Chapter 51: Faith and Politics
Pointing with its large foreleg, Shinobu also points to himself.
“Are you talking about me. . .? What exactly is magic power?”
“I see, so you’re born in a land where you don’t know how to use magic. But you have a delicious-looking soul. Do you have the blood of some land god?”
“I don’t really understand magic power, but. . .come to think of it, my family, the Bitou family, has been serving as priests for the island’s gods for generations.”
“I see, I understand. So, you’re the same as the [saint].”
“I’m a man, though. . .”
Eitzicht explains to Shinobu, who looks confused.
“[Saint] refers to those who possess extraordinary abilities loved by the earth. They are born in the Draco Cocoon Peninsula and have the power of healing. Unlike ordinary magic power, they can draw out the spiritual power of the land gods. They are called saints because there are many women, but there are also a few men.”
“So, you’re close to being one of those rare men. Look.”
The black dragon stretches out its foreleg and touches Shinobu’s head. Dazzling light is emitted, and a large halo appears above Shinobu’s head.
Eitzicht next to him widens his eyes.
“So, Shinobu. . .you’re a holder of the saint’s extraordinary ability. . .”
“. . .Loved by the earth. . .”
Shinobu had been staring at the halo above his head for a while, but he finally made up his mind and made a request to the black dragon.
“For the peace of the Draco Cocoon Peninsula, oh spirit beast of the [earth], please lend me your power.”
“Sure thing. It’s interesting, so I’ll help you out.”
The black dragon replied without hesitation.
“However, you have to hold my reins. I’m just a beast who doesn’t understand what humans like. So, you can handle me and use me in a way that is convenient for humans.”
“Is that okay?”
Shinobu was puzzled by the unexpected consent of the black dragon.
“. . .Even if you entrust the [Earth] to me, to the foolish ruler who survived by destroying the country.”
Still, the black dragon’s attitude did not change.
“It’s fine. I don’t know what humans will like, whether it’s the [Earth] or how to stop the war in the Draco Cocoon Peninsula. But if it’s you, you’ve failed once, so you should know how to stop it, right?”
“. . .Thank you.”
And the black dragon separated its huge body from the sacred mountain Kuze and made a contract with Shinobu.
In exchange for losing the halo, Shinobu became the master of the black dragon.
Eitzicht, who was accompanying them, was excited about the contract between the two.
“Amazing.”
Eitzicht raised a cry of joy and shouted with Shinobu, putting his arm around him.
“You have accomplished something incredible, Shinobu-dono! You are the Demon King! A man who can connect with demon beasts and spirits with an enormous amount of magic power that this country has never seen before. Let’s call you the Demon King in that sense!”
“A king, huh.”
Contrary to the excited Eitzicht, Shinobu showed reluctance.
“I’m not fit to be a king.”
However, Eitzicht later established Shinobu as the “Demon King” and spread the word not only throughout the country but also to enemy countries.
“Shinobu. Please call yourself a king to show that you are on an equal footing with me, who is also a king.”
“. . .If you, my friend, say so.”
ーーAnd with the help of Bitou Shinobu, who became the Demon King, thirty years passed.
When the young king reached his mid-fifties with white hair mixed in, he finally unified the Draco Cocoon Peninsula.
Their long-cherished wish, a peaceful reign, had arrived.
“I am grateful, Demon King Shinobu-dono. Thanks to you, the Lucidia Kingdom has grown this big.”
Eitzicht’s eyes were filled with tears.
The Demon King Shinobu, who had made a contract with the black dragon, remained in his youthful appearance with black hair from the time of the contract.
“Shinobu-dono. Let’s protect the Draco Cocoon Peninsula together. I will be the king with a limited lifespan, and Shinobu-dono will be the immortal Demon King.”
The Demon King Shinobu nodded with a gentle smile.
“Eitzicht-dono. I will live in the castle at the base of the peninsula as the Demon King to ensure that the kingdom is forever protected from external enemies. I will let demon beasts and monsters live there, so if you need anything, feel free to come.”
“Thank you. Then let me also swear. The royal family swears to never forget our respect, gratitude, and friendship towards the Demon King and to continue to have exchanges with you at every milestone. And I will create a [Corridor of Friendship] connected by magic so that you can come and visit the royal family anytime. And please lend your heart to the nobles so that they do not become complacent in this peaceful reign.”
“Of course. I will also cherish all of them like my own children.”
“I see.”
