The Story of an Arrogant Succubus Princess Who Always Looked Down on Humans as Mere Food, Until She Fell in Love With an Ordinary Man - Chapter 43

The first to notice something strange was a boy who loved stargazing.

“On the other side of the mountain, it looks like stars are falling. They shine brightly even at night.”

In the remote mountains, a faint light was shining, barely noticeable even at midnight. It was a small anomaly that one might miss in everyday life. The boy conveyed this small discovery to his mother as if he had found a treasure.

However, his mother turned pale the moment she heard this. Was there a special monster, or were the demons up to something? Thinking this, the boy’s mother reported to the knight order, and a few days later, an investigation team was dispatched.

What they saw was a white-haired girl seated in the sky. She was so beautiful that she seemed unreal, and above all, she was a cold woman.

──That is beyond what we can handle.

Even those in the order with little combat experience had to acknowledge that this was something abnormal. The strength of her soul was different; she was a being from another realm.

“……”

The girl merely gazed into the distance. Before her gaze turned towards them, the members of the order fled the scene. In an instant, her presence reached Gran, who was busy with tasks at the knight order headquarters.

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“Damn it! Is this how it ends up?!!”

Gran slammed his hands on the desk in his office in frustration. The dry sound echoed, and his hands throbbed with pain. However, this only intensified his irritation.

“……What happened to Asbel? Could it be that guy……?”

The report raised did not mention Asbel. Given the situation, it was certain that the white-haired girl was Liliana. However, it was unnatural that there was no report from Asbel.

“It’s because I told him to……kill her……!”

Gran, unaware of the reason behind Liliana’s awakening, convinced himself that it was because he had pushed Asbel into a corner that this had happened.

Asbel, as he had been told, tried to kill Liliana. As a result, Liliana’s divine power awakened. Rationally, one could only think that Asbel must have died──.

“Damn it!”

He struck the desk again. He wanted to abandon his work and head to the scene. In fact, some, including Eris, disregarded the orders to wait and headed to the site. After the troublesome Asbel had disappeared, his subordinates started to mimic his behavior.

If he, the commander, acted thoughtlessly here, it could lead to significant losses later. Especially in an emergency like this, even more so.

“……Calm down. I made a mistake. I was wrong. But it’s not over yet.”

Gran took a deep breath and shifted his thinking. He had received a request to meet with the noble Rai to discuss future plans. There was also information that Lord Gilbart was having secret talks with the demons.

Gran hurriedly finished getting ready and headed to Rai’s residence. However, there was an unexpected guest there.

“Well, well, it’s been a while……not that much time has passed, has it? Commander Gran.”

“You are……”

In the room Gran entered, there was the figure of Keydrec, a prominent lizardman from the demon country.

“Why is the representative of Keydrec here?”

Gran looked at Rai, who was sitting across from Keydrec.

“……It seems that the representative of Keydrec has ears that hear quickly. He came all the way to my residence out of concern for that matter.”

“I happened to hear a rumor. There are many people in this country I have a good relationship with, so I thought I could be of some help.”

Keydrec laughed in a gentle voice. Gran, unable to read the expressions of the lizardmen, forced a smile to match and stood behind Rai.

“So, Lord Rai, now that she has awakened, it is safe to assume that the assassination has failed, right?”

“I’m sorry, but the details are still under investigation……We don’t know anything for certain at this point.”

Rai laughed. Keydrec also smiled.

“The response to divine power is an issue that transcends races. We from the Cordia Federation are also trying to send reinforcements, and there are those speaking with your king about this.”

“……Unfortunately, that is not something I am aware of. I cannot imagine the thoughts of His Majesty the King, someone at my level.”

“I have received complaints from Lord Gilbart that this matter is a disaster brought by the demons to our country.……Well, it seems he understands that it is not wise to quarrel with the demons in the current situation, so he can’t say too much.”

With such a significant bomb within, if the demons were to attack, the country would undoubtedly suffer a severe blow. Thus, Rai could not refuse Keydrec’s sudden visit and found himself making time for him during such a busy period.

“……It seems that the representative of Keydrec is well-versed in divine power. Does your country have any countermeasures for it?”

A thought crossed Gran’s mind, and he asked Keydrec.

“No, we have nothing of the sort. If we could suppress divine power, that power would be equivalent to that of a god. If we had such power, we would have already sent reinforcements to your country. After all, your country is an important ally.”

“……Indeed, you are right. I apologize for the rude question.”

“No, no……I don’t think that way of thinking is wrong.”

The demon country……at least this Keydrec in front of him seemed to know that Liliana was connected to the gods. The fact that he had left her alone knowing this suggests that he must have had some kind of countermeasure prepared.

However, Keydrec indirectly indicated that he had no intention of using it for the sake of humans at this time.

Keydrec looked at both Rai and Gran and said.

“……Honestly, she has been a challenge for our country as well. There were, of course, opinions to eliminate her quickly, but more voices advocated effectively utilizing her power.……But she has that kind of personality, doesn’t she?”

“Representative Keydrec, that statement seems to imply that you acknowledge your country’s shortcomings.……You might want to be cautious with your words.”

“Oh, I apologize for that.”

Keydrec chuckled, seeming to find it amusing. Perhaps that was a sign of confidence? Rai, sitting in front of him, contemplated. Divine power is dangerous. If she, who is currently silent, takes action with a certain objective, it would not be surprising if not only the human country but also this entire continent were to perish.

In fact, in the past, one continent had vanished before divine power.

“Divine power has a directional nature. They all inevitably attempt to redo the failed rituals of the gods. As a result, there may be destructive actions, but they have no intent to harm any individual.……To them, humans and demons are as insignificant as mere insects……lowly beings.”

“Representative Keydrec, do you understand what she intends to achieve?”

“Of course not. There is no way for someone like me to comprehend the thoughts of the gods.”

Keydrec covered his large mouth with his hand and laughed.

“That is why I have come here to talk with humans who can understand each other.……Lord Rai, I would like to welcome you as the representative of humanity to our country. If you can agree, I will teach you countermeasures against her.”

While saying this, Keydrec’s mouth twisted into a grin, genuinely full of joy.