The day after leaving [Ruberios].
After hearing advice from Luminous that probably would not be of much real use, Adelio flew to the territory ruled by [Viole], located between [Ruberios] and the holy void, [Damargania].
Over the past two hundred years, whenever he visited [Ruberios], it had almost become a habit for him to stop by [Viole]'s domain as well.
[Viole]'s territory, near the sandstorm region still scarred by the battle Guy Crimson and Milim Nava had fought in the past, was such a brutal environment that it made even Ria's and [Jonne]'s domains seem peaceful by comparison.
Any monsters below the level of higher-ranked monsters would die screaming from a single sweep of the sandstorm outside, and the ground, choked with sand and stone, was so barren that not even a blade of grass could grow.
'If the races living here weren't demons and giants, this place would have turned into dead land long ago.'
It was a sight that made it immediately clear why Dagruel, king of [Damargania], coveted the fertile land where [Ruberios] had been built.
Unlike demons, who were complete spiritual life-forms, giants possessed physical bodies and could never fully escape the torment of these sandstorms.
'...I need to find a solution for these sandstorms soon, too.'
Thinking once again what a vicious place this was, Adelio moved through the storm until he found [Viole]'s [Underworld Gate], then stepped straight into the hell visible beyond it.
**
After passing through hell and arriving directly at [Viole]'s castle, Adelio was guided by a violet-aligned [Arch Demon] toward the balcony where [Viole] usually stayed when she was resting.
Adelio had become all too familiar with coming to this castle, since he had long been the one tasked with stopping [Viole] whenever she tried to play pranks on Dagruel and Luminous, or scattered seeds through the small nations of the [Western Nations] in search of humans to use as bodies.
And just as Adelio had grown used to coming here, [Viole]'s subordinates had also grown used to his frequent visits. So whenever he came, they quietly led him to wherever [Viole] was without a word.
"Lady Viole."
After confirming that the violet-aligned [Arch Demon] who had guided him bowed and silently withdrew, Adelio stepped onto the balcony.
At the center of the softly lit balcony, much like the one in Ria's castle, he found [Viole] watching a blue-glowing orb. He slowly approached her.
"Adelio~!"
[Viole], having noticed his arrival from the moment he passed through hell, did not look particularly surprised to see him.
"Did you come to play with me again today~?"
Smiling with the innocent cheerfulness of a child, [Viole] gestured for Adelio to sit in the seat across from her.
And as if this were all perfectly familiar, Adelio sat down and pointed at the orb in her hand.
"...It looked like you've been sending [Arch Demons] into the [Western Nations] again lately, so I came to see you. That orb is a tool for watching the humans in the [Western Nations], isn't it?"
Whenever Adelio traveled through the [Western Nations] with Hinata, who still remained inside Chronoa's body, he would often run into violet-aligned [Arch Demons] pulling tricks in obscure little countries.
Even now, two hundred years after Ria had been freed.
"A hundred years ago, didn't you clearly tell me this? That if I prepared a body for you, you would stop interfering with humans altogether."
"I did say that~ But you still haven't given me a body yet, have you?"
"......The preparations are already complete."
A body capable of containing both [Viole] and [Jonne].
By analyzing his own body, [the body of a sage], and Ria's body, the Homunculus, through [Odin], Adelio had already succeeded in designing a new Homunculus, even if it would be a one-time creation.
He had run into considerable difficulty because of High Elf magitech, but with the help of Guy's [Ultimate Skill], [Lucifer], he had ultimately managed to make it work.
"—But you still haven't recalled the [Arch Demons] you scattered across the [Western Nations]. You've just left them there, haven't you? If you don't bring those demons back to hell first, I can't give you the body."
A hundred years ago, after hearing [Jonne]'s warning, Adelio had made [Viole] an offer to stop her interference. The condition was simple: [Viole] had to cease all involvement with the middle world.
Even if they formed a [Contract], [Viole] was still one of the [Primordial Demons], and there was a high chance she would change her mind the moment she obtained a body. He had wanted her to let go first.
Back then, [Viole] had seemed to understand exactly what Adelio was thinking when she heard the proposal, and yet she had accepted it anyway.
But for whatever reason, she had not kept her end of the bargain... and that was how they had ended up in this situation.
'......What in the world does she even want...?'
Adelio's expression tightened slightly, as if the problem standing before him had become a headache all over again—
"Hehe~"
—but even that only seemed to amuse [Viole], and she merely smiled.
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