Published at 18th of January 2020 10:52 pm

Volume 5, Chapter 6: The Platinum Hero, the Golden Demon Lord, and the Platinum Demon Lord

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Vassilios lay beyond the forest to the south of Kreuz. That was all that Dale knew about that nation.

Because it had taken up isolationism and rarely interacted with other countries for many years, there was barely any information about Vassilios. In fact, it would be best to say that there was just no opportunity to obtain it.

It was thanks to the fact that Hagel was accompanying him that Dale, without even knowing any details about its geography, was able to head forth into that country without hesitation. Though the mythical beast admitted that he didn't have Vint's level of precision, as they grew closer to Vassilios, Hagel was able to more clearly pick up on Latina's scent. And by following it, they were able to accurately find her location.

Vint made it seem perfectly normal, the way he always picked up Latina's scent... but it looks like he wasn't at all "normal" after all... Though he was rushing and getting impatient, that quip still floated across Dale's mind.

"For a normal soaring wolf, heading from our settlement to a town in the realm of men is an impossible task."

"Vint made it sound so easy..."

"For myself, it is possible depending on how the wind blows... but it is most certainly not simple."

Vint always said he could do anything he set his mind to, and apparently that wasn't just due to delusions of grandeur on his part.

Dale's gaze was filled with nature in the form of forests and rugged mountains, only for the silhouette of something man-made to come into view. When he saw the settlement that was so different from those in Laband and other nations, Dale sensed that they'd arrived at their destination.

"Hagel."

"...The young lady's scent is near."

Dale had the mythical beast land.

If his only goal was to defeat the demon lord, then he could have infiltrated late at night, but he needed to find Latina, who was somewhere in that town. On edge and unable to sleep a wink, Dale waited for morning. The emotions swirling about in his heart didn't feel like they could be sorted out easily.

At the break of dawn, Hagel took off into the sunrise-colored sky. Looking down from above, Dale saw that this town in Vassilios really did look like something he had never seen before. He wasn't even sure which building served as the royal palace, as none fit his preconceptions of what one should look like. The way the town was constructed was just too different from what he knew.

Instead, he soon noticed a place that was strong in the power of the gods.

Unlike the shrines built for the sake of man in places like Kreuz, it had been constructed in this place abundant in the grace of the gods, in reverence of them, like in his home village.

"A temple of Banafsaj..."

"That is where the young lady's smell is coming from."

Dale immediately made up his mind. "Head towards where Latina is."

He'd mow down anyone and everyone who got in his way. Sensing those intentions that Dale wasn't even attempting to hide as he rode on the soaring wolf's back, Hagel made a low, conflicted sound in the depths of his throat.

Hagel circled around above the shrine several times. All the while, Dale got a rough layout of the building.

"Get us close to Latina." "Understood."

Hagel suddenly descended from a great height, only to then take off high into the sky once more. In that instant in which he came so close to the building that he was almost touching it, Dale safely landed on the roof. Since he had cast magic on himself to reduce his weight, he hardly made a sound when he touched down. His black coat fluttered down after him and touched the ground as well. From up in the sky, Hagel looked conflicted, seeing how naturally Dale undertook such covert actions reminiscent of an assassin.

Continuing onward, Dale descended from the roof of the building to the ground. He wouldn't be concerned about brushing aside or even slaughtering those who got in his way, but until he found Latina, he wanted to avoid causing any unnecessary trouble. He searched carefully for anyone's presence, but still hurried ahead.

I can sense the presence of people, but... what is this? What's this unnatural feeling...?

He could definitely sense people somewhere far away. However, Dale couldn't sense anyone in this central sector he was currently advancing into. He got the sense that an entirely desolate space had been opened up before him, to such a degree that it just wasn't natural.

Dale had snuck into the castles of other demon lords when he took their lives, but he'd never been this unimpeded before. And yet, the throbbing sensation in his left hand didn't leave him with the option to retreat.

Even though there were several structures on the vast grounds, Dale continued on with confidence. No matter what plots may have been waiting for him, such trivial matters were no reason for him to stop moving.

At last, Dale arrived at an elaborate royal villa. As a clear, cool breeze passed by him, he felt his heart overflow with emotion.

He squeezed his left hand tight. It wasn't based on logic, but he was confident: that part of himself that he had lost was here.

Holding back a warmth welling up inside him, he crossed the bridge spanning the shallow spring. Pushing aside the thin cloth that was swaying in the gentle breeze, Dale passed through the entrance.

And there was Latina.

He felt himself stop breathing.

Clad in attire he was unfamiliar with, likely in the style of Vassilios, Latina was wrapped in soft sheets and lying atop a bed.

Dale timidly approached. He held his breath as he stood by her side, unable to believe it even as he saw her with his own eyes, wondering if this was a dream and what he'd do if it was. He couldn't help but want to reach out and touch her. It was only natural that he wanted to hug her. But even so, he couldn't, fearing that she'd disappear again the second she opened her eyes.

He couldn't see her gentle grey eyes, which were hidden behind her long eyelashes. She looked thinner than he remembered, and her face had a sickly pallor. However, seeing the way her chest rhythmically moved up and down, he felt a strong sense of relief.

He timidly reached out, his fingers trembling. He gently touched her soft cheek, then hurriedly pulled his hand back. Once he was sure that she hadn't disappeared on him, he reached out again and felt her warmth.

Feeling that warmth, which in the past had been by his side like it was only natural, Dale let his logical side take charge. He held back the overwhelming desire to hug and kiss her. She was sleeping so peacefully, and it wouldn't do to frighten her. And so, Dale stroked her head like he had always done. Touching her smooth hair felt good, and he brushed his hand up against the base of her broken horn, which she had always thought felt nice despite her ticklishness.

"Mn..."

Latina stirred slightly. She let out a happy sigh, like a content kitten. Dale broke out in a smile when he saw that unchanged, charming action of hers, but that expression was wiped away in the next moment when she spoke.

"Chrysos...?"

Hearing her call someone else's name, his mind instantly boiled and seethed. Seeing her sleeping so defenselessly, clad in such thin clothing that the contours of her body could be clearly seen, then hearing her call out a name other than his own, all of his other emotions were washed away.

Even at a glance, Dale could tell that this villa was special. He hadn't thought about the feelings of the First Demon Lord hiding the Eighth Demon Lord, who should have been seen as nothing but a harmful presence to the others.

A "princess" who was receiving favor... The instant he saw her, he had forgotten the dark feelings those words brought about in him. But he was reminded of all that with that single name.

Latina awoke from her slumber, finding both her arms being restrained with a force so strong it could be called painful. She instinctually twisted her body to try to escape, but that strong grasp didn't slacken at all.

What...? What...?

She blinked her eyes, which were blurry from her frightened tears, and her vision focused. The strength drained from her body when she realized the being so shockingly close to her was a man. Her body couldn't keep up with her racing mind.

While her body unconsciously accepted who this was, her mind couldn't understand her present circumstances. She simply couldn't grasp the fact that he was here.

"Dale...?"

What perplexed Latina further was the expression on Dale's face. Her thoughts were racing so chaotically that the idea of saying how she wanted to see him, as well as the other things she wanted to talk to him about, that she needed to tell him, all fled from her mind. Unable to tell that the emotion Dale was openly baring towards her was intense jealousy, she felt suffocated.

Dale had always looked at her with a calm, gentle expression. Ever since she was young, she'd spent her time wrapped up in his warm affection. Dale was looking at her with a violent emotion akin to anger for the first time, and she couldn't even comprehend the reason behind it. She looked up with a frightened expression at the man pinning her down. As he was now, even

Latina's reaction rubbed Dale the wrong way. He reasoned that she had reacted that way because there was a reason to feel guilty.

"Why...?"

"Latina."

Dale's questioning tone made Latina draw back. Normally, no matter how angry he may have been, Dale's voice would soften when she reacted like that. But now, Dale's anger showed no sign of abating.

"Who is Chrysos?" "Dale...?"

Not even knowing how Dale knew Chrysos's name, Latina was left at a loss for words. Once her words got caught in her throat, it was hard to get them moving again. She was frightened, and her eyes grew blurry with tears. In her current unstable state, more than the joy of reuniting with the person she loved, she was shaken by the fear caused by being exposed to his anger.

"...Is that the name of the First Demon Lord?" Dale's glare remained firmly fixed on Latina, who couldn't manage to speak.

Even if Latina was hiding something, she couldn't lie; her trembling eyes clearly told her true feelings. Feeling that he'd obtained the answer he sought, Dale moved on to another question. "Where is the First Demon Lord?"

Latina's eyes trembled. Through the direction in which her gaze darted,

Dale found the answer he sought, and a dark smile crossed his face.

"Wait just a little longer, Latina... The First Demon Lord is the last one.

Then you'll come back to me, right?"

"D...ale...?" Latina called out in a hoarse voice, trembling as she was assailed by an unease so great she felt it would crush her. The emotion she saw in Dale now could even be described as a powerful madness gripping him.

"And then, I'll forgive everything, so just be patient and wait."

Seeing Dale get up and turn to leave the room, Latina at last realized that the thing she absolutely didn't want to happen was happening.

"No... don't...! Please, Dale... Chrysos is...!"

Latina didn't realize the reason behind Dale's anger, and by covering for Chrysos, she only served to fan those emotions further. Hearing her voice behind him, Dale didn't even try to hide his hatred as he quickened his pace towards where Latina had looked.

From the sky, Dale had surmised where an audience chamber with a throne should be located. Latina's gaze had further supported that assumption. There could be an office or something elsewhere, but if he was wrong, then he would scour the place with a fine-toothed comb until he found this "Golden King."

If anyone stood in his way, he'd have no qualms about cutting them all down. Now that he'd confirmed Latina's presence, he'd have no problems doing whatever it took to get her back. But the one thing he'd never do is forgive the one who tried to steal her away.

His heart ached, wondering if she'd perhaps betrayed him, but he could never hate her. So instead, he despised his opponent. Even tearing them limb from limb wouldn't be enough.

Latina would surely be sad about that, and she may even come to hate him. However, he couldn't be stopped.

The room Dale reached was terribly desolate and dreary. As he was now, Dale didn't even register the delicate ornamentation on the walls and pillars. At the end of the wide-open space was a dais behind bamboo blinds that hung from the ceiling. Dale couldn't actually see the person behind them, but he sensed a moving presence.

The moment he sensed the dais was clearly a spot meant for someone in a position of power, Dale moved to draw his blade. His ears picked up a small metallic sound, and before he could even give it thought, he intuitively realized that a defensive wall had been erected with a quick chant.

"Something like this won't stop me...!"

Dale closed the gap between them. Relying on his power, he smashed the magic wall of light, which made a high-pitched sound as it was crushed.

Then, his blade continued on, cutting the bamboo blinds at an angle. Dale kept going, prepared to cut down the person beyond them—

But he suddenly stopped.

"Wha...?!" Dale stood dumbfounded, forgetting all of his anger and hatred. He even forgot to move.

