We Live in Dragon’s Peak – Chapter 1036

We live at the foot of Dragon Peak.

A Play of Evildoers

It had a solid weight, different from a one-handed weapon. Nevertheless, it was light enough for a woman to handle, and its long, slender hilt was easy to grip.

When held, the weapon’s quality was evident.

Its perfectly balanced center of gravity. A weight that was neither too light nor too heavy. And its curved blade, which promised excellent sharpness, clearly indicated its purpose.

This was truly the pinnacle of Grivast’s craftsmanship, a naginata.

“But, unfortunately, the jewel in this naginata contains magic. And it’s quite potent magic, which is a shame, isn’t it?”

If the jewel in this naginata weren’t derived from magic, perhaps even a human Battle Priestess could have wielded it?

With that thought, I turned back to the Giant Demon Lord.

“I won’t let anyone call this a dull weapon! While it is a cursed naginata, it is undoubtedly the finest masterpiece forged by the blacksmith Grivast!”

With that, I presented the naginata, as beautiful as a handled work of art, to the Demon Lord, thinking the trial was complete.

The Demon Lord, as if appraising it, reached out to take the naginata from my hand.

But, at that moment.

Swoosh, the naginata suddenly floated in the air.

And then, it drifted through the air and landed in the hands of the Puppet King.

“Ah!”

I was caught off guard by such an unexpected turn of events.

After all, I never expected the Puppet King to suddenly snatch the naginata from my hand!

“Fufu. Fufu. It seems that if I were plotting to steal Grivast’s weapons, and I found so many famous swords and magic swords lined up before me, I might think, ‘If I’m going to take them, I might as well take them all from the start,’ based on a reductive thought process?”

“That’s right? So Young Lady Elin, stop your pranks and return that naginata, okay? Otherwise, we’ll break off our friendship!”

Why did she suddenly act mischievous at this point? I couldn’t fathom the Puppet King’s intentions.

As the Puppet King said, if it was all the Puppet King’s scheme.

By showing us a mysterious puppet show and using the Giant Demon Lord to guide us to the Underground Treasury of the Great Shrine, the objective should have been almost achieved.

After that, by the time the priestesses displayed Grivast’s posthumous works on the platform like this, they could just take everything, regardless of whether it was dull or the best magic sword.

“Fufufu. But I watched the Grand Duke’s trial and only took the chosen magic spear? Fufu. Why might that be?”

“Because I suddenly felt like playing a prank at this point!”

“Incorrect. Since you are incorrect, this magic spear will be confiscated.”

“No, no, that won’t do. Grivast’s legacy of arms and armor are treasured collections in the Great Shrine. If you confiscate them without permission, everyone will be troubled. We promised that if you plotted against us, we would break off our friendship, didn’t we?”

“Fufu. Fufufu fufu.”

But even after my warning, the Puppet King just laughed merrily and made no move to return the naginata.

If you play too many pranks, we’ll really break off our friendship, you know?

Even though she must have read my thoughts.

Furthermore, the Puppet King, of her own accord, began to speak volubly.

“Fufufufu. Fufufufu. I’ve been interested in this for a while. There are many stories about magic swords and magic items passed down among the demon race. However, Grivast the blacksmith’s legacy of magic swords, even though there are legends, rarely circulate in reality.”

Is that why? The Puppet King spoke of how Grivast’s legends are famous even among the demon race, and there are still those who search for them today.

But they are not found. Because, after all, they are safely kept hidden here in the underground treasure vault of the Great Shrine.

“But, as I investigated various things, I somehow gained a certainty. I suspect that the Giant Demon Lord might have been hoarding them. The reason is that the land where Grivast spent his life was a country ruled by the Giant Demon Lord, and my research shows that the last demon Grivast met was the Giant Demon Lord.”

“Eh!”

“Is that true?” I looked at the Demon Lord and Charlotte to confirm, and they both nodded, their eyes fixed on the Puppet King without any slack.

It seemed the Puppet King had discovered the whereabouts of Grivast’s legacy with her own research.

“But then, why haven’t you done something bad like this until now?”

The Puppet King can manipulate others as she pleases with her magic threads. In terms of sheer numbers, she can control a demon army of one hundred thousand simultaneously.

If that’s the case, she could have manipulated the priestesses to guide us once the collection location was known, couldn’t she?

“Ah, no. Young Lady Elin, you can manipulate people, but you can’t manipulate their hearts, right?”

