"Heeeeeee........?

　After knocking down the dragons and returning safely to the ground, my friends (?) They greeted me with a stunned expression.

　.........no.
　It's not necessary for everyone to open their mouths so tightly........?

''What is this stagnant insanity sequence...?
We just dropped that giant monster in the air so easily...?
The first thing we had to do was to figure out how to make the attack reach them. We had no choice, that we didn't...?
It's a bit of a step down...?

　What is that, looking at you like you're looking at something funny?
　Don't you think it's rude?

　As expected, I thought that Granbaza-sama and Aranziel-san, who have two or three levels of higher insight than the youngsters, would not be moved.......
　Both of them had their eyes rolled straight up.


''Ummm!　That's my boy!

　What are you trying to force yourself to believe?

　Come to think of it, this is the first time you've shown Granbaza-sama how to hold a weapon and fight.
　I'm glad if I was able to show you how I've grown up.

　However, now is not a good time to relax in the middle of battle........

''This isn't the time for everyone to be boshing around!　I've led the enemy to the surface!

　This is our chance to make them come to the ground!
　Of course, I don't think that I can make it die just by knocking that big thing down to the ground.

　That's why we don't give the dragon a chance to regain its breath and push it through to its death.

''Yes, that's right!

　Radie takes the initiative in raising his sword.

"Form a party of heroes!　It's our very existence to let Dariel-san alone play a role!
Yes, that I do!
I've already worked hard, though!

　Under Reedy's command, Sesha holds a spear and Satome holds a shield.

"We're as good as won, so we'll leave the rest to you!

　Fight Zebiantes, too.

　Let's go anyway!
　Now is the time to have fun and slap the sack together!

　I thought...

''Gwaaaaahhhh?!''

　A tremendous whirlwind of flames arose.
　It was a jet of flame that the crashed flame dragon let out as it flew on its own.

''d*mn it!　He's back already?

　He's as tough as he looks!
　Did I goof around too much in preparing for an all-out attack?



　That's when I felt something bad.

　I felt something unpleasant.
　A sensation like direct contact with filth.

　The reason for that feeling was immediately obvious.

　It's that dragon.

　The gaze of the dragon that rushed up to the sky is on me.

What.........?

　It is gazing at me intently.
　Not only that, there is something in that gaze that you wouldn't expect from a monster.
　Moreover, it's a slimy emotion, like hatred or jealousy.
　I felt it clearly and it gave me chills.

''Why?!''

　I don't have any reason to hate a monster.

　The flaming dragon floated in the air again.
　I thought it would once again make an onslaught, but it turned on its heel and turned back.

''Eh?''

　He went away into the distant sky.

He escaped.........?

　What the hell was that?
　If you were surprised by the attack and ran away, why did you send such a hateful look at me as you were leaving?

　I don't understand.

　Aren't monsters, by nature, creatures with simple emotions?
　The fact that they have such intense hostility and hatred directed at them, yet they leave without hitting their targets with it.

　If you're going to run away, a look of fear would be in order.

''And anyway, the crisis is over........!

　Our goal was not to defeat the monster, but to rescue the people staying in the Mithril mine.
　The monster that was the main source of the crisis has escaped, so we have sufficiently fulfilled our purpose.

　So this is fine...........

''It's Glamberza.

　Arantzill-san, the previous brave, who was standing behind me, calls out to Granberza-sama.
　He has a stern tone of questioning.

''You, you seem to know what that was. You reacted differently when you saw it, and you even muttered something that looked like a name, didn't you?''
Just hold it... hold it...!

　If you're going to be so belligerent, you might give the wrong impression.
　The past, when we once hated each other, will be spared to oblivion by me........

Yes.........I know that.......!

　Lady Granberza replied.

''Probably, but that's the Flame Demon Beast Salamandra. I've never actually seen it in person before, so I can't say for sure, but...
Oh, really?

　However, we can share information about the escaped demons later.
　Let's discuss it again after we confirm the damage to the mine.

''Sorry Dariel, just listen to me like this. If that's really the Flame Demon Beast Salamandra, then things might be worse than we thought...!
''What?!''

　That Granbaza-sama's expression, it was the tightest I've ever seen it.
　Arantzill-san, who has been with him as an enemy for a long time, may have sensed the strangeness and watched the conversation continue with a breath of air.

''This is something that only a very limited upper echelon of the Demon King's army.......yes, the Four Heavenly Kings can know. In this world, there is a magical beast that has a special power sleeping in this world...!
And this Fiendish Beast, Salamandre, is one of those monsters?
Yes.
Tell me, what in the world is a Hexenbiest?

　As expected of a rival, or should I say a rival, Arantzill-san countered well and encouraged him to talk.

''It is said that demonic beasts were created by the Demon King a long time ago. Originally, they were guardian beasts to protect the Demon King-sama, but because they were of low intelligence and didn't listen to his instructions, they were destroyed...!
What...!
Since then, a demon tribe has developed a spell that allows them to control their magical beasts after a long period of research. Since then, they have been able to use them at various risks, but still allow demons to use them.
'You!'

　Aranzir-san grabbed Granberza-sama's chest and pressed in.

''After all, the demon race can control monsters, can't they!　Yeah, right after you tell some really bad lies!
A hexenbiest and a monster are not the same thing!　I heard that research on controlling monsters by applying hexenbiest-employee magic was done a long time ago, but it was fruitless and was abandoned in the end...!

　Even I, a former member of the Demon King's Army, had never heard of such a thing.

''Demonic beasts are much more powerful and rare than monsters. In the literature, there were only a total of four hexenbiest names listed.

　Salamandre, the Fire Demon Beast.
　Wind Beast Windra.
　Hydra, a water demon beast.
　Water Monster Hydras and Gigantomachomachia.

It is said that if even one of these hexenbiests were to go on a rampage, they would be helpless, and many villages and towns would be destroyed. The demon tribe has developed a magic to serve as a beast emissary, but in the end, they sealed it away as a forbidden curse.
Why?
'I told you, there is a risk. Even if there is a way to do it, obeying a demonic beast is the most dangerous thing you can do.

　If the Flame Demon Beast had attacked the mine, whether on a whim or of its own volition, it would be a catastrophe, but no more serious than that.
　It would be just like a natural disaster that came and went.

　However.

　If someone with an agenda is hiding behind that demonic beast........

''The forbidden spells are stored together in a place called the 'secret room' somewhere in the Demon King's Castle. Only those with authority can reach it.
Who has the authority...?
Four Heavenly Kings.

　So first of all, everyone's gaze was focused on one person.

　The Four Heavenly Kings Zebiantes was present.

''Well, you don't mean to imply that I'm under suspicion?

　That's right, sir.

''No, no, no, wait, wait, wait!　I've been playing around in your village for a while now, and I'm sure you've seen it too!　It's an alibi!

　It's not something to say openly, but it's true.
　It's not as if Zeviantes, as expected, doesn't have the diligence to study forbidden curses while playing around in Lux village.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about them. I can't say for sure without examining the details, but it's unlikely that they will have the time to return to the castle to search for the forbidden spell.

　If that's the case.
　By the process of elimination, the last person to emerge is one.
　The combination of the flame demon beast that appeared and its attributes also added to my suspicions.

　The current four heavenly kings who governed the flames, Bashbarza-sama of "Ayan Fire"...!