At the foothills of Dragon Peak is where we live.
History repeats itself.
Eventually, the energized spirits continued their revelry until nightfall.
As a result, the detached palace, which should have been newly built, is a sorry sight.
Is it my fault?
It’s your imagination.
I can’t stop the free-spirited will of the spirits, which are not dominated by anyone, not as the Spirit King nor as a Spirit Arts User.
If anything could stop them, it would probably be Priscilla-chan or Ares-chan.
Priscilla-chan is staying home, and Ares-chan, rather than calming things down, was playing along with them.
Yes, this disaster is definitely not my fault!
“Your Majesty, how long has it been since you slept under the stars?”
“If it’s only once every hundred years, it’s not bad as an amusement.”
“Hmph, you haven’t slept outdoors for so long… I’m sorry.”
Well, you’re a Demon Lord who rules a powerful Demon Race’s Country. It’s almost impossible to imagine a situation where you’d have to sleep outdoors in ruins with no roof and no walls.
Even if by some chance you were out for a particular reason, your subordinates would surely take care to provide a place where the Demon Lord could rest peacefully.
Still, it’s not bad occasionally, is it?
Moreover, this is a mystical land.
Looking up, a fantastic scenery, different from that of the daytime, stretched out before us.
The sky, resembling a calm lake turned upside down and plastered onto the heavens, spread out endlessly.
The twinkling of the stars far overhead seemed to waver as if submerged in the water, and the spirits, glowing faintly like fireflies, flitted about between the sky-lake and the earth.
And when the clear autumn wind blew through, it left a sweet lingering scent in our nostrils.
“Since it’s an opportunity, why don’t you all stay here and rest for tonight as well?”
“Y-yes. …I’ll be intruding.”
No, we’ve already intruded enough.
“Would you like some sweets?”
Ares-chan, considerate as always, distributed sweets and tea to everyone.
Ares-chan, did you even collect the tea?
“Then, let’s get back to the matter at hand.”
The Demon Lord, having received tea from Ares-chan, sat back down on a luxurious chair that had escaped damage and returned to the topic from earlier in the day.
I also received alcohol from Ares-chan and took a seat in an appropriate spot.
…Wait, why am I the only one with alcohol?
“Is there no more tea?”
“If that’s the case, shouldn’t you have given the alcohol to the Demon Lord and the Chancellor…?”
As I sat down on the ground, Slaton, looking utterly exhausted, also sat down.
It seems that the thick-skinned Slaton prioritized his fatigue over being in the presence of the Demon Lord.
Unlike the carefree and perhaps foolish Slaton, the serious Listea and Alex-san were still standing there, bewildered. However, at my prompting, they finally sat down.
Louvent?
He’s still unconscious.
Well, it’s probably for the best if the conversation proceeds without issue.
Oz is also dizzy and has fallen over.
Incidentally, Ruilala is standing rigidly beside the Demon Lord.
That’s understandable, isn’t it? In situations like this, Ruilala is a loyal retainer to the Demon Lord.
Meanwhile, Charlotte vanished somewhere, seemingly waiting for everyone to settle down.
“Allow me to reintroduce myself. I would like to apologize for the great trouble my subordinate has caused…”
Alex-san was the first among us to speak.
He tried to offer a deep apology for Ruvent’s rudeness. However, the Demon Lord himself stopped him with a gesture.
“Apologies are unnecessary. There is no reason for us to bow our heads to the Divine Race. Know that we only bow to each other in the presence of death.”
In other words, the Divine Race and the Demon Race only yield to each other in matters of life and death.
And the fact that Alex-san and Ruvent are still alive in this situation means that the Demon Lord has already pardoned them.
It was a decision befitting the Demon Race, and Alex-san breathed a sigh of relief at the Demon Lord’s consideration.
“W-well then, please allow me to introduce myself again. I am Listea, the Hero.”
Next, Listea spoke.
It seems she has finally regained a little composure.
Well, we arrived in the evening, and it’s already night.
Listea, with her strong spirit, should have had enough time to recover.
However, her tension had not completely dissipated, and her voice still wavered.
