Two days later, the royal capital hosted a victory banquet.
The Beasts of the Outside World had been utterly eradicated.
With the source of the chaos removed, a fleeting peace had finally settled over the continent. Even the castle town was holding a festival; from my vantage point, the streets looked incredibly lively. People of all races were making merry, celebrating exactly as they pleased.
I was currently in a private room within the castle.
It was a space reserved for a select few. I had thought it would allow us to enjoy the festivities in a more composed manner, but that expectation turned out to be a grave error.
"Dwight! Oh, Dwight!"
Diera strode toward me, her glass held high. Her face was flushed red, and she wore a wide, boisterous grin. She was clearly quite deep in her cups.
As she stumbled and began to fall toward me, I deployed a barrier before she could make contact. Diera ended up plastered against the invisible wall, but she quickly righted herself with a dissatisfied pout.
I looked at her and asked, "What is it?"
"A toast!"
With that, Diera swung her glass back. I held up the glass in my own hand to meet her. She swung her arm down with gusto. Our glasses collided, sending a high-pitched ring echoing through the room.
The alcohol had clearly robbed Diera of any sense of moderation. If I hadn't reinforced my glass with magic at the last second, it would have surely shattered into a thousand pieces.
Diera had been caught in the explosion of her pseudo-golem, yet here she was, perfectly fine. She had managed to crawl out of the wreckage of the irreparable machine and return on her own.
Henry, who had also survived the ordeal, was currently busy forcing Logan to drink. Logan looked immensely annoyed, but he was accepting the drinks with an air of reluctant resignation. Perhaps he had simply decided that refusing was more trouble than it was worth.
I scanned the rest of the room.
Dorda and Yura had been here earlier, but they had since left to join the banquet for the regular soldiers. When I checked on them with Clairvoyance Magic, they appeared to be having a wonderful time.
Luciana was sitting in a corner seat, sipping wine while gazing out at the night scenery.
"You look as gloomy as ever," Diera said, peering into my face. For some reason, her gaze was full of pity.
"I am a skeleton. I cannot change my expression."
"That is not what I mean. You are simply too stiff-necked."
Diera let out an exaggerated sigh. Suddenly, a large shadow loomed behind her. Flames flickered within a single eye socket; it was Grom, and he looked to be on the verge of a localized explosion of fury.
"Predecessor! Such insolence toward the Demon King is—"
"I am Dwight’s senior! That means I can do whatever I wish!"
"Gnu... What a flimsy excuse..."
Grom flinched, looking frustrated. Just because she was the previous Demon Lord didn't mean she had free rein to do whatever she wanted. Her argument didn't even qualify as sophistry. Yet, Grom seemed entirely overwhelmed by her sheer, unabashed confidence.
I masked my presence and quietly moved away. Diera and Grom were already back to bickering; the best course of action was to leave them be until they cooled down.
I made my way over to Luciana. She glanced at the pair with an exasperated expression.
"Those two are always at it, aren't they? It’s exhausting how much they act like children."
"..."
I stared at Luciana in silence. She didn't appear to be joking, yet I distinctly remembered her being the one who frequently argued with Grom. In fact, that had been the case since the very beginning.
"Demon King-sama, did you just think something rude?"
"...It is your imagination."
I shook my head. Luciana’s intuition was as sharp as ever. It was best not to let my mind wander to unnecessary things.
After that, we shared some idle conversation while enjoying the view of the city lights. Once Luciana finished her wine, she stood up.
"Well, I’m going to go check on my subordinates. You should make sure to enjoy yourself tonight too, okay, Demon King-sama?"
"I understand."
I nodded, and Luciana took her leave.
As the door closed behind her, a new presence appeared at my back. It didn't belong to any of my executives. I turned around to find the Great Spirit standing there.
I hid my surprise and asked, "Why are you here?"
"Am I an unwelcome guest?"
"No. I simply did not expect you."
The sight of the Great Spirit attending a banquet was surreal. I hadn't thought she would come even if invited. We had cooperated this time because of a common enemy, but fundamentally, our relationship was not one of friendship. It was merely that we currently had no reason to be hostile toward one another.
I picked up an empty glass from a nearby table, filled it with fruit liquor, and offered it to her.
"Will you drink?"
"Thank you."
The Great Spirit accepted the glass and tilted it toward her mouth. The liquid inside gradually disappeared. Setting the glass down, she broached a new topic.
"I wish to thank you for your assistance. Thanks to you, the Beasts of the Outside World have been annihilated."
"The help was mutual," I replied honestly. It was the truth. Without the Great Spirit, the damage would have been far more extensive. It was a stroke of luck that she had chosen to take such an active role.
"What is the status of the other Defense Mechanisms?"
"The majority have fulfilled their purpose and entered a state of slumber. Depending on the individual, some may not wake again for centuries. I, too, am entering dormancy. Should anything arise, I will contact you through Yura."
"I see."
The Defense Mechanisms existed to protect the world. Now that the threat of the Beasts was gone, there was no longer a justification for them to manifest so freely.
"..."
The Great Spirit fell silent, standing still as she surveyed the room. The air between us grew strangely awkward.
"Is there something else?" I asked, probing for her thoughts.
"No. It is nothing."
Answering with uncharacteristic haste, the Great Spirit began to fade. I thought she would vanish then and there, but she spoke one last time as her form turned translucent.
"I forgot. Allow me to offer one piece of advice. Regarding that immense power of yours... please be extremely cautious in how you use it."
"Because I will become a target for the world's defenses?"
The Great Spirit nodded at my answer. She paused for a brief moment before murmuring, "I do not wish to become your enemy."
"I am of the same opinion."
"Then that is enough. I apologize for interrupting your celebration."
This time, the Great Spirit truly vanished. Her presence was completely gone from my perception. She had likely entered her long sleep somewhere deep within the world.
"Boss! It’s a disaster! Logan’s collapsed! Heal him with magic, quick!"
Henry’s voice cut through the air. I looked over to see him shaking Logan, who looked for all the world like a fresh corpse. His condition was undoubtedly brought on by excessive drinking.
I stood up and started walking toward them.
"...Yes, I am coming."
The Demon King's Army had survived the crisis, but our problems were still piled high. Even so, everyone needs a moment to breathe.
For tonight, I decided to simply enjoy the time I had.