Chapter 15: Peace and Town, things that move farther the closer I get

And, I arrived.

A plain gate. A town, no, it's even hard to call it a village. It's more of a camp.

On my way I met a young girl that was probably a person from the town. She was incredibly beautiful.

Her hair was a natural golden color that gently shined with the sun, flowing slowly with the wind. It was practically a painting.

Even though it was such a harsh land, her skin was white like porcelain.

How amazing. She would be able to get in the top ranks of my high school archery club.

By the way, my archery club was famous for having a lot of beautiful men and women.

When I confirm her appearance she suddenly faced my way. What is this? If there is a flag with this person I will be seriously expecting it you know?

Even though I have superior eyesight here, that side was also watching me. I-Is this fate?

That she was watching me was an understatement, she had her eyes wide open. But at that moment I hadn't noticed it.

She was paralyzed by something that my body was emitting.

But the girl didn't run away. That's why I interpreted it in a hopeful way.

Just like that, I got closer to her. I gave her a decisive and friendly "Excuse me". Of course, with my best smile along with it.

And the reaction of the girl, was to scream her lungs out and like shooting out in a rocket start she ran with all she had. It was a surprise that she even did a crouching start.

Is this what you would call, a complete rejection? It hurts me a lot.

She was surely running to the town so I followed her.

I was only walking okay? Because it would be troubling if I stimulate her more by running after her.

And so, I was now in front of the gates.

In front of me there were neatly lined up hyumans. There were also many others like Elf-looking people, Beast race and small guys too.

The fellows with blue skin are probably the demon race. The ones I met before had more traits so I may be wrong.

They were armed and showing me hostility. No matter how I think about it, I haven't done anything that has aggravated the guards in the town?

As always, in this world the flow of things are just so sudden and the developments are hard to go against.

However, the other party are people that have reasoning. In my side I have not strength but the weapon called conversation.

"Um, I am truly sorry about scaring the young girl just now. My name is Misumi Makoto. I would like to enter this town" (Makoto)

"??"

There is no response. More like, their hostility got even higher. It was only an introduction though?!

"!!!?!!??!!?!"

It seemed like they were having a heated discussion.

I should just wait for a bit. It must take time to put in order all their opinions.

After a while, their vigor calmed down. In exchange, they formed rows and the ones in the front prepared their weapons.

E-Eh?!

The middle and back row readied their bows and the ones who had staffs began chanting their arias.

This is, bad?!

"W-Wait! I was just…" (Makoto)

"ASDKJHFDS!!!"

!!!!

You must be kidding me?

I stood still.

And clear my ears.

There is still no attack, there is no attack and yet…!

"ASDKJGFAAJSM!!"

I try to lift both of my hands in surrender.

But it seems like…

They took it as an intent to attack.

No good. The bows and magic were all released at once!

I expand a slightly big protection [Sakai] in my surroundings.

The various colored magic and arrows all struck that boundary and disappear.

The ones that were running at me with their swords and spears saw that spectacle and with precaution, they stop.

They are having a discussion again. But this is…

There is no helping it.

I feel that if I don't step out now I will be doing something that can't be reverted.

Damn it! The moment I feel a bit of gratefulness for that Goddess, and this?!

That da-mn bug!!

Turning around, I run with all I had. That was of course, a speed that not even a horse could catch up with. I raise a cloud of dust as I went.

"Damn IIIIITTTT!!! That I can't even understand the words of human beings?!" (Makoto)

The vital part.

The words that should have been completely fine.

They couldn't understand it.

Which way is tomorrow?!

—-

~ A castle somewhere ~

A heavy atmosphere could be felt from the audience in the throne room. In the room that was stylishly decorated from every side, the people were silent.

A Low-spirit had told them about the waking of the Goddess and the summoning of heroes. They were now having a parliament for that.

The one sat down on the throne was the demon lord. His expression was not pleasant at all. A wrinkle could be seen in between his eyebrows. (TN: there is no gender definer but I am using a 'he' as gender neutral. No, I don't know either)

"You may have already heard it but…"

The demon lord opens his mouth. A voice that was filled with dignity and self-confidence. There was no doubt that he was an outstanding ruler. With just his words you could tell that.

"The goddess has woken up. It was a notice from a spirit so it's impossible that it's a lie"

"Then, regarding the heroes…"

"Yeah, they have been summoned"

The demon lord affirms the words of the four-armed general.

A sigh leaked out from here and there.

The Goddess's sudden sleep, the request of cooperation from the low-spirits. With both of these opportunities, the demon race had begun a war to increase their territory.

The result was a crushing victory.

They were originally driven into barren lands and were unable to earn any divine protection. This war was for the sake of gaining, even if a little bit, a wealthy land.

But the result was that they destroyed the world power that had the most faith for the goddess, Elision and completely suppressed more than half of their territory.

A complete victory from the fierce battle in the southern parts.

They continued their charge at the west and east parts as if they were elephants crushing ants.

As a result, the world's map was changed greatly. Summing all the world, more than 10 regions were destroyed.

Counting the wealthy domains, the demon race was able to obtain even the sea. They had expectations that they would be able to save the many starving people by obtaining the unfreezing harbor, and in reality they obtained marvelous results.

But after they destroyed Elision, what follows on the south is the hyuman major power, the Kingdom of Limia and Gritonia Empire.

The two hyuman regions that possess the most powerful military strength.

