Novel Full Chapter 556 - 547
Chapter 556 - 547
The Hero's Summer Vacation of Hell First
Going back in time, around the time half a day had passed right after Hajime's group visited the machine world.
「Right now, the world in general should be in the period of summer vacation.」
Kouki could be found sitting with his back leaning on the wall, his legs stretched out, making a small talk while looking truly relaxed.
The place was a room in a corner of a high-rise building, where there wasn't a wall in a part of the room that connected to the terrace outside. Because it was a high place the ventilation was really good and the scenery was also very visible.
In front of such Kouki were two beauties turning their back on the superb sight.
「I-I guess so. Now that you mention it, Mizuki was making various plans wasn't she?」
「T-that's right. Summer vacation……for some reason those words have a really beautiful ring in my ears.」
It was Moana and Aularodde.
Perhaps they didn't quite get it yet, or perhaps there was another reason. They looked at each other's face with their expressions turning conflicted, even so they still replied to Kouki's small talk.
「Aa, Mizuki huh. Yeah, it was really hard to put her into a good mood that time.」
It was when they had a talk about him leaving in a journey again.
The big brother wasn't present during the spring and summer vacations. Even though he had finally come home after finishing a difficult journey, furthermore, even though he had somehow grown in a good way as a person from finishing that journey, he said that he couldn't go together with their family trip.
Of course it would make Mizuki-chan who had brocon tendency to gain a bad mood.
He accompanied her going shopping, he assisted with her Soul Sisters' activity, he consoled her when she was trembling in humiliation when she realized that her actions had been completely predicted and somehow only ended up as relaxation for the extremely busy Hajime, he somehow rescued the stuffed doll (the prize from a crane game that made him wasted the amount of money that almost caused his eyeballs to pop out after she begged him) when she vented her anger at it by punching its stomach……
「But, it was peaceful. When people talked about dearly beloved everyday life, they must be referring to something like that.」
「Kouki……don't you think your words are a bit exaggerated……or rather, you're talking like you're an old soldier who's thinking nostalgically upon the past that cannot be taken back once again……」
「W-well, it's extremely wonderful that the relationship between you siblings is good――」
Aularodde's words stopped. No, she didn't stop, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that her words couldn't be heard.
Because there was a thunderous sound. An explosive sound like there was a bombardment launched at them. It also felt like the sky had gotten a bit brighter. There was also a quake.
Dusts crumbled down, but Kouki showed any sign of looking bothered by it. His gaze was distant.
「The sky dragon world was great. There, I got slapped by her majesty the moment we met, I got to hear about Nagumo day and night, no matter where I went I kept hearing stories about Nagumo, it made me wanted to bring out the ultimate light dragon to wipe them all out but……」
Actually when he first visited the reborn Avenst Dragon Kingdom, Roze-chan thoughtlessly misunderstood that it was Hajime who came and hugged him for the reunion. There was such incident occurred at that time.
Then, both lifted up their faces and both went 「Eh? Who?」. A beat passed.
――KYAAAAAAAAAAH, you, who are you-!!
The warrior queen said that to him and her slap came flying.
Of course it would be easy to dodge it, but the people who seemed to be military men who were following behind Roze heard her scream and their expressions changed, so Kouki intentionally allowed himself to be slapped so that the situation wouldn't turn complicated.
After that, her majesty the queen apologized profusely along with the people of the dragon kingdom acting sorry and ashamed by what happened. By forgiving them with good grace and resolved the misunderstanding amicably, he managed to made them all be at ease immediately so it turned out all right in the end, yeah.
「And most of all, the air there is great unlike here! It felt great flying in the sky of that world with a lot of dragons……. It was practically like a vacation.」
「Certainly, keeping pace with them on BD(Black Dragon) was also great but, flying on the back of a dragon was also the best.」
「They were smart children even though they aren't even apparition. It seemed they somehow sensed that I'm not a human――」
Scream of death throes interrupted in the middle of their reminiscent talk. And then, it was followed by a disgusting and bizarre laughing voice that was filled with pleasure.
Furthermore far away at the distance there was also the sight of countless fire balls raining down like meteor shower.
But, he wasn't perturbed. Kouki wasn't perturbed at the slightest! Far from that, he made a peaceful smile like he was enjoying a picnic on the top of a hill in a day of nice weather.
Moana and Aularodde were frequently looking back to check the situation outside with twitching faces but, he didn't mention anything about it at all! Like there was really nothing happening!
「If only the unforeseen situation didn't occur, we would meet up with Nagumo's group at the sky dragon world and then we could have fun in the luxurious cruise that guy had bragged to death to me――」
Kouki suddenly stopped talking and quickly shifted his head's position.
