Maou no Ore ga Dorei Elf vol 5 ch4

Chapter IV: Loving Someone Comes with Many Tiresome Misunderstandings, but They’re All Worth It
“Hey, Kuroka, why did you think of working at the church?”

It was late in the evening. Despite finally reaching the church, Kuroka was feeling down due to her repeated failures as Kuu questioned her. Since both of them were abducted together and were around the same age, the two girls felt comfortable talking openly.

They were in a room normally reserved for nuns, which they had been told to share. There was a bunk bed in the room, and since Kuroka couldn’t see, Kuu yielded the bottom bunk to her. The bed was stiff, but when Kuroka tried touching the sheet, she could tell that there wasn’t a single crease on it, which proved it was quite clean. It also smelled like an ash tree, which made her realize wood from such trees were used for either the bed frame or the floor.

Originally, since Kuroka came over to serve as a priest, she would have been assigned to a much nicer room. However, due to the incident from earlier that resulted in multiple casualties, no one had time to make preparations for her. The priest garments she was supposed to receive also had yet to be delivered, so she was still wearing the clothes that she received from the man who saved her in town.

“I’m not trying to be rude here, but isn’t working at the church kinda hard with your condition, Kuroka?” Kuu brought her face closer as she continued with her questions. She was likely worried about Kuroka’s eyesight.

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hard, but it’s a job I love,” Kuroka replied with a smile on her face.

“Huh...? What part do you like?”

“Um, let’s see...” Kuroka touched her own face as Kuu looked at her curiously, then continued, “My eyes ended up like this after some sorcerers attacked me, but at that time, I was saved by an Angelic Knight.”

Right when she gave up and awaited death, they showed up and routed the sorcerers. Even after that, when Kuroka was in low spirits due to the loss of her vision, they would frequently come to visit her and would encourage her all the time. The reason she was able to regain her footing was all thanks to that knight.

“Is this a love story!? I wanna hear more! I wanna hear more!” Kuu let out a rough breath as she screamed for more answers excitedly.

“It’s not really a love story. He’s far older than me, after all... If anything, he’d be a dad... I guess.”

“Oh, you like old guys, huh!?”

“...I don’t. Probably,” Kuroka said, pondering the thought. She liked the way that man’s hand felt as he brushed her head. Also, when she was scared of walking, he would lead her by her hand. Plus, when she finally learned to take care of herself, he gave her a cane as a present. Still, despite all that, it seemed a little naive to call the warmth she received from him love.

“Honestly, I really liked him. That’s why I wanted to try being like him...”

“That’s definitely love! You should confess!” Kuu exclaimed as she covered her face, seemingly overcome with emotion.

“He’s... already dead,” Kuroka responded, shaking her head solemnly. She could tell that Kuu had stiffened up right as she said that. The life expectancy of Angelic Knights was short. From sorcerers, to monsters, to wars, they had far too many enemies. Their lives were filled with constant battles. Frankly, that man had lived for far longer than the average for those of his profession.

“S-Sorry, that was insensitive.”

“It’s alright. I’m sure he fought valiantly right until the end, so it’s not something to be sad about...”

“Hey, Kuroka, do you have any other family?”

“Hm... No, I don’t.”

Her entire family was killed before she joined the church. That was why the only one she considered family was that Angelic Knight.

“Then... you’re the same as Kuu. Hey, if that’s the case, can I think of you as my big sis?” Kuu asked as she timidly grasped Kuroka’s small, yet warm hand.

“Yes. Of course you can,” Kuroka said despite being taken aback at first.

“Eheheh. We’ll be together forever!”

What a kind girl... Kuroka assumed she was doomed to be alone in that unfamiliar town, so Kuu’s kindness was more than welcome.

“Huh...? I wonder what’s going on? It’s really noisy,” Kuroka said as her triangular ears began twitching.

“Huh? Really? Hm... I don’t really hear anything...” Kuu replied. Because she lost her eyesight, Kuroka’s ears were far more sensitive than most. That was why she was able to hear Kuu’s screams when she was being abducted the other day.

“I’m going to go take a little look. There might be something I can help with,” Kuroka said as she picked up her cane and stood up.

“Kuroka, you work too hard.”

After returning a smile to Kuu, who was laid down in bed as if suggesting it was better to rest, Kuroka left the room. And as she did, Kuu called out to her.

“Oh yeah, what was your dad’s name, Kuroka?”

Since it was the name of someone important to her, Kuroka felt that she wanted her new friend to know. That was why she responded instantly.

“Raphael,” she proclaimed, not realizing that her answer was about to turn her whole world upside down.

◇

The next day, Zagan headed out to the town of Kianoides once more. He had left the muffler he got from Nephy back in the castle.

I need to throw out all the trash before our date... However, throwing out the trash would lead to his clothes getting dirty, and he wanted to have his muffler in perfect condition for their date. That was why he set off to quickly finish off Bifrons without it.

I guess I’ll capture Bifrons’ chimera first, then follow the traces of mana from there... Chimeras and golems were connected to their caster by mana, so it was possible to trace the location of the caster through them. Having said that, if a chimera had infiltrated the town, then there was no way Chastille and the Angelic Knights would be sitting on their hands. It was likely wiser for Zagan to contact them rather than loiter around town.

That being the case, Zagan was currently looking for traces of sorcery in town, which was easier said than done. There were still close to a hundred sorcerers living in this town, and all of them used sorcery in their daily lives. Lately, some had even been dispatched to the church on his orders. Add all that onto the fact that the battle with the chimera had only occurred the previous day, and it was obvious there were traces of sorcery everywhere.

Finding something similar to the wavelength of Bifrons’ mana in all that was like looking for a needle in a haystack. However, this was Zagan’s town. He had multiple barriers up surrounding it that did things like repairing damaged buildings to protecting the sorcerers under his employ. He even had a barrier to detect ‘foreign objects.’

“...Hmm. Over here?” Zagan said as he walked over to the slums, which were far away from the shopping district. There, he found a trace of sorcery that didn’t belong to a sorcerer of his faction. Taking a look around, there was no trace of destruction in sight. There was also no trace of his restoration barrier being put to use. There wasn’t even any sign of a conflict. And precisely because that was the case, Zagan was suspicious.

A normal sorcerer wouldn’t erase the traces of their sorcery so thoroughly like this... The sorcerer who acted in this area hid the evidence because they didn’t want Zagan to find out. Moreover, they clearly utilized a sophisticated technique, since he could find no real evidence of anything happening. Now, the problem was what exactly they had done. Zagan searched the area, hoping to find anything at all, when he suddenly felt a presence behind him.

One of Bifrons’ lackeys? Zagan turned around while preparing his sorcery perfectly for dealing with any sort of trap... and found an unexpected face before him.

“You’re the one from yesterday... Kuroka, was it?”

It was one of the two girls he saved from being abducted and dropped off at the church.

“This voice... are you the man I met yesterday?”

Why is she here... He knew Bifrons would use that girl to egg him on, so Zagan drew closer to Kuroka, remaining vigilant of his surroundings in an attempt to prevent that. Kuroka looked up at him with her vacant eyes... and then broke into tears in an instant.

“Waaaaaah! Mister! Wh-What do I do!?”

She was crying so desperately that it made him feel like an idiot for being on guard.

“...What happened?”

“Kuu... The girl who was with me yesterday vanished!”

She was talking about the vulpin girl from the other day, and Zagan couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Calm down. Isn’t she being sheltered by the church?” Zagan asked as he guided her away from the dangerous slums and sat her down on a chair in a small plaza. After he bopped her head and calmed her down, Kuroka began explaining matters with a stutter.

“I’ve been... doing nothing but failing at my job, and Sir Torres always gets angry at me...”

Well, she definitely didn’t seem like the luckiest girl around, so it wasn’t all that difficult to imagine things going poorly for her.

“And so, because I wasn’t being useful, they told me to look after Kuu, but that girl... vanished...”

“When? Maybe knowing that will help?”

“I only noticed it in the morning, but it seems she vanished some time before that,” Kuroka replied with a shake of her head.

“Did you let the others know? Actually, why are you walking around outside on your own?”

“I haven’t told anyone else yet. There was some incident, and everyone is injured or busy, so I can’t cause them even more concern,” Kuroka explained as she shook her head once more. She then pulled a small piece of cloth from her pocket. It looked like an old rag, but seemed to be a ribbon.

“This is Kuu’s ribbon. When we were caught by the canus, she wrapped it around my wound. My eyesight is poor, but my ears and nose are good, so I thought maybe I could track Kuu by her scent...”

They weren’t at the level of canus or lycans, but tabaxi were said to have a much better sense of smell than humans. In Kuroka’s case, her sense of smell was likely amplified due to her loss of vision.

“You saved her and brought her to safety, so why did this happen...? I don’t think Kuu would just run away on her own.”

That made perfect sense, since she had no home to go to. Zagan had a bad feeling about it.

“You said there was an incident, right? Did something else happen after you arrived at the church?”

Kuroka shook her head vigorously, indicating she had no clue.

Well, I guess she doesn’t know... Since she was blind, they were likely treating her like a nuisance. Even if something went wrong, they probably chose to waste no time telling her about it.

“Kuroka, did Kuu’s scent lead you to that place we were just at?”

“...Y-Yes.”

Zagan couldn’t tell anything by scent, but if Kuu had gone there, then there was a high possibility that she got involved with a dangerous sorcerer.

But why did that brat sneak out of the church? It was possible that Zagan could find out if he knew what happened at the church, but there was no way for him to access that knowledge at present.

“Kuroka, did anyone strange come to the church or anything?”

“I only started working at the church yesterday... I’m not sure what would and wouldn’t be strange.”

“Anything is fine. Maybe someone who seemed like a sorcerer or someone who had a strange scent, as you would put it.”

There was a high probability that someone like that abducted Kuu.

I don’t know how valuable a vulpin brat is, though... Kuroka, on the other hand, was of a rare breed, so she was rather valuable to sorcerers. And after thinking deeply about it for a moment, Kuroka let out an ‘Ah.’

“It wasn’t really someone strange, but more like a goddess, I guess?”

“A goddess?”

“Yes. You know how a corpse has a certain scent to it? I thought someone was already long gone by their smell, but that goddess managed to heal the person who smelled like a corpse and save them!” Kuroka replied with a nod as if it were perfectly obvious.

Zagan cocked his head to the side. It was true that he had dispatched several sorcerers to the church to cooperate with them, but they likely weren’t able to heal someone on the verge of death like that. That being the case...

Oh, now that I think of it, Nephteros is there... It didn’t seem like she was the one who took Kuu, so that information was useless, but it was nice to know the people at the church had accepted her.

“It’d be nice if I could be like her someday,” Kuroka said, completely entranced by the thought.

“Then just do it. What’s stopping you?” Zagan replied in a matter-of-factly tone, which made Kuroka stare back at him in wonder with her vacant eyes before forming a bitter smile.

“You really are kind, Mister. Normally, you would say that’s impossible, you know? I mean... I can’t do anything unless I get help from others...” Kuroka muttered, conveying her clearly sad state of mind.

“Even the person that you think is a goddess probably failed many times over, experienced pain, wished for salvation, and was saved by others,” Zagan replied resolutely as he shook his head.

“Mister... do you maybe know who the goddess is?” Kuroka asked as she tilted her head to the side blankly.

“...Who knows? Listen, there is no goddess in the church. Just think about it, someone who relied on only themselves would have no reason to be at the church, right?”

Someone who relied on only themselves was far more likely to trample over others and soak their hands in sorcery. That was why they were unrelated to the church.

“Then, you mean because the goddess was saved by others, she wants to save others?” Kuroka asked as she seemed to catch what Zagan was saying.

“Perhaps.”

“...But I don’t have any power like that. I can’t rescue others like the goddess did, so how can I ever repay those who saved me?”

“Hey, when I asked you the same thing yesterday, what did you tell me?” Zagan spoke to her in a truly astonished tone, looking about ready to burst into laughter.

“Huh? The same question...? Oh, then that person was also your benefactor, Mister?”

Zagan didn’t reply, and simply shrugged his shoulders as Kuroka stood up.

