Atelier Tanaka

Book 7: Chapter 3 (6)

Great Holy Land (2nd)

“Is there anything in particular that brings you here this morning, Saint?”

“Nothing important, but there are some questions I wished to ask you now that you’ve spent some time here.”

She was stirring the soup in front of her with a spoon before looking up at me. As our eyes met, a smile spread across her face. What an angel.

My heart started to race as I reached for my cup. I wanted to do something to prevent any evidence of my virginity from escaping from my mouth. The tea also helped get rid of my dry throat. There’s nothing that hits a virgin’s heart harder than the smile of a beautiful woman.

Something unfamiliar to someone always has a strong impact on them.

“Do you like the accommodations you’ve been provided with?”

“Yes, this is a truly wonderful estate.”

“Thank you for saying so.”

Listening to her speaking so casually while all the maids surrounding us are potentially walking around without wearing any panties made it seem like there was a certain perverseness to her smile. I’d think she knows whether or not they’re not wearing any. She has to know.

Thinking about her like this made me realize she may be as sadistic as Richard. She knows exactly what to do to excite and control a man. I feel like my son is about to lift the table up. If I were to act on any of these thoughts, I’d almost certainly be sentenced to death.

Maybe arriving here so early in the day with no notice is part of an unknown sadistic plan of hers.

I’m not sure.

I don’t know enough about the Saint.

“Baron Tanaka, do you have any interest in our town?”

“I do. I’ve only seen a little so far, but it seems wonderful.”

“I was curious to know if you’d like someone to show you around while you’re here. I’d happily show you around myself, but I’m afraid I’d draw the interest of the townspeople and I’d prefer it if you could explore our town at your leisure. I’ve asked one of my best nuns to act as your guide, if you approve.”

“Thank you for the offer.”

I was interested in the countless churches and other unique buildings I saw in the town. Spending a day sightseeing doesn’t sound like a bad idea. Being able to explore the historical buildings of a religious country sounds like a proper vacation.

“I’ll bring her to meet you with you later.”

“Thank you.”

“The nun in question is a younger woman. She was born and raised in the Great Holy Land and has very little experience with the outside world. If you find it agreeable, I’d appreciate it if you’d teach her many things while you spend time together, Baron Tanaka. She’s eager to improve her knowledge of the rest of the world.”

“Eh? Ah, of course. I’ll do my best.”

Seriously? Am I dreaming?

Isn’t that a common flag that leads to sex? Who knew the Great Holy Land could be so dangerous? Since arriving here, I’ve only encountered the beautiful Saint and the commando maids. There are no creepy old men at all.

And now a beautiful woman with a hymen is launching a head-on assault.

This isn’t good. She’s taken the initiative.

I’m actually kind of into this.

“May I ask a question?”

“About? I’ll answer to the best of my ability.”

The topic of the heroes has yet to come up. The Saint is the one who’s prophecies have fueled the Heroes’ quest to defeat the Demon Lord, so she must have knowledge about the Demon Lord. I’d like to take this chance to discuss the differences I’ve heard about the Demon Lord from the kimoronge and everyone else.

“I just had a few questions about the previous Demon Lord, if that’s alright?”

“…the previous Demon Lord, you say?”

“That’s right.”

I caught a glimpse of the former Demon Lord’s strength during my time at Academy City.

What will happen to this world when the real thing appears?

“There are many who know of what the resurrection of the Demon Lord meant for our world in the past and what it now means for us. Ask anyone you pass in the streets and they will be able to tell you of the horrors that we will face. There may be some exaggeration to these stories, but they are still based in fact. I’m not sure if I’d be able to offer you more information than what you’ve heard, but, please, feel free to ask me whatever is on your mind.”

“I understand it’s a popular topic, but as you can see, I am from another country and am entirely unfamiliar with the Demon Lord of the past. I’m somewhat embarrassed to say that I don’t even know how past heroes have taken down the Demon Lord.”

