#1310 Junior’s Adventure – Belphgamilia's Appearance 

By activating the Hand of Ultimacy, I finally manage to undo the impenetrable space suit. 
With a clack, it opens up, and a scrawny-looking man tumbles out from inside. 

“Ohhh! There’s no mistaking it, this is Belphgamilia, the former holder of the title of ‘Corrupted’ among the Heavenly Four! Father—Lord Demon King Zedan himself—trusted him completely! I saw his face countless times when I was young. I’m sure of it!” 

...That so? 
Well, good. It would’ve been a real downer if, after all that trouble, we got a “Sorry, wrong guy.” 

That said. 
This Belphgamilia fellow is still fast asleep, even after being dragged out of his suit. 

I guess we’ll have to wake him up if we want to talk. 
If I want to finish the task Prince Goetia gave me, I need to wake him no matter what. 
Sorry in advance, but... 

“Farm Beam!” 
“BWAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” 

All right, I nailed it this time. 
The beam hits Belphgamilia square-on, and he jerks up like a fish shocked by electricity. 

“What was that?! I was having such a nice dream, and now I’m pretty sure I just got hit by something lethal?!” 
“I just shot you with a beam, sir.” 
“A beam?! Isn’t that something you’d use to send people into eternal sleep, not wake them up?! Who does that?!” 

My apologies for disturbing your slumber. 
I’m Junior, son of the Saint. 

“The Saint?! …Well, if you’re one of that bunch, I guess being unreasonable is only natural.” 

He seems satisfied with that. 
I can’t say I’m not offended, but given what I just did, I’ll let it slide. 

“But still, to break through my Sloth Suit and wake me up… that’s impressive. So this is the power of the farm, huh…?” 

Sloth Suit? 
Wait, does he mean that spacesuit? 

“Yes! My proudest masterpiece and the greatest creation of my life! It nullifies all external impact, keeping the inside completely insulated! The interior is climate-controlled, with perfect humidity balance and built-in ambient sound to soothe the autonomic nerves, ensuring ultimate comfort and stability. It is the supreme sleeping device for achieving the most blissful rest imaginable!!!” 

…Wow. 
What’s with this man’s passion for sleep? 
That level of conviction is like hearing someone say, ‘I’m serious about being lazy!’ 

“I thought the only one who could ever bypass the Sloth Suit and wake me was the Sage… How did you manage to unlock it?” 
“I just… popped it open normally.” 
“A proper deactivation?! …I see. You’ve inherited your father’s abilities exactly as they are. Terrifying, for a child.” 

He talks like he knows Dad well. 
Well, Belphgamilia is considered humanity’s strongest, so maybe that’s not surprising. 

“…So, would you mind telling me why you people woke me up?” 

Huh? 
The quiet question carries an edge so sharp it’s impossible to ignore. 

“I came all the way here to pursue an eternity of sloth and sleep. Disturbing that is a violation of my principles and my rights. I mean, who doesn’t get pissed when they’re woken up at the deepest part of their sleep?” 

Uh-oh, he’s actually mad. 

I’m sorry, I promise I didn’t mean any harm. 
But I’m not the one who needs something from you, sir. 

Please direct all complaints to that guy over there! 

“Lord Belphgamilia! It is I, Goetia, eldest son of Demon King Zedan!” 
“Hm? …Ah, Prince Goetia. It has been a while, hasn’t it? Look at you all grown up now. How old are you these days?” 

And just like that, Belphgamilia sounds exactly like some uncle at a family reunion. 

“It has been long indeed, but I did not come merely to reminisce. There is something I must ask of you!” 
“Yes?” 
“Lord Belphgamilia, I ask that you return to the Demon King’s Army. Take up once more the position of Supreme Commander and lend us your brilliance! I, Goetia, beg you as the Demon Prince himself!” 

Prince Goetia bows deeply. 
Belphgamilia just looks… awkward. 

“Well, I did retire from the army on good terms, you know. Being asked to come back now feels… a little much.” 

