The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody - Volume 3 - Chapter 48

CHAPTER 48

The Ex–Demon Lord and the Other Demon Lord

We took in this critical new development, which propelled the situation forward.

We returned to our own camp immediately after the Demon Lord left. Our allies were still fighting against the demons, but Lydia determined there was no longer any point in continuing and gave orders for the entire army to retreat. Our sudden withdrawal must have confused the demons.

…They had no idea they were in for a bigger treat.

Our movements after we pulled out had been swift. After Lydia explained the situation to her key players during our retreat, she had written a report and hurriedly sent it by horse to the capital. Upon its arrival, Varvatos quickly understood the situation and called together an emergency council.

And now, to the present.

In the heart of the royal capital of Kingsglaive, inside one of the meeting rooms of the residential Castle Millennion, I was one of a number of people around a round table. In a more casual discussion, we would be relaxing on beds and enjoying some refreshments… However, this current topic was of utmost importance and required a more serious approach. Therefore, everyone was gathered around a large, round table as our grand meeting was called to order.

All the vital figures of our nation were in attendance. First, there were our greatest military leaders, the Four Heavenly Kings.

My sister figure, Olivia, was huffy as usual.

The head of the Four Heavenly Kings, the old general Lizer sat there as though he were a thick tree trunk that had weathered many seasons.

In a fit of boredom, the disastrous genius scholar Verda was greedily devouring the snacks that she’d snuck in.

Then, there was the crazed battle beast—the card up our sleeve—Alvarto. Speaking of which…

“Hee-hee… To think we would so reunite this quickly. I cannot help but feel as if it’s a sort of romantic fate. What do you say, Ard Meteor?”

He had intentionally sat next to me, whispering in my ear since some time ago. That meant Ireena had lost in the battle to take the seat beside me, and a conflicted look played across her face. As for Ginny, she was utterly terrified by Alvarto’s intimidating aura and trembled with tears in the corners of her eyes.

…A number of people were looking at us with skepticism in their own. A man who seemed to be acting as their representative spoke out.

“Are there not people in attendance here who could be considered less than appropriate?”

Nothing about him seemed particularly special, and by all appearances, he was an ordinary man. However, he was one of the top rising stars among the civil officials, and an intellectual who had made his way into the Council of Seven’s ranks.

…It’d been a long time since I’d seen his face. I suddenly got a surge of nostalgia, when—

“They are Lady Verda’s and Lydia’s favorites. The power of Ard Meteor in particular is comparable to even our own. Taking a number of factors into account, it would be unreasonable to declare them improper in this setting,” lazily called out a member of Lydia’s army who was chosen to attend.

Like Sylphy, she appeared to be a young girl. However, unlike that other one, her bearing gave off an intellectual impression.

In truth, this bespectacled girl was known as The Great Sage Champion and played a key role in Lydia’s army. In the timeline I knew, she had met a tragic end in the previous battle, but…thanks to the Demon Lord’s meddling with history, she had fortunately managed to survive and be here at this meeting.

In addition, the Champions who should have died were now here together and largely agreeing with the Great Sage Champion’s words.

This sent a look of discomfort across the Council of Seven’s faces.

“…Why are these imbecilic guests among us in the first place? I cannot begin to understand it.”

This fired up Lydia’s army, provoking some vital members into a murderous state. However, Lydia flashed the instigator a blank look.

“Yeah. You ain’t wrong. Honestly, we shouldn’t be here.”

Lydia and her army were in a difficult position. She was a part of my army, but our relationship wasn’t that of master and servant. Lydia’s forces had started out as a rebel army that she had raised herself. My former self had taken her in as a guest.

Yes, not as a subordinate, but as a guest.

It had been an exchange that ensured her equal status as a sworn friend who held the same will. Therefore, as a general rule, she was not required to listen to my orders. Nevertheless, her authority was still equal to or greater than that of the Four Heavenly Kings and the Council of Seven.

More than few people were against this. Furthermore…for the Council of Seven, whose skills for combat were not only concentrated in strategy but also in limited warfare, someone who had laid all their detailed plans to waste—Lydia—took up too much space.

“…If you understand, maybe you wouldn’t mind leaving?”

“Nah, I can’t really do that, either. You see, when I’m not around, our guy Var gets real lonely and ends up being unable to do anything at all. Right?” She chuckled, putting on a ridiculous act.

Varvatos let out a heavy sigh. “Council of Seven, I can understand your concern. As guests of sorts, they do not have the qualifications to be here among us. However, you must accept that they are our army’s secret weapon.”

“Th-that’s true, but…”

“I understand your difficulty in accepting this. But could you do so for my sake?” My past self appealed to them in earnest.

But as an objective third party…I could see why I had seemed like the most enchanting person in all the land begging so adorably…!

“I-if that’s what His Majesty wants, I—I have no choice but to obey!”

“I-in fact, I wish to apologize for wasting your time!”

