Episode 76 — Demon Fate
～ Part 2 ～
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“Tomorrow, we’ll be negotiating with the adventurers.”
So said Kyousuke as he presented a meal to the magician Wogan.
Today’s lunch was poison-removed mushrooms and rabbit meat sauté. Compared to when they first washed ashore, it was very extravagant. Yukinoshita who was in charged of cooking today, was washing the tablewares together with Azuki in a place a bit away.
By the way, the iron plate used for cooking was made with Kabeno’s ability. Her ability couldn’t make something dented, so they couldn’t really make any kind of stews. As for the buckets Azuki created, they were made of wood so they couldn’t put them over fire. At best, they would be able to make steam cooking.
Wogan, as expected, had been locked up in an improvised room made with Kabeno’s ability. He was a magician so they might still eat a counter attack at the degree of making only a wall, but he was surprisingly obedient. He was making a bitter face the whole time, so leaving aside Inugami, it might not have been his true intent to attack Kabeno and Azuki.
But even then, the fact was that they broke the promise and endangered the life of Kyousuke’s comrades. Right after convening with Rin and the others, Kyousuke, Hakuba and Yukinoshita were surprised to hear their story, to the point of almost falling upside down, at the same time, they also felt anger. When they questioned Wogan, they got from him a quiet, brief apology in a small voice.
Their fury wouldn’t settle with just a brief apology, but on the other hand, they wouldn’t be satisfied by beating him up either. Besides, they had just finished exchanging information with the adventurers — Wogan’s comrades. Speaking of which way, they wanted the talk to progress peacefully.
Therefore, they was going to negotiate with the adventurers again tomorrow.
“…Really.”
“Well, returning you is already an established policy. There’s no point leaving you here, having said that, it’s not like we want to kill you either.”
When Kyousuke said so, he felt a strong gaze at his back. When he turned back, a silver wolf lying on the grassy hill, was just looking at the sky, making a sound like snorting. Inugami Hibiki yawned, she then made her forefeet a pillow and closed her eyes.
“…Well, that girl still seems quite angry though.”
“It’s natural. After making her return to her human form, we, no, I tormented her that much.”
Hearing those words, Kyousuke grimaced ——— wasn’t something his lack of mimetic muscles could pull off, so he blatantly vocalized his displeasure.
“You, stop saying that. Not that the pain Inugami received isn’t worth worrying about, but it’ll just be unpleasant to hear it.”
Besides, no matter how unpleasant it would be, the magician before him was to be returned unhurt, that had been decided by everyone.
“…I don’t mean to forget what I myself committed.”
“That’s just you blaming yourself aloud in order to escape from your pangs of conscience.”
“……”
Accepting Kyousuke’s words, the magician Wogan shamefully casted down his eyes. As it were, he started eating the food placed on a small plate with his bare hand.
“…Don’t speak so stingingly.”
“I’m retailing from my close friend.”
“I thought you’re a guy who only says more sociable stuffs.”
What would you know about me! He wanted to say, but in fact, this Wogan had been watching Kyousuke and the others’ life in the past few days. Being locked up by walls, having nothing to do, naturally, his interest would move to observing humans.
Actually, among their circle, Kyousuke really only said sociable stuffs. I don’t want to be hated, not that he was think so, but when he imagined the target of his words was he himself, he would surely restrain his words no matter what. But in that sense, Wogan before him now, was an opponent he needed to refrain against the least.
“Tell me about your comrades. I think Rezbon and Filhana will probably bear the brunt of the negotiation, what kind of people are they?”
When asked, Wogan lifted his face slightly, he chew, swallowed the mushroom in his mouth and answered.
“…Rezbon, is a person came from the southern kingdom. Being a prodigal son, he ran away and became an adventurer, or so I heard. His situational assessment is high, but he tends to be negligent in momentary moment. The Balruk house originally is a lineage excelled in martial arts, so he’s an expert in handling weapons in general.”
So I took an arm from such a promising person.
Kyousuke silenced the words he started to say. Because this too, was only words said in order to escape from one’s pangs of conscience.
