7th Demon Prince Jilbagias’ Chronicle of Demon Kingdom Toppling

１１８． Regret And Reflection

Good day, Jilbagias whose ass was suffering is here.

Eh, why did I sit in this shitty self-reflection chair―― That had a minus level of comfort―― you say?

I mean, the taller I grew, and the heavier I became, the more painful this shi*tty chair would become.

Now you know just how humiliating it was for an adult to be punished by sitting on this chair. I wish I would never sit on this chair again once I grow up…

『Well then,』

Ante spoke before me.

After clearing out everyone and using a soundproof barrier, there was only Ante who stood with imposing posture before me, and Liliana who looked worriedly at me.

Since the current Ante was only a phantom figure that could only be seen by me, from Liliana's perspective, it looks as if I voluntarily sit on the self-reflection chair.

That face… Could it be that she was worrying about the fact that I might have awakened a strange hobby?

『You owed me an explanation.』

My derailed train of thought returned upon hearing Ante's stern voice.

「I was too careless. My apologies.」

I bowed my head in apology.

Yes, I'm currently receiving sermons from Ante.

The reason was my impulsive 『Do you really feel nothing?』 to Claire.

『YOU ABSOLUTE MORON!』

She didn't pull a punch at all.

『REMEMBER YOUR STATUS! YOU'RE NOT IN A SITUATION TO ASK SUCH A CARELESS QUESTION!!』

Yes, I was truly a moron back then. Forgetting the fact that I was the Demon Prince of the Demon Race―― And acted as if I was still a human.

Right at that moment, the expression vanished from Claire's face, she glared at me as if to say――『Are you seriously asking me that question?』.

As if she told me "What do you know about my suffering?".

I must not forget. Surely, Claire chose to become Enma's ally. And thus she became a lich, but――

Different from Enma who died due to persecution in the past, Claire was the victim of the Demon King Army.

Even if my identity was revealed to Claire, there was no way she was going to accept me.

It wasn't the problem of her personality shift after she turned into an undead, the problem was her soul.

『――She must've suffered a lot.』

Claire replied to my question with a playful smile.

『Anyhow, it's only a matter of time.』

Those words―― Sounds too crooked in my ears.

As if trying to persuade herself――

The awkward atmosphere between us dispersed as soon as Enma came back with the tea.

The feeling of wanting to know Claire's real intention keeps haunting me―― Something that I regretted the most right now.

『――Do you get it why I'm so pissed off right now?』

Ante folded her arms, tapping her left elbow irritatingly as if she were asking her troublesome boyfriend.

… Okay, let's stop messing around.

Ante was serious, like dead serious.

「I know.」

『You don't seem like someone who is reflecting at all.』

…

『Your constant consideration of that childhood friend of yours has become your weakness.』

Oi, stop staring at my face.

『Now tell me… What are you? Are you the prince of the demon race? Or the villager in some remote village?』

Her murky eyes drilled into my eyes.

『You are none of them, you are a hero.』

Ante reminds me of that fact with a majestic posture.

――Remember your goal.

『Remember, your childhood friend isn't something that you have to worry at this point.』

Ante put her hands behind her back as she told me like a teacher teaching their students.

『The existence that became the foundation of the current you. Even if you're the biggest victim of your own deed, you're determined to overthrow the Demon Kingdom, that's your goal.』

But.

『That person, isn't important―― For your current goal! Right!』

… I was at a loss for words.

『If you keep babbling like that, you'll only raise suspicion. It might be fine for the time being, but once your identity is revealed―― Can you kill her to keep the secret of your identity?』

I'm prepared for that.

『Fine then. I won't stop you. The reason is her identity as a necromancer. We must not only destroy her body, we have to destroy her soul too. And you have to do that before Enma felt something was amiss.』

… Man it felt like the chance was stacking against me.

Claire had been practicing necromancy for almost 30 years now. At this point, I doubt she was still a novice who couldn't even protect her soul. I didn't even know if she could switch her body like Enma.

