Towards the beastkin village, the story of the hero was handed down. It was like that for any village.
The evil Demon King was eliminated, repelling the cruel demon tribe. Villages would definitely hand that down.
Therefore, Maal’s mind was blank.
She wasn’t able to resist the absurd truth like Serge.
But Maal still kept listening to the developments.

“I don’t understand.”
Serge muttered in a small voice, but he still had some composure.
“You’re telling me Demon King-sama was a good person? So, he defeated the previous Demon King…”
Still, that was in range of what he could understand. Knocking down his previous life’s memories, where he read stories like that…
Intelligence was included in increased ability scores. Information was sorted and inferences were derived.
“Ummm, Dark Elf-sama, is it fine to call you that?”
The one Serge called out for wasn’t Valis, but the Dark Elf. He spontaneously added the ‘-sama’.
The Dark Elf turned towards him with a look of being uninterested, but still responded.
“What?”
“That, the Demon King-sama, what sort of person is he?”
He spoke politely. He could be killed if he offended her. Though Serge’s level had raised with a wave of Valis’ hand, he still didn’t think he could defeat the girl in front of him.
Serge’s question seemed to satisfy the Dark Elf.
“He’s a wonderful person.”
With intoxicated eyes, she began to speak.
“Tender, yet strict at times. Unconcealed dignity, while friendly. He brought peace and order to the demon tribe with his great knowledge—”
“Well, wait.”
Valis was the one to stop her.
“It is good you came here to speak. Fortunately, there are vacant seats.”
Yeah, the Dark Elf had still been kneeling near the entrance.

She was a distance away. If push came to shove, he could use the distance to launch a preemptive strike with magic.
And Valis was trying to shorten it.
Maal was afraid. Though Serge also felt fear, if he used the Skill he just obtained a moment before, he could probably escape.
No, even that was no good. He wouldn’t be able to include Ria. Though Valis felt like she would protect Ria, Maal probably wouldn’t want to part with her.
Either way, Serge had no alternatives.
Slowly, the Dark Elf stepped forward.
She then sat at the position farthest away from Ria’s egg.

“Excuse me, Dark Elf-sama.”
“Wait, first off stop with calling me ‘Dark Elf-sama’.”
Though it seemed like a strange thing to fuss about, it would probably feel weird to be referred to as ‘Human-sama’ or ‘Beastkin-sama’ after all.
“Then what should I call you?”
“Rei. No need for honorifics. You are neither my va.s.sal nor my subject.”
She was amiable. If that was the case, this talk may go on better than he thought.
Even so, he needed to be polite. Since she had introduced herself as a Demon General, she was probably part of the upper echelons of the demon tribe.
“Before anything, tell me your names.”
“Ah, Serge.”
Come to think of it, I hadn’t introduced myself. I was impolite.
“Maal.”
She gave a small bow.
“You guys, human tribe and beastkin tribe together? How old are you?”
It was a somewhat normal conversation.”
“Just turned thirteen.”
“Twelve.”
“Young huh. Then that magical power? Hey, feel like serving His Majesty?”

It suddenly turned into her scouting us.
“Umm, I’m with the human tribe though…”
“There are humans in demon territory too. His Majesty doesn’t discriminate between races. His Majesty was a human to begin with.
Humans!?
Though Serge retorted in his mind, it was probably normal for a former hero to be accompanied by humans.
Even so, she said he doesn’t discriminate between races. Wait, wasn’t it a better society than human society?
“There are cat beastkin too. I have a lot among my subordinated.
So cat beastkin too?
“Ah, though he’s human, Demon King-sama is a thousand years old?”
A human’s life span, even a.s.sisted by magic, would max out around three hundred.
Then again, the Great Sage of Sacred Mountain, Azelford had exceeded one thousand years of age.
“Ah, that’s my power.”
Listening in, Valis intervened into the conversation.
“That man’s wish was for immortality.”
Immortal, but would eventually seek for death.
“It changed the man. Enduring for one thousand years with the strength of his will.”
Enduring, not living.
Humans weren’t things that could endure living for so long.
If his state of mind was a problem, she wouldn’t have been able to consent.

