Part 1
The next day──
Maybe because they had slept late at night, it was already past noon when he woke up.
Comforting sounds could be heard.
When he raised the upper half of his body on the bed, Rem, who had slept next to him, rubbed her eyes.
「Nya......nn......Ah, good morning, Diablo.」
「Umu」
「......For some reason, it is bustling, isn’t it?」
「We’ll probably know the reason if we ask Shera.」
There was no way that a princess who was about to be married would be allowed to sleep in the same room with another man. Shera wanted to act together with Diablo’s group like she had done up until now, but she should have slept together with the Queen last night.
Rose stood alongside the wall.
She did not require sleep, and obtained magical power from Diablo.
「Good morning, My Master. Please give this Rose any sort of order you wish.」
「Umu. What is this uproar?」
「I shall do away with them and have them quiet down.」
「That is not what I meant.」
A knock could be heard.
Rose opened the door to their private room.
Rafleisha the Dark Elf raised one hand.
「Good morning, everyone. After hearing your speaking voices, I thought that you all had woken up. Hohoho......For Adventurers, you sure are late risers.」
「Hmph......A Demon King cannot move so easily. Indulging in indolence is also one of my responsibilities.」
「Meals have been prepared. Have you still not slept enough?」
Going "I will have it!", Rem slipped out from the bed. Diablo also put on his clothes and moved to the common room.
They surrounded the table.
As usual, the meal was nothing but fruits.
He did think that they were delicious, but he was impressed that the Elves didn’t get tired of them.
Rafleisha, who sat on the opposite side of him, placed her breasts on the table with a *dosun*.
「Ara, this in itself is quite comfortable. I wonder if they could put it in my room, this thing called a teibul.」
「So they really are heavy.」
「Hohoho......Want to try lifting them? They totally are.」
「Totally!?」
Diablo involuntarily leaned forward.
Rem turned cold eyes towards him.
「......*Jito* (Stare)」
「Master......」
He felt an uncommon negative aura from Rose as well.
Although he regretted it, Diablo used all of his might to scornfully laugh and pretend that he wasn’t interested.
「H, hmph......I have absolutely no interest. I am a Demon King after all!」
Rem turned her gaze outside.
「......By the way, what is that uproar? Is it something that happens everyday in the Elven country?」
「The singing and dancing are usual things. But, that is probably special. It is in celebration for the wedding after all.」
「......What do you mean by wedding?」
「Of course, Princess Shera’s. It seems that the ceremony will happen the day after tomorrow but......Did you not know about it? The Elves here and there have been speaking of it, you know?」
「It is that quickly!?」
The arrangements for even a normal wedding would take close to a year. Even if it was sped up, it would take about three months. It wouldn’t be strange for the wedding of royalty to have a preparatory period of several years. Not to mention that Elves lived long lives.
「Half a month has already passed since the king’s death. What do you think would happen if you didn’t water a flowering plant for half a month?」
「......Is that a reason to hurry it up? What a ridiculous story. Shera’s life isn’t just water for gardening.」
「Hohoho......It is because leaders and slaves are similar. For the sake of the livelihood of the citizens, they seek out things to sacrifice themselves for, and are not allowed to run away.」
「......But this is way too hasty. Even if it is for the sake of the forest.」
「It might not just be that, right?」
「......I do not know many details about the Elves. Rafleisha-sama, could you please tell me what you know?」
She placed both of her hands on her oversized breasts, and then put her well-shaped chin on top of that.
「Since I am not an Elf either, I have nothing but stories I heard from long ago though.」
「I do not mind.」
「I have heard rumors that the Greenwood Kingdom was entrusted with an important thing from God, and that they have been protecting it all this time. And that the existence of the king was essential for that.」
「An important thing......is it.」
Diablo bit into a fruit, chewed it, and then swallowed.
And then, he stood up from his seat.
