“Really sorry to interrupt you when you are busy. Can I have a little of your time?”
“No problem. What’s the matter, Lily?”
“Ac.. Actually, I have noticed something strange from the basement work room. Occasionally, there would be some strange noises that are coming out from there…..”
“That sounds bad and which work room is that?”
“Room number 360.”
Leticia tilted her head slightly in surprise.
“…… Room number 360? Why would it be in so isolated an area? Aren’t the work rooms that are related to housekeeping from room 1 to 20? The work rooms behind shouldn’t be in use.”
Leticia furrowed her eyebrows. Lily said she didn’t know why either and her fox ears had drooped.
----The so called work rooms were storage facilities for the Gifts earned from Gift games that could be incorporated into the daily life for the Community. Needless to say, the flames for the kitchen to keep it warm, clean water storages were part of those Gifts kept in the work room. Occasionally, Gift ceremonies would be held in the work room too. [Will-O’-Wisp]’s candle stick racks were storages for the Gift of Flame and would also be placed in a work room if according to plan.
Other than shifting the candlestick racks, Kuro Usagi did not mention of any other rituals being held in the work rooms. With that, Leticia would have dismissed the conversation as a misunderstanding if not for the worry that was shadowing Lily’s facial expression.
“Work Room 360 has an entrance that exactly opens up behind the quarters for the senior group. The echoes are also heard in the other quarters and the kids from the junior group are also frightened. So, Leticia–sama, would you mind finding time to investigate…..”
Lily was wringing her sleeves as she pleaded.
Leticia folded her arms and was in deep thought. Lily’s words rang true as the members of the junior group were much younger kids and would definitely be frightened by the weird noises.
“Okay…… When everyone has left the Community, I will go and verify for myself.”
“Thank you!”
“It’s a small matter. Okay, let’s go clean up first. After all, even without our masters and Kuro Usagi around, we still have to complete our tasks well.”
“Yes!”
Lily wagged her two tails and replied in a voice that would not have lost to the enthusiasm of the other children before running off to the kitchen.
Percher who was listening to the whole conversation from the side, looked at Leticia.
“Leticia, you plan to skip out on the harvest festival?”
“... How is it possible for me to attend?”
Leticia gave a wry smile.
It wasn’t too long ago that she had merged with the giant dragon due to the plot of some nefarious people.
Even if the culprit wasn’t her, the Leticia who had fought against her friends would not be able to forget the past and join the harvest festival. It would cause the host and the other guests to be unhappy.
“The harvest festival this time is a holiday for my masters. I would not want them to worry and be able to enjoy themselves there.”
Leticia forced a laugh as it felt awkward talking about it. But her eyes showed no signs of being troubled by it. Now that they have mutually accepted the role of the servant and master relationship, she only had one wish in her heart.
The wish that Izayoi and her other masters will be able to receive lots of Gifts and may luck shine upon them.
“…… Those who become Demon Lords will have to pay off the sins that they have accumulated in the past, no matter the methods. Some with their souls, some by seeking solace in religion, and many other types of methods… I used to give up trying to repent in the past. So from now on, I will chase after my masters and help them in the fight against Demon Lords to erase my sins.” Leticia clasped her petite hands together as she said this.
Percher looked at her with disinterested eyes, taking in her appearance that was of one that glowed with having found their road for repentance. Being a Demon Lord herself, the confession of Leticia should be piercing to her ears.
The Leticia who has recovered her composure seemed to have remembered something else as worry crept into her narrowed eyes. “And... I still want to investigate more about Canaria.”
“…Oh Really?”
Percher tilted her head slightly as she haden’t heard of that name before. But she was more concerned about another matter.
“Oh right. You mentioned that those few people aren’t around. I heard from Jin that they are staying in [Underwood], but I didn’t know that Kuro Usagi had also left the Community’s Boundary. Wasn’t she here just yesterday?”
“Eh? Oh, Kuro Usagi...”
Leaving her sentence hanging in the air, Leticia remained silent even if it made Percher surprised by her unnatural response to her question. Continuing the silence, she looked towards the windows where the sunlight was beaming into the Community house.
“Kuro Usagi... Was kidnapped by Shiroyasha.” Leticia finished her sentence after a while.
“...what?”
“Yesterday night, Shiroyasha and her servant dropped by and grabbed Kuro Usagi willfully while saying ‘I will be going to check in on the old nest of [Great Sage Who Pacifies Heaven]’” Leticia said with a faraway look in her eyes.
Percher was surprised but shrugged her shoulders in understanding as she smirked. “The Floor master is so carefree?”
“It can’t be that easy. There was a simultaneous attack of a demon lord Aži Dakāha[3] bringing his own division to wreck trouble in the East while the dragon raged in the South. Even though our region was spared, the repairs and construction of Shirayuki-hime’s temple.” Leticia responded mysteriously.
The repairs of the temple should be the incident whereby water was displaced into a huge canal. However, what surprised Percher wasn’t the damage reports, but it was the name of the Demon Lord.
“ ...Wait. Demon Lord Azi Dakaha[4] is a demonic dragon that is among the five Demon lords of Zoroastrianism[5].”
“ That’s right.” Leticia answered immediately, causing Percher’s smile to fall slightly at the corners.
“ ...That can’t be true can it? Allowing that evil character to run freely around the Little Garden without a leash on its neck?”
“It isn’t possible. Aži Dakāha’s situation is special. Ever since the main body was released two hundred years ago, it has created a colony of clones that continued to roam free without anyone being able to restrain them up till today.”
“What’s that? Scary... Really terrifying. Wouldn’t it be better to get rid of the original before it replicates more of itself?”
“Nonsense. If the main body is attacked, the clones will multiply further. Moreover, the first generation are of [Divine] class. Just one of those would be able to create many other Demon Lords of Deity class. How can one simply beat them down when they feel like it?”
------ Demon Lord Aži Dakāha is the dragon within the five demon lords that is revered by the “Fire Cult”.
This dragon was from the same source as Indra and boasts of three heads with a huge body. Legend has it that it is able to perform thousands of spells. Even so, the scary part didn't stop there.
The reason that the Demon Lord Aži Dakāha is so terrifying is that it keeps cloning from its wounds. In addition to the impressive vitality it has, it is useless no matter how many chops or punches one throws at it.
The only method to defeat this Demon Lord would be to seal it. However, the reason why it is able to roam free today is precisely because the seal had already been undone by someone.
“Even though I put it that way, to think of stopping the Clones…. The title of the strongest Floor master isn’t just for show. Even after returning her [Divinity] back to Buddha, she wiped out five of the first Gen Demon Lord Clones with one strike. If not for her, the lower levels of East would be dyed red by the bloodbath of sacrifices.”
“…Oh.”
Percher replied indifferently. But within her heart, she was already having cold sweat.
To be able to defeat five Divine class Aži Dakāha First Generation, was already a power out of one’s imaginative ability. Percher having challenged Shiroyasha before and still able to live to tell the tale could be called incredibly lucky.
“But even if she is called the strongest Floor Master, the way she immerses herself in enjoyment is unacceptable.”
“Yea, you are right. When you put it that way, I wouldn’t be able to refute it.” Leticia’s expression was one that was placed in an awkward spot and she forced herself to laugh it off.