I stared at the red-black crack in the hollow.

'Well..... How do I repair the warding?

　Call up a list of spells.
　As planned, a spell was displayed that was appropriate for this situation.



　'Rune Repair: repairing a substance composed of magic power.



'From the name, it's a variation of the Repair spell you used on the Demon King's Castle?

　I held up my right hand to the sky.

"'Rune Repair'.

　With a spell, the red-black crack fades quickly and eventually disappears completely.

''Has this closed the hole in the warding?''

I'm tracking it now.

　A third eye appeared on Stella's forehead.

''No problem. The damaged portion of the warding has been fully repaired.'

Well, that should keep you going for a while. At least for about three months.

Three months...?

When the Hundred Brave Men invaded the demon world, a certain Miracle Armor user broke the wards. The next time he can use his power is roughly three months later. It seems that once you use the Field Breaker, it will take about that long to replenish your power.

　I explain to a quizzical Stella.

'After three months, the brave men will invade again.

'........many more demons will be involved in the battle....

''This invasion is just a start. The next step is to drill more holes in the wards and send in a large army of brave men.

　That's right, not just a hundred brave men, but a thousand, or even ten thousand - the brave men of the world.
　If that much of an army rushed in, this time the demon world would be destroyed.

　The reason why the humans and the demons were at odds with each other until now is because the demons had an absolute safe zone called the demon world on their side.

　Demons can come to the human world freely, but humans are not allowed to enter the demon world.
　The battle is a one-sided invasion by the demon race.

　Until a few days ago.

　The humans have devised a way to break the warding of the demon world and have succeeded in sending in the brave men and women.

　I'm sure they didn't anticipate that they would be subjected to an invasion, but they were too late to intercept the demons.
　That's why the brave men, including me, racked up victories and the demon army took heavy damage.

　Moreover, this time, this was just a test case.

　The next time, an even more powerful army should surge in.

''We have to prepare our defense system before then.

'Yes, sir. I'll take care of the damaged soldiers and armaments.

Please.

　As I said it, I made a small sigh under my mask.

　I will intercept the brave men who will be attacking again in three months──.
　I don't have much of a psychological discomfort with myself as a demon king to think from my position as a demon king.

　Is my mind now the same as a human's?
　Or is it already a complete demon race──?

　Well, you can worry about that later.

Let's move on to the next battlefield.

　There are four more invasion routes for the brave men to take.

''The eastern region we're heading to next is a windy place. Please hold on tightly so that you don't get swept off your feet.

Oh, yeah.

　I put my arm around Stella's waist.

　
　As expected, though, I'm not going to be dogged like a teenager.

''I........am being hugged by the Demon King.......''

　I heard Stella's mumbling voice.

'Hmm, what's up Stella?'

Huh...!　I'm sorry, too.

　Stella's voice rumbled.

'Is that so...?'

I am truly sorry for making such a statement as this.

No, you don't have to be so formal. Even though I'm a vassal, I'm more like a partner to you.

　Partner.....
　As soon as I said those words, my chest felt a painful pang.

　It reminded me of my former partner and beloved apprentice, Lyle.

"Your words are too much for me, Demon King.

　Stella's voice quivered.

'On me,'

See, you're getting upset again.

　I chuckled.

　When Stella and I exchange words, that's enough to make the pain in my chest from earlier fade away.
　It seems to soothe.

'Okay, for starters, you can call me Freed.

'What?　Ehhh........?

　I suggested it without a care in the world to relieve Stella of her stiffness, but she's strangely upset.

'Oh, it's hard to show it in front of everyone, isn't it? So how about we limit it to just the two of us?

You're calling me by my name?

Stella's the only one who can.

So.....

　I turn around and Stella looks at me.

'Freed, sama...'

　For some reason, that face was blushing.



　The eastern region is a grassland area.

　However, it's not an idyllic landscape like the human world.
　Twisted and bizarre plants grew here and there, giving it an uncanny feeling.

　A few dozens of meters ahead, a huge man was standing.

