Chapter 205

○ Demon King Tralzard

An interesting report came in the other day.
It was a letter of appeal from a town that was about seven days away on foot.

A Mana Drain Iron shield had been stolen by bandits, and so they requested that it be returned as soon as it was found.
“Hmm… I don’t understand. Why doesn’t he get it back himself?”

The letter claimed that the bandit was an outsider, and it included a detailed description. Not only that, but it said that the bandit was headed to this town.
If he knew all of that, why was he hoping that we would do everything for him?

“What is Dobroy thinking?”

Not all letters of appeal made their way up to me.
My subordinates…they would usually deal with them.

“And please take a look at this. It arrived about ten days ago.”
It was a report from Miralda, who was in charge of the west side.

“…Hmm. It would appear that they are the same person. An Ogre who has come from Lesser Demon King Melvis’s country.”
I didn’t hear that name very often. Melvis… And I did not want to hear it.

Still, there were things that I wanted to ask him about Ogre evolution.
“Susanoo-no-Mikoto… I’ve never heard it before. But it does remind me of something.”

It made sense once I read the rest. Indeed, I was reminded of Lesser High King Yamato, who Bargman the Dragon King had once told me about.

These two letters were not of high priority, and they might have been processed without ever reaching me.
But one of my Adjutants had noticed the relation and brought them to me.

“Dobroy does not have the best reputation. Someone should go and investigate.”
“Understood. We will investigate immediately and make a report.”

“And keep an eye on this one’s movements. I’m sure they will be stopping at other towns on the way. You don’t have to monitor him at all times, but at least know where he is.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”

If they sent someone who could fly, they would be able to reach Dobroy’s town and return in just a few days.
“Well, I don’t know why an Ogre evolving is enough to make that Dobroy panic. However, with so much unease and instability with our neighbors, now is not the time to ignore something that is unknown.”

I then forgot all about it.

It all came back to me when the person who had been investigating the matter returned.
“So, Dobroy was defeated.”

It was pathetic. He had challenged him and lost.
Not only that, he lost the shield he was so proud of during the fight, and was beaten to a pulp… Was this a joke?

“And people of the town were attacking a non-combat race?”

The investigation also uncovered how foolish the others were.
It was the non-combat races that supported our lives.

Using them as targets just because they were weak. It was incomprehensible.
Did they even stop to wonder how they were able to live?
But leaving those fools aside, it was very thoughtless of Dobroy to have not remonstrated with them.

A country that only had people who could fight would be forced to continue taking from others.
There was nothing but certain destruction awaiting a country like that.

In other words, Dobroy and the people of that town were heading towards their own destruction.
How could they have not seen it?

“And what about this evolved Ogre?”
“I was able to follow him up to the next town. But after that…”

“You lost him?”
“The person who was searching said they believe he entered the Corola mountain.”

“Corola mountain… So they didn’t want to go around it. However, there is mist there, and it is easy to get lost. And once you reach the other side of the mountain, there is the Delphyne settlement.”

“Perhaps they are lost then. There were no signs of them having reached the next town.”
“Hmm. They might have been attacked.”

The Delphynes looked down on everyone outside of their race, and they would fight any who got close.
And no amount of talking would make them obey. They were dangerous, as they could not be drafted into the army.

Still, the previous leader understood the importance of coexisting with the other races.
But I had heard that the current leader thought of nothing but killing and stealing.

“I’ll think about it when he actually appears in the town.”
If they really had encountered the Delphynes, then there was no point in thinking about them for another second.

And so once again, I forgot about the matter entirely.

“…Hmm? This person who is scheduled for an audience today. Have I heard this name before?”
“It’s the person who stole the Mana Drain shield from Dobroy.”

“…Ah, I remember him now. Hadn’t he gone missing for a while? I had forgotten all about him. So he made it here in one piece.”

“Yes. They say he caused quite a scene in the Delphyne settlement. The chief nearly died, but was forgiven in exchange for the Dragon scale armor.”
The investigation had recommenced as soon as he entered the town.

And so I read the detailed report.
The damages were too great for a mere evolved Ogre.

“I suppose I’ll have to consider this very seriously.”

Miralda’s report was just a request. I thought it was an exaggeration.
“He will be the first to meet you in the afternoon.”

“Hmm. I am looking forward to it.”
Yes, it should be very interesting.

The moment was approaching. He would probably be prostrating himself as he waited.
I never wait. I made others wait for me.

And if I deem them unworthy, I will leave after just glancing at their face.
Even if that doesn’t happen, there will be little more than a greeting. It only took a word or two to satisfy them.

They started to lead me to the audience hall, but then the spirit of mischief overtook me, and I brushed them off.
My guards were worried, but this would happen occasionally, and they understood.

Instead of the door used exclusively by me, I went through a door in the back.
No one noticed me yet.

And then I walked slowly.
The figure that was kneeling, was a lot bigger than an Ogre.

Indeed, I’ve never seen anyone like that before.
It was just as I was thinking about walking right past him, that he suddenly stood up and brandished his weapon.

It was all I could do to hide my surprise.
Did he have a special ability that made him immune to ambushes?

It was with such thoughts that I continued my slow walk.

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Makai Hongi