#1124 Ye Who Are Near, Behold 

Here I am, all dressed up for my big day. 
When the Demon King asked me to make another grand appearance, I was pretty much at a loss. 

 
Apparently, I’m supposed to show myself in front of the general populace of the Demon Capital this time. 
I get it; if you only rub elbows with the upper echelon, it starts to feel like closed-door politics. 

As a fellow man-of-the-people, I want to show some love to fellow common folk. 

But still, I decided I'd steel myself for the sake of this world and for my friends and family. 
The only problem is, I keep getting roped into these flashy public stunts, and they wear me out. 

I managed to beg for a few days’ reprieve just so I could pull myself together. 
And pull myself together I did. 

Now I'm heading back to the Demon Capital, determined to give it one more shot. 

But sure enough, the moment I arrive, things start going haywire just like I expected. 

The biggest surprise was that my own people are way more excited about this than I'd bargained for. 
And by “my own people,” I mean the people who live and work on the farm. 

“Finally, the day has come for Dear to step into the spotlight! We need to give you the most spectacular production possible!!!” 

That’s Platy, more fired up than ever. 

I understand I can’t just show up in my usual clothes to something this public. 
I was a working adult in my world, so I at least understand basic social etiquette. 

I don’t mind sprucing up a bit... But to what extent, exactly? 

“What do you mean, ‘to what extent’?! This is our golden opportunity to show off just how extraordinary you are, Dear! If we don’t go all out now, when are we ever going to do it?!” 

Platy’s in some kind of unstoppable rampage mode.  
It’s that stage where once she’s flipped her switch, there’s no stopping her until she’s caused some major ruckus. 

“First off... Batemy!” 

Platy calls over Batemy, who handles all our tailoring. 
Previously, Batemy was in a bit of limbo over the whole “independence of the Farm Kingdom” fiasco, but… 

“Yes! I’m completely prepared!” 

She’s brimming with energy now, as if any worries had evaporated overnight. 

“It’s been my lifelong dream to dress up Lord Saint in outfits worthy of his limitless power! And today’s the day that dream finally comes true!!!” 

She really does have a million dreams, and somehow we keep making them all happen.  
She’s a bit of a handful, but hey, good for her. 

Anyway, she hands me the costume she’s made and…! 

“Umm… are you sure you want me to wear this?” 
“Absolutely! It’s my masterpiece!” 

I had to double-check because it’s, well… How do I even describe this?  
Vivid? Avant-garde? 
Maybe in English you’d call it “futuristic?” 

Well, I tried it on. 
Whoaaaaa...! 

“I feel like I just got turned into a character designed by that famous Amano-something guy…!” 

There are sharp spikes jutting out everywhere. 
The colors are so vibrant and all over the spectrum that it practically lights up the room. The fabric is strangely stiff and shiny... is this enamel? 

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be parading around in something like this, especially as a father of three. 
Sure, dressing up for a formal event is one thing, but this feels like it’s ignoring the whole concept of TPO (time, place, and occasion).  
Are we positive this is a good idea? 

“Of course it is! This is the moment when the masses will bow down before you, Dear! We’ve got to be glam that there’s no way they can possibly miss who the star is!!!” 
“Exactly, Lady Platy! You understand perfectly!” 

Way to double down on the insults, you two. 
Maybe have a little respect for the hardworking citizens of this world. 

“But you know, clothes alone aren’t enough. If we really want to highlight how unique and one-of-a-kind Dear is, we’re going to need more.” 
 

Platy’s still on a rampage. 

What else can she possibly add? 

“That’s it! I’m pulling out the big guns and giving him a full makeover! Cosmetics are absolutely under my jurisdiction as a potion compounder, you know!” 

Cosmetics?!  
You mean foundation, blush, lipstick, and the whole nine yards?  

I’m not even running for president!  
Is this really necessary?! 

“Of course it is!” 

Do you really have no other response other than that?! 

“It’s your grand debut, Dear! We’re gonna squeeze every drop of style out of this moment. …We’ll need some accessories, too. Any chance we can get our hands on something fancy?” 
“The dwarves can handle precious metals better than anyone.” 
“Oh, but that might spark another argument with the elves, saying you should leave it to nature or something like that…” 
“It might be wise to get the elves’ input too, just to keep things smooth.” 

And with that, Platy and Batemy launch into a top-secret huddle, whispering about who-knows-what as they plan even more suspicious additions to my wardrobe. 
Should I really let them go unchecked?  
Probably not.  
But even if I wanted to stop them, could I? Also no. So, there’s no point fretting. 

In the end, after a million tweaks, they finally complete my “grand reveal” ensemble. 

*** 

On the big day, I’m waiting midair on Sakamoto, my trusty dragon-horse. 
The plan is to drop down when the Demon King gives the signal, so that everyone can see me land. 

Not only am I wearing Batemy’s flamboyant outfit, but I’m also decked out head to toe in dwarven accessories that jingle and sparkle with every movement. Plus, my face is slathered in makeup, like I’m some kind of visual-kei rock star.  
Actually, I’m borderline heavy metal right now.  
Maybe I should holler, “Bow before me or be turned into a LAW puppet!” 

As if that weren’t enough, Platy also handed me a special potion to sprinkle on myself right before the descent. 

“Spray this on yourself, and it instantly freezes the moisture in the air into tons of little ice particles. Then, as you move super-fast, you’ll gather more and more frozen vapor, creating a shimmering ‘ice smoke’ effect. Talk about a grand entrance, right?!” 

Platy really thought of everything for this. 

And sure enough, when I start descending, I’m trailed by what looks like a frosty cloud. It makes me look like a downright comet streaming through the sky. 

At the last second before hitting the ground, I pull the brakes hard. The sudden stop kicks up the wind and blows away all that icy fog around me in one dramatic flourish. 

Now there I am, hovering in the air on Sakamoto’s back, with everyone craning their necks up at me. 
 

The look on their faces is a mix of astonishment, awe… 
...and even something like tears of joy. 

“…That’s Lord Saint?” 
“So… divine…” 
“He’s everything I’d imagined… no, he’s more than I imagined…!” 
“I’d believe it if someone told me that’s a god taking human form!” 

They’re all freaking out in a good way, and it’s honestly kind of unexpected. 
I never thought my grand entrance would move them so much. 

But maybe it’s because they heard those scattered rumors about the Saint, felt inspired, and came to see if they were true. 
They arrived here brimming with all sorts of hopes and expectations, determined to find out if reality matched their dreams. 

When I think about it that way, I guess dressing today wasn’t such a waste. 

Even if it’s all just a flimsy facade, as long as it embodies the people’s hopes, that’s good enough. 
After all, I managed to meet the expectations of everyone who gathered here. 
Isn’t that plenty? 

…All right. 
In that case, I should give everyone an even bigger thrill. 

All thanks to my finely honed powers of storytelling! 

…So, here in my hand, I have this single arrow. 

I’ve been practicing tirelessly since then, so I’m not about to flub the ultimate anecdote! 
With it, I’ll give the crowd an even greater sense of wonder! 

“That’s not a good sign. Let’s stop him, Veil.” 
“Copy!” 

Whoa! Platy and Veil? 
You two came to watch the ceremony too? Why are you stopping me? 

I was just about to wow the crowd with my failproof story. What’s going on? 

You want me offstage already? 
But I’m finally hitting my stride here! 
Gugogogogogogo...! 

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yoshitaka amano is a renowned character designer.

chapter title is kind of like a cliché used by warriors in the old days when they announced themselves on the battlefield. It comes up (originally?) in Heike Monogatari, as well as various period drama.