Part 2
The time was one hour past noon──
It was the plaza in front of the large tree.
Decoration strings of various colors hung from up in the trees. Maybe there were glass beads tied to them as they sparkled and shined.
Flowers bloomed as if encircling the area. They weren’t lined up in flowerpots, but bloomed from the ground as if from flower beds. However, this was a wedding ceremony that was decided on yesterday. Since there is no way they bloomed with great timing, they were probably transplanted.
Benches were lined up, and were covered in velvety cloth.
Those with noble positions even among the Elves took those seats. The others stood as if to surround the venue and watched.
A great number of Elves, enough to make one feel amazed that there were this many of them with in the forest, had gathered. A majority of the people that were in Greenwood had probably come here. Since the enthronement of a king concerned the forest’s continuance, it was only natural that their interest would be high, and that they would think that they want to see the celebration.
A carpet stretched out at the center of the place of ceremony.
It seemed to be a carpet that used golden thread.
Although it preserved harmony with nature, an important point was that it also adopted a design that made one feel its extravagance. It was something quite splendid.
Rem sat down at the end of the front row as a guest.
Next to her, Rose was there with an open seat in between them.
She was restless.
「......Diablo, it looks like he hasn’t come yet, doesn’t it?」
「He cannot be sensed even with this Rose’s sensor. It is due to there being too many people......Kuh.」
Without Diablo around, the Magimatic Maid was restless.
The ceremony was going to start soon.
However, the figures of Diablo and Rafleisha weren’t there.
「......The two of them left separately, right?」
「Yes. The Dark Elf had left before dawn.」
「......With Rafleisha-sama’s body, could something have happened? Even though she was asked by the Queen to attend......To think that the side that wants the promise to be kept, would be the one to break the promise.」
「Data is insufficient. A conjecture is impossible.」
「......Could it be that she was attacked by a wild animal or something?」
「I do not know, but wild animals able to injure people of the Races, I cannot sense any of them in the vicinity.」
「......It does seem like Elves do patrol the area after all.」
「Yes.」
Rem breathed a sigh.
「......Diablo seemed to have some sort of idea. I think it would be fine if he talked at least a few words about it to me though.」
「I believe that he did not find you trustworthy.」
Going *Muー*, Rem glared at her.
Rose remained expressionless as usual, and faced forward like a stone statue.
Although she tried putting her displeasure on her face──she thought that what she said was pertinent. People were creatures that would take offense when the bull’s-eye is pointed out. Things pointed out that were off point could be laughed off with just being exasperated about them.
Rem dropped her shoulders.
「......That might be true. Should we split up and try searching for him?」
「That is denied. This Rose was commanded by Master to "stick close to Rem" after all.」
「......Ahh, is that so.」
In other words, if it wasn’t for her, Diablo would have used Rose as a pawn to move──is what Rem thought.
Wasn’t she just dragging him down?
──How pathetic.
She grumbled that in her mouth.
*Jyaーn!* A string instrument rang.
The orchestra that was at the edge of the venue started a musical performance.
From a quiet sound that seemed like the warble of a songbird, the instruments steadily increased, and it changed into a magnificent composition.
Maybe due to doing nothing but that sort of thing all year long, the Elves’ musical performance was done with superb competency. Even Rem who was not all that knowledgeable about music was able to understand that their skill wasn’t common.
The composition completed its first stage.
The master of ceremonies announced the start of the marriage ceremony.
「Ooh, Gods in heaven, Your Majesty, Queen, everyone in attendance, citizens of the Greenwood Kingdom, give your blessings to the wonderful day known as today!」
It was a clear tone that seemed like he was singing at the top of his voice.
A verse of the scriptures was read aloud.
And then next, Durango the bridegroom appeared from the right. They say that the clothes make the man, but even if a pig-faced man wears a pure white dress suit, the ambiance is......
「......As I thought, it’s questionable.」
「I am of the same evaluation.」
「......It’s rare that our opinions match.」
「Yes.」
Durango exchanged bows with the priest that stood on the altar. And then, he also lowered his head to the Queen who was at the front row of the attendees.
The master of ceremonies raised his voice without any hesitation.
The bride enters!
Rem turned around.
The end of the central golden thread path was covered by a curtain. From there, a figure appeared──It was Shera.
She was a princess dressed in a white dress.
Rem was captivated.
Even the attendees were the same.
For an instance──Even the musical performance stopped, even the wind disappeared, and even the voices of the birds vanished. The venue was enveloped by a painful silence.
Before long, a stir was spread amongst the guest seating.
Occasionally, there were moments where she thought that Shera was beautiful, but due to her usual stupid speech and conduct, there were few times where she thought that.
Right now, she could clearly say it.
──She is beautiful.
It might be strange for someone of the same sex to harbor this sort of impression. However, this wasn’t in the meaning of sexual attraction, and was an impression similar to when seeing a wonderful painting or scenery.
Even her un-Elf-like curves were in harmony with the design of the dress.
