Chapter 45: Prince Kurobuta Runs Away from the Hero with all his might

“What!? Brad’s gone?”

Castral's eyes widen at the knight's report.

This is the conference room of the royal palace.

After the previous audience with Brad and Carol was over, Castral was discussing the other kingdom’s response in regards to the disappearance of Albert and the battle at the Deltora peninsula, but the meeting was interrupted by a knight who barged in urgently.

“Yes, when I checked his room earlier, he was no longer there.”

“What do you mean? Wasn’t he under surveillance?”

“Yes, we had two knights in front of the room at all times. So we had no idea how he escaped…”

When the Knight gives the report of their embarrassing failure, Castral grits his teeth bitterly.

“How on earth did he get out then? Did he use his dragon?”

“The ice dragon is still in the dragon house and there is no report that he passed through the city gate, so they are still in the royal capital at least.”

Castral slowly ponders whether Brad can still be stopped.

“Is it possible that Princess Carol has escaped too?”

“Don’t worry about that your Highness, Glace-sama is with her right now as we speak.

Castral pats his chest, wondering if Brad escaping alone was true and he frowns at the discomfort of Glace’s action.

“He seemed to be obsessed with Brad, but why keep an eye only on Princess Carol?”

The "Seven Heroes" Glace Stresemann, who is also an honorary knight of this country, is extremely indifferent to things that do not interest him. I'm not sure why he decided to keep an eye on Carol, instead of his apprentice Brad.

“Glace-sama himself said that if Brad-sama were to take action, he would certainly come to Carol's rescue first. In the end, it seems that he was wrong.”

Castral nodded, "I see.”

It's no wonder that Glace thought so.

Given Brad’s personality these days, if he was going to the Deltora Peninsula, it is unlikely that he will leave Carol behind.

“So where is Glace now?”

When I told him that Lord Brad had escaped, he puzzled over it for a while, but soon went to search for him.

Castral was relieved to hear that.

In addition to the Magic Knights, if Glace has also been included in the search, it will be impossible for Brad to escape like this.

（It's only a matter of time before he's caught.)

Castral put his mind at ease and instructed them to strengthen the security around the city gate, which was the escape route, and returned his thoughts to the many problems that would soon be piling up.

--But Castral had forgotten that the Brad of today was no longer a person who fit into the category of common sense.

✳︎

--The square in front of the south gate of the royal capital Fall Flat.--

The square was bustling with travelers and adventurers coming in and out of the capital, as well as people doing business with those people.

And from the top of the clock tower in the center of the square, there was someone looking down on the crowd.

(I can smell Brad's scent in the air..☆.)

It was Glace Stresemann, one of the "Seven Heroes" who was searching for Brad.

(I thought you’d definitely come to rescue Carol, But I'm sure you've read my thoughts on that☆.)

It was unexpected that Brad left Carol alone and ran off by himself.

(That's great, Brad.) He must have sensed that Glace was waiting for him at Carol's place and decided not to rescue her.

(As expected Brad-kun… That's why you're such an interesting person... but unfortunately, you can't escape me☆.)

Glace had no intention of letting Brad go to the Deltora Peninsula.

It is unknown how far the conflict between Dastoria and Elneid will expand, and there are too many dangers on that peninsula to begin with. As Castral had feared, there was no guarantee that even Brad would make it back alive.

(It's too bad to lose him now☆.)

He used a sight-enhancing spell to get a bird's eye view of the entire square and to look for Brad.

A strong man like Brad has a unique aura that he can't hide. It shouldn't have been too difficult to find him.

And in fact--

(… found him☆)

After a few moments, he successfully found a person in the crowd who seemed to be Brad.

The footstep peculiar to him, the extraordinary magic power that cannot be hidden and the glimpse of the silver hair from the deeply worn cloak.

I'm sure.

Glace flew off the clock tower and without even using levitation, landed in front of what appeared to be Brad.

"......?”

--Zudooong-- And because he landed on the cobblestone and raised dust, not only the person who seemed to be Brad but also the people around him all gathered and focused their astonished eyes on Glace.

"Eh! What?”

"Isn't that… Glace-sama?"

"Oh, really! He looks as beautiful as ever.”

Even the people in the distance looked at Glace to see what was going on.

“It's a shame that you were so close to escaping, Brad☆.”

“......"

When Glace said this, the person who appears to be Brad doesn’t run away but keeps quiet as though he were stunned.

And then—

“You found me, as expected.”

He said as if he had given up.

Then he lifted the hood of his cloak and Glace saw that it was indeed Brad von Pistel.

“I thought I was completely hidden in the crowd, but I didn't expect to be noticed so quickly.”

“I'm pretty good at spotting enemies. aren't I✩?" Glace walked up to Brad with his usual flirty smile.

“I didn’t think you’d abandon Carol-chan. If you were to head to the Deltora Peninsula, I would have thought that you would have rescued Carol and gone with her☆.”

"Indeed… I thought so too."

Brad shrugs his shoulders with a mischievous smile.

“But now that I've found you, what are you going to do? Are you going to try and forcibly escape or will you give up and return to the royal capital? I think it would be a little more entertaining for me if you try to escape☆”

In front of Brad, Glace could no longer contain his excitement.

(Ah!!… I want to see how strong he has become.)

To be honest, ever since he saw the grown-up Brad with his own eyes at the Sword Dance Festival, he has been itching to take on his sword.

Especially when Brad confronted Lionetta, the huge display of magic power was tremendous. Brad had become incomparably stronger than before. He couldn't wait to experience it firsthand.

As Glace's excitement increased, the enormous magic power that even he could not control anymore, exploded and shook the air, becoming a wave that gouged the ground right below Glace and formed a large crater.

“......"

But while onlookers fled like spiders with screams, Brad was silent, his hand on his chin as if thinking.　

I can't read his emotions or will.

“You’re not saying anything, but at least it means that you don't want to leave quietly. If that's the case, why don't you fight me? If you can beat me, you'll be a free man.”

“No, of course I would if I could fight and win, but it seems too difficult.”

Brad smiles wryly.

Even if Brad has become stronger, there’s still a huge difference in power between the two. I guess he doesn't want to engage in a fight where his chances of winning are slim.

“I'll give you a chance! If you can get me to my knees, you win. I won't hold you back anymore. How about that?"

"Get you on your knees?"

Brad furrows his brow in thought.

"Yes, that sounds like a possibility. I'll take you up on those terms.”

“Done, it is decided✩.”

As soon as Brad agreed to the terms, Glace responded quickly and started moving with his sword as he was getting impatient.

And immediately, he attacks Brad with a sideways slash instead of a greeting.

"…  Guh!"

Brad hurriedly pulls out his sword and tries to parry the attack.

However, he couldn’t block it and got blown away as if he was being pushed backwards. Although he managed to stay on the ground and did not fall, his expression was tight. The hand he tried to use in parrying the attack was numb due to the impact.

