Prologue
The girl was beautiful, like a doll. Her most noticeable traits were her green hair and eyes of the same striking color. Though she had perfectly polished features, there was no trace of an expression on her beautiful face.
She was a Liradan. An artificial human.
Liradans were created as the pinnacle of magical civilization’s technology. That was what she was. It wasn’t so much that she was like a doll — rather, she was a doll herself. And so, the strange name of “Korone” suited her well, as did the strange situation she found herself in now.
She was standing in a field at twilight, encircled by a huge video screen. The screen was a translucent cylinder formed from tiny particles of mana in the air. From a distance, she looked like a doll in a package.
Displayed on the cylindrical screen were ten men in suits, each of their faces blurred out by computer processing. They were all sitting, but their chairs and the scenes behind them were all different, as if they were all in separate places.
“I believe that I am already sending you the data you’ve requested,” Korone said. She had a pleasant voice, but it was monotone, without a tinge of emotion.
One of the men on the screen responded, unsure if he was hearing a question or a complaint. His voice was computer-processed as well, to hide his identity.
“For us humans, it is important to see someone’s face and hear their voice.”
Then, another of the men interrupted before Korone could answer.
“Of course, it’s not that we particularly want to see your face. We are referring to one another. It’s best to use you as an intermediary to ensure that we are all on the same page.”
“Yet all of you hide both your faces and voices,” Korone pointed out. No one could tell if this was intended to be a joke, so she heard both chuckles and grunts in response.
“Do you have a problem with the system, Liradan? We know who we are, so this doesn’t bother us.”
“Don’t take it personally. Liradans are a part of the system, too. Don’t forget that they’re created to be completely loyal to humans. But a perfectly loyal slave can turn a man into a tyrant. That’s why it’s better for them to have sharp tongues.”
“I’m aware of that, so spare me the lecture. Liradans have emotions as well. And after they are created and some time passes, they begin to form their own identities. Not that I know why.”
“If that was taken as an insult, I apologize. I was simply stating the truth,” Korone said calmly, then continued. “In any case, I can’t imagine that so many members of the cabinet have gathered to discuss the inner workings of a Liradan.”
“That’s right. We’re here to discuss Akuto Sai.”
“It’s a serious problem that he awakened codename ‘Black Dragon.’”
“Some are using this as evidence that he has already become the Demon King.”
“The militants are, anyway.”
“As you are aware, the cabinet oversees every major religious faction. But the gods have become so systemized that control of the individual believer is incomplete.”
“The Diet is filled with fools who seek only to benefit their own gods’ believers, even though those gods are just systems.”
“We’re getting off topic, but we’ll explain because it may be difficult for an artificial human like you to understand. Essentially, the human community is going into a panic, without even trying to find out exactly what this Demon King is.”
“Well then, what is the Demon King?” Korone asked.
“That’s classified. Even you cannot be allowed to know.”
“Even Liradans can’t be told?”
“Correct. However, to be precise, we do not know either. For us, not being able to announce something publicly is the same as not knowing it. But we do know one thing: Akuto Sai is not currently the Demon King.”
“But isn’t that a contradiction? You know he’s not the Demon King, and yet you cannot announce it.”
“That’s a minor matter.”
“It’s not something you should concern yourself with.”
“Our true focus lies elsewhere. From what we’ve learned, the militants have some evidence to back up their claims. Ever since he awakened codename ‘Black Dragon,’ demons everywhere have become more active.”
“Even those of us who aren’t blind fools can see that it may be necessary for Akuto Sai to disappear.”
“Our own opinions are split. Some of us are even considering assassination.”
“But the high priest of the Markt faction, the one you belong to, insists that Akuto Sai is an ordinary civilian. Thus, he is entitled to the full protections of the law.”
“There’s no easy way to settle this argument.”
“And so we wish to find a more fundamental solution.”
“We will take Akuto Sai’s freedom.”
“An arrest without a clear warrant is no different from an assassination, isn’t it?” Korone asked. The members of the cabinet laughed.
“We are men, you see. And we too are sometimes willing to give up our free will.”
“Please explain exactly what you are trying to say.”
“Hahaha. Of course.”
“Akuto Sai has an interest in the fairer sex, doesn’t he?”
“In the conventional sense of the word, yes, most likely,” said Korone, nodding.
The men on the screen laughed once more.
“Don’t you understand? We’ll use a woman to take away his freedom. We just need to get him involved with one. A woman can ruin a man’s life — it happens all the time. We will use a woman to control him.”
“How vulgar,” Korone said calmly.
The men coughed uncomfortably.
“We are well aware.”
“But we cannot force him into committing a crime.”
“Markt’s records would show that we were the ones behind it. We are not priests, and so we lack the ability to erase those records.”
“But love is a different matter. He will act of his own accord. Even if he finds out we’re behind it, he won’t betray a woman. Especially after becoming intimately involved with her.”