The dreams of the Demon King Shinobu and the young king came true, and they had a portrait painted as proof of their friendship.
ーーSeeing the satisfied expression of the Demon King Shinobu, the Black Dragon muttered to himself.
“But, Demon King-sama. You have become immortal like me, but humans change generations. So, someday, you may be betrayed without knowing it.”
“Betrayal? How could I possibly be betrayed? I will continue to believe in him, who wished for peace, and his descendants.”
❂❂❂
At the moment the light disappeared, everyone fell silent.
Everything made sense.
“Don’t be fooled!!!”
An old man shouted. He was the head of the church, the high priest.
“Don’t be fooled!!! It’s all an illusion of the Demon King!! There’s no way that His Majesty the first King is friends with the Demon King who is in league with the black dragon worshipped by the cult.”
Some people looked relieved at his words.
As expected, everyone hates having what they have believed in so far denied. Especially when the foundation of their religion is being denied.
Synovidos just looked down at the high priest who was spitting out saliva in silence.
“I see. So, to strengthen the authority of the royal family, the priests who worship the king as a god have made me into a demon king to increase their power.”
“Wha. . .!!”
“Well, that’s not all. If it’s a reign that lasts for hundreds of years, anyone would have used me as a convenient pawn in their power struggle. If, as a result, this long-lasting rule has been maintained. . .then maybe I was worth it. However. . .”
Looking at the faces of the king and the church, Synovidos shook his head.
“It’s a sad thing. . .to be told by someone with the same face as Eitzicht who didn’t know. . .”
His downturned profile looked terribly sad, and I instinctively held his hand.”
I was happy when Demon King-sama gently squeezed my hand back.
“It’s also my fault that I’ve been stubbornly protecting this country without confirming that the promise was lost. Therefore, from now on, you can spread the word that I, the Demon King, am a subordinate of the royal family and treat me as an imaginary enemy. However, there is a condition.”
“Ah.”
The next moment, Demon King-sama pulled me strongly and glared at everyone.
“As long as she, the silver Saint Hiira Seamacy, safely operates the saint cafeteria, I promise to protect Lucidia Kingdom with the blessing of the black dragon as a [Demon King] in the right sense as before. Currently, her cafeteria has suffered significant damage due to the propaganda of multiple noble families. Unless you immediately resolve everything that hinders her business, I will become a disaster as the [Demon King] you desire and burn everything to the ground.”
Demon King-sama muttered something.
At that moment, lightning struck and burned the portrait that showed their friendship.
“No. . .”
It was the king who screamed.
However, in the midst of the silence, the young princess began to cry with a high-pitched, piercing voice.
“Bie. . .bieeeeeee!!!”
Her crying voice echoed in the quiet audience room.
“Princess, it’s okay, please calm down. . .”
“Eeeeeen!! Eeeeeen!! Ugh, ugh.”
“Princess, Princess. . .!”
The nursemaid was pale and trying to comfort her.
Demon King Synovidos-sama, who was watching, suddenly became just a kind man.
While still holding onto me, Demon King Synovidos-sama floated in the air and bent his knees to meet the princess’s height.
“Princess, I’m sorry.”
“S-sob.”
“H-h-help. . .”
Even the nursemaid looked like she was about to burst into tears.
Demon King Synovidos-sama frowned and smiled at the princess, wiping away the tears from her eyes.
“. . .The child is innocent. Please become a wise and happy princess.”
Demon King Synovidos-sama kissed her forehead with soft fuzz. The crying princess suddenly cheered up and looked at him happily.
“Ojii-chan. . .thank you.”
“. . .”
“Bye-bye, Ojii-chan.”
“Ojii-chan. . .”
At that moment.
The hot-blooded second prince interrupted between his younger sister and Demon King Synovidos-sama.
He was trembling with a sword in his hand, desperately trying to protect his sister.
“Princess!! This guy is the enemy!!!”
I couldn’t help but interject.
“It’s okay, Demon King-sama wouldn’t do such a thing. . .”
“It’s fine, Hiira-dono.”
Demon King Synovidos-sama looked a little sad and looked at me.
“Let’s go. . .Ojii-chan should be returning soon.”
ーーWhy did he look sad and call him Ojii-chan?
It wasn’t the right atmosphere to make such a tactless comment, so Demon King-sama and I left as is.
“. . .Demon King.”
The king muttered as if groaning.
Ojii-san, who had become lost somewhere, had a lost expression on his face.
“. . .if it’s true. . .my royal family has done something to you. . .”
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