A Tour of the Demon Lord's Castle

──Thor's Perspective──

It was the morning of my second day in the Demon Lord's Territory.

"Good morning, Thor-sama. Are you awake?"

I was staring blankly at the bed when I heard a knock, followed by Mabel's voice.

Come to think of it, I was supposed to have her show me around the Demon Lord's Castle today.

"Good morning. I'm awake. I'm counting on you today."

"Yes. I'll be happy to. I'll bring your breakfast, then."

A short while after her voice, Mabel arrived with breakfast.

Today, Mabel had tied her silver hair back. Her apron had been freshly laundered, and her expression seemed full of determination, too.

When I asked her what was going on,

"I-I woke up early when I realized I'd be showing Thor-sama around the castle today... Then I arranged my hair and ironed the wrinkles out of my apron first thing in the morning..."

──or so it seemed.

She didn't need to go to so much trouble.

By the way, today's breakfast consisted of hard-baked bread, a rolled omelet, and salad.

It also came with freshly brewed tea.

The bread was a little hard, but sweet nuts had been kneaded into it. The omelet was rich and flavorful. Mabel had prepared the tea right in front of me, so it had a wonderful aroma.

I suggested that Mabel eat with me, but she shook her head apologetically. She said she had already eaten in the dining hall.

By the way, people of various races lived in the Demon Lord's Castle, and apparently their breakfast menus differed accordingly.

"Thor-sama's menu is the same as Demon Lord Lukie-sama's."

I nearly spat out my tea.

Even if I was being treated as an honored guest, the same food as the Demon Lord...? That was far too grand.

"Was it not to your liking?"

"No, no, it's delicious—more than enough. Something a little simpler would be fine, too."

"That would not do."

"Really?"

"Thor-sama is an honored guest of the Demon Lord's Territory, the Alchemist directly under Her Majesty, and also the one I serve. I must serve you something that will satisfy you."

"Even an ordinary meal would satisfy me. It was the same when I lived in the Empire... in the Imperial Capital."

"What was breakfast in the Imperial Capital like?"

"I used to dip bread I'd bought three days earlier into soup and eat it a little at a time."

"...Then all the more reason for you to get your nutrition from the food here in the Demon Lord's Territory."

Mabel puffed out her cheeks with a little huff.

"Besides, our demonfolk chef was very enthusiastic. He wanted a guest from the human world to try our food, hear your thoughts, and learn about human cuisine."

The chef sounded like someone I would get along with.

"I'd like to meet him later."

"Yes. Then I'll take you to him when we tour the castle."

"Also, people in the Demon Lord's Territory really are eager to learn, aren't they?"

"The Demon Lord's Territory has experienced defeat at the hands of humans and Heroes from another world."

Mabel thought for a moment before saying this.

"Let's learn from the human world. We'll each do what we can, in roles suited to our abilities. That is the current slogan of the Demon Lord's Territory."

"Then I'll study while I'm here in the Demon Lord's Territory. But first, could I have another cup of tea?"

"Yes, Thor-sama."

We talked like that while I enjoyed my meal.

Mabel's stories were interesting, and she listened to mine with apparent interest.

After breakfast, the two of us drank tea and continued our conversation.

After spending some leisurely time like that──

Mabel then began showing me around the Demon Lord's Castle.

"I think it would be best to learn the location of the entrance first. From here, you can reach every part of the castle."

Mabel led me to the entrance just inside the main gate of the Demon Lord's Castle.

It was a stone hall with a large statue standing beside the wall.

Minotaurs holding spears stood at the castle entrance. They seemed to be the gatekeepers.

Mabel told me that if I ever got lost, I should ask them for directions.

"Thor-sama's room is on the third floor of the west wing. The maids' rooms are on the first floor of the same wing. So if you need anything, please tell one of the gatekeepers or a maid to call me. I'll come running right away."

Mabel said this while holding my hand.

The tips of her pointed elven ears had turned red.

