Cycelia looks at Greaves and his excited face, and a troubled grimace appears on hers.

「Mmhhh… I don't know. I'm not exactly against investigating it, but it'd be a pretty expensive and dangerous journey… And for the sake of a baseless rumor…」

She brings a loose fist up to her chin, pensively furrowing her brows.

「But, but, but!… But it's the demon lord! Everything we do at the guild is small-time stuff compared to taking the demon lord down!」

Desperate, Greaves throws his arms aside, nearly knocking over a pot full of stew if his hand went only a little lower.

「Greaves! Are you seriously going to say but, and argue with the queen!?」

Will stands up as well, and points his finger across the table at him.

「Empress.」

Straf quickly chimes in.

「Huh?」「What?」

Greaves and Will turn their confused eyes to Straf.

「She's an empress now. Don't downgrade her.」

Straf adds with his mouth aslant, and bites down on a mouthful of fish.

「Straf… There's no need to be so stiff. It's fine, really, but Straf is right, I'm technically an empress now. I don't know if you've heard, but King Parnatau is my vassal now, so we're an empire.」

With a smile on her face, Cycelia tilts her head, then turns her attention to Will and Greaves, and shrugs her shoulders.

「Ah! I'm sorry for this idiot, your highness! We haven't heard!-」

Will bows, then glares at Greaves with a tight-lipped grimace and a side-glance.

「It's fine, really!…」

Shaking her dainty hands in front of herself, her smile turns a little awkward. They both sit back down.

「…As I said, it's just unfounded rumors at this point. If it were something more substantial, I'd be more eager to fund an expedition… Besides, Straf would take care of it. Right?」

She asks with a bright smile, turning her emerald eyes to Straf. He swallows.

「Well, I s'pose I ought to see the demon lord sooner or later. I'm not in a rush. It's supposed to be a big, world-ending threat, right?」

He shrugs, and with no clear disinterest in the topic, he carves away another chunk of fish on his plate.

「Geh… Straf, if you put it like that…」

Cycelia winces, and her smile turns into an awkward grin.

「But!… But if it turns out to be real, we can go there and slay 'im, right!?」

Greaves asks, blinking his wide-open, excited eyes at her with his fists clenched.

「Ahhh… If it is true, I'm sure I'd want you to come along…」

A little troubled, Cycelia joins her dainty fingertips together with a smile, and directs her gaze beneath her gently furrowed brows towards Straf. He raises his own slightly, and continues eating.

「…I would not sit idle with such a great threat around. I'm sure Straf would handle it. Right?」

She covertly redirects the attention to Straf, who is busy chewing. A little puzzled, he glances around the table.

「Ahem. Yeah, he'd get his ass fucking kicked… Though I think I'd ferry Mr. Hero and his party here to do it for me. Y'know, 'cause it'd be boring if I'd just punch him out of existence.」

Straf swallows, then shrugs as he casually replies. Greaves pumps his fist in excitement.

「…Greaves, are you actually happy that the demon lord might be back?」

Crossing his arms, Will asks with his mouth aslant.

「Huh? Of course not!…」

Indignant, Greaves furrows his brows in response.

「…But if he's back, then it cannot be helped! I gotta kick his ass! He he!… It can't be helped!」「Tsk… Good grief.」

He adds, shrugging his hands with a massive grin on his face, shifting his gaze aside. Will clicks his tongue, shaking his head in disapproval, before returning to his meal.

「But, one thing is sure… If it really were the case, I'm sure everyone would unite to deal with the threat. Times are much different these days.」

Cycelia says while carving away another bite-sized piece.

「I sure hope so, your highness… A lot of suffering could have been avoided if it were so back then.」

Will adjusts his glasses, and nods along while cutting a piece as well.

「It's likely we wouldn't even get to do anything substantial before the other rulers would form a host and destroy the demon lord. I'm certain.」

She replies, speaking with a serious face, and bites down on a small piece of the fish on her fork.

「But then when do I come in!?…」「Greaves, shut up. The adults are talking.」

Greaves throws his hands up. Will glares at him with a tight-lipped grimace, and lets out a frustrated huff…

…

Late at night, far in the east, in the ruins of a castle…

Wind howls through the empty halls slowly being reclaimed by the elements and the harsh nature. A pair of scarlet eyes pierce through the darkness, and enter the bitterly chill throne room.

「Hooh? You dare approach me? Who are you?」

A disinterested, lightly amused voice of a woman asks from the throne. The vampire kneels before its steps, keeping his head low.

「I have come to serve you, my lord. I am Baron Roskiel. I served the previous demon lord as well.」

The vampire says with his head low, and his hand on his shoulder, as befitting a noble introducing himself. In the darkness, the vertically slit, violet eyes narrow at him slightly.

「…It's true that I am seeking generals for my new army, but why should I even consider you for one? I am unlike the previous demon lord. My strategy is different.」

The female voice asks with a snide, dismissive tone of confident superiority.

