7th Demon Prince Jilbagias' Chronicle of Demon Kingdom Toppling-Chapter 164: Travelling to Inspect the Fortress
BGM: [MAD] Tojima Want to be a Kamen Rider
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「―― Thus, thanks to the Dwarven equipment, now I know how Lyla truly feels about me. I can completely trust Lyla!」
「That's…」
When I reported this, Platy massaged her temple as if trying to suppress a headache.
Even the high-ranking demon couldn't hide her astonishment at the effect of 【Kizuna(Bond)】.
「I had no idea that such a skilled craftsman was in the Demon King's Castle.」
「Well… Let's just say she has a rather unique personality. She's more of an artist than of a craftsman.」
"She simply hadn't made a name for herself until now" I added with a shrug. If Xemône became famous, that would be a problem in its own way. Her quirky design aside, her talent was the real deal.
「Hou. Nevertheless, does she have no problem in showing off her skill to you?」
「The dwarves told me that there was no one else capable of meeting my request other than her. And in fact, her skill was truly top-notch.」
I gently reassured Platy in a calming tone when the latter narrowed her eyes as if to say "Are those dwarves underestimating my son?".
「Hmm… By the way, what do you mean by her sense of design is rather "Quirky"?」
「A~… That's… Well…」
I glanced at Lyla, who stood behind the sofa with a troubled look on my face.
Lyla gave a small nod, then she loosened her ribbon and started unbuttoning her maid uniform with a flushed red face, exposing her upper body.
「…」
Platy was at loss for words upon seeing Lyla's outfit.
「… Quirky, is it? Can that even be called… Clothing?」
「It's a wearable saddle.」
「I see…」
Platy massaging her temple again as if she got another headache.
Well, in any case――We didn't have to prove our love in front of Platy anymore.
That reason alone was more than enough for me to commission Xemône.
『Verily, 'tis a pity… A most fitting chance for union hath been lost…』
Stop saying nonsense.
†††
A few days later, a letter arrived from the Demon King.
『All authority regarding Aurora Fortress shall be entrusted to Demon Prince Jilbagias Reiju.』
This simple letter was signed by 『Demon King Gordesgias』 at the end.
Aurora Fortress—― The abandoned castle that I was set to borrow from the Demon King as a necromancy research lab. It seemed that the renovation work was already complete. ŗ𝘈Ŋօ₿Ёš
Nevertheless, this letter was shockingly simple for something sent by a king. Rather… Was this handwritten?
However, according to Sofia, this kind of law was completely normal in the Demon Kingdom. Overly elaborate wording was both a hassle to write and too difficult for the more barbaric lower-rank demon to understand.
「Alright, let's go inspect it then.」
According to the attached note, the interior had been somewhat furnished, but I was expected to handle the finer details myself.
What should I do now?
Now that I was setting up my own base, I had no idea how to secure valuables on-site. A half-baked lock would be too easy to break. Maybe I should prepare both a decoy chest and a real one, and enchanted both of them with hexing just in case?
『Such matters, verily, shouldst thou entrust unto the dwarves.』
Yeah, that’s true. Besides, it’s not like I need it right away… I’ll think about it later.
Checking out the secret base was enough for the time being.
「I'm going for a stroll with Liliana and Lyla.」
「Take care and have a safe trip.」
I informed my attendants of my departure and headed to the flying dragon landing site. Today, I'm bringing Lilliana along—time to introduce her to the skies.
The season was winter, and since the weather was fairly cold, Lilliana was wearing a custom-made short-sleeved wool jacket. Thanks to the fluffy white fur, her puppy-like aura was stronger than ever.
Lyla was completely wrapped in a cloak. However, beneath it, she wore nothing but 【Kizuna】, If she was going to transform into a dragon, it would have been faster to just take everything off from the start. However, there was something about it―― This was a guilty thrill.
「…」
It seemed that even she had some reservations about it. As she walked through the corridors of the Demon King's castle, she became more and more flustered every time she passed by someone.
『Oho~』
Ante was laughing cheerfully. What’s up? You want to try walking around in the same outfit as her next time?
『That too would be quite the amusement, would it not?』
… Right, this was the kind of person she was. Spare me the trouble please.
We arrived at the landing area as I raised a white flag in my banter against Ante.
Lyla slowly transformed into a white dragon. Meanwhile, as I draped myself in the cloak she had shed, I couldn't help but feel a bit sentimental.
Hmm… This was really an eerily well-crafted magic tool. Even though Lyla, who was smaller than me, transforms into a massive dragon, the leather-strap harness still fits perfectly on her body without any issue…
「Woof? Woof?」
「You'll fly with us too this time, Liliana.」
「Woof.」
Since she usually stayed behind on the ground, Liliana was visibly excited upon realizing that she would be coming along this time.
