Vol. 2 CH. 15 - A Deal with a Demon Lord

PART #1

There was a married woman sitting before Kyoushiro with a very thin nightgown under his own top shirt he had just took off. She has long blonde hair and emerald jade colored eyes. Moreover, probably due to her being a mother of three daughters and two sons, she exudes a maturity and femininity that her look more attractive. Furthermore, she has long slender legs and a wide hip.

Surely enough, any man would jump at her the moment she entered his own room....

But Kyoushiro was different. Instead of sitting next to her like man who would take advantage of her weakness, Kyoushiro was standing up and leaning against the wall, four steps away from Raflesia.

He wasn't looking at Raflesia but rather, his eyes were looking straight outside the window. Kyoushiro was waiting for Raflesia to speak.

With his arms crossed, Kyoushiro waited patiently. Although he was tapping his right index finger on his arm, he was still patient.

"Hey, talk already"

But waiting for a whole hour now while the sense of drowsiness was kicking in since it was already late, Kyoushiro was losing his patience...

Hearing Kyoushiro's irritated voice, Raflesia's shoulders twitched. It seems that she was trembling the whole time and was scared to even say what she wanted to talk about.

It was only natural since she was begging a man, a Demon-Spawn, she naturally despise, to do a favor for her. If it were in a normal circumstances, then she wouldn't think of coming to his room.

But desperate times calls for desperate measures. She has no choice but to rely on Kyoushiro's power to help.

Raflesia then swallows her fears and raised her head.

"I wish for you to not kill my husband"

That was what she wanted to say. She, who was the wife of Pernicious Calladium, the person who kidnapped the Queen of Elves, was asking Kyoushiro to not kill her husband.

It was a foolish request to protect the life of the person she loves, but she would not just let anything happen to her beloved husband.

Kyoushiro's cheeks twitched as he heard that request.

"You were eavesdropping.....?"

"Yes.... I have to, in order to protect my husband"

"So you know where that bastard is?"

"........."

Raflesia nodded. Because she was helping her husband in his plans to make every elves a High Elf race, she knows well every but of Pernicious' plan.

Stating so meant that all this time, she was in contact with Pernicious the whole time.

"You...."

Kyoushiro grinds his teeth as he couldn't hide his anger at Raflesia.

"You were just making things harder for us.... Should I just drag you as you are now and toss you at the center of the town outside? Were you planning on turning this world into a dead planet?!"

"I didn't know what to do! My husband only said he would make things easier for us elves!!"

"And the price for that was the very world you guys live in...? Cut the crap!"

Even though Kyoushiro wasn't hell bent in saving Elfianna, this problem concerns Lucinda. Since she too lives in this world as well as their soon to be born child, letting the whole world die just for the sake of one race was too unreasonable.

For Lucinda and their child, Kyoushiro's anger was justified.

"You know what.... I wasn't really planning on helping but seeing you guys trying to better yourselves in the expense of other people's lives makes me sick"

A past memory came flashing back at Kyoushiro. It was when he was in middle school. During that time, he was doing a job that forced him distribute drugs from organizations to organizations. He was a lackey and his worth was only that off a dog.

Those men that hired him to do such job was no different from what Pernicious was doing. They were using others to better themselves and make their lives easier.

Remembering such thing gave a bad taste in Kyoushiro's mouth. But this time wasn't the right time to get angry. Because if he did so, he wouldn't be much different from those guys....

Damn it.... I just got boomeranged by myself... I feel stupid...

Kyoushiro collected himself as he shook of the unpleasant memories of his past.

"Haaaah..... damn it"

Kyoushiro spat out curses as he calms down.

"Alright"

"Eh?"

Raflesia let out a surprised "Eh?" as she suddenly heard Kyoushiro.

What did he just say?- Raflesia's reaction was just like that.....

"I won't kill Pernicious. I will recover the elf Queen and stop the Ascension of the elves but what comes after that is up to you guys"

Kyoushiro looked away with a face filled with annoyance. The fact that he was reminded that Lucinda and their soon-to-be-born child had to live in this world for a while made Kyoushiro accept, albeit reluctantly, the role being the hero once again.