“Thank you very much, Mister. I’m going to continue looking for Kuu.”

“...Well, I’ll take a look around as well. Not sure I’ll find her, though...”

“Okay! Thank you very much!” Kuroka exclaimed as she bowed down with a bob. Then, she turned around and left.

“Hey, wait! If you run, you’ll...”

After just a few steps, she fell right over.

Why does she not check her footing properly when she has a cane... Zagan was astonished by that, but he realized it could have been because she wasn’t yet used to using the cane in that way. No, maybe it was better to say that it was because she was used to not needing it that she was careless. In that case, it would mean that she lost her vision relatively recently. And seeing that unreliable figure off from behind, Zagan also stood up.

I guess I’ll go take another look at that spot... It was possible that there was a clue to Kuu’s whereabouts there.

“Hey there! Long time no see, Archdemon Zagan,” a familiar voice called out to him from behind as he began walking. It was a voice that he could never forget, since it was that of a repulsive Archdemon he despised.

◇

“Nephteros, are you alright?”

Nephteros woke up as Chastille shook her body. She was sweating all over, and her clothes and hair were sticking to her body. Her breathing was out of order, and she knew that she had been stuck in a nightmare.

Just like the previous night, she was resting in the nap room adjacent to an office in the church. During the fight against the assailant, Barbatos’ Flames of Indignation had burned not only the office, but even the nap room to ashes, but both had been restored to normal. That was likely the power of Zagan’s barrier. Back when Nephteros fired celestial mysticism in the middle of town, it ended up restoring the damage to the buildings in an instant. The sight made her realize the newest Archdemon didn’t only possess combat powers like ‘Heaven’s Phosphor’ and ‘devouring sorcery.’

“Are you alright? You seemed to be having quite the nightmare,” Chastille inquired as she anxiously put her hand to Nephteros’ forehead.

“I’m fine... is what I’d like to say, but I feel horrible,” Nephteros replied. She had a headache like she had been crying for hours, and her body felt heavy. Even though her recovery should have worked faster thanks to the mana in the church, she felt excessively fatigued. Still, luckily, it wasn’t to the extent where she couldn’t get up.

“Have some water for now.”

“...Thank you,” Nephteros said as she obediently accepted the cup from Chastille, and after hydrating herself, her thoughts grew clearer.

“I feel like... I saw a bad dream.”

“Do you not remember it?”

I don’t remember, but it really was a terrible dream... Nephteros thought as she nodded. She didn’t remember what was going on or what she saw, but she felt like she’d been filled with hate in that dream. Her hate was so grand that it couldn’t even be compared to the hate she held for Nephelia before. It was deep like a bottomless bog, and she was unable to struggle against that emotion.

And yet, I also felt sad... She didn’t know why she felt a deep sense of despair in that dream, but those feelings were etched into her heart like scars. After wiping away her sweat, she noticed that Chastille was still looking at her anxiously.

“It’s a dream I’ve been seeing often lately. Though, I hadn’t seen it for a while until now...”

After talking about it, she remembered that she hadn’t really even slept over the past seven days or so.

“When exactly do you mean by recently?” Chastille asked, knitting her brows.

“...About the time... I was swallowed by that ‘sludge,’” Nephteros replied hesitantly.

“C-Could that be an after-effect of being eaten by it!?” Chastille exclaimed as she rose to her feet with a bang.

“I think... it’s a little different. I mean, there’s no effect on my body, but...” Nephteros’ words drifted off for a bit as she found it hard explain the disgusting sight before saying, “I think what I saw in my dreams... was the Demon Lord.”

“What do you mean? Something like the Demon Lord’s memories?” Chastille asked as her eyes shot open.

“I don’t know. Like I said, I don’t even remember what happened in the dream.”

“Is it painful?” Chastille looked at her anxiously, finding it hard to ask her a proper question.

“It isn’t pleasant, but...” Nephteros paused, putting her thoughts together before continuing with, “The ‘sludge’ was trapped in the depths of despair within my dream. It hated anything and everything, it was in pain, and it was so sad that it couldn’t even breathe.”

“Hold on. Does that mean the Demon Lord feels the same emotions as us?”

“I only felt it in my dream... but I think so...”

The demon they saw in the hidden elven village was far too mindless to be considered sentient. And even if it did possess a mind of its own, it was difficult to believe that it held the same emotions as humans. Yet, Nephteros believed that the feelings of despair in her dreams were the emotions of the Demon Lord.

“Does Bifrons also know about this?” Chastille questioned Nephteros after a brief pause.

“No. I thought Bifrons would make fun of me, so I never talked about it with anyone else,” Nephteros said as she shook her head.

“Then why me?” Chastille asked, seemingly shocked.

“Now that you mention it, that’s true... Why did I trust you?” Nephteros stared back at Chastille in wonder as she mulled over that dilemma. And as Nephteros was worried about how she couldn’t explain her actions, Chastille gazed at her with a gentle smile, which left her even more confused.

“Huh...? What?”

“No, I just thought that maybe you’ve started to trust me.”

“Trust...?” Nephteros got worked up and was about to deny it, but before she could, Chastille stood up. She was already wearing her Anointed Armor, and Nephteros could tell that she was heading out to battle.

“Sorry, but it’s about time that I need to head out on my mission. If the person from yesterday is targeting me, then they shouldn’t show up here again. Please get some rest.”

“...Wait,” Nephteros said as she moved her legs out of bed. She was unable to shake off her fatigue, but it didn’t stop her from moving. She was far better off than she was the last few days when she was running about without even having any water.

“I’ll go with you. You’re planning to take care of the chimera, right? That thing is after me, so things will go more smoothly if I’m with you.”

“You’ll help us?”

I’ve finally learned how horrible it is to watch others die because of me... Nephteros thought as she averted her gaze. Chastille was no slouch, but she likely had no way to defeat an immortal monster on her own. That was why Nephteros wanted to assist her. However, there was no way that she could honestly put those feelings into words, so she simply pouted and turned her face away.

“I’d also like to be rid of that thing forever, and I just figured it’d be more efficient for two people two face it rather than one.”

“I see... Well, thanks. That chimera may be too much for me to handle alone. Please lend me your help, Nephteros,” Chastille said as she looked back at her with a strained smile.

“I-If you insist!”

And just as the two of them were about to head out... Nephteros felt a shiver run down her spine, and looked out the window.

“What’s wrong, Nephteros?”

“It seems... it’s coming from over there.”

After hurriedly opening the window, they spotted a hooded figure in the plaza outside the building. It had the shape of a person, but Nephteros was convinced it was the chimera that had been chasing her for ages.

There’s no mistaking this discomforting feeling... The robe had lost its meaning as a cloak because of the continuous battles with Nephteros and the Angelic Knights, but the hood itself still stubbornly concealed its face. She didn’t know who it tore them from, but it was wearing filthy clothes. And upon taking in that sight, Nephteros suddenly remembered something.

It’s probably just a coincidence, but that thing’s physique is the same as that Azazel from yesterday... She wasn’t positive of that fact because the assailant from the other day was wearing clothing that obscured them, but she had a hunch that they were the same. And perhaps because it was waiting for them to come out, the shadowy figure in the hood simply stood there looking at up them, showing no signs of launching an attack.

“You’re kidding...” Chastille became visibly pale as she said that.

“Why are you trembling? Listen, Bifrons would think nothing of causing chaos in the middle of town. Let’s get rid of it befo—”

“That’s not the problem!” Chastille screamed in a voice that was clearly on the verge of tears. And then, she pointed at the shadowy figure with a trembling finger and said, “Those are the clothes... of a girl we took into our care yesterday.”

She was a girl who was abducted by slavers and escaped to the safety of the church. They were the clothes that she was wearing back then... and they were now covered in blood as they draped over the monster before them.

◇

“Hey there! Long time no see, Archdemon Zagan.”

After turning around to face the source of the voice, Zagan’s body stiffened up. The one standing there wasn’t the figure of that repulsive Archdemon. It was a vulpin girl with triangular ears and a fluffy tail. Her clothes looked to be supplied to her by the church. She was wearing a black one-piece dress that looked similar to what a nun would wear. It was the girl Kuroka was running about looking for, Kuu. Zagan was filled with disgust and caution as he practically spat out words at the girl.

“What are you planning to do in that repulsive form, Bifrons?”

The vulpin girl merely blinked back at him blankly, seemingly confused.

“What’s wrong, Mister? What’s a by-fronz?”

“Cut the crap,” Zagan roared as he clenched his fist, then swung it down at the girl without hesitation.

“Aahahahaa! Why’re you so mad, Mister?”

After leaping into the air nimbly and dodging Zagan’s fist, the vulpin girl grabbed onto a tree branch overhead and laughed while hanging there. She then twirled around the branch with a somersault and landed atop it. And what came out of the girl’s mouth next... was an irritating voice that could not be discerned as that of either a boy or a girl.

“Come on, there’s no reason to get all upset! This is just a prank, a small joke, even. It’s a form I don’t usually take on, so I’ve gotta enjoy it a bit here.”

“You’re the only bastard having fun here...” Zagan replied as he clenched his fist, intending to pulverize the entire tree. However, the girl stuck out both her hands in an attempt to stop him.

“Hey, hold on. I just came to talk. Isn’t it fine to keep me company for a bit?”

“Why would I want to talk to somebody who’s about to die?” Zagan proclaimed as he cocked his head to the side. His answer simply made the girl’s mouth warp into a hideous smile.

“Hang on, you should stop right there. This body’s the real deal. I’ll have you know it belongs to that pitiful girl that you so kindly saved. It’d be no skin off my nose if you killed her, you know?”

In short, she’s a hostage... It may have been good fortune that Kuroka left earlier. In any case, Zagan never thought he would hate the idea of having a simple conversation that much. Though, perhaps that just came naturally when dealing with Archdemons.

“I thought you’d be a little shaken, but maybe you’ve got a thing for the stink of beasts too? Go on, take a look! This body is quite developed, so wouldn’t it be a waste to kill her? I mean, I even had to go to the trouble of finding people who’d pounce on her in a heartbeat. Ahahaha!”

The girl twisted about while touching her own waist and breasts, at which point a tear streaked down from her eye.

This scumbag... Seems Kuu’s consciousness is still intact... The innocent smile she showed him when he split his apple with her and the way she nervously said that Zagan wasn’t someone scary weren’t a part of Bifrons’ act. And as he came to that realization, Zagan also figured out that fact that he came into contact with her in the first place was a trap to chip away at his desire to fight. It was likely that everything from her being abducted to her running into Zagan as she tried to escape was all an elaborate ruse. As Zagan quietly lowered his fist, the girl finally put her hand to her chest in relief.

“Looks like you’re finally willing to listen to me. Actually, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”

“Don’t touch me.”

The girl tried to wrap her arm around Zagan in an over-familiar manner, and Zagan cruelly brushed her off.

“Ahahah, come now, don’t you feel sorry for this girl? Even though she’s trembling here with no idea what’s happening to her own body, you’re acting all cold.”

“...Get to the point already,” Zagan snapped back. Honestly, he did find Kuu pitiful, but he could not afford to lower his guard when Bifrons was still controlling her. There was no way he would show her the slightest opening.

“Well, whatever. You’ve likely already noticed, but my little pet ran away from home and stumbled into this town. I want to take her back, so could you let me act as I want here for a bit?”

“How shameless. You dare to ask me for a favor after unleashing that dangerous chimera in my domain?”

“No, listen, that’s a misunderstanding. My chimera hasn’t taken even a single step into town, and it didn’t lay a hand on those stupid Angelic Knights until they drew their swords, you know? I’m hoping you can see that this was all unintentional. I swear, I’m acting in good faith right now.”

“Good faith? What a load of crap. You plan on dragging Nephteros back no matter what I say here. Be honest, you’re only revealing yourself now because your preparations are complete. You went out of your way to hijack that brat’s body as part of your plan, right?” Zagan replied in a critical tone.

Bifrons wasn’t asking for permission. This was a declaration of war. A statement that Archdemon Bifrons was invading Archdemon Zagan’s domain. It was only natural that all their pieces were already in place. The girl then smiled as if that response was exactly what she wanted to hear.

