Chapter 16: The strongest Onmyoji, gets an audience with the king of the dark forest elves.

The sun was about to set when we arrived at the royal capital of the Dark Elves of the Black Forest.

“How can I say it… it’s exactly the city I imagined.”

I mutter while looking at the state of the royal capital.

The royal capital of the Dark Elves of the Black Forest was a city integrated with the forest.

A huge tree towering in the center. Houses are lined up with trees, spreading out from its roots.

I’ve heard that the forest elves build a settlement like this, but it seems that the black forest dark elves, who have a similar culture, did the same.

“Then, shall we get off like we always do?”

“Wait for me, Demon King, are you planning to head directly to the royal palace with this dragon here as well?”

Confused, I answered to King Plushe who seemed to be in a hurry.

“That’s what I meant.”

“Come on. Don’t say anything bad. Get off the dragon and head on foot.”

“Well, it looks like it’s going to take some time.”

The royal palace is located at the base of the giant tree in the center of the city.

I’m reluctant to do so, but King Plushe won’t yield.

“You don’t understand. Dragons are a threat to any race. Seeing them suddenly come to town, what kind of action will they take…”

“It’s okay”

It was King Vill who looked up from the book and said.

“You three-eyed Tria knew about it. Of course, the Dark Elves from Kuromori should also have information about the demon king-sama visiting various places. It’s unlikely that they will suddenly attack.”

“Hmm… that might be true, but…”

Thinking that there was a point, King Plushie fell silent.

I make a smile.

“Well, I’ve been attacked many times so far. It’s too late to worry about that.”

Saying that, i glanced at Risolera.

I thought she would agree with me, but the demon girl just gave me a grim look.

“Huh? What happened?”

“… Only the dark elves of Kuromori are a little different.”

Risolera said quietly.

“This is a race with a strong military.”

**********************

I immediately understood what Risolera meant.

A tree palace built at the base of a giant tree.

Waiting for us there were—a large number of soldiers armed with swords and bows.

“You are the Demon King!?”

Before we could get down, a female dark elf from Kuromori, who seemed to be the commander, shouted loudly.

It seems that the Black Forest Dark Elves expected us to come, just as King Vill expected.

If possible, I would have liked to have gotten a little closer, but I had no choice but to shout back because I wouldn’t mind if they attacked me.

“That’s right!”

“If you don’t intend to fight, let the dragon leave the city!!”

“Eh…?”

I was a little troubled, but it was a request I could understand.

I shout back.

“I understand, so wait a minute!”

After lowering the dragon to the very edge of the ground, the kings descended on the emerald staircase of Aomikaikai Aomihashi as usual.

Then I pointed a piece of Hitogata 

“――――ओम्पञ्च　षोडश चतुर्दश　अष्ट　षट्एकम्िकषेपकल स्वाहा”

The dragon’s giant body was sucked into the distortion of space.

The commander and soldiers watched in amazement.

“So, is it some sort of summoning magic…?”

“Is this ok?”

“……No problem”

The commander, the dark elf of Kuromori, tells us, as if she has regained her composure.

“I would like to ask the Demon King. Currently, we have received information that you are traveling with dragons to the lands of various races and taking out their respective kings. Is this true?”

“Well, …… it is, in a manner of speaking.”

“Then, I will tell you frankly. I cannot allow our king to be taken without an escort.”

“……Why?”

As I was asking,  I think to myself that it is a stupid question to ask. There’s no reason why. It’s usually a no-no.

As expected, the commander said.

“It’s against our law. There are safety concerns, and it’s unacceptable.”

The commander continues as he thinks about it.

“In addition, the policy of our race is determined by the parliament’s approval of the will of the king. I cannot accept a situation where some kind of matter is decided without a parliament.”

“…I just want to hear from the king about your circumstances.”

“I can’t accept it. If it’s about the internal affairs of the Dark Elves of Kuromori, you can hear it from General Garasela, who was dispatched as a special envoy.”

“…”

It seems that i should return to Rurumu Village and ask the representative.

It’s all right, but… I’ll try to hold back.

“Could you at least let me say hello? I feel uncomfortable calling myself a demon lord without even knowing the face of the rulers, and it’s not worth it for us to come this far.”

“ The king is currently away from the royal palace. The destination is classified due to the fact that it will interfere with the escort plan. Please understand.”

“…”

There was nothing we could do about it 

It’s an absolute lie that he’s absent, but… I don’t think I’ll ever be able to meet the king even if I persist.

It seems that it was true that the military was strong.

Even if they were able to reject the demon lord so much, it must be because of their thoroughly unified will and above all, military power.

It can’t be helped, I think.

Even Risolera will probably give up here. In this situation, I don’t know what they’ll do if I say, ‘i’ll destroy it to pieces with a dragon’.

That’s when I was about to tell the commander that I was going home.

“… Seika. I want you to look at the top of the tree.”

Suddenly, Risolera whispered into my ear.

