How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord: Volume 4 Read online

  The Story So Far—

  In the MMORPG Cross Reverie, Takuma Sakamoto was overwhelmingly powerful, and was able to role play so well that his performances were more boss-like than the actual bosses of the game. For this reason, he came to be known as the “Demon Lord.”

  By defeating the 《Demon Lord of the Mind, Enkvaros》 faster than anyone else, he obtained the super rare item, the 《Demon Lord’s Ring》. It was one of the ultimate pieces of equipment in the game, able to reflect all types of magic.

  Then, one day, Takuma found himself summoned to a world that looked exactly like Cross Reverie! Having performed the ritual magic at the same time, the Pantherian, Rem, and the Elf, Shera, fought over which one of them was his Summoner:

  “...I am the one who summoned him. Your magic was a failure.”

  “You’re wrong! He’s mine!”

  But thanks to the Demon Lord’s Ring he wore, the magic was reflected, so the 《Enslavement Collar》 meant for him had clamped onto the two girls instead!

  Faced with Rem and Shera arguing, Takuma was at a loss of what to do. While he may have been a superior player back in the game, he couldn’t talk with other people even if his life depended on it. After struggling over what to say, the words that came out of his mouth were from the Demon Lord role play he had used in the game:

  “Cease your pointless squabbling. You are in the presence of Diablo.”

  The three of them have since made the town of Faltra their home base. As it turned out, Rem held a great secret: The 《Demon Lord Krebskulm》 had been sealed inside of her body. Rem despaired that no one would be able to help her... But that’s when Diablo made a proclamation to her:

  “Leave everything to me. No matter your circumstances, a Demon Lord will be able to accept it all.”

  The next day, Diablo and the others became full-fledged Adventurers. Their first quest turned out to be a trap, and they were attacked by a squadron of elite Elf soldiers trying to capture Shera. It turned out she was the princess of the Kingdom of Greenwood!

  But Diablo repelled the attack with ease; the gap between their levels was quite enormous. This was the moment Diablo came to understand the difference between raising one’s levels in Cross Reverie, a game with infinite revives, and this world, where death was permanent.

  A Fallen named Edelgard then led an army of one hundred of her brethren in an attack on the Bridge of Ulug. At the same time, the powerful Fallen Gregore appeared in the middle of Faltra. Showing off his true power, Diablo completely routed Edelgard and her army. Using a “Return” spell, he made his way back to Faltra instantaneously, and in an overwhelming display of magic, Diablo destroyed Gregore. Thanks to his efforts, he managed to save Rem, Celes, and the entire city of Faltra.

  Diablo later found himself the recipient of a quest from the governor of Faltra, Galford. Prince Keera of the Kingdom of Greenwood had demanded Shera be returned to him, threatening open war with Faltra against the country of Elves should compliance fail. The details of Galford’s quest were simply to find a way to avoid the war. The bespectacled, straight-and-narrow Imperial Knight, Alicia, was assigned to the group as an observer to watch over their actions.

  Yet Shera still ended up being taken away from Diablo; but after defeating the squadrons of Elves, Prince Keera’s Summon, and even Galford himself, Diablo managed to regain their peaceful everyday life.

  Then, in cooperation with Edelgard, the group set off to resurrect the Demon Lord Krebskulm trapped inside Rem. But in the process, Krebskulm had lost a portion of her memories as a Demon Lord, and instead appeared as a biscuit-loving young girl, who was then nicknamed “Klem.” As such, they spent an enjoyable number of days together...

  Suddenly, due to Alicia’s betrayal and being subjected to torture by the Paladin, Saddler, Rem was brought to the brink of death. This tragic event became the catalyst needed of awakening Klem as the Demon Lord Krebskulm, thus flying her into a frenzied rage. In the end, Diablo used one of his ultimate spells, bringing the Demon Lord a swift defeat. Rem, who had managed to escape death, called out to Krebskulm as well, somehow managing to return her to normal.

