The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody - Volume 3 - Chapter 39

CHAPTER 39

The Ex–Demon Lord’s Time-Traveling Adventure (Sans School Trip)

Based on the classification systems in the modern era, the olden years began with the attack of the First Ones (known as the Evil Gods in the present day) and ended with their elimination at the hands of the Demon Lord Varvatos. The period afterward was labeled New Age, which continued to the present day. Modern historians said the same thing about the ancient past: It was a rich time in human history that overflowed with codes of honor and virtue.

There was the attack of the Evil Gods, whose existence was still wrapped in mystery; this had been around the time when humans started to conceptualize and categorize demons.

And with Varvatos the Demon Lord spearheading the creation of magic, the humans started using it.

The heroes of humanity had started to hold down their forts. It was humans against the demons and Evil Gods.

Finding a more momentous time would have been difficult, even if you managed to untangle the rope of human history.

…As one who was born to be a leader in that era, I had mixed feelings over this evaluation.

At any rate, antiquity was a bygone era for all, myself included. All you could do was reminisce.

…At least, that was what I’d thought until a few minutes prior.

I couldn’t believe I’d walk on ancient soil again.

…Despair weighed on my heart.

If I was feeling this way, that meant Ireena and Ginny were…

“‘Back in ancient times’…”

“That can’t possibly be…”

I could sense the discomposure and worry on their faces. These emotions stood in their way, barricading them from understanding the reality before us. Even if I walked through the situation with them step-by-step, it would be pointless. Our priority for now was getting out of here.

“If my memory serves me right, we’re in the Makina District of the Vardia Empire, which was once ruled by the Demon Lord. I’m not exactly sure about the time period…but don’t worry. As long as I am here, no danger will befall us,” I claimed boldly, hoping to ease their minds, but the two only nodded nervously.

There wasn’t much to be done about that. I’d let time solve their psychological turmoil. If we had traveled through time, they would adapt whether they liked it or not. We were just built to process information that way.

…Well, it’d be more precise to say it would be a real problem if they couldn’t adapt. They’d never survive otherwise. I was talking as though we had all the time in the world, but this was kind of the worst possible situation.

Our current location had to be a famous training ground in the Makina District. If I remembered correctly, its name was the Plain of No Return. This zone was inhabited by very powerful monsters that bore their fangs at outsiders.

Most humans who dared enter ultimately lined the pits of monsters’ stomachs or nourished the earth—hence its nickname. It was the optimal place to raise and train young soldiers…and I should know. I’d used it.

I was the one who had made it a training ground for soldiers.

That was exactly why I knew something else: For modern humans, there could be no greater hell. That included Ireena and Ginny.

“Well then, let me lay out our next steps. First, we escape this region. This is monster territory, and it could pose major problems for us if we stay here. Unlike animals, they’re active whether it is day or night… Meaning we can’t apply general adventuring theories here.”

If dangerous animals inhabited the land—rather than monsters—it would have made the most sense to wait until dawn. The threat of wild animals halved in the morning and afternoon.

However, standard practices would be ineffective here. We had to leave immediately, regardless of the time of day.

“Based on the stars, I’d say we’re facing…true north. Let’s continue going straight for the time being. We should arrive at a town.” I flashed a big smile at the girls, who were all doom and gloom.

It seemed they were hanging on to the hope that this was all a dream, but I knew I shouldn’t bring that up now. I took the reins, moving the conversation forward.

“In any case, we must do something about our attire. After all, we’ll look suspicious in our school uniforms if we run into any locals on the way.”

I cast magic for molecular conversion, manifesting geometric magic circles around us that drew near, passing over our entire bodies. Our clothes transformed to basic leather armor. With this, we’d be perceived as adventurers, unlikely to arouse any suspicion.

And then, we were off.

Invoking common knowledge from my ancient past, I knew it would be best to rush out of this place, traveling faster than the speed of sound… However, there was no chance of that happening with Ireena and Ginny.

Because the world of the past was denser in mana compared with the present generation, both the soldiers and monsters in this land were on an entirely different level. Suppressing even the weakest monsters here would require a whole crew of modern-day knights.

