Chapter 17:
-Shing
“You’re lucky.”
The masked man, lowering his withdrawn blade, spoke in an icy voice.
“…You’re the one who stabbed me there, idiot.”
The Demon King replied, smoothing the paper crane that had blocked the blade. Her eyes were filled with worry, checking for any tears.
‘Of all places, he had to stab there.’
Layered with countless buffs, the paper crane, now sturdier than even the legendary Kriemhild’s shield, remained unscathed despite the man’s swift attack.
-Crack, crack
The man stretched his shoulders. Despite his surprise attack failing, he didn’t seem fazed.
“I was drawn by a powerful magical force, but I never expected you to be in this form.”
“This form? How rude. What’s wrong with my appearance?”
The clueless Demon King adjusted her hair, reflected in a nearby mirror.
“You’re quite adept at impersonating a human. But in the end, you’re nothing but a filthy demon craving blood and entrails, aren’t you? How dare you speak the language of humans with that sewer-like mouth of yours.”
…
The man’s thoughts weren’t much different from my own until now.
‘But…’
Why does it feel strangely unpleasant?
“Hey, you there.”
He was referring to me. His arrogant demeanor suggested he was someone of some renown in the outside world.
“What?”
“You’re not cooperating with the Demon King, are you? Like offering your heart or sharing your life force.”
“No, I’m not.”
“If there’s anything that might hinder me in battle, confess it now.”
“There isn’t, you bastard.”
“…What?”
The man’s sharp gaze, which had been fixated on the Demon King, shifted to me.
“What did you say?”
“Your tone is fucking annoying, asshole. What’s with all the unnecessary chatter when you’re here to fight?”
This man was strong. But probably not stronger than Nain. And certainly not stronger than the Demon King. This was the analysis of a veteran Pokémon encyclopedia, so it was almost guaranteed to be accurate.
“…This guy… his soul is already tainted… Tsk.”
The man drew his sword back.
-Shing!
He lunged at me with lightning speed.
-Clank
“Stop it. Why are you fighting?”
The Demon King caught the man’s sword between her thumb and forefinger. The blade stopped right in front of my throat.
“Are you allies?”
“We are. Hehehe.”
‘We’re not allies. Don’t lump me in with her, you bastard.’
The Demon King, holding the sword, replied with a cheerful smile. I thought I was going to die and my balls shriveled up, but the Demon King saved me. Did she just… rescue me?
“I am Bisang. Perhaps you’ve heard of the ‘Swift Foot of the West’?”
“I don’t know. And don’t step on the carpet.”
The Demon King wouldn’t know, but I’ve heard of him.
Bisang.
It was said that a human surpassed the Swift Demon, Zephyros. He was undoubtedly a specialist in speed.
‘If it’s strength or magic power, I don’t know, but if it’s speed…? Maybe it’s worth a shot?’
He was an annoying bastard, but if he could beat the Demon King, that was a different story. I could apologize for cursing at him later.
“Then.”
-Whoosh
With those words, the man vanished. Just like he did on the screen earlier.
-Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
The sound of air being ripped filled the air. I could tell he was moving at high speed, scaling the walls.
“Hey! Stop it! It’s hard to clean footprints off the ceiling!”
The Demon King, with a tearful face, rolled her eyes, glaring at the swiftly moving man. Amidst the swishing sounds, the man’s low voice echoed.
“…Can’t keep up? My feet are faster than sound. Don’t worry. The pain will be fleeting.”
-Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
“Oh, come on…”
-Slap
-Crrraaaash!
I was following the afterimages in the air when I heard a loud crash and looked towards the source of the sound.
It was behind the Demon King. There lay the man, face down on the ground, his teeth scattered around him. It seemed he tried to attack from behind but got countered.
“Uh…….. Huh?”
The masked man, the Swift Foot whatever, fainted on the spot.
“Ugh… Look at the footprints.”
The Demon King looked at the dirty walls with a sad expression.
‘I expected this… Idiot.’
“Behind the pillar, clean there too.”
“… I don’t wemember wtepping thwere. Awre you twying to make me c-clean fwor…”
“You want to argue? You want to get hit again? I won’t put your teeth back in.”
“Ugh…”
-Scrub, scrub
The man, his speech slurred from his missing teeth, was cleaning the walls with a rag. His cheeks were swollen like he’d been bitten by a snake, turning his handsome face into a puffy mess.
“While you’re up there, clean up the cobwebs.”
“…Okay…”
“Okay, it’s clean now. Come here.”
The Demon King beckoned the man. Having learned his lesson, he hesitantly approached her with a awkward posture.
“… I’m h-here…”
“Come closer. I won’t hit you, I won’t hit you.”
The Demon King took the teeth she had been holding and inserted them back into the man’s mouth one by one. Amazingly, each tooth reattached itself.
“I told you! Not to! Step on! The carpet! Why! Didn’t you! Listen! Huh?”
