The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody - Volume 5 - Chapter 58

CHAPTER 58

The Ex-Demon Lord and the Duties of a Guard

Time slipped away from me. A week had already gone by since the end of the school trip and our return to the capital. This entire period was the definition of normalcy, as if pandemonium had never happened. Time passed without incident.

It had been sixteen years since I’d reincarnated. When was the last time nothing had happened for so long?

This day was no different. Things were easygoing at the Academy.

…However.

“Where is that clown?! Show yourself, Sylphyyyy!”

“Aaaaaaah?!”

Two of the usual suspects were as loud as ever.

In the classroom, we were all letting out yawns and stretching our limbs after a long day at school. Olivia had grabbed a fistful of Sylphy’s red hair and was dragging the poor girl around.

“This has become a part of our classroom vibe.”

“Uh-huh. It used to put me off, but it feels totally normal now.”

Ginny and Ireena shrugged and stared as Sylphy was towed away.

“Daddy!”

“I worked my hardest today!”

Two girls flung themselves at me from both sides.

“Gimme a head rub! Gimme!  ”

“Praise me! Praise me!  ”

“Excellent work, Lumi, Lami.”

The two girls sighed happily, faces melting into smiles.

Lumi and Lami looked like adorable little girls…except they were spirits who should have perished in the ancient era. A certain incident at school had brought us in contact with them. One thing led to another, and here they were.

“Anyway, I wasn’t sure if this would work out…but it seems you’re really fitting in at the Academy.”

“Uh-huh!”

“The school trip was sooo fun!”

“I was scared about the group activities at first.”

“But Carmilla and Veronica were super-nice!”

Carmilla and Veronica, two students at the Academy, each saddled with their own backstory.

“Oh, Veronica. Are you leaving for the day?” I asked the blond girl right as she was about to leave.

“I finally settled some things with my family. I’m thinking about heading home early from now on.”

“Oh. I’m glad to hear that.”

“Hee-hee. All thanks to you. I’ll pay you back someday, Ard Meteor.” She flashed me a gentle smile before leaving the room.

The daughter of a duke had been having some trouble at home, but it seemed things were turning around.

“U-um, Ard.”

“Yes, Carmilla?”

Carmilla had a head of silver hair. Like Ireena, she was a descendent of the Evil Gods, and…half demon.

Ireena and I had rescued her when she had been held captive as part of an age-old custom at a certain village. Fast-forward to the present.

“I…um…am having some trouble with a few things in our Magical Studies class. Would you…uh…mind teaching me?”

“It’d be my pleasure. Ireena, Ginny. Do you mind if we stay behind?”

“No problem! In fact, I’ll help you!”

“It might help to go over the course material.”

“Lumi will, too!”

“So will Lami!”

We all devoted ourselves to our studies. It was a splendid snapshot in time.

They were closing the school grounds for the day. The bell pealed throughout the Academy, urging students to head home. Ireena, Ginny, and I were already making ourselves across the school grounds when we heard it. Sylphy was still being chewed out by Olivia, which explained her absence.

“Are we swimming in PE tomorrow?”

“Hee-hee. You won’t be able to take your eyes off my swimsuit, Ard.  ”

We were making small talk as we made our way back to the dorms. Halcyon days. A moment in time like warm bathwater that made you want to soak forever.

However…

It seemed there were bigger plans out there for me that wouldn’t let me be.

As soon as I spotted a crowd in full plate armor, my sixth sense screamed danger. My gut was right.

One of them approached us and called out, “Sir Ard Meteor. Lady Ireena Litz de Olhyde. Her Majesty has summoned you both. Please come to the palace immediately.”

Well, we couldn’t exactly say no.

Even though I couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in my stomach, Ireena and I made our way to the palace…

Dycaeus. The capital of the Laville Empire of Sorcery. As the largest city in the nation, the capital lived up to its expectations as home to the queen’s castle.

