Konjiki no Moji Tsukai Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Conference in the Demon Country

The country of Demons ≪Xaos≫ was located far north of ≪Victorias≫.

Three chairs were arranged on each side of the long table in the fashion of confronting each other. Five of them were occupied while another one person sat at a position overlooking them with an attendant standing next to it.

“I would like to open the demon conference now. First allow me to take attendance, beginning with the lowest ranking one like always.”

“≪Rank 6≫, Grayald-sama.”

A young man in his 20s with darkish skin answered.

“Here~ Fufu.”

“≪Rank 4≫, Ornoth-sama.”

“≪Rank 3≫, Teckil-sama is absent today due to other commitments.”

“≪Rank 2≫, Marione-sama.”

“≪Rank 1≫, Aquinas-sama.”

A man with red hair muttered quietly.

Kiria turned the topic to the blonde girl sitting next to her, Eveam.

She opened her closed eyes and was about to speak, when ≪Rank 2≫ Marione promptly raised his hand.

“It is wrong on so many levels, Your Highness. Why are we missing one person for the conference?”

“A job? Is it more important than this conference?”

“….Is that so.”

“Okay, I will be frank with you: The ‘Humas’ succeeded in summoning Heroes.”

Shublars asked, so she nodded.

“I see. You sent him into the ≪Human Territory≫.”

“Yeah, although I am having him look into the ≪Beast Territory≫ now.”

“Indeed. The other day I got a report of my subordinators getting attacked. Of course they retaliated at once.”

“Yeah, the Heroes certainly are a threat, but we can ignore them for now. The ‘Gabranth’ with their stronger physical abilities and their ‘disguise technique’ are extremely troublesome. Moreover, they’re belligerent.”

Marione said that, but Eveam shook her head.

Marione suddenly slammed onto the table, attracting everyone’s attention.

“No, then we will just follow the same path as the previous king! We are pursuing a world, where all races can live in peace!”

“No! Doing that will only bring about hatred! Conflict calls for more conflict, instigates the flames of war and ultimately destroys our ≪Edea≫!”

“Exactly!”

He didn’t expect her to affirm it, so he froze up.

Everyone shut up and listened to her words.

She expressed her words by casting her eyes down saddened. Kiria noticed that her shoulders were lightly trembling and softly placed her hand on her shoulders.

Then she raised her face and looked at everyone.

“Such idealism.”

“Yes, it is. But at this rate, the flow of blood will never end.”

“Life in itself is a wonderful thing!”

Eveam was seventeen, but looked like eight years old. In Marione’s eyes, she was nothing but a brat. But the power in the gaze of this brat took away his breath for a moment.

“Mh~ But Your Highness, all the other races ignored your letters for a peace treaty.”

“That’s just as unreasonable. During the previous king’s reign, the killing was endless and he used to stab them in the back through means of letters too. It’s not strange to say that we are bound together with them through hatred. So it’s no wonder that they consider a treaty for peace from our side as some prank.”

“Presumable neither the ‘Gabranth’, nor the ‘Humas’ can ever forgive my brother’s atrocities. I understand that. However, unless someone severs the chain of hatred, the sorrow will only increase.”

Marione said with a mocking smile.

“Impossible. We lost people too. You can’t expect them to suddenly accept that. Are you saying we should stay low until peace is achieved? When will that be? Maybe at our ruin?”

“Don’t make me laugh. Everything you said so far only endangers us!”

“Nevertheless… I’ll…”

Yes, the reason the ‘Evila’ didn’t attack other races was that Eveam used her authority as the Demon Lord to enforce a ceasefire. The Demon Lord’s orders were absolute. Since ancient times, capital punishment awaited the one that went against them.

Hearing these words, Eveam fell silent for a while. Lifting her head, she looked at Marione. But her expression showed no signs of yielding to him and seeing that, Marione frowned.

“Your Highness!”

“Shut up, you beastman defect!”

Marione scowled at Ornoth, who had interjected, ready to kill him.

“Shut up!”

A sudden bellow. The atmosphere became stiff from Eveam‘s shouted words. She glared fiercely at Marione.

“Grr…. Hmpf!”

“Shouldn‘t you be stopping him, Your Highness?”

“N- No… My conviction will not falter.”

“He has a short temper, but that‘s just his own way to worry about the future of the ‚Evila‘.”

“I know.”

Orneth quietly closed his eyes. Eveam clenched her fist frustrated by looking at him. She understood had Marione held an extraordinary grudge because of that incident. Still, she believed it to be wrong to dominate out of hatred.

Looking the complete opposite from before, she left the place spiritless and heartbroken together with Kiria. The others left one by one too, only leaving Aquinas and Ornoth behind.

Ornoth inadvertently smiled on the sudden words from Aquinas.

“…?”

“….I think it’s naive. Too naive.”

“However,”

“If a world without grief really exists, I would like to see it.”

“But as long as we’re the only ones striving for it, it will be futile.”

“…Someone.”

“If there was someone unbiased against races who could act as a mediator…”

“It’s impossible for the princess… no, Her Highness on her own. Besides, she’s the representative of us ‘Evila’.”

“Now that’s idealistic.”

“Yeah.”

“……How duteous.”

(A mediator… That’s really idealistic.)

Chapter end