Chapter 424: The Silent Voices Haunting Those Left Behind – Part 7

Soon after, a human squad led by Nell surrounded the compound and apprehended everyone inside that I had knocked out, marking the end of the incident.

After a short talk with the Representatives of Allysia, we went home immediately, except for Nell, who stayed behind to help with the case.

So, it was only later that we found out all the details regarding the incident.

It seemed that the old woman and the others had kidnapped me for terrorizing the country.

Apparently, their plan was to attack civilians by releasing me into the concert that was scheduled to be held the next day. Clearly, it was to raise the bad feelings toward the demon race, which had been eased recently.

It looked like they intended to limit it to causing a commotion, but… if I had indeed lost my control, that would have been a disaster.

It was highly probable that I would have slaughtered them mercilessly, since I was not self-aware and my reason went haywire.

…No, that old woman might have been fine with that.

I felt that I understood her better after I actually met her. In my opinion, she had already become so vengeful that she had started to hate everything and everyone.

To her, those who followed the country's agenda were enemies. However, those who lived peacefully and carefree were also enemies, I suppose.

Otherwise, she would have made a simpler plan of using me to attack key government officials.

It seemed that she was harboring unreasonable, yet negative, feelings for those who were going about their peaceful lives without knowing what was going on.

The dead probably would not have wanted the old women to become like this.

Even though they had died, they had their own pride, things they were proud of.

They would not have wanted their thoughts and wishes to be trampled on. They would have hoped that their families would live out their days in peace and happiness… However, those who were left behind wished for the dead to have survived. They would try to find the cause of their loved ones' death but doing so would only result in hatred.

And so, the deep affection they had developed for their beloved would be transformed into hatred.

I heard that the people who caused this incident would receive the capital punishment.

I felt bad, but I guess it was a fair punishment.

I was told that since I was not only the Demon Lord but also the nominal Emperor of the Rogard Empire, the appropriate punishment for those who attacked me would be to execute their entire family along with the rest of the household.

However… I didn't like the idea of that, so I asked the Representatives of Allysia that only those who were truly involved would be given the capital punishment.

I was having a hard time sleeping.

Kingdom representatives were probably trying to get me in a good mood, but I asked them to do their best to keep the enemies from targeting Nell instead.

Incidentally, I heard that the inn where demons and I stayed was innocent.

It was not the inn's staff who mixed the numbing poison in the food, but an agent who had sneaked in as a guest and put it in the food under the radar of the innkeeper.

Perhaps the reason we were able to eat the food without much concern was because we could sense no hostility from the employees, and they seemed to be cooperating well with us.

After the attack occurred, and I was taken away, the employees immediately took action and contacted the city's guards… but the guards, on the other hand, were under the control of human supremacists.

As a result, the employees of the Inn ended up being considered as one of them, and they were put behind bars for a short while.

The manager of the restaurant, pale and quivering, told the story of how it happened and his regrets, which revealed the truth behind it.

Nell told me that although they were innocent, they would face some kind of penalty because of the incident that took place there.

It ended up as a mixed bag of criminals and innocents… but since that Inn was a place that the government had set up for us, a place where dignitaries were allowed to stay, and then this happened, I felt sorry for them, but I couldn't do anything about it.

"Now, Yuki."

"…Nn?"

"Come here."

At the Dungeon, Lefi sat down on the spot and patted her lap.

"What's the matter, suddenly?"

"It's all right. Come on, come on."

"…"

After a bit of confusion, I laid down and put my head in her lap, as she urged me to do.

The comfortable feel of her thighs and her sweet fragrance which enveloped me like a blanket relaxed my mood. Then Lefi patted my head as if she were soothing a child.

"Yuki, if you have something stuck in your chest, I will listen. If you don't want to talk about it, I will accompany you in silence. So, please refrain from thinking about everything on your own yet show it on your face."

She could see through me. I wondered what I should say.

"Lefi."

"Mm."

"Am I… starting to become complacent about peace?"

This time, I didn't get hurt, and I was able to return safely.

But the next time may not go the same way.

Even when I was unconscious, I seemed to be resisting, but even so, there was no doubt that I was in a great deal of danger this time.

All in all, it was definitely a close call.

