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It’s a bit shocking, but we entered a lodging facility in District 23 of the underwater city Belselphia, guided by Francis Bacon.

“This is… an inn?”

It looks like accommodation, but its shape resembles the cabin of a ship at sea.

“This is… could it be?”

“That’s right. It’s a shower facility. Once you step inside, you can control the hot water, so you can wash up. Um, if you press that button, something like soap bubbles comes out, and you can use that to wash your hair or body.”

Teaching Bacon how to shower in a restroom must’ve been a struggle for him, but it couldn’t be helped.

“The Sorceress of Crimson Lotus. Is it really that shocking to have a name like Belselphia here?”

“It’s not that shocking…”

It is shocking.

Naming a city after a person’s initials, what in the world was Celcius thinking when she did this?

Moreover, what is with the title? Ma’am? Offspring?

“I’m grateful that you’ve gathered the remaining forces of the Demon King’s army, but this is too much.”

Contextually, it seems that after my death, most of the Demon King’s army got absorbed into this underground city.

Like Francis Bacon, many races seem to have evolved into the typical appearance of the underwater city.

In what is often referred to as ‘handsome.’

Unlike the rough and savage monsters outside, those inside all fit the image of people in black suits.

Evolution.

The entire race underwent significant changes in appearance over 500 years, which came as a huge shock to me.

Just placing a wig on the head of an Imp turns it into an Elf.

No matter how long 500 years have passed, how is such evolution even possible?

“That’s Celcius’s preference.”

She must have guided the transformation of those here over hundreds of years.

“The water here is all safe freshwater. It’s no different from the water on the surface. If anything, it’s cleaner and safer. There should be significantly fewer microorganisms.”

“Microorganisms? What in the world are those?”

“You don’t need to know. Just drink it. It’s safe water.”

Even the water I drink is imbued with Celcius’s blessing.

If I collected the water here and brought it to the surface, I could sell it to nobles as purified water from the Spirit Spring.

“Then let’s rest here for a day, and I’ll greet you again in the morning.”

“Wait a moment, Francis.”

I called out to Francis, who was about to leave.

“What is it? Do you need another explanation? For the usage of the facility, you can refer to the instructions and manual inside…”

“I’d like to meet Lady Celcius first.”

“…….”

We have a meeting with Celcius scheduled for tomorrow morning.

It was also Celcius who ordered us to be brought here.

Knowing she was a Water Spirit, I thought she’d minimize her interference in the city, but unexpectedly, she was heavily involved.

“Though Lady Celcius said to meet in the morning…”

“Please tell her that I have urgent matters to confirm regarding the Demon King.”

“…….”

Before talking with my companions, I need to speak with her first.

That way, I can avoid revealing that I am Belphegor.

“Master, isn’t that dangerous?”

“It’s fine. If it gets dangerous, I’ll call for you, so come running right away.”

“Understood!”

Lucius pounded his chest confidently while I stepped outside and pointed to the city center at Francis.

“Please convey this. There’s a reason I must meet her.”

“I can relay it, but… just a moment. Yes, understood.”

Francis grabbed his name tag and said something before quickly pointing to the high ‘tower’ in the city center.

“They’ve been instructed to bring you.”

“How…?”

“Lady has her eyes and ears everywhere in this city. No, anywhere there’s water, she can see.”

Well.

Since I activated the Spirit Device Celcius, she might have been watching me all along.

If the one who awakened the Spirit Device looks suspiciously familiar, and now claims to be the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus, she would definitely take an interest.

“I’ll guide you. Please follow me.”

“Um.”

I followed Francis toward the central tower.

It resembled the place that used to be the Demon King’s castle.

*

At the moment the Sage Bel headed toward the enormous central tower alone.

Lucius was left alone in the room.

Francis Bacon, fearing that having grown men and women sharing the same room could be problematic, had separated our party into three different rooms.

A room for Rosmas, Droniel, and Yan.

A room for Hero Lucius.

A room for Sage Bel.

Once we were sent to our respective quarters, our group was locked up.

We could exit through the hallway and visit others’ rooms, but if we tried to go down the corridor, we were immediately blocked by towering green muscled Orcs.

Correction.

Not Elves.

In this place that defies common sense, even the Orcs had evolved to look as stunning as the surface Elves, to the point where just one of them on the surface could be revered as a ‘Green Elf.’

“…….”

Lucius examined himself in the shower room mirror.

He appeared flawless, brimming with confidence in himself. Yet somehow, Lucius still felt he lacked self-confidence.

“…Is it because my standards are too high?”