(Hmm. I wonder if he’s in a bad condition ☆)

Glace tilts his head curiously.

It was just a greeting blow and I thought it was light enough that it could be countered given Brad’s current ability, but did I miscalculate?

(or was it my imagination☆?)

Glace doesn’t care and goes after Brad who has just regained his footing.

He swung his huge sword at Brad without hesitation. 

"......!"

Sometimes he takes it, sometimes he dodges it, and sometimes he deals with it.

However, all of Brad’s movements were monotonous and easy to read and if Glace took it seriously, Brad could be killed in an instant.

And that's not all.

Compared to when he was plump, his movements are better, but compared to the cyclops battle, it’s worse and when it comes to reading attacks, it seems he was clearly better when he was still fat.

“What’s wrong, Brad-kun, your abilities aren’t that good yet! Please entertain me more☆”

"Ah… wait, wait!”

Regardless of Brad’s request, Glace gradually increases the weight and speed of his attack as he pulls out his sword and points it at Brad.

But—

“Ah!!!!!”

In a short time, Brad was unable to withstand Glace's attack and was blown away with great force.

He struck the cobblestones and rolled over in a heap.

(Hmm, is this ...?)

Glace couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

This is because there’s no way that Brad, who had crossed swords with a Demon General couldn’t withstand this level of attack even though he wasn’t being serious yet.

Glace takes a look at Brad again and narrowed his eyes while looking at his magic power.

(So that’s it)

And then he notices.

The magic power of the Brad in front of him seems to be camouflaged well on the surface, but behind it was an unnatural magic power that clearly does not belong to Brad.

“Hey… who are you?”

Glace asks, narrowing his eyes sharply.

At that question, Brad- No, something in the form of Brad opens his eyes as if he was surprised and then looks around.

“What are you talking about? This is Brad. The first prince of this country and your disciple.”

“By the way, I don’t think Brad-kun will really refer to himself in such a way☆.”**

Glace points that out casually and the impersonator looks startled.

“Ah… that’s, I just wanted to change my image.”

“That’s a lie, it doesn’t suit him☆”

Glace shrugs and responds immediately.

The charade was over.

The impersonator moves his mouth as though he wanted to say something.

However, it seems that he thought about it for a long time.

He changed the gentle expression on his face and looked at Glace directly in the face.

“How did you know I’m not Brad von Pistel?”

“First of all, you’re too weak. You can’t replace Brad.”

“I see. I’m aware, but it still hurts to hear it.”

“Secondly, you’re not cute, Brad is cuter☆.”

“This isn’t even parental stupidity, it’s a master’s stupidity.”

The Brad impersonator sighed with a nihilistic smile that would never be seen on Brad’s face.

“Hmm… well it’s okay. It seems I’ve fulfilled my role enough.”

While saying so, he took off the hood he was wearing.

What was on his head were animal ears. Furthermore, sharp and pointed canine teeth were revealed. Eyes with longitudinal slit-like pupils that didn’t belong to humans were exposed.

Glace immediately discovers the true identity of the impersonator before his eyes.

“I See. Werewolf-kun from that time☆”

He was sure it was the werewolf lord named Uru Gallov, which Brad had been cooperating with the other day to get Lionetta out.

When it came to werewolves, their transformation skill is perfect, even Glace didn’t suspect a thing.

“Then what about the real Brad?”

“As you first pointed out.”

Uru happily shrugs and uses his chin to point to the royal palace.

At first, Glace thought for a while, but after much thinking, it came to him.

“Fufufu! I see, so that’s how it is. I was distracted from watching the princess☆ How brilliant! Brad-kun☆”

Glace understands that he has been tricked by Brad von Pistel.

However, even though he was well deceived, it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling that sprung up inside Glace, it was that of pride that such a talented young man was his disciple.

“Are you sure it’s okay not to go after him?”

“Yeah, I lost☆ it is nonsense for the loser to complain after☆”

Uru stared at Glace who was still smiling casually.

“So like disciple like master.”

Uru said and shrugged with a stunned expression.

Chapter 46: Prince Kurobuta Leaves the Royal Capital

--A few hours ago--

"Hey, Brad-sama's not here!”

"No way… What's going on? When did he escape?”

In the royal palace, the knights in charge of keeping an eye on Brad were all panicking.

“This is a big deal! He might have gone to Carol-sama desu! Let’s go look for him desu!”

The knights had already lost their composure and were successfully guided by Rosie's words to leave Brad's private chambers.

While listening to the scene going on...

(Rosie's quite a performer, isn't she?)

Brad, alone in his private office, is relieved that the first step of the operation has been cleared.

In fact, Brad was still hiding in his private office.

He simply used levitation to stick to the ceiling when the knight entered the room and quickly moved behind the knight when he was about to enter his field of vision. It's just that they disguised the situation as if he had escaped.

It was a power play of hide-and-seek that was possible because of the difference in strength between the knights and Brad.

(Now, let's move.)

After waiting in the room for a while, he confirmed that the communication stone in his pocket had begun to flash.

It was linked to the communication stone that had been given to Rosie in advance.

He had asked Rosie to let him know when Glace left Carol's vicinity with this communication stone. It seems that she was able to deceive Glace as well as the knights. She’s a capable maidservant who seems to be out of her element.

(All I have to do is get Carol out while Uru is distracting Glace and leave quickly.)

Brad put on his jet-black cloak and left the room, making sure that the hallway was clear of people.

But right after that.

"Please wait."

A voice suddenly called out to him from behind, making him freeze in surprise

Looking back, it was a fairy-like ephemeral girl, Marie El Folktas, the daughter of the duke and Brad’s Fiancee.

"Marie, why are you here?"

“That's supposed to be my line,'” she said. “Everyone is afraid that his royal highness has escaped. I thought I'd come to check on you, but it looks like I was right.”

Marie shrugged her shoulders in dismay.

“They’re no match for me," Brad said with a smile while shrugging his shoulders.

“You're going to the Deltora Peninsula? The sword dance festival has been canceled and I haven’t yet changed my mind about canceling the engagement, but it seems you don't care about me.”

While being momentarily blinded by the adorableness of Marie's lips pursed in dissatisfaction, Brad shakes his head, "No, no, no! It’s not that I don’t value you Marie. But there are things about Albert and the Deltora Peninsula that only I can probably do. So why don't you just wait a little while?"

Please! Brad bows his head deeply.

Bowing your head like this sincerely in his previous life can almost get you out of any situation. But it’s not something his previous proud self would have done.

Marie frowned for a while and then smiled beautifully.

"Fufufu, Brad-sama, I'm only joking, please raise your head."

"A joke?"

“I just wanted to tease you a little. I know that you’re working on a great mission. I won’t stop you. I just wanted to hear it from you. So please go ahead without hesitation.”

