Chapter 20

Life so far seems brighter. I mean, I roamed for some time but roaming with this little cat is much enjoyable. She doesn't like to fly very much because for her travel means walking and enjoying the view. I agree on some part but walking is quite tiring and stressful when nothing interesting happens.

The lands of the east are covered with vast forest. We roamed for quite some time and I met some interesting fellows. The dwarf race for example. They are stingy to the level that you might think that they want to trade with you but all they want is your bottom line. They don’t settle with your comfortable place. Still, they are an adorable bunch. They do things on their own leisure. They work when they want to and they play when they want to. The life of a dwarf is quite fulfilling if I say so myself.

Now that I am mentioning lifestyle, they have better a life than me. They have so much freedom even with their limited space. I wonder why I can’t have that life. Is it because I am used to the life of my past or I am just new to this world? I don’t know but I have all the time in the world anyway so I think it is fine. For now, we decided to go back to the north to look at the situation.

Celine, the lady cat with me likes humanity much to my disagreement. She said that they can be handful but they are a fun bunch. I wanted to argue but I learned that my opinion only weighs as much as theirs. In the argument of opinion, no one can really be the right or wrong. Unless it is a battle of facts and information opinions can only go on and on. So I learned to keep my opinions to myself when the other’s is against mine.

For Celine, humanity is the best race to learn. She said that they are like a salad. They are different even though they are one race. Some have high inspirations, some seek for thrill, some seek for power and some can be contented with how much they have. If she put it that way, they are really different even though they are the same. Weird right?

So, for her, the race is actually very good and rich. Beasts like her strive to be like a human at least some of their qualities. Of course, Celine does not mean that she copies everything the humanity do. She only picks what she likes and discards the ones that she does not see pleasing.

The most that she dislikes is the mentality of humanity to dominate not only over their own race but to other races. They always strive to be on top. When those ambitions clash then that breeds animosity and soon evolves into conflict. With this cycle, humans will never lack wars both openly and the covert ones.

Anyway, I still have a strong dislike towards them. I still can’t see their value. As I always say, they are complicated things. Complicated means problem. I hate problems so you can see why I still don’t feel very good about them. Even so, it is now not to the point that I want to exterminate them. Cull their numbers, pleasing, make them go hardship, yes that is still on top of my list. I am still a demon lord with even how incompetent am I.

We took almost a month before we managed to get back from the eastern lands. The land in the east is deemed a no man’s land but that is actually only for humanity. Various races inhabit the land and they all have very rich customs and perks. Back to the present though, we are back to the human lands.

Shees…

We are at the empire called Sheten. It was located at the edge of the west of this northern land. The place seems weird because people seem under some kind of a rush. Everyone looks busy as they are carrying so many things towards a certain area. The farmlands were almost empty and only a few human were left to watch over them. The people seem to have more important work for now.

“What are they doing?” I asked Celine in confusion.

“Who knows? They are always busy you know?”

“Right?”

Anyway, because I am curious, I tried to sneakily cast eye in the sky while covering the presence of it. It is a trick that the Slyp race taught me. They are also escapees from the world prison and found a great territory towards the east. They are adept on wind magic and stealth even though their appearance is quite flashy. All the frills and decoration.

Anyway, what I saw made my body shook. The thing that I am looking is not just anything this world can casually make. This empire seems building something that I saw back then in my world. Even though the exterior is rough but I just know what they are trying to build.

It was a huge airship. In this world, I saw some balloon ones but this one utilizes magic instead of science so I am not very familiar with them. All I know that these things are not made for comfort. They are like swords as they cut anything it comes into. It will either break or cut through and these things are not friendly.

I saw some of them back when they clash with my army but those looked more crude than the ones this empire is building. They are utilizing so much magic conductor unlike the ones which utilize ordinary metals. Now that I noticed though, this thing is not mounted with the flag of this empire. I wonder why? I thought they are quite territorial with their toys, even their army has different flag but there will always be a flag. I wonder why this thing does not have one.

Weird… I wonder what’s happening.

I guess humanity never cease to prepare for uncertain things. Humanity will always  worry what tomorrow will bring. They always tend to prepare for the worst things and sometimes those preparations get misunderstood by others around them. Tension will rise and communication is not very good, conflict will then meddle with their heads. One will think that the other is disrupting their preparation and have bad intentions then the other will think that they are preparing for something bad. That will prove very true when weapons are involved. Weapons are both the defender and aggressor. That fact will never change. There is no weapon that can only be used only on one side. Even a single stick can either become a shield or a sword depending on the intention of the one that wields.

