I can't understand why it's like this, but I have no intention of dying quietly.
Weapons are prohibited in the conference room, so there is no dagger, and the fact that the opponent is the head of a race is also a problem, but since I am not the kind of person to let someone try to take my life, I clenched my fists with the intention of willingly dealing with her.
Fortunately, the worst did not happen.
"Wait a moment!"
"Let go of me!"
"Calm down!"
"Why are you stopping me?"
The Fairy King and the head of the mermaid tribe came in later and urgently stopped her. The viciously sharp fingernails split the air without reaching their destination.
"It's enough to just hide it so far! Don't disturb this! We need to get rid of him before it's too late! You all know—"
The vampire leader scratched the Fairy King's face as if she was enraged by the actions of those who blocked her. If the Fairy King hadn't quickly pulled his head back, his face would have been cut off. Then he would probably die.
I felt someone sitting nearby flinch. It was a movement so slight that it was not noticeable, but I, who was nearby and was a warrior, could tell.
1st Corps Commander Jaykar was looking at the Fairy King with an expressionless face.
To be exact, the scar on his face.
"..."
The Fairy King raised his hand and looked at the scar on his face. His eyes became cold as he looked at the blood on his fingers.
"... It's vulgar."
"What?!"
"I said it's vulgar. If your appetite and constitution are low, shouldn't your behavior be noble? Despite repeated attempts to stop her, the so-called leader of a tribe is running wild like a mad colt without any understanding of what's going on. If this isn't vulgar, what is?"
"... Wanna die?"
"That's what I want to say."
A meaningless fight between the leaders continued. The mermaid leader's cry to stop did not work.
What kind of bullshit is this in someone else's conference hall? As I relaxed my fists and watched the scene with only a little bit of tension, the Dwarf Chief, who I don't know when he came in, shouted right next to me, waving his fist in the air.
"Ah! It was a shame! You should have swung a little more to the right there! Yes! Like that! Oh, he is a fairy. He's agile!"
"..."
"Are there any refreshments here?"
"... As far as I know, there is none."
"It's a shame. Ugh! That one hit correctly! Are you okay?!"
... Bullshit.
I don't know, but I think I started this commotion.
Well... the fault was the one who came in and tried to kill me first. I didn't do anything wrong.
I leaned back in my chair because I felt exhausted even though I had done nothing in particular.
Fortunately, the commotion did not last long.
That was when the vampire leader, who spat out blood, was about to rush towards me, baring her fangs fiercely.
"... I think it would be enough if I could tolerate this much. How far do you plan to go on a rampage without even knowing what's happening?"
A sense of intimidation oppressed the air.
Each of the Corps Commanders who stood up and stood guard hastily bowed their heads towards their lord, and the instigators of the disturbance fell to their knees, unable to withstand the pressure.
The Demon King, whose amused expression had disappeared, was looking down at them.
"Those who are said to be the leaders of one race invade the center of another race and cause chaos with the intention of killing a single human being."
"..."
Some people looked aggrieved. I was examining the expressions of each leader and inwardly shrugged my shoulders.
Well, it would be unfair for someone who followed her to stop hr.
'But the Fairy King fought her. Why do you look so unfair?'
It's true that he made a fuss, so he shouldn't have anything to say. Among these, the only one who can be excused is the head of the mermaid tribe.
A cold voice continued, as if frost would break out at any moment.
"What kind of rudeness is this?"
The Demon King straightened his body, which had been leaning crookedly on the chair. He leaned his upper body forward and spoke in a whisper.
"This is not why I gave you permission to enter the central garden."
***[1]
How could they have reached this place?
There is no need to think about it. Because they were given permission by the Demon King.
In life, there inevitably comes a time when the heads of all races must gather together. Even if he were to be the head of all races, there would only be five because they only recognize races that are intelligent enough to have political conversations and fights.
It is natural that power was not discussed. 'Individuals' are not regarded as races, and the size of 'groups' is determined by their intelligence rather than pure force.
