Side Story: Everyone’s Morrow Part 3

◇The Gates of the Dark Citadel◇

“Excuse me, are you the damn gate guards?”

“Wha—” The golem soldiers standing guard at the gates turned to look at the woman who had addressed them. She looked young, and was wearing a black-and-white gothic lolita-style dress with a large matching ribbon in her hair. She was carrying a great scythe.

The girl thrust the blade of the scythe against one of the golem’s necks. “Is this the damn Dark Citadel?” she asked. “You may address me as Lady Belianna, the devil. I’ve come to meet with the damn Dark One. Would you show me the damn way?”

The golems’ tempers rose at this strange girl’s behavior.

“A-A devil!” one cried.

“Are you with Zanzibar?!” demanded another.

It had not been long since the devils—the single strongest faction of demons—had publicly declared war on Yuigarde, the current head of the Dark Army. They had failed in their plot to take the Dark Citadel and were now encamped far to the west, where they were building their strength. It was only natural the golems would be on guard. More and more of them were gathering around to see what was happening.

“Yes, yes,” Belianna said, “I understand. I shouldn’t have shown off my weapon to damn weaklings like you. That was my bad. Here.” Belianna thrust her scythe into the ground and held up her hands to show that she was now unarmed.

The golems began whispering to each other, uncertain what to do.

◇Later, in the Throne Room◇

Yuigarde looked down at the devil girl his golems had brought before him. “You’re the devil who wanted to see me?” he asked.

Belianna curtsied formally. “I offer you my damn thanks for granting me this audience,” she said. She looked up to face Yuigarde, regarding him with brilliant red eyes that contrasted with her pale skin. She seemed to be appraising him. “Hmm,” she said. “You’re quite the damn figure.”

“And?” Yuigarde snapped. “Whaddaya want.” He kept his eyes on her, not letting his guard drop.

Belianna broke into a happy smile. “Hee hee hee,” she laughed. “As you are damn aware, most of us devils have joined forces with the damn rebel army of the damn aristocrat Zanzibar. However, my family and I have been considering a damn alliance with the Dark One Yuigarde. That is why I came to damn meet you.” Belianna held up her hand. “Might you grant me a damn Demon Ring?” she asked. “I am the head of a lesser noble family, with 108 fighters in my service.”

Demon Rings were granted to those who swore allegiance to the Dark One. It was deeply shameful to betray the Dark One while in possession of a Demon Ring. Under demonic law, such a traitor would be banished not just from the Dark Army, but from all of demon society. Furthermore, if one were to return a Demon Ring after it had been granted, they could never return to the Dark Army, and demons everywhere would regard them with scorn.

The Dark One Yuigarde raised an eyebrow. “What exactly are you trying to do here?”

“If you must know, I suppose I am here because of my damn ambition.”

“Your ambition?”

“Yes...” Belianna looked to her side, where the Infernal Four stood—except for Sleip, who was off fighting his war of attrition against the human forces. She gave Calsi’im, who was sitting on his knees atop his handkerchief, a searching glance. “My Lord Dark One,” she said, “I have heard that you are a damn generous man who will promote his underlings into the Infernal Four for their damn achievements, even if they’re old and falling apart. You judge solely on results—that is precisely the kind of damn lord I would like to serve.”

Belianna’s lips curled up into a smile as she continued on. “Devils place an undue importance on damn seniority and social class. There is no way for someone from a lesser noble family like myself to advance. The rebellion is organized the same damn way. The underlings do all the damn work and the high-ranking nobles get all the damn merit. Is that any way to motivate an army?”

“Right, I get it.” Yuigarde shot up from his throne. “Belianna! You and your family are welcome in the Dark Army! Phufun, prepare their Demon Rings immediately!”

“Yes, Master,” Phufun said. “However, do you really think it is safe to trust them? We cannot deny the possibility that they may be Zanzibar’s spies.”

“Idiot!” Yuigarde bellowed. “Who cares?! I told you she’s welcome already! Don’t keep her waiting!”

“Y-Yes, Master!” Phufun, the subject of the Dark One’s anger, rushed out of the throne room.

Belianna smiled as she watched. “I knew it,” she said. “My Lord Dark One, you are exactly the sort of liege I wish to damn serve.”