The immediate city center was distinctly lavish as if to underscore the queen’s authority. The castle grounds were appropriately sprawling, but every inch was meticulously cared for.

The courtyard was a work of art. The queen herself had claimed her prized enclosure was created by hundreds of the best gardeners in her employ.

In an area with a particularly spectacular view of the garden, they had prepared a set of chairs around a table. If this was a normal day, they would find the queen gazing on her creation and sipping tea to recuperate from government affairs, but…

Right now, Queen Rosa hadn’t fixed her eyes on the garden with the two other spectators.

They were observing a battle between two mages…my opponent and me.

“Hmm. I knew thy abilities were beyond the norm, Ard Meteor. To think thou wouldst rival a 7th Rank Septagon at the tender age of sixteen.”

Seated at the table, the beautiful Queen Rosa expressed her admiration.

“Heh-heh! Obviously! No one can beat my Ard!” bragged one of the spectators, Ireena, sitting up proudly.

“Nghhhh…! Stop screwing up! You call yourself a top mage? You shouldn’t be struggling against a brat!”

The third spectator was the elderly man who had arranged this battle. Prime Minister Valdr shouted in irritation.

Upon receiving this scolding, my opponent in front of me blocked my magic attack with a wry smile. At forty years of age, he had managed to rise to the highest rank among mages—Septagon—proving himself to be more than a meat head with little talent.

On one side of the scale, there was the honor of winning. On the other, there were risks involved in claiming this victory. This man had weighed those scales and made the right judgment call. He could do that much.

In other words, he had determined to lose on purpose, deeming the risk too high.

…Which was why this battle was turning out to be a fierce one.

Because I wasn’t trying to come out on top, either.

“…A high-level defense spell without chanting anything at your age? I guess that’s normal for the son of the Great Mages.”

“You flatter me. You’re the youngest Septagon in history. I can’t even compare.”

“Pshh. It won’t be long before you best my record.”

“Oh please. There’s no way.”

“Pshaw. There’s no doubt.”

“Not a chance.”

“Come on now.”

We were laying it on thick to each other as we exchanged violent blows…to try to set the groundwork for our own defeat.

…Man. This guy was good. He read my every move and deftly stopped me from losing.

Especially the first match. He had my approval. I had concocted the perfect scenario: tripping in the most unsuspicious way, creating a moment where I couldn’t protect myself. I was this close to taking the brunt of his attack and accepting defeat…except he had cast a defense spell on me at unbelievable speed. He’d thwarted my plan!

When was the last time an opponent had such an accurate read on me? I’d been around long enough on this planet to know that this man was extraordinary.

Could I honestly lose against him…? I was starting to feel a little unsure of myself…

“Nwagh?!” The man was violently flung backward.

It wasn’t of my accord. He had cast an attack spell on me and immediately amped up the theatrics to make it seem like he’d been blasted away. The momentum made him roll on the ground, where he let out an anguished moan when he finally came to a stop.

“N-ngaghh…! Wh-what did you do, Ard Meteor…?!”

“…Excuse me?”

“I—I didn’t even see your magic circle coming…! And yet…you’ve dealt so much damage…!”

“No, wait—”

“I…I can’t get up…! I-it kills me to say that I’ve lost this battle…!”

Hold up. Hold up. Hold up. Hol’ up.

I did not just hear you say that.

“Hmm! I knew thee had it in thee, Ard Meteor!”

“Casting magic without a circle! You’re totally amazing, Ard!”

“Um. Wait. I didn’t do anything.”

Drenched in sweat, I scrambled to explain the situation…

“You didn’t do anything…?! What do you mean…?! Are you saying this mysterious technique was nothing to you…?! You’re… You’re a genius…!”

My foe had taken my statement and twisted it out of proportion.

“Indeed, Ard Meteor, thou art more than fit for the mission I have in store for thee! No objections, right, Valdr?”

“Gnghh…! He’s a phony! He must have used some trick up his sleeve!” Valdr’s wrinkled face flushed red with rage.

