novel
| ← Ch.166 | Ch.168 → |
Part 2
The next day──
Diablo was lying down on the bench inside of the canopy. His head on on Rose's lap.
It was soft.
Even though she was sturdy enough to endure even an attack from a Demonic Beast, it was strange how she was properly soft like a girl. Maybe because she was Magimatic, her body temperature was low, but that was also quite pleasant.
Rose's cheeks were dyed red as she gazed at him.
「Master, how is it?」
「Umu...... It isn't bad. 」
*Haa, haa...... * Her breathing had become rough, but it was only at the level that it bothered him a little.
Leaving the carriage to the subordinates, and lying down with a maid lap pillow──This is truly how a Demon King acts, isn't it!
Actually, he was nauseated on the carriage.
Since they were on the highway for a while after leaving the royal capital, he didn't have a problem, but once they left the highway and started traveling on the plains, to think that it would shake this much.
Receiving vibrations that tossed his stomach for too long, Diablo ended up feeling sick.
A Demon King getting car sick, that would be shameful.
Therefore, he said 「As I will be sleeping, properly drive the carriage」, and lied down.
──Urp.
If Diablo could survey the forest, he could probably tell where the Blackwood entrance was.
However, since he was enduring motion sickness right now, this was the most he could do.
Incidentally, Shera was also lying down on the center bench. It seemed that she had merely eaten too much at lunch and became sleepy.
The driver's seat.
Rem was clutching the reins.
Sylvie was next to her, looking at the map.
「As I thought, when we leave the highway, it shakes quite a bit. Rem-san, are you alright? Didn't you say that you were weak with vehicles?」
「...... You remember that well. 」
「That's because Adventurers are something like family to me. I learn the likes and dislikes of family. 」
「...... Me too, I only noticed this for the first time in this journey but...... When I clutch the reins on the driver's seat, I seem to be fine. There's no strange sense of anxiety either. 」
「Heeー. I wonder if looking far away is good for you? Ah, it feels like we should be entering the forest soon but...... how is it?」
Right now, they were advancing the carriage to the west. They were traveling towards the sinking sun.
Since three days ago, they devotedly continued through the plains, and a black forest was growing thick on their left side.
This should have been Blackwood──the country of the Dark Elves.
Rem shook her head left and right.
「...... Let alone a path that a carriage could pass through, I can't even find an animal trail. 」
「There really isn't. 」
「...... Is Shera's information even correct? Could it be that the country of the Dark Elves is actually in a different place?」
「Uーn, I've never been to Blackwood either after allー. I have been to the Greenwood Kingdom though. 」
「...... Was it for a quest?」
「I guess it was out of curiosity and for training. When thinking about trying to surpass the limits of the Races, vast observations are needed──That's what my Shishou said. 」
「...... Sylvie's Shishou did. 」
「He's already died though. At the time of the Races and Demonic Being War, he was already pretty old after all. 」
「...... I see. Going by that story of yours, it means that you have surpassed the limits of the Races, correct?」
「Fu fu fu...... I am the Adventurer's Guild Guildmaster of the Races' front line base, the Fortress City Faltra, after all!」
「...... Come to think of it, I haven't heard it before. Sylvie, what is your level?」
「It's a secret♪」
「It's that part of you that I can't trust. 」
「Aryarya...... But, Rem-san, it's about time for you to think ahead too. I'm expecting great things from you. Your talent is guaranteed after all. 」
「...... You sure do say some needless flattery, don't you. My talent, it falls far behind Shera's. Even so, it might be on the better side among the Races though. 」
「Eh? Are you seriously saying that? I mean, you're of a household that was entrusted with the Demon King's seal by God, you know? You're on the same level as Shera-chan, you know!?」
「...... I'll be fine even if you don't encourage me. On top of being self-aware of my inferiority complex, my feelings of envy, and my fears, I am connected to a desire to improve myself. I do thank you for your concern though. 」
「Man～, it isn't really anything like that thoughー」
While making a wry smile, Sylvie caressed the back of her rabbit ears.
Rem swung her long and narrow tail left and right. This was a declaration that she didn't really like all of this.
They returned the topic back to the map.
