I am the High King.
A messenger from the Village Head of Village Five has arrived.
The Village Head of Village Five.
In other words, Lady Tiselle's father.
All—all right, I have steeled my resolve.
I have practiced my greetings.
I am a king.
There is nothing I cannot do.
Come now, it is not as though I am facing an army of a million men.
Stay relaxed.
Take it easy.
Both Count Chrome and Count Pugyal told me that Lady Tiselle's father is a mild-mannered man.
It is just that those around him are extreme.
...
D-Don't think about it.
Don't think about the people around him!
Stay positive.
Move forward with a positive attitude!
Inside a room in the building called the Village Five Council Hall.
There, I met Lady Tiselle's father, the Village Head of Village Five.
Since it was billed as a conference, I thought it would be a one-on-one meeting between Lady Tiselle's father and myself, but there were many people in the room.
First, me.
Yes, there's me.
And then, Lady Tiselle's father.
...
Ordinary.
He looks like a truly ordinary person.
If not for the warnings from Count Chrome and Count Pugyal, I might have taken him lightly.
That was close.
If you think about it for even a moment, an ordinary person doesn't take an Angel as a wife.
Also, I'm sure it's just my imagination, but he looks an awful lot like the stall owner who was serving ramen from a food stall late at night.
Could they be brothers?
I'll try asking him later if he could introduce me.
Sitting beside Lady Tiselle's father is Lady Yoko, the Acting Village Head of Village Five.
I've heard about her from Lady Tiselle.
She is the person who essentially runs Village Five.
That makes me wonder what Lady Tiselle's father, the Village Head of Village Five, actually does, but apparently he owns other villages besides Village Five and spends his time patrolling them.
...
Wouldn't you call someone like that a lord rather than a village head?
The culture of the Demon Kingdom is difficult to understand.
And sitting a short distance away from Lady Yoko is the Demon King.
Yes, the Demon King.
He wasn't wearing his baseball attire, but was seated properly in clothes befitting the Demon King.
He possesses such dignity that he seems like a completely different person.
Even though he quickly devoured the cake that came served as a set with his tea and is demanding a second helping, he still possesses dignity.
It might be a bit late to bring this up, but I am visiting the Demon Kingdom unofficially.
Holding a direct conference with the Demon King... no, given the number of attendees this time, it's more like a gathering.
If it gets out that I was at a gathering with the Demon King, wouldn't that cause international complications?
Could it become a pretext for other countries to attack mine, or something like that...?
It's fine?
It's arranged so that everything is officially handled by the Six Dragon God Kingdom?
If another nation attacks me on the pretext of having met the Demon King, the Six Dragon God Kingdom will treat them as enemies.
That's why the Six Dragon God Kingdom secured me first and then invited me to the Demon Kingdom.
I-Is that how it works?
Beside the Demon King is Count Chrome.
It seems Count Pugyal couldn't make it due to work.
I feel a little uneasy without him.
Since Count Chrome handles foreign affairs for the Demon Kingdom, is that why he's present here?
No?
He's just acting as a chaperone?
The ones escorted in by Count Chrome were three boys from the Beastman Race and one boy from the High Ogre race.
They are apparently the children of Lady Tiselle's father.
The three Beastman Race boys are Lady Tiselle's older brothers.
The High Ogre boy is Lady Tiselle's younger brother.
I braced myself a little upon learning they were Lady Tiselle's siblings, but all four were exceptionally polite.
Is Lady Tiselle the only exceptional one?
The four are here to hear about Lady Tiselle from me.
And also, to apologize.
No, no, Lady Tiselle hasn't been causing that much trouble.
Yes, she has helped me in many ways.
It's all right.
I'm not being forced to say this.
It's not as though they're holding some weakness over me, nor is anything being held hostage.
Please don't worry.
Though I understand how you feel.
Ah, I completely understand.
From the little things in Lady Tiselle's words and actions... yes.
However, I can also tell that Lady Tiselle is exercising restraint in my country.
Lady Tiselle has been a great help.
Truly.
Yes, let's have a nice, long talk later.
That covers everyone.
Including Lady Tiselle's father and myself, there are nine people seated at the table.
In addition, there are two of Lady Yoko's secretaries, three guards for Lady Tiselle's father, and several butlers and maids in the room, but since they aren't seated at the table, I haven't counted them.
Also, we are to proceed with this meeting as a conference rather than a gathering.
On the surface, it is a venue for Lady Tiselle's father to hear about Lady Tiselle from me.
Understood.
The conference with Lady Tiselle's father... began with brief self-introductions and casual chatter before moving onto the topic of Lady Tiselle.
Without hiding anything or exaggerating, I spoke as accurately as possible.
When there were difficulties, I told him there were difficulties, and when she helped, I told him she helped.
Because Count Chrome and Count Pugyal had told me it was best to do so.
They said that as long as I hadn't directly used violence against Lady Tiselle or put her in danger, Lady Tiselle's father wouldn't get angry.
I believed them.
It's not like I had anything else to believe in.
Since I had delivered the letters from Lady Tiselle and the others beforehand, he probably already knows quite a bit about our situation anyway.
