>18< The Demon King

Chapter 18: The Demon King

"Hmm? You want to give a speech to the children?" Shizuka looked at Zaimokuza with confusion.

"Yes, Hiratsuka-sensei. I want these kids to understand bullying and how to prevent it from happening again, to realize how foolish and cruel their actions are."

Shizuka took a puff of her cigarette, exhaling slowly as she contemplated for a long moment.

"This could potentially harm those kids. I don't think it's a good idea, Zaimokuza-kun," Mafuyu stated calmly.

Zaimokuza did not look at Mafuyu but instead maintained a serious gaze on Shizuka as he said, "Can you trust me, Hiratsuka-sensei?"

As she met Zaimokuza's confident eyes, Shizuka couldn't help but recall the timid boy with mild social anxiety he once was, and the fact that he had just helped a little girl today.

She sighed lightly and smiled. "You've really grown a lot, Zaimokuza."

"Yes, thanks to the help I received from you back then."

Shizuka, momentarily taken aback, quickly responded, "Then I'll take care of communicating with the elementary school principal about this matter."

"Wait… wait a minute, Hiratsuka-sensei. This…" Mafuyu looked at Shizuka in surprise.

"Don't worry. If any problems arise, I will take responsibility. I trust my students."

Hearing this, Zaimokuza revealed a gentle smile. "Indeed, Hiratsuka-sensei is the best teacher. I might just be falling for you."

Shizuka's face turned slightly red as she shot a glance at Zaimokuza. "You really have some guts, teasing a teacher like that."

Zaimokuza waved his hands earnestly. "No, I'm just speaking the truth. It's really kind of you to trust me like this; I think any student would appreciate having a teacher like you."

Shizuka felt pleased by Zaimokuza's compliments, but she maintained her authoritative demeanor as a teacher. She cleared her throat, placing her hand near her mouth.

"Um, well then, go prepare your speech. I look forward to seeing you help those bullied students and put an end to the bullying."

"Understood. I'll go prepare now. See you later, Hiratsuka-sensei," Zaimokuza replied, heading off to get ready.

"Is it really okay for Hiratsuka-sensei to do this?" Mafuyu asked.

Shizuka smiled slightly. "Well, there's nothing wrong with it. It's necessary for elementary school students to understand that bullying is a cruel act."

Seeing Shizuka's unwavering confidence in Zaimokuza, Mafuyu could only hold onto her expectations for him.

.....

As night fell, Zaimokuza organized the materials he had gathered on his phone into his notes. He noticed that everyone around him was fast asleep, so he decided to step out of the cabin to explore and deal with a few pesky mice.

Walking into the forest, he spotted Yukino gazing up at the stars.

"The stars are really beautiful," Zaimokuza said.

Yukino was startled and looked toward him, relieved as she replied, "Oh, it's you. Zaimokuza-kun, are you out here at this late hour just to follow me?"

Zaimokuza rolled his eyes at her. "You're way too narcissistic, Yukino-chan."

"Seriously, don't call me Yukino-chan!"

"Oh, is that so? Then what about just Yukino?"

Yukino sighed and shook her head in resignation. "Have you finished preparing your speech? Is there anything you need my help with?"

"Yeah, it's mostly ready. I'd appreciate it if you could help me learn more about your past," he replied.

Yukino's expression changed. "Why do you want to talk about my past?"

"You were bullied in the past, weren't you, Yukino?"

Yukino looked at Zaimokuza in shock before sighing and saying, "Yes, in sixth grade, I was quite popular among the boys due to my looks and excellent grades, but that also led to jealousy from the other girls, and I was isolated. I had my slippers hidden around sixty times, fifty of which were by girls. So, I chose to study abroad in junior high."

Zaimokuza nodded, asking, "As a former victim, what are your thoughts on it?"

"I don't really care about it. I think nobody is perfect. My idea of establishing the Service Club was born from wanting to 'change the world' and 'change everyone' by addressing people's vulnerabilities," she explained.

Zaimokuza listened quietly to Yukino's philosophy and said, "You're amazing, Yukino."

"Why do you say that all of a sudden?" she asked.

"It must have been incredibly painful to face that kind of neglect at such a young age," Zaimokuza said, looking at her with concern.

Yukino felt a bit shy under Zaimokuza's gaze and turned her head to the side, saying, "It wasn't as impressive as you think. I just ran away and studied abroad."

