Chapter 837 - Chapter 5: Infiltration ⑤
"I wonder if it'll be okay?"
"I don't know. If it's no good, let's think of another way."
"Right."
In front of the Priestess and me is Fiona, carrying three leather bags on her back.
Fiona is slowly approaching the snoring Behemoth.
"Er, ahem."
Does she intend to clear her throat? I wonder if the Behemoth will wake up with that?
"He's not waking up."
The pace of the snoring hasn't changed at all. If it were a living human, it might be one thing, but it probably doesn't react to ghosts.
The Priestess brings the bowl close to Fiona.
"Fiona! It's impossible unless you make a louder sound!"
The Priestess deliberately makes a loud voice. Since Mute isn't on, I wonder if the Behemoth heard it? As proof of that, Fiona, who suddenly shook her body at the loud voice, is looking at the Behemoth fearfully.
"He's not waking up."
"That's impossible. I don't think our ghost voices easily reach a magical beast."
"Eh? Is that so?"
This is a surprise. Humans have trouble hearing ghost voices until they get used to them, but I didn't know magical beasts were the same.
"It's mutual, isn't it? It's about whether we can make the magical beast hear us. On the other hand, they don't care about us ghosts."
In other words, is it about whether they try to hear each other?
"Even living humans are like that, right? Can you communicate with a magical beast? Isn't it difficult?"
I see. Is that how it is?
"Right, so that's why Jeanne's proposal this time is an amazing thing. To feed Magic Stones to a Behemoth to gain its trust and pass by it."
I brought the Magic Stones from the leather bags that the three Demon Race executives we defeated from the first to third floors had. I don't need the small ones, so I selected only those of a certain size. I thought that if we used those as bait to fish the Behemoth, it might move from its fixed position. Because I remembered the Demon Race eating Magic Stones.
Actually, I wanted to do it with the boar we had experience with. But we can't go outside.
In the end, it finally woke up after I dropped a beginner-level lightning on the ground. Is it because it's strong? It's full of openings.
Fiona blows a pale blue flame to draw its attention, but the Behemoth doesn't show much interest. It's even yawning.
"Take out the Magic Stone, the Magic Stone!"
At the Priestess's words, not only Fiona but also the Behemoth looked this way.
"Ah, did he hear? That was unexpectedly fast."
When Fiona rolled one more, this time it lifted its body a bit and came forward. Fiona, who was surprised, smoothly backed away. The Behemoth just put the Magic Stone in its mouth and is chewing it.
We did it! The first step!
"One more, one more."
When the Priestess speaks, the Behemoth comes forward even more. Fiona, who was surprised, backed away further. The Behemoth just put the Magic Stone in its mouth and is chewing it.
"Heh, he's used to it. Faster than livestock. Did this guy get food from the Demon Lord or the Demon Race?"
That might be the case. In the place where they were 'creating' Behemoths, there were many boar bones. The boars wouldn't have gone in on their own. Surely, the Demon Race in charge must have caught or killed them. From Poppy's husband's testimony, that can be inferred.
"Fiona, just open up a whole bag of Magic Stones."
"Yes."
She must have known it went well. Fiona dumped one bag on the floor.
The Behemoth sluggishly moved from its fixed position and began to eat the Magic Stones.
We wait for a while for it to finish eating.
The Behemoth, having finished eating, grunted 'bumo-bumo' toward Fiona.
"We did it! That's begging!"
"Yeah! It went well. Fiona, back away a bit more and put out the second bag too!"
Fiona backed away further and did the same for the second bag, and then for the third bag as she backed away even more.
The Behemoth sluggishly moves forward and starts eating the Magic Stones. Already, a sufficient gap has been made to pass through.
I cancel Magic Reflection and join Fiona. We become a three-person fusion and vanish our form once more. We say goodbye to the Behemoth eating Magic Stones and pass through all at once.
"We did it! We broke through!"
"Thank you, Fiona!"
"No, the one who thought of the plan was Jeanne."
"Um, that's not it. Originally, it was the taming of the new model Behemoth in the Engrio cave..."
