Chapter 2

Finally, I was freed from the peculiar floating sensation unique to teleportation.

I understood that I had been transported somewhere, but I had no idea where.

Fortunately, I could feel the ground beneath me, and there was no pain, and I could breathe.

In other words, it didn't seem to be an environment that would kill me instantly.

"You were lucky."

This was the first time I had felt the unique floating sensation of teleportation for so long.

Originally, teleportation was merely the ability to travel between arrays when used outside one's own dungeon.

The fact that I could be transported anywhere without any preparation was astonishing.

The special abilities of a Demon King were not to be underestimated.

"Still, it's rough."

Perhaps because I had experienced an ultra-long-distance teleportation for the first time, I felt extremely unwell.

It must be what they call teleportation sickness.

The world seemed to be shaking, and I vomited.

No matter what, I needed to determine my current location.

I looked around.

Naturally, I had no idea where I was.

I could smell a strong scent of green.

What I understood was that I was in a deep forest that had not been significantly altered by human hands.

And from the types of trees, it seemed to be a different continent from Avalon, my city and dungeon.

"…The connection with Quina and the others is also thin."

I was so far away that the connection with the soul-bound 【Oath Beasts】 seemed to be on the verge of disappearing.

Still, I was relieved that the connection was still intact.

Surely, Quina and the others would sense it and realize I was alive.

If they knew I was alive, Quina and the others would search for me with all their might.

If all the monsters of my city, Avalon, searched together, they would eventually find me, no matter how far away I was.

While I was gone, the experienced Demon King and my lover, the Beast Demon King Marcius, and the Black Death Dragon Duke Siegvolr, who served as my advisor, would protect Avalon.

…But there were limits to that.

If a Demon King War broke out, there would be many situations that couldn't be handled without me.

Probably, I could control the dungeon from here using the 【Book of the Demon King】.

However, without a means of communication and no knowledge of the situation there, it would be suicidal to interfere with the dungeon.

Leaning against a tree, I considered my strategy.

"The first goal is to secure a safe environment. The second goal is to establish a means of communication with Avalon. The third goal is to return to Avalon."

That was the only way.

Even if I had a means of communication, it would take some time for the monsters to come and get me.

Therefore, securing a safe area was the top priority.

Being alone in a deep forest was far from safe.

I vomited until my stomach was empty, but the teleportation sickness showed no signs of recovery.

Still, I started walking to find a safe place to rest.

I would summon a monster to guard me.

Although I had been separated from Quina and the others, among the ten reliable monsters stored in the 【Storage】—a space where I could keep up to ten monsters—I had some dependable ones.

With them, I wouldn't have to fear the beasts I might encounter in the deep forest.

"Damn, it's no good."

However, I couldn't summon the monsters because the Demon King's power was scattered.

The severe teleportation sickness made it impossible to control my power.

Moreover, just walking was extremely difficult.

I wanted to lose consciousness right away, but that would be too dangerous.

I was sure I had a secret potion made by the Ancient Elves.

It was a potion made from apples that grew on a pseudo-world tree.

Drinking it would help me recover.

I took out the potion bottle from my jacket pocket. That's when I heard it.

Someone was crying.

It was quite close. I walked in that direction.

There were two girls.

I couldn't tell if they were beastmen or monsters, but they had fox ears and fox tails.

They looked very similar, probably sisters?

The younger one, who looked about ten years old, had blood streaming from her head, and the older one, who looked to be in her mid-teens, was desperately pressing a cloth to the wound and crying out.

"－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－！"

I couldn't understand their words.

…In the continent where my city, Avalon, was located, I had learned several major languages and the languages of countries with which we had commercial ties, but this was a language I didn't know.

However, I could understand what they were shouting.

"Help my sister."

With such a deep wound, she wouldn't last long.

But if I drank the potion I was about to, I could save her.

The problem was that I only had one potion.

I had a terrible headache and dizziness.

If I didn't drink it, I could collapse at any moment.

Even as a Demon King, I didn't know what would happen if I lost consciousness here.

I should abandon those sisters and drink the potion myself.

If I drank it, I would recover and could summon a reliable monster.

But…

"She looks a bit like Quina."

She resembled the first monster I created and the one I trusted the most.

Not just the fox ears and tail, but overall.

I couldn't bear to abandon her.

Ah, I was being too soft.

It was a sweetness unbecoming of a Demon King.

Perhaps it was because I had created a city where humans and monsters coexisted that I had this kind of softness.

But that was fine. It was because of that softness that the monsters looked up to me.

I headed toward the sisters.

