“Damn, you’re not half bad!”

“...Honestly, can’t you take it easy? This is just training.”

“Hah! I’m not even going all out, so it’s fine!”

Currently, I’m sparring with Jilbe in the training arena of the Demon Lord’s Castle. While this is supposed to be practice, Jilbe has been attacking me with full force.

Although he refrains from using his unique skill Silver Force, the power of the Silver Wolf, and I’m not employing magic, his raw physical abilities are overwhelming on their own.

Yesterday, I visited several human cities and facilitated the exchange of demon captives for human prisoners.

Some lords, like Sandor, were cooperative, while others tried to deceive us or outright refused to deal with demons. In those cases, we had to get a bit rough and force the exchange.

“When this is over, I’ll leave the food procurement mission to you.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it!”

Today, I had planned to visit another human settlement to rescue demon captives. But before that, Jilbe insisted I join him for a training session, dragging me to the arena.

Jilbe’s unit is scheduled to head to the location Debra indicated for food procurement. While there haven’t been significant movements from the human side yet, we expect battles to intensify soon. It’s necessary to stockpile provisions.

Since Jilbe will be away for a while, I couldn’t refuse his request for a sparring session. Besides, I could use the combat experience myself, so it’s not a bad idea.

“Damn it! What kind of strength is that?”

“You’re one to talk. Even without your unique skill, you’re absurdly strong.”

We sparred relentlessly until Jilbe was exhausted. Even I felt a bit of fatigue after all that. While I have overpowered abilities, my stamina isn’t infinite.

I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d be sore tomorrow—a concern fitting of my middle-aged self.

The training with Jilbe was immensely beneficial. Back in my world, I didn’t even have experience with proper fights, let alone combat. If I might face human heroes or champions in the future, I need to prepare.

“I trained like hell to wipe out every last human, so yeah, I’m strong.”

“I see.”

“Don’t worry, though. You’re an exception. At first, I thought you were just another human, so I tried to kill you. But then I realized you’re not from this world.”

“It would’ve been nice if you realized that a bit sooner…”

Getting summoned to another world only to face immediate death was a tough pill to swallow!

“Yeah, yeah, my bad. No hard feelings, though, right?”

That’s easier said than done. Still, I don’t dislike Jilbe’s straightforward nature. After becoming the Demon Lord, most treat me with excessive reverence. Jilbe’s casual demeanor is refreshing.

“Do you still hate humans?”

Having interacted with both demons and humans, I believe they’re fundamentally similar. However, Jilbe’s intense hatred for humans is disheartening.

“Of course I do! My parents, my sister, my entire village—they were all slaughtered by humans. And for what? Because our pelts were valuable. That’s it.”

“...”

His parents, his sister, and even his entire village, all killed for the sake of profit—an utterly repugnant reason. It’s not something I can pretend to understand or sympathize with lightly.

“At the time, I was just a powerless kid. Revenge against humans is the only thing that kept me going. I’ve hunted down and killed those who destroyed my village, but it’s nowhere near enough!”

“I see...”

There’s nothing I can say to ease his pain. Telling him to avoid killing humans is a tall order. The best I can do is limit his involvement in battles with humans.

Like Alex, Jilbe needs time. Perhaps even with time, nothing will change.

Humans likely harbor the same feelings toward demons. Bridging the gap between our races might take more than a generation.

“Well, you’re not bad—for a human. I still don’t get why you won’t kill humans, but I’ll give you this: you’re doing your best to save our people. Those kids you rescued, for example.”

“Yeah. Those children had nothing to do with this war. I couldn’t just leave them behind.”

He’s talking about Lutra and the others. Lutra, Beane, and Alex are now working at the Demon Lord’s Castle. Of course, they’re not given strenuous tasks, but their presence hasn’t gone unnoticed by others.

Alex, in particular, spends his free time training with members of Jilbe’s unit.

“Tch. A softie like you is the Demon Lord, huh? Then again, the last Demon Lord was a bit like you.”

The previous Demon Lord… I’ve heard stories about him from Libera and others. He was strong yet compassionate, even agreeing to a one-on-one duel with a hero to settle things.

“...Just don’t let your kindness be your downfall.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Anyway, it’s time to go. Make sure to follow Debra’s instructions.”

“Yeah, yeah. One day, I’ll surpass you. Just you wait!”

If Jilbe ever became the Demon Lord, humanity would undoubtedly face annihilation. I can’t afford to lose to him.

Still, sparring with him was a good change of pace. Now, it’s time to head to another city and rescue more demons.