Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Masquerade Ball (4)
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Thus, the deranged collab between the Apostle of the Outer Gods and the demon worshippers nearly derailed before the event even started...
"Pl-please hold it together! We can't pull this off without their cooperation!"
"If we play this right, we could even revive Amon alongside Halphas and Paimon!"
"Kuh...!"
Yeah, the other demon worshippers were right. This opportunity was far too big to pass up.
"Hoo... Fine."
The leader of the demon worshippers sheathed his blade.
"Ready to start anytime?"
The old woman nodded.
"Of course."
"Then let's begin right now. We'll go clockwise from here, you go counterclockwise. Got the blood from land beasts and sky beasts ready?"
"Of course."
Both the demon worshippers' leader and the old woman were experts in black magic.
Sacrificing living creatures to draw power was the oldest form of black magic.
And among those, using humans as sacrifices was the most horrific—and the most potent—method.
"Let's meet back up safely a bit later."
The Apostle of the Outer Gods and the demon worshippers split off in their respective directions.
They were drawing a massive magic circle, positioning the ballroom as the center for the sacrifices.
They poured blood to mark the ten points of the inverted pentagram.
Land beast blood at the five vertices of the star.
Sky beast blood at the five indentations where the lines intersected.
It wasn't quick work, and dodging the palace guards made it take even longer.
After a perilous adventure, the two groups finally reunited from opposite sides.
"Phew... Good."
Now all that was left was to commence the ritual—
"...What the hell are you scum doing here?"
A shadow loomed over the leaders of both groups.
'Busted!'
But they could handle a single guard with their black magic. The demon worshippers' leader looked up.
...And kept looking up.
All the way to about 2.7 meters.
'Huh?'
Something's off?
Why are there human eyes up that high?
The old woman, Apostle of the Outer Gods, screamed at the sight of him.
"Kiyaaaaaaa!!! It really is a demon!!!!"
The demon worshipper next to her thought, You could've just said that normally, you fucking idiot.
How did Arthur end up donning His Highness the Prince's wearable powered armor and becoming Armored-Arthur? Rewind a bit.
"Milady, you'll trip if you keep that up."
"Wheeeheehee~!"
"Like this."
Watching the man recover from what should've been a tangled fall of legs with his own skill, Maria Evandes thought:
Something's weird...? Am I wrong?
Her near-certainty that Tiona was a scary woman was starting to waver. Maybe not?
Meanwhile, the other noble ladies growing restless beside Maria sighed.
"Haa... So when are the men showing up anyway?"
"Right?"
Arthur and Tiona's duo was still monopolizing the dance floor, showing no signs of stopping.
"Should we just dance together?"
"Oh my, Sis..."
Just as strange flowers were budding everywhere and white-furred bears seemed ready to lament their lack of a homeland, one noble lady arrived late to the ball.
"Yaaawn... What the heck is going on here...?"
A woman taller and more handsome than most men: Lea Eperios.
And with her, a boy who was definitely male but prettier than most girls: Dian Levius.
"Where'd all the men go...?"
Their entrance sent a spark through the abandoned noble ladies.
A man!
And a handsome woman!
But neither Lea nor Dian had any interest in them. Spotting the pair dominating the dance floor, their expressions soured.
Arthur, why the hell is that guy still over there doing that?
"Wheeehaat! This is fun!"
"Milady, could you please return to normal steps now? The musicians are suffering."
They wanted to march over and demand what the hell was going on.
But that meant stepping onto the dance floor.
With whom?
Lea and Dian's eyes met, and they nodded.
"Ah!"
"Aah...!!!"
Against the backdrop of the ladies' laments, the two glided onto the dance floor like silk.
Arthur, catching their eyes, raised an eyebrow.
"What, you two a thing now?"
Lea and Dian nearly tripped.
They hurried over and whispered in Arthur's ear.
"It's not like that...!"
"Don't get the wrong idea!"
They stepped: one, two, three.
"No, I'm cheering you o—"
"We said it's not...!"
"A misunderstanding...!"
One, two, three.