“It’s nice that you’re quick on the uptake. Though honestly, that ruins some of the fun of it...”

The girl slowly raised her hand. It was like she was signaling the outbreak of a war. And then, just as she opened her mouth...

“Hm... Are you Bifrons? I can’t really condone you acting up in somebody else’s domain.”

The one who slapped the girl’s shoulder was an old woman wearing a robe. And under it was a face that neither Bifrons nor Zagan expected to see at all.

“Why are you here... Archdemon Orias?”

For some reason or other, a third Archdemon showed up in Kianoides. Even Zagan was taken aback by her appearance.

“I’d also like to hear you answer that, Orias. Why are you here?” Zagan questioned her in a sharp voice.

“My goodness. Aren’t you the one who called me here?” Orias replied with a simple shrug of her shoulders.

“...Oh,” Zagan dryly uttered that single word, feeling dumb. After all, he was the one who demanded that this old woman visit her daughter in the first place.

I told her to do something time consuming, but she’s already here? Contrary to expectations, she was extremely motivated to get her task over with as soon as possible, which turned out in his favor, leaving Zagan quite bemused.

“Ahaha... When did you two get so close, I wonder?”

“We’re not really all that close, but when I tried casually messing with him the other day, he turned the tables on me. So, as an apology, I came to offer him a tribute,” Orias stated, a smile peeking out from beneath her hood. After saying that, she pulled out a bottle from her robe, which made Zagan stare at her in wonder.

“No way! You really found some?”

“I just happened to pass by it at a market due to good fortune. And well, since I got my hands on it, I thought it best to drop by right away.”

“You have my thanks. Shall we go have a drink at my castle, then? I can at least have a meal prepared for you in return.”

“That’s quite the attractive offer, but what to do? It looks like you’re in the middle of something here...”

Zagan looked at the vulpin girl as he heard that, finally remembering she was there. The girl had both her hands in the air as if she was surrendering, and tilted her head to the side in confusion.

“Um, can I ask something? What exactly did you want so badly that Granny Orias had to go out and get it personally?”

“Liquor. It’s a type you can’t get anymore, so I had almost given up hope of ever getting my hands on some. Luckily, I asked Archdemon Orias to assist me in my search.”

“Feels quite good to see you so delighted over it,” Orias replied with a not all that dissatisfied smile on her face. On the other hand, the young girl was left completely taken aback.

“Huh, liquor...? By liquor, you mean an alcoholic beverage, right? I’m not really sure how valuable it is, but... why? Is that really something an Archdemon should spend their precious time seeking?”

“Hm... From the beginning, I was never one to keep disciples or familiars by my side, which left me with no choice but to do my shopping myself.”

“Um... Shopping... An Archdemon... shopping...”

The girl slumped her shoulders as if her common sense was being smashed to pieces. Nevertheless, she bravely opened her mouth to speak.

“Th-Then, what kind of liquor is it? You’re not going to tell me it’s some sort of spirit liquor that will grant immortality, right?”

“It’s something whose manufacturing method has been lost because you destroyed that elven village,” Zagan replied with an angry glare as he clapped the girl’s shoulder with a thud. Sure, Zagan’s outburst of anger was the thing that reduced the village to ashes, but he decided to leave that part out. In response, the girl then drooped her shoulders once more as if she was fed up with absolutely everything.

“Should’ve known... When three Archdemons gather, they all act as they please. Still, I’m the type who’s true to their word. I won’t step aside just because Granny Orias is here, got it?”

“What a coincidence. I’m also the exact same kind of person. And so, I’ll have you go to hell now,” Zagan proclaimed. And in the next instant, the vulpin girl fell to her knees as if losing all her strength.

“H-Huh? I can move...?” Kuu’s real voice finally poured out of her mouth. However, her relieved expression was dyed in despair the very next instant, as a black ‘sludge’ poured out of her mouth.

“Gak...!? Huh, wh-what the...?”

However, the sludge didn’t just pour out of her mouth, but also her eye sockets, her ears, her nose... It seemingly poured out of every orifice in her body.

That damn Bifrons went and planted that Sludge Demon Lord in Kuu... There was no way he could forget. It was a disgusting creature that possessed Nephteros and devoured several dozen sorcerers. Zagan and Nephy had defeated it already, but the Sludge Demon Lord was enormous. Some remnant surviving wasn’t all too strange.

This sludge possessed beings, then ate them from the inside, accelerating its own growth and fueling its inexhaustible regeneration. With such an abundance of prey in Kianoides, it likely wouldn’t take more than a minute for it to grow large enough to engulf the entire town.

“Get away from her, Orias. Even an Archdemon can’t touch that thing directly,” Zagan said as he immediately distanced himself from the girl.

“...Seems so,” Orias replied as she backed away.

“S-Saaave... meee... AAAAAAAAAAAAH—” Kuu let out a sorrowful scream, and Bifrons’ laugh rang out shortly after.

“Aaahahahah, now then, what’ll you do? I bet you can tell just from looking, but this is a fragment of the Sludge Demon Lord you defeated before. Now, can a softhearted person like you kill this girl to save the town? Or will you sacrifice the town to save this girl? Ahahahah!”

“...How idiotic,” Zagan said, interrupting Bifrons’ grand speech. He then stabbed his hand into the girl’s chest without hesitation.

“Huh...?” Kuu blinked back at him as if she couldn’t believe it. And in his hand, which pierced out her back, was a black pulsing lump.

“Burn to ash — Heaven’s Phosphor.”

With that, the lump in his hand was reduced to dust. And, as if killed by that attack, the girl whose chest was still pierced by his arm collapsed into Zagan’s arms.

“I’m surprised. I didn’t think you would kill her that quickly... Maybe I’ve misjudged you.”

“Wait, did you not see how I killed this thing last time?” Zagan didn’t know where that voice was coming from anymore, but he replied in an exasperated tone regardless.

“...What?”

Seriously? How does this idiot think Nephteros survived, then? The Sludge Demon Lord could even pull in the Sigil of the Archdemon and devour all sorcery. Bifrons set up a barrier back then to keep anyone from escaping, so it was possible that the barrier prevented Bifrons from being able to observe what was going on. Though, that seemed truly foolish.

After Zagan pulled his arm out, there wasn’t a single wound left on the girl’s body. She was even breathing quietly.

“Ridiculous...”

“You’re the one being ridiculous. It’s not all that difficult to use sorcery for both killing and healing at the same time, right?”

Zagan used Heaven’s Phosphor to burn away just the sludge at the exact same time he applied healing sorcery to Kuu’s body. This was the exact same method Zagan used to defeat the Sludge Demon Lord and save Nephteros.

“...” Bifrons’ voice vanished, leaving this sense of being at a loss for words in the air. It seemed there were no other tricks planted in Kuu’s body... Well, a fragment of the Sludge Demon Lord was a big enough trick that it could easily destroy the entire town. It could be said that sorcery capable of combating such a thing was quite rare. At the very least, it would be completely impossible without power on the level of an Archdemon.

After letting out a snort, Zagan finally raised Kuu up into his arms.

“Orias. Could you erase this girl’s memories? That’s your specialty, right?”

“I don’t mind, but why?”

“Do you not think there are things in this world that one is better off not remembering?”

“I’ll look after this girl until she wakes up. I can’t promise that I’ll carry out your request, though,” Orias replied as she looked back at him with a bitter smile. Then, she took Kuu from him. Even if it was something she became by chance, she was still an Archdemon. There was no way she would obey his every command. Still, he felt Kuu was likely safe with her.

If Bifrons’ objective is Nephteros, it’s pretty obvious where the real stage is... Bifrons’ preparations were sure to be far fiercer over there. And just as Zagan was about to run off, Orias called out to him, seemingly just remembering something.

“Oh right, I’m not saying it’s compensation for looking after this girl or anything, but I have a request.”

I see. I didn’t think she came by just to bring me liquor... Zagan halted as he came to an understanding. It seemed that this was the real reason that Orias came to Kianoides. And so, Zagan sat down on a bench to hear her out.

“Do you think I would ever refuse a request from you?”

Orias was still Nephy’s only remaining blood relative. Even if Nephy rejected this old woman, Zagan would pay her respect.

“I’m thankful for that, but are you sure this is fine? From the way that brat Bifrons was talking, I don’t think you have much time to have a leisurely chat,” Orias said in a surprised tone. According to Barbatos, a chimera was chasing Nephteros. Kuu wasn’t a chimera, so it was clear that there was something else set in motion. Nevertheless, Zagan shrugged his shoulders like he wasn’t the least bit worried.

“It’s not a problem. My subordinates aren’t so incompetent that they need me to watch over each and every little thing they do.”

Zagan gave them power as their king. This was a fight between one who was a king of the people, and one who was trying to become a monster. Two Archdemons, kings among sorcerers, with opposing philosophies.

However, what Zagan didn’t realize at that moment was why Kuu’s clothes had changed. He had absolutely no idea what the clothes she was wearing previously were being used for.

◇

“Keep it together, Chastille!” Nephteros reprimanded Chastille, which made her return to her senses. Even now, the chimera wearing Kuu’s clothes was looking up at them from the plaza underneath the nap room.

“She was a therianthrope girl called Kuu. It couldn’t be...” Chastille covered her mouth as if filled with the urge to vomit as she said that.

“...We aren’t sure that’s what happened yet, so just concentrate on finishing that thing off first. Be warned, you won’t have the luxury of me protecting you in this fight,” Nephteros harshly stated. Though, she did seem to be encouraging Chastille at the same time.

“You’re right. If the person I swore to protect ends up being the one who protects me, I wouldn’t even be able to show my face to that girl,” Chastille said as she mustered her willpower, held out her hand to Nephteros, and continued with, “Let’s go, Nephteros. We’ll take care of that thing together!”

“...Didn’t I already say that was the plan?” Nephteros said, averting her from Chastille. Thought, she did still take her hand. The two of them then leaped from the window down into the plaza. Perhaps because of Nephteros’ sorcery, their descent was slow and they didn’t feel any impact upon hitting the ground despite falling from two stories up. And following after them, Angelic Knights came rushing out of the sanctum.

“Knights, focus on minimizing any damage to the surrounding area! We’ll take this thing on!” Chastille barked out marching orders to her subordinates. She had made it known to them beforehand that the chimera could not be damaged by any normal weapons, so they knew they had no chance. The loyal Angelic Knights dispersed into the surroundings to protect the town. And, as Chastille drew the Sacred Sword from her back, Nephteros raised her voice.

“Bifrons, you’re watching, right? How long do you plan on playing around?”

“Fufufu, despite looking like a little chick on her deathbed yesterday, you sure do look energetic after only a night’s rest. It makes me happy to see my cute puppet in such good health,” Bifrons’ voice rang out from the chimera with a chuckle. It was the voice of the repulsive Archdemon that Chastille had heard before atop that boat. The chimera then stretched out its arm, which looked like a lump of meat.

“Now’s a good chance, so let me say this once more. You’ve had more than enough fun running away from home. It’s about time you come back. It’s no big deal, since I had some fun too, so I won’t hold this against you,” Bifrons let out a jarring laugh alongside those words.

“I’m not your damn puppet. I’ll resist you to the very end,” Nephteros replied with resolve, gritting her teeth, as the chimera’s body trembled like its sadistic heart had been spurred on.

“Mmmm. That’s what makes you my Nephteros. Still, there’s no need to resist, is there? All I want to do is bring you home. It’s not like I’m planning to hurt you all, okay?”

“You have some nerve to say that...” Chastille responded, feeling greatly angered by that statement. That made sense, since Nephteros was right on the verge of death from exhaustion when she found her yesterday.

After putting her through something so cruel, where does this Archdemon get off saying they’re not planning to hurt her!?

“Is the reason Nephteros is looking so healthy because of you, I wonder?” Bifrons asked as the chimera shifted its hooded face toward her direction.

“What if I am!?”

“Kufufu, thanks for saving her. It’s a little unexpected that she’s gotten so attached, though...” Bifrons’ remarked in a voice that was clearly laden with a sense of discomfort. Still, despite all that, Bifrons continued on in sing-song that showed they were having fun, saying, “Now, I wonder what kind of face Nephteros would make if she lost you here?”

