CH 53

Time goes back a little

Celestia was moving around the mansion grounds in search of her master.

At this moment she was walking back and forth on the first floor of the western-style building.

With one hand, she picked up the sword hanging on the wall.

She began to clean up.

“Hey, hey! I found her!”

“What a stroke of luck!”

“It’s Celestia Light!”

Among the soldiers who were dominated by lust, there were still those who had set their eyes on Celestia even at the risk of being killed by Cassius.

There were, of course, many people who would have given up their lives to pursue their desires.

“…”

Without letting the soldiers approaching in front of her touch her, she passed through in a flash.

Her gown was as beautiful as a feather.

“…… ‘Just feel free to move around as much as you want. I will cooperate with you’….. how kind…..”

Realizing that she was thinking too much, Celestia hurried back towards the destination floating in her mind.

Behind her, the soldiers who had been cut down in the moment of brushing past fell limp.

After she passed, the bodies of the mass of lawless soldiers behind her converged into a bloody path.

………

……

…

Then a few minutes later ……

“…Kuhaha. It’s so easy to understand. The only person who can make such a path of corpses is Celestia.”

After the dying Jick and Dan had escaped, Cassius was in a happy mood and started looking for Celestia.

The thought of Jick who was going to live from now on with frustration to madness made him smile, while following the path indicated by the blood.

He was covered in the blood of those he had attacked along the way.

“Please wait!”

“Hmm?”

Cassius did not stop at all in the face of the figure that appeared before him, but merely cast his eyes over him.

“I am Count Humin Dain, who once competed with Her Highness Princess Celestia as an alternate for the Sword Saint.”

“I am also the younger brother of…”

♢♢♢

Celestia destination was the church on the edge of the foundation.

It was a large, privately owned church, but today it was completely closed for the party.

She broke the lock on the front door and walked straight in.

There were no chairs, just a large space and the statue of the White Goddes, worshipped by the Angel Cult, placed in the deepest place.

Celestia just marched through the centre.

When she reached the statue, she looked up at it with sharp eyes.

“-are livestocks can be considered alive?”

From behind her, Cassius, whose body was tinged with crimson, spoke to her.

“It was the same with the monster are tamed by people for battle. That’s what they mean by “bred for slaughter”. Can those creatures and livestock really be considered alive? What is the point of living only for the benefit of the owner?”

He left the two bodies he was dragging with him near the entrance and walked happily through the church with a joyful feeling in his heart.

“I think it can, because the life that lived for me and was the source of my research is very meaningful.”

His white formal dress was stained with blood …… making it hard to think that it came from just one or two people.

“…… like this, because the enemies on the way are too weak, so I have these somewhat such out-of-place thoughts while leisurely coming here …… but I really do not know that you believe in the Angel Cult.”

Although Celestia did not make any reaction but just stood there, she replied in an emotionless tone after a long time.

“I’ve never believed in the “White Goddess” that exists as a statue, or in the Angel Cult, of course.”

“Is that so? That’s good. If you believe in Angel Cult, you’ll have to build a church in our town, too.”

Celestia did not give any thought to Cassius, who was approaching her with an exaggerated tone of voice.

But Cassius, who was in a high spirits, continued, unconcerned.

“I have come to fetch you, Princess Celestia. Come with me to my homeland.”

“It is not you I am waiting for.”

Cassius looked surprised at the word “waiting for”.

It was as if she was waiting for someone else.

“—”

But as if she didn’t feel obliged to explain, Celestia said nothing and swung her sword down at the obtrusive statue looking down on her.

“I’m not likely to understand regarding what you said earlier, after all, I’ve always been in a high position and am neither a monster nor a livestock. But ……”

Several cracks appeared above the ‘White Goddess’.

“…… be it an livestock or a monster or even a human being. To find a master you want to serve …… is the happiest thing you can do.”

The statue began to fall from right to left from its head.

“I had found …… no, I had been chosen. From that moment on, my master has been only one. He’s……”

The words that came out of Celestia’s mouth as she looked towards the crumbling statue suddenly stopped, her expression changed from sharp and austere, to one of surprise, and then immediately she knelt down.

“…… He is the only one I worship.”

(The kanji for master in Japanese also means husband)

In front of Celestia, who was smiling lovingly and trying desperately to suppress the high throbbing voice in her heart as she knelt down, stood a figure on top of the pedestal.

Behind the collapsed statue of the “White Goddess”, the figure slowly emerged.

The first thing that came into view was the black hair.

It was a young man with black hair, wearing a costume that made a strong impression on Cassius.

“Please forgive me for keeping you waiting for so long ……”

“No, it wasn’t a long wait at all. I don’t mind waiting a little longer.”

Chrono pulled out one of the six swords stuck at his feet and jumped lightly towards Celestia who was looking up at him with a very touched look.

