How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord: Volume 5 Page 4

  Shera sat on a chair. “It feels like a ghost could come out at any second now, doesn’t it?”

  “Oh... Please don’t say that, I’m trying not think about it!”

  “Ahahaha...” Shera laughed to avoid the issue.

  Meanwhile, Rem wiped the sand off a circular table.

  “...I suggest we rest here for today. Last night was exhausting, and we have a long way to go starting tomorrow.”

  “Agreed!”

  Shera raised her hand, and Horn nodded. Lumachina, however, clenched her fists.

  “I... I will do my best.”

  She wasn’t used to adventuring on foot, so she must have been troubled. Half their journey from Faltra to Zircon Tower was either by carriage or sand ship, after all.

  Rem turned her gaze to Diablo. “Are you all right with that, Diablo?”

  “Huh? O-Oh, of course.”

  She asked for his opinion, as well. That made sense. It had been a while since he began working with Rem and Shera, but he still couldn’t get used to working in a group. Without noticing, he assumed everyone deciding on their plans going forward had nothing to do with him. His old habits wouldn’t be put down easily.

  Horn carried food and water from the back of the cabin. “Let’s roast them outside!”

  “Yay, raisins!” Shera jumped for joy.

  “We’ve got beef jerky and lots of other stuff, too. There’s still some time until nightfall, so let’s take the chance to cook outside.”

  “...Not a bad idea,” Rem agreed, and so it was decided.

  It was dry, preserved food, but they had been fighting since last night and spent all of today walking. That warm meal felt tastier than usual.

  †

  Laminitus returned to Zircon Tower. Some of the sand ships were damaged in the earthquake, and several soldiers were injured as well, though only to the extent of falling from the ship in the chaos, or tripping on the deck. It was through no fault of the troops’ proficiency or skill.

  That said, it was unusual to have gotten away after facing an opponent of Diablo’s strength with no casualties.

  Lowering herself to her large seat, Laminitus sighed. With their current forces, they were no match for Diablo.

  In the next full moon, Varakness would also appear before her again. Would she be able to beat him, even if she was to take all this time to prepare?

  —It would be difficult.

  She would need to bolster her forces, somehow.

  Someone was approaching her with a swift gait. They stopped before Laminitus and gave a perfectly motioned, well-disciplined salute.

  Henric.

  “Lady Laminitus, we believe we have discovered where the escaped adventurers are headed.”

  “Oh?”

  “One of Zircon Tower’s adventurers, Horn, was among them. He registered with the guild a year or so ago, and worked as a guide, escorting others through dungeons. It appears he has been adamant lately about going to a dungeon he recently discovered.”

  The Old Demon Lord’s Domain had many magical beast nests and abandoned Fallen strongholds that served as dungeons. New dungeons were frequently being discovered, so that in and of itself wasn’t unusual. The adventurer’s fixation on exploring it, however, was another story.

  “Was there anything of interest in that new dungeon?”

  “According to the adventurers we’ve questioned, rather powerful monsters are stationed within, as well as weapons and tools endowed with powerful magic.”

  “Oh...?”

  “They had equipment the likes of which I’ve never seen before, like a sword that spouts fire and a shield that blocks cold and ice.”

  —Perhaps that would give Our army the edge it needs?

  “Heheh, what interesting information... Henric, pursue Diablo’s party. As you do so, investigate that dungeon and bring back any special equipment you can find.”

  “Yes, Ma’am!” The young knight saluted again.

  It was then that a soldier informed her of the arrival of another guest. Laminitus signaled to allow the guest to enter, and before long, a single man entered the room with a composed stride.

  He had a tall and muscular body, with a longsword sheathed on his waist. Clad in blue armor emblazoned with the emblem of the church, he was clearly a Paladin.

  He bowed respectfully.

