“...D-Do you have any idea what’s going on?”
“Is this really okay?!”
Diablo lowered his voice, whispering to them. “Observe them carefully. They don’t actually believe Edelgard is a Fallen.”
“...Now that you mention it...”
“They’re not scared of her at all.”
To begin with, the Fallen hunt the races down. If one were waiting on them in a café, it’d only be natural to think it was someone simply dressed up as a Fallen.
“Heheh... When word came out Edel put on makeup that made her look like a Fallen, the other waitresses started copying her,” a dwarf standing nearby began explaining, despite no one asking him to. “The regulars started calling it a ‘Fallen Café.’”
“Is she calling the customers ‘Demon Lord’?”
“Ain’t it just lovely? The Petres sure are clever, heh.”
The shop was run by three Grasswalker brothers, each of them called Petre. Apparently, they’d heard the customers talk about how Edelgard looked like a Fallen and decided to bank on it.
After a short while, the three of them were taken to a seat, and Edelgard walked up to them.
“Ah...”
“I see you’re working hard.”
“Master Diablo... Welcome...home? Home!”
“Mmm.”
Edelgard was currently serving the Demon Lord Krebskulm—Klem. And since Klem was enslaved to Diablo, Edelgard recognized him as her superior.
Diablo didn’t know how much effect the Enslavement Collar would have on a true Demon Lord. Boss level monsters were immune to effects like instant death, paralysis, and petrification after all.
Rem looked Edelgard up and down curiously.
“...Didn’t Mei from the inn put makeup on you?”
“Rain, washed it off~”
Apparently Edelgard had been doused by the rain, and her makeup ended up getting washed off. After traveling for a while, Diablo came to realize that Faltra, among other places, didn’t have that much rainfall. It was more rainy in the mountains, while the plains were mostly sunny. As such, raingear was very uncommon. The nobles had hats and coats, but the commoners didn’t wear anything to cover them up from the rain. Umbrellas didn’t even exist here, and since waterproof fabrics hadn’t been invented, they couldn’t be made either.
“...You could have taken the day off if it was raining,” Rem said with an exasperated expression.
“Suddenly, taking day off, bothers the store?”
“Ugh... You’re right, but...”
Rem probably didn’t imagine a Fallen would ever lecture her about work ethics and responsibility.
“Demon Lord Roll!” Shera suddenly called out.
Diablo felt his heart skip a beat. He was secretly acting as a Demon Lord in role play... In short, he was taking on a “Demon Lord role.” He’d tried to keep it a secret, but was he finally exposed for who he was?!
“One Demon Lord Roll, one.” Edelgard nodded at Shera’s words.
“Mmm?” Diablo’s eyes fell to the menu...
Hidden between such items as the Demon Lord Gelato, Demon Lord Pancake, and Demon Lord Pie was the Demon Lord Bread Roll. Diablo sighed in relief, wiping cold sweat from his forehead. It seemed like no one had figured him out after all...
“...Is everything all right? You’re very pale,” Rem asked.
“Ah, no... Forget it.”
“...I think I’ll have the Demon Lord Pie. How about you, Diablo?”
“I’ll have the cheese bread.”
The Fallen Café’s special menu looked good, but Petre’s cheese bread was a delicacy. Diablo planned to leave Faltra again soon, so he wanted to have some with him for the road.
“...Then we’ll have those, and coffee for three.”
“As you, wish!” Edelgard went to the back of the store to relay their order.
They observed her as she worked, and she did more than just wait on tables; she chatted with the customers too. Some customers talked about their lives, others shared their hobbies with her, and some were just drinking this early in the day. Some drunken customers were a bit loud, but owing to the store’s comfy atmosphere, there were no suspicious people about.
Rem looked around. “...This store is a bit odd, is it not?”
“Is something about it unusual?”
“...Yes. To begin with, cafés are a fairly recent idea.”
“Hmm.”
Cafés that were picking up popularity in the capital recently opened branches in the center of Faltra, but they were high-class places that commoners couldn’t afford to visit. However, shops that imitated the idea began cropping up. Diablo thought this place was one such example, but its atmosphere was considerably different.
Edelgard came back, carrying their bread and coffee, so Diablo decided to ask her, “Who thought of setting the place up like this?”
“Friend? Of Petre’s, saw it in the capital? Saw it!”
He couldn’t understand what she was saying.
“...A friend of the owners saw a similar store in the capital, and they imitated it?” Rem tried to interpret. “Not the café part, but having the waiters dress up like Fallen?”
“Not, Fallen! Magical beasts, there?”
“...Magical beasts?!”
“Monster?” Edelgard’s speech was as fragmented as ever, but Rem managed to make sense of it all for Diablo.
“...It seems there’s a monster girl café in the capital. The waitresses walk around in costumes, with fangs and horns.”
“Hmm.”
Well damn, now I wanna check it out!
It sounded fun. Had he known about it, he’d have gone while he was in the capital... But Diablo didn’t let that thought show on his face. A Demon Lord that went to a monster girl café was several types of odd piled together.
I’ll go there alone one day! So Diablo secretly resolved.
But the question still remained: Who thought of opening a monster girl café when normal cafés were a recent invention? Diablo was summoned from his own world and brought to this one, but he had the appearance and abilities of his in-game character, so he wasn’t transported to this world per say... Could someone else have been transferred here in the same way?
Those were the thoughts Diablo sank into as he gazed into the coffee in his cup.
†
When they went back to the coach house, they were told the rear axle was bent. The frame was still new, so it was due to either carrying very heavy luggage or had gone up considerable differences in elevation. Rose’s face flashed in Diablo’s mind. To fix the damage she sustained, she was currently resting in a maintenance dock on the lowest level of the Demon Lord’s Labyrinth. It had to have been her weight, along with them riding over unpaved roads, that caused this. Rem negotiated with the coach house, and managed to get them to fix it in three days, all within their budget.
Having left their carriage here for repairs, they had to get to the western district by foot.
Half past three o’clock—
The sun was beginning to move toward the horizon when they reached the Peace of Mind Inn. While it wasn’t some home sweet home, it was still a relief to see the place.
“Whoa, welcome back☆” The inn’s poster girl, Mei, greeted them with an enthusiastic wave of the hand. “Rem, Shera, Diablo, have mew been keeping safe?”
“...Yes.”
“Ah, Klem!” Shera called out, running to her.
She had apparently just come back from a trip. Klem’s eyes widened with surprise.
“Oh, you’re back, I... Whoa?!” Shera clung to her in a hug.
“We’re back!”
“I-I can see... Has something happened to you, Shera? Your aura feels completely different. I didn’t recognize you at first.”
“Huh? Did something about me change?” Klem’s remark made Shera examine her arms and legs.
Shera could see the flow of magical energy in people, but this was apparently a different sort of change. Diablo didn’t feel anything had changed about her either.
“...Maybe it’s related to Shera being a queen?” Rem asked with a quizzical expression.
“Oh, so something like that happened to you, Shera.”
“Yep! I married Diablo.”
Her voice was loud enough so the whole dining area could hear it, and the people sitting there were surprised and rather riled up by her statement.
“That’s great! Congratulations on your marriage☆” Mei clapped.
“Thanks, Mei!”
“But what did she mean by ‘queen’?”
“Erm... The truth is, hmm, I was an elven princess. And that means I’m the queen now.”
“You’re a king nyow?” Mei’s gaze turned to Diablo.
“Hmph... They begged me to do it, so I merely obliged.”
