Chapter 2: Flying Sky High
Early afternoon on a sunny day—
Diablo had taken a trip to the Eastern Lakefront forest, in a spot a bit farther east from where Shera had made a contract with her Summon. This time, he was out and about with only Rem and Shera. No matter how good their disguises were, he didn’t want to risk taking Klem and Edelgard through the gates if he didn’t need to.
—It’s been a while since just the three of us did something...
Klem and Edelgard were always together at the inn, and since there were still no quests that called for Diablo to be sent out, he would leave everything to Rem and Shera.
They came out to a wide-open grassy slope. A gentle breeze was blowing, and the smell of grass was in the air.
Shera gave a big stretch as she raised both arms in the air.
“It feels amazing here!”
“...I agree,” Rem said as she nodded. Though they would usually bicker with each other given the opportunity, right now, both girls were smiling.
“Ehehe, so you feel the same way, Rem.”
“Hahh... Yes, as strange as it seems.”
“Makes you wanna go sunbathing naked, right~”
“Excuse...!? It does not, you perverted Elf!”
“Whaaa—!? But there’s no reason to go sunbathing with all your clothes on!”
“Wanting to take your clothes off outside is strange in the first place!”
“It’s sunbathing, so it’s not embarrassing!”
“Nudity is nudity! That is NOT happening!”
Being of different species and different upbringings, it seemed there was a deep divide in their lifestyles.
“This will do.”
Diablo found a dead tree trunk toppled over on the ground. Shera came over and clung to him.
“What do you think, Diablo!? Wearing clothes while sunbathing is weird, right!?”
Rem glared at Shera with scornful eyes. “...You say something to her, too, Diablo. Taking off your clothes outside shows an extreme lack in one’s sense of danger.”
“You two sure like to fight, don’t you. I’m going to test a new spell now, so don’t get in my way.”
As if they completely forgot their argument from earlier, the looks on Rem and Shera’s faces had shown immense curiosity.
“...And what kind of magic would that be?”
“New magic!? Oooh, what kind!?”
“《Flight Magic》. But, since all spells are reflected away from me, I plan on casting it on a physical object and trying to ride on that.”
Players couldn’t do things like this in Cross Reverie. In this world, however, there was a broad range of use for magic. It was worth giving it a shot.
There was the chance his experiment wouldn’t end well, though. Yet still, he was confident his relationship with the girls was strong enough that it wouldn’t crumble away due to a failed experiment, which is why he explained his intentions to them beforehand.
Diablo had gear enchanted with Flight magic back in the game, but since he’d been summoned from his dungeon in Cross Reverie to the top of a tower in this world, he didn’t have it equipped. All his other equipment was locked away in his Storage.
The “Storage” system was a feature found in Cross Reverie and others of these types of games. It wasn’t something that could be carried, so it couldn’t be used just anywhere; but regardless, it was capable of storing an enormous quantity of items. Diablo kept countless rare and fantastic items inside his Storage, things he had no idea how to obtain in this world.
—Thinking back to the game’s setting, I’d say it’s probably all inside the treasure vault within my dungeon.
Players who achieved a fixed amount of results in Cross Reverie were given a plot of land to call their own. As such, Diablo turned the area he had been given into something that resembled the dungeon of a Demon Lord. It was located in the west, near a town within the Demon Lord’s Domain. He’d thought about it before, but it might be a good idea for him to try and seek it out at least once.
Thinking about it rationally, it would only be appropriate to assume he was the only one who had been summoned here from the game. But Diablo had a separate reason for thinking his dungeon might exist here.
The Demon Lord of the Mind, Enkvaros, had once existed in this world as well. They’d already been defeated, but it was unknown exactly who they were defeated by. Back in the game, Diablo was the first one to defeat Enkvaros. There was a chance that what he did in the game could have had an effect on this world as well.
He didn’t know the logic behind it, but if something as abnormal as being summoned to another world with the same appearance as a character from a game he played could indeed happen, then it wouldn’t be strange for the dungeon he created to exist here as well.
Putting his speculations aside, he returned his attention back to his original objective.
He touched the fallen tree using the tip of Tenma’s Staff. The spell needed direct contact to work, and took a while to activate on top of that. To put it bluntly, this wasn’t the type of magic to be used in battle, but specifically for moving around the map.
If you couldn’t use some means of flying transport in Cross Reverie—whether that be by magic, a Summon that could fly, or some kind of item—then you couldn’t fully progress in the game. Basically, this meant obtaining a means of transportation acted as a test for players to graduate from being a noob.
—Never thought that I’d be going through that test again...
Diablo chanted: “Obey my will and change to the position I desire—《Adzet》!”
The dead tree trunk was lifted upward, swaying side to side as if it had been suspended in the air by a crane.
Rem and Shera both shouted: “I-It’s floating!?” “Wow, amazing! It’s floating! It’s really floating!!”
“...So magic like this exists as well.”
“That’s so cool! Like, super cool!”
“...Diablo surpasses our common knowledge so easily, doesn’t he.”
“Cool! So cooooool!!”
It was a bit embarrassing to see them that surprised by what he had done. In any case, the important part started now.
“You’re in the way. Back up, both of you.”
It was dangerous, so he had them step away. He placed a hand on the tree, which was floating at about waist-height. The surface began to crumble away.
—It may be more rotten than I thought...
He climbed onto the dead tree. Back in the game, Diablo was a level 150 Adventurer, which gave him strength far beyond that of a normal person, so it was a simpler task than he thought.
“Mmgh...!?”
The tree shook. This was a magic experiment, so of course it was possible he would fail, and that was perfectly acceptable. He didn’t think the girls would lose faith in him over a failed experiment.
However, what he did want to avoid was making himself look lame here. Falling off the tree mid-air or having it flip around while he was still riding it like it was some kind of comedy routine would be too hilarious for him to recover from.
Diablo cautiously balanced himself. It was unstable, but he managed to get on top of the tree without falling off.
—All right! I’m flying!
It was only at a waist-high level, so it was more “floating” than “flying”... But, even so, Rem and Shera were in shock that he was actually staying afloat off the ground.
—The experiment is a success!
Diablo was striking victory poses on the inside. That being said, however, there wasn’t much practical use for this as it was. It wasn’t much different from standing on top of a big rock; being on a horse would probably be better.
