Chapter 3 Private Journey
The day after the battle, Al summoned his military commander to discuss their strategy for the impending clash. Al was sitting on the sofa, wedged between Sharon and Feena. For the record, he did not invite them. In front of them sat Jamka, completely alone, on a similar sofa.
“You damn Adonis!”
Al decided to ignore his friend’s pained murmur. In a corner of the room, grumbling and cussing, Cecilia was busy preparing her beloved tea. After their retreat, Eshantel established a camp in the woods near the border. In order to clear up the misunderstandings, Al sent a letter with a messenger, but they got no response. As such, they’d gathered to discuss what should be done, but right before they could get into it, Brusch threw the door open.
“Alnoa! We have a huge problem!”
She was bursting with energy as usual, but her expression was grim.
“Brusch, what happened!? What’s the rush?”
“The Empire joined up with Eshantel!”
“I see...”
Jamka said under his breath. They all had probably expected this--
“What!? Why!? What does the Empire have to do with anything!?”
Except for Sharon.
“Well, I expected that the Empire would show up sooner or later. It was clear from the moment Kanon called me ‘Demon King’.”
The Empire spread the rumors about him in the first place, so Al figured that they were the ones pulling the strings this time as well. He crossed his arms and tried to evaluate the situation.
“Brusch, how many soldiers did the Empire bring?”
“Fifteen hundred cavalry and three thousand infantry.”
“So their combined force is around fifty-five hundred, huh...?”
That was quite the military force for seizing Althos, though they were aware that Althos possessed three Divas.
“We’re still investigating the surrounding area, but as of now there are no signs of abominations, reinforcements, or guerrilla troops.”
Brusch continued as if reading Al’s mind. It proved that she was at the top of her game as head of the intelligence agency.
“I did so well! Pat my head!”
She was waiting for her well-deserved reward. It proved that deep down, she was an ordinary little girl.
“Oh my, you’re giving out headpats? Did you see how hard I worked on this tea?”
As Cecilia finished handing out the cookies and tea, she pushed Brusch aside and snuggled up next to Al.
“Wait, why do I have to pat you now!?”
Al was lamenting over his predicament, waiting for the next little bunny to snuggle up to him, but...
“Huh?”
...he was caught off guard when the little bunny in question didn’t move an inch.
“Are you okay, Feena?”
She seemed to have gotten better when they arrived back at the castle, but she was hanging her head with an expression that would make anyone depressed just by looking at it.
Did she take what Kanon did to heart?
He wanted to cheer her up, but at the same time, he really didn’t enjoy the situation. He was like a child, jealous of anyone who got along with their friends. He knew. He knew it was wrong, but Al couldn’t get it out of his head.
“Haah... Arghhhh!”
He scratched his head and roared in desperation. Of course, that little performance instantly made him the center of attention.
“Ah, umm... My shoulders are stiff, so...”
What kind of excuse is that!?
As he pretended to roll his head around to fix his “stiff shoulders”, his gaze met a concern-filled pair of blue eyes.
“Are you okay, Al?”
The girl he was worried about was worried about him!
“Look how stiff you are. It’s okay, let it all out.”
“Let what out!? No, actually don’t answer that! And stop stripping!”
At least their little comedy routine was back to normal.
“Anyway, are you okay, Feena?”
Al took a peek at Feena while trying to regain his composure. She looked as stoic as ever, but...
“Me? I’m always fine, I was just doing a little thinking.”
It seemed like she was back to normal. She looked straight into Al’s eyes as he finally fixed his posture.
“Al, I’ve been thinking... I’ll go help Eshantel’s citizens, then have them clear up the rumors about you.”
Feena came up with her solution.
“So, I’m sorry, but I’ll have to leave this place for a while. Would you let me?”
She was looking straight into Al’s eyes. Her wish was as pure as her sky-blue eyes.
He wanted to make her wish come true, but his heart was holding him back.
He wanted to make her wish come true, but his heart was holding him back.
“He might say that I brainwashed his people the same way I brainwashed you.”
Maybe that’s why he said it so mockingly.
“That’s fine. I want to do what I can.”
Feena, however, made her goal crystal clear. Al closed his eyes and made up his mind.
“Okay. But I’m going with you.”
“Ehh!?”
Feena let out a surprised shriek.
“What? I wanted to go from the start. Having an ally as powerful as a thousand men means that I don’t have to weaken the country’s defenses for my little outing.”
He wasn’t lying, but the way he had to explain himself made it sound as though he was.
Just as he thought he’d finally found the solution...
Just as he thought he’d finally found the solution...
“What are you thinking!? You’re the king! What do you think will happen when the people find out their king is out while we’re waiting to be sieged!?”
Jamka stood up and slammed his fist on the table while disagreeing with Al’s proposal.
He was completely right.
He was completely right.
“Just let him go.”
Just as Al was about to explain himself to Jamka, an authoritative voice resounded through the room.
Sharon had been completely silent before, but she proudly gulped her tea down in one go.
A glance at her plate revealed that she’d finished her cookies.
Sharon had been completely silent before, but she proudly gulped her tea down in one go.
A glance at her plate revealed that she’d finished her cookies.
Are you for real!? She didn’t say a word until now because she was too busy eating!?
But since she was being supportive, Al decided to let it slide. Just as he took his eyes off her plate--
“And...”
He looked at Sharon, expecting more support from her.
“And it’s not like him being with you would make much of a difference.”
Ouch! That actually hurt! I was expecting some help, but instead you broke my heart!
“But don’t worry; I’ll be going too! We can take on two thousand people that way!”
She continued with a brimming smile. Taking on “two thousand people” sounded a bit dumb, but Sharon’s earnest smile was such a rare sight that Al was drawn in without thinking about the way she phrased it.
“I-I’ll go with you, okay? I want to see Eshantel for myself...”
Embarrassed by Al’s stare, Sharon turned away with a pout. The team had finally come together. Or so he thought...
“No. You stay here, Sharon.”
But someone was against the idea.
“What, would I stink up your little trip with Al?”
Sharon’s previous smile was gone, replaced with a palpable bloodlust. Feena took that bloodlust in full, tilting her head.
“No. I need you to do something else.”
“Huh? You need me?”
Sharon stared at Feena, her eyes and mouth wide open. She was ready for a fight, but things took an unexpected turn. Al himself had already taken cover.
“Kanon is a master when it comes to close quarters combat, so...”
She had a point. Cecilia may have been a Diva, but she specialized in holy magic. Close quarters combat was not her forte.
“So?”
Sharon was trying her best to unravel what Feena was hinting at.
“Could you please stay here? There’s no one else who can do it.”
Feena pulled out her greatest weapon: her puppy-dog eyes.
“R-Really?”
Her strategy seemed to be working,
but...
but...
“Yes. Only a rabid, ferocious, red gorilla can match Kanon’s strength.”
“Are you picking a fight with me?”
She instantly went from flushed to sharpening her teeth.
“No. I’m saying that you’re my honest, trustworthy rival.”
Feena said with a completely blank expression.
“Wha--!? What are you saying!? Tch... Okay, since you’re willing to go this far, I’ll let it slide.”
Sharon’s face turned beet red, to the point where she pushed Feena aside and left the room,
leaving everyone guessing what exactly she let slide.
leaving everyone guessing what exactly she let slide.
“Thank you.”
It seemed like it would be just the two of them. They could finally begin their preparations and--
“Oh my. Could I go with you, Al? Pretty please?”
But first, they had to deal with another issue. At least, they thought they did.
“What are you saying, Miss Cecilia? Who will act as the supreme commander if you’re gone too? Sharon is our guest, and I’m no noble. To make matters worse, I betrayed the country once!”
Jamka stood in the way of Cecilia before she could reach Al. He also gave no chance for Brusch to offer her services, as he covered her mouth before she could say a word.
“Ughhh... But, but...”
She was switching her desperate gaze between Al and Jamka, but...
“Cecilia, please.”
Al shut her down with a single sentence.
“Aww... Fine...”
She’d finally given up.
“I’ll pack my things.”
After taking a glance at the gloomy Cecilia, Feena stood up and left the room.
“Oh! Who knows what will happen during our trip... I should pack some extra underwear!”
She stopped in the doorway for a second to share those thoughts.
The next morning, Al and Feena were ready to depart under the dim, barely lit sky. They put their lightly packed bags, filled with dozens of portions of food, two blankets, and a change of clothes, on their horses. Al had his scythe on his back, and Feena was equipped with her trusty wand.
“We’ll be back in a few days. Thanks for covering for me until then.”
They said goodbye to Cecilia as they mounted their horses. Those were not the words one would expect from the king of a country, but Al could allow himself to say such things because of his trust in Cecilia, Jamka, and Brusch. At least, Jamka hoped that was the case.
I don’t know how he can trust someone who betrayed him only a few days ago...
Jamka thought to himself as he stared at his missing arm.
Well, I’ll think of my lost arm as a sign of trust instead of some sort of punishment.
He grabbed his fluttering sleeve and gave a wry smile.
“Oh my. Lesfina, we forgot something.”
Cecilia passed by the sentimental Jamka and approached Feena.
“What? I already have Al.”
“Hey, could you not objectify me?”
Cecilia ignored their little exchange and stopped in front of Feena’s horse.
“Oh, we forgot to pray for your safety and success.”
“You’ll bless our journey?”
Despite the slight difference in nuance, Feena showed a delighted smile as Cecilia held her palms up. Looking at her solemn, pure form was enough to help everyone find a tiny bit of solace inside themselves.
But...
But...
“I am a messenger of God. Those who swear an oath to me shall never bre--”
“Eh? Wait...”
Al was too late.
“If that stoic girl dares to make a move on my precious little brother, let her #$@&--wait, no. Let’s go with something simpler this time. Have her body completely bound, rendering her immobile for a set amount of time!”
“What do you mean, ‘something simpler’!? You know that Bind won’t activate unless the other party acknowledges it, don’t you!?”
Al was outraged that Cecilia held them up for this.
“Oh my. Don’t worry, this was Discharge, not Bind.
But all this did was worry Al even more. Despite that, Cecilia was all smiles.
“And why the hell are you shooting high-level spells all willy-nilly!?”
Al was in complete distress while Feena, the target of the spell herself, seemed as calm as ever.
“I can take it for a few seconds... I think.”
She said casually despite having every right to get mad.
“But now I can focus on the objective without getting sidetracked by my desires.”
Her small whisper went unheard by Al, but it was clear for all onlookers that she had steeled her heart in some way.
“That’s right, you should be fine as long as you keep your hands off of Al. I’ll cancel the spell once you get back.”
Cecilia said cheerfully. Feena still showed no signs of getting angry.
“Leave before anything else happens.”
Sharon, who had been completely silent, sent them off.
“I pray for your success.”
Jamka said his parting words.
I mean, they’re right, but does seeing us off really have to be so cold and careless?
Al decided to keep his concerns to himself.
“Yeah, we’re off.”
“Goodbye.”
Al began galloping with Feena in tow, feeling a bit defeated. They left on their journey after being pretty much thrown out of the castle.
It’s good that we left, but... What should we talk about!?
A few hours after their departure, Al fell into the same dilemma as he did during his date with Sharon. The sun had already climbed over the horizon and the birds were singing their morning melody. The two of them rode silently beneath the beautiful, clear sky. While he was with Sharon, he had known what she was passionate about (food), so he’d managed to pull through somehow, but...
What does Feena like?
He shuffled through his mind like a madman. They’d be spending the next few days together, but he had no idea how to strike up a conversation. Al realized how little he knew about Feena.
He didn’t know Feena’s favorite food or drink, or even what kind of clothes she liked. She ate everything put in front of her without complaint, and she rarely changed clothes. When she did, it was something that’d appeal to Al. Basically, she was a cosplayer.
