Chapter 3: Going to Caliture
The next day, with Fennely recovered from her estru... or rather, her cold, she guided them out of the Kobolds’ forest. The storm had cleared and it was sunny out. The season was cold enough for the tips of the northern mountains to be covered with snow, but the region was kept warm by the winds of the southern seas, making it pleasant enough. Deploying her summon beast, Turkey Shot, to the skies, Shera confirmed a mountain that served as their landmark and pointed ahead.
“They said to head behind the white-headed twin mountains toward the noon sun, so it should be this way.”
“...It’s one o’clock, it’s already moved a bit west.”
“Do you have a watch?”
“...I don’t need a watch to have an estimate grasp of what time it is. Though I can’t tell exactly how many minutes past it is.”
“Wow, Rem! Your stomach’s really good at telling the time!”
“...My stomach has nothing to do with this.”
“We just have to keep walking for half a day in this direction, right?! There’s also the marks on the trees here and there.”
Shera briskly walked across the forest. She was an Elf, despite appearances, and was used to walking through forests.
“...It would take the Therianthropes less than half a day to get back out to the road,” Rem said with a frown.
“Think we’ll reach there during the afternoon?”
“...They can outrun a deer, so it’d be impossible for us to move at their pace... We should be prepared for it to take us a full day.”
“Awwwww... I wanna sleep on a bed~” Shera dropped her shoulders in disappointment.
Even this girl, who aspired to be an adventurer and loved traveling, had grown tired of this long journey. Diablo then decided to change the topic, asking a question that had been troubling him for some time now.
“Just what are the Therianthropes?”
Cross Reverie had a distinction between the races (the Humans and the demis), Fallen (which included the magical beasts) and the wild beasts. The Kobolds were monsters that fell into the wild beast category. So were beasts divided into animals and Therianthropes?
Rem brought a hand to her mouth.
“Perhaps... it would be best if we discussed the Therianthropes for a bit.”
“Hmm.”
“...To begin with, as you know, Lyferia is a country ruled by Humans. The demis live in it, too, but that’s because they’ve been allowed to do so.”
They were in the minority, but he did spot Elves and Pantherians living there.
“...Lyferia is the strongest country on this continent. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the continent is ruled by Humans.”
“So it seems.”
“...The demis they acknowledge as part of the races are the Elves, Pantherians, Dwarves, Grasswalkers, and Demons. Among them, the Elves are said to be closest to the gods, and are treated as a bit more special than the others.”
“And the Demons are treated differently for the opposite reason.”
“...Yes. They’re abhorred because it’s said they have the blood of the Fallen running through their veins. But the other races—Pantherians, Dwarves, and Grasswalkers—were once considered Therianthropes.”
“Oh?”
That wasn’t part of Cross Reverie’s lore.
“...That was before the kingdom of Lyferia was founded, long ago. But since those three races learned to speak the Humans’ tongue, they were admitted into the races.”
“By the Humans?”
“...Yes, by an ancient king of the Humans. That king made that law, which is why the races are what they are today. Conversely, races that did not learn the common language were treated as beasts.”
In other words, they were judged to be non-Human and have been treated as monsters by the kingdom of Lyferia ever since.
“An oppressive story if I’ve ever heard one.”
“...Rulers are all oppressors to some extent. Not just the Kobolds, but the ogres, dryads, and lamias are widely treated as Therianthropes. Some also count the giants, trolls, and orcs among them too, but it becomes harder to define at that point.”
“Hmm... I see.”
According to this definition, the races were limited to those who could speak Lyferia’s common language. The Fallen and magical beasts turned to particles of light upon death, and the beasts were those who were neither this nor that. There was no method of distinction between regular beasts and Therianthropes.
“...Researchers categorize giants and trolls as Therianthropes because they attack the races on sight. Their biology doesn’t allow us to coexist with them.”
“True enough.”
Giants devoured the races. Or rather, they were a race that fed off of everything that was smaller than them and moved. Trolls and orcs were only male, and took advantage of the races’ females to reproduce, which was understandably not part of the game’s lore.
These examples weren’t things done out of malice, this was simply their nature. Peaceful coexistence with them was difficult.
“...Still, there are many lifeforms out there who look far different from Humans, like birds, fish, and insects. They have wills of their own, some sort of communication method, and can feel pain... but I think treating them all as the races wouldn’t be right.”
“If you take that way of thinking far enough, plants are living beings, too... And we can’t live without eating anything. There’s a difference between eating the races and eating birds and fish, after all.”
She nodded.
“This was why the ancient king made his decree. ‘Those who cannot speak the tongue of man are beasts.’ And in that regard, perhaps it wasn’t out of mere oppression. Someone simply had to draw the line somewhere.”
Compared to Diablo’s old world, this other world had many more races that stood on the border of man and beast. There had been many times so far that his world’s values didn’t apply in this one.
“...But if everyone could speak to the Therianthropes like you can, perhaps we could draw a different line.” Rem looked at Diablo with envy in her eyes.
“Mm? Yes, that could be.”
“...If nothing else, I can no longer look at the Kobolds as mere beasts.”
“Agreed.”
He’d never tried it, but he might even be able to speak to giants. Though, in that case, they’d probably just say, “Gonna bite your head off.”
Being able to exchange words didn’t necessarily mean you’d always get along.
†
They found their way back to the road just as they were about to give up and discuss where they should camp out. It was already late into the night. The next morning, they set out early, and around dusk, finally reached a town of the races just as the sky was becoming a shade of madder red.
“Finally, a town!” Shera raced ahead, and Diablo admonished her so she wouldn’t trip.
Rem, on the other hand, was visibly nervous.
“Caliture...”
Its outer perimeter was covered in high walls, which reminded Diablo of Faltra. There were also a few watchtowers with diagonal roofs.
“If I recall, Caliture has a Fallen-repelling barrier as well, correct?”
“...Yes.”
There shouldn’t have been any Fallen in this region, but since this was the largest base in the south, it still had vigilant defenses applied to it. Unlike the Fallen, who act with deliberate intent, magical beasts can appear anywhere, not unlike a natural disaster. A barrier to block their advance was crucial.
As it was sundown, the gates were bustling with farmers who had returned from the fields, traveling merchants, and travelers. Thanks to that, Diablo entered without anyone asking any questions about his horns.
“If you’re passing through, do hurry up!” the gatekeeper called out. “We close the gate at sunset!”
Such were the circumstances, it seemed.
“It’s even more strict than Faltra here, isn’t it?”
“...It wasn’t like this before. It’s likely because they’re in the middle of hostilities.”
“Oh, I see.”
Had Diablo not done anything, this city would have been under attack from the Kobolds right now. It was only natural they’d close down the gates for fear of a night raid.
“Heehee!” Shera grinned. “It’s all thanks to you!”
