Chapter 80
Even after defeating the angels, there was no sign of Gilka waking up.
Even when Yuurai checked with Spirit Sight, the unpleasant haze of light had not disappeared.
Since defeating the root cause didn't help, Yuurai decided to ask Emeralda for help for now.
Along with Deena and the others, who had been on standby, they all headed to Emeralda. Her presence was distinctive, so they quickly found her location. As for Gilka, the Skeleton carried her with care.
As they walked through the quiet town, Yuurai reminded Deena.
"Deena, I wasn't the one who destroyed the town—it was the angel, okay? Make sure to report that properly to the Adventurer Guild, alright?"
"......I know. But the Demon King did quite a bit of damage too..."
"Well, you can report that too. But the angel did more damage than me. That's for sure."
"Yeah......"
As Deena nodded, Fia spoke passionately.
"Even so, the Demon King's power is truly magnificent! Even against those powerful angels, the Demon King defeated them while being mindful not to destroy the town! Honestly, I probably wouldn't have even been able to defeat those angels!"
"Even you couldn't defeat them? And you're pretty strong."
"My combat power doesn't even reach a hundred thousand. Also, since I'm human, I don't have a weakness to holy attributes, but I still take damage from that light. I can block it, but they're way up in the sky, and there's no opening to counterattack. That sword also looked special. It's probably effective against humans too. Its sharpness seemed exceptional, so I wouldn't be able to stand against it."
"I see. Hmm, if things like that keep showing up, it could be a problem... Hey, Claire. That thing was summoned by that five-year-old, right? Can a five-year-old really summon such a powerful angel?"
"......As far as I know, it should be impossible. They're probably using some support magic I don't know about."
"I see. So more of those might show up... I guess we can't afford to relax too much? Well, if they do, I'll defeat them, but I hope no one blames me if the town gets damaged... Ah, I can feel the enemy doing something again..."
Yuurai sensed an unpleasant presence coming from the direction of the church. She couldn't tell exactly what was happening, but holy-attribute magic was overflowing.
"Should I tell them to stop their useless resistance, or should I just crush their full force... Hmm, since Lipia is here too, I'd better not let anything unnecessary happen..."
Just as they were about to head to the church, a Holy Knight clad in silver armor and Saint Emeralda blocked Yuurai and the others' path. The Holy Knight was probably Emma. As for the Saint, despite the sudden night raid, she wore a pure white robe befitting her role.
"Yo. Emma and Emeralda, right? It's been a while, both of you."
Yuurai tried a casual greeting. But as expected, no cheerful response came back. The Holy Knight drew her sword, and Claire and Fia also took a battle stance in response.
"......Demon King. Why have you come?"
A familiar voice. As expected, the one in armor was Emma.
"Why have I come? You guys attacked first, didn't you? So this is payback... well, partly. But that's not the main reason. Because of the strange magic that angel used, Gilka won't wake up. We can't handle it ourselves, so we were hoping your Saint could help."
"......There's no way we would help the Demon King's allies."
"Don't be so uptight. I never intended to be your enemy. You're the ones who keep attacking."
"......You mean we're too weak to even be considered enemies?"
"Don't be so self-deprecating. Sure, there's a difference in strength, but I simply have no reason to fight the church. If you leave me alone, I won't do anything either. Let's just stay out of each other's way."
"......You are the Demon King, who has taken many lives. A threat to the world whose future actions are unknown. We can't leave you unchecked."
"......You're so stubborn. I told you I just want a peaceful life."
"We can't take the Demon King's words at face value."
"Ah, I see. Hmm, hey, Saint. Do you also feel like you have to defeat me no matter what?"
When Yuurai shifted her gaze, Saint Emeralda looked down sadly.
"......I don't know. I do think the Demon King shouldn't exist, but I don't want to fight with you anymore."
"Can you say that to the Holy Knight next to you too? Fighting us won't do any good. It'll just cause more unnecessary damage."
Emeralda looked at Emma. But she seemed unsure of what to say.
At that moment, Claire stepped forward.
"Emma. No matter what you're thinking, you should know that you can't possibly win against us. Are you really hoping to throw your life away in a hopeless battle?"
In response to Claire's merciless words, Emma answered with pain in her voice.
"......I don't intend to die in vain. Claire, would you duel with me?"
"A duel? Why?"
"Even if Emeralda and I combine our strength, we can't defeat the Demon King. But at the very least, I want to free Claire from the Demon King's control. ...With my own hands, I'll kill you."
"I'm not under any kind of control from Yuurai."
"That's not true. Claire wasn't the kind of person who would lend her strength to the Demon King."
Claire let out a deep sigh.
"Hey, Yuurai. Is it okay if I have a personal fight for a bit?"
"Do what you want. It's your choice."
"Thanks. Then, Emma, let's fight. But if we're going to fight, I have one condition. ...Emeralda. If I win against Emma, I want you to examine Gilka. You might be able to help her."
Emeralda nodded.
Then, Claire stepped toward Emma.
(I'm still worried about what's happening at the church... but since Claire negotiated with the Saint, I guess I'll just watch for now.)