It Seems That the Demon King Is Among the Members of the Hero’s Party

27: The Circumstances of the Seal

How did you manage to have a physical relationship with the enemy, a demon, and even one of the Four Heavenly Kings?!

That’s just ridiculous!

Takashi-san must have researched demons. If he had the moral values of his past life, he might not have seen demons as enemies.

Still, his womanizing is way out of control.

“Did Takashi-san know that Silvy was one of the Four Heavenly Kings?”

“No, the previous master didn’t know until the end. They were disguised as a human and called themselves Silfi.”

“Then why did you realize that Silvy was one of the Four Heavenly Kings?”

“Well, Durandal was involved in the seal, but… if Takashi-san didn’t know, that means the mage from the hero party took independent action.”

It seems that way. If Takashi-san were involved in the seal, he would know. The fact that he didn’t know until the end means the mage might have acted alone without telling him.

Did they discuss it with their companions? I wonder. If not… I get a cold feeling, so I’ll ask about this later.

“Tell me about the circumstances of the seal later. There’s one thing that bothers me. Takashi-san was supposed to be fighting the demon king. Why didn’t he fight Silvy, one of the Four Heavenly Kings?”

“On the contrary, we fought the demon king together.”

“What?”

“‘I won’t allow you to die without my knowledge. For your sake, I’m willing to risk my life. I want to fight alongside you.’ So, we fought together.”

“…………”

“I knew her abilities when I was with her as Silfi, so the hero party acknowledged our participation in the fight and we fought the demon king together.”

“……………”

“We even found out where the demon king was hiding thanks to her information! When we faced the demon king, who was about to say something, I declared, ‘For Takashi’s and my future, evil demon king, you should perish here!’ and the battle began.”

Poor demon king. From the flow of the conversation, it doesn’t seem like Silvy betrayed the hero party or anything. It seems like they just fought the demon king straightforwardly.

It’s pathetic that my trusted subordinate was killed after being exposed by the enemy. Although they’re my arch-nemesis, I do feel some sympathy for them.

But are there too many people with love-struck brains in this world? Is this the default setting here?

As for Silvy, I find their existence unbearable. Why are they in a romantic relationship? Is Takeshi-san amazing or something? What’s up with that person?

If it’s for Takeshi-san’s sake, I wouldn’t mind giving up my life. Don’t joke around.

“It seems the magician discovered Silvy’s true identity through this battle.

Even after defeating the demon king, they didn’t tell anyone. They were secretly preparing for the seal.”

” Didn’t they tell anyone?”

“Yes, no one. They must have finished all the preparations.

The previous master came to me and said, ‘One of the Four Heavenly Kings’ whereabouts has been discovered. I want to seal their hiding place before they’re found out. That’s why I need Durandal.'”

It seems like they wanted to seal Silvy not because they’re one of the Four Heavenly Kings, but because they’re a love rival and a nuisance. That’s the impression I get.

If it were because Silvy poses a threat as one of the Four Heavenly Kings, they would discuss it with their allies. But it seems like the trust between the hero party and Silvy was so strong that they couldn’t do that. I think the magician’s personal feelings played a big role in this solo sealing decision.

“Did the hero party’s trust in Silvy surpass the magician’s ability to discuss it with them?

Is that why the magician ended up sealing Silvy alone?”

“The magician trusted Silvy strongly, having fought alongside them against the demon king. But I think it was a personal decision.

When they sealed Silvy, they said, ‘Now that pesky person is gone, Takeshi’s surroundings will be safe.'”

Scary. I had imagined it, but hearing it from Durandal makes it even more frightening.

My spine shivered. It’s like the chaos that would erupt if Takeshi-san were stabbed. Everyone seemed to get along, but the relationships were actually cold and distant, weren’t they?

Is the magician the only one who’s scary?

“But going back, did Takeshi-san let go of Durandal because of that?

If I were Takeshi-san, I wouldn’t want to let go.”

“The previous master valued me greatly. We had a long history together, so they opposed the idea of letting me go.”

Durandal speaks with a joyful tone. It’s true that the previous master valued them greatly.

I, too, couldn’t use any other sword after wielding Durandal. I could use them, but I always compared them to Durandal.

Moreover, Durandal has a sense of self and knowledge, unlike ordinary swords. The fact that I can discuss things with Durandal that I can’t with my allies is a big advantage. Thanks to Durandal, my mental burden has also decreased significantly.

“Even so, I was convinced by the magician’s words and ended up lending Durandal to them in a form that’s not a handover, but a seal.”

The magician probably didn’t explain the sealing details. They used Durandal as the foundation for the seal, which means they’re using it as the basis for the barrier. If that’s the case, it’s unlikely that Durandal will be returned later.

Takeshi-san would never have lent it if they knew. In short, it’s the magician’s borrowing tactics.

“The magician knew that I had a sense of self and that the previous master had discussed things with me.”

“Didn’t Durandal have a conversation with the magician or something like that?”

“Yes. I’ve only ever talked to my masters, so the previous master never told anyone that I could talk. I made a big request, but…”

“Do you think the magician overheard your conversation with Durandal somewhere?”

“That’s what I think. Before sealing Silvy, they told me, ‘Don’t say anything weird to Takeshi. You’re a nuisance, so just sleep here.'”

What can I say? I’m at a loss for words.

One thing I do understand is that women are scary.

The greatest threat, the demon king, is gone. If things go back to normal, the demon tribe will probably go into hiding. They won’t engage in unnecessary battles. They’ll wait for the right timing and blend in with humans.

In other words, there won’t be any conflicts with the demon tribe during that time, and the world will be at peace.

Then, the issue becomes who will become Takeshi-san’s lover or family member. The result is a catfight between women.

In this world, the basic principle is monogamy. If everyone can be happy and supported, then there’s no problem, but societal pressures are harsh.

Moreover, they’re the hero party. There are people who care about their future movements and countries that want to bring them under their control.

There are many complications involved. This is a problem I’ll face in the future, not just someone else’s issue.

To get chosen by Takeshi-san, the women were engaged in various intrigues.

“I have one question for you, Durandal. Do you remember the name of the Elf princess who was related to Takeshi-san?”

“I think it was Meril Wong Telmaria.”

“Ah, the Elf queen who was killed two years ago.”

“That’s correct.”

Takeshi-san was alive during the time of the brave warrior Lloyd, which was about 500 years ago. Elves are long-lived, so I took a chance and asked his name, but it was no use.

I had heard that she was a princess, so I thought maybe, but Meril became the queen about 300 years ago after her predecessor was killed by demons. She ruled Telmar for 300 years, but she was also killed by demons.

The fact that two Elf queens were killed by demons in a row has fueled the Elves’ hatred towards demons.

“Do you think Silvy was involved in Meril’s murder?”

“I think that’s unlikely. Based on her personality, she wouldn’t use such a roundabout method and would rather attack head-on. She has the strength and military power to do so.”

“I understand her strength, but what about her military power?”

“Silvy can control corpses. Many people have died at the hands of demons and monsters, so she can manipulate the dead without any issues. I’ve heard that she once commanded an army of over 10,000 undead.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

If that’s the strength of the Four Heavenly Kings, then we’ll have to prepare to fight against an enemy of over 10,000.

“It would’ve been better if Takeshi-san were here.”

“He’s already dead, unfortunately.”

“Yeah. Tell me more about Silvy.”

“Okay!”

The Four Heavenly Kings, who were once on our side due to Takeshi-san’s charm, are now our enemies. I don’t think a magician would forgive what Silvy did. She’s our enemy.

So, we’ll just have to come up with a strategy to defeat her. It looks like I’ll be up late again today.