“Ngh...” Rem’s expression turned more severe. “What if I died not knowing that? What was that girl thinking...?”
“Her head’s as childish as she looks, you know?”
“...I’ve made a huge mistake. I should have spoken to Klem more before leaving Faltra... I can’t believe she neglected to tell me something so important...”
“Hmm~ I guess the races and a Demon Lord just have different definitions of what’s ‘important.’”
“...I suppose that’s right...”
Klem operated on a different sort of common sense compared to the rest of them. Even though she knew she was the Demon Lord, she had given up on fighting against the races, all in the name of biscuits. In her eyes, anything that didn’t involve biscuits probably didn’t strike her as meaningful in any shape or form.
“Frankly,” Sylvie added, “I make it a point to not get involved with Klem too often. I thought interfering at the wrong moment might awaken her again...but the situation’s become too dire for that now.” Sylvie then shifted her gaze toward the east.
“A new Demon Lord awakened after all...” Diablo whispered.
He could still remember what the Fallen Varakness had said, and judging from how mobilized his army was, it was likely true.
“Yeah... We’ll be going to war with the Demon Lord sooner rather than later, and we’ll need more information and power on our side if we wanna win. If we don’t hurry...then this time, we’ll lose.”
Rem gasped at Sylvie’s words.
“Why are you so sure of that?” Diablo asked, stifling his own unrest.
“Well, we just got lucky last time. The Demon Lord wasn’t as aggressive, and the races had a few powerful heroes on their side too. That time was a golden era for the races. But now, we’re just not strong enough.”
Her carefree tone made her words ring all the more severely. If a veteran of the great war such as herself was saying as such, the warriors of this age were probably no match for those of that long ago time.
“You fought both the races and the Fallen, right, Diablo? And I heard you were at the battle for Zircon Tower too. What do you think?”
Diablo recalled his past battles. Faltra’s governor, Galford, and the Paladin Captain Batutta, who was presumably dead, were both strong. They were cunning and employed great strategy. The races’ true strength laid in that resourcefulness. But when he thought back to the defensive power at Zircon Tower, the Fallen’s army far exceeded the races in terms of individual strength. Varakness was especially menacing. If Diablo hadn’t rushed to the scene, the Fallen would have surely routed the races’ army.
“In all likelihood...the Demon Lord’s army is much stronger.”
“I figured as much.”
There were a few towns that had already been destroyed by the Fallen in Cross Reverie. But there was never an event that involved a town in the process of being destroyed. It was hard implementing a town that was ruined for players who cleared a specific section of the story but was still being kept up for newcomers to an MMORPG.
—But this isn’t a game. This is another world... This is reality.
Diablo was there to see Zircon Tower be abandoned by the races, and he was also present to see the Fallen, Gregore, run wild in the streets of Faltra, so he could understand the feeling of crisis Sylvie felt as the guildmaster of the Adventurer’s Guild.
“I want to bolster the races’ strength, but it’s just as important to prevent the enemy from getting stronger too. We have to prevent a situation where two Demon Lords awaken, at all costs. I want to prevent Krebskulm from fully awakening.”
Rem nodded. “...I understand your intentions now, Sylvie. I feel the same way. Do you have a specific plan regarding what we should do?”
“You betcha! If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have dragged myself all the way to the capital, now would I?”
Sylvie pulled a letter from her bosom.
—Wait, where did she pull that out of!?
Diablo rubbed his eyes. The envelope was larger than the surface Sylvie’s scant outfit covered. It bothered him for sure, but now wasn’t the time to point that out.
Rem took the envelope. “Is it from Celes?”
“Right on the money.”
Celestine Baudelaire was the head of Faltra’s Mage’s Association, serving not just as its top authority but also as the one who maintained Faltra’s defensive barrier. If she were to die or move too far away from the city, the barrier warding the Fallen and Magical Beasts off from Faltra would be undone. Celes saw Rem as a little sister, and knew the Demon Lord was sealed in Rem’s body.