“…… What’s going on here? Can you explain it to me? It’s really hard to understand. I don’t understand why someone like you would serve a common boy like him.”

The scene in front of him made no sense to Cassius, and he was unable to understand the situation at hand.

Celestia should have been very concerned about the servant with the black-framed glasses.

After all, there should be no contact point between Celestia, who has the identity of a princess, and this newcomer mercenary boy.

“I’m a little late in introducing myself. I am Demon King. Prince Cassius, your party isn’t exciting at all.”

“Demon King? The guy from the rumours? No, more importantly …… not exciting you say……?”

At that very moment, a thought surfaced in Cassius’s mind as if the apocalypse had descended.

“You, better be ready to realize accordingly yet. My party …… should be quite exciting.”

These were the words that Cassius conveyed to certain servant in order to vent his anger.

After that, the experimental subjects made from the precious sample were crushed.

Plus the scene at the casino『Arch Chi』mocking himself.

“…… You seem to have taken quite a few lives at random. Celestia can you back off for now?”

Seeing the two bodies that were shed at church entrance, Chrono said to Celestia.

“I understand.”

Celestia, who had shown a loyalty that made Cassius couldn’t believe his eyes, retreated to a position diagonally behind the demon king as if she were a follower.

Cassius’ brow furrowed in jealousy.

It’s all because of the scene in front of his eyes made him felt it was futile to say anything.

No one could have imagined that Princess Celestia, known as the Goddess of Light, and the Black Demon King, who was the embodiment of evil, had such an unexpected relationship.

“…… Ah, so that’s how it is. I understand everything. I seem to be very lucky today.”

A crazy look came over Cassius’ face.

“So it’s all you!”

He shuddered with joy at being able to take out his overflowing power and accumulated anger on one person.

“What are you talking about?”

“No, nothing. I just realised that I’ve been dancing in the palm of your hand all this time. I guess I’m not mature enough either.”

All because of this man who calls himself the Demon King.

The anxiety he felt from the moment he came to visit this kingdom until now was all arranged by this demon king.

He probably did it to get rid of himself, who was the first prince of Kujaro and was very capable, and to play with people’s hearts as well.

It seems to be an act befitting a demon king.

“Demon King? …… kuhahaha. That means Princess Celestia was caught by the Demon King, is that right?

“You could say that.”

To this interesting unfolding that sounded very much like the Demon King, Chrono replied without thinking.

Hearing Cassius’ joking banter, Celestia looked at him with a very frighteningly cold look.

“Hahaha, then it’s no good not helping her out. I’ll …… be the hero who rescues the beautiful princess.”

He drew his sword with a gesture like an act and walked leisurely towards the demon king.

“You can do it? You don’t seem to have enough power. You look like you’re covered in blood.”

Chrono drew his sword as well, then remove the scabbard.

“-I’ll keep it for you.”

“Well, just leave it on the pedestal over there. There are other swords there, so feel free to use them if you need to.”

(TL: Chrono brought six swords)

“Understand. Leave it to me.”

Handing the scabbard to a smiling Celestia with instructions, he walked over to meet Cassius.

“……”

“……”

They both smiled at each other and came closer with swords in one hand ……

With a thunderous clap, swords intersected with swords.

Immediately afterwards, the clash of swords with sparks flying everywhere unfolded.

“……?”

“Oh, you’re a demon king, aren’t you? I didn’t expect to be able to fight with a sword against the current me! I’m impressed!”

Facing Cassius, who was wielding his sword with gusto, Chrono looked a bit confused.

(…… seems to be out of the range of sinew power that a human can exert. From the magic power I sensed, this kind of power is obviously a bit strange.)

Despite his doubts, he deftly passes Cassius’s sword, which continues to display insane power.

“The level of power of Jick and the other fish on his side is not a warm-up, but you don’t seem to be the same as them.

“I couldn’t get warm enough with Jick and other small fish, but you seem to be different!”

With a step closer to power, Cassius used his sword technique like a virtuoso wielding a baton.

As time passed, Chrono’s sword was cut down little by little.

“Your sword-handling is also quite good. But the use of power is very rough…… Did you quit being a human?”

“Hahahaha! It seems you still have some power left in you! Ah, I’m not human anymore! I’ve become a creature of a new dimension!”

“Hahaha, are you wearing some kind of stone mask?”

Feeling the unnaturally rising power of Cassius, Chrono thought that it was almost time to end, so he planned to cut off Cassius’ sword holding hand.

….It should have been so.

“……”

“Ooh, that’s quite a nice technique.”

A crack appeared in the middle of Chrono’s sword.

It had indeed just cut into the spot where Cassius’ wrist had been, but it had left only a hard metallic sound, the strength of Chrono’s sword losing out to him.

Not only the power itself, but even its body itself had undergone some kind of change.

“-But don’t think of me same as some kind of experimental orc, okay?”

Faintly, Chrono reacted.