"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"
I yelled in surprise due to the sudden notification that filled my sights.
"But why?! I did nothing to earn this!"
I quickly sent a glance to a petrified Scarlet... She seemed to be anxious about something. But I immediately noticed something... her purple pendant was no longer there... I took one step towards her before:
"Wha-?"
As I tried to walk to her, a sudden burning sensation began to come over my neck... It was hurting me badly and I didn't even know what it was...
"Agh... It hurts..."
The pain was now pulsating throughout my body... strong enough to make me fall on my knees.
"What's ha-happening..."
I felt my entire body being crushed, stretched and destroyed... It felt horrible, I wanted to pass out yet I couldn't...
"Aghhhh, I can't hold on any-...more..."
But, in the same way, the pain had come over me suddenly, it left without me having a hint of pain...
"What... just happened?"
I turned to Scarlet once more, to see if how she was doing with all of this... but the second I was able to make her out she was running towards me with terrifying speeds, crashing against me again.
"REIKAAAAAAAAA!!! THANK YOU!!!"
She said happily as she snuggled her cheeks against mine. I was completely speechless. 'What just happened? Is she happy because I saved her?'
"Ummm, you're weshcome. But I bet you coush have defeated the Ceshbeshus by your own in your optimal condishion though." (AN: The 'Sh's are because of the snuggles)
I said confidently, as I tried to push her out of my personal space... But for some reason, she suddenly looked puzzled when I said that.
"What! No! I'm not thanking you because of that... Well, it's not like I'm not grateful for it, though."
'What?' Now I'm confused if she is not thanking me because of me fighting that Cerberus, then what is it for? But all of my doubts were cleared when she nonchalantly pointed at my neck and said with a huge smile on her face:
"Thank you for releasing me of my Demon Lord seal!"
I was surprised by her pointing so I immediately brought my hands to my neck, and contrary to my expectations, there wasn't any pendant hanging from my neck...
...
...
...
It was a choker...
"What?! Why do I have a choker on me?!"
I exclaimed at a too-easy going Scarlet, who was just staring at me as if I was making a big deal.
"I don't know! The demon lord seal takes a different shape depending on the host. In this case, it might've sensed that you don't have much will to become the next demon lord, yet hold enough power to undo it in any other form. So it probably became a choker for you to be its hostess without you destroying it!"
I was just looking at Scarlet with my mouth agape. 'How can she be so calm through this...'
She saw my irritated face and continued...
"Oh don't look at me like that! It's not like you're the only one that had to go through the transference pain! Well, it probably was a lot worse for you though..."
"Wait, what?! You just said a lot of things I do not understand! Please, explain! Why do I have the demon lord seal in the first place?!"
"Oh, that I don't know!"
I was just smiling wryly at this point. 'This girl... is she toying with me?'
"What do you mean you don't know?!"
"I mean I don't know why the demon lord seal would want its hostess to become you. I mean, the demon lord seal only chooses those who have the [Calamity title] which is passed down through the royal demon family. And, no offense, but you don't really look like a demon or a royal at that. Anyways, my guess is that you somehow have the [Calamity] title as well, and since, I clearly saw that you hold much more power than me, the seal probably preferred you as its host. Anyways, I don't know how you did it, but I'm incomparably thankful that you undid my seal."
"..."
'Damn you Boukyaku...' I already knew the source of all my misfortune was the wicked sword hanging on my belt... but just to confirm...
'Status'
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Name: Reika
Gender: Female
Age: 18
Race: N/A
Danger Level: AAA
Class: Oblivion Wielder
Lvl: 67
HP: 3,853,645/14,654,786
MP: 0/0
STR: 3,643,765
DEF: 3,643,765
SPD: 3,643,765
MRES: 3,643,765
Skills: [Oblivion Blessing], [Absolute Oblivion], [Oblivion Presence], [Master Hide Presence], [Master Information Falsification], [Master Appraisal]
Affinities: [Oblivion Flames]
Titles:[Other worldly Hero], [Oblivion Wielder], [Ultimate Threat], [Ultimate Antihero], [Calamity], [Peerless Beauty], [Demon Princess], [Demon Monarch]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Ahhhh, why must reality be so cruel!'
As I was staring at my semi-transparent screen, Scarlet asked something which caught my interest:
"Oh! Are you looking at your status?! Can I see too?"
...
"Wait? You can do that?"
"Un! It's a special skill called [Greater Athos]. But it only works when the other party is willing to show their status to others. So, can you show me your status Reika?"
She said all of this with a childlike tone and a huge smile on her face which I simply, couldn't say no to... (AN: Imagine a moe face here)
"Fine..."
"YAY!!!"
