Volume 6 - Prologue

Part 1

Disaster, war, crime……

It seems that while being often warned about such dangers, many people think that they alone would be able to elude them.

They believe that outrageous difficulty would not befall upon their own lives.

However, disaster sometimes comes.

Inescapable situations can occur without any significant reason even to virtuous, hardworking, unselfish, and humble people and to able-bodied, cautious, and wise people.

Bad luck──

It is possible for life to be stolen by something unreasonable that could only be called bad luck.

Zircon Tower City, which was located in the former Demon King territory, was abruptly met with an unreasonable risk of destruction without any sort of logical connections.

The Demon King was revived in who knows where, and a newly formed Demon King Army had come to invade it.

The evacuation of the citizens was delayed, the army that should have defended them was defeated, and it seemed as though a massive killing was inescapable.

They were in a desperate situation with no escape.

However, the town could be saved. It was because with Diablo having defeated the Demon King Army’s commanding officer, the war situation was reversed.

They were saved!

The town continued their revelry until late into the night by this miracle.

Even though the war happened at noon, and the people were probably completely exhausted, the hustle and bustle did not settle down even once the date had changed.

They’re so noisy that I can’t sleep──is what Diablo thought.

However, that just showed that they were that delighted……

And after thinking about the outcome that he had brought about, he did not feel bad about it.

「Well, it’s great that we were able to protect them.」

Diablo dived onto the bed.

Having their work evaluated, the inn that the Feudal Lord had prepared for them was of the highest grade in Zircon Tower City.

Amazingly, it was a bed that used springs. Going *kii kii*, it creaked.

「So soft.」

Since it was a single person room, Diablo muttered that as his original self.

The young Pantherian girl Rem, the runaway Elven princess Shera, the High Chief Priest Lumachina, and the Grasswalker Horun (12 years old). These girls were in their own separate rooms.

Since it seemed like the Magimatic Maid Rose would go through the floor, she did not stay in the inn.

Since she could not sleep outdoors, only Rose returned to his base, the 《Demon King’s Underground Labyrinth》.

Due to Diablo having destroyed a majority of the traps, the restoration of those and a guard of the Treasury were needed.

And so, right now, he was alone──

It has been a while since this happened.

It felt like his voice hit the walls.

Before he was summoned to this other world, he was always alone.

Spreading out both arms on the large bed without any reserve, it felt liberating……a bit lonely……

Going *fuwawah*, he yawned.

Outside, a chorus started for the nth time. He didn’t know if it was the national anthem or a war song, but it felt as though he would learn the melody of it soon. Even with it being that boisterous, drowsiness had come.

Both his HP and MP had recovered with potions, but it seemed that fatigue had accumulated from the series of battles over the past few days.

Diablo closed his eyes. His consciousness sunk into a mire.

*Don don!*

A sound different from the noise outside occurred from nearby.

He realized that the door was knocked on.

Making a short pause, he consciously took Demon King-like behavior. In order to hide his original self……

He talked with a voice that was as low as possible for him.

「Ku ku ku……To disturb my slumber, who goes there?」

Diablo had difficulty talking with people. He was super bad with talking with women in particular. Words would stop coming out whenever he exposed his original self.

That is why he masqueraded with the Demon King-like attitude that he performed in the game. Thanks to that, he was just barely able to converse with his surroundings.

He did feel that unnecessary trouble occurred due to his Demon King role play though……

Since he would become unable to say anything other than 「Ahー」 or 「Uhー」 whenever his original self tried to talk, it couldn’t be helped.

A voice came from the other side of the door.

「It is I (yo). It would be favorable if you have awakened, for I wish to talk with you.」

──Yo!?

He was sure that it would be Rem or Shera or any of his other companions, but it wasn’t any of their voices. It was a much more adult woman.

He only knew of one person that referred to themselves as “yo” in this town.

However, that person had a high position.

Would she come to a single room of an inn late at night?

While being half in doubt, Diablo got off of the bed and undid the room’s lock. He opened the door.

Someone wearing a black robe stood there.

