The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody - Volume 3 - Chapter 42

CHAPTER 42

The Ex–Demon Lord and a Night in the Ancient Realm

Our chance meeting with Lydia sent us to the battlefield.

…This turn of events deviated from the original plan, but I tried to put a positive twist on it: It was an easier way to accomplish more. Either way, we’d rack up achievements and rise through the army’s ranks.

Battlefields were full of opportunities to perform great feats. If I could just pull off one, we would be closer to our goal of chancing upon the Demon Lord.

We were placed under the support troops in the back, so it was unlikely we’d encounter much danger… My decision was undeniably a sound one.

Obviously, we weren’t exactly sent out to the front lines immediately upon entering the service. Both Lydia’s and Verda’s armies still had a lot of preparation to do. We’d get moving once those matters were complete.

This worked out in my favor. There was something I’d been wanting to prepare, too.

There was one other thing that warranted my gratitude.

Until the armies were ready to mobilize, we’d be staying in Lydia’s villa in the city. Ireena and Ginny were all for this. It was more of a bonus for me, but at any rate, luck had come our way. If Lydia hadn’t invited us, we’d be stuck under the same roof as Verda.

When this was reported to Verda, her large eyes filled with tears.

“No! Don’t gooo! Stay here forever, pleaaaase!” she whined, catapulting herself into my arms and throwing a childish tantrum.

If this was all there was to her, she would be a cute little kid. Based on appearances alone, she was a cute girl. That was why things went her way whenever she begged.

“Ugh! But I was gonna conduct some secret human experiments while you were sleeping! What about now? It’s the least you can do! Let me cut open your chest just a teeny tiny bit! Just a little! Just the tip!”

Anyone would catapult her into the air and flee by this point. Naturally, I did, too.

I heard Verda sobbing behind me, but my heart felt nothing at all.

…Why were my top ranks filled with the worst kind of people?

After dealing with her fuss, we headed to Lydia’s villa, where we were each given a room of our own. It was big and nothing else; it wasn’t beautiful in any way. Even then, the rooms were spacious and, most importantly, clean. I had no complaints.

I threw myself down on the bed and savored the feeling.

I quietly whispered, “…To think we’d actually meet again.”

To tell the truth, the possibility had crossed my mind when we were first thrown into the past. It had only been there for a brief moment and quickly vanished.

Well… It would be more precise to say I had tried not to think about it.

For me, no existence was more complicated than that of the woman named Lydia.

As my dear friend, I had constantly hoped to see her again—not as the puppet of a soul who obeyed my every order, but the true and vibrant Lydia. This always loomed over me.

But on the other hand, I was the one who had put an end to my dearest friend. The grave truth had made me abandon hope of seeing her again. Because after everything, did I have the right to wish for our reunion?

“…What the heck does that ‘god’ want to do with me? Harass me? In that case, next time, I’ll show no mercy…” I sighed with grief.

A moment later, a knock came at the door.

Was it Ginny? Ireena or Lydia wouldn’t knock before coming in.

And if she was coming here in the middle of the night, that only meant one thing. I fretted over how to turn down her amorous proposal as I answered the door.

When I opened the door, in walked…someone I hadn’t expected.

It wasn’t even a face I knew. Before me stood a young girl of tender years with distinctive dark skin and white hair. She wore average clothing…but the crest on her stomach told of her bearing.

That peculiar mark was the symbol of a slave.

“It is a great honor to meet you. I am Latima, a servant of Lady Lydia. I shall be the one to attend you. As per Lady Lydia’s instruction, I shall accompany you during your stay here. I’m afraid I am most incompetent, but I do hope I may serve you well,” Latima spoke simply with practical efficiency and gave a quick bow.

…There was no question Lydia was against slavery, but she understood there were societal advantages to the system, which was why she hadn’t been able to crush it altogether. Instead, she had desperately tried at the very least to save those unfairly treated as slaves. Lydia must have rescued this girl and taken her in. There were many people in her army, and they were fanatically loyal to her.

All to say, Latima could be trusted… Probably.

It must have just been my imagination.

As she looked at me, I thought I sensed some sort of danger in her eyes.

After they were shown their respective rooms, Ireena and Ginny accepted Lydia’s request and entered the bathhouse attached to the manor. The area was spacious, and Sylphy was already soaking her slim body in the tub.

“Haaaaaah. Yeah, that’s the stuff!” She sighed with pleasure as she mumbled like an old geezer.

Ireena couldn’t help but smile.

I knew it. Sylphy is Sylphy, after all.

They all had a decent amount of fun in the communal bath, although at the center of it all…

“Little Miss Ginny! I’ll scrub your back; you scrub mine!”

It was Lydia Viigensgeight.

“Eek! That’s all right!”

“Aw, come on. Don’t be a stranger! Let me massage those bubbly breasts! Geh-heh-heh-heh!”

