Dortmund is also used to this kind of gaze. For whoever finds out who he is will have roughly the same gaze. Most likely, it's been hundreds of years since I've had that kind of gaze.
When Dortmund deceived Blanche, he told her to end Erlich's assignment and left the scene behind with Erlich and Lifeless.
"I've been open to you for a long time, but when is the example plan activated, my king"
"I haven't been informed of the exact time. It wasn't long before that. The time is roughly predictable, but that's all."
"But wasn't Silence in the process of doing the trick for it? I heard he was dumbfounded by a human lad. Besides, you think he died after he put an arbitrary little bite on the mercenary regiment in Alphilis? I heard there would be no retaliation, even though he died because of it. Totally makes me laugh that such an idiot was in a black magician"
I giggled spirally with my nose like Erlich made a little fool of me. But Lifeless did not affirm it.
"... we'll see if it's dumb. That means all the silence planting is over, more than no change to the plan. I don't know if he's here, but I'm sure there's nothing in the way of the plan. In that sense, he was finishing what he had to do."
"So what's our role?
"Even if the plan starts, a little bit from the outside could come in. Our role is to eliminate those forces."
"Then you say you can set things up with the Orin Pass or the Demon Society?
"I guess that's the thing. Anyway, I don't know what's gonna happen. In that sense, unforeseen events will be the most likely role, but just prepare. It's gonna be a long fight."
Lifeless told him to leave with pleasure, so Ellich and Dortmund, left behind, drooped their heads and showed their sincerity, then looked at each other after signs of Lifeless had left.
"... what do you think?
"What do you mean?
"I'm talking about this plan. Why start a war? No, I don't mind the war itself. But why stick to the land? I know there's a massive workshop in Anomaly. I also know that Calamity has done the planting over a long period of time. But without such hassle, our power should be enough to push. I don't know why we let people fight each other."
"I see. As a demon king who organized the former Union of Demon Kings, are you convinced of the reasons for the conspiracy?"
Erlich admitted honestly. There can't be a look on his face, but Erlich looks seriously troubled.
"The plan needs a clear purpose and reason. If you can see that, we're just pawns. No, I can't help being a pawn. Orangeables are much higher in rank than we are, and at the moment we don't have the power to fight them. The fact is I don't know why, either, but I'm not particularly dissatisfied with that, and I'm in favor of humans dying unharmed.
But if only one thing is dissatisfied with this plan, I don't like that my Lord remains manipulated by Orangeables. "
"... you, you were aware"
"Oh."
Dortmund was a little surprised. Erlich thought he was more of a fool. Fact is, I've never seen Erlich come in handy, and because his ability to do so was unknown.
While they walk, Erlich keeps talking.
"My life is full of regrets. I always indulge in something one thing. Not really, something else was in my eyes. That's how I became the Demon King in the first place, and even when I led the Demon King's coalition, I didn't want to do it and do it. Yet because of the rampage around him, he ended up with feathers that could be eyed by the brave and the Arnelian Church. Even now, it was a total miscalculation"
"Though evil remarks and actions seem to have stood out for it?
"But if I hadn't, the demons wouldn't have recognized me as Lord. Demons are creatures hostile to basic humans. Who obeys the Lord, who shows man his love?"
"... not necessarily. It sounds like a pitiful story to me when I'm just listening."
"Yes, it's actually a pitiful story. That's why I worked so desperately to bring fruit to my name. And I was going to gain more strength than that among demon kings, but that immortal woman there, Miranda. I pretended to be dead so I was the best I could do to a female opponent who wouldn't stop advancing to cut off her legs in an attempt to lift her arms.
It's just fear that someone who doesn't die for anything. I'm not fit for battle in the first place. If you think calmly now, you might think a lot about freezing them or leaving them with their necks cut off, but I couldn't afford that at the time. "
"Hmm. Let me dare say, why would that coward serve the Lifeless now? If I hadn't met him in a long time, you would have served him at some point, but I've never heard of his sincerity.
Dortmund turned a sharp gaze. When Erlich stopped walking, he answered Dortmund after a while.