"You're not the Demon I wanted…!"
"..."
"It was clearly that Demon just a moment ago...! Why? Why?"
...I really don't know why you're reacting like that.
Silua, who had been running wild for a while as if she didn't feel my gaze as if she was looking at me like she was crazy, suddenly grabbed a nearby monster. And the actions that followed left me speechless for a moment.
A monster thrust right in front of my nose. Eyes that were bloodshot and full of things that I didn't know whether it was anticipation or hope, and even a hint of madness at a glance.
"Now, Demon. There is a monster here! Hurry and grant it the rest of death with that dagger!"
"..."
After the silence, I took a step back. This time there was no need to hesitate in carrying out the action.
Ben was also backing away with a tired look on his face, and Dvelania immediately made a disgusted expression and ran away to deal with the monsters again.
"Demon? Why do you avoid it? Please show that side again!"
I don't know, man. I don't know what you want, and even if I did, I don't want to show it to you.
Of course, I can't say that thought outright.
I cautiously opened my mouth, desperately avoiding the gaze of Silua, who was breathing heavily in anticipation.
Something that could somehow avoid this crazy situation right now.
"First of all..."
"First of all?"
"This is not the situation right now..."
"Ah! You must have been annoyed by the noise around you!"
Silua's face brightened as if she had received a clear answer.
The two daggers spinning in her hands were sheathed, and her empty hands lightly clashed together. People holding daggers like her came out from all directions to fight.
Ben made a face.[1]
"...You're crazy, you're crazy. No matter how much support you provide, what if the Empire sees the unprotected border and comes here?"
"I left my adjutant behind."
"Do you think that all you have to do is leave your adjutant behind? You brought the whole army with you! I feel sorry for the 7th Corps Commander's adjutant. He must be going through such a hard time right now..."
"Hey, it was solid support. The attending doctor should only think about the patient in charge, right? Can't you see that he doesn't look well?"
...I guess I should say thank you for taking care of my facial expressions in the meantime.
I was taken aback by the arrow that suddenly flew at me, and for a moment I could barely hide my shocked expression.
The seemingly endless horde of monsters, which seemed to make a big difference between having one corps and not having one, was quickly cleared up when Silua's 7th corps joined.
Of course, thank you.
'Thank you, so please leave now.'
The entire time she was clearing out the monsters, Silua was anxious because she couldn't give me a weapon. She told me to catch a monster and kill it whenever I got the chance...
If Ben, who was worried about my health, hadn't stepped forward and said that I should rest now, I would have stood there motionless in front of that hideous monster.
After watching the few remaining monsters being cleared away, I hurriedly walked to the carriage and opened the door.
Silua, who had been looking at me the whole time while working, tilted her head.
"Are you going back in? Are you not going to deal with those monsters? I left it on purpose to give it to you, Demon..."
Was it on purpose?
After a moment of pause, I pretended not to hear anything and got into the carriage. Dvelania approached Silua with a bright smile.
"We've sorted things out to a certain extent, so why doesn't the 7th Corps Commander just leave?"
"Are you going to use me like this and then immediately throw me away? I haven't seen you that way, but Dvelania is also colder than I thought."
"What are you saying? We're going to the second city. Do you know who is guarding the second city right now, Commander of the 7th Corps?"
Silua's face frowned as if she was remembering someone.
"...Commander of the 10th Corps."
Outright contempt and disgust.
Silua spat, as if she was displeased with the fact that he was a corps commander like her, and gestured towards her corps members.
"I'm sure it would be better to get out of here than to meet a guy who doesn't even look like the Commander of a Corps. See you later."
"Okay."
"...I think the work is over, so please take this thread away."
"Oh, I'm sorry. You came in easily like a loach, so I thought you would take care of yourself when you left."
"It's not difficult to get in and out, but I wonder why I have to go out inconveniently."
The sound of teeth grinding was heard.
Dvelania, smiling with a strong jaw as if gritted teeth, held out her hand. As if they had been waiting, the threads that had been tangled together were unraveled and returned to their respective owners' hands.
It was a neat finish that put to naught any worries that someone might get tangled in the middle.
"Thank you. Okay then."
"..."
I thought she would stick around a bit more, but she turned away really calmly.
If it's the 10th Corps Commander, they're probably referring to Guysitel, so why that reaction?
My doubts were resolved when I entered the second city where he was residing.
'Wow... crazy.'
Perhaps most of the monsters had flocked at that time, but since then no monsters on that scale have appeared.
Thanks to this, I was able to solve the problem with just Ben, who was going crazy with Dvelania and the members of the 2nd Corps, and I also arrived at the second city at the right time, so I was relieved, but...
'...I can't believe they're attacking me like this.'
Did you take advantage of the moment I let my guard down? It's great psychological warfare, Commander of the 10th Corps.
When I arrived at the second city and got off the carriage, wearing the robe Ben had given me on behalf of my lieutenant Ed, who had not followed me, what I encountered was none other than something falling from the sky.
It was colorful luminous paper powder falling against the night sky.
Dum, dum, dum!
As I was looking at the sky blankly, Dvelania clicked her tongue as if it was pitiful next to me.
I was about to look back at her, but the sound of the drums continued and I fixed my gaze straight ahead again.
Demons lined up to form a path, and in the middle of them, a demon with large bat wings walked with a palanquin behind him.
He came right in front of me, who still hadn't adjusted to this situation, and bowed politely.
"Long time no see. Demon."
"..."
