44. The Four Heavenly Kings Assemble
44. The Four Heavenly Kings Assemble
The place where the Demon Lord Army had stationed itself was once a kingdom as prosperous as any empire.
But as if mocking that glorious history and those grand traditions, those traces were now being thoroughly trampled underfoot by the demons.
Not once did they consider preserving any of it.
For a horde utterly devoid of morality and ethics, if they needed something, they simply took it from others—there was no point in creating anything themselves.
"That woman... is she really one of the Four Heavenly Kings?"
The thought surfaced the moment one of the highest-ranking officers of that belligerent horde strode through the ruined castle.
Instantly, the attention of nearby demons who had been ribbing each other zeroed in on her.
"She does look like a clown, living up to that 'Frenzied Clown' name... but she also seems kind of weak."
Blue skin, pointed ears. Glossy amber eyes.
And a tuxedo and silk hat—an outfit that could never suit demons who made their living through combat.
Since her strength wasn't outwardly apparent, it was only natural for demons who didn't know her to look down on her.
"Come to think of it, they say she's barely set foot on a battlefield. Maybe she just got old and is actually weak?"
"Should I try picking a fight? If I take that bitch down, I'd jump to rank two in the Demon Lord Army..."
"Newbies, if you value your lives, keep your mouths shut and just watch."
However, this ruined castle was also home to plenty of high-ranking demons who had accumulated experience across several dimensions.
When those demons saw the Clown, the emotion they showed was nothing other than what you'd call fear.
"'Don't underestimate her'... why would you say that?"
"Because the reason this royal palace got wiped out overnight the moment we entered this world is that clown bastard. ...You think you could kill everyone here and walk away if all those guys next to her swarmed you right now?"
"Th-that's impossible. Maybe if it were just one or two..."
"The insidious thing about that Clown is she erases even those thoughts, makes you lunge at her, and then she kills you."
A horrific Great Calamity that doesn't suppress an individual by force, but dyes an entire group in madness and makes them slaughter each other.
Anyone who knew of that hideousness would not object to her holding the rank of second in the Demon Lord Army.
At the very least, unless one was among the other Four Heavenly Kings, none would dare block her path here.
"Oh my, who do we have here~? Isn't that our cute and adorable Mephi~?"
The moment those footsteps traversing the ruined castle halted at that pet name spoken by such a figure.
Turning her gaze sideways, the figure of a demon gently descending from midair came into view.
"Long time no see, Mephi~♡ You came back earlier than planned... could it be you rushed back because you missed me~?"
A female demon who exposed a starkly contrasting amount of skin compared to herself.
The bewitching allure she possessed was, in itself, a symbol of the desire she embodied.
"...Yasumo."
The Reaper Mongma—Yasmo Deus.
Ranked fifth in the Demon Lord Army, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, and true to her alias, a monster of lust who drains the vitality of any partner she beds until they die.
But even she seemed to have grown bored of that; ever since entering this world, she had been solely fixated on relations with the same sex rather than the opposite.
And seeing as she wouldn't hesitate to cross any line in pursuit of that, she had to be earning the resentment of many in this world, just like those beastkin.
"Oh, come on~ Why are you so serious with me? I have the cute nickname 'Yasudesu,' and you should call me that too, Mephi~♥"
A pet name? Does she actually like 'Yasudesu' as a pet name?
Now that I think about it, her naming sense has always been on the atrocious side. The attempt to brush it aside lasted only a moment.
"...What are you doing?"
"Fufu, have your breasts gotten bigger since I last saw you?"
Yasumo, having approached from behind, immediately began groping her chest.
Though smaller in size compared to hers, to a mere Clown like herself, physical charms were nothing more than decoration.
Once, she had wondered if even this could be used to please her lord, but in the end, she deemed it meaningless and paid it no mind.
"Mm~ you've ripened quite nicely since I last saw you! At this level, I could just devour you right on the spot..."
"Yasumo."
But indifference does not amount to permitting another's desires.
Soon, with the sound of a finger snap, her form vanished, leaving Yasumo's hand to pass through empty air where her chest had just been.
"...I am not in the mood for games right now."
A simple illusion.
This was also one of the tricks she had once honed to entertain her lord.
"Aha~ You thought I'd back off if you got that serious, didn't you~?"
