It Seems That the Demon King Is Among the Members of the Hero’s Party

54. A Brief Rest

I’m currently taking a break at a restaurant in the royal capital, “Corojana”. Ekler and Darl are sitting at the same table.

Sasha went to the bar, saying she was finally free. She was complaining about her age being mentioned earlier, and it seemed to be stressing her out. She’s probably going to relieve her stress with drinks.

Cecil isn’t here right now. It’s rare for her to leave my side, but she’s probably at the church, telling Noel about Tra’s situation. Noel was worried about Tra, after all.

I was told to contact her once the conversation progresses. I suppose I’ll have to rely on that weird magic tool craftsman. But I don’t think it’s necessary to contact her. She’ll probably just eavesdrop on our conversation with Maxwell.

No, I won’t tell Cecil about that. It’s not natural to ask her to contact me, and it’s a waste of time. I feel a bit sorry for Cecil, who’s going through the motions.

Tra is currently at Maxwell’s place, getting a magic tool made for her prosthetic arm. She’s checking the measurements, magic infusion, and other necessary details.

I don’t understand the complicated talk, but Tra was muttering to herself. Basically, we can leave it to Maxwell, and it’ll be fine.

We went out and returned with the magic crystal on the same day, surprising everyone.

The Ancient Dragon? It was almost instantly defeated.

We asked the guards about the location and used Sasha’s magic to fly there quickly. When we arrived at the village, we saw the guards desperately defending it.

The dragon noticed us and changed its target, but we were quick to respond.

As soon as the battle started, Darl used his fire attribute magic “Flash Bomb”, which is meant to blind the enemy. The dragon was suddenly deprived of its vision.

Taking advantage of the dragon’s momentary blindness, Tra’s magic-infused kick “Gekitou” hit its face.

We then used Sasha’s earth attribute magic “Ground Bind” and Cecil’s holy attribute magic “Holy Bind” to restrain the dragon, which was lightly stunned.

After that, Ekler and I used our magic-infused swords to cut off the dragon’s head, and it was all over. It didn’t even take a minute. It was like a routine task.

The guards who were watching our battle looked at us with a gaze that was like they were seeing a monster. It’s impolite to say, but there are monsters stronger than us, like the demon tribe.

Regarding the Ancient Dragon’s materials, we negotiated with the country. Although we defeated it, it was within the country’s territory, and the magic crystal is a valuable resource that can be used for development, so we couldn’t just take it without permission.

Tra needed it for her prosthetic arm, so we went to the palace and negotiated with the village head to obtain it.

It was our second meeting, but he was a generous person. He said that if it’s necessary for Tra, a crucial member of our brave party, then it’s okay.

We did defeat the dragon, after all, and he seemed to be saying that he didn’t mind. He gave us the materials, saying he didn’t need them.

Although he’s small in stature, his well-trained muscles were like a work of art. His well-groomed beard was also fitting for a dwarf king. Dwarves call their king the “Village Head”, a remnant from before the country was established.

By the way, the dwarf kingdom has never changed its king since its founding. Elves and humans have had many kings, but the dwarf kingdom hasn’t, and the reason is simple: their king is incredibly strong.

Our party’s Tra can exchange blows with him, and he’s also teaching magic to Maxwell, so his magical abilities are also impressive.

I think he’s a great person. When he heard about the Ancient Dragon, he even wanted to go defeat it himself, but his dignity was at stake, and his subordinates stopped him.

If it were a national crisis, he would have gone, but Maxwell was also present, so he waited at the palace.

He was getting anxious after hearing our report. Does he enjoy fighting?

Anyway, it’s been a day since we asked Maxwell about the magic tool, and we’ve been waiting. With nothing to do, Darl invited me to take a stroll around the royal capital, and we ended up here, having a drink at a restaurant. Ekler was already here, so we joined him.

Darl and Ekler are relatively close. Darl’s friendly nature is probably a factor.

Basically, Darl talks, and Ekler nods or shakes her head in response.

“Tra’s prosthetic arm is almost done, and I feel relieved!”