“Guess I’ll try going a bit higher.”
He tried moving the dead tree around. First, he raised it up to a higher elevation, about three meters in the air, just so he wouldn’t die if he fell off. It slowly lifted him, swaying the entire time but not enough to make him fall off.
—Maybe I can keep going?
He rose even higher. Being at a height where his view was unobstructed by the leaves and branches of the trees around him was a fresh and enjoyable feeling, almost as if he was seeing everything from a Ferris wheel or some sort of viewing platform.
“Ohh... Now this is something.”
“Wooow, Diablo! That’s so coooool!”
Shera was jumping around like an excited kid, but Rem looked concerned.
“...Um, if this is supposed to be your first experiment, then please do not overdo anything...”
“I know,” he said. But as he got used to it, the shaking was kind of like being on a boat rocking in the middle of the water, which was actually a nice sensation. It wasn’t half bad as a form of entertainment, but if he wanted to use it as a transport, he would need to be able to move it more freely.
He went up even higher, the wind growing stronger once he was up above the trees. It became easier to lose his balance whenever he moved in any direction, which was making him nervous.
—Would the safest thing to do here be to move it up and down like an elevator, to find spots where there isn’t as much wind? Seems like it’d be dangerous to use this thing as a transport, either way... Putting some kind of lifeline on this thing would make it safer, but a Demon Lord who puts safety first just seems a little...off.
“Hm?” Glancing to the east, he saw a section of the forest glowing. “What’s that? A light?”
It was only a small light at first, but soon it extended out toward the sky, piercing through the clouds and beyond.
“C-Could it be... Is that magic energy!?”
The magic energy had become a pillar of light, cutting directly through the sky.
It seemed Shera had noticed as well, and started making a commotion. Rem couldn’t see magic energy, so she could only look on in curiosity.
Diablo reconfirmed the location.
—It’s a bit far to walk, huh.
They would be going through the heart of the forest so it would take longer than usual; probably more than an hour if they were traveling on foot. While it was still a bit unstable, Diablo decided to try heading over there using his Flight magic.
Diablo called out to the two girls below: “Rem, Shera! I’m going to see what’s going on!”
“Aw, whaaaat!? C’mon, take us with you!”
“...Let’s stay put, Shera. If something happens, we would just end up getting in his way.”
“Booo!”
—Sorry, but I don’t have my flying license just yet. It would be dangerous if you got on this and lost your balance.
“Hmph, head back to town before me!”
Using his Flight magic to manipulate the dead tree, he approached the pillar of light. Since Shera and Rem should no longer be able to see him, Diablo collapsed to his stomach, hugging the tree for dear life.
“Damn, this is scary...!”
It was going about the same speed as a bicycle, but it was shaking like crazy. He should be able to go faster if he wanted, but he would be thrown off the tree for sure.
—I thought flying in another world would be more exciting, you know? Like, something where I could go “ooh” and “ah” while I did it... Like hell I could do that here!
It was taking all he had to cling to the vibrating tree so he wouldn’t be thrown off. He didn’t even have time to look at his surroundings.
Since he was so high up, the cross winds were blowing something fierce; it was enough to make him think it would be better to fly at a lower altitude... But his altitude wasn’t stable, either, which meant it wasn’t out of the picture for him to crash into branches if he got too close to the treetops.
Somehow, he managed to get closer to the pillar of light.
—As I thought, this is all magic energy.
He was stunned. From the impression Diablo got, a normal Sorcerer (like Rem) had about a cup’s worth of magic energy. Using that amount effectively meant they could control Summons. As for himself, he had something around a bathtub’s worth. This pillar of light, on the other hand, was a torrent of magic energy several times the amount Diablo possessed. The only other thing he could think of that wielded this kind of bottomless magic energy was Klem, a.k.a. the Demon Lord Krebskulm, and that particular Demon Lord should have been back in town with Edelgard right about now.
The type of the energy was different as well. Klem was of the “Dark” element, as was fitting for a Demon Lord. But this pillar was a radiant, shining white that seemed like the “Light” element.
“...Just what is going on here?” Muttering to himself, he brought the dead tree closer to the pillar of light, peering below him. Suddenly, the tree lost the force that kept it afloat.
“Ah...?”
—The effect’s over!? Didn’t that happen way too fast!?
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!”
†
He heard a girl screaming for God as he crushed an enormous “something” with an audible squish, it seemed like there had been something below him. Because of that, Diablo had managed to make it through the fall without taking any serious damage.
At his feet was the smashed up rotten tree. Not only that, but there were also the remains of some kind of plant-animal hybrid scattered all over the ground.
“What the hell is thi—AH!?”
Looking to the side, Diablo doubted his own eyes.
There was a stunning beauty of a girl before him.
She had almost-translucent platinum blonde hair that unfurled in gentle waves, with hazel eyes that seemed like they would suck him in. Not even an Elf’s skin seemed as smooth as hers; she maintained an exquisite balance between her mature beauty and innocent sweetness.
—To top it all, she was naked.
It seemed like she had been wearing a dress at some point that had been destroyed to the point where she was almost fully nude. She was collapsed on the ground, her legs spread wide open as she faced right at him. She had her hands behind her, using them to support herself.
An absolutely beautiful girl—who was practically naked.
—Is she sunbathing!?
There was no way that could be the case. The last bit of cloth that had been fighting to hold on finally fell away, leaving all her most important places exposed.
Diablo made an audible noise as he gulped. It was the first time he had seen a girl’s...“womanhood”...head on in as bright a place as this—and of a drop-dead gorgeous girl, no less; though this was the first time they had ever met.
Tears in her eyes, she asked him:
“......A-Are you...God...?”
—Right, so, she’s starting off with “God.” Super. Now that I think about it, I feel like I heard her scream something like that... Uh-oh. Is she the kind of girl that has a few screws loose!?
While he was at a loss over what to do, the piercing shriek of a man came from behind him.
“AHHHHH!? My poor Beast Mushroom!”
“Hm?” There was a familiar emblem etched onto the man’s armor.
—This guy’s a Paladin.
“Hey, you! Mister ‘I just fell down out of nowhere’! What the hell is your problem!? And what are you going to do about my Beast Mushroom!? I only had the one!”
