𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟒: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐲𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧

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I came to see Tyrant Dragon Anila-san, who is in the northern mountains.

He? She? No, since “tyrant” is attached, it’s probably  a he.

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He referred to himself as “ore-sama” or something like that. Definitely a boy.

Now then.

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As for what Anila-san looks like. . . . . .

He’s a gigantic dragon with scales as vividly red as blood.

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I have to look up to see Anila-san’s face.

A pair of wings as large as ship sails are growing from his back.

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But right now, they are uncomfortably folded.

Scales of fresh blood, and jade eyes.

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From his posture standing on two legs, you can feel a powerful aura that makes those who see it tremble.

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『You there! You little girl!』

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. . . . . .Is it me?

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『Yes! A Demon King who suddenly appeared in Ellison’s territory!』

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A Demon King?

I heard there was a Demon King who led demons to fight against humans long ago.

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But, that’s not me.

I’m the saint of the Celestial Guidance Church, Kyrie・Inori.

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『Saint. . . . . .? Don’t joke! With that body, you’re oozing an immense amount of magic power!』

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Magic power. . . . . .?

In my body?

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『Stop playing dumb!』

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Grrr! I feel tremendous pressure from Anila-san’s body.

I can feel something powerful enough to make the air crackle.

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『So scary. . . . . .』『Scary』

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. . . . . .Sura-chan and the others are frightened.

Won’t you calm your anger?

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『Silence! You are an intruder who stepped into my friend’s territory with dirty feet!』

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Friend . . . . . .?

Anila-san, who are you referring to?

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『It’s none of your concern, you who are about to die!』

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Anila-san opens his mouth, and something gathers there.

Flames overflow from his mouth. . . . . .

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And then, he shoots out a mass of fire.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

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. . . . . .What a tremendous explosion.

Looking back. . . . . .

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『Hey, don’t make a hole in the cave wall!』

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Just like the earth spirit Gnome-san said. . . . . .

We are deep within a cave.

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But, there was a big hole in the wall.

Big enough to see outside.

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Such a large and deep hole. . . . . .

That must have been the power of the flame Anila-san spewed earlier.

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『Get lost from the forest, Demon King. Next time, I’ll hit you. . . . . .!』

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. . . . . .No, Anila-san.

I cannot leave this forest.

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『Oh. . . . . .? Do you want to die?』

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No.

I have decided to become the Holy Demon King.

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『!』

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Anila-san’s eyes widened in shock.

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『The Holy Demon King. . . . . .?』

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Yes.

In place of Ellison-sama. . . . . .

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Anila-san falls silent.

. . . . . .And then, with an intensity beyond earlier, he says with murderous intent.

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『I understand now. I will kill you. Surely kill you. To protect my friend. . . . . .!』

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Friend. . . . . .

Anila-san keeps repeating that word.

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Let’s talk.

You seem to have a big misunderstanding. . . . . .

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『Silence. Die!』

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Anila-san opens his mouth wide.

Again, the same mass of flame. . . . . ., now compressing it.

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『This is dangerous. . . . . .』『If we get hit, we’ll die』

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Guu-chan, Sura-chan are frightened.

Probably Anila-san is seriously trying to kill me and preparing to attack.

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. . . . . .No choice.

God, please grant me your power.

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To protect these children.

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『DIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!』

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BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!

A heat ray released from his mouth.

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An ultra-compressed flame attack.

The scorching wave melts the ground and ceiling as it heads straight for me.

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BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

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『Hmph. . . . . .Impudent creature. Becoming the Holy Demon King. Don’t joke. He’s still』

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Who is “he”?

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『Wh, WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!』

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On the ground that has melted into sludge, we are standing unharmed.

A sacred barrier is surrounding me, and Sura-chan, Guu-chan, and Gnome-san are all safe.

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『What, are you an idiot?! That’s the breath of Tyrant Dragon! It tears through even divine metal like paper. . . . . .it kills ancient dragons in one blow, why are you unharmed?!』

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A simple matter.

God protected me.

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『What are you talking about, nonsensical things?! Die!』

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Once again, Anila-san releases her breath.

But it’s negated by God’s barrier and disappears.

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Violence solves nothing.

Let’s talk.

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Please tell me, why are you angry?

Why do you wield violence?

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『Shut up! You suddenly appear in the forest ruled by my friend! You, an invader trying to take the seat of the Holy Demon King! There’s no room for discussion!』

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. . . . . .A forest ruled by your friend?

Trying to take the seat of the Holy Demon King?

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. . . . . .No way.

I set Guu-chan and Sura-chan, and Gnome-san down on the ground.

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『Peui? What’s going on?』

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I’m going to go near Anila-san.

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『Peuu! Yo, you’ll die!』

『That’s right. Right now, he is sealed and can’t get out. Look at that』

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Gnome-san points with her nose.

Indeed, there is a translucent large dome surrounding Anila-san.

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『Thanks to that seal, Anila can’t get out. His attacks are also halved in strength. But if you go inside the barrier, Anila will seriously try to kill you, you know?』

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. . . . . .I see.

But I’m going, I will.

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『Peui Peu! No!』『No!』

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It’s okay, you two stay inside this barrier.

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I leave the barrier alone.

Mwa, the heat is transferred to me.

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On the other hand, Anila-san is glaring at me.

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『What is it, you! What do you intend to do?!』

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I stand before the seal trapping Anila-san.

. . . . . .Although I say “seal,” it’s simply a barrier.

