Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

32 – The Storm Hero Cometh

You could say that my life as the Demon King Army Chief of Staff is going well.

Every day, there are several parties that I help repel. Sometimes we succeed in flushing them out, sometimes we don’t.

When not called upon, I am on the tenth stratum overseeing the rebuilding progress for when I take up my position as Floor Boss Lemegeton and Cashew helps me arrange the help of talented people from each stratum.

Fenix and party are also continuing their Dungeon Clear, having broken through the seventh stratum, The Realm of Sky and Ordeals, and the eighth stratum, The Martial Realm.

The remaining ones are The Realm of Space-time that is protected by Agares and the stratum that I have been put in charge of, The Realm of…uh, title pending.

The seventh stratum’s scenery is the same empty type as the sixth stratum. There are paths spreading across the endless sky where parties must advance while fending off the attacks of Harpies and Sirens of the Birdmen race.

If one were to fall off the path, they would be exposed to the sensation of falling forever, and then the Avatar’s in-built「Abandon」function will activate which means you are essentially defeated.

Also, the Floor Boss, The Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim, seems fond of traditional Dungeons and presents ordeals to the Adventurers. [1. TL Note: A Thrush is a type of bird. It happens to be the type of bird that Caim is according to the Goetia]

There are gates, that cannot be normally broken through, or traps. A nearby stone monument would have writing on it that appears mysterious at first glance.

But if you read it based on the rough spots on its surface, you can find a hint to break through the gate or trap.

After that, you might have to disarm a dangerous trap or run from a giant round boulder tumbling towards you that was released from a trap you thought you disarmed, etc.

By the way, if you were to fall while challenging an ordeal, Caim’s subordinate, The Phantom Thief Crow Raum, will use his space movement ability to put you back at the entrance of the seventh stratum.

Falling normally results in an「Abandon」, falling during an ordeal results in you restarting from the entrance.

Even for the Floor Boss Fight, Caim has a system that only allows those that answered his questions correctly to participate.

I was in the party with Fenix since he got out of the Adventurer Training Facility at 13 years old but the Clear of the seventh stratum has to be the adventure that took the most time. Definitely.

「Alright, beers here. So, uh, to Lem’s reemployment! Cheers!」

The one raising the wood barrel jug was the fruit stall shopkeeper, Blitz.

「Cheers.」

Milla and I responded.

We went to a certain bar.

This is after work and after escorting Cashew home.

Blitz had been saying that we should celebrate my reemployment, so we decided to do it today.

「But, man. Who’d a guessed that you’d find a job there.」

Blitz is being obscure by not saying something like Demon King Castle or Dungeon.

I’ve just come to have a drink as Lem, although I did cast a recognition obstructing spell so that people in my surrounding don’t notice me. I don’t really want to attract attention.

「I’m better at it than I thought I would be.」

「It is more than that. You are unmistakably our saviour…a Hero.」

Says Milla with her lovely hands wrapped around a glass, her lips wet from savoring the wine.

…Absent-mindedly, I recall the memory from two years ago and felt like drinking excitedly.

Let’s not get carried away.

Right now, she’s just gracing me with her beauty. Isn’t that enough?

Incidentally, her choice of racial-trait-hiding apparel today is a knitted hat and contacts.

On one occasion, I did speak with her about how she shouldn’t worry about that, but she just gave a weak laugh in response. I am happy and thankful for her concern but I feel like it can’t be healthy to always have to hide her racial features whenever she’s with me.

However, it is true that if gossip about the Black Sorcerer, a former member of Fenix’s party, getting friendly with a Demi-Human spreads, people will get suspicious.

After my withdrawal from Fenix’s party, a lot of reporters appeared trying to get an interview with me but not a single one of them ever found me. That’s because I cast Confusion on all of them, just strong enough to work but not enough for them to notice it.

Nowadays, I continue to cast magic on passersby to make them see me as nothing less than a young man with a small build.

Well, I already had to practice using my magic every day for training, so it all works out in the end.

「So how was it? I saw that Thunder Hero’s Clear video.」

I thought the inside of the bar was noisy so it’d be fine but Blitz insisted on talking quietly.

「Ah, that was my first defense.」

I ended up completely annihilating them in that Dungeon Clear.

And then the sale of the video was decided when they made an appointment with the Dungeon.

