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'That damned Arnold…' Liumiala, dressed as a maid, cursed inwardly as she pushed a large levitating cart of food. Outside she could hear many explosions and roars from unknown monsters, which made her tremble. Normally she'd be hiding in the mountains with her comrades, waiting for orders from the organization but she had no choice but to come here on a certain mission.
What did she get herself involved in!? She could've been chilling hundreds of kilometers by now, waiting for the heroes to beat the demons.
'Sending me right into the lion's den! How did he even know where the demon lord was hiding?!'
Unbeknownst to her, he had used the system's search function to look for Ekterina and the base she was hiding then he contacted Liumiala to infiltrate the base as a devout follower of demons. A few of her colleagues were already part of this demonic cult so getting in was easy.
Her goal was to snatch the drugs they had and bring it here. The pile she discovered in the demon cult base was an old formula, unlike the ones perfected by the cultists.
Through her eavesdropping, she'd been able to find out that just being in the red mist can transform you but the mysterious mist itself isn't demonic energy. The older formula still requires the concentrated energy.
That means that many addicts recovering from the drug aren't going to transform into mutants, which is a huge loss for the demons.
Someone grabbed Liumiala's arm just as she was about to head to the door right under the stairs that led to the panic room. The grip on her arm was ridiculously solid, as if a dragonsteel rod was wrapped around her arm.
It was the beastkin maid named C2(a codename of sorts apparently. Not too different from the codenames given to the Cadres' subordinates) that had mysteriously joined the household's staff alongside Liumiala. But she was actually a subordinate of the vampire lord Arnold was allied with.
'Casually in bed with such a powerful monster, is he insane!? No, I'm the one who's insane! Our leader wants to kill that monstrous woman yet here I am cooperating with her subordinate!'
"Did you do as you were ordered?" asked the demihuman with venom in her tone.
"…Yes, I injected her with the drug while she was napping and have the vial I stole from the cult ready." Such a lucky girl, to get that much sleep while Liumiala had to stay up for an entire day.
"Be quick about it."
Something suddenly charged through the front door, shining gold.
Both the demihuman maid and Liumiala went stiff when they saw who that was.
'Luke!? Why is he back here so fast!?' she hurriedly hid the vial between her breasts.
Next to him was that Lauran girl. Both of their clothes were heavily disheveled as if they were in a fight.
Now that she spotted Lauran, it finally made sense why they could come here so quickly.
"Where is everyone?" spotting the two of them, Luke hurried over.
"A-Ah, young master, the family is gathered in the panic room. I'll take you to it now." Liumiala hurriedly answered to make sure she can get close to Norn.
Luke seemed to be in a hurry so he'll probably take the girl somewhere he deems safe.
The demihuman glanced at Liumiala, mouthing the words: "Don't let Lord Arnold down."
'Why are you so loyal to that despicable guy!?' she thought something he wouldn't dare say out loud.
Arnold had promised her in the past that he'll elevate her status in the organization and with him being the hero of the empire, his influence has skyrocketed. Him being a member of Serz basically guarantees her a promotion and many benefits.
Even though Liumiala would like to think she's not a kind person, even she thought Arnold's plan was evil.
This boy is only 15 and lost his mother when he wasn't by her side. The guilt was definitely still weighing on his heart but, due to his position, he stays positive to make sure hope never dies.
Lauran said that she'll keep lookout for any demons so they split up at the entrance after she brought him here.
'How am I supposed to do anything with him here?' the heroes can apparently smell demonic energy so the moment she opens the vial, he'll know what it is and kill her without question.
While leading Luke down to the panic room, it felt like Liumiala was walking in front of the reaper.
"Has Brother Arnold been here yet?"
"N-No, the young master is resting in his city, recovering the energy he lost in the previous battle."
Luke suddenly came to a stop and gritted his teeth with clenched hands.
'…I want to say I understand but I really need him beside me… How do I even get them to safety? Where is it safe in the city?'
The villa was too deep in the capital to think it's realistic to escape the capital on foot. There are also flying monsters so an airship would be just as reckless, though their chances of survival would be increased.
