Episode 45
The back alleys at night are simultaneously the most glamorous and the most terrifying place in the empire.
The reason is that as soon as night falls, the back alleys shine so brilliantly that other entertainment districts cannot even compare, while simultaneously becoming a den of all manner of crimes.
Therefore, death in the back alleys always comes in only two forms: dying in ecstasy, or dying with holes punctured through one's body.
- Thud, thud
And now, a woman draped in a robe was walking through such back alley streets.
Whether noble or beggar, man or woman, the back alleys are always densely packed with people, but the alley she was passing through was unusually desolate.
"...Hmm."
Nevertheless, the woman continued to glance around warily in all directions, then quietly made her way toward a certain tavern.
"Who might you be?"
As she opened the worn door and entered, she was greeted by a man dressed in a neat suit.
"I don't know who you are, but would you care for a drink?"
"No, I'm fine."
"...Is that so? Then I'll drink alone."
Saying this, the man uncorked the wine bottle that had been sitting on the table and began quietly pouring wine into the glass before him, and the woman, who had been staring intently at him, finally spoke.
"...Give me recent news of the Demon Lord's army."
At that, the man, who had been looking straight at her, chuckled as he picked up his glass and murmured.
"I wondered who it was... so it is the Demon Lord?"
"Took you long enough to recognize me."
From that moment, the woman's tone changed to become haughty, and the man sitting across from her, watching her, downed his drink in one go before speaking.
"Then, I shall conduct a test."
And the very next instant, the space throughout the entire tavern area began to undergo a sudden transformation.
The long stretching road suddenly folded in on itself and began shooting up into the air.
Before long, the surrounding buildings, signs, trees, and decorations also began rising into the air, and the surrounding space started to become increasingly distorted.
- KUGWAGWAGWAGWAGWANG!!!
When about half the area had been devastated, the man, sweating cold sweat, swung his hand powerfully, and then the 'space' itself of the area began to assault the woman sitting across from him.
"...How impudent."
Yet she, who had maintained an indifferent expression despite this, spoke thus and flicked one finger.
- PAJIIIIIIIIK!!!
Then, the space that had been rushing toward her was instantly obliterated.
"I, I greet the Demon Lord!"
The man, who had been watching this scene in a daze, urgently fell to his knees on the ground and began bowing his head while shouting.
"For the sin of daring to test the Demon Lord, I will gladly accept..."
"And why would that be a sin?"
The Demon Lord, looking at him with an expression suggesting she couldn't understand, chuckled and said.
"...It required no more effort than flicking a single finger. Therefore, it matters not."
"But..."
"Speak in your usual manner. It is terribly unpleasant to watch."
At that, the man, who had been prostrate, sighed, then approached the only desk remaining in the devastated space, sat down, and spoke.
"Demon Lord, before I inform you of the news... may I first ask about the things I am curious about?"
"...I am not yet the Demon Lord, but the successor. Why do you demons always jump to conclusions?"
"Is that not the same thing?"
"...Well, arguing about it is bothersome, so call me what you wish."
Upon the Demon Lord's permission, the man downed another drink and began his questions.
"Were you not unable to leave the Demon Lord's Castle?"
"That was so."
"Then for you to have come out like this... has it finally begun?"
When the man asked with expectant eyes, the Demon Lord shook her head and replied.
"No. My main body remains in the Demon Lord's Castle. This is merely my vessel."
"...Then, how exactly did you unleash that power earlier?"
"That is not your concern. Let us speak no further of matters related to this."
When the Demon Lord firmly dismissed it, the man, shaking his head for a moment, posed his second question.
"Why on earth are you concealing your identity?"
The man asked, looking at her who had been hiding her identity with intricate concealment magic until now.
"When the successor was confined in the Demon Lord's Castle, no one could approach, so no one could know the Demon Lord's identity. However, why do you continue to thoroughly conceal your identity even now?"
"Hmm..."
