The Melancholy of the Demon Army Officer
Translator: Tsukii
Editor: Millinia
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Chapter 004 – Maou Ssulal
“…You’ve turned into a majin.”
“. . .”
I was confronted by a shocking fact right from the start.
During the journey here— where Meglass carried me all the way to the demon army’s camp— I was already convinced about some things.
Power had accumulated all over my body. Since I was a warrior, I quickly came to understand the difference between my current body’s ability compared to when I was simply a human. My sight and hearing became keen, my muscle strength had dramatically increased, and I felt as if I could now use magic.
While my appearance didn’t change much, I was clearly uplifted as a species. Well, there were some things that changed though.
“Even so, while I’ve heard that once something turned into a majin, their appearance would change but.. to think even your clothes would also change.”
“…That seems to be the case.”
Ssulal looked at my appearance over and over with interest.
Regarding the change of my appearance… The only observable change that happened in my body was that my once blue eyes were now red. However, the white clothes I had once worn had changed into blackish ones.
If I were to describe them in the terms of my past, it would be black shirt, trousers, shoes, and also add a black cloak on top of that.
“Well, it looks cool, so I guess it’s okay.”
“…Ah, aah”
Well, I won’t say it looked bad but… what was this? Is this the Maou’s preference?
It was like the black-toned appearance that often accompanied enemy characters in anime and RPGs, so it would leave you with a striking impression.
Now that I think about it, there was a major character whose clothing had changed into something weird the moment they turned into a majin but… Who was it again? [Tsukii Note : Either Abert Safety (was actually an apostle before even 1st contact with Rance, just act as good guy until he managed to used his power again) or Rizna (turned by Rance when he became maou to save her who broke physically and mentally because of Medusa) or Ogawa Kentarou (The boyfriend of Maou from generation before Rance took the maou seat. His majin outfit when he first turned is just . . . something. He changed to normal clothes later though). I’m leaning toward the last one though.]1
…I couldn’t remember it anyway, so let’s leave it at that. What was important was what was going on in the present. I had tons of things to ask about.
“And? Why did you turn me into a majin?”
Ssulal tilted her head at my question.
“…? Didn’t you say you were okay with—“
“No, that’s not what I said! I did nod though!”
And at the time, I was already at death’s door to the point I hardly understood anything that was happening around me, so I was in reckless abandon… No, I was at fault for not asking at the time and speaking clearly, but I was barely conscious there, and I couldn’t imagine it would turn out like this.
As I calmed myself down, I asked the question again.
“Why did you bother to turn me into a majin?”
“. . . Because I’ve heard about your reputation.”
“My reputation?”
“Yes. The one who’d slain numerous demon soldiers, demon captains, and demon generals with a single sword in his hand. The man who managed to repel the Demon Army invasions over and over, the strongest monster among mankind, The King of Sword— Leonhart. It was the reputation you have earned.”
…That sure was a grand reputation. But it was a bit of an exaggeration to claim me as strongest among mankind. I was indeed treated as a monster, though.
I was convinced by her explanation.
“I see. With me included amongst the Demon Army, it would be easy to destroy the settlement, and it would reinforce your army as well.”
“…Yes, you’re right. That’s indeed the case.”
…? This feels awkward. Was I mistaken?
“I’m telling you, it’s useless to resist. A Maou possesses absolute authority over majin. You would be unable to go against my command.”
“…Fuhn, I appreciate that advice.”
While I did have my knowledge beforehand, to have it stated so directly, no… to have experienced it directly sure felt different.
Perhaps it was because I turned into a majin, my instinct told me that the Ssulal in front of me was someone who I should obey and kneel for.
Ssulal physically looked like a petite girl, but within there lies enormous power within that small body. It was power that greatly overwhelmed both me— who turned into a majin— and Meglass— who I fought prior.
…But for some reason, she didn’t possess the majestic atmosphere of a Maou I imagined to be, but rather— she gave me a very weak impression.
Was it because her appearance was that of a petite girl…? Or was it—
“And, what would you do? Will you swear your loyalty to me?”
“…! hm, right…”
My thought got cut off due Ssulal’s question. Well then, what should I do?
I thought about it again, I was a majin now. I was no longer human. While I was treated as a monster when I was a human, this time I truly became one.
…I could no longer choose to return to the settlement. Meglass was standing behind me. Perhaps it was due to the influence of me turning into a majin, the thought of fighting him ran through my mind.
But, even on the off chance I managed to handle Meglass somehow, the Maou was still in front of me, so it was impossible.
Even without such a thing to consider, would those people at the settlement come to accept me, who became a majin?
As it stands, people at the settlement had already avoided me. It would only get worse.
Even those female servants who kept up the act of loving me would put further distance between us since I became a majin.
What would the soldiers think when they saw me? They wouldn’t come to respect me just because I became stronger, since I turned into a majin. The feeling that would spring up would be that of fear. It would hardly be possible for them to respect me as much as they had before.
Then, should I honestly enter the Demon Army— to become a subordinate of the Maou?
I had no choice in this situation anyway, and I had no repulsion to the idea of serving Ssulal as Maou. The problem lies in what would come after— what should I do afterward?
…Thinking normally, I would be asked to participate in an invasion against humans.
It would be my hand, who destroyed my own settlement and neighbors as well. Could I choose to do this? Nay, could I really do it?
…I think I could. I was treated like a tumor by people other than the soldiers anyway.
