Book 7: Chapter 26

The Jiol Forest Kingdom’s royal villa had currently turned into Luuty’s residence.

Right now, within that royal villa, in the room that Luuty normally uses as her bedroom, a single guest had come.

The Eastern General Fainell. She had the position of being Luuty’s friend, and was one of the leaders of the Zadark Kingdom.

Her friend that suddenly appeared with Transfer Magic like usual made her guards cry, but since that was something that happened every time, Luuty didn’t mind it either.

After preparing black tea and cookies on the table, her friend would always hand over presents as if just remembering it while ignoring the black tea and munching on the cookies. At times, they would be vegetables, or sweets, or accessories, just various things.

The lineup of presents that had no uniformity was also an indication of her capricious friend’s personality, but the tale that that friend had brought with her today was something astonishing enough to make Luuty spit out the black tea that she was drinking.

「Th, the Sword Demon……!? Are you sure about that!?」

「Yeah. Though I say that, I didn’t see him, but it is trustworthy information.」

「You……Isn’t that something that you should tell not to me but to the King?」

When Luuty glared at Fainell, Fainell shrugged her shoulders saying “what are you getting mad about”.

「Naturally, we plan on telling him. But, that is Nanalus’s job, not mine. Demon King-sama told me to bring this story to you too. So, that is why I came here like this.」

「Is, is that so……」

The Sword Demon was the most unpopular Mazoku within the Hero legend. He was cowardly and underhanded, and also an idiot, yet he stuck around to the very end of the Hero legend together with the Staff Demon.

He was a Mazoku where children would say 「I hate the Sword Demon」 and parents would say 「if you say things like that, you’ll turn out like the Sword Demon」, but by no means was he weak.

Rather, the fact that he survived until the end was because the Staff Demon had estimated that he would be excellent as a usable piece under his control, and he had the ability to be crowned with the name of Sword Demon.

In reality, from Luuty’s perspective, the Sword Demon was a Mazoku whose nuisance was unparalleled. She had confronted him several times, and there were even times where she was cornered by him.

His skill in sword techniques was also sound, and the ones that could surpass the Sword Demon with sword techniques alone among mankind at the time, were probably Ria and Duke alone. Ryuuya had also ultimately defeated the Sword Demon, but that was because he won with a synthesized power that put together the abilities of the sword and magic.

That’s right. Ryuuya had defeated the Sword Demon.

With the Holy Sword Tilt Blade, he should have crushed him along with the Sword Demon’s soul.

Even if she was told that he had appeared, she couldn’t believe so suddenly.

That is why, Luuty asked a question to Fainell like this.

「……Was that, really the Sword Demon?」

「What do you mean?」

「I mean that in a literal way. Is it certain, that was the Sword Demon?」

Unable to figure out the meaning of Luuty’s question, Fainell made a bewildered face.

Seeing Fainell like that, Luuty, before long, went “fuu” and let out a small breath.

「You said that you hadn’t seen him directly, didn’t you.」

「Well, yeah. However, someone who directly knows the Sword Demon saw him. I don’t think that she could mistake him for someone else.」

「Is that, so…… But, the Sword Demon’s appearance is an armor and helmet after all. It certainly is characteristic, but it’s not to the point that it can’t be a disguise.」

「There’d be no end to it if you say that, but where’s the meaning in making that a disguise?」

While serving additional cookies to the plate that had become empty, Luuty answered.

「There are all sorts of meanings. By demonstrating that the Sword Demon is well, it is possible to hint at the possibility that those other than the Sword Demon are well as well. Well, that part would change depending on the other party’s objective though.」

After saying that, Luuty hit the plate.

「That’s right, that’s where the problem is. I understand that the Sword Demon came to you guys’ place. However, I haven’t heard specifically where it was and for what kind of objective it was that they came. The hypothesis would change in various ways depending on that but……Fainell, do you know them?」

「Mu.」

Being told that, Fainell swallowed the cookie that was in her mouth.

「Yeah, I do know. It was told that it was fine to tell you. The Sword Demon’s objective was, Gramfia-sama’s horn fragment. In regards to the place……Well, it’s an important location. For the time being, it seems that the Sword Demon was scattered away by Demon King-sama, but the horn fragment that was stolen by the Sword Demon wasn’t found.」

Answering like that, Fainell once again brought a cookie to her mouth.

What was left on top of the plate were light brown cookies, and black cookies. The black cookies were sweet, and Fainell felt the taste was a bit too rich. She preferred the light brown cookies, but what was the taste of it called?

When she stuffed her mouth while having those kinds of thoughts, Luuty pulled the cookie plate away from being close to Fainell’s hand.

「He was scattered away……was he.」

「Yeah. I didn’t hear specifically how he was scatter away though.」

When Fainell took back the plate of cookies from near Luuty’s hand, as she tried to take one more cookie……once again, Luuty pulled the plate back.

「Just to confirm but the place that the horn fragment was at was the important location. And then, the horn fragment couldn’t be found. There is no mistake with this, right?」

「Yeah, no mistakes. Oi, Luuty. Those are my tea snacks, you know.」

「They’re mine. These are pretty expensive. So, Fainell, that important location or whatever, is it a place that even an outsider could figure out easily?」

Fainell took a sip of the black tea with a dissatisfied-looking face, then pondered as if choosing her words.

