Chapter 2 – In-Depth Interview
After the bound hero party was dragged to the dungeon, I decided to have a more sound conversation with the demon king, who was left in the audience room.
I said that I would blindly become a subordinate, guided by unconventional conditions, but I’ll have to hear what role and job I’ll be entrusted with in the future.
When I brought this up first, the demon king explained it without much hesitation.
“For now, you will become my direct subordinate. Wouldn’t it only lead to unnecessary fights if I placed it under the command of the Four Heavenly Kings anyway? Kald… No, patrasch. As you know, the number of demons you killed is not one or two. I also don’t want to be criticized for parachuting into a military unit.”
“Oh. This is your word.”
Still, I was satisfied because the devil’s head seemed to work better than I thought.
It is because the old man in the human kingdom is an unscrupulous man who recklessly insists on the hero to catch the demon king without giving me little support.
Compared to such evil, the demon king in front of her was no different from a fairy.
As I thought so and nodded his head, the demon king leisurely put his chin on his chin and asked.
“Is there anything else you would like to ask? I’m a busy person, so I don’t have as much time as I do now to give you a leisurely answer.”
“Oh, then one more thing, my former colleague… So, what are you going to do with the warrior party?”
Then, the demon king smiled evilly for the first time.
“If there is nothing special, they intend to execute the death penalty at the nearest date. If the warrior’s head is hung outside the castle, the morale of the humans will fall and the morale of our army will rise.”
I hurriedly shook my hand after hearing the demon king’s explanation.
“Maou-nim, if you’re not rude, may I ask you to reconsider that part?”
Perhaps it was an unexpected proposal, the demon king frowned.
“Why? I don’t think it’s because of the old friendship between colleagues.”
“As the Demon King said, I did not ask for personal feelings. It’s just because I’m worried that if I kill a hero, a new one will be born.”
“… I would like to hear more.”
Fortunately, it seemed that I was able to attract the devil’s interest, so I bent down slightly and began to release information about the hero that I had personally collected.
“Even the Demon King is well aware of the fact that the warriors of the human tribe are determined by the oracle of the Goddess of Courage. This is a very famous story on the continent.”
“Right. As far as I know, it is.”
“However, there were never more than two warriors in a generation. So, if a hero who was on a mission to exterminate the demon dies during the journey, the Church of Courage immediately receives the next oracle from the goddess to ordain a new hero. This is a historically documented fact.”
Hearing my words, the Demon King nodded his head as if he knew something.
“As you said, among the previous demon kings, there were quite a few who killed the warriors who came to visit them. But most of them ended up being decapitated by the next generation of warriors who came soon after.”
“In the end, it’s a matter of utility. The Goddess of Courage does not elect the next hero unless the first hero dies, and if the current hero dies because the demon king is too strong, she selects a new warrior with enough strength to kill the demon king. But-“
“But?”
“The thing I want to point out is this hero selection system itself. Just as a new demon king cannot be born unless the current demon king dies, a new warrior cannot be born unless the previous warrior dies. It’s probably the goddess’s own ploy to prevent those with too much power from existing in pairs.”
Only then, as if he understood what I wanted to say, the Demon King muttered with a shocked face.
“No way… “
“That’s why for the time being, it is said that having the hero’s life attached is more beneficial to the Demon King and, furthermore, to the entire Demon King’s army. Surely you don’t want to go through the years in fear because you don’t know when the assassin (hero) who is aiming for your life will appear again, right?”
After hearing my explanation, the Demon King nodded his head in sympathy.
“Surely there is a point in what you say. If that’s the reason, I don’t know if it’s better to keep alive than to kill even the enemy of the demons, the hero. But with that logic, wouldn’t it be okay to kill all humans besides the hero?”
I smiled wryly at the unexpectedly sharp point.
“Well, yes, but I personally recommend keeping them alive. If the hero is left alone, in the worst case, he may make an extreme choice.”
“Why is that?”
I laughed round and round.
“People become stronger when they have responsibilities. Paradoxically, if there is someone to take responsibility for, he cannot be weak. Even if there are lovers who love right next to you.”
