Chapter 74

***

The story begins by going back to the founding of Ritzheim.

First, one person from another world was summoned.

At that time, the land did not yet form a country, and there were constant skirmishes with different races. People were exhausted.

The people were in poverty, the barren land was left to wither, and there were many injured and homeless.

Some of the nobles who ruled this land, distressed by this situation, performed a summoning ritual to call a young man from another world. A human summoned by this ritual is endowed with tremendous magical or physical abilities, acquiring supernatural powers. The people had high expectations for this power.

This young man, too, was granted immense magical power upon being summoned.

He specialized in creating and commanding monsters. Using this magic, he laid out a country by force. This was the beginning of the Ritzheim Magic Kingdom.

People began to call him the Ritzheim Sorcerer King I, commonly known as the Demon King, as he led many monsters and wielded powerful magic.

The young man married the daughter of his summoner, the original ruler of this land, and was given a new family name. Ritzheim was the name given at that time.

Thus, the Ritzheim Magic Kingdom was established, and peace came to this land. Strife ceased, and a nation was built. The people enjoyed prosperous lives in tranquility. But as it tends to happen with humans, greed emerged.

“Even if he’s a hero, that greenhorn is the king? Isn’t the fact that the strife among different races did not escalate due to our efforts until now?”

“Is he even human? Commanding such demonic beings…”

And so, shortly after his coronation, an assassination attempt was made on the young king. However, the one who lost her life to the assassination was, shockingly, his wife, Tanya Ritzheim. It might have been an assassination aimed at Tanya from the beginning, but the truth is unknown.

The young man, having lost his beloved, lost control of his magic in his grief. His excessive power transmitted his hatred, sorrow, loss, and resentment to the monsters under his command.

“I fought for the people of this country. I never wanted the throne. I just loved her.” 

After slaying all those involved in the assassination, the young man turned into a cruel and cold tyrant.

His eyes became blood-red, his hair changed to a beetle-green color, and dragon-like horns grew from his head. He became a true “Demon King,” leading monsters.

It is also said that the methods of making potions and elixirs were lost during this dark age when the tyrannical Demon King reigned.

An uprising was formed against him by various races, including humans, dwarves, and elves.

But they could not defeat him, with his powerful magic and monster army.

So, to subdue the Demon King, the remaining Ritzheim family conducted another summoning, and a new hero was summoned from another world.

The hero summoned here was— a fellow Japanese with black hair and black eyes, like me.

I can only think that conducting a new summoning ritual here and calling someone from another world is foolish.

But no matter how many subjugation forces were organized, they were no match for the monsters protecting the Demon King. His power granted during the summoning was just that strong.

Apparently, the people of that time thought that only someone from the same world could defeat the Demon King.

But the hero summoned to defeat the Demon King, upon learning what had happened to him, stopped himself from killing him, and instead sealed him.

“I do sympathize with his circumstances. However, it’s also true that his actions in this world have taken the lives of many innocents. So, as a fellow human from the same world, I will stop him but not kill him. The ability I was granted when summoned to this world is the power to forcibly inflict a status abnormality. With this power, I will put the Demon King into a long sleep of three hundred years. This time should weaken his power. Whether he will attack this country again when he wakes up, or find a way to communicate, I will leave it to the people of this country.”

The hero wished that long slumber would heal the wounds and hatred of the Demon King, and that he would learn to control his formidable power. Thus, at the end of the battle between the Demon King and the hero, the Demon King was sealed, and now, three hundred years later, he has awakened from his long sleep.

“I mean, well, this is what I know about the founding of the Ritzheim Magical Kingdom and the incidents surrounding the summoning of the Demon King.”

***

Gazelle and Felix, having finished listening to my story, frowned deeply.

After a moment of silence, Gazelle let out a large sigh and glared at me, his golden eyes piercing, making my heart jump. “Takumi… You’re not hiding anything else from us, are you?”

“If I said no, it would be a lie.”

Gazelle sighed again at my response.

Next to him, Felix smirked.

“But, indeed, I remember Takumi asking me about Ritzheim’s summoning ceremony. I wondered why you, who are not a citizen of Ritzheim, were concerned about the summoning ceremony, but… I see. Speaking of which, you said in Menonu city before that ‘originally, someone else was supposed to come to this country instead of me.’ So that means, originally, it was not Takumi, but someone else who was supposed to be summoned?”

“Yes. I was not originally supposed to come to this world. However, when I was in my original world, I had acquired knowledge of this world’s existence, Ritzheim’s history, and the future events that were to occur.”

Gazelle and Felix nodded in understanding.

Both seemed to have moments in mind when my actions and words had made sense.

While observing their reactions, I reminisced about what had happened so far.

“…I don’t know why I came to this world. One day, when I realized it, I was on that pirate ship.”

“And after that… well, it’s as Gazelle and Felix know.”

—Initially, I had no intention of revealing to anyone that I was a person summoned from another world.

I thought no one would believe such an absurd story.

However, during the recent battle with the Demon King, I blurted out to them that I was a person summoned from another world. I could no longer hide it. Plus… now I had the trust that Gazelle and Felix would believe my story. That’s why I explained to them that I came from another world, and that I knew in advance what was going to happen in Ritzheim.

