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“Eugy!!” 

Airi carried my body with one arm before I could respond, roughly placed me on the back of the pegasus, and took off in one go. 

“Thanks, Ai…ri…” (Eugene)

I thank her with a raspy voice.

“That’s what I should be saying. It is because you didn’t run away until the very end that the casualties of the imperial army have been kept to the bare minimum. The new sealing spell has been activated with the Destiny Oracle-sama being the core of it. The sealing shouldn’t fail as long as nothing big happens… Thanks.” (Airi)

I sigh in relief at what Airi said. 

“Uoooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhh!!!!!!!!!!” 

The air trembled at the roar of the Great Demonic Beast. 

“Shoot!!” 

A volley of offensive spells rained on the Great Demonic Beast with that sharp commanding voice. 

The Great Demonic Beast’s body is so massive the barrier magic still hasn’t covered it completely. 

The one taking advantage of this opening and commanding here for the magic attacks is…

“General Berthold, huh.” (Eugene)

The fiance of Airi.

He has approached the Great Demonic Beast’s barrier as close as he can and is bravely commanding the troops, making for a gallant sight. 

“Hmm, seems like he is working hard.” (Airi)

“Cheer on him more. He is your fiance, right?” (Eugene) 

“Shut up! I don’t want to be told that by you, Eugy! K-Kissing two girls in front of so many people… So dirty!!” (Airi)

I was reprimanded. 

This conversation is so nostalgic.

At that moment…

“Are you okay?! What’s the condition of the Imperial Sword-sama and the Sword Hero-sama?!” 

“Carry them quickly!! They are seriously injured!” 

“Damn it! If something were to happen to them, it would be fatal for the Empire!!” 

“Eh? W-What’s the matter with my Pops?!” (Eugene)

I hurriedly looked back and…

“It is okay… Those two ignored the plan and rushed towards the Great Demonic Beast despite not being able to use any sort of decent barrier, got showered by the miasma, and lost consciousness.” (Airi)

Airi told me calmly. 

“B-But I heard they are gravely injured…” (Eugene)

“We knew this would happen from the Clairvoyance of the Destiny Oracle-sama and the Prime Minister-sama, so we had healers on standby beforehand. There’s no threat to their lives, so don’t worry.” (Airi)

“……I see.” (Eugene)

Indeed, the assistance of Pops and the Sword Hero-sama was not in the plan. 

It seems like it was just them going wild on their own. 

“Why did they do that…?” (Eugene)

“Jubei-sama said ‘As if I will let my son be the only one looking cool here!’ and the Sword Hero-sama said ‘If I don’t go here, I ain’t no hero!’. They will most likely get an earful from His Imperial Majesty later.” (Airi)

Despite saying all that, me and my childhood friend slowly move away from the Great Demonic Beast on the back of the pegasus. 

The Great Demonic Beast is swaying heavily under my eyes and groaning in pain. 

It will most likely take around 1 hour for the seal to be finished. 

“Airi, do you have an elixir? I lost all of it when the Great Demonic Beast sent me flying.” (Eugene)

“I do, but… there are healers on standby for you ahead of here though, Eugy.” (Airi)

I took the elixir from the confused Airi and gulped it down in one go. It doesn’t take away the fatigue, but I can tell my body is overflowing with mana. 

I slowly held the God Katana at my waist. 

It is okay. 

I can still hold a sword.

“Eugy?” (Airi)

My childhood friend directed a dubious look at me. 

“Airi, please bring me to where the Great Demonic Beast is.” (Eugene)

“What are you saying?!” (Airi)

My childhood friend was understandably surprised. 

“We are resuming the plan. I have been told by the Destiny Oracle-sama that I should destroy the core of the Great Demonic Beast if I have the strength left to.” (Eugene)

“And you don’t! You are in tatters!” (Airi)

Airi immediately denied what I said. 

I shook my head to the sides. 

“I do…if you help me, Airi.” (Eugene)

“D-Don’t be an idiot! I won’t help you!” (Airi)

“You are becoming the Emperor, right?” (Eugene)

“There’s no point if I become the Emperor at the expense of your life, Eugy!” (Airi)

Airi held the reins of the pegasus and was going to head to the base, but I grabbed her hand and stopped her. 

“Eugy…?” (Airi)

“I won’t die. Look there. The Great Demonic Beast has been weakened. There might not be a chance like this ever again.”

The Great Demonic Beast was swaying its body in pain due to the seal at the place where I pointed at. 

