Another century passed, and the era entered a new phase.
The young disciple of the two [Hero]es famed as guardians of the West began appearing in the world in earnest and came to be known by the epithet "Ruler of Blazing Flames," while a new puppet [Demon Lord], succeeding the cursed [Demon Lord], claimed the final remaining seat among the [Ten Great Demon Lords].
At the same time, in the Jura Great Forest where [Storm Dragon] was sealed, rumors were born that an [Ogre] known as the [Sword Demon] and an "ash-haired swordsman" were training a "young prince" who would one day become the next emperor of the armed nation of Dwargo.
Most gossips spoke only of the birth of a new hero and a new [Demon Lord], but a few whose attention turned toward the Jura Great Forest gave that ash-haired swordsman an epithet of his own, out of reverence.
Following [Sword Lord], once the title of a swordsman among the [Seven Angels of Origin] in ages past, [Sword of Spirit], inherited by the emperors of the Dwargo imperial line, and [Sword King], the epithet of the [Demon Lord] who appeared a century ago, a new sovereign of the sword was born—
[Sword Emperor].
**
"Hmm~? What brings the busiest man around these days, the great [Sword Emperor], all the way to Sarion~?"
The Sorcerous Dynasty Sarion.
The one and only sanctuary at the summit of the World Tree, reserved solely for the [Heavenly Emperor].
Rarely enough, both the current [Heavenly Emperor], Ermesia, and her mother Sylvia were there together.
Normally, one of them stayed here while the other enjoyed freedom outside Sarion, but today the situation was rather different.
Because of Ermesia's position—and mine.
"Ah~ Or would you prefer [Grand Duke of the Underworld] over [Sword Emperor]?"
I had told Sylvia from the first time we met that I served Guy, but I had never told Ermesia my exact identity, and hiding the fact that the one I had used the [Homunculus] on was Ria had come back to bite me.
From her perspective, already plagued by headaches because of Guy's demonic forces, it was only natural that she would feel betrayed.
A [Hero] had appeared whose name carried weight equal to Chronoa's after hundreds of years, and that person turned out to be a demon who had been meeting her regularly and spending time with her like a friend, not to mention a major figure known as the right hand of a [Demon Lord]...
...Even if, to a long-lived race, it had been less than ten years at most, that did not change the fact that I had deceived her for a long time.
If even a long-lived race felt it as ten years, then for humans it would be an unimaginably long span.
"I had already guessed you belonged to the [Primordial Demons], but to think you were an aide to that [Lord of Darkness]... You really managed not to tell me something this important?"
Ermesia covered her mouth with a purple fan shaped like a peacock's tail and murmured in a sorrowful voice.
If someone who did not know her had seen this, they might have panicked and thought she was truly on the verge of tears, but after being fooled a few times by Sylvia already, all I could see was that she was teasing me.
"...This isn't going to be settled easily..."
Unable to think of any way to placate Ermesia, I glanced at Sylvia, who was quietly watching from the side, asking with my eyes if she could help me just a little, but—
"Hehehe, my daughter must be very upset~"
...she showed no sign of wanting to help.
Smiling as if to say she was only here to watch, so I should deal with it myself, Sylvia merely gave a light wave of her hand.
"..."
Swallowing a sigh as I looked at her, I turned back to Ermesia.
At this point, there was only one option left to me.
I had no choice but to ask her directly.
"...Is there something you want from me?"
Even though this body could not sweat, I somehow felt as if a cold sweat were running down me as I asked Ermesia the question and quietly waited for her answer.
"...Hmm~?"
Still pretending to be sad behind her fan, Ermesia seemed intrigued by my question, then slowly folded the fan shut.
A small smile curved her lips.
"Now this feels like we're finally getting somewhere."
Then Ermesia half-opened her eyes, clapped her hands, and said she just so happened to have the perfect [Contract] in mind—something she had been considering for quite a while.
"As it happens, there's a way for me to avoid hearing those old fossils... no, those elders nagging at me, and for you to enjoy even greater prestige in the West~"
"..."
...Why was it that the smile of that supposedly noble [High Elf] looked far more wicked than a demon's?
...No, more than wicked, a warning that something dangerous was coming flashed through my mind like lightning.
I had never even used a [Skill] like [Danger Detection], yet goosebumps suddenly ran over my entire body.
"...What kind of [Contract]?"
I muttered uneasily, and Ermesia shrugged as if to reassure me.
Rising from her seat with a smile, she came around to the place beside me and leaned in until her face was right in front of mine.
"Don't worry. It's not difficult at all, and it's a ve~ry simple matter we could finish right this moment."
A cool mint fragrance drifted from her as she drew close, and her hair, carrying the freshness of lush green woods, spilled over my shoulder.
Treating Sylvia, who was watching from nearby, as though she did not exist at all, Ermesia fixed her emerald-bright eyes on me alone, then slowly parted her glossy crimson lips.
"Would you... like to get engaged to me?"
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