Kokokoku and Eclair are nodding. I’m also relieved that Torasan’s artificial hand is progressing. “That’s right,” I replied to Daru while receiving the drinks brought by the shopkeeper. I thought it was all alcohol, but they also had normal drinks, so that was a relief.

Daru and Eclair are having fruit juice with a slightly sour taste, made from a fruit called “Zaroku” mixed with milk.

They’re drinking with big smiles on their faces, so it must be delicious. I take a sip of my own drink, which is a herbal tea-like beverage blended with several herbs.

It’s not bitter or astringent, but it has a herbal aroma. It’s easy to drink, so it’s my cup of tea.

“It’s gentle on the stomach, you know,” the shopkeeper recommended, and I quickly ordered it. Apparently, they recommended it because I looked tired.

I was thinking about Mirabel’s situation, and since Cecil was in the same room, I couldn’t sleep, so I was sleep-deprived. It’s possible that’s why I got caught up in Diablo’s ability.

From yesterday, Cecil and I have been staying in separate rooms at the inn. The fee is a bit higher, but it’s better not to worry about it.

Duranthal also seems relieved that Cecil isn’t around. However, he said we need to be careful not to make too much noise, since Cecil might be eavesdropping.

“The capital is flashy, but it’s frustrating that there’s limited space to move around.”

“That’s true.”

Eclair is also nodding in agreement. Honestly, there’s nothing for us to do until Torasan’s artificial hand is complete. Torasan has to go to Maxwell’s place frequently, but we’re just waiting around.

We can’t even train because of the capital’s restrictions. If we get permission from the lord and go to the soldiers’ training grounds, we can train, but there’s a high chance we’ll be asked to guide the soldiers.

The soldiers are also desperate to get stronger, so they’re busy. If we get caught up in guiding them, it’ll take up our time and reduce our training efficiency.

“That’s it! I have something to show you, Kail and Eclair!”

Daru rummages through his bag while muttering to himself, also checking his pockets and chest. Since there’s a girl in front of us, he should be a bit more considerate. When I saw Daru’s chest, I averted my gaze to the table.

“Here it is!”

Daru’s voice makes me look up, and he’s holding a piece of paper. There’s a large handwritten illustration, and on top of it, there’s writing. “Decide the Strongest of the Dwarf Kingdom! Martial Arts Tournament Announcement!” is written in big letters. The details, such as the date and participation conditions, are written in smaller text below.

“What do you think? Will you participate, Kail and Eclair?”

“The tournament is in three days, but the participation condition is that you have to be from the Dwarf Kingdom. That means only Sasha can participate.”

“…………” Kokokoku.

“Haha, the lord gave this to me!”

“Why did you meet with the lord, Daru?”

“No, I just went to see the national treasure. I didn’t try to steal it.”

“Hey!”

Daru’s eyes are darting around. He’s done something like this before in Cremaltas. This woman stole the national treasure and got caught once. Back then, it was a big deal.

The king of Cremaltas said, “Our national treasure is well-guarded, so if you can steal it, please do.” Daru took it as a challenge and actually stole it.

It caused a huge commotion. When they found out the thief was Daru, they caught him. The king was amazed when he heard the reason why Daru stole it, and afterwards, he burst out laughing.

Daru wasn’t punished, and instead, the king praised his skills and released him. “Next time, make it even harder to steal,” the king said with a smile.

“Did you get caught?”

“The king of this country is strong.”

“Hey…”

“But he forgave me with a smile! He told me to take my time, and that’s why I got this.”

Ah, good thing the lord is a broad-minded person. It’s good that we met him as the Brave Party twice. He probably remembered Daru’s face. Rather, he’s so free-spirited that he’d try to steal the national treasure. And isn’t the national treasure of this country the armor the lord uses?

“According to the Dwarf King, if you’re from the Brave Party, you can participate unconditionally. He wants to see how strong you are.”

“I see. If the lord says so, we have no choice but to participate.”

“…………” Kokokoku.