「Please allow me to prove myself, my lord. Give me a task, and I will carry it out. I have longed for your return. Mages and younger vampires alike proved unworthy of my time.」

Baron Roskiel replies, lowering his head slightly, clenching his clawed fist..

「…Time, is it? What have you done in the past… Let's say, three hundred years? Sum it up, and be quick about it.」

The tilted violet eyes size up the kneeling vampire, and the female voice asks, still seeped with the tone of superiority…

…

Roughly five minutes later…

「…Unfortunately, by the time I regenerated, the bookshelves were ablaze. I was fed up with the fool, and took their momentary distraction to escape the sunlight…」

Baron Roskiel continues telling the story while the eyes stare down at him from the shadow-wrapped throne.

「…And the younger vampires… Bah. Weak and idiotic. They are utterly beneath me. Only the demon lord is worthy of leading me. Please, let us usher in a new Night of Fangs!-」

「Silence, fool…」

The baron once again clenches his fists, raising it, though he does not dare to lift his eyes. The woman states a stern command, and he does not make a sound more, lowering his head further.

「…Did I not say that my strategy is different? If your wish is to rule over the humans, I may grant your wish… If you prove yourself worthy of my attention.」

With violet eyes tilted and narrowed, the demon lord says.

「Then?… May I have a task to prove myself with?」

Baron Roskiel asks, raising his head slightly, but not enough to come even close to peeking towards the throne.

「Hm…」

The voice lets out an amused hum, and stares at him in a prolonged silence.

「…I may have something for you to do. You sought me out from Redwing Kingdom, no?… I will grant you a very easy and symbolic task. I'll also grant you a force of…」

The amused voice then pauses briefly.

「…Hmmm. Let's say a small force of a 100 greater fiends, and 300 lesser ones. Of course, you may recruit anyone else you see fit for this purpose. Will you accept?」

After a brief deliberation, the voice asks, still lightly amused.

「Of course, my lord! I will not fail you!…」

Baron Roskiel returns a powerful nod. Grinning at the floor, he bares his fangs…

…

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

The next morning, in the Mages' Federation battle fortress, in the grand master's office…

Knock knock…

Two knocks on the door pull the grand master's attention away from the documents littering his desk.

「Come in.」

He calls out, and resumes scribbling on the sheet before him with a quill in hand. Alexander enters.

「Grand master, may I have some of your time?」

Alexander asks with a serious expression on his face.

「…Is this about Parnatau Kingdom?」

The grand master asks after a brief pause, focused entirely on his writing.

「Ah. You already know?」

Alexander's head perks up, and his brows furrow.

「Yes… Magnus came to make his case… And I suppose you have come to make yours?」

The mage at the desk nods, then after scribbling down a few more words, sets his quill down in the ink pot at the desk's side, and interlocks his fingers as he turns his eyes to the blue-robed mage.

「Will it be sufficient if I say, that I want everything diametrically opposed to whatever he has requested?」

Alexander approaches the desk with his hands spread.

「Hm. That seems to be the case with your factions. One wants the exact opposite of the other. How am I meant to maintain the plurality of thought like this?」

The grand master asks, looking up from his glasses, kept from slipping down only by his bulbous nose. He readjusts them, and reaches for the quill again.

「Grand master, please do not be upset with me for saying this, but perhaps it is time to choose a side? You very well know what Magnus and his ilk want.」

The slightly younger mage leans onto the grand master's desk, speaking with a grim face and a grim tone.

「…They are the more… Extreme of you two, I'd say. But it is my belief that it is the opposite of what a grand master should do, stifling new and controversial thoughts.」

The old man replies, pausing between words as he writes them, then briefly glances up at Alexander and continues his sentence.

「Even if they want to destroy everything?」

Alexander asks with utter disbelief in his voice, leaning in further. The old mage looks up at him, and stares in silence for a few seconds.

「What would you do if it turned out, that they are right?…」

「What? That's-!」

Outraged, Alexander quickly straightens out and throws his arms aside.

「Purely hypothetically. What would you do?」

The grand master quickly cuts in, and calmly adjusts his glasses.

「…What difference would it make? If they're wrong, then they kill everything and destroy the world for no good reason. If they're right, then what reason is there to do so?」

Alexander asks, shrugging his arms, quizzically pointing his hand at the door, growing increasingly frustrated with each word uttered.

「…That is a fair point. Have you tried presenting it to Magnus?」

Still serene, the old mage nods and dips his quill back in the ink pot, then spreads his hands as he asks.

「He's a dogmatist! He won't care what I have to say!」

Frustrated by the grand master's calm demeanor, Alexander leans onto the desk again.

「Have you two tried sitting down and talking it out?…」

The old man asks, and Alexander slowly straightens out, shaking his head in utter disbelief.

「Grand master-」

「No, correct? Hate me if you must, but contrarian thought should not be stamped out. People like me are necessary to that end…」

He tries to speak, but the grand master interrupts him, spreading his interlocked hands again. He takes his quill back, and resumes writing.

