Chapter 180: Takatsuki Makoto arrives at the Fallen Metropolis of Cornet
Moon Country, Laphroaig.
A country that flourished 1,000 years ago.
The Moon Palace that’s in the Cornet capital is said to have been the most beautiful of the world in those times.
Why did the Moon Country prosper even in the dark times when the demons ruled?
The reason is because the Moon Oracle and Queen of the Moon Country was the Calamity Witch, and was connected to the Great Demon Lord.
But that reality was hidden, and the Moon Country was called the miraculous country that wasn’t attacked by the demons for some reason.
The Calamity Witch was pushing a certain demon human harmony policy.
That method was the marriage of humans and demons.
In order to make up with the rulers of that time, the demons, they would have humans and demons get together and have children -devilkin.
Devilkin are humans, and also demons.
They were supposed to be the bridge between the two races.
But the way she did it was bad.
The Calamity Witch used her power, the Charm Eyes, to force both demons and humans without getting their consent.
Many humans and demons mixed without wishing for it.
After that, that evil practice was exposed by Savior Abel.
After the Great Demon Lord was defeated, the Moon Country was dissolved.
It ended up with a massive amount of devilkin refugees.
The infamy of the Calamity Witch was talked about even after 1,000 years.
And, the present.
We arrived at the Fallen Metropolis of Cornet that gave birth to many devilkins 1,000 years ago.
◇◇
“This is your homeland, Fu-chan? Hmm…” (Aya)
“How to say it…it is a refreshing place.” (Lucy)
Sa-san and Lucy speak while choosing their words.
“There’s nothing.” (Makoto)
That was my impression when I saw this place.
There’s the remains of what were buildings here and there, but most are on the verge of crumbling.
What spread after that was an open field.
“The people here all lived underground. Because if they were to walk above ground, they would be taken away by Highland and Camelon merchants.” (Furiae)
“Eh? Why?” (Aya)
Sa-san asked after what Furiae-san said.
“The devilkin women and children would be made into slaves. They have no ‘human’ rights after all.” (Furiae)
“…No way.” (Aya)
Sa-san was at a loss for words.
The past of Furiae-san is heavy.
I don’t know what to say to her.
“H-hey, I was also told something like ‘never go outside the Great Forest’ when I was a child. Elves are also targeted by slave merchants often. Especially cute half-elves like me.” (Lucy)
“L-Lucy, this is the first time I have heard of that!” (Makoto)
“Oh, I didn’t tell you, Makoto?” (Lucy)
Even Lucy brought out a dark story to try and change the atmosphere.
The Great Forest had that bad of security?!
Or more like, isekais really are scary!
““““……””””
“Naah Naah.”
Only the cry of the black cat resonated in this dark atmosphere.
At that moment, the Sun Knight Captain, Ortho-san, showed up.
“Makoto-dono, do you have some time?” (Ortho)
“Y-Yes. What is it?” (Makoto)
That’s a relief. We can change the topic.
“We will be constructing our base now. In the evening there will be a meeting using transmission magic, so please participate in it. You are free to do as you wish till the base is made, but if you are going to go far, leave a message to someone. Also, there’s a coast at the back of the Moon Palace remains, but there’s the chance that the army of the Sea Monster King Forneus could be approaching, so keep an eye out for monsters and demons. Also…I think the chances are low, but be careful in case the Snake Church attacks.” (Ortho)
So many warnings.
The war really is approaching. The tension is on a whole other level.
“I understand.” (Makoto)
“Well then.” (Ortho)
Ortho-san left with quick steps.
A giant tent is being set faraway.
Ortho-san is giving orders to his subordinates.
I thought that maybe it would be better to help them out, but they are pros while I am a newbie.
I feel like I would just end up getting in their way instead.
In that case, it is free time, huh.
I thought they would have surveillance on us at the very least.
This is something I thought of on the way as well, but the only ones who are showing a sense of danger towards the Evil God Apostle and the Moon Oracle are mostly people that are related to the church or the nobles.
