◆ Avangarde Royal Capital ◆
“It seems we’ve cleared this area,” I remarked.
“Surprisingly, they were nothing to worry about. The only ones we should be cautious of are the calamity monsters, which is far too insufficient as a fighting force,” the Demon Lord stated.
He was right. But the Royal Capital was truly dreadful; first and foremost, humans had no freedom. In each district of the capital, Vandalsia—more accurately, the evil nobility—granted various rights to the humans. The bare minimum included the “right to walk,” “right to work,” “right to sleep,” and “right to eat.” While they could walk outside, if they attempted to buy something or speak to someone, they would be instantly killed by the monsters watching over them. With the “right to work,” they were forced to pay exorbitant taxes every month. As a result, most people suffered from sleep deprivation, and some had even collapsed and died.
They merely walked, worked, and exercised their “right to sleep,” but even that was time-restricted. They had to wake up and go to work at the sound of the bells ringing throughout the central square and other areas. Anyone who stepped outside after the bells had finished ringing would face severe punishment or death. Even worse was the “right to eat.” To put it more accurately, it was the “right to eat only once every three days,” meaning there was no breakfast, lunch, or anything else. If someone dared to eat something on their own, they would have their mouths stuffed with mud or stones and be killed. Alternatively, they could lose one of their three rights. If they lost the “right to work,” they wouldn’t have to work, but they would be unable to pay taxes and would be killed. Wealthy individuals could survive to some extent, but due to the exorbitant taxes, they would soon run out of resources.
“It’s a far cry from even bad governance, yet it seems there are rights to be gained if one achieves results,” the Demon Lord mused.
Once any of the three basic rights were taken away, death was the only option left. However, those who achieved results in their work or demonstrated loyalty to Vandalsia were granted new rights. These included the “right to speak with others” or the “right to eat once every two days.” Each district was segregated, and if the entire area achieved results, the burdens on everyone’s lives would lessen. However, due to collective responsibility, if someone acted irresponsibly, rights would be stripped away immediately.
“Those who are granted rights worship Vandalsia as if he were a god. While this should be a given, they even feel gratitude for such things.”
“It’s the classic carrot and stick approach. Rather than ruling solely through fear, this method gathers faith in oneself… Even I, a divine being, must bow my head in respect.”
The strength of the monsters was not particularly impressive, but it was the evil nobility that kept everyone in check. Even if there were those who could rebel and defeat the monsters, they could never win against the evil nobility. The granting or revocation of rights was primarily in the hands of the evil nobility. Those who were displayed as examples, impaled and left standing in the middle of the road, were all victims of this system. Initially, they had resisted, but that was the outcome. They rotted away, emitting a terrible stench, yet remained in that state. Even in death, they served as a warning.
“What a terrible thing to do, especially after granting the right to speak!”
“Exactly! Do you know what happens when you rebel against that person?!”
“Lord Vandalsia recognized us! And yet!”
Seeing it firsthand was truly horrific. The people who were supposed to be free after defeating the monsters were not celebrating at all; instead, they were resentful towards us. As stones were thrown from various directions, we were engaged in discussion. It didn’t hurt physically, but my heart ached, and I felt like I might crumble every time a stone struck my forehead.
“Hey, you fox! How dare you defy Lord Vandalsia, even as a monster!”
“Someone contact the neighboring district! We have the right to speak, and we need to inform Lady Karein somehow!”
“I’ll go!”
One person truly ran off. A muscular uncle dashed forward, only to be blocked by the Demon Lord. Even monsters would freeze in place when glared at like that; there was no way a normal person could remain composed. Before he could even stagger, he collapsed in fear before the Demon Lord, cloaked in black.
“Do you have the ‘right to run,’ ‘right to speak,’ or ‘right to report’ in other districts?”
“I-I don’t know anything about that!”
“Then stay here. If you wish to die, go ahead.”
