127 The next thing to pick is...




That's how I became a demon.

 After a short break, they all gathered at the temporary base.
 Ilias was the only one who showed surprise at Exoik's words.
 This was because Mikus and Lakra had met up with Exoik after the capture of Rahite, and had heard the story first.
 Wolfe was not too surprised, as he only opened his mouth to say, "Oh!
 Mix was also surprised to a certain extent, but Lakra was rather unfazed. ...... I guess so.
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 The Blue Demon King was encountered briefly, but he was given only simple instructions and moved to another location.
 One of them is to neutralize the undead.
 The giant undead were disintegrated on the spot, and the armed undead that had appeared in the rear were retreated to the castle.
 The defensive wall was protected by the efforts of Ilias and Wolfe, but the aftermath of the battle had severely damaged the area on top.
 It needed to be repaired before the troops could be stationed, and Quama's soldiers were currently waiting for supplies to be transported in front of the barrier.
 Thank you, bulwark, for your hard work in taking the shell of the Iliad.
 I've already informed Quama that I've neutralized the Blue Demon Lord.
 I've already informed Quama that I've neutralized the Blue Demon King. He doesn't trust me completely, so there's still a bit of reconnaissance to be done, but I'm sure the soldiers who saw Ilias and the others struggle will trust me enough.

Well, at any rate, that's settled.
Wait.

 Ilias grabbed me by the shoulders with a very disgruntled look on his face.

What is it?
I've heard that this time you'll give Exoik a chance to persuade the Blue Demon King. It's not as if I'm asking you to turn me into a demon!
"...... I knew my people were expecting this. I'm sure you're not the only one.
I'm sure you're not the only one who's had it. But it is true that I assumed that with the character of Ecdysius, he would probably take steps to persuade the Blue Demon Lord.

 The aim of this time, as Ilias said, is to persuade the Blue Demon King by Exoik.
 I've got more than enough information on the Blue Demon Lord from the book Docora gave me at Tarz.
I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea.
 If the Blue Demon Lord is still intact, I thought that Ecdysium would be a good persuader, so I let Ecdysium blast him.

But if that's what you want, why didn't you say so in the beginning? I've been reflecting on the fact that I may have betrayed the orders of my people.
I explained to Ilias that I was doing it for my own personal gain.
For me?
"You follow me to increase your own value. But you've been too obedient to my words, because then you won't be able to grow on this big stage.

 If I had simply asked him to persuade the Blue Demon King, I'm sure he would have done the same.
 But this time, Exoike made his own choice, and the difference is huge.
 Exoik's combat skills are so advanced that his further growth will be slow.
 The one area where you can expect to grow is in your interpersonal skills, which you have neglected until now.

My growth: ......
"How does it feel to make your own decisions and step into someone's shoes? It's quite a new experience, isn't it?
That's true, but ......, what would you have done if I hadn't tried to persuade you to follow my people's lead?
"No, you don't, remember, Ex-Doik. I've understood you once before.

 I've understood you once before, before the Iliad forbade me to do so.
 Since he had spent most of his time with her and had been informed of her changes, he had no problem adjusting.
 So I believed that if I let Ecdysium know about the Blue Demon King's past and psychologically shake him up from several angles, he would surely persuade him of his own volition.

I can't believe I didn't say that. I'm sure you're not the only one who has a problem with this. ....... But what about the Blue Demon King? I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but I'm sure it's a good idea.
"No, I didn't use Comprehension Behavior on the Blue Demon King. There is only one person who used it this time, Rahite.

 It's not the Blue Demon Lord that is the main target here, but the Rahite who was working behind the scenes.
 I'm not sure what to make of that.
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 I've been thinking since before I came here that the victory or defeat of this battle will be determined by the understanding and actions of the person who controls the Blue Demon King, rather than the Blue Demon King, who wished for death but was unable to achieve it, became desperate and was used by others in a good way.
 And Gillista was the trump card.
 I've had Gillista following the trail of Raheit since the time when I was in Garne with the Golden Demon King.
 He did this because he was afraid that he might get into the hands of a powerful person, as he had done with Archbishop Ucka, and that he might do something on the human side as well.
 As expected, Raheit had made contact with several lords of the city of Quama.
 He probably intended to disrupt the chain of command in each region after the wall was breached.
 Strictly speaking, he was using a different body when he contacted the lords, a fact that was finally discovered by tracing the new contacts to the lords at the time and places where the child form of Raheit was seen.
 The fact that he has reverted back to the body of a child suggests that his current body is also a valuable one that has been modified in a certain way.
 I envy you that you can use magic like Nora, even though you have a child's body.
 No, Nora is a child too, but...
 The new body you used then, the way you contacted her.
 It would have been quicker for me to put myself in her place, but that wouldn't look good on Ilias, so I took the time to analyze the situation carefully.
 I'm sure there will be no problem, as I've informed Archbishop Ceraes of the information and instructed him to confirm the presence or absence of hypnotic magic in each of the lords with whom he is in contact.

