Episode 233
"Mmm, mm..."
Having walked into the main hall with unfocused eyes, Raphael slowly looks around.
"W-what is that?"
"Is, is that a demon...?"
"No, it looks like a demon tribe?"
On her head, a ruby-colored horn was protruding with one side shattered in half, her skin was purple, and a black tail had grown from behind.
"N-no... I'm not a demon... not a demon tribe..."
Looking down at her own appearance, Raphael spoke in a trembling voice and began walking toward the people.
"I am... I am... the Princess! This country's... Princess..."
"Kyaaah!"
"D-don't come!"
Seeing her appearance, which had become quite hideous with her whole body scorched by Prey, people either screamed or frowned deeply as they started to back away.
"Ah, aaah..."
Seeing people who used to praise her beauty and cling to her now fleeing at the sight of her, she looked down at herself again, trembling violently.
"I, I can't accept this."
Finally, she clenched her teeth and began to shout.
"I can't accept this! Why must I suffer such humiliation!"
Her maddened cry echoed through the main hall for a while, making people tilt their heads in confusion.
"...Dispose of her."
"Yes."
Watching the situation from the stage, Empress Lemia gave orders to the Imperial Knight Order in a cold voice.
"N-no..."
Seeing the Imperial Guard and Knight Order, whom she had once kept at her feet and ordered around, now approaching her with weapons drawn, she finally stepped back with a terrified expression.
"D-don't come!!"
Instantly, she released demonic energy in all directions.
- CRACK!! CRUNCH!!!
"Kuh!"
"Aaagh!"
Thanks to that, desks and chairs shattered, chandeliers fell, and chaos began to erupt.
"Kill that demon who discovered this secret base immediately."
"M-mother!"
In that situation, with the Imperial Guard and Knight Order approaching right in front of her, and Lemia issuing a kill order, Raphael looked ahead with a terrified expression and began to shout.
"It's me! Raphael! Your daughter!!"
"...What?"
Only then did Lemia narrow her eyes and begin to look at her hideous form.
"That, that medicine! After taking that medicine... my body became like this..."
".......!"
At that, the Empress's expression stiffened as Raphael began to mention a secret that no one should know.
"P-Prey... and Klana! It's all because of them. All of it...!"
Reading the Empress's expression, Raphael began to urgently modify her words.
"Hwaaaaah!"
"...Kuhak!"
At that moment, someone sprang forward, grabbed her hair, and slammed her into the ground.
"Y-you..."
Momentarily staggering from the shock of her brain being rattled, Raphael turned her head while someone held the back of her head, trying to say something to Klana who was looking down at her coldly.
- Shaaaaaaa...
"Aaaaaaah!!!"
At that moment, Klana's solar mana burst forth, and thanks to that, Raphael had no choice but to scream while spewing purple and ruby-colored smoke in all directions.
"Everyone, please look!"
As the people around became accustomed to Raphael's screams and smoke, Klana began to speak in a cold voice.
"This person's true identity is my half-sister, Raphael!"
"W-what did you say...?"
"That doesn't make sense... why is the Princess a demon tribe...?"
"But that face... it really is Raphael..."
At first, the people didn't believe those words, but as Raphael's demon transformation began to be stripped away by Klana's solar mana, they had no choice but to nod their heads.
"K-Klana... you... this bitch..."
She was glaring at her half-sister with hateful eyes, and to anyone who looked, it was clearly Raphael.
"...Capture her alive, don't kill her."
"Y-yes?"
"Quickly!"
"Ah, under... stood."
Looking at her with an anxious expression, Empress Lemia quickly gave that order to the soldiers nearby.
"Have the carriage ready."
"...Yes."
"First secure Raphael, and get out of here."
Hiding her face with a fan and moving to the side, she gave orders to her attendant.
"Stop!"
Klana pointed at her and shouted.
"Everyone, there is something you all need to know!"
"Mmm..."
Then, holding Raphael who was losing consciousness from receiving too much solar mana, she looked around once more and began to make a serious expression.
"The Imperial Family has fallen!"
Finally, that statement came from her mouth.
""...........""
It was quite an impactful statement, but the expressions of the nobles who heard it were quite indifferent.
That was because the Imperial Family's corruption was an open secret that anyone in the Empire, not just the nobles, already knew.
