Read The Legendary Rebuilding of a World by a Realist Demon King

67 - A brave man like a flower

Back

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　A few days later, Kotaro Kazama contacted me.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He gave the hawk a letter and sent it to the Demon King's castle.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He read the letter that was tied to the hawk's leg.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　It was a brief letter. The style of the letter was like a machine.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"We have captured Yuri the hero. I'm bringing him back alive."

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He said he would return in a few days, but Kotaro came back in a day.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　At that time, Kotaro was dressed as a man who looked like an adventurer.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　I was tempted to ask him what he really looked like, but all I had to do was to talk with the brave man.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　I ask Eve to prepare a mask for me and I put it on.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　I did not want the brave man to see my face, but rather I felt that I did not have a face for the boy.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Yuri is dragged by Kobold, a member of the secret service.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He is strapped down with a rough rope.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　There were no visible injuries. It seems that Kotaro Fuuma did not try to rough him up.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　It was a small comfort, but very small indeed.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　I sentence him to die.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　I open my mouth as if to read his epitaph.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"Yuri the Brave, do you know what it means to be brought here?"

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

I understand. It seems I was a brave man. Kotaro told me.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"...... Yes. Boy, you are a brave man with a special effect on me. So I must give you death.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"Then I have nothing against you. I am your natural enemy, demon king Ashtaroth.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"But you are not hostile, are you?"

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"Not now, but I am a brave man, and one day I will awaken to that mission.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Indeed," Yuri continues.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　A few days ago, a white-haired old man in the form of a prophet told him that you are destined to save the world, and he underwent training.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Yuri's abilities improved dramatically as a result of this training, and this event did not come as a surprise to him, as he seemed to realize that he was not a person.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He is at ease.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He was not like a child.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　On the other hand, this kind of attitude makes it difficult to make a decision.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　There was something more painful than being made to cry and beg for one's life.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　But still, I would not change my policy.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Once upon a time, in a country called Japan, there was a samurai named Taira no Kiyomori.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He came from a lowly family that was not even allowed to go up to the inner court until his grandfather's generation, but by his father's generation, he had risen in the world and distinguished himself.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Kiyomori, who used his own talents and the current of the times to his advantage in civil wars, eventually attained the highest rank of a courtier. He rose to the position of Grand Minister of State and became the first samurai to reach the top of the Japanese state.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　However, the Heike clan, which had enjoyed a period of prosperity, was also facing its downfall.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

If you are not a Heike, you are not a Heike!

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Such a prosperous family was destroyed by a single mistake.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　That mistake was not to kill the son of their sworn enemy.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Taira no Kiyomori did not kill Minamoto no Yoritomo, the eldest son of the leader of the Minamoto clan, who had fought a bloody war in the Hogen Rebellion.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Kiyomori, who killed even his own uncle, did not kill Minamoto no Yoritomo, the only one he did not kill.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　After receiving a plea for his life from his own mother-in-law, Kiyomori did not take Yoritomo's life, but only exiled him to the East.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　As a result, history tells the story.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　The Heike clan was destroyed by the rebellion of Prince Ninio, who could not stand the tyranny of the Heike clan, and the subsequent military coup of the Minamoto clan.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Just before his death, Kiyomori fell ill with a high fever and died in the middle of his life.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"I will lay Yoritomo's head on my grave!"