I dunno what I did to incur his disdain from our first interaction, but apparently I was his archnemesis now.

However, that worked for me in that moment.

Marvelous. Thank you, Valdr. You’ve given me a helping hand.

I’d decided to launch off his talking point.

“I-indeed, Sir Valdr! I’m a cheater! I—”

“Yes. He’s basically cheated. We can only label his extraordinary skill that way…”

My opponent was stomping all over my hopes.

“Grr! Don’t let it get to your head, Ard Meteor!” barked the prime minister. “I refuse to admit this loss!”

Valdr then fled the premises, leaving us with parting words that sorely lacked sportsmanship. My opponent scrambled after him…but not before sending me a meaningful stare to convey his final message.

“You should learn how to lose better. We need this kind of skill.”

…A thought bubbled up from the deep abyss of my heart.

I wanted to suffer defeat.

“Valdr’s opinion matters not. As we discussed before, Ard Meteor and Ireena, thou shall act as my bodyguards,” Queen Rosa announced, beaming at us before taking an elegant sip of her tea.

That’s right. This last battle was to decide who would serve as her guards.

…I had a flashback of everything that had gotten us to that point.

It all started immediately after the knights had escorted us to Rosa.

“Thou hast heard of the holy nation, Megatholium, right?”

Ireena and I nodded in assent to the queen’s opening question.

Megatholium. Snuggled in the very center of the continent, the holy nation was made up of several unique features.

First, its size. It was standard for a country to encompass many cities, but Megatholium was about the size of a small town. Yet their scales of justice were seen as the unconditional rule across the continent, and other countries were eager to listen to their opinions on international affairs.

Why, you ask?

Because Megatholium housed the headquarters of the world’s biggest religion…the United Creed.

The church had a lot of power over the modern world, where all cultures and customs were rooted in worshipping the Demon Lord. With the important people of the clergy in Megatholium, the holy nation was considered exceptional, even among exceptions.

“…Well? How is Megatholium related to your summons?”

“They shall be hosting a conference soon. There art five nations on this continent known as the Great Powers. This includes the Laville Empire of Sorcery. This is an assembly of those supreme leaders…a momentous event.”

At this point, I could piece together why we had been called here. It seemed that my clever little Ireena was on the same page.

“So you wanna ask us to guard you! Right, Rosie?!”

“Correct. If this assembly could have been carried out surreptitiously, I would not have troubled thee. Because the contents of our summit shall have a profound effect across the continent, I fear there was no choice but to announce this conference.”

“…What kind of contents?”

“A peace treaty among the Five Powers. Naturally, this includes a nonaggression pact, but we want to discuss the sharing of all confidential matters and technological developments… The intention of the treaty is to unify the continent into one nation—with Megatholium at its center.”

“Interesting. That’s bold.”

As she just stated, the Five Powers ruled the continent, and it included the Laville Empire of Sorcery. Their fight to control the continent was age-old, and there was still no clear winner.

If there was any reason for them to become one—

“I’ve heard there has been increased activity lately with the demons,” I observed. “I didn’t realize we’re now at the point where the Great Powers have no choice but to join forces.”

“Great strife has not yet befallen our nation, because we’re in possession of many heroes, including thyselves… However, that isn’t the case in other nations. Our spies have reported that an entire city was wiped out when the demons conducted a large ceremony in a certain nation.”

“…I see. Now is certainly not the time to be fighting among ourselves.”

“Correct. I imagine the demons may eventually resurrect the Evil Gods in one of our nations. We must make haste. As part of this plan, the pope himself proposed the peace treaty.”

The pope was the king of Megatholium and the highest member of the clergy who reigned over the United Creed. In the modern era, the pope spoke for the people, making it hard to defy him.

However, the Five Powers were on the same page for this situation, which explained why they were able to reach a tentative decision about this manner.

“We can no longer afford to fight with one another. Hence, we have decided to join hands. We believe the people will be receptive to this treaty and join us in our collective fight against the demons.”

