The Melancholy of the Demon Army Officer
Translator: Tsukii
Editor: Shizukuku
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Chapter 103 – Entrusted Things [A]
The Maou Castle was in extreme turmoil.
It was due to an obituary given by Leonhart the supreme majin. The content was,
—The death of Maou Ssulal.
Many demon soldiers under the rank of demon general were in a state of turmoil for a while.
Morale had visibly dropped and there were even those who made a fuss as they fled, but the Leonhart army, under the lead of Great General Lee, managed to put them together and successfully took control of the situation to some extent.
However, a certain majin hadn’t made an appearance — Leonhart was nowhere to be found.
In that way, while the Demon Army was in turmoil over the death of the maou, there was someone at a certain location who was astonished.
It was the starfish-like, spider-like god in the nowhere,
“…Hah?”
Planner, one of three supreme gods that spent its time observing the continent from a bird’s eye view as usual, was stunned by the fact that the maou had perished.
And the reason was,
“The capacity of the maou’s blood was insufficient, huh…”
Due to the installation of an invincibility field that took so much capacity, the maou, whose lifespan was supposed to be 1,000 years, ran out of lifespan in half of that supposed time and was swallowed by the blood.
It was something Planner hadn’t accounted for.
It would need to immediately improve the invincibility field, but that wasn’t the problem. It was already aware of the problem. It wasn’t that big of a task.
The bigger problem was,
“What should I do about the next maou…”
That was more important.
After all, if the maou was absent from the continent, it meant the supreme balance it had built up would collapse.
That wasn’t tolerable. Balance was more important than anything else.
However, that didn’t mean it could just choose a random person to be the maou. That would also upset the balance.
“Uumu.”
It worried.
Although the previous maou was good at balancing things, she wasn’t a maou-like person.
That was because she was perfectly compatible with the blood, but it was boring to repeat the same thing.
It felt that a brutal maou would be more interesting.
Having an arrogant one made it better. Then they would really feel like the king of demons.
But it didn’t know humans well individually. In that case,
“I guess I’ll have the human administration god — Goddess ALICE make the selection.”
It was certain she could pick a good candidate. Planner thought so and summoned Goddess ALICE.
—Maou Castle.
The demon generals and demon captains were wandering around on the first floor.
They all had similar appearances to begin with, but now they also had matching troubled expressions and rushed voices.
The one who passed by was a majin with green hair and brown skin,
“…What are you all doing gathering in this place?”
“Ah, Galtia-sama!”
“W-we’re terribly sorry. We’re busy with a lot of things…”
They were called out by a majin who was their superior, so they bowed their heads timidly. Most of them carried large bundles of paper, or pieces of paper containing some petition or request,
“Ah-… things are chaotic after all. Sorry about that.”
“I-it’s okay. Galtia-sama doesn’t have to apologize.”
Even as Galtia gave a light apology, realizing their busy schedule, the demon soldier responded humbly.
Because they looked tired, Galtia was curious,
“So you’re busy after all?”
He asked with a light feeling.
Then the demon general looked hesitant and glanced at the others, but it seemed he decided to speak his mind, and with a low voice,
“…Yes. Because Maou-sama passed away, the demon soldiers were greatly confused… His Highness the great general was also working, but it wasn’t enough to handle everything… Things would be better if Leonhart-sama came back to work, though.”
“…I see.”
As far as he’d heard, it seemed that Leonhart was no longer involved with the work of the Demon Army.
Ever since Ssulal passed away, although Leonhart had returned to the castle, Galtia hadn’t been able to cross paths with him.
That was also because Galtia was being considerate, but—
“…Okay, I understand.”
“…? What do you mean?”
“It’s obvious,” said Galtia as he flexed his shoulder and gave him a light smile.
“I’ll go to his room for a bit to meet Leonhart.”
With that, Galtia took a light step toward the upper floor where Leonhart’s room was located.
—However,
“…I can’t let you through.”
“Ooh…”
The location was in front of Leonhart’s room.
Galtia was stopped by Carol, who stood in front of the door.
Next to him was Kesselring, who also came to meet Leonhart, but Carol refused to let her past as well.
“…Why is it?”
“…Leonhart-sama said he wouldn’t be meeting anyone. That’s why I can’t let anyone through.”
“Is that also including us?”
Galtia asked further about Carol’s remark. He meant to imply that it should be okay for close associates like them.
However, Carol still shook her head,
“…Leonhart-sama said not to let ‘anyone’ pass though…”
“…Fuhn?”
Galtia tilted his head.
He could guess the rough reason for Leonhart to shut himself inside his room. Basically, he was brooding. He didn’t even do his work and didn’t want to meet anyone. It wasn’t like Galtia did not understand such feelings.
But he also had doubts. That was,
“And how long will it be?”
“…”
Carol didn’t respond.
The silence implied that even Carol had no idea or,
“…Is he going to stay there forever?”
“…That’s…”
One of Carol’s hands trembled and she used her other hand to suppress it.
Seeing Carol unable to continue her words, Kesselring asked this time.
“…Does that mean he forbade his apostle from entering?”
“…Is that so?”
Gatlia asked again. But this time Carol shook her head,
“…For the time being, I’m the only one allowed to enter the room… however,”
Carol stopped her words there.
Looking at her, Carol’s lips were trembling and seemed like she might cry at any moment.
Then the words that followed were beyond what they imagined.
“…Leonhart-sama has already… given up on doing things and living on.”
