129 - The Necessary Time
The mountainous region surrounding Nordende. In its southeastern part, there is a road that leads from the foothills deep into the mountains. It is a mountain path carved out by the Laurel Kingdom army. The building is located about two days' journey deep along that path. This, too, was originally built by the Laurel Kingdom army. In the early days of their operations, it had been used as a garrison. In front of that building, Julius and his escort knights are waiting for their visitor. The visitor is, naturally, Ray.
"They've appeared."
One of the escort knights spotted a figure walking from the distance.
"...Five people, huh."
Julius could also confirm the figures. There were five. It was a far smaller number than he had imagined. He wondered if their request had been ignored. Knowing the number, Julius thought.
"It has been a long time. I had heard the stories, but it really was you, wasn't it?"
Ray greeted him in a polite tone that had hardly changed from before. Hearing this, and seeing the small number of companions, Julius wondered if he really was the Demon King.
"It really has been a long time. I didn't think I'd be meeting you in this manner, either."
Since Ray's tone remained the same, Julius consciously decided to speak in the same tone as before.
"Your master is not accompanying you?"
"Ah, the commander is quite busy with various things."
"He's actually working seriously. I thought for sure that being a commander wouldn't suit him at all."
"He seems to be a person with a strong sense of responsibility."
Even in such casual conversation, Julius felt tense. If what Geel said was true, Ray should have a grasp of the information within the Northern Garrison Force. He wondered if these words, which didn't betray any such knowledge, were meant to deceive him.
"Now then, what is your business?"
"First, regarding what I requested..."
"Ah, Hero. If you wish to speak, please feel free."
"Eh?"
Julius had requested a meeting with Hinata and Akemi. It was to obtain internal information from them regarding Ray's movements and the state of Nordende. However, since Ray only had four companions, he had assumed they hadn't been brought along. From behind Ray, two women who had been wearing deep hoods pulled them back and stepped forward. Faces Julius knew well. Hinata and Akemi.
"...It's been a while."
"Yes. It has." "It's been a long time. Have you been well?"
Akemi's attitude was curt, while Hinata returned the greeting politely. In this regard, too, they were unchanged from before.
"...Would it be alright if the three of us spoke alone inside the building?"
Julius asked Ray for permission for the three of them to talk.
"I said feel free. If that's what you wish, go ahead."
Ray gave his consent readily. That actually made it more suspicious, but he couldn't afford to miss this opportunity.
"Then, shall we talk inside the building?"
Julius invited Akemi and Hinata to speak inside, but...
"No."
"Eh?"
Despite having obtained Ray's permission, Akemi, the person he wanted to talk to, rejected it in a single word.
"I can't do something that would make me suspected of spying, can I?"
If she spoke with Julius in a place where no one else was present, there was no telling what she might be suspected of. There would be no one to prove her innocence. The current Akemi would never want such a situation.
"...She says this, but?"
"As I've said repeatedly, I said 'feel free.' I believe that includes the freedom to refuse."
"How will you prove that this wasn't forced upon her?"
"If you suspect that, shouldn't you first present evidence that it was forced?"
If the side casting suspicion does not show the basis for it, it is merely a baseless accusation. And Julius had no such basis.
"...Hinata-dono?"
If Akemi was a no, what about Hinata?
"Um... I also... wouldn't want to be subjected to unnecessary suspicion..."
She followed Akemi's lead. Hinata did not have the courage to take a risk alone.
"...What if I asked for the two of you to be released here and now?"
The two of them were afraid of something. Thinking this, Julius threw a request at Ray that he knew was impossible, just to check their reaction.
"Feel free."
"What?"
"As I said, if that's what you want, feel free. It doesn't bother me at all."
"So I may take them back from here?"
If he took them back right then and there, the two of them would no longer need to fear harm. That was Julius's thought, but...
"Don't decide on your own. I refuse."
As expected, Akemi rejected it.
"...May I ask the reason?"
"I was put through terrible things by the Laurel Kingdom and fled. Why on earth would I want to return to the place I fled from?"
"Terrible things...?"
Julius had not been told what those were. It was the disgraceful behavior of Crown Prince Neil, and the King and Prime Minister had judged that not knowing it would not hinder negotiations with Ray.
"You don't know, do you? Then I won't tell you. It's not something I want to talk about with my own mouth."
"But..."
Julius's gaze turned toward Ray. In response, Ray gave a slight shrug. It was a sign that he had no intention of speaking.