「We will get nowhere with nothing but guesses and hearsay. Let us get an explanation from Shera and the Queen. I do not know if they will agree to that though.」
Part 2
Shera guided them through the forest and they walked.
To Diablo’s group who had visited the royal family living room to ask about the situation, she said this.
「I have something I want to tell you, and something I want to show you, so could you come along with me?」
For about one hour, they advanced through the dark green view.
What they arrived at was a mound of large piled up stones.
Could it be something like an Elven stone monument? Vines crawled about it, moss grew on it, and it could be inferred that many long years had passed.
「It’s over here......」
Shera, who unusually did not have a smile, went around to the back of the mound.
There was a stone door.
There was a design carved into the door. It was hard to distinguish due to the moss that covered the surface, but it was a shape that they recognized.
──Is it the same Holy Symbol that Lumachina’s Church carries?
When Shera placed her hands on it, the stone door opened surprisingly easily to the left and right contrary to its old outward appearance.
There as a staircase that went underground.
It was similar to Diablo’s own dungeon, the 《Demon King’s Labyrinth》 that he made in his own personal space.
By some chance, could it be an Elven dungeon? Would monsters come out? Just in case, he held the 《Tonnerre Empereur》 in his hand.
They descended the stairway.
It was dark.
After checking with Shera, he used 《Light》.
Underground──
Rectangular stones that looked like bricks were laid down without any gaps. This was not a natural cave, and was clearly a manmade structure.
It was quite spacious. If he were to fire a magic with strong might in a closed space, the effect would reach even them, but it looked like it would be fine if he used a bit of it in here.
Diablo unconsciously ended up wanting to try confirming the thing that he didn’t need to think about in the game.
The ceiling had arches drawn into it, and they were also delicately made of stone. Unlike the outside, the inside did not have vines and moss spread out on it.
When they lowered their gazes alongside the wall of the room, oblong stones were lined up. They went to about knee height. It felt like they were a bit too low for workbenches.What could they be used for?
Rem looked up at the ceiling.
「......This feels a bit surprising, doesn’t it? I thought that tree roots would be the ceiling since it was a building of the Elves.」
「So that means that this might not be a building that the Elves built.」
「Eh? But wouldn’t that be strange, Diablo? This place is deep in the Greenwood Kingdom.」
「Umu. Or maybe──」
The map designer’s way of thinking was poor──is what he was about to say, but then he noticed that joke wouldn’t get through to her.
Since it resulted in a cool direction of “stopping in the middle of saying some meaningful words”, he decided to go with it.
Rose, who followed behind him, was silent......Or rather, she always saw nothing but Diablo.
Rafleisha turned her gaze to the back of the underground room.
The light of the Magic 《Light》 didn’t reach it, but she had night vision.
「It might be just as Diablo-san says?」
「Do you see something?」
「There is God’s Holy Symbol on the wall at the back as well. Not only that, the Greenwood Kingdom’s crest isn’t anywhere in this place.」
If this was a place that the Elves built, they should have put their own mark on it. For example, in Faltra City’s chapel, there was not only the Holy Symbol, the Lifelia Kingdom’s flag was also put up.
「Could it be that you are saying that God created it?」
In this other world, many of God’s traces remained. Diablo should probably think of it as a different existence from the God of the world that he was originally at.
Shera nodded.
「Un, I was told that this is a place that God created.」
「......The Grand Chapel’s Inner Court in the royal capital was also said to be like that.」
「Looks like itー」
「......Does that mean that this place is a chapel to the Elves? Is this the place the wedding will happen?」
So after resolving herself for the wedding, in order to indicate that, Shera expressly brought them to this kind of place.
She shook her head left and right.
「You’re wrongー. Elven weddings are done in a brighter place. In the plaza that is at the country’s best tree, everyone has fun singing, dancing, and eating, and everyone is happy.」
「......In that case, what is this place?」
「It’s a tomb.」
Diablo felt something cold go down his spine.
He sent his gaze around to the surroundings.
