"…Do you have any inconvenience staying here?"
"Not really."
It's a situation that should not exist.
Recalling the Demon King's words that all the Corps Commanders had a screw loose, I answered without any fuss. Jaykar looked at my expression carefully with a slightly firm face.
"Not really, if you say that… does that mean you do?"
"Pardon?"
"After all, you are a human, so there must be some inconvenience. Please don't hold back and tell me. I'll try my best to accommodate you."
What is this? Consideration… is it? I was recruited by the Demon King himself, so he's trying to look after me, something like that?
Although I thought that shouldn't be the case, I also thought 'just in case' for a moment. Then Jaykar's voice continued, as if he was aware of it.
In a more cautious tone, as if reading the atmosphere.
"Don't disrupt the castle for no reason…"
"…Thank you for your words."
It wasn't the case after all. Ugh, I want to die.
That's definitely me being repremending for what happened in the garden. It's clear that he's blaming me for setting the garden on fire for no reason.
At the same time, it's a warning. A warning that if I make any more unnecessary mistakes, they will not be overlooked.
After clearing my throat, which had been choked by fear, I forced out a response and returned my attention to my food. Then Asild, who had been sitting next to me quietly waiting for the conversation to end, opened his mouth slightly to speak.
No, he was about to.
"Oh my, Sir Demon. Long time no see?"
If it wasn't for the sudden intrusion of the Fourth Corps Commander.
My spine shivered at Asild's words. My spine would have shivered earlier too, but fortunately, I had managed to control my expression just before.
'I shouldn't have come here after all.'
Starting with the First Commander and ending with the Third and Fourth Commanders. My mind, which had been barely hanging on, was now completely broken as unexpected people kept popping up.
I was regretfully thinking that I should have been able to refuse whatever Ben said, but suddenly a low voice slowly pierced my eardrum.
"Edellia, you knew and still did that?"
Even the way it sounded was like a curse.
Even though I knew that I wasn't the target, the Fourth Commander, Edellia, seemed unbothered and even smiled lazily, covering her mouth with her fan.
"What did I do? I don't know why you're so angry?"
"Nonsense."
Asild growled.
That's right, those two didn't have a good relationship to begin with. I forced myself to ignore the situation that was unfolding before me as I mindlessly stabbed my already ruined salad with a fork.
Of course, that wasn't true inside. To the point where I wanted to throw the food… Oh, I already did that once.
I feel like I'm going to have an upset stomach even though I haven't eaten anything.
Feeling like I was going to faint, I quietly put down my fork, and Jaykar, who had been watching the situation, turned his head and quietly called out to the two of them.
"Both of you, stop. It seems like you've forgotten who's in front of you right now."
"…Oh."
"I'm sorry."
Both of their embarrassed gazes were directed towards me.
Feeling flustered, I quickly lowered my head and said it was fine, and then Edellia sat next to me and whispered.
"I heard you burned down the garden?"
"Edellia."
"Oh, I apologize if I was rude. I'm just curious about what could have made you so angry…"
If it wasn't for Jekar, I would have choked on nothing.
I just wanted the conversation about the garden to be over. It doesn't concern you and you didn't even see it happen, so why is everyone so interested in it?
…Come to think of it, didn't they say the Fourth Corps is in charge of handling information?
'It makes sense why she's so interested in it.'
It must be due to the nature of her assigned responsibilities.
The Fourth Corps, which includes Edellia, is in charge of information processing. Of course, the Second Corps is the one that primarily collects information, while the Fourth Corps filters and sorts it, but that doesn't mean they don't collect any information at all.
Therefore…
'Right now, the Fourth Corps Commander is the most dangerous one for me.'
This is a random conclusion that came to my mind, but it's not wrong.
I am the only human in the Demon King's castle. Of course, most of the people would dislike me.
I don't know when or where Edellia might find out my weaknesses and sell them.
The reality that suddenly hit me made my mind buzz. I quickly regained my composure and firmly prepared myself, before looking in towards her.
As if she had been looking this way, and Edellia met my gaze with a smile and said,
"There are rumors that it's because of the gardener…"
"…."
"If the reason you kept him alive was because you didn't want to dirty your own hands, then I'm willing to do it for you."
"…It's alright."
As a demon, their first thought when something goes wrong is to kill the cause of the problem. I wonder if these people have any mercy at all…
I paused for a moment, thinking about what she said.
Thinking of it in another way, doesn't that mean there will be no mercy for me as well?
'No way, that's dangerous.'
My future is in danger.
I'm already walking on thin ice, and realizing this fact made a cold sweat run down my back.
My hand gripping the fork tensed. No matter how hard I try to relax, the veins on the back of my hand stick out.
I felt them slightly flinching on the side, but that's not important now. I must instill the idea of 'mercy' in the minds of the people here in Demon King's castle, for my own future.
With that determination, I lifted my head and looked at Edellia. Her eyes were trembling, unlike before.
Did she bite her tongue or chew something wrong? Looking closely, it seems like her hands were shaking too. Watching her like this makes me feel a little uncomfortable, but I must still say what I have to say for my future.
"It wasn't a big deal to begin with. It's not worth killing someone over."
"Yes, yes…"
"Do you get it? It's not worth killing someone over."
