Maou No Utsuwa

Three months have passed since Kamui disappeared from the imperial mosque.

The Ruthua Empire carried out a search with all its strength, but at all, it was unable to grasp even the signs that it had left the capital.

On the other hand, the rushed imperial movements caught the attention of the nations who were following the trend and were soon to be grasped by the fact that Kamui had escaped the capital.

What does that action of Kamui mean? It's easy to guess that. It doesn't matter if that's true or not. Those who are hostile to Kamui and those who are not, speculate on the meaning of the action in accordance with their own thoughts that they want it to move this way, and decide that it is so, and they will also take action.

The first of these to take action, naturally, was the Ruthuan Empire, which was first in a position to learn about Kamui's escape.

Emperor Nikolai's direct army was waiting near the western border. The army, which had also joined the reinforcements from the original 30,000 to 60,000, was again divided into two parts, leaving half on the spot as the main army under Emperor Nicolai's command and as a force for the seizure of the Union of Central Nations, causing the other half to invade the territory of the Union of Kingdoms of Sidvest.

The sense of crisis that the Federal Republic of Artenkreutz moves forward is not the only reason why we have ever taken hesitant military action. The presence of the brave was great.

The presence of brave men, who proved capable of defeating the demonic forces in the battle against the Union of the Kingdom of Sidvest, facilitated the decision to take action against the Rusua Imperial Army.

Leo Bethor, one of the five brave men who completed the ceremony of selection, was called from West Mid, the king's capital of the kingdom of Dia, and sent to 30,000 invaders.

At the same time, we will put an end to the Western garrison, and we will also accompany two brave men, Kevin Ok and Elvin Full, to the former Imperial Oriental uncle, the Ethenberg family dominion. This is an action from the thought of holding the Ethenberg family under suspicion of rebellion, as well as pulling the Army of the Federal Republic of Artenkreutz from its northern Northende. Exactly what I meant was that the Ruthua Empire also set a time for the settlement, which is also home to the invasion of Nortoende.

I'm not hesitating to fight the Republic just because I'm avoiding the battle by invading Northende. The Royal Diamond Army has also sent 20,000 troops out of the West Mid to make their way to Amphang. This is also an operation to pull the Republican Army out of Northende.

The state of war in the western part of the continent, which was at a standstill, turns into a feverish one at once.

In the meantime, it's the West Mid that's giving you a chilly atmosphere as if you've been forgotten from the world. It shouldn't be strange to be at the heart of the war, but most armies have paid off and I can't feel any signs of battle.

That's still good. The vibrancy caused by a period of garrison is also a thing of the past, there, and the further burning of the slums has also wiped out the vibrancy of the back town's pleasure streets.

There were quite signs of devastation there in the West Mid.

That's the same in the castle. Vacancies due to the departure of many subordinates and servants after their subordination to the Empire have yet to be filled. Most nobles are gone from the kingdom of Dia to bury them. No need for replenishment. In that state, most of the heavier ministers in the military paid even more.

If anyone finds out about the time of the former Empire, he is so vibrant that he wonders if this is the same castle, on the contrary, the signs of man are disappearing.

"... you were free today. I should have at least let Mr. Oscar stay."

The deepest part of the castle. Claudia is whining to herself in a room that used to be Emperor Schutz Alten's and is now the king's private room in the kingdom of Dia.

Here recently, the military dominated most of the agenda of the national government of the Kingdom of Dia. The army that meets that military is not in the King's Capital right now. It was even gone on the agenda of the National Council.

Claudia has almost nothing to do without a meeting.

There are no aristocrats to attend even if they hold a ball or something. On the contrary, there is no one I can call to try to have a dinner party. To Claudia in the first place, I'm not even going to do that.

"I knew I should have followed you. But I was scared."

I should have followed you to the battlefield because I miss you. Claudia thought this way, but I immediately reconsidered. The battlefield that sees so many people die is too exciting for Claudia.