"Not even once showing your face even to me, the second-in-command of the Demon Lord's army, is too harsh a treatment. Therefore, please, even for the sake of boosting the morale of the Demon Lord's army, reveal your..."
"It cannot be done."
The Demon Lord firmly shook her head, and the man lowered his head and began to sigh.
"Then, must we continue these inconvenient meetings or receive instructions by letter?"
"It cannot be helped."
"...Could you not at least tell me the reason?"
"I dislike it."
When the Demon Lord remained firm, the man sighed for a moment and, looking at her, posed his final question.
"Then, this is my third and final question. Was it you who sent the telegram saying 'I have found the hero' last time?"
"It was."
"Then, please disclose the information quickly. We of the Demon Lord's army will ensure the hero does not become an obstacle..."
"...I cannot."
"What?"
The Demon Lord, hearing those words, quietly stared into the air and murmured.
"...It is not that I will not share the information, but that I cannot share it."
The man, looking at her with slight bafflement, soon emptied his glass and rose from his seat saying.
"Well, it cannot be helped. Since it is the word of the great Demon Lord, I have no choice but to follow without complaint."
Having finished speaking, the man began restoring the devastated area by waving his arm and started his report.
"Then, I shall begin my report."
"Very well, let us hear it."
The Demon Lord's eyes, listening to the man's words, were glowing with a ruby hue.
.
"...Ah, what's the password?"
"Perlote, the password is asked by the person inside to the person trying to enter from outside."
"Ah..."
Meanwhile, at that same time, in a back alley tavern slightly removed from where the Demon Lord was located.
"W, who are you people!"
"...They are my spies."
"Ah, my apologies."
Perlote, entering the tavern in a befuddled state, was being watched by Klana with an enlightened expression.
"...Hmm? Is it just me and Klana today?"
"Irina said she would come a little later... and Kania..."
"What about Kania?"
"Um... she has business to attend to."
When Klana equivocated, Perlote tilted her head for a moment before sitting down and beginning to speak.
"If she has business, it can't be helped. Then, as always, I'll start the report!"
"...Yes."
"First, regarding the Pope... no, I think I've found evidence related to the Demon Lord from the Pope!"
"Is that so?"
"Yes, since a few days ago, a faintly sinister energy has begun to be felt from the basement of the cathedral."
Perlote, speaking with a slightly tense expression, soon began to furrow her brow.
"But whenever I go to investigate, it vanishes without a trace... and then when I come back outside, it starts being felt again... that situation keeps repeating itself."
"...That is suspicious."
"Yes! It's definitely suspicious!"
While Perlote spoke with shining eyes, Klana crossed her arms and began to murmur.
"If we do well, we might be able to pressure the Pope... perhaps even involve Frey..."
"...Klana, is that alright?"
"What?"
Perlote, looking at Klana with slight concern, gathered holy power and sent it to Klana as she spoke.
"Your dark circles have become terribly pronounced... if you overexert yourself..."
"Now is the time to overexert."
Klana, responding firmly to her, murmured again as she skimmed through some papers.
"As expected... even the documents sent from the Starlight family this time are all empty formalities with no substance. This is surely..."
"What?"
"It is nothing."
Eventually, Klana, carefully closing the documents and responding to Perlote, smiled and began to speak.
"By the way, when do you think Frey will wake up?"
"Hmm... I think it will take quite a while..."
Then Klana smiled and replied.
"That's good news, we can reduce his standing even a little more before he wakes up."
"I'm sorry... for not being of much help..."
"No. You are fulfilling your role sufficiently just by holding your position in the upper ranks of the cathedral."
Klana, comforting the dejected Perlote, quietly began gazing at the night sky visible through the window.
"...I will bring him down soon, Frey."
In the night sky, a single star was twinkling with an unusually dim light.
- Creeeeak...
Klana, who had been watching the star for quite a while, whipped her head around when she heard the sound of a door opening behind her.
"...Hello."
Then Irina, draped in a robe, nodded to her and stepped into the tavern.
"Nice to see you, Irina. With this, our forces have increased by one more."