It was then that quiet, light footsteps came from behind him. Without even needing to turn around, Dale knew who they belonged to..

Her breathing strained, Latina came rushing into the audience chamber and slipped past Dale and the bamboo blinds, hugging Chrysos tight as if to protect the Golden King.

"Dale, please, stop... Chrysos... Ryso is...!"

"...Platina," the voice, lower than Latina's, responded gently.

They were so close that their cheeks were almost touching and it was impossible to tell which locks of platinum hair belonged to who.. Their facial features and stature were so similar that if you said they came from the same person, it would be believable. And the silver bangles they both wore were the same shape and gave off the same shine.

The only difference was the color of those gentle grey eyes that were tearing up and the golden ones gazing into them.

There was no need to compare. Viewed side-by-side like this, they looked nearly identical.

"Twin... sisters...?" Dale muttered, dumbfounded, only for the strength to then suddenly drain from Latina as if her strings had been cut. Before Dale returned to his senses, Chrysos caught the utterly exhausted girl. With an anxious look, Chrysos placed her scepter to the side, then hugged Latina in her arms.

"From that reaction... it would seem that Platina has indeed not spoken a single word about me to you."

Chrysos gave a slight strained smile as she looked up at Dale, who had even forgotten to sheathe his sword.

"Ah..." was the only thing Dale could get to come out of his mouth.

While Dale stood perplexed, Chrysos kindly wiped the sweat from Latina's brow. It was then that Dale finally noticed Latina's pained breathing.

"Latina...!"

"I wish to carry Platina to her bed. Will you lend me a hand?"

Dale dropped his sword to the ground with such vigor that it was like he was throwing it, and then he picked up Latina. She was finally, finally back in his arms, but she was a great bit thinner than he remembered.

Chrysos entrusted Latina to Dale, turned her back to him like it was only natural, then started leading the way. Her platinum hair that was the same color as Latina's fluttered in front of Dale. There were splendid accessories made of gold and silver and adorned with shining jewels hanging from her black curved horns, which were like the one Latina once had. However, the way her glossy horns sparkled was even more beautiful than the gems around them.

Chrysos led Dale to the royal villa where Latina had previously been. That was when Dale at last realized that a cool breeze kept this place at a moderate temperature despite being in this hot, arid land. It would seem that when he had lost his cool, his field of vision had grown rather narrow, but it was still rather late for him to notice that this beautiful place was constructed to be rather comfortable to spend time in. That also made it well suited for recuperation.

After Latina was laid down to sleep atop the bed, Chrysos took a seat on its corner and reached a hand out towards her sister's head. There was a clear change in the surrounding atmosphere, and Latina's breathing stabilized.

When she was done, Chrysos looked straight at Dale once more. From the expression on her face, Dale could tell that she was a bit more strong-willed than Latina. The golden color of her eyes must have been the result of a mana trait. She surely possessed quite a lot of mana in comparison to Latina, who claimed that she was lacking in that regard.

Mana traits were a rare phenomenon that had no relation to genetics, so there was no guarantee that it would show up in both twins. Dale absentmindedly thought that must be the reason behind their differing eye colors.

He just couldn't understand the circumstances and couldn't collect his thoughts, causing him to react like a dolt. He sensed that the burning emotions he'd had just before had been completely off the mark, but he was unable to clear up the confusion plaguing his mind.

If the one Latina had let her guard down around so much was the girl in front of him now, then there was no helping that. It was unsurprising that this spoiled airhead would be pampered by her elder sister. (Even though they were twins, Dale half-decided that Latina clearly had the disposition of being the younger child.)

As Dale tried to sort out his feelings, Chrysos opened her mouth, saying, "I am Chrysos. I am the kin of Platina, and I have met the qualifications to become the First Demon Lord." Her voice resembled Latina's, but sounded quieter and lower.

"Platina..." Dale recalled how he had once heard that devils used nicknames when they were young, so he understood that "Latina" was also one. "Latina... never mentioned having a twin sister, not even once..."

While he spoke, Dale recalled something from the past that had weighed on his mind. It had been when he'd asked a young Latina about her friends. In response to Dale's question of if she had any friends she played with, she had responded with "family." But even so, she said after that that she didn't have any siblings. Dale had written it off as Latina not quite having the right vocabulary, or she hadn't understood what he meant.

On top of that, Dale had also questioned why Latina had been with her

Glaros, devil custom was for children to be raised by their mothers. It should have been a completely matriarchal society. And so, Dale had wondered why it hadn't been her mother who had accompanied Latina when she was exiled from her old home.

Latina's parents had one more child that they needed to protect. That was the answer.

"In order to protect both me and herself, Platina was forbidden from mentioning me."

"To protect you...?"

"Are you aware that my predecessor, the previous First Demon Lord, was murdered?"

"Y-Yeah... by the Second Demon Lord..."

Chrysos gave a small nod before continuing on. All the while, she kept gently stroking the place where Latina's horn had been with her fingertips. Now he understood why Latina had called out Chrysos's name when she felt him touching that spot. In this place, Chrysos was the only one who would touch her there. Latina hadn't even considered the possibility that Dale could be present. Thinking back on it, that was only natural.

"My predecessor was killed in this shrine. Furthermore, the candidate to become the next First Demon Lord who was born later on was also murdered by the Second Demon Lord. Someone must have betrayed our people, or so our parents feared."

"The guards..."

Dale was speaking as an intruder, but he had sensed that there wasn't any proper security in place. He had thought it strange, but he couldn't pinpoint the reason why his intrusion had been seen through.

"The mythical beast that is so attached to Platina informed me. It was a simple matter, once I was aware that you were coming."

"Vint..."

There was only one animal who met those criteria.

Dale thought back on how lately, Hagel had acted strange. He had definitely known that his cub was here.

"I had no intention of letting anyone's blood be shed, so I decided to meet you alone." Chrysos then gave a slightly mean-spirited smile. "I believed that if you knew who I was, you would never do something that would harm me."

Even Dale would be reluctant to make such an assertion in regards to someone he was meeting for the first time. However, it was true that Dale was finding it difficult to sustain any hostility towards Chrysos at the moment.

Chrysos was just too similar to Latina. Just looking at that face that was identical to his adorable, lovely, beloved Latina was enough to make all malice up and disappear. If he could clearly recognize her as an enemy, it would be a different story, but it seemed that Latina held Chrysos dearly. And Chrysos treated Latina as precious, too.

At any rate, Dale found it difficult to point his blade at Chrysos.

I think I could overwhelm her in terms of power, but... I don't feel like killing her at all... Does that mean I've lost...?

While thinking such deplorable thoughts, Dale was rapidly returning to his normal, everyday self.

"Platina and I were raised in secret in the depths of this shrine. At the same time that it was prophesied that I would become the First Demon Lord, it was also foretold that Platina would come to be called a calamity. Even so, our parents accepted that prophecy and agreed to have her declared a criminal..." Chrysos stated, touching the spot where Latina's horn had been broken, as if to comfort her. Nothing but the base of Latina's horn remained, but it had the same jet-black shine as those belonging to Chrysos. "...because that was the most natural means of taking Platina out of the country."

"Criminals... are exiled."

"That is correct. To us devils, twins are considered auspicious, but also only very rarely occur. If the Second Demon Lord were to learn of the existence of my kin, Platina..." Chrysos started, her expression growing clouded. "Platina would be taken away, to be used as a toy to trifle with me.

The unparalleled Lady Oracle prophesized as such."

It was easy to predict that the Second Demon Lord would keep an eye on the next First Demon Lord. And if the Second Demon Lord realized that she had a rare younger twin sister, she would surely target the girl. Their parents were confident in that fact.

It was conceivable that she'd even set up a battle to the death between the two sisters in order to most effectively toy with the First Demon Lord. At any rate, she'd have something more terrible in mind than merely death.

As she didn't inherit a mana trait or the massive mana that came along with it, Latina had been less capable of defending herself than Chrysos. And so, their parents had decided to separate and hide their daughters. As a result, the fact that they were twins was also hidden, which would be difficult to do otherwise in a culture where they were so rare.

"And so, Platina did not mention me to anyone. No one could be allowed to know that Platina and I are kin. That was the only thing that she was able to do to protect me, when I was in this far-off land."

It was impossible to know where the Second Demon Lord's retainers or traitors may be lurking. No matter how trusted someone may be, it was hard to tell who would spill information. It was best to keep those who knew the secret to a minimum.

Latina was told that when she was young, and she understood her parents' intentions, so she made sure to keep her word. Because she wanted to protect Chrysos, who was so precious to her, she kept it a secret even from Dale. That was all that Latina could do, and it was also the final promise she had made to her family. That was just how important their familial bonds were to both Latina and Chrysos. There was a strong fellowship between devils by nature, and they tended to feel especially strongly when it came to their relatives. So that the Second Demon Lord would not learn of both Latina and Chrysos, they were concealed in the depths of the shrine and raised being only allowed contact with a limited few who could be trusted.

Having always been together in this small, narrow world for as long as they could remember, they became utterly irreplaceable presences to each other. When they were young, these sisters did anything and everything together, so they weren't even able to imagine being pulled apart.

And so, Chrysos had given everything she had to become king. She strived as hard as she could to stand as ruler even a day sooner, in order to bring back her twin sister being protected solely by her exile. Chrysos spared no effort, determined that this time, she would protect her sister by her own power.

"None knew where in Vassilios the Second Demon Lord's retainers had hidden themselves. And so, the idea was to have Platina run away to the land of the humans, where devils are few in number. I have only become able to officially hand down orders to subordinates since my enthronement as the First Demon Lord. Though I have been concerned about Platina, I have been unable to do anything." Chrysos's voice was so filled with her feelings for Latina that it felt almost heartrending.

"Why is Latina here?" Dale asked, finally arriving at the question that should have normally come to mind first.

On that day, Latina had suddenly disappeared from Dale's side. So why was she here now?

"Platina was... The Eighth Demon Lord was sealed away by a spell constructed by all of the demon lords." As Chrysos responded to Dale, there was an awkward, reluctant look on her face. Seeing that expression gave Dale the feeling that these sisters really were alike.

"When that seal started to come apart a bit... Platina used her strength to break through it."

"...Is something like that really possible?"

"Normally, it would not be," Chrysos replied, sounding astonished for some reason. Seeing the strange look on Dale's face, her expression grew more awkward. "Is it... something that Platina has done...?"

"No... It's just that since we're talking about Latina, I can understand..." "Platina..."

"I've watched over Latina for so long... but she'd always kept on surprising me..."

Apparently, even Chrysos found Latina's actions outside the norm. An understanding seemed to be somehow forming between Latina's sister and the one who had raised her.

"With that said, the spell binding Platina has still not been broken completely. Platina is currently in a terribly unstable state. Through my power, I have just barely been able to keep her stable."

However, a relieved smile then crossed Chrysos's face.

