It was late at night by the time the guild master finally had enough of questioning me. Truthfully, I think she was more interested in the booze we were drinking since her secretary kept having to remind her to ask questions. But as I suspected, the guild master knew to keep quiet about the Blue People being vampires. "No need to turn helpful people into enemies," She said before drinking herself to sleep.
There is a chill to the air as I walk down the street, seeing fights spill out of taverns and hearing people singing in others. I can see a few familiar faces inside some of the places, but I had enough of dealing with a drunk guild master to go back to drinking. Besides, the last time I went out drinking without letting the others know first, I just ended up getting lectured.
"Wow!"
"So much meat!"
"Leave some for me!"
"Pochi wants some too, sir!"
When I returned to the manor, I found a party in the back garden. A small bonfire was in the centre, and tables filled with food lined the wall near the kitchen door. Wait… I recognise the meat. Ant meat… mantis meat… and even the legs from that spider I crushed were being roasted. When did anyone manage to collect all this?
"Miss Hero!"
"Hero!"
"Food lady!"
"Nice lady!"
It didn't take long for the kids to surround me and cling to my legs with hands covered in sauce. All well, I need to get changed out of this armour anyway, so no harm in letting them cling to me.
"Are all of you enjoying the food?" I asked, hoisting the little squirming bundle of sauce‑splattered legs onto my shoulder like a miniature sack of potatoes. The kids squealed in unison, their eyes wide and incandescent—like a thousand fireflies that had just been handed a flashlight.
"Y‑yes! It's the best!" chorused a girl with a braid thick enough to double as a rope. "Even the spider‑leg is crunchy!"
She clapped her chubby hands together so hard I thought she might shatter the porcelain plates. It's good to see the kids are no longer just skin and bones. It's even getting hard to remember these kids were once living in fear and pain on the streets, not that long ago.
"So, do you have anything you recommend I try?"
"Wingees!"
"Chewy meat!"
"Meat!"
"Yes! Meat is the best, sir!"
"Mushrooms."
At some point, Pochi and Tama joined the kids, and even Mia appeared dangling from my arm. Before I knew it, the kids were all holding up forks and skewers with things on them for me to try. If you ask me what my favourite is, it would be hard to answer. Honestly, I think Lulu should give herself more credit, as her cooking really is on the level of Satou's by now.
We wander closer to the food at a snail's pace since the children refuse to let go. I can see Lulu leading the maids, and a few of the orphans helping her prepare dish after dish, making skewers, burgers, and plenty of dishes in between. With a soft smile on her lips, I think the only time I have seen Lulu look so happy was the times when Satou praised her. I congratulate her and the others on the food before trying everything the orphans, Pochi, Tama and Mia suggested.
"Try this one next!"
"No, sir! This one, sir!"
"Mmm. Try."
Tama held up somekind of bird on a stick while Pochi offered me a leg from some monster, and Mia somekind of flower covered in a golden sauce. The orphans didn't take long to copy them, holding up pieces of food for me to try. I hope I don't end up sick tomorrow from all this.
<0>
"Mmm."
"My head…"
The next morning, it wasn't me who was sick. I found Mia clutching her stomach when I woke up the next morning. Then I heard Sara groaning from my other side. I don't remember seeing her last night, but I have seen her in this state before. She really needs to learn to hold back when it comes to drinking.
At least it was only those two that were sick, I thought at the time, but it turned out Arisa also had a stomachache from overeating. I checked in with the orphanage to check if any of the kids needed some of the medication I gave the trio, but none of them had any problems. They still managed to overwhelm me with their overflowing energy, even as early in the morning as it was.
Once we were done eating, I took Satou back down to the bottom of the labyrinth to meet the other Japanese people. After spending some time with Lord Ban, we had Semery give us a ride on her familiar Roper. Satou was in his Kuro disguise again for some reason.
"Looks like they're having another war," Semery said with a smile as the sound of battle greeted us.
Golems, undead and tanks charged across a battlefield covered in trenches and craters. The mud soldiers crawling under barbed wire were cut down by cannon fire the moment they stood up. It is surprisingly fun watching something so brutal.
