I Got Reincarnated as the Villain and Saved the World, but After the Ending I Was Betrayed and Exiled. I Just Wanted a Peaceful Life in the Frontier, but for Some Reason My Former Companions Started Chasing Me with Yandere Eyes… - 23

Chapter 23: Gustav and the Demons

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

Amon drove the carriage, and we headed toward the kingdom. Inside the carriage… Well, the situation was a bit complicated. Solomon, sitting across from me, was somehow drinking tea, while Tia and Elena sat on either side of me… But without Amon here, I had no idea what to talk about with Solomon.

“Even so… I still can’t believe those savage demons are talking about peace.”

“From my perspective, I can’t believe you arrogant Elves are traveling with humans. I thought you looked down on humans just like we demons do…”

On top of that, Elena and Solomon’s exchange was a little prickly. 

Come to think of it, elves and demons are both magic-using races, and apparently they’ve been natural enemies since long ago…

Maybe being stuck in an enclosed space like this made them more conscious of it.  Thinking back, I realized that Solomon did say she wanted to coexist with humans, but she never said anything about elves. I wondered whether elves were included in the equation or not…

“Master… Can’t you do something about this atmosphere?”

“Hmm…Ah, right. Now that I think about it, Henrietta and Elena didn’t get along at first either…. Well, in situations like this, we should…”

I had planned to stop by my hometown on the way to the capital and secretly deliver this item to my younger sister, who I’d left in charge of the domain… But it couldn’t be helped. I rummaged through my bag, pulled out a paper-wrapped box, and opened it.

“Everyone, why don’t we all eat something delicious so we can get along? Elena, you know what this is, right?”

“Oh! These are Killer Bee Honey Cookies, aren’t they?!”

“These are expensive, right? Because they use honey you can only get a little of from a monster’s nest? Are you sure we can eat them?”

“Oh… What an interesting thing you have here… slurp.”

The Killer Bee’s honey gleamed beautifully on the cookies’ surface, and a faint sweetness, with a subtle floral scent, drifted through the carriage. It was no wonder the girls’ expressions softened. This was an item even used in the game to raise favorability between parties.

But Solomon… You’re a Demon Lord…. A Demon Lord drooling over mere cookies is not the definition of elegance….

“Well then, I’ll have one.”

So as not to make everyone hesitate, I quickly picked one up and brought it to my mouth. When it crumbled, a pleasant crisp sound rang out, and it melted away in my mouth immediately. The first thing I tasted was a gentle sweetness, followed by a rich flavor like floral nectar.

Damn…Tthis is insanely good.

“Kh… This truly is the wisdom of humanity… There’s nothing like this in the Demon Realm. Ugh… I can’t stop my hand.”

Seeing Solomon happily eating while saying something that sounded like a gallant female knight, our tension eased. Smiling wryly, I met Elena’s eyes and nodded. As expected of the Sage, she seemed to understand my intention.

“These cookies are made by humans, using Killer Bee’s honey harvested with magic by elves. And the magic was created by her. You could say it’s a joint work between humans and elves.”

“In other words, this one is trying to say that if elves and humans can work together to create something wonderful, then humans, demons, and elves working together could do the same. For now, let’s set aside the whole elf-versus-demon thing and get along, you and I.”

“I see…”

When Solomon nodded, a pot and teacups emerged from the shadows. This time, there were four cups.

“I was narrow-minded, even though I’m considering the new challenge of forming an alliance between humans and demons. This is tea made from flowers of the Demon Realm. I think it will go well with these sweets.”

Then Solomon turned toward Elena and bowed her head.

“Please accept my apology, Elena-san. Before being an elf, you were an individual. This makes me no different from my father, who scorned the human race. I should have learned from the way you live—an elf coexisting with humans.”

“Think nothing of it. I too was overly wary of you for being a demon. And besides, we were at war until recently. It’s natural to have some lingering resentment.”

“Well then, now that we’ve made up, let’s have a party!! And maybe some girl talk while we’re at it?”

With Tia’s cheerful voice, they began sharing their impressions of the sweets. The atmosphere became a bit awkward for a guy, so I made my way to the driver’s seat.

“Spot anything unusual?”

“If I had to name one thing… It’s that a demon is riding in the carriage. You’d be faster running, you know.”

His words were brusque, but he handled the horses delicately. I had thought he was just a battle maniac, but he never defied Solomon and seemed loyal in his own way.

“Still, thanks. As you can see, Young Lady has trouble with communication. She’s been spoiled as the Demon Lord’s daughter. She’s not good at talking without the barrier of rank. In her shadow, there’s a notebook full of conversation patterns for different situations, all crammed with notes.”

Though his tone sounded mocking, Amon’s gaze toward the carriage—where Solomon was speaking—was gentle. This expression of his was unlike the expression he had shown in battle. 

“And on top of that, demons and elves don’t get along!! I was worried about what would happen since the Evil Eyes guy took an elf as a companion, but it looks like everything is working out for the better.”

“…You really do care about Solomon, don’t you?”

“Huh? Of course I do. Young Lady gives me magic power and lets me live freely. Returning the favor like this is only natural, right?”

Amon averted his eyes, looking slightly embarrassed. The standards might be different from humans, but demons seemed to have their own kind of thoughtfulness too.

Just like how Elena and we became friends, maybe demons and humans could become friends too despite our differences. That thought crossed my mind as I watched the three of them eating cookies inside the carriage.

“Halt that carriage—!!”

Even though it wasn’t a checkpoint, a soldier suddenly shouted and ran toward us. Amon pulled his hood deeper over his head and stopped the horses.

“What’s going on? We’re not suspicious people.”

“Don’t give me that. A masked man and a hooded man hiding their face. How could you not be suspicious?!”

Oof. His comeback was so reasonable that I couldn’t even argue back. For the record, this street was normally outside the soldiers’ patrol range. So if soldiers were here, something must have happened…

“What happened?”

“Ah, it’s an order from Cain-sama. Apparently demons have appeared in this area. Sorry, but I’ll need to see your faces.”

With that, the soldier roughly reached for my mask to take it off.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー