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To capture the Dragon Tail, we finished our simple preparations and headed to the frontline.

There wasn’t much to prepare.

The Anari Principality was already fully prepared, and we just had to follow their lead.

“Please board the carriage. I will guide you to Dragon Tail shortly.”

“What about you, Magic King?”

“I need to go as well. For the operation, I personally need to set things up.”

Endymion had decided to take care of everything.

All we had to do was get into the carriage, while he managed all the logistics for combat and fortification supplies.

In fact, it was a situation where we just had to show up and fight before returning.

We would win, but there was one problem.

“Is there nothing to discuss?”

“…….”

On the way there.

Endymion climbed into the carriage with me.

“Are we sharing the carriage…? Why?”

“I wish to discuss magic a bit. Ah, Saintess, is that okay?”

“What are you going to do with the Master…?”

“I’d like to have an in-depth discussion about the laws of thermodynamics. Have you ever heard of MC, Square?”

“…Master, are you alright?”

“If you’re curious, do you want to join the discussion?”

“Oh, no. I’m fine.”

Lucius looked at Endymion with narrowed eyes, almost to the point of losing his expression, but I managed to divert Lucius’s attention to a topic he found distasteful, allowing them to ride together.

“Are you worried he’ll find out? Don’t worry. There’s a barrier set up here. Neither magically nor scientifically will the sounds from this room escape outside. Even if it’s the Hero of the Holy Sword.”

“…Are you certain?”

“Of course. If our conversation here reaches that hero over there? Then I’ll become your lifetime slave. Even though this carriage looks simple, it’s thoroughly soundproofed.”

“…Haa. If it wasn’t, I would’ve jumped out halfway.”

In the end, I was stuck riding in the carriage with Endymion, trying to have a word when suddenly I found myself alone with him.

“So, what do you want to talk about?”

“About the world after Satan.”

“This is the last time I’m helping you, Mammon.”

I cut him off before Mammon could say anything, and Mammon nodded as if he had expected it.

“Of course. I have no intention of continually relying on your help either.”

The journey to Dragon Tail isn’t very far.

Although there wasn’t much time to chat, I thought it necessary to cover some topics before we arrived.

“I will research science, magic, and alchemy based in the Anari Principality. And someday, I will open a path to the Demon World.”

“Are you trying to conquer the Intermediate Realm like Satan?”

“Victory doesn’t always require violence and power. There will be a technological revolution, and we will win based on overwhelming science. For example…”

Mammon chuckled and pointed at the sky.

“By simply pushing a finger down, we can make a weapon that calls meteors to fall from up there in the night sky.”

“……That’s amazing.”

“It seems somewhat soulless, though. Are you taking it lightly?”

“No, it just makes me think how convenient it would’ve been if such a thing existed 500 years ago.”

It exists.

When creating, there are often brilliant ideas.

Whether organized, written down, or just kept in mind, those brilliant concepts remain in some form.

However, before implementing them, something similar might already exist.

If you create something that didn’t exist before, that’s an invention.

If you uncover something already there, then that’s a discovery.

Mammon’s concept falls into the realm of discovery, but there’s no need to crush his motivation.

“I’m not going to live with this guy helping each other for life.”

Just how far will this joint front reach?

After we defeat the being known as Satan, who possesses the Holy Sword, what should our relationship become?

At least, it’s a bit awkward to claim we’re allies.

It’s merely a relationship established by having a common enemy in Satan; that’s about it.

“Once we defeat Satan, it’s goodbye. No backstabbing. Got it?”

“I understand. I don’t know how your hero will act, but I’m not sure if revealing your identity will land you in favor with me.”

“Lucius? My ally? Ha, that’s ridiculous.”

That’s nonsense.

“Knowing I’m the Demon King Belphegor, you think I won’t be killed? That’s truly absurd. Have you lost your mind after spending a little time in the Intermediate Realm? Or do you not understand the extent of the harm I’ve caused here?”

“…That was 500 years ago. Is the hero Lucius from 500 years ago?”

“Oh, come on. Even so, that’s not how it works. The moment you hear the name Belphegor, it’s an expression of dread—a name one shouldn’t utter freely in this world.”

The fear is real, but perhaps it’s also the remnants of what Belphegor left in this world that frightens them.

Nevertheless, that fear won’t allow Lucius to leave me alone.

“Lucius is merely my disciple. He’s just a pawn I’m using while hiding my identity as a Demon Lord. I maintain a good relationship until I achieve my goal, just like the relationship we have.”