"Drop dead! Fantasy!" Mukuro yelled as a golem exploded.
"Does he only have one catchphrase?" I muttered.
"What's wrong with his catchphrase?!" Semery quickly replied.
"Nothing, I was just wondering if he yells anything else out."
"Not really," Semery said after a moment of thought. "They both just hate whatever this fantasy thing is."
Armoured vehicles attacked the flanks as the tanks crushed the centre. Golems and mud soldiers tried to fight them off, but the cannons blasted them away in seconds. Only one tank was lost as a buried golem managed to attack it from behind, but once again, the fight was dominated by the tanks on Mukuro's side. Even Yoroi's last-minute kamikaze-style counterattack couldn't turn the tide.
"Looks like it's over," I said, watching the last of Yoroi's suicidal golems being blown apart as it charged at the tank.
We entered Mukuro's lab-like building, and I got to enjoy seeing Satou's reaction to the mummies wearing maid clothing. That 'Poker Face' skill of his isn't as foolproof as he thinks. But it's scary to think about how I must look using it compared to Satou. If someone like him can break it so frequently, I must be doing it all the time without knowing.
"Hey, Kura! It's been a while," Yoroi greeted.
"Not long enough, it seems," Mukuro chuckled, glancing at my chest before switching to Semery's. "At least Semery is with you to treat these old eyes."
"I see you still want to lose those eyes of yours," I muttered, taking out some snacks and throwing some to him.
"Y-you pervy old man!" Semery said, catching some of the snacks out of the air. "One of these days, Lord Ban will punish you for all this!"
"Who do you think told me about your birthmark?"
"Lord… Ban… you… you… You are going down!"
A fire burned in Semery's eyes that had nothing to do with the flames reddening her cheeks. She started picking through the stash of nearby weapons, weighing how each one would fare while muttering about how she would punish Ban when she won. I stopped listening after a while, thinking it was good that we didn't bring any of the younger kids, as Semery's muttering became more and more steamy.
"So, is this guy your boyfriend, Kura?" Mukuro asked.
"Looks like he knows what he's doing," Yoroi made a vulgar gesture with his fingers, causing both he and Mukuro to chuckle.
"Yeah, most people who visit us are surrounded by women and have no idea where to stick," Mukuro continued. "Maybe we should give advice after kicking their asses?"
"We are not dating," I told them quickly.
Maybe a little too quickly, since they both laughed more when they turned back towards me. Even if Satou's Kuro disguise is a handsome, strong, mysterious… okay, I can see why a lot of ladies at the Echigoya Company have a crush on him. He was kinda my type when I was back in high school, but definitely wasn't the guy who starred in a crappy short story I wrote. Yeah, he definitely is nothing like the mysterious hero who swept me off my feet in that story. They don't look the same in the slightest.
I had to clear my throat to stop Mukuro and Yoroi from snickering. Those two are really misunderstanding things. Or maybe they prefer to think about it in that way. Ban did say his wives love to gossip about romance, but I didn't take that to mean they were the types to gossip about anything over the breasts.
But I wasn't the one who ended their amusement. It wasn't for lack of trying. In the end, the arrival of the drinks managed to stop the laughter.
"There really has been a nice selection of booze at the village lately," Yoroi said, somehow managing to drink despite being made of a living metal suit of armour.
"Yeah, both the food and drink have improved lately," Mukuro nodded.
I noticed it too. But something else was strange about the labyrinth village lately. Every time I visited recently, there was one less monster tamer than before, and I haven't heard of any party hiring them. But then again, my information is lacking, so there could be many smaller parties that hired them out recently.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Kuro. I'm from the same place as Sir Ban and the hero here—would it help if I say I'm Japanese?" Satou managed to introduce himself when everyone finally calmed down.
"Oh? A black-haired Japanese person who's not a Hero?"
"Already looking for an immortal body at such a young age? Go enjoy life for thirty more years or so first."
"Yeah, you don't want a metal body like mine, pal. Even touching Semery's chest wouldn't be any fun with these steel jobbies, y'know?"
"My chest belongs only to Lord Ban!"
These three never change. I'm pretty sure they said something like that when I first met them.
"So, whaddaya want? Are you really here to get an immortal body?"
