We live in the foothills of Dragon Peak.
With killing intent from the stage of flames.
“Revalia, calm down! What’s wrong?”
I called out to Revalia, carrying my dragon heart.
Revalia glared at me with killing intent in her four pupils.
“Eek!”
Astel screamed.
Meijina also froze, her face pale.
The Puppet King, the moment he saw Revalia rampaging, hid behind his attendant doll.
“Are you angry that we left you behind? I’m sorry?”
“I’m sorry, Lady Revalia.”
Laira and I apologized.
Revalia, still clad in flames of anger and killing intent, flew towards us with a rough flap of her wings.
“Hmph. I am not angry about such a thing now. However, I will make an example of the demons who foolishly attacked me and make them perish.”
“I see! So after we retreated, Revalia was also attacked by Cadis?”
“I don’t know who it was. I don’t need to know. Just for turning their hostility towards me and attacking, they deserve death!”
“Reva-chan, calm down! And listen to our future plans?”
“Shall I turn you into charcoal first?”
“Hahahaha! Lady Revalia, was that a joke from Elnea just now?”
It’s nice, isn’t it? I want to call her “Reva-chan” affectionately too!
But Revalia doesn’t seem to like it.
Whether it was anger at being called Reva-chan, or punishment for the demons, Revalia mercilessly rained down the flames of her breath onto the ground.
The treachery forest burned.
Even the lake where the Puppet King’s castle was located was burning.
This is the former tyrant of Dragon Peak.
And this is the true power of Revalia, the former King of Dragons.
Those who look down on Revalia.
She shows no mercy to those who attack her recklessly.
She rules all skies and subjugates all beings. Whether they be dragons or humans.
Meijina was completely captivated by fear, witnessing Revalia’s terrifying side.
But don’t worry.
Revalia is gentle to her allies.
Even though she insults me and mercilessly spews killing intent, she never turns her fangs on her companions.
The claws and fangs she directs at me are expressions of affection!
As I explained this to Meijina, Revalia, now beside Nimia, let out a ruthless roar.
“Eek!”
Astel screamed again.
Even though Astel is of the Primogenitor Race, he is not a strong fighter. Beings like Revalia are naturally terrifying to him.
Even the Puppet King hides behind his doll, not daring to look at Revalia.
A truly enraged Revalia is an overwhelming presence that even high-ranking demons fear.
Perhaps that is why.
There are no signs of demons in the land that has become a sea of fire.
I don’t think Revalia burned everything.
I believe Revalia descended from the sky, and the demons who were in this land fled en masse.
“Okay, okay, Revalia. Please calm down now, won’t you? Otherwise, Laira will worry too much and fly over there.”
“Lady Revalia, may I also move to your side?”
“Foolish one. Your means of travel in the sky is to jump off Nimia, is it not? Know the trouble it causes me to catch you every time.”
“It’s Revalia’s gentle nature that you don’t abandon us, isn’t it?”
“If it were you, I would watch you fall to the ground.”
“Help me too!”
As our hearts connected, Revalia’s anger subsided considerably.
The flames of anger that covered her body disappeared, and her killing intent vanished.
Only then did everyone other than Laira and Nimia breathe a sigh of relief.
“Is this the true power of the Wyvern?”
“Meijina, please don’t misunderstand. Revalia’s full power is not like this! She is a magnificent dragon, so terrifying that even dragons and divine races scream and flee!”
“Elnea, is ‘magnificent’ the correct word to use?”
“I was mistaken! That was a story from the past! Now, she is a great dragon king that the dragons of Dragon Peak boast about in unison!!”
“She is a wonderful Wyvern! Then, is she stronger than Nimia…?”
“Ah, that… Nimia is also a special Ancient Species dragon… so, well… a power comparison is not allowed, is it!”
“Laira, throw that weakling into the sky. I’ll make him realize my true strength!”
“Please do it in a place where my fur won’t burn, nya?”
“Hahahaha!”
Hey, hey.
I just explained Revalia’s greatness to Meijina, and what kind of treatment is this!
Besides, if Revalia and Nimia had a real power comparison, I don’t know which one would be stronger right now.
After all, Nimia’s fur is flammable? Especially with Revalia’s flames that can even set a lake ablaze.
“Nyan doesn’t want to fight, nyan. So Revalia is stronger, nyan.”
Oh, Nimia. That’s a mature response. To concede victory!
Revalia snorts at Nimia’s declaration of defeat.
She seems surprisingly pleased. I can feel her dragon heart!
“I will burn you to death later.”
“N-noooo.”
Conversely, I hung my head dejectedly.
“Hahahaha. Elnea, please cheer up. If we don’t have Lady Revalia’s cooperation, things will be difficult from now on.”
“Yes, you’re right.”
It’s not the time to linger in the sky aimlessly.
It’s a great relief to have rejoined Revalia like this.
Next, we need to confirm the safety of the Verdant Demon Lord, quell Cadis’s rebellion, and when peace is restored to the people, our mission will be complete!
I tell Revalia the whole story.
After Revalia took flight, we were attacked by Cadis. We chose to retreat rather than fight, and upon retreating to the Sage Demon Lord’s territory, we joined forces with the Puppet King.
And because we couldn’t ignore the people in trouble, we decided it was best to intervene in the rebellion Cadis started.
“You’ll be scolded by the Dragon Princess again?”
“When that happens, Revalia will apologize with us, okay?”
“Absolutely not!”
Revalia also told us what happened after we parted ways.
After hunting and eating wild boars and deer in a nearby mountain.
When she returned, the place where we had been was scorched by flames, and she was attacked by demons from the ground. Revalia, of course, retaliated.
Then the demons on the ground immediately fled.
However, that couldn’t quell Revalia’s anger.
