Manowa

Queen Yuuko"s body double Iria Noctal disappeared immediately after Queen Yuuko collapsed. Of course, that was not Iria"s own will, but because she was captured by Boltoa Morgan.

Though she didn"t know if he was the one who captured her. When she woke up, she was restrained like this in a bas.e.m.e.nt somewhere, and since Boltoa Morgan was in front of her, that was simply what she concluded.

Iria had the duty of acting as a body double with the army"s backing in a situation where some kind of problem arose with Queen Yuuko. However, that insurance was prevented at the beginning.

The problem was that it was Boltoa Morgan now before her who had captured Iria. Iria had lived a long time as an adventurer scout, but she was immediately located and, moreover, captured in a surprise attack. She didn"t grasp beforehand that the civil officials had such fighting power. That also meant that neither the Queen nor the army knew.

(... Who are you?)

That was the question that came to Iria"s mind. She hadn"t thought she would be captured by the Civil Official Faction, and her movements should have been sufficient to avoid it. In addition, all members of the Queen Faction, Iria included, hadn"t expected that Boltoa Morgan could do such a thing. Him being a person who couldn"t was why he was overlooked. That being the case, Iria guessed there was a different primary factor.

(A companion of the devil from that time? The person himself?.... Is him being possessed the highest possibility?)

Considering the time between the series of events, it didn"t seem likely that it was completely unrelated to the Ogre invasion and the devil attack. Were they connected behind the scenes or hijacked from the start? Or they might have jumped on the bandwagon with a different enemy, but she didn"t think the enemy nation at present, Soldard, would be capable of this degree of intervention in Minshiana"s center.

「So, won"t you give me a favorable reply?」

Boltoa asked Iria. However, Iria laughed in reply.

「Impossible. Even with pain, pleasure, drugs, or brainwashing magic, you won"t make me obey.」

「Is that a Ninja thing? I"ve been trying for the past week.」

Boltoa"s mouth was distorted as he spoke. Iria had been imprisoned here for a week, and he had tried various methods to corner Iria"s body and mind then brainwash her through magic and drugs, but it hadn"t worked. Of course, he could injure her body, but he didn"t, and everything else had practically no effect on the woman in front of him.

「I"ve heard east country Ninjas are trained in such things.」

「I"m a Kunoichi. Well, even if my mind breaks, it will be fixed.」

Iria"s irritated expression as she spoke still had the air of sanity.

「Well, it"s fine. There are ways of using a body double like you, but even without you I"m not troubled for personnel. I can leisurely keep trying.」

「The option of quickly killing me is the most advisable.」

Boltoa gave a short laugh after Iria spoke. It seems effective enough for her to complain... he judged. In that case, should I try for a little longer?... Boltoa thought as he left the room.

But as might be expected, Boltoa didn"t notice that during his exchange, the situation had already started changing. He never expected and didn"t know that the Queen was awake at this time.

◎ Royal Capital Shubain, Royal Castle Delgura, Queen"s Bedroom

The time is after the Queen had already woken up.

Yuuko-nee had sent away Garua and the agitated knights and was now on her bed with Prince Sieg sleeping on her lap. Ao was sitting on a chair next to the bed.

「I see. It looks like I caused a lot of trouble for Ao-sama again.」

Yuuko-nee said while stroking Prince Sieg"s head, who had fallen asleep with rea.s.surance for the first time in a long time. Ao shook his head.

「From the start, this is trouble that I invited. I never expected that the devils were moving and would even come here to pick a fight. I caused a lot of hardship for Kazane-san and the others as well.」

「It"s something that has never happened before. I won"t say it couldn"t have been helped, but we can"t take back what has already happened.」

Ao nodded with a lonesome expression after those words. Among the things that had happened was the death of one of his sons born through the Reincarnation Dragon ritual, Northern Black Season Gen.

『…………』

Tatsuo was hiding on Ao"s shoulder with Invisible and Optical Camouflage, and he rubbed his cheek against Ao"s without speaking. It seemed he was trying to comfort Ao after his loneliness was conveyed through his Dragon Spirit. Ao quietly said「I"m okay」to Tatsuo in response.

