บท 50: Chapter 49
Chapter 49: Ash Also Wanted to Be a Hero
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Under the influence of magic, none of the pampered princes and nobles could muster any resistance.
The only exception was the bishop, blessed by the goddess, who fell dead without any warning the moment he was controlled.
"I really have no choice but to be the hero here," Ash muttered, glancing at the nobles kneeling before him. Thinking of Frieren, who was about to set off on her journey, he sighed, "...Although, I really can't say I envy Frieren and her friends."
It wasn't just "sour grapes." Frank had once mentioned how their group had met a king who, irritated by their bluntness, had the hero and a dwarf bound and forced to kneel, just a step away from beheading. Despite having the strength to resist, they submitted to the king's authority, as was required of anyone aspiring to be a hero. Heroism meant accepting the laws embodied by kings, and Ash would rather avoid the restrictions that came with that role.
Rather than abide by rules, he preferred to make them when he had the power.
So, he didn't feel envious—just slightly intrigued by the thought of occasionally playing the role of hero. With that in mind, he resolved to finish things here and go join Frieren and her merry friends for a while.
"When I was young, I wanted to be a hero too," he murmured, glancing at the kneeling king and letting out a sigh.
After all, in a traditional sense, the hero would be the one kneeling before the king, not the other way around... even if he wasn't truly a hero.
Aura, playing with the crown beside him, overheard his words and turned, taken aback. For a moment, she observed Ash as though he were a curiosity, and then, hesitating, she couldn't help but ask, "Ash... are you really all right in the head?"
"...Don't look at me like I'm some kind of fool."
"No, think about it," she replied, puzzled. "We're demons, Ash. We're doing the work of villains. According to that storybook you insisted I read, aren't we the villains destined to be defeated?"
"Please... no need to set weird flags," he groaned, covering his face with one hand. "I was only saying that. Everyone wants to be on the side of justice at some point, right? Even you must—"
"No." Aura's response was quick and firm.
"Yeah, that's what I thought," he sighed, shaking his head. "But can we discuss something cheerful for a change?"
"So, what's our next move?" she asked without missing a beat.
"...I thought we'd agreed to talk about something fun, not work so soon," he said, exasperated.
Faced with her total disregard for a change of topic, Ash couldn't help but let out a long sigh. Accepting his fate.
There was no other choice. Although he wanted to relax, Ash knew he still had work to do. Now that he'd gained control over the king and nobles, his plan needed further refinement.
Now was definitely not the time to be lazy.
...
When Ash entered the royal city, the defenders quickly assembled to support and protect the king. However, before they could even approach the castle, the king appeared and informed them that the invaders had retreated voluntarily and no reinforcements were needed, so they could depart.
The official explanation was that the kingdom had been humiliated and forced to agree to the invaders' conditions, promising not to conscript orphans as cannon fodder. Clearly, it was a nation's reluctant concession to a show of overwhelming power, though the actual situation was slightly... different.
Inside the castle, amidst the cleanup and repair of the damaged areas at the end of the audience hall, Aura sat on the throne's armrest, just as Ash had done before, watching the nobles kneeling below. She sighed, seemingly puzzled.
"It's really hard to believe. Many of humanity's generals and heroes are able to put up a little resistance now and then when they're manipulated. But... why couldn't those at the very top, the so-called leaders, offer any resistance? Why do the soldiers on the front lines obey such a weakling?"
"Their social structure is different," Ash replied.
"I just don't get it. This guy is mediocre, incompetent, and only ever thinks about indulgence. Why don't his subordinates overthrow him? Wouldn't it be simpler to just replace him?"
Aura glanced at the king kneeling below the throne, who was quietly confessing his situation, her expression full of confusion.
"In fact, this is a typical aristocracy. When everyone's on equal footing, no one really has the right to laugh at anyone else. Plus, there's the question of legitimacy and the need for support from others. Successfully pulling off a coup isn't as easy as it sounds."
"Hmm... still don't understand!" Although she had asked, she quickly lost interest. She paced freely between the thrones, smiling like a child with a new toy.
"But if Ash keeps this up, ruling over humans and eventually becoming the Demon King is only a matter of time, right~?"
"...It's not that simple. You just saw the bishop die. It must be the goddess's blessing that makes it impossible to control certain individuals." Concerned she might act impulsively, Ash added, "Also, the human world has strong faith in the goddess. I expect another bishop will soon come to investigate the cause of death of the previous one."
"Why not just kill them? If one comes, kill one. If two come, kill both. What's so difficult about that?"
"...Killing high-ranking church officials randomly would only cause unrest and destabilize the kingdom. It would be wiser to detain the bishop first and then come up with a plausible excuse to keep him under control."
"Is Ash really that gentle?"
"While I'm not fond of senseless killing, this isn't about gentleness."
Seated on the throne with his chin resting on his hand, Ash let out a deep sigh. Worried she might interfere with his plans, he took a moment to explain some of humanity's more intricate social dynamics and the critical issues involved.
After all, if it were really that simple, the Demon King would have already had Aura take action. But Ash still wanted a chance to spend time with Frieren and her companions, so for now, he focused on giving Aura a thorough briefing on the necessary precautions.
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