Intermission: The Abandoned Capital in the North
――Northern Region. The abandoned capital, Beryondora.
In the past, it was the capital of a kingdom that fell in battle against demons—now, its remnants and ruins.
A city burnt to ashes. Land gouged and torn. A castle in ruins.
All that remains is debris. Ashes piled on top. And the silent remains of the people turned into lifeless bones.
Visitors to this cursed land have long ceased to come, and when its name is spoken, it is accompanied by fear and resentment towards the demons.
Amidst the desolate ruins, in what was once a bustling square, stood the silhouette of a man.
A tall man with a rugged face and sharp gaze.
His appearance could be considered handsome, yet the confident smile that clung to his lips would likely give others a rather fierce impression.
"――So you've come."
The man murmured with a satisfied narrowing of his eyes. As if in response to his voice, figures began to appear sporadically in the ruined city. Among them were those with purple skin and horns. Some appeared human, but every single one of those who had gathered there were without exception demons.
"Young ones. To summon us like this."
"Valros. Just who do you think you are?"
A voice echoed from a corner of the ruins. It carried a hostile tone, but Valros, the demon who had been addressed, paid it no mind. He closed his eyes and let out a deeper smile.
"It's an urgent matter."
"To say so, it must be quite a significant affair?"
"If it were a trivial matter... you understand what would happen, right?"
At Valros's words, he shrugged his shoulders.
"Depending on the situation, we might be forced to alter our plans."
"Instead of beating around the bush, why not get to the point?"
Yet another voice, this time a woman's.
"Are we all here yet?"
"You mean Mustra? He probably has no intention of attending such gatherings anyway."
"I see... Shall we get to the main point then?"
Valros paused for a moment, wiping the smile from his face as he spoke.
"We've lost regular contact from Lynette, who was infiltrating Termwills."
At Valros's words, the demons fell momentarily silent.
"...And who is Lynette?"
A confused demon asked, letting their perplexity show.
"She's a young female demon. Quite knowledgeable about human magic. She infiltrated the Great Labyrinth to search for a way to break the seal."
"Is this really such a critical matter? Maybe she's just running late?"
"No, she likely got caught by the humans and defeated."
"True. At worst, she was likely defeated by those humans. She was relatively capable."
Valros denied the optimistic view and agreed with the perspective that Lynette had been defeated. Some demons, including those who had previously voiced dissatisfaction with Valros's summoning, exchanged glances and laughed. Among them were those who had been discontent but now joined in the laughter.
"Was there something... amusing?"
"How could we not laugh? The reason you summoned us can't be something so trivial."
"Indeed. It's just a lower-ranked lackey who kicked the bucket."
They continued to laugh, oblivious to the underlying seriousness in Valros's voice. Annoyed, Valros furrowed his brow.
――What fools.
Valros thought.
Indeed, it made sense. Lynette's pure combat abilities were likely inferior to those present here. She was aware of her own shortcomings, and there was a certain complexity to her personality. She seemed to hold a certain resentment towards Valros as well, likely due to his perception of her weaknesses.
The resentment Lynette held towards Valros likely stemmed from the typical pride of demons, but the reverse—that is, how Valros viewed Lynette—was a different story. The evaluation of her was quite positive, and he held her in high regard.
"Lynette said that if she dies, the plan will change. But is it really that important?"
"As I said before, it's exactly that. That woman isn't lacking in wits. She was well-versed in human summoning and barrier magic, as well as teleportation techniques. She was necessary for finding a way to open the path to the Moonlight Temple."
Valros saw Lynette as a unique and valuable individual, not just for her combat abilities. Among the demons who often resorted to violence, Lynette stood out due to her skills and knowledge. Compared to those who couldn't grasp her rarity or understand the significance of her death, Valros considered her far more capable and useful.
Hence, Valros held Lynette in high esteem. Perhaps Lynette saw his high regard for her as arrogance or a form of evaluation, but it was a perception she had likely held even before this situation unfolded.
"So, what's the plan? If we can't enter the Moonlight Temple, our plan might be in jeopardy, right?"
"We'll inherit the research findings sent by Lynette. If things go well, we might achieve some results. Anyway, we need more information about the sealing of the Moonlight Temple and Lynette's fate. Someone will have to be sent to Tomewills again."
Selecting the personnel for that purpose was the reason Valros had called the assembly.
"You expect us to clean up after that little girl? Why don't you go yourself?"
The one who said that was a disgruntled member of Valros' assembly. Perhaps due to the condescending tone, even those who had been laughing about Lynette seemed to chuckle, including a kind of laugh. However...
"Wha-!?"
A muffled scream and the sound of shattering stones could be heard.
Valros, who had stepped in with tremendous speed, grabbed the face of the individual and slammed them into the ground. Although everything had been done purely through force, that simple action alone contained enough power to crack the ground.
"Don't prattle on. I might just crush you."
Valros casually slammed the person onto the ground while saying that. Again and again. The limbs of the demon danced like a puppet, and with each bounce, the ground cracked, the surrounding terrain collapsing.
The reason the independent demons had Valros at the center, even for their goals, was simply that Valros was incredibly strong.
The one with the face grabbed and being slammed into the ground wasn't in a good situation. At first, they resisted somewhat out of pride, but eventually, unable to endure any longer, they let out a scream-like plea.
"S-Stop, please."
"Then, show some restraint."
After throwing the demon, who was gasping for breath, aside, Valros surveyed his surroundings again.
He was probably aiming for a demonstration effect for the others. The relaxed atmosphere that had been present among those who had been laughing earlier was now nowhere to be found.
Valros himself usually had a more gentlemanly side, especially considering he was entrusted with a leadership role. However, today his patience was wearing thin, and one of the demons who held resentment towards Valros miscalculated the boundary for how far they could provoke him. That's all there was to it.
"As you all know, I can't move from here yet. Others probably have similar circumstances... Is there anyone available who can head to Tomewills?"
"I'll go."
Stepping forward was a demon with fiery red eyes.
"...Zevion, huh?"
Valros frowned.
The fact that it was Zevion, of all people, who volunteered was concerning. If there was no way to break the barrier, Zevion might suggest a reckless breakthrough. Moreover, even if Lynette had been defeated, there was still uncertainty about how Zevion would react and act. If possible, Valros would have preferred to entrust this to someone else. However, there was no one else available. Zevion might be free now because he only focused on combat.
Since Zevion had volunteered like this, Valros hoped he would exercise some restraint.
"...Can he bring that guy with him?"
Valros pointed to the demon who had been caught by him earlier and asked.
"That's fine... but will he be useful?"
"If he follows my power, he won't dare defy me again. Not you, nor me."
"Is that so?"
Valros remembered the earlier disgraceful scene of that demon and smiled wryly.
Well, with Zevion, who was a combination of battle lust and clever tricks, there might be a balance to some extent. Even if detailed instructions were given, it was hard to believe the demons would obediently follow orders; they would likely act in accordance with their strength. In that sense, Lynette was indeed a rare talent. Despite her emotions, she could be rational in her actions.
"Any other points to note?"
"Among Lynette's research findings, there are tools for infiltrating Termwills. Use those tools to gather information. Those tools aren't something you can easily obtain. Handle them with care."
"Understood."
"Also, she mentioned that while you can deceive the outer barrier, you won't be able to handle some of the inner barriers, namely those in the depths of the labyrinth and within the royal castle. Be cautious."
"Very well."
With a defiant smile, Zevion lifted the collar of the still-fallen demon and hoisted them onto his shoulder before turning away.