Showing me around was part of her official duties as a maid, so perhaps she was nervous.

Even so, Mabel enthusiastically continued explaining the castle to me.

"Mabel, what about that large staircase?"

I pointed to the broad staircase directly in front of the entrance.

"It's built very grandly. Does it perhaps lead to where the Demon Lord is?"

"Yes. It leads to the throne room, as well as the Demon Lord's private chambers and office."

"Then I should get permission before going up, right?"

"Yes... but..."

Mabel brought her lips close to my ear and

"...I think Her Majesty herself would be pleased by a visit from Thor-sama. Still, it would be better to get permission first, for the sake of everyone else."

"Yeah. I understand."

She might have guests, or be busy with her work, after all.

"And there's a statue beside the large staircase, right?"

"Yes. That is a statue of the first Demon Lord."

Mabel approached the central staircase and knelt before the statue.

I did the same.

Beside the broad central staircase stood a statue in the form of a woman.

It was just under two meters tall.

A large pair of horns rose behind her ears, and she wore armor and a cape.

The statue itself was made of stone, but the sword it held was metal. It reflected the light in the entrance and glimmered dully.

"The sword held by the first Demon Lord is said to be a magic sword made from a stone that fell from heaven. It is said that the first Demon Lord used it to fight a Hero who came from another world. However, the one over there is..."

"...a replica magic sword made to look like the original?"

I whispered this to Mabel.

Mabel nodded, then

"As expected of you, Thor-sama. To see through it at a glance..."

"I can tell because I don't sense any magical power coming from that sword."

Thanks to my 'Over-Alchemy' Skill, I could tell somehow.

The sword held by the statue was merely a decoration made to resemble a magic sword.

"The magic sword is said to have broken during a battle against a Hero from another world and then disappeared."

Mabel explained this while gazing up at the statue.

"Some say the Hero took it away. Others say it was discarded after losing its power when it broke. No one knows where it is now. It is a shame, but..."

"Yeah. It is a shame."

"It is one of the demonfolk's treasures, after all. I would certainly like to show it to Thor-sama──"

"──If it had been here, I would have liked to try repairing it."

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

Mabel and I looked at each other.

Then Mabel seemed to ponder this.

"It is a sword made from a stone that fell from heaven, you know? Surely you couldn't repair it──no, perhaps you could, Thor-sama..."

"Well, there's nothing we can do about something that has disappeared."

"Please tell me if you find it. The Demon Lord would be delighted."

"...Yeah."

I suddenly pictured the unmasked Demon Lord Lukie joyfully holding the magic sword.

Yeah... I would look for it when I got the chance.

Or maybe I could create a magic sword that surpassed the first Demon Lord's magic sword.

I could use Demon Lord Lukie's dark magical power to increase its power. Also, since her small body meant she had a short reach, I could make it safer for her to fight. For example, the sword could extend, or dark magic could shoot out from it──

"...This might be perfect for Demon Lord Lukie."

"You are a kind person, Thor-sama."

"Hmm?"

"I can tell from your face. You were imagining Her Majesty being delighted, weren't you?"

Mabel took my hand.

"If there is anything I can do, please tell me. I will not hesitate to help you."

"No, I just want to try making all sorts of things with 'Alchemy'."

"...In any case, you needn't hold back. We are companions who share a secret, after all."

Mabel whispered softly beside my ear.

It felt strangely ticklish.

I felt something soft against my arm──then realized that her maid-uniform-clad chest was touching it. I instinctively tried to move away, but Mabel held my arm tightly. Feeling my cheeks grow hot, I nodded back at her.

Then I happened to strain my ears──

"...Mabel-sama is embracing the guest."

"...What a blissful expression she has."

"...I wonder what could have happened between the guest and Mabel-sama...?"

The Minotaurs were glancing over at us.

When Mabel noticed, she released my hand. She looked at her own──slightly sweaty──hand and blushed shyly.

Then, as though to cover it up, she cleared her throat and

"S-so, shall we continue the tour?"

