The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody - Volume 5 - Chapter 60

CHAPTER 60

The Ex-Demon Lord and the Perverted Degenerate

This man was an enigma.

He was shrewd.

He was versed in both the literary and military arts.

And most importantly—

He was a cradle robber.

…Our top soldier in the military. A Heavenly King. The pinnacle of perversion.

A man of many hats. Lizer Bellphoenix now stood before us. His black top hat concealed half his face…but there was no mistaking him.

“You there. Pestering a young girl in my presence? Some nerve.”

He had managed to take complete control of the situation with a few words. Lizer’s aura could make your hair stand on end. No one in this generation could endure it.

“Wh-what the hell do you want, asshole…?!”

“……! H-hold it. That guy… I mean, that gentleman is…!”

Even the infamously savage orcs sweated and trembled at the sight of Lizer.

“Away with you. If you want me to spare your lives.”

Lizer’s threat triggered a knee-jerk reaction in the orcs, who scrambled off at full speed.

…Verda had changed over thousands of years, after all. Maybe he was exhibiting a new side, too?

Lizer Bellphoenix of the past would have never let an opponent off the hook. If he caught anyone trying to harm a young child, especially a girl, he would have slaughtered them without mercy—whether the perpetrator was peasant or god. That was just his personality.

For Lizer to overlook a kidnapping attempt…it was shocking, almost unbelievable.

“…Are you all right, Mary?”

“I—I was so scared, Papa!”

Lizer showed a kind smile to the girl, who sprinted into his arms.

“…Papa,” huh? I knew it. He was fundamentally the same.

Well, whatever. It wasn’t like I cared if he changed anyway.

The important task at hand was escaping before he took notice of me…

“Distinguished gentleman over yonder. Could thou be Sir Lizer?”

Rosa’s polite inquiry prevented me from fleeing the scene.

Lizer looked at us as he gently stroked the girl’s hair. “Indeed. I am Lizer Bellphoenix… Hmm.”

He appraised Ireena, then me, and finally Rosa. He stroked his beard in contemplation. “…You’re an unconventional one, Queen of the Laville Empire of Sorcery,” observed the old general, looking depleted of energy.

Rosa shrugged. “I can say the same about you. Aren’t you walking around in a conspicuous state?”

Something about Rosa sounded different…and I could pick up on her unease for some reason.

Like Verda and Olivia, Lizer was considered a Legendary Apostle, so it made sense for Rosa to speak to him with a certain degree of respect. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being too formal.

…My suspicions were well-founded. She explained it herself.

“I imagine there is bedlam at the cathedral. After all—His Eminence the Pope has gone missing.”

His Eminence the Pope?

“All is well. Watching over the welfare of believers is a part of my duties.”

…Hold it.

“Ireena? May I speak with you for a moment?” I whispered to avoid grabbing Lizer’s attention. I turned next to her. “By ‘His Eminence the Pope’…can I assume Sir Lizer is the head of the United Creed?”

“Uh-huh… Didn’t you know?”

I shook my head. I had known about Megatholium and the United Creed, but the details bored me, so I didn’t bother looking into it more than necessary.

I couldn’t believe it… Lizer was the pope? Lizer? The one who never had a shred of loyalty toward me? He was in charge of leading worship of the Demon Lord?

What was going on? Why did he think taking up this role would be appropriate?

…As my brain tried to make sense of the unbelievable truth, Lizer caught sight of me.

“Young man. Are you the rumored Ard Meteor?”

“…Yes. I am but a commoner. It is an honor to be able to gaze upon Your Eminence’s holy countenance—a blessing.”

“No need to put yourself down. Commoners and nobles are the same in my eyes. What’s important…is whether one is good in both heart and body. That is all.”

Lizer looked straight at me. The old soldier’s eyes gleamed, and I could sense him reading my entire history.

…Creepy.

Out of all my subordinates, he had to be the strangest.

I could rattle off countless anecdotes about those who had made a name for themselves in the military—from our first encounter to their greatest successes. All the Heavenly Kings seemed to have their own tale. All except Lizer.

This was especially true for Olivia. Even for Verda and Alvarto. There was no shortage of stories to tell—when we first met, when they became my subordinates, when they were promoted to Heavenly Kings, and on and on.

However… I came up blank for Lizer. He kind of just…materialized…and slipped into our military. By the time we noticed him, he had already racked up achievements without fanfare and rose to the position of Heavenly King.

His personal history was enigmatic. I tried to dig up everything I could but came up empty. He was a nonexistent man who left no trace of himself. I did know he was mighty in pen and sword, and he was a pervert who liked them young. That was it.

…I hired him because we were understaffed at the time, which left us with little choice, but I would have sent him packing otherwise. He was talented, but I didn’t trust him one bit. Out of all the people I’d met so far, he was by far the creepiest. That was my impression.

