Chapter 448: Makoto in admiration  

Now that I think about it…

“Hey.”

Rona.

The effect of the Charm has already been diluted to a degree where she can completely suppress it.

In just a few days, she should be healing completely.

But I would say there’s no problem letting Rona go already.

“…Hello?”

Demons are living in a world where your ability is everything.

Looks like I didn’t understand properly just how much of a thing the path to become a Demon General is.

Of course, if we are talking solely of battle power, there isn’t really anything special about demons.

That’s not where it is.

If it is Io and Reft, it would be command and strategy, and depending on the role, even domestic affairs?

Mokuren looked like a researcher, so it would be development capability, outstanding ideas, and viewpoint, I guess?

And for Rona, it would be…stealth, information gathering, grasp of oneself, and manipulation.

“Putting pressure on someone to make them talk, Raidou, that’s not a technique that suits you, you know?”

The Demon General Rona being the one approaching the Kingdom, the Empire, and the hyuman force the most is natural, so the chances of her getting exposed by the Charm of the Heroes are high.

Well, I don’t know if the Charm of Senpai is suited to make others betray though.

However, the Charm of Tomoki is clearly dangerous.

It shows especially high effects against the opposite gender. It is possible to make them understand that they themselves have been under the effect of it if it is analyzed.

Even so, they can’t just pull back their hand against the Empire.

Of course their sense of danger will increase.

And so, that’s where I come in, huh.

The countermeasure for the time when she gets hit by the Charm.

After being Charmed, for the sake of not going straight to Tomoki’s place to blabber all the info of the demons, for the sake of not being an hindrance to her Zef, she would kill me who Tomoki is hostile against and present it to him -that’s the kind of suggestion she placed in her head in order to take an action that wouldn’t be contrary to the charm’s effects.

“You really are quite the person, Rona.” (Makoto)

“?!”

““?!?!?!?!””

My true feelings leaked out.

There was no negotiation technique or anything about it, just plain honest feelings.

I think I felt a strange atmosphere being created in the other room after that, but well, it shouldn’t be that big of a deal.

“Wa-Waka-sama?” (Sari)

Looks like Sari, who was with me, was concerned about me.

Her eyes were wide open.

Why are they getting this surprised just because I praised Rona a little bit?

I have had Sari cooperate in hearing things out every day, but maybe I asked a bit too much of her?

“This time you are going to flatter me into submission? You won’t be able to know the effects if you test out a technique that you learned just recently, you know? Despite my looks, I am a pro in that area. I understand that it is pretty hard to say your true feelings towards your subordinates but—” (Rona)

“I think you have planned and understood your surroundings pretty well.” (Makoto)

“?”

“If it were me…” (Makoto)

“…”

“I would be able to treat your charm or kill you. You really thought it well.” (Makoto)

“Heeh.” (Rona)

“Moreover, even though you charged at us in such a dangerous fashion, you were sure that me and the Kuzunoha company wouldn’t judge the demons as enemies and confront them…right?” (Makoto)

“…”

“Rona? You…” (Sari)

Rona stays silent.

As if finding fault in that silence, Sari called her name.

“I am not as good as you at seeing through the minds of others, but there’s one thing I want to ask. If I am right, please tell me.” (Makoto)

“I don’t mind if it is that much. Or more like, I should be answering if asked in this scenario after all.” (Sari)

“Did you decide that I should be a safety measure when I took Sari in?” (Makoto)

The condition for her to judge that I would not get antagonistic against all the demons if Rona were to do a surprise attack on me or assault me.

It might be at the time when I would take one of the demons into my side.

“…Correct. But I wonder about that. I feel like it would be more correct to say that it is the right answer as a result. Of course, I think you can use your head a whole lot better than at the time when you met his Majesty though.” (Rona)

“Isn’t it because you obtained a clear instance of me accepting the demons?” (Makoto)

“Fufu, that was the last key. Even if you hadn’t taken in Sari-sama, I was already almost completely sure. Sari-sama was more like a protection charm.” (Rona)

…

So she is saying that she judged I wouldn’t get hostile against the demons by getting a grasp of my actions, personality, and the opinion of my surroundings?

That would mean Sari was simply in the case it didn’t work.

This is getting even more dangerous.

This demon brought me to such a cold place, and managed to read that I would have no choice but to kick the ass of a Demon General that had gone weird.

The reality of it is that I wasn’t thinking that far.

But considering the case where I would have died, there was the chance to fall into a war against us.

While my brain was spinning with those thoughts, I sat in front of Rona and looked at her face, and I suddenly felt the fearsomeness of a schemer or a strategist.

It made me admire it from the bottom of my heart.

“I see.” (Makoto)

“…Uhm, Waka-sama, this is an aside, but can I ask you one thing?” (Sari)

“What is it, Sari?” (Makoto)

Now that I think about it, this girl has been totally dyed by the colors of Asora, and that stiff feeling of hers has begun to fall off already.

Ah, right, I have to advance the plan of accepting a part of the demons and hyumans too.

“I was wondering what you were thinking of doing for the retribution of the demons.” (Sari)

“…”

Rona falls silent.

I could tell her complexion had changed.

She is clearly sizing me up here.

Of course Rona would think I wouldn’t go as far as not doing anything at all for this action of hers.