◇ ◇ ◇

As Yuigarde raised his voice in loud laughter, Yorminyt turned to look at the skeleton Calsi’im, sitting on the floor beside her. Was thisss hisss plan? she wondered. Did he asssk to be made an Infernal to demonssstrate that in the current Dark Army, even a worn out ssskeleton like him can be promoted for hisss achievements? Did he ssset it up on purpossse to lure dissssatisssfied rebelsss to our ssside?

“Oh!” Calsi’im exclaimed, showing no sign that he knew what Yorminyt was thinking. “What delicious tea!” He took another sip.

However, Belianna was the first of many. A great number of rebels began expressing their desire to serve the Dark Army. When asked why, they would say it was because of an old skeleton like Calsi’im being made an Infernal on the merit of his achievements alone. The difficulties the Dark Army’d had in finding recruits were over. More and more hopefuls came, entirely of their own volition.

And all the while, Calsi’im—member of the Infernal Four—would sit on his handkerchief at the back of the room.

◇West of the Dark Citadel—Zanzibar Palace◇

On the hill where the demon fox sisters’ fortress once stood, a grand palace was under construction. Zanzibar, the highest ranking of all devil nobility, had ordered it built to serve both as his own extravagant living quarters and a base for the rebellion. It was based on the blueprint of the Dark Citadel and even featured a replica of its throne room—a statement that Zanzibar was a figure of at least as much prestige as the Dark One, if not more.

Zanzibar sat in that very throne room, grumbling in irritation. “Why is this happening?” he said. “Why are the low-ranking devils all abandoning us for the Dark Army?”

Meiden, who was standing by his side, screwed up her face and stepped forward. “I-It pains me to say it, Master, but it is because of the news that an old skeleton was made an Infernal,” she said. “Many have taken it to mean that the Dark Army will promote them based on their merit.”

Zanzibar clicked his tongue. “Damn that Yuigarde,” he said bitterly. “It is true that we devils organize ourselves by seniority. Lower-ranking devils and other races have little chance of promotion. Don’t tell me that amoeba-brained Dark One had a good idea for once, promoting that skeleton...” He struck the armrest of his throne several times in anger. Cold sweat was running down his brow. We should start promoting our forces based on merit as well, he thought. But the higher-ranking devil nobles joined me in the first place in order to preserve their social positions. I’d risk losing their support entirely. But we can’t keep letting the Dark Army take our ambitious low-ranking soldiers...

Both he and Meiden sat there, thinking furiously over how to resolve the issue, but in the end it was nothing but a waste of time.

◇ ◇ ◇

The rebellion, which had once boasted a force capable of outmatching the Dark Army, dwindled in the blink of an eye as more and more of its members deserted. Zanzibar, their leader, was left with no choice but to go on the defensive and shut himself away in his palace.

The Dark Army, on the other hand, had gained a great deal of military force from this incident, but was still not nearly strong enough to fight both the rebellion and the army of Klyrode. If they didn’t handle the rebels properly, it would weaken their position against Klyrode—and if they did attack Klyrode, it would leave them open to the rebellion.

They set up an encampment outside of Zanzibar Palace and did their best to keep the situation in a deadlock. Demonkind was entering a cold war between the Dark Army of the Dark One Yuigarde and Zanzibar’s rebellion. And while Yuigarde focused his attention on crushing the rebellion, the Magical Kingdom of Klyrode and all of humanity enjoyed a period of tranquility.

◇The Highway Near Calgosi Coast◇

A stagecoach made its way down the highway from Calgosi Coast leading to Klyrode Castle. Inside, among the other passengers, were Hero Gold-Hair and Tsuya.

“Hero Gooold-Hair,” Tsuya said. “Our festival staaall was a huuuge succeeess!”

“Indeed!” Gold-Hair agreed. “Thanks to that, we shouldn’t have to worry about money for quite a while!” He laughed and patted the Bottomless Bag on his belt where he kept his money. Tsuya smiled and clapped her hands. “But you know,” he continued, “I could have done a better job with that garbage pit.”

“The one on top of the hiiill? You know, I diiid think it looked a little slapdash when I went to toooss the gaaarbage...”

