“It sounds like some sort of forced-transportation attack, but... Yes, the scenery around us does seem different from that of our world.”
“Glad you’re catching on quickly. As for our objectives moving forward...”
He explained his intentions to look into the Ember Angel, and that his powers will be unlocked as he collects more SP. After hearing all of this, Yu contemplated for a moment with her hand on her chin, but soon gave her assessment.
“No matter how we ended up here, Mister Secretary, I believe that the Sleepless Castle will be a necessity...”
“...Hm.”
He gave a vague answer, but in truth, the Demon Lord didn’t think it was necessary all that much. They could easily live in the base already, or stay at inns when in towns. Building a giant, contemporary fortress in this fantasy world would undoubtedly lead to people calling it the Demon Lord’s Castle. He was thinking about building it earlier, but had thought better of it since.
(That’s just setting up for some hero to come and kill me...)
Of course, he had no intention of letting said hero kill him, even in such a case. He had already taken care of a Holy Maiden with a fierce spanking session, after all. Even if someone like the Hero of So and So, or So and So of the Light had challenged him, he could only imagine that the end-result would be the same as when Luna had attacked him.
“How fateful that we ended up here, Mister Secretary.”
“Yes... I think it was very fateful, too.”
“...I’m glad you agree, sir.”
As Yu showed him a bewitching smile, the Demon Lord’s heart skipped a beat.
(This chick is a silver fox hunter!)
Considering that she was also popular among other women, ‘femme fatale’ might have been more accurate.
“Now it’s clear what we must do in this strange land, sir.”
“We have a long road ahead of us. Let’s take it one step at a time.”
The Demon Lord responded to her with the same gravitas, only because he had no idea what she was talking about. He had implied that he wanted her to take the first step of explaining what she meant to him, but Yu’s smile only grew wider.
“Mister Secretary, you haven’t changed... You find the joy in every situation.”
“...Life is too short not to, don’t you think?”
If the Demon Lord were to consider this a vacation, it couldn’t get any better. All the details he spent fifteen years creating in the game were coming to life in front of his very eyes. This was a dream come true, in a way.
“Then, Mister Secretary. What shall be our first course of action?”
“First, I plan to grow the Base and build a Field Hospital.”
“...! You always find a way to make my dreams come true, sir.”
“But of course... The dreams of my dear subjects are my dreams, too.”
At this point, the Demon Lord was self-aware of how much smoke he was blowing. Still, now that he had summoned Yu, the natural course of action was to build a hospital. While he was at it, he was scheming to overturn the terrible rumors going around that he was the Demon Lord.
(If we offer medical treatment for dirt-cheap, those rumors will be gone in no time...)
Medical technology was mostly undeveloped in this world, and only a limited few could wield healing magic. If he ran it well, the hospital could even earn him a fortune.
“It goes without saying, but no killing. First, we have to learn.”
He didn’t forget to make that clear to Yu. There was so much he had to learn: about the last of the three angels, the Ember Angel; how this society worked; about magic, adventurers, monsters, and devils... If rumors were to arise that his hospital was of the murdering variety, the whole plan would be ruined.
“Yes. It all begins with learning... Learning is what’s most important.”
Seeing Yu’s wholehearted agreement, the Demon Lord was relieved. At the very least, he didn’t sense any insubordinate intentions from her, and it seemed like she would obey his orders. If he could expect this from all of his advisors, the Demon Lord would have tried to summon them all as swiftly as he could. More advisors meant more options in this world, which would allow him to gather more information.
“Then, I will tell you everything I’ve discovered so far.”
He shared with Yu the various things he knew about the strange world they were in. Her mind seemed to be as intelligent as he had imagined, as she processed everything he threw at her like a sponge soaking up water. The Demon Lord’s stomach sunk at seeing her intelligence on display, though.
(There’s no doubt she’s smarter than me. I don’t know jack about science or medicine... No matter what, I can’t drop the ruse.)
