Questions raced through Al’s mind until he felt Kanon’s warm breath on his cheek. Despite how reckless their fight had been, Kanon’s scent was as pleasant as a field of flowers after the rain.
She was an enticing Diva, no question about it.
“I pretended to be a man because my father didn’t want me to marry anyone. Out of love for my dear, all-powerful father, I decided I’d marry the first person who could best me in a duel...”
His current, rather dangerous predicament reminded him of the incident with a certain succubus. Kanon was mounted on top of him, staring into his eyes with an inescapable gaze as her breasts gently massaged his chest every time she moved.
“And you have bested me.”
Her gaze became even more unbearable.
Al desperately tried to reroute the discussion. “B-But I just got lucky. Besides, I have the Demon King’s power and all...!”
“Please, you don’t need to be so humble! Imagine a child born from the love between a Diva and the Demon King! Don’t you think they’d be unbeatable?!”
“No I do not! Don’t just deny everything the Valkyrie blessed our world with!”
“Ah! But you’ll have to take my name before we start rebuilding Eshantel!”
“Hey, haven’t you gotten a bit too needy since we found out you’re a girl? I’d like to ask you to listen to me once in a while, but you’re a Diva, so I don’t see that happening...”
He had wanted to resolve this calmly, but that hope hadn’t exactly panned out.
“Ahhh... I can’t... Those bold words, those fiery eyes...”
She wrapped her arms around herself and began writhing on top of Al, leaving him very confused.
“Squee! Wonderful! How manly! Now I know why Toshisaka entrusted you with that mission!”
As she ran her fingers along Toshisaka’s memento, she dropped her gaze to Al’s lower half.
“Oh? What’s this~?”
She noticed a bulge in Al’s pants. Al’s entire life flashed before his eyes as he cursed the only part of his body that wasn’t paralyzed.
“Th-This is a completely normal biological reaction!”
As he was trying to explain himself, a strong stimulus ran through his entire body.
As it happened, what Kanon was stroking wasn’t Toshisaka’s memento but the other dagger Al had on his person.
“Ahahaha... Men are fascinating... Or maybe you’re the fascinating one.”
Al’s mind was sent into orbit as Kanon, the very person he’d assumed to be a man for so long, sensually traced the bulge in his pants with a cheeky, teasing, yet charming smile.
“Y’know, I never thought I’d get a man so excited...” she cooed, wearing a smile that could captivate any man and conquer any king.
“Now then, no more beating around the bush. Let’s exchange vows!”
“I’d much rather keep beating around the bush!”
She leaned even closer, still stroking Al’s ever-growing bulge...
“Aaaaaaaaah!”
When they heard a shout from nearby.
“Tch, we were just getting to the fun part!”
Al knew as soon as he looked over that the shout had come from an Imperial soldier looking to capture the injured King and the Diva. Strangely, he felt the need to thank his unusual savior.
“Kanon, run! I’ll be fine.”
He at least wanted to make sure that Kanon was safe, but she showed no sign of leaving.
No, instead...
“Hahaha! I suppose I’ll protect you, but first...”
She suddenly kissed him.
Again?!
As their desires to protect each other intertwined, Heavenly Surge activated once more. This time, however, Al’s mana entered Kanon’s body through an... undisclosed location.
“Ehh? Ahhh, nhhh... I-I’m so hot! Is this what a woman’s pleasure feels like?!”
They were swimming in mana and pleasure.
Boom!
Al’s scythe lit up and his body was completely overtaken by mana.
“We meet again, Mistilteinn.”
Al stood up and greeted his trusty scythe.
“Al, look, look! My katana!”
He looked to the source of the overly excited voice.
“Welcome... Byakuya.”
The sword, twice as long as before, was black as night; only its edge twinkled white as the purest silver. Seeing her reformed relic, she quietly murmured, “Ahaha, what a wonderful wedding gift!”
The girl happily swung the sword, which was longer than she was tall.
“Hey now, we never agreed to get married, did we?”
“Wait here, dear. Let me take out the trash before our ceremony!”
“Listen to me fo— Oh, whatever, just try not to kill them!”
Kanon raised her hand to signal she’d heard him loud and clear as she blasted off toward the Imperial soldiers.
“Wh-What should I do?”
The victor had already been decided. Althos and Eshantel should’ve been wiped from the face of the continent. Yet what had gone wrong? According to the reports, two Divas, alongside none other than Eshantel’s own Diva, had wreaked havoc over the Empire’s forces and were on their way to his very position.
What do I do now? Should I retreat and try to regroup? Do we push further in, relying on our numbers?
But right behind the crumbling novice commander...
“Oh my, are they already fighting?”
“Wh-Who’s the—”
Bouda was completely speechless. Behind him was a blonde, blue-eyed goddess wearing white ceremonial robes.
“Wh-Who... are you...?”
The smiling goddess wouldn’t so much answer the completely dumbstruck commander. She ominously looked him in the eyes, and...
“Oh my, now it’s your turn. Strip.”
“U-Understood!”
Charmed by the goddess’ beauty, Bouda took off his equipment one piece after the other. Then...