“Mm?”
“I mean, wasn’t there going to be a war?”
“Mmm... I suppose.”
When she put it like that, he really did do quite a bit. It wasn’t over yet, though. Diablo passed through the gate and looked around the town.
“We have to honor our promise to them, too.”
They’d have to have Caliture’s governor—and depending on how things went, even the king of Lyferia—acknowledge the Kobolds as residents of this land.
“...I’m sure you’ll be able to do it, Diablo.” Rem regarded him with a serious gaze.
No pressure, huh?
“W-Well, where’s the governor’s estate? Do I simply go down the main street?”
The cities in this world all had many times the number of buildings they had in Cross Reverie, with the roads being far more winding. And Diablo couldn’t read the signs, either. The game only had the buildings the players absolutely needed, and the number of people passing by was minimal, too, which was understandable, but...
Rem shook her head.
“...The main street on this side of the walls is a dead end leading to the wealthy merchants’ warehouses. The central main street is a shopping district, too. It does have inns, though.”
“Mm?”
“...We’re currently in the northern district of Caliture, and the road leading to the central district, where the governor’s estate is, is through the small road to the side of that big building over there.”
“That’s weird!” Shera smiled.
“...That said, that road gets a lot of people passing through and means going around through the western district. The locals just use the underground path.”
“Underground path?!”
Rem pointed ahead to what looked like a subway station’s entrance. Locals who didn’t carry much on hand were passing through it.
“...It’s a bit hard to notice when you’re not used to the place.”
“It’s not a bit hard to notice! It looks like a dungeon!”
Diablo had to agree with Shera on that point.
“There’s no way around having these passes, though.” Rem shrugged. “Caliture is built over three slopes, and the underground path takes you to the second floor of the central district.”
Why the heck is it so convoluted? What is this, Osaka Station?
“Well, you can leave the getting around to me. We should reach the governor’s estate before it gets too da...”
But just as they were about to get going, a group of six male Pantherians approached them, led by one with a mohawk haircut.
“Hey there, bro. You a slave merchant or somethin’?”
Their gazes fell on the collars around Rem and Shera’s necks.
Been a while since I’ve had to deal with bozos like these guys...
Rem ignored them by turning her back.
“...Don’t spare them any attention. Let’s just go.”
“Hey! Wait up!”
The mohawk Pantherian reached his hand out to grab—surprisingly enough—Shera. He grabbed her roughly by the wrist.
“Ow?!”
“How dare you...!”
Diablo reflexively reached out to push the Pantherian aside, but... bang! His palm heel sank squarely into the Pantherian’s chest, sending him hurtling away.
Crap! I put too much force into that!
The mohawk Pantherian was sent flying ten meters across the gate plaza, with the remaining five turning bloodshot, glaring eyes at them.
“Why, you...!” “You did it now!” “We’ll waste you!”
Rem heaved a deep sigh, rubbing her eyes tiredly. They hadn’t been in town for five minutes and they were in trouble already.
But there was no helping what had already been done. Diablo thought this as Shera hid behind him.
“Heheheh... I am no slave merchant, but a Demon Lord hailing from another world! Come at me if you don’t value your lives!”
Though it seemed there was no daunting them when all the blood went to their heads like this, and the group of Pantherians charged at him, spouting war cries. Their levels seemed relatively high for thugs, with all of them being level 40 or so. They weren’t weak, but that was about it. Diablo was currently over level 100 just as a warrior, exceeding the limit of the races. Even a group of level 40s couldn’t stand a chance against him.
He averted a second punch with a wave of the hand, and stepping forward to knock his opponent off balance, socked him straight in the face with a jab. Pulling back his arm, he nailed the third Pantherian with an elbow to the jaw, and then wheeled around to plant a kick in the stomach of the fourth one, who tried to sneak up on him from behind.
Compared to the Demon Overlord Modinaram and the Swordmaster Sasara, they looked like they were moving in slow motion. What took the most effort out of him in this fight was refraining from putting too much strength into his blows.
The remaining Pantherian wobbled away fearfully.
“H-He’s strooong...!”
“No, you’re just weak. I’ll spare your lives, so never try messing with visitors again. Or would you have me show you how serious I can be?”
“Eeeep?! I’m sorry!” He screamed and ran off, leaving his friends behind.
“What a bother...” Diablo shrugged.
“Wow! Thank you! I was scared, Diablo!” Shera leaped at him excitedly again.
You do know you could probably beat them on your own, right? You’re a level 80 archer. And you have a full set of gear enchanted by the Demon Lord Krebskulm.
But just as he thought that, Rem tugged hard at his cloak.
“We have to run!”
“Huh?”
And then he saw it—the gate guards were heading their way, having noticed the ruckus. Diablo didn’t think he had done anything wrong, but sticking around for a questioning meant they’d only get going when it would be too late to visit the governor.
Abiding by Rem’s advice, he decided to run. Holding Shera in his arms, he took off into the underground passage. Rushing down the staircase, he found it branched into three roads right off the bat.
“Over here!”
“This is seriously a maze!”
Disappearing into the crowd, Diablo ran down the passageway.
†
Once they made their way out of the underground passage, they were indeed on the second floor of a building. Looking down from the window, they saw the main street on the first floor.
“...That’s the governor’s estate.” Rem pointed at one building that stood like a castle among the short residences.
Influential people have a thing for tall places...
The estate also had a tower with a familiar shape.
“Is that a barrier tower?”
“In Faltra, the two places are separate, but in Caliture, the mage’s guild is integrated into the governor’s estate.”
It seemed the relationship between the two was that close here. They continued through a corridor set up beside a small store and then down the stairway, finally setting foot in the central district... only to be surrounded by unusual people.
All of them were Pantherians, and they were all noticeably well built. Just their poses made it clear they were strong, and there were over twenty of them.
“Tch... Friends of those fools from earlier?”
Diablo reached for his pouch. He didn’t want to use magic in the middle of town, but fighting bare-handed against this many people was dangerous.
“...Not you guys,” Rem said with an extremely displeased voice.
The Pantherian leading the group had an unusual head. Most male Pantherians looked essentially Human, except that they had cat ears and tails. But rarely, some Pantherians were born with panther heads, though it was said that, despite their different appearance, they were still normal on the inside.
That panther-faced one was larger than the rest of the group and considerably more bulky than Diablo. He was probably a grappler, judging from his well-trained fists, and a fairly high level one, at that.
Diablo was already in his range, so if he let down his guard for even a moment, the Pantherian could reach out and snap his neck. And so Diablo honed his concentration. The panther-faced one then curled his lips up in a smirk, and lowered his head at once.
“Welcome home, young miss!”
He bowed his head respectfully toward Rem. The others acted the same, bending down to a perpendicular angle to bow before her.