If Yu were to find out that he wasn’t Hakuto Kunai... The Demon Lord couldn’t predict what would happen to him. The blood drained from his face as he imagined the bloody conclusion of being stabbed to pieces, and Yu walking away with his head in a bag.
“Then, Yu. I’ll introduce you to our companions... Play nice.”
“Yes, Mister Secretary.”
“One last thing. As far as they know, we are from a distant nation in this world. Keep that in mind.”
“Understood, sir.”
And so, the Demon Lord introduced Yu to the girls. Of course, a cacophony ensued. Who could have blamed them? A whole person appeared out of nowhere. If that wasn’t magical, what was?
“Sh-She’s so beautiful...!”
Aku shouted...
“Is-Is she your lover? Where did she come from!?”
And Luna yelled over her.
“I summoned an advisor of mine... I hope you will all get along.”
† † †
(How intriguing...)
As the secretary was explaining things to her, Yu was jumping with joy on the inside. They had held immense power before, but only within the confines of the arena. Once outside of the arena, the rule of the Empire was caught up in a storm of political strife. In fact, they had been standing on extremely thin ice in that regard.
(Here, there is no one above us... to stop us from controlling things as we please.)
Back in her world, a single mistake could have cost them the lives of everyone on the team. It wasn’t unusual for all of one’s allies to turn on them overnight. Yu didn’t much care what world she was in now. Now that she was released from the Empire, which had been her entire world up until this point... Yu considered herself finally alive.
(Besides, there are people completely different from us in this world. Not to mention magic...!)
She had to know. She had to know it all. The entirety of this world’s humanity. Their flesh, skin, organs, brain, heart, cells, DNA. She had to gather all the information there was, and solve the mystery. Honestly, she wanted to start on that as soon as she could, but she controlled her beating heart as she steadied her breathing.
(You are as astounding as always, Mister Secretary...)
Despite the outlandish situation they were in, he seemed to be taking it in stride, even enjoying himself. He had even said that their transportation to this world was ‘fateful.’ She completely agreed. It was as if someone was telling the two of them to create an empire of their own... Their own nation severed from the constricting higher-ups of the Empire. It was sure to be a utopia, she thought, both for her and for the secretary. While she felt like she was overstepping some boundaries in thinking so, she considered the secretary both her boss and her comrade. While she had only been able to kill about eight hundred, the secretary was born a Demon Lord, standing in the blood of over four million. If she were able to assist him by his side... She trembled to think of just how many... Now, she didn’t think she could keep in her laughter any longer. As loud as she could, she wanted to shout out to the world: ‘We are liberated!’...
Yu Kirino
Race: Human — Age: 22
* * *
Weapon Hand Grenade
Explosion damage to a wide
area. Thanks to her skill, Yu can wield this weapon with catastrophic results. Infinite uses.
Armor Doctor’s Lab Coat
The fabric looks thin, but is immensely effective. As a bonus, it protects the wearer from all status conditions. Infinite durability.
* * *
Level: 1 — HP: 6000/6000 — Stamina: 600/600 — Attack: 40 (+50) — Defense: 40 (+25) — Dexterity: 40 — Magic: 0 — Magic Defense: 0 (+20)
Equipped Skills: First: Explosive Expertise Second: To Pieces Third: Chain Explosions
Combat Skills: Lock-On, Instinct, Psychopath, Hunter, Ruthless, Iron Maiden, Strategist, Avenger, Limit Breaker, Break Through
Survival Skills: Propaganda, Recover, Sadist, Charm, Duality, Genius, Academic, Medicine, Causality, Censorship
Special Abilities: Hands of God, etc.
The Hands of God
As soon as introductions were concluded in the Base, Aku’s treatment began. The Demon Lord watched the treatment, breathless. This was something he couldn’t predict the outcome of.
(No... Stay strong. What am I doing if I can’t even believe in a character I created?)
