Chapter 306
Chapter 306: Like a Falling Star
――Hello there, it’s Zilbagias, the Demon Lord’s Prince, who got exiled from the kingdom for killing my brother. Success!
After leaving the Demon Lord Castle, the border was too far to fly straight through, so I took a break at Evaroti.
…Diagias? He was having a good time with Libidine. It seemed he was busy; while I was enjoying the last cup of tea from the Demon Lord Kingdom at the Evaroti Palace, he showed up dressed in nothing but a loincloth and said, “Take care,” before quickly heading back.
So free-spirited.
I then bid farewell to Claire, Yavka, Tavuo, and the others before departing.
Flying over the eastern region of Sauroé in Evaroti—
“If you make it back safely, I’ll treat you to some delicious food!”
Currently, I was being waved off in the sky by the fifth Demon Lord’s Prince, Spinethia, also known as the Food Fighter, who was munching on an apple tart while riding a blue dragon.
“Yeah, take care, sis!”
As Spinethia waved energetically, the blue dragon flapped its wings and headed back toward the Sauroé region.
Below us—rough, rocky mountains.
At that moment, we had crossed the border.
From here on, it was the allied territory.
Keeping an eye on the departing Spinethia and blue dragon, I used a concealment spell to hide Leila.
We ascended even higher. To the shimmering stars overhead.
“…Phew.”
Virosa, who had been clinging to me from behind the saddle, relaxed.
“Nothing happened, huh?”
“Told you, right? She has no interest in you, sis.”
It seemed she had been on alert, suspecting that Spinethia might have set something up in retaliation for the assassination of his ally, Emelgias.
Well, even if Virosa was on guard in the air, there wasn’t much she could do.
――High-altitude flight.
On a new moon night, the silver dragon soared, blending into the starry sky.
Unlike the Demon Lord Kingdom, the skies of the allied territory were wide open. There were no dragon patrol flights, and no organized watch for anything like that. Moreover, with the concealment magic in effect, the chance of being discovered was almost zero.
Why was the vigilance over the allied skies so lax? Budget and capability shortages played a part, but more importantly, the Demon Lord Kingdom knew that ‘those’ dragons weren’t active in such a manner.
“This is incredible… with this, we could go anywhere. Literally, anywhere!”
Virosa, usually calm and collected, was unusually excited.
We were about to head south through the former Defteros Kingdom territory, visiting a rural village that Virosa had been to several times.
There was a connection with a night elf base in a nearby town, allowing some ties with that village or something like that… There, we planned to touch upon human society, prepare various things, and then travel to the eastern continent, which was much less vigilant compared to the front lines.
“…Was there not an instance of infiltration by dragon?”
“During peacetime, I’ve never been allowed to ride on a dragon for reconnaissance.”
In response to my somewhat self-talking question, Virosa answered meticulously.
“There were times when we descended amidst dragon raids or proclamations to cause disturbances in the rear.”
Proclamations meant letting towns know they’d be devastated in a few days—like warning them to be prepared for an attack. We did similar things in the Evaroti conquest—dropping flyers from the sky.
If those had been oil barrels and torches instead of flyers, it would have dealt a big blow before clashing with the Demon Lord’s army, but they hardly ever did that. They wouldn’t want to diminish their own achievements. If they did, it would probably be against an unnecessarily fortified outpost in the frontier.
“If you night elves had been allowed to use dragons, your intelligence network would have been beyond incredible.”
“That may be true, but…”
At my sarcastic remark, Virosa chuckled sadly.
“Even if the demon race approved, it’s a matter of whether the dragons would accept it. Dragons like Lady Leila are rare.”
――Now that I think about it, when Leila first came to us, Virosa was a bundle of nerves. It was right after Falavgi had burned her, so I can’t blame her for being on edge.
She must have been worried about when the daughter of the white dragon would show her fangs at me.
For a while, she referred to Leila casually, but once Leila settled into the role of my beloved mistress, it suddenly changed to “Lady Leila.”
Now, Virosa was flying through the sky with me alongside Leila.
How ironic.
“…………”
Thinking back, a lot had happened. Soon after adding Virosa as my private soldier, I bumped into Falavgi.
At the time, I was still a lowly demon not even at the rank of a viscount. Virosa protected me from being turned to ash by a surprise breath attack. If it weren’t for her back then—what would have happened?
‘――…………――’
Through the bond of connection, I felt Leila’s complex emotions. …Me too.
Ultimately, I ended up killing Falavgi, but the fact that none of my subordinates died was largely thanks to Virosa’s contributions.
Since then, we’ve debated various ways to manage spear and sword, practiced like it was the real deal to improve our skills.
We shared discussions about activities in the allied territory and talked about the merits of different swords. Virosa had been on watch in my tent throughout the Evaroti conquest.
It’s been about a year since we started this relationship.
It flew by, huh—
“Virosa.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“…I apologize for dragging you into this journey.”
“What are you talking about?”
Virosa smiled.
“If you hadn’t tamed the ‘Saint,’ I would have perished as a swordsman and an intelligence agent. Not just myself; countless warriors have had their lives saved by you, Your Highness. If I can’t support someone with such great grace here, it would tarnish my family’s name…”
……Truly.
“You’re too good of a loyalist for me.”
At my words, Virosa replied, “I’m honored” with a hint of delight.
Leila.
Please lift us up a little higher.
‘――Yes――’
Trepidatiously, Leila flapped her wings and climbed even higher.
“…?”
“Looks like there’s a village below. Let’s gain some altitude just in case.”
“Understood.”
Sensing some hesitation in Leila’s movements, I mentioned this.
――What to do about Virosa.
That was currently the biggest issue.
Her loyalty was genuine. It truly was. To a hopeless degree.
While I remained in the allied territory, she was trying her best to support me.
But precisely for that reason, she became an obstacle. That existence was troublesome. To an unbearable degree.
――Virosa had to disappear.
But she was a Sword Saint. If I acted carelessly and failed to take her down, it would lead to troublesome outcomes.
So.
I’d do it in a sure manner.
――Leila, into those clouds.
Leila, who climbed even higher, dove into the sheep-like clouds.
It was like a thick fog. Visibility was painted pure white.
Sorry, Virosa.
【Holy light, come to this hand】
――I was surrounded by a silver glow.
Behind me, there was a sizzle as flesh began to char.
“Gah!?”
Suddenly gripped by severe pain, Virosa, clinging to me, let go. In the gap, I cut her lifeline with a knife.
As Virosa recoiled from the pain, I pushed her away forcefully.
“Ah—”
Virosa, dressed in traveling clothes with a backpack, was falling through the empty sky—
“Ah—Your Highness!? Aaaahhhhhhh!?”
In an instant, that voice receded below us.
This was—an attack that could even kill the Demon Lord.
No matter how much of a Sword Saint she was, there was no way to survive a fall from this height.
‘……Even if she’s a creature of darkness, it’s a little pitiful.’
Barbara, who had been quietly sitting in the sheath at my right hip, spoke up.
‘If she had been born into the human race, she could have lived and died by the sword…’
…True.
Let’s go check for her body, Leila.
There were still various processes to handle—
‘――Yes――’
…She kept referring to me as “Your Highness” right up until the end.
That hand she stretched out spontaneously—was it wanting rescue?
Maybe it was.
‘Hehehe.’
Antendeixis laughed.
‘――It’s off to a good start, isn’t it?’
…Yeah, completely.
Contrary to my leaden heart.
The journey of true freedom had just begun.
