Epilogue

A pool of blood spread from the corpse of a knight lying on the ground. The emblem on his armor proved he belonged to the city of Faltra’s military.

The middle of the forest—

It was a place hidden inside thickets of trees, hindering anyone from seeing it on the outside.

Alicia flicked her sword; splatters of blood and fat flew off it. The corpse of a knight laid at her feet.

“Unsightly...” Alicia spat the word at the dead knight. “Why is it that, alive or dead, the races are just so... unsightly...”

A lone girl stood in front of Alicia, her silver hair coming down to her waist. She had dark-colored skin and large, youthful, golden eyes. Her pupils were vertical slits, just like that of a reptile. She wasn’t part of the races from this world—

She was a Fallen. Her name:

Edelgard.

“You saying that... strange, I think,” she muttered. “Alicia is one of the races, too, yes?”

She almost sounded like she was sulking.

“I think of myself as unsightly as well, Lady Edelgard. I am not as beautiful as you are.” Alicia gave a self-deriding smile.

“But now, Fallen are weak?” Edelgard tilted her head.

“Surely you jest! Your kind are far more proficient and beautiful than any of the races! You are anything but weak!”

“Still, not enough. Since Lord Enkvaros fell... Fallen, and monsters? Weak. No more, being born. Losing more, all the time.”

“Yes, I am aware of that... The Demon Lord of the Mind, Enkvaros, was said to hold the power of ‘Magic Reflection’— I may know someone who comes close to that description.”

Diablo was the one who came to Alicia’s mind; he called himself a Demon Lord. From what she had heard, he was able to reflect all magic. Alicia never had a chance to see for herself, but there was no doubt about his power. He almost perfectly fit the rumors she had heard of the Demon Lord.

“But, he makes allies, with other races? Edelgard tilted her head.

—Now that I think about it, Lady Edelgard and Sir Diablo have met before, haven’t they.

“Yes, unfortunately...” she nodded. “He always seems to avoid killing them.”

“That’s, why... I think Demon Lord, may be in, different place?”

Just as Edelgard said, Alicia had considered the possibility that Diablo was not the Demon Lord they sought, and there was another “true” Demon Lord to be found somewhere else. The Fallen were able to feel the presence of this Demon Lord if they could touch skin. It was possible they would be able to tell if Diablo was a genuine Demon Lord if they could make contact with him.

It was something impossible for Alicia to do.

—How unsightly... The races truly are inferior.

She decided to get into the issue at hand.

“Regarding that, I was unable to pry further about Sir Diablo because he never lets his guard down... However, I did try investigating Rem, the Pantherian girl who stays at his side. The beauty of the soul inside of her... It moved me deeply.”

“...Demon Lord?” The look in Edelgard’s eyes sharpened.

Alicia tilted her head, troubled.

“How accurate is the 《Identification Magic》 you taught me?”

“...Like, a magic trick? Know how it works, you will know if it worked. If you don’t, then kind of unclear?”

“Then, unfortunately, I cannot say for certain. However, the soul trapped inside of Rem could very well be that of the Demon Lord.”

As if copying Alicia, Edelgard tilted her head as well.

“Plan? Kill her?”

“Will the Demon Lord be revived if she dies?”

“Mm... Don’t know. Will try it.”

“Would it not be a problem if we lost the soul because of that? Even then, she has Sir Diablo by her side as well. What shall we do about this?”

“Leave to you.”

“Hehe... Once I return to Faltra, I shall endeavor to live up to the trust you have placed in me. As for now, I must head to the Royal Capital to deliver my report stating that all is normal here; so there will be no interference from any of their Imperial Knights or military.”

“Give you lift, to Royal Capital?”

Edelgard looked towards the deeper part of the forest. There, her most trusted mount and a type of Fallen—a 《Grand Dragon》—laid in wait.

“No.” Alicia shook her head. “I would come under suspicion if I were to move too fast.”

“Mm... Then, Edelgard ask Fallen priests, about other ways for Demon Lord’s resurrection.”

“Sir Diablo is extremely powerful... Please take care not to let him sense your presence.”

“I know.” She sounded a bit sulky.

Their conversation finished, Edelgard made her exit. Alicia stared at her as she left, spellbound.

—Beautiful...

Such a beautiful existence. This world should be ruled over by these beautiful Fallen— These unsightly races should all just disappear.

That’s all Alicia ever wished for.

To be continued...