So in my head, shouldn’t I destroy all those weapons then? If they have no weapon in hand, will there be someone that will dare to invade? Will there even be someone that will have the capability to do so? I think not but who knows what will happen? Humanity have always existed along with tools and weapons. I guess they will continue to do so.

I closed the Eye in the sky and started to walk in a random direction. I just decided to check on how things are going and I think things are going downhill. Just as I thought, when there is no cohesive bond that keeps humanity intact, they will self-destruct on their own. When things gets worse though, they will try to remedy the situation and will somehow have a chance for redemption. Only those chances won’t always end on their favor.

“So another weapon of destruction.” Cecile grimaced at what she saw.

“Nothing new. What is the difference between battle airships and that of a sword?”

“More deaths?” she tilted her head.

“Hah… how many lives were lost because of swords?”

“Then many more deaths.”

This is the kind of person she is. She sticks on her way and do it even at the cost of something. It’s kind of dangerous but most of the time she only likes to explore and see some things. Nothing of the kind of world domination things. We get along well if I say so myself. Though sometimes she’s quite the handful and stubborn when it comes to anything that she finds interesting. There was this event where she adamantly charged towards a mighty water fall because of the rumor that it leads to somewhere else. In the end, it was just a block of stone and there is no such thing as a cave behind the waterfall.

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“Let’s leave and see how other places are doing.”

Celine nodded and we went out of the gate. This empire is so busy and quite strict so the both of us jumped into a wall to get inside and I guess we will also do so to get out.

“Let’s see what humanity is up to at this time.”

The both of us left the Sheten Empire and headed towards the neighboring empire. I don’t want to meddle into things happening in Mirth but if this world came into the situation where it may be destroyed because of these nonsense things then I will be impolite when the time comes. If the last time I am only sending my pawns then the next time will be much more different. If they want to head into destruction so much then I will be more than happily oblige.

Krevinada Kingdom

Lisa went on with the distribution of the weapons Adarna calls gun. She limited the tool to be only at its initial developments unlike the original advanced state which Adarna brought at first. She also knows that this thing can really ruin the world and she is only willing to bet with the early stages of the gun.

Lisa can also understand the capability of guns can threaten the position of the magicians and warriors. Warrior can still fight back since they have better physical aspects and they can utilize it but the magicians needs tremendous concentration to cast a single spell. Moving while casting a spell can only be done by those high level individuals. The common magician will be powerless in the face of this menace.

For now, they managed to keep the technology with the help of Adarna. There were many that tried to steal or trade with this technology but Lisa adamantly refused. She is not confident that she can control how people use guns within nations that she has no influence. The technology might fall into the hands of the wicked and that will only be like smashing with her head with her own hammer. She was successful so far but the neighboring countries are starting to pressure the Krevinada kingdom to share this technology with them.

Of course, Lisa ignored them. She can’t possibly just hand over this device to others. If she did so then the development of this weapon may go out of her hands and soon it will be on everyone’s hand. Adarna never lacks to remind her of the world that is full of these things. People tend to use this thing on the wrong way. Adarna described some worlds where people carry guns and go on mass killing spree just because they feel like it. When problems pile up in their life, some also chose to eat a lead bullet from this thing. Lisa can only grimace from this events and she reminded herself that this weapon must only be used as leverage and not for invading.

On the other hand, Adarna kept on complaining about the diplomatic system of this world. The only form of diplomacy in Mirth is a business deals between countries. In Mirth, it is strange to share technology towards neighboring countries. In the world of mirth where the level of communication is not yet advance compared to the world Adarna told about, it is difficult to do a project between countries. Because of this, the development of a country only depends on itself.

In Mirth, the only opponent they have so far is the demon lord. In the past, there is no such thing as an enemy nation. It is only the level of friendly or stranger. Animosity between countries exists only in minority due to the threat of the demon lord army. Now that the demon lord is not active, countries and empire can’t adjust just like that. They needed time to get their bearings as they are used to the concept of every human is a comrade. With the separation of the human alliance, every country can become an enemy. Due to this, the diplomacy is not working very well between empires and country.

