Chapter I: My Bride’s Birthday Is Far More Important Than the Fate of the World

“Check it out, bro! I learned how to float!”

Several hours after receiving the shocking information about Nephy’s birthday and having breakfast, a cheerful voice resounded throughout the throne room. Only Zagan, Kimaris—who was summarizing reports for him by his side—and a young boy making a fuss in front of them, Furcas, currently stood in the room.

I want to prepare for Nephy’s birthday in secret and surprise her.

That was why Zagan had kept quiet about it as he attempted to start preparations, but his normal duties kept springing up and getting in the way. In this specific instance, he had requests and reports and such from his subordinates, as well as the boy in front of him.

The boy who clamored about, floating a couple centimeters off the ground, looked somewhere shy of fifteen. He wore a hempen shirt and trousers along with a worn-out overcoat. His outfit was completely out of place in an Archdemon’s castle. In fact, he looked like little more than a perfectly normal boy. Sadly, he was actually one of the sorcerers entrusted with the title of Archdemon. As proof of that, the Sigil of the Archdemon glowed on his right hand.

“I see. Good for you,” Zagan said with a nod, unsure of exactly how to feel about this situation.

“Right on! It’s all thanks to you teaching me, bro!”

It had been three days since they had saved this boy from a certain nightmare. Furcas had lost his memories in there, and they showed no signs of resurfacing. Having said that, he still had the Sigil of the Archdemon, meaning he possessed more mana than any ordinary sorcerer. On the off chance that he regained his memories, it was highly likely he would become an enemy. But even if he didn’t, there were tons of reasons for other Archdemons and sorcerers to manipulate him.

I feel like it’d be way faster to just finish him off...

So Zagan thought, but for whatever reason, the boy had gotten attached to him to the point of constantly referring to him as “bro.” If he were a canus or the like, Furcas would probably be wagging his tail about. Seeing him like that, Zagan’s desire to kill him faded away.

As such, Furcas was now under his protection. With the condition that he was to remain confined within the castle—only to leave when accompanied by Zagan, Kimaris, or the like—he even received training in simple sorcery.

Honestly, even if he had no memories, his body probably remembered. He was learning at a terrifying speed.

“I’d expect nothing less of you, Sir Furcas,” Kimaris said with a pleasant smile. “I don’t know of any others who have mastered sorcery so quickly.”

Despite his gentle voice, Kimaris had an enormous body. He possessed a firm physique, the face of a lion, and a splendid mane. Standing several steps up, right next to the throne, he struck a fairly imposing figure, but Furcas didn’t mind any of that. He simply expressed pure delight.

“Thanks, Kimry! You’ve got a scary face, but you’re actually a really nice guy!”

“That’s normal in this castle,” Kimaris replied.

Well, even without any memories, this boy was still an Archdemon. Perhaps he just had nerves of steel.

It would be far better if he just felt like living as a normal civilian... With that thought in mind, Zagan addressed the boy.

“Answer me, Furcas. Why exactly do you wish to learn sorcery? I hope you’re aware that it’s not particularly useful if you desire to live an ordinary life.”

Zagan didn’t want to give the boy any unnecessary stimulation. If Furcas were to spend the rest of his natural life span living normally, Zagan was fine with looking after him.

Furcas looked back at him, blinking in confusion, before replying, “Huh? I mean, I can’t protect Lilith unless I get stronger.”

“Just so you know, Lilith is also under my protection. So long as that’s the case, she won’t be exposed to danger.”

Unexpectedly, Furcas gave Zagan a look of exasperation.

“You just don’t get it, bro. Lilith is sure to keep trying her best to help you, yeah? I know best how amazing a girl she is. That’s why I have to get stronger to protect and support her.”

How did such a serious and upright guy become a damn Archdemon? Zagan thought, cradling his head. He believed Furcas had gone off the right course in life because of Alshiera, but he hadn’t the slightest idea how.

“I’m frightened of what will happen when Miss Gremory returns...” Kimaris muttered gravely.

“Don’t even mention that, Kimaris. You’re hurting my head.”

The granny was currently out on business, but it was about time for her to return. It was clear as day that if she were to see Furcas and Lilith now, she would start following them around and dancing in joy. Nothing good would come of it. Furcas had never met her, so he was left staring in confusion. Seeing this, Zagan shook his head to pull himself together.

“Uhhh... So? How’s life here? Think you’ll get by?” he asked.

Currently, Furcas was little more than a regular civilian. Due to that fact, Zagan had to consider him in the same realm as Lilith and Selphy.

“Yeah!” Furcas replied with a smile. “Everyone’s so kind! Nothing’s really bothering me at all! About the only thing worth mentioning is that Lilith is kinda avoiding me, and her mermaid friend keeps glaring at me with super cold eyes, I guess?”

Zagan’s eyes widened at the completely unexpected news.

Huh? By mermaid, does he mean Selphy? Why would she be glaring at him?

Kuroka—who was currently far away on business—Selphy, and Lilith were childhood friends from Liucaon. The three of them were all of rare species and got along well within the castle. In complete contrast to the succubus Lilith, who was always filled with worries, the siren Selphy was always so optimistic that she almost always failed to read the atmosphere, though she often also managed to cheer up everyone around her. Zagan couldn’t even imagine her acting coldly toward anyone.

Furcas didn’t seem to be questioning it at all, however. Instead, he simply made a thoughtlessly cheerful expression when he suddenly raised his voice.

“What is it now...?” Zagan asked.

“Oh, I was just wondering... What are you fighting against? I don’t even know what that monster from last time was.”

Now that he thought of it, Zagan realized he hadn’t explained anything to him.

Well, I guess Bifrons or the like will end up manipulating him if I keep quiet.

He didn’t like having to do that, but Zagan knew it was better to fill Furcas in on the details properly.

“My current enemy is a sorcerer named Shere Khan,” Zagan started in an irritated tone. “He’s an Archdemon just like me. We’ve been skirmishing over the last few months.”

Having said that, Shere Khan hadn’t made any moves over the last month. Considering the reports he had gotten from Shax and his other subordinates, Zagan believed the Archdemon had decided to focus on reinforcing his strength, so Shere Khan would probably be making the next move soon. It was just a matter of when.