  “Greetings. I go by Gewalt, and I am a Paladin. Lady Laminitus, your noble name echoes valiantly even across the capital. To finally meet you is—”

  “Spare Us the bootlicking, We are quite sick of it. We do not have an ear to lend to the Church’s demands. Begone—these are the only words We will spare for a dog of the capital.”

  “Ah, n-no, make no mistake. I have not come here to relay the Church’s demands... I have heard our High Priest is in this city, and have come to guard and secure her person.”

  Gewalt’s objective was, of course, entirely different. He had been contracted to assassinate Lumachina, but was defeated by Diablo before he could complete his mission. If he was to return to the capital now, he would be forced to face the price of failure, and would be silenced with death.

  Not only was he useless at his task, he was also privy to secret information. There was no way his client would allow him to live. He would have to complete his assignment, and prove his worth.

  Gewalt pursued Lumachina’s whereabouts to this place, but the Paladin Captain Batutta’s estate, where she should have been lodged, was half-destroyed. He had lost track of her.

  —The way things are going, they’ll kill me! I’m not letting that little slut get away!

  Gewalt forced a smile, trying to stifle the dark flames that flared up in his heart.

  “She is capable of receiving God’s oracle, so keeping the High Priest safe is the highest priority of the Church. I ask of you as the governor of Zircon Tower: Could you lend me your aid in finding her whereabouts?”

  Laminitus glared at him. Any governor would normally be pleased to cooperate and have the Church in their debt. The Church’s influence was just that vast.

  But she was different. Laminitus held an aversion for anyone else that would hold influence over her territory. This was the former Demon Lord’s Domain, a place where mankind’s strength was concentrated to overcome countless challenges. Anyone that could potentially oppose the governor’s views wouldn’t be tolerated.

  “Hmph. A Paladin, huh...”

  Laminitus had to consider that.

  —I could turn him away, but...Paladins are said to boast a level of at least 100, and are bearers of great power.

  Right now, she needed every bit of fighting power on her side.

  That said, if she was to simply tell him, “The Fallen are coming, cooperate with Us,” it was unlikely he would help. His objective was apparently only about defending High Priest Lumachina.

  “We already have a grasp on where she is.”

  “Is that true!?”

  “The High Priest is headed to a certain dungeon, alongside a peculiar Sorcerer.”

  “A Sorcerer... A Demon who goes by the name Diablo, I take it?”

  Gewalt’s tone had become much more masculine than before. Laminitus, who didn’t care much for small details, simply ignored that.

  “We see you know him already.”

  “That foul cretin deceived our naïve High Priest and abducted her!” Gewalt declared.

  However, Laminitus cared little for the circumstances of the Church.

  “There is unique, unheard of equipment in the dungeon they were headed to. That is what We are interested in. If you help us recover that equipment, Our men will escort you to the High Priest.”

  “Oh! Of course, I will be glad to help!”

  Gewalt brought his hands together in a gesture of deep gratitude. In his mind, however, he thought, So long as I get my hands on Lumachina, who cares about the rest!

  Laminitus didn’t assume the Paladin would cooperate with her fully. But she had only dispatched Henric and a
few people under his command. She was unsure as to how reliable they would be. If the Paladin could help them even half the way through, that would be enough.

  “We do not care if you prioritize the High Priest’s safety, but until you find her, cooperate with Our men. If you can promise Us that, We will help you achieve your goal.”

  “Thank you oh so very much! I swear it on the Lord’s name!” Gewalt made the holy sign before his chest.

  Laminitus nodded.

  With the matter decided, Henric extended his right hand. “It is most reassuring to receive the help of the renowned Paladin Gewalt. I look forward to working with you.”

  “My goodness, you’re cuter than I thought...”

  “Beg pardon...?”

  “Oh, nothing. Likewise, it is a pleasure to be working with you.”

  Gewalt grasped Henric’s extended right hand tightly with both of his own.

  †

  “《Explosion》!”

