Kays Translations

Chapter 2: The Strongest Onmyoji Arrives at the Village of the divine Demons

A few days later, we arrived at the village closest to the demon territory and sold all the carriages.

From there, we walked.

“Wait a minute, how far will this go?”

Amiyu is complaining in the background.

We were now advancing through a deep forest.

This area is completely demon territory.

Although there are no clear national borders, once you enter the forest from the plains, you are out of human control.

The army is stationed along the border, but it’s only at key points, and there’s nothing like this.

That’s why it seemed that entering and exiting the demon territory was surprisingly easy.

“It’s almost here, so please hold on a little longer.”

Rurumu looked back in front of me and answered.

When I looked back, the former slave divine demons seemed to be following me closely.

They are all women and children, but perhaps because they are demons, even the rough road seems to have plenty of room.

In the midst of this, Amiyu, who was walking at the very end of the line with Ifa and Mabel, gradually picked up her stride, overtook the demons and me, and lined up right next to Rurumu.

“It’s okay to put up with it, but isn’t this a forest where monsters appear? It’s dangerous. Especially those kids don’t have much equipment.”

Amiyu says while looking back at the children.

“If we’re going to walk too long, it’s better to go back to the village and prepare properly...”

“no worries”

Nozuro, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped and said.

Ahead of her line of sight was a small metal work hanging from a chain on the branch of a tree.

Seeing that, Rurumu let out a relieved voice.

“Ah... that’s good. It’s still there.”

“Oh”

“Eh, what? It’s like that amulet.”

Nozuro gave a short answer to Amiyu’s curious question.

“It’s a talisman to ward off monsters.”

Then Rurumu said as if to supplement.

“This is from our village.”

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

After a short walk, we came to an open road.

Even though it’s called a road, it’s not paved like an imperial road, but it’s not as narrow as an animal trail, and there are no signs of monsters, perhaps because of the talisman. It was clearly a road that someone was managing for a living.

After another day and night of walking across the street, the village came into view.

“Wow, what’s that, Seika-kun?”

Ifa, who was walking next to me, pulled my sleeve and raised her voice.

As she said this, she strained her eyes and saw some white shadows at the end of the road.

The closer you get, the more you realize what it really is.

They looked like large stone pillars standing side by side.

In addition, you can see what looks like a building behind it.

“It looks like a village.”

“...”

It was quite a peculiar settlement.

The cluster of pillars standing like a huge fence, and the buildings behind them, are strangely large, white, and made of straight stone.

I had never seen such building materials in any city in the Empire.

“Perhaps it was created by magic.”

“It really feels like a demonic village.”

“... !? What are you guys!”

As we got closer, a guard standing in front of the stone pillar suddenly looked at us and raised his voice.

He had been leaning against the pillar with his face down until just now, so he seemed to have fallen asleep and didn’t notice us approaching.

“It’s quite peaceful.”

“…divine demons huh?”

A pattern of black lines on white skin.

The man seemed to be a divine demon.

Their costumes are also unique, based on white. This place really seems to be a settlement of divine demons.

Rurumu took a step forward towards the man on guard pointing his spear at her.

“Wait! it’s me”

“... Huh?”

“Rurumu, don’t you remember?”

“Ah! No way...! You just left the village and died...”

“ I’m alive! I came here to help my fellow prisoners in the human country. Will you let me through here?”

“B-but... those guys in the back are really...”

“I’m here too.”

“Hiii... great! Nozuro!?”

When Nozuro stepped forward, the guard screamed in panic.

The tall Nozuro looked down at the guard and said.

“We have fulfilled the purpose of our trip and have returned. Where is the reason not to enter our village?”

“But...”

“If you can’t decide, why don’t you talk to someone else?”

“I... got it! I got it, so wait!”

After saying that, the watchman turned his back and ran toward the village.

“... why are they scared?”

Mabel looked up at Nozuro and said.

Nozuro muttered without changing his expression.

“There is no special reason”

“Nozuro used to be bullied because he was small.”

Instead, Rurumu answered with a funny look.

“But in no time, he’s grown bigger than anyone else... you know the rest, right?”

“…… right”

When Mabel looked up again, Nozuro had an embarrassed look on his face.

Rurumu said with deep emotion

.“It’s kind of nostalgic... We really came back.”

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

We couldn’t just go inside, so we waited patiently, and soon the guard from earlier came back with several divine demons.

One of them.

A demonic man clad in a fine costume takes a step forward.

“Rurumu...!”

With an unbelievable expression, he whispered softly.

There was a ring of affection in that voice.

Despite his pale complexion, he has a beautiful figure, and I feel that his facial features and patterns are somewhat similar to Rurumu’s.

I wonder if he’s an older brother... while I was thinking that, Rurumu suddenly ran and hugged the man.

She eventually lifts her head and says in awe.

“I’m home... Father.”

“eh”

I unintentionally let out an upset voice.

I can hear the whispering voices of Amiyu and the others from behind.

“Is that Rurumu’s father……!?”

“Wow, aren’t you too young...?”

“Demons are amazing”

I understand their confusion.

The demon man can only be seen in his late twenties at most.

Rurumu looks like she’s in her late teens, so it was too strange for a human to see them as a parent and child.

I’ve heard that divine demons have nearly twice the lifespan of humans... but how old are they really?

Rurumu's father looks down at his daughter and says,

“Really, well done...! But now it’s about the guests. Who the hell are they...”

“These divine demons were held captive as slaves in the human country. Prepare a place to live and food for everyone, and then help them return to their village. Please tell the village chief too.”

Rurumu’s father smiled faintly and answered his daughter.

“I am the current village head. Three years ago, Nezerim-dono was withdrawn, and I was chosen by everyone. You’re back.”

The village chief of the divine demons gave a gentle smile.

“But I’m surprised. I thought you would never return until you found Merosa and the Demon King.”

“Umm, that’s...”

“Anyway, you saved your compatriots well. As a father, I’m proud of you.....”

At that time, the village chief turned his gaze toward us.

“What about them? They look... they look like humans.”

The look in his eyes is rather harsh.

Well, from the perspective of divine demons, humans are a hostile race, so it’s no wonder.

Rurumu speaks in defense.

“They’re human, but they’re not bad people. Together we worked hard to help our comrades.

“……Really”

Hearing his daughter’s words, the chief’s expression softened slightly.

“If you say so, it must be. It’s been 16 years since a human visited this village.”

After the village chief said with deep emotion, he said to us.

“As the chief of the village, I thank you for rescuing my compatriots. Let me welcome you, human guests.”

“No, thank you...”

“And father.”

Before I finish saying anything, Rurumu tells her father.

“I have something important to talk about?”

“...? Important…?”

Rurumu said with a serious expression to her father who was wondering.

“It’s really important. Prepare a room where no one can hear us.”

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter