We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
The country’s flag.
“To think that you, who refused my invitation, would appear here with such a request now?”
Silver-white long hair. Skin as white as porcelain.
Cadis, standing in a hell of raging flames, was engulfed in fire itself. Yet, as if to flaunt his own existence, his white form floated above the flames.
And with a demon race mindset, he rejected my wish.
“There is no need for weaklings who would be too slow to escape and lose their lives in such a minor disturbance in the country I build. Hahahaha! You amuse me! Because the Verdant Demon Lord Yoguades was incompetent, his people have also become weak, losing their pride as demons and becoming flustered by such a disturbance!”
Cadis mercilessly swung his flaming magic sword.
The raging inferno expanded its range, instantly incinerating the tree roots and branches from the ground and overhead.
Furthermore, flames writhed, attempting to swallow the people who had been too slow to escape.
“I won’t let you!”
Meijina reacted quickly.
Chanting a norito, she deployed a barrier spell.
The people who had been too slow to escape in the burning demon capital were enveloped by Meijina’s barrier and escaped their crisis.
However, that was only for a moment.
The magic cast by the human race could not completely block the magic of a great demon!
A dry sound, like shattering porcelain, echoed faintly beyond the roar of the red flames.
“Ah!”
Meijina was speechless.
She could not save those who sought help. Meijina gasped in despair.
But it’s alright!
The momentary reprieve Meijina had created was enough time for us.
“Nyaa.”
A cute cry echoed from within the raging flames.
Then, the flames that had covered the field of vision instantly turned into white ash, and from within it, the giant Nimia appeared.
And beneath where Nimia stood, the rescued people could be seen.
“Hey! I descend to the ground so suddenly, and why do I have to come to a dangerous place like this!”
Curses rained down from atop Nimia’s back.
Apparently, Astel was complaining endlessly.
“Nimia, please take those people to a safe place?”
“Leave it to me, nya!”
Nimia gathered the people who had been too slow to escape with her forelegs.
The rescued people who had not been trampled by the flames screamed, now terrified of the giant dragon and being carried away.
Nevertheless, Nimia grabbed the people without hesitation and flew away from the battlefield at a low altitude.
Cadis, who had watched the entire event with burning eyes, turned his gaze towards us.
“Cat Duke. You bothersome Primogenitor Race. Taikou, you refused my invitation, and now you intend to obstruct me along with this troublesome Cat Duke who only exacerbates the chaos?”
Glared at by Cadis, I couldn’t help but give a bitter smile.
Certainly, Astel has a personality that enjoys causing chaos, but I do not desire such troublesome situations in this turmoil.
All I wish is that the people unrelated to Cadis’s rebellion not be involved.
When I said so, Cadis shifted his gaze slightly.
Then, he focused on the other Primogenitor Race standing behind me.
“Indeed, I should have burned him with my flames back then, shouldn’t I?”
“Fufu. Fufufufu.”
The other Primogenitor Race, glinting sternly at Cadis, the Puppet King, smiled cheerfully.
“I am glad you enjoyed the delightful puppet show, are you not? Fufufu.”
Cadis’s killing intent swelled towards the Puppet King, who smiled provocatively.
Apparently, even without words, Cadis understood.
The one he had buried in the Puppet King’s castle was a fake doll.
“Taikou Elnea Eris. You told me not to cause unnecessary sacrifices, right? If so, then you kill that young girl here and now! Otherwise, I will defeat the Puppet Duke, even if it means the demon capital disappears?”
“Wha!?”
The flames surrounding Cadis intensified.
Currently, they were merely swirling around us, not yet engulfing us, but the moment Cadis decided, they would attack from all directions.
And Cadis’s flames would mercilessly burn everything and would not extinguish until the target was incinerated.
Even if it meant burning his precious citizens and causing the demon capital to disappear.
“Fufu. Fufufufu.”
However, before I could retort to Cadis’s merciless words, the Puppet King responded.
“You would burn me with this much fire? This is the optimal temperature for creating ceramic dolls, wouldn’t you say?”
“Elin, don’t provoke Cadis!?”
Our objective is to negotiate with Cadis so that people are not caught up in his rebellion.
It is not our place to interfere with how the Verdant Demon Lord and the rebel army fight. However, if residents or unrelated individuals are caught in the crossfire, we will intervene to save them.
If we are forced to face Cadis as a result, I will wield my sword.
But we are not at that stage yet.
Cadis’s actions are severe, but he is engaging with me properly.
Cadis is not a self-important demon who only flaunts his power.
He is someone who aspires to rule the demon race and become the Demon Lord, driven by the pursuit of the strong devouring the weak.
Therefore, he will sometimes initiate negotiations himself and will try to listen to our words.
Though the outcome is uncertain.
Nevertheless, provoking Cadis, who is trying to converse with us rather than eliminate us without question, is wrong.
However, the Puppet King, without hesitation for my opinion or Cadis’s burgeoning killing intent, said with a smile.
“Me, a young girl? Fufufu. Cadis should be much younger than me, shouldn’t he? To the extent that he doesn’t understand the Verdant Demon Lord at all. Haa, that’s the problem with young people these days.”
Placing a hand on his cheek, the Puppet King sighed dramatically.
The Puppet King has a girlish appearance.
Cadis, on the other hand, has the sturdy physique of an adult male.
At first glance, Cadis, with his adult form, might seem older.
But that is not the case.
The Puppet King caused an uproar with the Verdant Demon Lord in an era before Cadis was born.
Primogenitor Races, from birth, appear as adults or girls and do not show physical changes due to aging or old age throughout their lives.
