Unification of the South

by Hyougetsu

  “Oh, that’s what it was.”

  In that case, I didn’t particularly mind. Showing your people the proof of your might was important for any leader. Besides, this would make for great advertisement for the demon army. If we froze the whole thing it’d float again, and it’d be easy to tow.

  “In that case, ask Lord Gomoviroa if she would be willing to freeze the Island Kraken’s corpse for us. We’ll tow it back with us.”

  “Yes, sir!”

  Though if we were going through all the trouble of preserving it and taking it back, it seemed a waste to just throw it away after we were done showing it off. Its tentacles, at least, have come out of the battle mostly unharmed, so... Hmm...

  After finishing emergency repairs, we hooked the Island Kraken to our eleven ships and sailed back to Beluza. Master sat atop the Kraken’s corpse, which she’d frozen into a hunk of ice. The body of a famed sea monster made for a surprisingly good throne for our Demon Lord. The mermaids rendezvoused with us on our way back, though they kept their distance from the Kraken’s corpse.

  “Holy shit, you demon army folks are crazy! Especially you, kid! But thanks to that, I guess our sea lanes are safe again.” Garsh said with an astounded smile. Now was the time to put on the finishing touches.

  “That monster ruled the nearby seas, but now that it’s gone, a new ruler of the deep might emerge.”

  Whenever the top of the food chain was eliminated, there were huge changes to the local ecosystem. For example, if wolves were removed from an area, deer would multiply to unsustainable levels, and eat all of the nearby vegetation. While we’d only taken out a single monster, it was possible this would still have a huge impact on the monster ecosystem. Garsh seemed to understand that as well, and he folded his arms thoughtfully.

  “That doesn’t sound good. So what are we supposed to do?”

  “That should be obvious.”

  I flashed Garsh a charming smile.

  “Have the demon army protect you.”

  Garsh understood the implications behind my words. He shrugged his shoulders, his expression troubled.

  “You sound like a pirate now, kid. ‘We’ll guarantee your safety, so pay us a toll.’”

  That was basically what I was saying. But after a few seconds, Garsh smiled.

  “Well, I’ve never been one for fancy diplomatic talk! At least I know how to deal with scoundrels like you, kid! Looking forward to working with ya!”

  “Likewise.”

  To be honest, monsters were as much of a problem for us demons as they were for humans. Unlike humans, we couldn’t even have a rational discussion with them. In the past, demons had been forced to fend off both humans and monsters. Even if we managed to make peace with humans now, we’d still need to fight monsters. As fun as being a werewolf cannonball was, I should probably look into creating a dedicated monster extermination squad.

  The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon when we returned to Beluza’s port. The sky to the east was midnight blue, while in the west it blazed orange.

  “Launch the victory flare!”

  At my command, Kurtz fired off one of the night-use flares. These ones were even more like fireworks than the others. Upon seeing the fireworks, the engineers stationed at Beluza launched their own congratulatory fireworks. They made for quite a stunning display, what with the light reflecting off the water and all. As we drew closer, the men at the harbor started to shout and point when they saw the giant frozen Kraken we were towing. Beluza’s main port was where most of the city’s citizens worked. Many of them were either dockhands, shipwrights, or fishermen. Quite a few of them even lived on their boats. Which explained why half the city seemed to be at the port even at night.

  “Whoa! That’s the Terror of the Deep!?”

  “All hail the demon army! Long live Beluza’s navy!”

  “Thank you so much! Now we can trade safely again!”

  Cheers filled the air, extolling both us and Garsh’s soldiers. Garsh seemed to be used to the praise, as he casually walked to the front of the ship and waved at the citizens.

  “There’s nothing out there that can handle Beluza’s navy! Especially not when we’ve teamed up with the demon army!”

  The people’s cheers grew louder. Some of them climbed up the masts of their ships to get a better view. Garsh turned back to us and said with a smile, “Look, the crowd loves you guys.”

  I guess we should show our appreciation for their gratitude. This is part of politics too, after all.

  “Attention!”

  I had my eight werewolves line up on the deck.

