◆ Great Garnis Glacier ◆
I dug into the snow and ice-covered ground, creating a simple cave. I had to find shelter from the blizzard and the cold; otherwise, Kurinka would be in even more danger. And Cocytus—how careless of me to underestimate such a phenomenon. I had unconsciously thought it would be no worse than the Abyss Cave, but no matter how much I reflect on it, I can’t help but feel guilty about Kurinka.
Recently, I had grown significantly stronger, and I had lightly assumed that as long as I transformed into a Dragon, I wouldn’t lose to most opponents. Even this Great Garnis Glacier was no exception. But Kurinka wasn’t me. Even in environments I could endure, it was a harsh place for her.
“Cocytus is a natural phenomenon unique to the Great Garnis Glacier. With each breath, the Frost Aura enters the body, freezing you from the inside without you even realizing it. By the time you lose consciousness, you’ll be nothing more than an ice statue.”
What a place this is. It might be dangerous in a way completely different from the Abyss Cave. I never imagined a natural phenomenon could even surpass Rainis’s Heat. I could use fire magic to some extent, but I couldn’t control it as well as Rainis. If I let my guard down even a little, it could turn into a raging inferno. I should have studied magic a bit more.
“If I had kept breathing fire when I was a Dragon, I might have been able to save myself. But even then, I would still be eroded from the outside. After all, even an Ice Dragon could freeze to death…”
Looking at Shin, who seemed somewhat sad, I couldn’t help but wonder why this child was involved with the Demon Lord Army. I gazed at Shin, who was watching over Kurinka while clutching my tool pouch, unable to think of any way to deal with Cocytus.
“Hey, I know this isn’t the best time, but… what is the Demon Lord Army’s objective?”
“The destruction of the world. Led by the Demon Lord, everyone harbors hatred for humanity. That’s why surrender is not an option; only death awaits. There are quite a few like Pansard who seem to enjoy it with a carefree attitude.”
“Why do they hate us…? What did humanity ever do to them?”
“Simply existing.”
“…What?”
“That’s reason enough to hate. That’s why the interests of the Four Heavenly Kings’ Demon Race align with ours.”
“I don’t understand at all!”
I slammed my fist against the ice, and my arm got stuck. I almost caused the entire area to collapse. But it seemed to startle Shin, who suddenly had his head buried in the tool pouch. I hadn’t intended to take my frustration out on anything, and I knew this wouldn’t solve anything.
“Are you giving up? Should we just forget about going to the Demon Lord Castle and head back?”
“I’m not going back. I’m moving forward.”
“But if Kurinka is in this state, we have no choice but to give up. If we move away from the depths, Cocytus won’t activate. Compared to that, the blizzard from earlier was nothing.”
“Oh, are you worried about me?”
“How on earth did you come to that conclusion?!”
There’s no way I’m giving up. It was my fault for underestimating Cocytus. In the Abyss Cave, adapting to such a malicious environment was key, but now it was different. The challenge was how to protect Kurinka, who couldn’t adapt.
“What are you going to do?”
“Well, it’s obvious. I’ll run while sealing Kurinka’s mouth with mine.”
“…Huh?”
There was no need for Shin to look at me like I was crazy. It was the only method I could think of. If the Frost Aura was entering her body, the first step was to seal the entrance. I could use items from the tool pouch to manage her ears and nostrils. Then, just to be safe, I would release fire magic around us to dissipate some of the cold. Yes, it was perfect.
“Now that it’s decided, let’s run straight to the Demon Lord Castle.”
“Um, do you even know where the Demon Lord Castle is?”
“If you won’t tell me, then I have to search for it. And just so you know, while it’s fine for you to be in the tool pouch, I can’t control the heat as well as Rainis, so it might get pretty hot.”
First, I secured Kurinka in front of me with cloth. Naturally, since we were in an embrace, my view was somewhat obstructed. But that was a trivial matter; if it meant protecting Kurinka’s life, it was no obstacle at all. I ended up in a position that resembled a reverse piggyback, and I could see Shin barely holding back laughter.
“Puh, puhkukuku! Ukukuku!”
“You’re laughing too much.”
“Are you really going to challenge the Great Garnis Glacier in that position?”
“Well, it’s not like I have a choice. You won’t tell me where the Demon Lord Castle is. You seem to misunderstand; I don’t actually plan to defeat the Demon Lord.”
“…What?”
“My goal is to meet Eeks at the Demon Lord Castle. Of course, if the Demon Lord turns out to be truly dangerous, then who knows what will happen…”
“Please don’t lay a hand on the Demon Lord.”
Shin, who had been holding back laughter, suddenly looked downcast. I didn’t quite understand the relationship between Shin and the Demon Lord, but it was clear that the Demon Lord was someone very important to him.
“I won’t do anything as long as the Demon Lord doesn’t cause trouble.”
Shin didn’t say anything more. He burrowed back into the tool pouch. Watching him, I made one firm resolution: I would not kill the Demon Lord. No matter how wicked he might be, killing him would undoubtedly make Shin sad. He could be infuriating and cheeky at times, but he was still just a child. You shouldn’t kill someone important to a child.
“If only the Demon Lord Army would withdraw…”
“The Demon Lord… is actually…”
“Actually what?”
“Never mind! Just hurry up and go!”
What could it be? Perhaps the Demon Lord I imagined was vastly different from reality. Based on Pansard and the other Twelve Demon Generals, I had formed an image of him as someone utterly unforgivable, but maybe he could be reasoned with.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“The Demon Lord Castle is straight north from here. The whale was located at this part of the map, so we just need to head north from there.”
