The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody - Volume 4 - Chapter 4

FINAL DAY

Hopeful Hazard

“Hello! Come one, come all! I’m about to start a fun little presentation on magical studies!” Verda chirped under the clear blue sky.

Her peppy voice rang though the large plaza in Kingsglaive.

…It was the last day of the school trip.

Obviously, that meant Verda had appeared at our inn in the wee hours in the morning…

“Yoo-hoo! It’s me, God! Remember what I said to you on the first day? Well, that old man…whose name escapes me right now…set up a stage for me to beat Ard! Come to the plaza in two hours!”

She didn’t even wait for a reply before dashing off.

I went to appeal to Olivia directly. I mean, we already had a set schedule. I thought she would be on my side and tell me to ignore her.

Here was our exchange:

“Change of plans,” Olivia said. “I’ve scrapped the entire schedule to do Verda’s thing.”

“What?! Wh-why?!”

“Why not? She’s actually smart, you know. The students can learn a lot from her.”

“No! What if she turns us into slime?! It’s totally possible if we entertain her!”

“…How do you know her so well?”

“Um, well… I-I can just tell!”

“Hmph. Let’s say you’re right. That doesn’t change my decision. We’re going to see Verda’s challenge. I’ve got a feeling we might see something interesting…”

Damn it…! I knew she was planning to use Verda to prove I was the Demon Lord…!

…I needed to stop her somehow, but it was out of my control. I ended up going with everyone to the plaza.

Verda and Norman stepped forward to greet us.

“Hey! Thanks for coming! We’re set and ready to go!”

“With my master’s support, I’ve completed my research projects! Allow me to give you a demonstration!” The bald doctor pointed at his experiments.

I managed a sarcastic smile before turning my attention…to the large stage behind them.

“I have a question. You mentioned earlier that there was going to be a presentation on magic. Will it take place up there?” I asked.

“Uh-huh! And for the public to watch you lick my shoes in defeat!”

“…Cool.”

This was already looking bad. After all, they’d constructed this excessive stage, and one of the former Heavenly Kings was planning to usher more people here. There was no way to avoid a growing crowd.

There was already a decent audience gathered around us. I estimated there was anywhere from a thousand to two thousand people there. I could only imagine what would happen if we started casting spells at each other.

“You got this, Ard!” Ireena cheered.

“May your name be known across Kingsglaive!” Ginny said encouragingly.

I was going to have to let them down. Nothing good would come of drawing attention to myself.

For example, Olivia might start smiling. Or Olivia might start smiling. Or Olivia might start smiling…

These three reasons were enough to stop me.

“Hmm. I’d say it’s time to get started,” said the old man.

Next to him, Verda nodded once and turned toward me.

“Okay…Ard and…um… Belman? Get on the stage!”

“It’s Norman… Heh-heh-heh, the time has finally come.”

“Fine,” I said.

Escape wasn’t an option. Even if I tried, it would only make Olivia smile.

I let out a long sigh as I trudged up on stage with Norman. The audience started to stir in anticipation, picking up that the show was about to start.

“You got this! Whatever this is!”

“Ard wins in the looks department!”

“I think I’m rooting for the bald guy!”

The crowd started to cheer in the plaza. Verda went up on stage.

“Hello, Kingsglaive! It’s me! Thanks so much for coming!”

“OOOH! LADY VERDA!”

“I LOVE A GOOD AGELESS ADULT!”

“Get ready to learn about some magical studies…aka A Battle of Lectures! Let’s get this show on the road!”

What in the world was a Battle of Lectures?

“The rules are simple! This bald guy will present first! If Ard admits defeat, the clash is over! But if he manages to show us something better, Ard will win! We’ll keep this up until the bald guy loses!”

…Huh. I wasn’t sure how this was going to play out, but it seemed I’d be able to get myself out of the woods this time.

All I needed to do was admit defeat during the first round…in the clumsiest way possible. That would certainly ruin my good reputation!

I was starting to think this was the perfect opportunity to change my situation for the better.

“That’s it for the introductory stuff! Let’s get started!”

“Feh-heh-heh! Here I come, Ard Meteor!” Norman bellowed, turning his palm toward the ground. “Behold the genius of the great Dr. Norman!”

When he cast his spell, a sweeping magical circle manifested in front of him. Its size was incredible, spanning the entire plaza.

“Oh? Is this…?” I involuntarily murmured to myself when I grasped his intentions.

“…A flight spell?”

Just as I voiced my guess out loud, the entire audience and I were lifted into the air…for an impressive…twenty celti.

“W-whoa?!”

“I-I’m floating!”

“Hey…isn’t this…”

“…a Lost Skill?!”

The corners of Norman’s mouth curled up when he heard their reactions.

“Yes!” he shouted. “Any spell involving flight had been impossible in our generation! But I have managed to recreate this Lost Skill with modern knowledge!”

He was almost looking up at the heavens in pride. “It’s not perfect! But the future is here! It won’t take long before we all soar across the sky! When that happens, you can thank me, Dr. Norman!”

He roared with laughter.

…If I was being honest, this was…not a big deal. I would have expected a “wow factor” if Verda was backing him up. I could basically beat him in my sleep.

Nevertheless, I was going to admit my defeat, falling to my knees.

“I’ve…lost…!” I would cry with tears streaming down my face.

I was ready. Watch out! I had picked up a thing or two for that performance at the school festival.

I embodied the image I’d conjured in my mind.

“Wow. Dr. Norman…”

Now, I needed to fall to my knees…

…but then the unexpected happened.

“Your presentation was weak. I couldn’t stand to watch it.”

…Huh?

“Wh-what was that?! You call my work…weak?!”

Hold up. Hold up. Hold up. Don’t get mad. I didn’t mean that!

I needed to explain myself.

“You heard me. That spell was garbage. Sloppy. Third rate.”

What the…?! Why was I saying stuff I didn’t want to?

Oh no! This stage…must have been the source of my problems…!

I glared at Verda, looking visibly annoyed.

She must have read my mind because her lips curled into a satisfied smile.

“Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you! That stage is a magic device made by yours truly! All lies become truths! No losing on purpose!”

Damn it! I’d screwed up! I’d let myself go soft, thinking this generation offered no real obstacles. I should have known no amount of caution would be enough when dealing with Verda!

“Ard Meteor! How dare you insult me! Garbage? Sloppy? Third rate? Come over here!” Norman screeched.

Wait! Just give me a second! This was all a misunderstanding! I want to admit defeat!

…That was what I’d wanted to say.

“I’m merely stating the facts,” I quipped instead.