"It is fortunate that Platina and I are so very alike. If it were anyone else, such a thing would likely be impossible. I am truly glad that Platina came to

Although Chrysos excelled at manipulating the power she possessed as the First Demon Lord, a lower-ranking god, she normally wouldn't be able to act as a substitute for the power someone else had lost. However, Chrysos had realized that she and Latina differed from the other demon lords: In that space with the thrones that only demon lords could perceive, while it was possible to sense the presence of the other demon lords, they couldn't be seen. And yet, Chrysos and Latina were able to see one another.

It went without saying that it was exceptionally rare for twins, who were rarely born to devils to begin with, to both become demon lords. In all likelihood, such a thing had never happened before.

Chrysos didn't need a deep reason for giving Latina her power, though. All she cared about was that she could save her one and only sister.

"I love Platina so much, and yet she chose you."

Chrysos's sudden words made Dale's heart skip a beat. Though she didn't puff up her cheeks the way Latina did, her golden eyes glaring at him still made him feel nervous.

"She even said that she would not return to me."

"L-Latina did...?" Dale was more than a little happy to hear that, but he felt that if he let that show on his face, Chrysos's glare would only grow all the sharper, so he did his best to restrain his smile.

"I will not forgive you for stealing Platina from me."

"Even if you say that..." Then he remembered something he had once heard: devils had no custom of marriage. Did Latina tell this girl in front of him that she would stay with him because they were married? And if she did, did Chrysos understand?

Humans hardly knew anything about devil culture, so it would not be surprising if the inverse also held true.

When Chrysos looked at Dale, the one who had stolen away her beloved younger sister, her displeasure clearly showing in her eyes, she looked akin to a cat with its hair standing on end. She had a feel about her that was somehow reminiscent of Latina.

Perhaps because he could see such resemblance to Latina in her, Dale completely forgot any need to keep up appearances in front of Chrysos, the king of a nation who he was meeting for the first time.

He had been thinking of slashing and cutting her up with his blade before, so the time had already passed for such things, but normally Dale was the sort of person who knew how to be appropriately polite in any situation.

That he could freely be himself around Chrysos in spite of that was proof that he had naturally let his guard down around her, that girl who resembled Latina so greatly.

"Can Latina's seal be undone?"

"The seal was constructed with confirmation from all of the demon lords," Chrysos responded quietly, continuing to stroke the sleeping Latina's head gently with her right hand. "I have waited for you to slay all other demon lords but the two of us," She smiled, with just a hint of callousness about her grin, something that Latina lacked. "Currently, the only demon lords are Platina and myself."

In that coldheartedness, Dale sensed that unlike Latina, she would make any sacrifices necessary to obtain her goal. He felt like he understood why Chrysos had met the qualifications to become the First Demon Lord rather than Latina. Dale also realized that he had a similar drive himself.

"It may be difficult to remove it entirely. However, I am the first of the natural order of demon lords, the First Demon Lord, and Platina is the last, the Eighth Demon Lord who exists outside of that order... With our powers combined, we will surely be able to alter the spell."

"...You were waiting for me to take care of the other demon lords?" "At the absolute minimum, Platina and I would not have been able to come out into the open until the Second Demon Lord was defeated. Normally, it would not be possible to confront the Demon Lords of Calamity so easily, the way that you did."

Chrysos gave an astonished sigh. "To make a hero a retainer and grant them great power as Platina did... one would normally never even consider such a countermeasure."

"Ah," Dale blurted out without thinking.

A questioning look appeared on Chrysos's face. "What is it?" "Nothing..."

It was then that Dale finally realized. Latina... she doesn't know that I'm a hero...

It was also possible that that airhead didn't realize that she'd granted Dale power that exceeded that of a normal retainer. While thinking on whether or not he should tell Chrysos that, he broke out in an awkward sweat.

"To take out the Second Demon Lord of this era, I... this country paid dearly. Even if it was done for my beloved Platina... it was also something I needed to carry out, for the sake of the future."

Dale thought back on the innocent and adorable-looking Second Demon Lord, and then he remembered: he had overwhelmed her, but that was because he had become a demon. And he also recalled that the antithesis of demon lords, heroes, didn't appear amongst the devil race. When the Second Demon Lord had decided to make a target of the devils, the only ones who could stop her were the other demon lords.

Chrysos was skilled in magic, but Dale perceived that if she and the Second Demon Lord were to fight, it would end in the First Demon Lord's defeat. From the point of view of someone like Dale who excelled at close- range combat, that calamity's killing skills had been just that great.

Chrysos was in a position where she needed to carry out the wish the people of Vassilios had dearly held onto ever since her predecessor had been slaughtered.

"If a hero would carry out our long-held desire, then it was not a chance we could let slip by."

"So that's how it was, huh...?"

Now that he had regained his cool, Dale was able to grasp the situation. Looking back, Gregor had most likely also understood the reasoning behind that unnaturalness. That Dale had known to come here immediately after slaying the Second Demon Lord was thanks to that regulation of information.

When it came to as crucial a matter as Vassilios opening diplomatic relations, there was no way that the duke, the prime minister of Laband, would not be involved.

And in turn, Dale remembered what he'd felt when he'd gone to defeat the Second Demon Lord. Hearing the emotion invested in Chrysos's words bolstered the way he was feeling. While he felt hesitant and didn't want to say it, at the same time he knew he shouldn't hide it from Chrysos, and logic won out over his emotions in the end.

"I met a purple-haired high-ranking priestess... serving under the Second Demon Lord."

"I see," Chrysos responded, with little emotion in her voice. "That priestess... I..."

"The Lady Oracle was fully aware of everything when she took her place under the Second Demon Lord," Chrysos said as if to cut Dale off, her golden eyes trembling ever so slightly. Dale then understood that it wasn't that Chrysos wasn't emotional over the matter, but rather that she was skilled at hiding her feelings.

There was a great difference between Latina, who was permitted to earnestly display her feelings, and Chrysos, who needed to always exercise self-restraint and make firm judgments as the ruler of a nation.

"If I had had the power then so that I would not be shaken no matter how many I went up against, it would not have been necessary."

Those words were full of regret. For the sake of her child, Mov had offered herself up. That was because she realized the value of gaining the Second Demon Lord's interest and getting her to use up even a bit of her time frivolously. Mov had also gone forth knowing she was facing a torture wherein it was less that she was alive and more that she was unable to die. Her will had been so strong that the word "determined" didn't even cover it.

So that she could act as a guide for the hero that would clear away the calamity that threatened her daughters, Mov had bought time for Chrysos to take the throne to lead things to the future she desired.

"Normally, that should have been my task to carry out... You have my thanks."

Chrysos was well aware of the one and only means of saving her mother from that hellish torture. She also felt that the duty of fulfilling her mother's wish should have fallen to her once she had become the First Demon Lord.

The thin film of tears over her golden eyes started to tremble greatly. If she were the girl with grey eyes, she would have started bawling her eyes out a while ago, but Chrysos's voice didn't even waver. And yet, it certainly wasn't as if she wasn't feeling anything. It was because Dale knew Latina so well that he was able to sense that Chrysos was strongly holding back her own emotions and enduring.

With Chrysos's words of forgiveness, Dale felt like what he had done had paid off at least a little.

†

The monochrome world composed of all colors.

Latina looked around this space. She saw her precious, jewel-adorned bracelet giving off a lonesome shine from above the throne she would normally be sitting in. That was how she realized she was not currently in the seat meant for her.

I... think I was...?

She remembered back to before she lost consciousness. The shine of that drawn blade had looked terribly cold, making her feel as if all of the blood in her body had frozen.

"Chrysos..." she whispered without thinking.

"What is it?" a gentle voice responded from behind her.

Latina turned around to see the owner of that voice. The one there was just who she had expected. Latina was relieved to see that she was alright.

The face she saw was much like her own. Even though they'd been separated for so long, she knew at a glance that this was that precious person who had been with her since before they were born, whom she could never mistake for anyone else.

"All this time... I wanted to see you, Chrysos." "It was the same for me."

"Chrysos... um... Rag, he... his body broke down when he was protecting me..."

"Mov... said that it would turn out as such. Rag and Mov accepted everything, for the sake of our future."

"Then... Mov also...?" Latina asked, her voice trembling voice.

Chrysos held her younger sister in her arms. "I no longer... have anyone but you..."

"Chrysos..."

When they had been reunited in Kreuz, they didn't have time to talk about their circumstances. And after Latina arrived in Vassilios, she was never conscious long enough for them to have a proper conversation.

During this conversation that they were finally able to have, Latina brought up the name of that beloved person she had only just reunited with. "Um, Chrysos... Dale is the person who saved me."

It was because Chrysos was so important to Latina that she felt the need to tell her sister how she was feeling directly.

"Dale saved me, and we lived together... and I fell in love with him."

Latina's feelings for Dale were completely different than those she had for Chrysos. Those feelings, which had driven her to want the power of a demon lord, not wanting to accept their fates, had become Latina's very core, her foundation.

"You're very important to me, Chrysos. But I want to stay with Dale from now on... to be by his side."

Chrysos rubbed her cheek against her sister's hair, then gave a sigh. She didn't want to accept those words, but she wasn't able to negate them, nor did she want to affirm them, so she chose to avoid giving a response.

"Then the first thing we must do is grant you your freedom." "Chrysos..."

"That was Mov and Rag's wish as well, after all."

There were no longer any other presences atop the seven thrones.

That was surely only temporary, though. Though the thrones were currently left open, when someone next appeared who met the qualifications, they would take their place there.

It was impossible to predict when that time would come, so Chrysos did not know how much leeway she had for setting Latina free.

The blood-stained blade had shattered, and the water jug had cracked.

The tree had split apart, the books were burnt, and the large sword had snapped. The flag with the king's insignia had been torn up so thoroughly that it was impossible to determine its original shape.

Atop the only throne that had its proper owner, Chrysos tightly gripped the scepter that served as her symbol.

"Chrysos... what happened? Just what happened... while I was asleep?" Latina asked, sounding concerned, seeing the abnormal state of things around her.

Chrysos hugged her sister tight. "We shall discuss everything after you awaken."

She pulled back the arms that were hugging her sister. Chrysos then lightly pushed Latina away. After that momentary tap, Latina was atop her own throne. Her big grey eyes blinked in confusion, only for Chrysos to make a clear declaration.

"We shall break your seal. Let us proceed, Platina." "Huh...?"

"You managed to break through a gap in the seal. If you are capable of such control over your own power, then you should be able to accomplish it."

"Chrysos..."

Latina seemed uneasy, but Chrysos had a strict, firm expression on her face as she held up her scepter.

"Act in sync with me, Platina." Chrysos stated in a tone that made it sound like a command, and then she began manipulating her own power as a demon lord. She composed a spell more complex and delicate than the one used when they had sealed Latina as the Eighth Demon Lord. It was a difficult technique, and she only had confidence that it was possible because as the First Demon Lord, she was skilled in manipulating her power. Latina seemed hesitant, but she moved in response to Chrysos, using the power in her own throne even so.

