CHAPTER 17 - Less Power
I'm sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree, while she closes her eyes and seems to be focusing her magical power to cast spells.
How hard can it be to control magical power or use spells? I just say the magic words, and they activate automatically, but is there some difficulty for the normal people of this world? Do they need to make specific gestures, move the magic in their body in a certain way, or something like that?
For example, my psychic powers feel like an extension of myself, like an invisible part of my body. Do the humans in this world feel magic in the same way?
Merlin extends her right hand, opens her eyes, and smiles confidently. From her expression, I think she's ready to cast a powerful and impressive spell, or at least that's what it looks like on the outside. Knowing the potential of humans, I highly doubt it.
At least I hope it's a useful spell.
"Flums!"
Wow, it really seems like something powerful. The palm of her hand starts glowing with a bright yellow light, and… small rocks come out of her palm… That's it. They don't even shoot out at a speed capable of piercing tree trunks. They just come out of her hand and fall to the ground with a dull thud.
They come out and fall immediately…
You know, I said before that I had zero expectations and that it was hard to disappoint me if I expected nothing from you. And you know what? That was disappointing. Really disappointing!!
Is the quality level of adventurers this low?! No wonder God had to send me to save their asses.
Ugh… Deep breath, Daniela, don't lose control. You're new to this world; you don't know it yet. Don't criticize without knowing the basics… Ugh, I tried. That spell creates rocks! Small rocks!!
"Is that all the speed and size?"
"W-Well…"
She created a rock, threw it with her hand like it was a baseball, and it hit a tree before falling to the ground. It didn't even damage the tree… Seriously? You've got to be kidding.
"I-I think that's the maximum."
… It just creates rocks… Rocks… Ugh, it's not worth getting mad over.
I lay down on the ground and closed my eyes… Ugh… Shit.
But why did God allow beings like demons to exist in such a weak world? He must have his reasons. I'll ask him when I see him again.
Ugh… She's useless.
"That's… all it does?"
"Yes… That's all it does," she replies, her smile trembling.
… Damn it. Right now, I could be sleeping or eating something delicious instead of wasting my time with her.
… Ugh, but she seems like a good person (plus, she gives really good massages). Damn it, I don't have the heart to call her useless and leave. Maybe she has another spell that's worth it.
"Ugh… Show me the spells that are worth it."
"Well… I only have two that are worth it," she said, her face red with embarrassment.
…
…
…
Only two…?! Don't lose it, Daniela, think about the advantages of having your own personal servant.
Yes, she's useless, but she's around my age; she can still improve. Don't judge things so lightly.
Only two spells. What kind of adventurer is this?
"Ugh… Show me."
"Retiers!"
Merlin pulls a huge amount of dirt from the ground, forming a mound in front of us. The earth shakes and rises, as if it has a life of its own.
Mmm… That could be useful.
"Do you control the earth with that spell?"
"Yes, look!" Merlin said proudly.
The earth starts swirling through the air, creating a storm of dust and stones. Merlin moves her hands like she's conducting an orchestra.
"It could be useful."
…
…
…
I thought it would be useful, but I can't think of anything. What's the point of controlling earth? To dig holes? To throw stones farther? To make sculptures?
Honestly, I don't see any use for that spell… Maybe for digging.
Oh, and also, I can do the same thing with my psychic powers! God, what a weak world!!
"Not much," I said, sighing.
The earth falls to the ground, creating a loud thud. The dust slowly disperses, along with my hopes for this girl.
"Then watch this!"
Merlin extends both hands toward the sky.
"Aguarpo drepo!" Merlin shouted forcefully.
Oh, that sounds cool. A blue light shoots from her hands. It's bright, but I won't let myself be impressed by appearances, since I've already confirmed they don't matter.
Wow. A huge amount of water pours from her hands, and a water bubble the size of a soccer ball is now floating in front of her. The water glimmers in the sunlight, creating a rainbow.
… Mmm… Hey, this could actually be useful, like if we get lost in the desert!
No, Daniela, think carefully, it's water; maybe it could be useful for drowning our enemies.
"With this spell, you can create and control water!"
"Is it like Retiers?"
"I suppose so, except water can be used to drown enemies, since it's harder to get rid of," Merlin said with a mischievous smile.
Just what I was thinking. Hard to get rid of, huh? That could be very helpful.
Mmm… Now that I think about it, that sounds more useful than I imagined. Water can be a lethal weapon if used well. Plus, it can put out fires, clean wounds, or just cool off.