Therefore, rather than shock, they thought 'why bring this up now?' and began to look at Klana uncomfortably.
"Except for me, all the Imperial Family members have already offered their souls to the Demon King!"
When Klana briefly glared at Ruby and said that, everyone's expressions changed.
It wasn't simply that the Imperial Family had fallen, but that it had gone over to the Demon King - this was a serious matter connected to their own safety.
"The Imperial Family has already fallen into the Demon King's hands! They betrayed humanity and sold their souls thinking that only they need to be safe in the end!"
Therefore, as Klana's words continued, it was only natural that a great commotion broke out around them.
"...Do you have evidence for those words right now?"
In an attempt to calm the situation, Lemia hurriedly stepped forward.
"Raphael is the evidence!"
"...What?"
"Look at this hideous appearance of Princess Raphael!"
Klana already had the best evidence in her hands.
"All Imperial Family members must be systematically examined! I demand an investigation into whether their souls, purity, and minds have not been corrupted!"
"......."
Shaking Raphael who had now completely lost consciousness, Klana spoke thus.
"Grrr."
The Empress, who had been hit by an unexpected attack, gritted her teeth and momentarily showed a flustered expression.
"...Alright."
However, she was not an easy opponent either.
"Since a problem regarding the entire Imperial Family has been raised, the Imperial Family shouldn't step forward. So let the Church handle the investigation."
Although the Church was the Imperial Family's old enemy, she thought that at least for now they were on the same side, so she could find a way out.
"And... you need to be investigated too, right? Klana?"
She threw a gamble in return.
"I will accept on the condition that you also undergo investigation. Then, the timing would be...'
'Rather, this is an opportunity. If I can somehow manipulate this investigation, I might be able to get rid of that annoying bitch.'
The viper-like Empress's eyes shone, and the crafty mind that had elevated her to this position began to spin rapidly.
"...That won't be necessary."
Cunning people cannot defeat geniuses.
Especially if that genius was Serena, the strongest genius in the world, there wasn't even a slim probability of turning the situation around.
"Because right here and now, we will occupy the Imperial Palace."
"W-what?"
Demirkan and the combat executives all stood up from their seats at that point.
- Uuuung...
And simultaneously, demonic energy began to vibrate from all directions.
"Imperial Family members, thank you for your hard work. I will remember your efforts."
".......!"
As Demirkan spoke and bowed politely, Empress Lemia realized that something was going wrong.
- Crack, crackle...
However, it was already too late to regain control.
- KUGWAGWAGWAGWANG!!!
"Kyaaaah!!"
Demirkan's spatial magic enveloped the main hall, and objects from all directions began to float.
"The era of the Demon King... shall arrive!!"
In that situation, he boldly launched magic and objects in all directions.
- Shuuuu...
"Tsk, rotten bastard. Appearing again and acting up."
"Hoh."
The Magic Tower Lord, who had been watching the situation until then, appeared with his hands behind his back and blocked all attacks in an instant, making an interested expression.
- Crack, crackle...
"...Will you be fighting as well?"
Then, Demirkan looked at Klana who was gathering golden mana in front of him.
- BOOM!
"As expected, foolish. Just like the fool who was the only one to reject our offer."
However, when Klana sent an attack instead of answering, he snorted and raised his voice.
'...Indeed, clever. No wonder she submitted to Lord Prey so early.'
Smiling inwardly, he began the operation they had prepared in advance.
"Then... let's begin."
"........Tsk."
Until then, she had been clenching her teeth and glaring at him. Her abilities had weakened several times compared to before. The one who had taken one of her arms. The one who must be killed for the sake of the Demon King.
"Everyone..."
He looked at the hero Ruby.
"...full attack."
.
Around the time the main hall was thrown into chaos.
"...Hmm."
Isollet was looking down with trembling eyes.
"To think it would actually work..."
"Meow."
A silver cat that had popped out from among Prey's clothes strewn across the sofa was looking up at her with a pitiful mewl.
"Prey?"
"Mew..."
When Isollet cautiously reached out to the cat, whether it was Prey's behavior or the cat's instinct, the creature carefully rubbed its cheek against her hand.
"...Lick."
When she cautiously offered her face to the cat, the cat Prey closed its eyes and began to lick her face.
"...This isn't the time. This isn't why I got permission."
