Volume 9 - CH 3

Part 1

The seemingly burning setting sun shined upon the ruins of the city gate that had turned into rubble.

The sun sank into the distant hills.

The soldiers and adventurers were giving first-aid treatment to the injured and placing them on stretchers. The severely wounded were carried to the church. It was the same for the corpses of those that died.

Voices that gave praise to Diablo and the others, were not there.

The feeling that those that had watched the battle against the Great Demon King had harbored, was fear. Their expressions said it all.

──I’m not thinking “even though I protected you all”.

That was how he was even from when it was a game.

Even when Diablo had defeated a Raid Boss, which was originally specified to be subjugated with a large number of people, going solo, there weren’t particularly any people that praised him.

Since the lives of the inhabitants of this other world were on the line, there wasn’t anyone that scorned his efforts, or arbitrarily decided that he had cheated even though there was no proof. In that respect, it was better.

Diablo, accompanied by Rose and Sasala and with Shera hanging on him, returned to the town.

*Tatata* The light sound of footsteps came running towards them.

Krum waved both of her hands.

「Diabloー!! You did well to do away with the Great Demon King -noda!」

「O, ou. Are you, alright?」

「Of course -nanoda! Maou is sturdy after all!」

She was already acting quite spirited, but upon taking a closer look, there were things that looked like countless scratches left on her skin.

Even though it was glossy skin that looked like porcelain before……

He thought that it would be nice if there weren’t any marks that would remain.

Edelgart was standing behind Krum. She should have had serious injuries to the point that she was close to vanishing, but she was completely healed.

「……Fuu」

As expected, a little fatigue could be seen on her. She had a face that looked like an office lady waiting for the last train on a Friday.

Even further from behind, Rem came walking.

「Thank you for your hard work, Diablo……As expected of you, I can no longer find the words to describe it.」

As he was about to reply to her in a way that sounded cool, he suddenly noticed.

Her complexion had gotten worse.

「Is something the matter, Rem?」

「……Ah……Do I look that bad? Maybe because I was bracing myself up until a little while ago, I was fine, but I might be nauseated from the 《Transfer》. I am sure that I felt exhausted the moment I thought that the Great Demon King was defeated.」

「As usual, you are weak against vehicles.」

He couldn’t say anything as to whether or not 《Transfer》 was a vehicle though.

Rem hung her head down.

「……Sorry.」

Diablo was flustered in his mind. He didn’t think that she would be that depressed about it. To think that his communication disorder to exhibit itself at a time like this!

However, a Demon King that took back his previous remarks, wasn’t Demon King-like.

As he was searching for his next words, the sound of metal armor was made, and some Local Knights had come up to them.

Placed on the stretcher that they carried, Feudal Lord Galford was being carried.

His left arm was gone, and even his right arm was broken. There were traces of him flashily bleeding from the abdomen, but it seems to have already stopped.

He was deathly pale to the point that no one else could compare and he had a complexion like that of a corpse. Compared to him, both Rem and Edelgart were brimming with health.

While lying down on the stretcher, Galford moved only his head, and looked at Diablo.

His now purple lips moved.

「To have defeated, that Great Demon King……You are beyond imagination.」

「Hmph……He was not an opponent that could even be called a hard fight!」

He himself who had leveled up, the Master Swordsman Sasala, and the Magimatic Maid Rose. And then, the magic reflecting ring. If even one of them had been missing, the result could have been dangerous, but since they had obtained precious victory, he decided to go all out an emphasized his strength.

The other day, Galford had tried to take Krum along to get her examined. It would probably be better to make him think that it would be dangerous to antagonize Diablo.

He curved his lips.

「You are……」

He had tried to say something, but since his voice was too low, Diablo couldn’t hear him.

The Local Knights made a bow and carried the stretcher off.

Diablo asked a question to Shera who was dangling onto his left arm.

