Part 1
Lifelia Kingdom, Calendar Year 164——
The Races’ foremost line, stronghold town Faltra. In its western street, it was at the inn 《Relief, The Evening Store》.
It was a dreary room that only had one window that took in light on the stone piled wall and only one large bed.
The time was about to be noon.
Three people were sitting on the bed and one person that came to visit was standing at the doorway.
The man at the center of the bed was the Demon that had sinister horns growing from his head, 《The Demon King, Diablo》. On his left and right were young ladies that had 《Slavery Chokers》 placed on them.
One of the young ladies was the short Pantherian, Rem Galeu. The panther ears that were on her head, her hair that grew down to her waist, and the slender tail that stretched out from her bottom were all a fascinatingly elegant black color. Since normal Pantherians had a leopard print design, black was rare.[1]
Her slightly seeable thighs were tight and could be understood to be very well trained.
Although she had some childish looks left over, it was beautifully arranged, and her slanted eyes like that of a cat and her pursed mouth made one feel the strength of her determination.
The other young lady was the Elf, Shera L. Greenwood.
The Elves’ body characteristic was that their ears are long. And also, that they were beautiful enough to be the closests to the Divine Beings.
Shera’s hair was gold colored as if it were gold that had been melted and spread out like a rolling plain. Her eyes were a cerulean blue like the sky, and her skin was white and smooth like white porcelain.
Normally, she would be wearing emerald green clothing that would look like it would make it easy to be hidden in the forest, but……
Right now, she had an appearance that excessively had too little clothing.
In order to cheer Diablo up, it seems that she prepared a lascivious outfit. Rather than an outfit, it looked like she was only wrapped up by a cloth.
Normal Elves were slender and had figures that had meager curves, but Shera had a very large chest that gave her a sensual body. They looked like they would fall out at any moment from her little cloth.
And then, the person that was leaning her back against the door was Faltra’s Adventurer’s Guild’s Guildmaster——Sylvie.
She looked like a child that was still only about ten years old, but they didn’t know her real age. Being of a race called Grasswalker, even if they grow up, their outward appearance is still that of a child. Also, they had ears and tails like that of a rabbit.
Her garments were really similar to what Shera was wearing and only her breasts and the area around the waist was hidden. Since she had a slim built childish figure unlike Shera, she had an impression of an innocent physical beauty.
That Adventurer’s Guild Guildmaster opened her mouth.
「……A demand for the delivery of Shera L. Greenwood had been delivered to the feudal lord of Faltra City from the Elf Kingdom. There is still ten-something days until the settlement date, and if isn’t executed, they say that they won’t hesitate to start a war.」
Still expressing a smile, Sylvie declared something astonishing.
——Did she say “start a war”!?
There was something called the Greenwood Kingdom, which was the Elf race’s suzerain state. Shera was that country’s princess. Having various circumstances, it seems that she ran away. However, the Elves were trying to bring her back.
Even just a few days ago, they had fought with an elite unit of Elves that tried to bring Shera back. However, that time was just ten-something Elves and not on the scale of something like a war.
The Guildmaster breathed a sigh.
「Normally, we would have handed Shera-chan over, you know? We don’t want to have something like a war after all. But there’s one thing troubling us.」
Diablo silently listened.
He could pretty much predict what it was that she was trying to say.
Sylvie pointed his way.
「It’s you, Diablo-san……You probably won’t relinquish Shera-chan, will you?」
「Naturally.」
「So that means that Faltra City’s feudal lord, who was demanded to hand her over, will have to make a decision……Either defeat Diablo-san and snatch Shera-chan away, or not hand Shera-chan over and have a war with the Greenwood Kingdom.」
——So either defeat me, or, a war with the Elves!?
Not good……
Fighting with the feudal lord meant that the army would come out. A large number of people of the Races would attack him.
During the time he acted as a Demon King in the game, he experienced battles of one versus six.
He had also faced off against a countless number of monsters.
However, he was inexperienced in battles against 1,000 or 10,000 people. As one would expect, his MP probably wouldn’t last.
He somehow needed to make them believe that “if they were to challenge Diablo, they would lose”.
Of course, he also wanted to avoid something like a war between the Humans and the Elves, but he first needed to avoid the situation where he would be targeted.
It would be nice if he could skillfully negotiate with them but……
It’s impossible.
In truth, Diablo had no communication faculty. Since he couldn’t talk very well, he created his character with a Demon King role play and was misrepresenting himself.
If his former self came out, he could only say things like 「Ah–」 or 「Uh–」.
Although the Sylvie before him had an outward appearance that looked like a child, she was a Guildmaster that managed a great number of people and because the one that commissioned the aforementioned quest to her was the feudal lord of Faltra City, for him who couldn’t even squarely talk with a classmate, the burden was much too heavy.
As he thought, he had no choice but to do his Demon King role play.
Diablo opened his mouth.
「Kukuku……Very well……I was just thinking that I was getting tired of lying idle. If the opponent is going to be the nation’s armed forces, they aren’t lacking. I shall return the country to ash with my magic.」
He said it in a voice he made as low as he possibly could.
Sylvie waved her hands in front of her face that looked like she was panicking.
「Wait, wait! I was saying that that choice is impossible! To fight with you, Diablo-san, who repelled the Demonic Being military force all by yourself, that wouldn’t be any different from making enemies with a single country, and more importantly, it would be brutal.」
「Hmph……Narrowly escaped death.」
——That I did!
Although Diablo took a displeased attitude, he was relieved in his mind.
Sylvie put up her index finger.
「Here’s a quest from me and the troubled feudal lord. Prevent the war with the Greenwood Kingdom, ‘kay, Diablo-san!」
I refuse.
That’s what he wanted to say with all his might.
However, he naturally had no choice but to accept it. In order to protect Shera……
Shera, being the person in the middle of this whirlpool, timidly began to talk.
「L, listen……Diablo……I……I can……run away on my own again, you know?」
「What was that?」
Shera added one more thing as if she were flustered.
「I, I mean look! I went and ran away all on my own up until now……If I’m not around, then there’s no need for Faltra City’s feudal lord-san or you, Diablo, to hand me over, right?」
「Will you be able to run away from the Elven forces by yourself?」
「Ugh……That’s……I might get caught but……If I do, then it can’t be helped. I’ll be sad if I mess up but……it can’t be helped.」
He tightly gripped his fist.
He asked just to be sure.
「Do you truly feel that “it can’t be helped”?」
「That’s right! I mean, I absolutely don’t want something like a war! I don’t want to see people dying! That’s why……There’s nothing else that we can do!」
He understood what she wanted to say.
She wasn’t mistaken. If Shera were to run away by herself, the war between the Humans and the Elves would probably be avoided, and Diablo wouldn’t be targeted.
However, would she be able to get away?
It would be difficult.
In that case, should he protect Shera and fight with the Greenwood Kingdom? That would be reckless.
What’s the best thing to do?
If it was him before he came to this world, he would have refused without a worry. He might have said “it can’t be helped”. It’s because something like stopping a war all alone was absurd.
It was a choice with no correct answer.
The answer was already decided.
It’s because his current self was——the Demon King Diablo!
「Do not make light of me. A Demon King that would yield to something like a nation’s armed forces, there’s no such thing.」
Shera opened her eyes wide.
「Eh!? What are you going to do……!?」
「The other day, you acknowledged that you were “the Demon King’s property”, correct?」
「Y, yeah. I did say that.」
「If there is no lie in those words, then don’t selfishly say that you’ll “run away alone”. Do you doubt my strength?」
「There’s no way I would……But……I don’t want either Humans or Elves to die.」
「Hmph, I shall show no mercy to those that challenge me, but……I will at least give them warning. Just leave everything to me.」
It was the Demon King role play.
His promising without proper consideration was also excessive. A cold sweat went down along his spine and his mouth felt like it was going to twitch.
Shera was moved to tears.
「……Is it……alright for me……to be together with you, Diablo?」
「I won’t say it a second time.」
「Uwaahn! Thank you! The truth is! The truth is! I!」
While she was crying, she embraced him.
The considerable sensual feeling was……squeezing him.
He firmly endured the 「Uwah」 that he was about to unintentionally let out. A Demon King wouldn’t get flustered over something like being pressed with boobs!
Rem made a sigh.
「……To begin with, with the 《Slavery Choker》 attached, it may or may not have been possible for you to separate from Diablo and escape on your own.」
While wiping her tears, Shera asked.
「Hic……What do you mean?」
「……I have never heard of a case before where the 《Slavery Ceremony》 was reflected. Because of that, the exact details regarding the 《Slavery Chokers》 that were placed on us are unknown. However, if it were normal, the Summoned Beast wouldn’t be able to separate very far from the Summoner.」
「Is that how it is?」
「……Though, there are cases where……they’re ordered not to separate from them.」
「But, before, Rem, you stayed in town and we went to Fort Bridge Ulg, right?」
「……For a stupid Elf, you remembered that well. However, if you were to run away on your own, you’d have to go to another town or maybe even further, right? Now then……did you think of that as a possibility?」
「Don’t call me stupid! I didn’t think of it though!」
Rem sighed a second time.