Perhaps… if I had been the same person when I fought with the black dragon, I would have been able to avoid the poison.

Maybe I had become vulnerable.

No, my status itself had improved considerably.

I was able to defeat the Dark Lord's Corpse Dragon, which was even stronger than the Black Dragon, and even in this Demon Forest, I was now capable of killing a single monster in the western area where monsters were the strongest, only in the shallow area, though.

I think having gained a certain amount of strength made me become less cautious.

It was not exactly pride.

I mean, I was not really the prideful type.

I had never thought of myself as a strong man, and I was never in that kind of environment.

That was why I was a peace-lover.

I guess my senses had been dulled by the joyful, carefree, peaceful, and impossibly happy days with everyone here.

I forgot that this world was dangerous.

I was the master of this place.

I knew that it was not suitable for me, but I was the pillar of the family, so to speak. If I remained so careless, I would not be able to support the things that needed to be supported.

Through this incident, I felt that I may have become more lenient than in the past.

When I told Lefi about these things, she giggled with a benevolent expression on her face.

"What, I thought you were unusually depressed, and that's what you were thinking about?"

"…I saw myself in that old woman, a little bit. Besides, this time, it was my failure that caused problems for everyone."

If the same thing happened to me, I would probably end up like that old lady.

That was the reason I didn't get too angry at her.

I didn't have the motivation to, since I could see a reflection of my own shortcomings and inadequacies in her.

"Hahaha, you have been pretending to be calm on the outside, but I guess you have been concerned about it inwardly."

"…Well, of course, I care. Although I was able to escape on my own, in some situations, I might have died this time. If that happened, I don't know what would have happened to this Dungeon, and more importantly, I would probably be unable to see you guys ever again. I shudder just thinking about it."

"Well, I won't like you disappearing on me as well. So, I was really angry when Yuki was kidnapped, and I told you not to let your guard down. But you didn't reflect at all?"

"No, I am reflecting on it… but not enough for you to worry about me like this."

Lefi continued in a gentle tone, as if she were talking to a child.

"Then this conversation should be over. Talking about 'what ifs' is meaningless, Yuki."

"You mean I'm worrying about it too much?"

"It is good to look at that old woman as a role model, but you should not be discouraged by that. It is true that you have become a little less cautious than before. It is probably because you are truly happy in your life with everyone else. However, that should not be treated as a bad thing."

"…But in this world, it is better to have a sense of crisis. I have become strong to some extent, but only to some extent. If I'm not careful, I can easily die, you know?"

"I don't think you have become fatally naive. Well, I can only say what I think. If you have a different opinion about it, you should make the most of this failure and improve yourself. You survived and came home alive. Isn't that enough?"

"…Ah. I thought I'd better take measures against poison anyway."

"Haha, that's right. The fact that you have higher magic power in your body than normal human beings makes it easier for you to repel such things, but when it comes to high-quality poisons, you may get caught unaware, as you did in this case. I never thought that you would be so concerned about this. Though I am glad to feel anger for the first time in a while because of what happened."

"…Shut up."

Lefi laughed as she poked my cheek with her finger, and soon started to squeeze and tug it.

"…Mmmm, that's it. Your cheeks are not particularly comfortable to touch."

"They are not good?"

"But I probably wouldn't get tired of touching them for the rest of my life."

Lefi smiled and looked into my eyes.

"But the wings, on the other hand, are the best, right?"

"You know exactly what I mean! Come on, let's get those wings out for your dear wife. I will touch them and love them."

"I thought you were trying to cheer me up."

"Yes, I know. Seeing me, whom you love, in good health, will cheer you up too, won't it? That's why I'm proposing this, to cheer you up."

"That's a very self-centered rhetorical question, my dear."

I chuckled, but I could certainly feel my mood lightening at her consideration.

"…Okay, Lefi, I'm trying to get better, so keep me company."

"I don't have a choice. I'm your mate so I'll keep you company to your heart's content."

I grinned shrewdly and sat up.

"Well, let's take a bath together now. Then, let me do something with you to your heart's content."

"Unh…well, I don't mind. It's not easy being loved, is it?"

"Oh, I can't help it, I'm so in love with you."

"…that tone sounds obscene, so don't say it, idiot."

I smiled at Lefi, who blushed and slapped me on the shoulder.