Today, once again, the Demon Lord I was charged with observing was at peace.
Even though the morning sun had risen, the bed remained stuffed with the thick lump that was Leigie, and he isn't moving in the slightest. At this point, I'm even beginning to question whether he's still alive.
Ever since the Great Demon King gave me some words of encouragement, I've been carefully watching him, but no matter how you look at it, this Demon Lord is just way too much of a Sloth.
There are times when a Wrath like me isn't angry, but Leigie-sama has never slacked on his duty.
Is that supposed to be the difference between a normal Demon and a Demon Lord? No, that's probably wrong. According to the others of the Order of Black sent to watch Demon Lords, they're just a bit further out than normal Demons, and it seems that they've never run into any others stoically continuing to pursue their own attributes as much as Leigie. Really, he should just drop dead.
In an irritated state, I started writing in my Demon Lord Observation Diary.
I unintentionally opened my eyes wide. This is surprising. This is quite severe.
There… isn't a single thing to report.
He doesn't train his skills, and without any training, I doubt he'll go step into a battle. He doesn't establish communication with his retainers, and he doesn't participate in the war councils. Everything revolves around the people working outside of his watch. I am here witnessing the perfected form of a single type of monarchy. But it's definitely something different from the phrase『The King Reigns, but Does not Govern』.
(Note: This is apparently a line from the political doctrine of the Commonwealth of the Two Nations)
No, it's just that he isn't thinking about anything at all.
Are you even conscious of what your role in all this is, De~ Mon~ Lord~ Sa~ Ma~?
How does this army hold itself together? No, seriously.
It was just too pitiful that my stress is building up, and that gets converted to anger. As a result, for me who had never really had too much to anger me in life, My Wrath Skill Tree experienced sudden extreme growth. I'm not happy about it at all.
I sat irritated in my usual chair as I glared scornfully at the bed.
Even when I'm releasing this much bloodlust, why is it that he isn't waking in the slightest…!?
And while that was happening, the clock hit a certain time, and the source of all evil appeared cart-in-hand.
She opened the door without making a single sound, and quietly entered with elegant bearing. In a soft voice, she alerted him of that time.
It was the closest connection Leigie's army had to their Demon Lord. It was…
"…Leigie-sama, it's time for your meal…"
The maid.
She wore dated office worker clothing, and was a prim and proper beautiful Demon. I don't know her Attribute, but she doesn't look suited for battle, so I guess she might not have one.
In the categorization system decided by the Human Race, the category of Demons known as Wraiths, has many born with nothing but the innate instinct to cause harm to others, but occasionally, a Demon without such desires is born of them.
In that case, what comes out is a Demon that doesn't reign over any Original Sin. There are also child Demons whose spirits are too immature for them to embrace any cravings, but for them to continue to grow up in that state is rare. I've heard that it can happen, though.
If that girl actually embraced some sin, then there's no way she would be this devoted to Leigie-sama. Because this Demon Lord is trash.
Her name is Lorna. She doesn't have a last. Since I was dispatched here, she's the one I've had to interact with the most.
Her wide pretty blue eyes, and the golden hair that was evenly cut at her shoulders were her most notable characteristics. She's probably my age, if not a little younger.
At the same time, she's the source of all of this. Because this girl spoils that Demon Lord in every sense of the term, Leigie-sama will never work no matter how much time passes.
I've protested time and again, but there are no signs of her stopping her work. For a girl like this to be wasted on a demon that does not but covet indolence, 'tis the end of the world. If it turned out that this girl was actually the one pulling all the strings, I don't think I would actually be surprised.
I honestly think this world would be a better place without her. But she doesn't die. There's no worry of her falling in battle. Because she doesn't go out in the battles.
On Lorna's whisper of food, the Demon Lord's head slowly began to project out of the covers. His eyes are half-closed, and he's still lying face-down. This is the only time of day I can regularly see that man's deplorable face. Even though he's unarmed, if you launch an attack, Leigie-sama doesn't take a single point of damage. I know because I've tried it a few times.
Just what sort of Skills does Sloth have?
Within all the Skill Trees held by the Demon Class, the one with the least information about it known is without a doubt the Sloth Skill Tree.
Demons of Sloth don't usually use skills by choice. If you ask why, it's precisely because they are Sloth. And so, a majority of Sloth's skills aren't widely known. Of course, among them, there isn't anyone diligent enough to painstakingly record down their skills either. It's no real mystery why it's a mystery. Don't. Screw. With. Me!
