A Creative Alchemist Enjoys His Freedom – After Being Banished from His Hometown, He Is Now Free to Create Magical Items with Incredible Effects Under the Control of the Demon King - Episode 12

Episode 12: “Listening to the Demon King”

“…I understand the situation. I’ll forgive you.”

　Demon King Luquier said.
　I was sitting upright.

『Seiza』 seemed to be a way of sitting that meant 『Reflection』 in the world of heroes.
　In front of me, the Demon King Luquier, whose true face was exposed, sighed over and over again.

　It was my mistake to steal the Demon King Luquier’s mask and robe.

　I had forgotten that the otherworldly 『Simple Warehouse』 had an automatic item organisation function.
　This warehouse had a function that would automatically collect and organise rare items when it found them.
　That was a necessary function for a 『Simple Warehouse』 that could store a large number of items… but because of it, even the Demon King Luquier’s 『Mask』 and 『Robe』 that had entered the warehouse were automatically collected.

　What followed was mayhem.
　The Demon King Luquier was crouching down, holding her face in her hands, while Mabel was running around in a panic.
　I explained the situation, apologised, and the two of them finally calmed down.

　And so, after hearing my story, the Demon King Luquier forgave me.

“I understand that you have no ill intentions. I will forgive you, so just act normal.”
“I am sorry, Your Majesty the Demon King.”

　…Oh my goodness.
　I was still underestimating the items from the hero’s world.
　The hero from another world used his incredible power to fight the ancient Demon King and drove the demons back to the northern lands. They undoubtedly changed the world.
　If it was an item from the hero’s world, it wouldn’t be surprising if it had some unexpected effect.

“There’s no need to be so upset. It’s okay now, Thor Regus.”

　Demon King Luquier said this in a troubled voice.
　The mask and robe were still on the floor.
　It seemed she had given up on hiding her identity.

　Next to me, Mabel was also sitting upright.
　It seemed she knew the true face of the Demon King, Luquier.
　Other people who had seen the real face were the Chancellor and the maid, who take care of the surroundings. It seemed that the rest was only the family of Demon King Luquier.

　The Demon King Luquier explained the reason why she had been hiding her true identity.

　The reason was──

“A Demon King must possess strong dark magical powers, be feared by everyone, and be a mysterious being.”

　──That was all.

　To the south of the Demon King’s territory lay the military superpower, the Dorgalia Empire.
　Although they had signed a non-aggression pact, it was unclear how long it will last.
　As long as there was a threat from the Empire, it couldn’t be known that the Demon King was a weak girl.

　Therefore, the Demon King Luquier had to hide her face and physique by wearing a mask and robe of 『Recognition Inhibition』, so that her face and physique could remain hidden.

“…So, how was it?”

　Demon King Luquier spoke while looking to the side.

“Are you disappointed to know the ruler of the Demon King’s territory is a small, weak-looking girl? Well, it can’t be helped. It’s because such a little girl hid her identity with the mask and robe of 『Recognition Inhibition』 and called herself the Demon King….”
“Luquier-sama, that kind of thing…”
“There’s no need to lie, Mabel. He has already seen my true face. What do you think, Thor Regus? This small, helpless figure is the true identity of the Demon King.”

　Demon King Luquier said that and looked at me.
　It was certainly a small figure.
　She appeared to be 15 years old but was still quite small.
　She was short and had thin limbs. If I hugged her, she would probably break.

“With the Demon King in this state, there’s no way she can compete with the Empire. So she used the 『Recognition Inhibition』 items to make herself look like a Demon King.”

　Demon King Luquier continued speaking.

　Her father, the previous Demon King, died at a young age.
　His daughter, Luquier, ascended to the throne as the Demon King.
   The mask and robes of 『Recognition Inhibition』 were the measures that she took until she grew up.

　She had powerful, dark magical powers, but for some reason, her body has been growing slowly.
　She was not growing taller or gaining weight. Her body didn’t have many curves.

　Although she could use powerful magic, she was not physically strong.
　Of course, in another 2 or 3 years, she would be able to withstand the 『Body Strengthening』 magic caused by dark magic. Once that happens, she would be stronger, both magically and physically.
　She would remove the mask and robe and reign as a true Demon King.

　Until then, in preparation for the Empire and also as a countermeasure against those in the Demon King’s territory who 『only believed in strength』, she would be wearing masks and robes that obstructed recognition.

　──The Demon King Luquier spoke of such things in a mumbling voice.

“In the old days, when the Demon King died, the next Demon King would be decided in battle. However, since the threat of the Dorgalia Empire was born, it is not a good idea to start a fight within the Demon King’s territory. Therefore, it is now a hereditary system.”
“Luquier-sama has magical power worthy of a Demon King. However, her body is just growing slowly.”
“There’s no need for comfort, Mabel.”

　As if the Demon King Luquier was mocking herself,

“Besides, it was the Chancellor Kelve, who told me to hide my true identity. That person probably thinks that in this shabby state, I won’t be able to unite the Demon King’s territory.”
“…Luquier-sama.”
“How about it, Thor Regus?”

