He's facing Meena, the snake demon tribe.
　Up to this point, we've merely exchanged jabs, and now it's time to negotiate.

I'll make sure that there is nothing strange mixed in with the wine offered to me.
　It's safest not to drink it, but for now, it's called friendship. There needs to be a pose of trust in the other person, even if only in form.

..........................There doesn't seem to be any venom in it.
　I tell that to Tart and Dia with my eyes, and I'll drink first.
　After all, the red of Courtaigne is good.
　It's the crystallization of the culture that humanity has created. It's probably because of something like this that Meena is addicted to human culture.

''Hmph, I've drunk a variety of human drinks, but this one feels the best.
I agree with you there.

The wine is well tasted.
　It's perfectly preserved and hasn't lost the slightest bit of the intense flavor of the Courtaigne.
　As my throat clears, I look at Meena's face and she smiles meaningfully, waiting for me to speak.
　Apparently, she wants to get me to open my mouth.

''Let's hear it straightforwardly. ........Are you willing to continue our cooperation?
What's going on?
''It's the underground dragon. That demon tribe has been planting things for a long time, and Meena was aware of their movements. Nevertheless, the fact that they didn't contact me could be taken as a sign that they were no longer willing to cooperate.

I'm not going to let you get away with it.
　I'm here to get the facts straight, even if it means breaking down.

''It's deliberate that you didn't tell them. As a matter of fact, I needed one [Fruit of Life]. That boy is very strong, but he has a serious flaw. He could easily take away the 【Life Fruit】 afterwards. That's why I didn't want you to get in the way.
You were going to make him produce the [Fruit of Life] and then take it away.
That's true.
''........Isn't that unreasonable? If you needed the [Fruit of Life], why did you join forces with me? Because of your information, until now, I was able to defeat the demon race before I could create the [Fruit of Life].

Meena tipped her glass of wine and made a pause, then opened her mouth.

'I have to admit, I underestimated you. Giving you information won't stop you. At best, you can drag those depressing guys down. But you kept winning.
That makes sense.
'But that didn't work either. I didn't think you could make it in time without my input. And I'm surprised you were able to crush it head-on. You're really strong, and even more so, you have a great eye for detail. I'm the first person to notice that she's a weakling hiding in her armor.

Here's another thing that's been bothering me.
　Or rather, it's something that's been bothering me for a long time.

''This is the first time. That means that that ground dragon had fought humans many times. Probably for tens, even hundreds of years before he ever fought a human. It's not just him, it's all demons. Do you demons keep coming back to life again and again?

I've been referring to the remaining literature on the demon race.

That in itself is already strange.
　Every era may have some differences, but they are probably written about the same demon race.
　This is despite the fact that many of the demons are described as having been killed and extinguished by brave men in the past.
　So why does the same demon race appear over and over again?
　Are the demons of the past and the demons here now the same person?
　That has always bothered me.

'It's resurrected. That's not quite right. Because we're not going to die.
You could kill him by crushing his heart.

That's why [Demon Killer]. It's magic to kill immortals.

''Indeed, if your heart is crushed, you won't be able to stay in this world. But that's all. I'll come back down when the time comes.

It's like what happened to me in my incarnation.
　When humans reincarnate, their souls are washed and bleached in the afterlife to clean and bleach them back to a clean slate. In my case, I dare not wash and bleach my soul to retain the memories of my previous life.
　It wouldn't be surprising if the demon race was doing something similar.

''That's interesting. Then why do the demons keep doing this over and over again? And yet they don't do enough to counter the brave men. Despite the fact that they fail every time, they seem to attack by force every time.

At least, not once in the hundreds of years recorded in this country, humanity has not been destroyed.
　On the contrary, the demon race and the demon king have been losing. Normally, you should think of a brave countermeasure.

Since it's time to give you the best information. We have never failed in any way, even once. We have served our purpose for thousands of years. It has served its purpose for thousands of years. That's what makes this world so special.

Then it sounds like the opposite.
　A demon tribe and a demon king trying to destroy the world and a brave man trying to protect the world. You have to question that common sense itself.