This complex spell was the reason that Chrysos had waited for the demon lords other than the calamities to be defeated. The means of unlocking the seal was to cast a spell using the agreement of all the demon lords who had created it. However, that had been impossible. The demon lords had united temporarily because they were dealing with the Eighth Demon Lord, who was a threat to them all, so it was unthinkable that they would agree to release her. And above all else, the seal had been established with the consent of all of the demon lords. That included the Eighth Demon Lord herself. The consent needed to unlock the seal included that of the one who had been sealed. It would not have been possible to remove it through normal means.

And so, Chrysos knew from the start that she'd have to take an irregular approach and weave her way through the conditions under which it was constructed in order to break Latina's seal. With that in mind, she had created a technique to unlock the seal. Since it required far more delicate control than establishing the seal, whether or not the other demon lords could successfully pull it off had been nothing but a cause for concern for Chrysos.

If it was only Latina, she could offer support and guidance. But when it came to complete strangers like the other demon lords, such a thing wasn't possible.

Chrysos wouldn't deny that there was a cruelty to her, as she'd freely cast aside others in order to achieve her goal. That trait was normally meant to be employed in an official capacity as a head of state, but this time, it was seeing personal use. She had once cast aside her beloved other half because of her official standing, but this time she had sacrificed others to save her.

Chrysos took that power of hers that she had carefully woven and, with a movement like the sweep of a conductor's baton, she employed it as she wished. Latina followed along just a moment behind, using her own power that was of the same nature, yet also clearly different. Although she had hesitated at the start, Latina was already skillfully utilizing her power. The spell was coming together far more quickly and precisely than Chrysos had predicted.

Latina was so skilled at manipulating her power that Chrysos couldn't help but be surprised.

She then recalled her distant memories of when their father, Smaragdi, first taught them the basics of magic. She'd had quite a bit of trouble figuring out how to control mana, while by her side, Latina was easily manipulating her own.

Their parents couldn't help but smile when they saw that Latina had inherited her father's genius mana control, while Chrysos had received her mother's massive stores of mana. Though the two twins looked so much alike, they differed in many ways aside from just the color of their eyes.

That also presented itself in their natures as demon lords.

The prophecy that the coming child would become king had come before their birth, so when it came to light that they were twins, the temple in Vassilios was thrown into great confusion. Hardly anyone even knew that an Eighth Demon Lord could exist. Therefore, they couldn't help but be thrown out of sorts, as there were now two candidates for what was thought to be a single demon lord throne. However, in the country of Vassilios, where the birth rate was so low that the birth of any child was an honored event, the birth of twins was considered especially auspicious. And so, Chrysos and Latina were raised together in secret in the depths of the temple.

As a result, the prophecy had come true. Both Chrysos and Latina had become demon lords together. However, they each had done so by meeting completely different conditions.

A king to lead the devil race: Chrysos had become a demon lord in the truest sense of the title, an honored official who was expected to have a callous nature—the First Demon Lord.

A being whose heart stood with another race, not her own, and who served to negate the demon lords: Latina had become one who was a demon lord and yet the furthest being possible from one—the Eighth Demon Lord.

This was something that could only be done because they were completely different, and yet also so undeniably alike.

And so now, I will save Latina.

Their power as demon lords was invisible, but the force flowing between them was almost like a predetermined melody being played out. Chrysos sensed that their completed spells, like beautiful works of art, would succeed, causing her to break out in a relieved, gentle expression.

†

When she opened her eyes, she saw the familiar ceiling of the royal villa.

Without thinking, she took a deep breath, and she was a little surprised at how good it felt when the fresh air entered her lungs. Her weakened body felt rather heavy, but there was a clear difference from how she had been, unable to even move.

"Hngaaah..."

With that long breath, the people by her side realized that she had awoken, and they sighed in relief.

"Latina...!" "Platina." "Dale... Ryso..."

Seeing Dale and Chrysos, Latina broke out in a smile, and the bracelet with flower symbols on her wrist sparkled.

†

While Chrysos sent her own consciousness to her throne in order to break

Latina's seal, Dale had been left to grind his teeth at his own powerlessness. The fact that he may have obtained great power as a demon but still couldn't do anything, since he wasn't a demon lord, distressed him greatly.

In his head, he understood. Everyone had their own role to play and things they could and couldn't do. But it was still terribly difficult, being unable to do anything but wait and pray.

I decided... that even if I needed to mow down everything, if it could be accomplished by my blade, that's what I would do...

While thinking that to himself, Dale looked over at Latina and Chrysos. He had a desire to hug Latina tight, but Chrysos had thoroughly warned him that if he interfered unnecessarily, that would introduce an uncertain element into things. For now, all he could do was bear it.

Even though Dale was wracked with anxiety, when he saw the sisters sleeping side-by-side atop the bed, he found them so beautiful he couldn't help but sigh.

Their platinum hair, spread out atop the high-quality sheets, gave off a gentle shine. Looking at them again, Dale saw that there were some slight differences in their physiques, each drawing their own soft curves.

Their greatest difference—the color of their eyes—couldn't be seen now.

Platina... platinum, and Chrysos... gold, huh? Even their names form a pair.

He'd only talked to Chrysos for a short period of time, but he could tell that she cared so deeply about her sister that he felt comfortable trusting her with Latina.

When he asked himself if he had any resentment towards her for sealing Latina, he found it hard to say. But even so, he was glad that he hadn't cut Chrysos down.

The first one to awaken as Dale watched over them was Chrysos.

"You needn't make such a face. There was no way I would fail, yes?" She may have just been putting up a front, but Chrysos's voice had enough conviction that he believed it. She sat up and then softly stroked Latina's head.

"I cannot say that all the seals have been removed. As the cost for breaking it, Platina lost a great deal of the power she should normally possess as a demon lord."

"...I see."

"However, she should now be clear of the state she has been in until now, in which she has been unable to even move. If new demon lords appear and that power strengthens, it may have an effect on Platina... but I believe that this matter shall not endanger her life any further."

With that, the tension finally drained from Dale's shoulders. Chrysos was monopolizing Latina's head, so Dale instead gently held her hand, like he'd always done when they walked together. The degree of relief he felt holding this hand once more was so great that it was almost suffocating.

With Chrysos and Dale watching over her, Latina slowly opened her eyes.

After gazing absentmindedly at the ceiling, she blinked a few times, then finally realized they were there.

"Latina...!" Seeing that soft, relaxed smile that was just like her, Dale called out her name in a trembling voice.

"Platina," Chrysos said, the joy and relief in her voice readily apparent. "Dale... Ryso..."

When he realized that she had called his name before even the beloved sister whose childhood nickname she had used, Dale hit his breaking point, unable to hold back any longer.

"Latina!"

"Uwah!"

He hugged her tight. Dale now possessed strength far exceeding that of a normal man, but even without consciously restraining himself, he didn't squeeze her so tightly that he hurt her. Neither Latina, who had yelped in surprise, nor Chrysos, who pointed a dissatisfied gaze his way, could pull him away.

"Latina... Latina!"

"Dale, um, Dale..." Latina said, sounding troubled.

But just being able to hear her voice made him overjoyed.

"Dale... um... there's something I have to say... that I have to apologize for..."

"Never mind that."

Her voice got stuck in her throat.

Shrugging her shoulders a bit, Chrysos got off the bed. She quietly left the room, uttering a word of thanks to Dale in her heart. She didn't want to leave Latina's side either, but she gladly ceded that first bit of time alone with her to him.

"You're alright... and you came back to me... That's all that matters to me."

As she realized that Dale's voice was trembling, Latina's expression shifted. All strength drained from her hesitant, struggling body, and she yielded it to Dale. "Dale..."

Latina put her arms around Dale, hugging him. As if consoling him, she stroked his back.

"Latina."

Seeing Dale's shoulders tremble, Latina held back her words and bit her lip. It was the first time she had seen Dale cry.

She was the crybaby, and he was always the one hugging and comforting her when she sobbed away. Latina desperately held back the agonizing feelings welling up inside of her. That had been far more difficult and painful to do than when she was the one weeping.

She couldn't think of the words she needed to say. She wanted to be there for Dale the way that he had always been for her, but she simply didn't know what to do.

"Dale... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

From the wet sensation she felt on her shoulder, Latina knew that warm tears were flowing down Dale's face. She finally managed to squeeze out an apology, only for Dale to lightly shake his head.

"What scares me more than anything else is not being able to protect you... Please, let me keep you safe... Don't make me feel the pain of not being able to do anything...!"

It hurt to breathe. Latina gasped when she realized what she had done, her chest assailed by a pressure greater than when she'd been hugged so strongly.

"I'm sorry..." No other words came to mind. She barely could hold back the tears, even though she knew she wasn't the one who should be crying right now.

"I'm sorry..." She couldn't think of anything else to say, and instead simply stroked Dale's back to console him as he hugged her.

Dale soon raised his eyes, a smile on his face so it would be hard to tell he'd been crying, were his eyes not red. That crazed, cold nature that had been about him when he'd swung his blade and slaughtered one demon lord after another was now gone from his expression.

Latina smiled back, though it was hard to call it a smile that came from the depths of her heart. Her heart was thrown out of sorts with the realization of what she had done. Her chest ached, and she felt like she was about to cry.

However, Latina also thought that the only thing she could do for Dale now was to smile. She knew that was what he wanted, so she needed to meet his expectations.

"Dale..." She searched for something to say other than words of apology, which wouldn't be enough, no matter how many times she repeated them. Those surely weren't the words she needed to say for his sake. "I wanted to see you..."

"Me too, Latina."

Realizing that Dale would never blame her and didn't want to hear her apologies, Latina desperately held back her tears.

I keep doing the wrong thing... Why can't I do things right...?

Although he could tell that Latina was worrying and condemning herself, Dale was no longer concerned about anything at all. His thoughts were entirely occupied by the fact that he finally had her back in his arms.

Even though he'd defeated the Demon Lords of Calamity, and the world had suffered a great blow at their hands, he didn't care about any of that. He just wrote all that off as mere trivial matters, now that the precious girl he loved so much was in front of him. The mental state that he'd always had only served to affirm their position as a master and her one and only retainer.

He was the one who decided that, not her. That proof on his left hand was his greatest indulgence, telling him it was fine to give her priority in all things. It was the thing that constantly gave him a push on the back.

And so, everything was fine.

"Latina... I'm so glad... Don't go disappearing all on your own ever again..."

"...Right, Dale..."

Latina was in his arms, smiling. That was enough of a reward for everything he had gone through. That utterly natural warmth returning to him was what he had wanted above all else.

I was definitely... a lot more mistaken than I had thought...

Seeing Latina tremble as she tightly gripped the bracelet around her wrist, her thoughts racing about what she'd done wrong, Dale had no intention of criticizing her. Even though he knew that there were times where it was easier to be called out, he had no intention of doing so.

The idea of letting Latina go now was unbearable. However, the instincts he had honed in his line of business searched his surroundings. Considering the safety of the girl in his arms, he had no choice but to do so.

His gaze darted to the entrance of the villa. Normally, in his current emotional state, he wouldn't want anyone but Latina to enter his field of vision, but there was no helping it. The entrance didn't have a door, but just a thin cloth swaying in the wind. It was made in a way befitting this hot land.

