Chapter 33: Equal Rights

Since Alira and I had been sick, the demons had remained stationed in one place. I felt embarrassed being their leader yet falling ill just from staying awake for a few nights. But at last, after a few days, I finally started to feel better than ever.

“Ummm!!!! Ah…”

I stretched my arms, covering my eyes as I looked out at the weather. “Now that’s what I call a great day!”

I raised my voice, which made Alira mutter to me, “Why are you being so noisy? I haven’t fully recovered yet, you know.” She covered her ears with a pillow.

“Ahh... Sorry, sorry. But for an elf, you really have a weak body, you know?” I teased.

She sat up on the bed and snapped, “And whose fault is it that I’m in this state?!” She ground her teeth and sighed. “Geez, could you please leave? I want to rest, my head hurts.” She lay back down.

“Well, okay I guess. Maybe I should check on what the others are doing,” I said, walking out onto the path.

The first ones to catch my sight were the twins, Siriel and Liriel. They were on their knees, muttering to themselves while stalking someone from behind a bush.

“Hey, Onee-chan… why is Onii-chan so serious about teaching that human kid how to control magic?” Liriel whispered.

“How should I know? Isn’t that why we’re stalking them, so we can find out what they’re doing?” Siriel replied.

“Well, but I’m quite jealous, you know, because it seems like—”

“He is growing distant from you!” I completed her sentence, leaning in between them.

“Yeah, I can understand too… huh?” As Siriel replied, she realized someone else was talking. She lifted her face, utterly surprised to find me there.

“Whaa!!!” she screamed, falling backward onto Liriel.

“Ouch!!!! That hurts, Onee-chan,” Liriel said as she sat up, her eyes widening when she saw me.

“You!!!! How—and since when were you listening to us?!” Siriel pointed her finger at me, her face turning completely red from embarrassment.

“Well,” I stood up straight and added, “Right around the time you said something about stalking and things…”

“That means you’ve been here from the start!!!!! Idiot!!!” Siriel yelled.

“Whaa… don’t worry, I completely understand. If Coco started distancing herself from me, I would surely feel anxious… yeah, anxious… hmmm hmmm!” I nodded, and at the thought, a comedic tear actually came out of my eye.

Due to the commotion, Tez noticed us and called out, “Hey! Siriel and Liriel, what are you doing there?”

Panicking at his voice, Siriel stood up and stomped hard on my right leg.

“Ow… Ow….” I lifted my leg in pain, trying to soothe it. Siriel dashed past me, turned around to stick her tongue out—“Blehhhhh…”—and ran off.

“You little!!!!” I began to yell in anger, but she was already gone. I turned and saw Liriel intensely staring in my direction. Confused, I asked, “What?”

“No… nothing…” Liriel bowed to me, then stepped close and stomped on my left leg this time.

I lifted my other leg in pure agony. “Hey!!! That hurts!!!”

While I was complaining, Tez and Coco ran toward me.

“Sir Zacken, are you alright? It seems like they caused you trouble. I apologize on their behalf,” Tez said, bowing deeply.

“Ahh… don’t worry about that,” I said, rubbing my legs before asking, “So, how is your training going, Coco?”

“Well, I am still learning, but I think I’m able to control mana much more easily thanks to Tez. He really knows how to teach others.”

“You are thinking too highly of me, Coco-sama. It is just that I have taught my younger sisters many times, so it's a bit of a habit,” Tez replied, waving his hands in a panic.

“Don’t be so modest! Thanks to you, I was able to infiltrate the human kingdom pretty smoothly back then, so I can say you are quite knowledgeable in magic things,” I grinned, praising him.

“Thank you, Sir Zacken, for your kind words,” he smiled.

“Alright then, you both continue your training. I will see what the others are up to in the meantime.”

“Yes,” they both said in unison.

I left them and walked ahead. After a short distance, I found Verixa, Eva, and Diana by the lake trying to catch fish, while the demon children excitedly cheered them on. Walking closer, I called out to them.

“Hey, brat, what are you doing?”

