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CHAPTER 30: IT SEEMS THAT A VILE SCHEME TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE ELVES' POVERTY BY THE BORDER COUNT PROMPTED THE AWAKENING OF THE DEMON LORD.
"I didn't come here to do something like that! If you want to kill each other, do it on your own! I don't want to die or kill!"
Assam's gaze at Sota, who shouted these words, was icy.
Even as Sota tightly grasped Assam's arm with all his strength, he didn't flinch. Despite his appearance resembling that of a withered branch, he carried the weight of a giant tree.
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Assam twirled his own beard around his finger, and in a composed tone, he asked, "So what do you suggest? Are you saying we do nothing? This village is a sanctuary to me. Do you understand? The comrades who welcomed me back from being a warmonger, their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren live here. Hey, I'll do whatever it takes, no matter what means necessary. You're the same, aren't you? That's why I like you. Come on, show me your resolve, man."
"I had a nightmare, Village Chief. I... I had a nightmare. It was about someone important dying. The dream was about this village. I don't want to get this village involved in such dangerous matters!"
"Well, I've been having that same dream for thirty years. No, I've even seen scenes just like in that dream with my own eyes!"
Sota couldn't respond with anything.
"Even if we bring in other villages and negotiate with the border count together..."
He tried to say, but his words faltered.
――It's impossible, isn't it? Don't you understand that better than anyone else?
In Sota's mind, his own voice echoed.
Sota sighed and loosened his grip on the Village Chief's arm.
――And besides, if I do as the Village Chief suggests, I can save Nuhi too. Kill the border count, make a deal with "Crystal Night" during the chaos. Asagi-san won't have to be afraid. Ayahi won't be in danger. Everyone in the village will be saved.
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――Yes, isn't that the best option? Think rationally.
Seeing Sota's indecision, Assam understood and pushed a bit further.
"Look, read this."
Saying this, Assam thrust the letter into Sota's hands. The letter bore the emblem of shattered window glass, a distinctive mark of "Crystal Night," and a signature that read "Commander of the Western Division." Despite starting with "To my dear friend," the letter turned out to be a threat.
"A man made it all the way to the food storage and handed this to me. A former junior comrade I trained long ago. He gave me a choice: hand you over or let the village burn. So, Sota, which will it be? What will you do? I've already put my bet on you. There must be something, some secret move we don't know about."
"Are they... is that threat letter their main play?"
Sota stared at the letter, his face contorting with bitterness.
――Being shown this means that they are genuinely considering facing me in battle.
In other words, it also means there's no choice other than fighting.
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"Mercenary bands, you see, are the last refuge for marginalized minorities to survive. And even there, they become tools in the power struggles of wealthy nobles. They're used as it suits, and if things become inconvenient, they're discarded."
"They're being used for someone else's gain."
"That's why I only hold onto loyalty with my old comrades. It's a world like that. Even that little bit of loyalty is being denied, and now my pride is being stripped away. And that's how my former comrades, those from my past, have come to kill me in my present. I wonder why it came to this."
"The Village Chief brought this upon himself."
"Is that all you have to say?"
It's not just that.
――Ah, I see. That's how it works.
In this conversation, Sota saw through it. He understood the scheme that the border count had skillfully employed to manage elves, dwarves, and halflings in the region.
"It seriously bothers me."
"What's wrong? You're more fired up than I thought."
"Leaving aside how they can turn hot-blooded youngsters on the verge of becoming rebels into violent tools using mercenary bands, giving them privileged positions and money, and then using them as pawns to slowly siphon away riches when convenient. It's impossible for me to like people like that."
――It bothers me.
――The audacity to lay hands on treasures others fought desperately to win.
With the same determination he had when he punched the corrupt official, Sota clenched his fist.
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"Besides, it's a little late for you to say you don't want to kill."
"Huh?"
"The official you tried to save initially, the one I killed and buried."
――Ah, I see. So that's how it is. Harsh. This is a bit harsh.
Sota was taken aback.
――Because of me, someone was already dead. It should feel harsh, but I'm thinking serves them right.
"...Ah, I understand."
――It's been way too late for a while. My hands were already stained. Well, yeah, when you're already involved in the production of drugs, it's too late.
Something snapped within Sota. It wasn't anger.