「……Well, since Diablo said that he would protect you, I’m sure there’s no need to investigate it.」
The responsibility was really important.
Although Diablo had the guise of being imperturbable, in his mind, he was full of distress.
——What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?
Sylvie hit her hands together with a *Pon*.
「Well then, have you guys settled the conversation? But man, thank goodness. The truth is, the Greenwood Kingdom had placed a bounty on Shera-chan——Ah, the Adventurer’s Guild doesn’t make any crimes into quests, you know!? That kind of information was just flowing around. Though, because of that, you might be targeted by some misguided Adventurers……But if Diablo-san is going to protect her, then that give me a peace of mind!」
Diablo frowned.
「……The Greenwood King……Shera’s father did?」
「No, it seems the client was her older brother, Prince Kiira. They say that the one that brings her back will get one hundred million F. If a commoner were to get that much, they’d be able to live their life without working.」
「……What a lack of common sense.」
Rem muttered and Shera made a frightened facial expression. Diablo reflexively raised his voice.
「You’re telling me that he placed a bounty on his own younger sister? What a complete fool!」
Rage oozed from him.
Something similar to a black aura came out from Diablo’s whole body.
Rem and Shera, and even Sylvie raised surprised voices.
He felt like his MP was slightly decreasing.
——What’s going on?
Having heard the absurd story where an older brother placed a bounty on their own younger sister, at the moment his emotions got worked up, there was a sensation of his MP getting consumed.
Come to think of it, he felt that the power was stronger when he was firmly anxious about something than when he normally used magic.
There might be a connection between emotions and magic.
If I were to be holding 《The Staff of Tenma》 which raised my INT, how would it have turned out? I really don’t want magic being spontaneously discharged——is what Diablo thought.
By the way, due to him spending his time with a lethargic and lazy lifestyle, the precious 《Staff of Tenma》 was rolled in a corner of the room.
Diablo took a deep breath and calmed his emotions.
「Hmph……If there are Adventurers that have had their eyes dazzled by greed……I shall make them regret the fact that they challenged me.」
Sylvie made a wry smile.
「That’d be reckless. But, wouldn’t the Adventurers that come from other towns not know of Diablo-san’s strength? I don’t think anyone other than the people that actually saw you fight with the Demonic Beings would believe it, you know?」
「Don’t you people share information?」
With a huge topic like that, if it were in the game, information exchange sites would be really bustling. Pictures and videos would be put up, and specification conjectures and gag collages would probably be flying about.
Since this other world didn’t have the internet, he imagined that it would be at the level of barroom idle talk, but he didn’t expect that it wouldn’t have spread at all.
Sylvie explained.
「There are two reasons——First, Diablo-san, you’re a 《Chemical Element Magician》, aren’t you? As you know, in this Lifelia Kingdom, when you speak of Magicians, it’s about 《Summoners》. It’s because we think that Chemical Elemental magic is weak.」
In the game that he once played——In the 《MMORPG Cross Reverie》 that this world was really similar to, when one spoke of Magicians, it would be about Chemical Element Magicians.
The reason was simple. It was because they were the ones with the most power.
If skills were earned to extend to the Chemical Elemental magic, just one of the six attributes could make someone reach a passing mark as a “fixed turret”.
Compared to that, the game’s Summoner was a misfortunate job. Even if they did their best to summon something, the Summoned Beast would be weaker than a Warrior of the same level.
The specs would be of the same level but because there was the specification that “Summoned Beasts could only have one unique skill per beast”, the Warriors that possessed many 《Martial Arts》 held an overwhelming advantage.
The Summoned Beast’s advantage was, at most, that even if it were to be defeated, the practitioner wouldn’t get injured.
In regards to the MMORPG Cross Reverie, Summoner was a weak Class that was despised as “a romance occupation”, “a contemptible playstyle”, and “information illiterate”.
However, this world was different.
At the very least, in the Lifelia Kingdom, Chemical Element Magicians were weak and Summoners were strong.
He knew the reason.
It’s because, unlike the game where it was possible to revive even if one’s HP disappeared, in this world, “it’s over if you die”.
A majority of the Adventurers wouldn’t look to level up or pursue rare equipment, and were satisfied with enough strength just to live day to day. Without risking their lives, training themselves, or challenging formidable enemies, starting with a range where they wouldn’t die, they thought it would be fine if could just earn their living expenses.
The monsters were the same.
They wouldn’t recklessly attack like they did in the game. Possessing cowardice where they would only run away if they saw an opponent they were no match for, they valued their lives, and seemed to be that much weaker.
As a result——because the area was weak and not because Summoned Beasts were strong, Summoned Beasts were useful.
How the practitioner would be safe was also a huge advantage.
For the Adventurers of this world that have values like this, even if they were told “there was a strong Chemical Elemental Magician”, it would probably be natural that they wouldn’t believe it.
They’d laugh it off as a joke. Or at most, they would only think of it was “he seems to be strong for a Chemical Elemental Magician”.
With the Class that he had poured many hours and much zeal into being treated with scorn by the people around him, as a gamer, he felt vexation.
However, apart from his emotions, he needed to consent to it. In this world, Chemical Element Magicians were thought of as weak.
「Hmph……To think that I would be deemed as the same rank as those other Chemical Element Magicians……」
「It can’t be helped. It’s because Diablo-san’s strength is unimaginable. And then, about the other reason——I’m forbidden to speak of it.」
「Hou?」
「I also thought that it would be something unnecessary, but you guys, it seems like you have various circumstances going on, don’t you? That’s why I thought that it would be better if you didn’t stand out too much. Though, I don’t know much of the details.」
——Was it really just a guess, or was there information and she’s just hiding it?
At the very least, she seemed to know about Shera’s lineage. Although Shera said that she was hiding it, since she let it slip to other people, that was fine but……
In regards to Rem’s situation, he was worried about whether she knew about it or not.
「You, you say that you don’t know the details, but……just how much do you know?」
「Ahaha……Just at the level of “it seems like you have some kind of circumstance going on” is all, you know? Though, Shera-chan being the Greenwood Kingdom’s Princess is something that’s been a topic ever since she came to town. Since Rem-san puts some distance between herself and other people, she probably has something going……Well, even though I look like this, I’ve seen a lot of people after all.」
When she said stuff like this, even though she had the outward appearance of a child, it felt like Sylvie was older than Diablo.
——She is the Adventurer’s Guild Guildmaster after all.
She probably accumulated a proportionate amount of experience.
At Diablo’s side, Rem raised her head.
「……I’m grateful for your concern.」
「It’s fine, if there’s something that you need help with, just say so. It’s because I think of all of Faltra City’s Adventurers as comrades.」
「……Thank you very much.」
It was a masterpiece of a communication ability.
Sylvie made a proposal.
「With that being the case, since I’m not prying into your circumstances, won’t you come to my place? There are rooms for you to stay at for times like this at the Adventurer’s Guild. I think it’ll be safer than this place. Though, if you asked, I think the feudal lord would also prepare you a room at his mansion, but I think you’d feel more comfortable at my place.」
It was an attractive idea.
However, was it really alright to go along with it so easily?
It felt like they could trust Sylvie’s character.
Really?
For Diablo, he couldn’t make the decision.
He felt that it was inexcusable for him to be suspicious of her good will but……
Diablo had a communication disorder. If he could obediently get along with someone just by being told “Let’s get along”, he wouldn’t have had an eternity playing solo.
He was bad at shortening the distance with other people.
Trusting them, feeling like he got along with them, but not having a close enough relationship as he thought, he’d get betrayed.
If he was going to worry about the sense of distance, then it would be easier to not get closer to them from the beginning.
He should just avoid the war with his own effort. He didn’t know how but he should search for the solution from now on.
Right now, it was a situation where it was before the war.
It still hadn’t developed into a situation where the quest was “to hold back the incoming army”. He needed to prevent that worst case scenario.
Just what should he do?
——I guess collecting information comes first.
The foundation of a quest capture was information gathering.
This world wasn’t the game, but just like the game, he could do nothing but do the approach himself.
Diablo opened his mouth to make a certain demand.
「I do not like being indebted to other people. More importantly——」
A sudden thunderous roar interrupted Diablo’s words.
Translator’s Notes:
[1] Pantherian was my liberal translation of the race. Original is 豹人族 (hyoujinzoku) with no other way of reading it. The character 豹 can be read as leopard or panther.
Part 2
The stone wall behind them collapsed.
The inn’s wall was something made by piling up large and small stones and filling the gaps with something like lime. It wasn’t that brittle, but it didn’t have a sturdiness like that of a castle wall.
If it was magic or a large type of weapon, it was probably possible to destroy it.
——It was destroyed? By who?
Sylvie jumped back from in front of the door. She shouted.
「ッ!? They’re coming from the door too!」
She landed beside the bed that Diablo was on.
Immediately following that, the room’s door was kicked open.
As Diablo tried to grasp the situation, he ran his eyes around the surroundings.
What came into the room was four armed Adventurers.
Three of them came in from the hallway.
One of them was a Dwarf Warrior equipped with a War Axe.
