We Got Into Character as Heroes and Decided to Clear the Demon King's Castle?

"Waaaaaaaa!!!!!"

Straw hat brim and pure-white sleeveless one-piece both fluttering, Fino crossed the broad promenade of the bridge to the island, passed under the great stone gate at its end, and the moment she stepped inside the park, she let out a delighted shriek at the black castle that rose before her eyes.

"Hey, look! Raul! That, it really is the spitting image of the Demon King's Castle (my parents' house)! Amazing! Amaziiiing!!!"

"P-parents'… house…?"

"… Ah, Myuli-san, you don't have to worry about it, okay?"

To Myuli, who shrank behind Raul and timidly murmured the question, Airi replied with an exasperated look on her face.

The south side of the Shinrurian Coast, where the Crown of Light Festival had been held just the other day. Everead Port, the linchpin of the royal capital's logistics. Floating just past its nose was a little island, roughly five hundred meters across, landscaped into a magical theme park: the land of dreams and hope, namely Brave Island of the Royal Capital.

The grounds were full of greenery, and various attractions themed around heroes and the Demon King were scattered everywhere; on the far side of the perimeter wall that ringed the island, dozens of huge ships could be seen moored along the docks of Everead Port.

And standing proudly in the very center of the grounds was that big castle Fino had been making such a racket over: the Demon King's Castle, symbol of Brave Island of the Royal Capital, and…

"Still, for humans to imitate it like this, the Demon King's Castle (my parents' house) really is something…"

Squinting at the castle as if dazzled, Fino nodded approvingly.

But before long, the girl who carried the [Demon King]'s blood tilted her head, looking a touch puzzled.

"… But how on earth did they reproduce it this exactly? Back when Pops was around, any hero who got even close was annihilated in an instant, and after Pops died, it was supposed to have collapsed almost immediately…"

"Eh… ah, that's…"

In response to Fino's question, Raul dropped his eyes to the pamphlet he'd been handed at the entrance.

"… Yeah, just as I thought. It says it was modeled after a famous photograph of the Demon King's Castle."

"A famous photograph?!"

The moment Fino's eyes went round at that, Airi, beside her, murmured "Ah, that makes sense."

"That'd be the one used on the cover of the Hero Almanac, right?"

"That's the one. Anybody from our generation of hero-aspirants has seen it at least once. That famous photo…"

"Hold on, there's a photo of the Demon King's Castle (my parents' house)?!"

Overhearing Raul and Airi's exchange, Fino raised her voice in spite of herself. To the girl's question, Airi shrugged lightly.

"Mm. There was one rather eccentric hero who qualified specifically because he wanted to photograph the scenery of the Demon Realm… Well, honestly, I think the motive was pretty impure, but humans other than heroes are forbidden from going to the Demon Realm, and apparently he did the work he was supposed to do, so it's not really anyone's place to complain. Erm, his name was, I think…"

"'Photographer' Mike Forsers… 126th-cohort exam passer, you know?"

Raul cut in from the side to supplement Airi as she trailed off for a moment.

"[Hero] Mike would head off on expeditions to the Demon Realm carrying his trademark giant camera alongside his sword, and while he slew demonkin, he'd also photograph their architecture, rare natural phenomena, and the precious creatures that only live in the Demon Realm. He even put out a photobook… what is it, 'All-A'?"

"… You. The name's one thing, but you even remember which cohort he passed in."

"H-hey, what's wrong with that?! What's with that look, like you're staring at someone painful to behold?!"

H-hey, cut it out! That's the same kind of look the girls in school used to give me back in the day, and it's twisting the knife right into the old wound!

… Banishing the half-resurrected trauma, Raul looked up at the castle and sighed.

"… Anyway, his last expedition was to the home of the 'Divine Dragon' in the northernmost Demon Realm, and after that he never came back…"

"Heh, so heroes come in all kinds, huh…"

Fino sounded honestly impressed by Raul's words.

"But, if he was going to, I wish he'd taken pictures of us too, not just the castle. I'd have wanted to be in a photobook too, you know?"

"… 'Us,' as in, the Demon King too…?"

… Raul forcibly evicted the mental image that had popped up: a double-peace-signing Demon King flanked by the Demon Army's Four Heavenly Kings and assorted monsters, all smiles, gathered around Fino for a group photo. Sweeping his gaze around the area, he opened his mouth as if to reset.

"By the way, where do you guys want to go first?"

"""Demon King's Castle Mystery Tour!!!"""

The instant he asked, as if they'd rehearsed it, Fino and Myuli looked up and chorused their answer in perfect sync.

… At the pair's response, Raul couldn't help scratching his head.

"Wait, that's the main attraction here, right…? You really want to start there? Don't you wanna kick things off with some lamer attraction first and build toward a climax, or…"

"… You know, you've got pretty cheapskate sensibilities."

"… Not something I want to hear from you."

Raul shot back through narrowed eyes at Airi's prim mutter.

Sailing right past the boy's response, Airi tapped lightly on the pamphlet in her hand.

"But, you know, since it's right after opening, it might still be empty? Apparently when the afternoon rolls around the place fills up, and even on weekdays the wait gets quite long… so I think we should hit the rides early."

"All right, that settles it!"

Nodding at Airi's words as if she'd given voice to Fino's own thought, Fino looked over her shoulder at Myuli.

"Come on, Myuli, let's go! Race you to see who gets there first!!!"

"…!"

With that unilateral declaration, Fino took off running toward the Demon King's Castle.

… For a beat, Myuli blinked.

Then, in a flash, she let go of Raul's hand and bolted off after Fino.

"H-hey, you guys, oi! … Honestly."

Sighing at the strangely happy-looking backs of the two girls dashing off toward the Demon King's Castle… Raul abruptly turned and called to Airi, who stood beside him.

"… 'All-A,' thanks for coming with us today."

"Well, looking after those two on your own would be a lot of work, and a two-seater ride would leave somebody riding alone, which'd be pretty sad."

A frilly camisole, and a miniskirt so short he could hardly figure out where to put his eyes.

The girl shrugged her shoulders theatrically, then smoothed back her long honey-colored hair.

"… I'm honestly not a fan of this kind of bad-taste stuff."

Eyes narrowed to indigo slits, Airi gazed up at the Demon King's Castle that loomed before them.

… At the wistful set of her profile, Raul caught his breath.

Come to think of it, this girl's family was killed by demonkin… and that's why she tried to become a hero…

To someone with a past like hers, how must a demonkin like Fino, and a castle of the Demon King caricatured like this, look in those eyes?

"'All-A…'"

Unable to bear the silence, Raul opened his mouth, when…

"When I grow up, I'm gonna be a hero!"

… A bright, innocent child's voice came rushing into Raul's ears unprompted.

Right in front of them, a little boy holding a toy sword aloft scampered past…

"…!"

… At the indescribable awkwardness of it, Raul fell silent in spite of himself.

As if to break the air, Airi suddenly let out a small laugh.

"… It's kind of funny, isn't it. The two of us, who couldn't become heroes, being in a place like this."

"Eh… ah, ah, y-yeah!"

Watching Raul scramble to agree, Airi looked oddly relieved, then turned a bright face to the two girls waving at them from the foot of the castle.

"Come on, it's bad to keep them waiting; shall we head over too?"

"Ah, yeah!"

As Airi promptly stepped out ahead of him, Raul hastened after her.

 

*

 

"And now, to all of you who today have brilliantly passed the [Hero Exam], we shall bestow upon you your [Hero] Licenses."

"Waaa!"

"…!"

The high-ceilinged entrance hall of the Demon King's Castle. Eyes shining, Fino and Myuli stared down at the gold-glowing cards the silver full-plate-armored attraction staffer (presumably cosplaying Brave Island's mascot 'Yusha-kun') had just handed them: exquisite replicas of [Hero] Licenses.

"[Hero] Fino Bloodstone-dono… mm, not bad at all…!"

Tracing the engraved name with a fingertip, Fino nodded in satisfaction.

