The Melancholy of the Demon Army Officer
Translator: Tsukii
Editor: Shizukuku
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Chapter 093 – Ocean [B]
Leonhart was in charge of the meal.
Usually, it would be the castle chefs or the people in charge of cooking who would do so, but they were on vacation with only their group.
As expected, he couldn’t move the army for something like this — or so he’d like to say, but he already made use of the army to build a town for the sake of a date a while ago, so he put that excuse back on the shelf. Well, the resulting town was useful for the demons’ recreations, so it didn’t count as a private endeavor.
Anyway, the army was left behind at the castle. Great General Lee would be in charge of arrangements during the group’s absence, and one of the Four Elite Majin also remained there as the chief executive officer. There shouldn’t be any problems.
Leonhart actually invited Camilla for this trip, but she refused, saying she didn’t feel like going. The fact he felt it was too bad she didn’t come along was proof they had grown closer, he thought. Carol was also depressed, feeling it was unfortunate that Camilla didn’t come. On the contrary, Hunty felt relieved by that. As expected, she still couldn’t get rid of her awkwardness with Camilla.
For the time being, due to one thing and another, Leonhart began to cook the ingredients that he brought in large quantities.
He cut the meat and vegetables into easy to eat pieces and put them on a platter.
…Well, rather than cooking, it’s more like prepping the ingredients.
Since it was a barbecue, they would grill things as they ate. As for other dishes, he would make them after the meat and vegetables were already consumed to some extent. Since there was a big eater, Galtia, among the group, they had brought quite a lot of ingredients, but he would at least maintain reasonable consumption speed. As expected, he wouldn’t eat other people’s portions as well. Although Galtia often fought over food with his apostle Thalgo, he could be considerate to other people.
Anyway, what Leonhart did was cut things into ready to grill sizes and made the sauce for meat. Since he got an opportunity like this, he asked for the recipe from the head chef of the castle before departing and would try to make it himself here.
He put the seasoning in the bowl and proceeded with the task. He also prepped the ingredients for yakisoba so he could immediately make it later.
Also, regarding the seafood,
“…”
“Well then, Masuzoe-sama. We’ll take some of the little puchi hannies on your body. Then using these—”
“We’ll throw the puchi hannies we took from Masuzoe-sama’s body to the sea. Then—”
Brad and Pitt strongly threw some puchi hanny into the ocean. Then after a moment, water columns rolled up with roaring sounds,
“Ufu, many things emerged.”
“Hoo, that’s convenient. Well then, we’ll collect them.”
“…!”
“Kishaaaaaa!”
“Piiiiii!”
Galtia and his apostles proceeded to collect the creatures that seemed to be fishes. Launea shot thread from the beach, Thalgo went with Galtia to the sea, and Samezan collected them from the air. They did it with their respective methods.
…They sure use rough methods to collect them.
Although Leonhart didn’t personally mind, he wondered what Masuzoe thought about it, since they used the puchi hannies that grew from his body. Since he didn’t resist and let them do as they liked, there shouldn’t be any problem for him.
…Well, they seem to get along well, I guess that’s fine.
However, ever since Masuzoe came to the Demon Army, the usage of puchi hanny became widely spread among the Demon Army. Or rather, his apostles directly proceed with their business. They properly asked for money for the transaction, but since there was no doubt of its effectiveness, Leonhart couldn’t refuse and regularly bought them at the scale of hundreds. Carol was pleased by that, but perhaps she loved that kind of dangerous goods? They were effective weapons, but they had to be handled carefully, and since they could easily kill people with them, he ordered that they not be used often. They were also useful for construction, so its operation method was actively discussed including by the great general. They also played a big part during the town construction the other day.
Leonhart leaked a wry smile, still thinking about work even during vacation as he proceeded with the preparation. Then,
“—Leonhart.”
Ssulal called to him with light steps. He turned his face in her direction,
“What’s wrong? It’s too early for a meal.”
“…Err, it’s not like I have anything in particular.”
She approached him as she said that. Then as she looked up to him,
“I’m just thinking that I want to spend time together with Leonhart.”
“Hm… I see.”
Leonhart gave a light reply to Ssulal’s bashful remark.
