Kamii Side

"What would you like to eat, Kamii-chan?" Pelomyx asks me and uses the same word at the end of my name as Onee-sama does when talking to me. It seems that it's something specific to their family, as I haven't heard any other demons use it among each other. But I like the ring of it, it makes me feel more familiar with her.

"I don't know..." I don't want to be difficult, but I have no idea about food on the Demon Continent. The feast at Chandra's fortress was very similar to the things in the human kingdom - only cruder - but I don't know the names of any dishes and I not only can I not read the demon language, but I can't read overall.

"Then shall we get one of everything and try it out?" With a wink, Onee-sama's mother puts down the menu and waves over a waiter. The tall and voluminous demon has dark green skin, large tusks like a boar and his reddish brown hair is in a Mohawk cut. But he has a friendly demeanor in stark contrast with his fierce appearance.

"Yes, what shall it be, young lady?" He stands by our table and readies a coal pen to write on a paper note pad.

"Ohhh, such flattery." Pelomyx puts a hand on her cheek and smiles bashfully. "We would like to take one of every dish." She adds with a nonchalant expression and the demon prepares to write it down, before he blinks perplexedly, looking at her again with a questioning look.

"Umm, every dish?" He asks again attentively, making sure not to miss her reply.

"Every dish." With a confident smile, Onee-sama's mother confirms.

"I-is that not a little much for two?" As far as I can tell from the number of dishes on the menu, it's not just a little too much, but I know that Pelomyx has the same constitution as Onee-sama, and is able to take massive amounts of things into her body without ever showing it on the outside.

"Do not worry about us and just do it." Her smile turns cold at the insistence of the green-skinned demon, and a visible shiver runs down his spine at the sight. If only he knew who she is, he would most likely break down in fear and plead for his life.

"A-as you wish!" He stutters and leaves, to deliver the order to the kitchen.

We're in a city called Kagomor, not far from the capital, making a stop to have lunch and take in the sights. I'm travelling with Pelomyx alone, after she defeated Chandra and won my freedom. The others are still at the Ajura fortress, and I feel bad for leaving them with no hope for victory, since I'm the only one who seemed to be able to hurt that six-armed muscle woman after all. But really, as expected of Onee-sama's mother, her power is overwhelming, and she beat Chandra without sustaining any injuries.

At this rate, we'll be reaching the capital tomorrow, or so Pelomyx told me. Since she's flying and carrying me in her arms, we're traveling really fast. Apparently the same distance would normally take almost half a moon when going on foot, but she easily cut down that time to just three days.

"Here are some of the starters you ordered." The waiter comes by with a tray full of plates featuring various kinds of dishes, such as bread with different dips, slices of ham, baked vegetables and more. I'm quite hungry, and my fast digestion allows me to eat more than my looks suggest, but if these are just the starters - and not even all of them - I doubt I'll be able to keep up for the main dishes.

"Let us eat, Kamii-chan." Pelomyx smiles at me gently and I feel an invisible pressure, as if compelling me to please her by digging in. Well, I'm still growing, so it should be alright...

Thorvadis Side

Dregana has disappeared with Hestia. If she had succeeded in persuading her to return to the Fatas Triarchy, she would have reported it back to me. However, the fact that she did not means that something happened to her. With both Ninlil and Dregana missing, the success of our plan against the demon queen requires a reevaluation. It is time to call for another meeting of the alliance.

"Miss Flann, please contact your father and ask him to gather the members." I turn to the blonde girl, a trustworthy collaborator sent by Mithra as proof for his unwavering intent to overthrow the demon queen despite being a demon himself. She nods immediately, closes her eyes and vanishes by seemingly sucking herself into a miniscule hole in the center of her chest.

No matter how often I see her unique version of space magic, I realize that despite sometimes similar appearances, demons are still a very foreign existence to humans. While I prefer not to generalize and know several examples of demons who can be trusted, there are some with whom we can never hope to coexist due to the differences in our very natures. Through Miss Marcott's actions I have been shown once more that Crawling Chaoses are beings of the latter category.

"Do you think we can succeed without Mistress Ninlil and Lady Tarragon?" Arcelia asks with her eyebrows curled into a frown. The Saint of Luminosity keeps her eyes closed due to the power contained within them, giving her a mysterious appearance. Her question is certainly warranted, after our last battle against Miss Marcott has revealed how inadequate mages alone are. Only with Ninlil and Dregana's intervention was I able to finish the incantation in time; if they had not occupied her for long enough, I would not be able to sit here and speak to Arcelia.

"We have to assume that they are both no longer among the living, no matter how it pains me to think that way." I stroke my beard and consider the intricacies of this plan, gauging its feasibility against the new insights we have gained into the combat prowess of a Crawling Chaos driven into a corner. We will have to work under the assumption that the demon queen is considerably stronger, meaning that this will be a most daunting task.