Right after that, *BAM* there was an impact sound. At the same time something like a spear pierced the wall until it flew out. It happened at the spot where Kouki's head was located just a moment ago.
「「Hie!?」」
The tip was naturally pointed toward Moana and Aularodde who were sitting in front of Kouki.
Judging from its momentum, the thing would surely go through the wall easily if Kouki didn't stop it by catching its handle. Though from its angle it would pass through between the two so they wouldn't get hit directly either way.
「――What did he say again. VR experience of Mari* Cart or something……dammit, I'm jealous with Ryuutarou and others.」
Kouki didn't even repeat himself and continued from right where he stopped like nothing had happened. He did that while pulling out the spear and throwing it right away to the wall at the right side.
The spear flew once more like a bullet and pierced through the wall as expected. It flew out to outside the room.
――GUE!? Gurghrghrh……
It felt like there was a scream. It might just hit someone, no maybe about it.
A kindhearted hero, no, anyone with normal sensitivity shouldn't be able to turn a blind eye to such situation but……
「That's right! Moana, Aula! How about we also go to summer vacation? Just in case we'll at least set up the artifact for preventing the time difference! Other than that there're also many things that Nagumo told me to investigate but……well, it doesn't matter! We can go back to the sky dragon world, or even go to somewhere on earth with refreshing air……that's right, let's go to beach!」
「U-umm, Kouki……?」
「A-as expected there's no way we can……ahaha……」
Kouki stood up in a flash and made his proposition. Moana and Aularodde said 「I understand how you feel but……」 in respond with a troubled look.
It was right at that moment.
All sounds vanished. And then, extremely intense light filled everywhere. Right after they became aware of that the whole surrounding was blown away.
The two reflexively closed their eyes and covered their faces with both hands but, they immediately realized that there wasn't any effect at all to them and opened their eyes.
The two were in the air. They were still sitting but now inside a quadrangle barrier that was shining in pure white.
And then they looked once more. At the world that was dyed crimson.
Bloody wind that they wouldn't be able to survive for even an hour without the artifact to purify the air was raging fiercely. There were flashes of lightning or hellfire running through the sky that was covered in black clouds, else the sky was whirling and raining down hails.
The surrounding had group of damaged buildings that had weathered down into tatter, crumbling down. There wasn't a single building that was untouched.
The land was also in ruin. The ground was visibly dry with cracks covering it. Flames were bursting out like magma from those cracks.
It was truly, hell. The scene of hell that was exactly like in imagination could be found there in flawlessness.
Or rather, this was simply the "hell world".
「T-that's not a laughing matter just now-」
「Shouldn't the demons avoid from attacking us!?」
Below, they could see the high-rise building crumbling down in pieces even now.
Kouki and co were in that building that had about 60 floors. A part of the room they were in just now had also gotten gouged out completely to be made into a new terrace. But even before that the room was already tattered, to a degree that it made them confused instead how it hadn't crumbled down already, but it seemed the attack just now was the finishing blow for it.
And then, around them was……
――Human?
――It's human……there's human……
――There's also……not human there
――Nice smell! The best quality soul!!
――It sings to me……
Countless demons.
They were mostly low ranked demons. The majority were demons with various shapes formed from blood soaked sand, but there were innumerable amounts of them on the ground at the sky and also inside the surrounding buildings.
There were also some with physical existence among them here and there. It seemed that the middle ranked demons or above could also be found among them fairly easily.
Thebattlefieldthat was so noisy before this had quieted down like it was just a dream.
Their gazes, focuses, were clearly directed toward Kouki's group.
While radiating indication like they had found an oasis in a world of desert that lacked food and water.
「Cough. Err, everyone. My name is Amanogawa Kouki. I'm working as hero. Receiving a request from the demon god Nagumo Hajime, yes, your boss! Gave, me, a , re, quest-!! And so I came here!!」
Kouki amplified his voice with wind element magic while talking.
Smile. He was wearing a truly lovely smile that was filled with sociability. The basis of a smooth communication was smile! Of course, he also couldn't forget using polite language even when the talking partner was demon! Manner maketh the man!
In respond to such Kouki,
――HANDOVER YOUR SOULLL!!
A demon with its left half of the body made from shadow, while the other half was in the form of a beauty with pointy ears like an elf attacked.
It teleported inside the barrier that was still being deployed even now. The barrier was just a light element magic, so most likely this was a middle ranked demon who had the ability of space magic.
The female demon moved to take a bite of Kouki's neck. Kouki's expression fell off leaving his face blank. And then,
「Fuhn」
「Hidebuuh!!?」
He simply punched. On the face, with clenched fist.
The demon was female even if half of her was shadow. It was an act that was impossible to do if it was the usual Kouki. And yet, he went out of his way to mercilessly smashed his counterattack on the side that had an actual face, and furthermore he did it with all his weight behind it.
