The night of the day where the Jiol Forest Kingdom, which was in mankind’s territory, and the Zadark Kingdom that the Demon King Vermudol governed had entered a treaty of friendship.

Luuty Rigas, who was the hero of the Jiol Forest Kingdom as well as one of the former Hero’s party members, was staying in the Zadark Kingdom, which was in the Dark Continent.

The place she was at was one of the guest rooms that were prepared in the Demon King Castle.

The night view of the castle town that she looked down upon from the room’s balcony was something truly gorgeous.

Thanks not only to the light of the Illumination Magic, but also the lights that were attached to the eaves of every shop, the entire town emitted a radiance that was like a treasure box.

「....」

It was definitely a civilized light.

It was a spectacle that couldn’t have imagined during the time in the past when mankind had fought against the Demon King Gramfia.

For Luuty, who had visited this land in the past together with the Hero Ryuuya, she still couldn’t believe it.

The Zadark Kingdom.

It was the nation that new Demon King had created and governed all of a sudden on a barren land.

「You’re making quite the long face, aren’t you.」

「!?」

Luuty was surprised by the voice she suddenly heard, saw the figure that appeared before her, and stepped back.

The one that was there, was the Zadark Kingdom’s Western General, the man called Sancreed.

Sancreed grabbed the handrail from outside of the balcony, and leaned his body forward.

「Wha, what’re you....? This is, the second floor....」

「Nn, ahh....well, I just did a bit of jumping is all.」

That’s right, Sancreed had jumped from the ground and went up to the balcony handrail.

That was simply all there was to it, but.

「....Normally, you’d come through the door, right?」

「I see. I had forgotten that.」

Seeing Sancreed say that with face that said he had seriously forgotten, Luuty breathed a deep sigh.

「....Rather, this is a lady’s room, you know.」

「....Ahh, I had forgotten that.」

「I wonder if I should push this guy off.」

It had irritated her quite a bit, but with the face of someone who had overbearingly came everyday to woo her in a similar way suddenly coming to her mind, she exhaled.

This happens all the time....is what she thought.

She stared at Sancreed who was still leaning his body forward from the outer side of the balcony.

「What is it?」

「It, it’s nothing....」

Luuty shook off that someone who came to her mind, and continued to glare at Sancreed.

「In any case, please hurry up and climb up. That stands out.」

「That’s true. It’s about time for the castle patrol to pass by below.」

「Th, then please hurry up!」

「Yeah.」

When Sancreed said that, he nimbly got onto the balcony.

「....So, what business do you have with me?」

「Nn? Business?」

「You came here because you had business with me, right?」

Being told that, Sancreed tilted his head....showing a look that said he was troubled.

「....No, I don’t particularly have any.」

「....Then what did you come here for.」

「Well I said it didn’t I. That you were making a long face.」

Just as he happened to be walking by, he saw Luuty making a long face.

That is why he tried coming here. That was simply all there was to it.

「I thought that if there was something troubling you, then you might need someone to listen.」

「....You, you’re a Mazoku, aren’t you?」

「Yes I am. But it’s not like a Mazoku can’t listen to the troubles of a Sylphid woman....」

After having said that much, Sancreed then made a face that looked like he realized something.

「....Come to think of it, I heard the Jiol Forest Kingdom was a country of disciplines....Could it be....is there one? A discipline like that....」

The Jiol Forest Kingdom where many of the long-lived Sylphid lived was a country that honored disciplines. There are many cases where foreigners that didn’t know of those disciplines would do rude actions without knowingly doing so.

「No, there isn’t.」

「I see....Then that’s good.」

Seeing Sancreed clearly look relieved, Luuty chuckled.

She didn’t feel the fearsome atmosphere from when she saw him during that afternoon’s coordinated exercise from the Sancreed that was standing before her.

What Luuty was currently feeling, was an indescribable nostalgia.

However, she didn’t know why she was feeling that. Today was Luuty’s first time meeting with this man.

In the end, he had only given a light self-introduction during the coordinated exercise, and other than the fact that this man called Sancreed had the position of being the Western General of the Demon King Army, she knew nothing about him.