"...That's right! Irina is incredibly strong!"
Irina, looking at them with a distant gaze, sat down and asked a question.
"...How much damage did I inflict on the Demon Lord?"
"What?"
"Surely... it wasn't the case that I couldn't even wound him, was it?"
When Irina asked with a slightly anxious expression, Klana smiled and replied.
"Because of your single strike, the Demon Lord halted his advance for an entire week. Thanks to that, we gained precious time to evacuate the imperial citizens."
"...A week?"
Hearing those words, Irina began to wear a hollow expression.
"That was an all-out attack where I poured out all my magical knowledge and mana. It was a great magic that was recorded to have put the Demon Lord in a critical state 1000 years ago."
"...Yes, that's right."
"But it was only a week? Was I only able to hold the Demon Lord for just one week?"
When Irina asked in a heavy voice, Perlote carefully replied.
"W, still... according to what I overheard when I was captured and about to be killed by the Demon Lord's army... it was a quite serious wound..."
"...Ugh."
Hearing Perlote's words, Irina lowered her head and began grinding her teeth as the other woman casually spoke of her own death.
"Um... Irina. I'm asking just in case..."
Klana, who had been quietly watching her, cautiously posed a question to Irina.
"Is there any magic that can cause a regression on this scale?"
"Hmm..."
"No matter how I think about it, it's strange. Not just one person, but a full 4 people have regressed. Perhaps, there could be more. So... I can't help but think... that something magical might be involved?"
When Klana spoke with a serious expression, Irina frowned slightly and replied.
"Manipulating space is possible somehow... but there is no magic that manipulates time. Even with ancient magic, that is impossible."
"Then, what about prophecy magic that receives memories of the future?"
"That's the same. There is no magic that can prophesy. Unless it's a revelation from the Sun God..."
Saying this, Irina trailed off and glanced at Perlote, who shook her head and said.
"No, the Sun God merely... Ugh...!"
Suddenly she clutched her head and collapsed onto the table, and Irina and Klana watched her with startled expressions.
"W, what's wrong?"
"Suddenly... my head hurts..."
"Let me ask, suddenly?"
"Ah, it's better now."
Perlote managed a somewhat relieved expression and spoke again.
"Anyway, it wouldn't be..."
"I'm fine now."
Perlote made a somewhat improved face and spoke.
"Anyway, if a revelation comes only to me."
Then Klana, who had been quietly nodding, sighed and began to wrap things up.
"Well, it's slightly troubling that it's a bit, I'll set aside for now..."
"Then, in the back of my mind..."
I don't know if that the future may be concern... let's leave the reason we can't find the cause of my head in the past... but regressions for now..."
"Whatever the cause, what's imortant is how we proceed from now on..."
Klana, looking at the two women, said they would put the reason aside.
"Well, it's a bit concerning... but let's postpone finding the cause of regression for now. What's important right now is what we do from here."
Klana, having said that, looked at Irina and Perlote.
"...Then, since the night's deep, let's end here for tonight. The day is imporant..."
"...Kania will tell her about today by me..."
Klana said she would relay the work to her.
Irina and Perlote watched her leave and let it go at that.
"Frey's dormitory..."
When Kania, who had collapsed on Frey's bed, asked in a soft voice.
"Ka, when I thought she saw Kania's face..."
Klana, who had come to the Frey's room on the day after a long time, was relieved by that.
Kania, who kept silent about what she knew, continued to sum up her concern for now..."
Irina exhaled and began to rise from the thick fog that clouded her thoughts, the two women looked at the night sky above the dark circles and those who knew about the strange energy..."
Finally alone in her state, alone, Kania explained what was hapening - that even with such strange occurances have had deep black marks...
After speaking with Frey's mother, who had lost parnts in her eyes...
Klana, who knew that the dormitory had been wrecked, turned and gazed down...
Kania apologized.
"...Kania, who had been watching her struggle so, quietly left with a somewhat disappointed expression, but soon was joined by two others..."