The outer skin of the Great Demonic Beast made from miasma was crumbling. 

Despite all that, it still hasn’t died. 

As long as the 3rd eye of the Great Demonic Beast -the core- is present. 

“I-In that case, I will come with you, too! I won’t let you go alone!” (Airi)

“You must not. You were pushing yourself even at the time when you saved me before, right? Your armor is in tatters, Airi.” (Eugene)

Airi has 7 color mana, so she obviously can use barrier magic, too. 

But it is not to the degree where she can nullify the miasma of the Great Demonic Beast like me. 

She already looks like she is in pain from getting too close to the Great Demonic Beast.

“T-Then, how are you going to attack?! You can’t attack with your mana, Eugy!” (Airi)

It is just as Airi says. 

I have zero attack power in my Mana Blade.

I can’t defeat anyone.

That’s why…

“Please give me your mana, Airi.” (Eugene)

I extended my hand to Airi. 

“Eh…?” (Airi)

There might have been no need to take distance from Airi at the Selection Exam. 

We couldn’t act appropriately at that time. 

But if it is now…

I can exert myself for the sake of the Empire by using what I learned in the Lykeion Magic Academy. 

“Please, Airi.” (Eugene)

I asked once more. 

“A-Are you telling me to kiss you?!” (Airi)

Airi seems to be misunderstanding something here and her face turned bright red. 

“No, you can do Mana Link by just holding hands…” (Eugene)

“Aah, I see…” (Airi)

Airi’s face changed into a hard to describe one. 

There’s no way I can tell Airi to kiss me when she has a fiance. 

“Can’t be helped!” (Airi)

Airi brushed her hair aside as she grabbed my right hand. 

That hand of hers that has held the sword for long years was strong, yet was slender and soft. 

—[Mana Link].

I was worried that maybe it would fail, but it was unnecessary worry.

The mana of Airi flowed into my body. 

The mana of the Ifrit Sumire was like burning magma.

The mana of the Holy Maiden Candidate Sara is like a refreshing wind.

This one is different from both. It is warm mana like the sun of spring. 

And what stands out the most is…

“This is rainbow mana…” (Eugene)

The God Katana was shining faintly in rainbow color.

It is rare mana that you scarcely see even in the whole history of the Empire. 

“…Hn.” (Airi)

Airi furrowed her brows.

“Are you okay, Airi?” (Eugene)

“I-I am, but…how long do you plan on sucking for?!” (Airi)

“Right, this should be enough.” (Eugene)

I let my hand go. 

Airi was breathing roughly there.

I could feel my pulse going faster too. 

(What’s this…? It is a bit different from Sumire and Sara…) (Eugene)

I was confused here and…

(Aah, the Mana Link gets excessive when there’s been mutual love for a long period of time.) (Eri)

I heard the unamused voice of the Demon Lord.

(Eh?) (Eugene)

(Eugene, even though you have gotten lovers in me, Sumire-chan, and Sara-chan, you still haven’t forgotten your first love, huh.) (Eri)

(No, Eri, just what in the world are you saying…?) (Eugene)

“What’s the matter, Eugy?” (Airi)

Airi peeked at my face and I gulped my breath. 

“No, it is nothing, Airi.” (Eugene)

I answered without changing my expression. 

(I will…achieve my objective first.) (Eugene)

I can leave the messy thinking for later. 

I grabbed tightly the God Katana shining rainbow. 

“…So beautiful. It can clad 7 color mana in it… Even the sacred iron swords of the Empire couldn’t endure it.” (Airi)

“It must be thanks to having used the fangs of a Divine Beast.” (Eugene)

7 color mana is said to be the mana of Gods. 

The only human who has been able to wield this has been said to be the legendary Great Hero Abel who defeated the Great Demon Lord. 

The fact that I can wield that as a human must be…thanks to this God Katana. 

That said, the mana that’s clad on the blade is so faint it is like a haze, and it is hard to call it stable. 

It will most likely only last for one swing. 

Me and Airi arrived above the Great Demonic Beast. 

“Hey, what do you plan to do from here on? Can you use flying magic?” (Airi)

I made a wing appear from my back before Airi could finish saying that. 

I am getting used to this. 

“Thanks, Airi.” (Eugene)

I slowly stood up from the back of the pegasus. 

“I won’t forgive you if you die. Return alive no matter what!” (Airi)

“Yeah.” (Eugene)

She said the same thing as the Emperor, making me feel like they really are father and child. 

“I’m off.” (Eugene)

I raised a hand and threw myself into the sky. 