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　These words were a curse on Yoritomo, who had forgotten his debt to the Heike clan after they rebelled in the eastern part of Japan, and a few years later the Heike clan was destroyed at Dannoura.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　It is a truism that all things are impermanent, and that the prosperous will inevitably decline.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　I will not follow in the footsteps of Kiyomori.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　It was not like a realist to die while cursing his old enemy at the end.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　It reminds me of a military commander who did the opposite of Kiyomori.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　His name was Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He killed Hideyori Toyotomi, the son entrusted to him by his master Hideyoshi Toyotomi.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　After winning the Battle of Sekigahara and taking control of the country, he gradually wrested power from his master and eventually killed his master Hideyori.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He invaded Osaka Castle, Hideyori's castle.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He had the option of not killing Hideyori and treating him as a local feudal lord.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　But Ieyasu, who respected Minamoto no Yoritomo and knew his case, was terrified.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He feared that Hideyori and his descendants would eventually threaten the Tokugawa regime.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Thus, Ieyasu created the 250 years of peace in Japan.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　I should follow his example.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　I should follow Ieyasu's example rather than Kiyomori's.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　With that thought, I sentenced Yuri the Brave to death with my eyes closed.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　I give him my last words.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"...... sorry. The Demon Lord is a bloody path. One day you will have to bear the burden of your karma.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　The lid of the cauldron of hell is probably opened for a demon king like me.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Yuri returned quietly.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　It seems that he has realized who I really am.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"...... No,<> as I said before, I don't hold grudges. Because I know you are a good person. You even took care of a miso shavings adventurer like me. I was happy then. And I was surprised when Kotaro showed me this city. In this city, demons, humans, and subhumans live in harmony. There is no other city like it. The king of this city oozes virtue.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　I would die at the command of such a king.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He concluded his speech by saying, "I am ready to die if such a king commands it.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"If possible, I don't want to be born a brave man in my next life. And I wish I had been born in a peaceful and prosperous town like this one.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　After Yuri had said these words, the Kobolds took him away.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　To the place of execution in the castle of the Demon King.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　At three o'clock in the afternoon, they told me that Yuri the Brave had been executed there.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　It was my own lack of courage that prevented me from witnessing the execution, but no one made fun of me for it.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Thus, as a realist and a Machiavellian, I made the right choice.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Kotaro Fuuma, who confirmed Yuri's death, came to me later that day and bowed his head low.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Kotaro the Wind Maiden, dressed as a maid, rubbed his head against the ground.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"I have seen what the Demon King Asito is prepared to do. You are the king among kings. I, Fuuma Kotaro, will lay down my life for you!

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He said.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　I was happy to see my hero pledge his loyalty to me, but I wondered if he would ever forgive me if he found out about my trickery.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　When Kotaro went to Hanzo and the others to lead the intelligence team, Eve came to replace him.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　She murmurs in a whisper.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"As the master ordered, I have prepared a doll that looks just like the boy Yuri. It was that doll that was executed.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　She quips.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　I'm happy for the trouble.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"Thank you. For the trouble you took."

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"I'll do anything my master commands. But are you sure you want to let the boy live?

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

It's all right. Yuri's power is gone.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　I sealed the boy's powers with a magical process.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　And his memory.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　This should keep him from awakening his heroic powers for the time being.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"But maybe someday they will. ......

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"When the time comes. Then we can contain it again. That's why we'll keep him in the castle and watch over him.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"That's why you gave him a house and a job."

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"Yes, that boy is not an adventurer by nature. He should work in a dwarven workshop and learn a trade.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"Maybe he'll get all muscular and become a threat."

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"Maybe."

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　And I laugh. I was responding to Eve's joke.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"But the master is truly a benevolent king. Not only did he spare your life, he gave you a job.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"According to legend, Tokugawa Ieyasu attacked Hideyori and destroyed him, but Hideyori survived and lived out the rest of his days in peace."

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　There is a legend that Nobushige Sanada (Yukimura), who protected Hideyori to the end and was supposed to be dead, was actually not dead and let Hideyori escape.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　I will recite a poem about this tradition.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Hideyori like a flower

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Sanada, who is like a demon

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　To Kagojima, to the island of the retreating

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　When Eve heard the song, she closed her eyes and said with a truly happy smile

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"It's a beautiful song, isn't it?

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"Yeah, I think so too."

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　And so my castle town has two new residents.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Yuri, an apprentice blacksmith who works in a dwarven workshop.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　The other is one of the most famous ninja of the Warring States period, called Kazamano-Kotaro.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　The army of the demon king Ashtaroth gradually expands.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Now, as an aside, it seems that Fuuma no Kotaro had sensed that I had let Yuri escape.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　Later, when I asked him about today, he said

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

"I have no interest in serving a king who would kill a boy so mercilessly."

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He seemed to be impressed that I had gone to such lengths to save the boy.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

　He insisted that from now on I should be responsible for the preparation of this kind of plot.

Read at https://w w w . m t l r e a d e r.com

Back

Table of Contents

Next

Back

Table of Contents

Next