Chapter 89: Determination and Sword Saint
「Now that you have heard Vulcan’s explanation, let me explain the reason we summoned you here.」
After making sure that Aria had recovered from the shock, Beelzebub started talking.
Aria was tired because of the various surprises that came one after another since morning, but she immediately regained her focus.
As for the children… Lily, Faeri, and Stella started playing with their fingers due to the boredom.
「Let me get straight to the point, The revival of〝The Four Demon Dukes〟 is imminent」
「「!!!!!!!!?」」
Beelzebub dropped the biggest bombshell of the day.
Vulcan leaked out a dispirited 「Nnya~」.
The Four Demon Dukes―they were powerful demons who served directly under The Seven Great Demon Kings, Beelzebub’s former position.
Both the lords and the servants should’ve been annihilated or sealed by the hero, with the help of Julius and the Archmage, but…
「As a former Great Demon King, I can feel the presence of both the Four Demon Dukes and the other Great Demon Kings. Save for one of the other six, I’ve no idea where the Great Demon Kings are going to revive. But I’m sure of one thing…. If the Four Demon Dukes are successfully revived, their first move would be to resurrect the Demon King they served under.」
An annoyed look had appeared on Beelzebub’s face as she explained the situation.
She had helped the Archmage and finally brought peace upon this world.
But the revival of the Four Demon Dukes would definitely destroy that peace――
That was why she couldn’t help but feel annoyed at their revival.
「Could it be that we’ve to… subjugate the Four Demon Dukes?」
「Exactly. It’s vexing, but the current Empire has no war potentials to deal with them. I can’t get in contact with my two juniors since they’re currently visiting the Earth―another world…. I also asked Cedric’s help in this matter. He’s currently on his way toward the location where the Four Demon Dukes would revive.」
「C-Cedric-sama too! So the reason why I don’t meet their group nowadays is… Nonono, you have more suitable candidates for the fight, right?」
Aria asked Prince Julius with an anxious voice.
Although they had become A rank adventurers, their opponents were the Four Demon Dukes, the close aides of the Great Demon Kings.
The battle had ended even before it began.
(Besides, even without Cedric-sama, there are the Braves, or the other heroes. Also, we have the Archmage-sama and His Highness Julius, so we―)
「Unfortunately, the Archmage Maiya can’t move from a certain place due to a certain〝Difficult Circumstance〟…. which left me alone to move around freely. But… I overburdened my body during Ragnarok which resulted in the decline of my power as a hero. To be honest, the Four Demon Dukes are too much of an opponent for the current me.」
―Julius read between the lines and explained the situation on his side with a vexed look on his face.
（Hero Prince Julius… I heard the legend about him being a hero amongst the heroes who fought alongside the Archmage during Ragnarok till the end. But I never expected that the war had left an everlasting wound on him….）
Hearing Prince Julius’ explanation, everyone realized just how terrifying the Ragnarok was.
The devils who appeared during that war were so powerful that even the heroes had to abuse their body and power and surpass their limit again and again. It left their bodies with permanent damages that weakened their power.
「Aria, I will train your party before you guys challenge the Four Demon Dukes, as your party’s current strength is far from enough」
「Nnyaa, equipping them with the artifact that I make for them should be enough, right, Your Highness?」
「Exactly! Combining the artifact you make with the training from me, and 〝That Person〟 might open the possibilities for them to defeat the Four Demon Dukes.」
Julius agreed with Vulcan, yet he still added the training in the menu.
Seeing this scene, both Aria and Tama understood something.
The reason Vulcan revealed her hidden job as an artifact smith to them was for this incoming battle.
To be exact, the real reason was that the emperor had called them along with Vulcan.
「Since that’s the case, this humble warrior will gladly lend her power!」
（… MASTER!）
The Four Demon Dukes were powerful. Their danger level far outstripped the enemies they fought so far.
But Aria would never refuse this kind of request as she was aiming to become a Justice’s Warrior like the 〝Sword Saint〟 who saved her life.
The girl to whom he had dedicated his loyalty was truly a girl with a noble heart.
Tama, who affirmed that fact, swore in his heart to protect his master with everything he had.
「I see… I understand, Aria-chan. In that case, I’ll use my Brutal Beast Princess’s power and Artifact Smith’s power to assist you.」
If given a choice, Vulcan preferred a normal everyday life as a blacksmith and adventurer.
