The Subordinates Are So Capable It Drives Me Crazy (2)
Ah, I remember now.
The Legion Commander who used to hunt monsters alongside Commander Velitan was probably named Myers.
I heard he was recovering from an injury... Is it okay for him to be moving around like this?
Before that, why did I come here again?
'Ah, don't tell me…'
Is he angry because I took away his job?
It's not an entirely unfounded thought.
If it's paperwork or something tedious, he might be annoyed, but tasks related to combat are quite popular among the legion commanders.
So, when I decided this was a plausible assumption, I quickly answered.
"No."
"Huh? You're refusing…?"
"Yes."
Safety first, after all.
I nodded firmly, and Edgar, who had been looking at me in confusion for a moment, soon turned toward the door, as if he was going to convey my refusal.
He slightly opened the door and said,
"Myers, I'm sorry, but…?"
He hesitated.
"Why are you here…?"
"It's Demon-sama…"
"..."
"..."
What is this? Who else is coming?
The room is spacious, and they're whispering quietly, probably so as not to disturb me, but I can still hear everything.
The only fortunate thing is that their conversation ended sooner than expected.
"...I see."
With a brief reply, Edgar closed the door again, blocking both sound and sight, and then turned back to me.
His face showed an emotion that seemed to have been hidden, but one that he couldn't quite conceal — a faint hint of displeasure.
"Demon-sama."
"Yes?"
"The gardener, Hien, has come to see you…"
"Has the 12th Legion Commander left yet?"
"Huh? Yes."
"I'll meet with the 12th Legion Commander."
Edgar, who had been stunned by my straightforward response, soon beamed a smile and nodded. For some reason, he looked quite pleased, but I, with my mind already in chaos, didn't bother to pay attention to it.
What's going on today? Why do they keep coming by?
'...Of course, it's the day I'm supposed to die.'
I don't know why Hien came, but at least it won't be for something good. It's never been a good reason before.
Oh, it's not that Hien has evil intentions. He always treated me with pure intentions.
It's just that… whenever I was with that guy, even if everything seemed fine, I always felt like my lifespan had shortened dramatically.
So, the 12th Legion Commander is definitely better than that crazy gardener.
Plus, since he's injured, even if he intends to harm me, I'll at least be able to avoid it.
If nothing else, I'm confident in my ability to dodge.
While I was lost in thought, Myers, who had entered the room and now stood in front of me, bowed with a somewhat stiff expression.
"It's been a while, Demon-sama."
A very stiff face. His expression looked as if he was about to announce the end of something, and naturally, my face stiffened too.
'This… feels dangerous, right?'
The 12th Legion Commander, Myers. His main weapon is a spear. His characteristic is that he's extremely taciturn.
Of course, when necessary, he'll say what's needed, but otherwise, he's so silent that rumors among the attendants suggest he had his tongue cut off during some past incident.
Though, I've heard his rare voice a few times during meetings…
'Isn't this exactly the time for him to speak? Why isn't he saying anything?'
There's no way he came just to exchange pleasantries. If we've exchanged greetings, we should move to the main topic.
The silence grows long. The suffocating atmosphere makes me feel like I might suffocate, so I'm about to speak, but I unexpectedly run into a challenge.
'What should I say?'
And what kind of expression should I make?
Smile? No, if I smile, he might punch me, thinking I'm mocking him. Should I keep a neutral expression? But then he might think, "What kind of face is that after I've just greeted you?"
"..."
"..."
As time passes, Myers's expression becomes even more rigid.
Feeling like my life is in danger, I cast a desperate look toward my capable assistant, but whether he's truly oblivious or pretending not to notice, Edgar takes a step back instead.
He's a capable, but useless assistant.
I almost wish there was some blood, but even though the blood that usually flows like a tap was completely locked up, it showed no sign of coming out at this moment.
In the midst of the awkward atmosphere, I quietly regretted.
'At this point, maybe it would've been better if Hien came instead…'
Forgetting past experiences, or perhaps even romanticizing them, I suddenly realized how fickle human emotions can be when I heard a slight cough.
"Ed?"
"Hmm, ahem, 12th Legion Commander. If you've come, you should say something…"
I'm grateful that he said what I wanted to, but what if it makes things even more unpleasant for him?
I cautiously lifted my head and made eye contact with Myers. As soon as our eyes met, I saw his pupils tremble slightly.
It's clear he's angry, but should I apologize…?
But I haven't really done anything wrong, right? Honestly, if anyone should be angry, it's me.
I'm the one who got stuck with a dangerous mission because of someone.
Of course, I'm not bold enough to say exactly what I'm thinking, so I chose my words carefully. But then, out of the blue, Myers bowed deeply. It was a precise, almost military-like action.
"I'm sorry for causing you trouble."
"…Huh?"
"I felt I needed to say this."
I blankly stared at the top of his head.
Next, I saw his shoulder clearly through the angle, and the white bandages wrapped around his upper body, clearly showing that he had sustained serious injuries.
...Well, that posture can't be good for his injuries, right?
"Straighten your back."
"Yes!"
I only told him to straighten his back because I was worried about his injuries, but he immediately stiffened his posture as if he were pulling a rapier from its scabbard.
I almost heard a "snap" in my ears, as if something had cracked.