…Will I be able to protect them against this world…in this body? I feared.

Ireena suddenly spoke up. “…Who was that kid?”

“‘A god,’ they said…”

Their expressions looked slightly less tense than before. It was taking some time, but they must have been slowly coming to grips with the situation.

That said, I couldn’t help but be puzzled by the self-proclaimed “god” myself.

“I suppose there isn’t a point in speculating over the child right now. I mean, I doubt we’ll come to the correct answer. But…I think we should at least think about their parting words,” Ginny said.

“Umm, yeah… Something about a singularity and the Demon Lord, right?” Ireena asked, and I nodded.

“We do not know what this singularity means. However, the self-proclaimed kid-god requested us to eliminate it. There is no doubt of that. Which means…”

“If we take care of that, we can go back to our own era?” Ginny asked nervously.

I assented. “I think so. Which means our final objective is to get rid of it. However, we do not know anything about this singularity. For now, we must prioritize something else.”

“Another objective?” asked Ireena.

“Yes. That ‘god’ mentioned an encounter with the Demon Lord. An audience with him might move our situation forward.”

“A-an audience with the Demon Lord…?!” Ginny’s face turned to stone.

I looked at Ireena, who was frozen solid next to her. I guess this was reasonable. To them, Varvatos the Demon Lord existed only in legend, a total myth. And I had just suggested we go meet him. They must have thought I’d gone mad.

…They were actually standing in front of the Demon Lord himself, but that was for another day, another time.

“Meeting him will be our main objective. However—”

How do we make that happen?

It happened just as I was about to bring up the matter.

“RAAAH!” roared a valiant war cry, ringing in our ears.

…It seemed some major annoyances had wasted no time dropping into our laps.

“U-um, that sounded really desperate.” Ginny paled in fear.

“A monster must be attacking someone! We’ve gotta help them out!” Meanwhile, Ireena practically radiated courage.

When considering the most optimal situation for these girls, it would be best to ditch whoever the victim was.

But that…would betray these girls’ hopes.

And Ard Meteor had to always be their hero.

“…Very well. Let’s go see what’s happening.”

We raced off, cutting through the darkness of the night.

Luckily, the owner of the voice was far away, and we soon caught sight of the situation.

“SH-SHIIIT!” shrieked a very young girl.

From her leather armor, I could tell she was an adventurer. Her gallant features were twisted in fatigue and fear, and almost every inch of her pale skin was plastered in fresh blood.

The culprit was a monster, of course. A whole gang of them, actually.

Apparently, we’d somehow come across a pack of monsters. I calmly assessed the situation, but on the other hand…

“Wh-what the heck are those beasts…?!” Ireena blurted out in shock.

Next to her, Ginny was silent as if at a loss for words.

Again, this was within reason. The monsters of our present day were no match for those of the past.

As the girls stood there, I pondered with my hand on my chin. “Hmm. They seem to be none other than a pack of Death Stingers.”

“What?! Death Stingers? Those things?”

“Th-they’re nothing like the ones I know…”

In the modern day, Death Stingers were about fifty celti high, resembling a scorpion. They were relatively intimidating, but their movements were incredibly sluggish, and the only threat came from the poisonous stinger at the end of their tail…

But that was because they’d been downgraded—after all, the saturation of magical essence was at an all-time low. Ancient Death Stingers were enormous and grew beyond five merel. Their weapon of choice still remained a poisonous stinger, but…

“SSSSSSSSSSSH!” hissed one from the group, whipping up its tail and pointing its stinger at the bloodied girl.

In the next moment, it sprayed its deadly poison.

Back in modern times, the Death Stingers would have shot a load of purple liquid…but this attack was practically going to hose her down, blasting toward her like a beam of light. BZZZZZZZZT!

“Nrgh!” she grunted, darting away with a speed that transcended sound, managing to dodge the poison.

The stream struck the ground instead…and set off a small-scale explosion moments later.

In most circumstances, ancient poison exploded whenever it collided with something. A fight between the girl and the Death Stingers was starting to unfold…

Both Ireena and Ginny stood stock-still with their mouths slack. The ancient world had raised the bar high. These new standards were incomprehensible.

