Ankoku Kishi Monogatari ~Yuusha wo Taosu Tameni Maou ni Shoukansaremashita~-Novel

◆Demon King; Modes

「YOUR MAJESTY! BAD NEWS! GUNO’S SQUAD ARE BEING OBSTRUCTED BY A POWERFUL BARRIER AND CAN’T APPROACH HER HIGHNESS! HER HIGHNESS AS WELL CAN’T SEEM TO CROSS THIS BARRIER! WORST OF ALL, THEY’RE NOW ALSO FACING GODDESS RENA’S FLYING SHIP ON TOP OF THE BARRIER!」

I received such a report from Zephyrus in my castle’s audience chamber.

After Kuroki went along with Polen to save granny, I ordered Guno and her team to follow them in case something unexpected happened.

But, by the time Guno and her legion caught up to Kuroki and the others, they had already been trapped inside the barrier created by Alphos.

The shocked Guno sent a report to the Demon King castle immediately, asking for reinforcements.

「I see, please tell Lord Guno and the others to not be hostile toward Rena and those with her.」

I gave such an order to Zephyrus.

Just in case she and her subordinates suddenly decided to charge towards Rena and her companions.

The Royal Knights were composed of elite female Daemons after all. They were the female version of the Dark Knights who are under Runfeld’s command.

「Good grief! When it comes to that girl, she always causes trouble for Your Majesty. Even after she finally left her room!!」

Mona spoke with a displeased look on her face.

I heaved a sigh upon seeing Mona.

Mona’s relationship with Polen had been strained for a long time. Polen had always hated her ugly appearance which resembles me. These of course were taboo words for Mona, who adored me. Thus, she gave an extremely harsh scolding to Polen who hated me.

As a result, their relationship got strained after that.

Honestly speaking, this Modes should have been the mediator between the two. But, Polen had been locking herself in her room for as long as this Modes remembers, so I couldn’t do anything about it.

What a joke for someone hailed as the Demon King, and the strongest being in this world.

I couldn’t even do anything for my adorable daughter…

Thus, I was really happy when Kuroki managed to convince Polen to come out of her room.

I ended up being indebted to Kuroki for this matter.

The image reflected in the air of the audience chamber was the image of a beautiful crystal garden. The shining, blooming ice flowers and translucent frozen ground were complemented by an aurora in the sky; the inside of the barrier had already been transformed into another fantastical world.

The beautiful snow queen was singing with her beautiful voice, and the snow maidens were dancing in the air.

Inside that garden, the Holy Knight clad in snow white armor kept attacking the Dark Knight.

The Dark Knight was forced to only defend due to the onslaught of attacks.

This image was being reflected here through Polen’s necklace. I had given her this necklace when she had decided to go hunt the Kraken, I couldn’t stop worrying about her safety so that was the only thing I could do.

Polen, of course, had no idea that her situation was being transmitted to our side from her necklace. It seems the magic in the necklace was still working properly even within the barrier.

「To think that His Excellency would be cornered like this… God Alphos, who’s always fooling around doesn’t seem to be that powerful, and yet…」

After sending orders to his subordinate, Zephyrus muttered so while looking at the reflection.

Zaphyrus was the leader of the Royal Knights. He couldn’t go with them and fight battles since his most important duty was to protect the Demon King castle.

「Houuu, So even Lord Zephyrus doesn’t know much about the White Noble Holy Knight; Alphos.」

Loughas brushed his long beard as he spoke to Zephyrus.

The White Noble Holy Knight; Alphos.

I did hear that all Alphos did in recent years was fool around, but he was once hailed as the strongest Holy Knight in the world and he was also Oudith’s right-hand.

After this Modes and the others left Elios, Oudith and the other Gods & Goddesses waged a war against the Heavenly Giant Race. They fought Titus and his people to gain supremacy of the sky.

The Heavenly Giant race; Titus and his people, were similar to the Blue Water Giant, Okeas, and the Earth Giant, Gigantis, who were ancient races created by the God of Genesis. Their power rivaled that of the divine race.

The Elios’ troops were on the losing side, honestly, Elios might’ve already been annihilated if Alphos had failed to defeat the King of Heavenly Giants.

Due to his unparalleled appearance and strength, he was hailed as the Heavenly Nobleman, and the God King’s Sword.

That was the man called Alphos.

And his twin little sister, the Heavenly Beauty Rena, possessed the same excellence.

「No way… Does that mean His Excellency is going to lose? What’s gonna happen to princess Polenna when that happens?」

Zephyrus asked with an anxious look.

