Chapter 22 - Legacy(1)

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The next day, the talks continued as they had the day before, and it went smoothly.

In truth, the deal wasn't that complicated — I would provide the grains, and the demons would pay in corresponding goods.

However, since I did not yet know the exact amount of wheat that I could sell at the maximum, we agreed to set the transaction price per unit of weight for the time being and discuss the rest later.

The deal was carried out in the same way as the transactions between the empires, with two copies of the same document being prepared, and the seals of both sides were stamped in between to prevent counterfeiting, and each side took one copy.

I wondered what would be the use of for a deal with demons, even though they are not of the same race, but anyway, formality was a necessity everywhere.

"Well, I think it's been roughly sorted out. Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?" I inquired, securing the signed documents related to the deal and turned my gaze in the direction of Paine's shadow.

"Huhuhu, we've already talked about everything we need to talk about. As I mentioned earlier, for more details, you can discuss with our people when you return to the territory later."

Paine's shadow responded as it shimmered in front of the veil, with Isana standing beside it, taking on the role of drafting the contract in the absence of Paine in this place.

Earlier, when I saw Isana cut her own finger and covered it with blood, I was momentarily startled; she wiped off the blood on her thumb a few times as if it didn't matter, then took a thin cloth and wrapped it around her finger.

I guess the demons don't have a seal culture...?

"Is that person you mentioned Isana here?"

"Unfortunately, she has other duties. By the time you return from Falana, another person should be ready. I'll entrust my authority to that person, so you can proceed with the work together."

After hearing Paine, I felt somehow relieved. I only met Isana briefly yesterday and today, but I got the impression that she was a very aggressive and quick-tempered person.

Taking someone like her might lead to unforeseen situations. Hopefully, the person Paine prepared was more calm than her.

"What are you looking at?" Isana must have sensed my gaze on her and blurted out.

I feel like I'm going to fall into cognitive dissonance when I think of the courteous appearance when we first met and the insincereness that he treats me now.

I never imagined that such a violent personality was hidden in that beautiful appearance disguised as a human.

"Okay. By the way, when can we leave for the East Continent? I'd like to get back as soon as possible."

"Please don't worry too much, Edwin. At the latest, we will be ready to depart before noon."

On behalf of Isana, who was grumbling bluntly, Paine accepted my words.

"But are you really okay? The mana that permeates our land will be very difficult to withstand with the body of a Westerner. You said you were looking for something, right? If you tell us the location, we can search for it on your behalf."

"It's okay since I came with my own measures. It's not like I'm staying for a long time, just a day or two, so there's no problem. And the thing I'm looking for is probably hidden quite deep, so it's going to be difficult if I don't go there myself. I will accept the thought of your consideration."

"If you say that, I can't hold you back any longer. Please, I hope you return safely, Master Edwin."

Since I didn't give in, Paine seemed to have given up on further persuasion.

The shadow shook its head left and right.

***

Within half a day of starting from East Hall, Isana and I were able to reach the vast expanse of Wasteland that lies between the South and the East Continent.

I felt a tingling sensation on my skin and eyes, which seemed to be the influence of mana; If left unattended, I would be poisoned by demonic mana, suffer from pain, and eventually lose my life.

I took out a small bottle from my pocket and opened the lid to take a sip of the liquid inside.

"What is that? It tastes so sweet." Isana, who was walking ahead, turned her head and asked when she saw my actions.

Unlike me, who was struggling with demonic mana, she, as a demon, was not affected, but rather seems to be getting more and more energetic.

"It's holy water. It's a deadly thing for your race, so don't even get close to it out of curiosity. You could die if you're not careful."

"Eek, I did something again… I understand."

Isana put on a disgusted expression and tried to distance herself from me, taking a few more steps from where she had just been.

Holy water is usually used by sprinkling it on the body or pouring it on wounds, but if you drink it directly, it has the effect of allowing you to withstand the mana for a period of time proportional to the amount you drink.

As soon as I drank the holy water, the tingling sensation I felt disappeared without a trace, and I began to feel something warm and cozy enveloping my whole body.

Since I don't know the exact duration of holy water, I thought I would try to figure out the exact time by adjusting the amount I drink.

After all, I had brought plenty of spares anyway, and opportunities like this doesn't come easily.

***

"I can see it now. There, beyond the river is our territory."

After traversing the Wasteland for a full day, I finally began to see the world beyond the horizon.

The Eastern Continent, the Forbidden Land, the Lost Place, or the Cursed Land — known by various names now, but in the future, it will be a world called the Demon Realm. It was also the homeland of Paine and Isana.

'...It's more ordinary than I thought.'

Contrary to my expectations, the Eastern Continent looked quite ordinary at first glance. It had its own grass, trees, and in the distance, you could see places like lakes and rivers. The only clue that this place was different from the Western Continent was the slightly twisted fruit that looked normal at a closer glance and the mana that tingled on the skin.

"Westerner...no, Edwin. Stay back for a moment," Isana, who was walking ahead of me, stopped and held me back while she observed the surroundings. Something seemed to be bothering her as she fidgeted and couldn't seem to stand still.

She continued to stare and squint in my direction, then sighed heavily, as if making a decision; then she stretched her arms out in front of her and extended her right hand

—Whirlll

As she opened her palms, the air around her shuddered as if vibrating and began to be sucked rapidly into her right hand.

After a few seconds of this, she withdrew her hand.

"Ugh... I guess I'm more comfortable in my natural form. It's so frustrating to disguise myself as a Westerner…," she said while stretching. Apparently, the appearance she had shown in the village last time was only a partial transformation.

Her hair was lightly bleached, and her skin was a pale gray; the horns on her head had grown at least twice as large as last time, and her ears stretched elongatedly, curving around the sides of her head. The whites of her eyes had reversed to black, and her pupils, set on a yellow background like a cat's, were vertically slit, forming the typical appearance of an inverted eye. Isana, who had returned to her true form, closely resembled the demons seen in the game.

Since the original work didn't provide a detailed description, I was not certain, but it seemed plausible that when the mana inside the body was completely drained, the external appearance becomes indistinguishable from that of ordinary people. Then, by absorbing mana again, the original appearance is restored.

"Hey, could you stop staring at me like that? It's impolite to ogle a mature lady. Don't you know any manners, nobleman?" Watching the transformed Isana with fascination, I found myself on the receiving end of her sharp gaze.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just that I've never seen such a sight in all my life. Pardon me for my indiscretion."

"Hmm... considering that, you seem surprisingly composed. It looks like even seeing our true forms doesn't faze you much..."

"It's fascinating, but it's neither more nor less than that. And I've already told your master, I don't discriminate against people based on their appearance. If you're concerned about that, there's really no need."

"Hey, even among our kin, I'm considered the top pick in terms of looks, you know...? Oh, of course, our master is an exception. And those Westerners of yours, they're like fools who can't regain their senses just by looking at my face. But hearing talk about looks and discrimination, honestly, it's a bit absurd... Before saying such things to others, how about reflecting on yourself?"

Master? Come to think of it, in the original work, every time the Demon King appeared, he never took off his black armor and helmet, so there was no way to guess his appearance.

Even though he's a man, if she said that, he must be a really handsome man. Frankly, I'm curious. If I continue to build relationships with them like this, will there come a day when I see the Demon King's true face?

If you want to read the first 25 chapters for free and read up to the final chapter for a cheap price patreon.com/Makima02