The characteristics of the men of the Dwarf race were burly muscles, beards that could conceal their mouths and necks, and a short and stout figure. They’re slow-footed and magic is their weak point, but they’re tenacious and excel in physical strength. They possess the natural talent for the Warrior type.
The one that attacked had an outward appearance that was “exactly a Dwarf”.
Continuing on from the Dwarf was two melancholy-eyed, light armored Grasswalker Warriors.
Just like Sylvie, they possessed rabbit ears and tails and had faces and figures that were like children. Except, their eyes were sharp.
These two Grasswalkers had completely the same face. It wasn’t that they were similar because they were of the same race, they were the splitting image of each other as if they were mirroring each other. Could they be twins?
Armed with daggers, they gazed this way with their darkly dead eyes.
The one that destroyed the back wall and entered the room was a Pantherian Warrior that had hook claws equipped.
Having panther ears and tail, the Pantherians were a race that possessed flexible physiques. Excelling in nimbleness and physical strength, close combat was their strong point.
Diablo’s group was gathered on the bed that was at the center of the room.
Since it wasn’t a very spacious place, it looked like they were caught from the front and back.
——These guys, so they’re Adventurers!
Rem asked a question to Shera.
「Kuh……Did you not notice them!? Since it’s you, it feels like you could have perceived them before they rushed in.」
Before, Shera had easily discovered Elven elites that were lurking in the forest. She had also sensed the fight with the Demonic Being that was happening in the town.
Her perception ability was considerably high.
For that Shera to not notice them until they had attacked……Were the opponents superior to her? Or was there another reason?
She inflated her cheeks.
「There are so many people inside the town that I couldn’t tell!」
It seems that was the case.
There was a great number of people within the town. Perceiving only the ones that held malice towards them and were getting closer was probably much harder than discovering Elves in the forest.
In any case, they had no choice but to fight.
Though, if possible, it would be best if he could make them pull back by threatening them……
Diablo talked with a terrifying voice.
「You fools that have appeared before me……Does this mean you do not need your lives?」
The Grasswalker twins whispered together.
「He said “do we need our lives”, Nii-san」
「He did ask if “we need our lives”, little bro.」
「Should we answer him?」
「No, we won’t answer him. Our target isn’t the Demon.」
「Got it, Nii-san. ——There she is, it’s that Elf, isn’t it.」
「That’s right, it’s that Elf.」
While she hid her immodest appearance with a blanket, Shera stiffened her body.
「M, me!? But I don’t know any of you guys!?」
Rem was amazed, and breathed a sigh.
「……It was explained just now by Sylvie-san……They’re Adventurers……no……criminals whose objective is the bounty placed by the Greenwood Prince.」
Diablo grinded his teeth.
——How could this happen! 《The Staff of Tenma》 is deeper in the room!
In the MMORPG Cross Reverie, up until level 30, if one didn’t hold a staff-type weapon, Chemical Elemental magic couldn’t be used. Once one became higher than that, the magic could be used regardless of the equipment.
Since Diablo was level 150, he could use it without a problem, but it was easier to aim and control the power with the staff.
Moreover, 《The Staff of Tenma》 raised his INT and had the effect of shortening his casting.
Right now, what he had equipped was——《The Distorted Crown》 that possessed an Auto-HP Recovery effect and looked like curved horns of a devil and the super rare item, 《The Demon King’s Ring》 that had the effect of Magic Reflection.
The bad status preventing and instant death preventing mantle called 《The Curtain of Dark Clouds》 and the physical damage reducing and physical ability increasing black clothes called 《The Hollow of Jet Black》 weren’t on his body.
Although he was exhausted, this was a terrible situation.
However, he needed to protect Shera!
Rem tried to take out a crystal from the pocket of her hemp belt. By throwing that, she could use a Summoned Beast.
「……Come forth! 《Shadow——》」
「Whoa there!」
The Dwarf Warrior got in the way and swung his War Axe.
——He’s faster than I thought. Is this Warrior’s level around 20?
Diablo pulled Rem’s body towards himself.
「Kyah!?」
The enemy’s War Axe finished with a swing and a miss.
However, since Rem’s concentration was interrupted in the middle, the Summoned Beast wasn’t called out.
Rem looked up at Diablo.
「Th, thank you very much……」
「Don’t push yourself. Leave it to me.」
The Dwarf Warrior licked his lips.
「Magic sure is inconvenient, isn’t it? If ya get defeated before ya use it, then there’s no point to it!」
They were inside a small room.
They had already entered the distance for close combat.
They’d be able to deal with the Magician before the Magician would be able to do something, is probably what they thought.
Diablo thought about it.
——When compared to me, these guys’ movements are slow.
With Diablo’s AGI, by the time the Dwarf could make one move, he would have been able to fire magic three times.
However, if he used attack magic, the opponent might die.
He had the option of purposely missing the aim and attacking the floor or the wall, but they were too close.
Putting himself aside, damage might also befall Rem and the others.
Since a portion of the walls were collapsed, if any more was done to it, there was the possibility of the roof coming down.
——Can I win even if I’m bare handed?
He didn’t have much experience. If it were one against four, he might be able to win.
But, what if Shera was kidnapped as he was fighting? What if Rem was killed?
Come to think of it, where is Shera?
Earlier, before the door was kicked open, she should have jumped towards him.
That was as far as he could remember, but after he pulled Rem to himself to protect her, Shera’s figure suddenly vanished.
Suddenly, Sylvie’s voice resounded in the room.
「《Ivy Bind》!」
From underfoot of one of the attackers——From underfoot of the Dwarf Warrior, the light of magic power welled up. Thick ivy plants stretched out from the floor.
「Ahh!? What the hell is this!?」
The Dwarf raised a surprised voice.
However, it was too late.
The ivy quickly restrained the Dwarf.
Unnoticed, Sylvie had moved to a corner of the room. It was a place where both attacks from the Grasswalker twins and attacks from the Pantherian couldn’t reach.
Even though she should have been right beside him, that was an unexpected Hide Skill.
And then, as expected of the Adventurer’s Guild Master. She had thorough knowledge of fighting multiple people.
That magic gave the opponent a bad status called 《Bind》——It was something powerful that would seal action for a fixed period of time.
Diablo couldn’t use it.
《Ivy Bind》 was a support-type magic. It wasn’t possible to defeat an enemy just by only stopping the opponent. When fighting with a group, it’s effectiveness would be displayed, but there would be no meaning to it when acting alone.
With Diablo’s fire power, rather than using such a roundabout magic, the damage efficiency of firing attack magic was better.
——A situation where I would have to worry about being sure not to kill opponents that challenged me wasn’t in the game after all.
Sylvie sharply shouted.
「You guys! You’re not Faltra City’s Adventurers, are you! Where did you come from!?」
The attackers’ two Grasswalkers whispered to each other.
「That’s Faltra City’s Guildmaster, Nii-san.」
「It sure is the Guildmaster, little bro.」
「That’s unexpected, isn’t it.」
「Yeah, it’s unexpected.」
They had exactly the same voice and the same tone. Some weirdness could be felt.
The twins stared at each other.
「Should we keep going, Nii-san?」
「No, we’re at a disadvantage, little bro.」
「Well then, shall we resign?」
「We won’t resign yet.」
「Got it, Nii-san. In that case——」
One of the Grasswalkers pulled out something from the pouch that was on his waist.
——He’s planning on using an item!?
The small tube that he pulled out from his pouch released a radiance.
His field of vision was enveloped by a pure white light.
「ッ!」
Diablo groaned.
A distraction.
——So it was a Flash Gun!
Possible to manufacture with a Craft-type Skill, it was an item that, when used, gave the bad status of 《Blindness》 to targets within a fixed range.
Players with a Blindness status would receive a penalty to evasion, accuracy, and movement.
To cure it, either a bad status curing magic or item or a passage of time would be needed.
Although the Flash Gun’s effect time was short, its success rate was high.
For that reason, it was a popular item that many Adventurers would be indebted to at least once.
However, even without 《The Curtain of Dark Clouds》 equipped, since Diablo had a much stronger resistance than other Adventurers, it didn’t have much effect.
Within his narrowed field of vision, he saw the two Grasswalkers shouldering the restrained Dwarf.
《Ivy Bind》 sealed the target’s movements. Though, because of that, even in the game, it meant that the other party members could freely move about.
——So shouldering a restrained comrade is alright!?
In the game, there wasn’t a command like “shoulder comrade”.
Diablo was struck with surprise only for a moment.
While shouldering the Dwarf, the Grasswalkers escaped to the hallway with surprisingly fast movements.
The Pantherian also left to the outside from the hole of the destroyed wall.
——Should I leave Shera behind to chase after them?
Even if he were to catch them, what kind of information would he get from them? There probably wouldn’t be much meaning to it.
Moreover, Diablo didn’t have a method to make them powerless without killing them.
While he was being indecisive, the figures of the attackers could no longer be seen.
Diablo surveyed the room that had become quiet.
The door was broken. The hinges were disconnected and it had fallen inside.
The back stone wall that made the bed inserted in the center was collapsed together with the window. Even though it was the second floor, just how did they do it. This was a show of how Adventurer’s abilities were used for stupid things.
Stones that were originally the wall and things like quicklime and red clay that were the fillers had become fragments and grains and were scattered about the bed, making the room look like an abandoned building.