"You're bored. At a time like this..."

Claudia stops talking to herself. Claudia has nothing to say about a hobby. Still, I never used to feel bored or anything like that. I was never alone.

Claudia, who remembered it, could not speak beyond it.

"... Wouldn't it be early in the morning? How many moments later?"

The date hasn't changed yet. Even so, these words come out of Claudia's mouth.

"I think I'll read a book."

Claudia thought about reading a book to distract boredom. That's when I got up from the bed where I was sitting and pointed my body at the bookshelf...

"... kamui-kun"

In the corner of the room, there was a Kamui staring at himself. I found out Claudia noticed me, Kamui, but there is no particular rush, and I walk slowly toward Claudia in silence.

The one who stopped that Kamui leg.

"Long time no see. You've come"

It was this Claudia greeting. Kamui is taken aback by the completely unexpected reaction.

"I've been thinking about when you're coming."

"... maybe you knew?

In the castle of Westmid there is a metastatic magic formation that connects with Northende. There's probably only one special magic in this world.

Claudia's utterance sounded kamui as if she knew this existed.

"It's obvious. I am the Emperor of the Schutz Alten Empire. Not now, though."

"... shouldn't have inherited it"

Even Claudia's father did not know about the existence of the Transition Magic Formation. Kamui taught me to stay out of personnel misery and since then Claudia shouldn't have spoken once.

"I was taught."

"... if I ask who, will you tell me?

I know Kamui. If I heard this, I would have fulfilled half the purpose for which I came to this place.

"Kind people"

"Right..."

Kamui doesn't know if you're unwilling to talk or if you're serious. All I know is the fact that I don't get an answer.

"Do you know Kamui-kun? What was that magic formation made for?

"... to meet the princess, or queen, who wants to hide her relationship with the demon king."

"Yes. It's kind of nice, isn't it? Unforgivable love. But you two pierced it."

"You even taught me that?

'Cause I'm pulling the blood off those two.'

The original ancestors of the Schutz Alten Empire are the sons and grandchildren of sons made between the Demon King and his queen. Claudia is drawing that blood.

"Right."

"... me and Kamui won't be forgiven, either."

"What?"

"If you two get tied, people around you get angry, right?

…………

It's not a question of getting angry. That can't happen.

"... I'm good. If that's what happens with Kamui, it doesn't matter how much they resent you around."

"... what are you thinking?

Trap hunch. Even so, Kamui has no idea what kind of trap that is.

"What, Kamui-kun and I have been dating for a long time, and I, have been watching Kamui-kun. Didn't Kamui think about it?

"... what?

Only vigilance in Kamui keeps swelling up. It could be fear, not vigilance.

"The possibility that I and Kamui-kun were tied. It doesn't, does it? I was the first person to get into school and talk to Kamui properly."

"... never thought about it"

"Oh well... I was thinking. What would have happened if Kamui-kun had been tied to me instead of Hildegand? I'll do my best to make Kamui-kun emperor."

"It's not"

There is no possibility that Claudia and I will be bonded. Kamui thought this way and mouthed it as it was.

"That's not true. Me, something to work on. Everyone who gets in the way will be killed. I'll kill Hildegand and Deefreet."

But Claudia takes it in the sense that she can't be emperor, and she denies it. Put on the radical statement of killing Hildegand as well.

"I won't let that happen"

"... maybe it's not too late now. We just have to kill each other. I'll kill that idiot emperor, so Kamui-kun will kill Hildegand."

Ignoring Kamui's words, Claudia continues the conversation.

"You can't possibly do that!

"Why not!? How could she be that woman?

Claudia shouted out loud enough to Kamui, who shouted and denied it.

"Why!? How did you choose such a woman!? What was wrong with me? Hey, I'm attractive, too, huh? Some men like my body."

"What...?

I have no idea what Claudia is mad about. I didn't have any romantic feelings between Claudia and myself. That's what Kamui thinks.