The face that he could see inside of her hood was shapely, and her pupils were deep crimson as if they were on fire. As he thought, he didn’t mistake her for another person.

Part 2

The one that came to visit was the master of Zircon Tower──The Feudal Lord of this town, Farnis Lamnites.

Her deep red lips expressed a smile.

「I shall be coming in, Diablo.」

The Feudal Lord came to visit alone!?

He was surprised by that, but showing respect for a local Feudal Lord wasn’t Demon King like. He feigned calmness and replied to her.

「What have you come for, Lamnites?」

「Did I not say that I have come to talk with you.」

Even though she was a local Feudal Lord, she claimed to be the “ruler of the desert country” and was quite bold. She seemed to have a personality that would not become timid.

Even though he did not give her permission, she came into the room.

Diablo snorted.

「Hmph……Very well……However, you had better prepare yourself if it is about trivial business, got it?」

「You will not find it dull.」

Lamnites took off her robe, and placed it on the back of a chair.

She was not in her usual armored appearance.

It was an evening dress that had her back greatly exposed.

The bulges of her chest were open in an amazing visage that looked like they would spill out. His gaze was unconsciously drawn towards them, and he tried to hurriedly pull it away from them, but he failed.

She crossed her arms, and her breasts were brought together and lifted up. Her cleavage that was deep even at normal times was emphasized.

「You weren’t at the victory celebration, why?」

「I dislike boisterous things.」

──If I were at a place that gathered the attention of a great number of people like that, it wouldn’t end with just a cold sweat.

「Fufu, I had thought that it was something like that but……Have you eaten?」

「There is no need to worry about that.」

Since Rem and the others brought some food back with them, he ate together with Horun. It ended up being a bit late at night though.

Lamnites opened a wine bottle that she brought along.

「Well then, this alone is enough, right?」

「If it’s alcohol, then drink it alone.」

「Do not say that. This is the best grape wine in this area.」

In this first-class inn, even tableware was prepared. She took out wine glasses from the shelves, and poured the rich purplish red liquid into them.

The aroma filled the room.

It seemed that it certainly was different from normal alcohol.

It was a fragrance that caused interest in the taste to well up even in Diablo who did not have that much interest in alcohol.

Lamnites held it out to him.

「At least accompany me in a toast.」

「Hmph……What a tiresome fellow.」

Diablo grabbed the bowl of the wine glass, and took it.

He brought it close to the glass that she held.

Since the wine glass was made thin and delicate, he did not do something like hit the other person’s glass when making the toast. Even in another world, these manners were common. This also went with grabbing the bowl. Holding it by grabbing the stem was only for when one was tasting it.

「To today’s victory.」

「Umu.」

──It’s already something that happened yesterday though.

After lightly lifting them up to each other, they brought the wine glasses to their lips.

While enveloped by the mellow aroma of fruit, he sent the liquid into his throat.

Both its sweetness and sourness were tightly concentrated, and yet, the bitterness was moderate. Surprisingly, it felt easy to drink and had a gentle feeling going down his throat. He had the impression that it would be more dense and thick, but he didn’t feel any discomfort.

In an instant, after a pause, the fragrance came out from his nostrils.

「Ooo……」

Reflexively, he leaked out a manga-like astonishment for it.

He felt that his body was getting hot. It was easy to drink, but the alcohol might have been strengthened.

Lamnites also breathed a sigh.

「It seems that you were pleased with it.」

「It was very good.」

「Why don’t we have a seat and talk.」

It was a room that had both office chairs and sofas, but Lamnites sat down on the edge of the bed.

She urged Diablo to sit down as well with her gaze.

Since the Feudal Lord came to visit bringing a present late at night, she probably had an appropriate discussion to have. Since he drank the delicious grape wine, he had no reason to refuse her.

Diablo sat down next to her.

However, he was separated enough from her for another person to sit between them.

He had grown accustomed to Rem and Shera, but when it came to an adult woman that he wasn’t that intimate with, this much of a distance was his limit.