"I see… Are those all?"
"Well… The others are unnecessary…"
"Just those, huh? Ugh… Are you really an adventurer?"
"Of course I am!" she said, puffing out her chest with pride.
"Well, I'm surprised you're still turning oxygen into carbon dioxide."
"Turning what into what?"
"Ugh… I'm surprised you're still alive. Don't you have any good spells?"
"It's just… My magical power is very weak… I'm a commoner… But I'm an expert with a sword!"
That's right, adventurer groups, the clichés, are made up of mages, archers, and swordsmen… I can't call her useless without seeing her in action. Maybe she's a good swordswoman, after all.
"I see… Well, I guess we're partners now."
"Huh? Really? You'll accept me?!"
"As long as you fulfill your role as a servant and do everything I say, we'll be partners."
"Awesome! Let's go celebrate! But first, I'll introduce you to my siblings. Those idiots said you'd never accept me!"
Well, they weren't wrong. I basically just want you as a servant.
"I can't wait to see their faces when I tell them the news! Hahahahaha!"
"Are they your teammates too?"
"No, they're in different groups; they didn't like the idea of forming a family group."
I wouldn't team up with you either, but your help as a servant will make my life easier.
"What a drag… Let's go."
•
•
Minutes later, we arrived. On the way, I reflected on having her as a partner. She'll make my life easier in exchange for giving her some reputation. I think it's a win-win. Plus, with her help, I'll have more time to train and not worry about things like food and clothes. Oh, and she'll be useful for taking messages for me, like a secretary, so I won't have to socialize with strangers.
Yes, she'll be in danger by my side, but she chose to take the risk. If she dies, it's not my fault.
We entered a house. It's a small, simple two-story house. It has a neglected garden and a wooden door.
"This is our base, welcome!"
Base? Wait, didn't she live at the inn? Why pay for an inn if she can stay here? Besides, it's obvious this house needs a lot of maintenance and repairs. Why doesn't she use the money she'd spend on an inn to fix this place?
"You have a base, but you sleep at an inn?"
"Well… The thing is, the inn is more comfortable than living here… Hehe… Ugh, sorry for lying. The truth is, the house belongs to my older brother, and he only lets us use it for meetings," Merlin said with a nervous smile.
She went silent for a few seconds and then regretted lying to me. You don't like lying, or you're scared to lie to me. Interesting. I don't know if it's out of respect or fear, but it doesn't matter; the result is just as good.
"I see."
"Brothers, come meet my new partner and master!!"
"Better say teacher."
"Come meet my teacher!!"
Fufu. That sounds cooler. Teacher Daniela. Teacher… Hehe. I like how that sounds… Huh?
"Wow…" was all I could say in the presence of that Goddess and future girlfriend.
A girl comes down the stairs, and with each step, my heart beats faster. When our eyes finally meet, I feel a spark between us, an electric current running through my entire body. It's the first time I've felt this… Wow…
This Goddess has jet-black hair, like the dark universe, and wears a pink dress like a princess's, perfectly highlighting her sculpted body. Breasts neither too big nor too small, the perfect size. Such a simple appearance, yet so elegant… Fufu. See, Daniela? This is why we accepted Merlin despite her only advantage being that she'll be our servant. Our destiny was to meet this Goddess! It felt strange that someone like me would feel pity for someone as ridiculous as Merlin. Thank you for this great gift, God!
She's totally my type. She's beautiful and very feminine, just how I like them.
"New partner?!" my Goddess said, surprised.
Her voice is so sweet, like music to my ears, and her teeth are so white and perfect, worthy of someone as perfect as her.
"Yes, she's…!"
I pushed Merlin aside and caressed this beauty's chin.
"Hey, cutie. You studying or working?"
She blinked a couple of times, confused. Yes, I know, love makes us idiots. You're falling for my charms, huh?
"What? I don't under…"
"Shhh."
I silenced her lips with my index finger.
"Let your heart speak for you."
"… What?"
"Well, well," said a male voice.
Tch. You're ruining the mood, idiot.
The man from yesterday comes down the stairs.
"Looks like she convinced you," the man said with a smile.
Bah, not important. Where were we…? Huh? Where'd she go?
Ugh, she's hiding behind Merlin. Is she scared of me? That's weird; I'm imitating what the guys at my school did to flirt with girls. Why isn't it working?
You don't like women, huh? It hurts, but I respect your tastes… Though that doesn't mean I'll give up.