『Yes. The reason I scolded you is precisely because you forgot about such risk.』

… Sorry.

I was too focused on Claire's remarks and gestures to the point of forgetting about that fact. If I had to do that, I had to be completely prepared to kill Enma too, if possible, and strong enough to do that.

And as much as I hate to say this, the current me was far from enough to achieve that level.

It wasn't a matter of my resolution, it was purely a lack of power to do so.

『Uhm.』

Ante nodded in agreement with my realization, she placed her hands on my shoulders and stared into my eyes.

She might be in her phantom form right now, but I could feel her touch as if she had a real body――

And the weight of her hands.

『Rest assured, I am your ally.』

Ante declared so.

『… I'm both sad and happy to say this since there are more and more attendants by your side nowadays.』

Her expression turned into that of pouting as she glanced at Liliana.

Yes, there were Liliana and Lyla…

I'm no longer alone.

『I don't want you to collapse half way down there. I mean, you owed me a promise―― A promise to break the ultimate taboo, right?』

… Aaah.

Yup, we had such a pact.

『That's why I won't let you go until you fulfill your promise.』

Ante raised my chin and whispered into my ears.

『―― I mean, it would be boring if you suddenly cast everything aside along the way.』

I understand.

I will fulfill my responsibility for taking you out into the material world.

「Great… Now then, what are you going to do to that childhood friend of yours?」

Asked Ante as she sat on my lap.

「… Uhm, can you stop reproducing your weight too? My arse is killing me…」

「I'm in material form right now.」

「This is your material form! No wonder it's heavy!」

「I'm not heavy! Take this! Punishment for those who dare to say that I'm heavy!」

GAAAH! STOP RUBBING YOUR ASS ON TOP OF MY LAP!!

MY ARSE… MY ARSEEEEEEEEEEE!

「STOP! YOU'RE LIGHT! YOU'RE AS LIGHT AS A FEATHER!」

「Humph… It's good that you know that.」

Ante wrapped her hands around my head, the previous impish smile vanished from her face and then told me to continue.

「This is just what my gut is telling me, but…」

I told her while looking into her eyes.

「I think Claire―― Isn't completely agreeing with Enma.」

Her remarks sound too half-hearted.

She didn't seem too keen with the notion of destroying the human race. She seems to vent her hatred for me, or should I say the demon race, for a moment, yet she didn't show the same reaction when it came to destroying the human race.

She might have had no choice but to agree since she had already become an undead――

That was the most possible situation for her case.

「Considering her status, there is no way she could disobey Enma.」

She might present a friendly and outgoing attitude toward me, but that was simply due to my status as the Demon Prince.

With her low peerage, who knows what would happen to her if she attacked me.

「In that way, I don't think that Claire is our ally either.」

「… Not to mention that she doesn't have a worth as an ally.」

「She has value as the close aide of Enma. She might even know the location of Enma's true body.」

She could become our key player――

「… But since this is just my gut feeling, everything I said might be just my wishful thinking. All of that is based on the memory of the Claire that I knew in my childhood. She might be different from what she used to be after becoming an undead――」

Everything was a guess, I couldn't confirm the truth.

「That's why… We need some kind of insurance in case my guess is wrong. We need an environment and power to convince Claire to take our side――」

I hope we didn't have to go through that.

「Set aside that matter for the time being. That is more convenient. And please slap me on the face in case I lose my way.」

「Hah, I will do that even without you telling me.」

Ante replied with a grin.

How reliable.

Thank you for your continuous patronage.

… Claire said.

Either way, the human race is doomed anyway.

It's only a matter of time.

But I wouldn't let that happen.

I would save the human race.

I will stop the Demon King Army.

And will make an enemy of Enma and the undead.

That's why―― When that moment came.

I'll be there to pick you up, Claire.

If you―― Are still the same Claire I know, but if you are not――

Then I'll kill you with my own hand.

I'll at least make your end as painless as possible.

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