"Even if Ray orders it, if I don't want to, I don't want to. I refuse."
"...And Hinata-dono?"
Akemi was impossible. In that case, Julius thought that at least Hinata might...
"...I... I can't leave Akemi-san behind alone."
"Hah?"
The one who spoke up was Akemi. It was a voice of dissatisfaction at being used as an excuse.
"U-um, anyway, I can't go back either."
"He has agreed to your release. It's fine to care for your friend, but shouldn't you consider only yourself here?"
There is hope for Hinata. Her way of speaking made Julius think so. Even though she was just stalling because she couldn't explain her reason for staying. Finding this slightly amusing, Akemi stopped complaining.
"...I can't do that."
"Is living deep in the mountains comfortable for you? I won't say it's wretched. But it can't be compared to living in a castle."
Julius tried to stimulate Hinata's desires. Hinata had rarely been selfish like Fumiya or Akemi, but he knew she had a desire to not refuse things given to her.
"I do not seek a luxurious life. I am sufficiently comfortable now."
"Not comfortable, but pleasure," Akemi's small mutter, audible only to Hinata, was naturally unheard by Julius.
"...Is there anything you need?"
It was impossible to make her interested immediately. Judging this, Julius decided to stimulate Hinata's desire with a gift. He thought that if she became dissatisfied with her current life, her mind might change.
"That would be..."
"Then, underwear."
"Hah?"
While he intended to stimulate Hinata's desire, Akemi was the one who reacted.
"Underwear. The color... probably white. Maybe lace? Anyway, I ask for high-quality ones."
"If you tell me to prepare them, I will, but..."
Why underwear? And even if he sent them to Akemi, she likely wouldn't return to the Laurel Kingdom.
"Then, could you collect a variety of them? I'll choose from among them."
"A variety... I'll see what I can do."
He had found an excuse to meet again. Julius tried to convince himself with that.
"The sizes too."
"Sizes? If you told me in advance..."
"Sizes aren't standardized in this world. Just collect various sizes. I'll pick the one that fits me perfectly."
Julius didn't notice that behind Akemi, Cecil, still wearing her hood deep, was making a small victory pose. Even if he had noticed, Julius wouldn't understand the reason why Akemi was requesting underwear. He couldn't possibly know that they were trying to stimulate Ray's desire with gifts meant to stimulate their own.
"I will pay for them. Receiving them for free would be like a bribe."
With a wry smile, Ray mentioned that he would pay. Ray understood Akemi's objective. Because of the gaze Akemi directed at him when she said, "Probably white." The reason for the wry smile was the complex feeling of knowing that Akemi thought he liked white, sheer underwear.
"...I see. Anything else?"
"Nothing else."
"...Me neither."
The only request was underwear. Julius felt no confidence that he could achieve his objective.
"Do you have anything else to discuss?"
"Nothing from your side?"
"Nothing."
There was nothing more to discuss with the Laurel Kingdom. As long as they didn't attack Nordende, that was enough.
"Then, for next time... would it be impossible to be invited to your base?"
As it stood, there was nothing to be gained. Even knowing it was an unreasonable request, Julius decided to ask.
"A base? Which one?"
"I heard that your main base is in these mountains."
"Main base... there is no such thing. If I had to say there is one, the entirety of Nordende is it."
"...What do you mean by that?"
Julius didn't understand the meaning of Ray's words.
"Exactly as I said. The entirety of Nordende is the main base. The bases scattered within it are all important, and any of them can be abandoned at any time. For example, this place is like that."
"I see..."
It wasn't just that he didn't want to show the main base. Julius understood that, literally, Ray—or rather, the Demon Race—intended to fight using the entire territory of Nordende as their base.
"Just to let you know. Magic tools used in previous battles are scattered all over the mountains. It's dangerous for someone who doesn't know the area to move around."
"...I see. I'll be careful."
This was a warning to the Laurel Kingdom army. That was how Julius took it.
"Please be very careful. Even I don't have a full grasp of where everything is."
"...That's problematic. Since it's dangerous, shouldn't they be removed?"
"I'd like to if I could, but removing them is also dangerous. As long as you walk on the maintained roads, it should be fine, so I don't think it's urgent."
"I see..."