Apparently, becoming queen of the elves changed something about Shera, though Diablo couldn’t tell what it was. But, come to think of it, when he introduced Lumachina to Klem, she had said something similar. Lumachina said she had “a black, ominous, demonic aura” to her, while Klem made a fuss about Lumachina “smelling like God.” It seemed real Demon Lords had a way of knowing. Diablo may have claimed to be a Demon Lord, but he was actually just a demon sorcerer.
“Well, so be it.” Klem crossed her arms. “I can’t say the scent of God getting stronger around you pleases this Demon Lord much, but that doesn’t change who you are, Shera. You’ve done well to return safely. This Demon Lord praises you!”
“Hehe, thanks!”
“...We visited Petre’s on the way here.” Rem rummaged through her bag. “We got you biscuits. Would you like some?”
“Oooh! As considerate as ever, Rem!”
“...Thank you.”
Taking the first biscuit out of the bag, Klem caught it with her mouth. Her speech and attitude were one thing, but in terms of action she was pretty much like a pacified puppy.
“Were there any problems?” Diablo asked Mei.
“Nyone at all♪ But Edelgard’s stopped putting on mewkeup lately, and people have started talking about it.”
“The way things are going, it shouldn’t be much of an issue.”
“Faltra’s governor is a pretty strict man, so you should be careful☆”
“I know.”
The citizens didn’t know it, but Diablo had fought Faltra’s governor, Galford, before. Diablo managed to win somehow and instilled the impression that fighting Diablo wasn’t worth it. But he was a governor, and if he’d found out a Demon Lord and Fallen were walking around in his city, he wouldn’t let it slide so easily. They’d still have to keep their identities secret.
“Let’s go, Diablo!” Klem pointed at him sharply.
“Mmm?”
“Weren’t you listening? Whenever everyone else is talking, you always act like it has nothing to do with you!”
“Hmph... Cease your babbling.”
That’s actually exactly what it is. It’s scary how she hit the nail on the head!
“Klem invited us to visit a restaurant she recommends,” Rem filled him in.
“Biscuits are still the greatest treat in the world, but some dishes are a better fit for dinner. Appreciate this Demon Lord for inviting you to a wonderful banquet!”
“Hmph... I suppose I’ll see then.”
Diablo didn’t have many expectations to be honest. He’d eaten at many places, but they all just cooked meat and at most put oil and salt on it. While that had a certain rustic flavor to it, it wasn’t much of a delicacy.
†
“What a delicacy! How did they make this?!”
“Heheheh.” Klem grinned smugly.
Rem and Shera looked equally surprised. They were in a restaurant in the northern district called Appetissant. It was a high class eatery of sorts, but their prices were quite fair. Despite this, the flavor of their cooking was shockingly refined. The meat was soft and biting into it was easy. The sauce was salty sweet, and the whole meal was garnished with mashed potatoes and salad. As one would expect, the shop’s interior was bustling with clients.
Holding a knife and fork, Klem ate her meal in a refined, dignified manner. She used to eat from her hands, but she’d seemingly matured since then.
“Hmm, tasty... This is what they call cooking! The races’ cooking is delicious. This is impressive!”
Rem and Shera praised the place as well.
“...This is a wonderful restaurant. I’ve never had meat cooked this softly before.”
“The mashed potatoes and salad are great too. I think it’s the first time I ever thought some place’s vegetables were better than Greenwood’s!”
Diablo looked at the meat on his plate. “It’s hard to believe they’re using the same meat as everyone else.”
It wasn’t the way they cooked or beat it; the meat itself was soft. Was the meat’s quality just that different? Or maybe this flavor had reminded him of his old world? It had the sort of juiciness you wouldn’t expect from a world that didn’t have refrigerators.
Diablo was just about to eat while appreciating the flavor, when he suddenly heard a fuss coming from the store’s entrance.
“What’s going on?”
The sound of a man shouting made the customers turn their attention. The waitresses fidgeted restlessly. A group of men in light armor, adventurers by the looks of things, had walked in.
“What’cha just standin’ there for?!” the man leading the group shouted. “Take us to our seats already!”
As nice as the prices were, it was still a restaurant in the northern district, where there were many cheap bars. These type of people weren’t an unusual sight.
The person in charge walked out from the back of the store. “Pardon me, but you’re troubling the other customers...”
“We’re customers too, ya know!”
“But...”
“Ya makin’ fun of us?!”
With a blood vessel sticking out in his forehead, the adventurer unsheathed his sword, and his friends began kicking the furniture.
“H-How could you...” The man in charge took a step back.
A woman screamed in fright, making a waitress loudly drop a plate. Things were quickly spiraling out of control.
Diablo was about to sit up, but Klem jumped out before he could.
“You fools! What are you doing in this sacred site of dining? Have you no shame?!”
They glared at her angrily. These ruffians obviously had no idea what they were going up against.
“The hell are ya, brat? An elf? Ya smell like a stinkin’ demi to me!”
“You fools... You have earned this Demon Lord’s ire. You shall pay for your lack of intelligence and character with your lives!”
Klem stuck out her right hand. A small black sphere began forming in it.
“Huh? Elemental magic? Hahahaha!”
In this world, most adventurers thought elemental magic was weak. True enough, at low levels, its firepower would indeed be insufficient. It was a class lacking in stamina, defense, and evasion, so it was indeed weak in the early stages of the game. Beginner elemental sorcerers usually died quickly and were nothing more than a strain on their party.
But in the game, players leveled up more often in short periods of time. The first few days might be hard, but a sorcerer’s firepower would skyrocket as they leveled up, and they’d become capable of defeating the enemy before they were even attacked. By the end, they became the class with the highest damage output. It wasn’t a class to be trifled with.
But that was far from this group’s only mistake. Klem wasn’t an elemental sorcerer, but a Demon Lord.
“Don’t kill them!” Diablo shouted.
“I’ll crush you fools! Thanatos!”
Klem unleashed the black sphere, and it hit the ruffian’s sword. It turned into a blackish, purple vortex that began consuming the sword.
“Ah, haaa!”
“Let go of it!”
The ruffian let go of the sword, just as Diablo ordered him, pulling back his hand. The sword melted into the vortex, like a cube of sugar melting into a cup of coffee.
“Aaaaaah... M-My fingers...?!” Blood dripped to the floor. Having let go a moment too late, the spell apparently took a few of the man’s fingers with it. His friends raised their voices in panicked shouts.
Klem pinched her fingers over the metal collar around her neck in displeasure.
“My master ordered me not to kill you, so I’ll let you go with just the loss of your sword...cretins.”
Diablo stood up opposite her. “You can’t just go off, firing spells that surpass the limit of the races... You could have knocked them away with a swing of your arm.”
“You expect this Demon Lord to touch these foul simpletons? How disgusting.”
“You’re so troublesome...”
Diablo pulled a longsword from his pouch. Its blade shined faintly, and its guard was in the shape of three pairs of white, dove-like wings. It was the Seraphix Blade. Seeing the weapon, the ruffians took a step back.
“What is that divine-looking sword you have there?” Klem knitted her eyebrows. “It’s utterly vile.”
“Don’t say that. I took it out of my treasure vault for a specific reason.”
Diablo pointed the tip of his sword at the ruffians, who’d apparently realized just how dangerous the people they were facing off against were. They cowered away from his sword.
“You’re letting them get away?” Klem asked with evident displeasure.