“I can understand your curiosity. I’ll give a detailed account of the Demon Lord’s history.”

“I appreciate it.”

I straightened my back in my chair and put on the face of an uneducated student.

It’s too bad that the Kimoronge isn’t here.

“The previous Demon Lord was resurrected on the Dark Continent. This happened nearly one hundred years ago. This was four generations before my time as Saint. The saint back then also prophesied that the Demon Lord would resurrect and the chosen heroes managed to defeat it under the guidance of the past saint.”

There was a change in tone as the Saint began talking about the Demon Lord.

It was serious yet warm. She had gone from a casual conversation to a saintly woman addressing her followers. Each word is designed to draw in nonbelievers to her faith. Her title and position in the Great Holy Land are clearly not just for show. It was a captivating speech for a girl only in her mid-teens.

I silently listened as she continued.

“The last generation of heroes lived in a distant cold land and came from a nameless village after following the prophecy to the Great Holy Land. According to our records from that time, the heroes had assembled at the behest of the Saint herself. The heroes gathered here and assembled a party made up of companions from all of the surrounding countries before setting off on their journey to defeat the Demon Lord.”

So they didn’t defeat the Demon Lord by throwing mass numbers at it.

Just a small party of elite fighters.

This is something to be expected of the people of this world. They’re far different than the people of Japan due to the potential for the body to be trained to inhuman levels. Magic being a factor can’t be overlooked either. Arms races are common in modern society and I suppose people with the abilities of these past heroes are like living weapons to the people of this world.

“The heroes’ journey was long and arduous. They were forced to travel to every corner of our world with their companions, gathering information as they went, until they had finally learned the location of the resurrection of the Demon Lord. This yearslong journey culminated in the Heroes launching an assault on the Demon Lord’s castle where they finally managed to defeat it after a fierce battle.”

That was a quick conclusion to the story.

I thought there might be more to it.

Just thinking about the loligon, her life has been more eventful over the last few months.

“Legends of these heroes persist to this day in the lands that they travelled. We have records detailing the lives and journey of the previous generation of heroes, but there are more that account for the generation before that and even the generation before that. This isn’t restricted to the heroes either, there are many records detailing the Demon Lords of the past as well. I can show you these if you’re interested.”

“I see.”

“Do you have any further questions? I’ll do my best to answer them.”

To sum it all up, it’s a typical Demon King in a world of sword and sorcery.

Looking closely at the details, there are probably more detailed issues that arise at a political level that may interest history buffs, but that doesn’t interest me.

“Do you know the name of the previous Demon Lord?”

“You don’t even know the name of the Demon Lord?”

This was the first bit of genuine surprise I had seen on her face.

I guess it’s common knowledge in this world.

“I’m sure it’s strange not to know, but I come from a small village that has little outside contact….”

“…I see.”

It’s possible the impact the Demon Lord had on the world was minor in the Penny Empire. I’d heard next to nothing about him until recently. Honestly, the FitzClarence family was far more feared than the Demon Lord.

“The previous Demon Lord’s name was Roast. He possesses terrifying magic and there are reports that he single-handedly destroyed an entire human army with the flick of his wrist. To counter the immense magical power the Demon Lord possessed, the past heroes used an ancient treasure to capture his magic so that they could defeat him in a final battle.”

“I see.”

The clouds are finally starting to darken.

This is not the Demon Lord I had pictured.

It’s possible the status window I read was wrong, or the ‘former Demon Lord’ job was referring to the Demon Lord of two generations past or even further than that. However, if I recall what the kimoronge told me, the slug creature we encountered in Academy City is definitely the last incarnation of the Demon Lord.

“I’m sorry if this is becoming tedious, but could you tell me the names of the other incarnations of the Demon Lord. If I’m to have further interactions with the people of the Great Holy Land, I’d like to know as much as possible to refrain from looking ignorant to your people.”

