Chapter 1: Meeting with the Governor

The Central District—

Faltra was a stronghold city, fortified on all sides by high and sturdy rampart walls. If you were to look down on it from above, it would be shaped like an octagon, with towers on each one of its eight points.

Each one of those towers was part of a large-scale ritual magic designed to repel monsters and the Fallen. They functioned through the use of magic power—supplied by Celes Baudelaire, the head of the Mage’s Association—as a source of energy.

On the other side of the walls were rows of buildings lined up next to each other, and a thoroughfare that connected the east and west sides of the town. It was large enough for an entire army to pass through.

In the center of town could be found another wall. Though not to the extent of the outer walls of the city, it was still extremely solid. This wall surrounded the mansions of the governor, aristocrats, and other exceedingly affluent people who lived within the Central District.

Rather than being there to serve some kind of purpose in case of war, the main intent of this wall was to prevent crime from within.

The thick stone walls were about three-stories high. There were only four gates, one located at each of the cardinal points.

All those who had come and gone were under strict surveillance, with multiple halberd-toting guards lined up at each gate. These people were not soldiers, but knights who came under the direct supervision of the governor himself.

Diablo stayed next to Sylvie as he walked. Behind them were Rem and Shera, with Shera wearing her usual green tunic.

Horse-drawn carts passed here frequently through the stone-paved main road.

Along the way, Sylvie began to talk about the governor, explaining that it was best for them all to know the information she held.

Diablo feigned his disinterest in the topic while listening intently to every word.

“Let’s see... Before I get to the governor, I’m gonna talk a bit about the town of Faltra itself, and just how important it is, OK? As you already know, this is the front line for the descendants of the Celestials. To the east lies the territories of the Kingdom of Lyferia, where countless people are living. There are plenty of large towns there, with several of them lacking the walls or the soldiers needed to protect themselves from monsters or the Fallen. Basically, if they come under attack from an enemy army, things are not going to go well for them. And to the west of Faltra lies the domain of the Demon Lord.”

“...The former domain of the Demon Lord, correct?” Rem added.

Sylvie nodded.

“Yup. It may not really feel that way with all the monster and Fallen activity as of late, but it’s the former domain of the Fallen. In year 124 of the Lyferian Kingdom calendar, the Demon Lord appeared and made everything to the west of here his territory. Then, in the year 135, he was defeated thanks to the efforts of some unknown stranger... Or that’s what they say, at least. That was the Demon Lord of the Mind, Enkvaros...”

A name Diablo was all-too familiar with.

“Oh yeah, I was the first to defea—”

Before he could say more, he covered his mouth.

—That’s right, I only beat him in the game... But the guy here has the same name as the Demon Lord in Cross Reverie!?

Diablo had been the first to beat the Demon Lord Enkvaros before any other player, granting him the Demon Lord’s Ring.

He thought back—

Enkvaros possessed the ability of Magic Reflection. Because of that, many of the other players challenged him by making parties focused around the Warrior class. Warriors had low magic resistance, however, and were prone to the effects of spells like 《Confuse》 or 《Sleep》, which could prove fatal for them.

Diablo’s specialty was playing solo, so negative status effects were just about the same as instant death to him. That’s why he had an abundance of countermeasures for exactly that kind of situation.

Not only that, but he had fortunately learned spells that would deal physical damage for when he had to go up against monsters or opponents who resisted normal magic.

Back in the early days of the game, when there wasn’t a lot of information available, the reason he had been able to take down Enkvaros on his first try was sheer luck...and all the time he had spent forging his skills as a player, too.

That was back in the real world, two years ago.

“Now that I think about it, I never confirmed it myself. What year is it now? And how long ago was the Demon Lord Enkvaros defeated?”

“Right now it’s year 164 on the Lyferian calendar, so it’s been about 30 years since the Demon Lord disappeared.”

“I see.”

—Could it be something like time in this world goes ten times faster than time in my world? ...No, that would be strange. If I had defeated the Demon Lord 30 years ago in this world’s time, then that would mean “Diablo” would have been in this world as well.

Should I think of this Demon Lord as a separate entity from the game, even though they share the same name?

In the first place, a majority of the players in Cross Reverie had beaten Enkvaros as part of the story quests.

—That would mean there were millions of Demon Lords then, right?

According to the game’s staff, Cross Reverie had a total of over three million players across the country.

Sylvie continued:

“Well, anyways, the Demon Lord of the Mind, Enkvaros, was said to have been defeated by someone, and both monsters and the Fallen stopped showing up in the former Demon Lord’s domain. But... over the past few years, several Fallen have appeared. I mean, just the other day there were a hundred of them, right? There are even rumors spreading around where people are wondering if the Demon Lord has already been resurrected.”

“You don’t know?”

“It’s enough that the seers of the Royal Capital are saying, ‘The resurrection is near.’ I think the Fallen are working to finish the process they started of reviving the Demon Lord.”

Shera had said something similar before as well.

Rem pressed a hand against her chest.

Diablo nodded.

“I do not think he is resurrected as of yet. When I fought Edelgard, the Fallen who had gathered the army of one hundred Fallen, she had said her mission was to ‘save the Demon Lord.’”

“What...!? If that’s true, that would be some incredible information!”

“Those are the words of a Fallen, however.”

“Y-Yeah. But I’m still going to pass this along to my contact in the Royal Capital, just in case.”

“Do as you like. Putting that aside, weren’t you going to talk about the governor?”

“Ah, my bad... Anyways, even if it’s the former territory of the Demon Lord, it’s just as dangerous as when the Demon Lord was still in this world. When he is resurrected, I’m sure that the presence of monsters will go up as well. The Stronghold City of Faltra is here as the front lines to hold both monsters and Fallen at bay, as well as to protect the territories of all the other races.”

If this town were to fall, it was said that half of the Kingdom of Lyferia would come under attack by the Fallen. There was never an event where things got that bad in the game; but if something like that were to happen in this world, who knows what would happen.

What he knew for sure, though, was that an immeasurable amount of people would die.

“...So the person in charge of this all-important location is the governor here.”

“That’s right, the governor of Faltra. He’s a really amazing person; to put it bluntly, he’s a hero.”

“A hero?” Shera tilted her head.

“Thirty years ago, back when the Demon Lord was still around, he fought on the front lines, slaughtering all kinds of Fallen.”

“Wooow. He sounds sooo amazing.”

“Ahaha... That doesn’t sound too sincere, Shera.”

“I mean, Diablo’s won against the Fallen, too, you know?”

“Yeah, that’s definitely a feat that should go down in history. In fact, it’s something so abnormal that no one would believe you if you told them.”

Since Shera compared the governor to Diablo, Sylvie seemed to be struggling a little to find the right words.

—Looking at it from another angle, that means he’s so strong that he can’t be compared to anyone else.

“What level would this governor be?” Diablo inquired.

In this world, all the Adventurers around Faltra were about level 20 or so. The outliers would be Rem, who was famous here, sitting around level 40; and the person said to be the strongest Warrior in town, at level 50.

The area around Faltra back in the game was set to be around level 60. Compared to that, everyone’s levels were unbelievably low. This was apparently because the people here were avoiding anything dangerous since their lives were on the line. One of the main causes for this was due to there being no Demon Lord present for the past 30 years, and everything was peaceful.

How strong would the governor be, having fought and experienced countless battles with his life on the line?

Sylvie folded her arms.

“Hmm... He’s strong, I know that for sure. But I’ve never tried determining his level... He’s not an Adventurer, after all. There might be a record of it in the Royal Capital, but he isn’t the kind of person you can just casually ask for such a thing.”

“It seems like he’s fairly hard to talk with.”

“Hmph.”

Though Diablo pretended like he didn’t care, his unease only grew.

The very essence of his severe lack of communication skills laid in his ability to put others in a bad mood, all just by doing things he hadn’t expected to do. And if that person was stern, then that meant there were a lot more chances for Diablo to make them mad.

He just couldn’t imagine a future with the two of them getting along.

—Am I going to be all right doing my Demon Lord role play here? ...No, it’s already too late to stop doing it now.

If he didn’t make a character for himself like this, he wouldn’t be able to talk in front of such important people. If he was his normal self, then he would probably hole himself up in his room; just running away from things and giving up.

—I can’t believe it myself... Me, actually going to meet the leader of the town. The reason I make this character for myself is because it makes this feel more like a game to me. That’s why I’m able to make this work, somehow.

He started to see the stone walls that encircled the Central District.

In the middle of the lofty walls was an imposing gate. A great number of guards were observing the travelers who passed by. As she started jogging towards the guards, Sylvie told Diablo and the girls to wait so she could get permission for them to pass through. She entered a small hut to the side of the wall, most likely to complete whatever process was needed for passage.

Diablo and the others stared at the gate while they waited. As they did, one of the guards in front of the gate started to approach them. His armor made loud clanking sounds with each step he took.

“Hey! The Demon over there!”

His face completely covered by his helmet, the guard called out in a menacing voice.

On the inside, Diablo was shaken up.

—Is he talking about me!?

He had been called out by one of the guards back at the Bridge of Ulug because they thought he looked suspicious, too. Back then, he had made it through peacefully... Kind of. At the very least, he had been able to pass without much trouble. It should be all right this time as well.

“What is it, you whelp? For you to approach me, Diablo... I trust you have prepared yourself for doing such a thing.”

He couldn’t tell if the guard’s face changed expressions underneath the helmet.

—The insignia of the city is imprinted on his armor’s chest plate... So this is what a knight who works directly under the governor looks like. Seems like he’s got plenty of fight in him.

The guard was not intimidated.

“There’s no way I could overlook someone as suspicious as you!”

The guard pointed the end of his halberd at Diablo’s head. There, Diablo had equipped his “Distorted Crown,” a piece of armor that granted him automatic health regeneration abilities. He hadn’t paid much attention to the description in the game, but it said it was an item that “gives the wearer a more fiendish appearance when worn.” More specifically, it made it seem like demon horns were growing out of your head.

It was perfect for doing his Demon Lord role play, but...

—These horns make everyone really suspicious of me, don’t they...

But to Rem, Shera, and Sylvie, they must actually think the horns were growing out of his head.

After all this time, it would be incredibly lame of him to tell them, “Actually, these come off,” and remove them. The only time that would work is if it were some kind of beautiful, busty, crimson-eyed Demon Queen doing it.

To maintain his air of authority, he couldn’t remove his horns.

Demons, as one of the races in this world, were born to Human parents, but somehow managed to receive the blood of the Fallen. As such, their bodies ended up covered in tattoo-like marks. Despite their physical abilities being lower in comparison to the other races, they excelled in using magic. And even though Demons were also one of the races descended from Celestials, they were especially subject to discrimination and persecution— At least, that was the setting for them in the game. In this world just the same, Diablo really had been on the receiving end of some pretty unfair treatment.

If Diablo had been a Human, he probably wouldn’t be put under as much suspicion as he had until now.

Rem tugged at his sleeve. In a small voice, she whispered a warning to him.

“...You can’t, Diablo... That is Faltra’s insignia on his chest. It is proof he is one of the knights of this area. If things go sour, you could end up getting yourself arrested.

Shera huddled behind Diablo in fright.

“What? Is this guy someone scary?”

It wasn’t like Diablo wanted to make this conversation become any worse than it already was. But that proved to be difficult when being told he was suspicious without having done anything.

“Hmph... It isn’t like I set the town ablaze. What problem could he have with me?”

“What!? You’re going to burn down the town!?”

“I haven’t done anything yet.”

“Hmmm!? ‘Not yet,’ you say!? So that means you’re planning to do it!”

—Dang. I really suck at talking with people.

“Stop this nonsense... You’re just going to say my horns make me seem suspicious, aren’t you?”

The guard raised his voice.

“Not only that! Walking around in broad daylight with slaves in tow makes you even more questionable!”

“Slaves!?”

“Yes! Two beautiful young girls, at that! Despicable!”

—What the hell!? Are you sure you’re not just jealous!?

On either side of Diablo, Shera and Rem hid their necks, embarrassed at being called slaves.

Unless it was times like these, it didn’t seem to bother them as much anymore, but... Called “Enslavement Collars,” these two unsightly bands wrapped around the girls’ necks were usually meant for Summons after performing an “Enslavement Ritual.” Due to Diablo’s Demon Lord’s Ring and its magic reflection ability, these collars ended up on the girls by accident when Diablo was summoned to this world.

The guard, who had no way of knowing this, mistook them for slaves instead.

—I don’t really get it, since there were no slaves back in the game. Is it weird to take them around in the middle of the day? Or is this guard just messed up in the head?

If this was a colder region, then they could at least hide them with scarves or mufflers or something; but Faltra had a warm climate. It was temperate enough that you only needed one blanket to sleep at night.

Because of all this, of course the girls would be mistaken as slaves. But Diablo couldn’t just keep quiet. He wanted to tell the guard that he wouldn’t forgive anyone who called them slaves...

But how should he go about explaining this?

—Telling him the whole story from the very beginning would be rough. I’m not good at talking for long periods of time anyways, so maybe I’ll abbreviate it a bit.

Hold on a sec... What exactly will I do if I don’t forgive him? I should emphasize that part, just to get my point across better.

Thinking over his options, Diablo opened his mouth:

“I will destroy you so that not even one speck of ash remains.”

—Hm... Maybe I didn’t say enough there?

With a yell, the guard took a fighting stance with his halberd.

“Graaaah! So you show your true colors, you damn Fallen!”

Rem and Shera had started to panic.

“D-Diablo!? There is no need for you to get that upset! We are used to people misunderstanding why we have these!”

“That’s right! Say what you like, but not even leaving ash behind makes me feel bad for him!”

“Stupid Shera, ash isn’t the problem here!”

“W-Well, yeah! But if there’s not even ash left, then it’d be really hard to make a grave for him, right!?”

Though the guard was wearing armor, anyone could tell he was starting to shake.

“Ngh... I’m going to be destroyed... by a Fallen... And they’re talking about whether they should leave ash behind or not!? Damn it! Don’t underestimate a knight of Faltra! Even if I can’t run my blade through you, I can at least put up enough of a fight to let my comrades know of the proceeding danger!”

He was fully prepared for battle.

Diablo panicked.

—If things get any worse with this guy, I’m going to be investigated, aren’t I?

If that happened, he would be taken away from Shera and he wouldn’t be able to protect her.

Above all else, Diablo had to stop the Humans and Elves from going to war with each other. He didn’t have time to be questioned by the guards.

—It’s true the way I said that might have been bad... But I think that the guard is the strange one here for deciding I’m a Fallen. And all just because I have some horns and have two girls who look like slaves following me around.

This was a crucial time; they were on the brink of war.

—He should be able to forgive me. I’m the guy in charge of avoiding a war here, after all.

He shouldn’t get so mad over me maybe going too far when I said that... Or not saying enough...

No way around it, I’ll talk it out with him. I’m sure he’ll understand then.

Steeling himself, Diablo decided to speak about the crisis this town was about to face:

“If you get in my way, I will turn this town into nothing but scorched earth.”

“Damn you, Fallen! I won’t forgive you!”

The guard raised his halberd overhead.

—This is weird, right!? Why does everyone lose their temper like this!?

He didn’t feel like getting battered in a one-sided fight.

Reluctantly, Diablo took out Tenma’s Staff. But just like with their assailants from earlier, it felt like he would kill this guy if he used magic.

—What should I do?

“Wait, wait, waaaaaait!! He may look it, but this person isn’t dangerous!”

A small shadow wedged itself between Diablo and the guard; it was Sylvie.

The guard spoke out in surprise.

“Y-You’re the Guildmaster, are you not!? Why are you covering for a Fallen!?”

“Just calm down, OK? He may have horns, but this person isn’t a Fallen. He’s on a quest from me and the governor, who we’re here to meet with.”

“...So he isn’t a Fallen? And he isn’t dangerous?”

“Y-Yeah... He’s just your normal, everyday Demon... Probably. He’s not dangerous, I think! Diablo, you’re not dangerous, right? Boy, would I love to hear you say ‘I’m not dangerous!’”

Sylvie glanced at him.

If she was going to say that much, then even Diablo couldn’t mess this one up.

He gave placid nod.

“‘I am not dangerous.’”

“Great! So that’s that, then! We can go through, right? Riiiight?”

Clasping her hands together, Sylvie slightly tilted her head to the side as she asked.

The guard faltered.

“...S-So cute... Uh, I mean— U-Understood. If the Guildmaster herself says so, then I shall allow you to pass.”

The guard lowered his halberd.

Sylvie, along with Rem and Shera, let out sighs of relief.

Diablo was relieved as well, but that attitude wouldn’t be fitting of a Demon Lord. Instead, he bottled that feeling up inside himself and pressed onward.

“We’re going!”

“Yeah, let’s get going!”

“...Good grief.”

“Hey, so... It’d be a problem if there was no ash left behind, right?”

Passing through the gate, Diablo and his three companions entered the Central District.

