Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo Dorei Majutsu - Volume 6 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Royal Capital 

A thundering rumble shook the air. A massive serpent writhed in pain, scattering the desert sands to the four winds, and eventually stopped moving. 

It was a Sand Worm, and an offensive spell had blown it away. It was a powerful monster, but, after taking this much damage, it surely wouldn’t attack them again. 

“Whoa, amazing!” Horn shouted, leaning over the ship’s guard rail. “That was amazing, Boss!” 

“Naturally,” Diablo replied, returning the dagger in his hand into its scabbard. 

His main weapon, the staff ?Tonnerre Empereur?, multiplied his firepower several times over, but took a massive toll on his MP consumption to compensate. 

What Diablo had used right now was a dagger called the ?Garuda Edge?. It increased his maximum HP and had a high probability of cutting through an opponent’s physical attack, nullifying it. 

Weapons that had effects better suited for armor were unpopular in the game and were treated as trash drops. Increasing one’s DPS was what mattered, since it helped clear quests more efficiently. 

But in this world, dying in battle meant real, actual, uncompromising death. There was no respawning, and no continues. The chance of a sneak attack from an unknown direction was always a very real possibility, so Diablo had kept this piece of equipment to stay on the safe side. 

Diablo’s Demon Lord role playing made him appear fearless on the surface, but, on the inside, he was still a gamer. Experienced gamers were, in many cases, so cautious it nearly crossed the line into outright cowardice. 

It was then when a pair of sizable breasts rammed into him. Two soft swellings clashed against Diablo’s stomach. 

The Elven girl, Shera, clung to him in an embrace. Elves were typically thin and lacking when it came to their busts, but Shera had the unusual physique of being slender with a pair of rather godly breasts. As she squeezed against him fondly, he could feel their softness through the fabric of her clothes. 

“You did it, Diablo!” 

“Y-Yeah... Are you unharmed?” 

“I’m fine!” 

Diablo’s gaze wandered around the sand ship. The corpses of flying-type monsters had littered the ship’s deck, some of them petrified by the effects of Shera’s bow. Most of the sailors and soldiers, who were under Laminitus’s command, were apparently unharmed, though the treatment of the injured and the repairs to the ship meant they still had quite a job cut out for them. 

Diablo’s gaze fell on a Pantherian girl eying him and Shera grumpily. 

Rem. 

He’d given her new equipment recently, so her appearance was significantly different from what Diablo was used to. This outfit was somehow even more lacking in fabric than her previous one. When it came to female-only equipment in MMORPGs, the higher the level needed to equip it, the more revealing the outfits tended to become. But Rem didn’t seem to mind how scant her clothes were. If anything, she said she was glad to wear something so easy to move in. 

Maybe this idiosyncratic sense of appeal was characteristic of Pantherians. 

“...Stop clinging to him like this over every little thing, Shera. It’s indecent.” 

“You sound like my mom or something, Rem.” 

“...I think anyone would agree with me on this.” 

“But but but, when I feel happy or excited, I feel like I just goootta express this feeling somehow!” 

“...I fail to see how what you just said is in any way related to you hugging him all the time.” 

“It means our hearts are closer together!” 

“In your case...you’re just looking for a reason to push those useless lumps of boob lard against him, aren’t you.” 

“That’s so mean!” 

“...I would just prefer it if people didn’t doubt our integrity because of your antics.” 

“F-Fine, I get it... We just have to all hug together, right?” 

“How in the world did you come to that conclusion, you stupid, dumb elf!?” 

“Whaaaaaaaaat!? I thought it was a good idea!” 

Rem and Shera were, as always, bickering, and someone was staring at them from the side, gritting their teeth in frustration. 

It was Rose, the Magimatic Maid. 

She was unable to move from the sand ship’s main mast, which stood right at the center of the ship. Rose was naturally extremely heavy, but would become even more so during times of battle when she summoned a massive, mechanical hand out of nowhere. That hand was, of course, unbelievably heavy, and if Rose were to carelessly move to one of the ship’s sides, the whole sand ship would tilt over in that direction due to her weight. 

Having taken the game’s settings deeply to heart, Rose adored Diablo. Her feelings were so profound they went beyond common sense, which made her jealousy and spite be only in direct proportion to her unwavering loyalty. 

Diablo, being a fundamentally pacifistic person, didn’t want to see his party members fighting each other. 

“Where’s Lumachina?” Looking around, Diablo cocked his head in contemplation. 

“...Lady Laminitus called for her earlier, in the cabins,” Rem answered. “I believe she was asked to tend to the wounded.” 

“Hmm.” 

Lumachina’s healing skills were extraordinary, so it made sense Laminitus would call on her for that. 

“You can count on Lumachina!” Horn pumped her fist. 

“...Wouldn’t it be better if you waited in the cabins, too, Horn?” 

“Huh? Why?” 

After a hesitant pause, Rem said, “I think it would be best if you stayed where it’s safe when there’s fighting going on.” 

“H-Huh?” Horn stiffened. 

“That’s right~ When you hang too close to the monsters, it’s really hard to hit them,” Shera, who was terribly slow to pick up on the mood, said lightly. “I can’t aim properly when it feels like my arrows might hit you.” 

“...It’s hard for me to deploy my summons, too. And you’re not strong enough that we can let you handle the monsters on your own.” 

Horn retreated with a crestfallen moan... 

Diablo felt bad for her, but Horn was a Seeker, after all. While it was technically a physical attacker class, it was more geared for support and unsuited for combat. On top of that, Grasswalkers were a race that retained their child-like appearances regardless of age, and close combat was their weak point. In Cross Reverie, Seekers could compensate for that with equipment that augmented their fire power, as well as rely on magic. It was by no means considered a bad class. 

—Besides, Horn is twelve years old and only at level 20. 

Diablo and his party were a group of comparatively high-level Adventurers. Comparing herself to them wouldn’t paint Horn in a good light even without all those factors to consider. 

Diablo also thought it would be better if she stayed in the cabins, out of harm’s way, and helped in any way she could there. 

He opened his mouth to speak...but decided against it. Someone as tongue-tied as Diablo would more than likely just hurt Horn more with a careless comment. Diablo intended to learn from his past mistakes. 

While she wasn’t quite a stand-in for him, Rose spoke her own opinion... 

“Useless tools get thrown out with the trash, don’t you know?” Rose said with a brilliant smile on her face. 

“Heee!!!” Horn squealed with tears in her eyes. 

—No no no, what are you saying!? Anything I come up with (probably) wouldn’t be as bad as that! 

Diablo flapped his cape with an audible snap. “Hmph! What are you fools saying? When did I ever depend on you during battle? Compared to me, the strength of you all is nil! You are all equally powerless to me!” 

—So just get along! 

He’d hoped the feeling behind his words would come across—but everyone just hung their heads dejectedly. 

“It is all as you say, Master...” Rose moaned morosely. “Compared to Master, Rose is but a speck of dust polluting the wayside with Rose’s presence. Forgive Rose for Rose’s wretched existence...” 

Rem and Shera looked depressed as well, while Horn’s expression remained as dark and gloomy as ever. 

Diablo internally panicked. 

“Th-That is precisely why you should endeavor to at least not get in my way!” 

Rem shrugged. “You’re the same as ever, Diablo.” 

“I gotcha, Boss!” Horn raised her fist enthusiastically. “I’m’a work super hard so I don’t get in your way!” 

“That’s the spirit. Do your best, girl.” 

—It’s a good thing I somehow managed to get that across... Effort pays off. 

Rose opened her mouth to speak with a pensive expression. “If Master desires it...Rose could—however unwillingly—propose a way to draw out Master’s underlings’ potential.” 

That was an unexpected offer... 

Diablo cocked his head curiously. This world greatly resembled Cross Reverie, with a few exceptions. Diablo had never heard of any methods of drawing out a party member’s strength. Of course, there were ways to temporarily buff one’s companions in battle...but that’s not what Rose meant here. 

“Speak, I’ll allow it.” 

“As Master wishes. We can use this treasure Rose has here to form a ?Subjugation Contract?. In so doing, the Thrall’s abilities will increase in accordance with the Lord’s. Even insignificant pebbles like them may become paperweights that are of use to Master.” 

Rose took out a black, leather collar. Magic glyphs were etched onto it, which gave it a certain indecent, Gothic-Lolita sort of appeal. 

“A Subjugation Contract?” 

Diablo tried recalling the game’s mechanics. Nothing like that was ever implemented. 

—No, wait... Didn’t a rival game have a feature like that? 

It was something along the lines of an apprenticeship system, where existing players could help guide newbies through the game. The stronger the mentor, the stronger the effects of its support. Put simply, it was a “mercy system enabling your friends to play at the same level as you.” 

Maybe Cross Reverie had a similar system planned for it that was never implemented? Or maybe the devs wanted to take successful mechanics from other games, and planned to implement them in the future? 

Diablo originally thought this world was based on Cross Reverie, and he was still fairly convinced this was true. But what if elements from other games influenced Cross Reverie, and the Subjugation Ritual was a reflection of that? 

What was the nature of this world to begin with...? 

Abandoning this question, as he had no way of answering it right now, Diablo turned his concerns toward Horn. 

“If it strengthens Horn without any repercussions, that’s fine, but is there any sort of price she would have to pay?” 