——It’s in a terrible state.
Letting the opponent escape was quite irritating.
However, he thought that the attackers’ judgement was praiseworthy.
Both Sylvie the Guildmaster being in the room and getting the bad status of Bind put on them were most likely unexpected for them.
Based on his experience from the game, falling into a predicament that wasn’t hypothesized had a high probability of being connected with the party’s annihilation. While hesitating over how to cope with it, the chance to escape would be lost.
Their judgement was quick. Even just that was worthy of praise.
Also, the choice was precise.
Maybe because they were wagering their actual lives, their switchover to withdrawal was quick and their tenacity towards avoiding annihilation was strong.
——This world’s “death” isn’t “decreasing experience points and restarting from a return point”, but “actual death” after all.
The more he thought about it, the harder it became to use powerful attack magic.
Even without listening to Shera’s request, even Diablo didn’t want to kill.
Though, it’s not like he wouldn’t kill an insect or intended on being a saint of nonresistance. There would probably be times where he would take life if there was hostility. To put it plainly, his own life was more important than another person’s life.
If it were to save someone that he knew, even abandoning some stranger is something that he would do.
However, he definitely thought that “letting someone die as a result of an unavoidable fight” and “simply killing” were different.
——At the very least, I want to put effort into going easy on people.
While he was thinking such things, it seemed that Rem and Shera were also recovering their sense of sight. In cases where it worked normally, the effect time of the Flash Gun was about ten seconds.
For Diablo, most of the distraction had no effect, and Sylvie also had a calm looking face.
Rem surveyed the room and breathed a sigh.
「……So they escaped……I’m sorry, I only got in the way, didn’t I.」
「What are you talking about? They just noticed that their inappropriate greed was changed to a fraction of what it was and ran away. If a fly were to die or disappear out from the window, there’s no need to fret over it, right?」
Although she was sorry for the trouble, Rem nodded.
After that, she turned her eyes towards Sylvie.
「……I am grateful that you helped us.」
「Well, since Diablo-san is around, I was thinking that I could just leave it all to him, you know? I just thought that if I didn’t do anything, they would have misunderstood and thought that was attacked.」
Shera also raised her voice.
「Thank you for protecting us! I’m also grateful!」
Sylvie puffed up her breastless chest with pride.
「Fufufu……Though I look like this, I am a Guildmaster after all. I have a lot of ways to make ruffians unable to move. Rather, you could say that’s my specialty.」
——I see, so she reached herself to bad status magic.
She was a so-called Support-type Magician.
In regards to the MMORPG Cross Reverie, although it’s useful in a Party Play, since they’d be hopeless in Solo play, it was fairly rare.
It was a Class more valuable than a Recovery-type Magician.
When seeing a strong opponent, Diablo would unconsciously think “if it were him, how would he fight against them” within his head.
Sylvie was a Grasswalker. By nature, she excelled in Hide Skills and AGI. She’d move so as not to be discovered, and could nimbly avoid them even if she were discovered. Just like that, although she had a cover of having a light defense, she would fire off bad status magic.
For Warrior-types, it was 《Bind》, but for Magician’s like Diablo, would their magic be sealed with 《Silent》?
Though, since Diablo had bad status prevention equipment, there wasn’t a problem for him.
Support-type magic made the user’s Player Skills come out in plain sight.
In exchange for being difficult to handle, when used by an excellent Player, they would become an exceedingly troublesome opponent.
Rather than being “Party Play Oriented”, Support Magicians were more like “Party Play Exclusive”.
If it were the game, they would have an impression of exclusively a riajuu with communication proficiency.
He couldn’t help but let his awareness that they were hard to deal with take precedence.
——This might be prejudice, but I’ve got an image in my head that guys whose forte is Support-type magic are “scheming even if they’re virtuous”.
There wouldn’t be a problem if it were one-on-one, but if they were to fight someday, Sylvie would need special attention. He decided to be careful so that such a situation wouldn’t happen.
As he was staring at Sylvie, she sweetly tilted her head.
「What is it?」
He was about to turn his eyes away from the surprise attack.
——No! A Demon King wouldn’t get embarrassed from just looking at something like a little girl’s (that’s what she looks like, but she’s probably an adult) cute behavior and turn his eyes away!
With a *Hmph*, Diablo threw his head back looking self-important.
「If you hadn’t extended your hand, they would have probably been annihilated from this world by my magic.」
「Ahaha……That sure is scary……Diablo-san, you controlled yourself really well. I think that your decision to not kill them was a good one, you know?」
「I didn’t do something like control myself. Since it looked like you were going to do something, I just watched.」
That was a lie.
He had lost sight of Sylvie’s appearance.
The difference surrounding Hide Skills with the game was huge.
In addition, having allies was something that he just couldn’t get accustomed to.
Sylvie shrugged her shoulders.
「Although it would have ended as legitimate self-defense even if you were to kill them……If you kill someone of the Races within the town using magic, I think that you would still receive an investigation. And during that time, you wouldn’t be able to protect Shera-chan. There wouldn’t be any meaning after that even if you were acquitted, right?」
「I have no intention of going along with something like investigations.」
「U–n, but the opponent would either be the local knights under the feudal lord’s direct control or the country knights under the king’s direct control. If you oppose them, you’d be a wanted man, you know? Let alone Faltra City, you’d lose your place in the whole Lifelia Kingdom. Leading a vagabond life where you can’t use Inns or stores, that might be fine for you, Diablo-san, but I’m sure it would be harsh from Rem-san and Shera-chan.」
He couldn’t deny that.
——I see. Even though it was like that, if I killed them, it would have been treated as a PK (Player Kill).
In the MMORPG Cross Reverie, there was a system called PK.
Whether it be in the field or in town, if one were to kill another Player (even if it were an operating miss), within the game, they would be pursued as a criminal.
Their name would be displayed in red, and if they were to enter a town, strong knights would appear and cut them down with a single attack. A bounty would be placed by the country and they would be in a position where they would be targeted by other Players, it would be just as if they had become a monster.
It seemed that even in this world, they would be treated similarly.
Diablo had handled personal battles, but he had never done a PK.
In Cross Reverie, a competition system called PvP——Player versus Player had been implemented.
Battles could be done in dungeons created in the Player’s peculiar space.
It would normally be one versus one, but if approval is given, there could also be situations where it was one versus six.
In any case, with a “match” upon agreement, the losing side would have money and goods snatched away and there was also no risk of death.
If one won, the result would spread and their experience points would drastically increase.
For now, he decided to put PvPs aside.
——Not using attack magic on the attackers might have actually been an amazingly fine play?
Knowing that he had cleared the ultimate choice at this point, his heartbeat quickened.
However, since a Demon King wouldn’t let his heart race, he continued his attitude as if it didn’t matter.
「Hmph……So that means that people like the guys from before will come attacking.」
「Probably. That’s why I proposed the idea of preparing a room for you at the Adventurer’s Guild but——Come to think of it, Diablo-san, weren’t you about to say something a while ago?」
That’s right.
Because of the attackers, his thoughts about that had completely stopped.
The foundation of a quest capture was first information.
And then, speaking of the one that was “the one most likely to have information, and possible to have a conversation with”, it was……
「Sylvie, after this, I’m going to have a talk with the feudal lord.」
「U–n……are you really?」
It seemed that she had anticipated what Diablo was going to demand.
If it were someone that had gotten a bit familiar with quests, it was probably a natural thought.
「Though, if you say that you aren’t going to guide me there, I’ll just have to go on my own.」
「Haa……Diablo-san, I was thinking that your wish was only natural……But there is something that bothers me a little……You, how should I put this, you don’t use things like words of respect, do you?」
Rather, I use words of respect towards the employees of convenience stores, you know?
There’s no way a Demon King could say something like that.
Especially now when he needed to make them think “they’d be more at a disadvantage if they were to fight against Diablo instead of having a war with the Greenwood Kingdom”.
There was probably no way he could politely talk with words of respect.
But, he would be troubled if he couldn’t hear some information.
It couldn’t be helped.
「Hmph……I was thinking that I would meet with him at a whim but……If you say that you are going to refuse, then, this will be interesting. I’ll go burn down his estate. I’m sure that the feudal lord’s eyes will pop out……Kukuku.」
「Waaa, hold it, hold it! I didn’t say that I refused, you know!? Ah~, jeez, even I don’t do very well with the feudal lord……I’ll lead you there. It’s because I do think that he’ll meet with you.」
Diablo was relieved in his mind.
At any rate, if he can meet with him, he should be able to get some information. After all, for a feudal lord, war is something he wouldn’t wish for.
Hiding such inner thoughts, Diablo large heartedly nodded.
「I shall allow it, you shall guide me there.」
Rem brushed off the dust that was on her clothes.
「……This should be obvious but I am going as well.」
「Ah, I’m going too!」
When Shera threw away the blanket, she openly had a figure that was naked for the most part.
Rem frowned.
「……Go change your clothes, stupid Shera.」
「Au!? N, not even I would go to the feudal lord’s estate with this kind of appearance, you know!?」
「……Let alone the estate, you’d be struck out if you went outside.」
Part 1
Lifelia Kingdom, Calendar Year 164——
The Races’ foremost line, stronghold town Faltra. In its western street, it was at the inn 《Relief, The Evening Store》.