… Behind her, Airi and Raul, looking somewhat fed up, muttered through narrowed eyes.

"… And just a minute ago she was hounding the staff-san with 'Can't I do this from the Demon King's side?'…"

"… Going off about, 'Heroes get all the favor, it's not fair! Besides, that Demon King of theirs is way too unreliable! Leave it to me, and I'll wipe out the swarming small fry in one fell swoop!' or some such ominous boast…"

"B-but, they pamper the heroes way too much, it's not fair, is it?!"

Catching the chill in the pair's gazes, Fino hurriedly pointed at the giant oil painting that filled the wall before them: the boss of this attraction, glowering down over the entrance hall, the master of the castle himself, the Demon King, depicted at colossal scale.

"And besides, the design of this Demon King isn't all that cool to begin with, and he doesn't look very bright either, so somehow I just can't… leave him alone, you know?"

"What kind of misplaced sense of duty is driving you?!"

"… I mean, weren't you the one who came to the human world because you didn't want to become the Demon King in the first place?"

… Raul muttered under his breath, careful that Myuli, completely absorbed in her [Hero] License, wouldn't overhear. Fino just shrugged with a "yare yare."

"… Raul. Look, this is a game, you know? Confusing games with reality at your age is no good, you know…"

"How are you somehow ending up sounding like the reasonable one here?!?!"

Pressing a hand to his forehead, Raul sighed… and then, as he chanced to look down, his motion stilled.

A gold-glowing card in his hand.

… So this is the [Hero] License I wanted so badly, huh.

Reading the engraved words "[Hero] Raul Chaser" on his replica [Hero] License, Raul narrowed his eyes with a faintly complicated feeling… And then.

"Next, this here will be your sword to fight against the demonkin. Please each take one."

Even as the full-plate-armored (Full Mail) staffer spoke in his businesslike tone, he opened the large treasure chest beside him. Fino was the first to pounce, and the moment she took up a sword, she let out a cheer.

"Wow! This thing's got a switch on it!"

The moment Fino raised the sword high and pressed the switch set into the grip, a faintly glowing, sharp, vivid beam of light shot out from the tip of the blade.

When she saw the beam cut straight through the dim castle interior, Fino's big eyes went perfectly round.

"S-so cool…!"

"Heh, so it's a magic item, huh…"

"It's like that magic laser pointer the teacher used to use in lectures at the hero-prep academy."

While Fino's shoulders trembled with barely-contained excitement, Raul peered curiously at the lens set into the tip of the plastic sword, and Airi held her palm up to the blue laser, musing to herself. Off in the corner, Myuli timidly flicked her switch and gazed at the glowing sword with a rapt little sigh.

While he watched all four, the Full Mail staffer smoothly added his supplement.

"The 'Holy Light' emitted from these swords damages only the demonkin and monsters inside the castle, however, it can harm one's vision, so please take great care never to direct it into anyone's eyes. Also, for safety, please refrain from swinging the swords about indiscriminately…"

"Hey, Myuli…"

… And then.

Without warning, Fino leaned in to whisper at Myuli's ear.

Eventually Myuli gave a small nod, and the moment Fino drew back her face, she raised her voice loud and clear.

"Fuhaha! Take this, Raul!!!!!"

At a meaningful glance, Fino and Myuli both leveled their sword-tips at Raul and pressed the switches. The beams of light from the tips of the two swords crossed and bored straight into the center of Raul's chest…

"… So, what are you guys doing?"

… Looking down at the blue points of light marking the front of his shirt, Raul muttered flatly.

At his utterly cold response, Fino lowered her sword and puffed out her cheeks in some discontent.

"Geez, Raul, where's your sense of fun?! At a moment like this, you're supposed to properly play along and pretend to be hit…"

"Eh… ah, ah, sorry…"

As Raul hurriedly apologized, Fino let out a sigh.

"… Well, Pops was the kind who couldn't read the room either…"

"What kind of helpful, doting-parent Demon King is that?! That'd be even harder to defeat!!!"

Looking down at the disappointedly muttering Fino, Raul sighed in exasperation.

"… Honestly, you guys, you're getting too carried aw— huh?!"

… Without warning, a small, sharp prick ran across Raul's skin.

When he looked down, there were two neat little holes in the front of his shirt, and…

"Fino…"

… Pinching up his hole-punched T-shirt, Raul fixed Fino with a flat stare.

Under his gaze, Fino flailed her hands and shook her head.

"Eh, b-but! The armor-person said this 'Holy Light' thing the sword shoots is fine as long as you don't aim it at the eyes…"

"That's for a normal human being!!!"

… Fino's outsized magic, inherited from the [Demon King]'s bloodline, tended to outright break magic items, send them on rampages, or push them well beyond their rated output.

With this sword too, depending on the luck of the draw, the moment Fino flicked the switch she could've vaporized me, wall and all… wait, that's not funny!

Voice rising without meaning to, Raul muttered "honestly."

"… Listen, you've got incredible magic power, so could you at least be aware of it? I've told you a hundred times to be careful when handling magic items, h— huh?"

… Without warning, something tugged at the hem of his clothes.

Raul looked down on reflex, and there was Myuli, looking up at him with tears welling in her black eyes.

"O-Onii-chan, I'm sorry…"

"N-no! That's not what I—!!!"

As Myuli, ribbon swaying, timidly apologized, Raul went into a complete panic, his voice cracking.

"M-Myuli, that's different! You're a separate case from Fino!! You're nothing like Fino. You've barely ever touched a magic item in your life, of course you couldn't have known! C-come on, don't cry! Oi!"

"R-Raul made Myuli cry…"

"… Even I'm a little put off, Raul Chaser."

"That's worse than being merely disappointed in me, hey—?!"

… And then.

"— Perhaps you young ladies happen to be 'Holders'?"

… It was the Full Mail, calling out hesitantly to the loudly squabbling group.

"A-ah, yes!"

"My most sincere apologies."

The moment Raul nodded frantically, the Full Mail bowed his head, then dug through the treasure chest at his feet, eventually fishing out a different sword from the back and holding it out to Fino and Myuli.

"These are swords intended for use by 'Holders.' We do apologize, but for the protection of the castle interior, please use these… May I trouble you to flip the switch once for a test?"

"Y-yeah…"

"… O-okay…"

The two timidly traded swords and gingerly touched the switches.

The Full Mail staffer removed a gauntlet and held a bare palm out at the swords' tips; the light bathed it blue, and after a moment:

"… This time, it appears to be fine."

The Full Mail clanked his helmet in a nod, refitted his gauntlet, and turned back to Raul and the others.

"Now then. I shall be the senior hero acting as your guide today, leading those of you who have just become heroes. I look forward to working with all of you."

"… I have to say, you're the only one in cool gear, it's not fair…"

Watching the staffer bow as he introduced himself, Fino's voice was pure envy.

To her words, the Full Mail gave an entirely earnest nod.

"My apologies. I was born with an extremely weak constitution and very low defense; unless I wear exaggerated armor like this, a single slime bumping against my shin would inflict a fatal injury upon me."

"That's a really weak senior hero, hey!!!"

Facing Raul's reflexive retort, the Full Mail rotated his helmet with a clank.

"… With a body like mine, regrettably, I cannot participate in combat. But as your support, I will do my utmost in my role as the Demon King's Castle guide."

"At that point, isn't it better to just stay home and recuperate rather than going on adventures…?"

"No, frankly speaking, the pay and benefits here are good, so…"

"That's not a hero thing at all, that's an amusement-park part-time wage thing!"

"… Raul Chaser, retorting at every little thing in an attraction is unbecoming of an adult, you know? This is the land of dreams and hope, after all."

"No, this armor's the one saying the least dream-and-hope thing in the place…"

To Airi's reproving stare, Raul reflexively shot back…

… And then. Without warning.

Their field of vision was swallowed by darkness.

"—?!" "Wah?!" "…!"

Their sight stolen so abruptly, Raul and the others let out small startled sounds.

