“Gotcha!” (Lay)
At point-blank range, Ray perfectly anticipated Rouche’s magic sword as she swung it. Leaving a gap of no less than a few millimeters, her blade cut through nothing but air.
By that time, the unique sword he drew with his left hand had been plunged into Luche’s heart.
“Kh…! Argh…!” (Luche)
Luche gripped his unique sword with her left hand.
However, she didn’t have enough strength left to do anything about it.
“…This sword, and that technique… How…? That was Shin-sama’s—…” (Luche)
When Lay pulled his unique sword out of her, Luche collapsed on the spot.
I released the <Illusion Mimicry Lynel> and <Concealed Magic Power Najila> spells that I had cast on myself.
Then I cast <Apparent Death Indol> on all of the guards, and burned them with <Black Burning Flame Griad>.
Now they wouldn’t be able to interfere for a while.
“Lay, got to the Ceremonial Room. I’m sure you’ll run into numerous guards, but don’t hold anything back. Because the demons from two thousand years ago won’t die so easily.” (Anos)
“Will do.” (Lay)
At the intersection ahead, Lay headed for the west wing where the Ceremonial Room was located.
As for Rina and I, we went straight down the main building to the Throne Room.
Demon soldiers gathered in front of us.
There were about forty-seven of them.
As one would expect from the proximity of the throne room, they were all the cream of the crop, all demons from two thousand years ago.
“You damn misfit, don’t even think we’ll let you get past us!” (Demon solider A)
“Kill him! Get rid of that lowly half-breed who dares to oppose Our Lord!” (Demon soldier B)
A ‘lowly half-breed’, huh.
“Hmm. But I don’t think you guys are royals either, though.” (Anos)
When I said that, a demon whose eyes widened in anger retorted.
“We’ve been granted the honorary status of royalty by Avos Dilhevia-sama!” (Demon soldier A)
“We’re nothing like you, you filthy misfit!” (Demon soldier B)
With a sigh, I glared at them.
“Fools.” (Anos)
At that word, they shuddered and shriveled up.
“Take a good look at my face. Look into my abyss with your two Magic Eyes. If you still don’t realize who I am, once this battle is over, you’ll be fired. Then you may go wherever you wish.” (Anos)
They were about to deploy their magic circles when they suddenly lost all strength and looked at me with their Magic Eyes.
“Don’t make me ask you twice. Are you sure I’m a misfit?” (Anos)
The demons’ expressions twisted, as if in confusion.
“…G—…Great… Demon King…? No…” (Demon soldier A)
“This can’t be true… I…” (Demon soldier B)
“I’ve always been serving Avos Dilhevia-sama… for the past… two thousand years…?” (Demon soldier C)
“What the hell… is this…? I don’t understand… My head… hurts…!” (Demon soldier C)
The demons pressed their own heads, as if they were seized by unbearable pain.
A thick darkness filled with magic power suddenly floated up behind them and covered their heads.
“Guh… GUUUAAHH…!” (Demon soldiers)
They pulled out their demon swords, as if possessed by something.
“…Ch–… Charge! Kill him…!!” (Demon soldier A)
“Hmm. You did well resisting it. Here’s your reward.” (Anos)
I snapped my fingers.
At that moment, all forty-seven demons were wrapped in the flames of <Hell Flame Annihilation Mortar Jio Graze>, and fell to their knees.
“Stay here for the moment. I’ll put you guys out of your misery soon.” (Anos)
Leaving my scorched subordinates behind, we proceeded onward.
Eventually, the door to the Throne Room came into view.
『Rina, you stay here and wait for your cue. I’ll put up magic and anti-magic barriers around you. As long as you don’t move, you won’t risk dying.』(Anos)
『Okay.』(Rina)
I released magic power from my finger, and opened the door.
When I walked in, the Spirit King was there, wearing jet-black armor and a mask.
He was sitting on the throne, looking at me calmly.
“At last we meet, Avos Dilhevia.” (Anos)
As soon as I said that, her <Illusion Mimicry Lynel> spell came undone.
The one who appeared after that was Avos Dilhevia, clad in a cloak.
When she took off her mask, it vanished into particles of magic power.
“Correct. How impressive of you to see through my disguise.” (Avos)
Avos Dilhevia smiled as she brushed up her long, navy-blue hair.
“It was neither a trick nor a gimmick. All you did was use <Equal Division Source Fusion Je Deschesis>, right? You and Nosgalia bisected your own sources and fused each halves together. So the one standing here until now was both Avos Dilhevia and Nosgalia.” (Anos)
That’s what the latter did when I tested my luck on the staircases of Guniel.
“The moment either Lay or I showed up here, your <Equal Division Source Fusion Je Deschesis> spell would be undone, and both of your sources would be back to normal. If I showed up, you would turn back into Avos Dilhevia, and if Lay showed up, you would turn back into Nosgalia.” (Anos)
Avis Dilhevia sported a carefree smile.
“That way, you’d be able to face whoever you wanted to fight.” (Anos)
“Indeed. Just like all of your destinies are carved in stone, I hold everything in the palm of my hand.” (Avos)
When she said that, my voice leaked out.
“Heh… Hehehe… Hahahaha! As always, you say the kind of things only a fraud would say.” (Anos)
As I laughed, Avos Dilhevia addressed me condescendingly.
“Oh my, are we being a sore loser now? Or are you saying that you intended for the Hero Kanon to fight Nosgalia?” (Avos)
“Hmm. Are you sure you were born from my legend? Don’t tell me you let yourself be influenced by some foolish folklore about royalty supremacy to the point that even your brain has become a joke.” I said to Avos Dilhevia, who wasn’t losing her composure.
“Don’t you agree with me, Lay?” (Anos)
Footsteps echoed from behind me.
It was Lay, who passed through the door and showed himself.
“If you made it so that you’d undeniably face the one you wanted to fight, then of course Avos Dilhevia would be the one to appear before me. After all, you’re the order of my destruction.” (Anos)
There was a possibility that Shin would’ve been the one to show up first, but either way, Avos Dilhevia would’ve appeared before me.
“If that’s the case, then there’s no need for him and I to split up, is there?” (Anos)
After I confirmed the appearance of the fake Demon King, all I had to do was call Lay.
“Oh my, so that’s what you did. Which means that the Kanon who headed for the Ceremonial Room was a fake made with part of his sources, wasn’t he?” (Avos)
When Lay had that flashy standoff with Luche, he had already duplicated himself.
The real Lay, who kept four of his sources, came here with me while remaining concealed under the <Illusion Mimicry Lynel> spell.
The idea was to make it look like we split up, just like the enemy wanted.
“Though it was a fake, it still carried three of my sources. So it looked pretty much like the real deal. It’s not capable of retrieving my unique sword, though…” (Lay)
Lay drew a magic circle, and the Sword of Three Races, which the fake Lay was holding on to, was summoned here from across the distance.
Any barrier created by a demon was useless against this holy sword, which was made to destroy the Demon King.
“Well, Avos Dilhevia. Since you have such tight control over the situation, I suppose this was also within your expectations, wasn’t it?” (Anos)