“… You’re going to make them a safety device to prevent the hero from committing suicide.”
“Well, I have that intention, but by nature, humans are easily dominated by emotions, so even a little bit of depression can make an extreme choice. In that case, wouldn’t it be better to leave empty hopes behind?”
Saying that and ending the long explanation, the demon king shook his head and spoke as if he was full of energy.
“You really seem to have no blood or tears. I can’t tell who’s the devil just by hearing what he says.”
“Haha. Now that I’m in the same boat with the Demon King, I just tried some superficial tricks. This is an area that anyone can infer, given enough information.”
“Great. Then, I will follow your opinion on the treatment of the hero. I don’t know what to say, but can I ask you something?”
“Yes. Ask anything.”
The demon king sitting on the throne stared straight into my face with serious eyes.
“No matter how much you signed a contract with the Gears Scroll, you are originally human. However, judging from your words and actions so far, it seems that you had in mind betraying humanity and the hero from the beginning. When did you start having such thoughts?”
“Well.”
I was momentarily speechless.
In fact, it’s because it’s hard to say exactly when it started.
It was for a very complex reason.
So, I searched for old memories.
At first, I was proud of being a warrior party in my own way, and I didn’t have a bad relationship with my female colleagues.
However, the atmosphere of the party definitely began to change after a big fight, when the hero started to lay his hands on his female colleagues.
In fact, it was fine up to this point.
They bite and suck each other anyway, but even if they’re colleagues, there’s no need for me, a third party, to interfere.
However, it was a problem with my mother-in-law.
While traveling, Sipalyeon looked at me with contempt when I returned from the Changgwan to get some water.
No! Even if you don’t give it to me!
However, telling the same motive in front of the demon king was tantamount to suicide, so I spoke in a calm voice with a bittersweet smile.
“There is a saying in this world. They say that all salaried workers carry a resignation letter in their hearts.”
“… Does that mean it was just today?”
“Yes. It was impulsive, but I have no regrets. I’m a small person who only thinks about my wealth, glory and prosperity.”
“Okay. That seems to be a sufficient answer.”
After saying that while shaking his head, the Demon King snapped the fingers of his right hand.
– Right!
Then, someone outside the audience room opened the door and came inside.
‘I’m sure no one was there?’
Puzzled, I turned my head slightly, and there stood a demon with a goat head and a human body like a shadow.
“Senekane, the chief chamberlain of the Demon Castle. In the future, they will guide you to the lodgings where you will be staying. It must have been quite tiring to come here today, so let’s get some rest and talk about serious work from tomorrow.”
“I don’t know what to do with the Demon King’s favor.”
“Haha, don’t say anything stupid. I am well aware of the fact that you are called a crazy mage among humans.”
Meggi looked a little embarrassed as he laughed, but she didn’t deny his words.
Because everything was true
“Then I will go away, little boy. May you stay in prison.”
Saying that, he bowed in accordance with the manners of an aristocrat, and then turned his back to follow the demon called Senekara.
“Oh, can I ask you one last question? I’m really sorry that I caught you on the way.”
… He’s going to be the boss at work in the future, but I can’t say anything bad about this.
“Yes. Please feel free to ask.”
“Are you really thinking of changing your name to Patrasche? Aren’t you kidding?”
It was a little out of the blue, but it was suspicious enough to have.
I’m just a name that rhymes in moderation.
“… The previous setting was that I was dead, so I plan to change it sooner or later. However, if you feel uncomfortable, you can call me by your original name for the time being. It has not been finalized yet.”
“Okay. You will be tired, so go in and get some rest.”
“Then see you tomorrow.”
I bowed my head once more and followed Seneca, the butler of the Devil Castle, out of the audience room.
Thanks to so many things that happened in just one day, I still feel my heart pounding because my tension hasn’t been relieved.
But more than that, it felt good!
This is because starting today, you will live a new life as Patlash, the hunting dog of Nero, the Demon King, rather than Kaldrash, the second-in-command of the warrior party!
‘Oh Hong Hong, good!’
Looking forward to the rosy future ahead, I unknowingly tap-danced for joy in the hallway.