  “Transform and let them hear you roar!”

  We transformed simultaneously and shot our fists into the air.

  “AWOOOOOOOOOO!”

  Our deafening roars scared the nearby Beluzan sailors witless. Once we were done howling I yelled, “The demon army promises to keep your city’s trade routes safe! We won’t let anyone disrupt Beluza’s prosperity!”

  Garsh picked up where I left off and added, “This is the man who cracked open the Terror of the Deep’s head! Show this reckless brat yer appreciation, lads!”

  “Yeeeeah!”

  “What a hero!”

  “The savior of Beluza!”

  I was showered with applause so loud it sounded like thunder. I called Firnir and the others over too to join in. Blushing slightly, Firnir trotted over and held her spear up high. Melaine elegantly waved, while Kurtz gave the people a demon army salute. Master, on the other hand, sat atop the Kraken’s corpse and cradled her knees. The mermaids swam around her, occasionally popping their heads out of the water.

  Still in my wolf form, I wrapped one arm around Garsh’s shoulder and waved to everyone with the other. Firnir then wrapped her arm around my shoulder, and soon enough the canines and dragonkin joined in as well. The cheering continued for what seemed like ages. I guess Beluza’s residents love to celebrate.

  Ever since I’d reincarnated, humans had always feared and attacked me. And aside from Ryunheit’s residents, that was still generally the case. So it was really moving to have people I didn’t know cheering me like this.

  “It sure feels nice being welcomed by humans,” I muttered.

  “Ya say something, kid!?” Garsh hollered. I smiled and yelled back, “Looking forward to working with you, Garsh!”

  “Same kid, same!”

  The two of us laughed loudly. Parker sidled up behind me and asked, “Why did you not ask for me to come with everyone else?”

  “Why don’t you try asking your heart that question?”

  Parker placed a hand on his bony ribcage and said, “Oh my, it appears I have no heart!”

  “Seriously!?”

  “Oww! That hurts, Veight!”

  This was exactly why I hadn’t wanted to call him over. Still, he had been instrumental in the operation. I wrapped my free arm around his shoulder.

  That evening, Garsh personally took a hammer to the door of his wine cellar and hosted a lavish feast for the whole city. Apparently, it was customary for informal parties like these to be started with the viceroy breaking open their own wine cellar. For that reason, they’d come to be known as “Hammertime Festivals.” Garsh had changed into a bonafide pirate costume, and he swung his saber in the air as he yelled, “None of ya are going back to work until every single one of these casks is empty, ya hear me! Now get to drinking, lads!”

  The Garney brothers each lifted a cask of wine and started drinking straight from the barrel. The sailors around them placed bets on who’d be the first to fall. Oh, looks like Firnir’s joining in the fun. In the end, Firnir’s stamina proved greater than either of the Garney brothers. She gulped down alcohol like a horse would water, so it was barely even a contest. She didn’t even look tipsy, but the poor brothers were lying unconscious on the floor. While everyone was partying, I decided to have my own fun.

  Even before I’d reincarnated, I’d always wanted to eat giant octopus tentacles.
Octopus had some of the best texture of all the seafood. Fortunately for me, we’d managed to kill this Kraken with most of its tentacles intact. Even better, the harpoons sticking through them made for perfect skewers.

  This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Though the tentacles had a rather unappetizing appearance, I had to at least try one. Ideally there’d be wasabi to season it with, but I still hadn’t been able to find a good wasabi substitute. Also, while I was okay with eating fish raw, there was no way I was eating this thing raw. If I was going to cook it anyway, it’d be best to make takoyaki or tempura out of it. The reason I was doing this away from the party was because this monster had killed more than a few Beluzan sailors. I doubted the other residents would want to see me cooking it.

  Since I didn’t have too many seasonings, I decided to just grill it and drizzle on some soy sauce. I borrowed a deserted bonfire and secretly started grilling a tentacle. Before long, an appetizing smell wafted through the air, and the tentacle started browning and curling up. I took it off the fire and applied a soy sauce glaze. Now then, let’s see how this tastes... Mm... That wasn’t what I was expecting. It still had the same pleasant texture all octopuses did. While I’d grilled it so long it had gone from crisp to hard, that was perfect for a werewolf like me. Transformed, my fangs could tear right through it.