Ray's words could not be trusted. A mountain road maintained enough for an army to move. Julius thought there was no way such a place was safe. And even the garrison standing before him likely had traps set. Nordende had become a far more troublesome land than he had thought. Julius thought so. He was made to think so. Naturally, Ray was different from the Ray of the past. Unlike before, when he did everything alone, the current Ray had an organization supporting him. Those whose individual power as members of the Demon Race far surpassed that of the Human Race moved under Ray's orders. He was dealing with a king. He wondered if the burden was too heavy for him, who was merely a civil official. Geel had said the King and Prime Minister felt a sense of crisis, but Julius now knew that wasn't the case.
◇◇◇
After finishing the meeting with Julius, Ray and the others returned to the garrison. It had been a waste of time with nothing to gain. At least for Ray and Kai, who had accompanied him as guards; for Akemi and Cecil, it might have been slightly different. As for the remaining person, Hinata, it was the same as Ray. A meaningless amount of time. She had subjected herself to such a thing. Ray didn't understand the reason why.
"...You're not doing this because you want to, are you?"
Ray asked Hinata as she wiped her body with a wet towel. Hinata's position was not that of Ray's slave, but a servant. Hinata's role was to take care of Ray's personal needs when Cecil was busy. Such occasions were rare, though.
"...It's my job."
"It's not a job you were given because you wanted it."
"That's true... but if I don't work..."
She wouldn't be allowed to make Cecil happy. First of all, Ray couldn't understand this.
"Were you the type to be popular with women? Were you pampered by strong-willed women?"
"...It's not really about that."
"Then why? I was serious when I told Julius-san he could take you back."
Hinata had rejected that. He didn't understand the reason. He could only think of her relationship with Cecil, but he wondered if that alone was enough to endure such treatment, which was likely humiliating for Hinata.
"...Why?"
"No, I'm the one asking."
"Why do you try to send me back?"
"Because I'm at a loss as to how to handle you if you stay."
Hinata just existed in the garrison. Cecil did most of Ray's care, and lately, she was absent more often than not. There was no work for her. Even now, as she wiped Ray's body, it wasn't because it was requested. Ray just felt that if he didn't let her do it, it might be a problem later.
"...Then, what about Akemi-san?"
"She says she has nowhere else to go. Personally, I think she'd be fine, but she seems unable to trust the Laurel Kingdom."
"...She's a murderer."
"And?"
Ray's eyes narrowed slightly. It might not be an insult, but Hinata wasn't the type to say such things behind someone's back.
"She killed people, you know?"
"I've killed too. As many people as she has, or more."
"............"
Hinata realized her slip of the tongue. Ray thought her thinking was shallow. This, too, was unexpected.
"What are you trying to say, Katsura-san?"
"...Do I have no value?"
"Value... are you talking about value as a woman? Or something else?"
"As a woman, too. Even though I'm doing this."
Told by Cecil, she had provoked Ray many times. But Ray never took the bait. Even now, Ray showed no reaction.
"I know you're doing this reluctantly, and yet I'm the one being considerate by accepting it. I can't have you complaining about that."
"...Then, what should I do?"
"Even if you ask me what to do... just do it properly?"
"...I understand."
"Pardon?"
Ray didn't know what Hinata understood. While he watched to see what she intended to do, Hinata began to take off her clothes in front of him. Slender limbs. Well-shaped breasts. The thicket of her lower body was also revealed. In that state, she pressed herself against Ray's body and pressed her lips to his chest. Hinata began to slowly run her tongue over Ray's body.
"...Um, where did you learn this?"
Hinata's actions reminded Ray of his encounters with Cecil. The suspicion that she might have been peeking crossed Ray's mind.
"...Be quiet."
"Yes..."
Setting aside where she learned it, Hinata seemed serious in her own way. It was comical to Ray, but he decided to leave her be for a while. Hinata's mouth gradually moved to his lower body. Ray certainly felt a strong stimulation, different from before. Thinking "The great Katsura-san is doing this to me," his body reacted. Noticing this, Hinata tried to increase the stimulation further. But that was enough. Ray decided so.
"I'm a man, so my body reacts when stimulated. So what? What meaning does that have?"
At least for Ray, there was none. Not a shred of feeling for Hinata remained. If there was any meaning, it was the reconfirmation of that fact.
"...Still... well, you're satisfied, right?"
"Are you satisfied with that, Katsura-san? There's no way you are, right? Or do you want to learn about a man's body too?"
"............"
Hinata's face turned bright red. To show such bashfulness after doing something so bold—he thought it was a talent. A talent that could be utilized in certain sexual tastes. Ray had those tastes, but he felt no desire to seek them with Hinata.