Would the sewers be safer? Or should he take them to the imperial palace grounds?
"Young master?" the maid called out to him who suddenly stopped and fell silent.
"…Continue leading the way…"
**
The entire extended family of the Berkleys, the Tivurgians, were in the panic room, fortified by dragonsteel gates and powerful defensive spells, as well as high-ranking knights and elite mages hired from the tower.
It's just as strong as the panic room in their Lockinge city estate since the entire family was here.
"Luke!" Norn was the first to react when the two of them came downstairs.
A relieved smile appeared on everyone's faces.
She hugged him tightly as her body relaxed from the tension.
"Why didn't you stay at the camp!? The city is under attack!" Teresa shook him back and forth by the shoulders.
"T-The camp was attacked by undead…!"
"Undead!? Are they in cahoots with the demons!?"
"I… I'm not sure. I didn't sense any demons at the base." He looked at everyone present. There was about twenty people, making up the entirety of the Tivurgian and Berkley families. Adrianna, Judith, Jack and Marcus' other mistress were still at the palace.
"Is everyone okay? Were there any demons?"
"Yes, we're fine, dear. But how long will this estate last even with state-of-the-art magic defenses?" An old woman, Arthur's adoptive grandmother, answered first.
"I don't know… I'm going to go find Father first then we'll figure out a plan." He looked at the mages and knights standing on duty, "Do any of you have mana potions? Lauran is outside and needs to recover her mana. If she recovers enough mana, she can teleport use all to the palace grounds."
The issue is that Lauran has never been at the palace before. Her teleportation isn't as advanced as the artifact Yorm gave Arnold. So, they'll probably need to teleport outside the capital—either to Lockinge city… or Whitage city.
"Yes, I have some." One of the mages approached and took them out.
"Me too." Another took hers out.
"Alright, head up and give it to her."
"…." The two flinched.
"Don't worry. I scanned the area and didn't find any demons, even flying ones." Luke reassured the two women.
"O-Okay."
With Lauran back to full strength, he can leave everyone in her hands while he looks for Marcus. He's certain his father is heading here but with all the demons attacking the empire, there's no way he'll be able to get here easily so Luke needs to go help out.
He's still a bit uneasy about leaving everyone alone again, though.
"Uhm, I've brought the food, everyone." Liumiala pressed a button on the cart, then a magic circle appeared and soon after the cart turned into a table that had more plates than there were trays earlier.
Everyone immediately dug in. The chefs were still upstairs, preparing more food to stockpile in case they have to stay down here for a long time. Liumiala has barely eaten anything due to how anxious she was.
Though that ridiculously strong lackey was guarding the house for any outside threats, she was still a bit uneasy.
How will they separate Luke from Norn? He was basically holding her hand while speaking. He was also nibbling on the food but didn't sit down, probably just to wait and see what happens. Maybe Lauran recovers all her mana with the potions?
"Have you heard anything from Arthur yet, Luke?" the grandma asked Luke as she was eating.
"I sensed him going to the cathedral with the Archmage, but he split up with everyone there and left the capital for some reason."
"The Archmage is at the cathedral? Why don't we go there? It will be much safer than in this estate!" Arthur's adoptive mother, Lorrene, suggested.
"Hm, you're right, but we should hear what the Marcus has to say first."
"Normally, under circumstances like this, the imperial knights would be flooding the streets right about now…"
"We can't rely on them right now, only our personal troops—"
As the conversations went back and forth between the grandma and Lorrene, Liumiala headed back upstairs to seek some guidance.
"What are you doing here?" as expected, the subordinate was still there.
"How do I separate the two? It's impossible with how overprotective he is! He said he's waiting for the girl outside to recover her mana so that he can leave the estate in her hands but I'm beginning to think he'll drag the Norn girl everywhere he goes from now on."
"Tch… We'll have to draw him out with an unexpected threat… In other words, our plan B." C2 headed towards the door, Liumiala following along.
"What's your plan?"
