Awakening
The night in the Back Alley was both the most dazzling and the most terrifying place in the entire empire. The reason was simple: once night fell, the Back Alley lit up more brilliantly than any pleasure district, while simultaneously turning into a den of all sorts of crimes.
Thus, death in the Back Alley always came in one of two forms: dying in a drunken stupor, or dying with holes riddled through your body.
Thud, thud.
And now, a woman cloaked in a robe was walking through the streets of that very Back Alley. The place was always packed tight with nobles and beggars, men and women alike, but the path she took felt unusually eerie and desolate.
"...Hmm."
Even so, the woman, who had been warily scanning her surroundings, soon quietly made her way into a tavern.
"Who might you be?"
Opening the creaky door, she was greeted by a man in a neat suit.
"Don't know who you are, but care for a drink?"
"No, I'm fine."
"...Suit yourself. More for me, then."
With that, the man uncorked a bottle on the table and quietly poured himself a glass. The woman stared at him intently before finally speaking.
"...Tell me the latest on the Demon King's army."
The man, who had been looking straight at her, smirked, picked up his glass, and muttered.
"Had a feeling... Your Majesty, the Demon King?"
"Took you long enough."
From that moment, her tone shifted to one of haughty arrogance. The man sitting across from her downed his drink in one go and spoke.
"In that case, let's run a test."
And in the next instant, the space around the tavern warped dramatically.
The long-stretching road suddenly folded and shot up into the air. Soon, the surrounding buildings, signs, trees, and decorations followed suit, soaring skyward, as the entire area began to twist and distort.
KABOOM!!!
By the time the area was half-destroyed, the sweating man swung his arm forcefully, and the 'space' itself lunged at the woman across from him.
"...How insolent."
Yet she remained unfazed, muttering those words before flicking a single finger.
ZZZAP!!!
The space charging at her vanished in an instant.
"I-I greet Your Majesty, the Demon King!"
The man, who had blankly watched the scene, hurriedly dropped to his knees and bowed his head to the floor.
"For daring to test Your Majesty, I accept any punishment..."
"Why would that be a crime?"
The Demon King looked at him with an expression of utter incomprehension, then smirked.
"...It barely took the effort of flicking one finger. No issue at all."
"But..."
"Speak as you normally would. This groveling is tiresome."
The man sighed, rose, and sat at the sole remaining table amid the devastation before speaking.
"Your Majesty, before I give the report... may I ask a few questions first?"
"...Not the Demon King yet—just the successor. Why are you demons always so overeager?"
"Isn't it the same thing?"
"...Whatever, too annoying to argue. Call me what you want."
With her permission, the man took another swig and began his questions.
"Weren't you unable to leave the Demon King Castle?"
"I was."
"So you're out now... does that mean it's finally starting?"
As the man asked with eyes full of anticipation, the Demon King shook her head.
"No. My true body remains in the Demon King Castle. This is merely a vessel."
"...Then how did you unleash that power just now?"
"Not your business. Drop it."
Dismissing it firmly, she prompted him to move on as he shook his head again and asked his second question.
"Why hide your identity?"
He eyed her, still concealed by intricate stealth magic.
"No one could approach the castle while the successor was confined, so your identity stayed secret. But why hide it even now?"
"Hmm..."
"Even I, your second-in-command, haven't seen your face. It's too much. For the morale of the Demon King's army, at least..."
"No."
She shook her head resolutely, and he bowed his head with a sigh.
"Then we'll keep having these inconvenient meetings or receiving orders by letter?"
"No choice."
"...Could you at least tell me why?"
"Don't want to."
With her iron wall up, he sighed again and posed his final question.
"Then my third and last: was it you who sent the telegram saying 'Hero found'?"
"Yes."
"Then share the info quickly. We'll ensure the hero doesn't become an obstacle..."
"...I can't."
"Pardon?"
She stared into empty space and muttered quietly.
"...It's not that I won't share—it’s that I can't."
He looked at her with faint exasperation, drained his glass, stood, and began restoring the devastated area with a wave of his arm.
"Well, can't be helped if it's the great Demon King's word. I'll obey without question."
