Translator: Denryuu; Editor: Ryunakama
Rodje blinked us over to Uigar, the royal capital of the Heavenly Kingdom of Reubens. She took care to land on a hill overlooking the city instead of in the streets where we could be spotted appearing out of nowhere.
「I had believed the Demon King to be a cold and crafty ruler」, muttered Almeria. 「But now that I’ve met Lylael, my mental image of her has completely changed.」
In other words, Lyla the monarch and Lyla the commoner were very different people.
「Lylael-sama is kind at heart」, agreed Rodje. 「She was crushed by guilt after the Human-Demon War. I’ve been by her side all this time, and it still pains her to see the scars of war even now.」
Perhaps Rodje felt the same way too.
「She may not be able to publicly acknowledge the crimes performed by her army, but I’m not a big fan of the whole ‘integrating into human society to atone for her crimes’ thing.」
Maybe Lyla felt like she deserved some sort of punishment. She had received none, of course, and had instead done all she could to contribute to Vadenhaag’s post-war restoration.
「We can ask her later」, I said. 「We still don’t know if Elvi actually took her.」
I spawned a troupe of ‘Shadows’ to infiltrate Elvi’s mansion. Its interior was easy to navigate as I had been there before.
「That’s a strange spell」, commented Almeria.
「It’s demon magic. I learnt it from Lyla.」
「Eh… hm.」
The princess pouted.
「But you learnt none of what I taught you! You mean Lylael can teach better than I can? Maaan…」
「Human magic is much more convoluted and complex than demon magic」, I explained, seeing her frustration. 「It just wasn’t for me.」
「So you have greater affinity for the latter.」
「Even so, I only need one hand to count the number of spells I know.」
I suddenly received a signal from one of my ‘Shadows’, and quickly synced what it saw and heard with my brain. From its significantly lower point of view, I could see Elvi’s interior garden. The ‘Shadow’ was patiently hiding behind a wall and eavesdropping on the conversation happening on the other side.
「– supposedly that visitor who milady received in the drawing room.」
「That beautiful lady who accompanied Roland-sama, right? Could that have been Lylael-sama?」
「Execution?」
「No way. I doubt milady will resort to such drastic measures.」
「You know what she can do when she’s serious. She’ll smash any obstacles in her way to pieces.」
「And she’ll negotiate with Roland-sama herself?」
「For sure. She’s been very antsy the whole day, sitting in her room.」
「Well, good luck to her, then.」
If only that were the case, I thought, de-syncing the Shadow’s consciousness from mine. I still needed more information, so I gathered the other ‘Shadows’ from their respective places and clustered them in Elvi’s mansion.
「It seems that Lyla is in Elvi’s residence. From what I could make out, I don’t think she’s being mistreated.」
One of the speakers had mentioned a drawing-room — in that case, Lyla had most likely been received as a visitor.
「If they know she’s the Demon King, then why haven’t they mobilised any forces yet?」, asked Dee to nobody in particular. 「Could they be trying to settle the matter in private?」
「Quite possibly.」
Despite having had a drink together, Lyla was perhaps still nothing more than the Demon King that Elvi loathed with all her being. Almeria looked to the sky.
「The first time I noticed her acting strangely, her sword was different from her usual one」, she recalled.
「That doesn’t sound unusual to me」, replied Rodje placidly.
Dee shook her head.
「Different weapons work differently, especially for someone who specialises in close-range combat. It’s unlikely for her to switch weapons at her whim and fancy.」
Standing with her arms akimbo, the princess puffed her chest up.
「For goodness’ sake, El! As long as there’s Roland around, who cares whether she’s the Demon King or not?」, she exclaimed. 「I’m going to confront her directly!」
「Foolhardy.」
「Even a bull knows when to charge…」
Though both Rodje and Dee found her confidence misplaced, they did not know that her confident and daredevil nature stemmed from her overwhelming ability. But I knew that her attitude also gave others hope.
It was the doppelganger who had told Elvi about Lyla. I thought about the worst case scenario, a possibility so terrible there were no words that could describe the uneasiness I felt. There could already be many signs pointing to it.
