Who Came Back?
Who came back?
When he came to his senses, he was at the edge of the Demon Continent.
When had they crossed this far?
Hero William pressed his fingers hard into his forehead.
"My head's killing me."
Barbarian Princess Bella set down her axe and looked back across the Demon Continent.
"Looks like we made it over in one piece. But I don't remember a damn thing."
Mage Liris sniffed the air as if something felt off.
"There's a foul smell. But I can't place it. It feels like I've been having a deep dream."
Saintess Helena turned to look at all of them.
"We cut off the Demon King's head, didn't we? The proof's right here."
At their feet lay the Demon King's severed head.
A head crowned with massive horns, and an arm thick as a log.
It was unmistakably the Demon King's.
Bella squatted down and lifted the arm.
"No bracelet. The Demon King's bracelet, passed down through generations—shouldn't it be here?"
Hero William narrowed his eyes and stared out over the Demon Continent.
"I remember. The bracelet was destroyed by my holy sword. I wanted to bring it back, but it scattered into dust and vanished. Anyone else see it?"
"Yeah. I think I saw it."
"Me too."
"That was the bracelet? When William swung the holy sword, something scattered like smoke and disappeared."
Bella, Liris, and Helena looked at one another and nodded.
"We killed the Demon King."
"I know. It's hard to believe."
"My heart's already racing."
William let out a soft snort and curled the corner of his mouth.
"Ladies, watch how you talk. I killed the Demon King. Not we. Of course your hearts are racing. You're about to become the wives of the great Hero William."
William puffed out his chest and looked the three of them over.
"I'll carve up the Empire and divide the territories. The eastern borderlands go to Bella's people, the western forests to Liris, and the southern lake region to Helena. The center and the north I'll stretch into one continuous stretch and design a new capital. How's that for my grand plan?"
Mage Liris's eyes narrowed.
"So you're saying you'll be emperor?"
"Exactly that. The age of the new Emperor William begins now."
"And the Magic Towers?"
"The Demon King's dead—what do we need Magic Towers for? Smash them all and use the bricks to build walls."
What an idiot. Dreaming of the throne with a head like that? It's almost funny. Or… maybe this works out better for me?
Liris wet her lips and studied William's face.
"Demolishing them is still work. Leave that to our Magic Academy. I don't care about territory—just hand over ownership of the Magic Towers."
The Demon King was dead.
From this moment on, it would be the age of the Magic Towers.
The towers would reverse-siphon Magi from the Demon Continent and enrich human lands.
Humans who couldn't adapt to Magi would die in droves, of course.
Saintess Helena swept her bangs aside with a smooth motion.
"The mage is having a filthy dream. Do you mean to turn the Empire into another Demon Continent? Who benefits from that? The Magi-soaked mages would revel in it, but for most people it would be hell."
"What nonsense is that?"
"The Magic Towers must be managed by our Holy Academy. Only Holy Power can control Magi. Only the saintesses and priests of the Holy Academy can do it."
Liris quietly raised her staff.
Helena stretched a hand toward the holy relic hanging at her throat.
William shouted.
"Hold it right there! I'd rather watch you cats fight once we're back in the capital. The new emperor will divide things fairly, so sit quiet and wait. Killing the Demon King has me worked up again—shall we pitch a tent and go another round?"
"You want to do that here?"
"Have you lost your mind?"
"It's time you came to your senses."
Barbarian Princess Bella picked up her axe.
"I've been holding back, but I can't take it anymore. Draw your sword and get over here."
Mage Liris tapped William's chest with the tip of her staff.
"If your brain doesn't work, at least show some sense. That holy sword works on the Demon King—do you really think it works on us? Think you can win if we fight?"
Saintess Helena smiled as she looked at William.
"Behave while we're still being gentle. Keep acting out and I might just cut that thing off and eat it."
"…What the hell is this?"
"We've already settled things among ourselves. We need a toy to parade in front of the people, so we won't kill you. But from now on, the three of us will be the real power in the Empire."
"You bitches have gone mad! How much Magi from the Demon Continent did you—"
Thud.
The haft of the axe drove into William's gut.
Bella fixed him with a piercing glare.
"Keep talking if you want to die. We'll just say you fell while we were taking down the Demon King."
"True. We don't even need this idiot, do we? How old is the emperor's son? We could put the brat on the throne and rule as regents."
