Chapter 5 – Great Holy Land (4th)

 

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The fantasy story of swords and magic completely transformed into something akin to a soap opera. The dialogue surrounding the past of Edita-sensei and Saint-sama as recounted by Deviant-Longhair was just like the script of a human drama with a much deeper, human touch than I had anticipated. At this point, the fairy-tale, which we had heard from Saint-sama at first, had completely fallen apart without leaving a single trace behind.

“Geros-san, please tell us the details.”

“There are no other details. What I told you just now is all there is to it. You didn’t know any of it despite working together with that elf? Personally, my involvement was limited to watching from the sidelines, but that woman was directly concerned, wasn’t she? I think you should have heard some of it before.”

“No, I hear about all of this for the first time.”

“…Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously.”

“……”

For a bit Deviant-Longhair looked like he was pondering. But after hesitating for several seconds, his narration continued, “The previous Demon King-sama and hero at first hated each othert. But, as they crossed swords on many occasions, they apparently started to gradually become attracted to each other. At some point, the hero started to be invited to His Majesty’s castle while disguising herself as a demon.”

My heart couldn’t calm down when listening to something like a love story out of Deviant-Longhair’s mouth. Goosebumps popped out on both my arms. Moreover, I felt like the previous Hero-sama was quite the liberal spirit.

“In the end, the previous Demon King-sama and hero shared a relationship of mutual love. And before long, that relationship of the ones leading their respective camps led to a peace affecting all sides. Not only the humans, but even the demons were exhausted from the war that had been raging for a long time.”

“…I see.”

“However, apparently the number of people not amused by this was nothing to scoff at. Using this fact, the girl over there plotted her plan, I’m sure. She attacked the previous hero and her comrades, who had been present at that time, in their sleep, murdering all of them. Of course, His Majesty flew into rage because of that, resulting in a huge battle.”

“……”

“When I checked later, the story about the saint having defeated His Majesty instead of the hero and her comrades had spread in the human countries. Very likely everyone knowing the truth had been disposed of by the girl over there. It’s limited to what I investigated, but not a single correct memory was left behind.”

“That’s yet again…quite…”

“The one who actually defeated the raging Demon King-sama was Grand Sorceress Virgin, who had challenged him all by herself. Because I was on the verge of death after getting swallowed up in that battle, I don’t know the precise details either. But, the sight of her using high-level magic and driving His Majesty towards the light is still burned into my mind as if it happened just yesterday.”

“……”

“As you can imagine, I was fairly surprised to see you together with her. Grand Sorceress Virgin should have also been injured seriously by the saint’s betrayal back then. And yet, she wiped the floor with many, many, high-ranking demons, defeating His Majesty at the very end. To be honest, I’m still afraid of that woman.”

I feel like it’s starting to enter the area of exaggerations. Edita-sensei isn’t that strong. Or rather, getting betrayed by a comrade and yet soloing the demon king in face of mighty adversity is way too cool for her, no matter how you look at it. That’d make her the strongest hero, wouldn’t it? A Braveheart on steroids.

Isn’t he possibly mistaking her for someone else? Her twin elder sister or something like that.

“Therefore, it’s only natural for the saint girly to try to kill Grand Sorceress Virgin, the elf you favor so much, after learning of her survival. Exposing her past misdeeds would put her current position at risk. But well, she’s survived for a rather long time while being in the body of a human.” Deviant-Longhair cast a fleeting glance at Saint-sama.

Even after having heard all that, her attitude didn’t change a bit.

“…Hihihihi, I still haven’t lived anywhere near long enough. For the present, I will keep going,” she asserted as if stating a law of nature.

Saint-sama is way too dangerous, I think. She’s the type of woman you definitely want to stay clear of. The eyes of the Hero of the West are completely dead at this point. It’s sad to look at.

“The Edita-san I know is certainly not powerful enough to defeat the demon king. In the first place, if Edita-san hid such overwhelming power, she wouldn’t have been caught by Saint-sama, right?”

“I cannot tell you anything about that. You just need to ask her yourself.”

“I see…”

If I were to ask Goggoru-chan who has likely read quite a bit of Edita-sensei’s mind, I’d be able to get an answer, I’m pretty sure. But, as expected, that would be a foul play. It’d result in sensei losing all her trust in me.

“Evangeros, your explanation is mistaken at one point.”

“What!?”

“Virgin hasn’t caused the demon king to reincarnate.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“I think the elf should have realized a fair share about the demon king’s reincarnation. Accordingly, she not only defeated him and destroyed his body, but she furthermore sealed the demon king’s soul, which tried to transmigrate somewhere else, in this pendant here. So that the demon king wouldn’t be able to appear in this world anymore,” said Saint-sama while picking up the pendant hanging down from her neck.

“Wait! Sealed means…the soul you bitch talked about earlier….”

“I was told something along the lines, ‘If you vixen have a sliver of conscience, please protect this pendant so that a tragedy like this won’t ever repeat itself,’ you see? So I took it with me, thinking that it might become useful someday, but I never imagined that it’d bring about such a gain.”

“…In there…Demon King-sama has been…”

Is it really alright to honestly tell him about the pendant? Despite having dodged the issue earlier by feigning ignorance.

“Grand Sorceress Virgin, no, right now she calls herself Edita, doesn’t she? I think the current weakening of that elf stems from her having consumed her own mana to seal the demon king. I was surprised about her still being alive, but oh well, she’ll be helpless in front of the demon king’s reincarnation.”

“Give that pendant to me!” Deviant-Longhair howled loudly at the smiling Saint-sama.

Both side’s way of doing things stood in stark contrast. Going by stats, the former was far more superior, though.

“You really believe I’d hand it to you just like that?”

“Right back at you. Do you bitch believe that you’ll be able to escape this place in one piece? You might have become confident thanks to having been alive for a long time, but I have also lived for a fairly long time. Hence, it’s unthinkable that the likes of a human like you would be able to match a demon like me.”

“Just as you say, my powers won’t work against a demon like you. But, I have no idea how others would react, if you act violently against the saint of the Great Holy Land. For example, how about the noble from the Pussy Republic standing next to you right now?”

Saint-sama’s eyes wandered back and forth between Deviant-Longhair and Drill-chan.

“If I make an appeal, it’ll be a simple task to do this and that to her family.”

“You piece of shit…!”

Naturally, Deviant-Longhair’s expression became very grim. Having his long-cherished objective in front of him and yet prioritizing Drill-chan; hasn’t he already been broken to a fatal degree for a demon? Saint-sama seems to be much more villainy in comparison to Deviant-Longhair in this whole mess.

“If you got it, be a good boy and get out of my sight right away, please,” Saint-sama barked while looking at all of us, as if everything had been settled.

Hers is a terribly frosty look. It reminds me of the one a woman gave this busamen who asked for a chat during a marriage hunting party.

She must have already shifted her attention elsewhere. It looks like the rearing plan for the reincarnated demon king is currently occupying her thoughts.

Now then, what should I do about all this?

As for the threat just now, it’d be no problem to resolve it by killing Saint-sama. I’m sure there are plenty of other influential people to replace her. But even so, I’d like to refrain from destroying the Great Holy Land itself. I need to find a good story to wrap up things nicely. It’d also need to serve as deterrence.

Suddenly, a conspicuously loud voice hit this ordinary Japanese flat-face as if to blow away his consciousness. It was an extremely cheerful voice, thundering across the entire dungeon.

“No, we shall not get out of your sight!” Drill-chan majestically declared after taking one step forward next to the faltering Deviant-Longhair and folding her arms.

“Milady?”

“Geros, take that pendant off her!”

“B-But, then milady’s family…”

“As far as I’ve heard, all issues will be settled as long as I can get my hands on that demon king or whatever! You will be happy as you will be able to spend your time with the demon king. I will be happy as I will be able to get my hands on the Great Holy Land. That is a very lovely future, don’t you think? Ohohoho!”

“Are you sure? Your standing in the Pussy Republic will be gone in a flash as soon as I speak up, you know? And that’s not all either. The treatment of the Pussy Republic, not to even mention your family, will change.”

“Is that so? Certainly, that kind of future might exist as well.”

“…Are you an idiot?”

“But, the only one related to the Great Holy Land in this place is you, right?”

“gh…”

Drill-chan had mocked Saint-sama with a nasty grin. Naturally her smile reminded me of the one during the dispute some time ago around the time when I had only met her. Most recently she had always been acting like an idiot in my presence, so I had naturally forgotten about her being a fairly resolute young noble lady. I mean, she hasn’t cleanly lopped off a head with one blow for show either.

“Nothing less of you, Milady.”

“Geros, do it!”

“As you command!” Deviant-Longhair moved in accordance with his mistress’s order.

A magic circle manifested underneath his feet. And in the next instant, his body, which had been next to Drill-chan, transferred right in front of Saint-sama.

As always, they make for a great combination. I think this is what you’d call being harmonized in body and mind. It’s an exchange that makes you feel comfortable from just watching.

“Nghii…!”

Deviant-Longhair reached for Saint-sama with a hand. Grabbing her neck from the front, he jerked her body up into the air.

“This damp and shady dungeon going to become your final resting place, saint girly.”

“S-Sto…h-hurts…”

She began a violent struggle by flapping her legs. The mini-skirt version of a priestess’ garb repeatedly allowed peeks at her panties. Her hands tried to tear off her opponent’s fingers from her neck, but the difference in stats between both was absolute. Deviant-Longhair’s hand didn’t budge as if a vise had been affixed to Saint-sama’s neck. Rather, his fingers were gradually digging into her flesh.

The white, pretty face of Saint-sama became bright red in the twinkling of an eye. Somehow, it looks pretty lewd.