“Torasan might want to participate, but his artificial hand won’t be ready in time, so it’ll just be the three of us.”

Sasha definitely won’t participate. It’s a martial arts tournament, so there’s no way a mage would join. Eclair looks like he’s made up his mind, with a serious expression on his face. What’s with that serious face?

“I’m not participating, so it’ll just be Kail and Eclair.”

“Are you not participating, Daru?”

“Hmm, it seems like magic won’t work in this tournament. That’s not good, since I’m not that strong without it.”

“That’s how it is.”

Eclair tilted his head, but Darl was more of a magician who focused on supporting from the back. He couldn’t fight with a short sword alone, and even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to win.

Darl’s main fighting style was to quickly close in on his opponent, attack with his short sword, and then deal massive damage with magic or cause confusion. His strength only emerged when he combined magic with his swordsmanship. He wasn’t suited for a martial arts tournament.

“Then it’ll be just the two of us participating. We’ll do our best to make up for Toru’s share.”

“…………” *gulp*

“I’ll also be cheering for you on the day of the tournament!”

The brief rest was peaceful.

That night, Durandal said to me,

“I think the martial arts tournament will be a battle between Eclair-san and Master. To be honest, I don’t think the other participants can be our opponents.”

“We won’t know until it starts, will we?”

“If the chief were to appear, that would be a different story, but I don’t think that will happen. There’s no one in the Dwarf Kingdom who can beat Master. The title ‘Sword Saint’ isn’t just for show.”

“Don’t praise me too much, it’s a bit embarrassing.”

“Similarly, Eclair-san’s strength, which is worthy of the title ‘Brave’, might even surpass Master’s.”

Eclair, huh. I’ve never actually fought him before. We’ve trained together, but we’ve never had a match like a real battle. I’ve asked him to spar with me several times, but he’s always declined. If I were to fight him, it would be for the first time.

According to the tournament rules, the weapons to be used are those prepared by the organizers, with the blades dulled. It would be a test of pure swordsmanship, without the influence of holy swords or Durandal.

“If you were to fight Eclair-san, please don’t lose, Master.”

“I don’t plan on losing, but why are you saying that?”

I, too, am a man, and I don’t like to lose in competitions. Durandal seems to be worried about something.

“No, it’s just that Eclair-san seems to have made up his mind about something. I think if Master were to lose, he might attack.”

“Attack? What do you mean?”

“Eclair-san has feelings for Master, so I think he’ll literally attack if Master loses. Please win, no matter what.”

───For some reason, I felt like I couldn’t afford to lose. No, I’ll win, Noel.

Episode 3: The Soliloquy of a Certain Older Brother

───I, Sato Shoma, am currently involved in an unbelievable abnormal situation.

After clearing the crappy game “Destiny”, I somehow ended up possessing the body of the game’s final boss, the demon king.

Why did this happen? I want to know.

I dove into the sea of memories, trying to escape reality.

I loved games. I’ve played all sorts of games since I was a kid, from training games to tower defense, sports, action, and more. I especially loved fantasy games.

Can I say that I was possessed by fiction, which is different from reality? But as I grew older, my school life and club activities became busier, and eventually, I became a working adult and drifted away from games.

The reason I got involved in this abnormal situation is because I was obsessed with “Destiny”. I must have had some kind of trigger. Ah, I remembered.

I had a younger sister, Sato Shiori, who was extremely cute. I was a siscon, and I thought I had to become a hero to protect her.

Didn’t my mom tell me to protect Shiori? Even my two-year-younger childhood friend, who was like a close friend, told me that I was “creepily siscon”. I wanted to become a hero who would protect my sister.

The incident occurred when I was in sixth grade, just about to enter junior high school.

I found out that Shiori was being bullied by a girl in her class. Shiori was hiding it, but I discovered that someone had written cruel messages on her notebooks and textbooks.

Shiori had a severe burn scar on her forehead. Our mother, who was exhausted from childcare, accidentally spilled hot water from a kettle on Shiori’s face. We rushed her to the hospital, and she survived, but the scar remained.

