The Eve
“What’s going on?”
“Where are you right now?”
“Uh... I came to Pandemonium to kill demons...”
The great mage Mio Lizfeldt rested her chin in her hand and furrowed her brow. Yuria grabbed hold of her like that. Though she was in a distant space, Yuria flinched at the coercive force she felt and gripped her staff.
“Eek! What are you doing?”
“Weren’t you supposed to be investigating the demon cult? Why the hell are you there?!”
“Well, about that...”
Then Mio’s explanation began. Her long, drawn-out tale lasted about twenty minutes and was utterly ridiculous. Yuria staggered as if she might collapse, while Rian let out a hollow sigh.
Some things never changed—like getting caught up in absurd situations.
“...So, you got dragged into their demon summoning ritual and ended up getting summoned instead?”
“Uh-huh...”
“Master.”
“Huh?”
“Are you really a hero?”
“Nooo... It’s just that...”
“I don’t like kids who make excuses~”
“S-Sorry...”
Her shoulders twitched as she trembled. Who was the master and who was the disciple here...? Rowen felt a pang of nostalgia at the unchanged dynamic.
He wanted to reveal his identity right then and talk to her. But he didn’t want to interrupt her.
Or was it interrupting? She was clearly lost. Anyone could see that. She looked like a stray cat that had lost its home.
“But I killed a ton of demons!”
“Who doesn’t know that? You were obviously too busy slaughtering demons to even think about coming back~”
“Ehehe... By the way, Yuria. Who are those two next to you?”
“Oh...”
Yuria turned to look at Rowen and Arahan. Rowen stayed still, while Arahan clutched the frills of her maid outfit and gave a light bow.
“Pleased to meet you, Lady Mio.”
“Uh... hi?”
“I am Arahan, disciple of the great warrior Uba Kaliarun.”
Silence fell over the space filled with galaxies. For a moment, it felt like they were in outer space.
“...What?”
“...Whoa.”
Yuria and Mio’s faces were full of shock. Like perfect master and disciple, they even covered their mouths in the same way.
In stark contrast, Rowen...
“...”
Passed out while pretending to be composed.
“Y-Young master...?”
“Arahan.”
“Yes. I am your Arahan, Young Master.”
“That muscle-headed pig you mentioned... that was Uba?”
“Yes, exactly.”
It felt like a solid smack to the back of his head. Her being Uba’s disciple... Thinking back, every story she’d told about her master was connected to Uba. And wasn’t Arahan originally an adventurer from Kalia Rune? Her fighting style and aggressive demeanor made it obvious she was Uba’s pupil.
“...What the hell is this situation?”
“Pardon?”
The reincarnation of the great knight Rian Rose: Rowen.
The disciple of the great warrior Uba Kaliarun: Arahan.
The disciple of the great mage Mio Lizfeldt: Yuria Scarlet.
And Mio Lizfeldt, casually wandering enemy territory and getting lost.
These four were gathered together. And yet, the two who had spent the longest time side by side didn’t know each other’s true identities. Arahan didn’t know the truth about the reincarnation of the man she adored. Rowen was hiding it, and only Yuria knew.
“What a shitshow. For real.”
“D-Does my master displease you?”
“...No.”
“Then please don’t misunderstand. Your mouth still seems to be chewing on rags, Young Master.”
“Hey. Watch your language.”
“Pot calling the kettle black. If you really want, I can clean that mouth for you. Now, Young Master. Shall I take care of it?”
Arahan’s lips looked oddly seductive today. The atmosphere, and her inherently alluring presence—it was hard to resist. It was true he hadn’t been able to meet her eyes since her confession.
“...Cut the joking.”
“Young Master is definitely impotent.”
“You know that’s not true.”
“...Eek.”
Arahan recalled that night. A rather intense one. Her cheeks flushed.
“It’s troubling if you just barge in like that...”
“Then stay still.”
“Y-Yes...”
Rowen pushed the flustered Arahan behind him and turned his gaze back to Mio. Her reflection in the transparent mirror had changed a bit. Had she grown more? Her figure, now comparable to Arahan’s, filled his view.
Full of worldly temptations!
It was as if Uba’s voice echoed in his head. Rowen shook his head to dispel the distractions. So-called pure thoughts.
Rowen gave a short bow as well. As long as he was hiding his identity, it was only right. Though it felt a bit humiliating.
Bowing my head to Mio of all people...
If he revealed his past life later, she’d tease him forever.
Rowen steeled himself for a big decision! Yuria giggled, noticing his childish resolve.
“H-Hey, kid. What’s your name?”
“Rowen.”
Casual speech slipped out unbidden. At least in this world a thousand years later, she was a legend. Before that, a grand mage known to all. It wasn’t something a sixteen-year-old brat should say.
“...Haha.”
“Master, hold it in. He’s always been rude~”
Rowen cursed inwardly at that. Mio twitched her brow. Seeing her like that lifted his spirits a little. It reminded him of old times, watching her get teased.
‘Mio, you keep eating like that, you’ll get fat.’
‘...Tch. This doesn’t make you gain weight, okay?’
‘You know how many calories that has?’
‘...How many?’
‘A thousand.’
‘Hiiiik...!’
‘Puhahaha! What’re you freaking out for? You eat it all the time.’
