Chapter 97
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After finally arriving at Buranikka, I entered the place to pay the toll; it was a bit cheaper than the average price. The guard at the gate was a human. Once we entered the town, Setsuna suddenly went on guard. I put my hand in front of her to hold her back.
"In this town, monsters obviously stroll around. They are monsters that are being controlled by demons, so if you fight them, it'll become a problem." (Kearuga)
A large-breed dog type monster with fiendish skin made from fangs and rocks was there, and behind it, a dog eared demon was there. They are probably the pet and the owner.
"Kearugsama, if we were attacked" (Setsuna)
"You can counter attack if that happens." (Kearuga)
"Okay. … Having the first move taken is a bit scary." (Setsuna)
I can understand Setsuna's worries, but it can't be helped because that's just how it is. This fellow is a monster, but it's a splendid pet as well. Just because we think 'we might get bitten', it's not like we can attack it. When I look towards Freya, she is restlessly looking around at her surroundings.
"Kearugsama, this is quite a strange town." (Freya)
"I agree. It's just like what I was told." (Kearuga)
We are currently walking in a section where shops have gathered, and I can hear the employees touting. We can also use both gold coins and silver coins. Since gold and silver itself has worth, we should be able to use them apart from the countries that issue money with low content by percentage and trust… but against people who don't believe gold or silver have any worth, it's useless. Currency is popularly used here, which means that the town has been managed with human values.
While looking through shops for dinner and investigating the town, I found a shop selling nice vegetables.
"Mister, could you give me this and that?" (Kearuga)
I buy the vegetables I found at the shop. By looking at the vegetables, I can generally see the state of the town's soil.
They're fresh, grown quite largely and the amount that's worm-eaten is scarce. Looking at these vegetables, I can tell they have been grown with quite some time and have been grown with high-grade agricultural knowledge. These vegetables were made without focusing on the production output, but were made with great effort to become delicious. The fact that they have the room to take time making this delicious means that this town is peaceful and wealthy.
"Sure thing. I'm quite envious you have 2 beauties accompanying you. I'll give some extra. It's not for you lad. It's for the beauties behind you."
"Thanks. It really helps since they both eat well." (Kearuga)
And from our conversation here, I found out one thing. There is no discrimination against demi-humans.
He praised not just Freya, but Setsuna as well. As far as I can see, this man was not just flattering them, but saying his true feelings. … What I'm surprised at is that while living in the demon's territory and accepting demons, this town is peaceful and wealthy. Furthermore, I found out that this town is the ideal town where discrimination doesn't exist.
"It is great that we were able to get extra vegetables." (Freya)
"Delicious-looking vegetables. Excited for dinner." (Setsuna)
"Good thing you guys were beautiful girls. I'll use plenty of it in today's bear pot." (Kearuga)
With this much good vegetables, the bear pot should rapidly turn tastier. Afterwards, I visited shops and bought seasoning that are special to this town. I was allowed to have a taste of some miso made from fermented corn, but it had quite a nice taste. If I use this as stock, I should be able to make a good bear pot.
"!?" (Kearuga?)
I pa.s.sed by a male demon. He's a human-type demon around 2 meters tall, with horns that look like cow horns and violet skin. A cow monster was accompanying him.
The mad cow race. Even among demons, they are regarded as a dangerous race. Although he currently has a small sized monster with him right now, on the battlefield, they control extrlarge cow monsters.
On top of being able to control herds of tough cows with absurd speed and strength at will, they personally have toughness and strength incomparable to that of a human. No matter how strong a castle wall is, they are all helpless in front of that a.s.sault power. They have irrational strength that can lightly blow away knights and break castle walls. By doing so, they also make way for the monsters that follow after them.
The demon which would be feared the most by humans is happily smiling while shopping in a human shop. I knew from prior information, but as expected, I am still surprised when I look at it with my own eyes. The inn I picked after hearing recommendations from the shopkeeper who I bought vegetables from was an inn managed by demons. Although it was within my expectations that demons would be interested in business since they do shopping, but as I thought, the impact was too big.
Unloading our baggage into the room we borrowed, we started chatting without change.
"Humans and demons really do coexist in this town huh." (Kearuga)
I only knew about this town from the rumors as well, but I had suspicions that the coexistence was in name only, and they were actually being controlled by demons.
"Yes, it was surprising to see demons normally shopping and are even managing an inn." (Freya)
"They were demons, but they were good people." (Setsuna)
Setsuna's cheeks are inflated. It's not because she's angry, but it's because she received a fruit and held it in her mouth. The inn's shopkeeper gifted her fruit that had bad shape which they couldn't serve at the tavern.