“Hmph... Leave them be.” Diablo was of course indignant toward them as well, but murder was going too far. That said, handing them over to the regional knights would just make it known that Klem used an unknown, high-level spell. Diablo didn’t want the governor to put his eye on Klem, if possible.
Diablo sheathed his swords as Rem and Shera ran up to them.
“...You’re fine, I see. I was worried for a moment there.”
“You’re not hurt, are you, Klem?”
“Fools like them could never harm a Demon Lord such as myself.”
“What a relief...”
Rem sighed. “...If anything, I was worried you might be the one grievously hurting them.”
In Diablo’s old world, the injuries Klem inflicted on the ruffian would have been severe and irreversible, but this world had priests and healing potions. They could restore lost limbs, to say nothing of a few lost fingers.
With the men driven out of the store, the atmosphere gradually mellowed, returning to normal. The store’s staff went around, apologizing to the customers for the bother. Muttering to himself, Diablo returned to his seat, when a man in a business suit walked up to him. The man introduced himself as Appetissant’s owner.
“We apologize for the bother, sir.”
“...That was unfortunate.”
“Quite so. I was worried I would have to close up early for the day... But you should probably leave the northern district as fast as you can, sir.”
That was an odd thing to hear.
“...What do you mean?” Rem asked. “Weren’t those good-for-nothings just a bunch of drunks?”
“Y-Yes, well...” the owner said awkwardly. “The Mesamoth familia came to collect money from me. When I refused, at first they simply dropped garbage at our footstep... But lately, they’ve begun sending thugs like them to storm the place. At this rate, I’m not sure the store will last...”
“The Mesamoth familia?” Shera echoed the name, and Rem began explaining.
“...Put simply, they’re a crime syndicate. They shake businesses down for money, and also deal in theft and fraud.”
“Those exist in Faltra?!”
“...The regional knights are always looking into them, but they’re not the type to leave behind evidence.”
“But those people just now!”
“...Even if you arrest them, they’ll deny knowing anything about the Mesamoth familia. It won’t make any difference.”
“Can’t we do something about this, Diablo?” Shera asked, her glance clinging to him.
While Diablo understood where Shera was coming from, these guys were like the yakuza or the mafia. They weren’t a problem one could solve easily, and Diablo didn’t want to tangle with them.
“Hmph... Those insignificant gnats should—”
“...Be wiped off the face of the world!” Klem raised her voice.
Diablo looked at her, puzzled, only to find anger burning in her eyes.
“You didn’t mean to say we should leave them be, did you?! Those vermin are infesting our roost!”
“Y-Yeah...of course. We’ll destroy them.”
“Well said! Let’s go then!”
“Hold on. Do you know where to find them?”
“Erm...”
“You don’t, right? What a shame. If only we knew where the familia was, I’d go straight there and massacre them all. I guess we’ll have to try another day...”
“Um...” The owner raised his hand timidly. “I just so happen to know where the Mesamoth familia’s mansion is...”
“Show us the way!” Klem straightened up.
“O-Of course.” The owner nodded.
Things had gone way beyond the point where Diablo could say he didn’t want to get involved in this. Shera, and even the usually calm and collected Rem, had fighting spirit burning in their eyes.
Diablo recalled that Rem resolved to become an adventurer to deal with the Demon Lord sealed in her body. It was in her nature to assertively tackle any problems she came across.
Diablo sighed internally.
“Just try not to stand out too much, Klem...” He tried whispering into Klem’s ear, but it was dubious if she even heard him. The little Demon Lord’s red eyes simply gleamed dangerously.
†
The sun sank below the western walls, and darkness had fallen over the city. Diablo and his group were in a corner of the northern district that was seemingly undergoing redevelopment. The hour being as late as it was, there were few people walking around. Diablo noted there were quite a few buildings he wasn’t familiar with.
“...It’s like a brand new town.” It seemed the same thought was going through Rem’s mind as well.
“There was a large explosion here not too long ago that destroyed the nearby cemetery and some of the walls.”
“It’s that place!” Diablo clapped as it clicked together.
He always came here from another route and it was altogether changed, so he didn’t notice at first. This was where he fought Klem when she’d awakened as the Demon Lord Krebskulm. It was Diablo’s own Apocalypse Abyss spell that blew away the area.
“The land here used to belong to the city of Faltra, but since it was completely leveled, they sold it off to nobles and merchants and used those funds to rebuild the walls,” the owner of Appetissant continued his explanation.
“What about the graves?” Shera asked.
“Most of the remains and tombstones were sadly blown away... But I heard the graveyard was moved outside the walls, to the northwest.”
“...But if you move the graveyard outside the walls, it could be ransacked by wild animals.” Rem was the one to tilt her head this time. “I’m surprised the nobles agreed to it.”
“It seems there are plans to build a third wall further beyond the town.”
“So they sold the land here not only to rebuild the walls, but also to gather the funds needed to finance another one.”
“So it seems... Ah, and that’s the Mesamoth familia’s mansion.”
The owner pointed toward a building at the end of the road, a mansion larger than the buildings around it. Its still gate was bigger than the one at the governor’s estate, as if to make it seem like they were the town’s rulers in practice.
Rem and Shera, who had keen eyesight in the dark, gazed at the place.
“...There are two guards at the front gate, and probably a few more inside.”
“There are people holding bows at the windows too.”
“Thank you for showing us the way,” Klem told the owner.
While the owner was concerned for them, his face was on the verge of tears as him staying in business hinged on their success here. Diablo wanted to do whatever was possible to help him.
The gatekeepers stood in their way with menacing glares.
“The hell’re you? Don’tcha know where ya are?”
Diablo could imagine the rather vivid image of Klem stepping forward and leaving chaos in her wake, but at the same time couldn’t let these thugs face Rem and Shera. Left with little choice, Diablo took the lead.
“Hmph... So this place is what the Mesamoth goons call home?”
“Goons?!” The guards were enraged. “The hell do ya think ya are?! I got no clue who sent ya, but the boss ain’t someone some small-fry adventurer can go up against! Mouth off one more time, and they’ll have to scrape what’s left of ya off the cobblestones, ya hear?!”
“Annihilation it is then!” Klem brandished one of her hands, magical energy running through her fingers.
“Wait, don’t!” Diablo stopped her in a hurry.
“Why not?!”
Diablo couldn’t tell her he didn’t want her to stand out. That would only make it look like he was afraid of the governor.
“W-Well, that’s... You see, these two-bit thugs are like the syndicate’s limbs. The one we should be teaching a lesson to here is its head.”
“I see.”
“And if their head isn’t here, we’d have done this for naught.”
“Yes, true. You’re a clever one, aren’t you!”
“Of course I am. I am the one true Demon Lord after all!”
“This Demon Lord is a Demon Lord as well! Hahahahaha!”
“Ahahahahahaha!”
Faced with two suspicious persons laughing with high-pitched voices, the guards were understandably stupefied.
“Wh-What do we do?”
“Should we call the regional knights?”
They may have been brigands, but on the surface they were still a legitimate trade group. They were perfectly able to call on the regional knights to settle any problems on their property.
But Diablo was opposed to getting the regional knights involved. That could make Galford aware of Klem’s existence.
“You there. Lead us to Mesamoth.”
“The hell’re you on about?! You can’t see him without an appointment!”
“I do have an appointment. Weren’t you informed?”
A bluff, but the guards looked at each other quizzically. One of them went into the mansion, saying he’d go check.
“Looks like he’s in the mansion. Let’s go pay him a visit then.”
“We’re going in?!”
“Yes. But being needlessly noisy about it does not suit me. See, like so...”