「…I will send a strongly-worded letter to Queen Redwing, and demand explanation, as well as an inquiry as to if she will comply. Magnus was greatly displeased by this, if it pleases you.」

The grand master nonchalantly adds while scribbling something on the sheet of paper before him in barely legible letters.

「…That's it?」

Alexander asks, furrowing his brows.

「For now, yes. I believe I told you both that the Federation mustn't act rashly. There are no signs that the queen is using the grimoire. There is no need to hurry.」

The old mage briefly pauses writing, and looks up from his glasses to return a light nod. He resumes his scribbling right afterward.

「…Grand master, you know my position, and I speak for the entire Watcher faction. We want the exact opposite of what Magnus and his kind want. Please keep that in mind when dealing with him.」

「I will.」

Alexander says, bowing slightly. The old mage nods without bothering to look up, replying with a nonchalant, casual tone.

「Then… Excuse me, grand master.」

With another bow, Alexander heads for the door, and leaves. The grand master shrugs, and continues his writing in peace…

…

In the late afternoon, in Redwing Kingdom, a short distance away from the capital…

Vrrrrrrtrtrtrtt…

Straf turns the key in his kubelwagen, and jumps out. Cycelia leaves normally, opening the door for herself from the passenger's side, then gently pushes it shut.

「Right… Get ready, 'cause you won't forget this!」

Straf says with a grin as he packs the entire kubelwagen into his [Portable Storage], throwing it in like a large cardboard box.

「…I hope not. I already have car nightmares.」

Cycelia mumbles under her breath while fidgeting with her medallion.

「Hm?」

「Ah, nothing! What does it do?」

Straf hums inquisitively, only hearing that Cycelia is mumbling something. She quickly shakes her head and waves her hands in front of herself, then redirects the attention to the Concorde.

「That's a plane, Lia. It planes. Come, I'll show you.」

「It planes?…」

Straf gestures his hand for her to follow, and she reluctantly trails behind him across the flat, brick airstrip.

「You'll have to excuse me, because I didn't feel like making boarding stairs for this thing…」「Wah!…」

Swooping Cycelia off her legs into his arms, Straf turns his gaze towards the open door on the side of the Concorde, far too high to be accessed without stairs or a ladder.

「…Hup!」

With her in his arms, he effortlessly hops inside and lowers Cycelia down to her feet. She blinks with curious emerald eyes at the many seats stretching towards the tail.

「Come, what kind of a loser would sit in the passenger compartment, if you can be the first officer instead?」

Straf shuts the entry door, and throws his coat into his [Portable Storage] as he enters the cockpit. Cycelia gingerly follows him in.

「Huuup!… Ahhhh…」

He slumps in the captain's seat, and looks over the various knobs, levers, switches, and panels. Cycelia sits down and does the same, albeit with a lot more confusion in her eyes.

「…Okay! Give me a moment… I think I'll be able to cold start this thing without engine damage. I hope.」

「Cold start?…」

Straf declares, and begins flipping the many switches and turning knobs. Cycelia furrows her brows, watching his hands dart all over the mysterious panels.

「Yeah. It's when the aircraft hasn't been started yet. In this case, it's factory new. Almost… I didn't feel like refining avgas… So magic, again.」

He shrugs in response, and the entire construction begins making a whirring noise when he flips one of the switches.

「Avgas?…」

「Look, Lia… There's a lot of complicated terms involved. For now, just enjoy the scenery.」

She asks, and Straf helplessly spreads his hands with his mouth aslant. He pushes a lever, and the Concorde begins moving.

Cycelia bounces gently in her seat as the plane is rolling down the bricks, and her large chest joins her with a slight lag.

「Ahhh… This isn't so bad. After that car ride back home, I thought it would be worse.」

Seeing that the plane is moving slow, Cycelia lets out a relieved sigh and smiles at Straf. He furrows his brows.

「What do you mean?」

He asks, pushing on the pedals at his feet.

「What I mean is, the ride home was really fast, and it was a little frightening… This is actually nice and slow. I don't mind.」

She shrugs, and turns her emerald gaze back to the window.

「Uhhh… That's cause we're still taxiing, Lia…」

「Hm?」

With an awkward grin on his face, Straf sucks air through his teeth and replies. Cycelia tilts her chestnut head.

「…Get ready.」

Straf straightens the nose along the airstrip, and pushes the throttle all the way forward. Cycelia is pressed into her seat, her emerald eyes widen, and the scenery outside begins racing back.

「Uh…」

She utters out, staring at the hills zapping past the window.

「…Shouldn't we slow down?」

Cycelia points her shaky finger at the side window, staring at Straf with a tight-lipped grimace on her face.

「What? No. We're far past the no-go point.」

Straf shrugs with his brows furrowed, and pulls on the stick. Cycelia clings onto her seat as the nose pitches upward…