「...... Isn't there a river or something?」
「What's on the map is, at most, the shoal that we crossed yesterday. 」
「...... At this rate, won't it get dark today as well? My heart has also gotten dark though. 」
「Now now, let's be bright about this! Even if it's just in our feelings!」
「...... Don't you get even more anxious when you see an insincere optimist?」
「Rem-san, I get the reason why you prefer traveling alone────Nn!?」
Sylvie moved her rabbit ears.
Rose, who had turned into a pillow on the bench behind them, raised her voice.
「Master, there is a reaction of a living creature...... It is large. 」
「Hou?」
「...... Is it a monster!?」
It wasn't like Rem's senses were dull, but she was absolutely no match for these two.
Diablo raised his body.
「Since it is large, does that mean it is not the Dark Elves, Rose?」
「There are several responses──There seem to be people of the Races as well, but there is a much larger sized response...... If it remains at its current speed, we will make contact in thirty seconds. 」
So there were people of the Races as well.
Sylvie gazed at the forest.
Chasing after her line of sight, Rem also surveyed.
「...... Are they there?」
「There's no mistake that they're there but...... 」
*Hyuu!* Something flew out from the forest, and it grazed the carriage canopy.
It was an arrow.
Sylvie raised a dry laughter.
「Wahー...... Looks like they're welcoming us. 」
Rose fired a warning.
「Approaching response! This is...... a large...... Demonic Beast!」
Sylvie shouted.
「Rem-san, make a hard right! Run!!」
「Kuh!」
At the same time she said that, Rem pulled on the right rein.
Getting away from the forest, she had the carriage head towards the plains. The carriage's right wheels floated in the air. Slanting due to centrifugal force, it felt like it would fall over.
Shera fell off her chair, and shouted 「Fugya!?」.
Diablo grabbed a rope that extended from the side panel. When the carriage shakes, one could use support their body with this.
Immediately after that──
Trees of the forest fluttered about in the air as if they were sent flying. Several trees rotated in midair, and torn off branches, roots, and soil was wrapped up in it and scattered about.
A short and stout gigantic──A Huge Dragon-class gigantic creature rushed out from the forest.
Trees came falling down from the sky.
Several trees hit the ground. One among the trees was coming above the carriage!
Rem opened her eyes wide open.
「...... It's going to hit!?」
「Dodgeー itー!!」
Sylvie raised a scream.
The figure of a person jumped out from the back of the canopy carriage. Jumping out, they charged towards the tree that came falling. Their skirt fluttered.
It was Rose.
「《Magimatic Soul》!」
From the airspace behind her where there should have been nothing, two gigantic steel arms appeared. They had a size where Rose could fit in the palm of their hands.
They grabbed the trees that were approaching the carriage as if the trees were just small branches.
They were thrown away.
Sylvie raised a voice of acclamation.
「You did it! Rose-san, you're amazing!」
When Rose landed on the ground, a cloud of dust flashily rose up.
Since they couldn't just leave her behind, the carriage turned around with a large right turn.
Shera stuck her face out from the back side of the canopy.
「Wahー!? What in the world is that!?」
The monster that appeared from the forest──Its pitch black and inflamed skin looked as if it were rotting.
Its figure resembled a wild boar.
Sharp tusks grew out from both ends of its mouth. On its head, there were two gigantic horns, and were sticking out forward like spears. From the back of its head to its tail, thorn-like protuberances sporadically grew out.
Rem grimaced.
「...... I don't know what it is either, that sort of large, rotting wild boar...... I like wild boar meat, but I'll pass on that thing. 」
「Rather, Rem-san, I'm struck with admiration that you could be reminded of wild boar meat after seeing that, you know?」
Sylvie made a rare serious face.
Diablo also stuck his face out from the canopy and observed the monster.
「Fumu...... That thing, it's skin has become strange, but it's a Black Behemoth. 」
It was smaller than a Green Behemoth but even so, it was classified as a large-sized Demonic Beast. It was a sturdy and warlike Demonic Beast.
Rem raised a surprised voice.
「That thing is!? According to books, Behemoths should be covered in body hair. To think it had that kind of mud-like skin...... 」
Sylvie also found it strange.