Therefore, they are highly intelligent and are the strongest race in the Abyss. What would happen if a war breaks out among them?
The barely stable situation will be shaken.
The Abyss existed in a state of chaos for too long. Not wanting to lose the peace they had worked so hard to find, the heads of each highly intelligent race agreed to resolve all their disputes through negotiation, and what resulted was an 'access right' granted only to the heads. The right to enter the center of each tribe's territory where the leader resides.
This is an advantage that allows everyone to easily gather together, but it also gives them the power to control each other's lives and monitor each other.
Only the 'head' is allowed, and the arrival point is fixed, and it is designed so that when you visit, a signal is immediately sent to the owner of the area, but it is the center anyway. It is safe to say that he gave his heart away.
The Demon King, who initially agreed out of interest and curiosity in the new method, gradually began to quit as time passed and the leaders of other races changed several times. Because he was confident that he would win even if he turned all three of the other races into enemies. Even as time went by and generations changed, the younger ones took their seats as leaders. How funny must it have been.
Still, not doing so was a kind of mercy.
Because he found something new and interesting in the boring life. He should be thankful to Deon Hardt.
... But.
What would he do if they tried to kill the person he should be thankful for?
"You'll have to explain this situation so I can understand it."
The more he talked, the lower the temperature in the room became.
As can be seen from the atmosphere, the Demon King is in a very bad mood right now. No, to put it bluntly, he was a little... angry.
It must have looked so ridiculous that they stormed into the conference room and killed the core forces in front of everyone watching. It's also something he particularly cares about.
'... Should I just kill them?'
There was vitality in the gaze. Just as the Demon King was about to snap his finger, the startled vampire leader hurriedly opened her mouth, as if she sensed something ominous.
A slightly calmer voice came out, as if she had come to her senses thanks to the Demon King's cold anger.
"I... I heard some dangerous information."
"..."
"I would like you to cooperate for a little while to prevent the extinction of the demons."
'Extinction.'
The Corps Commanders raised their heads in shock at the appearance of a word that was heavier than expected. The Demon King did not hastily open his mouth and just stared at her.
The vampire leader, feeling that she still had the right to speak, continued.
"I apologize for coming here without following the proper procedures. I was emotionally disturbed after hearing something completely unexpected."
"... What did you hear?"
"The Demon King's Army is going beyond destroying the Empire and is actively moving to conquer the human world, and at the center of it all is a human being, and that human being is a hero... That's about it."
"You know that only now? Your news is quite slow."
"I was originally not interested in the human world... there was a reason."
Red gaze passed by the Fairy King and the mermaid tribe leader.
Although it was only for a moment, there was anger in her eyes. He didn't know why, but it seemed like those two were covering their eyes and ears. The Demon King calmly tilted his head to one side.
"If you're not interested in the human world, just stay still. Why did you come all the way here and make this mess?"
What did extinction mean?
No matter how disturbed she was, she would have known that it wasn't a word she could say carelessly.
The vampire leader answered under the suspicious gaze of the Demon King.
"Because all of this happened because of 'one person.'"
Bright red eyes turned to Deon Hardt. Deon looked into those eyes and felt a strange emotion that had nothing to do with the conversation. The trivial 'Deon Hardt is a vampire theory' was going around when he was in the Empire. The color is definitely similar to his eyes.
The Demon King, who had been silent, waved his hand.
"... The meeting ends here."
It was a clear order to excuse guests.
The Corps Commanders, who had been on edge due to the difficult situation just moments before, hesitated, unable to leave the position easily. Their hesitation was broken when 1st Corps Commander Jaykar made the first move.
He glanced at the Demon King, the Fairy King, and Deon in turn, then bowed his head and strode to open the door. Then, as if they had suddenly come to their senses, the other Corps Commanders rushed out after him.
After Dan left, leaving behind a worried look, only the heads of each race, including the Demon King, and Deon remained in the conference hall.
The Demon King focused his gaze on the vampire leader again.