When I was young, I didn’t mind it, but as I grew older, I became more conscious of the way people looked at me, and I started growing my bangs to hide the scar. My bright and cheerful personality from my childhood also became darker and more cowardly as I became more aware of people’s gazes.

I couldn’t fit in with my class, and I didn’t have any friends. That’s why I became a target for bullying.

What should I do? As a kid, I was troubled. Should I talk to my parents? But I, who wanted to become a hero, thought I could handle it on my own.

But I was about to become a middle school student. That meant I wouldn’t be able to protect my sister, Saki, at school. I was worried about what to do when Atsushi Takahashi, who would later become my close friend, approached me.

Atsushi was a friendly boy who was two years younger than me and was in the same soccer club. I often talked to him, and when I confided in him about Saki, he said, “Leave it to me!” and I entrusted him with the task.

From then on, things moved faster than I had expected. Later, I found out that Atsushi and Saki had been in the same elementary school and class. Perhaps because of that, when Atsushi took action, the bullying towards Saki suddenly stopped. Atsushi was a popular kid in class with many friends.

There were also many girls who had a crush on Atsushi. I think there were various factors, but Atsushi’s actions solved the bullying problem that had been bothering me.

My appreciation for Atsushi skyrocketed, and we became friends who could hang out together regardless of our age or club activities.

When I entered middle school, I was worried about Saki, and Atsushi said, “Leave it to me!” with a strong tone, which made me trust him even more.

Even after entering middle school, I still had time to hang out with Atsushi, and whenever we played at home, Saki would naturally join us. Then, I realized that my sister had fallen in love with Atsushi, who had saved her from bullying.

I felt complex emotions when I saw Saki’s passionate gaze towards Atsushi, but I decided to play Cupid for the two, thinking that Atsushi was someone I could entrust Saki to.

However, due to various circumstances, the relationship between the shy Saki and the obtuse Atsushi didn’t progress, and I was worried.

Once, they almost got together, but it was when Atsushi confessed to Saki in middle school. It seemed like they had mutual feelings, and if Saki had accepted his confession, it would have been a happy ending.

But Saki, who had been confessed to, got flustered and rejected him, saying, “I think there’s someone more suitable for you than me.” I was shocked when I heard about it later.

I saw Saki crying in her room, and I was speechless. What was she thinking?! I thought to myself.

It seemed like Saki’s feelings were all mixed up, and she thought she wasn’t good enough. If only I could go back in time, I would try to bring the two together.

After that, their relationship became a bit strained, but thanks to my mediation, we returned to our previous distance. From then on, there was no progress, and we were stuck in a delicate balance, wondering if they would get together or not.

Before I knew it, the two had graduated from high school and become working adults. Saki, who had followed Atsushi to the same high school and workplace, made me a bit worried, thinking, “Sis, your love is a bit heavy!” It was as if she was becoming a stalker.

I was worried about Saki’s future, and as I had already become a working adult, I focused on my job.

Even after becoming a working adult, Atsushi and I remained close, and I would often encourage Saki from behind the scenes. However, the distance between them didn’t seem to shrink, and I thought to myself, “Should I try to get them together somehow?”

My parents also started to urge me to get married, and I felt pressured. I thought to myself, “If I don’t do something, I’ll end up getting married before they do!”

Just when I was thinking of a plan to bring them together, a tragedy occurred. It was on their way home from work. They were both working late, and it was later than usual. They were walking together when a truck, which was drunk-driving, ran a red light and hit them.

Atsushi died while trying to protect Saki. When my parents told me, I couldn’t believe it.

I attended Atsushi’s funeral and finally understood that he was really gone. I saw Atsushi’s crying parents and his younger sister, who was many years younger than him. My parents were also crying. I had always thought that the two would get married someday.

I had also hoped that the two would be together. From my perspective, they seemed to be meant for each other. I never thought that they would be torn apart in such a way.

I couldn’t stop crying. Atsushi was Saki’s loved one, and he was also a precious friend to me.