Up until a bit ago, he had hardly sensed any presences about, but now there were several moving this way.

One, two... I don't sense any hostility. And that's... Chrysos, isn't it?

He surprised even himself, being able to recognize Chrysos so easily based on presence alone. Checking again, he realized that Chrysos's presence was similar to Latina's. They may have been similar, but naturally Dale would never mistake her for Latina. From the fact that they were accompanying Chrysos, Dale guessed that the other presences must have belonged to ladies-in-waiting.

Considering where this place that looked like an inner palace reserved for women is... it must be adjoining the queen's living quarters... There may be guards, but this area must be off-limits to men... Dale thought, putting aside the undeniable fact that he was an intruder. Thinking of it that way... Latina's been kept isolated in a safe place.

Latina was so adorable, and she had slept while weakened and utterly defenseless. It naturally fanned one's desire to protect her. It would be fine if that were all, but he also couldn't deny that it was also lighting up a wild desire inside of him, too.

Latina was just so cute that he wouldn't be surprised to find anyone and everyone feeling the same way. However, that didn't mean he would forgive anyone else for acting on such desires, naturally.

And at the moment, he needed to restrain himself, too.

He felt bad for her, with how she'd felt unwell for so long. She looked a bit thinner than he remembered, causing him to think that she'd lost that perfect huggability. It was hard, seeing her look so pitiful.

He wanted to pamper her, and pamper her, and pamper her some more.

They'd spend plenty of time together while she recuperated. He'd felt like he'd end up clinging to her as much as he could... No, that was what he should do.

Thinking about it, there was a different scent about Latina today than usual. Perhaps that was only natural, since she wouldn't have had access to the same perfume that she used in Kreuz. Still, sure enough, Latina definitely smelled good.

Dale had returned completely to his usual deplorable self, thinking such things.

Just like he'd done when Latina was young, he placed her atop his knee and cradled her in his arms. He took in the scent of her hair, then buried his face in her shoulder and pushed his lips up against her. He felt incredibly soothed.

The one-two punch of her warmth and aroma had an immediate effect. In a very real way, Dale honestly didn't care about anything else anymore.

At this rate they'd end up rolling around on the bed, with him succumbing know how much he could trust his self-restraint when it came to "pampering" her, considering she was out of sorts.

That logical conclusion was the only thing holding Dale back at the moment.

But maybe just a little would be alright...

His logical side was in precarious state, teetering on the brink.

The strands of tension running through Dale suddenly snapped. He reflexively just wanted to laze around. To put it bluntly, all he wanted to do right now was be all lovey-dovey with Latina.

It's fine, right...?

The limits of his self-control turned out to be fleeting.

Around when Dale became imbued with the aura of some voracious carnivore, a refreshing, glass-like sound resounded from beyond the entrance to the villa.

When Dale started questioning that in his mind, Latina spoke up from within his arms.

"*****"

Hmm...? Was that a question?

What Latina said had been in the same language as that used in spells, the words of which formed the mother tongue for devils. Dale was able to use them for casting magic, but he couldn't quite say he was well-versed enough to hold a conversation in the language. Frankly, the most he could manage was picking up the meaning of the vocabulary he knew.

The ones who entered the room were two women with delicate gold decorations hanging from their horns. In a gesture unfamiliar to Dale, they bowed their heads.

"*****?" Latina said, questioning the women in a quiet voice.

The devil women, wearing simple matching outfits, responded to Latina's inquiry.

"*****, *****" "**...?"

"**. *************"

Dale wasn't able to comprehend even half of that exchange.

After talking to the women for a while, a look of sudden realization came to Latina's face as she realized that Dale wasn't able to follow what was going on.

"Um... In Vassilios, only the people from the temple wear decorations on their horns. By looking at those, you can more or less tell someone's position. The demon lord, Chrysos, her demons, and high-ranking priests are the only ones allowed to use multiple colors in their horn jewelry. Unlike humans, demons don't wear crowns."

The women in front of him now, their adornments monochromatic metal, were attendants.

Vassilios was ruled by a demon lord; political power wasn't hereditary. Dale guessed that the privileged class equivalent to kings and nobles were the demons that had been granted power by and held the trust of the First Demon Lord, whom they served.

"Apparently, there's a guest here for me. Chrysos let them through, so there must be a proper reason... but I wonder what's going on." "I see."

After explaining the circumstances to Dale, Latina expressed her understanding to the attendants.

"******. ******" "**"

With that, one of the attendants bowed her head and left the room. After looking at the remaining woman, Latina turned to Dale with a troubled expression on her face. "Dale..."

"What is it?"

"They say a guest is coming..." "Right."

"I'd like you to let me down..." "I don't wanna."

Latina looked troubled as she sat atop Dale's knees, restrained by a hug but he paid that no heed. Hearing that ridiculous response only made Latina look all the more concerned.

"Um... This is a nightgown."

"I see. You were sleeping, so that makes sense."

"Uh-huh?"

"I can't... unless... you let me go." "Ah, gotcha."

Although she carefully, kindly, and thoroughly laid out these facts that should have been obvious, Dale still made no signs of letting her go.

Still, Dale also couldn't let her be exposed to others in such an utterly defenseless state. In that case, he knew what he needed to do. He'd already decided, though, that he would never let her go again, even for a second, so he was left at a loss.

"You need to be able to change, right?" "U-Um..."

"Then there's no helping it. We'll just have to do it together, while I keep hugging you."

To sum it up briefly, when Latina saw how much worse Dale had gotten, she trembled as she reflected on what she'd done wrong.

Latina had essentially no memory from after she was sealed by the demon lords. She had spent the majority of her time sleeping, and when she was awake, she was in a daze and not thinking straight. As a result, to Latina, it felt like only a few days since she and Dale had parted. But looking at Dale, she was starting to sense that it hadn't been so short a period of time.

She couldn't firmly refuse Dale and separate herself from him. On the other hand, this attendant before them now was a stranger. Latina was naturally shy about such things, so seeing the attendant standing there waiting and looking troubled was just far too much to bear.

Latina was well aware that the attendant was waiting here to help her get dressed. But she could hardly do that now, when Dale was hugging her tightly and rubbing his cheek up against her. Seeing that the attendant was mentally struggling to figure out how to deal with the situation, Latina's eyes darted about nervously, in the hopes that a bright idea would come to her.

It was then that Chrysos entered, not even announcing herself. Paying no attention whatsoever to the bowing attendant, her gaze remained fixed on the pair embracing on the bed.

"Chrysos..." Latina said, sounding pathetic.

"So this is indeed how things turned out, is it?" Chrysos stated with a sigh.

"May I please have you release Platina?" Chrysos asked Dale in a low voice.

He clearly wasn't concerned in the least about other people watching them. "I don't wanna."

"Is that so?" Chrysos relented surprisingly easily, then turned around. "That is the case. You may enter."

Chrysos's words shocked Latina, and she felt all the more flustered, but Dale wasn't concerned in the least. But when he saw the visitor who entered the room, his expression shifted to one of surprise. At the very least, it had enough of an impact that he was able to direct his attention towards that person.

"It has been some time, Sir Dale," said Rose, her brilliant pink hair swaying. She had a gentle smile and the manners of a proper lady. "And above all else, I am glad to see that Latina has safely returned. I have received permission in advance from Her Excellency, the Golden King, but shall I refer to you as Princess Platina?"

"So the visitor was you, Lady Rose..." Latina said, looking surprised. In her present state, she wasn't even able to bow her head properly. "Chrysos is king, but I don't personally hold any power. Vassilios doesn't have a hereditary system of passing down authority, the way that Laband does."

Latina continued on, looking a little troubled. "In formal settings, my full name should be used, but... I'm honestly not too used to being called that, so I'd prefer if you kept talking to me the same as always."

"Understood. Then that is what I shall do."

There was an age difference between Latina and Rose, and they felt more like sisters than friends. But the fact didn't change that they got along well. "My apologies for the delayed greeting, Lady Rose. I'm glad to see you again after so long. Also..." Latina looked at the beautiful woman standing like a servant behind Rose. "You seem to be doing well too, Ms. Helmine..." Latina said in response to the smiling woman who was wearing her blond hair up.

Meanwhile, with the sudden appearance of this beauty he was so bad at dealing with, Dale separated himself from Latina just a bit. Even so, Latina still remained atop Dale's knees, and he most certainly hadn't released her.

And yet, even when pointed at someone like that, Rose's smile wasn't wiped away in the least.

"Sir Dale."

"It's been a while... Rose. So you came here to Vassilios?" "That is one of the things I intend to discuss."

"I see."

A silence fell over the room.

Rose looked at Dale, her smile unchanged.

While Dale was stubbornly remaining indifferent, Latina was unable to bear Rose's gaze and was quite clearly flustered. "Sir Dale."

"What is it?"

"You may be engaged, but are you not being overly intimate?" "Not really. This is totally normal, right?"

Rose's smile remained unshaken. But that was precisely what had Latina in such a panic. Even Dale couldn't help but sweat a little.

"Sir Dale." Her voice was not at all forceful, instead possessing a calmness fitting to Rose. And yet, it felt hard to sit still in response.

"...What is it?"

"I have come here under order of His Excellency, the duke. At the same time, I was also entrusted with a letter addressed to you, Sir Dale." "From the duke... for me?"

"No. It is from your home village. I am also aware of the contents." "From Tislow...?"

"It discusses a desire for you to open a discussion with the First Demon

Lord, acting in place of the clan head."

"Granny, huh...? Just how far ahead did she see things?"

"I am not aware of such things. In fact, I was hardly aware of anything before coming here."

Watching Rose as she said all this, Latina regained her calm, but Dale's hug did not loosen in the least. Latina gently touched Dale's arm. "Dale..."

"I don't wanna let go," Dale said flatly.

"Right... I'm sorry for being so selfish," Latina said, holding back the tears that were trying to flow forth. "So please, let go for just a bit... So that we can stay together, I need to be in a state where I can leave this room."

"Do I have to let go?"

"Um, I... I'm not really familiar with how to put on Vassilios clothing..."

Dale was taken aback a bit.

"The clothes I wore when I was little were all simple dresses, so that wasn't the case back then... but I don't really know what to do when it comes to clothing like what Chrysos wears... so I can't put it on alone..."

The clothing of Vassilios was made with an emphasis on breathability, differing greatly from that of Laband. It was hard to tell at a glance how this comfortable-looking clothing was fastened, as it lacked buttons or anything of that sort.

Since coming to Vassilios, Latina had difficulty even getting up until recently, so the ladies-in-waiting had been entirely in charge of taking care of her. She didn't even have any memory of what they had done.

"...I see."

Seeing Dale looking like his old self, with his awkward smile, made Latina feel a little relieved.

"So please, just wait for a little bit." "Just a little bit...?"

"Right, just a bit."

With those repeated words, Dale finally loosened his grasp. His awkward movements made it look like he was being forcefully pulled away from Latina, which the girl pretended not to notice.