“There is none,” Rose proclaimed. “The collar already has Master registered as the Lord, so the Grasswalker would only need to put it on.” 

—It already has me registered? I don’t recall signing up for anything like that... That sounds like something a conman would say to cheat people into a bad deal... Damn it, she’s scaring me! 

“Wait a moment!” Rem forced herself between them. “I’ve heard of this contract before. I’ve never seen this odd collar, but from what I know about Subjugation Rituals, the Thrall does receive the Lord’s protection—but in exchange, if the Lord dies, doesn’t the Thrall die, too?” 

—That’s a pretty hefty price! 

“What of it?” Rose tilted her head quizzically. “Should Master pass away, Rose would never be able to live on in this world. Rose would end her own life either way, so Rose sees no demerit to this.” 

“...Please only speak for yourself...” Rem sighed. 

Shera grimaced. “I don’t want to imagine Diablo dying...” 

“How much stronger would it make me?” Horn asked. 

“You would become a servant to Master, who is unmatched by any and all on the face of this world,” Rose said, her lips curling up into a smile. “The effects of the contract will without a doubt be so great, no tongue the races have ever conceived could hope to describe them.” 

“Whoa... That sounds amazing! Super awesome!” 

“...Calm down and think about this rationally,” Rem chided Horn. “You’re only twelve, and Diablo is obviously older than you. While it’s true the prospect of dying of old age is preposterous for Adventurers, it’s not an idea you can simply disregard.” 

“O-Old age!?” 

“...Besides, if you put on the collar, what would you do when you got married?” 

“M-Married? U-Uhm... I, uhhh...” 

Diablo’s stare linked with Horn’s, and the girl averted her gaze, her cheeks flushing red. Seeing this, Rem and Shera blushed as well. 

—What’d I do this time!? 

None of this made sense... 

Rose furrowed her brows. For being sold as furniture, Magimatic Maids were certainly quite expressionable. 

“Rose retracts Rose’s offer, after all. Rose will never allow it. Rose will never allow foolish rabble like you near Master!” 

“Huh!? Why, all of a sudden!?” 

“In the first place, Rose intended to have Master put the collar on Rose... Rose will never relinquish this honor to anyone else!” 

“...Will the collar even have any effect on you?” Rem asked scornfully. “You’re a machine, no?” 

“I-It will not, but... Why are you the only ones to have collars on!? Rose says this is unfair!” 

“Huuuh!? It’s not like we want to have these things on, you know!” Shera placed a hand on the collar for emphasis. 

“To be forced into enslavement to Master... Aaah, Rose cannot suppress the envy... Is this your attempt at showing off?” 

The girls’ boisterous bickering was gradually escalating. 

“Enough!” Diablo cut the conversation short. “I have no complaints regarding Horn’s contributions to our group. There is no need for this Subjugation Ritual.” 

If it turned out there was no actual strengthening effect, it would be a huge, irrevocable mistake. Even if it did make her stronger, sending Horn, who was unsuited for battle, to fight after she had grown stronger through such questionable means only filled Diablo with dread. Besides, having someone else’s life on his shoulders was too heavy a responsibility! 

Seeing that Diablo had come to a conclusion, Rose smiled, seemingly pleased, but quickly returned to her expressionless face and bowed before him. 

“As Master wishes.” 

“All right...” Horn still seemed to have her qualms, but regretfully stepped down. 

“...It is for the best. You are still young, and honest effort will do you well.” 

Rem placed an encouraging hand on Horn’s shoulder. 

“Let’s all do our bestest-best together, okay?” Shera said, enveloping Horn in a hug. 

Half a month later, the party had returned to Faltra... 

† 

Having returned, Diablo was able to confirm Klem and Edelgard’s safety. Quite a bit happened that probably deserves to be told, but the story moves on far too quickly to dwell on that. 

Laminitus and Zircon Tower’s citizens settled down in some towns near Faltra. Laminitus did say quite a few things that would amount to treason against the crown, after all, so she probably preferred to keep her distance from the capital. That said, she didn’t seem to mesh very well with Faltra’s governor, either... 

After a short rest, Diablo and his group left for the capital. 

† 

“...I can’t...take anymore...” Rem said, her face white as a sheet. “Thank you for...everything...and goodbye...Diablo... I leave...the rest...to...you...” 

“Hold on, Rem! Stay with us!” Shera hugged her frightfully. 

The carriage jolted with a bang. 

“Heee!?” Rem gave a short shriek, and fell completely silent. 

“Aaah, Reeem!” Shera wailed in despair, as if she had just seen her feline friend breathe one last breath. 

Diablo shrugged. “She passed out again. Just let her sleep for a while.” 

“Yeah, you’re right...”

Lyferian Calendar: Month 9, Day 22, Year 164— 

Gently sloping hills dotted the terrain around them. It was nearly sunset, which had come a bit later than they had thought. The sunlight was gradually turning crimson. 

Their carriage ran along the highway. It was a simple, roofless carriage with a bench set on top of the compartment. Rem, who was usually bad when it came to vehicles, seemed to take even worse to an open carriage like this. She would panic at the slightest jolt, and was repeatedly slipping in and out of consciousness. When she was awake, she was in a state of constant stress, and whenever anything happened, she would pass out like a marionette with its strings cut. Diablo and the others were worried about her at first, but, after spending thirty days with her in this state, they’d learned to ignore it. 

She was, at this point, completely exhausted. 

Lumachina, who was sitting at one end of the bench, fixed her gaze forward. 

“We’re almost there.” Her expression was strained with stress. 

—Of course she’s nervous... She’s heading into the stronghold of the very people who tried to take her life. 

“Is that the capital!?” Horn stood on top of the bench and stretched, her long rabbit ears swinging enthusiastically. 

Horn’s personality was that of a curious, adventurous person. Her eyes were shining with excitement, filled with anticipation for her first visit to the Royal Capital. 

The carriage crossed over a hill, and massive fields spread out before them. They were divided by canals into square fields, with different types of crops being cultivated within each one. Diablo could see a great number of people working the fields, presumably farmers. As it was already sunset, they were packing up their tools and preparing to head back into town. 

Fences were set up around the road to ward off beasts, and brawny soldiers stood guard along them. 

Diablo’s eyes widened in shock. 

—What’s...going on here...? 

It was completely different... In Cross Reverie, the royal capital, Seven Wall, was a beautiful city that lay beyond the gently sloping hills, and was surrounded by a lake. The royal castle, Castle Grandiose, was surrounded by seven layers of walls and ramparts, but the castle town was protected by a barrier instead, and the citizens were free to come and leave as they pleased. At least, that’s how Diablo remembered it... 

But this looked like a completely different city. A large wall towered over the fields, and, from within the wall, several spires were built, standing like spears pointing skyward. 

“Lumachina, do you know when that wall was built?” 

“Hmm... I don’t recall it having been built yet when I was first brought to the capital, fourteen years ago. Ah, I believe it was twelve years ago. When the current king of Lyferia, His Majesty Delouche Xandros, took the throne, he ordered its construction immediately.” 

“The King of Lyferia, you say...” 

The king was never named in the game, so Diablo had no way of knowing if Delouche Xandros was the same king he knew from Cross Reverie’s story. 

Perhaps the town’s appearance was set to change after a future update. Personally speaking, Diablo preferred the more peaceful atmosphere of the town he knew to this more war-like appearance. 

But in either case, increasing their defenses now that the Demon Lord had been revived was wise. The people in charge were capable, if nothing else. 

“Is something wrong with the wall, Diablo?” Shera asked. 

“No... I was just thinking that it almost feels like they predicted the Demon Lord’s awakening.” 

“Ah, I see...” 

“Wooow, it’s so cool! So that’s the capital!” Horn exclaimed, bending over the carriage’s compartment. 

She was almost about to fall, so Diablo pulled her back by the collar. 

Incidentally, Rose was too heavy to be next to them, so they had her sit on top of the back wheels’ axis, hugging her knees silently. 

And so they arrived in the capital. 

† 

“Hey you, suspicious Demon over there! Get off.” 

Their carriage was stopped at the gate, and a pike was suddenly thrust in Diablo’s direction. 

—Oh, this brings back memories... 

This exchange reminded him of when he was first summoned to this world. 

Diablo got off from the carriage’s compartment and glared at the soldiers. 

“Since you dare direct your blades against me, I assume you’ve prepared yourselves for the retribution you’re about to receive.” 

“Ugh... Th-This guy... He’s a Fallen!?” 

True to what one would expect of the royal capital’s guards, as soon as they noticed a disturbance, a group of thirty or so troops gathered around. For weak mooks, they were rather well organized. 

Most of them were warrior types averaging a level of 30, and while they weren’t of much use against the Demon Lord’s army, they were more than enough to maintain public order. 

—So...how do I get out of this one? 

Having talked back to them the way he did, it was doubtful they’d let Diablo into the city. When he got in trouble on ?Bridge of Ulug?, he managed to convince the guards because they had known Rem and Shera. When he needed to get through Faltra’s inner gates, the Adventurer Guild’s guildmaster, Sylvie, had vouched for him. Throughout his journey, Diablo had to go through city gates, and, each time, Rem was able to smoothly handle negotiations... But Rem was, unfortunately enough, passed out at the moment... 