My body wouldn’t listen to me. I involuntarily flashed him an arrogant grin, pointing at Norman.

“As you know, the study of magic relies on three main components: conceptualization, construction, and application. We test the propriety of a new spell by using magic to construct it and applying it in a practical setting. Basically, it’s about getting the spell as close to the original concept as possible. It’s just how it works. But your spell, Dr. Norman, is riddled with holes.”

“NGH-WHAAAAAT?! What are you talking about?!”

“You speak of a future where people can fly, but your spell only lifts people twenty celti off the ground. You shouldn’t talk big when this is your limit. I mean, it’s just stupid. And—”

Crap! Abort! Abort mission! I needed to shut up!

…Aaaaaaaaah! I couldn’t stop myself! My body was moving on its own!

“I’ll show you my vision for the new generation.”

…This sucked.

My body cast magic on its own, working up a flight spell that seeped out to encompass the entire audience…

“Whoa! I’m… I’m flying through space!”

They had vanished from sight, whizzing into the air. I controlled them from the ground, making them do a lap around the continent before returning them to the plaza.

“Holy shit!”

“Wh-what just happened?!”

“It was incredible! I was the wind! I was a bird! I was a bird in the wind!”

The crowd was euphoric, gushing about their experiences.

…I just needed to comment while watching their reactions.

“Huh. I’m floored this would even surprise you. You must not have interacted with magic much.”

Is he… I mean, am I an idiot?

Acting all high and mighty. For what?

Oh no…don’t ruffle your hair and close your eyes! Don’t sigh with ennui!

I was starting to make myself sick.

I’d had enough. I needed to die. Someone needed to put me out of my misery.

…That was what the heart wanted.

“I hope you don’t think you’ve won! I’ve got plenty more where that came from!” bellowed Norman.

“Heh. Do you think you can top me? I’d love to see you try.”

I guess I was trapped in hell…forever.

“How’s this?!” Norman challenged. “I’ve developed a magic device that allows anyone to perform a Double Cast—”

“Oh. Cool… And now it can do an Eight Cast.”

“SHIT!”

Please… Please stop…!

“Fine! In that case, what about this spell for full recovery? Look! Even if you cut your nails too short, it immediately—”

“Anyway, would you like a spell to revitalize dead hair roots? Like this?”

“What the—? New life has been found on my desert of a skull!”

Someone…! Anyone…! …Help!

“D-damn! Wh-what about this?! Here’s a spell for anti-aging! There’s no way you can beat this!”

“Oh my. You call that anti-aging? I can still see those laugh lines. I’ll show you what an anti-aging spell can really do.”

“WHOA! I… I can feel my body getting stronger… I feel invincible!”

“Take a look in the mirror.”

“…What? Is this what I look like? No way. Really? You’ve got to be lying. I’m so young! And…handsome?”

“I also cast a spell for plastic surgery.”

“…What…?!”

This competition was becoming a big mess now that my subconscious was going berserk…!

“I’ve lost, Lord Ard. Please make me your pupil. What do you say? I’ll lick your shoes if that’s what it takes! Please!”

Norman was practically unrecognizable, declaring his defeat.

We didn’t really lecture on anything, I realized. I just administered some cosmetic procedures on Norman’s face.

“Gweh-heh-heh! I knew you had it in you, Ard!” Verda commended as she mingled with the crowd beneath the stage.

“…Can you please tell me this event is over?” I asked.

“Sure! The bald guy is the loser. I don’t mind calling it a day. This time.”

This was more anticlimactic than I’d expected. Knowing her, I would have bet she’d join in on the fun.

“Welp, I have to take care of something. Gotta go! Will I make it in time?   Or will I be behind?  ” Verda sang, bouncing off with a spring in her step.

…Weird.

I had a feeling the walking nightmare was planning to further subject me to her powers.

Verda’s Battle of Lectures made me stick out like a sore thumb. It meant I had to deal with Olivia’s annoying smile.

After the debacle, we resumed our normal schedule, wrapping up our tours for the day. We were about to move on to free time, the last one on this trip.

“Yoo-hoo! God’s back!”

Verda had appeared again before us.

“Oh… Are you here to put on another silly performance?”

“Nope! I just figured I’d take you to a few local spots since it’s your last day here!”

Though her offer seemed genuine, there was no way of knowing what was going on in her head. Based on my sources, she had not only been responsible for the chaotic incidents on the first day, but also the head-spinning events of the second. Though there had been none of her traps the day prior…I had a sneaking suspicion she’d been busy preparing for today.

I refused to take any part in her pesky plans. My friends seemed to agree with me, since I could feel them begging me with their eyes to find a way out of this.

“…We don’t want to take up your precious time, Lady Verda. I’m honored that you even—”

“No need to be shy! …Or are you trying to ditch me? Because if you are, I’ll air your dirty laundry to the world! Just what is Ireena doing to Ard every night in his sleep? What’s Ginny always up to during class? Or…what is Sylphy doing to Livvy’s—”

“L-let’s hang out, Lady Verda!” Ireena exclaimed.

“Nothing would make me happier than walking next to you!” Ginny shouted.

“I’ve been dying to play with you, Verda!” Sylphy yelled.

As blood drained from their faces, the three of them closed in on Verda.

…Just what did she have on them?

I was especially concerned about Ireena’s secret. What was she doing to me every night?!

“I take it you’re not trying to ditch me, Ard?”

“…I’d never dream of it, Lady Verda.”

After all, I had a few secrets I wanted to keep myself.

This was how we were roped into spending our last free period with Verda.

…Our guide, Verda, led us to local spots that were unexpectedly ordinary.

The first was a restaurant.

“I imagine you’re all getting hungry. It’s almost noon… This is my local haunt!”

According to her, this hole in the wall was known for its tomato pasta.

She was right. The food was really good.

“Welcome, Lady Verda.”

“Hey! If it isn’t the head chef! Compliments to you! The pasta was amazing…um… remind me of your name?”

“Welb.”

“Riiiight! Welb!”

After we ate with relish, Verda led us to the next location, a smallish theater. It seemed to be run by a minor troupe that put on a number of short comedic skits each day.

Verda’s recommendation had us roaring in laughter and clutching our stomachs as we wheezed.

“I love these guys. Especially that one actor… Aw, shoot. I can never remember their names,” muttered Verda, breaking out into a smile as the comedy worked its magic.

It could have been a figment of my imagination, but…I swore I could see sadness touch her young face.

Verda guided us to another place after our cheeks stopped hurting from laughter. This spot wasn’t a local secret, but a famous attraction.

