Chapter 2
Please Make Us Human.
We're gonna teleport again!
Is that it?
Yup.
This is really where you want to go?
You're sure you wouldn't prefer a bigger country?
If it were already flourishing, who'd listen to us?
In that regard, this place is a completely typical newly settled village.
It's the perfect place to conceal our identities and experiment.
Hello, there.
I understand...
It would be bad if someone found out.
One of my men already awaits us.
They should have a small house prepared for us.
Queen! Queen! Queen! Queen!
Hey, we're supposed to be hiding and this is a human village!
Quit screaming something that could give everything away.
Hmm, you're right.
Do not do that again.
Understood, Queen.
Well? Who is this?
My close aide since early childhood, the Head Maid.
I am the Head Maid.
I am so happy to hear that you and the Queen
have married...
I can't get my heart to stop pounding.
We aren't married!
A contract of mutual possession for an unlimited duration.
That's exactly what a marriage is!
It's the difference between a clover and a trifolium repens.
They're precisely the same.
The Head Maid is from my clan.
Each of us specializes in a single genre.
As you can see, hers is the way of the maid.
The way of the maid?
She's always been with me, ever since I was little.
Sometimes, I've had her command the demon armies.
The way of the maid is to be responsive to
any needs the master may have.
I have already
made us known to the Village Elder and other important personages.
I've explained that you're a daughter of the nobility,
and a scholar of divinity at the Holy Capital.
And that you were coming here for your research
and to train them in new agricultural methods.
We'll tell everyone
that the Hero and I fought in the throne room of the Demon King's castle.
Spread the rumor that we were both badly wounded.
I'm healing at the castle.
No one knows if the hero is alive,
and some say he ran away.
That rumor will buy us...
Oh, a year or so.
The hawks within the demon army
will assume it's a plot and keep cautious.
And during that year,
we'll have to find something new.
Didn't you want to see something new?
If I'm unable to find it, my owner will be upset with me.
Did you know that continually planting wheat
in the same field depletes the soil quality?
I think so.
So villages in this area use a three-stage crop rotation.
Summer fields, winter fields,
and fields at rest for a year.
I'd like to increase that to a four-stage crop rotation.
Increase it?
Won't that just worsen the soil quality?
No, these are the four stages:
Barley fields,
clover fields,
wheat fields,
turnip fields.
We'll apply that rotation to each field over a four year cycle.
Will it make such a big difference?
In summer, pigs and sheep can eat the clover.
Putting them to pasture here
means fertilizer raises the soil quality.
And in winter, we feed the pigs turnips.
I get it.
So you have food year-round.
This method keeps the fields in use without depleting them.
And it provides more meat, as well.
It's the perfect way to improve somewhere cold and poor.
Is that why you chose this village?
I have more ideas, but for now,
reorganizing the villages and their fields is our priority.
Once we start enriching the land,
people will start to fight over territory,
and that fighting can easily get out of hand.
Good morning.
Anyway, let's try increasing the amount of food they can grow themselves.
The most important thing we can do is eliminating famine.
Sheesh.
I didn't expect the Village Elder to be so hard-headed.
We need education.
Education?
The act of instructing another in things of importance.
We must do that first, or nothing else will happen.
That's right.
Hero?
Would you...
sit next to me?
This seat is warm and feels nice.
Does it?
It does.
The best seat in the house.
See?
Yeah.
You have so many wonderful qualities, Hero.
Do I?
Like how you aren't frightened when I'm near you.
You're weak...
And a woman.
You don't exercise enough to scare me.
But I'm the Demon King.
You're being very modest.
I-It's part of my plot!
I'm going to try and, um...
negotiate with you.
It's a delicate matter.
I want to explain things in a way
that ensures no misunderstandings.
Then tell me.
Um, well...
We don't have anything to do before dinner, do we?
Yeah?
And so, well...
Given your present state of exhaustion...
And the fact that it's impossible to dismiss
out-of-hand the efficacy of a so-called folk belief...
Ancient records do say that warriors sometimes
must rest in such a manner...
And while you may not partake in such a shameless tradition...
Then what, exactly, do you want me to do?
I want you to...
...rest on my lap!
Okay, done!
Like this?
I belong to you.
You can do whatever you want.
Hero...
Just like I thought...
Your hair is so soft.
Your thighs are soft, too.
Are they?
They aren't too fat?
They feel good.
What you just said...
What?
That I could do what I wanted...
Was that true?
It's true.
I see...
What's wrong?
Well...
Hero?
Yeah? What?
Hero...
Demon King...
What was that?
From the back?
The stables?
Hero... Wait!
It was just about to get good...
Jeez...
Whoa! Whoa!
Whoa.
Whoa...
Hero.
Children?
What happened to them?
They're barely clothed.
Oh, my.
More escaping slaves?
Slaves?
Yes.
These villages answer to a different authority than the surrounding areas.
There are slaves here?
There are slaves everywhere.
No!
There aren't slaves in the human world!
Oh, am I mistaken, then?
Slavery is barbaric.
It's unforgivable.
These are serfs.
Serfs?
So they are slaves.
Serfs are different from slaves.
They're allowed to own possessions,
as well as houses and farming tools.
They can live with their families, as well.
But at the same time,
they cannot choose professions or go where they please.