The middle ranked female demon then got sent out of the barrier like a cannonball and crashed on a nearby high-rise building. She crashed face first on the wall until only her butt was left visible. The body didn't even twitch anymore.
「T-this is the rumored gender equality punch-. Kouki is, Kouki is acting like a certain demon god!!」
「Kouki-sama whose treatment toward women and children is particularly kind, is receiving another bad influence from that person-」
A tragedy of the world, right here!!Moana and Aularodde grieved as though to say that.
Kouki yelled toward the two who were acting like that as though to make an excuse. He poured all his feelings into his yell.
「Because……because-, these guys really does nooothing but fighting moooooooooooonnn!!!」
If his friends heard him adding "mon" like a little kid like that then they would either laugh 「"Mon" he said lololol」 or feel creeped out, but the current Kouki couldn't stop himself from yelling.
「What the hell! Just what the hell-!! When we first came to this hell world! And even when we go to other places! No matter where we go they all do nothing but fighting-. Even though I keep trying to talk to them they attacked instead! Just what the heell! I already called myself hero didn't I!? I already kept yelling over and over that I'm here for Nagumo's errand didn't I!! I also used "Telepathy"! And yet, why are they keep attacking!」
Yes, demons were all Hajime's subordinates. Regardless of how they actually felt about it, currently, they weren't opposing him. There were also a lot among them who were admiring Hajime, and those demons were keeping a watchful eyes on the situations everywhere. Considering that Hajime's grip in this world was even stronger than expected.
And yet, Kouki was attacked.
Right after teleporting here, he ran into a storm of conflicts that made him wanted to tsukkomi 「Is this wartime-」 and then he did his best to talk to them but he was completely ignored.
He had heard that demons, especially the lower ranked they were the more they were fighting each other over trivial things in their everyday life, so Kouki thought they were simply over agitated and didn't realize his identity. And so he quickly retreated without even counterattacking, thinking he would wait until the situation cooled down.
The work that he was planning to do at first――the work of setting up the space-time interference artifact to prevent the time difference that Hajime sent to him at the fairy gate that connected to the sky dragon world, he decided to temporarily postpone it.
However, the place that he retreated to also had group fighting, and the group there also ignored Kouki's self-introduction and also Hajime's authority and attacked him.
Such occurrence repeated for three more times after that.
His group then arrived at this ruined city and decided to hide themselves for the time being in one of the crumbling high-rise building, but then a lot of demons appeared suddenly as though from thin air……
And they started fighting as expected.
And so, Kouki escaped from reality.Peace is great isn't it……I want to have vacation……his mind dreamed.
「Every single one of them just can't be talked with at all! These damn demons! Or rather aren't they scared? You guys are indirectly getting in the way of the demon god you know? Are you guys really alright with that? Eh? I'll really tattle at him you know? Look, can you see this? Communicator. It's over for you guys if I push this button. It's guaranteed that you guys will get a hellish punishment!!」
Moana and Aularodde thought,The hero is borrowing the demon god's authority……it feels like a small fry aura is really oozing out from you though……are you really alright with that?
Kouki himself thought he would be alright with that as long as it made the demons stopped fighting, it was a small sacrifice he was ready to make, but……
Even if he had to cut his flesh, no, in this case was it his heart? Anyway, Kouki played what could be said as his trump card in a sense. But the demons' response was,
『『『『『HAND OVER YOUR SOUUUUUL!!』』』』』
The simply attacked. Some of the middle ranked demons were muttering 『Demon, god? Won't stop……hitting until……annihilation? The upper ranked demons……even the greater demons with court rank became like that……uu, my head-』 and stopped moving, but the low ranked demons didn't deign to listen.
The demons swarmed like locusts. Kouki looked up to the sky and his eyes became distant. He yelled.
「This is hell-」
Exactly.
How in the world Nagumo is managing this kind of embodiment of outlaws? As expected is it because they're in the same wavelength as fellow demons?
Nnnaaaaaa~~, Kouki scratched his head like he was going to tear off his hair, even so he activated the artifact to create space isolation barrier, and fired powerful flashes of light indiscriminately.
It looked like a simple distraction, but they could hear the demons faltering 「AAA!? BRIGHTT!?」「What's this lighttt!?」.
「C-calm down Kouki! Look, Holy Sword-chan is also flashing on and off! Surely she's telling you to be calm!」
「……No, instead I'm feeling a will like "You wanna a piece of me? Then come at me punks!' from her though?」
「Holy Sword-chan, since when you became that belligerent!?」
Those words came from Aularodde whose feeling of rivalry blazed when it came to the holy sword Ua Alt, so it couldn't be trusted a hundred percent. But, it was a fact that for some reason the holy sword is tinged with light.