''You won't tell me if I ask for details, will you?''
Of course. We're collaborators. We don't want to play favorites. It's just an apology for not giving you the information this time. Anything else will have to be paid for.

So you want me to find the answer to this question on my own from here on out.
　Watching the demon race alone won't give you an answer. You have to make contact with a brave soul somewhere.

''Well at least you still want to continue to do business with me.
Yes, that's right. Including me, there are only three demons left. But the other two are special demons. I can't do anything for them, so I'd like you to take care of them.
You think I'm gonna take your word for it?
'As I said at the beginning, I didn't dare to give you the information because I want [the fruit of life]. If that is the case, is it not possible to think of it this way?　As long as you get the [Fruit of Life], you can return to your relationship. Can I have the [Fruit of Life] that you have hidden away in your hand?　If you are not willing to do so, I will make it myself, even if it is a bit forceful. After all, I don't feel like I can steal it from those two bodies, so I'll have no choice but to make it myself.

The snake's eyes are catching the [Crane Skin Bag] hanging straight from his waist.
　There's no way he can get away with it.

And this snake demon tribe would certainly be able to make [Fruit of Life] if they wanted to.
　She controls the Alvan Kingdom.
　All you have to do is obstruct and halt me with the power of politics, while slaughtering the people in places that are definitely out of my reach.
　Then there is only one move we can take.

If the order is reversed, I'm willing to accept that condition. Keep sending out information about the demon tribe. And when Meena is the last one, you can have this guy.

This would stop Meena's outbursts, but still maintain the cooperation.
　Meena's expression turned swarthy for a moment, but it quickly changed to the usual one that seduced the man.

'You are cautious, aren't you?'
The penalty this time. I reneged on my promise once. You're the one who's going to have to accept the disadvantageous terms.
'But you're forgetting that your lives are on this bargaining chip, too.　This is my nest, and you are worn out from the battle ahead.

They're both right.
　There are hundreds of powerful demons in this mansion.
　And I've run out of foul stones and lost my special gun in the fight against the underground dragon. Even though I've regained my magical power and strength thanks to [Super Recovery], it's still extremely bad to fight in this situation.

''Then let's hear it from here as well. The fact that our lives are in danger was obvious the moment we came here. Do you think I'm so dumb as to not take any precautions?　Our lives will not be bets. Do you want to give it a try?

We look straight into each other's eyes.
　We are both very good at reading each other's minds.
　That's why we have a connection.

'I guess I'm losing. Then let's accept the terms. From now on, more than ever, I will keep my people informed, and I will support them with my politics. If eating humans is offensive to you, I'll refrain from that as well. Instead, I will take the [Fruit of Life] when I'm the last one to do so.
We have a deal. Well, now that we've got that out of the way, Tart, Dear, let's go home.
Ha, ha.
Well, I don't want to stay too long.

I stand up, and they stand up too.
　Their expressions were stiff, and they seemed to be nervous about the strange air.

''........I'll give you two last pieces of advice. One, I don't recommend that humans hold on to the [Fruit of Life]. It's food for the Demon King, so it's too much for a human to handle. Don't forget that unlike the brave men and women, you're just a strong human being. Two, what do you want to protect: this world, your country, or your lovely lover?　You need to decide, or you'll make the wrong choice. This ritual has reached its climax, and soon, we will have to make a choice. The ritual is distorted because a mere mortal is at the center. I don't know what in the world is going to happen.
'Thanks for the tip. I'll take it from here.
By the way, it's a personal gift for my favorite boy. And, after all, don't we love each other?　You can stack your body with them without calculating.
No. Unfortunately, meena is not my thing.
Well, it's awful. But I don't hate that part of it either.

Meena's advice, that [Fruit of Life] is dangerous, is natural.
　And as for why I asked you what you wanted to protect at this time, I can roughly imagine what you want to say from the information I've gathered so far.
　There's no way I'm going to be blindsided by that.
　I reincarnated because I wanted to live as a person, not a tool.
　Lug Touahade lives to be happy with the people he loves. That's all it takes.
　He's facing Meena, the snake demon tribe.
　Up to this point, we've merely exchanged jabs, and now it's time to negotiate.