"Yes, I'm sorry."
"What are you apologizing for, Edellia? Just think twice before saying you're going to kill someone. Did the other person really do something wrong worthy of death?"
Oh, I almost forgot the most important thing.
"And sometimes, showing mercy isn't a bad thing."
"Yes, I will definitely keep it in mind. I'm really sorry."
I don't know why she keeps saying sorry, but for now, this isn't bad.
If we slowly build a good relationship, even if I make a mistake someday, she will forgive me at least once.
The problem is the silence that followed after Edellia closed her mouth. Looking at the expressions of the other Corps Commanders, who looked at me with sullen and stiff expressions, as if I had scolded Edellia too much. Come to think of it, Edellia, who did nothing wrong, even apologized several times.
Only then did I realize that I had become trash in the eyes of everyone.
"..."
"..."
The silence got longer, and as time passed, my expression gradually lost control and became stiff.
The expressions on the faces of the Corps Commanders became even worse, which was a natural course of events. So how could a human dare to remain expressionless in front of them.
While contemplating how to resolve the situation that was getting worse and worse, I realized that this silence was not only uncomfortable for me. Edellia, who was exchanging glances with the other Corps Commanders and frantically thinking about something, looked at me and opened her mouth with a smile.
"…Sir Demon."
Oh, that's right!
The awkward atmosphere loosened. I faced Edellia with a warm feeling, ready to listen to anything.
Alright, tell me anything. I'll listen to anything you have to say this time…
"I heard you're going to take a look at your Corps."
I'll listen…
"Oh, I also had something to say related to that."
Dammit.
In short, I was thinking of running away, or rather, quietly pushing back my chair to avoid the situation.
Certainly, there was a time when I said I would go take a look at the Corps.
A for when that happened… It was probably when the Demon King came to see me after I said I wanted to drink alcohol.
[Anyway, no alcohol for you. IDo you want to overturn the Demon King's castle? If you're bored, why don't you take a look at your Corps or the garden? I heard that Hien got some new flowers.]
[I will go take a look at the Corps.]
I'd rather deal with the corps members than that scary gardener.
It's unfair. I chose the corps member because I didn't want to face the gardener, but I still had to meet Hien on my way to the corps members.
Even worse, I can't back out of what I said in front of the demon king.
"Sir Demon… Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
Did my expression seem strange? Fortunately, it looks like no one paid much attention to the fact that I pushed my chair back. If I just wait for the right timing and run away…
'…I can't.'
When I thought about it, I was completely surrounded.
Edellia is on my left, Asild on my right, and in front of me is Jaykar. All of them are Corps Commanders. If I try to run away, I'll be caught immediately.
I had to give up.
As I released the tension I had been holding in my body, Asild, who didn't know that I had just been trying to run away, slowly began to speak while looking into my eyes.
"I've heard that you must wield a sword when inspecting the corps."
I've heard of it as well, but I haven't wielded it. Moreover, it's not even a real sword, it's a wooden sword.
That wooden sword, it was so heavy that my arms trembled. Honestly, I can't even dream of wielding a regular iron sword, I can barely hold a wooden sword with my physical strength.
But why?
"After inspecting your corps members, may I request a sparring match with you?"
"…."
I barely stopped the hand that was reaching for my ears.
I must have been too relaxed lately. I've been hearing all kinds of nonsense.
My effort to deny reality was shattered by Jaykar's words.
"That's a good idea. May I observe the spar?"
Apparently, my expression that said if there's something uncomfortable, just say it, didn't show.
You asked me to tell you if there was anything bothering me, but I guess you can't see my face begging for help.
This was a ridiculous match in the first place. The difference in our physical strength is already so great, what kind of spar is this? It's clear just by looking at Asild's hands. Even if he hits me with his hands instead of a sword, my neck would surely snap.
"…That."
I couldn't just keep silent, so I squeezed out my voice.
All eyes focused on me immediately, as if they had been waiting.
Feeling overwhelmed under their intense gazes, I desperately turned my head trying to find a suitable excuse.
—I tried to find it.
"…That's a bit troublesome."
In the end, I failed.
I slowly lowered my head.
Is this the end for me? Without a valid reason, they will keep pressuring me. Then my abilities will be exposed and I'll have to pay the price for tricking them.
No, I don't think I'll have to worry about that after I get caught. My abilities will be revealed as I die.
I saw the cold food on the table that I hadn't even touched. Before I die, I should have eaten my fill of warm food.
While I waited for a response like a criminal for a death sentence, Aisled's reaction was surprisingly calm.
He paused for a moment before slowly nodding his head and spoke.
"Hmm, indeed. That's right."
"…?"
"Sir Demon tends to reveal his sharpness more in actual battles rather than in sparring. It must be troublesome for you, since I might accidentally die during the sparring."
"?"
"I apologize. I was rude."
"No, it's okay…"
Is… is it done?
It seemed like I heard some ominous words, but in any case, I avoided having to spar, so I suppose it's alright.
"In the future, when I've become skilled enough not to die easily, I'll ask you again."
On second thought, it doesn't seem like it was resolved at all.
This is a big problem.
"I won't keep you waiting for too long."
"…."
"But may I still accompany you today to observe?"
I heard a declaration of war from the Third Corps Commander.