Rem stood there, moist from tears and sweat (among other things)...
“Haaa... Haaa...”
“Now, come into the magic circle, Miss Rem. Princess Shera and Sir Diablo may sit in the back. Just try to not fall asleep.”
“Of course...” Rem took a deep breath. “I’m, I’m fine...”
Rafflesia approached the holy symbol and began chanting a prayer. Her words were full of solemn weight, meaning she was probably reciting a passage from the holy scriptures.
Within five minutes, Diablo was bored.
“Is this gonna last until morning, Diablo?” Shera whined.
“That seems to be the case. Just don’t fall asleep.”
“I’m hungry.”
“Endure it.”
“I-I need to pee...”
“Buh?!”
Diablo and Shera turned pale, realizing things were going in a bad direction indeed.
And so, much had happened...
But the ritual magic had been successfully completed.
Chapter 4: Visiting One’s Homeland
Two days later—
After the ritual magic had ended, they all fell into a deep sleep, so they only left the next day. Sylvie currently held the reins, and Shera was next to her on the driver’s seat, functioning as guide. Their carriage left Blackwood behind and made way to the forest that functioned as the Elves’ sovereign kingdom—Greenwood.
There were three benches in the carriage, including the driver’s seat. Diablo sat on the second one, with Rem seated next to him.
All they did was pray, but the ritual magic seemed to have depleted Rem’s HP and MP, leaving her languid. She held a sphere tinged with magical energy in her hand, transparent like a glass orb with a black flame flickering within.
The remnants of the Demon Lord Krebskulm were sealed inside this orb—the 《Divinity Crystal》. Rem had been looking at it time and time again since yesterday.
After the ritual, Diablo touched Rem’s body and traced the flow of her magical energy, and, indeed, the Demon Lord’s remnants were gone. They’d successfully passed the seal into the Divinity Crystal.
In the past, the only way to keep Krebskulm in check was to seal him inside a Pantherian girl... But now it was different. Perhaps because all that remained of it were remnants, or perhaps because research into magic had advanced since then, or maybe God’s power had grown... Diablo didn’t really understand the logic behind it. He was capable of casting advanced spells, but that was because of his level in the game. He didn’t have any systematic knowledge about magic.
“Ohohoh...” a feminine voice spoke behind him. “Not to worry, my dear, the ritual magic was successful. You can trust me, yes?”
Rafflesia spoke with a gentle smile on her lips. She was seated on the third bench, alongside Rose. Diablo didn’t expect her to join them, but she tagged along to ensure the promise regarding their share of the forest was kept. Surprisingly enough, she also came alone.
“...I do not suspect you, nor am I worried...” Rem whispered, her gaze fixed on the object in her hands. “But when I think, ‘It’s all over now’... I still can’t quite believe it. This thing has dominated my lineage’s lives for so long...”
“I see. But you won’t truly be free so long as you hold onto that Divinity Crystal, no? You could have entrusted it to our village.”
“...I appreciate your offer...but even if these are just remnants of one, this is still a Demon Lord. I would feel safer with it in my care instead of leaving it with someone else. Diablo is by my side after all.”
Rem turned her gaze to him. Such an expression of trust made Diablo feel oddly embarrassed, and he shifted his gaze away.
“Even if Krebskulm were to fully awaken, he would be no match for me.”
“Hehe... Yes, perhaps. Thanks to your... No, thanks to Shera and everyone’s support too... I’ve been set free. I can’t express how thankful I am... Really...thank you.”
Rem snuggled up to him, her head resting against his upper arm with a thud. Her cats ears made it feel like a cat had rubbed against him, begging to be pet.
Diablo reached out and pet her head. Rem’s thin, soft hair was very pleasant to the touch. Not resisting his touch, and rather seeming even more exhausted, Rem pressed her body even closer against his.
“...Nnn...” Rem closed her eyes as she snuggled him.