The older one shouted something at me. I still couldn't understand her words.

"It's medicine. If you give her this, her wound will heal."

My words didn't get through either.

I struggled to convey that the potion would heal her sister by showing her the medicine and using body language.

It seemed to get through, as the older sister clung to me.

I nodded and gave her the potion made from the golden apple.

The potion, made from the fruit of the pseudo-world tree, had the power to easily heal even fatal injuries.

However, the potion just spilled out as the girl couldn't drink it.

…There was no choice. I put the potion in my mouth and pressed my lips to hers to pour it in.

A gentle, soft light enveloped the girl, and her wound began to close.

After a while, the younger sister, looking bewildered, woke up, and the older sister hugged her and burst into tears.

At least, it was good.

However, the problem was that my vision was spinning, my head was throbbing, and I was in such a state that I couldn't stand.

I knelt and collapsed.

I couldn't keep my consciousness.

After all, it was reckless to use that potion on the girl.

"I saved that girl. Return the favor and take care of me."

I squeezed out my last words.

They probably didn't understand.

I hoped the sisters wouldn't abandon their savior.

◇

I woke up.

Looking around, I was in a wooden building.

It seemed the sisters weren't the kind to abandon their savior.

The clothes I had been wearing were gone, and I was dressed in a cotton garment.

It was something like a thin gown.

It wasn't made of particularly fine material, and the design wasn't great, but it was very sturdy and well-made, and it was clear it was used with care.

It reminded me of a kimono that had flowed in from a small country to the east.

The sisters were also wearing such clothes.

I sat up.

Then I heard footsteps.

It was the older sister I had met in the forest.

"－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－"

I still couldn't understand her words.

But I could tell she was worried about me.

In her hand was a wooden bowl containing porridge and pickles.

She brought it to my mouth.

When I took a bite, she smiled.

She was a cute girl. I felt she resembled Quina, but she was much more gentle and feminine.

After I finished eating, she nodded and left.

It seemed she would take care of me for a while.

"At least, I've secured a place to rest."

I could stay here until the monsters from Avalon came to get me.

It wasn't a mistake to save that girl on a whim.

After she left, I did a self-check.

My magic power and the Demon King's power were flowing smoothly.

It seemed I was finally free from the teleportation sickness.

I took out a monster from the 【Storage】.

The one I summoned was the ace I had prepared for emergencies.

An S-rank monster with ultimate versatility and responsiveness, a named monster.

A teardrop-shaped slime with a translucent blue body.

She was an infinitely evolving slime, the Evolve Slime, named Cielle.

"Pyui! Pyui, pyuiu!"

She rubbed her translucent body against me.

"Cielle, that's enough. The situation is quite bad. Quickly, take on a form that can communicate."

"Pyui!"

Cielle jumped.

Then, spinning in mid-air, she transformed into a girl with blue hair, about twelve years old.

She had big, innocent eyes and was a cute girl.

"Lord Demon King, I've been watching the outside world while in the 【Storage】, so I understand the situation! Just leave it to this Cielle, pyui!"

"I'm counting on you… You can handle most situations."

"Pyuhuhuhu, this Cielle is the strongest in Avalon!"

I didn't deny it.

For a few dozen seconds, Cielle could surpass any monster.

Well, if she could survive those few dozen seconds, she would be overwhelmed by other S-rank monsters.

"I want to contact Avalon. The method doesn't matter… I authorize the activation of 【Perfect Mimicry】."

I announced the release of the ace of the Evolve Slime, Cielle.

It was a technique that couldn't be used for a while after a single use, so she couldn't use it without my permission.

And this was the reason Cielle had ultimate responsiveness and versatility.

"I'll try! …Then, I'll become Lord Rorono, the Elder Dwarf. Lord Rorono should be able to link with Avalon's artificial satellites. No matter where on this planet I am, I can contact Avalon!"

"Do it."

One of the 【Oath Beasts】.

Rorono, the world's greatest dwarf, the Elder Dwarf, had even created artificial satellites.

He had launched about three of them three months ago.

To access them, special equipment was needed, but as the creator and administrator, Rorono could link with them without the equipment.

And if Rorono could do it, Cielle, with her activated 【Perfect Mimicry】, could do it too.

I would contact Avalon as soon as possible.

…No matter where on this planet I was, I should be able to contact Avalon.

But for some reason, I felt a strange unease.

No, I was probably overthinking it.

"Come on, Lord Demon King, let's go outside, pyui!"

Cielle led me outside.

It had been half a year since I last activated 【Perfect Mimicry】.

I would enjoy the show from the best seat.