Nevertheless, she was able to explain the reason for our visit, starting with her self-introduction.
“Oh? The Human Race’s Holy Sword is broken?”
The Demon Lord raised his eyebrows slightly at Listea’s story, showing interest.
“Show it to me.”
“Yes! Listea, don’t give the Holy Sword to the Demon Lord!”
“What?”
But it was too late!
Even though it was broken, Listea still wore the Holy Sword at her waist. So, Listea drew the broken Holy Sword from its scabbard and showed it to the Demon Lord. The Demon Lord then casually took it!
Oh no, the Holy Sword is in a desperate crisis!
The tragedy in the Yorttenitos Kingdom flashed through my mind.
The gem embedded in the staff of the great shrine, shattered by the Demon Lord.
“My, my, you are a worrier.”
However, the Demon Lord did not shatter the Holy Sword’s gem.
The Demon Lord observed the broken Holy Sword body, which had snapped in the middle of the blade, and the brilliant red gem set in the guard.
“I see. For a Curse Power Sword created by humans, it’s quite well-made. Nevertheless, it is ultimately a Curse Power Sword. However, this gem seems to be holding a considerable amount of power. From what I can see, it’s not just the curse power of one or two people, is it?”
“Yes. Successive Heroes have poured their curse power into the gem upon inheriting the Holy Sword.”
“Heh, really!”
As expected of a Demon Lord. He easily discerned that the Holy Sword was a Curse Power Sword.
Listea was surprised that it was seen through, but she didn’t seem flustered.
That’s good. It’s thanks to me telling her beforehand, right?
Sorcerers create masterfully cursed weapons and armor throughout their lives.
But the Holy Sword was not only made by its creator but also by successive Heroes pouring their power into the gem.
In other words, it’s a Curse Power Sword created collectively by the Heroes.
“You too, show me your broken Curse Power Sword.”
“Mine?”
Speaking of which, the Curse Power Sword I received shattered the moment I sent Dragon Energy into it.
I handed the pathetic Curse Power Sword, now just a hilt and a part of the guard remaining, to the Demon Lord.
“Hmm, dust.”
“Ahhh!”
The moment he received it, the Demon Lord casually threw it away.
That’s too much!
“Elnea, what is the difference between your Curse Power Sword and this Holy Sword?”
“Huh? Difference?”
Well, the power itself is different.
But they are both within the category of Curse Power Swords.
“Hmm, the difference… Is it the maker’s skill, or the quality of the gem?”
There are even superior and inferior items among cursed weapons and tools. Also, there are various kinds of gems.
“That’s right. This Holy Sword uses a precious gem mined from the Jade Spring. However, the gem embedded in your Curse Power Sword was cheap.”
“Sob sob…”
Even so, you didn’t have to throw it away the moment you received it!
“Then why did your Curse Power Sword shatter, and the Holy Sword break?”
“Hmm? The Holy Sword broke during a mock battle with Alex-san, you see? Age-related deterioration, or perhaps Alex-san was too strong…”
“Fool. A sword inlaid with a gem from the Jade Spring wouldn’t break for such reasons.”
“T-then…?”
Hmm, does the reason for the Holy Sword breaking have other causes?
And is it related to my Curse Power Sword shattering?
“Recall in detail. What happened when you shattered your Curse Power Sword?”
“Uh, I was trying to stop Ruvent’s rampage, so I sent all my Dragon Energy into the Curse Power Sword with all my might. I thought I wouldn’t be able to stop the Heavenly Race’s Ruvent’s attack otherwise.”
But as you can see, that was the result.
I thought the Curse Power Sword was defective.
But it seems that’s not the case.
“You are holding a cup.”
Ares-chan gave me alcohol, for some reason. Of course, I hadn’t touched it. Because I’d get drunk.
Then, I suddenly remembered something from the past.
When I was still immature.
Mistral taught me about Dragon Energy and Dragon Power using alcohol as an analogy.
If you drink too much alcohol, you become addicted. In other words, I learned then for the first time that using Dragon Energy indiscriminately or depleting it would lead to exhaustion.