That wasn’t the case during my childhood. I played normally with kids of my age, and talked about stuff. While my mentality was more mature than that of a normal child, I had still been a child and acted innocently like one, and I didn’t hate that feeling.
I was given expectations by the adults since I was smart and put effort into my training. With jokes thrust upon me like, I might become king in the future.
But a few years later, when I started to participate in the battlefield, everyone’s evaluation of me changed.
At the time, I managed to kill several demon captains. I also killed many demon soldiers. I expected that people at the settlement and the adults would be happy with my result. However, what awaited me once I returned to the settlement were people gazing at me from afar.
Everyone whispered about something. As I was curious and drew closer, they retreated away. Even the friends I once got along with only awkwardly replied to me, and cut off the conversation quickly to leave.
A year later, I became the King.
With the death of the previous King, the elders all agreed for me— the strongest warrior in the settlement— to be the next king.
But, there was nobody around me.
Only during fights against demons and playing with female servants would I be freed of that anguish. The soldiers respected me on the battlefield and followed my lead. Those female servants seeking a better life came to flirt with me.
They only did such things, because it was beneficial to gain my favor. I would neither deny nor blame people for that.
But, that was all I had around me.
Eventually I got to the point where I wondered, what was I fighting for?
My knowledge of this world became poison to me. I couldn’t be optimistic enough to believe humanity had a chance against the Maou and majin who led the demon army.
I would die one day. But, what would I die for?
I had no friends, lover, or family I loved. If I had to name something, it would be the soldiers who were my comrades in arms.
There was nothing beneficial for me. I lost my sense of companionship and thought of my hometown.
…Since that was the case, what was I hesitating for?
There was nothing to hesitate about killing humans, killing people of the settlement, right?
And this should be what I wanted. To break away from the chain of the human species. To be released from the rage and sadness caused by the fact that at any place or time, the humans would be killed by maou and majin.
I was reborn from the race of the plundered, and raised to be the plunderer.
There should be nothing to hesitate about. Since I understand the law of this world, all I needed to do was to do my part as majin with great power to afflict suffering toward the vulnerable humanity.
After a long time of thought, I finally obtained my answer. With my own will, I came to the front of Maou Ssulal.
I bowed to her reverently as a vassal would.
“…I swear my loyalty to Maou Ssulal.”
“…Hm, I understand.”
Even as she wore a stiff expression, she seemed convinced for the time being.
But I still had more things to say.
“But, please grant me one request”
“…? Well, that’s fine. Tell me.”
“Yes, that is…“
With a breath, I came up with a suggestion.
“Please withdraw from my settlement.”
“!”
Ssulal lost her words as her eyes opened with astonishment.
“. . . ”
Meglass, who stood behind, seemed to look in our direction with some emotion. [Tsukii Note: Meglass made the same request to Maou Avel when he was turned into a majin, which the Maou surprisingly kept to his side of the deal, despite how treacherous he was reputed in history. This deal would keep active for very long time, until of Rance X period [That is, 5 maou generations away counting from Ssulal] where Maou refused to reign despite existing and Rance “invaded” it, and freed everyone who lived there, which unfortunately for Meglass, since he was KIA before he managed to see his kinsman was freed.]2
Ssulal was silent for a short moment, about two seconds, actually. As her expression returned to normal, she spoke her question.
“…Why? Considering how you were treated there, err… as a monster right? I don’t understand why you—“
“I have no reason, it’s just as you said.”
“I don’t understand what you mean…”
Ssulal slightly denied it while looking confused.
I opened my mouth as I stared at the girl.
“There was no big reason for it, it was just a whim… it’s just, I feel that it is slightly wrong to abandon it altogether.”
That’s why, as I bowed my head.
“Please, Maou-sama”
“. . . ”
Ssulal was staring at me intensely, then she looked away and said,
“…Very well. I will withdraw the demon army from your settlement. I won’t invade it anymore… is that okay?”
“! Thank you very much!”
I bowed my head over and over.
Ssulal looked all over the place, as if she felt troubled by it.
“Do-don’t thank me that much… it’s just my whim. I will leave for a moment.”
“A-ah… thank you very much!”
I kept repeating my gratitude toward Ssulal who left the scene in a short sprint, as if to escape.
When she noticed his actions, Ssulal, who was now far from the camp, muttered a soliloquy into the air.
“If you say it was just a whim… why were you that desperate, really… ”
The words that escaped from her lips were tinged with joy, enough to surprise even herself.
Few days later, a report came out to the Settlement in addition to the disappearance of King of Sword Leonhart.
—The Withdrawal of the Demon Army.
It was when the demons had already made a base right beside the Settlement, that they made a complete withdrawal.
It meant the war had ended, which elated the people in the settlement, and they held a banquet for several days in jubilation.
—All while behaving as if a certain king had never existed to begin with.
Tsukii Note:
I’m a little conflicted whether I should add the gallery of the character mentioned in the spoiler, and decided against it. Sure, 2 of the 3 mentioned there likely never made it to the main story due difference of time (at least not at the point the raw had reached), but 1 is likely to appear sometime later if the raw progressed a little bit, so I’d just leave them out altogether to leave it consistent.
Honestly, it’s good that MC is on SS era. At least, the majin and maou still do not have the op shield in this era. Furthermore, humanity still hasn’t faced their darkest time yet.
Yeah, defeating majin is still possible in this era, at least.
Ssulal best demon king
most unaffected by maou blood, so generally most affable among all