When I think of demons, I remember the large army gathered around the Puppet King’s castle. So, Revalia flew here and apparently scattered the demon army.
“So, what about the demon army stationed here?”
“They retreated to the north.”
I translated Revalia’s words to everyone.
“To the north, you say. If the commander was Cadis, then their retreat destination must be the Demon Capital.”
“Elin, is the Demon Capital of this country nearby?”
In response to my question, the Puppet King finally emerged from behind his doll and told me.
“No. The Demon Capital of this country is to the north. However, for Cadis’s army, which has just started a rebellion, to regain its footing, they need a safe place, don’t they? In that case, wouldn’t the Demon Capital, which they should have conquered by defeating the Verdant Demon Lord and taking control, be the most suitable place?”
Cadis had said.
Although they defeated the Verdant Demon Lord and the Puppet King, there are still many demons in this country who are loyal to the Verdant Demon Lord.
Surely, between the Demon Capital and the Puppet King’s territory, there wouldn’t be a safe place for the fleeing army to regroup.
So, the demon army that retreated after being attacked by Revalia would be heading towards the Demon Capital while fleeing, and would reorganize there.
“In other words!”
I noticed something.
“Is the Demon Capital undefended right now? Cadis must have poured all their available forces into subjugating the Puppet King, right?”
The Demon Capital should have had a garrison, of course.
However, with tens of thousands of troops heading this way, the Demon Capital’s defenses were likely at a minimum.
And unlike Revalia or Nimia, the speed of movement of demons traveling on the ground is sluggish.
“If we launch a surprise attack on the Demon Capital now, can’t we obtain information regarding the Verdant Demon Lord’s safety!”
To my suggestion, the Puppet King nodded, gazing far into the treachery forest that had turned into a sea of flames.
“The forest is not dead yet. If so, there is still a possibility. If we can accurately ascertain the Verdant Demon Lord’s safety before Cadis, we might be able to maneuver cleverly.”
“The forest isn’t dead?”
What did she mean by that?
However, the Puppet King did not answer my question.
Instead, Meijina said.
“Let’s request cooperation from the Great Shrine of this country. That will surely help many suffering people.”
“That’s right. The role of helping the people of this country should be left to the people of this country. We just need to assist them!”
Outmaneuver Cadis, who is on an expedition, obtain information related to the Verdant Demon Lord’s safety in the Demon Capital. And on top of that, request cooperation from the Great Shrine to help the people.
This is a good plan!
Once the specific objective is decided, the rest is to advance the situation all at once!
“Revalia, Nimia, let’s go!”
At my command, the two great dragons set their course north and flapped their wings.
And then, we were once again faced with a sight that left us speechless.
“Oh my, the Demon Capital is engulfed in flames.”
“Wh-what is this situation!?”
We headed for the Demon Capital at full speed.
However, by the time we reached the Demon Capital at the northernmost edge. It had already turned into a battlefield.
The burning Demon Capital.
People fleeing in panic.
Screams and shouts reached us fiercely from the ground.
It wasn’t just the Demon Capital that was burning.
The great treachery forest covering the Demon Capital. The giant trees with branches, trunks, and roots spreading to the Demon Lord’s Castle. The entire landscape was submerged in a sea of flames, and the people on the ground, with nowhere to escape, despaired.
And, as if mocking the fleeing people, monsters were engaged in a fierce battle!
The roots of the surviving trees undulated like living creatures, attacking the demons wielding weapons.
Each root and branch was as thick as the trunk of a giant tree, and some reached to the sky.
The demons fought back. However, they were trampled by the roots and branches swung around wantonly.
Not only that. Magic was emitted from the roots and branches that raged and swept away the demons wielding weapons.
Blades of fierce wind sliced through the demons. The ground crumbled, swallowing people into the depths of the earth.
The demons were not fighting back so much as being hunted unilaterally.
However, a pillar of fire rose there.
As the flames that reached the sky were fiercely swung. The roots and branches that had been rampaging wildly began to burn. And in no time, they turned to charcoal and collapsed.
“Hmm. Is that Lord Cadis’s magic? Did that guy already return to the Demon Capital?”
At Astel’s words, we were surprised.
We encountered Cadis near the southern border just the day before. Yet, for Cadis, who travels on the ground, to have already returned to the Demon Capital by now?!
“I hear that Cadis can move at the speed that fire transmits heat.”
“The speed at which fire transmits heat? What kind of speed is that?”
“I don’t know? However, it seems to be fast enough to traverse the entire country in a single day.”
Cadis, who possesses mysterious means of travel.
We were convinced that our plan had failed with the appearance of the leader of the rebellion, who had returned to the Demon Capital, betraying our expectations.
And we were facing a new problem.
“Nyan. An attack came this way too, nyan.”
“Tch. A mere plant!”
As Nimia roared, a branch extending towards the sky turned into white ash and scattered.
With Revalia’s flames, the roots writhing on the ground ignited.
“What are these giant, eerie tree roots and branches!? Could it be that the spirits are angry at Cadis’s flames and are causing nature to go wild!?”
But even when I sharpened my senses, I couldn’t feel the anger or rampage of the spirits.
Then, what were these roots and branches that were fighting Cadis and attacking the demons while emitting magic!?
“You foolish Dragon King! This is the Verdant Demon Lord’s magic! Great magic that manipulates nature. The entire treachery forest covering this country is the Verdant Demon Lord’s magic!”
“Wh-what!?”
This time, we were speechless.
The scenery we saw upon entering the Verdant Demon Lord’s country was all deep forests and treachery forests.
Was all of it due to the Verdant Demon Lord’s magic!?
Faced with immense magic beyond imagination, we looked down at the fierce battle on the ground from the sky, dumbfounded.
