The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody - Volume 2 - Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27 

The Ex–Demon Lord and the Start of the School Festival 

The preparations for the school festival went smoothly… Not. 

Class A had sabotaged us. It had been rather ingenious and caused us a lot of grief… But we somehow came together and managed to make it to the school festival.

Well. It was set to last for a week, and this was only the first day.

In any normal situation, the students were expected to help their own class projects, peek at what the other classes had prepared with their free time, and enjoy the festival to their heart’s content…except Ireena, Sylphy, Olivia, and I were working under different circumstances.

We knew there was a possibility of demons showing up during the festival, which was why we decided to split up and patrol the grounds.

“Hey, Ard! Let’s go to that shop next!”

…From the outside, we appeared to be having a blast, but I swear we were in full-on surveillance mode.

“This frozen treat is so yummy!”

“Ireena, you have syrup on your cheek.”

…And I repeat, we were just pretending to have fun. This way, no one would realize we were on the lookout. It wasn’t as if I was having fun at the shops with Ireena. This was serious business on behalf of humanity and the world.

…Oh, she was just too adorable.

In our little village, there were never festivals, which could be why she was bopping around, more childlike than usual. I couldn’t help but feel paternal love for her. I’d probably agree to anything she asked of me. If she requested half the world, I’d give it to her in an instant. That’s how cute she was. And of course, Ireena was a natural hit at the festival, charming beyond all compare.

“Hey, Irinny! Check out our shop!”

“No, come here! We’ve got better food over this way!”

At every step, a cavalcade of students called out to her.

Ireena smiled at her situation. “…I feel like I’m dreaming. I never thought I’d be able to make friends with everyone.” She looked at me and grinned. “I think my life changed the day I met you. I’d always locked myself away in the house before… I assumed I’d be alone until I died.”

It made sense. Considering her lineage, she could only expect a lifetime of misery—for carrying the blood of the Evil Gods. It made her the greatest target for discrimination. She must have lived with the constant fear that her friends would discover her true identity at some point and reject her.

“But I’m not alone. I have you, Ard…and I’m starting to think maybe there are others who will accept me, too. That’s why I’m on cloud nine… It’s all thanks to you. I’m grateful.”

Her smile was captivating and made me blush a little.

“…Oh, what are you saying? I’ve done nothing. Everything was by your own virtue. We who form strong bonds all gravitate toward the honorable. This was undoubtedly divine providence.”

Perhaps out of embarrassment, I began speaking faster than usual.

Ireena giggled as if she knew why.

…It was a very quiet, bittersweet moment.

If only we could live on in peace without worrying about demons. That was all I wished for—from the bottom of my heart.

From then on, Ireena and I continued our patrol as we went about enjoying the festival to the fullest.

We stepped into the courtyard, which was an expansive space without a single shop to be found. As for the reason, it was because this place was sacred.

“This tree gives me the strangest sensation whenever I look at it,” Ireena murmured quietly as her eyes narrowed.

The enormous tree at the center of the courtyard was the reason why this place was considered holy. You had to crane your neck to look up at its grand magnificence, officially known as the Tree of the Sword King.

“Legend has it that the third ruler of Laville…the Great Sword King…sealed away something special here. It gave birth to this Tree, which now protects whatever is hidden away… I’m certain I’m not the only one curious to know what it is,” I concluded.

I glanced quickly at Ireena next to me. She nodded but folded her arms, tilting her head to the side.

“I’d like to know, too, but even Daddy says he’s not sure.”

Ireena was a member of this nation’s true royal family. Her father, Weiss, was the rightful king, which meant, by all measures, that he had full access to even the most classified of national intelligence.

If he didn’t know… It was possible the answer might be trivial after all.

Nonetheless, I had a bad feeling. It was wise to stay vigilant. To say the demons were targeting only Ireena…would be untrue.

It happened as I gazed tensely at the Tree.

* * *

BOOOOOOOOOM! 

A loud explosion rang in our ears. Thinking that it could be a demon attack, Ireena and I went on high alert and zeroed in on the direction of the noise.

“Heeeeeeeeey! You’re a fishy one! Pipe down and turn yourself in!”

“Eeeeeeeeeek?! P-please stop! Just hear me out!”

…The idiotic source of the uproar showed herself, seething with anger and her Demise-Argis in hand in front of a chubby, middle-aged man. The two of us sighed.

“Well, in any case…”

“Should we go speak to that idiot—pardon me—to Sylphy?”

And with that, we made our approach.

“Um, Sylphy? What in the world are you doing?”

“Ard! Ireena! This guy’s a demon! No question!”

“No, no, no, no, no! I’m not! What did I ever do to you?!”

“You look suspicious! And those in your likeness are demons! Now play nice and show us your true form!”

“Eeeeeeeek! P-put that sword down! Please!”

As Sylphy continued to create chaos, Olivia came running over, having heard the commotion. As she did, the middle-aged man sprinted over and hid behind her.

“Lady Olivia! Please, help me! This psycho is trying to kill me under false suspicioooooooooons!”

What? said the look on Olivia’s face as she gazed at us. “…Hey. Explain what’s going on here.”

As soon as I informed her of the situation, she immediately gave a heavy sigh.

“…He’s not a demon. He’s an employee of my favorite restaurant with a great prix fixe menu. His fries are first-rate, which was why I was his pupil once. I can vouch for his identity.”

I see, so that’s what was going on.

…Wait a sec. Pupil? Restaurant? 

You might be morally depraved, but you’re still one of the Four Heavenly Kings. To think you’d become an apprentice to learn how to fry a potato. 

Sylphy broke out in a sweat at the slightest mention of Olivia’s crazed love of potatoes. “I—I guess I messed up again, huh?”

As the events progressed, Sylphy’s eyes welled up with tears from Olivia’s harsh scolding.

“Haaah… You’re done patrolling. It was an error in judgment on my part.” Olivia looked like she had a headache and gave a big, fat sigh.

“…Honestly. To cause trouble here of all places, it makes even my blood run cold.” She muttered to herself as she looked at the Great Tree. There was a sense of fear in those eyes…

“Lady Olivia, do you know something about this Tree?”

The question had come out naturally. Olivia looked lost, if only for a moment. She shook her head and turned her back on us.

“…I can’t speak of it, even to you two.”

“Let me rephrase: Is it really that important?”

Olivia left without answering.

“As you mentioned before, Ireena, the Tree of the Sword King awakens the most mysterious emotions.”

It felt nostalgic in some way and repulsive at the same time.

We continued staring at the Tree of the Sword King for a while longer.