Chapter 97: How Do You Become a Demon King?

Infiltrating the dwarven city had been a success.

After Ryan separated from his companions, he headed to the caves to serve as an escort for the dwarves.

Though the material gathering group actually considered that he might be a burden, simply due to the fact that he registered as a B-rank adventurer when entering the city.

However, that feeling of contempt toward him changed when the dwarves witnessed how the Bergs died in the blink of an eye.

’A Mollek?’ Ryan thought as he saw the beast approaching him. ’It looks more like... a minotaur? With an appearance like that, it could very well be a dungeon boss.’

While the Mollek approached them, five of the dwarves took off running—

"Hey, stop! We have to help this young man; we already saw that he’s strong. But a Mollek will be a problem even for him." However, the dwarves who ran did not stop and disappeared into the caves.

"Calm down, it’s not that big of a deal. I already told you I would handle it, didn’t I?"

"But..." And before one of them could say anything else, Ryan disappeared from their sight.

"Where did he go?"

"Did he escape?"

"How stubborn you are. I already told you I’d take care of it..." Ryan said, appearing before them once again.

"What did you do? What are you playing at? It’s a Mollek!"

"Look!" one of the dwarves said.

When they turned toward the Mollek, it collapsed to the ground.

"But what in the..."

"Wow!" one of them shouted, falling back onto his rear on the ground.

"W-When did you take that?" said the same dwarf from the ground, his voice trembling.

Pointing at what Ryan had in his hand.

So Ryan extended his hand toward them with what he was holding.

"I already told you I would handle it. Just focus on working for once, do you want to do that or not?" What Ryan held in his hand was the Mollek’s head.

Blood was still dripping, so Ryan tossed the head back, away from them.

One of the women approached him.

"I can’t believe it. Even seeing it, I can’t believe it. A Mollek... even for an A-rank, it would be impossible to kill it without getting hurt, and you... you didn’t just kill it, you didn’t even break a sweat... who are you..."

Ryan didn’t respond.

’I think I overdid it, but I really did try to hold back... I hope this interrogation doesn’t continue.’

"Ha ha ha... leave him alone now. Let’s get to work; that’s what we came here for."

"But even you saw that, didn’t you? How are you so calm?"

"I’m not calm. All of this has me on edge, and I can’t do anything else besides laugh. Ha ha ha."

"..."

"Just leave him be. You’re making him nervous with all this hounding. You’re just idling around!"

After that, the dwarves focused on their business and worked like that for hours. Ryan kept the place safe, but he couldn’t help but wonder what was causing monsters to be in this place.

Without him noticing, midday arrived.

And the dwarves stopped.

It was time to eat.

Then, the woman who had been talking to him earlier approached him.

"Liam, right?"

"Yes, that’s my name."

’Or at least temporarily.’

"Come with us. It’s time for lunch. I usually take care of everyone’s food, and of course, I brought some for you too."

Ryan didn’t refuse and went with them.

At first, most were tense seeing Ryan eating alongside them.

’How awkward. Now I feel like a total freak.’

But that woman, noticing this, tried to change the mood by starting a sudden conversation.

"Did you hear? Apparently, a few days ago, the Church sent holy knights to a village of exiled elves, and they never returned..."

"Are you serious? So those elves have the power to take down holy knights?"

Another of them spoke up as well.

"Well... if they were only low-rank, it’s not something to be surprised about."

"No, no, it’s not just that. They even sent two S-ranks."

"They defeated two S-ranks there?"

"Yeah... it seems so. You can imagine what that means, right?"

"A Demon King?"

"That’s what I think."

"But why would a Demon King be in that elven village?"

’I’m not a Demon King, stop talking nonsense... or so I’d like to say, but... I can’t do that.’

"And what do you think, Liam? Do you think there’s a Demon King over there?"

’What a pain, don’t ask me!’

Ryan took the last bite of his food and set the empty plate aside.

"Sorry, there’s not much I can say, but why do you think a Demon King would ally himself with the elves of that village?"

"Isn’t it obvious? The holy knights went because the elves were sheltering beastmen. And as you know, to the Church, a beastman is the same as being a demon."

’I’ve already heard that several times, but what kind of relationship do they have?’

Ryan nodded his head.

"It seems you have a point. Please, share it," he responded calmly.

The woman nodded.

"What I believe is that the Demon King Rigal didn’t go to defend the elves, but to take the beastmen with him. After all, even if he’s a Demon King, he’s a beastman."

She paused.

"I never thought it was right for the Church to consider all other beastmen as demons just because of that, you know? It’s quite cruel."

’Wait a second, I thought Rigal was some kind of giant, because Beatrice mentioned something like that... or was it just because of the type of demons that attacked us?’

Ryan reflected on that for a moment; he finally understood why the holy knights were going after the beastmen.

’But then, what was the purpose of the demons that Rigal controls?’

And as he continued reflecting, a thought crossed Ryan’s mind.

’Maybe the title of Demon King isn’t given only to demons. If Rigal is actually a beastman, it means he accumulated such power that they named him that.’

Ryan looked at the woman.

"Does anyone remember how that beastman became a Demon King?"