That is why Luuty had decided to try talking with this man called Sancreed for a bit longer.

「....I was, looking at the town.」

「I see. Was there something about it that was bothering you?」

「If I were to put it simple, it’s everything about it.」

Even in the Canal Kingdom which was said to be a multi-raced nation, it wasn’t possible to see such a diversity of races.

Various races such as Beastia, Goblins, and Majin were in harmony.

The Mazoku which were wicked beings that were covered in hatred and should have been a menace to mankind, they had overcome the racial wall and were living in peace.

「....I, believe that the fight in the past was the correct thing to do.」

The fight that unfolded in this Dark Continent against the Demon King Gramfia and the Mazoku he led.

Being reminded of the days where she defeated Mazoku together with the Hero Ryuuya, Luuty muttered that.

「I see.」

「Are you not going to deny me?」

「Do you want me to deny you?」

Those words were turned back on her in a flash.

Luuty stayed silent and shook her head sideways, showing her denial of it.

「I just thought that....it was something that would be hard to forgive for the Mazoku.」

「I see.」

Sancreed said that and nodded.

「But, that isn’t the case.」

Being told that, Luuty looked up at Sancreed’s face.

「Certainly, it is said that the Dark Continent went into chaos from Gramfia’s death. However, it was originally like that during that time, and it was a confusing age where Mazoku each did whatever they liked and had no unity at all....or so I’ve heard. That’s why, although Gramfia had died, the Mazoku didn’t all fly into a rage, nor were they bewildered by the change....or so I was told.」

「By who?」

「It was Fainell.」

The current Eastern General of the Demon King Army Fainell.

Being reminded of the face of the woman whom she had once fought against, Luuty went “I see, that certainly does seem like something she would say” and laughed.

「....In that case, what about now?」

「Now?」

「What if mankind challenged the Mazoku to a fight and defeated the Demon King now....that is what I mean.」

「Fumu.」

Sancreed narrowed his eyes, and after just a bit of thinking, he answered.

「If that were to happen, the Zadark Kingdom would surely fall into chaos.」

Cutting his words off for a moment, he made a complete change from the gentle atmosphere that he had up until now.

「But, that won’t happen.」

A penetratingly cold voice.

That was a silent overpowering sensation.

A sharp bloodlust that felt as if thousands of drawn swords had been thrust before her had poured out.

「Before that happens, I will prevent it. For the sake of all those that live in this country.」

「Is that, so.」

That bloodlust that would have made even the captain of the Jiol Forest Kingdom Protection Chivalric Order Zekwell step back, Luuty had directly accepted it.

That was something that she could do because she had experience as a hero with a long military service, as well as the embodiment of her resolution to accept the answer towards her own question.

「....As I thought, that really is how it is.」

「Yeah.」

Sancreed, who had put away his bloodlust, and Luuty stared at each other just like that.

That which couldn’t be cast away.

That which couldn’t be forgiven.

Between mankind and the Mazoku, there were various discords.

If those were to be overcome──

Luuty thought that, and opened her mouth.

「....Sancreed. You....」

「Was it here!」

A *Dogon!* sound resounded, and the door to Luuty’s room was kicked in.

What entered the room as if rushing in was the Eastern General Fainell....and several Magic Operated Armors.

It was there that Fainell discovered Luuty and Sancreed staring at each other on the balcony.

「Nnn?」

Fainell saw that scene, and calmly analyzed the situation.

When she came here after feeling a bloodlust that was no trivial matter, Sancreed and Luuty were staring at each other.

Also, they were on the balcony where the night view that was full of atmosphere could be seen.

「Fainell-sama, this is....」

「You guys!」

Fainell promptly turned her back to Luuty and Sancreed, and gave an order to the Magic Operated Armors.

「Tonight, we saw nothing! Got it!?」

「Yes ma’am, but what shall we do about that door!」

Fainell stared at the door that was pretty much broken due to her kicking it in.

