◇A Mansion, High in the Mountains◇
"What is happening?!" Zanzibar screamed in frustration, doubled over
and clutching his head.
"Lord Zanzibar!" said Meiden, running up to her master and putting a
hand on his shoulder. "Calm yourself! Please!"
"Calm myself?!" he spat. "As if! Valentine of the Twelve Evil Generals
is missing! She vanished from her room at one point and dropped
completely off the map! And now we can't even contact that familiar of
hers?!"
Meiden furrowed her brow. "I... I am terribly sorry," she said. "I tried
using magic to see where they had gone, but I simply couldn't find them..."
She slumped her shoulders.
The two looked at each other. For a while, neither of them moved.
"Maybe..." Zanzibar said. "Should we try contacting the Realm of Evil?"
"We would need one of the communication gems Riliangiu or Valentine
had in order to do that..."
"Can't you make one with your magic?"
"I... I cannot," Meiden said. "Without the magic of the Dark World, I'm
afraid that it would be impossible. Skilled though I am, I cannot call upon
the magic of other worlds..."
Zanzibar clicked his tongue in anger and stamped his feet. "Meiden," he
said, "how many soldiers do we have left?"
"We've been suffering loss after loss to the Dark One Yuigarde..."
Meiden said, downcast. "And many of our number have deserted..."
"Cut the crap. How many soldiers do we have?!"
"Y-Yes, Master..." Meiden gulped. "I believe we have...just under two
hundred."
"Two...hundred?" Zanzibar's eyes twitched. "But there were so many
demons who promised us aid... So many demons angry with the Dark One
Yuigarde, flocking to our banner! And now we don't even have two
hundred soldiers..."
"I-I'm so sorry..."
Zanzibar clutched his head. "If the Dark One Yuigarde were to attack
this mansion..."
"I do not believe we have the strength to defeat the Dark One..." Meiden
said. "Even repelling an attack would be difficult."
"Ghh!" Zanzibar gritted his teeth and stamped and stamped. "I hate it! I
hate it!"
That night, Zanzibar left the mansion. He gathered together anything
that might possibly be of value to take with him in his carriage and escaped
under cover of darkness. After that, he traveled to his old outposts and
recovered whatever resources he could before fleeing to the west.
"Remember me, Yuigarde..." he said, looking back out the window. "I
will be the one to kill you!"
And so the curtains closed, more or less, on Zanzibar's rebellion.
◇The West◇
The Dark One Yuigarde gazed out over the desert with bloodshot eyes,
his arms crossed over his chest. "Hey morons!" he roared. "What's the
holdup?! Find him!"
Chasing after Zanzibar, Yuigarde had found the rebellion's old outposts
and destroyed them one after another. In one, he'd managed to capture a
rebel before they could escape. After some persuasion, the rebel told him
that Zanzibar had fled to the west. And so, Zanzibar had ordered the
westernmost part of his territory to be thoroughly searched.
"Listen up," he said, addressing his whole army in a great speech. "I'd
be a laughingstock of a Dark One if I sat back and let this moron live after
he tried to kill me! Capture Zanzibar and bring him to me! I don't care if
he's alive or dead! Got it?!"
Yuigarde took the greater part of the Dark Army with him and headed
west after Zanzibar. But in the west of his territory lay the vast Gorbi
Desert. For centuries, there had been stories of travelers being swallowed
up by the desert sands. It was an enormous region of dry land, with no
water to drink and dunes that shifted in the wind, making navigation nigh
impossible. It was hostile to life. But the Dark One Yuigarde brooked no
retreat.
For days on end, the hunt continued through that desolate land, with no
orders other than Yuigarde's command to "find Zanzibar, even if it kills
you." With each day that passed, more and more of his soldiers deserted;
their numbers were dwindling with astonishing speed. The deserters spread
word of Yuigarde's latest act of savagery—leading an army to die in the
desert—and his popularity as Dark One plummeted back down to rock
bottom.
But Yuigarde, ignorant of his declining reputation, pressed on. "Find
him!" he shouted. "Find him no matter what!"
◇The Dark Citadel◇
Yorminyt, Hugi-Mugi, and Calsi'im had gathered in the masterless
throne room. Before them, in front of the throne, stood Phufun.
"Esteemed Infernals," Phufun said. "I am afraid today's meeting will be
another short one. When you have completed your respective paperwork,
feel free to spend the rest of the day however you see fit." She adjusted her
false glasses. "That concludes this morning's communications. Now—"
"May I asssk a quessstion?" Yorminyt raised her hand.
Phufun sighed. "What is it, Infernal Yorminyt?"
"It hasss been daysss since the Dark One left for the wessst," Yorminyt
said, licking her lips with her slender tongue. "But we've received no
ordersss and no reportsss. What isss happening, I wonder?" A smile teased
over her face.
Phufun adjusted her glasses again, trying her best to conceal her own
unease. "Of course," she said. "As the present leader of the Infernal Four, I
can understand why you would have misgivings..." Again, she adjusted her
glasses. "We are...currently assembling reports concerning the success of
the operation. I promise you I will give you a full account when everything
has been...collated."