"Y-yeah. Please do, Mabel."

"Next... the kitchen and bathing area would be good. Now then──"

Just as Mabel was about to start walking──

"What?! Is that the guest from the Empire? He looks awfully weak!!"

A loud voice echoed throughout the entrance.

I thought I heard a heavy footstep reverberate──or perhaps I only imagined it.

A giant of a person was descending from the eastern staircase.

The first thing I saw was a pair of thick legs. With every step down the stairs, his trousers creaked and looked ready to burst.

Next came his red-bronze torso. His bare upper body was covered in thick muscles, and something like a heat haze rose around him. Finally, a bearded face appeared.

The man was about two and a half meters tall. His hair was bright red and swayed like flames.

I remembered what Mabel had told me.

Could this be──

"Fire General Raizenga-sama...?"

"Ho-ho. So, guest, you knew my name?"

The red-haired man bared his teeth in a grin.

"Indeed. I am Raizenga, one of Her Majesty's generals—the Fire General. I heard a guest had arrived from the Empire, so I came to see him for myself."

"...Thank you for taking the trouble."

I bowed to General Raizenga according to noble etiquette.

"My name is Thor Rigas, an alchemist from the Dorgalia Empire. I hope we get along."

"I know your name. But you were not worth the trouble of seeing after all. My daughter must be disappointed as well."

"Your daughter?"

There was an armored figure standing beside Fire General Raizenga.

A helmet covered the figure's head. A suit of full-plate armor covered the body, and both legs were encased in metal greaves.

I could not even tell the figure's face, let alone the color of their skin.

"Yes. This is my daughter. Her name is Agnis."

"...Nice to meet you."

A small voice came from inside the armor.

The armored figure was about as tall as I was.

The figure was cowering behind General Raizenga.

As he patted the armored figure on the shoulder, General Raizenga said,

"Look, Agnis. I expected someone from the Empire, a nation built on martial strength, to be a powerful warrior. But he is nothing more than a boy who looks every inch a civil official."

"F-Father..."

"At this rate, you won't be of any use in battle, will you?"

"That's right. I'm not suited for combat."

I said this.

"Ha-ha. What a shame."

General Raizenga chuckled deep in his throat.

"If you had been an Imperial warrior, I would have liked to have you cross swords with my daughter. It would be interesting to use my daughter to see just how strong someone from the great martial nation of the Empire truly is."

"Father, th-that is far too rude...!"

"Calm yourself, Agnis. You are letting flames leak out."

Raizenga was right.

Faint flames were spurting from the helmet of the armored figure──Agnis.

Covering them with his palm, Fire General Raizenga continued speaking.

"Guest. What was your name again?"

"Thor Rigas."

"I see. Then, Thor. Tell me the names of the strong people in the Empire. I oversee the mountainous region in the southern part of the Demon Lord's Territory, so I often have opportunities to meet people from the Empire. If there are any strong warriors, I would very much like to cross swords with them."

"Raizenga-sama!"

Mabel suddenly raised her voice beside me.

She gripped the skirt of her maid uniform and glared at General Raizenga.

"Thor-sama is an honored guest and the Alchemist directly under Her Majesty. Addressing him without an honorific is rude! Besides, you should not be trying to pry into Imperial information in a place like this!!"

"A guest, you say?"

"Are you dissatisfied?"

"I believe Her Majesty's desire to learn from the human world is noble."

General Raizenga looked back and forth between Mabel and me, then nodded.

"But I still believe we ought to learn from the Empire's strength and military might. My daughter Agnis and I can only display our abilities on the field of battle, after all."

"Demon Lord Lukie-sama wishes for a peaceful world."

"So that's why you treat someone who cannot even fight as a guest? But there must be limits."

General Raizenga slowly descended the stairs and stood before me.

He was huge.

His arms were thick, too. It looked as though he could send me flying with a single swing.

"Thor Rigas. What can you do? If you cannot even fight, how do you intend to be of use to the Demon Lord's Territory?"

