MTLNOVEL Ch. 90
Chapter 90
Once Yuurai completely dragged the Angel into darkness, she was able to control all of it. She stopped the Archangel from absorbing the souls throughout the town and gradually caused its body to vanish.
The Archangel no longer rampaged as Yuurai's enemy, nor did it take the lives of the townspeople.
The immense magic power the Archangel had contained dissolved into the air and disappeared. Yuurai could have absorbed it, but knowing that the source of the magic was human souls, she had no desire to take it in.
It would be a different matter if she were in a corrupted state, but in her normal state, she had no intention of absorbing tens of thousands of human souls. She didn't know where the souls would go, but figured they'd find their rightful place.
And then, Yuurai acquired a skill called Demon Summoning.
It was slightly different in use from Demon Summoning, as only one Fallen Angel could be summoned at a time. However, even if it was killed, it didn't truly die, and as long as Yuurai's magic held out, she could summon it repeatedly.
Also, its size changed depending on the amount of magic infused. With about 50,000 magic, it would reach the size of a normal human. It could also fly using the wings on its back, making it quite convenient.
"Ahh, I'm exhausted... That was really close... My body won't move, and I'm out of magic..."
Yuurai lay on the ground, muttering as she gazed up at the starry sky.
Rifiris's attack had apparently done more damage than expected. Combined with the full-force darkness she used on the Archangel, she could no longer move her body.
If someone attacked her now, she'd die... The thought made Yuurai uneasy.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It's my fault for not being able to control my power...!"
Rifiris could only cry. She wished someone trustworthy and strong would arrive soon.
"......You look like you're having a rough time, Demon King."
Hearing that voice, Yuurai broke out in a cold sweat.
"......Emma. You picked a pretty bad time to show up."
Emma, the Holy Knight who was determined to defeat the Demon King. Seeing the unguarded Demon King, she would surely see this as a chance to strike.
But instead of drawing her sword right away, Emma deliberately spoke first. Why?
Yuurai turned her gaze toward Emma. Standing beside the armored Emma was Emeralda.
"......Hey, Emma. Did you come to kill me?"
"No! Emma! You can't kill the Demon King! This Demon King isn't an evil one!"
Rifiris stood up and blocked Emma's path.
"......Rifiris. The Demon King is evil. It must be defeated."
"That's not true! This Demon King isn't just evil! I tried to kill the Demon King, but she didn't try to kill me! Maybe she did a lot of terrible things, but she chooses her opponents carefully!"
"......Rifiris. Step aside."
"No!"
Emma drew her sword. Rifiris didn't move.
"......Now that the Demon King is weakened, this is our chance. We may never get another. Evil must be punished."
"Don't judge that the Demon King is evil based on your assumptions! We're the ones who took many lives today! Even if we were doing the right thing, the result is still mass slaughter! The Church's justice is scarier and more dangerous than the Demon King!"
Emma fell silent.
"......But still—"
"Enough! No more 'but still'! You're such an idiot, Emma!"
Rifiris closed the distance and charged at Emma with her bare fists.
With Emma's strength, she could have easily neutralized Rifiris. But she only dodged her attacks and didn't strike back.
"Rifiris, stop."
"I won't! Not until you give up, Emma!"
The fight between adult and child dragged on for a while.
Suddenly, Emeralda stepped between the two.
"That's enough. Emma, put your sword away."
"But I... the Demon King..."
"The Demon King is a hero who saved this town from annihilation. That Archangel and the Magic Circle were both out of control. If things had continued, even you and I might have been consumed by the Archangel. The Demon King saved a lot of people, so just for today, let her go."
"This might be our only chance..."
"I'm sure we'll get another chance. But for today, let's stop fighting. I don't want to see more killing or anyone else die..."
Emeralda hugged Emma. The strength drained from Emma's body.
"......Fine. I'll back down for tonight."
"Okay."
Emeralda stepped away from Emma. Emma sheathed her sword and turned her back to Yuurai.
"......Demon King. Next time we meet, I will kill you."
"Then I'll just kill you right back. See you."
Emma and Emeralda walked away.
Their backs looked terribly lonely.
"......Thanks, Rifiris. For fighting for me."
When Yuurai called out, Rifiris turned around and ran to her.
"Of course! Maybe the Demon King did bad things before, but this time we're the ones in the wrong!"
"......I see. I'm glad you're someone who can make that judgment. Still... what now? I still can't move..."
"I'm sorry! I hurt you so badly... Um, should I carry you? I think I can at least drag you along..."
"......Please don't drag me. My back'll get scraped up."
As they were pondering what to do—
"......Demon King, you look quite exhausted. Your wounds seem painful too..."
Fia arrived. Her personality was problematic, but she followed orders and was strong, making her unexpectedly reliable.
"......Fia, you're okay?"
Her yellow-beige twin tails were half burned away. Maybe they got scorched. She also had burn marks elsewhere, but no major injuries.
"I am unharmed! There's no way I'd die from an attack by a mere servant of God!"
"That's good. ...Sorry, but could you carry me? I can't move at all..."
"Understood! But... if you can't move, does that mean you can't resist anything I do to you...?"
Yuurai sensed a danger different from a threat to her life.
Fia approached Yuurai with a spring in her step, grinning as she looked down at her.
"......Even if I kiss you, Demon King, you can't resist, right?"
"......Fia. Enough with the jokes."
"But I worked really hard for you today, Demon King! I was the one who fought that damn Angel the hardest. Right?"
"......I can't deny that."
"I am your loyal Slave. If you told me to die, I'd gladly do it. But... can't I at least get a reward for all my hard work?"
"......And that reward is a kiss?"
"Yes!"
"......But we're both girls?"
"Gender and race don't matter at all! I love you, Demon King!"
"......Sigh. Fine. Nn... I'll give you a kiss on the cheek, so no forcing it, okay?"
"Muu. Fine. It's a bit unsatisfying... but I'll endure it. It's for you, Demon King!"
"Please do."
"By the way, is the one who gave you that wound still alive? I'll make sure to kill them!"
"They're alive, but don't bother. I've already forgiven them."
"......I see. That's unfortunate. Then, I will carry you now, Demon King!"
"I'm counting on you."
Fia lifted Yuurai into her arms, holding her lovingly.
"Haa... Haa... Demon King's warmth... Demon King's scent... Fufufufufufufuh..."
"Fia's dangerous in a lot of ways..."
Since Fia was the only one she could rely on right now, Yuurai endured being groped a little. The other girl, after all, wasn't unpleasant. She reminded herself that she had already fulfilled her promise to hug Fia earlier.
"Could it be... all of the Demon King's companions are like this...?"
Rifiris looked a little uneasy.
"Not at all. Fia's the only weird one to this extent."
"Well, that's a relief..."
"Hey, Rifiris. We're leaving the Holy Capital now. You're coming with us, right?"
"Yeah. I'm going with you. I hate the Holy Capital..."
"Got it. Then follow us."
"Okay."
"Fia, head toward the north where we entered."
"Understood!"
Yuurai and the others headed out of town.
Along the way, they also found Deena carrying Gilka, so they walked together.
The Holy Capital was half-destroyed. More than half the people had died. For those left behind, rebuilding would be a daunting task.
(...I wasn't the one who destroyed or killed, but in the end, it turned into a kind of revenge that suits me... I don't want to fight like this anymore...)
Perhaps it was because her exhaustion had reached its limit, but Yuurai's consciousness faded there.