I'll make sure that there is nothing strange mixed in with the wine offered to me.
　It's safest not to drink it, but for now, it's called friendship. There needs to be a pose of trust in the other person, even if only in form.

....There doesn't seem to be any venom in it.
　I tell that to Tart and Dia with my eyes, and I'll drink first.
　After all, the red of Courtaigne is good.
　It's the crystallization of the culture that humanity has created. It's probably because of something like this that Meena is addicted to human culture.

''Hmph, I've drunk a variety of human drinks, but this one feels the best.
I agree with you there.

The wine is well tasted.
　It's perfectly preserved and hasn't lost the slightest bit of the intense flavor of the Courtaigne.
　As my throat clears, I look at Meena's face and she smiles meaningfully, waiting for me to speak.
　Apparently, she wants to get me to open my mouth.

''Let's hear it straightforwardly. ........Are you willing to continue our cooperation?
What's going on?
''It's the underground dragon. That demon tribe has been planting things for a long time, and Meena was aware of their movements. Nevertheless, the fact that they didn't contact me could be taken as a sign that they were no longer willing to cooperate.

I'm not going to let you get away with it.
　I'm here to get the facts straight, even if it means breaking down.

''It's deliberate that you didn't tell them. As a matter of fact, I needed one [Fruit of Life]. That boy is very strong, but he has a serious flaw. He could easily take away the 【Life Fruit】 afterwards. That's why I didn't want you to get in the way.
You were going to make him produce the [Fruit of Life] and then take it away.
That's true.
''........Isn't that unreasonable? If you needed the [Fruit of Life], why did you join forces with me? Because of your information, until now, I was able to defeat the demon race before I could create the [Fruit of Life].

Meena tipped her glass of wine and made a pause, then opened her mouth.

'I have to admit, I underestimated you. Giving you information won't stop you. At best, you can drag those depressing guys down. But you kept winning.
That makes sense.
'But that didn't work either. I didn't think you could make it in time without my input. And I'm surprised you were able to crush it head-on. You're really strong, and even more so, you have a great eye for detail. I'm the first person to notice that she's a weakling hiding in her armor.

Here's another thing that's been bothering me.
　Or rather, it's something that's been bothering me for a long time.

''This is the first time. That means that that ground dragon had fought humans many times. Probably for tens, even hundreds of years before he ever fought a human. It's not just him, it's all demons. Do you demons keep coming back to life again and again?

I've been referring to the remaining literature on the demon race.

That in itself is already strange.
　Every era may have some differences, but they are probably written about the same demon race.
　This is despite the fact that many of the demons are described as having been killed and extinguished by brave men in the past.
　So why does the same demon race appear over and over again?
　Are the demons of the past and the demons here now the same person?
　That has always bothered me.

'It's resurrected. That's not quite right. Because we're not going to die.
You could kill him by crushing his heart.

That's why [Demon Killer]. It's magic to kill immortals.

''Indeed, if your heart is crushed, you won't be able to stay in this world. But that's all. I'll come back down when the time comes.

It's like what happened to me in my incarnation.
　When humans reincarnate, their souls are washed and bleached in the afterlife to clean and bleach them back to a clean slate. In my case, I dare not wash and bleach my soul to retain the memories of my previous life.
　It wouldn't be surprising if the demon race was doing something similar.

''That's interesting. Then why do the demons keep doing this over and over again? And yet they don't do enough to counter the brave men. Despite the fact that they fail every time, they seem to attack by force every time.

At least, not once in the hundreds of years recorded in this country, humanity has not been destroyed.
　On the contrary, the demon race and the demon king have been losing. Normally, you should think of a brave countermeasure.

Since it's time to give you the best information. We have never failed in any way, even once. We have served our purpose for thousands of years. It has served its purpose for thousands of years. That's what makes this world so special.

Then it sounds like the opposite.
　A demon tribe and a demon king trying to destroy the world and a brave man trying to protect the world. You have to question that common sense itself.