  Three days later—

  They found a building that looked as if it had only later been added to the desert. Stone doors served as the entrance to this triangular, pyramid-like structure, with large stone lion statues standing guard, forbidding one and all from trespassing.

  Diablo’s magic ran rampant, forming a curtain of black smoke. The moving statues that were garrisoned before the structure’s entrance were sent flying, tumbling over the sand. They were adorned with eagle’s wings and snake tails—in other words, Chimeras—and capable of using a breath attack and lightning magic...which they would have, had they been given the chance to attack.

  The moving statues fell silent.

  “Wow! You’re amazing, Boss!” Horn clapped his hands enthusiastically.

  “Of course I am. This doesn’t even constitute as a warm up.”

  “I came with the strongest Warrior in town last time, and he had a hard time handling these monsters.”

  “What level was Zircon Tower’s strongest Warrior?”

  “I think about 80?”

  “Hmm...”

  That wasn’t that low of a level... Maybe their equipment was bad. The quality of the weapons on sale in this world was low compared to Cross Reverie.

  Diablo’s dungeon was set to regulate the monsters’ strength in response to the player’s. Even if he didn’t understand the reasoning behind it, this should be the dungeon from Diablo’s private area. Other players were supposed to collect special items called 《Treasure Map Fragments》 to earn the right to challenge the dungeon. Diablo’s own party didn’t carry any Treasure Map Fragments, though, so that setting was apparently unique to the game.

  Personal dungeons were built so that once cleared, the player could challenge their designers—in this case, Diablo—to a battle. Incidentally, players who had already cleared the dungeon once could ask for a rematch whenever they wanted, though it required a special item.

  In Cross Reverie, events where players had to team up to beat large monsters were standard. There were solo battle events as well, but those weren’t the main focus of the game.

  Normally there weren’t that many challengers, but Diablo’s Demon Lord role playing earned him a reputation, and many players requested a chance to duel him.

  —Never thought I’d live to see the day where I’d be the one challenging my own dungeon...

  In-game, he was able to freely enter and exit the dungeon and transport himself to the dungeon’s deepest level in an instant. But nothing was happening now that he was visiting it in this world.

  Of course, if a status screen was to pop up, or a message asking, “What floor would you like to go to?” Diablo would probably be even more shocked.

  Anxiety filled Diablo’s heart again.

  —Is this really my dungeon? I guess the only way to find out is by going in...

  The charred lion statues wobbled their way back to their original positions, cracks running through their magnificent manes. In the game, they would proceed to await the next challenger without any visible damage, but in this world, naturally enough, they were being gradually worn down. Maybe one day they would be completely destroyed, or maybe there was some means of repairing them.

  The stone statues stood silent as Shera walked over to the doors.

  “So this is the dungeon we were looking for? We finally made it!”

  “Forgive me... Me being so slow turned this into a four day journey.”

  “Heehee, it’s not your fault, Lumachina. Don’t worry about it, we don’t mind a bit of lost time.”

  Shera tried to encourage Lumachina, unfounded as that claim may be. It was important to stay realistic, but Diablo thought those sorts of groundless words of kindness could be meaningful at times. If nothing else, it served to keep the girls’ morale up.

  The only issue was that the fifth mark had surfaced on Lumachina’s skin... Only four remained.

  As they were heading for the gate, Rem spoke to Horn. “...I’m a bit surprised.”

  “Hmm? What about?”

  “...I’m sorry if this sounds rude, but...over the last few days I’ve been watching you, and believed your strength to be around level 20.”

  “Huh!? Oh... Well, maybe that’s true in terms of combat... I am a Seeker, after all!”

  “...To be honest, I kept asking myself, ‘Will he be useless to us as a guide?’ Please forgive me.”

  “Wha...!? Ha, haha... No, no way... I’m super useful...you know?”

  “...Yes, if a level 80 Warrior was willing to form a party with you, it must mean they had acknowledged your skills. I will be looking forward to seeing you in action. If you are ever in need of help, do not hesitate to ask.”

