Chapter 54 (1/2)

『Azerlaims Castle: Inside』

「Hohoitto! 」

『GUFUAAAAaaaaa！！』『GYAGYAN！！』

「……Kazuha-sama？　What is with your … power ……？」

We then  hurried to a safe place while I protect Erina.

（……Well, it seems like the King and Queen is already safe so……。Or rather, no matter how many times I reincarnate, the King and Queen only think about their lives …… So Erina always get to face this……）

『GEEEEEEEeeeee！！！！！』

I look for the shortest route to flee the castle while holding Erina’s hand。

「……Ah, I know。I think there’s a 《large temple》inside the big stairway？」

『GUOOOOOoooo！！！！』

「Y-yes……。The back entrance is already open so, if we go straight to the garden then we can proceed to the《Large Temple》……」

And the demons shouldn’t have probably invaded that place yet.

If I remember correctly, there might have been a great wise man, from the past, that erected a barrier so that demons can’t invade that place……。

「……However the《Large Temple》has been sealed long ago……」

It’s because this country’s idiot king doesn’t have of piety making it a certainty that he sealed the 《Large Temple》preventing the entrance of people……。

He really is bulls.h.i.+t……。

「Well, happens what will happen！　If worst comes to worst then I’ll just destroy that barrier for good！」

「……This prideful att.i.tude・・・・・……。For some reason……？

It’s a really ……really nostalgic feeling ……」

「Hmm？　Did you say something, Erina？」

「……Nothing……」

I didn’t hear it very well but……。

In the meantime I’ll leave Erina in a safe place。

I need to hurry up and regroup with Tao and the others to defeat the 『Boss』Of this『Invasion』plan……。

「……Eh？　The 《Large Temple》is……open？」

What we saw after descending the giant stairway and going through the garden was。

A temple with its doors wide open 。

「……That is…………the hero？」

「……Eh？」

I do indeed see a person’s shadow inside the temple。

Wait, the 『hero』？

So this means……。

（Rei-san’s nii-san？　……Why isn’t the 『hero-sama』in the front lines, and is cowering in this place……）

……Whatever。

Well, the hero is here so things will go smoothly。

I’ll entrust Erina to him, and let them hide and behave in the《Large Temple》。

――Thinking that to my heart。

I will, to this hero, totally betray him――。

『Large Temple：Entrance』

「？　……Oh, Erina。I was thinking about where you went……」

「Hero-sama……？　Why is the seal of the 《Large Temple》――――Kyaaa！！」

………Hey。

The heck……is this……。

「Ku……O-o-ni……sama……。Why………」

A b.l.o.o.d.y Rei-san fell over。

「……*Geho/ cough*！　……*Geho geho/cough*……！　Oh……Kazuha huh……？　My bad ……。About suddenly getting stabbed……」

Alzein too fell over bloodied。

And――。

「Tao！　Ruru！　Selen too……！　This is a lie ……」

My party members should be fighting at the front lines of the castle。

But they’re here bloodily thrown away  in the 《Large Temple》……？

「……That is ……HEY！　GRAHAM！　LILY！！」

「……Oya oya。That little lady seems to have a lot of people she knows……」

The man, called『hero』,in front of me wipes off the blood in his sword 。

「……This is……The hero-sama …… did what……？」

Erina quivers in fear。

「Hey！　Rei-san！　Are they okay！」

I call out to Rei-san, on the verge of death 。

The others didn’t even flinch。

Don’t tell me――。

「HAHAHA……。You……。       To ask a question to a dying lady about other people is very rude, you need to die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die………！！」

「You ……」

He’s going all out……。

What……the h.e.l.l happened……。

「I’ts okay……Kazuha-sama……！　Everyone just lost consciousness, I think……！　And……onii-sama is……」

Rei-san replies to my question with a very bitter look。

「……Ku……Kazuha……。That person is ……no longer the hero……。In the underground pa.s.sage・・・・・・・・・escaped from the coffin・・・・・・・・――」

「！！HEY, are you okay SELEN！　SELEN！！」

「Hou……？　So you still have strength to talk ……。Fufu……。As expected of an『Ex-Maou-sama』……。Ahaha……！　AHAHAHAHAHA ……！！　GYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA！！！」

This guy is dangerous……！

He’s seriously corrupted……！

「Kazuha……。I’m really ……sorry……。Ku……！」

「Ruru！　……You……to hurt even this kid……」

I strongly turn my hand into a fist。

「……That person……That hero is・・・・・……！　The《King of Spirits》’s ghost……took over him……！」

Ruru tells me the 『truth』with a painful expression。

King of Spirit’s 、ghost……？

Escaped from the coffin……？

Then that 『seal』is for……。

A 『seal』in order to not let the king of spirits out in the world……？

……If that’s the case、this resolute a lot of question。

A place with a very heavy『seal』。

An under pa.s.sage infested with atrocious『demons』。

And probably the 『Maou』that sealed the 『King of Spirits』at that time, erected the place with a very strong barrier and left atrocious demons as guards ――。

Then――。

（……And the cause of that chills was this……！）

The chills felt when the 『coffin』was opened。

And may also be the reason why Ruru lost consciousness……。

「……Fun。You really can speak fluently……！　You『Spirit Clan』traitor！　Pe！」

「……！」