“Exactly! I dug it in a hurry, but then I found I couldn’t get out!” Hero Gold-Hair said, before adding, “Well, I was able to dig my way back up with my trusty Drilldozer Shovel, so I suppose nothing came of it...”

The Drilldozer Shovel was a legendary item once kept in the sanctuary of Klyrode Castle. With its power, you could dig deep holes in the blink of an eye. Hero Gold-Hair had taken it when he had fled the castle, and now he used it to make pits for garbage and traps for hunting.

“Yeeeah!” Tsuya agreed. She had a big grin on her face as she clapped once again. Hero Gold-Hair puffed out his chest, happy to receive so much applause, as the stagecoach made its way down the road. It was still a long way to Klyrode Castle.

◇A Mountain Road◇

“How did I end up wrapped into this mess?!” Within his lavish coach, the Shadow King clicked his tongue. Before him were the demon fox sisters, singed black all over, their dark lustrous hair frizzy and burnt.

“W-We couldn’t help it!” protested Kintsuno the Gold.

“They’re just too stubborn!” added Gintsuno the Silver. Both of them were coughing rather badly.

The previous day, the sisters had launched an attack on the Fli-o’-Rys General Store only to be outmaneuvered and defeated by Greanyl, who was standing watch while Flio and his companions were away. Now they had the former Silent Listeners in relentless pursuit. At their wits end, and having exhausted all other options, they took refuge in the Shadow King’s underground base. All this did, however, was bring Greanyl’s team’s attention to the whereabouts of the Shadow King’s fortress, which they promptly and thoroughly wrecked.

“Hmph,” the Shadow King grumbled miserably. “We may be co-conspirators, but why would they come to me under those circumstances?! My base is in ruins thanks to you!”

Suddenly, the man driving the coach cried out. “Enemies incoming from the rear! It’s Greanyl and her team!”

“Eek!” yipped the sisters.

“Do something!” the Shadow King snapped.

“Target acquired.” Greanyl dashed through the forest, giving signals to her team with both hands as she came in sight of the coach. Her team, which had been running in formation behind her, split up at once and scattered into the surrounding area, moving to cut off the coach’s avenue of escape. “This time, you won’t get away.” Greanyl withdrew two short blades, holding one in each hand. Weapons out, she ran ahead, fast as lightning. When the Shadow King and the demon fox sisters saw her through the window, they all blanched at the sight.

Some time later, Greanyl hissed as she picked through the wreckage of the carriage. “Gone again,” she said. “How did they get away? Damn them...”

Once more, she took off running into the forest. The chase was on for a while longer, it seemed.

◇Klyrode Castle—Throne Room◇

“I see,” the Maiden Queen said, breathing a sigh of relief. “Then the Fli-o’-Rys General Store is keeping your position well-supplied?”

MacTaulo, who had returned to the castle momentarily to report on the state of the war, smiled. “Yes, Your Majesty. Thanks to their regular shipments, I have no doubt that we will be able to defend our position indefinitely. However...”

“However?”

“For a civilian general store to employ multiple spellcasters capable of Teleportation magic, and those wolf-mask mercenaries... Honestly, I’d like to have them under my command if it were possible.” MacTaulo laughed heartily, but his words were entirely serious.

MacTaulo had asked Flio many times when he came to make deliveries, “How about it? Care to come work for me? Name your price and you’ll have it.”

But Flio would always smile and gently refuse, saying, “We’re nothing but merchants working for a normal general store.”

“The Fli-o’-Rys General Store insists that they are assisting the Klyrode army as civilians,” said the Maiden Queen, smiling. “It would not do to involve them in military affairs further than we already have.”

The truth was, the Queen felt the same way MacTaulo did. She would like very much to make Flio the official Hero and work with him publicly. But Flio was stubborn. “My current lifestyle suits me better,” he would say.

“MacTaulo,” the Maiden Queen continued, “I pray that you will continue in your efforts to protect our kingdom.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” MacTaulo said. “I am ever at your service.” He did an about-face and left the throne room.

