Kerdihak's Fury (1)
Beyond the outer walls of the Demon Lord Castle stood the towering Crimson Castle. The orc army that had gathered to keep watch over the sudden appearance of the jet-black fortress was no longer staring at the castle. Between the outer walls of the Demon Lord Castle and Crimson Castle, between the orc army and the army of the dead, they were simply staring at the four women surrounding a single man.
"That doesn't make any sense! You're the commander of the Black Knights, yet you don't even know where your master went!?"
"W-well, she did say she was going to meet the dwarves..."
"Not that! Where? Why? For how long? You should know those things!"
"She departed in such haste... She didn't mention any details."
Having failed to meet the Neromeltia she had so desperately wanted to see, Cardistella was venting her frustration by aggressively interrogating Crawford, who stammered and hedged, clearly at a loss in this situation. The sight of the usually rigid and composed Crawford showing such discomfort made it clear just how flustered he was.
Lusteria and Nella, standing beside Crawford, looked equally bewildered. Lusteria watched the scene anxiously, worried that a violent fight might break out, while Nella, though also tense, gently tried to soothe Lusteria's unease. Nella softly wrapped her arms around Lusteria's shoulders from behind, and Lusteria leaned back into Nella's embrace without taking her eyes off Cardistella and Crawford.
"That's enough. Both Lord Crawford and Lady Cardistella hold equivalent positions within the Demon Lord's army. It would be problematic for one to interrogate or pressure the other."
Beatrice stepped between Cardistella, who looked ready to grab Crawford by the collar, and Crawford, whose gaze wavered in uncertainty, and began mediating. Cardistella, who had been brimming with anticipation until the moment she used her magic to relocate the castle, now felt a disappointment proportional to that expectation. That massive disappointment had become fuel, igniting a fierce rage within her. Because of this, Beatrice, who stood in her way, did not look kindly upon her.
"Hah! I'm Neromeltia's friend, and this guy is Neromeltia's knight. How exactly are we equals?"
"Of course, the Empress of Fresh Blood and the Commander of the Black Knights are not the same. However, as fellow executives of the Demon Lord's army, I am merely asking for a certain level of mutual respect."
"Who decided that?"
Annoyed by Beatrice blocking her path, Cardistella ignored her and tried to approach Crawford. She now looked ready to grab him by the collar, and Crawford, wanting to avoid unnecessary conflict, began backing away. At that moment, Beatrice placed a hand on Cardistella's chest, physically blocking her way. After her gentle persuasion, this single act of physical restraint carried a firm and unyielding message of prohibition. This, too, became a trigger for Cardistella.
"How dare you touch my chest? Do you want to become a real tin can after I've already made you one?"
"Hehe, my apologies. There was so little there that I didn't realize it was a chest."
Beatrice provoked Cardistella's reverse scale without the slightest hesitation. At this point, one could call Beatrice an expert at angering Cardistella. With just a single sentence, she shattered Cardistella's composure. With nothing more than a light laugh, she poured oil on Cardistella's heart. With the single word "chest," she set Cardistella's rage ablaze.
Cardistella's fangs began to gleam with a bloody hue, and her crimson pupils contracted menacingly.
"You dare...!!!!"
Kugugugugugugu!!!
Cardistella's cry, on the verge of explosion, was cut short before it could finish. A massive roar echoed from the sky. It was as if an earthquake had struck the heavens, and the vibrations spreading through the atmosphere began to engulf the entire Demon Lord Castle and its surroundings.
Everyone simultaneously looked up at the sky as if under a spell. Beriberi, who had forgotten what he was about to say amid the women's fierce argument. Lusteria, who had been calming her anxious heart in Nella's warm embrace. Nella, who had felt a flutter while holding Lusteria's soft body. Crawford, who had been filled with discomfort, fearing Cardistella might lunge at any moment. Beatrice, who had been smirking while teasing Cardistella. And Cardistella herself, in the midst of erupting with rage. All of them began to tense as they gazed at the vibrating sky.
Kuuuoooooo!!
The sky, which had been covered only by a thick, murky layer of dust that obscured the brilliant sun, now revealed a single massive entity descending toward the ground. It was a being with a colossal body glowing blue. A reptilian form covered entirely in blue scales. A body the size of a small castle, with correspondingly large and long membranous wings. It bore crown-like antlers resembling those of an elk, and its eyes, which emitted the same blue light as its scales, had vertically elongated pupils. It was a dragon, said to possess authority equal to that of the Twelve Gods.
"So these small, filthy creatures are still alive."
"K-Kerdihak!!"
The dragon's voice resonated heavily through the sky. It spoke without opening its mouth. From this, it was clear that the voice was not produced by the dragon's actual vocal cords but was a constructed voice created using its magic power. Crawford urgently called out the dragon's name and drew his sword. This blue dragon was an unforgettable existence to him. A thousand years ago, on the day of Neromeltia di Isis's death, when everything in the Demon Lord Castle was destroyed and set ablaze, this vile dragon, Kerdihak, had played a part in that tragedy. If this blue dragon had not joined the Humian army in attacking the magical barrier Neromeltia maintained to protect her people, she might have been able to hold out a little longer. If more time had been bought, other Demon Lord's army executives might have joined her and turned the tide. Setting everything else aside, if this vile dragon had not existed, the worst-case scenario of the holy sword Celestia piercing Neromeltia's heart might have been prevented.
