Ch.66All NPCs Getting Involved (1)

In a burning wasteland where no living being could possibly survive, they existed as if it were the most natural thing.

“Wrath (Ira) is dead.”

“…What?”

When the human-like being with a lion’s mane around his neck, massive bird wings, and a monocle casually remarked this, a man with snake-like pupils who was in the middle of removing his top responded with a bewildered voice.

“How?! Is that even possible?! Wrath, who was summoned to the human continent first and had been gathering power until now, was defeated? By whom?!”

“It’s your fault, Envy (Invidia). You put too much effort into something that was already in a state to cross over. The apostles who survived your failed summoning told Wrath’s apostles about Greed (Avaritia).”

“Ang?!! What were those idiots thinking, going all the way to the [Spirit Demon Realm] to mess things up like that?! And Greed killed Wrath?! Is he really that stupid?!”

“…You’re. Stupid. Too. Ass. hole. At. least. Manage. Your. Own. Apostles. Properly. Yaaawn.”

When the small girl sprawled on a round orb spoke in a languid manner, the snake-like man, Envy, flinched.

She normally found even opening her mouth too bothersome and rarely spoke, only doing so when absolutely necessary. And the fact that she was clearly pointing out his mistake made it worse.

“Munch munch. It was a mistake to entrust Greed to Envy. Munch.”

“Ugh, you pig! Talk while eating moderately. What are you even stuffing your face with now?”

“Can’t you see I’m eating dirt? Munch.”

As a real pig wearing glasses continued to speak while eating something, a woman so beautiful that any man would turn his head to look spoke with irritation.

Of course, neither of them were just a pig and a human—they were the demons of Gluttony (Gula) and Lust (Luxuria).

Yes, the demons gathered here were the Seven Deadly Sins—the worst demons with the highest authority in Hell.

And the reason they had gathered was simple.

“Everyone, quiet.”

-Flinch!!

When the lion-maned, monocled demon, Pride (Superbia), opened his mouth, all the chattering Seven Deadly Sins fell silent.

He was the being who had summoned these worst demons to this place with a single word. That was Pride of the Seven Deadly Sins.

“It’s a bit absurd that Wrath was defeated by Greed, but he was stupid, so it couldn’t be helped.”

“R-right? He was the stupid one, wasn’t he?”

Seeing Envy speak with an effeminate twist, Pride nodded slightly.

“Yes, there’s no denying that he was an idiot. However.”

It seemed like he was defending Envy. But after leaving those words hanging, Pride created a glass in midair, drank something, and looked at Envy with a raised corner of his mouth.

“Didn’t we discuss here that the idiot shouldn’t know about Greed who was already living on the human continent, because he would surely act recklessly if he found out? Isn’t that right?”

“……”

As Envy swallowed hard at Pride’s words, Pride continued with a benevolent expression.

“I don’t intend to hold you responsible. One of the Seven Deadly Sins has died, and we don’t know when a successor will appear. I have no intention of further reducing our numbers from five by betraying Greed as well. Envy, do you understand what I’m saying?”

“…W-what do you want me to do, then?”

Envy asked with a flushed face that looked like he might cry at any moment. He knew what was coming.

When Pride spoke at length like this, defending him before adding something else, it meant he would be held accountable in some way.

And he was right.

“Your summoning to the human realm will be postponed to the very end, and all your remaining apostles of Envy will be transferred to Lust, who is next in line for summoning.”

“W-wait!! We decided on the order a thousand years ago…!!!”

“Shut. Up.”

“…!!!!”

Sacrifice all his apostles to become Lust’s apostles.

In other words, offer them all as sacrifices. Envy cried out in horror, but it was Sloth, not Pride, who silenced him.

However.

“I-I know I made a mistake!! B-but isn’t Lust already in a state where she can be summoned?! R-rather, give them to Gluttony who’s after her…!!!”

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of raising your little ass-lovers. I’ll just suck them all dry and use them properly. Just follow Pride’s orders.”

“F-fuck!! I don’t want to hand over our cute boys to that whore?!!”

“Hah~ I don’t want your shit-stained kids either, okay? I’ll just use them as sacrifices, and that’s it.”

Of all people, a female.

Envy, who envied most the existence of the opposite sex that he wanted to be but could never become, now had to offer everything he had to her. His face reddened with anger, but as his snake-like pupils gradually narrowed, Pride did not remain silent.

[Then, will you give me your heart and take responsibility by disappearing?]

-Flinch!!!

Pride’s single statement, which stopped Envy from continuing to grumble and almost starting a fight, was intense.

Seeing this, Lust smiled slyly and stood up.

“Pride. Can I go now? Since that idiot has increased my workload, I’ll speed up the summoning schedule.”

“Are you properly aware of the situation in Ponia?”

“Of course. Thanks to all the blood that’s been spilled there recently, I could cross over right now if I wanted to. I was just watching the situation a bit because the timing seemed too good, but if I use all of Asshole’s apostles as sacrifices, I can take over completely even if someone artificially created the situation.”

