Chapter 74
Before I had time to ponder on such doubts, Parkers head spun around while his body stayed still and his eyes looked at me.
Oh? Are you perhaps thinking that I was off playing somewhere?
Can this guy read my mind?
Hahaha, despite appearances, I am a faithful Third Division Aide of the Demon Lords Army! Ive worn these old bones in service to the Demon Lords Army! Though my bones are still intact!
Good, heres my chance.
We stopped using Aide as titles. Currently, you are just Parker.
Eh?
It was just for a moment, but I succeeded in shutting him up.
I clapped my hands together to disperse the crowd of werewolves.
All of you, return to your stations! Ill take care of this guy!
At my words, the werewolves seemed to return to themselves.
They shuffled back to their stations, shaking their heads.
Oh well, allowing Parker to talk was a good way to get nowhere
I grabbed him by the collar just as he was about to bring up a new topic, and dragged him to my office.
Upon receiving the order from Master, I went to the southern reaches of Beruza. Did you know that there are merfolk in those seas?
Parker began to explain in my office as he helped himself to some of my green tea.
Did it go well then?
No, not at all.
Parker laughed loudly.
Those people are shockingly pacifistic. Even when I told them that they did not need to fight, they rejected me saying we cant go out on land.'
Well, that is obvious. They were merfolk.
I said, we only need half of you.
Half, huh.
Yes, just the top half.
Did you really say that?
To this, Parkers bones started to rattle as he began to laugh merrily.I was almost drowned.
Well, youre just bones anyway.
Master. I dont think this one was meant for negotiations after all.
Parker continued as he held the cup of steaming green tea in front of him.
Well, I think Ill leave this issue of the merfolk to you. Youve intelligently secured your foothold here, and you mean to take Beruza in the near future, right?
I am thinking of paying them a little visit before the military invasion.
There was no harm in finding out if they could be persuaded.
However, if youre just going to push the burden of negotiating with the merfolk onto me, then I wonder what exact use you have been all this time?
My ears hurt. Wait, where are my ears?
Stop it with these acts. And Ive heard that joke dozens of times already.
Additionally, this joke can be taken in directions that include sense of pain, which do you think is better?
Who cares, go away.
I started to ignore Parker who was in front of me and began to think of what to do now, but Parker wanted to continue talking.
By the way, I heard that you avenged the Demon Lord, by defeating the Hero who killed him?
That is not correct. The Demon Lord and the Hero were at a standoff, I just dealt a finishing blow.
Hmmm
Ah, he was about to say something again.
If he says something imprudent about the Demon Lords death, I will seriously beat him. Fellow disciple or not.
Instead, Parker took off his hat, held it to his breast and bowed in front of me.
Thank you, Vaito. You are the pride of Gomoviroas disciples.
Eh?
I too was greatly fond of the Demon Lord. I felt comforted when I was around him. He wasnt just strong, he was a rare type of leader.
It felt like it had been ages since I last heard him speak in earnest.
Parker scratched his skull as if troubled and began to mumble.
Oh, dear. I cannot cry any longer.
Parker
My fellow disciple, Parker crumpled his own hat in a tight grip and silently looked at the floor.
After a long moment of silence, he raised his head.
I am so glad that you are my younger brother.
Apparently, that was the best joke he could muster at the moment.
I stood up and placed a hand on his thin shoulder.
Younger fellow disciple, Ill allow that.
After mourning a little, Parker put his hat on once again.
Ah, for I, the mood-maker of the Demon Lord Armys, to be seen like this, the whole army will become gloomy. It is the job of the clown to dance and make people happy, even while he sheds tears.
With you, its just endlessly annoying. Also, I thought that you couldnt cry?
Hahaha, that is fine.
Whats fine?
As Parker stood up, he completely returned to his usual way of speaking.
If youre going to Beruza, I will accompany you. Even someone such as I could help you as a guide for the road.
No. You draw too much attention.
Ahh, dont worry about my clothes. Ive prepared something that is quite chic and proper.
Thats not what I meant. Its your face, your face!
As if I could take this skeleton man with me to negotiate with the humans.
As soon as I was about to say this, the skull face disappeared. And in its stead, was an incredibly handsome man.
It took me about two seconds to realize that the man was Parker.
The soft and beautiful youth had an air of melancholy but talked up a storm in Parkers flippant voice.
How is it? I studied a little of the illusory arts. I cant change the sensations or temperature, but I can hide my appearance like this now.
Why that face?
What, this is my original face, you know? Its been a long time since I died, so I should really be an old man. But its harder to make an older face.
Was he really that handsome in life?
With that personality?
What do you think? I dont think that there were any students so skilled with illusions as me, were there? Should I quit being a necromancer and become an illusionist?
Ah, I remembered now. He doesnt know about Lash.
We have a professional illusionist among our new students. An amazing person who can recreate the walls of this castle, you can even feel it.
Ehwhat the, are you for real?
He was shocked, really shocked.
He could create all his facial expressions then. That was a surprising level of detail for him.
Parker folded his arms and once again returned his face into a skull.
Well, um Anyway, with this face, I can accompany you, surely?
I always find it difficult to deny this fellow disciple, whenever he asks something of me.
I suppose you have nothing better to do. Very well, you can come.
Hahaha, thats the younger brother I know.
Give it a rest! Listen, you better not say anything that you shouldnt! If you hinder the negotiations in any way, Ill throw you to the fish!
I understand. Believe in your older brother.
Shut up.
While he was usually a flippant, thoughtless person, I actually had a number of debts owed to Parker. And as an elder disciple of the great philosopher Gomoviroa, his skills with necromancy were genuine.
And he had a knack for being dependable when it really mattered.
But that was also why he got on my nerves so much.
Bastard brother.