"That's what I said from the start."
William's eyes wavered.
Have they all lost it?
Why is this going this way?
Looking again, the three women were in excellent shape.
Unlike him, whose body had taken a beating fighting the Demon King.
Was this the plan from the beginning?
Lose their virginity on purpose, invent an excuse, and leave me to fight alone?
They hid somewhere safe and watched me fight?
While the great hero was severing the Demon King's head, they had been pulling this stunt.
"You said you were worked up. Let's go a round. Not drawing your sword?"
"We don't have time. One fireball and this trash is cremated."
"Maybe take the holy sword, just in case?"
These women were serious.
"Fine."
Terrifying women.
"But I'm still emperor, right?"
He couldn't beat them. Not without any of Alchemist Juin's potions left.
"Then it's settled. I'll do as you say."
Saintess Helena turned her back on William as if he no longer mattered.
"What should we do about Juin Marcus? He ran off on his own halfway through."
Liris closed her palm and snuffed out the flame.
"Killing him would be simplest, wouldn't it?"
"How? Could we even win a fight?"
Bella rested her axe on her shoulder and looked at the others.
"It's not just the potions. That man's whole body is a weapon. He crushed Demon Continent monsters with his bare fists like swatting mosquitoes. And even that looked like he was holding back."
Helena shook her head.
"He's definitely dangerous if we make him an enemy. Better to soothe him and pull him in."
William carefully lifted his head.
"Want me to handle it?"
"Why don't you sit this one out?"
"We're already struggling—what could you do?"
"Enough. Let's hear him out."
William opened his mouth carefully.
"What if we brand Juin Marcus a traitor to the Empire? He ran off alone during the subjugation and put all of us in danger—that's a fact. If I… if we hadn't killed the Demon King, what would have happened to the Empire? The demons might have swept in. His actions were clearly treason."
"That actually makes sense."
"We're the only witnesses, after all."
"So we frame Juin Marcus as a traitor and make sure he can't set foot in the Empire again?"
William squared his shoulders with arrogant pride.
"The first duty of the new emperor is decided."
Far beyond the Demon Continent, the sun rose.
William felt a future so dazzling he could not hold back the tears that welled up.
"Leave it to me. I'll take care of it properly."
Head Maid Marcelle's face looked troubled.
I sat at the desk in my study and read her expression.
"Anything else?"
"It's a rather delicate matter, my lord."
"Speak freely."
"Were you aware of Satin's age?"
Of course I was.
I had investigated that much before setting things in motion.
"She's seventeen."
"Well, according to the Inquisitors' code, even if the other party is a demon, one may not share a bed if they have not undergone the Adult Ceremony."
"Right."
"Inquisitors use Holy Power to determine age and whether someone is a virgin. If they learn about Satin, it could become a problem."
"What kind of problem?"
"If declared a heretic, one can lose title and territory—or even be executed. If you insist on bringing that child into your bedchamber, various precautions would be necessary. That's why I raised it."
"If that's all, don't worry about it."
"Pardon? Of course the servants of this estate truly care for you, my lord. Word would never leak, but still, just in case—"
"She's just a pillow."
"…A pillow?"
"A body pillow to hold while sleeping. Sometimes I might actually rest my head on her."
"You only hold her and sleep?"
"Her body temperature feels about right. I'll have her clean the bedchamber and study while I'm at it."
"Ah… if she's only a pillow, then there's certainly no problem!"
Marcelle's expression brightened at once.
"As expected, you already had it all figured out. I'll withdraw with peace of mind."
Inquisitors, huh.
The one assigned to our territory was especially strict.
Well, that wasn't the issue right now.
The Demon King's Castle subjugation had failed, so the aftershocks would come. The imperial court would be in chaos. Talk of recruiting the next hero party would surface as a matter of course.
I had no intention of joining that.
I needed to wage a different kind of war.
First I had to secure ownership of the Magic Towers scattered across the continent. The imperial mess could wait until after that.
"My lord!"
It was Chief Butler Percival's voice.
"There's terrible news!"
The door burst open and Percival rushed in.
He was a calm, thoughtful man.
I had never seen him this flustered.
"What is it?"
"William's hero party has returned."
"What?"
"They're carrying the Demon King's head!"
Hold on a second.
Who brought back what, exactly?