‘...B-But I didn’t work out after eating this?’
‘No helping it. You’ll just have to gain weight.’
‘Nooo!’
He suppressed a laugh at the memory. Everyone stared oddly as his shoulders shook. Rowen cleared his throat with a “Ahem.”
“What’s that place?”
“...I don’t like you.”
“What are you, a kid? Why’re you sulking like that?”
“Don’t you respect your elders?”
“Hahaha. So you know you’re old.”
Mio’s face fell, hurt. Rowen found her reaction amusing. Then Arahan gripped his hand tightly. Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. Her possessive grip left him flustered.
“What’s wrong?”
“Don’t... tease her too much.”
“It’s fun, though.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Ugh... Fine.”
Rowen relented to Arahan’s reaction. Then he turned back to Mio.
“I’m asking where that place is.”
“...Do I have to tell you?”
“Yes. It’s important.”
“...Hmm.”
Rowen already knew where it was. Near the Demon King’s castle. The demon cult must have summoned a fairly high-ranking demon.
“By the way, who the hell are you? Fine, the Uba disciple makes sense. But why’re you with Yuria?!”
“I’ll explain.”
Yuria stepped forward, but Rowen blocked her with a sharp glance. Enough joking. Time to rein in the excitement of reunion and get to the point.
“The Demon King is reviving.”
“What? The demon cult... they’re already at that stage?”
“I don’t know if it’s the demon cult or not. But according to my dead brother, the seal of the King of Frost is breaking.”
“...Dead brother?”
Rowen felt a pang of sorrow mentioning Kael. His chest ached every time. But he held it in. He always recalled his words.
“Protect the North.”
“What?”
“My brother said it. Protect the North.”
“What does that have to— Ah.”
“You get it. The King of Frost is at the northernmost edge. I have to protect the North. You understand what I’m saying, right?”
Mio pondered.
“Hmm... You’re from the Valenos family, aren’t you?”
“Yes. There’s only one noble house guarding the North.”
“Right. The rest are all money-grubbing bastards. Makes me remember Kadan always complaining about it.”
Rowen reacted to the unexpected name. More than anything, one of his past-life comrades was casually calling his father by name.
Kadan’s magic was impressive. His swordsmanship was great too, but he favored magic. Was Mio the source of that power...?
“...You know my father?”
“Father? Wait. No way—you’re Kadan’s kid?!”
“Yes, illegitimate though.”
“Legitimate or not! That brat already has a kid?!”
Did living a thousand years mess with her sense of time? He must still seem like a kid to her.
“He’s not around anymore to have kids or whatever.”
“...What?”
“The demon cult made golems. Father...”
That one phrase flipped the mood 180 degrees. Mio stopped in her tracks. Her fury-filled eyes stared into the void.
“Hold up, stop there. I get the story now. Ha... Arkanthia was under the demon cult’s thumb, right?”
“Yes.”
“...Golems, huh. Golems.”
Mio’s gaze shifted to Rowen.
“Hey, Valenos brat.”
“...Yes?”
“Send coordinates.”
Coordinates?
“...I mean the location you’re at right now.”
*
The prophet, wielder of the magic spear, Tesiah, whistled. Her blue hair whipped in the wind. She walked the streets without hiding her demonic form. Everything was already frozen solid. No survivors. It was a space of illusions anyway.
The flying ship showed no life signs. She’d apparently taken out the soldiers inside too. That only excited her more.
The souls of the strong! How powerful would her spear become infused with such noble spirits?
“Uhuhu...”
A silly laugh burst out. Her eyes fixed on the towering Magic Tower.
“Hehe~ So this is the Magic Tower?”
Like an excited child. Tesiah was thrilled. Even if Muron was the weakest of the five prophets, he wasn’t weak. He’d even brought tech from a forgotten era in their memories. That must have amplified no small amount of demonic energy.
And a human from the Valenos family had killed him? A strong one. At least someone who could match her?
Humans lacked purity. Now a monster mad for slaughter, Tesiah’s eyes gleamed with madness.
“This is impressive.”
A rectangular something. Heading toward it felt like approaching a certain existence. Probably the surviving Valenos spawn.
“Hehe. I can’t wait!”
Tesiah’s magic spear sparked red lightning. Not just red—it erupted in wild currents, like a dam bursting uncontrollably. The violent electricity scorched the surroundings.
She strode toward the Magic Tower. Two frozen mages blocked the entrance. Not dead, just iced. Tesiah enjoyed the sight.
Crackle—!
Electricity coursed through the ice, tormenting the mages inside. But no reaction. Already dead? Her interest fizzled.
“...Hmph. Boring.”
She eyed the already open massive door. Instead of walking in slowly, she dashed inside. Life signs pulsed from high up. Something powerful sensed her presence across dimensions.
“Hehe... You hungry too?”
Tesiah spoke to her spear. No reply came, but she answered anyway.
“Yeah, yeah! I’ll feed you, big sis!”
A straight bolt of lightning surged from the spear. Tesiah vanished from sight! Only residual static crackled in her place.
Tesiah became lightning. Unlike her small frame, it was violent and thick, booming with thunder as it tore through.
And now.
“Kyahaha! Hi there?”
Her eyes met those of the red-haired woman.