CH 74

Former Hero and Evil God

Translated by AmaLynne

…What is this feeling?

It’s as if rising out of the depths of the water………like sinking at once from the surface of the water………a feeling I don’t understand.

I’ve never felt anything like this before…Where am I?

「This is God’s domain. At last, I’ve been able to interfere with your soul.」

Who?

「Well. This is the first time we’ve spoken, Yomi. I am Isuzu. I am the God of Death and Wrath.」

…………Yes?

◆◇◆◇◆

「Eh, Isuzu? …Eh!?」

「Oh, could you please keep your voice down here as much as possible? All you have to do is think and your voice will come through to me.」

Ye, yes.

Um, can you hear me with this?

「Yes, I can hear you.」

Wow, really!?

And you are……are you really Isuzu the Evil God?

「I don’t remember calling myself an evil god. Well, that’s what they call me now. If you don’t believe me, how about trying to cut me with that sword? We gods have absolute superiority over the lower beings so that it won’t hurt or itch.」

No, no, I’d rather not.

Besides, I can somehow sense that you are a god.

「You’re very perceptive, former hero. I see…but still, it was hard for me to try to interfere with you being a human being. As the god of the demon tribe, I originally did not have the authority to contact you… After eight long years of poking and prodding at the last-minute holes in the regulations of the Divine Realm, I can finally talk to you.」

Is that okay…?

…So, why are you going to all this trouble for me?

「Because we have a lot to talk about before we get to that…Well, let’s sit down and talk. I’ve prepared some snacks and tea.」

Eh? Since when?

But there’s some food here that I’ve never seen before.

「I brought it from another world. I have cakes, too. Well, well, please come in.」

Let’s see… Well, I’ll have some.

………

………Delicious!?

「Isn’t it delicious? Even the Demon Lord and Lean-san liked it.」

Hee~! Such good food in a different world!

Yes, it’s sweet and delicious…………what?

Demon Lord and Lean-san?

Aside from the Demon Lord…Lean here too?

「Yes, she’s here. I have interfered with her many times in the past. I have asked her to hang out with me in her spare time, and sometimes I give her advice.」

Never heard of it…

「This is true, it may seem crazy to think she’s talking to God. The only one who would believe that would be a Demon Lord in the same relationship.」

Well, that’s true, isn’t it?

Oh, this is delicious, too.

「My, you and Lean-san have similar tastes, don’t you? It’s also Lean-san’s favorite candy, called Dorayaki.」

Yes, the black thing inside that I don’t understand is sweet and delicious.

「It’s anko (red bean paste). If you like it, this one is good, too.」

In this way, I enjoyed sweets I had never eaten before for about an hour.

◆◇◆◇◆

「…Now, then, it is time to answer the question: Why did I take so many risks to interfere with you?」

Yes, please.

「…………………」

……Um, what is it?

「…No, it’s just…Both Demon Lord and Lean-san have been treating me somewhat roughly lately……a child who listens to me like this……it’s kind of dazzling……」

Uhh…

「Well, let me reiterate. The reason why I interfered with you…I’m going to be direct. Yomi, are you willing to become my retainer?」

…Retainer, me? Isuzu-sama’s?

In other words, the same as the Demon Lord?

「That’s right. Right now, I have only the Demon Lord Phyllis as my retainer. Although I will ask Lean-san later, I thought I would ask you first. Are you willing to become my retainer and gain the blessings of the Evil God?」

Why me first?

「You are a human being. As a human being, you have a very short life span from the perspective of God, as well as the long-lived species, Lean and the Demon Lord…needless to say, you have a very short life span. Therefore, I would like to give a blessing and gain the power of『Immortality』while you still can…In the future, when we destroy humans…decades…if not, it could take hundreds of years. In that case, your exceptional talent will be essential.」

…I see.

And if I’m given a blessing, that means I can become stronger, right?

「Of course. Basic status increases, level limiters, and much more. Well, it’s not such an easy decision to become a retainer of an evil god…」

I understand. I will.

「Even mo……re……so? Eh? You will?」

Yes. Yes, I will.

If I can get blessings and become stronger, there is no reason not to accept.

For me, who aims to be the「Strongest」, there is no better proposal than this.

「…I see. That’s good. Then let’s get on with it…」

Oh, wait a minute.

I said I will, but…I want you to wait a couple of years before I become a retainer.

「…? Why…ah, yes. In the body of a 13-year-old, you are still developing. It is not a body in its prime, is it?」

That’s what I mean.

「I understand. Then, when I determine that your body has reached its peak, I will come back to your consciousness.」

Yes, thank you very much.

Thank you for listening to my selfishness.

「(………I can understand a little bit why Lean-san is in love with you.)」

Eh?

「Ah, no, sorry, not this topic…Oops. It’s time to come back to consciousness. Oh, I forgot to tell you.」

……?

「About your sister, Mia. The Four Demon Generals… I mean, she was about to ask about the first seat, that is, you, and I stopped it.」

……That sounds so important, and so casual, like a last-minute addition!

「Well, it doesn’t make any difference whether I do or don’t… All the demon tribe in this world is currently under the control of the one who has the highest special occupational class,『Demon Lord』, namely Phyllis. And that Demon Lord is my retainer. Therefore, through the Demon Lord, I have arranged for all the demons to forget bits and pieces of you while they are under charm…I could only do so much, since breaking the charm would be considered excessive interference and I would be punished.」

No, no, that’s enough. Thank you so much.

I’d be in a lot of trouble if they knew who I really am.

「If they knew you were alive and helping the Demon Army, they would try to be defensive until the time came… Well, it is time to go. It is really difficult to interfere with you, so perhaps the next time will be in a few years… See you soon.」

◆◇◆◇◆

「……nnn.」

I woke up to a familiar ceiling.

The ceiling of my room.

Just now…a dream?

「Yomi!」

I heard a voice calling me, and I turned around to see Lean holding a razor and a towel.

「You’re awake! Do you recognize me?」

「Ah……Lean……Yes, I’m fine.」

「Really…? Thank God…Yomi, you collapsed in the conference room and didn’t wake up for a whole day…Geez, I don’t know anymore…!」

…I must have fallen asleep.

Then I guess it was a dream after all.

「I have to go and report to the Demon Lord! …Can you get up? If you can’t, I’ll go alone.」

「No……I’m fine.」

In fact, I even feel more comfortable than before.

Is it because I slept a lot?

「I see. I’m glad to hear that. Then let’s go. Here, change your clothes and get dressed.」

「Okay. Umm, I’m embarrassed, so go out……」

「Don’t mind if I do.」

「Eh? No, I’m embarrassed……」

「No, thank you.」

…Of course, I care about Lean, but sometimes she acts weird like this.

Ah, that’s right. Maybe if I ask Lean, I can find out if it was a dream or not.

「Hey, Lean.」

「Hmm? What is it? Want me to help you get dressed? No, I’ll do it.」

「Have you been eating sweets with God without telling me?」

「Well, because Yomi is human, so Isuzu-sama can’t interfere with her…」

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Pause

Unmute

After saying that much, Lean dropped the tiara she was holding.