It seems like the Sun Knights don’t mind it much.
Hmm, we now have unexpected free time.
Now then…what to do?
I look at Furiae-san.
She looks at me with an ‘Hm?’ face.
“What?” (Furiae)
“Hey, Princess, you know your way around this area, right? Can you be our guide?” (Makoto)
When in an unknown place, talk with the locals.
“Alright.” (Furiae)
When I asked her of this, Furiae-san began to walk ahead.
“Fu-chan, you are walking too fast.” (Aya)
“Furi, I will go with you.” (Lucy)
Sa-san and Lucy chase after her.
I follow after the 3 while using Detection.
There’s almost no buildings of Cornet remaining, but a minuscule amount of the stone paving is still there.
Furiae-san was walking on top of those without getting lost.
“…Nothing has changed. That’s obvious though.” (Furiae)
“Really, Fu-chan?” (Aya)
“Yeah. The ruins of a capital where I was raised for many years… Fufu, it is a boring scenery no matter how many times I see it.” (Furiae)
Contrary to her words, Furiae-san was speaking as if she were having a bit of fun.
Is she feeling a bit better now?
“I thought this after seeing the Water Country and the Sun Country: How unfair it is… Even though everyone can live their life above ground, we are being driven away underground like moles. When I see people who haven’t tasted muddy water having happy faces, I feel killing intent well up in me…” (Furiae)
This is not good. The darkness in the heart of Furiae-san is deep.
“H-Hey, Princess, Princess Noel is against the hyerarchical system, so won’t the discrimination towards devilkin disappear after she takes over the throne…?” (Makoto)
Someone said that before.
Relying on that memory, I tried asking Furiae-san.
“…Who knows. That woman said that she would get rid of the discrimination towards the beastkin and elves, but there’s no assurance that the devilkin are counted in that. In the first place, the Goddess Church doesn’t approve of the devilkin.” (Furiae)
“I…have heard about that before.” (Lucy)
Lucy added this with a dark tone after the words of Furiae-san.
Princess Noel is the Sun Oracle and one of the most important members of the Goddess Church.
It is true that it would take quite a lot to make that Pope agree.
“In the first place, I don’t want to expect anything from that woman. That woman that had everything since birth! My Knight! Stop talking about the Sun Oracle from now on.” (Furiae)
Furiae-san said this with an angered tone.
(…It is not since birth though.) (Makoto)
If I remember correctly, Princess Noel was the third in line for the throne of Highland.
It was when the Light Hero, Sakurai-kun, appeared that she became his fiance, and rose to the first.
As the mate of the Light Hero.
Until then, she was aiming to become the Pope of the Goddess Church, and she was apparently training as a Sun Oracle.
‘She is a splendid person that I wouldn’t even be able to compare’, is what the super hard worker Princess Sofia said, so there’s no doubt.
That’s why my image of Princess Noel is that of a grinder…
Well, this is not the moment to be saying that though.
“I won’t talk about that anymore, Princess. By the way, where are we heading to?” (Makoto)
“As long as you understand. It is that.” (Furiae)
Furiae-san pointed at a slightly elevated hill.
On top of that, there’s giant stone bricks put together.
It is crumbling, but it must have been an outstanding building in its time.
“The place where the Moon Palace was at in the past. The underground of that is where I was living.” (Furiae)
◇◇
“Heeh, there’s a big space like this underground.” (Aya)
“Could this possibly be an escape route for the palace?” (Lucy)
We were in a giant round shaped space, with a whole lot of underground routes connected to it.
Lucy and Sa-san were looking around restlessly in curiosity.
“That’s right. The underground labyrinth-like routes were made with the Moon Palace ruins as its center -as an escape route for war times.” (Furiae)
“It sounds like the capital of the Fire Country.” (Makoto)
The memories of the time when I was searching for the Snake Church with the Enforcer Knight.
The Snake Church was doing a ritual there.
The self-destruction magic ritual to destroy the Gamuran capital.
