7
Carefully cradling the game console, Viper tags along behind me.
“Mr. Six, it’s only until we finish this game, all right? After that, I’ll have you return me to the kingdom. I’m going to keep my promise, so you have to keep yours, too, Mr. Six.”
“I know, I know. I promise, I promise. But, Vi, your eyes are all red.”
Viper casts a suspicious gaze my way. After having a good cry inside her cell, she seems to have stopped holding back with me.
How did this unquestioningly naive young woman end up like this?
“Oh, if the game console breaks, we gotta start over, okay? And before we can do that, we’ll have to order a new one from my country, so…”
At those words, Viper tightly cradles the console to avoid damaging it.
“If you break the console, Mr. Six, that condition is null and void. A-also, no slacking off and dying on purpose! Please take it seriously!”
That’s fine. I can always just overwrite the save data.
Besides, if I explain the situation, I bet Heine and company will just go ahead and destroy the game console on their own.
Once we reach entrance to the dungeon, I peek outside to assess the situation.
…Straining my ears, I can hear Tillis’s serious attempts at reasoning with Ten.
“Sir Six, please give up! This is a matter of a formal treaty between Kisaragi and the kingdom of Grace! …Also, Snow! Stop holding back!”
“N-no, Your Highness… I may not be feeling all that up to it, but I’m not holding back…”
Unfortunately, the optical camo only works for one person. Since I have Viper with me, it’ll be really hard to sneak out.
However…
“Gah! Dammit, he really is strong!”
“Surround him! He may be a Kisaragi Combat Agent, but he’s unarmed! Hold him down!”
“Combat Agent Six…! S-so this is the power of a man who’s taken down the Demon Lord’s Elite Four…!”
Out of the corner of my eye, “Agent Six” is brawling with some knights while wearing a maid outfit.
As Tillis noted, Snow doesn’t seem as sharp as usual.
Could it be that she’s holding back, knowing I’m here to break Viper out?
In order to save myself, I hand the optical camo to Viper.
“This is an item that makes you invisible. I’m going to save my maid self. Use that to escape through the gate.”
“I-I’ll go and ask Princess Tillis to delay the execution for a bit! So please…”
Viper may say that, but Tillis is a true ruler at heart. I can’t imagine she’ll pity Viper enough to delay the execution given that her kingdom’s authority is on the line.
I take out my mask and put it back on, then run over to the other me.
“This is as far as you go!”
“What the—? Reinforcements?!”
As I appear and block the knights in, a murmur of confusion ripples through their group.
“Hey, me, the mission’s complete. Let’s get the hell outta here.”
But the burly maid only shakes his head.
He puts his hand on his mask and—
“Y-you! You’re Sir Combat Agent Ten! Someone, check on the Demon Lord! Sir Ten is a decoy! Forget about him! Restrain the new guy and hurry to the dungeon! Securing the Demon Lord is our top priority!”
As Ten reveals himself, sweat beads on Tillis’s brow, and she slowly backs away.
Ignoring the watchful gaze of the knights, Ten slowly makes his way to Tillis.
“I have something I still need to do. Move.”
“B-but this is the way to my room… May I ask what you intend to do…?”
Tillis is clearly still bit traumatized by Ten’s past actions and continues to nervously retreat.
“Nothing important. For now, feel free to think of me as another piece of furniture in your bedroom.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
I don’t, either.
“I thought hard about it while I was locked in the dungeon. I’ve caused a lot of trouble for you, so I should do whatever I can to atone. I need to make myself useful to you somehow.”
Okay, I can understand that, at least.
“That’s when I came to this conclusion. All I can do is fight. But you have no use for a man who only knows how to fight, right?”
“Actually, I could really use some skilled soldiers…”
Ten pretends not to hear Tillis and takes her hands in his.
“During my time in the dungeon, I practiced being a chair. And not just a chair; I can also become a bed. Rejoice, Princess Tillis, for on occasion, I shall act as your furniture. I’ll pretend to be your chair and your bed and quietly watch over you.”
“Guards! Capturing this man is your new highest priority!”
Ten leaves one hell of an impression, putting up fierce resistance and drawing the knights away. Thanks to him, I’m nearing the main gate.
Since even the watchmen are off trying to restrain Ten, it shouldn’t be too hard to get out of here.
Ten really is something to make even Tillis lose her calm.
As I admire my comrade’s efforts, Viper, hidden by the optical camo, taps me on the shoulder.
I reach out just to confirm she’s there…
…but I suddenly feel an invisible hand stop mine.
“Hey…! I’m just trying confirm you’re here…!”
“I am! Where were you about to touch?”
She’s objecting now, but wasn’t she willing to let me do as I pleased until recently?
I guess this is a positive development, but maybe I should’ve done more while I could…
While struggling with that in my mind, I try to push open the gate, but it doesn’t budge.
Oh, I guess you need the keys to open it!
The watchmen aren’t stupid. If they had to leave their stations for any reason, of course they’d make sure to lock up first.
Just then.
Suddenly, I hear an explosion ringing from the castle, followed by alarm bells.
“Your Highness! That bell indicates a large number of monsters is threatening the city!”
“And the explosions came from inside the city! The beasts may already have gotten in…”
The monster-warning bell is probably thanks to the howling of our three beasts.
As for the explosions, the mipyokopyoko eggs must have hatched…
The knights, naturally curious about what’s going on in the city, look toward the gate…
…and see me.
“…! Leave Sir Ten…! Mmph… Leave Sir Ten for now and capture that Combat Agent over there! Ask him what he was doing in the dungeon. If there’s no sign of the Demon Lord, that man should know where she is!”
The gate doesn’t look like it’ll open, even when I hit it with my enhanced fist.
Okay, I need to calm down.
If Ten and I get apprehended, the knights will head outside to take care of the monsters.
Which means the gate will open…
“Vi, just stay hidden by the gate. They’ll eventually open it from the inside, and you’ll be able to escape.”
But Viper doesn’t reply. I get the feeling she’s shaking her head.
Then, I hear the shuffle of feet and a deep breath.
Understanding what she’s planning to do, I murmur to the empty air:
“Vi, you’re weirdly stubborn, but I don’t dislike that about you.”
Viper sighs. The optical camo can’t keep up with her movements and reveals her.
Looking as though she’s finally come to terms with something, Viper swings her left fist and cries:
“Demon Lord Punch!”
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