“Welcome home!” “Young miss!” “We’ve been looking forward to your return!”
The passersby were staring at them curiously. A young boy pointed at the sight, only to be carried off swiftly by his mother. Some shady-looking men turned around and ran in the other direction.
“...See...” Rem stammered, her face flushed red. “This is why I... didn’t want to come back here...”
Diablo and Shera exchanged glances.
Young miss?
The panther-faced one then turned to speak to Diablo.
“Did you bring the young miss here, good sir?”
“I assume you know Rem?”
“The assistant instructor wishes to see you. Could you come along with us?”
“What poor soul calls for my presence?”
“...They’re all apprentices of the Gadou clan.” Rem parted her lips bitterly. “And the assistant instructor is... my aunt.”
“You still have living relatives?!”
Rem hung her head.
“...I’d intended to leave my hometown behind me.”
The panther-faced one shook his feline head in denial.
“Perish the thought. A day hasn’t gone by without the assistant instructor worrying over you, young miss.”
A clapping sound rang out as Shera brought her hands together.
“Right, didn’t you promise to tell me what the Gadou clan was, Rem?!”
Everyone else froze up at this markedly untactful comment. Even if they did have that kind of promise, she shouldn’t have mentioned it now in front of the apprentices.
“Good friend, the Gadou clan refers to those studying the Gadou style of martial arts,” the panther-faced one answered gently. “The instructors are as our parents, our fellow apprentices are as brothers and sisters, and through those relationships, we form a bond stronger than family.”
“Oooh.” Shera nodded with an expression that made it clear she didn’t really get it.
Rem declared flatly,
“They’re pretty much the yakuza.”
Whoa... Diablo found himself mentally backing away.
†
The sun set below the mountains’ ridgelines.
They were in a courtyard in one corner of the central district. The premises were surrounded by a fence so high it reminded Diablo of a prison. A bonfire illuminated the area in the center. They passed through the gate surrounded by a group of men. As they did, half-naked apprentices in the middle of training noticed their approach, rising to greet them with a start.
“Welcome back!”
They’re so sultry...
Compared to these people, the Kobolds’ presence was calming. Diablo never was too good with jocks... To say nothing of actual yakuza.
“Hmph...”
Diablo stuck to his nonchalant Demon Lord-ly attitude, but inside, he was positively shivering.
“Hiyaaah!”
The one who screamed, however, was Shera. Diablo almost jumped from the surprise, and turned his gaze to see what had happened—
Only to be faced with the incomprehensible sight of a woman clinging to Shera’s hips, rubbing her fingers over them.
“My, my... What a lovely butt. If I didn’t know better, I never would have imagined you’d be an Elf.”
When did she creep up on us?!
The only ones around them right now were the men, but this woman slipped through the encirclement and sneaked up on Shera in the span of a single moment.
What is this, super speed?! Instant Transmission?! It can’t be anything that cliché, can it?
The woman had black hair with a pair of black cat ears sitting atop her head: a Pantherian. Except Pantherians typically had orange hair with yellow and black spots, but this woman was a rare example of a black Pantherian.
In other words, she was the same as Rem. The same Rem who currently raised her voice in an angry rebuke.
“Let go of her, Auntie!”
Upon being called “Auntie,” the woman recoiled. Albeit with her right hand still glued to Shera’s buttocks.
“N-No... Remmie, is this your rebellious phase? I can’t believe this. I always thought you were clever, but now you’ve become a little hooligan...”
“I’ve become nothing of the sort. Get your hands off of Shera. Do I have to get mad at you?”
“Only if you call me ‘Big Sis Solami.’”
Diablo had finally gotten a handle on his bearings. This woman appeared seemingly out of nowhere, but he had to defend the girls!
“Unhand Shera this instant!”
He reached out to this woman called Solami (apparently Rem’s aunt), intending to slap her arm away. That said, Diablo still wasn’t used to touching women. He only reached out, not actually touching her.
Solami giggled.
“My. Quite the good intuition you’ve got.”
“What?!”
Electricity crackled around her body, dispersing into the air.
Lightning Cloak ? !?
A martial art that converted SP into a layer of electricity that covered the user’s body that dealt damage to anyone who touched them. However, its active time was short. That martial art wasn’t all that unusual in and of itself... Except Solami had been groping Shera’s behind since the moment she appeared, and Shera hadn’t taken any damage.
So she used Lightning Cloak on every part of her body except for her right arm? Is that even possible?!
There was no doubting she was skilled on a level Diablo couldn’t immediately comprehend.
“Heheheh...” Solami eyed him kindly. “Shouldn’t you save her, friend?”
“Aaaahiiii...” Shera twisted and writhed her body with tears in her eyes.
It looked like Shera only had her hips fondled, but apparently something was preventing her from moving away.
Is there some kind of martial art that prevents the target from moving?
“Hmph...” Diablo did his best to hide his agitation. “Those are some odd skills you employ. I understand that you are Rem’s aunt and the assistant instructor here.”
“Hey, now. You mustn’t call an older woman ‘aunt’ or anything like that. Call me ‘Big Sis Solami.’”
She spoke with the kind, calm tone of a sweet older sister. Except... No, there was no such sister. It was just an illusion of what an older sister would be like. Yet, still, there was no doubting how skilled she was.
The people surrounding Diablo’s group had all taken their distance. In other words, this was no accident, but a premeditated incident. Diablo had no idea what their objective here was, though.
No... A single thought surfaced in his mind.
Did I just walk into a yakuza family’s stronghold after putting an Enslavement Collar on their daughter?!
Diablo was sweating bullets of cold sweat. Rem probably didn’t quite realize it, but this was one hell of a mess they had just walked into!
Aaaah... W-Wait, calm down! You have your Demon Lord role play for times like these.
Right now, I’m Diablo.
I am Diablo.
The Demon Lord, Diablo!
“Heh... Heheheh... Interesting tricks, Solami.”
“My, my.” She giggled. “Now that’s a good look in your eyes.”
“It matters not who you are nor what you aim to achieve, but she belongs to me! Know that, should you harm a hair upon her head, your life is forfeit!”
“She belongs to you? My, I didn’t know.”
Shera’s body then folded, and she squeezed out a faint voice with tears in her eyes.
“D-Diablooooo...”
“I’ll reclaim you now, Shera! Lightning Bullet!”
“Elemental magic?!” Solami’s eyes widened in shock.
Indeed, it was rare to see it used in this world. A magic circle formed from the tip of his staff, firing off balls of light. Lightning Bullet was a spell that charged swiftly and packed significant firepower.
“Yah!” Solami stuck out her left hand, her fingertips deflecting the balls of light.
“What?!” Diablo raised his voice despite himself.
He was a warrior of over level 100, and could tell this was a martial art that used SP.
