Kuro no Maou

It felt like standing in dark night, but for some strange reason I couldn’t feel the darkness, upon surveying the surroundings I could see.

「Where is this place......」

There were round pillars lined up in right and left, there were also delicate ornaments lined everywhere, it seemed like a shrine,

「Welcome to Avalon Imperial Castle of Elrod Empire. I truly welcome you Kurono Mao」

But, thanks to that voice, I understood that here was a throne room.

There is only one person currently who would call me by me full name ‘Kurono Mao’, in other words, the self-proclaimed god, ancient demon king, Mia Elrod.

Mia, with the same figure as in my memories as that of a person with androgynous face, was sitting in a big profound jet black throne.

Looking more carefully, she was wearing the same black uniform and ever-spreading mantle, the same things she wore when we first met.

I, from a place on the lower steps of stairs, asked Mia.

「Just what does this mean?」

I don’t get the situation at all.

After Wrath-Pun escaped, we decided to camp at some proper place for a night, then I changed the turns with Fiona and slipped in my sleeping bag. Till here is clearly in my memories.

「You don’t have to be that vigilant, here is inside a dream」

It feels just too real for a dream.

Even without pinching my cheek, I can understand that my five senses are working, magical power and sixth sense too for some reason.

「Appearing in dreams is more like a god, right?」

「Well, indeed」

Setting aside the face whether it is god-ish or not, saying this throne room in front of me, is an illusion or a dream is more easier to accept than to accept it exists in reality.

Let alone, I was present in the Galahad Mountains the moment before. This has more persuasive power compared to saying that I got summoned ‘again’ to somewhere.

「So, for you to come out in dreams, what is the business?」

「Fufufu, that is, for giving you the divine protection as a reward for breaking through the first trial!」

You did it, congratulations! The words of congratulations and clapping from Majestic Emperor personally, resounded in the vast throne room.

「Ha, Ha, Thank you for that」

Although I somewhat predicted it, but upon being praised this much straight-forwardly, I sure am bewildered to a great extent.

Or rather, at the time of getting divine protection, do all have to go through this?

This neither has the feeling of nervousness nor happiness, which I certainly felt when I got my graduation certificate in middle school.

「Though it is divine protection, it is not that much of great power, yet」

Well, that’s true.

Certainly Wrath-Pun was strong foe, but fights with life on stake, is an experience many adventurers have gone through.

I never had though that I would get tremendous power to defeat an apostle by just experiencing a situation like this for once.

「So, if I keep on completing the trials in order, the power of divine protection will increase?」

「That’s right! Though I cannot explain in much details」

Like that, Mia stopped for a beat, changed her expression to a serious one and continued her words.

「Come on, Kurono Mao, present the proof that you overcome the trial」

「Proof?」

「That thing you have in your hand」

Looking down, before I knew it, I was holding a fist-sized deep red jewel in my left hand.

I thought it was『Queen Beryl』for an instant, but because this was blazing wildly and also had different hue, I understood this is different stuff.

In fact, this is,

「Is this the thing stuffed in right-hand of Wrath-Pun?」

「Yeah, if you just show the proof the trial will be completed, it is not necessary to actually kill the monsters」

I see, so the jewel stuffed on the back of left-hand of Wrath-Pun was the proof for this trial, so if I just get this in my hands, the trial will be deemed as completed.

However, if the proof is head of monsters or heart, then I need to kill them with certainty, and if I, by mistake, smash them into fragments then......ugh, need to pay more attention from now on.

「Then I will take that proof, the『Fist of Wrath』」

Mia held out her autumn red palm, the jewel slipped from my hand like sand and while emitting bright red light, it disappeared in empty space.

Without even having time to admire the fantastical change, the jewel called『Fist of Wrath』vanished.

So...with this I have given in to god?

「By the way, it has lots of magical power inside, so if used in as a material for weapon or item, you could get a really strong one, or if you sell it, you can get lots of money」

「Eh, you say that now!?」

What an extremely regrettable thing I did because of you, You sadist!

「Fufufu, this is the payback for the rude thing you said about me before, that you didn’t understand whether I am a man or woman」

Grrr, being a god you still hold grudges......

「Well then, with this the power of divine protection is in your body」

Though you say that, I don’t feel any change, don’t tell me I am being deceived by this fraud?

「So you mean to say I can use divine protection stuff now?」

How the hell do you even use the ‘power of divine protection’?

「You will understand it with instincts, the same way as you learnt magic, and though it is called divine protection, it’s power is now yours, Kurono Mao」

Of course, you will be able to use it after waking up from this dream, she added on.

「I see......so......should I say thank you here?」

However, is it fine to recognise this child in front of me as a real-god from now on.

Do I have to amend my wordings, after all he/she/it is the ancient demon king whom everyone on Pandora Continent knows about.

「Fufu, don’t become so tense, you be like you have been till now, I don’t want admiration and offerings, unlike the prideful『White God』」

The moment Mia said the name of god which the Cross Religion prays to, I felt a tremendous intimidation coming out of Mia.

Though there is neither bloodlust, nor magical power included, but a strange power indeed is coming out of the body, that makes me want to bow my head down unintentionally.

Though a part god-like power are coming out, but now that the name of White God has come out, then I have no choice but to ask.

「Do you know about『White God』, Mia?」

Before I knew it, the mysterious intimidation was gone, and Mia opened her mouth while smiling.

「I do know, but, that is a secret, for now」

「So you will tell if I complete the trials?」

「Just a little」

Apparently, there seems to be no intention for telling the info of White God.

Sadist, or rather, it might because of rules.

Well fine, the problem currently is not『White God』itself, but the crusaders who believe that bastard.

If only I can get the power to defeat the apostles and innumerable crusaders, I don’t have to give a shit about God’s problems.

「That’s right, I will tell one thing」

「What is it?」(Kurono)

「The reason Wrath-Pun appeared was me?」(Kurono)

Because I was there to take the trial from Mia, that the Wrath-Pun appeared, no, more precisely it was ‘made’ for me. That’s what I meant.

「No, there is no relation, the reason it appeared was complete coincidence, it’s a part of how nature works. Like I said before, the God cannot interfere too much with the world, this works for all other gods too, we all cannot twist the fates」

「I’m relieved to hear that」

With this it seems like, there won’t be a time when super-powerful monster appears for me to complete trial, and goes onto a killing rampage.

So, the monsters for trial, needed to be searched by myself, or I will meet them due to destiny.

「So can you tell me what the next trial will be, as a bonus you see?」

「Though you know the answer yourself. But, when you use divine protection after waking up, you will get the gist of what power of divine protection you will get and also what the future trials will be about」

Unexpectedly, Mia gave me a hint.

Special service, no, there must be something else behind it.

「The talk is over with this, see you later Kurono Mao, I will wait for you to complete the next trial」

Before I could say something, my whole vision became black, like that my consciousness drifted――