Chapter 408 – The History of the Demon

The sound of knocking echoed through the room, and Forset, who had been looking listless, raised his head.

“Come in.”

As he answered, several men and women wearing loose robes entered the council chamber along with Sion and the other two. They were elderly people with an atmosphere befitting the term “venerable elders,” but they all seemed quite gentle.

“I’m sorry for calling you here while you were resting.”

“Not at all. When we heard that a relative of the Nahalbia royal family had come to visit, we couldn’t possibly refuse to welcome you.”

“Indeed. We’ve already received an explanation about our guests from Sion and the others.”

“First, let’s do introductions… and then I suppose we should explain what we were discussing earlier.”

They nodded at Forset’s words and began introducing themselves to each other.

When Claudia introduced herself… and the conversation turned to her origins, the elders’ eyes widened in surprise.

“A noble princess of the Shuastrus royal family…!”

“To think you would come all the way from the northern labyrinth to this hidden village in person…”

Bathing in the elders’ attention, Claudia nodded quietly.

“I don’t know the current situation on the moon since I descended to the surface, but I’m acquainted with several people from your families as well.”

Saying this, Claudia began naming the family names she had learned during the earlier introductions, along with the names of the family heads and members from that time, and their positions on the moon.

Judging from what she was hearing about their origins, the elders seemed to be descendants of moon nobility. Their families apparently used to be military or civil official lineages.

“…We are deeply impressed. You remember everything about our families.”

The elders seemed moved by Claudia’s words, making gestures as if placing hands over their hearts in salute.

“Well, that’s enough about me for now. We can talk more later. The introductions aren’t finished yet.”

“Yes.”

As the elders nodded, the others also gave their names. Princess Elham said quietly:

“My name is Elham Baharzad. My mother, Sherity, is the last survivor of the Nahalbia royal family.”

“Oh… Of Nahalbia…”

The elders looked at Princess Elham with deeply emotional expressions.

“…Our apologies. Because our power was insufficient, we ended up releasing calamity upon the world once again.”

“Indeed… How can we possibly apologize to Your Highness Elham and your mother… and those of Nahalbia who lost their lives…”

As the elders showed somber expressions, Sion and the others also looked down sadly.

In the incident thirty years ago… if the King of Ignorance had become a new demon and parted ways with them… it wouldn’t be strange for there to have been casualties when they tried to stop the demon who was trying to leave.

The fact that they didn’t know there were survivors of Nahalbia was also understandable if you considered that they too were caught up in the confusion at that time.

The Nahalbia royalty must have been like family to them as well. If there were casualties even among the Halvaronis, it would be an old wound that Sion and the others wouldn’t want to touch upon.

“After being driven from the moon… would you tell us what happened after that?”

“Indeed. Let’s continue with the story.”

After everyone finished introductions and took their seats, Sion and the others served tea around. When that was finished, they bowed and left the council chamber.

“Although our ancestors were driven to the surface, they were not granted freedom of movement.”

“After falling to the surface, they were probably forbidden from approaching the labyrinth again.”

Forset nodded at the elder’s words.

“They were imprisoned in a barrier prison covering the wilderness, and then—around that same time, those who would become the ancestors of Nahalbia also drifted in from the east.”

“I heard they were driven from the east after their country fell. We welcomed the injured among them… and since we couldn’t leave the barrier, we desired them, and they also desired our magic… and so we built a capital at the edge of the barrier, and a hidden village at the barrier’s center, cultivating plants—thus began the history of the Nahalbia royal family.”

“Why did you separate into the capital and the hidden village?”

When Princess Elham asked, one of the elders closed his eyes and answered.

“…Probably because they were still afraid of the surface dwellers. Betraying Lady Claudia was nothing other than sabotage against the labyrinth… an act of hostility against all who dwell on the surface.”

So that’s why, despite being deeply involved in the founding, they didn’t actively show themselves to Nahalbia either, living instead in the forest.

“Whether the seal lost its effectiveness, or whether it was permitted as generations changed, the moon’s barrier was also released. Though returning to the moon remained impossible, even after we became able to go outside, our ancestors didn’t leave the forest. However—”

“From among us appeared someone who attempted to revive the secret technique proposed by Ishtulm.”

“Beristio… I hear this person was also a genius excelling in both literary and military arts… but perhaps that was why. He awakened as a demon through his own power… transformed those who followed him into demons… and went out. He tried to create a country for demons separate from Nahalbia.”

“The power difference between those who awakened as demons and those who didn’t was too great. Yet if one transformed into a demon, they would come to prefer destruction and slaughter. They commanded monsters, and demons bore children among themselves… and the fires of war outside kept spreading, I’m told.”

“Nahalbia was overlooked… but even so, there were apparently casualties. Our ancestors also feared the power hidden within themselves.”

…Sovereign Beristio. That the power difference was too great… probably means that even for the Moon Folk, it would be difficult to oppose demons without magical power circulation or blessings.

If that’s the case… then the technical systems like magical power circulation must have been created on the moon during the period before Beristio appeared.