I obviously didn’t want anything to do with him.

“…Well then, Your Eminence. I’m afraid we must take our leave. Her Majesty has bestowed an important task upon us that we must ensure is carried out,” I declared somewhat forcefully.

I turned my back on Lizer, trying to drag Ireena and Rosa away.

An instant later…

“Just a moment. What sort of task?” he asked, stopping me in my tracks.

Personally, I would have loved to ignore him and just gotten out of there…but considering our positions, that was impossible.

“Sightseeing around Megatholium. As requested by Her Majesty.”

“Is that so? In that case, I would guide you—gladly.”

“…Come again?” I blurted.

“No one is more knowledgeable of Megatholium than I—making me an excellent escort.”

In your wildest dreams. No thanks.

“Ah…but…for His Eminence to serve as our guide…” Rosa hesitated.

“Seems a little discourteous…,” Ireena noted.

Exactly. What they said.

“I agree with you both—”

“There is no need for reservation. Look at me. I am not wearing my papal robe. Right now, I am a senile old man walking about town. Besides, you are our dear guests. As such, I believe it is my responsibility to be hospitable… Now, what do you say?”

“Hmm. If you are willing to go so far…”

“I guess it’d be rude of us to refuse.”

No. Please. I’m begging you…

“Very well. In that case, let us be off.” With a small smile playing across his lips, Lizer began to lead us.

…Seriously, how could these things continue to happen?

I let out a heavy sigh, all while staring at my former subordinate from behind.

Megatholium was unique in that the country wasn’t more than a little city. Even though it was tiny, there was plenty to see. Visitors from around the world flocked into the city to enjoy the sights. Since it was impossible to get to everything in one day, we decided to check out the most famous attractions.

“The clock tower is the closest. Shall we venture there first?”

From that moment onward…the outing wasn’t particularly notable. Easy, even. We didn’t run into any trouble, even though I was on high alert, and everything kinda fell into place.

But still, I felt uneasy.

And it was all Lizer’s fault. Even I found it strange that I felt so sick around him. It was hard to describe…but it was just…wretched.

On the other hand, Rosa and Ireena ate up his witty explanations of each famous locale and seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Gooong. Gooong. The bell pealed across the town.

“Ah. It is almost sunset,” Lizer murmured as he gazed at the sky. He turned to the little girl behind him. “Mary, go on home. It’s not too far. Will you be all right by yourself?”

“Yup! See you later, Papa!” The girl skipped off after saying her good-byes.

Ireena seemed puzzled by this, cocking her head to the side. “Um, Your Eminence. Are you sure it’s safe to let her go home by herself?”

“Yes. I would have liked to accompany her…but she becomes cross when I baby her.”

“Huh. I guess parenting is no easy job, even for the pope.”

“Parenting? What do you mean?”

“Hmm? Uh, well, isn’t Mary your daughter?”

Lizer looked like he had no idea what she was talking about.

“Mary isn’t my daughter. She is my 8,243,614th wife.”

“…Excuse me?”

This time, Ireena was the one who thought he must be on something.

“Wait… Sorry… Wife…? What? She couldn’t be older than…seven? I thought you couldn’t marry anyone under fifteen…”

“In Laville. In Megatholium, marriage is permitted from the age of three, making my union with Mary a lawful one. I always thought it was strange that other nations would bar those under fifteen from marrying. I mean, fifteen? They’re practically hags!”

Treated as these so-called hags, Ireena and Rosa stared off into space. I could read their expressions: Should this guy really be the pope?

…No, seriously. How did he get this position? He was the worst possible choice.

“I believe we have come to the final stretch of our tour.” Lizer sounded kind of worn out, like an old man exhausted from entertaining his grandkids.

…Great. We can finally be rid of this guy.

Or so I thought.

“The last stop shall be the history museum.”

…Apparently, he was hell-bent on making me feel uneasy.

So we set off on the final leg of our tour.

Speaking of museums…we just visited one during the school trip. Talk about coincidence: Our guide had been another Heavenly King…but let’s set that aside for now.

The museum in Megatholium had a different vibe to it compared to the one in the ancient capital of Kingsglaive. The latter exhibited personal effects of the Demon Lord and his subordinates…so you might say it was a facility meant to introduce ancient culture to the modern public.

The one in Megatholium, on the other hand, focused on the history that unfolded after my reincarnation.

After paying the dirt-cheap admission fee at the entrance, we walked down the hallway. It was already evening, but the place was dense with visitors. Like them, we studied each display, going one by one. The exhibit was an educational timeline that began with my reincarnation and continued up to the present day.

“Hmm… I…already know all this…,” Rosa mumbled, sounding bored.

Even though she was the puppet ruler, she made an excellent queen in the public eye. That meant she had received a gifted education from her childhood. It was undeniable that her academic knowledge went deeper than students like us. Needless to say, this included history.