He didn’t know Feena’s favorite food or drink, or even what kind of clothes she liked. She ate everything put in front of her without complaint, and she rarely changed clothes. When she did, it was something that’d appeal to Al. Basically, she was a cosplayer.
What should I do...?
He stole a glance to his side. Feena was riding as stone-faced as ever, seemingly lost in her own little world.
slide...
Al had expected her to admire the clear sky above them when she leaned her head back, but unfortunately, her body followed suit. She slipped off her horse and hit the ground with a bam!
“Huhhh!? Feena!?”
He jumped off his horse and rushed over to her.
“What happened!? Are you okay!?”
Al wrapped his arms around her, when...
“Zzz... Zzz...”
“Wait, you’re asleep!?”
Al shouted, but there were no signs of Feena waking up anytime soon. That didn’t come as a surprise, though. After all, she slept through falling off her horse. Despite that grand fall, she didn’t seem to have suffered any injuries. Could it have been because she was a Diva?
Maybe she didn’t get much sleep because she couldn’t stop thinking about Kanon.
Al theorized. He felt like he’d caught a glimpse of Feena’s true emotions, which made it even more painful.
“Though she’s also helping us with this.”
While he tried to rationalize things with himself, Al stuck his scythe into his bag and put the sleeping girl on his back. Someone seeing this might mistake them for a father and daughter.
“Don’t worry, we’ll switch after a while.”
He said while patting his horse’s nape.
“Zzz...”
He started riding as quietly as possible in order to avoid waking the sleeping girl.
“...Hmm? Food?”
The fragrant smell of lunch cooking over an open fire whetted Feena’s appetite. Still half-asleep, she slowly sat up and looked around absentmindedly. While she was away in dreamland, the sun had climbed to its highest point and the gentle spring breeze had picked up.
“Where are we?”
“Oh, you’re up?”
A familiar voice answered the thoroughly confused girl.
“Al, where are we...? Who am I...?”
“We’re close to the border. You’re Subdera’s Diva, Lesfina.”
He smiled at Feena.
“Sorry, I just...”
Finally understanding what had happened, she cast her eyes downward. Al put his hand on the dejected Feena’s head.
“You couldn’t sleep because you were too worried about Kanon, right? I’m happy you care for him, but you can’t fight if you don’t get enough rest. Failing to save Eshantel’s people because of a lack of sleep would be tragic, wouldn’t it?”
He said in a soft voice, but his emotions were all over the place.
“Save... Ah! I forgot!”
He was too focused on the storm raging inside him to hear Feena’s quiet whisper.
Haah, what’s going on with me?
He took his hand off Feena’s head, turned around, and started walking.
“Eat up when it’s cooked so we can get going.”
He knew. He knew he was being unreasonable, but he couldn’t quell his emotions. He couldn’t even hold a conversation. They had lunch in complete silence and departed soon after.
“Al... Are you mad?”
Feena asked sometime after they had set out.
“No, I’m fine.”
He answered bluntly. Once again, he was back to self-loathing. They continued their journey like that--in complete silence. By the time they reached the thick forest that signaled the edge of the neutral zone, the sun had retreated below the horizon.
“Let’s make a camp here for today.”
Al carefully checked the surrounding area. The nearby trees and bushes made perfect hiding spots, and there was a small river running not far from them. They could have advanced further if they had really wanted to, but setting up a camp seemed much more sensible.
“...”
Feena agreed to Al’s lonely whisper with a small nod.
Haah, why am I always like this?
Unable to so much as hold small talk with Feena, his jealousy toward Kanon only increased.
He knew he had brought the situation upon himself, and it made him question his ability as a king.
He knew he had brought the situation upon himself, and it made him question his ability as a king.
Dinner was no different, spent without saying a word. After that, he sent Feena to sleep as to save his dignity, reflecting on his feelings under the gleaming moonlight.
A new day, a new chance! I’ll cheer myself up and then we can mess around like we always do.
Just when he was thinking about that...
“Al...”
Feena suddenly called out to him. He was so deep in thought that he hadn’t even realized that Feena had slipped out of her sheets and was right next to him.
“Rawwr... I’ll bite you!”
Feena jumped on him without a hint of tension in her voice.
“Hm? What are you doing?”
He tried his best to keep calm while Feena wrapped around him with the blanket in her hands.
But...
But...
“W-Wait, what are you wearing under those blankets!?”
Is she naked!?
He could feel a pair of modest bumps pressing against his back just as that thought entered his brain.
“I read that we should cuddle naked to keep ourselves warm on cold nights.”
“Yeah, if we’re stranded on a snowy mountain! And--”
Then, he realized something.
If this keeps up, Heavenly Surge will activate!
His mind was pulled back to reality as Feena’s snow-white arms wrapped around his waist. And he once again came to a stark realization: She didn’t have her relic with her.
“H-Hey, Feena, your waaaand!”
When Al turned around, their faces were only a few inches apart. He suddenly leaned back to avoid direct contact.
bam!
He hit the back of his head.
“Ow ow ow...”
While on the verge of tears and rubbing his head, a small figure in a blanket enveloped him.
“Al...”
“Bwah!”
He shrieked. That was the only natural reaction to an almost completely naked Feena climbing on top of him. The moonlight glistened on Feena’s back; Al could only see her silhouette unless he squinted his eyes, though he was hardly in any position to be worrying about his impaired vision.
“Al...”
Feena’s sweet breath tickled Al’s cheek as she took his hand and quickly pressed it against her chest.
“It’s a little... just a tiny bit smaller than Sharon’s or Cecilia’s, but...”
Just a little!?
That thought briefly crossed his mind, but he knew he couldn’t say it out loud.
“Now we’re even.”
Al tried to figure out exactly what Feena was referring to as she leaned closer with her eyes closed. His chance to activate Heavenly Surge had arrived. He looked around, trying to find his scythe and Feena’s wand. The scythe was within his reach, but the wand was a bit further.
I think I can reach it if I stretch out more...
As Feena’s face got closer and closer, he tried to reach out with his free hand.
Just a bit more...!
He stretched with all his might, when...
“Al... I can’t move.”
Feena slowly collapsed onto Al’s chest. Of course. Feena was under the effect of Cecilia’s Discharge.
“Geez, she’s always causing trouble for you, huh?”
It was a rather dangerous situation for him. In more ways than one.
I mean, I just wanted to activate Heavenly Surge! I didn’t want to do anything perverted!
Beneath the defenseless girl, he began explaining his rising pulse to some judge that only existed deep within his mind.
I can’t even imagine what’d happen if we... y’know, had a little bedroom rodeo, and God forbid we decided to get married.
The image of a crimson-haired Diva crossed his mind.
“Al...”
Feena’s gentle whisper snapped Al back to reality. Only her head was visible from under the blankets.
“What is it, Feena? Can you move again?”
She nodded.
Not only is she a Diva, but a princess as well. It wouldn’t be strange for this to be her first time camping. Maybe she was too excited to fall asleep, and that’s why...
Al thought, but...
“Sniff, sniff...”
“What are you doing?”
He looked at Feena, only to see her sniffing her blanket, hands, and shoulders before going back to her blanket.
“Uh, Feena? Are you okay?”
She may have gotten a slight fever from being outside half-naked.
“Sorry... I want to get some air.”
She put her clothes back on, slipped out of the blanket, and slowly started walking deeper into the woods.
“Haah... Now what?”
Al considered calling it a day, but...
“Letting her wander through the woods without her wand might not end well.”
He murmured to himself as he collected his scythe and the wand and followed after her.
“Ah!”
He found Feena at the riverbank. A completely normal, everyday river. However, seeing a girl bathing in that river was by no means a normal, everyday sight. Her wet blue hair sparkled under the dazzling moonlight as if it were filled with stars; her crystal-clear skin reflected the moonlight as if she herself were brimming with light. Time froze for Al. He was completely starstruck.
“Al?”
Feena instinctively covered herself. Her unusually embarrassed behavior tugged at Al’s heartstrings.
“Ah... Sorry...”
Al finally realized that he had been staring at the naked girl and quickly averted his gaze.
“You can stare at me all you want.”
ba-bum
Al’s heart couldn’t take it anymore.
No, I just... Yeah! I’m doing this for the sake of the continent! We can’t let the Demon King go on a rampage!
Driven by those thoughts, Al slowly began walking toward Feena. She just stared at him, covering herself without any place to run or hide.
“Al, do I smell?”
She asked out of the blue.
“Smell? No, why would you?”
He asked perplexedly.
“Thank goodness. You were wriggling so hard when I held you, I thought it was because I reeked of sweat. I wanted to rinse it off.”
Feena said, relieved. He had certainly been wriggling, but that was only so he could reach her wand… Nonetheless, he appreciated how mindful she was. A second later, however...
Al was assaulted by a sudden, strong headache.
Do you really appreciate it?
A mysterious voice rang inside his head.
All this pampering and care, snuggling and enticing is to turn you into her puppet so she can save some random guy, is it not?
The voice was being projected directly into his brain.
Is this the Demon King? The seal is getting weaker!?
With a pained smile on his face, he tried to uncover the mystery.
I have to perform Heavenly Surge as soon as possible!
He instantly started acting on his instincts.
“Huh!? A-Al!? Ah!”
As if swatting away a persistent fly, Al shook off his gloves and grabbed Feena’s shoulders.
“Al... Be gentler...”
He wasn’t exactly an expert on this sort of thing, so he went in a bit too rough. She should’ve already been swimming in pleasure from Heavenly Surge, but her face said the exact opposite.
However, he had to push on.
However, he had to push on.
“Don’t worry, we’ll be done in a minute. You want to save Kanon, don’t you?”
He said without thinking.
Wait, am I just blackmailing her now?
His last remaining splinters of consciousness were firing off warning signals, but Al ignored them.
“My headache’ll go away if we do Heavenly Surge. Plus, it’ll make it easy to save Kanon. You want that too, don’t you!?”
“Ahhh... Al, I...”
Her shaking voice didn’t reach Al’s ears,
because...
because...
That’s strange. Heavenly Surge should’ve already activated, but nothing’s happening.
He had his gloves off, the scythe and relic were in their places, and Feena’s cheeks were getting flushed. But it was nothing like when he did it with Sharon.
Why!?
The answer came from Feena, in the form of a whisper.
“Al... I love you, but... This isn’t right. This is not what I want.”
Their feelings weren’t intertwined.
“What are you saying!? You want to turn me into your puppet, don’t you!? You want to use my power to save Kanon, don’t you!? That’s the only reason you’d try to get close to me, the Demon King incarnate!”
Completely panicked, he shook Feena’s shoulders, hoping to get her to agree.
“No... No, no, no, no! That’s not it at all!”
But she vehemently shook her head, denying his accusations at the top of her lungs.
“Al, I... love you.”
Al’s mind couldn’t process what was happening.
“I originally came here for that, but... At some point, everything changed, and I don’t know why. I read up on it and concluded that it was love at first sight.”
Tears began streaming down Feena’s cheeks.
“I love you... I love everything about you. I love when you’re mad; I love when you’re sulking; I love when you’re sleeping; I love when you’re smiling. I love you from the bottom of my heart! That’s why I was trying to hold back until we saved Kanon, but just I couldn’t. I was giddy with excitement just thinking about our trip together. So much so that I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night.”
Her usual, reserved self was nowhere to be found.
“You’ve already kissed Sharon. You’ve even groped her. When you’re with me, you always look so worried, so focused. It’s like you hate spending time with me.”
He was so awestruck that he’d forgotten all about his headache. Of course he had. After all, this was the first time someone outside his family was so openly expressing their love for him.
What the hell am I doing? I accused her of using me, then forced her to...
