Chapter 240: Innocence

I’m chasing her. She who suddenly stood up on a whim while filling her stomach with Touko’s food. Lily is also chasing her. She who made a crouch start stance while humming, started running, and became the wind.

「Lily, is your parent stupid!?」

「It’s sad that I can’t argue….」

I was referring to Lily’s mother, Maria Irygal. I let our guard down a bit because she was completely in spectator mode and was absorbed in eating garlic. However, she took advantage of that. I don’t know if she had planned it, but it was probably just on a whim. The destination is, of course, the battlefield of Haru and the others, the cape facing the sea.

「We can’t catch up with her! Lily, do you have Black’s costume with you? Also, your Great Eight Demons’ costume.」

「I do…. No way, are you going to change clothes while running?」

「Yes way. Or rather, change my clothes!」

「…… Are you telling me, the Great Eight Demons, to change your clothes?」n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

「You are wearing a maid outfit, so it’s half okay! You are a perfect woman right now, no, a perfect maid! I believe in you!」

「W-Well, if you ask me that far, I guess I have no choice. If you turn into Black, you will be my subordinate. Also, I’m good at changing clothes quickly. Black, just keep running…!」

Then, she changed my clothes at an unbelievable speed, and I became Black in an instant. Lily also changed from a maid into a demon king quickly. As expected of the Great Eight Demons Lily, she didn’t make the mistake of exposing underwear.

「Cover my face with the hood deeply, okay…. Hey, can you lend me your perfume and a mask to hide my face?」

「I always carry them with me for disguise, but why?」

「You see, Haru has a good intuition, right? Her sense of smell is also like a dog, so I want to cover my smell.」

「You are so thorough, huh. Well, I don’t mind. Here.」

I received a high-class perfume from Lily and sprayed it moderately. Yep, it’s floral. Then, I put on a mask that makes me look like an executive of the demon king―― Black, completed!

「Alright! Depending on how Maria arrives at the scene, we’ll keep an eye on the situation and secure her if the worst happens!」

「Mama’s whim can be a great disaster after all.」

「Everyone in the Great Eight Demons is watching. I hope she won’t do something unreasonable!」

Stupid Maria is about to reach the cape, and we are running after her as fast as we can.

「WAIT A MINUTE~!」

Maria, who made a big leap just before the cape, lands in the center of the battlefield with the sun’s rays behind her. The center is the place where the Haru and the others are. Attention is focused on Maria, who landed without making a sound despite her flashy appearance.

「The third rank of the Great Eight Demons, the 『Vampire Princess』 Maria-chan has come! Okay, give applause~!」

「「「「………」」」」

The mood is dead. I’m convinced that it’s completely dead. A silver-haired girl wearing a bright-colored dress came down from the sky and made a pose like a magical girl. Yeah, it’s instant death for the serious mood. Aside from Therese, who’s sleeping peacefully, everyone is taken aback. It’s painful to watch Maria clapping her hands alone. Eh, do I have to go over there? I really don’t want to get in the middle of that mood.

「Black, we are jumping in!」

Ah, we are jumping in after all. I was the one who suggested this, so I guess I have to go….

We landed behind Maria. There’s Hund here, so I’ll act as Lily’s subordinate. In other words, I will stay next to Lily and leave the talking to her. I’ll keep my mouth shut.

「Mama, please don’t just appear suddenly. It’s unbecoming of a lady to behave so suspiciously.」

「Ehh~, it seemed to be fun after all. Besides, I have to fulfill my role as the judge.」

「…… What are you doing here? Two of the Great Eight Demons are together――hm? You even bring your subordinate, huh?」

The first one to react was Hund. Phew, it seems that I’m not exposed.

「「………」」

Haru and Chinatsu are on high alert. Yeah, that’s fine. Please don’t move for a while.

「Howaah…!」

However, there’s one person (Weerel) who’s staring at me with sparkling eyes. What’s with her? She doesn’t seem to have noticed my true identity, so I’m not sure.

「I said, I came as the judge. Hund-chan, you were trying to admit defeat for breaking the rule, right?」

「…… Were you watching the battle so far?」

「I was watching it thoroughly. I’m the judge after all.」

Lily tries to interrupt the exchange between Hund and Maria, but I give her a signal to wait. Let’s see how Maria does her job as the judge.

「Yeah, I tried to admit defeat. I violated the rule I had set myself after all.」

「Let’s see…. Do you mean this 『excessive environmental destruction is prohibited』 thing?」

Maria is holding a letter similar to the one Hund sent to Crocus.

「You, where did you get that…? ――Well, that’s right. My attack made that large hole.」

「You see, Hund-chan. I don’t think that’s valid.」

「…What?」

「For us the Great Eight Demons, the act of making such a hole is not environmental destruction. If you gather earth magicians and take some time, it can be repaired. Accepting defeat over something like that is stupid. Defeat is not allowed for the Great Eight Demons. I’ve said that many times, right? Hund-chan, take back your declaration. If you still want to be a part of the Great Eight Demons, that is.」

Maria’s expression and gesture are the same as that of a little girl, but there’s a slight pressure from Maria’s words. Depending on Hund’s reply, it seems that she will use force.

「I refuse. As a ruler, if I change my opinion with such a wordplay, I will set a bad example――」

「Eei!」

*Whoosh*, Maria threw a lump of bright red energy in the direction of the crater.

――――BAAAAAM!

The next moment, a red flash spreads and the surrounding area is dyed red. In the meantime, a series of roaring sounds are ringing. The situation is harsh for the eyes and ears. Yeah, both my eyes and ears are hurting.

After the annoying dazzling light and the annoying noise ended, the place where the crater was is gone. To be precise, about 30% of the entire cape has been gouged out. Ah, yeah, this is environmental destruction.

「Look, the hole that Hund-chan made is gone. Now there’s no evidence. Okay, it’s solved!」

「………」

「Just give up. Mama is stubborn when she’s like this. If you keep refusing, next time she will blow away 30% of the country, you know?」

Haruna and Chinatsu, who have been watching the situation, looked at Lily and then looked at Hund. ‘Please read the mood,’ it seems that they are thinking so. Yeah, it’s not a joke, she will do that.

「It seems that you are not joking…. I got it. It’s not my intention to leave such a scar on this country. Good grief, that’s a very violent way to threaten.」

「I’m glad that Hund-chan understands! Then, I will take care of this war. In the name of the 『Vampire Princess』, the war is over! Okay, you are dismissed! Good work~」

Maria waved her hands in a good mood while spreading her hidden wings under her dress and flew away into the blue sky. Her figure is already about the size of a speck.

「「「「「――Eh?」」」」」

She just left like that…!? Who the hell is going to take care of this situation?