Kouki calmed down a little seeing that. He said 「We don't have time to go along with their outrageousness. Let's run away to a safe place-」 and thought to call out BD.
BD was able to move stealthily with camouflage, straight invisibility, or other ways, but it didn't change the fact that it was a big ship flying in the sky. Considering the demons' abilities, there must be individual who had the ability to detect it.
And so Kouki's group was hiding inside a high-rise building but, it was a different story if it was for running away. BD could use "Godspeed" and "Teleport", on top of that its inside boasted defensive power that surpassed any fortress. It was perfect for acting as shelter.
Even if the necklace artifacts on their necks could purify the air, as expected it felt extremely unpleasant to continuously stayed in this raging bloody wind.
Thinking that,
「In the first place just where is our "guide" huh? Weren't we told that they would immediately notice our visit and immediately come to pick us up when the hell world's fairy gate is opened?」
Kouki poured his magic power into his "Treasure Warehouse" even while grumbling like that but……
「Hm? ……What?」
The situation changed. The battlefield that was that noisy with shrieks and sounds of fighting had quieted down in the blink of eye.
The sound of raging wind, the sound of hell's flame blasting out from here and there, and the sound of lightning could still be heard, but the movements of the demons stopped as though they were holding their breath.
「Kouki! Look! There!」
Moana pointed her finger. He turned his gaze that way and his eyes along with Aularodde's opened wide in shock.
「A-a maid?」
「A big bird……a parrot? She's riding that?」
Kouki and Aularodde unconsciously looked at each other. Even though it was their mouths that said those words, they both couldn't hide their confusion.
But, it was really just as they said.
The low ranked demons stopped moving. They didn't even talk. Far from that they even looked like they were in a trance. The woman wearing an outfit that seemed to be a maid outfit was flying through them on her giant bird.
A maid in hell. Furthermore she was riding a giant parrot.
It just looked ill-matched, or really out of place.
Even though it was bewildering, Kouki stopped summoning BD, however he kept maintaining the barrier.
「I-it's another outrageous beauty……」
Moana was on her guard in various senses while her voice slipped out. Meanwhile the maid came to a stop right outside the barrier.
As expected the bird simply looked like a parrot but with crazy size. The maid lightly jumped down from it in an elegant manner, and then she smoothly performed a curtsy.
Just as Moana said, she was beautiful. It even made Kouki took a leave of his senses for a moment.
Similar like Moana she had fascinating chocolate skin and exotic looks. Her brunette wavy hair that reached until around her shoulders was breathtakingly glamorous.
Voluptuous breasts that were clear to see even over the classical orthodox maid uniform with little skin exposure, combined with artistical narrow hipline. She was exuding captivating atmosphere.
She was like a beautiful actress who starred in an India movie, such description might be close enough to describe her.
However, the way she was composed even while bathing under the "hell's bloody wind" fully, her pupils that were shining red as though to instigate human's anxiety, they were completely denying the supposition that she was a merely beautiful woman.
She was without a doubt a demon. Furthermore, her form that definitely accompanied with actual substance, and how she instantly stopped the conflicts between the low ranked demons though it was unknown what was it that she had just done showed that she must be fairly high ranked.
Such demonically beautiful maid opened her mouth while still performing the curtsy.
「I'm deeply sorry for being late to pick everyone up -ssu…」
「Ssu?」
Kouki unconsciously parroted what she said.
It couldn't be helped. Because, from a glance she was a beautiful mature lady with the calm atmosphere that was exuding an enchanting aura.
And yet,
「A maid of the honorable master……is something that I'm not, merely a candidate……an……ordinary incompetent mob demon -ssu.」
「「「Too self -depreciating」」」
Looking closer, her atmosphere wasn't composed. It was, how to say it, the gloomy atmosphere from her was terrible. She absolutely wouldn't meet their eyes, and a faint self-derisive smile was tugging her lips, it even felt like there was a vertical line drawn on her face like in manga.
「Err……honorable master?」
「Of course, I'm referring to the demon god Nagumo Hajime-sama -ssu……this lowly me who has no ability except cleaning is entrusted with the master's mansion in this hell world -ssu. My apologies -ssu. I'm sorry that I'm this kind of existence -ssu……-ssu……-ssu……」
「Eh, ah……is that so -ssu」
「Kouki, it's infecting you. Her manner of talking.」
「A, aa~~. Or rather, that guy, he has a mansion in hell ssu……I mean, he has a mansion huh!」
If he let his guard down it felt like he would get swallowed by the intense self-debasing and gloomy atmosphere. Kouki put some strength into the end of his sentence and fixed his words.
Perhaps the maid interpreted that as "he couldn't stomach my attitude and toughened up his way of talking". The maid said 「I'm sorry for being born -ssu……」 and became even gloomier.