She concentrated her SP in her fingertips...?
“Heheh.” Solami swung her left hand. “Made them a bit numb, I’ll admit.”
As Diablo and Solami faced off, Rem stormed in from the side.
“Solami, that’s enough!”
“Nn...”
Rem fired off a kick. The woman was capable of deflecting a Lightning Bullet, so there was no way a physical attack would hurt her. Or so Diablo thought. But surprisingly, Rem’s kick shined with SP, too—the same as Solami’s fingertips.
Solami blocked the powerful kick with her left hand, and as she did, a bang! rang out as sparks sprayed into the air. Solami finally made distance between herself and them, moving back.
“Good work. You pass. ?” She grinned, making the shape of a circle with both of her hands.
Shera toppled over, as if she’d lost the strength in her feet, and Diablo hurried to catch her.
“Hey! Shera, come to!”
“Aaaahn...”
“Are you all right?!”
“S-So... light...”
“What?”
“M-My body... feels really light...”
What? Diablo and Rem cocked their heads in a puzzled expression.
“My body always felt heavy, like my boobs were pulling me down, but after Solami touched me, I feel as light as a feather!”
Solami chuckled audibly.
“Girls with big busts tend to have their waist muscles cramp up, right? But it feels better after I gave the ol’ rub down, right?”
“Yep! It was amazing!” Shera grinned. “It felt so good I couldn’t move!”
So that’s why you didn’t run?!
“...I shouldn’t have tried to save you,” Rem spat out spitefully.
“Boo. But, I was happy you tried to save me, Rem!”
“I evidently shouldn’t have tried to.”
“Thanksies!”
Solami happily eyed the two as they bickered.
“It’s honestly surprising to see that you made a true, honest friend, Remmie.”
“...Don’t misunderstand things,” Rem retorted with a clicking of the tongue. “This fat, saggy Elf and I are not friends.”
“Right! We’re companions and comrades!” Shera responded, to which Rem began arguing back.
Solami still had a kind look in her eyes.
“And your skills haven’t dwindled, either.”
“...No...” Rem’s expression contorted at that remark. “I refuse to rely on the Gadou style. Letting the enemy close is too dangerous. I’m a summoner right now.”
“Remmie, you know he wanted you to be his heir.”
“...Regardless of Father’s will... I will not be a grappler. I lack the aptitude for it, anyway.”
Rem walked off inside the building, as if fleeing the scene.
†
It was after nightfall; far too late to visit the governor.
Diablo and his group were in the Gadou clan’s estate. Rem called them the yakuza, but contrary to what that word implied, nothing felt oriental about the place. The structure was built in the same way most buildings in Lyferia were, which could be summed up as a Middle Ages European style—chiefly reminiscent of France and Germany in the 13th century.
Diablo, of course, never lived in those times, and couldn’t discern how historically accurate that assessment was, but this was another world, after all.
Even without comparing it to the palace, the estate’s interior was plain. The walls were covered in yellow-white fabric, and the curtains had simplistic designs. The room felt wide enough for the walls to feel far apart, and it was set with a black, oblong table.
Diablo was seated on a wooden chair that was so heavy it almost felt like it was made of metal. To his right was Rem, to his left was Shera. And sitting opposite them was Solami.
“Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Solami Galleu, assistant instructor of the Gadou clan’s martial arts.”
“...Where’s Uncle?”
“Heheh... The instructor was sent to resolve a dispute in the far east. I believe it’s been six months already.”
“...As always.” Rem sighed.
“I haven’t heard much of the Gadou clan,” Diablo said.
If nothing else, it wasn’t featured in Cross Reverie.
“We are said to possess a style of martial arts devised many years ago by Fistmaster Gadou.”
“The Fistmaster?”
“Yes. He existed before the Adventurer’s Guild existed in Lyferia, and would accept requests from the kings and nobles.”
“Hmph... So he’s a professional rival of the adventurers.”
“Yes, that’s what it would imply, but fistmasters have a good relationship with the adventurers. I myself often have tea with Caliture’s Adventurer’s Guild’s guildmaster.”
Fistmasters, huh?
It was likely left out of Cross Reverie, but it sounded like the grappler equivalent of the swordmaster. Some players had raised demands for something of the sort. And still, Diablo didn’t know why the Gadou clan was left out of the game. Was it because the players would object to an organization led exclusively by Pantherian grapplers? Diablo couldn’t tell.
“And I am also something of an older sister for Remmie.” Solami smiled widely. “A pleasure to meet you all!”
Her smile was as kind as ever, but that somehow came across as scary.
“...She is no sister of mine.” Rem shrugged. “Rather, she is my father’s younger sister.”
So, in other words, she was definitely Rem’s aunt.
“In terms of feeling, I’d like to think I’m very much like your sister.” Solami frowned. “You’re a precious little sister to me, Remmie. You do know that, right?”
It honestly didn’t come across as very believable. While still shivering like a scared kitten on the inside, Diablo asked, “Why did you call Rem over to test our skills, then, if she’s such a precious little sister to you?”
“Heheh... You call that testing your skills? That was a greeting.”
“After you used martial arts on us?”
“No one was hurt, though.”
“I actually feel better than before!” Shera pumped her fists.
“...That’s just what Solami is like,” Rem said coldly. “It probably was her idea of a greeting. Though there is a good chance you wouldn’t have gotten away unscathed if you lacked skill.”
“But Rem, Solami is really nice,” Shera said with a curious expression. “Why did you leave your hometown?”
True enough, putting aside questions of common sense (or lack thereof), there was no doubting Solami cherished Rem. Shera’s question was justified. Shera herself loved her homeland in the forest, but had to run away from her home due to her brother, Keera’s, disgusting pursuits.
“That’s one question I’d love to hear the answer to as well.” Solami leaned forward. “Why did you leave without a word when we all care so much about you?”
It seemed Rem’s departure from the nest wasn’t a peaceful affair.
“...I’ve decided to become a summoner instead of a grappler.” Rem hung her head. “That’s all there is to it.”
“But why not be a grappler?! Punching your enemy’s face into a pulp is so satisfying!”
“That’s not the issue here,” Rem cut her off. “We never told you, Solami, but both Mother and I had a very important secret. My leaving home is related to that.”
“A secret?”
Rem’s secret. In other words, the fact that she had had the Demon Lord Krebskulm sealed inside her body. When Rem first revealed the secret to Diablo, her eyes were full of tears, but now her expression was clear and calm.
“...But, thanks to Diablo, I’ve resolved that problem. Perhaps not entirely, but I don’t need to agonize over it all on my own. One day, when I have children of my own, I will not have to be burdened with sadness.”
“Resolved...?!” Solami stared at Diablo with wide eyes.
I guess this aunt of hers already knew about the secret to some extent.