"I heard you were coming here so I quickly got ready. How is it? It may be quite inadequate since it was a hasty investigation into the culture of the human world, but..."
For a moment, I wondered if there was something like this in the demon world.
It seems like he worked hard, but if I were to give my honest opinion...
'I'm embarrassed.'
All the demons around were just looking here. My face was so hot that I couldn't raise my head. At least it was like this because I was wearing a robe. If I had no face, I wouldn't have been shamed.
This was clumsy and even excessive...
Then the personality of the 10th Corps Commander in front of me came to mind.
'He... he was a bit servile, wasn't he?'
As Silua said, he was a corps commander who was not befitting of a Corps Commander, as he was always subservient.
It was Dvelania who spoke on behalf of me, who was silent as I didn't know how to react.
"What is that thing behind you...?"
"Oh, this is a palanquin. It is said that people of high status in the human world ride on it. Demon is human, so I thought he would miss you, so I prepared this."
No. I've never ridden that thing. Before that, why are you so sure that I am of high status?
The palanquin was used in the South. I heard that it was almost completely unused these days, and only royals ride it briefly during special events.
'Usually, when you're a Corps Commander, you often secretly go out to the human world, right...? If so, you would be able to tell the difference between the North and the South.'
At least Develania seemed to know for sure, turning her head to the side and shaking her shoulders. If you know, please tell him.
I quietly touched my forehead.
'...How do I fix this?'
"Demon!"
"...?"
At that time, Ben, who was standing still, pushed the demons away and rushed out.
Dvelania, who had suddenly been pushed along with me, looked at him in confusion, but he didn't pay any attention and fidgeted in front of me, looking at my magic stone necklace over and over again.
"Demon! Do you have a headache?! Please be patient, I'll treat you quickly... Damn, there's no reaction, right? That means...!"
I don't know what you're thinking, but it's probably not that.
I slowly lowered the hand that was on my forehead.
I was just about to explain that I was fine, thinking that the situation would escalate further.
"Huh! Do you have a headache? There's a palanquin here, so hurry up and get on it!"
Guysitel, Commander of the 10th Corps, did not miss the opportunity. Faced with the extravagant palanquin, I could not bear to face reality and quietly looked away.
'...I think my head will hurt more if I ride that.'
As a result, I was able to attract the attention of all demons in this city.
Yes, I rode it.
'I'm so glad I wore the robe.'
...I'm so glad.
***
The man wearing a black robe and sitting on an ornate palanquin was more alien than anything else.
It's not that they didn't fit together. The palanquin, which may have seemed comical, actually made the man stand out by carrying him.
Naturally relaxing, leaning back against the backrest. The posture of putting one's arm on the armrest and resting one's forehead as if something was bothering him.
The appearance, which added to the mystery by not being able to see the face with the robe hood pressed down, caught the attention of the city demons who flocked to see the news of the 0th Corps Commander's visit in a different way.
'I can't feel any magic, so he's definitely human...'
'A human with that kind of vibe?'
'So he's the Commander of the 0th Corps?'
Among the demons, the number 0 had great meaning.
A person who created a position that didn't exist and recruited him without even adding a number to the end.
Although the proud Corps Commanders who brought him in by placing him above 1st Corps Commander Jaykar were attaching meaning to the numbers they had, in reality, the numbers they have did not have much meaning. There was an atmosphere of respect up to 3, but the only number that actually had meaning was the 1st Corps Commander, who was qualified to serve as the Demon King's representative. Therefore, the higher number '0' attracted the attention of all demons in the demon realm.
What was the Demon King thinking when he gave him that position?
Why did the other Corps Commanders accept him?
What was his role? And what were his abilities?
What on earth was he worth?
The contributions he made at the time of recruitment were enough to make him a Corps Commander, but there were some doubts about giving him the position of 0th Corps Commander.
It was not enough to stop the hero from self-destructing and killing the 7th Corps Commander before that. Wouldn't it have been okay to just give him the position of 13th Corps Commander?
So they gathered together. They wanted to see the face of the famous Commander of the 0th Corps and answer their questions.
'I understand now.'
'I think I understand without having to find out the reason.'
As a result, although they did not see the face, the mystery was resolved.
They understand why other Corps Commanders accepted him without any complaints.
The atmosphere was unique. When compared to Guysitel, the Commander of the 10th Corps who came to protect the city, the gap was even more evident.
If Guysitel was a scoundrel, Demon Arut was the leader or right-hand man of the underworld. Even compared to 2nd Corps Commander Dvelania, who had a much heavier presence than Guysitel, the difference remained.
Even now, wasn't Dvelania acting as a guard and attendant, and Guysitel fawning next to her? In a way, they were also the same 'Corps Commander'. The Commander of Corps 0 didn't even react to Guysitel's flattery.
At the moment when the demons were admiring him as he sat silently on the palanquin and fixed his gaze on the front, the Commander of Corps 0, who was holding his forehead as if he was tired, had a headache, or was annoyed, opened his mouth.
"..."
"Yes? Demon, what did you say?"
As expected, Guysitel, who was waiting next to him, did not miss the opportunity and approached quickly and listened.
The invisible gaze inside the robe seemed to glance at him, and then a small voice came out.
Everyone listened, and Guysitel, who heard him closest, kindly recited the content in his voice.
His voice spread widely in the quiet space.
"..."
"Turn off?"
"..."
"..No. Get out. He said 'get out.'"
"..."
"..."
A short silence passed by for a moment.
[1] This was not in the original text but I added it to make it more clear who was talking here.