Overcome with regret, Al was ready to shout all his pain away and run. But running away from the damage he caused wouldn’t amount to an apology. He racked his brain, trying to decide on the best course of action. His interpersonal skills were abysmal, but he was trying his best.
“Al...”
The timid blue-haired girl stood before him.
This is no time for words!
He tossed his scythe aside and hugged her tightly.
“Al?”
That tiny figure, that perplexed voice, that sweet scent...
“I’m so sorry, Feena. You’re always looking out for me, but I was only looking out for myself...”
Al hugged her tighter, paying close attention so as not to touch her body directly. He didn’t want to push Heavenly Surge even further. But curiously for him, even though he wasn’t directly touching her, Feena got redder and redder, until her whole body took on a light-pinkish hue.
“And don’t be, umm.... jealous of Kanon. It’s lame!”
“Jealous?”
“Yes. You’re like a little kid.”
Al felt his face getting hotter. He was embarrassed. He was ready to run off at a moment’s notice, but he wanted to answer Feena’s honest feelings with his own.
Why does she look up to me if I’m so childish?
Al couldn’t read her expression while hugging her.
“I’m so happy.”
She whispered.
“Ehh? What?”
He shrieked when he heard her words. But his desire to truly understand those words overpowered his embarrassment. Feena, happy that she could breathe freely again, looked up at Al.
“I said I’m happy. Someone who doesn’t care about me wouldn’t get jealous.”
The gentle smile on the usually stoic girl’s face made Al’s heart skip a beat.
“Ah, no... Y’know... You’re a guest of the state and all... I have to keep you safe... and stuff...”
Al’s cheeks were burning; he felt like his face would catch fire at any moment. Hearing Al’s jumbled words, Feena let out a cute laugh.
“That’s fine for now.”
With that, she buried herself in Al’s chest again.
“Achoo!”
Feena sneezed.
“Ah, sorry! Clothes! Cold! Sick!”
Speaking in some sort of caveman language, he left to get the trembling girl some clothes and pick up his gloves.
“Huh!? Are you okay, Feena!?”
But as soon as he let her go, she collapsed.
Crap, did she already catch a cold!? Or, wait, did Heavenly Surge take effect!?
As Al rushed over and picked her up, Feena’s body sprung in his arms.
“I’m sorry... Cecilia’s spell...”
“Ah! Ahh! Right, I totally forgot!”
What a disaster. The same thing happened just minutes ago, but he’d completely forgotten about it.
“Sorry, I hurt you again...”
Regret washed over Al as he gently laid Feena down on his shirt.
“Al...”
She grabbed him with her slightly cold, gentle hand.
“It’s okay. I’m happy.”
Even with her body completely numb, she managed to force a smile. Al desperately wanted to help her somehow.
“Ah, I know! Feena, wait here for a bit!”
He sprung up and excitedly looked around the area.
“There it is!”
He picked up his scythe.
“I wonder if the Demon King will hate me if he learns what I’m using his powers for.”
He whispered with a cheeky smile. With his scythe in hand, he made his way to the river.
“There!”
Black magic cut through the ground in front of him.
“Ooh, it turned out pretty well!”
The dust and pebbles settled to reveal a hole large enough to fit a person. When he saw it, Al celebrated silently and began digging with the handle of the scythe, as if trying to connect the river to the hole.
“I’m sure the Demon King never would’ve thought that his treasured artifact would be used for something like this.”
Al grumbled to himself as he continued to shovel, and before long, the hole was finally connected with the river. He nodded happily as water started to fill the hole.
“Now for the finishing touches... I think that should be fine.”
He once again scanned the area. His eyes finally caught something interesting, and he promptly began chanting a spell.
“Al, what are you doing?”
Feena, who was slowly recovering from Cecilia’s spell, sat up and stared at him.
“Just watch!”
He said cheerfully.
“Fireball!”
Al shot his spell at a small rock tumbling across the ground, while Feena looked at him as if he’d gone mad. Disregarding the confused girl’s gaze, he picked up the heated rock with the blade of his scythe and dropped it into the water-filled hole. It sank into the water, accompanied by an audible fizzing sound. Feena still had no idea what he was doing, she merely watched him repeat the process until a playful cloud of steam appeared above the hole.
“Ah! Could this be--!?”
Finished with his preparations, Al checked the temperature with his hand.
“That’s right, an impromptu bathtub! Now please, follow me, milady.”
Al had successfully created a bath.
“It’s not much in the way of an apology for what I did, but at the very least it’ll warm you up.”
He said proudly despite being covered in mud and slightly flushed.
“I never thought I’d take a bath here...”
A bit perplexed, Feena sank into the tub. She flinched at first, but her tired body got accustomed to the relaxing heat rather quickly.
“It takes time for the stones to cool down, so be careful!”
Al warned her, facing the other way.
“Where did you learn how to make a bath like this?”
Feena asked. It was a fair question. Althos may have been poor, but thanks to the ley lines running through the ground, they had access to hot water. Not to mention the fact that Al was royalty. There was no reason for someone like him to dabble with makeshift open-air baths?
“My brother taught me.”
“Your brother?”
Yeah. I’m sure could make something much more impressive, though.”
Feena tapped her temple, trying to shuffle through her memory. She started to remember the story about Al’s twin brother...
“I think it was about ten years ago... Ah!”
She wanted to take it back, but it was too late.
“Don’t worry about it. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hurt, but I can’t be sad about it forever.”
Al waved his hand, signaling that he wasn’t mad. Instead, he started talking about his late brother.
“My brother was exceptionally talented both in swordsmanship and magic. Not only that, but he could put anything into practice after learning it just once. He was nothing short of a genius.”
He described his brother cheerfully.
“Back in the day, we would slip out in the middle of the night and set up a camp at the nearby river. That’s where he taught me how to make a bath, along with some simple dishes.”
Al recalled how their tutors would sternly scold them the following morning. He’d been smiling ever since he started talking about his brother.
“Did you like your brother?”
Feena asked, even though she knew it was a touchy subject. She simply wanted to learn more about Al, which took precedence over the guilt she felt from asking.
“Yeah, very much so. If my brother were still alive, maybe I would’ve never become king and the Empire would’ve never targeted us. Heck, maybe we’d have crushed them long ago and become the greatest power on the continent.”
But Al simply reminisced about his brother while directing his gaze at the dazzling moon.
“Then maybe no one would’ve found out that I’m the Demon King’s vessel and I’d have led a normal, everyday-- Eh?”
A pair of snow-white arms suddenly wrapped around his neck.
“H-Hey! You just got unbound... and it’s cold... and--”
“It’s okay. I can handle it for now.”
He was taken completely off-guard by the sudden, warm hug. Feena gently whispered into his ear.
“I’m happy you became Althos’ king.”
“You’re only saying that because you don’t know my brother. He--”
“I still would’ve preferred you.”
Al could feel Feena’s small mounds pushing up against his back as she hugged him tighter.
Then, to make things even tougher on him, she whispered sweetly in his ear.
Then, to make things even tougher on him, she whispered sweetly in his ear.
“And don’t worry about Heavenly Surge. I’m always ready for it...”
She was right on the mark, as if she could read Al’s mind. Unable to think of a proper answer, he gently touched Feena’s arms.
“Al...”
He could feel her sweet, warm breath on his neck. No matter how thick-headed and antisocial he was, he knew what came next.
“Guhehehe! Look at these kiddos screwin’ out in the open!”
Unfortunately, the next thing he heard wasn’t quite as romantic. Because they had severely neglected their defenses, Al and Feena’s little world was disturbed. The intruders were slowly closing in.
“The... Empire?”
Three Empire soldiers, presumably patrolling the area, were closing in on them. They split up, trying to surround Al and Feena while wearing disturbing grins. Before Al could even regret his impudence, Feena quickly sank back into the water.
“Hey, hey, what’s the big fuss about showin’ your boobies!? Though it ain’t like you got mu--”
“Frigid Tomb.”
The cocky soldier, along with his horse, was frozen in place. She must’ve been absolutely enraged by his rude comments, as she’d used one of the three most powerful spells at her disposal. The soldier was ensnared in a cold, eternal grave. His consciousness was intact, but he would ever so slowly perish.
I’ll have to be careful what I say around her.
Al reminded himself as he grasped his scythe.
“Feena, stay there! I’ll take care of the rest!”
He couldn’t let a girl take care of all his problems.
“Focus on the man! Catch that weakling and take him as a hostage!”
One of the soldiers gave an order and started galloping toward Al, his partner mirroring his actions. They were closing in on him from both sides at roughly the same speed.
“I have to say, I’m about to take offense to this.”
He disappointedly fixed his grip on his scythe after being called a weakling.
“Do you have any idea how many times I’ve survived the death stares of two Divas at the same time!?”
Shouting something seemingly irrelevant, he charged toward the soldier on the right, avoiding their pincer.
“You really think you can win in a duel!?”
The incoming attacker anticipated that and drew his sword to strike.
“Too slow!”
Al swung at the incoming blade.
clang!
The blade was sent flying into the thickets. Using his momentum, he spun around and knocked the soldier off his horse with the handle of his scythe.
“Gahh!”
Though the soldier tumbled to the ground, his horse passed by like nothing had happened.
“Hah! Your attacks may as well be in slow motion compared to Sharon’s swings!”
Al spun around and looked straight into the eyes of the other soldier, frozen in place by what had just transpired.
“So, do you want a beatdown from me, a freezing from her, or to surrender? The choice is yours.”
Feena, finally completely clothed and grasping her wand, slowly walked up to Al. Now the soldier had no chance to escape.
“I give, I give! C’mon, we were just having some fun with that lovely girl.”
The soldier dropped his sword and lifted both arms high into the air.
“Lovely...”
Feena totally knew he was making excuses.
“I-Indeed! Traveling together with such a lovely lady would be a dream come true, your excellency!”
The soldier that suffered the blow from Al stood up and joined the conversation. Al wanted to end it as soon as possible, as they were getting on his nerves, but seeing Feena’s delighted smile made him change his mind. That was a mistake on his part, though.
“Very much so! I would give my life to travel with a woman as beautiful as you! Honestly, you’re like a doll-- Aghh!”
He suddenly screamed.
What happened!?
The situation did a one-eighty the moment his thoughts wandered off. There was no one in the vicinity besides themselves and the soldiers, but the previously happy Feena was standing right in front of the screaming soldier...
“What are you doing, Feena!?”
Having finally caught up on what had happened, Al looked at Feena. Her gentle smile was no more, her icy blue eyes instead filled with a raging flame.
I guess what they say about blue flame burning hotter is true.
Her eyes certainly supported that theory. Her rage was not a blind bloodlust that engulfed the heavens, the earth, and everything in between; rather, it was a directed attack that would leave nothing in its wake. And she was directing that rage at the soldiers.
“I’m not some silent doll!”
“I never sai-- Eep!”
Countless magic circles trapped the completely broken man. With that much firepower, she probably could’ve erased a mansion from the face of the earth.
“I can talk like anyone else... I have my own will... I do what I see fit!”
“Yes, of course! I’m begging you, spare me!”
Feena, grinding her teeth in frustration, stared at the cowering soldier.
This is the first time I’ve seen her get so emotional.
Al was awestruck for a moment, but...
“I’ll kill you!”
She said as if she were a completely different person. But at least it woke Al up.
“Feena, stop! He already gave up!”
Feena turned her head toward him with a hostility that caught him off-guard.
“Al. He called me a doll!”
He’d heard it too, but it hadn’t sounded like an insult at all.
“I can’t. He’s done.”
The sad, defeated girl turned back toward the soldier.
“Shoot!”
With a snap of her fingers, all her magic circles targeted the enemy. Luckily, Al was holding his scythe.
“Crap! Please make it!”