"No, I asked to see what it is like in the labyrinth's Lower Stratum, and was told about some fun places."
"Seriously? You're sightseeing down here?"
"Oh-ho-ho-ho, I've never known anyone to come here to the depths of hell for fun before, and now I met two in less than a year."
Satou's honest answers got a round of laughter. It brought a smile to my lips, but I couldn't laugh since I came down here for some entertainment too.
"Oh well, that works. For the past thousand years, our only visitors have sought eternal life, lost knowledge, or some other stupid request."
"Or would-be Heroes who think we're demon lords and come to defeat us, but we make quick work of those losers." They glanced at me. "We're still waiting for our turn to go a round with you, Miss Hero."
"I can't help that Ban's wives tire me out before I get to you old guys," I shrugged.
It was true, but I couldn't do anything about that. Ban's wives really do wear me out with the constant sparring matches.
<0>
After some snacks and a few drinks, we ended up visiting a museum that the two pervets set up. Mukuro entered a gold-adorned door floating in the air. I followed Yoroi and Semery through the golden door. But Satou seemed to be examining the door and nearly got left behind.
"You made it. Come on."
Mukuro and Yoroi led the way through the white space. Soon, we arrived at an area with tall fifteen-storey buildings lined up at regular intervals.
"Was this area made with Space Magic?"
"No, it was made by Yuika's Unique Skill. This way, no matter what happens, not even the gods can spy on us inside."
"You're such a worrywart. The barrier outside would've been plenty on its own."
I could use a barrier like this. That Dragon God seems to enjoy watching my life for some reason, always making comments whenever she randomly summons me without warning. Even if this barrier only stops those summonings, I would be happy. I had one too many near misses to be happy with those unexpected trips.
"So this Yuika person made the barrier and this space?"
"That's right. Not even the power of the gods can get through that barrier, never mind any advanced magic. The only way to enter is 'through a designated entrance,' 'through specified means,' or 'by meeting certain conditions.' Without meeting those conditions, even the seven gods can't get through or even look inside."
They went into details about the barrier, but I tuned it out, having already heard it all before.
"It might even rival the legendary Valley of Dragons: Barrier."
"Talk about a shut-in." Yoroi laughed.
"A shut-in?"
"Yeah… Enough laughing already!" Mukuro smacked Yoroi's helmet with his staff. "Unlike us, Yuika was born as a goblin. She went through a lot of awful things, so she hides in her own territory to avoid people."
He looked at me, but I shook my head.
"I only mentioned her name and that none of you is human," I told him.
I promised him, after all that, that I would keep the fact that Yuika was a demon lord a secret. Although he wanted to protect her, I will keep my mouth shut to protect any would-be hero from Yuika. That fireball barrage at Ban's place taught me just how deadly she can be, even when she wasn't trying to kill me.
"Yuika's quiet, but she's a good friend. She gives me romantic advice and stuff." Semery defended Yuika.
"Oh, right, Mukuro. Is it okay if I take Kuro to see Yuika later?"
"Hunh?" Mukuro looked at me for a moment. "Kid seems harmless enough, so if she's okay with meeting him…." Mukuro stopped when I shook my head and mouthed the word hero while pointing at Satou. "Maybe someone should explain things to her first."
Satou looked confused for a moment, but quickly continued.
"This barrier is very impressive, though. I guess Unique Skills really do have the power of gods, huh? If a person has God Fragments, then—"
"Kuro." Mukuro turned an icy gaze on Satou. His friendly old geezer attitude had vanished entirely. I suppose he must have touched a nerve somehow. "Who told you about that?"
"I did," I said. "I mentioned fighting a Japanese person before who was on the verge of turning into a demon lord, and heard about God Fragments from him. And then he was with me when we fought the Dogheaded Demon Lord, who also mentioned them."
"…From the Dogheaded Demon Lord."
"Kuro, who the hell are you? Is that a fake name? Or did you deliberately get a 'Name Order' to fool people?"
"What do you mean? I received this name from the ruler of the Black Dragon Mountains."
Satou looked like he really didn't know how to answer the question. "Who are you?"