"Alright, that's enough. You can stop now."
Even talking, he couldn't understand Hinata's way of thinking. If she just said "Because I love Cecil," Ray would be convinced, but those words didn't come from Hinata's mouth. He thought that perhaps Hinata herself didn't know why she was doing this.
Shamefacedly covering her body with her clothes, Hinata disappeared into the inner room.
"...Did it not work? I thought she had reached a good point."
In her place, Cecil appeared.
"Cecil-san... that's bad taste, you know?"
"I wasn't peeking. I just couldn't enter the room."
"I see..."
Even so, there was no need to wait in front of the room the whole time. He thought so, but stopped himself from pursuing it. There was no way Cecil would admit to peeking.
"Is it alright if your body isn't wiped?"
"...Maybe I'll have you wipe it?"
"Understood."
Cecil tried to wipe Ray's body with the towel Hinata had left behind.
"Eh? R-Ray-sama?"
Cecil was surprised to be suddenly and tightly hugged from behind by Ray. And she was happy. He wondered if it was thanks to Hinata's provocation.
"...May I ask one thing?"
"P-please."
"Why do you try to make other women seduce me?"
This was a question Ray had held for a long time. He didn't understand why Cecil, who had initially thrown such madness of affection at him and tried to monopolize him, would incite Hinata.
"I thought it would be better if you were loved by many women."
"...I don't desire such a thing. And even if I did, she is different."
"Yes. That part is not going well."
She thought she had trained Hinata quite well, but there was no progress at the end. Cecil knew that too.
"Then, why not just stop?"
"On the contrary, I want you to embrace her just once."
"Eh? Why?"
"She always has an excuse ready. Exposing her shameful self is my fault. Being humiliated by Ray-sama is the fault of both me and Ray-sama. Staying here is not her own will, but because she cannot escape. When she couldn't use that, she blamed Akemi-san."
"...I can somewhat understand that, but why does that mean I should?"
"If they have a relationship where they allow their bodies, she can make the excuse that she fell in love with Ray-sama."
"...T-that's a bit..."
He wasn't happy at all. In the first place, he felt no meaning in being liked by Hinata.
"The number of women who love Ray-sama would increase by one, you know?"
"So I... you've diverted the conversation, haven't you?"
He thought he was listening to Cecil's feelings, but before he knew it, it had become a conversation about Hinata's feelings and whether or not to embrace her. Ray noticed this.
"...No."
"Cecil-san."
"Ah..."
Ray tightened his grip on Cecil's body considerably. Cecil looked a bit pained by this.
"Why?"
Furthermore, Ray gripped Cecil's breast firmly with his hand.
"R-Ray-sama..."
"Cecil-san is enough for me."
Ray was actually a little angry at Cecil's actions. Her actions in trying to make him cheat. For the first time, Ray showed this anger to Cecil.
"...I-I'm happy... but, that's a lie."
"Eh?"
"In your heart, there is a woman other than me."
"............"
Ray couldn't deny Cecil's point. He thought he should deny it, but he couldn't.
"I'm not blaming you. From the moment we first met, your heart belonged to another woman."
"...Ah, that's true."
His feelings for Kamiira. Helping Rui, who was Kamiira's daughter and whom he thought of as a younger sister, was everything to Ray. He could admit that in words.
"But those people only make you suffer. And the person you loved after them, too."
"Cecil-san..."
"I want to make you forget them. But I cannot do it alone. I've realized that. That's why..."
From the moment she realized that, Cecil sought a presence that could heal Ray's heart, a presence that could make him forget them. It seemed Hinata was someone Ray had feelings for in the past. If it was that Hinata... such a thought had arisen midway. Akemi seemed to be the same as Hinata. Knowing that, she couldn't stop Akemi's provocations toward Ray.
"...Cecil-san, you're a great woman. I truly think so from the bottom of my heart."
"Um...?"
"Time will surely solve things for me. The time I spend with Cecil-san."
"...That's a lie, isn't it?"
It wasn't that simple. Cecil thought Ray said such a thing just to comfort himself.
"At times like this, you don't say things like that."
"Ah..."
If he couldn't convince her with words, then with his body. While thinking it was a cowardly method, Ray chose it. That was fine. Because Cecil, being treated this way, honestly rejoiced in the time she could monopolize Ray. Besides, it was true that time was necessary. Because such time might one day grant Cecil's wish.