Chapter 99
"The next stage... What do you think is waiting for us there, Kagami-chan?"
"How should I know? At the very least... it's probably a place where you have to be strong to survive."
"I suppose you're right... But it's still astonishing. I never imagined the Dark Dragon would be in a place like that. No... More than that, the great goal humanity has upheld—the defeat of the Demon King—was actually a manufactured conflict with no end in sight. My head's about to explode."
As Takako and Kagami exchanged those words while walking across Hexaldoria Plains, the land stretching near the royal capital, Tina, Alice, the Demon King, and Menou, who was supporting the Demon King, followed behind them.
Hearing Takako's words, Alice and Menou's expressions clouded. Even the Demon King seemed weighed down, though the expression on the Demon King's face remained unchanged.
"Come on, don't look so down. ...I'll protect you, no matter what."
"Y-yeah! You're the Third Army, right? ...Thank you, Kagami-san."
Sensing the heavy mood among the three, Kagami immediately gave Menou a hearty slap on the back, then gently stroked Alice's head and smiled.
Seeing that, the Demon King couldn't help smiling.
"Alice. I'm glad you met this Villager... Is this what they call fate? You must have been able to live comfortably, weren't you?"
"Yeah! I'm really glad I met Kagami-san. ...Even though we didn't know each other well yet, he protected me, a demon, from danger... He's someone very important to me."
Hearing her say that so plainly, Kagami scratched his cheek and bashfully looked up. Tina, who had been the danger back then, gave an awkward smile. "Heh... That really hits close to home."
"You've become special to me, too. ...When we met long ago, I never imagined things would turn out this way... You've grown into someone admirable. To think you gained such strength as a Villager."
"Maybe it's because I was a Villager?"
"...Perhaps so."
Half a day had passed since they set out from the Sacred Forest for the royal capital, with several rest stops along the way.
The six of them were now walking openly along the highway connecting the royal capital to other towns, a route used by many merchants, unconcerned that some among them were demons or criminals.
Along the way, they'd encountered several adventurers and merchants traveling from the capital to other towns, but no one seemed suspicious of them. They exchanged casual greetings and went on their way.
"I doubt they'd ever guess that this ordinary-looking middle-aged guy is the Demon King."
"It seems we've been branded criminals, but word hasn't gotten around yet. As long as we don't open our Status Windows, we should be able to get by."
Saying that, Takako glanced at the three demons walking behind her. She sighed wistfully, thinking how unpredictable life was—she'd never imagined she'd end up in a party with the Demon King.
Another reason for her sigh was that the three walking behind them looked so much like ordinary humans that neither adventurers nor merchants suspected a thing.
They had once tried to fight beings like them. Thinking about that, Takako couldn't help admiring Kagami for realizing how wrong this world's system was.
"Ngh..."
"You okay, Demon King? I'd be in a real bind if you died on me."
"You have some nerve, saying that after trying to make me push myself. Still... now that I've heard how this world works, I can no longer afford to die, for the sake of my subordinates and my daughter."
Though he put on a brave face, the Demon King was so weakened that he readily leaned on Menou's shoulder. Even in this condition, however, the Demon King was still far stronger than Menou, with enough strength to set Messiah in motion and fight a Hero on equal terms. Accepting Menou's support was simply a way to keep in the best possible condition.
"It looks like a curse-induced weakened state, so healing magic won't work... I wish I'd brought a Spirit's Blessing potion, but I was afraid to carry something that expensive around, so I left it behind."
"It's all right... I can fight just fine even like this. Though perhaps not as well as you."
"I don't need you to fight. We're just going to talk."
"Talk...? Now that you mention it, we never finished that conversation. What do you intend to have me do?"
"I want you and the King to sign a ceasefire agreement."
At those words, spoken as casually as anything, everyone present squeaked, "What?!"
"T-that's impossible! We've been enemies this whole time!"
"It might be impossible. But nothing will change unless we try, right? Tina used to see me as an enemy, too, but you don't anymore, right?"
"That's true, but there's no way the kingdom will understand! It would mean rejecting everything we've done up until now!"
"The same goes for the demons, doesn't it? That's why the leaders need to talk. And if the talks succeed, Kururu and Rex will be released, too, right?"
Tina stared blankly at him, then muttered, "Is this guy... an idiot?" Takako seemed to agree, sighing and nodding.
"What are you going to do if they won't listen?"
"Uh... Well, then we'll have to fight."
Hearing Kagami's answer to Takako, Tina couldn't help retorting, "So in the end, we're fighting anyway!"
"Even if it comes to a fight, I'm not going to have the Demon King fight. That would be no different from picking a fight with them. I'll be the only one fighting."
"And you think they'll listen to you after that?"
"But if I don't, nothing will ever begin, right? There's something I absolutely have to tell them. It doesn't matter if we can't reach a ceasefire agreement this time. I just want them to understand that the Demon King is willing to agree to a ceasefire. I know it's a reckless thing to attempt. But... I just want to tell the King what I've been unable to say all this time. So even if I have to use a little force, I'm going to see him."
As Kagami finished speaking, Alice suddenly quickened her pace and fell into step beside him, giving him a bashful smile.
"...What's wrong?"
"I really do love you, Kagami-san."
Faced with those words, Kagami reflexively looked away to hide his embarrassment.
She had simply been overwhelmed with joy that he was doing something his companions called reckless for their sake. Alice knew how difficult the path would be, and understood that nothing would change in a major way without taking such a risk.
And she knew that it would require human cooperation, and that it would cause great harm to those very humans. Kagami was choosing to do it himself. How could that not make her happy?
"Unfortunately, I believe the chances of reaching a ceasefire agreement are vanishingly small."
But then, a voice from behind the group interrupted Alice's thoughts.
A presence they'd failed to sense suddenly appeared. Everyone stiffened in an instant, assumed a fighting stance, and turned around.
"D-David-san?!"
Takako cried out, her face pale.
Standing there was David, gasping for breath, covered in wounds from head to toe, and so battered he looked ready to collapse at any moment.