A map and a hand emerged from the tool pouch. I see, it doesn’t seem to be in a particularly complicated location. Then it’s time to make a run for it.
“Thank you.”
I said a single word of gratitude, and Shin fell silent again. I didn’t want to engage in any more pointless conflicts. If possible, I hoped Eeks would change his mind, and we could all live happily together again. Would Eeks come to kill me? Why, why was he part of the Demon Lord Army?
There were so many things I couldn’t understand, but I was heading to the Demon Lord Castle anyway. Now, my heart was starting to feel uneasy. I hoped everything would go well, but what if it didn’t? Lord Hast had told me that I possessed the power to break through injustice, but no matter how strong I became, I believed there were things I couldn’t overcome. I didn’t know if that would happen at the Demon Lord Castle, but…
“Those three guarding the Demon Lord Castle… No, you should be fine.”
“Yeah, I won’t lose to anything that comes my way.”
Though he didn’t fully open up, I felt this was Shin’s way of showing his support. I didn’t know what we would face, but as long as I could move one hand, that would be enough.
◆ Demon Lord Castle – In Front of the Gates ◆
“Hmm-hmm-hmm, hmm-hmm-hmm.”
It had been quite some time since I was entrusted with guarding the impregnable gates of the Demon Lord Castle. When I was first appointed by Lord Bathram, I thought my heart would leap out of my chest, but I had grown accustomed to it. Now, I had the leisure to sharpen my blade right here at the gates.
Being a gatekeeper is a prestigious role among the defenders. All foreign entities are removed here, keeping the castle clean. Conversely, if someone breaks through this point, they could quickly seize control of the interior. The gatekeeper is, in a sense, the pinnacle of defense.
However, this is the Demon Lord Castle, where the interior is complex and filled with various traps. There are ferocious monsters, and in the context of the Demon Lord Castle, being a gatekeeper is a rather mundane role.
“In this blizzard, I can’t imagine anyone would be approaching.”
Beyond the blizzard, a giant stood. For someone of that size, the blizzard of this world’s most dangerous area would be nothing more than a gentle breeze. Towering high enough to crush a mountain, even compared to the Demon Lord Castle, the mass of this creature was astounding.
“Is that guy just standing there bored? Oh, oh!”
Breaking through the ice, or rather, disappearing and reappearing with such force was a serpent long enough to wrap around the Demon Lord Castle.
“Once said to be the calamity of the world, a descendant of the legendary monster… Just seeing it here sends chills down my spine…”
If a descendant can instantly destroy an entire nation, then it’s terrifying. If this is just the child, I can’t even imagine what the parent must be like. Did that serpent’s parent devour continents whole?
“A descendant of Giga Atlas… I suppose we should call it Mega Atlas. I wonder what we should name the child of that Jörmungandr over there.”
If there is a name-giver for such beings, it would undoubtedly be the Demon Lord himself. It’s terrifying to think he has such creatures under his command as part of the castle’s defense.
I had heard that their parents were so vicious that they were sealed away somewhere in this world. If that seal were to be broken now, what would happen?
“Of course, the parents would come looking for their children… No, I shouldn’t think about that.”
The more I pondered, the more I felt a shiver run down my spine, so I decided to stay here and warm myself. Even though I was a gatekeeper, I was merely gazing out through the small window of a room carved from a section of the castle wall. It was warm, and there was no easier job than this. But I was a gatekeeper, the pride of the defense. Heh, I’m lucky. Right now, I was undoubtedly on a roll. If anything were to attack us now, I would want to cut it down myself. That’s how good I felt.
“Well, no matter what comes, that snake will swallow it whole anyway.”
The remaining one was nowhere to be seen for now. It was probably lurking somewhere, but unlike the other two, it wasn’t very active, so I couldn’t blame it.
“Now then, is this the hundredth blade?”
I had finally finished polishing my beloved sword for the hundredth time. By constantly maintaining it, my Hundred Sword Style would shine. To be honest, I took pride in the fact that even the Funeral Knight wouldn’t stand a chance against my swordsmanship. Yes, battles are about the number of strikes. No matter how excellent one blow might be, it cannot defeat a hundred. Bathram understood this, which is why he entrusted this Hyakuregga to be the cornerstone of the Demon Lord Castle’s defenses.
“I really feel like I’m on a roll. Come at me with anything. Everything will be handled by this Hyakuregga…”
The icy ground let out a scream. It was as if something massive had fallen, the thunderous sound echoing across the snowy plains.
“What’s all this noise…?”
Something was off; Mega Atlas, who should have been standing over there, was nowhere to be found. Had he gone for a stroll? No, he was too loyal to the Demon Lord’s orders for that. Foolish, but straightforward; he wouldn’t act on his own whims.
“Where did he disappear to…?”
As I squinted, I spotted what looked like Mega Atlas’s massive form lying down. Could he be sleeping? No, this was—
“…No way.”
What had happened?
◆ Shin Report ◆
He really did go all out.
He stomped right over a bear that was in the way and leaped over it.
And, and, and he did it while kissing!
Shin knows.
This is scandalous!
Scandalous! Have some shame!
Why did I let my heart soften towards such a guy?
No, I absolutely did not forgive him.
This is a deliberate strategy to guide him to the Demon Lord and have him dealt with personally.
What is the Demon Lord thinking right now?
I love the Demon Lord so much.
He embraced and cherished me, a misfit with nowhere to belong.
Demon Lord, Demon Lord, Demon Lord.
I love him so much.