“Huh?” As Verixa snapped her head toward me, the fish she was focusing on darted away. Frustrated, she raised her voice, “WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO!!!! I was about to catch my first fish!!!!”

Right then, with incredible agility, Diana caught multiple fish all at once. She looked at Verixa with a smug face. “Huh!”

“AUGHHH!!!!” Verixa ground her teeth as Diana thoroughly enjoyed teasing her.

Soon after, they heard the children making noise. They turned to see Eva lifting a giant fish double her own size, flying into the air using the thrusters on her back. Seeing that, Diana’s smug expression faded, replaced by utter shock.

Eva quietly laid the fish down on the ground. The children and the other villagers gathered around her, praising her and marveling at her strength. Eva simply tilted her head, looking confused by the attention.

Frustrated by the competition, Diana clenched her fist and accidentally crushed the fish she was holding.

Seeing the scenario, I figured it would be better if I left them be.

Next, I went to find what Valkira and the others were doing. I walked around for a while but found no sign of her. I asked several villagers, but no one knew where she went.

As I kept searching, I finally heard Valkira’s voice deeper in the woods. I walked into the forest until I found an open clearing, and I paused, amazed. Ken and Valkira were sparring. I hid behind a bush to watch. Seeing them, I was struck by how incredible Valkira's sword skills were. Her swing style and dodges looked incredibly cool. Ken was also doing an admirable job, efficiently matching Valkira's speed.

But suddenly, a flashback of Valkira covered in blood flashed through my mind.

I clenched my chest, realizing how helpless I really was. Everyone else was doing their best to fight and improve themselves. What am I doing? I thought. I’m just babbling nonsense, telling myself I will lead them.

“Haha….” A disappointed laugh slipped through my lips, and I muttered to myself, “What kind of hero am I, I wonder…”

I turned back to leave, but stopped short when I saw Chief Dave standing right there.

“Ahh… Chief Dave…” I said, surprised. He nodded, meeting my eyes.

“Zacken, if you have time, would you please follow me?”

“Ahh… follow you? Well, okay,” I accepted, following him.

He took me to a high vantage point where we could overlook the entire camp and the villagers. He sat down on a stone and gestured for me to sit beside him. Accepting the offer, I quietly sat down. He broke the ice after a moment of silence.

“Well, what do you say?”

“What do I say?” I repeated, confused.

“I mean, your thoughts about us… the demons.”

Still a bit confused by the question, I replied, “If I have to say, I'll say I am surprised….” He remained quiet, waiting for me to continue. “The first time I was summoned, I was angry at Verixa. Being a human myself, she had summoned a human to help her against demons. I tried to flee, but somehow ended up saving them. Then I met Alira, and that trio became a total headache to me. Then I found Kraven, met new people, used myself as bait, saw the human kingdom… and I wondered what would have happened if I had been summoned by humans instead of Verixa.”

“Hmm? Do you hate that we became a forceful burden on you?”

“If you had asked me before, I might have said yes. But after getting to know them, I see with my own eyes that even though they are demons, it doesn’t change the fact that they have the right to live peacefully among their people. So, I want to help them achieve that—an equal right to live peacefully in this world.”

“But hahah…” I scratched my head, laughing at myself. “I am kind of useless. Even though I say that, I don't actually know how to do it. It’s kind of embarrassing, right?”

The Chief stood up, leaning on his staff. He turned to me and said, “There is nothing to be embarrassed about. The fact that you think of us this way is already enough. And Zacken, I want you to understand one thing. You hold yourself in such low regard, but look at the people down there.” He pointed toward the villagers.

“They are still alive and happy because you were there to save their lives. On their behalf, I would say… thank you. Thank you for saving my people.” He bowed to me.

“Whaa… don’t bow to me, Chief, I just…” I sighed.

“Zacken!!!!”

As I was about to say something, I heard a voice from behind. I turned to find Verixa and the others, waving their hands with bright smiles on their faces.

I hesitated at first, then waved back to them. Without looking away from them, I spoke to the Chief.

“Thank you, Chief… My determination has become even stronger now. And don’t worry, I will use every means necessary to give them their equal rights in this world.”