Council of Lords (1)
"Whoa…."
Seina let out a short gasp of admiration as she looked me over.
"Does it suit me?"
"Yeah! It really does!"
Before heading to the Council of Lords, I had stopped by a clothing shop with Seina.
It was, after all, a Council of Lords by name — surely I ought to dress the part.
"I'll take this one. Keep the change."
"Oh, thank you so much! Please come again!"
We left the shop to the clerk's cheerful farewell.
Seina opened her mouth as if she'd been waiting for exactly this moment.
"Gerard, are you sure we have time to dawdle like this? The Grand Lord Castle is pretty far away, isn't it?"
"No problem. We're taking the Portal anyway."
The Portal.
A creation of the Magic Tower, capable of transporting anyone to any coordinate in an instant.
Granted, its absurdly steep price put it well out of most people's reach — but that didn't apply to me.
After all, I was a rich man who'd made over a hundred gold just yesterday.
We headed straight for the Magic Tower.
As the times advanced, the tower — which had once stood on the high ground — had been relocated to the very center of the Postia Archipelago.
"I'd like to use the Portal."
I spoke to the mage guarding the entrance.
"Will that be two passengers?"
"That's right."
"Then, follow me, please."
Following the mage, we stepped into the tower's entrance.
"The fee is fifty gold. If you have a destination in mind, please tell me."
"Anywhere will do?"
"As long as it isn't absurdly far, yes."
"Good. I'll use it right now, then."
"The Portal fee is fifty gold. And just in case — don't even think about whining about a discount."
Ridiculously expensive.
Fifty gold was enough to support a family of four for nearly three years. Most people wouldn't have even dreamed of it.
I pulled fifty gold from my money pouch.
"Here you are."
"Excellent. Please state your destination."
"Serdik Grand Lord Castle."
"!"
Shock washed over the mage's face. Then he blurted out, urgent and flustered:
"Not there! Turn around and go home right now. You want to get the Magic Tower shut down?!"
"Hear a man out before you refuse. The place I said was…"
At my follow-up, the mage nodded slowly.
"…Hmm, technically that would work, but are you certain? You'll die."
"Doesn't matter. Send me exactly where I said. And send her as close to the Lord's Castle as possible."
I pointed at Seina beside me.
Her eyes went wide with alarm.
"Separately? What's that supposed to mean?"
"There are reasons I can't explain yet. Just follow me along after."
Seina's expression darkened in an instant.
"Gerard… You're not abandoning me, are you?"
"Why would I ever abandon you? Don't say stupid things."
"Then why are you going separately?"
"I'll tell you the reason later."
Seina nodded.
Sorry about this.
That place was one where only I could survive.
Much as I wanted Seina at my side, there was no way we could go together.
"Coordinates calculated. Get ready."
…Already?
The mages of the Magic Tower really must be geniuses.
Marveling anew, I stepped in front of the Portal.
-Whiiiiirrrr!
The device let out a tremendous roar and began spinning at blinding speed.
"See you soon, then."
Without a moment's hesitation, I threw myself into the Portal.
In the vast garden fronting Serdik Lord's Castle, the Demon Lords sat arranged around a long, rectangular table.
"What is the Grand Lord thinking, holding the Council of Lords out here in the open? I'm getting sunburned."
Rosaria, wearing her human form, shielded her eyes from the sunlight with a hand as she spoke.
The 4th Lord chimed in as if in full agreement.
"Agreed. Anyone would think we'd gathered for a banquet. And this is hardly a happy occasion."
Indeed, lavish delicacies lined the table on either side, flanked by wine and whiskey and the like.
It was far too festive an atmosphere for a council convened in the wake of the 7th Lord's death.
"Well, I like it. The Grand Lord seems to have prepared a little something for the first council in a while."
"Ever the optimist, 1st Lord."
"So — has anyone uncovered the cause of the 7th Lord's death?"
"If we knew the reason, we'd have gathered sooner. 3rd Lord."
Rosaria, listening to it all, let out a soft, knowing laugh.
Every head turned toward her.
"You seem to know something, Rosaria."
"Hmm, do I?"
"If you know something, say it. Now."
"I'll tell you when the Grand Lord arrives. Fuhuhu."
The Lords clicked their tongues at her answer.
Most of them had precious little patience.
"Speaking of which, where *is* the Grand Lord?"
The 4th Lord glared irritably at the attendant standing beside the table.
She flinched and bowed her head.
"My apologies. It's… we don't know precisely ourselves."