"Then, when did you meet Crow—Doghead?" Mukuro challenged.
"Just a trimoon ago," Satou answered.
"It was not long after we first met," I added.
"Tch, when'd that happen…?" Mukuro clicked his tongue.
"Mukuro, your wife didn't say anything about it?"
"Psh, she wouldn't tell me. It's been, what, two hundred years since we last met?"
"And you didn't mention it?"
I shrugged. I just never got around to it. Ban's wives really were wearing me out every time I came down here.
"The gods destroyed him while I barely survived, so I didn't think you would want to hear about it since the gods played a big role," I replied.
"Fair enough." Mukuro sighed.
"Yeah, they do leave a bad taste in my mouth," Yuika said before taking another sip of his drink.
"Are you two friends of Sir Doghead, by any chance?" Satou asked.
"Ha! Yeah right."
"I wouldn't be caught dead being friendly with that fanatic."
Yoroi and Mukuro muttered.
"Whaaat, but you guys all hate the gods, don't you?"
"Don't lump us in with that freak," Mukuro spat.
"Sure, I hate the gods, but I wouldn't be so crazy as to slaughter a buncha their ignorant followers just to make them less powerful."
"You hate the gods as well, Sir Mukuro?"
"Yeah, we had a little falling-out a long time ago. Are you saying you do, too?"
"No, I don't have any particular reason to hate them."
"Ahhh, so you meant Doghead…" Mukuro nodded in understanding. "Yeah, he hates them with every fibre of his being. I'm glad I didn't have to fight him."
"We wouldn't stand a chance, for one thing…"
"…No thanks. We'd either die or turn into demon lords."
Mukuro and Yoroi both sounded resolute.
"So it's not just a superstition that reincarnations can turn into demon lords if they use their Unique Skills too much?"
"Kuro, did Doghead tell you that, too?"
"Yes, why?"
"Don't go blurting that out to other people."
"Yes, of course," Satou nodded earnestly.
The purple hair typical of reincarnations was already regarded as bad luck, so if news about this spread, it could easily spark a full-blown witch hunt.
"I'm sorry if I came across the wrong way. One of my travelling companions is a young girl who's a reincarnation, you see." Satou said honestly. "I don't want to see her turn into a demon lord."
"So that's why you wanted to ask about Unique Skills—or should I say, the Divine Right loaned to reincarnations by the gods? Very well…"
"Wait, Yoroi. Kuro, what is this girl to you?" Mukuro stopped Yoroi from answering him.
"She's very dear to me, like family."
Mukuro considered my answer in silence for a moment before speaking.
"Tetsuo the king mummy inquires: This girl is as important to you as yourself or even more so, correct?" …An examination by an analyst? "Answer the question, Kuro."
"Yes," Satou responded to Mukuro's question.
"Tetsuo the king mummy inquires: You wish for this girl's happiness, correct?"
"Yes," Satou said immediately.
"All right, then. I'll tell you as much as I know." With that disclaimer, Mukuro started explaining about Unique Skills and God Fragments. The information he revealed confirmed some of my suspicions but also went far beyond them. "When reincarnations are reborn into this world, a god will give them Divine Rights… But the thing is, they're not without their limits, see. If you use Unique Skills past your limits, it'll damage your soul vessel. They've been known to heal if it's just a few cracks, but in most cases, they break beyond repair—and that's how you get a demon lord."
The origin of these Divine Rights was God Fragments. Divine Rights could only operate within the boundaries of the reincarnation's "soul vessel."
"So once someone turns into a demon lord, there's no way to turn them back?"
"Yeah, 'fraid not. There are some rare cases like Doghead where they manage to retain their sanity, but most just turn crazy and violent."
"I hear the gods can repair a vessel, but they wouldn't waste their oh-so-precious godly power on that, the bastards."
"What about Prayer Magic by a high-ranking priestess?"
"No luck. It ain't the kinda thing humans can do jack squat about."
So we should assume that becoming a demon lord is irreversible… normally, at least. Crow was a special case.
"Don't get so down about it. If you're worried, just make sure she doesn't use her Unique Skills past her limits."
"Exactly. Proper dosage is important."