Recently, or rather, ever since the day after their first date, Ssulal began asking to be spoiled straightforwardly. Leonhart would have liked for her to refrain from sticking to him too much when they were outdoors, since they would be teased for it but,
…I couldn’t say it strongly.
Perhaps I thought that way because I didn’t hate the idea myself, thought Leonhart as he was aware of his own feelings. Even though they spent every night together, the fact that she still wanted to be together with him even more could cause him to consider her as a kind of hopeless romantic or a type of fool. But that didn’t mean he didn’t like it,
“Ehehe, it sure is enjoyable.”
“Is it? In that case, praise Carol for it. She did all the planning after all.”
Leonhart said that as he pointed toward Carol who was struggling with Hunty on the beach. I guess I should give them permission to play all they like, thought Leonhart as he listened to Ssulal’s words.
“Yeah, I’ll thank Carol later. I’ll thank everyone involved as well… Ah, by the way.”
Ssulal said as if she recalled something.
“What do you think about Kesselring? Also, I guess Carol as well…?”
“That’s…”
Leonhart’s words stuck in his throat. It was because he understood what she meant. He inadvertently wrinkled his eyebrows.
Ssulal saw his expression and made a wry smile,
“It’s not like I’m blaming you in particular. It’s just… both of them love you, so it makes me wonder what Leonhart thinks of them.”
“I guess your love for Carol is of a different variety though,” continued Ssulal with a smile. Just as she said, she didn’t blame him in particular.
…I wonder about that.
Leonhart thought. If asked whether he liked or hated Carol, he could say he liked her without hesitation. There was no doubt about that.
However, if it was just like that, other people could be considered in the same regard. Among those people, the ones that he could be considered to love in the way Ssulal meant would be,
…Two… no, three people — I guess…?
It was, if Ssulal was excluded. However, it could be said the degree of love was different compared to his love to Ssulal.
When he answered Kesselring and Pale’s love, it was the first time he found such mingling comfortable. It was his first time receiving such straightforward love, at least he thought so back then.
But now, Leonhart realized there was something greater compared to that.
That said, it wasn’t like his feelings for them disappeared,
“…I guess, I love them.”
After thinking, he honestly said what he felt. Then he said his thought,
“However, how to say this… It seems I like being loved, which makes me spoil the people who love me… I think. It’s like I wanted to answer their feelings, so I ended up treasuring them as well. I guess you could consider that love as well. However—”
He said it. His hands stopped doing chores before he knew it,
“I have found the most precious thing of all.”
“Does that mean…”
“…Well, that’s about it. So if I have to say — there are other people I love, but there is only one who is the best — wow, I sound like an asshole for saying that…”
“Well, I can’t exactly deny that, but…”
“But,” she said,
“I don’t mind.”
“Ah…? What do you mean—”
“I mean,” Ssulal continued her words.
“If it’s Kesselring and Carol… I don’t mind, and you can answer their love, is what I said.”
“That’s… is it really okay?”
He asked back. Ssulal put her hand on her chin to think a little,
“Hm-… Well, I guess. Both Kesselring and Carol are important to me as well, you see…”
“Of course I would be angry if it was random people instead,” continued Ssulal.
Then she raised her voice there,
“That’s why, I guess Galtia would also be okay, you know?”
“—Are you stupid?! What are you saying with a serious tone?!”
“Ahaha, sorry, sorry,” apologized Ssulal as she held her head. Now that Leonhart thought about it, a few of the gal demons had passionate gazes when he was together with Galtia, such was the thing he recalled for some reason. He felt a chill back then.
But he put that aside for now and reorganized his thoughts as Ssulal’s expression returned,
“…As for that kalar, Pale doesn’t seem to be a bad person, and I can at least understand that somehow… If she would come to our side from now on, I think I could welcome her. However—”
She stopped her words there, then eventually,
“I am selfish, so I want to cherish my time with everyone, and I want Kesselring, Carol, Galtia, and everyone else to also be happy. I have such thoughts. However… On top of that, I am to be the best and I want to be prioritized… that sounds selfish, right?”
“gh…”
Leonhart felt his words jammed while Ssulal laughed as if ridiculing herself.
And he took action.
“…Ssulal. Close your eyes.”
“Eh…Uhn—”
Immediately after she closed her eyes, he kissed Ssulal’s mouth as it was.
