Chapter 221: Hero (2)
“Ah, of course.”
After being guided by Gabriel, those who heard the news of our return came to visit one by one.
“Michael…!”
“Father!”
Starting with Johannes, who had recovered from his injuries and returned to the front lines.
“You guys, you really came back!”
To Sapphire, the Commander of the Staut Knights.
“Haha! I believed that if it was you guys, you would definitely pull it off!”
The primary contributors who allowed us to cross the wall, trusted me, persuaded the Allied Forces, and eventually successfully lured out the Demon King's Army.
And among them.
“Long time no see, Angel!”
Just like the last time I saw him, there was Khamsin, showing a smile like a refreshing breeze.
“Brother khamsin…?!”
“Sister, it's been a long ti… uh.”
Khamsin, like the others, showed a surprised reaction for a moment upon seeing Lily's horn, but it was only for a moment.
“That is a cool horn. It suits you.”
As if there was no way he would view the person named Lily differently just because of a single horn at this point.
Khamsin reportedly arrived at the barrier not long after we headed to the Demon King's Castle.
Since Daian's confusion was somewhat settled thanks to us, he entrusted the city to High Priest Mistral and joined the front lines bringing the newly developed magic engineering weapons.
However, the completion was delayed a bit, so he arrived slightly later than us.
“At first, not everyone understood and agreed with the Yubin plan.”
“But thanks to Mr. Khamsin here appearing like the wind just in time, grasping the situation immediately, and supporting us, we were able to move the army.”
“Haha, if it's Angel's request, naturally, I must make anything come true.”
It seemed he became the casting vote by expressing strong support without asking or arguing, saying that if I requested it, there must be a valid reason for any plan.
“I received help again.”
“Compared to how Angel and your companions worked hard for Daian, this much is nothing.”
Khamsin, who waved his hand once, then scanned me and said.
“By the way, compared to when I last saw you off, something has… changed a lot. Is it an image makeover?”
“Something like that.”
“Of course, the fact that you remain beautiful hasn't changed a bit though.”
At that moment.
“Hey.”
Evie, who had been staring discontentedly with her arms crossed at Khamsin, who was busy hitting on me rather than being wary even after seeing my changed appearance, finally couldn't hold back and strode over.
“Why don't you stop flirting with what belongs to others?”
Revealing anger that flustered not only Khamsin but also the Irons watching from the side.
“Ah…”
Although Khamsin was a playboy who would hit on any beautiful woman, he wasn't someone who crossed the line by touching someone who was taken.
“…Ahaha. I made a mistake. Please forgive me with your broad generosity.”
And he certainly wasn't someone who didn't know the value of his life.
Anyway, now that even khamsin was here, it meant that all the key figures of the Allied Forces who knew our circumstances to some extent and would actively help us were gathered here.
“ The fact that you all returned like this, surely the Demon King…”
“Yes.”
At Gabriel's cautious question, I immediately nodded and answered.
“The Demon King is dead.”
“──!”
“Is, is that really true!”
“Then──”
“And taking over that position, I have become the new Demon King.”
“──Pardon?”
“……Just now, what did you say?”
“W-What do you mean by that…?”
It seemed everyone thought my statement was a mischievous joke thrown out casually according to my usual personality.
The gazes of the Irons, who were flustered and looking at each other, soon turned to Miki.
“Miki, is what Yubin saying right now…”
Not because he was a fellow Irons, but probably because they had the conviction that he was the person who couldn't tell a lie the most in this place.
However, Miki's expression was serious beyond measure.
“……!”
“Teacher's words are all true.”
Even before Miki opened his mouth directly like this, to the extent that they immediately realized I was absolutely not joking right now.
“I received the recognition of the Demon King's Army warriors who set up camp in front of the barrier and came here as the new Demon King.”
To them who were speechless because of that, I spoke in a firm tone as if declaring.
“Everyone, to propose an alliance to the human side inside the barrier.”
“…!”
Of course, the story that I went over the wall in high spirits to catch the Demon King and came back after abruptly becoming the Demon King wasn't content that could be immediately understood and [Persuasion] successful no matter how high my Charisma was.
Would they believe it?
Even I wouldn't believe it.
So, I had to briefly explain only the basic knowledge necessary for understanding first.
That the Primordial Demon King was sealed in my body, and that the current me was Yubin and had become the Primordial Demon King.
Likewise, it would have been very hard to believe, but unlike the previous story, the evidence was right in front of their eyes.
“So, Yubin appearance…”
The me whose appearance had completely changed from before crossing the wall.
“…If it's a story about why such strong demonic energy was felt from you, then it does make sense but…”
So even if it was a hard story to believe, they had no choice but to believe.
“T-Then Angel… Yubin, are you saying you became the Demon King yourself to stop the war…?”