"The famous Daniela's here, huh?" said another male voice.
A very tall, lanky guy comes down the stairs. The guy has long black hair and wears a blue robe. Well, well, well. He has a serious, piercing gaze. He looks threatening.
"Merlin talked a lot about you; you seem interesting," the guy said in a deep voice.
They're all surrounding me… Ugh, what a hassle. I don't like being stared at like this (except you, cutie; you can look at me with disgust if you want). I feel like an animal in a cage.
Well… I have a partner. Maybe it's not so bad after all. Perhaps I can have fun with them, or at least with the girl. Please, God, let it be with the girl. I want to experience that famous teenage love!
"So… Are we going on missions?" I said, staring at Merlin.
I'll take the chance to win her over with my great power. Thank you, weird world where people are attracted to power! You'll be mine, my Goddess.
"Yes!" Merlin shouted enthusiastically.
"Hi, my name is…"
I pushed this idiot aside and linked arms with this beauty.
"Huh?! What are you doing?!"
"What's your name, cutie?"
"… Linette."
"What a beautiful name. You single, baby?"
"Single? I…"
"Shhh."
I silenced her again.
"Answer me after the mission. Let's go!"
Fufu. Guild, I hope you have another tough mission!
And so, my new life began.
•
•
(Present.)
"And then…"
•
•
(Pov - Daniel.)
Three hours later, she finished talking.
Daniela told me her whole story. It's pretty fun, mainly because of her aggressive personality with Merlin (poor thing) and her other personality with Linette, though not many interesting things happened to her. She only did missions that had nothing to do with demons, like killing orcs, ogres, cyclopes, and sea monsters, and after each mission, she spent almost all her money on a party, where she took the chance to flirt with Linette.
Overall, it's fine, since neither of us has been in this world for long, but compared to what I've been through, we're different.
I mean, she defeated the best adventurer in her country with ease, something that took me a lot of effort and… also forced me to break my moral values. I killed Sandro, and he…
No… Don't think about him… Ugh…
Well… Overall, I liked what Daniela told me, except for the sexual scenes where she harassed Linette in the bathrooms, like touching her breasts and butt without her permission and stuff like that. Both being women isn't an excuse for such a disgusting act, especially considering Daniela is a lesbian and Linette apparently isn't.
I expected more about the famous desert continent, but the place where Daniela lives is so… green. I guess it's because it's near the sea.
"And that's my story so far."
"… Hey, no offense, but is that it? You didn't meet any kings? You didn't meet other demons? Your demon mother didn't try to kidnap you to take you to her king?"
"What?"
"No, nothing. Just missions?"
"Well, I don't think the most exciting stuff comes so soon, considering we have a couple of years before the final boss shows up. I just spent my days doing missions with my teammates. Sounds boring, but I had a lot of fun, mainly because my Goddess was by my side."
"Well, well. Just orcs and ogres. I see… Well, my story's a bit more complicated. It's hard to believe, but it's all true."
I mean, after all, even for me, it's hard to process and believe that my mother is a demon who kidnapped me to take me to her king.
"Tell me!"
"It all started when I found out my girlfriend cheated on me."
"Oof, starting strong."
•
•
(43 minutes later.)
Ugh, I'm tired of talking, but she's paying so much attention, I have to keep going. She told me all the details; I should do the same.
I told her what happened to me since I arrived in this world: how I defeated the black demon, when I met Sara, the king, and the princess, Alex, Liz, Rose, when I revived my grandma… and when I killed Sandro… She congratulated me, but what I did wasn't right… When I tell her that part, she'll realize she misjudged Sandro, just like I did. He didn't deserve to die, though he did deserve a good beating.
I've already told her about the king's betrayal; I'm at the part where we escaped the kingdom. We're almost at the best part, the visit with the demi-humans and how I got both races to coexist again (though it's still in progress).
"So I used the spell to create phones for everyone, and…"
"Hey, now that I think about it, you can create phones."
Well… That's what I just said.
"Yeah. Want one?"
"Wait… Why didn't you create a phone when you got lost?" she said, frowning.
…
…
…
Huh?
I freeze, and my body starts trembling.
N-no way… I mean, it's impossible for that to be possible.
I-I… Forgot…? I forgot… I really forgot… I forgot I could do that… I forgot?! How could I forget something so important?! Did I lose my memory?! What did you do to me while I was asleep, Mom?!
"I-I… F-forgot?" I stammered, unable to believe it.
