Shizue Izawa sat on the windowsill, one knee drawn up as she stared out into the night. The mask lay in her hands, her face fully exposed to the moonlight. It was calm, composed, and strikingly beautiful.
Her thoughts were anything but calm.
Demon Lord Leon once told me… About Demons known as the Progenitors.
Heretical beings even among demons. They were not referred to by names, but by color.
Red Progenitor Rouge.
White Progenitor Blanc.
Black Progenitor Noir.
And others.
Seven in total.
Shizue's fingers tightened slightly around the mask.
The demon I faced today possessed overwhelming strength.
Far beyond what a normal Archdemon should display.
But he can't be a Progenitor.
Demon Lord Leon had been clear. There were only seven, and that being was not among them. Even if he were, such an existence had no reason to appear in a place like this.
And yet…
Then what was that power?
A knock echoed through the room.
Shizue's eyes sharpened. She lifted the mask and slipped it back over her face.
"Come in."
The door opened and the blond guard from the reception hall stepped inside and bowed politely.
"Pardon my intrusion. His Majesty wishes to speak with you. Would you accompany me?"
Shizue rose to her feet.
"…All right."
They walked through the quiet corridors side by side. Torchlight flickered against stone walls, their footsteps echoing softly.
"You were brilliant in that fight earlier," the guard said casually. "That demon was so frightened by you that he—"
"I was lucky to survive," Shizue interrupted, her tone firm.
"That demon was stronger than me."
The guard laughed lightly.
"Please, there's no need to be modest. It's regrettable that he escaped, but with you here, we have nothing to fear."
They turned down a narrower passage. The guard stopped before a bare stone wall and pressed his palm against a specific brick.
With a low rumble, the wall slid aside and revealed stairs that descended into darkness.
"This way," the guard said, already moving forward.
Shizue followed, her brow subtly furrowing.
"Underground… Is this where the demon's remains are kept?"
As they descended, a chill crept into her chest.
Something's wrong.
She studied the guard's back.
He wasn't at the reception hall earlier. So how did he know about my fight with the Demon?
At the bottom of the stairs stood two massive doors. The guard pushed them open and beyond lay a hidden chamber.
A throne room.
At the center stood a grand throne which was empty.
To its right sat the Minister.
To its left sat the known King of the nation.
Shizue stepped inside, confusion flashing through her eyes.
"The Minister… and the King?" she said, stopping in place.
The doors slammed shut behind her and the guard continued walking forward, heading straight to the empty throne.
Then he turned and sat down upon it.
Shizue stiffened.
The guard straightened, his posture changing entirely. Authority settled over him like a cloak.
"Thank you for coming, Shizue Izawa," he said calmly.
"As king, I am grateful that you chose to offer your life for this nation."
Shizue's hand drifted closer to her sword.
"What… is the meaning of this?"
The man on the throne smiled faintly.
"You are rather slow to catch on," he said.
"You must be exhausted after your battle earlier."
His eyes gleamed.
"That is precisely why we must sacrifice you while we still can."
Shizue steadied her breathing.
"I see," she said quietly. "So you were in collusion from the start."
The man on the throne smiled.
"Precisely," he replied. "My name is Orthos."
Shizue's eyes widened beneath her mask.
"Orthos… the imperial knight hailed as a champion," she said. "I see now. So you were never sealed away at all. You were a demon. An enemy of mankind."
Orthos leaned back slightly.
"I am the ruler of this land as well."
Shizue's grip on her sword tightened.
"You gathered the best adventurers planning to eliminate them, and pass them off as demons," she said. "By doing so, you, the true demon would gain even more power."
Her voice hardened.
"The Kingdom of Filtwood is ruled by demons… and the king is nothing more than their puppet."
Orthos chuckled softly.
"I watched through the minister's eyes," he said. "That demon from earlier was powerful, but in the end, he disappointed me."
His gaze shifted to Shizue's mask.
"What intrigues me more is that mask of yours. It seems to carry significant value. That makes it worthy of belonging to me."
His smile widened.
"I will drain your blood, devour your flesh, and claim your power as my own. Aren't you glad?"
Shizue drew her sword in one smooth motion and leveled it at him.
"Be serious."
Orthos laughed.
"Don't be a fool," he said. "You haven't even recovered your magic yet."
His body began to change.
Purple horns pushed through his hair. His eyes burned crimson as he rose from the throne, rolling his neck once to the left, then to the right.
"And you think you can defeat me like this?"
Shizue slid into stance.
I have to face him without any chance to prepare. But I have no choice.
Flames erupted along her blade as she launched herself forward.
Orthos didn't move.
At the last moment, he smiled and reached out and caught her sword with his bare hand.
Fire exploded outward, heat rippling through the chamber, then dispersed.
Orthos glanced at his hand.
"Oh?" he said. "You still have this much strength."
A thin line of blood ran down his neck.
The sword's tip had touched him.
Shizue's eyes narrowed.
Orthos smiled wider.
"If you can injure me, you must be stronger than the Silver Wings."
Shizue's voice trembled.
"So it was you."
"Indeed," Orthos replied calmly. "A lapse in my attention allowed them to escape. But you on the other hand, I will not allow you to escape."
The air shifted.
A crushing pressure flooded the room as dark energy poured from Orthos' body.
"Did you know," he said, "that there are ranks among demons?"
His presence swelled.
"I am of the legendary class. A Greater Demon General."
His voice rose in ecstatic declaration.
"That is, an Archdemon!"
Shizue barely had time to react.
Orthos' fist struck her squarely.
She was sent flying, crashing across the floor before rolling to a stop. Pain shot through her body as she struggled to push herself up.
Orthos walked toward her at an unhurried pace.
"Do you understand now?" he said.
"As a man-made hero, the voices of this nation's people grant me power. And that power gave me a name, allowing me to become a named being on my own"
He stopped before her.
"Just like that supreme existence who reigns at the very top."
Shizue forced herself onto her knees.
"The… top?"
"There is no need for you to know," Orthos said.
He grabbed her by the neck and lifted her effortlessly off the ground.
Shizue clawed at his arm, her feet kicking uselessly.
Orthos laughed.
"Even one hailed as a champion possesses no more power than this."
Her vision blurred.
"What's the matter?" Orthos continued mockingly. "Not going to unify with Ilfrit? That would make you a little stronger."
His laughter echoed through the chamber.
Shizue's hand trembled as she reached for her mask.
I'm out of magic…
But Ilfrit still has strength.
If I let it rampage… It should be able to defeat even an Archdemon—
Her fingers touched the edge of the mask but suddenly, her body froze.
She couldn't move.
A voice echoed through the chamber, calm and amused.
"Now, now. We can't have that."
The pressure around her shifted.
"Are you trying to hand over my opponent before I've had my bout with him?"
A soft chuckle followed.
"How rude."
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