(…Just in case…) (Makoto)
I am a worrywart, so I activate Detection.
There was a reaction.
“?! Sa-san, Lucy! There’s someone hiding there. Princess, come here!” (Makoto)
“G-Got it.” (Furiae)
Furiae-san comes running here as I tell her.
Her movements were fast.
But what was hiding was also fast.
“Don’t resist.”
“Kill all the Sun Knights!”
“Save Furiae-sama!”
“Glory to devilkins!”
Several tens of masked people hiding in the shadows rushed out to attack us.
The one who was the closest to the masked people was…Sa-san.
“You bastards, if you treasure the life of this woma—bugah!”
They must have judged her as the weakest amongst us. The man that seemed like the leader of the group tried to capture Sa-san…and was sent flying into the sky.
Sa-san had a dumbfounded expression with her extended right arm.
I couldn’t see when she had punched at all.
““““Eh?””””
The remaining masked people stopped in place.
(That girl is the strongest in our party, you know.) (Makoto)
“Are these guys from the Snake Church?” (Lucy)
Lucy was holding her staff up, and there’s a fireball of around 5 meters in size above it.
The Fireball of Lucy.
…No matter how many times I see it, it is terrifying.
If you get hit directly by it, I am sure not even bones would remain.
“Makoto, I am going to burn them all, okay?” (Lucy)
“Okay, but let’s leave the leader alive. We will give him over to Ortho-san. Let’s burn the rest.” (Makoto)
“Alright!” (Lucy)
Lucy winks jokingly.
In other words, this is a joke.
The giant fireball was roaring with the ridiculous mana of Lucy.
If that were to explode, the remains of the Moon Palace would be destroyed.
If she were to really throw that thing, we would be buried alive…
Lucy is continuously putting mana to the fireball she doesn’t plan on shooting.
The air is drying, the mana in the air is burning, and it is hard to breathe.
The masked people must be feeling nothing but fear here.
“W-Wait, please! If you are going to kill someone, please keep it only to me! Please spare their lives!”
The man that was sent flying by Sa-san took off his mask and apologized.
“Oh, you are…” (Furiae)
Furiae-san, who was hiding at the back until now, came out with quick steps.
“Isn’t that you, Havel? …What are you doing?” (Furiae)
“Furiae-sama! Oooh…to think that I would be able to see your face once more…! We will make sure to save you!”
Are these guys…
“Princess, you know them?” (Makoto)
“That’s right… My Knight, Mage-san, can you wait for a bit?” (Furiae)
Furiae-san makes Lucy hold down her magic.
She really has gotten better with her magic.
“Aah, to think the day would come when the magic of Lucy would be this dependable…” (Makoto)
“Hey, Makoto, being moved this much by a simple fireball doesn’t make me happy at all though?!” (Lucy)
“Hey hey, Takatsuki-kun, what are we gonna do about those guys?” (Aya)
While Lucy and I were talking, Sa-san pointed at the guys that attacked us.
“It is Furiae-sama!” “Oracle-sama!” “Oooh, to think the day would come when we would meet again…” “Thank the Goddess, thank the Goddess…”
The people that attacked us took off their masks, surrounded Furiae-san, and kneeled on the ground.
People moved to tears, people whose voices were shaking, people worshipping her… What is this?
“Ooi, Princess, introduce those people to us.” (Makoto)
I waved my hand to Princess.
“You bastard! Talking like that to Furiae-sama!”
“Huh? (Threateningly)” (Aya)
“““Hiiiihh!!”””
The leader tried to threaten me, but Sa-san used her Pressure Skill, and he got weak on his knees.
The others were also affected by this.
…The pressure of a Lamia Queen is scary!
“Wait a bit, My Knight!” (Furiae)
“Okay.” (Makoto)
We decided to wait for a bit on the request of Furiae-san.
From what I can see, there’s no need to worry about them trying to harm Furiae-san.
Lucy, Sa-san, and I decide to wait at a slightly faraway location for a bit as Furiae-san and those people talk.