“I-I got it. I-I’ll give it to you, s-so…”

“……”

“That’s why, forgive me…d-d-don’t kill me…”

Her cocky attitude up until now disappeared altogether as if it never existed to begin with and grasping the pendant with a hand, Saint-sama held it up, offering it to Deviant-Longhair. Doing an about-face from her previous villainy behavior, she begged for her life so hard that it was actually refreshing to watch. But, she sure changed her attitude quite readily.

“…Milady?” Deviant-Longhair looked back at Drill-chan.

“Hmm…” Drill-chan looked like she was pondering about it, and after weighing it for a short time, she answered, “If you promise to not cause any trouble to us and these people here in the future, we can at least spare your life, I suppose. But, should you break that promise, Geros will immediately rush over and kill you.”

“……O-Okay, I understand. S-So, p-p-please save m-me…”

“Hohohohohoho, this feels very exhilarating, indeed.”

The face of the blond huge-breasted loli was brimming with rapture as she gazed at the face of Saint-sama which was distorted by pain. In accordance with his mistress’s approval, Deviant-Longhair relaxed the hand holding Saint-sama. Immediately following, her body, which had been hovering in the air until then, dropped to the dungeon’s floor with a thud. Now free, the most Saint-sama could do was coughing violently while sitting sunken where she had flopped down. All of her authority so far had dissipated into thin air.

“Give it to me.”

Deviant-Longhair ripped the pendant off her chest. Because of him pulling with all his might, the metallic chain that held the pendant was torn off. The snap fastener easily burst open and the chain rings snapped halfway. The broken chain fell to the ground with a short jangle, leaving only the pendant itself in his hand.

Seemingly deeply moved as he gazed at it, Deviant-Longhair muttered, “I have never expected for him to be in such a place…”

With the place being what it is, it’s not like I can’t understand his feelings on the matter.

Saint-sama asked him, “I-Is it okay…for me to leave n-now?”

She was looking up to him, trying to read his mood.

I wonder what it is. Somehow her behavior bugs me.

Since uneasiness started to gnaw at me, I naturally spoke up, “Very well, then let me confirm from my side as well. It might sound awfully repetitive, but is it alright for me to assume that you are going to intervene in our favor when it comes to Edita-san’s safety? I would prefer to avoid the same thing happening again.”

“Alright. I will make sure of it…”

“…Thank you very much.”

Despite having received a confirmation from her, the thing bugging me didn’t calm down at all.

It’s ‘that’, that behavior, you know. How to put it? Flattery rather than awe.

Thinking back on the cautiousness of Saint-sama which became clear through the glimpse at her past I got to hear, it feels out of place for her to act like this. Of course, if you take the entire flow of events into account, begging for her life makes sense. Even her way of replying to our terms looks as if she’s resolved herself.

But, my virgin heart is appealing to me that the woman, who’s bowing her head in front of us, is to be labeled as dangerous.

“………”

Let’s recall what I learned at Kabukicho. ¹

Yep, women with a pride as high as hers are the most dangerous when they act meekly. I’m 100% sure that there’s some catch to it. Especially if it’s a woman who’s clawed her way up to becoming the representative of a country.

As I was pondering about all this, my attention was suddenly drawn to the pendant in Deviant-Longhair’s hand. The golden-shining pendant seemed to be an item with quite a bit of value to it. A bright red jewel was embedded in its center, and with just the dim dungeon lighting falling onto it, it glittered conspicuously.

“…I see.”

I think I might have grasped it. I have no proof or conviction, but I don’t have any extra time to make sure either. I’ll confront her about it on the spot without any prior rehearsal.

“By the way, Saint-sama, would it be okay for me to ask you one last thing?”

“……W-What might it be? D-Do you still have any business w-with me?”

“I was wondering where has the soul of the previous demon king actually been sealed? As for me, I suspect it to be either the ring on your right middle finger or the bracelet on your left wrist, but maybe you have carefully stored the sealing container away in your own room?”

“gh…”

The face of the saint bitch, which was downcast, twisted in shock. That was more than enough of a reaction for the others to start doubting her.

As soon as he saw the change in her expression, Deviant-Longhair roared, “W-What is this about!?!?”

Saint-sama moved at the same moment. It was the same movement as earlier when I revealed Goggoru-chan’s true identity to her. She stood up straight and turned her back on us, starting to sprint deeper down the corridor with all her might.

I guess she’s concluded that it’d be difficult to deceive us any further. Her full sprint has a ridiculously nice form, however.

Ever since she has been casually fiddling around with the pendant, she must have laid the groundwork to escape this place.

Saint-sama had clearly understood the difference in power between us and her. Alongside the appearance of Deviant-Longhair, she had splendidly lured us on top of the stage she had molded through the flow of the conversation. And we only barely avoided getting tricked by her.

Then again, she had also been facing us in a situation where things were extremely risky for her.

“Wait!”

“nh…!”

Saint-sama dashed ahead at full speed, even forgetting to shout for help. However, she had no means to escape the reach of Deviant-Longhair’s magic. Just a moment later, she found herself stuck in the same mess of having her neck strangled by his hand.

“Guu, gahaa…”

“Didn’t you spend several hundred years in vain, seeing how you only refined your being a scumbag?” Deviant-Longhair loudly asked with his canines exposed while glaring at Saint-sama in annoyance as she writhed in agony above his head.

I’m pretty sure he must be quite pissed. You could see that he was also putting a lot more strength into the arm holding her neck this time around. This ordinary Japanese flat-face will allow himself to ride the flow here.

“I know I am repeating myself, but please tell us the whereabouts of Edita-san. As long as you return her to us in good health and guarantee her safety henceforth, I, as Baron Tanaka of the Penny Empire, shall not show any interest in whatever happens afterwards.”

I presented her with the same announcement for the umpteenth time. Thereupon, Saint-sama answered to this. That is, if you want to call it that.

“Before I give this to anyone else, I’d rather…”

While still being strangled and lifted up in the air, she energetically swung her arms, striking the ring on her right hand against the bracelet on her left wrist. A high-pitched clang echoed throughout the entire dungeon. The ring’s pedestal was destroyed by the impact. The jewel was pulverized, its fragments dissipating into the air.

“Whaaat!?”

Deviant-Longhair’s face stiffened up. And at the very same moment, an intense light was released from the broken ring, dyeing everything in front of my eyes white. In addition, a loud explosion hit my ears.

“W-Wait a second!? What might it be now!?” Drill-chan’s voice reverberated through the dungeon.

The blast, which followed immediately thereafter, made my clothes flutter violently. The same applied to my hair. Given that my hair growth was flaky even under normal circumstances, I instinctively cradled my head to protect my cherished hair.

Please give me a break.

Occasionally objects similar to stones hit my body, probably parts of the crumbled walls.

Small groans from around me filled the corridor as an effect of my friends experiencing the intense flash of light. It seemed like the eyes growing accustomed to the dim dungeon again also played a big role in this. Some like the Hero of the West, who had suffered repeated pangs of tension since the start, apparently took the full brunt. I could sense him squirming several meters away from me.

“gh…”

Just before shutting his eyes, this ordinary Japanese flat-face had perceived Goggoru-chan at the end of his line of sight. For a change, she had appeared to be in turmoil. I could see how she was tottering on the spot while lightly groaning. Her sour look was a fairly untypical reaction for her who was usually the coolness in person.

I wonder what she read while everything and anything got buried in whiteness.

“……”

After a while, I felt through my eyelids how the brightness faded. It looked like the explosion and the radiance had been transient.

I opened my eyes timidly, just to become shocked by the scene entering my field of sight──

“…Oh boy…”

At a point a dozen meters ahead of me, the dungeon had been brutally devastated. As if hit by a bomb’s explosion, the bars of the cells had been squashed, the walls had crumbled apart, and a huge hole was adorning the ceiling. As sunlight was shining into the dungeon through the hole, the mansion above had apparently been badly affected, too.

I could see Deviant-Longhair and Saint-sama. Collapsed in the center of the explosion. It looked like they both had been swallowed up by the explosion. However, going by their twitching, neither seemed to have died. It made obvious that killing people with their levels in the three digits in one shot would require a ridiculous amount of power. If Drill-chan or the Hero of the West had experienced what they had, they’d very likely be dead right now. Even healing magic wouldn’t be of much help anymore, would it?

However, the soul of Demon King-sama was nowhere to be seen.

Looking at them like this and considering how Saint-sama and Deviant-Longhair were covered by wounds all over, I can’t believe that all of this had been for no more than a whim and putting up a show. The being, which had been intentionally released by her, should exist somewhere.

Either way, I ran to the site of the explosion. For now I left Deviant-Longhair and Saint-sama alone. As long as they were alive, healing magic should fix them up one way or another. Rather, going by the backstory of these two, it’d just be a pain in the ass if they kicked up a fuss after getting back on their feet.

This ordinary Japanese flat-face let his eyes wander restlessly, striving to quickly get a read on the situation.

Suddenly, a voice could be heard from above.

“…Aahh, I was finally able to get out.”

It was a voice I had never heard before.

A dozen meters above the ground I could see the azure sky through the gaping hole and at the same time I could confirm something floating in the center of it. The voice had originated from there, and by no means could I ignore it.

I suspect it’s Demon King-sama.

Making my body float up naturally, I flew towards the sky.

 

＊

 

【Sophia-chan’s Point of View】

 

You might call this the perfect example of a desperate situation. It is an absolute death that not only endangers my corporeal life but at the same time also destroys any and all hope for a future life in society, even if I were to be saved. Therefore I believe that anyone would have their minds broken and eventually end up being swallowed by despair.

And because I am right now, at this very moment, in a position of gradually being swallowed by despair, I can fully understand.

“Uuuhh…”

It hurts so much. But that is only natural seeing how my foot was lopped off.