「That's true, isn't it? Could it have been burned by magic or something? Ah, maybe a disease? But do Demonic Beasts get sick?」
Arrows flew out from the forest.
They hit the gigantic monster that seemed to be a Black Behemoth.
Several arrows pierced into its inflamed skin, and dark red body fluids gushed out.
However, the enemy was too gigantic, and it didn't seem like effective damage was being given.
Stepping on the foliage that fell onto the ground, *gakkon gakkon*, it made the ground shake. Shera raised her voice going 「Awah, awah」
Manipulating the reins, Rem avoided the trees that were scattered on the ground.
「...... Kuh...... It would seem that someone is fighting against the Black Behemoth, doesn't it?」
「And because of that, did it come out from the forest? But, it doesn't feel like it's getting through to it all that much. 」
The Black Behemoth's moves did not change, and after turning to the people that fired the arrows, it tried to attack them.
Figures of people moved within the forest.
──Could it be that the ones attacking it, are the Dark Elves like I thought?
Rose had jumped out in order to protect the carriage, and she was now several meters away. Voicing out an order to her probably wouldn't reach her.
Shera did not hold her bow, and did nothing but gaze at the situation from the canopy.
Rem was handling the carriage.
Sylvie excelled at Support Magic. Most likely, she shouldn't possess a means to defeat the Black Behemoth.
Diablo took out his magic staff, 《Tonnerre Empereur》.
「Rem, stop the carriage!」
「Y, yes!」
The distance from the target was about 20 meters.
Since he was up against a large-scale monster, there were no worries about missing it, but he wouldn't kill it unless it was done with enough power.
It seemed that people of the Races were in the forest, but as they were fighting with bows, there is surely no need to worry about rolling them up in the magic.
However, since it was close to the forest, he probably shouldn't use the Fire attribute.
He prepared his magic staff.
「I will cut it to pieces with an invisible blade...... 《Press Shredder》!!」
It condensed the air.
It changed to a gigantic sword.
It was thrown at the enemy.
Originally, it was only a single attack, but due to the effect of his magic staff, it fired seven-fold.
It was Wind attribute magic that could be used at level 110.
The blade that was created through the atmospheric pressure difference tore up the Demonic Beast.
It tore its flesh, gouged out it entrails, and smashed its bones.
*GOAaaaaaaー!!* The Black Behemoth screamed.
Diablo lowered his staff.
「Hmph...... Even if it is called a large-scaled Demonic Being, monsters that appear in the territory of the Races are low leveled. 」
The magic blade bisected it up until it head.
The Black Behemoth became unable to move, and before long, it started to change into particles of light.
Unlike normal living creatures, Demonic Beasts vanish when they die.
Even the scattered black body fluids, pieces of flesh, and smashed tusks, all of it became phosphorescence and rose to the sky.
Sylvie clapped her hands.
「Oh man, amazing! As expected of you, Diablo-san, you're strong!」
「Should I leave the next one to you?」
「Oh please, I'm a Support Magician, you know? So cheering is my specialty. Do your best♡ Do your best♡」
Sylvie was really false-sounding.
Rem uttered her admiration.
「...... The magic's power, it's tremendous as always. 」
「Naturally. 」
With a target that big, if he didn't have to be careful of the surroundings, he would freely use magic with great fire power.
Finally, Rose had come running to the carriage.
「I am terribly sorry, Master. I have troubled you to raise your hand. 」
「Hmph...... Scattering a small fry like that, it doesn't even count as something laborsome. 」
Part 3
Some people came out from the forest.
He expected that they would be Dark Elves but......
What came out were kigurumis. Their heads were large, their limbs were short, and they had fat bodies where a person could probably fit inside.
Bear kigurumis possessing longbows, he couldn't see them as anything but that.
──These are Dark Elves!? They couldn't be a different race, could they? They're greatly different from what I imagined.
The group with appearances that he ended up feeling anxious as to whether or not he could communicate with them turned towards them and readied their bows and arrows.
「Don't move!」
A muffled voice was raised. It was a distant voice that seemed as if it was heard from a room next door.
So as he thought, it was a kigurumi.
Since it was a high-pitched voice, the person inside might be a young boy.