A terrifying presence filled the air as those words rang out from the chimera.

“It’s coming!” Nephteros roared, which made Chastille dive to the side. Immediately following that, the chimera’s arm stretched out and mowed down the area where Chastille had just been standing.

“Shine — Sacred Sword Azrael!”

This chimera was far too dangerous. After Chastille severed the extended arm, the portion of its body that was burned by the Sacred Sword’s light crumbled to dust. However, using that opening, its body transformed from a humanoid shape to that of a beast and thrust out a multitude of limbs.

“Pierce through — Selini Chavliodous!” Nephteros let out a chant in Celestian at that exact moment. Rainbow colored crystals pierced out from underneath the ground and tore apart the earth. The crystals were as large as the cathedral’s pillar and pierced through the chimera’s torso unerringly.

Alright! Now to crush its mobility before it can move those limbs... The chimera, which possessed numerous limbs, could move in a way that even Chastille was unable to keep up with. It was a big deal to seal that aspect of it. And, just as Chastille leaped in to bring it down with a swift strike, Nephteros yelled out some words of warning.

“You can’t approach it carelessly! That thing’s aiming for you!”

Chastille came to a sudden stop when she heard that, and a moment later, the chimera’s body swelled up, then burst. If Nephteros didn’t stop her, Chastille would have leaped right into that attack, which was flinging out something both of them had seen before.

No way... This is... Chastille and Nephteros both turned pale at the sight of the pitch black sludge.

“Everyone, take cover! No matter what happens, do not touch that sludge!” Chastille exclaimed. There was no way she could forget it. That was the sludge made of the residual thoughts of the Demon Lord. The only things that could deal with it were Zagan’s Heaven’s Phosphor and a high elf’s celestial mysticism. A Sacred Sword could hold it back, but it didn’t possess enough power to annihilate it completely.

Unfortunately, Nephteros’ body was unable to withstand celestial mysticism powerful enough to defeat the thing. In other words, they currently possessed no means of eradicating it.

This is the reason Bifrons is attacking the church without a care in the world...

Nephteros’ face had also stiffened up with tension, but her expression showed no signs of giving up.

“This is not the Demon Lord from back then. Even if I can’t finish it off on my own, it’s something we can deal with together,” Nephteros remarked, her voice conveying her utter belief in her words. The way she spoke with dignity reminded Chastille of Nephy, but made her seem like her own person at the exact same time. That was why Chastille returned a nod.

“How reliable. Let’s fight together, Nephteros,” Chastille replied, deciding to deal with the sludge that had flown around the plaza rather than the chimera’s body itself.

First, I’ll start by eliminating this troublesome sludge... The sludge dissipated, almost looking like it was drying up, as it was mowed down by the Sacred Sword’s light. Seeing this, Chastille could tell that this sludge’s power was far weaker than the Sludge Demon Lord from before. The Sacred Sword’s power was more than enough to deal with it.

Lord Raphael’s Metatron would be far more effective, though... That Sacred Sword’s power manifested as flames. If Raphael got serious, he could use it to cover the entire plaza... However, the only one here was Chastille.

Chastille cast her gaze over to the chimera while she was busy burning away the sludge, saw that it was still unable to break away from the crystal piercing through it, and posed a question to her newfound ally.

“Nephteros, do you have a way of defeating that thing?”

“...I don’t, but I can make it smaller. You take care of it when I do, okay?”

“Roger!” Chastille replied. And then, after taking care of the sludge, she moved to cover Nephteros’ back. At that point, Nephteros put her hand to her chest and began singing.

“[Thou art he who rules over terror. Accompanied by the god of war, become he who brings about destruction and chaos.]”

The atmosphere shook, and the chimera’s body collapsed as if it was being pressed against the ground. It was something Chastille would be informed of later, but this was celestial mysticism that manipulated gravity. There was sorcery that was capable of manipulating the atmosphere, but this was the first time Chastille saw power that could manipulate the force of gravity itself.

Its body was still pierced by crystals. And so, as its wounds were gouged open, the chimera let out a shriek. Following that, its limbs stretched out as if it was trying to stop the pain.

“I won’t let you!” Chastille yelled as she severed each and every one of those limbs. And, as Nephteros continued chanting, the pressure that assaulted the chimera grew stronger.

We can do this! This was clearly an enemy who could be defeated by combining the powers of a Sacred Sword and celestial mysticism. Chastille grew sure of that fact, but a certain doubt came to mind.

This is weird. Can an enemy sent out by an Archdemon really be defeated so easily? At that exact moment, a voice rang out as if answering that doubt.

“Wh-What is this? What’s going on here?”

A cait sith girl holding a cane was standing still in the plaza, having somehow slipped through the encirclement of Angelic Knights. Seeing the cane in her hand and the lack of light in her eyes, Chastille could tell that this girl was blind.

Has she not noticed the chimera!?

“Fall back, Pastor Kuroka! This is a battlefield!” one of the Angelic Knights surrounding the plaza shouted out. Hearing that, Chastille realized that this girl was the newly appointed priest. Unfortunately, the Angelic Knight’s warning was in vain, and the chimera stretched out its arm toward the young girl.

I won’t make it... The girl was too far away for Chastille to reach. And so, the repulsive chimera’s arm reached in to reduce the poor girl into minced meat. However, just as that image came to mind... a sharp ringing sound resounded in the area. Then, the arm that had attempted to assault the girl crumbled to bits. A moment later, a wooden rod fell to the ground with a clank.

Chastille could tell that it was the cane the girl was holding, but it was far too short. At most, it was only about half the size of the cane. And after looking at what was now in the girl’s hand, her eyes shot open.

It was a thin short sword. It seemed that it was hidden within her cane. It reminded her of the anecdotes of a weapon called a sword cane that they had in the island country to the east, and it also seemed all too familiar. Of course there was no way Chastille would mistake it for something else. Last night, that short sword had cornered Chastille and dismembered Barbatos. It belonged to Azazel.

Why does that girl... have Azazel’s short sword...? The blind cait sith turned toward the chimera, then brandished her short sword in an underhanded grip as she charged in.

“Stop! If you touch that thing, you’ll die!” Chastille exclaimed. However, the girl didn’t stop. And even though it was being pressured by Nephteros’ celestial mysticism, the chimera shot several of its limbs toward her. The moment it looked like the girl was about to be crushed by the limbs coming in overhead, they went astray and struck the ground next to her instead.

“...Huh?”

Someone let out a dumbfounded voice. Even the arm that came sweeping in from the side only brushed by her bangs as if it misjudged the distance. And then, the third attack that should have struck her head on only hit the air at the edge of her clothing.

“Why... can’t the chimera attack her?” one of the Angelic Knights muttered. However, Chastille alone came to an understanding.

She’s dodging it... It looked like she was just charging straight in head first, but the girl’s posture was extremely low to the ground, and she was shifting her pace by switching between accelerating and decelerating to throw off her opponent. Because her movements looked so natural, it simply appeared as if the attacks against her had gone astray on their own.

Her movements were practically prescient, but Chastille could tell that she was moving by reading the flow of sounds and the wind from her opponent’s movement.

The cait sith girl’s reflexes didn’t simply surpass that of a normal human’s. It was likely a technique that was only possible because she had lost her eyesight and honed all her other senses.

That’s why my sword couldn’t even scratch her... Even if the room they fought in put her at a disadvantage, Chastille’s sword didn’t find its mark once in their fight the previous night. Sure, she had used the Sacred Sword’s light as a flashbang, but there was no way that would work on an already blind target.

After closing in on the chimera in the blink of an eye, the girl drew her second sword and struck at its limbs at their root.

“It’s no good. That’s too shallow!”

Perhaps in exchange for her agility, the strength of her attacks was weak. The short sword was unable to cut into the chimera’s thick skin. That made sense, since she wasn’t even wearing Anointed Armor. However, Chastille realized something in that moment.

This girl cut down the chimera’s attack mere moments ago... And as if answering her thoughts, the girl swung down her second shortsword.

“Take this!”

Her sword came down, accompanied by a battle cry, and severed the chimera’s thick arms right at their root. Nephteros’ celestial mysticism was still at work, so having one of its main supports severed made the chimera collapse on the spot. The girl then mounted the chimera as if to decapitate it.

“It’s not... here either. Just... where is it?”

The voice of the girl who was cutting down the chimera was still uneasy to the point where it felt like she would break down in tears at any moment. However, despite all that, she struck at the chimera all the same.

“Are you... an ally?” Chastille muttered. Upon hearing that, the girl turned toward her with her vacant eyes. And what she felt from that... was bloodlust that stifled her breath, leading her to spontaneously tremble.

That’s completely different from what I’ve felt when fighting sorcerers or monsters in the past... Was this girl an enemy or an ally? It was too hard for Chastille to tell. Nephteros also instinctively stopped chanting and looked over to the girl. And then, a repulsive voice rang out once more.

“Hey there, aren’t you a little late? Special Enforcement Squad Azazel — Kuroka Adelhide.”

Like I thought, this girl is Azazel... Chastille gulped audibly. She would never have thought that the ominous figure from yesterday was a girl who was younger than her. She then realized the reason that Bifrons casually began chatting with her even after unleashing that chimera on the church. The chimera was just there to buy time until this girl arrived.

“...Who are you?” Kuroka coldly replied to the voice that came from the chimera beneath her.

“You already know, don’t you? It doesn’t really matter who I am. All you need to know is that I know what you desire most. It’s not this child that you’re trying to kill right now, correct?”

Kuroka pointed a sharp gaze toward the chimera. It wasn’t even being pointed at them, but Chastille and the other Angelic Knights in the area all felt a cold sweat go down their spines.

“Then tell me, why is that girl’s smell coming from you?” Kuroka asked, clearly focused on Kuu’s clothes, which had been reduced to mere scraps.

Could it be that she was looking for Kuu? Now that she thought of it, Chastille had received a report that the vulpin girl was brought in by the newly appointed priest. It may have been that she was out looking for her. That was why she attacked the chimera before going after Chastille.

“Oh, are you talking about the girl who was wearing these clothes? You don’t have to worry about that. She’s already being sheltered by that ‘Mister’ you know so well.”

“I-Is that true?”

“Trust me. If she’s under that ‘Mister’s’ patronage, no one can touch her.”

“...Thank goodness,” Kuroka said as her expression loosened up in relief.

“Now then, carry out your mission. Your vengeance lies right before you,” Bifrons said, then declared to her in an even grander voice, “The one who killed your foster father, Raphael Hyurandell, was Chastille Lillqvist!”

“Wha—” Chastille exclaimed before catching herself.

Kuroka slowly turned toward Chastille, then pulled out a pure white mask from her breast pocket. Chastille could tell that she was now this girl’s target.

“Wait! You can’t believe them! I never laid a hand on Lord Raphael!”

“Raphael...? Isn’t that the one at Zagan’s—” Nephteros tried to say, clearly perplexed, before being cut off.

“Don’t say another word, Nephteros!” Chastille said as she stuck her finger to her lips and urged her to be quiet, to which Nephteros knit her brows.

“What... is it something we can’t talk about?” Nephteros asked. It seemed she didn’t know about the circumstances of how Raphael came about to serve Zagan. Even so, she was likely able to guess to an extent and held her tongue.

“...Don’t worry, I don’t believe what this person has to say. Luckily, you admitted to you crime earlier,” Kuroka said in the tone of an executioner preparing to dole out punishment.

“Huh...? I did?” Chastille questioned Kuroka, tilting her head to the side in confusion.

“You were proudly boasting about how you killed him yesterday, weren’t you?”

After wondering what she was talking about for a moment, Chastille immediately remembered what happened.

It’d sound like you’re all happy he’s dead to those who don’t know what’s going on, you know?

On that evening, she certainly did end up having an awfully misleading conversation upon hearing Alfred’s report.

“You really are a wreck at the most important times...” Nephteros said with a sigh.

“Sh-Shut up!” Chastille retorted while holding back the urge to burst into tears.

“We’re... done talking,” Kuroka said as she donned her mask, which was engraved with a cross. That was the signal for the battle to begin. Kuroka held her shortswords at the ready, and charged in.