Kimaris kept quiet, a complicated expression on his face. His fate had also been intertwined with Shere Khan.

“An Archdemon?” Furcas asked with a shudder. “There are other people out there like you?”

You’re one too...

Zagan wanted to confiscate the boy’s Sigil of the Archdemon already, but unfortunately, it was a terrifyingly complex system that employed Celestian. The ritual to usurp ownership required the consent of twelve Archdemons, meaning every Archdemon other than the one being robbed had to agree.

It was far quicker to simply kill the owner and steal the Sigil of the Archdemon instead of going through the trouble of invoking such a ritual, so it had never actually been done. It was apparently possible to have the owner willingly transfer the Sigil to someone else, but with Furcas in his current state, that would prove difficult. With all that in mind, Zagan decided to keep him close at hand. Not that Furcas could understand any of this.

“So what did this Shere Khan guy do to you?” Furcas asked.

“There’s a whole lot... First, he destroyed Kuroka’s hometown. You haven’t met her, but she’s Raphael’s daughter. He’s also trying to kill Alshiera. Oh, and there’s also Kimaris’s case... Well, in short, he’s brought unspeakable harm to my subordinates.”

After enumerating all of the reasons aloud, rage began building up within Zagan, causing his voice to grow unintentionally rough. Overawed by this, Furcas gulped.

“S-So he’s a fiend...”

Sorcerers were fundamentally monsters at their core, but Zagan figured he didn’t have to delve into that level of common sense.

“Well, all those acts give me sufficient reason to kill him, but there’s something else he did that’s utterly unforgivable,” Zagan added with a shake of the head.

“There’s more?! Wh-What terrifying thing did he do?”

Zagan thrust his finger at the trembling boy and resolutely declared, “That bastard dared to interrupt my date with Nephy.”

The other day, things had finally calmed down to the point where he and Nephy could go on a date, but they’d been stopped from doing so. It was bad enough that simply killing Shere Khan felt like a half-hearted measure in Zagan’s eyes. This was pretty much completely unjustified resentment on his part, verging on a persecution complex, but he didn’t doubt that it was all Shere Khan’s fault for a single minute.

“Huh...? Y-Your date?” Furcas said in total astonishment. “You mean when lovers go out together...right?”

“Precisely.”

Furcas glanced over at Kimaris for help, but Zagan’s talented right-hand man returned a nonchalant look as if to tell him this was nothing out of the ordinary.

“I-Is that really more important than your subordinates?” Furcas asked in disbelief.

He had an extremely good point, but Zagan made a contrary declaration with all the majesty of an Archdemon.

“Do you believe such measly dedication is a sufficient way to display your love?”

Furcas clasped his chest and bent backward as if struck by lightning.

“Y-You’re right. If anyone out there were to make Lilith sad, I would fight them to the death. I’m such a fool...”

The boy fell to his knees, chastising himself all the while, at which Zagan smiled like an affectionate father.

“Don’t worry. Ignorance is not a crime. However, staying ignorant is, so you must study. Understood?”

“Hnnngh! I’ll do my best!”

With no way of knowing that this was, in fact, the very moment he began walking off the proper course in life, Furcas choked on the sincerest of tears. He then wiped his face and rose to his feet.

“So after taking care of this Shere Khan guy, everything will be settled?! I’ll give it my all!” he exclaimed.

“Yeah... You can... Right. Go stay by Lilith’s side. Protect her.”

“Leave it to me!”

Zagan didn’t want the boy to do anything unnecessary and get in the way, which was why he had given him that order while averting his gaze.

Sorry, Lilith, I’ll give you some kind of reward later.

He felt somewhat guilty about pushing such a nuisance on her. From next to him, Kimaris seemed to be imagining the chaos that would ensue once Gremory returned, clutching his stomach in pain.

“So was that monster also one of Shere Khan’s underlings?” Furcas asked with a cock of his head.

“No... In a way, you could say he was responsible, but that’s a separate matter. If left at large, the entire world was liable to be destroyed, let alone my immediate surroundings. That’s why I dealt with it.”

Zagan had ended up coming across it, so he’d had no choice but to do something. Honestly, it had only been repulsed to the other side of Alshiera’s barrier, and that had only been thanks to Lilith and the others. All Zagan had done was buy time. He really had no right to claim he’d dealt with it. Kimaris hadn’t been present at the time, so this also seemed to attract his attention. He directed a sharp gaze at Zagan, but Zagan didn’t answer him.

Things that mustn’t be understood. Things that mustn’t be spoken of...

This world was akin to a dream to that thing. It could see it every now and then, but everything was vague. Even when it tried to grasp the world, it seemed like everything slipped through its fingers. That was how the world was protected from it. Such was the true nature of the barrier that had to use someone as powerful as Alshiera as a human sacrifice to maintain itself.

If that thing ever realized it was in a dream, if it started dreaming lucidly and evolved to a stage where it could move as it willed, the world would immediately be destroyed. That was why it was forbidden for anyone to research it and why it was taboo to even speak its name.

When Zagan and Nephy met inside that dream, all it had taken for them to start dreaming lucidly was realizing that it was, in fact, a dream. Now that he half-understood all that, Zagan had to put in the effort not to think about it more than he already had; until he found a way of dealing with it, at least.

Zagan shook his head to cast such thoughts aside as the young boy looked up at the ceiling with squinted eyes.

“You really are amazing, bro. Doesn’t that mean you protected the world?”

“Huh? No, that wasn’t really how it went...”

In fact, he had actually thought of destroying the world more than protecting it, just like when he thought some pest had gotten attached to Foll.

Anyway, is this guy really all right? Why is he so moved?

It was up to Furcas how he interpreted everything, but Zagan felt like he was tricking the boy, since he was taking everything in such a positive light. It made him feel somewhat restless. In the worst case, it’d be troubling if Furcas realized it had all been a misunderstanding and betrayed him out of unjustified resentment, so perhaps it was a good idea to give him a warning now.

Zagan cleared his throat, then said, “I don’t mind you getting all excited, but at least consider what’s right and wrong on your own. I don’t believe myself to be righteous. When balanced on a scale against Nephy or Foll, I would cast you away without question.”

