Book 9- Insomniac Goblin Slayer in the Demon Castle-I
Time is forever changing, nothing lasts forever, that is the truth across all realities and universes and in a universe where Goblin Slayer became the Slayer King change would come again.
Before the time of the Clay Way but after he finally manage to give up his crown another great change emerged.
The Demon King died, of old age surprisingly, and was replaced by another called Midnight, this one was different from his predecessor, while the past Demon King was known for his love of battle, often doing everything he could to prolonged the war, Midnight was one who wanted for the war to end favorable for Demon kind.
Harsh yet fair and wise, Midnight knew that Demon kind could not win this war, so instead he opted to avoid losing it, becoming crowned on a platform of not losing the war, Midnight immediately went to work to exploit the weaknesses of the human lead coalition and thus in a moment of opportunity he kidnapped Ceramicus, Grand Master of the Slayer Orders, Marshall of the Human Empire, the right hand man of High King and retired kind of the Slayers.
"Do not worry King Ceramicus, I am not my predecessor, you will not be harmed or used to provoke a battle, you will be returned after the ransom for you is paid." Midnight said to Ceramicus as he was left in a prisoner cell that had extra amenities such as a bed, sheets and a desk with paper and books.
Midnight went to bed that day that he had taken a first step into strengthening the Demon Kingdom and weakening the Human coalition.
Only for a messenger to come to him the next morning with bad news.
"He refuses the ransom we suggested." Apprentice Demon Cleric said to Midnight.
"That's to be expected, I was not thinking that he would accept 1.000 kilos of gold, we now start the negotiation process."
"No my lord, Goblin Slayer refuses to pay any ransom at all."
"...what?" Midnight said to Apprentice Demon Cleric as the younger demon awkwardly shrugged his shoulders.
"Yes my lord. He said that the money will be used to train adventurers and to help protect the peasants."
At that Midnight used his magic crystal ball to spy on Goblin Slayer and saw that the in his twenties now young man had picked the lock in his cell, walked up to the end of a corridor, closed a window at the end of it that was flapping on its hinges from the wind and then went back to his cell and closed his door.
Midnight was intrigued by that so he made his way to his prisoner's cell.
"Parley." Goblin Slayer said as soon as he saw Midnight.
"What?"
"I invoke the right of parley,." Goblin Slayer said to him.
"Why do you invoke parley when you do not wish to end the negotiations with a sum for your ransom?" Midnight asked.
"I invoke parley, thus we must negotiate until parley is ended and no hostile actions may be taken under parley." Goblin Slayer replied as Midnight and his lieutenants eye's widened at that.
"Wait...are you...are you forcing a ceasefire between us?" Midnight asked.
"Yes. Now we stop fighting each other and Slayer Keep can go back to goblin slaying. By the laws held sacred by both dark and order gods the parley cannot be broken until the negotiation is concluded."
"But in order for the ceasefire to work you will remain a prisoner here." Midnight said to him.
"I know."
"Does that not bother you, not seeing your friends, your wife, your apprentices? We know that you adopted many war orphans and raise them as your own."
" I stay here and the war ends, I stay here and they remain safe, that is good. Can you allow them to visit me? Prisoners are allowed visitors or is that not allowed in the Demon Lands?"
At Goblin Slayer's questions the demons did not know how to answer at all.
"W-we might be able to arrange something. What about your duty as First Marshall to High King?" Midnight asked.
"If you do not attack him he will not attack you, especially since as his banermen he and you are both now under parley. May I be allowed to send messages to them to tell them of the situation?" Goblin Slayer asked.
"Bring him ink and paper." Midnight said before he walked away.
"What should we do now sire?"
"I do not know Apprentice Demon Cleric, all I know is that this situation for now means that there will be no immediate battles, which is a good thing, the treasury is empty, the economy is drained, the demons want to go back home for a bit, for now we will use this to recover." Midnight said as he went to get some shut eye.
The next morning there was a commotion in the dining room hall.
Midnight moved to see what was the cause of it and witnessed Goblin Slayer out of his cell again and queuing up for the cafeteria line, the Demon's where surprised to see this grungy looking armored figure that was a legendary warrior king, the second most powerful man in the human lands line up like a commoner for grub.
Once there Goblin Slayer took some broth, mash potatoes and sausages and sat down at the nearest free spot, the demons at that table looked at him with disbelieving eyes.
Then they saw his trembling hands, Goblin Slayer's had the shaky hands of a veteran of to many battles, far too many, the man could barely keep half of his spoon of soup before it reached his lips.
Giving our a sigh of disappointment Goblin Slayer resorted to drinking the soup directly from the bowl, he then paused to pour himself some orange juice, but his shaky hands once more came into play as he spilled around the cup more than he drunk.
A hand came to steady his pout and fill his cup, who also put a straw in the cup to help with drinking it.
"Thank you." Goblin Slayer said to Scissors Sorcerer.
"Think nothing of it your grace, buy I must say you could use a haircut!" The bladed demon said and gestured to his hair.
"I don't have any money to pay you."
"Think nothing of it! Why ensuring that such a famous person is my customer would greatly increase my reputation. When would you like me to cut it?"
"I am free now."
"Splendid! How would you like if your grace?"
"You know better. And call me Goblin Slayer."
And much to the Demon's shock they saw one of their most feared foes letting Scissor Sorcerer not only cut his hair, but he even leaned back so the demon could give him a clean shave, letting Scissor use his blades on his throat.
"You have such well-maintained skin, what do you use for it?"
"The excess milk from Cow Girl's farm we use it to keep our hands from drying from overwork." Goblin Slayer replied as Scissor Sorcerer continued to groom him.
"Oh, a man of nature I see! Splendid!"
The demons barely touched their breakfast as they gazed at this strange sight.
Then after it was over and Goblin Slayer left the room Midnight heard them whisper.
"Did you see the look in his eyes?"
"Yeah, no hatred, no hatred for demons what so ever!"
"He even let one use a knife on his throat!"
"And he stood in line like, like he saw us as his equals!"
"Me, the equals of one of the most feared warlords alive?"
Midnight saw that Goblin Slayer was having an effect on his hoarded, whether it was good or bad he could not judge yet, but one thing was certain and that things would become interesting now that this insomniac Goblin Slayer was in the Demon Castle.
Midnight let out a giggle despite himself, he then thought of his son and made plans to spend some time with Twilight.