I was watching that absentminded.
“Hey hey, Makoto, have you noticed their looks?” (Lucy)
Lucy whispers in my ear.
“Yeah, everyone is a demon.” (Makoto)
All the people surrounding Furiae-san have horns on their heads, or have red eyes; they have traits of demons.
It is the same as the devilkin children I met in the orphanage of the Sun Country.
People that you can tell have demon blood just by looking.
I thought they were all men, but there were also young women.
Wonder what connection they have?
Furiae-san spoke to the devilkin for a while, and then she came back to us alone.
“Sorry, My Knight. Those people are believers of the Moon Goddess Naia like me. They said they wanted to get revenge against the Highland Knights for kidnapping me. Can you please forgive them…?” (Furiae)
“Hmm…” (Makoto)
We were the ones who were attacked.
Sa-san was strong, so there were no problems, but if it had been Lucy…no, she would have been able to do something.
Lucy as of late has been strong.
I am the weakest in close combat.
Now then, what to do…
“If they were to get apprehended under the charges of assault, they will all be executed without exception since they are devilkin…” (Furiae)
“Eh?!” (Aya)
Sa-san gets surprised at the words of Furiae-san.
That’s quite the drastic thing.
“So you are telling us to overlook this?” (Makoto)
“I-Is that a no?” (Furiae)
It is rare to see Furiae-san this meek.
Are they important people for Furiae-san?
“These people…have been in my daily life since childhood. I don’t want to see them being executed.” (Furiae)
“Childhood friends, huh…” (Makoto)
Of course she would want to save them.
I glanced at Lucy and Sa-san.
“You can decide, Makoto.” (Lucy)
“Isn’t it okay? No one is injured.” (Aya)
“If you two say so.” (Makoto)
I look at Furiae-san.
“We saw nothing.” (Makoto)
“I-Is that okay…?” (Furiae)
“It is. But tell them not to attack the Sun Knights again.” (Makoto)
“Thanks, My Knight.” (Furiae)
If the life of my friends were in danger, I would without doubt try to save them.
Silently watching as they get executed is impossible…but I can’t imagine a scenario where Sakurai-kun or Sa-san’s life would be in danger.
“…Furiae-sama, thank you very much. You people…I am sorry.”
The acquaintances of Furiae-san lowered their head.
Even so, their way of speaking doesn’t sound like they are childhood friends at all.
It is most likely because the Moon Oracle is a special existence for the devilkins.
“B-But, the fact that you have been calling him ‘My Knight’ until now…could it be that you have done the Guardian Knight pact?!”
“That’s right.” (Furiae)
“Why?! Even though us Monarch Guards are ready to willingly throw our lives away for you, Furiae-sama!”
“That’s right! From what I can see, he doesn’t have that special of Aura or Mana! He doesn’t look like a person that can protect Oracle-sama at all!”
“Please return to our side!”
The devilkin pleaded to Furiae-san with such strength that it felt as if they would be rubbing their foreheads to the ground.
Aren’t you guys casually dissing me?
“My Knight is the Hero of the Water Country. Also, he defeated the Demon Lord Bifrons in the Wood Country.” (Furiae)
“““Wa?!”””
These young devilkins raise their voices in surprise.
Do I look that weak?
“By the way, the Warrior-san that sent you flying just now was the Fire Country’s Hero.” (Furiae)
“““Aaah~…”””
And you agree with that one!
“You saw the mana of the Mage-san there, right? Even if there were a hundred of you people here, you wouldn’t be a match. Also…if the Moon Oracle were to choose a devilkin as her Guardian Knight, I would have been killed by the Highland Templars immediately.” (Furiae)
“““……”””
Everyone fell silent at the words of Furiae-san.
“Kuh… You, what’s your name?!” (Havel)
The leader of the devilkin team, Havel, approached me.
“Takatsuki Makoto…” (Makoto)
“Takatsuki Makoto… An otherworlder, huh.” (Havel)
His face is close.
