We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Three problem children are better than one good person.
“Hiiiiii! Gyyaaahhh!”
Slaton’s scream echoed clearly in the clear sky.
“NhooooooOooOOOOooo!”
Louvent’s nonsensical war cry reverberated through Dragon Peak.
“Hmm, the sky of Dragon Peak is refreshing today too!”
However, Ristea and Asher gave me weary smiles.
“Elnea, are those two really okay?”
“Yeah, no problem. Right, Nimia?”
“Meeeow.”
We were finally setting off on our journey to revive the Holy Sword.
That said, it would be a difficult journey.
After all, not just any craftsman or sorcerer could reforge a Holy Sword. And we had no leads for anyone with legendary skills.
However, we didn’t have the luxury of leisurely traveling the world to find someone to reforge the Holy Sword.
This is because the Armēdo Kingdom, from which we departed, is now facing a new crisis.
Mistral and Cerise-chan, along with the female contingent of my family and the Hero’s entourage, are fighting against the monsters and Evil Race that have overrun the mountainous region to the east.
We must revive the Holy Sword while the female contingent buys us time and find a way to counter the Evil Race.
As such, the place I designated as my first destination was the Demon Race’s Country.
No, to be precise, it was the territory ruled by the Giant Demon Lord within the Demon Race’s Country. And, at its administrative center, the Demon Capital, the Demon Lord’s Castle.
Now, as for why Slaton and Louvent are screaming…
“Alright, Nimia. Please explain it so Ristea and Asher can understand, okay?”
“Meow.”
Nimia, with unparalleled flight speed, soared westward through the skies of Dragon Peak.
And in Nimia’s right hand was Slaton, and in her left, Louvent.
“If I put Slaton on my back, my partner Duranel gets sulky, nyaan.”
“I see, in that case, it can’t be helped.”
Ristea nodded in understanding.
“Heavenly Race people can fly, so I’d really like you to fly with your own wings, nyaan. So if Nimia carries you, your back is a luxury, nyaan.”
“That’s true. Even Louvent can’t fly this fast. Besides, I heard he caused quite a bit of trouble for the Human Race the other day. Louvent needs to cool his head for a while there. Thinking about it, I guess there’s no other way.”
“I see,” Asher murmured, closing his eyes in resignation.
“Wait a minute! Think about my safety before Duranel’s jealousy!”
“Don’t you fellow winged beings understand each other at all?!”
Unfortunately, Duranel’s feelings, burdened by the fact that he entrusted his movement to Nimia, are more important than the airheaded Slaton, and a talkative Heavenly Race man and an Ancient Dragon Species with a mother who dislikes men wouldn’t understand each other.
“But, I can understand Slaton and Louvent’s fear. It’s really scary to have your life completely in someone else’s hands, isn’t it? I’ve been grabbed by Revalia and flown, and carried in Asher’s mouth and flown too, so I really understand!”
“If you understand so well, then sympathize!”
“To be doing this after knowing that!”
Slaton and Louvent’s screams echoed in vain in the Dragon Peak sky.
However, no helping hand appeared from anywhere.
Perhaps this is where our daily conduct shows?
“So, may I ask why you are going to meet the Demon Lord?”
Leaving the two screaming individuals aside.
In response to Asher’s question, I replied while hugging Oz, who insisted on accompanying us.
“Well. The founding king, King Armēdo, was apparently granted the Holy Sword by a certain Eastern Magician. And the brothers Armēdo and Yorttenitos traveled from far away in the west. That is, they must have surely crossed through the Demon Race’s Country.”
So, it’s possible that the Giant Demon Lord, known as the Oldest Demon Lord, knows about them.
After all, the Demon Lord who rules the country facing the west of Dragon Peak is the Giant Demon Lord.
“Then, you intend to ask the Demon Lord about what happened back then? However, do you think a Demon Lord would readily meet with an outsider? Especially since I am of the Heavenly Race, and Louvent is also of the Heavenly Race.”
“Asher-dono. It’s pointless to direct your worries in that regard towards this one. He’s an unusual fellow.”
“Uwah. Ristea, that’s harsh.”
“No, it’s not harsh. First of all, the fact that he possesses the same magic sword as the Demon Lord makes him unusual.”
“So, you are acquainted with the Giant Demon Lord, and on friendly terms?”
“Friendly? Hahaha…”
All I could manage was a dry laugh.
Of course, he sometimes gives me advice and even help, but I feel like I’m being dragged around by him far more often.
“Well, well,setting me aside. While knowing about Armēdo and Yorttenitos’s past is important, there’s something more crucial we need to investigate.”
“It’s about the Eastern Magician, isn’t it?”
I nodded at Ristea’s interjection.
“It’s said the Holy Sword was bestowed by the Eastern Magician, but who is this Eastern Magician in the first place? And we can’t search for them if we don’t know their exact location.”
Given that he is called “Eastern,” I assume he lives east of the Human Race’s cultural sphere. But then, where in the east? That’s the problem.
“Also, if possible, I’d like to know the whereabouts of Micheila and the others.”
“Micheila, you mean the girl with pink hair who has the power to defeat the Evil Race? I recall she was invited to your wedding ceremony. I remember seeing her from a distance.”
