Chapter 66
Delphoi Castle, engulfed in flames.
With that scene as the backdrop, the Great Demon Mephistos gazed at the dragon Hadas before him, wearing a deep smile.
= “Well done, Hadas. As per our agreement, I will guarantee the safety of you and the dragons who follow you, along with half of this world.”
#”…Understood.”
Mephistos spoke with a cunning smile, though there was no sense of trust in his demeanour. However, Hadas, the noble dragon who ruled the underground world—naturally aligned with the nature of hell—understood this.
The cunning and wicked demons.
However, even such beings could not break a contract once bound by it.
This was an aspect tied to the very essence of demons—should they break a contract, they would suffer the worst consequences, losing their soul, body, and very existence.
Though he did not trust Mephistos, Hadas accepted the agreement without suspicion, knowing that the other party had realistic reasons not to betray. He then spread his wings and left.
Immediately after, Mephistos turned to address the demon in black armour who appeared behind him—Agares. He spoke in a respectful tone.
= “You are truly remarkable, Agares. To think you fought on par with the Dragon King… your strength is indeed… Kuha… kuhack… kuh…!”
Suddenly, an overwhelming pressure enveloped him.
A pain so intense it felt like it would crush his very soul caused Mephistos to collapse onto the ground, writhing in agony.
And…
= “Kuhack… hack… hack…”
The pain subsided, but as Mephistos panted heavily, Agares spoke in a voice filled with anger.
= “You did something truly unamusing. I was just starting to enjoy myself, but you ruined my fight with your meddling.”
= “B-But, Lord Agares. I-I only did it to ensure a certain victory… kuh!”
Agares pressed a blood-soaked sword against Mephistos’s throat, the blade drenched in the blood of dragons. His voice turned cold as he continued.
= “Do not do anything I did not order. If you act on your own again, I will not spare you.”
= “I… I will… I will remember that…”
Mephistos trembled as he bowed his head.
With that chilling warning, Agares vanished like smoke. Watching his departure, Mephistos touched his still-aching neck and quietly ground his teeth.
‘Just you wait… Once I get my hands on that power, I will surely avenge this humiliation…!’
***
The dragons, defeated due to Hadas’s betrayal.
Ar, upon hearing the unexpected news of their crushing defeat in the war they had expected to win, spoke with a voice filled with shock.
#”S-So… what happened to… father… and the other Elder Dragons?”
#”Father… Lord Zaus is officially missing, but it’s assumed that he has fallen in battle. The same goes for Lord Mars, as there are witnesses who saw his decapitated body. Lord Poseidra managed to retreat, but he is severely injured. As for Lord Aten, he escaped with only minor injuries…”
#”This… this can’t be…”
Apollo replied with a voice heavy with sorrow.
Hearing this, Ar felt a wave of dizziness, unable to steady herself for a moment.
However…
#”Ugh…”
Ar forced herself to gather her thoughts.
The strongest dragon ruling over this land had been defeated.
Realizing what that meant, she knew there was no time to be consumed by grief over her father’s loss.
#”W-We must hurry, Apollo. We need to get mother and the others out as quickly as possible…”
#”Y-Yes!”
With their main forces defeated, it wouldn’t be long before the demons descended upon Olympus.
At this point, the only thing she could do was…
To take her mother and siblings and flee, no matter what.
***
[Demons have invaded the Elven Kingdom…]
{Yes, the news has just come in.}
Isera’s calm voice delivered the message.
Upon hearing this, I felt an instinctive discomfort, furrowing my brows slightly.
‘That guy… I wondered where he ran off to, but he headed there…’
After his defeat at my hands, Mephistos had fled. I had tried tracking him down several times since then, but every attempt had ended in failure.
Tracking magic works best in regions influenced by faith.
If he had shown up in the Kanan Kingdom or the orc territories, I would have detected it immediately.
If he had been in the Baro Empire or the Blackset Empire, Isiris or Isera’s detection network would have caught him. But we found no trace of him anywhere.
From that, I could infer that he had left the territories of humans and orcs, but I never expected that he would start causing trouble in the far northern regions.
[So, what is the situation there?]
{Rumor has it that the Dragon King Zaus was defeated and killed. With the fall of the kingdom’s strongest dragon, the overall situation has turned decisively against the Elven Kingdom.}
[Hmm…]
I had heard about Dragon King Zaus before.
A being known as the strongest existing dragon, said to have power comparable to Baal.
From the experience of ambushing and killing a weakened Baal, I could guess that this dragon, Zaus, was likely stronger than the Mephistos I faced previously.