“...This is...!?”
Reading the letter, Rem’s eyes widened.
“What’s wrong?”
“...A-Ah, pardon... Here you are...” Rem handed him the letter.
“Hmph... I would guess Celes’s letter is pointlessly long-winded.” Diablo shook his head haughtily. “Summarize it for me.”
—I, uhh, can’t read...
But that was ridiculously lame. He couldn’t say that out loud.
“Her greetings are a bit long winded, yes.” Rem nodded. “But, in short...it says she’s found a way to remove the remnants of Krebskulm from my body.”
“Oh?”
“...And the ritual to do so is passed down in the Dark Elves’ territory.”
“Dark Elves!?”
Elves were few in number compared to Humans, but Dark Elves were a minority even among them. They were said to be an Elf species that had its blood mixed with the Fallen’s, but it was unknown if that was actually true.
In Cross Reverie, Elves had fair white skin, golden hair, blue eyes, and slender frames. Dark Elves, on the other hand, had dark skin and black hair and eyes. In the game, you could customize your appearance to change your eye and hair color, but...
—Is it the same in this world?
Diablo hadn’t met a Dark Elf so far.
Now, in Cross Reverie, Dark Elves had another physical feature that set them apart from Elves:
They had large, plump breasts.
Not like Shera though, who was a rare example. They all had huge...no, not huge, mega boobs.
In the game, at least. Diablo didn’t know if it was the same in this world.
—Damn, I really wanna find out!
“Are you planning on visiting the Dark Elves’ territory, Rem?”
“Yes, that’s my intent... I should confirm if they really know about the ritual. The only problem is that I don’t know where they are located.”
“Aren’t they near the Kingdom of Greenwood?”
In the game, Dark Elves had lived in the same forest as Elves.
Sylvie nodded. “You’re well-informed, Diablo. That should be right, though I’ve never been there myself.”
“Hmph... I am a Demon Lord. ‘Tis only natural I would know.”
—It’s a really good thing I wasn’t wrong...
Rem nodded. “...Yes, I think I’ll go to the Dark Elves’ territory. There’s no telling what things are like there now, but this is the only clue I have.”
“I think that’s a great idea!” Sylvie agreed. “But we should be careful. Dark Elves don’t welcome outsiders.”
“...They’re discriminated against like the Demons. It makes sense they would be cautious of other races.”
“It seems they were treated like the Fallen in the past, and the Kingdom of Lyferia attacked them.”
“I never knew something like that happened...”
“There’s a reason there are so few Dark Elves~”
“Rem, if you’re going to the Dark Elves’ territory, I’ll accompany you,” Diablo said, resting an elbow on the table.
“...I appreciate it, Diablo... But Shera needs to get home as soon as possible. That being the case, I’ll go to the Dark Elves’ territory on my own.”
“What?”
“...Sylvie’s words made me remember: I was always an Adventurer who worked alone. It’s always been the three
of us since I summoned you...but if need be, I’m willing to work on my own once more.”
“But the Dark Elves are...”
—I gotta find out if their breasts are really that big... I mean, no, it’s dangerous to go alone!
He was incredibly worried about her. There were no impure motives at work here. Honest.
...Probably.
“I’ll be fine. If it’s just to ask about the ritual magic, the Dark Elves should at least hear me out, even if they’re opposed to strangers.” Rem was oddly obstinate. “Please forget about me in the meantime. You should stay by Shera’s side, Diablo. She’s the one who needs you now.”
“Hmph.”
True enough, there was no telling what was going on in the Kingdom of Greenwood. Because of that, they couldn’t just let Shera go back on her own. Adding on to that, leaving Rem’s problem for later and going to the Elven Kingdom first would be...honestly, quite inefficient.
For Rem, the remnants of the Demon Lord inside her were a matter of life and death, and a source of constant anxiety. Naturally, it wasn’t something she would be willing to put off for much longer. Working separately made sense.