Diablo touched the iron gate, prompting the remaining guard to shout, “Get yer hands off that!” and draw his sword. But before anything else happened, Diablo recited a spell:
“Rot and crumble... Rust Burst!”
The surface of the giant iron gate dyed red with rust, crumbling under its own weight the following moment.
“Ah, wha...?!” The guard’s mouth fell open.
Diablo and his group walked onto the premises with an air of composure.
†
Adventurers and mercenaries poured out of the mansion. This was apparently Mesamoth’s private army. They had surprisingly high level weapons too. They were a step above the people gathered in the Adventurer’s Guild.
“You are fools to stand in my way, you weaklings.”
Diablo stuck out his right hand, firing a Lightning Arrow in their direction. When he first came to this world he didn’t feel confident using magic without a staff, but he’d gotten used to it now.
Arrows of light flew through the air, piercing the soldiers, who screamed in pain and fell silent.
Klem seemed surprised. “That’s some plain magic. I expected more out of you. Why aren’t you using the spell you cast on me?”
“Which one?”
“That Apocalypse Abyss spell.”
If I cast that here, I’ll level the whole area again!
“Hmph... I said being needlessly noisy does not suit me, did I not?”
“But you did cast it on me.”
“Because regular magic wouldn’t work on you. But that’s not the case with these fools.”
“Who’s to say? This man, Mesamoth, might be surprisingly strong. That would even be more interesting!”
“Don’t get your hopes up.”
But what would he do if Mesamoth was strong? Apocalypse Abyss was a forbidden spell meant for defeating massive magical beasts. There shouldn’t be anyone in the races that would require that type of magic to deal with...probably.
Besides, anyone that strong wouldn’t form a crime syndicate in such a provincial city. They’d be far more suited in becoming a powerful figure in the capital.
Diablo destroyed the front door and ordered Shera to keep an eye out from above. They’d need to be able to respond accordingly if the regional knights did show up, or if someone ran off from the mansion. It was at times like these that Shera’s summon, Turkey Shot, came in handy. This bird-like summon was capable of flight and sharing its vision with the summoner. In other words, it was like having another, naked version of Shera flying in the sky.
...No, the naked part wasn’t important.
It wasn’t important.
They made their way into the mansion. Every single door in sight slammed open, with more soldiers pouring out of them, clad in black, mafia-like light armor.
They were all unceremoniously blown away.
“Mmm?” Klem stopped her gait. Diablo noticed it at roughly the same time as well.
A man walked slowly down the hallway in their direction. He seemed different from the rest. His muscles were packed and tight like armor, his expression severe and intimidating. The gaze in his eyes was sharp, and he had sword cut scars on his cheeks and forehead. Everyone else backed off, apparently deciding to let him take care of the situation. He must have been considerably skilled.
“Well, color me surprised. Someone’s actually dumb enough to storm into the Mesamoth familia’s mansion... Didn’t you hear that they hired me?”
“Whoa... Scarface actually came out,” one of the black-clothed ruffians, who hung back near the wall, whispered.
“Is he strong?” asked another one, standing next to him.
“Yeah, he’s a legendary guy... They say in the orc hunting mission three years ago, he faced off against the king of the pack, a grand orc, one-on-one, and beat it.”
“What?! He offed a grand orc?!”
“With his bare hands.”
“Yikes!”
Scarface clenched his fists and assumed a natural fighting pose, one that didn’t strain him in the slightest. Diablo wasn’t familiar with martial arts, but still felt the menacing aura emanating from this pose.
Looks like he’s a monk.
Monks were a class that didn’t use weapons or equipment, relying only on their limbs to defend themselves. It was a type of warrior class, and had high physical stats.
“I’m not one for beating women and children...but when it’s for business things are different. Don’t expect any mercy from me, and regret your mistakes in the afterlife.”
Klem tilted her head. “Are you Mesamoth?”
“...They said this man was hired by Mesamoth,” Rem answered in a small voice.
“Then you’re not him! This Demon Lord is here to see Mesamoth, but everyone I see is the wrong person! Where is he?!”
“I’ll let you know if you can beat me.” Scarface smirked indomitably.
“Oh! I’ll take you up on that challenge then. Come at me.”
“Fighting a child... This is some dirty work.”
In the moment Diablo thought the opponent might take a step forward, Scarface had already closed the distance and unleashed his left fist.
A shrill bang! echoed through the room. Klem’s face—or rather, Diablo’s hand, which he’d stuck out before her face—caught Scarface’s fist.
“Hmph...” Diablo scoffed in a composed fashion, but it actually really hurt.
“You stopped...my fist?!” Scarface’s expression was filled with surprise.
“I suppose that’s all a normal attack will do. A monk isn’t worth much without his martial arts.”
“Tch... I never thought I’d have to use this against someone from the races! Claw Rash!”
Diablo used Omission to shorten his next spell’s casting time.
“Flare Burst!”
But before either of them could unleash their skills, the match was all but finished. Klem had kicked forward. That kick lacked the finesse of a martial arts move, and was just her extending her toes forward, but it was unbelievably fast, releasing an explosion the moment it made contact.
“Gaha?!” Scarface was blown back ridiculously despite guarding successfully, flying through the mansion’s stone walls and all the way out into the garden.
With its target lost, Diablo’s spell dissipated.
“Haha! How do you like that?!” Klem placed her hands on her waist, puffing out her chest.
“You went too far.”
“I did try not to kill him.”
“Wasn’t he going to tell us where Mesamoth is?”
“Aaah, darn it!”
Diablo shrugged. Rem and Shera had seemingly realized what levels of power were at play here. They may have been impressed with what just happened, but they weren’t surprised.
Mesamoth’s men, by contrast, were frozen and stiff with fright, speaking in trembling voices.
“I-Impossible! What sorta nightmare is this?!”
“Th-The legendary man...lost to a little girl...”
“Is this some kinda joke?!”
“I’ll ask you only the once, you cretins,” Diablo said, making his voice as menacing as possible. “If you value your lives, you will answer me.”
The underlings told them where Mesamoth was, so Diablo and his group made their way to the specified door.
†
At Mesamoth’s office—
An aging man sat on a leather-covered chair behind a large wooden desk. Standing in the room were also four brawny bodyguards. Four familiar men were also standing against the wall.
“It’s those men from Appetissant!”
“...There’s no mistaking them.”
“What?! It’s you guys again!” The ruffians flinched.
They apparently hadn’t gotten those lost fingers healed yet. Diablo ignored them and spoke to the man occupying the leather chair.
“Are you Mesamoth?”
“Unbelievable... You got this far in...” the aging man said with a bitter expression, wiping cold sweat from his forehead.
He was apparently aware his reliable underlings had been beaten already. Mesamoth himself was an old man, and Diablo couldn’t detect any notable MP or SP coming from him. He wasn’t much of a combatant.
I’ll just threaten him so he stops his crimes.
“Heheheh... Mesamoth, you certainly made quite the mess around here. I’ll have you know, I consider this town my base.”
“We’ll slaughter you!” Klem screamed.
Wait, back down!
That was a proclamation of murder, not a simple threat.
“Wh-Who are you...people?” Mesamoth asked with a nervous expression. “What group hired you? The Merchant’s Association? The Adventurer’s Guild? The governor?”
“I don’t know about any group! This is revenge for your people interrupting our meal!”
Diablo thought they were doing this to help the restaurant out of trouble. The little Demon Lord’s priorities didn’t make much sense here.