Oblong stones were lined up alongside the wall. He thought that they might be workbenches or long tables but......
They were boxes with Holy Symbols carved into them.
In other words, those were stone coffins.
Shera said that they were the tombs of successive generations of the royal family.
Going in front of one of the coffins, she put her hands together.
Unlike the surrounding stone coffins, this one was covered with brand new black cloth. It was the king that had died──Shera’s father.
Having realized that, Rem also put her hands together, and Rafleisha also did the same.
Diablo closed his eyes, and prayed that he had happiness in the next world in his mind.
Shera raised her head, and wiped her eyes.
「Haaー......I was finally able to visit his graveー. Thank you, everyone. This was my number one objective, but it feels like we went through quite the detour.」
「......It certainly did turn into a situation where it wasn’t possible. Could you tell us now?」
「Erーm, it’s not like I intend on hiding anything you know? It’s just, I don’t really know where I should start talking from.」
「......I know that your memory, judgement, and explaining ability are inferior to that of a mouse.」
「So mean!?」
Rem breathed a sigh.
She made a suggestion with a pensive look on her face.
「......Why don’t we put things in order for a bit. The Demon King Krebskrum’s soul was sealed within me. Through a certain ceremony, a majority of it came out──This is, something that both Diablo and Shera know.」
Confirming that, they nodded.
However, the fact that Krum who had turned into a hungry little girl was in Faltra City was kept a secret to the Greenwood Queen and Rafleisha. It was because they would lose their current lifestyle if it was told to the Lifelia King.
Rem continued.
「A faint amount of the Demon King that was sealed within me was left behind......And there was the possibility that the release of those remains could become the start of an awakening. At that time, we received a letter from Celes saying that──Ceremony Magic that could resolve the problem was handed down among the Dark Elves.」
「Though, for that part, since I was asleep with an illness, I don’t really get it.」
「......You probably don’t need the finer details. At any rate, we visited the village of the Dark Elves......And through Rafleisha-sama’s Ceremony Magic, we finally succeeded in completely taking the Demon King’s soul out from within me!」
Rem strengthened her tone. It was that big of a matter for her. She placed a hand on a pouch at her waist. The 《Divine Crystal》 that sealed the Demon King’s soul was in there.
「......However, the promise that Shera made for the sake of that had invited a complicated situation. Now then, let’s summarize that.」
「Having the Elves and the Dark Elves get along is a good thingー.」
「......I won’t deny that, but be quiet. There is something called sequence when talking──First, Shera’s objective was to return home. Even if she was in the middle of running away from home, with her father having died, she couldn’t leave her mother alone.」
「Un, that’s how anyone would feel.」
「......Having absolutely no relation to that, you made a promise with the Dark Elf village. A pledge. You bet your life to God declaring that you would “concede a part of the Greenwood Kingdom to the Dark Elves”.」
「It was if the Dark Elves could get along and live together with the Elves.」
Rafleisha, who was listening at the side, nodded.
「Since there are people with various opinions, it will be hard for everyone to change their feelings right away, but I believe that the ones that say that they will live in this forest will be able to get along.」
「Right!」
Shera let out a glad-looking smile.
Rem folded her arms, and groaned.
「Nnー......So the large compensation of conceding a part of one’s territory, the objective of it was to mediate the relationship of the Elves and the Dark Elves.」
To begin with, the reason for their discord was with the Lifelia King of three generations ago.
Dispatching an army corps called the 《Holy Army》, they treated the Dark Elves as Demon King Worshippers and attacked them.
It seemed that the Ceremony Magic that saved Rem──Knowledge concerning the Demon King that they were entrusted with from God was the reason.
It was a foolish act that was hard to forgive, but it was already a story of the past. It was not something the current Diablo could do about.
At the time of that attack, the Elves abandoned the Dark Elves. They didn’t fight for them. That had torn their relationship apart but......
In fact, the Elves had their Greenwood King taken hostage, and had to obey the Holy Army.
