Ch.199Chapter 199. A Beating Is the Cure for Mischief

“…Hehe.”

In the conference room, after everyone else had withdrawn, only the two of them remained.

Seemingly pleased with the situation, laughter began to escape from Mephisto’s lips.

“That was a wise decision. After all, subordinates shouldn’t interfere in talks between leaders.”

The reason she showed no hesitation was likely because she truly felt nothing from their previous friction.

Whatever her kind had done, whatever feelings those who suffered might have—to a demon like her, if it wasn’t important to her personally, they were merely annoying meddlers.

“However… surely you’re not thinking of rejecting my proposal based solely on my previous attitude?”

As if sensing my lingering doubts, her eyes beneath her hat began to sharpen.

“Certainly, humans and the Demon Tribe have different values, but aren’t we both in unfavorable situations right now? Seeing that you’re repairing the ark, it seems you’re quite exposed to external threats…”

Was she suggesting they would fight alongside us to protect the ark?

A selfish group of demons who live only for themselves…

No matter how unfavorable the situation, could it ever be permissible to join hands with those who were humanity’s clear enemies?

“…Is it true that you intend to kill the Demon Lord?”

“There’s no lie in that.”

An immediate answer to my question demanding certainty.

Even her characteristic playful smile was withdrawn in this moment, adding gravity to her words.

“I sincerely wish for the Demon Lord’s death. If he remains alive, not only my life but also the ultimate ideal I pursue would be impossible to achieve.”

“…And the method?”

“That would come after you accept my proposal. Of course, I don’t intend to ask you to participate directly. As I said before, the reason I sought your cooperation was merely to buy time until the right moment comes.”

Mephisto remained silent on the key point needed to establish trust.

Perhaps I would have done the same, but it was a statement that made it difficult to conclude our deal immediately.

Nevertheless, the reason I couldn’t reject her proposal was that the opportunity to kill the Demon Lord was an irresistible temptation for me as well.

“…Let me ask one more thing.”

I hoped there might be at least one factor outside of her method that could build trust.

“What is it?”

“Do you know the name Merilyn Sutherland?”

At this question, she looked puzzled and immediately asked back.

“Merilyn? Who is that?”

“…Someone with the exact same energy as you.”

Was it just my imagination?

Was it merely my delusion to think that this cunning, heartless demon might be the woman who had empathized with my pain?

“Ah, you mean ‘that’?”

As if suddenly remembering something, Mephisto let out an exclamation.

“‘That’…?”

“Probably one of the seeds who inherited my power. They’re usually low-ranking soldiers who handle miscellaneous tasks… It seems you’ve met one of them before?”

Just a seed who inherited her power… No, looking at her current attitude, that explanation seemed more convincing.

That Mephisto and Merilyn were separate individuals…

Come to think of it, even my belief that she was a demon was merely speculation without concrete evidence, wasn’t it?

“Well, let’s put aside these concerns… Right now, I’d like to hear your answer to my proposal.”

Yes, Merilyn and Mephisto are separate individuals.

So all I need to focus on as the one responsible for this fortress is how to manage my relationship with the being before me… and hope that it leads to the best outcome.

“Will you accept my proposal?”

As I organized my thoughts about her continued proposal, I reached out to take her extended hand.

“I…”

Feeling uncertain whether this was truly right, and whether it would lead to saving more people.

“Son~ I brought some tea~”

Just as I was about to give my answer, the conference room door opened with a click.

The one who arrived with cups on a tray was Tashian, who hadn’t stayed to watch the meeting but had prepared tea for hospitality.

-Crash!

And Mephisto Rage collapsed on the spot as soon as she saw Tashian.

Her sudden action made me instinctively flinch, while Tashian’s gaze moved to Mephisto who had fallen to the floor.

“Oh my, I must have startled you. I’m sorry. I heard you were having a conversation with a guest, so I wanted to serve some tea… Huh?”

Tashian approached with concern, then let out a puzzled exclamation.

As Mephisto tried to get up while avoiding Tashian’s gaze, Tashian looked her over carefully and quietly asked.

“Meri?”

Using a nickname I’d heard somewhere before.

“What are you doing here?”

“No, ah, well…”

Mephisto broke into a cold sweat as if flustered, then cleared her throat.

“M-Meri? Who are you talking about? I’m…”

“Are you pretending not to know me because we haven’t seen each other lately? First Irie, and now you too—mommy feels hurt.”

“M-Mommy?! What are you saying? Besides, we’re in the middle of an important conversation, and you suddenly appear and interfere…!”

“Shhh!”

“Eek!”

A palm raised in front of the agitated Mephisto.

Seeing her freeze in terror, Tashian smoothed her furrowed brow and gave a gentle smile.

“It’s good to be energetic, but if you keep acting like this, mommy will get angry, okay?”

“Uh, um, y-yes…”

Mephisto just dripped with sweat, not knowing what to do.

I stepped in front of Mephisto and turned to Tashian, trying to mediate.

“Tashian, thank you for bringing tea, but we’re having a private conversation right now…”

“Ah, that’s right. I have a pile of work to do too… You two must have a lot to catch up on after not seeing each other for so long.”

Fortunately, Tashian didn’t seem to intend to stay long.

After placing the tea she brought on the desk, she casually moved toward the exit.

“Well, I’ll go prepare dinner, so make sure you two aren’t late for mealtime. Understood?”

“Yes, thank you.”

The door closed with a click.

Silence returned to the conference room, but the atmosphere was markedly different from when the others had left earlier.

“Merilyn.”

Merilyn’s body twitched.

She turned her stiffened head toward me, then began to straighten her posture with an awkward smile.

“Hahaha. There was a bit of commotion. I apologize. I’ve shown an unseemly display for someone called a great demon…”

“Why did you come to me in that form, Merilyn?”