It was probably Myuli. In the darkness, someone gripped tightly at the hem of Raul's clothes…

The next instant, a grating laugh echoed across the entrance hall.

["Fuhahahahahahaha…! Well done making it to my castle, foolish heroes of humankind…!"]

Along with the voice, the giant portrait hung on the wall before them dimly emerged from the gloom.

The red eyes of the Demon King, arms folded under jet-black armor, slid in their sockets, and looked down on Raul and the others as if appraising them.

"Th-the portrait talked…?!"

The setup was a lot more elaborate than he'd expected. Even Raul couldn't keep his eyes from widening, and beside him Fino let out a thrilled little gasp.

"You know, when I first looked at it, it didn't seem all that great, but actually moving like that, it's kind of cool…!"

"I-is that so…"

… Airi could only mumble vague agreement to Fino's assessment.

With an ominous chuckle, the Demon King in the portrait composedly opened his mouth.

["Kukuku, swarming small fry are nothing but a waste of breath… I had hoped you might amuse me a little, but it seems this batch of heroes is also nothing to speak of… having gone so far out of your way to come die before me, what foolishness… I shall rend you to eight pieces, and feed you to my dragons…!"]

"… Hmm, but the line readings are a little dated…"

… As she listened to the Demon King's lines, Fino's face grew somewhat troubled.

"Templates are important, but you ought to challenge yourself with something newer too… his provocations are tepid, the menace is weak, plus he just used 'foolish' a minute ago, so overall the word choice is just… lacking…"

"Why are you critiquing it with that calm, professional eye?!"

"Hey, Raul. Personally I think 'feed you to my slimes' would carry more humiliation than 'feed you to my dragons'…"

"From the bottom of my heart, I could not care less!!!"

… To Fino, who was earnestly asking his opinion, Raul reflexively raised his voice.

But the Demon King in the portrait, undaunted by Fino's nitpicking, narrowed contemptuous eyes down at Raul and the others — … well, this was probably just pre-recorded — and continued in his magisterial tone.

["— Now then, to you ignorant heroes about to set forth to your deaths, I shall specially impart unto you something useful to know…!"]

"S-something useful…?"

["Kukukukuku…"]

Fino parroted him back with eyes oddly full of expectation.

The Demon King in the portrait sneered, then deliberately opened his bright red mouth.

["Hear me. Within my castle, smoking and the bringing-in of outside food and drink, and flash photography, are forbidden…! Also, any hand-held MagicPhones must be set to silent mode, or switched off in advance…!"]

"That's just a list of theater warnings!!!"

To the Demon King's resounding declaration, Raul retorted while Fino nodded admiringly.

"Hoh, he's really done his homework. He's more dedicated to realism than I thought!"

"The real Demon King's Castle bans outside food and drink and smoking too?!"

"Of course it does. Setting aside the private spaces, in the throne room and the Reaper's Corridor and the corner of the Hall of Crimson Blood, would you really want trash thrown around and ants swarming everywhere?"

"Well, sure, that part I wouldn't want!!!"

"And besides, Pops always said tobacco is bad for your health… did you know? Smoking stains lungs, an organ as pretty and pink as that, the color of a void gnawed away by the abyss! Uuh, what a horrifying thing…!"

"What is even a Demon King…"

"… Honestly, if I were told the Demon King drank green-vegetable juice every morning for his health, or rubbed himself down with a dry towel, I don't think I'd be surprised anymore."

While Raul fell into half-lidded resignation beside her, Airi pressed a hand to her forehead… and then.

["Now then, pitiful heroes, farewell…!"]

The instant the Demon King in the portrait spoke the line with grand authority.

A heavy rumble that shook the very room swept around them, and Airi, darting her gaze around, went wide-eyed.

"Hey, Raul Chaser… this room, somehow, it's gotten smaller than just before…"

"Wait, you mean the walls are moving?!"

The walls, grinding inward from all four sides with a heavy roar.

The moment she noticed, Fino's eyes lit up.

"Wow, way to be dirty, dirty Demon King! Holding our attention with a speech and then trying to crush us defenseless without so much as a chance to argue, that's not half bad! I thought he was unreliable, but honestly, I'm impressed!!!"

"Don't be impressed!!!!!"

While Raul yelled beside her, Airi pressed a hand against the wall.

"But you know, this is honestly closing in a little too fast…"

… It was true. As Airi said, even after the floor area had been reduced to half its starting size the walls hadn't stopped, and on top of that, the gut-rumbling sub-bass kept growing louder as the walls steadily pressed forward…

… Even knowing it was just stagecraft, the oppressive feeling crawled up his spine.

Myuli, looking on the verge of tears, threw her arms tight around Raul's waist.

… And then.

"Everyone, please don't worry."

As Raul finally started to panic, the Full Mail attraction staffer, who'd been watching the situation unfold, calmly raised his arm.

"Look upon the portrait… aim your swords' 'Holy Light' at the place on the Demon King's chest corresponding to his heart. With that, the trap will be deactivated."

"I see, so that's how it works…"

The Full Mail was pointing at the giant portrait of the Demon King, which had now reverted to a mere painting. … Probably much like a MagiVi remote, there's a sensor built into it.

Nodding in understanding, Raul leveled his sword's tip at the portrait. Almost at the same moment, Airi, Fino, and even Myuli raised their plastic swords in unison.

Four beams of light cutting through the gloom, all reaching out toward the portrait.

The four brilliantly blue beams from their swords crossed at the left breast of the Demon King who looked down on them with that ominous expression, merged into one, and glowed brighter—

"— Hey, it's not stopping?!"

… The rumbling didn't let up, and the walls kept closing in at peak speed.

The Full Mail, eyes wide behind his visor, tilted his head with a clank.

"Oh? Was the location wrong… Hm, come to think of it, the piercing in the Demon King's right ear seemed a touch suspicious… or perhaps the mole on his forehead…"

"H-hey!!!"

"One moment, please. I shall check at once."

As he spoke, the Full Mail produced a manual from inside his armor, right in front of the encroaching walls, and began flipping through it… Get a grip, senior hero!!!!

By now the room had barely enough space left for them to stand.

Even so the walls kept pressing inexorably onward; Raul, gripped by alarm, screamed in spite of himself.

"A-anyway, just light up everything you can reach!!!"

"Mm!" "Eh!" "…!"

The instant they heard his shout, the girls leveled their sword tips at the portrait and started waving them around.

Raul too aimed his sword anew at the portrait, but wherever the sensor was hidden, the walls showed no sign of stopping…

"Kyaa?!"

Pushed by the mercilessly advancing walls, Airi's shoulder collided with Raul's.

Fino and Myuli, scrambling backward away from the walls, pressed up tight against Raul's sides… wait, dammit, this might actually be seriously bad?!

… And then, as Raul started to panic in earnest, something glittered eerily in the edge of his vision.

The ornate, finely-worked golden frame around the portrait.

The moment he spotted the unusually large crimson jewel set into the upper part of the frame, something stirred inside Raul.

"…!!!!!"

The instant he raised the sword and touched the switch on the grip, a beam shot straight from the tip.

The "Holy Light" from Raul's sword pierced the wickedly glinting jewel in the portrait's frame, a loud sound came from behind the wall, and…

The walls came to a sudden halt, and then slowly,

started retreating back the way they came.

"… Honestly. So the portrait was a decoy, was it…"

As the walls receded, Raul lowered his sword and let out a relieved breath.

Then Fino and Myuli, who'd been pressed up against him, whirled around in the same instant and grabbed his arms competitively, looking up at his face.

"Raul…!"

"Onii-chan…!"

"You did that just now, didn't you, Raul?! Figuring out that the frame was the weak point, that was amazing! Raul, you're so cool!!!!!"

"… As expected of you, Onii-chan, you're amazing…"

"I-it was nothing, really…"

Under the sparkling gazes of the two girls, Raul couldn't quite stop himself from melting a little. Airi, who had been watching him coolly, eventually shrugged.

