Rem grimaced. “...I’ve never seen a boar so big or this decayed...”
“I usually like pork, but wouldn’t want to eat that...”
“I’m surprised you can even associate that with pork!” Sylvie’s face was unusually serious.
“Hmph...” Diablo came out of the canopy as well, observing the monster. “Its skin is a bit odd, but that’s a Black Behemoth.”
It was smaller than a Green Behemoth, but was still categorized as a Large-class magical beast, and was a tenacious, aggressive one at that.
“...That’s a Behemoth!?” Rem cried out in surprise. “According to the books, Behemoths are supposed to have thick fur! Why is its skin dripping like mud!?”
“She’s right!” Sylvie was surprised as well. “Maybe magic burned it all off? Or maybe it’s sick? Ah, but do magical beasts even get sick...?”
More arrows flew out from the forest, hitting the monster they suspected was a Black Behemoth. They stabbed into its inflamed skin, sending globs of dark red bodily fluids flying into the air. The enemy was too large however, and it was doubtful the arrows did any damage. It trampled the foliage on the ground, making the earth tremble.
“Aah, whoa!” Shera mumbled in a panic.
Rem grabbed the reins, maneuvering away from the trees rolling on the ground. “...Ugh... It seems someone is fighting this Black Behemoth.”
“Is that why it ran out of the forest? It doesn’t look like the battle’s going too well though.”
Its trajectory unchanged, the Black Behemoth rushed in the direction of those who fired at it.
A humanoid figure moved within the forest.
—So it’s the Dark Elves fighting it after all?
Rose jumped out to protect the carriage and was now several meters away, out of range of Diablo’s orders. Shera wasn’t holding her bow, and was instead merely looking out from inside the canopy. Rem was handling the carriage, and Sylvie specialized in support magic but likely didn’t have a means of defeating the Black Behemoth.
Diablo took out his staff, the 《Tonnerre Empereur》.
“Stop the carriage, Rem!”
“Y-Yes!”
There were roughly twenty meters between them and the target, but since he was up against a large monster, he didn’t need to worry about missing. There was someone of the races in the forest, but seeing as they were fighting with bows and arrows, they probably wouldn’t get caught up in his spells. That said, the forest was close, so he had to avoid using fire spells.
“I’ll cut you down with an invisible blade...” Diablo pointed his staff. “《Press Shredder》!”
The air condensed, transforming into a giant blade. The blade rammed into the monster, and what was originally a single blow was multiplied by seven due to the staff’s effect. It was an air elemental spell that could be used as early as level 110 featuring a blade of atmospheric pressure that slashed into the beast, cut into its flesh, gouged its entrails, and crushed its bones.
The Black Behemoth gave a rumbling roar.
“Hmph...” Diablo lowered his spell. “You may be a Large-class magical beast, but I suppose one that appears in the races’ territories is still pretty low level.”
Its head cut in half by the magical blade, the Black Behemoth stopped moving, dissolving into particles of light. Unlike other animals, magical beasts disappeared after they died. Its dark red bodily fluids, its flesh, its shattered tusks—it all turned to light and floated up to the heavens.
“Whew, amazing!” Sylvie clapped. “I knew I could count on you, Diablo. You’re strong!”
“Maybe I should let you handle the next one.”
“Oh, you know I use support magic. I specialize in cheering people on! Go, Diablo ♡ Go, go, Diablo ♡”
Sylvie’s words felt awfully phony to Diablo.
“...Your magic is always so impressive,” Rem said in amazement.
“Of course it is.”
With a target that big and without a need to watch out for his surroundings, Diablo was free to use spells with amazing firepower.
Rose finally rushed back to the carriage. “Forgive Rose, Master. Master had to dirty Master’s hands...”
“Hmph... Taking care of a weakling like that doesn’t even register as effort to me.”
†
Someone began walking out of the forest. Diablo expected a Dark Elf, but...what walked over to them looked like a large animal costume. Its head was big, its arms stubby, and it was wide enough to be worn by someone. It was a bear wielding a long bow, but it couldn’t exactly be described as menacing.
—These are the Dark Elves!? This isn’t some other race, is it?
They weren’t exactly how Diablo had imagined them. He wasn’t sure if they understood his language, but they aimed their bows at him.
“Don’t move!” a muffled voice ordered Diablo and his group, sounding as if it had spoken to them from behind a wall.
It really was a costume...
The voice was high-pitched, so whoever was inside it was probably a boy. It seemed communication with these people was possible, but they didn’t seem particularly friendly...
Ten of them stood before the group.
“Wh-What’s going on?” Shera moaned in a terrified voice, hiding behind the canopy. “Why are they mad at us?”
“...Are those the Dark Elves?” Rem frowned. “Their clothes are quite strange. And their attitude is terrible, given we defeated that magical beast for them...”
Sylvie shrugged. “Looks like we really scared them.”
Rose’s right hand squeezed so tightly together it made a grinding sound, forming a clenched fist. “No matter who you may be, no one is allowed to direct their weapons at Master. Rose sees no reason to hold back.”