†

The governor’s mansion—

In the very center of the Central District could be found a noticeably large mansion. It was built from bricks and was three stories high.

Ornate reliefs covered the windows and the doorways, and even the walls that surrounded the building had designs covering it. It was an impressive mansion.

Armored guards stood on either side of the front gate. As soon as Sylvie talked to them, Diablo and the others were shown through.

A steward from the mansion came up to them and respectfully bowed his head. Following him, they were led through a beautifully maintained garden; passed through the entrance; and were walked down a long hallway.

The floor here was covered in thick, red carpet. According to the game, this red color was only used in the residences of extremely important Humans, usually those of the highest levels of the upper-class aristocrats or royalty.

There hadn’t been any event implemented in-game to meet the governor of Faltra, so this was the first time Diablo had come here. At the most, he had imagined this guy would be something like the mayor of this town, but it seemed like this person was of a much higher status.

The steward who had been guiding Diablo and the others knocked on the door.

“Master Galford, I have brought the Guildmaster and her companions.”

For some reason, Diablo felt on edge, like he was on the verge of breaking into a boss room.

A grave yet composed voice answered from the other side of the door.

“Enter.”

Just listening to the solemn voice made Diablo want to stand at attention.

The steward offered an apology for their intrusion, then opened the doors and stepped to the side.

It was a large room, covered in the same crimson carpet from the hall.

The wall directly in front of them contained a glass window; Diablo had never seen glass panes this large or undistorted since coming to this world.

The walls on either side of them were covered in bookshelves with elaborate designs. Books of various sizes lined these shelves, which reached all the way to the ceiling.

The bookshelf-lined walls also contained doors. If this were Cross Reverie, then these doors would be where the underlings of the boss would come out from to protect him.

—Well, thinking about it normally, they would probably just lead to the bedroom and the study.

In the center of the room was an extravagant table, with six chairs arranged around it. There was a large work desk here as well.

Standing with the flag of Faltra at his back and wearing a white military uniform, there was a Human male. Despite his middle-aged looks, he looked to be in the prime of his life.

The standard of culture for this world was based around the Middle Ages. Things like laundry detergent and bleach did not exist here. It was unthinkable for anyone but a truly exceptional person to wear a high-class commodity such as white clothing; especially so as a military uniform, something that could easily get dirtied.

He wore his black hair short, as you would expect of military personnel; and wrinkles creased the corners of his eyes and forehead.

The glint in his eyes would be enough to make a monster run away in fear.

“Hm... So, is it finished?”

—Is what finished, exactly? Diablo didn’t understand what he meant.

Sylvie gave a bitter laugh.

“For now, I had Diablo here take on that quest for us.”

The governor narrowed his eyes.

“So, he’s taken on the task. Then you should solve this matter quickly. You can report to me after the job is finished.”

—So that “Is it finished?” from earlier was actually supposed to mean, “Did you stop the war?”

If this were the game, he could pass this off as, “Oh, this NPC just talks this way;” but the people living in this world were alive, and could think for themselves.

—Just how hasty is this guy?

Diablo just couldn’t bring himself to understand how this man would even think to ask such a thing of them. For such a ridiculously difficult task to be completed when not even half a day had gone by.

Sylvie tried to put everyone at ease.

“Um, you see... This is a pretty difficult quest, you know? I thought we could get some information.”

“I believe I already explained everything you needed to know.”

“Well, about that...”

“As I thought, Adventurers cannot be relied on after all. Though they act proud and swagger around town, they make excuses and run away when faced with real danger. In the end, it seems that the army are the ones who will protect this country.”

—What was that?

Diablo gripped his staff.

Sylvie stepped in front of him, waving her hands.

“Oh no! Not at all! I won’t run away, and Diablo is looking forward to tackling this quest!”

“If that’s the case, then hurry up and drive these Elves away.”

“Yes, of course! I don’t think it should take too long... Probably. Um... Oh, that’s right! Do you think that perhaps you could give them a little self-introduction?”

Sylvie seemed to be taking great care when she spoke. Not to mention the governor was overbearing.

Diablo didn’t know exactly how great and important this guy was, but surely Sylvie shouldn’t have to act this way towards him. It was clear he looked down on Adventurers.

It was pissing Diablo off.

But because of the governor’s overbearing presence, he would end up averting his eyes if he didn’t keep himself focused.

—I can’t let him see me acting weak here.

If the governor decided that Diablo was not meant to be feared, then he might attack on the spot. Diablo had to make him think that a confrontation between them would be a bad thing.

Diablo glared at the governor.

The governor began to speak: “What trouble... So an Adventurer doesn’t know the name of the governor.”

“He only just arrived in Faltra the other day.”

“Then remember this well... I am Lieutenant General Chester Ray Galford. I am in charge of the Stronghold City of Faltra, under orders from His Majesty the King.”

“Hmph... So you’re the governor who just stood idly by and watched while Fallen attacked his town.”

When the Fallen Gregore had appeared in town the other day, Diablo had been the one to come rushing in to destroy him, not the governor nor his army.

One could almost hear as Galford ground his back teeth together.

“...Before I could receive a report, the situation had calmed down. That is all. I do not find there to be a problem with that.”

“Lucky for you, wasn’t it?”

Hiding the fact he was practically shivering on the inside, the corners of Diablo’s mouth twisted into a smile.

He couldn’t recall anyone named “Galford.” They might have been mentioned in the lore of Cross Reverie, but Diablo didn’t remember the names of NPCs who didn’t have events associated with them.

Attempting to lower the tension in the room, Rem politely introduced herself.

“My name is Rem Galleu. I am a level 40 Adventurer, and a Summoner. U-Um, this person does not mean any ill-will, and—”

Galford raised a hand to interrupt her.

“I am already fully aware that Adventurers lack manners.”

“...Forgive me.”

“Young Rem Galleu, you should consider your place of work. I have heard the Mage’s Association has extended you an invitation to join them. You mustn’t be planning on being an Adventurer forever.”

“...Th-That may be true, but I have my own reasons for continuing on as I have.”

It was quite an extreme way to put things on the governor’s part. Not only were there other Adventurers in the room, but the Guildmaster herself was here.

Sylvie smiled bitingly.

“That’s pretty harsh of you.”

“One of my subordinates has been carrying out an investigation on you all. It seems you’ve been causing some problems around here.”

“...Problems?”

“Threatening a guard on the Bridge of Ulug, destroying the stone roads and buildings with magic in the southern avenues... I wouldn’t expect this kind of irreproachable conduct from Adventurers.”

“There was a reason for all that!”

Shera raised an objection along with Rem.

“That’s right! Diablo isn’t at fault here!”

“But the fact remains, then, that you do not deny it happening.”

With a small whimper, Rem and Shera went silent.

Galford was a man that acted like a strict teacher. He didn’t have an ounce of faith in Adventurers, and seemed to especially hate Diablo.

They were engulfed in this man’s presence. Diablo wanted to avoid staying here for any long period of time. Now was be the time to quickly switch to the main topic at hand.

—But before that, I have to introduce myself. It seems like he already knows my name, but he did just tell me his. Etiquette demands that this be the bare minimum of courtesy I can offer him.

To maintain his air of authority, he couldn’t stop his Demon Lord act. Diablo wanted to avoid making the governor any angrier than he already was. Diablo wouldn’t be able to get any information from him if that happened, and since this person didn’t seem to particularly like Diablo, he had to be even more careful than usual.

—Let’s do this normally.

He was aiming to be normal here.

Normal.

“I am Diablo. I came to speak with you.”

—How was that!? That was nice and amicable, wasn’t it! I really can do it if I try!

He made a quick peek to see Rem and Shera’s reactions, but they didn’t seem particularly surprised.

Diablo was striking victory poses on the inside at the fact he had managed to do a harmless self-introduction.

Galford’s gaze was focused on Diablo, as if he were evaluating Diablo’s worth.

“First, there is one thing I wish to ask. You proclaim yourself a Demon Lord from another world, or something of the like... Is that true?”

It was a loaded question, as if Galford was provoking him. The Demon Lord role play ingrained deep into his body exploded out of him all at once.

“Heh heh heh... Shall I turn you into burnt charcoal as proof?”

Diablo glared back at him.

—AAaaaAAaaAHHHHhhHHHhhHH!!

That was all his fault! He was the who set the mood, that’s why I got so into it!

In a panic, Rem and Shera jumped at him, latching onto his arms.

“W-Wait, Diablo!”

“That’s right! Ash is bad, but charcoal is bad, too!”

“Oh dear...”

Sylvie’s face had gone completely pale. It looked like she could fall over at any moment.

Galford slowly and deliberately closed the gap between them.

—Is he planning on fighting me like this!? Can I win in a one-on-one fight?

Things will get bad fast if he calls more soldiers... Should I just run away?

A cold sweat broke out on Diablo’s back; but even so, he kept an arrogant smile on his face.

The governor stepped directly in front of him.

“As long as you complete the mission I assign you, I do not care if you are a Demon Lord or whatnot. Are you an asset to the land I govern? Or are you a liability? That is the only thing that matters.”

“Hmph... I’m only helping you because I feel like it. Do not mistake yourself into thinking you can control me.”

“Hm... Just as I thought, you Adventurers are quite the collection of misfits.”

It felt like he wasn’t just mocking Diablo, but all Adventurers when he said that.

In short, this guy had decided that Diablo was a freak, and that him being a “Demon Lord from another world” was all something he had made up in his head.

—Well, I guess he’d be right on that point... But would he believe me any more if I told him that I was a player summoned in my character’s likeness from Cross Reverie?

His desire to hole himself up somewhere started to bubble to the surface.

—I just want to lock myself in my room and play games all day. Then I wouldn’t have to deal with adults who have sticks up their asses like this guy...

No, I have to tough this one out.

If Diablo was going to protect Shera, then it would be best not to antagonize Galford. The governor acted in this manner most likely because he himself knew he was not someone to be trifled with.

“Governor, spare me this nonsense... If you desire to see your wish fulfilled, then tell me what you know.”

Diablo did not drop his high-and-mighty attitude.

The same went for the governor, who coolly nodded.

“You have already heard the demands of the Kingdom of Greenwood, I imagine? The request to turn over Princess Shera came in two days ago.”

“Two days ago... The deadline was set for ten days later, correct?”

“There are only eight days left.”

Are you freakin’ kidding me? Diablo retorted on the inside. If he didn’t make that part clear, it could have led to me failing miserably. Does he even want to avoid a war?

Galford calmly continued his explanation.

“There have also been reports of Elf sightings near the 《Eastern Lakefront》. Do you understand the layout of that area?”

“Of course. I could even lead you into the deepest parts of the Demon Lord’s territory.”

“Oh hoh?”

“Only if you do not value your life, that is.”

He had all the maps for Cross Reverie in his head— Though the features from the maps in-game might not all be the same as in this world.

The 《Eastern Lakefront》 was located southeast of the town. To the west of Faltra, there was something called 《Seplia Lake》. You could find it by walking just past the farmlands located outside the city walls. The forest to the east of Seplia Lake was the Eastern Lakefront.

Galford turned his gaze to the map on the desk.

“I do not know how many Elves are located there. Their specialty is concealing themselves within the forest, you see.”

Elves had a particularly high Sneak skill, and when in the forest, they were better at concealing themselves than Grasswalkers. They could sneak up unnoticed, and fire volleys of arrows from tree shadows or from the top of tree branches.

In the game, Sneak would allow the user to not show up on the radar (a feature that showed the locations of other players or monsters). There was nothing as convenient as a radar in this world, so the only thing one could rely on were vague abilities like sensing presences. An opponent with a high Sneak skill in this world was much more dangerous than if it happened in the game.

“Have you not even scouted them out?”

“Even if I sent a small team to perform reconnaissance, this is an enemy skilled at surprise attacks. That would only lead to more casualties. The witness who found the Elves was a townsperson who had been hunting in the forest, and luckily managed to get back safely. According to their report, there were about twenty Elves... But I’m sure their numbers are greater. If they were a squad of one hundred or more, however, then we would most certainly know, even if they were hiding. Even considering Greenwood’s power and influence, I am positive they wouldn’t assemble a force that large. At most, I’d say there are a hundred of them. That is all the information I have received.”

“One hundred of them... That’s not a lot for an army... But very convenient for me. They should pose no threat.”

“Hmph,” the governor snorted.

“Though Greenwood may call themselves a ‘Kingdom,’ in the end they are only a small faction.”

“So you don’t think of them as a threat?”

Galford shook his head after a slight pause.

“No... I would never underestimate my enemy. If I sent my own forces into the forest, where the Elves are lying in wait, I would lose countless soldiers. What I abhor the most is sending my own subordinates to a meaningless death.”

His voice sounded dispassionate, so it was hard to tell what he was feeling. But Diablo felt that the governor had spoken those last words with extra force.

—Obviously a commander wouldn’t want to lose so many of his subordinates.

“So that’s why you wish to use me.”

“It wouldn’t be necessary if you handed over the princess.”

“I refuse!”

“...Is Princess Shera so important to you?”

Shera turned to look at Diablo at the governor’s question. Though the two had talked plenty about the subject, it seemed she was still worried.

“Hmph... Don’t ask such foolish things. It’s one thing if she herself says she will leave... But I have no intention of turning a blind eye to her being stolen away by someone else.”

“There is certainly no reason to yield to the likes of Elves. Personally, I have no intention of just willingly giving into the Kingdom of Greenwood’s demands. Words should be met with words... and force should be met with force.”

“That’s only natural.”

With a nod, Galford turned to look at Shera, pausing his conversation with Diablo.

“That’s right... There was something I wanted to ask you if I had the chance to meet you.”

“Something to ask me?” Shera tilted her head.

“What did you want so badly that would make you throw away your life of luxury, going so far to take on the dangerous life of an Adventurer? Or, perhaps, did you have a reason you couldn’t stay in your homeland?”

Silence.

Shera had a pensive look on her face.

“...I wanted freedom. I didn’t really know how to obtain it, but... I wanted a reason for existing. I wanted to know my own worth, and not as a part of my lineage or as part of the Elven royal family. I felt that I wouldn’t be able to obtain that back home.”

“I see... From a poor man’s perspective, it may seem like you lived a life of luxury; but it’s true that all people, regardless of their upbringing, have different circumstances and senses of value.”

“Do you understand now?”

“I cannot sympathize with you. I will, however, remember it as value information.”

“I see...”

Shera’s shoulders slumped.

Certainly, it had to be difficult to lead a life in this world where one did not have to worry about food or their life being in danger. It must have been hard to agree with Shera’s actions when she had thrown that all away for the sake of freedom.

But Diablo was different. In his world, he didn’t have to worry about what he would eat for the day, let alone being attacked by monsters. That’s why he could understand Shera’s feelings— Or at least, he felt he could.

Grabbing Shera’s shoulders, Diablo pulled her close to himself.

“There is no need for you to seek sympathy from others... I shall allow as such. Put yourself through as many hardships as you like, exert yourself as hard as you like, and push yourself to the limit as much as you like. Savor the fruits of labor that you earned with your own two hands— That is what it means to live a life of freedom.”

“Y-Yeah!”

A smile broke out on Shera’s face.

Rem nodded, while Sylvie smiled warmly.

It was a declaration—one in which he proclaimed that he would protect her.

—That’s all fine and dandy, but how am I going to deal with the Elven troops?

Before, when they had attempted to take Shera away, it was the elite Elf Celsior who had come for her. He had hidden himself in the forest along with about ten of his subordinates, but Shera was the one who sensed he and his comrades were waiting for them. Diablo and Rem hadn’t noticed anything in the slightest.

Could Diablo properly fight against them?

He hadn’t acquired anything he could use to negotiate with the Elves.

—So that means things are like this:

“Give us back the princess!” say the Elves.

“I refuse!” says Diablo.

“Like hell I would listen to what the Elves say,” says the governor. “But my soldiers are important to me, so I leave this to you.”

There was only one outcome that could come of this:

“Then this means war!” cry the Elves.

—What a pain in the ass... It was enough to make his head hurt.

Rem sighed.

“...Avoiding a war... If only we had some kind of ‘treasure’ of equal value to Shera that would satisfy the Kingdom of Greenwood... Then we would at least be able to try and negotiate with them...”

Shera proudly stuck out her chest.

“Mh-hm-hm! I wasn’t called the ‘most valuable asset of the Elves’ for nothing, after all! I don’t think there’s anything that could replace me!”

“...On second thought, we should just return this dumb Elf. For the sake of peace.”

“What!? Why are you mad all of a sudden!”

Rem sighed again.

“Then, we will not turn over Princess Shera. You will all take measures to avoid a war with the Kingdom of Greenwood, and the reward shall be paid through the Adventurer’s Guild— Are we in agreement?” Galford asked in confirmation.

“Hmph... Shera was in my possession from the beginning. I will not allow others to interfere.”

“Then I leave this to you.”

Turning his gaze to the door on his right, Galford continued to speak.