"… Well, amazing or not, in the end it's just an attraction."

"Uh…"

To Airi's utterly reasonable observation, Raul couldn't help dropping his gaze.

… Yeah, she's right. As if anyone was actually going to get crushed; I got all worked up for real, screaming at the top of my lungs, kind of embarrassing… damn.

Even though he'd cleared it, Raul somehow ended up deflated… And then.

"Thank you for your efforts. I am glad that you are all unharmed."

… His tone showed no trace of having let slip an incorrect weak point just now, as if he'd already entirely forgotten the matter.

Indicating the door that had appeared beneath the portrait at some point, the Full Mail spoke evenly.

"Now then, thanks to all your efforts, the Demon King's underhanded trap has been safely avoided. Let us proceed to the next room. From here on the path becomes dark, so please mind your footing carefully."

 

*

 

Led by the Full Mail attraction staffer, they timidly set foot into the corridor.

Meaningful reliefs embedded into the walls at regular intervals on both sides. The stone passage was dimly lit by sparse candlestands, and in the chilly air, an unsettling atmosphere hung heavy…

"— Please walk down the middle of the corridor as much as possible."

Walking at the head of the party, the Full Mail opened his mouth.

"There is no telling what kind of traps may be set, so please take great care. Also, for your safety, please refrain from carelessly touching the walls and other—"

"Kyaaa!!!"

… Cutting off the Full Mail's words, a sharp shriek of a girl came from behind.

"""Airi!!!?"""

When Raul and the others reflexively whirled around…

"… Wh-why on earth does this thing, the moment you just barely touch it, gush water out of the middle of it?!"

Honey-colored bangs dripping water, Airi glared resentfully at the hole in the center of the relief mounted on the wall in front of her.

… Raul's eyes went flat in spite of himself.

"… The guide-san just told you not to touch the walls…"

"B-but, the design was so nice and it caught my eye… A-and besides! No matter how much it's an attraction trap, suddenly dousing someone with water is way too much! Someone might catch a cold, or there might be customers wearing items that are vulnerable to water…"

"No. That is not a trap."

"Eh?"

To the Full Mail's words, Airi, who'd been working up steam, deflated.

"That relief is not an intruder trap set by the Demon King; it is merely the sensor and sprinkler head of a magical fire-suppression system. For a building of this size, fire codes make the installation of such equipment quite strictly mandatory…"

"No, well, sure, that's true, but…"

Spotting the silhouette of what looked like a fire extinguisher behind a pillar carved with grotesque shapes, Raul couldn't help a look of bemused warmth. So even the dreadful Demon King who plotted to subjugate the land of dreams and hope was apparently no match for the law.

"… I told her not to touch it, because we have a problem when one of them gets set off as a prank."

"Ahh, my fault, my fault!!!"

To the Full Mail's flat little aside, Airi apologized with a deeply chagrined expression on her face… And then.

Aware of the Full Mail still staring at her and Raul casting fidgety glances her way, Airi looked puzzled…

… Then followed the line of their gazes down to her own body.

When her eyes found the outline of her underwear plainly visible through the wet white camisole clinging to her skin, she flushed bright red and clutched her slender frame.

"H-hey… you two, what are you looking at—?!?!"

"Heh, n-no! I'm n-n-not in particular, I mean…"

"… It seems you have us under some misunderstanding. The thing I was staring fixedly at was the stone grain on the wall behind milady. In no way was I, like the boy beside me who's been ogling with his mouth hanging open, staring fixedly at milady's brassiere…"

"O-oi!!! You bastard, no fair!!!?"

"I'm disappointed in you, Raul Chaser—!"

The Full Mail brazenly threw him under the bus while Raul yelped in panic.

Both arms still pressed across her chest, Airi protested with teary eyes…

"… … … …"

… Behind them, sneaking a sideways glance at the soaked Airi, Fino discreetly withdrew the hand she'd been on the verge of reaching out toward a nearby relief, and with an awkward expression raised a bright voice as if to change the subject.

"B-but! It really is just the outside of the castle that's such a perfect match! That last room too, but the real Demon King's Castle (my parents' house) didn't have a corridor like this, and the traps were…"

"… For one thing, the real one doesn't even have a ticket booth next to the entrance hall, does it?"

… Still hiding her chest, Airi muttered in exasperation.

Glad of the escape, Raul cut in from the side.

"W-well, in fact, not many heroes actually charged into the Demon King's Castle and came back alive, so I guess you can't really blame them…!"

For that matter, just about the only human ever to return from the Demon King's Castle is Manager Seara at our store… thinking about it again, we really do work under an incredible person.

If the chance comes up again, I'll ask her about it. … Just as Raul was thinking that…

Without warning, a loud bang came from behind them.

When he flinched and looked back, the door they'd come through earlier had closed at some point and sealed itself shut…

"… So now we're locked in, huh…"

"…!"

"Kuku, this is getting interesting…!"

"… Well, since we're just moving forward anyway, it doesn't really matter."

… As Raul muttered to himself, Myuli gripped tight onto his clothes.

Beside Fino, who grinned fearlessly, Airi narrowed her eyes and muttered coolly, hands still covering her chest.

The next instant.

Monsters that came bursting out of the surrounding walls all lunged at Raul and the others at once.

"Whoa?!?!"

"Kyaa!"

"…!!!!!"

"…!!!!!"

A dark-grey Big Rat bared its fangs in front of Raul. Behind it, an Evil Beast raised pitch-black claws…

"P-puppets…?"

… With growls, the monsters swung their heads and arms in fixed patterns. Half-buried in the walls, their fangs and claws couldn't reach Raul and the others as they walked the middle of the corridor…

Raul, who had reflexively taken a battle stance, gingerly lowered his sword and let out a relieved breath.

"Honestly, you scared me…"

"… It seems this corridor is not only full of traps, but also a den of monsters."

The Full Mail, who had at some point turned around again, delivered the rather forced line.

"By the way, the monsters in this castle can be defeated by cutting their respective weak points with the 'Holy Light' from your swords. For example, in the case of the Big Rat…"

"Ah, the heart, right?"

Before the Full Mail could finish his explanation, Raul leveled his sword tip at the Big Rat on the wall.

"… Specifically, on its left side, the part nearer the belly, right?"

The next instant, a blue beam carved diagonally from the monster's shoulder down across its chest.

The Big Rat let out a dying scream and stopped moving entirely.

"Hoh, you are well-informed."

Watching the Big Rat sag and get drawn back into the wall, the Full Mail nodded admiringly… and beside him, Fino's eyes lit up.

"Raul, you really know your stuff!!!"

"As expected, Onii-chan…"

"For your information, the weak point of the Evil Beast is the forehead, but for first-timers we have helpfully placed a sticker on the weak spot in advance. Newcomers may aim for the sticker."

"Ah, there it is!"

Fino spotted the sticker on the Evil Beast's forehead and called out.

… Beside her, Airi turned a chilly look on Raul.

"… You. You went and showed off needlessly by defeating it before the staff-san could finish explaining."

"Th-there was still one more left, it's fine, right?! Wait, why does a monster bother slapping a sticker on its own weak point?! And where the heck did a monster buy stickers in the first place?!"

"… Look. Not everyone in the world has memorized just about every weak point of monsters they may never meet in their entire life, like a certain someone, Raul Chaser. And besides, retorting at every little thing in the land of dreams and hope is unbecoming of an adult; I keep telling you."

"For your information, the stickers were purchased on my day off at the nearby home center: ten sheets for ninety-eight gold…"

"That's why the guide ought to put a little more effort into preserving the land of dreams and hope's image!!!"

To the Full Mail's flatly droning supplement, Raul shot back with his full vigor.

But the Full Mail seemed entirely unbothered and lifted his head.

"For your information, if the monsters that have appeared are not defeated within one minute, one of the previously-defeated monsters will respawn."

"Huh?"

… The Full Mail tossed the bombshell off casually.