"My father requests for you to move to the king's audience hall." Flann reappears at the exact same spot as where she previously disappeared from, her green eyes fixing onto mine with an unmistakable hint regarding the company I will have to expect. She is such a good child, giving me a warning without alerting others of that fact, allowing me to sort my thoughts properly instead of entering potentially unfavorable situations blindly.

"Then, shall we go?" I stand up from my seat and gesture into the room. Everybody present follows my example and we leave my only recently repaired office, for a meeting that may very well decide the fate of the alliance and all of humankind.

Runa Side

My instructor of the Magic Combat Training course is leading me through the hallways of the royal palace. I was called out from my morning classes and told that it was an important meeting that I had to attend, although I was not aware that I was involved in anything of such importance.

But maybe, just maybe, it is regarding the whereabouts of Rolan and the others. Reports indicate that they went into the Lost Tombs together seven weeks ago, and never returned. According to the principal, on the same day, Chloe and Hestia returned to the capital and also entered the dungeon, most likely in search of Kamii. What happened afterwards is anyone's guess, but apparently it was enough to enrage Chloe to the point where she attacked the academy on her own. I woke up that night to the sound of a monumental battle and witnessed magic far beyond my comprehension.

I am still worried for them, but there is nothing I can do about it. Knowing Sigurd and Gram, they will protect my beloved Rolan. Surely, I will see him - them - again. I do not want to think about the possibility that they are dead...

"Thank you for joining us on such short notice, Miss Sigint." Thorvadis is the first to greet me when two guards open the double-winged door to reveal that it is the audience hall of the king. Within, a long table has been placed, around which many people are standing, waiting for the meeting to commence before sitting down.

When I see those already present, a shiver of awe runs over my whole body. Among them is Lady Crux, who is already an exalted existence in my eyes, but there are three other people I can instinctively feel are of a completely different caliber: A silver-haired man who is clearly not the king is sitting on the throne atop the elevated platform, gazing at the gathered with a naturally condescending expression; another one is the black-haired woman standing right beside him, wearing heavy robes and holding a gnarled staff with a large sickle moon on its tip. The last one is an elderly man standing next to Thorvadis, featuring long and wavy white hair and a beard even more magnificent than the principal's.

"Now that everyone is present, we shall begin the strategic assembly to determine our continued actions in regards to the Demon Queen Pelomyx Elimination Plan." Turning around to the other gathered people, Thorvadis announces. Everyone begins to take their seats, but I stand there, dumbfounded.

I blink my eyes.

Did I hear him right? This is a strategic meeting of the most powerful people of humankind, and they are going to discuss how to bring down the demon... queen? I always thought it was a male, since people referred to that position as the demon lord. Leaving that aside, it seems I have been invited into an outrageous situation with incredible people! Of course, the debate that follows goes way over my head; they are talking about how to confront the Cradle of Chaos - the demon queen's title given by the Empire of Terminus - under different conditions, how to defeat her elite forces and the clan leaders aligned with her, and the contingencies depending on the circumstances at the time.

"The absence of the dragonkin and the demon traitor is of no significance. Their role will be filled from our end." The woman with sickle-moon staff states in a sleepy tone, her droopy eyes and slight pout suggesting that she is not fully invested in the talks.

"What about the hero?" A man wearing the uniform of the Imperial Army of Terminus asks while looking to the principal.

"Do not worry, I have sent my son to retrieve him and his companions. He will be available when we strike." The wise-looking old man sitting beside Thorvadis responds with youthful eyes and a reassuring smile. "So this is Runa Sigint? You spoke of her in tones of the highest praise, my boy." He is addressing the principal, but calling him a boy? Who is this person?

"Yes, she possesses immense magic potential in ways never seen before. Her melded spells surpass the understanding of the other masters." Singing high praise for my magic, the principal responds with confidence. In that regard, he is more confident about my skills than I am; while my instructor for Advanced Melding did tell me that the way I activate my melded magic is sometimes beyond comprehension, their effects can be achieved through other, more orthodox means. I am not that unique, or so I thought before, but apparently Thorvadis is putting his hopes in me here.

"Oho, interesting. I would love to see that for myself." The old man strokes his beard and says with a warm smile.

"If I am allowed to voice such an audacious request, Lord Creator, could you see it in you to take her as your direct apprentice?" Lowering himself in both speech and demeanor, the principal asks of this old man with utmost respect. Really, who is he?