“But didn’t you nearly die to save both Lilith and me?” Furcas asked with a confused blink.

“Uh, no, you’re not listening to me...”

Nephy and Foll’s lives hadn’t been at stake, and he felt it would’ve been disgraceful to go back to Nephy without doing anything. His reasons had all been selfish. Nevertheless, Furcas smiled as if everything was clear now.

“If you ever abandon me, that means it’s my turn to save you!” he exclaimed.

Zagan was left dumbfounded by his innocent gaze.

Damn, this guy is hopeless. He’s decisively unsuited to being a sorcerer. He reminds me of... Right, him. He’s like Head Archangel Ginias II, that guy I squabbled with in the holy city. Maybe I should talk to Stella and have Furcas work over there...

With Stella’s help, they could gloss over the fact that he used to be a sorcerer. The same could be said about Chastille and her Unification Faction, but they had a difficult position in the church, so an ex-Archdemon could cause major trouble among their ranks. There was still the problem of the Sigil of the Archdemon, but perhaps it was still a good idea to contact Stella about it when he had the time.

Zagan scratched his head as he thought of such things. Kimaris, however, let out an amused laugh.

“Ha ha ha. You should really try to be more conscious of how others view you, my liege.”

“Hmph... How rude,” Zagan said with a sigh before turning back to Furcas. “Whatever. More importantly, I should give you a warning. I don’t think they’ll appear before you, but if you ever meet a sorcerer named Bifrons, plug your ears, try not to look at anything, and run away.”

“Bifrons...? Another one of your enemies?”

“Yeah. Bifrons looks like a little brat but is actually an Archdemon with three decades of experience under their belt. Their hobby is watching others suffer. I’d say they’re an expert at complicating matters, so it’d be better to die than get involved with that sorcerer.”

That Archdemon was pretty much the only person Zagan spoke of with such hatred, perhaps in part due to his failure to finish them off.

Not that I think Bifrons will have any interest in Furcas as he is now...

Bifrons seemed far more gleeful at the thought of people struggling for survival in the depths of chaos they’d brought about, fulfilling their desires while being a major nuisance to everyone at the same time.

Without any memories, and with the power of an Archdemon, Furcas could perhaps be thought of as a slightly interesting toy, but his nature was far closer to a civilian like Lilith. Perhaps that was peculiar behavior for an Archdemon, but he no longer possessed any factors that delighted Bifrons. Even if Bifrons tried to use him, Furcas wouldn’t be able to keep the Archdemon’s attention. And in the off chance that Furcas got involved, Bifrons wouldn’t become obsessed with him like with Nephteros.

In that sense, Bifrons is probably already obsessed with Aristella...

She was the pitiful girl who had become Azazel’s worldly medium, and Bifrons really had tried to save her. From their perspective, retrieving her corpse should’ve sufficed, but Bifrons had gone above and beyond that. Zagan wasn’t sure whether or not she was still alive, but he hoped she wasn’t getting involved in anything strange.

I failed to save her back then, after all.

He at least felt compelled to save her next time, if the chance ever came along. Zagan‘s thoughts were then brought to a grinding halt when he noticed Furcas had turned completely pale.

“There’s no need for fear. I’m just saying such bastards exist out there,” Zagan stated.

“B-But...don’t you think this Bifrons will be interested in Lilith? She’s such a charming girl.”

“Oh... Mmm... Well, Bifrons is obsessed with someone else right now, so it’s probably fine.”

Or so Zagan said, but another thought came to mind.

It’s been several months since Bifrons and Shere Khan teamed up, meaning...

It was about time for them to break the Heaven’s Phosphor curse Zagan had cast on Bifrons. It would’ve held a little longer had Bifrons been on their own, but there was no way they’d been helping Shere Khan out of a sense of charity. It seemed safe to assume that breaking Heaven’s Phosphor had been the condition for offering their hand in whatever Shere Khan wanted, and cooperation between two Archdemons never lasted long.

I guess I really should tell Nephteros...

That girl was currently burdened with a major problem. Plus, there was the matter of her birthday, meaning the problem had to be resolved before then.

Zagan’s impatience seemed to get across. Furcas took a single step back to leave, but he almost immediately raised his face upon thinking of something.

“Oh yeah, can I ask you one last thing?”

“What?”

“These Archdemons you’re talking about are important people, right? So...who is this Silver-Eyed King that Alsh—I mean, Miss Alshiera speaks of?”

Even without his memories, something seemed to remain within Furcas. The moment he spoke Alshiera’s name, his expression turned somewhat listless.

The Silver-Eyed King... Zagan instinctively averted his gaze at the thought.

“That’s the name of a hero from a country called Liucaon,” he answered. “If you’re interested in learning more, go take a look through my archives. I have a collection of books describing his legends.”

Zagan now knew this legend was his father. However, he’d failed to gather any meaningful information about him. At the very least, two people had gone by that name. If they had been the first and second generations, that would make Zagan the third-generation Silver-Eyed King. And in that case, it would be appropriate to consider the second generation his father, but there were practically no clues as to whether he had been Liucaon’s hero or someone else entirely. It wasn’t even clear what age he had lived in.

Furthermore, Zagan questioned the accuracy of Liucaon’s legends. None of them mentioned seraphs, Azazel, the Demon Lord, or even Alshiera. Pretty much the only name that connected to the present day was Foll’s father, Orobas. Either all of the important information had been intentionally concealed or everything had been transformed into a literary work. Even if things had conformed to reality in the beginning, it was very likely that the story had warped over time. Zagan had ordered every book relevant to Liucaon’s legends, but none of them contained the information he desired.

“So you read books other than grimoires, huh?” Furcas said with a surprised look on his face.

“Of course I do. Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Zagan was a king. So long as he reigned over others, he would learn everything that he ought to. Many books from Liucaon documented the knowledge of military strategists and other people of great wisdom. Such books weren’t normally found on the continent, where all the literature in circulation was managed by the church, so there was worth in reading them even disregarding his search for information on the Silver-Eyed King.

Furcas nodded in admiration, then suddenly cocked his head and said, “Sooo...does that mean you’re from Liucaon?”

