Will I End Up As a Hero or a Demon King (WN)

Chapter 200

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Chapter 200 – Beastmen Country

Piyon, pipiyon, piyoyo…

A weasel is standing in front of me, blowing a flute that makes a mysterious sound.

Next to him, three cats dance, bumping into each other playfully.

A bear and what I think is a deer rejoice at this sight, and there is one more… What is it? It’s not a rhinoceros… Is it a tapir?

The animals were difficult to identify, but I could tell they were people. They sat on the ground and swayed their shoulders in unison as they watched the dancing.

There were many people like this, with faces and bodies similar to animals and bipedal humans, though they had individual differences.

“You’ve never left Lagreath, so this is your first time seeing beastmen, isn’t it?”

I was asked with a smirk. I could only nod silently in embarrassment.

The wave of emotion had seemingly destroyed my language comprehension.

Since arriving in this country ten minutes earlier, I must have muttered “Wow, amazing” about fifty times, but I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

We were somewhere in the Republic of Elion.

Even when I opened the “map,” I couldn’t zoom in or out because I was only at level two, so I had no idea where we were in relation to Lagreath.

A new map appeared, and just as when I acquired Map-Making, everything around me was black.

This is probably Hans-san’s base of operations, so I suppose this must be the capital.

That’s where I had been brought.

Of course, we traveled there by teleporting using Spatial Magic.

Hans-san asked, “Since I have to go back and treat Lokish anyway, why don’t you come along for a visit?”

Without hesitation, I replied, “There are lots of creatures I’ve never seen before.”

I clearly remember swallowing hard.

After hearing that, there was no way I could deny it.

Honestly, I wish I could heal the wounds I inflicted. However, I have no magic power, nor do I have the skill to heal such severe wounds.

In hindsight, I realize it was careless of me, but at the time, I couldn’t resist the various desires intertwined within me.

And here I am now.

I climbed the low, wide steps, and in the distance, I could see a huge wooden mansion. It was on a scale that defied description.

Similar to the Beria Palace in the royal capital of Falmenta, it was a large building with a gate, but it prioritized tranquility over extravagance.

They must have been considerate.

At first, I didn’t see any humans, so I assumed they were demihumans. We flew to a square-like area where they were active.

The demihumans widened their eyes at the giant Lokish standing behind us but quickly turned their gaze to Hans-san. He smiled at them and then looked at me, standing quietly beside him, before quickly looking away.

Even after we started walking away, the same thing continued.

“I thought it would be okay since you look like a child… I’m sorry. They’ve been through a lot to get where they are now. It’s not so easy to erase the scars of the past.”

“I understand. I really do.”

He spoke with a hint of meaning, but fear still prevailed in their eyes—they were the eyes of victims.

There’s no problem with that gaze.

Unlike in Lagreath, it was easy to guess why there were no humans around here.

On the way to the palace, I looked around and talked with Hans-san about things unrelated to his position as leader of the country. I talked with him as if he were a person from another world.

Hans-san died on Earth at age 40, was reincarnated, and is now 43.

I was quite surprised to find out that he was actually an old man, with a total age of 83.

Not only was his age surprising, but his behavior was also young and lighthearted.

When I pointed this out, he laughed and said, “The mind follows the body.” Since I could relate, I accepted this without much thought.

I thought the reason I felt so emotional since coming to this world was the “rejuvenation” skill, but apparently, that’s not the case.

According to Hans-san, other people from the other world also experience this “discrepancy,” regardless of whether they are aware of it or not. It is difficult to consciously correct this discrepancy until they exceed their original age.

This resolved some issues I had wondered about during our conversation.

Before coming here, Hans-san had mentioned the game-like concepts of “level” and “experience points” to me.

He had felt a slight sense of dissonance about that.

Did such an RPG-like game exist more than 43 years ago?

I wasn’t doubting its existence, but when I asked Hans-san what year he died on Earth, he casually replied, “2017.”

It was too poor of a lie to be fake.

I stopped in my tracks and looked at Hans-san’s profile as we walked side by side.

He didn’t seem to be lying; he seemed to think it was the right answer.

