Chapter 420 – The One Who Is Here…..
This was the second time I had told anyone about Tre’ainar.
And they would be the second and third people to know.
Having already explained Tre’ainar to Sadiz, it went fairly smoothly the second time around.
No one else can see him.
But Tre’ainar was definitely by my side.
The Great Demon King Tre’ainar, who once stood at the pinnacle of the demon race and fought against humanity—my Master, is truly here beside me.
“…… Huh… Hmm… Ugh, hmm …….”
“…………”
But, even if I suddenly gave them this explanation, there was no way that both Espie and Slayer would just go, “Oh, I see.”
But that doesn’t mean they thought I was joking or lying, like, “Huh? There’s no way, right?”.
They listened to my story with serious expressions, took it in, and then seemed genuinely confused.
“…… umm, so basically, around the time of the Imperial Tournament, the Great Demon King Treina was already by Brother’s side, and you were training under him …… That led to you using the Breakthrough and the Great Magic Spiral…… and then, after that, a lot of things were said. But then Brother ran away from home without telling the Hero Hiro and the others about Tre’ainar’s existence.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“…… so…… when Brother came to the past…… when you met us, and even now… the ghost of the Great Demon King Tre’ainar was there……”
“Yes. You guys can’t see him, but he’s right beside me.”
“Uh, huh…… right…… I see…… “
Slayer asked me to reaffirm my story, and then gave a deep sigh.
“…… The Brother we knew was quite different from the Brother from his time at the Imperial Academy…… I wondered what had happened in between…… and, although I didn’t know this, Espie said that the techniques Brother used were also used by the Great Demon King, so I wondered what that meant…… But then… you became a disciple to the ghost of the Great Demon King and learned from him……”
“…… you can’t believe it?”
“It’s shocking enough to be unbelievable…… but there’s no way Brother would lie to us…… so I know it’s genuinely true…… but I can’t just accept it easily, it doesn’t sink in right away… but, yeah… I understand it’s the truth… yeah. Yeah……”
Well, that makes sense. It’s not the kind of thing you can just accept lightly.
Moreover, they can’t see Tre’ainar.
“But, Brother! That means… when the people of the Empire are cursing you during the tournament, saying that you might be in league with the Demon King Army or whatever… wasn’t that actually already true?”
“…… N, no, well……”
“Moreover, Norja is crazy about you, Paripi is your lackey, and there’s something going on between you and Jamdi’el too…… not to mention, Hakuki said he’ll become your underling if he loses to you! It’s like you’re being steadily groomed to be the new Demon King!?”
“…… Ugh, ah, no… H, hearing it laid out like that is kinda painful……”
“Hah, seriously, Brother…… I mean, it’s not like the Great Demon King Tre’ainar manipulated things to turn out this way…… No, right?”
“No, no, no way! Besides, this guy was always really surprised every time!”
“…… Was he, really? Well, if Brother says so, I’ll believe you, but …….”
Then Slayer proceeded to rant at length, pointing out all the utterly questionable parts of my story up to now, before holding his head in his hands again.
But even so, Slayer said that there was no lie in my words, and after that……
“Hey, Brother.”
“Hmm?”
“You said you’d be with us from now on… and travel the world with us…”
“Yeah.”
“So, that journey…… won’t be just the three of us……”
“Yes, there are four of us.”
“…… I see……”
After confirming that, Slayer lifted his face.
I wonder what he was thinking.
These two must have thought that the three of us would be together from now on, but in reality, there are four of us.
And now that he knows one of us is Tre’ainar, I wonder how he feels about it.
“Yeah… well, but…….”
“Hmm?”
“No matter what happens, I will always be on your side. I’ve decided to continue believing in you… Yes. I believe what you say, and if you trust that person… yeah, I’ll accept them too.”
Still awkward, yet determined to accept it, Slayer gave a slight smile and nodded.
“So, you’re there, right? Great Demon King? Master? What should I call you?”
『Hmph… Call me however you please. We cannot converse anyway.』
“Hahaha, he says you can call him whatever you want.”
“…… I see? Well then, Mr. Tre’ainar? I look forward to working with you… is that okay?”
『Fufu, that will do.』
“Oh well, he says ♪.”
Although they said that, they didn’t exchange words or shake hands. The two of them couldn’t communicate without going through me.
But, Slayer accepted Tre’ainar, and Tre’ainar nodded back, not seeming entirely displeased.
And……
“…… Well, I’m fine with it… Espie. What about you?”
“…………”
Unlike Slayer, Espie had been sitting silently the whole time.
From that alone, I could tell what Espie was thinking.
“If you can’t accept it, you can just stay behind. The three of us – me, Brother, and Tre’ainar – will go on this adventure together.”
“Huh?! Hey, Slayer! What are you talking about?! I’m going too! I’m going!”
But Slayer was just teasing Espie.
As that, Espie finally got annoyed and spoke up.
“What…… you don’t have to force yourself.”
“I’m… not forcing myself……”
Espie looked over at us with a slightly sulky expression.
At me, and at Tre’ainar beside me. Even though she couldn’t see him, Espie was staring intently at the space next to me.
And……
“It’s not that I don’t believe you… but……”
Espie’s attitude was understandable.
Even I thought that maybe Espie wouldn’t be accepted so easily.
After all, Espie had fought against Tre’ainar as one of the Seven Heroes.
In other words……
“But I’m telling you now…… I won’t apologize to the Great Demon King Tre’ainar!!”
“Espie ……”
“Thank you for guiding Big brother… Because of that, I was able to meet him, so I’m grateful for that… but I won’t apologize to Tre’ainar! I can’t apologize!”
What those words meant was that she had slain Tre’ainar.
“That final battle…… I didn’t want to die…… I couldn’t let Hiro and Mamu die either…… I just fought desperately… so desperately!”
Yes, all seven of the Seven Heroes joined forces to defeat Tre’ainar.
It was Espie and the others who killed Tre’ainar.
And Espie said she would not apologize for that.
But that’s ……
『Child…… Tell Espie. Such a thing—』
“I don’t think Tre’ainar cares about that anymore.”
I told her Tre’ainar wasn’t that petty, that he wouldn’t care about something like that.
Under the starry sky, after slipping away from the feast at the elven settlement, I talked about it with Tre’ainar.
I relayed to Espie exactly what Tre’ainar had said back then.
“Well, if you say that, then what about me? I saved Espie from the Demon King Army when she was about to be killed, right?”
“…… Big brother……”
Yes, if Espie felt responsible, then what about me?
I saved Espie. And above all……
“If I hadn’t been there…… even Gouda …….”
“Ah……”
Espie realized this too and faltered.
That’s right. Above all else, I was the one who had the biggest impact.
But,
“But, back in the past, when I was worried about the impact my actions would have on the Demon King Army, Tre’ainar was shocked. And then he said this to me.”
Those words inspired and motivated me.
“Tre’ainar said…… ‘Don’t feel sorry for the Great Demon King. Listen to the words of your Master.’…….”
“Huh!?”
“Yes. The one who is here now… and the one who will continue to be with us from now on… isn’t the Great Demon King. It’s my Master.”
I repeated Tre’ainar’s words from back then to Espie.
Then Espie’s expression suddenly changed, her eyes glistening slightly.
“He’s not that petty… And the one here isn’t the Great Demon King, but Big brother’s Master… huh… yeah……”
Author’s Note
Thank you all for your continued support. I’m pleased to announce that the manga adaptation of another work I’ve published on Kakuyomu, “The Exiles’ Peerless Prowess” has begun serialization on Square Enix’s Manga UP today. Please take a look at these four incredibly cool guys in manga form!
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