Ch.224Side Story: The Gate of Another World – 1

The purpose of Bellium Academy was to cultivate elite combat forces to counter the Demon King’s army. Better yet if they could help kill the Demon King himself.

It was an academy established by the current chairperson Erestica, once called Meligor, who had defected from the Demon King’s army harboring resentment toward Mahbat and Elicier.

Conversely, now that the Demon King was dead, his army collapsed, and the extinction of the demon god made the birth of a new Demon King impossible, one could say that Bellium Academy had achieved its founding purpose.

“But that’s no reason to close the Empire’s academy. I hear there are some fools suggesting that—it’s truly lamentable.”

“Indeed, sir.”

I sat upright with a straight back as I answered. Because the person before me was the Emperor himself.

In terms of pure power, I had no reason to bow to him, but conversely, I had no reason not to. If I were going to rely solely on power and act arrogantly, why would I have returned quietly? I would have gone around destroying everything.

I’m far from being that kind of madman, and this person is quite admirable except for his mistake regarding Laura’s brother. So I intended to be respectful.

“Why so stiff? Relax, relax. Your Emperor permits it.”

“……”

However, I was curious why he was treating me with such familiarity. Even now, he was lying on his side, behaving like a father watching TV in his undershirt and boxers after work.

He was much worse than when he first summoned me for a private audience. At least then, he seemed aware that he was the Emperor, but now he didn’t even have that much self-awareness.

Perhaps this was the influence of how Laura had set up his character.

“You look curious about why I’m acting this way.”

“To be honest, yes, I am.”

“It’s nothing special. My daughter likes you, and I know you’re quite a decent fellow. This is how I really am, so you might as well get used to it now to be less surprised later. The dignified appearance I show as Emperor is fake; this is the real me. Understand?”

“…I understand.”

The words “I don’t think I can understand” rose to my throat. I forcibly swallowed them.

He’s truly a uniquely eccentric person. I wonder why he doesn’t show this side to Laura but shows it to me first.

“I’ve heard every single rumor about you. Those rigid folks at the Mages’ Association are obsessed with you, you got along quite well with the Duke of Lenitus’s daughter recently, and decisively, the people around you are quite remarkable. My daughter is among them—isn’t it obvious by now?”

The Emperor chuckled. I was too dumbfounded to laugh.

“Even during the summer festival, I heard you finished all your student council work early and spent more time with your club. I have no intention of stopping someone my daughter likes. Unless that person is utterly inadequate to stand beside the future Empress… but how many people in this Empire would be considered worthy if you’re deemed inadequate?”

I avoided answering. The Emperor, perhaps thinking I was being modest, told me to have more confidence while demonstrating a trick where he tossed a grape high toward the ceiling and caught it in his mouth.

I wasn’t sure what that had to do with anything.

“I’ve done some terrible things to her. If I had known my child would do something as foolish as joining hands with demons, I should have cut off her head long ago rather than appealing to blood ties.”

“……”

The speed of his grape-tossing trick gradually increased.

The Emperor continued with small talk afterward. Did I need a title, did I want to become a noble, he could give me territory, did I want to learn noble etiquette since I might need it in the future, and so on.

It was a conversation with an obvious purpose.

“Now that we’ve finished eating, shall we get to the main point?”

After finishing all four bunches of grapes he had brought, the Emperor sat up. The drowsiness and playfulness disappeared from his face, and the dignified Emperor returned. I straightened my posture once more.

“Are you aware of the anomalies that have occurred recently?”

Even his tone and voice changed.

“I am not, Your Majesty.”

“It’s information shared only with a select few in the Empire, so that’s understandable. Besides you and me, only the Archmage, the three Great Ducal families, some Tower Masters, and Crown Princess Laura know about it.”

“But why would you share such a secret with me…?”

“The Crown Princess suggested you as the most suitable person.”

“…?”

No wonder her expression seemed unusual after returning from the Imperial Palace. Curious, I examined the documents handed to me.

My eyes widened as soon as I saw what was drawn on the paper.

“According to Archmage Valera’s judgment, it appears to be a space connected to another dimension. The interior and exterior are completely isolated except for a space made of mana that serves as a dimensional gate. It has been confirmed that magic used inside does not affect the outside, and vice versa, except through that connecting space.”

‘…This is clearly a gate no matter how I look at it.’

The Emperor’s description and the illustration in the documents were unmistakably describing a gate. Calming my surprise, I asked:

“The documents also mention confirmed disappearances. May I ask what conditions cause this, Your Majesty?”

“It’s similar to a dungeon yet different. When the strongest presumed magical beast or demon inside is killed, it naturally dissipates and disappears.”

“……”

This really is a gate.

“…And that’s what happened.”

