Ch.343Chapter 343 – The King’s Command

The resistance fighters under Gabriella were bustling with activity.

Just as they had discussed with Kay’s group, most soldiers, including Gabriella, were scheduled to enter the royal palace that day, so everyone was moving urgently.

While most had already headed toward the palace, some soldiers remained behind to dismantle the camp and organize supplies, planning to retreat slowly over several days. The resistance fighters were thus divided into two groups—those heading to the palace first and those handling supplies—making the camp extremely busy.

As a result, the camp was in chaos.

In one corner amidst it all, Sia was meeting separately with the demon folk.

“Did things go well with Princess Gabriella?”

“Indeed they did.”

Sia answered Gigas’s question.

Then Vanilla followed with another question.

“What about the White Dragon?”

“He plans to depart as early as tonight. I heard one of his companions has already gone ahead, and since future plans have been decided, he said there’s no reason for him to stay any longer.”

They had already said their goodbyes properly.

Even the items received as rewards would be handled by Diana’s soldiers as instructed, so most of the aftermath had been taken care of.

“So Vanilla, Diana asked if you could use warp for them.”

“I don’t mind, but am I the only one who can use it right now?”

“No. Diana has a few warp scrolls. She said movement itself shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Then why ask me…?”

“…She mentioned that scrolls are expensive, so she was wondering if you could do it instead.”

It seemed like a rather petty reason, but considering the value of scrolls, it made sense to save them if possible.

And though they had received support from the Magic Tower, it wasn’t free—I’d already heard that the royal palace would be covering the costs.

Kara had jokingly mentioned something about the sweetness of tax money, but it made sense to save where possible.

Of course, Diana hadn’t gone that far in her request, not wanting to burden them, but Sia had understood her intentions.

“Where is that mage Beatrice?”

“It seems she went ahead separately.”

“So that’s why it’s my turn now.”

Vanilla was clearly bewildered by this revelation.

Sia, having anticipated Vanilla’s reaction, looked quite apologetic.

“Well, it doesn’t really matter anyway.”

Despite their first meeting suggesting they couldn’t be friendly, Vanilla had already developed a sense of camaraderie with them after spending time together and overcoming challenges.

Opening a warp gate was certainly possible, even if it required some effort.

“I’ll open the warp for them, but first I want to confirm what you’re planning to do.”

Vanilla looked directly at Sia as she asked.

Sia nodded immediately and answered.

“I’ll be accompanying the White Dragon.”

Sia spoke firmly.

“I have a contract with the Red Dragon Rubrum. I must protect the Little Goddess until all of Evgenia’s seals are broken.”

“…Is this contract absolute?”

“It’s not absolute, but if I break it, I’ll die.”

At Sia’s words, both Vanilla and Gigas’s expressions changed.

They looked ready to confront the Red Dragon in a life-or-death battle right then and there.

Despite clearly being no match for the Red Dragon, both showed unhesitating hostility toward it.

‘I appreciate it, but…’

Still, the misunderstanding needed to be cleared up.

Sia smiled and said:

“Don’t misunderstand. As you both know, I was severely injured in Albheim. I nearly died from the Demon Lord’s surprise attack.”

The two demons’ expressions changed again as they recalled that time.

Sia continued, still smiling:

“Fortunately, the Red Dragon found me afterward and sealed my power. He said the Demon King’s immense power would be too much for my injured body to handle.”

“…Does that make sense? It’s your own power, isn’t it?”

“Vanilla, as you said, it should have been my power to control regardless of injury. But the situation was special then.”

Sia explained slowly.

Vanilla snapped her fingers and said:

“Because you crossed over from the demon realm.”

“In the heat of battle against such a strong opponent, I didn’t have time to notice.”

Above all, Sia had no choice but to push herself because she needed to help the other demons retreat.

“Right after crossing from the demon realm, my body was unstable, and I wielded great power before it could stabilize. Power that normally wouldn’t kill me became lethal. That’s why Rubrum sealed that power and advised me to focus on stabilizing it.”

“And the price for sealing your power was…”

“As I mentioned earlier, helping the Little Goddess break Evgenia’s seals. That was my contract with him.”

After saying this, Sia added:

“For reference, Rubrum threatened to release the seal and let my power go berserk if I broke the contract.”

“He never makes things easy, does he?”

Vanilla remarked with exasperation.

However, Sia seemed to have a slightly different perspective.

“Looking at it differently, perhaps he wanted to ensure my assistance for the Little Goddess, even if it meant using such methods.”

Sia slowly looked up at the sky.

Vanilla also gazed upward and said:

“…Is it because the Demon King opposes the gods?”

“Perhaps.”

Sia said this while falling into thought.

Watching her, Gigas cleared his throat and quietly said:

“I actually thought Sia was just being stubborn, fighting without using her power out of some incomprehensible pride.”

“Um, Lord Gigas, perhaps you shouldn’t…”

Cusia, who had been listening quietly, spoke up nervously.

