Chapter 29
"Are they really coming?"
When I suddenly mentioned that demons would be coming down from the mountains, everyone seemed skeptical.
Fair enough. Until now, it was common knowledge that demons were only born in the Demon Realm, and that notion hadn't been shaken until the Demon King's army invaded.
But if mana-infused humans are the result of mana affecting humans, it's not strange at all for there to be demons originating from the human world.
Honestly, I'm not sure if we should treat them as enemies or friends.
One thing's certain: at least the demons in that memory didn't look like the Demon King's army.
Not only did they not use the Demon Army's distinctive ritual equipment or magic, but as far as I know, the front where the elves were stationed was quite far from the kingdom.
Even if they were deserters, there's no reason for them to come all the way to a distant kingdom to hide.
With those numbers, they'd stand out whether they like it or not…
Whether they're locals or deserters, we'll know when we meet them directly.
I could only pray that the outcome wouldn't be the same as in that memory.
I spent time analyzing the mana in the earth. As night approached, anxiety and fear began to spread among the knights.
Unlike the night in the city, the mountain night dyes everything in darkness. If you stare at it long enough, it feels like you've stuck your head into the darkness.
The fear of not knowing what lies ahead. Especially after I mentioned demons coming, I could easily imagine the fear they must be feeling.
"...Should we light a fire?"
Someone suggested it, and I allowed it. Thanks to the bright firelight illuminating the surroundings, the atmosphere eased a bit, and everyone seemed to relax.
It would be nice if they didn't come at all. In that memory, I wasn't here, so there's a chance they might not come, right?
...But what exactly is that memory?
A power that hints at the outcome when certain choices are made. I vaguely understand it's that kind of power, but I'm not sure what the criteria are.
When this power manifested in the kingdom, I ended up taking 8 million lives with my own hands.
This time, I killed elves. So, will that memory appear every time I choose an option that involves killing someone?
Maybe I'm being led on. The one showing me that future might be some twisted evil god.
But I couldn't ignore a future that would definitely happen, so I came here.
That sensation I felt when seeing that memory...
If I could recreate it, maybe I could freely see future memories or find clues about Bel Zuma?
As I was thinking about this, my magical senses, which I had extended to the mountain, alerted me to intruders.
"They're here."
The knights, who had been staring into the darkness, immediately responded, drawing their swords or spears.
Unlike in that memory, there were only three intruders. However, these were just the vanguard; the rest were watching from behind.
The power of the three at the front was negligible by my standards, but it was enough to kill a knight or two.
As we waited silently, they seemed to notice our firelight and halted at the boundary between the mountain and the field.
"Can you see them, everyone?"
"Yes... There are three. They're not magical beasts."
Baron David, scanning the mountain with the knights' characteristic sharp senses, responded immediately.
A bead of cold sweat rolled down his cheek, perhaps recalling old memories at the mention of demons.
"...Should we attack first?"
"No."
With so many people here, the fact that only three came suggests they don't intend to fight, at least for now.
Even if they're some kind of scout, they wouldn't dare to attack if they knew our strength.
"Just come out."
I shouted towards the mountain where the elves were hiding, and after a while, three shadows emerged from the mountain.
As they came into the firelight, what we saw was a young elf, too young to be considered an adult.
Behind her, sturdy men stood proudly, creating a sense of dissonance, but their effort seemed pitiful given the vast difference in strength.
The three elves who approached us slowly removed their deeply worn hoods.
With the hoods off, their youthful faces looked even younger than they had from a distance.
"Who are you?"
"...That's what we should be asking."
The one who answered my question wasn't the sturdy men behind, but the female elf who came forward first.
Apparently, her status was higher, as the two elves behind her remained silent, not saying a word.
"...Our tribe has lived in these mountains for ages. But, since this morning there has been a commotion in the fields, and when we came to check, we found you all."
"......"
"We're just living off the mountain, so we're not claiming ownership, but we wanted to confirm whether you'd be good neighbors or not—"
"Hey."
Cutting off the elf girl's words, Baron David spoke in a somewhat harsh tone.
"Can't you read the situation? What's with this confidence, coming with just the three of you?"
His unusually hostile attitude, so unlike him, was probably because they were demons.
Everyone gathered here has experienced something unpleasant with demons at least once.
Of course, the same goes for me, but thanks to the time I spent in the Demon Realm, I know that demons and humans aren't that different.
However, expecting the refugees and knights to understand this thought would be greedy.
"Calm down."
"Your Excellency..."
Restraining him with one hand, I looked at the elf. The young elf girl maintained her expressionless face, not flinching even at the intimidating words.
Seeing the men behind her greatly agitated, it was clear why she had come forward as the representative.
"We have no intention of fighting with you."
"...Really?"
"Yes. But since we've made this land our new home, we might unintentionally cause you harm."
"......"
Did she take this as a threat? As the elf girl's expression hardened, I immediately added words to reassure her and her companions.
"So let's get along well. If there's something to concede, let's both make concessions and adjust. Don't you think we can all live peacefully that way?"