The design of being open around the nape of her neck was probably due to the 《Slavery Choker》 being there. Concealment Magic was cast on it, but since it still existed, she couldn’t wear clothes that covered the nape of her neck.
It was a beauty that could make one sigh for her.
However, Shera’s expression was dark and depressed.
Her true feelings were in a different place. Even so, she chose her duty as Queen. Rem knew that.
She was the one that urged her to do so.
「......Shera.」
"Choosing a partner that can bless those around you right now is for the best──that is how I feel."
Even now, she felt that was the correct opinion.
However, Rem’s chest hurt from seeing the submerged in despair expression that Shera was showing for the first time.
──I, might have made a terrible mistake.
Didn’t she misjudge what it was that she truly should be protecting?
Her hands trembled.
Shera slowly advanced down the golden carpet.
Once this wedding ceremony finished, Durango would obtain Shera, and become the king of the Elves.
When she thought that he would certainly have the face of a winner......
He was furrowing his brow.
He was biting his lower lip, looking mortified. Or, it was an expression that made one feel pity.
Rose muttered.
「......It seems that in order to overcome a long-established custom, you threw yourself into dangerous adventures, and now you have finally expelled the Demon King’s soul from yourself, correct?」
「Eh? Yeah.」
「......So that means that next, it is that Elf’s turn to be tied down by a Demon King.」
「ッ!」
Rem half rose to her feet.
Rose didn’t make even the slightest movement.
「What is wrong? Correct things are, correct, are they not?」
「......I, I, made a mistake!」
As if to drown out Rem’s sorrowful voice, the sound of the musical performance grew louder. As if to say that voices that would interrupt the ceremony that had started wouldn’t be allowed, countless instruments shook the air.
Maybe because Rem had stood up──An Elven soldier that hung a long sword on his waist came rushing over to her.
「Milady, are you feeling sick?」
「That’s not......」
「Come this way, milady. It is the middle of the ceremony right now. Either leave your seat, or please sit down.」
The life or death of the Greenwood Kingdom was hung on the balance in this ceremony. He was a guard that protected the ceremony.
Rem sat down.
Right now, leaving the place of ceremony was the same as running away.
Although he left a vigilant gaze on her, the Elven guard returned to his original position.
──I, am foolish, and powerless.
All the current Rem was allowed to do was keep quiet and hold still.
Shera, who had slowly advanced forward, stopped her feet.
She was already in front of the altar.
The priest raised his voice.
「Do you, bridegroom Durango......take the princess as your lifelong spouse, in both sickness and in health, in both joy and in sorrow, when there are blessings and when there are losses, to love her, to respect her, to comfort her, to help her, as long as you live, do you vow to devote your true heart to her?」
「Yes, I do.」
「Do you, Shera L. Greenwood......Take this man as your spouse?」
「..................」
With her mouth remaining open, Shera didn’t say anything.
The attendees made puzzled faces, and became a bit noisy.
The Queen, who sat in the frontmost seat, gave an instruction with her chin.
The priest made a small nod.
「O bride, deep in modesty, answer with silence as an affirmation──Do you take him as your spouse?」
「............u」
「Very well! I have ascertained both of your feelings. Now then, in front of God, make the oath kiss!」
Durango nodded.
He approached one step away from the bride.
Durango grabbed Shera’s arm as she tried to step back.
「Prepare yourself.」
「............ッ」
Shera made a face that looked like she was going to cry.
In a place where she could reach her with ten steps if she ran, even though her companion was making that sort of face──Rem could do nothing but sit there.
She couldn’t.
「......Kuh......I, have made a mistake.」
「Is that so.」
「......So what about the country. So what about the Demon King. I had, resolved myself to break away from those shackles!」
「Rose, had evaluated your opinion as correct.」
「......That’s right! It’s because it’s correct, that I was mistaken!」
Rose, who had only faced forward the whole time, turned only her head this way. She pulled up the ends of her lips, and expressed a smile.
「Of course it is. And Master knew this.」
「Eh?」
In the sky, something dazzlingly shined. The foliage of the large tree was blown away, torn to pieces.
──An explosion!?
The shock wave scattered the sound of the musical performance.
Part 3
Several bullets of light fell from the sky.
It was the Magic 《Lightning Arrow》. Even just one shot of it was a considerably high grade magic. A Magician that would be able to fire this many of them──Rem knew of only one.
The decorations were smashed, the flower beds were gouged out, and the trunk of the large tree was shaved.
The attending guests raised screams.
There were even figures of some that ran away among them.
The master of ceremonies raised a hysteric voice trying to calm them down, and the priest was the quickest one to run away from the altar.
Durango hurriedly put Shera at his back and protected her.
A bullet of light hit his shoulder.
「Guoh!?」
It flew through the air like a kicked pebbled.
However, it was no wonder why he was nominated by the Queen who had valued his abilities. Although his posture was broken, he withstood it without falling down.
Wind coiled about.
