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 25

Episode 25: “Demon King Luquier and Chancellor Kelve receive a report from General Raizenga”

　──Demon King Luquier’s point of view──

“To ask for an audience from the Lord. What kind of wind is blowing? Raizenga Freyzadd”

　Demon King Luquier said.

　This was the throne room of the Demon King’s castle.
　The Demon King Luquier sat on the throne, and next to her, Chancellor Kelve was waiting.
　In front of her was Raizenga, the flame general, on his knees.
　It was rare for him to ask to have an audience with the Demon King by himself.
　Raizenga placed great importance on physical strength.
　For this reason alone, he tended to look down on the young Demon King Luquier.

　While thinking about this, Demon King Luquier was looking at him.

“I, Flame General Raizenga, once again pledge my loyalty to Demon King Luquier Evergard!”

　── General Raizenga declared, bowing his head so low that he nearly touched the floor.

“My loyalty is for eternity; I swear before my lord that if I violate this, I will offer up my life and soul. 『In the name of primordial flame』! !”
“I-I don’t understand what you’re saying, Raizenga…”
“『In the name of the primordial flame』, really!?”

　Next to the confused Demon King Luquier, Chancellor Kelve spoke up.

“Lord Raizenga Freyzadd, do you understand the meaning of your own words?”
“What do you mean, Kelve?”
“『In the name of the primordial flame』 are the words spoken by those of the Flame Giant’s bloodline when making an absolute oath. Your Majesty.”

　Chancellor Kelve began to speak.

  『The Primordial Flame』 was said to be the source of the flames of Flame Giant and the source of his vitality.
　Therefore, the words they swear 『in the name of the primordial flame』 hold great meaning to them.

　When someone with the bl00d of a Flame Giant broke this oath, it was said that 『even if their life is taken, they will not complain or resist』.”
　The fire inside them made them do this.

“The only person who ever received a swore loyalty from the Flame Giant’s bloodline with these word was the first Demon King himself. 『In the name of the primordial flame』, he vowed to fight alongside the first Demon King. Flame Giant: It is said that he accompanied and protected the first Demon King until the flame of his life literally burned out.”
“…Th-something like that…”
“It is not surprising that Your Majesty does not know. This is only the second time in the history of the demons that this oath has been made in an official forum. However…”
“Raizenga. Why did you suddenly do something like that…?”

　Behind her mask, Demon King Luquier’s eyes were wide with shock.
　She was grateful for his absolute loyalty. As his lord, she felt proud.
　But she had no idea why this had suddenly happened.

“I am grateful for your loyalty. But first, please tell me your reasons.”
“Due to my own foolishness, I have been disrespectful to my benefactor.”
“Disrespectful, then?”
“Naturally. That person has forgiven me, but that person is also the alchemist, who is directly under the command of His Majesty the Demon King. If so, I must apologise to His Majesty as well.”
“Wait”

　Demon King Luquier repeated the words of Flame General Raizenga in her head.
　Now, he said, “My benefactor is an alchemist directly under command of His Majesty the Demon King.”
　That meant──

“Is it Thor?! What on earth happened between you and him?!”
“Yes. Lord Thor Regus cured Agnis of her tendency to burst into flames.”
“What the hell?!”
“But I was convinced that Lord Thor had deceived Agnis and was up to no good…”

　Raizenga sighed.

“And so I foolishly tried to scare Lord Thor with fire, capture him, and take him back to my domain. To be honest, I was blinded by my anger at that time… but Agnis corrected my mistake.”
“Did Agnis stop you?”
“Yes. Agnis used the fire magic that she used to ignite the fire to perform frightening physical strengthening. Then she immobilised me with one arm, completely restrained me with both arms, and lifted me up above her head. I was truly surprised!”
“…Huh? Whaaaat?!”
“I am grateful to Agnis. She stopped me from harming her benefactor… I’ve never seen Agnis so angry before.”

　Raizenga continued to talk about his gratitude to Thor and how Agnis had grown and was so cute.
　Demon King Luquier was unable to answer that.
　The situation was so unexpected that her mind went blank.

　She thought Thor had done something wrong again.
　However, the fact that Agnis’ magical power had improved far exceeded Demon King Luquier’s expectations.

　Agnis, daughter of Raizenga, was a case of a strong reversion to her ancestor, Flame Giant.
　She was unable to control her powerful fire magic and was troubled by her tendency to burst into flames.

　That was why, as her master, the Demon King Luquier also lent a hand.
    She allowed her to wear the “flame-resistant armour” in the castle and gave her a special area (plot) so that the flames would not affect others.

(And he cured Agnis of her tendency to burst into flames?!)

　Furthermore, Agnis was now able to strengthen her body with the magical power of fire.
　According to Raizenga, she immobilised him with one hand, restrained him with both hands, and lifted him above her head. That was impossible with normal physical strengthening magic.

　Physical strengthening magic only increases one parameter, such as strength or agility.
　The rate of increase was at most 1.5 to 2 times.
　However, for a young girl like Agnis to be able to stop Raizenga’s movements, she would need to be four times… or even five times—stronger.
　Furthermore, she needed to improve all of her physical abilities overall, not just her strength.
    It was exactly like the magical enhancement of a hero.