Marie said with a mischievous smile, and Brad was relieved.

“So, the engagement isn’t canceled?”

“That’s a different story entirely. Please come back safely first, then we can talk about it. And when you do, there’s something I would like to tell you. Yes, about a certain prophecy."

Brad tilts his head.

"A prophecy?”

"I'm sure you've heard of the Almighty Prophet Perfect Scorer. He has a 100 percent accuracy rate, and he's the one who predicted the battle on the Deltora Peninsula. I want to talk about his prophecy."

It's important, Marie added.

Brad nodded his head.

“I understand. I'll definitely be back and when I do, tell me your story.”

That's all he said and hugged Marie.

He wanted to ask her in detail what the prophecy was about, but time was of the essence.

Then he said goodbye to Marie, who nodded her head and quickly ran off.

("The Almighty Prophet," huh?)

The name sounded familiar to Brad.

But that was his memory after he had been reincarnated in this world, and the name had never appeared in any of the Final Quest games.

If a prophecy with a 100 percent accuracy rate was really possible, it would have a lot to do with the historical facts of this world.

Who the hell is it?

(Come to think of it, could it be possible…)

Brad quickly arrived at an answer, but shook his head.

(I'll just focus on what's in front of me right now.)

He ran as fast as he could to the east wing of the royal palace, where Carol was being held.

****

The east wing is a very secure building, where royalty and diplomats from other countries stay when they visit, and it has a special security system. It is very difficult to get in and out, except for a few authorized people.

This is also the case in Final Quest, and when you first visit the royal palace, it’s set as an "inviolable area" that you cannot enter.

However, in the latter half of the story, you can gain access to the building by obtaining a "magic key" event item.

And now...

(This is really useful.)

Brad had used the "magic key" to successfully break into the east wing.

He hadn't been expecting this, but he had gotten it beforehand.

After all, this key was very convenient.

It can open basically any lock, not to mention doors that have been magically locked. After I acquired this key at the end of Final Quest, I used it to break into various places.

(Masterpiece RPGs do well to craft such details.)

As I walked down the corridor, I thought to myself, "I'm going to have to use this key.”

It was probably because it was a difficult place to enter in the first place. There were not many guards in place, and for Brad, who had just played a game of hide and seek, it was a no-brainer to get to the room where Carol was being held without being seen.

"Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?"

And when he got to the front of Carol's room, he was finally spotted by a knight.

It’s correct to say he allowed the knight find him on purpose since he could not avoid him.

The knight's eyes widened when Brad quickly showed his face, as it would be troublesome to make a fuss.

"Bra…Brad-sama! Why are you here?”

“I have some business with Carol.”

“What do you mean "business"? You can't do that! His Majesty told me not to let anyone near here! Please leave!”

It seems that the guard’s sense of responsibility prevailed over various emotions and the knight stubbornly stands in his way.

I guess he's serious. It's a good thing.

However, such a serious knight is unexpectedly vulnerable to sweet temptation.

Brad grins and takes out a pouch from his back.

“Well, I have a deal for you. Here's a bag of money that's equivalent to what you'll earn in a few years of work. Would you rather keep it in your own pocket and tolerate my actions, or fight with me and suffer the consequences?”

The knight's eyes widened and he gulped down his spit.

He seems to be quite shaken at such a ridiculously huge offer.　

“But as a knight, I can't do that!”

“It’s okay, if someone asks you what happened, just tell them I threatened your life and you couldn’t go against me, because I am after all, the Black Pig Prince."

It didn't take long for the knight to give in to the temptation that had nothing but merit when Brad provided him with an escape route for his excuses.

“Yes, I see… I haven’t seen anything. I don’t know anything. I don't care what you’ll do.”

The knight said in desperation, snatched the satchel out of Brad's hand and put it in his pocket with incredible speed.

He smiled as the knight reluctantly made way for him.

Brad knocked on the door.

"You can come in."

A voice immediately answered from inside the room.

Brad slowly opened the door.

"......."

He saw Carol there and averted his gaze fluidly.

“Well… if it isn’t Brad. Did you really come to pick me up?”

“Of course I did, I had no intention of leaving you behind.”　

Brad was so stunned by her beauty that he couldn’t look at her directly.

It's not surprising that she wasn’t surprised to see Brad here, and the reaction itself wasn’t strange.

But that's not the point.

"Why aren't you wearing any clothes again?"

Why is Carol wearing nothing but her underwear?

And she’s standing on her head.

Last time I encountered her like this, I thought it was because she was changing clothes, but now it’s a mystery because that’s not the case this time around.

“Why? do you wear clothes in your room? This is more open-minded and better. When we were born, we were all naked. I think you’re a fool if you dress so stiffly in your room.”

Carol said so confidently as if to say, "What's the problem?”

Perhaps the people of the Deltora Peninsula tend to like that kind of lifestyle, but Brad is still amazed at this. 

“Hmm… my figure is so beautiful that I look like a divine goddess and I can’t help it. That’s just the way it is.”

“I see.”

“However, though I am well aware that I am extremely beautiful, please don't ask me to step on you like before.”

“Please don't talk about me as if I'm some kind of pervert who gets off on being stepped on by women. I've already told you it was a misunderstanding.”

“What? You mean you're a pervert who wants to be stepped on by men, not women? I see.”

“You can think whatever you want.”

Brad sighed but soon his expression became serious.

“Anyway Carol, hurry up and get dressed before anyone catches wind of what’s going on. From now, we’ll be heading to the Deltora Peninsula. Sorry for the bad timing.”

“But wasn’t Glace outside the door? What’s going on?”

“That’s not a problem, the plan should be playing out well now. But I don’t know when he’ll be back, so we need to hurry up and leave the kingdom.”

“I understand.”

When Brad seriously admonishes her, Carol begins to put on clothes in a hurry.

**

“It’s okay if we’ve come this far. If Rosie is playing her part well, my dragon Gilgard should be coming to pick us up.”

Brad said while stroking his chest.

They were already outside the royal capital and were hiding in the Luran forest.

After rescuing Carol, they escaped from the royal capital as planned and fled to the forest.

They were around the square where the monsters were tamed the other day. But since the monsters had already headed to sky mountain, it was only the both of them. The knights should still be looking for them at the royal capital, so no one would think to look here.

“Brad, do you really need to come to the Deltora Peninsula?”

Carol suddenly asks.

It was an unexpectedly serious question.

“What do you mean?”

“You were not on good terms with Albert and without him, you could be the king of this country. Considering that, I don’t think there’s any reason for you to take the risk of going to the battlefield.”

Certainly, what Carol said was justifiable.

“I didn’t get along with Albert, but that doesn’t mean I disliked him, and also, I don’t have a good image that’ll give me the position of the king, so I don’t want it. I would rather have Albert become king while I live a leisurely life. That’s why I have to bring him back safely.” 

