CH 33

“Should we finish up now”

“…..ah, sounds good”

Rick and End, who had front seats to our dispute, begin their battle once more.

You’ve both done well to return to fighting with a straight face.

“Excalibuuuuuuur!!”

End’s Excalibur glows with a brightness I’ve never seen before.

They’re planning to end this in one strike.

“…..Shield Mille-feuille(Shield of a Thousand Leafs)”1

In response, Rick layers the floating shields upon one another to receive it.

The match just resumed and it’s reaching it’s climax.

A cheer breaks out just as the fight is about to reach its conclusion.

“Both fighters lose by being out of bounds! Stop there!”

The presenter’s heartless words causes both the audience and Rick and End to freeze.

“Eh? Out of bounds? When?”

The impatient End questions the presenter.

“I mean both of you left the arena just earlier. To watch the competition for Takumi”

Now that you mention it they’re definitely out of bounds.

Also don’t go giving that event a name like the competition for Takumi.

“…..If the one who left first loses, then we shouldn’t both be disqualified”

“I don’t know who left first since I was also watching the competition for Takumi. As such it’s a ring out and both fighters draw”

“…..I see”

At the presenter lady’s ruling, Rick backs down surprisingly readily and leaves the stage.

He immediately walks directly towards me.

“So did you really have a kiss, Takumi? How was it? What did it taste like?”

I see, that’s what he wanted to hear about.

Even though he’s usually so quiet, he becomes really talkative about these topics.

“L-Later. I’ll tell you when it’s all over”

“…..I- I see”

Disappointed, Rick lowers his shoulders and leaves.

Was that more shocking than being disqualified?

On the other hand, it seems End is not able to accept it and refuses to get off the stage.

“This won’t do. I must be the one to defeat the Demon Lord. That is the purpose I was born with as one of the clan of Heroes. Rematch! I demand a rematch!”

“We can’t do that. If you don’t leave soon I’ll activate the Four God Pillar’s penalty system. Please leave quickly”

End looks at the four pillars in turn before looking towards me.

Her lifeless eyes flare up.

“This is your fault. I’ll never forgive you. One day I’ll make you take responsibility! For that other thing as well!”

Eh? By other thing does she mean the time I touched her chest?

End points her finger towards me before finally getting off the stage and running away.

“Then let us continue to the seventh match! Chloe-sama, Carmilla-sama, please make your way onto the stage!”

At the announcer’s voice, Carmilla, who I haven’t seen yet today, leaves the waiting room.

She’s holding a large black umbrella, wearing sunglasses, and has a black cape covering her whole body.

“Carmilla is weak to sunlight so she can’t bring out her power until halfway from midday to evening nya. Well even then, she shouldn’t lose to the likes of a dragon”

I hear the sound of a blood vessel pop from Chloe who’s sitting beside her.

However she endures it and doesn’t say anything to Miacis.

After watching Dark King Azathoth and Beastman King Miacis’ fights, she probably has a good understanding of the Four Heavenly King’s strength (Excluding Dogma).

“Takumi-dono, would you be willing to entrust my sister to- Karnee to me? “

“Eh”

“Eh”

My voice overlaps with that of Demon Sword Karna.

“Earlier when I accidentally put my lips on Karnee, my strength was not drained. Perhaps it is possible to fight together with Karnee without all my power being drained”

Will that really work.

In the worst case, she could lose without doing anything.

“Is that okay?”

“No idea. My energy absorption occurs automatically. However it’s true that it didn’t activate earlier”

Even Karna doesn’t know. But Chloe still wishes to take such a reckless gamble…..

“I won’t transform into a dragon in the arena. I’ll protrude out and be disqualified. Karnee’s power is necessary if I want to defeat that vampire”

“…..Kuu-chan”

The proud Chloe is lowering her head to me and pleading.

“Takkun”

“I understand. Go for it”

I hand Karna over to Chloe.

“I’ll definitely win this!”

“I’ll be going then, Takkun”

The two walk onto the stage and the crowd cheers.

I don’t want to dampen the mood but, both are on my side so I hope they both keep things under control.

But if I tell Chloe that it seems like she’d get mad so I stay quiet.

“Oh my nya. Thinking that the sister’s power combined is enough to beat Carmilla nya. I would like if you don’t look down on the Four Heavenly Kings nya (Excluding Dogma)”

“It’s true that the Four Heavenly Kings hold great power (Excluding Dogma). But I wouldn’t make light of Chloe and Karna either”

“Is that so nya. It seems pointless to me nya. Ah, by the way I have a question nya”

At that moment, I immediately understood I had fallen into great danger.

“Just who are you nya?”

The gong signalling the start of the match sounds and Chloe rushes towards Carmilla with Karna in hand.

Carmilla dodges her attack with paper thin accuracy and brings her fangs to Chloe’s neck.

However, before she lands the finishing blow, Carmilla leaps away on her own.

“Evil Dragon Darkness Great Flame Bullet”

Countless black orbs float around Chloe.

“This really takes a lot of energy. It’s rough, Karnee”

“I didn’t take all your energy did I, it’s impressive you can even hear my voice, Kuu-chan”

Even I can hear Karna’s voice as she’s fighting.

Could it be that me and Karna are linked even when separated now?

“Let’s finish this in one strike”

“Alright”

Chloe blows flames from her mouth.

Compared to her dragon form, there’s less flames but those flames ignite the black orbs circling her.

Those orbs all fly towards Carmilla like a bomb with incredible speed.

“Hmph, something like this”

Her black cape flutters as she magnificently dodges the incoming orbs. However her complacently was a mortal mistake.

“Explode. Double Dragon Inferno(Twin Dragon’s Great Flame Explosion)”

The black orbs surrounding Carmilla explode one after another.

“Wha-!”

Carmilla instantly lowers her umbrella to block but it’s not enough.

From the exploding orbs, countless smaller orbs fly out one after another. All of which explode similarly.

The sound of repeated explosions ring out.

“Something like this! To me, Carmilla!”

Carmilla’s body is dyed black as she begins to transform into something.

However the smoke from the explosions hides the arena and I cannot see anything.

“They’re surprisingly capable nya. However, something like that won’t be enough to defeat Carmilla nya.”

Miacis’ continues to watch the match with complacency.

But more importantly.

“Miacis, about earlier…..”

It might be better not to ask.

But I couldn’t help but ask

Miacis stares at me intently before speaking softly.

“The aura that woman released at the end. That was without doubt the same as Demon Lord-sama nya”

I see, she noticed at that moment.

“Then if I’m not the Demon Lord, what are you going to do about it?”

“I won’t do anything nya. It seems that Demon Lord-sama needs you, so I’ll continue to pretend like I haven’t noticed nya”

“…..I see”

When this tournament ends, will Miacis and the Four Heavenly Kings return to being enemies of humanity I wonder.

That’s all up to the Demon Lord.

“But as an apology for deceiving me all this time, could you do one thing for me nya”

I wasn’t deceiving you or anything. I’ve been denying it with all I’ve got.

However I might as well listen to her request.

“I understand, what is it”

“I’d like you to come with me to apologise to Demon Lord-sama for calling her a bitch”

Miacis’ pitiable begging face is somewhat cute and puts me at ease.

I’m sure we’ll one day all be able to live together happily.

While imagining such a future, I unintentionally laugh.

Translator’s Notes:

1: Mille-feuille, literally thousand sheets in french, is a french pastry made up of three layers of puff pastry alternating with two layers of pastry cream.