It was a dreary room that only had one window that took in light on the stone piled wall and only one large bed.
The time was about to be noon.
Three people were sitting on the bed and one person that came to visit was standing at the doorway.
The man at the center of the bed was the Demon that had sinister horns growing from his head, 《The Demon King, Diablo》. On his left and right were young ladies that had 《Slavery Chokers》 placed on them.
One of the young ladies was the short Pantherian, Rem Galeu. The panther ears that were on her head, her hair that grew down to her waist, and the slender tail that stretched out from her bottom were all a fascinatingly elegant black color. Since normal Pantherians had a leopard print design, black was rare.[1]
Her slightly seeable thighs were tight and could be understood to be very well trained.
Although she had some childish looks left over, it was beautifully arranged, and her slanted eyes like that of a cat and her pursed mouth made one feel the strength of her determination.
The other young lady was the Elf, Shera L. Greenwood.
The Elves’ body characteristic was that their ears are long. And also, that they were beautiful enough to be the closests to the Divine Beings.
Shera’s hair was gold colored as if it were gold that had been melted and spread out like a rolling plain. Her eyes were a cerulean blue like the sky, and her skin was white and smooth like white porcelain.
Normally, she would be wearing emerald green clothing that would look like it would make it easy to be hidden in the forest, but……
Right now, she had an appearance that excessively had too little clothing.
In order to cheer Diablo up, it seems that she prepared a lascivious outfit. Rather than an outfit, it looked like she was only wrapped up by a cloth.
Normal Elves were slender and had figures that had meager curves, but Shera had a very large chest that gave her a sensual body. They looked like they would fall out at any moment from her little cloth.
And then, the person that was leaning her back against the door was Faltra’s Adventurer’s Guild’s Guildmaster——Sylvie.
She looked like a child that was still only about ten years old, but they didn’t know her real age. Being of a race called Grasswalker, even if they grow up, their outward appearance is still that of a child. Also, they had ears and tails like that of a rabbit.
Her garments were really similar to what Shera was wearing and only her breasts and the area around the waist was hidden. Since she had a slim built childish figure unlike Shera, she had an impression of an innocent physical beauty.
That Adventurer’s Guild Guildmaster opened her mouth.
「……A demand for the delivery of Shera L. Greenwood had been delivered to the feudal lord of Faltra City from the Elf Kingdom. There is still ten-something days until the settlement date, and if isn’t executed, they say that they won’t hesitate to start a war.」
Still expressing a smile, Sylvie declared something astonishing.
——Did she say “start a war”!?
There was something called the Greenwood Kingdom, which was the Elf race’s suzerain state. Shera was that country’s princess. Having various circumstances, it seems that she ran away. However, the Elves were trying to bring her back.
Even just a few days ago, they had fought with an elite unit of Elves that tried to bring Shera back. However, that time was just ten-something Elves and not on the scale of something like a war.
The Guildmaster breathed a sigh.
「Normally, we would have handed Shera-chan over, you know? We don’t want to have something like a war after all. But there’s one thing troubling us.」
Diablo silently listened.
He could pretty much predict what it was that she was trying to say.
Sylvie pointed his way.
「It’s you, Diablo-san……You probably won’t relinquish Shera-chan, will you?」
「Naturally.」
「So that means that Faltra City’s feudal lord, who was demanded to hand her over, will have to make a decision……Either defeat Diablo-san and snatch Shera-chan away, or not hand Shera-chan over and have a war with the Greenwood Kingdom.」
——So either defeat me, or, a war with the Elves!?
Not good……
Fighting with the feudal lord meant that the army would come out. A large number of people of the Races would attack him.
During the time he acted as a Demon King in the game, he experienced battles of one versus six.
He had also faced off against a countless number of monsters.
However, he was inexperienced in battles against 1,000 or 10,000 people. As one would expect, his MP probably wouldn’t last.
He somehow needed to make them believe that “if they were to challenge Diablo, they would lose”.
Of course, he also wanted to avoid something like a war between the Humans and the Elves, but he first needed to avoid the situation where he would be targeted.
It would be nice if he could skillfully negotiate with them but……
It’s impossible.
In truth, Diablo had no communication faculty. Since he couldn’t talk very well, he created his character with a Demon King role play and was misrepresenting himself.
If his former self came out, he could only say things like 「Ah–」 or 「Uh–」.
Although the Sylvie before him had an outward appearance that looked like a child, she was a Guildmaster that managed a great number of people and because the one that commissioned the aforementioned quest to her was the feudal lord of Faltra City, for him who couldn’t even squarely talk with a classmate, the burden was much too heavy.
As he thought, he had no choice but to do his Demon King role play.
Diablo opened his mouth.
「Kukuku……Very well……I was just thinking that I was getting tired of lying idle. If the opponent is going to be the nation’s armed forces, they aren’t lacking. I shall return the country to ash with my magic.」
He said it in a voice he made as low as he possibly could.
Sylvie waved her hands in front of her face that looked like she was panicking.
「Wait, wait! I was saying that that choice is impossible! To fight with you, Diablo-san, who repelled the Demonic Being military force all by yourself, that wouldn’t be any different from making enemies with a single country, and more importantly, it would be brutal.」
「Hmph……Narrowly escaped death.」
——That I did!
Although Diablo took a displeased attitude, he was relieved in his mind.
Sylvie put up her index finger.
「Here’s a quest from me and the troubled feudal lord. Prevent the war with the Greenwood Kingdom, ‘kay, Diablo-san!」
I refuse.
That’s what he wanted to say with all his might.
However, he naturally had no choice but to accept it. In order to protect Shera……
Shera, being the person in the middle of this whirlpool, timidly began to talk.
「L, listen……Diablo……I……I can……run away on my own again, you know?」
「What was that?」
Shera added one more thing as if she were flustered.
「I, I mean look! I went and ran away all on my own up until now……If I’m not around, then there’s no need for Faltra City’s feudal lord-san or you, Diablo, to hand me over, right?」
「Will you be able to run away from the Elven forces by yourself?」
「Ugh……That’s……I might get caught but……If I do, then it can’t be helped. I’ll be sad if I mess up but……it can’t be helped.」
He tightly gripped his fist.
He asked just to be sure.
「Do you truly feel that “it can’t be helped”?」
「That’s right! I mean, I absolutely don’t want something like a war! I don’t want to see people dying! That’s why……There’s nothing else that we can do!」
He understood what she wanted to say.
She wasn’t mistaken. If Shera were to run away by herself, the war between the Humans and the Elves would probably be avoided, and Diablo wouldn’t be targeted.
However, would she be able to get away?
It would be difficult.
In that case, should he protect Shera and fight with the Greenwood Kingdom? That would be reckless.
What’s the best thing to do?
If it was him before he came to this world, he would have refused without a worry. He might have said “it can’t be helped”. It’s because something like stopping a war all alone was absurd.
It was a choice with no correct answer.
The answer was already decided.
It’s because his current self was——the Demon King Diablo!
「Do not make light of me. A Demon King that would yield to something like a nation’s armed forces, there’s no such thing.」
Shera opened her eyes wide.
「Eh!? What are you going to do……!?」
「The other day, you acknowledged that you were “the Demon King’s property”, correct?」
「Y, yeah. I did say that.」
「If there is no lie in those words, then don’t selfishly say that you’ll “run away alone”. Do you doubt my strength?」
「There’s no way I would……But……I don’t want either Humans or Elves to die.」
「Hmph, I shall show no mercy to those that challenge me, but……I will at least give them warning. Just leave everything to me.」
It was the Demon King role play.
His promising without proper consideration was also excessive. A cold sweat went down along his spine and his mouth felt like it was going to twitch.
Shera was moved to tears.
「……Is it……alright for me……to be together with you, Diablo?」
「I won’t say it a second time.」
「Uwaahn! Thank you! The truth is! The truth is! I!」
While she was crying, she embraced him.
The considerable sensual feeling was……squeezing him.
He firmly endured the 「Uwah」 that he was about to unintentionally let out. A Demon King wouldn’t get flustered over something like being pressed with boobs!
Rem made a sigh.
「……To begin with, with the 《Slavery Choker》 attached, it may or may not have been possible for you to separate from Diablo and escape on your own.」
While wiping her tears, Shera asked.
「Hic……What do you mean?」
「……I have never heard of a case before where the 《Slavery Ceremony》 was reflected. Because of that, the exact details regarding the 《Slavery Chokers》 that were placed on us are unknown. However, if it were normal, the Summoned Beast wouldn’t be able to separate very far from the Summoner.」
「Is that how it is?」
「……Though, there are cases where……they’re ordered not to separate from them.」
「But, before, Rem, you stayed in town and we went to Fort Bridge Ulg, right?」
「……For a stupid Elf, you remembered that well. However, if you were to run away on your own, you’d have to go to another town or maybe even further, right? Now then……did you think of that as a possibility?」
「Don’t call me stupid! I didn’t think of it though!」
Rem sighed a second time.
