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Chapter 91 – Exhibition (3)
April 24th, 2023
“Excuse me for a moment.”
“huh?”
My companions and I approached the demon man who was having a friendly conversation with a human woman and called out to them for a moment.
The demon stopped talking to the human woman who appeared to be his lover and turned his gaze towards me. If Gartz’s horns were like those of a sheep, then this man’s horns stretched up long and twisted. He had the characteristic black hair of his demon race and, unlike Cecily’s escort knight, Gartz, he had a sturdy build and a flamboyant and passionate appearance.
The human woman, who was assumed to be his lover, was not as beautiful as Marie and Cecily, but she revealed a graceful and adorable charm. However, as the man was a little bigger than her, she was holding onto his arm, almost hanging on him.
“…What can I do for you?”
The demon asked with a lot of suspicion at first, but as soon as he saw Cecily, his expression softened considerably. It seemed he had concluded that at least I hadn’t approached them with any malicious intent since he had another demon beside him.
However, the woman who was assumed to be his lover still didn’t let her guard down. Instead, as soon as the demon became slightly less guarded, she clung to his arm even more tightly.
I looked at the woman who was attached to the demon’s arm like a cicada and turned my head to face the demon. Eventually, I asked a question out of curiosity, facing his reddish eyes, like Cecily’s.
“There are a few things I’d like to ask.”
“Things you’d like to ask?”
“Yes.”
“Well… I don’t know what the nobles are curious about, but I’ll answer with sincerity.”
The man seemed to have seen through our nobility just by looking at our appearance and clothes. However, he didn’t seem to know that Cecily was the princess of Helium. Since there were also social classes in Helium like in human society, if this man was a commoner, he might not even know who Cecily was.
“Rai…”
Meanwhile, the woman who was still holding onto his arm called out to the demon with a worried voice. Her face became even more anxious as she realized that we were nobles. The demon named Rai gave her a gentle smile and patted her head. She seemed a little relieved by her sturdy boyfriend’s comfort.
“We’re not bad people. We approached because we were really curious, so you don’t have to be too wary.”
“…I see.”
“Thank you. Did you say your name is Rai?”
“Yes, I’m Rai Estor.”
“My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle. I was just curious about how you came to our territory.”
Rai looked at me sharply before glancing at Cecily and then spoke calmly.
“Seems like it’s because I’m a demon.”
“Exactly.”
“Hmm…”
Rai scratched his chin with a hand that wasn’t holding onto the woman. I waited patiently until he opened his mouth.
If Cecily wasn’t here, he might have had some doubts after my question, but there was no sign of that. Perhaps Rai didn’t realize how close this was to an interview.
However, as a demon, he must have experienced many ups and downs.
“The reason we visited your territory is the same as everyone else’s. We’re both fans of Xenon’s Biography, that’s all.”
“Of course. Then, if I may ask a personal question?”
“That’s fine.”
“As you know, demons couldn’t reveal their true appearance until the release of Xenon’s Biography. They were often treated harshly if they were discovered.”
The more I continued my explanation, the more doubtful the expression on the woman’s face, while Rai’s expression was calm.
It seemed that she trusted Rai absolutely, and it was uncomfortable for her to treat him as a devil.
I glanced at the woman and then got to the point.
“However, Xenon’s Biography changed everything. The perception of demons has completely changed, and they are no longer treated as devils. So my question is this. When did you come out of Helium, what kind of life did he lead, and when did he meet his partner next to him?”
“Was that what you were asking? I’m embarrassed that I doubted you. Hahaha.”
Rai laughed heartily, as if completely dispelling any doubts he had. Thanks to him, the woman seemed to be less suspicious as well.
Then, Rai seemed to organize his thoughts and began to recall his life story with a bright smile.
“As you said, I’m from Helium. I came out to human society about five years ago. There was magic to hide my identity, so there were no problems as long as I was careful. During those years, I met various people and made many connections. Of course, there were dangers. Many times, I found myself in difficult situations, but I always managed to overcome them.”
“Why did you come out of Helium?”
“It’s nothing special. Being only in helium, my body ached and I couldn’t stay still. That’s why I took the risk and came out.”
Rai seemed to have a natural adventurer temperament.
I’m not sure if I should call them brave or reckless for embarking on an adventure despite knowing the discrimination that demons face.
“Have demons who ventured outside of Helium not experienced enough tragedies to warrant such risk?”
Cecily, who had been listening quietly, asked Rai with a somewhat puzzled tone. Unlike me, who used polite language, Cecily spoke informally to Rai, as he was one of her own people, there was no need to use honorifics.
“Well, that’s because…”
Rai looked at Cecilie’s face as she asked the question, but instinctively his gaze dropped downward. She barely managed to stop herself from snickering at his very male response.
“Ahem. We venture out not because there is something worthwhile, but to find something worthwhile. Demons have lived longer than other species in Helium, so we can’t just live there. Although we have experienced both good and bad things, we are experiencing good things now.”
“Are you talking about your significant other next to you?”
“Yes. Even though she knows I’m a demon, she’s the only person who stayed by my side. That was even before Xenon’s Biography came out.”
The story of Lily and Jin in Xenon’s Biography was not just a fiction.
I had expected such beings to exist in a world as vast as this and with so many people, but now that I had met them in person, I felt a strange feeling.