Diablo turned to look at the back seat, only to be met with Sylvie grinning happily at him. Rafflesia took out a small harp and began strutting it, playing a soft tune.
The world was kind to them in that moment. Diablo thought it would be good if times like these could last forever.
Rose alone sat there as still and expressionless as a statue, as if she’d run out of magical energy.
At noon—
They’d arrived at a certain village. It was an ordinary Human settlement, but they could see some Pantherians and Grasswalkers as well.
“Everyone, take your luggage and get off. We’ll have to leave the carriage here if we’re going into the forest,” Sylvie explained. “It’s not Blackwood, so we won’t have to worry too much about poisonous plants, but we should watch out for wild beasts.”
It seemed you couldn’t enter the Kingdom of Greenwood with a carriage. They’d have to walk the rest of the way from this neighboring village.
As Diablo pulled down the luggage, Sylvie walked up to him.
“Can I have a minute, Diablo?”
“What is it?”
“I think I should head back to Faltra right now. I completed my quest for Celes, and we solved Rem’s problem too.”
“But you didn’t do a thing.”
“Ahaha... That stings, Diablo. But you’re right... This party will do fine even without me. And I certainly can’t leave Faltra unguarded for much longer.”
“Hmph.”
There was a chance the resurrected Demon Lord’s troops were on the march. Even with the governor’s forces stationed there, the Adventurers would be crucial forces, and, as the guildmaster of the Adventurer’s Guild, Sylvie needed to be there to unify them.
“And, well, here’s my real question: Will you be coming back to Faltra after you’re done taking care of things in Greenwood?”
“Those are my plans for now, yes.”
Klem was still in Faltra too. Even if he didn’t say anything, Rem and Shera would probably insist on going back.
Sylvie’s expression softened. “That’s great! I’m not exaggerating when I say the fate of the races rests on whether your party is present on the front lines or not.”
“I’m not doing this for the races. I’ve simply grown used to that inn. That’s all.”
“Hehe... Mei from the 《Peace of Mind Inn》 will be happy to hear that. All right then, I’m off!”
Sylvie left Shera with some words of consolation, bid farewell to Rem and Rose, and, after a short exchange with Rafflesia, left the party. Saying goodbye was a bit lonely, but if all went according to plan, they’d meet her again soon enough back in Faltra. As she said, the Demon Lord’s army may launch an invasion soon, and Diablo and his group would have to help defend the city.
—A Demon Lord Subjugation, huh...?
It reminded him of Cross Reverie’s time-limited raid events. All players would fight the Demon Lord, and each victory would deplete an overall gauge, whittling it down over a limited period of time. During the first ever Demon Lord Subjugation quest however, the players beat it much faster than the admins expected. They’d defeated a boss that was supposed to span two weeks in half a day... So the next day it revived, stronger than before.
Those were the times...
“Does something concern Master?” Rose asked.
“No... You and I aren’t originally from this world. Rem and Shera summoned me here...but I doubt those two would have enough power to pull the 《Demon Lord’s Labyrinth》 over from that side.”
“All is as Master says.”
“So I’ve been wondering
if some transcendental presence’s power is at play here. I do not know who that could be...but maybe this was their purpose in bringing me here...”
“What does Master mean by ‘this’?”
“Like Sylvie said, Lyferia doesn’t have the strength to defend the races from the awakened Demon Lord. But with you and me on their side...and the equipment in my treasure vault, they’d be able to match the Fallen... No, they would be able to completely turn the tide of battle.”
“All is as Master says. Master would not falter even in the face of an awakened Demon Lord.”
—I doubt he’d be such a simple opponent to beat...
It took Diablo quite a bit of luck to solo a Demon Lord back in Cross Reverie, and when Krebskulm had rampaged in Faltra, it was only partially resurrected. He’d never fought a complete Demon Lord in this world, so conceit could very well spell doom for him. Yet Diablo simply nodded in a composed fashion.
“Of course I won’t. I am the one true Demon Lord after all.”