「Did you not use a potion on Galford?」

「No, I did use one. But with just one, he only healed that much. I tried to use one more on him, but he told me that it was no longer needed.ー.」

「Fumu……」

So when it comes to a Warrior greater than level 100, an SR-class HP Recovery Potion is unable to heal them all that much.

That being said, when it came to SSR-class, those were valuable articles.

If it was just to use for himself and those around him, he had enough in reserve where he didn’t need to worry about there being any left over.

However, if he were to use them on even the injured people of a large-scale battle, as expected, he wouldn’t have enough.

If his life wasn’t in danger, then he would leave the rest to the priests of the church.

Getting full of himself and using them without reserve, only to be lacking it when it was truly needed──that sort of thing, is something he absolutely wanted to avoid.

Part 2

Hearing a female voice shouting, he turned his gaze towards it.

It was Lamnites.

「Hurry! The war, is not yet over!」

The ones accompanying her were construction soldiers that were carrying surveying instruments.

Shera tilted her head.

「I wonder what they’re doing?」

「……It’s because if the city gate and the barrier tower aren’t rebuilt, the war can’t be said to be over after all.」

Rem gave an explanation.

Certainly, the current Faltra City is in a dangerous situation.

The Demonic Beings still remained in the west. Maybe they still haven’t accepted that the Great Demon King has vanished, or maybe they were still expecting that there was still a chance.

Even the seven Grand Turtles were still going strong. If those were to advance forward, they would be plenty of a threat.

In order to prevent the invasion, the barrier needed to be put back up.

Diablo asked a question to no one in particular.

「About how many days would be needed to rebuild the tower?」

「……If they were to build it the same as the one that had been destroyed, I think it would take about one or two years. However, I believe that they will most likely build a temporary tower first.」

「Fumu.」

He nodded at Rem’s explanation.

「……For a temporary one, it will take about three days.」

「If the Demonic Beings are to make a move, it will probably be during that time.」

「Yes.」

Gazing at Lamnites who was taking control using a loud voice, Rem spoke.

「……Right now with the Faltra City Feudal Lord injured, having Lord Lamnites who acted as the Feudal Lord in Zircon Tower City that was in former Demon King territory here is reassuring. Normally, she shouldn’t have any right to command the stationed troops here, but this isn’t a situation to be saying something like that.」

「That is true.」

Lamnites, who did not mind the small details and took the initiative to take action, was a welcome capable person for the organization that had fallen into a crisis.

As he gazed at that scene while thinking such things, he suddenly met her gaze.

Closing one eye, Lamnites winked at him.

He remembered.

Before, on the night that he had protected Zircon Tower City from the army of Demonic Beings──she came to the inn uninvited, and then calling it thanks, various things happened.

Diablo involuntarily ended up blushing.

Rem, who was beside him, tilted her head.

「……Is something wrong?」

「Ah, no……it’s nothing.」

Something similar had happened in the Elven country as well, and he was discovered by Rem that time……

She, who got seriously mad about it, ended up not even talking to him for a while.

At that moment, he swore that he would stop going with the flow with that sort of stuff.

Diablo tore his gaze off from Lamnites.

When he looked towards the town──

A girl with bunny ears hopped off a carriage that had come by. She had her red hair cut to shoulder length, and she wore an outfit with excessively little cloth.

She looked like a child with a lot of skin exposure, but she was the Guildmaster that managed the Adventurers of Faltra City──Sylvie.

Part 3

「Well then, I’ll be heading back to Celes-san’s place. We can’t let our guard down yet after all.」

Hearing Sylvie’s words, Rem raised one hand.

「……May I go along with you?」

「It’s fine with me but, what’s up?」

「……It’s because, in exchange for my freedom, I promised that I would report things to her without hiding anything.」

「I see. I’d also like to hear it.」

「……I will have to decline.」

While having that sort of conversation, Rem and Sylvie headed towards the Magician’s Guild.

Krum pointed at the southern side of the town.

「Yosh! Let’s go to eat some biscuits -noda!」

「Ehー, it’s already nighttime you know? They aren’t selling any anywhere.」

Shera made her eyes go round.