"...I suppose so."
"Since it's come to this, how about we meet again tomorrow at noon? This time, you can bring more people from your tribe if you'd like."
"...I'll think about it."
With those words, the elves left. Before leaving, the young elf girl who had come as the representative turned around, bowed her head to us, and said:
"...Thank you for treating us with respect."
Though her appearance hadn't changed at all from before, for some reason, she seemed just like an ordinary human girl to me.
*****
We waited there for a long time afterward, but the elves didn't come swarming back.
We kept our position until dawn broke and morning came.
The sudden appearance of outsiders seemed to have chased away everyone's drowsiness, as all eyes were alert when I spoke to Baron David.
"...Gather the knights stationed with the craftsmen and refugees. Of course, Miss Ivanna too."
He moved immediately. Soon after, we gathered in the meeting tent and began discussing this situation.
"...E-elves are here?"
The craftsmen were the first to speak up. Unlike demons or orcs that faced the kingdom on the front lines, the mention of elves startled him.
It was an unbelievable statement even if taken as a joke, but no one took it as such.
"Let me say this in advance, but they're probably not the Demon King's army."
At those words, most of the knights who knew the front lines nodded in agreement, while the craftsmen tilted their heads in confusion.
The Demon King's army isn't merciful enough to just let deserters go, and above all, their speech had the distinct accent of this region.
"I saw them up close too, and they spoke quite human-like. Of course, their appearance was elven, so I almost cut them down immediately, but watching them talk, there were differences."
Other knights nodded in agreement with Baron David's words.
So, was the tragedy in that memory after the knights had cut down that elf girl?
"They weren't wearing ritual equipment, and they seem to have lived in these mountains for a long time, so at the very least, they're not the Demon King's army that invaded less than 20 years ago."
"Aren't all demons part of the Demon King's army?"
"How could people who weren't even born in the Demon Realm be the Demon King's subordinates?"
Even if they were deserters, they fled because they hated the war and the Demon King's army, so they have nothing to do with us.
"Um..."
The craftsman who first spoke up seemed to want to say something, hesitating and looking around nervously.
When I told him there was no need to hold back, he spoke in a small voice, apparently shy:
"H-how do you plan to deal with them from now on...?"
"Coexistence. We aim for coexistence as much as possible."
Coexistence with demons. Everyone froze at these words, which probably had never crossed their minds before.
But the reactions varied.
The young craftsmen who came here to avoid conscription seemed pleased that there wouldn't be a fight.
On the other hand, the knights who had been dragged to the front lines and harbored deep grudges against demons seemed displeased.
However, they didn't vent their dissatisfaction at me or shout loudly.
Probably because they felt they couldn't abandon the safety of all the refugees due to personal emotions.
"I agree with that opinion!"
While everyone was mulling over their thoughts and feelings, Ivanna raised her hand high and spoke.
"We're too ignorant about this land. We don't know which plants are edible, and we're equally clueless about the geography."
Therefore, if we can get the elves' cooperation, we can settle in this land faster.
Living in this land means they also have ways to deal with magical beast attacks.
If we can learn that, our pioneering speed will be incomparably faster than if we did it with our strength alone.
"Moreover, if some local endemic disease breaks out, we have no way to prevent it."
"That's true..."
As the knights all nodded in agreement, I swallowed another reason I couldn't voice yet due to lack of evidence and spoke to them.
"...From now on, not just with elves, but if other demons come, try to talk first. But if they show hostility towards us, kill them immediately."
Everyone couldn't hide their surprise, as if it was so shocking to hear the word "kill" from my mouth.
I've never once thought I could get along with everyone in this world.
There are certainly people who can only be enemies, and when the time comes to be hostile to them, it was clear what I should prioritize.
After all, how many demons have I killed until now? Why would I fear killing a few people at this point?
"...Depending on how the conversation goes, we might end up fighting the elves we're supposed to meet later."
I hope it doesn't come to that, but if such a situation arises, killing them before they contact their main force might be the way to minimize casualties.
If this were my solo pioneering effort, I might have accommodated them and followed the rules of this place.
But now I have subjects to protect, and if I have to choose between them and the elves, my choice is all too clear.
I am neither a god nor a saint.
People who can be saved and people who can't.
People who must be abandoned and people who mustn't.
I will strictly distinguish between all of these and protect only what I, as a human, can protect.
So, while I hope it doesn't come to this, we might end up killing those elves too.
"If such a time comes, please leave that child to us."
The knights, sensing my resolve, reached for their sword hilts, their eyes flashing.
I stood up without answering. If such a situation arises, it's rightfully the role of the lord—me—to be covered in that child's blood.
*It's only the worst-case scenario, after all...*
Maybe I'm worrying for nothing.
Contrary to my anxiety, the conversation might end without any problems arising.
"We must offer a sacrifice."
"What?"
"...We must offer a sacrifice to the Mountain God. Originally, only our tribe offered it, but from this year on, we'd like you to offer a sacrifice as well."
If only it had been that simple...
Fuck, why is this so difficult?