157. Support
157. Support
- 1 -
The reality that unfolded before Areupina was brutal.
"I... lost?"
It was an unbelievable thing.
The countless abilities she possessed were shattered in an instant by a single light that lingered on Abelus's fist.
The magical power of hypnosis and mental manipulation magic, her greatest specialties, bounced off without even penetrating his skin.
Before the name of the Strongest, she was powerless.
His family returned to the hands of their patriarch, and she herself was defeated.
Even though she had started the match after capturing his family in advance.
"I already knew that you were the culprit behind the numerous assassinations and disappearances that occurred here."
Abelus's voice as he looked upon one of humanity's worst criminals was cold and firm.
Just like his power.
"What will you do with me now?"
"You must be put on the execution stand. Many citizens will witness your end."
She was captured by him just like that, and was indeed executed.
That was what happened.
'The Reincarnation Technique... what if I hadn't had it.'
One among the countless crowd that came to watch the execution grounds.
She survived by stealing the soul and body of an unknown woman.
A curse that allowed her to possess someone with physical conditions and soul wavelengths similar to her original self.
It was one of the countless abilities she had stolen.
"The power..."
Of course, the cost was great.
Because she had lost a significant portion of the abilities and magical power she had gathered until then.
'It's fine. I just have to regain them.'
But that was only a part of it. Her essence still remained.
At least, that was what she believed at the time.
- 2 -
"Come back safely."
"I shall return shortly with results."
Right after Ran left the dungeon for Elena's work.
"Hmm...?"
Light rose from the communication crystal she had set aside separately for contact with Serica.
- I'm coming over! Open the door!
"Alright."
It was a blunt statement, but it wasn't surprising.
Because Serica's communication was always like this, originally.
Even now that she had learned the culture of nobility, whenever she spoke with me, she always started with the main point.
It might seem like she was trying to pass off rudeness as frankness, but the truth was likely that she just wanted to be honest with me alone.
Since she was conducting contact with other nobles normally, there shouldn't be any problem.
"Rita―!"
"Welcome. Serica..."
As always, she threw herself into my arms before my words were even finished.
Hwaak
Various flower scents that rushed in like a wave, following her body.
'She's become even more impressive.'
This scent, which grew stronger as she regained her power, now rushed in so brilliantly that it seemed like it could fill the entire dungeon space by itself.
A harmony created by the sweetness of lilacs mixed with the scent of roses, layered over with exotic, nameless floral fragrances.
It felt like a feast of scent, as if an entire spring flower garden had been brought in.
It was even mysterious how her head didn't ache despite the excessive amount of fragrance.
The thick scent of blood that used to emanate strongly from her was long gone, making it feel that way even more.
Uuuung―
Behind her back, the still-open gate continued to spit out several more figures.
It was a different magical effect than usual.
'Did she bring... a lot of people?'
"Huaaa...!"
I had questions, but rather than investigating that, I focused on Serica, who was in my arms.
I couldn't help but pay attention, as she was already deeply inhaling with her nose buried in the nape of my neck.
"Rita's elegant and deep scent...! I missed it!"
"I don't use perfume or anything like that."
"That's even better because it's your natural body scent!"
"Is that so."
On Earth, perfume being used to mask body odor was just a rumor, but in this world, it was a fact.
First of all, the nobles' body odors were quite strong, and using magic made combining perfumes much easier, so they weren't so expensive as to be called luxury goods.
It was a world that favored power above all else. It was only natural that the value of such technical magic wasn't very high.
"You've regained a lot of strength."
"Yeah! I'm even ready to digest the core!"
The moment Serica's purple-red eyes sparkled, magical power swirled around her and emitted a subtle glow.
The phrase 'digesting the core' referred to the final path that a Dungeon Lord and their core reached.
In the process of reaching the high rank, an elite-grade Dungeon Lord becomes able to house the core within their own body.
'Like the dragons or divine beasts of the Western Continent or the East.'
The process of making the heart of the dungeon itself a part of themselves.
Only after that could a Dungeon Lord perfectly become one with the dungeon.
Strictly speaking, it wasn't digestion but unification.
