Yet once again, the crowd gathered in the room was astir with whispering. This time, they said things like “Such words from the king are more than they deserve,” and “Such exceptional compassion!” It was almost the complete opposite of the way they’d talked about Reiji.
“Ehem... I have many matters that I would like to discuss with the hero, but I believe that this is enough for today’s audience. This has all been quite sudden, and I do believe that Hero-dono is still perplexed by it all.”
“I...”
“Hero-dono and friends, there will be a banquet in Camellia’s reception hall after this. Please attend once you have yourselves settled in, and we will move on to the more serious matters at hand tomorrow.”
It seemed some entertainment was in order, and the real business would wait until after an evening’s rest. That consideration seemed to be the king’s real apology, and in the end, he perhaps may have been overdoing it. Upon hearing the word “banquet,” the atmosphere in the room seemed to lighten up. But there was one person unwilling to let the conversation go.
“No, Your Majesty. If possible, I would like us to move on to the serious matters at once.”
“Is that truly alright, Hero-dono? You have only just arrived. Surely you haven’t steeled yourself yet, have you?”
“That much is true... But, in the end, I know that this is something I must do. I would like to know the details of the danger I must face sooner rather than later.”
“...I understand. If you wish, Hero-dono, we shall speak of it now.”
After sinking deep into thought for a moment, the king agreed to Reiji’s request. It wasn’t the answer Suimei was hoping for.
Aargh... Damn this goody two-shoes!
With a sour face, Suimei angrily muttered to himself. This was a terrible turn of events. Things were developing too quickly. The pacing of it all was absurd. The three friends hadn’t even yet had a chance to properly discuss things together. Spurred by panic, Suimei tugged on the cuff of Reiji’s trousers from his kneeling position.
“H-Hey, Reiji! What are you thinking?! If you talk about this now, he’s going to want your answer now. Did you think about that? Actually, isn’t it obvious that—”
“It’s fine, Suimei. Leave this to me.”
“Forget that. We should— REIJIIIIIIII!”
Before they could finish discussing it, Reiji took a step forward and shook off Suimei’s hand. Suimei quietly but mournfully called after him. To Suimei, what the king was going to ask Reiji to do was unconditionally unacceptable. Going off and defeating a Demon Lord in another world... Just what kind of fantasy was this? It was crazy to go and pick a fight with an opponent whose combat force and battle capabilities were completely unknown. Moreover, there was nothing that said they actually had to do it even though they’d been summoned here.
And on top of everything else, Suimei had a reason for returning home right away. He still had the thesis that he stubbornly promised to complete for his departed mentor, his father. Certainly, it was true that the magicians who secretly maneuvered in the underworld were destined to put their lives at stake, but that didn’t mean they felt like throwing down their lives for just anything. And Suimei was dead set against this.
Suimei stared at Reiji’s back as he stepped forward, full of anxiety. There was no way any rational person would accept such a ludicrous request, but this was his friend, the abnormally softhearted Reiji. Suimei couldn’t deny the possibility that Reiji just might actually agree to it. That was the worry that pulsed through Suimei’s mind as Reiji approached the king.
“How much have you heard already?”
“When we arrived, Her Highness requested that we defeat the Demon Lord. Other than that, we have yet to hear anything.”
“I see. Then... Gless.”
The king turned to the elderly man at his side and gave a nod in Reiji’s direction. It must have been a signal. The elderly man—Gless—then stepped forward.
“I am the Kingdom of Astel’s prime minister, Gless Dillez. To begin with, I will provide you with a rundown of the current situation.”
“Please do.”
“Far north of Astel, by a distance that could fit two countries, lies a land of intense cold called the Kingdom of Noshias. Noshias served as the bottleneck between demon and human territory, and for a long time it was known as the northernmost stronghold of humanity. It held off the demons’ advance in our world. That is, up until half a year ago. The royal capital fell in a sudden and unexpected demon assault. After that, Noshias was no longer able to maintain itself as a country, and perished accordingly.”