"Shut up for a second." After getting to the door, C2 closed her eyes and began to speak with some kind of strange communication method, "The Hero isn't going to separate from her no matter what. Should we use force?"
A voice flowed into her ear that Liumiala couldn't hear, "No, I'm on my way there now. Don't endanger Lord Arnold's family with a needless battle."
"Okay. But what are you going to do, Lilith?"
-"I'm going to have a bit of fun with the Hero."
"…"
-"Cease your stupid assumptions. I might be a clone of that succubus harlot but I'm not that perverse that I'll sleep with anyone!"
"I didn't say anything…"
-"I'm already here. Oh? Who are these two gorgeous girls?"
The line was cut off.
"Haahh…" C2 opened her eyes, "Moving independently will anger Lord Arnold."
"??"
"My colleague will be drawing the Hero's attention," C2 took out a ring then handed it to Liumiala, "This is a teleportation artifact. The moment Luke's attention is outside; you need to head back down there and do as you were ordered."
"W-What if she attacks me?"
"The uniform I gave you is Semi-Star class equipment and will tank most blows. You'll survive long enough to be ready to teleport."
"…."
"Are you hesitating? Remember the consequences of abandoning this mission. We know where you are at all times."
"Y-You don't need to threaten me, dammit!" Liumiala noticed a boy in the distance holding a sword, "Huh? Where'd that kid come from?"
Then she saw that atop the gate stood a mysterious woman with dark purple hair, alongside two girls of the same age—one being Lauran from before. Liumiala couldn't make out what was happening or how the woman looked like.
The next moment a person appeared in front of the boy in a blink of an eye and restrained him before teleporting away.
"Snap out of your daze and do your job. You might want to move aside from the door, Dark Elf." C2 stepped out of the walkway.
"Huh? Why?"
The moment she asked that, a powerful pressure—coming in the direction of that mysterious woman—forced her on to her knees. It wasn't a skill or magic, but pure might.
"W-What is this—"
A golden light then rushed over Liumiala's head, crashing into the front of the estate with a powerful rumble.
**
Luke came outside to see what was giving off that killing intent. The presence was faint at first but not hostile so he thought someone familiar was speaking to Lauran outside.
Thinking it was a demonic beast giving off that killing intent, he rushed outside to protect Lauran.
But what he found was a woman in jet-black full body armor, with long dark purple hair and two horns coming out of her head.
Calling her beautiful is an understatement as she possessed an ethereal beauty that made her seem like a being no mortal could hope to embrace.
She was holding onto the necks of both Elizabeth and Lauran, the girls staring at Luke, petrified.
"—Greetings, Hero Luke. My, I must say I'm disappointed that you appear so weak. After a thousand years of stasis, I wanted to stretch my legs a bit with a fight. I serve Her Majesty Arsnoria as her newest demon lord, Zathriel the Blackened."
'A demon lord…?'
There's no way he's ready to fight a demon lord right now. But… he can't just run.
Lauran…
And Elizabeth…
The two might be powerful mages, two fo the strongest even, but the demon lord can snap their necks as easily as twigs.
Luke couldn't even sense the ceiling of her might. Though she appeared gentle and kind—like an older sister or mother—her body radiated the pressure of a god-like being.
"L-Let them go."
Luke could barely lift his sword due to how overwhelming her presence was. it felt like gravity was pushing him down, manifested by her gaze alone.
"Shouldn't you be worrying about something else?" Using her eyes, the demon lord gestured behind him.
Luke turned around at that moment to make eye contact with Norn standing at the door, worried about why he suddenly ran off.
Behind Norn was a shadow—the maid he had spoken to earlier.
In her hand was a small vial containing a black fog.
Alarm bells resounded in Luke's head when he saw the person grabbing Norn by the neck and popping the lid of the vial.
Then she held the vial right under Norn's nose.
The ringing sound echoed across the empire the moment the demonic energy was released.
"L-Luke…?"
Hero Luke witnessed as his childhood friend and the only woman he's come to love, was taken from him.