"Then jussst tell usss what you do know."
"I-I am afraid anything I could tell you now might contain
inaccuracies," Phufun said. "Unfortunately, I cannot give you a report at
present..."
"Hisss..." Yorminyt fixed her icy gaze on Phufun. Phufun returned it
head-on, although she did adjust her glasses several times out of nerves.
"Very well," Yorminyt said at last. "I can sssee I'm not going to get
anything more out of you. I will retire for the day." True to her word,
Yorminyt left the throne room.
I haven't heard anything at all from Master Yuigarde... Phufun thought.
I'd like to know as much as her about what's happening in the west...
Once again Phufun adjusted her glasses. How many times had she made
that nervous gesture during this meeting? She had completely lost count.
◇Houghtow College of Magic◇
Although Houghtow City was located in the countryside, far from the
capital, the Houghtow College of Magic was a magic school with an official
license from the kingdom. And though it was first and foremost associated
with magic, it also had many classes on general subjects—reading and
arithmetic and the like. As an educational institution, it was a great boon to
the area.
Today, Belano was in the newly built school store, looking around with a
smile on her face. Behind her, the rest of the college's staff filtered inside.
The Fli-o'-Rys General Store'd had a new building constructed in order
to house a cafeteria and school store for the College of Magic. It was two
stories tall, had a basement, and sat right next to the school. The first floor
held the store and the cafeteria, and the second floor was set up as a
boarding house. The basement was a storeroom where they kept ingredients
for the cafeteria and inventory for the store. Flio himself had built it in a
single day.
On the same day that he'd received official permission from the college,
Flio had a brief meeting with Taclyde, the school administrator, to
determine the ideal location, and then immediately began casting magic.
Wood flew in straight from the forest and assembled itself; Flio did it all on
his own.
"I'd heard that Mister Flio was something else," Taclyde marveled. "But
this..." He looked around with deep curiosity.
"So now we have a school store..." said Metálzobi, the projection arts
teacher, looking over the display cases with a smile on his face. "I would
like to fill this up with art supplies."
"And I would like to stock some magic gems to increase offensive
magic power," the offensive magic teacher Oryou said, copying Metálzobi
in looking over the display cases.
Yukhi, who studied magical cooking, was examining the cafeteria. "But
we mustn't forget food!" she said. "I do hope we'll sell more here than just
lunch boxes and bread. I'd like to run a proper cafeteria, if I may..."
"But that Mister Flio..." Taclyde said, glancing around at the other
teachers. "Making a building like this in a single day, even procuring the
materials with his magic...vanquishing djinn...casting barriers..." He shook
his head. "He can purify magic gems, brew potions, and heal muscle fatigue
in a second too... If only he'd come teach at the College of Magic!"
"If only..." said Metálzobi.
"I agree," said Oryou.
"Yes, absolutely," said Yukhi.
Taclyde turned to look at Belano. "Miss Belano," he said, completely
serious. "Do you think you might be able to persuade him?"
Belano silently shook her head.
Taclyde smiled wearily. "Of course. I thought not. Mister Flio has his
hands full with the Fli-o'-Rys General Store, doesn't he?" He shook his
head. "Well, setting aside the issue of asking Mister Flio to teach at the
college, I would very much like it if his children were to attend our school."
"Huh?" Not just Belano, but the rest of the faculty, cocked their heads in
confusion.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Oryou said. "We don't teach children that
young!"
"Oh, that's right," Taclyde said. "I forgot I hadn't officially announced
it!" He cleared his throat. "Everyone, I have an announcement. This spring,
the Houghtow College of Magic will open a new department for teaching
the lower grades. From now on, children will study at our school!"
The faculty was stunned. "What?!"
"Are you serious?!"
A lower-grades department... In other words, classes for minors from the
age of seven through fifteen. That was in terms of human development,
anyway. Flio's half-lupine children were growing up fast, and that would
need to be accounted for.
"I've heard Mister Flio's children have been growing fast because their
mother is a demihuman," Taclyde said. "I expect they will be the equivalent
of eight or nine in human years by the time spring rolls around. More than
enough for them to take classes!" As he spoke, Taclyde squeezed Belano's
shoulder. "I'll leave the persuasion to you, Miss Belano."
Belano went silent. For a moment, she seemed to be deep in thought.
And then she nodded.
"Great! Thanks a million!" Taclyde pumped his fist in victory.
While the other faculty chatted happily about Mister Flio's children
attending the college, Belano was lost in her own head. I wonder if I'll get
to teach Garyl and Elinàsze... she thought, a smile on her face. I'll have to
teach lower-grade classes, then. First I'll need to get qualifications. And I
only have until this spring...
Her lips pursed tight, she nodded once, determined.
