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I Got a New Skill Every Time I Was Exiled, and After 100 Different Worlds, I Was Unmatched (Web Novel) - Chapter 407: The Foremost Condition to Maintain Human Form Is Not to Exceed Human Limits
Chapter 407: The Foremost Condition to Maintain Human Form Is Not to Exceed Human Limits
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
“Ho! This is quite a nice room, isn’t it?”It was a room in an inn chosen randomly. As I opened the door to the room I rented, Mao slipped past me and darted straight in, leaping onto the bed without hesitation. However, for some reason, she seemed subtly dissatisfied.
“Hm? What’s wrong? Isn’t it bouncier than you expected?”
“Well, it’s not like it’s a top-class luxury inn, so it’s about what you’d expect.”
“Is that so? Hmm, I always thought that beds should be softer and bouncier, like bouncing up and down…”
“Have you never slept in a bed before, Mao-chan?”
“Hmph, of course not! I am the Demon King, am I not? A Demon King has no business staying in inns!”
Mao boasted as she sprawled on the bed, but Tia looked somewhat sympathetic.
“Hey Ed, I was thinking maybe next time we could stay in a nicer inn… what do you think?”
“I don’t mind… but let’s include that in our considerations after we hear what she has to say. So, please. Keep it light.”
“Understood.”
At my request, Tia began a soft chant, and soon a gentle wind barrier enveloped the room. It wasn’t completely soundproof, but since we weren’t planning on discussing anything too critical, this level of privacy was actually more convenient.
“All set, Ed.”
“Thanks. So, Mao, can you share your story with us?”
“My Lord, when one requests something from another, shouldn’t there be a proper exchange?”
“Huh? What do you want? You want me to pay you?”
“No, that’s not it! Since we are to talk, at least some tea and sweets should be offered! I want something sweet and delicious!”
“Are you a child?! Well, you do look like a kid…”
“Fufu, it’s okay, Ed. I’ll prepare it now.”
Ignoring my exasperation, Tia chuckled softly and went to make some tea. Meanwhile, I pulled out the desired sweet baked goods from the [Stranger Box] and arranged them on the table.
“Here, how about this?”
“My Lord, isn’t this a bit too small, no matter how you look at it?”
Mao showed a puzzled expression in front of me, grinning. What I had taken out were baked goods inspired by those given to me by a fairy. The original treats, which I had kept as a memento, were probably not edible anymore, but when I showed them to a pastry chef I met in the previous world, he was inspired and made these in competition.
Naturally, being made by human hands, they weren’t as tiny as the original treats, being about the size of a thumbnail, but their vivid colors and buttery aroma were delicious, and despite their size, they provided a genuine sense of satisfaction.
“Fyufu, you don’t get it, huh? This is what top-quality sweets are like!”
“Is that so? But, this is…”
“What, you got a complaint? If so, I’ll put them away.”
“No complaints! But… wow, what is this, it’s incredibly delicious! Ah, but it’s barely even a bite…”
“Ed, stop being mean! Here, have some of this too.”
As Mao pouted and munched sadly, Tia scolded me while opening the [Single Bank] to take out another type of confectionery. These were normal-sized, and Mao’s face lit up as she happily bit into them.
“Ah! This one’s big! Sweet and crispy!”
“Don’t spoil her too much, Tia. Remember, she’s still a Demon King.”
“But being a Demon King doesn’t necessarily mean she’s a bad person, right? So, Mao-chan, can you start telling us about yourself?”
“Hmm? Well, yes…”
It seemed that for a childlike palate, ordinary-sized treats were more appealing than tiny high-end ones. After quickly devouring three pieces of sweets, Mao pondered while sipping steaming tea.
“I don’t mind talking, but honestly, there isn’t much to tell. I suddenly found myself in a forest one day. I probably lived like a beast before that, but my memories are foggy, and I can’t recall clearly.”
“Hmm. Is that typical for Demon Kings?”
“I don’t know. I’m not too clear on that either.”
Despite being a Demon King myself, there were many mysteries surrounding our existence. I believe they were fragments of power without self-awareness dropped into other worlds, but some establish their egos quickly, while others might reign over worlds for thousands of years without ever developing intelligence.
What determines these differences? How does it change? That’s something neither I nor probably even God knows. If they did, they’d have neutralized us all in one go.
“Well, that’s fine. Anyway, after I awoke as myself, I thought I should do something Demon King-like… So, My Lord, what comes to mind when you think of something ‘Demon King-like’?”
“Hmm? Demon King-like… like conquering the world?”
“Exactly. I thought the same. But, you know… isn’t that incredibly bothersome?”
“Yeah, it would be.”
World conquest was a classic villainous act, but realistically, the effort involved in conquering the world was immense. Even managing a small village of about a hundred people can be troubling. If that were to extend to the entire world, I would refuse even if begged on my knees
“So, I also considered ‘destroying the world’ as a more practical option… but me, alone, starting from one corner of the world and slowly destroying it, would be incredibly dull. What a torture! I definitely don’t want to do that!”
“Yeah, I get that.”
I had once ‘destroyed the world’ in the realm of sweet Demon King, and sticking swords into the boundary was a monotonous, simple task. It was manageable only because it was the last bit of land left, but if I were asked to do the same in the real world, I’d refuse that too.
“Being a bad Demon King is tough too, huh…”
“It seems so. Or maybe that’s why. The more faithful a Demon King is to such a ‘mission,’ the less likely they are to awaken their ego and end up as a powerful demonic beast or even a natural phenomenon.”
The image that came to my mind was of the Mist Demon King who had controlled about sixty or seventy percent of Rebecca’s world. Slowly engulfing the world over thousands or tens of thousands of years—if you had a human-like self-awareness, you couldn’t possibly keep it up.
You’d definitely get bored… or frankly, go insane. Or maybe lose yourself and dissipate before that? Whichever came first, the result would probably be the same.
“So, did Mao-chan become Mao-chan because she wasn’t serious?”
“That’s… one possibility?”
“Hmm, I feel like I’m being insulted! Well, anyway, neither world conquest nor world destruction really appealed to me. But I am a Demon King, right? So I thought maybe I should at least defeat a hero… but then, I met my destined opponent!”
Mao finished her tea with a gulp, placing the cup on the table. Then, with her hands clasped in front of her chest and stars in her eyes, she dreamily looked up… well, at the ceiling, and said.
(T/N: Fromsoftware really sold Elden Ring 2 as expansion, magnificent DLC)