Yasmo Deus smiled faintly and shifted her gaze behind her.
Quietly approaching Mephisto, who was staring at her expressionlessly, she placed a finger under her chin and fiercely gathered her mana.
"Aah~ our Mephisto Rage. The Demon Lord's pitiful little Clown~♬ You roam the world with a heart devoted to our ever-unsmiling lord, yet you fail to produce any real results, so your heart is all tattered and torn like a rag~♪"
Fragrance of Enchantment.
The power that blossomed in response to her desires was one that amplified the sexual desire of any exposed target, drawing out fervent courtship directed at herself.
The reason this power felt so much more obtrusive now than when she had first encountered it was surely because Yasumo had awakened to homosexuality after coming to this world and had been nurturing that desire ever since.
"But, Mephi... no matter how foul your mood has gotten, you should still pick your opponents more carefully."
Inducing madness through your performances is ultimately only effective against groups.
Against an individual, it only manages to draw out a strong obsession toward you, so in terms of compatibility, you simply can't display that overwhelming ability against a single foe.
"Just because you've stayed in the Demon Lord Army a long time and claimed rank two... you don't actually think you're the second strongest in the Demon Lord Army, right behind the Demon Lord, do you?"
That was a fact Mephisto knew all too well herself.
Among the Four Heavenly Kings, she was the weakest.
Unless it was a battle where she brought her army along, she was well aware that in a head-on fight against a strong opponent, the one who'd end up with her face in the dirt was always her.
"...Those words just now."
But what did such a difference in power matter, when she had already returned here prepared for death?
It only meant the place of her death would be before this one, rather than before the Demon Lord.
Even if she couldn't win, even her current self was capable of taking this one down with her, or at the very least inflicting commensurate damage.
"Are you confident you won't regret it?"
The moment her Madness Magic began to spread thickly in response to that will.
Met with it directly, Yasumo felt a momentary chill and began to withdraw her body.
"Fufu~ Just kidding~♡ There's no way I'd fight you, Mephi, right?"
Unless she could instantly reduce the powerful being before her to a sex slave, engaging in a lethal battle in a situation where that couldn't even be pursued was bound to bring more loss than gain.
For a demon true to her desires, if something harms the fulfillment of those desires, backing off is only the natural course of action.
"I just got a little curious and came to find you first, that's all. Normally you wander around without ever returning to the Demon Lord Army until a whole world is on the brink of destruction... but you came back before that time arrived."
"...I will explain my reasons before the Demon Lord."
Right—if they can't achieve their desire, they keep their distance. That is the very nature of the demon race.
Thus, Mephisto intuitively sensed at this moment that once she achieved her own purpose, she would never see the one before her again.
Whether she died here, or miraculously survived.
Because after today, she could no longer call herself a member of the Demon Lord Army.
"Mephisto. And Yasmo Deus."
A demon stood resolutely on the path she was walking for that purpose.
With a grotesque, almost insect-like head, he was, in a sense, a more crucial figure at the core of the Demon Lord Army than the two of them.
"Having heard of Mephisto's return, the Demon Lord has summoned all Four Heavenly Kings."
King of Arrogant Flies—Beelzebub.
Despite having an insect's head, a demon who preferred a refined demeanor and neat attire akin to a suit.
As fastidious as his appearance suggested, he valued absolute worth and trust above all else, and was effectively the strategist in charge of commanding the army, as well as the general manager who oversaw its treasures.
"This time, see to it that we follow properly without leaving anyone out... Excluding times when we cross dimensions, it is quite unusual for the Demon Lord to summon all four of us at once."
"Aha~ That really is rare. The Demon Lord personally summoning us... Could he be pleased to see Mephi return?"
At Beelzebub's words, Yasumo grinned and glanced pointedly at her.
In response, Mephisto quietly pulled her silk hat down over her head and followed after Beelzebub.
"If that were true... I wish it were so."
She thought such a thing would never happen again, but if...
She held that simple, earnest wish in her heart—that it might happen even now.
"The Demon Lord is within. Everyone, show proper respect."
Where they finally arrived was the ruined castle's audience chamber.
The place where servants had once gathered to honor their king was now unmaintained, with signs of collapse and decay visible everywhere.
