“It can be felt......?”
The one who let out the dumbfounded voice was Atena.
Did she hear wrong? Is that really what one says after doing what he just did?
If she had heard correctly, this was a situation more serious than saying “I can’t feel it.”
‘He was struck by Cupid’s arrow, locked eyes with Aphrodite, and Aphrodite herself even opened her divine power.’
If it were that he couldn’t feel it, that would at least be a relief.
It would mean there was some defensive means—whatever it was—and he blocked it with that. If they found that defense and destroyed it, then next time Aphrodite’s power would properly take effect.
But that’s not it.
The power took effect properly.
It took effect, and yet this is all it amounted to. To kick Aphrodite with his foot. It is behavior one could never see as becoming a prisoner of love.
Frondier, as if saying “it took effect, and so what.”
Only, there was a slight trick here.
Even from Frondier’s standpoint, it was a trick that was somewhat dangerous.
***
Yesterday, at the lodging, Frondier went to Ria Liss’s room and made one request.
“......Seriously?”
Riri, hearing that, had one eye twitch and her expression turned strange.
“Yeah, keep it secret from the others.”
Frondier brought a finger to his lips and lowered his voice.
There was probably no one listening, but someone might happen to pass by and overhear.
He considered putting up the soundproofing magic “Whispering Wind,” but that magic itself would likely be caught by Elodie’s mana detection. So rather than invite pointless suspicion, speaking this quietly was best.
“So you want me to, uh.......”
Riri brought a finger to her forehead as if to reconfirm what she’d heard.
“Hide myself in the square and use ‘Charm’ on you?”
“Right. After Aphrodite uses her divine power.”
At this point, Riri was struck by tremendous confusion.
Various doubts floated up in order through her head, and the first thing she blurted out was:
“......You won’t get mad later?”
Riri is one of the few who properly tasted Frondier’s anger. She remembers vividly what chain of events followed after she put Charm on Frondier.
Frondier gave a wry smile.
“Why would I get mad. I’m the one asking you to do it.”
“To begin with, you say it’s after Aphrodite uses her divine power on you—how do you know she’ll use it?”
“I don’t know. I’m going to make her.”
No matter how the situation unfolded, Frondier was almost certain that Aphrodite would use her divine power on him.
He is the leader among this party. He himself is the one who decides when to move.
So if he only makes himself an appropriate threat in the square, the moment he shows an opening, Aphrodite will try to bring him under her sway.
‘If I just show Elodie or Selena protecting me, that alone will sufficiently provoke Aphrodite. Since I appears to be the focal point, there will be no bait that looks as delicious as me.’
Of course, at the time he didn’t know Cybel would come here, but either way, he intended to be the first among the party to show himself in the square.
“Aphrodite’s divine power is almost certainly ‘love.’ Make the opponent fall in love and lead them any way she wants.”
If one says that the effects of all abilities are similar, then Frondier is most wary of powers of the same kind as Aphrodite’s.
Even if some individual possessed power surpassing humans, demons, and gods alike, if they are toyed with under someone’s domination, it means nothing.
“So you want me to use Charm on you and suppress that power?”
Even as she said it, Riri thought it was an utterly absurd notion.
To get hit by “Charm” in order to block getting hit by “love.” Who would think of such a thing.
“Both your power and Aphrodite’s are powers that subjugate the other side. If both sides declare themselves the master, the balance should be maintained.”
“......I’m not confident I can win.”
Riri spoke in a deflated voice.
Her opponent is the goddess of beauty so famous in Olympus. Across the myths of the whole world, there are few gods this famous.
By contrast, Ria Liss may be a powerful demon, but she is only Ria Liss.
Frondier tilted his head.
“Why are you so lacking in confidence? You are, after all, the demon of Charm.”
“It’s all because of you!”
In truth, leaving aside that her opponent was Aphrodite, Riri’s confidence in her own power had fallen a lot.
The reason, needless to say, was Frondier.
“I’ve seen plenty of times where artifacts or armor with mental resistance blocked my power, but it was the first time I’d ever seen someone act like you—where it took effect, and you pretended it didn’t!”
“......It was a very powerful power. It’s taking effect even now.”
“That’s why there’s no persuasiveness when you say that with that face!”
Frondier does not act as if he had ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) been struck by Riri’s Charm at all. Watching the way Frondier behaves makes one want to reconsider the very meaning of “Charm.”
At that, Frondier inclined his head for a moment and then spoke.
“Riri, there’s something I should make clear.”
“What is it.”
“I’ve been hit by Belphegor’s power, too.”
Setting aside what happened before he possessed, he was hit one more time right before his eyes.
So Frondier knows to some extent how strong the Seven Deadly Sins’ power is.
“Your power is in no way inferior to that.”
“......There’s no need to console me for nothing.”
Riri muttered with a sulky face.
But Frondier was sincere.
‘Sloth’s power was powerful. Enough that I couldn’t move for a moment. But that was because Belphegor used demon power without holding back at all.’
By contrast, when Ria Liss used hers on Frondier, she poured in her power very slowly. Slowly enough that Frondier would not consciously notice he was being hit by demon power.
And at that level of power, Frondier overreacted and displayed anger. His resistance worked sensitively.
‘......Ria Liss was once called “Lilith” by the players.’
Ria Liss, the charming Zodiac who likes men. It was common opinion, if not confirmed, that she was modeled on the demon “Lilith.”
Of course, back then the players didn’t know Riri was a demon, so they thought of it as a model.
Frondier, who knows Riri is a demon, arrives at the natural thought.
‘What if she isn’t a model, but truly Lilith herself.’
Lilith. The history and renown of that name would not fall behind Aphrodite’s.
“As for divine power, sure.”
At that moment, Riri spoke.