“No, that’s a super bad idea!”
A door flung open, and Shera burst into the room, shouting. She was still in her nightgown, and her disordered, messy hair bounced around as she ran. She wasn’t as pallid as she was a few days ago, but her cheeks still seemed emaciated and thinner than they should be. It was only natural, seeing how she spent all that time sleeping and hardly ever ate.
“You can’t go to Blackwood alone, you just can’t, Rem!” Shera approached her nervously.
“...Calm down, Shera... Are you feeling better?”
“Oh, yeah. I think I’m fine... My tummy’s rumbling though, and I smelled something nice...”
“...I see. Just sit for now, and try not to eat too much. Let’s get you some soup for the time being.”
“Okaaay!”
Shera sat down for dinner with them for the first time in days.
“Hey hey, Shera!” Sylvie raised a hand in a friendly gesture. “It’s been forever.”
“Hey, it’s Sylvie! It really has! What’s up?”
“I have some business with Rem.”
“Ah, that’s right, Rem! Blackwood’s a dangerous place!”
The conversation was all over the place. Rose and Horn weren’t the type to initiate conversations on their own, and with three women chattering like this, things finally felt boisterous again.
“Blackwood... Is that the Dark Elves’ territory?” Rem responded, contracting Shera’s excited spiel.
“Yep, but it’s a pretty small territory... It’s right next to Greenwood.”
“...Like Diablo said. But you’re saying going alone would be dangerous?”
“Yeah! They say Dark Elves eat the other races! Elven parents always tell their children, ‘If you’re bad, we’ll feed you to the Dark Elves.’”
“...Have they ever actually eaten an Elf?”
“I’ve never seen it happen...but when someone goes missing, everyone says a Dark Elf probably ate them.”
“...Spreading groundless rumors is mere gossip, and arbitrarily assuming things based on someone’s race is discrimination, Shera.”
“But some kids really did go missing!”
“...If someone disappears in the forest, wouldn’t you usually suspect monsters first?”
“Ohhh... Right, come to think of it, my oldest brother got eaten by a magical beast...”
“...Oh... I’m sorry...”
“Mmm? Oh, it’s okay. It all happened before I was born. I never met him, so it’s like, ‘Oh, so that’s a thing that happened.’”
“...I understand Elves have a negative view of Dark Elves. It’s only natural Dark Elves would shun Elves and other races after being treated like that.”
“It’s super dangerous!”
“...That’s what it sounds like. And I get the feeling the Elves are at fault here... But whatever the case, I need to learn about that ritual magic.”
“Then let’s go there together!”
“Huh...?” Rem was shocked at Shera’s proposal. “But, your father...”
“I do want to go home as soon as I can... But we can’t let you go to Blackwood alone! I’ll be fine with it if Diablo goes with you.”
“What are you saying!? Are you forgetting how Prince Keera had kidnapped you? We had to fight 200 Elves just to rescue you! We can’t send you back to that country alone! You’re the one who should go with Diablo!”
Until now, they kept bickering about which one of them had summoned Diablo, but now they were fighting over who should take him.
—They never change...
“Can’t you split yourself with magic, Diablo?” Sylvie asked.
“That’s impossible. I could make an illusion of myself, but it would have to stay within 10 meters of me.”
“I was only joking, but that’s pretty amazing on its own! We’ve still got a problem here though.”
“There’s a chance the Kingdom of Greenwood would try to keep Shera there by force. But Blackwood is dangerous too. We can’t let Rem go there alone.”
“Ahaha... You’re pretty overprotective, Diablo.”
Diablo felt himself blush at that teasing remark and grabbed a thick sausage, shoving it into Sylvie’s mouth.
“Cease your nonsense! Rem and Shera are both my belongings! I won’t let anyone lay a hand on them, be they Elves or Dark Elves! That’s all this is!”
Sylvie’s eyes darted around as she struggled to down the sausage.