Someone came down from the sky to the altar.
Spreading a black mantle out like wings, and held a staff at hand. Horns of a devil grew on their head. Proof that the blood of Demonic Beings flowed in their body was tattooed on their face──it was a male Demon.
He stood next to Shera.
He expressed a fiendish smile.
「Ku ku ku......Even if God acknowledges this, I shall not allow it, you pieces of trash. This is my property! I will not let you all do as you please!」
「Diablo!」
Throwing the bouquet of flowers in her hands, Shera hugged him.
Going *Tototo......*, Diablo regained his balance.
「Hmph, I will not allow you to get married on your own! I know I said that you belong to me. The one that you will devote your life to, is this Demon King Diablo!」
Going *Demon King!?*, the chaos of the attending guests reached its climax.
Durango drew a long sword from the waist of a guard.
He made a complete change from the dark expression he had a while ago, and was even expressing a smile.
「You said it, that you were a Demon King, didn’t you!? You, do you claim to be a Demon King!?」
「Kukuku......I am the Demon King of another world Diablo!」
「I am surprised, to think you were a Demon King......However, I will have you return Princess Shera!」
「Hmph......You are mistaken, youngster. This girl, she is already mine. The one doing the taking back, is me.」
「Saying such nonsensical things.」
「Oh right, a king is needed in the Greenwood Kingdom, isn’t he? In that case, why not have this Demon King Diablo do it, be the king of the country of the Elves! Fuuーhahahaha!!」
「How foolish......Who would ever acknowledge you as king!」
「In that case, it will surely revive, the Demon King that is sealed in this land.」
「Silence!」
Among the attendees, the ones who didn’t run away, were somewhat composed.
They listened attentively wondering what he meant.
Diablo spoke with a loud voice.
「Listen well, you riffraff! The 《Demon King of the Heart, Cardia》 was sealed in this land by God! The king of this country, is the key that seals the Demon King. And then, if the absence of the king is prolonged, the seal will be broken before long!」
「You damned fiend......How could you divulge that!?」
Durango readied the long sword, and filled the distance of one step.
Diablo hugged Shera’s waist with his left hand, and turned the staff that he held in his right hand at the opponent.
「If you do not acknowledge me as king, then the Demon King will be revived!」
「As I thought, you are a man of evil......Do you plan on letting the Demon King of this land revive!?」
「I do not care either way.」
「Wh, what!?」
「Whether you acknowledge me as the king of the Greenwood Kingdom──or you don’t and allow Cardia to revive, it doesn’t matter either way.」
「How idiotic. If that Demon King is awakened, the Races will be destroyed, you know!?」
「Hmph......I, will not allow that to happen.」
「What are you saying......!?」
Diablo grandly made a declaration.
「The true Demon King, is me alone! I shall pulverize any fake Demon King!」
Durango opened his eyes wide.
「......P, pulverize!? Are you saying that you will defeat it, that Demon King......!?」
Even the attendees became uproarious.
While shedding tears from the corners of her eyes, Shera expressed a smile that no other smile up until now could compare.
「Waaaan! Diablo! Diablo! Diablo! Diablo! Diablo!」
「O, oi......」
Being hugged so tightly, Diablo forced Shera back.
Rem stood stock still.
The area around her eyes became hot.
Transparent drops fell down along her cheeks.
「......I, was stupid.」
「With My Master’s deep design and forethought, there is no one able to rival him in that regard. However, if you are able to understand the correctness of what is done, then I am sure you at least have the qualifications as a subordinate.」
Rem wiped her eyes.
「......I am pathetic. But next time, I won’t make a mistake. I, am Diablo and Shera’s companion after all!」
「To call My Master your “companion”, how arrogant.」
「Now then, let’s assist him, Rose!」
Rem started running. The Magimatic Maid followed along without being a half-step late.
「I would even without you telling me!」
==
Part 4
Diablo made a declaration.
「The true Demon King, is me alone! I shall pulverize any fake Demon King!」
「Waaaan! Diablo! Diablo! Diablo! Diablo! Diablo!」
Shera hugged him.
On top of being thirty percent more beautiful than usual by being all dressed up, she was in a dress where her chest was open, and with her continuously pressing those bulges against him......
He felt embarrassed.
If his cheeks were to blush in this situation, the Demon King atmosphere would come to nothing.
Diablo forced Shera back.
「O, oi......」
──Stop it! It’s embarrassing, so don’t hug me in that dress where your chest is just out in the open!
As they were doing that, Rem and Rose dashed over.
「......Diablo!」
「Master, your command──Shall I eliminate the enemy?」
「Enemy huh.」
At Durango’s back, Elven soldiers holding swords and bows gathered.
As he thought, even if he used the effect of his mantle, the 《Call of Darkness》, their fighting spirit won’t break in this situation. The opponent was also desperate. The Elves planned on taking Shera back even if they had to fight.
Diablo raised up the corners of his lips.