Aularodde-san were strangely staring hard at her.My? I wonder why……she's strangely pulling at my heartstring……she had that kind of stare.
「The master is the ruler of hell -ssu after all. It will be a point of honor for us if he doesn't even has a single land under his direct control here instead, so the highest ranked demons half forcefully pushed the land to him -ssu.」
「I see.」
Most likely, Hajime himself had no interest in owning a villa in hell. After all if it was necessary he could build something like a base on his own.
And so,If you guys want to make one then make whatever, management? ……Aa, there's a maid candidate, she can do it I guess,there was no doubt Hajime's mind went kind of like that.
「Once more, I am Kara, the one charged with the duty to guide everyone here -ssu. My apologies for not knowing my place -ssu……please call me anything you like whether it's sow or loser dog -ssu……」
「Just what the hell Nagumo had done to you!?」
「What did demon god-sama did to you!?」
「What in the world had demon god-sama done to you!?」
The feeling of tragic heroism coming out of her was like every shred of anything that could be called confidence had been pulverized to the root inside her. She was like the embodiment of humility.
Based from how a high-ranked demon like her was in the form of a maid, and how she was saying that she had stopped at merely being a maid candidate……it didn't even need to be said.
Surely, she originally didn't look like this, no doubt about it! Someone reduced her into this state! Of course, it was the demon god!
The wariness Kouki's group was holding quickly transformed into sympathy, no, it had gone past that to become worry and concern. They had to save the victim of the demon god!! Because they were the hero party after all!
「……No, nothing……yes, it's really nothing……he doesn't……even treat me like I'm existing after all -ssu……」
「A-aa……so it's like that……」
The feeling of tragic grimness, the feeling of tragic grimness was horrible. Even now it looked like she was going to crumble like sand!
Sorry for suspecting you, Nagumo. But it can't be helped because it's the result of your usual behavior!Kouki whispered something that was hard to classify whether it was an apology or an excuse inside his heart. Perhaps, Moana and Aularodde were also having the same thought inside their hearts.
The giant parrot snuggled close to its owner in worry, but right after that it shined and sized down at the same time. It became as big as a normal parrot and hopped on the maid's shoulder. Its beak poked *chon chon* on her cheek.
「Fuhih……please laugh -ssu. Despite how I look there was a time in the past when I was called a demon king -ssu. Some also called me things like the embodiment of greed, the avatar of worldly desires, or the heavenly demon -ssu……」
「She's starting to narrate something」
「Shh, Kouki. Let's listen to her. Look, those eyes. Don't they look familiar?」
「Eh? ……Ah. They look exactly the same like Aularodde's eyes from some time ago, no, she's still making those eyes sometimes even now though!」
「Hah, is that the reason for this strange feeling of kinship!?」
An existence with immense power, who was overflowing with self-confidence in the past, one who was proud of themselves, and had no doubt of their place as one who stood above others. And then, their heart bent in front of next to impossible task and failures. A discouraged person.
Perhaps, surely, it was something like that.
Kara-san's eyes were distant……
「I'm unable, to make a single child of man fall……it's a really dejected feeling that I can't remember when was the last time I felt it -ssu. The demon peerages sneered and ridiculed me, just how many months and years I was trembling in humiliation……」
「She's……reminiscing? Nagumo isn't the cause?」
「Looks like it?」
「The amount of power she contains within is the real thing. Certainly it won't be strange for someone like her to be called a demon king. For a child of man to completely opposed an interference of someone like this……it's amazing.」
「Yes, an amazing child -ssu. He's even deified in the world of human. Yes, he was a special child. In that case, my temptation! All the words and all kinds of hindrances in his path, even if he overcame every single one of them! It can't be helped because he was a child who even reached the domain of god! Rather, it can be thought that he could arrive at such stage exactly because of my temptation-!! That reasoning, it took me more than two thousand years but I could finally accept it -ssu……」
「Just how frustrated were you……」
Did she keep soaking her pillow with tears of frustration for two thousand years? Perhaps that was just how high her pride was.
Just what would she think? If she knew that exactly because that person was deified that a similar but different existence was born in the fairy world, and right now he was having fun living a rela~xed life together with his neighbors and roommate.
