Chapter 190

Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum

After a month or so of working on the manuscripts and maintaining security, the restoration of the town was completed and the public baths were ready.

The restoration was one thing, but it was quite unexpected for the bathhouse to be completed so quickly.

It was thanks to the efforts of the dwarves and their chief, Gottlieb, but I still had to ask him how it was done so quickly.

“The reason is simple. I wanted to see the face of the Demon King’s heir as soon as possible.”

“What do you mean?”

I asked. He explained that the hot springs in Ashtaroth are said to be good for childbirth. And would help with a safe delivery.

“…”

It was a completely unnecessary effect, but it wasn’t the only thing that Gottlieb did that was unnecessary.

“I’ve given you a chance to try out the bath before opening it to the citizens. I’ve told Lady Eve as well, so she will be able to join you.”

Eve seemed to have remembered that promise, and was in a good mood since morning. I could be wrong, but it also looked like she had put on some makeup.

And it’s hard to say no when someone is in such a good mood.

Besides, if I were to be embarrassed like an adolescent boy here, the others would question my competence as a Demon King.

With that in mind, I headed for the public baths with Eve.

On the way, Eve put her pinky finger on me as if she wanted to intertwine our fingers, but that was a little too much, and I did not hold her hand.

Of course, the public baths are separate for men and women, but today was a trial bath that was only for those involved, and so we were allowed to have the entire large bath to ourselves.

There was no one in the changing room. I ordered Eve to take off her clothes first and get in.

I took a quick tour of the facilities first and then headed for the changing room.

It was a few minutes later that I headed for the bath, and I could hear the empty echo of water in the great room as I entered.

Steam enveloped the area and my vision was poor. But the thought of Eve being in the back made me nervous.

However, as I have said before, I would be a laughing stock for generations if, as a man who would one day become the Great Demon King, I were to be frightened in such a place.

I made up my mind and entered the bath. Of course, before getting into the water, I washed my body and made sure that I had my back towards Eve.

Fortunately, Eve was not as aggressive as Jeanne, so she didn’t ask me to turn and face her, but having our backs to each other made me even more conscious of her presence.

Eve is thin, but she is very glamorous and beautiful.

Once I recollected this, I didn’t know what words to say.

“…”

By process of elimination, I chose a moment of silence, and then Eve called out to me.

“…I’m sorry… Um, shall I wash your back?”

“…Thank you.”

I accepted the favor honestly.

I got out of the bath and she washed my back with a sea sponge.

It felt rather comfortable, but I didn’t pay much attention to Eve and looked up at the sky. One of the bathing rooms was out in the open.

And so I spoke to her about the purpose of building the bathhouse.

“In a country called Rome, in a different world, there were public baths. The emperor and the senate built them to improve the contentment and hygiene of the citizens.”

“An excellent idea, master. The town of Ashtaroth will develop into a world empire, just like the country called Rome.”

“I hope so.”

“I’m sure it will happen.”

Eve was full of confidence. She said it was because I was the Demon King.

“Well, I’ll have to make it happen then. I want to make this world a peaceful place.”

“Peaceful?”

“Yes, it may sound contradictory, but I’m fighting a war to eliminate war from this world. In the other world, there is a word called ‘parabellum.’”

“What does it mean?

“Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum. It’s from a language called Latin and it means, ‘if you want peace, prepare for war.’”

“I see. That’s the origin of the name of this bath house.”

“Aye, interesting, isn’t it?”

“Very.”

“I’m not going to say that love will save the world. In the end, it is military power that saves the world. However, military power is a poisonous drug that corrodes those who possess it. That’s why I want to keep my military power as non-corrosive as possible. And so I try not to be extravagant and use my money for the good of the people.”

“That’s a wonderful attitude to have.”

“Thank you. If you think that money can buy happiness, you are mistaken. However you can make others happy with money. I fight because I believe that.”

I said this, and then I was silent for a while, before making a request to Eve.

“Eve, will you continue to offer your loyalty to me? Will you support me with your kindness and discretion?”

Eve answered quickly, without hesitation.