“That’s right. Didn’t you say that’s the kind of person he is?”
“And so, we will ensure that this scenario comes to pass. It will unfold naturally, and it will let us avoid violence.”
“Understood,” Korone said flatly, and nodded.
“This is a matter of personal interest to you, as well. This is covert work. And it’s our order for you, Korone.”
“I belong to the Church of Markt. I cannot obey that order,” Korone said. One of the men on the screen raised a hand. He was holding a piece of paper.
“I have approval here from the Church of Markt. The electronic authorization will be transmitted to your brain.”
“And so I am participating in the cabinet’s plan on behalf of the Church of Markt?”
“Correct.”
“Then I can’t refuse, can I?”
There was a dull glow deep within Korone’s eyes.
“I’ve confirmed the authorization. I see. I’ve received the detailed mission parameters as well.”
The men all looked relieved.
“Then we should be able to put this matter behind us shortly.”
“We didn’t have this option before the last war, after all.”
“Yes, this is our best option.”
“He may seem completely straight-laced, but he’s still a teenage boy. This will work.”
“If Korone puts in the effort. And so, Korone, we’re all counting on you.”
Korone nodded, her expression unchanging.
“I will do my best to
seduce Akuto Sai.”
“Very well. But if this mission does fail, unfortunately, you’ll be asked to take responsibility. Don’t forget that.”
“Do you mean I’ll be relieved from my duties?”
“There’s no need for us to answer that question right now.”
The screen disappeared before Korone could say a word.
She was left alone in the twilight field.
If someone had seen her, her expression might have seemed sad.
“Humans say that we have feelings, but they don’t truly understand what that means. It’s a very strange thing,” Korone whispered as the wind blew around her.
Someone who knew her well would have been surprised. Her words were flat, but there was strong emotion contained within them. In the same way, Korone began to complain even though there was no one there to listen.
“Seduction is going to be agonizing for me. I doubt it will even work, for one thing...”
She started to walk away, as if in resignation.
“I’m capable of falling in love, too. Not that the person I love would ever understand that.”
1 - To the School Seaside Retreat
Akuto Sai didn’t know what to do.
Of course, this was a common state of affairs for him ever since he’d been given the prophecy that he would become the Demon King. His classmates at Constant Magical Academy were always afraid of him, and every day he ran into some new problem. Now he even had a giant dragon for a friend (not exactly a normal friend to have), and he felt like he was gradually getting closer and closer to becoming the Demon King.
Even now he was lying in bed in his dorm room, sighing to himself. His teacher, Mitsuko Torii, had summoned him after school and given him a message.
“Listen, we’re all going on a seaside retreat, but you’re staying behind. Sorry.”
The normally serene Miss Mitsuko seemed truly apologetic this time.
“Was that the decision they made?” Akuto asked.
“Hmm, I don’t know. There’s a lot of stuff going on. Hey, you know how when the Emperor dies, nobody has a field day for a while? It’s kind of like that. No, maybe it’s different?”
When he saw how Miss Mitsuko was mumbling, Akuto figured out what was really going on.
“In other words, if I leave the school grounds, it’s going to cause some problems for the school. So they’ve decided to have me stay here.”
Miss Mitsuko clapped her hands together.
“Yes, that’s right! That’s exactly it. Akuto, you’re so smart. I’m glad you understand. Yeah.”
“Thanks for the compliment, but it doesn’t make me feel any better.”
“Ahh, don’t let it bother you. It’s just the first years who are going. The other grades are staying here, so it won’t be lonely. You’ll be excused from classes for a while, so you can do whatever you want!”
Miss Mitsuko patted Akuto on the shoulder idly.
“Well, I guess it can’t be helped. Maybe it’s not that big of a deal.”
Akuto’s shoulders slumped.
Miss Mitsuko laughed with relief.
“I’m so glad you understand. I was worried that you’d be mad that you couldn’t see the girls in their swimsuits.”
“Do you really think I’m that kind of person?” asked Akuto, his eyebrows narrowed.
He had a handsome face, but a wicked glare. He looked exactly like a villain in a movie. Miss Mitsuko peered into his eyes.
“...True. You look like a guy who’s got half-naked girls hanging off him all day. You’d probably just be bored, seeing girls in swimsuits. If you’ve got that many girlfriends, I suppose this isn’t a big deal, is it?”
“I’m going just ignore that you said that. But yeah, it’s not a big deal. I understand,” Akuto said, and he left the classroom.
And yet...
—I guess I really don’t get to lead a normal school life, do I?
Akuto was really depressed. He rolled around on the bed and put his right hand over his eyes.
In his heart, he wasn’t at all like his appearance implied. Even so, he tended to show off in front of others. He certainly couldn’t tell her how much he’d been looking forward to the seaside retreat.
—It’s not the swimsuits. I just want a normal life. I could go swimming or something. Wait, what do you even do at a seaside retreat?