Just what thoughts are going through their heads as they continue to pursue that laziness?
Just what are they trying to do by cultivating a set of skills that they'll never use?
Every time I think about that, it feels like I'm observing some sort of foreign animal. And I feel my entire body get engulfed by a feeling of weakness. Just die already.
The scarce information that's been passed around denotes that Sloth skills excel in endurance, and that they have skills that allow them to slow down others' movements. There's also the Slaughter Dolls Leigie-sama is so known for: a skill for giving life to dolls. But that's about it.
That may be all, but I also think that's more than enough information in a sense. I mean, it's not like that lump over there's going to use a skill anyways.
With his eyes closed, Leigie-sama opened his mouth.
Lorna accepted that action with a beaming smile, scooped up some food with a spoon, and inserted it in his mouth. It was like watching a mother bird feed its young.
One surprising thing was that this Demon Lord didn't even lift a finger to eat!
Just quit it already! Like Hell this thing is a Demon Lord! Apologize to all those Demons diligently working out there!
Even if you're successfully fulfilling your cravings, APOLOGIZE TO ALL THOSE DEMONS WHO COULDN'T BECOME LORDS!
I grit my teeth, and screamed only within my heart. My mental sanity was in danger. In various ways.
And Lorna, you need to stop too!
It's that. The more I learn of his slovenly lifestyle, my evaluation of Leigie, as well as those of the other Demons who couldn't become Demon Lords, even though this thing somehow accomplished it is dropping. I'm included. And that makes me pissed off all the more.
As I stood up by reflex, Lorna turns her eyes to me.
As I sigh, she gently sets the spoon on the plate, and puts her hand on her hip, as if worn out.
"Day, by day, by day. Just what is it that you're so dissatisfied with?"
With that gesture, I heard something snap somewhere in my head.
Leigie yawned.
"What? Me, dissatisfied? There should be a limit to making fun of me!!"
Just because he's a Demon Lord, he's underestimating me…
I lose my rationality for a moment, and my Wrath blazes up. It rushes around my body along with my blood.
Just how much must I bear with? Why must I live like this… If Kanon-sama won't dispose of him, then I'll settle this in her place…
However, even when I've reached a stage like this… he won't pay me any mind.
With his eyes still closed, he sways his head back and forth. I'm getting a sudden impulse to go kick that head like a soccer ball.
Dammit… I've already tried that one long ago. It didn't give him a single scratch.
Then to give him a scratch, all that's left is my『Ira』 Skills.
I take deep breaths, and try to manage the violent emotions running about my head.
It creates too much of an opening, so I can't use it in battle, but let's take some sweet time, and gather up power.
With my rage as the fuel, I'll obliterate my enemy. That is the basis of『Ira』 skills.
"Looking down on me… in Kanon-sama's place… I'll beat you to death…"
The『Ira』 skill I have with the highest output.
Fire born from a Demon's heart, my Soul Core, well up from my feet, and rise into the heavens as a pillar of flames.
On the Skill Tree, it's an upper class skill ranked S. Of the skills I can use, it's the most powerful.
『Rage Flame』
Lorna winced as she was buffeted with the high temperature with that came as a side effect.
The blast sends the tableware flying, and it crashes into the wall before shattering into small pieces.
While it may just be an aftereffect, it's a heat beyond what a normal Demon can stand. The skin on Lorna's arms instantly begins to burn, and the room is filled with the unpleasant scent of roasting meat. She scowls, steps back, and covers her skin, but this isn't a heat that can be avoided by something of that extent.
"… Lorna, move. It's not my problem if you're caught up in this."
"… It's useless. With『Wrath』 of that level… you won't be able to breach Leigie-sama's『Sloth』."
… Looking down on me.
I suppress the feeling of the flames burning myself, and raise it to a heat I'd never attained before. The barrier protecting the ceiling shatters, and the stone above melts before dripping to the floor.
Words are taken as fuel, and the inside of my head gets redder and redder. The flame wrapped around my arms change to a shade of crimson mixed with black.
The cuff of Lorna's clothes ignite, and the flame starts to spread.
But without even trying to put it out, she continued to pat Leigie's head. He hadn't even opened his eyes. Her mouth approached his ear.
And she voiced some unbelievable words.
"Leigie-sama… I have a younger sister. If I'm ever to dissapear, it's set that she will be the one to take care you you in my place."
"I see."
Lorna doesn't seem to be giving any care to her own life.
