It Seems That the Demon King Is Among the Members of the Hero’s Party

28. Information Organization

───Durandal told me to go to bed soon, and I lay down on the bed. It feels like when my mother told me to go to bed early when I was a kid. I’ll share the information about Silvy that I got from Durandal with my friends later.

I know I should go to bed, but my mind is clear and I’m not feeling sleepy.

It’s because I’m thinking too much.

I’m thinking about which of my friends is the demon king.

There’s no evidence yet, but I can narrow down the suspects based on the information I have.

Let me organize the information again.

First, there’s the brave warrior, Eklear Felgrant. She’s definitely not the demon king. We’re both reincarnated, and she’s the wielder of the holy sword, which is a huge factor.

The holy sword ‘Colbrand’ that she uses was created by God when the demons rebelled. The entire sword, from the scabbard to the blade, is imbued with holy attributes, making it a special weapon against demons who are weak to holy attributes.

Demons can’t even touch the holy sword without getting hurt. If she were the demon king, she wouldn’t be able to wield it so skillfully.

Second, there’s the magician, ‘Young Sage (Drunkard)’ Sasha Lucilefer.

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She’s a top-class magician who can use magic of all five attributes except for darkness and holy. I initially ruled her out as a suspect because demons can’t use magic except for darkness, but there’s a possibility that she might be able to use other attributes under certain conditions. If she’s a half-demon, she might be able to use other attributes.

The half-demon Dar, who’s a mix of demon and human, has affinity for ‘fire’ and ‘darkness’ attributes.

If the demon king is a half-demon, they might be able to use other attributes. In that case, they wouldn’t use darkness magic, which would be too risky.

Considering the possibility of being half-human, Sasha is one candidate.

Looking at her individual actions, there’s nothing remarkable except for getting drunk and violent. I’ve had many conversations with her while drinking, so I find it hard to suspect her.

The third thief, ‘Red Hair,’ Dal. Her real name is Darphia Wong Fingeraland.

She’s a half-breed of a demon and a royal family, and can use dark attributes that only demons can wield. Initially, I suspected she might be the demon king, but as her background became clear, she was ruled out as a suspect. Her relatives, the king and ministers of the ‘Arcadia Kingdom,’ also deny that she’s the demon king.

Honestly, I’m glad to have one less suspect. And since she’s not the demon king, I don’t have to worry about her being a lovesick demon king.

The fourth fighter, ‘Fighting King’ Tra-san. Her real name is Tra Vilcas Helstim Nozenkazura F Tiger White Silverfork.

She’s a fighter from the ‘Jungle Empire.’ Until recently, I thought she was a man, but it turns out she’s a woman. She can strengthen her body by wrapping it in magic, using a unique technique called ‘Magic Fighting’ that’s characteristic of beastmen. Her punches are so powerful they can blow a dragon’s head off. If she hits me, I’m probably dead.

Unlike the other companions, she hasn’t used magic once during our journey. I don’t know if she can’t use it or if she’s avoiding it because of her dark attributes.

No, she probably can use it. Her magic power is likely greater than mine. If she wanted to, she could definitely use magic.

That’s why I find it suspicious. As a beastman, she might be following the tradition of prioritizing physical strength over magic.

Honestly, I’m torn. I don’t want to suspect her, but I can’t deny the possibility.

The fifth priest, ‘High Priest’ Noel Kristof.

She’s an elf priestess who belongs to the church. She’s a talented woman who has risen to the position of high priest at a young age and can use all the holy attributes’ magic.

She seems to have had trouble with humans in the past and is hostile towards them. She’s quick to lash out at them, and we’ve had our share of arguments. We generally avoid dealing with her when it comes to people outside our group.

As a user of holy attributes, which demons are weaken by, and being an elf, I initially thought she was unlikely to be the demon king. But considering the possibility of her being half-human, it’s possible that she’s the demon king.

