Gluttony Demon King with the Swampman ~A Man with No Magic Power Who Dreamed of Magic, Wielding Knowledge from His Past Life Through Steady Research and Hard Work to Become the Most Vicious Final Boss~ - Chapter 42: Cutting Gold

Chapter 42: Cutting Gold

“Get away from her! That’s the dollmaker, a minion of the Demon King running wild in this city!”

A handsome young man. But the type I can’t stand.

Zaria felt it instantly.

This kind of person is common among noble sons or church mages.

Born with magical talent, their self-esteem is sky-high, and since their family or the church always protects them, nothing ever wounds that pride.

They believe without doubt that they themselves are noble, that they are righteous—

They know nothing of how the weak live.

Especially Zaria and Noiche; they had often been approached by such young masters and turned them all down.

Because behind those grand ideals, vulgar ulterior motives were plainly visible.

“…He pisses me off, but I’ll at least hear him out. What was that about the Demon King?”

“I-I said! First get away from her, she’s dangerous!”

“That’s impossible. We literally just became friends.”

When Zaria hooked her arm around Oz’s, the young man flinched.

Oz, surprised but calm, quietly murmured.

“…So I’ve finally been found.”

“You were being chased?”

“Yes. Can’t you hear the wingbeats?”

Zaria and Egiy strained their ears and looked up at Oz’s words.

Birds were flying. White doves.

Those doves were for scouting.

Oz had been fleeing from the eyes of those white doves, but she had finally been caught—that seemed to be the situation.

“A-are those familiars…?”

“The white-dove magic of House Eiyar. Oh, right, I thought she looked familiar… That woman is the young lady of House Eiyar.”

The woman standing beside the young man.

The second daughter of Marquis Eiyar, Sera Eiyar.

From House Levi’s perspective, they were beneath them, but Zaria did remember seeing her at social gatherings.

She felt nothing in particular about it.

But for Sera, running into Zaria in a place like this must have been completely unexpected.

“Z-Zaria-sama… Why are you in a place like this!”

…Well, Sera being here is fine.

But if a marquis’s daughter is present, the problem is the young man beside her.

House Eiyar had become the patron of “Golden Hero” Luek—

Zaria was aware of at least that much news. This young man was probably that very hero.

At hearing the name “Zaria” that Sera called out, the hero’s eyes widened.

“Z-Zaria? Could you be one of the Astronomy Sisters of Duke Levi!?”

“Hey, hero, I don’t remember giving you permission to drop honorifics.”

“T-that was rude of me! But Zaria-san, listen! That woman has caused multiple incidents using magical puppets!”

I already know that, Zaria thought with exasperation.

That’s not new information at all. And your manners suck.

Zaria treats those she respects—Haro, Egiy, whoever—without regard for status.

But toward those she judges unworthy of respect, she is a thoroughbred duke’s daughter.

At Zaria’s attitude, the hero ground his teeth.

“Dollmaker, minion of the Demon King. You did something to Zaria-san!”

“…What did you say?”

“Not just puppets—you manipulate people’s hearts too! In that case—”

And then—

The hero drew his sword.

It was terrifying speed.

Immense magical power swollen to the limit by the hero’s strength—channeled into physical enhancement, his leg strength closed the distance in an instant.

The merciless sword flash that was unleashed—

Zaria and Oz crossed their two blades like an X and barely stopped it.

“…! Even the two of you together can only block this much power…!”

“But that was awesome—we synced perfectly!”

Oz swallowed her breath at the terrifying force of the hero’s strike, while Zaria grinned defiantly.

But the hero’s fierce assault did not stop.

“B-both of you! Fall back!”

At Egiy’s shout, the two reflexively jumped back.

Right after that.

The moment the hero’s sword traced the ground, gold erupted from the earth.

“Golden God Doldrad, grant me the power to slay kings!”

What appeared was real gold.

Jagged, branching golden crystals eroded the ground, becoming blades that slashed everything they touched as they rushed toward Oz.

—The true essence of the “Golden Hero”: alchemy.

Magic that transmutes soil into iron, iron into silver, anything into a different substance.

Yet many alchemists—

Enamored by its glittering beauty, or tracing it to faith in the golden god Doldrad, tend to treat gold as special.

Gold is heavy, hard, sharp, and thick.

If crushed by it, one would surely be torn to pieces—a dazzling tsunami like that loomed before them.

Zaria readied her sword and chanted.

“Morning Star Flash”

Immediately, Zaria’s magic sword blazed crimson—

And with a single flash, it sliced clean through the oncoming gold.

“Wha—!?”

Before the hero’s stunned face, Zaria quietly recalled.

To get straight to the point, the developer of that spell had been Haro.

She remembered a scene from over a week ago—

As usual, she had half-forcibly dragged Haro into the huge bathtub with her.

Pressing her massive, soft breasts firmly against the new octopus tattoo on his back.

All those young masters who lusted after House Levi’s bloodline would always drool enviously over these—she was letting Haro monopolize them.

On top of that, with soap sliding slickly between her chest and his back, it was too much for Haro to handle.

Holding tight around the waist of Haro as he writhed in pleasure and spoiling him thoroughly, Zaria had suddenly asked for advice.

“I wonder if I can really handle a magic sword properly. Egiy and the others worked so hard—if I let it go to waste, what do I do?”

To her rare moment of weakness, Haro had sighed “If you’re going to talk seriously, at least put some clothes on…” but answered anyway.

“If you lack confidence, just support it with magic.”

“How? Sword skill can’t be fixed with magic.”

“Is that so? I think you can attach training wheels.”

…Training wheels?

Zaria tilted her head.

Then she squeezed even tighter, sliding with extra pressure, and Haro groaned “Ugh” but continued.

“T-that spell you use to expose enemy weak points… just use those guide lines.”

“…Specifically?”

“When you swing the sword, make the blade trace exactly along those guide lines. Set it up so the lines and the sword tip pull toward each other… like magnets.”

And then Haro added,

“I’ve been thinking this for a while…”

“What?”

“Why do you only use that spell on monsters?”

…Huh?

As Zaria’s thoughts froze, Haro advised her.

“Target the entire space instead of just monsters. Monsters in the area, weapons, the ground, obstacles—if the sword can cut all of it, that would be handy, right?”

—Morning Star Flash. That was the name he gave it.

Expanding the spell’s range to cover the whole area, and engraving the magic sword itself densely with formulas tailored to the spell.

The magic power cloaking the sword is thin and sharp, likened to a single ray of sunlight piercing the clouds.

Furthermore, the guide lines and sword tip are infused with differently altered magic power; the tiny explosions generated when they collide accelerate the sword flash and amplify its destructive force.

The oncoming mass of gold.

Zaria’s sword flash carved along the countless guide lines that appeared on its surface.

“M-my gold… cut apart with just one slash…!?”

“No way, even I’m shocked at how strong this turned out.”

I gotta reward him real nice when I get home, Zaria thought, picturing the developer’s face.

Lately Noiche had been stealing most of the spoiling-and-cuddling duties, so she was feeling a little pent-up.