“Yes. That is correct. Therefore, even if I manipulate the priestesses, I cannot break the barrier in front of the underground treasure hall, so I could not have reached here alone.”

“I see. So you used me and the Demon Lord to guide you?”

But that’s strange.

I might be simple-minded, but would someone as thoughtful as the Giant Demon Lord, who has navigated countless schemes and stratagems of the demon races, fall for such a petty scheme of the Puppet King?

Ignoring my doubts, the Puppet King’s story continued.

“Truly, they are a collection of marvelous works. Grivast must be an artisan no less than his master, Bielmeier.”

But, at that point, the Puppet King tilted her head as if troubled.

“Unfortunately, I lack the aesthetic sense to distinguish between famous swords and magic swords. Therefore, I had the Grand Duke choose for me.”

“No, no, it’s not like I underwent the Demon Lord’s trial for Young Lady Elin!”

It’s all for Priscilla-chan’s bright future!

However, the fact remains that I chose the best naginata, and the Puppet King snatched it away.

“Now, return it. I’ll really get angry, you know?”

If it’s just a joke, I’ll overlook it. But further mischief is unacceptable.

I said gently, as if explaining to a small child.

However, the Puppet King, with a wicked smile unbefitting her appearance, made no move to return the naginata.

“Fufu. Fufufu. What is the Grand Duke saying?”

“What do you mean? We made a promise, didn’t we? That if you plotted against us, we would break off our friendship.”

When we made the promise. The Puppet King, like a little girl, seemed genuinely troubled, didn’t she?

She must have sworn not to do anything bad to us because she didn’t want to break off our friendship.

Or are you planning to betray us suddenly, like a demon race?

If so, we will truly break off our friendship and never play with the Puppet King again, ever!

“Fufufu. We made a promise, didn’t we? I don’t want to break off our friendship with the Grand Duke and Priscilla, so I am keeping that promise even now.”

“Then?”

“Fufufufufufu. Grand Duke? I promised not to do anything bad to you and your kin.”

“Y-yes, that’s right?”

What exactly is the Puppet King trying to say?

Despite a bad feeling, I found myself listening. And then, the Puppet King said something terrifying to me!

“However, the Great Shrine and the priestesses are not kin of the Grand Duke, are they? The Great Shrine manages the naginata, so it is the priestesses, not the Grand Duke, who are troubled by its theft, isn’t it?”

“Eh!?”

“Fufu. The Grand Duke is only feeling a sense of joint responsibility now. But, originally, the Grand Duke and his kin have no fault and no need to take responsibility. Therefore, this prank of mine does not violate the promise with the Grand Duke, do you not think?”

“Wh-wh-what!? … B-but?”

“I showed you a puppet show, and I asked to tour the Great Shrine, but you weren’t troubled by it. Furthermore, it was the Giant Demon Lord and the Chancellor who showed you that Grivast’s legacy was stored here and intended to show it. The Grand Duke and his party were just caught up in it, weren’t they?”

“N-now that you mention it…”

We watched a puppet show, came for a tour, and were shown a treasured item. Then, we underwent a trial and chose a naginata. There was nothing in any of that that made us responsible.

Rather, it seems the Giant Demon Lord and Charlotte, who went along with the Puppet King’s schemes knowing she was up to something, are the ones responsible. And it turns out we weren’t even inconvenienced?

We were just caught up and used by the Puppet King’s machinations, and it’s not us, but the people of the Great Shrine, who are inconvenienced by the theft of the treasured item.

“No, no, no, that’s still not okay! You shouldn’t do bad things!”

“If you take away bad things from demons, nothing remains.”

“Grrr. What sophistry!”

No, it’s all sophistry from the start!

She plotted all sorts of things and stole an important treasured item from the Great Shrine. But she claims it’s not a broken promise because it didn’t inconvenience us.

“Fufufu. Fufu. It is not acceptable. I have not strictly broken my promise. Therefore, Grand Duke, please do not break your promise either. If you, on your part, break the promise. Fufu. Fufufu.”

“That’s a very, very wicked smile!”

This is troubling!

The Puppet King’s words are self-serving sophistry, but unfortunately, they have a twisted logic.

If we were to arbitrarily impose punishment for breaking a promise because it’s inconvenient for us, then we would be the ones acting badly.

But what should we do?

I looked at the Giant Demon Lord and Charlotte, who were partly responsible for the incident. But instead of meeting my gaze, they stared intently at the Puppet King.