“It was around that time. Seven magicians who claimed to have come from the lunar capital visited our ancestors. The leader and elders of that time told them everything they knew about Beristio.”

This must be the story of the Seven Sages.

“…And then, they sealed the Sovereign and defeated the demons.”

“That’s correct. Beristio had made a contract with a demon, and by awakening it, he possessed a technique that allowed him to transfer vessels even if his physical body was destroyed… making him nearly immortal.”

…So that’s it. That must be the reason they sealed Beristio. If they deliberately didn’t destroy the vessel and sealed it as it was, then he couldn’t transfer anywhere.

If they could have sealed that ability itself, they might have been able to completely defeat him… but perhaps the sealing technique wasn’t sufficient, or the sealing technique developed further later as a reflection.

“Those seven crossed to the north and laid the foundation for the Magic Kingdom Beriondora. Beriondora… was later destroyed by demons and became the Kingdom of Silvatria.”

“So that’s how it was.”

We provided information from our side as well to complement their knowledge.

And then… though they defeated the demon Sovereign… they called themselves sinners and sealed themselves within a barrier, it seems.

“Shall we proceed in order? Regarding the King of Ignorance who destroyed Nahalbia… is he also a demon?”

“…Yes. His name is Valros. He’s from a branch family of Frestina—a relative of mine.”

Forset closed his eyes and shook his head. Though his tone remained matter-of-fact, his expression was troubled.

…Valros. So that’s the name of the demons’ leader. Probably the demon that Gardinis called a young punk.

“He too transformed into a demon through his own power and was one who awakened. In that sense, he might be equal to Beristio.”

“…And his abilities?”

“I don’t really know. At the very least, they don’t seem to be the same power as the Sovereign’s. He uses a black—strange power… but we couldn’t even put up a fight against him. Though I was still a child at the time, I had more magical power than anyone… so I threw everything I had at him… but the next thing I knew, I was slammed against a wall.”

Saying this, Forset pressed his shoulder. So Forset fought him too.

The mismatch between his appearance and age… is probably because while the Moon Folk aren’t as long-lived as Elves, they still have considerable longevity. Well, demons are practically immortal beings though.

“That Valros fellow, when he transformed into a demon, immediately tried to leave the town. We also tried to stop Valros but… at that time, many injured and dead resulted… He said that having just awakened, he couldn’t control his strength… but we never imagined he would lay hands on the people of Nahalbia too…”

“Even if we couldn’t stop him by force, if only we could have persuaded him… I still regret it…”

Saying this, one of the elders sighed.

And then Valros headed toward the Nahalbia capital. If… the Nahalbia royal family relied on sealing as a means when trying to stop him… then from the results, that would have been a bad move.

It’s also possible to assume that Valros blew up the royal castle itself to break the seal. The fact that he didn’t eliminate the survivors or create rubble might have been due to Valros’s consideration—that he disliked doing more than necessary once his objective was achieved.

Even after abandoning both family and comrades… no, precisely because of that… he probably wouldn’t stop. Because if he didn’t move forward, he wouldn’t understand why he had made those sacrifices in the first place.

“Why would Valros do such a thing?”

“To create a country… he might have intended. Seeing the confusion in the neighboring country Baharzard and the refugees fleeing from it, he apparently decided to become a demon. If excellent people govern a country, confusion won’t occur. If even with an excellent king, the country falls into disorder when generations change, then an unchanging existence should stand at the top. He called us weak for binding ourselves while possessing such power.”

…I see. Both his words and actions and the way he destroyed that royal castle… make him seem different in nature from other demons. Is it because he wasn’t a natural-born demon, but transformed through his own power?

His objective is to create a country for demons. —No, perhaps he intends to govern including humans, monsters, and other races. As a means to that end, he would need a banner to unite the demons… a Sovereign, I suppose.

“Thinking back… for him, perhaps he had no choice but to act at that time.”

“What do you mean?”

“The people who served as leader and elders before us had continued research to… divide their power and seal it into homunculus vessels without wills, so that no more demons would emerge.”

“If that research had been completed, then the path to demonification would also disappear, you mean?”

To become a demon through one’s own power apparently requires considerably increasing one’s strength.

“But… it turned out a bit different than planned. The awakened homunculi had wills of their own. In the end, that plan is currently shelved.”

Forset smiled wryly.

“Ah, could it be… that’s Sion and the others?”

“Yes. The previous leader and elders put them to sleep… but after we succeeded them… we decided to awaken Sion and the others and raise them as our children.”

I see… That explains why they possess such high abilities. They would need the potential to serve as vessels for the Moon Folk’s power.

“Beyond that—wouldn’t it be cowardly to entrust even our own power to someone else and continue turning a blind eye? That time… what Valros said to us remains like a thorn we can’t remove.”

Saying this, Forset placed a hand on his chest and furrowed his brow.

“Well… I think it’s good that I was welcomed as family.”

“Yes, that’s right. When I look at those children, I feel like I can receive power.”

At the elder’s words spoken with narrowed eyes, Forset gave a small laugh.