"You forgot? But… we have excellent memory; it's impossible for you to forget."
"What's wrong with me…? I forgot… Why would I forget something so important?"
Wait… Daniel, think, what did you talk about with Zero and Molly when you stood guard together…? I-I don't remember. I remember fragments, but not everything.
I'm supposed to have excellent memory; I remember everything. Why is it failing me? Did the demons do something to me while I was asleep?
"Daniela, try to remember a long conversation you had with one of your teammates. Can you recall it all?"
"Mmm… Huh?"
From her reaction, I think she's experiencing the same thing as me.
"I can't either… I can't remember it exactly either. What's happening to us?"
"Well, you finally noticed!" said a voice that came out of nowhere.
What a scare! God, you almost gave me a heart attack!
Huh? Arghhh! Everything's spinning! Where are you taking us, God?!
We disappear from there and appear in a completely white place. So white and empty… I feel tiny in this place.
"G-God? Why did you bring us here?"
"What's going on?" Daniela said, confused, just like me.
"Old man, I was in the middle of a mission!" complained another voice coming from behind us.
Wait… Dex, Dix… The wielder of Dax?!
I turn and see a little girl.
S-so I guess she's the one who uses the other sword… She looks… adorable… So adorable! She's like a doll… Doll… Did God send a little girl to this world?!
N-no, don't jump to conclusions, Daniel. Maybe she has some condition, or she's from a world where no one ages… Ugh, that sounds gross when you think about it deeply.
"Are you the one who can wield the Dax sword?"
"Who gives a fuck, huh?"
"Ouch."
Definitely an adult in a little girl's body.
"Sorry, but there's a change of plans," God said.
"Change of plans?" I repeated, feeling a bad premonition.
"A few hours ago, I took away some of your magical power and your great memory."
Oh, that explains it. I see, I see… Why?!
The legendary demons humiliated Daniela! I need all that power to defeat them!!
D-demons with "legendary" in their name appeared in my life. This is the worst possible time to take my power!!
"Huh?!" the three of us shouted in unison.
"Why, you shitty old man?!" the little girl yelled, furious.
"H-Hey, don't insult him!" I said, scared.
"Shut your mouth and mind your own business, nosy!"
"Ouch."
"It's not fair!" Daniela said, indignant.
"Sorry, it's orders from the celestial council," he said with a resigned expression.
Celestial council? That sounds interesting. What is it? Who are they? And why are they doing this to us at the worst possible time?!
"Celestial council?" I asked, intrigued.
"And… Well… Sorry, but you can't leave your continents. From now on, you're not allowed to leave your continents."
I can't travel to other continents?! Why?! Weren't the three of us sent to form a team?! Ugh, I don't understand anything anymore.
"And why the hell are you banning that bullshit?!" the little girl shouted, angrier than before.
"Give us an explanation!" Daniela demanded, upset.
"Sorry," was all he said before making us disappear from there.
Arghhh! Will I get weaker?! Will I never see Daniela or the other girl again?! Will I not be able to explore this world or have adventures in those places?! What's the point of all this?!
•
•
"You're making things complicated again," God said, sighing.
Hours earlier.
God was seated at a large table with other elders. A child stood in the center of the table. The child was small, with snow-white hair, wearing a shining white suit like light, and had completely white eyes like a void. But he wasn't just a child; he was someone very important. He was the Supreme God, the leader of all Gods and the creator of all worlds… Well, almost all.
"You've helped too much, God of planet number 14," the Supreme God said in a calm tone that made everyone in the room tremble with fear.
The Supreme God, the being who can destroy a God with a single thought.
"T-Too much?"
"We've analyzed the situation, and it seems you gave them too much help."
"I-I only gave them what was necessary."
"Necessary? Considering they can kill demons like they're mere bandits, I don't think it's fair to the demons. Don't forget the rule, 50/50."
"But all the worlds are in danger of being destroyed!"
"50/50, I said."
"But…"
"Tch. They're just humans! If they all disappear, the great Supreme God can create new worlds with a snap of his fingers. I don't understand why you care so much about insignificant beings," said an old woman.
"All life is valuable," God said.
"Tch. Pathetic."
"He was a human before; what did you expect?"
Everyone started laughing, except God and the Supreme God, who were staring at each other.
God wanted to look away, but that would be disrespectful and could cost him his life.
"Silence."
With a single word from the Supreme God, everyone fell silent.
"All life is valuable, according to you. And isn't it the same for demons? Aren't their lives valuable?"
