Chapter 324
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Chapter 324: Worst Demon King
“Shion-san, this guy is really terrible! The Demon King called Sadist King is actually the worst Demon King!”
Usually Kanon was known for being extremely cold towards humans while being soft on my subordinates (except for Saburou). So I wonder what this Demon King must have done to get her so upset?
“This guy sure is the worst, yep… Here you have a summarized report about the Sadist King.”
I looked through the bundle of A4-sheets handed to me by Tusk who was looking quite dejected.
Human shield incidents where he’d use captured humans as meat shield, friendly fire incidents where he’d take hostages and have the cornered humans kill each other, a skull incident where he mad a cup out of the skull of a defeated human, massacre incidents where he’d attack settlements where powerless, neutral humans were hiding, and many, many more atrocities.
This guy perfectly fit the description of a demon king, if you were to ask middle-schoolers who love dark fantasy.
Tusk was probably considerate here since no photographs were included in the report, so it didn’t spoil my mood to such an extent, but…even just looking at the text, I could tell that he was really bad news.
Even though humans were already pushed by the system to hate Demon Kings, it’s only logical for their hatred to reach new heights if they get involved with such a scum of a Demon King.
“I’d say he’s much worse than I imagined. What’s the worst of it all――”
“That’s right! You’re still fine, Shion-san! The pictures I had to see during my research…and even worse, the videos were truly terrible and gruesome! It was the darkest shit!”
Tusk interrupted me, just to start a barrage of complaints.
“Right, right! Speaking of what’s the worst…it’s this guy’s fault for the humans to have banded together!”
“Huh?”
“Moreover! After this idiotic fool of a Demon King dragged the impression of the Demon Kings to rock bottom, he got subjugated all too easily after masses of hatred against him had accumulated!!! At this point, I don’t even know whether to call him idiot, fool, Saburou, or whatever…at some point I started to believe that he might actually be a false flag operation by the humans!”
Kanon wasn’t angry at the terrible things done to the humans by the Sadist King, but the outcome of those deeds――she seemed to be pissed about the disadvantage they caused us.
Is this train of thought…excellent for a strategist?
The Sadist King was a false flag operation set up by the humans, eh…? Considering it comes from Kanon, it’s a perfectly fitting way to describe it, I guess. The things done by the Sadist King planted a very negative image of Demon Kings in the minds of the humans, allowing it to play a central role in unifying the humans under one banner.
“The Sadist King was the worst being for the humans just as much as for the other Demon Kings…, you say? Well, what’s the worst of it all for me is him being a Vampire Demon King.”
I thought that they should attack the Zodiac member in the adjoining Aichi Prefecture instead of me, but as fas I can see from the report put together by Tusk, there’s quite a lot of hate speech about me, who’s a Vampire Demon King like the Sadist King, going around among the humans.
“Indeed! There are no decent Demon Kings among the vampires! In the first place, you have to be a shut-in to become a Vampire Demon King! Very likely that guy has been a gloomy, people-hating dork who used to be a shut-in to begin with! You can immediately tell, if you look at Saburou! Their characters are trash, their sense of distance to other people is broken, their sensitivity is non-existent…Demon Kings, who got twisted in various ways as result of having been shut-ins…ah!?”
Kanon finally remembered that I was present as well.”
“Demon Kings, who got twisted in various ways, are what exactly?”
“T-T-That’s not what I-I meant! Everything has exceptions! Yes! Shion-san, you’re a special being as an exception among Vampire Demon Kings!”
Kannon rattled down excuses.
“I see, I see. ――Saburou!”
“N-Nooooooooooooooooo! S-Sorry…Shion-san, I’m truly sorry…”
“Yes! You called for me?”
“A little while ago you performed truly outstandingly.”
“――! Thank you kindly for your praise!”
“…Sorry…forgive me…”
“I always believe that it is of utmost importance to punish those who break the rules and reward those obtaining achievements.”
“Nothing less of you, Shion-sama. That is a wise approach.”
“…Forgive me…forgive me…”
In contrast to Saburou whose eyes were gleaming with anticipation, Kanon was repeatedly apologizing like a broken record with dead eyes. I had planned to allow Saburou to use 《Absorb》 on Kanon, but…I wonder whether Kanon’s mind would be able to handle that?
Right now we’re in a difficult situation. Hmm, I guess I’ll let her off this time.
“With that said, Saburou, is there something you urgently desire?”
“Something I desire, you ask…hmm…”
“Well, I suppose you will be hard-pressed to give me an answer right off the bat. Get in contact with me once you made up your mind.”
“――! Shion-sama, it’s fine to do so after this battle is over, but please grant my little sister Lily the strongest armor.”
“She isn’t your little sister, but…armor for Liliel, huh? Very well.”
“――! S-Shion-san…”
“Shion-sama, this lowly servant…no, all of Team J promises you further deeds of arms during this conflict!”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“――! Yes, Milord! Please count on us!!”
Kanon’s eyes regained their light once she realized that she had just barely survived. Meanwhile Saburou looked happy and at the same time confused over being directly praised by me for the first time.
It’s not like I aimed for it, but since I boosted the morale of Kanon, my self-alleged strategist, and Saburou, who can become the key player in the defense, I’d say things turned out nicely this time.
But, rather than such matters, I think I should deal with the dire problem at hand right now. I now understand that the humans of the Shizuoka Prefecture hate Demon Kings…and especially Vampire Demon Kings, but I don’t know how to deal with this.
Even if all of us are categorized as Demon Kings, we’re mutual enemies…but even if I tell them to not lump us all together, the humans won’t listen to me anyway.
What if Kanon’s speculation is true…making the Sadist King a false flag operation plotted by the humans? …How could I prove that? As long as I don’t have any convincing evidence, the humans likely won’t believe me. In the first place, it’s unclear whether it is propaganda.
How should I stop the humans’ invasion which is showing no end at the moment?
I wracked my brain as I couldn’t come up with a precise strategy.
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