Every time she saw him act like that, Latina's heart ached. She had trouble breathing. But so he wouldn't pick up on that, she smiled.

"Well then... I'll be back soon, alright?" Dale emphasized. "Yeah," Latina replied, still smiling.

Just before Dale started to follow after Rose and the others as they exited the villa, Chrysos leading them, he looked at Latina. Latina made sure to keep on smiling, as if nothing were wrong.

As soon as Dale was out of sight, Latina suddenly collapsed onto the bed.

Her chest moved up and down with painful breathing. She still hadn't recovered. It was her first time being up for so long in a while, so she was already listless, completely worn out.

However, the reason she was so pained right now wasn't because her body was out of sorts.

"Ugh... guh..."

The tears she'd been holding back started to flow. She understood just how much pain she'd inflicted on Dale in this short period of time. She'd wanted to protect him, but she'd completely failed to do so.

...I knew. I knew Dale would definitely suffer... and yet, I...

She wiped away the tears with the back of her hand and then got up. She couldn't keep sobbing like this forever.

"Lady Platinum Princess..." the attendant said anxiously.

"It's alright. Don't worry about me," replied Latina, brushing away those concerns, then borrowing the woman's aid to start getting dressed.

She couldn't make Dale wait any longer, nor could she let him suffer any further.

What... should I have done...?

She didn't feel like she'd be able to find an answer to that question that was wrenching at her heart.

The room that Chrysos took Dale and Rose to was not the audience chamber in which she'd faced off against the hero not long before. Even though it was farther removed from the central section of the temple, it was still a room fit for greeting visitors. It was quite a high-class room by the standards of the devil culture, but looking at it from the point of view of Laband culture, it gave an extremely modest, plain impression.

There was a bench set up along the wall, and in front of it was a long table made of a cloudy transparent stone, with low chairs set up around it. They seemed like simple pieces of furniture at a glance, but looking closely, there was engraving around the legs.

Suddenly, Dale realized something and muttered in surprise, "This stone... is unusual."

Watching Dale slide his hand over the table, Chrysos let out a brief sigh.

"You can tell?"

"Was it made by cutting crystal? It must have been pretty big to make something of this size, right?"

As such things were the specialty of the village where he was born, Dale was a little particular when it came to ores and minerals.

"Vassilios is a harsh climate without much land suited for farming, but we possess things such as this."

Dale recalled that much of the town that he saw from the sky was made of stone.

Chrysos sat down on the bench and motioned for Dale to sit in a chair in front of her. Rose then sat down by his side. As Helmine was serving as a guard, she didn't take a seat, instead remaining standing behind Rose.

"Vassilios seeks to open diplomatic relations with the country of humankind, Laband."

Dale had heard of that matter from Gregor.

"The actions of the Demon Lords of Calamity have surely fostered distrust of the entire devil race. As the leader of my people, I must act to protect them."

Since the devil race had remained closed off for so long, the knowledge of them had grown prejudiced amongst the other races. So that narrow viewpoint wouldn't lead to persecution of her entire race, Chrysos had made a decision as the head of Vassilios.

Laband was the closest country to Vassilios and also had played a large role in handling the Demon Lords of Calamity. If Laband accepted, it would make things easier when dealing with other nations in turn. And so, seeing this as a good opportunity, Chrysos had sent an envoy to Laband.

"His Excellency the Duke sent me here to Vassilios in order to coordinate.

Much of this is highly classified, though, so I myself only learned all of this after arriving," Rose interjected.

"You're a noble, but you're not a diplomat, right, Rose? Why did His Excellency send you...?" Dale asked.

"It was because I was the most accomplished magic user of those he could dispatch immediately. The minimum requirement was being able to use magic, as those who call themselves 'magic users,' like myself, are able to pick up the meaning of words."

"Ah..." Dale finally realized the obvious statement that Rose was making: the devil tongue was the same as the language for magical chants. However, it wasn't as if everyone who could use magic understood the meaning of the words or the finer details of the language. Even without such understanding, as long as the spell's contents were correct, the magic would activate. There were quite a few people who used rote memorization to only employ simple chants.

On the other hand, excellent magic users needed to be able to cast magic flexibly according to the situation, so they sought to excel at handling the language. Because of that, in terms of their language studies, first-rate magic users met the qualifications to serve as envoys to the devil race.

"Out of consideration for the First Demon Lord, a queen, the duke determined it best to send a woman. And as I am an acquaintance of Latina, His Excellency ordered me to take up the task."

"Huh?" Dale was left dumbfounded. "Why did Latina matter...?"

"I am surprised that you were not aware, Sir Dale. It was apparently the Dancing Ocelot in Kreuz that informed His Excellency that the Golden King was related to Latina."

"Huh?"

"In all likelihood, the Dancing Ocelot possesses more detailed information than anywhere else in Laband about Vassilios," Rose repeated for emphasis, seeing how Dale had been caught even more off guard.

"...Huh?" It was then that Dale realized the Ocelot had done a great deal of secret maneuvering without his knowing it.

Meanwhile, Latina had finished changing with the attendant's aid.

Even though she was concerned about Dale, Latina was aware that she had a great responsibility to Chrysos while she was here. Her memories of Vassilios etiquette were all from the distant past and had grown rather fuzzy, but she did at least remember what was considered taboo.

The clothing of Vassilios, made up of layers, looked extremely simple at a glance, but were hard to understand for those who weren't familiar with them. They weren't tightly secured anywhere, but instead tied together at key points. There was a meaning behind the way the visible knots were tied, and since Latina was being treated as the precious sister of the First Demon Lord, a style reserved for higher classes was used.

Latina's teary eyes had cleared up after she calmed down. The attendant had styled her hair and, as a final touch, placed a delicate veil that Chrysos had prepared.

For devils, horns were important, and that made broken horns something like a terribly graphic scar. The faint of heart would find it hard to look at, and it may even make some feel ill. In addition to those who had their horns broken because they were criminals, there were devils who lost them through injury or accident. In order to avoid the stares of those around them, such people wore this sort of thing on their heads.

Meant to complement Chrysos, the king, the veil prepared for Latina had jewels in seven colors dangling from gold and silver chains. It would be clear to anyone who saw her just how great Chrysos's affection for Latina was.

When Latina exited the villa, a different attendant was waiting for her. The woman gave a bow and started to lead the way, and Latina followed after without asking any questions. She remembered people serving her like this, hardly talking at all, when she was a child.

"Woof!"

Hearing that familiar voice, Latina stopped. Her vision was largely obscured by the veil, so she lifted her head a bit. The familiar grey fur she saw wasn't limited to just what she had expected.

"Vint."

"Woof!"

Vint's limbs were splayed out loosely atop grey fur that was the same color as his own. Hagel had taken off his armor, and now his cub was riding on his back. With light movements that were hard to imagine coming from his massive frame, Hagel approached Latina's side.

And beside him...

"Long time no see, Latina," Sylvia, clad in the attire of an Akhdar priestess, said with a smile and a tone so light it was hard to imagine they hadn't seen each other in such a long time.

"Sylvia...? Why are you...?"

"Why...? If I had to say, it was to look for you, I guess," Sylvia said with a knowing grin in response to Latina's surprise. "That pup there told me you were here, Latina."

"Woof."

"So this is where I came."

Her tone was incredibly light. When Latina appeared before them along with Sylvia and the two soaring wolves, Helmine, who was acting as Rose's bodyguard, couldn't hide her surprise when faced with the full-grown mythical beast.

Vint suddenly leaped down from Hagel's back and started walking at his own pace, then gave a single rub up against Chrysos. Then, acting as if he'd fulfilled his duty, he headed back to Latina, wagging his tail.

"Vint?"

Dale tilted his head at this behavior, which he'd never seen back at the Ocelot. It was then that Dale realized that though nothing was showing in Hagel's expression, there was a subtle shift in the way he was wagging his tail.

Noticing Dale's gaze, Hagel awkwardly stated, "Hmm... I had sensed this from far away, but... the king of this land's scent is much like that of the young lady."

"Alike, so, well, no helping it," Vint agreed with a nod.

Dale had been surprised by the resemblance between Latina and Chrysos, and apparently the same held true for the soaring wolves. That scent that was so like Latina's was also the reason Vint had been able to travel from Kreuz to Vassilios without any trouble despite only having the vague direction of "that way" from Theo.

By nature, Vint would only ever listen to Latina, but with Chrysos in front of him, he made a face of Well, I guess I gotta. She was a different person than Latina, but with a condescending attitude, he apparently decided that he could put up with listening to her because of how similar they were.

Vassilios was a closed-off country, so it lacked a branch office of the "mail" association. Devils also had magic users with Center affinity, so they had methods for contacting others within their race. However, they lacked the means to make personal contact with people in Laband. And so, Vint's abilities had come in handy.

Vint's nose was more capable than even that of his father, Hagel. He had been tasked with serving as the means of contact between Kreuz and Vassilios because he could accurately find who he was looking for, even from far away.

While Dale and the others were in the midst of their battle with the been sent on this errand by Chrysos, thinking nothing but Well, I guess I gotta.

Hagel had been greatly troubled, having his cub suddenly appear and offer only a blunt, "Latina, devil country, go." Hagel ended up hurriedly restraining Vint with his front paw when the cub stated, "Told it, so Latina, head back to," and quickly tried to leave. The blunt, awkward story that

Hagel had forced out of the writhing Vint was just too choppy, so he hadn't been able to fully grasp the situation.

"Bring Dale, probably good." "...I see."

"Hard to explain. See, understand."

The reason Hagel had opted not to discuss the details with Dale after his child fluttered off was largely because of this confusion; he didn't know how to explain. Hagel didn't even know why his cub was aware of such things or why he had told him then. Vint said he would understand when he saw, so he decided to do so. At the very least, he assumed that he would meet up with his child once again in that country.

At his core, Hagel really was the father of that pup who tended to do things at his own pace.

While everyone else was caught off guard by the appearance of the two soaring wolves, Sylvia broke out in a wide grin.

"Back in Kreuz, everybody already knows that the king and Latina are sisters."

Both Sylvia's tone and attitude lacked the formality one would expect when before the leader of a nation. As Chrysos, the person in the highest position here, didn't rebuke Sylvia for her rudeness, Rose didn't say anything, either. Chrysos, Rose, and Sylvia had all already met several times, too.

"How...?" Latina said, completely shocked.

"You're the one who said 'Chrysos' in front of me, right? And you were called 'Platinum Princess' then, too. It was only obvious to think there was some sort of connection there, right?" Sylvia responded indifferently.

"'Then'...?"

While Latina stared blankly, Sylvia wagged her finger with a "Hehehe."

"Don't underestimate a disciple of Akhdar when it comes to having a nose for a scoop, Latina. If you're having an interesting conversation, it's only natural that I pay careful attention."

"U-um... by 'then,' you mean that time?! But Sylvia, you didn't seem to understand the language..." "Hehehe..."

None of the others present could follow this conversation. And as she was now, Latina couldn't pay attention to those around her.