Even though what Kyoushiro wanted was to stay out of this mess, it seems that seeing Raflesia, a wife and a mother, made Kyoushiro change his mind.

"T-Then....No, I'll do my best to help!"

"It doesn't matter whether you guys help or not. I still don't get why I haved to do it since I'm a Demon Lord, but I'll do my part regardless"

Kyoushiro just recalled that Shadow King Crats never did mentioned anything about why only a Demon Lord and destroy the spirit tree. Since the person himself was a Demon Lord, Kyoushiro doesn't understand as to why Shadow king Crats won't do it himself.

Was it due to having a relationship with Elfianna? No, the woman was already in danger since she was being held captive by Pernicious. He doesn't want to be the one that save her. Furthermore, he doesn't seem to want to appear before her as well.

There are still many questions left unanswered because of people that doesn't want to say anything.

Forcing the answers out was one way but in any case, this time force wasn't optional.

"Once this is all over, I'll have a nice long vacation with Lucinda. I'm to tired fixing someone else's mess"

Kyoushiro made a deep sigh as he gazed outside. Now that his mind was calm and his heart undisturbed, there was nothing that will change his choice...

"I see.... T-Then, as for the price of your s-service....."

"Hm?" When Kyoushiro heard Raflesia's flustered and nervous voice behind him, followed up by rustling noises near his bed, Kyoushiro mistakenly turned his head around.

"J-Just as Princess Lydia had stated.... Y-You will have me in exchange f-f-for your help...."

Laying on top of his bed was a naked elf woman. Her nightgown was neatly placed on a nearby dresser while she was alluringly inviting Kyoushiro with her wet emerald jade eyes.

Ralfesia was lying side ways, exposing her plump behind that had experience five births of children. Her upper half was being supported by her left arm on the bed with her right arm under her large breast, seemingly trying to emphasize and attract the frozen man before her.

Right, Kyoushiro was frozen stiff. Not his lower half but his whole body. His mouth left hanging open from shock and his cheeks twitching for some reason.

That's right, I forgot she listened to what we talked about earlier....

Again, Kyoushiro was reminded how absurd the people of this world...

-

It wasn't hard to chase away the horny elf away, the difficult part was sleeping right after seeing that. As a man, Kyoushiro got excited but even so, as he was a person that sticks to only the person he loves, witnessing and even getting invited by a gorgeous woman, there was no way he would just jump on the opportunity.

Rather, Kyoushiro spent a sleepless night after chasing away Raflesia.

It seems that after their loud discussion, one of Raflesia's daughters saw how Kyoushiro kicked Raflesia out of his room with only a blanket covering her.

Because of that, during breakfast, the hard and killing glare of Raflesia's Daughter, Rosemary Calladium, made it hard for Kyoushiro to eat breakfast.

He was even surprised at the fact Raflesia's family was joining them for breakfast even though there might come a time when they might kill each other.

Durif wasn't present as he was busy trying to get a ship that would take them to Paracellumn. Since every ship was sent to the elf capital two days ago, there was no available transportation except for horses.

Koizumi and Katsuto recommended to ride wyverns. Minami recommended land lizards but all were rejected. Both were quite a good form of transportation but since there was limited time, until midnight the next day according to Princess Lydia, it wasn't viable.

And so, currently in the afternoon, Kyoushiro was collecting as much as materials he could in the large space behind Pernicious' mansion. Ironically, the person himself was an enemy to the heroes.

"I know I said I'd help but I don't really need your help"

Kyoushiro was building a disposable airship. One that would be used for only one time and could be used as a weapon in case of emergency. A 3 meter long hull was standing behind Kyoushiro with bits and parts of magic engine furnace spread out around him.

Of course, Kyoushiro was doing everything by himself since no one can make a disposable airship right before tomorrow. But before him were a group of elven knights that was presenting to help.

"You guys are a bother so leave"

"Black Hero-sama!! Please me us help!! We promise to not bother you while you are working but please let us help!!"