He thrust his arm out and unleashed his black spell, which engulfed Feena’s magic circles.
“Why...?”
Finally seeing a lively reaction from Feena was a nice change of pace, though he didn’t have the time to admire it in face of her boiling rage. But he couldn’t give in, either. He stuck his scythe into the ground, stretched out his arms, and approached her.
“I already told you the reason. I won’t take part in murder, no matter if it’s a friend or a foe. If you want to stay with me, then make sure you remember that! If you can’t, we’ll have to part ways!”
Al was worried he had been a bit too harsh, but it was too late. Feena stared at him while biting her lip. He was prepared to defend himself if she attacked,
but...
but...
“I-I’m s-sorry...”
Giant tears began pouring from her puppy-dog eyes as her bloodlust vanished into nothingness.
Haah... How many times have I made her cry today?
Al was right, but that didn’t change the fact that he made her cry.
“Sorry. I’m not mad or anything.”
Once again deep in self-deprecation, he gently pet Feena’s head.
About thirty minutes later, Al came back from cleaning up to see Feena sitting with her arms around her knees. He’d considered letting the soldiers go after helping them get rid of their possessions, but they ran the risk of them coming back with reinforcements, so he simply tied them to a tree. They threatened him with all kinds of things, saying they’d never forget and whatnot, but Al was kind enough to tie them as high up as possible so the wild animals couldn’t reach them... probably.
“Have you calmed down?”
With his composure finally regained, Al walked up to Feena and poured some tea that had been heating over the open fire.
“It’s not as good as my sister’s, but it should help you relax a bit.”
Feena took the cup and went back to sulking.
“Y’know, I think I went too far. Please forgive me.”
Making up was more important than being right, but Feena simply shook her head.
“Haah... I thought I’d finally cleared up the misunderstandings, but...”
Al let out a deep sigh.
“It’s not that...”
“Huh? What’s not that?”
Al thought that he might have misheard Feena’s tiny whisper.
“It’s... I-I... I did it again...”
“What, when you snapped? I was shocked, but in a good way. I’ve never seen you that invested in anything.”
He tried to keep up the conversation, but it didn’t help with Feena’s gloominess in the slightest.
“I can’t remember anything from my childhood.”
She lay down on her stomach, faced Al, and started talking about her past. Al simply listened to her silently.
“Supposedly, I was a genius Diva from birth. I could use magic sooner than I could walk. I was a lively, bright girl, loved and adored by everyone.”
You don’t normally say that about yourself! And what’s with that “supposedly”?
Al tilted his head as he listened.
“But one day when I was six, my power went berserk during an experiment. I lost all my memories until that point.”
Little by little, she quietly opened up about her childhood.
“After that, I became a silent, stoic, adorable girl.”
Al found the “adorable” part unnecessary, but it would’ve been rude to mention, so he kept it to himself.
“Everyone pitied me. ‘This poor little girl lost her emotions in an accident. She’s like a doll now’, they said. But no matter how many times I read my diary, I can’t recall my memories and my life up to that point.”
She rubbed her eyes, doing her best to hold back her tears.
“I read a lot of books about love and married life before I came to Althos. I didn’t want to fail again. I didn’t want to become a doll again.”
I see, so that’s why... Wait, what kind of books was she reading!?
Al finally understood why she always seemed so stiff.
“I thought I was doing well, but...”
He knew even if she didn’t say it; the word “doll” triggered her trauma. He was left wondering how to respond, but something floated through his mind.
“Wait, didn’t Sharon call you the same thing once?”
Al asked curiously.
“She’s a rabid, ferocious, red gorilla! Animals can’t control what they say.”
“Isn’t that kinda rude!?”
Al was a bit taken aback. Feena didn’t get up, but the heavy atmosphere was gone.
“And she’s my... friend, so... I’ll let her get away with it.”
She said in the tiniest of whispers. He couldn’t see her expression, but her ears were bright red, and not because of the fire burning nearby.
“Al... Would you still allow me to stay by your side?”
Feena asked in a shaky voice. She was being much more timid than usual, but Al knew there was only one answer.
“Of course you can. If you make sure to remember what I said, you can stay as long as you want.”
She flinched for a second before letting out a huge sigh of relief and relaxing. Simply imagining her expression put a smile on his face.
“I might’ve said something like this before, but...”
Al rubbed his nose before continuing.
“You can create new memories in Althos, so, umm... Y’know, Sharon’s planning to do the same, so... Regardless of how this wedding thing turns out, you’re more than welcome there.”
He could never bring himself to chase away a lonely, helpless girl with no place to go, even if he still had to work on his delivery.
“Mhm... Mhm...”
As if she’d found solace in Al’s words, Feena vehemently nodded in agreement. With things between them settled, Al’s cheeky side took over.
“Anyway, don’t you think you’re a bit too hard on Sharon? She’s your friend, all things considered.”
He made sure to emphasize the word “friend”. Feena flinched a bit upon hearing that.
“You... idiot!”
She screamed without raising her head.
The rays of the morning sun shined down on the forest. Al and Feena had planned to depart before daybreak, but they’d overslept after the events of the previous night. Both of them were extremely exhausted despite having spent the night under the protection of Feena’s defensive field, so doing anything steamy didn’t even cross their minds.
“Hey, hurry up! I want to get to Mistwood before lunch!”
“Ehehe... I slept with Al!”
But even in such a hurry, Feena called out to Al in what felt like her usual, cheerful tone. Al was delighted that she’d cheered up, but he’d have been even more delighted if they could finally increase their pace. He let out a tired sigh, but for some reason, he felt a bit playful. He sped off on his horse without waiting for Feena.
“Ah, is this the game where you pretend to run away but then I catch up to you and hug you from behind like ‘Hehe, I caught you~’?”
Feena felt even more playful...
“All right, full speed ahead to Eshantel!”
But Al decided to ignore her entirely. With a small kick to its belly, Al’s horse sped up even more.
“Ah! S-Sorry! W-Wait, I can’t--! I can’t ride fast!”
Saying as much, Feena also had her horse gallop. Their current trip felt a lot more enjoyable than the previous one.
“All right, let’s take a small break here. We’ll cross the river after that.”
After a while, Al slowed down, finding some amusement watching Feena desperately try to catch up to him. He hopped off his horse and prepared for a small break.
“You meanie!”
Feena complained as she let go of the bridle. Both horses huffed as they approached the nearby river. The other side of it hid Eshantel and the Empire’s camp. In order to reach Eshantel without entering their encampment, they had to pass through the infamous Mistwood. Tales of people entering the forest and disappearing in the thick, dense fog weren’t uncommon. It was incredibly close, but the part they were in was completely unaffected. The cute little river and the sound of birds chirping made it a rather enjoyable spot.
“Such a nice weather. It’s a bit early, but how about a quick nap?”
He asked as he put his feet into the refreshing water.
“Yes! This is the perfect time to show off my special skills as a wife!”
She whispered while staring into the distance, but Al didn’t pay any attention to it. Catching up on sleep was more important than whatever Feena was planning. He put his scythe down next to him as he lay on the ground. The last moment of his fleeting vision saw Feena slowly approaching him.
“Hm? What is it? Get some rest while you still can.”
She walked right next to him and gracefully sat down.
“Your clothes will get dirty if you sit there!”
Maybe because of his hypocrisy, Feena decided to completely ignore what he’d said. She sat next to him on her legs, leaving her lap completely open as she brushed off the dust that had fallen on it.
And then...
And then...
“Here, Al!”
She said excitedly, albeit with a hint of nervousness.
“Hm? ‘Here’ what?”
She was patting her lap as if inviting a kitten to jump on her.
Is this some kind of strange ritual?
Feena got fed up with Al’s failure to pick up on not-so-subtle hints, and...
“Al, we’re doing one of the signature moves for couples! I’m offering you a lap pillow!”
A long, long time ago, Al read about that in a book. Back then, he was giggling about couples doing something as silly as that.
“Huh...? Nah, it’s fine.”
And it seemed like he hadn’t changed much. He found it embarrassing, and frankly, a pain, so
he decided to opt out of Feena’s ritual.
he decided to opt out of Feena’s ritual.
“Uhhh... There!”
“Aghh!”
Feena resorted to a much more forceful solution as she locked Al’s head in her arms and pulled him onto her lap.
“Ow ow ow! Wh-What the--!?”
He looked at her, desperate for salvation as his back scraped against the ground and his neck made an alarmingly loud crack.
“Hehe... Amazing, isn’t it?”
But he couldn’t say a thing after seeing that wonderful smile.
“Well, aren’t you bold today?”
Well, maybe not just today, but...
Feena’s enchanting stare was too much for him, so he averted his gaze.
“Of course! You said yesterday, ‘Please don’t go anywhere! Your place is here, right beside me!’ It’s only natural to devote myself to you! I’m your wife, after all!”
“Strange, I don’t remember saying anything like that!”
He’d have liked to object, but he found himself lost in the gentle wind stroking his cheeks, the quiet, relaxing murmur of the small river, and his firm yet soft pillows, along with their lovely fragrance.
I see... So this is the wisdom our predecessors have accumulated over their lives.
He had finally fully accepted the history of his kind, but unfortunately, that soothing experience was short-lived, as he recalled the events from yesterday.
“Wait, what about Cecilia’s--”
Al tried to get up, but Feena pushed him back down.
“Hm? I already dispelled that.”
“Ah, okay... Wait, what does that mean!?”
Feena took her hands off the surprised Al’s head.
“I realized there was no point in bottling up my feelings and desires, so I dispelled it last night.”
“I see... Congrats?”
Al relaxed again...
“Thank you. Now we can...”
...and they entered the climax of humanity’s heritage.
“Al...”
“Hm?”
Feena leaned closer to him.
Even like this, she’s so squishy.
But he didn’t have time to appreciate this experience. His mind drifted off, while Feena was already inches away from his face with her eyes closed.
“Umm, Feena? We really don’t have to hurry with that Heavenly Surge thing, y’know...”
He tried to wiggle his way out of the situation, but he knew deep down that it was futile. Her aim wasn’t Heavenly Surge. His head wasn’t restrained and he wasn’t being threatened with a sword, but maybe his instincts or the Demon King’s power were stopping him from escaping. While he was lying there, completely defenseless, Feena’s lips got even closer. But just then...
grrrrrrrr.
A mysterious, ear-splitting sound interrupted them. For a second, the completely dumbfounded Al looked into Feena’s wide-open eyes, and then...
“Hyaaaaaah!”
He could practically see flames erupting from Feena’s cheeks as she got up and ran away,
leaving Al’s head behind.
leaving Al’s head behind.
“Aghh!”
With his comfy pillow gone, his head had an unfortunate meeting with the hard ground.
He took quite a bit of damage, but...
He took quite a bit of damage, but...
“Umm, I’m totally not hungry, it’s just... I was so happy you were back to your usual self, I kind of forgot to eat my breakfast...”
She explained while turning as red as piping hot charcoal.
“You’re always chasing me around half-naked, but you get embarrassed by your stomach growling!? How does that make any sense!?”
Al couldn’t fathom her thought process, and though the situation seemed rather bad, it was actually the contrary. If they hadn’t been interrupted, he might’ve had to begin planning how to raise a little Al.
“I’m kind of hungry, too. It’s a bit early, but let’s have lunch.”
She was fun to tease, but it got scary after a while, so Al decided to stop.
“Found you!”
Suddenly, a familiar voice boomed through the forest.
“Huh!? Kanon?”
Feena shouted in surprise. The familiar clanking of heavy armor that it was him.
“Demon King, get away from Feena!”
He kicked up dust and used its cover to charge at Al.
“Crap!”
“Ugh... Here we go again.”
Feena said as if tired of Kanon’s antics, and turned toward him.