“I-I’ll pay you! I’ll pay three times whatever they’re offering you! Can’t you spare me?!”
They’d already told him no one had hired them, but Mesamoth clearly wasn’t thinking straight at this point.
“...Mesamoth, do you have any intention of ceasing your unlawful acts within this town?”
“Wh-What do you mean?”
“...Those men over there harassed the restaurant called Appetissant. There were many witnesses to that act.”
“They did what?!” The old man cried out in feigned surprise. “Have you been up to no good?! I’ll have to send the regional knights after you!”
“N-No, but...”
Mesamoth was dead set on making it seem like he wasn’t guilty of anything.
“Hmph...” Diablo shrugged. “You thought your poor acting would fool me?”
“A-All right! I’ll leave Faltra! Will that be enough?!”
He’d just continue his villainy in some other town in that case. What a troublesome man... This was why Diablo didn’t want to deal with a crime syndicate. Diablo didn’t want to kill him, but was it all right to let him walk away...?
Klem kicked against the floor, closing in on Mesamoth before anyone could bat an eyelash. The bodyguards meant to protect him stood perfectly still, not budging to come to his aid. Their eyes probably couldn’t even keep up with her; even Diablo could only look on.
“W-Wait!” Mesamoth squealed.
Klem’s eyes shined bright red.
“I’ll slaughter you all, vile races!”
Mesamoth didn’t even have the time to resist as Klem’s hand swung horizontally at him like the reaper’s sickle. But the moment before the torrent of magical energy was about to scatter the man’s cranium, Shera screamed out Klem’s name, her voice echoing throughout the room. Klem changed her attack’s angle slightly, slashing the air over Mesamoth’s head.
“Gyah?!” The aging man was unceremoniously redesignated as the bald aging man.
His head was still on his shoulders, but all the hair on his head was gone. The chair’s backseat and all the items behind him were disintegrated, however, as if the fabric of reality was a painting and Klem’s fingers tore a hole through it all.
Diablo had to hide his surprise.
So fast! I’ve never even seen that attack before! Was that some spell with its incantation omitted? Or was it a special attack?
When Krebskulm was rampaging, it fought like a child throwing a tantrum. Its attacks packed great firepower, but its movements were simple and predictable. Diablo had no doubt about it: the way Klem was about to fight just now was stronger than anything that stampeding giant had done. If he had to fight her now, he’d actually have to come up with a strategy to win. That was how strong she was.
The stone wall behind Mesamoth crumbled to dust with an exaggerated sound, and what it supported naturally fell from above. The building’s roof wasn’t supported by beams, but by its walls, making the ceiling slant as it gradually began falling inward.
One would usually run outside in this situation, but Mesamoth was frozen in place as Klem glared at him. His bodyguards were powerless before the menacing power before them. The four men from the restaurant fell on their backsides in terror, as Rem and Shera swallowed nervously. Diablo was so petrified, he didn’t budge either.
Wait, if I just stay silent here, it’d look like I’m scared of Klem. That’s not something a Demon Lord would do.
“Hmph,” Diablo scoffed.
Klem, along with everyone else, turned her gaze toward him. They were all waiting to hear what he had to say.
Wait, this is bad. I didn’t think of what to say!
“Heheh... Hahahahaha!” He gave a menacing laugh for starters.
“What’s so funny, Diablo?” Klem asked with displeasure.
“‘Slaughter,’ you say? You’re too easy on them! You’re too kind to claim to be a Demon Lord, aren’t you?”
“Oh? What do you suggest then?”
Diablo proclaimed his idea, one that shocked everyone in the room.
“Mesamoth, I forbid you from leaving this town.”
“What?!” Klem raised her voice in surprise.
“Diablo, why?!” Shera asked him.
“Hmph... The fact I even have to explain it to you is deplorable.”
I was just saying whatever came to mind, I don’t have any more of an idea than you!
Rem was the only one to nod sagely at his declaration.
“...I see, so that’s what you were thinking. Just the sort of forward thinking I’d expect out of you, Diablo. Your ideas never fail to surprise me.”
“You claim to understand?”
Even as he spoke condescendingly, in his head he begged, Get me out of this mess, Rem!
“...If Mesamoth leaves Faltra, he’d just continue his crime spree in some other city,” Rem explained. “So Diablo doesn’t want him to leave town.”
“But wouldn’t he just continue doing bad things here then?” Shera asked.
Rem shook her head. “...Diablo is warning Mesamoth that if he ever dabbles in crime again, we’ll punish him even more harshly than this.”
“Oh, I get it now!”
“...In my opinion, he ought to apologize to all the people he’s troubled in the past and turn over a new leaf as a proper businessman.”
“Yeah, that sounds like a great idea!”
“...Whatever the case, though, if we ever hear of him committing any more crimes, losing his hair would be the least of his worries. Is that what you meant, Diablo?” Rem looked at him, as if waiting for him to grade her work.
Diablo nodded back. “I see you’ve properly understood my intentions.”
“...I’m glad to hear I was right.”
“Oh, impressive!” Klem brought her hands together in a loud clap. “Yes, I think that would be a good idea as well!” She then turned to the old man, patting his shoulder vigorously. “You heard what they said, right?!”
“Y-Yes!”
“So, like they said, do good things from now on!”
“Aaah! I-I’ll change my ways! I’ll apologize and only do good deeds!” Mesamoth fell from his chair and got on his hands and knees.
“Good. I’ll believe your words, just this once.” Klem nodded grandly. “If you try to lie to this Demon Lord, I’ll feed you to a hundred magical beasts. Don’t forget that!”
Having magical beasts obey you must be a nice Demon Lord feature...
†
The next morning—
Diablo and his group were sitting around a table in the Peace of Mind Inn’s dining hall, enjoying a late breakfast. The table had room for four on each side, with Rem sitting to Diablo’s right and Shera to his left. Opposite them were Klem and Edelgard. They were arranged in a fashion where Klem was being tended to by both Edelgard and Shera.
It was the usual bread, sausages, and soup, but tasting the flavor of the inn’s meals for the first time in a long while made the meal tastier than usual. It felt like he’d returned home.
Diablo suddenly heard the inn’s poster girl, Mei, screech in surprise. Just outside the dining hall’s entrance was the front desk, to which Diablo turned his gaze.
“Did a bug scare her or something?”
Rem cocked her head to the side. “...I don’t think little Mei would be startled by something like a bug.”
Incidentally, Rem’s tone was always polite, but she often called people by their first names, and never by nicknames. For example, she called the Adventurer’s Guild’s guildmaster Sylvie, the Mage’s Association’s guildmaster Celestine, and the High Priest Lumachina...and of course, Diablo was Diablo. Perhaps it was a show of her self-dignity, a way of making it known she bowed to no one. But, oddly enough, Mei was the only one she friendly referred to as “little Mei.”
Shera also looked at the dining hall’s entrance. With an, “Ah?!” the wooden spoon fell from her hand as she shrieked with surprise, prompting Klem and Edelgard to also cast their gazes in the entrance’s direction, wondering what the mess was all about.
A stern man, unbefitting the atmosphere of the dining hall, walked in. He was clad in full uniform, and had a single-edged sword on his waist. Seeing the man made Diablo rise from his seat unconsciously.
“Heheheh... Should you really be here?” Diablo said teasingly, trying to hide his panic behind flippant words. “If a public figure like you marches into a dining hall in full uniform, the citizens might complain.”
“Breakfast, this late in the day? You adventurers lead ever the depraved lifestyle.”
