Book 6: Chapter 1

Sacrifice’s Cage.

That was a certain fate──a mark that one possessed the fate of playing the villain’s part.

The mark of one who carried the fate of being defeated due to justice and perishing.

Taking the world’s resentment and hatred into oneself, they were a sacrifice that took the name of 「evil」.

The one who possessed that mark had the fate of being resented, being hated, and then becoming evil and killed from the moment they were born.

Therefore, that one hated everything, but loved everything on the other hand.

There was 「evil」 that should be despised.

There was 「evil」 that could not be spoken of without tears.

There was 「evil」 that would be mistaken as justice.

Those caught within the Sacrifice’s Cage accepted that end.

The shining Holy Sword.

The countless arrows.

Accepting tears and anger into their bodies, they died.

However, not a single one of them knew.

Those that had lost their lives, they did not know the fact that they were born for the sake of being killed, and that they were just a single soul.

Like this, the one who became the sacrifice would continue to clean up the distortions of the people, and continued to die as the source of 「evil」.

Everything, was for the sake of harmony that someone else desired.

……The young lady opened her eyes.

She was caught in the Sacrifice’s Cage, and used──Tears came to those eyes that understood that fact.

Through the treatment administered by Demon King Vermudol, she learned of the fate of the existence of the Sacrifice’s Cage that she was assigned.

And then……she noticed the warm finger of the woman that wiped the tears that she had shed.

「So you’ve woken up.」

The young lady realized that she was lying down in a soft bed.

Beside her was a woman that she didn’t know but……if she were told that there was a cool woman around, the young lady thought that this sort of person would be pointed out.

「Who are you……?」

「I’m the Demon King Army’s Eastern General, Fainell. I’m not mistaken in taking it that you’re Ykslaas, am I?」

The young lady felt her hazy mind wake up.

Ykslaas. That’s right, that was the young lady’s name.

The clown that was given the title of 『Demon King of Harmony』.

「……That’s right. I am Ykslaas.」

「I had heard that you are the principal offender in incident this time.」

「That’s right.」

「……I see.」

After Fainell said that, she breathed a small sigh.

If she were to speak honestly, she was thinking of hitting Ykslaas once whether she acted violently or not.

The young lady in front of her was the main culprit that entered the Dark Continent with the Dimensional Castle and threw the Mazoku into disorder.

That castle that had appeared all of a sudden transferred to various places in the Dark Continent, and the eastern and southern regions received attacks from Ykslaas’s subordinates.

The damage was especially large for the east as the Lulugal Forest occupied fort was turned into a devastated state due to Black Knight Claude, and many of Fainell’s subordinates were killed.

In order to destroy Demon King Vermudol, Ykslaas had come attacking the Demon King Castle together with White Knight Shironos and Blue Knight Brutus, but they were driven back by the master hands of the Demon King Army, used a technique called Bale Killer at the end, and were defeated.

In the end, it was confirmed that Ykslaas’s group were victims of a 「trap」 that was set up by the God of Life Philia.

While Ykslaas had lost consciousness, Demon King Vermudol undid the Mind Control that was placed on her, that is the story that Fainell was told, but that being said, she couldn’t forgive her so easily.

The one who killed Fainell’s subordinates was the man called Claude, but his master and the principal offender for the plan was Ykslaas.

That is why she thought she would hit her and have her take clear responsibility……but.

Seeing the young lady shed tears as she had nightmares, she changed her mind.

She was unable to rebuke a weakened opponent.

Of course, she understood that that was a stupid sentimentality and a hypocrisy.

Even so, Fainell was unable to do it.

She didn’t feel that hitting her would be a memorial service towards her dead subordinates no matter how she thought about it.

So as to express such complicated feelings, Fainell asked a question to Ykslaas.

「Why did you cry?」

「……It’s because I learned of my foolishness, I suppose.」

「What are you saying at this late point in time. That sort of thing, notice it much earlier.」

「You’re right. It’s exactly as you say. If I had noticed it much earlier……If I had done that, I wonder if something would have changed.」

That was probably impossible.

