The Melancholy of the Demon Army Officer
Translator: Tsukii
Editor: Millinia
Read at Watashi Wa Sugoi Desu!
Chapter 017 – Shichisei [B]
“Oioi… what happened to your enthusiasm from earlier? Or this is all you can manage?”
“—!”
It felt like my body was being carved by the small creature before me.
My body felt heavy, my breath trembled, and I felt as if I was getting closer and closer to death.
Was this where I would die? I unconsciously remembered my early years as I fought him.
I was born as a nephrite dragon, one of the species of the dragon race. The nephrite dragon species were known for their beautiful looks and lived on eastern side of the continent. Although for me, my looks were what I was born with, so it only troubled me to only be known as beautiful.
Either due to my serious personality or natural instincts of the dragon race, I could fight to some extent and keep myself trained. Whenever there was a battle, I took the initiative and volunteered.
By doing so, I became quite strong as time went on. Others around me also recognized my efforts.
Would other dragons be satisfied at this point, or maybe they would continue to go further and aim for the top?
However, at the time I thought… no, since quite some time ago I was… I guess that’s all my life really was — fighting.
The reason I kept fighting was from a sense of duty being born as part of dragon race.
Dragons were proud and straightforward, and most of all, they were respected for their strength. Those who were timid, weak, and resorted to petty tricks were shunned as cowards and despised by fellow dragons.
Personally, I didn’t think it would be weird if there were some who were born with those traits, and I didn’t think there was any need to force them to fight, but those minorities were always accused as cowards, regardless.
As expected, one needed to act as a dragon should. However, I felt no will of my own in that environment; there was no need to keep fighting and training. It was more of a pursuit to gain worldly wisdom and to continue what I started. That was the sole reason I kept fighting.
However, on a certain day, when I asked my fellow dragon, “What are you fighting for?”
Back then, he replied saying he wanted to eventually become the king, and have Camilla-sama for himself.
Ah, I guess that was all they thought of. In fact, not only a few of them, but the majority of dragons were pursuing such ambitions.
The reason being there were no more female dragons born, and Camilla-sama was the last female dragon. That was how I analyzed the situation, anyway.
Of course, I knew about her existence — the living crown, Camilla-sama. At the time, she was owned by Dragon King Magiihoa.
However, even though I knew about the circumstances, I wasn’t very interested in females, so I wasn’t particularly interested in chasing her.
However, at the time it made me wonder.
Back then when I thought about it, I realized that I never got a good look at what Camilla-sama looked like. At the time, I thought it would be weird to decide that I already understood the situation when I had never seen her before, so I went to have a look at her.
I thought that maybe it would make me, a dragon who had little sense of self, pine for Camilla-sama like other dragons did. If she could move my heart, perhaps it would give me a goal of my own. Even if I didn’t feel anything, there was nothing to lose.
Therefore, I challenged Magiihoa to a duel. That moment was the first time I ever laid eyes on her. My feelings at the time would be like this if I were to put it into words.
What a… beautiful person…
At first glance, I was fascinated by her figure which was different compared to other dragons. Seeing her was the moment I felt my heart move for the first time in my life.
Even after I was easily defeated by Magiihoa during the duel, I never forgot the spark I felt the moment I saw her.
However, I didn’t have any intention to claim Camilla-sama as my own like other dragons did. This feeling of mine wasn’t love. Then what feeling do you call this?
The feeling I couldn’t describe at that time… now I could understand what it was.
That was — devotion.
Camilla-sama was like a miracle that came into being to this world; there shouldn’t be anything as beautiful as her.
I didn’t mind fighting if it was for Camilla-sama — nay, I wanted to fight for her.
For the first time in my life, I found what I wanted for myself, by my own will.
Each day after that, I felt more tense than the day before. My devotion didn’t affect my expression or actions. However, even as I did the same things I did before, I felt more motivated when I thought I did those things for Camilla-sama’s sake.
Since then many things had happened, but I thought I lived as best as I could. Avel, who became a maou, turned Camilla into majin, which made her infertile and thus triggered the Last War, where I participated. Although Camilla-sama was now a majin, to me that was a trivial matter. I would be satisfied as long as she returned alive, and I felt proud to fight for that sake.
However, the dragon race, including myself, had reached a turning point in history — the dragon hunt carried out by the angels.
What… is this? What’s happening?
I desperately resisted and erratically fled. My comrades,one by one, were reduced to ashes. We repeatedly fought and escaped, so much so that I lost count of how many times we repeated that cycle.
—I alone, ended up surviving.
When I looked around, there was nobody around me. What about my compatriots? My friends? My family? Magiihoa-sama? And what about Camilla-sama—
I sank to the bottom pits of despair. Even as I thought about how or why everything ended up like this, I couldn’t find the answers. What did we do to deserve all this? Why did they have to perish — regardless of what I thought, I couldn’t find the answers.
As I became tired of thinking about all of the unanswered questions, I used the surrounding creatures to vent my frustrations.