　Demon King Luquier placed her hand on the chest of her one-piece dress and looked at me.

“What do you think when you see me like this?”

　Her thin hands were trembling slightly.

“I would like to hear the opinions of those who came from outside. Speak your mind. What did you think when you saw the Demon King Luquier Evargard?”
“It was like I saw a beautiful sculpture created by the Gods.”

　I said.

“The moment I saw the appearance of Her Majesty the Demon King, I was overwhelmed by my sense of value. As an alchemist, I thought that’s a beautiful magic item with excellent functions. It’s a so-called 『functional beauty』.
　However, when I saw the appearance of Her Majesty the Demon King, I realised the mistake. Her Majesty the Demon King and Mabel-san───In front of the beauty created by the nature of the Demon King’s territory, the beauty of the items I make is not as good as your feet. As an alchemist, I’m just ashamed of my lack of power….”

“Wha, what────!?”

“I would like to learn about both the beauty of Her Majesty the Demon King and the functional beauty of the items in the hero’s world. Please, I look forward to it.”
“Wh, what are you talking about, you bastard?!”
“I’m just saying what I think.”
“Hey, what a nice thing to say…”

　Tears welled up in the Demon King Luquier’s red eyes.

　She had both hands gripping it tightly. (making fist)

“What does someone as talented as you, with godlike alchemy powers, know? What feels like wearing a mask and pretending to be a fake self──”
“I’m sorry; I lied too. Actually, I’m not a guest. The Empire sent me here as a hostage to the Demon King’s territory ──as a sacrifice.”

　I said.
　Demon King Luquier and Mabel’s eyes widened.

“By the way, I’m a disgrace to the duke of Regus’s house. My father told me to go and die. It can’t be helped. The Empire is all about strength. I have no fighting ability and can’t use offensive magic, so there’s no value in my existence.”
“Wha, what, what…”
“But well, I think it was fortunate that I was able to come to the Demon King’s territory. I was able to work as an 『Alchemist』. I was able to experience the happiness of making my favourite items and the joy of having others use them in the Demon King’s territory.”
“Please wait, Thor-sama!!”

　Suddenly, Mabel cried out.
　She grabbed my hand and brought her face closer to mine.

“Is what you just said true?! Thor-sama was sent to the Demon King’s territory as a hostage… as a sacrifice…”
“It’s true. If you think it’s a lie, please contact the Empire.”
“No, I wouldn’t go that far… but I just don’t understand it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Even if it is true that Thor-sama was sent to this Demon King’s territory as a hostage… why did you confide that? Wouldn’t it have been more advantageous for you to make us believe that you were an envoy from the Empire? That way, you could have used the Empire’s power as your backing to get through unreasonable demands… no, of course, I know that Thor-sama is not the type to do such a thing… but… but!”

　Mabel shook her head as if she didn’t understand.

“As an emissary, you can claim that the Empire has your backing, Thor. If you can make everyone believe that, you should be safe. But if you reveal that you came here as a hostage, then you’ll lose your backing…”
“Yes, that’s right. So, can you please keep it a secret?”
“……Huh?”
“If it becomes known that I’m a hostage or a sacrifice sent to the Demon King’s territory, then the way the people of the Demon King’s territory treat me will change, right? It might even worsen your relationship with the Empire. So, could you please keep it a secret? Instead, I… I promise not to tell anyone about the secret of Her Majesty the Demon King……”
“……Ah”

　Mabel covered her mouth.
　She looked at me and nodded repeatedly.
　The Demon King Luquier behind her also had an unbelievable look on her face.

　They both seemed to understand what I was trying to say.

　I had no hobbies to expose other people’s secrets.
　However, I didn’t know if the Demon King Luquier would believe it.
　So I decided to reveal my secrets and weaknesses.

　── I will protect the Demon King Luquier’s secret. So please protect my secret as well.

　I thought that under those conditions, Demon King Luquier might trust me.
　Well, somehow.

　Demon King Luquier was a petite girl.
　She lacked confidence in herself and hid her true self behind a mask and robe.
　It felt like… it overlapped with how I was when I was in the Empire.

“Could you please keep it a secret that I’m a hostage sent by the Empire, Your Majesty the Demon King?”
“……Secret.”
“If you keep it a secret… well, I will. Of course, I will keep Her Majesty’s secrets, but I will also be directly under Her Majesty’s command. I promise to do my best as an alchemist. I will make more and more magic items for your Majesty.”
“…………Fu, fu. Hehehe.”
“It can’t be helped, since Her Majesty knows my secret. Of course, making magic items is both a hobby and a practical use for me. What do you think? Will you please keep my secret?”
“Ha… haha, hahahahaha!”

　It was sudden.
　Demon King Luquier burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.

　A high-pitched, childlike laugh.
　Demon King Luquier continued laughing while tears spilt from her reddish eyes.