Overwhelmed by the Demon Lord’s presence rather than the words themselves, the uncle gave up. I realized that the stones being thrown had suddenly ceased, only to find that they had been erased by Lord Daigami’s Absolute Divine Territory. I wished they had done that from the start.
“Remaining are the Second Evil Consort Karein, the First Evil Consort Grea, and two evil princes along with one evil princess. Judging by Hatra’s abilities, it seems we don’t need to gather as a group to face them. So, how about we divide our forces to take down the evil nobility?”
“That sounds reasonable, fox. But isn’t that what you desire the most?”
“I admit, that is part of it. I can no longer hide it… I have confirmed this with my clairvoyance.”
Lord Daigami lowered his gaze to the ground and slowly sat down. Despite his immense strength, he seemed just like a simple fox in this moment. After all, he was originally just that, and when I thought about it, even divine beings have hearts. They rejoice when happy and feel pain when hurt. He acted as a guardian deity in front of Azuma’s people, but here, he seemed to have become much more emotionally expressive.
“The Second Evil Consort Karein was a princess of Azuma hundreds of years ago.”
◆ Avangarde Royal Capital, Central District, In Front of Karein’s Mansion ◆
A large mansion covered with tile roofs reminiscent of Azuma’s architecture. The unique building spread wide, surrounded by tiled walls. While Hatra’s mansion was painfully gaudy in gold, this one exuded a calm and quiet atmosphere.
“What do you want?”
Standing guard at the mansion’s gate were two creatures with the heads of oxen and human bodies, towering over me at more than three times my size. They resembled beastkin, but I felt like I would be scolded if I grouped them together. With such beings guarding the mansion, ordinary people would never approach. This district was granted more rights than others, allowing for everything from walking around to conversing freely.
When we were clearing out the monsters in this district, I overheard someone who got a bit too carried away. It seemed that Karein was much kinder to humans compared to other evil nobility, and her subordinates were growing increasingly frustrated. If we made a wrong move, we would invoke Karein’s wrath, and when we fought against her, it seemed they would unleash their pent-up irritation on us.
“I said I could handle this alone.”
“I’m not doubting your abilities, but I just couldn’t leave it alone.”
“That David fellow seems to be acting solo at this point.”
“That guy is strange…”
It was a comment that would sadden my father if he heard it, but it was true; he was indeed odd. Moreover, Shin, who had been forced into service by the Demon Lord, kicked me from within the tool bag. I figured it was probably because I had spoken ill of the Demon Lord. Despite everything, the Demon Lord likely found Shin to be a nuisance.
“So, what do we do about these ox-headed guards? They’re on the verge of exploding with rage from being ignored.”
“Elmera seems to be following along despite everything…”
“Honestly, it’s just better than following that pale-faced Demon Lord.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Chowa!”
Shin leaped out of the tool bag and attempted a flying kick, only to be repelled by a flick to the forehead. As he returned to the bag, looking like he might cry, I gazed up at the ox-headed guards before me.
“What strange creatures. I never expected to find beings with such vitality… I thought all those who had lost hope had already been ‘vanished’ by Lord Vandalsia.”
“They can be considered external intruders. They possess considerable strength and courage, but do you have any idea how many subordinates are in this district?”
“I’ve defeated them all.”
“What?!” the ox-headed guards gasped, looking around in disbelief. Realizing there was no presence of any remaining monsters, they looked down at us and assumed an attack stance.
“This is an emergency! You must inform Lady Karein!”
【Ox Demon has appeared! HP 10590】
One of the ox-headed guards fled into the mansion. The speed at which they assessed the situation and acted was unlike any of the previous ones. However, the Ox Demon never made it through the mansion’s gate. It was sent flying back as if repelled by something. Elmera must have done something.
“An airbag? I won’t let you call for help.”
“Elmera, are you feeling better?”
“Honestly, it’s ridiculous to be idly guarding the gate while your subordinates are wiped out. Are you an idiot?”
I was completely ignored. What was even going on?