"I…"
"Don't be a hypocrite. The 50/50 rule will never be broken. You have two options. One: take away their power. Or two: I help the demons."
"… I… I'll take away their power."
"You must take away their great memory from all three!" an elder ordered.
"You must also take away some of their magical power!"
"And don't let them leave their continents," the Supreme God said with a stern look.
"But, Supreme God… That's too…"
"No buts," he said in a firm voice.
"Do it!" shouted someone who was completely black and wore no clothes… Literally black. It was darkness, the enemy of light and the chaos of all worlds.
"O-Okay," God said, resigned.
Everyone disappeared except him and the Supreme God.
"Gods don't favor anyone, all equally. 50/50."
The Supreme God disappeared.
"50/50…"
Hours later.
God was watching Daniela and Daniel through a mirror as they flew.
"Crisma already figured it out; only those two are left."
Why did he wait until they noticed and didn't tell them earlier? The reason was simple: God could only give them information once they realized it themselves, because if he warned them first, he'd be helping them figure it out, and that very help would harm them, as the demons would also receive help in some way.
50/50. You give what you receive. No favoritism.
A rule every God must follow, no matter what, and if that rule is broken, the God is eliminated.
Minutes later.
"Good, they've noticed. Time to explain… Ugh, Supreme God, why did you force me to do this?" he said, frustrated, knowing full well the danger demons pose, even with the 50/50 rule applied, because that rule doesn't apply to intelligence.
Same power at the start, but that can change over time, whether because some train more than others or become smarter.
It's like giving two children the same math book. If one studies and the other does nothing, the first child will be better at math than the second. The 50/50 was applied, but it's up to them to make use of it.
•
•
(Pov - Daniel.)
(Continent 2.)
Huh? Arghhh!
I appeared out of nowhere in the sky, and now I'm plummeting straight toward a house's roof! God, do you hate me?!
Arghhh! Quick, think of something, or we'll die!
"Muslar asio!!"
Please, God, let the spell work… Arghhh!
I curled into a ball to reduce the damage… Ouch!!
Ouch! Ow!
I-I crashed through the roof and destroyed it with my body.
Ow, ow. T-the spell saved my life; without the resistance it gives me, the injuries would be worse. Ow, ow. I have a lot of splinters stuck in me, but the damage is bearable.
"T-That hurt, God."
I looked at the hole in the roof. Ow, it hurts just remembering that fall… No, it's not from remembering; it's because my whole body hurts!
God, is this a punishment for something I did…? Wait, I-I recognize this place.
I get up from the floor, ignoring the pain, and look around.
T-Thank you, God. This is my room. You saved me hours of travel.
"I'm in Soular, in the house the king gave us…"
Ugh… Well… Well, well… Ugh, I'm weaker.
"I can't leave the continent, I don't have as much magical power, and I don't have great memory anymore. Ugh, it'll be really hard to memorize spells now."
The great memory was… Well… Really helpful. I could memorize everything, but now I'll have to study a lot to memorize, and that'll take a lot of time. I'll have to focus on the most important and useful spells.
And as for my magical power…
I grab some dirt from a pot.
"Crea…!" Nothing.
I tried to turn the dirt into a phone, but it doesn't work… I really lost magical power.
"It's true… I don't have as much magical power anymore."
Ugh… Let's see, Daniel. Before, we could defeat demons with a single attack; we were very powerful, but now we're weaker. How much weaker? I'll find out later. It'll take a lot more effort to defeat them, especially the legendary demons… Ugh, God, at the worst possible time.
… No one's come in. Didn't they hear the crash? Is no one home? It's also weird that no guards have come to check what happened. What's going on? I-I'm getting worried.
Where's my phone? I need to call my grandma to check the situation.
… What if the demons got here first?! Arghhh!
I search for my phone in the room… Nothing… N-nothing… Nothing!
… It's not here… It was stolen, or someone stored it for me… Ugh…
"I think they stored it."
Please, let it be stored, because I can't create phones anymore!
I rush out of the room.
"Is anyone here?!"
I go down the stairs. T-there's no mess, but there are no signs of life either.
Why is it so quiet…? Did they go to rescue me?! I have to hurry and stop them!
"I'm back!!"
Not even Sonia and Cris are here?!
"Master?!"
Master? I don't recognize that voice… Well, well.
I go down and see a rather… interesting girl.
The girl is wearing a maid dress and has the head of a fly but the body of a woman. She startled me at first, but I hid my fear so as not to make her feel bad.
