Chapter 11: The Demon King

Chapter 11:
The Demon King

 

Another Side

 

DEEP INSIDE the demon king’s castle, the adjutant Belial knelt before the throne, presenting his master with a certain medicine.

“I obtained this new treatment in a human town, Your Majesty. It’s called a potion, but it’s completely different from normal potions.”

“Oh?” The demon king, Garo Ejil, rose from his throne. He took the bottle and inspected the transparent liquid illuminated in the moonlight. “This is the stuff, eh?”

“Most potions stink and taste filthy,” Belial continued. “This is supposedly different. I’ve heard it’s quite effective, too. If it becomes widely available on the humans’ front lines…”

The demon king tuned Belial out. The adjutant was always painfully serious when it came to matters such as these; Garo Ejil found it extremely boring. He pretended to listen with a somber expression, focusing on the potion bottle in his hands. He opened the lid and sniffed its contents; they barely had a scent.

The demon king had once drunk a human potion. It had been disgusting. Would this be any different?

“I would like to draw your attention to another matter, Your Majesty,” Belial continued. “About our direction and unit formations…”

The demon king was already gulping down the human potion. Its fruity aroma made its way through his nostrils as he tasted the liquid’s mysterious, slightly sweet flavor. He finished the drink and stared at the empty bottle, blurting out, “What is this? It’s delicious!”

“Excuse me?”

“Do you have any more of these potions?”

“No, we just happened to find this one.”

“I see. In that case, I’ll go get some.” The demon king put on his cape, turning his back to Belial.

“Pardon?! Um, Your Majesty, I hoped to discuss unit formations with—”

“As long as you’ve given them serious thought, Belial, we’ll go with the ones you prefer. Whatever transpires, I won’t hold you responsible. Oh—do me a favor and sign the paperwork on the table,” the demon king ordered, waving his arm. “There’s a lot.”

If he stuck around any longer, he wouldn’t be able to get away; he’d have to strategize with Belial.

The demon king was heading to a human town on his own. There was little doubt that Belial would try and stop him—scold him, even. The adjutant would say something about how he wasn’t majestic enough, or that he wasn’t setting a proper example for his soldiers. Just imagining it made the demon king want to flee immediately. So he did.

He activated his teleportation magic—a special type that only the demon king could cast. It would deplete most of his magical energy, but it was worth it.

“See you later, Belial.”

“Wait, Your Majesty!”

Shiiing!

Bright light filled the castle, and the demon king vanished.

 

Reiji’s Side

 

I was watching the drugstore when someone resembling a boy waddled in. As far as I could tell, he was around junior-high age, and he wore a wild-looking cape. “S-so, this is Kirio Drugs?”

“Yes, that’s right,” I replied. “Are you okay?”

“I’m quite fine! I’ve come from afar to acquire one of your new potions.”

“Is that so? Wow. Thanks. One potion will run you twelve hundred rin.” I bagged a potion and waited for the boy to give me the cash.

He looked confused. “You’re asking me for money?”

“Yes, I’m asking you for money.”

He’s not very human-like. I’m just going to assume he’s from a different race. I used my identification skill to confirm.

 

Garo Ejil: The rebellious tyrant who rules demonkind. Known as the “demon king.”

 

“You’re asking me for money?” Garo Ejil repeated, glaring at me.

What is he, some kind of broken NPC? Frankly, I was terrified, but I couldn’t afford to buckle and offer him a free potion. All customers are equal, damn it!

“If you want one, you gotta pay up,” I said firmly.

Lo and behold, the demon king actually stepped backward.

He’s retreating?! “Oh…wait. Do you not have cash on you?” He didn’t seem like the type to carry money.

“I do not possess human currency,” he confirmed.

I reshelved the potion.

“Why did you return my potion to the shelf, human?”

“Did you really think you were gonna get one for free? Sorry, but you need to head home.”

“Then I’ll use my powers to blow this drugstore away, leaving nothing and no one behind. Heh heh heh!” the demon king cackled.

I jabbed my index finger at his face. “Keep in mind that I won’t be able to make potions anymore if that happens.”

“I was just kidding! I’m sorry. I only want one potion,” Garo Ejil pleaded, adding, “Um…they call me the demon king, and I’m pretty tough!”

“And your point is…?”

Garo Ejil slouched. When it came to knowing nothing about the human world or common sense, he was even worse than Drills.

“Look,” I said. “Let me ask you a question. Say you sold potions so that you could feed your family. If someone tried to take your potions with brute force, what would you think of him?”

“That…he was in the wrong.”

Hmm. Even this demon king has some integrity. “Uh-huh.”

I might’ve been rude, but since Garo Ejil was a customer, he had to pay cash if he wanted to buy the drugstore’s products. If he had extenuating circumstances, then he should tell me—depending on the issue, I might given him one on the house. Or he could offer something other than money—I was always open to barter or paying in favors.

The door to the house opened, and Noela poked her head in. “Food ready, Master!”

“Awesome. I’ll be there in a sec.”

Ba-dump!

I heard an odd sound, and looked over to see the demon king staring at Noela.

“Garoo? Hello.”

“H-hello. U-um, might I have your name? I am Garo Ejil.”

Noela tilted her head, puzzled. “Noela is Noela.”

“Ah, Noela! What a lovely name! Your beautiful ears, gorgeous silver hair, and stunning eyes must charm men the world over! Noela, I shall make you my wife!”

“Ew. No.” Noela trotted over to me and hugged me tightly. “Noela love Master. Hate you.”

He’s the demon king, but it took less than ten seconds for him to get his butt rejected.

