Chapter 72: Company retreat, part 3
[previous_page]
[next_page]
Translator: Denryuu; Editor: Ryunakama
I related everything to the clueless King Randolph.
「Hmm… in short, the use of a dangerous drug known as ‘Second’ has been becoming increasingly popular in the port-town under this Lord Kuusela?」, he asked as he looked at the man behind everything.
The baron, who was on his knees with his head hung low, hastily spun a web of inconsistent drivel which the king immediately dismissed.
「Elvi’s letter mentioned that this entire region has been affected, including the Heavenly Kingdom of Reubens.」
「I see. Knowing that a large river flows through Reubens, did you predict that goods could be transported to Côte de Carre by sea?」
「The fact that I had been there was mere coincidence.」
Nobody could have predicted that a sudden windfall would allow us to visit the nearest port-town, of course. However, asking Dee to gather information for me had been the right choice.
「Recreational drugs have long since been prohibited in my kingdom, including their manufacture, distribution and use. Offenders are subject to severe punishment. Lord Kuusela, I’m afraid I have to make an example of you to show others just how serious this matter is. No mitigating factors will be taken into consideration.」
King Randolph then announced that the baron would be stripped of not only his title, but his fiefdom and wealth as well.
「You have committed a grave sin by propagating the use of such a drug for your personal benefit. In addition, Côte de Carre is a center of commerce — your actions can and do have international implications. You can mull over it in prison.」
As he called for his attendants to take the baron away, I told him to hold it.
「There’s still a missing piece of the puzzle. It was undoubtedly him who propagated the use of that drug, but we still don’t know who actually created it. Whoever he is, all I know so far is that he’s a demon.」
The king creased his forehead at the word.
「A demon…?」
「Yes. I found signs of a ‘Gate’, which is a mobility spell not used by humans. So, was it him who created ‘Second’? Or perhaps someone above him? Spit it out」, I ordered as I looked at the baron.
Colour draining from his face, all Lord Kuusela could do was mutter ‘He’ll kill me…’ over and over again.
◆Lyla◆
Three hours before Lord Kuusela’s arrest —
The two girls were at a bustling marketplace so Lyla could choose a swimsuit.
「Wait, what’s a swimsuit?」
「Were you going to buy one without knowing what it is…? You can’t swim properly in normal clothes, right? Therefore, a swimsuit allows you to swim comfortably — it’s made to get wet, I guess?」
Lyla tilted her head to one side.
「Can’t you just go naked?」
「What tribe do you belong to…? Of course you can’t. That’s just indecent! How will you walk along the beach like that?」
「If you undress in the water, nobody can see, right?」
With a serious gaze, Milia grabbed Lyla by her shoulders.
「That’s not how it works… that’s not how it works at all!」
「Y-Your eyes are scary…」
「Maidens like us… we like wearing cute things…!」
「Oh, really…?」
Despite not having fully understood, she just nodded and went along with Milia’s explanation.
「Think of it like a decoration — we wear cute things so we can be seen by the boys we like…! That’s what maidens like us do…!」
「Is that so…?」
Her understanding still fuzzy, Lyla simply nodded in response to Milia’s passionate exhortation.
「Look, this one’s cute too～」, exclaimed Milia, her gaze quickly darting to a swimsuit hung near the front of the shop. 「I think Warawa-san can look good in anything…」
She scanned Lyla’s body from her feet to her chest twice.
「Fufu, exactly. Nothing looks bad on me!」
「I’m jealous…」
Spoilt for choice, Milia stepped into the store and immediately started looking at the colourful assortment of swimsuits lined up inside.
It was then that Lyla thought she saw a familiar face among the crowd and turned around. She recognised the short, red hair and the veins of his neck.
「Isn’t that…」
Leaving Milia by herself, she weaved through the crowd and followed the figure whose back she thought she knew. Hopefully I was mistaken, she thought.
If he had been living a boring, inconspicuous life here, she wanted to help him return to the demon realm. He should have had no problem returning on his own, leading her to think that he couldn’t do so for one reason or another.
Each step taken after him was fueled by her concern for her subordinates and her guilt for having lost the war.
「H-Hold up!」
She couldn’t get close to him due to the watertight crowd. Even as she shouted for him, he gave no indication that he had heard her. She couldn’t afford to lose him — all she could do for now was keep her eyes on him and hurriedly give chase.
The man soon reached a quieter part of town decorated with what looked like large warehouses erected in a line. Since few people were around, she reckoned that he could hear her if she shouted, but decided to get a good look at his face first.
「Linus… could it be…?」
He unlocked a small door and entered one of the warehouses. Lyla finally caught a glimpse of his face from the side. It was him, no doubt about it. Despite supposedly having fallen in battle, here he was, alive and well. Forcefully fighting back tears, she tried clearing her throat and calling after him.
「…Linus!」
To her dismay, he had already locked the door. Wondering what he was up to, she peeped through a conveniently placed window and saw multiple sandbags piled on top of each other.
「What are those…? Wait, where’s Linus?」
While her attention was diverted, a shadow snuck up behind her, grabbing her shoulders.
