"I see how you became a demon lord. Your ability to lie is incredible. Even I almost believed it. That with the evil in your heart obviously made the most dangerous Demon Lord I know." Zenney said, as we made our way to the village.
"You think I'm evil because I want to? I became powerful because of the beings who put me down. I became strong so that no one would thrust me aside ever again. I became the bad person because there was no other way." I said, of course, part of it was true.
"Finally, now that I'm free from that cursed contract. I can finally start building a new kingdom." I muttered.
To build a kingdom, I would need, land, wealth, alies but most importantly, power.
Ever since I was trapped in this human body, I fail to use mana whatsoever. In the two nights with fallen god, it turns out Zenney can use a little of his. This is very much disadvantageous. I need to get strong again and rid of Zenney. First of all, I need to get out of this poor village.
...
..
.
"Remind me why you're following me again? We obviously don't want to be near each other."
I didn't look up from the map. The parchment was cracked, corners soft from use, but still legible. Roads, towns, monster zones. Bralin was east—four days by carriage. Fewer if you had a fast mount. We didn't.
Zenney shrugged beside me, arms folded. "Because I still haven't figured out how to kill you properly. Until then, it's smarter to stick close."
"Tch." I rolled up the map and tucked it under my arm. "You're welcome to try again. I'll enjoy watching you fail."
We were standing at the transport rank just outside Greathollow's east exit—more a muddy clearing than a station, with wagons lined up like tired beasts and merchants shouting over each other. The morning haze hadn't even lifted yet. We'd eaten, slept, and for once, I didn't feel like I was going to collapse from starvation. Three gold marks left between the two of us. Enough to move.
I scanned the carriages, looking for something cheap. Then I saw him: a lanky merchant tying down crates on a battered two-horse cart. Leather boots with patches. Sword at his belt. Definitely couldn't afford real guards.
I walked up. "You headed to Bralin?"
The merchant stopped mid-knot and looked us over. "Yeah. You?"
"Yes," I said. "You need protection?"
"Maybe." He glanced at Zenney, who leaned on the side of the wagon like we were all best friends. "You two a package deal?"
"No. I'm useful. He's a walking liability."
Zenney gave a lazy wave. "Greetings."
The merchant snorted. "Name's Goffren. I haul spices, alchemy junk, and whatever the guild lets through. It's four days to Bralin and the road's been rough lately. Monsters, bandits, something worse—people talk a lot when they're scared. You armed?"
I lifted my cloak slightly to show the worn handle of my blade which I'd bought yesterday from a blacksmith. "We don't just have weapons. We know how to use them."
"You don't look like much," he said.
"That's the point," I replied.
He rubbed his chin. "You get me there alive, I let you ride for free. No coin up front, no food sharing, no complaints if I ask you to pull your weight. Deal?"
I flipped him a silver mark. "We pay now, we ride now. Consider this advance for not dying too loudly."
Goffren caught the coin, inspected it, nodded. "Climb in. But if either of you stinks up the cargo, I'm kicking you both off halfway to Bralin."
Zenney was already in the back, settling next to a crate labeled volatile. I climbed in and took the opposite corner.
Four days to Bralin.
Four days to figure out how to get stronger without mana.
Four days to decide what to do with the fallen god sitting across from me.