Volume 7 - CH 18

Rurumu was sitting on the bank of the spring.

By the way, she’s already dressed. Black hair that seemed to have been dried with her magic tool was swaying in the night breeze.

Rurumu opens her mouth while staring at the surface of the water where the two moons are reflected instead of me standing by her side.

“Melosa was a shrine maiden.”

Rurumu continued, as if speaking to the fountain.

“Though we were only born a few years apart. She had been in the temple since she was much younger than me, and she taught me many things when I came in later and was the big guy. We didn’t care about the differences in our positions,…… and some of the games were really, really stupid, but I remember we laughed together back then.”

“…”

I don’t know much about the culture and customs of divine demons.

However, I could imagine that it wouldn’t be that different from human society.

“When I learned all about temple work… Melosa picked up a human in the forest. When he woke up, he said he was an adventurer. When he was fighting monsters to save his friends, He said he fell off a cliff and passed out. I was scared, so I called the adults, but… That man was a good talker. He was saying nice things while he was tied up, and he got the grownups to release him from his bonds. I think it was partly because Melosa was trying so hard to protect him.”

“From what I’ve heard, he’s a dubious man.”

When I said that, Rurumu let out a laugh.

“Yes. I wonder if it happened.”

“…”

“He wasn’t a bad guy. He was always saying nice things, but I think he was probably telling the truth when he fell off the cliff to protect his friends. I think that’s why Melosa liked him.”

Saying that, she made a self-deprecating smile

Rurumu’s tone was that of a completely distant past.

“After that… how many years had passed? Melosa left the temple when she found out that she was pregnant. By that time, the man’s injuries had completely healed, and he had a job and a house. They ended up living together there. Everyone was celebrating, including me.”

Tightening his mouth, Rurumu tightened her own arm.

“Because I… saw it.”

“……what?”

“I ruined everything.

“What? What did you see?”

“… the future. The future that will lead the world to ruin―――― How else can I express the birth of the hero and the demon king?”

“You saw……?”

I open my eyes involuntarily.

“Then, you are…”

“Yes, I’m the shrine maiden for the divine demon tribe “

Rurumu said somewhat embarrassed.

I was so astonished that I was at a loss for words.

The shrine maiden who announces the birth of a hero and a demon king to the world.

It was only natural that she existed since the demon tribe knew about the birth of the heroes

But I didn’t think she was the one…

“Oh… you believe it so easily. I heard that in this country, both heroes and demon lords have long since become fairy tales.”

Rurumu’s tone was light when she looked at me, but she seemed to be somewhat suspicious.

I cast my eyes down and say.

“… I don’t believe it yet. I just don’t want to get in the way. Please continue.”

Rurumu returned her gaze to the fountain and continued talking.

“What I saw were two babies. One was a red-haired human girl. The other was a boy with …… dark hair, a divine-demon.”

“…”

“I didn’t really know who the hero girl was. She seems to have lived in a wealthy house, but I also feel that the people around her didn’t look like nobles. But… I knew who the demon king’s boy was… because I knew everything about that house and the voices of his parents.”

“…”

“I was confused, so I immediately reported this to the head of the temple. After almost no time, I learned that Melosa’s child was safely born. But… I didn’t have time to be happy.”

Rurumu made a stern expression.

“Everyone was in a commotion. The village head, the elders… They probably didn’t think that a demon lord would be born in their village in their own generation. The chief gods of the great village came to us, followed by demons, beastmen, giants, ogres, three-eyed triads, dark elves of the Black Forest… ….All of them had a lot of servants, and they were in the leadership class with great magical power and powerful magic tools. I am sure they too were informed by the priestesses of their own race that a demon king had been born to the god demons.”

“Aren’t you the only demon shrine maiden?”

“Most of the races should have them. As long as they don’t lose their blood. Of course, there are also forest elves and dwarves who broke away from the Demon King’s army in the last war.”

“…What did they discuss in your village?”

After saying that, I thought it was a question that didn’t even need to be asked.

Rurumu shook her head helplessly.

“Nothing. ……. There was no discussion. The chiefs of the divine-demons wanted to maintain the advantage of having their own race of demon kings anyway. Those who wanted to start a war with the humans insisted that he should be educated as a leader from an early age, while those who were currently interacting with the humans insisted that the Demon Lord should be dealt with before he had any power. Some supported the claims of the allied races, while others wanted to take up arms against the Demon King now. As a priestess, I was present at one of the meetings, but …… no one wanted to listen to what I had to say.”

“…”

“But they all… seemed certain of one thing.”

“that is……”

“At this rate, a war will break out.”

Rurumu continues to me, who involuntarily keeps my mouth shut.