And the Lord of Sloth doesn't have a hint of interest towards that fact. Leigie doesn't even open his eyes… He doesn't even look at Lorna's face.
"Idiotic… you plan to die here?"
"Ku… I do not have anything to block what you've over there, Lize. No matter what I do, it will kill me in the end. That is all."
While withstanding the pain, her words came out in a level tone, adding more fuel to my flames of wrath.
The flame spreads up the fabric, and the king sized bed is engulfed in it. Lorna doesn't try to cover herself. With her body alight, she continues to gaze at the closed-eyed Leigie.
The flames were my anger in itself. Their nature was different than simple physical fire. They had powers fitting for them to be called flames of hell, the ability to turn all matter to ash. In this wide world, they're perhaps what has the greatest destructive capability. They even surpass the magic fire used by the Spirit Race.
Information about the target of my flames enters my head.
Lorna's body constructed of Soul only has a slight fire resistance from the basic Demon Tree. She's easily burned through as she becomes food for the flames.
The reason she's still alive is that this is only a secondary effect with not even a fraction of the skill's power.
If I released the skill, then even if I didn't aim for her, she would easily…even easier than a scrap of paper, her soul and all else would turn to ash.
"Ask your lord to save you."
"You're making… a mistake. Lize Bloodcross."
Her entire body burns away bit by bit, and her head dressed in charcoal made me find it amazing she was still alive. With those burnt eye sockets, she looked at me.
What was in her eyes was nothingness. Her entire body disappearing, she lets out not a single scream of pain, as if she were merely waiting to greet an inevitable demise. It was more repulsing than anything I had ever seen before.
And like that, Lorna smiled.
"… Sloth is… without thinking anything… without creating anything… without saving anything… without letting your feelings be moved… just existing as you wish it."
"!?"
The all-important Leigie was, even with the flames of hell said to destroy any and everything surrounding him, not stirring at all.
Not a single hair on his head, or a single patch of skin was burned. Even though there's no sign of him using any sort of skill!
In front of his eyes… even when the loyal Demon who's served him faithfully up until now is burning!
Even when everything in his world is being reduced to cinders!
That fact made my mind leave me.
It felt like my head would split, that even burning everything in this world wasn't enough. That sort of anger penetrated my head. The heat of the flames increases even further.
At that moment, Leigie opened his eyes for the first time, and murmured.
For the first time, his eyes turn towards me. His expression seems troubled.
"… It's hot."
What the hell is he saying… this one…
I can see that his face is stiff. Words I cannot understand. A way of life I cannot understand.
Without an iota of hesitation, I activated the skill.
"… Go to hell! Leigie!"
"… I see."
With an unpleasant expression, Leigie sighed.
He turned the palm of his hand to me… in the face of the black flames, he said a single word.
"Iyo."
That was the first moment I had understood that the Demon Lord had activated a skill. Even without saying the Skill name.
Right before it hit him, with a speed much faster than my own skill.
What was supposed to protect my soul, the Mental Pollution Resistance skill was instantly breached without being able to offer any resistance in the slightest. My instincts told me.
The impact was great enough to shake my Soul Core. My Field of vision was in chaos, and my thoughts went all over the place.
The heat inside of my head was instantly cut off.
As if those feelings had been a lie, a hole was pierced through my heart. What should have been there was the mental hell of Wrath, but the driving force that was my anger turned off, and died out. The flames that had been raging in the surroundings, the flames that had been burning Lorna, as if any and everything had been a dream.
"What… did you…"
I look at my palm, from which the black flame had disappeared.
I should… have been angry. I definitely had been embracing anger and hatred great enough to burn everything to the ground.
My memory still remains. Until a few seconds ago, I should have been in a rage, but… now I don't really care.
The disparity between my emotions and my memory become a cold wind, sending shivers down my spine. Something must have happened to create the empty gap within my mind.
My knees give out on me, and I kneeled on the ground that had rapidly cooled after losing its heat.
I don't understand. I don't understand anything. I don't understand my emotions of anger. How. Why was I angry? How did I get so angry? My memory won't provide me with those answers.
Without paying any mind to my worries, within the ashes, and with a troubled expression, in his tattered bedding, Leigie rolled over.
There is only one theory that could possibly explain this abnormal situation.
… This is… a Skill of Sloth.
Lying on his back, Leigie's eyes turned in my direction.
"…"
But without saying anything, he closed them.
His impudent behavior lit another spark within me.
Say something already…