They had discovered a pillar of red light shining as if it had pierced from the sky down to the imperial palace roof. Only after their eyes adjusted to the blinding light could they notice.

That something was floating majestically within that eerily chilling light, that the dark figure was the Demon King, and that he had come to find them at an unexpected moment.

“The Demon King already!”

McClain’s face, which had been flushed with emotion, instantly turned pale. Natalie’s legs went weak, for a different reason than before.

“What should we do? He seems to have come for me. What should we do?”

Demon de Marteva, the Demon King, was slowly descending to the imperial palace courtyard along the pillar of red light. His movements were slow and calm, suggesting leisure, but his expression was different from before. A sharp coldness like a blade flowed from him.

“It’s a demon! Kill it!”

A few knights who didn’t know his identity bravely rushed at him, but they were instantly killed by a single dismissive gesture from him.

“This bastard!”

Seeing this, McClain gritted his teeth painfully while holding onto Natalie, who was staggering like a newborn foal.

“Stand back! That’s not a demon but the Demon King! It’s dangerous, everyone stand back!”

The expedition members, having heard the news, pushed through the crowd engulfed in confusion and terror. Though they knew the Demon King would appear, they too had turned pale, having never actually faced him before.

“B-back off! Demon King!”

“Th-this is not a place for you to enter as you please!”

The brothers Munash and Muki, not forgetting their roles as tanks, stepped forward and shouted despite their faces turning not just white but blue.

McClain tensed his body, ready to dash forward, fearing they would be instantly killed too. Had he not been holding Natalie, he would have rushed toward the Demon King immediately, but his face showed he was trying to hold back out of concern for her.

Fortunately, the Demon King didn’t immediately attack Munash and Muki.

He seemed to let out a small sigh, then muttered as if lamenting.

“I know. The place was quite tricky with rather troublesome devices, so I had a hard time breaking through.”

He then slightly furrowed his brow and continued.

“But I’m sorry to say, my conversation partner today isn’t you.”

With an annoyed wave of his hand, Munash and Muki, who had stepped forward, were simultaneously pushed back several steps. Thanks to their growth so far, they avoided being blown away completely, but they seemed to have serious internal injuries.

Seeing Munash and Muki coughing up blood, Natalie rushed forward toward the Demon King.

“Stop it! If you kill any more people, I won’t stand by quietly!”

“Natalie!”

Just as McClain tried to stop her, the Demon King spoke with sparkling eyes like a child who had found a treasure chest.

“Aha! There you are! There were so many strange devices here that I couldn’t find you right away. I came to get you because you seem completely ready now. It would be difficult for you to come to me alone, you see.”

“I’ll go. I’ll follow you obediently, so please leave the others alone. And please give up your thoughts of taking the Empire.”

“Natalie!”

“Well, I find you quite interesting right now, but…… that might be difficult to promise. I recently realized that when I become fixated on something, I must have it, but once I get it, I quickly lose interest.”

“I’ll be different. You became interested because I’m different!”

“Natalie! You can’t!”

“It’s okay, I’ll go with him first and find a way. There must be a way. After all, you must have defeated him in the original work.”

“But!”

“If it takes too long, come rescue me. You said you have to defeat the Demon King anyway, right? That it’s the final quest, and completing it will let you return to reality. So an opportunity will surely come.”

“But I’m not yet—”

“It doesn’t matter how long it takes. I’ll wait. I’m really sorry for putting pressure on you. I’ll do my best to find a way out too, so please do your best as well.”

At Natalie’s resolute words, McClain looked like he might burst into tears at any moment.

Just as he opened his mouth as if to say something more, Demon King Demon, who had been watching the two with a displeased expression, interrupted their conversation.

“Enough chatter! I merely entrusted this woman to you temporarily, but seeing you two like this doesn’t make me feel good. Well, it seems we should leave now. If I stay here any longer, I might get annoyed enough to kill all the humans except you.”