“Who knows? I was gathering trash in Kianoides by the time I grew aware of my surroundings. I don’t know anything about my birthplace, nor do I have any interest in the matter.”

Zagan had investigated it simply because of the likelihood that it would become an unnecessary obstruction in the future. Even if he did identify his father, he didn’t think it would move him in any significant way.

But who was that person I saw at the end inside Alshiera’s barrier...?

Zagan was certain of what he had seen at the end of the dream, right as he was being driven out of the barrier. There had been three people standing there: Alshiera, giving off a different impression from how she was now; his old friend Marc, who had been serving as the church’s pope until five years ago; and lastly, a young man with silver eyes.

A bombastic title like Silver-Eyed King seemed completely unsuitable for the young man. Besides, even though silver eyes were rare, they weren’t entirely unheard of. Searching an entire city would likely yield one or two people with them. Nevertheless, Zagan had a hunch as to who that young man was.

If I’m right, that was the second generation...

However, the outward appearance of the people Zagan had seen him with couldn’t be relied on whatsoever, so he had no way of knowing for sure. He sighed at that thought.

“Sorry. Should I not have asked?” Furcas said, shrinking back from Zagan’s somewhat blunt tone.

“It’s nothing you need worry about,” Zagan replied, rising to his feet. “I have business in town. Go dedicate yourself to your studies.”

“Right!”

The boy who was once an Archdemon waved his hand innocently as he exited the throne room.

Right when Zagan prepared to depart as well, he found an unexpected visitor waiting for him.

“Mister Zagan, could I, like, bother you for a sec?”

It was a siren who appeared to be brooding deeply over something.

◇

Around the same time, Nephy was tidying up the kitchen after breakfast. Lately, the sorcerers of the castle had been taking more regular meals, so putting everything away took a fair bit of time. Having said that, everyone always ate absolutely everything on their plates, so there was never a need to deal with leftovers.

Nephy had her white hair tied up in a bun so that it wouldn’t get in the way of cleaning. That was something Lilith had done for her quite a lot recently. She wore her usual ultramarine dress, white apron, and sorcery-blessed boots. With her in the kitchen were Raphael, Foll, Lilith, and Alshiera.

“Oh? Where is Selphy?” Nephy asked everyone upon realizing someone was missing.

“She said she had to see Zagan,” Foll answered.

The little girl had green hair much like the color of spring grass, through which two horns poked out. Her amber eyes had vertical slits for pupils. To be more specific, she was a young dragon, not a little girl. She had her favorite native dress on with her sleeves rolled up and wore an apron much like Nephy’s as she washed the tableware. She was Nephy and Zagan’s precious daughter.

This girl was actually one of the most talented sorcerers in the castle, probably the entire world. She could clean all the tableware in only a few seconds if she used sorcery, but she seldom did so. Times like these, when she could chat and laugh with everyone, were precious to her. That was why Nephy also cleaned up just like everyone else without relying on sorcery.

“How unusual,” Nephy said with a cock of her head. “Does she have something to ask him, I wonder?”

“Yes...that’s probably the case,” Lilith answered meekly. “It seems something’s been on her mind lately.”

She had twisted horns coming from scarlet hair, wings like those of a bat poking out of her back, and a long and narrow tail. She was a charming succubus with golden eyes much like the moon. Lilith was a normal person, utterly incapable of using sorcery, inside a castle of sorcerers, but she wasn’t powerless either. After the other day’s incident, it could be said that she was the person who had to be protected the most, in a sense.

“Usually, she comes to me whenever something bothers her...” she muttered, a dark expression hanging over her due to the complicated position she found herself in now.

Nephy returned an ambiguous smile.

So even Selphy has things she worries about...

That girl spent her time in an Archdemon’s castle with a completely optimistic outlook, never even showing any hint of timidity. Nephy couldn’t even imagine her worrying about anything. Still, Selphy was actually a genius in a single aspect. They said normal people couldn’t understand the concerns of a genius. Selphy’s worries might have been incomprehensible to her.

“Is there anything that girl actually worries about?”

Nephy had wisely sensed that she should keep her thoughts to herself, but the butler Raphael mercilessly spoke his mind. He was tall enough that she had to look up at him. Despite the fact that he was approaching fifty years of age, his spine was perfectly straight. His armored left arm was artificial, but his unarmored right arm was still equally thick. His gruff language could make him hard to understand, but he was actually flawless when it came to cooking and cleaning. The old gentleman was a former Archangel. His Sacred Sword was currently stored inside his artificial arm. Zagan put his trust in Kimaris and Gremory as sorcerers, but he put unrivaled trust in Raphael as his right-hand man.

Lilith’s eyes widened somewhat unexpectedly upon hearing the butler’s words.

“She actually worries quite a bit, you know? Well, usually it’s over relatively meaningless things, but...”

“Like what?” Raphael asked.

“Urk...” Lilith groaned with a frown. “Um... There are these insects called ants, right? They carry off small pieces of dessert sometimes, so she wondered what they do with them, since it definitely can’t be split up between all of them... And how if she were an ant, she would leave the colony if she didn’t get a portion every time... And then she wondered how the ants who leave live outside the colony...”

“How...philosophical.”

This was the answer Raphael came up with after desperately trying to read the atmosphere, in his own way.

Silence followed.

All gazes then naturally converged on Alshiera, who had been keeping strangely quiet the entire time. Or perhaps rather than keeping quiet, it was more like her mind was somewhere else entirely. The fact that she still managed to clean up the tableware properly was rather impressive.

Alshiera had the same golden eyes as Lilith, as well as golden hair tied up in two pigtails, which Nephy knew were hiding her broken horns. She had pale skin and two fangs poking through her slender lips. She was the world’s strongest vampire. The creepy stuffed toy she always carried preciously to her chest was now sitting atop a chair right by her side.

“What do you think, Alshiera?” Foll asked.

“Huh? Oh, I wasn’t listening. What are you discussing?”

Alshiera returned to her senses and cocked her head as everyone else exchanged looks.

“Um, we were talking about how Selphy seems to be acting odd,” Nephy said. “Are you aware of anything?”

“Well... She is a growing girl, after all. Not that I really understand...”

