Lord of Disease (JP-GL) 260

260: A Meeting with the Wenfields

We were shown to a reception room and left to wait. I sat on the sofa, presumably for the guests, and the other four naturally dispersed, taking up defensive positions.

And then, Dustin Wenfield, the current head of the Wenfield family, appeared, in armor.

No helmet. His black full plate armor was trimmed with gold, with the emblem of the Second Army, two swords, engraved on the chest. A longsword and a dagger hung at his hips. The cloak, which only a commander was permitted to wear, was red, a stark contrast to the armor. Bridget’s was the opposite, her armor red and her cloak black. It was the formal attire of the Dark Knights, full combat readiness.

Liz spoke, her voice cold.

“You appear in armor. Do you understand your position? —Surely, you have been informed of His Majesty’s words?”

“Yes. But I have decided to eliminate the Lord of Disease, of my own volition. That has not changed.”

“For a soldier to disobey an order and act on his own volition is nothing short of treason.”

“I am aware. I am a ‘traitor,’ kept alive by His Majesty’s mercy. …But if necessary, I am prepared to take you with me to hell.”

“Take us with you? How amusing.” Liz smiled, a thin, cold smile. She wasn’t really smiling. But she was. As if to say, You will be the only one to die.

I wanted to see that face, too, a face she rarely showed.

“—‘Lizlit.’”

I gestured with my hand, from my position on the sofa.

“…Do not draw your sword, or attempt to cast a spell, or make any strange movements, until I give the order. That is an order.”

“…Yes.”

“This is a fine sofa. Will you not sit, Dustin-dono?”

“…Very well.”

Liz stepped between us.

“Lord of Disease. He is within sword’s reach.”

“If it is not drawn, no sword can reach. I have come for a meeting. Not to fight.”

I could feel Liz’s hesitation. So, I tugged on the ribbon on her back, where he couldn’t see.

“…If he draws his sword, I cannot hold back.”

“In that case, it cannot be helped. I do not believe a traitor’s life is more valuable than my subordinate’s. But he is a Dark Knight of the Second Army, and a senior member of the Demon King’s army. Until His Majesty’s words are overturned, he is an ‘ally.’ Understood?”

“As you wish…” Liz stepped aside. She made no sound, as if she had no intention of hiding the fact that she was an assassin. Well, not making any sound was a maid’s skill, too. So, an assassin maid was the strongest, no doubt about it.

As I was having such a carefree thought, he sat down on the sofa before me and spoke.

“Will you not remove your mask?”

“My race—are you aware?”

“If you are a human woman… then I am ‘aware.’” His tone was sarcastic.

“Then it is fine.” I removed my Lord of Disease mask. I put it in my pocket. My voice, without the voice alteration, was my own.

“—Now, let me introduce myself again. I am the Lord of Disease, commander of the Sixth Army, a supreme commander of the Demon King’s army.”

“…………”

“I believe an introduction is customary. Well, we both know each other’s names, but it is a greeting.”

“You speak more sense than I expected.”

“I consider myself a sensible person.”

“…You seem to have a talent for jokes.”

“I am sorry to disappoint you, but I did not intend to make a joke.”

“…Will you listen… to words?”

“Hmm?”

“I asked if words and reason will reach you.”

“Of course.”

I glanced at Liz, and though there was no wind, her scarf was swaying, like seaweed in the ocean. …I had never seen it move like that before… was she angry? Only I, who saw her every day, would be able to read her heart from that.

“I am Dustin Wenfield, a Dark Knight of the Second Army, commander of the capital’s forces, and the current head of the Wenfield family.”

“I would like to know why a man of your stature has resorted to such violence.”

In truth, I had been surprised when I had heard he had actually made a move. The Wenfield family was a pillar of the Dark Knights. His Majesty’s kind words were not just for his past accomplishments, but also out of a concern that his fall would cause chaos. Of course, he probably had some affection for the former head of the family, with whom he had fought in the founding war, and for the current head, whom he had watched grow, but if His Majesty were the kind of captain to missteer his ship for that reason, the ship of the Listrea Demon Kingdom would have sunk long ago.

“I have repeatedly advised His Majesty that he should not favor one of such unknown origin. And all the rumors of your operations… are too ruthless to even be called ruthless.”

“That is true. But you should have continued to say so. You should have fought me in the conference room, not sent assassins.”

An army was an organization that moved by orders. While I acted with a great deal of freedom, it was because I had been given the authority to act independently, under the order, ‘act independently within the bounds of military regulations.’ And he had no such authority, and even if he did, to kill me would absolutely not be within the bounds of military regulations. Because I was a supreme commander.