I must admit, Tanaka-san did well to have endured such pain while fighting against Dragon-san. Even though it is only now, I am astonished by his mental fortitude, and at the same time I respect his stout heart.

Even back at home, there were countless occasions where I could listen to drunk adventurers talking about things such as arms or legs being cut off. Each time I heard such a story I thought that something like that had to be painful, but did not feel any connection to those heroic tales which were recited over and over again. After all, those stories were about other people.

However, now something out of those stories has actually happened to me.

“Uh…”

It hurts. It hurts so much that I might go mad from it. So much so that I have started to think that it would have been better to have died if I had to suffer such pain.

“Sophia!”

Elf-san rushed in my direction at full speed. But, in the time she took several steps, my body was restrained by the Hero of the East. He grabbed my arm and forced me up. Moreover, he pressed his sword’s blade against my neck. The cold steel, which glittered as it reflected the sunlight, looked very, very sharp.

It is no use anymore. This means I will not be saved. It is impossible. This maid’s life is going to end here.

“P-Please…r-run away…Elf-san……”

With the assistance of my leg pain, I have completely lost heart. I cannot endure the pain. But, I do not want to die. I want to keep living for much, much longer.

“Don’t move from there! If I see you move even a finger, this maid’s life will be forfeit!”

“You bastard…!”

In response to Hero-sama’s words, Elf-san stopped moving. Both were staring at each other in the garden of the mansion at a distance a spear would not cover. His party members lined up next to Hero-sama. The battle had turned into a 5 vs. 1.

Completely opposite of the confusion down in the dungeon, I could sense composure from the Hero of the East. In contrast to that, Elf-san’s face was colored by rage and fretfulness. Elf-san was desperate for the sake of someone like me.

She is a very nice person.

“Is this the conduct of someone calling himself a hero!?”

“I don’t harbor any constraint towards criminals.”

“…It sure looks like you can’t see your surroundings at all.”

My body was gradually becoming colder. I heard in the past that you would feel cold if you lost a lot of blood all at once. One of the adventurers, who drank ale at our restaurant, mentioned that half the people would die if they did not have any healing magic applied on them within one night after starting to feel cold.

I am going to die, right? At this rate, I will not live to see tomorrow. Ah, it is so scary. Far too scary. I do not want to die.

“I won’t allow you to cause trouble to Saint-sama. I’ll finish you off now and here.”

“Kuuh…”

Elf-san cannot move because of me. If things continue like this, neither of us will be saved. It is the worst-possible stalemate.

“Die!”

The Hero of the East brandished his sword, aiming at Elf-san.

But that moment, it happened. Suddenly a thunderous roar reverberated. The instant I heard it, I thought that it might have been Hero-sama’s magic. But, at the corner of my eyes I saw the mansion’s roof being blown away at the same time, making it obvious that I had been wrong. It looked as if a fireball had exploded.

Elf-san, Hero-sama, and his party members also directed their attention towards the source of the explosion. Hero-sama’s sword, which had been raised high up, stopped right there without being swung down.

“What is it now!?” Hero of the East shouted.

His party members also gazed at the punctured roof of the mansion, all raising questions. It seemed to be a completely unexpected event for them as well.

And while everyone was confused, something flew up from the explosion’s epicenter. A faintly white glow approached Elf-san as if taking careful aim at her. And immediately following, it penetrated her chest from the front with such a speed that my eyes could not follow.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!?”

“E-Elf-san….!”

Maybe someone else targeted Elf-san just now. This is simply too much.

With her chest shot, Elf-san’s body crumbled apart as if having lost its support──

“Aaaaaa….aaaaaa…aa…ah?”

“……Elf…-san……?”

“T-This is…don’t tell me……!”

However, without collapsing, Elf-san was instead surprised by her own body which was now glowing palely.

The glittering Elf-san is very beautiful. The twinkling of her hair, which extends all the way down beyond her waist, makes her look like a goddess. It wakes an instinctive urge to pray in me.

As I thought all of this, this maid noticed that she would very soon reach her limit. I felt how my consciousness was growing hazy.

This must be what happens if you spill too much blood.

“Hey, you bitch! W-What did you do!? I told you to not move, didn’t I!?”

“But…if that’s the case…”

“Didn’t you hear me, you wicked elf bitch!?”

Hero-sama’s yelling sounded somewhat distant. As he swung his arm, a spell was fired. It traveled with a terrifying speed, like lightning, and arrived at Elf-san in the blink of an eye. This was no magic you would be able to avoid with a human’s body. Just as I thought that he had released it from his fingertip, it impacted on its target a breath later.

“Ah…!”

A loud explosion, as if gunpowder had been set off, followed. A cloud of dust and dirt billowed up as the spell had apparently gouged out the ground. Elf-san’s figure had disappeared.

This maid gazed at all of this happening with a murky consciousness.

I suspect everything will end with me being killed last. Such an end is really the worst. Is it not a horrible shame to die a virgin? If I had known that it would turn out like this, it would have been better for Tanaka-san or anyone else to tear my hymen.

“……”

The cloud gradually settled down. Probably believing that no further follow-up attacks would be necessary, the Hero of the East calmly kept gazing at his spell’s impact site. His party members, imitating him, also relaxed their tension.

They’re likely all thinking that the match has been decided. Meanwhile I’m feeling as if time has slowed down extremely.

I could only imagine a disastrous sight hiding on the other side of the cloud.

I do not want to see an Elf-san who has been turned into a scorched black something. At once I tried to avert my head, but I guess my body is already in such a bad state that I am unable to move my neck.

“Ah…”

“Wha-…!?”

However, at the end of my line of sight I found Elf-san standing on her own two legs after the wind had cleared away the remnants of the dust cloud. I got so startled that I yelped against my will. The voice of Hero-sama right next to me was also dyed with surprise, however.

On the other hand, she was squarely and fixedly staring at him.

 

 

“……Right now I should be honestly delighted that my powers have returned at a time like this,” Elf-san whispered while swinging her arm from the right to the left.

Thereupon…I wonder why…the pain at my ankle was suddenly gone. Simultaneously, I sensed how my hazy consciousness rapidly cleared up. Once I directed my focus at my feet, wondering what had happened, I got flabbergasted as my foot, which I should have lost earlier, had returned as if it had been never gone.

“M-My foot…”

Was it possibly healing magic? Amazing. Elf-san is just like Tanaka-san.

“Y-You bitch, w-what did you do!?”

“Rejoice, hero. It looks like things are going to become busy for you.”

“O-Oi, stay where you are! If you move, this maid…!”

Hero-sama’s words didn’t finish. The instant he tried to move the point of his sword back to my neck, this maid blacked out, just to notice that she had moved in the next moment. From Hero-sama’s arm next to Elf-san. Within that instantaneous blackout, the place where I stood had shifted without me realizing anything.

“Eh?”

I cannot make head or tail out of it. My foot was healed and I moved places; this maid is completely lost.

It was the same for Hero-sama and his party. Only Elf-san alone said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, “With this the table has turned.”

“N-No way, you piece of shit…t-to use s-space magic…!”

Having lost his earlier composure, Hero-sama’s face colored by pure shock.

It sounds like this maid’s shift in locations stems from Elf-san’s magic. Moreover, the act in itself has even caused Hero-sama to be surprised. Speaking of magic to move places, I have seen it done several times by the attendant of Drill-sama during some fights. But, if she can use it as well, why has she used it at this very moment? It makes me completely baffled.

If she was able to use magic like that, escaping the dungeon should have been easy. Ah, but I have heard that some dungeons are equipped with measures to prevent the usage of magic, so maybe that is the reason? It looks like the construction price changes depending on the level of the anti-magic measures.

To be honest, I do not quite understand. But, for now I want to openly rejoice over my newfound safety.

“I’m reluctant, but I’ll show you…the magic that overwhelmed the demon king…”

“W-What was that!?” The Hero of the East screamed in panic.

In response to this, Elf-san revealed a broad, daring smile, and declared, “Just so you know, but right now I’m the strongest.”

I do not get the reason at all. But, her smile looks exceedingly reliable to this maid.

 

＊

 

Rising up into the sky with flight magic took me above Saint-sama’s mansion. The figure of someone was floating up here.

“…You gotta be kidding.”

I think this is probably the reincarnation body of the demon king or whatever it’s called.

Going by its outward appearance, it was as old as the Loligon. The most conspicuous trait was its pure-white body. The hair extended all the way below the waist. The nails on both hands appeared to be somewhat stronger than those of humans. The skin was glossy and without any apparent moles. The well-featured eyebrows had a nice shape. But all of these were white. The whole figure was snow-white like a cloud.

The sole exception were its eyes. Within the brilliant white of all its other parts, only its eyes were gleaming crimson as they were wide and staring, drastically standing out against the white background. The eyeball color of the Loligon, which stood in stark contrast to her body’s color, was also impressive, but the impact over here was huge as well. It gave one a fairly intense impression.

“……”

In any case, communication first.

I made my body fly to a distance of several meters ahead of her in order to face her for the discussion. Thereupon, she apparently noticed my existence and turned her face in my direction.

“…Hello, nice to meet you.”

“……”

Assuming Deviant-Longhair’s words were correct, the demon king in front of me must have been just born. If I believe him honestly without any second thoughts, it’d mean she’s just like a newborn, despite the smart-looking face. It’s also possible that communication through words will prove to be impossible.

“If you do not mind, I would like to inquire about your name…”

“……”

I’m being fixedly stared at. However, she’s giving me no response whatsoever.

Now then, what am I going to do about this? I guess I should check her status for starters. I don’t know how much credibility can be found in Deviant-Longhair’s words. If all of it was true, she shouldn’t pose that much of a threat at this point in time. It’d be no problem to hold back for the time being. On the other hand, if he lied to me, it’ll be a matter of life and death, so far as it goes.