「Kukuku......Very well. I shall show you the difference in our abilities.」
The weapon that Elves specialized in was the bow.
However, next to Diablo, Shera was there. Since they wouldn’t be forgiven in the unlikely event that they accidentally shot her, they did not fire their arrows.
In that case, they could only use the sword.
If they planned on slashing at Diablo, they would need to be as fast as the Faltra Feudal Lord Galford.
If they had that sort of speed, the feat of cutting away the 《Lightning Arrow》 should have been possible for them.
──Sorry but this isn’t a situation where I can go easy on you......This will become one-sided you know?
「To think you would oppose me, you damned fools who do not know your place! I shall annihilate you!」
Diablo swung his staff.
《Freezia》
It was a level 80 Water attribute Magic.
The Elves were cooled down all at once, and raised screams. They had already turned into a state of being annihilated.
「Gyaaaah!!」「My finger!? My fingers are!」「Frozen......We’re going to be frozen......ッ!?」
As for Durango, as expected of his POW. His magic resistance properly succeeded.
「Guoooooh!! Everybody, fall back! Spread out!」
The Elves that were still able to fight pulled their injured companions and hid their figures in the forest.
「Hmph......Your skills are quite low, aren’t they?」
「What incredibly powerful magic......!! It couldn’t be, are you saying that you truly are a Demon King......」
「Being unable to use a bow, it would seem you are unable to display your specialty, Durango.」
「Uuu......」
He shrank away.
It seemed that his level as an Archer was high, but it’s no use if someone who holds a sword separates from the Magician.
Or, did he have a scheme?
The attendees were guided by the guards, and separated from the altar with great haste. Maybe due to always living idyllic lives, they were nothing but people with weak attitudes when it came to a fight.
However, only the Queen ignored the voices of the soldiers and remained.
「Shera! What are you thinking!?」
「Kaa-san......」
「I will not allow this!」
「I! As I thought, I choose Diablo to be king!」
「Don’t joke around with me! That person, he claimed to be a Demon King, you know!? He’s not even counted as a person anymore.」
「Even so, I feel that, Diablo is the worthy of being Greenwood’s king!」
「How incomprehensible. You are always, like that! Explain your reasoning to me!」
「Something like reasoning......It’s because I feel that way, that I feel that way!」
──So it’s just intuition.
He didn’t think that Shera could skillfully persuade her with words from the start, but it was a discussion that was worse than he expected.
Naturally, there was no way the Queen would consent to that.
「What will you do about offspring!? Unless you have children, the Greenwood royal family will be destroyed, you know!?」
Going *Kaa......*, Shera’s cheeks went red.
「AuAWAu......Everyone just keeps saying children, children......That’s way too perverted!」
「It’s something important!」
「Even I’m, properly thinking about it! I received, th, this......from Diablo after all!」
Shera pushed her right hand out. In her opened palm, there was a silver ring.
The Queen opened her eyes wide.
「Th, that is......an Engagement Ring!?」
「ッ!?」
Even Rem and Rose gulped.
Shera nodded.
Diablo tilted his head.
──Eh? Did I, hand something like that over? Ah......When we were in the treasury of the 《Demon King’s Labyrinth》, was it that!?
Suddenly, Shera stopped her eyes on an article that was on a pedestal.
It was a silver ring.
「Hey, Rem received a ring, right? I also want one, this sort of thing.」
「Do as you like.」
There weren’t any articles that were cursed in the vicinity. Because of that, Diablo didn’t even check it.
Shera shouted.
「If I have this ring, I can have children even if it’s with another race!」
──Whaaaaaaattttttttt!?
Diablo almost raised a loud voice on reflex.
In the MMORPG Cross Reverie, the Engagement Ring had no effect whatsoever and only filled up an equipment slot.
The Engagement Ring that, due to the requests of a portion of users, could only be obtained in an event that couldn’t be challenged unless they were a couple.
The Engagement Ring where characters that had it equipped had a high probability of being a couple with a fellow Player, and were said to be a riajuu.
Being an item collector, Diablo acquired even that kind of revolting item.
Did he participate in the couple-exclusive event with someone?
That was a dark past that he didn’t want to remember.
──I made a second account, made a couple with myself, and participated!
To think that the Engagement Ring that he only had bitter memories of was “an item to make children with other races”.
Moreover, to think that Diablo ended up giving that to Shera.
──Nono, wasn’t that supposed to be impossible to transfer. I was able to transfer it over to Shera so simply. Is it because this isn’t a game but reality? That degree of freedom is way too high, other world!
An unpleasant sweat came out.
To think that him, someone who was bad at even just conversing with another person let alone have love experience, of all people ended up proposing to the princess of a country.
Marriage?
Are you telling a pillbug to fly through the sky?
Stop it......It’s dark and cool under a rock and it feels good. Don’t try and drag me out into a place where the sun hits!
Inside of Diablo’s head, nonsensical thoughts swirled about.
「Fu, fuhaha......」
He ended up letting out a weird laughter.