Realizing Rose would attack them if left unchecked, Diablo stepped forward, Tonnerre Empereur in hand.
The Dark Elves (?) in the costumes had seen his magic’s power, and stood in a state of alert. Maybe finishing off that large magical beast with one blow was a bit too flashy. He needed to make the Dark Elves understand that he and the others had no wish to fight, and only wanted to learn about the ritual magic. He wanted to keep it short since the situation was so tense!
“No problem.”
Diablo projected self-confidence. His communication skills were so terrible in his former world that if there were a competition for who was the least capable of holding a conversation, he’d take the gold medal... But in this other world, he talked more often, and even had companions on his side.
—Looking at me now, maybe I’m actually a great communicator!
First, a smile. Maintaining a positive expression was key for friendly discourse. He felt like this time he’d be able to hold a conversation properly. But he mustn’t look down on them, for being condescending in the middle of negotiations would only put him at a disadvantage. And so, he opened his mouth to speak confidently.
“Fuhahahahaha! My name is Diablo! I’ve come here in search of the ritual magic passed down in these lands. I have no business with you! Lead me to the Dark Elves’ dwelling!”
The people in the costumes stirred nervously. Rem and Shera, who were both used to him, respectively sighed and smiled wryly. Rose’s expression said this was the obvious way these events would play out, and Sylvie cradled her head in exasperation.
Still, Sylvie didn’t step forward. If the costumed people were to begin shooting at them, their lives would be in danger.
“You there!” one of the costumed people who stood at the lead (in a grizzly bear costume) called out to them. “What was that...thing you did earlier!? You defeated the 《Lord of the Black Forest》 with one blow...”
“Heh heh heh... It was simple air magic. Is it that unusual? I could show you more magic, if you wish. But should I use fire magic, this forest will burn to the ground.”
“What!?”
The costumed group all visibly trembled. Diablo wanted to say that if they were to guide him, he’d show them
any magic they’d like, but fire magic was dangerous so they should avoid that... Maybe he worded it wrong?
—This is getting annoying...
With the war against the Demon Lord ahead, Diablo and the others were in a rush. If they didn’t hurry along with their preparations, they could lose and the races would fall. They didn’t have the leisure of time here.
Diablo said impatiently, “How long are you going to stand idly by? Hurry up and lead me to the Dark Elves. Do you want to be destroyed!?”
“Eep...!?” several of the costumed people cried out in feminine screams.
The grizzly-bear-suited figure in the front lowered their bow.
“U-Understood... We’ll take you the Dark Elves’ village. You just want to learn about the ritual magic, right? Can you promise you won’t hurt the villagers?”
“Hmph... Of course.”
Diablo smiled in relief seeing his negotiation was successful, then nodded.
—See? My communication skills are off the charts!
“Y-You’re going to trust this...this man!?” Another of the costumed people, one with a mohawk, stirred anxiously.
“We don’t have a choice...”
“We can’t bring someone so dangerous to the village!”
“He’s a Sorcerer strong enough to beat the Lord of the Black Forest with one spell, what hope do we have of beating him!? It’s better than letting the forest burn to the ground! Let’s leave the rest to the chief.”
“Damn it...” the mohawk person cursed bitterly.
It sounded like they were intimidated by his magic, but Diablo was satisfied nonetheless.
—I really think I managed to be friendly this time!
†
It turned out Shera was right and there really was a route wide enough for a carriage to drive through, but its entrance was hidden by foliage. The costumed people moved the plants aside, opening the path.
In Cross Reverie, the path was easier to find and even had markers pointing in the right direction. If he’d tried leading them down this path proudly while not knowing about this, wouldn’t he just embarrass himself? That image made Diablo sweat bullets inside.
“...Asking this now feels a bit odd, but you are Dark Elves, correct?” Rem asked the costumed people.
“Yes, we are,” the grizzly bear suit person answered, apparently serving as their representative. “No one else lives in this forest but us, unless you count the beasts and bugs.”
So these costumed people were Dark Elves after all. They used this road to come and go from the neighboring villages via carriages. They utilized Blackwood’s unique plants and herbs to make special medicine and elaborate arrows, and traded those with the villagers for crops and ironwear.
“Stay away from the black grass.” The grizzly bear person pointed at an herb on the side of the road. “They’re all venomous. You’re dressed lightly, and it can poison you through contact with your skin. The horses could also be affected.”
“...Huh? The black grass... Wait, so all of this?” Rem, who was holding the reins, asked nervously.
There was hardly any green grass in sight; the majority of it was black.
“Even the magical beasts begin rotting if they’re inflicted with this poison.”
“...So that’s what happened to the Black Behemoth...”
“Many of the forest’s beasts absorb this poison and use it as a natural weapon. If you ever find yourself fighting them, exercise caution. Even a scratch could be fatal.”
“...Thank you for the warning.”
They used bows and arrows to keep a distance from these venomous creatures, and wore such thick costumes to protect themselves from the poisonous plants.
