It had the head of a goat and the wings of a bat, with the upper half as that of a trained man and the lower half of an owl.
What is that...? Is that also some kind of beast summons? The said Demon lord is a demon? It certainly looks demonic.
(ed: 'demon lord' is written with katakana, and 'lord' with kanji')
「No way… to make a contract with that size of demon, what kind of compensation did it require...? And just where does the magic to maintain it come from...」
Rushia-hime mumbles while trembling with fear. That's true. Unlike with lizardmen, silver wolves, skeletons, it was that much different of the being. Just how much magic does the general have?
「It was easy to form a contract with the demon. Sacrifices. Criminals of the imperial capital were offered as sacrifices. Though the emperor opposed it. If you can summon a first class demon then you can summon lower class demons freely as well. After that, if you give sacrifices to it then the contract will be complete. If you do it this way then you can summon an entire demon army. And the magic」
General Bazuru rolles up the sleeve over his right arm and showed us the equipped bracelet to us. The red gem that was installed, shone brightly. That is…an artifact?!
「This 「Imbibe Demon's bracelet」 has the effect of absorbing magic from others. It's been absorbing the magic from everyone here little by little, making it the food for the Demons lord」
It's absorbing magic? So that's why I felt a heavy a little while ago? Or should I say, isn't this bad? If I stay here then more and more magic is likely to be taken.
Rushia-hime and Carol-san who were nearby, were on their knees. If their magic is absorbed does consciousness fade?
The magic that had been absorbed from me had already been recovered but I don't have the composure to use 「Transfer」on these two.
Then I can't do anything but eliminate the cause?
「Aport!」
I tried to use magic to pull the 「Imbibe Demon's bracelet」 away. But something surrounded the general and the bracelet didn't move.
「Mu? Bastard, you still have magic? Well in any event magic won't work on me. Why do you think I made a contract with a demon?」
The general indicated towards the huge demon who was hovering outside the broken wall with his bat wings.
「That demon has a special「magic nullification」trait. Magic attacks do not work, nor do effects of special magic spells on objects. As I am the contractor, that same ability is granted to me」
Magic nullification? What a troublesome ability! Meaning I have to rely on physical abilities now...I pull out Brunhild and reload it with paralysis bullets. If magic doesn't work then these would probably have the greatest chance, I guess.
「Mu?」
The black eyes of the general disregard the gun as I pull the trigger. The gun resounds and the bullet flies straight into the wall, instead of the general's face. What is that!?
「What was that just now? A projectile? But it's too bad. If magic doesn't work then use physical attacks? That won't work either」
The general rolls up his left sleeve and there was another bracelet. It had a red gem set there as well.
「This is the 「Bracelet of defense」. It creates a strong barrier equal to the magic poured into it, and protects me from all physical attacks. I absorb magic with the 「Imbibe demon's bracelet」 and use it for the 「defense bracelet」and nullify physical attacks. This is an invincible defense! Regardless of how many people attack me I will never be hurt!」
Lies, is that possible!? I'm in no position to say it but that's too much of a cheat! And I'm the one supplying the magic!?
Even if I were to use a super-heavy weight class 「Gravity」 attack, my magic would be absorbed by him, and then it would be used to create a barrier of a similar level? Huh? Isn't there a contradiction? No it seems like something else. There are others supplying magic other than just me.
Chi- it's too much of a bother. If I could just do something about that bracelet...
「I don't know where you're from, but I can't have you return alive. I'll have you become a sacrifice for the Demon's lord」
「…To summon a demon army for war? For that how many of the empire's people do you need to sacrifice?」
「They'll just die in war anyway. To be killed by an enemy or as a sacrifice, there's no difference. Sooner or later the enemy soldiers will be turned into sacrifices as well」
The general laughs and hangs up a gossip. Isn't he just a a madman who just wants to play war?
Since earlier I did not understand whether this coup was good or bad, but now I understood it clearly. It is a bad one.
There is no way that it is a good thing to involve unrelated lives for the sake of your desires.
「U...」
At that moment, the emperor, who was lying on the bed, moved his foot slightly. Could it be, he's alive!?
The general's group didn't seem to realize it. Here it seems that priority should be to saving the emperor's life? The pair that were behind me, having their magic absorbed, seemed to have reached their limit as well.
「「Gate」activate. Target – Emperor, Rushia-hime, Carol-san, 3 people. Transport them to the garden at home」
『Understood. 「Gate」activating』
「What!?」
There was light that appeared underneath the three people and they were sucked into the ground and disappeared.
「Bastard, you can use transportation magic!?」
「Correct. I'll be pulling back for today. Don't think for a minute that I'm going to let things go your way」
I reloaded Brunhild with bullets, different ones. I set it up and aimed at the general.
