?"
"Mad Sword Geel is Ray-dono's sword master. Even if the country he belongs to is an enemy, personal gratitude is a separate matter. I do not think this is strange?"
"...There is no evidence that this is the fact."
"What does 'this' refer to?"
"Everything. In the first place, were your wife and daughter really killed by the Laurel Kingdom? Does that brat really hate the Laurel Kingdom?"
Leo tried to start by denying the fundamental premise. But this was simply impossible. He could prolong the argument, but it would not lead to victory in the debate.
"You seem to have forgotten that I am a witness. I wonder if one can become a Demon King without a good memory?"
"What did you say!?"
Words mocking him. Leo showed anger at that, but.
"I was with my mother and older sisters when we were attacked by the Laurel Kingdom army. With such a certain witness, how can you deny it?"
Kai seemed to feel nothing toward Leo's anger. Whether he was reliable as the next king of the Vampio race or just obtuse was a subtle point.
"Did you see them being killed?"
"I didn't. So you think they are alive? Then let me ask you, what reason would the Laurel Kingdom have to keep my mother and sisters alive?"
"That... it's not impossible."
If they were beautiful demon women, there would be a reason to keep them alive.
"Exactly. That is why Ray killed his mother and Rui with his own hands. Did you forget this too?"
"...If that is the case, then the enemy is—"
"Then let me ask again. Can you remain normal after killing the people you love, the people who loved you! With your own hands!? Can you not hate the opponent who made you do that!?"
Erasing his airy atmosphere, Kai pressed Leo. He had been trembling with anger internally all along. Kai could not forgive the malice directed at Ray. He could not forgive an opponent who denied Ray's actions without knowing his suffering.
"...There is no evidence that this is the fact."
"...No good, this person. Beyond saving."
"What did you say!?"
Now it was Leo's turn to be angry. Compared to Kai's, it was a much lighter anger, however.
"Now then, how about you? Whose words will you believe, and how will you act?"
Talking to Leo was a waste of time. Kai turned the conversation to the chief of the Buffalo race. He had come here to speak with him in the first place.
"I—"
"Wait a minute!"
Leo shouted, interrupting the chief's words.
"Do you intend to continue this useless talk?"
Kai looked at him with a face of exasperation.
"The talk until now is enough. What is important is whether there is a future for us if we abandon the fight. There cannot be. The humans will continue to attack, unchanged, from here on. To survive, we have no choice but to fight."
"...And what do you intend to do if you fight and lose?"
"Then if we do not fight, can we survive? Will the humans give us a place to live?"
"That... would be difficult, I suppose?"
Humans do not seek coexistence. Kai could not deny that. Not only Kai, but almost all demons shared the same thought.
"Then we have no choice but to fight. For the future of the demons, even if it means burning our own lives to the end, we have no choice but to fight."
Leo was someone who had become the Demon King by persuading demons with passionate feelings and gaining much empathy. He was not bad at this kind of persuasion. And the Buffalo race was in a position where they had once empathized with that persuasion. They could not deny these words of Leo. The Buffalo race...
"Then, just fight. Only those who want to fight."
The voice denying Leo's words was heard from behind Kai and King Dracul.
"Y-you. How dare you show your face here!?"
Seeing Ray's face, Leo became enraged.
"...I don't recall doing anything to be spoken to in such a way. If anything, isn't that my line? The one who betrayed was you."
"...What are you talking about?"
"It's useless to play dumb. I have a witness here. The one you deceived."
"............"
Sera's existence. He had not forgotten. It was just that the information that she had been exiled had not been corrected. This was the limit of the former Demon King faction's information power. It could also be said to be the power of the Undead Legion that blocked their approach.
"However, talking about that is a waste of time. Please let me hear your conclusion. Do you intend to participate? If so, we have no business with the Buffalo race."
Stopping the conversation with Leo, Ray sought a conclusion from the chief of the Buffalo race. Ray had no intention of forcibly persuading an opponent who would not listen. He was moving in various ways, but that was only for those who sought it. Ray did not intend to move for the sake of all demons.
"...What do you mean by 'no business'?"
"You have no business with us either, right? Since you have no intention of fleeing and intend to fight."
Ray gave a skewed answer to the chief's question. It was intentional.
"It is necessary to consider what happens in the event of a loss."
"There is no need to consider it. Because you will lose."
"What?"