“Of course!” Rose nodded with sparkling eyes.
†
They advanced into the forest. Compared to the woods near Faltra, Greenwood was much denser. The weeds reached up to their knees, and since the grass hid the ground under their feet, they found themselves tripping over the uneven footing.
Their current party consisted of the five of them: Shera at the lead, followed by Diablo, Rem and Rafflesia, and Rose standing in the rear of the line.
“C’mon, guys.” Shera turned to face them. “It’ll be dark if we don’t hurry.”
“...We’re in a deep forest right now. We can’t walk as fast as an Elf,” Rem rebutted.
“I picked a route that’s pretty easy to walk through though.”
“...Kuh... If we were on a plain, I’d have left you behind before you knew it...”
—Hey now, no leaving anyone behind...
“We’ve been walking for a while now. Are you sure we’re going in the right direction?” Diablo asked, concerned.
“Don’t worry, this place is like my backyard.”
As she made that rash statement, Shera kept walking while looking at them, her back facing the direction she was going.
In Cross Reverie, the walking animation was the same regardless of the terrain you were on, but in practice, they were now advancing at half their normal pace. Diablo was fine thanks to his level 150 body, but if he were in his real body, he wouldn’t be able to take another step right now. The terrain was that difficult.
—Hmm? Wait a sec...
He made progress in-game like it was nothing, but being aware of how hard it should be made it all the more difficult.
He recalled the time when he’d mixed potions. When he focused on something else, his hands recalled the feel of being a skilled 《Combiner》 and did the job before he knew it. At the time, he was distracted by Shera’s breasts as she leaned over and managed to mix potions that way. But now Shera was a few steps ahead, so gazing at her fixedly was hard. He considered distracting himself by looking at Rem, who was walking alongside him, but right as he thought that, someone spoke to him from beyond.
“Watch yourselves, you two. There’s a bump on the road ahead.”
“Hmm.”
Diablo turned around, his gaze meeting Rafflesia, the Dark Elf. As you’d expect from a race that lived in a forest, she seemed perfectly composed, and the two enormous spheres on her chest stuck out proudly. With each step, the two extra-large, Demon-Lord-class mammaries jiggled visibly.
—Holy hell!
He couldn’t help but stare, and as he did, he wasn’t concentrating on his legs. Diablo’s footwork and posture shifted, becoming as skilled as an Elf’s, but the moment he noticed, his focus returned to his feet and he almost tripped.
“This is harder than I imagined...”
“My, is something the matter?”
“No, nothing...”
“Ohohoh... When you stare at me like that, it’s rather embarrassing, yes? Ah, or could it be...”
“Aaah?!” Diablo panicked, thinking she may have realized he was ogling her mega boobs.
“Are you trying to mimic Elven footwork, Diablo? The way you moved just now was done quite well.”
“A-Ah, yes...”
Rafflesia walked alongside him. When he looked at her breasts from so close, their massive pressure felt all the greater.
Boing, boing...
Since he’d already seen her naked before, he could imagine what she looked like under her outfit. Diablo could tell his pulse was skyrocketing.
“You can tell the ground’s location and direction from the undergrowth. The leaves’ thickness and the way they bend show you the way.” She was demonstrating what she meant.
“Ah... Right...”
“Raising your legs too slowly can tire you, so just pass the leaves with your fingertips... Oh, I see you can do it even without me teaching you. Very good.”
“Mmm? A-Aaah, yes... Of course! I am a Demon Lord after all!”
Taking Rafflesia’s advice, Rem’s steps hastened as well. Rose also maintained a stable pace, even though she wasn’t as agile as an Elf in this terrain. They upped their pace, but Shera’s back kept appearing and disappearing between the trees. She was going a bit too fast.
—Can’t blame her though.
The news of her father’s death disturbed her enough to make her develop a fever. She probably really wanted to go back home instead of going to Blackwood first.
Rem grimaced. “I understand how she feels, but it’ll be a problem if we get separated. We should call her back.”
