An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride: Volume 9

by Fuminori Teshima

  “Ugh...!”

  Nephy’s efforts eventually bore fruit, and the jammed beads shot up the straw. And just like Zagan, she rolled them around on her tongue before biting into them full force.

  “Ah...! What a mysterious sensation.”

  “Mmm... Shall we order it again after we go out to town?”

  “It’s caught your fancy I see.”

  “Maybe so. I’d like Foll and the others to try this too.”

  Actually, his desire to see Nephy troubled at trying to drink it was stronger than that, but he glossed over it skillfully.

  Nephy squinted and took a closer look at the tapioca.

  “...Is it possible to make myself, I wonder? The raw materials do seem rather special though.”

  “Hmm. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for us to look into opening a trade route.”

  “A trade route?”

  “Yeah. It’s possible to get sorcerer-made goods like paper, perfume, silk and even tools made for sorcery. We may be able to acquire these at a low cost.”

  If he opened a trade route, it would be simple to acquire goods from elsewhere. However, the church would have their eyes on him if he overdid it, so they could end up fabricating an excuse to suppress his trade.

  And yet they use sorcerer-made goods like paper and pens themselves. Well, as long as they were sufficiently antagonistic in public, it was an adequately lucrative market for them. That was why there were plenty of sorcerers who used this as a source of money. Zagan decided to see if any of his subordinates at the castle were familiar with this once he got back.

  Unfortunately, there was nobody present to stop the Archdemon from wanting to open a trade route to his castle just to acquire tapioca. And as Zagan pondered over how to accomplish this, Nephy let out a curious laugh.

  “You seem to be having fun, Master Zagan.”

  “Starting something new is fun. Well, we’ll only get started once Chastille’s problem has been resolved though.”

  “By that, do you mean about how Chastille is isolated in the church?”

  It was natural for Nephy to be worried about her good friend.

  “Yeah,” Zagan replied with a nod. “That said, I sent Barbatos along with her. It’ll surely get settled soon.”

  “Lord Barbatos is rather serious when it comes to Chastille, isn’t he?”

  “That’s true, but when it comes to eavesdropping, he’s second to none. It’s impossible to get away from him without the protection of an Archdemon.”

  Even if he had to brave the danger of exposing himself each time, the moment he confirmed someone by sight, he could connect to their shadow. It was like being under watch even when in the bath or using the latrine. So when one was unable to use sorcery, like the people of the church, it was almost pitiful.

  As such, Nephy inevitably strained a smile.

  “I feel a little sorry for them, but it’s their fault for messing with Chastille.”

  She was one to be firm about her statements when it came to it.

  Actually, I’m sure Nephy is annoyed by it as well... One could even say that she looked cheerful. Taking a closer look, he could even spot a vein popping from her forehead. The fact that she could properly show her anger was also a major point of growth from when he first met her. And watching over her with a wry smile, he opened a map of the Holy City.

  “Now then, where shall we start looking around?”

  As he brought this up, Nephy began twiddling her fingers together in a troubled manner.

  “Um, Master Zagan. Are you not searching for somebody? How about walking about while focusing on that?”

  “Huh? Oh, that’s fine now. We met that woman named Oberon yesterday, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “We can just leave it to her. Let’s enjoy the Holy City since we’ve come all this way.”

  “Is that so...?”

  Nephy didn’t look fully convinced, so Zagan simply smiled.

  “Well, it’s not like I don’t have any other goals.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Yeah. It seems there’s a treasure called Azazel’s Staff stored in the church. I want to confirm what it is. If possible, I’d like to acquire it too.”

  “So should we head to the church first?”

  Nephy clapped her hands like it was a great idea, but Zagan shook his head.

  “No, it’s the church’s treasure. If I went to go steal it, we’d end up starting a war with the Holy City.”

  “...Oh, right. That’s true.”

  “Well, if we could sneak in skillfully, would you like to try taking a look? The treasure room of the church headquarters really isn’t something we need to pay respect to. It could serve as a good sightseeing spot.”