“The seaside retreat is your chance to interact very closely with girls,” a voice said, very close to him.
“Uwah!”
Akuto leapt out of bed. He hadn’t seen her come in, but Korone was staring down at him.
Even though this was the boy’s dorm, and his room was only for one person, she was always in here. Since she was Akuto’s observer, she needed to be around him at all times. At night she would sleep in the cabinet above his closet. So it was normal for Korone to be around, but something was different today.
He couldn’t put his finger on what it was, but Korone seemed different.
“Wh-What is it?”
“It’s an event where you can interact very closely with girls,” Korone repeated. And then for some reason she snuggled up next to him.
“Why are you lying next to me?”
“Because I want to. You don’t like it?”
Korone wrapped her arm around his chest, and pinned him down on the bed. And then she moved her face close to his.
Seeing a face that was near the human ideal up close was a nerve-wracking experience, even if you were used to it. Akuto felt his heart skip a beat. Liradans breathed too, to help with their pronunciation when they spoke. Her breath was tickling his nose. It had a strange scent, different from a human’s.
“L-Listen, are you teasing me again?” Akuto asked, trying his best to pretend that he was still calm.
Korone had teased him like this several times in the past. Akuto had to be careful that she wasn’t doing it again.
“No, I’m not teasing you. If you’re embarrassed, then I will take your secrets to the grave. No matter what you do here, I will tell no one. I’ll even lie in my reports about anything exciting that goes on here.”
Korone’s voice was like a detective reading a suspect his rights. As she spoke, her hand slid along Akuto’s body. From his chest, to his stomach, and then further down...
“W-Wait!” Akuto grabbed her hand and made her stop.
“What’s wrong?”
“Don’t ‘what’s wrong’ me! Seriously, knock it off.”
Akuto squirmed out of her grasp and sat up on the bed. He looked directly at Korone with a serious expression on his face.
Korone sat up as well. But she was holding her arms wrapped around her knees. She was wearing a short skirt, which meant that she was showing Akuto her panties.
“...Is something wrong?” Korone asked after he was silent for a moment.
Akuto shook his head and looked away.
“A-Anyway... This isn’t what you wanted to talk about, right? You were saying something about the seaside retreat.”
“About that. You will now be able to go.”
Korone looked up at him, opening and closing her legs.
“Huh?”
For a moment he didn’t understand what she was saying, and looked back at her. But then he looked away again. Her eyes were boring into him. But then he realized what she’d said and shouted in surprise.
“Huh? I get to go on the seaside retreat?”
“Correct. You will now be able to go.”
“But the Academy said I had to stay here...”
“I will take responsibility.”
“No, I mean you don’t have to do that. There’s a lot of rumors about me on the outside, right? So I don’t want to do anything that’ll cause a problem. I mean, if it’s not a big deal...”
As Akuto mumbled, Korone whispered in a soft voice.
“Is this a burden for you?”
Her voice sounded sad for some reason, and Akuto found himself looking at her face once more
.
Her green eyes were strangely filled with emotion, and looking straight at him. They seemed damp, he thought. No, even before he could think that thought, he was starting to panic.
“That’s not it. I’m just confused, because I don’t know why you’d do that for me. That’s right, why would you want...”
Korone lowered her face between her knees and glanced up at him.
“As I said, the seaside retreat is a chance to interact closely with girls. I thought that if you went, it might make you a little less shy...”
Korone pointed downwards. Akuto’s eyes had no choice but to follow. Since she was sitting with her knees pulled tight to her chest, it was obvious what he was going to see.
“S-Seriously, stop teasing me. Anyway, I’m a follower of Ko-Roh. If I do anything like that, it’ll make it much harder for me to become a priest.”
Akuto got off the bed and moved away from Korone.
Korone stretched out her legs and lay down on the bed.
“I’m sleeping here tonight.”
“No way.”
Akuto shook his head. Korone stared at him.
“If you’re not interested in girls, that may be a type of illness.”
“It... it’s not that.”
“Then sleep with me,” she said, still looking at him. But since there was no change in her tone or expression, Akuto wasn’t sure what to make of that. He was really starting to get confused.
—Korone’s not acting like her usual self...
She didn’t seem to be teasing him, and there was no reason for her to seduce him.
“I-I’ll pass.”
“Why?”
“Why? Y-You’re being weird, Korone.”
“By weird, do you mean that you find me unattractive as a woman?”
“No, that’s not quite what I meant...”
“Then what did you mean?”
“No... it... it is what I meant. The way you’re acting isn’t... really turning me on.”
Akuto had no idea how to deal with this conversation, so he just blurted it out. He was worried about how she might respond, but Korone simply gave up.
“I see,” she said, and then stood up and went back to her usual sleeping space in the cabinet.
—She’s not upset or anything, is she? No, she doesn’t seem like the type...
Demon King Daimaou: Volume 3 Page 1