A big fly head, and her eyes are huge. Wow.
Well, well… Her body is very… attractive. It contrasts so much with her head… It sounds rude, but it's inevitable to feel weird seeing her. Fly head, model body… Just wow.
A fly girl with huge breasts… Arghhh! Daniel, stop thinking nonsense and focus!
"Good morning, miss. Sorry, who are you?"
"I-It's a pleasure to meet you! I'm your maid, master."
"Just Daniel, please. Did the king send you?"
"Yes. I'm here for anything you need."
"How kind. By the way, where is everyone?"
"S-Sorry, master, I got distracted! They're looking for you; they're all heading to Delsmo!"
"So soon…?"
I-I guess my kidnapping sped things up.
"Have they already coordinated with the kings of Grenfor?"
"Yes, that's what I heard. When they found out you were kidnapped, they prepared their armies, and they're heading to Delsmo right now."
"Well, well… I feel important. Fufu…"
I gave myself a hard slap.
Idiot, stop wasting time; remember the demons are still looking for you!
"Master?!"
"Sorry for startling you. I needed to calm down."
"By the way, how did you escape?"
"It's a long story. How long ago did they leave?"
"A few hours."
H-hours… They must be close if they're with an army. I have to catch up before the demons find them first!
"Thank you, I'll go to them."
I leave the house.
We can't act without better planning. We need strategies. Attacking now will only lead to pointless deaths.
My plan is perfect, and it'll only cost one life. But attacking now isn't a good idea!
"Arches Nexus!"
I fly off from there… Huh? I-I'm flying just as fast as always. Losing magical power didn't affect my speed.
"Can I fly at the same speed…? I'll figure it out later."
I guess it only reduced how long I can stay flying.
My plan is almost perfect, but it's very likely to fail and just waste a life, which is why I didn't want to use that spell. The demons kidnapping me was perfect for testing the spell, and if it failed, at least I could use it to escape.
My plan is very basic; it just involves using the spell and sacrificing a life, but we'll need a plan B in case it fails, which is why we need to plan better strategies before attacking… Huh? That's… Yes, it's them! Wow, they're so slow, or am I just fast? Well, I think it's me, since flying lets me go straight, while they have to avoid rough paths.
I see a large army of demi-humans in the distance. Hundreds of thousands… Wow… Wait… They all seem to have armor and weapons… Were they already prepared for war? I think the humans weren't the only ones ready to go to war. I got here in time to stop them from killing each other.
"There they are… Wow, it's huge. It's incredible they gathered so many adventurers in so little time."
Though not all are adventurers, obviously, but I like calling this world's soldiers that.
I fly over them, observing the adventurers… They don't seem injured.
I sigh in relief. The demons haven't arrived. We need to prepare for any surprise attack.
Mmm… There are thousands. How will I find them?
There's a lot of noise; so many people see me and shout my name, excited. That's making my search harder.
"Daniela, Rem, Cristina, someone!!"
This is getting complicated… Well, well.
I notice the king is leading the army on a white horse.
See that from hell, ex-kings? He truly deserves my respect. A real king who protects his kingdom.
"That's an admirable king."
Though… A cat riding a horse is… adorable, rather than scary.
I fly beside him.
"Stop, we need to talk."
The king turns to me and is so surprised he loses his balance and almost falls, but I manage to catch him. Well, it's obvious he'd react like that, since I'm supposed to still be kidnapped.
"Daniel?!"
He stops, and I land in front of him.
"Hey, King… You never told me your name; could you tell me?"
"M-My name's Dreifus… Is it really you?!"
"Yes, it is," I said, smiling.
Dreifus gets off his horse and hugs me. Wow, such soft fur. Being hugged by a giant cat… Well, well.
"I missed you so much! I thought you were dead!"
…
…
…
How do you miss someone you barely know? Well, he thinks I'm the reincarnation of his God, so it's justified.
"Well, well… You have so little faith in me," I said, joking.
I looked around… The girls aren't here. Why aren't they at the front…? Oh, right, they must be protecting my grandma. Knowing my grandma, she didn't want to stay idle. They must be at the back or in the middle, where the chances of dying are lower than at the front.
"Are you attacking Delsmo so soon? I think we need to prepare better."
"Don't worry, we're very well prepared, and with your help, we'll defeat the demons!"
Such confidence. Do they have plans? I think I could combine their plans with mine.
"Well, well… By the way, have you seen my teammates?"