I reluctantly ask.

“Eh, what?”

“There is a person. Can you see?”

I was told not to be obvious, so I confirmed it with the sight of the shikigami i was flying.

I looked around carefully——certainly, he was there.

On a branch extending from quite high above stood a dark-skinned, blond-haired Kuromori Dark Elf boy.

“That’s the king.”

“Huh?”

“He is Sigil, the King of the Black Forest Dark Elves.”

“you’re kidding……”

“I’m sure he has been waiting for you.”

“What the hell is that?”

 I timidly turned to face the commander.

The dark elf soldier from Kuromori looked at us with suspicion as she spoke in a whisper.

“Ah, umm… Then, should we go home… what?”

“…I see. Thank you for your understanding.”

When I said that, the commander of the Dark Elves from Kuromori straightened her posture.

“Please don’t misunderstand me. We Dark Elves of Kuromori have the intention of allegiance to the Demon King. This impoliteness is not our intention.”

“Is that so…”

“When we form the Demon King’s Army, we plan to have all of our elite members join us. We promise to fight more bravely than any other race and achieve more results. And――――”

Then the commander said after a short pause.

“— Five hundred years ago, before we and the forest elves parted ways… I sincerely hope that we can return to the way the demons used to be.”

“…”

This commander may have been in a fairly high position.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to talk about the will of his race so far.

“…I understand. Well, then I have to summon the dragon again to go home, is that okay?”

“I recognize the need. No problem.”

I pull the dragon out of the phase again and build another staircase for the kings to get on.

“Yes, hurry up and get on… um, that’s right. Can I have one last thing?”

“what?”

“Well… on my way home, I’d like to take a look at this tree. There’s no tree this big in the human country. I’m just flying around with a dragon, but I wonder if it’s a problem.”

When I said that, the commander relaxed her mouth slightly.

“There is no problem. Rather, I would like the Demon King to take a look at it. This sacred tree is our spiritual refuge and we are proud of it.”

“Is that so? Then let me do that…”

At the same time as I gave Kou instructions to take off, I let the Hitogata lead the way around the sacred tree. And just like that, it casually guides us to the area where the king is.

At the strange instructions, Kou also seemed somewhat suspicious.

“… Hey, hey. Is it really the king over there?”

“Yeah”

Risolera clearly nodded.

Before long, when I came right under the branch where the dark elf boy from Kuromori was standing, the boy waved his hand.

“Hey! Over here! Over here!”

I carefully brought the dragon’s head closer.

When I got close enough, the boy jumped down from the branch.

He lands on top of the dragon as if he were tumbling down.

“Oops…! Phew, it went well.”

The smiling boy was quite handsome when seen up close.

Although his skin is dark-skinned, his shining blond hair and well-proportioned facial features are very similar to those of a forest elf.

“I’m sure all the kings were younger than me.”

However, King Sigil’s appearance is the same as that of a human teenager.

Apparently, his longevity doesn’t mean he’s growing slowly.

King Sigil looks at the fox at his feet and says with admiration.

“Seriously, you’re seriously taming a dragon…ah, are you the Demon King?”

“Yeah. My name is Seika Lamprogue.”

“I’m not sure what to expect. I’m like a captive princess!　I’m so sorry. The army got very upset when they heard the rumor that the Demon Lord was visiting the king and started placing me under house arrest. I thought, No, no, no, that’s not good.　So I managed to escape, but it was hard work.”

“That was… hard.”

Even though I’m the cause, it’s not easy for the military to put the king under house arrest.

The situation surrounding King Sigil didn’t seem to be very good.

Perhaps because of my serious expression, the Kuromori Dark Elf boy said in a panic.

“Ah, no, it’s not worth making such a face, is it? I’m still young, so they’re just worried. Even in the history of the dark elves of the Black Forest, there has never been a king as young as I am…Ah, come to think of it, the Demon King is also close to our age, isn’t he?”

“Um, maybe. I’ll be sixteen this year.”

“Seriously? I’m fifteen!”

“… It’s kind of strange to see a Forest Dark Elf that young.”

“Wow, that sounds like something a human would say! 　Even we weren’t 100 or 200 years old when we were born.”

He seemed like a normal boy with a cheerful smile.

I think I understand a little why Risolera said he was a normal king.

“Long time no see, Sigil.”

“Ah, Risolera-sama! Thank you! After all, it hasn’t changed at all….I mean, everyone is here. What the hell, was I the last one?”

King Sigil said cheerfully while looking around the other kings.

“For you it’s rare , you have been unusually reckless this time, King Sigil.”

“No, I couldn’t help it. There are various circumstances here, but I thought it would be bad to turn the demon king away from the gate, with common sense. Well, Plushie, I definitely thought you weren’t there. With your stubbornness, i didn’t think you’ll leave the royal palace.”

“I didn’t even want to come!”

“Hey Sigil!”

“Hey Gauss! You’re huge!”