◇Houghtow City—Flio's House◇
"I must apologize for taking so long to pay you a visit!" The Maiden
Queen sat in Flio's living room in a casual outfit, smiling happily and
bowing her head. She had arranged for the castle's witches to send her here
using Teleportation. This wasn't an official visit—she had come here in
secret.
"No, no!" Flio said, bowing very politely. "The present you arranged for
us the other day was more than enough."
They carried on in that vein for a while, bowing and exchanging polite
pleasantries, neither side willing to accept defeat. "No, no!" said the Queen.
"After all, you have done so much for us..."
"No, no!" said Flio. "We are just happy to be of assistance..."
They did this every time the Maiden Queen came to visit. It was
practically a ritual.
Finally, their battle of pleasantries concluded, Flio beckoned to his
children who were waiting in the back with Wyne. The twins came running.
"A-Anyway," he said. "This is Garyl, and this is Elinàsze."
"My name is Elinàsze, Your Majesty," Elinàsze said, curtsying with
impeccable form. "Thank you for supporting my father and mother."
"My! What splendid manners, Miss Elinàsze!" the Maiden Queen said.
"But you know, it is your father and mother who have supported me, more
than the other way around." She poked out her tongue playfully at the girl.
"Yes." Elinàsze grinned. "I know." Then her smile stiffened, and she
bowed. "I'm sorry! Please pretend you didn't hear that!" She had intended
to be on her best behavior, and hadn't meant to express that so brazenly. She
was panicking.
"Ah, I'm sorry..." Flio began. "My daughter—"
But the Maiden Queen smiled. "No, no!" she said. "I don't mind in the
slightest! I'm glad you have such an honest daughter. Elinàsze, I promise to
do my best not to burden your father with too many responsibilities."
"Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you." Elinàsze smiled and nodded.
"And you're Garyl!" the Queen said. During the entire previous
exchange, Garyl had been staring at the Queen's face from the side.
"Excuse me, is something the matter with my face?" She reached up to
touch her cheek.
"So pretty..." Garyl mumbled.
"I'm sorry?" The Queen hadn't been expecting that. She blushed
furiously, her face as red as a boiled lobster all the way to her ears and the
tips of her fingers. She froze in place.
"I'm Garyl, Miss Maiden Queen!" Garyl said, grinning and holding out
his hand. "Let's be friends!"
"Ah!" the Queen said, her composure fully shattered. "Y-Yes! L-Let's..."
Still blushing, she took his hand.
"Ehe hee," Garyl giggled, blushing a little himself. "I shook the pretty
lady's hand..." That just made the Queen blush harder.
Th-That Garyl! she thought, so shocked that she even forgot to breathe.
She stood there staring at the boy's innocent face, her heart pounding,
unable to move.
◇ ◇ ◇
After she regained her composure, the Maiden Queen settled down in
the living room to talk with Flio. "Incidentally," she said, "the Houghtow
College of Magic, it seems, will be opening a new department for teaching
the lower grades this spring."
"Oh, really!" Flio said.
"We received a request for official approval just the other day. It's gone
through all the proper channels and has been thoroughly discussed. I see no
reason not to allow it."
"I see... Perhaps Elinàsze and Garyl could attend school there..."
"The Houghtow College of Magic is authorized by the Magical
Kingdom of Klyrode herself. I expect they will receive a splendid
education."
They chatted like this for some time until it was time for the Maiden
Queen to take her leave. "We must do this again, if I can find the time," she
said.
"Of course!" Flio nodded. "You're welcome in our house anytime."
The four witches the Maiden Queen had brought with her began to
chant, and after some time a portal appeared. It would have taken Flio a
matter of seconds, with no need for an incantation. It was not that the
witches were unskilled at their art—Flio was simply that much more
absurdly powerful than everyone else.
"Dad," Garyl said, looking up at Flio, "when is Miss Maiden Queen
gonna come back?"
Flio gave it some thought. "I'm afraid the Maiden Queen is very busy
with her work at the castle..."
"Oh..." Garyl looked a little sad.
Flio smiled kindly at his son. Perhaps I should offer to take Garyl along
the next time I have business at Klyrode Castle...
◇ ◇ ◇
The Maiden Queen returned to her chambers and collapsed onto her bed.
She had regained her composure, but there were still traces of red lingering
on her face. She stared at the ceiling, replaying her meeting with Garyl in
her mind. He had called her a pretty lady...
Garyl... she thought. What a peculiar boy he is.
◇Houghtow City—Fli-o'-Rys General Store◇
Greanyl and Byleri had just returned from sending a shipment of goods
to Klyrode Castle. "Like, see you later, Greanyl!" Byleri said, grinning.
"My thanks for your assistance," Greanyl said, bowing deeply.
After they parted ways, Byleri went back in the store through its back
entrance, and entered a particular room. She peered out the door, looking
left and right, making sure that nobody was around before she quietly shut
it behind her.
This was one of the sitting rooms in the Fli-o'-Rys General Store. Flio,
the proprietor, and Uliminas, the treasurer, used it to conduct business
meetings. But that wasn't why Byleri was here.