“Ha, ha, ha, ha! Thor Regus! You, ha, ha, ha! What a fool you are! You revealed your true identity, and then, in exchange for keeping it a secret, you offered to ‘protect Her Majesty’s secret’… ha, ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha, what are you thinking!!”
“You’re laughing too much, Your Majesty. That’s terrible.”
“You’re the one who’s worse! Idiot!”

　Demon King Luquier wiped away her tears and looked at me.

“Not only was it terrible that you stripped me of my mask and robes, but the way you revealed your true identity was terrible too. It’s terrible! If you do that… I have no choice but to trust you.”
“Can you believe me?”
“What are you saying now?”

　Demon King Luquier said as she slowly approached me.
　Then she stretched as far as she could and poked me in the forehead with her index finger.

“I believe you. You trusted me and confided your secret to me. If I doubt you like that, then I have no right to be your leader.”
“I think Her Majesty the Demon King is a fine ruler.”
“Such a thing again, my dear… indeed!”

　Demon King Luquier grinned and looked at Mabel.

“Mabel. You are also welcome. Please refrain from talking about this outside. Don’t tell anyone anything. Well, Thor Regus is a distinguished guest of the Empire and my direct alchemist. Don’t treat him roughly, let the people of the castle do it thoroughly!”
“Yes! Your Majesty!”
“And Thor Regus.”
“Yes, Your Majesty the Demon King.”
“I repeat, my true identity and yours will remain our secret.”
“Okay…huh?”

　I felt like I heard something strange.
　Demon King Luquier grinned,

“In other words, ‘This place…’ is an exception.”
“Ah, is that so…”

　In other words, within this 『(otherworldly) Simple Warehouse』, it was okay for people to reveal their true identities to each other.
　This place was isolated from the outside world; it was like my own barrier.
　It seemed like it would be the perfect place for Demon King Luquier to take off her mask and relax.

“Okay, well, it’s a different story here.”
“Yes. In return, I will be Thor’s ally.”

　Demon King Luquier said as she shook my hand.
　I instinctively dropped to my knees, and she laughed, her golden hair shaking.

　It was almost like an oath between master and servant… or so I thought.

“My throat is all sore from laughing. Mabel, can I have some tea?”
“Yes. I will prepare it immediately… Ah, that’s right. Thor-sama.”

　As if she had come up with a great idea, Mabel clapped her hands.

“Can I bring a chair, a table, and tea utensils into this storage space?”
“That’s fine. There’s space.”
“Thank you!”
“Are there any tea utensils you would like to keep?”
“No, I just thought it would be nice to have a tea party here.”

　Mabel clutched the apron of her maid’s uniform and seemed to hesitate.

“In this place, both Her Majesty the Demon King and Thor-sama can talk openly about themselves, right? If so, I thought we could use this corner of the warehouse as a place for that purpose… Of course, we won’t disturb Thor-sama. Just a little bit of this spacious 『Storage space』…corner, if I could borrow it…”
“…That’s right. It would be fun if we could do that…”

　I was in trouble.
　It was impossible to refuse when she looked at me with those pleading eyes.

　Well, it was true that I also wanted a place where I could talk about myself without hesitation, and if I’m with Mabel and Demon King Luquier, then there was no problem.
　Besides, I also had a weakness, having been exposed to the true identity of Demon King Luquier.
　I was indebted to them both… I guess it couldn’t be helped.

“That’s fine. Please use this 『Storage Space』 as a place for the tea party.”
“Thank you!”
“Yes! I am grateful, my alchemist Thor!”

　Mabel and Demon King Luquier shook my hands and laughed.
　Well, magic items were useless if no one used them.
　As long as the two of them could make use of this 『Storage Space』, then that was fine.
　If I ever need my own space, I could just make it again.

“A cute tablecloth would be nice too. And a stove for boiling water.”
“Thor is going to use this as a workshop, right? If so, he’ll at least make a furnace.”
“That’s right. Then let me borrow that fire.”
“I’d also like some cushions and a bed. Mabel, do you have any spares?”
“There must be one. I’ll arrange it right away.”

　──But aren’t you two getting a bit too excited?

“…Umm. Your Majesty, the Demon King. Mabel-san.”
“What’s the matter, Thor Regus?”
“What’s the matter, Thor-sama?”

“Oh, and you can leave everything to me, Luquier. Of course, this is just for now.”
“Please call me Mabel as well.”
“That’s fine, but… both of you.”

　Would you like to turn my workshop into a relaxing hideaway for the two of you?
　That’s what I was about to ask, but──

“”Huh?””
“If you need that much storage space, I can make some for you and Mabel too, okay?”
“What are you talking about? I just want to entertain Thor.”
“That’s right. I just want Her Majesty and Thor-sama to relax here and enjoy some delicious food.”
“What’s the point of having storage space if Thor and Mabel aren’t in it?”
“What I want is not items, but time with you two.”

“…I give up.”

　I raised the white flag in front of Demon King Luquier and Mabel, who were both wearing really nice smiles.

──────────────────

　In addition, the tea party at this place was named 『Kingdoms Tea Time of the Demon King’s Castle』, and it would come to greatly influence the Demon King’s territory.

　──That was a story that no one knew yet.