It seemed that conversation was possible, though the atmosphere wouldn't say that it would be amicable......
Their number was about ten people.
While hiding herself in the carriage's canopy, Shera raised a frightened voice.
「I, I wonder why? Why are they angry?」
Rem pouted her lips.
「...... Are those Dark Elves? They have some strange appearances. Moreover, even though we exterminated the Demonic Beast, they have a reprehensible attitude. 」
「It looks we surprised them quite a bit, doesn't itー」
Sylvie shrugged her shoulders.
Rose made a tightly gripped fist starting from her pink with her right hand. A *giri giri* sound was made.
「No matter who they are, pointing their bows at Master is unforgivable. It seems that there is no need to go easy on them. 」
Since it looked like the set free Rose was going to attack, Diablo held the magic staff 《Tonnerre Empereur》 in his hand out in front of him.
Were the kigurumi bunch Dark Elves? They were surprised by the power of his magic, and had exposed their wariness.
Bringing down a large-sized Demonic Being in one attack might have been overkill.
They themselves did not desire to fight, and only wanted to be taught about the Ceremony Magic that was handed down amongst the Dark Elves──there was a need to convey that. Concisely since it was a strained situation!
「No problem. 」
Diablo had secretly gained confidence.
In his original world, he had enough of a communication disorder that he could aim for an overall victory if there was a championship for it but...... after coming to this other world, he had more chances to talk with other people, and he had gained people that he could call companions.
──With my current self, I might instead be strong at communication!
First, a smile. A friendly conversation starts from the facial expression. He felt like he could successfully converse with them this time.
However, taking it too lightly wasn't good. Negotiations were things where one would be at a disadvantage if one was made light of.
He imposingly declared out loud.
「Fuhahaha! I am Diablo! I have an interest in the Ceremony Magic that has been passed down in these lands. In short, it means I have no business with you all. You should lead us to the location of the Dark Elves!」
*Zawa* The kigurumi bunch was stirred.
Maybe because they were already used to it, Rem breathed a sigh, and Shera made a wry smile.
Rose made a face as if to say that it was only natural.
Sylvie held her head in her hands. Even so, she did not step forward. If the kigurumi bunch fired their arrows, it wouldn't be enough even if she had several lives.
Among the group of opponents, a kigurumi that stood at the lead (a grizzly bear) made an inquiry.
「Oi, you! That thing from earlier, what was that!? To defeat the 《Lord of the Black Forest》 with a single attack...... 」
「Kukuku...... It was merely Wind attribute magic, but it is not all that rare, is it? I do not mind showing you a different magic. I might burn this forest to the ground if I use Fire attribute magic though. 」
「What did you say!?」
The group openly flinched.
If they were going to guide them, he didn't mind showing them magic, and him saying that the Fire attribute was dangerous was done out of kindness but......
Could it be that his way of saying it was bad?
──This is gradually getting tiresome.
Diablo's group was focused on the war with the Demon King and were in a hurry. If the preparations were delayed and they lost the war, then the Races might be destroyed. They did not have the leeway to take things slowly.
He was in a bit of a rush.
「How long to you plan on standing around talking!? Hurry up and guide us. Do you want to be destroyed!?」
「Hii...... !?」
Several people of the kigurumi group leaked out woman-like screams.
The lead grizzly bear lowered its bow and arrow.
「I, I understand...... I will guide you to the Dark Elf village. You only want to know about the Ceremony Magic, right? Could I have you promise that you won't lay a hand on the residents?」
「Hmph...... Naturally. 」
While expressing a smile of relief at how the negotiation was a success, Diablo nodded.
──As I thought, my communication skills have improved!
A different kigurumi (a mohawked one) uneasily asked a question.
「C, can we trust this guy!?」
「We have, no choice but to. 」
「But to guide such a dangerous looking guy to the village!」
「He's a Magician able to defeat the Lord of the Black Forest in one hit. What can we do! It's better than him burning down the forest. Let's leave the rest to the chief. 」
「Dammit...... 」
The mohawk kigurumi cursed.
It seemed as if he had threatened them with magic, but Diablo satisfiedly nodded.
──I feel like I was able to ask them in a friendly way this time!
| ← Ch. 166 | Ch. 168 → |