A Moment With Olivier, A Meeting With Regal.

“Your efforts are vital, Olivier. From here on out, I want you to continue leading the Sixth Army and fully utilize your strength as the Demon Realm’s protector—its healer.”

“Th-Thank you very much!”

Olivier’s fox ears and tail booped upward in a neat bounce.

“Ehehehe…”

“Hmm?”

“Ehehehehehehe…”

What is this? Her face is grinning to an unusual degree.

“I’m not used to being praised regularly…” Olivier said, her face still locked in that goofy grin. “It makes me so bashful~”

“Not used to being praised? But your healing capabilities are remarkably distinguished even among the demon race. It is a strength well worthy of proper praise.”

“Originally, my magic activation was unstable… so I wasn’t highly valued even within my clan. It wasn’t rare for me to be treated as completely incompetent.”

“Unstable activation… huh.”

Come to think of it, her magical energy apparently spikes exponentially only when her emotions are heightened by her delusions. It made sense that she couldn’t display her strength consistently.

“Treating you as incompetent when you possess this much magical energy is quite harsh.”

“N-No, it’s only recently that I’ve become able to deploy healing magic with relative stability,” Olivier said. “It’s likely thanks to my increased opportunities to interact with my idol, Stella-oneesama, as well as Feria-sama and Lilim-sama. Since there are situations all over the place where I can indulge in yuri-coupling delusions, it feels like my delusions are multiplied by a hundred, and my magic by a thousand!”

I didn’t entirely catch her drift, but I supposed it was the power of what she called “moe.”

“Whatever the reason, your efforts are significant. I am grateful. Not just me, but every single demon who has been healed and saved by your power.”

“The ones I… saved?”

“You have saved a great number of demons. And from here on out as well—I want you to protect our comrades with that strength. I am counting on you.” I placed a hand on Olivier’s shoulder.

“Counting on me… Demon King-sama is counting on me… hafuhuu…” Olivier flushed red, covering her cheeks with both hands.

“Is something wrong, Olivier?”

“I-It’s strange… My heart is pounding, exactly like when I’m facing a cute girl.”

Her tail wagged with a particularly fierce intensity. It was likely proof of her heightened emotions.

“Could this be the sprouting of a brand-new moe…!” Olivier looked up at me, her eyes sparkling.

“Moe…?”

“Until now, I’ve only ever felt moe toward cute girls. Among the Demon Army Commanders, it was Stella-oneesama or Feria-sama. Also, elder sister, elder sister, or elder sister. Furthermore, I’d feel moe toward elder sister too.”

“That’s pretty much just Stella.”

“But just now, my heart fluttered before Demon King-sama. It seems I am capable of feeling moe toward a male opponent as well. A brand-new attribute appears to have been unlocked in me!”

Olivier screamed, clenching her fist tightly. Simultaneously, an aura of magical energy surged forth from her entire body. As always, it was a terrifying pool of mana.

“Fufufu, as long as I replenish my moe, my strength will well up exhaustlessly!” Olivier shouted energetically. “With that said, I’m heading back to healing!”

“Yeah, I leave it to you,” I told her. “Just don’t overdo it. Like I said just now, your efforts are vital. I want you to continue being my strength.”

“Understood! The humble Olivier Kiel shall do her absolute best without overdoing it, in a moderately full-throttle way!”

No sooner had she said this than Olivier dashed away.

Leaving the medical station, I went on to visit Regal.

“Regal, how are your injuries?”

During the previous battle, Regal had fought against the Sacred Edge and had his entire body shattered to pieces. Although he had made a full recovery thanks to Olivier’s power—no matter how much of an immortal monster he was—I was still concerned about his physical state.

“Since I am undead, I am entirely estranged from pain. The shattered body has been restored completely to how it was before by the healing of Demon Army Commander Olivier,” Regal stated.

His voice was brimming with his usual commanding vigor.

“There is no impediment to combat. I shall prove myself capable of working just as before—nay, far more than ever before.”

“Dependable words. As your King, I am pleased.” I nodded open-handedly.

Regal offered a silent, respectful bow.

“Forgive my presumption, my King. May I ask you one question?”

“Hmm, what is it?”

“Beneath your mask—”

Regal’s twin eyes—the red glow dwelling within the depths of his dark eye sockets—stared intently at me. It was a sharp brilliance, looking very much as if it were piercing clean through to my true face beneath the mask.

“…No, it is nothing.”

“Regal?”

“You have assembled all seven Demon Army Commanders and reorganized the Demon Army. You have even repelled formidable foes like the ‘King of Light’ and the hero who acquired the ‘Power of God.’ Now that the heroes’ offensive is intensifying… I consider you to be a ‘strong King’ capable of protecting the Demon Realm.”

I recalled the time when I first met Regal. He had judged me to be “soft” and challenged me to a battle. Although I had won that fight and secured his temporary loyalty—it had felt strictly provisional.

I supposed things had changed a little by now. He had acknowledged me, at least a little.

“I intend to continue working as your sword from here on out as well.”

“—I shall continue to rely on you.” I looked straight at Regal. “I am counting on you, Regal.”

“Hah!”