The one standing before them was the governor of the Citadel City of Faltra, Chester Ray Galford, with two regional knights accompanying him as guards. The other customers got up from their seats and began leaving. Galford was known for his severity, and Diablo wasn’t pleased to face off against him again. Simply put, Diablo didn’t want any trouble.
“What do you want?” Diablo asked.
“I didn’t come here for you today. There have been some rumors regarding this girl here.”
Galford fixed his gaze on Klem, who brushed her own hair in annoyance.
“Who are you supposed to be?”
“...This is Faltra’s governor, Klem,” Rem cut in before things started going south.
“Governor?”
“...It’s thanks to his work that the city is capable of developing. Your favorite bakeries and restaurants owe to that as well.”
“Oh, I see! That’s impressive! You have my praise.”
On the surface, she looked like nothing but a little girl, but there wasn’t a hint of amusement in Galford’s eyes as he gazed at her. Klem’s appearance meant his fervent gaze made him seem like a sexual deviant, but...Diablo kept those thoughts to himself.
“Erm...” Shera bent forward, as if trying to shield Klem. “Did Klem do something?”
“Acquaintances of mine in a certain organization have relayed rather interesting information to me. They say this girl, Klem, used unknown abilities and branded herself a ‘Demon Lord.’”
Apparently, some of Galford’s spies were among the Mesamoth’s familial goons. Were they the goons themselves, or possibly the guards?
I see you’re really passionate about doing your job, eh, Galford...
“Governor, Klem is just a child!” Rem objected.
“Calm yourself. I don’t assume the information to be true. I’ll merely have the mages inspect her. She will accompany me to a military facility.”
“Th-That’s...”
Bad. Very bad. If those capable of seeing the flow of magic in things were to inspect her, they’d probably notice that she wasn’t one of the races, even if they wouldn’t be able to tell if she were a Fallen or Demon Lord specifically. Klem wasn’t one for keeping secrets either...
“There’s no need for that! This Demon Lord is a Demon Lord! What do I have to hide?!”
Rem’s palm met her forehead in exasperation. Shera’s eyes were spinning with terror. Edelgard looked poised to fight, as if to buy Klem time to escape. And Galford, the man he was, had already seen through it all.
“We’ve deployed two layers of barriers around the inn’s vicinity. Should you resist, you will lose much. I suggest you be obedient.”
“Are you seeking a fight with me, Galford?” Diablo glared at him.
“I’d rather not, but I cannot turn a blind eye to this. On the off chance the Fallen may have infiltrated my city...”
The inn’s poster girl, Mei, cut between them, suppressing the imposing atmosphere with someone who looked like a customer at her back.
“Can I have a mewment?”
“I thought I ordered you not to let any more customers in,” Galford said, his gaze still fixed on Diablo.
“Nya~ This isn’t a customer. He said he wants to thank Klem☆”
“Hm?”
Mei stepped aside, and the person behind her stepped forward—Appetissant’s owner. Noticing the presence of the governor, he lowered his head a few times respectfully.
“My, I seem to have interrupted an important meeting... I beg your pardon. May I just say a thing or two?”
Galford nodded. “Go on.”
The owner bowed one more time, then lowered his head once again, this time toward Diablo.
“Thank you so much, all of you! The Mesamoth familia’s goons showed up afterward and promised not take any more money from me. They apologized for everything they’ve done so far!”
“Good, good.” Klem crossed her hands with a pleased expression.
“Thanks to you, I’ll be able to keep my business open,” the owner said through tears. “I thought if I had to pay them money for much longer, I’d have to close up the shop... R-Really...thank you ever so much!” It was probably hard on him, given how much he was crying.
“Nnn....” Shera was tearing up too. “That’s great! I’m so glad for you!”
“...Yes, I’m happy to hear things are looking up for you. But...I’m surprised you found us,” Rem said pensively.
“A young girl touring the town’s restaurants while giving expert critiques... I’d say little Klem here has become a celebrity among the city’s eateries,” the owner said, smiling brightly as he wiped tears from his eyes. “And, not to sound offensive, but you all have distinct appearances.”
Now that he mentioned it...they had a demon with horns on his head (though it only looked that way due to a piece of equipment’s effect), a black-haired pantherian (the majority of them had orange or red hair and tails), and a busty elf (while elves were mostly flat). Plus, Rem and Shera had Enslavement Collars around their necks, which were unusual to see people walking around in broad daylight with.
Do we stand out more than we thought?!
With a bit of asking around, it probably wasn’t hard to figure out that they were residing at this Peace of Mind Inn.
“This is such fine news you bring me!” Klem said, smiling at the owner who kept thanking them repeatedly. “But it was Diablo’s idea to make Mesamoth do good! This Demon Lord simply wanted to massacre them! Diablo really is smart!”
Galford’s eyebrow twitched upon hearing this as he stood a short distance from the table. Klem may have said too much...
Appetissant’s owner walked away while other store owners walked in, as if taking his place. Apparently, they had all been extorted by Mesamoth as well, and Klem’s actions saved them all from bankruptcy. They were coming in one after another, forming a line outside the inn...
By the time the tenth one walked in, Galford opened his mouth to speak. “Now it is time for me to take my leave.”
Rem was about to protest, while Edelgard clenched her fists, but Galford silenced them both with a raised hand.
“There’s no need for Miss Klem to accompany us any longer.”
Shera, who hugged Klem to hide her from sight, uttered a peculiar, “Huh?!”
What’s going on here...?
“...May I ask why you’re letting her go?” Rem questioned.
“It’s not possible for a Fallen to earn the gratitude of so many of my citizens. I’m a busy man, and haven’t the time to dig into baseless rumors. That is all.”
“...Y-Yes! Klem is a very good girl!”
“I’d be quite pleased to see to it that you’re right.” He suddenly stepped up to Klem, and placed his right hand over his sword. “Tell me, what would you do if a Demon Lord were to attack Faltra?”
“Anyone who interrupts this Demon Lord’s meals will be met with annihilation, whoever they may be.” Her response was immediate.
Galford’s lips slackened with an amused “hmph.” He pulled back, ordering his men to retreat. There were likely more people besides these two regional knights surrounding the inn. As Galford left the inn behind him, the oppressive atmosphere he’d brought with him receded as well.
†
The sun had set. It was nearly dinnertime. Diablo was alone in his room at this time, while Rem had gone to the Mage’s Association to inform Celes that she’d successfully removed the Demon Lord’s soul from her body. Edelgard was working in the bakery...possibly being the most commendable of them all.
Shera was with Klem in the adjacent room. The two were playing together, with Shera teaching Klem a song she’d made up and telling Klem of their adventures.
Being left alone to his devices for the first time in a while, Diablo prepared a large bucket in the middle of the room, in place of a tub. It wasn’t so much to wash off the tiredness of their long journey, as relaxing wasn’t entirely possible, but there was no telling when the next time he’d be able to do this would come around. He wanted to take any chances he had to wash his body.
Just as he took off his clothes, the door suddenly opened.
“Hm?”
“Oh, so this is where you were, Diablo!”
“What do you want?”
Klem had entered the room without knocking. She wore an exaggerated outfit that hid her Enslavement Collar, as well as the tail that stood as evidence of her demonic origins.
“Shera fell asleep.”
“In the middle of singing?”
“While she was telling me about her journeys. She falls asleep so easily, that one.”
“Perhaps her fatigue has caught up to her. Much has happened in her homeland.”