I had to travel, but the results were good.
 After confirming the lightning spell from Ecdysium and the signal of "Rahite is here, only Rahite is fleeing", I asked Mix to use a concealment spell to hide himself.
 After that, I guessed the place where Rahayt would like to hide, and searched with Mixu.
 We asked Lakra to stay in the middle to assist Ekuik in case of emergency, or to help Mixu in case we had to fight Rahite.
 In the end, the Blue Demon King and Rahite were both neutralized by Ecdysium and Mix, so there was no need for them to come into play.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what to do.
I'm not sure what to do. In the event that you've got a lot of money, you'll be able to use it as a bargaining chip.
You didn't try to persuade him, did you?
Not in the slightest, because I'm not strong enough to care about someone who appears as an enemy. It's a terrible match.



 The reason why I left the Blue Demon Lord in the hands of Ecdysium is not only for Ecdysium's growth.
 I can't use Comprehension Behavior against the Blue Demon King.
 It's not that I can't use it, it's that I don't want to use it.
 It is a technique that allows you to gain an advantage by understanding the opponent's position and using effective maneuvers for that position, but there are some opponents that it should not be used against.
 One of them is the suicidal person.
 To fully understand the emotions of a person who is desperate for life and wants to die is, as the saying goes, to risk death.
 Even if you are not restricted by the Iliad, it is not advisable to replace your position, and if possible, avoid analysis.

It's a technique that places a heavy burden on the mind. In a way, the Blue Demon King was the natural enemy of his people?
Yeah, that's why I relied on you. And .......
And what's that?
I don't want to be in contact with a guy who's about to die with a grudge against the world before we're even compatible.
......

 I really don't want to deal with someone who is similar to what made me such a twisted person.
 This is a personal weakness, and I guess I still haven't said goodbye to my friend who committed suicide in the past.
 Exoik, who knows about our past, must have sensed this and seemed to be at a loss as to what to say.
 Ilias intervened with a cough.

But the Blue Demon King has suspended his invasion of humans. But the Blue Demon King has suspended his invasion of humans, so if we're going to be neutral from now on, how can you not be involved?
"Well, as long as Ecdysius doesn't insist on leaving this place and leaving me alone with the Blue Demon Lord, I'll take good care of him.
You mean for my sake?
Yes, I'm afraid the Blue Demon King doesn't really have any allies at the moment.
Well, ......, that's quite complicated.
"It's a lot simpler than your position right now.

 It's not that I didn't take into consideration the fact that Eclectic would choose to become a demon in order to gain the trust of the Blue Demon King.
 Of course, I don't discriminate between humans and demons.
 But the humans of this world are different, and while those who already know you will show tolerance, those who meet you for the first time will definitely avoid you.

That's not a problem. I don't expect to be liked by everyone.
"Well, I'm not really sure about me.
I'd be surprised if you're racist towards demons after having a demon lord in your midst.
Except for that colorless bastard. What about Ilias and the others?

 I think it's necessary to hear the honest opinions of the others.
 In some cases, it may be necessary to take them into consideration when sorting them.

"Mr. Ex-Doik is Mr. Ex-Doik!
"Well, that's true for Wolfe.

 For Wolfe, Ecdysiac was one of his teachers, and he had lived a life where he was not instilled with a fixed idea of humanity in the first place.

I don't have a problem with it, I'm not going to give you the title of best guard when you become a demon.
I'm not even going to give it to you yet.

 I was a little worried about Ilias, since he had an obsession with demons, but since he had a certain amount of contact with Exoik, he didn't seem to think it was a problem.

I'm fine too, it's just that my mood has changed a bit!
I'm still in the process of modulation. The color will change a little.
Does your friend like wheatish skin?
I don't mind healthy skin, but I'll look at anyone who turns into a demon for it.

 Myx isn't prejudiced either, since Marito's friend is like this.

What about Lakra?
I'm sure you're not the only one who has a problem with this.
That's a crazy criteria, man.

 I'm not sure what to say.

