Chapter 97
Chapter 97: Hidden Ambitions
“—I’ve come to welcome the Demon Lord’s Prince.”
Before me stood a hooded figure, bowing respectfully.
It was Claire.
On the day of the Necromancy lecture, she appeared in the living quarters. Her usual lively and cheeky demeanor had faded, and she behaved like a submissive servant.
This was to be expected, as Claire did not hold any noble rank in the Demon Lord Kingdom.
She was still just Enma’s apprentice, an apprentice Undead King, and apparently hadn’t accomplished anything significant. She had only engaged in the trivial task of hunting runaway goblins a few times, much like my training exercises.
“That’s what gives me a reason to die!”
According to her, cruelly slaughtering goblins was her lifework, or rather, her deathwork…
As usual, I took Sophia, my watchful guard, with me, heading towards the Undead’s base.
“…………”
Unlike Enma, Claire, without a noble rank, could not speak lightly, and there was no conversation worth mentioning within the demon race’s living area.
As I quietly observed her lead in her robe, I recalled my recent conversation with Leila—
†††
“Shall we pretend to be a couple?”
Leila’s unexpected suggestion made me almost choke, but it was indeed the wrong time to discuss such things.
If I emphasized a bond based on romantic feelings, it could easily be perceived that Leila was trying to capitalize on my heartbreak.
“???”
It seemed Leila did not quite understand my explanation. She tilted her head in confusion.
“So, um… if you make it look like you’re in love with me, get cozy with me, and then kill me when I’m off guard! That’s the kind of plot it might be taken as…”
When I said that, Leila looked shocked.
“Really… there are people who think of such bad things?”
She covered her mouth, looking incredulous.
…It seems that the dark dragon did not have a bad influence in this respect. Leila suffered in a harsh environment, but she herself had not been tainted by darkness at all.
She truly is like a delicate flower blooming on the mud…
I must protect her.
I knew very well she was trying to become independent.
“—But, that idea isn’t half bad.”
Putting that aside, since Leila had come up with such a bold proposal, denying it outright could have ramifications later on. I also wanted to express a positive perspective.
“Connections based on romantic feelings and… behavior that suggests a certain kind of relationship are things I often used to help Liliana. Given my status within the demon race, it’s a field where those around us find it hard to intervene.”
As an element reinforcing our relationship, it wasn’t bad.
“But still, we first need to build a trust relationship that will reassure Platy, where you believe I won’t betray you.”
“Ugh… this is difficult.”
Leila groaned, holding her head in frustration. Well, this sort of wicked plotting probably hadn’t been necessary until now… I hope Leila remains as she is.
“I’m sorry I can’t be of help…”
“Not at all!”
Seeing Leila looking downcast, I hurried to cheer her up.
“Just being honest and discussing various things as I am has eased my mind a lot. Thank you so much!”
When I conveyed my heartfelt thanks, Leila smiled gently.
“…Am I no good?”
Antendeixis murmured in a sulky tone, his lips pouting as I could easily picture it.
—No, that’s not it. It’s just that… You’re basically like me at this point. It’s like we’re one and the same, I can’t see you as anything else…
“Wow! A kid who hasn’t even lived for half a century, including his previous life, sure says a lot!”
Don’t sulk now. I’ll pet you later.
“Gah!”
Don’t kick my soul from the inside! Urgh!
“…? Um, …?”
“No, no, don’t mind it.”
It’s just the Demon God rampaging within me…
“Anyway… if we’re to bring some persuasive power to our relationship, it’d be more effective for me, as the prince, to act as if I took you by force rather than you being the leading party.”
And for that…
—I must recover from my infatuation.
Thanks to Leila, my heart felt dramatically lighter.
However, nothing had been resolved regarding Claire. I didn’t even know if there was a solution.
What even counts as “resolution” here…
“By the way… is it true that you fell in love at first sight with an Undead?”
Tentatively, Leila asked.
I hesitated on how to respond, but we were no longer in a place to keep secrets from each other.
“Well, um… you see, that apprentice of Enma…”
I could only laugh weakly.
“…was my childhood friend from my previous hometown. She apparently met a horrible death after falling into the hands of the Demon Lord Army…”
Even in death, the hatred does not fade.
Fortunate or unfortunate, that caught Enma’s attention—
“…………!”
Leila seemed utterly taken aback, rendered speechless.
But then, I found myself pondering.
Having shared various things with Leila and becoming a bit more calm allowed me to see things differently.
