"What? The Captain has come?!"
Suddenly. Thud! Doors opened everywhere and crazy dogs came out.
One, two... Dan, who had been counting the number of people with resignation, opened his eyes wide as he checked the number of people who kept coming out.
'The number... is the same?'
According to the original plan, nearly half of them should be gone.
Although he was confused for a moment, he quickly grasped the situation.
'... They didn't follow what I said.'
He was glad he didn't get caught, but he didn't feel very good.
With a complicated mind, he watched the Lofty Knights surrounding Deon Hardt from a few steps away, when Cleter passed by and taps him on the shoulder as if to cheer him up. It was a passing movement that did not stay by his side for even a moment, let alone a conversation, but Dan could clearly hear the words spoken in a low voice, like a whisper.
"We just felt something, so we stayed."
Milan, who was running towards Deon Hardt, also left a comment as he passed by him.
"For some reason, I felt like the Captain would come today. Everyone felt that way, including me."
Huh... This time Dan was at a loss for words due to a different reason.
They predicted this with pure instinct... What kind of animal sense is this?
'Is this what happens to everyone who falls on the battlefield?'
As Dan was getting his misconceptions into his head, Deon, who glanced at Dan from among the crazy dogs who were eagerly welcoming him, asking why he had come to this squalid place, opened his mouth.
"I have something to give you."
"Yes? Is it a gift?"
"It's not a gift."
"A gift from the Captain?!"
"Wow!"
"..."
Okay, let's call it a gift... Deon, who wisely minimized his stress by giving up quickly, pointed to the cart pushed by Dan behind him.
"Everything over there is yours."
"Wow, all that alcohol is ours?"
"Yes."
He roughly shrugged his shoulders. Dan's eyes became strange as he looked back and forth between Deon's attitude and the Lofty Knights who were shining their eyes at him.
This atmosphere feels somewhat familiar... Has he seen it somewhere before?
When did it happen?
'Ah, when I threw leftovers at wild dogs.'
He thought that was the attitude of the woman who was throwing leftover food to the wild dogs in the valley. The attitude of the wild dogs that got used to it was similar to now.
'Well, it looks like the people in charge have no idea.'
It's not a problem; it's okay as long as they like it.
He brushed aside the thoughts that came to mind and calmly covered his ears to protect his eardrums from the cheers that immediately erupted.
The sound was so loud that he could hear it even though he covered his ears.
"Waaaaaa!"
"Even if I didn't, my mind was so confused that I wanted to drink! Long live the Captain!"
"Long live Deon!"
"... Wait a moment."
Deon, who was quietly listening to the cries of the mad dogs, raised one eyebrow.
Regardless of whether it's the damn 'Long live Demon' or 'Long live Deon', it's the same thing.
"Your head is complicated? Has there been anything that bothered you recently? I never asked you to do anything."
"Huh."
The member who had spoken without thinking quickly covered his mouth. But it was already too late.
As soon as he covered his mouth, numerous hands reached out from behind his back and grabbed him, dragging him through the crowd. His figure disappeared from Deon's sight, and soon a dull sound and suppressed screams rang out through the crowd. Even that was soon buried in exaggerated laughter.
Milan took a step forward to catch Deon's gaze and stuttered, letting out that awkward smile again.
"Haha, so... I was tired and wanted a drink!"
"That too. I don't remember making you do any work, so why would you be tired?"
"Uh... that's..."
Milan, who was rolling his eyes, glanced over Deon's shoulder.
Dan raised his index finger in front of his lips and then straightened his middle finger as well, twisting his wrist to show the back of his hand. Milan, who sensed with his animal sense that this was the way out, walked up to Deon and took a deep breath.
Deon, startled, tried to step back, but he grabbed hold of him and wouldn't let go.
"...What?"
"As expected..."
It smells like medicine.
Rather than being relieved that a crisis had been avoided, he was more worried. Milan unconsciously narrowed his eyes and spoke in a lower voice.
"Did you take medicine again, Captain?"
"What? Medicine?! Is that true?"
"..."
There was no specific answer, but that was enough.
The knights who read the affirmation in the silence began to run wild.
It was an instant before the topic from before was completely forgotten and buried under the continuous rain of nagging voices and candy being shoved into his mouth.
***
Even when the day to show the screen was set, Dan maintained a calm attitude as each day passed.
The Corps Commanders he occasionally encountered while passing through the hallways glanced at him and expressed their own admiration as they passed by, and even when Deon Hardt gave him a compliment that was not a compliment, saying he was calmer than expected, he only smiled faintly and his basic attitude did not change.
Although the intention was completely different.
As time passed by helplessly, he was shaken by emotions that invaded his senses several times.
After all, he was also human. Dan, who often traveled to the human world, knew very well how Deon Hardt's name was treated in the human world.
Just by hearing it, people spat as if he is unlucky, easily mentioned the name of the owner's death, and cursed with bloody tears. The angry scream that seemed to be pouring out the soul of someone who lost a loved one was so terrifying. Deon Hardt. The sight of him crying while repeating that one name was no different from that of a madman.
Deon Hardt, who was thrown by them, died in various ways under the three-chi tongue and was torn into thousands of pieces. If the name had a shape, it probably wouldn't have been able to maintain its original form.
Of course, because Deon Hardt was the first, the reaction may have been more intense.
However, as the situation was the same, the second one will also get quite a bit of response. He thought it would take about the third time for the reaction to be somewhat minimal. So, if h were to stand in front of the screen, it would be something similar to that.
Even though he knew that fact and felt something similar to worry or fear, Dan never changed his words. Not only could he not do that, he couldn't refuse in the first place.