—Huh? So no one’s ever let me pass through a city gate while I kept my Demon Lord persona? 

Diablo broke into a cold sweat. 

Left with no choice, Lumachina stepped forward. She was in a position where she would have to hide her identity right now, so she wore a hooded robe, often worn by followers of the Church, and covered her mouth with a white fabric. If she were to reveal her identity, Diablo and his group would likely be allowed to pass through the gate, but that would also alert the Cardinal Authority to the fact the High Priest had returned to the capital. That was one thing they would have to avoid... 

Shera was the Elven princess, but had nothing on her to prove her identity. Horn was just a common Adventurer, and Rose seemed to be radiating an aura of palpable malice at the soldiers for pointing their spears at Diablo. Rose was, without a doubt, the worst possible person to depend on here.

“Pardon, could you please let him pass?”

So said a young woman in a high class dress, who had appeared from the inner side of the gate. The soldiers gave a startled “Huh!?” at her words. 

Her black hair was curled at the sides, and she wore a white, wide-hemmed dress. She seemed oddly familiar... 

The young woman bent her knees and bowed in a lady-like manner. 

“It has been some time, Sir Diablo.” 

“Yayyy!!!” Shera hopped out of the carriage’s compartment. “Alicia! It’s been foreeeverrr!” 

She sighed at Shera’s embrace. “Heheh... I am glad to see you have not changed, Miss Shera.” 

Diablo couldn’t immediately tell because her glasses were missing, and her hair color and outfit were different, but the lady in the dress was none other than Alicia Cristela. She was daughter to a duke and an Imperial Knight, which meant there were none more reliable than her to vouch for them in this city. 

Thanks to Alicia, Diablo and his group crossed through the gate without further incident. 

Despite it being the Royal Capital, there were quite a few demis walking around the streets, of all races and dispositions. Diablo had heard before that the discrimination against demis ran quite rampant in the capital, but, just from looking at the main street, there were more than just Humans walking around. Elves, Dwarves, Pantherians, Grasswalkers, Demons... But with that said, there was indeed a majority of Humans. 

Their carriage rode through the main street lined with all manner of stores. The road itself was made of stone tiles, which made the carriage rumble and shake as it rode through the street. The buildings’ architectures were reminiscent of Faltra’s, but there were far more billboards around, which accentuated how much more passionate the residents of this city were when it came to business. 

Sitting on the compartment bench, the group exchanged greetings. Alicia had put her glasses on now, since, without them, she would have trouble discerning the others’ expressions. 

“It is a pleasure to meet you...” Alicia bowed respectfully before Lumachina. “I am Alicia Cristela, an Imperial Knight. It is a great honor to make the acquaintance of someone as venerated as you, lady High Priest.” 

Lumachina had removed the cloth over her mouth for the sake of introductions. “I, too, am glad to have met you. I am Lumachina Weselia. I thank you greatly for your assistance at the gate.” 

“Nothing could please me more than knowing I have been of help to you, your Eminence.” 

They were both well-mannered ladies of nobility, so their dignified exchange began and ended without a hitch. Following that, Alicia bowed her head to Horn and Rose. 

“I have heard Diablo and his company have made new companions. It is a pleasure to meet you.” 

“I’m Horn! You can count on me if you ever need to clear a dungeon!” 

“Heheh... I will make sure to call on you when the time comes.” 

“Yep!” 

In contrast to Horn’s outgoing attitude— 

“May Rose inquire as to what manner of relationship you have with Master?” Rose fixed a cold glare in Alicia’s direction. 

“If Sir Diablo were to order me to die, I would gladly do so. Does that explanation suffice?” 

Alicia gave a bold answer, her expression not changing in the slightest. She pushed the bridge of her glasses up with a poke of a finger. 

“Are you... Is Rose to interpret this as you claiming to be one of Master’s belongings?” Rose raised an eyebrow. 

“For as long as he does not cast me aside.” 

“Understood. You may refer to Rose as Rose. Rose is the safekeeper of Master and Master’s belongings. Therefore, Rose will protect you from all threats.” 

“Why, thank you very much.” Alicia smiled silently as Rose bowed deeply before her. 

Those who lord over others must treat those beneath them with proper respect. Good communication skills require more than just lowering one’s head and nodding to everything. 

As always, Alicia’s social skills were outstanding. Even though she’d never met them before, she was able to form cordial relations with two contrasting figures like Horn and Rose. The way she handled Rose was especially impressive. 

It was probably the first time Rose hadn’t treated someone she had first met with something that wasn’t blatant hostility. She’d even tried preemptively attacking Klem and Edelgard... 

Diablo decided it was probably best to consider the mess that took place in Faltra some other time, and decided instead to focus on the present. 

“Good job greeting us at the gate, Alicia.” 

“Your gratitude is wasted on me, Lord Diablo. The letter Miss Rem sent me said you would arrive within these next few days, so I’ve stayed put at the gate, awaiting your arrival.” 

—Wait, she’s been waiting for us at the gate this whole time? For days!? 

Diablo was so surprised his eyes were about go so wide that... 

“Whaaat!? This whole time!?” Horn exclaimed instead. 

“Of course. That much is to be expected, no?” 

No one else refuted her words. 

—Come to think of it, Shera’s a princess and Lumachina’s a High Priest. They’re probably used to people being this devoted to them. Even Rose spent months in the dungeon just waiting for me. 

The most sensible person in this party, Rem, was still sleeping away several days’ worth of fatigue. She was as pale as a cadaver earlier, but the color was gradually returning to her cheeks. 

Now that Alicia mentioned it, Diablo had remembered Rem saying something about sending Alicia a letter when they were in one of the adjacent towns. Diablo wasn’t sure if that was necessary at the time, but, thanks to that, they’d made it through the gate. He should thank her later... 

Lumachina planned on going back to the Church as soon as she made it back to the capital, but that was far too risky. They should rest first, using that time to also gather information about the Church. If they were to expose the top brass’s corruption, they would have to gather that intel without making it known Lumachina had returned to the capital. 

Alicia had taken a seat next to Diablo. 

“Pardon me. I never imagined you would be accompanying the High Priest... As always, you surpass my most wildest imaginations, Sir Diablo.” 

“That much is to expected. What of you, though?” 

Alicia was a Demon Lord worshiper, and a traitor to the races. She had tried killing Rem once but was forgiven, and was now one of Diablo’s followers. Even still, her enmity toward the races—and particularly toward the higher-ups in the capital—remained as strong as it ever was. If her betrayal had become known, she would have been executed the moment she set foot in the capital, but... 

“Due to certain...circumstances, I am currently on leave, but I have not been relieved of my position as an Imperial Knight,” Alicia said, pinching the hem of her dress. “The particularities of my current situation are a touch complicated, so I suggest we discuss it after dinner, at our leisure.” 

“Very well.” 

Alicia was a secretive one, and had a mindset the races would find unwelcome. If the fastidious Lumachina were to overhear something that would give away Alicia’s tendencies, things would no doubt become troublesome. There was the carriage’s coachman to consider, too. So it was probably for the best if he asked her for the details later. 

Alicia changed the subject. “I have prepared lodgings for you and your group, Sir Diablo. Too many people come and go at my family’s mansion, and with it being in the first district, demis would be too conspicuous. So I thought the sixth district... Ah, pardon me. Here, you can see it on this map.” 

Realizing Diablo and his group probably didn’t have a map of the city, Alicia handed one over. Taking the map from her hands, Diablo spread it open. 

The city was in the shape of a circle, divided into thirteen districts. The city was designed like a clock, with the most northern section being the twelfth district. Going clockwise from there were the first, second, and third districts, and so on, with the sixth district being in the southern section of town. At the very center of the city was the royal castle. The huge castle was the size of a district by itself, with its rumored seven walls and ramparts. An extensive network of canals ran between the districts, and it was possible to go from one district to another via bridges and small boats. 

It was truly an elegant, beautiful city. But, though the climate was pleasant, since it was located in a basin, it was often foggy. 

Having passed through the city’s western gate, Diablo and his group were currently in the ninth district. If one were to include the ones around the central district, each of the thirteen districts was enclosed by walls. 

There was a barrier in place as well, to prevent a possible Fallen attack. To maintain the barrier, each district housed a large tower. It was as if the barrier surrounding Faltra was erected thirteen times over, all gathered in one place. 

The central district was the king’s castle, and served as both the dwelling of the king and his family as well as the center of the city and country’s national politics. 

The first district was populated by aristocrats and wealthy merchants, so its security was also tight compared to other districts. Its population was entirely Human, so, if Diablo or his companions were to approach the first district, it would certainly result in a dispute. 

The ninth district, where they currently were, served as the capital’s wholesale town. Wholesale stores dealt with large merchants and businesses, and didn’t bother with private clients. Transactions were done by the crate or barrel. With a population as large as the capital’s, trading would have to be done on such a grand scale, too. 

There were plenty of inns in the ninth district, but, since they were aimed at merchants, the meals were questionable and the beds were small, all while the lodging prices were high. This was because lodging also came with stables for carriages and a warehouse to store one’s merchandise in. Security expenses figured into the lodging price, as well. 

The sixth district, where Alicia had prepared Diablo’s lodgings, was also known as the Entrance to the capital. The territories of the Kingdom of Lyferia were spread out from the south of the capital. Since most people entered and left the city from the southern gate, most of the stores aimed at the common person were there. It was also the district Adventurers frequented the most—which was also true in Cross Reverie. 