The sense of dread blew over me like a frosty gale, chilling me to the bone.
As the ‘Shadows’ continued feeding me information, I realised that one of them had become unable to move. I synced its senses with mine to find out what had happened, and came face to face with a squatting lady.
「Ah… you’re here.」
It was none other than Lyla. I knew that she would detect the presence of my ‘Shadows’ sooner or later. There was a lot I wanted to ask, but unlike her, I couldn’t speak through my ‘Shadow’.
「I don’t want to be rescued」, she continued. 「I came here of my own accord. I know it’s rather sudden, but I’ve made up my mind. I don’t want to cause you any more trouble.」
There was a tinge of sadness in her voice. She did something to the ‘Shadow’, making it disappear as if to indicate that there was nothing more to be said. It was promptly cut off from me.
「Lyla’s in the drawing-room」, I said after despawning the other three ‘Shadows’. 「She can move as she pleases. She told me that she ‘came of her own accord’, so she certainly isn’t being held hostage. The way the mansion is guarded is the same as before.」
While explaining how the mansion was guarded, I wondered whether to mention the other thing Lyla had said. The three ladies looked at me in disbelief as they waited for a response. It was as if we were being turned away.
「She told me through the ‘Shadow’ that she doesn’t want to be rescued.」
「That’s pretty selfish of her, isn’t it?」, replied Almeria, seeming not to care.
「If Lylael-sama is in trouble, it is my duty to protect her whether she wants it or not. I, Rodje Sandsong, will aid her to overcome any obstacle in our way.」
It’s rare to hear something like that from Rodje, I thought. Dee smiled when she heard her comrade’s exhortation, and I wondered if they were on the same wavelength.
「That’s right, Rodje-sama. Fufu… you shouldn’t be setting any precedents, though.」
「What’s wrong with that?」, asked Rodje with a start.
「Nothing」, said Dee, unable to suppress laughter.
Even if it’s against your will…
「I’m ready, Roland!」
「Me too.」
「Me three. As always.」
…it’s our will, Lyla.
And our pride will not allow us to let this slide.
Translator: Denryuu; Editor: Ryunakama
Rodje blinked us over to Uigar, the royal capital of the Heavenly Kingdom of Reubens. She took care to land on a hill overlooking the city instead of in the streets where we could be spotted appearing out of nowhere.
「I had believed the Demon King to be a cold and crafty ruler」, muttered Almeria. 「But now that I’ve met Lylael, my mental image of her has completely changed.」
In other words, Lyla the monarch and Lyla the commoner were very different people.
「Lylael-sama is kind at heart」, agreed Rodje. 「She was crushed by guilt after the Human-Demon War. I’ve been by her side all this time, and it still pains her to see the scars of war even now.」
Perhaps Rodje felt the same way too.
「She may not be able to publicly acknowledge the crimes performed by her army, but I’m not a big fan of the whole ‘integrating into human society to atone for her crimes’ thing.」
Maybe Lyla felt like she deserved some sort of punishment. She had received none, of course, and had instead done all she could to contribute to Vadenhaag’s post-war restoration.
「We can ask her later」, I said. 「We still don’t know if Elvi actually took her.」
I spawned a troupe of ‘Shadows’ to infiltrate Elvi’s mansion. Its interior was easy to navigate as I had been there before.
「That’s a strange spell」, commented Almeria.
「It’s demon magic. I learnt it from Lyla.」
「Eh… hm.」
The princess pouted.
「But you learnt none of what I taught you! You mean Lylael can teach better than I can? Maaan…」
「Human magic is much more convoluted and complex than demon magic」, I explained, seeing her frustration. 「It just wasn’t for me.」
「So you have greater affinity for the latter.」
「Even so, I only need one hand to count the number of spells I know.」
I suddenly received a signal from one of my ‘Shadows’, and quickly synced what it saw and heard with my brain. From its significantly lower point of view, I could see Elvi’s interior garden. The ‘Shadow’ was patiently hiding behind a wall and eavesdropping on the conversation happening on the other side.
