The Melancholy of the Demon Army Officer

Translator: Tsukii

Editor: geli

Read at Watashi Wa Sugoi Desu!

Chapter 021 – Leonhart’s Worry[B] 

“…An apostle? That’s…” 

Leonhart frowned. It was a completely unexpected idea. 

Apostles. They were the faithful servants of the majin who had given them part of their blood. Because of that trait, the apostle would live together with said majin for a long time. 

It was what Shichisei was for Camilla. They were what Launea, Thalgo, and Samezan were for Galtia.

 So he should also make apostles—?

 Leonhart couldn’t imagine that. Even so, he also couldn’t completely say that he was satisfied with his current situation.

 Perhaps such thoughts somehow reflected on his face because Camilla pointed it out.

 

“You seem dissatisfied with my suggestion… try to make one. Perhaps it won’t be as bad as you think…?” 

“Camilla-sama…” 

Those words made Shichisei, Camilla’s apostle, call out to her with a delighted tone. Perhaps he felt like she was acknowledging his loyalty to her. Either because she saw Shichisei’s touched expression, or perhaps because of how Leonhart kept silent with an indecisive one, she lightly snorted and then started walking away. 

“I’ll be going… Just consider it…” 

 “Hah, I’ll follow along… Leonhart-sama, I’ll see you later.”

“…Aah.” 

After saying their farewells, the master and servant pair walked past Leonhart and left. 

Leonhart, who was left alone in the corridor, stood there for a few moments, all while thinking about something.

 

 

 

After he ate a late dinner and finished his work, the area was already dark. 

The interior of Maou Castle was bright because of lighting equipment like lamps, but the area outside was pitch black.

“…I’ll be going.” 

Leonhart thought for a bit and then left his room. His destination was a place he already visited as part of his daily routine, the maou’s— Ssulal’s private room.

He knocked on the door and called out the room’s owner, and he got a reply to enter soon after.

After hearing that, he opened the door.

“Ou, I’ve come, Ssulal.” 

“…You’re a little late.” 

Looking at Ssulal, who was sulking a bit, he sighed.

…She never changes… 

As always, her usual attitude was unlike what people would expect of a maou. He sat beside Ssulal as he always did and opened his mouth to explain. 

“I have a lot of work to do, so it can’t be helped. Rather, I personally felt I was amazing for managing to finish it all by today.” 

“…That might be the case, but… Hnn—“ 

Ssulal pondered on his words. Then she proposed something she’d already suggested to him several times before. 

“If you know you’ll be late, then just do your job in my room—“ 

“That’s no good.” 

He bluntly dismissed that suggestion. I wonder how many times we’ve already gone over this, was his thought as he held his head. 

“If we stay together to work in the same room, we’ll get derailed if nobody watches us… Did you forget about that one time we did that and it ended up becoming an all-night board game tournament between the two of us?” 

“Uu… but that was just the one tim—“ 

“Then the next time we tried it we ended up talking to each other since we were curious about the book‘s continuation. All the way up until the morning came. 

“…” 

“And the next time after that, you—“ 

“—Le-let’s change the topic!” 

Since it seemed like her face was about to boil from embarrassment, Ssulal interrupted his words in a panic. It’s finally settled, he sighed as he thought that. 

Ssulal would sulk if he came late or didn’t come at all to her room. Well, she wouldn’t complain much if he only did so once or twice a week, but her sulking was obvious if they couldn’t meet for a longer period of time, like when he had an expedition. 

Ssulal tried to make him forget about it by bringing up some other topic, and began to speak as if she’d just remembered it. 

“I also heard it from Galtia earlier, but did the expedition this time go well?” 

“…It was just the usual. Slay the enemy leader, chase them for a bit, and release them afterward. Since we hit them this hard this much, I doubt they will be able to fight again anytime soon.” 

“Hm, I understand. You weren’t injured… right?” 

“…I wasn’t.” 

“…As expected, did you come to hate fighting?” 

Ssulal worriedly looked up at him. He answered her question with a shake of his head. 

“It’s not like I’ve come to hate fighting… It’s just that it feels like it’s gradually being reduced into a mere chore. It does make it easy, but since that’s all there is, I feel like it lacks something that could motivate me…” 

“Hmn-… well, I initially had no intention of approving it… but how about a mock combat against Camilla or Galtia? Of course, neither of you may go all out.” 

“…No, you don’t have to do that. I don’t feel like I’m troubling the people around me.” 

“…I see. Then if you think of something, don’t hesitate to tell me! I’ll try to accommodate it as much as I can!” 

“So it is accommodation from the maou-sama, huh. That sure sounds interesting. It feels like anything could be possible.” 

“Doesn’t it?” 