  In order to ensure she did not go on another rampage, Diablo cast enslavement magic upon her. At the same time, Alicia and Edelgard were now being pursued by the Fallen, who blamed the failure of their plans on them...

  Prologue

  A purplish-red fluid ran along the small scales that lined her skin, dripping off her.

  The monster’s feet pounded across the ground. The grand dragon sped along, going faster than even the swiftest horse. Alicia kept a firm grasp on the reins, which were lined with thorns.

  “Hah...hah...”

  If she had let her guard drop even the tiniest bit, it seemed like she would be thrown from the back of the beast at any moment.

  Alicia’s official position was that of an Imperial Knight, but in her heart of hearts, she wished for the destruction of all the races, and had been secretly supporting the Fallen. She had thought resurrecting the Demon Lord would help her reach her goal—

  But she never imagined that Krebskulm would suddenly disappear after being revived!

  The Fallen felt their time had been wasted, and were on the verge of killing Alicia in retaliation. As a result, Alicia and Edelgard had ended up mounting Edelgard’s grand dragon to make their escape.

  When they finally managed to flee from the mob of Fallen, Edelgard had sustained a grave injury. Her strength had left her, and she was being thrown around on the back of a grand dragon like she was a piece of luggage. The purple-red blood that flowed from her head showed no signs of stopping.

  Though Alicia was highly knowledgeable of the Fallen, the amount of blood loss they could endure before it threatened their lives varied between each individual, which meant she couldn’t say anything for certain about Edelgard. But there was still no denying the gravity of the situation.

  “Lady Edelgard, please, just hold on!”

  “...Ah. All...right...”

  She had received this injury from protecting Alicia; if Edelgard had been by herself, she would have probably made it out without a scratch on her.

  Though Alicia continuously seethed with hatred for the races, and rebelled against the unreasonable nature of her surroundings, the only thing she thought of at the moment was how she wanted to save Edelgard.

  The sun had already set, and their surroundings had grown dark. The grand dragon could see perfectly well at night, which meant it would not crash into any rocks or stray far from the road.

  “Nonetheless, we cannot just keep heading toward the city gates.”

  “...Oh...really?”

  Alicia could barely make out what Edelgard was saying. She shook her head in response.

  “No matter my position as an Imperial Knight, if I were to come riding through the gates on the back of a monster with a Fallen in tow, they would arrest me on the spot.”

  “...I see.”

  Alicia turned to look over her shoulder. “It does not seem like there are any Fallen pursuing us.”

  “...Because, this one...is fast...”

  “Very true... I’m quite astonished.” The grand dragon had indeed seemed to be much faster than a majority of the Fallen.

  “...Also...they are scared, probably?”

  “Quite. The rest of the Fallen are unaware as to why the Demon Lord’s presence suddenly disappeared.”

  To them, it must have seemed like there was a high probability of something inside the Stronghold City of Faltra that could defeat a Demon Lord, which was why they couldn’t just approach carelessly.

  “...Why? Why...did Demon Lord, disappear...? Dis...app
eared?” Edelgard whispered.

  Alicia had not known the reason for Krebskulm’s disappearance, but she had a vague idea of what could have happened.

  “I would assume it is something of Sir Diablo’s doing.”

  “...Oh...him...”

  Her voice was frail. Edelgard, who had seemed like such an indomitable presence, now looked like she was about to fade away. When Alicia touched her skin, it was as cold as ice.

  Edelgard’s cracked, purple lips opened: “...What...do, now?”

  “We are being pursued by the Fallen, so our only recourse is to return to town. However, I am seen as a traitor now, not to mention that your appearance is quite conspicuous. What shall we do, indeed?”

  “...Don’t, know. Edelgard...might, die?”

  “I-Is it that bad!?”

  “...At, this rate...yes.”

  “No, you can’t! That is unacceptable!”

  “But...no place, to go, back to. If return, to Demon Lord’s castle, Eulerex and others, will—guh!” She coughed up a mass of blood.