"That's something to congratulate."
"Before long, I'll be even stronger than Rita!"
"Serica..."
At those words, I smiled bitterly inside.
Because while her revealed eyes were full of confidence, I also felt the anxiety hidden behind it.
Serica was originally stronger than me, but there was no way that was true now.
The loss of her dungeon core and the subsequent rampage she went through must have left permanent damage on her.
Even now, a slight crack could be felt in her magical power.
'She has certainly recovered a lot now, but...'
Currently, she possessed power at the elite level as an ordinary being, and at the upper level as a Dungeon Lord.
However, considering that over 100 days had passed from the time of that rampage until now, it was probably after she had received considerable support from the Marquis household.
"Please do. Then maybe I'll be able to relax a little."
I hid all those worries, smiled, and stroked her hair, and her expression and scent were both tinged with joy.
"What, aren't you upset?"
"Why would I be upset? You're not going to harm me."
She placed both hands on her hips and frowned deliberately.
It was a cutely sulky expression.
And then she said.
"Really. Rita is incredibly naive. What if another demon stabs you in the back like this? Of course, I won't do that!"
Two presences flinched upon hearing that.
One was Sonia, who thought there was no way I would suffer such a thing, and the other was Shue, who knew I had actually been betrayed before.
Although, in the latter case, it hadn't happened in this world.
"Then, you'll protect me, won't you?"
"Hehe... Ah! Right."
Serica's expression changed as if something had just occurred to her.
She really was a child with remarkably diverse expressions.
"Why didn't you tell me about what happened earlier! I would have come quickly to help!"
This time, it was a displeasure with a fairly high concentration of sincerity.
A very small part of it was directed at me, but that wasn't a negative emotion, but rather something closer to a feeling of regret.
Still, it was familiar.
In that her expression and emotion matched more than 90%.
'When did I start feeling this?'
Even on Earth, I had often read others' emotions, but after coming to this world, that gradually grew stronger until it reached this point.
Perhaps because I directly felt the expressionless emotions of my summoned creatures, I had simply become more accustomed to reading emotions themselves.
So if asked whether reading emotions like this was uncomfortable, that wasn't the case.
'If anything, it's rather comfortable.'
Because my mind had always been one that couldn't see others' expressions as they were.
Anyway, for now, the topic of her conversation was more important than idle thoughts.
"What?"
"They said a Surface Archduke sent something like an assassin!"
"Aha."
It seemed she was talking about the 'Dream Witch'.
I had told them to keep their mouths shut, but where on earth had she heard about it.
"Miss Evangeline asked for help. To gather as much force as possible."
"Eve did?"
I felt my eyes widen instinctively.
I was flustered because it was something I hadn't ordered, but on the other hand, I understood.
The weight carried by the title of 'high rank' was never light.
Because it was a term for beings who were only a few steps away from the position that could be called the ultimate state in this world.
"Now that I look, you all came over armed. Was it because of that?"
The various demon figures visible behind Serica had been catching my attention.
Most of them were vampires equipped primarily with light armaments, each one meticulously outfitted with melee weapons and magical tools on their bodies.
In addition, some personnel were other demons of the demon realm equipped with heavy armaments.
"Of course!"
Serica's answer was confident.
Like a female warrior about to embark on an adventure rather than a battle.
"I thought you were on your way to finalize your dungeon's location and do some preliminary cleaning around it."
The matter of her settling on the surface had been fully approved, and the location selection was also finalized.
However, she didn't intend to settle on the surface immediately.
There was no need to state which was safer: rising to the elite rank after creating a dungeon on the surface, or constructing a dungeon after achieving the elite status in the demon realm.
It was a strategically wise decision.
"If that were all, I wouldn't have brought so many. An escort would be enough for that."
"That would be true."
As I nodded in agreement, Serica, who had smiled briefly, frowned again seriously.
"Don't change the subject."
"Caught me?"
"You were caught. Why didn't you tell me?"
Serica's voice was still soaked with sincere regret.
If I avoided the topic further, she would truly be hurt.
"Well, you're already busy helping me, aren't you?"