The one who suggested taming it might have been me...
"See, as I thought. It's because it's Jeanne."
Isn't Fiona's way of speaking becoming similar to the spirits?
We successfully broke through the Behemoth. The rest is easy. Under Fiona's guidance, we arrived at the shrine and went inside just like that. After that, it's just the Demon Race on the fourth floor.
The Demon Race on the fourth floor is the previous Number One. He's really strong.
But as expected, he couldn't win against our over-ultra-high-level five-volley combo. No, since Heaven's Roar has two simultaneous shots from the two of them twice, it's a seven-volley combo. We're doing it from behind with a complete surprise attack from a distance where we can't miss. Whether we're hiding our form or ghosts are completely fused with a human, I wonder if we're invincible to anyone other than the Demon Lord who can see through us? Excluding slugs.
After sending off the Demon Race, we make a toast with the alcohol from Diana-sama.
Since next is the Demon Lord, the three of us also ate the bread.
"The rest is three breads and one serving of alcohol."
"Now that we've come this far, I want to make a toast even after the confrontation with the Demon Lord is over."
"Then, the alcohol is one sip each."
At Fiona's words, we look at each other and laugh out loud.
"If possible, I want to drink with the Demon Lord."
"Eh?"
I'm taken aback by the two.
But I don't think it's a bad thing.
"Hahahaha!"
"Ufufu."
If two ghosts glowing pale blue in the darkness suddenly start laughing, it's a bit scary.
"A banquet with the Demon Lord, huh. As expected, Jeanne is different."
"Truly! As I thought, Jeanne is Jeanne because she's Jeanne."
Hey, Fiona. So, I don't understand that.
Both physical strength and magic power have recovered. In the three-headed fusion state, we set out for the confrontation with the Demon Lord.
When I erase the wall that becomes the entrance/exit to the lowest floor with Light, light overflowed.
"It's blinding!"
Perhaps because we hardly used Fireflies, it's truly blinding. I realized that the pale blue flame of ghosts was truly a light gentle on the eyes.
For a while, I spend time with my eyes closed, and have the two take over my body and enter.
"Aren't ghosts blinded?"
I can't believe why humans feel more blinded.
"Eh? It's fine. Right, Fiona."
"Yeah. The light here is gentle on the eyes, isn't it?"
Is that so? I think it's as bright as daytime. Is it different from sunlight?
"Hmm. This is similar to the light of the Priestess on the ceiling."
Fiona said that even if she looked directly at it, it wasn't blinding. I don't know what the light here is, but if it's the same as the light of the Priestess on the ceiling, is someone's soul making it glow? It's mysterious.
Amidst the overflowing light, the pitch-black Demon Lord's Temple stands.
Steeling my resolve, I walk steadily and arrive in front of the door.
"As I thought, the crest here is different from Diana-sama's place."
The crest where the door ring is attached is the face of an animal called a lion on the continent. It's not an owl.
"It's true. It's different."
Come to think of it, when I went to the Sertoria Demon Lord's Temple with the Priestess and Fiona, the Demon Lord had erased the walls and doors for the tour. He had erased the pillars too.
"This is the Demon Lord's crest... or rather, the animal that symbolizes the Demon Lord."
A symbolizing animal, huh. Diana-sama's symbol is an owl.
"It's interesting."
What does the Priestess mean by 'interesting'?
"Because, isn't it interesting that the animal symbolizing the Demon Lord who resurrects on the White Island isn't on the White Island?"
"Now that you mention it, that's true."
"In ancient times, there were Demon Lords on the continent too, so it might be a remnant of that."
In that case, is that? Is the Demon Lord from the continent? Did he come all the way to the White Island? I wonder if he ran away because his magic power ran out.
"That might be the case."
"Alright, let's go in."
"Yeah. Let's go in."
"Yes."
The Demon Lord is beyond this. Finally, it's the encounter.
I take the door ring. The one trembling slightly is probably Fiona.
"Let's take one deep breath. Calm down, calm down. It's okay, it's okay."
Inhale deeply, exhale.