…I had purposefully tried to keep my group away from here.

The National Museum of Kingsglaive.

It had been around for five hundred years, and no other institution on the continent could top its reputation…according to the sign at the entrance.

It was true that the museum exhibited ancient artifacts…and a decent collection of objects connected to the Demon Lord.

…To this generation, they were considered priceless historic materials. To me, they were just plain embarrassing.

“T-the Demon Lord’s toothbrush…!” Ireena whispered.

“His bathwater…!” breathed Ginny.

“What a blast from the past. He loved this spoon,” Sylphy remembered.

…I had something to say to the curators. Haven’t you ever heard of respecting someone’s privacy? I could easily interrogate them for a hundred days, if not more.

This was a nightmare. My used personal effects lined the walls.

I wouldn’t have cared this much if I were alone, but I was with Ireena, Ginny, Sylphy, and Verda.

“Gweh-heh-heh! And his erotica! I take it this was his fetish, huh? Hilarious!”

“I-I didn’t realize the Demon Lord was into smut …,” Ireena observed.

“Steamy Night with a Seductive Succubus… Hee-hee. A man of culture, I see,” Ginny giggled.

“I remember this! I was the one who discovered this book! It made my skin crawl, and I realized I shouldn’t be fooled by Var’s cute face! He was a real perv,” Sylphy confided.

…This had been why I was avoiding this place like the plague.

Someone needed to strike me down. My stomach was in knots.

“H-hey, guys? Want to go to see his subordinates’ effects?” I asked, cheek twitching as I forcefully tried to pull them away.

…Far, far away from this corner of the exhibition to a room where my subordinate’s things were on display.

“Oh, wow! I haven’t heard this name in ages!” Verda exclaimed, peering into a glass case.

“An Article Belonging to General Locke…? Um… Like your pupil Locke?” Sylphy asked.

“Bingo! Locke was an interesting one, though he didn’t really have anything going for him.”

I remembered him, too. Verda’s criticisms were right. The guy had no real talent.

He was cunning in the worst ways, and no one had a better eye for people than him. He had enough of a silver tongue to foist his work onto others and then take the credit… Basically, he was human trash.

“What? Are we talking about the same Locke?” Ireena asked.

“Isn’t he known as the Father of Convenience? He was a great inventor.”

He’s known as what? Who gave him that nickname?

“I mean, look at all his inventions on display. This magical stone revolutionized the lives of the people and—”

Hold on. I could have sworn I’d seen this stove and all his other inventions somewhere before…

Oh yeah… C-come to think of it, he had pestered me in the past…

“What’s up, Your Majesty? So I was thinking I’d like to leave my mark on history.”

“…That’s random.”

“It’s all I’ve been thinking about lately. Like, you’re all cool as shit. I want my name to go down in history, too! Which is where you come in. Can you help me come up with a plan? Pretty please? Like… oh, I don’t know… maybe an idea for a sick invention?”

“You’re so shortsighted. If you don’t come up with it yourself, what’s even the—?”

“Hmm? Could it be you’re out of ideas? Ha-ha! I guess our ruler is only good on the battlefield, huh. Just another meathead. I guess that makes you the same as Lady Lydia!”

“…Pause. Did you just say I’m on the same level as that dipstick?”

“Yeeeeah. But I might change my mind if you give me a list of new inventions.”

“…Fine. How about…a magical stove?”

“Ooh! Nice! Another one!”

“Hmm… A magical fireplace?”

“You never let me down! You’re the greatest inventor in the world! I knew you were nothing like Lady Lydia!”

“Heh. Told you so. You could also invent a magical staircase and a magical printer.”

“I’ll take it!”

“…Take what?”

“Just talking to myself. Another one!”

…He had taken all my ideas!

I could almost see him smiling… I guess he managed to leave his mark, even though he contributed nothing to the world.

“Is something wrong, Ard? You seem…frustrated.”

“…You know, Ireena, I used to wish I’d experience defeat…but it seems I’ve lost without realizing it.”

My emotions were all jumbled together.

“Oh! This brings me back! I thought I lost it, but I guess it’s been on display the whole time!” Verda chirped, bringing me back to earth.

Everyone headed toward the glass case where she chattered excitedly. There was a painting on display that Verda had commissioned in ancient times. It had been painted by the finest artist in the nation.

Our first and final group portrait.

Lydia was next to me. The key members surrounded us.

The Four Heavenly Kings. The Council of Seven. The Champions, Sylphy included.

All my irreplaceable companions.

“I-i-i-t’s like going back in time!” Sylphy managed to say, tears streaming from her eyes as she faced the images of the dearly departed.

I could feel the tiny seed of nostalgia blooming within me.

…I was the most surprised to see Verda gazing at the painting with a far-off look in her eyes.

“Those were the good times. You know…I think those were the best years of my life.”

She didn’t have on her usual eerie grin. Her young face went somber as she tried to piece together her emotions.

“I used to think I stuck by Var’s side to satisfy my own intellectual curiosity. That I was happy as long as I could experiment. That I didn’t care about anything else. But…” Verda sighed a little, narrowing her eyes. “I finally realized the truth when he was gone. I didn’t stick around to perform my experiments. I wanted to…hang out with my friends…who had also been rejected by society.”

Friends, huh. I never thought I’d live to hear Verda say it.

I’d only ever thought of her as a mad scientist who saw everyone else as lab rats. Whenever we used to see each other, she would try to slice through my guts or make me stick around to watch her weird experiments. I thought she hung around me merely as a means to an end.

But I guess it had gone deeper than that.

“I was a loner before I met Var. Not that it ever bothered me. All I needed were experiments to satiate my inquisitive nature. After he was gone, though…it suddenly hit me. I was lonely.”

Ireena and Ginny weren’t sure how to respond. They just exchanged a confused look.

Meanwhile, Sylphy and I were shocked by this revelation… Our eyes were as round as saucers.

“With Var gone, we basically disbanded. Livvy blamed herself and wandered off… Even Lizer claimed to have lost faith in Var and went off on his own. Al…took it really hard. I mean, Var was his whole life. Without him…Al had a breakdown. It was the same for all of us. Even I was an empty husk.”

“You…?” I asked without thinking.

Verda offered me a strained smile. “Yeah. And you know, I finally realized something. That I loved Var from the bottom of my heart. After all, he was my best lab rat…and my best friend.”

Best friends, huh. I couldn’t stop myself from staring at her in wonder. I never expected her to say that… I found it hard to believe, but her expression was dead serious.