These two regions stood out. And even if they were able to defeat Elision they were not able to subjugate it completely.

In terms of size, the hyumans were able to fight on equal footing with the Demon race. But that is just the mapped setting.

They concentrated on the internal affairs of the extended territories, the demon race needed the time to stabilize themselves.

That's why the demon race stopped their march to extend territory. Restraining themselves, they poured their all unto internal affairs.

This are the actual circumstances of the 10 years of peace that have continued on.

It was not rock firm but it was a stable internal administration.

The awakening of the Goddess and the descent of the heroes. "Now, it is finally time to commence the war" saying this, they began to move. It was the worst report they had heard.

Leaving aside Gritonia and Limia who were being cautious of the front lines, in the wastelands at the west border, there were various races that were gathering to create a cooperative power. (TN: will be referring the ends of the world as borders of the world from now on)

So, in exchange of having the easy to defend Gritonia do whatever they wanted to, they intended to do a blitz suppression on Aion and Roleru who were both at the south of Limia and Gritonia.

The borders maneuvering was also going well.

Especially, the spirits that had powers like 'Flame' that were cooperating with the Demon race helped increase the attack power even more.

The jurisdiction of the border's wasteland was under the fire and earth spirits. For that reason, the cooperation of the Flame low-spirits was an enticing situation for the races of the borders.

In the wastelands, one race could go against an army. There were a lot of strong heartless races in there.

It was a plan that was entirely plausible with this short-term union.

"Just because the Goddess has woken up doesn't mean that we will let everything we have gained until now come to nothing"

The half-person half-snake said so with an expression that didn't hide its annoyance.

If this plan succeeded it would have been possible to make a world where hyumans were slaves and the demon race dominated. It was also their deepest wish as ones who were looked down upon.

But that is just if they are able to subjugate both Limia and Gritonia. It was a plan that relied on the present state of affairs.

With a special happening like the appearance of a hero, it might be suicide to divide the forces and do simultaneous battles.

(This is no good)

If she was to sleep for at least one month more… well, it has already happened. This is what the demon lord was thinking.

Furthermore there was another issue that interested him.

"It is not like everything was useless. The borders power can be used as an ambush troop against Limia after all. Anyways, there is another thing"

The demon lord cuts off what he was going to say. It was a pretty serious expression, he placed even more strength in the middle of his brows.

"There is no doubt that heroes have descended for Limia and Gritonia. I can feel their maryoku even when I am in this castle. It's likely that they still don't know how to conceal their power, and moreover, this power surpasses my own amount of maryoku"

"What?!"

"That's not possible! Even though they have the body of a human being?!"

"They are probably from different worlds. And they are quite exceptional ones. When they learn this world's fighting style, it will come to a situation where they will come attacking us. There is no doubt that they have obtained substantial amounts of divine protection from the Goddess"

It must be because he was confident in his ability to use maryoku, even when they had an amount of maryoku that surpassed his, there was no despair in his words.

"I will reorganize the troops in the front lines. With this I will be leaving"

With that said, the silent 4-armed giant began moving. The lord didn't seem to find fault in his actions. The front lines for Limia were left in his direct control by the lord himself after all.

"How reliable. But we know the whereabouts of those two and we are able to feel how much power they have so we are still fine. The threats have increased so we have to think about this. That is all"

That was the only thing he said regarding the appearance of heroes. They were words that cut off the anxiety and encouraged everyone.

The general and officials that were present were all looking at the lord in admiration.

"The problem is…"

The demon lord continues.

"There is another one that appeared and has enormous maryoku"

"A third hero you say?!"

"No, there are 2 heroes. The ones with substantial divine protections appeared in Limia and Gritonia, there is no discrepancy in that. But…"

The lord that rarely stammers in his words was now looking perplexed. The vassals wait for his words with puzzled expressions.

"I feel like there is another one in the borders of the world"

He could feel the fragment of maryoku. But there should be no way for him to feel the maryoku when the distance was from the castle that was in the north of the continent to the wastelands that were located in the borders of the world.

But he felt it. What was it?

Even the demon lord had no answer to that. That's why he was perplexed.

"No matter the circumstances, I shouldn't be able to feel the maryoku of someone in the wastelands at the border of the world. That's why, it's not certain but, I think that there is another one. An otherworldler that is not a hero"

What kind of mission he received or his relation with the goddess…

It would be a lot easier to make countermeasures if he knew he was a hero.

If this is a plan that the Goddess has made, then it was praiseworthy.

The demon lord was grieving.

"Of course, it's a matter that has lower importance than the heroes, but order the ones that are on a mission in the borders to investigate this fellow"

The general that was in charge of the tactics faithfully nods. The dealings were entrusted to the undercover ops. There was a need to know how this mysterious threat would affect the plans from now on.

(Hm, but if there exists such a monster that can make me feel its power from the borders of the world and he is to stand by my side. At that time, not only the heroes, we may even be able to reach the throat of the Goddess)

The demon lord, while arranging other matters at hand, was thinking about the mysterious existence in the wastelands that interested him.

There were two heroes on the hyumans side and there was even the Goddess as well.

'Then it should be fine for us to have an existence that can overturn this' is what he thought.

Misumi Makoto had attracted the attention of the Centre of this worlds disturbances, the demon lord. It seems like his distresses after escaping from the people he was looking forward to meet, were not going to end anytime soon.