“Of course, master.”

She said and hugged me tightly from behind.

I felt as if she had merged with my body and become a part of it. If this were a story, the two of us would have gone on like this and then…but someone interrupted us.

It was the blond-haired Saint.

She entered, shouting at the top of her lungs. And without wearing any clothes.

“Demon King! It’s not fair for the two of you to come to the bath together! Why didn’t you invite me?”

It’s because your voice is too loud and you lack manners. But as I couldn’t say that, I welcomed her inside.

Eve then allowed her to finish washing my back. She didn’t have the delicate touch that Eve had, but at least my back would be scrubbed clean and effectively.

Afterwards, I got into the water with the two and we enjoyed the hot water until we were tired.

The three of us got out of the water and then drank the milk I had suggested.

The milk had been chilled by an ice fairy and was available at the store. They were in bottles with paper lids.

Drinking them was part of the experience of coming to a bathhouse.

That was my policy.

I drank coffee milk, Eve drank regular milk, and Jeanne drank strawberry milk. Then we changed into our clothes and left the bathhouse.

Jeanne said,

“It felt good. I’m going to thank Gottlieb.”

She was unusually thoughtful, but she would have to do that later.

There was something I had to do before we returned to the castle.

I walked through the town with the two, who had skin that was soft and warm after bathing.

Jeanne seemed to remember this road.

“Are we going to the bookstore, by any chance?”

“Correct.”

“Are you going to buy another book?”

“Incorrect.”

“Then what are you doing there?”

“There are other uses for a bookstore than just buying books.”

Eve then entered this exchange with Jeanne.

“Master, could it be that you are here to sell a book?”

“Correct.”

Most of the bookstores in this world sold both new and used books.

When you have finished reading a book, you can sell it. This was not unusual in a world where paper is precious.

“But you love books so much. You must have disliked this one immensely if you’ve been moved to sell it?”

“Not at all. It’s the other way around. I like it so much that I’m selling it. You know, don’t you? That I’ve been making a copy of a book recently?”

“Yes. You’ve been writing something after work.”

Eve said that had she known what I was doing, she would have suggested that her subordinates could do it.

“Well, it’s a hobby of mine. I love manuscripts. It’s nice to copy a great book. I try to guess what the author was thinking when writing a passage, and how they came to their conclusions.”

‘In fact,’ I said, and then continued.

“The time I spent copying this book was a time of pure bliss for me.”

I then took out three books.

“You’ve already made three copies?”

“Four, if you count the spare copy I made for carrying around.”

“Well, that is amazing. A book you worked so passionately to copy. Now I wonder about its contents.”

“It was given to me by the greatest general in the world.”

I said, and then I walked into the bookstore, handed the book to the owner, and repeated those words.

“So, owner, please buy this book from me. The price is whatever you want to pay. Read it and buy it at the price you think is appropriate.”

The dour-looking shopkeeper with glasses looked at us suspiciously and then opened the book.

After about five minutes of flipping through the book, he placed about a hundred gold coins in front of us.

“A hundred gold coins is a lot! Are there jewels embedded in the book?”

“Of course, not. But the owner must have understood the value of the book. This book is a record of Hannibal’s military history. It is a book that contains everything about the greatest enemy of ancient Rome and the nemesis that tormented the Demon King Ashtaroth more than any. It’s worth this much.”

I declared, and the owner put the book behind the counter, in the best place in a bookstore.

The words on the spine of the book, ‘Hannibal’s Military History,’ shone in gold.

I wanted to spread Hannibal’s ideas and tactics to as many people as possible, so I made a copy. Now, what kind of person would buy this book?

And how would they use it?

There was a possibility that the book would fall into the hands of my enemies and I would be defeated by Hannibal’s art of war, but that would be amusing in its own way.

It was better than the spirit of a great general not being passed on for future generations.

With that thought in mind, I smiled slightly and turned my back to the girls so as not to show my face to the people around me.

We were going back to the castle now.

We turned our backs on Hannibal’s military history and said goodbye to the old man who wrote it.