"In hindsight, it was a good move. The border count completely missed the chance to get your information directly."
――Because I got my hands dirty, I need to take responsibility.
It wasn't anger that fueled him; it was determination.
――How can I take responsibility?
For the person whose life he saved, he would stand by their side.
For the one whose pride he inadvertently tarnished, he would offer a fitting battleground.
――What do I want to do?
"That's it. This way of doing things ends here."
Driven by frustration, Sota slammed his fist against the wall.
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Assam watched this with an excited gleam in his eyes.
"Oh, you're going to do it?"
"I will fight. However, from now on, I will... I will take command of this village."
"Why?"
"Your methods lead to too many deaths, both among humans and elves. This is about the liberation of the elves, not about satisfying your grudges. I don't want to kill people."
"Your ideology is your business. If you want to be the village chief, I'll even give you this chair. So, can you do it? Can you turn the border count's castle into a blazing inferno?"
Without hesitation, Sota nodded.
"A blazing inferno? I won't put it so mildly. I'll turn it into ashes. That's the most expedient way."
"Quite bold, aren't you?"
"I, you see, want to make choices based on my own will and responsibility, be it good or evil. Everything that suppresses that is my enemy. From the start, I haven't changed at all."
Assam's face twisted with both joy and ferocity. Even in that visage, brimming with vitality that belied his wrinkled appearance, Sota was no longer afraid.
"You're quite the man, Sota! What happened all of a sudden?"
"Killing is wrong. But right now, all we have left is the exchange of lives. So, I will do it. And I will create a country where the only exchange of lives left to us is for the resolution of the problems we're currently facing. A nation where non-human races aren't oppressed, a country where this kind of killing doesn't happen. If that means killing people, I'll do it. I'll shoulder the responsibility for the bloodshed, so that only I have to. For that, whether I become a village chief, a lord, or anything else, I will attain everything that can be acquired. That's all."
Assam gazed at Sota with a hint of unease.
"When this is over, will you be able to forgive yourself?"
"That... let's leave that decision to the goddess or something."
Sota had a faint smile.
――It will probably be an unjust judgment, but it will undoubtedly be satisfying.
"Alright... I'm impressed. Tell me about your plans from now on, new village chief."
Upon hearing this, Sota assumed a more dignified demeanor befitting a village chief.
And he began to explain the future outlook to the Village Chief, now his chief advisor.
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"As soon as we succeed in crushing the border count and the regular army, we'll immediately hire 'Crystal Night.' We want to expand the drug distribution network by using them to dismantle what the border count built. When the border count and the regular army are wiped out, we need to be able to move quickly, so we need to make preparations. Also, I'd like to nominate a girl named Nui to be added to our Maita Village's and 'Crystal Night's' contacts. It's a nomination based on the assessment of the new village chief's skills."
"Turning to the seller's side, huh? That's a good idea."
The problem lay in what happened after seizing control. Sota didn't possess that knowledge, so he had decided to rely on Assam.
"About the opium market controlled by the border count, if we were to wipe out the border count and their clan, how much could we take?"
"It's unlikely we could take everything. At best, maybe half. But the profits can be distributed well between 'Crystal Night' and us. It could result in an immense cash income."
"Alright then. I anticipate that in the future, we can create a significant advantage over other sellers by ensuring the quality of the opium we ship. Assam, including those aspects, initiate negotiations with 'Crystal Night.' I'm not good with that kind of business transaction."
Upon hearing this, Assam laughed with delight, then patted Sota's shoulder.
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"Got it. Leave it to me. If there's violence that can just beat the border count to death, we can negotiate as much as needed. Anything else?"
"Could you release the outsider Elf we captured alive? The villagers are itching to torture and kill them."
"Seriously? The villagers are practically chomping at the bit to torture and kill them."
"Tell them to release them. Assure them that they won't be taking your children away. Can you do that, Assam?"
"Ugh... fine. I said I'd bet on you, didn't I?"
"No secret burials."
"I know. I might deceive those who don't know, but I won't betray my superior."
And so, Sota became the village chief.
Thus, a Demon Lord was born into this world.
Unnecessary casualties were reduced by two.
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1 Comments
Thanks for translating all these chapters! I never noticed!
ReplyDeleteWhat's on your mind...