The next morning after the banquet...

"I'm sorry about last night, Mr. Fried.

　Stella came to apologize to me.

'I regret that I behaved in a manner unbecoming of a subject. I am truly sorry to have caused you discomfort.
'It's a drinking party and that's fine. Of course I'm not uncomfortable with it.

　I smiled through my mask.

"And before she was a vassal, Stella was the most important thing...

I was about to say, 'She's an important colleague,' when I found myself saying something different.

　Yes, she's an important person.
　She is the first demon tribe I've met since I was reborn as a demon king.
　The demon tribe that has helped me more than anyone else until now.

　And the woman who was closest to me and supported me the most.

"...Mr. Freed, sir.

　Stella squirmed against my chest, reserved.
　Her cheeks are red and she looks up at me with wet eyes.

'Stella,'

　I looked straight at her...

"Moe.
''H........?''

　I heard a voice up close, and Stella and I couldn't help but back away.

''Jeez.''

　Olivier is right beside us.
　He was so engrossed in his conversation with Stella that I didn't notice him at all.
　Maybe it's the same with Stella.

'I-I don't want you to just show up out of the blue...'

　I said, unable to hide my impatience.

'Ehehe, I'm sorry,'

　While saying this, Olivier has a big smile on his face.

''Fufufu, sister Stella is a maiden. She is in full love with you. It's her first love.''

　The nine tails were twitching adorably.

''Moe... haha.
Don't get me wrong. I'm a vassal to the Demon Lord, you know.

　Stella defended herself with a bright red face.
　She fumbled and waved her hands in the air, which was unusual for her to be cool.

'I'm moaning more and more as I squirm,'
So, no, it's not- Oh, come on, don't grin. Don't get me wrong.
"Hufflepuff.

　Olivier seems to be in a full moe state.

'Romantic feelings, eh? You're still talking about something I can't understand.

　With a thud, a thud, a skull swordsman approached with the sound of footsteps.
　It was Regal.

　The eye light looking at me looked a little different than it had yesterday.
　The eyes that had been wavering as if to show hesitation are now dazzlingly intense.

　As if to show Regal's state of mind.
　As if - as if to say that the hesitation was cleared.

'Please punish me when things have calmed down.

　Regal tells him.

'You look like you've blown it, Regal.
The only thing I can do now is to mindlessly swing my sword.
I see.
'I can only be me. I can only be me, the hatred for people and the way of life of a warrior. I will continue to wield the sword as I am...

　I was satisfied with his words.
　Of course, it's a heavy fact that he was complicit in the rebellion.
　It's not a simple matter of 'forgiveness'.

　No, if it were me personally, I could choose to do that, but as the Demon King, that would never happen.

　However, that was also a relief.
　That's what makes it regal,'' he said.

''Alright, let's all work together and get through the phase phase. We'll work together to get through this phase, and we'll find a way to get back to the time when we started.

　The moment I was about to say.

"...!

　A tremendous shiver and chill ran through my whole body.

　I feel it.
　It's not logic, but instinct, a sensation that warns me with every fiber of my being.

　An overwhelming and immensely powerful being turns on me with hostility.

　To me, to Stella, to Olivier, to Regal.
　And to all of this demon world──.

"Demon Lord, what was that sign?
Yeah.

　I nodded at Stella's words.

　I had felt this presence before.

　That's right, the huge amount of divine air that Liavert was wearing during the second heroic invasion battle.
　This is the source of it──.

"God is beginning to move.

　It's finally going to start.

　The battle between the God and the Demon King, as described in the myths.