第１１５掘：道などいくらでもある
**Dig 115: There Are Countless Paths**
**Side: Seraria**
So much has happened all at once.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that we are all reeling from the revelations regarding the demons.
My husband alone listened to Zargis’s explanation with complete composure, while the rest of us were left feeling adrift.
It couldn't be helped, though.
From the moment I was born—no, for as long as history has been recorded—demons and the Demon Lord have been the enemies of all living things.
Yet, when the truth was laid bare, it turned out they weren't mere invaders. The reason for their existence and the founding of their nation lay with us, the humans.
I don’t believe everything Zargis said is absolute, but based on the various pieces of information we possess, I can judge that it is, to some extent, the truth.
The kings of the other three nations have likely reached the same conclusion as I have.
No, if one were to unravel history carefully enough, perhaps some kings had already caught a glimpse of this truth.
But even if it were a fact, it was not something one could simply acknowledge.
However, here in Weed—a place unlike any other—the conditions were finally met to allow us to nod in understanding, or rather, to face the truth.
By recognizing this situation not as a single nation, but as a group, we have made it possible to join hands.
If one nation—no, if one person—had realized this truth alone, they would have simply been dismissed as insane.
It is precisely because this is Weed that this is possible.
"Phew, let's take a short break. Kirue, Anna, could you please?"
"“Yes, as you wish.”"
Having genuine, professional maids at a time like this is a blessing.
They are educated, so they must be able to follow the conversation, yet they continue to fulfill their duties as maids perfectly.
"Well then, I’ll go grab some snacks..."
My husband started to stand up.
"Stay put. You are sitting right here with me."
He is the most normal one here—or perhaps, looking at the big picture, he is the strange one—but to me, he is a reliable husband.
There are things I want to ask, so I cannot let him run off to play the role of a server.
"Eh?"
"Don't 'eh' me. I have a few things I want to ask. Is that alright?"
"Phew, what do you want to know? If it’s something you want everyone to hear, wouldn't it be better to wait until the break is over?"
"No, these are things I don't quite understand, and I'm a bit confused myself. Isn't that right, Tori, Riel?"
When I turned my gaze toward them, they nodded in agreement.
"Earlier, Yuki-san, you were talking about peace and all that, but I don't really get why we’d invade Weed for the sake of peace? Doesn't peace mean not fighting?"
Riel tilted her head, and Milly, Kaya, and Deryu nodded along.
"Ah, that part."
He clapped his hands together.
I have a vague idea of Yuki’s line of thought, but it is better for him to explain it than for me to try.
"Peace, as Riel thinks, is a way to avoid further fighting and bloodshed. But that is a conclusion, not the process."
"A conclusion?"
"Well, or rather, it’s a discussion about what happens after."
"What do you mean?"
"Let’s see. Suppose there is a path called 'peace.' But that path isn't just one single road."
"Hmm?"
"Hmm... Okay, let's say I promise you, Riel: if you win a contest against me, I’ll cook your favorite meal for a week. How would you go about winning that contest?"
"Eh? There’s no way I could win! Yuki-san is too strong!! In that case, it’d be better to just seduce you instead."
"Exactly."
"Eh?"
"If you think you can't win the contest, you look for another path. The result is the same."
"Ah!"
Riel clapped her hands.
"So you mean there are many different paths to peace?"
"That’s it. Especially with the current Demon Lord; even if she chose the path of 'discussion,' no human would be willing to face her."
"Ah..."
That’s right. Even if she wanted to push for peace, the Demon Lord has almost no cards to play.
Conversation is not an option.
She cannot join hands, nor can she offer an explanation.
"That’s why, if I were the Demon Lord, I would declare that I am connected to Weed. Even if some blood has to be spilled, I would create a partner capable of talking. Because if we keep going the way we are, we’ll never get anywhere."
"So, Yuki-san, you think that even if blood is shed, this is the fastest way to reach peace?"
"Zargis and Leia say the Demon Lord would push for discussion without doing anything like that, though."
Yuki continued to explain to Riel and the others.
He is simplifying it quite a bit.
There isn't just one path to peace...
And even within the concept of peace, there are so many variations.
The peace Yuki proposed is a surefire way to establish a connection in this era.
Or, even if it doesn't lead to peace, it is a solid foothold.
However, the peace the current Demon Lord speaks of is one that tries to avoid harm for both sides.
It is naive, but seeing how happily Leia speaks of it, she must be a Demon Lord who has the firm support of her people.
The path is endlessly long, and while the ideology is one to be admired, the lives lost in the process would surely be greater than in Yuki’s plan.
This, too, is a path to peace.
After a war, the humans could surrender to the demons; peace after defeat is also a possibility.
That is also a form of peace.
For humans, it is a result that is impossible to accept.
The reverse is also true; peace after the defeat of the demons would mean... nothing but their extinction.
Humans would never accept peace offered by the demons.
"According to Leia, they will at least spare the personnel for a rescue mission. If we capture those people, it will be possible for the Demon Lord and Weed to talk. That is, if everyone gives their permission."
"I have no objections."
"I have no complaints about my brother's opinion either."
Riel and Ratz agreed. Soon after, everyone else voiced their approval.
"“Everyone, thank you for waiting.”"
Kirue and Anna had finished their preparations and began serving snacks and drinks to everyone.
We all took a sip of our tea and caught our breath.
I glanced at my husband, who was leisurely sipping his green tea.
"Ah, tea has to be hot. Not that cold tea is bad, though."
"That’s true. I think green tea is best when it's hot."
I am drinking Darjeeling.
But I understand the appeal of the green tea my husband is drinking.
Of course, the cola floats that Riel and Narjia are drinking are sweet, but they are delicious in their own way.
Tori is drinking water. Eris and Milly are having coffee. Ratz is having milk tea. Deryu is having rose tea. Rurua is having medicinal tea. Shera is having cocoa.
Everyone is different.
Yet, we are all here together.
Surely, if it were you, you could sit and drink tea with the demons and the Demon Lord as well, couldn't you?
Now then, let’s enjoy a relaxing cup of tea.
I am a green tea person myself.