“Var gave me some of my best years. Never in my life had I felt so alive. I got to hang out with my strange friends. But…that’s not the case anymore. I can’t even remember names now. I can’t manage to find anyone interesting. That’s why…I’ve become a loner again.”

Desolation settled in Verda’s eyes. She almost resembled…me when I’d been crushed by the weight of my solitude as the Demon Lord.

She sighed and looked at me. “Hey, Ard. Are you enjoying your life now?”

Verda managed a sad smile.

I nodded. “Yeah. I’m having a good time, thanks to Ireena and Ginny, Sylphy, and Lady Olivia…and everyone else.”

“Cool. I’m jealous. I’m not having fun at all. I didn’t realize life without friends could be this boring… Things might have been different if I’d figured that out when Var was still here.”

“Lady Verda. If that’s the case—”

It was a decision even I found hard to believe. My past self would never have let me say such a thing, but this was something I needed to say to Verda right now.

I needed to ask her to be my friend.

Just before I could…

“Well…,” Verda started, letting the disturbing smile creep onto her face again. “I imagine my life is about to get more interesting.”

Her twisted lips let out a little giggle…

There was no warning for what was to come.

Our eardrums rang when something exploded.

“…?! Wh-what was that?!” Ireena yelped.

“It sounded far away from the museum,” Ginny observed.

“Let’s go outside!” shouted Sylphy.

We scrambled after Sylphy toward the exit, parting through the confused visitors. When we stepped back out onto the main road…the situation unfolded before our eyes.

“Eeek?!”

“D-Demons! The demons are coming!”

The public was swarming in mass panic. Their screams were canceled out by the explosions.

The entities directed their magic to the ground and buildings, setting off a chain of annihilation. They were half-human, half-beast, and terribly repulsive.

“A flock of morphed demons? That was out of the blue.”

I could feel doubt and suspicion taking root in my heart.

It was an impossible situation.

From the beginning of the school trip, I had been casting a detection spell to keep an eye on the entire city, but hadn’t picked up anything that could indicate demons.

Plus, it was weird that the demons were rampaging. I’d heard their population had dipped to an all-time low. It would have been reckless for them to carry out a random attack.

That was why they always had a reason for their raids.

There had been no suspicious activity before this. That was fact.

“Huh. Something’s fishy…but let’s focus on deescalating the chaos,” I murmured, casting attack spells, five per enemy to cover the five elements.

In total, sixty-eight sets of spells, each with five magic circles, manifested in the empty sky and below their feet…

Lightning. Fire. Icicles. Wind blades. Boulders.

They pummeled the demons, though I held back from killing them.

I didn’t reap lives unworthy of taking. My pride meant I would limit my powers to suit this need.

When the magic touched my targets, though, their bodies practically disintegrated into shiny dust.

“…What?”

“…Oh?”

“Um, wh-what’s going on?”

“A-all I know is the demons disappeared.”

“It was like, shling! And then bam! Gone!” Sylphy explained.

I placed my hand on my chin, thinking through this unexpected phenomenon. Even the demons left behind corpses. They didn’t just dissolve into nothing.

They had to be…

“Homunculi! They’re definitely Homunculi! Not demons!” Verda exclaimed, bouncing up and down as she voiced my theory.

“H-Homunculi…?”

“Then this incident…”

“…was orchestrated by that bald guy…Norman?!”

The memory of Norman explaining his research was still fresh in our minds.

But the offender couldn’t have been Norman.

“His findings were based on chaos theory, but these entities had to have been created by another theory altogether. I hate to say this…but Norman doesn’t have the knowledge to produce those Homunculi. I find it hard to believe he’s behind this,” I explained.

Then who could it be?

I cast my gaze on a certain individual.

At that moment, my ears started ringing from the blast.

…Crumbling into chaos, the entire town seemed to be overrun with demons.

“I guess there’s no way around it. We have to focus on saving the city first. Then we can search for the offender.”

We were all on the same page. No one raised any objections.

“Okay, let’s go—”

We were about to race over to suppress the rampaging demons when…

AWOOOOOO…

Echoing through the streets came a monster’s ominous howl.

My body instantly broke into a cold sweat.

“It can’t be…”

Please be wrong, I begged myself, turning to the south.

My vision was flooded by the worst scene imaginable.

“Ngh?!” Ireena gasped.

“Wh-what is that…?”

“…We’re donezo,” Sylphy breathed.

Ireena and Ginny gaped, eyes wide in terror. Sylphy started to perspire as the reality of the situation dawned on her.

Something was rising in the far distance, parting with the ground and floating toward the sky…

…My beloved castle. Castle Millennion.

“Gweh-heh-heh! Oh boy! Bad news! We’re in for it now! Castle Millennion is in Battle Mode!”

“B-Battle Mode?”

“Wh-what does that mean, Lady Verda?”

“Hm? Var’s castle is the greatest piece of architecture…and the strongest magic weapon in the world! It usually functions as a normal castle, but when its surroundings are under attack, it enters Battle Mode! It’s absurdly overpowered. It has enough magic to annihilate an Evil God!”

“R-really…?!”

“I-if the demons ever control it…!”

“Then humanity will go extinct in the blink of an eye! Gweh-heh-heh!”

“This is no time to joke!” Sylphy snapped.

She was right. This was no laughing matter…

But neither was it a time to cry out in despair.

“If the records are correct, there are two stages of Battle Mode.”

“Uh-huh. Battle Mode serves as the castle’s safety net to prevent the enemy from seizing it! We’re seeing the first phase! It shows the enemy that it’s about to take the offensive by going airborne. After a set period, it’ll start transforming itself. That’s the second phase!” Verda explained.

“I-in other words, we still have some time before it completely enters full Battle Mode,” said Ireena.

“We should infiltrate the castle to stop it,” Ginny continued.

“Then we better hurry! At this rate, the whole town…no…the entire world will be in danger!” Sylphy shouted.

“I imagine Lady Olivia and the knights can handle the civilians. We’ll pay the castle a visit,” I declared.

We looked at each other and nodded in unison. Sprinting as fast as our legs would take us, we headed for the Demon Lord’s castle.

I wanted to teleport there, but…the Homunculi had set countermeasures. The entire city was under a sealing spell that prevented any type of mobilization magic, including teleportation. I was rendered useless.

I could probably manage to find an exception to the rule if I took the time to analyze their spell…but the clock was ticking. It made more sense to set off for our destination on our own two feet.

On our way there, we took care of the demons and secured the citizens’ safety.

But…the people technically weren’t saved. After all, the enemy hadn’t even laid a single scratch on the populace.

