When you are born, you are level 1. This is a law that applies equally to all creatures born in this world.
　Although there are differences in initial value, growth rate, and many other things between races, the level itself is always 1.
　As long as they are of the same race at birth, there is no difference in the total stats of players and NPCs under the same conditions.

　However, there are some absolute differences between NPCs and players.
　One is skill.
　One is skill, and the other is growth.

　Players are given bonus status points, which give them the right to decide the direction of their own growth. At the same time, you can trade certain skills at will to fight.

　However, unlike players, NPCs are subject to a large degree of randomness in the allocation of their status.
　You can set a certain direction by your effort, but sometimes you will be given a status that has no meaning at all. Of all the points you can obtain in your lifetime, only about 60% can be chosen by your own efforts.
　Skills are the fruit of your blood, acquired through your efforts, and cannot be replaced like players.
　For NPCs, the way their status is assigned is their talent itself, because they cannot have the possibility of free growth.

　There are demons whose status is assigned to useless intellect, and people who wanted to become craftsmen but whose dexterity did not grow at all.
　It is only natural that the quickest word to console them in the countless chain of sorrows was 'fate'.

　Yes. Amber was also one of the NPCs who were tossed about by fate.


☆


'I am, Skuna. I think I've been more fortunate than anyone else.

　After taking a sip of her favorite amber brandy, Amber began to speak in a relaxed manner.

　This is the bar in the back alley that Amber brought me to. I was immediately shown to a private room, which seemed to be her favorite place.
　As I picked up something cheese-like that looked expensive for an appetizer, I waited for her to start talking.

'Would you look at this?

　What she pulled out of her pocket was a ring of fireweed. At the tip of the ring was an image of what might be a lantern.

'The Power Holder. It's an accessory given by the creator god to the beings with the most muscle power in this world.

'That's .......'

'Yes, actually, I am the most powerful person in this world.

　Amber says this in a joking way, but she doesn't feel proud of it at all. He himself had declared it worthless.

'Of course, I'm not nearly as good as the demon gods. ...... I am, Sukuna. I've leveled up many times, but all of my talents have been dedicated to my strength status, except for one occasion. When I was little, I grew up being told that I was the most talented of the demon tribes.

　'All'. I guess the in-game word is 'superlative'.
　I wonder how much fate would have to love me to give me such a skewed status.



　Power holder. The one with the highest muscle strength value in this world. The demon in front of you, Amber, stands at the very top of the demon race, with the power to destroy castle walls head-on.
　The only thing I can tell from looking at her is that it must be a tremendous number.
　And that one emphatic word, just one time, is the true nature of the emotion in her eyes.

'My clan has a very high position among the demon people. In addition to my upbringing, when I was a child, I admired the demon gods. I never doubted that the growth of my status and my talent for fighting were due to the fact that I was recognized by the demon gods. I was even convinced that I was the one who would get the demon god's blessing.

　I'm a foolish child," he muttered to himself, and puffed on the brandy in his hand.

'Hmm ....... But when I got my occupation, I didn't get the blessing of the demon gods ...... and the aptitude of a "child. Decades ago,......, I had a rough time of it. Specifically, I destroyed half of my village.

'Yeah, ......'.

　I couldn't help but let out a yelp when Amber talked about her violent past, which I couldn't imagine from my current impression of her aloofness.
　Amber smiled at my reaction and continued to talk, as if she was aware of it.

'Hmm, you who were born in the land of beginnings may not understand this, but the demon race is a race that is originally greatly affected by emotional upheaval. I was the best in my village even back then. There was a lot of damage. We were lucky that no one died.

'Amber, you're really strong, aren't you?

'Surprising, huh?　I've been expelled from the demon tribe for that one incident, though. It is the reason why I am traveling in the outside world in this closed demon tribe.

　Amber's story made sense when I put it together, but there was one thing that bothered me.

'What is your relationship with the demon tribe?　Even if you say you're close with the demon tribe, isn't it hard to connect with them if you've been banished?

'No, I've already been released from exile.

'Oh, I see. ...... Sorry, I interrupted you.'

'That's okay. It's good to have a cue in a damp conversation.

　Thank goodness, it seems the road to becoming a necromancer hasn't been cut short.
　He was getting drunk and his cheeks were turning a little red. Amber changed the dark atmosphere of the past and began to wear a bright atmosphere.

'I've been doing a lot of research since I was forced to leave my village. As you know, in order for the demon tribe to become "children," they need to give up all of their magical skills. At the same time, I found out that the demon tribe born in this world, almost without exception, was born with a talent for intelligence.

'What the hell is that ......'

I'm not sure if it's a trick of fate or the work of the creator gods who want to keep the demon gods in check,....... The only thing that is certain is that the demon tribe born in the village can not become a child.



　"Born to it. Is there such a thing as hopelessness?
　The bonus points we get when we create a character can be spent freely, but for NPCs they are randomly assigned.
　If only a small portion of them are assigned to magic skills, it's quite a joke.
　It means that Amber lost the thing she wanted most from the beginning.
　No, it's not just about amber. All the demonkind in this world are like that.