“M-Merilyn? Who’s that? I’m Mephisto!”

“No, you’re definitely Merilyn.”

Even if I couldn’t tell, Tashian is a dragon who has lived for ten thousand years.

If we can’t trust her transcendent senses, what in this world can we trust?

“Eek! Shut up! Right now I’m Mephisto! Whatever my past was, I came here as Mephisto, so you should accept me as such!”

But our Mephisto, embarrassed at being caught so absurdly, shouted in denial.

Judging that logical arguments wouldn’t work, I sighed and gave her an answer.

“Fine, Ms. Mephisto. I apologize for the misunderstanding.”

“Haha, yes. Now you understand. Then let’s continue our conversation…”

“Let’s just forget this conversation ever happened and you can go now.”

“…What?”

Merilyn was speechless, with a dumbfounded expression at my words.

Blinking her wide-open eyes, she seemed completely unable to understand what I had just said.

“Why are you doing this? Did you not expect me to refuse?”

“No. Don’t you think you’re rejecting me too lightly? Surely you must be facing difficulties managing this fortress…”

“Well, I didn’t feel the need to seriously consider it. Yes, our situation is difficult, but when a previously hostile race comes here talking about killing the Demon Lord and forming alliances, it doesn’t resonate with me at all…”

“A-are you changing your tune now?! Didn’t you stay behind alone because you were seriously considering my proposal? You clearly had a different opinion from those who rejected me…!”

“No, I just thought it would be troublesome if you went on a rampage after being rejected. But after seeing you get subdued by Tashian just now, I realized you’re not as dangerous as I thought.”

“Urgh!”

Merilyn was speechless, with an indignant expression.

Though she glared at me, seemingly taking my words as an insult, I had no intention of withdrawing what I’d said.

“And thinking about it again, I realized that humans and the Demon Tribe can never associate with each other.”

“…W-what?”

“I said it’s impossible for humans and the Demon Tribe to live together.”

“Uh, um, huh?”

Perhaps she hadn’t expected me to say such things?

As her legs began to tremble and her body swayed, I turned my gaze away from her and prepared to leave.

“I thought Merilyn was different, but it seems unreasonable to expect the same from you.”

“W-wait, um, j-just a moment…”

“Yes, I’m certain after what happened earlier. The Demon Tribe is a race incapable of empathy, and we should never associate with such a race, no matter what.”

“N-no, that’s… I didn’t really mean it, um…”

“If you didn’t really mean it, then what?”

I paused for a moment and turned back to look at her.

Meeting my gaze, she fidgeted with her fingers and began to stammer.

“Th-that was just, um…”

“Just?”

“J-just a joke, you know~ Ahaha…”

“……”

I was finally at a loss for words.

A joke? Everything she’d shown until now?

She was going to brush it all off like that—pretending not to know me even after being recognized, and that smile she wore in front of the sobbing Flan?

“Let’s go.”

“Waaah! Wait, wait a moment, Hyoseong!”

At my firm attitude, Merilyn wailed.

In stark contrast to the serious atmosphere earlier, her voice now carried regret and even fear.

“I’m sorry! I just wanted to tease you after meeting again after half a year!! That thing earlier was… I couldn’t help myself! I couldn’t control myself!!”

“No need to apologize. I’ve clearly understood that we can’t associate with each other.”

“Waaah! I was wrong! It was all my fault, so please don’t say you dislike me! Don’t abandon me!”

Was she shocked by my statement that we couldn’t associate?

Pitiful crying erupted from her mouth—crying that was impossible to imagine coming from one of the Four Heavenly Kings—but I maintained my cold attitude, refusing to forgive her.

No matter how much I loved someone, they needed to learn that jokes that cross the line deserve punishment.

******

Well, anyway.

Now that I knew Mephisto was Merilyn, there was some level of trust established.

Though she had crossed a line, seeing how hurt she was by my words and how she clung to me, I decided to trust her for now.

I thought I should at least hear why she had not only come to me but was also leading demons who had been cast out from the Demon Lord’s army.

“…I wanted to have the upper hand.”

But there was something else I needed to hear first.

After Merilyn calmed down, I demanded a detailed explanation, and she answered dejectedly between sniffles.

“When I’m with you, I always feel like I’m losing… I wanted to have the upper hand in our relationship when we reunited.”

“…So that’s why you came as Mephisto, not Merilyn?”

“W-well, if I was ranked second in the Demon Lord’s army, you wouldn’t be able to take me lightly, right…?”

That’s certainly true, but what a childish reason.

Even if she had left the Demon Lord’s army, she was still second-in-command, and she caused all this commotion just to put me in my place.

“…What about what you said to Flan?”

But setting that aside, there was one thing I wanted to address.

The woman who I thought could empathize with my sorrow—why had she behaved that way then?

“Were those words to her just a joke too?”

It was too complex to dismiss as merely a joke.

If that attitude had been sincere, it would strengthen the argument that humans and the Demon Tribe cannot associate with each other.

If such behavior continued, it might cause problems in our relationship, despite my desire to embrace her even knowing she was a demon.

“Well, that…”

Feeling such anxiety, I watched as she fidgeted with her fingers and answered in a strained voice.

“When I saw that child, I got a little… excited…”

“Excited?”

“W-well, you know, when I heard her call you ‘master,’ I realized she had become close to you. So I was thrilled to have another rival, you could say…”

“…?”

“N-no, never mind if you don’t understand. It was my fault. I was completely wrong, so if you just forgive me, I’ll be more careful from now on.”

Merilyn hastily bowed her head, glossing over her words.

Yet in her slightly upturned lips, I could vaguely sense an emotion that could be called anticipation.

…Why?

Why did her current expression remind me of how she acts toward Irie?