「And yet……the honorable master, just what's the deal with him -ssu」
「No, even if you ask me……」
「If he's a special child of man then he can discard his worldly desires and greed and arrive at the state of enlightenment. He overcome the temptation and obstacles from a heavenly demon……. In other words it's thanks to me isn't it -ssu? Like that, I finally made myself got over it -ssu and yet! When it come to that person, far from abandoning his greed and worldly desires, he looked at me with cold eyes like he's telling me 『Is that all?』 -ssu!! No matter what I did, even when I showed him full set illusion of all kinds of lavish desires! His respond was only 『And?』, just a single word!! Uwaaa~~~~~~~~hnn, someone like me-, someone like me is just a self-proclaimed embodiment of worldly desires lower life form -ssu! I'm just a trash demon who got carried away after getting called things like demon king or heavenly demon -ssuuuuu!!」
In other words, even though she was feared as the embodiment of greed and worldly desires, she ran into someone who told her right to her face that worldly desires and greed at that level weren't enough and after that that someone wouldn't even give her any of his time. So this time her heart snapped for real without any hope of recovery. It was to the degree that her way of talking and her personality had changed completely.
She picked someone who was just too bad to be her temptation target for the first time after thousands of years.
After all that target could grant all kind of materialistic desires by himself. And he could find any object using his compass, and if what he wanted didn't exist he could make it himself.
Not only that he knew multiple other worlds, and he was absorbing the unique technology and knowledge from there. Against such Hajime, an existence who only knew of hell and earth, and furthermore had been living as a shut-in for more than two thousand years couldn't possibly show him a worldly desire that surpassed those.
Then, what about lust!With that thought she tried seducing him directly, but that was a bad move instead.
Because, there was no way she could win against the demon god's beloved vampire princess. And if Shia and others were added there, even the infinitely small chance of victory was snuffed into negative value. Who in the world could win against that line up as a woman? Rather, it only beaten up the feeling of defeat with complete thoroughness into her.
For an existence whose greatest weapon was the pleasure of depravity, her compatibility against Hajime was the worst.
It wasn't an existence who overcame her authority and arrived at the stage of enlightenment. In a sense, it was an existence who surpassed her. What she felt from that had gone past mere shock and shook her very meaning of existence.
「C-calm down! That guy is……you know! He's special in the bad sense! In the first place there isn't even a screw in his head! That guy's completely out there!」
「That's right! You can't see him as a human anymore now that he has become the ruler of hell as a human! That's why――」
「……I understand……I understand you. Kara-san, I understand your feeling. In the end, I'm a goddess in name only. I got carried away thinking I'm the chosen existence despite being a mere fairy, I'm just like a useless HikiNEET……」
「Aa, Kouki! Aula is getting seizure again!」
「Shiiit, if only Aiko-sensei is here! For now, using this artifact that is enchanted with "Soul Repose"-」
Two women covering their faces with their hands and skillfully hugging their knees and burying their faces on there at midair.
Seeing such figures, who could possibly guess that in the past those two were existences who got called with appellations like "demon king" or "heavenly demon", and "goddess"? Indescribable sadness drifted in the air……
Kouki and Moana worked together to soothe the self-abasing maid heavenly demon & former goddess for some time.
「Ee, err~, that is. How about I talk to Nagumo? I'll tell him to just leave you alone. Or at least stop treating you like a maid.」
「No-, so even being a maid candidate is something that's beyond me!?」
「Ah, so you want to be a maid……」
「That is already the only way left to me for proving my existence -ssu!!」
The maid demon-san desperately clung on Kouki and begged him 「Please at least not that」 like someone whose family was being taken hostage.
Moana and Aularodde thought,Scaryyy……so this is the end result of "Demon God-StyleTeaching Them Their Place (Noninterference Apatheticness)".
To Hajime, this was just unjust reputation damage.
「Even if I can't even become the head maid, being reduced into a subordinate of a child of man, and low even in rank……one day, one of these days! I swear I'll make that person fall into depravity -ssu!!」
「Ah, you still haven't given up huh……」
「She's unexpectedly tenacious……」
「Not, comrade……?」
「Fuhih, yes……..that's right -ssu. From time immemorial some humans take the challenge to climb mountain. The more suffering they experience on the way, the more indescribable the pleasure they will obtain when stepping on the far off peak of the sacred mountain -ssu. The joy of conquering an opponent who made you suffered cannot be surpassed by anything -ssu.」
「Can I ask you to apologize to all mountain climbers?」
「That will truly be the greatest catharsis -ssu. When I imagine the day when I make the honorable master who has tormented me so like this and make him mine……kuhih」
「Ah, she doesn't want to step on him or throw him away like trash, but make him hers……」
「Hey, Kouki. In other words this is……」
「She isn't a comrade……this person, she's negatively positive……」
「I won't give up -ssu, honorable master……this Kara will definitely make your heart unable to live without me, and your body unable to do anything else than wanting me!!! FUHIHIHIHIH!!」
Well, if the person herself accepted being the demon god's maid――or rather she was still in the step of wanting to be his maid――then they being mere outsiders shouldn't say anything. Kouki and Moana looked at each other with such decision.
Their expressions looked a bit exasperated, or perhaps more like fed up.
