Chapter 27

The goddess couldn’t disappear, not until she apologized. She wished to meet him just once more before the people forgot her, before her existence vanished. Whenever she reminisced over past events, the following words escaped her mouth. “I’m sorry…” “I’m sorry…” A silver afterglow followed the slash’s trajectory, then scattered. The Demon Lord held in his hand the Dark Sword, Vernal, in its new form: the sword of condemnation, the blade to execute immortals. The Dark Sword was reconstructed with pure aether, creating a new blade of light. This blade could kill an immortal with a soul close to a higher incorporeal being’s, and so it could slice the soul of one such being incarnated. And in its pursuit of a function to kill immortals, the soul armament attained a shine similar to that of the Hero’s Holy Sword, Ixasorde. Such was the Dark Sword in its second form—Vernal Diel. Veltol used the goddess’s defense against her, cutting in before she could activate her evasive powers. He didn’t harm Hizuki’s body or soul. He slashed Meldia’s soul only. “I’m sorry.” Meldia’s existence drastically weakened, the damage to her soul unrepairable. She apologized in tears, “Gram, I…I was…” “What do have to you apologize for?” Veltol held Meldia up before she fell to the ground. “He never held a grudge against you. Nor did he ever hate you.” “—” Her tears stopped. “Goddess Meldia, you are a wellspring of love…but you chose the right target for your plentiful affections. The man you so adore couldn’t possibly hate you. And that is because—” —he is the Hero. “He…” Her gaze cast down, she asked timidly, “Gram…wasn’t miserable…?” No shred of godly glory showed in her—she was more like a child who had just been caught making mischief. Perhaps this was her true face. Veltol did not laugh. Quite the opposite—seeing her emotions laid bare made him find her beautiful for the first time. “Of course not,” he reassured her. He did not trample on her pure, unblemished feelings. “Who would feel miserable being blessed by the goddess of joy? Moreover, do you think that man would ever resent another person’s good intentions?” “…!” No one knew whether that was the truth. Demon Lord Veltol was not the Hero Gram; he had no way to know his true feelings. Still, Veltol genuinely believed what he’d just said, and those words were the goddess’s salvation. “Now go to sleep, Meldia. You beautiful, loving, beloved goddess.” “…Thank you, Veltol.” She smiled in gratitude. A stunning smile. “I’m sorry, Hizuki.” She then apologized to her medium for the first and last time. The pure-white ceremonial dress turned to light particles, leaving behind only the girl in her school uniform and the regalia. She slowly opened her scarlet and golden eyes. The golden Orb in her right socket remained with a faint light of the goddess. “Good morning, Hijiki.” “It’s Hizuki, you dummy…,” she retorted with a smile. Her expression was clear, liberated, as she had literally just been. “Huh, it’s actually not that bad waking up in a man’s arms. It’s better than my mansion’s freezing bed, that’s for sure.” “Heh, good to hear.” “Um…thanks, Veltol.” Her eyes welled with tears. Her cheeks were red, her body tensed. Resolute, Hizuki shut her eyes. “—” Right then, Veltol heard a voice in his head—a Whisper. “Velly! How’re you doing?!” “Takahashi. I just saved Hizuki; how are things over there?” “Oh, thank goodne— Wait, no! I poked a hole in the armies’ aether communication, and they’re just seconds away from fighting! We’re gonna get dragged into this whole mess! What do we do?! Run?! Machina’s here with me, by the way!” “You two come here. I…” He glanced at Hizuki. “I will go stop the war.” That was all he said. “Okay, gotcha. See ya later!” Takahashi asked no further questions before hanging up. She trusted the Demon Lord to do as he said. Veltol looked back at Hizuki. She squinted, then groaned. “Ugh…” “What is it?” “Nothing! Whatever!” Veltol simply assumed she got up on the wrong side of the bed. “Sorry to leave you after you’ve just woken up. I still have things left to do.” Hizuki nodded in response. “I get it… It’s fine.” She left his arms and stood up on her own feet. “I’ll do my part.” Tensions between the soldiers glaring at each other across Hokoten Avenue were at their limit. “I’ll do it… I’m gonna do it…,” one of them muttered. Electric Town’s troop consisted of vanguard full-borgs, along with MT26 Tristans, fourth-generation heavyweight magi-gear stocked with Failnaught guided missiles. Magic Town’s military had air sorcerers armed with shellpiercer spears, backed by Ashed Dawns, fourth-generation