They usually serve as labor for the nobility.
They're forced to work, whether they like it or not.
How have you dealt with them thus far?
Escaped slaves...
Serfs, was it?
Either way, it's a serious crime.
I've reported them immediately, and had them taken back.
I see...
Then I'll do the same here.
Isn't that a bit harsh?
One incapable of determining their own fate is an insect.
Listen...
I don't see any value in risking our position
with the village over something like this.
She's right.
Wait!
Then...
Wait.
You can contact them tomorrow morning.
Draw a bath, and put some better clothes on them.
No arguments.
Understood.
Thank you for the food.
Um, thank you.
You've even given us wonderful clothes...
Don't worry about it.
They were left from whoever lived here before.
Did you get enough to eat?
Is your bed comfortable enough?
I-I'm sorry to ask this, a-after all you've done for us...
But at dawn t-tomorrow...
P-Please don't report us.
G-Give us a little time.
Just wait a little.
Please.
What are you talking about?
Head Maid...
You've no decent shoes.
A bare minimum of clothing.
No money, nothing.
Will you go to town and beg?
We will! We can do it!
The woman with the glasses is just being mean!
We worked together,
and we got this far!
We'll make it the rest of the way!
We'll go to the capital and live together.
Utter nonsense.
But we're going to do it!
I suppose we could,
hypothetically, call your passion "effort."
But as a result of that effort,
you've snuck into someone's house,
taken advantage of their generosity,
and now threaten the position of those
who offered you food and shelter.
That is how serfs are.
But... But...
I'll say it once more.
One incapable of determining their own fate is an insect.
I dislike insects.
I hate them.
And if someone is satisfied with being an insect,
I refuse to call them human.
Apologize.
I'm sorry for the trouble
we've caused the nobles of this house...
I apologize.
Is that all?
Please make us human.
I believe that you must be our fate...
When you ask for something,
you mustn't cling to the ground like that.
Grasp your skirt lightly with your fingertips,
making a beautiful drape,
and then give an elegant bow.
Very well.
This mansion is little more than a hut,
but it's still a bit large for me to handle alone.
Would it be all right if I hired some maids?
You said you hated them.
I dislike insects.
No one in this world dislikes maids.
Even if those maids are new.
All right.
Train them well.
Understood.
Goodnight.
Thank you very much!
Hero!
Hero! Hero! Where is the Hero?
I have yummy bread for you!
Is it good?
Yeah!
It's yummy!
Is the teaching going okay?
Yup!
She's teaching us letters!
And math!
If we learn it right, we can be rich!
Just what is she teaching you?
My sister and I are learning lots of things,
so we can do lots of things!
We'll make it so there's plenty of food and no fighting!
And warm beds and clean clothing...
And we'll be happy forever!
What's wrong?
Nothing.
I was just thinking I haven't done anything.
You bring food.
Like boars.
Yeah, but...
I'm not that smart
or good with money.
I can't work the fields or take care of animals.
I can train someone in swordplay, but...
That isn't good enough?
No.
I talked a lot about peace,
but what is it, exactly?
And when peace is achieved, what will I do?
I never thought about it.
And from this, you can calculate
the maximum scale of the war,
given the economics of the Southern Nations.
It's outside my specialty,
but armies are traditionally said to fall apart
when the rate of casualties exceeds...
We fight to the last man!
Stop standing up all the time.
When the rate of casualties exceeds approximately thirty percent.
Thus, given the size of the standing armies...
Armies?
...and consistently available mercenary forces,
maintaining a campaign is difficult.
Meaning that battles against the demon armies consist
primarily of sporadic, short skirmishes and fights to defend their bases.
Any questions?
What about the Crusade of the Holy Key?
That's an exception.
How is it an exception?
Yes!
The Crusade of the Holy Key is a holy army,
formed by the Crisis Response Council
of the Central Nations.
Formed with the goal of exterminating the evil demons
and thus ending this war.
In the last fifteen years, there have been two.
They destroyed two important demon cities,
but despite their divine blessings,
they were unable to capture the demon capital.
Good.
The first requirement for a crusade
is a fervent desire to end the war.
But the second is economic support.
Without it, you can't have war or society.
Humans need to eat, or they'll starve and die.
But, ma'am, you can't fight a war by playing with an abacus!
You don't think so?
I don't!
Starvation is an excuse used by the weak!
And the people are protected by their lords,
so starvation is impossible.
You've never been starving, have you?
Hey.
Hey, there.
Why did I start talking about education at all?
I didn't think human children could be so tiring.
They're basically animals...
Logic and negotiation won't work.
Maybe I'll turn them all into frogs.
Don't do that.
Okay.
You're teaching at the Village Elder's house next, right?
I'll go with you.
It's cold.
It's raining.
I'm cold, Hero.
I'm cold...
You don't want to?
Here.
How's that?
Acceptable.
You're pretty haughty.
I'm so glad I made you mine, Hero.
We both are.
It's sad how much political power counts...
Once I began teaching a noble's son,
I got enough prestige that farmers started listening to my ideas.
They've begun experiments on a pretty wide scale.
How many years will it take to see results?
There will be results next year.
I have my secret weapon.
Your secret weapon?
Yes.
What is this?
Next Chapter
Where Have You Been?!