Chapter 239 (1/2)

「……Nn?」

Vermudol, who was loitering in the Demon King Castle’s back garden, suddenly dropped his gaze onto the sword that was at his waist.

「What is the matter? Demon King-sama.」

「Nn, no……」

Being asked that by Gordy who was swinging her sword nearby, Vermudol lightly touched his sword.

Just now, he felt like his sword had shown a queer reaction to something……but even after looking at and touching it like this, there wasn’t anything strange in particular about it.

After thinking a bit, Vermudol answered with “it’s nothing”.

「At any rate, for you to be training in the middle of night like this……You are quite the hard worker as well, aren’t you.」

「……What might you be saying? Demon King-sama, you had that intention as well, did you not?」

While pointing out the sword on Vermudol’s waist, Gordy smiled.

The town of Arkverm was boisterous even in the middle of the night, but it was a time where everywhere except for a small part of the Demon King Castle was sleeping.

Just as Vermudol went to the back garden thinking of swinging his sword or something, he found that Gordy was training there. Once he found himself captivated by the movements of Gordy, who was also his teacher in the sword, he somehow missed the timing to start his training.

「However, is that alright? Demon King-sama, you also have to perform your official duties tomorrow as well. Although the tourism plan has genuinely started, I have heard that the workload has greatly increased as well, you know?」

「I am dealing with that appropriately. That isn’t a reason why I can’t do practice in the middle of the night.」

After Vermudol made his counterargument, Gordy shrugged her shoulders.

「Certainly. However, your health is what is important above all else. Devoting this body for your sake, Demon King-sama, until it breaks is my job as well as my fate, but Demon King-sama, you are different. Resting your body for the sake of tomorrow is also important.」

「……I understand that, so please don’t say something that sounds like way Ichika would say. It’s depressing.」

Seeing Vermudol breath a sigh, Gordy burst into laughter while covering her mouth with her hand.

「Pfft……Haha! So that is what you say! All of us are more concerned about you, Demon King-sama, more than ourselves, but even among us, Ichika is the one who worries the most, you know?」

「……I know that too. That’s why I came to practice like this.」

「Ahh, I see. Kuku, however, it would be best to give up on that. Demon King-sama, even if you were to train yourself up to the size of a large man as big as Raktor, I do not believe that anything would change.」

Hearing Gordy’s words, Vermudol breathed another sigh.

It wasn’t like he was being a bother. He helps out, and is even relied on.

However, what should he say about it?

「If you believe that you are not relied upon, that is wrong.」

Gordy sheathed her sword into its scabbard, and turned to face Vermudol.

「Rather, it would be much more difficult to find a Mazoku that does not rely on you, Demon King-sama.」

「……However.」

「Demon King-sama. You created this country. You gave the Mazoku order, and you gave them prosperity. That is something that no other Mazoku could have done. You are already this country’s supporting pillar, its emblem, and someone that it cannot do without.」

Seeing Vermudol keep silent, Gordy continued.

「Everyone relies on you. Therefore, everyone wants to be relied on by you. You are mistaken on that premise.」

Vermudol ruminated on those words. It was certainly just as Gordy had said.

「I see.」

Then he thought “however”.

Vermudol expressed a smile.

「In that case, I have a duty to continue being a king that can be relied on in all aspects. That also goes for the aspect of the art of war. I should train myself to have the ability to be able to force the enemy back from the front even if the Hero were to come attacking. Am I wrong?」

Hearing those words, Gordy went “Hou” and leaked out a voice of admiration. She didn’t expect him to switch it around like that. However, for Gordy personally, she found them to be truly likable words.

「……You are not wrong. However, was the daytime training not enough?」

「Even if you can compromise on what is satisfactorily enough in everything, there is no satisfactory amount in being perfectly enough. Am I wrong?」

「I see. However, if you are to aim for that, Demon King-sama, you will not have the time to rest.」

「That is just what I want. That is the sort of place that I was aiming for from the start.」

Hearing Vermudol’s words, Gordy also expressed a thin smile.

「Could you accompany me in my training, Gordy?」

「Yes, Demon King-sama.」

Gordy strongly gripped the hand that Vermudol held out.

And then, from above, Ichika quietly piled her hand on it.

「Vermudol-sama, I am deeply moved by your wonderful spirit.」

「Is, is that so.」