I was reworking the plot a bit, so the update was delayed.

 

Thank you for waiting.

It's a quiet story.

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"Ciel, what do you think the curse is?"

 

Suddenly, the Demon King asked me such a question as I was standing behind him.

After taking care of all the things, I thought seriously so as not to answer the question that was thrown at me as I was just standing behind the throne where the Demon King sits, and then I answered.

 

"Is a curse a grudge? I hate that person, I hate this person, and I recognize that it is directed at a certain object......

"Well, it's not funny...... That's one form of curse."

 

I don't want people to expect me to be funny, but I couldn't say that.

The Demon Lord is a generous man, so he is happy to make a few gaffes instead of turning a blind eye, but I am afraid that my boss, the chief maid, will find out.

I'm scared of small words.

The sermon from the expressionless is painful.

 

"What's wrong? With such a goofy face."

"Oh, no, I ...... wondering why you suddenly told me about the curse."

 

How can you tell my expression when you haven't even glanced at my face? After that, I wondered if he looked so weird that he ...... goofy.

I hurriedly replied to the demon lord who spoke to me without looking at me.

 

"Didn't we talk about the Evil Dragon a while ago?"

"Yes."

"I'm curious about the humans who were there, and the place where they predicted where they were going leads to the curse story."

 

Evil Dragon.

This is the story of when a terrifying dragon was resurrected in this world, albeit temporarily.

The humans are probably a group of strange beings led by healing wizards.

 

"Samaria, a kingdom that is now also called the Land of Prayer. From my point of view, it is certainly not a country with the lofty name of a country of prayer."

"What does that mean?"

"Because that's the place I know of that has placed the most powerful curse on the brave that will never be broken."

 

A curse that will never be broken?

As I tilt my head, the Demon King whispers in his voice as if remembering those days.

 

"The battle between the hero and the evil dragon took place in Samariar, didn't I tell you that?"

"Well, well...... Yes."

"At the time, it was obvious to me that the battle would end in victory for the hero, after all, he had been given a powerful armor by Shenlong. In addition, his mental state was extremely dangerous, so it was clear that the chances of the Evil Dragon winning were slim to none."

"What is a dangerous condition?"

"He was desperate, he was desperate, he was betrayed, the heartless voices of the people who could not be saved, and it was a miracle in some ways that he tried to save Samariar, no matter what purpose he had for being 'inclined' to this side, to the side of destroying humanity."

 

Harm can be inflicted on the part of humans.

It was a brave man who risked his life to fight for humanity.

Even I, who didn't have much understanding, could understand that the hero at that time was being pushed.

 

"In the end, he saved Samariar, and many words of gratitude were given to him for defeating the Evil Dragon. Thank you for saving my life. Thank you for defeating the evil dragon. With such simple words, the wounded heart of the hero was healed, albeit slightly."

"It's not a story to be happy about if you think that the hero will find hope in humans and cause harm to the demon race."

"Huh......

 

At my words, the Demon King let out a small smile.

 

"But it was just a deception, and in the end, the humans we saved were sacrificed to magic and died by vulgar beings who were dazzled by the power of the hero."

"That's ...... It's terrible, isn't it? Will man betray even his own savior?"

"That's human, but here's where it gets worse."

 

The story itself is a story of the misfortune of a hero, but the demon lord who tells it seems to be quite amused.

 

"Many senseless sacrifices have left a curse on the brave that can never be broken."

"Curse...... Is it witchcraft?"

"No, it's not that easy, and most magic doesn't work on him in the first place. If you want him to perform a decent spell, you have to cast more than five spells on top of each other to have no effect. Half-hearted magic will be returned as it is."

"How much was that......

"If it wasn't that, how could you seal me?"

 

When I listen to it again, I am reminded that the hero who fought the Demon King was truly an extraordinary being.

 

"I digress...... A curse can mean many things. Expectations, hatred, jealousy, and feelings directed at others turn into burdens and wear out the psyche. That's what was directed at the hero. And then--"

 

The Demon Lord, who was separated by it, stared into the void boringly.

