We've covered a lot of ground since parting with Miu-san and Alice-san. Everyone spread their wings to fly through the red sky, but...
"...Could you cast that flight spell on me again? This is harder than it looks."
"I don't mind, but it seems you still haven't gotten the hang of Devil wings, Maurice," Liesha-san sighs.
Yes, Maurice-san was struggling with his wings. He can hover easily enough, but gaining speed is a different story. He's flying, but he's the slowest among us—not even half as fast as Asia-san.
Before passing through the 'Gate,' Liesha-san had been supporting him with flight magic, but after parting with Alice, he insisted on "using this as an opportunity to practice." This is the result.
Liesha-san deploys a magic circle and casts the flight spell on Maurice, stabilizing his flight.
"You don't have to be so stubborn, you know? At your age," she teases.
"Liesha-sama is right. You're nearly fifty, after all," Rossweisse adds.
"Shut it! I'm just not good at this 'magical' stuff. Seriously, how did you guys who became Devils at the same time master this so easily?"
""Natural talent,"" they answer in unison.
"Hmph. Just you watch, I'll master it in no time!"
Ahaha... This is the first time I've seen this side of Maurice-san. Usually, he's like a superhuman—the human version of a Transcendent. He truly lives up to the title of 'Sword Saint.' But I guess everyone has their weaknesses.
"And another thing! You guys adapted way too fast to this world! Someone teach me how to use a cell phone! Yuuto!"
"Me?!"
"I don't get the apps or the emojis at all! And Koneko! That video game you showed me the other day? I can't beat it! Teach me again!"
"...I'll teach you when we get home," Koneko-chan mutters.
Koneko-chan was playing video games with Maurice-san...? Actually, has Maurice-san been enjoying this world a bit too much? He's become quite 'free' since retiring from his official position.
Eventually, we reach a point where we can see the black tower at the center of this world—where Asem likely is.
"Issei is in there," Rias-senpai says, her expression hardening.
That is Asem's stronghold. Which means Issei-kun is in there, fighting a foe of unimaginable power.
Suddenly, a massive aura washes over us! This resonance...!
"There they are," Maurice-san growls.
Standing in our way are two men. One is a tall, lanky man with brown hair tied back; the other is a giant, nearly three meters tall.
Valse "The Observer" and Razul "The Breaker."
I knew they'd show up eventually, but here they are...
Valse looks up at us, offers a polite bow, and speaks.
"You have done well to make it this far. Currently, the only ones to reach this point—aside from the Brave One—are a few god-class beings and yourselves. I offer my respect to you for surviving a battlefield where even gods are being extinguished."
Maurice-san asks, "Don't you need to be dealing with those gods?"
"We did. Any god who stood before us has been erased. Though, it was only about three of them. Most who reach this point are currently occupied fighting the Demon Gods Bel created."
"Bel reinforced those Demon Gods with the power of the Welsh Dragon," Razul adds. "They're much stronger than the ones you've fought. Well, thanks to them, we're actually quite bored."
...! They erased god-class beings...? Since Trihexa's revival, several gods have already been lost. If this continues, the balance of the world will collapse!
I shift into my Knight of Knights form and level my sword. The rest of the team flares their magic, preparing to face Valse and Razul.
Valse gives a provocative smile in response to our fighting spirit.
"Good pressure. You must be exhausted from the fighting, yet you don't show it. Impressive. Well then, from here on—!"
Valse reaches for the sword at his hip—and then...
Chara-ra~ Chara-ra-ra-ra-ra~
De-de-den! De-de-de-de-den!
"Hello? Valse speaking."
We all nearly faceplant.
Why is his phone ringing now?! How is there even a signal here?!
"T-That's the theme song from the 'Hissatsu' series!" Gasper-kun shouts from within his shadow-beast form.
I know that, it's famous! I thought, struggling to keep my "straight man" composure.
Valse, however, continues the call. "Ah, Manager? Good evening. What is it?"
Manager?! This guy has a job?!
"Yes... huh? No, wait... surely! That can't be! I-Is that... so... I am... deeply sorry..."
Valse's face turns pale. He starts to panic. After a brief back-and-forth, he hangs up and drops to his knees.
He looks up at the sky and...
"I HAD A SHIFT TODAYYYYYYYYYY!!" he screams at the top of his lungs.
Razul looks equally shocked. He grabs Valse by the shoulders. "N-No way... you said you took today off!"
"I did! But... it was a data entry error!"
"You should have double-checked! You know the Manager is terrifying when he's angry!!"
"DAMN IT ALLLLLLLLLL!!"
Valse and Razul begin to weep tears of pure regret.
The rest of us just stared at them.
"""WHO CARES!!!""" we all screamed in unison.
[Kiba POV - End]
Afterword Mini-Episode
Asem and his crew's reaction to seeing Agreas (the flying city) for the first time:
Asem: "Laputa really exists!"
Valse: "My eyes! My eyes!"
Razul: "A girl falling from the sky!"
Vika: "Look! The people are like trash!"
Bel: "...Bals!"
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