Prime Minister Gless’s expression turned grim as he continued.
“Despite its harsh climate, the people of Noshias boasted strength that was in no way inferior to the people who live on the plains. I have heard that their army was also very powerful, but they could hardly make a stand against an army of demons over a million strong. A great country was cast into utter ruin in less than a month.”
Mizuki then hesitantly spoke up.
“Um, by ruin, you mean... What about the people of Noshias?”
“The demons have no need for human prisoners. At the time of the attack, the majority of Noshias’s people were slaughtered by the demons. The ones who survived were then picked off by the demons’ human hunts. There are a lucky few who have survived to this day, but the population of Noshias has been decimated.”
“Human hunts? No way...”
“That, I’m afraid, is simply how these demons are. They despise humans and treat them like prey. They are completely evil beings with no merit to speak of other than their raw power. Rather than come to a compromise at the negotiating table, they would sooner use one to strike at us.”
Hearing Gless’s explanation, Mizuki’s face paled. They very idea of a “human hunt” struck fear into her heart. It wasn’t all that hard to swallow what Gless was saying, but it was thoroughly unpleasant. Knowing genocide was on the table, it was quite clear the demons of this world were different from the sort that commonly appeared in novels. There was no working together with creatures of that ilk for peace or the greater good.
“After that, thanks to the oracle of the Church of Salvation, we were able to confirm that a Demon Lord has taken over the demon territory. The Demon Lord’s name is Nakshatra, and if left at large, the demons will eventually annihilate humanity.”
Gless paused briefly before continuing again.
“Faced with the prophecy of the annihilation of humanity we received from the oracle, the countries all gathered and held a conference to discuss countermeasures against the demon invasion. However, with the fall of Noshias and the reported size of the demon army, many of the proposals presented to break the deadlock were withdrawn. It was just a demonstration of how we as people lack the means to oppose the demons that tower over us in strength and number.”
Gless then suddenly turned his gaze towards Reiji.
“Accordingly, the nations all agreed to resort to the summoning ritual that has been passed down since time immemorial to summon a hero from another world. Normally, the hero summoning ritual is something only the Mage’s Guild and the Church of Salvation are privy to. Its use is strictly forbidden without their consent, and only when humanity is so threatened is the ritual held. After all, if each nation performed the hero summoning ritual indiscriminately with their own national interests in mind, the entire world would be thrown into chaos.”
“There are that many crises in this world...?”
Reiji wrinkled his brow. He may also have been secretly screaming internally, “This world has too many damn crises threatening humanity!”
“Yes. From what the knowledge passed down to us tells us, there have been two occasions where giants that threatened to eat all living beings appeared; three occasions where a tyrant attempted world domination; and like now, there has been one other instance of a Demon Lord appearing. This marks the seventh occasion that such measures hav
e been necessary. And so to avoid the impending crisis, including the Kingdom of Astel, four countries are to carry out the hero summoning ritual.”
“Four countries...”
Suimei leaked out a mutter at that unexpected statement. He wasn’t a fan of the idea that there were other pitiful people out there who were having the absurd favor of subjugating demons pushed on them. Surely there were multiple summonings as a failsafe in case someone refused, but that also meant that there was no reason the burden of saving this world had to fall on Reiji’s shoulders.
“And so the ones that were summoned here would be us, right?”
When Reiji asked for confirmation, Gless closed his eyes and nodded.
“It is just as you say.”
Then Gless’s expression turned from grim to grimmer.
“Currently the invasion of the demon army has slowed, but in the near future, not just this country, but the entire human world will be trampled underfoot by that massive demon army. We will all fall like Noshias if nothing is done.”
