Maou Gun Saikyou no Majutsushi wa Ningen datta Volume 1 Chapter 23

Sorry about the late update, lot of stuff going on right now so updates may be infrequent for a while. Enjoy~!

7th Army Corps Commander Sefiro’s headquarters, Barencelle.

Previously, it was explained a bit, but this is Sefiro’s castle.

In the northern extremity of the Maou region, it shoulders the front line of the Maou region defense.

----is a past story.

Currently, the human’s countries are under control, so there aren’t any human that would invade this castle.

However, tentatively it’s the the corps commander’s castle, suitable defense is layed out.
In the transition s.p.a.ce there are several demons stationed.
Vampire men, and lizardman men.
Simply that they’ve been entrusted with the defense, they should have suitable strength.

Just, should I say they have no feeling of tension, they don’t believe that the enemy army will invade this castle even in their wildest dreams.

Even yawning with an fully lazy expression.
Though I though, dear me, I didn’t caution them.

Certainly, the ones who can arrive at this transition s.p.a.ce are only demons who carry a special amulet.

It’s not such a stupid structure that the enemy’s military force could suddenly appear.
Rather undertaking the defense and constantly having an air of tension, might be absurd.

In addition, those guys being keen on their duty, and checking a person’s ident.i.ty in detail is troublesome, so it’s just perfect.

If it’s demons of their degree, then I can deceive them any number of times, but even then it’s a bother to be checked every time.

“Good work----”

Saying just a few words, I go past their side.
They salute, and greet me.

I’m a brigade commander so it’s natural, but being too humble is a problem. I became brigade commander and many years have pa.s.sed, but still it’s seems no matter what inside I’m j.a.panese. Quite thoroughly, I can’t act self-important.

According to Sefiro,

“That’s your strong point, as well as your weak point isn’t it.”

as such.

Just, this time, that habit seems to have been effective.

The lizardman man brought me some important information with a casual tone.

“Ah, Ike-sama, from a while ago Sefiro-sama has been searching for Ike-sama.”
“The commander was?”

As expected it seems the commander had been planning on summoning me.

Since I came to this castle before that, she couldn’t catch me.

This might be good luck.

The time before last was her self-made golem’s experiment, last time I was summoned during her bath, it’s impossible to know what she would make me do this time.

“……incidentally was the commander making a happy looking expression?”

“What do you mean?”

“For example, making some kind of suspicious mechanism, carefully looking after her skin, or ordering new underwear from a human town, or such strange things.”

“Haa, I’m a gatekeeper after all. That kind of topic is a little. However, just now when we pa.s.sed by, she was giving off an ambience a little different from usual.”

“……I see.”

It seems she’s apparently gotten an idea of the traitor.

Even that Sefiro is tentatively the demon’s corps commander, she might be feeling fl.u.s.tered that there’s a traitor within the army corps.

Which means, I might be able to see the commander’s serious expression after a long time.
I who thought that, while loosening my expression, headed towards the office where the commander should be.

Just as I thought the commander had both elbows thrust on the desk, and was making a serious expression.
Even though I greeted her, she didn’t even crack a joke.
Most likely the traitor’s ident.i.ty was an unforeseen personage.

She began,

“Maou Army 7th Army Corps Vice-Commander, the One-eyed Devilkin1
Jace.”

and spoke that name.

I immediately guessed that meaning.

“No way, that Jace vice-commander is the traitor……”

“----even though you don’t think that.”

Sefiro immediately denied me.

“…………”

……I was found out huh.

Tentatively, for form’s sake, I displayed surprise, but well, it was within the scope of expectation.

One-eyed Devilkin Jace, known as a sharp and able person within the 7th Army Corps.
In accordance with the name of devilkin, from the start not a demon, a monsterGoblin.

If from a human’s point of view, they won’t do something like distinguish between monster and demon, but from a demon’s point of view monsters and demons are completely different.

A demon refers one who has a certain degree of intelligence, and the required magic power or physical strength suitable for that.

On the other hand, monster refers to beings with low intelligence as well as weak power.

To give a concrete example, kobold, orc, goblin, skeleton, basilisk, c.o.c.katrice, big scorpion and such are monsters.

They have no intellect, or since they’re power is weak.

However, with my staff officer orc Jiron as an example, seldomly there are fellows that intellect and special power even within the monsters.

Those kinds of fellows, though it’s limited to one generation, are treated as [Demons].

If they become a demon, then even within the army corps they’ll be treated accordingly, and if they do a meritorious deed then even promotion to [Commanding Officer] is possible. Moreover, they can become even Brigade Commander, even Corps Commander.