The status of the previous Demon King-sama, which I saw at the academy, crossed my mind.

Status window, com──

“Aaaahh! What a solemn appearance that is!”

Saint-sama used flight magic to fly up from below with a terrifying speed. As far as I could tell from that remark, her focus was solely pinned on Demon Queen-sama. Saint-sama reached our altitude in no time, passed this ordinary Japanese flat-face, and moved right in front of the pure-white girl. Saint-sama and the girl were at a distance where they’d be able to touch if both extended their arms.

The injuries from the explosion are completely gone. She must have used healing magic on herself.

“Nice to meet you, that is. I am what you could call your mother.”

“……”

Saint-sama begins her verbal approach right away. She’s brimming with a drive to turn the next demon king into her own subordinate. Being so blunt about her desires is actually refreshing in a way.

“The preparations to welcome you are in perfect order. I shall teach you the new principles of this world in an environment that is far superior to anything other royals or nobles can prepare for you. I have no doubt that everyone in this world will envy you for being able to live in such a luxury. Now, please come with me at once!”

Saint-sama joyfully held out a hand. It was an action that was much too bold. Almost anyone would end up believing in the rightfulness of her words despite their utter lack of any proof. Coupled with her exceedingly lovely appearance, I’m sure many heroes felt the guidance suggested by her hand. I suppose that’s what you call charisma. Even her outfit, which had become tattered due to the explosion, doesn’t matter here.

Though I seriously feel like marrying her over being allowed to see the crevice of her butt in plain sight.

If Deviant-Longhair’s words were true, she’s an extraordinary dictator who has ruled over the Great Holy Land for 500 years. Her clout should reach wide and far, including other countries. The experience of having competed against sly nobles across epochs is nothing to scoff at. She’s clearly able to keep her calm even in the most perilous situations.

“Oh, before that I must give you a name, right? Don’t worry. I had expected that something like this might happen, so I properly came up with a lovely name in advance. You will become the hope who will lead us towards a wonderful future. The powerful, red gleam of your eyes is a manifestation of your exalted will. Your name will be Sca…”

“What an ugly creature thou are for a human (ningen).” ²

“…Eh?”

At long last Demon Queen-sama finally spoke up. Hearing her, Saint-sama’s face froze.

Contrary to her childish, sweet appearance which would make it easy to mistake her for a snow fairy, the tone of her voice was husky, reminding one of an old granny.

Maybe her throat got hurt because of her being sealed for a long time. No, no, wait. That can’t be true.

“What’s wrong? Is there anything bothe…?” Saint-sama didn’t manage to vocalize all she wanted to say.

Demon Queen-sama swung her arm casually, and in the same instant, Saint-sama’s body was severed in upper and lower body halves around her belly button.

“Wha-…”

With her face dyed by shock, both body halves fell towards the ground. After a while, a series of two heavy thuds accompanied by juicy squishes reached my ears. And without a moment’s delay, the screams of several unknown women followed, as if to add to the series of noises, from the location where her body halves had impacted.

When I cast a fleeting glance below, I spotted Saint-sama, who was lying on the ground outside her mansion but inside the compound, and unfamiliar maids who had been confronted with Saint-sama’s disastrous state. As Saint-sama seemed to still be conscious, I could see how her body halves twitched every once in a while.

Nothing less of Saint-sama. Her level being in the three digits isn’t for show. She has apparently avoided dying instantly.

While she was releasing something like healing magic towards her flesh, this ordinary Japanese flat-face focused his attention on Demon Queen-sama again. No matter how unguarded she might have been, Demon Queen-sama took her, whose level was in the middle-three-digits, down with one blow.

I cannot hope for any proper status from her. I bet she’s at least equal in status to Tori-san, whom I met on the Dark Continent, or even above.

 

 

I’ll set the demon queen as the strongest. This girl is the last boss. No doubt about it.

 

 

 

 

Deviant-Longhair, I’ll get you for this later. Also, because Saint-sama got interrupted in the middle of her speech, Demon Queen-sama’s name has ended up in a pitiful state.

Saint-sama probably wanted to call her Scarlet or something like that. How regrettable.

“I would like to confirm the intention of your earlier statement…”

“I have been watching that person going about her business for several hundred years. The actions that repeated themselves infinitely without me being able to appeal or move myself were far too foolish and more than plenty to taint my newborn mind.”

“I-I see.”

It sounds like only Demon Queen-sama’s consciousness had woken up inside the seal. I don’t understand the precise workings of the reincarnation and sealing. But, it seems to still be a fact that Demon Queen-sama has observed all kinds of things. Though I don’t know anything about the scenes she might have witnessed while being with Saint-sama. However, it’s not hard to imagine that she must have seen lots of evil done. I’m sure it was the worst way of education for the mind of a newborn.

“Using the excessive amount of time at my disposal, I continued to ponder what might be wrong. Luckily or unluckily, that person has a wide range of influence and I also had the opportunity to travel around the world with her. Therefore I was able to experience and witness many things.”

“……”

Moreover, her mind has already adopted a philosophical view on the world, probably because she spent her waiting time on meditation. Going by her current way of speaking, it might be the worst timing for her incarnation. Above all, the biggest problem is her shrewd leveling even while being sealed away. It’s kind of like your own daughter, who you sent to foster parents, turned delinquent and came back home with a yakuza boyfriend.

“And as I repeatedly thought things over on countless occasions, I reached an answer.”

“Meaning?”

“Humans are unnecessary in this world.”

I have a hunch that the demon king rearing plan is headed straight for a bad end right from the start. Personally I don’t own a character who would advocate the magnificence of humanity, nor do I have the slightest intention to say anything in that direction. Rather, I’m the strongest supporter of inhuman lolitas. But, just as I’m not obedient enough to silently let myself get killed, I’d hate it to die a virgin.

I must somehow get her to revise her thinking.

If I consider her status, she’s hiding the potential to eradicate humanity in a short time. I have no doubt that she’s talking so openly about things because she’s also aware of her own power. I can sense an overwhelming composure from her speech and conduct.

“…Don’t you think that is going a bit too far?”

“Thou turn is next, bastard.”

Oh shit, this Demon Queen-sama is the same type of lolita as the Loligon ─ a loli who quickly resorts to violence.

Before I noticed, her arm had already swung and was imminent. It was the same side-sweep flash that had hit Saint-sama. Her hand, shaped like a sword, approached fast from the right as it aimed for my neck. Giving up on evasion, I prepared for this with my unrivaled healing magic.

However, since it’s likely that I’d get an earful later on if I got simply done in by the enemy one-sidedly, I’d like to resist here by all means possible. My opponent is of king class. If I consider that she has other subordinates like Deviant-Longhair at her disposal, it’ll become troublesome if I’m being taken too lightly.

“Hrmm!”

I’ll deliver a fireball against Demon Queen-sama’s flank from point-blank range. However, I can’t afford to make the explosion too intense. My friends and acquaintances are nearby. Therefore I’ll adjust its size, and restrain its explosive power. In exchange, I’ll attack Demon Queen-sama with its heat.

Anyway, I focused on making the fire as hot as possible. What was created in response was a fireball filled with pure-white flames.

“gh!?”

Immediately following, my visual field swayed largely, accompanied by an intense pain from the bottom of my neck. The scenery around me passed at an astounding rate.

For just an instant I caught sight of Demon Queen-sama’s body as dot in the sky. The body of this ordinary Japanese flat-face, which had likely lost everything above the neck just now, was floating right in front of her. At the same time, the pure-white fireball burst at her belly.

“gn…”

My visual field blacked out after a few moments. I had lost consciousness.

I think it’s the same sensation that I had experienced previously in the strife zone.

After a short while, the previous scenery returned again. It was an instantaneous event within the timeline, but the response to the chain of events apparently required several seconds. If I searched, I’d likely find my own head rolling around on the ground at this very moment. I must properly incinerate my severed head later on.

When I reflexively looked down at myself, I found my noble’s attire, which had been neat so far, bright red and wet thanks to my own blood. Moreover, some parts were scorched as they got affected by the fireball’s explosion.

If I had made the fireball a tad stronger, I might have ended up stark naked. It looks like I tuned the spell quite decently.

After confirming my physical integrity, I took another look at my surroundings. Thereupon, I spotted Demon Queen-sama floating ahead of me, her pure-white body likewise dyed crimson by blood. Unfortunately, the first attack apparently didn’t manage to defeat her.

“…Thou are no human while having an appearance like that?”

At some point, the flames engulfing her had vanished. The flesh bulged and the skin got stretched around the flank that was likely hit directly by my attack, signaling that the healing of her body, which got gouged out at that part, had finished just now.

I’m sure everything must have returned to normal through healing magic. It was the same with the Loligon as well, but the boss characters of this world use full recovery magic as if it’s normal.

 

 

Moreover, I have a feeling that she has used surprisingly little of her MP. This might become quite harsh. By the way, how about myself?

 

 

Honestly, it’s really a pain to deal with a character like this, isn’t it? Maybe due to the case at the academy city, my level has gone up by roughly a hundred. Thanks to that, my negative LUC has become terrible.

I instinctively suspected that the reason for Demon Queen-sama’s revival might possibly be my own LUC.

“……”

Whether she likes it or not, it was Saint-sama who had called this ordinary Japanese flat-face to the Great Holy Land. In other words, Saint-sama is the underlying cause for all of this.

Yep, everything’s alright. Let’s just fly with that.

“Are thou unable to hear mine words?”

“No, I can hear you perfectly fine.”

Oof, I got a pressing demand for a reply from Demon King-sama. The look she’s turning at this ordinary Japanese flat-face seems to have changed a tad due to the fireball. Although it didn’t achieve to take her down, it seems to have worked as restraint of sorts. However, I feel like it’ll become tough going forward from here. If we continue like this, I’ll probably lose the competition.

