NOVEL NEXT Chapter 212
Chapter 212. Deception and Ambitions
Somehow, I, Zilbagias, was asked with a smile by a lunatic who desperately wanted to exterminate the human race, “Are you really trying to protect the humans?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
I affirmed with a composed face as if it were nothing unusual.
“I thought both Demon Lord and Zil-kun understood my motives well enough.”
Enma still wore that unchanging smile. A smile that didn’t budge an inch.
“So, is the plan to protect the humans the new policy of the Demon Lord Kingdom?”
“What, are you actually concerned about that?”
Feeling the intense gaze of Claire, I also forced a smile.
Like an evil Demon Lord.
“That’s obviously just a pretext.”
“Ohh, is that so? Just a pretext, huh?”
We both laughed, mockingly, sharing a hollow chuckle.
“So, what’s the intention behind it?”
Well, this wouldn’t stop here.
“Intentions… there are various ones. More importantly, how much do you know?”
I raised an eyebrow and asked Enma.
“Despite being cooped up underground, you have quite the sharp ears, huh? Who told you that I’m the initiator?”
Go on, if you can name your source.
“I don’t stay holed up all year round. You know, I actually enjoy taking walks, right? And have you forgotten our first encounter…?”
With a slightly sad expression, Enma shrugged lightly.
“There’s no way I’d forget that.”
That courtyard. An Undead bursting into sunlight and returning to ash?
“I’ll never forget such a sight, not even if I died.”
“Ahaha! To say you’d never forget even if you die… that’s bold, Zil-kun!”
Where’s the boldness in that…? But wait, I guess he still does that regularly.
“So, what’s been happening since then? Any progress on sunlight resistance research?”
“Not much, to be honest.”
With a thoughtful look, he placed a hand over his lips.
“But I feel like I might soon grasp ‘something’!”
Don’t grasp anything! Just stay ash for eternity!!!
“Well, because of that, I tend to wander outside during the day… The folks in the Demon Lord Castle either find Undead creepy or treat them like decorations. The latter continue chatting without a care when I pass by. You’ve become quite the topic of rumor among them, you know? Beastmen and Dragons gossip a lot amongst themselves.”
“Ooh…”
Not just the Beastman servants, but the Dragons too. That was a blind spot. With their natural physical abilities, they can eavesdrop from afar, and many members of the Demon Race become more talkative in the open sky while working as dragon mounts.
So Enma is collecting such gossip in an inconspicuous manner… it’s truly fitting for the Undead King who can switch bodies.
I can’t let my guard down.
“That’s why I heard that the Reiju Tribe is boasting about you quite a bit. They say you’ve impressed the Demon Lord by advising him. Apparently, it had a significant impact on the policies of the Autonomous District… So, it’s only natural to think that it’s your doing, right?”
“Excellent deduction. That’s indeed the case. As I carry the blood of the Reiju Tribe, this matter gets rather troublesome for me.”
I crossed my arms and intentionally sighed dramatically.
“By giving a certain status guarantee to the otherwise disposable human slaves, it’s to prevent them from being used by other clans. If they could be casually stolen like livestock, it would interfere with the substitutes the Reiju Tribe is breeding for Teleportation Spells, leading to troublesome issues. With the limitation of treatment slots as a pretext, my clan’s vested interests are at risk of being shaken… Ah, of course, don’t mention this to anyone else, alright?”
“Of course, it’ll just be our secret! …But, ah, I see how it is.”
“On top of that, you know about agriculture and livestock matters, right? I proposed that guaranteeing status for humans would motivate them more efficiently. …But either way, it’s only a temporary measure. Once they realize their safety, they’ll start preparing for rebellion quickly. And once that happens—”
I shrugged playfully.
“—it’ll turn into an unfolding you prefer, right?”
“To suppress them,”
“Yeah. In a grand manner.”
“To satisfy the battle spirit of the Demon Race?”
Enma observed me with a subtle smile.
—And I felt the piercing gaze of Claire.
You already know about the true purpose of the Autonomous District, don’t you? Well, with that much information gathering, it’s likely you have heard it.
“Yeah… but if this continues, sooner or later, the humans will indeed be driven into extinction. Your wish will come true in any case.”
“…If you’re so well aware of it, then the suffering produced will inevitably become a flow we can no longer avoid, right?”
With a worried expression, Enma began to massage his forehead as if readjusting his facial muscles.
What’s troublesome about him is that he’s not trying to destroy humans out of hatred; he wants to eliminate them for the sake of not letting them suffer anymore.
He’s insane.
“About that, I hate to say it, but that’s spot on… However, although the suffering of humans will prolong, for you who possess eternal time, a few decades or centuries is just a tiny blip, isn’t it?”
“…When you put it that way, it stings.”
“However, the presence of the Autonomous District might actually accelerate the invasion of the Demon Lord Army.”
I tilted my chair back lazily as I spoke.
—I intend to establish good governance in Evaroti.
Under the pretense of utilizing the deceptive information the Night Elves have spread behind the alliance—‘Even if we surrender to the Demon Lord Army, human treatment isn’t so bad’—
I’ll craft Evaroti Autonomous District into that “good example.” By making the deceptive information sound believable, I’ll drive a deeper wedge into the alliance’s coordination.