The Demon King emphasized each word with a jab as she inserted each tooth. The man trembled, his mouth wide open in fear.
“All done.”
“… Th-Thank you. Then I’ll be going.”
His conscience seemingly absent, the man who had cursed, dirtied the house, and even thrown the first punch, tried to leave as if nothing had happened.
“Hey, wait a minute.”
The Demon King’s pale hand grabbed his shoulder.
“What is it…??”
“How much do you have?”
It was time for the Demon King to collect her spoils. She looked like a delinquent demanding money from a passerby.
‘Well… I guess that’s a cheap price to pay.’
Humans attack monsters. They kill them and take their loot. The Demon King didn’t attack first. She only defended herself from someone who tried to kill her. It was a perfectly reasonable procedure.
“… I only have 400 gold. I do have a savings account that’s about to mature at the bank.”
“… I can’t take that since I’ll be erasing your memory anyway. Just give me the 400 gold.”
The man rummaged through his pockets and placed the gold in the Demon King’s hand.
“… Can I go now? It’s time to feed my cat…”
“Yes. But before that.”
The Demon King pulled out a coin tied to a string from her pocket. She held it in front of the man.
“Look closely at this. Don’t look away or you’ll be in trouble.”
“Yes.”
The Demon King swung the coin and chanted.
“I forget everything that happened in the Demon King’s castle… forget… I will not attack again… not attack… I will go straight home… home… I will become a good ninja starting tomorrow… good ninja…”
‘…So that’s how it’s done…’
The memory manipulation of an Akashic Master, one of only three in the continent, was conducted in a surprisingly familiar manner.
The color drained from the man’s eyes, and he turned around and walked away with a dejected shuffle.
…
She’s really strong. Unbelievably so. How could she be this powerful?
When I first arrived on the 100th floor, I thought it was all over. The monster on the 99th floor was strong, but not strong enough to give our party a hard time.
I thought I would finally be rewarded for all my hardships and go home.
‘The gap is too big.’
She was incomparable to even the boss on the 99th floor. What was the source of her power? Was she always this strong?
‘Maybe I…’
A chilling thought crept into my mind. Maybe I’ll never leave this place and die of old age here.
Of course, that’s assuming I manage to dodge all of the Demon King’s penalty flicks until then.
‘Whether that happens or not.’
My current stance is set.
“Are you okay?”
I approached the Demon King and asked. Of course, she would be fine, but still.
“Hehe, yes! Did you cheer for me again?”
It was the lie I told her when the Black Dragon Guild attacked last time.
“Yes.”
“… Ehehehe…”
The Demon King covered her cheeks with her hands, seemingly basking in joy. The same hands that had just knocked out all of a grown man’s teeth.
“…Hey.”
The Demon King spoke with half-closed eyes and her signature expectant expression.
“Earlier, when he insulted me…”
…
-You’re nothing but a filthy demon craving blood and entrails, aren’t you? How dare you speak the language of humans with that sewer-like mouth of yours.
‘Yes, that’s right.’
“Thank you for getting angry on my behalf.”
… What?
I was just annoyed, and you think it was because he insulted you?
…
‘What bullshit. Is she suffering from heatstroke even though it’s not summer?’
It was an absurd statement. But I had no reason not to play along.
“Well… of course. We’re…”
“We’re…?”
The Demon King latched onto my unfinished sentence. She then darted forward, bringing her face right up to mine.
“We’re…? What are we?”
She repeated her question with an excited voice.
Her red eyes sparkled, and her pink lips formed a small ‘o’ as if anticipating an answer.
When she repeats the same question multiple times, the correct answer is already set in stone. All I had to do was give her the answer she wanted.
“We’re allies.”
…?
Was it my imagination? I copied the answer the Demon King herself gave earlier, so it should be correct.
But for some reason, the anticipation that had filled her expression seemed to dissipate slightly. However, she quickly recovered and smiled brightly.
“That’s right. We’re allies. Ehehe…”
‘… Bullshit.’
“Hehehe. Still, thanks to that Speedy whatever… the cobwebs are gone.”
She giggled, her cheeks flushed.
“You could have just cleaned them yourself.”
“… I hate bugs.”
… That doesn’t suit you at all.
“… Me too.”
“Huh?”
“I hate them too. Bugs.”
It was the first time I had told her something I disliked. Why did I say that, even though it could potentially become a weakness?
I don’t know. I really don’t.
“Hehe. I was going to ask you to clean the cobwebs. I guess I won’t make you do that then.”
“What? Really?”
Is she the type who doesn’t force things if you say you don’t like them?
There were many other things I disliked besides bugs. Chess, Oak Barrel Roulette, arm wrestling, and all those other stupid games. Let’s just say it all.
“… If I say I hate the games and punishments, can we stop doing them?”
“Do you want to die?”
“No.”