Neta Chara Tensei Toka Anmari da! - CH 29

“–We demons could befriend humans, but humanity doesn’t tolerate our coexistence!”

That was the story of more than two thousand years ago.

The Yorn forest was still a small woodland that belong to a small aristocracy, a single demon wanted to unite the demon.

Monsters always continue to fight, sometimes against their own kind, sometimes against an outside enemy, sometimes against humans, and from those experiences, they continue to evolve and become demons. And thus demon has high regard for their own power and are very proud.

That’s why they would not bow to anyone.

They saw the other demons just as nutrients or targets to make their own stronger.

Of course, there would be no nobility in their rank, what mattered was how strong the power of your backer, that kind of dog-eat-dog world.

However, among those demons, there was also an existence that they desire not to fight because it would be folly.

Their power was overwhelming.

Their power was absolute.

The owner of that power descended into this world.

The first, and the only demon king, Renji Shinohara, was a young man with a divine-looking single horn and burning eyes like a raging fire.

For Linoa he was her grandparent, but his appearance was nothing but a youthful man.

Drawn by his power, the high-ranking demons build order for themself, and slowly from monsters that always follow their instinct, they become a race that could even build a nation.

But that overwhelming power also grants other races a sense of danger.

It was the greatest for a human who has been ruling the continent.

Because demons who usually could destroy a city or even a kingdom singlehandedly now decided to gather and build a nation.

All the kingdoms were pressured by that trend.

The war between those nations stopped, and cooperation between races surged due to necessity, what an irony.

However, the demon race maintained neutrality. They did not support any warring nation, or pick a fight and become hegemons themselves. They just built a place to live normally and peacefully. How hard it was was easy to imagine, but that was what Renji did.

He built cordial relationships with all the nations and keep balance among the demons.

There was an era where that paper-thin equilibrium was maintained.

It was the appearance of God’s chosen religion which rapidly spread all over the continent.

They believed that the human race was a race chosen by God, and the proof was that they have intelligence.

Demon race was part of monsters race, their hideous look was the proof of their original nature which was a man-eating senseless creature.

They could speak because they stole the words of the people they ate, they stole the power that God bestowed upon humans.

What a BS was what Linoa thought.

Monsters obtained their power by risking their lives in battle daily. That’s why they were proud of it. The teaching of God’s chosen religion was enough to make the demon race rage.

Human supremacism.

Although it was baseless, their teaching that pushed their uneasiness toward demons and treat humans favorably easily take hold in the heart of the masses.

A lot of countries accepted that teaching and pushed their misgovernment, poverty, and exploitation toward the demons.

Thus humans and demons become two existences that couldn’t co-exist.

And the one who supported that religion from behind was a strong hero.

A young boy that appeared from nowhere, was half-forced to become the hero by God’s chosen religion.

It was not a binding contract, but wrapped in the form of ‘the hope of the masses–he was placed in the palanquin and revered as a hero. And people started to naturally call him the hero of humanity.

He used his overwhelming power to save the villages from monsters, save village girls, protecting the countries. And in those actions, sometimes he would entangled with problem-related to demons.

A small conflict created a chain of hatred and bound the hero for real.

And before long, the conflict between the hero and the demon king sparked, and bring misfortune to a lot of people.

For Linoa, humanity was the enemy of her grandfather’s coward who distort the truth of power that was the demon’s pride.

And losing to them, having her kind grandfather taken, losing both of her parents, losing the territory they governed, and her own powerlessness become fuel to elevating her hatred.

And that hatred gave the reason to revenge.

The idea her grandfather had spoken of, a place where demons could live in peace, become her reason to take revenge.

“Mr. Hero has someone he loved. She worked in a small church–protecting that girl who was the most important to him was probably the reason he fought my grandfather.”

Linoa cried while hugging Sakura, and after calming down she continued the talk about the past. Sometimes happily, sometimes lonely, and sometimes filled with hatred, Nacht listened to them all.

And before she noticed Linoa’s manner of talking was no longer cheeky and childish, but like a proper noble that has received an education.

That difference was stark, so Nacht couldn’t help but notice.

“Mr. hero?”

Why did she call the hero who should be the one who should be her sworn enemy with respect? Nacht couldn’t help but ask.

“Mr. Hero and my grandfather were a comrade. Although they sometimes fought, they sometimes drink together too. The reason they fought, or rather, was forced to fight was due to humanity’s ego. Of course, the inability to completely rule the monsters also fall on us, the noble responsibility.”

While listening to Linoa’s explanation, Nacht finally could no longer hold it.

As if giving up, Nacht said to Linoa.

“Could you stop talking like that? I got a chill..”

“Wutt! That’s rude! I talked politely because I lost to you!”

That said, hearing someone talked so childishly before and yet become so proper one later made Nacht itchy.

Yep, this one was better.