“I know the way to the Kingdom of Greenwood as well,” Rafflesia spoke up.
“Oh, you do... That’s quite helpful.”
“At this pace, we should be there in half an hour or so.”
“Ugh...” Rem looked up at the sky. “A half hour...”
Meanwhile, Diablo had gotten the hang of it. Well, not the hang of walking through the forest, per say...but he’d burned the image of those bouncing breasts to the back of his mind and happily looked back on it. This advanced technique allowed him to hold that image while ignoring what was actually in front of him, and his gait improved while he wasn’t aware of it.
Diablo noted that he’d conquered yet another challenge this world presented before him.
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
It had come from up ahead.
“Shera?!”
Diablo’s thoughts snapped away from his footwork. Any thoughts of the terrain were blown away, and Diablo rushed onward as if running on a plain. Sprinting through the trees like a gust of wind, he reached the place the scream had originated from.
†
—She’s gone?!
“What’s going on, where’s Shera...?!”
“Di-Diablooo!” a voice rang out from above.
Diablo looked up; Shera was suspended high in the air, held by vine-creeper-like tendrils. It bound her limbs and crawled all over her, as if trying to ascertain the curvature of her body. It looked like vines, but its movements were like a snake’s.
Diablo then noticed a writhing mass hiding behind the foliage. It was a green, orb-like creature, large enough to fit a person inside it. The tentacles that grew out of it looked similar to plant-like vines which it extended to support itself along the nearby trees. It had also evidently used them to capture Shera.
A section of its front ripped open, revealing a huge eyeball that glared at Diablo.
“That’s an 《Herbductor》!”
It was a plant-like monster that was categorized as a wild beast. It was out of reach of swords and had high magic resistance. It would hide itself behind tree leaves and launch surprise attacks with its tentacles. It was easy to defeat with a bow, but their designated archer, Shera, was currently bound by said creature.
Diablo clicked his tongue. “I can’t believe you let a level 50 monster get the drop on you.”
However good its resistance was, a powerful en
ough spell would still destroy it. But it may use Shera as a shield, and Diablo had to be careful not to hit her.
He could hear footsteps approaching from behind, probably belonging to Rem, Rose, and Rafflesia.
—Should I let Rose handle this?
She was capable of jumping those ten meters into the air, and could easily defeat a monster with low defense. However, the Herbductor’s behavior was different from its in-game patterns.
Using its tentacles to swing from tree to tree, it attempted to escape, taking Shera along.
“Kyaaa—nnng?!”
Shera tried screaming, but it stuck a thick tentacle in her mouth. At this rate, it would easily abduct her.
Diablo took off after them; there was no time to wait for Rem and the others.
—Yeah, it obviously never did that in Cross Reverie!
To think it tried running off after kidnapping one of his party members!
If a party member died, they could be resurrected with magic (though that wouldn’t work in this world), and petrification and paralysis could be dispelled. But if someone were abducted, there was no continuing the adventure. It would defeat the whole purpose of the game.
“Kuh... This pest is quick too!”
It coiled its tentacles to stick to the treetops, then pulled itself up. Repeating that process made it move faster than Diablo, who was running at full force. Thankfully, visibility wasn’t an issue in this forest, and if he didn’t have to be careful about hitting Shera he’d simply blast it away with magic...or simply use a Haste-type spell to finish the matter. But Diablo had the 《Demon Lord’s Ring》 equipped which would reflect and render any enchantment he’d attempt to put on himself useless.
“Nnn... Uuu... Nn!” Shera twisted her body, moans escaping from her gagged mouth.
The tentacles crawling over her body began reaching under her clothes. Shera was wearing a native Elven outfit, which just barely contained her breasts and clung to her body tightly. With the thick tentacles burrowing inside them, the outfit’s strings were on the verge of tearing. The chest portion alone came undone with a tearing sound.
How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord: Volume 7 Page 10