  “Oh, umm... Thanks...”

  Horn forced a stiff smile. The expression on Horn’s face was one Diablo knew all too well.

  —That’s the face a person without confidence makes when others expect something from them, and they know they can’t deliver but can’t say anything.

  In all likelihood, Horn’s full power really was level 20.

  Diablo recalled how Horn was arguing in town about his share of the spoils from the dungeon; how the Pantherian Warrior had cursed at him, calling him “good-for-nothing.” That Pantherian may have been that level 80, strongest Warrior in town Horn mentioned.

  Diablo was walking behind everyone, deep in thought.

  Shera pressed her weight against the gates.

  “Heave-ho!”

  The gates began pushing open with a creaking sound.

  Rem shrugged. “Have you considered the possibility that a trap may go off?”

  “Eek!”

  “...I was joking. Horn was here once before, so if there were any traps around he would have warned us.”

  “G-Geez, don’t startle me!”

  “...But do be careful going forward. If nothing else, try not to get us involved in your slip-ups.”

  “Booo,” Shera moaned, disgruntled.

  “You may say that, but you’re actually worried for Miss Shera, aren’t you, Miss Rem?” Lumachina smiled wryly.

  “What? She is!?”

  “Hehe, yes, I’m sure of it.”

  “I see, I see! Teehee!” Shera smiled with satisfaction.

  Rem passed her by with a displeased expression on her face. “Lumachina, please do not put any silly ideas in her head. I really don’t want to get myself involved in that dumb Elf’s mishaps. Horn, can we count on you to lead the way?”

  “You got it!”

  Leaving the four to their little exchange, Diablo advanced inside the dungeon, descending down a stone stairway. Some parts of the ceiling were lit, so it was never so dark that he couldn’t see where he was going.

  Rem and the others caught up to him in a hurry.

  “W-Wait up, Diablo... Why are you going forward?”

  “Hmm? There aren’t any enemies in our way, are there?”

  “...That’s...true. I know how strong you are, but shouldn’t we approach this dungeon with a bit more caution?”
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br />   In the end, Diablo never told them he was the one who made this dungeon, because he had no idea how to explain it. He also couldn’t tell them he remembered how all the monsters and traps were spread out. And if they were to ask why he needed Horn to guide him here, or why he wasn’t sure the dungeon had existed until now? He really didn’t have any good answers to those questions.

  What was he supposed to say? “In the game all I had to do was click a button on the menu”?

  Left with no other choice, he fell back to his Demon Lord persona.

  “Make no mistake, you fools. I am no ally of yours. I am merely allowing you to accompany me. Shut those blabbering mouths of yours and follow me!”

  —I know everything about this dungeon, so you should all be safe if you just stay behind me.

  That’s what he was trying to convey, but had that gotten through to them? He hoped it did.

  Rem covered her feline ears. “Y-Yes. I’m sorry.”

  Uneasiness filled Shera and Lumachina’s expressions as well, and Horn was frozen in terror.

  It totally backfired. All his words served to do was sour the mood.

  —This is why playing in a party is such an impossible choke point! Challenging the last boss all on your own is way easier than this!

  After pondering for a few moments, he pressed on silently, with Rem and the others following suit.

  Shera had spent the last few days encouraging Lumachina, who was trying to remain firm in the face of her plight, and managed to genuinely cheer her up. And now Diablo completely ruined that because of his careless words.

  But putting that aside, as a party their lineup wasn’t bad. Diablo, who was familiar with the dungeon and the strongest of them, served as vanguard. Then they had Rem, a Summoner. Next were Shera, a high level Archer (insisting she’s a summoner), and Lumachina, who served as a Healer. Lastly, Horn was a Seeker that excelled at scouting.

  Maybe because of how heavy the atmosphere had become, everyone was silent since entering the dungeon. There weren’t even the sounds of the wind or any foliage.