"And... my lord, there has been no report from Zanderious in three weeks now. To miss a report three times is..." states my aide.

"He is dead, yes. You can go."

The demon nods and leaves my study.

I can't be certain like I have been in the past with more important demons, but for a diligent agent like him, even missing it once would have been reported in advance or apologised for profusely afterwards with reasoning.

This time, I guess I must use only the human moles I have left in Jeraldine, but having no demon agents left in their capital is quite distressing. The fact that their army has not yet fallen apart indicates that something unexpected has occurred. I expect it is that other remaining princess. Jeraldine does have a frustratingly competent dynasty... they have been ruining my plans since the war began.

I ponder the usefulness of this information. The last communication indicated she... 'Melody'... had come out of a coma, and from the handful of cowards who retreated, I established she was seen fighting herself. My brother delayed her and her knight admirably, but then...

That was the last report I had. Since I know the king and his male heir were incapacitated, her taking charge is the only possibility. I wonder if...

!!!

"The portal?!?" I suddenly exclaim involuntarily.

The portal I made just activated.

I teleport up to the castle battlements without delay.

My new assistant and etranger of my own, the vampire woman who stubbornly continues to calls herself Aya, seems to have noticed as well, appearing shortly after me in an insane blur of super-speed.

She observes me and then looks to the square herself.

"Heh. I thought you said it was under your personal control. Tut-tut. Humans are bastards like that." She snickers.

I would normally never tolerate such insubordination, but she has already proven herself to be tremendously useful in advancing my plans with her knowledge of analysing and deconstructing magic. Perhaps I should have tried this method from the start.

...

So, the humans have a void mage... and are launching their counterstrike. They worked quicker than I expected, but... there is a full contingent of soldiers there. At worst, they will come out two abreast, and be made into pincushions.

Hmmm... they must be with a Sage, though... so that Sage of Thunder found her way back I assume? Or has the Sage of Fire finally made a move?

Perhaps I will reinforce it, just as a precauti...

There is a sudden whistling sound, and the square explodes in white fire. I see corpses fly through the air.

What!?

It's really the Sage of Fire? That backstabbing, two-faced...

"Oh? You didn't mention the humans had the Fire-vomit... no... the Divine Punishment... no... it’s even stronger than anything the church alchemists used to make... hoh...?"

Another blast of white fire rocks the square, and more demons die. I have to go and co-ordinate this!

But an arm stops me.

"You best not. If your troops have any sense they will retreat. But that stuff is truly dangerous."

To highlight the point, a blast causes an entire building, what was once the square's bell tower, to literally have its top two stories lift twenty klecksels into the air before coming apart in a shower of grit, stone, and twisted metal.

"Can you not close the portal at all?" She says.

"No." I grimace. I didn't expect the portal to stay around, after all.

Another set of explosions flash out.

Fortunately, it is as she said. The troops have rallied away from the portal, retreating, and also helping to evacuate surviving civilians.

Finally, the portal shuts again. Not a single human stepped through, it seems, and yet our defences are in tatters and dozens must be dead.

"A devasting attack without a single life wasted. Despicable, but I can't help but admire such cold-bloodedness." Aya states.

Ugh. Her general disregard for both demons and humans is rather sickening.

"What were you saying about alchemy before?" I suddenly recall. "What was that?"

"Mm? Oh... well, a priest from my world created a strange red crystalline substance. It sets aflame with the slightest spark. Fire-Vomit, it was called. A curiosity, when it first came about. But stuff it in a tube, behind something sharp or heavy, and it became somewhat dangerous."

She scratches her cheek. A strange gesture for an undead… but she is a very strange undead.

"This is far in excess of that. So, I imagine, this other visitor... more than just having a harem of strong women... perhaps also comes from a world with similar... nay... better... knowledge of such alchemy."

"To me, such things were fireworks... a distraction, but..."

Her bizarre golden eyes suddenly widen.

"Oho... I see. It’s a sleight of hand."

She suddenly grins, and then leaps off the side of the battlements, without hesitation.

Whatever is that crazy vampire bitch doing now? Surely...

Their etranger is here?!?