"Then perhaps I should toy with *you* instead. I'm bored out of my mind."
"Hey, 4th Lord — enough taking it out on the help."
"Shut it."
The 4th Lord shattered the wineglass before him with his bare hand.
"The Grand Lord is always like this. Summons us when we're busy, then makes us wait every single time."
"We've nothing better to do anyway. Let's just wait in comfort."
At the Lord of the Iron Fortress's words, the 4th Lord's brow furrowed deep.
"Do I look as idle as you?"
"You look exactly that idle."
"Oh? Then perhaps you'd like to see me take your head right here at this table?"
"Now, now, what's gotten into you two? Calm down."
The 2nd Lord interceded with an easy grin.
"Whether you fight or make love, do it elsewhere. What will the Grand Lord think?"
"Consider yourself lucky, you know — alive only thanks to the great Grand Lord's favor."
The 4th Lord shot the Lord of the Iron Fortress a look brimming with killing intent.
"Funny. I was about to say the same to you."
"What was that—?"
The two of them shot up from their seats as one.
"Ha, there they go again."
"You'd think they'd tire of it."
"Hey, look over there."
It was while the two Lords were squaring off that Rosaria pointed at a single man walking toward them from far off.
"Him? The one they say might become the next 7th Lord?"
"That's the one."
"He certainly looks capable."
The man was the demon who would fill the vacant seat of the 7th Lord — a flawless talent, possessing both power and intellect in equal measure.
Barring some unforeseen upheaval, it was no exaggeration to say his elevation to 7th Lord at this very council was a matter of time.
Not bad.
He looks stronger than the Iron Fortress Lord.
Not a patch on the 7th Lord we had, but decent enough.
Just as the Lords were entertaining such thoughts—
"Look up there."
"What is that?"
"—!"
Something came hurtling out of the sky directly behind the Lords.
It was falling at a speed beyond all control.
And its point of impact was precisely the walking path of the next 7th Lord.
"That's going to hit him."
"Aren't you going to help?"
"Why should I help?"
"Agreed. Too much trouble."
That's what they said — but in truth, it was already far too late to do anything.
The unidentified something was already directly above the next 7th Lord's head.
And then—
-KWAAKOOOM!!
The collision came in an instant.
A violent shockwave and a cloud of smoke swallowed the entire garden.
Flowers and trees were torn out by the roots, the grounds churning into a wasteland of scorched earth.
Only the castle itself — and the space where the Lords sat — remained untouched.
"What in the world was that?"
"Never a dull moment."
"Don't tell me that's the Grand Lord's doing?"
Through the billowing fog, the Lords exchanged banter through laughter-laced voices.
To their boredom, the shock was downright refreshing.
"Who could it be?"
"Anyone brazen enough to do this might really be the Grand Lord himself."
Through the thick haze, the silhouette of a man emerged.
Each Lord watched the spectacle with eyes gleaming with interest.
And at last, the mist cleared.
"Hm. Isn't that… a human?"
"A human?"
"No fear in him at all, huh. Wandering uninvited into the Grand Lord's castle."
The Lords narrowed their eyes one by one, studying the man's form.
The moment I tumbled out of the Portal, all I could see was blue sky and drifting clouds.
I looked down. The buildings of each city showed as mere specks below.
That's right.
I was plummeting from the sky at breakneck speed.
My destination: Serdik Lord's Castle.
Having weighed all my options, falling from the sky made for the most perfect entrance imaginable.
Impact alone would have been reason enough — and besides, Serdik Lord's Castle was not a place one could simply walk into.
Then again, this is taking forever.
Quite some time had passed, and the buildings below were still specks. At this rate, it might take all day.
Maximization.
In the end, I rotated my body to point straight down.
Then, using Maximization, I accelerated to the absolute limit of my speed.
My body plunged earthward in an instant.
Without Guts, I could never have pulled this off.
Before long, Serdik Lord's Castle came rushing into view.
Huh? What's with that guy?
My eyes went round as dinner plates.
Directly beneath my falling path stood some strange demon.
I have to twist my body—!
But it was already too late.
My speed was so great that any change of course would still land me a direct hit.
Damn it all—!
-KWAAAKOOOM!
I slammed into him, no way around it.
The silver lining was that he'd been a demon.
Here's hoping he went somewhere nice.
As the thick fog cleared, every single Demon Lord was staring straight at me.
"Pleasure to meet you all."
I offered my greeting with all the nonchalance I could muster.