As expected there doesn’t seem to be a precedent of having become Maou from a monster, but even then the organization called the Maou Army that judges solely only on real ability might be considerably progressive.

By the way the aforementioned Jace, in accordance to his nickname One-eyed devilkin, is a goblin man.
A seasoned veteran, he has a large wound on his right eye.

Also as expected of being employed as the 7th Army Corps’ Vice-commander, he’s known as quite the wise man.

As Sefiro’s right-hand man he’s drafted numerous strategies until now, the previous day’s capture of a.r.s.enum as well, he exercised that sharpness, is commonly spoken of.

“However, Jace vice-commander turned traitor, which means it’s troublesome right.”
“Hou, how is it trouble. Try telling me.”
“First, the 7th Army Corps’ No2 turned traitor. He knows our plans.”
“Fumu.”

“The next worry would be is that vice-commander is sharp. Well, this time he made the blunder of leaving his own traces on the map, but even then whether he confesses with just thrusting this map before him. Most likely he’ll feign ignorance I’m sure.”

“That’s natural. If I were in the same position I would probably feign ignorance.”

“If that’s the case, then we’re in trouble. Despite having no certain proof, there’s no way we punish him……”

I sighed like that but,
“……kukuku.”
She leaked a laugh.

“What’s funny, commander.”

“No, like I thought you’re human huh. Is what I thought. That’s a way of thinking if they were human isn’t it?”

“……haa, well that’s right.”

To be exact, it’s my previous world’s way of thinking.
In j.a.pan without any evidence you can’t penalize a person, it’s supposed to be.

“However, we’re demons. Demon’s have a demon’s way of thinking.”
“Which means?”
“Get them before they get you! Certain evidence or such can go to h.e.l.l!”
“In other words, without regard to evidence, punish the vice-commander, is what you mean right……”
“Exactly!”

Sefiro said that bluntly, but I wasn’t very surprised.
Rather it’s just like this person, enough to think like that.

“What, you won’t make a surprised face huh. Even though I thought you would reproach me.”

“Even like this, I have a long relationship with Commander after all. I thought you would arrive at such a conclusion.”

“……which means that you’ve already made preparations, it’s fine to think that right?”

“Yes, the Undead Brigade group have already proceeded with battle preparations.”

“Which means next is just to invade until Loire, the city that guy governs huh. With your Undead Brigade as the main force, also, I’ll provide 2~3 brigades as reinforcement. If you like I myself can take command……”

I interrupt those words midway.

“No, it’s enough with just my Undead Brigade here.”

“What did you say? Do you plan to defeat Jace’s brigade with merely a single brigade?”

“Yes, if it’s the same number of enemies then I don’t feel like I’ll lose.”

“……isn’t overconfidence? In the art of war, taking a large number of soldiers to defeat a small number of soldiers is normal practice you know.”

“As one would expect I know at least that much. But, if soldiers move on the scale of the Maou Army, then the occupied territory’s rule may become negligent. Right now, for my brigade who’s occupation policy is going the best to move is something reasonable right.”

“……fumu.”

“In addition, if we move in units of corps, then Maou-sama might hear of this. Avoiding that is wise right.”

“……fumu, certainly that may be right but.”

Even then Sefiro, “Uumu……”, tilts her head.
It seems like there’s something stuck in her throat.

“What’s wrong? Is there something you don’t like?”

I ask.

“If it’s things I’m not pleased with then there’s any number. Good grief, not just magic power, you’ve come to stand on your own even with that way of thinking. Like this, there’s nothing I can teach you is there.”

I see, it seems this person is still putting on the airs of my guardian.
It’s a relationship we’ve known since my childhood after all.

No matter how big my body gets, she may be looking at the vestiges of the past.
She probably wants me to rely on her a bit.

(……somehow or another she’s good at looking after people, this person is.)

I who thought that decided to ask a certain favor to Sefiro.
I decided to have her gather the necessary tools for the time when capturing the city of Loire.

When she heard that request, Sefiro’s eyes shone like a child.

As expected of the mad alchemistMad・Scientist.
It seems just with hearing that proposal she guessed everything.

“You’re a genius aren’t you!”

Like that she frolics like a child, and strikes my back.

For a short while I endure that,

“Well then, I’ll return to Ivalice. Arriving at the city of Loire will, eeto take about 6 days, but can you make it by then?”

Sefiro,

“Who are you speaking of.”

She says that and without turning her eyes here, she went out of the office.

She’s probably going to the research tower just like that.
In that condition, it seemed like she would prepare what I requested in time.

1. This is written in the kanji 小鬼, which can also be translated as goblin

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