“All right, Aku... Try to relax.”
“O-Okay...”
As they watched, the fingers on Yu’s right hand morphed into a syringe, surgical knife, etc. This was Hands of God, one of her Special Abilities. The Demon Lord had witnessed it in-game countless times, but seeing it for real was pretty grotesque. This ability, though, came with the game-breaking power of ‘eliminating any and all illnesses and healing any and all injuries.’
“U-Um... Y-Your hand...”
As expected, Aku was scared by the horrifying transformation of Yu’s hand. But then, Yu’s backstory as a genius physician seemed to kick in, as she wore a gentle smile and spoke out to relax her patient.
(Thanks, past me... for thinking about these details.)
“It’s all right, little Aku... Just the tip. It’s just going to be the tip.”
“Erm... Why are you breathing so heavy!? You’re scaring me!”
(Hold it! What the hell is she saying!?)
Yu’s perilous choice of words knocked the Demon Lord off of his feet. While Aku did look androgynous, she was, of course, completely female. Not one of the prepubescent boys she fetishized.
“Aku, do you want to try on some boys’ clothes after this? Let’s play doctor together.”
“N-No thank you... please...!”
Seeing that the conversation wasn’t going to drop the dangerous undertones on its own, the Demon Lord rushed to interject:
“There’s no time for musings, Yu...”
“My apologies, sir.”
Yu’s mouth was the one recklessly running loose, but her fetish was conjured up by the Demon Lord in the first place. He was the one to blame, here.
“Then, Mister Secretary, I’ll begin...”
“Thank you.”
Yu’s fingers, now morphed into various instruments, came in contact with Aku’s foot. They moved to and fro as if they were examining it, before a liquid filled the syringe-like appendage, which then inserted itself into Aku. Yu was able to generate various medicines in her body, and inject them into her patients. The same went for poison, as well. This procedure cost her some Stamina, but all of the Demon Lord’s advisors had ridiculous amounts of Stamina to begin with. These procedures wouldn’t drain enough Stamina from Yu to affect her in any way.
“H-Hey... Demon Lord! Are you sure she’ll be okay!?”
“Don’t sweat it. Trust me. And my loyal subject.”
“I-I’ve never once trusted you before...!”
While the Demon Lord had replied with confidence to Luna, he was sweating bullets inside. Yu’s fingers morphed from one medical-equipment-like object to another, and with each touch, Aku’s right foot regained color. Even parts that hadn’t been getting any blood before were now glowing in a healthy pink color.
(Come on, Yu...)
“All right, that’s it. I’ll clean up the scar, too. You’re a girl, after all.”
(...Wait, she’s done already!?)
Yu’s fingers morphed into some kind of brush. Aku’s scar became more and more faded with every stroke of that brush. It was a surreal sight, to say the least. Keeping his frantic mind under control, the Demon Lord acted as if this was an everyday occurrence.
“Hm... All finished?”
“Yes, Mister Secretary. No complications.”
“Aku, can you stand? I’m sure you’ll have to ease into walking over time.”
“I-I’ll try!”
Aku rushed to her feet, and took a few steps, timidly. While her steps were still a little heavy, there was no limp.
“I-I can walk...! My foot...!”
“Excellent. Why don’t we take a little stroll outside?”
The Demon Lord suggested.
“U-Um! Thank you, Lady Yu...! I-I don’t know what to... I, uh...!”
“Don’t worry. Give your thanks to the secretary.”
Yu responded with an alluring smile, as Aku kept thanking her.
(Still, she should get some steps in, outside...)
The Demon Lord thought, but it wasn’t like he had any knowledge about physical rehabilitation. It was just that the only thing he could do was hold her hand and walk with her.
“We’ll step out for a moment. Stay inside.”
Taking Aku’s hand, the Demon Lord led her out of the base. Outside, the sun was glaring down as always, but a clear sky seemed fitting for a joyous day such as this one...
