CH 4

Chapter 4 – Hired by the Demon Lord

Just a question, would you guys prefer Demon Lord’s territory, Demon Lord territory, or just Demon Territory. The raws are 魔王領 btw.

A carriage was waiting at the exit of the forest.

It is a huge carriage pulled by 3 horses. There is a silver decoration on the black-painted body. It seems to be the coat of arms of the Demon King.

When Mabel and I got in, the carriage slowly moved forward.

I could see the outside from the window.

“Is this the Demon King’s territory?”

There was a wide grassland around the highway.

A big river runs in the distance, and ships come and go.

The ones moving the ships are the Fishmans.

A girl is swimming around near the ship. There are fins around her ears. Maybe she’s a mermaid.

A wolf beastman is chasing a sheep in the meadow.

The person that is carrying the heavy luggage looks like a bear.

“There are various kinds of people.”

The people of the empire, say that the demon lord territory is a chaotic place.

If you step into the territory, a demon beast will attack you.

There are savage beastmans who kidnap humans.

It was said in that kind of tone, but when you actually see it, everyone lives normally.

Or rather, it’s more gentle than the empire.

There are no calvaries that have a murderous air around them, and there are no guards scaring travellers.

“It’s because the demon king territory has a small population.”

Mabel said.

“The Lord asks people of various races to do what they’re good at. It’s the right person in the right place.”

“It’s logical.”

“I would like Thor to work in the Demon King’s territory.”

“Me too?”

“The Demon Lord invites guests from the empire to learn new techniques and knowledge.”

The story was completely different.

I was ordered to be a hostage to the Demon King’s territory.

Then my father said, “go die.”

However, I was welcomed by an elf girl and treated as a guest.

“There must have been some people who have come to the Demon King’s territory as messengers before, but what are they doing now?”

“The last time was 50 years ago. I wasn’t born yet, so this is only based on what I’ve heard…”

Mabel thinks a little and said

“I heard that they went home soon after they came here.”

“They went home silently?”

“Yes. we didn’t put any restrictions on their actions. However, it’s dangerous to go through that forest alone, and I heard that we tried to escort them … but in the end, they still went home secretly.”

“I see”

I can see how the story progressed.

The Demon Lord considers those who come from the empire to be messengers and guests.

However, the Empire sends the people as hostages and sacrifices.

Therefore, those who are sent try to escape.

Because they ignored the empire’s orders and ran away, naturally they wouldn’t bother to report themselves.

As a result, they will be treated as missing.

“Thor-sama … will you proceed to enter the demon lord territory?”

When I notice it, her violet eyes are staring at me.

“There is no great alchemist like Thor-sama in the Demon Lord’s territory. We need someone like Thor-sama here. Please help us. We will help you to live comfortably. We will also provide you with ── “

“I came because of the friendship between the Empire and the Demon Lord.”

I said.

I didn’t want to say, “No, I’m a hostage sent from the empire and I’m a sacrifice” in front of the demon lord’s people.

“I will do what I can for the Demon Lord.”

“Thank you!!”

Mabel approaches me. Close, too close.

Every time the carriage sways, the pendant that has just been repaired sways. By the way, her big breasts also shake.

It seems that the empire’s knowledge that “Elf’s bodies are poorly developed” was wrong.

There are still many things I don’t know.

“… Ah, we’ll arrive at Demon Castle in about an hour.”

Perhaps she noticed that she was too close, Mabel’s cheeks turned red and returned to her seat.

“When you arrive, you will have an audience with the Demon Lord. Please be prepared.”

Demon Lord.

The king of the demons and the ruler of this Demon Lord territory.

In order to live in the Demon Lord’s territory, I must not make him in a bad mood.

Mabel and Minotaur welcomed me, but what about the Demon King …

With that in mind, I was swaying in the carriage.

“Her majesty, Demon Lord Rukie Evergard has come.!”

A voice echoed in the throne room of the Demon Castle.

In front of the empty throne, I’m kneeling.

I was immediately guided here through the Demon Castle.

The Minotaurs hold their spears in their hands, standing beside the throne. It seems that they were guards under the direct control of the Demon Lord.

Mabel is kneeling behind me as well.

When I turned my head secretly, she waved, “I’m with you.” She’s such a good person.

“Are you the guest from the empire?”

Eventually, a person wearing a mask appeared.

I’m not sure about her height. I think she’s taller than me.

She’s wearing a robe made with gold threads and a mask that covers the upper part of her face. I don’t know what expression she’s making. All I know is that she’s probably a woman because of her long blonde hair.

Two horns extend from behind her ears.

Horns are a characteristic of high-ranking demons. It is said that the larger they are, the more magic power the person can handle. However, I can’t judge because I don’t have the standard size of a horn to compare. However, as a Demon Lord, there is no doubt that she is a powerful user of dark magic.

The Demon Lord possesses the strongest “dark magic attribute”.

“dark magic attribute,” it can literally manipulate death and the void.

The strongest is the king of the demons, the Demon Lord.

“I am the Demon King Rukie Evergard. “

The Demon King was sitting on the throne and looking at me from the other side of the mask.

“Are you Thor Regas, the guest from the Dolgarian Empire.”

“Yes, Her Majesty the Demon Lord”

I answered while still on my knees.

“I am deeply moved by the direct greetings from Her Majesty the Demon King.”

“I’ll be blunt, what can you do?”

The Demon King asked me.

“My Demon Lord territory welcomes guests from the Dolgarian Empire in order to gain the knowledge and skills of the human world. If you came here, would you have any special knowledge?”

“I have a little Alchemy skill “

“… Hoh. fun.”

“It’s a skill that we don’t have in the Demon Lord territory.”

The Demon King sighs, and her aide beside her spoke up.

