Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

132 – The Raid Battle is Finally Upon us Tomorrow, But Let’s Go Over the Participants Once More!

It’s morning.

I’m chewing on toast.

On said toast are a large serving of fried eggs and crispy bacon. I hold it in one hand, while the other hand is holding a glass filled with milk.

I chew, swallow, then gulp down the milk.

In the living room of my dorm room, Milla and I are watching TV.

The screen is showing a special feature on the raid battle.

It has been running over and over again in various places in the past few days, but I guess that’s how high profile of an event it is.

「People are getting really excited about it, huh? If it attracts so much attention, why hasn’t there been a Raid Battle for all this time?」

When Milla is cooking, she ties her hair up into a ponytail. Occasionally, she forgets to untie it when she sits down to eat. Today is one such occasion.

Her usual hairstyle where her hair is down certainly has its charms, but different hairstyles suit her too.

I respond to the ponytailed Milla after I finished chewing my food.

「I think there are several factors, but fundamentally, I think it’s because there aren’t many benefits for Adventurers.」

「Is that…so?」

「In this Clear, seventeen people are involved. Since there are so many people, their attention has to be distributed somehow.」

「That’s certainly true. However, the participating parties, excluding the Water Hero and his Destroyer ally, are all exceptionally famous. I think it would be rather impossible for them to not stand out.」

「If that’s all there is to it, then there isn’t much benefit in the end. They might as well put up their own videos. By Clearing together, they will end up comparing themselves to each other, they will have difficulties cooperating, and since there are many egotistical Heroes out there, there are many parties who would rather Clear a Dungeon by themselves.」

It’s a different story if their ranks are far apart, but these are the top five parties. Without a shadow of a doubt, there isn’t anyone who doesn’t know who they are.

「Hm, hmm…in that case, how about how much of a treat this is for the viewers?」

「That is true. There are many who would love to see the Spirit Contractors fighting together, or bitter rival parties working together.」

I, too, love that sorta thing.

「The other reasons for it not being implemented are that high profile parties are busy, so they are tied down by their schedules. It is troublesome to settle the matter of the distribution rights and recompense, and the fact that there aren’t many Dungeons that can handle multiple parties. There aren’t too many grand personages who are willing to go through all of that to hold the event.」

「…Her Highness’s father is one such person, isn’t he?」

「I think so. Even now, I find it curious as to how he assembled those members.」

The Wraith team is an exception, but they are a group of top Adventurers.

I’m sure they themselves think that too, so I didn’t think that they would agree to do a group Clear.

For some reason, I think Aerial decided to participate because of Wraith.

「And then…」

「There’s more…?」

「In the previous Raid Battle, my master instantly defeated all the top Adventurers in the first stratum… It became taboo in the industry. Even if you were interested in it, you can’t say you wanted to do it, or something like that.」

「I-I see…」

「In that sense, it may have been Fellow who is the only one who could revive it.」

Fellow, who respects my master as the strongest Demon King, hates the industry for forcing him into retirement.

How many of us have the power to ignore the image that Adventurers and the Union have about raids and propose a plan?

The town can be boosted with an exciting event, and the participating Adventurers can all be highlighted.

No matter how big the image of a raid once was, there are a lot of fun event ideas to overwrite that image.

After that…

「Fenix and co. were on the verge of Clearing it completely, and that’s big. Society thinks that they were one step away from Clearing the Demon King Castle, and before that thought goes away, we have a Raid Battle. The industry’s best and fellow Four Great Spirits wielder will succeed where Fenix and co. failed. I don’t think there’s a fan alive who doesn’t want to see what happens next.」

「I see, I see… Are you looking forward to it as a fan as well, Lem?」

「To be honest…yeah.」

Just because I decided to become the hero of the Monsters doesn’t mean that I changed my interests and preferences.

My love for Dungeon Clears and Adventurers will never change, so I am looking forward to this Raid Battle.

「Of course, I plan to defeat them all, but it is what it is.」

I’m in a difficult spot.

I don’t expect them to be easily defeated, but I don’t want them to be in a position where they can easily breakthrough.

「Ufufu, I think that is just fine. When Lem came to Clear the Demon King Castle, even I fought with all my might, of course, but putting that aside, I intensely watched the video of it again and again and aga-…fo-forget what I said.」

Milla clears her throat. Face flushed red.

「Th-that’s right, Lem. The raid is finally happening tomorrow, shall we confirm the participants once more? I-it seems that we are just in time for the part of the show where they introduce the participants.」

Says Milla, to redirect my attention.

She was being very cute, and I naturally smiled broadly.

Playing along obediently, I turn to look at the TV.

Sure enough, they had just started introducing the Aerial party.

The lady on the screen is waving her hand at a display set up in a studio and beginning her explanation.

The screen flows according to her explanation.

『First off, the wielder of the Samurai Job, a warrior line characteristic of the far off lands of Yamato, Mr. Masamune! The curved blade known as a Katana is a Magic Tool that can, surprisingly, cut even magic! His secret skill, Iaijutsu, is a famous attack skill that is too fast for the eyes, just like Godspeed, that can cut anything that dares enter his range in two.』

Masamune, hailing from the island country of Yamato, is dressed in his country’s unique style. I believe it’s called Yamato-style clothing.

He is a friendly, military man who holds no discrimination against Black Sorcerers.

『Next is a hot one! Before the appearance of the Flame Hero, she was known as the strongest fire user, the Crimson Wizard, Ms. Michel! Big Blast, a combined magic attack with Mr. Aerial, is so destructive that Dungeons beg her not to use it when they make an appointment! What will get burned and destroyed by her intense heat this time?』

Michel gives the impression that she is fundamentally a pleasant and lovely woman, but once she enters a Dungeon, her personality suddenly changes. She is a beautiful woman who is very popular among some people for her slightly dangerous behavior and overly strong magic.

『Does everyone know of the Blade Alchemist Louie? An Alchemist Adventurer is extremely rare, but he has an Aptitude for battle and creates weapons and armor inside the Dungeon, during battles! Of course, he isn’t just a one-trick pony, his skill at using weapons is abnormally high!』

Louie is a silent, small-built craftsman who takes pride in his work.

It’s fun to see different footage because he creates weapons and armor from what he can find in the Dungeon.

And next is…

『This one may still be unfamiliar to many of you. The newest member, who is the successor to the White Sorcerer, also known as the Great Saint, Panacea, is…』