“You’re so sweet to say that!　You want to play sword-fighting again?”

“Give me a break, I’m no match for you anymore. ……”

“I don’t go out with idiots. It’s been a while, Sigil.”

“Vill! Hey, come on, did you start wearing glasses?”

“Yeah. Maybe I read too much, or my eyesight has deteriorated a bit.”

“You still look like a demon ogre. Well, that’s your good point.”

“Yoho~, Sigil.”

“’My friend, I am glad to see you again at this hour,’ said the King. Your Majesty Sigil.”

“Hey, Fili Nair! Did you increase your collection? Or rather, Athos, you can speak normally to me. Sel Senecle-san is always having a hard time.”

King Sigil exchanges friendly words with the other kings.

“… you’re pretty close with everyone.”

“Huh? Ah”

When I muttered unintentionally, King Sigil said while lightly scratching his head.

“Well… we’re in similar circumstances, aren’t we? We’re different races, but we’re all about the same age, and we’re all kings… It’s only natural, but there’s no one like that around. Opportunities are few, but somehow I feel like they’re comrades or comrades-in-arms. Sometimes I think about it, right? What are they doing these days….Isn’t everyone the same? ”

When Sigil turned the conversation around, the kings answered in unison.

“Hmph.”

“I’m not that far either…”

“Hmm, Fili thinks that’s a bit disgusting.”

“‘It is very painful, but since I am the king, I try to keep a suitable distance from my friends,’ said the king.”

“”What?　Oh, my God!　Could it be I was the only one who thought we were friends?”

“I consider you a comrade in arms, Sigil!”

“Gauss, you’re the only one… ………… that’s kinda weird.”

“What is it, hey!?”

The boys and girls who are kings start making noise.

I suddenly thought that what King Sigil was saying was true.

Even the king Plushe, who denies it, must be feeling the same way deep down.

“Se, Seika. It’s time to go.”

Suddenly, Risolera pulled my hem and said.

“Dragons stand out, so the dark elves of Kuromori are gathering here.

Looking down at the ground, it certainly seemed like a crowd had formed.

King Sigil, who looked down in the same way, said impatiently.

“No. Run away quickly, Demon King-sama.”

“Ah, ah… but is that okay?”

I’ve come this far, but I can’t help but ask.

“If the king suddenly disappears, it’s really bad…”

“Don’t worry”

King Sigil said with a refreshing smile.

“Because I left a proper note!”

***************************

“It’s all night.”

Risolera murmured above the gently flying dragon.

As she said, the area was filled with darkness. Because it was cloudy today, not even two moonlights reached the surface.

Only the faint light emitted by the Hitogata of the light illuminates the surroundings vaguely.

When it’s this dark, it’s hard to get up to speed.

It would be quite late by the time we returned to the village of Hishi Plateau, but it couldn’t be helped.

“…Fili, sleepy.”

King Fili Nair said while rubbing her eyes with her white-haired hand.

“She’s already sleeping!”

Looking back at King Gauss’s words, King Plushe was sitting still, bowing her head. She seemed to be asleep.

“Even though it’s easy to ride a dragon, a long trip is still tiring.”

King Vill said while holding his neck.

Since the demon ogre said so, it must be the same for the other children.

“Hmm, I’d like to get there as soon as possible, but…”

In that world, herons and bats were flying even after the sun had set, so when I was rushing through the night sky, they crashed into my face and I had a terrible experience.

“I don’t know what the skies of the demon territory are like, but as long as the kings are on board, I can’t do anything unreasonable when I think about safety…”

“……Ah”

“That’s when I came up with an idea.”

“Even on cloudy nights, there are bright spots.”

“I’m going through the clouds, so can you all hold on to me?”

“eh?”

Listening to everyone’s confused voices, I took a leap and started to climb.

And just like that, rush into the clouds covering the sky.

Through the chilly darkness――――and then.

“Wow…!”

Someone let out a voice that seemed to be overwhelmed with emotion.

A sea of clouds illuminated by the moonlight stretched out below.

Looking up, the sky was filled with twinkling stars, as if the cloudy sky was a lie.

“As expected, the sky here is beautiful.”

With two moons, the plain of clouds rises beautifully.

It was a much better view than the sea of clouds I often saw at night in my previous life.

“There are no birds here, so I think I can fly faster. However, even though it’s summer, it’s a little cold. If you can’t stand it, tell me.”

No one responded.

Looking back, everyone seemed to be gazing at the scene in front of them.

Both King Fili Nair, who had been dozing off until now, and King Plushe, who had fallen asleep, opened their eyes wide before they knew it, staring at the endless sea of clouds and the starry sky.

I suddenly smiled and asked Risolera, who continued to gaze at the scenery in the same way.

“You said you have flown in the sky, but have you ever been above a cloud?”

Risolera gently shook her head.

“It’s my first time.”

Then she whispered softly, as if she thought deeply.

“… I’m sure I’ll never forget it.”

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