These were the Queen’s words, and they didn’t know the truth.
Nevertheless, Rafleisha accepted it as the truth.
Rem spoke her thoughts.
「......I believe that this is a very good thing......In the western lands, the Demon King has finally awakened. The people of the Races will surely be unable to avoid a hard fight once again. There is a need unite our strength. The fading of the Elves and Dark Elves’ ill feelings is desirable.」
Going *Un, un!*, Shera nodded.
Rafleisha also made a small agreement.
「That is what I believe.」
「......However, without a king, the transfer of territory cannot happen. Many old traditions remain in the Greenwood Kingdom, and this is one of them......No, it is the same even with the other races. For the demarcation of territory to change at a time where the leader is absent. It would be difficult for the masses to agree to it.」
If their land were to decrease, their lives would become harder. Protecting the lives of the citizens is what a king was for.
Rafleisha cast her eyes down.
「Even on the Elves’ side, there are surely some that carry resentment for the Dark Elves.」
「......Let’s put that part aside. In any case, the Greenwood Kingdom needs a king. And then, according to the Queen’s story, the reason for the need of a king is also for the sake of the forest......In the promise that was exchanged with God in ancient times, it was said that the reign of the king that managed the country was essential.」
Shera puffed her cheeks.
「Kaa-san said that “since it’s a country of Elves, an Elf needs to be the king or else it’s no good”, and that’s all she ever saysー.」
「......That is only natural.」
「Ueeeh!? No wayー.」
「That’s only natural, isn’t it.」
「It is.」
Even Diablo felt that the Queen’s view was right.
Rem entered the summary.
「......The problem that we have, although there is the promise of conceding territory, and several reasons for the sake of the forest, in the end, there is only one......In other words, “Shera needs to get married with an Elf. At this rate, it seems like her partner will be the man called Durango”.」
「Auawaah～」
Shera let out a strange voice.
「Do you not want to? He seems to be an excellent Elf. Well, for his appearance, he’s an Orc rather than an Elf though.」
「Uuu......It isn’t really a question of what I think of Durango-san......It’s because there is someone else that I feel like wanting to always be together with.」
「......You mean Diablo, don’t you?」
「U, un.」
*Chira* She sent her gaze his way.
He felt like he was going to involuntarily blush.
Going *Nonono......*, Diablo denied it. He recalled gloomy experiences of the past. He absolutely would not make the “misunderstanding” that someone had fallen for him. Absolutely not.
──Since this is Shera we’re talking about, she’s probably thinking of it in a childlike way of “wanting to go on an adventure together”. It isn’t the emotion of love between a man and a woman.
If he advanced the story of him catching her eye, and getting to the step of doing a couple’s action right now, there is no mistake that she would say “it wasn’t like that”.
Shera had the body of an adult, but the mind of a child.
Rem wrinkled her eyebrows.
「......Do you understand? Diablo is a Demon, you know?」
「Th, that’s true but.」
「......You really have brought up something strange......Are you a crossbrian (other race lover)[1]? Not only are you stupid, you’re a pervert. A perverted Elf.」
「Th, that’s not it! The person that I feel like always wanting to be with just happens to be of another race!」
「......There is one thing I want to confirm but......What do you think the roles of the King and Queen are?」
「Eh? They do things like pray, and have God make the forest rich and plentiful. And then, if there is a person in trouble, they hear their story. And they protect the “important thing” that they were entrusted with from God.」
──Come to think of it, Rafleisha also said it, didn’t she. What could that “important thing” be?
Rem shook her head left and right.
「......Those are important, but there is a duty that is just as important, right? There has to be a limit to your lack of studying. The duty that royalty and titled nobility need to accomplish is to leave behind an heir.」
Shera’s cheeks dyed red, and she drew back.