But as I said earlier, whether I became the Demon King or whatever was ultimately just a stepping stone necessary to make them understand the important content.
“Regrettably, it wasn't us who killed the Demon King.”
“Yes?”
“It was the ‘God of Death’.”
“──!?”
And I even conveyed the words that ‘Death’ intended to directly drag countless lives to the Underworld.
“Why would the God of Death…”
“…They said we protected lives that were originally supposed to be sacrificed.”
“Pardon…?”
“Originally, this power should have gone to another being, but as you can see, I became the Primordial Demon King. As a result, the calamity that would have been caused by the one who obtained the primordial power in the future did not happen.”
“So, you mean he descended to cause a calamity directly…?”
“Yes.”
“That, just what in the world…”
“Therefore, to at least try to fight back, everyone must join forces.”
That is why I came to propose an alliance as the new Demon King, I continued.
“But everyone won't believe these words.”
Even if the Demon King comes directly and proposes peace abruptly, who would believe it?
They will think it's a stratagem.
Rather than the ridiculous nonsense that the ‘God of Death’ descended to the mortal world, it would be much easier to believe that I am trying to open the gates of the barrier without shedding a drop of blood by inciting anxiety.
“Therefore, I need your strength.”
Please make people believe, I said.
“When I speak in front of everyone, I would like you all to support me.”
So that we can open the gates of the barrier ourselves and welcome the Demon King's Army outside not as enemies but as ‘comrades’.
“……!”
No matter how much they believed all my stories, it was not an easy task.
After all, isn't it a story about opening the doors themselves and accepting beings they have been hostile towards for over a thousand years?
Regardless of personal likes, dislikes, or character, they couldn't possibly exclude the animosity between the two races accumulated over that long time.
However.
“I believe Yubin's words.”
Despite that, Khamsin spoke like this without long hesitation.
“When the coup happened in Daian, the fact that not a single innocent citizen was sacrificed was all thanks to you all.”
If so, among the ‘lives that would have originally been sacrificed’ mentioned by the God of Death, the lives of the citizens we protected back then must definitely be included.
“So how could I dare not believe, not knowing that grace?”
The moment I heard these words, a smile formed inadvertently.
Right, that was it.
In Daian, I made a choice that wasn't even a ‘choice option’ in the game.
As a result, I could avoid ‘what should have originally happened’.
I didn't do it expecting a reward.
It was just, I couldn't ignore it because it weighed on my mind.
“I will help with anything I can help with.”
However, receiving such firm support like now could definitely be called a reward for making that choice back then.
“Our Irons family will also join your will.”
“Father…!”
“Good, the Staut Knights will also lend our strength.”
How could I not smile hearing these words that I wasn't wrong, that my efforts were definitely not in vain.
“Thank you, everyone.”
***
The new Demon King came personally to negotiate.
At this news that became known before long, the barrier turned upside down as expected.
Representatives of all influential forces who sent troops to the barrier were urgently summoned and gathered in one place to see the appearance of the new Demon King who came to find them.
But that being called the Demon King had the appearance of a human not much different from themselves on the outside.
Even.
“As the new Demon King, I have come to propose an alliance to you.”
He even casually proposed something that hadn't happened for over a thousand years, and thus something they wouldn't have even imagined.
“W-What did you say…!?”
Murmurs were bound to arise.
Most of them seemed unable to properly understand what they were seeing and hearing, even while seeing and hearing it directly.
Voices criticizing that it must be a trick, that it was obviously a devil's scheme, could be heard.
No, actually, it was the majority.
“The demon warriors in front of the barrier now follow all my orders. And I, have no intention of waging war with you now or in the future.”
But I continued speaking without caring.
“However, there is one condition for that peace. Just one.”
“……What, is that.”
“Not treating us as ‘devils’, as objects of persecution anymore, but treating us as people who can coexist and live together. That is all.”
Just as we demons will do.
“If that happens, we will be able to fight against a common enemy together.”
“Common, enemy…?”
“God of Death.”
“……!”
Watching the stir rise once more, I calmly conveyed it.
The fact without a bit of exaggeration that the God of Death who descended to the mortal world intends to directly take away countless lives, regardless of whether they are demons or humans, and drag them to the Underworld.
“Since the threat is right in front of our noses, we no longer have the leisure to wage meaningless war among ourselves right now.”
Now was the time for everyone outside and inside the barrier to join forces and fight against ‘Death’.
And if we survive together not as old enemies but as comrades in that fight, we might really be able to break down the barrier called prejudice that has prevented us from properly facing each other for a long time.
“At least, it will be the minimum beginning to end the long feud.”
I believe.
Of course, to do that, we have to survive first.
“D-Don't speak nonsense!”