Maou no Hajimekata

Translator: DarkHeartedAlchemist Editor: Weasalopes

[Fuu]

Froro exhaled deeply after she made sure that Sarnak has been made completely immobile after she trapped him within the wall. Thanks to Aurs Skills, she was not only able to manipulate the walls, but also peek inside of them. The entirety of his knowledge and abilities was so vast and extensive, and yet she was able to wield that power without difficulties or hesitation. She wondered why was that possible?

(So, have you settled your score with him for now?)

Froro heard the words inside her head, and although they were in a language she did not understand, she was able to grasp their meaning. The thoughts belonged to Aur. He was communicating with her in such a way.

(Just who in the hell are you?)

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(I should be asking you the same.)

Since they were using crystalized Skills, it would be logical for the residents of this place to be able to handle them. But combining several different Skills and using them freely would require extensive training and getting used to each and every one of them.

And as for Aurs Skills that Froro used

(Its actually called magic.)

She was able to use that magic to take down Sarnak only thanks to this voices silent support.

[Ah, uhm Your Majesty?]

One of the Sarnaks remaining slaves raised her hand and directed a question at Froro.

[What is going to happen to us from now on?]

Froro was overwhelmed by that simple question. Right now she is not the Demon Lord. She is just a lowly slave at the Bottom, same as everyone else. She is not in a position to decide the fate of other slaves.

(Is that really okay with you?)

Aur asks, searching through her wavering heart. Even though they were the servants of their enemy just moments ago, right now all of them looked like they genuinely didnt know what to do from this point onward.

There was no good answer to that question, and there wasnt a single right solution to the problem they were now facing. But the demons who now stared at Froro the subject who have been turned into slaves she honestly didnt know how she should answer them, or if she even had the right to do so.

The slaves who now looked at Froro wore various facial expressions, but none of them was positive. Anxiety, confusion, anger, resentment, it was all completel expected when their circumstances and position were taken into account.

[Everyone, please listen. Up until now, my life wasnt exactly easy. I also had a hard time, same as you.]

But even despite all that shes been through, now she was able to genuinely smile when she looked at her fellow comrades in captivity.

[I am a daughter of the previous Demon Lord, Stono. My name is Froro Sanao Eunice Aurelia.]

When she spoke her full name, her expression was filled with longing and nostalgia, but they lasted for only a moment when she continued.

[Sarnak has been sealed within this pillar, and is going to die soon. When that happens, you will be released from slavery.]

All of the gathered slaves erupted into a wild roar. It wasnt a happy one, but the one of disbelief.

[I am also a slave. I dont have anything left in my body. I cannot do anything by myself.]

Froro understood full well what it feels like to be powerless, because thats exactly what shes been for so long.

[Dont expect anything. Dont interefere with the affairs of others. Just focus on living through one day to the next.]

However.

It all changed when Froro saw a man who ended up in here just like she did, but unlike her, he never stopped pushing forward.

[But that is not what I want anymore. I am tired of living a life where I am oppressed simply because I was born a demon. Where just because of that I was turned into a slave, deprived of all my freedoms and treated miserably! I dont want to just keep on existing as an empty shell, unable to grasp my future with my own hands!]

But even so, theres no way that they would believe her just like that.

[If you dont want to believe me then thats fine.]

She was a former Demon Lord, the one who failed in her role as a ruler, and was robbed of everything and ruined as a result.

[But, just this once I want you to believe in your own power.]

Speaking to those who didnt believe in themselves and resigned themselves to their fates.

[Our own power?]

The one to mumble that was Nagia.

[Demons if we are called demons, then it has to mean we once had power!]

Froro screamed towards the crowd.

The expressions of the slaves slowly began to change. The eyes that were focused on Froro now started to look at one another.

[Nagias Tail Tribe has eyes more beautiful than those of humans and strong lower bodies. The members of the Wing Tribe have light bodies that can soar through the heavens. The Fang Tribe can cut through anything with their fangs and claws. We have all those things, so so we shouldnt be reduced to being nothing more but lowly slaves!]

The silent murmurs among the slaves gradually grew louder. Right now, Froro had their undivided attention.

[I want you all to believe. To believe in yourselves once again, and choose your own path!]

It might well be a path that will lead them to ruin. They have ended up on it more than once.

[Im not saying that you should make your decision right away. Give yourself a day to think about it, and decide only then.]

After finishing her speech to the stunned slaves, Froro turned on her heels and left.

[That was quite good.] [Aur.]

When she left Sarnaks room, Aur was already waiting for her outside.

[But I think that if youd have ordered them to make a decision now, most of them would have probably chose to follow your lead.]

Those who have become slaves are not used to making their own decisions. That is why they have asked Froro whats going to happen with them in the first place. However, she did not choose to exploit that.

[Youre probably right, but as I am now I wont be able to lead them.]

Yet despite those solemn words, her expression looked quite refreshing.

(If it is power that you want, then you can find it in yourself now. All you have to do is use it.)

She heard Aurs voice echoing inside of her head once more. This Skill of his really is

(Its magic.)

As long as she has his magic, she would definitely be able to free the other demons. And with their help, she could even aim to conquer the top layer, similar to what Sarnak wanted for himself. But

[No. This is something that has to be returned to where it belongs. Nagia.] [Y-Yes?!]

