We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Moon Viewing Tower
The Giant Demon Lord cast a glance at the luxurious bedroom, then immediately turned back and stepped out into the corridor.
“Hmph. I’ll leave this room to you.”
“No, I’m fine!”
“Oh my, Elnea-kun. It’s not good to refuse His Majesty’s favor, you know?”
“No, no, I’m not a subordinate of the Giant Demon Lord or anything, so I’ll firmly refuse anything I don’t need. Oh, how about leaving it to the loyal attendant, Ruilala?”
Besides, no matter how wonderful a room it is, I wouldn’t want to share a room with Kusharilla, even if I were piled high with gold and treasures.
If we were to sleep together, I wouldn’t know when I might be backstabbed.
So, after foisting the Giant Demon Lord’s favor onto Ruilala, I quickly left the bedroom myself.
By the way, I wonder if the Demon Lord isn’t angry about being retaliated against by Astel?
I’m a little concerned about that.
After all, it’s usually the Giant Demon Lord and Charlotte who toy with those around them for their own pleasure. Yet, this time, they were both outsmarted.
I slightly worried that the angry Giant Demon Lord might go back to retaliate against Astel.
However, my worries were unfounded.
I stealthily observed the Giant Demon Lord’s expression.
Instead of being angry, he was smiling.
“Hmph, that’s just like Astel. Once she wakes up from her weakness, it will be my turn to retaliate.”
Apparently, Astel has a personality that allows her to play pranks without any fear, no matter the opponent.
And the higher demons, such as the Giant Demon Lord and Charlotte, understood this and enjoyed it.
They toyed with her, and she retaliated.
It seems like a rather stimulating relationship.
Alright, if something happens to me next time, I’ll retaliate too!
“It’s fine, but be prepared for what comes next when you retaliate. Only those who are prepared to be retaliated against are allowed to retaliate.”
“If it’s a trivial retaliation, you’ll be punished, you know?”
“On second thought, I’ll stop!”
I lack both the courage and the resolve to retaliate against the Giant Demon Lord or the golden Great Demon Lord.
“So, where are we going next?”
The bedroom has been checked.
Well, it seems the Giant Demon Lord has no intention of using it.
Also, the plan for retaliation against Astel is set for after she wakes up.
So, is this the end of the fortress inspection? Or so I thought.
“Elnea-kun, what are you talking about? Our true objective starts now.”
“Eh? The bedroom check was just a detour, and we still have other destinations?”
This is the first I’ve heard of it.
I wonder where on earth the Giant Demon Lord and Charlotte are heading next?
I followed the two, who had left the bedroom, tilting my head as I went.
After that, we moved downstairs again and looked around various rooms and corridors.
This Great Fortress, while not exactly a maze, has a very intricate and complex structure.
If you don’t have a grasp of the interior, anyone could get lost.
“Pay attention to the daughter of the Mimicho Race and the Spirit Tree Spirit. If you fall victim to the Bewildering Technique, you won’t be able to escape.”
“Hah! That’s true. I’ll tell them later. …Or, wait? If I say that, won’t Priscilla-chan happily start using the Bewildering Technique?”
“I heard, I heard.”
“Ah!”
Damn it. I easily let it slip to Ares-chan, Priscilla-chan’s best friend!
“Ugh! If the Giant Demon Lord hadn’t said anything strange, neither Priscilla-chan nor Ares-chan, nor even I, would have thought of turning the fortress into a maze in the first place.”
Now that it’s been said, I’m conscious of it.
And Ares-chan heard it. If Ares-chan heard it, it means Priscilla-chan will know about it too.
I wonder how many people will wander around this fortress, now potentially converted into a maze…
“This is your punishment for laughing at the bedroom earlier.”
“Whoa, that’s your revenge, huh? You’re truly wicked!”
I thought he had just laughed off Astel’s retaliation earlier. It seems he had carefully planned a retaliation for me, who had unintentionally laughed.
I can’t let my guard down…
Although feeling a bit depressed, I continued to tour the fortress with the two.
We initially ascended upwards, going up stairs, but now we are descending downwards, wandering through the fortress.
Of course, we were taking a different route than the one we came by.
I have no idea where we are within the fortress anymore!
However, the two of them continued to visit various places, completely unfazed by my confusion. I had no choice but to follow them helplessly.
Occasionally, we would emerge into a courtyard surrounded by thick walls on all sides.
Even though it’s a courtyard, it’s large enough to fit an entire noble mansion.
Several such courtyards were constructed within the fortress.
And then, our entourage finally descended further to the basement.
We walked down a long stone staircase and arrived at a dark underground passage.
There were no torches or skylights in the basement.
So, I had to imbue my pupils with Dragon Energy and peer into the darkness.
The underground passage, which seemed to stretch endlessly into the darkness, had a winding structure similar to the ground level.
The Giant Demon Lord walked through the silent darkness of the basement without hesitation.
Charlotte followed, opening doors as we passed and looking inside.
Even in the darkness, the Demon Lord and Charlotte seem to be able to see their surroundings clearly.
I caught up with the two and peered into the unlit rooms with them.
“Unlike the ground floor, there are many rooms for food and various other supplies, aren’t there?”
Astel possesses a unique ability.
Material Creation.
It’s an extraordinary ability that allows her to create almost anything, from famous swords to massive structures, as long as it’s a material.
However, she cannot create certain special materials, such as those represented by the Soul Spirit Seat or the new Holy Sword, nor can she create living beings.
In other words, she cannot create living animals or plants.
Well, that’s the basic principle…
For some reason, Astel’s ability allows her to create water, alcohol, and even food as “materials.”