Lies are no good.
Honesty is best.
The conference proceeded in the form of answering questions from Lady Tiselle's father.
There were no problems whatsoever.
...
Wait, did I just hear a terrifying suggestion that they should dispatch around twenty Angels to Lady Tiselle's location?
Was it Lady Tiselle's brothers who said that?
You might be worried about Lady Tiselle, but don't say such dangerous things.
Father of Lady Tiselle, don't nod along.
They're Angels, you know!
Think deeply, very deeply about this!
...
Leave it to Lady Tiselle for the time being?
All right, wonderful!
He understands the danger of the Angels!
Wait, in that case, should I ask him to withdraw Lady Tiselle...?
Ah, I can't.
I just told him how much of a help she is having around.
W-Well, it's the truth.
It wasn't a lie.
Eh?
Are there any men approaching Lady Tiselle?
Ah, you mean suitors proposing marriage?
Uhhh.
None at all!
When I answered honestly, Lady Tiselle's father made a complicated face.
As a father, is that relief mixed with anxiety over his daughter having no suitors?
Still, lying is no good.
Incidentally, just like Lady Tiselle, no one is proposing to Instructor Erika-teze either.
Instructor Erika-teze is the daughter of a duke from a large country, even if it's a former one.
The backing behind her is far too grand for anyone to dare propose.
Even I wouldn't be an equal match.
Therefore, proposals are concentrated on Lady Isree, who claims to be a commoner.
Though Lady Isree pays them no mind whatsoever.
After I had spoken for a while, it was question time.
This went smoothly as well.
I simply told them what I knew and admitted what I didn't know.
After answering all the questions from Lady Tiselle's father and brothers, I confirmed friendly relations with Lady Yoko and the Demon King.
Though it won't be made public, I promised that my country, the Keilland Region United Kingdom, would not become hostile toward the Demon Kingdom.
Honestly, the difference in national power is so immense that a war wouldn't even be a contest.
I'm satisfied just not being treated as an enemy.
Also, regarding commercial trade, I'm not very knowledgeable about the details...
They told me it's fine because they will coordinate that directly through letters with Lady Tiselle.
In that case, I leave it in your capable hands.
With this, the conference concluded.
However, that didn't mean I was released.
After this, a dinner party is scheduled with these members.
I had been avoiding sake so as not to make an embarrassing display in a foreign land, but if it's served, I can hardly refuse to drink it.
The meal, too... though it's an unofficial dinner party, with the Demon King present, proper, formal food will surely be served.
I've learned the Demon Kingdom's manners from Lady Tiselle and Instructor Erika-teze, so that won't be an issue.
It won't be an issue, but... I certainly can't say that I'd rather eat ramen.
I must resign myself.
I can just eat ramen tomorrow.
Despite having made up my mind, ramen was served at the dinner party.
Complete with gyoza, fried rice, and karaage.
The taste was exquisite.
I ended up crying a little.
Secretary: "Lady Yoko. What should we do about the menu for today's dinner party?"
Youko: "The menu? Is it not the usual welcome menu? Are we changing it?"
Secretary: "Our guest has been eating nothing but ramen ever since arriving in Village Five."
Youko: "I do not believe ramen was on the menu, was it?"
Secretary: "That is precisely why."
Youko: "?"
Secretary: "I believe we should serve ramen here."
Youko: "What are you saying? The guest has been eating nothing but ramen, has he not?"
Secretary: "That is all the more reason. It will be fine. Please leave it to me."
Youko: "I-I see, but..."
Secretary: "Thank you very much. For that, I would like to borrow the Village Head's assistance."
Youko: "You would have the Village Head help?"
Secretary: "No, I will have him prepare it as the main cook."
Youko: "Y-You..."
Secretary: "The ingredients and everything else have already been prepared. Rest assured."
Conqueror King: "(Tears of emotion)"
Secretary: "Just as planned."
Youko: "...(There truly are things in this world I cannot understand.)"
Demon King: "To be able to eat the Village Head's cooking is sheer luck!"
Beezel: "Indeed."
Gol: "I helped with the gyoza."
Seel: "I helped with the fried rice."
Bron: "I helped with the karaage."
Torain: "I did my best serving the food." (I'm glad I could help out for the first time in a while.)
???: "Hawawa. Torain is doing his best—"
Conqueror King: "Count Chrome. Who is that looking at us from the corner of the room?"
Beezel: "Ah, that is Lady Kiabit of the Angels."
Conqueror King: "Her gaze is... on Torain-kun, isn't it?"
Beezel: "Yes. She seems to be targeting him."
Conqueror King: "...Torain-kun. Run."
Torain: "Eh?"
Conqueror King: "At this rate, you'll be caught! Run with all the speed you can muster—oof!"
Torain: "Mr. Conqueror King!"
Beezel: "T-Too fast... an attack?" (I couldn't see it.)
Demon King: "It'll become a diplomatic issue, so I wish you wouldn't punch him—" (I could see it.)
Youko: "It is not good to meddle in someone else's romance." (I could see it.)