He must have noticed my confused expression.

Hans-san also stopped and turned toward me from his slightly higher position.

“Time, right? It’s different for everyone here. The timeline is different.”

Now that I know that, I don’t think it will help me in any way.

Still, the idea was shocking enough to send a chill down my spine.

“So, that means there are people in this world who died before Hans-san but who are younger than you?”

“That’s right. This is an extremely unconventional world. By the way, when did Loki…?”

I understood what he was trying to say.

When did I die?

But I didn’t know. Besides, saying that I had just died in front of a goddess wouldn’t make any sense.

So…

“2008,”

I answered with difficulty.

It was simply the difference between my current age and the age I had been transported to after being rejuvenated.

To this,

“Then it’s not so bad…”

He muttered under his breath, not intending for me to hear.

However, those words left a strong impression, and we both fell into deep thought as we walked forward.

Before we knew it, we had reached the high ground that was our destination.

(Huh, there are reptiles here, too.)

Hans-san spoke with a snake-like demihuman, who took Lokish to another building.

The two of us proceeded into the vast interior space.

“Hey, we’re back!”

In response to his casual greeting, the dozen or so demihumans present bowed their heads solemnly.

Naturally, I was intimidated.

This place was completely different from the square we had just left.

Until now, being here had felt as casual as hanging out with regulars at a bar. But here, for the first time, I realized that they weren’t just strong—they were important. But it was already too late.

(Goats, leopards, lizards, dogs—no, wolves—foxes, and some others I can’t identify…)

Some can be distinguished by their appearance, while others cannot.

There are even a few who give off such a human-like aura that you might wonder if they are beastmen.

Without using Insight, some people give off a vibe that makes me think, “This might be impossible.”

There’s also a large, silver-haired beast curled up in the center with its tail wrapped around itself. It’s lying down and staring intently at me. Its aura gives off a very dangerous vibe.

I want to use Insight, but I can’t.

I can already tell that using it on this many people would drive me insane.

It was because of the child I brought with me. He’s from a different world, though, and his actual age is completely different. If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility, so don’t worry for now.”

I bowed my head in response to Hans-san’s introduction, but the atmosphere didn’t change much.

It’s fine; they’re just being cautious, not hostile.

“Also, I’m going to use the healing room now. Sagan, take your time. Bring those two with you. Maybira, you should come too, just in case.”

“As you wish.

“At your leisure.”

“…”

Not knowing the hierarchy between them, I thought it was an amazing world.

As I watched the exchange nervously, someone called my name, and I jumped.

“Loki, let’s go. I’m going to test your love for animals myself.”

“…Huh?”

It was a strange but wonderful space.

It was about 16 square meters—which could be called a small room in this building—and it had a wooden table and chairs with warm colors.

There was a wooden table with chairs in warm colors. We were sitting across from each other, each holding a white creature on our laps.

Maybira, who had been ordered to join us, stood behind Hans-san but didn’t say a word.

She had porcelain-white hair and skin and wore a strange hat that looked like a white veil. For some reason, her eyes were covered by a black cloth.

Even among the dignitaries present, she stood out with her unusual aura.

I suspected her purpose was to gather information about me, perhaps regarding my skills.

The fact that she was hiding her eyes made me think she was up to something.

But no, that can’t be.

Fluff, fluff.

I couldn’t care less about that right now because the mysterious creature sitting on my lap feels so good.

First of all, its fur is extraordinary.

It’s soft, fluffy, and smooth.

Honestly, I couldn’t get enough of touching it. I wanted to bury my face in it, cover myself with it, or even use it as a blanket and sleep on it.

“Ah… Isn’t it amazing…? The one Loki is holding is called ‘Tanpopo-chan’…” [T/N: Tanpopo means dandelion.]

“It’s amazing… Tanpopo-chan; I can’t get enough.”

What on earth did we come to this room for?

We came to a massage parlor together, yet the boss and his subordinate were receiving separate services.

I’m too busy to feel awkward, but this meaningless situation brings back memories of past experiences.

But it’s about time. I’ve been holding back for so long. Is it okay to get to the point I’ve been wanting to talk about?

