165: For the Future
“…I’m sorry. I’ve told you a rather… embarrassing story…” Listrea-sama said, a shy smile on her face.
She didn’t look like she had lived for four hundred years. Nor did she seem like a greater demon… and I couldn’t imagine that people who could show such a face were a race that should be destroyed.
The same was probably true for humans. But if this war could only end with the destruction of one side, then I would choose the people who had saved me.
Seeing her so embarrassed, I felt a desire to share my own story.
“…Well then. In return, would you listen to my story?”
“Of course. With pleasure.” She nodded firmly.
“I’m in love with my vice-commander, as in, I want her to be my girlfriend. But with the war going on, I haven’t been able to say anything.”
Listrea-sama blinked.
“…I’m sorry. Your vice-commander… you mean the assassin who is in the next room… the Darkling Blade?”
“Yes.”
“But you’re both women.”
“What does love have to do with gender?”
Listrea-sama chuckled.
“That’s true…” She placed a hand on her chest.
“I will believe in this feeling. —I support you. Both publicly and privately.”
“Yes. …Me too.” I clasped her outstretched hand.
“Then, if you’ll excuse us.”
Liz and I bowed to His Majesty and the Old One, who were standing side by side.
“Yes, take care of yourselves.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Old One-sama. …Good luck.” I grinned at her, now back in her usual demon form.
“…You too.”
“Yes. —For our future.”
“Yes. —For our future.”
We both placed a hand on our chests.
The Old One. Listrea-sama.
—The maiden in love, I thought, grinned.
“Master, how did you become so friendly with the Old One in such a short time?”
In the carriage on the way back, Liz looked at me as if I were some kind of unbelievable creature.
“We had a common topic.”
“A hobby…?”
“Well, you could say that.” Her hobby was probably ‘His Majesty.’
I smiled at Liz.
Liz was cute from every angle, and I wanted to see all of her, but I especially found myself following the line of her long, bamboo-leaf-like elf ears with my eyes.
If the humans of this world knew this joy, this foolish war would not have happened.
“…What is it? That loving smile.”
“I love you, Liz.”
“…I know.”
“Yes.”
In truth, I didn’t know how accurately she understood the meaning of my words.
I didn’t know if there was a future where Liz and I could be lovers. Interspecies relationships were rare in this country, and a relationship between two women was not officially recognized.
And besides, I was human, and the Lord of Disease.
—But if I was going to fight, I wanted to fight for that future.
If we lost the war, this country itself would be gone. And to win the war would be to pile up the corpses of both armies.
But even so, there was a reason to fight.
What I wanted to see was not a future where all non-human races were exterminated.
Incidentally, a few days later, a letter arrived from Listrea-sama. It said, ‘All is well.’
The important parts were vague, in case anyone else saw it, but it also said, ‘His Majesty has reaffirmed his trust in me. Long live His Majesty the Demon King,’ so I think it’s safe to assume that their relationship had deepened.