“The battle between the Demon King and the Hero… It’s a war between humans and demons. When they were born, it always happened. So, this time too—I’m sure it will be the same.”

Judging from the way she spoke, Rurumu himself seemed convinced of that.

“Around two months after Melosa’s child was born, we finally decided on a plan for the time being. Taking the demon lord to the fortress of the divine demons deep in the demon territory and raising him there… No matter what, they must have thought that they had to put the demon king under their control in a land far away from the human country. The will of the child’s parents did not intervene in that decision.”

Then, Rurumu said regretfully.

“I hid myself from the chief and told Melosa and the others about it… as a kind gesture. The situation has grown to the point where we can no longer do anything about it. So, at least… I wanted to let her spend time with care until the time we parted. I’m sure we’ll meet again, so I’ll be able to wait until then…”

“… so what happened?”

“The two of them ran away. Taking the young demon king… their treasure with them.”

Rurumu bites her lip.

“I only found out about it after it was all over.”

“…”

“I remember that day well. The forest was burning with magic cast by either the chief’s pursuers or that man. The man died fighting his pursuers, and Melosa and the little demon are missing. Judging from the direction in which they fled, they were probably headed for the human country… that’s what I heard.”

Rurumu closes her eyes and continues.

“The leaders of each race decided to impose gag orders. Only the prophecies of the birth of the Hero and the Demon King, which had already begun to spread, could not be hidden. , Hide the danger that the Demon King has been kidnapped, and suppress the confusion…”

“……I see”

“I mutter quietly.”

Galeos didn’t seem to know about the birth of the Demon King.

According to Grey, while Fiona’s mother predicted the birth of both the Hero and the Demon King, the demons didn’t seem to understand the birth of the Demon King. I’ve always wondered why, but now I know the reason.

“It was hidden from anyone other than the leadership class.”

“There was a tremendous scandal that the Demon King had left the demons.”

Rurumu continued.

“Originally, they were planning to find them as soon as possible… But Melosa managed to escape. Even now, the whereabouts of the two are unknown. It seems like my family is starting to show up.”

“I guess…”

“That’s the only thing I knew well three years ago.”

Rurumu said.

“However, one day the head of the temple told me to forget about Melosa… I thought that would be no good. She…and the world. That’s what I thought—I decided to set out on a journey to that man’s hometown, the human country. In search of Melosa, who escaped, and her child.”

“…”

“Because it’s about that man, he may be living like he’s dead. Even if that’s not the case, if he was really born into a noble family, Melosa might have relied on his parents’ house. There is hope. I thought, I’m sure she’s alive and well. If she’s alive, I’ll definitely find her… I didn’t hesitate to go to a land I didn’t know.”

Then, the shrine maiden of the divine demons gave a faint smile.

“I just didn’t think Nozuro would insist on following me, though. I guess it was more because of the impression she left on him when she was a little girl, rather than because he was a warrior in the temple and had a promising future ……. I was surprised. I never thought that scared boy would make the decision to leave the village.”

“…Hmm? Could it be that Nozuro is… younger than you?”

“Yes. Just a little.”

“Haa!  This might just be the biggest shock of the day…”

“Eh, something like this? I think we talked about a lot more difficult things.”

Rurumu laughs a little and says.

“But I was really saved. I didn’t think it would be such a long journey… If I was alone, I might have fallen down on the way.”

“… how long did it take?”

“It’s been fifteen years.”

Fifteen years.

That shouldn’t be a short time, even for a long-lived god demon.

“I have traveled around the empire, but I have never heard of a mother and child of a divine demon.”

Rurumu’s profile was somewhat tired as she muttered that.

“… Maybe he’s hiding his true identity and living like you guys.”

If that’s the case, it would be difficult to find him in this vast country.

“Why did you tell me that?”

“I wonder why… Maybe it’s because I thought it would be okay to get involved.”

“Involved…?”

“Actually, there have been times when humans have been kind to us. We couldn’t involve the weak ones, who would have been beaten up by lower class monsters, in our affairs. We didn’t want to do anything that would make them feel like we were doing them a favor. Their lives are too short, after all.”

“But you don’t mind involving me?”

“Yes. Because you are—— strong.”

Rurumu said so clearly.

“No matter what happens, I’m sure you’ll do something about it.”

“… There are things even I can’t do. Because I’m human.”

Said with a sigh.

“Besides, when I heard your story, didn’t you think that I would submit you to the feudal lord or the army?　If the demon king was found, the advantage of the humans who have the hero unilaterally would be lost. Did I look like I’ll  allow it?”

“You won’t do that. You’re a good-natured person. If you have a duty or connection, will you help me?”

“You know…”

“Besides… I’m sure you’ll agree with me.”

“Huh?”