Rem breathed a sigh.
「......It would seem that we didn’t know much detail about the Engagement Ring, doesn’t it?」
「There isn’t a description of it in this Rose’s database either.」
「......It isn’t a weapon after all.」
「If that is equipped, then the possibility of this Rose being blessed with Master’s child is......」
「......Before that, didn’t you call yourself a doll? You aren’t even “another race”.」
「Kuh!」
While they were having that kind of back and forth, Diablo regained his normal thinking process.
He was in the middle of battle right now.
If he thought about unnecessary things, he might take an unexpected counterattack.
──I need to concentrate!
In other words, he shelved the personal relations problem, and escaped from reality with the battle.
The Queen made a bewildered face.
「No way......This can’t be......」
It was an Engagement Ring from a Demon that called himself a Demon King. As a mother, it was surely a shock.
Within the chaos, there was a calm man.
Durango readied his sword, and stood in front of the Queen.
「Queen, please fall back! This is no longer a time to be exchanging words!」
「But......」
「What are you doing, guards! Would you take the Queen away already!」
Receiving an order, the Elven soldiers finally came using force. Raising the Queen up with several people, they carried her out of the plaza.
At last, only the ones fighting were left.
The spectators gulped and watched them from outside of the plaza.
Diablo squared off against Durango.
「Now then, I suppose I will defeat you now. If you do not wish to die, then you should submit to me.」
「Fuu～......You are a mysterious man.」
「What are you talking about?」
「I mean, while saying such violent things, you didn’t lay a hand on the soldiers and attendees that were running away.」
「That is──」
As he was about to say something, Shera covered him.
「It’s because Diablo is actually really kind!」
「Tha, th-th-that isn’t the case! I merely thought nothing of the small fry! You should also step back!」
「Hyan!?」
He pushed Shera behind him.
Having understood him, Rem caught her, and dammed up the mouth of the Elf that talked a lot with one hand.
「......Are you stupid? Diablo is displaying his ability, and trying to make the Elves obey him through fear.」
「Moga moga.」
With that explanation as well, it really destroyed the atmosphere though.
Diablo turned his Magic Staff, the 《Tonnerre Empereur》, towards Durango.
「Enough of the drivel......Hurry up, and come at me!」
「Yeah, it’s on!」
The ground shook.
──Nn?
The forest became noisy. Birds flew away, and the voices of beasts were raised.
Fireballs came falling from the sky.
Not just in the plaza, fireballs fell even outside of it where the Elves were.
Explosions occurred.
Diablo raised his voice.
「What in the world!?」
「Th, that’s cowardly, you know!?」
「You fool! This is not my magic!」
Rose made a warning.
「Master, I sense high density magical power! From the north-northwest direction──」
Without having to be told that, even Diablo could feel it. Magical power poured down on him as if he were standing in the middle of a storm.
Looking at that direction, his body trembled with a bad premonition.
「......ッ......The graveyard.」
Maybe having noticed the same thing, Durango flusteredly made a commotion.
「It can’t be!? This is too early!」
「Tsk......So the seal was weakened much more than expected. Or maybe, its magical power was strong enough to wrench it open.」
「No, even in the past records, there is no way the seal should have broken this fast!」
Beyond the trees, a black object could be seen.
It was gigantic as if a castle were floating. It had a shape similar to a distorted strawberry. Going *Dokun, dokun*, it pulsated.
《Demon King of the Heart, Cardia》
It slowly came travelling through the sky.
Countless tentacles grew out from the black orb. It looked as if a cluster of serpents squirmed about it.
Above the sinister Demon King, the figure of some person was there.
It was most likely the one that took part in this unforeseen revival.
They held a orb that shined red in their hands.
Their silver hair swayed in the wind.
Their eyes were black, their skin was dark brown as if sunburnt, and their ears were long.
It was Rafleisha S. Orangewood.
===
Part 5
With the heart portion still floating in mid-air, Rafleisha was carried over by the slender tentacles.
She got down to the center of the plaza.
Her black eyes, shined red.
「I tried coming here, because there was a large magical power......but......to think it was a person of the Races.」
The appearance and voice was that of Rafleisha, but the tone was that of a completely different person.
As if they were the strings of a puppet, tentacles stretched out to Cardia’s main body that was in the sky.
He felt like he would be overpowered by that strangeness.
He would lose if he faltered.
Diablo put strength into his abdomen.
「You......Are you Cardia?」
「That is right, person of the Races.」
「I, am the Demon King of another world Diablo. Do not consider me the same as a person of the Races.」
「Diablo? I have......not heard of you.」
「Kukuku, so the Demon King that lost to God, and moreover just a mere fragment of it, does not know of me. I am the true Demon King. Be sure to remember that!」
Durango was astounded.
「Is that truly the Demon King Cardia!? Why, did it revive......!?」
Rafleisha simply grabbed her own head with her left hand. Her being expressionless made the eeriness all the more prominent.
