Episode 22
Why hasn't I discovered it until now?
The reason was simple. The stairs were hidden in the first place.
Even within the wide top, there was no place for people to reach. Through a small gap in the place that was blocked by a wall, I could see a staircase hidden in the darkness.
-It's a secret space. It was quite popular among wealthy merchants and aristocrats. In case of emergency, it can also be used as a shelter.
It was a method that I had never seen in the Velib estate. If you are a merchant in the kingdom's capital, you may be richer than a local lord.
-The moment it is revealed like this, it loses its meaning.
The Demon King sneered and said, but he did not agree. Although it seems that its existence was revealed due to the user's carelessness, it was in a position that could not have been discovered if the Demon King had not informed it.
Now that most of the employees have left work, it would never have been revealed.
- Go in. The woman you are looking for will be in it.
The Demon King laughed and whispered.
As if enchanted, I followed the light down the stairs. After walking for a while, I saw a closed door.
'Deception.'
I hid myself with magic and gently opened the door. Ignoring the dazzling heat and light, I quickly went inside.
-There you go.
Mirill was in it. However, it was easy to guess that she was not what the Demon King was talking about.
The room is so hot that it can't be hot. On one side, a huge brazier, which was the cause of the fire, was emitting heat. However, the inside of the furnace seemed to be unable to invade the flames.
'That, the ice of eternity?'
A small, transparent crystal that looks like a piece of glass.
The man in front of the brazier seemed to be captivated by its beauty.
"The top is very busy these days. How many new people were selected this week, and your dad would be surprised if you asked him?"
“….”
Miril whispered at the man's back next to him.
"Today, the royal family requested a deal directly. It's not an exclusive contract with our top, but the number of jobs has increased tremendously at once, right? After all, I thought the royal family was the royal family."
“….”
"How much of a fuss my brother is having a hard time. The other employees don't know? You haven't seen your dad either, have you?"
It was a bright voice, but somehow it sounded pathetic.
"Dad... Daddy should stop watching that and come back now, right? Just like before..."
"Miri."
The man, who had no intention of moving like a doll, opened his mouth. I didn't know how long I hadn't spoken, and my locked voice was full of determination.
"Yes, Dad!"
"Didn't I tell you?"
Miril was displeased, but the man's answer was cold.
"If this is revealed to be of true value, it doesn't matter."
"What is that...!"
"Deal with the royal family? It's something that can't be changed even if you give an entire country. Don't disturb me. It's noisy."
The man, the upper lord, said this, and pushed the stone placed next to him into the brazier.
The stone that touches the fire burns violently. It seemed to have been treated with special magic, or something like that.
-Did you recognize the ice of eternity? He seems to be quite discerning among humans.
The Demon King said with a small admiration, but there was a hint of sneer in his voice.
-But burning a few flamestones won't break the magic I've cast. Your head is terrible compared to your eyesight.
I sighed and walked towards the brazier.
Now that I had found the ice of eternity, I didn't have to waste time at the top. If you quickly pack it up and get out of here...
- Wait.
The Demon King's voice stopped in his tracks.
-No, I can't. Didn't they dare to covet the treasures of the demon world? It is worth paying the price.
His words were not unconvincing.
But how? Does it mean that you should kill them right away? Maybe it is to annihilate the top.
It's something I don't want to do. Just because the Demon King told me to, I had no intention of obediently complying.
-Do you know. That's a bad idea.
'Is it a bad book?'
However, the demon king unexpectedly denied that idea.
I thought that if it was his personality, he would definitely kill them all.
-If you are a wise person, you will not lose sight of what you can get by leaning on your immediate feelings.
'What then?'
- A little patience. It is a virtue that adds wisdom to the foolish.
Wisdom.
- Wait. Let me see something interesting.
As I was pondering in my heart at the unexpected appearance of the word, Miril began to move.
"Okay. I won't talk to my dad. I'm going."
"Yes."
“….”
After hesitating for a moment at the unhesitating answer, she walked again.
-… What do you do?
'Wait?'
-… Avoid it. Bump into it.
After avoiding Miril's body approaching him head-on, he followed her out of the room.
* * *
"Where were you? I've been looking for it for a long time."
“… Mr. Jude?"
"I have a bad complexion. What happened? I feel like I'm sweating."
After a while, I approached Miril who was sitting helplessly at the counter and asked her worriedly, and she replied with a smile.
"I had a bad dream. I dozed off."
"Here? I didn't have it before."
“… Wednesday, in the dormitory. Now I'm out to enjoy the breeze. But why did you find it?"
I could see him turning to me, but he didn't show it and handed me the document in his hand.
"This is because the owner asked me to deliver this."
"Oh... Thank you."
Miril took the papers and looked at the contents for a moment, then sighed with a slight distortion of her face.
"Why?"
“… It's nothing."
In fact, I knew why.
It was a kind of report. Dahan summarizes the important things that happened today and reports it to his father, who is the top owner.