''You won't tell me if I ask for details, will you?''
Of course. We're collaborators. We don't want to play favorites. It's just an apology for not giving you the information this time. Anything else will have to be paid for.

So you want me to find the answer to this question on my own from here on out.
　Watching the demon race alone won't give you an answer. You have to make contact with a brave soul somewhere.

''Well at least you still want to continue to do business with me.
Yes, that's right. Including me, there are only three demons left. But the other two are special demons. I can't do anything for them, so I'd like you to take care of them.
You think I'm gonna take your word for it?
'As I said at the beginning, I didn't dare to give you the information because I want [the fruit of life]. If that is the case, is it not possible to think of it this way?　As long as you get the [Fruit of Life], you can return to your relationship. Can I have the [Fruit of Life] that you have hidden away in your hand?　If you are not willing to do so, I will make it myself, even if it is a bit forceful. After all, I don't feel like I can steal it from those two bodies, so I'll have no choice but to make it myself.

The snake's eyes are catching the [Crane Skin Bag] hanging straight from his waist.
　There's no way he can get away with it.

And this snake demon tribe would certainly be able to make [Fruit of Life] if they wanted to.
　She controls the Alvan Kingdom.
　All you have to do is obstruct and halt me with the power of politics, while slaughtering the people in places that are definitely out of my reach.
　Then there is only one move we can take.

If the order is reversed, I'm willing to accept that condition. Keep sending out information about the demon tribe. And when Meena is the last one, you can have this guy.

This would stop Meena's outbursts, but still maintain the cooperation.
　Meena's expression turned swarthy for a moment, but it quickly changed to the usual one that seduced the man.

'You are cautious, aren't you?'
The penalty this time. I reneged on my promise once. You're the one who's going to have to accept the disadvantageous terms.
'But you're forgetting that your lives are on this bargaining chip, too.　This is my nest, and you are worn out from the battle ahead.

They're both right.
　There are hundreds of powerful demons in this mansion.
　And I've run out of foul stones and lost my special gun in the fight against the underground dragon. Even though I've regained my magical power and strength thanks to [Super Recovery], it's still extremely bad to fight in this situation.

''Then let's hear it from here as well. The fact that our lives are in danger was obvious the moment we came here. Do you think I'm so dumb as to not take any precautions?　Our lives will not be bets. Do you want to give it a try?

We look straight into each other's eyes.
　We are both very good at reading each other's minds.
　That's why we have a connection.

'I guess I'm losing. Then let's accept the terms. From now on, more than ever, I will keep my people informed, and I will support them with my politics. If eating humans is offensive to you, I'll refrain from that as well. Instead, I will take the [Fruit of Life] when I'm the last one to do so.
We have a deal. Well, now that we've got that out of the way, Tart, Dear, let's go home.
Ha, ha.
Well, I don't want to stay too long.

I stand up, and they stand up too.
　Their expressions were stiff, and they seemed to be nervous about the strange air.

''........I'll give you two last pieces of advice. One, I don't recommend that humans hold on to the [Fruit of Life]. It's food for the Demon King, so it's too much for a human to handle. Don't forget that unlike the brave men and women, you're just a strong human being. Two, what do you want to protect: this world, your country, or your lovely lover?　You need to decide, or you'll make the wrong choice. This ritual has reached its climax, and soon, we will have to make a choice. The ritual is distorted because a mere mortal is at the center. I don't know what in the world is going to happen.
'Thanks for the tip. I'll take it from here.
By the way, it's a personal gift for my favorite boy. And, after all, don't we love each other?　You can stack your body with them without calculating.
No. Unfortunately, meena is not my thing.
Well, it's awful. But I don't hate that part of it either.

Meena's advice, that [Fruit of Life] is dangerous, is natural.
　And as for why I asked you what you wanted to protect at this time, I can roughly imagine what you want to say from the information I've gathered so far.
　There's no way I'm going to be blindsided by that.
　I reincarnated because I wanted to live as a person, not a tool.
　Lug Touahade lives to be happy with the people he loves. That's all it takes.