「This Dark Elf......was tainted......with hatred, enmity, and resentment. She wanted to kill. The Elves. The Humans. To massacre them all!」
With her own nails digging into her, blood ran down on her forehead.
Durango groaned.
「So she was manipulated? The Demon King, doing that to a Dark Elf priest......」
「It is an unleashing......Unleashing of her will......Fulfilment of her true desire! Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!」
Diablo’s group was at a loss for words at the words and actions of the Rafleisha with a strange atmosphere.
However, brushing aside that mood, Shera shouted.
「That’s a lie! She said it after all! That it would be great if the Elves and the Dark Elves got along, she said that!」
Rafleisha’s blazingly shining eyes suddenly went wide open.
「GUUOOo......An Elf!! Elfffff! You damned traitor! Unforgivable! Give him backkkkkー!!」
At the same time she screamed, she stuck the orb out.
Cardia’s tentacles became like whips, and came stretching out this way.
「Princess!」
Durango bravely tried to protect her.
Faster than him, Diablo fired magic.
「《Flare Burst》!!」
Explosions took place, and engulfed the approaching tentacles. They were burnt away.
──Yosh, magic gets through to it!
If it possessed Reflection or Void, it would have been a troublesome opponent, but it didn’t seem like it even reduced the effect.
Since it was not yet implemented, he was cautious of just how strong it was, but was it surprisingly soft?
Rem came to Diablo’s side.
「It’s strange......The orb in Rafleisha-sama’s hands, it is something meant to seal the Demon King......If it were completely revived, then it shouldn’t have any sort of value.」
「Fumu. Then the fact that she is carrying something like that with great care means......」
「Doesn’t it mean that the seal still exists!?」
Having discovered hope, Rem let out a cheerful voice.
Diablo wrinkled his brow.
「Hmph......So it is an “incomplete Demon King” yet again. This makes me quite unwilling. To stand before me in that sort of state......What mockery!」
Diablo turned his Magic Staff into the large sword of light, 《Tonnerre Empereur・Libéré》.
Rafleisha who stood in front of him──was not the target he decided upon. It was the black mass in the shape of the heart that was floating overhead.
「You should scatter away from my magic. I shall give you bullets of purple lightning──《Enel Cannon》!!」
A magnetic field was formed through his magic, and a cannon ball appeared there. In an instant, it accelerated to the point of surpassing the speed of sound. Combustion spread from friction with the air.
Rem pressed down on the cat ears on her head due to the sudden thunderous roar.
「Kyau!?」
The effect of his weapon was invoked, and the magic was magnified sevenfold. The MP consumption also skyrocketed just as much though.
Diablo shouted.
「If you do not want to get dragged into this, then get away from me!」
「......Y, yes.」
The shell that was sent flying hit Cardia.
Several tentacles were blown away.
──What about the the main body’s magic resistance?
Rem’s eyes opened wide.
「No way!? How could it be uninjured!?」
「Hmph......That is only natural. If it were to go down with just one or two shots of magic, then it would not be called a Demon King.」
Although he said that acting composed, he was flustered in his mind. If his magic was completely voided, far from just one or two shots, it would be uninjured even if he loaded a million shots on it.
Having absolutely no information was harsh.
──Well, if I were part of the front runner groups in the completing of new content, having no information would be the norm though!
Diablo used MP Recovery and Reinforce Magical Power Potions that he pulled out from his pouch.
「Feel terror, you incomplete product! I shall infinitely drive magic into you until you crumble into dust! Be frozen, 《Ice Age》!!」
As if being forced back, Rafleisha shouted.
「UUAAAaaaaaaaah──────────ッ!!」
Cardia’s tentacles bent, and approached once again.
Moreover, this time it was ten at once......And within those, there was another ten.
They passed through the wave of extremely low temperature.
「ッ!?」
With the impact running through him, Diablo fluttered about in midair.
It had quite the power.
His back crashed into large tree.
「Gahah!」
The air was spit out from the insides of his lungs. He nearly regurgitated his lunch.
Rem and Shera raised screams.
──I won’t allow myself to fall in such an unsightly manner!
Although Diablo had gotten to his knees, he immediately stood up.
His body felt heavy as if he were carrying a lump of lead on his back or something. It seemed that he had received a considerable amount of damage.
──That was incredible might. Its range is super long range. It makes several simultaneous attacks that it doesn’t seem like it’s from a single enemy. And it’s hard to even catch the tips of the tentacles with the naked eye, huh.
Those were quite broken abilities.
「Kukuku......Good, as expected of a last monster. Isn’t this what is expected of a Demon King!」
It wasn’t like Diablo had one-sidedly received an attack.
Due to his freezing magic 《Ice Age》, a majority of Cardia’s prided tentacles stopped moving.
Nevertheless, it seemed that there was no damage to the main body.
Although Diablo took an attitude that had an air of composure, he was thinking about this and that.