At the same time, I was worried about Saki. She was devastated by Atsushi’s death, and I couldn’t bear to see her broken state.

A week after Atsushi’s funeral, Saki committed suicide by jumping off a building. The letter she left behind was filled with apologies to our family and Atsushi’s family. And at the end, she wrote, “I’ll go see Atsushi now.”

I couldn’t believe it. But reality was closing in on me. I was somehow able to hold a funeral for Saki, but it felt like someone else was doing it.

After the funeral, I finally understood the reality of Saki’s death. I had lost my precious sister and friend. I felt like I had lost my soul.

I quit my job, which I had been doing for a long time, because I couldn’t focus on it anymore. I didn’t want to cause trouble for the company.

My parents didn’t say anything about it. They seemed to understand my feelings. Fortunately, I had saved up some money, so I wouldn’t have to worry about living expenses for a while.

After quitting my job, I lost the motivation to do anything. I just slept, ate, and slept again, living a lazy life.

One day, I saw a game in a TV program, and my memories came flooding back. It was a game that Saki, Atsushi, and I used to play together when we were in elementary or middle school.

Before I knew it, I was playing the game, crying while remembering the two. Playing games made me forget about reality, and I became immersed in it.

I encountered a game called “Destiny,” which was ridiculously difficult, and I cursed its difficulty while getting absorbed in it. The god in the game was an annoying existence, and I wanted to punch it many times.

I’m convinced that the god existing in this world is a despicable being, just like a game. They took away the two people precious to me.

If such a god exists, I’d like to punch them! I was spouting nonsense, but…

That night, I had a strange dream. It was a man with a face I couldn’t see, yet somehow I felt a sense of familiarity towards him. The man said:

“Do you want to punch the god who took away your sister and best friend?”

Of course, I answered. I’ll punch them! The man smiled and vanished from my dream.

Some time passed, and I cleared “Destiny.” Then, I got caught up in a strange phenomenon.

───I realized I was being chased by something enormous, and I desperately ran away. I ran and ran until I reached a place where another enormous something was waiting, and I charged in with a “Yakekuso” (a mix of frustration and desperation).

It seemed that this body’s owner was the soul of the Demon King. I took in the Demon King’s soul and obtained this body.

No, it’s a bit different. I didn’t take it in; rather, my soul merged with the Demon King’s, creating a strange sensation.

The Demon King’s memories and consciousness also exist. But at the same time, I have my own consciousness and memories as Sato Shouma. When I asked my inner self, the Demon King responded. It seems that the Demon King is inside me.

Thus, my strange coexistence with the Demon King began.

The world we entered was neither mine nor the Demon King’s. It was an unfamiliar world where I felt a sense of values and fear, and I was forced to live under the Demon King’s subordinates, trembling with fear.

One day, I met a man who called himself a god. He said that if I could control this body freely, I could take revenge on the god who took away my sister and best friend.

“I’ll punch them!” I immediately replied.

According to the god, the two people were reborn in another world due to the god who took their lives. But they’re not in my world; they’re in a different one. The god said that if I obtained the power to traverse worlds, I could meet them again.

That sounds good. I’ll follow his words and obtain the power to traverse worlds. Then, I’ll go meet the two and punch the god who took their lives!

The Demon King’s soul within me also hates the god. The god in front of me is not necessarily speaking with good intentions. Their smiling face is quite unpleasant.

I think the god in front of me is also a similar existence.

I conversed with the Demon King’s soul within me. Our values are different. To the Demon King, I’m a parasite. So, I laid bare my thoughts and clashed with the Demon King’s.

Our thoughts differ, and our values are different, but one thing is common between us:

───The feeling of despising the god and the goal of killing them.

I’ll obtain the power to traverse worlds. And I’ll definitely go to the god’s place. I’ll punch them with my own hands. I’ll make sure they can’t do the same thing again.

I and the Demon King can do it. My soul is howling. My soul is rejoicing. Let’s fight the god together!

As the Demon King, I’ll rebel against the god!

Wait for me, my sister and Soul Friend. I’ll do my best, brother!