We live at the foot of Dragon Peak.
Is a script necessary?
We soared into the sky once more.
Nimia had grown so big. Everyone rode on her back.
“Fufu. Fufufu. The view from this high up in the sky is much more wonderful than with those puppet giant birds, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Fufufu-n! My Nimia-chan is the best!”
“No, no, Nimia isn’t yours, Astel. If you keep saying things like that, Sheria will get jealous, you know?”
“Shut up, you idiot Dragon King.”
“Sniffle. I’m being treated so poorly.”
No matter how wicked a demon, or how twisted an existence a demon might be, anyone can enjoy themselves and return to their childlike wonder when experiencing travel through the sky.
However, for me, there were circumstances that prevented me from enjoying it wholeheartedly.
A serious problem stood before us.
“Elnea-sama, what will you do from now on?”
Lyra asked, cheering me up after Astel had insulted me.
I buried my face in Lyra’s chest and grumbled.
“That’s right. If the Verdant Demon Lord survived and is alive like Elin-chan, perhaps we should meet him? But if the Verdant Demon Lord was truly defeated… if we return to Elin-chan’s castle like this, all that awaits us is Cadis, right? And besides…”
The Puppet King’s castle had been burned down by Cadis.
Even if the army had already retreated by now, if the true Puppet King returned to his territory, Cadis would surely notice immediately. Then there would be a very high chance of them being attacked again.
It wasn’t just that, I mused.
Our objective was to retrieve Grivast’s Naginata from the Puppet King. But was that really all we should do?
Was Cadis’s rebellion not our concern?
Did we not care about the Verdant Demon Lord’s well-being?
Unnecessary intervention could only stir up trouble, and in some cases, could cause trouble not only for us but also for those involved.
Besides, I had decided not to get involved in the social affairs of the Demon Race. That’s why I received the title of Taikō, to avoid unnecessary trouble, right?
Thinking about it that way, it was probably best for us to stay out of it.
If the Verdant Demon Lord had survived, we could entrust the rebellion to him.
We would go to the Puppet King’s castle and return the naginata as promised.
Then, we would quickly escape the country.
That way, we could avoid getting caught up in the chaos caused by Cadis, recover the naginata, and live in peace.
…Is that really true?
“I wish it would turn out so conveniently that Cadis had lost his position by the time we returned. But things don’t always go smoothly, do they? If that’s the case…”
“Hahahaha! If the Duke of Puppets’ territory isn’t stable, you won’t be able to return the naginata, will you?”
“Is that really how it’s going to turn out!? Is it not enough if we just escort it to the castle? Well, that castle has already burned down, though?”
“Elnea-sama is uncharacteristically passive.”
“You see, Lyra, do you think it’s okay for us to meddle in Cadis’s rebellion so carelessly?”
“Hahahaha! It’s difficult, isn’t it? His Majesty the Giant Demon Lord is surely expecting Elnea-sama’s intervention. However, Mist-sama and the others must be anxious, right?”
“I know, right?”
I watched the Puppet King amusingly looking down at the scenery flowing by beneath us.
Nimia’s long fur was tied neatly around the waist of the Puppet King, who was joyfully beaming like a child.
Beside him, a doll, said to be his attendant, stood quietly. And I could see Meijina-san, looking at and touching the doll with great interest.
Meijina-san is such a free spirit, isn’t she?
She touches the puppets created by the Demon Race without hesitation, and if you let your guard down, she’ll try to take their clothes off.
When she knows the other party is harmless, she immediately closes the distance without reserve. And she charges forward with momentum and enthusiasm.
I see.
Viletta-san and Vietta-san, who see things with the same perspective as twins.
Isabel-san and the others, who strive to understand the world purely, correctly, and seriously. And this time, Meijina-san, full of curiosity and enthusiasm, was chosen to understand the Demon Race more deeply.
Meijina-san spoke to me and Lyra, who were troubled, with unwavering words.
“I don’t think Elnea-sama would abandon people suffering from the rebellion of that great demon. Therefore, I will cooperate, however little I can.”
“She’s fully intending to get involved!”
“Hahahaha! Meijina-san’s eyes are twinkling!”
To our surprise, Meijina-san said,
“For Elnea-sama, living in a land far away, this might seem like someone else’s problem. You might think, ‘Why should humans get involved in a demon’s disturbance?’ But I believe Elnea-sama is a great person who will leap over such practicalities and save people.”
“My evaluation is incredibly high!”
I was even more surprised.
I thought we hadn’t deepened our friendships with Shooting Star Sama and Meijina-san that much yet.
I knew from Isabel-san’s reports that Shooting Star Sama and the others shared information about us, but I never imagined we would receive such a high evaluation in such a short period.
Why could that be?
However, that evaluation contains a slight misunderstanding, and I believe it’s still too excessive.
“I might actually be quite cold-hearted. After all, I tacitly approve of humans hunting wyverns, and I haven’t interfered deeply in the interactions between beastmen and humans, leaving it to the heroes. Furthermore, I maintain non-interference regarding the slave system in the Demon Race’s country. Wouldn’t that seem incredibly callous from the perspective of Shooting Star Sama and the others, who come from the human world’s cultural sphere?”
I argued, but Meijina-san shook her head and denied my words.
