Chapter 633 Loyal Subject
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Gargantua’s POV)
”Lady Gargantua… a guest has arrived…”
It was just before lunch, and I had finished a light practice in the back yard of the mansion and was drinking tea that a Snow Wolf maid had made for me.
Hanna, who came into the dining room with a pale face and shaking, called for me.
(A guest here in Raetia for me? ──And the way Hanna is trembling indicates that it’s not just any guest…)
I don’t have many acquaintances here in Raetia, so from Hanna’s fear, I figured this was not just any visitor.
I told her not to let them into the mansion and to wait at the entrance.
* * *
”The fact that you all came means… that you defeated the messenger youma ── has it finally come to light in Azradelius…”
I took the 4 who came to visit me to the small outdoor space next to the west wing of the Clan house, where there was a little table and chairs set up.
”This is the first I’ve heard about the messenger youma… but if it’s about the matter you are worried about, Sir Three-Face has been taken care of. Don’t worry.”
When I was in the position of ‘Demon King of Four Dark Heavens’, these were the 4 loyal subordinates who served me earnestly.
Among the leaders known as the Sixteen Demon Generals, those 4 who were my subordinates knelt before me, and their leader, the Ninth General Geat, lifted his face and told me this.
(I see… ‘Star of Thunder’ was dealt with by that Three-Face.)
I felt a deep sense of relief in my heart and was grateful to my serious and stubborn former colleague.
”So… you came all this way just to tell me that?”
”That’s one reason, but…”
Geat hesitated and exchanged glances with the other 3.
── Something seems off…
”L-Lady Gargantua! Will we not fight together with you anymore!?”
”Our wish is to run around the battlefield with you one more time!”
”Absolutely! Let’s hurry to serve under the Demon King!”
The Tenth General Adalar, the Eleventh General Ole, and the Twelfth General Rolf raised their faces and shouted one after another.
”Indeed, the days when I fought alongside you… Looking back now, I might say they were enjoyable…”
”Well then!”
Geat pushed forward on his knees.
I stopped him with my hand and continued speaking.
”But──it’s different, Geat. I joined the Demon King’s army with the purpose of fulfilling my clan’s wish to ‘free Lady Lilith.’ Now, I have decided to achieve that sad wish together with Hiroya and──Clan ‘Famière’…”
”What…”
Geat’s eyes widened as he looked up at me.
”Hiroya… Hiroya O’Brien…”
”That former rival, the child of ‘Two-handed’ Shinji and ‘greatsword’ Megumi──right?”
”As I thought… The rumors were true. You have reconciled with Shinji and the others, haven’t you!?”
During the times they served under me, they rarely showed their emotions, but now their faces shone brightly.
Ole, the only woman, even had tears in her eyes….
”You guys… what kind of feelings are those?”
My declaration should mean parting ways with them.
Given their position, they had no choice but to belong to the Demon King’s army, and I chose to fight alongside Hiroya. It was impossible for us to walk the same path.
”Then, we shall, here and now, form the ‘Gargantua Royal Guard’ and fight alongside you against the Demon King’s army──”
”Wait, wait, wait, wait!”
With Geat’s declaration, the 4 of them pressed forward on their knees.
I couldn’t help but stop them.
”Aren’t you all here to take me back to the Demon King’s army?”
”Indeed, we were told by Sir Three-Face, ‘We will go to pick up Lady Gargantua’…”
Ole, the female demon, said while wiping her tears.
”But we want you to proceed as Lady Gargantua wishes.”
”Our loyalty to the Demon King army lies with the Demon King. However… since this gathering, the Demon King has yet to show himself…”
”Yes, everything is being handled by… Azradelius. We have no memory of pledging our loyalty to him.”
Geat, the leader of the 4 generals serving me, along with the huge Adalar and the small Rolf, speak up, but I began to remind them of something important.
”Think carefully… You’re leaders of your own clans on the Demon Continent, aren’t you? Abandoning the Demon King army—what do you think that means for your people? What punishment do you think Azradelius will unleash on your clans?”
Just by calling me back to the Demon King army, he would take the Oni-kin clan members hostage from the villages.
If they were to leave the Demon King army, what would happen to each of their clans?
Hearing my words, they immediately lowered their shoulders, looking disappointed.
It’s not like they were unaware.
They are clever… perhaps they were trying not to think about their clans for the sake of their loyalty to me.
”I am very happy with your loyalty. That is why I want you to return to the Demon King army.”
”But…”
The leader, Geat, tries to push back, but I shake my head and continue my words.
”The Demon King’s thoughts are not to fight against Hiroya and the others.”
””””Wha… what!?””””
The 4 of them gasp in surprise at the same time.
”Azradelius may be confining the Demon King and trying to use his power for his own purposes. ──This is just speculation, though…”
The ‘thoughts of the Demon King’ that I heard from Hiroya.
The Demon King, who grew up as the child of Shinji and Megumi──as Hiroya’s brother, wants to end his life as part of their family and finish the cycle of ‘Seven Lives, One Revenge.’
Azradelius is trying to kidnap the Demon King and seems to want to use him for his own goals.
”So, we never got to meet the Demon King…”
”I can’t believe… he was growing under Shinji…”
Adalar and Rolf nodded at my explanation.
”So, Lady Gargantua is telling us to return to the Demon King’s army.”
”Return… to protect the Demon King, right?”
I nodded back at Geat and Ole’s questions.
”I want you all… to return to the Demon King’s army and protect the Demon King. ──Be careful of Azradelius’s actions and make sure the Demon King is safe.”
When I gave them this order, the 4 of them bowed deeply.
* * *
”So, is it only Three-Face who joined you? Where is he?”
I wanted to thank him for saving Balthoga’s Oni-kin.
I asked about his whereabouts.
”Well… we parted ways after arriving here in Raetia.”
”Sir Three-Face and the 4 of the Sixteen Demon Generals who serve him are acting separately…”
”We have been ordered to persuade Lady Gargantua.”
After Ole, Adalar, and Rolf answered, Geat stepped forward to me.
”By the way, Lady Gargantua. There is something strange about Sir Three-Face.”
Geat spoke in a small voice.
”Strange? What do you mean?”
”He is usually calm… and collected, but lately, he seems to be disturbed or gives off a strong vibe…”
”Are you sure he came to Raetia?”
”Yes.”
(For what purpose… even bringing his 4 generals…)
I hesitated for a while…
(No way… no, not him, surely…)
As I thought about the methods he, my enemy, could use, an unpleasant thought crossed my mind, but it shouldn’t be something Three-Face would do.
”Hiroya’s weakness──attack my friends… Kazumi? No way…”
After saying that out loud… feeling something cold on my back, I tightened my grip on the katana at my waist.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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