And in the basement, large quantities of water, alcohol, and food created by Astel were stored.
“Hmmm. It seems the Emperor of the Berisalia Empire is not only trying to destroy the Human Race’s country but also the Demon Race’s country. Can they really hope to win against demons like Astel, who can create an inexhaustible supply of materials, and Great Demons like the Demon Lord and Charlotte, and rulers who surpass even the Demon Lord?”
A sudden question crosses my mind.
Then, the Giant Demon Lord stopped and turned to me.
“The Emperor of the Divine Race likely knows the situation of the Demon Race and still believes they can destroy us. However, it would be foolish to simply laugh at them. If they remain strong-willed after knowing our strength, it means they are a formidable opponent who has meticulously prepared some sort of stratagem.”
“Or, they could be an exceptionally great fool. However, an exceptionally great fool could not possibly conquer one Divine Race country after another and build a Great Empire.”
“I see…”
It appears the Berisalia Empire is not indiscriminately expanding its territory.
And in the future, they intend to invade the Human Race cultural sphere far to the west, and eventually the Demon Race countries.
“The Divine Race, huh. We’ll have to be careful from now on too.”
“However, that is something for after we overcome this difficulty. If we are caught off guard by this current matter, we will never reach that point.”
“Ugh. I’ll brace myself.”
Suddenly, I had a thought.
Aside from checking the bedroom, the Giant Demon Lord and Charlotte seem to be thoroughly inspecting the fortress.
But that feels a little strange, doesn’t it?
The Giant Demon Lord said he knew Astel’s habits. So, even without such a thorough inspection, he should have had an idea of where things were from the start.
Yet, they are taking so much time to look around.
It’s as if they are not so much guided by their own curiosity, but rather… guiding me through the structure of the fortress…?
Perhaps they are being considerate, ensuring that we can make good use of the fortress that Astel created, in preparation for the upcoming battles?
Unlike the Emperor of the Divine Race, this tour might also be an important part of our preparation.
“Thank you?”
“Don’t mention it. It’s a diversion before the main event.”
“I’ll expect you to repay this favor in the future.”
“It seems like it will cost quite a bit.”
After exploring the underground, we ascend to the surface through a different exit.
Just as there are multiple staircases connecting the floors, there are also various entrances leading to the basement.
I desperately try to organize the guided route in my head and proceed further into the fortress.
However, my memory is reaching its limit.
“Shouldn’t we return to everyone’s location for now? I think Mistral and the others must be worried.”
A considerable amount of time had passed since we started the tour.
In fact, the sun is already setting in the west.
If we don’t go back before it gets dark, everyone will worry about us.
In response to my suggestion, the Giant Demon Lord pointed towards the end of the fortress and said, “That is our final destination.”
I followed his gaze with my eyes.
There stood a tower that was conspicuously tall.
“The surroundings, the construction, or rather, the atmosphere, is different.”
Of course, the tower, as part of the fortress, has a robust construction.
However, around the top floor, it’s open with only columns, no walls.
Furthermore, while the pavilions placed throughout the fortress are five stories high, this tower is about twice that height.
“Come, let’s go before it gets dark.”
Urged on by Charlotte, we set off again towards the tower.
Indeed, the tower was clearly a different structure from its surroundings.
First, from the first-floor entrance to the top floor, there are no intermediate levels inside. A spiral staircase extended upwards along the inner wall of the open atrium.
After climbing the long staircase, we reached the top floor, which, as seen from the outside, had no outer walls, only columns.
And when I reached that top floor, I couldn’t help but be surprised.
“That’s odd? I thought I was vague about the girl when I told Astel…”
It wasn’t just Astel. I hadn’t told anyone else except the Giant Demon Lord and a few others about the girl.
Yet, looking at the furnishings prepared on the top floor of the tower, my eyes widened.
Unlike the rugged and desolate interior of the fortress, the floor was covered with a plush carpet.
The columns were adorned with carvings of adorable animals and plants, and the ceiling was painted with beautiful landscapes.
And in the center of the top floor was a single cradle-like bed.
Although it’s spring, it’s still cold.
A very warm-looking futon was prepared on the cradle bed.
Furthermore, around the bed, countless stuffed animals were placed on a bench, and toys were inside a box.
It was a tower that seemed to be exclusively prepared for a girl who would visit this place.
However, I hadn’t told Astel about the girl.
So why were such preparations made?
“Elnea, you learned about the Primogenitor Race, didn’t you?”
“Yes. The Primogenitor Race are beings born from the accumulation of miasma and so on over long periods, right? And they inherit the knowledge and abilities of those who left behind their grudges and hatreds from birth?”
The reason why the Primogenitor Race is feared is because they possess a lot of knowledge from the beginning and have immense magic power, right?
The Demon Lord nodded, “That’s right,” to my answer.
“Many, like Astel, possess unique special abilities. However, among the Primogenitor Race, there are also those who inherit secrets that cannot be told to anyone.”
“Secrets that cannot be told to anyone?”
“Yes. Secrets that must never be revealed, no matter what torture they endure or how close they are to death.”
“Could it be that Astel knew about the girl from the beginning?”
“It’s more accurate to say she knew about the world, rather than just the girl.”
“Mumumu?”
“Kukuku. For now, you don’t need to understand deeply. If you know everything while you’re young, your remaining long life will be boring, won’t it?”
“That’s true.”
Why did Astel know about the girl?
And the girl’s secret seems to be connected to the world.
I want to know, but judging from the Demon Lord’s words, I can never get it out of him.
Gazing at the sun setting beyond the western Dragon Peak, I pondered the mysteries of the Primogenitor Race on the top floor of the tower.