“Alshiera, did something happen?” Foll asked, staring fixedly at the vampire all the while.

“No, um... I was just lost in thought.”

“If it has nothing to do with Selphy, then is it about what happened this morning?”

All the residents of the castle knew that Zagan had made a ruckus in the early hours of the day. It had to be quite significant, seeing that it had pierced the barrier around the throne room.

“The Silver-Eyed King is also a growing boy,” Alshiera answered, quietly averting her gaze.

“What happened? You eavesdropped through the barrier, didn’t you?” Foll asked, suddenly closing in and causing Alshiera to bend backward.

“Could you not speak of me as if I’m so disrespectful?”

“But you did listen in on their conversation.”

Alshiera didn’t answer and kept her silence. She really had been eavesdropping, apparently.

Nephy folded her arms and fell into deep thought.

Hmm, I’m reluctant to dig into her secrets, but it seems to involve Master Zagan.

Whenever this girl kept silent like this, it had to do with her duty—meaning it was related to the great existence that threatened the entire world—and if not, it had to do with Zagan. Thinking back on recent circumstances, Nephy keenly came to a certain conclusion.

“Master Zagan was talking to my mother at the time, I think.”

“Something Zagan and Granny were talking about in secret... So it’s about you, Nephy?” Foll added.

“Perhaps, but in that case, Lady Alshiera wouldn’t be reacting like this.”

“Could you girls please stop reading that much from a single expression...?” Alshiera complained. Nephy was now certain that she was on the mark.

“Nephy, can you think of anything?” Foll asked, looking up at her while washing a dish.

“Let’s see... The only thing that comes to mind is that it’s been nearly a year since I met Master Zagan.”

Nobody overlooked the fact that Alshiera averted her gaze again.

“Looks like we’re close to the heart of the matter,” Nephy remarked.

“Hm?” Lilith suddenly muttered with a curious look.

“Is something the matter, Lilith?”

“I mean, it’s been about a year since you met His Highness, right?”

“Yes.”

“I was just wondering when his birthday is...”

Nephy clearly saw Alshiera jolt in place upon hearing that.

“I see...”

The elf put on a gentle smile, then backed up as if sliding across the floor and silently closed the kitchen door.

“Why are you shutting the door?” Alshiera asked.

It wasn’t like that could actually prevent Alshiera from leaving. The vampire was just about to transform into a swarm of bats, but Foll firmly gripped her shoulders and stopped her. Lastly, Raphael unsheathed his Sacred Sword as if he suddenly wanted to polish it, then stabbed it into the ground. From what Nephy would hear later, this was apparently an anti-undead barrier that only Archangels could employ.

Nephy was ready to unleash celestial mysticism at any moment. Even the world’s strongest vampire couldn’t easily break this siege. With the sudden tension in the room, the only non-combatant, Lilith, let out a quiet scream, but that was but a triviality.

“Masterfully done, Lilith,” Nephy said, clapping her hands with a nod. “We wouldn’t have noticed on our own.”

“Augh... Uhhh... Y-You’re wrong. I-I didn’t mean to...”

After praising the succubus, who was now trembling violently with teary eyes, Nephy surrounded Alshiera alongside everyone else in the room.

“Now then, shall we have a little talk?” she asked the vampire.

“I suddenly feel rather frightened of you, though...”

It was strange to speak of a vampire’s complexion, but it was as if Alshiera had turned pale while staring a hole into the ground. If she had been capable of perspiring, she would have had a cold sweat pouring down her face.

Nephy believed that she at least understood Alshiera’s nature after spending so much time with her, even if not to the extent that Zagan did. If she really didn’t want to speak, or if she couldn’t, she wouldn’t have reacted like that. After all, she could’ve easily escaped before being surrounded. In that case, Alshiera actually wanted to tell everyone or believed that she had to.

Does that mean it’s simply hard for her to say it herself, I wonder?

Well, so long as she intended to talk about it, it meant she just needed a little push on the back to get going. Nephy clasped her hands in front of her chest in supplication, then smiled with a slight tilt of the head.

“Allow me to get straight to the point. Are you aware of the exact date of Master Zagan’s birthday?”

This was more of a shove off a cliff than a small push on the back. Alshiera’s moonlike eyes spun about in a panic, but after a short time, she finally gave up.

“I don’t mind telling you...but I have a condition.”

“Of course. What is it?”

“Don’t pry or even try to guess as to why I know. That’s my condition.”

That was apparently the reason she hadn’t spoken up immediately.

I don’t really mind so long as it doesn’t become a hindrance to Master Zagan... Nephy thought, then exchanged looks with the others. Raphael and Foll saw the look in her eyes and returned a nod. Lilith... Well, she seemed to have blanked out from the unpredictable situation, so there was no point in asking her.

After confirming that, Nephy nodded back to Alshiera and said, “Very well. I promise we won’t pry or even think about it.”

“Thank you...” Alshiera mumbled as she calmly got her breathing in order—not that she was really breathing or anything—then said, “The Silver-Eyed King was born on the ninth of Thalassa.”

“The ninth of Thalassa...?” Nephy repeated.

Isn’t that this month? What day is it again...?

Nephy’s eyes shot open and she practically screamed, “That’s in a week!”

If Alshiera hadn’t informed them, she would’ve missed it entirely. Nephy was so shaken by that fact that weeds began sprouting between the cracks in the stone tiles at her feet.

“Nephy, calm down. Weeds are growing,” Foll said.

Ignoring her completely, Nephy approached Lilith with dizzy and uncertain steps, then grasped her by the shoulders.

“Eek! Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-What is it?!”

“Lilith! Please tell me! What do you do to celebrate a birthday?!”

“H-H-H-Huh?!”

Lilith was completely perplexed, whereas Alshiera was left cradling her head.

“You also don’t know...?” she muttered to Nephy.

“Oh, no, I don’t. I’ve heard of such festivities in the village, but on such days, I was never allowed out of the cellar...”

Obviously, Nephy had no way of knowing when her own birthday was either.

Huh? Does that mean Master Zagan and mother were talking about...

However, Nephy had just promised not to pry or even think about the details. The conversation between those two could be considered prying, so Nephy consciously brought such thoughts to a halt. Due to that, she forced a smile, leaving everyone completely taken aback.