“But… Takumi, were you really not summoned by someone?”

“Yes. There were no signs of a summoning ceremony on that pirate ship, right?”

“But maybe someone summoned you, put you to sleep right after summoning, and then put you on the pirate ship.”

“Mmm…? If you put it that way, there is that possibility, but… no, still not.”

“Oh, why is that?”

“Those summoned by the summoning ceremony are given special powers. I don’t have any such abilities. And…”

“And?”

“And, I trust the people of Ritzheim. They regretted the past, made the summoning ceremony a secret thing, and shelved it. I believe that the summoning ceremony will never be executed by the people of Ritzheim.”

“Takumi.”

Felix squinted his eyes as if looking at something bright.

Gazelle reached out and ruffled my hair.

… Surrounded by these two, I felt an indescribable sense of happiness and at the same time, a tinge of loneliness.

The time since we met was short, and we hadn’t talked much, but even the Demon King often directed a gentle gaze at me, just like Gazelle and Felix occasionally did.

When I thought that I would never again be looked down upon by those deep crimson eyes, the back of my nose tingled.

“Takumi-san, Gazelle-sama, Felix-sama! I’m sorry to have kept you waiting; the tea is finally ready!”

A bright and cheerful voice echoed in my ears, which were about to well up with tears.

 

In the royal capital’s town below the castle, the alchemist who works at the perfumery “Ingrid Perfume” — a bespectacled store clerk, brought us tea.

…It’s still hard to believe that two weeks have passed since my encounter with the Demon King. It feels as if it happened just yesterday. The fact that we could return to the royal capital and once again visit this familiar perfumery as a trio feels like a dream. I wonder if the two of them feel the same way, despite my explanation right after the incident that I’m a person from another world, they continue to ask the same line of questions every day. Just now, while waiting for the bespectacled store clerk to return with the tea, they were asking about the founding of Ritzheim, which I know about.

…Perhaps the reason the two of them don’t bombard me with questions all at once is that they’re being considerate of me. I’m grateful for their thoughtfulness and take advantage of it, as I still haven’t sorted out my feelings. The existence of the Demon King has been lost. The crisis that was looming over Ritzheim has been completely averted. While this should be a joyous event, I still need time to absorb what has been lost in return.

“Today we have mint tea; I hope it suits your taste… Ah, if you need sugar, please use this!” The bespectacled store clerk places tea cups in front of us as we sit in the shop’s chairs. Just as she was about to add a sugar pot—

“Big sister, excuse my words, but isn’t that a pot of lime, not sugar?” a boy next to her gently called out.

“Eh? Oh, you’re right!? Come on, Mars-kun, you should have told me sooner!”

“I thought maybe adding lime to tea was a custom in Ritzheim, so I didn’t intervene. Seems I was mistaken.”

“Uuh… I’m sorry, I’ll bring the sugar right away!” The bespectacled store clerk, her face turning red with embarrassment, scurried behind the counter.

Ah, she’s as lively as ever. Watching her makes me feel invigorated.

As I watched the bespectacled store clerk’s back with admiration, my view was obstructed by a figure that appeared from the side—Mars-kun.

“Is something the matter, Mars-kun?”

“No, I apologize. When I look at you, Takumi-san, I feel a sense of nostalgia.”

“Is that so?”

“Did I offend you?”

“No, not at all. I’m glad to see you’re doing well, Mars-kun.”

When I said that, Mars-kun smiled for a moment, his deep red eyes narrowing with a tickled expression. His green hair shimmered like a beetle’s wing, reflecting a mysterious hue, and small, rounded horns peeking through were very charming.

“Thank you, Takumi-san.”

His smile was carefree.

Unlike the sneering or self-deprecating smiles I’d seen before, it was a pure smile. Seeing that smile, I felt as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Now, this boy, Mars-kun, was taken into custody by the Black-winged Knights in a village two weeks ago. There were no guardians around him, and no one in the village knew him. As a result, he was treated as an orphan and brought back to the royal capital. Since then, he has been in the care of Ingrid, the owner of “Ingrid Perfume.”

Although originally planned as a temporary arrangement, Ingrid has grown fond of Mars-kun, calling him “a good boy,” and his relationship with her real granddaughter, the bespectacled store clerk, is good, so they may even officially adopt him. Earlier, Mars-kun called the bespectacled store clerk “big sister,” and this might soon become a reality. How wonderful that would be.

“Ma, Mars-kun! Where’s the sugar pot?” 

“Ah, sorry, Takumi-san. My big sister is calling me, so I’ll be back.”

“Ah, go help her out.”

I watch Mars-kun run off to where the bespectacled store clerk’s voice came from, smiling fondly.

Then, Felix, sitting next to me, leaned in and whispered,

“It seems his memory has not yet returned.”

Gazelle, who must have heard, looked in the direction Mars-kun had gone, arms crossed, nodding with a grave expression.

“Yes, it seems so. I wish he could stay this way, but… well, when he remembers, we’ll deal with it then.”

“Right.”

