“Good morning.” (Misha)
When Misha greeted me, mom turned around.
“Fufu! Good morning, Anos-chan. We just finished making breakfast. Could you wait in the living room?” (Izabella)
“Where’s dad?” (Anos)
“He’s already eaten and is working in his workshop. There’s tons of people who really want your father to make them ceremonial swords. Business is booming thanks to you, Anos-chan!” (Izabella)
Hmm. Well, those would be swords forged by the Demon King’s father himself. There’s also the fact that I’d only just reincarnated. So as far as good luck charms went, nothing could beat those.
Misha carried over a huge platter of food with both hands.
“Shall we go?” (Misha)
“Yeah.” (Anos)
The two of us moved into the living room, side by side.
Then I heard a noise coming from the entrance of the shop.
Someone was knocking on the door.
Misha probably heard it too, as she tilted her head.
“It’s rare to have a visitor so early in the morning.” (Misha)
I moved from the living room to the entrance, unlocked the door, and opened it.
“Ah…” (???)
Outside was a girl with brown hair and eyes.
It was Emilia.
“Hmm. A rare visitor, indeed. What do you want?” (Anos)
She kept her head down and bit her own lip.
“…Um… Are you… busy at the moment?” (Emilia)
“We were just about to have breakfast.” (Anos)
“…I see…” (Emilia)
“Oh? Emilia-chan?” (Izabella)
Mom appeared from behind me.
“Hello.” Emilia bowed.
Mom happily clapped her hands together.
“Perfect timing. Would you like to join us for breakfast? Misha was practicing today, so we made a lot.” (Izabella)
“Um… Well… I’m in a hurry today, so… If you’ll excuse me.” (Emilia)
Emilia turned on her heel and hurriedly left.
“Emilia.” (Anos)
When I called out to her, she stopped and turned around.
“You wanted to see me for something, right? I’ll hear you out.” (Anos)
“…But, what about your breakfast…?” (Emilia)
“You swallowed your pride to come and see me. Whatever your business is, it should be more important than breakfast.” (Anos)
I turned to Misha.
“Sorry about that, Misha.” (Anos)
She shook her head.
“Go.” (Misha)
“Have a nice day, Anos-chan! Do your best at work!” Mom sent me off with a smile.
I walked over to Emilia.
“Want to talk at the castle?” (Anos)
“No… Just while walking is fine…” (Emilia)
“Very well, then.” (Anos)
We slowly walked down the road to Delsgade.
Emilia was slightly behind me, gloomily dragging her feet.
She remained silent for a while.
I slowed down without particularly urging her.
Eventually, Emilia squeezed out a few words, as if she had made up her mind.
“…I wish to have an audience… with the Demon King of Tyranny…” (Emilia)
There was a mixture of humiliation, shame and suffering in her voice.
Even now that the truth about me was out, she still had a hard time acknowledging that I was the real Demon King.
But in theory, she had to understand that much.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t address me as the ‘Demon King of Tyranny’.
However, her emotions didn’t immediately catch up.
For a long time until today, her fabricated existence as a royalist had been everything to her.
“Granted.” (Anos)
Seeking an audience with me in Dilhade at the moment was the same as asking me for salvation from some tragedy.
It was quite easy for me to guess what Emilia wanted.
“There is… no place for me here… None at all…” (Emilia)
“I guess so.” (Anos)
“You said that… you would save your people from their tragedies… So please save me from mine…” (Emilia)
When I came to a stop, Emilia did too.
“…I beg of you…” (Emilia)
It must’ve been extraordinarily humiliating for her to beg for charity from me, the one she had been holding a grudge against.
Her voice and expression were full of frustration and misery.
But more than that, Emilia couldn’t stand to live as she currently was any longer.
“If you truly are the Demon King of Tyranny, as you claim to be.” (Emilia)
“Emilia.” (Anos)
I turned around and looked straight at the girl.
“Do you really want to be saved?” (Anos)
“…Of course I do…” (Emilia)
“Would you swallow all your complaints in order to be saved?” (Anos)
After thinking for a while, Emilia nodded.
“…Yes…” (Emilia)
“I won’t let your tragedy last, but bear this in mind: only you can save you, because the only one blaming you is you.” (Anos)
Emilia stared back at me with a look of confusion on her face.
“Did you like your job as a teacher?” (Anos)
“…I didn’t dislike it… It was simply a stable job…” she admitted, as if in shame.
“Then I’ll arrange for you to be reinstated. However, your destination will be the Hero Academy Arclanisca.
“…In Gairadite…? You want me to teach human students…?!” (Emilia)
“You’ll be fine. Besides, no one in Gairadite will care about whether you’re royalty or not.” (Anos)
“…But if I go there, I will definitely suffer from discrimination against demons!” (Emilia)
“That’s right. All demons are the same to them, regardless of whether they’re the Demon King, or a mixed-blood demon of dubious origin.” (Anos)
“…How is that supposed to help me…? If I go there… I’ll—” (Emilia)
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t complain?” (Anos)
Emilia fell silent at my words.
“If you keep teaching there for a year, or if you can earn a noteworthy achievement in Arclanisca, I will promote you back to the Demon King Academy. And I’ll prepare a position equal to that of the Seven Demon Elders for you.” (Anos)
“…Do you mean it?” (Emilia)
“I don’t lie.” (Anos)
“What sort of achievement should I earn?” (Emilia)
“I’ll give you the specifics later, but the Hero Academy has lost the trust of their people. And it seems the students there have also gotten undisciplined. You need to straighten them out, at least a little.” (Anos)
Emilia thought for a moment, then she replied.
“Very well. I hope you will keep your promise.” (Emilia)
She probably thought that at worst, she would have to bear with it for a year before things got better for her.
And that if she could earn such status and honor, she could get her former life back.
But such naivety wouldn’t do her any favor.
So I taught her what it meant to seek salvation from the Demon King of Tyranny.
“Emilia. You asked me to save you. Which is why I won’t allow you to abandon your salvation and run away.” (Anos)
With a threatening and sadistic look on my face, I gave her a warning.
“Don’t forget this. No matter how harsh your ordeal will be, you will definitely be saved.” (Anos)