"… I'm sorry."
Huh?
Dreifus steps away from me.
W-Why does he look so sad and guilty now…? No… Wait… No, no, no. P-Please, don't let it be what I'm imagining. Please, don't let it be what I'm thinking!
"I… I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you the most important thing… Something really bad happened while you were gone…"
Please, no…
"Your familiar and your teammates…"
Please, no!
"They were captured by the demons who kidnapped you."
Captured?! Shit, shit, shit, shit… Shit!!
"What?!"
They got here first?! And why is the army still unharmed?! Did they kidnap them when they kidnapped me?! Why didn't I see them?!
"I-I'm sorry, we tried to stop them, but they were stronger. They…"
"Shut up…"
"Huh?"
"I said shut up, I need to think!"
"Y-Yes, I'm sorry."
"Shit, shit, shit… Shit!"
Grandma… Goddamn it!!
Arghhh!!
Mom… Mom, Mom… If you dare lay a finger on my grandma, this time I won't hesitate to slit your throat. It's one thing to threaten me and treat me like garbage, but it's a whole different thing to dare hurt my grandma.
They need me alive, so they kidnapped my grandma to make me come straight to them. I don't know why they need me alive, but if that's what they want, fine, they'll get it. I'm coming for you.
"Don't worry, if Grenfor and Soular join forces, we'll be able to put up a fight against the demons. Or at least be of help while you fight."
"Arghhh!"
Grandma, you're in danger because of me!
S-shit…
… Ugh… Deep breath, Daniel… Deep breath and don't lose your calm. One mistake, and they'll kill her. They're demons, beings without compassion. If they want me alive, they won't kill them, because if they do, I'd rather stay here and plan my actions better. I need to rescue them without them noticing.
The "vista zelpo" spell lets you find people. You just focus on what you want to find, and it'll mark on a map where what you're looking for is. It's a demon, light, and earth-type spell; you just imagine the person you want to find.
That's the spell's description, and it has demon magic. They must know the spell exists, which is why I'm sure they won't kill them.
I have a spell to find people; I'll use it to confirm my hypothesis. I'm scared, but I'm even more scared of staying in the dark about my grandma's condition.
"Give me a map."
"Bring a map!"
They brought me a map, and I activated the spell on it.
"It appeared."
"The demon country," the king said.
They're alive…
I can't go alone. I'm less powerful now… Ugh…
I need all the help I can get. Going alone is the least realistic option; not only could I die, but my grandma could die too.
If I go alone, I'll die in vain. My grandma would never forgive me. I know if I take too long, they might kill her, but it'll give me enough time to prepare.
Mom, my grandma is the mother of the man you loved; please, don't hurt her… Though you don't know that…
"All I have left is faith."
I extend my right hand.
"Divine horse, come to me!"
Treis appears.
"Hey, Daniel."
I climb onto Treis.
"To Delsmo!"
Treis starts galloping, running, or whatever it's called.
"Sara, Alex, Liz, Grandma, Rem, Sonia, Cris, Daniela, Rose, I'll rescue you."
And Mom, if you kill my grandma or let them do something unspeakable to her, I swear to God I'll do the same to you… No limits.
My grandma raised me.
My grandma educated me.
My grandma fed me.
My grandma watched me grow.
"My only mother is my grandma."
You're dead to me… And soon, you'll be dead to everyone.
•
•
(7 hours later.)
(Delsmo.)
The legendary demons leave Daniel's teammates in a dungeon lit by torches attached to the walls.
They seem unharmed, lucky that one of the demons is obsessed with Daniel.
"See you later, mother-in-law!" Norly said to Nadia, winking and making Daniel's grandma cry with rage.
Why? Because she overheard a certain conversation.
Daniela has her suspicions but prefers not to talk about it to avoid making Daniel's grandma suffer more.
"If you try to escape, you'll be killed!"
"Mother-in-law, watch the prisoners!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever."
The legendary demons leave, and Daniel's grandma starts shouting, trying to convince Nadia, but Nadia just laughs and yawns.
"Nadia, don't do this!!"
"Well, well. You seem familiar… Whatever…"
Nadia sits in a chair.
"Now we wait for my son to come rescue you."
"Daniel. To you, he's Daniel, not son," Daniel's grandma said, making Nadia smile.
"Well, well. I created him with my body; like it or not, he's my son. Ugh, though I wish he had my personality and not the boring personality of his stupid grandma. He's too good and polite. Bleh."