I swear, the Queen thought, I shall bring an end to this war as soon as I can. She felt strangely irritable. She had been fingering something in her right pocket—the ring Flio had given her, set with the Conversation Gem. Surely, with Lord Flio’s aid, it can be done... She lowered her head in thought.

◇Houghtow City—Flio’s House◇

Today, as always, the goblins were up early in the morning, working diligently at the farm in front of Flio’s house. Once, there had been only two of them, but the goblin Maunty had brought his family here, bringing the number up to eighteen. Thanks to their efforts, the farm was getting bigger and bigger.

“Oh, you’re up bright and early!” Blossom arrived to find the goblins hard at work, Sybe following along.

Maunty’s family stopped working and ran up to her, all bowing their heads as one. “Good morning, Lady Blossom! Good morning, Esteemed Sybe! We are all happy to be of use to you!”

“Indeed,” said Hokh’hokton, the one goblin not related to Maunty. “Good morning, Lady Blossom.” He bowed as well.

Blossom gave the assembled goblins a big smile. “Hey, didn’t I tell you?” she said. “There’s no need to be so formal with me!”

“No, no, that would never do!” said Maunty.

“Maunty speaks true,” said Hokh’hokton. “It is by the grace of yourself, Lady Blossom—and Lord Flio—that we enjoy these days of peace.” The goblins bowed again.

Goblins were the weakest of all demons. In the Dark Army, they were rank-and-file foot soldiers whose job was to always charge straight into the enemy defenses. Their resulting deaths were a routine matter. That was why Hokh’hokton and Maunty were so incredibly grateful to Blossom and Flio, who had given them jobs working on the farm and even helped them with food and housing.

“Hmm, well, I won’t twist your arm if that’s how you like it,” Blossom said, although it looked like it still bothered her. She went to take the goblins’ packed meals out from the cart Sybe was pulling. “Anyway, here you go! Can’t work on an empty stomach!” Maunty’s children cried out with joy and ran up to get their breakfast. “Aha ha,” Blossom laughed. “There’s no need to rush! There’s plenty for everyone!”

The goblin children hugged Blossom one by one as she smiled and handed them their meals. Next to her, Sybe was doing its part handing out meals as well. “Thank you!” the children said, big smiles on their faces as they rushed to dig in.

Hokh’hokton, Maunty, and Maunty’s wife looked on, smiling happily.

“Very well!” said Hokh’hokton. “I, too, shall take my meal, and then get to work!”

“Then I’ll fill my belly as well!” said Maunty.

Maunty’s wife laughed. “Let’s give it our all today!” All three nodded happily, and walked up to Blossom to get their breakfast.

Even as the war between humans and demons raged on, there were places where they lived together happily and in peace.

◇Houghtow College of Magic—Midday◇

Belano had left for her work at the College of Magic like usual, and headed to her usual classroom where she usually taught her defensive magic class. However, today there was a platform set up in the middle of the room. The students all had their art supplies.

I-I really don’t want to do this! Belano thought, frozen in place as she started to panic.

This whole thing started when Metálzobi, the fair-skinned projection arts teacher, had approached Belano in the staff office.

Belano blinked. “Modeling?”

“Yes, my students said they wanted to sketch you!”

Belano’s expression utterly failed to hide how much she hated that idea. “I-I don’t know about...” She trailed off, shaking her head.

But Metálzobi kept on. “Please?” he begged. “I really need your help.”

“My help?”

“Yes. My subject is a little unusual, so I’m afraid it doesn’t appeal to many students.” The projection arts was a magic discipline where students learned to give form to the images in their mind using projection magic as an artistic medium. It was once considered a prized discipline for its use in architecture and portraiture, but since the development of crystalgraph technology, its popularity had steadily declined.

“I’ve asked the other teachers to model for my class too,” he added.

“The other teachers?”

“Yes! Why, Miss Oryou over there did it just the other day!”

Oryou, the offensive magic teacher, happened to be passing by. She smiled and placed a hand on Belano’s shoulder.

“W-Well,” Belano said, after worrying it over for a while, “if everyone else is doing it...” She trailed off into a despairing moan, but she nodded her head.

And here she was standing on the platform in the middle of her classroom. She had been panicking for some time. All around her was a stupendously huge gathering of students. There weren’t anywhere near enough chairs or desks, so many of the students were standing in the back of the classroom. There were even students overflowing into the hallway.