“That is all I have to say to you as governor of Faltra... But in regard to this situation, the Royal Capital has also dispatched one of their own. Allow me to introduce them.”

†

The door opened, and a tall woman entered the room.

She had a slim body, and long, slender arms and legs. Her red hair reached down to her waist, and the thin green glasses she wore gave her an intellectual impression.

The armor she wore was light and seemed easy to move in. Some sort of cloak covered it, but the top of her armor left her shoulders exposed. Diablo had seen the design of her armor somewhere before.

At a glance, it looked like she had an icy-cold stare... But when she smiled, she gave off such a friendly atmosphere that it put Diablo at ease. It made him feel like smiling himself.

The girl gave a salute by placing her left hand on her chest.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Alicia Cristela, an Imperial Knight. His Majesty the King has bestowed upon me the task of resolving the situation with the Kingdom of Greenwood. Please forgive some of my inexperience, but I will do my absolute best to be of use to you all. I look forward to working with you.”

She was extremely polite.

—So, she’s an Imperial Knight.

These soldiers had made appearances in the game as NPCs. According to the game’s setting, they were knights who came from families of high pedigrees and showed considerable skill. Above all, they were under the direct control of the King himself.

They had roles and authority in-game similar to police. They would move from town to town, or stay on the outskirts, with their purpose being to protect citizens from criminals or monsters. But unlike the army, they would not invade enemy territory. Compared to them, the Imperial Knights were more like “military police” than soldiers.

In the world of Cross Reverie, they were treated as “noble knights admired and respected by the people.”

“...A female Imperial Knight is extremely rare to see,” Rem said in surprise.

Shera seemed to be of the same opinion as well.

“I know, right? I always thought of the Imperial Knights as being all Human guys.”

—All Human guys, huh.

The setting of the game had stated there were many problems in the world concerning gender discrimination. Though they were just trying to make it seem more like the outlook of a world from the Middle Ages, people thought the creators of Cross Reverie might have been promoting sexism themselves. That’s why, regardless of whether you chose to play as a male or female character in Cross Reverie, there were no differences in abilities or equipment between genders. There was nothing about the game that emphasized the discrimination against women outlined in the game’s setting.

Sometimes during quests, however, you would see phrases like, “Female Imperial Knights are rare” and “It’s hard for women to get appointed as one.” Based on what Rem and Shera had said—

It was most likely men who held positions of power in this world. Positions of honor and responsibility were also most likely assigned to men, with women receiving unfair treatment in this regard.

Because the Guildmaster Sylvie was both a Demi and a woman, there wasn’t much discrimination coming from Adventurers. Diablo didn’t feel any discrimination from the townspeople in everyday life, either.

—I guess that would make it a value held by those in power here.

But, there were a whole bunch of “rare female Imperial Knights” who appeared in quests in-game, though.

Whenever an Imperial Knight showed up, most of the time it was to give the player, an Adventurer, a quest. If a male Imperial Knight told you to work on his behalf just to make him look better, then of course you wouldn’t want to do it.

A majority of the players were guys, though most of the characters were girls. (That’s part of the dark side of MMORPGs, so enough about that for now.)

Taking a quest from a cute girl was much better motivation than from a self-important old dude. Many more players would even pay cold hard cash just so they could finish these quests within the time limit.

On that subject, there were ultra-hard quests offered by an NPC who was called the “Devilish Imperial Knight, Miss Miyuri.” She had big boobs, a bobbed haircut, and was so timid that it seemed like she would cry at any time when asking for your help. If you were moved by her plea and took on the quest, there would usually be a gigantic monster or something waiting for you when you went to the specified dungeon.

Many a beginner had become monster food thanks to her quests.

—I wonder if she’s in this world, too?

Alicia spoke in a gentle tone of voice.

“It is quite unusual, isn’t it. I am fortunate enough to be both a woman and to serve as an Imperial Knight.”

“...That is a wonderful thing. I am certain you worked very hard to get where you are now.”

Rem may have felt that way because she too had hardships she could not share with others.

“Thank you very much. It’s true that I face some difficulties because I am a woman... but I still have a long way to go. It seems that you have your own problems you are struggling with, too, Miss Rem.”

“...Why do you think that?”

On guard, Rem cautiously took a step back.

Alicia waved both her hands in front of herself.

“I’m sorry, just a guess on my part. According to the reports, you are a very capable Summoner in possession of seven Summons. But despite that, you will not enter the Mage’s Association; and you will not work for the governor, either. That’s why I thought you must have a reason for that.”

“...Indeed, that is quite a logical way of thinking.”

“I have no intention of prying into you, Miss Rem. My goal is to iron out the problem the city of Faltra is facing.”

“...All right.”

“But you are also a citizen of Faltra, Miss Rem. If I can be of any help to you whatsoever, please feel free to consult with me. Though I may have an obligation as an Imperial Knight, I especially worry about people such as you who keep their struggles to themselves. You do not need to force yourself to tell me your secret, however.”

“...I see... For now, I will just accept those sentiments.”

It looked as if she had rejected Alicia, but she did not deny that she was harboring a secret. Rem must have had a somewhat decent amount of trust in Alicia.

Alicia shifted her gaze to Shera.

“Miss Shera, I am sure you must be going through a lot because of this, but let’s do our best to make everyone happy!”

“Yeah! Let’s do our best together!”

Shera smiled ear-to-ear.

Alicia then turned to Sylvie: “This is an expression of sympathy from His Majesty.” She handed over a leather pouch filled with gold coins. This was probably reparation for all the Adventurers who had lost their lives to the Fallen, Gregore.

Diablo was working hard to not let his admiration show on his face.

—She’s so damn good at talking with people!

It wasn’t that she was just nice: though she didn’t know what Rem’s circumstances were, she still theoretically made an offer to help her; for Shera, she had chosen to use words that were simple and easy to understand; in recognition of Sylvie’s position as Guildmaster, she had brought something to offer to her.

While she may have heard some of their conversation from inside the other room, and even though it was her first time meeting them all, she was able to quickly adjust how she interacted with everyone.

Alicia fixed her eyes on Diablo.

She was quite the beauty. It seemed like he could get sucked into her eyes at any time.

Diablo felt a kind of nervousness different than when he had confronted Galford. He tried to pass it off by snorting.

“Hmph... Do you have something you want to say?”

“Please, let me express my gratitude to you.”

“Express gratitude... to me?”

“You exterminated Gregore, the Fallen who appeared in Faltra, and saved the head of the Mage’s Association, Celestine Baudelaire. Not only that, but you also repelled the one hundred Fallen who advanced on the Bridge of Ulug... As an Imperial Knight charged with protecting and keeping the citizens of this country safe, I cannot help but feel appreciation and respect towards you. Thank you very much.”

Being thanked so sincerely was making him uncomfortable.

“Ah... That was... I destroyed those Fallen because they had dared to oppose me. I do not care about the lives of the other races.”

—Oops, maybe that part about not caring about the lives of others was saying too much.

Diablo would often regret something he just said. He wasn’t very good at talking.

But it seemed Alicia did not mind.

“I see. I do not think that you would need assistance or anything of the sort, but I have a duty to report to His Majesty until this matter is resolved. So please, allow me to stay by your side until then.”

“...Do as you wish.”

There was nothing else he could say back.

The Imperial Knights were elites. Their family background and abilities were leagues above the average members of the other races. In spite of all that, she was treating Diablo, a Demon who was also an Adventurer, with the utmost respect and courtesy...

—So this is what it looks like to be a natural at talking with others...

Truly frightening.

If he let his guard down, then she might see through his Demon Lord role play as just an act.

This might be his most fearsome enemy yet.

—I’ll make sure to threaten her so she doesn’t try to talk to me too often, thought Diablo.

He deliberately made his voice deep:

“If you do not wish to die, then do not speak to me so carelessly.”

Alicia’s eyes widened in shock. He thought that would be enough to scare her, but instead, she gave a deep nod.

“Then I shall prepare myself for that... You have protected the citizens of Lyferia from a grave danger that threatened the entire country. My life is a small price to pay if it will quell your anger.”

“Uh...”

Diablo was at a loss for words.

Rem and Shera stared at each other, similarly dumbfounded.

Sylvie shrugged her shoulders, while Galford cleared his throat.

“It would be a problem for me if you just went and died so easily... His Majesty would boil me alive for that. Alicia Cristela is the daughter of a duke, a talented woman who graduated top of her class at the Knight Academy—and a favorite of the King. Normally, I would never allow her to work alongside the likes of Adventurers... But, unfortunately, I do not have the authority to issue orders to Imperial Knights.”

Alicia bowed her head: “I apologize for any trouble I will cause you.”

—So basically, she’s no ordinary Imperial Knight.

Galford rang a small bell on top of his desk.

“Now if you will excuse me, I have a meeting to attend.”

The door to the room opened, and the steward who had first guided Diablo and the others came in, once again respectfully lowering his head.

—And now he’s telling us to get lost.

But this was already enough for Diablo.

He had learned of the Elves’ location and the size of their troops, as well as the deadline for the quest. He also discovered how the governor thought as well. This was almost a perfect score in terms of information gathering—

As long as you didn’t include the fact that he had no specific plan to deal with this situation, that is.

†

Taking their leave from the governor’s estate, Diablo and the others walked through the Central District.

After exiting through the southern gate, Sylvie stepped away from the group.

“I’m gonna head back to the Adventurer’s Guild, then. If you ever need a place to sleep, feel free to come over anytime, OK?”

“Um, thank you for everything!” Shera spoke up. “I’m going to try my best to do everything I can to make sure the war doesn’t happen!”

“I didn’t do anything you need to thank me for. All I did was fulfill the Adventurer’s Guild’s role of bringing together the client and the Adventurer who’s doing their request. I’m not a fan of wars myself, so I’m counting on you, Diablo.”

“Yeah! If it’s Diablo doing it, I’m sure it’ll be all right! Oh, but I’ll be trying super hard to do my best too, of course!” Shera cheered, clenching her fists together.

—The Diablo you’re talking about is having one hell of a time trying to figure out what he should be doing though, you know...

They were counting on him. But he was a Sorcerer, not a tactician. He couldn’t just think up a way to avoid a war.

As if she had remembered something, Sylvie came closer to Diablo and beckoned to him.

—Looks like she wants me to bend down. The difference between their heights was fairly large, so if they were both standing, like they were, they couldn’t keep their conversation private.

As soon as he bent over, Sylvie brought her lips close to his ears.

“So, I think you already know this... But there’s been people watching us for a while now, right?”

—Where!?

He couldn’t sense anything around them; they had passed through the Central District and other relatively unpopulated areas, but he hadn’t noticed at all.

—I need that radar in the top-right corner of my screen, dang it!

But if he were to be honest and say “I had no idea,” that would not only be lame, but not very Demon Lord-esque, either.

“...So it seems. What a foolish thing for them to do.”

He muttered these words as if they were the most trifling things in the world.

“Those are observers sent by the governor himself, but don’t hurt them or anything, OK? It’s not like you have to protect them, but don’t drive them away, either.”

Of course he wouldn’t do that... Though a Demon Lord would say something like “What an eyesore” and attack them.

“Hmph... It’s not even worth dealing my judgment upon them.”

“Then that’s a good thing! That’s it for me, then. See ya around!”

Waving goodbye, Sylvie headed back towards the Adventurer’s Guild.

Seeing her run into the distance was like watching a kid going back home from the playground—though her outfit exposed just a liiiittle too much for that image. That would definitely be a cause for concern.

Sylvie moved so fast that she disappeared from their sight almost immediately.

“...Sylvie is a good person. I have never even spoken with her that much before,” Rem said quietly.

“It seems that way.”

“...I do not dislike Faltra. Because it is on the front lines, people support each other, it’s lively, and the entire town feels alive. All the townspeople here would not want a war between races.”

Shera cheerfully agreed with her, while Alicia gave a nod.

—And I feel the same way.

But a peace-loving Demon Lord would be kind of weird, so he kept his mouth shut.

—Wait a second... So now Sylvie’s left our party. This is bad.

Now they no longer had a way to deal with future attackers. Her Bind magic was truly powerful, and Diablo wasn’t sure yet if he could rely on Alicia as a replacement for it.

On the contrary, if Diablo ended up killing someone, there would be an Imperial Knight right by him... It was possible he’d be arrested on the spot.

He couldn’t rely on the governor’s warm-hearted kindness if that happened.

—How can I fend off attackers now?

It would be the same problem if he ended up fighting with the Elves.

Rem and the others all hated the idea of war. That wasn’t just because they were citizens of Faltra, but also because they didn’t want to kill other people. After all, the Elves were from Shera’s hometown.

Unlike when he was facing off against the army of one hundred Fallen, he couldn’t hit them with a White Nova, annihilating them so that not even ash remained.

—What about a weapon?

Diablo may be a Sorcerer, but he had also hit the level cap of 150. His STR and AGI stats were higher than any lower level Warriors. His magic was too strong, which made it hard to use, but a weapon might be effective in holding himself back. It would also be convenient for taking on a great deal of people at once. He would be able to fight without using MP.

When he lost MP, his energy would start to wither. If he used it all, then he wouldn’t be able to keep going on. He would end up idling around all day; and before he knew it, he would be hungry, and the sun would be setting.

First, he had to protect himself before he could think about avoiding a war.

He decided to head to the weapons shop.

“Come with me.”

He flipped his cape around and started to walk.

In a slight haste, Rem trotted up beside him.

“...Where are you going? As your Summoner, I would like an explanation before you do something.”

Shera, who had been warily listening to the conversation, raised her voice.

“Excuse me!? No talking about Diablo like he’s your Summon! I’m the one who summoned him! Me! It was me!!”

Now this was nostalgic.

—They’re still doing this?

Alicia had a curious look on her face.

“Um... Was Sir Diablo really summoned by either Miss Rem or Miss Shera?”

“...I am his Summoner.”

“And I said I am! I was the one who said we should summon a Demon Lord from another world, after all!”

“Miss Shera, why did you consider summoning a Demon Lord in the first place?”

“I mean, a Demon Lord has got to be the strongest there is, right? And I needed a strong Summon.”

“Were you not afraid?”

“Huh? Summons have to listen to what their Summoners say, so it’s all good, right?”

“But...”

In reality, Shera and Rem had been stuck with enslavement collars, while Diablo, the self-proclaimed Demon Lord, strutted about town with the girls.

Alicia started to bombard Shera with questions, things like, “Where did you summon him?” and “Under what conditions?” Diablo wondered if she was going to report all this to the King as well. Being an Imperial Knight seemed like it was a surprisingly straightforward, yet busy line of work.

Rem tried asking again.

“...And where exactly is our destination?”

“We’re not going to the forest where all the Elves are, are we!?”

Avoiding Alicia’s questions, Shera asked one of her own.

Diablo smiled.

“Before that, we must go to the weapons shop.”

“The weapons shop...?” the girls asked in unison.

“...But why? I do not believe you will find anything better than the remarkable staff you own lying around in one of the shops here.”

“Yeah! And the shops in town only have swords and spears and stuff. Nothing here is enchanted, either.”

“Don’t come to conclusions based on your own inferior standards. I have an idea.”

“If I’m going to be up against more attackers or Elves, I need to buy a weapon that makes it easy for me to hold myself back.” —Is something considerate that a Demon Lord would never say.

He really wanted to go by himself, but right now, it was impossible for him to leave Shera alone.

Having Rem guide him, Diablo headed towards the southern shopping district.

“Well, whatever, I guess!” Shera said happily as she followed along.

Without questions or complaints, Alicia accompanied close behind them.

†

The weapons shop—

There were plenty of shops lined up along the street in Faltra’s Southern District. This was where you could find most of the things you would need as an Adventurer.

The weapons shop was a stone building, and though it was a shop, the front of the building wasn’t left wide open or anything. They opened the heavy door, which was larger than the average house’s, and entered the store.

The inside was spacious, and smelled of iron.

One thing that stood out about the interior was that they had used bricks, a high-quality building material here.

—Looks like they might be doing pretty well for themselves.

There was an employee behind the counter, and an array of weapons behind them.

—I guess I have to ask the employee over there to show me each weapon one at a time.

That was an obvious precaution for them to take. Public order here was a lot worse compared to 21st century Japan.

It hadn’t even been half a month since he came here, but he had already gotten used to how unnatural it felt to see things like swords and bladed weapons hung up in display cases.

The employee here was a female Grasswalker. She had a bandana tied around her head, with two long rabbit ears poking out from between the gaps in the fabric. Since she was part of a race that looked childlike even after reaching adulthood, her age was a mystery.

She wore a durable hemp shirt as part of her work clothes. Diablo couldn’t see the bottom-half of her, but her outfit screamed “blacksmith.”

—That was the NPC from the weapons shop in-game, right?

If anything, she looked a whole lot like the NPC, at least.

—If I remember right, according to the game’s setting, she was supposed to be a blacksmith’s apprentice.

