Unemployed (GXG) (GIRLXGIRL) (GL)

34

“Hey, Demon King!”

With a proud voice, Page made a grand entrance into the throne room.

The people who were lined up for an audience broke formation and stepped aside for the hero that came out of nowhere.

“You’re alive, Old Man,” Merle said. “You’re looking alright.”

“It doesn’t matter what you’re doing!” Page yelled. “More than anything else, that girl just went out crying, and if you think you can just smile and laugh your way out of that, you’ve got another thing coming! Now, what the hell are you doing?!”

“Tax consultation,” Merle replied.

“Tax? Are you collecting exorbitant amounts of tax from the people?!” Page cried.

“Please, wait, it’s not like that!” said a bald mayor in the middle of his consultation. He got in his way and grabbed him, the rest of the mayors that were being consulted turned to Page in a hurry.

Their taxes had been tremendously reduced compared to before but the appearance of such a man might earn the Demon King’s ire and thus cause a crisis that would raise their taxes right back up.

“The Demon King has consideration for our peoples and gave us a massively lighter tax than before,” one of them said. “Whatever she says, we will obey the Demon King more loyally than the King before. It’s just easier for us.”

“Huh? Lighter?” Page asked. “Hey, Demon King, what did you demand from this man?”

“That person’s town is full of livestock, so I decided I wanted a cow.”

“One cow? Is it one every day?”

“Not at all, it’s one a year.”

Page had never heard of a single farm animal being taxed annually. They usually pay a few kilograms worth of meat and animals each month but Merle just said that a single cow is enough for the year. Page was lost and confused, he was speechless

“Now you see, the Demon King has told us all the same thing,” the mayor’s representative said. “The same goes for the girl you mentioned earlier. She was forcibly taken here to be paid as tax but wanted to be returned to her fiance back in her village.”

“… And then what happened?” Page asked.

“Instead of taking anything as tax payment, the Demon King gave her a jewel. She said she needed money for the ceremony so she pulled out one of the large gems from the crown and gave it to her.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“She told her to sell the jewel to pay for the wedding. The Demon King has said that every other town needs only to pay a small amount. When has the previous King ever been so generous to the people? Never.”

The other mayors lined up and nodded in agreement. Those who had witnessed the previous negotiations shook their heads several times, echoing that their Kings had never been so good.

“Is this true?” Page asked.

“There’s only me, Slime, and Lucille in this castle,” Merle said. “Even if you give me a fortune, it’s only going to go to waste.”

And then it all makes sense. That was why the people who came in with grim faces were smiling as they left. However, Page wasn’t convinced by Merle, so far from his image of a Demon King. That’s not like a Demon King, not like a King, either.

“Why?” he asked. “Why would you do that?”

“They’re all under my control,” Merle said. “They’re all my possessions and subordinates. What’s wrong with taking good care of my own?”

Page’s image collapsed. She’s called a Demon King but in name only. Page and Ramiel couldn’t say anything to the girl before them, her words were so obvious.

Take good care of your own. It’s just a matter of course.

The two of them had no choice but to reflect on their feelings as the Demon King did something so mundane.