「……Well, since Diablo said that he would protect you, I’m sure there’s no need to investigate it.」
The responsibility was really important.
Although Diablo had the guise of being imperturbable, in his mind, he was full of distress.
——What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?
Sylvie hit her hands together with a *Pon*.
「Well then, have you guys settled the conversation? But man, thank goodness. The truth is, the Greenwood Kingdom had placed a bounty on Shera-chan——Ah, the Adventurer’s Guild doesn’t make any crimes into quests, you know!? That kind of information was just flowing around. Though, because of that, you might be targeted by some misguided Adventurers……But if Diablo-san is going to protect her, then that give me a peace of mind!」
Diablo frowned.
「……The Greenwood King……Shera’s father did?」
「No, it seems the client was her older brother, Prince Kiira. They say that the one that brings her back will get one hundred million F. If a commoner were to get that much, they’d be able to live their life without working.」
「……What a lack of common sense.」
Rem muttered and Shera made a frightened facial expression. Diablo reflexively raised his voice.
「You’re telling me that he placed a bounty on his own younger sister? What a complete fool!」
Rage oozed from him.
Something similar to a black aura came out from Diablo’s whole body.
Rem and Shera, and even Sylvie raised surprised voices.
He felt like his MP was slightly decreasing.
——What’s going on?
Having heard the absurd story where an older brother placed a bounty on their own younger sister, at the moment his emotions got worked up, there was a sensation of his MP getting consumed.
Come to think of it, he felt that the power was stronger when he was firmly anxious about something than when he normally used magic.
There might be a connection between emotions and magic.
If I were to be holding 《The Staff of Tenma》 which raised my INT, how would it have turned out? I really don’t want magic being spontaneously discharged——is what Diablo thought.
By the way, due to him spending his time with a lethargic and lazy lifestyle, the precious 《Staff of Tenma》 was rolled in a corner of the room.
Diablo took a deep breath and calmed his emotions.
「Hmph……If there are Adventurers that have had their eyes dazzled by greed……I shall make them regret the fact that they challenged me.」
Sylvie made a wry smile.
「That’d be reckless. But, wouldn’t the Adventurers that come from other towns not know of Diablo-san’s strength? I don’t think anyone other than the people that actually saw you fight with the Demonic Beings would believe it, you know?」
「Don’t you people share information?」
With a huge topic like that, if it were in the game, information exchange sites would be really bustling. Pictures and videos would be put up, and specification conjectures and gag collages would probably be flying about.
Since this other world didn’t have the internet, he imagined that it would be at the level of barroom idle talk, but he didn’t expect that it wouldn’t have spread at all.
Sylvie explained.
「There are two reasons——First, Diablo-san, you’re a 《Chemical Element Magician》, aren’t you? As you know, in this Lifelia Kingdom, when you speak of Magicians, it’s about 《Summoners》. It’s because we think that Chemical Elemental magic is weak.」
In the game that he once played——In the 《MMORPG Cross Reverie》 that this world was really similar to, when one spoke of Magicians, it would be about Chemical Element Magicians.
The reason was simple. It was because they were the ones with the most power.
If skills were earned to extend to the Chemical Elemental magic, just one of the six attributes could make someone reach a passing mark as a “fixed turret”.
Compared to that, the game’s Summoner was a misfortunate job. Even if they did their best to summon something, the Summoned Beast would be weaker than a Warrior of the same level.
The specs would be of the same level but because there was the specification that “Summoned Beasts could only have one unique skill per beast”, the Warriors that possessed many 《Martial Arts》 held an overwhelming advantage.
The Summoned Beast’s advantage was, at most, that even if it were to be defeated, the practitioner wouldn’t get injured.
In regards to the MMORPG Cross Reverie, Summoner was a weak Class that was despised as “a romance occupation”, “a contemptible playstyle”, and “information illiterate”.
However, this world was different.
At the very least, in the Lifelia Kingdom, Chemical Element Magicians were weak and Summoners were strong.
He knew the reason.
It’s because, unlike the game where it was possible to revive even if one’s HP disappeared, in this world, “it’s over if you die”.
A majority of the Adventurers wouldn’t look to level up or pursue rare equipment, and were satisfied with enough strength just to live day to day. Without risking their lives, training themselves, or challenging formidable enemies, starting with a range where they wouldn’t die, they thought it would be fine if could just earn their living expenses.
The monsters were the same.
They wouldn’t recklessly attack like they did in the game. Possessing cowardice where they would only run away if they saw an opponent they were no match for, they valued their lives, and seemed to be that much weaker.
As a result——because the area was weak and not because Summoned Beasts were strong, Summoned Beasts were useful.
How the practitioner would be safe was also a huge advantage.
For the Adventurers of this world that have values like this, even if they were told “there was a strong Chemical Elemental Magician”, it would probably be natural that they wouldn’t believe it.
They’d laugh it off as a joke. Or at most, they would only think of it was “he seems to be strong for a Chemical Elemental Magician”.
With the Class that he had poured many hours and much zeal into being treated with scorn by the people around him, as a gamer, he felt vexation.
However, apart from his emotions, he needed to consent to it. In this world, Chemical Element Magicians were thought of as weak.
「Hmph……To think that I would be deemed as the same rank as those other Chemical Element Magicians……」
「It can’t be helped. It’s because Diablo-san’s strength is unimaginable. And then, about the other reason——I’m forbidden to speak of it.」
「Hou?」
「I also thought that it would be something unnecessary, but you guys, it seems like you have various circumstances going on, don’t you? That’s why I thought that it would be better if you didn’t stand out too much. Though, I don’t know much of the details.」
——Was it really just a guess, or was there information and she’s just hiding it?
At the very least, she seemed to know about Shera’s lineage. Although Shera said that she was hiding it, since she let it slip to other people, that was fine but……
In regards to Rem’s situation, he was worried about whether she knew about it or not.
「You, you say that you don’t know the details, but……just how much do you know?」
「Ahaha……Just at the level of “it seems like you have some kind of circumstance going on” is all, you know? Though, Shera-chan being the Greenwood Kingdom’s Princess is something that’s been a topic ever since she came to town. Since Rem-san puts some distance between herself and other people, she probably has something going……Well, even though I look like this, I’ve seen a lot of people after all.」
When she said stuff like this, even though she had the outward appearance of a child, it felt like Sylvie was older than Diablo.
——She is the Adventurer’s Guild Guildmaster after all.
She probably accumulated a proportionate amount of experience.
At Diablo’s side, Rem raised her head.
「……I’m grateful for your concern.」
「It’s fine, if there’s something that you need help with, just say so. It’s because I think of all of Faltra City’s Adventurers as comrades.」
「……Thank you very much.」
It was a masterpiece of a communication ability.
Sylvie made a proposal.
「With that being the case, since I’m not prying into your circumstances, won’t you come to my place? There are rooms for you to stay at for times like this at the Adventurer’s Guild. I think it’ll be safer than this place. Though, if you asked, I think the feudal lord would also prepare you a room at his mansion, but I think you’d feel more comfortable at my place.」
It was an attractive idea.
However, was it really alright to go along with it so easily?
It felt like they could trust Sylvie’s character.
Really?
For Diablo, he couldn’t make the decision.
He felt that it was inexcusable for him to be suspicious of her good will but……
Diablo had a communication disorder. If he could obediently get along with someone just by being told “Let’s get along”, he wouldn’t have had an eternity playing solo.
He was bad at shortening the distance with other people.
Trusting them, feeling like he got along with them, but not having a close enough relationship as he thought, he’d get betrayed.
If he was going to worry about the sense of distance, then it would be easier to not get closer to them from the beginning.
He should just avoid the war with his own effort. He didn’t know how but he should search for the solution from now on.
Right now, it was a situation where it was before the war.
It still hadn’t developed into a situation where the quest was “to hold back the incoming army”. He needed to prevent that worst case scenario.
Just what should he do?
——I guess collecting information comes first.
The foundation of a quest capture was information gathering.
This world wasn’t the game, but just like the game, he could do nothing but do the approach himself.
Diablo opened his mouth to make a certain demand.
「I do not like being indebted to other people. More importantly——」
A sudden thunderous roar interrupted Diablo’s words.
Translator’s Notes:
[1] Pantherian was my liberal translation of the race. Original is 豹人族 (hyoujinzoku) with no other way of reading it. The character 豹 can be read as leopard or panther.
Part 2
The stone wall behind them collapsed.
The inn’s wall was something made by piling up large and small stones and filling the gaps with something like lime. It wasn’t that brittle, but it didn’t have a sturdiness like that of a castle wall.
If it was magic or a large type of weapon, it was probably possible to destroy it.
——It was destroyed? By who?
Sylvie jumped back from in front of the door. She shouted.
「ッ!? They’re coming from the door too!」
She landed beside the bed that Diablo was on.
Immediately following that, the room’s door was kicked open.
As Diablo tried to grasp the situation, he ran his eyes around the surroundings.
What came into the room was four armed Adventurers.
Three of them came in from the hallway.
One of them was a Dwarf Warrior equipped with a War Axe.