Silver hair and darkish skin.
He has a handsome face, and his red eyes and horn were signs that he is a devilkin.
“Please take care of Furiae-sama…” (Havel)
The devilkin man lowered his head while glaring at me and oozing regret.
“Got it.” (Makoto)
It goes without saying.
“Furiae-sama, we may not be of much help, but when you are troubled, we won’t hold back in any assistance we can provide.” (Havel)
Saying this, the devilkin man looked at his comrades and was about to leave.
“Wait. The demon army is approaching this continent. Do you all know that?” (Furiae)
Furiae-san called them to a stop.
“Yeah, we do… Even if we did, there’s no other place aside from this where we can live anyways.” (Havel)
The devilkin man said this sadly.
“…R-Right. Be careful.” (Furiae)
After the words of Furiae-san, the young devilkins lowered their heads and disappeared into one of the underground tunnels.
Alright, we managed to avoid an unnecessary battle.
(But there’s one point of worry.) (Makoto)
I feel like they are going to tell me I can’t read the mood, but…
But we are in the middle of a war.
“Hey…Princess.” (Makoto)
“What, My Knight?” (Furiae)
“This is hard to say, but…” (Makoto)
I was pondering how to ask this.
“Are you worried about whether those people are connected to the Demon Lord army or the Snake Church?” (Furiae)
Furiae-san said it before me.
“Well…yeah.” (Makoto)
“I thought you would be saying that, so I secretly Charmed them and asked them their true feelings. They didn’t lie. Those people are not related to the Demon Lord army.” (Furiae)
“Ooh, is that so.” (Makoto)
She really is thoughtful.
That’s a relief.
Then, let’s go back.
I have to participate in the evening meeting.
The moment I began walking to return to where they are setting up base, my shoulder was poked.
“…Hey, My Knight.” (Furiae)
Furiae-san looked here with an upward glance.
“What?” (Makoto)
“What if I had been lying? What if they were actually from the Demon Lord army?” (Furiae)
“Are you lying?” (Makoto)
“I am not…” (Furiae)
“Then I believe you.” (Makoto)
“?!” (Furiae)
Furiae-san opened her eyes wide.
Why are you surprised?
“You are eventually going to be deceived by an evil woman, you know?!” (Furiae)
Furiae-san said this while deviating her gaze and left.
Why was I scolded?
“Hey hey, Fu-chan had a red face there just now. Did you say something?” (Aya)
Sa-san came over as if switching with her.
“Nothing really.” (Makoto)
“Hmm.” (Aya)
“Hey, Makoto, is that intentional, or are you an airhead?” (Lucy)
Lucy came over as well.
Looks like Lucy could hear the conversation.
“Lu-chan, what did Takatsuki-kun say?” (Aya)
“He said he believes in Furi.” (Lucy)
“But Lucy, Sa-san, and Princess wouldn’t lie, right? That’s why I believe you all.” (Makoto)
““…….””
What’s with those weird faces?
“Womanizer.” (Aya)
“Philanderer.” (Lucy)
(Hey there, airheaded gigolo!) (Noah)
Even Noah-sama?!
“Hey, is it okay to not go back?! You have a meeting in the evening, right?!” (Furiae)
Furiae-san faced her and shouted.
Oops.
Being late is bad.
We returned to the base the Sun Knights are building.
When we returned, we immediately were brought to the biggest tent that’s at the middle of the base.
“Wow, this is…” (Aya)
“Like the one we saw at the Wood Country.” (Makoto)
What we saw there were a whole lot of projections showing in midair.
It is apparently transmission magic.
In the Wood Country, the chiefs of each village were using it.
It is apparently standard magic of the armies of each nation according to Ortho-san.
The biggest projection within all of those was the Sun Knight’s top, General Yuwein.
I saw Sakurai-kun by his side.
The Great Sage-sama is…sleeping?
“Then, let’s begin.” (Yuwein)
The strategy meeting against the Demon Lord army began with the low pitch voice of General Yuwein.
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