Chapter 57

When we arrived in the city of Zenobia, we were invited to the Octave family's residence.

We were treated as honored guests who had saved their daughter.

The butler, Hans, choked up with tears and said,

"Thank you for saving my lady. I, Hans, will never forget this kindness."

He then firmly grasped my hands.

His words seemed genuine.

We were treated with hospitality every day, as if they were trying to show us just how much they appreciated us.

Roast pig fattened on southern crops, ripe fruits only found in the south, and fresh seafood from the southern sea.

These were prepared by top chefs and served by carefully selected beautiful women.

The table was always filled with these dishes, and every time we finished a plate, a new dish was brought in.

To be honest, I'm not much of a big eater, and Sati is also a light eater.

Furthermore, I was Japanese in my previous life, and Sati was once a slave.

It felt wrong to leave food, but we couldn't possibly finish it all, which was quite a dilemma.

Sati, holding her stomach as if in pain, said,

"I feel like I've eaten enough for a lifetime."

Her stomach was noticeably swollen.

She looked like a pregnant woman.

If this continues, Sati and I will end up as fat pigs.

Thinking this, I asked the butler, Hans,

"When can I meet Lord Erturia?"

Hans replied apologetically,

"Lord Erturia is a very busy person..."

I had already heard this line dozens of times.

It was starting to get old, but in truth, Erturia must be a very busy person.

After all, he is the leader of the Trade Union.

I've learned during my stay here that guests appear almost daily, and he is on a tight schedule.

Even as a savior of his daughter, he probably doesn't have much free time.

Moreover, I had already conveyed through the butler that I wanted a formal audience as the representative of Ismus.

It would take some time to arrange a proper meeting.

That's why I've been waiting, but I also have my own concerns.

Although we defeated the Alliance of Kings in Arsenam recently, their power still remains.

Ivalice is one of the frontlines, and I can't afford to be away for long.

Lilith is maintaining order with a light touch.

Jiron is listening to the people of the city and making fair judgments.

I can't help but worry, especially about the latter.

Just seeing the roasted pig made me think of Jiron.

Anyway, I couldn't wait any longer. I was about to plead with the butler Hans again, but my movement stopped.

Erturia's daughter, Yuria, had called out to me.

"Lord Like, I'm very sorry for keeping you waiting."

Yuria said this, holding the hem of her skirt with both hands,

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

and smiled.

Seeing her, I was confused.

The strong impression she left when we first met was still fresh in my mind.

Being proposed to by a beautiful woman isn't bad, but I don't have the time for such things now. If I ever marry, it won't be now.

So, her proposal was honestly a nuisance.

That's why I had been avoiding her, but I was finally caught.

"..."

I let out a sigh, but she didn't seem to mind and continued talking.

"I'm very sorry for keeping you waiting, but my mother has managed to make some time. She says she has a little break from her work."

"Mother...?"

"Yes, she managed to adjust her schedule."

I was confused by her words.

"Miss Yuria, I am the representative of the Trade Union. I want to meet Lord Erturia."

"Yes, I understand that."

She said this and then continued,

"That's why you will meet my 'mother'."

She then took my hand and led me to the office.

Her palm was small but surprisingly strong.

Or rather, forceful.

I was led into the office, where a middle-aged woman was sitting at a grand desk.

--- Or perhaps she was a woman of a certain age.

She had fiery red hair tied up, and while she exuded elegance, her eyes were sharp.

She looked like the captain of a pirate ship.

I immediately sensed that she was not an ordinary person.

As if to prove this, the woman said,

"You are the young man who saved my daughter, Like. My name is Erturia Octave. I am the head of the council that governs Zenobia and also the representative of the Trade Union."

She stood up and offered me a handshake.

"I will formally thank you for saving my daughter later. I am very busy now. Is it alright if we talk while I work?"

"It's fine."

I said this, and she said, "Excuse me," and returned to her seat, resuming her work on the documents.

The amount of work was astonishing, and the speed at which she read through them was incredible.

I was amazed, but Yuria, standing beside me, whispered proudly,

"She usually handles twice the amount of work at twice the speed."

"... I see, 'a little break from her work,' huh."