"How dare you set foot here!! Do you think I'll forgive you!!!"
"Oh? If it isn't Commander Crawford. It's been a thousand years. Good to see you."
"Get down here right now!!!"
Crawford was unleashing an anger he had never shown before. The Cornium sword in his hand, pointed at Kerdihak, carried the intent to sever the enemy's neck at any moment. The docile demeanor he had shown while flustered by Cardistella's irritation had vanished, replaced by a bloodthirsty aura that seemed ready to spill blood at the slightest provocation, save for the fact that he refrained from cursing.
Yet Kerdihak merely sneered leisurely at the sight.
"Well, well. This is quite the spectacle I didn't get to see even a thousand years ago. Back then, didn't you tuck your tail between your legs and flee, regardless of whether the Demon Lord lived or died? Hahahaha."
"Shut up!!!!!"
Though the dragon's face bore no expression, everyone knew Kerdihak was wearing a thick, mocking smile at that moment. He was clearly sneering. He watched the opponent's rage with satisfaction. He took Crawford's suffering as a pleasant thrill. Crawford roared as if he might cough up blood, venting his fury. This dragon had brought death to his master and destruction to the innocent Hemonigent. The resentment that had accumulated over a thousand years in the underworld was now breaking free from the bonds of reason and rearing its head.
"Hey, lizard. How did you find this place?"
A calm remark thrown at Kerdihak, who was mocking and sneering from the distant sky. Kerdihak widened his eyes and glared at the new opponent. He was clearly seething with rage—so much so that it was evident even on the dragon's expressionless face. The one who had instantly shaken Kerdihak's emotions, which had been leisurely mocking Crawford, and seized the initiative was Cardistella.
"Did you just call me a lizard?"
"If you've got scales and a forked tongue, you're a lizard. Got a preferred title or something?"
Along with Kerdihak's constructed voice, a low growl rumbled from the dragon's massive vocal cords. There was only one reason to repeat a question one had clearly understood: it was a threat to say it again if one had the nerve. However, Cardistella began to provoke Kerdihak even more aggressively. She exuded considerable composure, showing not a hint of crisis. Furthermore, she was deliberately stoking the opponent's anger.
"A worthless corpse like you...!!"
"Worthless lizard."
"If you speak again, you'll meet your second death!!!"
"Oh my, is that a lizard crying somewhere? Pii~ Pii~"
Cardistella relentlessly mocked Kerdihak without backing down from a single word. She even wore a triumphant smile, as if finding the situation amusing. Despite Kerdihak's rage-filled roars, she imitated the sound of a cute lizard and continued to rile him up.
"Don't get angry, Crawford. Don't let that bastard toy with you."
"A-ah...! Understood...!"
While maintaining her mocking smile and gaze fixed on the opponent, Cardistella whispered quietly. Her advice, delivered secretly so Kerdihak wouldn't overhear, sharply awakened Crawford's scattered mind. Cardistella had stepped in for Crawford's sake. She disliked seeing him being toyed with by the vile dragon's forked tongue, and she was angered by the dragon taking pleasure in playing with the kind-hearted Crawford. Crawford also replied secretly so Kerdihak wouldn't hear, and his clear voice carried a sense of regained composure, unlike the furious state from moments before.
"How dare this filthy undead wench mock me!!!!!"
"Hey! By the way, how did you find this place?"
"Krrrr...!!!"
Cardistella, who had been smiling leisurely, casually changed the subject regardless of whether Kerdihak was trembling with rage and thrashing about. Kerdihak gnashed his teeth as if he might breathe fire at Cardistella's blatantly dismissive attitude, but then suddenly recalled something and began to laugh. It was not a laugh born of genuine amusement but a constructed one to regain his composure before mocking his opponent.
"Hahaha. You worthless fools..."
"It's obviously because of Lady Cardistella."
Kerdihak had been about to speak meaningfully when Hestinia cut him off. Everyone was quite surprised by Hestinia's sudden appearance from behind, though Cardistella was not as startled. Hestinia began slowly approaching Cardistella, who seemed to have had something on her mind and looked slightly flustered.
"H-Hestinia..."
"How much magic power would it take to move such a massive castle? After using such a grand spell, wouldn't the magical waves have reached the moon?"
"But..."
"No buts. The lizard living on the moon was probably on high alert, monitoring everything. Using such a large-scale spell must have felt like setting off an alarm clock for that lizard, don't you think?"
Cardistella's usual fierce and arrogant demeanor had vanished, replaced by a meek appearance. Hestinia's usual relaxed and gentle demeanor had disappeared, replaced by a lecturing tone. Everyone stared at the two in surprise at this unusual sight. Even Lusteria's eyes sparkled with amusement, and even the usually serious Nella kept having her gaze stolen away from Kerdihak toward the pair. Crawford and Beriberi were at least maintaining their fighting spirit and vigilance toward Kerdihak, but the problem was Beatrice as well. Beatrice had let out a small sneer at Kerdihak, who had been cut off mid-sentence and ignored. All of this felt like an unbearable humiliation to Kerdihak.
Kuoooooo!!!!
The blue dragon's roar began to shake the entire Demon Lord Castle. The massive howl, which resonated from the ribcage to the heart, stirred the primal fear inherent in all living beings. It was the roar of the authority known as Dragon Fear.