"It's because of one person?"
"Yes. I don't really know anything about this, but I can make an inference. I heard that a while ago, that human being was brought to the Demon King's Castle in a state of half-dead. If the news reached me, it would mean it's a pretty big commotion, and thanks to that, I learned how much you, the Demon King, care about that person."
"..."
"And soon after, a war against the Empire broke out. Then the reason is obvious, right? There must have been quite a bit of influence from the person you care about. But honestly, I thought you would just pretend and stop. Because it's always been like that in my memories. That's why I turned away my attention..."
After saying that, she glared at Deon Hardt.
She thought that the Demon King's actions would stop at the point where he would alert the human world, as he had done so far. Let humans remember and be wary of the Demon King and push for the subjugation of the Demon King as soon as a hero is born.
She thought the result wouldn't change much, just that it was added to match the toy's strengths and weaknesses.
He hadn't gone any further since a long time ago when she was too young to remember. The vampire leader relaxed too easily.
But it wasn't.
"It was not because the Demon King directly wanted to move, nor was the public opinion of the demons in that direction. It happened because of just one person, so what's wrong if this isn't right?"
"Demons have always coveted the sun."
"It's a problem if that desire suddenly becomes stronger because of one person. Besides, isn't that person a 'hero'?"
"Yes."
"I don't understand."
He had his archenemy under his command. Wasn't that no different from embracing a bomb?
She don't understand why the mermaid and fairy tribe leaders were protecting him. Is there really something to that person?
The vampire leader turned around and approached Deon.
Deon, whose eyes widened slightly at the unexpected movement, lifted his chin and slowly examined her.
After all, the eyes contain a lot of things. What she found in the red eyes, which resembled those of her kin but were distinctly different, was a spark.
"You have pretty eyes. It's like a blazing fire."
It looks small because it is curled up, but the flame burns more powerfully than anything else.
"After all, you are a dangerous person."
"..."
Either way, he is a person who will bring bad results.
She also didn't understand the actions of the other leaders who protected this person. No matter how much she looked at it, he only looks like something that needs to be killed.
As the two leaders who sees the flow of the world and the future, she knew there must be a reason for protecting him like this, but as someone who sees and analyzes the present, she can't just ignore him unless they tell her the reason.
At least the Abyss can be peaceful because the human world has become a toy for the Demon King to kill his boredom, but what will happen when the Demon King devours the human world?
'It will be difficult to deal with them as their power grows.'
But this is a reason she can't say, so she'll leave it aside.
Even if the Fairy King and the head of the mermaid tribe protect this human, it will be over if the Demon King decides to kill him. The vampire leader, who had chosen words in her head to persuade the Demon King, slowly opened her mouth.
"Can you guarantee that this man won't change his mind? He is a hero like no other. He is the Demon King's nemesis."
In fact, this is also included in the reason why she wants to kill the human named Deon Hardt.
If he changes his mind, the Demon King will die. At the same time, the power of the demons will weaken. If that happens, humans will come here, and as a result, their species will also be far from living a peaceful life.
There was no way humans would just discover an unfamiliar race and pass it by.
"The moment this guy turns his back, it will be a disaster for the demons."
"That's kind of..."
"What? That's true."
"..."
"Did you think I would really stop if you just stopped me without telling me the reason?"
The Fairy King closed his mouth.
The situation has come to this point, so she can't keep her mouth shut. A look was exchanged with the mermaid tribe leader.
Since it was in front of the Demon King and Deon Hardt, what they could say was extremely limited, so there was only one reason they chose.
"... Don't you want to live under the sun?"
"... What?"
The vampire leader's expression became distorted, as if she couldn't believe her ears.
She touched her forehead for a moment and then lowered her head. Then her shoulders started shaking. A hollow laugh came out.
"In the end, that was the reason...!"
What about that damned sun?
She knew that the demons who always coveted the human world ultimately did so for that reason. She still didn't know the Demon King's intentions, but this was probably why the head of the mermaid tribe stopped her.