The fact that such a powerful Dragon King was defeated, even on his home ground, could be interpreted to mean that there exists among the demons one with strength equal to or greater than his.
‘Though it’s not certain… the possibility is definitely there. If a Great Demon like Mephistos has crossed over, it wouldn’t be surprising if an even more powerful one emerged.’
The problem is what action we should take in response to this situation.
It wasn’t a matter we could simply ignore as something happening in someone else’s land.
The very idea that demons are expanding their influence in this world was unsettling, and above all, once the Elven Kingdom and the dragons were defeated, it would be our turn next.
To prevent the fire from spreading from the neighbour’s house, it was essential to find a way to lend aid now.
[Then, let’s attack right away! If the opponents are demons and dark races, my team and I can definitely put up a good fight. Let’s take this chance to wipe out the demons and show the Elves the mercy of Seraphim.]
Arc Royle’s voice brimmed with enthusiasm.
However, Isera responded to this with a calm voice.
{Please, calm down. This is not a matter that can be approached so simply.}
[…What do you mean?]
Arc Royle reacted with a slightly sharp tone.
In response, Isera spoke to her in a tone that seemed to soothe a child.
{Sigh… Listen carefully. If it’s a matter between individuals, it might be different. But when it comes to conflicts between nations, or more accurately, between entire species, you need justification and procedures. You have to notify and get permission beforehand, and even after the conflict, you must have a general outline for how to manage things. Without this, rushing in blindly could end up with us providing help only to suffer losses later.}
[That’s true. When it comes to matters on a national scale, one must act based on the interests of one’s own country. It’s best to assume we’re dealing with a demanding and shameless guest. It’s not just about you, but for all of us here and the countless followers who depend on us.]
[Hmm… I understand, Seraphim.]
Arc Royle reluctantly accepted my words, though she refused to even glance in Isera’s direction.
Seeing her attitude, I couldn’t help but think that there was still a long road ahead.
{So, my lord, does this mean we need to find a justification for our intervention?}
Isiris asked expectantly.
However,
[There is no need for that.]
{Huh? You mean… you don’t intend to intervene yet? Are you waiting for more damage to occur before taking action?}
Isiris, sounding somewhat excited, asked with a puzzled expression.
Watching her, I responded in a composed voice.
[No, what I mean is… there’s no need for us to act at all.]
{What…?}
[What do you mean by that…?]
Both Isiris and Arc Royle expressed their confusion.
Meanwhile, only Isera had a gentle smile on her face, reminding me once again that she had the best grasp of the situation among them.
***
A group of beings traversed the sky.
Spreading their massive wings across the deep blue expanse, they looked, from a distance, like a formation of migratory birds in flight.
Flying in a V-formation, they maintained their ranks.
However, upon closer inspection, one would see that they were beings far different from mere birds.
Dragons.
Creatures with bodies stretching dozens of meters in size.
They were powerful beings that ruled the skies, symbols of strength and authority.
Yet, in this moment, little of that grandeur was visible in their forms.
What could be sensed was urgency,
and concern.
With anxious and tense expressions over what lay ahead,
they followed the silver dragon Ar, who led the way, flying towards a destination.
#”How much longer do we have to fly? If you tell me we’re lost after coming all this way…”
Following Ar, Aten spoke in a voice tinged with coldness.
Sensing a hint of hostility, Ar cautiously responded.
#“We… we’re almost there. Please wait a little longer.”
#“Lord Aten, please calm down a bit. You know well that Ar’s memory is reliable. He’s guiding us along the fastest and safest route, so there’s no need to worry…”
#“Stop being so complacent! You know very well that even now, many of our kin and Elves are dying back in the kingdom, don’t you?”
Aten responded coldly to Arakane, the mature dragon who accompanied her as her lieutenant.
Then, turning her gaze back to Ar, she continued her rebuke.
#“It will soon be three days as planned. If we don’t reach the Temple of All Gods by then, I won’t let it slide! Stay sharp.”
#“Understood…”
Ar, facing an unusually prickly attitude from Aten, pushed forward with even greater urgency, trusting in his own memory.
Even in this situation, he felt a quiet sting of pain from the pressure he was under.
At that moment…
#“Lord Aten, look over there!”
“…We’ve finally arrived. But…”
The place that came into view.
A floating city of the gods in the sky.
The Temple of All Gods.
However, the moment they laid eyes on it, their expressions hardened.
#“Wh-what is that…?”
#“C-could it be that place has also… fallen to the demons…?”
—
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