"If you fight, you will lose. Even if you win one or two battles, in the end, you will lose. And you will end up drawing a large army into Nordende. Don't you think it's too optimistic for those of you who bring about such a situation to think you can survive?"
Demons who think of starting a fight are useless existences to Ray. They are existences he does not want around, as they bring crisis to other demons. To the point where he would want to destroy them with his own hands if possible.
"...Are you telling my race to perish?"
"I am not saying it; you are intending to perish on your own. Am I wrong?"
"...Can we survive without fighting? Do you have a method for that?"
"I don't understand why you ask that. Possibility is irrelevant. We will survive. We will try every method we can think of and survive. No matter how difficult it may be."
If there is no possibility, do you give up? That is not it. Without giving up, you struggle until the end. If there is no absolute method, do you give up? That is not it. Until that is found, or even if it is not found, you try everything you can.
"...I see."
"At least for now, this is not the time to take a gamble. I believe there are still many other things that can be done."
"...I understand. The Buffalo race—"
"Don't be ridiculous! I cannot accept that! I, as the Demon King, do not accept it!"
Leo interrupted the chief's words as he tried to accept Ray's persuasion. It must not happen that the Buffalo race, who had originally participated in the Demon King's army, chose non-combat. If this decision influenced other races or tribes, there would be no tribes left to follow Leo.
"As the Demon King, I cannot forgive an existence like you who shakes the unity of the demons! I will punish you with these hands!"
As a result, Leo chose a settlement by force. There was a chance of victory. Leo's ability was top-class even among demons. There were few opponents he could lose to in a one-on-one.
"How can I allow such a thing!"
Of course, King Dracul had no intention of allowing it. He tried to fight Leo instead of Ray.
"Do you intend to interfere with the duel!?"
"A duel?"
"Yes, that's right. I challenge that brat to a duel."
"...Ray-dono is not a demon."
When the duel was declared by Leo, he hesitated. Interfering with a one-on-one duel was a violation of demon customs.
"Even so, the matter of Nordende should be decided by demon customs! Now, fight fairly!"
At these words of Leo, the surroundings moved all at once. Other demons, unlike King Dracul and Kai, were obedient to the customs of dueling. They cleared the area so as not to interfere with Leo and Ray.
"...You're kidding, right?"
Such a development was unexpected for Ray. He did not wish to fight Leo, who had been the Demon King.
"If you are afraid to fight, admit your defeat. Admit your defeat and leave this land."
"Does a duel get established this easily?"
"It is not easy. A duel is the last resort. I am requesting a one-on-one duel, but if you dislike that, you may ask for reinforcements. If that happens, naturally, I will ask for them too."
Reinforcements call for more reinforcements, and there is a possibility that it will develop into a full-scale clash between tribes. The one who triggers a duel that hurts many allies and enemies, or even destroys a tribe, will be looked upon with contempt by those around them.
"...Even so, in the end, power is everything, is it?"
"Do you desire reinforcements?"
"I don't need them. You are the enemy of the companions of the Third Generation. I will kill you with my own hands."
"If you can. Now, here I come!"
Leo closed the distance to Ray in an instant. Sharp claws that extended were swung toward Ray. Toward Ray, who dodged that, a kick was further unleashed.
Ray avoided that by jumping backward. But Leo's fierce attack continued. Both hands and feet with extended claws attacked Ray one after another.
"I see! You seem to be good at running away!"
Leo provoked Ray. But there was no way Ray would fall for such a thing. He focused on dodging the attacking claws.
"Not yet! The real thing starts now!"
As those words said, Leo's movements accelerated. With movements that could only be captured as afterimages by ordinary people's eyes, he pressed Ray. Arms and legs were unleashed. Ray's reaction was slightly delayed by the attacks that left no room to breathe.
Ray's body was blown away. Even though he fell on his back on the ground, the momentum did not stop. He rolled across the ground, kicking up dust.
"...Did I fail to finish him?"
There was no smile on Leo's face. From the feeling, he knew that Ray had intentionally jumped far backward.
"...That hurts."
Ray stood up while holding his side. Although he could kill the impact, he had not completely dodged the claws.
"It was more troublesome than I thought, but it ends with the next blow."
"...Don't decide on your own."
"No, it is decided. I cannot be defeated by you."
Leo disappeared from the spot, leaving afterimages. When he showed his form next, he was right beside Ray. The sharp claws at the end of the extended right arm were blocked by the sword Ray held.
