Chapter 3: Trying Out Returning to the Royal Capital – Part 2

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Part 2

　Diablo’s group got down from the carriage.
　As if weaving their way through the crowds of people, they approached the gate.
　They headed to where Lumachina was.
　It seemed that she was having a dispute with someone. Since the other party wore extravagant armor, they were most likely military personnel with a high rank.
「High Chief Priest, what are you thinking!? The time to close the gate has long since passed, you know!?」
「I am sorry. But, just for today……」
「I have the duty of protecting the royal capital! Even if you are the most powerful person of the Church, it is troubling for you to be doing this sort of thing on your own!」
「But……」
「It isn’t just the Empire’s invasion to the east! There are also rumors of things like a Demon causing a rebellion in the south, and a Demon King having entered the realm in the west! Right now, even if this is the royal capital, there is no guarantee that it is absolutely safe, you know!?」
　──By a Demon that caused a rebellion in the south, is that me!?
　As for the army that was headed east, it seemed to be because the Empire was attacking.
　Diablo recalled the world view setting of the MMORPG Cross Reverie that he remembered.
　When speaking of the Empire that was east of the Lifelia Kingdom……
　Was it the Gelmedo Empire?
　The times that it came up in Cross Reverie, there were only a few countable times.
　As for why, it was because the Gelmedo Empire was the stage for a different title of the same company──for SLG Girls Arms.
　They came to invade?
　They had made an appearance in a limited-time collaboration event, but this sort of development shouldn’t have been in the game.
　──For me, I only tried playing Girls Arms for a little bit. I wonder if they had an event where they invaded the Lifelia Kingdom?
　Rem displayed a puzzled expression.
「……The rumor about the Demon King to the west……it’s concerning, isn’t it? Could it be, that it’s about Krum?」
「No wayー!?」
　Shera raised her voice sounding like she was going to cry.
　Since Lilitana didn’t know about Krum, she tilted her head.
　Diablo shrugged his shoulders.
「It might be, but there is nothing we can do even if we worry about it here.」
　They were already at a distance where their voices could be heard.
　However, to call out to the High Chief Priest in a loud voice, just as Rem said, was too disrespectful.
　As they were being hesitant, a guard noticed them first.
「You all over there! Who are you!?」
　It was a Human woman.
　Just when they thought that it was a voice they recognized, it wasn’t someone that they didn’t know.
　It was the Holy Knight Toria.
　How nostalgic.
　Before, Rem received a key from Geibalt, who had defected to the Royal Palace Chivalric Order, and saved her as she was locked in a confessional room.
　At that time, she was so weak that she couldn’t even stand up on her own, but it seemed that she had now completely healed. She conducted herself as a gallant female Holy Knight.
　Rem leaked out a smile of relief, and Shera also smiled.
「……It’s good to see that you are in good health.」
「Yup, yup, thank goodnessー」
　Toria made a puzzled face.
「Mumu? You all, just who are you……?」
　Come to think of it, both Rem and Shera were crossdressed.
　The light of the torches were far. Due to it also being dim, Toria didn’t realize that they were disguised.
　Of course, that included Diablo’s crossdressing.
　──Even if I were to bring out the 《Head of the Holy Knights Symbol》 with this appearance, it would only confuse them instead, wouldn’t it?
　Here, it seemed that the talk would finish up faster if they relied on her.
　Lilitana came forward.
「It has been a while, Toria-san.」
「Eh……You are Lilitana-sama!? Why are you in a place like this!?」
「Perhaps, the people that are the reason for why Lumachina-sama had pushed herself to keep the gate open……I have brought them along.」
　Toria’s eyebrows went into the shape of a “ハ”.
「Ah, um, I am sorry. Actually, although we were told to open the gate like this, we do not know the reason why the High Chief Priest had gave such an order……」
「Oh my……is that so?」
「Speaking further, even the High Chief Priest said to not close the gate even though she didn’t know the reason either.」
　──So it was all intuition.
　Rem shrugged her shoulders.
「……That is very much like Lumachina.」
「Ahaha……So that sort of thing happensー」
　Even Lilitana nodded with an understanding face.
「It is something the High Chief Priest had you do. It is surely under the Great God’s guidance. Could you convey our coming here to her?」
「Understood!」
　Although Toria turned a suspicious-looking gaze at Diablo for only an instant, she returned to Lumachina.
　It seemed that the disguise was too good. It seemed that she didn’t realize their identities at all.
　Receiving the notification, Lumachina looked over here.
　Their eyes met.
　Since he was completely crossdressing, he couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.
　──To begin with, what kind of attitude should I take?
　Since they came to rely on Lumachina, should they abase themselves with a low profile? That might be common practice, but Diablo was a Demon King, Kami-sama, as well as various other settings.
