Chapter 79

Pierrot: Clown… Clown!

Clown: Huh? What?

Pierrot: You were spacing out, I was calling you for a good half an hour!

Clown: Sorry, I must not have heard you.

Pierrot: Listen, I’ve been thinking here… could you try to remember everything that had to do with the death of your sister again?

Clown: Who?

Pierrot: Your sister, Aiko!

Clown: Pierrot, you’re giving me a headache!

Pierrot: You haven’t forgotten, have you?

Clown: About what?

Pierrot: Are you taking that medicine the doctor gave you?

Clown: Of course! I’ve been following it to the letter!

Pierrot: No you haven’t! Look closely, it says: Keep tightly closed!

Clown: …

Pierrot: Anyways, do me a favor, and don’t drink it. Please.

.

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Birth of a Demon Lord Arc

079. Dino and Dagruel

We left the forest on our way to the Demon Lords’ Walpurgis Banquet guided by Ramiris.

We were flying on Veldora’s back, so even though the trip should have taken a while, it probably won’t.

Seeing the marshes below us testified to our current speed.

That is, getting to the marshes would have normally taken us 2~3 days but now it took a mere hour.

Veldora personally found assuming a giant form troublesome, but as we had Shion, Beretta, and Grucius who couldn’t fly, I asked him to put up with it.

On that note,

「Ramiris, were you planning on walking all the way to the banquet room (?)?」

I asked.

No matter how I thought about it, I couldn’t imagine her making it on time.

In response,

「Hmm? Oh, walking there was hardly a problem.

If I did, I’d always have someone pick me up on the way there!」

She gave an answer that I couldn’t exactly wrap my head around.

She… is always late so everyone has already gotten used to coming to pick her up.

Chances are, that someone has a spatial travel type ability.

If that’s the case, then where are we headed right now?

Overcome with a feeling of dread, I dared to ask,

「Eh? There’s no way I would know!」

“What the hell! We’re flying by your request and to your directions!” I stopped myself from saying.

That’s just the way she is.

Well, there’s no need to keep on flying then. So we decided to land and proceed while enjoying our surrounding.

Thus we’re calmly proceeding down the road.

The moment you leave the Jura Forest you are already in Demon Lords’ lands.

Not that there’s any grand difference in scenery, however.

Compared to human cities and villages the magic energy density is higher, but not at levels at which humans couldn’t survive.

But, of course, the boulder on the side of the road wouldn’t one day transform into Demon Steel Ore.

Are there also few monsters naturally appearing here?

I decided to ask,

「Ah, even if we call it Demon Lord’s dominion, unless we are talking about their residence or perhaps their province, normal people can also live here.

As long as they pay the demon lord the appropriate tax, their safety is guaranteed」

Veldora explained.

“Oh, so that’s how it is. As expected of the all knowing master!” Ramiris added.

Why don’t you know! I wanted to retort, but gave up.

「But, there are also demon lords with unknown demesne.

Among the ones I have fought, there’s the Giant, the Vampire, and the Demon.

Of them, I only fought the Giant Dagrule and the Vampire Ruminas.

And although it was only a single battle with Dagrule, it was fun..

As for Ruminas, I turned the Vampire Country into ash, so when she came at me for real, I decided to withdraw!

She just doesn’t understand jokes. Where her domain is, I do not know.

The other one was the king of demons.

I had fought with his entourage of demons, but never with the king himself.

His castle is located on the continent of ice, and it’s damn cold. No humans live there.

Going there would be boring, so I hadn’t gone. Moreover…」

At that point, Veldora’s words became rather unclear, and

「Anyways, there’s no need to go to the middle of nowhere! Kuahahaha!」

He laughed trying to hide something.

But, well, seems like this geezer has already angered a few demon lords.

If my country was turned into ash, even I’d get mad.

Moreover, the Giant demon lord who once fought Veldora also seems dangerous.

As for the ice continent, unless I’m going to have some business there, I see no reason to go. So no need to think about that.

However, demon lords seem actually pretty powerful. Comparing them by using the brat Ramiris as a base was certainly a mistake.

I probably should have based them on Milim instead.

Even after evolving, whether I can win against Milim or not is uncertain.

No matter how many times we battled, since she never went all out, I don’t have enough data.

If compared to when we fought, I could win; but, as I do not know just how much she was holding back, I shouldn’t be getting haughty.

And, I can’t believe Milim would support a subjugation order for me.

Though it’s clear that we are dancing to someone’s tune here, I can’t help but think that Milim is being manipulated–whether she was awake or asleep…

I can, however, imagine that she has some reason for all of this.

Not that thinking about it now will lead anywhere.