"Mx. Hiya!" she whispered.
Hiya materialized in the empty room and addressed her. "Ser Byleri,
welcome back from your trip to the royal capital," they said. "So, about the
matter we discussed...?"
Byleri took off her rucksack and produced a paper parcel, which she
handed to Hiya. "Like, here ya go!" she said. "The book with all the stuff
about, y'know, the lady knight and tentacle monster..."
"Thank you, Ser Byleri!" Hiya took the book with a smile on their face.
"May I ask," they said, drawing closer to Byleri, unable to contain their
eagerness, "what manner of book you purchased for yourself? Perhaps later,
we can..."
"Oh," Byleri said, blushing and scratching the back of her head. "I
actually, like, didn't buy one for myself this time..."
Hiya's eyes widened in shock. "Wh-What?" they said. "S-Ser Byleri,
you didn't procure any kind of pornography?"
"I-I..." Byleri stammered. "I kinda wish you wouldn't call it that..." She
cleared her throat. "Actually, like, y'know, I think I'm gonna stop buying
that kinda book. Like. Um. It's embarrassing to say, but I have a partner
now, y'know? And he's totally wonderful... Ehe hee..."
Hiya fixed Byleri with a piercing stare. "I see," they said. "Now that you
have experienced the real thing, you can no longer be satisfied with mere
images..."
"Um... I wouldn't put it like that, but, like, I guess..."
Hiya nodded and gave the matter some thought before speaking again.
"Ser Byleri, forgive me if I am speaking out of turn..."
"Like, yeah?"
"I, too, have someone I love."
"Uh-huh."
"And every night, I dote on her with great affection."
"Uh-huh. Ehe hee..."
"And I know the happiness of her love in turn."
"M-Mx. Hiya! This is a little...y'know?" She laughed nervously.
"And so, I will happily please my love, for in so doing I bring myself
happiness. Do you disagree?"
"Oh?!" Byleri seemed to realize where Hiya was going with this. Her
eyes shot open.
Hiya was watching Byleri's reactions like a hawk. "I wish to know what
I must do to bring my love the most pleasure. Don't you as well?"
Byleri nodded seriously as Hiya produced a book and gave it to her. She
looked at its title. One Hundred Ways to Please Your Husband. She cracked
it open. "Mx. Hiya!"
"What is it, Ser Byleri?"
"I was totally wrong," Byleri said. "I have to learn more and more! For
Sleip's sake!"
"Then we have come to an accord?"
"Yeah, totally!" Byleri gave Hiya a firm handshake. "So, then, like...
Can I, y'know, borrow this book?"
"Only if I may borrow the book of horse pornography you acquired the
other day."
"I really wish you wouldn't call it that..."
◇At a Restaurant◇
At a restaurant in a town somewhere, Valentine was gobbling down
plate after plate of food with ravenous speed. Before her was a pile of fine
dining—enough for ten humans. She seemed determined to fit every last
morsel into her stomach.
She sighed. "The food in this place is delicious! Just...amazing!" With
that said, she dove straight back into the pile of food.
Valentine had been traveling with Hero Gold-Hair ever since he rescued
her from his own pitfall trap meant for catching magic beasts. Riliangiu had
fallen on her knees apologizing for cutting off communications, but
Valentine smiled and said, "Oh, I don't care about that anymore. How about
we just let bygones be bygones?"
Riliangiu sighed with relief.
Valentine seemed like a different person traveling with Hero Gold-Hair
than when she had been an Evil General. She greeted every day with a
smile and seemed to enjoy every hour. It was impossible to believe that she
had once been General Valentine of the Twelve Evil Generals, who struck
fear into the hearts of her enemies.
She kept right on eating, stuffing her cheeks full with a blissful
expression on her face. Every now and then, she would stop to squeeze her
cheeks and cry out with joy before returning to the food.
"I'm glad you like the food," Hero Gold-Hair said. "But do you really
need to eat so much?"
"Gobble...snarf...smack... Hrmf? Hrrfhmf rhf hmr." Valentine's cheeks
were too full to make proper words.
Hero Gold-Hair grimaced. "Fine, fine," he said. "We'll talk after you've
finished your food. I haven't a damn clue what you're saying..."
Valentine smiled and nodded, and grabbed another plate, shoveling its
contents into her mouth as well.
"Miss Vaaalentine really eats a looot, doesn't she..." Tsuya said, staring
with wide eyes as she brought water over for everyone. "I mean, I knooow
we only just meeet..."
"Oh," said Riliangiu. "Miss Valentine has the ability to convert food into
magic power, you see..."
"What was that?" Hero Gold-Hair looked confused.
"I told you the other day that Miss Valentine was one of the Twelve Evil
Generals, did I not?"
"Yes... I remember you saying something like that..."
"Those chosen as Evil Generals must possess great magic power as well
as the ability to use the magic power in their body for sustenance. When she
travels to other worlds, she must draw on a tremendous amount of magic
simply to sustain her body."
