I lay down the large map on the table and put signs and symbols in some places. Alstroe stares at me with interests as I set up the map.

“Good morning, Asagao.”

“Un, good morning too, Higan.”

Among everyone, Higan arrives the earliest besides me and Alstroe. Her eyes are sharp and attentive in contrary to her deadpan face that she makes all the time. It feels like she is a little bit distant from me.

“Are you okay, Asagao?”

“Eh? Yeah…I am fine…”

“I see. Let’s do our best today.”

Higan stares at me with a soft expression and her lips are faintly smiling as she stares at me and Alstroe.

“You two look both lovely as always.”

“Ehehehe!~ Higan, the same thing can be said to you!”

“Thank you, Alstroe, however, I can feel that the two of you are somewhat different. Did something good happened between the two of you?”

“Un! But it’s a secret!~”

“Quite secretive now aren’t we, Alstroe.”

“Ehehehe!~ There’s a secret between us and there’s a secret between me and Asagao.”

“How shrewd of you, Alstroe. Well, I am going to find myself a seat as we wait.”

Higan proceeds on occupying an empty seat a little bit far from us. She is really acting strange today because she would immediately take a seat near to me. What bothers me the most is that there’s a secret between Alstroe and Higan. What was that little secret that Alstroe mentioned?

.

.

.

After that, one after another, everyone started coming.

A sleepy Susanoo being pulled by Cattleya with bed hair, Casablanca and Hibiscus together with Emby that were doing some light stretches, Shouko and Shouta walking together and sitting down together for obvious reasons, Mimi dragging Topaz who still has a crumbs of bread in her mouth, a lively Merissa that frolics around while carrying a weird gadget followed by Ferd with neutral expression, the angst Diyu who refuses to look at me, and Ichirou who avoided my eyes the moment he entered the room.

Miss Cecille won’t come since she is unrelated and she still has a job as a guild receptionist. The matter of the battle against the devil should only be within our group after all.

Bacarra didn’t come. She is just sleeping in a room somewhere in this house but she didn’t even bother coming. I don’t know how to talk to her though. I doubt we can reach something understandable in this crucial situation. I don’t want to blame her, I shouldn’t.

Since everyone is here now, we can resume what we had talked about yesterday…

“Alright, now that we are here, let’s proceed with this meeting. Um…I really don’t know how to start anything in this discussion so if you have any suggestions on what to do first…please kind of help me out…”

Please don’t blame me either. Even if I got better in my socialization skill, doing a pep talk or starting something this nerve wracking is still far from what I can really do. Maybe there is a time that I boldly talked but that’s just because of the heat of the moment!

“Well then, how about I start this.”

A voice resounds out of nowhere. My body immediately flared in vigilance as I immediately felt another strong magical power coming. However, the voice sounded so familiar that I took a step back and waits.

Even Susanoo is calm as he motionlessly stares at nothing. However, the unrest doesn’t only cling to my shoulders alone as most of us other than Alstroe who can’t feel anything.

“I apologize for my sudden intrusion and visiting unannounced.”

Suddenly, a warp appeared from the empty space in the room. Strong familiar magical power seethes from it. I just realized who was based in voice and magical power but to those who aren’t familiar with is such as Mimi and Merissa, they kept their guard up.

“It’s good to see everyone well, especially you, Asagao.”

From the portal that emits so much pressure, a figure of a woman comes out.

Her violet hair is tied in low ponytail laid down on her shoulder that flows up to her waist. Her sharp and beautiful gem like purple eyes reveals itself to us that it gives me a little shiver. The iconic robe with purple outline and stripes covered with shawl flutters even though the windows are closed.

None may have noticed it, no…no one literally notices the changes her body is going through yet but, I myself already knew about her swelling belly.

It was Violetta who came out from the warp portal.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“I have heard from Priscilla. Though, what Priscilla told me is only relayed by one of your comrades I presume. The one who came with a large white tiger…”

“Violetta!”

As soon as her figure completely reveals itself, my chest blooms with joy and gladness that my feet move on its own and run towards her with my arms outstretched towards her. She in response catches me in her embrace.

“I am glad you are fine!”

“Don’t be. I am the one who was worried, you know.”