I'm sure Satou was hoping for more help than a pharmacist's warning…
"What, don't believe us? I've seen a whole lotta reincarnations in my day, but unless they go past the number of uses the god sets for 'em at the beginning, beginning, none of 'em has ever gone demon lord."
"The god sets a limited number of uses?"
Now that I had considered it, Arisa's Unique Skill "Never Give Up" was limited to three uses, with one being restored each month. I wasn't aware of the limits for her other Unique Skill, "Over Boost", so I would need to ask her sometime.
"Can't they also turn into demon lords if they try to use Unique Skills when they're mortally injured or about to die of an illness or whatever, too?"
"Oh, right. And one even turned into a demon lord 'cause of depression."
So, we couldn't rely on the usage limits as the sole measure.
"Basically, a sound mind and body are really important."
"Just keep her happy and healthy and maybe raise her level to improve her basic abilities, too, yeah?"
That made sense. It was good to gain knowledge from our elders.
"Oh, and if this girl has a one-hit KO or limit-surpassing type of skill, you'd better warn her not to use it. Those can surpass the soul's limit and turn ya into a demon lord right away if you're not careful."
That described Arisa's Unique Skill "Over Boost" all too well.
"…What, she does have one?" Mukuro and Yoroi exchanged glances. "Look, I've got a Sacred Treasure in my Item Box that can preserve the soul vessel. It's sort of like a physical restraint or a supporter, but it's pretty damn effective-"
"You'd let me use it?!" Satou eagerly jumped on Mukuro's words.
"Hold your horses. It ain't free, all right?" Mukuro smiled wickedly. "I won't ask for something crazy like a dragon's tooth. Maybe just a few dragon scales, some branches or leaves from a World Tree, and a little bit of Philosophium..."
"Hey now, that's way too much to ask from a kid like this. Pick something more realistic, will ya?"
It's clear these guys have underestimated Satou's deep pockets and random clutter within.
"How many leaves and branches do you need from the World Tree?"
"Let's say a carriage's worth of branches and enough leaves to cover the floor."
Satou wasted no time in taking out the branches. Thick wood from the World Tree with leaves that look as fresh as if the branch had been cut. I almost burst out laughing, seeing everyone's stunned looks. I might end up laughing at them if I stayed, so I got up.
"I'll go tell Yuika about Kuro," I said. "Is she at her place?"
All anyone could do was nod as Satou pulled branch after branch out of his storage. So I left before my giggles got me into trouble. I hope Yuika has forgiven me for that tower incident.
<0>
A field of flowers greeted me when I arrived at Yuika's home. It was so beautiful that you could forget you were standing in the middle of one of the most dangerous places in the labyrinth. It was so out of place, but with everything I have seen down here, it fits right in.
In the middle of the field was a patch of purple flowers that formed a hexagram. It was a door in a way. One similar to the museum door. But this one had a different, more unique way to open. I took in a deep breath and called out, "Yuika!" over and over.
After a few moments, six doors appeared. The shout acts as a doorbell; the hexagram of purple flowers began to glow, generating six transparent, floating doors, one at each point. The doors were inscribed in Earth languages: four of them in Japanese, reading "WRONG", "ENTRANCE TO HELL", "IT'S A TRAP", and "DON'T COME IN", while an English one said "DEATH". The last door bore the English word "WELCOME" written in Japanese hiragana.
All the doors were trapped but one. The door labelled "WELCOME" was the only way through. The other doors led to black holes that destroyed anything foolish enough to step through. Semery made that mistake, and all that was left of her was a cute little bat until her begging got me to agree to give her some blood to speed up the regeneration process.
Unfortunately, mainly because Yuika had been fed stories about heroes being villains, her place was not that easy to get to. I had to repeat the process of summoning doors and walking through the right one eight more times to reach her home.
I arrived to find a Japanese-style home beside a field and a bamboo thicket. The wooden porch overlooked a courtyard where chickens were eating feed, and onions and daikon radishes hung from the eaves. It certainly seemed like the ideal place for a relaxed country life. Sunlight or something similar to sunlight beamed down from above as I made my way up the path.
"Hey, Yuika!" I called out as I approached the house. "I said I was sorry, so can you not throw a fireball at me again. I need to tell you something."