It was also because of this that Lisa is afraid of bringing guns into this world. If other countries really found themselves threatened with this new device, then she will see the dark clouds advancing towards the Krevinada kingdom. If such event happened then all her efforts will come to waste. This gamble depended on how well other countries will try to relate with Krevinada kingdom.

If Lisa uses the fact that she has a technology to make humanity stronger, her words will contain more authority which empires will not be able to dismiss just like the past. The times have changed where any idea which can help develop humanity will be shared towards the alliance. The present is, the alliance only remains as a name and the meaning behind it is already lost.

“How are the other kingdoms taking these events?” Lisa asked Adarna.

For now, they are afraid. If we do not establish communications towards other countries sooner, they will only grow more restless.

“That is already expected but if they are not convinced that this weapon can threaten their rules, they will not acknowledge the things we say.”

Lisa knows just like how she listens towards the words of demon lord Drake. Drake was someone which can be said to be the highest existence in Mirth. If he was just a commoner and a passerby then his words would not impact Lisa this much. She can just treat his words as paranoia due to his twisted sense. Lisa strives to be someone not to the extent of someone like Drake but someone which can’t be dismissed so easily.

Now we just need to incite them to reach towards us on their own. If they don’t then we just need to continue to hold into the technology until they acknowledge our presence.

“Good. Continue monitoring the northern alliance.”

Adarna nodded and flew out of the window. Lisa can only look at the disappearing back of Adarna with hope. She also knows that this plan can backfire and she can be portrayed as someone dangerous and be the enemy of the alliance. She is willing to bet with though. The human life is short and she can’t afford to dally around and wait until her personal power reaches higher levels. She already saw how humanity acted when the war ended. Empires strove for more power and authority which does not differ much from most of the smaller kingdoms. As long as ambitions exist then there will always be friction and conflict.

Even Lisa, what she is doing can be called her ambition. Her ambition though is not to dominate the lands but preserve her race. Goal can also be the right term but goals and ambition does not vary that much. She can only chuckle at herself when she thought about it.

“Raise your swords to preserve peace.” Lisa raised her glass of wine towards the sky.

What am I even doing? I can just leave it all to humanity and live my life comfortably.

Sometimes she also feels down like this. She feels like she was shouldering so much on her tiny shoulders. She sometimes doubt herself if she really has what it takes to save the human race. All of this happens from time to time but when she remembers how the past heroes carry on despite the hardship, she can’t find the reason to give up.

“Drake… If only you can continue as the bind to keep humanity as one some other way.” Lisa shook her head. The idea is ridiculous. There is no other way that Drake can keep humanity as one aside from being the demon lord.

Hmmm…

Something touched her thought unexpectedly. Now that she mentioned it, where did the demon lords came from?

If she can think like demon lords are needed to keep humanity at peace, wouldn’t others think so too? She only knows that demon lords rise from the ashes after a hundred years after the past demon lord was killed. History told about their viciousness and how cruel they are but didn’t humanity always win in the end? Somehow, she gets a bad feeling. The matters she knows only extends right where the books tells and beyond that is a black space for her. She only knows that she needs to kill the demon lord in the past. Now that she knows new things then her thoughts started to see new things.

Is there another relationship between humanity and demon lords?

For the longest time, humanity has always viewed the demon lords as the common enemy which they needed to defeat. If they don’t then they will come into extinction. History also told how failed campaigns decimated human lands which support this belief so she can’t be sure if something else is there. Though she felt this way, she can’t help herself thinking still.

If there is another relationship then she needs to know. The only way she can have that information is through heroes but they are all gone now. All of them gloriously laid down their lives for humanity and she will never tarnish their honor and glory. She will never doubt that they will do something that will harm the human race. They all left something precious in the human race before even going against the demon lord for the final fight. If they did something wrong, wouldn’t their family, friends and descendants suffer too?

Hmmm?

Now that she thought about it, where are the heroes’ descendants? Mirah Valeria did not marry anyone and only her relatives were left now. The other heroes’ descendants on the other hand also perished already. She can’t help but make some doubt out of that. Why do they all disappear? Wouldn’t humanity feel grateful towards the descendants and will try to preserve them accounting the heroes’ bravery and sacrifice?

“Weird… So weird. Maybe I should let Adarna investigate about this.” Lisa said as she downed the remaining wine on her glass and went out of her room.