"What in the blazes?" Hero Gold-Hair was taken aback.
"In order to exist outside of the Dark World, such as in the world of
Klyrode, she must do one of three things. She must consume magic gems,
humans who possess magic, or food. Converting food into magic power, by
the way, is the least efficient method of all. She will need a considerable
volume of food."
"I see... Well, that last part I could tell by looking." Hero Gold-Hair
sighed. "I saved her and told her she could come with us, after all. It's my
responsibility to look out for her. But she does eat an awful lot..." He turned
to look at Tsuya. "Well, at least we have all that money we got for selling
those magic gems! Tsuya, you have the money, right?"
"Ummm..." Tsuya said. "Hero Gold-Haaair... Actuallyyy... We need to
taaalk..."
"Talk? What about?" Hero Gold-Hair folded his arms and cocked his
head.
"Well... It's juuust... We're almost out of moooney..."
"What?! How?!" Hero Gold-Hair's eyes shot open in shock.
Tsuya slumped her shoulders. "Remeeember, Hero Gold-Hair? When
Miss Vaaalentine joined, you took us to a faaancy restaurant. You said you
wanted to give her a weeelcome party..."
"Yes, I remember that..."
"The biiill for the party was twooo-thiiirds what we got from the
geeems..."
Hero Gold-Hair reeled back like he had been struck. He was at a loss for
words. It had been his own fault all along. For a while he thought, and then
he heaved a great sigh. "Well, there's no use crying over spilled milk," he
said. "But when Valentine's done eating, we need to find another job!"
"Y-Yes, Hero Gold-Haaair..."
Hero Gold-Hair looked back at Valentine, who was still deeply
engrossed in her meal. She looked like she was having the time of her life.
He gave a dry smirk. "That woman..." he said. "Eating away without a care
in the world..."
He and Riliangiu took the cups of water Tsuya had brought them. For a
second he considered ordering something himself, but he thought better of
it and swallowed his words along with the drink.
◇The Dark Citadel◇
Calsi'im was in his chambers on the second floor of the Dark Citadel—
the floor where the Infernal Four had their rooms—muttering to himself as
he cleaned up the mountain of paperwork on his desk. "Hells below! So
many chores today! It's all because the Neophyte Tournament is being held
today in the underground coliseum. If I don't handle it, nobody will!"
Just then, behind him, he heard the sound of tea being poured. Tia the
magic doll stepped up beside him, carrying a cup of tea on a tray. "Perhaps
you should take a break, Calsi'im?"
Tia always has such perfect timing with her tea... "Thank you, Tia, much
obliged!" he said cheerfully as he accepted the cup. He took it in both hands
and brought it to his skeletal mouth, breathing in the aroma before slowly
pouring it down his throat.
"Ahhh!" he exclaimed, smiling. "Your tea is as delicious as always,
Tia!"
Usually, this was where Tia would ask if he would like another cup. But
today, she said something different. "Is it not time for you to go to the
underground coliseum, Calsi'im?" she asked.
"Oh, right!" The tea had put him in relaxation mode. He had almost
forgotten that he had a job to do. Calsi'im clambered out of his seat, while
Tia picked up the black robes draped over a nearby table.
"Here are your robes, Calsi'im," she said, handing them to him.
"Thank you, Tia! You're always such a help. How do I look?"
"You look splendid." As a magic doll, Tia's facial expressions did not
change with her mood, so her face was completely blank as she spoke. But
Calsi'im nodded nonetheless, satisfied.
"Well then," he said. "I'm off!" He bolted out of the room as fast as his
legs could carry him.
"Take care!" Tia said, bowing politely.
After Calsi'im left, Tia stepped over to the paperwork he had been
working on and picked it up. This was pure busywork—far below
Calsi'im's station as one of the Infernal Four. But Calsi'im had been going
through page after painstaking page, all on his own.
Tia silently looked over the papers, and then, holding them in her arms,
left the room.
◇The Dark Citadel—Phufun's Laboratory◇
Tia stepped inside the laboratory. "Excuse me," she said. Phufun, who
had been performing magic experiments, stopped and turned to face her.
"Well, well," she said, pressing her false glasses up against the ridge of
her nose. "You are Calsi'im's magic doll, are you not? Do you need
something from me?"
"My lady, I have brought Calsi'im's finished paperwork," Tia said,
stepping forward.
"Oh! You've learned how to carry paperwork? How clever of you!
Thank you so much!" Phufun pointed to her desk, indicating for Tia to
place the papers there, but instead Tia hurled the paperwork at the
succubus's face. "Hey! What was that?!" she shouted, startled by Tia's
sudden disorderly behavior.
Tia marched right up to Phufun. "What are all these papers for?" she
said. "My master Calsi'im is one of the Infernal Four. Why are you making
him process all of your rubbish? Your paperwork is causing no end of
trouble for him!" She was not a big doll, and didn't even come up to
Phufun's chest, but she glared up at her the best she could.