—I guess this really is fundamentally the same Seven Wall I know. 

While its appearance was significantly different, the map was pretty much the same one Diablo knew. The biggest difference was the city being much, much larger than it was in the game. 

In-game, all the shops the Adventurers would use were in the sixth district, while the city’s quests were spread out across the different districts. Diablo didn’t know how identical it was to the game, but some of the quests included looking for lost cats, or taking out bandits... Reminiscing of all the quests he’d completed filled Diablo with nostalgia. 

In Cross Reverie, the royal capital (and, more specifically, the sixth district) was where the game began; the first town. 

Spreading out the map, Diablo confirmed a single location, on the off-chance it was different from what he knew. 

“Where is the Church based, then?” 

The one who answered his question wasn’t Alicia, but rather Lumachina who was seated next to them. 

“The twelfth district, due north—that is where the Cathedral is.” 

Lumachina clenched her fists nervously. 

† 

The sixth district’s main street was also awash with people. The roads were so congested with them the carriage couldn’t advance, as it could have very well run someone over. Even sitting on the carriage, Diablo felt dizzy from looking at the crowd. 

“Going on foot would be faster than this...” Diablo whined. 

“No kidding~” Shera agreed, her tone tinged with exhaustion. 

“But if we got off, I feel like we’d just get separated and lost,” Horn said with a concerned voice. “And Rem’s still sleeping, too.” 

“Right...” 

Diablo wasn’t used to acting in a group, so the danger of “getting separated and lost” never crossed his mind. That on its own was fairly dangerous. 

The bad traffic reminded him of a commuter train. 

Rose whispered, “If Master wishes it, Rose could eliminate all those who stand in Master’s—” 

“Calm down and don’t do anything rash. Down, Rose.” 

“Woof...” 

“Paw.” 

“Woof woof.” 

“Good girl...” 

“Master will not ask Rose to beg?” 

“That’s enough, just sit down.” 

“They all seem terribly worked up... Did something happen?” 

Lumachina’s face was covered with a cloth so Diablo couldn’t tell what expression she was wearing, but the tension was obvious from her voice. 

“True, traffic shouldn’t be this bad...” Alicia cocked her head quizzically. “The sixth district is normally a rowdy place, but this is unusual. I’ve patrolled the district many times as part of my duties, but I’ve never seen the streets this congested unless there was a festival... Oh? What’s that?” 

Alicia pointed ahead. There was a dark-red object carrying something on the road ahead, large enough to take the whole width of the street, and was covered in spikes. 

Shera rose to her feet. “That’s a Dragon!” 

“What!?” 

Diablo fixed his gaze on the end of the street. His eyesight was no match for Shera’s, but the figure was large enough he could recognize it even from afar. 

There was no doubting it: The figure was a Dragon. 

Its scales were a yellow hue that were closer to gold. It was a Thunder Dragon, known as the fastest among all Large-class monsters. But it was just its head, placed on a wagon slowly making its way across the street. 

A flag of red, white, and purple adorned the wagon as well. The citizens were pushing and pulling at each other in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the giant dragon. 

“I believe standing in that display’s way could be troublesome,” Alicia told their carriage’s coachman. “Please move the carriage to the side of the road. I think the road should clear up once they pass.” 

No one seemed to object to her reasoning, and, considering Lumachina’s circumstances, staying out of sight for as long as possible was probably wise. 

Diablo and his group waited on the wayside, surrounded by the crowd, watching the dragon head being carried through the street. 

The wagon drew closer to them. 

“It’s...big,” Diablo whispered. 

It was bigger than the Large-class dragon they met in his dungeon, which meant it was probably a Huge-class. Once dragons reached Huge-class, they became too big to live in a cave or a burrow, and tended to live in ravines or rocky areas. Their strength was, of course, in proportion to their size. 

Six men and women stood on the wagon, receiving cheers and excited shouts from the crowd. They were dressed like Warriors and Wizards. 

—So those guys slayed the dragon. 

The crowd cried out their names repeatedly in praise. 

“Who are they?” 

“They’re newly appointed knights,” Alicia answered. “They wield special equipment no one has ever seen the likes of before, and complete the most challenging of quests with overwhelming power.” 

“So they’re not Adventurers?” 

“No, they’re known as the ?Order of Palace Knights?, and the seven finest Warriors in their ranks are called the ?Seven Heroes?.” 

“There’s only six of them, though... Was one of them injured when they fought the Dragon?” 

Only six of the knights stood in front of the Dragon’s head, waving at the crowd. 

“True, Sir Alan doesn’t seem to be present. I doubt someone like him would get hurt, though...” 

“Alan?” 

“Yes, his name is the same as the great hero who defeated the Demon Lord many years ago, so he is said to be his reincarnation.” 

“Is he truly the great hero’s reincarnation?” 

“It is beyond me to know, but...I believe it to be mere coincidence. It is not unusual for parents to name their sons after heroes.” 

Quite a confusing story, but he must be strong if people respected him enough to laud him as the second coming of a hero. 

“What kind of person is this Alan?” 

“Hmm... He’s a bit of an unusual one. I can never tell what’s going through his head...” 

On top of being a duke’s daughter and an Imperial Knight, Alicia was a Demon Lord worshiper who wished for the extinction of the races. She ranked fairly high on the list of “people you could never tell what was going through their minds.” Diablo assumed Alan would have to be quite the person to receive that sort of evaluation from her. 

“At any rate, Sir Alan is, without a doubt, the strongest Knight among everyone in service to King Delouche,” Alicia proclaimed. 

“Ohoh... Tell me, what does he look like?” 

“I see you’re interested in powerful warriors, Sir Diablo.” 

“Of course.” 

—I gotta make sure I stay out of his way so I don’t have to fight someone like that! 

Diablo had no desire of throwing himself into adventure and testing himself against Warriors stronger than him. In the first place, he was the type of person who preferred to shut himself in his room and never come out if he didn’t have to. If some crazy strong knight was walking around town, Diablo wanted to know what they looked like so he could avoid them. 

“Well, let’s see...” Alicia said pensively. “Sir Alan’s hair is...hmm, about that shade of platinum...” 

Alicia fixed her gaze at a certain point, and stiffened. Standing between the crowd, a young man in a red robe stood close to their carriage. His silver hair was spiked, like a character Diablo saw in some manga. He was apparently a Dwarf, and had pointy dog ears, like a Dobermann’s. He looked to be about seventeen, so he wasn’t bearded yet, but there were already long hairs extending from his face despite being so young. 

He grinned at them. He couldn’t exactly be called handsome, but there was something childish to his expression that made him seem amicable. 

“Heya, didja guys call fer me?” 

Alicia seemed to have been shocked speechless. Diablo felt uneasiness creep over him as well. 

“Is that him...? Alan, the leader of the Seven Heroes?” 

“Hmm? Yeah, I’m Alan, but I ain’t the leader.” 

“Weren’t you the strongest, then?” 

“I just don’t dig all this stiff, formal stuff. The cap’n talked to the king, see, and they decided we need to make this big speech in front of a crowd. But I can’t, man, I’m no good with talkin’ to people,” Alan said with a laugh, itching the root of his wrinkly dog ears. 

The young man seemed rather friendly, but Diablo was still cautious. Alan was a Knight of the kingdom, and a fairly powerful one at that. Judging from the longsword at his waist, he was probably a Warrior. 

Diablo didn’t mind close quarters combat, but this range put him at a disadvantage. Rem and the others were behind him, too. He wanted to avoid hostilities, if possible. 

He silently reached into a pouch on his back. 

Alan’s eyes narrowed. “Yer strong, ain’tcha?” 

—Did he sense my level!? 

In-game, the status screen would give a great deal of information, but this world didn’t have anything as convenient as that. Instead, it had something that didn’t come across from a computer screen: a player’s presence and atmosphere. Once one got used to that, it was possible to discern another’s strength. 

Diablo hadn’t felt this stressed out in a while. But no matter who he was up against, he couldn’t let his Demon Lord role playing slip for a second! 

“Heh heh heh...” He curled his lips into a vicious smile. “Would you like to experience that strength on your flesh?” 

Alicia looked shocked. Noticing something was wrong, Shera also turned her gaze toward Diablo. Lumachina had to keep her identity hidden, so she only followed what was going on with her eyes. Rose half-stood to her feet. Leaning over the cart, Horn kept looking at the Dragon, her eyes sparkling like those of an excited child. 

“Sure thing! Today’s quest was more of a cakewalk than I figured it’d be,” Alan said with a grin. “Kinda left me unsatisfied, know what I’m sayin’?” 

Brushing off his cloak, Alan reached for the sword at his waist. 

—What is this guy, some kinda combat junkie!? 

Diablo clicked his tongue internally. He couldn’t back down now and say it was a joke and he didn’t really want to fight. Considering Lumachina, Diablo didn’t want to do anything that would draw attention to them either, but... 

—No choice but to fight him now... 

Then a large man appeared behind Alan, just as he was about to draw his sword...

“You complete and total idiot!”

Bang! 

A huge fist rammed its knuckles against the top of Alan’s head, making a sound as if he’d been hit with a metal bar. 