It was so peculiar. The Homunculi destroyed only the buildings, showing no aggression toward humans. They would occasionally unleash spells on fleeing crowds…but only to make craters on the ground.

It was like they were toying with us.

…I was starting to think my theory was right as I continued racing forward with everyone else.

I stopped when I saw a group of human-shaped shadows whizzing toward us.

Homunculi.

“Well, well, well. Isn’t this a nostalgic lineup?” Verda said.

They were my late subordinates. Our formidable enemies were ones I had dispatched myself. There was no mistaking them.

Standing before us were the heroes of the ancient past.

“I-I remember some of these faces from the ancient world,” Ireena observed.

“That’s Lady Lydia’s former slave…!”

Ireena and Ginny started to sweat, petrified.

“Hah!” Sylphy laughed instead. “Fakes will always be fake! You’re an easy job compared to the real deal!” Her chest puffed up in pride.

She was right. Even though their appearances suggested otherwise, it seemed unlikely their power could replicate the originals’.

But in any case…there were enough of them to keep us preoccupied. We’d run out of time if we stopped here.

Which meant…

“Ard! And Verda! Leave this to us! We’ll take care of these guys!”

…This was our only option.

“Ireena. Ginny… Will you be all right?”

They straightened their shoulders and looked at me.

“Duh! Three of us will be more than enough!” Ireena boomed.

“Miss Sylphy is right. You should go ahead. If there’s another surge of Homunculi, I trust you’ll come save us.”

…They had really matured during our trip to the past. I had full faith in them.

“Got it. Let’s go, Lady Verda.”

“You got it, buster!”

We launched ourselves at the same time, vaulting over the heads of the crowd. The Homunculi stood ready to shoot us down, but…

“Don’t even think about it! Demise-Argis!” Sylphy summoned the Holy Sword, gripping it tight and furiously rushing in.

“I won’t let you steal the limelight!” Ireena shrieked.

“I got your back, Miss Sylphy!”

The other two girls unleashed Mega Flare on the horde, and Verda and I were able to safely land on the other side.

“May victory smile on you…!”

Even though I was concerned for their welfare, I elected to trust them, dashing forward without looking back once.

The road ahead was relatively quiet. No formidable opponents barred our way…

“Let’s jump, Lady Verda.”

“Aye-aye, captain! Time for a little infiltration!”

We were still unable to cast any flight spells because of their countermeasures. We weaponized our strengthening magic to enhance our physical abilities and vaulted forward.

We leaped through the blue sky until we reached the castle.

“Pardon us.”

In that instant, I struck the gate with a lightning spell and blasted it to smithereens.

We entered Castle Millennion.

“Our destination is the center of the castle. Hurry, Lady Verda.”

“I can feel you’re anxious. But that’s what makes it fun! Gweh-heh-heh!”

Side by side, we ventured further inside.

…Something about being with her made me miss the old days. We’d done this sort of thing together back then, too. Hard to believe I was forced to relive these experiences in modern times. Déjà vu.

The circumstances back then had been a little different. If my theory was correct, we’d—

I never got a chance to finish that thought.

The wall in front of us was pulverized, stopping us from progressing down the wide corridor.

“Look at that! A wild Champion has appeared!” Verda squealed.

The dust settled to show…sweeping silver hair. Unruffled composure. An ethereal beauty.

It was my former best friend and Champion.

Lydia.

“……” She remained wordless as one hand gripped her special weapon.

The Holy Sword Vald-Galgulus…or at least a perfect replica.

Homunculus Lydia carried it, nimbly rushing at us faster than the speed of sound.

Good grief. I wanted to sigh.

Did the mastermind of this whole plot think I’d have a mental breakdown? Because they were selling me short, if that was the case.

“……Ngh!”

When I was within her range, Homunculus Lydia swung her sword over her head, crashing it down on me.

I stepped slightly to the side to dodge her supersonic slash and quickly returned the favor, striking her delicate chin.

She stumbled back. I took her powerless arm and snapped it at the joint.

…She was so feeble. No clue how to fight.

Real Lydia would have headbutted me before I had the chance to go for her joints. This one was nothing more than a cheap counterfeit.

“Pardon me.” I took the sword that had fallen from her broken arm. “Return to the dumpster.”

Without hesitation, I slashed Homunculus Lydia diagonally from the shoulder, splitting her in two. She instantly burst into dust.

“…Let’s go.”

“Gweh-heh-heh! You never let me down, Ard! Looked as easy as pie!” Verda gripped her stomach, practically crying from laughter.

We hustled farther into the castle, running up to the second and third floors until we finally arrived at the very top. We made our way to the inner sanctum, and…flung open a large door leading to a certain room.

It was Castle Millennion’s Mode Control Room.

The open space only contained an altar-like device at the very center and nothing more. In the utilitarian room…stood an earlier visitor.

“As I suspected, Castle Millennion changed modes because of a Homunculus made in his image.”

It wasn’t really my place to say this, but the form silently staring at us was…beautiful.

Pure white hair cascaded down his back. Skin nearly translucent. Beauty forged by heaven. God must have spent extra time on him.

With every step, flowers bloomed from the ground. Any eye contact that lasted longer than three seconds was sure to make anyone swoon.

He was a Homunculus of the Demon Lord…which made him a Homunculus of myself when I was Varvatos.

“…According to the texts, only the Demon Lord can control Castle Millennion. Only he would have the rights necessary to switch to Battle Mode. I suspected his Homunculus might be operating the castle…”

“Home run, baby… Do you think we can take this guy?”

Verda’s query sounded like a challenge.

I smiled at her. “What a silly question.”

Our opponent stuck out his right palm in our direction, manifesting a magical circle that surged in crimson. Red swirls gathered together to form a serpentine dragon that rushed us.

From a modern point of view, this was top of the line. Special-class magic. It was right up there with the magic of my current parents, the Great Mages.

From the perspective of those born to this generation, this attack was close to overpowered.

“This should be easy if this is all you can manage.”

I cast the low-level Wall, summoning a semitranslucent shield in front of us. Its large barrier put a halt to the flame dragon. The fiery monster opened its maw and crashed into the wall…creating cracks in our defense.

Still, that seemed to do the trick. The dragon burst into red dust and vanished.

“I believe it’s my turn,” I announced, and a magic circle appeared beneath my enemy’s feet.

If he was real or possessed the power of the real Varvatos, he wouldn’t move an inch. After all, he’d evaluate that my attack wasn’t even worth dodging.

The Homunculus before us didn’t lift a finger. Not because he was so formidable.

Because he couldn’t react to my counter.

“Radiant Retribution,” I chanted, and a brilliant white light shot up from underneath him.