Isollet quietly flushed at the cute sight, then came to her senses and lifted the cat-transformed Prey.
"The transformation time isn't long. Before it wears off, I need to hide Prey and escape to the safest place possible."
Muttering to herself while staring at the cat.
"B-but... I did miniaturize him... but where should I hide him?"
She soon encountered a difficulty.
Since she had to fight, she couldn't carry around a bag or basket, and her clothes had no pockets.
If she carried him in her hand, there was no point in miniaturizing him.
"...Gulp."
Thinking and thinking, Isollet finally swallowed dry saliva.
- Swish...
"Meow?"
She placed the silver cat inside her bosom.
"Uh, mmm..."
But she soon encountered another difficulty.
When the cat was nestled in her already prominent chest, it looked very strange.
If an enemy saw her, they would surely attack that suspicious area first.
"Mmm..."
Thanks to that, she continued to worry while looking in the mirror, then muttered in a trembling voice.
"Then... it can't be helped... down below..."
- Swish...
She began to move the cat while saying that.
"Meow....."
"...N-no, not there."
When the cat slipped out of her hand and poked its head out from inside her clothes with a dejected mewl, shaking its head, she scratched her head and fell into worry again.
"As expected, there's no other way."
After quite a long deliberation, the cat ended up positioned on her stomach, between her chest and pelvis.
"Meyow!"
"...Bear with it. For safety, there's no other choice."
Having made the cat Prey wrap his arms and legs around her stomach, Isollet tied a cord around her waist to secure him.
"Then now..."
She drew her beloved sword and began to make a cold expression.
"Meow."
"Heek."
At that moment, she flinched when Prey twitched.
"..........."
Then she quietly looked down at her stomach.
"Meow... meeoow..."
"...Mmm."
Whether it was too narrow and very stifling, she stroked the back of Prey who was wiggling inside her clothes and mewling.
"I will protect you... Prey."
Even so, as he continued to twitch on her stomach, she felt a strange sensation of maternal love, protective instinct, and her heart and lower abdomen simultaneously growing hot as she muttered.
"...Let's go."
Smiling with satisfaction for a while, she picked up his clothes and underwear that had been strewn across the sofa with trembling hands.
"Hwaaaaah!"
She shattered the waiting room door with a single sword strike and ran outside.
"The target is escaping!!"
"Wait! That's not Prey! First search the room!"
"You guys follow that woman. I'll search the room."
And so began the life-or-death chase.
- Whoosh...!
In the midst of that chaos.
"Chirp?"
A canary created by Klana from flower petals, which had been sleeping inside the chest pocket of Prey's outer garment and fell out when Isollet ran off with his clothes.
"Chirp~♪"
Looking around for a moment, it began to fly somewhere while singing a sweet melody.
.
"What the..."
Meanwhile.
"Just what is..."
Rosewin was muttering while gripping her fist tightly, having stopped washing her face in the bathroom.
"I, I was kicked out like that... how, how....."
She had quietly slipped out after hearing rumors about an incident related to Prey while the hero party introduction party was in full swing.
"Why only me..."
Thinking it was a good opportunity to help Prey and reconcile, she had been wandering around, but happened to witness Isollet and Prey's romantic scene through the crack of the waiting room door and fell into panic.
- Rush...
"......."
After keeping her head down with the water running for a while.
"...Grrr."
She quietly gritted her teeth and lifted her head.
"You'll regret it, Prey."
Looking in the mirror, she muttered in a low voice.
"I-I'm part of the hero party now. A hero party that serves the Hero, one that will be remembered in world history. And among them, a key position handling information."
- Rush...
"Let them ignore me all they want. I have the Hero now. I just need to get along with the Hero."
Saying that, she was consoling herself.
"R-right. That bastard, I heard he caused another incident today? No matter how I think about it, I'm the one who's too good for him. Yes, it's actually a good thing... haha."
She raised the corners of her mouth and muttered in a slightly trembling voice, trying to leave the bathroom.
"Right, what is Prey anyway. Just someone who's nothing now. As if he could become a hero or something..."
"Chirp!"
"...Huh?"
Her eyes went round as a canary she'd seen somewhere before flew into the bathroom.
"Chirp."
The canary, which had been singing a beautiful song until just now, was glaring at Rosewin and flying toward her.