Watching the man and woman who exuded a lovely atmosphere, I smiled gently and spoke.
“It’s a very romantic story. I didn’t expect to see a story I’ve only seen in Xenon’s Biography.”
“Hahaha. I’ve already heard that countless times.”
“Then, when were you able to confidently reveal your identity like you do now?”
“Of course, it’s been since the fifth volume of Xenon’s Biography. Before that, I had no choice but to hide my identity.”
The moment when demons’ perception drastically changed was during the climax of the fifth volume, a memorable scene that is still talked about today, Sakran’s sacrifice.
It’s been speculated that since that scene, the perception towards demons did a complete 180, and they were able to confidently reveal their true form.
“Is it still okay though? Even though Xenon’s Biography changed the way demons are viewed, the conflicts that have occurred until now will still be difficult to resolve.”
This is a question from Cecily. She is the princess of Helium, so she was somewhat free from discriminatory looks, but she doesn’t know much about the commoners’ situation.
This worry is natural, as the persecution of demons by other races lasted for over 1000 years. This means that instead of fading away, their emotions have been maintained over this long time period.
Furthermore, there is a history of the demons being labeled as devils by the Savior and massacred, so the divide between the two sides may be deeper than the valley.
Therefore, the demons may still look down on or disdain others, and other races may still view them as devils.
“Yes. Thanks to Xenon’s Biography, life has become more comfortable, but there are still discriminatory attitudes in various ways. Just a month ago, there were cases where we couldn’t stay at an inn or receive a request because I was a demon.”
“… …”
Listening to Rai’s story, memories of racial discrimination that were prevalent in my past life naturally came to mind.
Although racial discrimination is strictly prohibited except in certain countries, unfortunately, news often comes out about crimes committed due to racial discrimination.
In this world, there may be even more severe discrimination based on ethnicity than on race, so if we continue to do so, we will definitely not be doing less.
“… We still have a long way to go.”
Cecily smiled sadly after listening to Rai’s story. Although things have definitely improved since before, prejudices against demons still existed.
Rai spoke in a reassuring tone after seeing Cecily’s melancholic smile.
“But you don’t have to worry too much. Although there are still unfavorable views towards us, our demon race will no longer be covering. As the princess knows, Xenon’s Biography has given us a sense of pride.”
“…You recognized me?”
“Of course. Only royalty can wear that necklace. I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner.”
I listened to Rai’s words and confirmed the necklace that Cecily wore today. It only looked like an old silver necklace at first glance, but it seemed to have a special meaning to the demons.
‘Come to think of it, did she wear that necklace at the gathering?’
My memory is not that good, so I’m not sure if she wore this necklace back then. All I remember is Cecily’s dress being so striking that it’s the only thing that comes to mind.
“No. It seems you were enjoying the exhibition with your lover, but we rudely interrupted you.”
“No, it’s fine. It was actually a pleasant conversation.”
“Then I’ll ask you one last thing. Which direction do you think our demon race should go in?”
“As I mentioned earlier, if we follow the phrase in Xenon’s Biography, it’s enough. We were born as demons, but we are more human than anyone else, moving towards the light. Isn’t that enough?”
Rai answered faithfully with a proud smile on his face. It was an answer that only someone with a strong belief could make, and there was no doubt in it.
What I wrote in the book shows the direction that certain people should follow. It was indeed a proud result.
“You’re right. That’s the identity of our demon race. Anyway, thank you for your answer.”
“I hope the princess will also find her light.”
Rai gave Cecily a compliment and gently hugged the woman attached to his arm. It seems that he found the light through his relationship with her.
Although they may eventually part ways due to the difference in their lifespans, they will not regret it.
At least for this moment, it will be a beautiful memory for them.
“The light…”
As Cecily muttered something under her breath, she slowly turned her head towards me. I also met her gaze.
After staring at my face intently for a while, she smiled and then shifted her attention to Rai.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, I feel like I’ve rediscovered what light is.”
“I’m honored to have been able to help.”
“You don’t need to. Anyway, let’s go. Oh, by the way, what’s your name?”
“…My name is Veronica Echens.”
“Veronica, you should stick close to Rai as well. As creatures of darkness like us, we tend to wander when the light leaves us.”
“…Okay.”
Veronica’s response was as timid as her appearance. Cecily giggled at Veronica’s response and then spoke to me.
“We should go now.”
“Yes. Marie?”
“…Sure.”
Even though I called out to her, Marie only fixed her gaze on Cecily without looking at me. It was hard to describe, but it seemed like she was on guard. Furthermore, she clung even closer to my body, interlocking her arm with me.
Feeling a bit awkward due to her action, I looked at Marie’s expression and couldn’t help but be wary. Her blue eyes were filled with deep suspicion.
It seemed like Marie felt something from the conversation between Cecily and Rai earlier. While I was thinking that, Marie called out to Cecily in a quiet voice.
“…Cecily.”
“Yeah? What’s up?”
“You’re not thinking anything strange, are you?”
Cecily blinked her eyes at Marie’s uneasy question, then suddenly smiled.
And then, half-closing her eyes, her red eyes glistened and she replied in a low voice.
“I don’t know what you’re asking.”
“You…”
“Well… Marie? How about we have a private conversation just between us?”
After saying that, Cecily looked at me and finished speaking.
“It could be something important to you.”
It could be my imagination, but the red light on her horns seemed to have deepened.