That must be what it means.

But…

“Nothing for the near future.” (Makoto)

““!!””

Sari, who asked, and Rona, who was trying to sound me out, opened their eyes wide in shock.

Well, it is natural to react that way.

“You are not going to do anything? No matter the circumstances, she completely used the Kuzunoha Company, no, Waka-sama for her own convenience, you know?” (Sari)

Said Sari.

“You are kidding, right? You would normally use me as a negotiation chip at the very least, you know?!” (Rona)

Said Rona.

It is true that there were a good amount of suggestions by Tomoe, Shiki, and Tamaki about splendid ways to get back at the demons and wring them out.

But there wasn’t something that really clicked with me so I put it on hold for now.

“It is true that I thought ‘Rona with black lightning? Isn’t that something that can only be used by the Apostles of the Goddess?’ and also wondered whether it was worth it when your whole body spurts out blood when you use it.” (Makoto)

“That’s the first thing you thought?!” (Rona)

“The instant death type that interferes with the senses was, uhm, endured by me, so I thought that’s the kind of ability it was. The red one was a parade of abnormal status effects after all. I even grimaced, thinking that’s some messed up magic, really fitting of that Goddess.” (Makoto)

“…So you have already met a real Apostle of the Goddess and have even confronted them, huh. That was completely out of my calculations. Magic Armor, was it? I was overwhelmed by the magic power at the time when I saw it at Limia, but I thought that my black lightning would be able to defeat it if I resolved myself to die too. The lightning element wins against any magic power or magic after all.” (Rona)

Limia…

Aah, at the time when I fought Io and Sofia, huh.

It was at that time when I reunited with Senpai.

“By the way, asking just in case here, but it is not like you can use lightning because of the technique development of the demons, right? I have not seen or heard of anyone aside from you using it, Rona.” (Makoto)

“Yeah, it is impossible to tell you in detail, but that’s not something just anyone can use. I just can use it incidentally and with repercussions.” (Rona)

“I see.” (Makoto)

“Relieved?” (Rona)

“Yeah. Lightning is something that made important comrades of ours suffer terribly -the Charm of the Empire’s Hero too. Of course we would be on guard.” (Makoto)

“I share that sentiment. And so, as a result, you have coincidentally obtained a sample of the Charm and a sample of the lightning. I have provided a decent degree of information. Isn’t it about time you release me? I think you understand this already, but this is an important time where each and every second is crucial for the demons. There’s no end to my regret just from the fact that I messed up, and here I am restrained and questioned. You understand that…there’s no benefit here for the both of us, right?” (Rona)

“Yeah, I will be freeing you as soon as tomorrow. I could even send you all the way till Kaleneon.” (Makoto)

“! That would be helpful.” (Rona)

Rona was dumbstruck after being easily told that she would be released, even so, she showed a big smile.

An attractive smile, or like, a full mark smile that would make you fall in love with her if you didn’t know how she truly is.

It seems like she was surprised by the Kaleneon place, but that feeling disappeared in an instant.

The Demon General Rona, huh.

“Got it. Then, I will leave the rest to Sari. You can catch up for old time’s sake, or you can talk about something that bothered you or ask whatever you’ve forgotten to ask. I will come get you by evening.” (Makoto)

I stand up from my seat.

I have asked a variety of questions in these few days to Rona.

Tomoe would then propose questions with the faint information that surfaced in her memories at those times.

There’s already nothing to ask her.

I have also pulled out most of what she can and can’t say.

“Is that okay, Waka-sama?” (Sari)

“Of course. You could even ask for a list to be made for the people that you want to bring here. What you think is also in a way for the sake of the demons. Even Rona wouldn’t refuse you from the get-go, right?” (Makoto)

“…Yeah. Raidou, I am aware I am not in a position to ask you this, but is it okay to ask you one question?” (Rona)

Oh, that’s rare.

A question from Rona, huh.

She already knows the information about my body, so I wonder what it is.

It has not been one-sided, I have answered a decent amount of questions she has had too.

That this is the bottom of the ocean and that teleporting from here can be life threatening.

I have also told her what day it is.

“Go ahead?” (Makoto)

“Why aren’t you seeking retribution? And what do you mean by ‘in the near future’?” (Rona)

“Because I can’t think of any retribution to give right now. The reason why I said in the near future is because, once I free you, there’s the chance that I will do something to you guys, and you would just have to accept it…right?” (Makoto)

“Really?!” (Rona)

Really.

At the time when I am going to be doing something that will be disadvantageous towards the demons, I can just use this matter as the reason.

You sometimes need justified reasons to do what you do.

Even if not, it can make it a lot easier to move in a lot of meanings.

I will just think of it as having received a blank check.

Well, that’s how it is.

“I was attacked by a Demon General -that’s an irrefutable fact. Well then, that’s about it.” (Makoto)

There’s no need to inquire about the Demon Lord.

Zef probably doesn’t know about the actions of Rona this time around.

Then, if I just throw her at the outsides of Kaleneon, she should be returning by herself.

Sari must have things she wants to request of the people outside, and there’s no worry about her revealing the matters of Asora judging from her actions until now.

What. Looking at only the results, the scheme of Rona wasn’t solely a bad thing.