Chapter 32: To be a Demon King, part 3
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Translator: Denryuu; Editor: Ryunakama
Rodje gave us a detailed explanation as we walked.
「Upon hearing of Her Majesty’s demise, the centrists quickly activated a ‘Gate’ and went back to their homeland. Knowing that the hardliners were restless, and that her Majesty was still alive out there, I chose to remain in this realm.」
According to Lyla, ‘Gate’ is a fifth-order mobility spell.
「Only Her Majesty is capable of using it to transport an entire unit at once. However, there are many who can transport around twenty or thirty entities.」
Rodje explained that they had been recruiting comrades on an island off the coast of the old Kingdom of Jorvenssen. A peacekeeping squad and a rebranded section of the coalition army was trying to pacify the area around the Demon King’s castle.
「From what I have heard, the hardliners on that island plan to rally their supporters and take over the castle.」
「It’ll be disastrous if they manage to blink all the way here.」
「It is indeed as you say.」
During the war, mobility spells like that had given us the biggest headache. Once in a while, we would be hit by surprise attacks, with the enemy literally coming out of thin air and throwing our headquarters into chaos.
「Lyla, is there any way to prevent it?」
「There is. ‘Gate’ doesn’t allow you to teleport at will — you have to physically establish the two ends of it and link them up.」
「In that case, will it suffice to destroy their exit point?」
「Their island is only a few kilometers away. Even if their ‘Gate’ has been disabled, they can simply cross the ocean with the help of some monsters」, Rodje explained.
I suppose that instead of destroying the ‘Gate’, getting Lyla to talk the belligerents out of it would be a better course of action.
「We’re near a ‘Gate’ that I created. If we can reach it, we can blink over to that island.」
Lyla said that in order to conceal her existence, she hadn’t established a ‘Gate’ near our residence.
「Including the monsters, their strength on the island is about two thousand. They still have agents on the mainland gathering information for them.」
The castle is not only a building, but also a symbol of the Demon King’s army. If it were to fall into demon hands again, it would no doubt serve as a rallying point for interested demons and monsters.
There it is, said Rodje, pointing at a little cottage. When we arrived, she brought us to the back, where we could see traces of demon magic left behind.
「Eh… this is strange… how!?」
「What’s wrong?」
「It appears that Rodje’s ‘Gate’ has been destroyed.」
Before we could begin to consider who had done it, a figure appeared on a ridge overlooking the cottage.
「I knew something wasn’t right… Rodje-sama, what are you doing, and why do you have humans with you?」, asked a small-built youth as he sat down and rested his chin on his hands, smiling.
「Deracles…! You destroyed my ‘Gate’…!?」
「What are you doing? Answer me.」
Lyla spoke up in place of the tongue-tied Rodje.
「Deracles Verovia! It’s me.」
「The Demo — no, your Majesty…?」, asked the young man, furrowing his eyebrows.
「I know what’s going on. I wish to speak to the Commander of the Seventh Division, Cornelieu Vassily.」
「There is no longer a Demon King.」
「That was a fake corpse — I am alive and well.」
「I don’t care who you are. Don’t get in our way.」
「Listen to me, Deracles! There’s no doubt that she is the real Demon King!」
Turning a deaf ear to her, Deracles stood up. I believe I remember this guy…
「Not even Rodje-sama can stand up to us, you know?」
Deracles began channeling the demon magicka within, causing it to flare up in a fiery vortex. His child-like frame began to glow.
「Dragorise.」
Deracles Verovia. Chief Mobility Duty Officer. Half man, half dragon. His main duty is to lead his troops into securing mastery of the air.
「Gyoooooo–unnnnn!!」
He transformed into an obsidian dragon before our very eyes.
「Deracles…! Have you been observing my every move…!?」
「Deracles! Listen to me! I’m the –」
Opening its gigantic maw, its chest swelled massively.
「Hey, Rodje Sandsong, his breath is coming. Can you deflect it?」
「I can do it just once using my magic. However, we won’t be able to use the ‘Gate’ after this!」
「Perfect. Then I’ll leave Lyla to you, since she’s useless.」
「I can’t deny that…」
「Hey! Take that back right now! Nobody calls her Majesty useless to her face!」, exclaimed Rodje while looking upwards.
「Here it comes.」
「There’s no way you can do anything to Deracles, now that he’s used ‘Dragorise’! Even true dragons bow to him in deference! You’ll grovel at his feet if you know what’s good for you — wait, where’d he go?」
「Wow, you really can’t tell which side Rodje’s on anymore.」
A special magic circle materialised in the dragon’s mouth, harbouring an obsidian flame that matched the colour of his hide.
「Gyu-ooohhhh!!」
The dragon released his fiery breath. Since Rodje could deflect it once, I ignored the two of them and avoided the breath’s area of effect. True to her words, she repelled the inferno for us.
The difficulty of defeating a dragon lies in its diamond-like scales which are impenetrable to any normal blade. Not only did I not carry weapons with me normally, dragon scales come with magic resistance that can cancel the effects of subpar spells.
Unfortunately, subpar spells were the only ones I knew. If my magic was developed enough to affect dragons, I wouldn’t have become an assassin in the first place.
Using ‘Faint Shadow’, I thinned out my presence. I’m not sure about half-dragons, but true dragons are especially sensitive to magic.
「Kuh! Where did that useless human go!? Did he manage to escape…!?」
Deracles began drawing another breath in order to release his second fireball. Taking advantage of his backswing, I used his scales to clamber up to his head.
「Dragons are really the strongest race — impervious to low-end physical and magical attacks. The ability to fly, coupled with that breath… it really makes you a flying fortress, huh?」
「When did you get up there!? What are you trying to do, getting so close to me, a dragon with hypersensitive anti-magic skills…?」, asked Deracles, rolling his eyes in my direction.
Just like the first time, the obsidian flame began expanding in his throat once again. A dragon’s breath concentrates magic from exhaled air and channels it through a special magic circle, allowing it to be released with a puff.
「‘Match’… the weakest fire spell, used mainly for domestic purposes. I wonder what will happen if I ignite it using that special fireball you have there?」
Using a tiny whisper of magicka, I created a small flame that flickers on my finger. Horror filled the dragon’s eyes.
He rapidly tried to shut his jaw, but it was already too late.
I allowed the little flame to drop into his mouth. Magic circles are systems. The more specialised they are, the more delicate they become. Unique magic circles can only be used for specific spells, like a dragon’s breath. If even a tiny bit of impurity creeps into it…
「It explodes.」
A ball of pure light expanded in the dragon’s mouth. In a fraction of a second, it exploded with a deafening boom.
「Guh…」
His eyes rolling back into their sockets, the dragon crumpled to the ground, reverting back to his child-like form.
Rodje stood there in awe.
「To have defeated the transformed Deracles… with such a small flame…」
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