She was said to have entered into an apprenticeship under the Dwarf who ran the shop, whom she looked up to and admired. She didn’t actually get to take up the hammer much, however, and was always forced to work at the front counter instead. Sometimes she would try to forge things in secret, but her master would yell at her once he found out.

She had two ways of greeting customers: the “normal” version, and the “after she was yelled at” version.

Diablo called out to the girl behind the counter:

“I came to look at your weapons.”

“Waaaaaahhh! We’ve got lots of great weapons heeeeere! I haven’t gotten to make a single one though, goddammitttttttt!”

It was the “after she was yelled at” version.

—This part is just like the game... Strange.

But there must have been plenty of other weapon shops around here. There weren’t any NPCs named Rem, Shera, or Sylvie, for that matter, and the Guildmaster never even made an appearance in-game. It felt like Diablo was progressing through a quest yet unknown to him in the world of Cross Reverie. It wasn’t clear yet just how much this world differed from the game.

Diablo didn’t know what to do to calm down the Grasswalker employee, so he decided to just ignore it and tell her the features of the weapon he wanted.

“Listen, and listen well— I am searching for a weapon that does not look out of place to carry around town, that needs no maintenance whatsoever, and has a sufficiently attractive appearance to behold.”

“Do you mean a longsword, hmmmm!? We’ve got some good ones here! I didn’t make any of them thoooooough!”

“Hm... A longsword, as I thought.”

The first thing a player would do after picking a Warrior class in Cross Reverie was buy a sword. Races with lower STR stats would buy daggers, though.

There weren’t any weird tricks to using it, and was a breeze to handle. Being able to buy a relatively powerful weapon for cheap was one of its charms.

By the way, there were no equipment restrictions in Cross Reverie. A Sorcerer could use a longsword, and could even equip metal armor. However, while most staffs worked to buff your magic in some way, there were no swords that offered those kinds of perks. The same went for armor, as they were not suitable equipment for Sorcerers.

If you were to choose equipment based on stats, a Sorcerer would end up with a robe and staff. But since you wouldn’t know unless you gave it a shot yourself, Diablo had tested out using swords and spears and the like, so he wasn’t a complete amateur with them—in the game, at least. He had already experienced how strong his STR stat was here, but he wouldn’t be able to tell how well he could use a sword in this world unless he tried.

Rem nodded as if she had just figured something out.

“...I see now. It’s a weapon to drive back attackers without killing them.”

“Wha-huh? What do you mean?”

“...Do you not understand, Shera? If Diablo uses his magic against Adventurers like them, their lives are as good as forfeit. If he uses a weapon, then Diablo would be able to stop right on the verge of killing them.”

“Oho! I see!”

“...It seems Diablo is kind after all.”

“Yeah, he is!”

Rem and Shera stared at him like they were looking at a kitten or something.

He wanted to deny what they had said, but couldn’t come up with a snappy retort. He made a displeased “Hmph” as he snorted through his nose.

Diablo spoke to the employee.

“I will take a sword. Show me what you—”

He stopped in the middle of his sentence. A certain something had caught his eye.

It was a weapon leaning against the wall in the back. It had a length that spanned over two meters, and sported a long handle, like one you would find on a spear. From end to end, it was made of pure black iron with one long, curved blade attached to it. It had an ominous, warped blade, as if the iron had been made in the shape of a demon’s wing.

A “Great Scythe.”

It was a huge scythe, like the ones a Grim Reaper from a game or anime would have. Diablo couldn’t take his eyes off it.

—That is too cool!!

It was perfect for a Demon Lord. He was taken with it in an instant.

Usually, he would look at its stats and reject it for being too weak... But this time, being weak was a good thing. In fact, it would be a problem if it wasn’t weak.

Just by looking at it, one could tell it was a weapon for those who cared about appearances—and only appearances.

Diablo pointed to the scythe against the wall.

“Show me that one.”

“...And which one would that beeeee... Huh? By that one, do you mean... that war scythe?”

“Correct.”

“...I’m the one who forged that one, but... The balance is all off, there’s no sharpness to the blade, and its design is so distasteful that my master scolded me for it, saying ‘This ain’t no toy store!’ A real gem, I know, but what about it? If you’re going to laugh at me for it, could you go do it somewhere else?”

“Give me that.”

“Excuse me, sir, but are you insane!?”

“Do you not understand? It is perfect for me.”

“But sir, you said you were looking for a weapon that ‘does not look out of place to carry around town, that needs no maintenance whatsoever, and has a sufficiently attractive appearance to behold,’ right?”

“Yes.”

“But if you walked around town with that, it would definitely look weird, and you have to keep sharpening the blade when you use it, and only people with awful taste would like that design... I’m tearing up just saying that. Is this some kind of next level bullying or something?”

“Hmph... Your way of thinking is too shallow.”

“Huh?”

“Think about it. Would that weapon look strange if I was the one holding it?”

The employee went silent.

And then—

“It would look totally natural!?”

“But of course. I was planning on using it so as not to strike with the blade, so maintenance will not be necessary. And if I’m the one holding it, then it should not appear strange.”

“If you’re planning on not using the blade, then why a scythe!? —Is what I want to say, but you’re right. It perfectly matches with how you look... But why are you dressed up like a Fallen, anyways?”

“Do not pry any further. That war scythe perfectly suits me, and you shall sell it to me. Any problems with that?”

“It’s true that there’s no one else that creepy scythe would look better on than you... A-All right, understood! I’m a blacksmith too, after all! A blacksmith-in-training, though! If you say that you want something I made that much, then I can’t just not give it to you, riiiiight! To be honest, I was wondering how I was going to get rid of the thing, so you can give me how much it cost for the steel to make it: one silver coin!”

—That’s way too cheap.

He was planning on heading to the item shop after this, however, so it helped if he could keep his expenses low here. He had received a sizable reward for completing Celes’s errand quest the other day, but because all he had been doing was laze around and sleep since then, he was uneasy about his funds.

There was also talk of a reward for saving the town from the Fallen, Gregore— But since he was in full-on apathy mode after using too much of his MP, he had turned it down because he thought it was too much of a pain to deal with.

Taking a leather bag out of his pouch, he handed over a silver coin as payment.

For reference, one silver coin turned out to be 4,000 friths. That was about the same for a night at the Peace of Mind Inn, dinner included. You needed 200,000 friths for the average longsword, at the very least.

The girl clutched the silver coin, as if she were treasuring it.

“Th-This is the first time... I’ve sold a weapon I made... Thank you so much, sir! I’ll go grab it for you, so just wait a sec, OK?”

Looking like she was having some trouble carrying it, she huffed and puffed as she brought it over to Diablo.

He took it from her.

—This thing’s pretty heavy.

Diablo’s STR stat should have been fairly high, but even so, it weighed heavy on him. The blade was too thick, and the handle was too long.

Looking closer at it, the edge was wave-bladed, like a flamberge. The wounds after taking a hit from this would definitely be awful, though there was no doubt it had no sharpness to it.

—It might be more appropriate to use this more like a cudgel. Just have to make sure I don’t hit myself with the blade.

—What kind of stats would this have in the game?

Diablo had most of the weapons memorized since he needed to be able to tell what his challengers were using in the game at a glance. He should especially be able to remember something like this, which looked almost like a joke weapon...

—I got it!

Its name in Cross Reverie was the 《Prototype Great Scythe》.

It wasn’t something sold in any of the shops. During one of the limited-time events two years ago, there was a lottery you could participate in for prizes—and this weapon was what you got when you lost.

On the Wikis, everyone knew it by its nickname: the “Great (Fail) Scythe.”

Looking at the smiling girl before him who he had just given a silver coin to, Diablo felt a little sorry for her.

—For me, at least, I’ll make sure to use it as best I can, thought Diablo.

It was the first time in a long while he had changed his equipment. Not to mention this may have been the first time he had picked something by form over function.

Diablo gave the war scythe a few swings.

Noticing this, Rem winced.

“...That is... what you wanted? It’s okay as long as you are fine with it, but... How do I put this...”

Alicia made no comment, but Shera happily chimed in.

“You’re looking more and more like a bad guy, huh!”

“Ugh... Mhm... I guess you’re right...”

Diablo couldn’t argue with that; he had just obtained a weapon that raised his “Suspicious” stat through the roof.

†

The Demon Lord’s Ring Diablo wore reflected magic; and not just offensive magic his opponents used, but healing spells as well. As such, Diablo had to rely on potions to heal himself.

If he had some friends in the game, he could have someone who specialized in potions make some for him... But because of his Demon Lord role play, he had no allies he could rely on. As a result, Diablo needed to be able to make potions himself, which is why he took the sub-class “Combiner.”

—I was able to use my elemental magic in this world, so the same must go for combining materials as well. I should try and gather some ingredients.

The item shop—

It was an old building located in a corner of the southern marketplace. Just like the other buildings around it, the walls were made of stones stacked on top of each other. The door to this shop was kept closed as well.

Opening the large door, they stepped inside. There were rows upon rows of shelves lined up, which made everything feel cramped. It was obvious that this shop had way too much inventory, as the shelves were stuffed to the brim with various goods. All sorts of items were here, from things he had seen before, to things he had no idea what they could be. There weren’t any names for the items here, let alone descriptions for them.

—Now that I think about it, less than half the population was literate in the Middle Ages, weren’t they.

If the majority of Adventurers could only read and write their own names, it would be pointless to prepare any kind of written explanations or the like. The only thing in front of each product was a price tag.

“...You have business at the item shop as well?” Rem asked. “Does someone as strong as yourself also have a need for items?”

Shera nodded, agreeing with Rem.

“Yeah, I just can’t see you downing a potion or something, you know?”

You needed time and ingredients to make health potions. That’s where, when you reached a level where you could finally learn recovery magic in the game, most people would naturally stop using them over time.

Top-rank Adventurers did not rely on items.

—Well, I guess it is kind of hard to imagine a Demon Lord just guzzling down a potion.

If you saw the last boss of a game starting to down a potion, it’s like... Well, it would ruin their image for one, and break the player’s immersion.

Should he protect his image as the Demon Lord, or go for the practical benefits...

He wrestled with it in his head for a second— But he had already come to a conclusion.

If he was defeated because he ran out of potions, even after having all this time to prepare— He would want to die from regret.

First and foremost, he would regret it as a gamer. If anything, he wouldn’t be able to protect Shera from the Elves if he was defeated. He would also break his promise to Rem to destroy the Demon Lord Krebskulm sealed inside of her.

If he lost in this world, that was the end. No do-overs.

There were battles here he absolutely needed to win—He couldn’t just win by pumping himself up. Only a thorough amount of preparation and exceptional strength would lead him to victory.

Rem and Shera already understood the superiority of Diablo’s magic, and Alicia seemed to acknowledge it as well. Even if they saw him buying the ingredients for potions, it shouldn’t be enough to deal a fatal blow to his majestic image.

—...At least, I’m hoping it doesn’t.

Now a bit more faint of heart, Diablo headed deeper into the store.

There, he found an old, beat-up wooden table. Sitting at said table was a girl, reading a book.

—That’s another NPC I remember.

It was a young Dwarven girl with large, triangular ears, like a chihuahua. Aside from the dog ears and tail, there wasn’t much difference between a Dwarf child and a Human child.

When a Dwarven girl reached maturity, her height would still remain on the short side, but their face would become more mature; and her chest would get bigger as well.

In the game, this girl was “a granddaughter watching over the shop while her grandma was away.”

Feeling nostalgic, Diablo spoke to her.

“There are some things I need.”

“Ah, welcome~ Oh, but, um, grandma isn’t back yet... Mmm... Oh well, I guess it’s fine. You can buy things, if you want.”

It was pretty much the exact same lines from the game.

Apparently, the girl’s grandmother never came back in the game; not even once. There were many theories about why this was: there was the “grandma had died on her journey” theory; the “girl was abandoned by the grandma” theory; or the ever-popular, “I’m your grandma now” theory.

It was all just idle chat room banter, with no real answers.

—But now might be the perfect chance to solve the mystery that’s haunted the game for years! You could only buy things from her in-game; but this world is different. I can actually ask her questions here.

Another, more grave theory had just crossed his mind:

The girl was unable to accept her grandmother’s death, and continued to believe her own lies.

If he accidentally overstepped his boundaries and asked too much, he could cause her some kind of deep psychological damage. He wouldn’t know what to do next if that happened.

—Better just stop here. There are some mysteries better left unsolved.

Diablo listed off the ingredients needed for the 《HP Potion: Beginner》 recipe.

“Do you have 《Forest Poppy Leaves》 and 《Fresh Spring Water》 here?”

The girl put a finger to her lips, as if she were thinking.

“Mm... That we do.”

If you combined these two items in the game, you would have yourself a freshly made HP potion.

Diablo suddenly thought of something:

“Do you have anything that can be used as a container for a potion?”

This would be an item that didn’t exist in the game. But in this world, there was no way a container would just magically appear when you mixed some herbs and water together.

The shop girl gave the same answer as before—

“Mm... That we do.”

—So there is something like that here...

On the inside, Diablo breathed a sigh of relief.

If I had forgotten to buy a container after buying all these ingredients to combine them, people would start thinking that I’m clumsy, even though I’m a Demon Lord. I’m just glad that I didn’t end up doing something really lame.

“Then I shall take nine of each.”

“That’s an... odd number to choose.”

You could stack nine of the same item in one slot in the game. That’s why Diablo had a habit of buying things nine at a time. Although, thinking about it from a more realistic perspective, that did seem a bit weird.

But correcting himself now would just make him look stupid.

“Heh heh heh... There is no possible way for a little girl to understand the meaning behind this amount.”

“Mmm... You’re right, I don’t get it.”

“But of course... So, hand over nine of each.”

“Okay~”

Leaving her book on the table, the girl trotted around the store. She seemed to have a grasp on where each item Diablo had requested was located amongst the mountains of goods for sale here. In the game, you only had to talk with the merchant and pay them to buy their wares; but in reality, they had to go through the trouble of bringing the items to you.

—Must be pretty hard for her, running the shop by herself.

He couldn’t help but hope for the girl’s grandmother to come back as soon as possible.

After a short while, the girl came back. Carrying a wooden basket, there were nine of each of the forest poppy leaves inside, as well as natural spring water and vials that looked like test tubes.

The poppy leaves were about the size of your palm, and had a fresh, green color to them. The leaves were tied up with string, and the girl removed one from the stack. It seemed that one bundle contained ten leaves, so it must have been fairly rare for a customer to specifically ask for only nine of them.

The water had been measured by eye, and was scooped from a barrel before being moved to leather pouches. One bag seemed to hold about 100 ml of water.

The cylinders that looked like test tubes were apparently called 《Potion Flasks》, and were similar to metallic canteens. They were all stopped off with a cork.

—For now, that should be enough to test out synthesizing all these together, right?

To be honest, a beginner HP potion would only heal about 1% of Diablo’s total HP. Items all had fixed effects, so once you started leveling up, you would stop noticing the effectiveness of basic items. At the very least, he wanted an advanced HP potion. If he had nine of those, he could make a full recovery even if he was on the verge of death.

For stronger healing potions, or ones that raised stats, there were rare potions that would need even rarer ingredients to make them. In the game, he had maxed out his skills as a Combiner. As long as he had the ingredients, he should be able to make anything. But because he had never tried combining things in this world before, he was nervous about it.

—I really want an MP potion, though.

Compared to HP potions, MP potions needed much rarer ingredients in order to make them. But what was it like in this world?

“Do you have 《Kaiser Carrot Roots》 and 《Sacred Mountain Water》 as well?”

The shop girl shook her head.

“Mm... We don’t have any rare stuff like that.”

“Aren’t those materials you can find around here? They should be in the deeper parts of the Man-Eating Forest.”

“Mm, you see... You can find them, but it’s reeeeeally dangerous, so even if I make a request to the Adventurer’s Guild, no one takes the quest.”

“Hrm... I see.”

Thinking back to the game, there were gathering quests just like this as well. Even if no one took on the quests, there was no way the item shop would ever run out of stock.

But that was that. He didn’t even know if he could combine things, and he wasn’t about to go out looking for ingredients.

“Give me the total for all this,” Diablo announced to the shop-keep.

“Mm... Okie-dokie... Um... Altogether, it’s about 9,000 friths.”

“That’s quite the expense.”

Adventurers may be lower-leveled in this world, but the prices for things were quite costly compared to back in the game.

—But that’s just how it goes.

In the game, return spells were used everywhere. You could complete gathering quests with only a one-way trip. But even though return magic existed in this world, it was not as widespread. The only things related to it here were legends of Celestials having used it, and rumors that Sorcerers from the Royal Capital could utilize it as well. On top of that, in the game it would take about five to six minutes to get to your destination, as well as a few battles in-between. In this world, however, it would take half a day to make a return trip home, and just a few battles were enough to put your life in danger.

No matter how generous the Adventurer was that gathered these ingredients, they would never sell them for cheap.

Diablo took out three silver coins.