"They are unmistakably good people. When I said I wanted to borrow the kitchen, they even said that they will cook with the ingredients I brought in." (Kearuga)
They give quite nice service. Just by looking at the meat, I thought they wouldn't be able to know whether it's bear meat or Fat Bear meat and wouldn't make a fuss about it, so I depended on his good will.
The meat has already been【Purified】, so it doesn't matter how they cook it. We continue chatting for a little longer, and then start heading to the tavern inside this inn.
Inside the tavern, humans and demons were happily drinking together. Even in this shop, I can
Demons that have a cow horn, the mad cow race. These demons can control cow type monsters.
Demons that have dog ears and tail, the night dog race. These demons can control dog type monsters.
Demons that have bear like fur and ears, the blood bear race. These demons can control bear type monsters.
Both in this town and in the forest where we were hunting monsters, I have only seen cow type, cat type and bear type monsters. These demons are probably the main demons in this town. (TL Note: Cat is not a mistake, it actually says cat in the raws.)
"I'm sorry, but since there are no empty tables, would you be fine with sharing a table with someone?"
The employee apologetically asked me a question. Once I nod, they asked for confirmation to the preceding visitor and came back to us. In an 8-seater table, there were 2 humans drinking; they were both middle-aged men. From their atmosphere, I can tell they are merchants.
"This way please."
The employee led us to them.
"Sorry for having to share the table." (Kearuga)
"I said it's fine, don't worry about it. This shop's cooking is delicious, so it's always like this. Since there are heaps of customers, they started selling their food on a small profit but quick return basis, so we can eat delicious meals cheaply. We really welcome customers from the outside like you, lad."
The merchant was in a good mood because he was already a bit drunk. Oh, this person is the merchant I bought vegetables from.
"Huh, it's just like Yuusura said. The lad's companions are incredibly beautiful. If I can drink with a beauty, I'll happily welcome them."
(TL Note: Bit confused about the first sentence. んだんだユースラの言う通りだ。I think 'ユースラ' is the other guy's name, but I'm not even sure about the 'んだんだ' part. When I searched it up, it said it was a Hokkaido dialect word, but the meaning seemed really out of place, so I changed it.)
So it's this again. It seems beautiful girls get various benefits in life.
"Freya, pour them some alcohol." (Kearuga)
"Yes, Kearugsama… here you go." (Freya)
"Thanks for that."
Under my orders, Freya poured them alcohol. I want to hear various things from them, so I'm letting them drink in a good mood.
"Please bring me 5 of the most recommended drinks in this shop, and 2 of over here." (Kearuga)
"Oh, lad, are you going to treat us?"
"This must be some kind of fate as well. Please tell me some things I want to know, since I have only just come to this town, so there are so many things I want to know." (Kearuga)
I smile at them with a friendly and happy face. I've made Kearuga's face into one that would be easily liked by others, since it's more convenient this way. Although it might have been more efficient as a beautiful girl, I wouldn't go that far. I am a man. I am the side that inserts, not the side that gets inserted into. I will never do something like that.
"Lad, you are a good man. Okay, as a senior in this town, I'll teach you as much as you want."
My luck is good. Merchants with apprentices.h.i.+p are the best source of information. I'm grateful that I was able to naturally get information from them.
"I heard this town coexisted with demons, but not to the point where I would be drinking in the same tavern as a demon." (Kearuga)
"Well it's not like we had this kind of relation from the start you know. 10 years ago, this town was abandoned. They thought it would become a desperate fight, but the feudal lord negotiated with the demons. At that time, I must say it was quite astonis.h.i.+ng."
So the humans offered the coexistence huh. That feudal lord was not in the right mind.
"So the demons accepted that?" (Kearuga? Seems a bit too formal for it to be Kearuga though)
"Yeah, it was terrible at the start, but as we talked with them, we realized that although they aren't human, they are people. If they are people, then we should be able to get along with them well. We are working hard to live a better life by mutually helping each other."
Those words had the values that humans are also one race and aren't different from demons or demi-humans as the foundation. I can't even imagine how much time and experience is necessary for those values to take root.
"Being helped by demons… you say?" (Kearuga)
"Monsters are actually amazing. If a monster is used, a human's 1 year worth of cultivation will be finished within a week. Demons are able to freely use those monsters. Agriculture has also become quite easy, and the demon's magic is also quite useful. Alcohol fermentation can be done overnight, and thanks to that, our lives have become much better."
I see, they are receiving manpower help and benefits from their magic. I can understand why this town is wealthy.