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't burn you for that attempted murder," Yuika said, coming out of her house with her hand alight with a black flame.
She doesn't mean it. For some reason, the persona that takes over Yuika when we meet recently is using what has happened as an excuse to spar with me. Not that I will complain about that, so it isn't so bad.
"Because it was an accident," I said as I took out a tub from my storage. "And I bought ice cream and some news."
"Ice cream… fine," Yuika said after a while. "But I'll burn you next time."
"Yeah, yeah," I said, handing the tub to Yuika. "And I'll kick your ass when you try."
"In your dreams."
I miss the kind, gentle Yuika I met at the beginning, but this one isn't so bad. We had some close-sparing matches in the past that neither one of us could win. If we went all out, maybe one of us could have won, but given how much we had to hold back, we couldn't find out. I'll probably lose since Yuika can fire off mini black hole-creating spells like a machine gun.
"Do you have anyother flavours?" Yuika asked after a few bits.
I had given her the vanilla one, but I did have others.
"I have chocolate, strawberry and mint," I answered.
"Then I want one of each."
"Fine," I said, bringing them out. "But I don't have that much of the mint one."
Nana really seemed to love that one despite it tasting like toothpaste.
"Sure, sure, just hand over the goods already."
This version of Yuika is a little glutton, apparently. I watched her devour one tub after another before I brought up the reason I came.
"There's another hero who came down here. He's friendly like me, so Mukuro and Yoroi said I should let you know in case you want to meet him."
"Is he your boyfriend?"
She sounded way too excited as she asked that.
"No, but Mukuro and Yoroi will probably insist that we're a couple," I sighed. "We're friends, and he gathers information for me."
"Oh, that's too bad. I'm sure that would have kept Semery and me entertained for a month or two," Yuika said before shamelessly holding her hands out for more ice cream. "Is he at least good-looking?"
"Good enough to be in movies and on posters," I told her, handing over the last of the ice cream I had. "This is the last I have on me."
"Then you'd better bring more soon."
I smiled and nodded. She may be a shameless glutton, but there is something cute about the way she nibbles on the ice cream to make it last longer.
"Do you have something like a freezer here?" I asked after a moment or two. "I'll have to leave the city at the end of the month. If you have one, I can leave some ice cream for you."
"I can just borrow one from Ban," Yuika replied between bites. "Don't suggest leaving it with him, I know he will eat it all if you do."
"Fine, I won't."
I'll be leaving some with Ban and the others as well, but if she wants hers kept separately, I don't see a problem with that.
"So, is this hero guy really not your boyfriend?"
"We're not dating."
<0>
"Is this hero guy, who is definitely not your boyfriend, the one recklessly driving around in Mukuro's car?"
"Unfortunately, that is him," I nodded. "It's been a while since he last did something this reckless."
We were heading back to meet up with Satou when we saw him playing around in a jeep of some kind. The roar of its engine made it easy for us to find them, and we arrived just in time to see Semery scream as Satou jumped the jeep over a river of lava. This area was the home of a family of Evil Drag-ons. There were monsters like basilisks and flare scorpions, too. So, Satou was being pretty reckless, driving around like that.
"I hate how hot it is here." I heard Yuika mutter as Satou parked up, and I saw something I wasn't expecting.
"You could always do the same as Semery."
I nodded towards Semery. Even from this distance, it was clear she was wearing something to help with the heat. It was pretty daring… even Nana and Sara didn't look as sexy…. Getting back on track, we saw that Semery was wearing a pretty daring bikini right now, and Satou, along with Yoroi, couldn't take their eyes off of her. Mukuro isn't anywhere in sight, so he most likely stayed behind.
"Y-you… you…" Yuika became red in the face. "You pervet. You're just as shameless as Mukuro and Yoroi. I won't do it. Not in a million years."
"Then how about one of these?"
I took out a coat for each of us that was one of Satou's experiments. It was enchanted to help with the desert heat, but as expected, with Satou's work, it works just as well down here.
"Oh, it's nice and cool," Yuika said in surprise as she touched the jacket. She sighed once she put it on. "I wish I had one of these a hundred years ago."
