“It didn’t work? But he defeated that snake thing?”
“...That thing was similar to a Summon Beast. But that castle is simply too large, and it even has a barrier that repels magic.”
“Ah, like the one in Faltra?”
“Yes... And you saw how powerful its attack was, right?”
“Hmm... Well, I didn’t really see it, because everything went white, and then there was a big boom.”
“...Yes, you’re right.”
The enemy’s attack was so large in scale that Shera couldn’t properly perceive the sheer magnitude of it. Diablo saw the devastation himself, since he flew up with magic to check, and Rem’s level as a sorcerer was high, so she could estimate how powerful the attack must have been.
Shera couldn’t imagine a spell simply wiping out an entire town, and Diablo couldn’t blame her. It was absurd. He wasn’t sure if that attack even counted as sorcery as he knew it.
“And that scary guy is going after you, Rem...?” Shera asked anxiously.
“...Yes, that’s what it means.”
“Aren’t you scared?”
“...Of course I am,” Rem said, a shiver in her voice. “But I’m still going to fight. I know I’m nowhere near strong enough, but I can’t sit idly by and wait for defeat to sweep over me.”
She really was scared, but she made the choice to fight all the same. She declared she would struggle to her last breath.
...You’re a strong girl.
Diablo was astonished at Rem’s resolve, but it also made him realize just how faint his resolve really was. Rem’s determination didn’t break even in the face of despair and hopelessness. She became an adventurer, swearing she would find a way to destroy the Demon Lord’s soul sealed within her body. A girl like her wouldn’t back down, no matter how great her opponent may be.
By comparison, Diablo had the power to fight. So he couldn’t lose to Rem in terms of pluck and mettle.
“I’ll fight, too,” Shera said, reaching out to Rem and clasping her hands.
“...Shera, you’re the Elven queen. You have the weight of an entire kingdom on your shoulders. You need to be aware of that.”
“I know that! But if we lose here, the Emperor could just invade Greenwood next!”
“Ugh... Y-You’re right, but...” Rem stuttered.
“I’m scared too, but I think running away by myself will be meaningless,” Shera said anxiously. “So I’ll fight with you.”
“...That’s surprisingly well-thought out, coming from you.”
“Heheheh... Right?!”
“...That wasn’t a compliment.”
“It wasn’t?”
The will to fight...
Diablo, too, hardened his resolve. He wouldn’t hand Rem over to anyone, and he would protect Shera at all costs. He would defeat Emperor Gelmed, no matter what.
All the fear and anxiety left his heart. His thoughts felt keen, and he felt primed to fight.
How do I even fight him...? How can I defeat him?
He needed some kind of lynchpin that would allow him to break through this situation.
†
In the middle of the night, Diablo woke up to the sound of knocking on the door, and he could tell something was wrong even before the messenger said anything. Diablo was called outside, with Rem and Shera following after him. Diablo decided to leave Rose, who was still damaged, in sleep mode.
They were led to the 《Prayer Room of Light》, which was similar in design to the castle’s audience chamber. The main differences were that the room was much more plain and frugal in appearance and that the prayer room had more pillars. Diablo speculated the castle’s audience chamber was designed based on this room.
Sitting at the very back of the room was Lumachina, occupying the High Priest’s seat.
“My apologies for calling for you at this time of night, Lord Diablo,” Lumachina apologized with a frown.
“Do understand that this is a state of emergency,” Tria, who stood to the right of Lumachina, appended.
Sylvie stood at Lumachina’s left, her expression strained with tension.
That’s unusual for Sylvie... Diablo thought to himself.
But the reason soon became clear when they saw the visitors standing in the room. Diablo recognized them. When he first visited the capital, he’d seen them once, and had even spoken to some of them.
The Palace Knights?!
When he heard the king had died and Lyferia’s army was routed, he was sure the Palace Knights fell in battle, too. It seemed they weren’t part of that fight, though. Standing at the front of the group was a woman clad in a black dress who glared aggressively at Diablo.
“A horned Demon...”
The air about her was so different that Diablo couldn’t immediately recognize her.
“You’re the minister, Noah...?” Rem seemed to have noticed before he did.
“Yes, that’s right,” the girl in the black dress said, still frowning. “It’s been some time, Queens Rem and Shera Greenwood.”
Diablo’s eyes widened in surprise. He finally recalled who she was. The handsome, androgynous minister who was at King Lyferia’s side during the audience.
He was a woman the whole time?!
Lyferia was a country rife with discrimination; the Demi-humans were seen as inferior to Humans, and women were seen as lesser than men. To that end, Diablo was surprised to find that one of the most influential people in the kingdom was a woman.
No... That’s probably why she masqueraded as a man. And, well, I guess she doesn’t have to bother with that anymore, given the situation. No matter which way this war ends, the Kingdom of Lyferia is done for.
“Hii?!” Shera suddenly screeched.
Her eyes were fixed on Noah’s subordinates, one of them in particular.
Gewalt.
“Hello there, sweetie~♥” He winked at her.
Rem braced herself, pulling a summon crystal from her pocket. Diablo also held his staff at the ready. King Lyferia was dead, but they had nonetheless rebelled against him and fought against his army when he was still alive... And during that battle, they faced Gewalt. Diablo wasn’t naive enough to trust that Gewalt would hesitate to continue that battle now.
✦ ✦ ✦