「An, an heir!?」
「......You will need to make a child. Or could it be that you intend on ending the Greenwood royal family with your generation?」
「I don’t intend on that happening but......I am properly thinking about itー.」
「......A child cannot be created between an Elf and a Demon. That is a basic fact.」
「That’s true but, it’s not like it’s absolute.」
「......They normally cannot be made. That is why even if different races can feel affection and camaraderie, they cannot harbour love. In many cases, it is the same as being of the same sex. Well, Shera, since you’ve been saved by Diablo several times, you might have made a bit of a misunderstanding though.」
「Did I, make a misunderstanding?」
Shera herself seemed to be bewildered by the emotion that had only just sprouted.
Rem took a deep breath.
She bit her back teeth.
She tightly clenched her fists.
「......I’m sure that it is painful, but it’s because I think of you as a companion that I can say this clearly──Shera, you should choose a male Elf and marry him. If you do not like Durango, please tell that to your mother. However, for the sake of the country as well, choosing a partner that can bless those around you right now is for the best──that is how I feel.」
Shera gulped.
Her gaze couldn’t fixate on anything.
「B, but, I......I mean......」
「......Calm down. Please think about it carefully. You are innocent, shallow, and lacking in prudence, but you are a person that understands what is truly important. You should be able to make the correct decision. I believe that you can.」
「Do you really believe that!?」
「......You understand too, don’t you? Even if you are royalty, if the citizens don’t agree to it, conceding land will be impossible. You need to carry out the promise that you risked your life on, you know!?」
「Auawauaah～......That’s true but......」
Shera held her head in her arms.
She wasn’t that smart to begin with. On top of that, she was probably suffering from be dilemma between what she should do and how she feels.
Up until now, Diablo also might have been worried together with her as if he were wandering about a maze that had no exit.
However, he was no longer suffering.
「Shera, I have a question for you. Answer me carefully──You said that you desired to go together with me, didn’t you? For now, the country and the promise do not matter. Declare right here and now whether or not that feeling is genuine and without any fabrication.」
「Erm......I still don’t really know though......I, want to test just how much I can do, and see how far I can go. And then, I don’t want to do it alone, but together with Diablo and Rem. I mean, we are companions after all!」
She hasn’t changed from when he had met her.
She continued to genuinely challenge her own limits, sought for a new world, and wanted to be together with her companions. She was a lonely Adventurer.
Diablo nodded.
「I see. I understand very well. That was all I wanted to ask......No, there was one more thing. Earlier, you said that the Elf King’s role was to protect an “important thing”.」
「Nn? Ah, I might have said that.」
「What is that?」
「Ahー, come to think of it, I don’t know.」
「You really are the same as usual.」
Diablo shrugged his shoulders.
Rem raised an agitated voice.
「......Honestly! It is something that will influence your own life, you know!?」
She sounded harsh, but since she was truly worried about her, she was probably furious about that thoughtlessness of hers.
Shera rubbed the base of her long ears.
「Ahaha......In the past, I was told by Kaa-san that “I’ll understand if I see it”. At that time, I didn’t think that I would become Queen.」
「......If you held curiosity, you should have turned your attention to your surroundings. Did you run away without investigating about that sort of thing?」
「When I was here, I was mostly running from place to place way from Nii-san, you knowー.」
「Ahh......He was a difficult person after all, so that isn’t unreasonable. You also seem to have suffered, so you have my sympathy for that.」
Shera made a wry smile at Rem’s words.
Rafleisha made a suggestion.
「Wouldn’t it be alright to check it now? If the Queen said that she would “understand if she saw it”, then it means that it wouldn’t be a problem if she saw it, right? I don’t think it would be bad even if she saw it at least once.」
「That’s true! Since you came anyway, let’s go see it!」
Surprisingly, it meant that the “important thing” was in this place.
Rem tilted her head.
「......Isn’t this a graveyard?」
「It is, but that is also hereー.」
With an expression that seemed like she had forgotten her mental agony, Shera headed towards the back of the underground room.