That was Brad’s true feelings.

He had a job as a manager in his previous life, the responsibility then was outrageously heavy. He didn’t think it would get better if he became the king.

Brad believed that the game knowledge he had was not enough for his everyday life. Now all he wanted was a guarantee of personal safety and a free life.

“And although the problem between Dastoria and Elneid is not really my business, if things are left as they are, the demon’s hands will definitely reach Pistel. Since that’s the case, it’s better to cooperate with anyone available and deal with the problem as soon as possible.”

Brad smiled and shrugged as Carol opened her eyes slightly, moving her mouth as if to say something.

Then she seemed strangely convinced.

“I see. I can see why Glace-sama set his sights on you. The reason why you pretended to be incompetent was to concede the throne to your brother.”

“Hmmm?”

When Brad tilts his head to the side, Carol hurriedly shakes her head.

“No… it’s okay if you were hiding it. Anyway, I seem to have misunderstood you. You’re not even worried about putting yourself in danger, You’re concerned for your younger brother and even my country. And don’t even hesitate to pretend it’s because of my beauty.”

“No! no!... it’s definitely the fact that I’m thinking of myself.”

It seems that something has been misunderstood again.

Brad is taking action only because he wants to avert the crises of his own death end and helping people is just his secondary goal. He wants to reach out to those who need his help only if he can afford it. So he isn’t acting based on an altruistic saint mindset like Carol was thinking, but---

“Well, if you say so. I guess we’ll leave it at that then.”

Carol smiled.

It seems that I’ve been completely misunderstood.

(Although what I said was true, why do I get misunderstood every time?)

If it’s not bad, then it’s fine.

Immediately after their conversation—

Gilgard the dragon arrives and Brad, along with Carol rode on its back and set off for the Deltora Peninsula.

Without knowing that more people will misunderstand, even more from this time.

Chapter 47: The Rally of a Major Force

This is what happened a little while before the attack on Pistel by Lionetta.

"Hehe, we're first!"

In a corridor in the middle level of the Sky Mountain Labyrinth, a party of five adventurers was walking around, laughing vulgarly.

They were adventurers based in the town of Adras, not far from here. They had heard from their guild that the Cyclops that had been living in this labyrinth was defeated, and they had set out to conquer it.

“It's a labyrinth that hasn't been raided in a while, so we're going to be rich today!”

The labyrinth has been uninhabited since the Cyclops took up residence. In other words, money and goods that the monsters took from people such as relics of adventurers who were killed by monsters here should be untouched.

“You shouldn’t be careless about this. Rumor has it that the monsters here are troublesome. There’s a possibility that the demon king's army is still around.”

It was a young elf girl who pointed this out.

The girl had originally been against exploring this labyrinth because the dangers were still unknown. However, as a newcomer to the party, she was eventually pushed into it by the other members.

“Merle is as anxious as ever. Even so, we’re an advanced party with members with two names right? Easy easy.”

"That's right. Who do you think I am anyway? Be it an Ogre or any monster, once it comes before this “iron arm”, I Dash will destroy it.”

Merle once again warned them to be careful, but the members didn't listen to her and continued to walk forward without caution.

It may be inevitable.

There’s an unspoken rule that only adventurers of the third level Damascus or higher are allowed to use a second name, which means that it’s a sign of being a high level adventurer.

In this party, there are two people with two names, including the leader.

The demons in this labyrinth were known to be of a much higher level than those in the surrounding areas, but as long as there were no cyclops class monsters, they were sure that they wouldn’t have problems.

However, unforeseen circumstances are always a part of any adventure.

After some time of searching, the party spotted a corpse clad in expensive gear and approached it with great enthusiasm.

“What!? This is a trap!?”

The ground around them shone with a mysterious glow, and a huge magic circle appeared.

But by the time they realized it, it was too late. Countless arms sprang from the ground and grabbed each of their legs.

"Damn it let go of me! let go!"

The adventurers rushed to cut off the arms, but they were grabbed by so many arms that it was a waste of time. In spite of their efforts, they were all finally thrown to the ground, all of their arms and legs grabbed by the corpses’ arms, and crucified completely to the ground.

As if waiting for them, ten hobgoblins and a swarm of ogres appear.

Smiling eerily and licking their tongues as drool dropped from their mouth, the monsters surrounded the adventuring party.

"Why are there ogres and hobgoblins in such a place?”

Ogres and hobgoblins are powerful, high-ranking species.

They usually lead their herds as chiefs, and there are usually only one or two of them in a herd. You can't help but be surprised when you see so many of them, laying traps and moving in a coordinated fashion.

"No, no, don't come closer!!"

The adventurers ranted and raved, but they were completely entangled in the arms that grew out of the ground and could no longer move anything more than their fingertips.

The adventurers, even those with two names, were vulnerable once their movements were blocked like this by the trap.

But the moment the adventurers were about to die...

"......!

Boom! A powerful explosion.

A huge fireball flew from the side and blew the monsters away.

“We’re saved?”

“No, wait… Look at that!”

But before they could be relieved, the adventurers were faced with an even greater threat.

“What… is that thing?”

When they looked in the direction the fireball came from, they saw a humanoid-shaped monster surrounded by malevolent magic power.

At first glance, it appeared to be a beautiful young man like an elf wearing a dark brown robe like a wizard.

But in his hand was not a staff, but a scythe reminiscent of the Grim Reaper. His entire body was adorned with countless bone ornaments of unknown origin.

His skin was pale and lifeless, and he had a tattoo of a mysterious magic rune. In addition, one of his eyes was hidden by an eye patch, making him difficult to identify, and the other red eye was a magic eye that no human being can have.

Above all, it was obvious that it is a monster with its terrifying and evil magic power.

“What the hell are you doing? Have you forgotten what he taught you?”

The humanoid demon glided past the adventurers and asked the ogre and hobgoblins in a dignified voice like a king

The hobgoblins and ogres that were blown away rushed to their feet. In the face of this ancient monstrosity, they couldn’t make any excuse.

“Ah… that monster’s magic power is off the charts. It has a great magnitude to it. It seems it’s at the top of its species. Could it be one of those Demon Race monsters?”

“Ba- Baka! (Idiot!) That’s impossible. Being part of the Demon Race means its powers are equal to that of the Demon Generals. What would such a monster be doing here?”

“Well, you’re right… haha. Even if it’s not from the Demon Race, it’s still a humanoid monster.”

When a monster evolves, it often becomes huge for the purpose of showing off. But if they evolve further, they can become a higher race called the "demon race," which retains the characteristics of monsters but becomes humanoid.

However, the demons that reach the level of "demon race" are rare, being limited to the Demon Generals and leaders of the Demon King's army. They are legendary existences that aren’t encountered so often.