Then Sia turned to Gigas with a serious expression:

“But listen. Don’t you think it’s cool to normally hold back your power and then bring it out at crucial moments to overwhelm your opponents?”

“How is that even a question? It’s the dream. Of course it’s cool.”

Gigas, who normally stayed small but grew when using his full power, seemed to empathize with Sia’s statement.

Watching the two of them, Vanilla wore a slightly pained expression.

“…That doesn’t sound like a dream to me… Let’s save this fantasy talk for later.”

“Come on, we haven’t even started.”

“Indeed we haven’t.”

Gigas and Sia both looked slightly disappointed.

But Vanilla, apparently used to this, ignored them and continued:

“Anyway, we should join you on your journey then? I’ll prepare.”

Their place was naturally by the Demon King’s side.

Though the White Dragon had initially been an enemy, he was now practically the Demon King’s reliable ally, so there was no reason to hesitate.

“Besides, the real enemy is that damned being in the sky. If you’re going with the Little Goddess, it’s bound to be difficult and dangerous. And since that White Dragon is practically dying, your burden will increase. Wouldn’t more hands be helpful?”

“We do have a natural worker here.”

“Um, I’m not sure I enjoy being called that…”

Gigas smiled at Cusia.

Cusia’s expression showed uncertainty about whether to feel honored or offended.

“An adventure with this group.”

“It would be fun. We have new companions too.”

Gigas and Vanilla spoke, reminiscing about the time they had traveled through the demon realm with Sia and the other commanders.

Sia looked at them both with warm eyes.

“An adventure with this group.”

It was certainly a nostalgic phrase.

She found herself nodding unconsciously.

However, she was no longer the adventurer of old.

She was the Demon King.

“Regrettably, I must refuse.”

“…Sia?”

Speaking in a more serious tone than usual, Sia caused Vanilla to be slightly taken aback.

But recognizing that this voice belonged not to their old friend Sia but to the Demon King:

The three demons immediately knelt on one knee and awaited Sia’s words.

“In the name of the Demon King, I have a command for you.”

“We humbly listen.”

Vanilla said respectfully.

Sia nodded and continued:

“You shall remain here. Follow Princess Gabriella and establish a refuge.”

“By refuge, you mean…?”

“A place to accommodate demon folk.”

Sia explained.

“A place to accommodate demons who flee from the Demon Lord’s attacks because they refused to side with him. I command you to establish such a place here.”

“…With all due respect, in order to do that…”

Vanilla spoke carefully.

Already knowing what Vanilla was about to say, Sia looked down at her quietly and replied:

“We have already completed all discussions.”

“With Princess Gabriella, Your Majesty?”

“Yes.”

Sia said.

“Because you fought alongside the resistance here, they regard you as comrades and have agreed to turn a blind eye to moderate demons gathering here.”

“It’s not free, I assume.”

“In exchange, you are to help with some matters in Florence or the kingdom once you’ve recovered.”

Vanilla nodded.

It was a reasonable proposal, if anything.

No one would simply give away their country’s land without getting something in return.

They were being used, but with their forces practically disbanded, they had little to offer.

At least their usefulness had allowed them to secure such a concession.

In that sense, Princess Gabriella had indeed made a significant concession.

But a slightly different issue remained.

“…In Your Majesty’s view, is Princess Gabriella trustworthy?”

The issue of trust.

If it were just the two of them, it might not matter, but if they were to accept other demons in the future, they needed solid grounds for trust.

Even if they trusted the Demon King, they needed to know the basis for that trust.

So Vanilla asked, and Sia quietly answered:

“It might be wise not to trust her unconditionally. Though I believe she is a good person, as someone ascending to the throne, she cannot solely accommodate our convenience.”

However, Sia quietly added:

“On the other hand, it’s clear she doesn’t want to upset the White Dragon, the Little Goddess, and myself, potentially making us future enemies.”

“Does she know your identity?”

“She’s quite perceptive, so she might have noticed and is pretending not to know.”

Sia thought she might have figured it out, especially since she hadn’t questioned Sia when discussing demon-related matters.

“Whether she knows my identity or not, when I spoke with her, I detected no signs of deception or intention to betray. And.”

“You calculate that even if the promise falls through, we could easily overturn the situation.”

Sia nodded at Vanilla’s words.

“They don’t know how strong you two are when you draw out your full power.”

Though they had exerted their power to the maximum during this battle, they couldn’t maintain it long due to their injuries.

As Sia said, Gabriella hadn’t seen Vanilla and Gigas’s full power.

Therefore, Sia believed these two could overturn any situation even if all promises were broken.

‘Of course, if they are betrayed by Princess Gabriella, I won’t stand idle either.’

At the same time, Sia didn’t believe Princess Gabriella would lie or arbitrarily break her promises.

She might try to twist things slightly in her favor, but Vanilla would be able to handle that well.

Knowing her subordinates would never be one-sidedly taken advantage of, Sia could proceed with her plans without hesitation.