“Yeouuuuuuuuuch!” Alan turned around in a hurry, looking up with a confused expression on his face. “Wh-What’s the big idea, ya doofus!? What if ya break something in there and make me stupid!?” 

“I doubt anything I could do would make you any more of a hopeless idiot! Why are you picking a fight with the crowd in the middle of our victory parade!?” 

Alan poked his finger in Diablo’s direction. “Naw, it’s just this guy, he looked kinda strong...” 

Diablo’s gaze clashed with the giant’s. The man was tall and gave an impressive, muscular impression, but the cloak hanging from his shoulders and the armor he was clad in hid any particular details from view. 

Race-wise, he was a Human. He had a macho build, but his face reminded Diablo of a science nerd. His black hair was parted to the side, and he wore black-rimmed glasses, with a face that would fit a math teacher. 

Noticing Alicia standing at Diablo’s side, surprise washed over his expression. 

“Oh, aren’t you the Cristela’s...? A-Are these your guests?” 

“Thank you very much for subjugating such a dangerous beast.” 

“I see we’ve caused you some trouble again...” 

“Oh no, perish the thought...” 

The bespectacled, nerdy giant turned toward Diablo. “I serve as commander and captain of the Order of Palace Knights. I go by Marquis Maximum Abrams.” 

“I think your subordinates could use some discipline, captain.” 

“I beg your pardon... It seems subjugating the beast left him with more vigor than he has use for. I apologize deeply on his behalf, so please forgive his disrespectful conduct.” 

“Hmph... I’ve lost interest in you,” Diablo said with a bored tone, sitting back on the carriage’s bench. 

It wouldn’t be odd if Diablo’s disrespectful attitude would earn him the Knight’s ire, but Abrams was apparently a reasonable man. 

“I thank you for your understanding.” Abrams bowed respectfully, and returned to the wagon with the Dragon’s head on it, dragging Alan by the collar. 

—I’m lucky I didn’t have to fight him... It’s a good thing Captain Abrams is an understanding man. 

It appeared the crowd noticed the presence of the two heroes who had stepped on the wagon. Aged citizens who clapped respectfully, women who burst into tears from the excitement, young lads who raised their voices enthusiastically... The crowd, made up of such people, stirred to life once more. 

Atop the platform, the women of the group of heroes apparently said something to Alan who laughed in embarrassment while Abrams sighed. 

The Seven Heroes had great synergy as a party. It was obvious they trusted each other and got along well. 

—Damn, now I wish I fought him! 

“While I understand your anger, please try staying composed for the time being,” Alicia appealed to Diablo. “Causing an uproar here would only complicate things later.” 

“Y-Yes... I am aware. I’ve lost interest in them.” 

Shera and Lumachina still seemed nervous, saying things like, “That was scary,” and, “Are you unharmed?” 

Rose was suppressing the bloodthirst she’d been silently harboring at what had just happened, while Horn tilted her head quizzically, only just now realizing something was wrong. 

“Did something happen?” 

† 

At the ?Firebird Inn?, in the sixth district— 

While it was called that, the Firebird Inn was more of a large, high-class hotel. As one might expect from the capital, even lodgings aimed at Adventurers were extremely impressive. Of course, there were cheap inns around, but the building in front of them was luxurious and extravagant. 

“Amazing!” Shera squeaked in excitement as she looked up at the building. 

“Super awesome! C-Can I come in, too!? I can, right!? They’re not gonna arrest me, are they!?” Horn seemed ecstatic, too. 

“...If we lodge here, our travel expenses would be gone before we know it.” Rem, who had finally woken up, shuddered in terror with her eyes wide. 

“Did we not just receive a bounty from Lady Laminitus, though?” 

“...A High Priest like you may not know it, but once you start spending money, it disappears before you know it.” 

“I-I do understand that much...” 

“...No, you do not. Spending this much just for a place to sleep is a waste of money.” 

Having finally regained freedom of movement after being confined to one place on the sand ship and carriage, Rose drew closer to Rem. 

“Whatever do you mean by ‘waste of money’? This is where Master will be resting, so anything below the absolute best would be unacceptable.” 

“...Are you trying to drive your ‘precious master’ into bankruptcy? I suppose whoever made you forgot to add a calculation function... All you’re good for is cleaning.” 

“Rose now sees your wallet is as lacking as your chest.” 

“Wha...? What does my chest have to do with this!?” 

Alicia tried calming the two down with a “Now, now...” 

“Pardon me for not making it clear earlier, Miss Rem. I’ve already handled the payment for your group’s lodging fees and meals. You may stay here without worrying about travel expenses.” 

“...Are you sure you are all right with that? There’s six of us, you know?” 

Trying to count them, Diablo realized there was someone missing: Diablo, Rem, Shera, Lumachina, Horn, and Rose were all here, along with Alicia. 

Alicia’s face took on a pensive expression for a moment—then she clapped her hands together. 

“I believe I have already told you before I am the daughter of the Cristela family, correct? While I may not be the family’s heir, I have already begun managing several businesses. In terms of private property, I believe I should be about as wealthy as a regional governor.” 

“...What?” 

“Should you deem it necessary, Sir Diablo, I could buy this entire inn for you.” 

“...Wh-Wh-What?” The worldly and wise Rem asked, her eyes as wide as saucers. 

Having come from an entirely different world, Horn couldn’t even keep up with the conversation. In contrast to that, Shera and Lumachina didn’t seem too terribly surprised as they were never pressed for money. 

Diablo was relieved, though. 

—It’s a good thing we don’t have to pay for the inn... 

There was no telling how many days it would take to resolve Lumachina’s situation. Like Rem, Diablo believed in the whole “once you start spending money, it disappears before you know it.” He had the sort of frugal, middle-class perspective telling him that, even if they had money saved up, staying in a high-class hotel is a luxury they probably couldn’t afford to make. 

“It’s nearly time for dinner,” Alicia said, checking her pocket watch. 

“Yay, food!” 

Shera ran off into the inn. Horn followed after her, and soon enough the whole group had made their way into the Firebird Inn. 

The lobby was even fancier than the building’s exterior, with phoenix statues decorating the otherwise empty hall. For dinner, they were served many luxurious dishes, apparently made from the best ingredients gathered around the kingdom. There were many Diablo had never seen before, and it was all-you-can-eat, too. 

Two hours later— 

“I can’t...take anymore...” Shera said, her face as white as a sheet. “Thank you for...everything...and goodbye... Diablo...Rem...when I die...please take me back to the...forest...” 

“Stay with us, Shera!” Rem said, rubbing Shera’s back. 

“Ugh, blurg...” Shera covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes tearing. 

“You shouldn’t overeat.” Diablo shrugged. 

“...You gluttonous idiot.” 

They were in one of the inn’s rooms. They each had a room for themselves, but they were in a large common room for get-togethers. Apparently, Alicia had reserved the whole top floor for them. 

—Sure is something a rich person would do... 

Shifting his gaze, Diablo spotted Horn knocked out on the bed, having eaten so much the outline of her belly had changed shape. 

“Uuu, I can’t eat another bite...” 

“How troubling,” Lumachina said with a perplexed expression. “Even my healing would not be able to help you with this...” 

Rem sighed. “Gluttony is considered a cardinal sin by the scriptures... I doubt even a miracle could spare them from this divine retribution.” 

“It seems so.” 

Only Rose wasn’t in the common room, having remained in her personal room. She didn’t need to eat, and their waiters—the inn’s specialists—did a flawless job of tending to them. As a result, Rose was left with nothing to do and secluded herself in her room. 

“Do you have time for me, Sir Diablo?” Alicia asked. “I will have to leave for home soon, and, before I do, I would like to...” 

“Yes, we did agree to speak later.” 

Leaving Shera and Horn to Rem and Lumachina’s care, Diablo and Alicia returned to his own room. 

† 

It was a single room, but it was large enough to easily host six people. The place Diablo thought was the room at first turned out to be his room’s entrance hall. Diablo didn’t know why his room needed an entrance hall, but that alone was wider than a normal inn’s room. 

Passing through the entranceway, Diablo was welcomed by a luxurious, extravagant room full of paintings and expensive-looking vases. Diablo went straight beyond surprise and into the realm of utter astonishment. 

“This looks like a room befitting a king.” 

“Hehe... Well, honestly speaking, if you ignore the ornaments’ quality, the room’s design isn’t far from that.” Alicia smiled wryly, drawing closer to him. 

“What is it?” 

“I thought I should take your cloak.” 

“Ah, yes... That’s very considerate of you.” 

He removed his cloak, the ?Sojourn of Darkness?. 

The cloak he previously burned, the ?Curtain of Dark Clouds?, had an effect preventing any negative status effects, and also provided HP regeneration. However, his new cloak, the Sojourn of Darkness, inflicted the ?Fear? status on all opponents. 

In Cross Reverie, high-level monsters were immune to negative status effects so the Curtain of Dark Clouds was more useful. In this world, however, he faced low level enemies fairly often. According to the game’s settings, Fear would freeze the opponent in place, and that came across by having the inflicted opponent be unable to attack for a set period of time. 

Alicia hung his cloak on a coat rack. 

“Do you like the place? This room is where Adventurers who became rich and successful would make their lodging. Living in such luxury helps them realize the success they have earned with their own two hands. I believe that is why this room is extravagant to such an exaggerated degree.” 