"By doing that, what kind of gains do the demon's get?" (Kearuga)
"The demons weren't civilized, so we taught them how to grow vegetables, how to raise livestock, how to make alcohol and the recipe for it, music that stimulates their heart, drama and various other things. They are enjoying humanity's culture."
"That's a great relations.h.i.+p isn't it?" (Kearuga)
"Besides, humans are also offering the monsters with feed as well."
I unintentionally raised my eyebrows. Monsters prefer living beings with mana in them. Therefore, they attack humans and demi-humans that possess mana. Are they actually feeding them with humans in this town? Are they buying their safety by sacrificing one part of the humans?
"Lad, aren't you misunderstanding something? It's not like we're feeding them with humans or something. It's this."
Rolling up his sleeves, I could see some puncture wounds.
"In this town, one part of our tax is paid by blood. Once a month, if we pour a lot of blood into a sake bottle, the tax becomes cheaper by a great deal. Since the people who don't like blood can just normally pay their tax, it's not like it's obligatory either. Humans get the monster's manpower and demon's magic. Demons get culture and blood that becomes monster feed. We are living well."
Mana lies within the blood. If it's the blood of the humans who live in the town, they can get plenty of it from just periodically taking it, and it's the best feed for a monster. It has a much better efficiency than a.s.saulting humans. To demons, it's basically the same as humans raising a cow and milking it. Buranikka can be seen as a farm to create monster feed. Coexistence and co-prosperity; Buranikka is using a smart method.
"That was an interesting story. Are the demons violent? Since I always thought they were enemies, I'm worried whether they have a rough temperament." (Kearuga)
"Yeah, there are times when they get violent. But even then, they're the same as humans. There are bad people within the demons, so there are fights. Including that, they are still people like we are."
The merchant appetizingly drank up all of his alcohol. If I were to summarize what I just heard, when looking at it from the inside, this town is wonderful, but from the outside, this town seems to be controlled by demons.
In reality, the townspeople are actually continuing to present their blood to the demons. That's enough of a reason for that younger sister princess to destroy this town.
… Well then, about the impending task. To take revenge on the younger sister princess, I need to make a close friend in this town. For some reason or another, I can't really come to like these merchants. I do think they are good natured people, but they aren't able to be serious.
To be frank, apart from my village and my first love, I don't really care about anyone, but only after this many people are here, I can become serious. I have to search for someone I can feel attachment to. As I thought, I can't come to like anyone unless it's a cute girl. Are there any girls that are my taste and will make me cry and shout when they get killed… (TL Note: Yeah… idk what he's on about.)
"Excuse me my dear customers. Is it fine if another person shares this table?"
While thinking about that, the fragrance of corn miso and bear meat directly hit my stomach. It seems the employee brought the bear pot. Not just that, he also came to request permission for someone to share the table.
Because the 2 merchants nodded, I also nod. Then, the employee brings along one girl. She's a girl with black angel wings with red pupils. I recognize her. She's the girl I have always been looking for.
However…, differing from my memories, her hair is black, and probably because of nutrition deficiency, her cheeks are sunk in. Moreover, with a black robe that conceals her whole body, she was hiding her face and appearance. The reason why I noticed her appearance and wings is because she has an unbelievable amount of mana which she seems to be hiding, so I a.n.a.lyzed her by using magic.
It's an exquisite disguise that wouldn't be found if it's not me, and she has an overwhelming mana amount to the point where she could annihilate everyone here. There's no way that kind of existence would be just a demon.
"Please give me something warm you can make with this, and it would help if you could give me a lot." (Demon King)
However, the financial standing of that powerful existence seems to be in a sorry state. She shows a few copper coins from her pocket. The shop employee nods and goes away. With that much, she would get bread rice gruel with meat sc.r.a.ps inside at the most.
"Lad, did you know, demons have made various towns and villages, has a country and even has a king. However, there's a guy that's more important than any country's king. That person is called the demon king. Whether it's a demon or a demon country's king, they need to be completely obedient to the demon king."
"Yeah, I know about that." (Kearuga)
"I wonder what type of person it is. I'm sure he would be super brawny and huge. He probably has at least 10 horns. It seems like I would p.i.s.s myself just from looking at him." (TL Note: Using 'he' for convenience.)
That's an interesting imagination. However, if all demons obey him, then it wouldn't be weird if he's that unreasonable.
"No, it was unexpectedly a cute girl." (Kearuga)
"It seems you've met her lad. Tell me about her in detail. You said cute girl, but what does she look like?"
He doesn't believe me at all, but the merchant is joining in while thinking it's an interesting joke. Therefore, I…
"If I must say, the person next to me is the demon king." (Kearuga)
I made an extraordinary joke. Well, I wonder what kind of reaction the future demon king will make.