As he finished speaking, Demon stretched his hand toward Natalie. Her body was instantly pulled toward him as if being sucked into an invisible drain.

“Aaah!”

“Natalie!”

Just as the startled McClain rushed forward to grab Natalie—

Demon raised his palm toward McClain’s direction, and once again, he found himself unable to advance a single step, as if blocked by an invisible wall.

It was the same situation as when the Demon King had invaded before they entered the imperial capital.

“Urrrgh! You bastard! Release the woman right now!”

McClain shouted desperately, ramming against the invisible wall with all his might.

Demon looked at him with pity before suddenly narrowing his eyes.

Making a sound that could have been either exclamation or sigh, the Demon King took a step closer while holding Natalie in his hand.

“Human, now that I look at you, you’re quite unusual too. I sense a strange energy. Well, not that I’m planning to take you with me as well.”

“Put the woman down and return to the demon realm immediately! Or else I’ll—”

Though he shouted bravely, the predicate that should have followed never came.

His voice was cut off as if something was squeezing his throat with tremendous force.

“Kugh!”

As McClain clutched his throat and groaned, Demon pulled up one corner of his mouth. His expression was clearly mocking.

“Or else what? You should know well from our previous encounter that you’re no match for me. Well, you seem to have grown stronger since then, but you must know that you’re still no match for me? And just in case you’re wondering.”

The Demon King paused briefly, then clicked his tongue shortly before continuing.

Though his expression didn’t change dramatically, his voice carried unmistakable displeasure and disapproval.

“It would be best not to make any foolish attempts. Today is the last time I’ll spare you because I find you cute. Daring to lay hands on what’s mine makes me want to twist your neck right now.”

With a small nod as if to say “that’s all,” Demon shot up into the sky in an instant while gripping Natalie’s waist with one hand.

Unlike when he had appeared, his speed was so fast that it was difficult to follow with the eyes.

Only then did McClain’s airway clear, and he gritted his teeth while staring blankly at the corner of the sky where the Demon King had disappeared with Natalie.

※※※

McClain found it hard to shake off his feeling of emptiness. He couldn’t believe what had just happened before his eyes—that Natalie had been taken by the Demon King, that he had failed to prevent it.

Even after the faint red light that had lingered above the imperial palace roof completely disappeared, even after people who had witnessed the situation and realized the Demon King had fully departed collapsed to the ground as their legs gave out, even until the Emperor, who had been hiding behind the guard knights, came running out on trembling legs and began to lament—

McClain stood frozen like a statue, staring at the night sky that had darkened again where she had disappeared with the Demon King.

It was the Emperor who shook him out of this state.

He grabbed McClain’s clothes and shook them, urging him impatiently.

“So everything you said was true! Tell me, Duke Lindhart! Is there truly no way to stop him? Is there really no way?”

McClain slowly turned his head, which had been fixed on a corner of the sky.

His lifeless eyes wandered meaninglessly through empty space before finally settling on the Emperor.

“I will find a way. I will definitely find her and bring her back.”

Color returned to the Emperor’s face upon hearing his answer. He had started running his hope circuit again. True to his character as a groundless optimist, it was a hope circuit that only heard what he wanted to hear and turned only in his favor.

“Y-yes. You can solve this. And today he only took one woman away. I’ll have to deliver sad news to the Pereira family, but who knows? Maybe the Demon King will become so infatuated with that pretty Miss that he’ll postpone his desire to take our Empire forever.”

“Your Majesty!”

McClain immediately exploded at the Emperor’s words, which showed no concern whatsoever for Natalie’s sacrifice. However, the Emperor seemed to genuinely believe that one noble lady who had already been captured wasn’t even worth worrying about.

“That lady was a mage, wasn’t she? Then she must know many useful spells? I wish she could keep the Demon King’s interest for a hundred years or so. Oh, is a hundred years too much? Don’t they say some mages know magic to extend their lifespan?”