“In that case, staying here when someone else paid for it rather defeats that purpose.” 

“Hehe... Another reason is because this hotel often protects people of great importance. So long as you remain at this inn, the High Priest’s safety should be guaranteed.” 

“That is most important.” 

“They can buy anything you would need in your name, and you can call doctors or beauticians to your rooms. There is no reason anyone in the Church should ever catch sight of you.” 

“You seem to have quite the grasp on our situation. Did Rem really write that much in her letter?” 

“No, she only mentioned the date you would arrive, that you had three new companions, and asked that I ‘tell her if I know any safe inns.’ Besides that, I just happen to know what the High Priest looks like.” 

“I see...” 

His Demon Lord persona made him feign coolness, but he was honestly surprised. She inferred that much out of something as vague as, “We’re accompanying an important person who needs protecting.” 

“No, wait... Lumachina’s face was covered.” 

“Heh... From that distance, I could tell just from her eyes.” 

“Is that right...” 

Diablo was terrible with remembering other people’s faces, so recognizing people just from their eyes seemed impossible to him... But maybe Alicia was different.

Alicia poured Diablo a cup of water from a nearby pitcher, squeezing a lemon into it for fragrance before placing it on the table before him. 

“Here you are.” 

Diablo sat on a sofa. 

“Let’s begin with your circumstances.” 

“It would be hard discussing this aloud, so would you mind if I sit next to you?” 

“I’ll allow it.” 

“Thank you kindly.” 

Alicia took a seat at Diablo’s side, sitting so close their shoulders were touching each other. Diablo had approved it because she probably couldn’t speak of those matters with someone listening, but... 

She was sitting really close to him. 

Nervousness sprouted in Diablo’s heart. She was completely messed up on the inside, but Alicia was a gorgeous woman, and, right now, she was dressed like one would expect of a duke’s daughter. Her refined dress didn’t expose much skin, but that was exactly what made it all the more of a “virgin killer.” 

“Virgin killer” clothes weren’t, in the normie sense, clothes that were hard to take off. It was the opposite of a slutty outfit: clothes that accentuated a girl’s femininity while maintaining a pure, innocent appearance. Inexperienced virgins like Diablo were actually rather turned off by women who boldly exposed their skin, if only because they lived in a far different world. 

—Not like girls who dress modestly live in the same world as me... 

Diablo’s thoughts were about to spiral down into dark territories, but Alicia’s voice dragged him back to reality. 

“Heh heh...” she whispered into his ear. “Thanks to you getting rid of the king’s spy, my actions went undetected, Sir Diablo.” 

A dark smile played on her lips. Her glasses glittered with an orange tint, reflecting the candle light, while her expression shifted from that of a refined lady to one fitting of an evil villain. 

—She’s crazy... 

“I... I see...” 

By the king’s spy, she must have meant the ninja who attacked them at the inn in Faltra. Diablo thought going easy on the ninja would end up hurting his friends later down the line, so he blew the ninja away with powerful magic. But when Alicia praised him for it with such a vicious smile, Diablo wondered if he had done the wrong thing. Being a timid person at his core, Diablo was overtaken by anxiety. 

“Command praised the fact that I stopped the Demon Lord’s revival in Faltra,” Alicia said, bitterly biting her thumbnail. “But they held me accountable for relying on Adventurers’ cooperation to do so, and for being absent during the emergency itself and Saddler’s death.” 

“Hmph... Hopeless fools.” 

A court-martial can be a terrible thing. Diablo failed to see how something as grand as preventing the Demon Lord’s revival failed to compensate for a few blunders. Relying on Adventurers when she didn’t have troops to help her was perfectly reasonable, and Saddler was a terrible man who was actually the cause of the Demon Lord’s revival in the first place. 

—Alicia was the one who plotted to have the Demon Lord revived, though... 

That was an act of treason against the races as a whole. If the King were to learn of that, being held accountable for trivialities would be the least of Alicia’s concerns, for she’d be executed on the spot. 

The part about her being missing when the Demon Lord revived was true as well, because she was marching with the Fallen to attack Faltra at the time. 

“Life hasn’t been easy on you, either. The Fallen condemned you for failing to revive the Demon Lord, and a king of the races holds you accountable despite having helped stop the revival.” 

“You may say that, Sir Diablo, but was it not you who changed my fate after I failed to revive the Demon Lord?” 

“T-True... Either way, what happened next? They held you accountable for those things, and...?” 

It felt like continuing that conversation would only stir up trouble, so Diablo put the conversation back on track. 

“They held me accountable, but...I assume they believe punishing someone who made such an achievement would lower everyone’s morale.” Alicia pinched her dress’s skirt. “So in recognition of my feats, I’ve been put on extended leave.” 

“In other words, you’re under house arrest?” 

“No, I am not to wear my Imperial Knight uniform. I may leave the house freely in civilian clothes, otherwise I could not be here with you, Sir Diablo.” 

“Fair enough.” 

“I was lucky to have gotten away with just an extended leave... Some among the Imperial Knights were transferred to the countryside or demoted to soldiers, and some were even discharged altogether.” 

“Why? What’s going on?” 

The Imperial Knights were like police. Was the capital really so peaceful they could cut their numbers like that? 

“It is because of the Order of Palace Knights.” 

“Hmm... I see.” 

Diablo recalled the Seven Heroes he had almost gotten involved with in the street: Alan, the combat junkie hero with the dog ears, and Abrams, the bespectacled macho man. There were also those girls in their party... 

“The Order of Palace Knights already number more than one hundred, with the Seven Heroes as their core, and their ranks are only growing.” 

“How are they different from Imperial Knights?” 

“Imperial Knights stress the importance of pedigree and race...” 

Come to think of it, the Imperial Knights were almost exclusively male Humans, with Alicia being the exception. Alan, on the other hand, was a Dwarf; a demi. They were gathering Warriors from a larger population, so the Palace Knights naturally outnumbered the Imperial Knights. 

“That makes sense... But still, it’s odd.” 

If they really wanted to bolster their ranks, they just had to accept demis into the Imperial Knights. Why go through the bother of forming a new order? 

“I’m sad to say I do not know the circumstances behind that...” 

“We should look into it. Something about this story bothers me.” 

“As you wish.” 

Rising from the sofa, Alicia bowed her head, then sat down next to him again. 

As always, she was so strict about these sorts of things... 

“You do have the leisure to do that, now that you’re on leave, after all.” Diablo set the conversation back on track. 

“Hehe... It’s been years since I got to enjoy summer vacation.” 

“You do seem to be enjoying it, all things considered.” 

“Of course. It gives me plenty of time to focus on looking into the higher-ups’ corruption. Though I will admit being out of uniform makes it hard to access military facilities and keeping track of soldier placements...” 

—Is she planning a coup or something!? 

It seemed Alicia was planning to overthrow the Kingdom of Lyferia, and was using Diablo as her banner. 

Diablo’s Demon Lord role play was just that; he may have taken it seriously, but it was still acting. Diablo wasn’t a real Demon Lord, and didn’t have any plans of destroying the races’ kingdom. 

“W-Well... You can, uhhh, take all the time in the world with that one.” 

“I thank you for your advice. If the top ranking officers were to notice me, all would be for naught. I will certainly take my time and do this with caution.” 

“That’s not what I... Never mind...” 

If nothing else, Alicia seemed to be making full use of her leave. 

“Did you come to the capital because of the problems surrounding the High Priest, Sir Diablo?” Alicia asked. 

“Yes...” He explained Lumachina’s circumstances to her briefly. 

“That’s inexcusable!” Alicia said with a stern expression. “The corruption of those in power is one of the things I loath most! To think it extends to not just the royal palace, but to the Church as well!” 

“We don’t really know where the money’s coming from or going to, but we do know there are Paladins who would stoop to murder to line their pockets, and some higher ups who would contract them for assassinations.” 

Alicia listened pensively to Diablo’s words. 

“Personal vice and corruption on an organizational level may not be unrelated, but there are different methods of dealing with each. A corrupt person can be removed from power and replaced, but I believe reforming an organization requires changing its rules from the bottom up.” 

“Y-Yes, you’re right.” 

This was getting complicated. Diablo didn’t mind repetitive work, or work involving numbers, but when it came to work involving many different people, that was where his head stopped working. 

It was all because other people had far too many unpleasant aspects to themselves. There were far too many people who would trample on others’ rights just to feel better about themselves, even if there was no actual gain involved in doing so. Being in the frame of mind where he was trying to fix some of the world’s vices, that was something Diablo couldn’t understand for the life of him. 

“Let me investigate the Church,” Alicia proposed. “Could you give me a bit of time to do that?” 

Speaking honestly, it would be a huge help. Diablo and his group had no means of investigating the Church, and, while he didn’t suspect Lumachina was lying, she was one to possibly jump to conclusions. 

Diablo needed proof this wasn’t some sort of misunderstanding. Alicia was an Imperial Knight, something like a police officer here in Lyferia, and was skilled enough to get a special promotion despite her age and gender. Her ideology was questionable, to say the least, but there was no doubting her skills. 

“Very well. I leave it to you.” 

“I will prove your trust in me is not misplaced, Sir Diablo.” However, the girl proceeded, saying, “Assuming I do find proof of their corruption, what will you do then?” 