Throwing hundreds of fireballs while paying attention to the city’s residents and avoiding her one-hit-insta-kill beheading hook, which hit me earlier, will be definitely impossible. It’s easy to imagine a future of me getting knocked down after my ability to concentrate runs out midway.

“The flames just now were somewhat too proficient for something handled by a human, weren’t they?”

“If I claim to be a demon, would you be willing to pair up with me?”

“……”

What should I do? Seriously, what should I do? It might be possible to take her down if I get the Loligon and Goggoru-chan to assist me. No, even then it’s not set in stone. Above all, both could get injured. Or they might even die. If I consider that, it’s unthinkable for me to ask for their help here. I must get through this by myself, one way or another.

“…The ones I must destroy are the humans.” Demon Queen-sama looked at this ordinary Japanese flat-face with a pensive expression.

“You mentioned it earlier.”

If I take her quick resorting to violence into account, her thinking feels awfully long, doesn’t it? I wonder what’s wrong?

“Is something the matter?”

After a while, she spoke up once more, “It looks like I, too, let myself be influenced by unwarranted arrogance. It is indispensable for me to refine my plans adequately so that they will reliably achieve their goals. I shall desist from taking thou down right now and here. But, I shall definitely reap thine head alongside those of the other humans in the near future.”

Her pure-white body gently danced through the air, leaping to a much higher altitude so as to separate from this ordinary Japanese flat-face in a breath.

“Please wait. I have many things I wish to talk to you about.”

When is that near future? I’d like you to properly tell me your schedule in regards to that.

“I don’t.”

“gh…”

And then, after invalidating my appeal, Demon Queen-sama flew off to some place.

It’s beyond any hope for me to catch up to her. She’s leaps and bounds above me when it comes to level and stats. Just now I was only able to pry open some room for her to consider thanks to nothing but my healing magic. If she had learned of my parameters, which are all crap in comparison to my INT since I belong to the people believing in the supremacy of INT, it’s very likely that she’d have changed her view completely and gone on the offensive.

It’s not like I want to use her words, but it’s indispensable for me to refine my plans adequately as well.

“……”

But, honestly, what to do about this?

My vacation feeling had been completely blown away. My heart, which got soothed thanks to the lewd appearances of the maids and nuns, pulled off a sudden turn, now quickly darkening. Withering away in face of the hugeness of the homework assigned to me, my eyes were naturally drawn towards below me.

Thereupon I spotted a situation that was escalating at this very moment in a section of the mansion’s compound. For some reason, earth and dust whirled up flashily over there.

Don’t tell me, have the Loligon and the revived Saint-sama started an intense clash? Considering the lineup present in this place, it wouldn’t be weird for anything to occur. Or rather, after watching the situation for a short while, I noticed that the one fighting is pretty obviously Edita-sensei. Moreover, somehow Sophia-chan is with her. And it’s the Hero of the East whom both are confronting.

The Hero of the East, who had taken our Maid-san hostage, and Edita-sensei were squaring off against each other. Thinking back, I had confirmed with the Hero of the West that it had been no one other than the Hero of the East who had carried out the actual act of capturing sensei.

Very likely it’s developed into a battle after he witnessed my blond, thicc-legged loli sensei escaping her prison. By the way, Saint-sama is nowhere to be found.

“……”

But, why is Sophia-chan with sensei? I don’t get it. But either way, it’s pretty clear what this ordinary Japanese flat-face must do.

“I must save them.”

I felt how my heart brightened up when I confirmed sensei’s safety. I was very happy.

 

＊

 

Using flight magic on myself, I directed my body towards the courtyard of Saint-sama’s mansion. I considered entering the scene in a cool manner while shouting sensei’s name, for the sake of threatening the Hero of the East. The basic idea would be to charge in from two o’ clock, snatch Sophia-chan out of the hero’s hands, and then lightly slide backwards across the ground, coming to a halt in the middle between both parties.

However, all those neat plans of this ordinary Japanese flat-face quickly fell apart. Just now, at the very moment when I set course for Sophia-chan, her figure suddenly disappeared.

“gh…”

This busamen quickly put on the brakes in the air after having lost his target. No sooner than I thought, I see, Maid-san’s figure took shape next to sensei. It was just like the prided space magic of Deviant-Longhair. Of course, it was completely impossible for Edita-sensei to perform such high-class magic. At least going by our interactions so far.

At once, I searched for that guy, but I couldn’t find a trace of him. In the meantime, a talk between sensei and Hero-sama started up.

“I’m reluctant, but I’ll show you…the magic that overwhelmed the demon king…”

“W-What was that!?”

Edita-sensei was talking with an expression that brimmed with confidence and composure. The Hero of the East, on the other hand, was in panic.

“Just so you know, but right now I’m the strongest.”

Considering the stats, sensei would be overwhelmingly disadvantaged against Hero-sama’s party. Sophia-chan’s LUC is a secret only this virgin knows, so there’s absolutely no reason for my blond, thicc-legged loli sensei to brag in this situation.

Having said that, a smile is blooming on sensei’s face. Moreover, she declared herself to be the strongest. Maybe she made a mistake and actually meant weakest?

“Bullshit!”

Of course, the Hero of the East shifted to offense. Crackling lightning was released from his two palms which he held up in front.

This is bad.

In great panic, I released my healing magic at sensei and Sophia-chan’s feet. A largish magic circle was drawn on the ground with a vrooming while encompassing the two. Before I realized, I had lost myself and unleashed my glittering, invincible magic towards the two without paying any heed to my MP.

“Humph, how foolish.”

Immediately following, Edita-sensei swung her arm while making such an indifferent remark. The wave of her arm was extremely carefree, as if she was swatting away a fly that was buzzing around her head. However, the lightning unleashed by the Hero of the East was repelled by her palm, and flew off into a distant, random direction.

My healing magic didn’t get a turn.

“Wha-…!”

The Hero of the East and his party’s members were all shocked. In contrast to them, Edita-sensei sent a calm look at this ordinary Japanese flat-face in the sky. With a delay of several moments after having noticed the magic circle underneath her feet. Once she lifted her chin towards the sky, her eyes met with those of this busamen.

Her big, blue saucer eyes are extremely lovely. Blond hair and blue eyes get hundred out of hundred points from me.

“Sorry, I got delayed in hurrying over.” I landed next to sensei after qucikly approaching her with flight magic.

I canceled the healing magic, causing the circle to quietly disappear.

The Hero of the East immediately raised his voice, “Y-You b-bastard are…,” while glaring at me with a resentful expression.

He was scowling at me as if he had spotted the murderer of his parents.

“Long time no see. Ever since this and that happened at the academy city, I’d say?”

“Don’t tell me you intend to protect that elf!? The arrest of that person had been ordered by Saint-sama. Protecting her is equal to turning your hand against the Great Holy Land. No, it’s equivalent to rebelling against our god!!”

“In that case I shan’t even shirk away from taking down your god.”

“Wh-…y-you piece of trash, have you gone mad? Where do you think you are!?”

Don’t belittle the lolita infatuation of a middle-aged chap. It makes my lewd mind overflow with power just like the courage of the Hero of the East. The CG Gallery Power of a virgin, who still remembers something like the underwear peek of an unknown OL he encountered unexpectedly at a street corner many years ago, is far more tenacious than obstinate mold that’s growing in a bathroom.

Sensei is a wonderful woman who was kind enough to repeatedly reveal her panties to such a middle-aged lowlife. I’ll definitely protect her, no matter what happens.

“H-Hey, no matter how you put it, t-that’s going a bit too far…”

Next to sensei who tried to stop this ordinary Japanese flat-face, I further told the Hero of the East with a stabbing, low tone, “If you say you’re going to take a hostile stance against Edita-san, I will not hold back at all, even if it might be you, Hero-sama of the East. I will exert my right to oppose you so thoroughly that you will never think of making a move against us ever again.”

I nailed it, didn’t I? I earned myself a good bunch of sensei points. And since this is a Goggoru-free zone, I showed off as if there was no tomorrow.

However, just when I triumphantly turned my face towards sensei──

“Wait! T-This is my battle! You stay out of it!”

──I received an objection from Edita-sensei. Moreover, she strongly told me to stay out of it.

“No, but, considering the safety of you two…”

“Right now, I-I’m the s-strongest! Strongest! Unrivaled! Almighty!”

It’s the same “strongest” I heard just a little while ago. On top of that, she added “unrivaled” and “almighty.”

My virgin heart naturally withered away as I had never expected to be shouted at. Using that opportunity, sensei raised her right arm and thrust its palm towards the Hero of the East. Once she firmly braced her legs with her loli-loli, thicc thighs steady, a golden-shining magic circle appeared underneath her feet with a vroom.

“F-From now on, I-I’ll be on the side of t-those protecting!” Sensei cast a fleeting glance my way.

The magic circle that had been drawn on the ground increased its brightness in no time, and started to emit a brilliant, powerful light. It was hard to look at it directly, so I naturally shielded my eyes. In the meantime, a mighty wind began to be released from the circle’s center, spelling the start of an act that totally went against the usual sensei.

Just what is going on here?

“Edita-san, this is…?”

Despite me asking, I didn’t receive a reply. It seemed as if the tension was rising substantially. The hem of sensei’s long robe and the blond hair, which extended all the way below her waist, were violently fluttering in the strong, rough wind.

She’s looking awesome. Isn’t that just the behavior you’d totally expect from a veteran Grand Sorceress?

“I’ll teach you, the present hero, the basics of magic.”

“Y-You shitty elf! What are you…”

My blond loli sensei took one step towards the Hero of the East. In response, he retreated a step, obviously overpowered by her.