The splattered remains of what looked like some kind of plant dissolved and faded away, turning into a blackened crystal. It seemed like it was a Summon.
“Hmph... As if I care about your mushroom.”
Hearing the obvious hostility in his words made it easier for Diablo to get into it as well. The thought of how he crashed by misjudging how long his Flight magic would last had been erased from his mind, as he boldly fixed his glare onto the Paladin. He was planning to follow up with his usual, “I am a Demon Lord from another world!” when the girl interrupted him.
“My Lord!”
“Wh-What...?”
Turning around, he saw the girl prostrating herself in the nude. He saw her grasping the holy symbol of the Church in her hands.
“So you have finally graced me with your presence! I always thought it a bit lonesome to only hear your voice without being able to see you! I, your humble servant Lumachina Weselia, have always offered my prayers to you!”
“Th-That’s fine and all, but wouldn’t it be better if you put some clothes on?”
“Huh?”
The girl finally realized the state of her own appearance. She quickly hid the lower parts of her body and chest with her hands.
“Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!? D-Don’t look! Please, God, don’t look!”
Her face was bright red. Even Diablo’s cheeks were beginning to flush a little.
—“God”? Is she talking about me?
At the very least, it was Diablo this girl “Lumachina” was prostrating herself for.
—I have no idea why, though...
Nonetheless, it was obvious she was embarrassed. Diablo removed his 《Curtain of Dark Clouds》, offering it to Lumachina.
“Use this.”
“Huh...!? Th-Thank you so very much... Being given clothes by God... Truly, I am blessed...”
Carefully taking the cape from Diablo, Lumachina wrapped it around herself. She was completely naked under that cape... a “naked cape,” like the girls with nothing but an apron on. He couldn’t help but think of that as somewhat kinky.
The Paladin gave a snort. “And just who do you think you’re calling ‘God’!? This is nothing but a grubby little Demon! He stinks so bad my nose is going to fall off. You merely jumped down from the trees or something, didn’t you!”
“Hmph... That is where you are wrong. I am—”
“He is God, I can tell! My prayers have reached the heavens!”
—Girls really don’t listen when other people are talking, do they! ...But what’s this about “prayers”?
He had been a bit distracted by her looks...and the fact she was naked...and by her “womanhood”... But when he concentrated, he could sense a vast amount of magic energy coming from Lumachina. It wasn’t enough to create the pillar of light from earlier, but he could still see it overflowing from her.
It seemed there was no mistaking it: The tower of light he saw had been created by this girl, Lumachina.
“Please be careful, my Lord. Gewalt may be a sinful man unworthy of being a believer, but his abilities are held in high esteem!”
“No, like I said, I’m no ‘Lord’ or ‘God’ or anything of the sort, I’m—”
“Oh, who CARES!” Gewalt screeched. “Smashing my Beast Mushroom like that! I am seriously PISSED OFF! No playing around this time; I’m killing the both of you!”
Diablo cocked his head to the side. “What do you mean by that? From what I’ve heard, Paladins are in service to the Church, and only kill Demon Lord worshipers. This Lumachina girl seems to have profound faith in the gods, does she not?”
She was hiding herself underneath Diablo’s cape at the moment, but even after being stripped of her clothing Lumachina never let go of her holy symbol. Her faith seemed to run much deeper than the average person’s.
Gewalt laughed scornfully. “As if I’d know about the decisions of the Church! If they tell me to kill someone, I kill them! I need no other reasons!”
“I see... So that’s the kind of person you are, then. You’re no different than a mercenary.”
“Uh, that’s where you’re wrong, sweetie. I charge much more than that!”
—At least he’s aware of it.
Gewalt threw a crystal on the ground...
—More summoning magic!
...with a worm quickly appearing.
“Hm... A level 60 《Hunter Worm》, I see.”
—I guess I should expect that from a Paladin. Just like Saddler, they’re on completely different levels than the Adventurers back in Faltra.
But he was still no match for Diablo. He readied Tenma’s Staff...
“Wind is best to deal with Earth elementals. 《Aero—”
He was unable to complete his spell, as the ground beneath him crumbled away.
“What...!?”
“Eeeeeeek!?”
A gaping crater appeared in the earth, with both Diablo and the girl falling inside. A gigantic mouth came at them from within the depths of the hole.
—A level 80 Trap Worm!? And he summoned them both at the same time!
Despite how much of a sleazeball he was, Gewalt was a formidable opponent.
A smile crept onto Diablo’s face.
“Do not underestimate my agility!”
Kicking off the corner of the worm’s open mouth, he jumped up and grabbed hold of the girl who was naked underneath his cape. Though she seemed like a bit of a problem child, having her eaten by a worm right after he saved her in the first place would be kind of sad.
With the girl in tow, they escaped from the hole together.
“Not bad, Demon! But this is it!!” Gewalt shouted.
The Hunter Worm drew near.
“It’s not worth it if something like this doesn’t happen. Now, be ripped to shreds! 《Aero Shredder》!”
With a thunderous roar, a green flash of light wrapped around the pursuing Summon. Chunks of flesh were scattered everywhere, changing back into a blackened crystal.
Gewalt’s eyes flew open in shock. “What...is...this...?”
“Oh? So you know of it.”
—Though, after breaking through the level cap, you can learn even more powerful spells than this.
“Of course I know. There are other Paladins who can use it as well.”
“I was under the impression Elemental magic was so weak it was unthinkable for you to use.”
“...Yes, it’s weak... But it’s a different story if you can master it. Elemental magic is best when you need a lot of oomph packed into a single attack.”
“It seems you’ve studied well.”
Diablo was somewhat glad to hear this. It seemed he had reached the same conclusion as everyone else who leveled up their characters until they approached the level cap.
“So how about it, Demon? How many shots of that ultimate magic can you fire off, hmm!? My Summon is still rarin’ to go!”
“Hmph... With a spell like Aero Shredder, I can fire off at least a hundred without breaking a sweat.”
“D-Don’t you dare lie to me!”
“And don’t you try to measure me using your own standards, novice.”
—Why do people like him think no one else in the world can do something just because they can’t?
It was the same thing when he saw a post on Cross Reverie’s wiki saying 《Bloody Dance》 could be avoided, and people called the guy a liar. Stuff like that was a piece of cake.