“Hey… Seika likes fighting? 　Do you want war?”

I wait a while before answering.

“No, I’d rather have none of that.”

“I think so, too. The demon tribe and human beings have been getting richer with each war. But enough is enough ……. If you feel the same way, then there must be a reason for you to cooperate with us.”

“What does it mean?”

“If Seika were in our position, what would you do? How can we stop the war from this situation?”

“… If I were a demon… I would try to defeat the hero.”

I remember the demons who once cast spells at me.

“If there is going to be a war in the future, the cause will be an imbalance in military power. Then just correct it.”

“Yes. War can’t be prevented because there’s still a demon lord left.”

“…”

“If the hero dies, then the battle for the Demon King will begin. , the war will begin, the worst war ever, with the greatest amount of fighting power ever.”

“…”

Rurumu’s statement seemed to make sense.

If the Demon King has already been born and is a floating piece that does not belong to either the human side or the demon side, it will naturally become so.

“Besides, defeating the hero isn’t easy. Even finding one should be difficult.”

“… why? 　If you’re a shrine maiden, you should know what the hero looks like. There are a lot of humans, but you can narrow it down just by looking at their appearance. Red hair, mid-teens. Girl.

I say the words that I stepped into.

“――――Like Amiyu.”

“Yes. She has beautiful red hair and is probably around the same age. I think she’s good at both swords and magic. But… no. She’s not a hero.”

“… How can you say that? Maybe…”

“Because she’s weak.”

Rurumu say’s without hesitation.

“A hero can defeat a dragon alone. Even if he hasn’t reached his peak yet, it’s unthinkable that she’s 16 years old and still struggles with Evil Trent. If it’s true, she’s already at the top of the human race. If it were true, he would already be the best swordsman among humans.”

“But… I can’t think of anyone who fits that criteria.”

“Yes, it’s impossible. After all this time, it still hasn’t appeared in the world…unless it’s protected by some powerful being.”

“…”

“Like a country, for example.”

“….., you don’t think she just hasn’t had the chance to wield the sword?

“That’s impossible. A hero can’t suffer such a mediocre fate. All the heroes so far have drawn their swords and wielded their power since childhood. So, I’m sure it will be the same this time.”

“Maybe that’s not necessarily the case…” I couldn’t say.

Because if I wasn’t there, Amiyu would have been fighting even more powerful enemies.

A group of demons party to Galeos. Or it might have been Amiyu who participated in the Imperial Capital’s martial arts tournament and fought dragons and summoned beasts in Astilia.

“The fact that the name has not been raised even now means that the human country is likely to be hiding the hero. There is no way to challenge it.”

“… I understand that there’s no point in targeting the hero, but then… how are you going to stop the war?”

“I will find the Demon King and bring him back.”

Rurumu said in a voice that concealed her determination.

“And we will form an alliance with each race and form a demon king army. Just like before. After that — we will make peace with the human country.”

“…!”

“During normal times, even the disparate demons can be united into one only when the demon king reigns. You can sit at the negotiation table with the human government opponent.”

“Are you going to make the Demon King a diplomatic envoy?”

“Even if war is inevitable, don’t you think it’s possible to end it without a single fight?”

I’m sure it was a plan that no one could have imagined.

The leader of the demons, the leader of the humans, everyone.

To have the Demon King become a messenger of peace.

“When I was depressed, I kept thinking about what I should have done. That’s when I realized. It was the beginning of despair, the birth of the Hero and the Demon King――――In fact, that time was more peaceful than ever. It was a great opportunity to get peace.”

Rurumu just continued.

“Both the hero and the demon king are absolutely necessary. When the humans are on equal footing with the hero and the demons with the demon king, it will be an equal negotiation for the first time.”

“…”

“If we can make peace, as long as it lasts, there will be no more wars. Even if the next Hero and Demon King are born in a few hundred years… we can live together without fighting. Seika, so this is surely a trip to save the world.”

That’s probably a plan that’s close to a pipe dream.

Even though she is an oracle shrine maiden, it will be difficult for Rurumu, who does not have a sufficient position, to accomplish this. I don’t know what the empire’s intentions are when it comes to negotiations.

But if there was even the slightest chance… it really seemed like a journey to save the world.

However.

“A little while ago, you said that if it were normal, the hero should already be famous in the world.”

It was a question that I had to ask.

“Isn’t that the same for the Demon King?”

“…”

“How do you explain that the existence of a demon lord who is not protected by the demons has not yet appeared in the world? Is the demon lord really still…”

“I’m sure it’s because Melosa is raising him properly.”

Rurumu said with a somewhat troubled smile.

“Even though I used to be so impertinent, she was so kind to me… I’m sure he will have  grown up to be a kind and intelligent child.”