“Eat? What? Is there something tasty there too?”

“Shut your mouth. Pig.”

“Munch.”

After Lust finished speaking, Pride raised the corner of his mouth and slowly nodded.

“Very well. I’ll trust you. Make chaos, despair, and blood flow through the continent. Open the way for me to cross over completely. The confrontation with Greed will be your responsibility again later, Envy, after we’ve all crossed over. That’s the extent of your responsibility. Understood?”

“…Y-yes, I understand.”

Thinking that matters were more or less settled, Lust flashed a seductive smile, spread her massive fly wings wide, and flew up into the sky, returning to her domain.

And then.

“Waaaaaah! Stupid idiot!! Moron!! Why did you have to die?! You were the only male who ever confessed to me!!! I should’ve never rejected you for having a small dick!! I shouldn’t have bragged about something I’d never even seen!! What is this?! Waaah!!!”

In a small fishbowl, the fact that Lust—who had maintained her chastity for 5,000 years(?)—was wailing over losing her only fish was unknown to anyone else.

*

“…Is that true?”

“Yes. It appears that Avaritia, the mayor of Aigram, has indeed fallen into the hands of Princess Ragni.”

“Heh, what kind of magic did ‘that thing’ use?”

The Empire sent an envoy to find Princess Ragni.

They quietly approached Avaritia, the mayor of Aigram, with the Empire’s intention, but Aigram ignored it, saying, ‘There is no such woman in our city.’

The Imperial family, who had planned to bring her back to bear an heir, was blocked from the start.

Of course, they were confident they could subdue Aigram by force, so it wasn’t really such a high wall, but now the situation had changed.

“A demon. The Wrath demon. Does Aigram truly possess the power that defeated one of the Seven Deadly Sins?”

“I regret to say, it’s almost certain.”

Yes, that was the problem.

The Seven Deadly Sins. And it wasn’t just one or two people who saw it—tens of thousands witnessed it. The situation where a demon the size of a mountain moved to crush the city. And even the situation where it disappeared in an instant.

No one knew who killed it or who subjugated it, but Aigram had completely declared that they had eliminated it ‘with their own power,’ and this had become an undeniable truth.

If Aigram truly possessed such military might, it would be difficult for the Empire to pressure them by force. If that power, which had been directed at the demon, were to be turned toward the Empire, who knows how great a sacrifice they would have to make.

If the being who defeated the demon was human, they might have to be prepared to lose several imperial territories.

“…What information do we have about the man by her side?”

“What I’ve told you is all we know, Your Majesty.”

“…What does Ponia say?”

“They absolutely refuse to get involved in this matter, saying that even putting out a warrant for him was their shameful mistake, and they will never be wrong again regarding matters concerning the ‘Mountain Keeper.'”

The Ponian dynasty has now recovered almost all of its lost territories.

At the center of this are said to be the Mountain Keepers—illiterate, uneducated people who live their entire lives in the mountains with beasts and monsters, and die there.

And this, amusingly, is also connected to ‘that thing’—Ragni.

They knew that the man now by Ragni’s side, a Mountain Keeper named Jack, was the first victim to escape from the discrimination against Mountain Keepers that was happening in Ponia.

Therefore, they tried talking to Ponia about having him extradited back, but Ponia flatly refused, saying they had no intention of further disrupting the lives of the Mountain Keepers.

“Your Majesty, I humbly report that perhaps the princess was involved in the subjugation of this demon.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Doesn’t it seem strange? Aigram, which was ravaged without any countermeasures for nearly a full day while the Wrath demon rampaged, prepared ‘tactics and military power’ to defeat it in just a few hours.”

“……”

The Emperor’s face turned pale at his retainer’s words.

What exactly had he given birth to? If it was truly the princess’s work, what would happen if that blade of revenge were to turn back on them?

“…Chancellor.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“As long as ‘that thing’ remains in Aigram, we cannot sleep with both legs stretched out.”

“…Shall we send someone?”

“Yes. Send people who can die or kill without consequence. Tell them to kill everyone around her if necessary.”

“I will obey your command.”

It was no longer about maintaining the imperial bloodline.

She had already strayed too far from the path of humanity. All the retainers understood the Emperor’s decision.

Of course, not a single bit of her power was actually involved in the subjugation of this demon, but the invisible fear directed at the princess, and her actions that seemed to be gathering strength in unseen places, were perceived as nothing but an invisible threat to those sitting comfortably in the Empire.

And meanwhile…

“Huh?”

“What’s wrong? Why are you like that?”

“No, my ear is itchy.”

“Want me to clean your ears?”

“Eh? Really? You’ll clean my ears?!”

“Our Ira is amazingly good at cleaning ears.”

“Yes!! Ragni! Come here! I’ll clean your ears!!”

“…Eh? What’s going on? Why are you both being so nice? Hm? Am I going to die today?”

While they were considered a threat, these people were simply enjoying a leisurely moment together.