They’d lived together for a long time and seemed to be friendly enough with each other. It was hard to say just how much she knew, though.
“...It is something of a long story, but I will tell you later, Solami.”
“Understood, Remmie. I’ll listen to you for a thousand-and-one nights if that’s what it takes.”
“...It’s not that long of a story.”
The door opened, and a Pantherian man in a black apron walked in. He was apparently in charge of serving meals, and brought in some tea. It had a refreshing aroma, fitting for a warm land.
†
Solami formed a bridge with her fingers and rested her chin atop it. The atmosphere in the room grew thicker.
“So, may I ask a few questions, then? Could you explain what the collars around Remmie’s and Shera’s necks mean?”
Diablo swallowed nervously. It felt like, depending on the answer, Diablo’s life might be at risk.
“W-Well, you see...”
Struggling with how to answer, he tried to repress his voice from rattling. Rem cut in and explained instead.
“...I failed my summoning magic, and the Enslavement Collar meant for my summon beast latched onto me instead. Removing it would require a great effort, so we’re putting it off for the moment.”
A concise explanation. Perhaps she’d thought of how to explain things ahead of time.
“I told you magic was trouble, didn’t I?” Solami contorted her face into a grimace. “Your muscles don’t betray you.”
“...There are no problems with summoning magic in and of itself. I was simply inexperienced.”
“I do think that, if you’d have stayed here and trained, you’d have become stronger than I am by now.”
“Is Rem that strong?!” Shera exclaimed.
“She was amazing, I’ll have you know,” Solami said happily, as if bragging about her little sister. “She was level 40 as a grappler even when she was as tall as my knee. She’s more talented than me or my brother, and people lauded her as the second coming of the Fistmaster Gadou.”
“...Being a grappler exposes my body to danger.” Rem shook her head. “I won’t claim that using a summon means I’ll be absolutely safe, but at the time, I couldn’t afford to die, no matter what. So I chose to become a summoner, and I don’t regret it.”
Solami sighed sadly.
“Oh, I see. Then let me ask you one more thing. What about that ring on your finger?”
Rem blushed profusely, her gaze jumping to Diablo.
“Ehehe.” Shera held out her left hand with the same expression on her face.
“...We got married,” Rem said while gazing at Diablo, who felt like he might blush, too.
No, perhaps he actually did go red. His cheeks did feel hot.
“My, my, my! Are those wedding rings?!” Solami exclaimed with round eyes. “Remmie, you got married to someone from another race!”
“...Yes.” Rem nodded.
“That’s right!” Shera caressed her ring lovingly.
Solami looked at both of their rings before exclaiming,
“And you married a girl, at that!”
A silence fell over the room.
Shera blinked repeatedly, apparently not understanding the meaning of what she had just heard. Rem, however, turned her neck in Diablo’s direction with the creaking sound of a rusty machine.
“...What is the meaning of this?”
Dammit, they found out!
Should he push through with his Demon Lord role play? No, that would be too dishonest. But, wouldn’t glossing over things here be what they call a “white lie”? No, that would be an excuse. Honesty was probably the way to go... And, at the end of his conflict, Diablo only managed a vague answer.
“Ah, well, that is...”
“...Is what she said true?”
Rem realized everything, and was letting out a red, menacing aura.
“My!” Solami leaned forward. “You’ve been working on your ?Outglow?, after all!”
Outglow?
Diablo was curious, but now wasn’t the time to pursue that line of questioning. Rem rose from her chair and began walking out of the room wordlessly.
“W-Wait, Rem!” Diablo rose to his feet.
“...I’m going to clear my head for a bit. We can talk later.”
Rem was scarier with her back turned right now than she was when he had fought the Demon Overlord Modinaram.
The door slammed behind her with a bang!
“Rem’s kinda scary right now...” Shera’s ears jerked.
“She is a hopeless one.” Diablo sighed, knowing full well that the only useless person in the room was him.
His plan to exchange the wedding rings before they found out had failed spectacularly. Besides, they only took off the rings while sleeping and bathing, so it was impossible to begin with.
“My, my...” Solami placed a hand on her cheek with a bothered expression. “Did Rem and Shera actually marry you, young Diablo?”
You didn’t babble about it because you knew, did you? Wait, “young?”
That woman was breaking his Demon Lord-ly dignity into figurative dust.
Diablo crossed his arms with a “hmph,” leaning against the chair’s backrest.
“That’s how it was, yes.”
“Ah!” Shera finally realized, after a significant delay. “This ring is paired with the one on Rem?!”
“W-Well,” Diablo averted his gaze. “I’m a Demon Lord from another world, so perhaps I might possibly be a bit ignorant of this world’s customs.”
The lamest of lame excuses.
“Ahaha...” Shera laughed lightly. “I see. I guess you’d need a ring, too.”
She forgave me?!
Diablo found himself looking up at Shera.
Maybe she’s actually really amazing?
“Yes, you’re a good girl, you are,” Solami said through narrowed eyes.
Diablo couldn’t help but feel like he’d been somewhat saved.
The room’s door opened, and dishes full of food were carried in. There was meat, and meat, and more meat... They served ham, sausages, fried meat, and raw meat. Solami asked the Pantherian apprentices to take some over to Rem, too, so they carried off portions of the food to her.
“Yaaay!” Shera exclaimed with glittering eyes. “Races’ food! I haven’t eaten anything that’s been cooked in, like, forever!”
Diablo almost choked. Currently, this town was at war with the Kobolds, so they had to keep quiet the fact that they were in a Therianthrope village until yesterday. Coughing dryly so as to dodge the issue, he reached for the meat. And, surprisingly enough, it was raw meat—not a piece had been cooked.
Most meat in the market was dried jerky, but this was red, faintly warm, dripping fresh meat. This world didn’t have refrigerators, so it didn’t come off as any surprise that the food wasn’t cold, but meat rotted quickly if kept at room temperature. In other words, this was freshly hunted, newly served flesh.
In Diablo’s old world, the existence of refrigerators allowed for food to be distributed freely, but even there, he didn’t have the chance to eat fresh, unchilled meat. When he bit into it, it filled his mouth with the thick scent of blood. It smelled like animal. And also, a dense, distinctive flavor melted over his tongue.
It wasn’t a flavor he could describe as particularly tasty or bad—but it did fill him with the elation of “eating something that had lived.” With each bite, he was filled with vigor. Solami bit into the meat too, smiling in satisfaction.
“This is a woods bear’s liver.”
“Oh... This is the first time I’ve had it.”
Even though he’d defeated countless woods bears in the game.
“Fills you up with vigor, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s certainly how I’d put it.”
“You’ll be ready for action all night long with this~ ?”
Diablo spat out his meat with a cough.
“Th-That kind of vigor?!”
“Huh?” Shera tilted her head.