“Fireball.”
She cast her spell without warning.
“Hey, are you sure about that!?”
Al couldn’t hide his shock.
“It’s fine. Look.”
Feena said confidently, her eyes following the fireball she launched at Kanon. Her spell made a beeline toward the Inquisitor, and...
ping!
After what seemed like a direct hit, the fireball bounced off his armor as if nothing had happened.
“Kanon’s armor is infused with the Valkyrie’s divine protection. It can ward off any kind of magic.”
“What’s with that god-tier armor!? And you cast that spell just to demonstrate his defense!?”
“No, you see... Magic can’t penetrate his defense, but objects can.”
Al was taken aback by Feena’s triumphant look for a second, before realizing the impending danger quite literally charging his way. He quickly looked back at his target, but...
“Umm, Feena... Where’s he going?”
Kanon, who had been charging right at him, suddenly changed direction...
bonk!
And crashed into a large tree.
“Ughh...”
Kanon split the tree in half, but lost consciousness because of the impact.
“His armor is incredible, but his intellect is less so. I’m sure he avoided looking at you out of fear of getting pregnant.”
“Even though he’s a guy?”
“Yes. Even though he’s a guy.”
“So your Fireball was...”
“Yes. It was a distraction.”
She nodded proudly. Al couldn’t believe what had transpired.
“Feena, tell me if I’m wrong, but is this guy...”
Feena probably understood what Al was referring to, as she nodded preemptively.
“Yes. To put it nicely, he’s pure. To put it not so nicely, he’s as plain as a board, as naive as a kid, and as dumb as a rock...”
“Wait, aren’t you friends? Dumb is... Never mind, not like I can disprove it.”
He gave up on defending Kanon.
“But he has his good points.”
Hearing her kind, lovely voice as she protected her beloved friend would’ve broken Al before,
but not anymore.
but not anymore.
“All right! Let’s get him six feet under before he wakes up!”
“Al!?”
Feena snapped at Al after he said his thoughts out loud.
“Nah, I’m just kidding... Half kidding... Anyway, what should we do? I don’t think talking is an option as long as I’m here.”
He chose to put that aside, however. Feena let out a deep sigh before taking something out from between her breasts.
“Your cleavage is like a magician’s hat; I never know what you’ll pull out next! So, what do you have this time?”
Despite Al’s slightly cynical comment, she proudly presented a...
“It’s a fake mustache!”
“I can see that, but why!?”
Al was getting genuinely curious.
“I figured we might need it one night.”
“For what!? No, you know what, don’t answer that!”
He violently shook his head.
“So, what, am I gonna just put it on? Do you think this will fool anyone?”
Kanon may not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, but such a simple disguise was seriously pushing it.
“Now he’ll think you’re a rich nobleman.”
Al’s gut reaction was ‘Are you kidding me?’, but Feena’s confident smile was enough to make him believe in her.
“Well, you’re his friend, and he can’t hurt me anyway, so...”
“Don’t worry, I’m sure it’ll work. And more importantly...”
She was as stoic as ever, but Al felt a teasing aura seeping from her. Either way, he gave up arguing and stuck the fake mustache above his lips.
“Uhh... Where am I?”
A bit later, Kanon opened his eyes.
“I was on patrol, when...”
“Are you awake?”
His thoughts were interrupted by a blue-haired girl popping into his sight.
“Huh!? Feena!?”
His voice boomed through the silent forest. After realizing that it was his old friend Feena, Kanon stood up.
“Feena? Is that really you? Look, it’s me! Kanon!”
Kanon got caught up in the moment and hugged Feena tightly.
“I know... Kanon, it hurts... Fireball.”
It must’ve been painful, since she furrowed her brow and shot a fireball right at Kanon.
“Feena, I know he’s going to repel it, but don’t you think it’s still going a bit too far!?”
Even Al couldn’t hold his tongue when he saw that.
“Ahaha, I know this power! It’s really you!”
But despite being sent rolling across the ground, Kanon stood up with a smile.
“What, is launching a fireball your greeting now!?”
Completely disregarding Al’s comment, Kanon rushed up to Feena.
“Ah, right! I’m so sorry for what happened, I thought you were being controlled by the-- Wait, did you break free from the Demon King’s control?”
He grabbed Feena’s shoulders again, but in a much more wary fashion. If Feena answered poorly, it would trigger an all-out war.
smirk.
She shot a mischievous smile at Al.
“Yes, it’s me. I escaped when that dirty, perverted Nympho Lord’s spell weakened.”
Nympho Lord...
Al stared right at Feena, but she simply brushed it off with an impish smile.
“Thank goodness! I’m so happy you’re safe!”
Kanon had totally fallen for it. He patted Feena’s shoulders and proudly huffed under his helmet.
Their lie had been planted as the one and only truth inside him.
Their lie had been planted as the one and only truth inside him.
“So, who’s our guest? I feel like I’ve seen him be-- Wait, he’s a guy!”
I hope he didn’t see through my... less than masterful disguise. Though he only said I’m a man, so we might still be safe.
Due to his fear, Kanon hadn’t directly seen Al’s face during their battle, but fooling him with a fake mustache was just wishful thinking. While trying to keep a straight face, Al took a step forward to introduce himself, but...
bam!
Kanon blasted him away with his fist before he could say anything. Since Kanon was a relic user, his punch couldn’t directly reach Al, but...
“Gahh!”
The sheer force of the attack made him eat some dirt.
“Hey! I don’t care if you’re Eshantel’s Inquisitor or whatever, how dare you attack me out of nowhere!?”
As Al finally grasped what had just transpired, he berated Kanon in a manner unfit for royalty.
“Ahhh, how crude! And more importantly, he’s a guy! Feena, what are you doing with another man!?”
What a disaster of an introduction for both parties. Al glared at Kanon and decided that there was no need for formalities around him.
“Kanon, he is...”
Feena tried to put a stop to the explosive situation before someone, most likely Al, got seriously hurt.
“Feena, you knew he’d assault me all along?!”
“Yes, though... I didn’t think it would get this bad...”
“Don’t you dare talk to Feena, you filthy, perverted animal! I know! You must’ve done something to her in exchange for helping her escape, you damn peon!”
Kanon instantly shut down their small talk.
“I mean, I take offense to being called a perverted animal, but why am I a peon now!?”
Enraged, Al still found the time to poke some fun at Kanon. Maybe his increased resistance to verbal abuse was thanks to a certain red-haired girl, but either way, he wasn’t happy with the situation.
“Hehehe, I can tell from a glance! Look at Feena; her sheer cuteness and gorgeous clothes prove her wealth! You have some nerve to approach her as a simple commoner! My proof? Look at that scythe on your back! Why else would you carry around a tool used by peasants!?”
“...”
Kanon took Al’s lack of retort as an admission of his status, and the corners of his mouth curled into a triumphant smile.
But in reality, the absurdity of Kanon’s deduction left Al completely speechless. He had the detective skills of a housebroken dog.
But in reality, the absurdity of Kanon’s deduction left Al completely speechless. He had the detective skills of a housebroken dog.
“Pffft.... The Demon King’s scythe is nothing more than a peasant’s tool... Pffft!”
Feena was borderline rolling from laughter just out of Kanon’s sight. Al decided he’d have a serious talk with her the next chance he got.
“Either way, I have to appreciate your efforts to take care of her despite being an animal. Let me hear your name.”
Without any knowledge of Al’s inner struggle, the master detective arrogantly asked Al for his name. Annoyed as he may have been, he was still speaking to Eshantel’s inquisitor. He had to be the bigger man and let it slide.
“I’m Alfonz, but my friends call me Al. I’m delighted to meet you, Eshantel’s Womanizer.”
In Al’s eyes, his response was impeccable. But only in Al’s eyes.
“Hahaha, you don’t hold back, do you? How about we bury the hatchet for now?”
Kanon said, but it felt more like he wanted to split Al’s head wide open with that metaphorical hatchet than anything else. Al could practically see Kanon’s cheeky smile behind his steel helmet.
“Geez, this is no time to fight!”
“How do you expect me to befriend this guy, Feena!?”
“You have some nerve, calling her ‘Feena’!”
No one could blame Al for wanting to fight back, but he was starting to get tired of their angry staredown,
so...
so...
“All right, we’re done here! Let’s go, Feena!”
As Al turned his back to Kanon with Feena in tow...
“Ah, wait up!”
Kanon called out to them. Just then...
wham!
“Gahhh!”
For the second time, Kanon swung at Al.
“Ahaha, sorry. I always feel like Feena’s in danger when she’s with another man...”
“What’s that mean!? You’re the only threat here!”
“Wow, you can take a punch.”
Al had been tempered by a certain red-headed girl, so he was quickly back on his feet, shooting off his remarks.
“Y’know, I’m still curious why you punched me!”
Kanon was outside his reach, so another angry staredown began.
“Ahaha, don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of Feena, you can go back to the fields or whatever.”
Kanon turned towards Feena, acting as if Al wasn’t even there.
“You finally managed to escape that pervy Demon King! Now, join up with me! That lowly Demon King will be no match for the two of us; he’ll be sealed in no time! Heck, we might even defeat him for good!”
Kanon’s boasting had been edging Al, but in all fairness, he’d already thrown not one, but two punches.
“Heh. You seriously think that Althos’ king is a pushover?”
He had to vent his frustration.
“Althos’ king...”
Just as Kanon whispered that in a quiet, menacing tone, his attitude changed instantly. It was not simple anger or bloodlust, but something much more sinister. Al felt the same energy emanating from him on the battlefield.
“Althos’ king is my nemesis. I promised my fallen comrades that I would cut off his head and mount it in front of their graves.”
His tone was different as well, as if something had possessed him.
I know he hates men, but I didn’t think it’d be to this extent.
Al shot a concerned look at Feena.
I’ve never seen him like this.
Feena signaled with a shake of her head.
“I even went as far as to swear allegiance to our greatest enemy, the Empire.”
His sinister aura dissipated, leaving only an expression of grave sorrow on his face. But he’d admitted to working with the Empire. Before, there had been a slight chance that Kanon would listen to Al if he’d explained himself, but that went right out the window.
“I see. Then you keep doing what you have to.”
“Feena, what!?”
Feena interrupted Al’s thoughts.
What is she saying!?
He quickly tried to stop Feena from strengthening Kanon’s resolve, but...
“But please, wait before you attack Althos.”
It seemed like there was no need.
“Why should I do that?”
Kanon asked, curious about his friend’s request.
“I can’t tell you now, but it’s important. I’m begging you, wait a bit.”
“Hmmm, so you want me to delay the attack, but you can’t say why. It’s a rather dubious request, even for a friend.”
“Kanon...”
This wasn’t a friendly chat between two friends anymore; sparks were flying between them.
“Inquisitor Kanon!” “We found ‘em!”
Several warriors on horseback trampled over the tense atmosphere.
“Seems like my entourage has arrived.”
Kanon’s expression lightened as he waved at his comrades.
“Ooh, my Inquisitor! It’s good to see ya safe!”
The warriors hopped down from their horses, relieved. To confirm his well-being, they rushed over to Kanon as if their heavy armor were made of paper.
“Inquisitor, you have to tell me if you leave on patrol!”
“Ahh, sorry, Toshisaka. I didn’t want to trouble you any further.”
“You’ve got it all wrong, Inquisitor! There’ll be trouble if you disappear!”
“Exactly! He went searchin’ like a mad dog when he couldn’t find you!”
“Zip it, Gengai! You talk when you dun’ even have the saddle on!”
The warriors let out a hearty laugh.
“Okay, sorry. That was my bad!”
Kanon said joyfully.
How are they on such good terms when his troops are all men!?
As Al pondered the inconsistency of Kanon’s character...