  The problem was the taste. I hadn’t been expecting it to have much of a taste, but this was even blander than I’d predicted. The Kraken was lacking in umami, and tasted like chewed-up gum. I didn’t know if that was just how it was supposed to taste, or if we’d ruined the meat’s flavor by making it suffer so much before killing it. Either way, it wasn’t very good. The only way this would be edible was if I stewed it in sauce. Do I have to eat all of this? As I was lamenting the hole I’d dug myself into, Firnir spotted me and staggered over. She had another wine barrel in her hands.

  “Heeeey, Vaito! Just so you know, I’m not druuuunk.”

  “That’s what all drunks say.”

  “Oh, is that an octopus tentacle? Why’re you eating that?”

  Firnir hugged me from behind and rubbed herself against me. I wonder if this is how zookeepers feel. Cheeks flushed, Firnir gazed at me with unfocused eyes. Suddenly, she clapped her hands together and said, “Ah, I get it! I see now!”

  What exactly do you see? Just then, Garsh showed up. He was smiling, with his arms wrapped around the Garney brothers.

  “What’re ya doing here, kid? You’re the guest of honor! Now drink up! ...Hm? Is that the Island Kraken’s tentacle?”

  Why can’t people just leave me alone? Smiling, Firnir turned to Garsh and explained, “This is one of those, you know, rituals. Vaito’s eating his defeated foe and absorbing its strength. Us kentauros do that allllll the time.”

  Garsh and the Garney brothers exchanged glances.

  “I didn’t know you wanted strength that badly, Veight...”

  “No wonder he’s so strong, bro.”

  “Oi, are all you werewolves like this?”

  “Nah, he’s just special. I mean think about it man, no normal werewolf shoots themselves out of a catapult.”

  “Oh yeah, you’ve got a point there. That kid’s insane.”

  And now everyone’s jumping to conclusions. Afterwards, Garsh and the others spread the story that I was eating the Kraken to gain its strength. Before long, my nickname went from “The werewolf who crushed the Terror of the Deep” to “The werewolf who ate the Terror of the Deep.” I would have preferred the former though, it sounded like a much cooler title for a mage.

  The night wore on, but the party showed no signs of stopping. For Beluza, which relied on its fishing and maritime trade, keeping the seas safe was its top priority. Fortunately, the residents had learned the mermaids weren’t their enemy, and their true enemy, the Island Kraken, had been defeated. Even better, the party had been a great icebreaker to bring the demon army and the city’s populace closer together. Looks like things are going well. Guess I’ll drink a bit too.

  I couldn’t afford to overdo it though, so I ended up retiring from the party early, and headed to the viceroy’s manor. There, I began planning our next course of action. I should probably make doubly sure the routes to Lotz are 100% safe. If it turned out there was another Island Kraken terrorizing the sea, we’d be in trouble. Besides, this was a good opportunity to build relations with the fishing city of Lotz as well. As I lounged on the living room sofa, Garsh walked in. Surprisingly, he didn’t look drunk at all. He wiped his face down with a damp towel and looked at me with clear eyes.

  “Yo, Veight. Good work back there.”

  “You too, Garsh.”

  Despite his gruff nature, he was a dutiful viceroy. He knew that those in positions of power needed to be ready to act at any time. He turned to one of his burly maids and ordered her to bring some food up. Looks like I’ll get to enjoy some more sashimi.

  “I’m guessing ya like quiet meals more than wild parties, huh, kid?”

  “Yeah. Thanks.”

  I’d just been getting hungry too. The maid brought an assorted plate of raw fish, on which there was surprisingly also some raw octopus.

  “You guys eat octopus in Beluza too?”

  “Catches recently have been bad, so it’s become a bit of a delicacy, but yeah. Most fishermen who manage to nab one eat it themselves though, so you rarely see it on the market. You looked like ya wanted to try it, so I got some for ya.”