No matter how tragic Claire’s end may have been—if she did reach the extreme conclusion that being human was worse than death—
No, that’s precisely why it wouldn’t be unusual for her to harbor deep resentment towards the Demon Lord Army and the demon race, right?
Yet Claire—why did that fiercely competitive girl agree to fall under the umbrella of the Demon Lord Army?
…Is there a reason strong enough to justify that?
Is there really?
For her to cheerfully join in, that surely suggests—
It must be a truly wicked plot.
“Ah! My shoulders are killing me!”
As we entered the seemingly endless staircase, once we were out of sight, Claire threw off her robe with a flourish and exclaimed.
“Does your body even get sore?”
I teased her as usual.
“Oh! Your Highness, mentioning a girl’s body is the worst! So inappropriate!”
Claire deliberately hugged herself, stepping back in exaggerated shock.
“It’s a metaphor! A-me-ta-phor!”
“I know, I know. Sorry, sorry.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. It’s pathetic to find this still enjoyable.
Sophia shot me an exasperated look from beside us, but I ignored it!
“Hey! Aren’t you looking forward to today? It’s my first time encountering a high-tier spiritual entity!”
“Really? After all this time being an apprentice?”
“…I did summon a dragon soul once secretly, but it was so battered that it couldn’t even be called ‘high-tier’.”
We continued descending the endlessly spiraling staircase.
“~~~♪”
Claire was in high spirits, humming a cheerful tune.
I was suddenly struck. A fading memory resurfaced—it was a folk song passed down in my hometown.
A song thanking the blessings of the light gods and praying for abundance—one often sung at festivals—I even danced to it with Claire…
“…It’s a beautiful song.”
I muttered without thinking, and Claire gasped, pressing her mouth shut.
“Oh no! I was singing again. Those habits from my past life are terrifying!”
She looked back at me with a playful glance.
“This is a song from my hometown. ‘Thank you for the blessings from the light gods, thank you for the bountiful harvest!’—it’s a song of gratitude.”
She chuckled heartily.
“It’s hilarious, isn’t it, that an Undead is humming a song about the light gods?”
Turning her gaze forward again, she added.
“—No matter how much one wishes, the gods never came to our aid.”
…….
All I could see was Claire’s back and her hair swaying like a horse’s tail.
I was afraid to know what expression she wore now…
—And just as that thought crossed my mind, she suddenly turned around and startled me.
With a mischievous grin, it seemed she was checking my face to see what I looked like.
“Ah ha!”
…This girl has come back more mischievous than ever! Someone do something about this, Enma!
As those thoughts swirled, we reached the innermost chamber.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Jil-kun.”
With a gleeful expression, Enma welcomed us. Today, she wore a more subdued outfit. Had my observational checks finally met their end? …No, those rings are new. I’ll mention it later.
In the spacious room just inside, various preparations were made, from heavy circular formations to tools designed to suppress souls—everything was ready, and it was nothing short of meticulous.
…This level of preparation was necessary to awaken a hostile dragon soul.
Seeing how I had executed it merely with a simple barrier and protective spells, I realized just how reckless I had been.
“Is all this really necessary?”
“Just to be safe, you know.”
Enma shrugged lightly.
“I focused more on mechanisms to suppress the resistance of the soul and thought. Since it’s of the light attribute, any wrong moves could lead to self-destruction.”
She grinned with a sickeningly sweet smile.
“—Because otherwise, it wouldn’t serve as a teaching tool.”
I acted calm, nodding in agreement, knowing she was right.
“Well then, if Jil-kun is fine with it, let’s get started.”
“Understood.”
I settled my breathing.
Gathering my dark magical energy, I began to chant the spell.
“【Aorato Teihosu Po Horiji――】”
…My situation with Claire was unresolved.
But still.
“【Iniriesu Enewos Fapanah――】”
My destruction of the Demon Lord Kingdom was inevitable.
If she chose to align herself with the Demon Lord Army—
“【――Faravgi!】”
A conclusion awaited.
…The chamber fell eerily silent.
“【Faravgi】”
No matter how much I called, it did not reveal itself.
…As expected.
“Hm.”
I turned back seriously.
“It appears the soul has completely dissipated.”
Such a disappointing entity, I thought with empty words.
I watched the expressions of the two, Enma and Claire—
Both were caught off guard.
Someday.
I would destroy the Undead with my own hands.
Ah.
Only now did I feel that I could look straight at Claire from here.