Most likely, she received Mind Control the whole time, and was made to not think about a single unnecessary thought.

Even so, if she had noticed it, Ykslaas wondered if something would have changed.

Thinking……Ykslaas noticed that Fainell was looking at her.

「You too……I am sure that you detest me.」

「Naturally. But, I’m not so petty that I would think of trying to kill you because of it. It’s because it’s not like you went against the Mazoku way of things.」

For the Mazoku, the strong were in the right, and it was natural that the weak would die.

Ever since the Dark Continent was gathered into the shape of a nation, many Mazoku obtained the concept of companions.

However, while that may be true, it wasn’t like the Mazoku’s logic that it was natural that the weak would die in battle had changed.

Fainell also understood that not having that logic apply only to her own companions was too convenient.

「……It really is a bother. I sometimes miss the era where we would hit and kill if we got pissed off and that would be the end of it.」

「Would you want to return, to those times?」

Asked that by Ykslaas, Fainell showed signs that she was thinking about it.

However, shook her head right away and made a wry smile.

「No, I wouldn’t. I like the current Dark Continent better.」

「……Is that so.」

Seeing Ykslaas mutter that and then sink into silence, Fainell tilted her head.

「Still, you’re an odd one. Since you were a fellow that would march into the Dark Continent with a strange castle, I imagined that you’d be more……that you’d be a guy like Raktor.」

「Since I don’t know that person called Raktor, I cannot really say anything.」

「Nn? That’s true……」

Thinking, Fainell became troubled going “uーmu”.

「Nnー……Muu. Let’s see, the Norm……I guess you wouldn’t understand even if I said that. The blacksmith Metalio men, something like if they were made more muscular and made bigger……I guess?」

The Demon King Army’s Southern General Raktor was a Bale Dragon which possessed outstanding abilities even among the Mazoku, and he normally took a Majin form. He was a muscle-brained and famous man in the Dark Continent.

Fainell tried to compare Raktor to the Norm which were a race of the Mazoku, but Ykslaas probably didn’t know what a Norm was to begin with. That is why she tried expressing it with the Metalio, a race of mankind, but she felt that that was also a bit wrong.

「That would make me a thick and muscular man. That wouldn’t be funny.」

「That’s true. But I wouldn’t hesitate to hit you either if you were like that though.」

Ykslaas became tired seeing Fainell say that and then grin.

And then, all of a sudden, she made an expression that said she realized something.

「Come to think of it, what happened to my knights.」

「Dunno. But, I killed the black one.」

「……I see.」

Comprehending that the black one indicated she was talking about Claude, Ykslaas made a small nod.

Was she really the only one that survived?

Ignoring the thinking Ykslaas, Fainell called out to the Magic Operated Armor that was on standby outside of the room’s door.

「Oi, what happened to the other knights?」

「Yes. The Red Knight that was confirmed in the south is currently in the middle of receiving treatment, and the White Knight and the Blue Knight have not regained consciousness at present.」

「Is that so. Ah, don’t tell Ichika that I revealed that to this girl, okay?」

If the straight-laced Maid Knight Ichika were to learn of that, there was no mistake that she would say cutting remarks to her about it.

「Yes, I will not voluntarily mention it, but I will answer if I am asked about it.」

「……The bunch from the Central Army are the same as always……」

Clicking her tongue, Fainell turned back towards Ykslaas and shrugged her shoulders.

「That seems to be the case. So, what will you do after hearing this?」

「……I won’t do anything. They were dragged into this mess by my foolish conduct. I merely thought that I would like for them to at least be alive.」

Ykslaas said that in a self-deprecating tone.

While staring at that state of hers, Fainell leaned her back into the chair, and started to play with her own hair looking bored.