　Lowering his head, would deviate from his act!
　That being said, in this situation where they were surrounded by a great number of believers, he couldn’t possibly take a self-important tone with the High Chief Priest.
　Lumachina also had her own prestige.
　Also, if he were to introduce himself as a “Demon King” even though there were soldiers around……that would be suicide!
　Diablo resolved himself.
　──Yosh! I’ll leave everything to Rem and the others, and just keep quiet in the back.
　Thinking “when compared to the times where I thoughtlessly introduced myself as a Demon King and caused the situation to go into chaos, I’ve overwhelmingly grown, haven’t I”, he was proud of himself.
　Oh man, have I gained communication skills! Maybe it’s about time that I’ve graduated from my communication disorder!
　Rem and Lumachina will talk with each other in a good way──that was what he expected, but that was quickly destroyed.
　Surprisingly, Lumachina pushed away the self-important sounding military personnel, shook off even the guards that stopped her, and came running over.
　She had an excessively desperate expression.
　Rem was overwhelmed and had her front opened.
「……Lumachina!?」
「Waah!?」
　Shera’s eyes went round.
　Lilitana took a step back and deeply lowered her head.
　Without replying to anyone, Lumachina made a straight line to Diablo.
　As if throwing herself onto him, she hugged him.
「Diablo-samaa!」
「Uowah!?」
　Since he didn’t think that he would have been hugged all of a sudden, he was so surprised that he raised his voice.
　So soft.
　Within her mysterious fragrance, there was a faint smell of sweat mixed in.
　Lumachina’s body, that was tightly hugging him, was slightly trembling.
　The surroundings became noisy.
　For the High Chief Priest to suddenly hug someone.
　Everyone that saw it, due to it being such an unexpected event, froze up as if they were petrified.
　Going “Hah!”, Toria put herself together.
「Bring the High Chief Priest back to the Inner Court!」
　She was young, but she was the type that was able to make decisions herself and take the initiative to take action.
　Since Lumachina was still hugging him and wouldn’t move, Diablo carried her.
「Being happy at our reunion……it would seem, that is not the only thing, is it?」
「S, sorry……I lost my composure.」
「Stay like that.」
　Sensing Diablo’s aim, Rem raised her voice.
「It would seem that the High Chief Priest is feeling unwell! Open up a path!」
　People will see things as they want to see it.
　She didn’t suddenly hug someone, she collapsed and was caught in their arms──putting it like that, it was easier to consent to for a majority of the people.
　The military personnel that was quarrelling with Lumachina earlier had turned a suspicious gaze towards him.
　Seeing that man’s face──
　Diablo felt like he was going to reflexively let out a 「Geh」.
　That military personnel, he was the man that snapped at him during the audience with the Lifelia King. If he remembered correctly, he was a lieutenant commander of the kingdom’s army.
　Of all of the people, among the numerous military personnel, it was the one who looked at Diablo the closest.
　──Tsk! If my identity is exposed, it’ll turn into something troublesome again!
　Above all, if it was made known that he was crossdressing, there wouldn’t be fear towards a Demon King or anything anymore.
　Diablo had completely forgotten, but his name was Harold William.
　Being a lieutenant commander at the age of 30, and even taking into account his noble background and the fact that he was a Human, he was quite excellent.
　However, rather than martial arts, his talent was more towards the rear line duties.
　Even for this time’s military campaign, he was entrusted with the city’s defenses and management of the supply line, and was left in the royal capital.
　Harold stared at him and──
　opened his mouth.
「……Beautiful.」
「Haa?」
　Diablo replied with his original self.
　However, it seemed that it didn’t reach Harold’s ears.
「Those perfectly molded looks, that pure white skin, that sturdy body build, what a wonderful woman!」
「Oi, you……」
　Incidentally, his skin being white was because in order to erase the marks on his face that were the proof of being a Demon, he was covered with a considerably thick amount of face powder.
「Please marry me! Ahh, no, could you tell me your name!?」
　──This guy, what the heck is he saying!?
　Shera cut in in front of the lieutenant commander as he tried to approach.
「Sorryー sorryー!! Right now, she is carrying Lumachina-san after allー. It’s no good for you to get in the way, you knowー?」
「Ugh……That’s true. Sorry, how could I have done such a thing……」
　Harold had a noble background.
　The behaviour of worrying about woman whose physical health was bad was driven right to the marrow of his bones. Not to mention that the person who collapsed was the most important person of the Church.
　He gave way to them.
「Your Grace, please take care.」
　Even while turning a passionate gaze to Diablo, Harold made a well-ordered salute befitting of an officer.
　After walking away──
　Rem spoke with a cold voice.
「……That guy, there’s no mistake that he’ll come to the Church looking for you later.」
「Good grief……It’s become troublesome in a different way.」
　Diablo was dumbfounded.

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