'According to folklore, the resurrection of a demon god requires a child. The blessing is, in other words, the fate itself. In order for the demon gods, who were once sealed away by the creator gods, to interfere in this world, they must go through a 'child' no matter what. But sadly, ......, the demon tribe born in this world cannot become "children".

　In a metaphorical sense, what Amber is talking about is a setup for an extra quest for players of the demon race.
　The reason for the existence of the occupation of "child", a profession that can be heavily fettered. To prevent the demon tribe from resurrecting the demon gods, even if they are born in this world.
　But if you're asking me if becoming a child will allow you to meet that demon god, Drunkard Doji, I'd have to nod my head.

　I've never met any other "Doji" players, and I myself have no idea why I was called to that place.

'Even if I'm convinced that I didn't get the blessing myself, the next thing that awaits me is the fact that the path to Onigami-sama has disappeared. Since the demon god was sealed away, no child has ever been born from the demon tribe's village. After your sister passed away, there is no longer even a shadow.

　Sighing as she spoke, Amber drank the entire contents of her glass.

'Just one look. I'd like to meet our God, just once. ...... It's a strange thing, isn't it? The moment you know you can't have it, you want it so badly you can't wait to have it.


　When I heard Amber's story, I tried desperately to think about it.
　It is very difficult to connect the two.

　Important information No. 1: Amber is the being with the highest muscle strength in this world, and also the being who came closest to "Doji" but could not become him.
　Important information No. 2: The demon race originally living in this world almost certainly cannot become "children".
　Important information #3: The demon gods can only interfere with beings who are related to "children".
　Important information #4: At least in the villages of the demon tribe, there have been no births of "children" since the demon gods sealed the villages.

　And Amber's wish is to have an audience with Shoten Doji.


　Now that I've sorted this out, I have a question.
　Since Amber's story seemed to have come to an end, I decided to ask her.

'Hey, Amber. Was the occupation of the demon god a 'child'?

'No, it is said that Onijin-sama did not have an occupation itself. It is said that the occupation of 'child' was created based on the name he was given when he became a god.



　I see, what Amber said was roughly in line with my imagination.
　I knew it was a drunkard who started the Children.

'Who's your sister?

'It's Onijin-sama's younger sister. It's said that she was the only one the unrestrained demon god couldn't resist. She was cursed with an unchanging curse and looked very young until her death. ......'

'Oh, you've met him?

'Yes, he passed away about half a century ago.'

'Wow, ......, so Amber is at least over 50.'

'I'm still a young man in the demon tribe. I'm still a young man in the demon tribe. However, in the demon tribe, it's not age but strength and achievements that are important.

　Amber is in her early twenties, and she is as beautiful as Rin.
　I am surprised that she is over 50 years old, but I am also surprised at the average lifespan of the demon race, which can be called young.

　By the way, Shugen's sister had passed away, hadn't she?
　I wonder what Shugen would think if she were to come back. I wonder if he would miss her.
　Somehow, I felt that I would like to meet her.


'It's a long story, but I have no regrets about my blessing, and I don't intend to force Sukuna to do anything. I just have to apologize for the one lie I told you.

'I can kind of understand that. Amber, maybe you've been following me since before I arrived in Dualis.'

　When I interrupted Amber's attempt to come out with a slightly more serious expression and pointed out that she had been following me since before I arrived in Dualis, she didn't hide her surprise on her face.

'When you leave the City of Beginnings, you will almost certainly choose a profession in Dualis. When she heard that a lot of demons were born and fell in the city of beginnings, Amber must have been marking them for the past three weeks, right?　He said that there might be someone who can reach the child.

　I tell Amber what I think, trying to avoid using the word "player" as much as possible.
　I don't know how the NPCs perceive players. I can't use bad words.

　Amber said she saw you at the teahouse and came after you, but that's not a good reason to come after me.
　First of all, there are more than a few players of the demon race besides me. To pinpoint me out of all of them is quite a feat.
　Even if they had figured out that I was a child, the timing was too late for them to use their precious items to save me.
　In the first place, if you just want to talk to me, you should have done it earlier, and it is obvious that you have some purpose in assessing my strength.

　I think it's strange that someone as powerful as Amber is in Dualis before that.

I'm not sure how many "children" there were before me, but I'm sure ...... they're all talking to each other.

'It's ......8 people. Sukuna, I met eight of them before I met you.'

　Only eight people? Even if I'm running at the front of the second group, that's only eight people out of ten thousand.

'I guess I don't need to go around. Sukhna, I don't want to miss this chance. I don't know how many more children will be born. I don't even know how long I'll be alive. So ......'



'So you want me to help you resurrect the demon god? Okay.

　In the end, I accepted Amber's offer, which seemed to be a bit of a long shot. No, you see, amber is a long-winded person. .......
　I'm sorry for the serious expression on Amber's face, but I'm the one who has to ask her for this.

　I'm sure you'll be able to understand why I'm here.


'I mean, yeah. I'm sorry, I didn't tell you, but ...... I've met a demon god before.

'What?'

　It's so beautiful.
　Like a statue, Amber stopped moving altogether.