“Certainly, about 30 years go, a person from Balruk house should have joined the Dial Knights, but…. Filhana is better informed about this than me.”
“And that Filhana?”
“A person from the Empire. I heard she lived in the Holy City Fianderg. As an adventurer, she’s a rookie, but she quickly rose up to gold rank. She use communication magic. I don’t know if it’s because of that, but she’s well-informed about the Empire’s internal conditions.”
Personality-wise, she’s not really the type who can make judgements suitable for adventurers, added Wogan. Certainly, only her had never once directed hostile will at them. It might be simply because she had no combat ability, but she was moderate even considering that.
Since that Filhana girl was coming out, the negotiation might be a little easier on them.
However,
“…There’s one, no two more people.”
“That’s Wombat and Rein.”
The person he should be wary of the most at the negotiation was the thief, the man named Wombat. This judgement was what endangered Kyousuke’s comrades. Though as a result, Wogan was captured, Rezbon and the others would be forced to a disadvantageous negotiation, so Kyousuke seemed considerably uncomfortable.
“Wombat is a slum dweller from the empire. As you know, he’s a utilitarian. He’s knowledgeable about monster ecology, and not a bad guy among our comrades.”
“So forgive him, you mean?”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
Not that he wanted to expressly corner that guy and beat him to death, but Inugami probably bore a deep grudge, if that guy tried anything funny, as expected, they would have to consider killing him this time.
“Rein’s the same as Rezbon, a person from the southern kingdom. Her birthplace was Zelga Gladiatorial Principality, but it seems she was taken in by Balruk house as Rezbon’s guard. That’s why, the association of those two is the longest.”
“She was surprise attacked by the lesser demon, but, is she okay?”
“There’s burns all over, some scars may remain, but her life isn’t in danger. She has recovered enough to house sit alone.”
Rezbon, Filhana, Wombat, Rein. That’s all the adventurers remained in the other side. Would that be all the information Kyousuke could get? He didn’t know how much help it would be in the negotiation, but it seemed it was worth it to capture him.
While mutteringly providing information, Wogan had beautifully cleaned up the plate in this short while.
“It was delicious. My thanks.”
“Sure.”
With a short reply, Kyousuke received the plate Wogan gave back.
“Utsurogi.”
Standing up, Kyousuke tried to go wash the plate when Wogan called him from behind.
“As I can see, there’s the type impatient with utility among you guys too.”
“Nn?”
“You better be careful of that crow tengu.”
Kyousuke tilted his head to the sudden statement. He couldn’t understand well what the man tried to say.
“You guys are close, united for a common purpose, you have teamwork as well. But, it became like that just recently, isn’t that right?”
“Ah, right.”
“Then, you better be careful. Sometimes, what people do with good intention may unknowingly scrap down something.”
Saying that much, the magician with razor-sharp looks started washing his hands in the wooden bucket Azuki was holding.
As Kyousuke ruminated Wogan’s words, Azuki looked up at him.
“Utsurogi-kun?”
“Ah, right. What is it, Mitarai.”
“Shall I wash that plate too?”
“Ah no, it’s fine. I can wash this much.”
Some distance away, a markedly big bucket was filled with lots of water. While scooping that water with a small bucket, Kyousuke started washing the dirt off the plate.
“Careful he says, of Karasuma…? Was that guy such a dangerous guy?”
At a glance, he only looks like a pleasant frivolous guy though.
Thinking so, Kyousuke continued washing the dirt, but his hands suddenly stopped.
“…Speaking of which, Kogane was the same.”
Since first year of high school, Kyousuke’s school life had always been together with Kogane Yoshiki. Kyousuke wasn’t going to say that he understand Kogane, but still, he had meant to be Kogane’s friend.
That friend of his was carrying what kind of darkness in his heart? Kyousuke had not known.
If the same thing happened to Karasuma this time, what on earth should he do?
Kyousuke leaned the plate he finished washing to let it dry.