A peaceful atmosphere spread throughout the room. It was a common conversation they often had. If Galtia was here, it would be noisier. 

He didn’t hate this kind of unchanging interaction though…

He really wondered what he should do with his temperament— as he thought of that, he suddenly remembered the thing Camilla told him earlier that day.

And he somehow felt like asking Ssulal about it, so he opened his mouth.

“…Now that I think about it, there’s something that I’ve been wondering about whether I should get one or not.” 

“Eh, what is it? Tell me about it.” 

“I was thinking of making an apostle.” 

“Ah—apostle, huh. In that case—eh? Eehhh?!” 

Ssulal was surprised at his words. Why was she so surprised about it? 

“…Is it that unexpected for me to consider making an apostle?” 

“Uh, uhn. I thought you had no interest in that… After all, about a hundred years ago…” 

“Aah, there was that incident. When someone came up to me and asked to become my apostle.” 

He rifled through his memories. There had certainly such been an event. 

That had been a human woman. She had decent strength and seemingly had some sort of grudge against humans, so she had said that she wanted to join the Demon Army and become his apostle, even going so far as to directly get caught by the Demon Army once just to say that to him. 

Since the vengefulness in her heart was too overwhelming and he also didn’t feel like making apostles at the time, he refused her and released her back that time. There was also the fact he wasn’t as bored as he currently was.

As he recalled that, he had a bitter expression on his face.

“At the time, the idea wasn’t as interesting to me. Now though… I might actually give it some consideration.” 

“…Uh-n. Well, isn’t it okay?” 

Ssulal agreed surprisingly easily. He thought that Ssulal, who cherished those close to her, would hate the idea. 

And so, he asked her.

“What, is it really okay? I might end up turning a ridiculous villain or demon into an apostle, you know? 

“Hmn, I don’t think so. I believe in Leonhart.” 

Ssulal said it as if she didn’t need to think about it. Her clear expression showed no hint of doubt in him. 

“If it’s a person that you acknowledge, then I’m sure they would be a good person… I think I could get along with them.” 

“…Ssulal.” 

“That’s why if you get a chance and find the right person for what you want, then you can turn them into your apostle.” 

After hearing such words, he felt the haze of uncertainty within his heart dissipate a little. 

Then he smiled wryly. Because she was capable of this, he could never underestimate her.

“…You’re right. It might become livelier then.” 

“I’ll hold a welcome party once that happens though.” 

“Damn, there’s also that thing…” 

“He, hey! That’s rude! Even I can get a little…” 

Did she improve? Impossible. It would be insane to feed others the poisonous dishes that only Galtia would happily eat. 

“…It is something that could even KO majins, you know? If they were to eat Ssulal’s dish, won’t my apostle end up dead…?” 

“It won’t go that badly! …maybe.” 

Both of their tones gradually weakened. He began to pity the person who would end up becoming his future apostle. 

 

…But well, he did feel a little better for the moment. 

If a suitable person were to appear, then he would turn them into his apostle. Perhaps finding such a person would eventually become his hobby? 

On that day, perhaps due to Ssulal’s words, or the thoughts of gaining a future apostle, he was able to sleep soundly for once.

 

 

 

 

—Morning. 

The morning sun peeked through a gap in the curtains. He noticed that and jumped up. 

“No good… I overslept.” 

It wasn’t like there was a particular time he needed to wake up, but he would normally be finished with his breakfast and starting work by this time. It would be a problem if there were scheduled operations or meetings, but there was no such thing today. 

With that in mind, he began to think that maybe he could take his time more leisurely. The fact that he slept this much showed how tired he was from yesterday. There was the matter of his worries and about getting an apostle, then his conversation with Ssulal which made him feel at ease.

“It isn’t bad to have such a leisurely day for once…” 

As he said that, he started putting on the sleeve of his usual coat and opened the door of the room. 

There was—

“—Good morning!! Leonhart-sama!!” 

“Ah—?” 

The moment he opened the door, he heard a cheerful greeting. Crap, did anyone come to visit him? 

Most of the time, it would be something about work. He might have caused trouble for them already this morning.

He looked at the girl who’d bowed in a perfect 90 degree angle from the waist as she greeted him, and he was about to call out to her — hm? He didn’t recall ever seeing her before.

While he was busy thinking while staring at her, the girl lifted her upper body and said with a loud voice.

“—I came here after hearing the story yesterday! Please—“ 

Then in a single breath. 

“Please — make me Leonhart-sama’s apostle!!!” 

“……Eh?” 

As he heard that, his body stopped moving as if frozen. 

Isn’t it just too sudden…?  

All of a sudden, Leonhart was faced with a turning point that morning. 


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