“Before she fell asleep, she told me something very thought provoking though.”
“Hm.”
Probably about the Demon Overlord...
They didn’t know how Klem would react upon learning of its existence. Diablo doubted she’d join forces and fight with them...but how would she see Diablo and his group fighting it without her?
“Getting married means a man and woman of the races come together, correct?” Klem asked.
“That’s what she told you?!”
“Is that wrong?”
“N-No... It’s not wrong. I became the king of Greenwood, and Shera is my queen.”
There was probably no need to discuss how their first night had ended in failure...
“So, the races do this ‘marriage’ thing...” Klem wore a dubious expression.
“And you don’t?”
“Aye! Neither do the Fallen. Ah, but Edelgard did say the Fallen give birth to offspring, so they seem to be the same as the races in that regard.”
“What?!”
That was a piece of lore that had never appeared in Cross Reverie. He couldn’t even imagine those misshapen abominations rearing children. But, that said, Edelgard was quite attractive, even from the perspective of the races. He had to wonder if a day would come when she, too, would bear Fallen children... That mental image was an odd one to say the least.
“What about Demon Lords...? I mean, when it comes to bearing children...”
“I don’t know. This Demon Lord has never married or given birth. I don’t know about the other Demon Lords though.”
According to the myths, the current Demon Lords were fragments of the original Demon Lord after he’d been divided by God.
“So Demon Lords only resurrect...”
“Well, I’ve never tried bearing children. If I try, maybe I could. I just need to marry, right?”
“Huh?”
“Diablo, do you know how to make babies?”
“Uh... Aha, ahahahahahah! O-Of course I do!” He averted his gaze uncomfortably.
“Good! Share your secrets with this Demon Lord then!”
Wait. What?!
All of Diablo’s knowledge regarding procreation started and ended with what he’d seen in pornographic video games. He didn’t have any actual experience, or any confidence to teach anyone about the subject. Besides, Klem may be a Demon Lord, but she had the appearance of a little girl.
“It’s too soon for kids to hear about it.”
“What are you on about? This Demon Lord has lived for infinite aeons. Though I’ve spent most of that time sealed inside Rem...”
“Erm... You see, having babies is something only adults can do. Your age aside, you have the appearance of a child...”
“But I keep saying I’m not a child.” Klem pouted her lips diagonally. “I was treated as a proper lady when we went to the restaurant, was I not?! Ah, perhaps I should ask those people instead!”
“N-No, don’t!”
“I can’t? Then you teach me.”
“Ah, err... F-Fine... Some other time then. I’m busy right now.”
“Very well! It’s a promise!” She grinned at him brightly.
It felt like a kindergartner just made him promise to buy her a stuffed animal. Teaching a little girl, with that sort of expression on her face, was out of the question no matter what world he was in.
Klem then changed the subject, remembering something else on her mind.
“She also said something about someone proclaiming to be the Demon Overlord?”
So, Shera did tell her. Diablo thought this matter had much more gravity to it than asking about marriage... But this little Demon Lord’s order of priorities was beyond him.
“It’s the Demon Lord of Madness, Modinaram. It’s been absorbing the other Demon Lords.”
“Hmmhmm... This Demon Lord considered that method of getting stronger too.”
“You can do the same thing, Klem?!” It was one surprise after another...
“There’s nothing one Demon Lord can do that I cannot! But the more of the others you absorb, the fainter your own identity becomes.”
“So it’s not just your powers that mix together, your personalities meld as well?”
“I’ve never tried it, but that much I do know. I don’t want to stop being this Demon Lord.”
“Naturally.”
“But Madness wished for that, did he... How typical of him.”
“You know Modinaram?”
“We were one and the same once after all.”
That was true. Diablo took it as them being something akin to siblings. And if their abilities were similar, that meant...
“It seems Modinaram can sense where the other Demon Lords are located. He can likely trace them by their magical energy. What about you, Klem? Can you tell where he is, or where he’s headed?”
“Mmm...” Klem cocked her head, then pointed out the window. “He’s over there, but far away.”
“That’s good enough! If he starts moving closer, let me know. Right, and if I’m not around...I’ll prepare a way for you to contact me.”
The governor and the Mage’s Association would probably have someone around to tail her anyway. He’d just ask to have someone inform him while they were at it.
Klem nodded. “I’ll let you know if I notice.”
“The safety of this city depends on it. I’m counting on you.”
The Citadel City of Faltra was an important strategic point connecting the Demon Lord’s domain with the Kingdom of Lyferia. If this city were to fall, many of the races would be lost.
Diablo then inquired about a situation that had been bothering him for a while.
“The Fallen are strong, individually. Their tactics are different from the races’ army. They could easily ignore cities that have Fallen-repelling barriers like Faltra and attack other cities from the rear. Why do the Fallen always charge against the races head on?”
Both in the game and this world, the Demon Lord’s army’s strategy didn’t change.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Klem puffed up her chest. “Battle is only meaningful when you show the full extent of your power. What’s the point of war and strife if all you’re doing is sneaking around and attacking your enemy from the back?”
“Hm, I see...”
Spinning schemes like that wasn’t the Demon Lord way. It was only by attacking head on, winning and proving your strength that one became a symbol of terror.
“Have no fear, Diablo!” Klem beat her fist against her modest chest in a show of resolve. “This Demon Lord will keep this city safe in your absence!”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
Her system of values was completely different to his. But, while she often made him anxious, there was no doubting Klem’s strength. She likely wouldn’t lose even against a large army of Fallen, and the city had Galford as well.
“By the way...” She pointed to the large bucket on the floor. “What’s that?”
†
“Very well, bathe me!” Klem said, excitedly taking off her clothes.
How did it come to this...? Diablo asked himself dryly.
“This is used to wash one’s body,” Diablo explained to Klem regarding the bucket.
“Oh...?” It seemed Klem didn’t understand.
“Lyferia is a dry country, so sweat’s smell doesn’t waft much here, but I believe staying hygienic is still in good taste.”
“Hmmhmm?”
“Do you Demon Lords even know what ‘hygiene’ and ‘sanitation’ are?”
“You know, every now and then you spout some meaningless words!”
Right, this world still has a Middle Ages culture sphere, and they don’t have these concepts at all...
They hadn’t discovered bacteria and viruses yet (if they even exist in this world at all), so the idea of sterilization didn’t exist either. However, Lyferia did, fortunately enough, have toilets, and while baths were seldom used, nobles and high class inns did employ them. Underwear was utilized as well.
Wonderful!
Toilets and underwear weren’t common In the Middle Ages of Diablo’s old world. People had to relieve themselves using pans sitting in the corner of the room and throw their waste out the window... That sounded rough. Some stories had settings where someone actually got sent to the Middle Ages instead of another world, but..just imagine the cute heroine of your favorite story doing her business on the roadside. Plus, paper was a very rare commodity in this world, so toilet paper didn’t exist either. Diablo also imagined some commoners probably had to make due without underwear. That was harsh to be sure.
All that aside, teaching Klem the notion of hygiene was hard. Halfway through he got tired of trying to think of a good way to go about and decided to sum it up instead:
“Err... Put simply...you bathe because it feels good.”
“I see! So it feels good. That’s important!”
She didn’t understand it at all, but at least she seemed pleased with the answer. Diablo didn’t anticipate what she said next however...
“This Demon Lord wants to try it too!”
“Mm? That’s not a problem, but...”
“You bathe me then!”
No sooner than Klem had said it that she began undressing herself.
“Wh-Wha?!” Diablo panicked.