Before Raul, who let out a sound in spite of himself, the wall across from the Evil Beast, which had been tirelessly swinging both arms, split open, and the Big Rat he'd just cleaved was once again clambering forth…

"When the remaining time becomes short, the crests on the wall above the monsters will start flashing, so please use those as a guide. When all the monsters in the corridor are defeated, the next door will open—"

"Well then, everyone, do your best," the Full Mail added, and the moment he raised one hand into the air.

Dozens of monsters all came bursting out of the walls, filling both sides of the corridor.

"Raul, the crest on the right is glowing!"

"Thanks! … Oi, 'All-A'! The weak point on that one is the right shoulder—"

"I-I know, just stop looking at me!!!"

"Wow, Myuli, that strike just now was so cool!"

"…!"

"Dammit, this, we can't keep up!!!"

… No matter how many they took down, the monsters kept popping out one after another.

The slightest moment of carelessness doubled their numbers; with no time to catch their breath, Raul and the others kept swinging their swords, watching the crests on the wall above the monsters for warning flashes, as they raced up and down the twenty-meter-long corridor.

… In front of them, the Full Mail guide pointed at the ceiling and opened his mouth like someone else's business.

"— And on your right, you can see a 1/1-scale faithful reproduction of the blood spatter from when the renowned [Hero] Carnel Compile, through one tiny moment of inattention, was rent apart by the wicked claws of a Carbuncle…"

"H-hey, Raul, this thing, I can't find the sticker…!"

"Eh… ah, the Royal Lizard is—"

"Inside the mouth! When it next roars, aim for then!"

"Thanks, Airi!"

"— The Carbuncle may appear a charming little creature, much like a household pet, but if one carelessly touches the jewel on its forehead, it will unleash an aggression sufficient to finish even the dreaded Panasonia Grizzly in a single blow, and this incident was what led to it being designated a Class-One Hazardous Monster…"

"Kyaa, R-Raul, helppp!!!!!"

"Wait, Fino, what's wrong?!?!"

"A lizard monster just licked me, ugh, my skin, it's all crawly…!"

"Geez, Fino-san, don't let your guard down— wait, kyaaa!!!!!"

"Oi, 'All-A…!' What now?!?!"

"A monster's claws are caught in Airi's skirt…!"

"H-hey, don't look, Raul Chaser!!!!!"

"I'm not looking!!!!!"

"W-wait, ugh, this thing, won't come off—?! Y-you lizard, the tongue, don't extend it… no! N-not the back, anywhere but the back!!!!!"

"'All-A'! … Honestly, you guys are getting way too careless and stepping in close!!!"

"— Also, on the pillar to your left, you can see a casting of the handprint that [Hero] Legacy Phrase, who is always at the cutting edge of fashion, left in the clay-rocks of the village of Interphase…"

"And, that takes care of most of them…"

"R-Raul! Way over there in the back, several of the crests are flashing at once—!"

"Eh… wait, at this distance there's no way I'll make it in time!!!"

"I'm disappointed in you, Raul Chaser! You were the top student of your cohort!!!"

"Yeah yeah, I got it!!!!!"

"— If you wish, please try placing your own palms against them. Whose hand is bigger, the renowned hero's or yours—"

Cutting himself off.

Looking up, the Full Mail spoke flatly.

"— It seems you have cleared the corridor. Well done."

"… … … …"

… Sprinting flat-out from one end of the corridor to the other at speeds well past his limit, and with a hair's breadth to spare, he cleaved the last monster in a single stroke.

Wheezing and gasping, propping himself up on his sword with one knee on the floor, Raul shot the approaching Full Mail guide a glare full of bitter resentment.

"… S-seriously, this many, for rookie heroes, isn't it too much…?"

"Well, this is the Demon King's Castle, after all."

To Raul's blunt opinion, the Full Mail replied with equal bluntness, and then, after a beat:

"While you're here, would you like to try placing your palm against [Hero] Legacy's hand—"

"I'm not gonna!!!!!"

… Raul yelled in front of the Full Mail, and Fino, who held a sword in each hand, let out a shout.

"Raul, the next door, it's open!"

"Wait… can you at least let me, rest a little longer…"

To Fino's words pointing to the far end of the corridor, Raul answered, breathing ragged.

… Over his head, the Full Mail opened his mouth nonchalantly.

"By the way, that door will close automatically, and to open it again you will need to wipe out the respawned monsters all over again…"

"This attraction's difficulty setting is on hard mode!!!!!"

"Well, this is the Demon King's Cast—"

"…! L-let's go, Fino!!!!!"

Cutting off the Full Mail's flat answer, Raul tottered to his feet and started walking toward the door.

"All that running around dried out my clothes, thank goodness…"

"Raul, are you okay…?"

While Airi muttered to herself, Fino called over to Raul with concern.

"Most of the monsters that showed up were taken down by you and Airi, after all…"

"… Honestly, I was at half of Raul Chaser's pace, frankly… goodness, you. Just because the kids are watching, you put on too much of a show."

"That's not it! To wipe out that many in under a minute, even with fifteen per person, simple math says we'd need to cut one down every four seconds, and there's no way these two could've done it while stopping to search for weak points, so I had to do it myself…!"

… As he spoke, Raul's eyes went flat in spite of himself.

"… Honestly, this really is an impossible game, no matter how you look at it. Setting me and 'All-A' aside, a normal person wouldn't actually be able to clear…"

"Yes, you are in fact the first to clear it."

"Ah, I knew it… huh?!"

To the Full Mail's casual insertion, Raul raised his voice in spite of himself.

"H-hey, oi! What's that supposed to mean…!"

"Therefore, you are the first to clear it. To think that during my own guide duty I would see something like this, I never expected it."

"B-but, then, how does everyone else move to the next room…?"

"Ah, did I not mention?"

To Raul's words, the Full Mail responded in his airy, dispassionate tone.

"After five minutes pass, the merciless and cruel Demon King loses patience, fires a Punishment Demon King Beam from the ceiling to annihilate his incompetent monsters, and opens the door to the next room. So in this corridor, what one is meant to enjoy is competing for the highest number of monsters defeated in five minutes…"

"You didn't tell us that!!!!!"

Facing Raul's outburst, the Full Mail blandly continued.

"After all, we can't very well keep rookie heroes locked up in this corridor for hours on end. This is already one of the more popular attractions; on weekends a several-hour wait is common, so for the sake of throughput, well, we have to consider our bottom line…"

"At least put more effort into the dreams and ho— no, you know what, never mind…"

… To the guide's frank breakdown that left zero room for dreams and hope, Raul didn't even have the energy left to retort.

With a deep sigh, Raul stepped through to the next door.

 

*

 

"Fufufuu, the Demon King's Castle Mystery Tour, that was so much fun!!!"

"… Easy for you to say."

Having safely finished the attraction, Fino beamed as the group headed for the castle's exit.

… At her words, Raul and Airi sighed with exhausted faces.

"… After you spent half the time picking apart the Demon King's lines and conduct, you turn coat to the Demon King's side at the last minute…"

"… I never thought you'd take the guide-san as a hostage…"

"… And then trying to take out us defenseless ones one by one…"

"B-but, at that rate that pathetic Demon King was going to get defeated, wasn't he?!"

"Letting him get defeated is the entire point! That's the kind of attraction it is! … Honestly. It's a good thing that guide-san unexpectedly stepped up and restrained you."

"Ugh, and I was so close, too…"

To Raul's words, Fino puffed out her cheeks and muttered in frustration.

… But then, as her gaze went up, the girl's face lit up.

"Hey, Raul, look, over there, there's a shop!!!!!"

Calling out excitedly, Fino took off running.

"Wait, a shop inside the Demon King's Castle, what's even going on…"

… At the surreal scene unfolding before him, Raul couldn't help muttering in resignation.

Near the exit of the Demon King's Castle. Along both sides of the passage leading outside, a souvenir corner had been set up, ready to scoop up customers who'd finished the Demon King's Castle tour.