Three silver coins came to 12,000 friths, so he should get 3,000 friths back in change... But that would come out to be 30 copper coins. In times like this, you would often get a silver coin cut in half—a half-silver coin—worth 2,000 friths returned to you.

—Defacing currency like that would be a crime in modern Japan. Must be the easygoing nature of an age without paper money, I guess.

He would get one half-silver coin and ten copper coins back as change.

“Mmm... Then your change is 3,000 friths altogether, dearie.”

“Hm.”

Her using “dear” when giving him change made her seem like a real grandma’s girl. It was kind of like being in some small-town candy shop.

—Now, how should I bring all this back?

It was all fine and dandy that he bought his ingredients, but they were pretty heavy. Carrying all this on top of the Prototype Great Scythe and Tenma’s Staff, he was more like a traveling merchant than a Demon Lord.

Alicia stepped forward.

“Shall I carry that for you?”

“Wait. I will try something.”

In the game, your item pouch had 30 slots to hold items in. When you first started the game, the pouch only had ten available slots, but you could pay actual money to expand that amount. It was a magic pouch that worked on real money, apparently.

Five slots were 1,500 yen— Basically, it took 6,000 yen to fully unleash the pouch’s true potential. That meant spending a lot of real money.

—How’s that, my 6,000 yen!?

He tried shoving the leather bags of spring water into the pouch on his waist. Normally, one liter of water would never fit into a pouch just big enough to hold your wallet and cellphone.

Rem, Shera, Alicia, and even the shop girl as well, were all looking at him, mystified.

They smoothly went in.

“Just what I’d expect from 6,000 yen!”

He had said it without thinking. Rem cocked her head to the side and asked, “Is ‘Sicks Ow Send En’ some kind of spell?”

—Hm? So they don’t know what “six thousand yen” means? But they understand “six thousand friths” just fine, though...

Diablo couldn’t read the writing of the Lyferian Kingdom himself, yet he was able to talk with others.

—But how does that work?

For starters, I don’t even know what language I’m speaking. Everything I’ve seen from this land makes me think of medieval Europe, so maybe Latin? But this is still another world, though.

He decided to think this over some more later.

Just to be safe, he tried taking the spring water out of the pouch—

No problems there; though it may have looked small on the outside, it felt like the inside was as big as a large backpack— No, it was as wide as a storage room. And when he reached inside, he could feel the item he was aiming for at his fingertips.

—Now this is convenient.

One by one, he stuffed the bundle of poppy leaves and potion flasks in as well. They went in with no problem.

“Whoooooah!?”

The four people watching all exclaimed in surprise.

Rem’s voice was trembling.

“...What is that? I have never seen, or even heard of a mysterious pouch like that before.”

Shera brought her hands together with a *clap*.

“Ah, I know! We had something like that in our treasure vault!”

“Oh hoh? They have something like this in Greenwood as well?”

—Though I don’t think it’s because they have a pay-to-play option here.

“The thing I saw was something called the 《Hundred-Arrow Quiver》, a quiver that you could put a whole bunch of arrows into! When I was a kid, I could only fit 99 in there, though. I was really bummed that I couldn’t do the whole one hundred!”

“...A normal quiver can only fit about six arrows at most. I would think that treasure is worth being astounded over,” Rem said in amazement.

In Cross Reverie, there was a piece of equipment called a 《Quiver》. It was a container different from the pouch that could hold arrows inside of it. Nine arrows would fill up one spot in your pouch, but a quiver could carry up to 99 of them. Any Archer in the game would be carrying these quivers, but...

“Is it that rare an item?”

“It is~ There’s probably only one like it in the entire world, I think.”

“Hmm, I see...”

Just about every item in Cross Reverie was also in this world, it seemed. The scarcity of items, however, appeared to be on a whole different level.

“Well, if I can open my own personal treasure vault, I can show you the countless other treasures that are in my possession.”

Aside from the pouch, he had used a 《Storage》 in the game. Its capacity was several times larger than the pouch. Even if you lined up every single item implemented in Cross Reverie, there would still be space left over.

Diablo kept a collection of every kind of item in the game, no matter how crappy an item it was.

Since it was a game, there was a handy system that allowed you to take things you had put away in one town’s storage and take them out from another town’s storage. Not only did he have an abundance of potions stocked up ready to use, if he could take things out of his storage, he would be able to give Rem and Shera equipment equally powerful as his own.

Normally, there would be an individualized counter for each player near the west gate in Faltra, but he hadn’t caught sight of it there. There was nothing in the room at the inn, either. This was something similar to teleportation magic, so it might just not exist here.

—Or, maybe... Could it be in my personal area?

Players in Cross Reverie who had gotten above a fixed battle ranking were given a personal area of land to call their own. Fighting over these pieces of land through PvP was one of the features of the game.

Diablo had turned his personal area into a dungeon fitting of a Demon Lord. It was located far, far away from the city of Faltra.

—But it might be good to try going there at least once.

He still couldn’t discern what was similar to the game and what was different, but there was a chance that his own dungeon and collection could be in this world as well.

Putting the goods in his pouch, Diablo decided to return to the inn.

†

Leaving the Southern Shopping District, Diablo and his group set out for the “Peace of Mind Inn - Twilight” located along the western road. Diablo was already fairly used to walking amongst the jumble of other races who packed the streets.

—There were just too many things I was worried about in the beginning here, so I got worn out pretty quickly; but now, dealing with things here is only about as bad as taking a stroll through Akihabara on a day off... Hm? Wait, that’s actually still pretty rough...

It’s still light outside, but it must be almost time for dinner.

As they made their way back to the inn, Diablo and the others passed by people like men returning home, and a mother leading her child by the hand.

It was a peaceful scene.

Rem suddenly spoke up in a worried voice.

“...I wonder if it is all right for us to be this relaxed... Though I’m sure this is all part of your carefully laid-out plan, Diablo.”

Shera nodded along.

“I just can’t seem to calm down... Like, you know, is it all right for me to just be out and about shopping, even though I’m the cause of all this?”

Looking at how peaceful the town was, she probably felt like she was being crushed knowing that a possible war was on the horizon.

But Diablo had nothing at this point. He had some ideas he was thinking about, but no solid plans. Because of that, he was focusing on all sorts of preparation work.

Diablo wanted to make the girls feel a little more at ease, even though he was orally challenged and couldn’t speak well to save his life. But if he thought about himself as a Demon Lord, he was able to say things he would normally never be able to say.

“There is no need for you to worry. I said that I would lend you my power, so leave everything to me.”

They were words brimming with confidence, and would make him want to die if he said it as his normal self.

A smile crossed Shera’s face.

—That seemed to perk her up a little.

“Yeah! You’re with me, after all! Rem and Alicia, too! There’s no way a war is going to happen. I’m different than I was before, scared and living on my own in a dark forest. Now, I’ve got friends with me!”

Rem made a sour face.

“...It’s not like you and I are friends or anything. You just happen to be nearby while Diablo and I are working together.”

Her black panther tail swished back and forth restlessly. She must have been hiding her embarrassment behind those words.

Diablo and the girls were all lined up, chatting as they walked. At the front was Diablo; following behind him were Rem and Shera, with Alicia taking up the rear.

It was then that Alicia yelled out:

“What on earth are you doing!?”

Diablo turned around in a panic. Right behind him were the twin Grasswalkers who had attacked them previously at the inn. They had thrown Shera over their shoulders and were forcibly carrying her down the street.

Though they looked like kids, their age was unknown. And if their STR stat was that of a Warrior class, they would be plenty strong.

“Ahh!! L-Let me go!”

Not bothered in the slightest by Shera’s screams, they kept on hauling her away.

—To think they’d brazenly attack us in the middle of town like this!

Though she could even detect Elves who had hidden themselves in the forest, Shera couldn’t tell if someone held malicious intent for her in this city packed with other beings. Because of that, Alicia had been serving as their lookout and stayed in the back; but it proved impossible to maintain their line when it was this crowded.

It seemed the twins had been waiting for them to be separated by even the tiniest bit.

Alicia drew her sword.

“I am an Imperial Knight! I command you to stop!”

It seemed criminals in this realm were the same as in the real world: not stopping even when they were told to do so. If they could bring Shera back to the Elves, then they’d get her bounty of one billion friths— An amount that would last them a lifetime.

The twins were heading for a cart. If they managed to escape using the cart, it was doubtful that even Diablo could catch up with them.

That being said, he couldn’t use magic, either. There were still plenty of townsfolk nearby, and many more who hadn’t noticed the turmoil that was unfolding here. They weren’t Adventurers, but normal, everyday people. They wouldn’t get off with just a few scratches if they were caught up in Diablo’s magic. Rem using her Summons was also pretty dangerous.

Diablo set off after the two Grasswalkers.

“Stop them before they reach the cart!”

“Understood!”

Rem and Alicia followed behind him.

Standing in their way was a Dwarf, war axe in hand, and a brawny Pantherian; both of whom were also part of the Adventurers that had attacked them at the inn.

“Whoa, now! Like we’d let you get by!”

“Yer gonna have to play with us fer a while!”

Diablo clicked his tongue.

“Out of the way!”

He swung the war scythe he held in his hands.

—You better be prepared for a broken bone or two!

The steel handle bent and warped as Diablo sank the metal into the Pantherian’s shoulder with all his might.

With a cracking noise, the Pantherian Brawler’s shoulder was broken. He was sent flying, along with the Dwarf who had been standing next to him.

“Gwooooargh!?”

“Whaaaaaaaat!?”

The two assailants fell to the ground in a heap on top of each other, prompting people to actually start backing away. This wasn’t the happy-go-lucky kind of world where one could survive after spacing out and watching someone draw their weapons.

The Dwarf and Pantherian managed to wheeze out a few words.

“He’s... too strong... Wasn’t he supposed to be... a Sorcerer...?”

“Consarn it all...”

While talking, they were managing to stand themselves back up.

—Guess it’s not possible to take them out in one hit, after all.

Alicia stopped in her place.

“Please, leave them to me!

—Well, that’s thoughtful of her.

In any case, he had managed to sweep the attackers to the side without killing them. It seemed that the Prototype Great Scythe was a perfect fit for Diablo’s STR stat. It wasn’t half bad as a weapon to hold himself back.

Taking notice of the disturbance, the townspeople fled to the edges of the street.

Now there was no one to get in his way.

Diablo took off at a full sprint. It was the first time he had unleashed his full potential since coming to this world.

The Ebony Abyss he wore boosted all of his physical abilities, and on top of this, his body was that of a level 150 player. Though he was a Demon Sorcerer, his AGI stat far surpassed that of any of the other races. Like a bike going downhill, each time he kicked off the ground his body moved faster and faster. The surrounding scenery flew behind him.

One of the twins spoke up:

“He’s fast, big brother!”

“He is fast, little brother... Maybe he’s using a Quickening spell? But, we can make it to the cart before him.”

—I will catch up to you!

Someone emerged from the crowd of onlookers.

A Warrior, clad in golden armor, stood in front of the two twins.

Judging from their body-type, the Warrior looked like a Human. They were wearing a helmet, so Diablo couldn’t see their face.

The Warrior drew their longsword.

*Flash!*

It looked like the tip of their sword had completely disappeared. It was an extremely fast double-strike—the Martial Art 《Double Smash》. It was a technique composed of a slash to the right, then a slash to the left, but unleashed at almost the exact same time.

The twins groaned.

“B-Big brother...”

“Ngh... We were so... close...”

The twins crumpled to the floor, dropping Shera to the ground, butt-first.

“Owie!?”

Diablo had managed to catch up, and was face-to-face with the Warrior clothed in gold.

—They helped us?

Either way, that doesn’t mean it’s a case of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”— I should stay on guard.

I’ll ask for their name first.

“And just who are you?”

“Heh heh heh...” A deep laugh came from the inside of the helmet.

The Warrior in gold revealed his face.

“My dear friend, it seems that I’ve leveled up so much that you’re in shock, aren’t you? But of course you would be! My sword and armor were ruined in that fight with the Fallen the other day, so these are all brand new. What do you think of this golden armor! Magnificent, is it not!”

—So... It’s him.

The Warrior clad in golden armor loudly proclaimed his name:

“My name is Emile Bichelberger! I am an ally to all women, and an ally to those allied to women!”

†

On the boundary between Faltra’s Southern and Eastern Districts—

Emile’s Adventurer compatriots had restrained the four assailants. The cart they had prepared had been confiscated as well, and they were being gathered to be escorted away.

Never mind that Emile’s companions had been close by, or the fact they had the tools and skill to tie someone up; it was as if they had come specifically prepared to capture someone.

“You sure came by at an interesting time. A coincidence?” Diablo asked Emile.

“Oh, this was no coincidence, my friend. I can just smell where there are girls in trouble!”

Rem and Shera took about three steps away from Emile.

Alicia was the only one with a smile on her face, staying at Diablo’s side.

Diablo let out a sigh.

“Don’t do anything that would get you arrested by the Imperial Knights.”

“J-Just a joke, of course! Actually, I had heard from the Adventurer’s Guild that Prince Keera had placed a bounty on our lovely Shera here.”

“A truly foolish affair.”

“Kidnapping someone is a grave sin... But the bounty is one billion friths, after all. That’s an outrageous amount of money. I thought this might lead to trouble, so my companions and I were out searching for Shera, too.”

“Oh hoh? So does that mean you’re after the bounty as well, then?”

“Of course not! I am an ally to all women— I would never forgive anyone for doing something that would make Shera sad! I’m here to protect Shera from these misguided fools!”

—So that’s what it was.

Looks like I can count on Emile after all.

He’s the kind of guy who prioritizes protecting girls over his own life.

Diablo nodded.

“Good work out there.”

“Heh... I wanted to help you out as my way of saying thanks to you. That potion you gave me was amazing! My wounds were healed in no time at all, and I felt so energized that I didn’t even need to sleep for three whole days and nights.”

The potion that Diablo gave Emile was one of the best potions in Cross Reverie. Not only did it recover HP and boost one’s stats, but it also protected the user from adverse status effects for a fixed period of time. The reason Emile was fine not sleeping was because “Sleep” was a negative status effect in the game.

—Though I think pulling three all-nighters in a row would actually be worse for your health...

It seemed that “a fixed period of time” was much longer in this world compared to the game. The effects of the potion he gave Emile should have lasted for three minutes, at the most. Here, it lasted three days.

—Gathering materials in this world seems to be a lot more troublesome than it is compared to the game... Is that balanced out by having the effects of things here boosted?

Diablo would have to look into that later.

One of Emile’s companions, a young man in a white robe, came to tell Emile that they were ready to move the attackers.

“Guess it’s about time I round these guys up and get them out of here.”

“What are you planning to do with them? This is an attempted kidnapping, and we do have an Imperial Knight right here.”

Alicia nodded in agreement, but Emile shook his head.

“Fines and hard labor will not change people. Leave them to me. I have a duty to make all those who would make women cry disappear from this world.”

“Are you going to kill them?”

“You sure say some frightening things, don’t you... I will drill the message of how important women are into them until they understand it from the bottom of their hearts! We will keep going until they become good and honest people who will not make the mistake of trying to kidnap a woman ever again!”

“Hmph... That sounds like a torture worse than having your body roasted by the flames of purgatory. I shall allow it. Execute them in any way you see fit.”

“It’s not an execution, but me teaching them the true meaning of love! Now then, I best get going... But there’s no guarantee that they’re the only people out there blinded by greed because of the bounty. Be careful out there.”

Shera ran up to him:

“Thank you, Emile!”

“It’s fine, I’m just glad you’re safe. Make no mistake, all the Adventurers in this town are your allies.”

“Yeah! Tell them I say thanks, too!”

Rem addressed him as well:

“...Not only did you protect me from the Fallen the other day, but now this... I misjudged you, Emile.”

Alicia gave a salute.

“The person I was put in charge of protecting was almost abducted. Thank you very much for your assistance.”

“Heh heh, no need to thank me!” Emile smiled wide enough to show off his pearly white teeth. “My goodness, yet more girls have become prisoners of love to me! I truly am a man of sin!”

With a boisterous laugh, he headed back towards where his companions were waiting.

As he turned away, the fact that the expressions on the girls’ faces darkened at the same time was a truth unknown to him.

Shera tilted her head.

“I think Emile’s a good person, but I’m not his prisoner or anything... So who is?”

“...He is not a bad person... But I do not want to be too involved with him, if I can help it,” Rem sighed.

“Sigh... This is why men are just... Ugh,” Alicia muttered.

Some pretty harsh criticisms came from the girls.

—Well, it’s not like a girl will just suddenly fall in love with you because you helped them out a little. Those kinds of situations are just fantasy, after all.

The “pure-hearted maiden” type of girl only existed in games and anime. Diablo had never seen one before in real life.

As if he just remembered something, Diablo beckoned to Shera.

“What is it, Diablo?”

“Do not stray far from me. Stay next to me.”

“Huh? Is that all right?”

“It would be troublesome if you were kidnapped again.”