“Anyway, now’s our chance. I don’t know if they’re the remnants of the demon king’s army or not. Let’s kill them and show them the true power of humans.

While the monsters were discussing something, the adventurers tore out of the corpse hands that were holding them down and got up.

“Even if it’s not part of the demon race, they still outnumber us. I think we should make a run for it.”

“You're too weak, Merle. I'm sure they'll have plenty of money with them. This is a nice pinch and our chance.”

"Heck, we'll take them down and make a fortune!"

Merle uneasily advises them all to run away, but the party members were all motivated and no one wanted to. 

In the meantime, Merle was inwardly tormenting himself with the idea that a pinch is a pinch.

"Oooooooooooooooooooooo!”

The party members, except for Merle, attacked the demons with a rousing shout.

The first one to leap forward was Dash, the strongest warrior in the party with two names.

He ran through the labyrinth with incredible speed while aiming for the humanoid monster who had his back turned and launched a full powered sword attack with a flowing motion.

Dash slashed the humanoid demon several times and felt a response. He was sure of victory and smiled. However,

"… ‘Invisible Chain’…"

The humanoid demon raised its scythe like staff and whispered such a spell.

The adventurers were instantly bound by invisible chains around their arms and torso, and fell to the ground again, unable to free their bodies.

“Da…Damn it! What a strong magic chain, I can’t break free!”

“Isn’t ‘Invisible Chain’ a 6^th rank magic? How did it complete such a complex spell in an instant?”

“And this guy…is regenerating the parts I cut off? Is he an undead?”

When the adventurers cast their gaze, the humanoid monster who stood on the same spot while receiving the sword attack without moving an inch. Didn’t even seem to feel pain.

“To answer your question, I am an “Undead King” according to how humans classify me. Any weapon other than Mithril has no effect on me.”

The monster replies plainly.

--The Undead king--.

The undead king is the highest level of the undead. It’s an S-ranked monster that is a further evolution of the undead lord that is said to destroy small villages.

It’s so legendary that there is a legend that a single Undead King once destroyed an entire country.

And the appearance of a humanoid monster who handles a 6^th rank high level magic so lightly and exudes extraordinary magic power and murderous intent shows the unmistakable truth that it is an undead king.

“An undead king, huh?”

“Why is such a monster here?”

"So that's why these guys were following…!”

The adventurers realize.

Even though there were so many strong ogres and hobgoblins, it was possible for the humanoid monster to lead them as a group because he was overwhelmingly superior.

“We can't win!... I thought the Demon King's army was already gone!"

When the adventurers said that in panic, the Undead King released a terrifying murderous intent that was uncomfortable and unmatched so far.

“Do not lump us in with the Demon King's army. The one we serve is far greater than the Demon King. He will eventually rule this world."

“That can’t be right. You can't possibly ...... there can’t be such an existence!”

The adventures shudder at the Undead King’s murderous aura.

The monster in front of them alone seems to be clearly not something that they - or even humans - can compete with. And yet, there was an even more powerful being. An existence that surpasses even the Demon King.

While the adventurers were trembling, wondering if it was the end of the world for them, the undead king walked towards them.

Dash panicked.

"Wait… I'm sorry! That’s right! I'll give you all the money you want, but can you please let me off the hook this once?”

Dash said while smiling sheepishly as he was bound like a hornworm by the invisible chain.

But the Undead King glared at him with a surprisingly cold expression.

"Do you think demons want money and gold? You tried to hunt me, so as such, you were prepared to be hunted too, right?”

The undead king slowly raised the scythe towards the adventurers, intending to end it all immediately.

To the adventurers, the scythe looked like the scythe of the god of death, reaping life. And just when they thought the scythe had flashed...

"Hi, hiiiiiiiiiiiiii!”

The adventurers ran away with all their might, their legs tangled up in fear.

They ran through the corridor without glancing back and returned through the original route which they entered. They escaped from the labyrinth shortly afterwords all breathless. 

**

(Even though I just cut the chain, they’re pretty quick and cowardly.)

The Undead King named “Lord” by Brad the great shrugged.

He didn’t raise the scythe to harm the adventurers. He simply cut the chains that were holding them.

The adventurers may have lost their sense of normality and they probably still don’t even know that their restraints were lifted.

(If it was before, I would have eaten them without hesitation, but the great one instructed us not to harm humans. I’ll skip it this time. Besides, there’s an important meeting to attend.)

The Lord stroked his chin while feeling uncomfortable with his body that gained flesh due to his evolution to “Undead King”. He returned to their stronghold with the monsters.

Hundreds of monsters were already gathered in the main hall of the stronghold, a temple named “Sanctuary”, deep in the labyrinth.

The 100 sky mountain indigenous monsters that Brad tamed and the Sky mountain wild monsters that succumbed to Brad’s Corps (Provisional).

Compared to the 1000 battalions led by the cyclops, their number was below half, but their power was unmatched.

This is because many of the monsters have gained unmatched strength through the leveling techniques Brad taught them and have evolved into higher-ranking species as their levels rose.

Just as Lord has reached the evolution of “Undead King”. Goblins have evolved into hobgoblins and orcs have evolved into high orcs.

When a monster evolves one step, its power is completely different. In terms of ability, it should be equal in ratio to the cyclops battalion.

And before the powerful group of monsters, on the stage were five monsters exuding exceptionally terrifying magic power.

These are the monsters that Brad named. The seven beings, including Lord and Shadow, who is currently investigating the Deltora Peninsula, were the top executives who are currently leading the monsters in Brad Corps (provisional)- Commonly known as the “Seven Magic Swords”

When Lord came and stood next to them, the slightly noisy hall suddenly calmed down. 

“Listen, my brothers!”

Lord raises his voice.

“As you can see I’m not the only one here. I thought it was necessary to share the will of our great lord, Brad-sama once again, who wanted to claim sky mountain and make new allies.”

Monsters listen to the words as though it were an oracle speaking.

“Brad-sama wants to rule this world and eventually, all the dimensional worlds as well. He ordered Shadow to investigate the Deltora Peninsula, which is proof that he will soon have the Peninsula in his hands.”

Lord speaks brilliantly about what he thinks are Brad’s ideals.

“But even in this world, there are many obstacles such as humans and the demon king’s army. Our job is to be the “strongest shield” that protects Brad-sama.”

That was Lord’s opinion on what the great Brad required of them.

“As an expression of our determination, from now on, this Legion formed by the great Brad shall be known as the “Blood Service”. A legion that serves only Brad-sama. With the “Seven Magic Swords” specially named by Brad, we will offer our best service to him.”

In response to such a high-ranking declaration by Lord, the monsters who were silent until now screamed like an army in fervor.

There can be no objection. Lord worships Brad like a god as he talks about Brad’s greatness every day.

“Glory to Lord Brad!”