It blasted toward the sky like a pillar, scorching a hole through the castle ceiling from its heat. I didn’t want to harm my precious castle, but this would be a simple enough fix.

The pillar seemed to thoroughly annihilate our enemy, leaving us with a gentle breeze in the newly ventilated room. Not even his particles were left behind. It must have snuffed out his existence entirely.

“Phew. I guess a counterfeit can’t compete.”

I sighed a little and approached the magical altar device. If I could take control of my Castle Millennion and return it to its usual setting, things would settle down for the time being.

First, though, I was dying to confirm a certain theory that had formed in my heart…

It seemed there was no need. My opponent had already proved to be one step ahead.

I shrugged at the presence trembling right behind me.

“So, you were the mastermind…,” I said, looking over my shoulder.

“…Lady Verda.”

Her childish features perked up to form her eerie smile. A shadowy hole swirled directly above her small body…

“You planned to attack me if I touched the device, right?”

“Gweh-heh-heh! Guilty as charged! Bummer! But I’m stoked! This is how we play!”

“…If I may ask: Why?”

“You shouldn’t need me to tell you. You already know. But if you insist…! I wanted to test out which would win—my divine gifts or your untamed power! Well, I guess the experiment is still going!” she boomed.

More black holes opened up with Verda serving as their epicenter.

“My heart started racing as soon as I laid eyes on you! Even though I was a loner for thousands of years, I finally had a new lab rat to toy around with!”

“…So, that’s why you took an interest in us. Or should I say, me. You worked your roundabout ways for the first two days, and now, you’re ready to make direct contact.”

“Bingo! You were a riot! I loved seeing you get dejected over Ireena! You were a hoot when they messed with your head during the battle of love potions! Show me more! Let me play with you until I’m bored!”

I could feel Verda’s entire body playfully dripping with bloodlust. She was like a small child giggling as she pulled the wings and legs off a bug.

She rushed at me with her innocent smile.

“Come on! Let’s get this experiment started! Let the games begin!” Verda shouted, making a declaration of war…

Two things clattered out from the dark holes surrounding her.

They were hard to describe. You could say they looked like toy ocarinas with handles on them. She gripped one in each hand.

“First up are my Destruction Ray Guns! They can blast anything into smithereens with one clean shot!”

She thrust them in my direction and pulled the trigger, firing crimson beams.

The two shots zigzagged toward me like wriggling caterpillars. If this were a different situation, I’d have nullified the attack with a defense spell and evaluated my position…but my opponent was Verda. It was best that I completely dodge all her attacks. If I got careless, she might instantly end me.

Fortunately, I didn’t need to worry about their speed. I hopped to the side to evade them.

“Scary monster! Come here!” Verda commanded.

Just before I made my landing, I felt a presence behind me. Sensing immediate danger, I cast a defense spell partly out of reflex.

It was the high-level Giga Wall. A compact version of it, really.

A translucent gold curtain armored my entire body.

A monster beyond words reared its heavy head from the black hole behind me. The dragon appeared to be a grotesque mash of muscle and steel.

It opened its repulsive mouth, blasting out blue light waves. Because I had cast a defense spell just beforehand, I didn’t take any damage. My sphere barrier took the brunt of the hit, leaving it fractured with fissures.

The interior of my beloved castle was riddled with holes.

“Look what you have done to Castle Millennion…! What do you think the Demon Lord would say about this…?!”

“Gweh-heh-heh! Don’t worry about it! He’d just laugh and forgive me!”

Who in their right mind would shrug this off? In fact, I was boiling with rage!

“I believe you mentioned earlier that you wished to play until you were bored…! If that’s the case…I’ll entertain you…!”

I was going to make every fiber of her being regret damaging my castle.

I handed over the reins to my anger, casting a new spell to surround myself with one hundred and eight magic circles.

Verda let out a giant smile, looking at the glimmering mix of geometric patterns.

“Wow. Can’t say I saw that coming.” A bead of sweat trailed down her skin.

I started laying the foundation for my best attack.

“Atone with your life for destroying this castle.”

Angry bolts of lightning came crashing down. The explosions were brutal. Stormy winds had turned to blades gone berserk. Boulders started pitching down on us.

I forced Verda into taking a defensive stance, pounding her with a stream of excessive force.

“Whoa! Hey! Pause! Ard! Time out!”

“No.”

“It’s my turn! Hey! I get to go now! It’s my—”

“You’ve run out of turns. I will continue until I’m finished.”

“Hey! That was a close one! I almost just died! By the way, Ard, your stray bullets are damaging the castle! If you keep demolishing the walls, we’re going to have an open floor plan on our hands! I think Var might get mad at us…!”

“It’s fine. I’m the only one allowed to destroy it.”

Even during our silly banter, I didn’t weaken my offensive intensity.

…Typical. Though her moves bordered on comedic, she deftly managed to avoid every strike…! That was why my perfect castle had now become practically decrepit…!

I didn’t want to kill off this extension of myself. The hard truth was I had no other option.

Verda was wielding something that was at the border of magic. Just as I was born with the unusual ability to analyze and control every situation, she had been blessed with a strange talent.

She could alter anything. Since the day she was born, her gift allowed her to transform any magical concept. This meant she could freely shuffle them to create absurd and unknown powers.

On top of that, she could combine them with her magical weapons, dipping into an infinite well of tactics… That was where her true powers lurked.

I couldn’t analyze or control her. That alone made us the worst possible match, but I had a plan.

That plan was brute force.

“Hold up! Hold up! I’m sick of dodging!”

“Might I suggest taking a direct hit?”

“Gweh-heh-heh! That’s cold, my kindred spirit!”

Her spells lagged slightly behind standard magic. If I hammered her with dozens or hundreds of magic attacks, there was a chance I could seal her movements. Even the wildest of spells was useless if it couldn’t get its foot out the door.

“Damn it! If it’s come to this, I’ll cast my Origi—”

“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that.” I pressed into her with even more intensity, giving her no time to chant an spell.

An Original Technique unleashed the power in one’s soul. In other words…an ability that elevated one’s innate talents to their highest level.

Mine heightened my abilities to analyze and control to their extremes. Verda’s Original Technique pushed her powers to transform magic to their limits.

Tremendous didn’t even come close to describing the extent of this power. It was no exaggeration to say she could destroy the world in an instant if the thought crossed her mind. And not just this planet. It could wipe away the entire universe, space and galaxies included.

But that meant nothing if she didn’t get the chance to cast it.

For reasons beyond me, casting an Original Technique required an Aria. If I could stop her from finishing her chant, I could stop her from casting her spell.