That is to say, just because a Dungeon could not be cleared successfully does not mean that the video of it is useless.

Taking into account the cost of the regeneration of their Avatars, the travel expenses to this town, the lodging expenses, and many other expenses, they cannot afford to not distribute the video.

They have a video of themselves getting lured by a mysterious Majin and then being annihilated by Hellhounds and Gra-la, they would be fools not to distribute it.

If a party had an overflowing amount of money, they have the option to reject the video, but it looks like this party is different.

Also, their video shows the movements of an enemy that wasn’t seen in the 4th ranked party’s video, so it’s views grew fairly well.

To other Adventurers, this was valuable information.

「Did you use your magic on all of them? Like that time with the purse-snatcher?」

「Yes.」

「Wow. To affect even a Hero, you’re somethin’ else!」

At Blitz’s words, Milla nods greatly.

「Somethin’ else, indeed.」

I guess she was imitating Blitz, but it was so unlike her that I ended up laughing a little.

Noticing me, Milla made a pouty face and looked at me with upturned eyes.

「You laughed…」

「No, it was just refreshing to see you like that.」

「How mean.」

「Sorry.」

「I forgive you.」

Thank goodness. She forgave me.

「Somehow, you two seem to get along really well, huh?」

「Very observant of you, Mr.Blitz. You are right, we do get along well.」

Milla moved her chair closer to me.

「Ah, well…with her permission.」

「No, that’s great, isn’t it? Even though you’re so friendly, you always kept your distance. I mean, you used to call me「Mr.Shopkeeper」for quite some time.」

…He’s got me.

I just don’t know.

I’ve already forgotten how to make friends.

I was able to do it naturally when I was a kid, but as soon as my Job was decided, all the friends I had made disappeared.

Leaving only Fenix.

That was enough, but because I’ve gone on so long without making a friend, I’m bad at getting close to people.

Blitz is a friend, but he was the one who started calling me a friend.

As for Cashew, I was so careful to not destroy my stance as a fruit stall customer.

「…Sorry about that.」

「Naw, It’s ain’t like that. I’m just sayin’ you should show more of yourself. I don’t know about the age of Adventurers but nowadays I think people will be happy with you if you do.」

…I wonder.

Milla tugs my arm towards her.

「I am in complete agreement with Mr.Blitz. I believe that you should say and do things your way. For example…isn’t there something you want to do to me right now…?」

Saying that, Milla brings her lips closer to me.

…Is she drunk?

「I don’t particularly have a hobby of doing stuff like that in front of people.」

「Well then, let us go somewhere where there aren’t any people.」

I look into her eyes and I can still see the light of reason in them.

Concluding that she was joking, I gently pulled away from her.

「Damn, I’m jealous…Whoa, that cow girl has some huge knockers.」

Blitz was watching our exchange with lascivious eyes but then turned his eyes towards a nearby waitress.

She was a cow Demi-Human with short hair and a cheerful personality to match.

Also, her breasts were huge.

Firm enough to drive anyone mad.

Well…except Milla.

「It would be better for Lem to look, here.」

My field of vision was filled with Milla’s breasts.

「If one has an interest in the female form, then one need only ask.」

Her sweet voice is melting my thoughts.

Maybe it’s the alcohol, but I’m feeling dizzy.

「Pardon me, could I have a bit of your time?」

Someone is standing in front of our table.

We probably look like a drunk couple flirting with each other to the surrounding people. I thought that it was someone coming to complain but as soon as I saw that person, I froze.

Blitz dropped his jug and the Milla’s arms, that were wrapped around me, lost their strength.

「Ah, so it is you. I’ve been looking for you. It was certainly difficult. I’m glad I was able to somehow find you. Lem. It’s been a while, are you well?」

Standing there, is the leader of the No.1 ranked party in the world.

The Storm Hero, Aerial.

Almost reflexively, I apply Confusion to anyone in my field of vision, but it is possible for people to resist that.

That is to say, using magic that keeps your consciousness intact.

In other words, he surmised that I hid my whereabouts well with Confusion and was searching for me while already clad in magic resistance.

「…It has been a long, time. Why are you here…sorry, I mean, you…were looking for me?」

「Ah, straight to the point. I want you to become our ally.」

…Huh?