Zen's Soliloquy

After Haruto told me his plan, he asked if I was willing to go along with it. I had to put him on hold that time. It was not a decision I alone can make.

For the time being, I offered him to stay in the castle until I discuss this matter with the ministers. He accepted.

It was the least I could do for him at that time.

I called all the ministers for a meeting to discuss this, while I was waiting for them to arrive, I was thinking about what he told me.

Like my father, his friends were also killed by that demo—

I mean demon lord. He was trying to hide it but the sadness was clearly showing on his face when he was telling me about what happened with them.

To be honest, at that time I didn't want to open his wounds again so I didn't interrogate him on the matter any further.

It was only logical, I understood his pain. When the news came that my father has been killed, it was like my whole world shattered.

Our mother passed away from disease when we were little kids, I don't even remember what she looked like.

Father was all we had. Even after being the king of a country, he took care of me and my sisters as much as he can.

I was in the magic academy when the news came, for half a day I was in my room doing nothing, my mind was blank. But I was the only son and now I had to take the command, and if I broke how will my sisters will be able to live normally.

Keeping a smile on your face even if you are sad inside was something I understood very well. That's why I knew how Haruto felt.

But when the ministers came and the meeting started, I told them all about Haruto and his plan. I knew they won't agree right away because he was a stranger to them, but they were too suspicious of him.

Saying things like, there's no way a commoner can beat that SSS rank adventurer, he is using me to take the throne for himself, and things like that.

Some were even suspicious of him being a spy of the demon kingdom.

That time I thought it was just ridiculous, but they were not ready to back off. They wanted to be completely sure of his identity before agreeing to anything he said.

Then one of my ministers suggested that we should check if he's a demon or not.

'What? That's straight-up nonsense!' I thought.

There's no way I can ask him to let me check if he's a demon or not, I will lose his trust and he consider me a friend. Maybe he'll also refuse to cooperate with me.

But that's the condition they gave me, so I also gave them a condition. I said that first they'll have to agree with Haruto's plan, and then only I will go along with them.

They agreed to it, one of my ministers suggested the way we can check if he's a demon or not and he won't even know that we did that. We will give him a sword and that sword will be the sword, the previous hero used. If he's a demon his hands will burn and if he's human nothing will happen.

Raizen was the one who suggested this way; he was a person my father trusted the most.

I did feel guilty about lying to Haruto but if by this way I can make my ministers agree without hurting his feeling then I'll have to do this.

I called Haruto and told him that the ministers agreed to the plan, I also called Ard to make a strategy for the mission and accompany Haruto.

The next day I called him to give him the sword, I wanted to give him the sword in person but the ministers urged me to do it formally.

Raizen has also called the people from church; it was where that sword was kept.

Haruto came into the throne room, I signaled the man who was holding the sword to give it to Haruto.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

What?

He screamed and dropped the sword!

No way! It can't be, right?

There's no way he can be a demon! But….the sword burnt his, so he must be.

Did he use me just like they said?

No no no no no, I will just ask him, this must be a misunderstanding.

"Yes I am a demon, so what? Do have any problem with that?" he said.

He….

I….can't think. Was all he said, his expressions, the thing about his friends, was all that a lie?

I mean….he saved our lives? Could it be that he saved our lives so we can trust him blindly and he can make use of that?

It's no use, as a king for now I have to arrest him.

I ordered Alicia to arrest him but he knocked her out. As he was leaving he said something.

"Zen…that part about 'dear friend'…was that true or an act?" he asked.

I don't know!

I can't think of anything now! It is possible that his intentions are not bad even if he's a demon but my brain can't help but see him with suspicion.

I tried to answer him but no words escaped my mouth.

And.

He left.