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I try to touch the barrier.

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『You fool! That’s a barrier created by my friend! No one can pass through it!』

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Ah, I see. . . . . .

I’ve figured it all out.

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I touch the barrier and then. . . . . .enter it.

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『Wh, whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!』

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I’ve come right in front of Anila-san.

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『It’s. . . . . .impossible. . . . . .this barrier. . . . . .but. . . . . .』

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This barrier was made by your friend, Holy Demon King Ellison-sama, wasn’t it?

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『?! Wh, why. . . . . .Do you know that my friend is Ellison?』

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I could tell from your words.

Now I understand why you tried to exclude a stranger like me.

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You were trying to protect this forest, weren’t you?

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『What? What do you mean?』

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Gnome-san, perhaps Anila-san believes that I, who suddenly gained power and returned to the forest, am an external threat.

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『Yes, that’s right! An abnormal amount of magical power! Clearly a Demon King! Coming to take the seat of the forest ruler from my friend, Holy Demon King Ellison. . . . . .』

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I would never do that.

Because. . . . . .

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Because Ellison-sama has been long dead.

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『Wh?! Wha, wha, what?! Ellison is. . . . . .dead? It’s. . . . . .impossible. . . . . .why. . . . . .?』

『Hmm? Why are you surprised?』

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Gnome-san is puzzled.

Perhaps. . . . . .Anila-san doesn’t know.

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That a long time has passed outside.

I understood once I came here.

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The flow of time is different inside and outside this cave.

I don’t know why, though.

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『So. . . . . .Anila has been inside, and a lot of time has passed outside, and Ellison is already gone. . . . . .?』

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Yes, you didn’t realize it.

And thus, I arrived as an external threat.

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You were raging to tell Ellison-sama.

That an enemy had come.

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『Yes, that’s right. . . . . .I have the ability to detect magical power. A powerful monster was threatening the peace of Ellison. . . . . .that’s why. . . . . .I tried to warn them that the enemy was coming, and the enemy brazenly invaded. . . . . .』

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. . . . . .Anila-san.

It’s not like that.

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Ellison-sama is already dead.

I have decided to inherit her will and become the forest leader, the second-generation Holy Demon King Kyrie・Inori.

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I show Anila-san the Water Ring, a sacred relic, and the Prayer Book of the Holy Demon King.

Anila-san looks at them and asks with a trembling voice.

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『Is it really true. . . . . .Ellison is dead?』

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Yes.

A long time ago.

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『. . . . . . . . . . . .I see.』

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With a thud, Anila-san collapses on the spot.

Large tears spill from his eyes.

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Uu. . . . . .Ellison. . . . . .why. . . . . .Why did you die. . . . . .? Uuuuu, uoooooooooooooo!

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Anila-san cries in sorrow.

It’s so kind to grieve for a friend’s death.

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I can’t see this dragon as evil, seeing Anila-san mourning the death.

I approach Anila-san and touch his scales.

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Ssssss. . . . . .my skin burns.

The scales are hot, like scorching heat.

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But it’s okay.

I pat Anila-san’s scales to comfort him.

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『. . . . . .Ellison?』

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Suddenly, Anila-san looks at me and mutters that.

He must be seeing his departed friend in me.

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I’m not Ellison-sama.

Your friend has died, and she cannot come back to life. But. . . . . .

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Your feelings of wanting to protect your friend must surely be reaching Ellison-sama in heaven. . . . . .

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『Ellison. . . . . .I see. . . . . .You. . . . . .have died. . . . . .』

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I kept patting the head of Anila-san, who was sobbing.

After a while, Anila-san stops crying.

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『I’m sorry. Second generation. It seems I jumped to conclusions.』

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Anila-san bows his head.

It’s okay, don’t worry about it.

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『But. . . . . .I injured you, who is not even my enemy. Your hand. . . . . .it’s burned by touching my scorching scales. . . . . .』

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It’s okay, look.

It’s already healed by the power of God.

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『. . . . . .Why do you smile at me? I tried to kill you, didn’t I?』

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It was a misunderstanding.

Besides, you weren’t trying to kill me for no reason, you were just trying to protect your friend.

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『How. . . . . .broad-minded. You. . . . . .are just like Ellison.』

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So, Ellison-sama was a wonderful person.

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『Ah. . . . . .she was a good person. Really. . . . . .she was so good. . . . . .so why. . . . . .did she die. . . . . .uwu. . . . . .I. . . . . .don’t have a reason to live anymore. . . . . .』

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I preach to Anila-san, who seems about to cry again.

Don’t say you have no reason to live.

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If the heavenly Ellison-san sees you now, she would be very sad.

The dead never come back to life.

The greatest memorial to the deceased is. . . . . .

Living every day with a smile, full of energy.

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I’m sure that will make Ellison-sama in heaven happy.

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『Yes. . . . . .that’s right. . . . . .you are correct.』

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It was at that moment.

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“Kyrie-samaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

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Mr. Chatura rushes into the cave at full speed.

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“! A seal, and Kyrie-sama inside?! What on earth. . . . . .?”

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Guu-chan says, looking at Mr. Chatura.

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『Kyrie fought that gigantic dragon and won!』

“! Anila?! So, so that’s. . . . . .”

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Mr. Chatura approaches and looks at me and then Anila-san, who still has his head bowed, and mutters in admiration.

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“As expected of Kyrie-sama. To easily subdue the strongest guardian, Anila!”