「Mu, let’s see. Go fix it before Ichika finds out about it!」

「Yes ma’am, and if we are found out, I will report that Fainell-sama had broken it and had forbidden us to speak of it!」

「Stop that, I’ll end up getting snide remarks from her.」

「Since this concerns our lives, we cannot yield on this!」

Fainell, who was doing something like a manzai (comic dialogue) with the Magic Operated Armor, suddenly noticed the gaze that came from behind her and turned around.

「Ahー, well now. Sorry for getting in the way....I had no intention of doing so. Come on, let’s withdraw!」

「Pl, please wait!」

As Fainell tried to hurriedly leave the room, Luuty rushed to call her to a halt.

「What’s this, Luuty. You couldn’t be telling me to watch, could you? Although I look like this, I’m pretty pure hearted you know.」

「Just what are you talking about!」

「What you say....You guys’ story of love?」

「You’re wrong!」

When Fainell looked at Luuty and Sancreed’s figures with doubtful eyes, she expressed an artificial smile.

「Ahh, I get it. I totally get it. I didn’t see anything. That should be fine, right?」

「I’m telling you....!」

「I said that I get it. Just keep it in moderation.」

「So you really don’t get anything at all! Hold it right there!」

Fainell promptly left. Even the Magic Operated Armors that she left behind, they repaired the door with experienced hand work, and upon testing how it was by opening and closing it, they closed the door and left.

「Ahh, jeez! What are you going to do about this!」

Luuty threw her anger and impatience that had no outlet onto Sancreed.

「There’s nothing we can do about it.」

「Why are you saying it like it’s someone else’s problem!」

Being glared at by Luuty, Sancreed averted his gaze.

「Well, don’t be bothered by it.」

「It bothers me!」

「As an apology, I’ll take you to an interesting place.」

「Ha?」

Luuty made a puzzled face at the sudden proposal.

「You can’t sleep anyway, right? In that case, this is perfect.」

After saying that, Sancreed took Luuty’s hand.

Luuty’s face switched between red and blue from Sancreed’s unexpected actions.

Thanks to Fainell, she probably couldn’t help but be strangely conscious of it all.

「Wait....you, what’re you....!?」

「What, it’s merely an invitation for some nighttime fun.」

Sancreed made a broad smile.

「──Gate.」

Together with vestiges of light, Luuty and Sancreed’s figures disappeared from the balcony.

The place the two of them appeared at was an alley in the castle town Arkverm

「This place is....?」

「Arkverm. It’s the place you were looking at earlier.」

Luuty surveyed the area while being enveloped in the hustle and bustle.

What came walking to them from the front seemed to be a hairy, fluffy, white longhaired variety of cat Beastia.

The Beastia paid no heed to Luuty’s group, and passed by in a good mood.

「Now then, let’s go.」

While still gripping Luuty’s hand, Sancreed tried to leave the alley.

「Ho, hold on....My hand, please let go of it!」

「Nn? Ahh. Don’t stray away from me.」

「I won’t! Or rather, is this alright?」

That’s right, the castle town is the best place to gather the country’s information.

If this were mankind’s territory, it would also be the place that had the most number of spies being sent to it.

If he were to take Luuty to a place like that, it would be the same as leaking the Zadark Kingdom’s varied information.

Although a treaty of friendship has currently been formed with the Jiol Forest Kingdom, having defeated the Demon King Gramfia together with the past Hero, Luuty should be someone that should especially require special attention.

「Are you talking about money? Today is my treat. You don’t have to worry about it.」

While feeling irritated by Sancreed’s words that seemed like he wasn’t worried about the information leakage at all, Luuty drew close to him.

「I am someone who you never know when I’ll turn into your enemy. I’m asking if it’s alright to guide me through the town despite that.」

「It will be fine while that’s just an unsubstantiated assertion. Besides, you can be relieved since I will cut you down when that time comes.」

「....Is that so.」

Although Luuty found that a bit unconvincing, she gave up on doing any more questioning and breathed a sigh.

「The night is long but too short to enjoy it all. I’ll tell you about the shops I recommend.」

While gazing at the back of Sancreed, who had said that and started walking, as she walked, Luuty had a thought.

That he was similar.

She remembered the figure that already died....that had vanished within the flow of time.

That shouldn’t be the case.

Although she felt a stir, Luuty denied her own thoughts.