「That remark of yours just now……how should I put this. It’s terribly self-torturing. I really do understand reflecting on things, but I don’t get anything other than that at all. To begin with, why did you even attack?」

「It was because I believed that that was justice, I suppose. No, it wasn’t anything like justice. It was because I was under the impression that that was the mission that had to accomplish. Even though there were many inconsistent points, now that I think about it……see.」

Ykslaas muttered that, and made a distant look.

That’s right, there were several times where she felt doubt.

However, every time, her thoughts continued to be controlled.

That happened to Ykslaas, and most likely to her Four Knights as well.

By having those shackles destroyed by Vermudol, she was finally able to notice it.

「……Come to think of it, where is Vermudol?」

「If it’s Demon King-sama, he is resting right now.」

Nodding at Fainell’s curt answer, Ykslaas remembered one more person.

Someone that saved her when she was about to lose consciousness.

Someone, his name was──

「Then, Sancreed……what of the person called that?」

「Sancreed? If it’s him, I met with him earlier but……I don’t know where he is now, you know?」

「Is, is that so. Right……」

Seeing Ykslaas’s state of looking a bit disappointed, Fainell made a face as if she had just chewed on a bitter bug.

The Demon King Army’s Western General Sancreed was the Mazoku Hero that Vermudol created.

Fainell had repeatedly received damage due to his insensitivity up until now. The person himself had no ill will, but that was also a bothersome part about him.

「If it’s a story where you’ve fallen for him or something, give up on it.」

「You’ve got it wrong. It’s because I haven’t said my thanks to him for saving me. I would like to say it to at least one of them soon though.」

「……He saved you, huh. I don’t really know the situation on that part either though.」

Saying that, Fainell breathed a sigh.

「But, well, I’ll say this for now……That Sancreed is no good. It’s because he’s devastatingly lacking in delicacy. Guys who don’t know him say that he’s gentlemanly or kind, but I know. Listen up, he’s no good. This is something that I said to my friend too but……」

The door to the room was knocked on when she had spoken that far, and was opened without waiting for an answer.

「Oi, I was in the middle of an important talk just now.」

「I don’t think I would call bad talking about me an important talk though……」

Seeing the face that appeared, Fainell blatantly clicked her tongue.

「What, so it’s you, Sancreed.」

「Are you still mad about what had happened before?」

「More importantly, state your business. If you don’t have any, make a right about-face and leave.」

Sancreed made a wry smile at Fainell’s thorny attitude.

It seemed that Fainell was still angry over how he had crushed the game piece under his foot not too long ago.

Since Sancreed was certainly at fault with that, he had properly apologized to her……but it seems that she still hasn’t forgiven him.

「It seems that the fainted White Knight and Blue Knight have awoken. Thought I’d tell you for now.」

「Saying that they’ve awakened……Is it alright for you to be at a place like this?」

「The one standing guard right now is Gordy. It shouldn’t be a problem.」

「Ahh. In that case……the rear garden?」

The Demon King Army’s Central General Gordy was often in the rear garden in her Golem form while covered in moss in times of peace.

She was also able to take on a Majin form, and her skill in the sword was top class even within the Demon King Army.

「That’s how it is.」

Fainell called out to Ykslaas who was making a face that said she didn’t know what they were talking about.

「This is perfect. You have no intention of going against Demon King-sama anymore, right?」

「……Yes, I don’t.」

「In that case, go and tell your subordinates about your safety.」

With a nod, Ykslaas tried to get up from the bed……then stumbled, and fell into Fainell’s arms.

「I, I’m sorry.」

「Don’t worry about it. Think you can stand?」

After Ykslaas made a slightly pained face, she shook her head sideways.

「……It can’t be helped.」

Saying that, Fainell carried Ykslaas in her arms. In a more slang way, it was a princess carry.

「Now then, let’s go.」

「Erm……Thank, you.」

「It’s because I don’t want to take up time on something foolish. Alright, move out of the way, Sancreed.」

Saying that, Fainell left the room while pushing Sancreed out of the way.

Sancreed, who was treated so cruelly, followed after them while expressing a wry smile.