Diablo wasn’t good at writing things out, so he didn’t make a comment back then... But it was stupid to decide that an attack with a whole six frames of delay (0.1 seconds) between when the motion for the move started and the actual damage was dealt was “impossible” to dodge. He wanted them to try saying it was impossible only after they at least practiced inputting the command for a dodge as soon as they saw the attack coming. It was no good if your fingers were still moving like a human; to any normal person, a masterful player’s movements couldn’t be followed with the naked eye. The optimal movement was like that of the assembly robots that could be found in a factory; with no excessive movements, they were the ideal.
—If you want to win, then reject your humanity!
Diablo pointed Tenma’s Staff at Gewalt. “I am a busy man... I have no intention of taking on each and every one of your Summons. A Summoner’s shortcoming is their weakness to attacks that cover a wide area! 《Cross Blizzard》!!”
Two tornadoes burst into existence with everything they touched turning to ice, which was then torn to shreds by gale force winds. As soon as the trees were turned into frozen sculptures, they shattered to pieces. This was a spell learned at level 110; for those who hadn’t broken through their level caps, they wouldn’t even know it existed.
Gewalt’s face contorted. “Wh-What... WHAT THE HELL IS THAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?”
Shards of ice danced in the air, creating a fantastical sight. Gewalt’s screams were drowned out in the ferocious whirlwinds, so all that was left was the sound of the wind’s fierce howling.
Finally, the wind died down. The ground had been completely frozen over, and not a tree remained around them. Diablo had ended up changing the terrain itself, but it looked like the Paladin was defeated. Lumachina had watched everything unfold from behind him, and was shivering.
—Oh crap! I used that freezing spell even though there’s a girl here wearing nothing but a cape...!
“H-Hey, are you all right!?”
“Yes. God...having you save me...I’m...”
“Hold on—and let me be clear on this: I am no god! I am Diablo, a Demon Lord from another world!”
“Huh? B-But...”
“I am a Demon Lord.”
“...Even though your soul...is so...pure...” Lumachina swayed, and began to collapse.
“What!? Hey!” Diablo barely managed to catch her in his arms. Luckily, she was still breathing.
—So, is she just sleeping?
He didn’t exactly understand the logic behind it, but of course she would be exhausted after expending enough magic energy to make that tower of light earlier.
“I guess...I can’t just leave her here, huh...” There were wild beasts in the Eastern Lakefront Forest, so leaving her out here was as good as feeding her to the bears or wolves.
Reluctantly, Diablo decided to carry her back to town. It was at a time like this that his Flight magic would come in handy, but using it while carrying another person was plain impossible, no matter how small she was. The memory of his screw up causing him to crash was still fresh in his mind, so he elected to go back along the roads on foot.
After Diablo left—
The frozen earth caved in, a Trap Worm appearing from the newly formed hole and spitting something out of its mouth. The Paladin, Gewalt, tumbled along the ground.
“Euuuughh! The inside of a worm REEKS!! That damn Demon... I’m going to crush his filthy Demon balls!”
And then, one more—though she was unconscious, the female Paladin, Tria, fell out onto the ice-covered earth as well.
†
“Tria!!”
Lumachina bolted upright. She had seen a dream of the female Paladin who helped her escape, watching as the Paladin fell down a hole in the earth.
—No, that wasn’t a dream.
Lumachina looked down at herself; someone had dressed her in a brown hemp one piece, like the ones she usually saw around town. On the inside, she was just glad she wasn’t naked anymore.
Next, she looked around at her surroundings. She was in an unfamiliar room with cold, stony walls, and a roof that seemed like it would leak if it rained. Candles lined the walls, the only light in the room coming from their flickering flames.
It seemed it was already evening, since what she could see of the outside, through a tiny window in the room, was pitch-black. If there hadn’t been anyone else in the room with her, she would have probably worried if she was in jail.
There were two girls around the bed: an Elf, and a Pantherian.
The Elf came over to Lumachina. She had a profoundly ample bust, but judging from her long ears and facial features, she was most definitely an Elf.
“She woke up! Thank goodness.”
“...Are you all right? We healed the cuts on your legs, but is there anything else that hurts?”
The Pantherian’s ears, tail, and hair were all black, a rarity among the species. She was looking at Lumachina with an expression of concern on her face.
“Huh? Ah, um...”
They weren’t just good-looking, but cute as well. However, Lumachina was concerned about the iron rings around their necks, which were most likely slave collars.
“...Are your memories mixed up? Can you tell me your name?” the Pantherian girl asked uneasily.
“My name is...” The fog in her head rapidly cleared. “Ah, Lumachina Weselia. It’s all right, I remember.”
“...That’s good. My name is Rem Galleau. I am a Pantherian, as you could probably tell, and an Adventurer as well.”
“I’m Shera, and I’m an Elf!”
“...I know this is short notice, Lumachina, but there are a many things we want you to explain to us... But before that, there is a very important question I must ask.”
Rem’s expression was exceedingly serious, which caused Lumachina to get nervous. “Wh-What could that be?”
“...Did Diablo do anything weird to you? Specifically, did he touch you in weird places, or pinch you, or lick you...or use his fingers to, um...” Rem blushed as she spoke, her voice becoming smaller and smaller.
Lumachina’s face began burning up as well. She remembered quite clearly how she was saved while being almost completely naked.
“W-Would Diablo happen to be the god who saved me? If so, I can swear that he did not perform such...i-impure taboos with me...” She was unconscious at the time, but she was positive God would never do something like that to her.
Rem let out a deep sigh of relief. “...Thank goodness.”
“Ahaha! It was a big shock when Diablo came in carrying you, Lumachina. We thought he attacked you or something!”
“...I thought it wasn’t possible for him...but since he wouldn’t outright deny it, I was worried that something had happened.”
“Sometimes, Diablo will just say nothing but ‘yeah’ and stuff.”
“...It does seem like there are times he does not like to speak, much to our chagrin.”
This time Lumachina tried asking a question. “Um... What kind of relationship do you have with God?”
“...What do you mean by ‘God’? Are you talking about Diablo?” Rem asked to confirm.
Lumachina nodded. “He is the one who saved me.”
“Mm, I guess you could say Diablo is kind of like our owner,” Shera said as she touched her collar.