In the end it was nothing at all. This former heavenly demon maid too was nothing more than one of the demons who was devoted to the demon god. Though this one seemed to be considerably twisted.
As expected her true identity flashed at the back of Kouki's mind after this much information came out but, even if her name was different from the story, perhaps it had the meaning as a kind of turning over a new leaf and as external appeal. That she wasn't a demon king or heavenly demon anymore. That she was the demon god's maid.
「Haa, I get it. I won't say anything to Nagumo.」
「No, I wish that you will add high praise to your report that Kara is truly an excellent guide -ssu.」
「You're unexpectedly shameless-」
Kouki immediately wanted to put back the barrier that he put down. The barrier of his heart that was.
「S-shameless……that's right isn't it -ssu……for a garbage like me to make a request to the great human……I deserve a million deaths for it -ssu……」
「A-annoying――wait, don't naturally try to kill yourself!!」
Maid-san took out a knife from nowhere and suddenly tried to stab herself.
「There's no need to worry -ssu. A demon can revive even if they die as long as their soul is safe -ssu……aa, what a cheap life. But even among them the life of someone like me is nothing more than a paper balloon……I'm sorry for being a paper balloon -ssu. Kara is a bad kid! Kara is a bad kid-」
「I understand already! More importantly what's going on with the low ranked demons!?」
The way she started hitting her own forehead with the knife's handle was just like a certain residence servant elf who appeared in a certain movie about wizard.
Kouki quickly attempted to change the topic. The maid demon who introduced herself as Kara returned to her senses with a gasp and straightened her posture.
「Pardon me -ssu. It looks like they were acting deranged for some reason so I showed them -ssu. The fantasy where their "desire" comes true. 」
「You showed this many demons each of their desire? That's……staggering.」
Thousands of low-ranked demons were looking like in a trance. The sight of all of them being captured in the world of fantasy instantly sent quite the chills into their backs.
How could she call herself an ordinary incompetent mob demon? It was now clear how she could call herself a demon king or heavenly demon in the stories.
Fear and a small wariness raised their heads inside Kouki. Moana and Aularodde's expressions were also slightly twitching. But, Kara herself didn't even look concerned,
「I had also notified them beforehand that guests of the honorable master will come visit but……for them to not realize that person's authority regardless of how low of a lifeform they are……this is, a little bit concerning -ssu.」
She said that before moving her gaze over the low ranked demons in suspicion. 「In any case」 She said after a beat.
「This requires punishment.」
Her atmosphere changed drastically. A mocking smile that was befitting a demon, arrogant even while being degenerate a smile that was ooking down on others, trampling them underfoot, such smile appeared on her face.
Terror instantly visited the demons. They all panicked, confused, ran about in derangement.
「T-this is……」
「W-what did you do?」
「I showed them the vision of being punished by the honorable master -ssu.」
「What dreadful thing are you doing!? Are you a demon!?」
The demonic face lasted only for a moment. Her self-debasing and gloomy aura immediately came back as she answered back. However, that was exactly why Aularodde was terrified and got goosebumps on her skin as she hid behind Moana.
Most likely, the atmosphere and expression that slipped out just now were her true face.
「Wait, they're starting to commit suicide. They revived back though……」
「Yes -ssu. Before long they'll grow back wherever -ssu.」
「You're talking like they're weeds.」
But in fact, just like Kara said before, the demons were essentially immortal in hell. Because the wind of blood and sand was reconstructing the demons' fleshes no matter how many times as long as they had their souls.
Especially the low ranked demons who didn't have definite flesh body since the start, that was exactly why they could revive easier than high ranked demon who had definite body. Rather apparently they would easily choose to respawn by death as a way of escape.
Although, to be honest it was difficult to watch the low ranked demons who were in conflicts before this were showing pandemonium in a sense.
Either way it was a hellish scene.
And so, even while feeling a bit relieved that the demons didn't die for real because of the special characteristic of demon and hell, Moana and Aularodde's SAN points were naturally getting whittled down by a lot.I don't wanna stay in this kind of place anymore……that thought showed in their faces.
Kara seemed to sense that and bowed in order to accomplish her original duty.
「I will investigate later on about the lower life forms' rampage -ssu. For now, I will massacre them all so, I ask for your mercy -ssu」
「Your line is too disturbing……rather, I want you to learn about having mercy but I get it.」
「Please be merciful too about my lateness -ssu」
「I wish you're more mindful about that.」
As expected she was quite shameless the way she casually asked for mercy for her blunder too.
「In the first place why were you late?」
「………Yes……I'm a ground beetle who can't even pick up someone properly -ssu……」
「I'm not criticizing you! I'm not okay! I'm just curious!」
Kara-san had too many minefields.Is that so?She observed Kouki's expression with an upward look while answering.