「So then, is that Shorty who saved me all right?」

Yuuko-nee had asked how she woke up. The black thunder Curse Age of Greed had applied to her had deprived her of consciousness and made her sleep. Ao had explained to her that Kazane had woken her up with the Infinite Key. But Kazane was already gone by the time she awoke.

「From what she told me, it seems she can now detect Astral existences through smell. Apparently she smelled a devil descending to the bas.e.m.e.nt as we were coming.」

So saying, Ao drank the tea he had prepared.

「Will she be ok?」

Ao had the same worry as Yuuko-nee. However, Kazane had strongly insisted on going alone to ensure certainty. She had said she was going to use her trump card.

「It seems she『absolutely won"t lose』this time, so her prospects of victory should be good.」

Trump card... it was immediately after Yuuko-nee thought that and tilted her head.「That」came.

「KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL」

It was for an instant. For an instant, suddenly, the two sensed something like enormous『killing intent』blow up from the bas.e.m.e.nt. They saw countless previously perched birds go wild and take off.

Ao and Yuuko-nee noticed the hair on their entire body was standing on end from that sudden sensation, but it vanished a moment later. As if nothing had happened.

「What in the world was that just now?」

Ao asked nervously. That killing intent had a sharpness that was truly no laughing matter. But naturally, Yuuko-nee didn"t know where it came from either, and she shook her head.

And in the bas.e.m.e.nt...

◎ Royal Capital Shubain, Royal Castle Delgura, Underground Waterway

The sound of footsteps resounded.

「That part should eventually fall into place, but will it be in time?」

Boltoa was speaking to himself as he walked along the dark waterway.

「Well, it"s fine if it"s by death instead of retirement.」

Boltoa"s eyes glittered red when he spoke.

What Boltoa desired most was for the『Queen herself』to hand the throne over to the prince. After that, it would be best to have the body double act as the retired person, but there was no problem enthroning the prince as king by announcing either her death or her unwaking condition. The only problem was the degree of dissension that would occur. In any case, there would be no problems with Boltoa becoming regent.

「Age"s Curse can"t be dispelled anyway, so I don"t need to be impatient. It might even be good to steadily train the prince.」

Boltoa said with a smile. It was a smile that even his ears seemed like they were trying to get away from.

As a matter of fact, Gore of Envy was the name of the thing inside Boltoa. It was the name of the devil who challenged and was defeated by Yuuko-nee after the Thousand Ogre Subjugation. He was now inside Boltoa. That didn"t mean he possessed him before then. If he had done so, Yuuko-nee probably would have immediately noticed his true ident.i.ty. So naturally, he possessed Boltoa after he was retrieved by Age.

Originally, Gore was hiding in this country for the purpose of securing the White Sword of Minshiana Kingdom and its user. However, Yuuko-nee didn"t show any weak points, and Gore learned that her son had inherited the White Sword and about the Black Rock Dragon subjugation with Kazane"s party.

The plan changed to securing the prince, but immediately after that, the irregular situation involving dispossessing Black Dragon Hagasu"s Heart occurred. For this reason, the goal of obtaining the White Sword was set aside, but Gore was taking advantage of the situation that occurred from the Hagasu"s Heart event to obtain the Minshiana Kingdom itself.

「Well, the insurance methods aren"t established. Both Gilbert and Zeku have obtained countries. Even setting aside Diablo"s matter.」

He never thought Diablo would be defeated. He was defeated by Zeku"s grandchild, and although he was sealed for disposal, Zeku recovered him, so they should still be able to revive him... as Gore was thinking so, something crossed by.

「KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL」

Gore"s hair stood on end at the sudden killing intent. The feeling of oppression as if thousands of people were seriously shouting「DIE!」at him pa.s.sed by Gore in an instant.

「What is this?」

Gore said. Enormous killing intent beyond any he had felt before. The feeling of it pa.s.sing by. Then, he understood that he had surely been captured.