「Fool…as long as I have the「Bracelet of Defense」I can't be hurt, I said」
「Well, it's not possible to hurt your body. But your pride is another matter」
「...What?」
While grinning broadly, I lowered the muzzle and aimed at his feet.
「Slip」
「Uoowa!?」
Sute-n! The general fell splendidly. Even if he is given a hand to stand up he slips and falls again. When I reloaded the magazine I「Programmed」it for a slipping bullet when shot on the floor. Whether it's the hand or foot, the general keeps falling, it's an infinite slipping hell.
「Ge- general!」
His companions rush up to help him. Retards. The effect of the magic isn't limited to the general alone. The effect is to the ground in the vicinity.
「Uwa!?」
「Gue!?」
As usual, they get pulled into the slipping hell, the ones that went to help kept falling down as well. It is pitiful, the barrier bracelet doesn't work so I wonder if some damage will accumulate.
「Kukuku, Keep falling for all eternity! Keep dancing that ungraceful dance!」
I said these things to provoke the general. Well if he were to use the 「demon bracelet」 to absorb the magic on the floor then he would stop. But I have no obligation to tell him that.
「Demons lord!」
The hand of the goat headed demon extends toward me. Oops that's bad. I wonder if 「Slip」works on things in the air?
Unlike the general it seems that physical attacks would work on it, but even if I were to defeat it he would probably just call out another demon. Do I smell an opportunity here?
「Farewell gentleman! The iron hammer of Babylon will descend upon you! Wash your necks and wait! Fwahahaha!」
Oops, this might become a habit.
Right before returning I made a 「Mirage」of an unpleasant image. I left them with the image of cockroaches, centipedes, green catepillars and swarms of other insects crawling on the floor as my parting gift.
「Hii! Hueee!」
「Bugs! The bugsssss!」
「Bastard! I'll get you for this!」
Fun…『 The laugh of「Take that & that felt good」produced from the bottom of my heart!』 is something that I didn't feel like saying, but the feeling of sour stomach had gone away for sure.
I opened a 「Gate」in the floor, and jumped out of Imperial capital.
================Scene-Change=======================
On the other side of the 「Gate」, when I came out into the garden, Rushia-hime was clinging to the emperor.
「Father! Father!」
Not good, I need to hurry and treat him. Along with Rushia-hime who was squatting down, I held up the emperor's hand.
「Come forth light, Goddess of healing, Mega heal」
The light of advanced recovery magic envelopes the emperor's body and it seems that the piercing wound on his side was closed. This alone was probably not enough.
「Recovery」
I recovered any abnormal states as well as any side effects. Now it's up to the person in question.
Just like that, I transported him to a bed in a guest room. I asked Lyme-san to call for Doctor Raul from the royal palace and then guided Rushia-hime and Carol-san to the room where he had been transported to.
In the meantime until Doctor Raul comes, I give everyone gathered in the living room a rough explanation of the events that transpired in the Empire.
「...Good grief…Why does Touya keeps sticking his head into these troublesome things, I wonder?」
Elsie sighs exasperatedly. It's not like I thrust my head into them but my head keeps getting thrusted into them instead.
「...Even still for those things to happen in the empire…What happened to the crown prince...?」
Lindsey muttered, and as for that, I could do nothing but pray for their safety. It would have been better to transport them all at once, but as I didn't know the prince's face I wasn't able to search for him.
「But these certainly are unexpected events. If the Empire were to really attack Belfast...」
「It's the invasion of the demon army, isn't it. Something needs to be done before that...」
The easiest way would be to beat General Bazuru... But as magic had no effect and physical attacks didn't work too, I can't think of anything.
Even if I were to use 「Gate」and drop him from 10 km the 「Defense bracelet」 would nullify the damage. 「Gravity」is a physical attack so it would probably be the same outcome.
Things like 「Slip」and 「Mirage」have an effect too if they aren't directly targeting the person...Plus my magic kept being absorbed. But, that guy's companions were calm, I wonder if they have something that prevents that. Now then, what to do...
Even though I say that, how should this be reported to the King? It's a big deal for the country, there was a coup d'état in the Empire, and there is the possibility of a demon army attack.
But should I or should I not tell him about the emperor and Rushia-hime? There is tentatively a non-aggression pact, but they are former enemies.
What should be done if he says to extradite them? Well, if it comes to that, I can give them shelter in Babylon? It's not as if I've allied with the Empire, but at the very least I have no intention of handing over a severely-traumatized patient.
Lyme-san brought Doctor Raul while I was thinking about these things. Well then, from here on out I should leave it to the professional. I should focus on what to do about that general and the demon.
It might be a little difficult...N? Huh? Isn't it something rather easy to do? It may take a little time to prepare but... can I pull it off?
I thought up a good plan. Harassment isn't really my style but, well it can't be helped. I envision the general's crying face. Oops, I was grinning.
Everyone that saw my face drew away. What is it?
(ED: I always knew that he is an 'S')