"Then begin the report."
"Right away."
As she listened, the Demon King's eyes gleamed ruby red.
"...Ah, the password?"
"Perloché, the password is asked by the person inside to the one coming in from outside."
"Ah..."
Meanwhile, at a tavern a short distance from the Demon King's location in the Back Alley.
"Wh-who are you people?!"
"...My spies."
"Ah, sorry."
Clana watched Perloché enter with a dazed look and a resigned expression.
"...Hm? Is it just you and Clana today?"
"Irina said she'd come a bit later... Kania..."
"Kania?"
"Uh... she's busy."
As Clana glossed over it, Perloché tilted her head, then sat and began.
"Can't be helped if she's busy. As always, let's start the report!"
"...Yes."
"First, the Pope... er, from the Pope, it seems we've found evidence related to the Demon King!"
"Really?"
"Yes! A few days ago, I started sensing faint sinister energy from the church's basement."
With a slightly tense expression, Perloché soon tilted her head.
"But whenever I go to investigate, it vanishes completely... and when I leave, it starts again... it's repeating like that. What's going on?"
"Suspicious."
"Yes! Definitely suspicious!"
As Perloché's eyes sparkled, Clana crossed her arms and muttered.
"If we're lucky, we can pressure the Pope... maybe even tie it to Frey..."
"...Lady Clana, are you alright?"
"Hm?"
Perloché looked at her worriedly and channeled divine power to Clana.
"Your dark circles are terrible... don't push too hard..."
"Now's the time to push."
Clana replied firmly, then skimmed papers and muttered again.
"As expected... all the Starlight family docs sent this time are empty shells. This seems like..."
"Hm?"
"Nothing."
Carefully closing the files, Clana smiled at Perloché and changed the subject.
"Anyway, when do you think Frey will wake?"
"Um... it'll take a while..."
Clana smiled.
"Perfect. Before he wakes, we can whittle down his position even more."
"Sorry... I haven't been much help..."
"No. Holding your spot high in the church is more than enough."
Comforting the downcast Perloché, Clana quietly gazed at the night sky through the window.
"...I'll bring you down soon, Frey."
In the night sky, a single star blinked dimly through the haze.
Creeeak...
After staring at the star for a long while, Clana whipped her head around at the sound of the door opening behind her.
"...Hello."
Irina, cloaked in a robe, nodded and entered.
"Welcome, Irina. Our forces grow by one more."
"...Yes! Irina's insanely strong!"
Irina sat, gazing wistfully at them, and asked.
"...I did give the Demon King some damage, right?"
"Pardon?"
"Surely... I didn't fail to even scratch her?"
As Irina asked uneasily, Clana smiled reassuringly.
"Your strike halted her advance for a week. It bought precious time to evacuate imperial citizens."
"...A week?"
Irina's face fell.
"That was my all-out attack, pouring every ounce of magic knowledge and mana. The grand spell recorded as leaving the Demon King near death a millennium ago."
"...Yes."
"And it only held her a week? That's all?"
Her voice heavy, Irina was answered cautiously by Perloché.
"St-still... from what I overheard when the Demon King's army captured and was about to kill me... it was a pretty fatal wound..."
"...Ugh."
Hearing Perloché casually mention her own death, Irina bowed her head and ground her teeth.
"Um... Irina. Just to check..."
Clana eyed her quietly and asked carefully.
"Is there magic that could cause this large-scale regression?"
"Hm..."
"It just seems off. Not one, but four regressors. Maybe more. So... doesn't it feel like magic's involved?"
Clana's face serious, Irina frowned slightly.
"Manipulating space is possible somehow... but time manipulation? No such magic exists. Not even ancient spells."
"What about prophecy magic receiving future memories..."
"Same issue. No prophecy magic exists. Unless it's the Sun God's revelation..."
Trailing off, Irina glanced at Perloché, who shook her head vigorously.
"No, the Sun God just... ugh...!"
Suddenly clutching her head, Perloché slumped over the table. Irina and Clana looked on in alarm.
"Wh-what's wrong?"
"Ugh... sudden headache..."
"Sudden?"
"Ah, better now."