“What’s wrong? I thought I was supposed to take off my clothes to bathe.”
“That’s true, but...”
Klem knitted her eyebrows sadly. “Demon Lords can’t bathe?”
“No, it shouldn’t be a problem for a Demon Lord to bathe, but...”
There was another problem altogether. Diablo felt a cold sweat run down his back. Not letting Klem try after he piqued her interest would just leave her confused and saddened.
Wait, she’s just a kid. There shouldn’t be a problem with me washing her body, right?
Klem was a Demon Lord and didn’t have anyone to call a parent. There may be a being the Demon Lord had originated from, but just like the origin of God, the myths didn’t go that far back.
So right now, we’re her parents, and this is just child rearing, isn’t it?!
“So be it!” Diablo hardened his resolve. “There’s no problem at all! Probably...”
“Very well, bathe me!” Klem said, excitedly taking off her clothes.
After a moment, she stood stark naked in front of him. Her smooth chest lacked any curvature, and the shape of her ribcage was visible under her skin. Her skin had a doll-like luster to it that seemed too lovely to be considered anything but art. Her lower half had a smoothness that was unlike that of an adult, but Diablo kept his gaze away from there.
She really is a kid...
Klem tilted her head. “What’s wrong, Diablo?”
“Ah... Nothing... It’s fine. There’s absolutely no problem whatsoever! Anyone who calls this indecent has an indecent mind! I’m merely just bathing a child. You can sit down in the bucket.”
“Hmmhmm.”
She squatted in the bucket, just as she was told. It was too small for Diablo to sit in, but for Klem it was like a tub. He placed a jar full of water near the bucket, and used it to soak a piece of cloth.
“It should feel a bit cold, so don’t be too surprised.
“As cold as ice magic?”
“Not that cold.”
Now that she mentioned it, even Absolute Zero, one of the strongest water element spells, capable of reducing all kinetic energy to nothing forever, wasn’t capable of affecting Klem. All it did was stop her in place for a moment.
Diablo pressed the wet cloth to Klem’s leg.
“Ah, cold!” Klem’s hips jolted.
“...What?”
“I-It’s cold!”
“O-Oh... I guess you’re weaker to cooling type attacks than I thought?”
“I can bear them just fine, but this is still cold!”
“I see.”
“All your magic did was make me lose an arm, but it still hurt.”
“...I have mixed feelings about you comparing an Apocalypse Abyss spell to a wet cloth...”
He’d never fought a fully powered Demon Lord in this world. They were either in a state of frenzy or half-sealed... He was anxious about the upcoming battle with the Demon Overlord Modinaram. But for now, he had to focus on the task ahead of him.
Diablo used the wet cloth to wash Klem’s leg. She’d gotten used to the cold, instead twisting and turning ticklishly.
“Heeheehee!”
“Hmm.”
Her white, ceramic-like skin was smooth and soft to the touch. It was just a little wet, but the fabric slid across it without resistance. Ever since he came to this world, many surprising things had happened, but he never even dreamed he’d end up bathing a Demon Lord. It was an odd feeling.
Finishing her legs, Diablo washed her arms next. She permitted him to wash her hair, so he washed off the sand and dust that clung to her, washing her horns in the process.
These are real...
Real horns stuck out of Klem’s scalp. In Diablo’s case, his horns were merely a cosmetic effect of the Distorted Crown. He ran his fingers over her horns, ascertaining their texture.
“Aaahn...” Klem’s body twitched suddenly.
“Hm. Does it tickle?”
“Aye, because others don’t touch them much.”
“So your sense of feeling extends to your horns...”
He poked them a few times with his fingers. Klem’s shoulders jolted.
“Aaah... S-Stop that, Diablo... They’re a bit sensitive.”
“I’ll just wash them off with water then.”
“Mmm~”
Diablo had no sensation in his horns because they were merely a decoration...but this was a good reference to take note of.
He then moved to washing Klem’s back. Her torso was thin, to the extent of the vertebrae of her back being visible. Her coccyx had a scaled tail, reminiscent of a dragon’s, that parted in two toward its end in a very distinctive fashion. It swung left and right, and Diablo grabbed it.
“Should I wash here too, Klem?”
“Nnn... Be gentle?”
“Y-Yeah...”
She probably wasn’t aware of it, but that line had a very suggestive ring to it. He doused her tail with water and wiped it with the cloth.
“Nnn... Kuh...” A shiver ran through Klem’s spine.
“What’s wrong?”
“N-Nothing... I just think I feel a bit cold. Can you finish this quickly?”
“You can withstand absolute zero temperatures, but this makes you cold?” Diablo asked with a crooked smile.
“That’s how it feels,” Klem said, her cheeks flushed red.
Child rearing, this is child rearing. Child rearing...
Diablo recited those words in his head repeatedly like a mantra.
“Nn!” When he wiped the root of her tail, Klem’s body jolted.
“Is it cold?”
“Nnn... It’s all right...”
“I see.”
He never imagined a Demon Lord could catch a cold, but decided to hasten things up.
“Nn... Ah...”
“Th-That bad?”
“A-A little... A little further.” Klem lifted her waist and opened her closed legs.
“Ah?!” That wasn’t the root of her tail, but the base of her legs.
Diablo stiffened. There wasn’t any odd meaning to it, but surprises could make people freeze up instantly. Turning her head to face Diablo, Klem directed a bewitching smile that seemed almost alien on the face of a girl.
“Heheh... You’re an odd one. You didn’t flinch while fighting this Demon Lord, but you’re shaking like a leaf right now.”
“I-I am not shaking! If anything, you’re the odd one here. You could withstand one of my ultimate spells, but a bit of water is making you writhe and moan.”
He flinched for a moment, but it was an important place to keep clean. He extended his hands between Klem’s legs from behind.
“Mere water does not phase this Demon Lo— Aaah?!”
“Does it now?”
“W-Wrong! That was because you pushed against me. Go on, try it again.”
“Like this?”
“Nn... Ugh... O-One more time.”
“This?”
“Aaah... It’s because you’re caressing me in such a place... Nnn...”
“A-All right, let’s wrap this up...”
“No.” Klem closed her legs, clasping them around Diablo’s hand and the cloth.
“Wh-What are you...”
“Aaah... Just a bit more... You have to make sure you wiped it well enough... Nnn...”
“I think it’s clean enough as it is...”
Klem’s eyes had an intoxicated, bewitched sheen to them. Diablo moved his hand as requested, and she writhed against his touch.
“Nn... Aaah... Nnn... I see... This is quite... Haa... I think I...understand now.”
“Understand what?”
“Washing one’s body...really does feel good.”
“I-Isn’t it?! Washing off all the sweat and dirt feels great.”
“Nn... Yes... You are...right.... Haaa... Nnn... Nnn... Ah, it feels good, Diablo.”
“Hm.”
“Ah... Ah... Nn... Just a little more...”
“Y-Yeah...”
“Mm... Aaah... Nnn... Ah.” Klem arched her back.
Must be because the water’s so cold...
A shiver ran through her body, and then...a bubbling sound filled the room as a shade of yellow mixed into the bucket.
“Ah?!” Diablo stood up in surprise.
“Aaah... Nnn... Aah... I think it...leaked...”
“You ‘leaked,’ did you...”
“Haaa... Diablo. Bathing feels good...”
“Y-Yeah, I’m glad you understand...”
“Yes...” Klem nodded with an absentminded expression.
He later washed the bucket out quite thoroughly.