「– supposedly that visitor who milady received in the drawing room.」
「That beautiful lady who accompanied Roland-sama, right? Could that have been Lylael-sama?」
「Execution?」
「No way. I doubt milady will resort to such drastic measures.」
「You know what she can do when she’s serious. She’ll smash any obstacles in her way to pieces.」
「And she’ll negotiate with Roland-sama herself?」
「For sure. She’s been very antsy the whole day, sitting in her room.」
「Well, good luck to her, then.」
If only that were the case, I thought, de-syncing the Shadow’s consciousness from mine. I still needed more information, so I gathered the other ‘Shadows’ from their respective places and clustered them in Elvi’s mansion.
「It seems that Lyla is in Elvi’s residence. From what I could make out, I don’t think she’s being mistreated.」
One of the speakers had mentioned a drawing-room — in that case, Lyla had most likely been received as a visitor.
「If they know she’s the Demon King, then why haven’t they mobilised any forces yet?」, asked Dee to nobody in particular. 「Could they be trying to settle the matter in private?」
「Quite possibly.」
Despite having had a drink together, Lyla was perhaps still nothing more than the Demon King that Elvi loathed with all her being. Almeria looked to the sky.
「The first time I noticed her acting strangely, her sword was different from her usual one」, she recalled.
「That doesn’t sound unusual to me」, replied Rodje placidly.
Dee shook her head.
「Different weapons work differently, especially for someone who specialises in close-range combat. It’s unlikely for her to switch weapons at her whim and fancy.」
Standing with her arms akimbo, the princess puffed her chest up.
「For goodness’ sake, El! As long as there’s Roland around, who cares whether she’s the Demon King or not?」, she exclaimed. 「I’m going to confront her directly!」
「Foolhardy.」
「Even a bull knows when to charge…」
Though both Rodje and Dee found her confidence misplaced, they did not know that her confident and daredevil nature stemmed from her overwhelming ability. But I knew that her attitude also gave others hope.
It was the doppelganger who had told Elvi about Lyla. I thought about the worst case scenario, a possibility so terrible there were no words that could describe the uneasiness I felt. There could already be many signs pointing to it.
The sense of dread blew over me like a frosty gale, chilling me to the bone.
As the ‘Shadows’ continued feeding me information, I realised that one of them had become unable to move. I synced its senses with mine to find out what had happened, and came face to face with a squatting lady.
「Ah… you’re here.」
It was none other than Lyla. I knew that she would detect the presence of my ‘Shadows’ sooner or later. There was a lot I wanted to ask, but unlike her, I couldn’t speak through my ‘Shadow’.
「I don’t want to be rescued」, she continued. 「I came here of my own accord. I know it’s rather sudden, but I’ve made up my mind. I don’t want to cause you any more trouble.」
There was a tinge of sadness in her voice. She did something to the ‘Shadow’, making it disappear as if to indicate that there was nothing more to be said. It was promptly cut off from me.
「Lyla’s in the drawing-room」, I said after despawning the other three ‘Shadows’. 「She can move as she pleases. She told me that she ‘came of her own accord’, so she certainly isn’t being held hostage. The way the mansion is guarded is the same as before.」
While explaining how the mansion was guarded, I wondered whether to mention the other thing Lyla had said. The three ladies looked at me in disbelief as they waited for a response. It was as if we were being turned away.
「She told me through the ‘Shadow’ that she doesn’t want to be rescued.」
「That’s pretty selfish of her, isn’t it?」, replied Almeria, seeming not to care.
「If Lylael-sama is in trouble, it is my duty to protect her whether she wants it or not. I, Rodje Sandsong, will aid her to overcome any obstacle in our way.」
It’s rare to hear something like that from Rodje, I thought. Dee smiled when she heard her comrade’s exhortation, and I wondered if they were on the same wavelength.
「That’s right, Rodje-sama. Fufu… you shouldn’t be setting any precedents, though.」
「What’s wrong with that?」, asked Rodje with a start.
「Nothing」, said Dee, unable to suppress laughter.
Even if it’s against your will…
「I’m ready, Roland!」
「Me too.」
「Me three. As always.」
…it’s our will, Lyla.
And our pride will not allow us to let this slide.