With that in mind, I gather my courage and speak to Hans-san, who has an ecstatic expression on his face.

“Hans-san.”

“What is it?”

“Do you know how to acquire Spatial Magic?”

I think I’m being too direct as if my brain has melted completely.

“I got it right away when I first started.”

“I see. I knew that.”

“Do you know about it, Maybira?”

“…No, not everything.”

“Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it written down anywhere.”

“It’s really difficult, isn’t it? Huh?”

Creak!

I involuntarily lift my hips, making the chair creak.

What did she just say?

Everything.

Didn’t she just say that?

In other words…

“You know a little bit… Is that what you mean?”

When I asked Maybira that question, she looked up and paused for a second, then two, then three, and finally answered.

“…Yes, a little.”

My throat suddenly became dry, and I gulped down the strongly scented drink that had been brought to me earlier.

This was the first time. This was the first time I had met someone who might have information that could serve as a clue.

That’s why I wanted it—I wanted that information! I wanted it so badly I could reach out and grab it!

As I stared at Maybira, clinging to her gaze, she must have noticed because she quickly turned to look at Hans-san.

Following her gaze, I looked over and saw that Hans-san’s relaxed expression had vanished. He was moving his hands while narrowing his eyes and staring at me.

“Spatial Magic… Yeah, that’s definitely useful. Maybe even too useful.”

“Yes, that’s why I’ve always wanted it and have been gathering information.”

“Didn’t you want it when you were reborn in this world?”

“A-at that time, I didn’t really understand it yet…”

“I see. Well, I guess that’s understandable. But if you did understand it, what would you do with that Spatial Magic?”

Hans-san asked in a slightly stiff tone. I could only be honest about how I felt right now.

“Well, the most important thing is to use it to grow stronger. I want to hunt more efficiently and make sure I get enough materials to sell. I’m all alone, after all.”

“…Alright, that’s fine. I don’t know what kind of answer Maybira has, but it’s the same preference as someone from the same hometown. It doesn’t seem like you’d use it like an old hag anyway.” [T/n: Probably the otherworlder who used it to transfer logistics.]

“R-really!?”

“But in exchange for answering, you have to answer one question from me.”

“I’ll do anything!”

My feelings got the better of me.

What kind of information could I find out? Would I be able to acquire the necessary skills? If so, what would I be able to do?

I don’t think it was very salesman-like of me.

“Why is Loki’s magic black?”

So that’s why.

I forgot that I might be being watched.

No, that’s not right.

By the time Hans-san appeared behind me, the Time Magic had already been activated.

Still, I felt lingering anxiety. Since no one pointed it out, though, I felt relieved.

But upon further reflection—

Right after I communicated with Lokish, Hans-san asked me a question.

“Who are you?”

If Lokish had told Hans-san that I could fly, it wouldn’t be surprising if he had also told him that my magic was black.

I now understand that this was also implied, but it’s too late now.

I’ve already made it to his base.

There were no windows; the only way in or out was through a single door.

In front of me stood a man who was definitely stronger than I am. Behind him stood a mysterious woman I didn’t recognize.

There was no escape. I had to think hard to come up with a way to get out of this situation peacefully.

That’s what I thought, but…

“Hey, hey, don’t look so worried. I’m not going to eat you or anything.”

“But…”

“I’ve been in this position before, so I’ve seen people who have been reborn in this world one way or another.”

“…”

“That’s why I thought it was possible for that useless goddess to do something like this: To reincarnate someone who isn’t human.”

“A useless goddess?”

Hans reacted to those words, but the speaker continued as if they weren’t important.

“If you say you want to be Prince Takuya, even a selfish request like that would be granted. It wouldn’t be strange if people wanted to be reborn as something other than human. Isn’t that what you wished for?”

“Eh, um…”

“In a way, it’s his own fault for choosing such a difficult path in life. But even so, that useless goddess’s thoughtlessness is unforgivable…”

Knock, knock, knock.

There was a knock on the door, and he was confused.

“Boss, I brought them.”

“All right, come in.”

When the door opened, standing there were what might have been the first of their kind in this country:

A man and a woman who looked exactly like humans.

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