Therefore, even though she has a girlish form, the Puppet King is older than Cadis.
And the Puppet King knows.
Yes, he knows the Verdant Demon Lord in his prime.
Cadis’s eyebrows twitched slightly at the Puppet King’s words.
“That I don’t understand the frail Yoguades?”
“Fufu. Wouldn’t that be correct? The fact that you’re playing with fire like this means you know nothing and understand nothing.”
Being derided as “playing with fire,” Cadis’s killing intent amplified further.
Stone buildings melted from the heat of the inferno, and the sky turned scarlet.
Still, the Puppet King continued with a confident smile.
“Although the average lifespan of a demon is around five hundred years. Still, there are hardly any people left in this country who know of that era. It is a lonely matter.”
“Elin, what do you mean?”
I do not know the exact age of the Puppet King.
However, it seems certain that the Puppet King has lived longer than the average lifespan of a demon.
And the Puppet King knows the Verdant Demon Lord from an era that we and Cadis do not know.
So, what does the Puppet King know about the Verdant Demon Lord, and what does Cadis not understand?
To my question, the Puppet King smiled cheerfully.
“Fufu. Fufufu. Elnea Eris, then, we have a problem. Before coming here, did you see the country’s flag?”
“Yes, I saw it?”
The demon army arrayed around the Puppet King’s castle held them up, and I had also seen them within the demon capital.
“It’s a flag with the moon, a sword, and a great tree depicted on it.”
As I replied, the Puppet King asked further, “Then.”
“What does the moon represent, what does the sword symbolize, and what does the great tree indicate?”
“Uh, that would be…?”
They are depicted on the flag. They must have a meaning.
However, we, who are not residents of this country, let alone demons, do not know.
We can infer perhaps that the great tree represents the Verdant Demon Lord’s magic?
Seeing me and Laira tilting our heads, the Puppet King looked at Cadis.
“Fufufu. Do you, who are about to reign as the new Demon Lord of this country, understand? Fufu. No, you probably don’t understand. That’s why you’re enjoying this childish fire play and basking in pleasure.”
I hurriedly shut the Puppet King’s mouth.
Don’t provoke Cadis any further!
Cadis looks down on not only the Verdant Demon Lord, who had grown old and frail, but also the Puppet King.
If he were to be insulted by the one he looks down upon, he might truly become enraged like a demon and go on a rampage!
However, contrary to my expectations, while his killing intent and rage swelled, Cadis listened to the Puppet King’s words.
“That I don’t know the meaning of the flag? You are the one who lacks understanding, Puppet Duke!”
“Fufufufu. Then, please teach me one thing, as I lack understanding. What does the great tree represent?”
Saying this, the Puppet King directed his gaze towards the giant great tree that seemed to swallow the Demon Lord’s Castle in the distance.
Following his gaze, we looked up.
As we got closer, we could finally see the details.
Astel mentioned that it was different from the “great tree” we knew.
The “great tree” we know is the Spirit Tree.
A Spirit Tree that grows so tall it pierces the clouds, its branches spreading wide enough to cover the forest.
But the colossal great tree visible beyond the flames did not have the sacredness or mystery of a Spirit Tree.
Nevertheless, its thick roots were intricately entwined with the Demon Lord’s Castle, supporting its thick trunk and the branches spread across the demon capital’s sky.
The trunk was special. It became clear when viewed up close. Several giant trees bound together, twisted and intertwined, forming one colossal great tree.
In other words, that colossal great tree is a composite entity formed by multiple giant trees bound together.
That colossal great tree looks exactly like the “great tree” depicted on the flag.
Cadis seems to have the same recognition as me.
Cadis glared hatefully at the great tree he looked up at.
But, from the Puppet King’s perspective, both my and Cadis’s gazes were incorrect.
“Fufu. Fufufu. Then, this is the beginning of a new puppet show.”
“Eh!?”
What is he talking about!? I tried to stop him in a panic, but he slipped through my hands and hugged his attendant doll.
“Come now, entertain me. The new chapter, what is the true intention of the Verdant Demon Lord? Fufufu.”
In an instant, wings sprouted on the attendant doll’s back. And it soared into the sky with the Puppet King embracing him.
“The curtain will fall if you can catch me. Elnea Eris or Cadis, who will win the lead role first, and who will bear the future of this country? Fufufu, I’m looking forward to it.”
“Ridiculous!!”
Cadis’s anger erupted!
He swung his magic sword, gleaming with scorching heat, towards the sky.
Fierce flames were unleashed mercilessly, setting fire to the branches of the great tree overhead.
However, the doll with wings quickly flew away with the Puppet King, flapping its wings. And it flew towards the direction of the Demon Lord’s Castle.
“W-what a pain in the neck!”
I was also stunned.
To think that at this point, he would put on a self-indulgent puppet show!
However, I couldn’t help but be curious.
What does the Puppet King know?
What is it that Cadis fails to understand?
Perhaps the key to this turmoil lies with the Puppet King.
“Hahahaha, Elnea Eris!”
While Cadis and I turned our gazes toward the Demon Lord’s Castle.
New abnormalities began to occur in the demon capital.
Prompted by Laira, I turned my gaze around.
And I gasped.
Several figures, resembling Cadis but with aged appearances, had suddenly appeared around us.
“Yoguades.”
At Cadis’s words, I immediately understood.
“It seems Elin left a parting gift.”
Dolls modeled after the Verdant Demon Lord Yoguades attacked us, swords in hand!
Clicking the heart allows you to easily convey your support. (Login required)
Support
Login if you have an account
Learn more about the reading experience on kakuyomu