  “A-All right! I will do something about this, so please, speak no more!”

  Pulling back on the reigns, Alicia brought the grand dragon to a halt in a spot where they could just barely make out Faltra’s southern gate. She remained wary of the area behind her, but no Fallen had followed them here. She lowered Edelgard down, who was exhausted. Taking off Edelgard’s cape, she wrapped it around Edelgard’s body.

  “It won’t be able to hide your legs, but considering how dark it is, this should at least make the scales on your body unnoticeable.”

  “...What...are you, doing?”

  “We are entering town.”

  If they remained outside, their only choices were to be either finished off by the Fallen; to be set upon by wild beasts; or for Edelgard to succumb to her wounds and lose her life. She wouldn’t, and couldn’t, be saved out here.

  “But, why?”

  “This is all a gamble on my part, but if the Demon Lord wasn’t defeated, and had simply reverted back to her childlike form...”

  “Demon Lord...is, alive? Really?”

  “If she is, then she can heal you. That is something within the realm of possibility for a Demon Lord, correct?”

  “...They...can. But, maybe...won’t?”

  In order to awaken the true Demon Lord Krebskulm, Alicia had betrayed Diablo and the others. She had waited for Rem and Shera to treat Klem as if she were a part of their family, only to turn them over to the Paladin, Saddler. Because of that, it looked like Rem had been killed in front of Klem.

  The hatred born from losing someone important would thus awaken the Demon Lord in her purest form.

  If Klem were alive, she would most likely bear a grudge deep enough to kill Alicia. She was sure to have earned Diablo’s ire as well.

  Even Alicia thought Rem had died. If she hadn’t, then Krebskulm would have never awakened as a true Demon Lord, even if it were only temporary. The instant she showed herself in front of Diablo and the others, she could end up as cinders; there would be no time for negotiations.

  —But even still...!

  “Please, leave it to me. I will figure something out.”

  Alicia wrapped the now immobile Edelgard with her own cape, holding Edelgard in her arms. Though Alicia’s arms were thin, they had been put through such training that would make it so she wouldn’t lose to any man. It was entirely possible for her to carry someone as thin as Edelgard.

  “...All...right... Can’t move, anyways... Leave, to you.”

  Carrying Edelgard like luggage, Alicia headed toward the west gate. The grand dragon looked on as if it were concerned for them, but due to its appearance, it was impossible to ride into town on it.

  After Alicia and Edelgard had gone far enough away, the fleet-footed steed turned around, disappearing into the plains covered by the black of night.

  Chapter 1: Pest Control

  Stretched out on the bed, Diablo let out a deep sigh.

  —Today was a friggin’ rough day...

  It was always like this whenever there was an accident or trouble of some sort, but today was especially bad. Just remembering it was a pain for him, so he wasn’t going to recount it here. He had, after all, managed to expend a drastic amount of his MP, and had taken the most damage of his party since coming to this world.

  In Cross Reverie, Diablo wore the most powerful equipment that could be found in the MMORPG, and had maxed out their stats by reinforcing them. Attacks that would kill a normal person instantly were for him a mere notice he had been hit.

  But right now, he had taken on some serious injuries. Though the Demon Lord Krebskulm’s attacks had consisted of irrationally throwing objects at him like a child, the attacks had managed to easily break through the damage-reducing effects of his ultimate equipment.

  —I guess I should have expected that from a Demon Lord. If Krebskulm had completely regained her memories, then my equipment might not have been enough to win.

  “.........”

  “Why the long face, Diablo?”

  The left side of the bed creaked; laying by his side was an Elf girl. Her soft, golden hair spread out like a flowing river, touching Diablo’s arm, tickling a little.

  Her name was Shera L. Greenwood. Not only was she part of the race considered the closest related to the Celestials of old, but she was also a princess who had left her home in search of freedom. Diablo was pretty used to being around her, but if she were to approach him unawares like this, he would still get a little nervous even now.