I kept one-sidedly slaughtering the smaller creatures. In the beginning, I thought it was fun. However, that didn’t last long. I gradually felt nothing and unconsciously went on a rampage.
And when I realized what was going on — I was already insane.
I couldn’t think anymore. There was no need to think. There was no reason for living.
And now, it was finally me who would go down.
I fought against the small creature in front of me. However, he was a far stronger being than I was. He must have been the reaper who had come for my life.
“For the time being, I’ll make sure you can’t move — here goes.”
“—!”
Suddenly, he declared so with a cold expression and slashed at me with a tremendous speed — I couldn’t intercept it in time.
“—guh!!!”
A scream of agony leaked out from my mouth.
Did I get cut? Was my thought as my body collapsed to the ground.
I could still feel my body. It seemed I wasn’t cut in two.
However, since I couldn’t move anymore, he would kill me soon — but it didn’t matter.
I was already tired. I wanted to be laid down to rest soon.
If I had any regrets, it would be the fact I never talked to Camilla-sama.
…I guess I was fortunate enough to still remember her.
As those thoughts filled my mind, I’d wanted to see the face of one who would kill me. It was unconscious courtesy of a dragon race.
A blond man was reflected in my gaze. Then from behind him, a woman approached.
And — I was finally able to recognize them, the one who came close.
That figure was—
“Ca-Camilla-sama…?”
The very person that I had worshiped for many years stood in front of me.
“Ca-Camilla-sama…?”
“Woah, it talked.”
Leonhart was surprised by the sudden words that came out from the dragon’s mouth.
However, the dragon didn’t react to that, but instead kept looking at Camilla.
“So, you were still alive…”
“…We both are.”
The dragon had an astonished expression, but soon looked relieved as it heard Camilla’s response.
“I really am fortunate to know that… you are still alive… at the end of my life…”
The words he spoke came from the bottom of his heart.
He wouldn’t have any regrets now. His words that signaled his release of his worldly attachments — were suddenly stopped by someone.
It was Camilla.
“…Will you, pledge your loyalty to me..?”
“Hah, hah… what do you mean…?”
“Will you…?”
Camilla asked him with a cold and resolute look.
I will turn you into an apostle if you do — Camilla definitely wouldn’t say such a foolish thing.
She didn’t need the loyalty that was bought with such an offer. Camilla’s gaze contained such intention.
“…”
The dragon was thinking. How should he respond?
I wouldn’t last long anyway. If that’s the case, then I should just speak what is buried in my heart. If I am to be slain by Camilla, that is also an honor, as he thought that.
“…Ever since I saw you for the first time… I have always revered you…”
“I see… What’s your name?”
“…!”
The honor of being asked for a name by Camilla, he finally got it by the end of his life.
He told her his name, with full of gratitude.
“My name… is Shichisei, Camilla-sama.”
“Shichisei, I see…”
Camilla spoke of that name as if digesting that into her mind.
However, her hand was suddenly stretched out.
“Camilla-sama…?”
What are you, such words failed to come out from his mouth.
Because Camilla commanded him before he said so.
“Well then, Shichisei… I command you — become my apostle.”
“!”
As soon as she spoke those words, her beautiful mouth approached Shichisei’s neck — and her teeth pierced him.
“Kuh…! What… is…!”
Suddenly, a change occurred in Shichisei’s body.
Light enveloped Shichisei’s huge body. His appearance was remade within the light, and gradually became a figure closer to that of a human.
It was a contract to become a personal servant of their majin master as they were given their majin blood, which was an essence of a majin’s power.
This process was known in this world as
—A blood contract.
“Amazing…”
Leonhart, who witnessed it for the first time, was astonished.
When the light subsided, the one who stood there was — a man with long hair.
“This appearance is…”
There was a man with a pair of slit eyes, long black hair, an indigo bead on his left hand, and he wore a jade-colored robe that flowed all the way to his ankles.
He seemed to be confused about what just happened, and was staring at his body.
Leonhart saw his reaction and thought he had to explain at least, so he called out to Shichisei,
“You are now the apostle of Majin Camilla.”
“You are the person from earlier…”
Shichisei noticed Leonhart’s appearance. It was the figure of the strong existence which one-sidedly defeated him.
However, Shichisei picked up his words instead and thought.
“Apostle of a majin… so that’s how it is.”
Toward Shichisei who was finally convinced of what just happened to him, Camilla called him out this time.
“Are you dissatisfied about it…?”
“…No, I am honored to serve for Camilla-sama’s sake.”
“Oioi…”
Leonhart looked at Shichisei who immediately waited upon Camilla, which made him speak in an astonished expression.
“It’s quite something for you to be convinced so quickly.”
“Are you also an apostle… no, a majin?”
“Aah, so you can tell. I am Majin Leonhart.”
“I see. Leonhart-sama, for me personally, I don’t mind becoming an apostle if it is to serve Camilla-sama.”
“Heee… is that what you strive to live for? Or maybe it is devotion?”
“It is something like that.”
“Kukuh…”
Camilla laughed lightly at Shichisei’s attitude who thought he only did what was natural to him.