"You dare call him your son after what you let that demon do to Daniel?" she said, gritting her teeth in rage.
"What he did?" Sara said.
"Nah, I don't care. It bothers me a bit because Daniel looks just like my perfect husband, but other than that, I don't care. Stop crying and shut up; your voice irritates me."
Daniela sits on the floor, clasps her hands, and closes her eyes, meditating, which angers Rem, as it seems Daniela is taking things calmly in such a horrible situation.
"You're so calm?!" Rem said, angry.
Rem gets too close to Daniela and grabs her arm.
"How can you be so calm?!"
"Daniel escaped the demons. Daniel will come for us and rescue us," she said calmly.
"How are you so sure?!"
"Because I trust Daniel."
"I trust him too, but it could be a trap!"
"He'll know, I'm sure."
Daniel's grandma sighs and sits next to Daniela.
"I feel the same, but it's very dangerous for Daniel to come rescue us."
Daniela lowers her head and smiles.
"The bond between familiar and master is something you'll never understand. If Daniel weren't capable of rescuing us, I wouldn't feel calm right now, but I am. Daniel will rescue us, I'm sure of it."
•
•
(Flashback.)
The reason Daniel's grandma is so furious and full of rage is because she overheard a conversation between Nadia and Norly.
Norly was holding Daniel's grandma while they flew to Delsmo, and Nadia had Alex and Rem, who were unconscious, unlike Daniel's grandma, who was only pretending to be, because Daniela protected her from the magic used on them and prevented both from passing out. If they tried to violate her or something, Daniela would rescue her, and if escape wasn't possible, she'd kill her to spare her suffering, because if she suffered, Daniel would suffer.
And that's when she heard what Norly did to Daniel while he was asleep, causing Daniel's grandma to feel one of the worst pains of her life.
This is what happened that night.
Almost all the legendary demons were sleeping without a care, in an almost silent environment, except for certain clapping sounds… and moans.
"Yes… Right there… Ah…"
Daniel's curse caught up to him, and this time he couldn't escape.
"Sorry, cutie, I really tried to resist, but I couldn't hold back anymore. Feel proud; you took my virginity… Though you're asleep and don't know it. Fufu."
Norly was on top of him, having sex with Daniel while the other demons slept… Well, almost all of them.
Zoe, the small demon, was spying on them, and it had nothing to do with being a pervert or interested in sex. She did it because it wasn't normal for Norly to do that, since she was supposed to love her master and swore to be faithful to him, something she broke upon meeting Daniel, a guy she barely knew.
Daniel was asleep… Yes, he was being raped.
Norly moved her hips frantically, kissing Daniel's neck and caressing his nipples with her fingers.
A nymphomaniac? Not really. She acted like one, but this was her first time.
And Daniel's?
Well… It's a complicated matter.
"Hey, idiot, what if he wakes up?"
"Huh? Oh, it's you, Zoe. Don't worry, he's fast asleep. It's a shame; I wanted to see him cry."
"Lemon pie… Delicious," Daniel said, drooling.
"See? He's even talking in his sleep."
Norly slipped her tongue into Daniel's mouth and started kissing him, making Zoe uncomfortable with the long, passionate kiss.
"Didn't you say you were saving your virginity for our God?"
"I found someone much better."
"Better than our God? Daniel?"
"Fufu. His soul is so perfect and beautiful. His potential is incredible; there's no comparison, not even Sufuco or our master can compare to him. I couldn't pass up this opportunity. I wonder if our first child will be a boy or a girl."
"… You're crazy. And I think Sufuco and Daniel are too similar; there's not much difference."
"There is to me."
"Whatever. I'm going back to sleep. Don't make so much noise and stop moaning; it's gross."
"It's inevitable. Look at the size!"
She pulled Daniel's member out of her and stroked it with her hand, making Zoe even more uncomfortable, who looked away and walked off.
"Ugh. Bye."
"Yeah, whatever."
Norly put Daniel's member back inside her and continued bouncing on his groin, while a certain being watched them.
"Well, well. That demon girl is raping Daniel, and she was a virgin. Her first sexual experience was with him. Interesting. I'll never understand demons like her… Mmm… Kei also took the virginity of two demon girls who had lived for thousands of years… The cliché repeated, huh? Though Daniel was asleep when she raped him… Fufu. Daniel, don't disappoint me."
The magic mirror showing Daniel disappeared, and the Supreme God smiled.
"Don't disappoint me. I've been waiting for this for over 10,000 years."