“What a hard life...” Foll groaned.

This also brought Lilith back to her senses.

“Ummm, in my case, I usually got clothes and accessories and the like,” the succubus said. “Look, I even got this ring from Alshiera when I turned five.”

Lilith held up her hand, showing a golden ring with a delicately carved crest adorning it. Seeing this, Nephy and Foll held their breaths.

“That’s amazing...” Nephy said. “Even I can sense a strong blessing from it that can’t be carelessly meddled with.”

It seemed closer to mysticism than sorcery, not that Nephy could really tell. She didn’t know what it was specifically, but she could sense a strength within it that even the spirits wouldn’t dare challenge.

“Alshiera. So overprotective,” Foll said in astonishment.

“S-Such an old tale has nothing to do with the present, right?”

Ten years was practically yesterday to a vampire, but Nephy had promised not to pry, so she let it be.

“Others celebrated my birthday for me every year, but I really do consider this my greatest treasure,” Lilith added.

“How nice. Now that you mention it, when is your birthday, Lilith?” Nephy asked.

“Me? The thirty-first of Klimaka.”

“Oh dear...” Nephy muttered apologetically. That was the day they had all traveled to Atlastia. “Please forgive me for not congratulating you at the time.”

“Huh? No, I mean, it wasn’t really the time for that. Besides, my parents celebrated with me normally, so don’t worry about it. Wh-What about you, Sir Raphael?”

Lilith shot a pleading gaze over to the butler. He was, in fact, another valuable non-sorcerer in this castle. He could’ve had experience with celebrating birthdays, but Raphael looked troubled by the question.

“In my case, my subordinates celebrated with me several times. Having said that, it was common for us to entertain ourselves at the tavern, so I don’t believe I’m a suitable reference,” Raphael said, then paused for a bit and nodded upon suddenly remembering something. “Oh, but I have celebrated someone else’s birthday. I gave Kuroka her cane on one such occasion.”

The cait sith Kuroka had lost her vision in the past. That had already been the case when she met Raphael.

I see. No wonder Kuroka treats that cane so dearly.

“Foll, what about you?” Raphael asked.

“Me? Hmm... Oh. On the day I was born, my father would go out and get me a feast. Stuff like beholders and salamanders. They were super tasty.”

Upon seeing her daughter with an unusual sparkle in her eyes, Nephy smiled.

Oh, I suppose “go out and get” means hunted in this case.

Even Nephy knew that beholders and salamanders were far beyond the means of the average sorcerer. It really spoke volumes of a dragon’s true strength.

And just then, Nephy was suddenly shocked.

Now that I think of it, I don’t know Foll’s birthday either! Isn’t this a major failure as a parent?!

“Um... When is your birthday, Foll?” Nephy asked her timidly.

It seemed somewhat shameful to ask that question after all this time, but Nephy had been left panicking because she hadn’t known Zagan’s birthday. Now wasn’t the time to worry about such shame.

Foll thought it over for a bit, then nodded and said, “Then...I’m fine with the sixth of Didymo.”

Nephy and Raphael’s eyes widened at her answer.

“That was the day I became my liege’s butler.”

“Mhm. And the day Zagan and Nephy adopted me.”

“Are you really all right with that?” Nephy asked in bewilderment. “You were born on a different day, weren’t you?”

Foll shook her head as if it was no big deal, then said, “I mean, I’ve never counted it on a human calendar, so I don’t know when it actually is. So yeah, that day is fine.”

That made sense. There was no way a dragon would live in accordance with a human calendar. Her father, Orobas, had likely known exactly what day it was, but Foll had apparently never really given it any thought. Nephy crouched down to meet Foll’s eyes and patted her head with a smile.

“Very well, then. Then let us have a wonderful celebration that day.”

“Mmm! Sounds fun!”

Nephy then turned her gaze up to Raphael.

“So when is your birthday?”

He didn’t seem to expect that question. Raphael looked somewhat amazed for a moment before answering, “The twenty-first of Kori.”

That was around the time Nephteros had first stumbled into the church.

Birthdays... Why haven’t I wondered about them before?

Nephy was ashamed of her own ignorance for missing such precious opportunities.

“Let’s get back on topic,” Nephy said, returning her gaze to Alshiera. “Do you happen to know how birthdays are meant to be celebrated, Lady Alshiera?”

“Huh? Me? Umm...” Alshiera trailed off. Her body stiffened, then she put her hand to her brow as if holding back a headache. “Um, Alshiere Imera ended up a national holiday, and before that would’ve been a thousand years ago... Did we do anything special?”

Nephy knew that Alshiere Imera was on the same day as this girl’s birthday, but it turned out having one’s birthday overlap with a national day of celebration was a bit of a hardship. According to Zagan, the church and vampires were in opposition, so that all seemed odd.

Does this have something to do with Alshiere Imera sounding an awful lot like her own name, I wonder?

It wasn’t possible that the church’s holy day actually celebrated the vampire herself, was it...? In any case, this girl had gone through a much harder life than Nephy or Zagan.

“However, there was, in fact, something I wanted to do to celebrate for someone...” Alshiera whispered. “Uh... What?”

Nephy had wrapped herself around Alshiera’s arm, while Foll grabbed the other one.

“Then it’s decided,” Nephy said.

“What is?”

“Whatever it is you wanted to do, we’ll do for Zagan,” Foll answered. “I mean, we don’t even know how to celebrate birthdays.”

A shudder ran through Alshiera as if she had fallen headfirst into a trap.

“Th-This is different from what we discussed!” she protested.

“No, we simply want to answer your feelings, Lady Alshiera. We have neither pried nor guessed at anything.”

Raphael then took his apron off and folded it neatly before saying, “Hm. If we are to make preparations out of sight from my liege, would it not be better to change locations? We have already finished cleaning up here.”

Raphael had finished putting away all of the tableware while the others had restrained Alshiera. That was Zagan’s butler, the pinnacle of efficiency.

“Thank you very much, Sir Raphael. Well then, shall we?” Nephy said.

“Where are you taking me?” Alshiera asked.

“Archdemon Palace will do. Zagan can’t hear us there, and I want to explore.”