The characteristics of the men of the Dwarf race were burly muscles, beards that could conceal their mouths and necks, and a short and stout figure. They’re slow-footed and magic is their weak point, but they’re tenacious and excel in physical strength. They possess the natural talent for the Warrior type.
The one that attacked had an outward appearance that was “exactly a Dwarf”.
Continuing on from the Dwarf was two melancholy-eyed, light armored Grasswalker Warriors.
Just like Sylvie, they possessed rabbit ears and tails and had faces and figures that were like children. Except, their eyes were sharp.
These two Grasswalkers had completely the same face. It wasn’t that they were similar because they were of the same race, they were the splitting image of each other as if they were mirroring each other. Could they be twins?
Armed with daggers, they gazed this way with their darkly dead eyes.
The one that destroyed the back wall and entered the room was a Pantherian Warrior that had hook claws equipped.
Having panther ears and tail, the Pantherians were a race that possessed flexible physiques. Excelling in nimbleness and physical strength, close combat was their strong point.
Diablo’s group was gathered on the bed that was at the center of the room.
Since it wasn’t a very spacious place, it looked like they were caught from the front and back.
——These guys, so they’re Adventurers!
Rem asked a question to Shera.
「Kuh……Did you not notice them!? Since it’s you, it feels like you could have perceived them before they rushed in.」
Before, Shera had easily discovered Elven elites that were lurking in the forest. She had also sensed the fight with the Demonic Being that was happening in the town.
Her perception ability was considerably high.
For that Shera to not notice them until they had attacked……Were the opponents superior to her? Or was there another reason?
She inflated her cheeks.
「There are so many people inside the town that I couldn’t tell!」
It seems that was the case.
There was a great number of people within the town. Perceiving only the ones that held malice towards them and were getting closer was probably much harder than discovering Elves in the forest.
In any case, they had no choice but to fight.
Though, if possible, it would be best if he could make them pull back by threatening them……
Diablo talked with a terrifying voice.
「You fools that have appeared before me……Does this mean you do not need your lives?」
The Grasswalker twins whispered together.
「He said “do we need our lives”, Nii-san」
「He did ask if “we need our lives”, little bro.」
「Should we answer him?」
「No, we won’t answer him. Our target isn’t the Demon.」
「Got it, Nii-san. ——There she is, it’s that Elf, isn’t it.」
「That’s right, it’s that Elf.」
While she hid her immodest appearance with a blanket, Shera stiffened her body.
「M, me!? But I don’t know any of you guys!?」
Rem was amazed, and breathed a sigh.
「……It was explained just now by Sylvie-san……They’re Adventurers……no……criminals whose objective is the bounty placed by the Greenwood Prince.」
Diablo grinded his teeth.
——How could this happen! 《The Staff of Tenma》 is deeper in the room!
In the MMORPG Cross Reverie, up until level 30, if one didn’t hold a staff-type weapon, Chemical Elemental magic couldn’t be used. Once one became higher than that, the magic could be used regardless of the equipment.
Since Diablo was level 150, he could use it without a problem, but it was easier to aim and control the power with the staff.
Moreover, 《The Staff of Tenma》 raised his INT and had the effect of shortening his casting.
Right now, what he had equipped was——《The Distorted Crown》 that possessed an Auto-HP Recovery effect and looked like curved horns of a devil and the super rare item, 《The Demon King’s Ring》 that had the effect of Magic Reflection.
The bad status preventing and instant death preventing mantle called 《The Curtain of Dark Clouds》 and the physical damage reducing and physical ability increasing black clothes called 《The Hollow of Jet Black》 weren’t on his body.
Although he was exhausted, this was a terrible situation.
However, he needed to protect Shera!
Rem tried to take out a crystal from the pocket of her hemp belt. By throwing that, she could use a Summoned Beast.
「……Come forth! 《Shadow——》」
「Whoa there!」
The Dwarf Warrior got in the way and swung his War Axe.
——He’s faster than I thought. Is this Warrior’s level around 20?
Diablo pulled Rem’s body towards himself.
「Kyah!?」
The enemy’s War Axe finished with a swing and a miss.
However, since Rem’s concentration was interrupted in the middle, the Summoned Beast wasn’t called out.
Rem looked up at Diablo.
「Th, thank you very much……」
「Don’t push yourself. Leave it to me.」
The Dwarf Warrior licked his lips.
「Magic sure is inconvenient, isn’t it? If ya get defeated before ya use it, then there’s no point to it!」
They were inside a small room.
They had already entered the distance for close combat.
They’d be able to deal with the Magician before the Magician would be able to do something, is probably what they thought.
Diablo thought about it.
——When compared to me, these guys’ movements are slow.
With Diablo’s AGI, by the time the Dwarf could make one move, he would have been able to fire magic three times.
However, if he used attack magic, the opponent might die.
He had the option of purposely missing the aim and attacking the floor or the wall, but they were too close.
Putting himself aside, damage might also befall Rem and the others.
Since a portion of the walls were collapsed, if any more was done to it, there was the possibility of the roof coming down.
——Can I win even if I’m bare handed?
He didn’t have much experience. If it were one against four, he might be able to win.
But, what if Shera was kidnapped as he was fighting? What if Rem was killed?
Come to think of it, where is Shera?
Earlier, before the door was kicked open, she should have jumped towards him.
That was as far as he could remember, but after he pulled Rem to himself to protect her, Shera’s figure suddenly vanished.
Suddenly, Sylvie’s voice resounded in the room.
「《Ivy Bind》!」
From underfoot of one of the attackers——From underfoot of the Dwarf Warrior, the light of magic power welled up. Thick ivy plants stretched out from the floor.
「Ahh!? What the hell is this!?」
The Dwarf raised a surprised voice.
However, it was too late.
The ivy quickly restrained the Dwarf.
Unnoticed, Sylvie had moved to a corner of the room. It was a place where both attacks from the Grasswalker twins and attacks from the Pantherian couldn’t reach.
Even though she should have been right beside him, that was an unexpected Hide Skill.
And then, as expected of the Adventurer’s Guild Master. She had thorough knowledge of fighting multiple people.
That magic gave the opponent a bad status called 《Bind》——It was something powerful that would seal action for a fixed period of time.
Diablo couldn’t use it.
《Ivy Bind》 was a support-type magic. It wasn’t possible to defeat an enemy just by only stopping the opponent. When fighting with a group, it’s effectiveness would be displayed, but there would be no meaning to it when acting alone.
With Diablo’s fire power, rather than using such a roundabout magic, the damage efficiency of firing attack magic was better.
——A situation where I would have to worry about being sure not to kill opponents that challenged me wasn’t in the game after all.
Sylvie sharply shouted.
「You guys! You’re not Faltra City’s Adventurers, are you! Where did you come from!?」
The attackers’ two Grasswalkers whispered to each other.
「That’s Faltra City’s Guildmaster, Nii-san.」
「It sure is the Guildmaster, little bro.」
「That’s unexpected, isn’t it.」
「Yeah, it’s unexpected.」
They had exactly the same voice and the same tone. Some weirdness could be felt.
The twins stared at each other.
「Should we keep going, Nii-san?」
「No, we’re at a disadvantage, little bro.」
「Well then, shall we resign?」
「We won’t resign yet.」
「Got it, Nii-san. In that case——」
One of the Grasswalkers pulled out something from the pouch that was on his waist.
——He’s planning on using an item!?
The small tube that he pulled out from his pouch released a radiance.
His field of vision was enveloped by a pure white light.
「ッ!」
Diablo groaned.
A distraction.
——So it was a Flash Gun!
Possible to manufacture with a Craft-type Skill, it was an item that, when used, gave the bad status of 《Blindness》 to targets within a fixed range.
Players with a Blindness status would receive a penalty to evasion, accuracy, and movement.
To cure it, either a bad status curing magic or item or a passage of time would be needed.
Although the Flash Gun’s effect time was short, its success rate was high.
For that reason, it was a popular item that many Adventurers would be indebted to at least once.
However, even without 《The Curtain of Dark Clouds》 equipped, since Diablo had a much stronger resistance than other Adventurers, it didn’t have much effect.
Within his narrowed field of vision, he saw the two Grasswalkers shouldering the restrained Dwarf.
《Ivy Bind》 sealed the target’s movements. Though, because of that, even in the game, it meant that the other party members could freely move about.
——So shouldering a restrained comrade is alright!?
In the game, there wasn’t a command like “shoulder comrade”.
Diablo was struck with surprise only for a moment.
While shouldering the Dwarf, the Grasswalkers escaped to the hallway with surprisingly fast movements.
The Pantherian also left to the outside from the hole of the destroyed wall.
——Should I leave Shera behind to chase after them?
Even if he were to catch them, what kind of information would he get from them? There probably wouldn’t be much meaning to it.
Moreover, Diablo didn’t have a method to make them powerless without killing them.
While he was being indecisive, the figures of the attackers could no longer be seen.
Diablo surveyed the room that had become quiet.
The door was broken. The hinges were disconnected and it had fallen inside.
The back stone wall that made the bed inserted in the center was collapsed together with the window. Even though it was the second floor, just how did they do it. This was a show of how Adventurer’s abilities were used for stupid things.
Stones that were originally the wall and things like quicklime and red clay that were the fillers had become fragments and grains and were scattered about the bed, making the room look like an abandoned building.