“I erased them silently with my Absolute Divine Territory so that it wouldn’t be detected.”
【Ox Demon’s attack!】
As the Ox Demon swung its fist at me, I retaliated with a strike of my own. I had no intention of canceling out its attack; this one blow would end it.
【Rua’s attack! You dealt 5723960 damage to the Ox Demon! The Ox Demon has been defeated! HP 0/10590】
“Ugh?!”
【Silver-White Guardian Deity Daigami’s Absolute Divine Territory! The Ox Demon has vanished without a trace! HP 0/10590】
As Lord Daigami walked towards the Ox Demon, who had turned to face him, he casually erased it as if it were an afterthought. No matter how many times I saw it, it was truly terrifying.
“Hmm, this mansion is like a maze. If you walk normally, you’ll likely get lost. Plus, there are numerous traps and monsters… It seems a bit more malicious than Hatra’s mansion.”
“But there are definitely monsters inside, so we can’t ignore them.”
“That’s true, but honestly, there’s no need to deal with them directly.”
Lord Daigami grew large enough to carry all of us and floated forward. As he expanded the Absolute Divine Territory to its maximum, the monsters inside and outside the mansion vanished without a fight. In a large courtyard-like area, there were swarms of monsters, but that didn’t matter. If Lord Daigami wanted to, he could erase even us who were inside. While I was lost in such chilling thoughts, the mansion’s monsters were steadily being wiped out.
◆ Karein’s Mansion, Inner Room ◆
“Is someone there?”
The room we arrived at was covered with tatami mats, stretching deep inside. At the far end, there was a woman dressed in an ornate kimono with excessively long black hair—Karein. She opened a fan-like object she was holding and seemed to quietly welcome us.
“It’s been a while, Koto-hime.”
“Could it be… No, that can’t be.”
As I approached, I realized that the skin of this woman I thought was beautiful was truly white. Not just pale, but genuinely white. This milk-like skin might indeed be a result of monster cells. There was no one else around besides Karein. Had she been sitting there alone all this time?
Lord Daigami referred to Karein as Koto-hime. Why was a princess from Azuma, who lived hundreds of years ago, here? There were many things I didn’t understand, but for now, I decided to leave it to Lord Daigami.
“Have you forgotten me?”
“I could never forget… It’s been a long time.”
“…Your eyes are still not seeing as they should, are they?”
“When I married that person, I dedicated my body, but what I was born with cannot be erased…”
Karein clung to Lord Daigami, tears streaming down her face.
“Um, what kind of relationship do you have with Lord Daigami?”
“Karein… Koto-hime was forced into a political marriage with the Nation of Vandalsia hundreds of years ago.”
Ritta asked hesitantly, revealing a shocking truth. I didn’t understand the meaning of a political marriage, but the fact that she was still alive after hundreds of years was undoubtedly due to Belmund’s modifications. That skin color was all part of it.
“Please do not misunderstand… I have no regrets. Even if it was a political marriage, I still love that person. Lord Daigami understands this, which is why he allowed it.”
“Now you regret it! At that time, I should have firmly stopped it as a guardian deity! Even if your will was genuine! Answer me, Koto-hime! Do you truly still love Vandalsia?”
“Yes, there is no falsehood in my words.”
Hiding her mouth with the fan, Karein answered clearly. Still, Lord Daigami continued to gaze into her eyes.
“My life in that suffocating castle… My only joy was reading poetry… Ah, how nostalgic… The scenes of that day come to mind… Days when I couldn’t even leave the room freely, the harsh training as a bride, the rumors whispered by the retainers. I had no place anywhere, being inferior in both appearance and character to my elder sister.”
Waving her fan mysteriously, Karein reminisced about the past with a sigh. Listening to her words made me feel a strange sadness. Even though we had just met, my heart felt like it was being crushed.
“The setting sun heralds the end of the day, today, just like any other day…”
Karein’s words flowed directly into my mind, not through my ears. This was the voice I had heard back then. This was bad.