“Noooo!” Even the dirtiest of old men would be shocked by Lydia’s behavior as she charged after Ginny. Nothing about her resembled the dignity of the great Champion passed down through legend.

But Ireena thought it was one of the best things about her. If Lydia had been the very picture of the ballads come to life, Ireena would be constantly cowering before her with no room to relax.

“Geh-heh-heh! I gotcha now, my honey!”

“Eeek! Please! Let me go! Hey! Hey! Please don’t touch my breasts!”

It was unbearable for Ginny, though. Her plump breasts squished like putty in Lydia’s pale hands. Ginny cried out, looking horrifically uncomfortable, but Lydia didn’t care in the least.

“Mwa-ha-ha! This resistance! This weight! Big tits are the greatest!”

“Aaaaah! Please stop!”

In the water, Sylphy glared at them.

“…I’ll be nice and big in two or three more years, too, y’know.” She patted her flat chest.

But Ireena knew the sad truth—Sylphy’s luck had run out. Naturally, she didn’t share this kernel of truth. It would have been far too depressing.

After they finished taking a bath, which was energetic with Lydia in the room, Ireena tugged on her standard ancient clothing and returned to her room.

“Mmm… It’s awfully drafty… Maybe it’s a little too revealing?”

Ireena had no qualms about showing skin, but this single strip of cloth covered only the most vital areas. It was a little embarrassing. Though Ireena wasn’t as endowed as Ginny, this outfit left her perfect breasts, plush butt, and taut stomach boldly on display.

It was slightly embarrassing. But on the other hand, it felt good.

“I wonder if being kidnapped by Elzard…made me a naughty girl?”

She wondered what Ard would think of her. When she thought about it, her face flushed red.

“……gh!” She collapsed on the bed and pressed her face into the pillow to cool herself off.

Then, she forced herself to change topics.

“I was really worried at first, but…I might have a good time in this era.”

As Ard had said before, this was not a school trip, but a trip across time. No magic would allow them to personally experience the ancient world. When she thought about it that way, this opportunity was invaluable.

“They’re different from what I expected…but to think I’d get to meet Lady Verda and Lady Lydia… Though, I’m sure no one in class will believe us.”

Her thoughts turned to her own era.

…Thinking about it, ever since she met Ard, her life had been a series of unbelievable surprises, this among them. The most shocking of all was that she had friends. That she was surrounded by people who she could laugh and smile with.

However… It was an environment as brittle as ice. If they knew the truth, it would quickly shatter to pieces. Ireena understood that well.

“I’ve made a bunch of friends. But…no matter where I go, my blood is still tainted.”

Her earlier enthusiasm was nowhere to be found. With a heavy sigh, desolation rang through her heart.

Ireena was surrounded by friends and living happily on a surface level. However…she was ultimately different from everyone else.

To begin with, she wasn’t even of this world.

After all, as the former Elzard had said, Ireena was a monster who carried the blood of the Evil Gods. That was why she put on a front as a cheerful girl living happily with everyone around her, but…at her core, she was a lonely, pitiful being who was unlike anyone else.

“…Haah. I’m just no good. I always start thinking about things I shouldn’t before I can stop myself.”

The image of Ard filled her mind.

“…I doubt I’ll get any sleep alone tonight.” Ireena hurriedly stood up.

She shared a bed with Ard almost every night not only because she fancied him; being with him calmed her. He understood her loneliness in its entirety and promised to stay by her side. That’s why the human known as Ard Meteor held a special place in her heart.

“…I wonder if he’s already asleep. Even if he is…I’m sure he’ll forgive me.”

Ready to head to his room, she went to open her door.

But before she could, the sliding door opened, and someone stepped inside.

“What?” Ireena yelped quietly, taking in the person before her.

“Hey there, Ireena. Can’t sleep?” Lydia looked at her with a soft gaze, standing with a leather bag in one hand. She sauntered inside and perched on the bed, then pulled out the contents from the bag—distilled spirits. She took a long draw from the bottle. “Whoo-heee!” she belted in an unladylike manner.

As Ireena stared at her transfixed, Lydia said, “I wanted to talk with you alone. This a good time?”

There was an earnestness in Lydia’s clear eyes. It was different from the lewd way she appraised Ginny or the rough stares directed at Ard. They were transparent. There was something about them.

“…Yes.” Ireena nodded.

“Great. Well, come on and sit right next to me. You drink?”

“N-no, not really.”

“I see. Well then. Take this.” From one of the leather bags strapped to her waist, Lydia passed a container to Ireena. It seemed to hold grape juice. Accepting it, Ireena took a seat next to her.

For a while, silence pervaded the room. Lydia had said she wanted to talk, but she wasn’t saying anything at all. And it especially sucked that Lydia had taken on a serious vibe, one that made her truly captivating.