Let’s decide this after we meet.

And so, while listening to Veldora’s tales, we continued leisurely down the road.

If Ramiris is correct, we’ll be shown the way by one of the demon lords soon.

So while we were enjoying the breeze, we chanced upon two men approaching us.

They are coming straight over here.

A tall (huge!) chestnut haired man, and a slovenly green haired delicate man.

Did they come to meet us? I thought and looked at them,

「Yo! Ramiris, how have you been?」

「Oooooh! Isn’t that Veldora! You doing good?

What a weak aura you’re giving off.

I had just convinced myself that I was feeling someone with a similar aura」

The conversation begun thus.

「Oh, Dino, huh. Well done coming to get me!」

「Ah, Dagruel! We were just discussing our last battle」

Whether they came to meet us is yet unknown, but that they know each other is certain.

So we went straight to introductions.

When I introduced myself,

「Heh, so you’re this time’s main character, huh. So, why are you being hunted?」

「Oh, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I have never heard of a slime becoming a demon lord」

They said, surprised.

Why am I being hunted, huh? That’s what I would like to know.

「Iya~, no idea, really…」

I said and summarized the events up until now.

While we were at it, I had them tell the tale of how they met Veldora and Ramiris.

They are a friendly bunch. But, I couldn’t analyze the depth of their powers.

As expected, all I knew was that they are demon lords.

After listening to my story, they thus decided…

While I shouldn’t let my guard down, the demon lords are hardly united.

At the moment, these two do not believe I had killed Karion–with whom they are good friends.

While they certainly believed I was capable of it, Grucius’ testimony convinced them otherwise.

But, if I did not have proof, my subjugation my have been decided by a majority vote.

Though this is puzzling, had I first called myself a demon lord and killed Karion there would have been no problems, but if I were trick and kill Karion first and then call myself a demon lord, that would have been no good.

Such are the rules of the powerful demon lords, it seems.

So, since this time the banquet was hosted with the premise that I killed Karion through deception, my subjugation would have been certainly agreed upon.

Karion excluded, I now need to get five demon lords to object to the request to overturn it.

Good thing I discussed these things with the participants.

In other words, I have fallen into someone’s wicked trap…

And this realization caused anger to boil within me.

Though we haven’t met, the culprit is Clayman.

The problem is Milim who has supported him. If we solve that, the demon lords’ anger would no longer be directed at me.

Of course, trying to fight all the demon lords at once would be suicide.

I mean, I can’t perceive the power of the two before me, so there’s no reason to start a pointless battle.

Of course, that’s as long as they don’t challenge me.

But demon lords are unexpectedly receptive.

These two believed my words.

Though maybe they’re just that pure.

Veldora, while in the middle of learning to repress his aura, was talking with Dagrule.

Somehow, he saw the value of my habits through reading the Holy Texts (Manga), and stopped pointlessly releasing his aura.

He’s really excited about having his opponents underestimate him only to freak them out by suddenly releasing it.

The monsters of the city, as a result, can live in peace, so we’re certainly grateful. But it’s still strange.

I know what manga’s knowledge he filled his head with, but this does bother me a bit.

In short, his brain has been replaced with manga…

Dagrule is enthusiastically listening to his explanation, nodding and agreeing.

In the first place, as a Giant whose power increases due to anger, he doesn’t release that much aura.

In fact, right now his aura is that of a normal human.

Surely he has already heard everything Veldora has to say…

「So in other words, if I learn to control my anger, I will obtain new powers!」

Somehow, an outrageous conversation reached my ears.

Hey, heeeey!

There’s now way a demon lord called “The Continent’s Anger” could control it and turn it into energy!

Besides, I wouldn’t want a demon lord who once fought Veldora growing any stronger.

And anger runs in the Giant’s veins.

He’s currently a large man surpassing 2 meters in height, but when he goes all out, his body grows five times as large.

So a rampaging 12 meter tall giant… a truly troublesome demon lord he is.

When he was introducing himself earlier, I thought from the bottom of my heart that he was a demon lord I did not want to have visiting my city.

Anyways, it seems that they have decided to have him practice to control his anger, but that’s no longer my problem.

If he fails and rampages in his own country… I’ll just be happy if he doesn’t come to complain to me later.

The other demon lord, Dino is…

Having a friendly conversation with Ramiris.

They seem close, and their conversation smooth.

That’s probably because Dino was once – a long time ago – in her care, so he’s addressing her politely.