“Strengthening a coalition between the civilians across borders…not just the countries… I see. It would be impossible to hold the assembly in secret. However, this might trigger the demons to ramp up their terroristic activity. Which means you’ll need to be protected…and have chosen us as your guards.”

“There is no one I can trust more than thee.”

Ireena was clearly thrilled to receive her praise, but…I was the exact opposite.

To be honest, I didn’t want to be some bodyguard. It would just bring unwanted attention.

I mean, think about it. If I took on this job, I would involuntarily exceed expectations, and I would become a household name throughout the nation—no, the entire continent. Obviously, that meant it would cement the working theory of the sister figure in my life—Olivia—that I’m the Demon Lord. I could imagine her flashing me a brilliant smile.

If there was anything I had to prevent, it was that.

I tried to come up with an excuse—any excuse—to turn down the job. But before I had the chance…

“I am terribly sorry, Your Majesty. I, Valdr, am opposed to Ard Meteor accompanying you.” The prime minister piped up from his place beside Rosa.

“What? Why?”

“His attendance at this meeting would be inappropriate.”

“Inappropriate?”

“Undoubtedly. Ard Meteor lacks the necessary qualifications, which the baron’s daughter, Lady Ireena, does possess… If you know what I mean.”

For a split second, our faces paled from nerves.

…Valdr’s phrasing just indicated that he was aware of Ireena’s true identity.

Ireena was more than a cute elven girl. Her father, Weiss, and she were descendants of the Evil Gods, and…the real royal family of Laville.

Rosa basically served as a puppet ruler, so to speak. The legitimate ruler of this nation was Weiss, who was known as the Heroic Baron. This made his daughter the crown princess.

If the public knew royalty had blood ties to the Evil Gods, the nation would be in danger of destruction. For generations, Laville had a peculiar system in place: placing puppet rulers at the forefront, controlled behind the scenes by the real royal family.

Now that he mentioned it, it could be argued that Ireena was perfectly qualified to join the assembly. She was a real princess, after all.

“Ard Meteor is just a commoner. The leaders of each nation will be in attendance…with guards of esteemed lineage. If Your Highness is the only one with a commoner in tow…it will be a disgrace.”

Bingo. Good work, Valdr. You’re absolutely right.

It seemed like a good time for me to jump in.

“Sir Valdr is right. The leaders of the other nations will look down upon Your Majesty if a villager serves as your bodyguard. I fear I must decline—”

“Hmmm. Very well, Ard Meteor. Henceforth, you are a duke.”

““What?!”” Valdr and I both yelped in unison.

“Um, no! Uh-uh! No way! What are you saying?!” I asked.

“A commoner instantly joining the ranks of a duke?! Don’t you find that reckless?!”

“Hmm? But that resolves the matter, doesn’t it? If lineage is the obstacle, we ought to change it. Therefore, Ard Meteor, I bestow a dukedom upon thine family.”

““No, no, no, no, no, no, no!””

Valdr and I were in sync once again.

“Nice one, Rosie! You’re a genius!” Ireena crooned, apparently touched by the act. I thought the queen was a raging idiot.

…At the end of our discussion, which left me with a horrible migraine…

“I, Valdr, shall prepare an ideal guard who boasts the perfect lineage! The commoner shall engage in battle with this guard, and the winner will serve Her Majesty! Regardless of the result, Ard Meteor will remain a commoner! Is that okay?!”

And that’s the story.

…Fast-forward to the present.

“Let us be off! To the holy nation of Megatholium!”

“Now that Ard and I are here, protecting you will be easy-peasy!”

You can see how it ended up.

“With you both by my side, I shall fear nothing! It will be as if we are on vacation!”

“I bet we’ll be able to kick back and relax!”

Crossing my arms as I stared at the two of them, I let out a tired sigh.

Now officially on guard duty, I headed toward the holy nation with the queen and her entourage.

…Why did it come to this?