“That’s… though I’m happy for your invitation, and though it’s an attractive one… I still have a lot of things I want to learn.”
“That so? There are a lot of schools in demon tribe territory, so please come if you feel like it.”
Not compromising, she suddenly threw the thing in her hand over to him. It was a dagger with a seal on it. Ria also had something like it.
“If they see that, members of the demon tribe generally won’t make a move on you. Though since there are a lot of hot-blooded tribes, you should take care.”
Too friendly. It was a very sweet invitation.
Serge was actually becoming worried.
“Umm, is it alright to give this away?”
It’d be bad if it leaked into human society.
“Apart from that beastkin, I don’t feel any negativity from you.”
Though she did feel some fear, she continued.
Although Serge definitely thought Rei was a threat, it could have just been prejudice.
Of course, since he was thinking ‘b.o.o.by Dark Elf arrived—!’ the whole time, she might have sensed it as good will from him.
“A human like you would very likey become our comrade. It’s called a [speculative recruitment].”
Serge instinctively smiled wryly at Rei, who had used j.a.panese.
He couldn’t come to dislike this Dark Elf-san.

“So then, let’s continue.”
“Ah, yeah. Let’s see… for the Millennium, why does the demon tribe invade to begin with?”
With that question, Rei’s eyes narrowed as she let out a breath.
The feeling of a candid Onee-san from before disappeared. What was left was a member of the demon tribe who held a frightening strength.
“How much do you know?”
Overawed, Serge decided he would just say what he felt on it.
“Umm, with what I heard from the story a moment ago… with Demon King-sama, if humans and the demon tribe didn’t fight, I feel like they could get along.”
Right, that was what he felt.
To begin with, the ones invading during the Millennium were the demon tribe.
But hearing Rei’s story, he felt like the Demon King was the exact opposite of an evil existence that wanted to slaughter everything.
If that was the case, they didn’t need to prepare for the Millennium. Ria’s one worry would be lost.

Rei’s expression softened.
However, she shook her head.
“We will attack the human’s territory. This was decided.
“Can I hear why?”
“No. However, it will be revealed eventually.”
“It’s because the Millennium is necessary.”
Valis supplemented from the sidelines again, but what did she mean by ‘necessary’?
Speaking from memory of his previous life, just how many holy wars were carried out?
“Is that so… There are other things I’m wondering though…”
“Before long, we will meet again. We can talk at that time.”
Saying that, Rei stood up. It was the end of the conversation.
She glanced at the egg that surrounded Ria.
Maal got in her way on reflex. Rei gave a wry smile.
“I won’t harm you guys. At least for now, that is.”
There were no lies in her words. Destroying his concept of the demon tribe, he felt she was trustworthy. Not just Serge, but Maal too. They both felt it.
Meeting with Rei was fruitful. Though she cut away from them, they felt like they obtained something big.

“Wait.”
The one to stop her was Valis.
The one to call out was the owner of a G.o.dlike power, so Rei’s body stiffened. If she had committed a taboo here, she would lose her life instantly.
But Valis’ words were contrary to her expectations.
“I’ll give you a blessing as well.”
Valis waived. A moment later, Rei’s magical power increased.
“The reward for traversing the labyrinth.”
Lost for words, Rei embraced her body closely for a short while.
Before long, she bowed deeply. She put up the hood of the cloak she was wearing and started to walk toward the entrance.
“Want to be sent outside?
Valis called out again.
“… Then, just outside town.”
“Umu, good bye then.”
With that, Rei’s figure disappeared.

“Umm, was that alright?”
After a while, Serge spoke.
“Was what?”
“What you were talking about a bit ago, the disappearance of the Golden Dragon Clarice-sama. You said the Demon King could have been related, but you just returned his subordinate as normal?”
According to Valis’ story, that person could have been an enemy.
But Valis didn’t understand his question.
“It’s already over.”
Just a few words.
“Still, G.o.d Dragon-sama can’t be resurrected?”
Maal was wondering that. Valis had said she could resurrect the dead.
“It’s possible, but the price would be too great.”
So she could huh.
Then what price would be too large?
Afraid, the neither of them asked.

One week later.

Serge had been striving to master his new Skill.
The Skill was powerful, and in exchange for supplementing the weak points of mages, it was difficult to control.
Unexpectedly, Valis would sometimes show him an example of a method to control it.

Maal was playing with the infant Dragon.
You could call it playing.
This Dragon that had been born a relatively little time ago was still a child mentally, so it was delighted.
It told Maal that it was much more happy now than it had ever been sleeping so far.

Then, while the two people and one dragon were absorbed amongst themselves—.

“It’s about time.”
Everyone gathered around the egg due to Valis’ voice.
The black sh.e.l.l cracked, spreading across it—.

“Uu…”
“Ria-chan!”

Her black hair waving, Ria made her appearance.