…Yes, that boy, Mars-kun, was none other than the Demon King who once brought catastrophe to Ritzheim and handed over most of his magical power to me in a village recently.

At that time, blood flowed incessantly from the Demon King, and his death seemed imminent. Holding his hand, crying, all I could do was notice the faint light emanating from my cursed sword. Picking it up, the light intensified, and… 

“What the…!?”

The light overflowing from the sword enveloped the Demon King’s body. Not only I but Gazelle and Felix, who were nearby, were surprised and opened their eyes wide.

At that moment, I felt as though I heard a gentle voice.

Could it be… the voice of the young man called the hero that I’ve heard about in stories? The voice was fragmented, but I understood that it was expressing gratitude to me.

And then — when the light and the voice had ceased, the wound on the body of the Demon King who had fallen to the ground was completely healed.

“Huh?”

The Demon King was even breathing peacefully in his sleep.

But it was no longer the tall and thin figure from before. It was a clever-looking boy around twelve years old, who looked like he might be carrying a school backpack.

“Huh!?”

“Wh-what. What has happened here…?”

“Hey hey… what on earth is going on?”

Afterward, Gazelle, Felix, and I hurriedly secured the boy.

We took him to an inn, and when he woke up, we cautiously talked with him, but… somehow, he had lost all of his previous memories. From then on, thanks to arrangements by Gazelle and Felix, we brought him back to Ritzheim city — and that’s how it came to be.

“Hmm, what’s wrong, Takumi?”

Gazelle, noticing my gaze, tilts his head in curiosity.

“No… I was just thinking that I can’t thank Gazelle and Felix enough. If I were alone, I wouldn’t have known what to do with Mars-kun. Besides… from your position, it would have been only right to… subdue him. Even though he’s lost his memory now, he did try to kill both of you, so, that’s why…”

I hesitated and stammered, reluctant to say the words clearly.

“Ah, you mean why Felix and I didn’t kill him?”

“Put plainly, yes.”

I nodded timidly, and Gazelle showed a somber expression. Felix also had a similar look.

“…After hearing the circumstances from him and you, it seems that the current prosperity of Ritzheim would not have been possible without that man. Moreover, Ritzheim buried that fact in the shadows of history. Considering that, even I couldn’t be so cruel. Besides…”

“Besides?”

“Besides, if we killed him, you would cry, wouldn’t you?”

Yeah, I would cry a lot.

I nodded earnestly at Gazelle’s words, and the two of them smiled bitterly.

“So, there’s no help for it, right? Right, Felix?”

“Yes, indeed. It would be painful to make Takumi cry. More importantly… he now has only a little more magical power than an ordinary person. Even if he regains his memory, he can’t create and control countless monsters as before. Most of the magical power he had has been transferred to you, Takumi.”

“Uh-huh. I don’t really feel it, though.”

As Felix says, most of the magical power the Demon King had has been transferred to me.

Thanks to that, the recent reports of monster damage in various places have decreased.

Also, since the Black-winged Knights have had fewer subjugation missions lately, so we’ve been able to observe Mars’s progress at “Ingrid Perfume” like this.

“If I use this magical power for the summoning ritual, I can return to my original world, according to the Demon King… but first of all, I don’t know how to perform that summoning ritual. I’d like to try using magic and various things since I have the opportunity, but I don’t know what to do…”

“Gazelle, Felix?”

Since the two of them were exchanging glances and fell silent, I tilted my head and looked at them.

“Oh, sorry. I was just lost in thought.”

“Gazelle, thinking? That’s rare.”

“Hey, what do you mean by that?”

Ah, no, not in a bad way!?

Gazelle tends to think aloud, so it was just unusual… wa-, wait, stop pinching my cheek!

“Ha ha, it’s soft.”

“Ngh… pwha! St-stop, Gazelle…!”

“Takumi, may I touch it too?”

“Felix too!?”

But seeing Felix’s envious look, I ended up imagining droopy golden retriever ears on his head, and ultimately gave in and let him touch my cheek.

“Hm… Felix, are you enjoying this?”

“Yes, very much.”

That’s, that’s right. When told with such a sparkling smile, I can’t say anything anymore… 

“S-sorry! I finally found the sugar!”

“This time, it’s definitely sugar. I’ve checked myself, so please rest assured.”

As I was teased by Gazelle and Felix like this, the bespectacled store clerk and little Mars finally returned. 

The smiling and charming store clerk and Mars, standing next to her with a stern face, their hair and skin colors were different, and they didn’t look alike at all. But the sight of them standing together was very fitting. They looked perfectly matched, as if they had been siblings-in-law for many years. 

My cheeks naturally loosened at the sight. 

The path he once followed in Ritzheim must have been full of hardships. The things that the people of Ritzheim did to him in the past can never be undone, and likewise, his actions cannot be erased. Even so, I hope he can be happy this time. This time, away from assassinations and plots, I hope he can enjoy a quiet and peaceful daily life, and hopefully love this country and its people, and be loved in return. Not as a “Savior” or a “Demon King,” but as a young man named Mars. That’s how I wish him to be.

~ VOLUME 3 ENDS ~