But, her comrade, Aria, had decided to fight.
Therefore Vulcan vowed to assist her comrade with her power.
「Fufufu… You really are a girl with a strong sense of justice, aren’t you?」
「Yeah, thank you very much for your cooperation, Aria. Let’s do our best again, Vulcan.」
Beelzebub gave a slight smile while Prince Julius thanked both Aria and Vulcan.
As he saw this scene, the emperor also nodded with a satisfied look on his face.
「Well then, Your Highness, if you’ve gathered the necessary ingredients for creating the artifact, please send them to the Imperial castle’s underground workshop.」
「We’ve completed the preparation beforehand. Use it as much as you like, Vulcan.」
「Roger, nyan. I’ll start by making the blacksmith’s weapon first!」
After exchanging the conversation with the prince, Vulcan bowed to the emperor and left the audience hall. She headed toward her private studio to start the preparation for creating Aria and co’s artifacts.
「This might sound rushed, but… Aria, and you too Stella, it’s special training for you girls. Starting from Stella, I’ve heard that you play the role of the tank in the party, and you are also an attacker at the same time. In that case, you’ll be training with me.」
「S-Special training… with His Highness Julius himself!? That’s amazing, Stella-chan!」
「I love fighting against powerful opponents! Desu!」
Aria became excited hearing that Stella would receive a special training from the hero―Prince Julius himself.
Stella’s feral instinct might’ve told her too that Prince Julius was a powerful opponent.
And she revealed a ferocious smile on her face despite using awkward polite speech.
「Hey, Aria. You must not forget about us too!」
「Ye~sh! Now is our turn to help you~!」
Lily and Faeri didn’t want to lose.
Aria was trying to stop them since this battle was way more dangerous. But… she stopped after looking at the serious look on the two fairies’ face.
Seeing their eyes―she knew that they wouldn’t back down on this one.
「In that case, the fairies will train with me. I might no longer be in active duty, but you two want to polish your skills even further, right?」
「「…………!?」」
Beelzebub spoke to them with a bewitching smile that betrayed her youthful appearance.
Both Lily and Faeri felt that they might gain something from her training.
So both of them leaked an inaudible voice.
（What an unbelievable situation! Stella is paired with the Hero Prince. Lily and Faeri are paired with the Holy Demon King. Which means next is my master’s training partner….）
Just as Tama pondered the matter, Prince Julius’s mouth opened again.
「Aria, I can’t tell you about your training partner due to various complications. But… follow me, and you’ll understand yourself.」
Prince Julius left the audience chamber after telling Aria and co to follow him.
Aria and co hurried behind after bowing to the emperor.
◆
「T-The mansion is… huge.」
After leaving the imperial palace, they rode a coach. And a while later―
They were standing in front of a grand mansion.
Although they had seen several similar mansions in Labyrinth City, the scale of those mansions were nothing compared to the grand mansion in front of them.
Prince Julius silently opened the gate and entered the mansion ground.
(Is this his mansion?)
Tama pondered about it, but it seemed he was mistaken.
Because when they finally arrived in front of the solemn door of the mansion, Prince Julius knocked a few times using the door knocker.
After a while, the mansion’s door was opened from inside.
「….. !」
Aria was left speechless when she saw who opened the door.
「Oh my, is something the matter, Prince Julius?」
「My apologies, I have a request for you. Will you hear my story first?」
「A request huh…. Well, I might be able to help you, but… let’s go inside first.」
The one standing behind the door was―an elven maid with ice blue eyes and platinum-colored hair that reached her waist. She invited Prince Julius into the mansion while heaving a sigh.
If Aria could be described as a peerless beautiful girl, the maid in front of her was the fully matured peerless beauty.
She was the very definition of a pure, transcendent beauty.
「A… 〝Alisha〟… sama?」
Aria barely managed to call the elven maid’s name.
Her voice trembled, and her eyes were on the verge of breaking into tears.
（What!? She’s that Alisha! And master’s reaction, could it be that this woman is…!）
Tama, who was stowed in between Aria’s melons, had a guess about the beautiful elf maid’s identity.
Yes… The beautiful elf maid in front of them was the person who had slain one of the seven Great Demon Kings and protected the elven village from the demon race’s invasion, and the very person who saved Aria’s life in the past, the Sword Saint―Alisha.