It isn’t a problem of whether it’s day or night. At a time where the Demon King army attacked, the barrier was destroyed, and seems like the Demonic Beings would come into the town like an avalanche at any moment, there probably isn’t anyone that has their shop open for business.

Krum kicked at the ground.

「Buーtー, I want to eat biscuits -noda!」

「Isn’t everyone asleep?」

「There is no way that is the case! Isn’t there such a loud racket going on.」

Just as she said, the people were lively as if a festival or something had started. It was because after having been in a hopeless situation, the Great Demon King was defeated, and the town was saved.

Something similar happened even at Zircon Tower City.

A great number of people were excited from the victory.

Shera asked a question.

「Didn’t you have a stock of biscuits?」

「I ate all of it -noda. Since it seemed like there would be a need to fight against 《Insanity》, I did that to hype myself up.」

「Aryarya～」

「Maou did her best! Even though she did her best, to think she wouldn’t be able to eat biscuits!」

「U, un.」

「At this point, there is no other choice but to turn everything to ash -noda!」

「You can’t, you can’t, you can’t! Then, let’s go buy some. But, if there aren’t any stores selling them, you need to wait until morning, okay?」

「Umu.」

While making a troubled looking face, Shera spoke.

「Diablo, we’re going to go to 《Peter》.」

「Fumu……In that case, I will as well.」

「That would make me happy but……you’re tired from all that fighting, right? Don’t push yourself. Sasala-san looks sleepy after all.」

「Mu?」

Being told that, when he looked at her──

Sasala was sleeping while standing.

Leaning on Rose, she was already making sleeper’s breath.

「Kuー……kuー……」

「O, oi, Sasala?」

With Diablo’s voice, *pachi*, she opened her eyes.

「Ha! Ah, sorry……When it gets dark, I, get sleepy.」

「Didn’t you once stay up all night reading a book?」

「Erm……If I don’t fight seriously, then that much is fine though……Howawaa.」

So after she does a battle where she uses super high level Martial Arts, she gets sleepy.

Diablo also had a feeling of exhaustion.

He had recovered his MP with a potion just in case, but since his tension was forced to go to its maximum, he was in need of rest.

Edelgart nodded.

「Diablo-sama～, and others, rest. Demon King-sama, Edelgart will～, protect? Protect!」

「Don’t be stupid. You don’t have any makeup on, and isn’t your waitress outfit in tatters. As you are right now, no matter how anyone looks at you, you are definitely a Demonic Being.」

「Mu……」

She looked down at her own appearance.

Rose held Sasala.

「Master, what shall we do with this person?」

「Ahー……I guess we’ll carry her to the inn. Is that a problem for you?」

「It is no trouble at all.」

「Rose, I am sure that even you are tired……No, are you tired?」

「Magimatics do not get fatigued. However, I have exhausted magical power. Since it is also needed for auto-restoration of injuries, I would like to receive an immediate recharge.」

「Umu.」

It was a bit surprising.

If Sasala fell asleep, he thought that Rose would leave her as is.

When they first met, she should have treated her as an invader at the 《Demon King’s Labyrinth》.

Having fought side-by-side together, was there some sort of change in her sense of values?

Like this, she herself might change as well──is Diablo thought.

His cheeks naturally slackened.

「Hmph……You sure are treating Sasala with care, aren’t you, Rose?」

「Of course, Master. With items greater than SSR-class, there is an automatic lock specification at the time of acquisition. In other words, I cannot discard her without permission.」

「O, ou.」

She was treating her as an item.

Part 4

There was more revelry than expected.

Thinking about it, there were no smart phones or an SNS (social networking service) in this other world. The front line was putting all of their efforts in the restoration of the barrier, and the end of the war was not yet announced.

And so, the fact that the Great Demon King was defeated could only have been spread by rumors from soldiers that saw the fight.

The spreading of information, even if it was extremely important to the point that it could have an influence on life, happened at a walking speed. However, it was definitely circulating.