The color ran from Gless’s face, and his voice became somber. It came off as a piteous act to invite their sympathy. It was sly and repulsive, but thinking of the summoning on an international stage, failing to provide a hero would likely be seen as a dishonor that would hamper the people’s faith in Astel. As the prime minister who had to think of the future of his country, he was acting with good intentions, but Suimei was unable to suppress the fountain of irritation bubbling up within him. Allowing a pause after Gless’s explanation, the king spoke up once more.
“Hero-dono, would you somehow be willing to accept the task of saving us all?”
“...”
“What say you?”
Reiji cast his eyes downward like he was deep in thought as the king asked again for his answer.
What’s the deal, Reiji? It’s obvious that you should...
Naturally, Suimei, who had no intention of ever getting involved, secretly prayed to Reiji. As a magician, Suimei had learned a few combat techniques to protect himself and his research, but had no interest in taking part in an actual war. He thought it should go without saying, but he didn’t want to die, either.
As if trying to put those anxieties to rest, Suimei devoted his prayers earnestly to the great living god Shana Reiji that stood before him. Everyone was waiting with bated breath for the hero’s answer. And after a long, silent moment, Reiji firmly raised his head.
“I will undertake your request.”
Thought so. He would never agree to that. There’s no way he would— What?
To be clear, Reiji had indeed just said the words: “I will undertake your request.”
Wait... Hey, hey, hey, hey, heeeeey!
Reiji agreed. He went and did it. Suimei had to wonder for a moment if his ears were playing tricks on him, but no. Reiji had honestly agreed to do it.
“Excellent! Then—”
“WAIT RIGHT THEEEEEEEEEEERE!”
This couldn’t happen. Drowning out the king’s delighted voice, Suimei’s shriek reverberated through the audience chamber. It was so loud that even Suimei was surprised at himself. Everyone else gathered in the audience chamber froze up, completely aghast. Though he had just disrespected the king by screaming over him, it was so sudden and unexpected that not a single person threatened him for his actions. Even our softhearted hero looked like he had no idea what to do.
“Wh-What’s the matter all of a sudden, Suimei? Raising your voice like that...”
“It ain’t sudden, and of course I’d raise my voice, you dumbass! Mr. ‘Oh, yes, I’d gladly march to my death for you,’ did your fucking brain rot?! You just said you were going to beat the shit out of a demon army that’s—let me remind you—about to destroy the world! Millions! We’re literally talking millions of demons! I’m not the one who’s in the wrong here for raising my voice! You are for accepting this crap without even consulting with me or Mizuki first, damn it!”
Suimei’s breathing became rough as he railed at Reiji without hesitation or pause. He was in an agitated state, but Reiji looked at him and replied with his usual straightforward expression.
“It’s exactly because of that army of millions of demons that the people here are suffering, and things will only get worse if nothing is done. That’s why the people of this world have called on their last hope, a hero. And that hero is me. That’s why I’m here, so I need to do everything I can for these people.”
“Listen, I’m trying to tell you it doesn’t have to be like that! We have no obligation to these people!”
“Sure we only came to this world today. Just like you said, we have no obligations here. But we’re all human, and that connects us. Where is your sense of solidarity? We’re bound together by something more important than obligation, aren’t we?”
Reiji spoke in a philosophical and somewhat cool manner. How was he, a mere high schooler, so articulate on such an important platform? Suimei wanted to grill him about that for the next hour or so, but...
“You’ve certainly got a point, but... Actually, no, that doesn’t have anything to do with this! What I’m saying is that there’s no reason you have to be the one to do it!”
In the heat of the moment, Reiji’s lofty speech was so compelling that Suimei was about to concede, but he countered with what should have been most obvious. Reiji was a student. Unlike Suimei, his only real experience with violence added up to brawling with the neighborhood delinquents. He wasn’t incapable of fighting, certainly, but no matter how he tried to cut it, he stood no realistic chance against a trained army. But in spite of it all, Reiji shook his head and settled the matter with a bad joke.