"Did something happen back then?"
"No, Ban just suggested we have a competition to hunt the monsters in this area."
We talked some more as we headed towards the others. A monster attacked us along the way, but Yuika dealt with it with one of those deadly black holes. The sound of crunching bones will stick with me, though.
"Whaddaya think, Kuro? Pretty fantastic, eh?"
"It certainly is quite a sight."
We finally reached Satou and the others on a cliff that overlooks a large, open cavern. Lava was erupting from the ground like geysers, forming flowing streams of red. It reminded me of the Flame Lord's volcano I saw in the southern seas, but this was beautiful in its own unique way. The geysers were also producing lethal gas, so I used air magic to stay safe. All the monsters beneath the red glow of the lava made the whole scene even more impressive.
"Hey, Kuro. Wanna know a secret? There are dragons living here," Yoroi whispered in a conspiratorial voice, but we could all hear it.
"Ah-ha-ha, don't worry about it, Kuro. Those dragons are always sleeping on their island in the middle of the lava lake. As long as nothing makes a loud noise, we'll be totally fine!" Semery reassured him.
"Ho! Ho! Ho! But they are the least dangerous thing here!" Yuika decided now was the time to make our entrance. Jumping up on a rock, she declared in a clear voice, but…"
"Yuika!" Semery tackled Yuika into a hug. "You finally came out!"
"Semery! You're ruining my grand entrance!" Yuika complained, but she didn't try to push Semery away.
"Hey, you guys are being too loud," Yoroi tried to warn them, but…
"RooooaaaAAARRRR!!!!!"
A roar shook the cavern. An arc of flames lit up a nearby hill before a dragon crawled on top of it. It was covered in red scales, and its eyes seemed to glow. Including its tail, it was probably around a hundred and fifty feet long. The Evil Dragon was level 80, yet it was smaller than the level-68 black dragon Hei Long.
"RRRROOOOOOAAAAARRRRRR!!!!!"
It let out another roar and stretched out its wings that looked like they had seen better days. Maybe it fought with another dragon and can't fly anymore? It doesn't even attempt to fly as it starts crawling towards us.
"Why doesn't it fly?" Satou asked.
"Ah, well, see..."
"Mukuro used it for target practice with a tank once."
Yoroi hesitated, but Semery explained in a tense voice as she released Yuika.
"Quit standing around gaping and let's get outta here."
"Right. If we pick a serious fight with a dragon without Lord Ban or Mukuro around, we'll lose for sure."
"But you have me," Yuika said, jumping to her feet.
I covered my ears as soon as she shot one of those black holes of hers towards the dragon, but I could still hear it. The sound of bones crunching and snapping as the dragon's body folded and squeezed through a tiny hole. I am going to have nightmares after this.
"And the DEMON LORD outshines the HEROERS!" Yuika cheered once the horrible sounds stopped.
<0>
I didn't feel like eating when Yuika suggested we have a picnic. I just served food and drinks while trying to forget the image of the dragon being sucked into that tiny hole, the size of a tennis ball. No matter how many times I have seen that black hole of hers, it never gets any less scary. I really don't want to make her my enemy. I can barely dodge all those fireballs she has been throwing at me lately. If she switched to black holes, I wouldn't stand a chance.
"More snacks!"
"Right away," I smiled despite everything.
Taking out more snacks, I place them on plates and let people pick what they want. I didn't have much since most of what I brought down had already been eaten, but it was enough to supply a small picnic.
When I make the ice cream, I promised her I would make it extra special so she wouldn't think of turning those black holes on me.
"So, will you really be leaving the city at the end of the month?" Yoroi asked as I poured myself something to drink.
"Yes, I have to head to the capital for the end-of-year meeting," I said before taking a sip. "Then deal with the hell of parties and tea parties."
"That doesn't sound too bad."
"For most people it isn't," I shook my head. "But being a hero puts a spotlight on you. People want you on their side, people want to sabotage you if they think you're on someone else's side, and then there are the seemingly endless marriage offers. Those things are a real nightmare."
They really were nightmares. The worst part is that I would have to smile the whole time, even when I was going through hell.