"Can you guys set up a magic circuit diagram that let's the furnace output twice it's normal power to make the entire ship float? Can you guys make a anti-magic coating on the ship's exterior? Can you guys built a actuation device that systematically delivers data from one part to another?"

"No, of course not" Kyoushiro added grumpily. Because he was busy, he was still making parts from scratch, making him a bit annoyed by people trying to bother him.

Naturally, the magic ships that Kyoushiro built was on part with modern day airplanes. Since this world has magic and those things called "skills" it was possible for one to create anytime they want as long as they have the knowledge.

From what Kyoushiro gathered back in Ambrosia, it seems that there are even more rare materials in this world. Setting aside the ones found inside the world's crust and underground mineral deposits, a person with a creation type skill can make a better material themselves.

Kyoushiro being Kyoushiro, he made parts that resembles earth's industrial and commercial machines. If anything, what he makes are rarer than anything in this world.

Since skills and spells make it far easier to develop scientific devices in this world, Kyoushiro took advantage of that and created sophisticated magic artifacts that could even rival that of earth's advance technology.

Kyoushiro wasn't a genius but coming from someone who always does trial and error, Kyoushiro was just stubborn in making his life easier in this world.

"......."

The elf knight girls looked down, crestfallen. Because Kyoushiro doesn't want their help even though they were willing to do everything he says, they were still turn down.

And since they don't even have much experience in making a magic airship, they don't have any idea of what Kyoushiro just said.

Well in any world, what Kyoushiro mentioned doesn't exist. He only has it because he was the one that designed and developed it.

Kyoushiro returns to work once he finished talking to the elf knight girls.

But, just as Kyoushiro was returning to his work, he felt the space shift. The bright outside yard was suddenly replaced by a pitch black world. As though he just suddenly went from one place to another.

"You have come. As I have expected"

Kyoushiro heard someone's voice. Thinking that it sounded like he heard him before, he turned around and saw Shadow King Crafts, seated upon a throne, levitating in the dark space.

Kyoushiro squinted his eyes to look very closely at the Demon Lord of Shadows but due to the lack of light, there was barely even a shade of Hus face. Only his red eyes shined within the darkness.

"Where is this?"

"This is my world, Limbo. A place where souls of the dead stays until their memories of their lives is gone from their minds. An eternal dark world of madness"

As though presenting his very words, Kyoushiro's ears caught whispers around him. Curious, Kyoushiro used skill and peer into the darkness.

Although skill can only perceive magic energy from a being or an object, his eyes saw properly the things inside the dark space, Limbo. Just as Shadow King Crats have said, it was a pitstop for all souls.

Right now, each and every corner of the room, silhouettes of different kinds were hanging upside down. Their whispers were inaudible but their squirming showed the nightmares they were showing.

The souls might not have faces but for some reason, it felt like they were all wearing faces of despair and madness. They don't have eyes but Kyoushiro felt thousands of gazes were piercing through him.

Before Kyoushiro could succumbed into the dark influence of Limbo, he shut off his skill and glared at Shadow King Crats.

"You've got one nasty hobby"

"It is not I that wished to be here. My power to govern shadow is similar to what the Dark Lord could do. However, the only difference is that his darkness could not manipulate space. My power lead me here, not by choice but due to forces unknown"

Shadow King Crats waved his hand. In that moment, the pitched black space was turning into a cobbled castle. There were no lights and there were no windows. Only a large throne room where large black hole like drawing was widely spread on the floor.

At the center of that, was Kyoushiro.

"...... That's a nifty trick..."

Kyoushiro muttered as he looked around as much as he could but can only see so little due to the lack of lighting. Just like before, Shadow King Crats, sat on his throne with his red eyes glowing under the eternal darkness.

"As I have said, my power is different from the Dark Lord. We may have the skills under the same element but our abilities differs from one another"

Shadow King Crats can manipulate space while Dark Lord Trause could manipulate gravity. Just like how Trause tore off a large piece of land and had it rain down on the battlefield where Kyoushiro was fighting.

