...And with that, I'm going to be going for about 2 to 3 days from tomorrow. I'm going out to the Demon Realm.]
[Is that so~~ Kaito-san, you got to a lot of places huh~~]
The 22nd day of the Water month. In preparation for my visit to Isis-san's castle tomorrow, I came to visit Alice's miscellaneous goods store.
The purpose was shopping... not.
Alice nodded after hearing my words, then tilted her head with her opera mask on.
[But, why are you telling me that? Ahh, I see! Kaito-san, you've finally noticed my charm huh! A few days of parting would make you miss me huh...]
[No, that's not the case.]
[Can't you just make a little follow-up there and not treat it like a proper conversation!?]
Yep, Alice's predictions are completely misguided and I have a different goal in mind.
Quietly approaching Alice, I slightly glared at her and spoke.
[...Listen here. Don't waste your money on gambling and other useless stuff while I'm gone, okay?]
[Ehhh? Ah, well~~ that's...]
[You hear me!? If I come back and I hear you say you don't have any money left... I'll make sure you'll pay for that.]
[Ihyaahhh!? Kaitho-shan, my sheeks hurw...]
I remind her again, pulling the cheeks of this idiot that I'm sure doesn't get it at all.
Seriously, this girl spends a lot of money if I just take my eyes off her for a few days, and if I really don't keep an eye on her, even a steady income doesn't mean anything at all.
Reminding Alice several times, I was about to leave... when Alice hurriedly took out something.
[Please wait, Kaito-san!]
[Yeah?]
[If you're going to the Demon Realm, I have something that I would recommend you to have!!!]
[....]
How should I say this, she has quite the business spirit or something like that huh...
Letting out a big sigh, I looked at the book that Alice vigorously held out to me.
[...A book?]
[Yes, this is Alice-chan's specially-made, Demon Realm Guidebook!]
[A guidebook?]
[Yes, from the spectacular spots in the Demon Realm to the dangerous areas full of monsters... It's a guidebook that even includes recommendations for the food you can eat while walking around!]
This person doesn't have any business acumen at all, but the products she recommends are very high quality... In fact, even this Demon Realm Guidebook this time is really great.
The "Alice-chan's specially-made" part on the title is a bit disconcerting though...
[So, how much is this?]
[The Demon Realm is so large that it's been divided into different regions. The fourth volume is just perfect for the central and northern area where Kaito-san is going this time... For the set of four books, 30R! What do you think?]
[...I'll buy it.]
[Thank you for the purchase~~]
In the end, Alice's sales talk got the better of me again, and I ended up buying the four-book set.
Well, there are quite a few pages in each book, and if it's for a set of 4 books for 3000 yen, I think I bought something good.
Inside the Albert Duchy's mansion, Lunamaria speaks to Lilia as she goes to her desk for office work.
[I guess Miyama-sama has already arrived at the gate around this time?]
[Possibly. I've told Sieg to come back after she escorts him to the gate.]
In order to go to the castle where Isis lives, Kaito got ready this morning and headed to the gate that connects the Human Realm and the Demon Realm.
While talking about him, Lilia suddenly looked at the empty sky, and as if she had guessed what was in her mind, Lunamaria murmured.
[...The next one that Miyama-sama would probably encounter... is the Dragon King-sama huh.]
[... Stop... I don't want to imagine it.]
[W- Well, I heard that Dragon King-sama doesn't move from the mountain range in the southern part of the Demon Realm, and Miyama-sama will be visiting the northern area this time so... There should be no way he's going to encounter him.]
[...It would be great if that's the case...]
The two exchange words with an ominous feeling of foreboding that Kaito, who was headed to the Demon Realm, would get acquainted with one of the Six Kings again... Lilia covers her ears, as if to say she didn't want to hear it.
Seeing Lilia's grief, Lunamaria heads towards the exit of the room with a wry smile on her face.
[There's no point in thinking too badly about it. I'll go make some tea.]
[Thank you, Luna.]