Those who heard the news of the victory leapt out into the streets, shouted their thanks to god, and danced.

The old men would join shoulders with others whose names they didn’t even know, drink alcohol together with them, and sing religious songs, the national anthem, or war songs with loud voices. If groups were to meet on the road, they would do hi-fives with anyone and everyone, and hug.

Seeing their joy, Diablo silently gained a feeling of satisfaction from having saved the town.

──Ahh, thank goodness I protected them.

Taking advantage of the celebratory mood, pretty boys would grab women on the road, and give them a deep kiss without even telling them their names. Even the women were not against it, and would wrap their hands around their backs.

Diablo clenched his fists.

*Gugigi* He gritted his teeth.

──With this, I……will end up losing my desire to protect the Races……

Rose’s eyes sparkled.

「Master is, making a very good expression……haa, haa.」

「N, no……Peace is the best. Umu!」

They arrived at the 《Relief Inn・Twilight Store》 which was in the west district.

However, there was a large crowd made in front of the store. Come to think of it, there were a couple of places like this even on the main street.

Celebrating the victory, there were stores making lavish feasts of food and alcohol.

Free food is good and all, but I really don’t like how noisy it is──just as he was carelessly thinking that, there was a figure that jumped at him from the side road.

「ッ!?」

「It’s me -nya!」

Nearly about to strike them on reflex with the 《Tonnerre Empereur》, after hearing that voice, he took it back in.

「Is that……Mei?」

It was hard to tell since it was dark, but it was Relief Inn’s idol──Mei.

Going *nyan*, she made a pose.

「Yes♡ It’s Mei-chan -nya☆」

「What are you doing in a place like this?」

「I was waiting for you, Diablo-san. If you return to the Relief Inn like this, things will turn out terribly.」

「I will allow it, tell me about it in full detail.」

Looking around restlessly, Mei check left and right.

「I’ll tell you, so follow me. It’s because this place isn’t safe.」

While I think that this is suspicious, it can’t be a trap──thinking that, he followed her, and entered the side road.

Rose spoke.

「Is this alright, Master?」

「Even if it is a trap……If a threat greater than the Great Demon King was prepared, then wouldn’t it be amusing?」

She made a bow, and fell behind him.

Edelgart silently followed along.

If this were Rem and Shera, he would have left the negotiations to them to begin with but……

Once they were apart from the hustle and bustle of the main street, Mei opened her mouth.

「The ones who were gathered in front of the 《Twilight Store》 earlier, all of them were waiting for you, Diablo-san.」

「What!?」

「There were rumors that the one that defeated the Great Demon King was you.」

Rose nodded.

「It is not a rumor, it is a fact. My Master, in his magnificence, turned the Great Demon King into rubbish.」

「Waー……So it was true -nyan daー. Ah, and so, that is why there are already somewhat excited people gathered there.」

「H, hou……」

It wasn’t a bad feeling.

It might be nice if he showed his face.

Mei shrugged her shoulders.

「With that many people, it would end up being morning just from hearing each and every one of their thanks, and since you would get hugs of gratitude from old men, I didn’t think that you would be happy about that, Diablo-san.」

──Mei-chan, seriously, thank you!

Although he was making a disinterested face, Diablo was really thankful to her.

With her guidance, they zigzagged through a thin path.

「And so……Tada☆　The 《Relief Inn・Hideout Store》 -nya! It’s a secret inn only for special guests.」

It was a private house in the back, and it had no signboard.

There was nothing characteristic about its outward appearance nor its door, and if one didn’t know about it, they definitely wouldn’t notice that it was an inn even if they passed by in front of it.

Rose spoke with a calm voice.

「……Isn’t it a private house?」

「Th-th-th-that isn’t true -nya! It is called the 《Relief Inn》 because of the comfortable service -nya!?」

Diablo magnanimously nodded.