  But the truth of the matter was that he was nothing more than a socially inept gamer who spent all his time holed-up in his room. He sucked at talking with people, and the only way for him to communicate here was to use the Demon Lord role play he used in Cross Reverie. This went especially so for women as he had almost zero experience talking with them.

  Sprawled out only fifteen centimeters away from this solo player with zero resistance to girls was a golden-haired Elf who looked like a CG image had come to life. His heart was almost beating out of his chest, but letting this pathetic side of him show was unbecoming of a Demon Lord.

  Throwing himself into Demon Lord-mode, Diablo declared with great self-importance:

  “Why the long face, you ask? Heh, it should be quite obvious... That is because I peer into an abysm so unfathomably deep, someone like yourself would never even be able to begin imagining it.”

  “Wow, that sounds kind of amazing! But, what does ‘abysm’ mean?”

  Perhaps it was because she was so innocent (or simple-minded), but Shera’s level of thinking was roughly on the same level as that of a child. She looked at Diablo, awestruck.

  But in reality, the only thing Diablo was peering at was the unusually abundant cleavage of a certain Elf girl...

  “...His use of ‘abysm’ is a metaphor for something so profoundly deep, it is impossible to know how far down it goes.”

  Sitting opposite Shera on the right side of the bed was another girl—Rem Galleu. If Diablo were to move his hand in the slightest, he would touch her rear where a black, cat-like tail unfurled from a hole in the back of her spats.

  Rem sported glossy black ears and a tail similar to a black panther, as well as black hair, all a result of a rare trait among her race. Yet she was in possession of quite the slender figure for a fourteen-year-old: the faint outline of her ribs along her sides, the shapeliness of her arms and legs, and a lean body that all came together to draw one’s gaze to her and keep it there. Her long, black hair spilled over her body like ink.

  “...Diablo, a lot has happened today, so why don’t you rest up now?”

  Rem would always think a little bit before she spoke; she was a rather intellectual girl.

  “Hm, then I guess I’ll do just that.”

  “...All right.”

  “Sleepytime, sleepytime, time for sleepytime ♪

  “When nighttime is over, it’s time for breakfast time ♪

&n
bsp; “We’ll dream of donuts n’ marshmallows n’ cake ♪”

  While singing one of her strange homemade songs, Shera pulled a small child up on the bed. The child in question had cream-colored hair, and two thick horns growing out of either side of her head. Her ears were larger than an Elf’s, and her eyes, slightly tinged with a sense of trepidation, were a brilliant amethyst purple that would almost never be found in any of the races. This was the youthful body of the Demon Lord Krebskulm, or Klem for short.

  “A-Are you sure? Having me here, too...”

  “Why not?” Shera asked, head tilted. “Do you not want to sleep together? Is it because the bed’s too small after all?”

  Klem screwed up her eyes. “I killed some of the races, you know!? I even tried to kill Diablo... Do you not think I’m dangerous!?”

  “Ahaha! The only one really worried about that stuff was Sylvie!” With a laugh, Shera pat Klem on the head.

  Sylvie was the leader of the Adventurer’s Guild. Due to the position she held, Sylvie had stated that, even if Klem was just a child, she could not be allowed to remain in town. It was a fact that Klem had turned into the Demon Lord Krebskulm and rampaged about town, and if Diablo hadn’t faced her, it would have been reduced to rubble.

  But there were extenuating circumstances surrounding this series of events. For one, the person she had killed was the Paladin, Saddler, a psychotic individual likened to a murderous demon. Both Rem and Klem had narrowly avoided being killed at his hands.

  —Allowing a guy like that to stay in town while not doing the same for Klem is just wrong. She’s just a kid right now... Being so uneasy of her despite that makes me feel pretty bad for her.

  But offering kind words to a young girl wasn’t exactly what a Demon Lord would do. So, raising himself up, Diablo went to tell her that she didn’t have to worry, while still maintaining his air of dignity.