Heibon na Watashi wa Tonikaku Hibon - Heibon 12. The things I’ve confirmed
It’s been a week since Rey-sama and Tonic-san started living here. There were several things that we confirmed.
First of all, it was about the ingredients that I used to make cookies for the monsters. To be honest, it tastes absolutely horrible when humans eat it. I noticed it after the daily lesson, Tonic-san picked one up and spat it out almost immediately.
Av told me that it’s normal. He said that Monsters like sweet things, but they don’t like sweets made for humans. Monster’s and human’s sense of taste were a little bit different. The monsters would happily eat my sweets made using the usual ingredients. However, it seems that it tastes absolutely horrible for humans, just like for Tonic-san.
Since I didn’t bother tasting them, I didn’t notice at all. It smelled delicious like a normal cookie and the monsters were eating them with enthusiasm, so I just assume that it’s delicious and didn’t doubt it. The first 3 days of cookies were made using the ingredients found in this hut, but after that, they’re made using ingredients that Av brought.
By the way, it was Av who taught me how to use the ingredients for monsters. Both cookies and other meals were made under his guidance. Now when I think about it, Av also taught me to make “Monster sweets” and “Human food”.
I also found out that the ingredients for monster cookies can be adjusted to suit human tastes. The point is, it was about the ratio of ingredients you put inside.
The next thing to address: Av is the former demon lord.
……
Let’s say it again.
Av is the former Demon Lord.
The former Demon Lord.
It finally came out right.
I discovered it 2 days after Rey-sama and Tonic-san lived here. Rey-sama kept looking at Avfor some reason, so I told Rey-sama to ask him directly for the answer. Minutes later, Rey-sama literally asked him.
「Av, are you by any chance the Demon Lord?」
「Yup. That’s right. But please attach the word “former” to that part. 」
A straight ball.
After that…
「Just as I expected. I know I heard that name from somewhere. But why the former Demon Lord stays in such place?」
「Living my retirement, of course. It was my dream to spend my days leisurely with no one interfering 」
「「………」」
Tonic-san quickly pulled out his sword the moment he heard “Demon Lord”. How can Rey-sama speak with the former Demon Lord without any hostility?
Well truth to be told, he’s the Demon Lord 3 generations before the current Demon Lord. In fact, when Av was the Demon Lord, people and demons were on good terms. That’s why the name “Avart” remains in the literature and Rey-sama could identify him.
But looking at the current situation where humans and demons are enemies, I can’t really believe that they were friends before.
「Is that why Av is now the “Former Demon Lord”? Maybe the “Current Demon Lord” was displeased and throw him from his throne?」
Rey-sama seemed surprised when he heard my remark.
「Rio, Av was the Demon Lords from several hundred years ago. His name even appeared as a protagonist in some books. It’s also one of the books that I told you to read before. 」
「……eh? what? Are you… Wait… Is it 『Humans and the Demon Lord』? The Demon Lord in that story is actually Avart!? But it’s the founding story of this country!!」
『Humans and the Demon Lord』
The story describes how the country was founded. It was stopped being printed after the territorial dispute between humans and demons. It’s hard to get a copy of it nowadays. In my case, I read that in Rey-sama’s library so I managed to read the contents somehow.
Hundreds of years ago, a human came into this continent. However, only demons can live in this land. At that time, the Demon King Avart opened up a part of the continent and developed it so humans and demons can live together.
In some stories, he even persuaded demons who don’t like the idea to give humans a part of their land. He also helped to gather medicinal herbs for the sake of the humans who had fallen ill and having a hard time adapting to the environment. In addition to overcoming many difficulties and hardships, the Demon Lord Alphard and humans developed a relationship, and that is the start of the country, Sarawin Empire.
The rest is history.
Looking at the current humans and demons relationship, no one would believe that story.
But if he’s actually that Avart, then how old is…
「How old are you, Av?」
「I stopped counting years ago. Should be little bit over 500, I think 」
「That’s about right. Since the founding of this country is about 525 years ago, so as the Demon lord you should be older than that. But… I can’t believe you are the real “Avart”」
「Well, I certainly helped to build this country. But I never thought that the story was published as a book. 」
Somehow, I believe that he’s really the Avart from the book. If he’s the same person as described in the story, then he’s not an enemy. Because he… Demon Lord Avart retired to live among humans.
In 『Humans and the Demon Lord』, Avart fell in love with a young human woman. At the end of the story, the Sarawin Kingdom was built and Avart left his position as Demon Lord to live with that human.
Things after that were not written……
「Is the story true?」
「……Her name is Emily. She was a gentle and kind person. 」
Av looked somewhat nostalgic but still gave a sad laugh. The territorial dispute took place about 200 years after he retired. The previous Demon Lord was defeated by the summoned Goddess from the previous summoning, and things happened again with the current Demon Lord.
I’m sure the current Demon Lord would rather choose peaceful method if possible, but the human’s territory expansion needs to be stopped.
Originally, the continent was divided by half for humans and demons to live. As their numbers increased, the humans used magic to burn forests, build buildings, and expand their territory without permission.
The humans were given land from the demons, but they forget their gratitude. The demons refused to give more land to the violent humans and started to fight back.
Watching their stupidity, Av could only laugh from the distance. These foolish people have forgotten how to hold a civil discussion despite speaking the same language.
Seems like Av was watching both sides without supporting any side. Even so, I believe humans have their place in this continent, and I’m sure it’s my mission to stop their fight.
「Don’t you want to stop them?」
If both humans and demons are precious, why did he watch both of them hurting each other?
「I guess this war is necessary. Will either one survive? Will both perish? At any rate, whatever the result of the battle, I guess both humans and demons will repent, condolence, lament, resent, think the same idea.『Let’s not repeat this again』They have to fight as much as they want until they reach that conclusion. Whatever the result, this struggle is necessary for the future. That’s why I don’t stop them. 」
I’m sure Av was quite an influential person.
Changing the topic, apparently in this world, only women with “problems” have short hair. Usually, women have at least a hip-length hair. The “problem” can be identified by the hair length. By the way, when a woman has a shoulder-length hair like me, it represents a “divorced” or “widowed”. And so, when I went to town with Av’s improved the magic square (improved to his version when he was still the demon lord), a lot of people looked at me in pity.
I don’t know the root of such custom but Av, Rey-sama and Tonic-san told me 「Isn’t it better to know the circumstances of the woman you fell in love with?」. Well, I don’t really care about the reason but now I have to wear a robe whenever I went out to avoid misunderstandings.
That way, little by little, I’m surely going to learn about the reality of this world.
With that kind of thought, I started to live with Rey-sama and Tonic-san, and today I resolved to add morning run as my daily routine.