「It is fine, I allow it. I do not like noise. Let us stay here.」

「Welcome -nya♪」

Since Rem, Shera, and Krum should be returning to the 《Twilight Store》 later, he decided to ask that they also be guided here.

The inside of the building was exactly like the 《Relief Inn》.

Mei brought out a key.

「Rose-chan and new face-chan get this key. Krum-chan and Edel-chan get this one. A room has also been prepared for Rem-chan and Shera-chan. Right now, since there is no one but Diablo-san’s group at the 《Hideout Store》, it is fully reserved for you all.」

「Fumu.」

He had gotten used to sleeping together on a large bed, but it was a fact that he could calm down better when sleeping alone.

He ended up being alone with Mei.

「What sort of business do you have with me?」

「Erm……The key, to Diablo-san’s room is, this.」

It was a silver key.

「Hou?」

「It is a symbol of being a special guest of the 《Relief Inn》……It is an invitation to a long time stay, free of charge -nya♪ From today onwards, use it thinking of it as something like your hometown, ‘kay☆」

He involuntarily ended up unblinkingly looking at Mei’s face.

Her cheeks were dyed red.

「Ehehe……Did you like it?」

「Umu, it’s not bad.」

「The key is a present from the owner. This is a present from Mei-chan.」

「Nn?」

Mei got close next to him.

Getting on top of an expressly prepared stool, she further stretched onto her toes.

Her lips, touched Diablo’s cheek.

「Chu♡」

…………Eh?

*Pa!* Mei got down from the stool, and their bodies separated.

Her face had become bright red.

「Unya～……Sorry if you weren’t pleased with it -nya. But, that was this idol’s first kiss☆」

「…………」

「Diablo-san, thank you, for protecting Mei-chan and everyone else -nano nya!」

Taking a pose to hide her embarrassment, she looked very innocent.

Part 5

Going into his room──

Rose was waiting with her top taken off. Her boobs, were completely out in the open!

「What an incredible gap!」

He reflexively let his voice out.

From the bittersweet situation like that from a love-based shoujo manga, it was suddenly an erotic game development.

Rose spoke with a face that looked like she found it to only be natural.

「The preparations are complete, Master.」

──My mental preparations aren’t complete at all though.

「Wh, what is this?」

「Of course, it is for the sake of having Master’s……poured into me.」

「My magical power! Magical power!」

I’d really like it if you stopped saying the important part with a low voice.

「Yes. For Master’s, thick, choking, syrupy……to go inside this Rose.」

「You said that on purpose, didn’t you?」

She tilted her head with a face that looked like she truly found something strange.

Any more than this, it will be a swamp where he can only make retorts.

「……Ah, could it be that you are displeased today, Master? Are you tired?」

Certainly, he was tired.

But, a Demon King saying “I’m tired so I’ll be going to sleep tonight” and sounding like an office worker who had just finished overtime is really lame.

「Hmph……Who do you think I am? There is no way I would feel something like fatigue over fighting an opponent of that level!」

「Ahh, as expected of you, Master.」

「Something like magical power, I’ll pour in as much as you like!」

「Thank you very much. I have so much gratitude, my body is trembling.」

Seeing the top naked girl lower her head to the point that he could see her back, he thought──Is this not the MMORPG Cross Reverie and did I instead lose my way into the world of a different game?

「In, in any case, take a seat. Ah, no, that’s impossible, isn’t it.」

Rose had the weight of a knight equipped with full plate armor, and the horse he was riding.

With just the fact that the floor of the second floor hadn’t given out made him understand how great the structure of the building was.

If she were to sit down in a chair or on the bed, the furniture would end up being crushed.

──I guess I’ll have to do it with her still standing.

Rose turned her back towards him.

「Excuse me……Today, I would like magical power in a place close to the damaged areas.」

「Very well.」

The back huh. Finally, it turned into something decent.

Rose wriggled the muscles along her spine.

「Using both hands from behind me, place them on my chest.」

「Excuse me?」

Her chest?