“Yes, Micheila should be traveling west with her escorting family. I wonder if the Demon Lord would know.”
“Evil Race… I have heard rumors.”
Before our departure. There was a proposal that Asher and Louvent should go to the mountainous region to the east.
However, Mistral refused.
“We’ll handle it. You take Asher and Louvent with you.”
Mistral said that with a smile, but I know.
She didn’t want to deal with Louvent, even if Asher was fine.
Dealing with just the Evil Race and monsters is already a handful, and if Louvent caused further trouble on-site, it would be truly dire.
“I’m sure we’ll get some information if we go to the Demon Lord’s Castle. So, our first target is the Demon Lord’s Castle!”
“Meow!”
Nimia responded energetically to my shout and flew west from Dragon Peak.
“…”
“…”
“Alright, Slaton and Louvent, the problem children, are genuinely dejected. The plan is a success!”
“Don’t lie!”
“Hehe.”
As expected of Nimia.
It wasn’t exactly instantaneous, but we arrived at the Demon Lord’s Castle with astonishing speed.
And by then. Slaton and Louvent, who were screaming at first, seemed to have become utterly exhausted and were listlessly haggard in Nimia’s hands.
This way, they won’t have the energy to cause trouble, right?
Nimia landed in the Demon Lord’s Castle courtyard without hesitation.
“Huh? I don’t see Lily anywhere?”
“Hey, hey, the Demon Lord’s Castle is half-destroyed?”
“The surroundings are full of demons. It’s impossible not to feel tense.”
Ristea was very curious about the Demon Race’s Country, which she was visiting for the first time. And she tilted her head at the fact that the Demon Lord’s Castle, where they landed, was half-destroyed.
It’s not my fault, you know?
Asher’s face was grim.
As our arrival was noticed, winged demons took to the sky.
The existence of Nimia is known to the demons, so rather than being wary, it felt more like a welcoming, but…
However, upon seeing Louvent of the Heavenly Race grasped in Nimia’s left hand, and Asher of the Divine Race riding with me, a tense atmosphere began to spread among the demons.
“Hello! We have business with the Demon Lord. Oh, and Charlotte, we don’t have any business with you!”
I asked, waving my hands enthusiastically, to a black-winged demon who approached cautiously. In response, the black-winged demon, while keeping an eye on Asher, told us the Demon Lord’s whereabouts.
“Dragon King, I apologize for your visit, but His Majesty has departed for the detached palace.”
“Detached palace?”
Hmm, I wonder where the Demon Lord’s detached palace is? While I was pondering, Nimia had already landed in the Demon Lord’s Castle courtyard.
At that moment, a person appeared who would answer my question.
Yes, this here is Ruilala, a troublesome demon.
“Hey, Elnea-kun. His Majesty has gone to that land where you caused that natural disaster and built his detached palace.”
“Natural disaster!?”
“Hahaha, Ristea and Asher. You shouldn’t believe what this demon says, okay?”
However, a certain piece of land came to mind.
I recall he saying he’d build a detached palace there. But it was only recently, wasn’t it? Maybe he hadn’t even started building it yet?
In any case, the Demon Lord went there.
“Alright, thank you. Well then, goodbye, Ruilala.”
If the Demon Lord isn’t at the Demon Lord’s Castle, we have no business here anymore.
Urging Nimia on, I tried to leave quickly.
However, Ruilala jumped up and, as if it were natural, landed on Nimia’s back.
“Nimia, shake him off!”
“Meow?”
“That’s cruel, Elnea-kun. But are you sure you want to shake me off? Do you know which direction we need to fly to reach the detached palace?”
“I… I don’t know… But if we stop by the Dragon King’s Capital first, Nimia will know, right?”
“A detour, nyaan?”
“Kuh…”
I never expected yet another troublesome person to join us at this point.
“Alright, let’s go. Nimia-chan, it’s in that direction.”
“Understood, nyaan.”
“Nimia, don’t believe what that wicked demon says.”
“Elnea-kun, then you don’t believe the story about His Majesty being at the detached palace either? It would mean that the fundamental premise of him not being at the Demon Lord’s Castle is false, and you’d be in trouble, I think.”
“Sob sob, it makes me sad that the demon’s words are true.”
Ruilala petted my head as I pretended to wipe away tears.
Damn it, don’t you pet my head, you guy! Only my wives and family are allowed to pet me!
I shook my head, trying to shake off Ruilala’s hand. But Ruilala didn’t let go.
This is definitely intentional, right?
“Kiii, I don’t want Ruilala to pet my head!”
“That’s cruel, I’m just comforting you.”
“Hahaha, you guys are as close as ever, transcending racial boundaries.”
“Even the Human Race Hero says something good sometimes. Elnea-kun and I are best friends.”
“I don’t need a best friend who slashes at my back when I turn away!”
“Elnea-kun, it’s just your imagination, right?”
“No, no, it’s definitely not my imagination, right?”
Honestly.
What kind of person did I pick up?
Still, without Ruilala, we really would only be able to reach the detached palace via a long detour.
Inevitably, I allowed Ruilala to accompany us.
However, alongside our cheerful exchange… only Asher watched the demon Ruilala with a solemn expression.