“Buufufufha... Nng... Phew! Don’t stick thick stuff in my mouth like that, Diablo! It’s mean! My mouth is child-sized, so if you go too far you might break it!”
“I wouldn’t guess with how much you eat. Where does it all go?”
“Ahaha... My tummy might swell if I’m not careful.”
While he was speaking to Sylvie, Rem and Shera both closed in on him.
“...Are you listening, Diablo!?”
“Diablo, you gotta listen to me!”
Diablo bent back reflexively, his well-built chair creaking in protest.
“Mm? What is it?”
“...Shera is saying we should go to Blackwood first. Please talk her out of it.”
“But me hurrying won’t really change anything.”
“...You got a fever from the shock.”
“I can’t let you go to Blackwood alone!”
It seemed Shera and Rem’s conversation had progressed while Sylvie’s childish little mouth struggled to down the long, thick sausage it had been stuffed with.
“Hmph...” Diablo folded his arms. “If Shera’s willing to put off her matters, we should probably do that. The places aren’t too far from each other either way. We can go to Blackwood first then head to the Kingdom of Greenwood from there.”
“But...”
“You truly have a tendency to put other people’s matters ahead of your own, don’t you, Rem?”
Rem’s ears visibly twitched at Diablo’s words. “Th-That’s not... I merely think that’s the natural thing to do!”
“Do you not prioritize yourself because you dread being called selfish for it?”
“...No, that’s not... It’s just, Shera’s problem has to do with her family, and my problem is a personal one.”
He’d heard a bit about Shera’s family during the incident with Prince Keera, but Rem had never spoken about her past. Diablo had no communication skills, and his mind blanked whenever he tried to push a conversation along on his own, but he’d become apt at observing others calmly.
—It’s hard, pitting your own problems against other people’s circumstances...
Rem was apparently an Adventurer who had focused on traveling alone before she summoned Diablo. As good as she was at negotiating, she still wasn’t skilled at making friends. You could explain things all you wanted, but a person with communication problems wouldn’t understand. It w
as all because the socially inept didn’t operate on logic, but on emotion—on anxiety.
“Won’t I disappoint others?” “Won’t they mock me?” “Won’t they get angry at me?” “I won’t break this relationship if I do this, right?”
There were no correct answers, so, think as one might, the anxiety would never go away, driving them to put their needs last. The more priority they gave to the other person, the more they minimized their own anxiety. As a result, they looked obstinate to everyone else.
—Which is why putting that logic into words won’t achieve anything.
Rem was afraid of disappointing Shera by putting her own needs first, so what Diablo had to do here couldn’t be in effort of persuading her.
Diablo rose from his chair. “You fools seem to have the wrong idea. I’ve never allowed you to advise me on what to do. I am a Demon Lord, your ruler and owner, and I am the one who decides! And I say we are heading to Blackwood first. All those who oppose me will be destroyed!”
“N-No, but that’s...!?”
Shera placed her hand over Rem’s, who was about to spring to her feet. “See! Diablo’s already decided, so we can’t argue, right?”
“...Are you really fine with this?”
“Uh-huh! The thing with Father was just too sudden, and I was shocked... But I’ve been prepared for this ever since I ran away from home. So it’s fine, really. For now, let’s focus on your problem.”
“...I’m sorry...”
“That’s not right!” Shera’s hand squeezed Rem’s encouragingly. “You mean ‘thanks,’ right?”
“...Ah... Yes, you’re right. Thank you, Shera.”
“Teehee~”
“And you too, Diablo.”
“Hmph... I didn’t do this for you. I simply have an interest in the Dark Elves’ territory myself. Do not waste your gratitude on me.”
“Heheh...” Rem’s eyes were moist with tears. “You’re always like this...”
Diablo turned his back to them.
—It really is too early for thank-yous though... We don’t know yet if the Dark Elves really have the ritual magic to remove the Demon Lord’s remnants from Rem...
How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord: Volume 7 Page 3