“To be honest… I had doubts about the current Demon King’s policy of ‘learning from humans’.”

　General Raizenga continued speaking.

“But after learning about Lord Thor Regus, I realised that His Majesty’s policy was correct. It was wonderful that His Majesty placed such great importance on Lord Thor Regus. So, with gratitude, I have decided to pledge my loyalty to His Majesty.”
“…So that’s how it was.”
“My loyalty is already with Your Majesty. Please, I ask you to punish me for my blunders.”

　”Thud” Raizenga said, slamming his forehead on the floor.

“……Preventing the ignition ability of the flame giant that has reverted to ancestors, converting the magical energy of fire into physical strengthening… giving her enough power to stop the general’s movements…no way. Impossible… impossible…”

　Looking to her side, she saw Chancellor Kelve banging his head against a pillar.
　Since Thor arrived, it seemed that the Demon King’s high-ranking officials had taken up the hobby of headbutting buildings.

“I understand the seriousness of my sin in showing disrespect to Your Majesty’s guest. I have already resolved to resign from my position as Shogun (General). Your Majesty, please do as you wish.”

　Eventually, Flame General Raizenga raised his head and looked at Demon King Luquier.

“…Raizenga’s sin, huh?”

　Demon King Luquier gripped the arms of her throne.
　Raizenga tried to kidnap Thor without her knowledge, which was certainly unforgivable.
　As the Demon King, Raizenga should be punished.

　However, Raizenga had sworn loyalty to the Demon King Luquier 『in the name of the primordial flame』.
　It was the highest vow that the first Demon King received from the Flame Giant at the time.
　The fact that Demon King Luquier had received it held great significance.

　Furthermore, if Raizenga, who had done so much for them, were to be disposed of, the people of the Demon King’s territory would become dissatisfied.
　If people found out that Thor was the reason for the punishment, some might start speaking ill of him.
　Even Luquier didn’t like that.

“What does Thor say?”

　Suddenly, Demon King Luquier asked.

“What kind of punishment did he want you to receive?”
“He… did not wish for me to be punished in any way.”
“…Well, with him, that might be the case.”
“But when I asked him anyway, he said he wanted alchemy materials.”

　Raizenga nodded.

“Our territory is in a mountainous region, and mining is scheduled to begin soon. When Lord Thor heard about this, he said he wanted to obtain the rare stones found in the mountains. He said he would like to visit our territory sometime in the future in search of materials for alchemy.”

　That was typical of Thor, thought the Demon King Luquier.

　Knowing him, he was probably thinking about the Demon King’s territory and Agnis’s position.
　Inflicting severe punishment on General Raizenga would cause unrest in the Demon King’s territory.
　Agnis’s position, which had finally been cured of her explosive tendencies, will also worsen.

　That was why Thor didn’t want Raizenga to be punished.
　So, taking that into consideration, as the Demon King, she should consider what to do about Raizenga.

　And so the Demon King Luquier made up her mind.

“In that case, I, Demon King Luquier Evargard, command Flame General Raizenga.”

　Demon King Luquier stood up and looked at Raizenga.

“Although there was a misunderstanding, I would like to thank my important guest, Thor Regus. And it is unforgivable that you have attempted to take him away to your own territory. Therefore, I have decided to take away part of your territory.”
“Understood!”

　Without the slightest hesitation, Raizenga answered.

“Does that mean that part of our territory will be made a little bit under the direct control of His Majesty the Demon King?”
“That’s true. But there’s no point in getting such a large piece of land. It would also be difficult to manage. The land should be large enough to build a large house. If there’s a road nearby and a water source, then I have no complaints. Well, what I’m saying is, give me a villa in your territory.”
“…Y-Yes. I’d be happy to do that.”
“Really”
“But Your Majesty, that would not be a punishment. If that is your wish, it is only natural that we should prepare a villa for you…”
“It’s not my villa.”

　Demon King Luquier smiled with just the corners of her mouth.

“The land you are preparing is close to the mine. More specifically, it’s a place where you can go straight to a few mines and collect materials.”
“Your Majesty?! Could it be that――”
“Yes. Build a house there for him. A big house that can be used as both a home and a workshop.”
“──Yes!”

　He must have understood Demon King Luquier’s intentions.
　Raizenga’s eyes widened, and he nodded.

“Okay. In a place where it’s easy to find a lot of materials so that you can experiment with alchemy without worrying, and it’s good to have a house with a large garden !”
“That’s right. The cost of building the mansion will be your personal expense. Providing the land, the construction budget for the mansion and workshop, and maintaining the building while Thor is away—that’s all your punishment.”

　Then, the Demon King Luquier looked at Raizenga.

“Do you have any complaints about this punishment, Raizenga?”
“No. In fact, that’s what I would prefer!”
“That guy—Thor’s home is this Demon Castle. However, sometimes he may want to conduct research somewhere else.”

　Demon King Luquier smiled gently beneath his mask.

