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Chapter 29: The Sage is Invited by an Old Friend
　While traveling with the acting chief, I activated my sensing magic.\n　Gradually expanding its effective range, I found a large number of reactions on the outer edge of the forest.\n　Tens of thousands of people were gathering there.\n　It was probably the Imperial Army.
That’s quite the number.
　They did not invade the forest, but lay in wait.\n　They had temporarily stopped their attack.\n　The exhausted soldiers must be resting.
　The elves were not helpless either.\n　They were good at using geographical advantages to launch surprise attacks and trap people.\n　I’m sure that after several battles, the imperial army must have received a befitting counterattack.\n　Perhaps they are currently waiting for reinforcements and supplies.
　However, the balance between the two will eventually collapse.\n　It is because the imperial army has an enormous amount of strength and can bring in reinforcements one after another.\n　There was also the possibility of the forest being burned.
　The elves had too many things to protect.\n　They were at a disadvantage both in terms of situation and strength.\n　Without my intervention, the Elves would have eventually been defeated.\n　Logan knew this, which is why he obediently accepted the decision to become a slave.\n　This is the result of prioritizing survival over the pride of the clan.
　With this, they wouldn’t have to worry about the invasion for the next half a day or so.\n　A reconnaissance force would be active, but they wouldn’t pose a threat to that extent.\n　If they’re in the way, I can take them out at my leisure.\n　After assessing the situation, I turned off my sensing magic.
　The Acting Chief was several steps ahead of me, moving at a quick pace.\n　She was constantly checking the area.\n　The elves were hiding among the surrounding trees.
　I knew it even without thinking much about it.\n　They were probably the watchdogs.\n　They were watching to make sure I did not create trouble.\n　I had no intentions to do anything crazy, so I’ll just let it go.
　Despite the number of people in the place, the area was enveloped in silence.\n　We continue to walk in silence.
“…Brother-”
　A voice broke the silence.\n　For a moment I thought it was the Acting Chief speaking, but it was unmistakably my voice.\n　It was an almost unconscious act, and I regretted it a little after I said it.\n　I had no intentions of having a conversation, but I had gone off on a tangent.
　On the other hand, the acting chief, whose shoulders flinched, stopped and looked back at me.
“W-What is it…?”
　The acting chief seemed uneasy.\n　I broke the ice.\n　I couldn’t ignore her and asked her a question that came to mind.
“Is your brother a good chief?”
“…Yes. As the head of the clan, my brother has always been concerned for us. He is a person I can respect wholeheartedly.”
　The acting chief replied, looking me in the eye.\n　There were no lies in her words.\n　She spoke from the heart.
“I see.”
　That’s all I said.
　The acting chief looked at me confused but didn’t mention anything else.\n　She resumed her steps, peeking at me.
Did she notice the turmoil in my heart?
　I couldn’t tell from her appearance.\n　But I’m sure she’s suspicious.
　How pitiful, if I say so myself.\n　I didn’t know that I would be shaken on seeing my old friend’s face.\n　I thought I had passed that stage long ago.\n　It seems that the relationships I had formed back when I was alive were not so easy to break.
　As I mocked myself inwardly, we walked out to an open spot.\n　The acting chief stopped and gestured with her hand.
“This is the village of the elves.”
　There was a row of wooden houses.\n　There are also huts on top of a row of trees adjacent to them.\n　It was my first time entering the elves’ residential area, but it was generally just as I had expected it to be.
　I could sense a number of presences inside each house.\n　It must be the elves who live here.\n　They were concealing their breaths.\n　They seemed to have sensed my arrival and hid.
　Next, I shift my gaze far ahead.\n　Beyond the trees, there was the blue sky the stretched out.\n　At first glance, nothing seemed to be there.\n　However, there was a definite sense of discomfort.\n　The space shook.\n　It was created by a spell.
　I stroked my chin and examined it.
“Is it a perception blocking spell? That’s where the Yggdrasil is, right?”