It seemed that Erturia Octave was even more capable than I imagined.

The merchants of the Trade Union are known for being shrewd.

In my previous world, they would be like the merchants of Genoa or Omi.

To lead such a group, this woman must be extraordinary.

I didn't even think Erturia was a woman.

I imagined a middle-aged man with a potbelly.

"--- By the way, my husband is the merchant you imagined."

Erturia suddenly said.

"..."

"You show your emotions on your face. You should be more careful. It can be a disadvantage in negotiations."

She then returned her gaze to the documents.

"... So, I show my emotions on my face?"

Indeed, I usually wear a mask, so I might have such a tendency.

I need to be more careful in the future.

With this in mind, I decided to start the negotiation.

--- Before that, I glanced at Yuria.

"Miss Yuria, I know this is a difficult request, but could you please leave the room?"

The matter I was about to discuss was a treaty between the 'Demon Army' and the 'Trade Union'.

Whether it would succeed or not, I couldn't let this girl hear it.

To my surprise, she obediently left the room.

I thought she would be stubborn, but she left without a fuss.

However, she left with a mischievous smile, saying,

"Hehehe, Lord Like, please choose the design of the wedding dress yourself."

"..."

It was a terrifying prediction, but I ignored it and turned to Erturia.

I then asked again,

"Actually, I have a request to make of you."

She continued to look at the documents and asked, "What is it?"

Her casual tone and attitude were a bit disappointing, but I got straight to the point.

"Actually, I am not a noble of Ismus."

"I know that."

"..."

I couldn't help but let out a sound.

"There is no noble named Like in Ismus. There was a noble who rebelled against the king of Ismus in the past. His name was Like. Since then, no noble has used that name, at least not in Ismus."

"Then you knew from the beginning that I was a false noble?"

"Yes."

She answered briefly and continued,

"Furthermore, I suspect you are a messenger of the Demon Army."

"..."

"You don't need to hide it. I don't fear the Demon Army, nor do I look down on them. I only see the fact that you saved my daughter and that you are here to negotiate on behalf of the Demon Army."

"How did you know I was a messenger of the Demon Army?"

Erturia said casually,

"Intuition, I suppose."

"Intuition?"

It was a vague answer.

"Intuition is not to be underestimated. I believe it is a conclusion based on experience and theory. Thanks to this intuition, my Octave family has become wealthy in one generation and I have become the leader of the Trade Union."

"--- I will keep that in mind. Intuition is not just a guess."

"At this time, at this moment, a powerful magician like you appeared, pretending to be someone else. It's not hard to imagine."

"... I see. By the way, do I look human to you?"

"... What do you mean? I had the butler, Hans, confirm that you are human."

It seemed that my disguise as a human who cooperates with the demons had not been exposed.

I had already been exposed to Sefiro, Sati, and the Demon King, but I didn't want this secret to spread any further.

If my true identity were revealed, I would no longer be able to stay in the Demon Army, and the positions of the Demon King and Sefiro could become dire.

--- Thinking this, I decided to reveal the truth to this person as well.

There were several reasons, but the first was that I lacked the confidence to deceive this sharp-witted woman until the end.

The second was that I came here to create a world where demons and humans can coexist.

I wanted to show her a living example of this, me and Sati, and use it as a negotiating point.

I took a deep breath, composed my expression, and said,

"You are right, I am human. But I am also a demon."

"..."

Erturia fell silent upon hearing this.

Even the intelligent her seemed confused.

It's understandable. What I was saying sounded like the ramblings of a madman.

"Does this mean you have completely turned to the demons? Or are you planning to undergo a secret ritual to become a demon?"

"No. My father and mother are human, but I was raised as a demon."

Upon hearing this, she seemed to completely shift her focus from the documents.

She turned to me and gave me a look that said, "Tell me more."

"My grandfather was called the Guardian of the Abyss, a demon."

"... I have heard of that name. He was known as the Undying King and the greatest magician in the Demon Army."

She was indeed well-informed, but I corrected her.

"He was. He has passed away."

"... A great person, or rather, a great demon, has been lost."

"He said it was his time, and he wasn't sad. He had lived for hundreds of years and said it was enough."

I said this with a touch of humor, but it was true.