Each one of these guys was completely sincere. I used to think my subordinates’ submissiveness was out of fear and awe of me, but…it didn’t seem that way now.

After all, the Council of Seven was looking at me like a bunch of boys and girls in love.

…At any rate.

“Ah, and incidentally…I believe that Ard Meteor and his companions are fit to attend this meeting. Ard Meteor is just as the Great Sage Champion surmised…and those two girls light up the room.”

“Ha-ha! No doubt about that! You know exactly what to say, Var!” With a hearty laugh, Lydia slung her arm around Ginny, who was sitting next to her.

It seemed like everyone had taken those words as a joke, a way of easing tension, but…I saw right through it: He had been more than a little sincere.

By all appearances, my past self is casting a gentle look at the girls to quell their worries… But I can tell that it’s not out of kindness or compassion. I’ve got some ulterior motive going on.

Because I used to lack favor with the ladies.

I remember asking myself why women avoided me, you know. Sure, I want friends who are men, I used to think. But I think I want to be friends with women even more. I can’t explain it, but in the friendship hierarchy, it’s just cooler to have more friends who aren’t the same gender as you…!

Unfortunately for my past self, I won’t allow that.

First off, those two are my friends. Even if they revere you, they’ll never see you as a friend. Go ahead and be friendless—forever alone.

…What was I even thinking? This was making me straight-up sad.

“Well, let’s get to the heart of the matter. Shall we?” my former self solemnly asked, making the vibe tense once more.

“First, allow me to declare this. With this latest incident, I admit that the Demon Lord is our primary target now. I knew he had been a minor threat on previous occasions, but we hadn’t formally considered him a person of interest until now… However, with this declaration of war, that can no longer be the case.”

“In other words, will our next war be putting a stop to the Demon Lord, Master?” Alvarto eagerly asked with a bold grin.

My past self nodded. “That’s right. He was able to take…the western Aralia Plains from us. With the metropolis of Amadam at its center, it’s a vital area that we’ll need to control the continent as we intend. We must take it back.”

“…So the Demon Lord is now interfering with our military rule,” Olivia barked.

Varvatos assented. “Indeed. That’s why we must strike him down. But…we cannot be too careful or prideful. We will enter this upcoming battle with our army at full capacity and achieve unconditional victory within the day.”

The room started to stir with determination. But the old general Lizer remained calm as he spoke.

“By ‘full capacity,’ do you mean…dropping all of us Heavenly Kings on the same battlefield?”

“That’s not all. This time, I intend to go to battle myself,” declared my past self.

The room wasn’t just stirring anymore—it was straight-up in shambles.

“Ha-ha-ha! Oh, Master! Do my ears deceive me?! I thought I heard you say you’d fight alongside us!”

“You heard correctly, Alvarto. After so long, I’ll take command in this next war. And depending on the situation…I may also participate in battlefield maneuvers.”

At this, Alvarto seemed to be overcome with emotion, trembling next to me.

“Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh! Splendid! Wonderful! With His Majesty at the helm, I, Alvarto Egzex, cannot possibly fight in a dispassionate way!”

I had no idea what was so funny. This lover of war had to have a few screws loose.

“Hah! Can’t remember the last time I stood shoulder to shoulder with you in battle,” scoffed Lydia.

“Nnnnnngh…! Your participation is nothing! I’ll get the Demon Lord—easy!” Sylphy snarled.

“Sending the Four Heavenly Kings out together is a momentous occurrence.”

“…I will do as I am told. I always have and always will.”

The military officers each responded, most of them in favor.

“Pl-please wait!” The Council of Seven raised voices of protest.

“If the Four Heavenly Kings are out on the battlefield, all defenses will crumble here!”

“Indeed! Have you forgotten why we placed them in all four corners?!”

“If we lose our defense, enemy forces will rush down on us—and get us all!”

Varvatos cast a serious look. “Your worries are valid. That’s why I said we would accomplish this within a day. Until now, the Four Heavenly Kings have given us more than enough power to defend against our enemies. I find it somehow doubtful that they will be able to launch a surprise attack within that time.”

The matter was decided. The Council of Seven couldn’t argue if Varvatos had his mind made up. Instead… They presented a new opinion of their own.

“Your Majesty, we recognize that you are invincible. But if I may…there is something I boldly wish to inquire. Are you certain we can kill the Demon Lord? The last time Your Majesty faced him, you missed your chance and returned without slaying him. Normally, when Your Majesty decides on a course of action, you do not once blunder on the battlefield. However, this was the first life that Your Majesty failed to take. Do we have any evidence that this won’t happen again?”

The basic question was asking what he planned to do about the Demon Lord’s immortality. At this, my past self let a mischievous smile play across his face, placing his right index finger to his lips.

“It’s a secret.” He winked playfully.

The old me threw the Council of Seven into disorder.

“Can you not trust me?” Varvatos asked, which finally silenced them, and he looked around.