Hakuba and Karasuma were scouting the area, Rin, Kabeno and Ozashiki were searching for food. On this gentle hill, remove for Kyousuke and Wogan, there were only Azuki and Inugami. Since Inugami joined them, he had never seen her return to human form even once. He heard that it was easy to exhaust energy in that form, but she now, had lost her clothes, so it would be troubling even if she was to return to human form so recklessly.
Azuki who was supposedly a clean-freak was surprisingly cool with touching animals, with a very happy smile somehow, she was stroking the side of Inugami who was lying down on the plain. He felt that Sakuma Sachiko also did this occasionally. Inugami in beast form was quite popular with the girls.
It was peaceful. Their current life was relatively stable.
But it seemed that he had to resolve himself for it to soon be broken.
“In the end, the adventurers weren’t of much use, were they?”
Muttered Sink while languidly gazing out the window.
In the end, the escaped unicorn and werewolf hadn’t been captured yet. On the contrary, it turned into a shameful result of the werewolf joining up with the other reincarnated monsters who were teleported to this continent, and one of the adventurers being captured. It’s true that they didn’t expect much from the start, but this state was below even that lack of expectation.
Well, that’s that, they thought they might as well calculate the location of opponent’s base and attack themselves, but that one-eyed one-armed man who was the representative of the adventurers stubbornly opposed that proposal. We’ll do something about our captured comrade ourselves, so I would like you to stay out until then, he said.
Honestly, there was no need to listen to him.
But the reason Glen and Sink visited this New Continent wasn’t just to capture those guys.
Concerning the results, Glen and Sink decided to give a fixed grace period to the adventurers. The reason they themselves never expressly moved was because they wanted to put their spare strength to some other uses. Only, that business was going to settled soon.
“Sink, it seem that lot finally decided to negotiate.”
“Hmph.”
Informed by Glen, Sink — still peeking out the window — smiled.
“Despite it’s just a discussion, they were very hesitant, huh. At this rate, we can’t expect much from the negotiation itself, I wonder.”
“It’s not like we expect that lot to move after all this time. If they just promise to stay quiet then that’s good enough.”
After all, they were only losers who lost to the humans 200 years ago and were forced to a life in this remote land.
But geographically speaking, the land where the blood clan’s stronghold was currently at, was facing the eastern coastline. If they failed to sign a non-aggression treaty with that lot, they might be attacked from behind. Although it was doubtful if that lot deserved that much merits, the blood clan had incurred quite a big grudge with that lot.
“Who’ll be coming to the negotiation, I wonder?”
“Who know. That lot is long-lived, so there’s no doubt that some elderly is going to come though.”
Oni, fox, or tengu?
“That lot shouldn’t be able to say anything imprudent. So shall we push it a little and bring out the ‘king fragment’?”
Glen said.
Currently, the blood clan was keeping two king fragments. One of those were brought to this New Continent. It was thanks to this that they could easily replenish their war potential. Unfortunately, both the king fragments they had weren’t compatible with the body of the blood clan, so it didn’t directly UP their combat ability.
Even so, it would be a big advantage to advance the negotiation on this New Continent.
After nodding to Glen’s words, Sink, however, tediously muttered in a voice as if forecasting the weather.
“I wonder if this case will calm down by tomorrow.”
“That’s right. It’ll be a burden off our shoulders. Shall we go hunting at that time.”
“That’s good. It’s been boring that I can’t rampage.”
Showing a bewitching smile unsuitable to her young looks, Sink took up the spear that were left leaning in a corner of the room. The blade reflected faint light, metallic sheen shined in the darkness.
She didn’t have the nature to think about difficult stuffs. Way before she was granted the title of Knight, Sink had been much more suitable to swinging the spear and rampage around. Precisely because he thought that figure was beautiful that Glen also wanted to let her do as she please.
“Be patient just little longer, Sink.”
“Yes, I know. Glen.”
And yet, Sink’s heart appeared to be in battle already.
An entranced smile like she couldn’t bear to wait any longer showed on her face, her fingertips softly caressed the spearhead.
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