「Sure enough… We can only imagine the worst treatment. Let’s make a counter-measure to save Her Highness.」

It seems that even Loughas had expected that Kuroki would lose.

But, they’re greatly mistaken.

「Don’t be in such a hurry, Loughas. This Modes doesn’t think that Kuroki will lose.」

Loughas and Zephyrus exchanged glances in confusion upon hearing my statement.

「But, Your Majesty. His Excellency can’t even do anything against Alphos’ onsla—?」

He said so while looking at the image.

Surely, Kuroki seemed to be cornered.

「Surely, he seems to be cornered. But, he has yet to lose. Rather, I get this feeling that Alphos is the one who is slowly being driven to a corner.」

If Alphos was the God King’s Sword, Kuroki was the Demon King’s Sword.

Thus, Kuroki is going to win.

Both Loughas and Zephyrus couldn’t hide their shock upon hearing that.

Mona didn’t seem to be surprised by that.

She might have felt the same way as me.

「This Modes will believe in Kuroki. He’ll bring Polen back. So Kuroki, show them. Show them the fact that you’re Our Strongest Sword. Turn the tables and beat Alphos!!」

◆Dark Knight; Kuroki

「LUMINA METEOR SWORD!!!」

Alphos’ shining slashes were raining down incessantly like meteor swarms.

「WOAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!」

I bent forward and escaped Alphos’ slashes in a posture that looked like I was crawling on the floor.

From above, I might look like a cockroach.

I could hear laughter coming from the beauties in the flying ship that Kuna was on.

「What’s that?! So unsightly!!」

「Kyahahaha! Indee~d! It’s so unsightly~!!!」

「There’s no need to worry about Alphos-sama after a~ll!!」

「Absolutely! That Dark Knight has to be taught a lesson and know his place!!」

「Alphos-sama~! Finish off that unsightly bug already~!!!」

「Kyahahaha!!!」

The beauties seemed to be in a good mood seeing me trying to escape from Alphos. Yeah, they didn’t stop laughing after all.

Alphos was closing in again, leaving an aurora-like trail in his wake.

I parried his strike with my demon sword.

「Ice Flower Heavenly Light Dance, 17th Verse.」

Alphos’ figure suddenly split apart into clones, slashing at me with dance-like movements.

「WOAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! WOOPS! HEYA!!!」

I desperately swung my sword to parry his slashes as I danced along with him.

But, if Alphos’ sword dance was an elegant waltz, mine was a mysterious dark dance. It was an absurd, makeshift dance that was created on the spot as a way to deal with Alphos’ speed.

The beauties who saw that dance from the flying ship were laughing non-stop.

But, rather than feeling delighted, I…

「Quite a stubborn one eh, Dark Knight-kun. No matter how you look at it, you’re just a vermin in this beautiful garden. Vermins must always be exterminated.」

「GRHHHHHHHHH.」

I grit my teeth, annoyed by Alphos’ remark.

Surely, I can’t deny the fact that Alphos’ crystal garden was beautiful.

I was the only abnormal color in this crystal garden.

But calling me a vermin is overkill!! I demand a correction!!

At least call me a caterpillar dammit!! I was crying inside you know!!

「Now, vermin!! Begone with this beautiful sword skill of mine!!!」

Alphos, who had no idea about how I felt inside, had already rushed toward me again.

It seems my status was downgraded from Dark Knight-kun to vermin, but I didn’t even have the leeway to retort.

Alphos’ slashes came like an avalanche.

TOO FAST!!!

I desperately swung my sword to parry his slashes, ducked down and crawled on the ground to dodge, showing all kinds of unsightly stances.

Even I couldn’t retort to his comments since my resistance was indeed unsightly.

The beauties’ laughs resounded in the barrier.

But, I couldn’t blame them for laughing.

Alphos was really strong.

This was the first time I encountered a more troublesome opponent than Reiji. He cornered me and forced me to use all kinds of unsightly poses to dodge his slashes.

What should I do now? Should I throw the towel?

I desperately shook my head in denial.

Like hell I could do that.

Neither could I accept that.

「MASTER KUROKI! BEAT HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIM!!」

I mean, Polen has never stopped cheering for me since a while ago.

I knew that she was crying.

Thus, losing here wasn’t even an option for me.

Polen had always been staying in her room due to her appearance.

Thus, I couldn’t just throw the towel for her who did her best to leave her room.

Yes, losing here wasn’t even an option.

My current figure might be unsightly, but…