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I cannot acknowledge this.

I am the smartest among goblins, recognized by Zephar, the greatest necromancer of Asydia, based on that intelligence.

Having been acknowledged, I received this gigantic golem.

I was granted the authority to control the armored insect and received the powerful ability to merge with it.

But—

Swoosh—!!

I am helplessly being overpowered by the suddenly appeared giant doll.

I know.

At least I understand that this is the power of a hero.

I can feel my heart, smaller than a child’s fist, trembling before the magic of the holy sword.

“Ugh!”

But how can I retreat from here?

How can I just stand by after coming this far?

Before my eyes stands the ancestral enemy of my tribe.

Having sacrificed everything for revenge.

Having devoted everything to Asydia for revenge.

Hoping to be reborn with a new name.

“Ugh!!!”

I cannot lose here, under any circumstances.

“Narrag Poison Bug! Devour me! Chew my flesh and become the poison that kills the enemy!!”

Whoosh.

Chains extended from the seat where Amutar had been seated inside the golem, wrapping around Amutar.

Crackle!!

As the crimson mana enveloped the chains, Amutar’s eyes turned bright red.

As if burning the last remnants of life.

As if transforming all of his life into strength.

Kiyaah…!!

The power of the armored insect golem, converting the pilot’s life force into magical energy, grew even stronger.

Though faced with a powerful strike from the enemy, it merely staggered back, failing to collapse or kneel.

Kyaa!!!

The goblin’s form had already vanished without a trace.

All the blood, vitality, spirit, magical energy, and even the heart’s magic stone inside became the energy of a giant.

“Re…venge…!!”

Yet, what Amutar cries out is merely revenge.

The rage towards humans.

The rage toward heroes.

And the vengeance against their own tribe—

-What a bunch of nonsense.

From somewhere, a voice could be heard.

-You’re the ones who tried to attack a human village and got wiped out, so why are you screaming about revenge?

The mocking voice resonated within Amutar’s soul.

-Just quietly disappear into the afterlife, weak goblin.

Whoosh.

A torrent that seemed to wash away the entire body and soul surged forth.

Amutar closed his eyes in agony as his whole body was being torn apart by the rising current.

[Ts.]

In his final moment.

What reached his ears was—

[How strange to think a goblin could do anything about it.]

“Ugh, Ugh, Kaaah!!”

[Self-destruct.]

Boom—!!

It was the final command given by Zephar of the Demon King’s Army of Asydia.

*

“Urk?!”

“…Ugh.”

Who would have thought to self-destruct in the last moment?

What could make one wish to kill humanity so badly?

Humans and demons have deep-rooted old grievances.

Demons provoke humans in their own way, and humans retaliate against demons in theirs.

The cause is not me.

Pouring black ink onto a piece of paper already painted black won’t make it brighter.

The conflict between humanity and demons has existed for a long time.

For the past 500 years, humanity has continued a deadly feud with the demons, and the revenge I had when I enlisted many demons into the Demon King’s army was truly satisfying for that same humanity.

– Hey. But isn’t it boring to just kill anyone for revenge?

– How can the farmers in the village take revenge on the demons? They might as well be made into slaves.

– So let’s target the kings and nobles for revenge, and make those weak humans our slaves! It’s much better to capture and bully relatively strong humans than to bother weaker ones.

– Oh….

Of course, this was disguised as anger toward the ruling class, but the malice that demons hold against humanity is undoubtedly inscribed in their blood, soul, and genes.

Even so.

I am on the side of humanity now.

As someone on humanity’s side, I must eliminate the demons.

More precisely, I must eliminate the remnants of the Demon King’s Army and Asydia while standing firmly on humanity’s side.

As I take the position of the hero’s master and utilize heroes, I regret the fallen demon-goblin, but its death is unavoidable.

‘I never imagined a goblin that survived in the Hero’s Village would end up like this.’

The faint magic I felt inside the steel golem.

That was undoubtedly the power of the goblin I met back then.

The one who alone fled while the others were dying.

‘Who would have thought that guy would come here and end up like this?’

Honestly, it’s a bit shocking.

Perhaps the Narag poison bug had also been his doing, and another variable was about to arise somewhere unknown to me.

‘What a mess.’

The thought of my mana almost being siphoned away by a mere goblin is infuriating.

If it were a descendant of the Demon King’s army I once controlled, I could understand, but having a lowly goblin siphon so much of my mana is simply unforgivable.

If my remaining mana had been nearly depleted.

If a situation arose where Lucius had to draw the holy sword here.

And if I hadn’t activated Celcius’s powers to bring forth the spirit device here.

‘At least I might have had to expend more than half of my mana.’

To save the village.

To save the people.

To win the goodwill of humans like Lucius.

I might have used up my precious mana and tossed the giant just to save them.

“Good job, Liriez.”

“Ah, yes.”

Now that the battle is over, there’s no need to lie on Liriez’s lap like a cat.

I stood up from Liriez and faced her.

“Retrieving the spirit device is just like summoning the holy sword in reverse. Want to try?”

“Wha, what if it disappears suddenly…?”