Having her name called out so suddenly, Nagia appeared from the shadow in one of the corners. Her snake lower-body is capable of moving along the ground without making a single sound unless she chooses to be heard herself. In the entire world, there exist only a handful of people who could hear the members of the Tail Tribe moving while they are in their [Stealth Mode].

[Return all of the magic that in now in me to Aur.] [A-Are you sure that is what you want to do?]

Froro nods affirmatively. Certainly, from her standpoint, returning such immesurable power to its original owner was nothing short of unreasonable. But to be honest, Froro would be extremely irritated if Aurs inner voice kept correcting her when she called his magic Skills. Indeed, in this sense such power was nothing but trouble.

(Hey, what are you calling trouble?)

(Those Skills of yours. Especially the one that allows you to hijack the bodies of others if you want to.)

She could clearly hear Aur grinning inside of her head. If such a Skill

(Magic.)

if such magic ended up not in Froros, but Sarnaks hands, he would not have hesitated to steal her body for himself.

Body Manipulation magic, in other words, the trick he had used to control Nagia back during their confrontation with Sarnak. If Aur truly is so skilled at manipulating the bodies of others as if he was moving his own body, then taking such a technique into yourself would be equivalent to suicide.

Nagia reluctantly puts her hand inside Froros chest, pulls out Aurs Skill Crystal out of it and returns it to the original owner.

[Ah?! Lord Aur! Your arms and legs!]

Nagia was pretty shocked to see that Aurs limbs,even the ones that have been cut off by Sarnak returned to their original, healthy state.

[We should thank him for cutting them off so cleanly. Otherwise Id have much harder job with putting them back together.]

Aur fixed his limbs to such a degree that there wasnt even a trace of blood or any scars remaining. But after hosting his abilities inside of her, Froro wasnt even that surprised.

[Okay, so what do we do now?] [Free the rest of the demonfolk from slavery of course.]

Aur answered Froros question almost instantenously.

[I see, thats very considerate of you. But can we do it with our numbers alone?] [No.]

Froro stared at Aur and shook her head. She knew what he meant by that.

If she really wants to change the status quo in here, she cannot rely on Aurs help alone.

He literally has the power to change the world, and a whole bunch of insane abilities that Froro is not even sure where they have come from. It wont be an exaggeration to say that he could easily do what Sarnak could only dream of.

However, Froro thought.

She didnt know Aur for long at all, and he himself said as such: that he is most definitely not a good man.

At the very least, he seems to be thankful to Froro for helping him and it doesnt look like he plans to hurt her, but if he cannot be her partner that she could unconditionally rely on without fearing that he might one day eat her up, then she cannot rely on him. If they were to cooperate, she needed to know that she has his full support.

[Aur.] [What is it?] [I need your power if I am to succeed, but I cannot imagine how much is it going to cost me.]

Aur frowned slightly, but Froro ignored that and continued.

[The only thing that I can offer to you is all of myself. If I do that, will you lend me your strength?] [I can always have you without making such a deal.]

Froro nodded.

[I know you could, but I also know that you wont do it.] [And why do you think so?]

If he was going to do so, he would have done it the first chance he got.

[Because you are too proud to do so.]

Perhaps he didnt expect such a comeback from her, because his eyes opened slightly in amusement.

[You are strong and proud. Just like you said, you could have made me your own if you wanted. Thats why you dont have to fool or trick me. I offered you all of myself, and you can either accept it or say that its not enough. You can really do whatever you want.]

After all, she had no other choice, because she has nothing left. Everything she once had has been taken from her, and her title of Demon Lord is nothing but a decoration now. So there was only one thing she could offer to Aur: sincerity.

[You know, if you want to become a ruler, the I strongly advise learning a bit more about tactics.] [You didnt have to say that much! So? Whats it going to be? Are you going to cooperate with me or not?]

Froro kept pushing him for an answer, which made him even more amazed.

[You really are such a fool.]

Aur said with a tired sigh.

[If I were to help you then I would have to tech you everything I know from the very beginning, and that in itself would be a huge pain in the backside.] [Ah, uhm]

Nagia tried to break into the conversation.

[arent you telling us that precisely because youre willing to cooperate?] [Eh?]

Froros eyes went wide open.

[Dont go jumping into conclusions just yet. Im simply contemplating my options for the near future.] [Thank you so very much, Aur!]

Froro bowed deeply to him, to which he reacted in the only way he could: by massaging his temples, feeling the oncoming headache.

[Then, the first thing we should do is to think how we can get out of the Bottom. Any suggestions?] [Not right.]

Confused, Froro tilted her head to the side.

[Its true that this Bottom layer is not a place suitable for living, but the same can be told about the topmost layer.]

At the top of the Dungeon, there are bound to be the ground, the sky, the moon, the sun, and the stars.

[The top is the place where the rulers of this place must dwell. A place made for the greatest of the great, not ordinary creatures like you all.]

But the Bottom is not like that. This is the final stop for the ordinary people. The deepest and darkest place.

[That is why we are not going to aim for the top layer.]

This is not a story in which the two Demon Lords aim to conquer the heavens.

[Along with everyone else, we will aim for this place right here.]

It is a story about how they regained the part furthest away from heaven.