"And weren't you the one who taught me devil vocabulary, Latina?"

The tenacious way that this Akhdar priestess sought out information had exceeded Latina's understanding.

"That time" referred to when Latina had encountered a devil man who was visiting Kreuz under Chrysos's orders. Sylvia had also been there then. The two had spoken in the devil language, and Sylvia had acted like she didn't understand, so Latina hadn't worried about her being there. However, Sylvia had learned the basics of the devil language from Latina herself. It would have been too difficult for her to follow along entirely, but she had been able to pick up fragments.

Sylvia had divine protection from Akhdar. It wasn't all that strong, but that power dwelling inside her showed her the path that she should take. Following that instinct, Sylvia had followed after Latina and the man. She had been born and raised in the western district, so Sylvia was more knowledgeable about the layout there than Latina. Knowing how to tail someone was a crucial skill for Akhdar priestesses to start with, too. As Latina had been distracted and the devil man was a foreigner, Sylvia had had the advantage.

And that's how Sylvia had confirmed the presence of someone who obviously looked just like Latina, even from afar. It was only natural to believe that they must be related by blood. After Latina went missing, Sylvia had gotten help from Rudolph and had confirmed the presence of a woman who looked just like their friend.

In order to enter Kreuz, it was necessary to pass through one of the gates in the walls that enclosed it. Sylvia figured that even for the gatekeepers aside from the one who manned the south, who was acquainted with Latina, strong impression. And as a member of the guard corps, Rudolph was able to investigate that matter.

They were soon able to confirm the existence of a woman who met those qualifications. When a witness added, "She was such a beauty, she probably wouldn't even lose out to that rumored Fairy Princess," Rudolph had to hold himself back from disagreeing, realizing that would just further fan interest in Latina unnecessarily. At the same time, he also realized that if she really did look just like Latina, such thoughts would only be natural.

Mixed in with other customer gossip, Kenneth also heard talk of a traveler who resembled Latina. It was nearly impossible to spend time in a big town like Kreuz without anyone noticing, and trying to hide one's identity more than necessary only served to have the opposite effect and draw attention.

In fact, with the scale of the town, it may actually be more effective to some extent to just walk out in the open if you didn't want others to notice you.

In another town, Chrysos's appearance may have stood out too much, but in Kreuz, there were countless rumors surrounding the Platinum Fairy Princess. Because the stories about Chrysos blended in with such rumors, they didn't really stand out. The sole exception there was when it came to the regulars of the Dancing Ocelot. One of the men who knew Latina had happened to see Chrysos entering through the southern gate. That tale, in which he thought it was Latina, but it turned out to be someone else, made its way to Kenneth's ears.

"It's impossible to think of her as a mere stranger. Rather than it being some chance resemblance, them being related by blood makes a lot more sense."

"The little lady hardly ever talks about her old home, after all." "Though there's still no evidence to deny the possibility of them just being strangers."

In that way, the conversations in the Ocelot moved toward one conclusion: "Latina has a sister, and they're most likely twins."

It was determined that to figure out anything further, it would be necessary to head to Vassilios. Just when plans to do so were about to come to fruition, the bombshell from Vint and Theo—"Latina is in Vassilios"—was dropped.

Sylvia volunteered to head to that country of devils, but she had her doubts about being able to ride on Vint to get there. Vint himself had also said, "Huh, guess went well," a comment that didn't exactly inspire confidence.

The ones who then showed off their skills were the members of the Platinum Fairy Princess Protection Committee, who congregated in the Ocelot. The veteran adventurers amongst them took command, while the youngsters volunteered to help out, seeing this as a chance to build up experience. As the chaos and confusion caused by the Fourth Demon Lord showed signs of winding down, the guardsmen of Kreuz declared that they would offer their assistance as well as strive to protect the town even better than before. Furthermore, the temple of Akhdar also offered their full support. Vassilios served as a whole new realm of information, so this wasn't a project that that god's disciples could simply ignore.

"We wouldn't want you to underestimate our potential."

"A job this big doesn't come around very often. And it seems like a real challenge, too."

The group of adventurers, the regulars of the Dancing Ocelot at its core, set off from Kreuz in high spirits. Their faces were brimming with confidence as Kenneth (who was also in charge of logistical support) saw them off.

"That's the path between Kreuz and the little lady's old home."

"It's not such a bad idea, letting the young folks experience such a history-making job."

The adventurers, who all saw hardships and danger as only natural, chattered away as they cut through the forest to the south of Kreuz. It was precisely because it was undertaken in Kreuz, the town where the foremost adventurers in Laband gathered, that they were able to tackle such a large- scale project.

Vint had also played a large role. Thanks to the highly capable radar the group possessed—Vint's nose—they would never be pointed off-course, no matter the conditions. And so, they were able to choose the safest paths while traveling the shortest possible distance.

It wasn't a trip that could be finished overnight, but even so, they traveled on foot through the forest to the south of Kreuz.

Beyond the forest lay what was effectively a neutral zone, not ruled by Laband or Vassilios. That was where they established their base of operations.

Even though the war with the Seventh Demon Lord was taking up so much personnel that it would currently be difficult to dispatch troops, if diplomatic relations with Vassilios were officially opened, the duke would surely do so. This place would become a strategic point for resupplying and rest for Laband. And later on, it would develop into a frontier town. But for now, it was just defended by the adventurers.

Even though they knew Latina was in Vassilios, they lacked any more information whatsoever, so it would be too risky to have all of their personnel head into the country at once. And so, in order to both serve as an information-gathering scout as well as an envoy to make contact with Vassilios, Sylvia headed out with Vint.

At the time, Sylvia had the fragment of Latina's horn, which she had borrowed from Chloe, dangling from her neck. While she was fully aware that wearing such a thing would earn her hostility in Vassilios, she had also heard a very interesting story from Rudolph back in Kreuz.

"Out of that group of three, the one in the highest position didn't react with displeasure when he saw the fragment of Latina's horn that I have," Rudolph had recollected. Sylvia tilted her head, as that didn't fit with her understanding of such things.

"Really?"

"Latina said that maybe he could see her feelings around the horn." "...You said he was in a high position, right? If he's the same guy I saw looking for Latina..."

Even though they were in public, that man who seemed to be a devil had taken a knee and bowed his head in front of Latina without hesitation. No matter how Sylvia looked at it, that had been the act of a retainer towards a noble.

"Latina, or maybe her sister, must hold a pretty high status in Vassilios." "I'd heard similar things around the Ocelot, and we've had such thoughts before... but Latina may have come from some sort of noble household."

Rudolph had known Latina longer than Sylvia. Even before they started going to school, when Latina was still little and clumsy with her words, she had given Rudolph and his friends who had grown up in the rough part of town the impression of a princess.

As a member of a different race and someone from a foreign country, Latina's lack of common sense and airheadedness tended to stand out. But her etiquette was firmly in place, and her thinking wasn't like that of commoners. Since she hadn't received any further training as a noble, Latina had steadily become more of a normal girl, so that impression was much stronger with those who had known her when she was little.

"No matter how I look at it, the way that man treated Latina wasn't how someone would handle a criminal," Sylvia said, voicing her doubts. "I'd heard something similar in the Ocelot," Rudolph replied. By frequenting the Ocelot, he'd overheard a lot of discussion from the regulars, and as a member of the guards he'd had many opportunities to think on the matter of "crime."

"To start with, Latina was only seven when she was exiled. That's the maximum punishment for devils, and normally a child that age would never be sentenced to that, right?" Rudolph continued on.

Devil and human values weren't necessarily the same, but he had heard the devil race treated children as precious. In that case, it only made sense that if a child committed a crime, their parents would instead be the ones found at fault. And a kind child like Latina may have possibly done something on accident, but Rudolph couldn't imagine that a kid could have ever committed some heinous crime.

"Apparently, Latina's father hadn't been treated as a criminal."

Back when Dale buried the corpse of the man he assumed to be Latina's father, he confirmed that the man had both horns. Her childhood friends had heard that from Latina herself.

"So I was thinking, odds are that the 'crime' that got Latina exiled was religious or maybe political in nature. There's no way that sort of 'crime' would be tied to a normal child, so Latina's family must be the sort that could get caught up in internal squabbles, right?"

The right to rule in Vassilios was not hereditary, but they still ended up at a conclusion that wasn't far off the mark in that manner.

And so, Sylvia had borrowed the fragment of Latina's horn from Chloe. If

Sylvia could meet with someone who knew Latina, ideally her high-ranking sister, in all likelihood that fragment would serve as proof that she was someone close to the girl. She had also wanted to believe in what Latina had told Rudolph—that it would serve as a protective charm.

Chloe had said to Sylvia, to whom she now owed a debt, "Come back safely, Sylvia. And if you can, bring Latina back with you. I've got to slug her at least once, as hard as I can."

In the end, Sylvia entered Vassilios riding atop Vint's back. She gambled on the fact that she could at least manage the magic needed to travel a short distance. Vint knew where Latina was, and he was also recognized as a pup that was faithful to the "Platinum Princess." There was no risk of being shot down with magic.

What Sylvia hadn't expected, though, was that Latina's sister, Chrysos, was the Golden King, ruler of Vassilios.

When Vint landed, the guards at Chrysos's side saw there was someone riding atop him, and they were clearly unsettled. But then, a voice without even a hint of tension to it resounded, saying, "Sylvia, Latina's friend."

Under these strange circumstances in which she'd been introduced by Vint, Sylvia descended before Chrysos. To be honest, Sylvia was surprised herself. Even from the perspective of someone like Sylvia, who knew Latina very well, Chrysos looked shockingly similar to her sister, aside from her golden eyes.

Perhaps because Vint was accompanying the girl, Chrysos commanded her guards to stand down. Facing Sylvia, who was looking straight at her, Chrysos called out in a somewhat clumsy manner, "...Platina, human, friend?"

"My name is Sylvia. I met Latina in Kreuz... a town in the nation of Laband."

Chrysos could awkwardly speak Western Continental, which was employed by humans, and Sylvia had a minimal grasp of the devil language, though she couldn't manage complex vocabulary. And so, the basics were in place for communication.

A look of surprise crossed Chrysos's face when Sylvia presented the fragment of Latina's horn.

"This is my proof." "Platina..."

Chrysos could clearly see Latina's kind aura about the horn. The mana about it resembled her own, but was gentler. The fragment was like the embodiment of a pure wish for the happiness of the one who held it.

"I've come in search of Latina. Is she here?"

While listening to these words from Sylvia, who had a strong gaze without any timidness about it, Chrysos sensed that this person was someone her sister would never want to be harmed. Also, Chrysos sought a link with the humans.

Day by day, presences were disappearing from the place with the thrones, which only demon lords could sense. Considering the timing, it was easy to surmise that it was the work of someone related to the Eighth Demon Lord, but Latina herself was still not in any state to hold a conversation. And to someone like Chrysos who lacked any connections to the humans, the information she could obtain was just too limited. This unprecedented state of emergency had brought about the end of the nation's long-standing policy of isolation.