“The dragon capital…and Fonfon…”

“Don’t be in haste. I will tell you everything systematically. I have a lot of woes too but let me ascertain every ally that we have here now.”

“I see.”

“Also…you’ve grown…physically wise. I guess there are lots of things we really need to discuss firsthand.”

Violetta’s stare that was affixed to me started eyeing on everyone with interest as her sight scans the whole room full of people. Since I feel like too clingy, I let go of Violetta’s waist and step back a little. As I look at their faces, they had mixed reaction since some of them knows her and some are not.

“There are lots of familiar faces and…unfamiliar ones. However, even among these peculiar and odd set up of people…one’s presences…stands out.”

Violetta’s eyes sparkle as her interest is strongly piqued by one particular person, Topaz.

Since Topaz notices that she is being gazed by someone with strong arcana magic, her response was easily of someone frightened. Topaz tried hiding behind Mimi who looks equally confused as everyone.

Without abandon, Violetta immediately strides towards Topaz with eyes fixated on her and the subject itself becomes even more scared, like what a small animal would do.

“Such strange existence you are. Moreover, you donned the appearance of that person, that woman whom Asagao gave importance to her life.”

“Eh…um…I’m T-Topaz…”

“Amazing…you have the very essence of a devil inside you but, at the same time, it is like your containment is of a homunculus but still a little far off from an actual one.”

“Homunculus…?”

“However, I can clearly see that there’s a disparity between your contained body and essence. There’s a friction that clearly prevents you from detaching from your origin, an unstable form that would seem to crumble if something were to force you to return to your very roots.”

“I am sorry…apparently…I was made imperfect.”

“But, you being here means Asagao has made you realized something or given something important to you, right?”

“I don’t know…I still don’t understand why I am here or what I should do.”

“I see. I am sorry for making you feel bad. It’s a little surprising that a devil like you has been incorporated with your own sentient thinking and colorful emotions.”

“……”

“Let’s go back to what we are talking about. I’ve deviated from the subject…”

Violetta who was visibly excited about something new fixes her countenance and glances to all of us again. Topaz, who was interviewed just now collapses and fell on her seat in which Mimi immediately consoles her by rubbing her back.

Her eyes swim particularly on two people this time…Cattleya and Diyu.

“It’s been a while, Cattleya, and Diyu. Was it Cattleya’s ascension to the throne the last time we’ve met?”

However, Cattleya and Diyu averted their eyes from Violetta’s prying gaze, as if saying the obvious that there’s something wrong. I heard that Diyu and Cattleya are childhood friends from Ichirou, however, ever since meeting yesterday, they...were a little distant to each other.

The one who responded to Violetta’s Inquisition is Diyu.

“You…do you have an absolute idea of what you did to Cattleya…? You dumped every work of adult to her…”

“That was not it, Diyu. She simply wished to be one so she did. She wants to follow through Ashfon’s example and teaching, nothing less.”

“You two basically drilled a wrong impression on her…”

“Based on how Cattleya led the demon continent, she is commendable for keeping it together despite its current economy and the separated opinion in her council. However, she was trying too hard to follow Ashfon’s ideology but, she failed at one aspect of being a leader.”

“……”

“She lacked tyranny. A basic trait all leaders must have to control the in and out of his range.”

“Tsk...”

“Why do you care now…?”

Cattleya’s voice interjected their conversation. It was one that filled with melancholy and worry.

“Diyu…what did I do wrong? What do you want me to do? You’ve been cold yesterday and I couldn’t muster up the courage to ask why but, why are you saying those now?”

Cattleya stands up and asked with her eyes in the verge of tears. I can already tell that even Cattleya has a pent up stress and that she’s been keeping herself occupied with all thoughts by clinging to Susanoo.

However, that ends now. Before Diyu could even say anything, Violetta interrupted her and make another announcement.

“Cattleya Scarlet, I have to tell you something.”

“What…?”

“I plan to come here yesterday however I’ve been visiting all of the continent leaders by warping. I happened to warp at the demon capital yesterday.”

“Ah! Then, what’s happening to my subjects?!”

“You…don’t need to go back anymore. Cattleya, you were already dethroned, stripped off of your title as the demon lord.”