　Around them, countless corpses.
　Dead bodies everywhere.

"That guy...

　I scrunched up my expression under my mask.

'Master Freed?'

Stay back, Stella.

　I took a step forward.
　The wind flapped the hem of my robe.

'I know him.'

　Although I had only seen his face, I was familiar with his heroic name.

'Brave Claudio - also known as 'Bloody (Bloody) Claudio'. The number of demon race defeats is one of the five fingers among the brave men of all time.

　He's a fierce warrior.

Hmm, that's the Demon King. You're not exactly what I'm told.

　Claudio looks at me, and the corner of his mouth hangs up in a grin.

　His gaze is around my hand.
　To be exact, on the Demon King's crest floating on the back of my hand.

'I knew these guys wouldn't be able to hold their teeth.

　Claudio laughed, baring his fanged canine teeth.
　He crushed the skull at his feet.

''You──''

　I clenched my fists at the neglect of the dead.

"Demon King, I think you're ready for a fight. "I'd like to challenge you to a fight as a warrior.

"...if you're a warrior, have you no respect for the people you've fought?

'Respect?　To a demon?　LOL!

Demon Lord.........sir.......haha.

　Claudio thrust his sword at the demon in hand - to the one who was still barely breathing - to the demon in question.
　With a jerk, that demon tribe stopped moving.

''There's no need to pay respect to a worm.

You....!

　His back teeth snapped just in time.

'Now he was mortally wounded anyway. I was just making it easier on him, okay?

You're just teasing me.

'A man who is with the Demon King is grieving for the death of a subordinate?　Hmm, but I've lost a lot of people.

　Claudio held his great sword, which was larger than his height, in his right eye.

'All the other brave men have died to get here.

　

'Miracle Armament 'Arondite', huh?

　I've heard that Claudio's Miracle Armor has the ability to cut through everything it can shake by vibrating its edges.

I had hoped to wipe out all the soldiers and then attack your castle next, but now I don't have to. Let's go out on a limb!

　Claudio raises his great sword and rushes forward.

''Whoa, whoa, whoa!

　The 'Arondite' was swung down along with the spirit of the rifle.

''Dark Breaker.''

　With a spell, a black glow is created in front of me.
　It became a blade of light and flew straight out, intercepting the 'Arondite'.

　Crackle.

　It's a high-pitched sound, and the Arondite is snapped off from the middle.

The Miracle Armor is broken?

　Claudio looks astonished.

　The spell I just cast is a spell to destroy weapons.
　I tried it for the first time, but it seemed to be quite useful.

''The monster........!

"No respect for the insects, right?

　I put my hand in front of his eyes.



　I can feel my heart being painted black.
　It's as if something is stagnating in the back of my chest.

'Well, wait...'

　Claudio's face contorts in fear.

'Help.........'

　His muffled voice pleaded in a muffled voice, his face no longer showing the face of a fierce man of the past.

''How many people have you killed who have begged for their lives like that?

　I tell them, I release a magic bullet.

　The black flash enveloped Claudio and before he could scream, he was gone.



　I'm going to have to repair the wards of this place, and then go to the next front with Stella.

　There were a few brave men there as well, but they were not my enemies.
　I wiped them out and closed the holes in the wards.

　I also get rid of the remaining two brave men and repair the holes in the warding.

　Thus, all five holes in the warding were sealed up.
　For now, it would be at least a first aid measure.

　The short battle for the defense of the Demon World was over, and Stella and I returned to the Demon King's Castle.

　　　　　

　There was a lot of darkness.

"Where is the way out...

　He keeps walking, at a loss for words.

　He was a boy with blond hair, blue eyes, and brilliant good looks.

　His memory was still muddled.

　Who am I?
　Why am I here?

　My mind is foggy and I can't remember.

'Yes, I've got a master...'

　Suddenly, a part of my memory starts to come back.

"No, I killed Freed and then...

　With the memories that gradually became clearer, he - the brave Lyle stepped forward.