「……If it’s a Mazoku affiliated with the Zadark Kingdom, they probably know of its existence. It’s location also hasn’t been made public, but it’s not like it’s being hidden. It could be found if one thought of looking it up.」

「I see. That method of looking it up or whatever, would it be possible even with that Sword Demon’s outward appearance?」

After thinking about the meaning of those words, Fainell expressed a question mark.

「Why is it limited to his outward appearance? There’s the measure of Majin Transformation after all.」

Majin Transformation meant turning into the form of a person, and it was something possible if a Mazoku possessed more than a certain level of power. If it’s a top brass-class Mazoku, there are few that can’t use it.

However, Luuty shook her head sideways and showed that she denied that.

「No. The Sword Demon can’t do Majin Transformation. It’s because the Sword Demon, he only had an interest in raising his own power. I heard that he didn’t pour any power into the Majin Transformation ability.」

That is something that the Sword Demon himself told Luuty’s group.

Majin Transformation consumed an extraordinary amount of magical power. That would obstruct the growth of their abilities as a Mazoku to a certain extent. That is why he didn’t have a Majin Transformation……or so he said.

「……Is that so. Let’s see, if the Sword Demon has the outward appearance that I had heard……Well, he would probably stand out to a certain degree. However, it wouldn’t be to a degree where he would be found suspicious.」

「So you’re saying, it’s possible.」

「If we’re just talking about if it’s possible or impossible. So, what are you feeling anxious about?」

In response to Fainell’s question, Luuty dropped her gaze onto the cup close at hand as if to think.

「Let’s see. First, it’s about the Sword Demon’s survival. If that really was the Sword Demon, then there is no mistake that he’s alive.」

「Yeah, Demon King-sama also said that.」

「Then that means, that there’s a possibility that Gramfia’s horn fragment was taken away.」

「That’s true. Ahh, that’s right. Can you think of a reason why he would go out of his way to steal that?」

「No. If you all can’t make a guess about it, there is no way I would know one.」

Answering like that, Luuty placed her cup of black tea back onto the table.

「And then, next is……About the possibility of the Sword Demon’s companions.」

「Fumu.」

「If the Sword Demon endured even an attack from the Holy Sword and lived, there is the possibility that a Mazoku called the Staff Demon has also survived. If that really is the case, it will be a considerable nuisance.」

The Staff Demon, being one of Shuklous’s subordinate Four Demon Generals, that was the Mazoku that tormented Ryuuya’s group the most. He had the cold-heartedness to be able to calmly carry out crafty and cruel tactics, and possessed the intellect to be able to devise those tactics.

With that personality, it seemed that there was quite the hostility between him and the martial spirited Spear Demon, and ultimately, the Spear Demon died by one of the Staff Demon’s stratagems.

「Speaking frankly, I don’t think that the Sword Demon is capable of doing something like information gathering. If someone is pulling the strings in the back, they’re doing a good job of it.」

「I see, so that guy was an idiot.」

「Yes. Enough to make you look like a genius.」

「Nn? Do I really look that excellent?」

Seeing Fainell make a broad smile, Luuty made a very delicate face, and pushed the cookie plate close to Fainell’s hand.

「……You can eat them.」

「Oh, is that so. You really are nice.」

Watching Fainell with lukewarm eyes as she started to munch on the cookies, Luuty went *kohon* and cleared her throat.

「At any rate, with that being the case, there is definitely some sort of meaning to the usurpation of the horn fragment.」

「That’s right. Demon King-sama was also worried about that.」

「……Specifically, what is he worried about?」

Picking up the last light brown cookie, Fainell carried it to her mouth.

*Saku saku*, *gokun* (munch munch, gulp) After swallowing, Fainell recreated a serious expression.

「……It’s the former Demon King Army. Demon King-sama is worried that the guys who are mentioned in the Hero legend over here are going to cause something.」

「……I see. However, at the very least, the Jiol Forest Kingdom is aware of the circumstances with this. If I talk about it, the King will understand the situation. You were dispatched with that as your aim, right?」

「Pretty much. But, the problem isn’t this country.」

In mankind’s territory, even in just the countries that were called the Four Major Nations, there were still the St. Altlis Kingdom, the Cylas Empire, and the Canal Kingdom.

Even if the Canal Kingdom, which was still in the middle of internal strife, was excluded, what would happen if those guys were to do something in the Cylas Empire? And then, above all else, how would the St. Altlis Kingdom move?

「I have heard that the state of affairs in the St. Altlis Kingdom is currently quite unstable. Demon King-sama stated that it would be troubling if something like the Demon King Army of the legends were to appear.」

「……So Vermudol-dono is thinking that they will come.」

「It is at the stage of just worrying. But as long as the possibility that the God of Life Philia is involved is high, there is the possibility that that worry won’t end at being a worry. Am I wrong?」

Hearing Fainell’s words, Luuty closed her eyes while remaining silent.

「……At the current stage, I can’t really say anything.」

Only that sentence was her answer.