“I shall continue my orders. Vanilla will be in charge, with Gigas assisting her. Cusia will also help them both to accommodate demons fleeing from the Demon Lord as inconspicuously as possible.”

“Understood.”

“You will enter the palace tomorrow to discuss with Princess Gabriella which land to use and how to maintain the plan. If they show any suspicious behavior, immediately leave and inform me.”

After saying this, Sia exhaled slightly and continued:

“Also, Serious’s whereabouts are currently unknown. She may be within Florence or the kingdom, so if she targets your lives, you two must work together to respond.”

“Yes.”

“If Serious attacks, prioritize subduing her, but if that proves impossible, eliminate her without hesitation. And if she expresses a desire to surrender…”

Sia thought for a moment before answering:

“Then protect her first and investigate all her actions. When everything is over, she will be put on trial.”

“If treason is confirmed, do we behead her?”

At Gigas’s question, Sia shook her head:

“I will pass judgment myself. If she is cooperative, keep her alive and unharmed until then.”

“Yes.”

Sia was giving orders to prepare for any contingency.

And then:

“I shall also give you my most important command.”

Sia spoke quietly:

“Prioritize your survival above all else. Your survival is the light of the demon realm. Remember that your existence is essential for the inhabitants of the demon realm to live safely on this blue earth.”

“We will not disappoint you.”

The three demons knelt as they accepted the command.

“…That is all I have to command. And…”

Sia sighed lightly and spoke quietly:

“…In truth, I wanted to adventure with you all.”

“Your Majesty.”

“I mean it.”

Sia’s blue eyes turned toward the demons.

Seeing the concern in her eyes, Vanilla and Gigas quietly nodded.

“We feel the same.”

“And we knew.”

With those words from the two, Sia smiled slightly.

“I entrust the aftermath to you.”

“Leave it to us.”

Seeing Vanilla return to her friendly tone, Sia smiled.

Vanilla quietly folded her hands and said:

“May the Demon God’s blessing be with the King.”

“May the Demon God watch over you all.”

Sia wished for her companions’ well-being.

+

After finishing the conversation with Princess Gabriella, while Sia took the demons aside to talk:

I was briefly summoned by Eve.

“What’s going on?”

“There’s a matter that requires Kay’s judgment.”

That’s unexpected.

When it came to organizing supplies or goods, that was Eve’s specialty.

In many cases, her judgment was better than mine, so I had delegated such matters to her.

It was quite rare for her to explicitly state that my judgment was needed.

And as if reading my thoughts, Eve said:

“I’ve already sorted out everything else. I’ve spoken with Lady Diana about what to do with the rewards and where to send them.”

“And you still need my judgment?”

“Yes.”

Eve continued to guide me as she spoke.

Diana’s soldiers must have worked extremely hard, as many boxes were stacked inside one tent.

They appeared to be supplies originally used by the resistance.

“There were also some jewelry items, though not many. They must have been Princess Gabriella’s personal belongings.”

“I see.”

It seemed the princess had jewelry and gems for adornment, as expected of royalty.

I wondered if taking those was going too far.

“Princess Gabriella offered them first. She said they could be exchanged for travel expenses in emergencies, so I accepted.”

Since large amounts were sometimes exchanged using valuable jewelry instead of gold or silver coins, Eve had apparently accepted the jewelry for that purpose.

“That’s a shame.”

“Oh my, Kay. Are you interested in jewels?”

“…I can’t say I’m completely uninterested.”

Because it’s money.

I can’t say I have no interest.

But that wasn’t what I had in mind.

“I was just thinking Eve, Sera, Chris, Beatrice, and Sia might look nice wearing them when dressing up.”

“Oh my.”

Eve looked at me with a surprised smile.

Thinking about it, these were jewels worn by a princess.

The resistance must have selected them carefully, so they’re probably quite nice.

I’d have to see them in person to know for sure, but the mention of jewelry brought that thought to mind.

“How thoughtful of you to consider me even at a time like this.”

“Sure.”

Though I had actually included everyone in our group, I decided not to correct Eve’s assumption.

It was true that I had thought of her too.

“But you didn’t call me just for that, did you?”

Jewelry and gems are Eve’s domain as a merchant, and no one in our group is particularly interested in adorning themselves with jewels.

In other words, Eve could dispose of the jewelry however she saw fit.

As I expected, Eve nodded and said:

“Yes. I called you for another item.”

“It’s right here,” she said, guiding me.

And in the middle of the tent used as a storage area:

I saw an item placed inside a rather heavy-looking box.

“You’re here.”

Diana, who seemed to be guarding the box, greeted me.

I returned her greeting and asked:

“Lady Diana, why are you here?”

“Because of this item, of course. I need to give instructions to my subordinates after seeing it first.”

So that’s why Diana was here.

“Look. You need to decide what to do with it.”

“Alright.”

I nodded and looked at the item inside.

And upon seeing it:

I quietly called its name.

“…Dragon Slayer.”

The sword that Idea had wielded.

The sword with the property of absorbing magical power.

That sword lay there, broken in two.