However, I’ve recently been thinking that the elf girl I met 13 years ago when I was in the mercenary group might be Noel. If that’s the case, it’s impossible for her to be the demon king based on the timeline.

What I need to do now is confirm the past with Noel. But I’m worried about how to bring it up without offending her.

Two out of the five are definitely not the demon king. Noel needs to be confirmed. Until I’m certain, I’ll keep her as a suspect along with the others.

I’d rather not let my guard down.

The three I’ll keep an eye on are Sasha, Tra-san, and Noel.

Using the ‘Judgment’ magic would be easy, but it’s not as omnipotent as the elves claim.

Only those who have devoted themselves to God can use it. And it’s useless if you’ve had sexual relations. It’s a magic that can only be used by virgins or those who have never had sex.

It’s also a magic that tests one’s faith in God. Even if you have the necessary magic power and attribute compatibility, if your faith in God is lacking, the ‘Judgment’ magic won’t work.

Moreover, it can only target one person, and that person must be evil or have malicious intentions. In the case of demons, it’s a given, so the ‘Judgment’ magic is useful against them. However, if used against a good person, the magic will backfire on the caster. It’s as if it’s saying that false accusations won’t be tolerated.

I’ve heard stories of elves who used the ‘Judgment’ magic against demons only to be burned themselves. If you’re going to use it, you need to be certain that the target is guilty or a demon.

That’s why priests are reluctant to use the ‘Judgment’ magic.

What’s with the elves and their boasts about having something that can affect demons? It’s a magic that’s most unreliable.

In the sense that it can judge evil beings, it’s a sacred magic. But when it comes to using it on companions, it’s unclear how they’ll react, and there’s no decisive evidence. It’s pointless.

I’ve narrowed it down to three people. But I still don’t have any concrete evidence that they’re the demon king. If I can clear up the issue with Noel quickly, it’ll reduce the number of suspects and make things easier.

If I have the time, I might go see her tomorrow.

That’s what I’ll do. Simply reducing the number of suspects will reduce my mental burden. My stomach will feel better too.

But I still can’t help but suspect Sasha and Tra-san. They’re both good people in my book, even if they are troublesome.

With the Four Heavenly Kings and Crovicas making their move, the world’s situation could change dramatically.

I’ll do my best to minimize the damage, but it’s the truth that I’m worried about being overwhelmed. And I still don’t know the extent of the Four Heavenly Kings’ power. If Durandal’s words are true, it’s possible that I’ll be killed before I even get a chance to search for the demon king…

“No, I won’t die. I’ll win. I’ll find the Demon King and win.

If I think the Demon King will move during the commotion, it’s better to keep an eye on Sasha and Tor-san, just in case Noel gets suspicious.

Let’s check if there’s any suspicious movement.

If we consider Durandal as a comrade, it’s unlikely that she’s the Demon King… She’s been stuck in the Reg Legacy ruins for 500 years to seal Silvy.

That should be written in the book, right?

I forgot to ask Durandal about the Demon King. Maybe I can learn something from the 4th Demon King’s information. I’ll ask her tomorrow.

There’s a lot to do. I’ll talk to Tor-san in the morning. It’s better to prepare for the journey before visiting Noel’s place. If I go without doing anything, Noel might get annoyed.

It’s better to visit Noel’s place before noon or evening. How should I ask her? If I ask the wrong way, she’ll get upset like before. I’ll think about it beforehand.

Then, I’ll ask Durandal about the 4th Demon King, Rondalgiar, at night. If there’s a connection with the 5th Demon King, that’d be great, but I shouldn’t expect too much.

I’ve organized my thoughts, and now I’m feeling sleepy. It feels like a lot of time has passed since Durandal prompted me, but maybe that’s just my imagination.

“Master’s no good… My relationship with Master is… mumu…”

I thought to myself, hearing Durandal’s sleepy muttering. What kind of dream is she having?

Maybe I’ll ask her about it later.

───13 years ago, I made a promise with an elf. A very important promise. What was it again?