“What!? God keeps slaves!?”
“No, you’ve got it all wrong! This isn’t a ‘slave collar,’ it’s an ‘enslavement collar.’ Erm, let’s see... When Rem and I tried summoning a Demon Lord at Starfall Tower, our magic was bounced back at us, and...”
She was doing her best to explain everything, but Lumachina didn’t really understand what was going on.
Rem stepped in and summarized everything for her: “Diablo is the leader of our party of Adventurers, and our friend.”
“I...see.”
—God is their friend? And an Adventurer?
She wanted to confirm, just to be sure. “Um... So this ‘Diablo’ is God, correct?”
“...He’s an Elemental Sorcerer, one so strong that his power goes beyond all common sense.”
“He always says he’s a ‘Demon Lord from another world.’”
“G-God has to be the one who saved me... It’s a problem for me if he isn’t...” Lumachina cradled her head in her hands.
“...And why is that?” Rem asked, tilting her head.
“Because...he saw my skin...” Lumachina muttered, blushing furiously.
“...And?”
“We usually show our skin around him, so—” Rem quickly smacked Shera for blurting such details.
There was one thing that Lumachina had always decided upon in her heart: “The only person you should show your skin to is the man who will become your spouse.”
“...What?”
“That’s why, if this ‘Diablo’ is not God...then I have no choice but to become his wife.”
Rem’s tail shot straight up. “What in the—!? What is this naked cape-girl getting all carried away for!?”
“Th-That’s right, there’s an order for these things! Like, I would be first in line, right!?”
“Huh!? What do you mean by that!? You two are only his party members, no!?”
Rem averted her gaze. “...That’s right.”
“W-Well...maybe? But I feel like Diablo likes ’em bigger, you know?” Shera said, lifting up her chest with both hands.
As they were talking, who else but Diablo would walk into the room.
†
The ones in the room at the moment were Diablo, Rem, Shera...and Lumachina, who was keeping herself propped up in the bed. Since they weren’t sure what the story behind Lumachina was, Diablo had gone to tell Klem and Edelgard not to leave their room, but since it was nighttime, they were already asleep. Eat, sleep, and play; the two Fallen really were living the easy life. It was enough to make him jealous.
Diablo kept the panic raging inside him from showing on his face.
—Just what does she mean she has to become my wife!?
He could hear their voices leaking out into the hallway, so he ended up eavesdropping on them. This was a girl who asked him if he was God while naked, and was apparently being hunted by Paladins.
—No matter how much of a stunningly beautiful girl she is, let alone the fact I’ve seen every last nook and cranny of her body... Oh man... Having her as a wife might be a bit of a problem for me...
Diablo grit his teeth to avoid becoming slack-jawed.
—No, no, life is more important right now.
It wouldn’t be a problem if it was only the one Paladin he was dealing with, but if more were to join forces and band together, then his outlooks were a bit more hazy. At the very least, he knew them to be stronger than the Adventurers in Faltra or the Elven army he had faced. There were mechanics implemented in Cross Reverie that compensated for one-versus-many fights, but there probably weren’t any saving graces like that in this world. He had even gotten involved with Saddler’s death, who was himself a Paladin...
To put it simply, he wanted to avoid any kind of confrontation with the Church, seeing as they had power that rivaled even the king of this country.
—There’s no benefit to doing that! Like, none at all! ...That said, I guess I can at least hear what she has to say. It’d be a little sad to drive her out of the inn without doing at least that much.
Arms folded, Diablo leaned against the wall as he looked down at Lumachina. “It seems you have finally come to.”
“Yes. Thank you again for coming to my aid... Um, Diablo... You are a god, right?”
—It’s not really normal to think that God themselves came to save you. I don’t know just how deep your faith runs, but just thinking God will save you because you prayed to him? I mean, come on... Just try writing that on Tw***er, I dare you. People would treat you like a stupid troll account in no time.
But in more ways than one, it would be bad to shut her down like that now. It seemed like she was under the impression she had to marry anyone who saw her naked, as long as they were one of the races.
—She doesn’t look like she’s a kid anymore...but maybe she’s a huge yokel? Does she think babies come from the stork, or that they grow in cabbage patches or something?
She was undeniably cute, so much so that if she were to actually confess to him back in the real world, he would think it was some kind of marriage fraud scam. However, he didn’t sense any kind of danger from this. So he put his plan to avoid all this into action:
“Due to certain circumstances, I am choosing not to reveal my identity while here in this world. Presume whatever you will as to why.”
With a gasp, Lumachina’s eyes opened wide, and she scrambled to get down from the bed. Her legs were still wrapped in bandages, so he thought she shouldn’t push herself that hard. She then knelt down on the floor.
“Please, allow me to refer to you as Lord Diablo.”
“V-Very well!”
This way, he could avoid being called “God” all the time while also dodging the “Marriage END” route.
Rem stayed quiet, seemingly having caught on to Diablo’s intentions. Shera, on the other hand, tilted her head. She looked pretty unsure about what was going on.
Lumachina now appeared to believe Diablo was a God who was hiding his true identity.
He tried questioning her again. “Lumachina...why were you being pursued by a Paladin? Judging by what happened, I assume surely it was not because you are a Demon Lord worshiper?”
The words caught in Lumachina’s throat. Whatever it was, it seemed hard for her to talk about.
“...It’s for your own good to talk about any secrets as soon as possible. If not, something could happen to you that you won’t forget for as long as you live,” Rem said softly.
She was most likely referring to how Diablo attacked her ears in order to find out her secret. Diablo would never forget the voices she made that night as long as he lived, either.
It was unknown how Lumachina interpreted that, but she nodded. “Right, it is no use keeping secrets from Lord Diablo, after all.”
“...If it’s hard for you to talk about, should we go wait outside?”
“No, on the contrary. If you are friends who Lord Diablo has placed his faith in, then I would be grateful for you to hear this as well.”
“Oka~y!” Shera threw both her hands in the air.
“...It seems like quite the complicated affair,” Rem said with a nod.
Staying silent, Diablo indicated for Lumachina to continue. Standing up from the floor, Lumachina clasped her hands together. A light came into existence by her chest, with a dazzling brightness spreading throughout the dim room. What appeared was the sacred symbol, the same kind often seen at churches or elsewhere. It was a radiant, almost blinding pure white.