For a moment, I worried that his wounds might worsen from that, and indeed, Myers furrowed his brow slightly, as if the injury had become aggravated.
I turned my head away, deliberately not looking at the furrowed brow and the bandages that were beginning to redden again.
'So, he's not angry, right?'
He's actually apologizing to me, so whatever is going on, it doesn't seem like I'm in danger of getting hit. This means there's no need to be so tense.
Now that I've let out a sigh of relief, it's time to hear his explanation.
I suggested that he sit in the chair in the middle of the room, and I sat down opposite him.
"You can't just apologize without any context."
"How… How… You should just accept the apology."
"…I wasn't asking how to accept it…"
"I'm sorry."
"No… First, straighten your back…"
"Yes."
Snap.
I stared at him quietly, then turned my gaze to Edgar, who was standing off to the side.
I can't handle this guy. Can you do something about it for me?
'...What if you're shocked too?'
His usually neat face was now full of shock. Probably because of me too. Who would've guessed that the normally taciturn 12th Legion Commander would have this kind of personality?
'You're probably better off keeping your mouth shut.'
That concept works. Just keep it going like this.
If you keep opening your mouth carelessly, you'll probably cause a big mess later on.
I quickly gathered my expression and recalled the purpose of the conversation before getting caught up in his actions.
"I was asking why you apologized."
"Ah…"
Now that the stage is set, he just needs to explain.
But this guy, why is he so jittery?
His legs are shaking so much that the table is rocking. If there had been a teacup on it, the tea would've spilled everywhere.
Just as I was about to say something in frustration, before I could even open my mouth, Myers suddenly jumped up from his seat.
"Excuse me, could I speak to my assistant for a moment…!"
"…?"
Whoosh.
A strong wind blew.
By the time I regained my senses, Myers was already gone.
I looked around to see if he might be hiding somewhere, but Edgar quietly approached and spoke.
"He left."
"…Huh?!"
"It seems he went to fetch his aide, but since we don't know when he'll be back, perhaps you should head down first?"
I nodded and walked toward the door.
I was curious why he apologized, but it's not like my life depends on it. I don't need to hear an explanation.
More than anything, I just don't want to wait. It's awkward facing him again.
Without much thought, I placed my hand on the doorknob. The door opened—
"…"
Slam.
And then closed again.
"L-Lord Daemon! Before you leave, I have some plants to give you…!"
"Daemon?! We came all the way out to greet him and this is how he treats the Demon King?!"
"I—I am Lieutenant to the 12th Legion Commander, Lord Myers! About the rudeness earlier…"
The knocking wouldn't stop.
Thankfully, it hadn't escalated to pounding yet, but it was still loud enough that I had to cover my ears.
Ah, and now another voice layered itself over the others from outside.
"This is Myers…"
"Louder! Louder! If Lord Daemon gets mad, I swear I'm quitting as your aide!"
"This is Myers!"
This is a dream. It has to be a dream.
The world had clearly gone mad.
Eventually, the door opened. I mean, it's not like I could keep holding out when the Demon King himself was standing outside.
And if the door had opened, what did that mean?
Exactly. I was now surrounded by these dreadful demons.
The first to step forward was the man claiming to be Myers' aide.
Pushing past the tense standoff, he grabbed Myers' hand and smoothly stepped forward. With graceful formality and a voice just as composed, he began to speak:
"Greetings, Lord Daemon. I am Dahar, aide to the 12th Legion Commander, Lord Myers. I imagine you were quite displeased by this sudden visit, and I deeply thank you for your grace in tolerating it. I also offer my sincere apologies for our discourtesy. Truly, we are sorry."
While bowing deeply, Dahar jabbed Myers in the back with his finger.
Myers, who had been fidgeting anxiously at the side, bowed his head as well.
"…I'm sorry."
"Ah, um… sure…"
What is this?
"I must apologize again for this unannounced and disrespectful visit. There is a reason for it—none other than the injury of my superior, Lord Myers, which I understand led to you taking on his duties."
"Well, yes."
I had literally just been trying to leave.
I quietly swept my gaze over those surrounding me.
From Hien, holding some sort of unidentified plant seeds, to the Demon King, looking grumpy that even he hadn't been let in. And finally, to the 12th Legion Commander Myers and his aide, Dahar.
"It must have been unpleasant and troublesome for you to take on something so unexpected. Lord Myers came to apologize for that…"
Dahar gave Myers a sidelong glare.
"…and committed a grave offense in the process…"
Oof. His words came out clipped and terse.
The voice that followed was low and cold, like it was forced through gritted teeth. I stayed silent, and Myers flinched and bowed his head further each time a word was cut off.
I'm discovering far more sides of the 12th Legion Commander today than I ever wanted to.
I only made a slightly awkward face for a moment, but it looked like if I didn't stop this now, I'd end up witnessing a full-on scolding of a legion commander by his aide right in front of me.
That would be awkward, and honestly, I figured I should at least protect the… uh, quiet image of the 12th Legion Commander.
"If by offense you mean… that odd statement he made, that wasn't anything serious—"
"Excuse me?!"
Oh. Guess I touched the wrong nerve.
Feeling a bit guilty, I glanced at Myers to gauge his reaction. But Dahar suddenly raised his head, horrified.
"My goodness, not only did he flee, but he also said something completely absurd?! What did he say?!"
…Again?