“—”
Kesselring was astonished by those words. Carol continued,
“Leonhart-sama decided to not be involved with anyone anymore. Leonhart-sama, he… chose to just gradually die like that… that was what Leonhart-sama told me.”
“…”
Galtia instantly froze at her words.
…What the heck was that?”
Leonhart wanted to die. That was what it meant.
He could understand his reason. He had fallen into a deep depression because of losing Ssulal.
Perhaps it wasn’t unreasonable to have such a thought. Galtia calmly thought so.
But that was,
“What the heck is he messing for…”
Indignation rose up from within Galtia and escaped from inside him.
That feeling turned into words that came out of his mouth.
“He said that he wanted to die…?”
Did Leonhart actually say such a thing?
It was, it truly was,
…This is something unforgivable.
“gh… Oi, Carol. Get away from there at this instant.”
“…Galtia-sama? That’s—”
“Whatever, just get away. —Otherwise, you’ll get hurt.”
“Galtia? What are you…”
Galtia ignored Kesselring’s question and headed to the wall next to Carol,
“—Get your ass out of there! Leonhart!!”
And he kicked it using the leg strength of a majin.
Along with the sound of destruction, the wall collapsed into the other room. As he saw that,
…It connected to the other side properly.
He could see the interior of the room. As Galtia confirmed that, he nodded,
“Okay, let’s go in now.”
“…A-aah. Let’s do that…”
Kesselring was taken aback by the turn of events but still followed along. Seeing that, Carol, who stiffened at Galtia’s actions, resumed her movement,
“Wha, wha, wha… what are you doing, Galtia-sama—?!”
…Oh, she returned to how she usually acted.
Galtia saw how Carol screamed energetically, and thought that everything was good since Carol had regained her energy and he was satisfied with what he’d done.
That Carol raised her voice as they tried to enter the room,
“T-that’s no good! Leonhart-sama’s ordered—”
“—No, it’s fine.”
But there was someone who interupted her words.
A voice came from inside the room,
“…Hey, so you are here after all. At least reply properly, will you?”
“…Leonhart…”
Galtia entered the room with Kesselring and confirmed the appearance of the owner of the room.
Meanwhile, Carol, who dutifully opened the door and entered that way, asked her master,
“Leonhart-sama?! That’s—”
“…It’s okay, Carol. I already expected someone would forcefully barge their way in at some point… it just happened earlier than I expected…”
“gh, Certainly…”
Carol backed down as her master told her. She stood off to the side.
Galtia looked at the figure of his friend sitting on the bed.
The one with hollow eyes, who looked at them with a lifeless expression, was obviously Majin Leonhart. In a dull voice, he asked them,
“…So, what did you come here for…?”
“…I’ve got something to say. So I came.”
“…I see. Then what about you…?”
Leonhart moved his gaze toward Kesselring. Kesselring winced at the situation, but after a moment’s hesitation,
“…I’m worried about you…”
“…I see…”
That was all that Leonhart said. There was no physical movement.
His figure was completely lethargic and seemingly unmoving.
He immediately moved his gaze away from Kesselring who said she was worried about him. But he didn’t seem to look at anything in particular, and just stared into the void as he spoke. With a slow and low tone,
“…I have no business with you. If you’re done, get out…”
“gh, Leonhart…!”
Kesselring called his name with a pained expression.
Leonhart didn’t even glance at Kesselring and stayed silent.
That attitude showed that Leonhart had already known what they were going to say and he also had no intention of responding. The reason Leonhart permitted them to enter was just as he said, because it would happen eventually. Also, perhaps out of obligation.
Galtia was thinking. I’m certain that I told him I came because I had something to say to him.
However,
“…I’ll just ask you one thing first.”
“…”
Leonhart seemed to ignore him. However, Galtia felt he was listening.
Therefore, Galtia continued despite that,
“Is it true you said you wanted to die?”
Galtia asked what he had to ask.
As Leonhart heard the question, he glanced at Galtia,
“…Yes, that’s right.”
“…!”
And answered.
Even as Galtia felt something boiling inside of him from that answer, he heard Leonhart’s following words.
That was,
“…I no longer have any intention of doing anything…”
After all,
“This… this world without her, it is impossible for me to keep living on…”
That was why,
“I… don’t mind if things end here.”
“…………You…”
Galtia was angered by Leonhart’s words.
Galtia could understand why Leonhart wanted to die. Galtia could also understand what he just said.
However, it wasn’t something he could tolerate.
Therefore,
“…I changed my mind.”
As Galtia said that, he walked toward Leonhart.
And with his fist clenched tight,
“—I no longer feel like ending it with just words.”
“—?!”
He struck Leonhart’s face with all his might.
Leonhart’s body was knocked off the bed, crashed into a wall, and stopped there.
Breath escaped from Leonhart’s mouth due to the impact, but he didn’t suffer that much damage.
It was because of Leonhart’s physical strength as a majin.
However, Leonhart, who understood what just took place but couldn’t understand the motivation behind it, looked at Galtia,
“…What are you…”
Leonhart asked.
And Galtia replied.
With words that didn’t serve as answer,
“You said you wanted to die, didn’t you…? Don’t you say such nonsense!!”
Indeed. It had to be nonsense. There was no way Leonhart would want to die.
That would mean he was trampling over Ssulal’s wish.
That was why, when Galtia swung,
“Didn’t she tell you to continue to live on?!”
He was representing Ssulal’s fist.
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