“M-Master Demon Lord! I can really walk... It’s incredible!”
“Remember... the word impossible is not in the Empire’s dictionary.”
Perfectly concealing his internal freak-out during the procedure, the Demon Lord maintained his bravado. While he still looked like a force to be reckoned with on the outside, he was getting pretty tired of playing the part. Raising his hands into the air, the Demon Lord did a big stretch under the clear, blue sky.
(I can’t relax in front of that advisor of mine just yet, but I’m sure it won’t hurt to break character a little when I’m alone with Aku.)
Acutely sensing the Demon Lord’s demeanor soften, Aku chimed in, cheerfully.
“I must be dreaming... I can walk. Like everyone else.”
“You’re not dreaming. You can walk and live like anyone else.”
“M-Master Demon Lord... Will you pinch my cheek?”
“What a cliché...”
The Demon Lord stopped short of laughing it off, as he saw drops of tears falling from Aku’s eyes.
“Um, well... You know. I’m happy for you.”
If he could have sucked back in this stupid response, he would have. In fact, he wanted to pinch his own mouth shut if it couldn’t come up with a half-decent sentence when it mattered, after blowing out smoke 24/7.
“...Master Demon Lord. May we keep walking for a while longer?”
Aku said, as she took the Demon Lord’s hand. It didn’t look much like a typical afternoon stroll, but he definitely didn’t dislike walking around in this fantasy world. The dried-up earth was cracked every so often, and the sun was scorching down on them, but somehow, it seemed like his life was worth living more here and now than it did in the real world when he left it.
(Maybe it’s because she’s here...)
At first, the Demon Lord had lamented how he ended up in this world. But now, he was beginning to consider the trip worth it, even if it was just to treat Aku’s foot.
“I guess you won’t have to carry me on your back anymore, Master Demon Lord...”
“I’ll still carry you if you get tired.”
Seeing Aku’s strangely matured expression, the Demon Lord lit a cigarette as if to flee the scene. Generally speaking, no matter the country or world, girls grew up faster than boys. Often, while boys are playing in the mud, girls are thinking about things years ahead of their male classmates. Unfortunately, as the Demon Lord was a bachelor, he wasn’t a
dept at picking up on these pre-teenage intricacies. As he exhaled smoke without saying a word, the grip on his hand tightened.
“Master Demon Lord. Please, never leave me.”
“...Save that kind of line for when you grow up and fall in love.”
To never leave... making that promise meant that he would live out the rest of his days in this world, leaving behind the real world with everything in it. The Demon Lord couldn’t promise that right now. He didn’t want to make any false promises when he was about to head to the Holy City to research the Ember Angel in search of a way back home.
“But I already know...”
Aku insisted.
“Come on...”
The Demon Lord laughed. Aku was a thirteen-year-old child, after all. Back in his schooldays, there were a few kids that wanted to act mature and were infatuated with their teacher. He pegged that this might have been something like that.
“Now, let’s start heading back.”
In the end, their hands remained held until they returned to the base.
† † †
“The secretary sure cares a lot about that girl...”
Yu found herself speaking her thoughts out loud. The secretary had, when an individual had met a certain condition, showered them with generosity unthinkable from his usual demeanor. That happened when an individual was crowned victor of the Game. Yu also had that sense of respect for the victor, naturally. But that girl... did not survive a Game.
(Perhaps she has some special powers...)
The secretary had exceptional skills for discovering talent. All eight of the advisors who protected the Sleepless Castle were scouted out by him, even though some of them were still young enough to be considered children.
(I want to know... all about the people of this world.)
Truth be told, she wanted to explore the girl further and further, but she controlled herself from disrespecting the companions of the secretary. Besides, once a hospital was built... she would have all the subjects she could want for.
“I can’t believe you healed her foot... I guess the Demon Lord’s whole fleet has ridiculous powers.”
Demon Lord, Retry! Volume 1 Page 13