Well again, that was perfectly fine. There was a girl running at the speed of sound around a bunch of monsters. That alone was absurd for modern people.

To me, however, it looked like nothing more than an average day. I took a step forward with a strange sort of relief, as if I was returning home.

“She’ll be done for at this rate. It may be overstepping my bounds…but I’m going to offer her some assistance.”

Plus, I wanted to see my capabilities in this era. You might say the group of Death Stingers made for perfect practice opponents.

“First, let us conduct a few preliminary tests.”

I chose the mid-level attack spell Lightning Field. This was a derivation of Lightning Blast, and as the name suggested, it summoned a rain of lightning over a wide area to conquer and annihilate. I unleashed it without an incantation, invoking magic circles in the dark sky over the Death Stingers’ heads—

Bolts of golden lightning thundered down on the group of monsters. They struck true, each one a direct hit.

For me, however, this single attack was really only a test.

“Hmm. This was unexpected… To think they would be finished off so easily.”

The Death Stingers sizzled silently as black smoke rose off them. It was obvious they were all dead.

In the middle of the charred monsters was the girl, who was frantic moments before.

“Y-you got all the Death Stingers in one shot…?!” she yelped.

It was a line that gave me déjà vu. Come to think of it, this situation was uncannily similar to my first interaction with Ireena.

As I savored that memory, I tried calling out to the girl.

Just as I opened my mouth, I could feel an enormous intensity overpower me from behind.

Uh-oh. This feeling. It can’t be…

When my mind’s eye showed me a certain face, I broke out in a cold sweat. I nervously turned around.

“Heh. You ain’t half bad.”

Sure enough, standing there in the middle of the night was…one of the Four Heavenly Kings and a sisterly figure to me, Olivia vel Vine.

“““L-Lady Olivia?!””” shrieked Ireena, Ginny, and the damsel in distress.

I had guessed she was Olivia’s pupil or something. There was no doubt this Olivia was suspicious as to why Ireena and Ginny knew her name. She crossed her arms with a frown and glared sharply at the two.

“…Who are you? I don’t recognize your face. And why are you two looking at me like that?”

Her prickly attitude must have been due to Ireena’s and Ginny’s adoring and trusting gazes focused on her. But this Olivia had no way of understanding why—because we knew a different Olivia entirely, the one in the modern day.

Our Olivia always wore a bold, modified teacher’s uniform that allowed a full range of motion, but this one dressed in a dark outfit that kept her light on her feet. Furthermore, this Olivia appeared marginally younger, more aggressive, and inexperienced. Unlike the modern Olivia, her long, silky, black hair was tied up into a ponytail, and even that sharply emphasized her youth.

“U-um, that’s, uh…”

“W-we, ah…”

With complicated expressions, the two began to sweat bullets.

I could totally understand how they felt. To reunite with a loved one, only to realize they were not quite the same person and a total stranger… This would naturally leave anyone confused.

Even I was a little baffled, but I couldn’t show that. I had to act like nothing bothered me and continue being the girls’ emotional cornerstone. Showing uncertainty would be unforgivable.

Besides…remaining calm wasn’t just for their sake; I needed to keep my composure to prepare for what would inevitably come in the future.

“My apologies, Lady Olivia. These two envy and aspire to be like you, which is why they feel an excessive familiarity with you. Please, I ask that you forgive them.”

“…Is that right?” Olivia murmured, radiating with a bloodthirsty energy and an intent to fight and kill. The air pulsed between us, and my skin began to tingle, electrified.

“O-oh gosh…?” Ginny was the first to fall back, slamming her butt on the ground.

She was followed by Ireena and the girl, who both slowly made their way down onto the hard earth. Speechless, all three stared at Olivia. It was like a predator glaring upon its helpless prey. If Olivia had been this way in the modern world, I would have acted the same way. I would have put up a front.

But I was now in the past. Therefore, I had one clear course of action.

“Wow, it’s so obvious why you’re one of the Four Heavenly Kings. It feels as if your energy alone could finish off the enemy.”

“…Aren’t you nervous?”