Frey's dormitory had been destroyed by now, three months after the attack on Frey's dorm in that state...
Kania, who had long been working toward Frey's ruin...
Kania replied she didn't know... but said to have business, to which Serena then Perlote made a noise and was leaving."
"Ah, sorry... for not being helpful..."
"You are doing enough just holding position."
Meanwhile, Serena, who had been watching them talk quietly rose as her voice fell into deep thought on the pillow beside the bed where Frey's head had lain until an invisible line between herself..."
"Well, there's something I've been mean to ask..."
"I can clean..."
Frey asked, sitting at the thick glass of wine, watched Frey.
Kania, who had been quiet until this moment asked a question.
"Can I be cleaned?"
"What is it?"
"Frey asked what the small thing in his bag was, but knew only that it wasn't a cursed wound, just one from childhood..."
"Recently, I've felt strange energy from over there."
Kania asked about the wound.
When she said it was from a wolf..."
Kania replied that she couldn't reveal her identity or heal herself, and Serena watched as she stared at the bag, but eventually she heard a sound and turned around.
Frey bagan to rummage, but only found books and dust.
"Whatever... I definitely sensed something from in here?"
But then she discovered a strange space in upper part of the sack and without thinking stuck hand inside.
"Cough!! Cough!!"
"Kyaa!!"
Suddenly Frey bolt upright on bed and began coughing, so she pulled out in shock and stared at him blankly.
"What, what hap... Young Master!?"
"Freyyy...!!"
Irina's scream brought Kania and Sena rush to Frey's side and collapsed back onto the frey and began coughing and rush toward the bed..."
"Freyn's dorm was so relieved by now, but after all this..."
Then the bag which felt strange energy from his pack, turned with a slightly puzzled expresion..."
"I can't treat this now..."
"...Dam... pen... al, child..."
"...How did that hap... pen..."
Finally, she found only old books..."
When Kania dis covered with that strange ener..."
Wait, how did the wound come from a wolf when she was young..."
The woumd found a scar from a wolf that in a child... "Frey's pack with a bag contained a small device with a date written on it, so she withdrew her hand and...
As she rummaged, the the Frey...
"I don't want to try..."
"...Damn, the first thing I see upon opening my eyes is a penalty window."
Frey muttered in a hollow voice after a long time staring into space from the bed, and Kania and Serena, star at him blankly.
Then after hacking, Frey sat up suddenly and began to cough, and Irina, who had been watching him in shock, pulled out her hand and stared at him dazedly.
"What... what hap... Young Master!!"
"Pen... Frey...!!"
Then at Irina's scream Kania and Serena rushed to Frey's side.
"...Damn, the first thing I see upon opening my eyes is a penalty window."
After waking, Frey, who kept staring into empty space, began muttering with a look of defeat.
"Did... did he wake up?"
Meanwhile Irina, looking at him with a shocked expression, held a small device with a date inscribed upon it.Episode 45
The back alley at night is the most terrifying yet also most splendor in the same instant is both the most glamorous loc in the empire.
The reason is that as soon as evening arrives, the back alley becomes a hive of all sorts of crimes.
Therefore, death in comes in only two forms: either dy in ecstasy, or dy with holes punctured through one.
- Thud thud
And now, a woman wearing a robe is walk through such an alley.
Whether nobles or beg in such a back street, men or women are always packed, but the alley she passes through is unusually desolate.
"...Hm."
Nevertheless, the woman who had been alert and looking all around moved toward a tavern.
"Who might you be?"
As she opened the old door, she was greet by a man in a neat suit.
"I don't know who you are, but would you care for a drink?"
"No, I'm fine."
"...Is that so? Then I'll drink alone."
saying, the man unstopper on the table and pour into his glass, and watching him, she fi nally spoke.
"...Give me recent news of the Demon Lord's army."
Then the man looking at her chuck put the glass to his lips and murmur,
"I wonder who it could be... the Demon Lord?"
"...So it was you..."
The man looked at her straight as he chuckled and picked up his glass.