Phufun gulped. "A-Are you really a magic doll?" Magic dolls are
clockwork puppets designed only to do what their master orders them to.
They are meant to be without emotion. But Tia had clearly come here of her
own volition, threw around her hated paperwork, and was now glaring at
Phufun with evident anger.
Come to think of it... Phufun thought. I've heard of something like this. If
the owner of a magic doll falls in love with it, in rare cases it will develop a
sense of self and begin to act on its own... "Very well," she said. "I'll see
what I can do about the paperwork. Is that all?"
"I am satisfied," Tia said. She picked up the paperwork she herself had
scattered all over the floor, arranged it neatly, and set it down on the desk.
"Please pardon the intrusion." She bowed deeply and left the room.
Tia returned to Calsi'im's room and sat down in her chair by the window
that Calsi'im had set up for her. "You can look out the window from here!"
he had said. "That way, you won't get lonely when I'm not around."
Tia gazed out the window. "I am lonely, though..."
◇Dark Citadel—Underground Coliseum◇
The devil Belianna charged ahead, swinging her scythe in a wide arc.
"Hah!" she said. "I'm not done with you yet, dammit!"
"I'm not gonna lose to a puny thing like you!" Her opponent, the giant
Goliath, swung his arms with a great shout. But Belianna deftly evaded his
blows and struck him in the left leg with her scythe. "Ngh!" Goliath cried
out in pain.
"Hah. Your body's damn big, but your legs are wide open!" She swung
again, focusing her attacks on the giant's left leg. She hit again, and again,
and then a fourth time... "And take this!" Grinning joyfully, she swung her
scythe a fifth time, striking again in the leg.
That was more than Goliath's leg could take. It shattered apart, and the
giant fell to the ground. Without wasting a second, Belianna leapt onto his
face, pressing the blade of her scythe against his throat.
"And match!" Calsi'im said, raising his hand from the judge's seat. At
that, Belianna withdrew her scythe and jumped down from Goliath's face,
landing on the coliseum ground with perfect poise. "The winner is
Belianna!"
"Hah!" she said, slinging her scythe over her shoulder and shaking with
excitement. "That much was clear without your damned announcement!"
she said, walking up to the judge's seat and sitting down on Calsi'im's desk,
staring at him straight on. "But tell me, Calsi'im, do you not think I am
damned qualified to be on the Infernal Four?"
"Certainly!" Calsi'im said, nodding. "The Dark One Yuigarde has heard
of you, after all! If you win the Neophyte Tournament, you might very well
hear something soon!"
The Neophyte Tournament was an event where newcomers to the Dark
Army who hoped to earn high ranks battled against each other to see who
was worthy. And the ones who held the highest rank of all were the Infernal
Four. Belianna, who had just won her match, was considered an A-tier
demon in the Dark Army. There was hardly anyone stronger than her.
"But damned if I didn't win..." She sighed, turning away to face the
coliseum wall. "There's hardly any damned A-tier demons left to fight," she
said. "I'm damned sure to be the next Infernal, aren't I?"
"Yes, yes," Calsi'im said, nodding cheerfully. "You were quite strong
out there today! I'll make certain the Dark One Yuigarde hears about this!"
Belianna glanced at Calsi'im out of the corner of her eye and
impatiently clicked her tongue.
◇The Next Day, at an Outpost near the Front◇
Belianna kept fighting her way through the A-tier preliminaries. Today
she had come to a place in the forest where the army of Klyrode and the
Dark Army had outposts facing off against each other. "I must win the
damned preliminaries, and then I must wait to hear back from my superiors.
What a damned nuisance..."
She left the Dark Army outpost and sneaked through the forest past
where the Klyrode army was encamped to reach the main road. "I just want
them to recognize my damned power and make me a damned Infernal. If
I'm going to catch the Dark One's damned eye, I must show him what I'm
worth..."
Belianna hefted her scythe. She could see dust being kicked up by
wagon wheels on the road ahead—likely a supply team headed for the
Klyrode outpost. Suddenly, a great number of demons swarmed out of the
forest, attacking the wagons! The Dark Army must have dispatched a force
to disrupt the Klyrode supply lines.
There were two hundred demons, more than enough to crush the supply
team flat. But as the demons got within striking range, one by one they
were sent flying back. Belianna took a closer look. There was a man
standing on top of the wagon, wearing a blue wolf mask, his arm extended.
He was casting magic, striking back every demon that ran up to attack.
Belianna chuckled. "I seem to have happened on a damned big target.
The Wolf of Justice!" She ran down the road, scythe at the ready. "They say
that after we lost the northern outpost to MacTaulo, the Dark One had this
damned position fortified as much as he damned could. But that damned
Wolf of Justice is taking the attack team out by his damn self..."
In no time, she had closed the distance between them. "Wolf of Justice!"
she declared. "I will defeat you and secure my damned place in the Dark
Army! I'll bring your damned head to the Dark One and become an
Infernal!"