She seemed to want to believe what she said.

I have no choice but to believe.

The Demon King is already dead.

Alternatively, it is already under the empire’s protection and is hidden away.

In either case, Rurumu’s plan would fail.

The shrine maiden of the divinedemon tribe suddenly laughed a little at that time.

“But if you think about it… there was no reason to doubt that you might be the Demon King.”

“Why? Are you trying to tell me that there’s no way I grew up with such a twisted personality?”

“That’s not true. If you’re a demon king, you should have more tremendous power.”

Rurumu said with a wry smile.

“You seem like a great adventurer, but are there other first-class adventurers out there?”

“Well, it seems they’re all over the place.”

“According to legend, the Demon King gains great power much earlier than the Hero.

“Hmm…”

“Maybe he’s so powerful that no human could ever defeat him now.”

“I can somehow imagine a hero… but what kind of power does a demon king have? Fairy tales handed down in human countries are vague and unhelpful.”

“It is said that he possessed a tremendous amount of magical power, and that he could use all sorts of magic. It’s said that he used a magic that rots iron, something I’ve never seen before, and destroyed the enemy’s swords and armor. flame bullet fireball or burning down the army of the dead created by necromancers…”

“Fuun”

Is that what it is?

“From what I’ve heard, I think I can do it if I try hard enough.”

“That’s right… if you put it into words, it will inevitably become cliché. But if you see it with your own eyes, you’ll understand its strength. It’s enough to unite the demons, who should be separate.”

Rurumu didn’t take what I said seriously, and summed it up with those words.

A gentle silence flows.

It wasn’t uncomfortable at all… but even if I broke it, there was something I needed to tell her.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t cooperate with your plan.”

“…”

“Even if it can stop the great war between humans and demons… the odds of success are too slim. I don’t even believe in the existence of the Hero and the Demon King.”

“…”

“I cannot accompany you on your journey. I am myself and I have work to do.”

Surprisingly, Rurumu smiled as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“You’re very disciplined. Don’t worry, I didn’t expect that much in the first place. This is what we’re supposed to do.”

“…”

“Will you help me subjugate the Hydra?”

“……Yeah”

“If you meet Melosa or her son, would you tell him about us?”

“… I don’t mind that much.”

“Good. Enough.”

Rurumu stands up from the bank of the spring and looks back at me.

“Thank you, Seika.”

“… I didn’t do anything to warrant a thank you. I just listened.”

“That’s fine. I just wanted you to listen to my complaints.”

Rurumu said with a smile.

“It took me ten years just to find him.”

Somehow, it looked like tears and laughter.

******

Standing alone by the spring, I silently stare at the surface of the water reflecting the moonlight.

Rurumu is already gone. She must have long since returned to the camp.

“Um, Seika-sama…”

“ Let me think for a moment.”

“Yes…”

When I say that to Yuki, who sticks her head out, I silently sink into thoughts.

I never thought that Rurumu was an oracle shrine maiden.

Is there such a chance encounter?

I don’t believe in the existence of destiny, but it’s an encounter that makes me feel it.

I learned a few things from her story.

Along with the hero, the Demon King was born.

The demon king is a mixture of humans and god demon, and is likely to be in the empire.

Also, if I had to say it… it’s probably my fault that Amiyu remains weak.

Unless you’re protected by a powerful being… huh?

If true, Amiyu might have already made a name for herself in the empire.

She would have slipped through the line of death many times, gaining strength each time… it’s also possible that she would be able to challenge the Demon King.

If I were to call it a fateful coincidence, that child would be the same.

If I hadn’t done anything, she would have exchanged swords with many more formidable enemies.

Of course, it doesn’t mean that she could have won. It seems rather unlikely that she would have been able to defeat Galeos and his band of demons.

That’s why I have no regrets about protecting Amiyu.

But even so, if the heroes of the past had suffered a similar fate, then perhaps…

“Haa…”

I shook my head.

Now it doesn’t matter.

The biggest problem――――Where is the Demon King now?

It wasn’t clear whether he was born or not, and even if he was there, he thought he would be in the hinterlands of the Demons’ territory, so he hadn’t really paid much attention to him until now. Because he probably won’t be involved for the time being.

However, if Rurumu’s story is correct, the demon lord was born after all, and is still in the empire.

In that case, from now on, I need to be a little wary of him, even though I don’t know his name.

However, like the hero, he is still unknown to the world.

Judging from Fiona’s way of speaking and the behavior of government officials and legislators, it seems unlikely that the empire is in control.

It’s hard to think of something convenient, such as being already dead.

Or, as Rurumu says, it’s either the god demon Melosa, or  he is been carefully hidden by someone else…

I don’t know.

Where is the Demon King now and what is he doing?