“I couldn’t believe there were so many students who wanted to attend this lesson!” Metálzobi said, nodding happily as he wormed his way through the crowd. Belano was a small woman, and universally regarded as adorable for her nervous body language. Even though she was a new teacher, she had become something like the idol of the College of Magic. It was inevitable that this many students would show up for an opportunity to see her model.

Metálzobi, however, was more or less oblivious to what was happening with the students, and had no idea this was the reason for her popularity. He began innocently taking attendance, going down the list of names in order. At one point during class, overjoyed for it to be such an unexpected success, he said, “Miss Belano, if you could, would you mind modeling for us one or two more times?”

“Please!” the students chimed in as one.

As you can imagine, Belano was shaking her head as hard as she was physically capable.

◇Flio’s House◇

In a hallway in Flio’s house, Byleri looked around to see that nobody else was in the area except herself and Hiya. When she was certain they were alone, she ran up to the djinn. “Um, Mx. Hiya... Do you, like, have a minute?”

“Oh?” said Hiya, giving Byleri one of their ambiguous smiles and bowing politely. “If it isn’t Ser Byleri. What do you wish of me?”

Byleri’s face grew red. “Um,” she said. “Like, h-here...” As she spoke, she produced a number of books and offered them to Hiya. The first was The Princess and the Horsemen, the “specimen” Hiya had deliberately “forgotten” in Byleri’s room. It was only a sample, with just the cover and the first few pages, but beneath it were a number of volumes Hiya had never seen.

“Ser Byleri, what is this?”

Byleri grew even redder. “I-I...” she stammered, unable to look at Hiya as she spoke. “I-It’s, like, my, y’know. My collection...” She pressed the books into Hiya’s upper body. “Y-You can, um, totally borrow them,” she said. “I-If you’ll let me borrow The Princess and the Horsemen—the actual book, I mean.”

Hiya grinned proudly. “I see! So you are finally ready to lend me your collection, my dear Byleri.” They waved their hand once, and Damalynas appeared beside them. In her hand was the full version of The Princess and the Horsemen.

Byleri’s face broke out in a grin, and she snatched it out of Damalynas’s hands. “O-Okay! Like, thanks!” she said, speaking quickly as she ran off. The rest of the book! she thought. Hee hee... I, like, totally can’t wait to see what happens with the princess and the horseman knight... The sample had ended when things were getting pretty steamy. Byleri smiled gormlessly as all sorts of wild fantasies ran through her head about what might happen.

“Byleri keeps a tight lid on it, but she’s quite the little pervert, isn’t she?” Damalynas said as she watched her go, a wry grin on her face.

Hiya, however, smiled fondly. “Now, now,” they said. “You mustn’t speak ill of Ser Byleri. Thanks to her, we shall reach further and further heights in our training.” As they spoke, they opened one of the books Byleri had brought. “Oh? This seems promising,” they said.

“Wow...” said Damalynas. “Is that... Is that even possible?” She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the illustrations.

“To think the very first page would hold such a spectacle!” Hiya marveled. “Ser Byleri has exquisite taste.”

“Yeah... This is a bit more than I was expecting...” Damalynas began fidgeting nervously. “Y-Your Divinity,” she said, “someone might stumble in on us if we look at it here...”

“You are correct, of course,” said Hiya. “Then, shall we return to my mindscape?” They took Damalynas in their arms, kissing her on the lips. They were still kissing when they arrived in Hiya’s mental world. All three of them—Hiya, Damalynas, and Byleri—had nothing on their mind but training.

◇That Evening, in the Living Room◇

“Wyne does eat a lot, doesn’t she?” Flio observed, a wry smile on his face as he watched Wyne stuff her face with yet more meat.

“Hrm,” said Ghozal, who was sitting across from him. He regarded Wyne, his arms crossed. “Wyne is probably still growing. She needs a lot of food for her body to develop properly.”

Uliminas, who was sitting in the seat to the right of Ghozal, nodded. “Yeah,” she said. “Wyne’s tiny fur a dragonmewt. I bet her apurrtite will settle down once she’s grown a bit more. It shouldn’t take long.”

