The Demon King was just a Small Fry
A relatively small but well-kept and clean room. Could this be the reception room? Thereupon, the explanation to us which had been interrupted by our movement and mealtime resumed.
[Now then, about this world... The topic has been raised a bit earlier, so I'll explain it to you with the story of the First Herosama.]
When Lilia-san said this, Lunamaria-san put what looked like a map on the table. First of all, the shape of the continent gives the impression of an enlarged map of Europe, and on the lower left part of the continent—– around what would have been Spain, is marked in black and white, with a red circle around the center of the continent a little away from it.
[The one enclosed in red is the Symphonia Kingdom where we are now. To the north is the "Arclesia Kingdom", and to the south across the sea is the "Hydra Kingdom"... These are the three main countries that we call the Three Major Powers and "until about a thousand years ago", they were everything we knew about the world.]
[...Are you saying that it's different now?]
[Yes, that's right, Aoi-san. This world map is mainly inhabited by humans, elves, and dwarves—- It's the realm where many "Humanoid races" live and is collectively known as the "Human Realm". In addition to this, there's the "Demon Realm" where the "Demon Race" lives and the "God Realm" where the "God Race" lives.]
After saying so, two new maps are placed on the desk. One of them is more than twice the size of the map I was just looking at and looks similar in shape to the Australian continent. The other is a small map of the continent in the shape of a ring, or perhaps it would be closer to a donut?
[The large map is the Demon Realm and the small map is the God Realm. I guess it would be easier to understand if you imagine the shape of a sandwich, piled up on top of another? The three worlds of the God Realm, the Human Realm, and the Demon Realm are separated by an invisible dimensional wall and yet, they exist side by side. And that's what this world, "Trinia", in the true sense of the word, is all about.]
[...It's turning out to be terribly magnificent story huh.]
[Fufufu, yeah, for those of you who came from another world, it may seem that there are three different worlds, but for us, these three worlds are located in different parts of the world, and we can enter and return freely at the gates. It's a bit of a different perception from places like where Hero-sama and everyone lived, where you can't interfere with other worlds with anything other than a summoning circle.]
[I see.]
A different world would have a different set of common sense. Compared to us who felt that these dimensional walls are mysterious and strange, it is said that the people who have been living in this world don't think that it's that much different from the oceans and mountains.
Yes, I think we just have to be aware that this is the way it is.
[As for the government system of the Human Realm, I've heard from the past heroes that it's close to the world you've been in but... What do you think? Can you think about a country around back in your world that works the same way?]
[...Hnnnn. I think this would be a system where there's a king and nobles with domains of their own?]
[Yes, there's no mistake recognizing it like that.]
Yuzuki-san replied to Lilia-san's words with a bit of confidence. That's how I envisioned this world too, but I guess I'm not wrong. The only thing I'm curious about now is that Lilia-san has gone out of her way to say "the government system of the Human Realm", does that mean that the God Realm and the Demon Realm are different?
Thereupon, Lilia-san nodded her head towards us, letting us know that Yuzuki is on the same page as her.
[Now then, let's talk about how the three worlds formed a friendly relationship later... Let's talk about the God Realm and the Demon Realm first. The God Realm is a world where the Creation God stands at its apex... Or to put it in another way, it's a world with only one nation, and the God Race only recognizes the Creation God's will as an absolute thing without exception.]
[The Creation God doesn't appear in the public outside of the once-every-ten-years Hero Festival, so I don't think we'll be seeing him for the moment. In the first place, the Creation God doesn't interfere with the world but watches over the future of the world. According to the legends, other than the time of the great war against the Demon Realm, he has never even wielded his absolute power.]
Lunamaria-san added to Lilia's explanation.
In other words, the God Realm can be said to be in the pinnacle of a vertically structured society. And the Creation God, who is at the top, basically keeps the stance of watching over the others... if it's exactly just as I imagined.
[Next is the Demon Realm, isn't it? It's the vastest of the three realms and home to the most diverse species. Although they are generally called "Demons", there are countless variations in their appearance. The Heroes often thought that they're equal to monsters, but in the Demon Realm, the monsters are defined as beings with less than a certain level of intelligence.]
Unn, to be honest, I also had the same image regarding demons and monsters, but I guess they have a clear standard for themselves? I guess it would be hard for me to tell until I see them in person...
[The Demon Realm is a meritocracy that's easy to understand. You could say that the person having the greatest power stands at the top. This is just one of those things that you should understand, but just because they're in a meritocracy, it doesn't mean that the demons are violent beings. In fact, most demons are rational, don't use violence without reason nor look down on the weak. It's just that it's a realm that emphasizes individual ability, not their bloodline.]