She really is fast! Kuroka stepped into range with a single breath, and Chastille somehow managed to fend off her shortswords using her Sacred Sword.

“Listen, calm down! This isn’t the time! The chimera you cut down is still alive!”

“...Like I care. I’m only here to take revenge for that man.”

If I can get her to understand that it’s just a misunderstanding... However, Chastille had no way of explaining that to her in the moment, so she was out of luck. And just then, a quiet song broke out.

“[Battle gives birth to the vanquished, and rule over them beckons chaos. Panic becomes a bridle, and with no harmony nor friendship, under the name of chaos and discord, the battlefields run rampant.]”

“Huh!?”

It was Nephteros. Upon hearing the song of celestial mysticism, Kuroka collapsed to the ground. It seemed that Nephteros split the gravitational pressure that was pushing down onto the chimera in two.

“I’ll hold her here, so go finish off that chimera!”

“Nephteros... Sorry. I owe you one,” Chastille said as she ran past Kuroka and charged in at the chimera.

“You won’t... get away...!” Kuroka barked, swinging her shortsword with her strength alone despite her body weight being multiplied severalfold.

“What!?” Nephteros raised her voice in shock as Kuroka’s shortsword severed the field of gravity itself.

It’s not... just a simple shortsword? As far as Chastille knew, the only swords that could break through celestial mysticism were Sacred Swords. There was no mistaking that Kuroka’s shortswords were extremely sharp blades, but they possessed no crests like those of a Sacred Sword. The aura of a sacred sword was granted to it by the crests carved into it using Celestian, so even if that shortsword was the Thirteenth that Zagan was talking about, there was no way it could be a Sacred Sword. And yet, how else could the power it just displayed be explained?

“I can’t let you go just because of that — Selini Chavliodous!” Nephteros exclaimed, immediately putting her next hand to play despite her surprise. Pillars of crystal jutted out all around Kuroka as if to obstruct her. And after that finished, Nephteros gestured to Chastille to tell her to keep her mouth shut.

Is she telling me... not to raise my voice? Right as Chastille figured out Nephteros’ intentions, Kuroka kicked off the crystal pillars, leaped into the air, and slipped through their gaps.

“I thought it’d come to that!” Nephteros said as she snapped her fingers. Immediately following that, the crystal pillars shattered with a noisy clang.

“Agh...” Kuroka let out a small cry, then fell to the ground while covering her ears.

I see. Her sense of hearing is so strong it can be used against her... The sound of glass shattering was sharp enough that it felt like it pierced one’s brains. If someone was subjected to that at point blank range, even a normal person’s hearing would be paralyzed. And so, in Kuroka’s case, it likely wasn’t something shallow. Thanks to Nephteros, she had surely even lost Chastille’s position. If she didn’t raise her voice, then Kuroka had no means of locating her.

Please lend me your power — Azrael! Chastille called out to her Sacred Sword in her mind. Heeding her call, the Sacred Sword once more let out a brilliant light. However, this wasn’t a technique that enveloped the sword’s blade in light. Instead, it was designed to fire off light in a wide area in a similar fashion to Raphael’s flames. The light pierced into the sky, and Chastille swung it down right at the chimera.

“GYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!” the chimera let out a repulsive scream as it writhed about. Its body visibly shrank, and the hood that had stubbornly remained affixed began falling off.

This is the end! Chastille thought. And right when she swung down her Sacred Sword at the now exposed head...

“Huh...?” Chastille muttered as she froze on the spot. She was supposed to remain silent, but she completely forgot that and let out her voice. She understood that since it had the arms and legs of a human, that its face would likely be that of a human as well. However, she never thought it would be a face that she knew...

It was the face of a girl with pointy ears, which were the characteristic features of an elf. She had slightly darkened white hair. Her skin was dark, and her seemingly sad eyes were golden. Her disheveled white hair stuck to her face, and her golden eyes seemed to possess no reason in them, yet they still let out black tears as if she were crying. It was Nephteros’ face.

“Why...?” Chastille asked. She knew if she brought down her sword, she would defeat it. However, she was unable to.

Nephteros surely also saw that face, as she fell to her knees with a thud. She probably understood better than Chastille. It was without a doubt something similar to Nephteros.

Is this... something an Archdemon comes up with...? Zagan had warned her to be ready for the worst. She also thought she understood from the battle atop the ship that Bifrons was one who liked to use absolutely repulsive means. However, the ‘worst’ an Archdemon could come up with far surpassed what Chastille imagined.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” the chimera let out a sorrowful shriek as its body shook. Chastille, who was still frozen, was blown away and thrown to the ground, landing on her butt.

“Lady Chastille!” one of the Angelic Knights shouted at her in an attempt to warn her. And as Chastille turned around, she caught sight of Kuroka leaping in at her with her shortswords. This time around, she didn’t think it was possible to stop those blades.

◇

“So, what’s your request?”

While Chastille and Nephteros were fighting in front of the church, Zagan was still sitting in a plaza on the outskirts of town. He was speaking with Orias, who was sitting on a bench with Kuu on her lap.

“Mm... That dark elf girl... I think she was called Nephteros?”

“Yeah. What about her?”

“Back when I met her, she asked me ‘what am I?’ I have spent quite a bit of time around sorcery, so there are many things I can tell at a single glance,” Orias said in a somewhat languid fashion.

“...You didn’t,” Zagan’s tone grew somewhat critical, to which Orias nodded apologetically.

“I noticed after I talked to her that I said something quite inconsiderate, so I chased after her in a hurry, but she seems to be quite the talented girl. I’m disappointed to say that I ended up losing sight of her. By the time I realized it, I was already within your domain.”

Zagan let out a grave sigh, and Orias looked up at him while brushing Kuu’s head.

“By the looks of it, you’ve also noticed, huh?”

“I just thought... it would’ve been nice if that wasn’t the case,” Zagan declared. Then, he finally put the truth into words in a tone that made it seem like he didn’t want to admit it, saying, “Nephteros... is a clone of Nephy.”

Within sorcery, there was a technique that was said to be capable of creating homunculi. To put it simply, it was the creation of a living being. It was power that clearly surpassed the territory of mere sorcery, and had never been perfected before.

However, it wasn’t like there weren’t any results. They were unable to create something from nothing, but they succeeded in duplicating life. Using that technique, it was possible to give birth to an existence that replicated the flesh and blood of the base subject. And depending on the way it was done, it was even supposedly possible to use the technique to swap an old body with a younger one to extend one’s lifespan.

Still, something created through such a method wasn’t a complete lifeform. The first problem was that it was unable to possess an ego of its own. The cloned body did not possess a soul or anything else required to define a sense of self. Furthermore, its mana and vitality would deteriorate rapidly. A clone’s lifespan was extremely short, and its mana and physical strength were nothing compared to the original’s. Also, perhaps due to the introduction of foreign matter, cloning lowered the efficiency of rituals that used them as sacrifices.

That’s why Nephteros was unable to withstand celestial mysticism that Nephy could use... He didn’t know how Bifrons had given her an ego, but Nephteros was definitely a clone of Nephy. That was precisely why they had the same face. And it was also why Zagan couldn’t forgive Bifrons. After all, Bifrons had used the girl he loved to give birth to someone who had a mind of their own.

Her first memory is probably the one where she first saw Nephy... It was the image of Nephy being persecuted by other elves that Bifrons showed her in the crystal ball. That was likely a record of the past, but she probably mistook the flow of time when it was shown to her, making her think it had just occurred.

“And you just revealed the truth to Nephteros?”

“...Sorry,” Orias replied. It wasn’t like Orias was in the wrong. All she did was answer Nephteros’ question. Sure, that girl had the same face as her daughter, but she had no obligation to care about the feelings of someone she had just met.

“My request concerns that girl,” Orias said in a sincere voice.

“...And what would you have me do?” Zagan asked with a grimace.

“Zagan. Could you somehow save the girl that I ended up hurting?” Orias replied as she bowed her head deeply. This left Zagan wide-eyed in disbelief.

“Do I look like a man who would save others?”

“I’m asking you because you do.”

And how exactly am I supposed to save someone who’s found out that they were artificially created? Zagan thought as scratched his head at her reply, which seemed full of conviction. Sorcerers were beings who only ever thought about themselves. Even Zagan was utterly selfish, in that his only desire was to be loved by Nephy. Or at least, that was what he believed, but...

Dammit! Like I can just shut up and go home to Nephy after hearing that!

“Hear me, Orias. I may pay respect to you, but it’s arrogant to just assume someone needs to be saved by another. Especially when even the person in question has no way of knowing how to best help them,” Zagan responded as he mussed his hair around. He himself had been saved upon meeting Nephy. However, it wasn’t something he actively desired at that point. He never even thought of what he truly wanted back then. At the time, he would never have even dreamed that it would be to love and be loved by another.

Everything came from an unexpected encounter, and all of it completely surpassed his expectations. It was essentially a miracle. He wasn’t confident that he could replicate that for another person. Plus, it was foolish to try and bestow that upon someone who seemed unwilling, as that would only cause harm.

And yet, even though it was something he should have rejected... he knew he would feel different if it were Nephy, Foll, Raphael, Chastille, Gremory, Kimaris, or any of his subordinates at the castle... If they were suffering, he would do everything in his power to assist them. He was certain of that simple fact.

“I believe that someone who knows that, yet is willing to try regardless is the exact type of person who can save others,” Orias claimed as she looked on at Zagan’s reaction with a satisfied expression on her face.

“I know I’m just repeating myself at this point, but I’m really not fit for that position,” Zagan said as he let out a snort. The one Orias wanted to save was Nephteros. And honestly, he didn’t have the slightest idea how to help a girl who possessed a far more ghastly past than even he or Nephy.

But that’s exactly why I can’t turn my back on her... Regardless of what he said, Zagan had long since made his decision. He wouldn’t become a monster. Instead, he would become a king. He would give Nephy a place to live under the sun, he would bury the other twelve Archdemons, he would force the church to stop hunting down sorcerers, he would annihilate the demons, the Demon Lord, or whatever else, and he would change the world.

If he couldn’t save one pitiful girl, then there was no way he would ever succeed in any of his more lofty goals. And so, after taking a deep breath, Zagan turned to face Orias once more.

“...Nephteros is a clone of Nephy. Right?”

“Yeah. Though it’s painful to admit, that’s exactly what she is,” Orias replied.

“Then... we can think of her as Nephy’s sister,” Zagan said. His bride’s sister was no different from his own sister. That made her family.

“Well, I suppose we can say that I’ve been blessed with another daughter,” Orias’ mouth loosened up with a smile as she responded to his statement. Zagan, in turn, simply nodded back at her. And then, he let out a shout.

“Hey, Barbatos! You can hear me, can’t you!?” Zagan yelled. And as he did, the shadow of a tree in the plaza wriggled about.

“Keep it down, dammit... I’m injured here. You could at least show me a bit of sympathy.”

“Like I care. More importantly, take me to Nephteros.”

The shadow remained silent for a moment after being commanded. After a few moments, an annoyed voice rang out from it.

“Crap, it’s looking pretty bad over there. I’ll take you over, so you better do something fast.”

“...Huh?”

“I’m begging you here!”

This guy’s... relying on someone else? Zagan doubted his ears upon hearing that. Barbatos had once said that Zagan had changed, but it may have been that he was also changing and just wasn’t aware of that fact. That was why Zagan leaped into the shadow immediately.

“Leave it to me,” Zagan replied to his peerless undesirable friend.

And what greeted him on the other side was...

◇

“...Wait, what the hell is going on here?”

A blade came flying in at Zagan when he arrived on the other side. Before his eyes was a pitiful chimera with Nephteros’ face, and Chastille who had fallen to the ground. It seemed she was in the middle of a battle with the chimera. And the one who was slashing in at him was... Kuroka. She was wearing a strange mask, but he could tell that it was her by her clothes and ears.

He caught the shortsword on the spur of the moment, but he couldn’t avoid getting hit by the edge of the blade. It seemed to be a weapon of the church, as it hurt quite a bit as his blood ran down the blade.