His proposal tossed right back in his face, Garo Ejil backed away. “You stand in my way yet again, human?!”

“Er…my name is Reiji. And I’m not really standing in your way. She just said that she literally hates you.”

Noela was adorable, but of course she’d be weirded out by a random marriage proposal from a stranger. I patted her soft head, and she retreated to the house.

“Well, I’m going to eat lunch now, so could you head home?” I asked the demon king.

“W-wait, Reiji. Heh heh…how about this? If you give me a potion and Noela, then when I conquer the world, I’ll grant you half. How does that sound?” The demon king cackled as though he were invincible.

This kid doesn’t understand a damn thing. “Listen, if you conquered the world, why would you give half to some guy who did nothing? Are you stupid? Think about your hardworking underlings. Shouldn’t they be rewarded? Take better care of your people!”

“You’re right. You’re absolutely right.” The demon king slouched again, then raised his head as though remembering something. “Wait! Noela is worth half the world to me!”

“You just thought of it now, didn’t you?”

“Urgh…h-how’d you know?”

“I’m not giving you Noela. She doesn’t like you.” Plus, I don’t need half the world.

“I want Noela. And I also want a potion. What the hell should I do?!” the demon king whined.

“Man, Noela’s crazy about my potions, too,” I muttered.

“Really? Then I’ll get two potions instead!”

I reminded the demon king of his plight. “We’re arguing because you don’t even have the cash to pay for one.”

“Ah…” he sulked some more. “That’s right.”

“You legit forgot?!”

“Damn it all! Cursed human! I am the demon king!” Garo Ejil was half in tears as he marched out of the drugstore.

Hey, look, everyone. I fought off the demon king!

 

***

 

Three days later, he returned.

I rested my head on my hands and asked him with half-open eyes, “Why’re you here now?”

Garo Ejil grinned victoriously, plopping a leather bag down on the counter. “How’s this?!”

“Oh, you got some money together?”

“But of course. I am the demon king, after all,” he stated matter-of-factly. “I told some terrified humans as much, and they put their money in this bag. I suppose, even among the lesser races, there are those who understand my greatness.”

He mugged innocent people? I checked inside the leather bag and found an oddly large amount of small change. “You’re telling me they all believed you were the demon king? Did you use some super-powerful magic to convince them?”

“Of course I didn’t! That would lay bare my location, and my underlings would come for me. The humans took my kingly manner seriously.”

Okay. A schoolboy was walking around, calling himself the demon king. He says the people he met were terrified, but he didn’t actually prove his identity to them. Still, they gave him the small coins he desired. That means this money is…

“Good work.” I patted the demon king’s shoulder. “Did the humans look sad?”

“No, not at all!”

I nodded, giving him a bemused gaze. They definitely did. They were just donating money to a pathetic street kid. And he didn’t collect nearly enough.

“Wh-what’s with that look?”

“You still don’t have enough cash for a potion, but I’ll sell you one anyway. I feel bad for you.”

“St-stop that! I disdain your pity! Augh! H-how much money am I short?! Heh heh heh…I’ll gather the funds in no time at all!”

“You can’t stop me from sympathizing with you. Seriously, it’s fine. I really do feel bad.”

“I don’t need your weird sympathy!”

I quietly passed him a potion.

“Damn it! If I take this, it’ll be a handout! But I want it so badly…gah!”

Noela heard our voices and ran over, a bottle in hand. She’d been drinking the potion I made her this morning.

People treat the stuff like soda these days.

“What wrong, Master?”

The demon king grabbed the bottle I’d handed him, kneeling in front of her. “Noela! Would you accept this potion from me?”

“No need. Have potion from Master.”

Tch. Although he was the demon king, my heart went out to him.

Garo Ejil trembled and looked at me. “It’s you interfering again, Reiji!”

“Sorry Noela’s still rejecting you,” I replied. “Want another potion to take home?”

His tears began to hit the floor. “You made a fool of me! I’m the demon king! Why must I suffer like this?!”

“Come on. You’re not suffering. Just take a consolation potion. You wanted one, right?”

“I don’t need a consolation potion! I just wanted a normal potion!” Then the demon king seemed to realize something. “Ah…!”

“Why’re you grinning all of a sudden?”

“If I learn to make potions, Noela will fall for me!” He straightened his cape. “Bwa ha ha ha!”

“Jeez, you’re loud.”

“Reiji…no! Dr. Reiji! Please, make me your apprentice!”

The demon king bowed his head. If other demons or demon lords—assuming a “demon lord” was a thing—saw that, I was sure they’d freak out and tell Garo Ejil to stop immediately.

“Sorry, not possible,” I replied.

“Heh heh heh! I knew you’d say that, Dr. Reiji. Listen here! If you make me your apprentice, I promise you half the world!”

“Don’t make promises like that when you haven’t even taken it over yet,” I sighed. “Look, I can’t teach you to make potions.” Well, since Garo Ejil was the demon king, for all I knew he might be capable of medicine-making.

“You truly possess an artisan’s secretive spirit,” Garo Ejil mused. “So, instead of teaching me, you’d prefer for me to steal your skills and learn without your knowledge?”

“I didn’t say anything like that! Don’t you have things to do? A war to handle?”

“A foolish question. Hmm…” Garo Ejil paused. “I can drop by for about five hours, four days a week.”

“I’m not teaching you a thing. Okay? Um…things get really hectic on the weekend, so it’d be a big help if you came then.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll make sure my weekends are available.”

“I’m not gonna go easy on you.”

“I hope not! Put me through hell!”

That was how Kirio Drugs hired the demon king.