Her face went from flustered that shows visible redness to a really pale countenance as the news struck her like a thunder. Her lips lost its color and started trembling. Her eyes widen as if she can’t believe what she just heard.

“Gria Hellbeing took over.”

“Uncle…?!”

“My father…?!”

………

Even I can’t think of anything else for a little while as I heard it. Gria took over the title of being a demon lord.

“He is effectively gathering forces to fight. I’ve already given them assistance and they are building forts in the center continent. Transportation such as ships and airships are readily deployed and hordes of his undead are building a lot of fortresses as we talk now.”

No way!

Gria moves that fast?!

Cattleya only responded with a defeated smile and she sat beside Susanoo again. However, Diyu’s face show to be visibly angry or enraged.

“Uncle already did that, huh…I still have a long way to go.”

Violetta took her eyes away from the two now and glances over to everyone, and then she stares at me who is standing right next to her.

“Now then, I shall commence this discussion myself.”

That’s a relief for me. I don’t even know how to start this properly. She glances at the map that I laid out on the table and took a look at it.

“This is…I see. You’ve thought this out well, Asagao.”

“No…it is the only thing I can think of.”

“Well, this is one thing, however, about the kings and queen of each nation…I have already dealt with them. The one that is in trouble the most is, of course, Ashfon.”

“Will you tell us what happened to him then?”

“Yeah, however, what you hear, you leave it here.”

Violetta warned us sternly.

We can already feel how serious the matter as her power crept over us. It was the Arcana of Domination, the power that forcibly controls, right? A power sounds so mad befitting of someone that wanted to destroy and conquer.

Since her power has been awakened by master, it still gives a chill to everyone. Ichirou has been staying quiet for a while as his lips pursed to stillness. He must have questions but he is holding it back.

None but Susanoo and Alstroe are showing visible fear of Violetta’s presence. A presence they never had felt before. I just realized that I am the only one prancing around because I know how her power felt when she awakens to it.

However, all of them…all of them can absolutely feel it, the presence of the Mad Dominator.

“Truth to be told, Ashfon Astlan Lionheart, right now…is still unconscious ever since he went on a rampage in the dragon capital. It’s the backlash of his berserk.”

I…am not surprised.

Such power holds too much for a single person. It’s also one of those insane powers that shouldn’t be played around too much. For them, Higabana, Casablanca, and Hibiscus, Astlan’s Ira is not something I recommend for them to use. It corrupts their reasoning and slowly eats their sanity away…

“I have always observed Ashfon and his power for a decade now, its nature, capabilities, potential to become a threat, all of it is taken into factor. At this crucial time, it is one those power we need the most.”

She is also correct about it.

However strong Alstroe is, if she cannot use magic, there is no point when she fights an enemy that requires a magic to defeat. We still don’t have any idea what’s the limit of Susanoo’s arcana magic and we shouldn’t rely on it as much as possible.

“For the decade that I have been with him, I have determined one thing…”

Violetta pauses for a moment and looks at me and then, look at everyone again.

“Ashfon is just barely compatible with his own power.”

That’s what I thought too. After all, it is just a power inherited from Astlan himself. Fonfon is a dozen of generation predecessor so Astlan’s blood is thin and it is the same as Nivalis, my mother.

“The reason I am talking about this matter is because Ashfon’s life, sooner or later, will be in jeopardy if he went on a rampage again. I was fortunate enough to be awakened to my powers at the right time however the intensity of his power grew ever so ferocious that pacifying him next time would be impossible for me.”

Right…

It was an insane power the easily wiped out the Dragon Capital Mujinn from the map. Not to mention, at that time, while I and Nil are fighting, Violetta is already there to stop his rampage.

“That’s why I am finding someone to take over his power, Astlan’s Ira. What I am saying is that I am going to forcibly transfer it to someone else if I deem Ashfon unable to control it anymore. And as far as I am concerned…there four people whose compatibility arises.”

Eh…? Is she aiming for that?

“Higanbana, Casablanca, Hibiscus and, finally the odd one out, Ichirou.”

The first three, I can already guess why they are compatible. After all, they are Astlan’s daughter themselves. But the last one…Ichirou?!