“Huh...? That voice... Mister...? Why are you here?” Kuroka, still wearing that strange mask, let out a bewildered voice. Zagan didn’t answer her and looked around for Nephteros instead. This seemed to be the plaza in front of the church. Angelic Knights were surrounding the area, and Nephteros was on her knees somewhat far away from the chimera itself.

Well, it’s good that she’s alive... After he finished verifying her safety, the chimera slowly got up.

That damn Bifrons... Did he make clones other than Nephteros? It was more apt to say that Bifrons had failed countless times in the process of creating Nephteros, and all those failures were turned into chimeras, but Zagan had no way of knowing that.

The chimera unleashed a barrage of limbs toward Zagan. The limbs were strong enough to turn an Angelic Knight into minced meat in a single blow, but Zagan lightly swung his arm into the air in response. It was a seemingly meaningless gesture, as he was nowhere close enough to the chimera’s limbs let alone the chimera itself, but...

“Shut it. I’m in the middle of talking here!” Zagan exclaimed. Remarkably, his meaningless gesture drove the chimera into the ground as if his fist had hit dead center. This wasn’t anything like specialized sorcery. He simply slammed his mana into it like a hammer. With just that action, the chimera was crushed and ceased moving, leaving the Angelic Knights in the area astir.

“He did in that chimera... with just a single blow...”

Apparently Chastille and the others had quite the hard fight against the chimera. All the Angelic Knights looked confused by how easily he won, and Chastille called out to him in a reproachful voice.

“Z-Zagan, that chimera is...”

“Like I care. It may look like Nephteros, but it’s not actually her,” Zagan replied. The one he had decided to save was Nephteros, not Nephy’s clones. Even if they were pitiful existences created using the same method, there was no reason for Zagan to hesitate.

“So Kuroka, what are you doing? Is this the ‘duty’ or whatever you had to do?” Zagan asked as he turned to look at Kuroka.

“It has... nothing to do... with my duty. I’ll take revenge... on this person... and kill her,” Kuroka spoke in short intervals, but still managed to reply in a cold voice.

“What did you do to this girl?” Zagan asked as he looked over to Chastille.

“I-It’s a misunderstanding. Um, it seems she’s... uh, Lord Raphael’s relative...”

From that statement alone, Zagan understood the full breadth of Bifrons’ trap.

Impressive. It’s the first time I’ve seen such intricate harassment... The daughter that Raphael spoke of referred to Kuroka. That was why Bifrons went so far as to guide her here and attack Chastille. Naturally, Raphael was unable to make a move, since he was in hiding as Zagan’s butler.

My goodness. The number of people I have to save here has just increased to two... He was still fully convinced that he wasn’t suited for such a troublesome role, but for whatever reason, only troublesome folk ever showed up before him.

“Well, I suppose if it’s arrogant to just assume someone needs saving, then there’s no problem with an Archdemon taking up that role...” Zagan unintentionally spoke to himself, then looked down at Kuroka and said, “In other words, you’re after her head because you believe Chastille killed Raphael?”

“It’s the truth. I heard... that person... talk about killing him,” Kuroka claimed as she glared at Chastille. Zagan didn’t know how things had gotten so complicated, but Chastille was simply sitting there, unable to provide a real answer.

“You’re wrong, Kuroka. She’s not the one who killed Raphael.”

“No, that can’t be!”

“I’m telling you you’re wrong, and I have undeniable proof...” Zagan struck his own chest, then continued, “After all... I’m the one who killed Raphael!”

“You’re just covering for that person, right...? Please stop that, Mister. If you say such a thing, I’ll...” Kuroka began trembling as she hesitantly responded to him.

“Now that I think of it, I never once told you my name, did I? Hear me, Kuroka! My name is Zagan!”

“...” Kuroka’s shock was visible even through her mask.

“Confused? Well then, is it easier to swallow if I name myself as one of the Archdemons? Raphael foolishly dared to raise his hand against my daughter. That’s why I killed him. Tell me, would you like to know exactly how he died?”

“Zagan! Why are you saying that!?” Chastille yelled as if criticizing him, but Zagan merely shook his head in response.

Raphael himself wanted us to fake his death... That loyal butler had decided to keep it a secret, even if it meant abandoning the only person he considered family. What kind of king would he be if he didn’t respect that wish?

“WAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Kuroka let out a scream and swung her other shortsword as Zagan casually flung her aside. And that lone action made Kuroka’s mask tumble to the ground.

The cait sith twisted and turned in the air, managing to somehow land gracefully. But as one would expect, she could sense that she would be struck down mercilessly if she charged in directly again. Though her breathing had grown rough, she didn’t attack.

“Now then, Chastille. It looks like Kuroka is my problem. I’ll take her on. If you’d like, I’ll even clean up that chimera over there. It wouldn’t really take all that much work for me, you see... It’ll likely take some time, but I’ll even take Nephteros back with me and save her... So, what are you going to do?” Zagan called out to Chastille, almost goading her with his questions, as he watched Kuroka wait in place.

“I...”

Zagan was generous to his own subordinates, but Chastille wasn’t counted among them. She was Nephy’s friend, not Zagan’s. In that case, what was she, exactly? Was she one of the weaklings that Zagan had to protect? Or was she not?

Chastille wasn’t such a fool that she failed to understand what he was implying. She remained silent for but a mere instant before gathering her resolve and getting up on her own two feet.

“That’s none of your business, Zagan. I promised to protect Nephteros, so this child is also someone I must defeat myself,” Chastille claimed as she pointed at the chimera.

It seems I’m not even needed here, Orias.

“Very well. That’s what makes you my sworn ally,” Zagan said. This girl was a sworn ally that he could entrust his back to and fight alongside. That was why he would believe her. And just as Zagan turned to face Kuroka once more...

“Hang on now, don’t you think it’s unfair for you to cut in here?” Bifrons spoke through the chimera’s mouth, continuing with, “Zagan, allow me to give you a word of advice as your elder. You have far too many weaknesses. Your talent is monstrous, but its not like those who follow you have kept pace with your strength... You understand what I mean, don’t you?”

Several lights rose up around the plaza as Bifrons unleashed his criticism. And projected within those lights were Zagan’s castle and Archdemon Palace, two location in Zagan’s domain.

“No, it can’t be...” Chastille spoke in a trembling voice. Zagan’s subordinates were over at Archdemon Palace, and Nephy and Foll were left behind at the castle. It was likely the same scenario had occurred back when Orias defeated an Archdemon. She had lost everything she wished to protect and ended up keeping Nephy at a distance as a result.

Now it was Zagan’s turn to go through that pain. He had once cast aside Nephy because he feared such a fate, but that attempt had failed entirely. Bifrons listened in on the silence as if it were pleasant, then broke into laughter.

“Fufufu, don’t tell me you thought this was my only chimera? I’ve sent ones that are just as powerful as this one to your castle and Marchosias’ Archdemon Palace. Unfortunately, there’s only one of you. So, what’ll you do?”

Zagan looked down at the chimera that had collapsed to the ground. He didn’t know how many failures were created before Nephteros was born, but it surely didn’t stop at just one or two. If all of them were turned into chimeras, then there was likely a whole hoard of them out there. And if all of them were infused with that sludge, then they were practically unstoppable.

However, I knew that from the very beginning... That was why Zagan just casually shrugged his shoulders.

“Do whatever you want. I have my hands full here already.”

“Oh my... Do you think that’s an idle threat? Look, I know hostages are only useful while they’re alive, but I don’t really care.”

“Quit yapping. If you want to attack, then go right ahead. I’m busy here,” Zagan coldly cut off any further part of Bifrons’ speech with those words. At that, Bifrons let out a ‘hmph’ as if coming to an understanding.

“...I see. You’ve prepared for this already, huh? Well, I wonder who’ll win between my chimeras and your little trap... How fun.”

A chimera with countless limbs appeared within the projection. It used all of them to charge straight toward one of the two castles.

“Zagan! What are you planning? Aren’t Nephy, Foll, and Ra... er, your subordinates all there!?” Chastille was all flustered, but Zagan said nothing as he simply looked up at the projection. The first one to show activity was Archdemon Palace. A golem modeled after a demon appeared from inside it. And riding on its back was Gremory, who had taken the form of a beautiful woman.

“Keeheehee, so it really showed up.”

“Huh, isn’t that... the golem from that time...?”

It was the golem that had previously ripped off Raphael’s arm, which Zagan had repaired. The husk of the demon itself was destroyed entirely during that encounter, but techniques used to create it were left behind in Marchosias’ legacy.

To put it another way, this was a fusion of the assets of two Archdemons, Marchosias and Zagan. The beam of light fired out by the golem pierced through the chimera. However, the chimera also had a fragment of the Sludge Demon Lord inside it, which instantly restored its wounds as a pitch black sludge scattered about the area.

“It’s futile — Balor’s Evil Eye!” Gremory’s eye flashed a deep violet and reduced the chimera’s sludge to ash as she let that cry loose. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to possess enough power to finish off the chimera’s main body, as it still managed to charge in and reach the golem despite the damage it took. However, by that time, the golem’s preparations were already complete.

“You did well to get this far. Here, you may claim your reward — Heaven’s Phosphor!”

It was the name of the sorcery Zagan gave birth to that burned away at life itself. As Gremory yelled that name, the golem opened its mouth and fired a beam of light for the second time. However, the color of the light this time was as black as the void. This was something Kimaris mentioned before, but Gremory’s sorcery had poor compatibility with Heaven’s Phosphor. That was why Zagan granted this golem to her. It was something he remodeled so that it was capable of firing Heaven’s Phosphor. And, as the black beam of light came in contact with the chimera, the chimera was vaporized.

“Impossible...” Bifrons muttered in shock.

“Zagan, there’s a chimera at the castle too!” Chastille shouted at him. There were two projections, and the other one was showing a chimera charging in at Zagan’s castle. However, this particular chimera was being even more reckless than the previous one.

Tree roots crept out of the ground at its feet and held it in place. This was a trap created using Nephy’s mysticism. To escape it, one would have to use a teleportation technique like Barbatos’, or possess enough raw power to compare to an Archdemon or high elf.

I guess it was about time to teach them all a lesson... Previously, Zagan had a need to hold back against any intruders, since he wanted them to survive and tell others how little value there was in trying to attack the new Archdemon. However, there was only meaning to such a method in the beginning. By this point, those who hadn’t already learned their lesson would never learn. An Archdemon like Bifrons was a perfect example of that fact.

In that case, it was better to shore up his defenses with traps that were fairly lethal. However, the opponent this time around was Bifrons’ chimera, so that wasn’t enough to stop it. The thing merely vomited out enough sludge to eat away at the tree roots in order to free itself. But by that time, the sorcerers who were left in the castle to defend it had finished their preparations, which was evident due to a gust that blew through the forest.

“Heaven’s Phosphor Typhoon.”

It was Kimaris, who was currently in the form of a lion.

Kimaris has pretty good compatibility with Heaven’s Phosphor... The gust blowing through the forest wasn’t one of wind, but Kimaris’ special sound sorcery combined with Heaven’s Phosphor. It was his own creation, and unique to him alone.

Upon touching what could only be expressed as a black wind, the chimera and its sludge turned to ash in an instant. Both of the chimeras that were sent to attack Zagan’s bases were defeated without even getting the chance to fight back, leaving Bifrons to shout in a trembling voice.

“Impossible... Zagan, do you even understand what you did? Are you saying you shared that power with others?”

“Yeah, I did. So what?” Zagan cocked his head to the side as he asked that rhetorical question.

“I don’t understand. You just handed out a power that could even be used to kill you. What are you, an Archdemon of all people, thinking? That’s far too dangerous!”

“Humans can be killed with any ordinary blade, yet they’re still traded on the market and given to others as presents, aren’t they?” Zagan replied with a strained smile.

“Those aren’t the least bit comparable!” Bifrons bit back instantaneously.

“It isn’t all that different,” Zagan declared without hesitation.

There was no way they would ever agree on the matter, and Bifrons would never be able to change that.

◇

With this, the only pawns Bifrons has left are the chimera here and Kuroka... Zagan looked over to the now unmasked Kuroka. Chastille said she would take care of the chimera, but this girl was the bigger problem of the two.