“...your... h-hand...”

“Hm?”

“Can I... hold your hand?”

“I see. That way, even amongst crowds of people, it would be harder for someone to come after you. Though there is a possibility they could do something like sever your arm with a single slash...”

“Eek!?”

Shera latched onto his left arm, pressing her chest against him with a *squeeeeze*

Diablo’s thick arm was buried between two soft, fluffy mounds. He could feel her warmth spreading to him.

“Hrn...”

“U-Um... Thank you for saving me earlier.”

“Emile was the one who saved you, was he not?”

“But you were the one who beat up those Grasswalker guys’ companions, right? And you had almost caught up to me, too. I was really scared... But then I thought about how you would come save me, and I felt a lot better!”

“...Don’t become so placid before you’re even saved. You are far too optimistic.”

“Ehehe...”

Shera pressed her chest against him again, this time a little more forcibly.

“You’re suffocating me.”

“But it would be dangerous if I got too far away, riiight?”

“Even so...”

What he was really thinking: “Please, stop sandwiching my arm between your humongous boobs; any sense of reason I have is going to break!”

As they walked, he felt that he was slowly being pulled away from the right side. And on that right side—

This time, Rem was the one who had come up to his shoulder. He was holding the Prototype Great Scythe in his right hand, but she didn’t try to wrap around his arm or anything, though.

She touched his shoulder, staring at him with upturned eyes.

“...I was surprised. I had no idea you were that fast.”

“Hm? Ah, of course I would be able to do at least that much.”

“...I’m sure the Adventurers who attacked us were experts, yet you still overwhelmed them in speed and power. To think that you’re that strong, even without using magic... As to be expected of you, Diablo.”

“I am not a Sorcerer, but a Demon Lord, after all.”

“...Of course.”

Rem’s eyes were practically sparkling as she stared at him. It seemed she really trusted him.

If he were to blurt something out like, “My magnificence as a Demon Lord has grown again!” then he would be the same as Emile, so Diablo kept his mouth shut.

—It doesn’t really have anything to do with being a Demon Lord, anyways.

It was just another result of the level gap here. If he was up against a Warrior of the same level in a contest of strength, then there was no way he could win.

For starters, Demons had low STR and AGI stats to begin with. The Ebony Abyss was an extremely rare piece of equipment with superior stats, as well as an ability to raise the wearer’s physical abilities; but even so, it only put him on the same level as a level 60 Warrior.

He thought back to Emile’s new armor and weapons. From what he could tell, they were just about on the same level; the more Martial Arts Emile had, though, the more it put him at an advantage.

—Not to mention the difference in experience when fighting against other people.

You couldn’t win with just high stats. You were bound to have a rough time against an opponent who had properly honed their skills as a player. If someone like that appeared, that’s when Diablo would use magic. It would be stupid of him to hold back and end up losing because of it.

Further to the right, past Rem, was Alicia. The crowd of people had thinned out, so there was enough room for them to walk in a line.

“Diablo... I apologize for what happened before... I allowed them to attack us from behind, even though I was trusted with guarding the rear... How should I even begin to apologize for such a transgression...”

“You are mistaken.”

“What?”

“Do not think that everyone is relying upon you and your power. I am the Demon Lord Diablo... I have never once thought that I needed your help.”

In reality, if it wasn’t for Alicia’s quick-thinking, then the Dwarf and Pantherian attackers from before could have gotten away. Just from the way she moved, he could tell that the sword at her waist was not just for decoration.

But her trying to “be useful to him” was wearing him out.

A hard worker like Alicia was the natural enemy of a lazy person like Diablo. It stimulated his own self-loathing, slowly draining him of his willpower. It would be fine if she was like Rem and accepted herself, or like Shera and relied on him; but hearing Alicia say she would “put even more effort into it” made him want to leave everything to her so he could go back home and sleep.

She probably never had a downer with an apathetic lifestyle like him around her before. Alicia had a bewildered look on her face.

“...Th-Then...just how exactly should I prove myself useful to you?”

“Are you one of those types of people? The kind who thinks that those who don’t serve a purpose should die?”

“What!? That, that isn’t... It is not like that at all!”

She denied it much more strongly than he had expected. But maybe that was to be expected from an Imperial Knight charged with protecting the weak.

“Then you need to forgive yourself, even if you aren’t useful to me. If you wish to accompany us, then do as you please. You do not even have to try and bring about results, either.”

“Y-Yes...”

He had hoped that he would have been able to put Alicia at ease, but because of his chronic foot-in-mouth disorder, he had made her face turn pale instead.

—Is that so hard to accept for a goody-two shoes like her, who’s done nothing but constantly endeavoring to be her best?

But Diablo was doing things at his own pace. To have someone right next to him attempting to bring out her very best, it was as if she was trying to push the boundaries of the human race... It was a lot for Diablo to take in, to be frank.

If he were to keep focused on the quest at hand, he wanted Alicia to conduct herself in a slower-paced manner. He wasn’t sure if he had gotten the point across or not, but...

“I understand.” Alicia nodded. “I will endeavor to do my absolute best to forgive myself, even if I cannot be of use to you.”

—Well that didn’t work at all...

†

It was still a little too early for dinner at the dining hall of the “Peace of Mind Inn - Twilight.” Only three customers were to be found here.

Diablo had already become completely accustomed with this place. Though the people here had been suspicious of him at first, after showing up here a few times, they stopped being startled by his appearance. In fact, it had gotten to the point you could tell a person wasn’t a regular at this dining hall if they were shocked at seeing Diablo.

But today, even the regulars here did a double-take when they saw him.

The reason: the Prototype Great Scythe he held in his hands.

Diablo walked through the town, but there was no one who had a weapon as ominous and sinister-looking as his.

—I’m sure they’ll get used to it after a few days.

While attracting stares from all around him, Diablo settled down at the round table he always used. Rem and Shera were sitting on either side of him with Alicia sitting directly across from Diablo.

The receptionist and poster girl of the inn—the Pantherian, Mei—came over to them. She had brown hair that came down to her shoulders, and a bright, cheerful smile on her face. She was wearing a frilly uniform that made you wonder if it was supposed to be for a maid or an idol.

“Welcome, welcome, welcome! ♪”

“Hm.”

“Ah, before I get your order— The wall of the room you’re all using is being fixed right now; but you’re still staying tonight, right?”

“That was my intention.”

“I apologize for all the trouble we caused,” Rem said, bowing her head as she apologized. Shera, likewise, bowed.

Alicia did not know what they were talking about, and so remained silent.

The idol of the inn waved her hand dismissively.

“It’s fine, it’s fine! I’m already used to Adventurers causing trouble, so don’t you worry about li’l ol’ me~ ♪ Ah, but I’m gonna have to ask you for this much, though! Kyaha~ ☆”

She laid a piece of paper down on the table with an almost revolting amount of money listed for the repair bill.

—Holy crap, are you planning on completely rebuilding that room or something!?

Just because she was smiling, it didn’t mean that she was going to go easy on them.

It was survival of the fittest here in another world.

It was an amount that Diablo and the others couldn’t hope to pay, so he privately decided to have the assailants from earlier take care of it. They were the ones to break the wall, after all.

As if nothing had happened, Mei took their orders.

“I recommend the ‘Mei Special’ today! ♪”

“Then we shall have that.”

“Four of them, please,” Rem added.

In almost no time, the food was brought out to them:

Potatoes; sausages; hard-baked bread; clear soup with boiled vegetables similar to eggplant and cabbage; and a wooden tankard full of water.

Diablo had been in love with the sausages here ever since the first day he had tried them—so much so that he ate one a day.

Today, as always, he went for the sausages first. It had a nice, crispy chewiness as he bit into it. The next instant, he was overcome with a dynamic combination of the flavor of meat and the soft fragrance of herbs as it spread throughout his mouth. As he chewed, he could feel the coarse texture of the meat; each time he bit down, his mouth was flooded with its savory juices. It was also flavored with salt, packing quite a punch.

Diablo tore off a piece of bread and popped it in his mouth. It had a hard, crunchy texture, with no flavor. But when it was combined with the salt flavor, the fragrance of the herbs, and the juiciness of the sausage, the delectability of it all was increased several-fold.

Relishing these flavors until they faded from his mouth, Diablo took a slow, long drink of water.

Another delicious meal.

Looking to his right, he saw Rem eating her meal in a very refined manner. But when he looked to his left—

Shera hadn’t touched her food.

Diablo wasn’t good at showing concern for other people in times like this. If he were to coerce her, she would probably have even less of an appetite.

“Miss Shera, it seems you have barely touched your food. Is something the matter?” Alicia asked in a gentle voice.

With a jump, Shera came back to reality.

“U-Uh, it’s nothing! I was just, um, spacing out... Maybe I’m just tired or something? Ahaha...”

With a forced laugh, she pretended she was all right.

—So, she really is torn up about this... But of course she would be. Anyone would if they were the cause of a war almost breaking out.

Because of the flurry of activity that had been happening around her, she was able to keep up her usually cheerfulness. But now, taking their time as they ate—

It must have been weighing heavy on her mind.

Alicia spoke in a caring manner:

“If you do not eat, it will only harm your body. Now more than ever do you need to make sure to keep up your physical strength. Please, if only just a little, try and eat something.”

“Yeah... You’re right. It would be rude to Mei if I just left it. I’m gonna eat!”

She let out a loud voice, as if she were pumping herself up, then bit into one of the sausages. Though slow, Shera started to eat.

Seeing that, Diablo breathed a silent sigh of relief.

†

They continued eating in silence for a while. The other customers from before had already left, so Diablo and the others were the only ones remaining, though there was sure to be more coming for dinner, soon enough.

Suddenly—

Alicia and Shera both flinched, reacting to something.

—It’s not more attackers, is it?

Diablo put down the bread he was holding and reached for his war scythe that was leaning against the wall.

The receptionist appeared.

“Reeeem! You have a guest. ☆”

Following Mei in quick succession were people all wearing familiar outfits. They were the brown robes that were the uniform of the Mage’s Association. Six of them entered, making the already small dining hall feel even smaller.

And last, in came a single woman—

A woman they knew.

She was beautiful, with a gentle air about her. Her hair came down well below her waist, and she held a long staff in her hand, proof that she was a Sorcerer herself. Her outfit, on the other hand, didn’t expose much of her skin, but it fit well enough to show off the sensual curves of her body, making it hard to know where it was okay to look.

A gentle smile on her face, she looked at Diablo with her ice-blue eyes.

“Diablo, Rem, Shera— It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it.”

It was the head of the Mage’s Association: Celestine Baudelaire.

Aside from Diablo, she was the only other person who knew that the soul of the Demon Lord Krebskulm was sealed inside of Rem.

Besides the six Sorcerers who had entered before Celes, there were four more guards who had formed a circle around her; but she only had two of them before, though.

“This seems fairly severe, don’t you think, Celes?”

“I’m sorry... Despite everyone here, this is the amount only after I had them reduce the number of guards at my side. The elders are still very worried.”

The other day, Celes had almost been killed by the Fallen. If she were to die, the barrier protecting the town from monsters and other Fallen would disappear.

Because of this, Faltra had been in danger of falling to the enemy.

—Actually, it’s amazing they let her be outside at all.

Alicia stood up from her seat and gave a salute.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Alicia Cristela, Imperial Knight.”

“My, my. I am Celestine Baudelaire, head of the Mage’s Association of this town. Very nice to meet you.”

—Seeing people act so polite to Celes makes me realize again just how much of an important person she is.

Rem stood up and spoke:

“...Celes, first how about having a seat?”

“I wouldn’t be a bother to you, would I?”

“...I cannot keep calm if you are going to stay standing up like that.”

“Ahah, I see. My apologies.”

Alicia offered her seat.

“Lady Baudelaire, I apologize this is a table we’re in the middle of using for dinner. I shall take my leave momentarily, so would you care to use this seat?”

“Oh no, it’s fine. How about I borrow one of those chairs from next to you? Oh, but would that be too cramped? Ah, perhaps I should leave and wait until you’re all finished eating?”

“Perish the thought! Lady Baudelaire, that simply will not do!”

In a panic, Alicia tried to stop her.

Diablo shrugged his shoulders, letting out a sigh.

“Alicia, bring over one of those chairs. Celes, you will sit there.”

He didn’t want to end up being the target of another one-sided hatred from a different psycho member of the Mage’s Association for making their leader wait outside.

A chair was prepared right away, and Celes sat between Alicia and Rem.

The after-meal coffee was brought out, with one for Celes as well.

There was an exchange of greetings, and as they say: the more girls there were, the louder things became.

Celes bent forward, fixing her eyes on Shera.

“Shera, I heard about what’s happening. Cheer up, OK? Just seeing your enthusiastic self makes me very happy.”

Shera’s eyes went wide.

“You think I’m enthusiastic?”

“Yes, of course. You’re so free, after all. That’s a wonderful thing. I chose this way of living, so it might cause trouble for me to say this... But I’m a fan of yours, you know?”

“Huh...? I don’t really get it, but... Ehehe...! Thanks!”

The enormous ritual magic that enveloped Faltra could not be performed by any normal Sorcerer, but only a chosen genius. For Celes, it seemed she wouldn’t be able to leave Faltra until she was old enough and forced to retire—or until she passed away.

It wasn’t that she was being forced to do this; she chose a life as the head of the Mage’s Association.

Those who dedicated their lives to their work were not particularly a rare sight. Diablo didn’t think of them as being especially unfortunate, either. But he could still understand why Celes would want to cheer on Shera in her pursuit of a life of freedom.

As if she had received those feelings, Shera raised both her hands in the air.

“Alrighty! I’m gonna do my best! I’m all better now, and I’m gonna give it my all! With gusto!!”

With the usual smile on her face, she sounded like her normal self again.

—Did that lift her spirits a little? Gotta be thankful to Celes for that one, then.

Celes turned to speak to Diablo.

—So, now we’re getting down to business.

“Today, I have three things I wish to talk with you about, Diablo.”

If she only wanted to talk, then a letter or something would have sufficed. Celes not wanting to use her authority for these kinds of things was both one of her good points, and one of the more troublesome things about her.

Diablo nodded.

“Speak, I shall allow it.”

Celes smiled with her eyes.

“First, let me thank you once again for saving all of us from the Fallen who invaded the other day.”

Celes deeply bowed her head; the guards around her also took a knee as a sign of respect.

Diablo grit his teeth to hide his embarrassment.

“...Make no mistake, it was only because that Fallen was an eyesore...”

“Even so, your actions protected the city of Faltra from falling to the enemy. Normally, this would be a feat that would earn you a few words from His Majesty himself. However—”

As if it were hard to say, she averted her eyes.

Diablo shook his head.

“I have no need for anything as contrived as that.”

Humans were the race who should be opposing the Fallen. Especially in this Human-built Kingdom, it was Humans themselves who held most of the power and authority here.

Demis were discriminated against. Demons like Diablo were especially shunned, due to their similarities to the Fallen. The town most likely did not want to praise a Demon hero. On top of that, Diablo had ominous horns growing out of his head; called himself a Demon Lord; and was an Elemental Sorcerer, which was claimed to be one of the weakest vocations in this world.

Basically, there were too many reasons for these big-shots to not want to commend his efforts.

Celes bowed her head apologetically.

“I extend my apologies on this matter.”

“I told you, I have no need for it. I am not partial to things that would draw attention to me.”

In this country that held Demis in contempt, even if he became close to the people in power, it seemed that it would only cause more trouble. There were still plenty of things he wanted to try in this world. The life of a carefree Adventurer definitely suited him the most.

“There are so many people out there, myself included, who are grateful toward you... I just wanted you to know that.”

“Hm.”

“If you should ever need something, I am available to do anything on your behalf.”

—Hm? She just said she would do... anything?

Diablo almost reacted to this, but played it off by coughing instead.

“It is inconceivable to think there will ever be a time I should require your help! That being said, I have received your intentions. That should be enough for you, correct?”

“Yes, of course.”

An expression of relief crossed Celes’s face.

“...You truly did defeat Gregore by yourself,” Alicia muttered.

“Oh? So you still did not believe it.”

“Oh, no... I was aware of it from the information I was given, but... Even amongst the other Fallen, Gregore was considerably strong... It was difficult to believe it myself.”

“You would call that thing ‘strong’?”

“The strongest Sorcerer in the Man-Eating Forest.”

“You sure are knowledgeable about this, aren’t you?”

A smile crossed Alicia’s lips.

“I appreciate that... The biggest threat to Faltra is not the Kingdom of Greenwood, but the Fallen. I have thoroughly and repeatedly poured over the reports myself. Even in the past, it has been recorded that the Fallen known as ‘Gregore’ was known as a being of significant power. Hearing that someone had defeated him single-handedly... I had planned on coming to terms with that after seeing you... But it is a different kind of shock, hearing it again like this.”

—Like a true honors student, it seems she knows of what I did, but only took it as a piece of intel... She didn’t actually believe it until now. But after hearing what Celes had to say, I guess she was finally convinced.

