Adventurer.
Otherwise known as mercenaries, they are hired to handle various large and small issues around the country, and in some cases, they even get paid to join wars.
‘How did this happen?’
Among them, the primary source of income for adventurers lies in monster extermination, and even in this town situated in the Demon Realm, the guild has often commissioned monster extermination requests.
This town is safe from monsters and demons due to an ancient warrior’s monument left behind here, but that safety applies only within the town.
Outside, it’s a different story.
Thus, they placed an extermination request after discovering a nest of a dangerous monster this time as well…
“There’s no trace of magic. At least this isn’t the work of a mage.”
“Someone who’s not a mage did this to the monster?”
“For now, yes.”
By the time they arrived, the monster’s nest they were tasked with exterminating had already been completely destroyed.
Of course, monsters also fight among themselves for territory, and demons in the Demon Realm sometimes directly handle troublesome monsters.
However, this wasn’t one of those cases.
“Could a new high-ranking demon have appeared?”
“It’s too early to conclude. If it were a demon, there should be traces of demonic energy left, but there’s none of that here.”
Neither magic nor any sign of another demon or monster could be found, leaving the adventurers, who came to exterminate the monster, in confusion.
While the Demon Realm is the land of demons, it’s not entirely unknown.
Skilled adventurers have explored the Demon Realm before, identifying what kinds of monsters inhabit it, and nearly all high-ranking demons are known.
This only raised more questions.
Twenty-one adventurers, a mix of veterans and seasoned mid-rankers.
The guild master had judged that they would need to work together to exterminate the targeted monster, so each of them was fully prepared when they set foot in the Demon Realm.
But the monster they came to exterminate was already dead—what an absurd situation.
Moreover, this implied that there might be something in the Demon Realm, an unidentified presence unknown to humankind.
***
“Something capable of killing a monster as dangerous as a high-ranking demon, without even using magic.”
“Maybe the demons have created a new creature…”
The war with the demons was ongoing.
Therefore, the adventurers felt they needed to investigate who or what had taken care of the monster they were supposed to eliminate.
“I heard there’s a village nearby. Since they were the ones who placed the extermination request, let’s see if the villagers know anything.”
I listened intently to the conversation coming from the village.
The distance was considerable, but thanks to my excellent hearing since childhood, I could eavesdrop even from this far away.
Though I felt like dragging those damn adventurers to my domain and sealing them up, that village is the only place in the Demon Realm where I can purchase food edible for humans.
I didn’t want to bring harm to that village if possible.
“Understood. Recently, you haven’t seen any unfamiliar monsters?”
“No sign of demons passing nearby either? Alright. If you do spot any demons, please report it to the guild immediately.”
“The monster we were tasked with exterminating has been dealt with. You can travel safely now.”
From what I gathered, it seemed the matter had nothing to do with us for once.
The adventurers were asking the villagers about any recent activities of demons or monsters, but there was no mention of Arsep’s domain or anything beyond that.
“My dear, it might be best if you head back. It seems they intend to search for my castle again.”
“That’s not the case. From what I’ve heard, they seem to have other business with the monsters or demons, not with you.”
“What? Are you saying you can hear that conversation all the way from here?”
“Yes, my hearing is quite good.”
“The village entrance must be at least a kilometer away, no?”
Anyway, from the conversation, it didn’t seem like something we needed to worry about.
“Then, shall we visit the village? It’d be a waste to turn back after coming this far.”
“But the adventurers are there. If they find out I’m a demon, they won’t just let us be.”
Indeed, if the adventurers realized Arsep was a demon, they wouldn’t leave her alone.
However, I had a rough plan in mind to deal with it.
Besides, going there once now was much less troublesome than making another trip here, so I decided we might as well go.
“Wait, my dear…?!”
“Flua, you can follow my lead, right?”
“Yes.”
I held Flua’s hand, and Arsep also took her hand as we confidently walked towards the village.
Since I was wearing a hat that adequately concealed my face when dealing with adventurers, there was little risk of being exposed.
Plus, our outfits were already carefully prepared.
“Perhaps you should have the villagers evacuate as well…”
“Oh, don’t worry. Our village is protected by the Hero’s Monument, so…hm? Oh, sir! Welcome!”
As we approached the village, a familiar guard and an adventurer I hadn’t seen before turned their attention toward us.
“Hello. Have you been well?”
“Who’s the child with you?”
“Explaining might take a while. I thought it’d be good to bring her to the village at least once, so here we are…”
I waved naturally in greeting.
The guard tilted his head, curious since I had brought not only Arsep but also Flua along.
“Demon?”
The adventurer regarded us with suspicion.
All three of us were wearing hats with horns attached, so naturally, an adventurer would be wary.
“Haha, this adventurer thinks just like me. Sir, could you please show them by removing your hat?”
“It happens. These aren’t real horns, though. I just picked up any horn I found lying around and attached it to the hat. Wearing it like this makes other demons and monsters think I’m a low-ranking demon and generally leave me alone.”
“Is that so…”
So, I took off my hat to show my human face.
The adventurer approached to confirm I was human, though he still harbored some doubts.
Even though I showed my face, Arsep and Flua kept their hats on.
“Could the others also remove their hats?”
“Uh, that’s a bit difficult…”
“Why would that be? Are those real demon horns attached to the hat?”
“I’m sorry. My child is very shy…”
I lifted Flua into my arms, drawing the adventurer’s attention away from Arsep and onto myself.
The adventurer focused solely on Flua, whom I was holding, rather than paying any attention to Arsep.