“Thor wants everyone to use the magic items he makes. So it would be better if he had a workshop somewhere that anyone could easily visit, not just inside the Demon King’s castle.”
“I will be delighted to accept this punishment!!”

　General Raizenga pressed his forehead against the floor again.

“I thank Lord Thor for giving me the opportunity to repay his kindness. My lord, Her Majesty Luquier Evargard!”
“I don’t want you to be too happy about this. You will lose part of your territory and will have to use your own money. This is a punishment, you know?”

　Demon King Luquier said with a wry smile.

“Anyway, I’ll treat you well in return for all the trouble you’ve caused Thor.”
“Understood!!”

　Flame General Raizenga looked up and nodded.

“That’s all. Any comments, Kelve?”
“…Magical energy transformation…is impossible. That’s not possible…”
“Hey, you’re damaging the pillar. Stop headbutting it already.”
“…I have heard the story.”

　Chancellor Kelve held his forehead and looked towards Demon King Luquier.

“I believe that Your Majesty’s decision is the best. General Raizenga is currently in negotiations with the Empire. If we impose a heavy punishment externally, it will create an opening for them to exploit.”
“Negotiations with the Empire…”

　Demon King Luquier recalled the report she had received previously.
　In the territory of Flame General Raizenga, a mine was being developed, and he was currently in the middle of preparations to defeat the monsters that had made their nest in the mountains.
　In order to suppress them, it was necessary to gather soldiers, but the location was close to the border with the Empire.
　It would be troublesome if the Empire misunderstood and thought that 『the Demon King’s Territory had intentions of invading』.
　As a result, Raizenga was negotiating with the Margrave of the Empire.
　As part of this, talks were underway about the Empire and the Demon King’s territory working together to subjugate the demonic beasts.

(…But the Empire is the country that abandoned Thor…)

　Demon King Luquier wasn’t sure if that country could be trusted.
　There was some uncertainty as to whether it would be okay to jointly defeat the demonic beasts.

“Kelve. I left the negotiations with the Margrave of the Empire to Raizenga.”
“Yes. We have already exchanged letters several times. It seems that the Margrave will be coming to your territory soon. That’s right, General.”
“Yes. You’re right, Kelve.”
“I see. In that case, please continue with your duties.”

　Demon King Luquier continued.

“However, there is no need to force a joint operation with the Empire. The Demon King’s soldiers alone can handle the subjugation of the demonic beasts. If you feel that the other party is not trustworthy, you can end the negotiations.”
“Your Majesty, that is…”
“What is it, Kelve?”
“If a joint operation with the Empire were to take place, it would be a great achievement since the beginning of the Demon King’s territory. I think it would be better to proceed in order to raise the fame of His Majesty.”
“I know. I’d like to make it happen if possible.”

　The Demon King Luquier nodded in response to the dissatisfied Chancellor.

“But there’s no need to push yourself. That’s fine, Raizenga.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
“I have gained the loyalty of Flamr General, and his daughter is now living a healthy life. That is enough for me. My own fame and all that…”

　Demon King Luquier suddenly touched the mask that covered the upper half of her face.
     The mask『Recognition Inhibition』continued to be effective to this day.
　That feature that once seemed important to her had begun to seem less necessary over the past few days.

　Since Thor came to the Demon King’s territory.
　When she was with him, she could show her true self and speak honestly.
　While she was enjoying this, she ended up gaining the loyalty of General Raizenga. The mask was meant to be used to oppose warriors who valued power, like Raizenga.

(…I wonder if I’ll be able to remove this mask soon.)

　──Just like Agnis has taken off her armour.
　──Perhaps the time will come when I will have to face everyone with my true face.

　Such were the thoughts of the Demon King Luquier.

“..……Well, I’ve gotten off topic. Anyway, I’ve done a punishment for you. I have decided to hear from Thor, but I don’t think he wants any more punishment than you already have. He may make some requests about the workshop, so be prepared for that.”
“At your will. I am willing to accommodate any request he may have.”
“Yes. I appreciate your loyalty.”

　The Demon King Luquier spoke to General Reizenga, who was bowing his head.

“I too will strive to be a master worthy of your great oath. That’s all.”

　Demon King Luquier nodded.
　And so the story ended.

　Flame General Raizenga bowed and exited the throne room.
　When the Minotaurs, who had been waiting in the hallway, opened the door, the general suddenly turned around.

“Now that I think of it… Your Majesty, let me correct something.”
“What is it? It’s Raizenga.”
“Chancellor, Lord Kelve said that if I break this Flame Giant’s oath, I won’t complain even if my life is taken, but that’s not accurate.”
“It’s not accurate?”
“If you start by saying ‘I swear before my lord’ then it will have the meaning that Lord Kelve said. If you don’t start by saying that and you are swearing to a specific person, then it will have a different meaning.”

　General Raizenga looked troubled and continued.

“For example… when you say those words to someone you love… it means, ‘With this oath, I dedicate my body and soul to you. These feelings will continue to burn with the flame of my life.'”
“Hmm. Interesting.”
“It is an important oath and one that is not uttered very often.”

　Raizenga looked into the distance and sighed.
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Translator Note: This is one of the most difficult chapters I have ever translated.