middleweight magi-gear equipped with high-powered swordwands. There was something almost artistic about seeing all those tools of murder and destruction lined up. “Do not let those Electric Towners get away with tarnishing our traditions!” “We’ll rid Magic Town of its obsolete junk!” They were already within range of each other. No one could stop war from breaking out. Except for a certain person. “All troops take aim—” Right before Meral could finish his command to the Electric Town soldiers… “Everyone, stand down!” …the voice of that man came through the codified comms of both armies. “This is an order from the new king of Akihabara! I repeat! This is an order from the new king of Akihabara! Stand down and listen!” Two people stepped forward from the Magic Town side. A blond girl and black-haired man, both wearing the same school uniforms, stood at the center of Hokoten Avenue. The girl’s right eye glittered gold. She had a crown on her head and a sword in her hand. “I am Hizuki Reynard-Yamada. Head of the Reynard house, one of the Three Great Houses of Akihabara.” Her voice reverberated throughout the street, magically amplified. Her words were being transmitted through the public channels of both Electric and Magic Town, carried via the aether to speakers throughout the entirety of Akihabara. People who had stayed cooped up inside came out to Hokoten Avenue to see what was going on. The girl held the golden sword aloft. “All three regalia are now in my hands. As stipulated by the city, these are symbols of legitimate regal power. That is to say, I, Hizuki Reynard-Yamada, now hold the title of king of Akihabara.” Confusion ran through the troops, and not only them. No one in Magic Town, or Electric Town, or the school could accept what she had just said. “The news of Tratte Götel, head of Magic Town, assassinating Korneah Seburd, leader of Electric Town, is simultaneously accurate and misinformed.” She lowered the sword, stabbed it into the ground, and placed both hands on top of the hilt. “Tratte was murdered, and her body was stolen. The culprit is Korneah’s true murderer. Their aim was obtaining the three regalia. I was also targeted, as I had the Orb concealed within me. I took all the regalia back from the offender.” The soldiers and onlookers were astir. “What the hell?! How can we accept a new king out of nowhere?!” “I bet it was all your doing! You did it all in an attempt to restore the Reynard name to its former glory!” “What do you mean it was concealed within you?! Stop with your nonsense, you disgrace of a noble!” “She’s just a filthy traitor! Stay out of this, woman!” Jeers rained on her. Perhaps there weren’t as many people in the entire city who thought the same as them, but such voices were constant and loud, and it hurt her. Faced with such hostility, the girl averted her gaze. “I…really can’t…” The black-haired man placed a hand on her back in a gesture of support. “Do not hang your head.” He wasn’t looking at her. He only faced forward. “A king may look down on her subjects, but she must never hang her head in their presence. You are now king, the ruler of this city. Hold your head high and look forward. These are your subjects now.” This was advice from a former king to a new king. She nodded, then raised her head. She stood tall and looked down her nose at the people. That was when she showed her true colors—her inborn nature. “I understand your confusion,” the golden king stated with majesty. “However, you can see the truth for yourselves. The regalia are all here. Akihabara is now mine to rule. But I am not capable enough.” The king smiled. A perfect smile, one she’d practiced at her job at the maid café. “So I, Hizuki Reynard-Yamada…” She returned the crown and sword to her soul, and her right eye stopped glowing. She took a breath, then spat out the words she’d been dying to say. “…hereby announce that I abolish any and all royal authority the regalia have over Akihabara!” The uproar quieted. Everyone was aghast. Her smile got even broader, amused by the reaction. “A king’s words are always absolute. So I am no longer king of Akihabara. I leave all management of the city to the Akihabara Council. The end!” I’m sorry, Father, Mother, Ms. Tratte, Mr. Korneah. Sorry for being such a bad girl. “Do whatever the fuck you want now, you buncha cloooooooowns!” Hizuki flipped the bird high to the sky. “Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha! Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” “Stop laughing already, Velly.” “How can I not laugh?! This is hilarious! You sure know what entertainment is all about, Hijiki!” “I’m tired of arguing, so I’ll just start ignoring you…,” Hizuki said. “What a great speech! I could count speeches of mine that only come close on one hand!” “Everyone was so befuddled. Things will likely be chaotic for a while,” Machina said. “Ha! They deserve it. That’s what they get for being so mean to me. Go ahead, suffer! There’s nothing tying me to this city now that Ms. Tratte and Mr. Korneah are gone.” The four of them were walking through the underground passageways of the Akihabara School of Magic. They had taken advantage of the confusion in Akihabara and fled Hokoten Avenue for the school. They were there to fulfill Veltol’s original objective: search the underground treasury to uncover the Dark Peers Records. The underground was not connected to the elevators, so they had to take the stairs on the first floor. The passageway was serviced but not fully maintained. “I still can’t believe you’re literally the Demon Lord Veltol and Machina, the Duchess of the Dazzling Blaze,” said Hizuki. “And your arm just grew back out of nowhere, too. Takahashi’s still Takahashi, though.” “Whaaaat?! Hey, I did my part, I’ll have you know!” Takahashi retorted. They’d revealed their true identity and their entire objective to Hizuki on their way there. Hizuki was still conscious when the goddess Meldia manifested, so she remembered everything that had happened, though the details were a tad fuzzy. Thanks to this, she had no trouble accepting the seemingly nonsensical story they told her. Hizuki meekly looked up at Veltol. “Are you disappointed, as a fellow king? About me abandoning my royal duties, that is.” “Of course not. This is your own noble path. You did what you had to do; be proud.” “Thanks.” She beamed. Hizuki’s smile was dozens of times more charming with the goddess gone. “Lord Veltol, what about you? Couldn’t you have used this opportunity to claim the throne?” “The endgame is still to have the entire world in my hands. There’s no harm done. I think it is part of my duty as king to respect my friend’s decision.” “Crazy logic,” Takahashi said. “I guess that’s the Demon Lord for you…,” Hizuki added. They then reached a wider area with a giant door, as tall as a five-story building, at the end. They stood before it. “So this is the entrance to the underground treasury,” Veltol whispered. Everyone gulped. “What will we do if it’s empty?” Hizuki asked. “I think there should at least be some sort of treasure, but it remains a possibility that the Dark Peers Records aren’t here…,” Machina said. “Hizuki, do it,” Veltol said. “Sure thing.” Hizuki’s right eye shone golden; a crown appeared on her head and a sword in her hand. Despite abandoning her title as king, she still possessed the regalia. The goddess was gone, but her soul fragments remained. Hizuki approached the door and touched it. Then it began opening with a roar. “Whoa.” The treasury’s contents saw the light of day for the first time in five hundred years. The spacious interior was filled with dazzling golden and silver treasure. “Whoa!” That treasure came in many forms: coins, swords, chalices, necklaces, gems…and not only conventional treasure, but ancient magi-gadgets, as well. It was brimming with objects of both monetary and academic value. “We’re riiiiich!” Takahashi ran inside. “Hey, don’t touch anything!” Hizuki snapped. “We’re gonna keep the door open and leave this stuff here as a parting gift for Akihabara.” “Won’t that cause further conflict?” Machina asked nervously. “That’s a concern for another time. I don’t give a damn what happens.” Hizuki smirked. “This place is seriously massive. How’re we even gonna look for the Dark Peers Records? I mean, it’ll take an eternity,” Takahashi said while sitting down on a hill of coins, a tiara on her head. “I should let you know that tiara is cursed,” Veltol said. “Eek!” She fell over in panic, demolishing the mountain of coins. “That was a joke. And we will find it soon. Machina, it’s here, right?” “Yes, I can feel it. Over there.” Machina pointed at the center of the treasury. There was a pedestal with a small treasure chest on top. The four of them approached. “It’s faint, but the mana here feels a touch familiar,” Machina said. “Indeed, it feels foul, yet tender…but mostly foul.” Veltol touched the chest. “Are you sure about this, Veltol? What if it’s a mimic?” Hizuki asked. “Mimics live a hundred years at most. Not to worry.” The chest wasn’t locked, so it opened easily. Inside it was a book bound with black dragon leather. Veltol grabbed it, then whispered the name of whom that Dark Peers Record belonged to. “Sihlwald, the Black Dragon.”