She basically had a fondness for unknown things and new things. She is optimistic, proactive, and brimming with curiosity.
Rem made a disgusted face.
「......Is it really alright to be doing this even though the marriage is approaching in the near future and we haven’t reached a conclusion?」
Diablo pacified her as she was in a restless state.
「Do not mind something so uninteresting. A legendary-class treasured article is said to be in this place, so it is only natural to feel like wanting to lay your eyes on it.」
「......That’s true. We are Adventurers after all.」
「At any rate, things will take their own course. And then, no matter how it turns out............」
「......Diablo?」
Shera arrived at the back wall.
「I’m going to startー.」
She touched the wall that had the Holy Symbol carved into it with her palm.
And then, she started to chant unfamiliar words──something that seemed like a spell.
「”AiAuERUuPURIiOuNSHIiKURITTODOuWAa”」
To Diablo, the language of this other world were changed to his native language and he heard it as such. However, he did not understand the meaning of Shera’s words.
He didn’t understand the reasoning behind the translation to begin with but......
By some chance, they might not be words that had meaning. If it was a place where the Elves’ “important thing” is being kept safe, then it was probably a treasury.
Since they were words to open the treasury, was that something like a password?
*Kiiiin......* A high pitched sound resounded throughout the underground room. The inside of their ears felt a bit of pain.
A bluish-white light of magical power rose to the surface of the Holy Symbol that was carved into the wall.
Magical power ran along the grooves as if it were water streaming through it. The bluish-white light curved, forked, intersected, and a complicated pattern was formed on the wall and ground.
「......Is this, a magic formation?」
Rem muttered.
Rafleisha narrowed her eyes.
「I have never seen a magic formation of this shape.」
「Mu?」
Diablo recognized the pattern that was drawn.
When Krebskrum awakened as the Demon King in Faltra City, a magic formation spread out in the sky.
──It’s similar.
To the magic formation that appeared when the Demon King was revived.
However, although they were of the same system, there were also some different parts.
Diablo was able to use powerful magic as a Magician, but that was the result of leveling up in the game. It wasn’t like he was well-informed in regards to the magic of this other world. Even if he looked at the magic formation, he was unable to understand the meaningful parts.
As if he were watching a game’s event movie──he did nothing but gaze at it while thinking that it sure was an elaborate performance.
It seemed that the magic formation was competed.
The magic formation wasn’t etched into just the four walls, but even on the floor and ceiling.
His view made a complete change.
Translator’s Notes:
[1] Written as 異種族愛者, read as クロスブリアン. I think it was meant to be something like a cross between crossbreed and lesbian.
==
Part 3
He found himself in a dreary, dried up field.
The red, rust-colored ground continued on endlessly. It was cracked, and not even a single blade of grass grew on it. Even the sky was red.
It wasn’t an evening glow, but it was covered by red clouds, and was dim.
Diablo surveyed the surroundings.
「What......is this place......?」
「Kaa-san said that it was 《The End》. This is my first time coming here too though.」
Shera answered him.
Was this Transfer Magic? Or was it an illusion?
The scenery made a complete change, but the figures of the others were there. Not just Shera, there was also Rem, Rose, and Rafleisha.
「......《The End》 huh. For this kind of mechanism to be in the Elf royal family’s graveyard, I hadn’t heard about it at all.」
「It’s amazing, isn’t it. Totally surprising.」
「......There’s one thing I want to confirm but, was it alright to bring me and Diablo who are of different races here?」
Shera made a face that said 「Ah」 to Rem’s question.
「Was that no good!?」
「......Did you not get the Queen’s permission!? Haaー......I understand......Let’s pretend like we didn’t come here.」
「Un. It’ll be alright if we don’t say anything! Rafleisha-san too, keep it a secret, ‘kay?」
「..................」
Without answering her, Rafleisha was in a daze, gazing into the distance.
Shera approached her, and waved a hand in front of her face.
「Rafleisha-saーn?」
Going *Ha*, she noticed her.