Apparently she didn’t get it, as she had sausage sprinkled with herbs stuffed into her mouth.
Terrifying. Solami made keeping up his Demon Lord role play a challenge.
†
After their meal, Solami left the room to attend to her duties as an assistant instructor. Shera went to look for Rem.
“I’ll handle this, okay?” she said.
He reacted to her in his usual Demon Lord-ly haughtiness, but deep down, he was on hands and knees in gratitude for her willingness to deal with the situation. Talking to an angry woman was an impossible task, even for most normal men. So for Diablo and his crippled social skills, it was the equivalent of challenging a sovereign dragon with a wooden stick.
He still had the wedding rings he had made in Faltra... Would he have a chance to hand those over to Rem?
He wandered the estate alone and walked out to the lawn. It was where he had fought (was greeted by?) Solami. It wasn’t so much a lawn as it was a training field. Thick logs were propped up with ropes, likely serving as sandbags for grappling practice. There was also an oblong, 30-steps-long sandbox for training one’s legs. There were a few devices set up he didn’t know the function of, but there was a rope extended horizontally and some apparatus attached to a pulley.
It’s like a sports gym...
The bonfire was put out since there was no one around, with only the moonlight illuminating the darkness. Being here reminded him, “...She did deflect a Lightning Bullet with her bare hands, right?”
Until now, he’d faced opponents that evaded it with sheer speed, like Boldboss did. Others simply tanked the blow with sheer defense. But it was the first time he had a spell outright deflected. There was no such technique in the game.
“She definitely used SP... That was probably some kind of martial art.”
Diablo picked up a pebble and threw it into the air. He then focused on his fingertips and deflected it away, crushing it to bits.
No. This is just a normal martial art. It’s the same as ? Finger Blade ? , using SP to reinforce unarmed attacks. He could raise his level as high as he wanted, but he wouldn’t be able to use this to deflect a spell.
“...Does it have to do with that ‘Outglow’ thing she mentioned?”
When Solami saw Rem get mad, she said, “You’ve been working on your Outglow, after all.” That meant the kick Rem delivered earlier didn’t use Outglow, whatever it was.
Recalling what Solami did back then, Diablo focused his SP into his fingers. A normal martial artist would use it to cloak a fist or a weapon and reinforce them. Limiting it to just his fingertips required significant focus.
For comparison, clutching a baseball in one’s hand was simple, but balancing it on a fingertip was a difficult task.
“...Mmm.”
The SP gathered in his fingertips... and dispersed.
Gathered... and dispersed.
Gathered... and dispersed.
After some practice, Diablo grew used to focusing SP on just his fingers. He flicked another pebble and poked it with his fingers. It slipped away for a moment, deflected... before blowing into fragments again.
Diablo hung his head and mumbled to himself.
“Hmm... Maybe it’s not the way I’m concentrating the SP, but the way I’m touching it. Maybe I should do it more softly, like catching an egg... Oh, maybe that’s why she used her fingertips?”
When touching something softly, one’s fingertips were capable of more minute movements compared to the palm of their hand, to say nothing of their clenched fist. The thought of it sent shivers down Diablo’s spine.
“...So that means she... concentrated SP in her fingers the moment I fired the Lightning Bullet, and moved the magic away gently, like catching an egg? Is that even possible?!”
But as Diablo sunk into thought, a voice spoke from the shadow.
“That’s only about half right.”
Diablo jolted visibly. Solami stepped out from the shadow of the building. Was she watching him the whole time? But having someone sneak up on him didn’t fit his Demon Lord-ly dignity.
“Hmph...” Diablo gave a composed smirk. “So, you finally stepped out. I figured you’d be watching me until I finished here.”
“My, my. You noticed me?”
“Of course. I am a Demon Lord, after all.”
“I guess my hiding skill still needs some work.”
I thought she was a grappler, but Solami’s a seeker, too?
Her black tail wagged left and right cheerfully.
“I do appreciate your ambition, though. The moment you see a new technique, you rush to try it out. And you even did it on your own without asking me. Very promising.”
“Hmph... I am not one to depend on others to grow stronger.”
Diablo was so socially inept, even posting on a message board for help was beyond him. Asking someone he just met for help was impossible. It would hurt him too much if they turned him down. Spending hours mastering a skill on his own was better than risking that pain.
Solami walked up to him slowly. He thought she would stand in front of him, but she came even closer. She wasn’t just within hand’s reach, her bosoms almost touched him. She was curvy, tall, and mature, but still a head shorter than Diablo, not counting her triangular ears.
“Are you nervous?”
“Mm? Spare me the foolishness. I never get nervous, no matter who I face.”
Looking at them up close, her breasts were... pretty big. They stuck out, with a definite sense of mass to them.
“Are you... interested?” Her red lips parted.
“Ah... No...”
“Oh, you don’t have to hide it. I’ll be real nice and teach you. ?”
Solami reached out her arm, grabbing hold of Diablo’s right hand, tugging at it and pressing it against her left breast.
Holy yikes, that’s soft!
His right hand sank into that large hill.
Is doing this with Rem’s relative kosher? No way, like hell it is!
Diablo knew this, but at this point, his hand was acting separately from his will, refusing to retreat. His palm suddenly heated up.
“Uuu...” Solami blushed. “Heheh... How is it, young Diablo?”
Like heaven!
But he couldn’t say that. It was too embarrassing.
“No... It’s, erm...”
Keeping up his role playing bordered on the impossible at this point, but speaking naturally would just result in fragmented “aaah”s. His vocabulary was so defunct at the moment that he was at risk of his mask coming off.
“This is my ?Inglow?. Can you tell?” Solami asked, shoving Diablo’s hand against her breast.
“Huh?”
“Adventurers call it SP, but we of the Gadou clan call the gathering of that force within the body the Inglow. Can you feel how it circulates within the body?”
“Aaah, erm...”
He felt nothing of the sort, but that was because his consciousness was fixed on the soft sensation of her breast.
“By training one’s Inglow, you can push your physical abilities beyond their limits, lighten your wounds and defend against status ailments. Many of the warrior classes’ martial arts depend on the Inglow.”
“R-Right.”
“Cloaking your presence and heightening your perception uses it, too.”
“Mmm.”
Even that much?! It sounds like magic enchantment.
But right now, Diablo was in no position to think about the Inglow. His mind was focused entirely on her breasts.
“Did I explain it too fast for you to keep up?” Solami tilted her head.
“N-No, that’s not... not it. Yes, I understand. Obviously.”
Diablo panicked, trying to sense what went on inside Solami’s body through his hand, but all he could feel was soft breast.
I can’t believe myself! I let my interest in boobs overshadow my ambition?!
Solami then grabbed Diablo’s left hand too, and pulled it to her right breast this time.