She yelled in excitement as she threw her arms into the air and then began to chant:
"[Greater Athos]"
I saw her start looking down at nothingness. 'I guess I also look like that when staring at my own status, huh?' But contrary to my expectations, she had a bored look on her face as she crudely said:
"These stats are not your own. You don't even have the [Calamity] title or some decent skills. Besides, these stats are simply wayyyyyy too low for you to literally disintegrate that Cerberus"
'Wait what is she talking about? I don't have the [Calamity] title? Didn't I just check my status?' I opened my status just to be sure again. 'Yep, still the same... then why does she...?'
"Ahhhh! That!"
Scarlet had a puzzled look on her face, from my sudden reaction. But I paid it no mind as I chanted:
"[Master Information Falsification]"
Once again, Scarlet's expression of confusion only got worse... but once again, I paid it no mind.
"Alright, that should do it! Check again."
Scarlet seemed taken aback. As she said:
"Ummm, my [Greater Athos] can override any information falsification skills, so there's no point in checking again..."
"Just try it..."
"Fiiiiiiiiiiineeeee"
She complained as she began to chant:
"[Greater Athos]"
All of a sudden Scarlet's expression grew stiff... She was no longer playful, she was dead silent... I could hear her muttering something, but I wasn't quite able to catch it. When she was done, she looked at me and eagerly said:
"Mn, this checks out."
...
...
...
*Ploof*
...
...
...
'Oh, She passed out...'
※
"Ahhhh〜, where am I?"
"Oh I see you're awake〜"
Scarlet had been sleeping for about 30 minutes straight so at some point I got tired of waiting for her to wake up and just dragged her to the exit of the cave along with me. And yes, I dragged her by her foot across the floor of the cavern... Do not blame me! I couldn't carry her properly, I was injured! And I also couldn't leave her behind since, as soon as the Cerberus was dead, the ore golems had returned by the swarms to the inside of the cave... And as such, she was finally waking up:
"Oh, hello Reika..."
"How are you doing Scarlet?"
I said with a warm smile, I was quite surprised she wasn't questioning me at all, because of my status but I guess that's fine...
"Ahhh〜, I had a very nice dream... I had been released from my demon seal..."
But to my dismay, it seemed sleepiness had delayed her reactions:
"WHA- REIKA?! YOU WEREN'T A DREAM?!?!"
She shouted at the top of her lungs as she began bringing her hands up to her neck.
"Yep, I'm not imaginary... I'm quite real..."
"The that means... you're the new demon princess?"
"Ahhh〜 I guess I am, huh? A〜nyways... I'm actually am heading back to the Litherm Kingdom to complete the quest I came here for, and to pound that uninformed guild master senseless..."
But I said that last part at a volume, Scarlet wasn't able to catch it.
"So anyways, this is where we part ways, Scarlet. Bye!"
I said as I waved to Scarlet. But contrary to all expectations, the moment I turned around, I felt a warm hug from behind. It was quite nice, and but what really surprised me, is what Scarlet said next:
"Ummm, I actually left home because I wanted to be able to choose my life, thing which I've never been able to do... up to now... Thanks to you, I no longer have to become the next demon queen, and with your power, neither do you...!
I turned around to face her with a confused look... and as soon as she noticed I was now facing her, she blushed, and nervously continued:
A-anyways, my p-point being... I've never been able to make my own choices... but now I can... And I choose to be with you! I want to follow you! You opened my world and I can choose my own destiny now! ... So please... allow me to come with you...!"
Scarlet's face was teary by now... But I was already moved by her words... 'For someone to think of me so highly...' Throughout my life, I've always been the remainings and scraps of everyone... yet, this girl... wanted to be my friend...
"Alright, let's go together!"
Upon hearing my words, Scarlet's face turned to incredibly happy as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Y-yes! Let's go"
I took hold of her hand and began walking to the outside of the cave happily... 'I finally have a friend... I'll treasure her forever...'
...
...
...
But I guess reality had other plans...
As we were exiting the cave... numerous armored knights suddenly stormed into the cave and began surrounding us...
""WHAt'S GOING ON?!"" yelled Scarlet and me in unison upon being surrounded. I quickly stood in front of Scarlet, making her take cover behind me...
I was immediately able to recognize their armors. They looked exactly like the knights from the Litherm kingdom but...
'Why are they attacking me?!
Why are they here?!
Why now?!'
...
...
...
Instantly... all of my doubts were washed away when a striking beauty came forth as the armored knights stepped away to make way for her...
She had red waist-length hair, bright yellow eyes had soft skin and wore an elegant white battle dress with an enormous golden bow on her back... She looked like a goddess...
'There's no way...'
...
As the striking beauty took slow calm steps towards us, my thoughts were racing...
...
'How can this be?!'
...
She finally stopped directly in front of us, facing us with a threatening expression full of killing intent... And just as she was about to open her lips, a final thought resonated deep within my mind...
...
'It's Myria...'