“Don’t worry. It will automatically lower itself.”

“…I understand.”

Liriez placed her hand on her heart and whispered softly, soon the spirit device began to glow and dwindle.

[Celcius, returning as ‘Poison.’]

“T-T-That voice is…?!”

“It’s Celcius’s voice. Ah, it’s not a living being or anything. Don’t misunderstand.”

The spirit device is merely a doll.

“…You’ll be talking to it often later, so you can learn about that then.”

“Yes?”

“I need to explain, but it’s a hassle to keep repeating what I’ve said. Please lower it over there.”

I pointed to the back.

“The bugs have all been swept away by the holy sword’s current, and now all that’s left is to clean up. And we need to free the people inside that barrier.”

“Ah!”

“That’s right? Now, hurry.”

Liriez followed my instructions and released everything.

The spirit device glimmered brightly and disappeared above, and Liriez and I slowly descended to the ground amid the raindrops.

“B-but, is it really okay to release it?”

“Yes, of course. I guarantee it. If you’re worried, you can set up a barrier toward the direction of the poison bugs and call the people.”

“I will do that.”

Swoosh.

Liriez created a barrier toward where we fought, then released the barrier that had captured the people.

“Hero!!”

Everyone rushes over.

Their faces were filled with excitement, brimming with indescribable fervor.

‘That makes sense.’

Once, I was a god, at another, a demon god, and once I had a one-on-one fight against Demon Lord Belphegor, so they’ve seen the spirit device with their own eyes.

Ah, this is not about Celcius.

This is about another spirit device.

But considering that Celcius isn’t much different from that spirit device, it’s not particularly different either.

“Master!”

“Ah, yes.”

While everyone else was looking for the hero, Lucius ran straight to me.

“I’m going to gather people for a discussion, but I’ll tell you one thing in advance.”

I lightly flicked my finger against the ring on Lucius’s hand.

“Yours is included too, so don’t worry.”

“…….”

Lucius smiled with relief.

“Um, Master.”

“Yes?”

“…Will you ride with me later?”

“Of course.”

It’s customary not to assist on someone’s first drive.

And—

“No one handles this better than I do.”

*

Swoosh.

On the cliff overlooking the village.

The short-haired woman with white hair fiddled with her mask as she looked at the people gathered in the plaza.

Standing at the center surrounded by the crowd were two women.

The blue-haired hero, Water Hero Liriez Sijcross.

This is none of my concern.

Whether or not the holy sword hero is at the final stage of awakening doesn’t matter to the white-haired woman.

What truly matters is the being standing next to her.

“The Sorceress of Crimson Lotus, Bel.”

Crack.

The woman bit her lip as she looked at the detestable red-haired witch.

“…Traitor.”

With a cold demeanor, she glared at Sorceress Bel, her left ring finger, which was clenched into a fist, adorned with a ring resembling a white flower.

“I can’t believe you were reborn into another body just to use the new heroes for your own benefit… ha.”

Crack.

“I don’t know what you’re planning to do with using the heroes, but I absolutely cannot allow this to pass.”

The woman clenched the ring, still on her ring finger.

Then she lowered her head over her chest quietly, murmuring something in a voice so tiny.

“Demon Lord….”

Which Demon Lord, she alone knows.

“…Please watch over me. Until I truly bring you back to this world, I will continue to live for you.”

Rustle.

The woman took a step toward the void.

Then something invisible lifted her.

It resembled the bug golem they fought on the battlefield and also the newly appeared spirit device.

“…I’ll have to test those out once.”

[Are you alright, Master?]

The clear voice of the woman.

Each time her voice rang out, the interior of the spirit device’s cockpit, a white circular sphere, shimmered.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Humans are just like that, especially those women… ones that pretend to flatter men even more.”

Crack.

Beyond the screen.

The witch Bel was making an arrogant face while boasting against the blonde youth, which was utterly disgusting.

“You don’t know anything and are flaunting what you got thanks to the Demon Lord…”

[Shall we dispose of her?]

“Not just yet. I don’t know what that woman is planning, but first, I need to eliminate those who are more annoying than her.”

[You mean the Asydia folks?]

“Exactly. Those bastards… they summoned my Lord’s body without permission. They intend to summon and manipulate my Lord with that body….”

[So their purpose is to capture us?]

“I suppose so.”

The woman sighed.

“The one who first wielded all seven holy swords was my Lord, and only he can open all spirit devices.”

[That’s dangerous.]

“It is dangerous. Their intentions… Hah. Damn it, what could that bastard’s objective possibly be?”

Crack.

“I’m going to find him and kill him, that bastard Zephar.”

[What will you do about that one?]

“…For now.”

The woman fiddled with the ring and smirked.

“I think I’ll get a firsthand look at what the spirit knight that climbed onto the traitor’s back can do. Something tells me….”

The last gaze of the woman landed on the blonde-haired youth.

“…He seems to be a hero too.”

[Leberced Arpe, as you wish.]

The cockpit the woman, Arpe, was in was plastered with pictures of a man in a black suit.

 

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