「Lylael-sama!」
「W-Who… oh, it’s you, Dee. What are you doing here?」, asked Lyla, placing one hand on her chest in relief.
「Roland-sama asked me to look for you, Lylael-sama. Shall we go?」
「Listen, Dee. I found Linus. Linus is alive, and he’s inside here somewhere.」
「You mean Prince Linus…?」
Dee’s pretty face darkened.
「If Lylael-sama says so, then it must be him…」, she said as she looked through the window as Lyla did.
「Eh, those bags… ara-ara, that’s not good. I’ll have to let Roland-sama know about this. I doubt I can take him head on, even after the sun has set…」
「Hm? Do you know what those are, Dee?」
「Yeah. Listen closely, Lylael-sama. Those are –」
Hearing footsteps, the two of them turned around to find a red-haired man bathed in the golden rays of the setting sun.
「I knew someone was following me… if it isn’t Sister and Candice. It’s really been a while, but shouldn’t you be dead, Sister? No, I feel nothing more than an iota of magicka from you… are you really her?」
「I’m glad you’re alive, Linus! I’m alive and well, although my magicka is all but gone. It’s a long story.」
Dee stood in front of Lyla to protect her.
「Your Highness… what are you doing here…?」
「Why do you care? Get lost.」
「…」
Feeling the immense pressure, Dee swallowed hard. While Roland’s killing intent was like a flash of lightning, Linus’s was more like a thick fog that just wouldn’t lift.
「Come on, Linus, you should return to the demon realm. Rodje comes here once in a while, so you can follow her back the next time.」
「Who’s returning where now? Don’t order me around. I like this place. I don’t have to be constantly compared to a genius, for one. I can be myself. The food is also as delectable as the women here.」
Before Lyla could respond, Dee grabbed her wrist, shaking her head.
「…Let’s go, Lylael-sama.」
「B-But…」
Dee cut her short before she could say anything else, tugging at her in a cold sweat. They managed one step, then two, but Linus spoke out again before they got any further.
「Oi, Candice. You look like you know something.」
「No, nothing… I know nothing at all…」
Superior to even a division commander, Linus Diakitep was formerly a corps commander in the Demon King’s army. He was also Lyla’s younger brother. While in no way superior to a ‘genius’, he was still far stronger than someone like Dee.
Lyla’s eyes indicated that she wished for him to explain everything.
「…Sister, no… the Demon King is dead.」
「Linus? I’m alive.」
「A Demon King without magicka? How can that be? There is an impostor in front of me… a doppelganger sullying Sister’s name. A phoney who must be disposed of.」
Lyla couldn’t make head nor tail of his rambling, but as she was trying to collect her thoughts, Dee tapped her on the shoulder.
「Come on, Lylael-sama, we have to escape. Everyone knows that he never liked you. He won’t hesitate to kill you even in this helpless state.」
She summoned her trusty blood-sucking spear and gripped it tightly.
「Hm. If you wish to spar, then spar we shall. It’s really been a while –!」
Flashing a smile filled with bloodlust, Linus concentrated his magicka into both hands. He was beginning an advanced spell known as ‘Magic Regus’.
Dee’s permanent smile vanished.
「Stop! This could all be a misunderstanding!」
「Prince Linus has been propagating the use of an extremely toxic and addictive drug among the humans. Roland-sama personally requested me to find this out for him!」
「What…? A toxic drug? Is that true, Linus?」
「I’m not obliged to answer that.」
As soon as Linus made his move, Dee willed her spear in a forward thrust. It was all over too soon, however, for within a split second, Linus’s left arm had already pierced her chest.
「Guh-hack…」
「Hmph. Weakling.」
He kicked Dee into the air, freeing his wrist. The spear clattered to the ground and disintegrated, while Dee herself fell and rolled over and over again, coughing up blood along the way.
A wound like that — right through the chest — was fatal, even for a vampire. That was Lyla’s first clear thought. Watching from the sidelines, she had never felt more powerless. Although she knew that calling out to her was useless, she shouted anyway.
「Dee –? Oi… Dee!」
As she caressed Dee’s convulsing body, she received no response whatsoever. Looking down at the pitiful sight, Linus spoke again.
「Moreso than plain affinity, perhaps fate has brought us together. I’ve always hated you, Sister. Genius? The strongest Demon King in history? I don’t know what happened in between, but all I see is an invalid before me! An infidel! Never appear in front of me again…!」
Countless years of hatred and inferiority had culminated in this moment. His face contorted with glee, he raised his bloodied left fist and prepared to snuff Lyla out from existence.
However, while he was focusing on his fist, a shadow appeared beside him — the shadow that Lyla had been hoping against hope would come to her rescue. Even though that was all she could do, the shadow had come, and she knew who it belonged to.
Roland had arrived.
With a loud crunch, his fist connected with Linus’s face. Lyla saw the moment of impact as if time had slowed down. Sent flying backwards, her brother crashed into the wall of the warehouse, reducing it to rubble.
「If Lyla’s an invalid, then you’re a hopeless cripple too.」
[previous_page]
[next_page]
Comment (0)