Chapter 62
Yuurai remembers the lonely expression on Claire's face that she saw that day.
Having been forced to part ways with a dear friend, Claire looked as though half of her soul had been carved away.
Even so, the fact that Emma and Emeralda are still alive must be a relief for Claire.
(Probably, the Seirene Faith is the faction of the pure god that the Evil God mentioned. If a god who cannot tolerate the Demon King's existence is at the top, they'd definitely call for my defeat. ...I wanted to let Emma and Emeralda live, but is that difficult? No, maybe I can just get them to leave the Seirene Faith...?)
Yuurai turns to Claire and asks.
"Claire, you don't want Emma and Emeralda to die, right?"
"......If I have to answer that, I don't want them to die."
"What about the other church members?"
"......I don't want them to die either. It's true that some are fanatics, but there are also many kind people. Those who genuinely wish for world peace or the happiness of others, not just the Demon King's defeat, might not need to be killed......"
"Yeah, that's true. Not everyone associated with the church is my enemy. Even if I have to fight, I'd like to choose my opponents carefully......"
A method for that doesn't come to mind right away.
However, she wants to avoid massacring everyone just because they belong to the Seirene Faith.
"It'd be nice if I could do something about it with my power. Well, I'll think about this later. Claire, by the way, does the Seirene Faith have anyone who can stand against me? The Holy Knight Order is supposed to be nearly wiped out, right?"
"......If we're not limiting it to people, the choir, the Divine Sword of Exorcism, and the Blessed Child could be threats. The choir needs a special ritual site, but they can use powerful magic in large groups. The Divine Sword of Exorcism is a blade that exhibits tremendous power against monsters. It's troublesome that anyone can wield it. The Blessed Child is still young, but she's gifted with talent and might eventually gain power to overwhelm even Class One adventurers."
(This is the first time I've heard about the Blessed Child from Claire. I'll pretend to hear about it for the first time and talk accordingly......)
"Hmm...... So, this Blessed Child, are they in the Holy Capital? Have you met them, Claire?"
"They're in the Holy Capital. I've seen them in passing, but I've never spoken to them. They're raised in isolation because they're considered special."
"How old is this child now?"
"They should be five years old. A cute little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes."
"I see. ...As for me, it'd be better to kill them now, but that feels too cruel......"
(If they're a reincarnator from my hometown, I should be able to resolve things through discussion without killing them. If I can separate them from the Seirene Faith, there's no need to kill.)
"......In the future, they might become the greatest threat to you, Yuurai. If you can't kill them, I'll do it with my own hands......"
"Hey, calm down. They're still just a toddler, right? Let's observe the situation for now and think about it later."
"......Understood."
For now, Yuurai has a rough grasp of her situation within the country.
"Rubert, by the way, what's the movement like in other countries?"
"It varies. Some countries insist on defeating you at all costs, while others are trying to ingratiate themselves with you early on. However, I don't know much about other countries' affairs."
"You're just an adventurer, after all, Rubert. Got it. I don't think I have anything else to ask you. I'll forgive the coercion, so you can go back."
"Wait a moment."
"Hm?"
"I'd like you to keep Deena by your side, Demon King. As a liaison with the Adventurer Guild and as an investigator to determine whether you truly aim for coexistence."
"......I'm fine with that, but is Deena okay with it? She's scared of me, isn't she?"
Yuurai glances at Deena, who is sitting next to Rubert. Just that is enough to make Deena tremble and avert her gaze.
"Ah, um, I... I've already said I'd take on this job, so......"
"So, it's already settled? Well, alright. Come to Grimoire."
"O-Okay!"
Deena is completely stiff. She seems to deeply regret accepting this job.
"......Hey, Rubert, are you sure about this guy? Wouldn't someone more composed be better? If she reports that I'm some terrifying monster who intimidates just by acting normally, that'd be a problem for me, you know?"
"......From our perspective, we've determined there's no one else suitable."
"Hmmm......? Alright, fine."
(Rubert probably isn't an idiot. There must be some intent behind sending Deena. Does she have some special skill or something......?)
Yuurai thinks about it but can't figure it out.
She decides only that she won't show mercy if there's any suspicious behavior.
"That's all from you too, Rubert?"
"I have nothing more to say."
"Okay. Then, we're done. ...Ugh, having all these formal discussions lately is such a hassle."
Yuurai relaxes her body and leans back on the sofa.
"......For a Demon King, you have the aura of an ordinary girl."
"Of course. I've got the title of Demon King and can use powerful magic, but inside, I'm no different from an ordinary kid."
"I see......"
"I'm not royalty or nobility. I was originally just a monster with a sense of reason. I don't care about countries or anything like that. If I can live freely and leisurely, that's good enough for me."
"......You're quite different from the Demon Kings recorded in history books. Historically, the Demon King was supposed to be the embodiment of evil......"
"I don't know anything about past Demon Kings. I'm just me. I'm just an ordinary girl with a lot of power. Everyone else is making too much of a fuss."
"......Talking to you directly, I do get that impression. I'll report this to the Adventurer Guild headquarters in the Rivalt Kingdom as well."
"Yeah, please do. By the way, Rubert, you came here on a request from headquarters, right? What does headquarters think of the guilds in Rugimano or Yusef? Do they see them as enemies who've defected to the Demon King?"
"Not at all. They recognize that each is doing their best."
"I see. It seems you didn't mention the kidnapping to the guild leader here, but you don't see them as non-allies, huh?"
"This was mostly my own decision. If I angered you, Demon King, I was prepared to offer my life to beg for forgiveness. Though, based on what Ceres told me about your temperament, I figured you wouldn't fly into a rage over something like this."
"......Speaking of which, Ceres is in Grimoire, isn't she? It'd be nice if she at least acted as a guard or something."
"She said she's neither your enemy nor your ally......"
"Ah, is that so? What a hopeless girl...... I don't think of her as an ally either, though."
As Yuurai sighs, Rubert lets out a small chuckle.
If half of his face weren't mummified, it might have looked quite fitting.
"......Rubert, about your face. I can fix it. If you work hard for us in the future, I'll restore it for you. Specifically, work to make the Adventurer Guild as a whole friendly with us."
"That's good to hear. I'll do my utmost to meet your expectations."
With that, the discussion ends, and Rubert leaves.
Deena stays behind, but she still seems to fear Yuurai, so it will likely take some time for her to get used to things.
Since she can interact naturally with Lipia, it doesn't seem like she'll feel lonely even after coming to Grimoire.
"......It's not good to leave Grimoire unattended for too long. I don't want it to be occupied without my knowledge, so let's head back soon."