From her point of view, who came up after arguing with Sang-joo a while ago, it must be a very gritty document.
"Whoa... Mr. Jude, what are you doing after work today?"
"I don't have anything to do, why?"
"Would you like to have a beer with me? I know it's a good store."
I don't know, but it seems like I want to drink. I heard that there are people like that sometimes. But Miri, who still looks young, is alcohol.
“… Alcohol?"
As if he had noticed the meaning in my expression and tone of voice, Miril replied nervously.
"Why? I've been an adult since then, right?"
"Really? How old are you..."
"Twenty years old."
I thought it was only in my mid-to-late teens, but it was quite a while.
“… Then it's my sister."
“… Yes?"
I'm fifteen this year, so I'm five years older.
"Come on, wait. What just said? Did you say you were my sister? So how old is Mr. Jude..."
Come to think of it, I didn't talk about my age even when I was interviewed. Is it natural that she doesn't know?
"I'll drink later."
I didn't answer her words and went outside.
"No, where are you going! Tell me how old you are...!"
Miril's bewildered voice came from behind him. I was glad that my bad feelings seemed to have been resolved a little.
"So, what's the funny thing you showed me?"
-Wouldn't it be less fun if you told me that in advance?
The natural answer naturally narrows the glabellar.
The Demon King can't lie to me. Therefore, his words about letting me see interesting things were clearly sincere.
But that made me feel uneasy.
As a demon, his perception of him and me are bound to be different. In light of what has happened so far, the things he finds interesting usually come back to me badly.
-Go to Simone for now. I need to tell her that I have found the ice of eternity.
"What is disadvantageous to me..."
-Lack. I swear to my soul. If it is my expectation, it will be a huge benefit.
"Whoa...."
I can't help but say that.
However, without giving up a single doubt, he went to visit Simone.
When I opened the door at the top of the black moon, Simone, who was smiling happily with something, stood up in surprise.
"Nothing, what is it? Wind?"
"It's me."
"Oh, Master...! You've been here for two days in a row. That Simon, I can't help but be thrilled!"
When she dispels the deception magic and appears, Simone approaches with a bright smile. He suddenly stopped and hid the paper in his hand behind his back.
"What is it?"
“… This is it."
Sweating profusely and avoiding the gaze.
Due to his nature of absolute obedience to the Demon King, it was obvious that if he asked me to show him what it was, he would tell me right away.
-Just move on.
‘…?’
-This is what I say for you. I'm serious.
The Demon King said in a low, deep voice. If it had been the same as usual, there would have been laughter, but I couldn't help but nod at the rare reaction.
"Well, that's it."
"Well, but what has happened so far...?"
For some reason, I felt like people were paying a lot of attention to me today, but it wasn't that important.
"It's not a big deal. I'm just here to tell you that I've found the ice of eternity."
"As expected! I believed that the master would do it soon!"
Simone was overjoyed and placed the paper she was holding on the desk.
"Use this momentum to find other materials, destroy the abominable goddess, and achieve the revival of the demon world again!"
“… It's natural."
Even as I answered, I couldn't help but be worried about the paper on my desk.
-You said it's better not to worry about it, right?
The Demon King's advice was one step late.
His eyesight, which had strengthened after passing the first ordeal, accurately captured the paper on the desk.
It was a painting. It was drawn with clumsy skills, but anyone could recognize it...
"I...?"
"That, that's...!"
It means that until just a moment ago, he was alone in a dark room, looking at a painting of me.
-Haha... I thought it would be like this, so I told him to turn it off.
At the same time as I realized, I felt goosebumps running down my spine. He wanted to burn it right away, but he still doesn't know the magic that causes fire.
"I just want to commemorate the dignified appearance of my master..."
"Military Command."
At the same time as the call, a military command rose from the floor.
-Kie?
"I, that, the military commander? A rare thing that is hard to see even in the demon world...! After all, you are the master!"
As usual, he gave orders to the military commander, who shook his head with a strange sound.
"Tear it up. Don't leave a trace."
A military command is the united souls of thousands of people, even if it seems to be one.
The paper in his hand was torn into thousands of pieces in an instant.
"Oh, no...! My masterpiece...!"
How long has it been?
When he came to his senses, there was a military commander standing in front of him holding a powdered piece of paper and Simone screaming with tears in her eyes.
-Are you sober?
‘… yes.'
-Then tell me what I have to say.
After hearing the Demon King's words, I had doubts, but my thoughts, which were very fatigued from the shock that had happened a while ago, did not go deep.
"Listen, Simone."
“… Yes."
Simone replied in a locked voice. My shoulders shook as if I hadn't stopped crying yet.
"Something interesting is going to happen soon. You should aim for that time and work your original role again."
“….”
In an instant, Simone's movements stopped.
The moment when you are about to question the obvious adverse reaction.
"Oh, I understand. My master."
As he answered, there was definitely a smile on his lips.
A smile that is completely different from anything I've seen before.
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