“You don’t know that. Right now, I’m overflowing with an amazing power. With this, I very well may be able to defeat a Demon Lord.”
“What the hell are you talking about, you moron?! This ‘amazing power’ of yours ‘very well may’ do absolutely nothing! A great scholar once said, ‘Fights are all about the numbers, bro!’ Ever heard that one before?! I don’t care how strong you are, this is basic math, man! It’s you against a million!”
“I’ll never know if I don’t try. We already know that people summoned here have saved this world before.”
It was true they’d learned that much so far, but it was entirely possible those stories were just legends passed down from generation to generation.
“Maybe they just got lucky.”
“But it’s precisely that luck that represents an undeniable truth. And honestly speaking, I can’t just abandon those in need. It may not be sensible, but I want to help the people of this world.”
“Reiji. Again, you’re...”
Suimei was slightly discouraged at Reiji’s earnestness. Pitied it, even. This was Reiji’s disease. The moment he saw someone in trouble, he would throw himself into the fray for their sake. That’s just who he was, and he hadn’t changed since the day Suimei met him.
He would go about trying to save someone and get people like Suimei involved, but in the end, he would save everyone. He was strong, and his only real weakness was being unable to look the other way. That was Shana Reiji. Suimei, who had been by his side for years, knew his true nature quite well.
“Suimei... If you don’t want to help, then I won’t force you. Honestly, I’d feel better if you were with me, but I’m the only one who obtained power as a hero. This falls on my shoulders, and I’ll understand if you don’t come with me.”
“You damn... It’s a matter of principle. Of course I don’t want to go, but it’s not just...!”
“Mm, I know. You’re worried about me, right? Whenever I don’t think things through, you’re always the one who’s there to straighten them out for me, after all.”
It was sly of him to say that so kindly. It was moves like that that were the reason Suimei could never actually put his foot down, and would always end up going along with him before he realized it. But this time...
“I’m absolutely not going. I don’t want t
o get involved in any of this, and I don’t want to die.”
In the end, he just couldn’t do it, not even if he was only tagging along. No matter how he thought of it, it was far too reckless.
“Mm. Sorry, Suimei.”
“If you’re actually sorry, you shouldn’t have accepted in the first place, damn it.”
Suimei could only reply with a mix of exasperation and resignation to Reiji’s heartfelt apology. Next, Reiji turned to Mizuki.
“I’m going to go defeat the Demon Lord. I want you to wait with Suimei, Mizuki.”
It was clear on Reiji’s face just how determined he was. Mizuki hung her head and trembled like she was frightened. Just what was she thinking about? After several moments of silence, she finally stopped shaking and looked back up as she declared her intentions.
“...Um, I’ll go with you, Reiji-kun.”
“Wha?!”
“Mizuki...”
“Wow, you too, Mizuki?”
Suimei was baffled. He hadn’t expected yet another of his friends to say something so unbelievably out of touch. However, this time, Reiji was on Suimei’s side.
“Mizuki, you can’t. What I’m going to be taking on is a matter of life and death. That’s why I can’t take you with me. I don’t want to put you through something so dangerous.”
Even though Reiji turned her down, Mizuki vigorously shook her head from side to side in protest.
“If this world is doomed if the Demon Lord isn’t defeated, then I’m in danger no matter what I do. That’s why I want to go with you, Reiji-kun. Maybe I could be of a little use. I don’t know what I’ll be able to do, and I don’t know if I have the same desire you do to save these people, but even so, I want to be by your side, Reiji-kun.”
“It’ll be dangerous. I may not be able to protect you, Mizuki.”
“I know. And if it comes down to that, I won’t be upset if you leave me behind. So...”
Even if it came down to that, there was no way she’d be okay with that. Mizuki wanted to be together with the boy she loved, and to that end, she lied about her true feelings now. It was enough to give Reiji pause before he replied.
The Magic in this Other World is Too Far Behind! Volume 1 Page 4