C38: He Who Commands Calamities

“Dear!”

From the shoulder of Veil’s dragon form jumps off what seems to be a human figure.
It’s Platy.

“Thank goodness you’re all right!”

She said as she rushed over to hug me.

“I’m so sorry! These demons came after you because of me, isn’t it? I’m really sorry!!!”
The unusually meek Platy feels grave responsibility just from this?

“It’s okay. I didn’t even need to go out because Orkubo and the others did something about it. Even Prince Arowana is here.”
“Huh? My brother?”

At this moment did Platy only realize her brother standing still beside her this whole time.

“Now, for what reason did you have to come here? I bet it’s nothing important.”
“How mean!”

He’s right.

Meanwhile, Veil’s roar must have worked a little too well because Astres and her two aides have fainted with bubble foaming at their mouths.

Even the ship and crew Astres brought with her got scared of Veil and turned back.
It’s unbelievable how they left their commanding officer just like that…

“What do we do with them?”
“How about killing then burying them?”
“We can’t do that!”

Veil’s upfront opinion was too much for me to follow.

---

“They’re mutants, aren’t they?” asks Sensei as he gives Orkubo and the others a glance.

It is said that monsters very rarely undergo a sudden change that makes their species different. Such monsters are called mutants and, in most cases, are way stronger than their original counterparts.

“The orc is a Warrior Orc mutant while the goblin is a Spartan Goblin mutant. I hear they’re extraordinarily strong; even one is enough to change the courses of war.”
“W-What?!”

I didn’t know they were that amazing.
Is this also because of the Hand of Supremacy that they underwent mega evolution just from me touching them?
Right now, I asked those very same monsters to clean up the remains of the skeletons they defeated.
I wonder if it will make good fertilizer when scattered on soil?

Things have finally calmed down. All that’s left is settling certain matters.

“What should we really do with them?”

I was referring to Astres and her two aides.

“Like I said, kill and bury them with those bone freaks!”
“Not gonna happen!”

Veil may be adamant about her opinion, but I can never be that cold-hearted.
A monster with neither soul nor will is still okay, but killing someone well-versed and dressed just like a human makes me feel guilty.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re in the middle of a battle or not; the result has long been decided.

“You’re so naïve, Master.”
“I won’t take away their lives, but let me at least take some responsibility.”

Currently, Astres doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of life.
When she did, she woke up sandwiched between The World’s Two Greatest Calamities’ presences; a Lifeless King and a dragon.

“H-hiiiiiiieeee!!!”

Her whole body won’t stop trembling.
Being one of the Demon King’s Heavenly Four, you’d think she’s a distinguished influential person among her race. Yet, she’s scared of Sensei and Veil.

“Even if she’s considered strong, it’s only a fact limited to the demon race.”
“No matter how outstanding these slugs are, they will never be on the same level as a dragon! Master is different, however!”

So that’s how it is.
Things don’t seem to progress at all, so I decide to directly negotiate with her.

“If you promise you won’t act hostile towards us anymore, I don’t mind letting you go home. How about it, Miss Astres?”
“H-h-h-h-h-how insulting! I am one of the Demon King’s Heavenly Four, Astres the W-W-Wild!!!”

Threatening me while stammering like that won’t change anything.

“Damn it! Get yourself together, Astres! Such a humiliating act only brings embarrassment to the Demon King!”

She composes herself.

“Fair enough. I have a suggestion to make!”
“Pardon?”
“You’re the person they call the saint, are you not? Have a one-on-one fight with me! I’ll do anything you say if you win, even the condition you proposed earlier!”
“Eh…”

“You really want to get burnt to ashes, don’t you?” nags Veil, whom I shot down with my gaze.

“All right. If that’s what satisfies you, I’ll gladly accept it.”
“Great!”

Astres promptly gets back on her feet.

“Hah, now you’ve done it! No matter how strong the retainers you command are, you yourself are just a mere human! The moment I pin you down, victory is mine!!!”

“Miss Astres, Miss Astres.”

Perhaps out of pity, Platy, the most suitable candidate among the group to gently inform Astres, spoke.
It’s ironic because Astres originally came here to kidnap her.

“You don’t seem to know anything, so I’ll tell you. The Lifeless King, the dragon, the mutant orcs, and the goblins are all under his command. Do you know why?”
“Huh?”
“Isn’t it the same for the demon race to obey those who are stronger than them?”
“So, you mean to say…”

I guess it’s safe to say the match has started.
I unsheath the holy sword from my scabbard.

“I-Is that the Holy Sword Dreischwartz that’s said to have been lost for over a thousand years?!”

Without even clashing swords, Astres dives straight into a dogeza, making me win by default.

---

And just like that, Miss Astres was pardoned to go home safely. However, there was one small problem: there was no means of transportation.
The ship she used to come here has left her behind after the crew members got scared of Veil.
Since there’s no other way, Veil transformed into her dragon form and transported Astres as far as possible.

I reminded her not to mistreat Astres, but when she returned, I heard that she had dropped her in the middle of the demon and human race’s war.

And while she was at it, she breathed fire across the battlefield and threatened to burn their capitals down the next time they attempted something foolish.

…
…Oh well.
All’s well that ends well.