Thanks to the harm the Demon Lords of Calamity had inflicted upon the humans, the situation for the devil race was shifting in a bad direction. They had brethren outside of the nation of Vassilios. And if they sought aid, then as the king, Chrysos would need to provide it.

Laband was the nation that employed the hero who played by far the greatest role in the battle with the Demon Lords of Calamity. That, in addition to the fact that it was a neighboring country, was what made Chrysos feel the need to dispatch an envoy.

Sylvia had also acted as an envoy on behalf of Vassilios. By way of the temple of Akhdar, she conveyed the nation's intentions to the governing body of Laband—that is to say, Duke Eldstedt.

From that time on, Sylvia played the role of messenger between the two nations. And providing support from behind the scenes was the Dancing Ocelot.

Dale had going missing, but even in Kreuz they knew that he was fighting the world over, fulfilling his duty as a hero. And yet, it was still difficult to get in contact with him. Even employing the postal union that covered a great deal of the world, it wasn't possible to contact someone without knowing where they were. The most common method of contact, sending a letter, just wasn't possible.

People related to Latina were in Vassilios, and Latina herself, who had gone missing, was apparently also there. When that fact came to light, the folks at the Ocelot formed a plan for contacting Dale.

As a result, the Ocelot sent some of the information they had gathered to those they expected Dale was most likely to contact: in other words, Tislow and his employer, Duke Eldstedt.

"Huh?" Dale uttered without thinking, before continuing on a hysteric tone, "Wait a minute... Since when... did Kenneth and them know that Latina was here?!"

"Hmm... I think that pup there told them around when the war with the Seventh Demon Lord was getting started. That's when the shop should've learned about it," Sylvia declared.

Dale was left dumbfounded, and by his side, Vint gave a proud ahem.

"Can do anything I try."

"...Vint... is the one who carried me here from Kreuz, right?" Latina's memories were hazy, so she asked while breaking out in a bit of a cold sweat.

"Yeah," Vint responded, clearly confirming that fact.

"Huh? Latina...?" Dale questioned, having known nothing of those circumstances.

"When... I came to, I was here in Vassilios... Apparently, right after I broke out of the seal, I was in Kreuz... but it seems I had Vint carry me here..." Latina responded, looking troubled.

"Ah..." Dale looked up at the sky and took a deep breath. He wouldn't say it was a heavy mental blow, but looking back, Dale realized that if he had returned to the Ocelot even once, it would have had a big effect on everything.

It wasn't as if he had underestimated the abilities of the people there, but he should have relied on them more. He wasn't the only one who thought of Latina as someone precious. There were a great many people in that town who would want to do something for her sake.

"So did His Excellency accept Vassilios's requests that easily?"

"Of course. After all, for the sake of Laband, it was greatly advantageous finer details myself. I had received a directive from His Excellency to hear the circumstances from Sylvia and the First Demon Lord."

When Rose entered Vassilios riding a flying dragon and with the bare minimum of guards, the one who had greeted her was Sylvia, acting as the point of contact between both countries.

The Second Demon Lord had been alive and well, and Vassilios was anxiously awaiting the coming moment that the purple oracle Mov had risked her life to bring about, so they had become overly cautious when it came to the control of information. The reason Duke Eldstedt hadn't even informed Rose of the details of the matter was out of consideration for that fact.

"My official role is not for diplomacy. It is to relay the differences between the two nations to His Excellency and adjust as needed. My first task in this role was to be accepted by Vassilios, and so I introduced myself as an acquaintance of the First Demon Lord's sister, Latina."

"The temple plays a large role in this country. And so, a priestess with Rose's level of divine protection would naturally be considered worthy of respect."

"Speaking of which, Sir Dale's divine protection is also great..."

In response to Rose's words, Chrysos gave a fleeting glance at Dale, then followed that with a scornful laugh. Latina appeared flustered, not knowing what to do in response.

"His Excellency is still coordinating things behind the scenes, and is being cautious in regards to dispatching government officials and members of the military."

"...My work was tied to such concerns, too."

Under Dale's contract with the duke that he had held for many years now, he stood on the field of battle as part of an undefined small group of adventurers when it wasn't possible to officially dispatch the army.

"Laband may be a large nation, but it also doesn't have especially good relations with other countries... Rather than dispatching formal envoys, he seems to prefer to keep things at the level of a personal connection, at least on the surface."

"There is still much I do not know in regards to the customs of humans. And before welcoming a group of envoys, there is a need for those of my nation to study Western Continental."

"The spell language can't be learned by those without the aptitude for it." "I hear that Latina learned Western Continental soon after arriving in

Kreuz, yes?" Rose said with a troubled smile while looking at Latina, who was sitting quietly by Chrysos's side.

"R-Right... In about a week, she was able to hold everyday conversations," Dale said, thinking back on how clever Latina had been, observing her surroundings and quickly learning how to hold a conversation, even if only awkwardly, and how big of a help that had been.

"Her Majesty, the First Demon Lord, has steadily improved while talking to Sylvia and myself... Now, she is more skilled in Western Continental than anyone else in this temple," Rose said in admiration, only for Chrysos to puff up her chest, slighter than Latina's, with pride.

"Those were the words needed to communicate with Platina. It would be unbearable to be unable to speak with my beloved Platina, who has been away from her home country for so long."

Dale had already vaguely sensed this, but apparently Chrysos had a hardcore sister complex.

Latina had initially intended to sit by Dale's side, but Chrysos had beckoned her over to the bench where she was seated, like it was only natural. With a scornful laugh and a gaze meant to irritate Dale, she then touched Latina as if it was perfectly normal to do so. Anyone else doing that would have angered him, but Dale instead found it calming to see how well these twin sisters got along.

Of course, unlike Dale, it wasn't like Chrysos purely wanted to keep flirtatiously touching her sister, but rather was concerned about her twin, who was unwell. Latina knew that, so she occasionally shot a grateful look at her sister seated by her side, and Chrysos responded with a smile.

The warm aura this all gave off clearly communicated to those around them just how well they got along.

However, jealousy wasn't so easily restrained. Having been deprived of the best possible medicine for his "beloved daughter deficiency," Dale

After pulling himself back together, he turned to Rose. They still hadn't even broached the main issue at hand. "What was in it for Laband that made them so readily accept?" Dale asked.

"The conditions the First Demon Lord presented involved Vassilios's resources," Rose responded. "It is not my field of expertise, so I do not know the details, but... in addition to deposits of jewels, Vassilios also possesses veins of magical metal."

"So that's why Granny wanted me to discuss this stuff, huh...?" Dale said, his expression shifting.

"Magical metal" referred to metals with a high affinity for mana. It was possible to summon ores and minerals using Earth magic, but doing so became more difficult when it came to rare materials or those with a high affinity for mana.

A fragment of that could be seen in the silver used for both currency and to produce weapons that were highly effective against the undead, as well as the gold used in amulets because it was not easily damaged. It was necessary to directly dig metals like these out of land with such veins.

Laband also possessed mines, but the variety of minerals they produced was limited. If those resources, which had needed to be purchased from several far-off countries up until now, could be gained from their neighboring nation of Vassilios, then that benefit couldn't be ignored. The resources themselves may have been the same, but the distance they needed to be transported had a huge effect on cost.

Magical metals were the raw materials for magical devices. This topic had a great deal to do with Tislow, whose livelihood lay in producing such things, so Dale, who had received training to become the next head of that clan, was much more knowledgeable on the subject than Rose.

"In Vassilios, we see value in stone, but do not have much interest in metals."

"Enchanting is an ability limited to humans, after all... So there's not much of a value in such things for devils, right?"

"That is correct... we use them for our tools for activating magic, but... we do not see as much value in them as humans do," Chrysos responded, then looked at Sylvia.

The one who had offered the suggestion to leverage their mineral resources in order to make sure negotiations with Laband went smoothly, if not giving them an advantage, had been Sylvia, a human. Their ways of thinking differed, so it was an idea that couldn't have come from the devil race alone.

All devils were able to use magic. More so than tools, they employed it in their everyday lives for all sorts of purposes. Their very lifestyles were different in this country, so the "common sense" of other nations fell outside of their realm of understanding.

However, if Laband tried to exploit them one-sidedly, they ran the risk of earning the hostility of the devils, a race in which each and every individual possessed great abilities. That was the reason for Duke Eldstedt's apprehension and caution.

At the start of their negotiations with the long-lived devil race, it was important to find suitable common ground. That was a crucial requirement so that they could remain good neighbors for a long time.

"I see. So that's why the duke... why Laband agreed to an exchange with

Vassilios..."

While everyone else carried on with this conversation, Latina simply sat silently and listened. Though she was Chrysos's sister, her authority in Vassilios was effectively nil. She had determined that she was in no position to speak up.

Vassilios was a country ruled by the temple and the First Demon Lord determined by the gods. It was a nation whose faith in the gods was deeper than any other. As such, high-ranking priests and priestesses like Dale and Rose were not treated lightly.

Latina lacked any divine protection and had no intention of revealing her position as the Eighth Demon Lord, so in effect, she had nothing to grant her authority in Vassilios. However, being someone beloved by the First Demon Lord secured her a position that easily overturned all of that.

In this country, demon lords were the voice of the gods.

But that's just Chrysos's power. I'm nothing amazing... I have to bear that in mind... Latina thought to herself, concentrating on the conversation all the while. She tied together all of their words, and through them learned information she hadn't known. That was important to fill in the time she had lost.

Latina quietly breathed in as she watched Chrysos sit at negotiations as a ruler, for the sake of her nation and people. It reminded Latina of Mov's majestic appearance that she had admired when she was young.

You've worked hard, Chrysos...

It was something that Latina could never imitate.

But that's surely... because Chrysos wanted me to return...

But even so, the weight of an entire nation was just too much for someone as young as Chrysos to bear. Even if there wasn't anyone capable around her, it wasn't as if she wouldn't be granted subordinates.

It was only natural that Chrysos would want a place where she could just be herself. That she'd want someone who would accept her as herself, not some god.

Latina had Dale, someone who would treat her as just a girl, the one he loved more than anyone else. That was why, at her core, nothing had changed about Latina, even when she became a demon lord. She didn't lose herself as a "person."

For Chrysos, "that person" was her sister, Latina, who she had been separated from for life. Her sister had become something that supported her heart and soul, overcoming the pressure of being a demon lord, and the gazes of those around her, and everything else.

I... caused Chrysos to suffer, too...

There had been a loophole that arose in Chrysos's desire to protect Latina, and she had come to accept the girl's sacrifice. Looking back once more on how terribly painful that decision must have been made Latina's heart ache.

It was no surprise that Latina tormented herself over the matter and over-thought it. Fundamentally, she wasn't a queen or a princess, but an utterly normal young girl. With her kind nature, she couldn't help but be concerned over the fact that she had caused the people precious to her to suffer.

But perhaps there was a sort of balance between the way that she worried so much over these things and that man she loved more than anything, who didn't give a damn about anyone else but Latina if it meant that she was alright.

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