What a surprise! Sensei is overwhelming Hero-sama and his party.

“You want to defeat the demon king, don’t you? You have the perfect chance for that now.”

“Don’t fuck with me! I-I’m the hero! I’m the chosen one!”

Unable to endure the mental strain, the Hero of the East swung his sword. The lightning, which was accordingly released from the sword’s point, rushed towards sensei. It carried a lot more power than the last ones.

The image that naturally crossed my mind was sensei cowering in fright, cradling her head with both arms. Out of reflex, this ordinary Japanese flat-face extended his hands to the front in order to release his healing magic.

However, just like before, the lightning got repelled by sensei’s casually-swung left palm. Kinda as if she was giving a light wave of her hand.

“What’s wrong? You’ll struggle against low-ranking demons, let alone the demon king, with this level of magic, you know?”

“T-That c-can’t…be…”

“Peel your eyes and look closely. This is what real magic is about.”

My blond, thicc-legged loli sensei started to babble some kind of chant under her breath. Her way of speaking, which lacks the usual lisping, is lovely.

At the same time of her declaring her zeal, she pointed her right arm, which she had held up towards the Hero of the East until then, into the distance, towards a section of the sky with nothing but clouds, beyond which endless azure sprawled.

I wonder what meaning this action holds?

The instant I asked myself, a response occurred. Ahead of her palm, a magic circle manifested in the air. It had the shape of a globe with the size of a volleyball and a complicated, three-dimensional design drawn onto it. It was shaped by the same golden-shining light forming the one at her feet. Incomprehensible letters and figures lined up on its entire globe, continuously streaming as if gliding across the surface. It was so damn awesome.

“Since I’ll do it just one time, take a close look, okay? G-Got it!?”

In response to sensei’s murmur, the brightness was shot out of the circle’s center. Right after it was released, it was a narrow beam of light. But, after a few moments, its width grew. It headed straight for the point in the sky indicated by sensei’s arm, extending all the way as if being drawn towards it. As it traveled, it became several times thicker than Joumon Sugi, a Cryptomeria tree famed for being super thick. It looked just like a beam cannon’s shot you’d be able to witness in Sci-Fi movies. That beam continued its journey, piercing through the clouds along its way.

“Wha-…!?”

I suspect everyone present is suddenly feeling a pang of astonishment.

And just then, a thunderous roar made the air around us tremble. Following the powerful emission of a bang, a heavy bass booming caused not only the atmosphere, but even the earth to tremble. It was a noise that seemed to upend my stomach. At my feet I sensed something akin to an electrical numbing. None of that came anywhere close to being typical for sensei’s power.

I wonder whether it’s comparable to the Loligon?

After a while, the belt of light dissipated. The area around us regained its calm. Everyone present was overawed by surprise, only staring at the traces of the unleashed magic. The clouds had been scattered where the beam of light had passed, revealing a pretty circle of azure in the sky. The flow of the clouds around it, which moved slightly faster now, made it completely look as if cotton candy had been cleared away by saliva.

Beginning with me, the Hero of the East, his party members, and even Sophia-chan had opened their eyes widely, gazing at the turn of events while feeling flabbergasted. It was an overwhelming feeling that reminded me of the F-Ranked attack I summoned to the academy city some time ago.

Seemingly satisfied with this outcome, sensei faced the Hero of the East with a smug face, and muttered, “Did you see? I-I told you, didn’t I? Right now I’m the strongest!”

I’m troubled since she’s so cool that she even uses a signature phrase. However, probably influenced by her long time of leading a puny life in hiding, her voice was somewhat faltering. Yet, I love that aspect of sensei.

“Kuuh, I-I-I’ll remember this!”

While being confronted with sensei’s strongest acting, the body of Hero-sama floated up. Apparently that had been his declaration to pull back with flight magic.

Seeing their leader fly up, the other members of his party also soared up into the sky. While repeatedly casting glares in our direction and donning expressions full of regret, they left the courtyard of Saint-sama’s home. Their figures quickly grew smaller, before melting into a part of the sky.

We still have a mountain of problems to deal with, but for the time being, we can catch a breath, I guess.

 

＊

 

Only sensei, Sophia-chan and this ordinary Japanese flat-face were left behind on the courtyard of Saint-sama’s residence.

“Good work, Edita-san.”

“A-Aahh, right…”

Edita-sensei is acting awkward as she’s gazing in our direction. She must have various reservations concerning her own past. Her expression is quite complicated, showing her wish to be cared for on the one hand while looking somehow dismissive on the other hand.

Taking the lead of the conversation as the only guy here looks to be the correct choice.

“I am very happy that we were able to reunite safely. Are you injured anywhere?”

“Eh? A-Ahh, of course not! Right now I’m the strongest after all!”

Sensei, you don’t need to repeat it anymore since you’ve told us many times by now. I keenly believe that you’re the strongest.

“Very well, let us head back to the inn then. If we were to overstay our visit here, it could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings by the people of the Great Holy Land. Christina-san and Rocoroco-san are waiting for us, too. Everyone has been worried about you, Edita-san.”

“…O-Oi, haven’t you heard?”

“Heard what?”

“No, umm, how to put it? I-I mean look, I’m talking about why I’m the s-strongest, unrivaled, and almighty!”

“Would it be fine for me ask you about that?”

“T-T-T-That’s not r-r-really what I mean! R-Really not!”

Her eyes are totally sparkling, making it so damn obvious that she’d love to be asked about it. Sensei being so eager is just adorable. That’s why intentionally not asking her is the proper way of savoring sensei. This ordinary Japanese flat-face fully understands something like this.

“Let us go. This way.”

“Ah, hey! W-Wait! H-Hey!”

I decided to return to the others, accompanying Sophia-chan and sensei. I think we should have a proper exchange of information, including the story sensei wants to tell us so eagerly, in a calm place. It looks like it’ll be imperative to secure the assistance and knowledge of experts such as Deviant-Longhair and the Loligon in regards to our future course of actions.

Yep, after all, Demon Queen-sama has been revived after having received the worst-possible upbringing.

 

＊

 

The place we visited after making our bodies fly with magic for a while was a resort facility belonging to the Penny Empire. After the flashy battle with Saint-sama, it’d have been cheeky to return to the mansion in the Great Holy Land. It was regrettable to relinquish the hospitality of the 100%-hymen-possessing nuns who wore no panties, but the circumstances forced me to take this step, despite the heartrending grief it caused me.

Goodbye, virgins. And hello, non-virgins.

After this and that, we assembled in the resort’s spacious, first-class living room for a meeting. The members other than this ordinary Japanese flat-face were Sophia-chan, Edita-sensei, the Loligon, Goggoru-chan, Drill-chan, Deviant-Longhair, and the Hero of the West. Before this meeting, everyone had prettied themselves up by taking a nice bath and changing clothes.

After all, this ordinary Japanese flat-face’s clothes had been stained with blood, and Sophia-chan stank terribly, too.

Thanks to that, I could enjoy the cuteness of lolitas fresh out of the bath.

“Sorry for being so abrupt, but there is something I would like to ask you, Edita-san,” I started off, addressing the guest of honor who was sitting on the sofa opposite of me.

My blond, thicc-legged loli sensei had tied her long hair into twintails, causing her to look absolutely adorable.

“O-Okay.”

“It is about the previous Hero-sama and demon king.”

I think sensei should know the most out of all of us about this matter. If the talk between Saint-sama and Deviant-Longhair was correct, she should be one of the parties most concerned, after all.

“…Umm, how to put it? I-It’s not like I’ve tried to cheat y-you or anything like that.”

“It is my long-cherished dream to get cheated by you, Edita-san.”

“O-Ok-Okayyy…”

By the way, our current distribution in the room is as follows: Left of this ordinary Japanese flat-face sits Drill-chan. Deviant-Longhair stands directly behind her, across the backrest. On my right side sits the Loligon. Sophia-chan sits next to sensei. The Hero of the West leans against a wall near the room’s exit once again. And just as usual, Goggoru-chan is sitting in a corner of the room while grasping her knees.

“Please go ahead.”

Let’s move ahead with the story quickly since it’d be troublesome if she were to put on airs. Once I urged her to proceed, sensei began to talk with a meek expression, “I-I don’t know how much y-you know. Therefore I w-will briefly recount everything I k-know. Also, t-the demon over there and the d-dragon have been a-alive for a long time, so t-they might know more than I do.”

After clearing her throat once, “It’s an a-additional story, but…”

Alongside that preface, which was overflowing with her timidness, sensei began to speak. According to her, seinsei served in the role of magician in the party of the previous Hero-sama, just as Saint-sama and Deviant-Longhair had mentioned before.

On another note, the party back then consisted of the hero, a warrior, a priest, and a magician. What made it so wonderful was the stylistic beauty. Kind of like a band consisting of vocal, guitar, bass, and drums.

Although various people joined and left during their journey, they continued their quest of taking down the demon king with the party being basically centered around those four.

Also, the relationship the hero and demon king eventually had going seemed to have been just as described during Deviant-Longhair’s testimony. Demon King-sama went mad after losing his beloved hero. And it was a historical fact that Edita-sensei had sealed the demon king.

In the end, sensei had to take over the role of vocals, guitar, bass, and drums. She must have been extremely busy as a one-man-band. ³

It seems like she lost most of her mana in exchange for the sealing. Sensei’s mana had been used to seal Demon King-sama’s reincarnation body or whatever inside a gem. By the way she confirmed that back when she had just sealed Demon King-sama, she was a lot weaker than during the time when she met this ordinary Japanese flat-face for the first time.

Thanks to that, sensei was almost killed by Saint-sama on the way back home from the demon king’s castle. In all likelihood, Saint-sama had tried to seal her mouth. And in reality, sensei’s achievement had been erased from what would be passed on later. After verifying things like this, it became rather clear that sensei led a life full of misfortune ever since sealing the demon king.