“Oh, come on! This is no fair! You’re making me do all the running! Why don’t you try dancing for once?”

“I’m afraid I must pass. These awkward moves suit you.”

“Nnnnnghhhh! You’re nasty!”

“You are the last person I wish to hear that from.”

“You know what? Fine! Nothing will be settled at this rate!” Verda stopped in her tracks. “I hate to waste things, but this body has got to go!”

With both arms raised, Verda took on the swarm of magic and was absorbed by one of the whirlpools eating away at the castle. Within an instant, her petite figure was no more.

Normally, this was where things would end. But I knew better.

Da-da-da-da-daaa-da-da-da-daaaaaa!  

A strange sound rang out behind me…

“Ta-da! I’m baaaaaaaaack!” Verda singsonged from somewhere.

I guess she wouldn’t die so easily. Not that I was surprised. If she was going to keep respawning, I’d just keep killing her until she was dead.

She could atone for obliterating my castle…in hell!

I turned around to attack her once again…but before I got the chance…

“Here come my two trump cards!” Verda shouted energetically, tapping her chest with her left fist.

Light radiated from within her…and spread throughout her entire body.

“…! Lady Verda! Tell me this isn’t happening…!”

“Heh-heh-heh! Oh, but it is, Ard!” she cackled…even though sweat broke out on her forehead.

It was a suicide mission only she could carry out.

“You’re altering your spirit…! If you do that, you’ll…!”

“Be effed, if I’m honest with you. But, Ard…” She beamed like she was having the time of her life. “Anything to beat you! As you can tell, I’m the sorest of losers! Gweh-heh-heh-heh!”

As she gave a crazed laugh, she laid hands on the magic device nearby.

This was bad.

Her spirit began transforming into a version of something equal to my own. In other words—

“No outsiders allowed! And…time to pull off an old switch-a-roo!”

I tried to stop her, but it was too late. Before I realized it, I’d been thrown outside. As I floated through a sea of clouds, I stared at my beloved castle.

“For goodness sake…! Playing with you is bad for my heart, Verda…!” I whispered as if I didn’t want anyone to overhear.

I frowned.

Right before my very eyes…Castle Millennion was transforming into the final phase of Battle Mode.

“Woo-hoo! Var’s toy is mine now! Gotta catch ’em all! Nothing is impossible with my genius! Ya-hoo!” Verda’s voice boomed, resounding through the blue sky with some sort of acoustic magic.

It triggered the castle to break down into a million parts, which continued to assemble and reassemble together…until it formed a titanic humanoid shape, a steel giant with a jet-black body and twinkling golden ornaments. It was my magnum opus and the greatest magical weapon.

It was Castle Millennion in full Battle Mode.

“I warned you on the first day that I’d show you, Ard!”

The mega-circle behind the metallic hunk began shining like a halo.

Megalo Sol Ray, I remembered, reciting its name in my head…and the magic circle discharged a nearly infinite stream of wide light beams.

Even in the ancient world, this would have wiped out an enemy army in one strike. I never imagined the day would come when I’d be considered the enemy…!

“Out of all the hands-on activities on this trip…this one takes the cake…!” I said sarcastically, darting around the sky.

The cluster of concentrated beams rushed at me at a ludicrous speed. Sometimes, I dodged them, and other times, I warded them off with defense magic.

…Leave it to Verda to pull off something like this. I thought only I could control Castle Millennion, but she’d managed to hijack it like she’d been born to operate it.

Still, I could see Verda had her hands full. The proof could be seen in the fact that she was focused on releasing attacks with Castle Millennion instead of weaponizing her unique gift.

If she’d been able to use her talents, I’d have been screwed.

“I should give Tempest Flare a try,” I muttered, barely managing to avoid the oncoming beams as I constructed the spell in my head.

I cast a Special-class Tempest Flare, summoning a flood of magic circles around the steel giant.

After a moment, they erupted with volcanic fury. A real firestorm. There was no way anything could handle such an attack, meant to reduce all it touched to char.

“Gweh-heh-heh! This castle is amazing! Var’s hideous progeny!”

The magic reached its limit, and the red-hot fury started to peter out.

Castle Millennion was perfectly fine. Not even a single scratch could be found on the edifice, which continued operating with pride.

Ngh…! I should have known my castle would withstand it…!

Despite the severity of the situation, I found that I was…happy.

My castle was incredible.

“Time for round two!” Verda chirped.

We were getting ready to resume the escape theater featuring me and a million light beams.

It looked like she was casting another spell this time. The piece of armor covering the castle’s knee propped up…revealing a magical circle that dispatched a throng of gold rings.

Negative Happy Ring.

A binding spell. Once caught in its clutches, even I would be frozen for all eternity.

Both beams and rings tore through the air, trying to capture me. I tried to fend them off with a number of counterattacks…but in the end, that meant nothing.

“Ngh…! I can’t believe I’m…happy about being driven into a corner…!”

I felt something like parental pride for a dear child.

…But at this rate, I would never succeed in toppling it.

Which meant I was out of options. If I wanted to turn the tide in my favor, I’d have to use something else…

I prepared to chant the Aria to cast the ace up my sleeve…but something happened before I could finish…

“What’s wrong, Ard? Already at your limit?”

“…Maybe.”

I didn’t really think anything of my answer. It was just what popped into my head.

But…it seemed to signal something more to Verda.

“…Wait, what? Are you joking?”

All her attacks stopped.

“You can’t be serious. You’re not throwing in the towel yet, right?”

There was fear in her trembling voice.

…She’d never spoken like that before. At least, not to me.

What was she scared of? I frowned.

“But… I finally got to meet you! But you’re trying to just…!”

Now she sounded angry, and her attacks resumed. It was the first time I’d ever heard her this emotional.

…Thinking back on it, she always had an smile on her face.

In my memories, Verda was always snickering, with a creepy little smile plastered on her face. I thought that was her true nature and that it would never change…but I’d been proven wrong.

“I was lonely for thousands of years…! No one would actually play with me…!”

We had been the ones who’d placed that unnerving smile on her face…

Me. Olivia. Monsters of the ancient era.

We were the ones who had kept her smiling. But now that those monsters were essentially all gone…there was no longer anyone in this world who could make that happen for the beast known as Verda.

“When I saw you, it was like I’d traveled back in time! Are you still planning on betraying me?!”

A lonely behemoth. No other words suited her.

…I see. It finally hit me…that she hadn’t changed… Neither had her feelings of isolation.

“Please…don’t…leave me here all by myself!” Verda shouted, her voice thick with emotion.