More surprising than that, Kamui has never seen Claudia soar.

"Try it. Hey, hold me. That's why you're here, right? To see me and no one else know."

"No, I'm sure it's to see you so no one knows, but there's no way I'm holding you."

"Why!? Hold Therese, how can I not hold!?

…………

Claudia raves her voice again. The intensity of the emotional ups and downs has made Kamui confused about what it is.

"... after all, no. Kamui-kun doesn't think anything of me."

If that's the case, Claudia suddenly started talking calmly.

"My throat is dry, so I can make you some tea."

…………

I'm wary of Kamui thinking you're going to call people.

"I'm fine. I'll let you in. Are you ready? I like to drink tea."

As if he had read that Kamui mind, Claudia has said she would make herself some tea. That seems true, with tea utensils on the table ahead of Claudia moving on.

And the hot water.

"Marie's Pot. I got it."

Demonic props made jointly by Marie and the Kamuis while attending Imperial College. Marie's pot was boiling.

"... does it still work"

Nostalgia creeps up on Kamui's chest with a magic prop in front of her that she completely forgot about.

"I got it taken care of. Replace some parts."

"Right."

after-sales service. This word is not in this world, but Otto's business takes care of this. In legitimate commerce.

"The Kamui people are amazing. You make these things when you're a student."

With all this said, Claudia makes tea in the way she's used to it. Pour the tea in turn into the two cups and you will sprinkle some powder in the vial at the end.

With two cups in his hand, Claudia came back in front of Kamui.

"Come on, go ahead"

"... what's the last powder?

Obviously suspicious powder. There's no way you could have a cup of tea that was sprinkled with grandeur in front of you.

"I'm fine. Because it's not lethal."

"... you"

Claudia confesses lightly that it is poison. This time, undoubtedly, Kamui's heart was filled with fear for Claudia.

"I didn't try to kill you. Trying to make Kamui understand how I feel."

"What do you mean?

"I regret not being able to help my sister, and I tried to understand her pain at all."

"... is that poison Princess Sophilia was drunk on?

From Claudia's story, Kamui found that the powder that was sprinkled was the poison used to kill Princess Sophilia.

"That's right. But if I just drink it, I won't die, but I feel like I'm losing my head and I don't know what it's like... when I get used to it, it feels so good."

With this to say, Claudia drank the cup of tea she had in her hand all at once.

"Become!?

"I'm fine. I've tried so many times, I know exactly what I'm doing."

Claudia also drinks up the tea she had in her other hand.

"... are you sure you're okay?

"If you're not okay, Kamui, can you help me?

"Of course that... no..."

Kamui came to kill Claudia. To keep Claudia out of the way for the rest of the battle, which has always been an element of uncertainty.

Even at the expense of a certain kind of taboo for the demonic clan, which kills those who draw the blood of Ray the Demon King, the Imperial family of Schutz Alten.

"... after all, you came to kill me"

"You want to be killed?

He came to kill me. This is the language used by those who want it.

"'Cause you mean Kamui-kun finally recognized me, right?

"I admit it?

"Kamui-kun never looked at me the whole time. I've been watching Kamui for a long time. I've always wondered how Kamui-kun would look at me"

Claudia's passionate confession of love begins again. But to Kamui, that sounds crazy, not passionate.

"I tried my best to make sure that Kamui wouldn't beat me and he would admit it. But I fail all the time, and Kamui-kun only points a cold glance at me. That's not the kind of gaze I wanted. It's the opposite of that. It's the kind of hot gaze that burns me."

…………

Claudia's gaze wanders through the universe and just sounds like she's whining to herself when Kamui says she's in front of her.

"I can't do it on Kamui-kun's side. Then I thought Kamui-kun would look at me if I became an enemy. Hate eyes are good. As long as the temperature."

Claudia's solitary continues. It darkens Kamui's heart as if it were a curse.