  Ah, so that’s why they didn’t have it before. This octopus sashimi had all the umami I’d come to expect, and tasted just as good as the stuff I’d had in Japan. I ate my way through the plate while I discussed my plans with Garsh. After explaining my plan to sail the sea route to make sure it really was safe, I asked, “Are you close with the viceroy of Lotz?”

  Garsh swallowed the fish in his mouth, then said with a smile, “Course I am. Old man Petore’s like a father to me! If ya want a recommendation, you’ve got one! Assuming the old fart hasn’t kicked the bucket, that is!”

  Though his words were irreverent, it was clear he respected Lotz’s viceroy.

  “It’s been twenty years since I became viceroy, and that old man still getting on my case. Always complaining about how I don’t act dignified like a viceroy should, or that I need to be more diplomatic.”

  “He sounds like a stubborn old man.”

  “You bet he is! Ya won’t find anyone else that stubborn in Beluza or Lotz! But he’s saved my hide more times than I can count, so I’m indebted to the old fart, much as I don’t like it.”

  I was starting to understand the kind of relationship they had. It reminded me a little of how my relationship with the old Demon Lord had been. I bet he would have loved to try this sashimi. Knowing him, he would have eaten it while gazing out at the harbor, with a bottle of sake to wash it down. I could already imagine how our conversation would go down.

  “It looks just like the Seto Sea, doesn’t it, sir?”

  “Indeed, it is quite a nostalgic sight. This is the perfect place to relax and forget about my duties.”

  “How’re you liking the sashimi?”

  “It’s quite high-quality. It would be nice if we could make sushi out of it.”

  “I don’t see why we can’t. I hear they grow rice around here, too.”

  “Splendid. As I suspected, we should spread rice cultivation across the land. Let us organize a survey team to see if it’s possible to get the required amount of water from the nearby rivers.”

  “Can’t we leave talking about work until tomorrow?”

  “Hahaha, my apologies. I couldn’t help myself.”

  I must have been making a strange face, since Garsh gave me a funny look.

  “Did I say something weird?”

  “Oh, no. Don’t worry about it.”

  Garsh smiled ruefully.

  “Hahaha, no need to brush me off. I can tell, you were remembering someone close to you, weren’t ya? Was it your dad? Grandpa?”

  “No. B
oth my father and my grandfather passed while I was a baby. I couldn’t remember them even if I wanted to.”

  In this life anyway. As for my past life... I’d rather avoid thinking about my dad if I could. He wasn’t a bad person, but I never really liked him. That was just how our relationship had become. In this life, there was at least someone who’d taken the place of my father. But we were keeping his death a secret from the humans, so I couldn’t tell Garsh I was recalling my memories of the old Demon Lord. So instead, I answered, “We weren’t connected by blood, but... someone who was like a father to me passed away recently. I was remembering him.”

  “I see.”

  Garsh’s expression grew solemn. He didn’t pry any further. Sensing it was a sensitive topic, he changed the subject.

  “Ya know, I always thought demons were way scarier.”

  “Oh? Really?”

  “Yeah, even you. I mean in terms of pure strength, you’re a monster. You’ve got skills, and the guts to back it up.”

  In all honesty, I just happened to know a lot about octopuses. I didn’t say anything though, and Garsh added with a smile, “But even a monstrously strong brat like you tears up when he’s reminiscing about his family. Just makes me realize yer not too different from us.”

  Wait, tears up? No way. Garsh skewered a small piece of octopus and held it up to me.

  “Go on, eat. Unlike that monster, these tentacles are actually good.”

  “You’re not wrong there.”

  “Did that old man of yours like octopus?”

  Since he’d talked about eating it back in Japan, I’m pretty sure he did.

  “I’m not sure... but I get the feeling he would have loved it.”

  “He must have been an interesting fellow. What kinda person... err, werewolf was he?”

  “Actually, he was a dragonkin. He was a real handful. All he thought about day and night was work.”

  I looked out of the window as I reminisced about the former Demon Lord. Outside, humans and demons were carousing together. If only you could have seen this. Feeling nostalgic, I griped a little more to Garsh.