  “Yes, I’m also quite interested.”

  “I see. Then let’s put all the people of the church to sleep with sorcery and—”

  “Master Zagan. We can just go sightseeing normally.”

  Zagan began muttering about a grand plan to break into the church in a completely serious tone, and just then...

  “What...?” Zagan and Nephy both looked up and said that at the same time. They were on the top floor of the inn. The only thing above them was the roof, but they sensed a strange flow of mana... or rather, a strange distortion.

  Seems like something is about to fall onto the table. They still had tapioca juice left. Zagan grabbed the table to move it, and Nephy realized the same thing and grabbed the other side. And while his heart fluttered at the thought of such cooperation, something fell from the distortion.

  “Please run away, Lady Oberon!”

  It was a familiar voice. And several seconds later, a lump of armor fell where the table was. And looking down at it while it made a clunk, Nephy and Zagan were both left staring in wonder.

  “You’re... the boy we met yesterday...?”

  “Huh...? Oh, the couple from the carriage?”

  The one to fall to the floor, covered in wounds, was for some reason the young Archangel boy that they had picked up yesterday in the carriage.

  ◇

  Several minutes earlier.

  “We finally found you! You thieving rats!”

  Ginias drew his Sacred Sword as he gallantly roared at the intruders. Eleven Archangels and Oberon formed six groups of two to suppress the intruders. And the first to find said intruders were Ginias and Oberon.

  “I, Ginias, offer my thanks to God for granting this opportunity at vindication for what happened the other day!”

  The intruders looked truly fed up at his stuffy monologue.

  “Ugh, what a pain. How did you get back already?”

  “Aristella is shocked.”

  The intruders were two young girls. However, Ginias learned not to be deceived by their appearance.

  “Lady Oberon, I shall hold back the dual-sword user! Please take care of the longsword user!”

  The one who had sent the two of them into the middle of the Katachnia wasteland was the girl wielding two scimitars.

  The longsword user didn’t use sorcery last time. There was no mistaking that she was a sorcerer, but her sorcery likely wasn’t suited to battle. Meaning it was logical for the one wielding a Sacred Sword to suppress the dual-sword user. Oberon didn’t reply, but Ginias confirmed that she nodded slightly at the corner of his vision.

  “I won’t hold back! Sing — Raziel!”

  Ginias addressed his Sacred Sword, and a green wind flooded from his blade.

  “Ugh...”

  “Aristella!”

  The girl wielding a longsword yelled, but Oberon prevented her from getting in the way.

  How reliable! Ginias sealed the movements of the girl using the wind from his Sacred Sword and closed in on her. It was perhaps possible to escape his wind using the physical abilities of a sorcerer, but sorcery couldn’t compensate for sword skill. Ginias was the youngest to ever be entrusted with the role of Head Archangel. He wouldn’t fall behind with a sword.

  The girl
held her two scimitars at the ready and muttered something, but no sorcery activated.

  “It’s useless! The winds of purification can easily blow away any sorcery!”

  I won’t kill you! Ginias drove the flat of his blade into the girl’s body... Or he’d planned to anyway.

  “Huh? She’s gone?”

  The girl in front of him vanished without any prior movement. Ginias didn’t feel his sword strike anything either, so she wasn’t blown away by it.

  “Behind you Ginias.”

  The young Archangel realized it upon hearing Oberon’s voice. His sword was heavier than usual. The tip of his blade wouldn’t move at all, as if it were sewn in place. He turned his head in shock and saw the girl standing on the tip of his sword with a languid look on her face.

  “Impossible...”

  “It looks like you didn’t hear Aristella because of the wind. I’ll say it once more. Here’s a freebie. You can have the first move.”

  Those words were the same ones she had muttered while within the winds of purification.

  So it wasn’t even sorcery...? Ginias froze in shock, and the girl twisted her body as if dancing. Immediately following that, her scimitar came sweeping in from below.

