The Regressed Demon Lord is Kind

n character of a storybook who explored dungeons in unknown places, subjugated dragons, and saved beautiful princesses.
However, that was just a fairytale.

In reality, most adventurers teetered on a thin line between a gambler and a thug; they wandered around, dreaming of striking rich from one journey.
They weren’t full of justice like the way storybooks portrayed them to be, and most of them became bandits due to financial problems.
Thus, many people didn’t look at adventurers favorably.
However, the miner who asked Zich and Hans if they were adventurers seemed like he still believed in storybooks.

“No, we are not.”

Although they wandered around the world without any plans, Zich and Hans were still far from adventurers.

“I heard that you guys are traveling the world…”

The young man glanced at the miners who were still debating.
His eyes were on Sam, and it seemed as if the young man had heard this news from him.

“That is true, but who are you?”

“Ah! I forgot to introduce myself.
I am Snoc.”

“I am Zich.”

“Could I perhaps hear about your travels?” the young man asked with eyes full of admiration since he couldn’t achieve his goals.

“Hey, Snoc! What are you doing? We have to go now!”

“I have to ask this person something—!”

“—Stop talking nonsense! Those people also have to get on with their work! Why are you bothering them when the sun is almost setting?” Sam shouted.
Perhaps Snoc also thought he was acting like a nuisance, and he backed off while looking regretful.

“If I meet you next time, I would really like to hear about your travels.
Please, I beg you.”

Then Snoc hurriedly joined the rest of the miners and walked down the mountain.
Zich stared at the distant group of miners and struck Hans’ shoulders.

“Let’s go too.”

Hans grabbed the sled’s handle.

*    *    *

Zich and Hans stayed in Suol for a while and trained.
Hans’ skills improved at a pace that would shock anyone; however, his development speed was nothing compared to Zich’s. 

Ziiing!

The mana circulated smoothly in Zich’s body.
His body, which used to creak whenever the mana overflowed, had no problems now.
Then Zich tried to halt his mana and dramatically increase it to its maximum. 

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Twitch!

Zich’s body trembled slightly, and he stopped the flow of mana.

‘I need a bit more time.’

It wouldn’t take him too long.

‘I won’t be too late.”

The day that a great catastrophe would befall Suol was drawing closer.
Zich felt like he could finish preparations before then.

Push!

While Zich was thinking this, Hans, who was hunting monsters like usual, chopped up an orc.
Like how Zich was almost used to his power, Hans was getting used to his monster hunting.
The sun was starting to set, and Zich shouted while Hans loaded some orc corpses onto the sled, “Let’s go!”

They went down the mountain and went to the Monster Exterminator branch store.
It was located a bit far away from the city because they couldn’t have built a store, where monster corpses went in and out, near where people lived. 

“Hey, you are here today too.”

A rough, bandit-looking middle-aged man welcomed them.
He was the branch manager named Paul Chenu. 

“How many did you catch today?”

“Six orcs and three goblins.”

Zich answered, and Paul Chenu scowled.

“Damn it! They are increasing.
Where did you find them?”

“Around a six-hour walk by a normal person’s standards.”

That was almost right around the corner, and Paul Chenu nodded.

“Urgh! I am so glad I called those guys.”

 “Those guys?”

“Yeah.
I called some skilled adventurers and mercenaries this time.
The monster sweep is going to be next month even though the monsters are coming close.
Since we can’t close the mine down, we have to solve this problem independently.”

At that moment, someone came inside the store.

“He is one of them.”

Paul Chenu pointed sideways with his chin.

A heavily armored man stood in front of the store’s entrance.
His crooked posture and mannerisms looked unfriendly.

“Hey Drew! You finally came?”

Paul Chenu welcomed him with his arm raised, but the man, Uljon Drew, nodded his head slightly. The man was obviously rude, but Paul Chenu just shrugged his shoulders.
In his field of work, there were many guys with terrible personalities.

‘Well, that guy is among the worst though.’

Of course, Paul Chenu didn’t say this thought out loud.

“Did you catch many today?”

Drew took out something from his clutches; it was a small box the size of his palm. The box seemed like it was made from wooden material, and strange symbols decorated its surface.
He opened the box.
Something jumped out and fell to the ground.

Drop!

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It was heavy. Considering the box ’s size, the sound was loud, but onlookers could understand why when they realized what the object was.
The thing seemed way too big to have come out of the small box.

“It’s an artifact.”

Zich told Hans whose eyes widened in surprise.

“That thing is?”

“By the looks of it, it’s an item that can store goods no matter the volume or weight.
Among artifacts, it’s a pretty common type.
Of course, that doesn’t make it less rare.”

Hans looked back and forth between the box and the thing that fell out of it.

“Does that count as an item?”

What came out of the box were monster corpses.
Most of the bodies were orcs and goblins, but corpses of medium-level monsters like trolls were mixed in.
There were a considerable number of corpses.

“A corpse can be totally counted as an item.
It’s only a living creature when the creature is alive.
When it’s dead, what is it more than a piece of meat? It’s the same for a human corpse.”

Hans scowled with intense disgust.

“He is amazing as ever.”

Paul Chenu examined the monster ’s corpses and expressed his awe.
However, he didn’t end it with just admiration.

“But where were these monsters? Especially the trolls.
Do you think they will appear near the city or the mines in a month’s time?”

This was very important.
The difference between low-level monsters like goblins and orcs and mid-level monsters like trolls were huge.
For the city’s safety, he had to identify the situation clearly.
However, like he couldn’t be bothered, Drew glanced at Paul Chenu once and turned his head.

“Figure out the sum and prepare it by evening.”

And then he strutted out of the store.

“Uh, huh? Hey! Hey, Drew!” Paul Chenu called the man urgently, but Drew left without even turning back.

“…How can there be a person like that?”

“Why?”

In comparison to Hans who was astounded, Zich looked indifferent.

“I mean, isn’t his attitude too rude, sir?”

“Why are you overreacting? That much is cute.”

In comparison to people who pulled out a person’s spine for not concentrating on what they said, or gouged a person’s eye for glaring at them, or sliced off a person’s head for not liking the way they looked, Drew’s behavior was similar to a child’s tantrum.

“Moreover, you’re not even the one affected by his behavior.
I don’t think he committed a sin big enough for me to kill him in the name of doing a good deed.”

 “Sir, if that person showed the same attitude to you, how would you react?”

Hans asked this since Zich said, ‘You’re not even the one who’s affected.’

“I’d crack his skull open.
Isn’t that obvious?”

As expected, Zich was Zich.

“Or is that not living a kind life? No, you should at least be prepared to have your head cracked if you pick a fight with someone. Um, then that will definitely make me faultless—since it’s self-defense.
I guess I won’t have any problems then.”

Yes, that was right.
Hans gave up on understanding Zich’s way of thinking and quietly accepted his fate.