In front of the bare stone walls stood the same display fixtures Raul recognized from his workplace (Leon), and the shelves were jam-packed with all sorts of items themed on heroes and the Demon King.

Plush mascot dolls and keychains, illustrated mugs, stationery and accessories, shirts and hats and other apparel.

On the upper shelves stood thermometer- and hourglass-equipped Demon King's Castle ornaments, and on the platforms below were glowing swords and shields and similar magic-toys.

On the stone walls hung five varieties of triangular pennants printed with the Brave Island logo and the Demon King's Castle, along with samples of towels, T-shirts, hoodies, and even underwear…

"Wow! These, are so cool…!"

Looking at a Demon King's Castle snow globe whose crystal filled with falling snow when you flipped it over, Fino sighed in rapt admiration.

Next to her, Myuli's big black eyes were locked on an action ruler that, when you tilted it, showed an illustrated hero cleaving a demonkin in two with his sword.

"They've even got these, huh…"

… Raul glanced at the opposite shelf. Packed in side by side were souvenir sweets: 'I Went to the Demon King's Castle' Cookies and 'I Went to the Demon King's Castle' Senbei, the cutely canned 'Holy Sword Chococrunch,' the demonkin-shaped 'Demonkin-yaki,' and the Brave Island-exclusive 'Brave-Kuchen' and 'Brave-Monaka' (formulated with herbal powder for HP-recovering effects)…

As a thanks for the tickets, maybe I'll buy something for Manager Seara…

Looking at the variously-colored boxes, Raul mused quietly to himself.

Behind him, Airi's surprised murmur reached his ears.

"Oh, there's a new edition of the Hero Almanac out."

"Eh, seriously?!"

"Yes. I was sure it had been discontinued, but…"

Alongside the Brave Island Official Pamphlet, the bookshelf held a variety of other hero-related publications. As Raul reflexively stepped over, Airi flipped through one of the stacked copies of Hero Almanac.

… And then, while Fino was peering with interest at a magic-light-embedded ballpoint pen shaped like a holy sword, the girl called out.

"Ah, it's Maou-kun!"

… The mascot rendition of the boss of the Demon King's Castle tour: a mascot-suit version of the Demon King, christened 'Maou-kun.'

The moment Fino spotted the dark-colored mascot suit shaking hands with a child in a corner of the shop, she set the ballpoint pen back on the shelf and scampered off.

… For all her complaining, she actually likes it quite a bit, doesn't she.

At Fino's back as she ran innocently toward the mascot, Raul's expression involuntarily softened.

… I should have brought the magicamera from home. Now of all times, the thought surfaced, and Raul muttered to himself inside his chest.

Myuli, Fino too, if I'd snapped a photo of them with the mascot, they'd have been thrilled, and it would've been a great memento. Such a good opportunity, what a waste…

"Maou-kun! You bastard, your defenses are far too lax! That's why a bunch of upstart rookie heroes manage to wipe the floor with you!!!"

… Fino's voice utterly demolished Raul's mushy musings.

Facing the mascot Maou-kun, who looked visibly flustered by the sudden critique, Fino struck a Nio pose and jabbed an imperious finger at him.

"A dragon puts his full body weight even into stomping out a single slime, you know?! Listen, for example, you could build a fake Demon King's Castle to lure the heroes in and then blow it sky-high with them inside, or load every healing item in every treasure chest in the dungeon with a cyanide-class lethal poison, or create monsters that mimic save points and scatter them across the worl— mmph!"

"S-sorry to bother you!"

… Hastily clapping a hand over Fino's mouth as she rattled off rather seriously practical advice to an innocent mascot character, Raul dragged her bodily away.

Honestly. It really is good that she didn't become the Demon King…

… And then.

Suddenly, from behind, someone tightly grabbed the hem of his clothes.

When Raul turned around to look, Myuli was gazing intently with her black eyes at a corner of the shop overflowing with hero and Demon King goods.

['Super Popular! Handmade Strap Corner! Combine the parts you like and make your very own one-of-a-kind original accessory!']

A pastel-colored, pop-style sign hung above a large wagon.

Cases on the white tabletop were partitioned into small sections, each one filled with colorful metal parts shaped like letters, symbols, and characters.

… Apparently it was the souvenir of the moment: you press metal parts into a plain base belt to make your own original strap… or so it seemed…

"… What is it, Myuli? You want to do that?"

When Raul asked, Myuli nodded shyly.

 

*

 

"Hey Airi, grab that part!"

"… Wait. Are you seriously planning to use this one?!"

"Eh… but, it's cool, right?!"

"…!"

"… I mean, 'For an additional fee, cursed parts may also be selected!' is this even legal…"

Fino pointed at what looked like a grotesque cut of raw meat while Airi sighed in resignation. Beside Myuli, who picked through parts in silent, single-minded focus, Raul spotted the handwritten POP sign on the edge of one case, and his eyes went flat.

… Well, whatever.

… One way or another, in the end they all ended up making straps together.

Watching Fino and Myuli wrestle eagerly with the parts, Raul casually picked up one that had caught his eye.

… And then.

"… Hey, isn't a blue part better for that?"

"Eh…"

"Look, the base strap you picked is black, and if its neighbor is silver, then blue would…"

Without warning, Airi cut in from across the table.

To her remark, Raul blinked.

"… Ah, yeah, you might be right. As expected of 'All-A,' you have good taste."

"S-… I-it's nothing special… it's just that your taste is bad, you know?"

… Airi's voice cracked at Raul's compliment, and for some reason she fired back with a barb.

Beside her, Fino suddenly let out a cheer.

"I'm done!!!"

The girl proudly raised the strap she'd put together.

… The moment they saw it, Raul and Airi were both rendered speechless.

"Th-this is…"

… After a beat. Raul somehow forced a voice out of his throat.

"H-how do I put this, that's… uh, q-quite the work…"

"… A-and so very, individual, and distinctive, you know…"

"To think that you could assemble something this ominous purely out of premade parts…"

"It really makes me feel the difference in our worlds…"

"Fuhahahahahahaha!!!!!!"

… However the two of their nervous-sweat-soaked assessments had registered with her.

Holding up the original strap that made one's spine crawl just to look at it, Fino had clearly hit peak self-satisfaction; she threw out her chest and peered at Raul from across the wagon.

"Hey, hey, want me to make Raul's for you too?!"

… Fino's offer landed like a death sentence.

On pure reflex, Raul shook his head vigorously.

"I-I, I've already made my own, so… a-ah, that's right! How about a souvenir for the Assistant Manager?! The Assistant Manager would totally be thrilled!?"

"Ohhh, that's a great idea! The Assistant Manager got dragged into yesterday's mess and was pretty down, so I have to cheer him up! All right, this time I'll really go all out, add in some cursed parts too, grade it up…"

Watching Fino return to her parts with enthusiastic energy, Raul muttered inwardly. … My condolences, Assistant Manager.

… And then.

Glancing at Myuli's hands. Raul couldn't help raising his voice.

"'[Hero] Raul,' huh…"

"…!!!"

The instant he said it, Myuli stiffened and quickly hid the in-progress strap with the hero parts attached behind her back, dropping her gaze.

"Th-that, it's a, keepsake…"

… With her face down, Myuli murmured "I'm sorry for using Onii-chan's name without asking…" and Raul felt his heart twist again with a sharp, prickling ache.

 

*

 

"… Th-the Brave Coaster, I thought I was going to die…"

"I'd thought it was an attraction for thrills and speed, but to subject us to such sharp lateral-vector motion…"

… Slumped on a dragon-shaped park bench, Airi and Raul muttered with dead-fish eyes.

In stark contrast, Myuli, wearing a Yusha-kun headband she'd bought at the shop earlier, clutched a bag of hero goods bought up with her own pocket money and still glowed pink in the cheeks from the lingering excitement.

… And then.

Coming pattering back to the bench, her Maou-kun headband bobbing, Fino spotted Raul and the others and raised her voice excitedly.