◇◇

The sound of cutting wind rang in my ear. 

I could lower the falling speed with the wing on my back, but I don’t want to be discovered by the Great Demonic Beast, so I freefall. 

After falling for a while…

“Kuh!” (Eugene)

Killing intent stabbed my whole body. 

The Great Demonic Beast has noticed me. 

*Pah!*

Countless black thorns were shot at me. 

It is not that fast. 

But the rainbow God Katana in my hands will lose its strength with a single swing.

I can’t use it here. 

—-Twin Heavenly Sword Style: Wood Form – [Nekoyanagi].

The sword technique to deal with a situation where you are surrounded by enemies. 

I nimbly twist and turn my body. 

Even with that, I still can’t avoid all the black thorns. 

Black thorns had pierced my arms, shoulders, and legs.

“…!” 

But I still didn’t stop. 

I continue going down. 

“Gigigigigigi…gigigigi…gigigigigi…gigi…gigigi!!!” 

A creepy noise like grinding teeth rang in the place. 

The Great Demonic Beast might be scared right now. 

The third eye that’s shining dully in blood color was looking at me. 

The miasma shaped as black thorns that were directed at me until now began to gather onto the third eye as if protecting it. 

It is firmly protecting its weak point like an obsidian turtle. 

I drop straight towards that. 

The rainbow color light on the blade is steadily weakening.

(Make it in time!) (Eugene)

I descend like a rock and stab the core of the Great Demonic Beast that’s protected with hardened miasma using the blade of my God Katana. 

The blade went through as if it were a needle going through silk. 

“Gyaoooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaoooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!” 

An ear-piercing death cry stabbed at my eardrums.

The next instant, I was caught by an explosion that sent my body flying, and I spun in the air. 

I protect my own body with barrier magic. 

The barriers continued to break, but I continued putting them up as many times as my mana allowed me. 

I spun in the air for a long time to the point it made me think I was going up instead, but I was smashed onto the ground, bounced several times, and continued rolling. 

(D-Did I die…?) (Eugene)

Destiny Oracle-sama…I would have liked you to tell me beforehand that the weak point of the Great Demonic Beast explodes when you stab it. 

It is possible she didn’t know either though. 

“…Eugy! …Eugy!” 

I think I heard a voice calling me from afar. I lost consciousness before I could confirm this. 

◇◇

I woke up. 

What was in front of me was an amazing painting of the Goddess of Victory, Althena-sama, winning against an Old Goddess.

Of course, I am familiar with it. 

“Uh, am I in the infirmary of the Einherjar Palace…?”

A long time ago, me and Airi faced a stray wyvern that wandered into the palace. We were both heavily injured at that time and were carried to a bed just like this one. 

My whole body hurt when I got up.

“Well, being in pain is proof that I am alive.” (Eugene)

‘Hnn’ -I stretch my body. 

How long was I out? 

Just when I was searching for a clock…

*Giiih* -the door opened with a creaking sound. 

It is either Pops, Airi, Sumire, or Sara…is what I thought, but it wasn’t any of those. 

“So you are awake now, Eugene Santafield.” 

“General Berthold?” (Eugene)

Why is he here…? 

The moment I thought of this question, I came to a realization. 

(Could it be that…he came here to assassinate me?) (Eugene)

It is not impossible. 

He might be a general overflowing with ambition that felt bitter about the former boyfriend (?) of his fiancee having obtained achievements here.

In that case, it wouldn’t be strange for him to aim for the time when I am weakened. 

(Where’s my weapon?!) (Eugene)

I hurriedly searched for it, but I didn’t find it anywhere nearby. 

Damn it! 

In the past, I was baffled by my Pops for never letting go of his katana even when sleeping, but Pops was right. 

If push comes to shove, I will face him with the esoteric art of the barehanded Twin Heavenly Sword Style…

“I am deeply sorry for the many rude things I have said to you!!! Eugene-san!!!” (Berthold)

“……Eh?” (Eugene)

There, General Berthold was bending his body 90° and lowering his head to me. 

■Comment Response: 

>They couldn’t finish sealing it in this chapter, so he will suck the 7 color mana of Airi and subjugate Hage. He can’t move from the pain, so kiss her, Eugene.

-Pretty close! 

There was no kissing. 

■Author’s Comment: 

The illustration for the 1st volume is here (it has been published on twitter already).

It is the protagonist Eugene and the heroine and Demon Lord Erinyes. 

Please look forward to the illustrations of characters like Sumire and the others on some other occasion.

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