“Well, um, that…”
　The acting chief stammered when I pointed it out.\n　It seems my guess was correct.\n　To the elves living in this land, the Yggdrasil was more important than life.\n　It wasn’t strange to cleverly hide it using magic.
　Of course, the fact that I knew the location of the Yggdrasil did not mean I was going to do something to it.\n　If I made a dumb move, it would invite the elves’ resentment.\n　Even if I made them my slaves, there was no need to go out of my way to make them resent me.
　After that, I patrolled the village with the Acting Chief leading the way.\n　Their neighborhood was not that large.\n　I was able to walk around the perimeter of the village in a short time.\n　When we had gone once around the perimeter, I told the acting chief.
“I’ve got a general idea of the structure. I will now set up a defensive magic barrier.”
“Y-Yes please.”
　The acting chief bowed and then left.
　I deployed defensive magic in a way that covered the village.\n　In addition, I also constructed barriers with multiple effects.\n　It was no trouble for me as the Demon King.
“With this, it should not be so easy for the imperial army to invade anymore. As long as it’s nothing major, you should be safe in the village.”
“T-Thank you!”
　The acting chief bowed deeply with a look of relief.
　At that moment, a familiar presence appeared from behind.\n　I turn around and see Logan standing there.\n　He was not accompanied by the guards from before anymore\n　He seemed to have come alone.
“Follow me.”
　After saying that, Logan began to walk away without even waiting for my answer.\n　He had an overbearing attitude.\n　It was very much like him.\n　He was originally a taciturn man.\n　He was often misunderstood due to lack of explanation.
　Anyway, what the hell did he want?\n　I’m sure I had talked about everything I needed to talk to him about.\n　The only topic of conversation that I can think of is a communication about the war against the Imperial Army.\n　It was a reasonable topic for him to talk about.
“Brother…”
　The acting chief muttered.\n　She must be on tenterhooks.\n　The fate of her clan depended on my mood.
　However, I have no reason to care about the Acting Chief’s anxieties.\n　I left her behind and followed Logan back.
　Logan was headed to an old mansion.\n　It was bigger than the other houses.\n　It is located right in the middle of the village, so it must be a building for the chieftain.
“Come inside.”
　Logan walked into the room after his brief utterance.\n　I followed him inside.
　There were few things in the spacious room.\n　However, it didn’t seem to be poorly furnished, but rather, the interior seemed to focus on the functional aspects.\n　The decorations used at the odds-and-ends gave it the right amount of elegance.
“Take a seat.”\n　I sat down in a chair as offered.\n　Logan sat across the table from me.
　There was no one else in the room.\n　There was a heavy silence in the room where we were alone.\n　Honestly, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel awkward.
“How was our village?”
　As I was looking at the interior for no particular reason, I was suddenly asked a question by Logan.\n　What was his intention?\n　I can’t guess from his expression.\n　He looked angry, but that was always the case.
“……”
　I pondered for a while.\n　I wanted to refrain from saying or doing anything out of line.\n　Logan was a man who does not do anything wasteful.\n　His questions must have some meaning behind them.\n　Therefore, I have to be careful.
“…It’s beautiful. It’s a harmonious landscape.”
　After much deliberation, I chose to say these innocuous words.\n　I don’t know what he wants, but I think it’s neither good nor bad feedback.
　After hearing the answer, Logan let out a deep sigh.\n　The mood had changed compared to earlier.\n　Was this disappointment and dismay?\n　It was not my imagination.\n　A sharp look pierced through me.
“Do you think you can fool me?”
“……”
　I remained silent.\n　I felt my non-existent heart clenching.\n　I felt as if I could hear my own heartbeat.\n　I couldn’t speak.
　Seeing that I didn’t say anything, Logan let out another sigh.\n　And then he spoke up with a question that went to the heart of the matter.
“—Dwight Havelt. What the hell happened to you?”