  “Ugh!”

  Even if he tried to dodge it, the girl was still standing on his sword. It wasn’t possible to evade while still poised for combat. Ginias let go of his Sacred Sword and rolled across the ground.

  “Good boy. You let go of this troublesome sword.”

  The girl kicked his Sacred Sword and sent it flying down the opposite side of the passageway. She then dashed in without giving Ginias the time to stand back up.

  “I’m not done yet!”

  Ginias caught the blade of the scimitar closing in on his neck with the palms of both his hands. The girl’s expressionless composure broke upon seeing this, and her eyes shot wide open.

  “An Angelic Knight is more than just their sword!”

  “Mm. How unexpected.”

  It wasn’t clear whether she was actually surprised or not, but the girl thrust out her other scimitar. Ginias required two hands to stop just a single blade, so he had no way out.

  “Come! Raziel!”

  As he called his Sacred Sword, it jumped up into the air on its own and attacked the girl’s back.

  “Tch.”

  It was now the girl’s turn to let go of her sword and roll across the ground. The Sacred Sword she kicked away settled itself in Ginias’ hand as if that was where it belonged.

  “This boy is the most loved by the Sacred Swords in all history.”

  This was the reason Ginias sat at the head of the Archangels at his age.

  As for Oberon, she was crossing blades with the longsword wielder using her pale thin sword... No, that was no longsword.

  “Idiot! Moron! You think I’m just gonna play sword fighting with a knight?”

  The blade of the longsword broke apart with a clink. It moved through the air like a whip and assaulted Oberon from a direction that was impossible for a sword.

  “A chain sword? How skillful.”

  Such was the case, but Oberon twirled her thin sword and dealt with the whip-like blade. If she tried fending it off simply, the chain sword would wrap around her own and close in on her neck. That was why Oberon flicked away the very tip of the chain sword to make it lose control.

  It wasn’t as simple as it sounded, however. The tip was the fastest point of a whip in motion, so a human eye could not follow the tip of a real whip. The fact that she deflected the attack despite her sight being obstructed was impressive.

  The girl flinched upon seeing this but immediately smiled with an unyielding spirit as she swung her chain sword once more.

  “Not bad. But how long can you keep it up?!”

  The chain sword closed in while slashing away at the labyrinth’s walls, floor, and ceiling. It was pretty reckless swordsmanship which managed to seal all paths of retreat.

  “That’s quite the number of attacks.”

  Oberon accurately repelled each and every blow individually. Neither of them was able to take another step forward, locking them in a stalemate.

  I must assist Lady Oberon! Ginias stabbed the scimitar he was holding into the ground and turned to face the young girl before him.

  “It seems you possess more skill with the sword among the two of you as well. Though you may be a sorcerer, I shall praise your swordsmanship. However, this is where it ends.”

  The girl let out a listless sigh.

  “Aristella is the sword specialist.”

  “Huh...? What do you mean?”

  “Exactly what I said.”

  And just a moment later, Ginias suddenly realized the meaning behind her words.

  “Lady Oberon! Get away from her!”

  “Kyahaha! Too late!”

  The chain sword appeared to be flying around recklessly, but it was actually weaving together a precisely detailed magic circle. And Oberon was standing at its center.

  “Dexia is the sorcery specialist.”

  Ginias charged in before thinking it over. He pushed Oberon away with a shoulder tackle and managed to get her out of the magic circle. And just as the sorcery completed...

  “Have a nice flight, dumbass!”

  The scenery around him warped. It was the same teleportation sorcery he’d been subjected to three days before, but he only came to understand this a moment too late.

  ◇

  Back to the top floor room in the Jewel of Raziel.

  “Wh-Why are you two here?”

  The young boy raised his voice with both shock and vigilance, to which Zagan shook his head in astonishment.

  “Why? This is our room. I should be asking you where you flew in from.”

  Zagan questioned the boy as if he had no idea where the young boy had appeared from.

