Promises Under the Moonlight
Under the moonlight, clear moans echoed. Ilena had asked me to let go of her hand, but there was something I needed to settle first.
"Promise me one thing before I let go."
"A promise?"
"Don't use magic in front of other people."
"....... Can't I just use it without anyone noticing?"
"There are always 'what ifs.' It could get noticed, so no."
Ilena's expression turned sullen at the request.
"But magic is everything to me."
"I'm not saying you can't use it at all. Just not where people can see."
"But plenty of people use magic in the human world too. Why can't I?"
"It's because of my circumstances."
Come to think of it, I still hadn't told Ilena the full story. I'd mentioned being used, but I hadn't explained the specific incident that forced me back to my hometown.
"Ilena, I'll tell you everything without hiding anything. Right now, I'm a fugitive."
"Even though you're one of the heroes who defeated me?"
"I told you. The Crownland bastards used the heroes however they pleased. They even tried to kill me."
"My god, they actually tried to kill you?"
Thinking back, they were the ones who killed Jason too. Killing one more like me wouldn't have been difficult for them.
"Remember when I said I couldn't drink?"
"Yeah. I was actually relieved when I saw you drinking today. I thought your heart had finally eased up a little."
"It's because I nearly got poisoned."
"......"
Ilena froze with her mouth hanging open, clearly at a loss for words.
"It's fine. I'm still alive, aren't I?"
"But if they tried to poison you and you're still here, that means they must have kept trying to kill you afterward!"
"You're right. Once I escaped Crownland, they sent assassins after me."
"That doesn't worry me much."
"Huh......?"
Ilena reacted far more calmly than I'd expected to the mention of assassins.
"It's you. There's no way mere assassins could ever take you down."
"True. In fact, I spared them and sent them back."
"You spared them? Why? I don't understand."
"....... I know how hard they worked. During the Crusades, they moved with our hero party and helped us a great deal. A big part of why I'm still alive is thanks to them."
"If they helped you that much, then I suppose I can understand."
From scouting ahead and keeping watch while we rested, to personally running around to handle urgent supplies and support whenever we needed it.
Ilena tilted her head instead.
"I don't understand. I don't know who gave the order, but why would they command people like that to kill you?"
"I don't know either. Their superior must be an incredibly black-hearted man."
Grand Priest Emolus—the administrator and direct superior of our hero party. The assassins had carried out all sorts of dirty work under him.
"Anyway, that's why I'm asking you not to use magic. Mages are common in the Demon Realm, but not in the human world."
In the human realm, the quality and quantity of mages was a serious matter that directly affected a nation's power. If a commoner showed talent for magic, they would immediately be elevated to nobility and promised abundant support.
"If rumors spread that there's a mage in our village, the world's attention will turn toward us. Then I might have to leave again."
"That can't happen!"
Ilena shouted in alarm.
"You've already suffered so much. You finally came here to rest your body and mind—I can't send you back out to struggle again."
"Thanks for understanding."
"I'll promise!"
Earlier she'd wanted me to let go, but now Ilena was the one gripping my hand tightly.
"I promise. I won't use magic in front of anyone else, no matter what. And I'll need to take some precautions."
"Precautions?"
"Yeah. Just wait a moment."
Ilena stretched one arm out to the side and began spinning it in circles.
"Pfft......"
"W-why are you laughing?"
"No reason. I don't know what you're doing, but the way you're waving your arm around looks strangely cute."
"You find the strangest things cute, honestly."
Of course, even if it looked cute, I could tell it was high-level magic. The amount of mana fluctuating around her was extraordinary.
Soon after, a small spatial gate appeared in the air.
"Where does it lead?"
"The Demon King's Castle."
"What......?"
She'd opened a gate to the Demon King's Castle just by spinning her arm? Ilena was already stronger than any mage I'd ever known, but the more I saw, the more she surpassed my imagination.
"Lilia? Are you there? Come out right now!"
"Lilia? If it's Lilia......"
This wasn't good. If it was the demon I was thinking of—
"Yes, Your Majesty! I'll be right there~"
A voice dripping with coquettishness. Exactly as I'd feared.