She then turned around to face where she had come from.
“Kukuh… let’s go back… Shichisei…”
“Yes, Camilla-sama.”
Shichisei, whose mentality completely turned into that of a slave to his master, reverently followed Camilla.
Only Leonhart, who was frozen in place from shock, was left behind.
“No, devotion you say… I only said it as a joke, but seriously…?”
—That day, Camilla gained an apostle.
It was Shichisei, the nephrite dragon apostle.
*
“—And that’s what happened.”
“Fuhn… isn’t it okay then? Didn’t you manage to return your debt?”
It was the day after I searched for an apostle with Camilla, found Shichisei, and returned.
I was telling the story to Galtia, who was eating his meal in the dining room.
“Well yes. I also gained some results too.”
“Result huh… is it food?”
“Even if that was the case, I wouldn’t tell you about it.”
“Why is that?”
“Ask that question to your bosom— no, to your stomach.”
“…I see, it can’t be helped then … Woah, the balance of this macarolo curry, stew, and dumpling is amazing. The udon’s texture wasn’t bad either.”
Galtia resumed his meals without worries, seemingly understanding I had no intention to tell him whatsoever.
…Well, he was right, though.
As soon as I returned from the expedition, I called for a demon general and told him the location of the new tree city. At a later date, it was decided to direct the Demon Army and take control of that land.
I checked it out on my way home, but it seemed there was a lot of food such as fruits and vegetables around the vicinity of the tree.
This would give us some breathing room for our food stockpile. All my worries disappeared at once, so I felt a little more comfortable.
Also there’s another good thing. That was—
“…Leonhart-sama, so you’re here.”
“Oo, so it’s Shichisei.”
“Hee… so this is who I just heard about.”
“It is the first time we have met, Galtia-sama. I am Shichisei, the apostle of Camilla-sama. It is nice to be acquainted with you.”
“Ooh… he sure sounds like a serious apostle. Well, nice to meet you.”
“Yes, the pleasure is all mine.”
Shichisei who entered the dining room politely greeted Galtia. His expression didn’t change, but that was probably due to his peculiarity or habit. The emotions were there, though.
Rather than that, I called out to Shichisei since he likely came here to meet me.
“Did you need me for something?”
“Yes. Here is the document which summarized the last month’s consumption and damage in Camilla-sama’s army.”
“Oooh…! As expected of you…”
“…? Why are you impressed by that?”
Shichisei seemed to wonder why I was impressed by him doing such an obvious thing.
Yes, it was the obvious thing to do. However, everyone in the Demon Army were mostly jackasses who dumped their work to their subordinates or to me.
Compared to them, Shichisei was a hard worker who began to work like Camilla’s secretary the day he arrived at the Maou Castle. Well, that meant Camilla didn’t work at all… but I was satisfied by the fact that the number of working people increased.
“Aah, there is also a message from Camilla-sama.”
“Ah?”
Cold water was suddenly poured over my delighted heart, which calmed me down.
A message from Camilla? What was that?
I have a bad feeling about this. Don’t tell me…
“I’ll call you again if there’s anything else, that’s the message.”
“…Ah?”
“Consider this a debt since you hurt my apostle so much, there’s also that.”
………no no no.
“I-isn’t that too tyrannical? That was unavoidable in the first place… Shichisei, you weren’t particularly angry about that either, right?”
“…I indeed don’t personally care about it… but those are the words from Camilla-sama.”
Huh, is he actually a bit angry about that?
I did beat him senseless back then… but I didn’t kill him, and he was also the one who attacked me first… I did feel a little bad about that, but you make that another debt? That Camilla, being so cheeky despite being a NEET…
“Hahah, aren’t you glad to be loved by a beautiful woman.”
“Shut up, Galtia! Damn… yet another troublesome thing…!”
“We-well, indeed… Camilla-sama didn’t seem to hate it either…”
“I don’t need such follow-up, Shichisei!”
“Leonhart-sama! Today, I caught Leonhart-sama’s favorite Cockatrice—“
“Shut up, Kayblis! Just take it to the kitchen!”
“Hiii?! I-I’m sorry—-?!”
—In the end, despite supposedly repaying my debt to Camilla, I got myself another debt, which would only drag me into another headache.
Tsukii Note
Hello again! Now without further ado, Shichisei Gallery!
Shichisei[Dragon]: https://i.ibb.co/xSZ6Z5g/Shichisei-dragon.png
Shichisei[Apostle]: https://i.ibb.co/kmJ8Tkd/Shichisei-humanoid.jpg
Considering his apostle form’s fashion, I think it would be more correct to use chinese spelling of his name(which happens to be kanji. You know, the usual setting of eastern side being Japan’s fantasy copy) of Qi Xing, which meant seven stars. Too bad his official name already exists, so I could only use that one.
Also related to that note, I first intended to use “Seven Star ” instead of “Shichisei ” on chapter names to make it not so spoilerish, but decided against it, because people would either didn’t get the meaning, or instantly guess it. It was common kanji after all.
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