“They’re my troops, so it’s fine!”
Kanon solved his inner conflict.
“Inquisitor, who are they?”
One of the warriors looked toward Al and asked.
“Right. This is Subdera’s Diva, Feena, though... I’m sure you all knew that. The man next to her is a newly-rich, selfish peon.”
Al’s introduction, to the surprise of no one, was incredibly rude.
“I’m Feena of Subdera. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”
Feena’s textbook greeting was a stark contrast to Al, grumbling beside her.
It’s times like this that reminded me that she’s royalty, no matter how ditzy she may be.
“Al, we’ll have to talk later.”
She shot a sharp glance at Al as she whispered that. It left one wondering if the Divas had special mind-reading powers.
“Your face says more than your mouth.”
But the secret lay in his lack of a poker face.
“Ummm, I’m Alfonz. I’m a runaway, newly-rich, selfish peon from Althos.”
He didn’t want to pick a fight with a pack of capable warriors, so he parroted Kanon’s words.
“Alfonz, you say?”
Toshisaka stroked his chin while staring at Al.
“Is there a problem, Toshisaka? Ah, wait, I get it! Handsome as you may be, you’re much more interested in men than women! But let me warn you, he’s a sly bastard! Go for someone else!”
Kanon once again used his masterful deduction skills.
“Wh-Wh-What are you saying, Inquisitor!? I’m not really...”
Toshisaka desperately tried to deny those claims, but...
“Ahaha, then I should watch my back too, huh?”
“P-Please! Stop fooling around, Inquisitor!”
Toshisaka was turning as red as a beet. Al was left wondering if that kind of relationship was part of Eshantel’s culture, as the other soldiers were simply grinning as if they were used to this kind of jest.
“Inquisitor, order Toshisaka to fondle that wo--”
swing
The warrior who was fooling around was met with Toshisaka’s blade before he could even blink.
“Kanemitsu, I didn’t think you’d sink that low...”
“I was just kiddin’...”
With a drop of cold sweat running down his cheek, Kanemitsu raised his hands.
“I see I was wrong. Sorry, my reasoning is usually on point.”
Kanon said, a bit disappointed. His trust in his deductive abilities was clearly misplaced, judging by his performance. Al decided to keep his mouth shut about that, though.
“But Toshisaka, I want to be the first to know if you ever fall in love!”
Toshisaka calmed down when he saw Kanon’s bright smile, and the surrounding soldiers all let out tired sighs. Looking at them, Al felt like, for once, Kanon’s deduction had some truth to it.
He knew some people would rather go for the same sex, and he didn’t have any problems with that... as long as he wasn’t involved. While Kanon was lost in thought, the warriors finished bonding over their little chatter. Kanon hopped on the spare horse his people brought him.
He knew some people would rather go for the same sex, and he didn’t have any problems with that... as long as he wasn’t involved. While Kanon was lost in thought, the warriors finished bonding over their little chatter. Kanon hopped on the spare horse his people brought him.
“Feena. I don’t know what’s going on, but since you’re a trusted friend of mine, I’ll wait two days. I expect you to visit me and explain yourself in the meantime.”
He said with a lonely smile.
“It’s not much, but I hope it’ll ease your journey.”
Toshisaka handed Al a fist-sized pouch. It was rather heavy, so Al figured it must’ve been for travel expenses.
But why did he give this to me?
Something was off. If it was for travel expenses, it would’ve made more sense to give it to a Diva than some unknown peasant.
Do they think I’m Feena’s butler or something?
Al looked at Toshisaka as he pondered the situation.
“Well then, until next time.”
He stared at them for a few seconds before turning around.
“I’m praying for your safety, Feena. You, peon! Remember that if you dare touch the adorable girl, no matter where you run, I’ll find you and cut you up!”
Al could almost see Kanon’s eyes twinkle under his helmet. After waving goodbye to Feena one last time, Kanon gracefully turned around and left. He seemed like a well-mannered royal.
Yes. He seemed like one.
Yes. He seemed like one.
“Geez, what the hell is up with that fake Diva!?”
Al whispered to himself in rage as he watched Kanon leave.
Al whispered to himself in rage as he watched Kanon leave.
A few hours after Kanon departed, Al and Feena entered Mistwood. Brusch informed them that the fog would clear right before lunchtime, but that time had unfortunately been taken up by Kanon’s unexpected appearance, so they lost their chance. Entering the forest regardless was be a huge mistake. They knew the fog would be bad, but not to the extent it was. Unable to see more than a couple inches ahead, they were completely lost. Al couldn’t even see Feena’s face despite the fact that she was walking right next to him. They’d figured it would be dangerous to advance on horseback, so they slowly pulled their horses behind them while inching toward their destination. At least, that was their plan.
“Damn, I didn’t think it’d be this bad.”
“Me neither...”
Feena’s answer was exceptionally reserved. She may have been shaken up after their chance encounter with Kanon.
“Umm... You sure it was a good idea to stay with me? Maybe you could’ve convinced Kanon if you’d gone with him.”
Al asked Feena
without a hint of the jealousy that was eating away at his mind the day before. He was genuinely worried about her.
without a hint of the jealousy that was eating away at his mind the day before. He was genuinely worried about her.
“No, not yet.”
But she shot down his proposal.
“What do you mean, ‘not yet’?”
Feena was extremely confident in her answer, so Al had to know her basis for it.
“I think Kanon is under the control of a spell.”
“A spell? I didn’t feel any traces of ma-- Ah! That creepy feeling!”
He looked to his side to check Feena’s expression, but he couldn’t see a thing.
“Yes. I could feel a slight distortion of magical energy when he snapped at you.”
“A distortion, huh...? Can you do anything about it?”
It seemed like she was shaking her head.
It seemed like she was shaking her head.
“Not with my current power. But everyone in Eshantel adores him; they’re incredibly close. Maybe their voices can get through to him.”
Al could see that working somehow, judging from how playful they all were.
“And...”
Feena was getting more excited.
“And I won’t let anyone interrupt our pre-marriage honeymoon, be it friend or foe!”
“We’re not really on a honeymoon, are we!?”
It seemed like their talk really helped Al come to terms with his feelings. Even as he said that, he didn’t feel bad at all.
“I wish I could see your face...”
Oh, is that why she’s feeling down? It’d be a nice change of pace if she was serious for once!
He thought to himself, but had a big smile on his face. Just as things were starting to look up...
“Who’s there!? Answer me!”
They heard a rustle coming from the thickets nearby. Al immediately reached for his scythe, and it seemed like Feena had readied her wand as well.
“Feena, let’s stick together. We don’t want to hit each other on accident!”
“Got it!”
He felt Feena slide up to him.
“Ah! Not that close!”
He took a step back.
This is bad. If we get too close, Heavenly Surge might activate!
He’d wanted to do that at the beginning of the trip, but he changed his mind after what happened the day before. He felt that doing it by chance or by force wouldn’t be right. That’s why he told Feena to stay back a bit, but...
“Meanie! You don’t like me?”
She completely misread the situation.
“What? No one said that!”
“Then, can I stay by your side?”
“No, I mean, Heave--”
“You hate me after all...”
Feena wouldn’t understand his feelings.
Maybe I should just hug her and let Heavenly Surge loose.
It crossed his mind, but...
“Umm... Sorry to barge in on your little affair, but...”
“What affair!?”
Wait… I know this voice.
“Are you Inquisitor Kanon’s warrior... Toshisaka?”
Al asked.
“Yes, I am. I know it’s hard to see, but please follow me.”
Without any explanation, the bushes began rustling again, signaling Toshisaka’s departure.
“What should we do?”
Feena asked, completely perplexed. It was an alarming situation; they didn’t know if Al’s identity had been found out, but they were in a dangerous place and in desperate need of a guide.
“All right, let’s follow him. Just don’t let your guard down.”
“Got it.”
With that, they began following the footsteps ahead of them.
“What in the world is this?”
Neither Al nor Feena could believe what was happening. It was only been a few minutes after they started following Toshisaka, but the thick fog had completely disappeared. They were walking through a dense forest under the clear, blue sky, accompanied by the cute chirping of birds.
Neither Al nor Feena could believe what was happening. It was only been a few minutes after they started following Toshisaka, but the thick fog had completely disappeared. They were walking through a dense forest under the clear, blue sky, accompanied by the cute chirping of birds.
“Ah, I totally forgot about this! We’re on a secret path, known only to the people of Eshantel!”
“Couldn’t you have remembered that sooner!?”
“Amazing, Lady Lesfina. I didn’t think you’d remember it.”
Toshisaka answered with a cheerful smile, though his cheeks were unnaturally plump,
as though he’d been punched right in the face...
as though he’d been punched right in the face...
“So, would you tell us why you left your Inquisitor behind to come back and help us?”
Al wanted to thank him from the bottom of his heart, but first, he had to know why he went back for them. It was dangerous, but the sooner he learned the reason, the better.
“I simply happened to have a little something to do around there, Your Majesty.”
“And what would be that little so-- Wait, ‘Your Majesty’!?”
That crucial expression was stated so naturally that it almost slipped right past Al.
“H-How do you know Al’s iden--”
“Feena!”
It was already too late.
“Hahaha, I had a hunch that was the case.”
Thanks to Feena’s slip-up, he’d managed to confirm that Alfonz, the newly-rich peon, was, in fact, the king of Althos, Alnoa.
“Feena...”
It was so sudden that Al couldn’t really blame her.
“Ah... Sorry...”
“No, no, you didn’t slip up or anything. I’ve met His Majesty before.”
Toshisaka tried to cheer up the grumbling Feena.
“We’ve met? When? Where?”
The tables had turned. Feena intently stared at him, but Al couldn’t recall their meeting in the slightest, so he simply shook his head.
“I was present at your enthronement as a representative of Eshantel.”
Al had certainly had an enthronement ceremony, but he was way too nervous and confused at the time to remember the guests.
“I’m so sorry, but I was just...”
Al started to make up an excuse, but...
“Al, I will make you a special potion that helps with your memory once we get home!”
Feena crossed her arms and pouted.
“Well, I couldn’t see you too well in that thick fog. What gave you away was Lady Lesfina’s unrest.”
The tables had turned once again.
“Maybe you need a potion to up your acting! Wait, so whose side are you even on!?”
“Huh? I’m Inquisitor Kanon’s loyal subordinate, of course.”
Toshisaka answered, looking a bit dumbfounded. Al realized that most of the Eshantel troops he’d met were rather hard to read. One could never be sure what they were thinking.
“And what are you going to do with this information? Are you gonna run and tell him? Or do you want to...”
Al reached for his scythe. He was preparing himself for a tough battle. The way Toshisaka drew his sword while they were fooling around and his skillful way with words alluded to him being a great threat. Or maybe Feena and he were too easily impressed. Toshisaka opened his mouth to answer the nervous king.
“Oh, by the way. Even if Your Majesty was wearing a nametag, Kanon probably would’ve bought your story. You’ve seen his less than powerful reasoning firsthand.”
“That may very well be the case.”
Feena agreed, and Al let out a deep sigh. He was starting to feel a bit sorry for the Inquisitor. Both his best friends and subordinates thought of him as a fool.
“However, the Inquisitor is as pure as the whitest snow.”
Toshisaka said with a gentle smile. But he didn’t notice the couple of mischievous ones that appeared right after.
“Really? Well, they do say love is blind.”
“You need your head checked if you think ‘pure’ is a good description of him.”
“Please; why would you assume that? I’m nothing more than the Inquisitor’s aide-de-camp.”
Toshisaka’s cheeks turned bright red the instant he heard their comments. He was probably purer than anyone else.
“So, what made you leave your beloved Inquisitor’s side to come here?”
Al tried to get the conversation he’d derailed back on track.