I mean, there’s no way I can kill Raphael’s daughter... Kuroka had her shortswords at the ready and was looking for an opening to charge in as Zagan began talking to her in a casual manner.

“I’m curious, why did you let yourself get caught by those canus if you can fight so well?”

It was somewhat baffling. Apparently, Kuroka’s blindness wasn’t really much of a handicap. And yet, she somehow got caught by some random kidnappers.

“My swords... aren’t meant to be used against people,” Kuroka replied in a cold voice. It seemed she chose who she fought against carefully due to her strength. Her swords weren’t so cheap that they could be used against mere kidnappers. Hearing her practically groan out that response, Zagan shrugged his shoulders.

“That’s one of Raphael’s teachings, I assume.”

“It’s the way of life... I was taught by that man.”

“So it’s fine to kill sorcerers? Aren’t they people too?”

“Sorcerers... aren’t people!” Kuroka screamed, clearly enraged as she leaped in at him.

This anger of hers... Did sorcerers do something to her? Sorcerers were all villains, so it was only obvious that they were despised by all the victims they left in their wake.

“Weren’t sorcerers the ones who stole the light from my eyes!?” Kuroka roared as she slashed at Zagan, then continued with, “They killed Dad, Mom, my entire family, my entire people, and now you’ve even stolen Lord Raphael from me...! That man... was the only person in the world I still loved!”

It was all too common a story. Sorcerers were considered evil precisely because it happened so often.

“...Well, it’s true that most sorcerers are quite inhuman,” Zagan caught Kuroka’s shortswords barehanded as he replied in a nonchalant manner.

“Huh!?”

Kuroka exclaimed in surprise. At that moment, she finally realized that not a single one of her countless slashes had reached Zagan.
“...Sorcery,” Kuroka sharply muttered. Then, countless specks of light surrounded Zagan like snow.

“Heaven’s Scale Snowfield... It would be difficult for even a Sacred Sword to break through this,” Zagan proclaimed. Each and every one of Kuroka’s strikes were obstructed by those lights. Zagan had already perfected Heaven’s Scale in its dragon form, so the snowfield wasn’t something he invented for his own use.

Foll should be able to handle it, but its weakness is that you can’t move when you’re in the middle of it... In exchange for not granting Foll Heaven’s Phosphor, Zagan created this sorcery for her. However, there was still room for improvement. He dared to use it here as a test run, but it was also something that was useful when attempting to defend a wide area.

There’s too many damn Angelic Knights around... From their perspective, they were acting out of necessity to prevent any damage from spreading to the town, but they were actually a complete hindrance. At this point, Kuroka also seemed to have realized the effective range of this version of Heaven’s Scale and made a confused expression.

“Why is a sorcerer... doing something like protecting Angelic Knights?”

“Who knows? Is that something you need to know in order to enact your revenge?”

It was just some light provocation, but Kuroka’s face twisted with anger as she slashed in at Zagan once more. Zagan let go of the shortsword he caught and let her go wild as much as she liked.

“What’s wrong? I’ll have you know that Raphael was able to break through this Heaven’s Scale. Is this as far as your desire for revenge goes?” Zagan inquired. Thinking back on it, the only one who was capable of breaking through Heaven’s Scale head-on was Raphael.

That’s all the more reason that I have to properly respond to his devotion... That was why Zagan stepped forth to face Kuroka.

“I can somewhat sympathize with your circumstances. However, I don’t have the spare time to keep you company forever,” Zagan said as he pushed the snowfield against Kuroka. And pressured by the particles of light, Kuroka jumped back a great distance.

“You listening? Just once. I’ll permit your attack just once. If your sword does not reach me, then give up and go home. If you can’t grasp this one chance, then it will be impossible for you to ever beat me,” Zagan said. He hadn’t once raised his hand against her. All he was doing was allowing Kuroka to vent her anger, so it couldn’t even be called a fight. She had surely also sensed this by now, as her tightly sealed lips were trembling. Next, she turned to her surroundings as if taken aback. And then, as if her resolute attacks had all been a lie, her body began trembling in fear.

“Haaah... Haaah... Haaah...” Kuroka breathed roughly as sweat began to drench her entire body. Zagan could tell exactly was going on within her.

I’m an expert when it comes to revenge, after all... After swinging her sword so much, he was completely unharmed. Even if she didn’t want to, it was easy for her to understand the difference in power between them. Nevertheless, Zagan was giving her one last chance. A last chance where she was permitted to perform a completely one-sided attack, one that was impossible to fail.

In other words, she was at a standstill. If this were to turn into a real fight, she would simply die. She would accomplish nothing, leave behind nothing, and be remembered by none. Once she came to a stop, she had no choice but to look that reality in the eye.

“Do you understand now? This is revenge. The fear you feel right now is the price for revenge,” Zagan called out to her in a strict tone. Most people who sought revenge managed to bury that fear due to their anger. However, they simply forgot it, so it wasn’t like they conquered it. And if they were unable to conquer it, they would never become an expert like Zagan.

In the end, Kuroka’s desire for vengeance was more than valid, but she was a complete novice. She only knew how to challenge her target in a fair fight. With that strategy, she wouldn’t be able to persist and exhaust herself if she didn’t win. She was far too unfamiliar with the concept, which made Zagan give her an introduction to the basics.

If he was in her place, Zagan would use all his powers to drive his target into a corner. After all, revenge could only be considered properly enacted upon taking one’s target, drowning them in despair, trampling on their very existence, and cornering them to the point where they begged for death.

For that purpose, it was necessary to conquer one’s fear and keep a composed mind. Even if Kuroka somehow managed to kill Zagan, with the way she was doing it, nothing would be left. She would be empty, and upon losing her only goal in life, she would just silently wait for death. There was no way that Raphael wished for such a conclusion, and that was why Zagan spoke to her in a provocative manner.

“What’s wrong? Are you giving up already?”

Kuroka, who looked to be falling into the depths of despair, trembled with a start. And after closing her eyes, she took a quiet breath. Then, her hands stopped trembling as she held her shortswords at the ready.

“...Hey, Mister, did you find Kuu?” Kuroka asked. She had a composed tone. Those were the words of someone who had actually managed to conquer their fear.

“Yeah, don’t worry about that. She’s fine. Once she wakes up, she probably won’t even remember any of the bad things that happened.”

“You really are kind after all, Mister. If possible, I would’ve liked to meet in a different way than this,” Kuroka said, a faint smile on her face. Then, she corrected her stance and held her shortswords in an underhand grip, declaring, “I’m Kuroka Adelhide. I’ll be taking revenge for my father, Raphael Hyurandell... Here I come!”

Kuroka charged in with her blade hidden behind her back. It was a stance that made it impossible to read whether an attack was coming from the right or left. Once she got into range, her first move started with her right arm. Based on that observation, it may have been possible to sever her right arm before she finished swinging. However, she didn’t swing the shortsword in her right hand.

A feint? It was likely a feint that sacrificed her right arm. The attack, which was loaded with her drive to deliver a killing blow, was the one with the shortsword in her left hand. It was a gamble that occurred in an interval shorter than the blink of an eye. The Angelic Knights in the area surely saw Kuroka swinging both shortswords at the same time, and those terrifying swords closed in on Zagan. And then...

“Huh...?”

The one who let out their voice... was Kuroka. Her face was wet from a spurt of bright red blood as both swords... stabbed right into Zagan’s chest without erring from their mark.

“Wh...y...?” Kuroka muttured. He had clearly seen the swords. He could have stopped them with his snowfield. However, Zagan didn’t even attempt to dodge or block them.

Ugh... It really hurts... The blades were obstructed by his strengthened muscles, so they didn’t reach his heart, but they severed his bones and gouged out his entrails. Plus, the shortswords seemed to possess a similar power to a Sacred Sword, which made him unable to regenerate his wounds using sorcery. With blood flowing from his mouth, Zagan pulled out Kuroka’s shortswords.

“Why... didn’t you dodge? No, even if you didn’t... you should have been able to block it with your sorcery, Mister,” Kuroka mumbled, seemingly unable to understand what was happening.

“I said that I would permit your attack,” Zagan replied resolutely despite how painful the mere act of speaking was to him at the moment. Permitting it meant that he would accept it. Dodging or blocking it with sorcery wasn’t accepting it. That was why Zagan intended to take the full brunt of her attack from the very beginning. The fact that the wound was far more serious than he imagined just went to show how powerful Kuroka was.

“Wha—” Kuroka, who stood there in bewilderment, exclaimed as Zagan stretched out his hand to her. He remained silent as he gently embraced the trembling girl.

“Raphael was a strong and proud Angelic Knight. He’s the only man I truly respect from the bottom of my heart. That man told me... the daughter that had no connection to him by blood was more important to him than anyone else,” Zagan spoke to her in a quiet voice, which made the ears atop Kuroka’s head quiver.

Even now, you’re loved by Raphael. Notice it already... Those were the words that Zagan wished to convey to her.

“Wh... y...?” Kuroka mumbled, her face covered in tears. And with a thud, she feebly struck Zagan’s chest and continued, “Why, Mister...?” Kuroka bellowed as she threw her tiny fist against him before finally finishing her question by asking, “Why didn’t you save Lord Raphael when you’re so strong!?”

Unfortunately, all Zagan could do was continue to embrace the girl who was crying and yelling like a child.

◇

Nephteros was sitting on the ground, grasping her knees, as the fight between Zagan and Kuroka settled down.

I am... Nephelia’s clone... Bifrons had obtained several strands of Nephelia’s hair from the hidden elven village and used them as a base to create Nephteros. That was the truth she heard from Archdemon Orias.

She was something that was created, a tool that could be replaced at any time. Once she found that out, Nephteros ran away from Bifrons. She never thought she would be able to get away, but she felt that was her only choice if she wanted to survive. And as a result, Bifrons let a chimera loose to hunt her, and Nephteros’ life on the run began in earnest. It was painful, but there were many people on the way who helped her. It seemed the world wasn’t as wretched a place as Nephteros initially thought, and she felt like she grasped a thin thread of hope within it.

But it’s useless. I can’t bear this anymore... The chimera that Chastille was fighting was also Nephteros. It didn’t just have the same face as her. It had the same form, the same blood, the same flesh, and it was even made in the exact same way. Everything about it was the same. The only difference was the order in which they were born.

The Nephteros before her eyes was strung up like a toy, had her body violated by that sludge, and was turned into a chimera. The fact that she was alive, her meager pride that she could tell others she was Nephteros, had been trampled on and violated. Archdemon Bifrons was inhuman. Nephteros thought that she understood that already, but she didn’t previously believe it possible to trample on the foundations of humanity to such an extent.

“I won’t let you take Nephteros!” Chastille roared, making her desire to protect Nephteros plain as day.

If I don’t help her... she won’t stand a chance of winning... A desire to help Chastille began welling up within Nephteros. Those feelings possessed a strength which stirred up her body, and she began hearing voices.

“You should be supporting Chastille. Chant your celestial mysticism,” they said. However, the image of the chimera was reflected in her eyes.

“Urgh... Ack... Ugh...” Nephteros groaned as she vomited. She wasn’t strong enough to remain sane upon being shown such ghastly sights. And still unable to stand on her own two feet, she saw Zagan standing before her. Perhaps because that girl called Kuroka was quite the difficult opponent, his entire body was covered in blood. She had never seen him in such a state, even after the battle atop that ship, or when he stood against Archdemon Orias.

“You’re being quite docile today,” Zagan said, shrugging his shoulders.

“...” Nephteros couldn’t answer, so Zagan moved to stand next to her. His gaze was pointed at Chastille as she swung her Sacred Sword in battle. That girl was certainly strong, but even the person in question likely knew she couldn’t beat the chimera alone.

How can that girl keep fighting...? She already knew the answer. That girl was able to fight so desperately because of her desire to protect others.

“...Please, save that girl. It would be no big deal for you, right?” Nephteros begged as she grabbed hold of Zagan’s clothes. She felt she was unable to fight. No matter how repulsive its figure was, that chimera was also Nephteros. The only reason she wasn’t like that herself was because of luck. If she was any less fortunate, then she would be in its place. There was no way she could attack herself, especially not when she couldn’t even look it in the eyes.

