Volume 6 epilogue (1/2)

We had arrived in crystal room of the [Wind] dungeon.

Our purpose for coming here was to pick up Kuina and the others who were entrusted with the task of protecting the crystal.

To be specific, the ones in the crystal room were: Kuina, the strongest possible guard; R’lyeh Diva, stationed here to prevent any attack from the other dimension; and two Ocean singers who were R’lyeh Diva’s subordinates.

Upon arrival, I saw that R’lyeh Diva and her two subordinates were amusing themselves with a card game while Kuina sat in a corner, arms around her knees, and sulked.

Kuina sulked while R’lyeh Diva paid no mind, pretty much what I expected.

“Kuina, Ruru, everyone, thanks for your work. The [War] has safely concluded. Let’s go back right away, shall we?”

I said so with a smile on my face.

By the way, Ruru was R’lyeh Diva’s nickname since the latter was a bit hard to say. Giving them nicknames didn’t constitute as naming monsters, thankfully.

“I was about to get tired of waiting, patron.”

“…Ruru, I know there’s no way, but were you guys also playing during the [War]?”

“Of course not. I would never do such a thing. I’ll have you know that I properly watched the other side during the [War]. And, since there might be rude individuals that think we’ve let our guard down now that the war’s over and won, I’m purposefully making chances for them while also tightening my water network. In this side or the other, my ears hear everything.”

Ruru strongly declared so.

She, the blue-haired, androgynous and yet beautiful head of Avalon’s intelligence corps, acted like she was just playing around but was actually still working.

I’m so relieved.

“Kuina, Ruru, Ocean Singers, again, thank you for your hard work. It’s because you guys were here that we were able to go all out on the offensive.”

I spoke out my true feelings.

In a war against fellow Demon Lords, the most troublesome monsters were probably those that excelled in espionage and mobility.

No matter the difference between the main forces of the two opposing sides, if even one monster gets past the lines of defense, the crystal would be broken and everything would be over.

“Well, we didn’t really do anything. It was mostly the [Wind] Demon Lord and her monsters. Aside from that small push from Duke, even if we didn’t come, they would have won.”

It was exactly as she said. Majority of the work was done by Stolas and her monsters.

Even though the war ended before Ruru and the others could get to do anything, I would like to think they at least had an easy time.

The problem was Kuina.

From the moment we returned, she was pouting and glaring at me.

It’s been a while since the last time she was this upset.

“Kuina, come on, I can’t bear you looking at me like that.”

“…Oto-san, why didn’t you take Kuina? Unlike Rorono-chan and Aura-chan, Kuina’s only good point is fighting. Why is Kuina here if not to fight? Did you choose Duke and Aura-chan ‘cause they’re stronger than Kuina? Even after Kuina got a new special move and became stronger?”

She said so with a tearful voice.

I then recalled what Rorono told me: that Kuina was feeling insecure lately.

For Kuina, her raison d’être was being Avalon’s Strongest monster.

However, with the appearance of Duke and then Marcho, her confidence was crumbling.

“I trust in you, Kuina. And it is because I trust in you that I posted you here. Sure, Duke can be more powerful than you for a short period of time, but [Berserk] is such an unstable power. You’re strong and have stable powers, so you were more suited to defend the most important point in this war. As for why I took Aura with me, there’s the fact that she can be used for the offense, but more than that, she was there for my safety since she could use her wind to perceive everything, including possible threats to my life. So, you see, it’s just a matter of having the right person for the right job.”

Not a word I said was a lie.

It was out of the question to leave the defense of the crystal room to Duke. And even if Marcho was here instead of Kuina, I would still have taken Aura to the frontlines.

I had brought ten monsters to Stolas’s [War]: Kuina, Aura, Duke, Ruru, 3 Ocean Singers, 2 Darkness Dragons Graphross, and Kurayami the Tartaros—a black-furred werewolf monster—whom I borrowed from Marcho.

If I brought too much war potential with me, Avalon would be defenseless. After all, there was that possibility that the threat against Stolas was merely a diversion so that Avalon would send assistance and be left undermanned.

However, between Marcho, the aerial bombardment corps led by the Dwarf Smith who was Duke’s adjutant, and the golem corps led by Rorono, there was nothing to fear.

“But Kuina didn’t get to fight”

Kuina’s head might have understood what I was trying to say, but it seemed like her heart hasn’t yet.

Her appearance might have suddenly become that of an adult, but deep down, she’s still just a child.

While there some monsters who were already mature upon birth, there were some who were still childish.

Whichever they might be, I loved my monsters all the same.

After some thoughts, I approached the still sulking and unmoving Kuina and forcibly carried her in my arms.

“Come on, Kuina, let’s go back. To Avalon.”

Surprised, Kuina resisted at first and then calmed down right away.

She was still protesting though by turning away her face.

“Oto-san, you’re so mean”

Is she referring to me forcibly picking her up or is it because I had posted her here? Or is it both?

“Kuina, I’ve said this earlier but I’ll say it again: I have complete trust in you. I didn’t want to tell you this in front of other monsters, but out of all my monsters, the one I rely on the most is you.”

By saying Kuina was the one I relied on the most, I was also saying I didn’t rely as much on my other monsters. However, upon hearing what I said, none of Duke, Aura, and Ruru showed any kind of discomfort on their face. It was because they too recognized Kuina’s abilities.

“Kuina, I won’t apologize for this time. I did what I needed to do as a Demon Lord… but I will make you a promise: in the next fight, I will prepare a stage where you can take the lead and shine. I’ll send you to the most dangerous of battlefields so that you can get the chance to show the new power you gained from your special training. I’ll be expecting a lot from you, Kuina.”

Upon hearing that, she turned her still-looking-away face back to me.

And she was smiling.

Finally, she was back in a good mood.