"No, your actions may seem like escaping to you, but to me, it's about protecting yourself. It's better to change your environment than to stay in a toxic one. Even if it's considered avoidance, it's better than continuing to be isolated. Your mental resilience is much stronger than that of your peers back then."

"When I was researching bullying, I found many children who couldn't bear their experiences chose to end their own lives," Yukino added quietly, regarding Zaimokuza.

Zaimokuza remained serious, "That's precisely why I want to teach those kids just how cruel bullying is, even if it may leave them with so-called shadows in the future."

Yukino silently clenched her fists, thinking that maybe if she had met Zaimokuza during elementary school, she wouldn't have experienced such neglect.

Looking at the silent Yukino, Zaimokuza smiled slightly and said,

"Let's end the heart-to-heart here. You should head back to get some rest, Yukino."

Yukino nodded, wished him goodnight, and started walking back to the cabin.

Once Zaimokuza noticed that Yukino had left, he wandered deeper into the forest.

During his stroll, Yumiko and Ebina, who were out for a walk, spotted Zaimokuza and curiously decided to follow him.

Feeling the presence of the two behind him, Zaimokuza shook his head in exasperation but chose not to pay them any mind. He eventually stopped in a quiet spot and coldly said,

"Aren't you two coming out? You've been following me all day."

Just as Miura and Ebina were about to reveal themselves, they heard Zaimokuza's words and became puzzled.

"Please forgive my rudeness, Your Highness," said a middle-aged man wearing glasses and a suit as he stepped out from behind a tree.

"I am Touma Amakasu from the History Compilation Committee. I've come to make contact with the Seventh Godslayer King."

Yumiko and Ebina were surprised by the sudden appearance of the man from behind the tree, but his strange words—Seventh Godslayer King—seemed like something straight out of a fantasy novel.

The two girls stayed silent, watching quietly.

"So, what do you want from me?" Zaimokuza asked.

"Well, before that, I would like to inform Your Highness about Erica Blandelli and the Copper Black Cross," Touma replied.

"Go on, tell me about Erica," Zaimokuza urged.

"The Red Devil, that is the title of Erica Blandelli. It is said that at the mere age of sixteen, she can captivate a man's heart with her alluring gaze. Her unparalleled figure ignites desire, and her sweet voice is unforgettable after just a single encounter." As Touma spoke, he made comical gestures like a clown, completely unaware of the darkening expression on Zaimokuza's face.

Just as he was about to say more, Zaimokuza's extremely cold voice cut in.

"Shut up. Do you want to die?"

With these words, an incredible pressure emanated from Zaimokuza, overwhelming Touma. He found himself instantly collapsing to the ground, beads of sweat streaming down his face, soaking his back.

"Do you think you're a clown?" Zaimokuza's approaching footsteps sent an even greater pressure down upon Touma, and his expression grew more terrified.

He wanted to say something to ease the atmosphere, but pinned to the ground, he could not muster a single word.

"Erica is my woman. Do you think you can talk about her like that in front of me without provoking me?"

Each of Zaimokuza's icy words struck deep into Touma's heart, causing him to wish for death. Who could have imagined that Erica would be the woman of the Seventh Godslayer?

"Such a typical politician's demeanor. Let me guess, you're trying to say that Erica used her looks to lure me into the Copper Black Cross? That's just too ridiculous. You seem to underestimate what a Godslayer truly is. Allow me to enlighten you," Zaimokuza said.

He activated his power, Harvest, instantly draining Touma's vitality until he reached a withered state. In an instant, the middle-aged man who had stood before them transformed into an elderly figure with gray hair.

Yumiko and Ebina watched in horror, wanting to scream but covering their mouths instead.

"Let me make this clear: Godslayers possess the power to destroy nations. You probably think of me as just a high school student, hoping to use some so-called nobility to get me to help you solve your problems. What you need to understand is that being a teenager, I won't hesitate to destroy anyone or anything that displeases me."

Zaimokuza paused for a moment before continuing.

"So don't ever let me see your grotesque politician's face again. If I take a liking to the idea, I might just wipe out the entire compilation committee."

At that moment, Touma regretted coming to inquire about the Seventh Godslayer. This was no ordinary high school student; as Zaimokuza stated, he was a Godslayer—a merciless demon king who acted on his whims without restraint.