Kyoushiro recalls those incidents and couldn't believe that such thing was possible. Kyoushiro rarely checks his status nor he looks into his skills. Buy probably, there should a skill that can help manipulate gravity as well.

"I guess so. I mean, that guys actually just tore a plot of land and made a rock shower"

Kyoushiro spoke while maintaining his vigilance of his surroundings.

"So? Why am I here? You said you were expecting me right?"

"Yes. It's exactly as you've said. You've entered my world, young Demon Lord. As you've only been a Demon Lord for a four days, your power is still unstable"

"However, I am not here to give you a lecture" Shadow king Crats added while sounding a bit more serious than before.

"As I have told you. I am willing to give you anything you desire as long as you rescue Elfianna"

"Yeah and you also forgot to mention why only a Demon Lord could destroy an overgrown tree"

Kyoushiro made a sour face as he felt displeasure from being looked down by someone like Shadow king Crats. Although Kyoushiro thinks he could win against the Demon Lord of Shadows but inside a place where he can't see anything, the chances of winning was lower than 10%.

Aside from being able to see inside the darkness using skill, Kyoushiro wasn't sure if he could even deliver the decisive blow on Crats without losing a limb or two.

What's more, Kyoushiro was annoyed from the fact that Shadow king Crats withheld an information vital to the operation. Something like only a Demon Lord can destroy the spirit tree, was more important than getting a lecture on how to act more maturely.

Shadow king Crats' eyes narrowed. Kyoushiro suddenly felt a presence behind him.

"?!"

When Kyoushiro turns around, he said an alley he recognized so well he could even say how many times he have passed through there.

The cars that drive through the streets, the people walking idly by or to work and the sound of the bustling city.

It was there. The way back home.

Shadow king Crats showed him what he truly desired.

"You.... what is this...."

The thing you desired the most. A way back to your world"

"Ahhh..... it is...isn't it" Kyoushiro thought. It was that alley where Kyoushiro would pass through after working when he was still in middle school. Seeing the hand drawn graffiti and other trashlike names and signs, Kyoushiro couldn't deny that it was the very world he knows so well....

"How can you even do this......?"

"As I've said, my powers are similar to the Dark Lord but differs from his completely"

A power that can manipulate space and a power that can manipulate gravity. In this world, both skills are under the very same element, Darkness. But despite so, Shadow king Crats was exploiting his power so much that he could even up portals to other worlds.

Seeing such skill first hand, it couldn't believed that he hasn't even took over dimensions on his own. If he had done so, he would have been the strongest being in the world.

But...

"Thanks but no thanks"

"......."

Kyoushiro turned him down. It was the one thing that Kyoushiro wished so much in this world. Returning back to his world. But he has responsibilities in this world as the Black Hero and Lucinda and their child were still in this world. He couldn't leave them behind.

"Instead of that, I have proposition for you"

"A proposition... you say"

Instead of taking Shadow king Crats' offer, Kyoushiro turned him down and offered a deal to him. What that might be, Kyoushiro was showing a mad craze grin as he faced Shadow king Crats.

Seeing such thing, Shadow king Crats couldn't help but smile himself.

"Ahhh... this man is really the me of that world.....kukuku...." Shadow king Crats thought as he felt his body shiver with joy.

The two had similarities. Although the were born in different worlds in different times. Kyoushiro and Shadow king Crats were very much alike.

"Then, what is this proposition you speak of?"

In that moment as he said, Shadow king Crats' lips parted and showed white sharp fangs as he let out a wide grin.

Then Kyoushiro said in response.....

"I want----"

And so, as Kyoushiro made a deal with a Demon Lord, someone's fate was already sealed. From this point on, there was no need to hide in the shadows and hesitate. It was time for his plans to come into fruition....

PART #2

Paracellumn is the home for all elves. It's a large land filled with nature. Although housed were made of bricks, stones and sticks, the whole place was still surrounded by large trees. Some of those trees were hollow and were being used as buildings themselves.

In this place, the capital of Paracellumn, Yggdrasil, a large tree stood taller than all trees.

It was the Spirit tree.

"So this is the land of elves huh?"

"Yeah, its much more bigger than I thought"