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“Ah, my leg is numb.”

This is a prison.

Since I am inside a prison, I couldn’t use my mana recklessly, and because of that, I had to keep physical activity to a minimum with this dead body.

‘It was really comfortable when I was with Lucius.’

I remember the first time I traveled with Lucius.

– Magic stone.

– Here it is, Master.

Lucius brought me the magic stones immediately whenever I wanted them.

Of course, it wasn’t stealing; it was legitimate compensation obtained by defeating goblins, orcs, and other creatures along the way, and through those magic stones, I could feel that I was alive day by day.

‘This is dangerous.’

Did I come over to this body for no reason?

The core inside my heart, in this body, belongs to me.

If my mana runs out while trapped in the empire’s prison, then at that time, I’ll have no choice but to possess an object and figure out some way.

If that happens, this flesh will decay, leading to the conclusion that ‘the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus has died.’

‘I can’t let Bel experience such humiliation.’

Even if I’m not Bel, or if this body isn’t Bel, I cannot create a situation where ‘the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus decays into an undead body due to depleted mana.’

‘Coming with my main body was certainly a risky choice.’

When I was first captured.

After briefly asking for time, I had a chance to change my hair color to red and sneak in as Beelzebub or Leviathan.

Hair color could easily be changed through dyeing magic, and although that would deplete my mana a bit more, my main body would be safe.

Yet, the reason I insisted on coming here with my main body is because it’s dangerous.

‘How could I leave the Demon King’s magic core, which I obtained with so much effort, in such a dangerous place?’

If a clone of mine with Beelzebub or Leviathan’s magic core crossed over, my main body would have been safe.

However, if the magic cores of Leviathan and Beelzebub run out of mana, they would simply be left ignored, and the empire would analyze those cores and claim them as their own.

That would be like breaking my promise with the two and abandoning them.

No matter how poorly my relationship is with the other Demon Kings, I at least have that level of conscience.

Even though I’m in a crisis.

I also have the ability to overcome this crisis and escape!

‘Still, I would like to live a bit more comfortably.’

Unlike when there were an abundance of magic stones, I must now conserve as much mana as possible that remains in the magic core.

Most of the magic stones I obtained while dealing with the Demon King’s army were sent for political maneuvers in the Anari Principality, used for equipment for Spartan heroes, or for the development of Mammon.

The amount of magic stones I absorbed cannot be considered much.

I didn’t completely absorb them, but because I detached the magic core for Beelzebub and Leviathan’s operations, my main body’s mana has decreased as well.

About two months.

When I act with the minimum mana needed to keep this body from decaying, I can last for two months.

– Free my Master!

– The charges have not been proven yet! Hero, go and fight the Demon King’s army!

If they want to keep me locked up not just for temporary detention but to gain an advantage against the Demon King’s army.

– If you truly want to get your Master back, go immediately and deal with the Demon King’s army!

– But this place is without the Demon King, isn’t it!

– But it’s under imperial territory. How dare you! The Hero!

And if they intend to use Lucius.

‘I wonder if Belbiathan can really support me properly.’

Belbiathan is also me.

But unlike my typical clones, there’s a slight blend of Leviathan’s traits.

It’s hard to express it in words, but while based on me, Leviathan’s personality might have some influence.

Me with Leviathan’s traits.

…It worries me, but there’s nothing I can do here.

Before being Leviathan, I have to trust the Belphegor side of me.

‘Just like always.’

Just as I had brought countless clones to ruin and obliterate the Hero Party in the past.

I can trust and leave it to myself.

Beelzebub?

Aside from her queen bee temperament, I’m not particularly worried.

With Mammon by her side, she would control Mammon well and work hard to resolve the political issues while leading the Spartan heroes.

What truly worries me is me.

Me, who cannot secure magic stones right now.

My body quickly decaying and rotting until only a skeleton remains, squeezing the last bits of mana left in the magic core to move elsewhere.

…There’s nothing else I’m worried about.

To overcome this situation.

Someone high-ranking needs to come and—

Creeeak.

In the distance, I hear the sound of a lock opening at the solitary confinement cell of this underground prison.

I closed my eyes and maintained as much calm as possible, and soon the corridor began to light up.

“Traitor of Humanity.”

“…….”

The judge who will pass judgment on me, along with the foreign minister who arrested me, stood before me.

“…So you’re saying the traitor of humanity doesn’t acknowledge this, meaning you won’t answer? Fine. Sorceress of Crimson Lotus, Bel.”

“What’s going on?”

“Follow me.”

“What are you asking me to follow you for?”

“……It’s better than rotting here.”

“Um.”

They still don’t know that I’m undead.