Even while preparing for the settlement of her own dungeon, Serica was handling all sorts of administrative affairs in the demon realm on my behalf for Nirvana and Kamaya's transformation into Dungeon Lords.
I had already entrusted the troublesome political affairs to her; I didn't want to involve her in a dangerous battle.
"Asking for more than this is something even I, as shameless as I am, would feel sorry for."
At my words, Serica relaxed her frown, and with a whining tone, she grabbed my waist and buried her head in the nape of my neck.
"You don't need to feel sorry towards me..."
"Alright. Thank you. Thank you."
"If you know, act like it."
"I'll try."
After stabilizing her by stroking her head and shoulders several times.
I gestured with my chin towards the knights behind her who were earnestly turning their heads away, trying not to witness the disgrace of the person they served.
"Shouldn't you introduce them? Though it's at your request, they are people who came to help me."
"Ah, yeah."
The small number of demons who followed her.
The members were mostly Serica's escorts, and some were retainers of the Baritra Marquis Household.
As befitting the forces she, not even the official heir, could bring, naturally there wasn't a single high-rank or higher individual, but...
Instead, including Serica who was an upper-rank Dungeon Lord, all eight members were individuals with elite-grade power.
'She really scraped them together.'
I could tell at a glance.
That Serica had overexerted herself somewhat for my sake.
Considering her standing within the family, this amount of military force was at a level that would require reconsidering her trustworthiness.
In other words, if she lost this force, her reputation within the Marquis household could fall to a point where there was nowhere lower to go.
It was fortunate that there was no need to sacrifice them.
"This will be a great help. Thank you for coming."
"Even in the demon realm, we had heard of Lady Libertas's fame. You are far more beautiful and elegant than we had heard."
"I almost became a fan the moment I saw you."
These individuals, regardless of gender or age, treated me with eyes full of favor.
Thanks to that, I was also able to hear in detail about my current evaluation in the demon realm.
"Because 'Greed's' Eastern Continent Sales Department got involved so much, your appearance was shrouded in mystery."
"Seeing you in person, I understand why. With such dignity and appearance, any high-ranking noble of the demon realm would have coveted you. Anyone would surely want to make you their con..."
"Hey."
"Ah. My apologies."
At Serica's sharp call, the mouth of the knight, who had been speaking rather lightly, snapped shut.
'Greed', of course, referred to Mammon's forces.
They appeared to be a trading company on the outside, but their true nature was ultimately 'Mammon's legion'.
"No. Thank you. I am always indebted to them."
"Though they probably think they don't know you. Since the Duke of Greed is so loyal to the Demon King's policies..."
The awkward atmosphere was brief; at my words, another knight continued the conversation with a gentle smile.
Their tone was filled with respect and awe for Mammon.
The Baritra family was clearly a subordinate of Wrath Duke Satan, but there was nothing strange about their members holding respect for another Grand Duke.
"That makes me all the more grateful."
"Wow... It's just as we heard."
Meanwhile, Serica seemed dissatisfied with their attitude.
She was standing with her arms crossed, her cheeks slightly puffed out.
"You guys have never said things like that to me."
"Well, that's..."
"Right...?"
"What do you mean 'right'? You guys!"
A somewhat informal intimacy could be felt.
Indeed, if they were people willing to follow her into a dangerous task dealing with a high-rank enemy, they were probably a group that maintained a fairly close relationship with Serica.
I smiled as I looked at them, then finished my thought.
'I can be a little relieved.'
Me and my close associates.
The three Queens that could be mobilized for this battle, and their most powerful elite forces.
And on top of that, these elites brought by Serica.
This was truly a level of force that could confront a high-rank being head-on.
"If something happens, this will really be a great help."
"If something... happens?"
Serica's eyebrows slightly furrowed. As if she had noticed something.
I, too, smiled gently at her.
"I'm grateful you came, but I'm saying that if things go well, you won't need to play a big role."
However, this force was, ultimately, 'insurance'.
Because I had already arranged a separate main strategy to capture the Dream Witch.
If this succeeded, the battle would likely be kept to a minimum.
"We'll soon capture a high-rank enemy."
Because she would walk right into the trap herself.