Such Things, What Value Do They Have? â Part 4\nâUmmâŠ.Well, I have a favor to ask.â
Alice acted as if she planned to stay hidden, only showing her face from behind a tree while muttering as if she was restless.
âIn order to cure fatherâs illnessâŠI want to go buy some medicine.â
âWhat medicine?â
âSomebody told me that thereâs a rumor of the Quest Guild selling Spirit Protection medicine⊠I want to buy this.â
âThatâs ten gold, do you have money?â
âT-Ten gold!?â
Alice, who had no more than 500 Silver, looked shocked when she heard that absurd price.
The Spirit Protection medicine was reasonably priced, considering itâs effects. It was a type of medicine that affected many symptoms, including cold, poison, curse, petrification, vitality, stamina, strength, aging, beautification, and even backaches.
Even if a small fraction of nobles use it, it doesnât matter whether or not they use it once a year, it is still a precious item.
âItâs useless. I canât see you holding it.â
âUmm⊠Well, the gold⊠please lend it to me.â
Although Alice said this guiltily, Kagami furrowed his brows with a look on his face that said âWhat the hell is she saying.â
âThere arenât villagers who would lend lots of gold to buy the medicine for the Demon King. Thereâs no obligation for me to go that far. Itâs too bad the Demon King became sick. Heâs bound to be defeated.â
Kagami declared while pointing his index finger at Alice, and Aliceâs expression darkened.
Seeing her change, Kagami reflected on what he said because saying âthe Demon King is bound to be defeatedâ to his daughter was too much.
âItâs impossible for father to dieâŠ.If he dies then all of the Demons would be at risk. This isnât just our problem!â
Immediately after, Alice cried while she faced him with pleading eyes.
Seeing this situation, Kagami listened with a troubled expression.
âNow that Father is becoming a target of the Humans with his enormous magic power, although they havenât tried to go look and kill other Demons besides him, if father passes awayâŠ..!â
âAh-âŠWell, that is true.â
Even if Monsters are defeated, they wonât all disappear. Since Monsters only spawn through the casted magic of Demons, itâs not directly caused by the Demon King.
If the Demon King who conceals an abnormally huge amount of magic is defeated, perhaps next time humans might start to blame Demons who live in various regions for the cause of non-existent Monsters.
So long as the Demon King, who was said to be too powerful of an opponent, wasnât killed, the other Demons could live without being targeted by humans, even if they didnât want to help him.
And Demons who understand this arenât many. Since the Demon Kingâs Castle is dangerous, putting their residence in a separate location is good proof of it.
âBut⊠Without a doubt this is a problem that will occur sooner or later. The Demon King will die some day. He will be brought to an end some day.â
Kagami had understood this. He had left everything up to chance to his understanding. He had given up since it was something that was completely unavoidable.
A Demonâs life expectancy isnât everlasting. They grow old and die the same as humans do.
The Demon King is no exception, and even though he is âtheâ Demon King, he is only one of the several generations of Demon Kings.
Kagami knew this. And if there were no successors, the overwhelming existence thatâs known as the Demon King would no longer be in this world.
âI⊠wonât give up. At the very least if he were to be opposed, if there is still a slight chance of hope, I want to cling to it.â
Looking at Alice clenching her teeth, Kagami felt faintly nostalgic.
For Alice, perhaps this possibility tied in with her fatherâs life. Kagami had started to somehow guess her real intention about wanting to walk down the path of coexistence.
âYou, do you not detest humans?â
To confirm whether or not this was correct, Kagami asked such a question.
âEven if I resent them nothing will start. âCos Iâm in the same boat as you.â
Listening to these words, Kagami unintentionally slacked his cheeks, spat out his breath, and began to laugh.
âW-Why are you laughing!â
âNoâŠ.Since you are capable of thinking that way, I remember that the Demon King also tried to aim for the path of coexistence.â
âThe Demons donât want to lose the Demon King because exposing him is dangerous,â a statement that doesnât hold truth. Kagami was convinced as such while listening to Alice.
If the Demon King dies, the Demons will become targeted. Of course if Demons were assassinated without reason, it would probably lead to a war between humans and Demons. He doesnât know how long this peace will continue for. No matter if one side continues till nobody is left, it will lead to war.
Although some of the Demons who were not being targeted no longer wished for war, it would probably begin the moment they lost the Demon King, who was said to be the Great Shield.
âBut I think itâs impossible to improve the relationship between humans and Demons.â
Why did he think so? Because he had already thought about it once before.
Although he had thought about it, reality was cruel and he gave up.
He also thought about other methods, but it was clear that he had to give it up.
However the girl in front of him is not giving it up. Since he had given up once already, she is making an effort to try and make it a reality. And this Demon, had come by herself to such a place like this.
In fact, itâs more than Demons hating humans, they are killing humans. and likewise, humans are also killing Demons. It was to ensure the safety on each side.
After all, Alice is thinking that humans and Demons are the same. Since she is thinking about being able to co-exist, âwe are in the same boatâ comes to mind. Kagami had thought as much.
And he had guessed it correctly.
âEven if itâs impossible now, I might find a way someday, so I wonât give up.â
âSure, Iâll try my best without giving it up. If itâs medicine you want Iâll buy it for you.â
Thatâs why Kagami, like himself, had considered supporting this girl until she gave up the possibility of humans and Demons joining hands someday. Because this way seems more interesting to him.
By some chance, he might be aware of something different. He believed in this possibility.
âI-is that fine? But the goldâŠ.â
With a sudden change of heart, as Alice suddenly brightened up, Kagami said so as if he were respectfully apologizing.
âOf course you will receive it? Didnât you say to âlend itâ a little while ago? It will be returned right?â
âY-Yeah! returning around 10 Gold is affordable, because thereâs lots of gems inside the castle, itâs fine if I go get it.â
âWell since you will go get it, make it 15 Gold.â
âEh! Isnât that increased by 5 Gold?â
âIt canât be helped, otherwise it wonât be worth it. Even if itâs this Iâm still giving you a big service arenât I?â
Although Alice had been surprised by the extraordinary figure, it was in fact a big help to her.
It takes about 10 days to go to the Demon Kingâs Castle and return back to Balman town. And itâs normal for Kagami to earn about 5 Gold in that amount of time.
âItâs a safe option to escort you along the way to the Demon Kingâs Castle. Câmon, itâs cheap.â
âUuâŠâŠ though father might get mad at me later, itâs fine. Since the gems were left in storage I think itâs fine.â
âYosh, now that itâs been decided first we need to go to Balman city to buy the medicine, look, hurry it up Alice.â
After Kagami finished saying so, he continued walking towards Balman.
After she had her name called abruptly, Alice, who was staring blankly, immediately smiled as if she were trembling with joy.
âYeah! Please take care of me, Kagami-san!â
At least Demons, although itâs a fact they were called with names by humans, a girl named Alice was the first one who was inspired with hope of that possibility.
Previously, an existence that was said to be a Monster took his fatherâs life, and the 7 year old Kagami at that time bore a grudge against Demons who produce these existences, and hated them for it. From the bottom of his heart he had thought about wanting to kill all of them.\n