While the expression of simply rotting means sitting here motionless, it’s quite literal, so I got up.

“Is someone looking for me?”

“Enough talking, follow me.”

“I feel like you’re less confident than before when you came here. Has my charge been cleared or something?”

“Were you always such a talkative person? Or are you trying to pull information from me by initiating conversation?”

“Both, I guess. I’ve been bored being stuck in here by myself, and it’s quite odd to have the foreign minister accompanying you to fetch me. If so—”

I pointed to the handcuffs on my wrists.

“If you think you can do something to me with these handcuffs, you’re mistaken. I have a way to escape from you anytime.”

“Oh? But why not run away then?”

“I don’t particularly think it’s dangerous, and also, if the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus just runs away, you’d label me a criminal.”

“You do know, huh.”

“Where are we going? I feel like I should know before I go.”

“…The Emperor is waiting.”

Ah.

Then there’s a justification.

It’s dangerous, but at least I can surpass this big crisis for now.

If.

If they try to stab me with the Holy Sword.

…Then the situation would change a bit, but I must keep some last options open.

Smack, smack.

“…What is that sound?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. My joints aren’t great.”

I lifted my hands and lightly cracked the joints behind my neck.

Creak.

“…That sound seems off.”

“You know nothing of a woman’s delicacy. You’ll learn when you’ve lived for 500 years how frail the human body is.”

“…I don’t even have a desire to live that long, Witch.”

The judge and foreign minister moved ahead, and I followed them down the long, long corridor.

Underground.

Going further underground.

I might have an idea of where they’re taking me, but the Emperor’s reason for calling me here—

‘Could it be to wake me up?’

Are they trying to awaken that insane entity?

If that’s the case, it’s quite dangerous—

Hiss, hiss.

From across the corridor.

I hear a strange breathing sound.

It’s even stranger than the sound I made while cracking my joints and grinding my bones.

Creak.

The sound of heavy armor.

The loud sound of steel grinding against steel.

That sound was unlike the glamorous armor of the Spartan heroes that flaunted their mana shields—this was the sound of ‘real’ full plate armor.

Whirring.

A shimmering red line appears in the darkness.

Three lines that seem to be gazing toward me, and another line that seems to outline the overall silhouette—almost like veins in shape.

And an emblem of a ‘red moon’ etched in what seems to be the lower abdomen area.

“…Huh.”

I had an inkling, but.

“Could it be that….”

“You immediately realize it since it’s a being from 500 years ago. Of course, now that you’ve seen it, if you do not cooperate with us, we won’t hesitate to use any means necessary.”

“…So you brought me here to threaten me.”

“Naturally. We are desperate.”

The judge stepped forward and approached the figure clad in full body armor with the red moon emblem.

“I have brought her, Your Majesty.”

“……Hmm.”

Your Majesty.

Yes.

This woman in full armor, who doesn’t even show her face, is the emperor of the empire.

And the hero wielding the Holy Sword of the Earth.

“Nice to meet you. I am ‘Erkivenia.Leberced.Arpe.'”

She extended her steel hand toward me.

“I am the Empress of the Arpe Empire.”

“…I meet the Emperor of the Empire.”

“I asked for a handshake, yet you respond in traditional imperial etiquette.”

“……..”

Now.

Is she asking me to take her hand?

“Isn’t that the Holy Sword?”

“What?”

“The armor you’re wearing. Is it not the Holy Sword of the Earth?”

“……Oh.”

The red eyes of Empress Erkivenia sparkled.

“Indeed. It seems you know well what kind of attributes the Holy Sword of the Earth has.”

“Because I’ve seen the person who wields it.”

“Are you referring to my ancestor? Surely… Although the royal family did their best to survive, it is a bit much.”

As expected.

“The judge and foreign minister seem to be the Emperor’s close aides? How dare you speak so freely of such matters.”

“It’s the empire’s internal affairs, but if you know it, you should be even more loyal. The blood of the Sun Emperor who reestablished the empire 500 years ago flows within you.”

“…….”

That man is the Sun Emperor.

After I died, that man probably tried to make it seem like he was doing the most he could.

“I didn’t call you to talk about old stories. I have one question for you.”

“What is it? If it’s a story from 500 years ago….”

“About the Demon God.”

“…….”

Creeeak.

The door opened behind Empress Erkivenia, and soon, the magic stone hanging from the ceiling shone with a white light, revealing something beyond the door.

“Do you know how to awaken this ‘Demon God of Earth’?”

“…….”

In front of me.

There it was.

The Earth Spirit Device.

“Progenitor [Bahamut].”

The first dragon.

…No, the ‘prototype of the species known as dragon.’

 

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