「Wawah!? Wh, what......!?」
「U, um......Are you alright?」
「Eh......Yes, of course. It was a bit, surprised though.」
Going *Ahaha*, both Shera and Rafleisha laughed.
Diablo dropped his gaze to his feet.
Something had fallen and sunk about half way into the ground.
He tried picking it up.
It was a gigantic crystal.
Rose came close to him.
「Master, that is the Summon Crystal of a 《Force Hydra》.」
「What did you say!?」
「There isn’t a level restriction, but there is a race restriction. Only Elves can use it.」
「Something like that is......」
In the same way, Rem dug up a slender sword from the ground. It was covered in red dirt, but a detailed design was applied to it.
「......And this is?」
「That is an 《Acid Orion》, and a 《Corrosion》 effect is activated in its attacks. The level restriction is 160.」
Rem’s eyes went round.
Even Diablo was astonished.
──Did she say the level restriction is 160!?
For the levels of the MMORPG Cross Reverie, 150 was the highest. It meant that slender sword couldn’t be used by any of the Players.
As he thought, this other world was different from point in time of Cross Reverie that Diablo played.
In general, the level restriction was raised semiannually.
He had made this conjecture before, but it seemed that this other world was the original content for the game.
That meant that if Cross Reverie implemented all of the specifications, it would have become this other world. Naturally, it meant that the upper limit of levels would also be much higher.
To begin with, even the existence of an upper limit was unclear.
Rem surveyed the surroundings.
「......Is this, the Elves’ treasury? It’s quite different, from what I thought it would be. Like this, isn’t it almost like a dump site?」
「That is why the Elven royalty do not have an understanding of the treasured articles. Far from just not having an inventory of them, to think that they had not dug them out from the ground to begin with. Moreover, normally they would not know their abilities just by looking at them. We were able to grasp what they were thanks to Rose though.」
Things like Magimatic Maids, he had not seen any other than Rose in this world. He believed that they most likely did not exist in the Greenwood Kingdom either.
She deeply lowered her head.
「This Rose, is happy if she was able to be of assistance.」
「Umu, that was excellent work.」
While still in a bowing pose, Rose’s shoulders trembled. Going *Nfuー*, she made a rough, nasally breath. She was in a state of being secretly aroused due to Diablo’s words.
Shera shouted from a slightly separated location.
「Diabloー!? Over here! Over here! Come here!」
「Fumu......It would seem that the things scattered about here are the “important thing”. We don’t seem to be mistaken that they are the Elves’ treasured articles though.」
「This rough treatment of it all, I find it hard to understand.」
While saying that, Diablo and the others headed to where Shera was shouting from.
The ground came to an end.
It was a cliff.
The ground was torn, and turned into a large valley. Although it was called a valley, the opposite site was distant to the point that it was blurry. And it was deep to the point that they couldn’t see the bottom.
Shera pointed down.
「Th, this is the “important thing”!」
At the bottom of the valley, there was something pitch black.
At first, it seemed like water or something had accumulated, but that wasn’t the case.
It was a monster.
At its center, there was a mysterious orb that was several times his own height. Cable shaped things crept around it. It seemed as if tens of thousands of serpents were squirming about.
Rem shrank away from the cliff.
「......ッ!? Could it be, a Demon King!?」
「What did you say!?」
「......Ah......Um......Although I haven’t seen something like that before, that is how I felt. It might be due to me having been near one this whole time though.」
As if to check on it, she touched the pouch on her waist. The remnants of the Demon King that was sealed within her were transferred to the 《Divine Crystal》.
Shera tried to cling onto him and asked.
「By Demon King, you mean that Demon King!? A real one!?」
Diablo was distressed.
──Since it’s a new monster, I can’t tell what it is without the name display!
Unfortunately, the kind feature of opening a window and referring to its profile didn’t exist in this other world.
He sent his gaze to the reliable Rose, but she only glanced below the cliff, and didn’t say anything.