“Aphrodite always keeps Cupid by her side. Of course, he’s tied down right now, so he’ll be in the capital, but if the gods gather in the square, Cupid will come to her. What will you do about that? If you dodge the arrow, Aphrodite won’t approach.”
“Ah, that’s fine.”
Frondier spoke as if it were nothing.
“Even if I don’t dodge, it will miss.”
***
And so, in the present, in truth there is one more power being applied to Frondier.
Riri is still hiding herself and casting Charm on Frondier.
Here, divine power is surging to the point of overflowing, and with Cupid’s arrow that Frondier was just hit by and Aphrodite’s power, the square is already filled with Ecleksis to the utmost.
It is exceedingly difficult to notice her power, and even if one does notice it, they’ll think it’s just another god.
‘Is this even working......?’
Even while still being hit by her Charm, Frondier showed almost no change.
That’s truly infuriating, but seeing him kick Aphrodite did make her feel a bit refreshed. See? It’s not only my power that doesn’t work!
“You dare, you dare kick me......?”
Aphrodite rose with the shock still not gone from her face.
It was only because she was so defenseless that she took it head-on, but Aphrodite is a goddess. And because she is ironically bound to this place, she is a god who can exert the most powerful strength.
So Aphrodite was all the more shocked. Even though her power had almost no restrictions, it did not work on Frondier.
“My power doesn’t work.......”
“No.”
Frondier answered.
“It is working. I can clearly feel it.”
Frondier feels Aphrodite’s power. Even if Cupid’s arrow did not land.
By the property of possession, most mental attacks miss Frondier. Cupid’s arrow is the same. Even if it looks like it struck him, it flies toward some irrelevant place—toward the Frondier before possession.
The only way to reach his soul is with Ecleksis like divine power or demon power. But even then, he has resistance, and on top of that, Riri is joining in right now.
“Want to test it once?”
Frondier took a step toward Aphrodite.
“To see how much ‘love’ you handed me amounts to. To see how much I love you.”
His voice was as leisurely as his unhurried steps.
“To see how much I can wound you while loving you.”
He drew a short sword and, with impassive pupils, looked at Aphrodite.
“I’m curious about that, Aphrodite.”
“You crazy bastard......!”
Bound to this capital, Aphrodite has no information on Frondier at all.
She knows nothing of Frondier’s properties nor of the fact that Ria Liss is currently holding him in check.
Therefore in this current situation, the answer this reality gives her is only one.
‘My power has weakened......?’
The doubt she felt from the moment women outstanding in looks suddenly appeared.
The sprout of that doubt opened a channel and began to grow without end.
Among the gods, someone is trying to pull her down.
‘I thought that because I was only in the capital there was no big problem for me. I never even considered the thought that my power had weakened.’
In truth, she had even taken the king of Palma as a prisoner and was living in luxury.
But the king of Palma is human.
Right now, in front of her eyes, Frondier called himself a demon.
If her power has weakened to the point that it still works on humans, but not on demons—
“......You really are a demon......!”
Aphrodite spoke, filled with certainty.
At that, Frondier smiled faintly.
“Besides that,”
Heukcheon.
Scatter, designate area.
Frondier’s Heukcheon stretched in all directions and sank into the ground.
Black water covered the ground and filled a circle around him.
From the ground to the sky, as spikes and as blades, black weapons rose up and floated.
“What do I look like to you.”
Swiish─
Thwok!!
“Gyaaaaaaah!!”
A scream burst out of nowhere. It did not come from Aphrodite.
A black spike lodged in Charon’s shoulder.
But Frondier’s gaze was still directed at Aphrodite.
As if Charon were merely a sacrifice to show to Aphrodite.
“What were you expecting besides a demon, Aphrodite.”
“Ghh.......”
Aphrodite bit her lip.
This demon—she doesn’t know his identity, but he is surely a tremendously high-ranking demon.
He would rival the Seven Deadly Sins, and perhaps he might be one of them.
“No! Aphrodite!”
There, a shout flew in out of the blue.
It was Atena.
“That guy is human! I told you earlier! Frondier de Roach!”
There, with a slicing sound as if “sse-ack,” Aphrodite’s gaze snapped to Atena.
An obviously doubtful gaze.
Can she say that after seeing that man’s appearance right now?
Why does she keep saying Frondier is human? What even is ‘Frondier de Roach’?
If he’s merely human, then why doesn’t my power work!
‘......Is it you? Atena.’
The god who is trying to pull me down. She doesn’t know how many there are.
Are you one of them.
“He’s not just a demon.”
There, Frondier spoke. He raised his voice a little.
He was speaking toward Aphrodite, but in truth, the one this statement was meant to reach was someone else.
“I am the king of demons, Aphrodite.”
“......What......?”
“Do you understand a little why your power doesn’t take well?”
Everyone heard that voice.
The gods and humans, and the demons mixed among the humans pretending to be fallen.
And above all—
“I am the king of demons who commands all the demons here.”
Paladin Antero, Paladin Charon.
Their demons, Bune and Pururpur, also heard that voice.
Frondier, declaring here and now. The meaning, the intent.
“That, you insane bas—”
As if he were about to shout a curse, Charon’s expression froze for a moment.
His face suddenly changed, and the body that had been writhing in pain moved with a click,
Chuk─
He reached Frondier’s front and fell to one knee.
Beside him, Antero did the same.
Pururpur and Bune possessed them and took control of those bodies.
The two chanted almost simultaneously.
“My king.”
While gods and demons watched, Frondier declared himself king of demons.
His gaze touched Charon’s possessor, Pururpur.
“Is your true body near Bael?”
“......Yes.”
“Deliver this to Bael.”
──If you’re a demon, you must have heard a contract that begins with this sentence.
‘I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse.’
All seventy-two demons—come under me.
I will save you.