When one of the monsters shouted those words, everyone began to chant it, albeit an unfamiliar and difficult human language.

Their voices continued to echo through the labyrinth, showing the magnitude of the monsters’ loyalty to Brad.

Thus---

Without Brad’s knowledge, Brad Corps the “Blood Service” was formed as they began to work towards the ideals which they thought were Brad’s.

It wasn’t long before hundreds of monsters led by the “Four Demon General” Lionetta and the commander Vieira joined them. 

Volume 6

Chapter 48: Prince Kurobuta Saves the Princess of a Foreign Country

The Deltora Peninsula.

Humans, sub-humans, demons, barbarians... there are more different species living there than anywhere else on the continent. Because it is such a chaotic place, clashes between people with different values are a common occurrence.

On the other hand, it’s an undeniable fact that the number of conflicts has been decreasing compared to the past when conflicts were constantly occurring everywhere.

This was undoubtedly due to the efforts of Cascade de la Trafford, the hero known as the "Berserk Emperor".

Through his overwhelming charisma, Cascade was able to unite the southern part of the peninsula one area after another, along with the inhabitants of the extremely ferocious peninsula such as dark elves and barbarians who have fought for a long time. unbelievably, he was able to establish a single country in this barren land.

--Dastoria, the "Gray Empire”--

That was the name of the country.

People and monsters, light and dark, white and black, all mixed and living together, that's how it came to be called.

Of course, the establishment of a country didn’t mean that peace would come immediately. Peace was still far away, and there are still conflicts throughout the peninsula.

But even so, there was no doubt that Dastoria was coming together as a nation under the absolute leadership of Cascade.

Yes.

Things were going in the right direction.

That is, until a few months ago when the Queen and Prince of Dastoria were killed by assassins believed to be from Elneid, the "Righteous Nation”. {TN: May have been Ernade previously}

Dastoria and Elneid were two countries that had been in a pact with each other, but due to the recent event, they fell out and skirmishes began to break out all over the two countries.

And then...

"Destroy the dogs of Elneid!"

With the commanding voice of the Dark Elf commander, the sound of magic explosions resounded.

The location was a defensive stronghold of Dastoria, commonly known as "Mungal Citadel", located along the road near the border between Dastoria and Elneid.

A skirmish between Dastoria and Elneid was taking place there today as well.

It was clear at first glance that the battle was not in Elneid's favor.

The power of the Elneid side is only 5 phantom beast knights who rode on Griffins, while on the Dastorian side were the three dark elf warriors who are famous as the Ikki Tonsen (Doll Masters) because there were a whopping 100 magic dolls of human size that they controlled.

(Ku!... We're sure to be wiped out at this rate. How did this happen ......)

The female elf knight, Liddell, the captain of the Elneid forces grits her teeth due to the desperate situation they were in as they were surrounded by magical dolls.

She hadn't planned to fight in the first place.

It's just that she wanted to talk to the Dastorian side about the current misunderstanding between the two countries, and asked for permission to pass through this barrier for an audience with the Emperor. This should have been obvious from the fact that they were only five horsemen strong.

Despite this, the Dark Elves, the commanders of the Dastorian side, refused.

Without even listening to Liddell’s story, she was showered with magic attacks and then got surrounded by magic dolls.

“Wait! We just want to talk to the Emperor…”

“There’s nothing to talk about!”

Liddell complains again, but the Dastorian side wouldn’t hear her out.

As the three dark elves waved their hands, as many as 100 magic dolls swarm out and attacked Liddell and her Crew.

(Ku!... )

The magic dolls used by the dark elves were low-grade dolls with low creation costs and are equivalent to D-rank when ranked as monsters. They can only respond to simple instructions from their creators and have only monotonous means of attack, such as wielding a weapon in a conventional manner.

However, the physical strength of each and every one of them surpassed that of an ordinary human, and when 100 of them attacked at once, it was enough of a threat.

(Their numbers are too many)

The five phantom beast knights, including Liddell  destroy the magic dolls one after another and reduce their number. But it was still unreasonable for only five knights to handle about 100 of them. It was impossible.

Liddell and her crew being cornered were forced to escape to the sky temporarily on their griffins.

"......!”

But there were also dozens of magic stone gargoyles armed with spears waiting for them and they were attacked mercilessly with eerie cries.

Liddell and the others tried desperately to fight back, but the violence of numbers was still inexorable. The gargoyles' spear points gradually injured the griffins' bodies, causing considerable damage.

Finally, the griffin that Liddell was riding ran out of power and crashed to the ground.

Liddell and the griffin hit the ground hard.

“Die!"

As if waiting for the opportunity, a dark elf appeared in front of her and mercilessly thrust his dagger at her as she was trying to regain her footing.

The attack of the dark elf, a leading assassin was too fast and sharp. It was impossible for Liddell to avoid the attack.

(Father, ......, I'm sorry.)

Liddell was convinced of her own death and apologized to her father for her selfish actions.

In fact, Liddell's request for an audience with the Emperor of Dastoria was not the consensus of the Elneid Kingdom. It was her own decision.

However, she had no regrets about her decision to move against her father's restraint. Even now, standing on the brink of death, she still thought it was the right thing to do. If things continue as they are, there will undoubtedly be a major war between Dastoria and Elneid. The only way to prevent that from happening was to act now.

(I’m sorry… I’m sorry.)

I wished I had a little more power.

With a little more power, the barren struggle between the two countries could’ve been stopped and no one would get hurt anymore.

Liddell's tears, thick as blood, trickled down her cheeks as she felt annoyed at her own incompetence.

However, the reality closing in on her couldn’t be changed as the dark elf’s dagger was heading straight for her chest.

"......!!!"

A figure breaks in between Liddell and the Dark elf. The dark elf’s dagger was flung away with a high pitched sound.

“Who… Gahh!”

With a flowing movement, the figure kicks the dark elf in the torso sending him rolling to the ground unexpectedly.

(What happened?)

Liddell hurriedly looks at the figure.

The actual figure that rescued Liddell from her predicament was a man- no, a boy.

In addition to the fine appearance of the boy, he seemed to be mistakable for a dark elf with his features of shinning silver hair and brown skin.

But when you take his figure and magic power into consideration, it was clear he was human. 

“Elneid hypocrites! Did you keep your friends hiding nearby because you originally wanted to crush this citadel? What a cowardly act!"

The dark elf stood up, groaning in pain, and blurted something like that out.

(What the hell is he talking about?)

But of course Liddell had not done anything as cowardly as the dark elf had said, nor did she have any idea who the boy in front of her was.

'No, wait. I'm not an Elneidian. I'm neutral, probably… Anyway, why don't you listen to me first?”

"Hmph… Shut up! Anyone who sides with them is an enemy of ours.”

The boy’s appeal was in vain and the dark elf urges his fellow elves “Do it!”

The magic dolls begin to swarm the boy.