Right, why did he quit the Demon King’s Army, anyway? 
It sounds like a cushy job; good pay, high status, stable work and all that. 

“I wanted to quit from the very start, actually. From the moment I enlisted.” 

Isn’t that kind of early? 

“Labor, you see, is the furthest thing from sloth. I’ve always dreamed of a life where I’d be free from all obligations, to sleep when I want, wake when I want, never tied down by schedules or duties. A life of true, pure idleness. And now, that dream has come true.” 

Yeah…  
You really are living that life. 

“Isn’t it wonderful, though? Eat, sleep, repeat! Nothing to do, nothing to strive for! If people could let go of their excessive desires, they wouldn’t need to do anything at all! That’s the ideal life! Don’t you agree?!” 

No, sir, I don’t. 
If you do nothing, what’s the point of being born? 

I believe every person is born to accomplish something only they can do. 
If you live your life without ever doing that, you’ve failed it. 

And what’s so wonderful about a failed life? 

“Whoa… that’s a brutally sharp argument coming from a kid…!” 

I’m doing my best every day to achieve what I must. 

That said, I’m not denying your way of life. 
I understand wanting an easy life. That’s fine within reason. 
But saying you’ll abandon your duties just to be comfortable is not something I can agree with. 

“You’re right. Even a born slacker like me gets that. That’s why I did my part when it was needed.” 

Meaning, when he was in the Demon King’s Army. 

“I’ve still got some species pride in me. I couldn’t just sit around while my own people were invaded. Not only that, but Zedan’s sense of duty and sincerity really struck me. That kind of dedication gets to you, even if you’re lazy.” 

Whoa… I see.  
Seeing this kind of serious, grown-up side of him is kind of overwhelming for a young guy like me...! 

“I worked pretty hard for the army. As a result, I got promoted. The higher you go, the more responsibilities you have, but the more you can actually get done, too. So I weighed it against the hassle of dealing with idiotic superiors and picked whichever seemed less troublesome.” 

And that’s how Belphgamilia ended up reaching the very top of the ladder. 

“As it turned out, we won the war thanks to that, secured peace for the Demon Kingdom, and made things safe. I could’ve retired then, but once there were no more outside enemies, we started having inside problems instead. You know, internal strife and all that.” 

I’ve heard about that before. 
During the war, the upper echelons of the Demon Kingdom, including the Demon King himself, were focused on stopping human invasions. Naturally, that meant domestic affairs were somewhat neglected. 
And that gave certain feudal lords room to commit all sorts of corruption, while bureaucrats started running the government with the financial discipline of a leaky bucket. 

To sweep away that corruption, the current Demon King had to work tirelessly even after the war. 

We learned all that in Sensei’s social studies class. 

And what we also learned was that the Demon King’s reforms were most strongly supported by two people: the Demon Kingdom's Prime Minister, Lucife Focale, and the Demon King’s Army Commander, Belphgamilia. 
Politics and the military, the two pillars of disciplined governance. Thanks to them, reform was carried out swiftly and effectively. 

Sensei said those three will be remembered as great rulers whose names that will echo through history for centuries to come. 

And then... 

“Once the reforms were complete and the roots of corruption all dug out, I decided my part was done. That’s when I submitted my resignation. Zedan understood completely and accepted it right away.” 

A graceful exit befitting a man too lazy to overstay his duty. 

“And so, having fulfilled my life’s work, I retired to a peaceful life... Early retirement, as they call it. Ahh, this carefree, responsibility-free lifestyle truly is wonderful.” 
“But that’s precisely the problem!” 

Prince Goetia cuts in, refusing to let Belphgamilia neatly wrap up his story. 

“Whoa, Your Highness? What’s this all about now?” 
“The achievements you left behind as Commander still stand unmatched! It is thanks to a legendary leader like you that the Demon King’s Army remains the foundation of our future rule! For the sake of the era I will one day lead, please, return to the army!” 

And at long last, the story circles back to its original point. 
What a journey that was.