「……Um, this Rose……does not mind, even if you do it strongly.」

As he was dumbfounded, her hands gently grabbed Diablo’s hands.

Just now, he had just impressively declared that he would “pour in as much as she liked”. Even if he didn’t, he was unable to something as horrible as shake her hands away in this situation.

It was because this was what she desired.

Letting them be guided, both of his hands went around to Rose’s front side.

*Munzu* Large bulges were placed in both of his hands.

──So soft!?

Rose’s body trembled.

「Hafuun!」

「D, did it hurt……?」

「……ッ……That is most certainly, not the case. I, I was so happy……An overwhelming deep emotion came over me.」

「And the trembling?」

「I had climaxed……」

──That sure was fast!?

Diablo asked a question.

「That means, that you reached the upper limit of the recharge, right? Are you satisfied already?」

「Magical power tank number one, has been completely filled. There are still, other magical power tanks……」

「I see. Is it alright if, I send magical power from here?」

「Yes……Ah……Nnn……Th, there……」

「Wh, what’s wrong? I haven’t……」

”Done anything” is what he intended on saying, but contrary to his bewildered mind, his instinct got excited.

His fingers moved on their own.

──Uoo!? They’re sinking in. My fingers are sinking into the bulges.

And then, in between his middle and ring fingers, the puffed up and soft protuberances gradually became harder.

With those two fingers, he pinched them, and rubbed them.

Rose wriggled her body.

「Hahn!? Nnu……Nnn……Master……That place, is……」

「How is it?」

「Ahh, Rose is……Rose is, going to become, no good……Hafu!」

「Become no good……」

It felt like Diablo’s sense of reasoning was also going to become no good.

Fumbling about, he teased the protuberances.

Kneading them, rubbing them, pinching them, pulling them. Then doing the opposite and pushing them in.

He was just fondling her boobs!?

──How could I have done such a thing!!

So as he expected, he was exhausted from the fight with the Great Demon King, and his ability to think had fallen.

「Y, yosh! Th, this time for sure!」

Diablo once again turned his consciousness to the palms of his hands, and just like when he was using magic, he poured magical power.

「Nn……Nnn……Master, that is good. Having magical power……pour in is……hafuu……fantastic. Ah, hahn.」

It felt like her skin sucked him in more than before.

Despite her being a Magimatic, it slightly felt like she had become sweaty.

The boundary between his skin and her skin became obscure, and there was an illusion that his own hands and her chest were melting together.

「Like this?」

Rose raised a coquettish voice that was more high-pitched than before.

「Ah!! AAAaAaaaAH!! Master, Master, Master, so amazing……ッ……you are amazing! So robust! More……more……deep inside……Ah! Ah! HIAAAaaaah!!」

She let out a voice that seemed like it would be transmitted outside.

──If Rem were to hear this, wouldn’t she get mad at me again?

Thinking that he needed to quickly bring her to full capacity, he poured magical power in with a force like he was using Maximum Magic.

Rose’s body convulsed to the point that it made him wonder if she was going to break.

Part 6

With a satisfied looking face, Rose was collapsed on the floor.

The top half of her body was still naked.

Normally, he would have laid her down on the bed, but in her case, that would be difficult weight-wise.

Since he had trouble figuring out a place to put his eyes on, Diablo put a blanket on her.

Having reached a point where he could take a break, he let out a sigh.

「Fuu……I’m a bit worn outー.」

He muttered to himself.

There was a knock on the door to the room.

Could Rem or Shera’s group have returned? No, if that were the case, they shouldn’t have just knocked.

Diablo tightened his expression.

「Hmph……Who is it? If you do not fear a Demon King, then go ahead and open that door.」

『U, um……It is me but……』

The voice on the other side of the door was that of a man’s, and he had a vague memory of having heard it before.

He was as bad at remembering voices as he was at remembering people’s faces.

Diablo gave a command.

「I will allow it, enter.」

『E, excuse me!』

The one that paid a visit, was a soldier wearing armor. He remembered him.

