Chapter 62 – Intermission (Ogre)

“Earth… I’m sorry.”

Earth. Are yer injuries okay? Actually, I’m really worried.

Well, at that time I didn’t even know myself, but now I remember clearly.

Yesterday, I hit Earth so much.

And I also remember that for some reason, Earth did his best for me.

Oh, I’ve fought against humans, but I’ve never had a quarrel.

And, with no hate, with no will ta kill, ya put yer life on the line for my sake, no member of the Demon race would have done that.

I was happy ya played with me, ate my meal, and invited me ta go on a trip together.

Well, I didn’t have a reliable companion in the Demon King’s Army, and I was alone.

When I was small, I lived in the dark elf village of the Demon Realm, not with the Ogres.

The Ogre of the Demon Realm is expected to have power, become a soldier, become a bodyguard, do the hard labor. Mother and Father are friends with Dark Elves and work as bodyguards for the village.

Everyone was kind, peaceful, and I thought we would be happy forever.

But the war with humans ruined everything.

Both Dark Elves and Ogres were drafted.

Even with my father and mother, I joined a unit led by General Hakuki of the Demon Army, where I met other Ogres for the first time.

Oh, I was scared.

He mercilessly wounded and bruised those who surrendered, and in the end, killed and buried them alive with laughter, destroying villages, cities, and countries, and setting fire ta them at the end.

But what the people who attacked me yesterday are saying is wrong.

It’s sad they say that Ogres are ‘that kind of race’, but I can deny it.

Father and mother also changed. They both looked the same as the other Ogres and were just rampaging.

Earth, I’m sure ya’ll tell me, ‘That’s not true’.

But, it is,

Well, I saw that, and pretend not ta see it.

I didn’t have the courage ta stop my friends and parents, so I couldn’t help humans.

All those humans died in front of me. Oh, I was right there.

And, it was on that day.

I just happened to see it.

The day of the joint operation with other troops.

Where all the dark elves, who were kind in our hometown, were killing humans with evil faces.

Just like the Ogres, while laughing happily.

Seeing that, I knew. Ogres weren’t such a race originally.

Everyone has changed because of the ‘war’.

I was sad, bitter, and I almost cried.

Someday, I might be fired up like that without meaning ta, I was scared just thinking so.

Then, before I realized it, I escaped the demon army without permission, and I ran away from the war.

I was a traitor, and I couldn’t go back ta the Demon Realm anymore.

I heard rumors in the wind, that my father and mother were dead, the dark elves were destroyed in the war, and my hometown was gone.

The war would soon be over, but the remnants of the Demon King’s Army are still in the Demon Realm, and I’m still a traitor, nothing but.

That’s why I was hiding in the Surface world for so long.

But for more than ten years, I was lonely.

I wanted a friend ta stay with me.

That was all.

I thought that if I couldn’t go back ta the Demon Realm, I would just make friends with humans.

But I soon realized that I was naive.

It was much harder to make friends with humans.

Naturally. Just because the war was over, there was no reason for them ta accept me.

No matter what, I was afraid, I would run away, and gradually I tried calling out but they were too scared of me.

The truth is, when I met Earth, I was nervous and scared when I first called out ta him.

So I was really happy to be friends with Earth.

I was the happiest I’ve ever been since I was alone, when ya said we would team-up.

But that’s why I can’t go on a journey with Earth.

Oh, I’m an ogre after all.

Ya can’t get into inns if I’m with ya. Ya can’t even go ta a food shop. Ya can’t even enter a town. I think many people will look at you with strange eyes.

Above all, if ya stay with me as it is, they may think that Earth is a bad person.

And, I might hurt Earth again, like yesterday.

Yer my only friend in the world, so I want ta bother Earth.

“…… Earth……… I’m sorry.”

I’ve lived in this mountain, in the forest for over ten years, but I never thought I’d go out in this way.

I thought I’d be kicked out by humans.

That’s why I didn’t think I’d go out for a human friend.

I’ll miss ya, and I wish I could play more with Earth.

But that’s fine.

“Aka ―――――――――――――eh!!!!Where are you―――――! Aka―――――eh!!!!”

It was Earth’s voice screaming loudly echoed.

Ya must have read the letter.

I’m sorry, Earth.

“Why… Why is that? You said we’d go for an adventure together! Why?”

He is frantically trying ta find me.

I’m really sorry about this, Earth.

I’m glad that Earth, a human, feels like this.

But then, I go towards Earth.

“Ah…”

From my eyes… it was like yesterday…. That’s…

“I don’t get it… tears… even at times like this…”

Sometimes I cry because I feel hopeless, lonely, scared, or sad.

But these tears are different.

It’s lonely and sad, but that’s all.

I’m crying with joy.

“Oh… hang in there…. don’t let anger control ya…. be stronger…. yes, I have ta be as strong as Earth…”

Oh, I’ll never forget Earth.

Thank ya. Good luck.

Instead of wiping away the tears, at the end I made a Peace Sign towards the mountain.