"Sound rough," Yoroi finally nodded in understanding before pizza distracted him.
I took another sip of my drink, trying to relax.
"Hey, the hot guy who isn't your boyfriend could use a refill," Then I nearly spat it out as Yuika started sprouting nonsense.
"He's not my boyfriend," I told her countless times, but Yuika just giggled.
But I still refilled Satou's drink. Not because we are dating, that people down here keep insisting we are, but because I wanted to ask him something.
"So, did your trade with Mukuro work out?" I asked as I poured him a drink.
"Yeah, it worked out better than I hoped," Satou nodded.
Satou showed me what Mukuro had handed him. A broach-like item that looked like a layered ring of tiny flowers. This must be the item for protecting the soul vessel. Arisa would have to wear it as close to her heart as possible, and after she uses her one-hit-kill technique, she'll have to make sure to check the soul shell garland. If the violet soul pearl inside is cracked or clouded, that means bad news. Will have to have her drink an elixir or get healed by a priestess's Prayer Magic ASAP. It's not perfect, but it's going to make a world of difference just being able to check on her.
<0>
When I came back to the manor, I found Lulu letting Arisa and Mia taste test whatever it was she had in the mixing bowl.
"Welcome back!"
"Mrr. Morning."
"Oh. Does that mean master is back?"
"He had to make a stop." It would probably end poorly for Satou if I mentioned he was entertaining Princess Meetia. "He should be back soon. Oh, he will probably want to see you when he does, Arisa."
"Oh! Finally, he will request my womanly services."
I didn't want to be the one to tell Arisa that it wouldn't happen when she looks shockingly happy about the prospect, so I left that job to Lulu and looked down to where Mia is sniffing me. I don't think I have any strange smell on me or something, but Mia keeps sniffing.
"Perfume." Mia frowned. "Again."
"It's nothing to worry about," I patted Mia's head as I walked by her.
It was probably when Yuika got a little excited while requesting ice cream flavours.
"Oh, Arisa. I have something for you," Satou said as he made his entrance.
"I am ready for whatever naughty request you have," Arisa grinned.
"I don't need any of that," Satou shook his head. "Just come to the study with me so I can explain something to you."
It didn't take long for Arisa to return happily.
"I have received proof of my master's love," Arisa cheerfully skipped around the kitchen, showing off the brooch Satou had gotten for her.
I barely had time to take a seat before Arisa and Satou came in, and even less time before someone else entered after her. It had to happen just as I was about to taste-test myself.
"Young master, young miss, you have a guest."
Shortly after Arisa started showing everyone the soul shell garland, the head maid, Miss Miteruna, entered the kitchen. I didn't think we were expecting anyone, but I have forgotten appointments before. But either Pearl or Sara would have reminded me by now if I had forgotten something.
"She called herself Lady Marienteil. Do you know her?"
"Yes, she's a dear friend of mine. She must have some urgent business." Satou answered a bit too happily if Arisa's and Lulu's frowns were anything to go by.
Since she wasn't on the list of expected visitors, Miss Miteruna appeared doubtful. In a world without phones, it was customary to send a letter in advance to notify of any visits to a noble's residence.
"Is she in the study?"
"I'm terribly sorry, sir. Since she was dressed like a soldier, I asked her to wait by the gate."
"That's fine. I'll go let her in, if you wouldn't mind preparing some tea?"
"Y-yes, of course."
Miteruna seemed surprised that Satou was heading to the gate. This might be the first time he had gone to greet a visitor all the way at the gate himself, I suppose.
"Oh, that cheater," Arisa grumbled, chasing after him.
"Wait, Arisa," Lulu said, trying to stop her sister.
Mia and I followed and somehow picked up the rest of the girls one by one along the way.
"S-Satou..."
Zena looked at Satou seriously. Between the dampness in her eyes and the slight redness to her cheeks, she nearly resembled a high school girl about to confess to her crush. I probably shouldn't be watching, but I couldn't help myself. I must still have a maiden's heart despite my lack of romantic experiences.
"I have something to tell you, Satou."
"Yes?"
Zena clenched her fists to steady her nerves and looked up at Satou, only to stop when Arisa cleared her throat.