“I occupy the most paramount position in the Church: I am the High Priest.”
Rem’s eyes turned round. “...High Priest!? You mean the highest position in the Church!?”
Shera was making small, strange noises out of bewilderment.
“...I heard they were a young woman, b-but that is you!?”
“The real deal!?”
“Yes,” Lumachina said, nodding.
Keeping his arms crossed, Diablo slowly nodded as well. He made it seem like he knew all along, but on the inside he was so surprised it felt like snot would start dripping from his nose.
—I get it now! So that’s why she thought God had come to save her! I guess that’s just how important the position she holds is.
“...W-Wait. According to what we heard from Diablo, you were being pursued by a Paladin, correct?” Rem asked.
“Yes, that is correct.”
“...That can’t be... Paladins only follow the will of the Church, which means they should follow your will as the High Priest. How can that be?”
Vexed, Lumachina bit her lip. “Unfortunately, I do not possess that kind of influence. There is a group called the Cardinal Authority who have complete control over the Church. They are comprised of the head cardinal and six other cardinals who are selected by the High Priest...or at least, that is how it should be. Really, the ones who decide the candidates are the cardinals themselves.”
“...So the ones who actually have influence over the Church are these cardinals, then.”
“While I have been granted all the authority that comes with the position of High Priest, it is the Paladins who possess absolute military might, and all of them follow the orders of the Cardinal Authority.”
Even if one did have power, it seemed there was no point to it if they couldn’t get anything done.
Rem nodded. “...That explains why a Paladin was after your life.”
“It does appear the Cardinal Authority has decided to eliminate me.”
“...What exactly happened?”
Lumachina placed a finger on her lip as she thought. It was an almost childlike gesture. “Mmm... Could it have been because I inquired about a possible illicit flow of money and goods being used for the patronage of church rites? Or perhaps it was because I gave the order to look into the rumors of improper conduct by Paladins? Or maybe, was it because I made a proposal that prohibited priests from employing other people they knew through personal connections?”
“...Those are all certainly things that cannot be overlooked... But did you receive any sort of warning before they began making attempts at your life?”
“I did. Some of the cardinals indirectly... No, they made it quite clear they were threatening me.”
“...And even then, you didn’t do as they said.”
“I cannot turn a blind eye to such wrongdoings.”
—That’s a strong sense of justice she’s got there. Seems like she’s the kind of person who values morals more than their own life. But as a result, she was almost killed... This girl is an idiot, an unmistakable idiot... And yet, I don’t hate that about her.
Rem nodded. “...What you are saying is correct, Lumachina, which is most likely why these people are after your life. We live in a society where it’s hard to do the right thing, after all.”
“That is why I have decided to do something about it on this expedition.”
“...Expedition?”
“Yes. Rumors have been spreading of the Demon Lord having been resurrected in Faltra. In order to put the minds of the people at rest, I decided to come to the city as a sort of ‘visit from the High Priest.’”
“Th-The resurrection of the Demon Lord? Something like that would nev—”
“—Did happen, yeah.” A smile on her face, Shera spilled the beans and finished the sentence, causing Rem to kick her square in the butt.
Lumachina cast her eyes downward. “Faltra has been hit by one bout of turmoil after the other, and I am worried about those who live there... But there is a different reason as to why I have taken action now.”
“...And what reason would that be?”
“My goal is to travel to a town in the former Demon Lord’s territory, and report what is going on to Batutta, the captain of the Paladins.”
Rem looked off in the distance as if she were remembering something. “...I have heard of Batutta before. He was supposed to be an influential presence in the Great Human-Fallen War, and a man of great integrity.”
“That is what I have heard as well. Half a year before I was made the High Priest, Batutta was sent to the former Demon Lord’s Domain.”
“...Just as they came for your life, could they have also banished him to that remote city?”
“I believe that to be the case. If I can inform him of what is going on within the Church, I am sure he will take action and protect me—or at least, that is what another Paladin, Tria, told me.”
“...Is this person someone you can trust?”
“If she hadn’t helped me...then, in this very moment, I would be...”
“...Where is Tria now?”
“She protected me from another Paladin, to save me... And then...” Tears welled up in the corners of Lumachina’s eyes, and her shoulders began to shake.
“O-Oh, I see...” Rem was at a loss for words.
Shera was moved to tears. “That’s so sad, something like that happening to such a good person... You don’t need to worry anymore, Lumachina! We’ll protect you for sure!”
“...There you go again, saying whatever you like... But it is true that we can’t leave you alone.”
Both of the girls seemed intent on helping Lumachina.
—Was there anything suspicious about her story just now? Were there any contradictions? Couldn’t she just have written a letter to this Captain Batutta guy?
...No, there would be no point to that. As long as the Cardinal Authority was in control, Lumachina would eventually be killed at their hands. Running away took precedent over relaying what was going on. In that case, were there any other ways?
“Can you not rely on the country for anything?” Diablo asked. “It’s true the Paladins are strong, but there are skilled people in the military as well.”
According to his own analysis, Galford, the governor of Faltra, was somewhere around the level 110 mark. Paladins like Saddler and Gewalt were definitely strong, but they didn’t give off the feeling they had broken through their limits yet. That would make them around level 99 or lower.
Lumachina had a troubled look on her face. “I am not aware of the internal affairs of the Church, and do not have even the slightest idea of what could be happening in the royal court. If the person I went to for help was actually connected with the Authority...”
Shera leaned forward. “Can that actually happen!? I mean, they’re bad people, right!?”
“...Those in power who act corrupt tend to have money saved up,” Rem said with a sigh. “As long as they get paid, there are also quite a lot of people willing to support this corruption.”
“That’s unforgivable!”
Rem seemed like she wanted to say something to the indignant Shera, but she got back on topic. “...It’s only natural Lumachina would be anxious about all this, and I can certainly understand why.”
“Hm.” Diablo nodded.
He wasn’t sure what kind of position people like Galford or Sylvie took when it came to the Church. In fact, he even thought it was obvious for someone to support the side that has money and power. If there was anyone who would take care of this High Priest (in name alone), they would have to be a person of exceptionally profound faith.
†
“...What are you planning to do now, Lumachina?” Rem asked. “If the Paladin who attacked you doesn’t return to the capital, then the cardinals will most likely think the assassination was a failure. They might make another attempt on your life again.”