“Koto-hime!”
“Huh!”
With Lord Daigami’s fierce shout, the voice stopped. In that moment, the sorrowful feelings that had enveloped us vanished like a lie. Elmera, Ritta, and everyone else seemed to be affected by the current voice, their eyes glistening with tears.
“You are still the same master of Word Soul. Koto-hime, you were the one who killed Hatra, weren’t you? Why? Was it an order from Vandalsia?”
“That person had long been exasperated with Hatra… and wished to hear a poem depicting a woman’s love that fades away…”
“Do you truly love such a person, Koto-hime?!”
“Word Soul… Could it be Hast’s Word Soul magic?”
“Koto-hime was the foremost master of Word Soul in Azuma. Words hold power, they resonate with the hearts of others, shake them, and sometimes even turn them into reality… However, the Word Soul I know was not this potent.”
I learned here that Lord Hast’s Word Soul magic belonged to Azuma. That old man could only send words to those he had contracts with, but that didn’t apply to Karein. If she wanted, she could send words unilaterally. Depending on how it was used, it could be a sharper weapon than any skill.
“Koto-hime, do you not consider that you could be discarded in the same way? Surely you understand the kind of depravity that entails!”
“That person needed me; you, God, have forsaken me.”
Whether it was magic power or something else, Karein’s long, beautiful hair began to dishevel. It was different from manipulating hair like Hatra.
“I have not forsaken you; I have always listened to the will of the people.”
“Is that so? Then why did you not save me when I was sobbing in the room?”
“…”
“How many times have I wished while gazing at the setting sun? Please let tomorrow be the end of the days until now… Lord Daigami.”
The layers of her kimono swelled as if a wind was rising from within Karein, and her skin began to turn red.
“I am…”
“Lord Daigami, please hold on!”
“Perhaps… I should never have become a guardian deity…”
From Karein’s forehead, sharp horns sprouted, and her mouth split open, leaving no trace of her beautiful face. Yet she still wore that kimono, creating a terrifying imbalance.
“The Demon God Clan of Azuma existed to become demons, lurking in the shadow of my father. If it meant eliminating those who would harm my father, we would resort to demonic acts. Yes, I too am a demon…”
“Koto-hime…”
“Do not call me by that name! I am the Second Evil Consort Karein of the Nation of Vandalsia! This name was given to me by Lord Vandalsia! I discarded the blood of Azuma long ago!”
The kimono rustled in the wind as Karein cast aside Koto-hime right here and now. Yes, Karein did.
“End… has come.”
“Rua, your father was right. There is no salvation…”
“Lord Daigami!”
“If there is any salvation, it will be by my hand…”
Indeed, my father had told me to kill. Hatra was a terrible being beyond redemption, and perhaps there was no other way. But could I really give up like this? I couldn’t accept it, and I felt that Lord Daigami understood this better than anyone.
At that moment, someone behind me stepped forward with determination.
◆ At the Foot of the Fourest Mountains, Hideout ◆
“Hah, hah… I’m… so tired.”
“If we flew normally, the day would be over. We need to finish this quickly…”
Even so, flying at full speed like this was truly exhausting. I didn’t want to move another step; I was out of breath no matter how many times I gasped. Lord Hast welcomed us calmly, knowing there was no time to waste, so he quickly explained. I believed that the intelligent Lord Hast would understand, and indeed, he immediately guided us to Rutna’s body.
“Indeed… her pulse has stopped, and she certainly doesn’t seem to be alive. And you, Kurinka, if this succeeds, you might find yourself hunted by the Magic Association. Resurrection… that is…”
“I don’t care about that! Please, don’t interfere! Lars-kun, stay here with me!”
“O-Okay…”
This time, there was no time to listen to Lord Hast’s lengthy explanation. I rolled up my robe sleeves and positioned Rutna’s soul and body side by side, ready to begin.
“Um… Lars, is that alright?”
“Of course, if you interfere, even grandpa won’t hold back.”