"Raul! Just now, I found a 'krepe' stall over there! … Hey, Myuli! Myuli, have you ever eaten a 'krepe' before?"

To Fino, who pressed eagerly forward, Myuli gave a tiny shake of her head.

Grinning at the girl's reaction, Fino held out what she'd been hiding behind her back at Myuli.

"Then it's perfect timing… senior is supposed to treat the junior to a 'krepe'! Here, try it!"

… The golden treat wrapped in thin paper, thrust out in front of her.

Carried along by Fino's energy, Myuli accepted it, looked uncertainly at Raul beside her… then dropped her eyes.

The moment she timidly bit into the crepe, Myuli's eyes went wide.

"…!"

"Tasty?"

Eating absorbedly, Myuli nodded vigorously to Fino's question.

Watching her, Fino broke into a delighted smile.

"That's good!"

Myuli silently devoured the crepe, and Fino beamed.

Smiling fondly at the pair, Raul tried asking.

"… Hey, Fino. It's just before payday, you sure you're good on money?"

"Fufufufu…"

The next instant, Fino let out a knowing chuckle as if she'd been waiting for it, and dramatically reached into her pocket.

"Raul, behold this!!!"

"A-a passbook?!?!"

"Fuhaha, the Manager made one for me the other day!"

Brandishing the passbook, Fino declared triumphantly.

… Looking at the cover anew, Raul muttered.

"… 'S-Seara Bank.'"

"… Wait, the inside is handwritten?!"

"Hahaha!"

In front of Airi's exasperated reaction, Fino proudly puffed out her chest.

"So I don't spend more than I need to, the management of my assets has been entrusted to the Manager! Today we're going to the amusement park, so I had her withdraw five thousand gold for me! Fuhaha, with this I could easily buy at least ten 'krepes'!!!"

… Huh.

Watching Fino preen, Raul couldn't help being a little impressed.

As expected of Manager Seara, she really has Fino's number… well, after this one wasted her entire first paycheck in a single day, the edible plants and animals in the vicinity of the shop and the apartment did vanish all at once. No, surely that was just a coincidence… mm.

"But that Brave Coaster, was thrilling and fun…"

Gazing up at the framework looming behind them, Fino's face turned dreamy.

"And the 'Demon King's Tea Party' we rode before that, with the jet-black teacups spinning around, and the 'Dragon Ride' with the dragon model that goes up and down, those were really fun too… hey, are these all magic items? Who on earth powers them?"

"Eh, ah…"

To Fino's curiosity-filled question, Raul dropped his eyes to the pamphlet.

"Officially they're magic items, but… it looks like the main power source is gravity and gears, and only a tiny part actually uses magic power."

"Even so, they use more magic than ordinary items, and the customers' magic alone isn't always enough, so I've heard you have to be born with high natural magic power to work as an engineer at a place like this…"

"Wow! Then, can I be one of those engineers too?!"

Eyes shining with excitement, the gigavile-class-magic girl asked.

To that declaration, Raul's eyes went flat.

"… For you, you could probably power a ride larger than the castle itself."

In fact, with Fino's magic power, never mind running rides like these, she could probably lift the entire amusement park island into the sky… And then.

"… Nice."

Beside Raul, Myuli muttered enviously.

Raul patted his little sister's shoulder.

"Myuli, you're a 'Holder' too, you might be able to operate this kind of ride."

"…!"

The moment he said it, Myuli looked up at Raul with a pleased expression… and then.

Fino, who'd been restlessly scanning the surroundings, suddenly raised her voice.

"Hey, Raul! Can I ride the Brave Coaster one more time?"

"Eh…"

To Fino, who pointed to the ride in front of them, Raul couldn't keep the genuine reluctance out of his voice.

"M-me, I'll pass…"

"M-me too, I'll skip…"

Raul and Airi shook their heads with weary expressions.

Beside them, Myuli, who'd been sitting on the bench, suddenly looked up… and immediately, Fino's eyes brightened.

"Myuli, want to ride together?!"

"…!"

Myuli nodded and timidly took Fino's outstretched hand.

… Hand in hand, the two girls scampered off to the boarding area right next to them.

Watching the small backs of the pair walking off side by side, Raul couldn't help muttering.

"… Somehow, those two have become close before I noticed…"

"Well, isn't that a good thing? Fino-san seems excited to have a little-sister figure."

"True, she's putting on big-sister airs… well, if that calms her down a little, it'd be a help…"

To Airi's agreeing words, Raul replied through narrowed eyes…

… And then, Raul caught his breath.

Hold on, I'm… now alone with 'All-A'—

The profile of the girl sitting on the same bench, caught in the edge of Raul's vision.

The long lashes lining her deep indigo eyes, the slim pale-pink lips pressed together.

When she shifted slightly, her honey-colored hair tumbled silkily down the bare shoulder peeking out from her camisole.

… Suddenly conscious of just how lovely the girl beside him was, Raul felt himself flush. With his words stuck in his throat, he muttered to himself inwardly.

… S-somehow, I can't keep the conversation going…!

"U-um…"

As if pressed by the silence, Raul's voice came out cracking.

"H-have you, gotten used to the store? Like, is anything, troubling you…"

"… Raul Chaser."

… But.

To Raul's somewhat stilted question, Airi flicked her gaze up.

"You don't have to force yourself to come up with topics, you know."

"Ah, s-sorry…"

… Easily read through, Raul blushed.

It would be awkward now to scoot away. Sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with Airi on the bench, unable to bear the silence, Raul ended up letting his gaze wander… And then.

"… Hey."

Suddenly addressed, Raul straightened up with a jolt.

… Watching the boy out of the corner of her eye, Airi opened her mouth.

"You're hiding something from Myuli-san, aren't you?"

"…!"

"… Could it be, that you haven't told her yet, about not having become a hero?"

Hitting the bullseye square on, his heart skipped.

As if she'd read his expression, Airi let out a soft sigh.

"… As I thought."

"Through it all, something seemed off about you," she muttered to herself, and propped her cheek on a hand, looking away from Raul… Raul couldn't help asking.

"… How did you figure it out?"

"Intuition, I guess. Every time you heard the word 'hero,' you'd look awkward, and the way she looks at you is somehow off…"

Speaking, Airi narrowed her indigo eyes and looked into the distance.

"… Besides, even I needed a lot of courage to send a letter to the orphanage to report it, after the [Hero System] was abolished."

In a quiet, self-deprecating murmur… The moment he heard her, Raul's chest twisted.

I'm not the only one who didn't become a hero…

Something he should have known, but had forgotten.

The moment he heard those words from the girl who carried the same thing inside her, the feelings dammed up inside Raul burst all at once…

"… I, you know…"

… As if he'd finally given in.

Raul mumbled out his words.

"I'm a coward, I'm bad at talking, and even when I was aiming to be a hero, it wasn't like I was any more diligent or earnest than anyone else; I'm really nothing special… but she looks up to me so much, she totally believes I'm a hero…"

… Wait, why am I telling 'All-A' all this?

Even as he spoke, Raul couldn't help regretting it.

Hearing all this out of nowhere has to be uncomfortable; she'll just be put off… But.

… Now that he'd started, he had no choice but to keep going.

"… She's mistaken our store's work for hero's work, just because 'her Onii-chan is doing it.' … Honestly, how can you, you know? But she really and truly believes it. Even last night, with her eyes shining, she told me 'Onii-chan working looked so cool'… so I just can't tell her…"

Raul let out a deep sigh, as if expelling the gloom inside him.

"If she knew the truth, she'd be hurt…"

"… I'm sure she would."

… And then.

Airi, who'd been silently listening to Raul's confession, suddenly nodded firmly.

"… Even I was shocked, when I found out that you hadn't become a hero."

"Eh?"

As Raul reflexively asked back, Airi snapped her head, as if catching herself.

"W-wait, th-that's because you're my rival! That's all! N-nothing else! Nothing at all!!!"

After insisting hard, Airi went quiet… and then.

"… I think, you should tell her after all."

