Peerage-holding, high-ranking Demon. It's the term that refers to a very
small percentage of beings in the Demon Realm, but unlike peerageholding nobles of the Human Realm, they didn't particularly need to
have territories or belong to a specific country.
In fact, the term "peerage-holding, high-ranking Demon" was created by
the "Phantasmal King, No Face" and it had spread out around the Demon
Realm.
In the Demon Realm back then, there were only two broad categories of
Demons: Ordinary Demons and High-ranking Demons who possessed a
certain level of power.
Thinking that such a system was inconvenient in managing the
information of the Demon Realm, No Face created the "peerages" for
those who had superior power among the high-ranking Demons, and
quickly spread it throughout the Demon Realm with her overwhelming
intelligence department.
Only No Face and a few of her confidants knew of the criteria for judging
high-ranking Demons. They were appointed by the Phantasmal King
Corps.
However, for No Face, this naming was just for administrative purposes
and to make it easier for them to classify, so there is no appointment
ceremony or any sort of award.
For those who have been judged by No Face and some of her confidants
to "have power above the set standard", the Phantasmal King's
subordinates would suddenly appear before them and simply orally tell
them that they have been judged to have this given peerage.
However, their peerage rank had become a proof of great power in the
kraterocratic Demon Realm, and had become a kind of status.
(T/N: kraterocratic/might-makes-right government)
It is even said that becoming a high-ranking Demon will change your
world. Even if you don't try to gather them, Demons wanting to be your
subordinate will gather around you, and wealth and fame will start
coming your way.
Therefore, every Demon dreams to receive the title of being a peerageholding, high-ranking Demon one day. However, those people that can
obtain that title within the vast number of races that the Demon Realm
had… Only a handful of them really exist.
The Viscount-level, high-ranking Demon, Caraway, was also one of the
chosen few.
She was born in a race that wasn't naturally very powerful, but she was
born with a talent that was unparalleled in the history of her species.
As she grew older, her skills rapidly improved, and eventually, she
became the first of her kind to receive a peerage. At that moment, her
race extolled her as a "hero", and gave her unreserved praise.
(T/N: Hero here is "eiyuu", just like how Laguna is called hero/eiyuu.)
For Caraway, being called the hero of her race was a source of pride, and
it became a guiding principle that inspired her to live up to that title.
But at the same time, being a peerage-holder brought her pleasures as
sweet as honey. Many demons wanted to become her subordinates and
wealth gathered in her hands.
As she rose from the baron to viscount, the sweet nectar she received
increased even more, and she relished in the peak of happiness.
She was indeed a genius… but her natural talents… could only get her
that far.
There is a barrier between Viscount and Count that only an even smaller
number of "monsters" among geniuses could cross, and Caraway could
not cross that barrier.
Perhaps, she should have just given up there. If only she knew her place
and had been satisfied with where she was… She would never have lost
sight of her initial resolution.
However, once she tasted the supreme nectar, her heart yearned for
more. She began to think about how much happiness awaited her once
she reached Count-level.
She wasn't thinking about standing at the top of the Demon Realm. She
knew that even if she spent her whole life training her abilities to get
stronger, she would never be able to reach even the tip of any of the Six
Kings' strength. She just wanted to be as close to it as possible… ascend
to the highest place that she could.
What was most ironic was that she was only 'slightly out of reach' from
Count-rank… which, on the other hand, also meant that if she could get
the factor to move one step forward, she might have been able to reach
the Count-rank.
That's why, she reached out her hand… to him who isn't from this world,
the person who would help her make great strides… filled with selfish
desires, she reached out her hand… and she failed.
However, she was "glad that she failed"…Because she had failed, she was
still able to keep her life.
If she had succeeded in kidnapping Kaito, she would have been
immediately beheaded by No Face for causing chaos in the world.
Her vision was so narrowed at that time that she couldn't even notice
such things.
…Building things up is difficult, but losing it could only take an instant.
Caraway lost everything in that one incident. She was warned by the Six
Kings and her reputation within the Six Kings was severely diminished.
In a way, it feels as if her sentence was just suspended for later… and the
loyalty of her subordinates wasn't high enough for them to want to
follow her.
She didn't blame them for that. If the situation was reversed, she would
have done the same. That's how absolute of an existence the Six Kings
were.
All of her subordinates left her, and even her own race began to look at
her negatively. From the hero of her race… She became the disgrace of
her race… The speed at which everything rolled down was so fast that
she couldn't help but laugh.
At that moment… When she was finally free of her burning desires, she
wept profusely, regretting her actions.
Where was the hero of her own people, the one who had worked so hard
as to not shame that title? When did she become such an unsightly fool…
However, regret would not erase the mistakes of the past. She had fallen
so far that there was no hope of a second chance, and Caraway herself
accepted it.
Since the Six Kings had pardoned her, albeit with a warning, no one was
criticizing her on the surface, but the sneers and scornful looks never
disappeared.