"...Recent news of the Demon Lord's army."
The man shook his head and murmured.
"I thought who it was... so it is the Demon Lord?"
"Took long enough realize."
From then on, her tone changed to arrogant, and the man sitting opposite watching her downed his drink in one go before saying.
"Then, I shall test you."
Next instant, space through began to transform suddenly.
The long road folded on itself and started shooting up.
Before long, buildings, signs, trees and decorations began rising into the air as surrounding space became increasingly distorted.
- KUGWAK!!!
When half the area had been devastated, sweating, the man swung his hand powerful, and then the 'space' of the area itself began to rush at the woman opposite him.
"...How impudent."
Yet she, maintaining an indifferent expression, said and flicked a finger.
- PAJIIIIK!!!
Then, the space rushing at her was instantaneously oblit erated.
"M, my Demon Lord!"
Watching the scene dully, the man urgently fell to knees and began banging his head on the ground shouting.
"For the crime of daring test the Demon Lord, I will accept..."
"Why would that be a sin?"
looking at him as if she couldn't understand, the Demon Lord chuckled.
"...It took no more effort than flicking a finger. There matters not."
"But..."
"Speak in your usual manner. It is extremely unpleasant to watch."
The man, who had been pros sighing, approached the only remaining desk in the devastated area and sat down.
"Demon Lord, before I report the news, may I first ask what I'm curious about?"
"...I am not yet Demon Lord, but the successor. Why do you demons always jump to conclusion?"
"...Well, arguing is troublesome so call me what you wish."
Upon permission, the man downed his drink and began asking.
"Were you not unable to leave the Demon Lord's castle?"
"That was so."
"Then for you to come out like this... has it finally begun?"
When asked with expectant eyes, the Demon shook her head.
"No. My true body remains in the castle. This is just my vessel."
"...Then how did you exert that power earlier?"
"That is not your affair. Let us speak no more on this."
When the Demon Lord dismissed firmly, the man shook his head momentarily and asked his second question.
"Why are you hiding your identity?"
The man asked, looking at her who until now had been concealing herself with intricate magic.
"When the successor was imprisoned in the castle, no one could approach so none could know the Demon Lord's identity. But why do you continue to hide even now?"
"Hmm..."
"Not showing your face even once to me, the second in command of the army, is too harsh. So please reveal your..."
"It cannot be done."
The Demon Lord shook head firmly, and the man looked down and sighed.
"Then must we continue these awkward meetings or receive orders by letter?"
"It cannot be helped."
"...Could you not at least tell me the reason?"
"I detest it."
When the Demon Lord remained adamant, the man sighed once more and, gazing at her, posed his final question.
"Then this is third and last. Was it you who sent the message 'I found the hero' last time?"
"It was."
"Then please disclose quickly. We of the army will ensure the hero doesn't become an..."
"...I can't."
"What?"
The Demon Lord, staring into the space, mur mured.
"...It is not that I won't reveal, but that I cannot share the information."
The man, looking at her with some bafflement, soon emptied his glass and rose saying.
"Well, it cannot be help. Since it is the great Demon Lord's word, I have no choice but to obey without complaint."
Having finished, the man began restoring the devastated area by waving his arm and started his report.
"Then I shall begin my report."
"Very well, let us hear it."
eyes were glow with ruby.
.
"...Ah, what is the password?"
"Perlote, the password is asked by those inside to those entering from outside."
"Ah..."
Meanwhile at that same time, in a tavern some distance from where the Demon was.
"What are you doing in the back alley."
"Who are you people?"
"...They are my spies."
"...They are my spy."
"They are mine."
"Perlote entered in a fluster, looked at the such an energy in the back alley tavern and be asked who we are."
"Anyway, although it is somewhat concerning... but let's postpone finding the cause of regression for now. What matters now is how we proceed from here."
looking at Irina and Perlote, Klana said.
"...Then, since the night is deep, let's end today's conversation here. The night is deep, and we'll reconvene."