——It’s in a terrible state.
Letting the opponent escape was quite irritating.
However, he thought that the attackers’ judgement was praiseworthy.
Both Sylvie the Guildmaster being in the room and getting the bad status of Bind put on them were most likely unexpected for them.
Based on his experience from the game, falling into a predicament that wasn’t hypothesized had a high probability of being connected with the party’s annihilation. While hesitating over how to cope with it, the chance to escape would be lost.
Their judgement was quick. Even just that was worthy of praise.
Also, the choice was precise.
Maybe because they were wagering their actual lives, their switchover to withdrawal was quick and their tenacity towards avoiding annihilation was strong.
——This world’s “death” isn’t “decreasing experience points and restarting from a return point”, but “actual death” after all.
The more he thought about it, the harder it became to use powerful attack magic.
Even without listening to Shera’s request, even Diablo didn’t want to kill.
Though, it’s not like he wouldn’t kill an insect or intended on being a saint of nonresistance. There would probably be times where he would take life if there was hostility. To put it plainly, his own life was more important than another person’s life.
If it were to save someone that he knew, even abandoning some stranger is something that he would do.
However, he definitely thought that “letting someone die as a result of an unavoidable fight” and “simply killing” were different.
——At the very least, I want to put effort into going easy on people.
While he was thinking such things, it seemed that Rem and Shera were also recovering their sense of sight. In cases where it worked normally, the effect time of the Flash Gun was about ten seconds.
For Diablo, most of the distraction had no effect, and Sylvie also had a calm looking face.
Rem surveyed the room and breathed a sigh.
「……So they escaped……I’m sorry, I only got in the way, didn’t I.」
「What are you talking about? They just noticed that their inappropriate greed was changed to a fraction of what it was and ran away. If a fly were to die or disappear out from the window, there’s no need to fret over it, right?」
Although she was sorry for the trouble, Rem nodded.
After that, she turned her eyes towards Sylvie.
「……I am grateful that you helped us.」
「Well, since Diablo-san is around, I was thinking that I could just leave it all to him, you know? I just thought that if I didn’t do anything, they would have misunderstood and thought that was attacked.」
Shera also raised her voice.
「Thank you for protecting us! I’m also grateful!」
Sylvie puffed up her breastless chest with pride.
「Fufufu……Though I look like this, I am a Guildmaster after all. I have a lot of ways to make ruffians unable to move. Rather, you could say that’s my specialty.」
——I see, so she reached herself to bad status magic.
She was a so-called Support-type Magician.
In regards to the MMORPG Cross Reverie, although it’s useful in a Party Play, since they’d be hopeless in Solo play, it was fairly rare.
It was a Class more valuable than a Recovery-type Magician.
When seeing a strong opponent, Diablo would unconsciously think “if it were him, how would he fight against them” within his head.
Sylvie was a Grasswalker. By nature, she excelled in Hide Skills and AGI. She’d move so as not to be discovered, and could nimbly avoid them even if she were discovered. Just like that, although she had a cover of having a light defense, she would fire off bad status magic.
For Warrior-types, it was 《Bind》, but for Magician’s like Diablo, would their magic be sealed with 《Silent》?
Though, since Diablo had bad status prevention equipment, there wasn’t a problem for him.
Support-type magic made the user’s Player Skills come out in plain sight.
In exchange for being difficult to handle, when used by an excellent Player, they would become an exceedingly troublesome opponent.
Rather than being “Party Play Oriented”, Support Magicians were more like “Party Play Exclusive”.
If it were the game, they would have an impression of exclusively a riajuu with communication proficiency.
He couldn’t help but let his awareness that they were hard to deal with take precedence.
——This might be prejudice, but I’ve got an image in my head that guys whose forte is Support-type magic are “scheming even if they’re virtuous”.
There wouldn’t be a problem if it were one-on-one, but if they were to fight someday, Sylvie would need special attention. He decided to be careful so that such a situation wouldn’t happen.
As he was staring at Sylvie, she sweetly tilted her head.
「What is it?」
He was about to turn his eyes away from the surprise attack.
——No! A Demon King wouldn’t get embarrassed from just looking at something like a little girl’s (that’s what she looks like, but she’s probably an adult) cute behavior and turn his eyes away!
With a *Hmph*, Diablo threw his head back looking self-important.
「If you hadn’t extended your hand, they would have probably been annihilated from this world by my magic.」
「Ahaha……That sure is scary……Diablo-san, you controlled yourself really well. I think that your decision to not kill them was a good one, you know?」
「I didn’t do something like control myself. Since it looked like you were going to do something, I just watched.」
That was a lie.
He had lost sight of Sylvie’s appearance.
The difference surrounding Hide Skills with the game was huge.
In addition, having allies was something that he just couldn’t get accustomed to.
Sylvie shrugged her shoulders.
「Although it would have ended as legitimate self-defense even if you were to kill them……If you kill someone of the Races within the town using magic, I think that you would still receive an investigation. And during that time, you wouldn’t be able to protect Shera-chan. There wouldn’t be any meaning after that even if you were acquitted, right?」
「I have no intention of going along with something like investigations.」
「U–n, but the opponent would either be the local knights under the feudal lord’s direct control or the country knights under the king’s direct control. If you oppose them, you’d be a wanted man, you know? Let alone Faltra City, you’d lose your place in the whole Lifelia Kingdom. Leading a vagabond life where you can’t use Inns or stores, that might be fine for you, Diablo-san, but I’m sure it would be harsh from Rem-san and Shera-chan.」
He couldn’t deny that.
——I see. Even though it was like that, if I killed them, it would have been treated as a PK (Player Kill).
In the MMORPG Cross Reverie, there was a system called PK.
Whether it be in the field or in town, if one were to kill another Player (even if it were an operating miss), within the game, they would be pursued as a criminal.
Their name would be displayed in red, and if they were to enter a town, strong knights would appear and cut them down with a single attack. A bounty would be placed by the country and they would be in a position where they would be targeted by other Players, it would be just as if they had become a monster.
It seemed that even in this world, they would be treated similarly.
Diablo had handled personal battles, but he had never done a PK.
In Cross Reverie, a competition system called PvP——Player versus Player had been implemented.
Battles could be done in dungeons created in the Player’s peculiar space.
It would normally be one versus one, but if approval is given, there could also be situations where it was one versus six.
In any case, with a “match” upon agreement, the losing side would have money and goods snatched away and there was also no risk of death.
If one won, the result would spread and their experience points would drastically increase.
For now, he decided to put PvPs aside.
——Not using attack magic on the attackers might have actually been an amazingly fine play?
Knowing that he had cleared the ultimate choice at this point, his heartbeat quickened.
However, since a Demon King wouldn’t let his heart race, he continued his attitude as if it didn’t matter.
「Hmph……So that means that people like the guys from before will come attacking.」
「Probably. That’s why I proposed the idea of preparing a room for you at the Adventurer’s Guild but——Come to think of it, Diablo-san, weren’t you about to say something a while ago?」
That’s right.
Because of the attackers, his thoughts about that had completely stopped.
The foundation of a quest capture was first information.
And then, speaking of the one that was “the one most likely to have information, and possible to have a conversation with”, it was……
「Sylvie, after this, I’m going to have a talk with the feudal lord.」
「U–n……are you really?」
It seemed that she had anticipated what Diablo was going to demand.
If it were someone that had gotten a bit familiar with quests, it was probably a natural thought.
「Though, if you say that you aren’t going to guide me there, I’ll just have to go on my own.」
「Haa……Diablo-san, I was thinking that your wish was only natural……But there is something that bothers me a little……You, how should I put this, you don’t use things like words of respect, do you?」
Rather, I use words of respect towards the employees of convenience stores, you know?
There’s no way a Demon King could say something like that.
Especially now when he needed to make them think “they’d be more at a disadvantage if they were to fight against Diablo instead of having a war with the Greenwood Kingdom”.
There was probably no way he could politely talk with words of respect.
But, he would be troubled if he couldn’t hear some information.
It couldn’t be helped.
「Hmph……I was thinking that I would meet with him at a whim but……If you say that you are going to refuse, then, this will be interesting. I’ll go burn down his estate. I’m sure that the feudal lord’s eyes will pop out……Kukuku.」
「Waaa, hold it, hold it! I didn’t say that I refused, you know!? Ah~, jeez, even I don’t do very well with the feudal lord……I’ll lead you there. It’s because I do think that he’ll meet with you.」
Diablo was relieved in his mind.
At any rate, if he can meet with him, he should be able to get some information. After all, for a feudal lord, war is something he wouldn’t wish for.
Hiding such inner thoughts, Diablo large heartedly nodded.
「I shall allow it, you shall guide me there.」
Rem brushed off the dust that was on her clothes.
「……This should be obvious but I am going as well.」
「Ah, I’m going too!」
When Shera threw away the blanket, she openly had a figure that was naked for the most part.
Rem frowned.
「……Go change your clothes, stupid Shera.」
「Au!? N, not even I would go to the feudal lord’s estate with this kind of appearance, you know!?」
「……Let alone the estate, you’d be struck out if you went outside.」