And that wasn"t the only unusual phenomenon. The flowing water in the waterway Gore was walking next to was frozen. It was probably done at the same time as the killing intent.

「Well now, what is going on.」

While saying those playing dumb words, Gore"s line of sight turned to the end of the pa.s.sage.

A girl, probably the one who had frozen the water, was walking on the surface of the ice. Then she impudently spoke.

「Yo. Meeting a person in such a place is unexpected, right?」

And Gore remembered that girl. Boltoa had also met the existence with that outward appearance. So Gore responded accordingly.

「Oh my. Kazane-dono, I don"t know why you are here, but visiting such a place alone is dangerous.」

The girl tilted her head after Gore"s words.

「Eh, have we met somewhere?」

「It"s already been several times, when you visited the castle?」

According to Boltoa"s memory, they had in fact met several times. And during the festival after the Black Rock Dragon subjugation, Gore himself secretly observed Kazane.

「No no, we shouldn"t have ever met? You are?」

At the same time as Kazane"s words, a huge『black fist』suddenly swung downward from the s.p.a.ce on Gore"s left side, which should have been empty. Then the sound of the stone wall being shattered resounded.

「Look. There"s no way a sedentary Cabinet Minister-san would be to avoid that Ogre"s blow, right?」

Kazane nonchalantly said. The place where Gore had been standing was now destroyed, and a black giant was standing there. Then Gore jumped backward to withdraw.

「Footwork is most important for cabinet ministers nowadays, though.」

Gore was jesting, but he looked at the giant who attacked a moment ago and frowned.

(The summoning speed is abnormally fast. What in the world is that black Ogre variant?)

The Ogre was clad with Dragon Spirit. He had previously heard about a dragon having a child with an Ogre, and that was surely just like the appearance before him. And Gore knew that Kazane had a monster cat, but he didn"t know she could summon this Ogre.

「Enough with the charade. You received power from Age, right? It smells, you know? The smelly scent of a devil.」

So saying, Kazane sniffed, and Gore made a face like he had bitten something bitter. Gore had taken too much damage from being defeated by Yuuko-nee, so Age had certainly transferred part of his Astral body to him. However, Gore couldn"t understand how that could be sniffed out.

「And I have various grudges against that Age. Benzel-san was killed, Jinrai-san"s arm was taken, and my younger brother was tormented.」

She involuntarily ground her teeth when she remembered, and Gore was overawed.

「I"m not Age, though.」

「Yeah. However, beyond being connected to him, you"re his companion, right? Besides...

I"ll smash you here so that you can you never turn your hand to Yuuko-nee again?」

Kazane pointed a devilish smile at the devil as she p.r.o.nounced the verdict.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Magic Swordswoman

t.i.tle: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner, Rea King

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Adhesion Sword『Gum』, Spell Dagger Feather x2, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Eating Ogre King"s Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, Magic Acc.u.mulator, White Magic Acc.u.mulator, Rainbow Necklace, Rainbow Dragon Ring

Level : 32

Health: 124

Magic Power: 235+420

Strength: 55+20

Agility: 50+14

Endurance: 32

Wisdom : 62

Dexterity : 39

Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』『Golden Dusk「Dragon Exclusive」』『Mirror Shield』

Skill : 『Kick Devil』『Warrior"s Memory』『Night Vision』『Crushing Blow』『Dog"s Sense of Smell: Lv2』『Golem Maker: Lv3』『Rush』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield: Lv2』『Information Link』『Optical Camouflage』『Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Placement』『Thunder Chariot: Lv2』『St.u.r.dier Teeth: Lv2「Dragon」』『Crystallization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Fabricated Coercion』『Stone Minotaur』『Mega Beam: Lv2』『s.p.a.ce Expansion』『Pseudo-silver Creation』『Poison Claw』『Fireball「Dragon」』『Cuticle「Dragon」』

Yumika:「Smash?」

Kazane:「Pulverize.」