Chapter 36

The duel with Basteo ended in a complete victory, but that didn't mean there were no problems.

By winning, two issues arose.

The first was the punishment of Basteo.

Just now, I had used my magic to obliterate Basteo and the zombie soldiers, but in fact, Basteo was still alive.

To be precise, only his head remained.

I thought it would be pitiful to take his life, so I left his head intact, but even so, he kept muttering, "You brat!"

Well, with just a head, he can't cause any more trouble.

Most likely, he will spend the rest of his life in the dungeon of the Demon King's castle, complaining about me.

It is pitiful, but I didn't feel any sympathy.

It is his own doing, and besides, the loser of this duel was supposed to be executed. The fact that he can continue to live with just his head is a testament to the Demon King's mercy.

Next, I turned my attention to the second problem.

Looking around, I saw a large hole in the duel arena of the Demon King's castle.

"Is this going to be my responsibility?"

I couldn't help but sigh.

How long will it take to repair this?

And the cost of it makes my head hurt.

Surely, I won't have to pay for it personally, right?

—No, that's possible.

"You should take responsibility for what you broke."

The commander of my 7th Legion might say something like that.

Well, who will bear the cost?

While thinking about this, I looked up at the VIP seats of the duel arena.

What I saw there was an unexpected scene.

It was an argument between the Supreme Commander of the Demon Army, Dairokuten, and Sefiro, the commander of my 7th Legion.

Their arguments were as follows.

First, the Demon King's argument.

"He defeated the commander of the 3rd Legion. He should become the new commander of the 3rd Legion."

In the world of demons, this is common sense.

My leadership in the battle just now, and my personal bravery, were judged to surpass Basteo.

The stronger and more capable one should stand higher, that is the logic of the demons.

However, Sefiro strongly opposed this.

Her argument was as follows.

"Ike is my subordinate. The authority to decide his position lies with me, his superior."

This argument might also be valid.

Currently, I am the brigade commander of the 7th Legion.

If I were to be taken away without permission, it would be a problem.

In essence, a tug-of-war over me has broken out between the Demon King and Sefiro.

"Ike is mine!"

"Ike is mine!"

Being sought after by two beautiful women wasn't a bad feeling, but either way, I couldn't remain a brigade commander.

Currently, the position of deputy commander of the 7th Legion is vacant.

Considering my past achievements and future prospects, it is likely that I will take that position.

In other words, I am in a position to choose whether to become the deputy commander of the 7th Legion or the commander of the 3rd Legion.

"Which should I choose?"

I am at a loss.

From a sense of duty and affection, I should choose Sefiro.

She has taken care of me since I was a child.

Leaving her now would be regretful.

On the other hand, becoming a legion commander is not a bad option.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with Sefiro and leading the Demon Army alongside the Demon King.

Then, the world I desire,

a world where "demons and humans" coexist,

might be achieved sooner.

I am caught between duty and affection.

Should I choose Sefiro, who has taken care of me since childhood?

Or should I choose the Demon King, who has shown me favor?

The answer I came up with is—

†

Returning to Ivalice, I sat in my usual office chair and, as usual, asked Sati for tea.

"What brand would you like?"

Sati asked in a reserved tone.

Of course, it has to be Ivalice's.

The best is said to be from Jakurot in the northwest of the continent, but I don't think so.

It might seem biased because I am the lord of Ivalice, but I like the tea produced in this region.

I asked Sati for "the usual," and she bowed respectfully and said, "As you wish."

A few minutes later, the perfectly brewed tea was placed on the desk.

As I enjoyed the aroma of the tea, Sati spoke as if she had timed it perfectly.

"Congratulations on your promotion, sir."

She smiled and bowed again.

I thanked her, but I wondered where she got the information.

When I asked, it turned out to be Jiron.

That pig, despite my warning him not to tell anyone—.

I cursed him in my mind, but there was no point in regretting what was already out.

Besides, this is a good thing.

There's no need to hide it.

"But, sir, why couldn't you become a legion commander?"

I answered, "Well, that's a bit complicated."

It's not that I find it difficult to answer, but there are various circumstances in the Demon Army.

It can also be called adult politics.

First, the Demon King, the Supreme Commander of the Demon Army, recommended me for the position of legion commander, but Sefiro strongly opposed it.

I am an important asset. Losing me here would be a loss, and she might still feel the need to guide me.

She still says, "I changed your diapers," as if she were a neighbor's aunt—no, a sister.

I wish she would treat me as an adult.

"Did Sefiro-sama oppose it, so you couldn't become a commander?"

Sati asked, sounding disappointed.

I shook my head.

"It's not just that. The other legion commanders also opposed it, saying I'm still too young."

Thinking about it, I haven't been a brigade commander for more than three years.

No matter how much I have achieved, it might be too early to be promoted from brigade commander to legion commander.

It's understandable that there were objections.

The Demon King still recommended me for the position, but I declined.

As the Basteo incident showed, the Demon Army is not a monolithic entity.

Pushing through my promotion might create another troublemaker like Basteo.

I don't want that, and it wouldn't be good for the Demon Army.

Besides, if I were to become a legion commander now, I might have to leave Ivalice.

As a legion commander, it might be difficult to keep Sati as my servant.

That's not what I want.

I like this city of Ivalice, for various reasons.

I enjoy the view of the city from my office while sipping the tea Sati prepares.

I don't know how long I can stay in this city, but I don't want to give it up.

I turned to Sati and said in my usual tone,

"Could I have another cup of tea, Sati?"

Sati smiled and said her usual line,

"Yes, sir."

Her smile and the aroma of the second cup of tea were the best.

Thanks to everyone, I was able to write this far.

Your reviews and bookmarks are a great encouragement. Please continue to support me.

The first volume of the book version ends at this chapter.

The book version is a revised version of this chapter.

It also includes many beautiful illustrations by KUMA-sensei. I would be happy if you could purchase it.