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

7. Stomachache Friend

As a free mercenary, I have a country to which I belong, a place where I can take a break.

That country is the ‘Kingdom of Arcadia, the Land of Fire’.

It’s a country that understood the threat of the demon king earlier than any other nation and gathered powerful warriors from all over the world to counter it, essentially the birthplace of the hero party.

As a country, its characteristic is its name – ‘Fire’. Most of its citizens have a fire attribute magic affinity, and many excellent fire magic users reside there.

It’s a country ruled by Galatia Won Fingalrand, a powerful warrior who can wield the strongest fire magic, ‘Meteor Rain’.

“May I ask, what’s your father’s name, Dal?”

I wish it were a lie.

My stomach is already at its limit. I don’t want to increase the number of things that will give me stomach pain.

Please, tell me it’s not true!

“My father’s name is Bardi Won Fingalrand,” Dal said with pride.

It’s the name of a minister, the king’s brother, and a renowned minister at that.

I have to admit, she’s royalty. Although she’s a bastard child, born out of wedlock…

That’s fine, I suppose. Not great, but fine.

The problem is that her mother is a demon.

A half-demon, half-royal princess. No matter how you think about it, it’s a top-secret issue for the country.

The demon king has revived, and the world is trembling with fear of the demon tribe’s threat.

If her existence becomes known, it could shake the very foundations of the country.

“Hey, Dal, can I ask you something?”

“What is it? I’ll answer anything you ask, so go ahead!”

The tension from a little while ago has disappeared.

A different kind of stomach pain is attacking me now, but I’ll try to push through the conversation.

“Is it true that you’re the princess of the Kingdom of Arcadia?”

“It’s not publicly announced, but the king treats me as a member of the royal family!”

“Weren’t you told not to reveal that you’re royalty?”

“Yeah, my father and the king told me not to reveal my true name, just in case.”

“Weren’t you warned not to let anyone know that you’re a half-demon?”

“My parents and the king told me that too.”

“I see…”

“Yeah!”

───Why did she tell me this?

No, I’m the one who asked, but I didn’t want to know this kind of information.

Why do I have to know the country’s secrets in this way? It’s not the kind of information that a commoner like me should know…

I’m a member of the hero party, but I’m essentially a free mercenary.

“Kail, can I ask you something too?”

“Go ahead, it’s fine.”

He looks anxious. What’s he going to say now?

“I’m a half-demon. Kail, aren’t you afraid of that?”

Scary in a different sense.

It’s especially scary if this gets out in another country.

“I’m not scared. Even if Darl is a half-demon or a demon, she’s a comrade who has fought alongside me until now.

I trust her. I’ll trust her from now on too.”

That’s my genuine feeling, without a single lie. Darl is trustworthy.

When I forced a smile at Darl, she opened her eyes wide and tears welled up in both eyes.

I think she was anxious.

She was talking brightly, but I could tell she was forcing herself. There was fear in her gaze towards me.

What she was scared of was probably rejection. Not being accepted by her comrades for who she was. That was the scariest thing, I think.

“Kaiiiii!”

Darl, who was sitting on the bed, suddenly jumped towards me.

I was on guard, so we didn’t end up falling down together.

“Kai…”

“What’s wrong?”

Darl buried her face in my chest and called out my name. Her snot and tears were staining my clothes, but I tried not to mind.

“To be honest, I was scared. Telling people, telling Kai about my demonic heritage… “

“I’m sorry, I made you do something difficult.”

“It’s okay, I didn’t want to lie to Kai or deceive him. I wanted to be honest with Kai…”

“Thanks, Darl. You told me despite it being hard.”

“I’m satisfied just being accepted by Kai like this.”

Her voice was slightly tearful, but it was bright.

It’s proof that her anxiety has been lifted. But for me, seeds of anxiety are currently sprouting…

“This is something we can’t tell anyone.”

“Uh-huh. The king would scold us if he found out.”

So, why did she tell me?

“Hmm! This is a secret just between me and Kai!”

Strictly speaking, the king and Darl’s family also know, so it’s not just the two of us, but it’s a heavy responsibility.

Somehow, it feels like a burden.

We’re already struggling to find the demon king, and on top of that, I have to keep Darl’s demonic heritage a secret.

The risk of Darl’s demonic heritage being exposed is greater than I imagined.

If possible, I want to tell Sasha. Somehow, I want to get them involved. They’re the cause of this, after all.

By the way, why did Darl participate in the demon king subjugation?

Even if she’s a illegitimate child, if the king acknowledges her as royalty, shouldn’t she be stopped from participating in the first place?

“Darl…”

“What’s up, Kai?”

Darl’s face, which peeked out from her clothes and looked up at me, was smiling.

That smile was infuriating.

“Darl, why did you participate in the demon king subjugation?”

“That’s…”

“That’s?”

“……I wanted to travel with Kail, so……”

What did I say? I was talking, but my face was buried in my clothes, so I couldn’t hear myself clearly. I heard my own name, but what’s going on?

I was muttering something, but I didn’t know what I was saying. My ears turned bright red as I realized it.

“What’s going on?”

“…………”

“Dal?”

My voice was shaking slightly. This must be anger. I felt like it was.

Dal’s face suddenly turned upwards again.

“I couldn’t forgive the demon king who hurt the people! That’s why I participated!”

Her words were like a rejection. It’s better not to pursue this further.

“I see. Dal, as a member of the royal family, didn’t you oppose the king?”

I think that’s likely.

Considering the king’s and Dal’s family’s feelings, it’s safer to stay in the country than to leave and increase the risk of being discovered. As long as nothing major happens, they can keep it a secret.

“Hmph, I was opposed, but I stubbornly insisted and broke free.”

“………….”

I couldn’t say anything.

Considering the king’s feelings, it’s especially true.

Dal is a huge bombshell for the Kingdom of Arcadia.

That bomb is about to leave my hands and go outside. It’s already troublesome.

Looking back now, the king’s face when he sent us off was pale, as if he was worried.

So, the king (you) was also a stomachache friend, huh.

I suddenly felt a sense of camaraderie.

The king must be worried every day that Dal’s secret won’t be exposed. And now I’m part of that group too.

I’ll wait for the right timing and involve Sasha as well. I’ve decided. He said he was keeping an eye on her, so it shouldn’t be a problem.

“Kail”

“What’s up?”

“I want you to know my real name, Kail.”

It turns out her name wasn’t her real name. As a member of the royal family, she was hiding her identity and traveling as a mere thief, Dal.

“My name is Darlfia Won Fingerland.”

“Dalphia…”

“Yeah! You can still call me Dal, but sometimes, when it’s just the two of us, I’d like you to call me Darlfia.”

“Got it”

Dal, or rather Darlfia, smiled happily.

My stomachache has increased, but one problem has been solved.

The possibility of her being the demon king is extremely low. I don’t think everything she said until now was a lie to deceive me.

Moreover, the king’s (stomachache friend) existence supports the fact that she’s not the demon king.

The king’s worried expression at that time reassures me.

“Is it okay to reveal your true name only to those you trust?”

“No, the king strictly told me not to say it, as the risk of exposure would increase.”

It’s a must-death situation, Your Majesty (Stomachache Friend).

“But it’s hard not to tell anyone, and my mom convinced me that it’s okay to tell just one person.”

“Is that so? So it’s just me, huh?”

“Yes! It’s only natural to confide in one’s lifelong partner.”

───That’s what I said.