“…You seem unexpectedly clueless about this aspect?”

“What?”

“Never mind. One day, if you end up stabbed by Lucius’s Holy Sword, you’ll surely recall our conversation here today.”

“What, like a flashback? Give me a break.”

Clunk.

“Well, fine. At least you won’t hinder me this time, so don’t backstab me either.”

“Instead, you should be the one not hindering me.”

“What?”

“Ugh, I really wanted to say that once.”

“…….”

Accepted.

Creak.

Before I knew it, we had arrived at our destination.

The carriage itself was fast, but the travel time to Dragon Tail certainly wasn’t long.

“I will deactivate the barrier, Sorceress of Crimson Lotus.”

“…Understood.”

The conversation between the Demon Lord and Demon King has concluded.

Now it’s the turn of the Magic King and the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus to take action.

“Can you feel it? The number of enemies.”

“At least two thousand orcs. It seems they’ve subjugated the demon race around these mountains.”

Through the air, through mana, and… through the magic radar that Mammon gave me, I was already aware of the enemy count.

Clunk.

“Master!”

“Lucius. And everyone, did you have a good conversation? We’re going to face the demon race now.”

“We’re ready.”

Lucius fiddled with his ring, but I reached out and pressed on the ring.

“No, this time you can’t use it.”

“…What?”

“Just hold on a bit. You’ll get to use it soon anyway.”

“……Understood.”

Ignoring Lucius’s complicated look, I pointed ahead to my companions.

“There are about two thousand orcs over there. There should be an officer of the Demon King’s Army commanding them, if not a commander. They seem to have noticed our movements and sent a vanguard.”

“Should we step in?”

Yan stepped forward and created a lance glowing with Divine Power.

“It seems the time for the Order of the Crescent Moon Goddess to take action against the Demon King’s Army is now.”

“Right. It should be, but we will receive support from the Anari Principality’s forces.”

“…The principality’s support is—”

“Five thousand soldiers. That’s all.”

That’s a surprisingly small number for the principality’s troops.

Even barely against the Demon King’s Army—only five thousand?

The enemy has at least a hundred thousand.

Those two thousand orcs over there are just subdivisions at best in the Demon King’s Army.

But we can win.

We only need to occupy Dragon Tail and hold our ground.

“Yan, move to the front with firepower, and Droniel and Rosmas will support him by taking down the enemies. Lucius, you’ll assist from the back while swinging your iron sword. Got it?”

“Understood. What about you, Master…?”

“The Sorceress of Crimson Lotus will be teaming up with me.”

“…What?”

Before Mammon’s words could finish, Lucius’s eyes widened.

He’s likely worried about whether Mammon can truly protect me—whether he can do it better than the Hero of the Holy Sword.

“Are you providing magic support from the rear?”

“No. I’m going to charge at the frontlines. It’s my belief that rather than risking injury with the minimum troops, it’s better for someone with overwhelming strength to step forth and crush the enemy without harm.”

“Are you saying you’re going to directly confront the orc horde? Excuse me, Magic King…!”

“Lucius.”

I stepped in front of Lucius and lightly punched his chest.

“It’s fine. I need to blow off some steam.”

“…Steam?”

“Yeah. Well… I’m joking. The real reason is that the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus needs a chance to show her prowess.”

The Sorceress of Crimson Lotus Bel is alive.

Sending a warning to Satan holds the greatest significance.

“So I’ll go ahead first. Got it?”

“You mean how will you fly—”

“No.”

Clop, clop.

“I’m taking this.”

Two military horses rushed from a distance.

On the sturdy white horse, armored with steel over its snow-white fur…

“…Magic King, why does this horse have a horn on its head?”

“Because it’s a unicorn.”

“A unicorn?”

“Yes.”

Mammon grinned and sent the unicorn my way.

“Now, hop on. Ah, can you ride—”

“Of course.”

I lightly hopped onto the saddle.

“Magic King, surely you didn’t bring a unicorn and can’t ride it, right?”

“…Hmph.”

Mammon also quickly mounted the unicorn.

The horn in front was a bit bothersome, but surely the unicorn would run faster than a regular horse.

“I won’t forgive you for lagging behind, Magic King.”

“That refers to your horse, Witch.”

Swish.

As soon as I grabbed the reins, the unicorn dashed forward.

…What’s this?

Why do I feel eyes glaring at me from behind…?

 

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