Since she was a treasury watchman, she had an abundance of knowledge related to items, but she might not be well-informed about monsters.
Rafleisha opened her mouth. She muttered as if she were speaking to herself. She had a vacant expression and looked like she was daydreaming or something.
「......《Demon King of the Heart, Cardia》......That is the source, the one who brings about, the fire of life......The power to change this world......」
「Oi, if you know about it, then speak.」
「Eh!?」
She regained her expression as if she was brought back to her senses with Diablo’s voice.
「O, oh please......I also only remember what I heard in old stories and don’t know much about it, you know? It is the name of the Demon King said to be sealed in this land.」
「So that, really is a Demon King. Did you say the 《Demon King of the Heart, Cardia》?」
「It most likely is.」
Hearing that story, Shera’s complexion became paler and paler.
「It’s a D-D-D-Demon King!?」
「Princess Shera, calm down. Most likely, that really is a Demon King, but it is sealed.」
「U, un.」
「It’s moving a bit but......If it revives, we probably won’t get away safely. This is only a guess though.」
「Thank goodness it’s sealedー.」
Rem talked while staring at the Demon King.
「......So the “important thing” that the Elves were entrusted with by God, was about the Demon King.」
「So it would seem. The seal itself should be somewhere though?」
「Erm, could it be this? “KOuNSOaU”」
When Shera said some mysterious words again, a rainbow-colored gem appeared in mid-air. Its size was about that of a basketball.
Several rings encircled the surroundings of the gem. They were like the rings of Saturn.
Rafleisha opened her eyes wide.
「......ッ......This is, amazing. This is my first time seeing such a large Divine Crystal. As expected of the thing that can seal the Demon King itself!」
Shera gazed at the rainbow-colored gem.
「Ah......」
「What’s wrong, Shera?」
「Well, it looks like this seal is the same as the Greenwood Forest, and receives power from God. But, since Tou-san has died......」
「Wha!? Is, is that alright!?」
「It doesn’t look like it will be broken today or tomorrow but, it looks like it’s slowly weakening.」
Shera said that without hesitation, but it was considerably important.
The Demon King’s seal is weakening!
And then, this meant that if the Greenwood Kingdom doesn’t have a king, the seal will break before long.
Rem wiped sweat off from her forehead.
「......I understand the reason why the Queen forced her daughter to get married, and is performing the wedding so hastily. This is far from just the forest’s blessings.」
Diablo was also of the same opinion.
「This concerns not just the Elves, but the life and death of the Races.」
「......And the fact that she did not tell us about this despite this, is this a secret only to the Elves?」
「Or maybe, it is a secret only the Elven royal family. The more people that know about it, the easier it is for the secret to become public knowledge.」
「......Certainly, there is no need to inform the citizens about this. I also feel like I know the reason why the treasured articles weren’t collected all that well despite them being scattered about.」
Even if it was sealed, there isn’t anyone that would want to get close to the Demon King.
Compared to the monsters that had made their appearances up until now, the 《Demon King of the Heart, Cardia》 had an extremely grotesque appearance.
Just how much would its strength be?
For the nature of MMORPGs, the Players steadily get stronger. Inevitably, they get as strong as the new event monsters.
The fact that Diablo did not know about it meant that this thing was not implemented──the possibility that it would appear in a future event was high.
In the game, he had defeated the 《Demon King of the Brain, Enkvalos》 going solo, but he should consider this 《Demon King of the Heart, Cardia》 being of a higher level.
The Lifelia Kingdom’s guarding against the Greenwood Kingdom isn’t strong. The line of defence of the Races is heavy against the Demon King territory in the west, while this place was inside of it. There wasn’t a large defensive point from here to the royal capital.
Alicia who was at the royal capital, Lumachina at the Grand Chapel, the employees of the 《Phoenix House》 inn, Diablo remembered the various people that he met in town.
──If this guy were to revive, everyone would die.
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