“For this next battle, I have but one order,” he stated, talking through his peach lips.

As expected, it was exactly what I’d been thinking.

“Obliterate the castle that our enemy controls. Do that, and we win. If we can’t, we lose. That’s the rule of this battle.”

It was already sunset by the time the meeting ended.

There was a saying that it was essential for one to get the jump on their enemy. And just as those words stated, it was imperative that we move quickly.

However…since this battle would use the army to its fullest extent, we couldn’t exactly move out at the drop of a hat. It would take two days to get everything prepared, so Ireena, Ginny, and I would be staying at Lydia’s manor until then.

…Needless to say, Verda came over to me again.

“Whaaaaaaaat?! You’re staying at Lydie’s house again?! Why won’t you stay with me?! You’re my subordinate! If I’m your boss, shouldn’t you be with me?!”

And again, by all appearances, Verda was a sweet girl. It was hard to say no to her when she made a face like that… Well, it was hard for most people.

Those who knew her true self would compare those coy glances to the alluring scent of a Venus flytrap.

“…You’re going to attack us in our sleep and forcefully use us for your experiments, right?”

“Well? Isn’t that obvious?!” she said.

Her only redeeming factor was her honesty.

“…That’s exactly why I don’t wish to be with you. To begin with, you haven’t aided us at all in our goal to return home. That has been our entire purpose of working under you. As I do not see any merit of joining forces with you, I now formally announce that we’ll be under Lady Lydia’s care from this moment on.”

“Excuse me?! You’ve got to be kidding! Just when I thought a fun little guinea pig dropped into my laaaap!” Verda turned on the waterworks, crying enough that she could be her own fountain.

…As if hearing the commotion, Alvarto joined in. And then, it turned really ugly.

When we finally wrapped up that rambunctious act, we arrived at Lydia’s residence. We were given our own rooms, at last able to rest our minds and bodies.

“…Well then, if there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to ask,” said Latima, the slave assigned to me, as she withdrew. This tan, white-haired girl had accompanied Lydia and been given the task of taking care of me even in this royal capital.

“Phew… Everything about this era is chaotic…”

Sighing, I flopped onto the bed. Compared with how I spent my time in the modern day, this era had a faster pace. But even then, this momentum was spiraling way too rapidly.

“I never thought we’d have a chance to get back home so quickly… It hasn’t even been half a month.”

I’d initially feared it would take years, but once the can of worms had been cracked open, it didn’t take much for all our plans to go off without a hitch. Considering this, I began to think back on everything that had happened so far: the meeting with the mysterious self-proclaimed god, the school trip that turned into time travel, coming across the past Olivia, reluctantly working under Verda to try and meet the Demon Lord… And reuniting with Lydia.

“…Information overflow, huh.”

Before I knew it, only Lydia occupied my thoughts: her help with the support troops, riding into battle with her at my side.

I had been convinced they were both impossible. But they’d now become my reality…

Maybe we could even continue on after I returned to the present day. Closing my eyes, I lost myself to speculation.

“…The last battle should have changed history. But those destined to die survived, and Lydia hasn’t been cursed.”

That hadn’t been the only source of our tragedy…but we’d crushed an opportunity. I let myself be a little hopeful. If she lived on into the future, a happier time for us might be laying ahead…

Perhaps, but—

“That god told me to fix history. In that case, if we returned home now…”

That was as far as my soliloquy got.

“It’ll go as planned.”

Cutting through my thoughts was a voice out of the blue. I snapped open my eyes…and saw a man standing in front of the door. His entire body was covered in sinister, dark armor.

I glared at him. “Do you have some business with me? …Demon Lord.”

That’s right. It was the Demon Lord.

The target to destroy before returning to our own time. The man widely viewed as a public enemy even in this world.

Why was he here before me?

Refusing to answer my question, he went on. “The history that awaits them is not so easy to overturn. At this rate, you might use everything to revise the past…and Lydia will still suffer the same fate.”

For a moment, that left me stunned, but I quickly regained my composure.

“…Have you come from another era, too?”

The Demon Lord answered my question with stifled laughter. “First of all, quit that boring act. You’re Ard Meteor right now, but…you don’t have to keep up the facade in front of me.”

“…What could you be talking about?”

The Demon Lord sighed. “I am you, and you are me. Are you going to keep your mask on in front of a mirror?”

I had no idea what he was implying, and my expression practically screamed this.

“Geez. I suppose you won’t get it unless I show you,” he scoffed, as if I were a fool. He reached for the spiked helmet covering his head. With a reverberating clang, he slid off his helmet—to reveal his face.

“Wh-what…?!” I managed to utter, gazing at him in disbelief.

“There’s nothing to be surprised about. You were forced to travel to this era. Then…my appearance shouldn’t seem strange at all.” He sneered at me.

His smile spread across a face that was my own—Ard Meteor’s.