“And since Papa and Mama were among the great nobbles, they become busy with war and did not have time for me. My grandfather who feel sorry for me gave Sakura to me on my fifteen birthday. And my equipment when I was around twenty, I think. It was extremely valuable so I was reserved at first, but he said it was better than collecting dust in the warehouse, and he gave me a lot of things.”

Linoa’s expression become bright as she remembered the past.

“I see–”

The demon king, Shinohara Renji was no doubt a Japanese and a player of Real World Online just like Nacht. But since he used his own name, it would be hard for Nacht to guess who he was.

But Nacht was certain it was not among her guild member.

In Outer Cafetaria there was only two demon race. One of them was Tooru’s main character, and the other one was a lazy efficient crazy man character. But it should not be him, because Nacht could not imagine him of all people who desire peace.

“The demon king was defeated by the hero, but is the hero still exist?”

If the hero who defeated the demon king still exist, he might be a threat to Nacht.

But Linoa just laughed.

“No way. No human could live for thousand years. It was more than two thousand years ago when he put me to sleep, even if he is still alive right now he should be a dried twig. The reason he asked my grandfather for a duel should be because after he died, humanity would have no chance to stand against the demon. On other hand, I totally did not expect someone like you to exist! Your existence is unreasonable..!”

From the time Nacht saw Linoa, her impression was a child.

Linoa might have not expected defeat. And thus he forgot about the resolution to fight and just rely on hatred to exact revenge.

On other hand, Nacht also found something that she did not expect.

“Now that I think about it, it was pretty cruel, here–”

Nacht took two High Potions from her inventory and pour them into Linoa’s hand and Sakura’s arm.

Light particles gathered and wrapped around Linoa’s hand and Sakura’s arm.

And under one second.

Their wound disappeared as if never been there.

“……Absurd…just like a grandfather…”

Even Sakura’s arm which was completely gone returned after being covered by the light.

Of course from the perspective of this world, that was completely illogical. But it follows the logic of the game world.

“The magic puppet, should be called Automata, right? Well, healing also worked on NPC, so it should be working for her too.”

Although she lost her arm, her HP should be still above 50%.

Darkness has a special ability to deal continuous damage to the enemy at close range, and now it shows the effect of auto intercept and countering the enemy. However, although it was superb ancient equipment, its continuous damage against an enemy around level fifty still would not be a lot, it might not even deal 20% of the target HP in a few minutes.

The fact that it could tear Sakura’s limb in an instant might be attributed to this world’s strengthening just like how Nacht’s other skills were. Most of Nacht’s skill was powerful but with a lot of demerits, however, Nacht liked that kind of extreme attack-oriented build. However, it seems like she was too absorbed in her own thought and shook her head.

“Thank you.”

Sakura bowed.

Was it for healing her arm, or for letting her lady go?

Nevertheless, Nacht could see a strong will in Sakura’s eyes.

And she no longer could dismiss her as an NPC.

She was closer to a human than a doll.

Nacht was enjoying that, as Linoa looked straight at Nacht.

“It was my defeat…do anything you wanted…”

“Hm? But my goal has been achieved. I have nothing else I wanted from you.”

Nacht said it as usual, but Linoa could not comprehend it.

“Haa? Are you sure? Are you letting me go? I might do something else to those humans later you know? My grandfather often said–We could not live alongside humanity. And I agree. Everyone would think of me as evil and would try to fool me, that idiots would even justify massacre, I would never bear to get along with them! If you did nothing to me, it might become a seed of future trouble you know?”

Although Linoa said that, Nacht’s only worry was lies about something else.

During the battle, she did not evade or defend against Nacht’s magic, but she cut it.

During the game era, it was Nacht’s main character specialty.

That’s why, when this girl grows up in the future, she might become Nacht’s natural enemy. (In terms of affinity)

But that was the only worry Nacht’s had, she did not has any other thought about her and had no interest in what she would do after this.

“I would not stop you hating humans. And I don’t mind if you start another war. This time I just coincidentally joined the fray. But I did not plan to join the human side. The battle is something common in this world. There might be times when we were caught in the mire of hatred. And there might be times when we could not compromise. However, before you start another, you should rethink what was the most important for you before taking action.”

Hearing Nacht’s words that were full of the attitude of an elder, Linoa could not help but chuckle.

“I see…I think I could understand what grandfather wanted to say…”

However, after she finished her words, there was a change in the northern sky.

There was a giant something that cover the light in the sky, and it could be seen tens of kilometers from the forest. And Nacht could feel familiarity from that presence.

Nacht was the first one to notice.

“–Oi–it’s not your hidden trump card, isn’t it?”

Linoa was dumbfounded but quickly shook her head toward Nacht’s question.

“…No way, although I am a demon, I would not be able to control something like that…”

“It seems there is no time to talk leisurely.”

Nacht unequipped the cursed bracelet from her arm.

“Hah–!?”

Noticing the change from Nacht, Linoa lost her composure.

But Nacht could not answer her doubt right now.

She already started to run carrying a small worry in her heart.

Leaving behind air tearing sound, Nacht rushed in a straight line.