It must be.

Lucius glanced at his reflection multiple times, pounding his chest in self-affirmation.

“Um, you’re doing fine. You’re definitely doing well.”

After praising himself, Lucius hastily wrapped a towel around his waist and stood in front of the mirror again.

“How did you say to use this?”

According to Francis, cosmetics aren’t just for women.

Even as a Hero, basic skincare should be done; otherwise, it would diminish the opportunity to charm the opposite sex. Francis had given him something called ‘all-in-one’ and left.

“…So just applying this one thing should make a difference.”

Lucius carefully placed the white, sticky, transparent liquid in a glass container into his palm.

“This should be given to the Master.”

After staring at it for a while, Lucius ultimately gave up on applying it to his face.

Instead.

“…….”

Slowly, he started applying the lotion to the back of his hand.

Very slowly.

*

A little later.

I arrived at the top floor of the blue tower by taking the elevator.

“…….”

There was no one on the top floor.

There was no one to assist Celcius, not even a servant to manage the highest floor.

Only the icy stairs leading further up remained.

I steadied my mind and climbed the stairs.

If Celcius had allied with Asydia, I would immediately eliminate her.

But if it was just a matter of retrieving my army, I should greet her, although the discomfort stemming from the name Belselphia made me feel a bit uneasy.

Celcius.

What on earth are you…

As I reached the top of the stairs, a familiar sight unfolded before me.

‘The Blue Demon Castle.’

When I had conquered the human kingdom and transformed it into the Demon Castle, the throne room where the Demon Lord’s throne stood was recreated in blue, which made me feel dizzy.

I had always known, but to this level, it can easily rival that wretched Zephar.

“The Sorceress of Crimson Lotus. Bel.”

“…Huh?”

I heard a voice.

A familiar yet alien voice.

The problem was that this voice did not belong to the Celcius I knew.

“It’s been a while. I didn’t think I’d see you again, descendant of the ancients. I thought you would… wait a moment.”

“Wow.”

Before me stood.

“You’re… not the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus, are you?”

It was me.

Demon Lord Belphegor, the version of myself that had been active in the form of a human to bring the faith of the Moon Goddess to me.

“What on earth are you?”

“You.”

“Me? Hah, how dare you speak so freely to me. After impersonating the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus, are you now going to insult the Water Spirit too?”

“Impersonation is what you’re doing.”

“…….”

Celcius frowned.

While the color was different, it was still my face, my body from 500 years ago staring back at me, making it hard to put into words.

To be specific…

“Why are you mimicking my body like this?”

“……Bel?”

“Yeah. It’s Bel.”

For the first time in the Intermediate Realm, I revealed my true identity, but what a disturbing coming out this was.

“The owner of the body you’re currently copying, Demon Lord Belphegor. Defeated 500 years ago by a Hero wielding Ascalon and summoned back to the Demon World, only to be summoned back to the Intermediate Realm.”

I pointed my staff toward Celcius.

“Are you my enemy?”

If she is an enemy.

I will kill her.

“…I am your enemy.”

Celcius smiled broadly.

Her spine-chilling smile seemed to mock me, sending chills down my spine.

“How could I be your enemy? My lovable Bel. This is destiny.”

“What?”

“I knew you’d come to know that I had your body and that I was now in a woman’s form, right? I know. Hmm. It’s fine. Even if I was in a woman’s body back then, I’m in a man’s body now. I’m not one to be hung up on such things.”

Celcius stood from her throne and started walking towards me.

“Was it because you were male back then that you thought you failed? So now you’re going to try to dominate the Intermediate Realm as a woman? Hmm, I understand. It’s hard to walk the path once you’ve failed in the past.”

“Do you think I failed because I was a man back 500 years ago?”

“Isn’t it?”

Celcius shrugged, looking at me as if I were asking something obvious.

“The Wind Hero who pierced your heart. The reason she tried to kill you was all because you were a man.”

“…….”

“In the end, you died, though.”

“…Ah, right.”

Digging up painful memories, but it’s undoubtedly the truth.

“A Demon Lord can have multiple women, yet to stab me just because I had a child with one of them, how foolish.”

The death of Demon Lord Bel Phegor.

The secret entwined within it.

“Right. You ultimately chose the women you designated, and the one who bore your child couldn’t accept it. So foolishly.”

That is.

“I was shocked when the woman who had your child appeared right in front of me.”

“…….”

“But it’s also your fault? You started thinking about keeping this woman and that woman, and thus you were stabbed. You understand?”

A tragic romance.

 

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