A blue-haired man stands next to the throne. According to Mabel, he’s the countries chancellor.

“I see. There are so many alchemists in the empire that they can send them to other countries. It’s a terrifying country. What is the Dolgarian Empire?”

Wrong. The alchemists just deal with unnecessary things.

──I almost argued with her, but I kept quiet.

“Okay, let’s prepare your own workshop. You can swing your arms freely there. Is there anything you need for Alchemy?”

Said the Demon King.

It was the first time I was told that.

“Please give me a place to work”

“Okay. I’ll prepare that. What else?”

“Alchemy also requires equipment.”

“Well, then you should submit a list of what you need. What else?”

“Especially the material. A lump of metal would do or some old and broken equipment would do too.

“I see … Kelve. Certainly, there was a warehouse that was used by the previous demon lord? “

Demon King Rukie looked at the blue-haired man.

The Chancellor nodded.

“His Majesty the previous Demon had a habit of collecting things. He collected things such as rusted swords, broken armor and shields. He even collected books that we couldn’t read.”

“He liked to collect Junk.”

“From a standpoint, I can’t agree with those words… Anyways, if it’s materials, it’s best to give him the warehouse.”

“Is the pile of junk useful?”

“We’ll let the alchemist judge if it’s useful or not.”

“── Umu”

In response to the Chancellor’s words, the Demon King Rukie turned to me.

“There is a guest room next to the warehouse. Let’s give it to you as your own room. There is junk in the warehouse that the previous Demon King collected as a hobby. You can use it freely as a material. The things in there are from the time of the “Hero summoning” so the use of many things is not clear.

“From the time of the “Hero summoning”?”

“Um. It’s from an era when our Demon territory was defeated by the human world.”

The Demon King nodded.

“You should use your abilities as an alchemist to make what you like. If it is good, we will buy it. If it is useful for the Demon territory, we will consider mass-producing it. In that case, it would be helpful if you could help us. “

“… It’s something I can’t imagine.”

“What?”

“Why do you guys go that far?”

It was too kind.

It’s unbelievable for me, who was treated as useless in the empire.

“I’m from the empire. I don’t know why you go that far for a messenger like me.”

“Because we want to learn from the human world.”

“To learn?”

“We, the demons, were defeated by human wisdom and heroes from another world long ago. Do you know that?”

I know.

In an era when humans and demons were fighting, humans summoned heroes from another world to confront the demons.

The summoned hero mastered his powerful skills and fought for humans.

All the heroes were aiming for the “strongest” at a scary level.

They fought monsters and raised their skills and levels.

Their thirst for “strength” was eventually transmitted to humans in this world.

The empire’s thirst for strength also came from the heroes.

Then the hero became stronger and defeated the Demon Lord.

The demons and their co-workers were banished to the north.

Then the world became what it is today.

It seems that the hero of another world who defeated the Demon Lord returned to their original world with satisfaction.

The Hero summoning are no longer being done.

However, the knowledge and items left by the Hero remain.

The distance and time units used on the continent were also left by the heroes from another world.

“The demons were defeated by humans. That’s true, so we demons decided to learn from them.”

The Demon Lord muttered while touching her mask.

“Now we’re not going to contend with humans anymore, but we have to continue learning from humans, or those who died in that war will have died in vain. Heroes may be summoned from another world at any time. If we don’t learn by that time, we could be possibly be destroyed. “

When I looked at Mabel and the chancellor, they nodded.

This really seems to be the policy of the Demon lord territory.

“That’s why we invite guests from the empire. We invite people, interact and get the latest knowledge, otherwise, we will never catch up to the empire.”

“Is that why you treat me well?”

“Umu. My strength is also for the Demon Lord Territory.”

The Demon Lord nodded.

“It is also the policy of the Demon Lord to place people in places where they can demonstrate their abilities. Because the number of people in the Demon Lord is small. There is no room for unsuitable work. That is only a luxury for places with large populations.”

I understand the story of the Demon Lord.

The purpose of inviting guests from the empire is to acquire the skills and knowledge of the human world.

The reason for preparing the workshop and materials for me is to be able to fully demonstrate my abilities.

What is created in this way becomes the property of the Demon Lord territory, and the Demon Lord’s territory can know what can be done by alchemy.

I’m excited.

A workshop and materials that can be used freely.

It was something that was never available in the empire.

I also liked the policy of the Demon Lord.

The Demon Lord does the exact opposite of the Empire.

The Empire summoned a powerful hero from another world and defeated the Demon Lord.

Therefore, they maintain the policy of “we are right” and “strength is everything”.

On the contrary, the Demon Lord is defeated by heroes and humans.

Therefore, they have adopted the policy of “learning from humans.”

I have decided what to do.

I will cooperate with the Demon Lord territory as an alchemist hired by the Demon Lord.

I will use my “creation alchemy” skills in this place to create something that transcends the empire.

If possible, exceed the items used by the hero.

I will create an item that would show the empire that strength is meaningless.

“Thank you for the kindness shown by Her Majesty the Demon King.”

I gave a formal thank you as an aristocrat.

“Then, first of all, I would like to show you what I can do with alchemy. I will use it as a reward for the welcome.”

“… Oh, oh”

……Hmm?

It seems that the Demon King leaked a confused voice for some reason …?

With that in mind, the Chancellor cleared his throat.

“You must be tired because of the long journey. Someone, escort Thor to his room – No, let’s leave that to Mabel. Then, Thor, there are many rough people in Demon Castle, please don’t go out alone as much as possible. Then, Demon Lord-sama…”

“This concludes the audience with the guest, Thor Regas.”

The Demon Lord concluded the meeting after the Chancellor talked rapidly.

After that, I was led by a maid different from Mabel out of the throne room.