“I’m not at all, not in the slightest, in no way in love with him, but I came here to talk about Kanon.”
The moment the discussion got back on track, his gentle expression became much more sinister.
“Lady Lesfina, what did you think of Kanon today?”
Their eyes met. It seemed like everyone felt the same way, though Toshisaka was probably even more aware of Kanon’s strange antics due to spending his days close to him.
“Oh. Well...”
They exchanged information, but since Al didn’t know much, all he could tell Toshisaka was his plan to save Eshantel’s citizens.
“So the Empire is working behind the scenes... Kanon’s been acting weird since his meeting with them...”
Toshisaka stared at Al as he repeated what he’d learned.
“Wh-What!? Wait, are you actually into...”
“I knew you were queer!”
“No, I’m not! Why are you instantly jumping to the same conclusion!?”
“Hey, I’m just paying back what I got from your lover.”
“We’re married. Being on the same wavelength is only natural.”
“Then why are you totally out of sync on this!? Honestly, it’s a bit disturbing!”
Al found Toshisaka rather sensitive after their brief interaction.
“I was simply wondering why Your Majesty reminds me of him so much!”
Toshisaka let out a deep sigh. He seemed rather tired; perhaps he had a lot of pressure put on him.
“Could you stop with that lukewarm stare of yours?”
He didn’t even have the energy to appreciate Al’s friendliness.
“At any rate, our goals are the same. I would like to ask the two of you to help save Eshantel’s citizens.”
With that, their discussion was finally back on track, though a single question still remained unanswered.
“Did you get permission from Kanon?”
The Inquisitor’s command was absolute for his warriors, but from the looks of it, Toshisaka was acting on his own. He took a deep breath.
“I took some time off...”
He whispered. Taking some time off could only mean...
“Did you... leave the army?”
That was the only plausible explanation. It seemed like his swollen cheeks were indeed due to a slap.
“My loyalty towards the Inquisitor is unwavering, however! I pride myself on being a warrior of Eshantel! But... But... I want the old Inquisitor back as soon as possible.”
He gently slapped his own cheeks.
“Our previous meeting confirmed that this would be our best time to act.”
Everyone could see the determination in his eyes.
“So, can I ask to join the quest to save our people?”
Toshisaka took a step forward. Al instinctively jumped back due to the sheer amount of determination radiating from him, but Toshisaka pushed forward.
“I am a warrior of Eshantel. I cannot let an unrelated party, be it a good friend of the Inquisitor or anyone else, to save our people without my help!”
“Well, you did lead us out of that forest...”
Overwhelmed by his will, Al nodded.
“I’m against it.”
Feena jumped between the two.
“I think we should do it. He could lead us directly to Eshantel.”
But Feena kept shaking her head.
“We’re on our pre-marriage honeymoon...”
“That’s why!?”
Al covered his face with his hand, but he knew Feena was stubborn as a mule when it came to such a thing.
“Umm... I won’t disturb you at all... Ah! I heard that your love only gets stronger when you overcome an obstacle, so... may I join you?”
Feena crossed her arms and thought deeply.
“That could fuel our love!”
Her innermost thoughts were, unfortunately, audible to everyone in close proximity.
“I guess you can join, but do your best as fuel!”
She said like a merciful goddess lending a helping hand.
“Crap, I didn’t think they’d be this quick.”
They followed Toshisaka through Mistwood under the cover of the night. By dawn, they’d arrived at the edge of the dangerous woods overlooking the coastland town of Sanda, west of Eshantel’s capital. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the time to mourn at the heart-wrenching sight of the devastated, burnt fields.
They followed Toshisaka through Mistwood under the cover of the night. By dawn, they’d arrived at the edge of the dangerous woods overlooking the coastland town of Sanda, west of Eshantel’s capital. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the time to mourn at the heart-wrenching sight of the devastated, burnt fields.
“I thought they were departing later tonight...”
Feena whispered, confirming Al’s suspicions. Despite the information they had, however, Eshantel’s citizens had already been shoved onto the ships visible in the distance.
“What should we do? The docks won’t have enough cover for a surprise attack.”
Al answered his own question. Their operation wasn’t risky solely due to the lack of cover; abominations could easily prowl behind the rubble.
“Al, should I use illusion magic to disguise us?”
He thought about Feena’s proposal.
We’re still far away from the harbor, so a single spell won’t cover our tracks the whole way. What should we do?
Shortly after that, he came up with a solution.
“I’ll act as a decoy. You two take over the ship during the commotion.”
Al was ready to go to realize his strategy, but...
“No. If anything goes wrong, I should take the blame.”
Toshisaka caught Al by the arm and gave a hearty smile.
“Toshisaka...”
“Don’t tell me it’s dangerous; I’m well aware of that. Danger is the nature of our mission. But even if it’s in ruins, this is still my hometown. I’m probably better at hiding myself than Your Majesty is.”
He couldn’t argue with that.
“Al, we have to move.”
Feena agreed with Toshisaka’s plan and began preparing to depart.
“Haah, okay, but be careful! Kanon will have my head if I let you get a single scratch!”
Al said jokingly, but Toshisaka cast his eyes down.
“That won’t happen. One cannot return to being a warrior after leaving their position.”
He said with a bitter smile. In that instant, Al came up with an idea to help him.
“Then come live with us! We’re not exactly wealthy, so you might get a severe pay cut, but I can guarantee a place to stay and warm food on your table every day! Feena also lives there, so once we resolve this situation, I’m sure Kanon will come over every now and then.”
Al shared his plan. They’d only spent a day together, but Al already considered them friends.
“No offense, but Your Majesty is quite the dreamer.”
Toshisaka felt slightly embarrassed.
“You can just call me Al. Think about my proposal once we’re finished here, okay?”
With their planning over, they started getting ready to act.
“I’ll create a distraction on the other side of the harbor.
Toshisaka finished his preparations and left to carry out his duty.
“Ah, Toshisaka. I hate to ask you this, but if you run into any abominations...”
“I know. I’ll simply run around as a decoy to catch their attention. I won’t kill anyone.”
After correctly guessing Al’s request, he waved goodbye to them.
“The best of luck, Your Majesty.”
He said before departing.
“I’m praying for your success.”
Al waved back at him and returned his well-wishes.
“Rahh! Come at me if you want to get a beating!”
Toshisaka provoked the enemy at the other side of the harbor. He made for a successful decoy, just as he’d expected. His shout stole the enemy’s attention as he cut off the legs of the incoming abominations, completely immobilizing them. He used their bodies as obstacles and shields, successfully fending off the attacks coming from every direction. All the while, Al was thanking every deity he knew that he didn’t have to go to war against such talented warriors.
“I’ll have to win him over once this mission is complete.”
Al whispered to himself, hiding behind the ruins of a wall even though Feena’s spell masked their appearance.
“Al, we’ll talk about your homoerotic desires later. Focus on the task at hand.”
Feena totally misunderstood the meaning behind Al’s smile. But she was right nonetheless. They needed to focus on their mission.
“We’re nearly there. Are you okay, Feena?”
She nodded silently. Thanks to Toshisaka’s diversion, they’d managed to sneak near the ship without drawing any suspicion. He should have bought enough time for them to reapply the spell and sneak onboard.
“Okay, we’ll move with the next--”
“Ahhhh!”
He was interrupted by a sharp scream.
“Gwrahhhhhhh!”
Al turned his head toward the disturbing scream, only to see an abomination in the form of a wolf standing on two legs, ready to deal a finishing blow to Toshisaka.
“Tch, we were so close!”
He said begrudgingly, but there was no delay in his movements.
“Toshisaka, get down!”
Al said as he aimed his arm at the abomination.
“Come forth, power of the Demon King!”
He shouted, even though his words had no bearing. They were neither chants nor curses.
Regardless, black flames spewed forward from Al’s palm, blasting the abomination out of the way.
Regardless, black flames spewed forward from Al’s palm, blasting the abomination out of the way.
“Hey! More intruders over there!”
With that, Feena’s illusion was dispelled. The Empire’s soldiers quickly rushed out onto the deck and formed a defensive line. After Toshisaka spotted Al, he began rushing toward him while fending off countless attacks from the surrounding abominations.
“Geez, Al... but I can’t be mad at you. I would’ve filed for divorce if you hadn’t helped him!”
Feena said while conjuring up a fireball.
“My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty. I have failed my mission.”
“We have to push through! Let’s go!”
Their plan had failed, but they didn’t have time to lament. The three of them began forcing their way onto the ship, but...
“Gwrahhhhhhh!”
Dozens of abominations appeared in front of them.
“Out of the way!”
Al swung his scythe at the abominations.
“Fireball. Frozen Orb. Lightning Strike.”
Feena’s spells blew a couple of abominations out of the way.
“Watch out! They’re not the only threat here!”
Toshisaka followed their attacks with a deadly slash, but their joint attack didn’t amount to much in front of the countless abominations forming a wall between the ship and them.
“Al, the ship is departing!”
Even before Feena made her comment, Al could see the huge ship hurriedly trying to set sail.
“Feena! Aim for the sail!”
Their ship was a generic sailing vessel. Without the sail, it couldn’t go anywhere.
“I will try... No, I will do it!”
“Toshisaka, you cover Feena!”
“Understood!”
Al and Toshisaka warded off the attacks aimed at Feena’s back.
“Fireball!”
Feena launched a fireball. Its target: the sail.
fwoosh!
The sail caught on fire in a moment’s notice. Thanks to that, they’d gained a bit of time. At least, they should have, but their hopes were swiftly crushed. The ship showed no sign of slowing down. Suddenly, dozens of oars appeared on either side of the ship.
“It was a galley all along!?”
Al shouted in frustration,
but...
but...
“Feena, you handle the right side! I’ll take care of the left!”
“Got it!”
Al showed no sign of giving up either. They each prepared spells to destroy the oars, but...
“Gwahh!”
A giant ape-like abomination hurled itself in front of Feena’s fireball. Despite the flames eating away at its flesh, it stood its ground, blocking Feena’s line of sight.
“Crap! Leave it to me!”
Al’s dark spell hit the abomination and blasted it out of the way. But then...
“Tch, there’s no end to them!”
Toshisaka’s katana got stuck in an abomination’s shoulder.
“Urahhh!”
But the abomination didn’t even flinch; instead, it swung its tree trunk-like arms directly at him.
“Uhh... Gahhh!”
Toshisaka somehow managed to block the attack, but he wasn’t able to stand his ground. He was blown back all the way to Feena. The abominations had gained the upper hand. They began flooding through the gap Toshisaka had left. Feena’s could see the boat, but she still couldn’t aim for it.
“Al, next to me!”
Holding Toshisaka by his nape, Feena began focusing her mana. Then, the moment Al jumped closed to her...
“Crimson Waltz: Burst Rondo!”
Normally, this would be a simple spell that caused a tiny explosion around the caster. It was widely used for creating a curtain of dust. However, due to Feena’s magical affinity, the spell tore boulders out of the ground, making them rain down on the abominations.
“It’s not over. Bam!”
She said in a teasing manner, but the scope of her spell widened the moment those words left her mouth. It was pure chaos. Al caught a glimpse of an unlucky abomination, struck directly in the jaw by a boulder. Several others were blasted away with the ground. Their numbers decreased by the second.
“Amazing! Is this the power of Subdera’s Diva!?”
“This is no time to stand in awe! Cover Feena, I’ll take care of the... ship...”
As the cloud of dust settled, Al realized that the ship had already gotten a few hundred meters away from the docks.
“We didn’t make it...”
Feena said, shocked.
“Damn...”
Toshisaka whispered as he collapsed to his knees. But Al hadn’t given up.
“No, I won’t accept this! There must be a way! Please, I have to come up with something!”
