My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's

“So why are you telling me this?”

Her wisteria-colored eyes fixed on me. I averted my gaze back to the sea as if to escape them.

“Justice doesn’t belong to either side once a war begins… ‘Even villains have their own stories as humans, and no one has the right to steal those stories.’ I liked the words you said to Amelia. That’s precisely why I want to ask you if you’re really okay with this. …Well, even if I ask, I can’t force anything, but I could at least delay the time when you join the war.”

Putting aside that she’s the demon king’s daughter, that she’s of the Demon Clan, or that the existence of Lord Lattice Nail might be useful, I didn’t want to drag Lattice Nail—who wants to be a champion of justice—into the war by momentum. And although the demon king is pulling strings behind the scenes, this is currently a war between humans.

But as things stood, Lattice Nail would almost certainly join the war on our side. Having her—the Demon Clan’s daughter—appear publicly would be a last resort, but even staying here would mean she’d no longer be the “champion of justice.”

“Hm— I’m supposedly staying here for now. Are you trying to use me as a tool of war?”

“…”

She smiled mischievously and I hesitated to answer. In this situation, I couldn’t outright deny it. Even without intending to, things could end up that way.

Originally, Lattice Nail was supposed to live quietly in Yamato Country without anyone knowing. She was told to hide her appearance whenever she went out, using that cloak. Her luggage was probably already carried to the innermost room of the mansion. Why she was now on the airship I didn’t know, but today was likely the last crossroads.

Stay here and get involved in a human war, or go to another continent, gather allies properly, and prepare for a wider war. Either way, if the demon king intends to offer the world’s inhabitants as sacrifices, a world-spanning war would be unavoidable.

I looked into those wisteria eyes and told her honestly.

“I don’t even know that yet. This country is too much like our homeland. Not everything is the same, but the air and atmosphere are unchanged. We probably can’t become completely ruthless toward this country. So I don’t think we can choose not to use you. If the war expands, at best you’ll be paraded as a banner against the demon-king army; at worst, you might be condemned as the demon king’s daughter and the root of everything.”

“No one knows the future… huh. Well, yeah. Personally, I don’t like being a dangerous banner or being used as a target to relieve others’ frustrations—either way.”

We’d both sensed this: whether we liked it or not, we’d be dragged into the war. Whether it was possible to stop it was another matter, but we’d come here to end this war.

“You’re really sincere and kind. I decided to stay here in the end, and I’m no child—if things turned out that way it would have been my choice. Has your overprotectiveness toward the heroes expanded its scope?”

Lattice Nail shrugged and sighed; I gave a wry smile.

“It’s not exactly overprotectiveness. Lattice Nail is already one of our comrades, and you take care of your comrades. That’s just natural.”

At my words, she widened her eyes as if surprised to hear them, then let out an embarrassed laugh.

“You call a Demon Clan like me a comrade? Ah—my heart’s fluttering a bit. …Ah! If Akira-kun weren’t already taken by Amelia, I would’ve offered you my precious first love. Unfortunately, my first love was given to my uncle!”

So her first love was Commander Saran. Actually, that wasn’t surprising. Having a kind, blond, blue-eyed handsome man nearby who teaches you things makes falling in love natural. I remembered how he stole the gaze of many women in Reytis Castle—and sometimes men, too. I felt a little annoyed again. Damn handsome guy.

“Ah, what a pity. Be grateful that I hate illicit love, theft of hearts, affairs, and infidelity—and also that the love of a champion of justice must, by definition, be sincere and single-minded!”