“Maybe using two hands will make it clear?”
“Ugh... Kuh, aaah...”
It just made things worse! His sinful thoughts just doubled in intensity!
“Now, try to sense my Inglow.”
Diablo moved his hands, but the soft sensation only felt twice as tempting. The only thing he could tell is that both of those breasts felt amazing!
Maybe I don’t have any talent as a grappler.
“Y-You make it sound easy...”
“My... I guess it’s hard to sense it when you’re not used to it. Then let’s try a bit harder.”
Solami took a deep breath.
“Haaaa!”
“What?!”
Diablo felt a jolt running through his fingers that sailed through him and blew away the pink mist clouding his mind. At that moment, Diablo could feel the power cruising through her body.
“...It’s a swirl,” Diablo whispered.
“That’s right!” Solami narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. “Then, how about this...”
Next, she touched Diablo’s chest, her fingertips heating up instantly.
“Ugh?!”
It was the same as when she flicked away his Lightning Bullet, with her fingers being concentrated with SP.
“Can you tell? This is my Outglow. You’ve managed something similar to it.”
“Similar, but different?”
“There are variations to Outglow. Adventurers usually make use of the solid type.”
The sensation of her pressed fingers changed, as if they’d become solid pylons of iron. It felt as if long, sharp metal claws were pushing against his skin. It hurt a bit.
“The solid form is easier for use in combat, but when the opponent uses weapons coated with magical energy, it becomes difficult to overpower them. So instead, you make use of the pliable type.”
Solami’s fingers suddenly became softer. They felt less like a person’s fingers and more elastic, like gum. Diablo then realized with a gasp.
“I see! So you changed your SP’s properties to deflect the ball of light!”
“Heheh... That’s almost exactly right.”
There existed materials that dispersed a blast’s shockwave in all directions, and with just a bit of thickness, absorbed most of the impact. Diablo figured it out, but changing her SP in that brief moment to just the right density was a herculean task.
“You’ve almost got it exactly right, but...” She frowned. “I told you, didn’t I? We call it a ?Glow? in the Gadou clan.”
The sensation of her fingertips changed again. This time it was a peculiar stimulus, a ticklish and numbing sort of sensation that made Diablo want to moan.
“Ugh...?”
“Mm. I suppose that’s just about strong enough.”
“Kuh...?!”
The odd sensation ran through Diablo’s spine.
Being able to manipulate SP lets you do this much with just a touch?!
“Remmie...” Solami gazed at him with eyes that looked like they were absorbing his insides. “She hasn’t known a man yet, right?”
It was sudden. Diablo found himself taken aback.
Does this really have anything to do with this Glow thing?!
“Wha?! No...”
“You married her and haven’t yet?”
“Th-That’s...”
That was because Diablo was running around on their first night.
“You don’t have any experience, do you?”
“Wh-Wh-Wh-What are you saying?!” he stuttered. “I am a Demon Lord from another world!”
“Fine, then,” Solami said with a dangerous look in her eyes. “I’ll teach you. ?”
She means the Gadou style of martial arts, right?! Like the Outglow and Inglow!
Diablo had no plans of becoming a grappler, but he was very interested in learning to control the Outglow and Inglow. His Demon Lord’s Ring automatically reflected all manner of magic, which meant he couldn’t buff or enchant himself with magic, but if he could use martial arts to compensate for that...
I’ll get even stronger!
So he had to overcome this challenge to do that...
Solami’s finger slid down from his chest to his stomach. This time they felt even softer than rubber and almost moist. It felt like a tongue was licking him over.
“Ugh...”
“My, oh, my. You like soft stimulations like this...?”
“N-No...”
“You pure little thing. But it’s fine, I’ll take care of everything. You always make such a tough face, young Diablo, so I thought you weren’t to my taste, but when you make these cute faces, my heart just goes pitter patter... My, maybe I shouldn’t be doing this to my niece’s husband... ?”
And even as she asked herself that, her hands didn’t stop.
Diablo could have fled, but... He thought he realized why Shera didn’t run back then. The stimulation seemed to resonate all the way into the core of his body and went on without stopping. This must have been what receiving a high-class massage felt like. Bound by shackles of pleasure, Diablo was robbed of his freedom.
“Kuh...”
“Really, you make such sweet faces...” Solami licked her lips.
Her cat ears lay flat and her tail stood erect. Eventually, her fingers found their way to his abdomen.
“Guh!”
“My? My, oh, my, oh, my. This is amazing. Have you been waiting for that long?”
It had actually been on high alert since she touched his chest. And every time it was ready for battle, things always ended without any engagement... But today seemed different.
Solami dragged it out.
“Ugh?!”
“My, my! This is incredible...”
She wrapped her fingers, launching a preemptive attack.
“Ah...?!”
He screeched internally. Diablo’s knees buckled, and he felt about ready to fall over. It took him a moment to realize his back hit the log meant for grappling practice. If it weren’t for that, he’d have surely fallen to the ground.
With her eyes positively shining, Solami crouched over him, covering him with both hands. He felt like a small animal being pounced upon by a predator. This intense stimulation made Diablo unconsciously gather SP in his weak spot to defend it.
“I am... a Demon Lord from... another world!”
“Yes, yes you are. This is definitely Demon-Lord-sized. But with this much Outglow, you won’t block my attacks.”
He was cautious of her fingers, but the Gadou clan’s assistant instructor exceeded his expectations. She was a master in these kinds of engagements. To Diablo’s disbelief, she stuffed it into her mouth.
“Mmmh!”
She’s using Outglow with her tongue?!
Diablo’s mental defenses were like a sheet of paper trying to stop a bullet. The intense stimulus made him arch his back as he nearly went unconscious. Meanwhile, Solami breathed out heavily.
“It feels like I might dislocate my jaw at this rate... You really are Demon-Lord-sized...”
To Diablo’s shock, he could still somehow make out what she was saying. Compared to transforming her SP to being as hard as iron or soft like rubber, turning it to sound was probably simple.
“A-Amazing...”
“It’s fine. No one’s expecting you to withstand this when you’re not used to it. If anything, I’m happy. Go ahead, as you like.”
“What, in your mouth...?! No...”
“Heheheh... My Outglow is running through my clothes, too, so it’s naturally running through my mouth, too... Also, this isn’t something I can do to someone who isn’t an apprentice, but since you’re Rem’s husband, that means you’re like family.”
If you’re aware of that, get your mouth off me!
And as that intense stimulation ran through his lower half, she said something just as startling again.
“This is a secret technique, but... If you master it, you can manipulate the Inglow of another as if it was your own by clinging to them like this.”
“Gaaaaaah?!”
It felt as if his nerves had been gripped and yanked out. The part of his mind that had been consciously restraining himself was forced to let go, sending Diablo plummeting into unknown territories. It was like his body had been taken over by someone else.