After thanking Lunamaria as she left the room and was about to make a cup of tea, Lilia slowly leaned her weight on the chair.
And then, after a moment of silence, she looks at the magic tool on the desk... the Calculation Magic Tool she received from Kuromueina under the "pretext" of a sample.
[...Kaito-san, you're really quite the troublesome one….. I thought I'd already returned the first one... and for a second one to appear...]
Gently touching the magic tool, Lilia smiled happily with a faint blush on her cheeks.
Yes, she had noticed. When Kaito observed her as she did office work, he'd been staring at her as she struggled with her calculations... for whose sake did he come up with this magic tool and the reason why it is made...
[...Sieg's voice... and then, this magic tool... Seriously, Kaito-san has been the only one giving me all these things.]
Holding the magic tool in her hand, and after gently holding it in her embrace... A Lilia that she doesn't usually show. Quietly muttering to herself with the smile of a maiden in love.
[...You're really a horrible person... Surprising me, worrying me... And yet, you're so kind and straightforward... And you're all I can think about...]
A voice quietly murmuring in that empty room, voicing out her thoughts filled with her flooding emotions...
The 23rd day of the Water month.
I'm currently in front of a gate with a huge magic circle drawn on it.
This is the gate that connects the Human Realm and the Demon Realm, and it seems that you can teleport to the various gates in the Demons Realm from here.
Incidentally, in order to go to the Demon Realm, you need something like a pass, and it seems that it takes at least 10 days for that to be issued.
Yes... It's that card that Phantasmal King No Face gave me the other day.
Moreover, it's been thoroughly signed under my name... She probably took my appearance and had it issued.
How should I say this… I don't really like how it feels like everything's running at the palm of her hand but... It's certainly as most people would say, it's good since I didn't have to wait for the permit to be issued.
[Welcome, I'll be checking your permit.]
[Here.]
[...Yes, everything's fine. Which gate would you like to go to today?]
[Errr... Around "Forest City Yggfresis"]
[Most certainly. This way, please.]
The attendant led me to stand in the center of a large magic circle.
Immediately, the magic circle began to emit a strong glow, and in an instant, the landscape changed.
And when I closed my eyes in front of a stone gate, I opened them in front of a wooden gate... Arriving in a place that could be called the center of a large forest. I didn't need to look for my destination as there's someone waiting for me.
"Hello there, Kaito-san. Welcome to the Demon Realm... Welcome to Yggfresis."
[Lillywood-san, hello. I'll be in your care today.]
Lillywood-san, who had previously told me that if I were to visit Isis-san, she would show me around, and just as she suggested, she would help guide me today.
It's really reassuring and making me relieved that Lillywood-san, one of the peak beings of the Demon Realm, the Six Kings, and she who seems to have a wealth of knowledge, would be the one guiding me.
Dear Mom, Dad——- Almost two months have passed since I came to this world, and within my heart that's filled with anxiety and anticipation——- I stepped foot in the lands of the Demon Realm.
In the Southern Mountains of the Demon Realm, a giant shadow stepped forward along with a thunderous roar.
[Magnawell-sama!? W- Where in the world are you going?]
"...What, I'm just making sure that I wouldn't miss this chance. No matter how much I think about all this information I see, in the end, I can't measure his value until I see him with my own eyes."
Hearing the words of the High Ancient Dragon who spoke to him with a startled look, his head, the Dragon King Magnawell, told him with a voice that seems to reverberate in the earth.
Saying that if he's going to measure "that person's" value, he would have to meet him in person...
"He has already met 5 of the kings... And just the other day, driven away the threat of the War King. Fufufu, interesting, I've not felt my blood boil in a long time."
[...I will be going with you.]
"Do as you please. Well then, I shall be on my way... to see for myself the face of that youngster Miyama Kaito."
Quietly saying so, but held within those words were of strong interest, the Demon Realm's... no, the world's largest beast walks forward, shaking the earth with each of his steps.
Now, in order to determine the true value of the Polaris, he who shines the strongest even among those who came from another world, with his own eyes...