“…When I learned you were human… I was horrified.” He spat, his voice bitter.

“How can I trust such a person…?”

“You cannot trust me? I believe the magnitude of the losses the humans have suffered should be enough to convince you that I am not their pawn.”

“I may believe that… but if I were to accept it.” He glared at me, his face set with a grim resolve, and he shouted.

“If we were to accept one who has declared the extermination of her own race, then we will one day devour each other and be destroyed…!”

“…Ah, I see.”

His sense of crisis finally made sense.

Just as the humans had used their race as a cornerstone, this country had also used race as a cornerstone. ‘Humans’ and ‘non-humans.’ A long time ago, a line had been drawn in the world, and everyone had followed it. I, too. But our interpretation of what that line meant was different.

“I have declared the extermination of humanity. …But I have also declared, ‘All who threaten the peace of the Listrea Demon Kingdom are my enemies.’”

The investiture ceremony had been the true beginning of the Lord of Disease for me. In other words, my enemy was not humanity. Even the extermination of humanity was just a means. My battle must be fought only for the peace of this country.

“…Are you… truly human?”

“Without a doubt.” I nodded.

I was human. Undoubtedly human. To the marrow of my bones.

“A human… why, so much?”

“I am human. But for the sake of this country… for the kindness I have received in this country, I have decided to call myself the Lord of Disease.”

“…A human… has received a kindness from ‘demons’… a kindness so great that she would declare the extermination of her own race…?”

His whispered voice brought back a memory. When I had been freed on the ramparts of Fort Garnalk, I had been ready to die. Because I had had no reason to live in this world. I had had nothing. My name, my precious memories, everything had been taken from me. And all I had left was the knowledge that those things had been precious.

I, who should have died, had been saved by Bridget. As I had come to understand the situation, I had become ashamed of being human. I had hated and even cursed my own humanity.

And yet, I was human. I was human, to the marrow of my bones, enough to understand the logic behind their actions… the unreasonable, foolish, ruthless, and unforgivably heinous acts.

Humans were creatures who loved themselves. And they were creatures who loved the precious people around them.

So, I had decided to live as a human.

I had decided to use this life for myself. To be as human as I could be. To do as I pleased. As I wished. As I hoped. Following my heart, which had fallen in love with the people who had saved me.

I did not think of it as a betrayal of humanity. I was just doing to the humans of this world what had been done to me. I had just come to have the same reasons that the humans of this world had had, when they had chosen their ruthless path.

“I was about to be killed in a terrible way by humans, and the one who saved me was a ‘demon.’ That’s all.”

“Is that… really all? You… you expect me to believe that?”

I nodded lightly.

“That’s all. The people who were fighting against the humans, even knowing I was human, still saved me. …And the people who have been kind to me, who have stayed by my side, have all been… not human…”

I smiled.

“That’s all.”

He relaxed his body and sank deep into the sofa.

“You expect me… to believe that? Such a ridiculous story. Such a convenient story. You know, don’t you? You were just ‘forced’ to choose the last resort that no one else would choose…”

“Perhaps.” If I hadn’t come, would the people of this country have taken the ‘last resort’? I didn’t know. But I thought that they might not have.

“And even if it wasn’t the will of the Listrea Demon Kingdom, it was still just an imposition. And yet… you will fight to destroy your own race?”

His question was filled with a pleading tone.

“I wished for it. I chose it myself. No one in this country forced me to. So what I must protect… is that kindness, and that pride.”

He closed his eyes and pressed his hands over them. I could see his face, the part that wasn’t hidden by his hands, contort.

To think that I had been forced… was probably arrogant. I, too, forced my subordinates. I gave them orders with the authority of my position, and I made them kill.

That was why I called myself the Lord of Disease. Of my own volition, for myself. …And on top of that, for the people who believed in me.

He slowly opened his eyes. And after blinking a few times, as if dazzled, he looked at me.

“…Can I… trust… you?”

“Yes. And I believe that we are both protectors of Listrea.”

He sat up straight on the sofa and placed his hands on his knees, bowing his head deeply.

“…I apologize for all my disrespect. And for my arrogance. If I am forgiven, I will renew my oath of loyalty to His Majesty… and I wish to take up my sword, with you, to protect this country.”

“His Majesty will forgive you. —Without a doubt.”

We had no time to fight among ourselves. If it could be settled with words, that was always better.

“…Though my strength is small, I will do my best to weaken the anti-Lord of Disease faction. …With words, not swords. In the conference room, not on the battlefield.”

“I would be grateful. His Majesty will also be pleased.”

I stood up.

“I will see you again in the conference room…”

The meeting with the Wenfield family had ended, without a single drop of blood being shed.