「Too many called out to me on the way here. After all, the one I went to meet is the party of the hero. Honorable master also has notified everyone to give assistance if needed -ssu. In other words――」
「In other words?」
「It's a chance to raise accomplishment that will improve honorable master's impression favorably -ssu! Is what everyone think -ssu.」
「「「Aa~~~」」」
Inevitably, we'll get entrusted with important position with that. We'll be able to go to various worlds!! Perhaps we'll rise in rank too in the demon god army, and we'll be able to be the first in line to participate in amusingly tragic and hellish event!!Was what they thought.
「After all the number of conflicts unfolding in hell right now to be selected by the honorable master is increasing more than before -ssu, so the conflicts between the low ranked demons are also everyday occurrence -ssu. Because of that I also noticed their rampage late -ssu……」
In any case, the high ranked demons schemed to be of help with showing Kouki's group around, and if they got lucky they might even be able to replaced her in as guide. And so they all gathered in great crowds the whole time since Kara got out of the mansion located in the lower layer until the surface.
「And, where're those high ranked demons? I don't see any of them around though……」
「Of course, they all are currently entertaining hero-dono and friends -ssu. Inside their head that is.」
「「「……」」」
A wicked smile formed on Kara's lips. The dark, heavy, and sick smile sent chills through their backs. Kouki and co reflexively shut their mouths.
「Also on the way here, I accidentally got my hands on various nice items. I shall present them to hero-dono -ssu. They are not anything that will make the honorable master rejoice so, please feel free to make use of them -ssu.」
「Ah, yes.」
Is she saying that she "stole" them……Kouki and co thought, but even if they pointed that out she would surely just smile demonically and avoided the question, so they only nodded in respond.
「I do not dare to ask for any compensation for it but, it will truly be great if hero-dono deign to exclude about Kara's lateness in your report for the honorable master and mention instead about the nice items I presented to you -ssu.」
「You really have a nice personality huh.」
「Well, but now we can avoid the troubles if that bunch come swarming us……she's doing her job.」
「How about simply making appeal to that person be his local wife here instead?」
Kouki's face reflexively spasmed, while Moana and Aularodde smiled wryly while reflexively saying what in their minds.
When she heard those words, Kara blinked for some reason.
Next, she gasped and said 「Is this the timing -ssu? Is this the moment -ssu! Honorable master!」 in realization. The next moment.
She straightened her posture a bit theatrically while saying 「I am……」. She put on airs by putting a long pause in between before she performed a beautiful curtsy once more……
「Just a maid in the end after all♪」
She said that with a cool expression.
Kouki and co unconsciously looked at each other. A second passed.
「Really that Nagumo……」
「Ahaha……I got the feeling I understand the reason he put her as a maid in his mansion.」
「Yes. Surely, he just wanted to make her say that.」
They said that and exchanged wry smiles mixed with exasperation to each other.
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Far underground.
Even further below the ninth layer of hell, at the scorching heat space filled with magma where even the demons considered it as a "forbidden area" and wouldn't approach,
――Pi, Pipi-……Bi-, Ga-
A completely out of place electronic sound was faintly ringing.
It was a lake of magma. A corner of it suddenly rose up. What gradually rose while dripping magma was a floating triangular pyramid.
――Rea……ction……hero……factor……
The words of electronic sound was resounding faintly. At the same time, the floating pyramid moved through the scorching heat area with movement unaffected by gravity.
Its movement was sluggish and unstable.
From a glance it only looked like machine, however, mysteriously, it felt like a human desperately trying to move forward even it had to crawly.
There, suddenly there was a severe earthquake. The whole area vibrated and the magma billowed.
The floating pyramid stopped moving like it was holding its breath.
The shaking that was like earthquake immediately settled down.
One second, two seconds.
The floating pyramid slightly shined as though it was checking something, before it started moving once more.
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AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
※Meme introduction
– Kara
The last candidate of Fleur Knights. Just as written, I wanted to make her say 「I'm just a maid in the end」 (From Sebastian of the manga [Black Butler]).
The model is Mara who is considered as the avatar of worldly desires in Buddhism. The existence who got in the way of Buddha to reach enlightenment. It seems Mara is associated with the god of love Kama, so in this work her name is the composite of the two.
– It sings to mee
From Father Gascoigne of the game [Bloodborn].
– What's this light!?
From Rakan of [Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ].
– Manner maketh man
From the movie [Kingsman].
– Punching stuffed doll's stomach
From Sakurada mother-daughter (Moeko & Nene-chan) of [Crayon Shinchan].
– Kara is a bad kid! Kara is a bad kid!
From the house elf Dobby of [Harry Potter].
– She said that with a cool face
From Yotsugi Ononoki of [Nisemonogatari].