They progressed through twisting roads for some two hours until they had reached the village. The road eventually parted into an open space where the trees were cleared away, and dwellings dotted the place without so much as a blade of black grass to be seen. The place didn’t seem very big, and one could circle the circumference within an hour. In terms of size, it was in the scope of a village.
In Cross Reverie, the Dark Elves would hide between the trees, and lived in dwellings that couldn’t really be called houses. Buildings and NPCs that didn’t contribute to any events weren’t included in the game, making this village completely different from what Diablo had known. Being in a completely unknown place was a bit frightening, but was also new and fresh. Diablo couldn’t help but feel a bit excited.
“This...is the Dark Elves’ territory, right?” Shera peeked out of the canopy.
“So it seems...”
Diablo didn’t know what lifestyle the Dark Elves led, but there were less than a hundred dwellings here. Assuming each dwelling housed six people, it put the village’s population at roughly 500.
“Isn’t it kinda small?”
“I wonder... If they have several villages like this one, they could form an independent territory... Or maybe because there are only this many of them, they’re treated as a different race from the Elves.”
“Ah, I see~”
Diablo and his group were only concerned about the ritual magic the Dark Elves knew, so the question of how many of them were out there wasn’t any of their business. Be that as it may, however, they couldn’t hold back their surprise at how the Dark Elves were living.
“It’s pretty different from what you told us.”
“Yeah, it’s totally different from the Kingdom of Greenwood. I’m pretty shocked.”
The Dark Elves used trees for pillars, planks for their houses, and leaves and branches as their roofs, living generally on the ground. Their lifestyle was similar to the way houses were built in the past in Japan. The only difference was that the entrances were left open, and there were no planks over the doors and windows. The most they did was hang cloths or furs which couldn’t have provided sufficient shelter from the wind and the rain. This probably went to show this forest wasn’t subject to many typhoons or other natural disasters.
The climate was warm all year long, which must have meant it was terribly hot in those costumes. It was very humid too, and Diablo rolled up the canopy to allow some wind into the carriage, catching sight of the backs of the dwellings.
“Huh?” His eyes widened.
Since the house they were headed toward was made of wood, the hearth was stationed outside, with cooking utensils and a well beside it. It appeared to be shared among several of the households, and several Dark Elven women were gathered around it who weren’t dressed in their costumes. They had dark, tanned skin, black curly hair, and dark purple eyes. Their long ears were evidence of their Elven origins, but their sensual figures gave them a different sort of impression. They stood around the well, chatting and scooping water up in buckets from the well.
That was all good and well, but the problem was their clothing. The water splashed about as they transferred it from the well’s bucket to their own, which was why you would usually wear an apron when drawing water...
But these Dark Elven women were all topless.
Their tunics were hung on nearby branches, their black hair tied up, and the only clothes on their bodies were their knee-length skirts. As for their breasts...the word “abundant” felt far too lacking to describe them. Just one of them looked to be as large as Diablo’s head.
Mega boobs.
No, they were mega boobs.
They were really. Big.
“Uh...”
Diablo almost spoke without noticing, and just as he was about to, Shera cut into his words.
“Wow, that’s humongous.”
Diablo shifted his gaze in a hurry, not wanting to make it known he was interested in the Dark Elves’ breasts.
“O-Oh... Really? I was too occupied looking...at the forest...”
“I mean that! I’ve never seen one that big!”
Shera leaned forward. She may have lost to the Dark Elves in terms of size, but she still pushed up her plump swellings with her arms.
&nb
sp; —Have I died and gone to heaven?
He had to hold back the urge to reach out.
“See! That house is built into the tree, but it’s so huge!”
“Yes, yes... Large, round... M-Mm? House?”
Diablo’s consciousness was reeled back from that luscious, pink world at the last second. That was dangerous; he was almost about to say something he couldn’t take back.
He turned his gaze in the direction Shera had pointed in. The carriage was headed toward a large structure, its summit larger than any other tree. It was hard to believe this was a building made out of planks. The castle and the Inner Sanctum in the capital were larger, but they were made out of bricks and stone. But the building standing in their way was, despite being made of wood, imposing in its own way.
“Hmph... I assume that is the Dark Elves’ castle.”
“It sure is big...” Shera was as easygoing as ever.
“...Soldiers are stationed at the windows...” Rem whispered. “They’re taking aim at us.”
“Well, it only makes sense they’d be suspicious. We’re outsiders after all.”
Sylvie seemed calm. This level-headedness of hers probably came from experience.
Diablo also seemed composed, but was nervous under the surface.
—You don’t really run into this kind of pressure in-game...
He had no prior knowledge of what was going to happen, and there were no admins that could place balance fixes into effect or retries in case he failed. If there were any plans in place to catch him unaware, would he be able to get away unscathed? This was another world, and, at the same time, reality, so there was no revising your strategy if you failed.
Diablo alone may be able to get himself out of trouble, but he was working with a party now. He had to exercise caution if he were to protect everyone. He’d probably have to rely on Rose, who was as proficient as a high-level warrior, to command the front lines.
He turned his gaze in her direction.
—Huh? What’s she doing...?
How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord: Volume 7 Page 6