A deserted castle town with shattered, pitted cobblestones. At the end of the street is a large castle with black stuff all over it. I have no idea what that black stuff is, but I’m pretty sure it’s something bad for you.
“But then again, Demon Lords really do live in castles, huh? Did the Demon Lord that Tia fought live in a castle too?”
“Yeah, that’s right. But there was a small island in a black swamp, and on top of it there was a spiky castle”
“A spiky castle…?”
Swamps aside, what is a spiky castle? Is it something with a pointed roof or a tangle of thorns? Well, I don’t get it, but it’s a Demon Lord’s castle.
“As I told you before, this was once the capital of a country called the Duchy of Touick. I believe the townscape and the castle are exactly as they were then.”
“I see. If the Demon Lord’s army is desperately doing civil engineering work, it’s a little interesting …. No, it’s not interesting. If they had the ability to build, they wouldn’t have been able to attack this far.”
The reason we were able to talk so carefree in front of the Demon Lord’s castle was, in part, because the human side’s power had hardly waned as a result of us crushing the Demon Lord’s Army’s operations. Not only have we not been weakened, but the allied armies from the various countries have been in high spirits, saying, “Don’t forgive the Demon Lord’s Army for using despicable means!” They have become a large army of 100,000, and even now they continue to attack the Demon Lord’s army with an unprecedented sense of unity.
The equipment was maintained by the dwarves, who had ample supplies due to the normal operation of the mine, and the number of casualties were surprisingly low due to logistical support by the elves who did not fall out and recovery magic by the Arlene believers whose power was not reduced by the conspiracy.
As a result of throwing away our own weight and doing everything we could to save the world, the Demon Lord’s Army no longer had the strength left to deal with us.
“It was all thanks to you, Ed-san. I’m really grateful to have you as a companion.”
“Well, it’s because Reil believed in me that we were able to come this far. Oh, and Tia, of course, right? We wouldn’t be here like this if any one of us was missing. And that too will be over soon. …. Reil”
“Understood.”
Reil took a few steps forward on the spot and used the power of the [Divine Blessing] she carried in her body to make a hole in the warding covering the castle large enough for one person to pass through. As soon as we quickly passed through the hole, she herself slipped inside, and the hole was closed the next instant.
“Are you all right, Reil?”
“Haa… Haa… Yes, Tia-san, I’m fine.”
At Tia’s question, Reil replied with a smile and a little sweat on her forehead. Even the Saint Reil could only open a small hole for a short time, which is why people are unable to defeat the Demon Lord with an army,…, and that’s why the Hero’s Party exists.
“Then, let’s go when Riel’s breath is in order. It’s unlikely that there’s anyone inside, still don’t let your guard down, okay?”
“Ara, who are you talking to? Certainly not me, who has experienced subjugating the Demon Lord and is Ed’s wonderful older sister, right?”
“Fufu. Yes, I’ll be careful.”
I nodded with a smile, and with renewed vigilance, we proceeded through the castle. But strangely, there was no enemy to be seen even inside the castle,…, and then we arrived at the great hall.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Hero.”
“Who are you?”
Standing alone was a single being, his entire body encased in pitch-black metal armor. The voice sounded like a man, but it was highly doubtful that inside the armor, which was leaking black smoke, was a humanoid.
“I was one of the Four Generals of the Demon Lord’s Army, Galgados of the Collapse…”
“Was…?”
At the somewhat self-mocking words of the other, who introduced himself as Galgados, Reil tilted her head slightly and asked,
“Yes, that’s right. The Demon Lord’s Army is on the verge of collapse and no longer has a military structure. The only one of the four remaining generals is me, and I can’t possibly make a name for myself. I’m already a defeated soldier… and this is all your fault. Hero of Reading Time, Ed”
“What, Me!? No, I’m not the Hero. She’s the Hero here.”
“Shut up!”
I tried to clear up the misunderstanding, but Galgados shouts abhorrently. The black smoke leaking from his armor billowed up for a moment, but it was only for a moment.
“…… Fuu. Yes, indeed, the Hero who avenges the Demon Lord is probably this girl there. But it was all your skill, wasn’t it, that drove the Demon Lord’s army to this point of destruction? Do you think that the existence of you, the abomination who has destroyed all of our plans, is not known to us?”
“Even you think that. I honestly think it’s overrated. …”
The knowledge of the first round I had was already dismissed about two months ago. Therefore, if we were forced to retreat here and the Demon Lord’s army reemerged, we would no longer be able to stop the plot from happening as we have done in the past. If that happens, the tragedy that should have been prevented will once again befall this world as a daily occurrence.
In short, we are not only chasing, but also being chased. We have an overwhelming advantage, but we are also the ones who have no choice.
“Nonsense. If it weren’t for your ability to read ahead, this wouldn’t have happened ….Why would someone like you appear apart from the Hero!”
“Even if you say that, isn’t it just bad timing or bad luck? I mean, it’s all about how you conduct yourself on a daily basis.”
“Kukk, hahaha! You preach to me, a member of the Demon Lord’s army, about my daily conduct! That the abominable vanguard of God has punished us for not pleasing him! Very well, pay for that insult with your own body!”
“I will not allow that!”
I drew my sword and clashed with Galgados. Master’s [Dawnbreaker] caught Galgados’ sword perfectly, and in fact, sliced the blade off.
“Gather and spread water, on the white and freezing blue moonlit night, reflecting the dim light and the breath of the diamond ice spirit! Spread, harden and freeze, under the name of Lunaritia, manifest [Freezing Area] !”
“Freezing type? Do you think something like this will even work on me!”
In the meantime, Tia’s spirit magic was activated, and a world of glistening white ice spread out around me and Galgados. However, Galgados didn’t seem to be hurt by the white ice sticking to his black armor, but rather, my body’s movement became worse when exposed to the cold air.
“Hahaha, you’ll die because of the magic of your friends! Eat this!”
“Come!”
I tried to catch the sword as it swung down at me. Then, just before Galgados’ sword struck me, there was a flash of silvery white light, and his sword did not even graze my clothes, let alone my body.
“What!?”
“I won’t let you!”
Even if only for a very short time, she can lend that blessing to someone else, a believer or not. … That was the result of Reil’s training, and because I believed in it, I could swing my sword in a deadly place without fear of death.
“Haaaa….This is the End!”
A horizontal line. I swung my [Dawnbreaker]” and sliced Galgados’ armor in half. But the opponent was a mysterious being. I remained vigilant, not letting down my guard, considering the possibility that he wouldn’t die from that much. …..
“…….. Brilliant. I was a defeated soldier after all.”
A black haze was rapidly billowing out of the armor that had been cut. The voice echoing in the room lacked the strength of the previous one, and we could hear that its life was coming to an end.
“But don’t forget. The Demon Lord is a completely different being from us. No matter how much wisdom you may have, you are powerless in the face of his overwhelming power. We will be waiting for you ahead in the land of the fallen losers. ……………………”
The rising haze vanished, and with a clatter, the armor crumbled. And even the armor quickly turned to dust, leaving nothing behind.
“…Fu~. I am sorry, but I don’t think we are going to go there, right?”
“Yes, we will not lose. We will defeat the Demon Lord, … and survive.”
“That’s right! We still have a long life ahead of us and a lot of things to do!”
“Right,…., let’s go.”
With our backs turned to the enemy, who left only a name and a word, we looked at the door at the end of the hall. The black ivy-like covering the luxurious pattern… it was ahead of us.
Over the course of more than 100 years, I have traveled across the worlds more than 100 times. The time when I will face the Demon Lord for the first time is almost here.