Yet even such a place was now packed with demons whose interest had been piqued after hearing news of the Four Heavenly Kings' convocation.
Among them, the one who showed interest in Mephisto the moment she set foot into the chamber was another demon who occupied the same rank of the Four Heavenly Kings.
"Ooh, look who it is. It's the Demon Lord Army's rank 2, that damn Clown bitch!"
His jacket-clad body was sleek and hairless, a plain appearance.
But none among those present here would dare look down on him.
Even without any distinctive ornaments or visual peculiarities, the aura that emanated thickly from him just by standing there was enough to make his strength perceivable to the naked eye.
"Kwuhahaha! A very distinguished guest has graced such a shabby place! I haven't seen ya in about ten years, but it's damn hard to catch a glimpse of your face, eh!?"
Demon Lord Army Rank 3—Plunderer Grizzville.
He, whose nature would not be satisfied unless he obtained everything he desired, was considered among those in the Demon Lord Army to be the demon most true to the most primal of desires.
True to his name as the Plunderer, his temperament demanded that he seize everything he wanted to be satisfied.
A yearning for power, a possessiveness toward others, a lust for honor to revel in his own status...
And even a desire to dominate, to stand at the top and look down upon everyone below.
"...It has been a while, Grizzville. Have you been well in the meantime?"
"Haha~ What's with the sudden polite act? Normally, you're the bastard who gets under my skin with your sarcasm the moment we meet."
To him, all of the Demon Lord Army's Four Heavenly Kings except the Demon Lord were thorns in his side, and Mephisto in particular was a target of outright hatred.
Though the Four Heavenly Kings were equals among themselves, the ranking was determined by who joined the Demon Lord Army first.
And yet, the brat before him had joined the Demon Lord Army before him and was brazenly occupying the rank of number two solely because she had managed to survive to the end.
Her survival hadn't even been like his—leading the vanguard of the Demon Lord Army to victory in war—but because she'd wasted her time on trivial things like traveling. So it was only natural that he couldn't acknowledge it.
"I'm glad we ran into each other like this, so how about we step outside for a little chat, over a drink maybe, huh?"
So, whenever the opportunity arose—prove the difference in power and kill her.
As he arrogantly revealed such deadly intent and urged her to leave with him, Beelzebub soon stepped in front of him and spoke quietly.
"Grizzville. I understand your feelings, but we are gathered now because the Demon Lord himself has summoned us. If you have business with her, handle it after the Demon Lord has finished speaking."
"Heh-heh, the bug bastard who can't help himself at the sight of treasure sure listens damn well to the Demon Lord at times like this."
"That is only natural. While serving under the Demon Lord, I can comfortably collect all manner of treasures. So, if possible, I would prefer that nothing disturbs the Demon Lord's mood..."
Greed and collecting desire, and so on.
Parasites who assist the Demon Lord to fulfill their own desires, pursuing rewards and power.
That same reasoning likely applied to the other demons watching the situation unfold from around the chamber.
Yes—she was probably the only one who had sworn pure, unadulterated loyalty to the Demon Lord.
"You two, how about you stop your squabbling and look ahead?"
As she was dwelling on this scene, Yasumo's following words soon drew Grizzville's and Beelzebub's gazes forward.
With demons who had gathered out of interest arrayed around them, a single presence began to gradually manifest itself upon the throne erected high above.
"Th-there he is. The Demon Lord!"
"It's my first time seeing him in person."
Due to his reclusive nature, he spent most of his time merely issuing orders, rarely revealing himself directly before the army.
And that was equally true for the Four Heavenly Kings.
"...Everyone, is gathered?"
But whatever their true feelings were, they too had sworn loyalty to him because they each had something they desired.
Surely, with the mighty power he possessed, he would be able to grant them everything they wished for.
The Four Heavenly Kings, carrying that hope, soon bowed their heads before him on behalf of the surrounding demons.
""We greet the Demon Lord.""
Demon King Solomon.
The king of demons who live for desire, the destroyer who has led the invasion of countless worlds across dimensions, one of the greatest calamities threatening humanity in this world.
'And the one who will bring about my beginning and end.'
Facing him, Mephisto.
Gradually began to pour strength into the hand gripping the resignation letter held within her bosom.