"Please leave this for after the assembly." The man sitting on the throne speaks with a firm voice, which resounds through the audience hall and seems to vibrate into my very bones. The tone is neutral, but I can tell that he is feeling impatient. My instincts also tell me that this impatience should not be deepened, as it may have grave consequences.

"I apologize, Your Eminence." Thorvadis bows before the man, but he ignores it and shifts his violet gaze to Arcelia.

"Will you be able to take decisive actions, when the time comes?" He asks her in an almost disdainful tone. Judging by the fact that he is sitting on the throne as if it is the most natural thing, and that he is talking to one of the only three saints of humankind in such a disrespectful manner implies that he is of a much higher standing than even the king of Lares. Is he Emperor Lucianus V?

"... I will, Your Eminence." The Saint of Luminosity responds with an almost demure-appearing nod. Even she is showing him the greatest respect, so he must be the Emperor of Terminus. I cannot imagine anyone else who would be able to demand, and then also receive such respect among those gathered here today.

"Then, shall we move onto the main issue?" The sleepy-looking woman asks everybody around. "When shall be the day we strike?"

Asoko Side

I think I've been living too much of a lifestyle of debauchery ever since coming to the demon castle. Is this what they mean by "to be corrupted by power"? Using my position as the child of the demon queen, I gorged myself on the monster maids every day, even those that showed apprehension even at my handsome self. Wait, that makes it sound like I forced myself on them or something! I didn't, really! They liked it after a while...

In the meantime, Ninlil's condition hasn't really changed. She's being kept alive with an intravenous drip - apparently an invention by maou-mama, a technology that didn't exist in this world before - but she hasn't moved a muscle since we arrived almost three weeks ago. Oh wait, my other half told me that weeks here are five days long. So more like around four weeks, then. Whatever the case, I won't let up and make her regain her smile, so that I can corrupt it once more!

Ah, I've really become a demon...

Who should I eat today? A demon maid a day keeps the boredom away, after all. Maybe I'll go and have fun with Xaggavea again; she still has the best reactions when I tease her. And who knew, an arachne's anatomy is as intuitive as expected; essentially, a full human is attached at the waist to the spider's thorax in place of where its head would be. I didn't notice at first, because her human legs lack feet, are colored black and plated with chitin, so I thought they were pedipalps. In other words, that full human body has pretty much the exact same anatomy as any other human would, including the important bits.

Hm, why is everyone being so busy? The maids usually finish cleaning before noon and only patrol the castle afterwards, but now I see a lot of them hurrying towards the same destination. I grab one of the maids, identifying her as Szaga, when I do. It's the gargoyle girl with a brisk temper, a rank-defying attitude and a refreshing personality.

"Whaddaya want?" She brushes me off in a casually abrasive tone, despite knowing that I'm the demon queen's daughter. Well, it suits her and I wouldn't want it any other way, especially with that cute backwoods accent.

"Did something happen?" I ask her, and she looks at me with a frown.

"You dinn't hear? Demon queen's back." With these words, she runs off towards the audience hall, not waiting for my reaction.

Maou-mama is back from her tour through her domain? Uh, why do I have a bad feeling about this? Well, there's nothing to it, I'll have to go and greet her, since she'll learn about the fact that I'm here from Rewera soon enough. Now, for some reason I feel a hint of regret at having done all these things with the maids. I mean, why else would maou-mama choose them for their looks, if not because they're part of her harem? And I treaded on that harem quite a bit...

I feel like I'm going to have a stomach ache from the pressure I put on myself with these thoughts. But I can't run from this, I need to meet maou-mama and tell her about what happened, including the fact that I'm another Chaos.

"Onee-sama!" A girl's voice exclaims when I enter the audience hall, and I look at its owner. A girl with dark purple skin, night-blue hair and a huge red crab claw for her right arm. She rushes at me and before I can react, she tackles me and cuddles into my chest. Wait, this must be the little dark elf called Kamii, as per my other half's description of her.

"Umm, Kamii?" I'd rather not make it a misunderstanding, so I'll ascertain myself of the fact that she is indeed the right person. Furthermore, I'll have to explain to her that I'm not her actual Onee-sama, although I feel like that's going to be complicated...

"... Onee-sama?" She looks at me questioningly, her seemingly glowing violet eyes drawing me into their depths. I could lose myself in them for... wait no, this isn't the time to be charmed by her cuteness!

"Oh, Chaos-chan, you returned?" Maou-mama's familiar voice resounds through the hall and I look towards the throne. There she is, the horned, purple-haired woman with gray skin, black sclera and voluptuous breasts, wearing a tight leather suit rather than a dress like the first time I saw her. Rewera is standing beside her, the only maid to do so, while all others are at attention on the two sides of the hall.

"Umm, about that..." I pet Kamii's hair inadvertently and scratch my cheek. How best to start?