"But I couldn't. Kamui-kun doesn't even recognize me as an enemy. Everyone hated me for the bad guys and no one was around me anymore. I wonder why? Kamui-kun is a bad demon king, why am I the one who hates him?

"... I'll kill even my people. Why are people following you?

Kamui doesn't think of himself as an ally of justice. But I'm only trying to protect my people. That's not like Claudia.

"I don't have... I don't have company"

…………

Claudia's people. When he thought about who it was, Kamui lost the words to hang up. I couldn't think of a being that could be considered a true companion to Claudia.

If that was the case.

"... it's your fault. You take my sister from me! I took Theresa!

Claudia screams again. The gaze directed at Kamui is full of hatred. It's the gaze Claudia calls fever.

"... it's my fault"

A being that Claudia thought was one of us. Claudia has a cause for losing it. This is for sure, but still, Kamui could not deny Claudia's words.

"It's your fault. You make me unhappy. If it wasn't for you... even for you... how could you? How come I'm not one of you!?

"... sorry"

Kamui could only speak these words. There are many things I can argue with. Claudia's thought, it's also an idea that only thinks about herself, how many people suffered, how many people died.

Theresa was tormented by Claudia and hunted down by the time she wanted to die, resentment for taking that Theresa is a good place too.

But still, Kamui said an apology to Claudia.

"It's too late to apologize now. I'm already..."

"... I don't imitate you like I underestimate you anymore. If you stand as an enemy, stand properly."

"... then kill me"

"I can't do that."

Kamui regrets that he should have served his purpose without asking anything. Claudia, who first turned from the front, wasn't Claudia, whom Kamui knew, and found that the cause of doing so was on her own, even if many of them deserved it.

I can't kill you if I have these thoughts.

"Kill me. Or I'll kill you."

"I can't."

"I may not be able to do it now. But I'm about to get some amazing power. Then you can beat Kamui-kun."

"Then let's fight after that"

"... is that true? Because even Kamui can't win."

"I know. What power is that?"

"... because I will definitely defeat you. Defeat Kamui-kun and let him lie down before me. Let me swear my allegiance, and I'll do it for me for the rest of my life."

"If you take him down."

"I can take you down! It's not just Kamui-kun! I'll take them all down! I'll tear Kamui-kun's loved ones apart, Hildegand! Because it's too late to regret it!

"... sorry. I can't really kill you right now."

When they told me about Hildegand, there was no anger in Kamui's heart. Dark, cold emotions just stain my mind.

"... what. After all, you don't have eyes for me. I'm worthless to you, Kamui."

"That's not true. At least I'm scared right now."

Kamui faced Claudia from the front, this could be her first opportunity. If this is a confrontation between the two, it's Kamui's complete defeat. If there is such a thing as winning or losing this face to face.

"... I'm not happy about that."

"Really? It's not a bad thing to scare your enemies."

"... right. Enemy."

"Oh. Right. So I'll see you on the battlefield next time."

"The battlefield... we'll kill each other then."

Words that do not match Claudia's appearance that she still feels young. The fear Kamui has felt many times since earlier is here. Madness that feels innocent. I wonder how I could do such a distorted thing.

"... you're killing each other. Let's get Keri right then."

There is nothing for Kamui to do on this occasion. If so, we should get out of this breathless space as soon as possible. Even though they thought I ran away, now I didn't want to touch Claudia's feelings any more.

Kamui opens the door to the room and goes further into the back room. There is a hidden room with a magic formation ahead of it.

Claudia said nothing and stared at how Kamui was leaving the room.

"... gone. I wish you'd at least stay till morning."

Claudia sitting on her bed whining to herself in Kamui's missing room.

No one tries to come and see how it goes, even with all that shouting. No one wants to go near Claudia's room.

"That's boring... I wonder if it'll be early in the morning..."

In a quiet room, only Claudia's whining flows.

"... I miss you"

No one responds.