All six people wore incredulous expressions at my words. It was understandable, considering I might have to do here what I had been doing on Earth for seven years and would likely continue doing for decades to come.

There were six because two people were absent. Erestica was still secluded in the chairperson’s office, and Laura had returned to Earth briefly, saying she had matters to attend to.

“I contacted my people, and they said similar phenomena are occurring in the demon realm as well.”

“Then they must have encountered monsters too. What did your subordinates say?”

I was genuinely curious. On Earth they’re called monsters, but they essentially look no different from the demons and magical beasts here. I wondered how the demons of this world would view them.

“They said it was unpleasant.”

“Unpleasant?”

“Yes. They’ve encountered monsters that resemble the demons here several times, and while they clearly seem to be the same type of demon, looking at them causes an inexplicable feeling of discomfort. They don’t know why.”

“I think I understand the feeling. Have you ever heard of the uncanny valley?”

“The uncanny valley?”

After I roughly explained the concept, Nika, who had been deep in thought, nodded.

“That seems right, Master.”

It was quite surprising that even demons could experience such a feeling.

“…But why would gates open here too?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe it’s because of this.”

I summoned the Holy Spear in my left hand. A soft golden light filled the club room. Leona looked bewildered.

“Again?”

“When we crossed over, the concept of mana appeared on Earth and gates started appearing. Isn’t it possible that Earth’s concepts came over here when we crossed back? This Holy Spear was the first to choose time, after all.”

“I agree,” Latina chimed in.

“If concepts from two completely different dimensions are beginning to be shared, the Holy Spear must be the reason. Besides the Holy Spear, it’s impossible to bring concepts from another dimension. No matter how many dimensional gates we create.”

“So what do we do now?”

“What else? We need to check if these are really gates, and if they are, we’ll have to handle them the same way we do on Earth. Nika, are there any gates left in the succubus territory?”

“Yes. We cleared all the ones that appeared near the castle, but they said a new one appeared about an hour ago, and they’re preparing to eliminate it.”

“Let’s go there then.”

“Yes, Master.”

Nika immediately created a dimensional gate in the club room. Through it, we could see the desolate landscape of the demon realm. It had improved somewhat since the succubi had settled in the ruins of the old Demon King’s castle.

“Welcome back, my Queen!”

As soon as we crossed through the dimensional gate, succubi came rushing toward us.

The people around me recoiled at their revealing outfits that somehow made bikinis look modest, and the natural sensuality that permeated their every movement.

“Ah… ahh… My Queen’s master… welcome…”

They were even more disgusted when one succubus looked at me with hearts in her eyes, breathing heavily with excitement, and began rubbing her increasingly wet thighs together.

“Haahh…? Eek, I apologize…”

It didn’t last long. She quickly fled when she saw Nika growling and emanating killing intent beside me. Instead, another succubus approached and bowed her head.

Unlike her nearly naked colleagues, she had no exposed skin except above her neck. She even wore white gloves to cover her hands. They had said they would take special measures to guide us, and this must have been what they meant.

“Have you returned, my Queen?”

“Just guide us quickly.”

“Yes, this way.”

The composed succubus turned around. Nika, still growling at the subordinates who were licking their lips in the distance, followed, and we moved along as well.

Despite Nika’s vigilant presence right beside me, the gazes directed at me never ceased. Being succubi, their priorities between life and lust seemed to be about equal.

“We have arrived.”

The gate was located near the entrance of a forest, slightly away from the succubus castle. It looked much higher grade than those on Earth at first glance.

Far higher than even the S-grade gates that were considered nothing short of calamities for humans on Earth.

“The waves, the amount of mana I’m sensing… it’s several times—no, dozens of times greater than the gates we know. And you said this is the average? If this were the average on Earth, we would have had to completely redefine the grading system.”

Leona, who had been examining the surroundings for a while, reached her conclusion. The succubus who had guided us had already left.

“That powerful?”

“Yes. Remember the Leviathan we caught? If we consider this an S-grade, the gate that spat out the Leviathan would barely be B-grade at best. More importantly, this is the average here. If gates worthy of S-grade here are the standard, then the one that produced the Leviathan wouldn’t even qualify—it’s too weak.”

“Maybe the gates are enhanced because this world has much more abundant mana. The power balance of this world is higher too, but… what should we do, Mira?”

“We have to go in.”

I drew out Eternity. The answer was already decided.

“If this isn’t a temporary phenomenon but a permanent change, we need to consider countermeasures.”

“You mean like establishing a Gate Studies department?”

I was about to ask if she was joking, but I stopped myself.

“You know, we might actually need to do that.”

“Huh? Really? How are you going to convince people?”

Rosaria started to panic at my response. I gently patted her head.

“We have our Saint right here, don’t we?”

“……”

Rosaria’s face went blank as she realized she had dug her own grave.