"I can strengthen your daughter's armor with my Alchemy Skill."

I met General Raizenga's crimson eyes and answered.

I had been curious about that armor for a while.

Mabel had told me that General Raizenga was descended from an 'Ifrit'.

If so, his daughter was probably the same.

And yet the armor she wore possessed 'Fire Resistance'.

Ifrits excel at using fire magic and handling flames. For someone of that bloodline to be covered from head to toe in armor with 'Fire Resistance' seemed constricting. It was like wearing clothes that sealed away one's own power.

The armor's attribute was probably 'Earth'.

The standard method for adding fire resistance to an item was to imbue it with the Earth attribute.

The Water attribute was good for extinguishing fire, but not for resisting it. If the Water attribute was too strong, steam would burst out, while if it was too weak, the fire would overpower it and make the Water attribute disappear.

The Earth attribute was more stable.

The earth contained iron and rock that would not melt unless exposed to extremely high temperatures. By adding more of the Earth attribute that symbolized them, it was possible to grant an item fire resistance.

They had probably layered the Earth attribute twice to increase the armor's strength and heat resistance. Seeing how lightly Agnis moved, they might also have added the Wind attribute to make it lighter. It was fascinating. I wanted very much to strengthen it.

"The armor appears unable to withstand the heat, and its joints look loose. I am an Alchemist. I can strengthen it for you. If you wish, I could give it a try."

Armor infused with the Earth attribute twice was an extremely rare item.

I did not want to see it break. I wanted to examine it and repair it.

"That is how I intend to be of use to the Demon Lord's Territory. What do you think, General?"

"That is none of your business, human Alchemist."

But General Raizenga merely glared at me with his crimson eyes.

"Only sturdy warriors may touch my daughter. I will not let some weak Alchemist touch her clothing."

"Father! You mustn't say such things..."

"We're leaving, Agnis. This was a waste of time."

With that, Raizenga headed back up the stairs.

Agnis started to follow her father, but stopped halfway. Then she looked toward me and bowed deeply.

When I returned the bow, Agnis chased after her father and ran up the stairs.

"...Whew."

Once the two of them disappeared from sight, the Minotaur gatekeepers sighed.

"Remarkable, Thor-dono."

"To not take a single step back before Raizenga-sama. Astonishing."

"As expected of someone from the Empire. How brave."

No, that's not it.

I was just ignoring the general's intimidating presence because my attention was focused on that armor.

"Were you not afraid, Thor-sama?"

Before I knew it, Mabel was peering into my face.

"Raizenga-sama is one of the five strongest people in the Demon Lord's Castle. To openly argue with him... How much courage must you possess, Thor-sama?"

"I don't think it was courage. I was just distracted by that armor."

"By the armor?"

"Besides... I'm weak, you see. Once someone is above a certain level of strength, they all seem the same to me."

I've seen plenty of strong opponents in the Empire.

Every one of them could have killed me, a person without any combat Skills, with a single blow.

Apparently, my senses had become numb from facing opponents like that.

"Th-then, let's continue the tour of the Demon Lord's Castle."

Mabel nodded with a smile, as though trying to dispel the tense atmosphere.

"There are still many places I want Thor-sama to see. First, let's go to the balcony so you can see the scenery of the Demon Lord's Territory. After that, we'll visit the kitchen. Preparations for lunch should be starting around then. We might even be able to sneak a taste, you know?"

"All right. Please show me the way, Mabel."

I was curious what kind of cooking utensils they used in the Demon Lord's Territory.

Besides, while listening to the kitchen staff, I might think of an idea for a new magic item.

I was also curious about General Raizenga and that person named Agnis...

But it did not feel like something we should discuss here.

Once the tour was over and I had returned to my room, I would ask Mabel about them. She would probably tell me all sorts of things.

"Then let's go to the kitchen."

"Yes, Thor-sama."

And so Mabel and I resumed our 'Demon Lord's Castle Tour.'