Because they want to live under the bright and warm sunlight, not the cold moonlight.
"I don't understand, but I understand why."
The Fairy King's expression softened slightly. Watching that, his stomach twisted, and the vampire leader smiled, touching the corner of her mouth with his thumb. It was a wound from a fight with the Fairy King a little while ago.
"But what should I do about this? Our species does not have a good relationship with the sun."
"... You."
"Do you remember what I said, Demon King? That person is dangerous."
Before she could say anything, the Fairy King turned his head and glared at the damn vampire who had called the Demon King.
"It's like holding a bomb in your arms that might explode at any moment. It would not be an exaggeration to say that humans are a species that are prone to betrayal, so they may end up extinct. So, why don't you kill him right here and now? If you don't want to get your hands dirty, you can hand it over to me."
She'll take care of it.
"... It's fun."
The Demon King, who had been listening to all the remarks with his chin resting, chuckled and stood up.
They say all sorts of things about the person in charge. They say he has to kill him or he can hand him over.
Even if the body breaks down, it can be repaired, but the mind cannot. Why make a statement like that just to put some more stress on a guy who is already in a fragile state mentally? Then what if he breaks?
He walked leisurely and approached the fierce vampire and said mockingly.
"In the end, this is about being wary of the demons' power growing stronger, but you only put in fancy words."
"... But it's not a lie, that guy's eyes...!"
"Shhh."
Until there.
The Demon King lightly covered her mouth as she raised her voice in embarrassment and smiled.
Yeah, it's not a lie. But do you have to use your mouth carelessly to say so?
'... Ha.'
A short laugh lingered beneath his palm. When he gently moved his hand away, she spoke silently.
'You knew.'
The Demon King smiled, raising the corners of his mouth as if showing pride. That's obvious.
There was no way that the insight of someone who has lived longer than anyone else was worse than hers. So, with an unspoken warning not to be arrogant and talk carelessly, he whispered into the vampire head's ear.
She said she would handle it so he could hand him over.
"Who are you going to pass it to?"
A slow, deep voice warned.
"He's mine."
Who dares say this or that about his life?
Whether he kills him, keeps him alive, or even throws him away, it has to be his choice. This means that it is not something for someone else to encourage.
It was presumptuous to speak without knowing the end, but it was presumptuous for a long time.
"... Yes, okay."
The vampire leader trembled at the bloody warning and stepped back with both hands raised.
No matter how powerful, he was still human. She thought it would be easy to get rid of him since he wouldn't have much affection for him compared to the demons.
"I judged wrong. Excuse me. I'll just go."
She was quick to give up.
There was no way for her to kill Deon Hardt as long as the Demon King knew everything and was protecting him. It's frustrating, but even though they are both leaders, the gap between her and the Demon King is very large.
So, it is better to give up at this point and focus on preparation. To be able to withstand whether demons devour the human world or humans push into the Abyss.
'There's plenty of time.'
After making that decision and having some free time, curiosity arose.
How things will work out in the future. How is it that the head of the fairy tribe and the leader of the mermaid tribe protect that human?
They said, don't you want to live under the sun? She wanted to see for herself the entire process and conclusion of the races of the Abyss settling down in the human world.
When the vampire leader retreated, the Fairy King opened his mouth as if he had been waiting.
"... Then, it looks like it's all sorted out."
It seems like it has been resolved somehow, but he felt strangely uneasy.
He'd better get back quickly. The Fairy King hurriedly opened his mouth.
"We won't bother you any more and go back quickly. We were really rude today, Demon King. This will never happen again..."
"Where are you going?"
"...?"
They attack at will and try to go as they please.
The Demon King grinned at those who looked back with a puzzled expression.
"You need to make sure you compensate for the damage caused by this, right?"
"..."
"You know you can't go back until you compensate."
You may be free when you come in, but not when you leave.
[1] There was originally no break here. Again, I added it to make the change in perspective make sense.