“Even if that comes to pass, I will not run or hide. I must journey to the town Batutta was dispatched to and gain his assistance.”
“...The one in the former Demon Lord’s Domain?”
“Yes. The remote town of Zircon Tower.”
Diablo had heard of that name before as it was an area from mid-game in Cross Reverie. It was implemented as another town on the front lines in a major update two years ago. At the same time, it had become a base for all the high level players in the game. Of course, it was a town Diablo had used for a while as well.
—That was around the time I got my own personal area.
Diablo’s dungeon should also be found near Zircon Tower. In the game, you could never just walk around and end up wandering into another player’s personal area. What was it like in this world? Could you actually walk there, or did it not exist at all?
Rem sighed. “...Zircon Tower, one of the outposts in the former Demon Lord’s Domain... I know how to get there from Faltra, but it takes a good amount of luck for those who aren’t Adventurers or merchants to even make it there.”
“I am fully prepared for that. I cannot afford to give up now.”
“Couldn’t you just write a letter to this Batutta guy?” Shera asked.
“A letter would not be enough to call him to action,” Lumachina said with a frown. “Helping me would mean facing off with the Cardinal Authority, and I can’t simply ask for something like that with a mere letter.”
“...He would be doubtful if you were actually the one who wrote the letter, too,” Rem said, nodding along.
“I am against the idea of entrusting my destiny to someone I have never met before. It’s not just my life that is at stake, but the future of the Church as well—not to mention the future of the country.”
“...I understand.”
The conversation was getting a bit out of hand, but Lumachina was in a position where she had to think about matters such as this. The power of the Church was said to rival the king’s, after all. Not to mention that originally, her role as High Priest meant she was supposed to control the Church.
“No matter the hardships I will face, I must reach Zircon Tower!” Lumachina declared.
The conversation was getting pretty stretched out here, so Diablo went to organize everything in his head:
Lumachina was the High Priest, the most important person in the entire Church. But it was the Cardinal Authority who were truly in control of the Church. It seemed the Authority was making money through dishonest means, and using their ill-gained capital to maintain their grip on the Church. There was no doubt they were the ones who ordered the Paladins to assassinate Lumachina after she found out about their wrongdoings. Because of that, Lumachina decided to request help from the Paladin Captain Batutta, who had been dispatched to the remote town of Zircon Tower.
—Well, if it’s a problem with the Church, it’s probably best to have someone from the Church solving it.
Rem made a suggestion: “Diablo, what do you think about us taking Lumachina there ourselves?”
“Hm...?”
“Oh, that sounds good! Yeah, let’s do that!” Shera was all aboard for the idea.
Surprised, Lumachina made as if to stand up. “I would be grateful...but wouldn’t that be too dangerous for you...?”
“...We are Adventurers. If we avoid danger, we wouldn’t be able to do anything. Besides, I’m sure you have seen Diablo’s power, haven’t you?”
“Y-Yes... That is true, it would be foolish to worry about God—ah, I mean, Lord Diablo’s well-being. It seems I still lack faith.”
“What do you think, Diablo?”
They all looked at him.
—I do feel Lumachina’s sense of justice is noble, and I can sympathize with her circumstances... But still, I want to avoid a confrontation with the Church. Unlike the game, if you die in this world, that’s it. No matter how much of an Adventurer I am, I don’t want to jump into something I know is gonna be too dangerous.
“...We should also be able to look forward to the reward as well,” Rem continued. “Lumachina is the High Priest, so if we can restore her authority in the Church, she should be able to prepare an amount appropriate to the work we will put forth.”
Lumachina nodded in agreement. “I do not have much on my person at the moment, but if you deem it necessary, Lord Diablo, I will prepare whatever I can.”
Lumachina still thought of Diablo as some kind of god. Not just a reward, but they may be able to count on her support from now on.
The way things were going, their party was going to be brought to bankruptcy due to how much they were spending on biscuits. Though Shera said they only had 500 friths to spend on treats per day, the truth was they needed an amount several times more than that. He didn’t know what would happen if they ran out of biscuits for Klem, and Rem and Shera would surely indulge her whenever she would beg for more.
—If we only have to get Lumachina to Zircon Tower, then maybe I won’t have to end up fighting with the Church.
The Church most likely didn’t have a grasp on the current situation, either. As long as they didn’t figure out how strong Diablo was, they wouldn’t send any sort of significant firepower their way. A Paladin or two would be no problem for him to handle.
Diablo twisted the corner of his lips into a smile. “Heh heh heh... So you desire power. Then I shall lend you mine, as a Demon Lord from another world!”
Lumachina knelt down, clasping her hands together.
And so, in order to earn money for biscuits and avoid marriage, such was how Diablo began impersonating a god.
†
The next morning—
Diablo and the others headed toward the inn’s dining hall. Klem and Edelgard had woken up early, getting there ahead of the group, which was quite rare.
Lumachina’s eyes opened wide. “Wh-What is this sinister black power coming from those two...!?”
“Nwagh!?” Klem stood on top of her chair. “What’s with this girl!? She smells like one of them!”
“And who exactly is this ‘them’ you are referring to?”
“God!” Klem shouted in response.
—Damn. They’re both the real deals.
It seemed Lumachina could see the Demon Lord-type magic energy emitting from Klem. If Diablo was actually a Demon Lord, and not just some guy role playing as one, he would’ve never been mistaken as a god.
It also seemed that Klem was able to sniff out that Lumachina, being the High Priest, was the person closest to the gods. Klem held no malice toward any of the races, but she did bear a deep-seated grudge against the gods for sealing her away for so long.
—Oh boy, there’s gonna be a fight at this rate. I have to stop them!
As the two glared at each other, Diablo placed a hand on each of their heads.
“You wouldn’t dare think of fighting in front of me, I would hope. Black magic energy, the stench of the gods... Are those things worth earning my displeasure?”
Lumachina’s shoulders slumped. “M-My deepest apologies for causing a commotion...”
“Hmph, this is making my biscuits taste bad. Sit somewhere far away from me.”
Klem sat back down. Edelgard, who looked ready to pounce at any moment, lowered her fists as well.
