My name is Beton.
Beton Guri Anon.
Like Gucci and Prada, I am a member of the Devil Race who has lived since the ancient eras.
"Alright, it's finished. I’m sorry it’s just a simple soup. How is it on your end, Dos?"
"This side is done as well. Village Head, don't look at me with such surprise. I used to cook for myself when I was younger; I can manage at least this much. How about you, Draim?"
"I think it would be better to let the flavor soak into the daikon for a bit longer. I'll keep an eye on it here, so please, go ahead and eat."
"Fair enough. Well then, I'll get the bowls and plates... sorry, but they’re in that box over there. Could you grab them for me?"
"Can you use chopsticks? If not, there are forks."
Currently, I am preparing for a meal outdoors at night with a group of men I don't recognize.
...How did it come to this?
Ah, I have a premonition that this "mochi" will be delicious. Two pieces, please.
What? You don't mind if I have three? Thank you very much. Then, I'll take three.
Yes, as expected, the mochi was wonderful. I slightly regret not asking for four.
...No, that's not it.
Wait, why exactly am I sharing a meal with these strangers?
Until a short while ago, I was supposed to be fighting Prada and a member of the Demon Race named Watogang. That battle was arduous. In terms of raw combat skill, I was likely superior to the two of them, but I struggled against their style—Prada focused entirely on defense while Watogang focused entirely on offense.
To be honest, the possibility of losing crossed my mind. But I would not lose. I could not afford to lose. I pulled back to create distance and took my stance once more.
Watogang didn't pursue; he just held his ground. Prada hid behind his back. For a brief moment, silence fell.
The instant I resolved myself and stepped forward, Watogang suddenly went flying sideways, tumbled across the ground, and collapsed.
I couldn't understand what had happened. Prada, who had been hiding behind his back, must have felt the same. Watogang remained face-down, not twitching even a single muscle.
Prada used gestures to ask if I had done it, but I shook my head. It wasn't me. Hadn't Prada done it? I gestured back, but she denied it with her entire body. It didn't seem like a lie.
However, if that was the case... was there someone else?
I had pushed them out of my awareness because they weren't involved in the fight, but there was one more person here: the member of the Devil Race whom Prada called Erme. Prada must have realized this too. We both looked at Erme and asked through gestures if she was the culprit, but she denied it.
Well, that made sense. She was the one who had brought Watogang here. If she were the one to defeat him, one had to wonder what she was trying to achieve.
Which meant... was there yet another person?
The barrier I had set up around the area had already been deactivated. Even if someone were approaching, detection would be difficult. However, even assuming someone was there, questions remained. Why target Watogang? Even if I assumed they were helping me, they should have targeted Prada instead. And if they had intervened in the fight, why wouldn't they show themselves?
I didn't understand the objective. Were they even really there?
Because of that, I couldn't bring myself to continue the fight with Prada. She seemed to feel the same. We were at a loss. A stalemate would not favor me. If Gucci arrived, the current me wouldn't stand a chance. Well, I don't think Gucci is the same as he was in the old days, but still...
In the distance, I spotted the light of torches. They were approaching us. Was it the person who had attacked Watogang? They were running toward us with incredible momentum. Since it was unclear if they were friend or foe, I took a stance. Prada and Erme did the same.
The person who came running was a middle-aged member of the Demon Race wearing butler's clothes. He was a complete stranger to me. I looked at Prada and Erme, but it seemed they didn't know him either.
The middle-aged butler went straight toward the fallen Watogang. He appeared to be an associate.
"Lord! This—this—this is terrible! We must treat him at once!"
With those words, he roughly hoisted Watogang onto his shoulder and ran back in the direction he had come from. Prada, Erme, and I watched him go without interfering... and then we looked at each other.
Umm... from that behavior, he wasn't the one who attacked Watogang, right? We all nodded in agreement.
In that case, did the stalemate continue? Just as I thought that, another group approached. This time, there were multiple people. Was this the main attack? They were illuminating the surroundings with Magic Light.
It looked like a group of four. Adventurers... but their equipment was light. Three humans and one member of the Beastman Race?
... ...... ..................
This presence!
Two of those humans are Age of Gods Dragon Race!
The Age of Gods Dragon Race is the natural enemy of the Devil Race. No matter how much we struggle, the Devil Race cannot win against them. It isn't a matter of effort or ingenuity; it is a fundamental issue of species compatibility. Having even one there would be a disaster, but there are two?
This is bad, bad, bad... Should I flee? How? They are already within visual range. Even if I fled at full power, they would catch me. No, they wouldn't even need to catch me. I am already within their attack range. If the Age of Gods Dragons were serious, I would already be dead.
Since I am still alive, I judge that they aren't here to kill me. In other words, this is a coincidence. My luck was just incredibly poor. If that's the case, perhaps I can settle this through conversation. There is a ray of hope.
Ah, wait. It might be bad if Prada or Erme say something. If we are lumped together as the same Devil Race, they might not let any of us go... I looked at Prada and Erme with pleading eyes.
Prada was in a state of shock, looking as if she had seen something that shouldn't exist. I understood the feeling—there were two Age of Gods Dragons, after all. However, the words that escaped her mouth were quite different.
"Why is the Village Head here?!"
...Village Head? Prada, are you confused? You're surprised by the wrong thing.
And Erme, please don't hide behind my back. ...When did she even move? I couldn't react at all. Could it be that if I had been fighting Erme, I would have been finished instantly? Is she actually that strong?
That same Erme was now panicking as if she’d been caught doing something forbidden. Would it be correct to assume those Age of Gods Dragons are chasing her? If so, the current situation, where it looks like I'm shielding her, is the absolute worst.
G-Get away from me!
"No! Let's, let's get scolded together!"
Why me?!
"You're the one who set up those dangerous magic circles in Shashato City!"
They were certainly dangerous, but I equipped them with safety devices! They only have enough effect to avoid being noticed!
While Erme and I were arguing, Prada had somehow run up to the four newcomers.
"I haven't done anything wrong. Those two are the bad ones."
............
Never before had I wanted to punch Prada as much as I did at that moment.
By the way, I learned the truth about Watogang later. No one had actually attacked him. He had simply thrown himself through the air and collapsed on his own. In other words, it was an act. Apparently, it is his Secret Technique, 'Playing Dead'.
Why did he do it at that specific moment?
"Because I had a very bad premonition. That moment was the best possible timing. I also knew that my family's butler was nearby."
Well, it is true that Watogang made a clean escape from the scene. I was almost envious. Besides, his "defeat" stopped the fight, and we were able to transition into a discussion without the Village Head and the two Age of Gods Dragons intervening violently... so perhaps the result was for the best.