◇ ◇ ◇
A few minutes later, Belianna found herself in the Klyrode army camp,
bound by magic thread and thoroughly captured. "H-How..." Even now, she
looked like she couldn't believe this was happening.
Belianna thought back to the fight, trying as hard as she could to
remember what had happened. "I closed the damned distance to the wagon
from behind... I was in the Wolf of Justice's damned blind spot... But then...
Then..." It was no use. She had no idea what kind of attack the Wolf of
Justice had used on her. That was as far as her memories went. It seemed
like she must have lost consciousness.
She looked absolutely miserable.
After some time, the Klyrode army let Belianna and the other demons
who had been arrested go free and sent them back to the Dark Army
outpost. There, she boarded a carriage and returned to the Dark Citadel. The
whole time she kept asking herself how she could have possibly lost, but for
the life of her she couldn't remember what had happened. "What did he do?
How did the damned Wolf of Justice beat me?"
In her chambers in her own mansion, Belianna swung her scythe
viciously. An image of the Wolf of Justice kept floating in and out of her
mind. "Dammit!" she shouted. "Damn you, Wolf of Justice! This isn't
over!" In her eyes burned the fires of revenge!
◇Klyrode Army Camp◇
Flio, in his blue wolf mask, saw the captured Dark Army soldiers off in
his wagon. Wyne was standing next to him, a matching red wolf mask on
her face. "The bad guys were really weak this time, weren't they, dada?"
"Wy— I mean, Red Justice, I told you to call me Wolf Justice while
we're here, remember?"
Wyne scratched the top of her head. "Oh! That's right. I'm sorry, dada."
It seemed that she hadn't quite internalized it yet.
Flio smirked. "According to the information Greanyl's team brought us,
most of the Dark Army's fighting force is away. I suppose they left the
weaker ones holding the line against the Klyrode army." He folded his
arms. But that girl at the end with the scythe was fairly strong... Although it
only took one lighting bolt to knock her out.
"Mm!" Wyne said. "It was fun to have a big fight! It's been a while!"
Grinning toothily, she ran up to Flio. "But, dada, I'm hungry!"
"I told you not to call me dada right now..." Still smirking under his
mask, Flio retrieved a giant hunk of meat from his Bottomless Bag. Holding
it by the exposed bone, he handed it over to the ravenous wyvern.
"Yaaay!" Wyne cheered, leaping on the chunk of meat and sinking her
teeth in greedily. "Meat! Meat!"
Wyne had been the strongest dragon soldier in the Dark Army, but as
strong as she was, she was still growing. Her body needed a huge amount of
food in order to mature. Before long, she devoured the meat completely.
I suppose it's going to be another huge five-course meal of meat, Flio
thought as he watched her gobble it up, smiling affectionately.
The two rode the wagon back towards Houghtow City.
◇The Calgosi Coast◇
Flying high in the sky, Loplanz took a deep breath. Then he opened his
mouth and expelled a terrific stream of fire.
"What?!" Captain Eddsarch, the Blackbeard Corsair, looked up in shock.
"That useless bird can breathe fire now?!" The flames struck his ship.
Within moments, it was an inferno. "Landlubbers!" Eddsarch hollered. "I
was certain this would be the night I would check in to Junia's place!
Everyone! Abandon ship!"
"Aye aye, Captain!" The pirates aboard Eddsarch's flagship leapt off the
sides into the water and swam for the open sea.
Shaxablena of the Ladyshark Pirates sighed as she watched Eddsarch's
men swim towards her own ship. "Ugh... Are they expecting me to bail
them out again?"
"Captain," one of her pirates said. "Your orders?"
"Isn't it obvious? We turn around and go home."
As Shaxablena ordered, the pirate ships turned and sailed back out to
sea, full speed ahead.
"What?!" Eddsarch screamed. "Shaxablena! What are you doing?! It's
me! Let me on board!" But the ships kept sailing on out of the inlet, without
any heed for his objections, Eddsarch and his men floundering desperately
after them.
"I... I did it!" Loplanz let out a sigh of relief as he watched Eddsarch
from high in the sky.
"Gah ha ha!" Polseidon laughed. "I thought you were just a kid! But
look at you growing up so fast!" Polseidon was in his giant form. He had
just finished sinking the rest of Eddsarch's fleet. "Still, you got one ship,
and I got seven! You've got a ways to go, kid. Gah ha ha!"
"Kh..." Loplanz grumbled. "F-Fine! I get it!" He beat his wings angrily
as he shouted back.
"Next time some dragon girl comes around, you can show her your stuff,
huh kid?" Polseidon said.
Loplanz's face turned red. "Th-This isn't about Wyne! Why would you
even bring her up?!"
"Oh? All I said was 'some dragon girl.' You've really taken a liking to
that Wyne girl from Mister Flio's place, haven't you, Loplanz? You're
growing up in more ways than one! Gah ha ha!"
"Ggghhh..." Loplanz had nothing to say to that. He gritted his beak as he
glared at Polseidon from overhead.