The boy's knight's uniform was clearly different from that of Dastoria. But the fact is that the boy sided with Liddell and the Elneids, from the Dark Elves' point of view, that would be enough reason to eliminate the boy.

But at the moment when the magic dolls were about to attack the boy...

"Fire Wave"

The boy chanted softly.

--Fire Wave--

It’s a third rank wide range attack magic that shoots out small waves of flame around the initiator.

However, because it is the weakest category in the wide range attack magic category, its power is inferior to the single attack magic “Fireball” of the second rank. At best, it’s a poor magic that is used only for intimidation or stalling.

(He can’t defeat the magic dolls with that. He’ll just burn them a little.)

The dark elf may have noticed this and wore a triumphant look on his face.

But the next moment--

"What ......?

BOOM!!!! There was an explosive sound.

It was the sound of a small spark from the boy's hand bursting into flames.

The flames quickly swelled up around the boy's hands and spread throughout the area in an unusually large wave of scorching heat.

It engulfed the magic dolls with the force of a tsunami, scorching them all in an instant. In addition, the wave spilled over into the sky and swallowed up the gargoyles in no time at all.

Liddell noticed that the magic dolls and the gargoyles, most of the enemy forces which were well over 100, fell to the ground all burnt like corpses. 

“This is impossible! What powerful magic! To burn all those numbers at once!”

Liddell exclaimed in astonishment

Liddell knew that the effectiveness of such magic changes depending on the skill of the caster, but she never thought that a third rank magic would be so powerful. This clearly deviates from the category of third rank. If appraised properly, It may even be ranked sixth or seventh.

“No way! There is such a wizard in Elneid? But if you’re a wizard, that’s the best you can do!”

The dark elf grits his teeth, but then he immediately holds his dagger and with his ally dark elves, immediately disappears from sight. 

--This is a fifth rank magic, "Invisible".

The dark elves' specialty, the dark invisibility spell, was the reason why they were considered the best assassins. Once they use this magic to hide themselves, they are impossible to find.

"Please run! If you stay here, you'll end up dead!”

Liddell shouts, but the boy doesn’t move an inch from the spot. He closed his eyes as if he was probing for something.

And the next moment...

"......!"

As if to show off his martial arts skills, the boy thrusts his fist into a hollow space and launches two powerful hits.

“Gaah!!!... why?”

That instant, the dark elves appeared one after the other at the spot where the boy fired the blast and collapsed with a moan.

“I told you to listen to me," he said. “Well, you can't hear me now.”

Glaring at the three dark elves who had fainted in an instant, the boy shrugged his shoulders.

I don't know how he did it, but it seems that he was able to read the movements of the three dark elves perfectly and stunned each of them with just one blow. It seems that not only his magic but also his physical skills are off the charts.

(I can't believe it…)

A hundred magic dolls, dozens of gargoyles, and three powerful dark elf magic warriors - all of which Liddell and her team couldn’t stand against, the boy defeated instantly as if they were nothing. It was hard to believe.

While Liddell was shocked at the sudden turn of events, the boy walks over.

“Are you alright miss?”

“Ah… yes!”

With a sweet smile, he reaches out and as she admires his well-organized face, she became suspicious of his behavior,

However, she immediately bowed her head.

“Thank you for your help, but who are you?”

“My name is Brad von Pistel, Prince of Pistel”

Liddell once again admired the boy’s graceful behavior but soon shook her head, thinking about the boy’s words.

“Pistel’s Prince? Why is such a person here?”

Liddell was startled by the boy’s unexpected confession.

“Oh… there are various circumstances at play…”

“Brad!!!”

There was a beautiful blue scale ice dragon that appeared from the sky and the voice seem to come from there.

And when the owner of the voice popped out from the back of the dragon, it was a girl with a neutral beauty. Liddell screamed.

“Carol? You’re Carol, right?”

“Hmm… are you…?”

The beautiful girl, Carol looked intently at her and when she recognized her, she widened her eyes.

“Oh Liddell! If it isn’t Liddell!”

“Carol, it’s been a long time!”

Carol jumped down from the dragon with a happy voice and hugged Liddell. Liddell also hugs her.

They hugged for a while.

“Hmm… you know her Carol?”

Brad asked while stepping in.

Carol released Liddell from the hug and turns to Brad.

“Of course I know her. She’s Liddell Sill Elneid. She’s a true Princess of the Elneid Kingdom.”

She revealed the true identity of Liddell.

Chapter 49: Prince Kurobuta Sets the Policy

It was only by chance that Brad saved Liddell from her predicament.

He and Carol had left Pistel on the back of his beloved dragon, Gilgard and had just arrived at the Deltora Peninsula. They had planned to head straight for the Imperial Capital, but then the sound of a magic explosion reached their ears.

Brad immediately checked out the situation with his sight-enhancing spell “Eagle Eye” and found Liddell in distress. He got off Gilgard's back and rushed to her side alone.

Then came the battle against the Dark Elves in the citadel.

The Dark Elves are feared throughout the continent as top-notch assassins, but their level in Final Quest is about 25. The level system is a cruel thing, and even if there were three of them, they were no match for Brad who is at level 56.

So, after Brad defeated them all by himself...

"I see, that’s why you need to negotiate."

Liddell told him the whole story and the circumstances, and he groaned.

They were inside the Mungal Citadel, in the guardhouse.　

Immediately after that, they decided to exchange information and had moved to another location.

On the way there, the dark elves woke up and they had a brief scuffle, but it was fortunate that Carol was there. The dark elves, who had been so ill-tempered, seemed to recognize the face of their country's princess and were surprisingly obedient.

I knew that the power of Emperor Cascade in Dastoria was immense, but I was surprised that his daughter Carol was also worshipped to this extent.

“Yes… my father tried to stop me, but I couldn't stay. It was not Elneid who took the lives of Carol's family. We would never do such a cowardly thing. That's what I wanted to tell Carol-san and the people of Dastoria."

Liddell desperately appeals for the innocence of her country.

It seems that she’s not lying.

Brad observes her for a while and came to that conclusion with his insight which was honed in his time at the royal palace.

(Even so, I didn't expect to meet the princess of Elneid. Coincidences do happen. But then again, I didn't expect her to be the princess of Elneid.)

Brad looks again at the beautiful Elven girl in front of him and takes a breath.

However, the good news is that Liddell felt uncomfortable with the current conflict between Dastoria and Elneid and was working on negotiating herself.

The fact that I have allies from both Dastoria and Elneid is very reassuring when it comes to stopping the war between the two countries. Moreover, Carol is the princess of Dastoria and Liddell is the princess of Elneid. It's unlikely that the two of them will be ignored.

(But I'm not sure if it will work out that way. ......)

As Brad was silently pondering about this, Carol gently placed her hands on Liddell’s shoulders to encourage her.