“Aaaaaaah! Wh-What are yo— Aaaaaaaah!”
Just like that, the second Imperial commander fell victim to Cecilia of Althos.
“I see... So Toshisaka is...”
After the battle was over, Al shared Toshisaka’s last moments with Kanon, who was paralyzed due to the aftereffects of Heavenly Surge. After a tiny nap to fight off her complete exhaustion, Kanon had returned to her usual self.
Al had finally regained his ability to move. Besides a bit of numbness here and there and a throbbing headache, he was back to normal. He was alone with Kanon, Sharon, and Feena. Jamka and Brusch were dealing with the post-battle operations, and Cecilia was treating the injured soldiers at the infirmary, which was marked by the enemy commander hanging from a stick in his underwear.
She’s taken up a strange hobby, stripping enemy commanders down to their underwear.
Disregarding that thought, Al turned toward Kanon.
“If... If I could’ve stopped him, then maybe...”
“It’s not your fault. It’s all on me for being played by the Empire like a damn fiddle.”
She said it with a bright—or rather, a refreshing smile, as if she’d set her mind on something.
“And you brought Toshisaka’s dagger to me to honor his last wish.”
Al, unable to bear her pure smile, averted his gaze and answered with a tiny nod. Kanon ran her fingers across the memento from Toshisaka.
“I appreciate what you did from the bottom of my heart, but I have one last favor to ask,” she said, looking straight into Al’s eyes.
“Everything that happened between our countries is my responsibility. I personally gave out every order, so I would like you to pardon my troops. Of course, I’m willing to make reparations for the damages, even if it means... giving you my very self!”
Thwack!
Al flicked Kanon’s forehead.
“Ehh?! What? Why did you hit me? Is fighting all you men can do?”
“Take it as you wish!”
It was an unusually blunt response for Al.
“Is he mad?”
“No, he’s furious!”
Al overheard Feena and Sharon’s small exchange and turned toward them.
“You bet I am! Toshisaka gave his life to protect her, and now she’s throwing herself away!” Al exclaimed, airing his unfiltered emotions.
“Then what should I do?! What’s the point of my existence without my country, without Toshisaka?! Tell me!”
Kanon looked at Al with seemingly endless tears streaming down her cheeks, but Al answered with a gentle smile.
“You can always rebuild your country. You still have all your troops, all the people you saved, and all your friends willing to lend a hand, don’t you?”
“My people... My friends...”
Kanon wiped her face and gave Feena a meek look, to which she nodded softly.
“Plus, we have a bunch of vacant houses and enough produce for everyone. If you don’t have anywhere to go, feel free to stay with us until you recover,” he offered, regardless of the inevitable hour-long speech he’d receive from Jamka in return.
“That means... this... This isn’t the end of me, of Eshantel...”
“Of course not. You can stay here, gather your people, recover, and go back whenever you want.”
Feena slowly walked up and hugged the weeping girl.
Kanon returned the hug. “Th-Thank you... and sorry, Feena... I caused so much trouble...” Knowing that Kanon was a girl meant he had no reason to be jealous... Probably.
“This is great and all, but I’m starving here!”
Despite her complaints, Sharon was smiling.
“Have you calmed down?”
Minutes, or maybe hours later, Kanon had stopped weeping in Feena’s arms.
“Yes. Sorry, FeenaAAAAA?!”
Kanon’s meek expression was suddenly overtaken by terror as she looked up at Feena.
“Good. Then let’s hear your excuses.”
Her gentle face was long gone, replaced with a cold, dark stare reminiscent of the darkest of winter nights as she groped Kanon’s chest.
“Huh? Feena! Let it up a— Ouch! That hurts!”
Kanon struggled, but Feena’s hold was unshakable.
“You told me you’re a man. Was that a lie?”
“No! I did it for my fathe— Ouch! Listen to— Owowowowow! I didn’t want to lieEEEEEEE!”
After torturing her for a bit, Feena finally let go of Kanon’s breasts.
“Hmph! You liar! Traitor!”
“Huh?! You just called me a friend!”
“I never said that. If you’re staying in this country, either cut off those melons or stay out of my sight!”
The contradiction in her words was clear as day, but no one dared to speak out against them.
I see! She wore that armor to hide her breasts!
Al was visibly satisfied with his discovery, but Feena, who just happened to look back at him at the wrong time, was less so. She ran off, sulking.
“Feena, wait! Look, we can finally live together! Let’s have a chat!”
With her grace on the battlefield having seemingly vanished into thin air, Kanon ran after Feena, desperately trying to get her attention.
“I want to be with Al... and no one else.”
Her tiny whisper as she glanced back at Al was carried away by the wind.
“Hehehe. How wonderful, Demon King...”
Deep below the castle, in the darkest recess where only royalty can tread, stood a maid. She ever so slowly traced the indent in the giant door with her finger. In that indent laid a colossal scythe.
“They have released the second scythe... Hehehe... Soon, my Lord. Very soon indeed...”
Her sadistic, bewitching smile shimmered through the darkness before she disappeared.