The last time she rode a dragon was during the assault on the Demon King’s castle. Around seven years ago.
「Here you go…」
「Thanks, Lyla.」
I lifted Liliana into my arms and effortlessly leapt onto Lyla’s saddle.
Hold on a sec, I need to secure Liliana’s safety harness.
『――Yes――』
Lyla gently swayed her wings, as if warming up. In the meantime, I seated Liliana in front of me and secured us together with a lifeline.
Good.
『――Here we go!!――』
Lyla flapped her wings and then soared to the sky.
「Waoooooooo!」
Liliana's eyes widened in awe as she clung tightly to me with her short arms and legs. Thanks to the fluffy fur wrapped around her body, I could feel the warmth spreading to me as well.
『――Today's weather is pretty cold――』
"Are you feeling cold?" asked Lyla. "I'm fine," I replied. "I'm wearing the scarf you knitted for me, after all".
『――Fufufufu, thank goodness――』
Lyla had knitted this scarf for me with great effort during her free time. Socks were a bit too difficult for her, so she said she’d try again another time.
『Hoho, how delightfully ardent thou art.』
Hearing Ante's teasing, Lyla sent an embarrassed thought. 【Telepathia(Telepathy)】 was originally meant to connect only Lyla and me, but since Ante was residing within my soul, she could hear Lyla’s voice through me.
Conversely, Ante's voice was also transmitted to Lyla through my thoughts. Since both of them were connected through me, their emotions aren’t conveyed directly, and their voices seem 『Distant』 to each other.
… I'm glad it was as lively as ever.
That was what I felt as I gazed down at the Demon King's Castle far below us.
As I'm up in the sky with everyone… I could be my true self.
『――Let’s forget about everything else! At least for the time being――』
Lyla deliberately spoke in a cheerful voice and put even more strength into her wings.
Hahaha! We were shaking, we're shaking! But thanks to the saddle, my body was securely fastened, so it was pretty safe!
「Woooof! WAOOOOOOOOO!」
Just like me, Liliana, who was looking down at the Demon King's castle from the sky, was brimming with excitement.
She was howling non-stop… Wait, was this even excitement? What was she trying to say?
「Liliana?」 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶
「Grrrrr!!」
With a desperate expression unlike anything I’d ever seen before—It was as if she was driven by an urgent need, like she had to go.
「Calm down, Liliana! This isn't like your last time riding on a dragon!」
「A… Whine! Gauuu!」
Liliana writhing in my arms.
『This shall not do.』
Ante's brief murmur echoed with an uncanny sense of foreboding. Lyla seems to be pretty concerned too as she spread her wings and glided through the air, she cast a fleeting glance back in our direction, but——
At that moment, our altitude suddenly took a sudden drop.
Liliana, who had been struggling, was thrown from my arms due to the sudden drop of altitude.
「Waon!」
「Liliana!」
Her lifeline snapped along with a crisp sound.
『――Oh no, a turbulence!――』
Lyla quickly adjusted the angle of her wings. Though the skies appeared fair and clear, some raging winds would blow every now and then.
「Waonwaon!」
「Hang in there Liliana! I'll save you soon!」
Lilliana let out a pitiful cry as she floating midair. I quickly pulled up her lifeline.
「…」
Lilliana's long, pointed ears hung lifelessly as she clung to me, trembling like newborn fawns. Her pale face seemed to say, "I thought I was going to die…".
However, whether by a lucky coincidence or something else, it seemed that she finally got used to it.
『Perchance, some foul remembrance didst stir within her bosom, seeking to rise anew.』
… Indeed.
Liliana might've regained her composure thanks to the previous incident――
「Woo~f…」
Nope, she didn’t. She just licked my cheek like it was nothing.
『――I'm sorry, I couldn't see the air currents.――』
Lyla spoke with an apologetic look on her face, but I really couldn't bring myself to blame her for this incident.
For Liliana, this was her first flight in a long time— With her first flight during an assault plan— And I was just too carefree, or rather, not considerate enough.
「Liliana… The mission is over. You don’t have to put yourself in danger anymore.」
As I gently stroked her slightly grown-out golden hair, I continued on.
「…Don't be afraid. Come with me. I'll show you the new castle I've claimed.」
Well, I say "claimed", but technically I’m just borrowing it. That was a trivial matter anyway.
「… Woof」
Having regained her composure, Lilian let out a whine.
Glint of intelligence flashed for a moment in her azure blue eyes ――
「Woof?」
But the way she tilted her head was just like that of a normal dog.
「…」
I held Liliana tightly in my arms so that she would never be thrown out again.
When would I be able to save Liliana in the truest sense I wonder?
『――I'll fly to the southern direction――』
Lyla set the course, following the guidance of the stars.
Aurora fortress―― The place that might serve as a foothold for saving Liliana.
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