Published: September 10, 2025
※2018/10/21 Typo corrections made.
※This chapter is not from Satou’s perspective again.
“—Um?”
“Do it!” said the younger sister, Arisa, sharply pointing toward the Imperial Capital. Her older sister, Lulu, tilted her head, unsure of what she meant.
“Zubabaaan. Just do it!”
“Zubabaaan, huh?”
Still unconvinced, Lulu realized that Arisa’s instruction referred to artillery fire and began to act.
“Activate combat support functions, expand field of vision.”
“Yes, my lady. Activating synchronized sensors.”
The support voice from the floating turret responded to the command, and Lulu’s vision synchronized with the turret’s expanded field of view.
“Aiming, retinal transfer.”
“Aye aye, ma’am. Execute retina transfer.”
The aiming reticle displayed in her view aligned with the target.
The Demon King’s figure perched atop the Imperial Castle’s fortress appeared at the center.
Behind it loomed thick clouds covering the Imperial Capital.
◇
“Your Majesty, at this rate, the castle’s barrier won’t hold for long. We must have the ‘Servants of the hero’ left in the castle summon the hero immediately.”
“There’s no choice. Allow them to use the Divine Talisman.”
The Prime Minister’s words brought a bitter nod from the new emperor.
“To think hero Meiko is not present at a time like this…”
“What fools the Parion Divine Kingdom is filled with!”
The new emperor cast a single glance at the selfish ministers but said nothing further.
“Great God Parion, please grant our wish and summon the hero using our life’s essence.”
The servants of hero Seigi, hero Yuuki, and hero Fuu raised their talismans and prayed for the hero’s summoning.
This summoning, while not as powerful as summoning a hero from another world, was seldom used.
That’s because summoning a hero with the Divine Talisman given by God Parion drains the life force of the hero’s servants.
“Servant Moryu of hero Seigi offers this wish.”
“Servant Rafe of hero Yuuki offers this wish.”
“Servant Zom of hero Fuu offers this wish.”
A magical circle of blue light appeared around the three servants.
“May salvation and miracles come to the human world.”
The blue light of the magical circle rose, tinting the servants chanting the sacred phrases in blue.
“Send us hero Seigi, the embodiment of justice.”
“Send us hero Yuuki, the embodiment of hope.”
“Send us hero Fuu, the embodiment of good deeds.”
As the servants finished chanting, a flow of overflowing magic power surged through the audience chamber, and the three heroes appeared within the light.
Even a god who had not brought prophecy to the Parion Divine Kingdom seemed willing to lend power to the heroes.
“Eh, what is this?”
“The audience chamber? Did Raphael summon us?”
“Eh, forced summoning?”
Heroes Seigi, Yuuki, and Fuu voiced their surprise and frantically looked around.
Unlike the first two heroes who appeared as typical heroes, hero Fuu wore a tacky robe pulled low over his face.
“Hear me, heroes! The Saga Empire is facing an unprecedented crisis.”
The emperor rose from his throne, waving his scepter linked to the City Core, projecting the castle’s exterior into the air.
“That castle?”
“Something’s attached to it? Isn’t it huge?”
Heroes Seigi and Yuuki murmured.
Apparently, the divine appraisal ability could not be used on the image, so they didn’t realize the figure was the Demon King.
“That’s the Demon King.”
“D-Demon King?”
“Again? There are too many Demon Kings from another world!”
At the emperor’s words, Heroes Seigi and Yuuki expressed shock and disbelief.
Hero Fuu, who had been silent and looking down, anxiously glanced around and nervously bit his nails.
“This is bad, bad, bad, isn’t it? Seriously, why is the vampire general supposed to command the vampire knights undergoing demon king transformation? This makes no sense. The control’s broken, I can’t connect with Ms. Ramiko at the base to call for help, and I can’t use my assassination unique skill here… This is hopeless. Damn it, damn damn damn…”