Ohanabatake no Maousama

A low man's voice resounded in the darkened venue where the lights were turned off.

――It was about 50 years ago. There was a court magician in this country.

The name of the man is unfortunately unknown. However, he was a priest who was good at healing, and at the same time, a magician who was good at summoning.

The days of calling out to gods and demons to obtain the necessary knowledge and asking about the profoundness of life. One day after continuing such research, he discovers the existence of a demon, a clue to eternal life.

The devil's name is Kudels. It is a demon born more than three hundred years ago, and has the power to freely transform any life.

However, Kuders was a character who did not like fighting, despite having two names, one of the four highest kings of the demons, the southern demon king. As a result, the demons were not so pleasantly thought of by the demons and were not interested or didn't know anything at all. Humans are more familiar with him.

Because he has had negotiations with humans many times in the past and has appeared in numerous folk tales.

At one point, a story was given to a boy who asked for medicine to help his mother in exchange for trials. Another time, the story of fulfilling the wishes of those tired of living as slaves, turning them into birds forever and releasing them into the sky. Either way, it appears as a demon that is clearly not hostile to humans.

However, sacrifice is necessary for him to grant his wish. The sacrifice is limited to young and beautiful women, but for some reason at the end of the story, the Demon King has let go of the woman, and the ending of waiting for nothing is waiting. The sorcerer who had heard such a story prepared a young and beautiful slave girl to call Kudels.

The narration ends here, and the spotlight hits the stage. Then, a girl emerged in the darkness. Yes, the main character in the story is Amoena, who plays a slave girl. In addition, a light was lit behind her, and a shadow screen of a magician appeared on a white screen.

"Now, daughter of a slave, you are now a sacrifice to summon the Demon King. If the Demon King appears, give his life, and the rest of the slaves will be ordinary people. I'll put it back. "

Then, the girl on the stage rises and the stage becomes bright. There was an orchestra and choir in front of them, and they played music created by composer Dolce.

Along with the music that complains of the girl's sorrow, the girl begins to dance in a slow movement like a breeze, and then in a smooth movement like a water play. It's different from any dance that has ever been performed on stage, but it's an eye-catching beautiful movement. Around them, figures in puppet shadows continue to spin the story.

The audience forgot to breathe into the art, where everything is new.

This time, the shadows of the magic circle are projected, along with the intense percussion sounds. A suspicious spell you can hear. The moment the screen behind me shines and I think that the devil will be called ... the background has changed to a forest shadow picture.

In front of the audience, a screen shot of a large man surrounded by colorful flowers appears on the screen. -It's a demon king.

"Welcome, young lady. Visit the Demon King's castle in the south. If you have an errand, don't you think it's polite to go there? And you can't just call me without sending a letter."

Despite his title with the Demon King, his voice is as soft as cotton. The demon king in the story never takes on a terrible appearance.

But that is the scariness of this Demon King. He speaks to his gentle voice and tries to draw him to the wrong path.

"That's why I decided to call the person who tried to call me in reverse. I just wanted to call that cheeky magician, but only you were in the magic circle. That's why I decided to call me, who seems to know the situation instead of the letter. "

And the Demon King whispers in a gentle tone that makes everyone want to rinse, mixing sweetness with his low voice. Eventually the whispering voice goes to a relaxed tenor. She was sorry for the situation of the girl and sang a compassionate heart while being colored by the vivid melody created by Dolce.

"Well, is that magician worthy of me? Please tell me. I'm not sure you'll hear my wishes, but I'll swear I'll never hurt you no matter what you ask for "

Along with the words, a petal of a tulip in the shadow picture falls.

"The Demon King, that magician's wish is eternal life."

Then, the Demon Lord's shadow picture expressed his grief by placing his hand on his forehead. Then, the two singers begin singing each other a conversational song like an opera, as if coloring the dance of the shadow picture of the girl and the devil.