Yeah, but I don't like the idea of it being too hot.
Yeah, the darker the skin, the more athletic the aura.
I'm not sure what that means, but that's what it looks like.

 I don't know what that means, but that's what it looks like.
 Marito will be fine, and Kara and the others will be fine.
 The only ones I'm worried about are Maja and Lord Reynaud, but I'll take care of them.

If it's only about appearance, I can disguise it by changing my skin tone and hair color like I did when I failed Nora's experiment before.
Yeah, I guess you're right.

 I'm not sure what to make of it, but I think it's a good idea.
 I'd like you to be a billboard, and you should be responsible for what you say.
 As I thought about this, I made a bad face, and everyone's expression, except for Lakra's, became a little tense.

"My people, there are people around. We'll be surrounded before it's too late.
"Yeah, I figured they'd be here by now. Let them do what they want. You're sure everything's okay?
Yeah, I'm fine.

 So I relaxed for a while, and even to the untrained ear, I could see many people approaching.
 Considering the sound of their armor, they must be Kuama's soldiers.
 Then, when they were completely surrounded, it became quiet.

I'm not sure they'll drink the tea I've prepared for them, so we'll talk outside.

 When I stepped outside, I found myself surrounded by Quama's soldiers in a perfect circle around my temporary base.
 In front of me was Archbishop Serraes, and the other man with the nice middle beard was probably Zenotta Quama, the king of Quama, from what I had heard.
 Archbishop Ceraes' eyes were still glaring at us tensely.
 King Zenotta is a little softer ...... but still somewhat distrustful.
 You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to help you.
 This one stepped forward with only the Iliad.

"My name is Zenotta Quama, King of Quama. I am Zenotta-Quama, King of Quama, and this time I have stopped the invasion of the Demon King with great skill.


"I would have shown my face to you when I was finished, even if it hadn't been in person.
I'm not here to give you compliments. I want you to hand over the Blue Demon King and Rahite to us.

 Of course you're going to do that.
 I'm sure you've heard the news that I've been neutralized and you've come to believe it, and you seem to recognize my abilities, but I think you're underestimating me when you come to snatch me without hesitation.

I'm not sure what to make of this.
You can never have too many of them when you're trying to capture a Demon Lord.
We've neutralized the Blue Demon Lord and Raheit with our own men.
Since we invaded Kuama, it is only natural that we should be judged by Kuama.
Invading Quama? It seemed like a battle that ended within the Quama Realm.
The Quama Realm is still Quama's territory, and I'm not here to listen to your boring theories.
If you are as skilled in magic as Archbishop Ceraes, you may have some idea that the Blue Demon Lord is not here.
"That's right, then where is he?
Quama, the demon world.
...... If you say you've neutralized him, then there's a way to summon him. Would you like me to summon him as soon as possible?
I don't see any reason to honor that request.
Oh, you think you have the courage to refuse our request under these circumstances?
Since we call ourselves the Third Camp of Neutrality, we can't afford to play favorites with just one country.
"Well, that makes sense, but it's not very smart.

 The soldiers in the background put up their weapons.
 If you don't give it to me, I'll take you prisoners.
 But it's the wrong kind of threat.
 Threats only work if you can demonstrate a one-sided threat.
 The Iliad, on the other hand, is ...... great, just standing tall.

If you want to harm me now, King Zenotta, I'm sure the Blue Demon King will consider you an enemy again and resume his invasion. ...... Are you still planning to attack after receiving reports of that giant undead?
I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.
I'm not sure what to do.

 I'm sure you're not the only one.

King, don't be prompted by that man's words. The man is lying.
"So he's bluffing. How dare he speak without changing his face?
Oh, you trust the word of Archbishop Serraes?
Of course not. I have no reason to trust you.
Well, let's go over this again. We'd like to keep this quiet, but King Zenotta is not going to listen. Are you sure about that?
"Yes, and now we have good reason to hold you. Seize them.

 A soldier steps up and restrains me.
 The Iliad will not move, that's fine.
 He looks to King Zenotta and smiles.

"I have just as good a reason. Thank you for your decision.

 A chill went through the air.
 The soldiers, who remembered the signs, involuntarily braced themselves.
 And immediately the event occurs.

"That was ......, no way!