"Lea and Dia—"
"Milady, it's Young Master Dian."
"Gasp...! You're right! Sorry, Dian!"
One, two, three, one, two, three.
"This is driving me nuts... So what's the deal here?"
"The ladies have turned into lionesses smelling fresh meat?"
"That's—"
BAM!
From the door where the prince had vanished earlier with the mecha and the other men, the noble youths came pouring out.
Fleeing.
"We're in trouble!!"
"The powered armor went berserk with His Highness inside!!"
The reason they were running this way became clear.
Whirr-clank! Whirr-clank!
"Everyone, get back!!"
Armored-Prince (now involuntary) charged solo onto the dance floor.
"Eek!?"
"Kyaaaa!!"
The prince yanked desperately at the controls inside the armor.
"Damn it, listen to me!!"
The armor halted its charge... and then...
"Fixed!?"
It started jerking back and forth at high speed in place. Like headbanging.
Forced to shake front and back, the prince groaned with each thud, thud!
"Ugh! Urgh! Why won't you li—Ugh!"
"Your Highness!!"
One noble youth shouted, but no one dared approach.
No one knew how to help anyway... and if they got close and that massive metal arm suddenly swung at them?
They'd go from noble youth to pulp—or get plastered into the wall.
Sure, saving the prince here would make them heroes...! Earn massive favor...!
Damn, but risking their lives? Nah!
"Ugh! Uwaak!"
The prince screamed nonstop, the ladies shrieked, and the youths wrestled with the temptation of Could I do it?
In the midst of that chaos, Arthur handed Tiona off to the neighboring couple (or not) and stepped forward.
"Everyone, stand back."
Rolling up his shirt sleeves with confident strides.
Watching him, the noble youths behind thought:
Gasp!
Suicide wish!?
"No!"
"Come back!"
"Arthur!! From now on, I'll brush my teeth every night without fail!!"
But Arthur unhesitatingly approached the thrashing armor and smacked its back.
Then.
Whirr-clank! Whirr-clank... Hiss...
The armor stopped.
"Hah... Hah... Wh-what?"
"Are you alright, Your Highness?"
Arthur fiddled with the complex mechanisms, and with a shwoong... it opened. For the prince to exit.
"W-wait a sec... "
"Pardon me."
The prince was too dizzy to move. Arthur reached in to pull him out.
"Don't touch it!"
But the prince's face immediately filled with regret after shouting.
"Sorry. After you went through the trouble of saving me..."
"No worries. Come on out."
The prince took Arthur's hand and climbed out.
One lady watching unconsciously covered her mouth.
"...Mmmph."
The two beside her whispered.
"Just the two guys, but... it kinda works...?"
"Yeah... They look good together..."
Something strange was creaking open in their hearts. Should they let it swing wide? Uh oh?
After setting the prince down, Arthur inspected the interior.
"Yep, jammed right here."
Snap! He yanked out a metal part, then donned the powered armor himself.
"Gotta work out the stiff parts. I'll take it for a spin."
"Do... that...?"
Arthur handled the wearable powered armor even more deftly than the prince and dashed outside.
"Ah..."
The prince unconsciously reached toward Arthur's back.
That wistful sight...
"Mmmphmmphmm...!"
"Somehow... it's nice...? Really nice...?"
In a few ladies' hearts, that strange door finally swung open.
After that whole complicated ordeal.
"Kiyaaaaaaa!! It really is a demon!!!"
Armored-Arthur raided the site of the Outer Gods' Apostle and the demon worshippers.
"Sister! Don't say de—"
"Demon! Get out of our world, you monst—"
Krunch!
The demon worshippers' leader's blade finally claimed the old woman's life.
"Finally... Alright, everyone, battle stations!"
Cool head and spot-on judgment. Not the leader for nothing.
Arthur realized what these guys were and what they were up to.
How'd scum like this sneak in?
Suspicious, but interrogation later—neutralize the threat first.
"He's just one guy! If we combine forces and play to our strengths, we can wi—"
Armored-Arthur swung his mana blade.