“Yes, to an extent.”

“You seem pretty confident in your power.”

“No, nothing of the sort. Though, I’ve never been considered ‘ordinary,’” I replied.

Her intent to kill became more overwhelming.

“Argh…”

As I’d expected, it was too much to handle. All three fainted simultaneously, starting with Ginny.

On the other hand, I maintained my cool expression and even gave a bold smile.

My attitude guided Olivia to the conclusion that I’d planned.

“…What’s your name?”

“Ard Meteor.”

“I see. ‘Ard Meteor’ it is then,” she spat, keeping it brief and shooting daggers at me with her eyes. “Join my army.”

The offer made me chuckle inside. I couldn’t believe how things were working out. It was hilariously perfect. I struggled to suppress my grin as I answered:

“I humbly accept. From this day forward, my life belongs to His Majesty.” I bowed, and Olivia’s bloodlust abated.

She nodded in return.

“However, Lady Olivia, I have two conditions before entering government service.”

Olivia’s homicidal defenses went up again. “…You’ve got some guts.”

“It would seem that way. But I have a hunch you appreciate people like me. Right?”

My superficial politeness didn’t bother Olivia in the slightest. In fact, it put her in a good mood.

As if to prove a point, her ears and tail, features characteristic of the Beast People, were flicking back and forth. Her face was grim, but that was fine. When it came to Olivia, smiling was a sign of displeasure. I’d been with my older sister for almost a thousand years. I knew how to get on her good side better than anyone else.

“Fine. Let’s hear it.”

I believed she’d have no problem accepting my conditions. I had two, and the first was…permission to enlist Ireena and Ginny in the army.

“…They’ll die in a heartbeat. You sure about that?”

“I’m certain that will not be the case. I will protect them, after all.”

Olivia snorted, prompting me on.

“As for the second condition…I wish to work directly under Master Verda.”

“You what?” Olivia exclaimed. With her arms crossed, she stared at me as if I were crazy. “Do you understand exactly what you’re asking?”

“But of course.”

“…You possess battle prowess, but you want to work as a rearguard?”

“I’m not really one for ambition. Besides, I am but an aspiring magic researcher. I wish to devote myself to His Majesty through knowledge instead.”

Olivia knit her eyebrows and groaned.

…I know how you feel. I really do.

Even I would doubt the sanity of anyone who said they wanted to work for Verda. However, the irony was that serving under Verda was the best choice in terms of stability. Otherwise, I wouldn’t go with Verda even if it killed me.

“…Fine, I don’t see why not. I’ve got the authority, so I’ll put you directly under Verda.”

Her expression was skeptical, but she seemed to accept my proposal.

This really was a lucky break… At this rate, I might be able to squeeze something else out of it.

“By the way, Lady Olivia. If you see me as promising… I happen to have one more request.”

“Piling them on in the last minute, huh? …Whatever. Go ahead and spit it out.”

She looked irritated, but it meant I was getting a positive reception. At this rate, maybe I could speed this process up…!

I had a firm grip on my hopes and finally said it out loud: “Could you please grant us an audience with His Majesty?”

A moment later—

“For what reason?” she asked, voice leveled. The only problem was that she was grinning, releasing an intimidating air that couldn’t be rivaled.

Internally, I clicked my tongue in irritation at this clear rejection.

Well, I’d figure there was a good chance of this happening. Based on her attire and whatnot, we’d landed in the era when I had only just earned the title of Demon Lord. This period had been nothing but one pain after the other, and Olivia and I had constantly been hypervigilant. That was why even if I revealed my identity and asked for her cooperation, she’d never believe me.

Coming to this conclusion, I answered Olivia’s question.

“I do not have any reason in particular. But…glimpsing upon the countenance of His Majesty would give me no greater happiness and honor. That is all.”

“…If you wanna meet him, you’ve gotta work for it. Earn credibility.”

I knew it. That was my only option.

I’d render my services and make a name for myself acting as Verda’s subordinate and protecting everyone around me. It was the only way I’d be able to meet the Demon Lord—in other words, myself from this era.

Thinking about everything that would happen from here on out, I let out a tiny sigh.