After a beat, with downcast eyes, the girl murmured quietly beside Raul.

"I don't know how things are in your hometown, but the abolition of the [Hero System] is common knowledge. There's no way you can hide it forever. Sooner or later it'll come out, and the later it does, the more hurt Myuli-san will be… Besides, if she ever learns the truth from someone other than you, the shock would be even worse."

"B-but, I…"

"… Have confidence in who you are right now, Raul Chaser."

Cutting off Raul's would-be excuses with a firm tone.

"Myuli-san told you she thinks you working looks cool, right? … No matter what misunderstanding Myuli-san has, the 'you' she said looks cool isn't a hero, it's you working as a clerk at Leon."

Looking straight ahead, Airi spoke bluntly.

To her words, Raul's eyes widened.

… Yeah. Myuli wasn't saying I looked cool because I was a hero. So…

"… Thanks, 'All-A.'"

From the bottom of his heart. Filled with gratitude, Raul thanked the girl beside him.

"Honestly, I'm really glad I talked to you about it… you really are something."

"…!"

Without meeting Raul's eyes, Airi suddenly stood up from the bench.

"… Th-those two should be getting off soon…"

"Ah, yeah!"

Prompted by Airi, Raul hurriedly rose to his feet and followed.

… But.

"… Hey, where did those two go?"

"… Eh?"

Standing in front of the Brave Coaster's exit with Airi.

When every last passenger had disembarked and the girls were still nowhere to be seen, the two looked at each other.

 

*

 

"Ah, those kids? They headed off that way."

"Excuse me, thank you very much."

After thanking the grey-capped Brave Coaster staffer, Raul headed in the direction indicated, muttering as he went.

"… Honestly. Those two, going off on their own."

"… I was actually worried for a moment."

"There's that whole kidnapping case, too, you know," Airi added, shrugging in agreement.

The attraction next to the Brave Coaster, named the 'Demonkin Hall.'

A signpost for the magic vending-machine corner pointed to the space between that tall building and the souvenir shop.

… Honestly, Raul couldn't help muttering inwardly.

If you're going for drinks, give us a heads-up first…

"Oi, Myuli, Fino…"

Peering around the shadow of the building, Raul casually called the two by name.

"— ?!?"

The next instant. He caught his breath at the jet-black he glimpsed in his vision.

In the small gap between tall buildings, in the center of the rest area where magic vending machines stood, Fino had her arms around Myuli as if shielding her.

And in front of the girls, three men dressed all in black stood blocking the way.

"Fino!!!!!"

Sensing the abnormal air, Raul instantly launched himself forward.

The moment her eyes met his, Fino's expression flooded with relief, and she shouted at the top of her voice.

"Raul!!!!!"

Damn… wait, could these be the kidnappers?!?!

Cutting in front of the girls without hesitation, Raul spread his arms to shield the pair.

Seeing his stance, one of the men in black slowly stepped back and raised a hand.

Light gathered at the tip of the man's pale-white finger.

It grew brighter and brighter, and— wait?!

"Wha—!"

The next instant, a small ball of light shot from the man's hand.

Raul barely dodged in time; part of the wall beside him exploded outward.

"… Demonkin… magic?!"

… At the cold sensation running down his spine, the words escaped him involuntarily.

… And then.

Behind Raul, the sound of someone planting their feet firmly on the ground.

"'Boot'… 'Byle Shot'!!!"

A clear, ringing voice gave the activation command for the "Magic Circuit," from a girl with honey-colored hair.

A silver mass left Airi's hand and shot like an arrow at the man in black who had cast magic.

— What lit up in midair, charged with magic power, was a leather belt with multiple metal parts embedded in it: a one-of-a-kind original item.

The moment Airi's handmade strap grazed him, part of the man's hood burned away.

"—!!!!!"

Silver hair spilled from the edge of the singed hood.

Blood-red eyes glared at them sharply—

… In front of Raul and the others, who had lost their words.

The men in black sank low for an instant before leaping, and in the blink of an eye their bodies vanished into the shadow of the building.

"Myuli, are you all right?!"

"…!"

The moment the men disappeared, the black-haired girl threw herself at Raul.

Unable to even cry out from the sheer terror, Myuli just clung to him trembling, and Raul gently stroked her small back.

"I was going to buy Myuli a juice… and then before we knew it, they were right in front of us… they were trying to grab us by the arms…"

"Thanks for protecting Myuli…"

Raul patted Fino's shoulder reassuringly as she rambled on with a pale face… But inside Raul's chest, a heavy emotion roiled in coils.

The blood-colored eyes burning vividly in Raul's memory.

No doubt about it, those guys were… the culprits behind the recent kidnappings in the royal capital, of children with magic power, really were demonkin, just as the rumors said.

Which meant…

"They were the demonkin from Amada's factory, the ones we let escape the other day, weren't they…"

… A heavy unease squeezed at his chest.

In the face of nameless dread, Raul's vision darkened.

"But…"

Before him, Fino, who had been chewing her lip in silence, suddenly opened her mouth.

"I can't put it well, but those guys' magic, was somehow, weird…"

As if something about it didn't quite fit.

Gazing in the direction the men in black had vanished, Fino murmured quietly.

 

*

 

"Onii-chan, let's sleep together…"

"Huh?"

… He'd thought for sure she'd already crawled into the futon.

Tugged at the hem of his nightclothes by his sister, who'd been waiting motionlessly in the room, Raul, just out of the bath, blinked.

"No, I'm sleeping on the floor cushion, so the bed's all yours…"

Still gripping the hem of Raul's nightclothes, Myuli kept her eyes downcast.

"… After what happened this afternoon… I'm afraid of having scary dreams…"

"… Honestly, no helping it then."

… To Myuli, who said it timidly, Raul couldn't help scratching his head.

"Goodnight, Onii-chan…"

"… Goodnight."

Turning off the magic lamp, climbing under the futon.

Feeling Myuli's body heat at his back, Raul finally became aware that the moment had come.

After the demonkin kidnapping attempt, they'd left Brave Island early.

But back at the apartment, with Myuli completely shaken, Raul couldn't bring himself to broach the topic, and once again the day was drawing to a close…

It's now or never, Raul told himself.

This time for sure, I'll tell her the truth. That I didn't become a hero. … But.

… Even at this point, Raul still hesitated.

Is it really okay? To hurt my own little sister, who believes in me so much, who relies on me this much. Once you say it out loud, you can never take it back.

Yeah. For Myuli's sake, maybe it's better to let her keep dreaming…

"… Have confidence in who you are right now, Raul Chaser."

Without warning, Airi's voice echoed back into Raul's ears.

"The 'you' that Myuli-san said looks cool isn't a hero, it's you working as a clerk at Leon."

As if pushed forward by her words.

His resolve firm, Raul made up his mind and opened his mouth.

"Hey, Myuli. Truth is, I…"

"… Onii-chan."

… And then.

Overlapping with Raul's voice, Myuli softly called his name.

"… Myuli, actually, ran away from home."

"…!"

… It was an unexpected confession.

Behind the speechless Raul, Myuli stirred slightly.

"… Dad, and Mom, and the people in the neighborhood, and the kids at school, everyone, they all said that Onii-chan didn't become a hero… so Myuli said that couldn't be true, and got into a fight with everyone, and ran out of the house…"

"Myuli…"

"For lying, I'm sorry…"

She murmured apologetically…

But the girl quickly brightened her voice.

"But, I'm glad I came… because, after all, Myuli was right. Onii-chan really wasn't lying after all. Onii-chan is a hero… and he's cool…"

"… … … …"

"… Onii-chan, thank you. I got to see Onii-chan's face, and made lots of fun memories, so, Myuli, will go back home now…"

… After a beat.

Myuli's slender arms suddenly wrapped around Raul's body from behind.

"Onii-chan, I love you…"

… At Myuli's words, Raul couldn't find any words in reply.

Held from behind by Myuli, Raul just bit down silently on the painful tightening in his chest.