Even though they did it often and should already be used to it, he could still feel the sweet feeling.
Then after a few seconds, as he moved his mouth away,
“…It’s fine to be selfish.”
“Eh?”
Ssulal’s mouth hung open as if she was taken aback when Leonhart said that. What he meant was,
“I’ll fulfill whatever selfishness you have. I swear… here and now.”
“But, that would be a burden…”
“That doesn’t matter. Rather, it won’t even be a burden. Your precious people are also precious to me. If you say you want the people close to you to also be happy, I will make it come true as you wished for.”
“—”
“So… if you find a way to make them all happy, and if they have people precious to them, I’ll do my best to help. People who are precious to them are also precious to me after all.”
“…If we go by that logic, it would end up as a ridiculous number…”
“If you wish for it, I’ll do it… well, if I realistically tried to do so, it would mean I would have to sacrifice everyone else… but we’ve already come this far, so even if it’s hard, I can’t give up on it.”
“I guess, you’re right, but…”
Demon Army and demons, since Leonhart was affiliated to a faction who belonged to humanity’s enemies, there was a limit to what he could do.
But even so, he wouldn’t give up on aiming for more.
He smiled at Ssulal.
“Besides, it’s already too late. We already did so several times until now. As we manipulate the Demon Army, we increase the number of comrades, we save those we wish to save, and reduce the number of casualties. You might be the maou, but at the very least, you have saved the people precious to you and they’re here with you. — Isn’t it all thanks to you?”
“That’s… Leonhart is the one”
“And who turned me into a majin to begin with? It’s you. At the very least, half of the credit belongs to you.”
“—”
Leonhart said it. He embraced Ssulal lightly as he stroked her head.
“You granted me happiness. You also gave other people salvation in your own way. I ‘love’ you, I also love other people, and I love this place that they treasure as well. For their sake, I could do anything.”
He said it. That was why,
“Thank you.”
“…!”
Ssulal reacted to his words.
That was,
“…Leonhart…!”
Tears.
As Ssulal heard the words that were said, she couldn’t suppress her feelings.
She realized tears were flowing from the edges of her eyes and buried her face in his chest as if to hide it.
But her sobs couldn’t be hidden.
“I… I, also… love them…!”
“Aah.”
She said it. While she could still say it,
“Be it Leonhart, other people, or this place, they’re all precious to me…”
That was why,
“I will continue to do my best…! I’ll work hard, so—”
“Aah.”
The things she wanted to convey,
“Please be with me forever…!”
“Aah—”
He smiled. As he stuck his forehead on hers,
“Of course — we’ll always be together.”
“! Leon, hart…!”
She couldn’t endure it.
She buried her face on his slightly bent neck and shed her tears. Then she decided.
…I won’t cry anymore.
She decided not to cry alone like she used to.
She had decided so.
For the sake of protecting the person she loved, people she treasured, and the precious place.
So she could help on doing so.
She couldn’t afford to just tremble and shut herself off.
She wouldn’t impose everything on him.
That’s why,
“We’ll always be together okay… it’s a promise…!”
“Aah, it’s a promise—”
She wanted to be together forever. She made another promise with her beloved person.
Author Note:
Even though I wrote this myself, it hurts my heart… (I reap what I sow)
Anyway, if I can’t come up with any story, we’ll proceed to the moment of destiny in the next one. If I come up with anything, we’ll go for a small arc about that.
As for what happened next (I think I’ve said this often) after the small arcs run out, you can look forward to it
Tsukii Note:
If it’s a normal story, coming to such a resolve would lead to better results. Not in this one, as it becomes the source of all tragedies that follow, unfortunately. After that, you can enjoy the meaning of the title, melancholy of Leonhart.
Well anyway, another illustration time! That said, it was just a face portrait since I couldn’t find a full body illustration. Of what you ask?
Watermelon: https://i.ibb.co/zr2vBZ8/Insects-Watermelon.png
Well basically, it’s like a four legged animal with a watermelon as its body, mouth that leaks fruit juice, and lean four legs.
Want early access to Cannon Fodder, Melancholy of the Demon Army Officer, and I Was a Man Before Reincarnating, So I Refuse a Reverse Harem? Support the translator on Patreon!