Alicia’s intuitions are pretty plain after all...

Well, I guess it would be normal to find this all hard to believe, huh.

It seemed that those who had never seen Diablo fight wouldn’t believe how strong he was.

Diablo had decided not to worry about it. He hadn’t been fighting so that others would accept how strong he was; back then, he was fighting because he wanted to save Rem and Celes. Not only that, but he couldn’t forgive that Fallen for killing all the people he did. Words should be met by words, and force should be met by force. If his opponent was ready to kill, Diablo would not hold back.

Satisfied, Diablo prompted for Celes to continue.

Celes listed off her second order of business:

“I thought it would be good to explain where the Mage’s Association stands regarding the matter with the Kingdom of Greenwood.”

Diablo certainly couldn’t ignore the strength of the Mage’s Association. It was necessary for him to have an understanding of what they would do, and he couldn’t imagine Celes actively wanting a war with the Elves— But this was a situation where they would be forced to make a move.

She continued to speak:

“The Mage’s Association holds part of the burden when it comes to the protection of Faltra. That’s why when something poses a threat to this town, we will cooperate with the army. And because I am not used to combat or fighting, I believe the governor will be entrusted with command over everyone.”

—Tch.

So that means when the governor goes to mobilize the army, the Mage’s Association will be there alongside them...

Judging by the expression on Celes’s face, he could tell that not only did she not wish to go war, but she was distressed about having other members of the Mage’s Association be given orders by the governor to fight.

Diablo didn’t want to get them involved. To do that, he was trying to create a situation where the governor would not have to mobilize the army. The essential thing here was to avoid this war.

Diablo finished off the rest of his now cold coffee.

“I have already accepted a request to avoid war with the Kingdom of Greenwood. The Mage’s Association will have no part to play in this; I will see to it these Elves do not show up before the city of Faltra.”

“Thank you... Hearing you say that is a great relief to me.”

Celes wiped tears from the corners of her eyes.

—She’s really expecting a lot from me. Though in reality, I’m still only in the middle of thinking over how to avoid this war.

“This is the last order of business,” Celes said, laying an envelope on the table.

“What is this?” Diablo asked, glancing at it.

“Something that may become a lead to removing the Enslavement Collars.”

“Oh hoh?”

He couldn’t help but be surprised at this.

“...What do you mean?” Rem reacted inquisitively.

“It’s only a possibility, so I don’t want to get your hopes up too much... Right now, there is a slave trader caravan at the Central Plaza. The fundamentals for Slave Collars and Enslavement Collars are the same, magic-wise, so...”

“...I see. They may be able to tell us something, then,” Rem said, staring at the envelope.

“Enslavement collars” were meant to be put on Summons, while “slave collars” were meant to be put on actual slaves. In this world, if a collar was placed on anyone here, regardless of race, it seemed they would be thought of as slaves.

According to what Celes had said, both collars seemed to be the same fundamentally.

Slaves and slave traders didn’t exist in Cross Reverie, so Diablo didn’t know much about it... But it sounded like the traders would know the most about how to handle slave collars. They might be able to remove the collars from Rem and Shera.

“Is that envelope a letter of introduction?” Diablo asked to confirm.

“Yes. You can’t enter the slave emporium without one... On top of that, I have requested they provide you information as a Sorcerer, not a customer.”

“I see... Then I shall make a trip there now.”

Though he was in the middle of wondering what to do about the Kingdom of Greenwood, if they could get these collars removed, he wanted to do it as soon as possible.

“It’s located on the eastern side of the Central Plaza... It’s quite a large purple tent, so you’ll know it as soon as you see it.”

Rem expressed her gratitude to Celes.

Shera, who was usually fairly clueless about these things, had also managed to follow along with the conversation.

“You mean we can get these collars off!? Thanks, Celes!”

“It’s only a possibility... But I’m praying for it to happen.”

Diablo grabbed the envelope off the table.

—I’m a little worried since I can’t read what this says... But, it’s not like I’m reading this out loud, so it should be fine.

“...So... We might be able to remove these,” Rem murmured.

“I’ve gotten kinda used to it now, so it feels like it’d be all breezy if it wasn’t there anymore,” Shera said with a smile.

“Nooo thank you! It’s really hard to wash your neck with this thing on, you know!”

“...I will not deny that, but that is not the main problem here.”

—It seems like they’ve gotten used to life with those collars on. I gotta hurry up and get those off of them, Diablo thought to himself.

†

The Central Plaza—

It was the largest plaza in Faltra, located on the southern side of the Central District where the governor and all the other fancy-pants aristocrats lived. There were numerous food stands and street vendors open at this time, and the streets were flooded with people, making everything feel a bit cramped.

Celes had left, so it was just Diablo, Rem, Shera, and Alicia now as they reached the place Celes had told them about previously.

It was a large purple tent at the eastern part of the Central Plaza with a soldier standing at the entrance. Unlike the other soldiers and Adventurers, he kept an orderly personal appearance, and wore armor that was different from the regular soldiers. In other words, he was a hired guard.

As they approached, he raised his hand.

“Do you have a referral?”

He was fairly polite for a soldier. He didn’t even look at Diablo like he was some kind of freak.

Diablo showed him the letter of invitation.

“...Oh? A referral from the head of this town’s Mage’s Association is quite rare... Actually, it might be the first time this has happened. Welcome, to 《The Beloved Traveler》.”

That seemed to be the name of this slave emporium.

Diablo and the others entered the tent. There were cloth partitions on the inside along a thin pathway, and the scent of orchids drifted throughout the air.

There were two customers here ahead of them; a man and a woman from what Diablo could see, both of whom seemed to be quite affluent people. If people like them were here as customers, the prices for slaves had to be steep.

The design of the shop was similar to an aquarium or a pet shop with cages lined up facing the pathway. But it wasn’t animals inside the cages— Other races were held captive there.

Dwarves, Pantherians, Grasswalkers... He didn’t see any Demons or Humans, but they were probably around here somewhere.

There were plenty of adults, but there were some that looked like children as well. They were simply dressed, but the clothes they wore were surprisingly neat and tidy. They all sat on chairs inside their cages.

Seeing Diablo and the others, they offered the group amiable smiles. Some of them had smiles that were stiffer than the others.

—I guess that’s what you’d call a “business smile”...

So this is a slave emporium...

For the most part, it was exactly like he imagined it would be, but something felt a bit off to him. The equipment and fixtures being used definitely fit the bill, but the slaves themselves were different from the images he had in his head. He had steeled himself for a sea of dead eyes, and people on the verge of madness...

Instead, the place emanated a much more peaceful and gentle impression. In a way, the people who were made to carry heavy luggage around town looked like they had it rougher. The stall vendors who didn’t get many customers had more lifeless eyes than the slaves here.

The customers here weren’t like the scum you would see in snuff scenes of similar situations, but rather an older couple who were looking to find a pet to keep in their golden years together.

“Are all slave emporiums similar to venues like this?” Diablo asked Rem.

“...This is my first time actually seeing one... I do not know if this one is an exception, or if all the others are like this as well.”

“Yeah, same goes for me, too.”

“And I as well. However, one of my colleagues had arrested a slave trader for excessively cruel treatment...”

Passing through the hanging cloth that led to the deeper part of the tent, an extraordinarily beautiful woman appeared along the pathway.

—A Human, huh.

She was wearing a purple cocktail dress with a deep slit that left her shoulders uncovered, and the area around her chest remarkably exposed. She seemed to be older than Diablo, but just looking at the smoothness of her skin was enough to make you wonder if she was in her late teens. Her high heels clicking against the floor, she walked towards them.

Trying not to stare at her chest took a Herculean effort.

She opened her crimson-colored lips as she came up right in front of them

“Oh my, how lovely. I’d be willing to pay quite a handsome price for either one of those wonderful girls of yours.”

“This is no joking matter!”

“How rude of me. I am the owner of this establishment, Medios. You brought two slaves in with you, so I assumed you were here to sell—”

As she was talking, she turned to look behind Diablo, cutting the conversation short with a sharp gaze.

As if she had been overwhelmed, Alicia froze up.

“Do you... need something from me?”

“I am a respectable merchant, you know. I do not believe I have conducted any business that would require the intervention of an Imperial Knight.”

Similar to the police, getting a visit from an Imperial Knight was likely a wholly unexpected surprise. And it was true that, despite all the cages and slaves, the atmosphere of the place wasn’t completely distasteful.

Alicia bowed her head.

“My sincerest apologies. While I am indeed an Imperial Knight, I have not come here because of any suspicions toward this slave emporium... If I am a bother, I shall wait outside.”

Medios craned her neck, skeptically.

“Is that true?”

“You can just think of me as a kind of escort.”

“An escort? I do believe this Demon wouldn’t need such a thing, though...?”

She spoke as if she knew the true extent of Diablo’s power.

“Have you heard something about me?”

“Oh, no. I don’t even know your name. But just by looking at your magic energy’s flow, I can tell you are no ordinary person... Enough that if I had multiple lives, it wouldn’t even be enough to survive rousing your anger.”

“The flow of magic energy?”

Diablo couldn’t perceive anything of the sort. Thinking back to the level measurement he took at the Adventurer’s Guild, there was no one who could sense “the flow of magic energy” or anything like that. Presumably even Sylvie wouldn’t be able to see it.

—Is it just a bluff?

Getting excited, Shera spoke up.

“I know, right! You can tell Diablo is strong with just one look at him!”

“Oh my, my, my! Can you, too, see the flow of magical energy? You might be more suited to be a trader, rather than a slave.”

Medios spread her arms, the air warping and twisting around her.

“Yeah! There’s a bunch of light gathering there!” Shera said, still excited.

“Precisely! It seems you really are able to observe it.”

“So you really can see the flow of magic, too! Even when I told people about it, nobody believed me... I thought I was the only one being a weirdo or something!”

—Shera can see it, too!?

Rem shrugged her shoulders.

“...I haven’t a clue what they are talking about... I have never seen this ‘flow’ that Shera mentioned.”

Alicia shook her head.

“I’ve no talent whatsoever as a Sorcerer, so I do not know either.”

Medios rhythmically moved her hands closer together and farther apart, the flow of magic energy occurring there only visible to her and Shera.

“Hehehe... This is the result of grueling and painstaking discipline.”

“...If you train, then you can see them?”

Medios nodded in response to Rem’s inquiry.

“I was able to visualize it three days sooner than Celestine. She was superior to me in every way... But there are occasions where effort exceeds talent!”

“...I... I see.”

“Huh? I’ve been able to see them ever since I was a kid, though...” Shera mumbled to herself.

Everyone went silent.

—Looks like this whole time I’ve had a genius nearby.

Getting a hold of herself, Medios begin to speak once more:

“Well... By any means, if the master issues a command using the collar, then you can notice magic energy there. Not being able to see that, however, makes being a slave trader all the more difficult.”

“You can see the commands?”

“Of course, and that’s why I find you all so strange. Even though these two are your slaves, you haven’t given them any commands.”

“These two are not my slaves.”

Diablo produced the envelope from Celes. Taking it, Medios used her long nails as a paper knife to open it.

She read the letter inside. Diablo was unable to read the language of this world, so he had no idea what the contents of the letter could be.

Medios smiled wide, showing off her canines.

“I see, I see... I thought it curious for someone on the straight and narrow like Celestine to introduce customers to such an establishment. So I just have to disclose the method to remove the Enslavement Collars, correct?”

“Can you do it?”

“Now, I wonder... This is the first time I’ve faced a special situation like this. If you ask whether it’s possible or not, I would hesitate to give an answer. But it’s worth giving it a try, don’t you think?”

Medios turned her gaze towards Shera. Then, she looked at Rem.

Medios wore an apprehensive expression.

“Hm? Now you have an interesting magic flow, don’t you? Why is magic constantly radiating out from you, I wonder... Are you using some kind of spell? No, this feels like something different...”

“...Wh-What is it?”

“You... Do you have any recollection of being pregnant with a Demon?”

“Th-This is no time for jokes!”

“Whaaaaaat!?” Shera flared up at the now red-faced Rem. “No fair! When did this happen!?”

“Wh-What kind of drivel are you spouting now, Shera!? We have been together almost the entire time! Though you and Diablo have had time alone, too, haven’t you!?”

“Aha! Back when he was torturing you! That’s when you and him—”

“W-We did not do anything of the sort!”

“But if two people sleep together by themselves in the same bed, that’s how you make a baby, right!?”

Everything fell silent.

Blushing madly, Rem lowered her gaze.

“...You can rest assured, that is no way to make children. Not to mention Diablo is a Demon, while I am a Pantherian, so we cannot fathom having offspring together. The same goes for an Elf like yourself, Shera.”

“Oh. OK, then!”

Medios, having started this whole exchange, tilted her head to the side.

“Mhm, that is correct. Then the reason I sense the presence of a Fallen from a Pantherian must be...”

“Ngh!?”

Rem grabbed her stomach and backed away.

—Bad! This is really bad!

The soul of the Demon Lord Krebskulm was sealed inside of Rem. Diablo wanted to avoid letting anyone know of her situation at all costs.

He raised his voice:

“Cease this pointless chatter! Are you going to tell me how to remove these collars or not!?”

Medios spread her arms wide in a placating manner.

“Oh my, how rude of me. Celestine is the one who referred you, so of course I will tell you. We studied under the same master, after all. We’re almost like sisters.”

—Ah, I get it now. I was wondering how someone like Celes was connected to a slave trader.

Magic was a necessity for a slave trader. Not only that, they needed to be highly skilled in using it.

—So, they both studied at the Mage’s Association together... One eventually became the leader of the Association, and the other, a slave trader.

“I am not a fan of absurd chatter. You shall tell me now.”

“Of course, but understand I treat this matter as a ‘trade secret.’ We can’t speak here, and I would like to keep the number of people I tell this to as small as possible. Come this way... But only those whom this concerns.”

She beckoned towards the deeper part of the pathway.

Alicia gave a quick salute.

“Then I shall stay on standby outside.”

Rem stepped away.

“...I will pass, too. I do not feel so well, so I wish to rest outside...”

—I was planning to rely on Rem’s knowledge of magic for this, to be honest...

But there was a chance this stranger could find out about the Demon Lord’s soul, so of course she would be scared. This wasn’t the benevolent Celes, but a slave trader. It was only natural that Rem wouldn’t want Medios to know her secret.

“Are you OK, Rem?” Shera asked, concerned. “You don’t look so good... Do you need to go to the doctor?”

“...Were you able to see the magic coming from me as well?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, sometimes. I always thought it was because you were a really strong Adventurer... Diablo is way stronger, though.”

“I see...”

“What’s up?”

“...I’m glad that you are an idiot, Shera.”

“That’s so mean!!”

Diablo reached out and grabbed Shera by the sleeve.

“Leave her. She’ll get better if she rests. We have no time to waste; we’re going.”

“Waaaah! Stop it, Diablo! It’s stretching! You’re stretching out my clothes!! If you’re going to pull, then at least do it from my collar!”

“That’s what you’re fine with!?”

†

They moved to a different tent, away from the main exhibit where all the slaves were on display. Inside this smaller tent was a large bed with a mattress filled with cotton; it wasn’t one of the crude ones that just had some sheets thrown over a bit of straw. There was also a table, with four chairs gathered around it.

If this was supposed to be the private room of a slave trader, it was odd there was no desk. On the other hand, if it was supposed to be a reception office, it was strange for a bed to even be here. It was a peculiar room all around.

Sitting in one of the chairs, Medios crossed her shapely legs. She lit up a long metal pipe.

“Now then... Diablo and Shera, was it? Have a seat wherever you would like.”

“That was my first time seeing a slave emporium!” Shera exclaimed excitedly.

“Hehe, is that so. How was it?”

“It was a lot less horrible than I thought it would be!”

Diablo felt the same; whenever he heard “slave emporium,” the images that circulated in his mind were much more gruesome. But even though the slaves here were indeed inside cages, they did not seem so badly off.

Medios spoke as she laughed.

“Ahahaha! I would certainly hope so! Suppose you were to come looking to buy a slave, Shera. Would you want one that was suffering from illness? Or one whose eyes looked like they had lost all hope?”

“Nope, I don’t think I would.”

“And that is precisely my point. Smithies display their wares after they have been polished; item shops gather their goods and put them on display. Keeping our slaves’ minds and bodies clean is only natural for a slave emporium.”

It made sense. Because all the slaves looked healthy and fit, this made it easier to feel relieved when purchasing them.

—Not that I’m gonna buy a slave or anything, though.

Medios continued:

“I would say it also has to do with who I am as a person. Though I may not look it, I am quite the pushover. If any one of my slaves is suffering, then I want to help them, and I want to teach them how to make their masters happy before they are bought. I think of them all as my children, so there’s no way I could treat them horribly.”

“Oh, I got it! So you’re a really good person, Medios!”

“...Even though I am a slave trader?”