That’s right, the reason for exhaustion was the vessel into which the alcohol was poured, meaning my Dragon Power was very small at the time, and I kept depleting and recovering my Dragon Energy.
And then, I suddenly realized.
“Perhaps my power was too much for the Curse Power Sword to handle?”
Speaking of which, I also broke an axe at the Nine-tailed Fox Shrine.
I only sent a small amount of Dragon Energy then.
“Everything has its proper use and limits. If I were to use your previous situation as an analogy with alcohol, it would be like throwing a giant rock into a cup of sake.”
“Whoa!”
Sake should be poured into a sake cup. And I threw a giant rock, which is neither liquid nor a small stone, into it.
Of course, the vessel, the Curse Power Sword, would shatter!
“…So? Does that mean the Holy Sword also broke because it couldn’t withstand the imbued curse power?”
“The gem is from the Jade Spring. It wouldn’t shatter from this. However, the sword’s construction itself couldn’t withstand it.”
“I see!”
It seems we were greatly mistaken.
The reason the Holy Sword broke was not Listea’s fault or Alex-san’s fault.
The Holy Sword, imbued with the curse power of successive Heroes, was destined to break sooner or later.
“Ha ha ha! This is a masterpiece. Not only did it surpass the limits of the non-human realm, but also the Holy Sword’s tolerance. Truly, you are the greatest Hero of all time!”
Listea, who was dramatically patted on the back by Slaton, started coughing.
However, Listea’s expression brightened now that the clear cause had been found, and it wasn’t due to any wrongdoing.
“Then, can the Holy Sword be revived if we forge a new sword that matches its new power? Hmm, should I ask the Eastern Magician?”
“Ho ho, the Eastern Magician?”
“Speaking of which, do you know anything about the Eastern Magician, Your Majesty?”
He is said to have entrusted the Holy Sword to the first King Armēdo.
The Eastern Magician.
We came to see the Demon Lord to find out his exact whereabouts.
Also, we want to know how Armēdo and Yorttenitos crossed the Demon Race’s Country at that time.
“The troublesome brat Armēdo and the snot-nosed kid Yorttenitos. I don’t not know them. After all, it was Charlotte who instigated them to cross Dragon Peak.”
“That troublesome Demon!”
“Yes, did you call for me?”
Just then, Charlotte appeared via spatial transfer.
Carrying a luxurious meal!
“Elnea-kun, you should be grateful. If I hadn’t suggested it, your homeland wouldn’t exist.”
“Hmph, that’s right… So, what did you say to the two of them back then?”
“Yes. I told them that it would be an easy journey if they entered from Northern Dragon Peak.”
“That’s a lie!”
Northern Dragon Peak is not only for the Dragon Race but also a Dragon’s Mausoleum that even young dragons hesitate to enter!
Ah, but I see. I understand now.
Because the twin brothers traveled through Northern Dragon Peak, Yorttenitos was able to meet the King of Dragons. And precisely because they traveled through such a difficult place, they were recognized by the Dragon Race and Dragon People, and gained their cooperation in defeating the Rotten Dragon King.
“Speaking of which, Your Majesty, don’t you remember assisting those two as well?”
“I was just playing to annoy Vastrade. Kukuku, I remember. That was quite amusing.”
“Is that so? So, Armēdo and Yorttenitos were also toyed with by you two? How pitiful…”
I don’t know who Vastrade is, but it’s no wonder it wasn’t recorded in the annals.
The journey, being manipulated by the Giant Demon Lord and his confidant, must have been incredibly difficult and tough.
When I consider the feelings of the two at that time, I can’t help but feel sympathetic.
“What are you talking about? It was thanks to us that they were able to cross the Demon Race’s Countries safely.”
“You mean you were playing with them, causing trouble everywhere, right?”
“Fufu. Aren’t you, Elnea-kun, trying to go west through the reverse procedure of that time?”
“Ah, I’ve made a mistake!”
Consulting these two means I’ve already got one foot in their schemes, doesn’t it?
Alas, the Hero’s tribulations continue.
“Your troubles too.”
“Sob sob…”