That sensei, who was stricken by bad luck, is so pitiable and yet so cute.

As a result of that, my blond, thicc-legged loli sensei moved from one place to another while living in hiding for several hundred years. Even during that time, Saint-sama repeatedly tried to get her hands on sensei after learning about sensei still being alive, making her life even more miserable. As for the aforementioned curse; this was apparently caused by Saint-sama. However, according to her, she regained her former powers when the seal had been removed.

“T-Talking about each and every single thing in detail would take q-quite a bit of time. It might also include l-lots of unnecessary information. I-I’d like you to ask questions f-from your side, if you wish f-for more details o-on certain subjects. I-I’ll provide further explanation b-by answering t-those questions. Depending o-on the question, t-the demon over there m-might know more d-details, however.”

After talking for a while, sensei shifted her eyes at Deviant-Longhair.

In that case, this ordinary Japanese flat-face has a question right away.

“Edita-san, are you acquainted with Geros-san?”

“We m-might have met, but I-I don’t remember him.”

“I see.”

It sounds like only Deviant-Longhair has known about her. In the first place, he did really well to remember someone he met several hundred years ago. Maybe long-living races have a different memory structure or something like that. Since mysterious powers such as magic exist in this world, it wouldn’t be weird for the structures of living beings here to run counter to Darwin’s evolutionary theory.

As I was thinking about this and that, Deviant-Longhair opened his mouth, apparently hesitating to speak up.

“It’s a fact that I was acting together with His Majesty back then. But, it’s not like my magic power back then was as outstanding as it is nowadays. I used to be someone you could describe as a court servant. In contrast to that, the elf over there was brandishing her wand at the frontline. I can’t believe that she’d have ever taken notice of me as an individual at that time.”

“Is that how it is?”

It looks like he was a small-fry back then. In the eyes of sensei, he must have been one random mob among many, many others.

“Rather than that, i-is there a-anything else you w-want to know? For example, a-about m-me?”

“Let’s see…”

I’m sorry for having woken your expectations, but if I had to answer truthfully, I’d like to have more information about Demon Queen-sama.

“Is there anything you know about the present demon queen?”

“…No, I don’t k-know anything about t-the demon queen a-after her transmigration.”

“Okay, how about the demon queen before the previous demon king then?”

“To b-begin with, the only one I-I know is the previous demon k-king. In the midst of t-traveling while being d-dragged around by the hero, we searched for legends a-about the demon queen from two generations ago at a time, but w-we couldn’t find any significant information. As for information of the demon kings further back, w-wouldn’t the demon and dragon know a lot m-more?”

Sensei had become slightly sullen. But, her sulky expression was charming. Her eyes were directed at the Loligon and Deviant-Longhair.

“Even if I might be a demon, I don’t know too much about the demon kings before Her Majesty the Demon Queen from two generations ago. At the most it’s what I already told you while we talked in front of that girl a while back. In the first place, assuming I’d know even more than that, do you think that I’d readily teach you everything I’m aware of?”

『……』

Certainly it’s very reasonable what he’s saying. In that case, I’ll try to ask the other walking encyclopedia.

“Christina-san, would you happen to know anything perchance?”

『…No clue』

In response, the Loligon averted her face in a huff.

What’s this about? Her reaction gives me a bad feeling.

“Is that really true?”

『…It’s true』

“Even for our Dragon City, it definitely won’t be someone else’s problem, though.”

『kh…』

Her ears twitching didn’t escape this ordinary Japanese flat-face. This girl knows something. This busamen is 100% sure.

Suddenly sensei addressed me instead.

“H-Hey! W-What is this about?”

“I had intended to tell you after all of us had assembled. You are right, now that everyone is present, I shall properly share the facts from my side. As a matter of fact, I had the pleasure to exchange a few words with the demon queen right after the seal came undone…”

I frankly recounted my talk with the present Demon Queen-sama above Saint-sama’s mansion.

“The current demon queen appears to harbor an exceedingly hostile attitude towards humanity.”

“W-What do you m-mean by that? To begin with, the demon king should have been sealed by me, so…”

I received a question from sensei the second I finished speaking. But that was only natural going by the flow of the conversation.

“Even while being sealed away, the present demon queen apparently witnessed what was going on outside. She perceived everything Saint-sama did while being with her at all times. As a result of that, the present demon queen has started to scorn humanity as a race, and recognized humans as targets for extinction.”

Hearing this, everyone’s expressions changed in three ways. Mainly the human camp pulled expressions as if asking, “Hmm? So what?” It’s probably because humans have been perceiving the demon king as a threat anyway. The Hero of the West and Sophia-chan stared at this busamen as if questioning him what he was talking about now after all this time.

On the other hand, the inhuman camp with Edita-sensei first and foremost, but also including Goggoru-chan and Deviant-Longhair, donned considerably tense expressions. I’m sure this stems from them possessing proper knowledge about Demon Queen-sama. Still, this busamen is very curious about Goggoru-chan’s actual age.

And, speaking of the one showing the most striking reaction──

『W-What about the dragons!? Especially the ancient dragons and similar!』

──was the Loligon.

“…Why did it turn out like that?”

『Guuh……』

“What is the matter?”

『Gururururu』

“Please answer without growling around.”

The Loligon has started to become restless, having lost all composure whatsoever. It makes me super curious. The flesh of her cheeks and similar is totally twitching due to her tension. Even though it’s usually so fluffily soft.

Because she was acting like this, it naturally drew the attention of the others, too. Everyone’s eyes focused on Christina-san, and it seemed as though having all seven members stare at her applied a rather high amount of pressure on the Loligon, especially because she had interacted with them quite a bit in the past.

『……』

“Christina-san?”

『…What?』

Looking to the right, looking to the left, the Loligon began to intentionally threaten her surroundings by growling.

“I would like to confirm the intention behind your question just now, if you do not mind.”

『No!』

“……”

No!, she says!? What’s with that No! Moreover, answering like that without a moment’s delay. This missy who makes my chest throb with the exceedingly frank remarks she blurts out sometimes.

“…Christina-san?”

『……』

She was intently staring at this ordinary Japanese flat-face with a scowl as if she was going to challenge him to battle at any moment.

It’s gotta be that. Possibly. That silly Loligon.

“Is it because you are possibly afraid of the demon queen…?”

『I-I just lost! I was merely defeated! It’s not like I’m scared or anything!』

“Lost?”

“Picked a fight with the demon queen of three generations ago…and lost.”

『……』

I see. So this is the reason for the Loligon’s current behavior, huh?

『B-But! I lasted for a good while! A bit longer and I’d have been able to drive her away!』

“So something like that happened in your past. I see.”

Speaking of the demon queen from three generations ago, it’d be about the one who allied herself with humanity, according to Deviant-Longhair.

Picking a fight by herself and then being unable to drive her opponent away…lovely.

『Bastard, y-you don’t believe me, do you!?』

“No, no, I definitely have not thought anything like that…”

『Really!? I gouged out her stomach! Her stomach, I tell you!』

“That is promising for future encounters then.”

The Loligon frantically lined up excuses, advocating her case so passionately that she let her saliva fly. I’d love to swab the saliva with a finger and lick it.

Deviant-Longhair spoke up, as if to interrupt her rambling, “Her Majesty the Demon Queen from three generations ago was defeated after having been alive for 150 years. Assuming the present Demon Queen-sama has already experienced a time period of 500 years, her power should have already become incomparably mightier to that of the Demon Queen-sama who took down this dragon.”

Even though he kept prattling about not saying anything when we talked about this topic earlier, he was now readily spilling information about the demon queen from three generations ago.

Maybe it’s not because of his position as a demon and so on, but rather nothing other than a plain old, personal dislike of this ordinary Japanese flat-face, I somehow feel.

『gh…』

As for the Loligon, she got startled with her shoulders trembling thanks to Deviant-Longhair’s remark. It looks like she’s suffering genuine trauma from this.

『E-Even I’ve become stronger over time! She won’t pose any challenge whatsoever! I’ll easily wipe the floor with her!』

“You mentioned having talked with Demon Queen-sama, but does that mean she’s already an adult?” Deviant-Longhair asked this ordinary Japanese flat-face while ignoring the Loligon’s frantic attempts to justify herself.

Christina’s face, who was in a state of “Seriously, grmbl grmbl,” had turned into something amazing. The expression of her eyes was scary.

“What criterion should I use to decide whether a demon king is already an adult?”

“What kind of power and intellect did she possess?”

“I did not have the opportunity to inquire that deep into the matter. However, so far as it goes, she one-hit Saint-sama. Well, given that she kept casting healing magic, I believe that Saint-sama must be alive, but Demon Queen-sama overwhelmed her completely with a single swing of her arm. Also, going by the tempo of our conversation, I would assume that her intellect has developed suitably.”

“Wh-…!?”

When I talked up to that point, the Hero of the West finally spoke up. Maybe some kind of personal traceability kicked in at last because he could measure the demon queen’s power against something he could relate to.

Then again, on a personal level, I’m surprised that Hero-sama of the West had grasped Saint-sama’s true power. Ah, no wait, that’s probably the reason why he held doubt in her existence.

“If she was able to defeat Saint-sama with one hit, it looks like she has grown up to a considerable degree.”

Deviant-Longhair gave his approval of Demon Queen-sama’s power. Because of that, it was the human camp, the ones being targeted by the very same Demon Queen-sama, who became plainly panicked this time.

“U-Umm, Tanaka-san, then it means we are going…” Maid-san spoke up first.

She had been sitting on the sofa with her spine straight like a stick while not touching the sofa’s back at all. In good manners she had placed both her hands on her lap, but even so, her legs underneath those hands were rattling. The way of their trembling appeared to honestly express her emotional state.