[Rather, they are much more temperate than the human race. Both My Lady and I have been to the Demon Realm and toured around a few times. The people there have been very kind to me.]
[Yes, I'd like to have some time to visit there again. There is no country in the Demon Realm, but it's divided into 6 territories. And the 6 demons who reign at the top of each territory... commonly known as the "Six Kings". "Underworld King-sama", "War King-sama", "Death King-sama", "World King-sama", "Dragon King-sama" and "Phantasmal King-sama"... Each of them is a demon that has lived for thousands of years, and their power is said to be capable of destroying the world.]
The most outrageous six kings... just hearing what they're called is enough for me to bring back the black history of my youth, but it seems that they are beings that must not be crossed in this world.
However, there's one thing that bothered me about the explanation she just gave. Both Lilia and Lunamaria-san said that demons are basically benevolent beings, but hadn't the humans fought against the demons in the past?
[Umm, can I ask you a question?]
[Yes, go ahead.]
[...You mentioned earlier that most demons are quite gentle, but a thousand years ago, those six kings? Is it okay to say that there was a demon king among them that attacked the Human Realm?]
[Unn. I don't know how to say this... It seems that the "Demon King" who swung his fury around the Human Realm back then was actually just a mere rogue in the Demon World.]
[Eh?]
In response to my question, Lilia-san wrily smiled as if she's also at a loss for words. It was pretty much lined up with the image I had in mind, but I never expected that the Demon King was actually just a small fry... That's too earth-shattering
[As I mentioned earlier, the demons are basically gentle. The Demon Realm itself is vast, their food is abundant, and the six kings standing at the top are on good terms with each other and often mingled with each other. It was said that the only time they fought in time immemorial, even though there was a skirmish in the Demon Realm, was against the God Realm which has only happened once. In the first place, until the Demon King and the First Hero-sama appeared, for Demons, they only knew that Humans exist, but they've never seen it. They apparently recognized the Humans as beings that they have no particular reason to fight with.]
[Well, no matter which world it is, there are those people who don't see the good in living in peace, living with ambitions held in their hearts.]
Lunamaria-san added with a sigh. Even after 1000 years, the First Hero is still respected, but I felt like the image for that "Demon King" has been getting lower and lower.
[Yes, it was that "Demon King" who gathered all the bloodthirsty demons and tried to overthrow the six kings in those days to rise to the top of the Demon Realm. In the Human Realm, they would be something like bandits... Well, you could also say they were like rebels. However, because the number of demons is so large, the "Demon King's" army seems to have become a large army of over a million demons as a result. Even so, I heard that it was just a small-scaled army in terms of the entire Demon Realm...]
The more the denominator increases, the more sympathizers appeared... To be honest, I can't imagine an army of millions appearing right away, but I heard that it was how the "Demon King" apparently appeared. In that case, why didn't it try to overthrow the six kings and came to the Human Realm instead?
[...I heard that the "Demon King's" army had challenged Underworld King-sama to a battle in order to gain control of the Demon Realm.]
[Ah, you mentioned that there was a war that happened in the Demon Realm earlier.]
[...And so, what happened?]
I think it was because I was interested in their attack on the Human Realm, but because we were concerned about something, Yuzuki-san and I asked for her to continue on that topic a bit more.
[It was a battle of a million against one, and Underworld King has beaten them down in a matter of minutes.]
[...Errr...]
[That is… How should I say this...]
[...I can't help but feel pity him for what happened.]
The fact that they were overwhelmingly crushed even made Kusonoki-san inadvertently feel pity for the Demon King. Either the Demon King's army is too weak, or it's just that Underworld King is too strong... Just like Kusonoki-san said, I'm somehow starting to feel sorry for the Demon King. I mean, in just a few minutes of engagement, most of them were probably wiped out in just one or two strikes...
[However, Underworld King-sama is a very kind man. He didn't kill anyone, but he just warned "It's good that all of you are pretty lively, but you shouldn't bother people around you." and let the Demon King's army go.]
Not only did he went easy on them, but he's also even treating them just like troublesome neighborhood brats!? That's enough already! The "Demon King's" image inside of me has already crashed down, you know!?
[And after that incident, the Demon King realized that he was no match for the six kings... So, he decided to invade the Human Realm, which the six kings had decreed not interfere with back then.]
[ [ [...] ] ]
He ran awaaaaaaaay!? That Demon King ran away from the Demon Realm!? I don't really have any particular attachment to him, but you're not very good at this, Demon King!? I felt like he suddenly turned into a kid who was scolded and ran away from home...
This is… Honestly... How am I supposed to react to this?
Dear Mother, Father—– They were saying that Demons are rational and gentle. And the Demon King—- was just a small fry.