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Chapter 53 Part 1

The Demon Lord of Seiris’ Interest In Surface Level Things And The Most Important Thing We Each Have Inside Us

 

A humanoid silhouette, with its entire body covered with a black mist.

It was such a distinctive figure that I will never forget the feelings I got when I first saw it.

 

——so the very first thing I did was run to Emmy’s side.

 

「Hyaa!? R-Russell?」

 

I bring my face close to Emmy’s and turn her to face me.

Emmy’s eyes widened in surprise at my sudden action as her face turned as red as a tomato, but… no, I didn’t mean anything weird I swear.

But, I had achieved my goal.

 

「That’s right, you don’t have to get too serious over that guy.」

 

「Ah…」

 

「Don’t worry, this is my second time meeting one, and Sybilla has even met more of them before.」

 

Once I confirm that Emmy understood as she nods her head, there’s a「Nn~~……!」 sound, like someone is groaning, from the other side.

 

「What is the meaning of this… surely my eyes are failing me right now, otherwise it shouldn’t be possible for the epitome of vulgar, unrefined, and obscene being, like a murderer, to be standing next to a Holy Knight, let alone in the same party with one…?」

 

「Murderer?」

 

「I’m talking about the likes of you, a Dark Magic user, the slaves of the Twilight Goddess. That woman behind you… I have seen your face once!」

 

The Demon Lord turned his gaze to Sybilla, who in turn furrowed her brow in disgust.

 

「Yikes, a peeping tom? That’s a bad hobby, don’t you think?」

 

The Demon Lord then raises his right arm forward.

At that moment, I felt a strong pulling sensation on my body… and the next thing I knew, the Demon Lord’s figure had become smaller.

 

Right after that, a sound like clashing metals echoed nearby.

When I look in that direction, I see Emmy holding my torso while still holding up her shield and Sybilla right behind her.

…I see, she sensed the enemy attack in that instant second and quickly moved to protect Sybilla and me, huh.

 

「Thanks, sorry for troubling you.」

 

「N-no no, it’s okay! Or rather, I’m sorry for so suddenly hugging you like this.」

 

「I don’t mind, you saved me there.」

 

Emmy nods in reply without taking her eyes off the Demon Lord.

Just below her shield was a piece of broken ice.

I see, so this guy uses Ice Magic, huh.

 

「….Nn…. I truly don’t understand. O Holy Knight, the woman behind you is a despicable Goddess who made a change to a person without their permission and made them her subordinate. Even though you have obtained the radiance of the sun, why would you——」

 

「That’s not true!」

 

Emmy shouted to interrupt the Demon Lord’s words.

The expression on her face was one of rage that was too hard to imagine from the usual Emmy.

 

「Sybilla-san is… Sybilla-san is a very kind person! She treats me very well and she’s been so considerate to me when she doesn’t really have to, and, and…! She even saved an orphan even though it was the first time she met her! ….She’s really incredible and cool, that… even though I’ve been with Russell for the longest, everything about her is so wonderful that I feel inferior to her…..」

 

「Emmy-chan, you…」

 

For the first time, Emmy revealed her true feelings, and even Sybilla was left speechless after hearing that.

……Emmy, you really are….. you seem so carefree, but you’re also so modest to a fault, and you’re very good at finding the good in people….. You’re truly like the embodiment of a sun.

 

——Since you’re doing your best to this extent, I’ll have to step forward myself as well.

 

「Orphans you say!?」

 

The Demon Lord exclaims with an astonished look on his face.

 

「Aren’t those just nothing but shabby, miserable children!? Cheap, how shockingly cheap! To think she even bothered to care about such an existence… how boring!」

 

「Hmph, talk about a letdown.」

 

「….What did you say?」

 

The Demon Lord turned his gaze on me.

Emmy tries to shield me, but I can’t have her protecting me every time.

 

I lightly pushed Emmy aside with my hand and stepped forward.

 

「You seemed to be quite pleased with the splendor of Holy Knights, but… you’ve been talking boring nonsense since earlier, aren’t you?」

 

「……」

 

His red eyes narrowed as if he was trying to put a price on me.

Yeah, that’s right.

Just like that, you’ve been trying to put a price on us, haven’t you?

 

「From a moment ago, you were only interested in one thing, and it’s not the holiness or the grace inside a person. Expensive or cheap, that’s the only thing you care about.」

 

「……」

 

「Orphans, huh? You don’t really care about the inner side of orphans, you just find them filthy just because they have no money, that’s all, isn’t it? That’s why I find your praises have no weight to it.」

 

「……For someone who’s nothing but a slave of the Twilight Goddess, you sure talk a lot huh? I thought your kind would’ve just attacked me as you’re blinded by resentment, possessed by the darkness that constantly consumes your magic power……」

 

The darkness that consumes all of your magic power, huh?

I still have plenty of magic power within me. I guess Dark Magic just doesn’t have a big enough stomach to consume all of it.

 

「Unfortunately for you, this is still normal to me. If the 『Twilight Goddess』 was serious about making familiars, that Holy Knight over there would have already been made into something else a long time ago. But that’s not the case. Right?」

 

「It looks like you put a lot of trust in that woman.」

 

「You won’t understand because our brains are made differently, yours are too cheap, unlike mine.」

 

「……」

 

He silently shot magic at us, but Emmy swiftly moved toward us and deflected the magic away.

Seeing that the Demon Lord started using a surprise attack, Sybilla, the Goddess of verbal combat, chimed in with a grin.

 

「Hah, nice attempt there. But if your hands start talking faster than your mouth, it’s basically admitting that you’ve completely lost the argument yourself, wouldn’t you say?」

 

「……」

 

「In other words! You just proven yourself that you’re not that smart. Hmmm…. you’re probably dumber than the dungeon master back in Adria village, I guess?」

 

The Demon Lord is still covered in black mist all over his body, but the atmosphere around him clearly shows that he’s irritated.

That’s Sybilla for you, she sure knows how to poke at other’s sore spots….

 

「And besides, this Emmy-chan you praised so much is also an orphan, you know?」

 

「What did you say!?」

 

The Demon Lord, who had been slowly simmering with anger, suddenly exploded at Sybilla’s last words.

……Ah, I see.

In the end, that’s the only thing that will get him to react, isn’t it?

 

「Emmy-chan, who came from the orphanage, became a Holy Knight without even knowing her parents’ faces. But that’s what makes her soooo much much more wonderful than any Heroes from noble blood——」

 

「Haah… that’s it, I’ve lost all my interest.」

 

The Demon Lord suddenly dropped his shoulders before turning around and walked toward the door.

 

……Hm?

 

(《Abyss Nail》)

 

I mercilessly unleashed my magic from at the Demon Lord now that he showed his back to us.

The fact that he turned away must’ve meant that he was about to walk away.

It’s his own fault for letting his guard down, and I’m not so naive as to miss that opportunity.

 

But——

 

「…..As I thought, you’re just vile, vulgar, and unsightly… you’re cheap, as expected of a cheap man.」

 

——The Demon Lord easily evaded my surprise attack that came from behind him.

No way… That was a surprise attack with chantless magic, you know?

 

「All of you, come down to the lowest floor. If at that time you show a strength that’s unlike the poor and lowly human beings like orphans… I shall deem it worthwhile to make you my toys to pass the time with. Ahh~ how cheap… sooo~ cheap.」

 

With that last remark, the Demon Lord showed his back again and walked out the door.

…..As expected I don’t feel like throwing another magic at him again after he evaded the first one.