「Ahー……You are……」

「It is Boris.」

He remembered. He was a soldier that protected Fort Bridge Ulg.

He suddenly became concerned.

「Why, do you know about this place?」

「Ah……Diablo-san, it is because there was surveillance placed on you and your group. Even if it is impossible to hear the conversations that go on inside of the room, if it is just the location you are at, the army and the Adventurer’s Guild have a grasp of it.」

Come to think of it, Sylvie had also said something similar before.

He had heard that surveillance from every organization had been placed on Krum.

However, it would be embarrassing to seem like he hadn’t noticed them.

Diablo shrugged his shoulders.

「Ahh……So it was that bug. Tell them not to get too close. It’s because I will burn them if they become an eyesore.」

「U, understood!」

Boris, being the all too serious person he is, made a salute at every little thing.

「And so, do you have some sort of business with me?」

「Ah……I, Boris Marcus, Infantry of the Thirteenth Regiment of the Lifelia Kingdom’s Faltra Stationed Troops, have come in order to invite Adventurer Diablo-dono to the celebratory banquet.」

As if he had hurriedly practiced it, it was spoken in monotone.

Diablo tilted his head.

「Celebratory banquet you say?」

「Yes. The subjugation of the Great Demon King, and the defense of Faltra City, it is a banquet to celebrate these two things.」

「The town’s barrier is still gone, isn’t it?」

The Demonic Beings haven’t withdrawn either.

They shouldn’t be able to assert that everything was over yet. Going by Lamnites’s personality, he didn’t think that she would allow that sort of festive event.

Boris, looking like he found something difficult to say, had his gaze wandering about.

「Erm……It was the people of the city council.」

「The city council?」

「Faltra City is governed by the Feudal Lord, but in addition to him, there is also a city council where influential nobles have become the core of it. They control things like commerce rights and agricultural rights, and not only is there the local tax dedicated to the Feudal Lord, the commerce tax and agricultural tax are……」

Diablo waved his hand left and right.

「Stop, I have no interest in town planning. Do not bring talks of politics into this.」

「Sorry. In other words, since it is something the important people of the town had planned, it has become something being held without any connection to the Feudal Lord or Lord Lamnites. And so, they would like to have you, Diablo-dono, the hero with the most meritorious deeds, be in attendance.」

──If I were to go, wouldn’t it be one of those things where I have to make a speech on a stage?

Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine.

Diablo glared at him.

「Do they intend on calling me to such a idiotic place?」

「That’s what I thought……Diablo-san, I had a feeling that you hated that sort of thing. Even before when the group of 100 Demonic Beings that closed in on Fort Bridge Ulg, in the end, it was announced that they were “driven back through the cooperation of Adventurers”.」

「That is how it is.」

「Sorry. That being said, we thought that someone needed to at least send you a word about it.」

──Certainly.

He absolutely wouldn’t go, but if a victory celebration were to be held without any sort of contact with Diablo’s group who had defeated the Great Demon King, that in itself would have been aggravating.

To expressly come out of their way to tell him with the knowledge that they would be declined……It was an unfavorable role.

「You are the same as usual, aren’t you.」

「Haha……Well then, seeing as how I gave the invitation, please at least accept this. It is a written invitation.」

Boris held out an envelope.

「Hmph! Something like that is……」

「There are gold coins in there as money to cover preparations.」

「Out of consideration for you, I shall only accept it.」

Diablo’s group was always running out of money. Mostly for the sake of Krum’s food expenses.

Boris made a salute.

「I will give a report of your absence. Diablo-san……Our generation grew up listening to the tale of the hero Allen from our fathers and grandfathers. But, after this, the efforts of the hero Diablo will be handed down. Being able to have seen your fight with my own eyes, is a treasure of my lifetime.」

「Eh……」

Words didn’t come out due to the sudden praise.

Saying “Excuse me” and closing the door, Boris’s footsteps faded away.

Diablo collapsed onto the bed, and stared at the ceiling.

He slowly closed his eyes.