“A wonderful suggestion, Foll. Let us invite Nephteros and Chastille as well. I think Nephteros in particular will be delighted by all this.”

With that, a brand new calamity had befallen Alshiera.

◇

Back in the throne room, with no way of knowing of the dire calamity in the kitchen, Zagan and Selphy faced each other. Based on the atmosphere, Kimaris knew this was no trivial matter, so he excused himself, saying he had work to do.

Now alone in the throne room, Zagan had Selphy close the door and take a seat. Her natural lower body was that of a fish, but she normally walked around with human legs. Despite coming here to talk, she remained silent and didn’t speak up.

Mrgh, I’d like to start getting ready for Nephy’s birthday already... However, this optimistic girl had come to none other than Zagan for advice. It had to be something rather serious. And as a king, he couldn’t simply forsake his subordinates.

Zagan patiently waited for her to speak, but since she refused to begin, he tried starting the conversation himself while refraining from acting in an overbearing manner to the best of his abilities.

“So? What happened?”

“Yeah... About that...”

Zagan was ready to punch her if she was going to complain about the side dishes that came with breakfast, but for the time being, it appeared to be a far more serious matter. After a short while, Selphy finally gathered her resolve.

“I don’t really know where to start... Ummm... There’s that, like, Furcas guy, right?”

That name coming up was pretty much to be expected.

“Right. I suppose I should tell you about him as well.”

After all the fuss that happened in the nightmare, Zagan had informed Lilith of the entire situation, but hadn’t explained anything to Selphy. This girl was Lilith’s best friend. Even if she didn’t need to know, she had the right to.

“Let me start by saying you mustn’t speak a word of this to anyone. If you let it slip with a ‘whoopsie’ like usual, you’ll face a suitable punishment.”

He ended up threatening her, but unexpectedly, Selphy nodded back, looking completely serious. After confirming this, Zagan cut to the chase.

“He’s an Archdemon, just like me.”

“Oh, that so?”

She didn’t sound interested at all, which left Zagan with a grimace.

Uhhh... That’s not why she’s wary? Then why’s she concerned about Furcas?

He didn’t really get it, but he still had more to say. Thus, Zagan cleared his throat and continued.

“Well, he is, in fact, still an Archdemon, but due to certain circumstances, he lost his memories. An ignorant Archdemon can be manipulated in countless ways, so I can’t simply throw him out. That’s why I’m looking after him.”

“Isn’t that, like, kinda dangerous?” Selphy asked in wonder. She finally recognized some danger in Furcas’s presence.

“A natural concern,” Zagan replied with a nod. “We don’t know when his memories will return, and there’s a pretty high chance he’ll turn hostile if they do.”

“Sooo...why are you sheltering him?”

“As I said, there’s a major risk in throwing him out. Besides, he was on the verge of death when he lost his memories, but Lilith saved him. Killing someone my subordinate risked her life to save can’t be done at my own discretion. Such is not the act of a king.”

A ruler of such poor caliber would be even worse than a tyrant.

Well, I did make preparations to deal with him if need be, however.

So long as Furcas possessed the Sigil of the Archdemon, nothing would be resolved by simply disposing of him. This made him somewhat annoying to deal with, but Zagan was at least prepared to protect Lilith and his other subordinates.

“So Lilith saved him...” Selphy muttered, putting her hand to her chest. “Does that person, like, actually love Lilith?”

Zagan cocked his head at the entirely unexpected question. He then took another look at her face. Her cheeks were flushed, she let out a pained sigh, and she even had tears forming in her eyes.

Hm? Uh, what...?

Well, Furcas had, in fact, boldly confessed his feelings to Lilith in the middle of a packed room. Selphy had even been there herself, so Zagan didn’t think she really needed to ask.

“I don’t really get it,” Selphy continued with ragged breaths. “When I watch that person court Lilith, it kinda makes my chest hurt. My eyes get, like, all hot and stuff, and I even start crying... I just don’t get it...”

Zagan’s mind went blank upon hearing her shocking confession.

Doesn’t that mean...? Wait, no... Huh? Why?

Those were phenomena he was all too familiar with. There was no mistaking it. In other words, Selphy had come here for none other than...love advice.

It was a serious problem that far surpassed his imagination. Even with the intelligence of an Archdemon, he had yet to grasp the matter entirely. Had anything even happened to make Selphy fall in love with Furcas? Well, maybe there wasn’t a logical reason at all, but it still seemed far too sudden.

Honestly, Zagan couldn’t help but think she had come to the wrong person for advice. Why didn’t she ask Nephy? Still, objectively speaking, Selphy’s feelings were pretty clear, even to him. Having said that, she seemed to be suffering because she herself didn’t see the answer.

Zagan folded his arms, looked up at the ceiling, and closed his eyes.

Is this really something I can say to the person in question?

He worried for about a full minute—this being the first time he had ever considered something that had nothing to do with Nephy for such a large amount of time—then finally arrived at his answer.

“Right, how to put this...” he started. “I believe I know what this feeling you harbor is. Actually, from an objective standpoint, this is nothing more than my opinion.”

Selphy didn’t respond. Instead, she kept her eyes fixed on Zagan and waited for him to continue. After taking in a small breath, Zagan said exactly what he thought in a heavy tone.

“I believe this emotion in your heart is love.”

Her eyes shot wide open at the shocking revelation before she gave Zagan a limp and resigned smile.

“Ha ha... So it really is, huh?”

She had vaguely realized it herself already. She simply hadn’t wanted to acknowledge it.

Well, nobody wants to admit they fell in love with the man trying to court their best friend.

That was why she couldn’t discuss it with Nephy, let alone Lilith. Kuroka was currently away from the castle, and Gremory was out of the question. In that case, Zagan really was the only person Selphy could speak to openly. He couldn’t even begin to guess how heavily such a choice had weighed upon her. That being the case, he wanted to be of as much use to her as he could.

But what should I even do?

“I actually thought that may have been the case,” Selphy said with a self-deprecating smile, ignoring Zagan’s inner turmoil. “No... I probably knew the answer a long time ago.”

“Hmm... Hang on, a long time ago?”