“I’m truly aware of that Liddell, so don’t cry. I know that Elneid is a stubborn country, but above all, it’s a country that values righteousness. It's not a country that does anything sneaky.”

"Carol…"

“Thank you.” Liddell bows with a teary face.

Carol consoles Liddell.

“I've just returned to the Deltora Peninsula from Pistel with Brad to stop this war.”

“Both of you…?"

“Yes, that's right. If you and I both go talk to my father, he’ll listen to us. So we should be fine.”

“That's reassuring!” Liddell jumped up and down with a happy voice.

“But why is Brad who is famous for the “Demon General Collapse” with you?”

“Demon General Collapse?”

Brad furrows his brow.

What is this completely unfamiliar term “Demon General Collapse”?

“Yes, Brad, your brave name is already famous in this peninsula.”

“My name?”

“You defeated the schemes of the demon general Lionetta and successfully defended Fall Flat, the royal capital of Pistel! In the end, you went toe to toe with Lionetta with your extraordinary swordsmanship, and the two of you went missing afterwards. It's an honor to meet you in the flesh like this! And not only are you a man of both literary and martial arts, but you’re also so beautiful!”

“......"

I see, since there’s no internet or TV, word seems to get out slowly. But it seems that the information is still spreading because of the magnitude of the incident.

(I don't want to be too famous because it might put more targets on my head)

All of this is the result of me doing what I wanted to do, I can't help it.

That aside, Brad takes a deep breath.

“I’m honored that such a beautiful princess knows me. The reason why I came to this country is to stop the war if it can be stopped. In addition, I came here to look for my brother, Albert, who has gone missing.”

"His Highness Albert is missing?”

Liddell's eyes widened in astonishment.

She knew Albert's name because he was known as an excellent prince.

"Yes. I'm not sure how it happened, but it seems that Albert is here in the Deltora Peninsula.”

“Do you have any idea where he is?” Brad asks, taking advantage of the opportunity.

But Liddell thought about it and shook her head.

“I'm sorry, unfortunately I don’t.”

“I see. No, it’s alright, thank you. I didn't expect to find a clue so soon either.”

With a little disappointment, Brad stands up.

“Anyway, the first priority now is to stop the war. Let's head to the imperial capital as soon as possible.”

“You’re right”

“Yes.”

Carol and Liddell both responded together at the same time and stood up.

I’ve not been able to explain that Beelzebub is the mastermind behind the dispute. But I can talk about it in detail on the way.

(We should hurry up.)

As far as this dispute is concerned, the situation is progressing much faster than I imagined. If we don't hurry, we don't know when it will turn into a big battle.

But as Brat started to walk away, Liddell tapped him on the shoulder.

“Umm… Brad-sama, excuse me, may I hold your hand?”

Brad tilted his head.

"My hand?"

“Yes. In fact, when I was wondering what to do about this matter, I was repeatedly encouraged by hearing about your activities. You alone defeated a demon general and saved your country, so I also had to step up in order to stop this dispute.”

Liddell puts her hand on her chest and smiles softly.

“And I just feel like you are my guardian god after saving my life. So I wanted to ask you to lend me your power to stop the war.”

“I see. I think you’re overestimating me a bit, but I'm honestly honored that such a lovely princess thinks so. I don't know if I can give you any power, but let's work together.”

When Brad consented his help, Liddell grabbed Brad’s hands tightly and shook her head.　

Carol saw this and teasingly said.

“Liddell, you'd better stop. I'll tell you one thing, he drools.”

"Wow! I didn't know that!”

“Don’t listen to her. Let's hurry up. We don't have much time.”

Brad started walking towards Gilgard leaving Liddell shocked.

And so...

Brad and the two princesses left the fortress and finally had an audience with the "mad emperor" Cascade in the imperial capital.

**

"Report the situation to me."

--A jet-black space--

In the darkness, where nothing can be seen, the voice of Beelzebub, the supreme commander of the Demon King's army, and one of the four demon generals, known as the "Gluttonous Overeater," sounded quietly.

Then, the voice of the monster under his command responded from the magic stone that was hidden behind.

"......! Everything is going according to Beelzebub-sama’s plan. Elneid has launched an invasion of the citadel city of Adras. Soon Adras will fall. When that happens, there will be no turning back for either side. It will be a big battle for sure.”

Hearing the delightful voice of the monster, Beelzebub ponders mysteriously.

(Hmm… it’s going too well, isn't it?)

When things are going too well, there is usually some kind of major backlash afterwards

As if reading Beelzebub's thoughts, the subordinate spoke up.

“But as you may know, there are some disturbing developments.”

“Disturbing developments?”　　

Beelzebub furrowed his brow.

“I've already reported that the princess of Elneid has left for Dastoria, but it seems that she has joined up with Carol, the princess of Dastoria, and Brad, the prince of Pistel.”

Beelzebub's eyes widened.

“Kekeke, Princess Carol aside, that Prince of Pistel is coming to the Deltora Peninsula… is that the case?” 

"It would seem so."

Beelzebub growls.

--Brad von Pistel--

In that Pistel incident, not only did he read Lionetta’s plot, but he was a mysterious prince who was on par with her.

But that's not all.

Somehow, Brat was able to see through the secret of Lionetta's sister, which Beelzebub was trying to use as a pawn against her, and finally persuaded Lionetta. How did he find out the truth about the girl and the information that I had kept hidden from everyone?

(Kekeke, there are still too many unknowns about the prince to be honest ......)

When I heard that the Cyclops was defeated by him, I didn't think he was much of a threat but seeing my plans being thrown into disarray like this, I have to be careful.

This plan, in particular, is very important to Beelzebub. He couldn't afford to be disturbed in any way.

"What should we do about the situation?"

“Do nothing.”

Beelzebub answered his subordinate's question immediately.

“Are you sure? The prince has strange powers. If the war is stopped by colluding with the princesses of both countries…”

"Kekeke… don't get me wrong. It's not that we can't make a move. I'm saying it's best not to take any action. If we make a bad move, we’ll get countered. The gears have already started moving, and it’s extremely difficult to stop them. All we have to do is to watch the troublesome emperor decay along with the Gray Empire.”

“I'm sorry…" he said.

Beelzebub disconnects as soon as the briefing is over and he didn’t wait for his subordinate to finish his apology.

(Kekeke…even without doing anything, he can’t stop everything)

The clash of power with power, the explosion of human emotions - they produce a great deal of magic power.

It is certain that an extraordinary amount of magic power will be produced in this battle. And if those powers can be recovered, the Demon King will awaken. The hole Lionetta left in the plan is huge, but the plan still hasn’t been altered.

(Well… Brad von Pistel… if you think you can stop it, then go ahead and try)

Beelzebub laughs.

His evil smile was so dark, black and horrific that even the deep darkness that surrounded him seemed hazy.