Klana rose, adding she would relay today's events to Kania and left quietly with her spies, walking into the night.
"Irina!"
"Yes?"
Rising to leave, Irina watched her when Perlote stopped her.
"Shall I heal that scar?"
Perlote asked bright, and Irina frowned slightly as she replied.
"This is an old wound."
"Hmm... how did you get it? Surely not from a curse?"
Perlote gazed at the wound and asked again.
"No, this is from when I was young... um... that is to say..."
"...Irina?"
"Wolf... a wolf... Frey..."
Trailing as she touched her scar, Irina shook her head to collect herself and finished.
"Anyway, I have no intention of fixing this scar."
"Why?"
"...I'm not sure myself."
Leaving behind a bewildered Perlote, Irina exited the shop filled with confusion.
"What in the world..."
Walking alone for some time through the night alley, she halted and muttered.
"...This feeling that something is on the tip of my tongue?"
.
"Frey... what on earth has happened..."
Thus, three months and a day after the 'Commoner Dormitory Attack Incident' ended,
"Kania, you know the truth? What on earth is going on? Tell me. Right now."
having visited Frey's dorm after a long absence and seeing him completely ruined, Serena began pressing Kania, who stood silently nearby.
"...I don't know."
"Tell me right now."
"...I'm sorry."
But Kania kept silent, and Serena lowered her head and spoke in a quiet voice.
"His condition has many strange aspects that you know too. So..."
"...I don't know what's strange."
"Ha, is that so?"
Sneering at Kania's words, Serena began speaking in an angry voice.
"For the past months, renowned physicians and mages have made a mess at the imperial hospital trying to cure him. And all failed. You know this, yes?"
"Yes, I know."
"And even Saintess Perlote failed to heal him. You know this well too, yes?"
"...Yes."
"Yet you say there's nothing strange!?"
Finally exploding with anger, Serena released massive amounts of lunar mana from her body as she shouted.
"I can accept the imperial mages and physicians!! But the Saintess Perlote being unable to cure is nonsensical, isn't it!?"
"...That is."
"When I first examined him, he would have awakened in a week!! Of course that was serious but not to the extent his body was destroyed..."
"...I apologize."
Finally Kania bowed again, and Serena stopped press and looked at her quietly.
"...Will you continue like this?"
"...End it like this to the end will you persist in acting this way?"
"What are you looking at me like that?"
For a while Serena watched Kania then assumed a cold expression.
"If you behave this way, I cannot remain..."
- Knock knock knock
"...I came to clean."
But those words were temporarily halted by Irina knocking at the dormitory door.
"You, do you have to clean at a time like this?"
As Irina opened and entered, Serena asked with slight irritation.
"I made a death pledge with Frey, so I'll die if I don't the slave labor."
"...What?"
But Irina gave such a proper reason that for a moment Serena was taken aback before sigh deeply.
"On earth did you make death pledges... if discovered, cleanup is difficult..."
Looking at Serena quietly, Irina continued with a calm expression.
"Since I must clean to survive, please continue your conversation."
"..............."
Watching Irina, Kania and Serena said simultaneously.
" might be better to discuss outside."
"Let's go out. We'll continue talking there."
After briefly exchanging glances, both sighed deeply and went out with frowns.
"...Tch."
Planning to eavesdrop, Irina had been rummaging through Frey's bag with only books and dust, but her hand discovered a strange space in the upper part of the bag and stuck her hand inside suddenly...
- Cough!!
Suddenly Frey bolt upright in bed and began cough, while Irina, who had been watching him blankly, pulled her hand out and stared at him dazed.
"My, what happen... Young Master!!"
"Frey...!!!"
At her scream, both Kania and Serena rushed to Frey's side.
"...Damn, upon opening my eyes I see a penalty window."
After waking and gazing into space continuously, Frey muttered in empty hollow voice.
"...Damn, of all things..."
Frey sat up suddenly on the bed and began hack while Irina watched him blankly, hand pulled out and stared vacan as Irina clutched a small device bearing a date in her hand.