“That’s not true. It’s not coldness, but proof that you trust people. It’s because Elnea-sama trusts people, dragons, and beasts, and is convinced that they can overcome any difficulty and will be absolutely alright that you can let them go their own way. Also, I have heard that in the Dragon King’s Capital, even slaves are properly protected. Doesn’t that serve as proof that, just as Elnea-sama trusts people, those around you also trust Elnea-sama? That everyone, under Elnea-sama’s protection, can overcome difficulties and find happiness. Therefore, Elnea-sama is not cold-hearted, but watches over them based on the bond of trust.”
“Somehow, my evaluation has become amazing!”
“Yes. Just as Elnea-sama and the others consciously try to understand us, we Shooting Stars also watch Elnea-sama and your family every day.”
That’s right.
We are not the only ones trying to understand the other party. Shooting Star Sama and the others are also trying hard to understand us, the Forbidden Territory, and the demons.
“Besides, Priscilla-chan and the others always talk about Elnea-sama with such enjoyment, so we already know Elnea-sama quite well.”
“Kyaa! This is so embarrassing!”
Unknown to me, I was being talked about. Hearing that makes me incredibly embarrassed!
Blushing, I buried my face in Lyra’s chest.
“Hahahaha! It’s embarrassing!”
“I-I’m embarrassed too!”
It wasn’t because of Lyra and I engaging in foreplay, but because Meijina-san and the others already knew so much about me!
Seeing me and Lyra blush, Astel let out a blatant sigh, the Puppet King laughed joyfully, and Meijina-san, while smiling, said with conviction,
“I don’t believe that Elnea-sama, as they are, would overlook people in distress. Because there is no ‘trust’ for people there, only the hardship of those filled with despair.”
That’s a very serious opinion.
Meijina-san is not speaking as clergy, but as a woman who knows me and trusts me, offering her opinion.
She can approach things correctly like this, not just with enthusiasm and momentum.
“Thank you, Meijina-san.”
I pulled away from Lyra and bowed my head deeply to Meijina-san.
“Meijina-san, you have given me legitimacy, haven’t you? You have given me the reason necessary to interfere in this chaos.”
It was true that I was hesitant.
It wasn’t that I was abandoning those in need.
But I couldn’t carelessly meddle in the problems of other races and other countries.
Meijina-san gave me a push, showing me my direction.
That’s right.
Humans, dragons, beastmen, and demons. I know many things deeply and trust them, which is why I can remain in a position of observation.
However, the people suffering from Cadis’s rebellion cannot be saved by just observing.
Someone needs to lend a hand. It might truly be someone other than me. But if I can lend a hand, what’s wrong with it being me?
“I can only help this much, so it’s no trouble at all. Well, I didn’t doubt it from the start, you know? The moment Elnea-sama gave Nimia-chan instructions, I knew you would intervene in this rebellious situation.”
“Why?”
When I asked, Meijina-san replied without hesitation.
“Because if your only goal was to retrieve the naginata, you would have taken it from this doll, right? Elnea-sama has that much ability. Besides, the direction you were flying was towards the Verdant Demon Lord’s country.”
“Hahaha. That’s right. Even before we departed, my course was decided, wasn’t it?”
“I merely provided the reasoning. Alright, now I can intervene to my heart’s content! Down with the Demon Lord!”
“No, no, no, you can’t defeat the Demon Lord! And besides, saying that in front of demons…!”
“Alright, let’s defeat him. Idiot Dragon King, go defeat the Giant Demon Lord! I don’t want to be exploited anymore!”
“Then, I request the Fairy Demon Lord陛下. I’m having trouble as my magic and my puppets don’t work against that one.”
“Astel? Elin-chan!?”
“Hahahaha! I’ll be scolded by Mist-sama later!”
“Reporting, nyan.”
“Lyra and Nimia have joined in the mischief too!”
“Hmph,” I chuckled, “it can’t be helped.”
But with this, I finally had a valid reason to intervene openly.
If Shooting Star Sama asked me to “save the people,” a devout follower could not refuse!
Furthermore, the Duke of Puppets, who held territory, had also asked me. With this, my legitimacy was secured!
All that’s left is to somehow deal with Cadis’s rebellion…
“Ideally, I hope the Verdant Demon Lord is still alive…”
Just as the Puppet King used a decoy doll to trick Cadis’s eyes, I hoped the Verdant Demon Lord had somehow survived with some stratagem. If so, Cadis’s rebellion might subside, or even if it didn’t, we might be able to entrust the people to the Verdant Demon Lord.
“However, Cadis had the Soul Spirit Seat, didn’t he?”
That’s right. A Demon Lord would not part with the Soul Spirit Seat.
The Soul Spirit Seat, bestowed by the ruler of the Demon Race, was the proof of a Demon Lord.
That proof of Demon Lordship had now fallen into Cadis’s hands.
Thinking about it that way, the Verdant Demon Lord’s survival seemed hopeless.
“At any rate, let’s first return to where the Puppet King’s castle was. We need to rendezvous with Revalia too!”
We must not forget.
Currently, Revalia and we have been separated.
We need to rendezvous quickly and inform her of our future plans.
Nimia flapped her wings and headed north.
The scenery flowed by.
However, at the end of it, we witnessed a sight of unimaginable devastation that left us speechless.
The Puppet King’s castle, burned down and reduced to a pathetic ruin.
And a sea of flames, engulfing the deep treacherous forest, spreading endlessly.
A crimson wyvern, which had turned the ground into a fiery hell.
“Leva-chan is rampaging!!”
The furious roar of the terrifying wyvern, no, Revalia, reducing the Puppet King’s territory to ashes, echoed across the vast sky.