If he had tried to remove Arsep’s hat, I would’ve simply knocked everyone here unconscious and walked by.
Luckily, he showed interest in the bait I set.
“Adventurer, this young man lives a bit outside the village and has been coming here to buy food for some time. I understand your concerns, but wouldn’t it be better to let him go?”
“With the current state of things, we need to check carefully. There’s always a chance that an underling of the Demon King’s army could be disguising themselves to infiltrate the village.”
I had developed quite a rapport with the village guard.
After all, working in the same line of business led to some shared understanding.
I also brought him gifts of wine from the castle occasionally, so he would kindly tell me various things about the Demon Realm or the village.
Connections are useful in any world.
I had vaguely explained my relationship with Arsep as a married couple, though, of course, he didn’t know that.
“If you’d just remove your hat, I’ll let you go.”
“…I’m sorry. I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”
I lowered my head politely, refusing the request to remove Flua’s hat.
The adventurer might…
“Why won’t you simply remove your hat? Are you one of the demon’s subordinates—?”
Like this, he’d forcibly try to remove Flua’s hat.
“…What?”
The adventurer had assumed, of course, that we were demons and had even drawn his weapon.
But as soon as he removed Flua’s hat and saw her, he was visibly shocked.
Flua recoiled in fear, making him even more flustered.
“An elf…? No, wait—could it be…?”
Arsep had confirmed through his magic that Flua was a dark elf.
But not everyone could detect that; only other elves who understood the specific nature of dark elf magic could do so.
Come to think of it, the bakery owner who’d driven Flua out in the city had also been an elf.
But this adventurer was just a human.
Without seeing her face directly, it would be difficult for him to realize Flua was a dark elf.
“A dark elf? A dark elf with white skin?”
The guard seemed to have figured out Flua’s identity.
“Yes, actually, this child is a dark elf. My wife and I took her in when she lost her parents and was wandering alone. At first, we kept her at home, but she wanted to see the village, so I brought her. I had intended to explain this, but…”
“A dark elf? And with white skin…?”
The adventurer looked utterly bewildered by the unexpected revelation.
“Come to think of it, I always wondered why you and your wife lived in the Demon Realm…”
“Yes, since our child is a dark elf, I’m mindful of how others look at her. I believe the rumor about dark elves being cursed is nonsense, but I’d rather not trouble others unnecessarily.”
“I see… So you’re living here in this harsh Demon Realm for the sake of the child. That’s quite a story.”
And since she’s a white-skinned dark elf, it seems her own kin don’t accept her either.
The guard wiped his eyes with a handkerchief, moved by the story without a hint of deceit.
Since he, too, mentioned having a young child recently, it seemed he could relate on a personal level.
“Still, there’s one more thing to check. Ma’am, would you mind removing your hat?”
The adventurer still tried to confirm Arsep’s identity, so I hugged Flua tightly, giving a discreet signal.
“…Daddy, are we not allowed inside because of me?”
“No, it’s not that you’re not allowed in. It’s just your mother…”
Flua then began to cry softly, her voice trembling—a perfect act without prior rehearsal.
She must have realized what I was aiming for based on the story we’d shared and was responding accordingly.
“It’s okay, don’t cry. I’ll make something delicious for you at home.”
Impressed by Flua’s quick thinking, I gently soothed her as one would comfort a crying child.
“Please, if only the madam would remove her hat…”
The only thing left was…
“I’m sorry, Daddy… Because of me, we’re getting kicked out of the village again…”
—Flua’s final blow.
“You there!!!”
The adventurer’s conscience was pricked by the sorrowful tears and voice of a young child, enough to stir the emotions of any parent.
“Yes, sir?!”
At the guard’s shout, the adventurer unconsciously stood at attention.
It seemed he was well-trained in such matters.
“What kind of trouble are you causing in our village?! Who are you to order our guests to remove their hats? Do you think this is your village?!”
“No, it’s just that—”
“The guard of this village is me, not you! Deciding who to admit is my business! I showed you leniency as a traveler from afar, and you repay me by causing this trouble?!”
For the next ten minutes, the adventurer at the village entrance endured the guard’s scolding.
“What’s going on?”
“Why is the guard yelling at him?”
“Looks like he made that dark elf girl cry. But, wow, I’ve never seen a white-skinned dark elf before.”
Due to the guard’s loud voice, other adventurers in the village began gathering one by one.
“A dark elf? Did he discriminate against her? There’s a rumor that dark elves are cursed, but… She’s just a child.”
“Wow, even as an elf, I wouldn’t stoop that low.”
“No, I didn’t mean it like that…”
“Trash—ugh.”
“…Ah.”
And so, the adventurer ended up with the title of a merciless racist against even young children.
Though he felt wrongly accused to the point of tears, comparing the tears of a grown man to those of a pure ten-year-old girl didn’t leave much room for doubt about which would be more convincing.
Thanks to this, we were able to enter the village warmly welcomed by the adventurers.
Of course, all credit for this went to Flua.
Despite being only ten, not only did she fully understand my intentions, but she also displayed acting skills that could rival any professional.
“Well done, Flua. I’ll be sure to make you a delicious cake.”
“…Yes, I’ll look forward to it.”
As expected of a surviving dark elf, she’s truly something else.
It’s really quite impressive.
“My dear…”
“Yes, what is it?”
“So… I was your wife…?”
“Huh?”
So, what should I do about the self-proclaimed Great Demon King next to me, now blushing and flustered?
Did Arsep really take those words seriously?