「By the way, Ramiris. Haven’t you shrunk since we last met?」

「Nothing I can do about that! It hasn’t even been 50 years since I was last reborn!」

「That must be inconvenient. Have you inherited all your memories?」

「That I have. But, the spirit regresses along with the body you see…

Well, since I am the strongest, this kind of handicap is natural!」

「You don’t say. Tell that to Guy and he’ll pluck your wings out!」

「Bah! Do you take me for a fool? Why bring up such a small fry!

Though I can easily take Guy out with a single punch, I just don’t feel like it!」

This, too, seems like a fun conversation.

Seems like Ramiris is panicking just from hearing the name “Guy”. If her mouth’s running off that much, he must be a truly dangerous guy.

So let’s make a mental memo: “Guy is dangerous”.

Like this, I might be able to avoid danger some day. So no ridiculing her.

The conversation eventually led them to discussing their subordinates.

Ramiris was proudly showing off Beretta.

「With him, I can finally pay back the demon lords for calling me a runt and loner.

Even you are no match for him!」

「Eh? Can I break him?」

「Haaah? Of course you can’t!

If you do… I’ll go to Guy and have him punch you as punishment!」

「Or so I say, but isn’t this amazing? If I look closely, he’s truly dangerous!」

Dino, whose eyes were half asleep until now, suddenly opened wide.

And pleased by the result,

「Right! Right, right! Well, now even my persuasiveness must have increased」

She said, while trying to emphasize her non-existent chest.

Well, I had built him, though. Not that I care.

Whether Beretta is fed up with her by now is unknown, but he’s silently carrying out his guardian duties.

Things continued on like this for a while, but then I decided to ask.

「By the way, where are we headed?

We have been continuing down this path for a while, but you two do know where the banquet will be held, right?

Oh, and are you not bringing anyone with you?」

From what I could see, they were only happily walking nowhere.

Upon hearing my question, the two looked at each other and laughed.

From what they said, they didn’t want to oversleep, so set off a bit early.

And upon spotting us, decided that we might as well journey together.

In any case, we don’t know the way and neither do they.

But, well

「「We’ll have someone come and get us」」

They said, carefree.

Since we were getting tired from walking, we decided to have some tea.

I took it out from within my stomach, and setting some tableware and sheets, started preparing it.

If someone would come get us, we might as well have waited in the city.

Well, I guess I should be happy to have met two demon lords.

While I was taking out the lunch that Shuna had prepared, the two were behaving themselves.

Since she made quite a lot, we could easily serve two more people.

The taste, of course, received rave reviews.

As expected of Shuna.

By the way, Shion was not permitted to cook.

Though she does possess the unique skill『Cook』, not knowing the basic makes it a huge waste of talent.

After the meal, while we were enjoying the tea,

「By the way, are you not bringing anyone with you?」

I asked.

They brought Dagruel’s three sons–generals, and five captains with them.

Since generals and captains have participated in the banquet before, they thought it should be fine.

But his sons are here for the first time. So they’re bound to cause problems, he said.

Is that fine? I wanted to ask, but couldn’t.

Dino has no one with him.

Seems like there are demon lords with no followers. Milim seems the same, so that I can easily accept.

By the way, there’s a reason for restricting the number of participants.

A long time ago, there were demon lords who would bring over a hundred individuals to flaunt their power.

Some had their countries reduced to ash so came seeking to be annihilated.

So, they decided that you had to bring someone of at least low class devil ranking.

According to the now ruined demon lords, they had always brought high ranking devils, but no one can confirm that and such reports have been ignored.

Anyways, in order to prevent such foolish actions, they decided to limit the number of participants.

Though there are many demon lords who participate with a clear lack of confidence.

While we were discussing these things, I suddenly felt a rift open up in space.

Seems like our guide has come.

In front of us, a gate has opened.

From within, a beautiful woman wearing black maid outfit came out and bowed.

「I have come to guide you, Ramiris-sama.

If you will, please follow me」

She said, while keeping the gate open.

While completely making herself seem unimportant. She was the embodiment of discipline itself.

A true professional.

But, moreover,

This maid, feels as overwhelming as Diablo–the “Demon Lord/Official”.

She’s clearly dangerous.

「Oh, if it isn’t Mizari. It’s been a while! How’s Guy doing?」

「Ay, the likes of me is not so presumptuous as to worry for my great master…」

「Ah, is that so. You never change. Whatever」

She says while jumping into the gate.

We followed. If we’re left behind here, there’s the fear of not being able to come here at all.

But the maid is Guy’s subordinate, it seems.

Seems like Guy is one of the demon lords, but, if possible, I would rather not make him my enemy.

Well, that depends on the situation, though.

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The time to test my resolution has come.

Ahead await the rulers of this world.

But I was not afraid.

Because I, too, am one of these strongest individuals.

While steeling myself, I proceeded into the gate.