Al clenched his fist to the point that his knuckles cracked. His persistence was a double-edged sword. Some thought it was cool, but others thought he was simply bad at losing.
“I’ve got it!”
Al excitedly turned toward Feena. His sudden mood change made it seem like a boulder had hit him in the head.
Al excitedly turned toward Feena. His sudden mood change made it seem like a boulder had hit him in the head.
“Feena! Can you make an ice wall--no, an ice bridge like last time? One that connects to the ship!”
“Huh? An ice bridge, you say?”
“Got it!”
The dumbfounded Toshisaka went completely ignored as Feena prepared her wand.
The dumbfounded Toshisaka went completely ignored as Feena prepared her wand.
“Ice Wall!”
She chanted the spell. Suddenly, a long path of ice began extending across the water’s surface.
bam!
A direct hit on the ship. The bridge of ice connecting the land with the ship was finally complete,
stopping the ship in its tracks.
stopping the ship in its tracks.
“Thanks, Feena! Please cover me!”
Al shouted as he started dashing toward the ship.
“He’s alone! Fire the bows!”
“Destroy the ice! Quick!”
The completely dumbstruck sailors finally began their counterattack. The archers prepared to attack and the oars began destroying the ice beneath the ship. Meanwhile, Al was running toward the ship at full speed.
“Come forth, wind!”
Feena was supporting Al while Toshisaka protected Feena. A strong gust of wind blew forth, scattering the arrows aimed at Al, though he also felt the effect of the spell and barely managed to stop himself from sliding into the water. Regaining his balance, he continued rushing toward the ship, but...
bam! crackle, crackle!
Sudden sounds of explosions interrupted the flow of the battle. The ice trapping the ship had been blown away.
“Damn, they had gunpowder!? I was so close!”
While trying to regain his footing, shaken by the blast, he stared at the ship that was sailing farther and farther away.
“Maybe I should ask Feena for another bridge. It’d most likely meet the same fate, though.”
Out of ideas, false hopes such as sprouting wings crossed his mind, until...
“Feena! Hit me with a fireball!”
Al turned to Feena and shouted.
“What!?”
Feena looked at him with eyes colder than a quiet winter’s night. Apparently, she wasn’t too excited to have a masochistic boyfriend.
“No, not like that! I want you to propel me all the way to the ship!”
Having heard his rushed explanation, Feena decided to go with the plan.
“Fireball!”
pew!
A moment later, the fireball struck the ice directly below Al’s feet and he was sent flying through the air.
“Hyaaaaaah!”
He flew toward the ship in a beautiful parabola.Given that she was a Diva, her impeccable aim was to be expected.
“Gahhh!”
A sharp pain surged through Al’s body, but he didn’t have time to lick his wounds. He quickly sprang up, ready to take action. The soldiers were caught off-guard, as shown by their delayed reaction to the man quite literally falling from the skies.
“Raaaaah!”
Al began his attack on the dumbstruck soldiers. Limp bodies collapsed onto the deck one by one after taking blows from the handle or accidentally touching the blade of the weapon.
“It’s like the scythe of Death itself, trapping the souls of anyone it comes in contact with.”
Conflicted about who the villain really was, Al’s mouth curled into a cynical smile.
“Fireball! Lightning Bolt!”
While they were focusing their attention on Al, Feena had managed to recreate the bridge and was closing in at full speed.
“Aaaaah!”
Toshisaka had also caught up to the group. He was pushing soldiers off the deck, one after another.
“Surrender, Empire dogs! You stand no chance!”
Judging by their overwhelming power, Al was certain of their victory.
“The Empire knows no defeat!”
However, the Empire didn’t share his perspective. Al turned around, ready to finish the tiring ordeal once and for all, but...
He was too late.
He was too late.
“Commander Gwain! What are you--!?”
The Imperial soldier referred to as Gwin walked up to a stack of barrels with a torch in his hand.
“That must be gunpowder.”
Toshisaka whispered.
“I’ll blast it away!”
Al raised his hand to stop Feena before she did anything rash.
“You’d blast all the prisoners and half the ship away!”
They couldn’t afford to take risks and act recklessly while the enemy had so much destructive force in their hands.
“Your Majesty, shall we distract him for a second?”
Toshisaka snuck his hand into his pockets. He probably had something in mind.
“Okay, but we’re doing things my way.”
Al took a quick glance at Toshisaka, who signaled his agreement with a slight nod.
Let’s see if he’s worth recruiting.
Al took a step back from Toshisaka, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.
“Hey, you! What do you think you’re doing!?”
He took another step back.
“You’d betray your comrades just to protect your honor!?”
“Sh-Shut up! You think you know everything!? If I fail this simple mission, not only will I be stripped of my class, I’ll fall directly into slavery! Who knows what’ll happen after that; they might turn me into a crude abomination with that almighty crystal of theirs! I’d rather have this ship and everything on it sleep with the fishes!”
Al planned to ask about the abominations in great detail, but first...
“There’s another way. Desert the Empire!”
“Desert... the Empire?”
Anyone could tell from the look in the commander’s eyes that he was truly lost. Seizing the opportunity, Al took a step forward.
“Exactly. You can settle down in Althos instead! We may be poor, but there is no capital punishment for a failed mission. As the king, I myself can guarantee that!”
The commander’s eyes sparkled when Al stretched his arms. Finally, Al could relax. But that blissful moment vanished in an instant.
“Pfwahahaha! You think the Empire wouldn’t crush your puny excuse for a country!? I would rather die here than meet a traitor’s fate!”
Unfortunately, the previous sparkle was not one of hope, but of insanity.
“Hyahh! Die!”
The mad commander dropped his torch on the barrels.
“Get down!”
Just as Al gritted his teeth, trying to cover Feena from the blast...
“Hey now, Mister. We would very much like to hear more about that crystal before you go up in flames.”
As swiftly as the wind, Toshisaka snuck up on the enemy commander and caught the torch before it could land on the barrels.
“Y-You bastard!”
Toshisaka’s blade pressed gently against the squirming commander’s throat. Toshisaka had assessed the situation perfectly and come up with the most suitable plan.
“I don’t care what it takes; I want him in my country.”
Toshisaka smiled back at the happily grinning Al,
but...
but...
“Arghhhh! Kill me! I’ll die anyway, so take my life right here and now!”
The commander was violently struggling in an attempt to cut open his own throat with Toshisaka’s blade.
“Don’t kill him!”
Hearing that, Toshisaka lowered his katana.
“Hyahh!”
The moment Gwain struggled free, he grabbed Toshisaka’s arm that held the torch.
“Die, you bastards!”
He pushed the torch toward the barrels.
“Your Majesty! Lady Lesfina! Get down!”
Al immediately jumped in to protect Feena.
bam!
It was a strangely quiet explosion for gunpowder. Once the shockwave had passed over, Al looked up...
“T-Toshisaka?”
Toshisaka was lying there, his clothes in tatters. The surrounding soldiers had been blown away, but for some reason, he’d remained in close proximity to the center of the explosion, though there was no time to investigate how that had happened. He stood up despite his injuries,
but his legs couldn’t support him for long.
but his legs couldn’t support him for long.
“Toshisaka!”
Al rushed over to Toshisaka and held him in his arms, but his injuries were extremely severe.
“Toshisaka! Hold it together!”
“Gbwahh!”
Instead of an answer, only a massive amount of blood left his mouth. He was bleeding profusely from his stomach as well, despite his best efforts to apply pressure to his wound.
“Hey, is there a doctor in here!? Help... Help Toshisaka!”
Al cursed his decision to leave Cecilia behind.
“Magic is... forbidden for... us...”
Toshisaka turned his head toward Al. His more or less irrelevant answer was probably due to his fading consciousness.
“We can... use magic only once... in our lives to save the Inquisitor... Your invitation to Althos... meant the world to me... I would gladly ta-- Gahhh!”
“I know, just... don’t talk now!”
Al hugged him even tighter.
“Ahh, Your Majesty... My sincerest apologies, but... this is the end... for me... Please... tell Inquisitor Kanon...”
As his arms dropped to his side, blood began gushing out from the open wound in his abdomen.
Al desperately tried reapplying pressure to stop the bleeding, but...
Al desperately tried reapplying pressure to stop the bleeding, but...
“Shit, why won’t it stop!? Hey, Demon King! Stop protecting me and help someone else every once in a while, you bastard!”
While Al was cursing the Demon King, Toshisaka drew the dagger equipped to his belt.
“This is... an heirloom I received from... the Inquisitor’s father... Please, bring it back...
“Don’t screw with me! Who would be happy to receive a memento from a dead comrade!? You go and lob it at him yourself! So, please... Please open your eyes, Toshisaka!”
“Give the... Inquisitor... my regards... They’re...”
“Toshisaka!”
The dagger fell from limps hand.
“Sorry... I should’ve...”
Al’s own orders were what caused this situation.
“Al...”
Feena picked up the dagger and gave it to the grieving Al.
“Al. Toshisaka gave his life to protect his current master. The least you can do is... carry out his will.”
She said as large tears streamed down her cheeks.
How could anyone call her an emotionless doll!?
Looking at her, Al closed his eyes and...
“Toshisaka, I’m sorry you had to serve such a lousy leader. Don’t worry, I’ll carry out your wish. I promise.”
Al gently laid down Toshisaka’s lifeless body and took the dagger from Feena.
“I will give this to your true master.”
Al promised one last time before standing up.
“We’ll head back to Althos once we release the captive citizens and bury Toshisaka. I’ll put an end to this meaningless war. Will you stay by my side for a little longer?”
He looked straight into Feena’s eyes.
“Yes. You are Toshisaka’s master and my husband, so it’s my duty to carry out every one of your requests!”
Al thanked Feena and looked up at the sky.
Had he not, an unstoppable river of tears would’ve escaped his eyes...
Had he not, an unstoppable river of tears would’ve escaped his eyes...
Eshantel’s army was stationed a few kilometers away from Althos’ border,
alongside the Empire’s soldiers.
alongside the Empire’s soldiers.
“How long are we going to stand here idly, Inquisitor!? We’re here to aid in the assault on Althos, not to fool around at camp all day!”
The captain of the Empire’s forces, Bouda, stormed into the tent acting as the temporary headquarters.
“We have our own way of handling things. I deeply appreciate your help, but that doesn’t make you our boss. We’ll do as we see fit.”
The armor-clad Kanon didn’t say a word. Instead, his trusty aide, Kanemitsu, answered Bouda’s question. Bouda may have been the commander of the Imperial army, but he himself was a nobleman lacking any war experience. He could never go toe-to-toe with a hardened veteran like Kanon.
“T-Tomorrow! Tomorrow is your last chance! If you don’t launch the assault we’ll pull out of this fight, got it!?”
“...”
After shooting one last angry stare at Kanon, Bouda promptly walked to the exit.
“Tch, this damn knock-off Diva!”
He said as if no one could hear him and withdrew from the tent, leaving Kanon alone with his guards. However, this time, Toshisaka was missing from their ranks.
“Inquisitor, if I may... I am well aware of your promise with Subdera’s Diva, but I advise to make your move soon.”
As if his commanding posture were simply a farce, Kanemitsu tried to persuade his lord to rethink his ways with a gentle, sweet voice.
“...”
Kanemitsu was getting looks from the other guards. Meanwhile, after a few moments of thinking, Kanon stood up, signified by the clunking of his armor.
“We will carry out our assault tomorrow. This fight will mark the end of Alnoa, the Demon King. Everyone, make sure you’re prepared to face the ultimate evil!”
“Yes!” “Yes!”
After hearing his guards’ responses, Kanon left the tent.
“I’m sorry, Feena...”
He looked up at the golden sky spreading over all the lands and apologized to his dear friend.