"...What?"
"That's why I said don't decide on your own. I haven't done anything yet."
"Don't get cocky just because your prediction happened to be correct!"
Leo's fierce attack resumed. With even more momentum than before.
The one blocking those attacks completely was the sword Ray held. The magic sword Kamui was swung at a speed equal to or greater than Leo's.
"...Amazing, isn't it?"
Seeing that, Kai muttered. It meant his feelings had calmed down enough to mutter.
"Is it possible to manipulate a sword that fast?"
Radura was also surprised by Ray's fighting style. Even to Radura, Leo's attacks were incredibly fast. Ray was blocking them with his sword.
"Is he manipulating it...?"
King Dracul was equally surprised. But that surprise was slightly different from that of Kai and Radura. To King Dracul, it looked as if the sword was moving on its own.
"You're kidding? In that state?"
A situation that further surprised Radura occurred. Ray, who had been purely on the defensive, turned to a counterattack. Moreover, with magic. While blocking Leo's fierce attack, he activated magic. That was an amazing thing.
"...However, with that,"
The activated magic was only at a beginner level. A small fireball attacked Leo, but its power was far from giving a fatal wound. At most, it was something to make Leo slow down his attack.
"Uoooooh!"
Leo seemed to judge it as such, ignoring the incoming fireball and attempting to approach Ray. Even if it hit his body, he ignored it. Jumping into Ray's chest with incredible speed, he swung his arm up.
Without noticing Ray's invitation.
"...Wh... what!?"
Leo's right arm extended in the air. From the elbow forward, there was nothing.
"Guh, gwaaaaaah!!"
Fresh blood spurted from the elbow. Leo screamed at that pain.
"W-what happened?"
Why did it become like this? It was not visible to Radura. And that was the same for King Dracul. He stared at Ray with a stunned face.
"...Was it that magic?"
"Do you know it!?"
King Dracul raised a voice of surprise at Kai's mutter.
"Magic I saw before. A black sphere, and Ray used it to open a window. The window disappeared without a sound."
"...Such magic exists."
King Dracul did not know such magic. In terms of accumulation of knowledge, the Vampio race was incomparably more enthusiastic than other races. Ray was using magic that Dracul, the king of the Vampio race, did not know.
"I'll help!" "Me too!" "Reinforcements!"
The demons of the former Demon King faction, realizing Leo's defeat, declared their participation. They too could not afford to lose here. Even if it became a full-scale war with the Vampio race.
But it did not become that. Ray had already decided to use all the power he possessed.
"O ye who writhe in the darkness. Respond to my call."
Ray's voice of chanting. Everyone present saw for the first time Ray clearly uttering a chant like this.
What kind of magic is it that requires that? No one had knowledge of the magic Ray was chanting.
"My heart of hatred desires the destruction of my enemy. Sink into the darkness of the eternal world! Perdition!"
At the same time Ray's chant ended, black shadows spread beneath the feet of the demons of the former Demon King faction. What was happening, the people staring at the ground saw several hands extending from those shadows. Several hands, of which at most only from the elbow forward was visible, grabbed the legs of the demons of the former Demon King faction.
"W-what is this!?"
"L-let go!"
"S-stop it! Let go!"
The demons were gradually dragged into the ground. The demons resisted, but as if they had fallen into a bottomless bog, their bodies sank into the ground. Into the ground where there should have been nothing.
"That's impossible!?"
"What is this!?"
"S-stop it! Please stop it!"
Demons, whose resistance to magic far exceeds that of humans. But no matter how much they struggled, they could not escape Ray's magic. They also began to understand. This magic was alien. Something was different from the magic they knew.
"Uwaaaaaah!"
"N-nooooo! I don't want to die!"
"H-help meeeee!"
The last struggle while trembling at the fear of approaching death, though it can be said they could only scream. That too was a vain struggle. Once their faces sank into the ground, they would no longer be able to utter those screams.
Leo, who was watching his comrades be buried in the ground while enduring the pain in his arm.
"...Your comrades will soon die. You cannot afford to be late, can you?"
Ray told those heartless words to Leo. It was a duel requested by Leo. He should not be able to complain.
"...Devil. You are neither human nor demon. You are a devil who dwells in the darkness."
"Say whatever you want. I have things to do. To realize that, I do not mind borrowing the power of a devil. And revenge against you is one of the things to do."