I had finished preparing the answer I knew I had to give.

All roads lead to despair.

That is the way of life for a pitiful man.

I began my Original Technique through the deluge of her attacks, beams and rings blasting toward me, but I managed to hedge them.

My heart went out to Verda.

In complete solitude is he.

For there are those who follow his lead,

But none to rule together with him.

She was just like me. Rejected by society. A strange monster like no other.

There is not one who understands.

That was why…

All are eager to leave his side.

Verda had always been alone. But by meeting those as weird as her…she finally found some friends.

…And I had unknowingly taken that from her…by reincarnating, which only benefitted myself.

Cast away by his one and only friend,

He sinks into a sea of madness and isolation.

Verda, you can rest at ease now.

Rest without peace.

Drowning in anguish and despair.

You’ll never be alone again, I thought. I won’t allow it.

That which guides this tale.

As a flood of emotions welled within me, I vocalized the last stanza.

Private Kingdom—the story of a lonely king.

Even if this meant I’d have to live a more isolated life…if I could just save her…!

“I’ll play with you until you get bored…!” I shouted, obliging her as dark particles covered my right arm.

They twined around into a chain and…formed a large black sword.

“Lydia. Phase: II.”

UNDERSTOOD.

SWITCHING TO STAGE II OF FULL BODY TRANSFORMATION.

ACTIVATING BRAVE DEMON.

The snaking light beams and whizzing rings all closed in on their target—me. I glared at them as my body began changing. Shadowy armor shielded me, and my hair turned white.

My transformation was complete. I hummed with absolute power.

“The fate of all creation is in my hands.”

I drove away the magic headed right for me.

One swing was all it took to eliminate the destruction aiming to land the final blow.

“…Heh. Hee-hee. Heh-heh-heh,” chuckled Verda from the steel giant, sound bouncing off the metal. “Gweh-heh-heh-heh! This is what I’m talking about!”

Overjoyed, she continued roaring with laughter, resuming her furious offense all the while. Beams and rings flooded the sky, and Castle Millennion attacked me, weaponizing everything in its arsenal.

“You should know you’re powerless against me.”

I didn’t dodge. I didn’t even defend myself. I just charged in.

Wailing for death and destruction, the grim reaper met me head-on.

The unending rush of attack magic pounded down on me…but I remained uninjured.

“Whoa! Wild! Gweh-heh-heh-heh! Stay away!” Verda shrieked between laughs, moving the metal behemoth.

Its titanic steel fist came crashing down on me. It could have pulverized a mountain, but I side-stepped it…and spiraled around the forearm to the upper arm, cutting it into ribbons.

“N-no way?!” She retreated in a panic, putting distance between us. “How about this?!”

She launched more attacks at me, and I blocked them all.

“Oh! I didn’t expect this damage!”

My last counterattack had done a number on the steel giant. Slowly but surely, Castle Millennion was heading toward total destruction.

Which meant Verda was inching closer to defeat.

“Gweh-heh-heh! This is so awesooome!”

She was grinning.

“Having fun, Verda? Enjoying yourself?” Before I could stop it, I found myself smiling, too. “You’ll always be a handful.”

Back in ancient times, I’d thought hanging out with Verda was a chore.

For the very first time, I was having fun. It felt like I was messing around with a friend. This moment between us stretched on.

“Oh. I guess this castle is on its last leg.”

The left side of Castle Millennion had been torn down. The right side had lost its leg. Anyone could tell it had been beaten to hell and back. This round would be our last.

“Okay! Time for my killer technique! Let ’er rip!!”

The castle’s remaining arm stretched out an open palm. In that next moment, the giant began to rumble…and the entire hand began glowing gold.

“I see what you’re about to do. In that case…!” I prepared to cast another major technique.

“Code: Sigma. Ready.”

UNDERSTOOD.

ULTIMATUM ZERO. PLEASE STAND BY.

Seven magic circles layered on top of each other before me.

CHARGING MAGIC ENERGY. 30%… 40%…

They began to rotate, gonging like giant bells.

“Gweh-heh-heh-heh! No hard feelings, Ard!”

My opponent seemed ready. The golden glimmer in the center of the palm shielded its entire body.

I faced the steel giant…

MAGIC ENERGY HAS REACHED 100%. READY TO FIRE AT ANY TIME.

I pointed the black sword’s tip at my beloved castle.

A beat hadn’t even passed between us.

“Ultimatum Zero, fire!”

“Violent Bloom, shoot!”

Two waves broke out at the exact same time.

A cascade of black and gold. A waterfall.

They collided to generate a shock wave across the world. The city of Kingsglaive received the brunt of it, causing many of the buildings to fall to rubble. The two waves maintained their competitive torrent of destruction.

Finally, the equilibrium shifted. My dark wave started to drown out the golden one…

“Gweh-heh-heh-heh! I lost this ti—”

It swallowed Verda’s voice coming from the giant.

…A few seconds ticked by. The magic had reached its limit, and the jet wave died out. Castle Millennion had been in the direct line of fire from the destructive maelstrom…

…and not even a trace of its original form remained.

The giant’s stomach containing the control room was the only section left. Everything else was gone. We couldn’t continue the battle if we tried.

As if to prove my point, Castle Millennion began to crumble. Debris rained down.

“…Back to the castle site, huh?”

There was no one around the giant hole the castle had left behind. There was no need to worry about people getting caught up in the dust that settled back on the earth.

I sighed and canceled my spell. Reassuming my usual form, I used a flight spell to descend.

Rising from the center of what was left of my castle…

“Gya-ha-ha-ha… Seems I lost big time…”

I turned my head in the direction of the voice.

“It would appear that way.”

A petite body sank to the bare earth. Verda was disintegrating into particles… Half of her had already vanished.

…It was the price for restructuring her spirit.

Even for Verda, it had been reckless. At this point, there was no way to save her. Even if she resisted, Verda would die.

…She must have known that better than anyone.

“Ah, that was fun! I have the most fun when I’m hanging out with you.”

Verda looked at me and smiled. It was flippant and weird.

“…You know, I’ve always found your expression creepy. But it’s so strange. It never ruined my mood.”

Verda’s smile grew even eerier.

“Finally… Took long enough. I’m back to living in my self-indulgent…wa…”

Her words cut off. Verda’s entire body turned to dust, spiraling up toward the sky.

Eventually, even the smallest fragments of her disappeared…and returned to nothing.

“…Verda.”

I looked up at the horribly blue sky.

“You can’t just bail and leave me to clean up the mess.”

I chuckled to myself.

“You’re a terrible friend.”