The dispute having been settled without incident, Rem and Shera heaved sighs of relief. Diablo mentally wiped off his cold sweat as well.
—These two have the worst compatibility...!
Since Diablo’s group had more people now, they ended up using the table next to Klem and Edelgard. As they had breakfast together, Rem conveyed everything that had been discussed in last night’s conversation to Klem and Edelgard.
“...And so, we have decided to help Lumachina reach the town of Zircon Tower in the former Demon Lord’s Domain.”
“Mm-hm, I see.”
“...We have to prepare for the journey, so we will depart tomorrow morning.”
“Roger dodger.” Klem nodded as she stuffed her cheeks full of biscuits.
Edelgard sheepishly raised a hand. “Have, to go...no matter, what? Might, be...a problem.”
“...Is there something you need to do?”
“Edelgard, has work.” It was like the excuse you would get from a player with an actual life outside the game after they were invited to an online event.
Rem tilted her head. “...Could you explain that in a little bit more detail?”
“Here.” She presented Rem with a flier; it was a help wanted sign for Petre’s.
“...D-Did you...get a job?” Rem questioned, dumbfounded.
“Edelgard, will fight! For Demon Lord! Will also, make biscuits, for Demon Lord? Will make them!” She puffed out her chest proudly; that was some serious loyalty.
“I admire your ability to take action, but do you understand what kind of position you’re in here?”
“Servant, of Demon Lord?”
“...Never mind. Please just make sure to be careful.”
“Leave, to me.” Edelgard then made a gesture with her hand that could never be shown on television.
Lumachina seemed sufficiently bewildered, unable to keep up with the conversation. There wasn’t any way she would be able to guess, either, that there were actually two people who called themselves Demon Lords, with one of them being this young girl, and the maid who accompanied her being a Fallen. Explaining it all was also a pain in the butt.
Diablo spoke up about what he had been thinking of since last night:
“Klem and Edelgard shall stay here.”
“...Even though Klem is wearing an enslavement collar?” Rem placed a hand on her own neck.
“This will also be an experiment. There’s no condition that states we cannot be separated from each other, correct?”
“...Will that be all right?”
“We will be passing through many towns on our way to Zircon Tower...”
It was dangerous just to bring them along through the gates. Edelgard’s makeup in particular was a problem, since it was applied using Mei’s skills, so it wasn’t something that could be easily imitated. They would be in big trouble if it rained. On top of all that, she was being pursued by the other Fallen.
“Faltra may be protected by a barrier, but once we are outside it, who knows what will happen. Zircon Tower doesn’t have a barrier, either.”
“Is that true!?” Rem raised her voice in surprise.
“The barrier is the thing that keeps out Fallen and the monsters, right?” Shera asked, looking confused. “Are they okay without that?”
—Is it different in this world? The town didn’t have those big castle walls back in the game.
Diablo shrugged. “We’ll know once we are there. At any rate, it would be safest to have Klem and Edelgard remain here. It seems they have even found work, after all.”
As he turned to look at Klem, she gave a firm nod. “Mm-hm. I won’t be going anywhere that doesn’t have biscuits.”
—I thought of it more for her own safety...but since she’s just a kid, I guess she can make it through all this without fighting anyone. I won’t sweat the small stuff.
“Klem, I am going to pass down an order to you, so listen well and take this to heart: First and foremost, protect yourself. Second, protect the people around you. Finally, while staying within the limits I just told you, do the best you can to listen to what people at the inn tell you to do.”
“Very well! Leave it to me!” she said, cheeks full of biscuits.
He worried if she was actually listening or not.
“Hm? I heard you, loud and clear. Don’t die, protect everyone, and follow orders, right? Usually you would leave this kind of stuff to one of the Fallen underlings, but since I am such a generous Demon Lord, I will accept it for you.”
It seemed like she understood...but he didn’t sense any flow of magic energy.
—This makes me worried whether or not this stuff actually has the power to compel her to do anything. She has the slave collar on, but it’s still possible its power doesn’t work on a Demon Lord.
Rem raised a hand and Mei came over from the counter.
“Need something? If this wasn’t enough, I’ll bring you more. ☆”
Rem gave a simple explanation of what was happening: “...Diablo, Shera, and I have received a request that is going to take us away from Faltra for a long period of time. Klem and Edelgard will be remaining here, so I was hoping to ask if you could watch over them for us.”
“That’s A-OK by me. ☆”
“Bye Klem!” Shera hugged her. “We’re going off on a job!”
“I see. Rest assured, for even on my own, I’ll be all right! I’ll be practicing my singing in the meantime. I’ve already learned up to the 32nd verse of the biscuit song!”
“That’s great!”
“Teach me the chocolate song when you get back, OK?”
“I’ll be sure to make it up!”
“I’m a bit worried about you, though, since you’re always so unsteady on your feet. I shall grant you a small gift of my power.”
“What...? I’m not a Fallen, so I can’t get power from you, Klem.”
“Not you, this—”
Klem reached out, touching Shera’s bow. The magic energy of the Demon Lord flowed into it—Diablo was able to pick up on it this time. Rem went to stand up, while Lumachina held her holy symbol tight; it was even making Diablo secretly reach toward his pouch. That was how immense the amount of magic energy was that Klem had just released.
The wooden bow, which was once a color close to white, had now changed into a jet-back weapon wrapped in an ominous magic energy. Shera’s eyes were open dazzlingly wide.
“Whoa!? It changed into something that just looks strong on its own!”
“Hm-hm-hm! You should be fine with this!”
“Yeah! It kinda seems like it’s been cursed or something...but thanks, Klem!” Shera hugged her again.
From the beginning, Shera’s bow had been slightly endowed with magic energy. It seemed to be quite the treasure in this world; but back in the game, it was something Diablo would sell to the weapons shop without a second thought. On a scale of N (Normal), R (Rare), and SR (Super Rare), it was probably an R... But the black magic energy coming out of the newly enhanced bow was by no means normal. It wasn’t as powerful as Diablo’s equipment...but maybe an SR? No, SSR (Super Super Rare) seemed more appropriate.
—If the people who went crazy with joy after managing to snipe an SSR with a less than 1% drop rate could see this, they would be crying right about now.
It was one hell of a cheat on her part. Now more than ever, he was truly grateful that Klem had never wanted to start a war with the races.