It was agonizing… painful… Unlike the Demon Lord Vier, she didn't have
the strength to carry all her sins and to still keep walking through life.
Over and over again, she shed tears of regret for her past and for what
she had lost.
It was so painful that she wanted to run away, but she couldn't forgive
herself for not doing anything to make amends.
At least not until she said a few words of apology… even if the victim,
Kaito, doesn't forgive her.
She heard the rumor about the Six Kings Festival, and was allowed to
help with it on the condition that she wouldn't be allowed to participate
in the main festival. After pleading with them, she was also given the
opportunity to apologize to Kaito, and with the invitation in hand, she
came to visit where he lived.
The Six King's Festival was drawing near, and Caraway was cleaning up
the grounds where the event would take place. Not being a subordinate
of the Six Kings, she was not given any important work to do, only
random chores, but she continued to do them without a single
complaint.
She was a celebrity in the Demon Realm, but what she had was mostly
infamy, and she couldn't help but notice the strange gazes that fell on
her.
Some of them used to be her subordinates, but now that they're
following another Demon, the way they looked at her was very cold…
As she continues to work in this suffocating atmosphere, a shadow
suddenly appears in front of her eyes.
[…Stop for a moment. Phantasmal King-sama has a message for you.]
[P- Pandora-sama!? A- A message from Phantasmal King-sama… Y- Yes…
W- What is it?]
The one who appeared before her is Phantasmal King, Pandora, who was
known as the strongest among the Counts. When Caraway heard her
words, her back straightened as she fearfully looked at her.
A messenger from the Six Kings came to visit her… It didn't seem like
she's going to talk about something simple. Could it be that she has done
something wrong again? The other Demons seemed to think so as well,
and they looked at Caraway with gazes mixed with contempt.
But the words that came out of Pandora's mouth were something that no
one in that area expected.
[You… are to guide Miyama-sama, who will come visit tomorrow. You
can stop cleaning now, but make sure that you thoroughly ascertain the
path you will be going to tomorrow.]
[…Huh? Eh?]
What she said was something really unfitting. It was a known fact to
many Demons that Kaito was someone important to the Six Kings.
As for guiding him… Putting aside if it was left to one of the Six Kings
subordinate, it's hard to believe that this task is entrusted to Caraway,
someone treated as a sinner.
[P- Please wait! W- Why is this… being entrusted to me…]
[You were nominated by Miyama-sama himself. You don't have the right
to refuse, so just respectfully accept it.]
[…Eh? M- Miyama-sama… appointed… me… Why?]
It's true that Kaito told her that he forgave Caraway when she
apologized at Lilia's mansion before. However, this was only because
Kaito was kind, and that didn't mean that all grudges disappeared.
For Caraway, being personally appointed by Kaito was like a bolt out
from the blue.
However, the shocking development continued.
[Ahh, you're also to receive this…]
[Wha!? T- This is… the badge of companionship? W- Why…]
[Miyama-sama appointed you as his companion. Make sure you thank
him.]
[…Why…]
Caraway couldn't understand Kaito's actions at all. Why is it that he has
no resentment towards her…
[…I will now convey Miyama-sama's message.]
[…Y- Yes!]
["I'm sorry for suddenly asking you to guide us. Also, I'm sorry for
making you my companion without asking you first and only telling you
after you had already become one. I know it may be brazen of me, but as
a "friend", I would be happy if Caraway-san could enjoy the Six Kings
Festival as well. If it's not too much trouble, please accept it."…End of
message.]
[…Ahh… aaaa…]
[Well then, I will tell you the time they will arrive later. Make sure you're
not late.]
[Y- Yes…]
After Pandora told her just what she needed to know before leaving her
alone, Caraway's shoulders shook. With tears shedding from her eyes,
she carefully wrapped the badge within her hands.
[…Calling this foolish me… as your friend… Ahhh… Why did I… do that to
such a noble person… It couldn't be helped if even I get embarrassed of
myself… Thank you very much… Miyama-sama… Thank you…]
With large drops of tears in her eyes, Caraway expressed her gratitude
to Kaito who isn't here.
At that moment, she hadn't realized it yet. That Kaito's message that day
was the salvation that would change her current situation…
Yes, as long as Kaito called Caraway his "friend", she would be
recognized as such.
If anyone were to speak ill of her… of "Kaito's friend… That would be an
act equivalent to suicide. Kaito's single word became the shield that
protected her from the unpleasant gazes.
However, it goes without saying… Kaito himself hadn't thought about it,
and he just asked Pandora to give her that message in a very normal
way.
After she realized the influence of Kaito's words, Caraway
misunderstood that Kaito did this to protect her. She was so moved that
she shed tears to the point that she couldn't cry anymore, secretly
pledging her loyalty to Kaito in her heart… that would be a story for
another time.