Even in the game, there were times where the enemy’s stamina gauge didn’t look like it decreased even though the attacks hit. Was there some sort of mechanism to it? Or could it be that due to having an enormously huge amount of stamina, the amount it decreased couldn’t observed?
Rafleisha gritted her teeth.
「Gugugu......」
「What’s wrong? Do you not have any weapons other than those tentacles? As for me, I still have many more brutal magic spells. I shall let you try the next one.」
「Kill! Those guys that took that person away......Will not be forgiven! AaAAaaaaAAAH!!」
She wasn’t looking this way.
She was a completely insane Warrior.
Diablo strongly bit down his molars.
「That, again......If you call yourself a king, then you should take pride in standing at the summit even in intelligence. Learn that fights are not so easy that you can win by becoming like a beast of the fields and losing your presence of mind!」
「UAAAAH!!」
An attack through tentacles just like earlier came.
「Do not bore me, Cardia! 《Lightning Storm》!!」
It was a high level magic that possessed Light and Wind attributes. A tornado obstructed the tentacles, while lightning brushed away the enemy.
No matter how fast the tentacle attack was, it wasn’t as fast as lightning.
Due to the magic that had a quick activation after determining the attack’s target, it gave damage while obstructing the opponent’s attack. The tentacles turned into ash.
If he fired this in rapid succession, at the very least, he wouldn’t be outpushed. All that was left was to deal with how the main body seemed to be uninjured.
Was there some sort of mechanism? Or was it simply sturdy?
Dazzlingly bright magical power overflowed from the orb, and flowed to Rafleisha.
「Gahah!」
She spat up blood.
Shera talked.
「Diablo! The Demon King’s power is coming out from that ball!」
「Mu.」
──The magical power from the orb is flowing into Rafleisha......And to the Cardia overhead?
It wasn’t the other way around?
He thought for sure that the one floating overhead was the main body, and that after Rafleisha’s role of lifting the seal, she was only being used as a terminal for conversational use but......
Putting things together with Rem’s earlier words, he thought about it.
「Ku ku ku......I understand now, Cardia. You, you are still sealed, aren’t you!?」
「Shut up!」
「So you are only manipulating Rafleisha from inside the orb, giving her magical power, and making her fight. The huge thing above, it’s merely an illusion.」
In that case, no matter how powerful the magic that he hit it with was, no matter what attribute he tried out on it, it made sense that it would seem uninjured.
Diablo fired his magic not at the heart that floated in the sky──not at Cardia, but at the Rafleisha who held the orb.
「《Lightning Arrow》!!」
The high speed bullet of light flew with high precision towards the orb that was in her hands.
The opponent didn’t move.
The bullet of light......
Just before it hit the orb──swerved.
Diablo didn’t hit it on purpose.
Maybe because she was being manipulated, Rafleisha’s expression didn’t change, but the Demon King’s emotions appeared in the magical power flowing from the orb.
For an instant, it was cut off.
Bewilderment? Surprise? Or was it disappointment?
Diablo shrugged his shoulders.
「If I apply the conditions from the time with Rem, if either magical power is poured into the orb, or if it is destroyed, the seal will be broken, right?」
Or, the Ceremony Magic that undoes the seal. Rafleisha should have known it, but she didn’t hold a ceremony. She was dominated by hatred and turned into Cardia’s puppet, but she might not be completely dominated.
「In either event, you were hoping that the seal would break from another person’s attack, weren’t you? Naive. Truly naive! Do not clump me together with fools that would indiscriminately exert their power if things turned into a fight.」
──Being cautious of traps when you feel that you’ve won, that is what a Gamer does!
Rafleisha’s shoulders trembled.
「U, UUuu......」
「Hmph......Were you happy since the outside of the seal was right before your fingertips? You made a mistake in judgment, you damned fool. To think that you would challenge this Diablo in an incomplete state.」
「UoGUgu, damn, you! Damn youuuuuuーッ!!」
The Cardia overhead vanished.
So it really was an illusion.
The camouflage was undone.
Rafleisha only made a vacant face and stood there.
A countless number of jet black tentacles grew from the orb that was in her hands.
Diablo curved the ends of his lips.
「Did you think that the people of the Races could not see the flow of magical power? It is because of that foolishness, that you lost to God.」
In place of a shout, magical power flooded out from the orb.
The tentacles made the air oscillate.
In mid-air, a fireball that shined in a color close to white appeared. It were as if a small sun had sprung forth close to the ground.
It was enough that the heat could be felt even when away from it.
The ground was burned.
Rafleisha, who was directly below it, would not get off scot-free.
It was an attack that he had not seen before.
──Is it magic? Or could it be a special attribute attack!?
Controlling the small sun, Cardia shouted through Rafleisha’s mouth.
「Scatter away......《Falling Solar》!!」[1]
「So it was chant magic!」
Diablo stuck out his left hand.
What was fitted on his finger was the 《Demon King’s Ring》. It would reflect any and all magic──Even if it was magic that a Demon King fired.