“I spoke with Orias,” Zagan said as he placed his hand on her head with a thud. That statement made her realize he knew about the truth she had discovered. Well, it was pretty easy to tell upon seeing that chimera, and Zagan likely already knew from the beginning and just kept it a secret, but that was neither here nor there. Unfortunately, the despair of having a secret she never wished to be revealed discovered crept up her legs.

“It seems she’s decided to think of you as her own daughter,” Zagan told her quietly.

“Daughter...?” Nephteros stared back at him blankly, unable to understand why he was telling her such things.

“Thinking of your growth, it could even be said that you’re Nephy’s little sister, though you may hate the thought. And my bride’s little sister is also my little sister,” Zagan stated in a clear tone. Then, he looked straight into Nephteros’ eyes with his silver gaze and continued, “I’ll protect you from that chimera, and from Bifrons too,” Zagan declared. His words were thoroughly reassuring, and promising, but... “However, that’s only after Chastille is defeated.”

“Wh-Why? Isn’t she your ally?”

“That is a human I have acknowledged as a sworn ally. And she said she would fight. She does not desire help from me. If I were to force my way in to save her, I would dishonor her trust,” Zagan claimed as he looked down at Nephteros with a strict gaze.

“But...” Nephteros muttered. At the current rate, Chastille would die. That much was clear to her.

“You decide for yourself, Nephteros. Will you plug your ears and wait for her to perish? Or do you go and save your friend yourself?” Zagan asked as he kneeled down in front of Nephteros. It went without saying that she wanted to save Chastille. But that was unreasonable. She couldn’t face that thing.

“I want to... save her...”

“Then be quick about it. It seems she’s almost at her limit,” Zagan said. However, she couldn’t even look at that chimera. As she cast her gaze to the ground, Zagan stood in a way that blocked her entire field of vision.

“Will this do?”

He’s... really protecting me... Nephteros stared at him in wonder. That was why Nephteros clung to his back and finally began chanting.

“[Thou art he who rules over terror. Accompanied by the god of war, become he who brings about destruction and chaos.]”

The chimera, which was thrusting its limbs out at Chastille, was once more pinned to the ground. However, that chimera was still a high elf, so it struggled as it began breaking through her celestial mysticism using sheer strength.

“[Battle gives birth to the vanquished, and rule over them beckons chaos. Panic becomes a bridle, and with no harmony nor friendship, under the name of chaos and discord, the battlefields run rampant.]”

Nephteros strengthened the pressure, but the chimera let out black tears as it stretched out its limbs. It looked like it was begging for salvation, and this dulled Chastille’s strikes. And, as if using that opening, the chimera flung an arm at her.

“I won’t let you!” Kuroka roared as two shortswords came in and severed that arm. It wasn’t clear whether her misunderstanding with Chastille had been cleared up, but it seemed she’d at least decided to build a united front against the chimera. She mowed down its limbs in the blink of an eye, but the chimera still vomited out sludge as if clinging to life.

“It’s futile — Azrael!” Chastille declared as the Sacred Sword’s light burned the sludge, giving Nephteros’ enough time to complete her celestial mysticism.

“[Such is the bell’s toll that crushes the soul] — Phobos Ichos!”

If I can weaken it with this, then Chastille’s Sacred Sword can defeat it! That was what Nephteros wholeheartedly believed, but her celestial mysticism didn’t activate.

A misfire? From the very beginning, the burden of celestial mysticism was far too great for Nephteros. But still, she had always been able to use Phobos Ichos. However, now it seemed she was unable to do even that.

Upon realizing that wasn’t the case, she turned pale.

“Wh-What the?” Chastille muttered in confusion. Her Sacred Sword shined a pallid blue light. The same happened to Kuroka’s shortswords. Nephteros could tell that this was the celestial mysticism she intended to fire at the chimera.

“Cut it!” Zagan yelled. Just from that, Chastille and Kuroka both understood what they were supposed to do.

“With this...”

“...it’s over!”

The Sacred Sword and shortswords tore into the beast. Immediately following that, the chimera’s body was swallowed into a black orb. Nephteros could tell that it was a bundle of gravity so powerful that it was visible. And after that orb vanished, there was nothing left behind.

What... is this power...? It was something that clearly surpassed Nephteros’ own power. Having said that, it wasn’t the Sacred Sword’s power either. As she stood there dumbfounded, Chastille came running over, and she immediately separated herself from Zagan.

“Nephteros, are you alright?”

“Well, of course I am. I was far away from the actual battle, remember?” Nephteros replied in astonishment.

“Sorry. This is about all I could think of doing for you,” Chastille replied as she embraced her for odd reason.

“What are you talking about...?”

“It’s alright. I’m here by your side.”

For some reason, Nephteros’ vision distorted upon hearing that. And that was when she noticed... that tears were falling from her own eyes.

“H-Huh? Why...?” Chastille put more strength into her arms in attempt to combat what she assumed was a display of her sadness. It was to the point where it hurt, but for some reason, it was relieving, so it made Nephteros lose all strength in her body.

Before she knew it, Nephteros was crying loudly. And tempted by that, Chastille burst into tears as well.

“This is far too cruel... How can the world be so cruel...?”

Oh, it’s not because this girl is sad herself... Is she crying for me? She never once thought that another person would do such a thing on her behalf. And so, Nephteros felt like she had been saved by her fateful meeting with Chastille.

Unfortunately, the two girls who were crying in each other’s arms were caught up in their own little world. That was why neither of them noticed that Zagan had all of a sudden vanished, and that upon departing, his face was twisted with rage.

◇

“...What a failure. To think I wouldn’t be able to retrieve Nephteros or Azazel...” Bifrons stamped their feet in frustration while biting down on a thumbnail, then continued by saying, “This isn’t the least bit amusing! Still, it is interesting! What was that right at the end? That wasn’t simply the power of celestial mysticism. Did it sympathize... no, resonate with the Sacred Sword? Hm, this requires further research.”

Even after having all their pawns destroyed, Archdemon Bifrons didn’t learn a single lesson. And then, the androgynous Archdemon burst into laughter.

“Kufufu, Zagan really is quite fun. As for Nephteros... Well, I’ll leave her for later. Shall I just make a substitute in the meantime?” Bifrons said while donning a wicked smile, perhaps having thought of their next sinister plot. However, a large hand slammed into their head with a thud at that exact moment.

“You seem to be in quite the good mood, Bifrons,” Zagan stated, standing there with bloodshot eyes as Bifrons turned around to see him.

“...Huh? Zagan? How did you get here?”

“Do you think I have any reason to answer you?” Zagan replied, though the trick was rather simple. All he did was find traces of Bifrons’ mana and use Barbatos’ sorcery to teleport over.

“Oh dear? Are you maybe... angry?” Bifrons’ mouth popped open with a dry laugh as they asked that question.

“Not at all. I just came to accomplish what I said I would. I’ll have you go to hell right here and now,” Zagan strengthened his grip with the intent of crushing Bifrons’ skull as he made his purpose clear.

“Aaahahahah! Hellish landscapes are my favorite, you know!? Just like this!” Bifrons responded with shrill laughter. And then, sludge crept out of the surrounding walls.

This idiot still has a lot left in stock... Well, that was why Zagan came alone in the first place. He put enough strength into his grip to hold Bifrons in place, and held his other hand out to the sky.

“Heaven’s Phosphor Autumn Lightning.”

Immediately following that, lightning fell from the sky. It split into countless black branches and tore apart the sludge, which made Bifrons’ entire base collapse in turn.

It can’t compare to the Fivefold Grand Flower in penetrative power, but its area of effect is far greater... There was nothing left behind after the lightning subsided. No sludge, no base, no research results, nothing. That sorcery, which burned mana itself, reduced absolutely everything to dust. With this, the medium that Bifrons used as a source to create Nephteros should also have been annihilated. And even Bifrons’ barrier, which was set up around the entire area using all the wisdom they accumulated, was demolished. In other words, all that was left here was a naked sorcerer.

“It seems you won’t die even if I crush your skull here, but I wonder if you’d survive a point blank Heaven’s Phosphor?”

“Haha... You’re better off not killing me here. There’s far too much knowledge you’ll lose on celestial mysticism.”

“Not interested,” Zagan drove Bifrons’ head into the ground as he said that, and a splash of blood came from beneath his hand.

“Ouch, that looked painful,” Barbatos said as he broke into laughter from within the shadows. This time around, he had also been forced to go through quite the terrible experience.

This guy’s unusually angry. I wonder why... Zagan’s foolish, undesirable friend was acting like something very important to him had been hurt. That was why Zagan didn’t say anything and brought him along.

“Gak... Hak...” Bifrons groaned, somehow still alive. Hearing that, Zagan let go of Bifrons’ head and raised his right hand overhead. Bifrons was trying to put some sort of defense in place, but since Bifrons was a sorcerer, there was nothing they could do but use sorcery. And there was no sorcery that Zagan couldn’t devour.

When the sorcery dissipated in vain, doing naught but strengthening his power, Zagan drove his fist downward. The earth split and quaked. The shockwave reached all the way to the neighboring town faster than any horse could, and rocked the entire region and blew away what little debris there was left of Bifrons’ base. It was a destructive scene that made one think a meteor had landed.

However, Bifrons’ body remained. Zagan’s fist had missed Bifrons’ face and hit the ground next to their head.

“Hee... Hee...” Bifrons was trembling with a clatter.

“I thought it’d be fine to just kill you here, but I’ve changed my mind.”

“Heehee, you’ll regret not killing me — GYAAAH!?”

Zagan plunged his hand into Bifrons’ chest as the sorcerer began laughing, cutting them off.

“I planted Heaven’s Phosphor in your heart. It’s set to activate if you break a certain rule,” Zagan stated. Basically, it was a contractual sorcery.

“Isolation... That is the punishment I shall grant you. I’ll be taking charge of Nephteros. You’re not permitted to show yourself before her, talk to her, or convey your intent to her. Slowly have a taste of the hell known as loneliness.”

“Hahaa... Here I was wondering what you were going to say, and you make it something that simple... Nephteros is quite the precious specimen, but you must know that I can just make a substitute.”

“I’ll let you know one thing here. Homunculi have short lifespans. If someone doesn’t continuously supply them with mana, they won’t even survive three days. However, that never happened to Nephteros,” Zagan said as looked down at Bifrons with a faint look of pity in his eyes. Such were the limits of current cloning techniques. And yet, Nephteros was still alive. Even though she was chased by a chimera for several days on end without getting any water or sleep, she survived.

“That’s because you supplied her with mana. You protected her, keeping her from the embrace of death. The truth is, you’re attached to Nephteros,” Zagan said. If all Bifrons cared for was retrieving her, he could have just cut off her supply of mana and gotten it done easily. If the goal was to kill her, then the same thing could be done. And yet, that never happened.

“Heehee, well, it’s not any fun if she dies so easily. It’s easy to get attached to a nice toy.”

“You really don’t get it, do you? Being attached to another... is what people call love,” Zagan replied.

“You’re saying... I love Nephteros?” Bifrons looked completely dumbfounded, as if looking at something completely outrageous, as they said that. Of course, this sorcerer’s love was twisted. Forcing a one-sided love on another wouldn’t make anyone happy. There was also no way Nephteros would accept it. Such were human emotions, and there was no good or evil when it came to emotions. Love had nothing to do with such concepts. Even so, this sorcerer came to know of the emotion of loving another.

Losing the person you love... is hell itself.

The sense of emptiness Zagan felt upon forcing Nephy away from him.

The despair Orias felt upon losing everything she wished to protect.

The hatred Kuroka felt upon losing Raphael.

All of them were stuck in a hell without salvation... And that was why Zagan didn’t kill Archdemon Bifrons.

“That’s all I had to say,” Zagan vanished, leaving those words behind.

“How stupid. I don’t understand. Well, that may also be one of Zagan’s interesting sides... Fufufu...” Bifrons put a hand to their own chest as they said that, laying on the ground all the while.

However, despite that, the sorcerer didn’t even realize that they were seized by a feeling of a large hole opening within their heart.