"So you're John Doe. Finally we can talk."
"You are... the Demon King..."
John Doe says, sounding tense.
His breathing is slightly ragged.
Though I can't see his face through this magical communication device, his voice gives a weak impression.
Is he really the developer of that series of weapons?
As I wonder, I decide to convey my purpose.
"Return the sacred stones taken from the Empire. The Great Spirit is rampaging and causing trouble."
"That... I cannot do."
John Doe answers flatly.
His tone is without hesitation.
"Why not?"
"Because they are absolutely necessary. We searched for alternatives, but only the sacred stones were compatible."
From his use of the word "alternatives," it seems he does have some intended use in mind.
If nothing less than a sacred stone works as a catalyst, the magic involved must be considerable.
It even exceeds the scale of grand magic.
At that level, the purpose becomes unimaginable.
Conversely, because it becomes something capable of anything.
"Alternatives for what?"
"...I cannot say."
John Doe takes a moment before answering.
His will is ironclad; he won't be persuaded to talk through mere words.
As expected, a direct meeting is necessary.
However, this chance to converse was a rare opportunity.
A face-to-face confrontation would make calm exchange impossible.
I want to glean as much information as I can while I can.
Whether he can be recruited into the Demon Lord's army should also be assessed.
"..."
"..."
I exchange a glance with Logan.
Logan nods, closes his eyes, and begins concentrating his perception.
During the conversation, he's searching for John Doe's location and the position of the secret stone.
I won't waste a single second.
I must be prepared to respond to any development.
I decided to continue with stalling conversation.
"Well, fine. You're most likely using me as a magical catalyst to kill me. I understand that."
"..."
"Whatever you're plotting, I must stop it. To do that, I'll gladly slaughter tens of thousands of people."
I declared it as a provocation.
However, it wasn't an empty threat.
If it becomes necessary, I will act.
Across the capital, the Demon Lord's army's attacks were already mounting in frequency.
The number of undead was swelling, and by now they were surely feasting on the living in every quarter.
The bulk of the Demon Lord's army was preoccupied with handling these incursions.
That no one was attacking us while we spoke so leisurely was perfect proof of their stretched resources.
Role division was inadequate.
My magic was disrupting communications, and the coordination across their forces was breaking down, no doubt.
"…Please stop. The people living in this country are innocent."
John Doe spoke with anguish in his voice.
It was no act.
The suffering of the populace truly pained his heart.
That was precisely why I had to direct cold words at him.
"Did you think the Demon Lord could be swayed by reason? You are to blame for stealing the sacred stone in the first place. Did you not consider the danger it would pose to the people?"
"I only learned the procurement channel for the sacred stone after I had it in hand! If I had known beforehand it was the Great Spirit's sacred stone, I would have stopped it absolutely! But now… it's too late…"
John Doe's voice was trailing off.
He was cornered psychologically.
He must have realized his own choices were flawed.
But he knew there was no turning back.
He was clearly tormented by an immense burden of responsibility.
"Don't presume it is too late. If you have regrets, hand it over quickly. I will return it to the Great Spirit."
"...You're planning to misuse the sacred stone this time too?"
"No. I just want to deal with a troublesome matter. I'll return the sacred stone to the Great Spirit. So hand it over to me."
The three-day deadline for its return was almost over.
At dawn, I had to go to Imperial territory and deliver the sacred stone to the Great Spirit.
If handled poorly, the damage could even extend to Demon King territory.
That Great Spirit was certainly capable of it.
Once enraged, it was unmanageable.
It was precisely the kind of entity I wanted to avoid antagonizing.
"..."
John Doe was silent for a while.
He seemed to be thinking deeply, weighing my arguments.
Eventually, he gave his answer.
"As I thought, it's impossible. You are the Demon King. I cannot trust you."
"I see. What a shame."
I responded flatly.
I had vaguely anticipated that kind of reaction.
Handing the sacred stone to the Demon King was indeed an exceptionally dangerous act without knowing the circumstances.
If I were in the same position, I wouldn't hand it over either.
John Doe's judgment was correct in a general sense.
He wasn't wrong at all.
When one considers how this conversation unfolds, John Doe comes across as a man leaning toward the good.
He isn't eagerly working on weapon development.
He is forced by circumstances and carries various worries.
He's a man plagued by constant anxieties.
I glance at Logan, who is concentrating beside me.
He's still conducting his perception.
He seems to be pinpointing a more precise location.
Once this is complete, we could use transfer to forcibly seize the Mystic Stone.
We need to finish before he notices.
To that end, I should continue the natural conversation.
Watching my old friend struggle, I offer a new topic of conversation.
"By the way, what do you want with me? You must have something you wanted to discuss without meeting face to face."
'Yes... I have one request of you.'
"What is it?"
When I prompt him to continue, John Doe pleads in a solemn tone.
'Would you please stop threatening this country now.'
I fall silent upon hearing his words.
For a moment, my thoughts stop.
When I come to myself, I ask John Doe for confirmation.
"...Are you saying that seriously?"
"Yes, I am serious... As long as a Demon King like you exists, conflict will never end. Eventually, the entire world will be engulfed in war."
John Doe spoke with a resolute demeanor.
I nearly buried my head in my hands.
This situation would never have arisen if the Demon Artisan Nation hadn't ordered imperial nobles to steal the Secret Stones in the first place.
In truth, I never planned to invade the Demon Artisan military.
This invasion was undoubtedly triggered by the Secret Stones.
John Doe's accusation placed all the blame on my side.
Some of his points were valid.
I'll admit that the Demon King is causing strife.
However, it was the Demon Artisan Nation's foolish choice that provoked the wrath of the Great Spirits.
As a result, the Imperial Capital was destroyed.
Currently, I'm doing everything in my power to mitigate that damage even slightly.
John Doe's denunciation surely stemmed from his conviction that he stood on the side of justice.
No, he couldn't function unless he believed that.
He had to push all the evil onto the Demon King, or else acknowledge his own mistakes.
His current mind couldn't tolerate accepting evil.
Sensing this, I made a bold declaration to John Doe.
"That's fine by me. I will destroy the world."
"I... see. So, you truly... are—ggh!"
John Doe spoke with a gloomy air, but suddenly he began to struggle in pain.
Coughing violently, he groaned as if scraping his voice from the depths.
Sounds like fingernails scratching at the wall or floor could be heard too.
"Agh, no good... damn... in a place like this..."
John Doe's voice grew hoarse.
After his final agonized struggle, complete silence at last descended.
Not a single sound or stir remained.
Suspicious, I called out to him first.
"John Doe, can you hear me? Respond."
"...Heh."
A faint, mocking laugh came back.
The voice then began speaking with obvious irritation.
"I've been patiently listening this whole time, but you've gotten pretty cocky, haven't you? Who the hell do you think you are?"
"I could ask you the same."
At my retort, the voice snorted in derision.
A deep, weary sigh followed.
"Oh dear, have you already forgotten who you're speaking with? Nothing but bones, so your brain must've fallen out too?"
"...Impossible. Is that you, John Doe?"
I asked, voice laced with skepticism.
The voice affirmed, sounding oddly pleased.
"That's right. I am the century's genius inventor born of the Arcanation—John Doe."