“Miss Baraja! That’s really enough, so if you could just…”
“But Your Majesty!”
“Please… Really, just please…”
If he was saying please, she really did have to stop.
“Human, are you being mind controlled?!”
“No. I’ve seen his nation with my own eyes. The first subhuman I ever met was a naga.”
A murmur went through the subhumans as they exchanged glances with one another. Some voices asked, “What’s a naga?” but she ignored them.
“There was also a subhuman with a face like a rabbit’s. I’m not a resident of the Nation of Darkness, and it’s true that the time I spent there was short, but I still know that the people who live there aren’t wearing the expressions of pain and fear you were a minute ago. And of course, they weren’t wounded like you are now.”
The subhumans looked down at their emaciated bodies. They had lost so much weight they were like sticks.
“It’s as she—Miss Baraja—says. Still, I’m sure you can’t believe us. But I promise on my honor as Ainz Ooal Gown that you would never be treated so unreasonably if I were ruling over you. That’s because everything I rule belongs to me. If one of my subjects gets hurt, that means one of my belongings is damaged. And don’t worry; if you say you don’t want to live under my rule, I won’t force you to. You should live how you like. For now, I’ll arrange things so you can return to your village.”
“…Why are you being so kind?”
It seemed to Neia that Diell had set aside his preconceptions and faced the true King of Darkness for the first time.
“Hoh-hoh… I want to defeat Jaldabaoth. That means the subhumans he brought here are in my way. So sending you back to your village is one way to chip away at his power.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you spread word that I’m kind, unlike Jaldabaoth, it might cause unrest within his army, or even some defections.”
“Ah, I see.”
It was hard to believe someone when the deal only seemed to benefit one’s own side, but it seemed that subhumans, like humans, were more likely to trust someone if a deal showed benefits for both sides.
“But I don’t think it’ll be that easy. Most of Jaldabaoth’s subordinates are thirsty for blood. Even if we go back to our village and spread word, I doubt it will have much effect.”
“That’s fine. I just want to make every sort of move I can. And if Jaldabaoth is ruling through fear, there might be subhumans who are willing to rebel against him. So I’m repeating myself, but you’re sure you don’t want to cooperate with me in the fight against him?”
“…We can’t. I told you: We just don’t have the will right now.”
“I see. That’s too bad. And you don’t feel like coming to the Nation of Darkness, either?”
“It’s not a bad idea to enter under the protection of someone as immensely powerful as you. But we can’t decide that on our own. Maybe we’ll take you up on the offer after discussing with the others.”
“Diell!”
“Dombas, I know what you want to say. But we won’t be able to defend our village on our own with this demon around. This would have been our fate either way.”
The orc called Dombas must have understood that. He bit his lip and lowered his eyes.
“I see. If you intend to come to the Nation of Darkness, you will have my full support as its king. There are many kinds of people living in my lands. I’d like for you to work together with them and live as subjects of my country.” The king’s tone had softened.
In the Sacred Kingdom, subhumans were enemies, but in the Nation of Darkness, subhumans were fellow citizens. Where does that huge difference come from? Neia realized the answer right away.
From His Majesty, huh…? Because of his immense power… It really does all come down to power…I guess…?
“All right, I’ll provide enough food to see you home. And soldiers as escorts. I imagine it’ll take a lot of time and effort to get home in your condition.”
“You’re willing to do that much for us?”
“Certainly. Sob at the generosity of the Nation of Darkness’s king and tell everyone you meet. So, Miss Baraja, could you leave the room? I’m going to perform a secret ritual that people from outside the nation shouldn’t see.”
“Understood,” said Neia, but as she was leaving, she couldn’t help but feel a bit lonely. What he said made perfect sense, but even though she understood, she found herself struggling to accept it.
From the other side of the broken door they’d propped up, the number of orc breathing noises she could hear rapidly decreased. It was as if they were leaving the room, and maybe they were.
The king had been saying that he could teleport once he knew a place, so he was probably using that power on them.
Eventually she could hardly hear anything, and when, after a little while, she heard the clacking of a single pair of footsteps, it was the King of Darkness alone who appeared before the door.
“Sorry I kept you waiting.”
“Not at all.”
The room was an empty shell. He must have used a spell that Neia couldn’t even imagine in order to teleport them all. Or maybe he had some other way, like a magic item.
“Now then, let’s meet up with Lady Custodio and find out what the plan is.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
•
After leaving the orc camp, the two asked a paladin they encountered where Remedios was. At the entrance of the building they were directed to, they found not her but Gustav.
“Oh, Your Majesty! I was just about to call you.”
Gustav was different from when they had met him last. There was life in his voice, and he was so cheerful it was as if the light of hope was overflowing from inside him. Maybe he’d come across a way to break through some part of their difficult situation? Perhaps wondering the same thing, the