“Hmm. This must be mind-numbing to you, but I think…it may have something to teach the two students here with us.”

Lizer had a point. The Academy offered history, but only to a degree. I did think it was much more in-depth than the generalized curriculums in most schools…but it wasn’t everything.

“Huh. So Megido the Second’s military campaign wasn’t triggered by the assassination of the crown prince of the Sueltz Kingdom,” Ireena commented.

“Our textbooks stated it was, but there seem to be conflicting opinions,” I replied.

I had to admit this place was interesting. As we continued down the hallway, we were able to get a detailed timeline of the events that occurred from the ancient past until present day. It was exciting to learn something new.

At the same time…it taught me things I never wanted to know.

“…And what do you think, Ard Meteor?”

I knitted my eyebrows at Lizer. “What do I think?”

“About our history. Now that you have a clearer picture…what is your opinion of it?”

His eyes seemed to be testing me somehow, and I went on high alert. I struggled over my answer…but I could tell he’d see through any lies. Telling the truth was my only option.

“It proves the ugliness and stupidity of humankind. I think that summarizes our history. Call me arrogant, but I…Ard Meteor…feel a little annoyed at the human species.”

“Yes, I feel the same way.” Lizer nodded at me, peering into the display, fixing his eyes on the sorcery items used in wars past. “No discrimination. No war. No rich, no poor, no illness. Could such a world be possible?”

“…If you give it serious thought, then no, I don’t believe so.”

“Indeed. This museum is proof of that. Humans are repulsive creatures that love to fight and rag on one another. That is why we can never eradicate the roots of prejudice, let alone achieve true peace. Nevertheless…those final days in the ancient past were as close to a utopia as I’ve ever experienced,” Lizer said, voice heavy.

Ireena timidly responded. “‘Final days’…when the Demon Lord ruled the world, right?”

“Correct. After the annihilation of the Evil Gods, the Demon Lord strove to unite humanity as one. And oh, how he succeeded. Thereafter, he ruled flawlessly…and created paradise.”

“…A paradise, huh?”

This involuntary comment sounded hoarse. Its tone was filled with self-loathing, but Lizer gave no reaction.

He continued. “There is no question that humanity came together during this period. All worshiped the Demon Lord as their symbol, and we achieved peace as one ideology… Everyone was happy. I’m sure it is difficult to believe for those born in this modern era, but…in those days, even the demons caused no trouble, and we lived together side by side.”

“E-even demons…?!”

“My. That is nigh unimaginable.”

…I could understand Ireena’s and Rosa’s surprise. For the people of today, the demons were detestable monsters—common enemy number one.

However, Lizer was right: Humans and demons had coexisted in those days.

…Well, it was more like they were forced into it.

“It was like we were living in a dream. The Demon Lord had managed to work his magic. However…as you all know, he lost his life… And this museum has chronicled the events after.”

Lizer’s eyes seemed resentful. His voice grew bolder, as if it were giving his feelings form.

“Soon after the loss of His Majesty became known, humanity unveiled its foolish nature. Our united world split in an instant, and we fell into fighting, hating, and discriminating against one another once again… I did my best to prevent it, but to no avail. The people had become a raging storm whose direction I could not alter.”

With his hands balled into fists, Lizer continued in a strained voice.

“Where did…those halcyon days of our utopia go…? Our dream society disappeared like an illusion… The world today is a living hell controlled by wretched humans…!”

Rosa had a complicated expression. She looked down. It must have felt like a personal attack.

However, Lizer made no attempt to apologize or explain himself. Without sparing her a single glance…he looked straight at me.

“Humans are inherently evil—pure filth, nothing more. In order to control them and see our utopia realized…an absolute ruler is essential.”

There was a new emotion in his eyes.

However…I purposely looked away from him.

A heavy silence fell between us. Finally, Ireena’s bright voice cut in.

“Building a utopia seems pretty tough! But it’s worth it! Isn’t that what the assembly is for?!”

Lizer’s eyes widened as if taken aback by her reaction.

“So maybe we have issues! The first step is bringing humanity together! That’s why you called the Five Powers together! Right, Your Eminence?!”

“…Indeed.”

“I knew it! You are a nice person, Sir Pope!”

“…Hmm.”

Lizer looked at Ireena, boring deep into her eyes.

“…I see,” he whispered to himself. “The blood is distant but there. Their natures are identical.”

I wasn’t exactly sure what he meant by that…but it was clear Ireena had thrown him for a loop. The serious vibe hovering over us had been dispelled.

“Ireena Litz de Olhyde. You must be the key to that paradise. Please give your best efforts by cooperating with many others, including Ard Meteor.”

“Right!” Ireena replied energetically, beaming at him like a sunray.

…Maybe I was imagining things, but…for just a second, I thought I saw a wicked gleam in Lizer’s eye as he gazed at her.