  “Your room...? Sorry, where am I? Are we in Raziel?”

  Zagan walked over to the window reluctantly and threw open the curtains.

  “This is an inn called the Jewel of Raziel. You can see Raziel’s central cathedral over there, right?”

  After explaining it, the boy seemed to come to grips with his situation. He looked around his surroundings restlessly, and upon spotting Nephy, he bobbed his head down.

  “My apologies. I’ll get out immediately.”

  He still had his Sacred Sword gripped in his hand. He got back up to his feet in a panic as Zagan kept him from leaving.

  “Wait. You’re injured. I don’t know what happened, but at least allow us to treat you.”

  “But—”

  “Can that mission or whatever you’re doing be accomplished in this state? Isn’t it the duty of an Angelic Knight to challenge their missions in as flawless a state as possible?”

  After being admonished, the young boy turned silent, unable to object at all.

  “I’m in your debt.”

  “Can you do it... h-honey?”

  “Yes, dear.”

  It really was still embarrassing, but Nephy replied right away while the tips of her ears turned red. Though, the boy covered his face as if unable to bear watching that exchange.

  “I’ve been causing you nothing but trouble.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Isn’t it the obligation of the people to cooperate with those who possess Sacred Swords?”

  Humans were capable of smiling all the more gently when they were thinking of bad things. Zagan smiled as if it was the most natural thing in the world, which made the boy’s eyes shoot open.

  “You noticed?”

  “Wouldn’t any pious believer notice?”

  He left out the detail that he wasn’t one himself, but he wasn’t lying.

  The boy smiled in admiration.

  “You’ve really been doing nothing but surprising me. Both back in the carriage and here with the depth of your refinement.”

  “No need to flatter me. It makes me feel itchy.”

  Zagan shrugged his shoulders
in an exaggerated manner, and the boy forced a smile, having loosened his vigilance significantly.

  He looked quite dirty, but his wounds didn’t seem particularly serious. It was likely more a result of him falling earlier than anything he got in battle. His treatment ended quickly, and after they’d finished, Zagan addressed him again to calm him down some more.

  “So? What happened?”

  “Our treasury has been infiltrated by thieves. Lady Oberon and I went in to subjugate them, but I suffered an embarrassing defeat, just as you can see.”

  The boy seemed to have relaxed his guard considerably after being treated. He let slip exactly what had happened upon being pressed for information.

  Hmm. So that’s really what happened... Orias was also supposed to be on her way to take back the staff. She was moving in secret, but there was no way the church wouldn’t make a racket over an Archdemon taking action. Well, Shere Khan and Bifrons also seemed to be cooperating, so the likelihood that this was their handiwork instead was quite high.

  Zagan shifted his attention to the ceiling.

  I don’t know who it is, but they’re quite the skilled sorcerer... The traces of the sorcery that the boy had fallen through remained above them. They were more skillful with teleportation than the novice Zagan was. It was likely they had not only designated a change in elevation but chosen a random destination as well. Useless in terms of effective movement, but perfect for repelling an enemy.

  There weren’t all that many sorcerers who could activate flight sorcery before hitting the ground, and it was almost unrivaled against Angelic Knights. The fact that the boy had ended up here could have been thanks to tremendous luck, or perhaps...

  The Sacred Sword could have guided him here... Thanks to his fight with Andrealphus, Zagan was fully aware that an entity called a seraph was sealed within all Sacred Swords. It wasn’t all that strange for it to perform some sort of miracle to save its wielder. It may have been the reason this young boy was chosen as an Archangel.

  In any case, by the time his treatment was over, Zagan finished analyzing the structure of the sorcery which had sent the boy flying away.

  It’ll be difficult to wrench open, but I should be able to connect to where he came from by using the same sorcery. Zagan was able to mimic sorcery by using his ability to devour sorcery without actually devouring it. Ultimately, sorcery was something that anybody could use as long as they knew the theory.