“Good grief, it looks like I won’t be able to defeat you through normal means. In that case—Stradi-Varius.”
The moment the Holy King muttered those words, a dazzling light enveloped him.
This sensation—it was a Radiant Armament.
Before I knew it, a single violin was clutched in his hand.
“Th-that’s the violin crafted by the legendary master, Mr. Varius! The tone produced by wood seasoned for a century is a treasure of the Human World—a true masterpiece! That is the Stradi-Varius! Moreover, that specific one is the Model Odyssey, which was auctioned for a record price of 1.4 billion G$! I remember hearing that the Holy King Court had won the bid, but to think he had it with him all this time…”
Jiriel began to rattle on and on with exhaustive detail.
Apparently, that instrument was incredibly rare.
“Aren't you a bit too well-informed about this, you shitty angel…?”
“Fool! It is world-famous, you idiot Majin! Isn’t that right, Master Lloyd?!”
Even if he asked me, I didn't have the slightest clue.
What concerned me more was how he had manifested it just now. It had appeared in empty space out of nowhere. It didn’t seem like it was constructed out of Radiant Armament itself, so was that another one of the Holy King’s abilities?
Still, I hadn’t felt the Holy King do anything in particular to summon it. Everything about this guy had been strange from the start.
“Hah! What do you intend to do with a toy like that?”
In contrast to my wariness, Beal scoffed at the Holy King.
I certainly didn't know the history of the instrument, but I found it hard to believe that a piece of wood could withstand Beal’s raw violence.
“Uooooooh!”
As Beal charged forward, the Holy King brought the bow to the strings and began to play.
—♪
The instant the sound resonated, the hair on my neck stood on end.
His technical skill was at a level that rivaled Saria’s.
But at the same time, it felt profoundly wrong. It was as if my soul were being directly caressed. It was like the “Voice” the Holy King had used earlier, but amplified dozens of times over.
“G-uugh…”
“A-agaga…”
“Grimo? Jiriel?!”
Before I knew it, the two of them had collapsed to the floor, foaming at the mouth.
It was likely the influence of that attack—if you could call it that. Their lives didn't seem to be in immediate danger, but they were completely incapacitated.
“M-my apologies… Master Lloyd…!”
“This song… it feels like our strength is being drained away…!”
I see. So this was the Holy King’s true power.
Even I was experiencing a considerable hindrance to my movements.
“Tch… A Magical Song…?!” Beal spat the words out with pure venom.
A Magical Song was a technique passed down through the lineage of the Holy Kings. By bundling special spell formulas into a melody, they achieved effects similar to magic.
In principle, it was similar to a spell bundle. While I pushed for efficiency by cramming a massive number of spells into a single mass, a Magical Song leaned more into the element of performance. In other words, it was a type of ritual magic.
By having the music produce various acoustic effects, the caster could appeal more directly to the target’s heart. Or so the Former Pope, Gitan, had once explained to me.
The Holy King’s voice was ultimately “sound.” Even without the instrument, his earlier speech should be considered a facet of a Magical Song.
“…I’m impressed. You can still speak? This ‘Song of Peace’ is a piece I wrote and composed myself. Once you hear it, you shouldn't feel even a shred of intent to fight. It ought to be unbearable for a Demon King, who is a literal mass of fighting spirit. I had heard that the current Demon King was formidable, but you’ve exceeded my expectations.”
“G-uooooh…!”
Beal’s entire body was convulsing, but he couldn’t move so much as a finger.
Magic generally didn't affect demons, who possessed magic bodies, but they weren't invincible against things like Ki Arts that acted directly on their form.
Moreover, the Magical Song the Holy King was playing seemed to be vibrating the magic body itself. The effectiveness was undeniable.
“Whoops, this isn't the time to be a spectator.”
I had said I would look after him, after all. I couldn't let him be defeated by the Holy King like this.
Before the Holy King could deliver a finishing blow, I activated a Sonic Barrier using Wind System Magic.
This was a barrier intended to block sound by vibrating the air; with this, I hoped to cut off the Holy King’s performance.
I figured that with ritual magic, if the ritual itself was disrupted, the spell formula would fail to activate. That was the plan, but…
“…? That’s strange. It’s not activating.”
I had certainly triggered the spell formula. Despite that, the sound of the violin didn't cease.
Something was interfering. I turned my gaze toward the source of the counter-spell that was neutralizing mine.
“You finally noticed. You’re as oblivious as ever.”
A voice echoed from the void. Simultaneously, a tall man emerged from a patch of melting darkness.
He had a piercing, sharp gaze and a lean but sturdy frame. Grimo and Jiriel widened their eyes as the man looked down at me, his long black hair fluttering in the magical wind.
“Impossible… You… you should be dead!”
“C-could this be the one Rin told us about…?”
“Gimzal…!”
The man stumbled at my words, while the other two looked on in deadpan silence. Wait, was that not it?
The man steadied himself and glared at me.
“It’s Gui-sarm! …You’re as infuriating a shitty brat as ever.”
Right, right, that was his name.
Guisarm. The demon who had previously possessed Jade’s body.
He had been quite powerful, but I was certain I had reduced him to ash with my Void. How was he here?
It was likely the Holy King’s doing, but still…
“Ah, you were a big help, Guisarm. If you hadn’t been here, that might have been dangerous.”
“…Tch. This brat has grown even more powerful than before! Hey! This is no time for idle chatter!”
“I know. It’s almost over—!”
“Gugaaaaah?!”
The Holy King closed his eyes and focused on his performance. The resonating sound swelled in volume, vibrating with forceful intensity.
The black mana covering Connie—Beal’s manifested body—began to peel away and evaporate into nothingness.
I suppose it couldn't be helped. We would have to withdraw for now.
“I’m sorry, but I’ll have to pull us back for today.”
“Hahaha, what a thing to say. Do you think I’ll let you escape so easily—”
Mid-sentence, the Holy King froze.
I had generated a massive quantity of mana and deployed it all around us.
The barrier Beal had constructed boasted extraordinary durability, but its actual structure was incredibly simple. Now that the caster was unconscious, I could destroy it through sheer brute force.
“Goodness… what an appalling torrent of mana. It is a strength that brings to mind a waterfall existing at the edge of the world. So this is the rumored Seventh Prince… I see why even the Holy King Court considers you a person of concern. My power is strictly specialized for anti-demon combat; it has little effect on humans. Besides, I am a pacifist. I have no desire to pursue this further.”
“Tch… He’s releasing mana even more tremendous than the last time we met! Not only that, the precision of his spell formula is beyond comparison. Dammit… I hate this. I am a Noble of the Demon World, the Great Guisarm! …Fine. Once I fulfill my objective, a human like this won’t be a threat. I’ll let him live for now…!”
The Holy King and Guisarm were muttering something to themselves, but I was too worried about Beal to pay them any mind. He was unconscious and twitching rhythmically.
I would have to wait for another opportunity to study the Magical Song properly.
It was a shame. Even though I felt reluctant to leave such a research opportunity behind, I slammed the massive accumulation of mana into the barrier.
With a roaring boom, a massive crack splintered across the space.
“See you later.”
With a sound like a physical snap, the barrier shattered. The scenery returned to the familiar interior of the hall.
The moment we were back in the venue, a thunderous roar of cheers erupted from the audience.
Oh, that’s right—the performance was still technically happening. The Holy King had also returned to his seat, readjusting his hood.
His expression was perfectly serene, his face fixed in a gentle smile as he joined the audience in their applause.