Perloché's face eased, and she continued.
"Anyway, not the Sun God. Revelations come only to me."
Clana nodded quietly, sighed, and wrapped up.
"Well, it's nagging, but let's shelve the regression cause. What's important is what to do next."
To Irina and Perloché, she said.
"...It's late, so let's end here. Today, we confirmed a new ally."
Rising, Clana added.
"I'll inform Kania. Good night, everyone."
She left quietly with her spies, walking the night streets.
"Irina!"
"Hm?"
Irina, rising and watching her go, tilted her head as Perloché stopped her.
"That scar... want me to heal it?"
Perloché asked brightly. Irina frowned slightly.
"It's an old wound from way back."
"Hm... how'd it happen? Not a curse, right?"
Perloché peered closely and asked again.
"No, when I was young... uh... well..."
"...Irina?"
"Wolf... a wolf... Frey..."
Stroking her scar, Irina stammered, then shook her head and finished.
"Anyway, no plans to heal this scar."
"Why?"
"...Dunno, even for me."
Leaving puzzled Perloché behind, Irina exited with a confused expression.
"What was that..."
Walking the Back Alley's night alone for a while, she suddenly stopped and muttered.
"...What's this feeling like something's on the tip of my tongue?"
"Frey... what the hell happened..."
Three months and a day after the 'Commoner Dormitory Assault Incident' ended.
"Kania, you know the truth, don't you? What happened? Tell me. Right now."
Serena, visiting Frey's dorm after ages, pressed the silent Kania beside the utterly broken Frey.
"...I don't know."
"Tell me now."
"...I'm sorry."
But Kania kept her lips sealed. Serena bowed her head and spoke softly.
"You know his condition has too many oddities. So..."
"...I don't see what's odd."
"Hah, really?"
Serena snorted, then raised her voice in anger.
"Top physicians and mages from the empire wrecked the hospital trying to treat him these past months. All failed. You know that?"
"Yes."
"Even Saintess Perloché failed to heal him. You know that too?"
"...Yes."
"And you say nothing's odd!?"
Exploding, Serena unleashed massive moon mana and shouted.
"Fine for imperial mages and doctors!! But a saintess failing? Does that make sense!?"
"...That's."
"When I first diagnosed him collapsed, he should've woken in a week!! Serious, yes... but not to this extent of ruin!"
"...I'm sorry."
As Kania bowed again, Serena stopped raging and stared quietly.
"...You'll stick to that?"
After a long gaze, Serena's face turned icy.
"If you keep this up, I can't just stand by..."
Knock knock.
"...Here for cleaning."
Irina's knock at the dorm door cut her off.
"Do you have to clean now?"
As Irina entered, Serena snapped irritably.
"I made the 'Death Oath' with Frey, so I die without slave duties."
"...What?"
Stunned by the valid reason, Serena sighed deeply.
"Why'd you make a Death Oath, Frey... it's a hassle if discovered..."
Irina calmly replied to Serena's gaze.
"Then, to avoid dying, I'll clean... continue your talk."
""...........""
Kania and Serena glanced at Irina, then spoke in unison.
"Better to talk outside."
"Come out. We'll continue there."
Exchanging looks, they sighed, scowled, and left the dorm.
"...Tch."
Irina, hoping to eavesdrop while cleaning, felt a pang of regret, then glanced back sharply, scanning the room.
"...Come to think, lately I've felt weird energies from over there."
Her eyes fell on Frey's bag. She approached cautiously.
"What... I definitely felt something here?"
Rummaging through, she found only books and dust, growing puzzled.
"...Hm?"
Spotting an odd space at the top, she reached in thoughtlessly...
"Cough!! Cough!!"
"Kyaa!!"
Frey bolted up from bed, coughing. Irina yanked her hand back in shock and stared blankly.
"Wh-what... Young master!?"
"Frey...!!!"
Kania and Serena rushed in at Irina's scream, lunging toward Frey.
"...Damn, first thing I see upon waking is the penalty window."
Frey, staring into space after waking, muttered in exasperation.
"Y-you're awake?"
Meanwhile, Irina stammered in shock, clutching a small dated device in her hand.