High Succubus Lilia. The greatest contributor to our hero party never getting a proper night's sleep in the Demon Realm. Nightmares were one thing, but those other kinds of dreams too......
"Ahem......"
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, nothing. Hearing that name after so long just brought back some memories."
A moment later, a female demon stepped out of the gate. Her revealing outfit, which barely covered the essentials, was still difficult to get used to.
....... Unintentionally, my eyes kept drifting toward her.
"Oh my, look who it is. Roen? It's been a while!"
"Y-yeah. Long time no see."
"Still as handsome as ever? Though you've put on a little weight."
"Ahaha......"
Lilia greeted me warmly, then smirked as her gaze landed on something.
"Oh my? Your Majesty, what happened there?"
"There?"
"Your hand. I mean, your hand."
"Hand....... Aah!"
Ilena only then realized she was still clutching my hand. She hurriedly let go and stepped aside.
"Your Majesty, you're quite forward. I heard a human had caught the Demon King's eye and wondered who it might be."
"Such a rumor spread? Who told you!"
"Well, it wasn't from any one person in particular—it was floating around everywhere. By the way, why Roen? I thought it might be Bater."
If it was Bater—the boy mage who earned the title of Archmage at only fourteen—then Lilia's assumption made sense.
Bater wasn't on Ilena's level, but he possessed exceptional magic skills and had been well-liked in the hero party for his polite, cute personality. Above all, he was a genius who had pioneered a unique field of magic no one else could use, so many mages took an interest in him.
If rumors spread that the powerful mage Ilena had taken an interest in someone, Bater would seem far more plausible than me.
"A-anyway, that's not important! As the Demon King, I hereby issue a command."
"Yes, Your Majesty. Please speak."
At Ilena's words, Lilia knelt politely and bowed her head.
"From now on, I'll pass my memories to you. Follow the men in those memories and make sure they never speak of me using magic."
"You want me to threaten them? Do you have a preferred method?"
"You're more of an expert at that than I am. Handle it however you see fit."
"Understood. Then please pass on the memories."
As Lilia respectfully raised both hands, Ilena placed her own hand on top. Something flowed from Ilena's hand through Lilia's and into her body.
Meanwhile, Lilia grinned and muttered under her breath.
"Oh my, how sweet. It's so fresh."
"What do you mean sweet?"
"It's nothing, Your Majesty. It's a very delicious memory. Preparations are complete. Shall I depart immediately?"
"Yeah. We don't know when or where those men might talk."
"Understood. Then I'll be off to enjoy my meal!"
Lilia flapped her wings and rose lightly into the air.
"See you later too, Roen!"
"You don't really need to see me."
"Aww, don't be shy. I'll give you dreams that suit your tastes, so touch me nicely like before."
"This...... Just go already!"
"It's a promise, okay? Definitely!"
Lilia made the promise on her own, then flew high into the sky, waving at us as she disappeared into the distance.
"Then shall we head back....... Whoa."
Ilena was glaring at me with narrowed eyes.
"What exactly did she mean by 'touch me nicely like before'?"
"T-that's just... it's the same as how the spirits like it when I touch them. You know, right? That I can delicately manipulate mana. That's what she meant."
"Really?"
"....... Give me your hand."
"Hyah!"
I grabbed Ilena's hand firmly.
"W-what are you trying to do?"
"I'll make you feel good. Just like I did for Lilia!"
"What......!"
Ilena tried to pull away, but I refused to let go—not until the misunderstanding was cleared. I fiddled with her hand, searching for the flow of mana inside her body.
By the way... it was small and soft.
No, this wasn't the time for that!
"Found it."
The moment I located the flow, I pressed down firmly. A reaction came instantly.
"Hwaang......!"
A strong sound burst from Ilena's mouth. And the noise was quite......
"What was that just now? What on earth was that......"
"The effect is certainly reliable."
"Y-you? Why is your face like that? Wait. Don't. Stop......!"
In the quiet of midnight, only Ilena's clear moans echoed beneath the moonlight.