Ray swung the magic sword Kamui. Just as it was about to be brought down on Leo's head.
"Wait! Please! Wait!"
A voice stopped Kamui. The one who jumped out while screaming was Barbari.
"...After all, you don't want your husband to die?"
"I do not say that I do not have those feelings. Even so, I ask that you show mercy here, Ray-sama."
"Are you telling me to give up on revenge?"
"Yes. I ask that you choose punishment instead of revenge here."
"Punishment... what do you mean by that?"
Punishment instead of revenge. Ray did not understand what Barbari was seeking.
"The Ryan race will serve you. In this place, as the king of the Ryan race, please consider a punishment for the tribesmen who committed a crime."
"Huh?" "W-what?"
Ray and Leo raised voices of surprise at Barbari's unexpected explanation.
"I beg of you!"
Not only Barbari, but other Ryan race members who accompanied her also knelt on the ground and bowed their heads. Seeing that figure, Ray's heightened emotions cooled all at once.
"...Dispel."
Along with Ray's mutter, the shadows that had spread on the ground became smaller. It did not change that the demons of the former Demon King faction were buried in the ground, but they no longer sank further.
"Thank you very much."
"I have not decided to save them yet. In the first place, I have no intention of accepting Barbari-san's offer."
"I have said it before. I know that this is our selfish desire. Even so, we seek it."
"...By the way, what level of punishment do you think is appropriate?"
No matter how much they talked about serving or not serving, it was a parallel line. If so, Ray thought to summarize the talk about a request that seemed feasible.
"...Exile from the tribe. Naturally, from Nordende as well."
"Will they obey that?"
As for the content of the punishment, it was the same as Sera's. But Sera was deeply reflecting herself. It was not a complete exile. Ray thought they were different from those who were forcibly punished.
"They have no choice but to obey. Because there are no demons who accept those who have been exiled."
Exile from a race or tribe means the loss of that person's identity. For demons, who were originally spiritual existences, it was a heavy punishment second only to the death penalty. In terms of dignity, there were even demons who thought the death penalty was better.
"...The chief of the Ryan race is me."
Leo was not dissatisfied with whether it was one or the other, but with the punishment itself.
"No, former chief. We, the Ryan race, do not recognize you as the chief. There are no Ryan race members who follow you. Quietly obey the punishment."
"Barbari..."
Leo did not think those were cold words. Because he noticed that tears were welling up in the eyes of Barbari who told him that.
"Take your comrades and leave Nordende. And, never... come back."
Withdraw from the conflict and live a long life. That is probably not the only one who heard it as such.
"I..."
"Please."
"...I understand."
Leo accepted the exile. Not as a punishment by Ray, but he accepted Barbari's feelings.
The duel ended with this. It ended with the defeat of Leo and the former Demon King faction. But there were people who were not satisfied with just that.
"Isn't that called cutting in line?"
"Huh?"
The one who complained to Barbari was King Dracul. However, the one spoken to did not understand what he was talking about.
"We decided to follow Ray-dono before you did."
"...So what?"
"What do you mean... no, well, that's certainly true."
Even if he complained to Barbari, the talk would not progress. King Dracul thought he should do what should be done now. King Dracul knelt on one knee before Ray and bowed his head.
"Then, Ray-dono, no, Demon King-sama."
"Haaah!?"
"You are our king. The Vampio race will worship you as king and swear to serve you by risking our lives!"
""""We swear!!""""
Along with King Dracul's declaration, other Vampio race members also chanted in unison. Not only the Vampio race. All of the Buffalo race also bowed their heads toward Ray in the same way.
"W-wait a minute!? What do you mean by Demon King!?"
Ray was the only one who was agitated. All the demons present recognized Ray as the Demon King.
"You defeated me, who was the Demon King. It is decided that you are the one to succeed the seat of the Demon King."
That was the same for Leo. Even if he had dissatisfaction, since he was stepping down, he thought someone needed to unite the demons, so he told a lie to Ray.
"Lies... no, you're joking, right!? Hey!? Someone tell me it's a lie!"
"That's called being a sore loser, isn't it?"
"Kai-kun!? No no, it's impossible! It's impossible for me to be the Demon King!"
This was the moment of the birth of Demon King Ray, which would be passed down for a thousand years. The state at this time, naturally, was not passed down. Sometimes history hides inconvenient things.