“Good grief…”
I still didn’t know exactly how to use the Power of Regeneration. I had come this far with healing magic, so I wasn’t sure if I could succeed. But Lua-chan was skillfully wielding the Power of Destruction. If that’s the case, I needed to increase my own abilities accordingly.
“Hey! This is bad! A massive number of monsters are coming from the sky!”
“What?!”
That statement broke my concentration. A man who had been glancing outside from the entrance announced something ominous. I couldn’t see well from here, but Lord Hast was also grimacing as he looked outside.
“Ugh… I never expected this place would be discovered. But why so many…?”
“They must have been followed! By those brats over there!”
“They’re always causing trouble! It’s all over now!”
As everyone’s attention turned toward us, the situation became far from a mere revival. What should I do? I had to act, yet I couldn’t concentrate at all. If they truly had followed me, then it was up to me to handle it. Just as I stood up with that thought in mind, Lord Hast positioned himself in front of me, blocking my path.
“Stay focused here. I can handle that on my own. Everyone else, hold your breath and wait. I’ll finish this quickly.”
“Y-You can’t be serious! There’s no way you can handle it alone, old man! I’m going too!”
“What use is a boy who can’t even compare to me? Besides, what will you do if you’re not by that girl’s side?”
With Lord Hast’s stern words, Rash reluctantly sat down next to Rutna. Still, he couldn’t shake off his unease, keeping his eyes glued to Lord Hast. Yes, I had anticipated this and had come prepared, using Rash’s Illusion Magic to protect myself. However, there was despairing information about the enemy that could render even that ineffective. That’s why Rash had given up so easily.
“I suppose I’ll go take a look.”
“I’ll join you!”
The one who stepped forward was a girl with messy hair—if I remembered correctly, she was Verdant Mage Nokiri. With her gray hair tousled, she stood there scratching her head. Having an A-Rank like her by my side was reassuring. But I couldn’t shake off my anxiety; how many were we up against? If they were Calamity Class, even Lord Hast would struggle.
“Lord Hast…”
“Don’t worry about it. Just focus here. You have no reason to be concerned.”
“…Yes.”
“Geez, what a pain.”
Seigel, who had been lying around lazily, finally emerged with his great sword in hand. Despite his earlier despair, he was willing to fight. I realized he had helped me at the Hunter’s Nest before. No, he had been a source of support for me since I was very young. Yet here he was, forcing himself to stand and take up his sword.
“Seigel…”
“I need to start acting like a proper hero.”
Seigel was still his usual self, trying to play it cool, but I knew his heart couldn’t mend so easily. Even though I understood he was pushing himself, I couldn’t stop him.
“You’ll wake the sleeping princess over there. If a prince’s kiss is what it takes to awaken her, then that would be quite romantic.”
“W-What? K-Kiss?!”
It wasn’t just Rash who was flustered; Rutna, looking somewhat pale, was too. We truly had no time left. We couldn’t afford to hesitate.
“Please…!”
After conveying that with all my strength, we each prepared to face our battles. I used to think that if Lua-chan were here, everything would be fine, but now it was different. Even when apart, I was always fighting alongside Lua-chan. Together, always together.
◆ Shin Report ◆
By the Demon Lord’s decree, once again, I observe.
The right hand of the Demon Lord, Shin.
I won’t be discouraged by trivial matters.
I thought it would be easy and smooth thanks to the fox, but it turned out to be quite the disaster.
If he had foreseen even this, then Bandalshia is truly a terrifying being.
I don’t understand complicated matters, but it seems like Karei is in need of help.
Just my imagination, just my imagination.
Monster Compendium
[Ox Demon HP 10590]
Named for its resemblance to the “Oni” from Azuma’s legends, it is said to possess a high level of intelligence despite its low population. Once it sets its sights on a target, it can decimate an entire brigade. However, it is also said to place absolute trust in those who pledge their loyalty, leading many power-hungry individuals to seek its strength.