Bonus Short Story

The Dragonkin Champion and the Immortal Sage

After Master’s coronation ceremony, I went to her room to change out of my ceremonial clothes. Master didn’t bother taking off her elaborate dress and just plopped down onto her bed. She gave me a tired smile.

“I never imagined I would become the Demon Lord. I suppose life truly is unpredictable.”

Smiling, I replied, “I’d say your life was pretty unpredictable even before this. You were born a princess, watched your country fall, were killed in the aftermath, then came back to life and started studying necromancy.”

Compared to Master, the only interesting thing I could say about my life was that I was reincarnated. Master returned my smile and said, “You may have a point there. I suppose my life up until this moment has been quite stimulating, so it would be reasonable to expect it will continue to be so from here on out. At the very least, I know I have at least one disciple who will make life interesting for me.”

“Are you referring to me?”

“Indeed. The manner in which you perceive the world is similar to Friedensrichter’s.”

It is? Master looked fondly down at the previous Demon Lord’s helmet and gave it a small pat.

“My first meeting with Friedensrichter, back when he was but a young dragonkin Champion, is one I will never forget.”

I guess Master’s still feeling a little sentimental. I straightened my back and quietly listened to Master’s tale.

This was around the time I had given in to Melaine’s persistence and passion and accepted her as my very first disciple. At the time, I was still residing in Grenschtat Castle. My days were spent researching, experimenting, and training Melaine. One day, a squalid, filthy dragonkin warrior appeared at my doorstep. I had often been visited by other demon warriors, all asking for foolish boons such as my assistance in conquering the rest of their clan, or the secret to immortality. Naturally, I had turned them away every time. However, this dragonkin warrior—Friedensrichter—was different. He was not after power, or fame.

“O Great Sage Gomoviroa. I wish to reform this unjust world, which is ruled by violence. I wish to create a new world; one where demons and humans can live together in peace. Would you be willing to lend your infinite wisdom to my cause?”

Can you imagine that? From the start, his ambitions had eclipsed even the wildest dreams of mere mortals.

Naturally, I didn’t trust him at first, so I chased him away like I had all the others. However, he returned time and time again, claiming “If I wish to earn the respect of a sage, then I must show you my sincerity and resolve.” Apparently, it was also his way of showing respect to me. He once even waited outside my gates for ten days while I had been gone on a journey through the forest. What’s more, he was surrounded by a pile of monster corpses. I never did learn what kind of fight he got into, but that was enough to convince me of his determination at least. That being said, there was always some kind of commotion whenever that man came to my castle. The worst of it was when he came to my castle with a young, orphaned dragonkin girl in his arms, and a thousand dragonkin refugees trailing behind him. Incidentally, that girl was Shure, who now leads the Crimson Scales.

Moved by his drive, I finally agreed to aid him in his battles. Over time, we grew close. As our power and fame grew, we were even able to bring Friedensrichter’s clans longstanding enemies, the Azure Knights into our fold. That was when Kurtz and Baltze joined his forces. When I saw how much Friedensrichter had achieved, I began to think he might truly be able to bring about the change he dreamed of. He even managed to make allies out of the infamous obsidian dragonkin assassins. It was then that I grew certain he would be the one to transform the world. Hm? Who are the obsidian dragonkin? You should recognize them, those burly warriors who always served as his bodyguards. Back in the day, they were notorious villains. Yet look at them now, they smile and joke with the rest of them.

In retrospect, I may have been convinced he would revolutionize the world even before that, back when he defeated the giant Champion Tiverit and won him over to our cause. Even a man of monstrous strength like Tiverit had cowered when facing Friedensrichter. In fact, the confrontation had ended without a fight.

“I have never met anyone stronger than I, but now I know such a man exists. It would be pointless to fight you, I know I would lose. My life is yours to do as you see fit.” That was what Tiverit had said.

Though I had become far more distrustful of others after the events of my past, even I could not help but put my faith in Friedensrichter. He truly was a Champion to all demonkind. I focused all of my efforts into helping him create what would come to be known as the ‘Demon Army’ from that point on.

After finishing her tale, Master looked over to me.

“Like Friedensrichter, you seem to have a knack for thinking beyond the immediate future. It’s as if you are looking down at the world from high above, and can grasp all that occurs within it.”

I looked at Master in surprise. Both the previous Demon Lord and I had been reincarnated from Japan. I guess it should have been obvious our values and thought processes would be different, but I never realized Master had noticed that connection. I still didn’t want to tell her about my reincarnation, so I came up with some other excuse, “I guess that’s thanks to the Demon Lord’s guidance.”

“I wonder... I suppose if that’s what you say, I shall believe you for now.”

Has she already figured me out? Nervous, I hurriedly changed the subject, “Was it fun, building up the demon army together with the Demon Lord?”

“I suppose.” Master smiled and lay down on her bed and continued, “I cannot allow that stubborn fool’s dream, or the empire he created, to fall here. His legacy must be a far more interesting one than that. Wouldn’t you agree, Veight?”

“Of course, Master.”

“Fufu.”