‘If we’re not going to be completely exterminated, doesn’t it seem okay to surrender?’ ‘Isn’t it better to strengthen our own national strength than to offer support?’ As the rear begins to think this way and assistance wanes, the invasion of the Demon Lord Army will become easier.
Moreover, with the plan of autonomy → rebellion → suppression, the Demon Lord Army will no longer need to restrain their speed of invasion just to keep the “enemies” around longer.
‘—Doesn’t that mean the allied territories will be carved away even faster?’
Antendeixis asked.
That’s right. But I don’t care.
An increase in the rotation rate of the battlefield means—my next deployment will come around all the faster.
Once I go to the battlefield, my power will grow.
The day I can reach the Demon Lord will come that much closer…!!
…Well, that’s all just talk for after the Evaroti Autonomous District starts yielding results, so it’ll be at least 10 years before the Demon Lord decides to lift the speed restrictions.
“In any case, the Autonomous District is doomed.”
Either it will incite a rebellion and be suppressed, or—
Before that, I’ll destroy the Demon Lord Kingdom and shatter the absurd framework of the district…!
“Of course your father understands your thoughts well. And he understands your contributions to the Demon Lord Kingdom. This is what we call a realistic compromise. If that makes you happy, I’d be glad… ”
Most likely, even the Demon Lord would explain it to Enma in this manner during the executive meetings of the Demon Lord Army.
…But.
What if the Demon Lord Kingdom turns to a policy of neither killing nor sparing the humans?
If the dream of exterminating humans turns out to be unattainable, what would he do then?
Rebel against the Demon Lord Kingdom? Thinking of that, my title as the “Director of Necromancy Research of the Demon Kingdom” begins to feel heavier.
Finding a way to obliterate the rebellious Enma, even by the dark ones—
Well, I wouldn’t mind if the dark ones ended up wiping each other out.
“Or, you undead could assume the role of the humans instead.”
I provocatively smiled, testing Enma.
“Be it in agriculture, livestock— or even in rebellion.”
Wanna give it a try? Being the “enemy” of the Demon Race.
I’d roll out the welcome mat.
—It felt like the atmosphere had chilled.
“Don’t be like that, Zil-kun, please don’t be so mean!”
Still wearing that same smile, Enma struck a playful surrender pose.
“I’m sorry if I seemed dissatisfied. No… should I say it clearly?”
With a serious face, he placed his hand over his heart and leaned forward.
“…It would be a lie to say I have no complaints. But my biggest goal is ‘to create a paradise for the Undead’ and ‘to obliterate the Holy Church.’ Those are the only two points that I’m committed to. Other elements come with conditions, of course.”
He earnestly pleaded to be believed in that regard.
“I’m not a child throwing a tantrum over impossible things. When I pledged loyalty to His Majesty Goldgias, I was assured of those two points, and I do not complain about that. I just want to create the best paradise possible and enjoy my own life; that’s enough for me.”
Interesting.
This guy isn’t lying.
—I wonder what would happen if the current Demon Lord Goldgias fell.
I held back my curiosity.
“…Got it. I’m sorry for testing you like that, Enma.”
I made a solemn face like Enma’s, appearing somewhat apologetic.
“No, no! It was my fault for being confrontational… Ahaha… Haha…”
Enma slumped, losing all strength, shoulders drooping.
“…Have you started to dislike me?”
He asked, looking up at me.
“No? Not at all, so relax.”
I smiled reassuringly.
It’s not a lie.
I haven’t disliked him.
The day I reunited with Claire, my evaluation of you hit rock bottom.
It can’t go any lower than this.
…Ah, but.
“Rather, I might have started to like you even more.”
Enma looked up in surprise, astonished by my words. His prospect of rebelling against the Demon Lord Army seems promising, so that’s a big plus for me…!
“Eh, ehheh, is that so…?”
The flailing Enma seemed delighted.
“I think I’m starting to understand Zil-kun’s taste more now…”
“Oh, is that so? If you figured it out, there’s no helping it…”
I stood up and peered into Enma’s face.
“If that’s the case, then get even more to my taste.”
You going against the Demon Race? That’s what I like.
“Yeah… understood. I’ll do my best.”
Oblivious to my true intentions, Enma nodded with watery eyes.
As we gazed into each other’s eyes and smiled—
Claire sat there with a book open, rolling her eyes.
†††
After deepening my friendship with Enma and learning advanced applications of necromancy, I left the Undead Palace.
Wow, that was a bit tiring. Climbing those stairs is good exercise, but it’s quite depressing…
Plus, though they seem to be careful about ventilation to ensure I don’t suffocate, that place is always stuffy.
Stepping out into the surface world was about as refreshing as it gets—
…And then.
As I walked through the corridor, admiring the night view of the castle town.
“…?!”
I noticed something approaching rapidly from the front, moving like mist or vapor along the ceiling.
I sensed a decent amount of magical power. That was—
“—Good evening, Prince Zilbagias.”
It swirled before me and took on a human form.
A bright red dress. Skin with an unhealthy pallor. Gold hair styled into twintails, slanted eyes, and a haughty face of a beautiful woman.
But at that moment, she politely averted her gaze.
Gently lifting the hem of her skirt, she elegantly curtsied.
“I have come on the orders of my father, Count Vlad Cheesuina—”
She raised her face, with an alluring smile.
“I am Yavka Cheesuina. Please remember me from now on.”
…And now, a vampire appears.