"It's ridiculous. I say that beautiful flowers are precious because they are destined to wither someday. No matter how beautiful, even if they look the same, there are real flowers withering and artificial flowers that bloom forever. If I have, I'll choose a flower that will die without hesitation, and the beauty of the goddess, which will remain eternally beautiful, will eventually fade before the momentary brilliance of an old human girl. "

"Oh, the Demon King. You don't know. You don't know our feelings, because you can live near eternity. The sun's light is so glare that even if you close your eyes, the light reaches the back of the eyelids, and even if you cover your face with your hands, you can't help but feel the heat. , Even if you think you're filthy, we want eternity, and if I didn't bring eternal life back, I would be burned into the curse of slavery and turned into ashes. The Master will also kill my family, my only brother who suffers from illness, and if we pity on us as fleeting as snow on our hands, please give us that power and wisdom Please give me"

"Don't say stupid things. If death is terrible, you can stay alone and live calmly here. Curses and other things will disappear in a single breath. If you want, Give me eternal youth, give me a long time to get tired of it, human society is a very painful and remnant to me, and your important family and friends will part by death one day It must be fast or slow, what does it mean before eternity? Forget about the naughty world. "

"Oh, Demon King, don't let me be fooled by gentle words. How can you forget about them and live a peaceful life? I'm a creature that I can never live alone. It's just the beginning. "

"I say sad things, beautiful daughter. Then give me three fruits that keep time. For each fruit I eat, a person can stay young and young for ten years. But never eat the second, that is the price for giving this fruit, and if you break that promise, I will take death as punishment from that person. "

Along with the words, the tulips in the shadow picture again scattered petals. It's like implying something.

"The Demon King, isn't that the immortality that magicians demand? It's just the gospel for humans, why is it punishment?"

"No, it's not the gospel. I can't die, I don't die. People who long for love may not know, but this is horrible."

With such dialogue, the curtain for switching the scene came down. And the last voice of the demon resounds from the stage closed by the curtain.

"Hopefully, you will be forever free from that fear."

When the curtain opened again, the girl was holding three red fruits. The magician's shadow picture is reflected, and the song and music begin again.

"Oh, I'm back, my sacrifice daughter. What happened to that red fruit? If it's eternal life? Great! Now I don't have to fear death. I've got eternity I will be equal to God !! I will give you the fruit !! "

"Before that, please fulfill your promise. Unleash my family from slaves and ask for adequate treatment."

"Unfortunately, your brother has died. It was too late to return, because two years have passed since you disappeared somewhere."

What does that mean? The petals of a tulip scattered at the southern demon's residence showed the passage of time. And the girl realizes.

"Ah, what to say! This man killed his brother because I was gone. I will not forgive him. I will never forgive him. Oh yeah. I'll give him the worst punishment. Judgment Bless me, Yuhorika the god of God, Demon King of the South, and give me the power to overcome the curse of slavery! "

Then, the girl dressed as Amoena ate all the fruits she had in her hand. Forget the promise with the Demon King. Immediately, a curse engraved in her body releases her power to make her ashes, but she cannot kill her immortal.

"What did you do, on the edge of a humble slave. He thrust you out to the king and executed him!"

The magician, angry with disappointment, screams in an angry voice. The soldier actors appeared from both sides and took the girl, who was suffering from the curse, to the stage sleeves. Then, the back curtain falls and the scene changes instantaneously to the execution table.

And a girl in captivity ... (if you look closely, you know it's a doll) is set on the execution table.

"Don't worry, you're a mean girl. You should die while knowing the sins committed!" A guillotine blade falls on the girl's neck while the people watch.

But ... the girl did not die even when she was alone. That's not all. When a girl without a neck got up, she picked up her neck and started dancing.

The audience was noisy. What kind of device is it? Isn't that girl a doll?

The girl whose head has fallen appeals for the dance. Pain in the cut neck, suffering that cannot exhale. All the spectators who watched the stage in the tragic movement knew the meaning of Kudels's advice.

Eventually, on the stage, the magician's shadow screams, screams at the soldier against a girl who does not die, and seals her somewhere without human eyes.

The scene turned dark, and the voice of narration began quietly in a world without light.

This girl is still alive somewhere. In a closed, dark place that nobody knows.

The stage lights again. Then, there was a simple table consisting of only thin feet and a tabletop, on which the girl's head was sleeping with her eyes closed. Not a doll. At least, it was a realistic model that made me think so. But what does this mean?

Suddenly, the girl ... Amoena's head opened her eyes. He began speaking in a high, clear voice.

"People who live now. This is the story of the story of seeking immortality beyond human beings. It should be, but still people will seek eternal life. "

And when she closed her eyes, she concluded this horrific and terrible story.

"Therefore, I keep telling this story to deter them. Do not seek everlasting youth and life.

And the stage was wrapped in darkness again.