Medios laughed again.

Taking a puff from her pipe, Medios stood up from her chair.

“Very well, shall I teach you, then? Practice above theory! After all, there exist no theories regarding a situation so unique as yours.”

“I shall—”

He had started to say “I shall allow it, so tell me,” but he stopped himself. Just this once, he thought that making this a success should be his priority.

Diablo opened his mouth.

“...If you would.”

“Oh yes, that way suits you much better.”

Diablo turned his gaze away from Medios’s grin.

She gave an order to Shera.

“All right, strip.”

“Huh?”

“I’m going to use you to teach Diablo how to use 《Enslavement Magic》. Though you may have a grasp on the flow of magic, those enchanted clothes of yours will only get in the way.”

“What? But these are just some normal clothes with a bit of magic flowing through it.”

Medios touched the fabric with her fingers.

“...Normal clothes usually don’t have magic flowing through them.”

“Well, I guess you’re right. B-But, being naked is embarrassing... And Diablo is watching, too...”

“Hm? Aren’t you two in that kind of relationship?”

Shera tilted her head, confused.

Diablo clamped down on his back teeth to prevent himself from blushing.

“Can we not use other clothes?”

“That’s fine, but the only extra clothes I have... Let’s say they aren’t normal.”

Shera sat on the bed, squirming in embarrassment. The outfit she wore looked like some kind of lingerie. Since it barely covered anything, it was hard to tell if it was made of cloth or simply strings. There were also beads dangling over one of the more... private places of the outfit.

—Just what are the point of those beads!?

As if admiring her own handiwork, Medios nodded.

“This is an outfit for sex slaves, but it suits you quite nicely.”

“Weren’t they supposed to be your children!?”

Without thinking, Diablo fired back this retort.

Medios puffed her chest out proudly.

“All is fair when it comes to business! They won’t be able to survive unless they accept that, so that is what I teach them. If you say that you can save all the poor and needy right now, then I will apologize for being wrong, though.”

“Tch... You sure have a way with words, don’t you. You’re completely different from Celes. ...Fine. Now, what should I do?”

“All right, now start by touching Shera’s skin. Anywhere is fine, but I would say her torso would be much better than her arms or legs.”

—Easier said than done, lady.

Diablo climbed on top of the bed where Shera was waiting. His hands were shaking, even though it wasn’t his first time touching her body...

—Well, it is the first time that it’s not over her clothes, though...

For now, he laid his hand on her collarbone.

“Mm...”

Shera’s body twisted, as if this was tickling her.

“Don’t make strange noises like that.”

“B-But... Your hand...”

Medios called out away from the bed.

“Pardon me, you two? It’s a little too early to start setting the mood like that, don’t you think? Now then, Diablo, try getting a read on her magic.”

“Ngh... That’s pretty sudden.”

“If you can manipulate magic, you can do this. Even if you cannot perceive it, the ability to experience it should be a piece of cake.”

When she said it like that, it must have been similar to the feeling you get from using magic.

Rather than touching skin, he tried thinking of it as if he was using his staff. It was then he felt something flowing inside of her. It was different from the blood that ran throughout her body. It twisted all around her, originating from her heart and working its way down to the lower part of her stomach.

And then, the flow that was around Shera’s neck...

—Is this it!?

“Ngh... It’s gone?”

The magic’s sensation suddenly disappeared from his fingertips.

“Magical energy is something you are unable to see when you want to see it, and when you try to sense it, you will not. That means you have to feel it without trying to feel it,” Medios explained.

—Like I said, way easier said than done, lady.

“Now, how about we investigate an area where the magic energy is a bit more focused, then.”

“So, there’s a place like that. That’s something you should have said from the beginning.”

“If you felt it, if only for an instant... I would believe you have come to realize the answer, no?”

“It went from the heart... and then downwards.”

“Correct, so start there! Once you can begin feeling the magic energy, I’ll begin my lecture on enslavement magic.”

—So you’re saying I haven’t even made it to the starting line yet?

Diablo leaned himself over Shera. He didn’t have time to take things slow and steady.

“Here I come, Shera... Prepare yourself.”

“Y-Yeah... Diablo... This is kind of... scary...”

“Just leave everything to me.”

—I’m going to learn this magic and get those collars off!

Just as Medios had ordered, he reached out and placed his hand over Shera’s heart. His fingers sank into her soft chest. The almost non-existent fabric provided no interference at all.

Shera gave a soft moan.

“Fwaaa...”

“Guh... It’s still too far away.”

He tried pushing upwards. The fabric on her chest seemed like it was going to fall away.

But he could feel the flow of the magic energy.

“Mm... Dia—ahh, if... if you do it that strongly... Nng... I think that’s... one of my weak spots... so... Mm!”

“Endure it. This is where the magic is gathering.”

He rubbed her all over with his hands, changing his position along the way. It also transformed the way he saw things. He had begun to visualize a more three-dimensional image of how the magic energy flowed.

“Nnng! Ahhn! Ah! Ah! You... nng, you can’t... do that... Haa!”

“Just a little more!”

“Ah! Aaah! But if you do it... a little more... then, I’m... I’m going to...!”

Medios started giving instructions:

“It seems you’ve begun to see it. Then let’s try heading downwards a bit more, shall we? This time, you will insert some of your own magic energy there. The procedure for applying this magic begins by attaining a firm grasp of the magic energy. Then, your aim is to directly interfere with said energy. Finally, you solidify the interference and supply it a fixed shape—”

As he listened, Diablo started sliding his hands. It felt like if he took his hands away, he wouldn’t be able to find it again.

Shera’s skin felt smoother and softer than anything he had felt before in his life. The sensation spread to the deepest parts of his brain.

—Is this what it means to feel the magical energy?

And it wasn’t only the magic energy; it felt as if he could see her breathing, her pulse, and even where she sweat using the palm of his hand. If you could train enough to get this kind of information by merely looking at someone instead of touching them, it was probable that you would catch on to Rem’s secret, as well as the fact that Diablo was no ordinary Sorcerer.

He moved from her chest, and started to rub her exposed belly button.

Shera’s back arched as she cried out.

“Hng!?”

“Hm!? Did that hurt...? No, it doesn’t seem that way... What... is this? I can feel some kind of strange surge coming from her...”

Medios prompted him to continue.

“If something awful looks like it’s going to happen, I’ll make sure to stop it, so just keep on going”

“I see... I leave that to you, then.”

He rubbed his middle finger against her belly button.

Shera’s voice rang out once again.

“Nghhh! Mnnnnnn!”

“Does that tingle? Keep enduring it... The magic is concentrating just below here.”

He touched the lower part of her stomach.

“Ah!? Aaaah! There... you can’t! Not my stomach!!”

“This is where the magic is!”

He was slowly getting a grasp on the shape of the magic energy twisting and swirling inside of Shera.

Medios spoke up:

“Now, try and intervene with the magic energy. Just put it in slowly, deliberately, carefully... Like you’re pouring honey into a bottle.”

“Hm.”

Diablo started to pour magic energy into Shera.

Slowly.

“Mnn!? Ah... Dia... blo... Fwah, mhm... For some reason...right below my stomach... It’s starting to feel hot...!”

Medios happily nodded.

“Oh my, just what I would expect from someone Celestine holds in such high regard. In such a short period of time, you’ve broken through the outer layer and started to reach the core...”

“Is this enough?”

“It’s not going to be enough if you keep going that slow. It seems like Shera’s completely open right now, so how about just spurting it all in there?”

“Is that all right!?”

“Infusing someone with magic is the same thing as them drinking an MP potion. Once you can do that, then I can teach you how to use enslavement magic.”

“All right... Here I go, Shera.”

Her cheeks red and her breath ragged, tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

She gave a small nod.

“Y-Yeah, it’s all right... You can... go ahead...”

He gathered magic energy into his hand, and just like when he would accumulate magic energy into Tenma’s Staff, he poured it into Shera.

“Woooooahhhh!”

It was a sensation like he had broken through some kind of soft wall. It had been resisting him this whole time, but now, it was sucking him in.

Diablo released his magic energy inside of Shera. Her body twitched and convulsed.

“Ahh! Nhaa! Hyaaaaaaaaaa!!”

A torrent of bright white light burst forth, filling his vision.

“...And so, when you see that, you can interfere with it just a little. Then you just have to tie it all together, like you’re tying a shoelace.” Using a piece of string, Medios manipulated her fingers to create some kind of shape. “You use your magic energy to tie everything nice and tight. Got it?”

She sat in her chair, legs crossed.

Arms folded, Diablo sat opposite of her. He was still feeling sluggish after having released his magic energy.

“That would still be hard for me unless I concentrated more... But I did feel like I could see it at points. If I could physically touch it, then everything would be perfect.”

“Hehehe... It took me twelve years to learn that part, you know?”

“I am a Demon Lord. Do not compare me to the likes of the other races.”

—I’ve sunk countless hours into this stuff, after all... Well, in the game, at least.

Perhaps it was because of his constant magic use in this world, but he had been able to learn a portion of this technique shockingly fast.

Medios shrugged her shoulders.

“But it just doesn’t seem like it’s going to work.”

“I do not think that it is impossible. Judging by the duration of my concentration and precision with this technique, however, it doesn’t seem like I stand much of a chance at the moment.”

“I wonder if Shera’s genius could have unconsciously prevented your success.”

“It’s possible.”

“That may well be the reason it materialized so slovenly.”

Diablo nodded in response.

He had seen the magic energy from Shera, as well as in the enslavement collar around her neck.

“It was like... being in a room with no end, with countless balls of yarn tangled over each other on the floor... And even though I would have to untangle them all one-by-one, the room was filled with smoke and my vision was limited, and I can only be in there as long as I can hold my breath...” Diablo said with a sigh.

“Bingo. How about just giving up now?”

“Ngh...”

He had no intention of doing so, but one thing was certain: he had a crushingly difficult task ahead of him.

Right next to them, sleeping peacefully with a blanket covering her, laid Shera. The enslavement collar still remained fastened around her neck.

Interlude

Rem and Alicia exited the tent together. The guard outside greeted them:

“Please feel free to rest here,” he said, guiding them towards a bench. “Sometimes, we have patrons who become ill, so this bench is always prepared. That goes especially for women.”

Though the hustle and bustle of the marketplace could still be heard, the tent was a bit out of the way, so it wasn’t that noisy around here.

Having accepted his offer, Rem was sitting on the bench, with Alicia next to her.

—She seems like a nice person, but I don’t know what to talk about.

Rem usually tried not to get involved with people. Because of that, whenever she was with someone she wasn’t familiar with, she wouldn’t know what to do.

Then, just as she was feeling troubled—

Alicia started to talk with a gentle smile.

“What do you think is necessary for unraveling the mystery of how this ‘enslavement magic’ works?”

Rem thought a bit before answering.

“...I think it is most likely something similar to Summon magic.”

“Like throwing crystals?”

“Ah... I meant the ritual magic needed to make contracts with Summons, not actually using it.”

The magic used to first call a Summon and the magic to turn them into a crystal were both “Summon Magic.” Fitting an explanation for this in as well, Rem continued to speak.

“...By finding a ‘Place,’ founding a ‘Situation,’ and finally, establishing a ‘Role,’ the spell activates... That is what I understand ritual magic to be. By casting the spell at Starfall Tower, the ‘Place,’ I created a ‘Situation’ brimming with magical energy. By establishing myself in the ‘Role’ of a Summoner, I called forth my Summon.”

What actually appeared hadn’t been a Summon, however.

“So I see.” Alicia nodded. “As one would expect from Miss Rem, I take my hat off to your superior wisdom when it comes to magic.”

“...It isn’t like you are completely clueless about magic though, right?”

“I am fairly confident when it comes to martial arts, but with magic— I cannot even reach the footsteps of the experts. I haven’t the faintest idea as to what this ‘flow of magic energy’ is that Lady Medios spoke of earlier.”

“...I did not understand what she meant either... Though it was not like I couldn’t make any guesses as to what it was.”

Rem couldn’t see the “flow of magical energy.” It may have been because she lacked the ability to do so; but then again, she had never even done any training in the first place.

Medios had called it the result of “grueling and painstaking discipline...”

—But it did not seem like Shera had gone through any training, either.

Though she may seem like an airhead, Shera could be surprisingly sharp-witted at times. She wasn’t in possession of a single Summon, but her talents seemingly lay elsewhere, like the ability to see the flow of magic energy.

Apparently, there were cases where those born into royalty came into the world with special blessings. These graces could be found in the blessing of the Harvest God, which would make it so the land you ruled had bountiful harvests; or the blessing of the Ocean God, which would calm the waves of the ocean and make it safe to travel by sea at any time. These were long-lasting effects that were impossible to achieve through magic, and would activate just by the person being alive.

Shera’s abilities might be one of those blessings; her very existence itself was blessed.

—The exact opposite of mine, Rem thought.

Alicia had a look of concern on her face.

“Miss Rem, are you still feeling unwell?”

“...I’m fine,” Rem answered, shaking her head. She was worried she had been curt with that answer, even though Alicia was only concerned for her sake.

Alicia didn’t seem to be bothered in the slightest.

“Are you curious as to what that woman may be teaching Diablo and Miss Shera?”

“...There is that.”

“I will wait here, so why don’t you try going back in now?”

“...No... I’m not good with people like her...”

Rem placed a hand on her chest— The soul of the Demon Lord Krebskulm was sealed inside of her. Though she hadn’t given Medios any information, the slave trader was on the verge of realizing this. Of course, even if Medios did realize there was another stream of magic inside Rem, it wasn’t like she would make a direct connection of it belonging to a Demon Lord.

Alicia nodded.

“She does seem like the sort of person to see through everything, doesn’t she... I was a little afraid of her as well.”

“...Even though you are an Imperial Knight who would never tell a lie?”

“Hehe... Of course not. No one like that exists.”

“What?”

“In fact, the more an Imperial Knight tries to be just and fair, the number of lies they tell becomes greater as well.”

“...Is that true?”

“That’s a secret, OK?”

Alicia playfully shrugged her shoulders.

—So even an Imperial Knight like her has secrets.

Alicia looked to be the perfect person: she was truthful, had a bright personality, and was very sociable. But even a woman like her still held secrets. Rem was somewhat happy to hear this.

She voiced her concerns; it felt like the kind of atmosphere she could do this in.

“...I was afraid of having my own secret revealed.”

“I understand. Everyone carries some kind of secret, after all... When I feel like mine is going to be found out, I use a charm to keep it safe.”

“A... charm?”

“It’s a little childish, so I’m a bit embarrassed to say it.”

Alicia stuck out her tongue. It was surprising for someone as mature as her to make this kind of gesture.

“...And what would that charm be?” Rem asked.

“Are you interested? Then... could you please close your eyes and give me your hand?”

“...Like this?”

Just as she was told, Rem closed her eyes and stuck out her hand. There was a slight tickling sensation from within the palm of her hand.

Alicia’s finger traced a circle on Rem’s palm, as well as various other lines. Suddenly, Rem’s hand became warm: she felt magic energy.

—She used magic!?

Surprised, Rem’s eyes flew open. Even Alicia had a startled look on her face.

“Huh?”

Neither one of them could speak right away.

Rem was the one to break the silence.

“...Alicia... What was that just now...?”

With a jolt, Alicia deeply bowed her head.

“U-Um, well... In my hometown, we have a tradition where one would draw a circle on their hand, then chant the magic words: ‘Now it’s closed.’ That would help protect your secret...”

“...Is that right? I sensed some kind of magic.”

“I-Is that so? I, too, was surprised that it suddenly sparked like that. Now that I’m thinking about it, this is the first time I have done this to a Sorcerer... Something may have happened due to the presence of your magic energy. I was careless— I apologize for surprising you like that.”

Was it because magic was there in Rem’s hand? Or could it have been because of the Demon Lord sealed inside her? No matter the case, if Alicia had realized the soul of the Demon Lord Krebskulm was sealed inside of Rem, she would have jumped far away by now.

Alicia hadn’t drawn the sword at her waist; based on her current attitude, she wasn’t lying. It seemed she still didn’t know Rem’s secret.

As Alicia humbly bowed her head, Rem spoke up.

“...It’s all right. Please, do not worry yourself about it.”

“Can you bring yourself to forgive me?”

“...It really is not that big of a deal, honest. I was just taken aback, that’s all.”

“Thank goodness! And thank you very much.”

“...I feel a lot better after having talked with you.”

Rem wasn’t lying here. When Celes and Diablo found out about her secret, she had been absolutely terrified. But after they accepted her despite that, a great wave of relief had washed over her. It felt much different now when she only talked about it a little, even if she hadn’t revealed her secret.

She could never be open about everything with an Imperial Knight like Alicia, though.

A gentle smile came across Alicia’s face.

“I don’t quite understand myself... But if I was able to be of use to you in some way, then I am happy. I would never want to ignore anyone like yourself, Miss Rem, who is dealing with something they cannot openly share with others.”