—I didn’t think that far ahead, to be honest... 

But Diablo couldn’t say something so pathetic. He thought of something Demon-Lord-esque enough on the spot. 

“If we could present proof of their sins, they would surely be tried and punished, no? That much would be obvious.” 

“I agree that is how it should be, but we have no one to present our evidence to.” 

“What?” 

“The Church is granted a unique right called ?Religious Jurisdiction?. Matters involving religion are all to be judged within the confines of the Church. Even if we were to take this matter to court, it would likely end up being transferred to the Church’s jurisdiction instead.” 

“How absurd!” 

“No matter how incriminating the evidence we present might be, if the judge is a member of the Church, they would never be found guilty.” 

“And this country’s legal system allows this?” 

“The same holds true to the palace and the kingdom’s higher brass. Even if you found evidence of any crimes, there’s no point in issuing a complaint. Which is exactly why those in power have become so corrupt.” 

Diablo recalled the history he had learned in his original world. This world was behind his, and there was no segregation of government, court, and religion. This world was still roughly in the Middle Ages, an age where laws weren’t properly documented yet. 

“This is horrible.” 

“That is why we need your power, Sir Diablo!” 

“My power...?” 

A smile bloomed on Alicia’s face as she spread out her hands and placed them on her cheeks gently. 

“A purge by spilt blood! Using your power, we will be able to rain justice on these terrible fiends in human form, and return the world to its rightful form! It is the time of awakening! Of retribution and reckoning! Join me!” 

“O-Oh... Um, yes... But I should go to bed soon...” 

“Oh, pardon. How inconsiderate of me... You must be exhausted after your long trip. Please, take your time and rest.” 

It wasn’t exactly news that Alicia had a few screws loose, and Diablo couldn’t help but sigh on the inside. 

† 

Late at night— 

Alicia had returned home, and everyone else had retired to their rooms—or so it should have been. 

Rose lowered her head before the person in front of her in a deep bow. 

“Pardon Rose for disturbing Master at this late an hour. If Rose has interrupted Master’s slumber, Rose is prepared to receive any punishment Master deems fit.” 

“Pay it no mind. I assume you’ve come here for a reason?” 

“Yes... The truth is, Rose’s magic reserves are running quite scarce. They have been depleted to below 30%.” 

Being a Magimatic Maid, Rose used Diablo’s magical energy to operate. Magical energy was, in other words, this world’s MP. 

“Is there some sort of problem? Doesn’t it recharge naturally when you’re in The Demon Lord’s Underground Labyrinth or near me?” 

“Rose was away from Master most of the time on the way here...and it appears the amount Rose has depleted in battle was greater than what was recharged.” 

“Hmm... Just how close do you have to be for it be considered ‘near’ me?” 

“Within arm’s reach.” 

That was very close, indeed... 

Diablo’s sides were Rem and Shera’s usual spots, and, since they required his protection, Horn and Lumachina always remained at Diablo’s back. They had kept Rose, who was skilled at both offense and defense, at the head of the line, but that meant she had remained out of “arm’s reach.” 

—I figured her being in the same party as me would be enough for her MP to recover... 

This whole situation gave Diablo a newfound appreciation for the status screen. Not being able to check it was terribly inconvenient. To make things worse, Rose wasn’t one to let her exhaustion show on her face. 

Unable to be frank with those around her as she was, her values were skewed and she refused to make it known when she was having trouble. She was the type to go ahead of everyone else and not even notice. 

“You should stop trying so hard.” 

“Oh... Forgive Rose, Master...” 

She was giving Diablo a serious run for his money when it came to being socially inept. 

—Well, I guess it makes sense since she was an AI in the game. 

If anything, thinking he was as bad as an AI when it came to this made Diablo pretty depressed. 

Pulling his thoughts together, he continued the discussion. 

“In that case, I permit you to stay by my side tonight. That will do, yes?” 

“Rose has considered that, and tried to stay by Master’s side while Master sleeps...” 

“O-Oh...” 

—She was next to me while I was sleeping!? I never even noticed! 

Imagining Rose looking down on him night after night as he slept was quite honestly a horror-inducing image. Though, she would probably make for the trustiest night watcher imaginable. 

“It would seem Rose’s magic energy does not recharge if Master is sleeping,” Rose said apologetically. 

“So it’s no good if I’m asleep. There are more limitations to this than I thought.” 

“Uuu... Rose cannot believe Rose is such a burden on Master... Rose is a defective maid. Please dispose of Rose however Master sees fit. Be it by kicking, or punching...” 

“I-I won’t do any of that!” He used his natural voice without noticing. 

“Y-Yes, Master...” 

“Ah, no... Ahem! Considering your abilities, those limitations seem like a cheap price to pay. I do not mind staying up and being by your side until morning if need be.” 

“Oh, no, Master cannot. That will put Master’s health at risk.” 

“Hmph... You underestimate me, you fool. A lack of sleep has no effect on me!” 

He hadn’t pulled an all-nighter in a long while, so the thought of it seemed nostalgic. In his own world, he would spend consecutive all-nighters in-game. It may have been a problem if, during the next day, they would have to go on a long march or if there were an important battle, but right now they were just waiting for Alicia’s report. 

There was no problem at all. Rose didn’t seem convinced though. 

“The idea of Master harming Master’s own health for Rose’s sake goes against Rose’s reason for existing. Rose’s cognitive circuits are on the verge of overheating.” 

“Is it really that bad...?” 

As far as Diablo was concerned, an all-nighter didn’t even count as a bother. If he didn’t get the rare drop in a limited time event, he would pull an all-nighter trying to get it without a second thought. It had gotten to the point where other players suspected he was using some illegal tool or running multiple accounts. 

Rose shook her head. “Sleep deprivation may impact Master’s health. It increases the probability for contracting serious diseases and may shorten Master’s lifespan in the long run.” 

That sounded like one of those messages the admins would sometimes send players who were playing for too long. The kind that required filling in a CAPTCHA to close the window. 

“Then we have no choice. Stay by my side tomorrow then.” 

“There is another method.” 

“What is it?” 

Rose’s cheeks flushed at Diablo’s question. 

“Rose suggests Master perform a speed charge on Rose.” 

“A ‘speed charge’? What’s that?” 

“A mere thirty minutes of the act will grant Rose a week’s worth load of Master’s... No, a week’s worth charge of the Master’s magical energy.” 

“Is that true?” 

“Hmm... Does Master doubt Rose’s words? Claim Rose would lie to Master? Suspect Rose’s cognitive circuits are defective?” 

“No, you’re right. You would never lie to me, Rose.” 

Her speech may have been eccentric at times, but everything this Magimatic Maid did was out of consideration and concern for Diablo. 

“Rose thanks Master very much.” 

“So, what should I do?” 

“Put concisely, Master must transfer Master’s magical energy by contact rather than by being in proximity.” 

“Hmm... Indeed, that way should provide you with more magical energy. So I should just touch you?” 

—Maybe I should pat her on the head? 

“Yes.” Rose nodded. “In that case, can Rose ask this of Master?” 

“I’ll allow it. It should be done in thirty minutes, right?” 

“That depends on Master.” 

“Heh... You underrate my magical energy, do you, you fool? I’ll fill you up with so much magical energy you’ll be fit to burst!” 

“Aaahn... Rose’s knees are shaking with anticipation... Hnnn...” 

Hearing her erotic gasps, Diablo’s heart skipped a beat. However, Rose was a Magimatic Doll; a machine. There was no way Diablo would look at a machine with impure intentions in his eyes. Same as how he wouldn’t feel lust for his vacuum cleaner. 

Taking a deep breath, he calmed his excited nerves. 

“Where shall we do this? The bed, maybe?” 

When he transferred his magical energy into Shera and Rem, they needed a place to lie down. 

“Pardon Rose, Master... The bed is...” Rose shook her head. 

—Oh, crap... 

Telling a girl to lie down on a bed was perhaps the creepiest thing he could say. He didn’t imagine how embarrassing it would be to have her say no. He wished he could bury himself alive! 

“Aaah, O-O-O-Of course! The bed’s no good!” 

“Rejecting Master’s goodwill grates at Rose’s emotional circuits... But if Rose were to get on the bed, it would surely break...” 

“Oh... Ah... Right...” 

Rose was very heavy, after all. When they were on the carriage, she was heavier than a fully armored, fully armed knight. However large and spacious the bed here may be, it wouldn’t be able to support her weight and would surely cave in. 

Rose turned around and placed her hands against the wall. 

“Master... Hmm... If it is permitted, Rose would have Master do it from behind...” 

Her face becoming even more flushed, Rose stuck out her buttocks. 

—So l-lewd... 

Diablo was nervous, but this was nothing more than transferring magical energy to a comrade. It was—how did she call it, again? Yes, speed charging. Associating anything else to this would be completely and utterly wrong. 

“Should I touch your back...? Hmm? Come to think of it...that huge hand isn’t out now.” 

“Huge hand, Master...?” 

“Whenever you get serious about fighting, it comes out of your back. That cool mecha-like arm that holds your double-bladed sword.” 

“Ah... Master means the ?Magimatic Sol?. It is currently on standby in the interstice between worlds.” 

“So it’s not in this world right now?” 

“Affirmative. That would be the case.” 