My grandfather had known his time was coming and often said, "I've lived enough." He even told me, "I will die on New Year's Day, so be prepared."

Thinking about it now, it was a strange thing to say, but at the time, I thought it was normal. I believed that was what demons, especially the Undying King, were like.

So, when my grandfather died, I wasn't particularly sad.

I just accepted that the day had come.

--- Well, I did shed a few tears, but that's beside the point.

What I needed to do now was to convince the woman in front of me.

"... I was raised by the King of the Abyss and have fought for the Demon Army until today."

"Out of gratitude to Lord Romburg?"

"Not really. I just wanted to join the Demon Army when I grew up and become a magician like my grandfather. That was my motivation from childhood."

"That led to who you are today, I see."

"Initially, that was my motivation, but it's different now."

"--- How so?"

"The reason I fight now is to achieve coexistence between humans and demons."

"Coexistence between humans and demons...?"

She furrowed her perfectly shaped brows for the first time.

"What do you mean? Don't the demons intend to destroy humans?"

"Not at all. --- At least, not me and the Demon King."

"Indeed, the current Demon King is said to be different from the previous ones. However, demons are still demons. They might change, or revert to their original form. --- That's what I think."

"That won't happen."

"Do you have any proof?"

"No."

I said this clearly.

I couldn't provide such proof, and even if I handed over a written pledge from the Demon King, it would be meaningless.

This bold merchant is not naive enough to be convinced by a piece of paper.

She asked,

"Then how do you intend to convince me?"

I answered briefly,

"--- By action."

"What do you mean?"

"Forgive me, but I've heard that the Trade Union is in a difficult situation."

"--- Where did you get that information?"

"I am, after all, a commander of the Demon Army, so I did some research beforehand."

"You are referring to the pirate group 'Redbeard Carossa' based in the South Sea. Indeed, Zenobia has been struggling with them."

She continued,

"Ten merchant ships have already been attacked, and the damage is equivalent to a city's annual budget. If left unchecked, the damage will increase, and my position as the leader might be at risk."

"Yes, immediate action is needed."

"Does this mean you will take care of the pirate?"

"Yes."

I answered.

Upon hearing this, she thought for a while.

I was surprised that even an intelligent woman like her had to think, but it made sense.

She was about to negotiate with the Demon Army.

She had to be cautious.

I waited patiently for her to make up her mind, and when she spoke, she said clearly,

"Alright. I will agree to this deal. If you accept two conditions, I will negotiate with the Demon Army."

"Two conditions?"

I was surprised by this unexpected response.

I had assumed that dealing with the pirates was a given, but I never imagined there would be another condition.

What could she want?

I would help if I could, but I couldn't make promises lightly.

I asked her carefully about the conditions.

She said with a mischievous smile,

"One is, of course, the elimination of Redbeard Carossa, but the other is for you to become my son."

"..."

A cold shiver ran down my back upon hearing this.

Her smile reminded me of someone.

That someone was Sefiro, the commander of my 7th Legion.

Her smile was the same as Sefiro's when he was up to no good.

I asked cautiously,

"... Could it be that you want me to marry your daughter Yuria?"

Indeed, that was the case.

She seemed serious and capable, but in essence, she was just like Sefiro.

She liked to play pranks on people she liked.

Of course, I politely declined.

"I am human, but I am a member of the Demon Army. Are you suggesting that I marry your daughter, a general of the Demon Army?"

Her response was,

"Is there a problem with that?"

"Political marriages are a given for the daughters of merchants. I like you. You are intelligent and honest. I especially like your honesty. Merchants are often seen as cunning, but I value honesty in them. You will likely become a high-ranking officer in the Demon Army in the future. Marrying my daughter and forming an alliance would not be a bad idea."

"... Is that also intuition?"

"It's intuition. But my intuition has never been wrong."

She said this, stood up, and patted my back.

"Anyway, I leave the matter of Redbeard Carossa and my daughter to you."

She then returned to her seat and resumed her work on the documents.

"Please instruct the butler, Hans, about the preparations for the pirate hunt."

That was her final word.

She then completely focused on the documents.

I thought it would be pointless to say anything more.

I turned to leave and exited her office.