Marching To The Human Realm

“We are the Wraith Legion, the elite aides of Lord Undead Regal!”

“To think you would challenge our legion all alone—laughable!”

“We’ll cut you, shoot you, carve you, and violate you to death, woman!”

From the front, hundreds of undead came swarming forward.

“Wicked demons… I’ll exterminate every last one of you.”

The beautiful girl Hero—Ludmila—spoke with a hint of a smile. The tips of her blue twin-tails and her yellow ribbons fluttered in the wind.

“I’ll sweep them away. You all handle any demons that I miss.”

“No matter how you look at it, there are too many… it’s reckless!”

“Numbers are just numbers.”

Ludmila replied coolly to Lyle’s warning.

(Does she really intend to do this alone…!?)

Reclaiming the three kingdoms of the Eastern Continent conquered by the demon army—it had been fine to accompany her on that mission. But he never imagined Ludmila would attempt a frontal breakthrough against such a massive force.

Including Lyle, there were twenty Heroes in total. Furthermore, there were about a thousand soldiers from the allied nations. But Ludmila seemed to have no intention of relying on any of them. When they had fought together before, she hadn’t been a girl who did things this reckless, but…

The demon army was already closing in, barely ten meters away.

“Now, play the melody of slaughter—Miracle Armament: Raphael.”

Ludmila raised a beautiful jade-colored bow. Its form looked like two bows crossing in an ‘X’ shape. It was the Seraph-class Miracle Armament, Raphael. It was a holy weapon of the highest rank among all Miracle Armaments.

“The maximum capacity of Raphael is 777. With this one shot—”

Countless arrows of light were fired simultaneously. The cluster of arrows surged forward, creating a tornado and piercing every demon at once. The area was dyed crimson with blood spray, which the wind then scattered.

“Your fate is at its end.”

There was not a single demon left to answer Ludmila’s quiet declaration. She had accurately crushed the core—the weak point of the undead with their immortal bodies. It was a display of overwhelming rapid-fire capability and precision.

“In an instant…”

Lyle stood there, stunned. She had grown even stronger than the last time he saw her. Even the Demon Lord Yurisha, whom Lyle and Fried had barely managed to corner together, might be defeated instantly by Ludmila.

However, one question remained. If she possessed this much strength, why hadn’t she been chosen as a member of the recent desperate mission to the Demon Realm? If Ludmila and the other “Sacred Edges” had joined, they surely could have slain the Demon Lord. All their battles up until now would have been won far more easily—.

“Is something wrong, Lyle-kun?”

Ludmila turned around. Even on a gruesome battlefield, an air of elegance flowed around her. It made his heart skip a beat; he was nearly captivated.

“…No.”

Lyle shook his head. Staring could come later. The questions could come later, too.

“Now, let’s scatter the stragglers and reclaim the kingdom. Heroes! Soldiers of the kingdom! Advance!”

Ludmila spoke with dignity. Cheers and battle cries erupted.

“Alright, I’ll go too—”

With the crimson great sword Laevateinn in hand, Lyle began to run. For now, he would focus on racking up achievements. For the sake of the glory Lyle aimed for—.

“The three kingdoms have been reclaimed, and my aides have been slain—O King, give me permission to sortie.”

Appearing in the audience chamber, Regal spoke those words the moment he opened his mouth.

“I shall slaughter the Heroes and surely offer their heads to my King…!”

Since his face was a skull, it was hard to tell, but from his tone and attitude, he was likely furious. Regal was certainly strong. Against an average Hero, he might indeed slaughter them all as he said. But this time, the opponents were the “Sacred Edges.” And above all…

“No, I’m going.”

Standing up from the throne, I shook my head.

“The Demon Lord himself…?”

Regal looked surprised. Stella, attending by the side of the throne, seemed equally shocked.

“I want you to watch the house. Because of the barrier, the possibility of the Heroes attacking is low, but we need to be prepared.”

“With all due respect… this incident was a failure on my part for leaving the human realm to my subordinates. I wish for an opportunity to redeem myself.”

Regal wouldn’t back down.

“On my pride as a Demon Commander, I shall surely conquer the kingdoms once more.”

“I appreciate that spirit. But the opponent is one of the four ‘Sacred Edges’ called the strongest.”

“No matter who they are, I shall simply crush them with my blade.”

“I know your strength. I rely on it, too.”

I chose my words carefully to avoid needlessly wounding Regal’s pride.

“That’s precisely why I want to avoid meaningless attrition. No matter how powerful you are, you might not escape unscathed against a Sacred Edge.”

“Mu…”

“If you are wounded and then pursued by other Heroes, what then? Please consider the ‘worst-case scenario’.”

To be honest, what I just said wasn’t everything. As a strategic reason, it was accurate. But if I sent Regal, many people would die. I didn’t want that. Even if it was naive, I just didn’t want it.

And besides—Lyle is at the destination. I have to settle things with him myself.

From here on, as the Demon Lord—and as a human. What kind of path will I walk? I’m going to find out.

“Therefore, I intend to go with only Stella.”

I made the declaration.

“Bringing demons with half-baked power will only increase the casualties.”

“But, only one guard is…”

“Stella excels in detection abilities. She is perfect for my support.”

I explained to Regal.

“I shall do my utmost for the Demon Lord.”

When I looked at Stella, she nodded quietly.

“And besides—you know my power, don’t you? You, who have crossed blades with me directly. Even a Sacred Edge is no match for me.”

I spoke confidently. Regal fell silent, perhaps remembering our fight.

“However… if by some chance I am defeated, I want to entrust the future to you. Currently, among the demons around me, you are the strongest. Stella is not yet at full strength.”

“My Lord—”

“If I am slain, a new Demon Lord will be born, right? Whether that will be Stella, Regal, or another demon, I don’t know… but if someone other than you becomes the new King, please support them. I’m counting on you.”

“…If your resolve is that firm, I shall say no more. Good fortune in war, O King.”

Regal bowed deeply toward me.

And so, I ended up going to the human realm with Stella. We left the Demon Castle together.

“Then, I shall create a path. Dimension Road.”

When Stella chanted the spell, a black hole opened in the space before us. She had opened a section of the barrier. Back when I was still human, I had come from the human realm to the demon realm through a hole in the barrier. But moving from the demon realm to the human realm was a first for me.

I passed through the black hole with Stella. Beyond it, a pitch-black space stretched out.

“Fried-sama, you are likely not yet used to traveling within the barrier. Please, take my hand.”

Stella grasped my hand. It was a soft, warm hand. Led by her, I proceeded through the barrier.

“This barrier allows for free passage between the human and demon realms for demons, right?”

“Yes, a demon can pass through without issue. However, humans cannot pass.”

Stella replied to my question. Humans cannot invade the demon realm unless they break the barrier, but demons can come and go freely between the two worlds—. If the human side ever gained the ability to invade the demon realm freely, the power balance of the war would change instantly.

I continued further while thinking of such things. Eventually, light appeared ahead. Was that the exit?

—The moment I thought that, we were already outside. Verdant forests stretched out around us. After a long time, the sunlight was dazzling to my eyes. After all, the sun doesn’t shine in the demon realm.

“The Heroes appear to be several kilometers ahead.”

Stella spoke, manifesting her third eye on her forehead.

“Understood. Let’s head straight there. Stella, I’m counting on your Clairvoyance for detection.”

I began to walk with Stella. The Heroes were ahead. And among them—surely, Lyle would be there.