Are they waiting for an opening?

Do the Demon Lord and Charlotte also find it undesirable for the Great Shrine’s treasured items to be stolen?

Then why have they been letting the Puppet King’s schemes slide until now?

They must have noticed the Puppet King’s scheme from the beginning.

If that’s the case, do they also have some other motive?

I can’t figure it out.

So, I grudgingly tried to take the naginata back from the Puppet King with force.

But, at that moment.

“Elnea-kun, do not move. Magic threads have been spread throughout the Treasure Hall.”

“Ugh!”

At Ruiseine’s warning, I stopped my right hand, which was about to reach for the hilt of my white sword.

Pain shot through my fingertips.

I checked with my eyes alone; blood was trickling from my fingertips.

The Puppet King’s magic threads.

When did they get there!?

Could it be that the Demon Lord and Charlotte are unable to move because of these threads?

No, that’s not right. They should be able to unleash terrifying magic without even moving. Yet, they aren’t trying to move.

Why? Am I overlooking something?

Even thinking about it, I can’t find an answer. And while we stand there helpless, the Puppet King moves.

“Well then, everyone. This was a truly enjoyable puppet show. As a reward for your attendance, I will be taking this naginata with me, okay?”

“Young Lady Elin?”

“Please do not call me Young Lady Elin. Fufu. Grand Duke, if you wish to have this naginata returned, please come and visit my mansion. If you come to visit, I will return it.”

And with a girlish smile directed at our immobilized forms, the Puppet King left the Underground Treasure Hall, naginata in hand.

Unable to move, I could only follow her presence, and saw the Puppet King calmly leave the Great Shrine and fly off somewhere into the sky.

“It seems she created a puppet in the shape of a bird and flew away.”

At the Demon Lord’s words, I tilted my head.

“Can she really create puppets so easily?”

As the Puppet King’s presence disappeared, the magic threads spread throughout the Underground Treasure Hall vanished. Finally freed, we let out a big sigh at the Puppet King’s scheme.

“As for puppets alone, she can use abilities similar to Astel’s. She can instantly create any puppet she desires with her magic. If you ever face her, remember that.”

“Ugh. Somehow, I feel like we’re just being tossed around by the Puppet King’s schemes…? Or rather, since she’s inconveniencing us by asking us to come retrieve the naginata, is it okay to break off our friendship?”

Up to the point of stealing the naginata, we were just caught up in it, right? So, as the Puppet King said, it doesn’t count as breaking our promise. But since she’s involving me at the end, doesn’t it count as breaking our promise?

“No, that wouldn’t be right. She only asked you to visit her. If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to. However, Grivast’s masterpiece will remain lost forever.”

“Ugh!”

This is troublesome!

As expected, the Puppet King is a Primogenitor Race that cannot be underestimated! I was deceived by her childlike appearance and mental age!

The Puppet King, while keeping her promise to me, has been toying with me through unconventional means!

“Elnea-kun?”

“Charlotte, I don’t want to hear anything right now! Please don’t say anything!”

“That would be troubling. If Elnea-kun does not visit the Duchy of the Puppet King, the Head Miko and many clerical officials will be in trouble, won’t they?”

“Ugh!”

“The priestesses who feel responsible, knowing they are no match, may dispatch Battle Priestesses and Priest Warriors to the Puppet Duke’s residence, and many lives may be lost. Not only that, but if they were to be manipulated…”

“Waaah!”

Seeing me in despair, the Giant Demon Lord, Charlotte, and Ruilala are laughing merrily.

“Ahhhh! I see! The Demon Lords knew from the beginning that it would turn out this way, didn’t you?! That’s why you deliberately let yourselves be manipulated, knowing the Puppet King’s intentions!”

“Kukuku. It’s your fault for realizing it so late. Now, hurry up and go visit Young Lady Elin’s mansion.”

“Ehhhh!”

“Listen, I won’t let you forget. I gave you a trial. In return, I said I would lend you the weapon you chose. You are now responsible for the loss of the lent treasure.”

“Gyaaa! That means the Demon Lord predicted this outcome and it was all his scheme, right?! And the Puppet King anticipated this as well, which is why she only stole the naginata I chose—!”

“Of course. Fool.”

What a terrible predicament! All demons are wicked!

In my despair, I collapsed onto the table where the famous swords and magic swords were laid out.