“It might be necessary to be cautious.”

I couldn’t say anything irresponsible after having seen her status. It might be indispensable to come up with genuine countermeasures against the present Demon Queen-sama, now that we learned about the Great Holy Land’s preparations being completely useless. At the very least, I eagerly wish for a power that will allow me to maintain the current lifestyle within the range of where my eyes reach.

“By the way, Geros-san, it looks like the demon queen has been revived without a hitch, but is it okay for you to not head over to her side? I feel a bit conflicted about the question why you are still in front of us, despite having longed for the demon king’s reappearance so much.”

Even at this very moment, new slave cadets are waiting in line. Wouldn’t it be fine for a veteran like you to pass on the baton to the next generation?

“…Certainly, your argument is sound.”

“Right?”

“But, because it’s right after her revival, I believe that Her Majesty must wish to have some time for herself as well. In the position of someone revering her existence, it would be an unforgivable rudeness to steal that opportunity just to appease our own wishes.”

This piece of shit simply prioritized his plays with Drill-chan over Demon Queen-sama. Who the hell said that she needed some time for herself anyway?

“It’s not like the demons are currently in a critical situation worthy of mentioning. To begin with, the aim behind securing Her Majesty was mostly driven by the notion to avoid Demon Queen-sama to support a race other than the demons after her revival, and thus leading to a disadvantageous situation for us.”

“As far as I know about the demon king, I thought their job might be to conquer the world.”

“What benefit would us demons have from conquering the world of humans? I don’t get the point of that.”

“If you put it like that, even I cannot provide you an adequate answer, but…”

How unexpectedly candid, aren’t we, you damn demon?

“Her Majesty was revived while possessing plenty of power and being in good health. If she furthermore hates the humans, us demons have no need to fret. It might be the best option to get in touch with her and build a lasting relationship once her raging resentment cooled down at some point.”

“If one just listens to your words, it sounds almost as if the demons are actually the heroes in this story.”

“And thus, as you’ve heard just now, nothing will change for a while. You’re certainly not going to complain in front of my mistress, are you? We’re the Pussy Republic’s prisoners who got captured by the Penny Empire. Forgoing that treatment would be a completely inexcusable act in human society, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes, well, please feel free to do as you like at this point.”

I’ve started to feel like it’d be fine to just ignore this demon. I’m sure it’s going to work out one way or another as long as he’s with Drill-chan. Their master/servant relationship is operating perfectly normally.

The one donning a very gloomy expression, on the other hand, was the Hero of the West.

“But, now that it’s come to this, just what the hell is the point of us heroes? I followed this path all the way until this point while believing in Saint-sama’s revelations. Of course I haven’t taken everything at face value either. But, even so, I didn’t expect all of it to be lies.”

He’s completely fallen into a slump. It might be a smart idea to answer him suitably while not touching upon his naive parts.

“You are right. The previous Hero-sama sure is someone who piques my interest.”

The one being as kind as to react to this was my lovely blond sensei who experienced the time back then.

Without having been asked, she whispered more to herself than anyone in particular, “…The p-previous hero, huh?”

“Could you tell us a bit about her?”

“Let’s see…” After obviously pondering for a while, sensei continued, “Since it’s s-something from a distant p-past, there will be m-many things I’ve already f-forgotten. And yet, the i-impression I remember of her to t-this day is that of a timid, s-spineless woman. I met her when she was a-around the age of the girl o-over there, and we acted together f-for several years, b-but her character n-never changed until the very l-last moment.”

The line of sensei’s sight was pointing at Drill-chan. It looks like the previous Hero-sama had been active from her teens until her twenties.

“She was a w-woman overflowing with wisdom. H-However, to everyone’s regret, s-she had a weak m-mind. She a-always went along with what her surroundings wanted f-from her. Moreover, her b-behavior was such that you’d be h-hard pressed to d-describe her as a-anything close to a h-hero. But maybe b-because of that, we were a-also unable to separate f-from here, and kept h-her company to the very e-end…”

Seeing Edita-sensei looking in the distance while talking, she had the air of a granny who was recounting an old story. The gap with her outward appearance as thicc-legged loli is badass, seriously.

“Because s-she was such a woman, she always b-bowed her head without e-even considering t-to fight normally. Her bowing h-her head had burned i-itself into my m-memory much more than her fighting f-figure. Well, thanks to that t-trait of hers, she achieved the great f-feat of k-keeping the losses to a m-minimum by o-orchestrating peace.”

“I see.”

“Then a-again, not a single r-regulation e-exists when it comes to the title of h-hero. The only thing mattering about a f-figurehead like that is the number of people s-supporting them. In such a regard, the warrior, who fell in l-love with her, was a good guy. I-It’d be no exaggeration to s-say he was the very r-reason for her to be c-called hero and so on.”

“In that case, when it comes to the divine revelations by God as they’re passed on in the Great Holy Land…”

“All of them a-are fake. But, even back t-then, the figurehead w-was supported while u-using the same method.”

“Was that so?”

“However, h-her strength was t-the real deal. At least when it came to physical s-strength, no one c-could match her, be it d-demi-humans or even demons, not to e-even mention humans. She w-was so strong that she o-overwhelmed the previous d-demon king in that point alone.”

Winning against Demon King-sama in physical strength sure is incredible. After having seen her stats, you’d usually want to designate a hero. And because of that the expression of Hero-sama of the West had shifted into being the very definition of gloom.

“Excelling in physical strength against an opponent strong enough to slaughter Saint-sama with one hit, huh? To be honest, I can’t even begin to imagine it. However, now that I’ve taken the name of hero, I probably must shape up to achieve at least that much. I cannot help feeling miserable over having become so elated just because of some divine revelation until now.”

Even his bearing and gestures as he talked are a clear expression of terrible discouragement. And yet, he’s a hunk, so he should get his shit together.

“Despite all that, you are doubtlessly a hero for me, Star-san. I believe the number of people, who were saved by your brave actions, are not few by any means. If you require recent examples, it would apply to Edita-san and me.”

“…Thanks. Having you say that about me makes me very happy and is a big relief.”

This handsome guy has already been marketed as a hero on a grand scale. No matter what his own will might be, I doubt he can still decline the title of hero or former hero. Especially after so much money was pumped into his campaign.

“There are many things you can do. So you do not have the spare time to be dispirited.”

“Yeah, that’s right, isn’t it? Besides, being discouraged isn’t like me anyway.”

“It is just as you say.”

And speaking of us, we ended up bringing him over to our side. On top of the circumstances that led to discord between him and the Great Holy Land’s Saint-sama, a friendship with this hunk might turn into an extremely comforting lifeline for this ordinary Japanese flat-face. If I consider the Dragon City’s future, it’d be very fortunate if I could entrust the Four Heavenly Rods and those around them with carrying him as a figurehead. (T/N: No idea where to find those Four Heavenly Rods, so went with literal translation.)

I’ll do my best while aiming to become close buddies with him.

 

＊

 

After receiving the notification of Demon Queen-sama’s revival, we definitely couldn’t afford to enjoy a leisurely vacation. Hence, we urgently returned to the Penny Empire.

If I had known that things would turn out like this, I would have headed to the Great Holy Land after amply enjoying the resort first. If I assume that all of this is grounded by the low value of my LUC, I believe I’ve finally reached a point where it’s inevitable.

Just like during our departure, our return was also carried out by traveling with flight magic. Those who were able to fly for long distances, did so by themselves. The rest traveled on the Loligon’s back as usual. By the way, this time the Hero-sama of the West became another user of the Loligon’s back, in addition to the regular passenger Sophia-chan.

The place we reached after this and that was our headquarters, Dragon City.

“W-What’s with this ridiculous extent of a huge wall!?”

“Please come this way, Hero-sama.”

“Besides, what’s going on with that tower!? It’s so friggin’ tall that I can’t even see its top!!”

“If you are interested in it, I will gladly guide you around later on.”

『W-Wait! Y-You’re first! You!!』

While watching how the Hero of the West got totally flustered on the first visit to our city, we pointed our feet in the direction of the mayor’s house. The whole situation progressed into all of us crowding the parlor of the mayor’s house in no time after getting back home.

“Uh, you came back!?” was the first thing he said after opening the door and taking a step into the room.

Speaking of who was saying that, it was the Noble Mage. Next to him, I could catch sight of Richard-san, Gon-chan, Neumann-shi, shotachinpo, and Allen.

“Oh good lord, it looks like all of you are together…”

Why the hell is Allen here!? He should have gone back to Charis together with Ester-chan, no?

“Tanaka-san, I’m sorry for the abrupt request, but could I ask you for an urgent favor?”

“An urgent favor?”

As soon as I got back home, Richard-san approached this ordinary Japanese flat-face, even going as far as tossing any greetings to the wind. It’s a behavior that contradicts his usual conduct of honoring manners even when dealing with friends. Because of that, I reflexively braced myself. I wonder just what request he’s going to throw at me.

“I would like to request you to rescue my daughter, Elizabeth…”

“Would you please be so kind as to explain from the beginning since I do not understand a thing?”

Events concerning Ester-chan pop up regularly and yet unpredictably, don’t they? How to put it best? Maybe that it fits a loli bitch exceedingly well.

 

 

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Translation Notes:

1. Kabukicho is a famous entertainment district best known for adult-oriented nightlife in Tokyo.
2. Author uses ニンゲン (ningen) here instead of 人間 (ningen). Latter means human, while former is a katakana version of latter, indicating that the demon queen refers to the human race differently.
3. By the way, the author used one-man-chindonya here. Chindonya are musicians of the Edo period who walked around to advertise stuff while playing instruments. You can see a picture here: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Chindonya_Okubo_Tokyo.jpg