A small voice came from the other side of the door.
「Ah……Um……Excuse me for disturbing late at night……Diablo-sama. Seeing the light from the window, I thought that you might still be awake.」
It was Lumachina’s voice.
Normally, he should let her into his room.
However, Lamnites was here. Moreover, she was in a dress that had a really high degree of exposure.
The room was filled with the smell of liquor, and a different aroma of obscenity also wafted about.
Even if it was the all too serious Lumachina, she probably wouldn’t hold a bad impression from a victory celebration merrymaking but──it was doubtful if what had happened up until just a little while ago could be called merrymaking, so Diablo didn’t open the door.
Instead, he opened the window and ventilated the room.
「……Did you, need something?」
In the end, he answered her with the door still closed.
「It isn’t urgent but……I wanted to talk with you no matter what.」
「Let me hear it.」
Lumachina talked from the other side of the door.
「I, am thinking of returning to the royal capital.」
「What!?」
「Of course, I do not mean right away. There is still a great number of people that require treatment, and since I will be borrowing the chapel tomorrow, I will need to start the dispelling of the 《Marked Death Disease》.」
「That is true.」
Due to the Head of the Holy Knights Baduta’s sorcery, a hex called the Marked Death Disease ran rampant in this town.
It was possible to dispel it through the use of the 《White Cow Statue》 that they had brought back from Diablo’s base.
It wasn’t like Lumachina’s power was required, but a considerable amount of chaos would occur if she did not manage it.
Due to Baduta having disappeared, this town’s Church had lost its leader.
There was a need to ascertain and nominate a person to entrust it to even after she leaves the town.
Even if that was finished up──
Diablo asked Lumachina a question.
「The fact that you will return to the royal capital will mean that you will be going to the base of the ones that aimed for your life. Do you have any prospects of victory?」
Lumachina held the Church’s most prominent position of 《High Chief Priest》.
However, the upper echelons that should have originally been supporting her──the people of the Cardinal Institute targeted her life.
It was because she tried to rectify the Church’s corruption.
In terms of status, Lumachina was the higher one, but the Holy Knights that were the actual armed might of the Church followed the Cardinal Institute. They made use of their special rights to earn funds, and held the Church under their thumbs.
If she remained powerless, she would only end up being disposed of. Because she thought that way, Lumachina came to Zircon Tower.
To rely on the Head of the Holy Knights Baduta.
However, although he was rumored to be a noble person, Baduta had degenerated into a scoundrel.
Her situation didn’t improve at all.
Even in regards to the Holy Knight that received the order to assassinate her from the Cardinal Institute, it seemed that she saved him as he was about to die in the dungeon with her power of miracles……
──There’s a limit to how good-natured a person can be.
Diablo was also doing something like a Demon King role play, but an act was just an act. In truth, he just didn’t want to see someone dying.
However, he didn’t think that he would want to save someone that came targeting his life.
His own safety and the safety of his companions was much more important than the enemy’s life.
If they attacked with the intent to kill, he would kill them.
That was only natural.
However, it’s because of this world where the giving and taking of lives was only natural that he felt that Lumachina’s disposition was sacred and precious.
She started talking.
「I believe that I cannot win as I am now. I might not even create the chance to seek reform.」
「So you do understand.」
「Yes……But, after about one month……I think I would like to depart.」
「Why is there a need to return in such a rush?」
「The Demon King has revived. I am uneasy as to whether or not the guidance of those who have indulged in selfish desires will make the Church a strength that will protect the people.」
「I am sure that is impossible.」
「Diablo-sama, do you believe that as well?」
「At times where a crisis approaches the country, those at the top who perpetrate corruption will reform themselves and fight against the enemy──That sort of thing is just a pipe dream of the lower classes. Reality is different.」
「So they won’t do anything.」
「No, they will surely take action……Once they hear of the news of the Demon King’s revival, they will move their private property and family to a distant foreign country. At the time the front line is broken through, the ones that will disappear from the royal capital first will be “the ones that coveted riches with those sorts of special rights”.」
「No way……How terrible.」
「Villains do not change. No matter how the situation changes, they will use others as stepping stones and will only think about how to profit themselves.」
「……That is, true……I also, believe that. I would like for them to reform but……As things are now, the ones that will turn into victims will be the innocent people.」
「Umu.」
He understood the reason why Lumachina was in a rush.
However, she had no means of fighting against them.
──I’m getting nothing but a bad premonition from this.
「Diablo-sama, I beg of you to listen to my request! Please protect me!」
What she believed about Diablo was that “although he is actually Kami-sama, on the ground, he was acting as an Adventurer that was calling himself a Demon King”.
No, he couldn’t tell if she was really tricked, or if she had already noticed the truth but……
Diablo thought about it.
──To protect Lumachina and go to the royal capital?
So they would ride into the base of the Cardinal Institute, expose their injustices, and take back her proper authority.
In order to do that, they would have to win against Holy Knights that were around level 100.
That was difficult.
「If I were to refuse, what would you do?」
「At that time, I intend on returning to the royal capital alone.」
「You will die.」
「Even if that is the case, it is better than living without doing anything……」
「Shouldn’t you seek for anyone that will assist you in more places?」
「I do not believe that there is anyone stronger than you, Diablo-sama, in the Lifelia Kingdom or in the neighboring areas. And even if there was, there is no guarantee that I would procure their assistance. Instead of searching for someone that has such a slim possibility, I would rather return to the royal capital alone and put my efforts for the sake of bringing the Church back to its ideal situation. Even if I were to lose my life doing so.」
Going *Hmph……*, Diablo curved the ends of his lips.
Going up against many Holy Knights was “difficult”──That is what he would have thought before.
「Very well.」
「Eh?」
Right now, he was different. He had the strongest equipment and items take from his treasury.
The situation has changed from before.
「Your wish, it has reached me. With my infinite strength, I shall sweep away all that will stand in your way.」
「Ahh……Thank you very much! Thank you very much!」
Lumachina prostrated herself in the hallway and repeatedly said her thanks.
Since the door was still closed, he didn’t see that appearance of hers though.
What was in Diablo’s vision after having declared that so imposingly was Lamnites who was puffing up her cheeks looking discontented.
He reflexively faltered.
「What is it?」
「Were you dissatisfied with my service? So you are going to leave the town, in a month.」
「If you listened to the conversation, you should understand the reason.」
「So you prefer young women.」
「You know that it wasn’t that sort of story, right!?」
When he carelessly raised his voice, Lumachina responded from the other side of the door.
「Is something the matter, Diablo-sama?」
「Ah……Ahem! It is nothing. It is already late, and since you surely have things to do tomorrow as well, you should hurry up and go to sleep.」
「Yes……Um……」
「Do you still need something?」
「No, um……I really am grateful, Kami-sama.」
Leaving behind those words, Lumachina took her leave. Did she still believe that?
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