 King Zenotta turned his head towards the barrier and looked up at the top.
 At the top, there was a wisp of smoke, probably caused by the guards.
 It was a simple matter of 'enemy attack'.
 Before I could check the details, a huge undead creature reappeared from the other side of the barrier with an earth tremor.
 Even though it had collapsed, the remnants of the countless undead mixed with the vast earth made it almost impossible to eliminate them completely.
 In other words, in the Quama Demon Realm, the giant undead could be instantly revived as many times as the Blue Demon King wanted.
 The giant undead grabbed the top of the barrier with both arms and slowly applied force.
 Even from a distance, you can see that the wall is cracking and slowly being destroyed.

"Oh no, the Blue Demon King must not be watching this place--

 I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do this, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.
 The Blue Demon King is certainly not watching us, but he can be contacted.
 The blue demon king had been given a piece of the chain of Ecdysium, so the blue demon king, who was waiting in the demon world, immediately did as he was told.
 The blue demon king, who was waiting in the demon world, immediately did as he was told. He could barely vibrate at long range, but it was better.

"You, make it stop!
"Let me make my confession, Archbishop Ceraes. It's true that the Blue Demon King hasn't seen this place. So I can't tell him to stop.
"What?

 This is not a lie, I only told him to destroy the barrier if the chain vibrates.
 I have no intention of retracting or being forced to do so.

I warned you. You didn't listen.
Do you have any idea what you're doing?
Yes, you underestimate the threat you pose to me. Yes, you underestimate us. But that's not good enough for us, so we've decided to bring you to an equal situation quickly.

 The giant undead are destroying the barrier, not only at the top, but also at the bottom.
 But it doesn't stop there, the giant undead continue to destroy the wall from side to side.

The walls of Quama, which have protected the land for hundreds of ...... years, have been destroyed.
"King Zenotta, I'm afraid it's too early to let your mind wander. Have you not received any reports? The Blue Demon King still has a backlog of armed undead. Oh, by the way, you've just found the right path, haven't you?


"What?
"There is a great possibility that demons will flow into the plains when the battle begins. You can't lend so many men to Mejis either. As for Garne, ...... well, the king there knows what he's talking about, so he won't touch him. Quama's troops will be no problem, right? It's a good thing you made the decision to mess with us.

 This is my back-end plan.
 That's why I sent Ilias and Wolfe against the wall.
 If those two are stalling for time against the giant undead, the people around them can't do anything about it.
 I also instructed Wolfe to take advantage of the defense and destroy the doorway.
 I just told Ilias to land on top of the ...... for the time being, judging from the fact that Ilias, who is not very good at taking care of himself, would be able to wreak havoc on his own for a long time.
 In the event you're not sure what you're looking for, there are a number of things you can do.
 Aside from that, Quama has now lost the protection it had with the Quama Demon Realm.
 In other words, the threat level of the Blue Demon King has risen dramatically.
 The one who decided this situation is King Zenotta, and his mind is in turmoil right now.
 It wasn't hard to get him to make an excuse.
 King Zenotta and Archbishop Serraes both knew the risk, but I misled them into believing it was a bluff.
 I've had Lord Toxad send you this, and I've manipulated it.
 I had him check the documents he was reporting on and change the wording slightly.
 There was nothing wrong with the report, I just made it seem like we were a bunch of hackneyed trinkets.
 Lord Toxad was frightened to say, "Oh, you can't talk to me like that," but I laughed and said that a trapped lord would have grasped the brush with indignation.
 The Archbishop of Ceraes was the one who had scowled at me when we met at Taze, and I had already made the impression that he was just a coward.
 Then came the further downward revision of the impression.
 These have made me believe that this man is incapable of doing so, and even if he were to show off, he would not have the guts to do so.
It is possible to make him perceive me as strong and troublesome, but there is a limit.
 However, I pride myself on being the best in the art of being seen as lowly in order to live peacefully on Earth and not be noticed.
 I told him a lie in front of him that seemed to show how much King Zenotta was influenced by the opinions of Archbishop Ceraes, but he didn't hesitate a bit to believe me.
 In the event that you're not sure what to do, it is possible that you'll be able to make a decision on the best way to go about it.

"This is ...... this is .......
I'm not sure I'd want to antagonize humans as a neutral, King Zenotta. But can you please stop mistaking neutrals for non-resistance seekers?
"Hmm, .......

 I was underestimated, I got carried away by the situation, and I got hurt.
 It was an unforgettable mistake that will be deeply etched in my mind, and I hope it will be enough to keep King Zenotta in check.
 Even if Archbishop Serraes can influence Quama, he will not be able to move easily now that the threat of the Blue Demon King is clear.
 The plan to pluck out the seeds of trouble in many directions is going well, I think.