If he got too close, he would become nervous and he would become unable to concentrate on the talk.

Lamnites chuckled.

──Well, I challenged him going solo though.

In any case, in the game, there was a great number of Adventurers that were at the upper limit of level 150, and they were equipped with Legendary class weapons.

By exchanging information on the internet and guessing even the hidden parameters through the attempts made by the several millions of active Players, the optimum capture route was established.

In this other world, Adventurers like that did not exist.

At the very least, Diablo has not met with any of them.

Something like an order to “subjugate in the one week period the event is in session” like it was in the game was probably impossible. They didn’t even know his whereabouts after all.

Of course, there was also the possibility that “the Demon King isn’t as strong as he was in the game either” but……

He had fought against the incompletely revived Demon King Krebskrum before.

Going by the feelings he had at that time, she might be weaker than in the game, but it wasn’t that great of a difference──In other words, it’s a fight that can’t be won with this town’s armed forces.

They should evacuate.

Lamnites frowned.

「But what if for example, there was an outrageously strong Magician. Would he not be able to defeat the Demon King?」

Could Diablo not win against the Demon King?

「I might be able to win.」

「Ooh……」

「However, that’s only if it is one-on-one. In the middle of my fight with the Demon King, there is no way the Demonic Beings would remain as spectators, right?」

「Naturally, they would surely interfere.」

In the game, small fry enemies wouldn’t interfere in the middle of the fight with the last boss. Cases where the scene was played out like that were different though.

It was different from reality.

Most likely, he would have to fight against countless Demonic Beings and Demonic Beasts before fighting against the Demon King.

He could win even if he had to face off against the Demon King and the Demon King Army at the same time──Diablo was not conceited enough to think that, nor was he reckless enough to do that.

Lamnites breathed a sigh.

「Well then, how does protecting the town at the very least sound?」

「If you are going to evacuate, I shall assist you during that time, as an Adventurer. However, I have no plans on taking permanent residence in this desert town.」

「I will not tell you to take permanent residence. However, there is also the path of augmenting not the withdrawal but with the war potential, is there not?」

「If the opponent has war potential like that of that day, you would need one hundred fellows with the strength of at least a Holy Knight. Otherwise, you would want ten fellows on Faltra’s Feudal Lord’s level.」

「Come to think of it, we could not find the figure of the Head of the Holy Knights Baduta anywhere……Would you, know of anything about him?」

「……He’s probably, dead.」

After hesitating to say it for an instant, Diablo answered her.

Lamnites opened her eyes wide.

「Goodness!?」

「For a more detailed explanation, you should ask Lumachina. She knows everything about it, and her words are probably more trustworthy than anyone else’s.」

「Certainly, there would be no anxiety of a false testimony if it was the High Chief Priest saying it.」

「Is that all for your business? In that case……」

「I understand that you will not stay in this town. However, you still have yet to decide on where it is that you will go, correct?」

「That’s right.」

First, they needed rest.

Diablo was also tired, but his companions were also considerably tired.

They traveled from Faltra City to the Former Demon King territory that they were not familiar with, and came to Zircon Tower City. While not having any proper rest, they fought against the Head of the Holy Knights Baduta.

After that, they were chased by Lamnites, and headed to Diablo’s dungeon without returning to town.

Once they thought that they finally finished capturing the dungeon, there was that day’s war.

──This isn’t a problem with HP and MP. It’s about being worn out.

「For me, I would like to have you stay for a long time. For that sake, I have prepared an appropriate service.」

Before he knew it, the one person’s worth of space that should have been between them was completely closed up.

Sliding her butt without any hesitation, Lamnites got close enough that his shoulder was touched by her body.

──Eh? What does she mean?

*Kon kon*……

A knocking sound was made, and Diablo’s thoughts that felt like they were caught in a fog rapidly cleared up. He cooled down as if ice water was poured on him.

He excitedly put his (bangle’s) belt back on.

Lamnites also straightened her disheveled dress.

Diablo answered sounding like a Demon King.

「Hmph……Who is there?」