What had been dammed up was finally released, bursting forth like a broken floodgate.
“Nnnnm?!” Solami’s body shivered. Not even she anticipated this much. The composed smile that had adorned her lips throughout this experience now stiffened with surprise. Her tail twitched and shook. With his brain washed over with waves of pleasure, Diablo jolted involuntarily.
Solami realized she hadn’t been breathing for a moment, opening her mouth to expel its contents and take a deep breath.
“Pheeew.”
Diablo was silent.
“Heheheh. That was amazing. You can be confident. You’re certainly a Demon Lord on this front. Nobody could compare to this overwhelming strength. ?”
...I somehow feel like I just learned the bitter taste of defeat.
At last, his breathing finally returned to normal.
“Haa, haa... I didn’t imagine you could use this Outglow thing to control another person’s body.”
“Did you understand how I did it?”
“Vaguely.”
“My, it seems you still need some more training.” Solami upturned her lips.
“That’s enough! Enough training!” Diablo shook his head flusteredly.
If you do anything more than this, I’ll seriously die!
The logic behind it was simple. She took control of the other person’s Glow and forcibly jolted it into Inglow. It must have been much more difficult to do in practice compared to controlling the Inglow within her own body.
Solami wiped her lips clean and said, “Mmmh... My jaw is tired from how big your ???? is. I’ve never had to handle such a problematic ???? before.”
“That was training for controlling the Glow, right?! Right?!”
And at the end, she said something that completely spoiled the moment. Solami’s cat ears twitched, and her expression took on a guilty, surprised expression.
“Well, I will be leaving then! I still have some assistant instructor duties to attend to!”
She swiftly fixed her clothes and left the estate as if fleeing.
What was that about...?
And as he stood there shocked, another person appeared from the building’s shadow.
It was Rem.
“Ah... Diablo.”
“O-Oh.”
It was the first time he was completely speechless despite sticking to his Demon Lord role play. It felt like a puddle could form at his feet at any moment from the cold sweat he had broken into. After the matter with the Dark Elf Rafflesia, Diablo decided he “wouldn’t get carried away anymore,” but here he was, getting carried away again because of boobs!
Rem sniffed the air.
“...Do I smell something?”
“Huh?!”
“...I’m just being curious. Pantherians are sensitive to smell.”
“O-Oh, right! I don’t smell anything though! Maybe it’s coming from outside the estate?”
Rem simply replied with a “could be” and concluded the matter with that. For a long moment, the two of them simply looked up at the night sky. Rem seemed to have calmed down since earlier. Apparently, Shera did her job well. Diablo thanked her quietly.
”...I’m sorry about earlier. I wasn’t acting rationally.”
“Huh? Oh, no, that’s...”
Diablo knew it was his fault.
“...Come to think of it, you gave me the ring because it was a state of emergency. I put you into so much trouble, and you saved my life and soul on top of that.”
“It’s fine.”
He’d have wanted to say something a bit more tasteful, but what does a Demon Lord say in this situation? The Demon Lords Diablo knew all accepted heroes’ challenges and struck fear into the heart of man. They didn’t get found out after accidentally giving a girl the wrong wedding ring...
But he did show understanding. What should a Demon Lord say when in this situation with this girl? He knew he was the one who should be apologizing here, but his voice simply wouldn’t come out when the moment arrived. It was frustrating.
“...You should have this, Diablo.” Rem slipped the ring from her finger. “It’s proof of your bond with Shera.”
“Y-Yeah...”
Diablo was vexed, but accepted the ring from Rem. She was seemingly composed, but her heart was probably storming on the inside. All he’d been doing was making her angry and sad all the time. But this time was different.
Because I have the new wedding rings I had made for us in Faltra!
Diablo reached for his pouch.
“...Come to think of it, there was no reason for us to get married, was there?” Rem wiped her eyes.
“Huh?!”
“...This is a memento.” Rem showed the gauntlets she was always using. “My father was the former head instructor of the Gadou clan. And he fell in love with my mother at first sight when he found her fleeing because of the Demon Lord’s soul she carried... Which was how I came to be.
“The former head instructor passed away, and his younger brother took the position, with his younger sister Solami taking over as assistant instructor.”
“He must have certainly been strong.”
“Yes, very... But he covered for me, and took a blow from a Fallen wielding a sword of fire and ice... If the Demon Lord’s soul wasn’t sealed in my body, that never would have happened...”
“I see.”
“...I lived my life, thinking of nothing but how to destroy the Demon Lord’s soul. And even though that wish ended up being granted differently than I imagined, you were the one who made it happen, Diablo.”
“Mm.”
“It’s my family’s wish, dating back for generations. What more could I wish for?”
“That’s...”
“...And even without rings, we’re still companions, right?”
“Oh, of course.”
He could do nothing but nod. Diablo wasn’t the type to feel happy about having goodwill directed at him. In Shera’s case, had he let things be, she’d have married another Elf, and he knew she didn’t want to be with that man.
That was why Diablo acted. Snatching a bride away from the altar is a Demon Lord-ly thing to do, and of course, he wasn’t particularly opposed to being married to Shera. He thought he’d be happy about that.
But just the same, he couldn’t help but ask himself, “Is a pillbug like me really worthy of marrying Shera?!” And because of that, Diablo couldn’t speak frankly, even now.
The same held true for Rem. Her body was being controlled by the Demon Overlord, forcing her to attack important people and fight Diablo. She was filled with despair, thinking she deserved to disappear for causing so much trouble. And so Diablo gave her the wedding ring, to prove that it wasn’t so.
“...You forced yourself to do that for me because you’re too kind, Diablo,” Rem said with a stiff smile. “I wasn’t in my right mind at the time, after all.”
“N-No...”
That was one reason for it, but still.
“...It’s fine. One normally wouldn’t harbor romantic feelings for someone of another race to begin with.”
“Really?!”
Maybe it was because he came from another world? Diablo was a Demon, but he was super attracted to Rem, who was a Pantherian, and Shera, an Elf, as well as other women. He thought they were all alluring.
Even what he did just now—wait, no, that was Outglow training!
Maybe what he was feeling toward them wasn’t romantic affection? Thinking things over again, maybe it was just lust? What did romantic feelings even mean?
What kind of feeling was “love,” really...?
“I don’t know.”
“...What’s the matter, Diablo?”
“Forget about me. This is about you! Aren’t you, erm... overthinking this?”
“...I’ve just finally calmed down, that’s all. It’s like I’ve been in a dream for a long time. I’ve burdened you for so long, but could you forgive me?”
”That’s... Yes, of course.”
“...Thank you.” Rem smiled with relief.
Despite his denials, Diablo couldn’t find it in himself to give her the wedding ring.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login