Chapter 15

Thus, the Six Sages’ plot entitled “Demon Lord Magic Power Rescue Operation / Six Sages Revival Ceremony / Parental Guidance Advised” was thwarted by the Hero and his comrades. The Demon Lord was rescued, and she happily took to the skies and soared back to her home. Success wouldn’t have been possible without cooperation from the princes of Tomorrow Castle in Beginnerland and the rare uniting of humans and demons against a common foe. Thanks to the power of the internet, the news that a revival attempt of the Six Sages was thwarted spread like wildfire. False information and rumors abounded, of course, and counterefforts to divide humans and demons sprang up. Only the gods knew the truth of what happened that day. Yet for the direct participants, there was no doubt that the incident brought people together and helped form a deeper bond between divided societies. “Ugh…” Hamige, who had been knocked unconscious at the end of his battle with Fyve, stirred in the dark tomb located to the east of Balse. “I’m…alive,” he said hoarsely and touched the tough armor he had equipped. It was riddled with holes, but there wasn’t a single injury on him. He had somehow managed to dodge all of Fyve’s signature instant-death spells, but the physical-piercing spell Fyve spent the last of his strength to use should have ran him through. Hamige recalled meeting the attack with a finishing move of his own, one that used his Divine Sword Eidrian. Everything past that was a murky unknown. “Ah, Lady Pino…and Sunege!” Hamige sprang up, paying no heed to his aching body. Quickly, he searched for his younger brother, who’d stood with him against the villainous sage. It turned out there was no need for concern—Sunege was lying right behind him. The younger prince was sleeping soundly, and to Hamige’s relief, he was also miraculously unhurt. “Thank goodness. We’re both alive.” After a sigh of relief, Hamige spotted a black feather on the ground. “This is…” He quickly picked it up, looking the thing over intently. Growing a little overexcited, Hamige decided that this meant his beloved Pino must have rushed to them out of great concern. She had rescued Hamige and his brother from the brink of death. “She hurried all the way here for my sake? Oh, Lady Pino… You’re so brave and beautiful…” Like someone hit on the head too many times or a fool who couldn’t take a hint, Hamige decided to take this feather as a sign of Pino’s love. “Wahhh!” Sunege suddenly jumped to his feet, shivering at his elder sibling’s creepy words. Hamige was truly in a class of his own. “Hey, Sunege. You’re awake. It looks like Lady Pino graced you with her healing as well,” said Hamige. “Urgh… My whole body still hurts a little. But it looks like we managed somehow, bro,” Sunege replied. The pair looked each other in the eye for a few seconds, then burst out laughing at how ragged the other looked. They embraced, happy to be alive. Any jealousy or ill will fostered by a difference in ability between the duo vanished. They’d risked themselves together and, most importantly, had found something worth fighting for. “…You two are loud as ever.” Hamige and Sunege looked up to see that someone was watching them as they laughed. It was Pino, a member of the Demon Generals—officer of the Demon Army and fallen angel prone to sudden mood swings. After confirming that the Demon Lord had returned to the castle, she had come to check on Hamige and Sunege and thank them for their cooperation. Truthfully, she only did so after being pushed by Oniko, who’d insisted, “He said he’d do anything for you; now show some manners and go talk to them!” “L-L-L-Lady Pino!!” Hamige pushed aside the brother he had just embraced and ran toward Pino. Her face spasmed. “Hwuh! Don’t come near me, you creep! And don’t toss your brother aside like that!” “A-ah, sorry, Sunege! But wow, you really are a kindhearted demon who places value on siblings and family. My love for you burns ever brighter!” “Shut up.” “H-hey, Bro, don’t forget about me! I’m injured!” Laughter filled the tomb, possibly due to a release of tension from having survived what undoubtedly had felt like certain doom. When things quieted down, Pino spoke up. “…I’ve said as much already, but we couldn’t have rescued the Demon Lord without your help. I’m grateful for that.” “There is no need for thanks. These criminals broke human law. As a prince of Tomorrow Castle, it is my duty to make them pay for their crimes,” responded Hamige. “Yeah. Don’t worry about it, Pino. We should be the ones apologizing. We’ve had the Demon Army and the Demon Generals all wrong. You’re the best friends I’ve ever had, yo!” appended Sunege. After hearing such kind words from humans who had once treated her with hostility, Pino softened her cold expression for the first time since entering the room. “Talking with you two makes my head hurt. Anyway, to wrap things up, the Six Sages are all still alive. They don’t deserve an ounce of sympathy, but we decided they’re not even worth killing. The Demon Lord has also forbidden her direct subordinates from taking lives. That said, this is a human problem. I trust I can leave them to you?” “Of course. We will apprehend these criminals. They’ve committed a first-degree violation of magic law. The king and the citizens of Balse were likely all under their control. My country will provide support on that front as well,” declared Hamige. “That’s a big help.” “It’s all good, girl! This incident was borne of human greed, so we need to be the ones to put an end to it!” exclaimed Sunege. Pino smiled again, then spread her black wings and turned toward the entrance. “Ah, wait, Lady Pino!” Hamige called. “…What is it?” Pino inquired without turning around. “You… After defeating your sage, you should have wanted to rush to the Demon Lord as quickly as possible. Why did you come to us first?” After a pause, Pino answered, “I—I was just worried that you might have lost.” She flapped her black wings faster to cope with the embarrassment. “D-don’t get the wrong idea! It’s not like I thought that coming here to heal your injuries was the least I could do to thank you for your help… I wasn’t thinking anything like that at all, okay?!” Hurriedly, she flew out of the tomb. “Ha-ha-ha… Those Demon Generals are good people once you get to know them. That probably goes for all demons,” Sunege remarked, watching Pino go with a smile. Hamige was visibly shaking. “My…” “Huh? What is it, Bro?” “My heart…!” “You should keep that kinda thing to yourself, my dude,” Sunege chided, exasperated. The siblings set to work arresting the remaining sages.