Hadn’t Selphy and Furcas only met three days ago? Something felt amiss, but Zagan couldn’t put his finger on what.

Selphy continued speaking as if looking back at distant memories, saying, “I think I started feeling like this when I was, like, around eleven? Back then, that smile wishing me a happy birthday was so pretty. It had my heart thumping, and hurting, but for some reason, only my face felt like it was on fire...”

That would’ve placed this around five or six years ago. How had she met Furcas back then? At the time, Liucaon had been under Marchosias’s protection, so not even an Archdemon could’ve meddled in that region.

“That’s why I ran away from home. It’s true I was sick of the old customs saying our songs couldn’t be heard outside the royal family, but this was probably the bigger reason... I mean, isn’t this, like, kinda weird?”

Hang on, who exactly is Selphy talking about?

Zagan’s bewilderment deepened. He thought she had been talking about Furcas, but considering the circumstances, that seemed impossible. So who was it that Selphy had fallen in love with? She continued telling her tale with an awkward smile, sounding like she would cry at any moment.

“I knew I shouldn’t feel this way, so I couldn’t stay there anymore. After a few years, I thought I got my feelings back in order, but after seeing that person court her, my heart felt so murky...”

“Sorry... Can I check something with you real quick?”

Zagan knew it was wrong of him to interrupt her, but there was something he just had to confirm.

“Is this person you’re in love with...Lilith?” he asked her timidly.

Selphy’s cheeks turned bright red upon hearing that.

Ah... So it really is her?

Zagan bent backward on his throne out of pure shock for the second time that day. If pushed to say it, he actually felt there were more signs of this nature coming from Lilith. He never thought Selphy would be the one who was seriously in love.

Wait, hang on. Is it possible she’s confusing friendship with romantic interest?

Although, judging from her expression, there wasn’t much room for doubt. Still, taking a wrong step here could lead to something that couldn’t be undone, so he had to ask.

Zagan took in another deep breath, then said, “Umm, well, how to put this... It’d be troublesome if I have it wrong, so I want to ask you something. I don’t know anything about how women feel, so it might sound strange. If I offend you, just ignore me. Is that fine with you?”

Selphy nodded at his lengthy preface, so Zagan threw his question at her immediately.

“Well, you know, love is different from friendship... Um, I mean, like the desire to kiss... It usually involves such feelings, I think. How are you on that front?”

“You mean, do I see her with, like, sexual interest?”

Despite Zagan’s extremely roundabout approach, the person in question replied in an utterly frank manner. Having said that, Selphy likely hadn’t given it much thought before this point. She had both her hands clasped over her lap as she gave it serious consideration. Before long, however, she replied with clear resolution.

“I do. I mean, I think she’d satisfy me way more than any man.”

S-So strong...!

Her powerful statement even earned the respect of Archdemon Zagan. Actually, Lilith was supposed to be a specialist when it came to matters of the night, so that made sense.

Hang on, is it okay for these two to share a room?

Pulling them apart now felt cruel, but it’d be troublesome if something were to happen. Zagan felt like Lilith would actually accept her, though.

Huh...? Doesn’t that mean their love is mutual?

He hadn’t confirmed Lilith’s feelings quite yet, but she didn’t seem dissatisfied with the idea. In any case, there was no mistaking Selphy’s feelings. Zagan let out a groan when suddenly, Selphy’s expression clouded over.

“Ha ha... I guess it really is gross...” she said.

“Gross? How so?”

Zagan was left wide-eyed by the unexpected direction of her worries. This time it was Selphy’s turn to be confused.

“I-I mean, we’re both girls, right...? So feeling like this is kinda...”

Zagan shook his head in astonishment and replied, “If there can be love between species, then why can’t there be love between the same sex?”

If Nephy were to turn into a man due to some sort of accident, would Zagan stop loving her? Or if he were to turn into a woman, would Nephy no longer love him? He didn’t believe either case to be true.

He did want Nephy to remain as she was, but Zagan would still love her even if she was a man. That wouldn’t change at all if he turned into a woman either. Considering the curse that had afflicted Stella and Decarabia, sorcery that changed genders did, in fact, exist, even if only temporary. Well, Zagan had never heard of anyone doing it intentionally, but there was normal transformation sorcery as well, so it wasn’t a completely impossible situation.

Honestly, Zagan still didn’t have a complete grasp on normal romance, but even disregarding that, he felt that once someone came to harbor such feelings, race or gender had nothing to do with it.

Rather, with that troublesome granny running about all the time, gender seemed like a trivial matter. At the very least, there was no need to deny Selphy’s feelings. That was especially the case after seeing Kuroka and Shax lately... Though, in their case, there were obstacles completely unrelated to race to overcome, but there was no choice for them but to do their best to surmount them.

Actually, if her feelings are considered gross, then what about me?

He was a man who had spent a million gold to buy his bride. It wasn’t clear how many of his thoughts had gotten across to her, but Selphy flashed him a smile filled with gratitude.

“Thanks... I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.”

“I-I see. That’s good.”

Zagan didn’t really think he had given her any useful advice, but Selphy stood from her seat as if fully satisfied already.

“Umm, so what do you plan on doing?” he asked her.

“I still don’t really know what I want to do,” Selphy replied, scratching her head. “So I guess I’ll, like, treat my feelings with a little more care for a bit.”

“I see... Well, if you feel at a loss again, feel free to come to me whenever you want. I’ll at least hear you out.”

He still felt that talking to him wasn’t much better than talking to a wall, but just having a face to speak to must’ve made a world of difference.

Selphy gave him a small nod, then turned around and said, “I’m really glad I came to see you, Mister Zagan.”

With that, she smiled. She looked just as carefree as usual, but also somewhat more mature. Zagan didn’t know whether he was of proper use, but Selphy was back to her normal self as she left the throne room.

Poor Furcas has some pretty grim prospects, huh? Zagan thought to himself as he plopped back onto his throne. Did the boy have any chance of beating Selphy? He wasn’t exactly rooting for him or anything, but seeing him faced with such a towering and mighty obstacle, he at least felt sympathy.

Zagan let out an exhausted sigh. He wanted to start preparing for Nephy’s birthday right away, but he didn’t feel like he could stand at the moment.