[CHAPTER 72]
I glanced sideways toward where the other members of the party were.
Fortunately, the humans, including the priest, Seria, Jahar Knox, and Sian, were far enough away that they did not seem interested in this conversation.
Even during that brief moment when I checked their reactions, the Spirit Kings continued arguing.
“No.”
“You cannot suddenly change your mind like that.”
“You did not say something like that existed. How do I know you would not use demonic poison on my children?”
“Jerena would not do that!”
The sharp voices and expressions made it obvious that he did not trust me at all.
Ifrit had come closer at some point and was even startled enough to speak up in my defense.
He probably had not fully grasped the situation yet.
“How are we supposed to trust that? How can we trust a demon? After everything you went through, you still do not know?”
However, Sylphid did not back down.
Noah stepped forward with a calm expression.
“But Sylphid, this was something we already agreed on. If you do this now, it puts us in a difficult position.”
“I never agreed knowing that a demon would be part of the group. And besides… I already granted your request once, did I not? I even went all the way to the capital.”
“……”
The two of them fell silent, as if they had no rebuttal left.
It was a complete defeat for Noah and Ifrit.
Sylphid crossed his arms and sharply turned his head away, as if telling us not to even dream of it.
In that moment, his green hair swayed lightly and a faint herbal scent drifted through the air.
What I had not expected was how familiar that scent was to me.
“…Kisly?”
At the name of the herb that slipped out unconsciously, Sylphid’s eyes widened.
“You know the scent of Kisly?”
“Uh, well… it is familiar.”
“Familiar?”
Sylphid’s face twisted tightly as he repeated the word.
“Wow, how can someone express pure dislike so perfectly with just one expression?”
I barely swallowed the remark that almost escaped without passing through my brain.
If I had actually said it out loud, he would have turned around and left on the spot.
Before the atmosphere grew worse, Noah hurriedly intervened.
“Ah, right. Kisly is an herb you took from humans, so it makes sense that it feels familiar.”
“……”
It was completely useless, though.
The tone was obviously meant to irritate anyone who heard it, but I was not angry.
“It is true, so what can I do?”
Kisly was an herb excellent at purifying poison and impure energy, and it originally grew more abundantly in the human realm.
Now, under the Demon King’s initiative, its habitat had been transferred wholesale from the human realm to the demon realm, making it hard to find anywhere else.
“Taken away, huh.”
A third party might see it that way.
But blaming me for that was a completely different issue.
“There is something wrong with what you said.”
“What?”
“Kisly was obtained through a legitimate trade. Because we needed it more.”
Unlike purification through ordinary holy power, which injured demons, Kisly’s purifying effect caused no internal damage to demons.
“Unlike humans, who could achieve the same effect with holy power, demons truly needed Kisly.”
That was why the previous Demon King swallowed his pride and negotiated with the human family that monopolized Kisly.
It would not be wrong to say that he paid an enormous sum to purchase Kisly itself.
Sylphid immediately shot back at my explanation.
“Do you think humans could refuse a demon’s proposal, let alone the Demon King’s? That was not a legitimate trade. It was taken.”
In short, he was saying that the treaty regarding Kisly rights between the previous Demon King and the human family was not a treaty at all, but an unequal one.
Only then did I understand why he was so openly hostile toward demons.
It was not simply because demons posed a threat to the humans he favored.
“From his perspective, he has plenty of reasons to hate demons, so he shows it openly, huh? Must be comfortable.”
As much as he sneered, it was not as if I had nothing to say either.
“Do you have any proof that it happened that way?”
At my confident question, Sylphid’s mouth shut.
Of course he did not.
“I know very well how much your judgment favors one side, but do not fabricate things that are not facts.”
“Fabrication? Common sense says otherwise. If you consider the risks of refusing, could they really have said no? A Demon King in a foul mood might have led demons to devastate the human realm.”
“Not knowing something never gave you the right to be rude. You should have said nothing instead. Your restraint only makes me feel ashamed.”
“…Huh?”
He took my firm boundary as forgiveness, did he not?
“I did not see that coming.”
Sylphid’s apology looked fairly serious and sincere.
Behind him, I noticed Noah barely holding back laughter, his shoulders shaking.
“Yeah, laugh it up…”
I tore my gaze away from Noah and looked back at Sylphid.
Not many people could admit their mistakes and apologize.
“And Sylphid’s sarcasm did not really hurt me anyway.”
Contrary to his misunderstanding, what I said had been closer to sarcasm than forgiveness.
Still…
“Well, better to keep the peace.”
I decided not to correct his misunderstanding.
The situation seemed to be wrapping up, and that was enough for me.
“Then shall we head to the capital now—”
“I am in a good mood. You, make a contract with me.”
“…What?”
Sylphid made a shocking declaration.
“Hey.”
“Sylphid.”
Noah and Ifrit called out to him almost simultaneously, both sounding reproachful.
“Why? There is nothing wrong with making a contract with her in theory, is there? No spirit affinity? I can bear that burden. She looks frail anyway, so I can handle at least that much—”
“That is not the issue.”
“Then what is?”
“……”
Noah opened and closed his mouth, looking like he had no idea where to begin explaining.
The earlier image of him struggling not to laugh was nowhere to be found.
“You are trying to stop me over something you cannot even explain? You, um, your name was… Jerena, right? Make a contract with me—”
With an incredulous shrug, Sylphid reached out and firmly grabbed my wrist.
That was when it happened.
“Remove your hand.”
A familiar voice sounded close by.