*Kiiiiin* A high-pitched sound was made.
An undulating effect spread out in the air.
The gigantic fireball that came falling returned to the sky just like that.
「......ッ!?」
Cardia, through Rafleisha’s eyes, dumbfoundedly gazed at that spectacle, and seemed to have already forgotten to even let out a voice.
He spoke even more overbearingly than ever before.
「Ku ku ku......Just now, did you, do something?」
In his mind, he wiped a cold sweat.
──Thank goodness Magic Reflection was able to workkkkkー!!
Since it was an unknown attack, in all honesty, he was extremely nervous. It’s because he felt that it would be dangerous if it made a direct hit.
Cardia was not implemented in the MMORPG Cross Reverie that Diablo knew of. It was most likely going to be implemented in the near future, and a monster greater than level 150. In other words, that just now was probably magic learned at above level 150.
Feeling a danger to his life for the first time in a while, he shuddered.
*Goton* The orb tumbled to the ground.
It separated from Rafleisha’s hands. She, while remaining expressionless as usual, leaked out a voice of deeply held resentment.
「F, for this Demon King......to lose to a mere inferior person of the Races......How could this be......」
「Are those, words for when I’ve cleared this? You are lacking ingenuity.」
「Due to this useless thing......Received humiliation.」
「Mu!?」
He had a bad premonition.
The tentacles that stretched out from the orb that had fallen to Rafleisha’s feet, all of them had lost strength, and languidly sprawled out on the ground.
However, one of them was sharp like a long sword, and stretched straight out.
Cardia’s tentacle pierced her abdomen.
It pierced through even her back.
「Gyau!?」
As if she had regained her sanity through the pain, Rafleisha raised a scream with her own voice.
Cardia’s tentacle vanished, and even the discharge of the sinister magical power from the orb had stopped.
However, this wasn’t the time to focus on that.
Rem and Shera raised screams, and Durango bit his lip.
Blood loudly spilled out.
Rafleisha crumbled down.
「Ah......!? Ahh......!?」
「Don’t screw with me!」
──That unreasonably stubborn third-rate bastard!! On top of thoroughly using her, it took her down with it!?
Diablo ran to her.
Kicking away the orb that tumbled to her feet, he knelt down next to Rafleisha who was in a pool of blood.
「Don’t die!」
「Ah......Guh......I’m......sorr......」
「Rafleisha-sama!」
Rem came running over. Shera was also with her.
「Rafleisha-san!」
Durango talked sounding vexed.
「It’s no good......With this injury......She can’t be saved.」
「Sorr......plea, se......forgive......」
Shera grabbed her stretched out hand.
「The one to blame, is the Demon King! There’s nothing to forgive. Rafleisha-san, you aren’t at fault!」
「My, weakness......Forgive, me......Forest......to the......Dark Elves......」
「I’ll keep our promise!」
With blood stained lips, Rafleisha expressed a smile.
「Thank, good......ness......you......were......the......prin......」
Strength was being lost from her hand.
Diablo used an 《Elixir》.
Rafleisha’s wound closed up in an instant, and her HP made a complete recovery. Incidentally, her MP also made a complete recovery, and any and all Bad Statuses were normalized.
She repeatedly blinked her eyes several times over what had just happened.
「......Eh? Wh......at?」
「I gave you the order “don’t die”, you know, Rafleisha?」
While feeling relieved that he made it in time, Diablo talked with a solemn voice.
「Wha!? Are you saying you brought her back to life!?」
Having already given up hope, Durango opened his eyes wide.
Even if 《Elixir》 was the strongest recovery potion, it was unable to resurrect people. He only made it in time to heal her.
Shera hugged Rafleisha.
「Hoorayー!!」
Rem breathed a sigh.
「Fuu......You’re the same as ever, Diablo. I have no idea just how many people have been saved thanks to you.」
「Hmph......I merely found it irritating for things to go Cardia’s way, and lightly prevented it.」
Rafleisha stared at her own hands, and was dumbfounded.
「I, am not......dead......?」
「Making me spend time like that. Once you’ve calmed down, tell me what happened. Well, I can imagine the gist of it though.」
While being disoriented, Rafleisha raised her body, and lowered her head while kneeling.
「Diablo-dono, I nearly took the lives a great number of people. To think that you would even save this body of mine on top of obstructing the Demon King Cardia’s revival......Just how in the world should I thank you. Offering my life to you would be insufficient.」
「Due to a fool assuming the title of Demon King appeared before me, I merely crushed its schemes. It is not like I had tried to save you.」
「Even if that is the case, I shall never forget this favor for the rest of my life.」
「Do as you wish.」
When he thought that the first stage was completed, Rose, who was standing in wait behind him, raised her voice.
「Master, I sense high density magical power!」
Translator’s Notes:
[1] Original: オチルソラ. I wasn’t sure if I should keep it at “Ochiru Solar” or not. The moves are usually said in English or close to it.
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