"Alright!"
I bang the ring against the lion fitting twice.
There is no reply.
I opened the door and went inside.
It's the same as before. Black floor, black walls, black ceiling. And the red carpet with gold trim extends to the back.
Beyond that, the Demon Lord was sitting on the throne.
He hasn't changed since the two times I met him in the past. He's looking this way with an expressionless face as if he's under a frog's curse.
I don't mind. I just walked steadily.
The opponent remains seated on the throne. It's not an audience, but I walked to a suitable point.
I'm not scared. Mary taught me how to deal with this.
Sharp eyes, and smiling only with the mouth. Show the opponent your composure. The image is Eleanor-sama.
"Demon Lord, it's been a long time."
Damn it! I stumbled over my words!
Even though it's a once-in-a-lifetime scene where I confront the Demon Lord from the front...
"Pfft!"
"Huh?"
"Fufufu, Hahahaha! Jeanne, wielder of Light magic. It has been a long time. Well, do not be so tense."
Eh? Somehow, isn't he showing me his composure?
Whether the frog's curse was broken, he's laughing heartily.
"You have done well to come this far, Jeanne. Moreover, you have three heads."
Unfortunately, his expression returned to normal, but the words themselves are calm.
"I managed to arrive somehow. The reason I have three heads is because I'm fused with two ghost companions."
"Those two ghosts, I met them before."
He remembers! Or rather, the two should not have shown their faces since they were fused.
"Um, they were hiding back then, so I'll have them introduce themselves."
I have the Priestess and Fiona give their names. The Priestess named her profession as Priestess, and Fiona named herself as a clerk at the Class of 175 Shop. The Demon Lord only said 'I see' to each of them.
"You activated Testament."
"Yes. Probably..."
"Probably?"
To be honest, I don't know well. It's completely different from what I've heard until now. I didn't think the sealing of the Demon Lord would become a blockade of the entire cave. To top it off, I sealed myself too. However, I barely passed Diana-sama's qualification test.
"That is fine. Both I and you have been sealed, have we not?"
"Ha, but I didn't hear that even I would be sealed."
"By any chance, do you not know the method to escape?"
"Um, I heard it would be fine if I confronted you and reached a conclusion."
Since I don't want to say 'fight and win', I stuck to 'confrontation'.
"Hmm. That is correct."
I see. That Demon Race properly taught me.
"You just have to fight me and win."
"Do I absolutely have to fight?"
"Is there another way?"
I really wish he wouldn't tilt his head. I want there to be something.
"Then, I have just one request."
"What is it. Do you want a handicap?"
He really doesn't stray from the topic of battle.
"Um, we have very little alcohol, but if possible, why don't we have a light banquet?"
If I lose, I die. Even if I win, it's goodbye to the Demon Lord. I can't drink after the battle. If we're going to have a banquet, it has to be before the battle. Fortunately, I have dried meat, so there's plenty of snacks.
I thought I'd be refused, but unexpectedly, the Demon Lord accepted. Moreover, because he said there was alcohol, we were invited to the room behind the throne.
"Heh, amazing..."
The Priestess gasps. No, all three of us. In the middle of the room, a large table and long benches are placed. It's large enough for more than twenty people to sit. It's like a conference room. Maybe the upper-level Demon Race meetings Violet mentioned were held here.
There are also cupboard-like furnishings on the walls, and bowls made of fired wood or clay are lined up. Next to them, many barrels are piled up, and from the smell wafting over, it's clearly alcohol. It's similar to the scent of the fruit liquor the female Demon Race in Engrio makes.
"Stand back a little."
When we went down toward the door, the Demon Lord held his right hand over the table. Then, the large table became a table just right for four people. The long benches also shrunk accordingly.
"Eeeh?"
Did the size change?
"You humans cannot use it. It is an over-ultra-high-level magic called Scale."
It seems to be over-ultra-high-level.
"I wonder if even a ghost can't do it?"
It's the Wetlands Priestess. Does she intend to use Memorize?
"I will admit that you are quite a capable user. However, there are limits."