 

"The hero who killed the people he was supposed to have saved for his own selfishness was struck by a sense of emptiness that the battles he had fought so far had become meaningless, and regret that a person who should not have died because he was a hero was killed.

 

Indeed, Samaria could be called the Land of Curses.

But why do the humans who lived before the Demon King was sealed try to oppress their own clan so casually?

We, the demon tribe, have some troubles, but there is no such thing.

It may be because there is an absolute ruler called the Demon King, but either way, the human race is still incomprehensible.

 

"What happened to the hero after that?"

"I don't think so, but I have defeated our Demon King army that stands in my way, and after fighting with me, I have been victorious. That's it."

 

......。

 

"Is that really all there is to it?"

「......」

 

Suddenly, I wondered. I wondered if the Demon King was hiding something.

Of course, I don't think that the Demon King would betray us Demon Tribe. In the first place, if this person has abandoned the Demon Tribe, the Demon King Territory will have already become a vacant land.

At my words, the Demon King put his hand to his mouth in amusement.

 

"After all, I don't get bored talking to you, and you're probably the only person in this Demon Realm who would dare to ask me questions, Ciel."

"Oh, that's it...... I'm sorry I went too far......"

"Okay, don't bow your head."

 

He raised his head, which was about to bow at the Demon Lord's words.

When I think about it, it was a question that I didn't hesitate to ask. Fortunately, the Demon King forgave him, but if the chief maid found out, he would be given the double whammy of small words and sermons.

If that happens—no, let's not imagine.

As he shook his shoulders alone behind the Demon King, the Demon King began to weave his words in the same cold tone.

 

"It's a little hard to put into words, but to put it simply, the hero was hopeful about the future of the human species. Even if they are foolish and unbearable to look at now, as the times change, people and ideas change. I was looking to the future, looking at the present with nothing but despair."

"When you say the future, do you mean now?"

"Now? I don't know that either. After all, he's cursed, and he can think about the future and the past, but nothing more. ...... No, if you wanted to, you could do it? Well, now that he's dead, there's no way to be sure."

「......」

 

To be honest, I don't really understand it.

I tried to understand the hero, but I couldn't understand it well when I heard the Demon King's words.

In the end, what was the hero thinking when he appeared in front of the Demon King, and what was the purpose of trying to defeat the Demon King...... But there's one thing I can say, and that's --

 

"But in the end, I chose people...... Is that what you mean?"

"It's a stupid thought from my point of view, the essence of human nature will never change, and the future dreamed of by a man whose life has been devoured by fools is the same as it was in the past."

 

In the end, he sealed the Demon King for humans.

Whatever your intentions, it's an unchangeable fact.

 

「...... Either way, it doesn't matter to you who are living in the present. The fight between him and me is over. It is none other than you who have built the history of the Demon Clan from the time of my sealing to the time of my awakening. All I have to do now that I've awakened is to let you demons win—that's all."

 

Saying this, the Demon King slowly stood up from his seat.

I thought he was trying to do something, and I tried to talk to him, but before he could do so, the Demon King turned to me.

 

"Ciel, call the Second Legion Commander."

"Yes, but what are you going to do?"

"It's boring to have a battle between humans and demons like this, so I thought it's time to give them a chance to fight back."

「...... Are they?"

 

What exactly is it referring to?

At least it's not humans and demons.

 

"Kukuku, what will happen now, I hope after hundreds of years their fangs haven't fallen out."

 

The Demon King doesn't answer my question and smiles coldly.

I was vaguely watching him from behind, and although I thought rudely, "After all, I don't know what the Demon King is thinking," I arranged for him to call the Second Corps Commander as ordered.

 

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Chapter 4 ends with the Demon King summing it up nicely.

Chapter 5 is going to be a bit more combat-heavy.

 

The next update is scheduled for Monday.

 

 

* I wrote an activity report for the person who released the book and the third volume.