Even Ireena grew red from a glance at Lydia’s profile, though she was a woman herself. This was the only point the rumors got right: The Champion Lydia was incredibly beautiful. And still, she made no effort to speak.

……! I—I can’t take this silence anymore!

Ireena gathered every last bit of her courage. “U-um! I—I believe you said you wanted to speak with me, correct?!”

Finally, Lydia responded. “…Yeah. Though, it’s a pretty hard thing to ask.”

Her crystalline eyes bored into Ireena, and she naturally gulped.

Wh-what does she want to say?

Ah, but it must not be a big deal.

With Lady Lydia, it’s definitely possible. She could pull a prank on me, pretending it’s a dire situation or something.

That eased her mind to a degree.

“Hey, Ireena.”

But Lydia’s question was by no means trivial.

“…You’re related to them, right?”

This turned Ireena to stone.

By “them,” Lydia had to mean the Evil Gods. She couldn’t tell why she said it in such a roundabout way…

But none of that mattered now.

The Champion. The great hero. The subjugator of the Evil Gods.

Lydia had come to Ireena’s room to talk—about her real identity…about her blood connection to the Evil Gods.

That had any number of meanings. As soon as she arrived at a conclusion…

“……gh!” Ireena leaped from the bed as if repelled and put some distance between them. From what she’d heard, Lydia had severely punished those connected to the Evil Gods. If that was the case…

She’d probably be killed right then and there. The sense of impending danger caused her to drip with sweat. As her stomach ached and her heart raced faster by the second, Ireena glared at Lydia.

Lydia looked apologetic and shook the leather bag. “Sorry for asking you that out of the blue. I’ve got you all upset. But…I really needed to talk to you, because…”

Her next statement would really blow Ireena away.

“Y’see, it’s the first time I’ve ever met someone like me.”

Ireena couldn’t hold back her surprise. Before she could stop herself, her eyes bugged out of her head, growing wide.

“L-like you…?!” she managed to stutter.

“Yep, that’s right. I’m just like you. My old man is…one of the Evil Gods.”

It was almost impossible to believe. How could the Champion, who was said to despise the Evil Gods more than anyone else in history, be the same as her?

And yet…Ireena couldn’t pick up even the slightest deception in Lydia’s eyes. What she had laid bare was the genuine truth.

And this bloomed a feeling of kinship in Ireena.

“L-Lady Lydia… Did you also have a period in your life when you found it hard to believe in others?”

“Yeah. Those were some tough times.”

Before she knew it, the words came flowing out and wouldn’t stop. Ireena spoke of many things, laughing at times and crying at others.

It was the first time she’d ever felt this way. Her chronic loneliness might disappear. She might be close to forgetting it all for the first time in her life. As someone who was Ireena’s kind, Lydia wiped away the emotions that had been too much for even Ard to heal.

It did not take much time for Lydia to become a dear part of Ireena’s life. That was why…she wished from the bottom of her heart that they never had to say good-bye.

“It’s getting pretty late. Sorry for popping in out of nowhere. It was a lot of fun, though. Thanks, Ireena.” With a grin, Lydia stroked Ireena’s silver hair and stood up.

Stay here, Ireena practically screamed, about to explode with emotion. She yanked on Lydia’s hand.

“U-um! W-won’t you…sleep next to me?!”

Lydia stared at her blankly for a moment before flashing her a gentle smile. “I had plans to sneak into Ginny’s room, but…I can’t say no to that face.”

They got into bed together, and Lydia snapped her fingers.

In that moment, the magic lamp went out, and the room fell into darkness.

“Good night, Ireena.”

“Yes… Good night, Lady Lydia…” Cradled in Lydia’s arms, Ireena closed her eyes.

A body larger than her own. Soft limbs. A sweet, feminine scent…

Ireena naturally thought back to her mother.

Back when she was alive, Ireena had never known loneliness. For the little Ireena, her mother was her whole world… As long as they were together, Ireena had thought from the bottom of her heart that she’d be happy for the rest of her life.

But her mother was gone now. This loss was the source of Ireena’s loneliness…

Though meeting Ard had helped her heal, she still wasn’t completely whole. She was certain this lingering despair would follow her until the day she died.

But now, Ireena had a second mother in Lydia. Her heart swelled with an indescribable joy, as if she were with her mother once more.

But this was why she knew she’d experience unfathomable sorrow.

Why? Because even her second mother would someday leave her.

At some point, they had to return to their own time. But she might be able to endure that…if that was all that was to happen.

Ireena opened her eyes slightly, peeking at Lydia’s sleeping face.

This person will die.

She will face a tragic end.

That was what history had decided.

But even if it was to be her fate…

I… I won’t stand for it…!

What could she possibly do?

Ireena continued to anguish over the destiny that would one day come—