J-Just watch me! Loplanz thought. I'm gonna become the best familiar
there is! You'll all see! And then... And then, Wyne will...
Wistfully, he stared off to the north, the direction where Houghtow City
lay.
◇Houghtow City—Flio's House◇
That night, Flio was taking a bath like usual. There were so many people
living in his house that they had long ago split the bath off into a men's and
women's section. In addition, since they had moved here, Flio and Rys had
had children, Ghozal, Uliminas, and Balirossa had gotten married, and Sleip
and Byleri had started seeing each other, so there was a need to arrange
things for families and couples to take a bath together if they wished.
Therefore, they added one more bath for mixed bathing, bringing the total
number to three.
There was a sign hanging on the doorway to one of the baths which read
"Flio's Family." This meant that Flio, Rys, Wyne, Elinàsze, and Garyl were
free to enter together. There was a tacit understanding that of the three
baths, only two could be used for family bathing at one time. That way, the
members of the household who were still single, like Blossom or Belano,
would have a bath free to take whenever they wished.
Flio sighed. "It got late while I was away sending supplies to the
Klyrode army..." he said. Suddenly, Flio heard the sound of little feet
running towards him, going pitter-patter, pitter-patter... "Hm?"
"Dada!" Wyne said, casting the door open and leaping in, right next to
Flio. "I wanna take a bath too!"
Flio smiled. "Thank you for your help today, Wyne," he said. "I hope I
didn't keep you too late."
"I don't mind! Not if I'm helping you!" She flexed her small biceps—
although it was her well-developed chest that stood out far more. Flio doted
on Wyne every bit as much as his biological children, but seeing her breasts
suddenly exposed like that caught him off guard. He looked away, doing his
best to seem calm and composed.
Just then, the door opened, and Rys stepped in. "Oh?" she said. "I was
wondering if my lord husband was in here. Wyne, you're here too?"
"Oh!" said Flio. "I hope we didn't wake you."
"Not at all. I was waiting for my lord husband to return. I see you got in
the bath ahead of me..." She sat down to Flio's left side, opposite Wyne.
Wyne looked between the two, staring at their faces.
"What is it, Wyne?" Flio asked.
Wyne grinned happily. "I'm just so happy I get to live with my dada and
mama!" she said. She circled around behind them and gave them both a big
hug, rubbing her cheeks against theirs. "I'll look out for you, I promise!
Dada and mama and Eli-Eli and Gare-Gare..."
Flio gave Wyne his usual easygoing smile. "I appreciate it, Wyne," he
said. "But we're all together in this. You don't have to protect us."
But Wyne shook her head emphatically. "Uh-uh! I'll protect you! I
wanna protect you!" she said, squeezing her foster parents tight. Flio and
Rys returned her hug from either side, all three of them pressed close
together.
◇Flio's House—Flio and Rys's Room◇
"Wyne has been very energetic lately, hasn't she?" Rys said. "Lately,
she's been coming along with me for my morning hunts as well."
"She has?" Flio asked, slightly surprised to hear the news. Up until now,
Wyne's habit had been to sleep in until noon every day. It wasn't that she
was lazy, just that she was a dragon. Dragons are cold-blooded creatures,
and have a certain amount of difficulty balancing their body temperature.
Wyne, a dragonewt who had both humans and dragons in her ancestry, was
a bit warmer than a full dragon, but still had trouble getting going until it
was warm enough outside. When they had gone on their outing to the
snowy mountains, she hadn't been able to do anything until the afternoon.
"She used to sleep in every day, but lately she's been getting up before
dawn," Rys said.
"Huh!" Flio said. "I wonder..." It seemed like he had some idea of what
was happening.
"What is it, my lord husband?"
"Oh, it's just...if Wyne's getting up early all of a sudden..." As he spoke,
Flio got out of bed and went to look in the children's room. Recently, Wyne,
Garyl, and Elinàsze had been sharing a single room. It used to be Wyne's,
but now it seemed like it belonged to all of them. Flio quietly opened the
door and stepped inside.
There was a dresser full of clothing, and a three-level bunk bed, both of
which Flio had made himself. Wyne was asleep on the lowest bunk.
Elinàsze's bed was the middle, and Garyl's the top—but right now, all three
of them were asleep cuddled together. Wyne was smiling as she slept, Garyl
and Elinàsze's arms wrapped around her.
"My!" Rys exclaimed when she saw, smiling fondly.
"And this," Flio said, whispering in her ear, "is why Wyne has been
getting up early all of a sudden."
Rys nodded. When she had slept alone, Wyne had difficulty rising
because of the temperature. But now she was sleeping with the twins on
either side, helping her maintain her body heat and enabling her to get out
of bed early in the morning.
Flio and Rys crept quietly up to the bed. The children looked so happy
cuddled together like that. The loving parents got a good look at their kids'
smiling faces, and then turned to look at each other, nodded, and left them
to sleep.
Wyne did a sleepy little yawn and pressed close to her bedmates, who
held her tighter. They slept on, happy and at peace.