“Oh, really!” Rys, who had just returned to the living room, looked a little surprised at Uliminas’s words. “But I had only just finished hunting so that Wyne can eat all the magic beasts she likes!” Rys looked out the window, and the others followed her gaze. Outside, Blossom, Sybe, and the goblins were busy moving an enormous pile of magic beast carcasses.

Wyne’s eyes lit up when she saw. “Mama, I love you!” she said, diving to give Rys a big hug.

“Yes, yes, thank you, Wyne,” said Rys, catching Wyne and smiling kindly. Wyne rubbed her cheeks against Rys’s, grinning happily.

“Wyne,” said Flio, stepping up beside the two, “you’re a bit like our child, aren’t you?”

“Hee hee,” Rys chuckled. “She is! But...one day...”

“Yes, I know,” said Flio. He pressed his cheek up against Rys’s.

Wyne hugged both of them tight. “I love my dada and mama!” she said, nuzzling both of them.

Ghozal watched the three, his arms still folded across his chest. “Hrm,” he said. “Children. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad.” Balirossa and Uliminas, who were sitting to either side, clattered in their chairs as they turned to face him.

“S-Sir Ghozal! What are you saying?!” said Balirossa.

“Meowt was that?!” Uliminas squeaked. “M-Mew wanna make babies?!” The two pressed close to their mutual love.

“Hrm?” said Ghozal. “I don’t know. I’m living a free life now. I was thinking it might be nice to have a family like Mister Flio... Maybe even have kids...”

Balirossa and Uliminas drew even closer. “B-But,” said Balirossa, “how do you plan on doing it? I feel like there’s a certain...implication you’re making...about your partners...”

“I-If Ghozal really wants a baby,” Uliminas said, “I-I suppose I’ll purrmit it...”

“Ser Uliminas, wait a moment!” Balirossa interjected. “Would you please not interrupt when I ask Sir Ghozal a question?”

“Meow? It’ll take a meowron like Ghozal three entire days to work his way around such a circuitous question.”

“Th-Then let me ask it like this!” Balirossa protested. “S-Sir Ghozal... I-If fortune should be so kind, do you truly wish to—”

“Meowt?!” Uliminas snapped. “Why do mew always start at the most purrplexing part?! That’s gonna be even harder fur him to puzzle out.”

“But!” Balirossa was flustered. “Th-There’s an order to such things! First, I believe, we should try to all become closer to each other, and...”

The conversation carried on with Ghozal stuck in the middle. Every now and then, he would speak up, saying, “Excuse me,” but each time he would be shut down.

“Sir Ghozal, be quiet for a moment!”

“This is between us women!”

“Ah. Fine,” Ghozal would say. He had no choice but to back down.

Rys watched them argue with Ghozal squeezed between them, a dry smile on her face. “I really do wonder what will become of those three,” she said.

“Yeah...” said Flio, his expression a perfect mirror of his wife’s. “I have no idea how they carry on like that. But,” he added, “there is one thing I know.”

“There is?” asked Rys. “What is that, my lord husband?”

Flio gave one of his easygoing smiles. “That whatever happens, our house will be a happy place.”

Rys pressed her cheek against Flio’s chest and closed her eyes. “Yes...” she said. “I think so too.”

They were enjoying each other’s company like that when Wyne came up, her stomach rumbling. “Dada, mama,” she said, “I’m hungry...”

“Oh!” said Rys, hurrying to the kitchen. “Of course! I’ll go roast you some meat right away!”

Flio picked Wyne up in his arms. “All right, Wyne,” he said, smiling. “While your mama’s cooking some meat for you, would you like to help me finish off the lembon cake?”

Wyne beamed. “Yes!” she said, wrapping her arms around Flio. “I love you, dada!” Flio sat down in his chair with Wyne in his lap. He withdrew a lembon cake from his Bottomless Bag and placed it on the table in front of Wyne. “Oooh!” she cooed, her eyes sparkling as she began to eat. Flio smiled as he watched.

The aroma of roasting meat began to drift into the room as Balirossa and Uliminas continued to argue. Between them, Ghozal sat silently, still unable to get a word in edgewise.