“Fufu, you’re quite the studious one, Baron Tanaka. The Demon Lord of two generations back was called Meunière, the one before that Sauté, the fourth generation back was named Poêler, and five generations back was Erin. They are each horrible monsters of history. It would be fair to not only call them enemies of mankind but also the world.”

“I see.”

Erin was the name of the previous Demon Lord according to the Kimoronge. He also told me that Erin was alive nearly five hundred years ago. If what the Great Holy Land claims is true, the Demon Lord being resurrected every hundred years, then Erin being the Demon Lord of five hundred years ago lines up with what the kimoronge told me.

That doesn’t explain why the kimoronge claims Erin was the last Demon Lord while the Great Holy Land claims there have been four others since him.

If I think about it from the perspective of an ordinary human, any considerably strong demon might fall under the category of ‘demon lord.’ If this idea of a Demon Lord appearing every hundred years could be cemented in the minds of humans everywhere, it would only be a matter of finding a powerful demon and pointing a finger at him before declaring him the Demon lord.

Even the kimoronge could be considered a Demon Lord when comparing his power to the average human.

It’s actually quite common in human history for us to categorize a specific creature as belonging to the same species as another only for further tests to be done in the future. The results definitively proving that the two creatures were in no way related.

I wouldn’t be surprised that past Demon Lords were just particularly powerful demons that humans mistook to be the next incarnation of the Demon Lord. This could explain the differences between the general consensus of humanity and the kimoronge when it pertains to the Demon Lord.

If all of that is true, it still doesn’t explain the current prophecy or past prophecies of the Great Holy Land.

“….”

At the very least, any claims of receiving the prophecy from a God or gods is almost certainly a lie. It’s still possible that the prophecy is real in a sense. However, it’s most likely a general consensus agreed upon by a council of oracles that have decided there are signs in the world suggesting the birth of a new Demon Lord.

This regular reincarnation of a Demon Lord must stand to benefit both the Great Holy Land and other surrounding countries. If these have all been fake Demon Lords then the risk of it coming out that the Great Holy Land has been lying would be too high. The chance of anyone discovering this would be lowered if the other countries involved would also benefit from donations or other means.If everyone is benefitting, why would anyone want to bring an end to the good times? If I recall correctly, His Majesty mentioned something about donations needed to aid the heroes in their fight against the Demon Lord.

And so, the Demon Lord now appears once every hundred years.

I think I’m starting to get the picture.

“Do you have any further questions?”

“I do….”

However, there still is a legitimate Demon Lord. The last one being almost five hundred years ago.

The same one I encountered in Academy City that held a fraction of its original power.

I doubt that if I teamed up with the loligon, Goggoru-chan, and the Kimoronge that we’d be able to defeat a fully powered legitimate Demon Lord. Even in that chimeric state that possessed a fraction of his power, it was a difficult fight. That slug was mindless, destroying everything around it. With a level of intelligence matching a human, it would be a foe capable of subjugating the world.

“I’d like to know more about the Demon Lord of five generations past.”

“Of course. What would you like to know?”

“How did the heroes manage to defeat this Demon Lord?”

“I see….”

I can’t imagine how they did it.

Did they possess some long forgotten all powerful magic?

“To get all of the details, you’d need to find the correct records in the grand archive, but from what I can recall, the Saint of that time joined with the hero to work together in order to defeat the Demon Lord. She unleashed a powerful magic that nearly cost her her own life.

“I see.”

The Saints are amazing.

I didn’t expect this, but they might be trained as fighters as well.

“The story goes that the Hero and his party travelled to the Demon Lord’s castle along with the Saint. After a long battle, the Hero and his party gave their lives to unleash the final magical blow that put an end to the Demon Lord. Fortunately, the Saint herself managed to survive and found her way back to the Great Holy Land.”

“So the only one to survive was the Saint?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Not only was she brave to risk her own life, but she was also strong enough to make it back alive.

