Chapter 330
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Chapter 330 – True Identity of the Administrator
“Now then, let’s get started on the main topic, shall we? First off, your side’s…wait, before that, what should I call you anyway?”
I took a stab at learning the administrator’s true identity.
“You don’t have to use such a roundabout way to ask. What you want to know is my identity, right?”
“Are you going to tell me?”
『Forming an alliance without revealing my identity will likely be impossible. Right…my name is Miyu』
Miyu…? Demon King Miyu? …Who’s that?
“Miyu…?”
『It puts me on a spot if you look so baffled. Miyu is my real name』
“I see…In that case I’ll call you Miy――”
『Having said that, Demon King Shion…no, Saburou, would you feel more familiar with another name』
Miyu interrupted me while smiling.
“Another name?”
『Yes. I’m fine with you using 『Nina』 which you have been using to call me, 『Secret』, my nickname with the highest popularity, or even Miyu, my real name. Please feel free to use whichever you prefer』
――!
Nina is Laplace’s administrator! Kanon, you idiot…I was a fool for having believed you even in the slightest bit. As I thought, you’re nothing more than Google-chan. I’m going to stop referring to you as a strategist or tactician altogether.
『Huh? Is something wrong? By the way, you’re the only Demon King on this planet knowing my real name. This alone should tell you my sincerity, right?』
“Got it. I’ll call you Nina, just like I did until now.”
『Alright. Well then, together with you, Saburou――』
“Shion! I don’t need any honorifics, so simply call me Shion.”
Even under normal circumstances, I dislike that nickname. It’s become commonly known on the forum, but…having it used vocally on me makes me feel like vomiting
『However, looking at it from the standpoint of regularity, it’d be appropriate for me to call you Saburou, if you call me Nina』
“Okay, I’ll call you Miyu. Then you can call me Shion, right?”
『Indeed. I’m fine with Saburou and Nina as well, but if that’s your wish, I’ll oblige』
Don’t tell me she’s going to count this as a favor…? Somehow I vaguely feel like the initiative in this conversation has been snatched from me.
“Anyway, could you specify the cooperative relationship you have imagined, Miyu?”
『Understood. The cooperation I desire with you is a permanent non-aggression pact』
Hearing about a permanent non-aggression pact, the honest impression I got was…
“Only that?”
『Yes. Are you disappointed?』
“Is it truly just that?”
I had succumbed to a feeling that I’d be played for a horse by Miyu.
『Something like sending reinforcements to each other would still be premature, I believe. What we can do right now is to secretly help each other so that it won’t be found out by the surroundings』
I see. I can fully understand Miyu’s worries.
“Surroundings? That’s not what you mean, is it?”
What she fears the most is an exposure of our cooperative relationship to the guys in the Upper Demon King Lounge. At the very least, Ikkoku, Yaoi, and Seven had declared that they’d leave the thread in such a case.
『No, it’s just as I said――our surroundings. I could say the same for the thread as well, but exposing our relationship wouldn’t be desirable. Of course, I’d also like to keep it hidden from the thread members for the present, based on the apprehensions you likely have as well, Shion』
“I see.”
I feel like Nina had said something like that in the thread as well.
『So, what are you going to do?』
『Before I answer that――would it be okay to ask you a few things?』
『It’s going to be boring if it turns into a questioning session…let’s see…how about one question?』
One, huh? What should I do? What should I ask?
If I include trivial chit chatter, there are three things I want to ask.
1.) What’s your race? …Are you really a Demon King?
2.) What’s your method to free the Aster empire from its predicament?
3.) Why did you choose me out of all people as your alliance partner?
In addition, there’s plenty of other stuff I want to also ask, like why she chose this timing or how we’re going to act in the future, assuming we form an alliance.
One…the answer to this question will become the deciding factor on whether I form a cooperative relationship with her or not. In that case, I should ask――
“Please tell me why you chose me as your potential alliance partner?”
Hearing my question, Miyu narrowed her eyes and put on a smile.
『Heeh, as I thought, you’re an interesting guy, Shion. I was curious what question you’d throw at me when limited to just one question, but…I guess that’s also the reason why I chose you』
“So, what’s your answer?”
『There exist several reasons why I picked you, Shion. First off, your strength. Then, your location. And if speaking about the current situation, it’d be the timing…yes, there are a few, but the biggest reason would be your personality』
“My personality?”
『When speaking about personality here, it refers to behavioral patterns and psychological characteristics possessed by an individual… I felt like yours resembles mine, and thus I thought we’d be able to walk together towards a common goal』
“What common goal?”
『My goal is survival. And you were the only person who felt in line with that thinking in the Upper Demon King Lounge, Shion-san』
“Hoh.”
『If I were to freely speak my mind, I’d love to form cooperative relationships with everyone in the Upper Demon King Lounge, but…I think it’d be hard to actually put it into practice. Do you know why?』
“Everyone is out to expand their own territory, or to put it into other words, they’re aiming to conquer Japan. Correct?”
『Yes. After all they won’t be able to invade a region, if they form an alliance with the owner of the land over there. They are playing the game as Demon Kings, just as it was set by the Mastermind』
“And I’m not doing that?”
『Well, are you?』
Miyu answered my question with a question while artificially raising an eyebrow.
“…I’m not. My goal, no, my wish is to survive. In an environment as prosperous as possible…to add.”
『Haha, a prosperous environment, huh…? As expected, that part makes you a genuine Demon King. Well, because you’re like that, I can…no, I want to build a cooperative relationship with you. Does that answer your question?』
Miyu smiled without ever losing her poker face.
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