Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody

※2017/7/16 Typo corrections made.

This is Satou. Sometimes, people around you make a big fuss about things you yourself don’t really care about. I wish they’d just take words at face value without reading too much into them.

◇

“Ichiro-nii, I heard Sol-kun invited you to become his retainer?”

Hikaru came to visit, holding a bag of snack chips in one hand, just as I was working on transformation sets for Pochi and Tama’s school commute.

The smocks for school lunch, bags for water bottles, triangular headscarves, indoor shoe bags, and cleaning cloths on the table were all handmade by Arisa, who was having a bit of fun with it.

“You know a lot about that.”

“Yeah, Sol-kun got scolded by Sete over it.”

The Sete Hikaru mentioned is the nickname of the king.

According to map information, his real name is Seteraric.

“Why’s that?”

“Well, even though Sete and the others were making arrangements behind the scenes—”

Hikaru said that the king and prime minister were secretly persuading Duke Bistal and Marquis Kelten not to poach me away from Count Muno—I think he’s a marquis now.

At that time, when First Prince Soltric tried to make me his retainer, it earned the king’s ire.

“Well, Sete was also at fault for not telling Sol-kun, and since Sol-kun skillfully made it sound like a friendly invitation, it seems they got off with just a scolding, so it’s fine.”

Being royal seems to be quite a challenge.

It feels like just a normal case of poor communication between parent and child, but given the busy king and his 32-year-old son with a family, maybe that’s just how it is.

Still, even the king seems troubled by the demon king slayer situation.

“That’s not it.”

“Not it?”

“Apparently, Sete and the others are convinced that Ichiro-nii’s true identity is hero Nameless.”

—Backwards, backwards. The true identity of hero Nameless is me.

Putting that aside, Hikaru just responded to the king’s questions with an ambiguous Japanese smile, neither denying nor confirming anything.

Of course, Hikaru isn’t the type to hide things well, so it’s safe to say the secret is pretty much out.

During the last divine punishment incident, I had already gone all out, prepared for my identity to be revealed, so this was all expected.

“But Sete and the others seem to think Ichiro-nii’s true identity is not that of an ordinary person.”

Now that I think about it, when I told them there are two Namelesses, the king and prime minister assumed I was an apostle of the gods.

“I’m an ordinary person, though.”

I said that, and Hikaru laughed cheerfully.

—How rude.

My status screen clearly says “human tribe.”

“Well, whether Ichiro-nii is ‘ordinary’ or not aside, Sete apparently thinks you are a ‘dragon incarnation’ turned human by primal magic.”

—Dragon?

“That’s quite the leap in logic, isn’t it?”

“Not really. You’ve been knocking out demon kings left and right and solving global crises regularly. It’s obvious you’re not an ordinary person.”

Hikaru prefaced and continued.

“So the options are apostle of the gods, demon race, or dragon. Demon race wouldn’t be killing demon kings all the time, and an apostle of the gods wouldn’t actively prevent monster stampedes against divine will. So—”

By process of elimination, only “dragon” remains.

Images of the battle junkie black dragon Heilong, ancient dragons, and the clumsy celestial dragon Ten-chan come to mind.

I don’t think I’m that reckless, though.

I hardly cause any collateral damage.

“Ah!”

Hikaru pointed to the wall clock standing by the pillar and stood up.

“We should change soon or we’ll be late for the ball.”

“It’s already that time?”

Glancing at the schedule on the menu, it was definitely tight.

Being late for the grand ball hosted by the king himself would be bad.

◇

“So this is the legendary ultimate dish that colors everything!”

“The scent piercing my nose is wonderful.”

Voices from the food court serving light meals at the ball belonged to the gluttonous nobles of Duke Ouyugok’s territory—Marquis Lloyd and Count Hohen.