I wonder what kind of person that Saint was.

“That battle must have been harrowing.”

“If the records are true, that was the case.”

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that all of humanity was saved by the Saint.

That makes sense. The power that the Great Holy Land possesses today can be attributed to the sacrifice the Saint made in the past. Even His Majesty of the Penny Empire, a man that prefers to dout on his daughter and is tight with his purse, is forced to act at the command of the Great Holy Land. The Great Holy Land owes everything to the Hero and their party as well as the Saint of five hundred years ago.

“O-Oi”

Oh, Edita Sensei has something to say.

I wonder what it is.

“Is there something you need, Edita-san?”

“No, umm, how do I say it….”

Something is clearly on Sensei’s mind.

She looked like she wanted to say something, but there was also a look of guilt in her eyes that was stopping her. Her lips would tremble as she tried to speak and her mouth opened partially before she gave up and sank back into her chair.

And the final result was —

“Nevermind, i-it’s nothing….”

“Are you sure? If there’s something on your mind, feel free to speak it.”

“It’s fine! I don’t have anything to say, really!”

“Is that so? Then I guess it’s fine….”

I wanted to press a little harder, but she insists that it’s nothing. Maybe she’ll tell me if I give her some time. Either way, I feel like she’ll just close up if I try to push any further.

Instead, let’s just thank the Saint for her hospitality and for answering my questions.

“Thank you for your answers. I think I understand more about the Great Holy Land and the Demon Lord now.”

“I’m glad I was able to be of help.”

I wonder if the power of the saints has persisted through the years.

Maybe the current Saint would be capable of defeating the Demon Lord I encountered in Academy City.

Oh no.

The looks of the Saint combined with immeasurable power…. It’s too exciting.

I want to be reverse raped by the Saint.

What better position for that is there than cowgirl?

Status window, please.

That is impressive.

I think there were monsters I encountered on the Dark Continent that had similar statuses. I think she’s strong enough to replace one of the heroes’ parties by herself.

She’d probably fit right in with the Hero of the West’s party.

“Do I have something on my face?”

“No, I’m sorry. I was lost in thought.”

I couldn’t stop myself from staring at her.

She is easily the strongest person I’ve ever met. She is clearly deserving of the title of ‘saint.’ I thought she might just be little more than a decoration, but she is a fitting representative of her country. It’s more than just her stats that make me feel this way.

“I was captivated by the eloquence of your oration. This was the first time I’ve had an opportunity to speak to you in length and I was in complete awe. I think I understand why you are loved by your people. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak with you.”

“I may hold the title of saint, but I am still young with much to learn.”

“Don’t be absurd.”

Is she just trying to be modest? I think that she could use some help realizing how impressive she is.

This is also for selfish reasons on my part. She is the leader of a religious country with a global influence. If I make a good impression here, I have a feeling it will be beneficial in the future. More than anything, the young woman in front of me has a lewd body and a cute face. I have no reason to resist serving her.

“There’s something about you that makes me feel like you will accomplish great things in the future.”

“Great things?”

“I’ve felt this way since I first met you. I know I am just a lowly baron and I may be speaking of things I couldn’t possibly understand, but ever since I met you in the audience chamber, I’ve sensed that there is something different about you. Something that sets you apart from the rest.”

“You certainly have a way with words, Baron Tanaka.”

“I am just speaking my heart.”

Maybe I went a little far there, but I think it’s fine. This world favors those that like to suck up. I’m sure the Saint is used to a certain level of sycophantic behaviour, so I need to go a step further in order to stand out from the crowd.

We continued our meal.

The Saint finished her meal first and departed back to her mansion after first introducing the nun that would act as my guide. She apologized as she left, claiming she had work to attend to.

After I finish my meal, I think I’ll rest for a short while before heading out to see the city.

This is a nice vacation so far.

The time may finally be coming. The age of virginity may finally be at its end.