'Because Deon Hardt recommended me.'
Dan smiled bitterly as he adjusted his clothes.
Now that he had entered the conference hall, stood in front of the Demon King, and received a proposal from him, the situation can no longer be regarded as a simple recommendation from Deon Hardt.
The fact that the Demon King himself proposed something means that a meeting has been held in some form and a conclusion has been reached. In other words, this means that it was the result of the Corps Commanders becoming aware of this issue and expressing their own opinions. If he refused here, he will be unintentionally insulting everyone in the room.
All the costs, including the resulting negative perception, would have gone to Deon Hardt, the first recommender.
'Furthermore, it's funny if the person who encouraged this situation steps out.'
If you want to achieve what you want through something, you must also be prepared to pay a corresponding price.
It's enough for a child to struggle to get the benefit and avoid the cost. Isn't it so ugly for a grown adult to do that? Therefore, despite his complex emotions, Dan tried to take advantage of the given situation instead of running away.
"Listen carefully."
A white hand was placed on his shoulder.
Deon Hardt spoke with a more serious expression than when he stood in front of the screen and spoke in person, as if he was anxious.
"There's nothing much you have to say. It will only last 30 seconds to 1 minute at most. No matter how much you hesitate, it won't take more than two minutes."
"..."
"This is not incitement. Not even a speech. You're just listing the facts. So, there's no need to strain your shoulders."
He pressed his shoulder.
The weightless touch somehow made Dan smile, forgetting his nervousness, and slowly raised the corners of his mouth.
Deon frowned when he saw that.
"That doesn't mean you shouldn't be nervous at all."
"Sorry."
Even though he apologized, the smile on his face did not disappear. Deon looked at him quietly, and instead of criticizing him further, he opened his mouth and added some advice.
"I think you should finish within 30 seconds if possible. Order of speech? Introduction? Forget everything. Just say the main point and leave. Don't give the other side time to interfere."
"It seems you don't have faith in me."
"Of course."
From the moment he accepted the offer, he could see him thinking differently, so there was no way he could trust him.
Deon lowered his hand from his shoulder and pulled his collar.
He opened his mouth, glaring piercingly at Dan's face, which had lowered to his eye level. A low voice whispered as if warning.
"I don't think you'll do anything stupid, but I'll warn you just in case."
"..."
"Don't act like a fool."
"... Of course."
The corners of Dan's mouth rose smoothly.
Deon sighed and lets go of his relaxed smile, which was enough to relieve all the tension in the viewer. Dan calmly adjusted his wrinkled clothes.
Deon, who was watching this, stretched out his hand...
"Ah, Master. I am grateful, but I will take care of my clothes."
"..."
... And took it back again.
A slightly nervous voice followed.
"I repeat, there are two things you need to say. Deon Hardt has become a hero, and the Demon King's Army also accepts humans other than Deon Hardt."
"Aren't you worried too much?"
That's not what Dan said. Deon turned his head.
He didn't know when he came closer, but he made eye contact with the Demon King who was laughing nearby. Adjutant Ed, who was fidgeting a little away from him, was a bonus.
'If the Demon King has come, he has to report it. What should I do if he doesn't?'
After giving him a reprimanding look for a moment, Deon turned his head again at the voice of the Demon King. A light voice spread throughout the space, destroying the atmosphere that had been created.
"You will figure it out. Is that not right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"... But."
"Let's sleep and leave it at that."
The Demon King looked at Dan's outfit and saw Deon. There was a smile in his eyes.
"I think you should start by improving the way you dress rather than Dan, right? Your clothes are wrinkled."
"... I dressed myself a while ago."
"Yes? You said you dressed yourself? Somehow... you dressed perfectly, but the clothes were wrinkled...!"
"..."
The Demon King quietly turned around.
Deon, who was quietly looking at the pitifully shaking shoulders, opened his mouth.
"Why are you putting up with it so unexpectedly? Just smile."
"Ha ha ha!!"
"..."
Should he have just told him to keep holding on?
Ed, who was watching, came over and rearranged his clothes. Deon stood still and looked at the Demon King with a mischievous look in his eyes as he was touched here and there by his hands. Of course, the Demon King didn't care and just laughed.
It would be better to change the topic. He asked a question to him who was still smiling.
"You weren't really interested in this matter, were you? It'll be over soon anyway, so there's no need to come..."
"That's right. Honestly, I'm not interested. I told you, right? I'm sure you'll figure it out."
"Then why..."
"I remembered what I should teach next."
The Demon King gently rolled his eyes.
"How about a picture?"
"... I think this is a topic that is very inconsistent with the current situation."
"It doesn't matter, right? I don't think you're interested in musical instruments, so let's learn drawing next."
"..."
That's what he said when he came all the way here. It's so absurd that it made no sense.
Although there was no answer, the Demon King seemed to take it as a positive and turned around, saying he would leave. Deon, who had been watching the back silently walk away just as he had arrived, turned his head and looked at Dan.
"Are you ready?"
A cool wind, unique to the demon world and unaffected by the seasons of the human world, blew.
Unlike Deon, who held his speech indoors, Dan's speech was held outdoors. This was because the Corps Commanders who did not trust Dan wanted to watch directly from outside the screen to prepare for any unexpected situation.
A blatant expression of determination to deal with problems as soon as they arose.
Since he had to speak in front of people who were stronger and higher than him, he will inevitably be nervous no matter how short it may be.
Therefore, he tried to give more time if necessary.
"Both 'listing of facts' and 'post-processing' were perfectly prepared."
Dan grinned.