Most of the rooms were empty.
In fact, the interior of the place didn't look anything like what you'd imagine when you heard the word "castle." No decorative suits of armor on the walls, no tapestries, and certainly no treasures.
It wasn't even that big. So rather than a castle, I'd say it was more like a slightly oversized mansion. And quite dark, since for some reason all the windows were covered with wooden boards.
"Mmm… I wonder where those girls could be."
"Kaizer! Now that I think about it, we still haven't checked the wine cellar. I bet that would be the perfect place to hide prisoners."
"You just want to see if there's any expensive wine to drink."
"O-Of course not!" Aqua denied nervously, confirming my theory.
In fact, while we were checking one of the rooms, I caught her "inspecting" what looked like some expensive ceramic dinnerware.
"Hey, Kaizer, how much do you think these plates could be worth?" the goddess had asked, her eyes sparkling with greed.
"We're not stealing from the demon, for heaven's sake," I said, snatching the plate from her hand and putting it back on its place.
What kind of goddess is this woman supposed to be?
We finally reached a fairly large room with double doors. Guarded by what appeared to be two huge ogres. One green and one blue. Quite burly, with arms like trunks. Standing one on each side.
Judging by the general shabbiness of the place, there was no reason for those two to be standing specifically there unless they were protecting something important.
So I assumed that either the demon was on the other side, or his victims.
"Hey! Who are you people? What are you doing here?" asked the green ogre.
"We've come to rescue the young girls kidnapped by the Fang Demon!"
To my surprise, it was Dikon who answered.
Though it would have been more heroic if he hadn't been hiding behind me while shouting it.
And now that I noticed, even Aqua had put a good distance between herself and the two ogres.
"Fang Demon? Who's that?" the green ogre asked, turning to his companion. "Do you know, Lucas?"
"Ah! You're new, Bob. But I think they're referring to the boss."
"Oh, so that's what they call Master Demian? Good to know," he scratched his head. "Though… I wish they had mentioned it during the interview. I must look like an idiot!"
"Oh, don't be so hard on yourself, Bob! Besides, you're doing great!"
"Thanks, Lucas. I'm still a little nervous, you know? Being this my first day and all…"
"Just relax. And take a deep breath."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll do that."
While the two ogres were exchanging relaxation techniques (completely ignoring us), I approached them, gripping Kronos tightly.
"Gentlemen, sorry to interrupt your therapy session," I said, "but we're here to rescue Tia Lyamnsen and the other girls kidnapped by your boss. So it'd be best if you—"
The green ogre, Bob, stopped me by raising a huge hand.
"Wait. Wait a second, will you?"
And then he started inhaling and exhaling.
"What is he doing?" Dikon asked with a horrified face. "Is he preparing an attack? We shouldn't let our guard down!"
"I don't think that's the case."
"Kaizer, we don't have all day. Attack him already. I want to get back to Axel and eat something."
"Ah! Now I feel much better!" Bob announced. "Where were we?"
"Mmm… judging by what they just said, I'd say they're here to bother Master Demian. Though I'm not entirely sure."
"Do you think we should stop them, Lucas?"
"Well, I don't remember the security protocol by heart, but under these circumstances I'd say that's the logical thing to do, Bob."
"Very well! Then I'll stop them!" said the ogre named Bob, who was holding a huge spiked club.
He cleared his throat and prepared to speak. He looked more like a politician about to give the best speech or its career than a creature from a dungeon or whatever.
"I don't know why you've come here, humans," he began. "But anyone who dares to intrude upon the dark domains of my master must prepare to suffer terrifying consequences." The ogre paused briefly and turned to his companion Lucas. The latter smiled and gave him two thumbs up, as if saying "You're doing great!". "That's why I, the fearsome Bob, will make you—!"
SLASH!
With a clean, precise cut from Kronos, Bob's head spun through the air before falling to the ground and rolling out of sight.
Lucas, on the other hand, had frozen completely still. Staring at the scene with horrified eyes.
"Can I ask what you just did, boy!?"
"Huh? You mean him?" I asked, pointing at Bob's headless body. "I took advantage of the fact that he was distracted and attacked him."
"Yes, I can see that! I can see that perfectly fine! But why did you do it!? Didn't you see he was preparing!? Didn't you see how nervous he was!? Oh my god, Bob!"
"Well, but he was preparing to attack us, wasn't he? Anyway, if you're not going to fight, I'd rather you—"
"AAAAH, BOB!" the blue ogre was now crying rivers of tears. "YOU WERE SO HAPPY ABOUT GETTING THIS JOB! AND NOW WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO TELL YOUR WIFE AND SON!?"
Was he married? The ogre? Seriously?
"Kaizer, you really surprised me this time," Aqua suddenly said. "I don't think even Kazuma would use such underhanded and ruthless tactics as what you just did."
"Look who's talking! Besides, you were the one who told me to attack him!"
The goddess smiled and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Kaizer, I understand how you feel. But this isn't about who's at fault, here. What's done is done."
Even Dikon was looking at the ogre with pity.
"Now that I think about it, he didn't look like a bad guy," the young man said. "Please, Goddess Eris, guide the soul of this poor creature to the afterlife so it can rest in peace."
"Fuck Bob!" I shouted in exasperation. "He was an ogre! An ogre! And he was about to attack us! Have you all gone crazy!? Or do I need to remind you why we're here?"
"Oh, right, the reward!"
"I wasn't talking about that!"
Well… partly.
"Mr. Kaizer is right. The girls. We must rescue them!"
Having managed to introduce some rationality to my two companions, I turned to the other ogre.
"So, what about you? Are you going to fight us?"
Lucas, who had been crying until then, wiped his tears with his hand and gave me a look full of hatred.
"What? Don't make me laugh! As if I'd fight a dishonorable monster like you!"
The ogre was calling the human a monster. This world really was something else.
"I quit!" Lucas announced. "And tomorrow I'm filing a formal complaint with the Ogre Union! We can't keep working under these conditions!"
And with that, he left.
Everything happened so fast it was hard to process. But somehow we had gotten rid of the last two guardians, and the path to the Fang Demon's chambers was now clear.
"Alright, let's go over the plan," I said. "Dikon and I will weaken the demon as much as we can. And when he's out of strength, Aqua, you'll deliver the finishing blow."
"Leave it to me! That demon will regret crossing paths with the goddess Aqua!"
"Miss Aqua… I already told you it's not appropriate to make such jokes."
"And I'm telling you I'm not joking at all!"
"Okay, okay. What do you say we leave that for later?"
Honestly, I didn't have much information about what kind of enemy the Fang Demon might be. But one thing I was sure of: there was no way he could know that Aqua was, in fact, a goddess. To his eyes she would simply be a regular priest. That would make him lower his guard. And then… it would be our chance.
Feeling a mix of nerves and anxiety in my chest, I pushed the huge doors open into the room. They creaked with a deafening sound until they revealed a wide hall, shrouded in shadows, that stretched all the way to what appeared to be some kind of throne.
And standing right in the middle, an ominous figure rose before us.