LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 249.1
Chapter 249.1. Scheme
Konoha kept her pleasant smile intact as she stared at the demon lord before her. It might be rude to call him a “demon lord”, but to Konoha, that’s exactly what he was.
She once heard that Amano Sakimori always wore black clothing. When she asked Rei if he wasn’t embarrassed by that, Rei told her, “The easiest way to be remembered is to wear something distinctive.”
“The demon-lord look is pretty cool, right?” said the girl who always wore a mask, proudly sharing her sense of fashion. Konoha nodded politely. Apparently, the fashion sense of the Jester Knights was rather unconventional.
In any case, she understood the logic of being memorable. There might be other reasons too, but if Amano Sakimori dressed like that in the abandoned town, everyone would recognize him at a glance and avoid attacking him. That way, he could escape danger.
Before the founding of the Amatsugahara Corporation, the abandoned town were supposedly a nightmare—an inferno where people fought over scraps of food. Surviving in that world must have been a skill in itself.
But Amano Sakimori’s unbelievable achievements didn’t stop at his clothing. No, the attire was trivial in comparison. He had risen to incredible heights in just one generation.
Many figures in history have amassed wealth within a lifetime. In Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi is the most famous example, but others named their companies after places tied to their success.
However, rising in just one generation is no ordinary feat. This man before her had achieved it in under two years. He acquired a vast tract of land in the northeastern Kanto region, built wealth, amassed military power, and became a ruler commanding nearly 30,000 people. Unbelievable.
“That kind of success isn’t possible for an ordinary person.”
Konoha thought as she continued calling him a demon lord. After all, achieving such things in just two years seemed impossible. It was something Konoha herself could never do.
And yet, why was this demon lord attending the Taira family’s New Year’s party? It made no sense. Each of the Three Great Families hosted a New Year’s party, always on the same day, to make allegiances clear. If someone didn’t attend, it meant they weren’t aligned with that faction.
Although missing a party didn’t automatically mark someone as an enemy, attending signaled at least some favor toward that house. That’s why Konoha expected the demon lord to attend the Minamoto family’s gathering, given his ties with them. His presence at the Taira family’s event was entirely unexpected.
Thus, Konoha had no choice but to confront him and uncover his intentions.
“Thank you for attending the Taira family’s New Year’s party, Amano Sakimori-sama.”
Konoha said with a polite smile, hoping to probe him.
In response, the demon lord grinned slyly, exuding a chilling cunning.
“Well, since the Taira family was kind enough to invite me, I had to attend. After all, it’s the New Year’s party of the Three Great Families.”
His smile was so intimidating that Konoha unconsciously stepped back. What a terrifying man. The people around them distanced themselves further from Amano Sakimori. Noticing this, he snorted in amusement.
Determined to maintain the dignity of the Taira family, Konoha summoned her courage, stepped forward, and bowed.
“Thank you. But didn’t you also receive invitations from the other houses?”
When Konoha asked why he chose the Taira family over the Minamoto or Ashikaga families, Amano Sakimori gave an unexpected answer.
“The New Year’s parties are grand affairs, lasting from morning till night. I made sure to attend them in order—starting with the Ashikaga, then the Minamoto.”
“Wha—? Did you attend all of them? And the Taira’s is the last?”
Konoha’s voice involuntarily rose in surprise, and the surrounding crowd was equally stunned. Attending all three parties? And saving the Taira family for last?
“Attending all three… how audacious.”
“Is he being arrogant, or is he just trying to curry favor?”
“Well, he’s from the abandoned town. He’s probably just greedy.”
“What a foolish man. He’ll only provoke the Three Great Families.”
People muttered criticisms loud enough for Amano Sakimori to hear, sneering at what they considered a foolish move. Konoha also found it absurd. No matter how powerful he had become, he couldn’t challenge the Three Great Families. Was he trying to play them off against each other? And to attend in reverse order—starting with the weakest, the Ashikaga, followed by the second-strongest Minamoto, and ending with the Taira, the most influential.
Ordinarily, wouldn’t it make more sense to start with the Taira? His behavior seemed to declare that he saw himself as an equal to the Three Great Families.
Arrogant beyond belief. No sane person would pull off such a stunt—much less boast about it at the Taira family’s New Year’s party, directly to Konoha. She found herself staring at the demon lord in disbelief.
“Well, it’s about making appearances. Though Sakimori is famous, many people still don’t know his face. They recognize his all-black attire, but few have seen him unmasked.”
The soft-spoken Kamishiro Serika waved her pale hand, her ruby-like eyes sparkling as she smiled beautifully.
“Now then, kok-kok-kokoo~”
For some reason, her words faltered, and her face flushed red. Was that supposed to sound like a rooster’s crow?
“Let’s ignore the chicken imitation.”
“It’s time people learned to recognize my face. The New Year’s parties were the perfect opportunity.”
“Since the wedding’s coming up soon, right? He’s here to introduce himself.”
Serika teased with a mischievous grin, though Amano Sakimori gave her a light tap on the head.
There was no hint of embarrassment on his face, so perhaps it was just a joke. Then again, with Serika pouting in displeasure, it was hard to tell.
“Anyway, the point is that I finally have the freedom to show my face. And I wanted to hear about the future goals of the Jester Knights from you, Konoha-san.”
Konoha froze. The Jester Knights’ goals? With Rei absent, there were no such plans.
Panicking internally, she scrambled for an answer. Should she mention organizing better, sticking to schedules, or striving for perfect attendance?
Before she could reply, the demon lord spoke again.
“I heard rumors that your Knights plans to head for Kyushu. The region is on the verge of collapse due to dungeon outbreaks, so if the Jester Knights ventured there, it would truly be a heroic tale. As expected of the brave Jester Knights and its captain, the Taira family’s Konoha-san.”
“K-Kyushu?”