"So you're John Doe. At last, we speak."
"You are... the Demon King, I take it..."
John Doe sounded nervous. His breathing was a bit labored.
I couldn't see his face through the magic tool, but his voice gave the impression of a coward. Was this man truly the developer of those weapons? While harboring my doubts, I decided to state my business.
"Return the Secret Stone you stole from the Empire. The Great Spirit is on a rampage because of it, and it's becoming a nuisance."
"I... I can't do that," John Doe answered flatly. His tone was resolute.
"And why not?"
"Because it’s absolutely necessary. I searched for other options, but the Secret Stone was the only one compatible."
Judging by his use of the word "compatible," he clearly had a specific purpose for it. If a catalyst of that magnitude was the only thing that worked, the spell in question had to be extraordinary—likely exceeding the scale of even Great Magic. At that level, his objective was beyond my imagination; with that kind of power, almost anything was possible.
"What exactly is it a candidate for?"
"...I can't say."
John Doe answered after a brief pause. His will was firm; he wasn't going to confess through verbal persuasion alone. As I expected, I would have to meet him in person.
However, this conversation was a rare opportunity. In a physical confrontation, a calm exchange would be next to impossible, so I wanted to gather as much information as I could now. I also needed to assess whether he was worth recruiting into the Demon King's Army.
"..."
"..."
I caught Logan's eye. He nodded, closed his eyes, and began to focus on his Perception. While we talked, I would have him pinpoint the coordinates of both John Doe and the Secret Stone. I wouldn't waste a single second. I had to ensure we were prepared for any development, so I continued the conversation to buy time.
"Very well. No doubt you intend to use it as a magical catalyst to kill me. I understand that much."
"......"
"Regardless of what you’re plotting, I have to stop it. I will slaughter tens of thousands of your subjects if that is what it takes."
I threw the declaration out as a provocation. It wasn't an empty threat, however; if necessary, I would carry it out. Even now, across the capital, the Demon King's Army was wreaking havoc. The number of undead had swelled to a tide; by now, they were likely feasting on the living throughout the city.
The majority of the Technomagic Army was preoccupied with containing them. The fact that no one had come for our heads while we idly chatted was proof enough—their chain of command was broken. My magic had successfully disrupted their communications, and their coordination was falling apart.
"...Please, stop. The people living in this country are innocent," John Doe pleaded.
He wasn't acting. He was truly pained by the fact that the citizens were being harmed. That was exactly why I struck him with cold, ruthless words.
"Did you think the Demon King would be moved by a plea for mercy? You’re the ones at fault for stealing the Secret Stone in the first place. Did you never consider the danger you were putting your people in?"
"Even I only found out how we got the stone after it was already in my hands! If I’d known it was the Great Spirit's Secret Stone, I would have stopped them! But it’s too late now... far too late..."
John Doe’s voice trailed off. He was being driven into a corner mentally. He likely realized that his choices were riddled with errors, but he knew there was no turning back. It was clear he was being tormented by a crushing weight of responsibility.
"Don't decide it's too late on your own. If you have regrets, hand it over. I’ll return it to the Great Spirit for you."
"...And then you'll just use the stone for your own evil ends?"
"No. I simply want to deal with a nuisance. The Secret Stone goes back to the Great Spirit. Now, hand it over."
The three-day grace period for the return was almost up. By dawn, I had to be in the Empire's Territory to hand the stone over. If things went poorly, the damage might even reach the Demon King's Domain. Knowing that Great Spirit, it was a distinct possibility. Once she flew into a rage, she was impossible to handle; she was the last person I wanted to antagonize.
"......"
John Doe fell silent, seemingly weighing my claim. Eventually, he reached a conclusion.
"I still can't do it. You are the Demon King. I simply can't trust you."
"I see. A pity."
I responded detachedly. I had expected as much. Handing the Secret Stone to the Demon King was an act of extreme risk for anyone who didn't know the full circumstances. I wouldn't have done it either if I were in his shoes.
Generally speaking, John Doe's judgment was correct. He wasn't wrong in the slightest. Talking to him like this, he seemed like a fundamentally decent man. He wasn't building weapons out of joy; he was a man of constant worry, forced by circumstances into a life of agony.
I glanced at Logan. He was still focused on his Perception, likely pinpointing the exact room. Once he finished, I could seize the Secret Stone by force via teleportation. I wanted to finish the scan before the enemy noticed, so I kept the conversation flowing.
"By the way, what do you want from me? You must have a reason for wanting to talk without showing your face."
"That's true... I do have one request."
"What is it?"
When I prompted him, John Doe made a solemn plea.
"Would you please stop threatening this country?"
I fell silent. For a brief moment, my thoughts simply stopped. Once I regained my composure, I questioned him.
"...Are you being serious?"
"Yes, I'm serious... As long as a Demon King like you exists, conflict will never end. Eventually, the entire world will be consumed by the flames of war."
John Doe spoke with a resolute attitude. I almost instinctively clutched my head.
If the Technomagic Kingdom hadn't ordered the Empire's nobles to steal the stone, none of this would be happening. I had no plans to invade this country. This entire war was caused by the Secret Stone. Yet, John Doe spoke as if all the blame lay with me.
Part of his claim was true; I would admit the Demon King causes conflict. However, the Great Spirit's wrath was invited by the Technomagic Kingdom's own foolish choices. The Imperial Capital had already been destroyed because of it, and I was currently the only one exerting any effort to contain the damage.
John Doe’s denunciation was likely born of a desperate need to believe he stood on the side of justice. He couldn't carry on unless he believed that. If he didn't pin the label of "evil" on the Demon King, he would have to acknowledge his own complicity. His current psyche couldn't tolerate that.
Sensing this, I gave him the answer he wanted.
"Fine by me. I intend to destroy the world anyway."
"I... see. As I thought... you... are... urgh!"
John Doe had been speaking gloomily, but he suddenly began to suffer. He coughed violently, his moans sounding strained and forced. I heard a sound like someone scratching at the floor.
"Ah, no... damn it... not here... not like this..."
His voice grew faint. After a moment of agony, a total silence followed. I couldn't hear a single sound. Sensing something was wrong, I spoke up.
"John Doe? Can you hear me? Answer me."
"......Haha."
What came back was a small, mocking laugh. The voice that followed was sharp and irritated.
"I’ve been sitting here listening to this crap, and man, you’ve got a hell of an ego. Just who the hell do you think you are?"
"Who are you?"
At my question, the voice snorted and let out a deep, dramatic sigh.
"Hey, hey, did you already forget who you were talking to? Or are you just brainless because you're nothing but bones?"
"...Wait. Are you John Doe?" I asked, feeling a surge of doubt.
The voice chuckled gleefully.
"That's right. I'm the Inventor of the Century, the pride of the Technomagic Kingdom—the great John Doe."