“Then...why are you so heavy?” 

“Hmmm... Rose’s weight is due to the ?Dimensional Transcendence Device? built inside Rose.” 

“What? So you’re this heavy even without that hand?” 

“The Magimatic Sol has a weight comparable to a Type-10 Tank, so therefore... Huh...? What...is a Type-10 Tank? Pardon Rose, Master, Rose seems to have detected unusual lexicon in Rose’s memory banks...” 

“No, you can stop. Don’t let it bother you.” 

“V-Very well...” 

It appeared the game’s setting and her knowledge from the other world were conflicting with one another. Diablo wasn’t a tank enthusiast, but, having played some FPS games with modern weaponry, he had some rudimentary knowledge. Japan’s newest model, the Type-10 Hitomaru, had a weight of 44 tons. 

—If she’s that heavy with the sword out, no wonder she would make a sand ship tilt... 

If it was just her weight alone, she would be able to ride on a carriage, but, when she was fighting, the Magimatic Sol would make her considerably heavier. 

“Whatever the case, you’re not carrying it now, right?” 

“Correct.” 

“Let’s begin then.” 

Diablo stood behind her and reached out to touch her fair, unblemished back. Her skin was clear and transparent, but there were bits of metal on it here and there. They were buried into her skin, not attached by stickers. They were probably grafted into her body by some unique fixation method, or maybe they just all connected somewhere deep within her feminine frame. 

As Diablo caressed the metallic segments, a shiver ran down Rose’s spine. 

“Nnngh...” 

“It doesn’t hurt, does it?” 

“It does not. But if it is done by Master’s hands, Rose would not mind any pain inflicted upon Rose...” 

“N-No, if it hurts, then say so.” 

“Rose is grateful for Master’s consideration... Master is far too benevolent and kind...” 

“Let’s transfer that magic energy as quickly as possible.” 

Diablo was able to discern the flow of magical energy within others by touching them. He had learned how to do it from a slave merchant shortly after arriving in this world. 

Rose, in terms of magical energy, was entirely different from the races. For the races, magic would swirl within the body like a vortex, with magic being richer or thinner at different points of the body. While there were individual differences between different people, the vortex’s center was usually around the heart or the navel. For Magimatic Maids, the center of the magic seemed to be in their abdomens. 

—If I let magic flow through these metallic bits, will it reach her core? 

He tried emitting some magical energy from his hands, but...Rose didn’t seem to particularly react to it. Maybe it wasn’t enough? 

“Hmmm... That’s, aaah, where the Dimensional Transcendence Device...” Rose said in between labored sighs. 

“Oh, I see.” 

“Rose begs Master’s pardon... That place is very sensitive, so if Master pours magic in there...it’s, hmm...” 

“I-I get it. Just say what you want me to do, and I’ll do exactly that.” 

“Master doing as Rose says... Oooh...” 

Rose’s face flushed an even deeper shade of red. Diablo could hear her gulp audibly as she looked at him with a feverish gaze in her eyes. 

“Speak your will then,” Diablo said, realizing Rose’s infectious tension was affecting him as well. 

“V-Very well... Pardon Rose...” 

Rose unfastened a button hidden in her skirt and the fabric fluttered weightlessly to the floor, exposing her buttocks to the air. A pair of black string panties barely covered it—just barely. 

“Buuufha!?” 

“Master...keep going... Rose asks of Master, do it from behind...” 

“Buha!?” 

“Ah! M-Master!?” 

“Wha!? What are you saying!?” 

“Ah... Forgive Rose, Master. Rose did not realize Master is inexperienced with this. Rose was referring to Rose’s rear entr—” 

“I know what you meant! I might be inexperienced, but zip it! Rose, do you really need that!?” 

Cross Reverie was rated all-ages. All of the 18+ aspects of this world were apparently cut from the game. 

If this’s what Magimatic Maids are like, it’s no wonder they were never implemented! 

“So long as Master makes contact with the proximity of Rose’s ?Magical Energy Core?, any part of Master’s body should work,” Rose said, going red up to her ears. “However, Rose does not have any practical experience of this either, so Rose is only speaking theoretically...” 

“I-I see...” 

Her Magical Energy Core was probably the center of the magical energy swirling in her body that he saw earlier. 

“So long as it reaches Rose’s deepest part, any part of Master’s body will do.” 

“Hmm.” 

“But should Master insert Master’s wrist, there’s risk of damag—” 

“I won’t!” 

“Y-Yes. Pardon Rose...” Rose’s shoulders were trembling. 

—Crap, I think I might have been too forceful there... 

Rose was only explaining how to handle the problem. But why did everything surrounding this maid have to be so damn perverted!? Unfortunately, this world didn’t have a menu, much less a button, that would let him file a complaint to the admins. If only this world had a “Contact Us” button, he’d send an inquiry with a whole list of game-breaking bugs preventing him from completing the main quest that was currently his life. 

Diablo took another deep breath to quell his nerves. Looking at this situation a bit more calmly... 

—This is all sorts of crazy... 

Rose stuck out her butt, placing it at right about the same height as Diablo’s waist. Her intimate parts were hidden by nothing but a pair of string panties. Diablo stood speechless. 

“H-Hmm... Master... Feeling Master’s gaze upon Rose’s body fills Rose with so much joy. Rose’s sensory circuits may climax... But if Master does not touch Rose, no magical energy will be transferred.” 

“I-I-I know that!” 

Diablo grabbed Rose’s waist with both hands. 

—Damn, she’s so soft! 

Her skin was slightly moist from sweat, and Diablo could feel a heat emanating from within her. The magical energy flowing just from Diablo’s hands made Rose jolt, her spine shivering. 

“Ahnnn!” 

“Wh-Whoa...” 

“Aaahn... This is...amazing... Rose feels...Master’s magical energy, so close by...” 

“That’s good.” 

“Hnnng, amazing... Aaahn... If this comes in, Rose might just...go over the edge!” 

—She probably meant the edge of her magical energy capacity! Right? Right!? 

“Aaah... Mmm... Hnnng...!” 

Try as he might to take deep, steady breaths, Diablo was far from being composed. 

—Screw staying calm, this is impossible! 

If he was the type of person with the guts to stay calm while touching a woman, he’d be leading a totally different life right now. Diablo could barely respond to a female cashier asking him if he wanted his food heated up with a garbled “nofankyu.” There was no one worse than him when it came to interacting with other people, girls in particular. 

—No! That’s wrong! Right now, I’m Diablo! A Demon Lord from another world! A Demon Lord can do it! I can do it! 

This was something he had done in a ritual once before. When he had unsealed the Demon Lord Krebskulm’s soul sealed inside Rem’s body, he had poured his magical energy into a “deeper place.” 

Diablo drew his middle finger closer to Rose’s behind. 

“Prepare yourself, Rose!” 

In contrast to his assertive words, Diablo’s knees were shaking and faint tears clouded his field of vision. Refusing to look directly, he scried with his finger, trying to shift the panties aside and find the “Magimatic Maid’s Magical Energy spout,” when his finger finally found its way to an opening. 

—I-Is this it!? 

“M-Master!? That’s—” A jolt ran through Rose’s spine. 

“I-I-I-I’lltakecareofit!” 

He jammed his finger into the tight hole which constricted around his finger so much it hurt. 

—It wasn’t this bad last time! Wait, maybe there’s some individual differences... Besides, Rose is a machine. Of course she’d be different from the races! 

Those thoughts were swirling rapidly in Diablo’s feverish mind as Rose was writhing in agony. 

“Aaahnnng... M-Maaaster... Aaah... That place is...” 

“You want me to go deeper!? I can’t reach the core if I don’t go any deeper, right!?” 

“A-Aaah... Rose can’t...can’t stand anymore...” 

Her legs shaking, Rose fell to her knees. Her fingers dug into the wall, leaving scratch marks. 

“H-Hey, Rose! Are you all right!?” 

If it was an ordinary woman, Diablo would support her with his free left hand to stop her from falling. But Rose had the weight of a fully equipped soldier. Even at level 150, Diablo couldn’t hope to support her with one hand, so, his right hand, with a finger inserted, naturally clenched as well. 

Rose’s weight had pressed down against him. His fingers had penetrated so far Diablo was becoming anxious, unsure if he was even supposed to go that deep. 

His finger finally touched the Magical Energy Core in the depths of Rose’s body. Rose’s spine bent backward like a bow. 

“Aaa, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!” 

She let out a high-pitched scream. He had a feeling this would be what happened when transferring magical energy came up, but her scream was loud enough to reach the other rooms in the inn. 

Rose fell back, exhausted, this time entrusting her whole weight to Diablo. 

“Aaah!?” 

A normal Human would have had his arms crushed, but Diablo was somehow able to carry Rose down to the floor. 

“Ugh, ngh... You’re very...heavy, Rose...” 

Rose lay prostrate, sleeping. 

A “Pi!” sound suddenly rang out. It was an electronic sound Diablo had heard before, when Rose ran out of magical energy and was as still as a statue. 

“Profound contact with master confirmed. Current charge at 120%.” 

“Right... So you’ve got a full belly now, right? That’s good.” 

Heaving a deep, relieved breath, Diablo sat on the sofa, looking down at Rose who was sleeping on the floor. Her expression was peaceful and filled with joy.