Hugo

The fight began in a flash.

Her long black hair extended itself towards me, their tips forming innumerable spears.

There was no hesitation. She fully intended to kill me.

I, on the other hand, felt differently.

She might be a terrifying former Demon Lord but she was also Sherry's grandmother. If I ended up killing her, Sherry would feel sad for sure.

But, I had no choice. I had to fight. She clearly had no plans to listen to me anymore.

I jumped backwards, putting a good distance between me and her hair.

I decided to start small. I fired a Boom Cannon towards her "tendrils".

The hair didn't dodge. It instead received the attack full force, tensing itself to act as a shield.

It was enough to dissipate the attack completely, even though some of the length of the hair was shortened because of it.

"That was a weak attack, Hugo Greenwood. Is that the full extent of your power? Or are you insulting me by holding back?"

Tch, of course it's not going to work. If it doesn't work on that fox woman, why should it work on her?

Fine. I'll up the ante a little.

"Grand Tornado!"

I raised my staff up to the air, conjuring a massive whirlwind around me, blowing over all the flowers in the fields.

The way this spell worked was that you could control where the safe zone inside the whirlwind was located. The eye of the storm, so to speak.

Normally, its radius would be a mile or so with an eye around ten feet in radius. However, I commanded the winds to compress themselves. Now, the whirlwind was only a hundred feet wide with an eye as wide as my body. This should make the winds much more powerful.

"What is this? You think a mere wind like this is going to stop me?"

As I had calculated, her hair managed to make its way through the raging winds anyway. However, she was unable to see me, as I was inside the whirlwind while she was outside. She wouldn't know exactly where I was.

And that bought me time. Enough to begin charging my Super Boom Cannon. Not to its full strength, mind you, but enough so it would be double the power of a normal Boom Cannon.

The moment I fired was the moment her tendrils-like hair flew after me. Once again, they crashed into my spell, tightening themselves to form a barrier to block it.

This time, however, they didn't stand a chance.

My spell went through, right to where their master should be. I turned off my whirlwind spell, just so I could see the hit.

Only to find that with a single punch, she shattered the spell completely.

"Pathetic! Is this all you have, human?!"

Shit! That doesn't even faze her?!

"Fine! You don't want to take me seriously?! Then I'll just have to do this! Fairy! Bring Sherry here!"

Wait, Sher—

Before I could even react, a bright light appeared to the left of the ex-Demon Lord.

When it receded, a dark-haired girl stood there, looking just as confused as I was.

It was Sherry.

Ba-Dump!

For a short moment, I was speechless.

She was beautiful. Far more than I expected.

That long, flawless black hair, finely combed unlike the hair of her grandmother; those piercing green eyes, as determined and fierce as ever; and those breasts…

Well, at least she had two small bumps there. I'm fine with that. There's a certain charm in small chests after all.

I was quickly broken out of my reverie, however, by the grandmother grabbing her throat with her hair.

"G-grandma…" Sherry croaked, her hands desperately trying to release her grip.

"W-wait, what are you doing?! That's your own granddaughter, you know!" I yelled.

"Fight me seriously. Or I'll break her neck. You love her, don't you? Then fight for her."

Those eyes… she wasn't kidding.

If I don't fight her with all my might, she's really going to kill her!

That's it! Being a stern grandma is one thing, but this is insanity! I'm going to stop her, even if I kill her in the process!

I don't care if Sherry won't forgive me for it! If she thinks I'm going to let another person that I care about die on my watch, she needs to think again!

I rushed forward, charging both a Super Boom Cannon and an Accelerate. Full power.

She threw Sherry away to the side. Good. Just like I expected. This meant I wouldn't have to worry about accidentally hitting Sherry in the process.

When the Time Magic was ready, I combined it with the Wind Spell. The forming of the spell accelerated considerably, in exchange for a huge chunk of my mana.

And then, before her hair could reach me, I fired.

The massive ten-meter radius sphere flew forward, 20 times the speed of sound. It obliterated her hair instantly, turning every strand into nothing.

It works! She can't defend herself from this for sure!

I was wrong.

The orb of doom had stopped mid-air. Something was blocking it.

It was her sword.

My spell dissipated, leaving the visage of the swordswoman and her pitch-black steel.

No, it wasn't just pitch black. A vile aura emanated out of it, sending chills all throughout my body. There was no doubt it was a cursed sword of some manner.

Rage. I can feel the overwhelming rage coming from that sword.

And yet, there's a hint of sorrow and loneliness as well.

Just what is that thing?

"Well done, human. That is what I wish to see. A spell fit to fight against a Demon Lord."

"However, you have yet to defeat me. And it is the only way I will ever let you see my granddaughter again."

Huh? But Sherry just—

My gaze shifted towards the girl she just threw.

Only to find that it wasn't Sherry. It was instead just a piece of wooden log, at the size of a human.

I'd been had. The fairy had used her illusion to trick me.

"Now, let's resume the fight." She swung her sword, leaving an afterimage of darkness behind it. "This time, I will use my full strength as well."

I gulped. This wouldn't be easy in the slightest.

---------

Victoria

When the half-fairy first arrived at her new home, she thought it would be a better place to live than her old house.

The Floating Fortress of Naturia. The dwelling and the seat of government for the Demon Lord of Wisdom.

It froze her in awe the very first time she saw it.

A pitch black castle, shining with a dim purple light, floating on mid-air above the city — it was truly a place worthy to be the lair of a Demon Lord.

But now, she realized that it was just another hell. A different kind from what she experienced back home, but a hell nonetheless.

She had met him — the orc prince that was supposed to be her husband.

And he was everything she had expected him to be — brutish, perverted, and ungentlemanly to the fullest. He was also short and fat — a far cry from the tall, muscled orc she had to pleasure before.

There was no Prince Charming.

There was only him — a spouse fit for a worthless girl like her.

And now, after their short introduction — he didn't even bother asking anything about her — she was to wait in her room for him to arrive.

The room was lavish, decorated far more ornately than her old room. From the door, a large king-sized bed sat to the left while miniature bookshelves sat to the right. A glimmering chandelier hung on the ceiling while a royal red carpet covered the cold stone floor. There was also a fireplace, burning with green flame that didn't need any firewood to keep itself going. There was also a wardrobe at the corner, along with a dresser and a mirror.

The girl was now dressed in a skimpy, sheer nightgown. The white garment failed to cover the teal bra and panties she was wearing underneath.

The perfect dress for someone who would bed the orc prince.

She was now sitting on the bed, staring blankly at the window leading outside.

She had cried into her pillow. So much so that she ran out of tears. All that was left was the lingering sense of doom of her inevitable demise.

Oh, she knew she was being hyperbolic. She knew all she had to do was to let him have her way with her. And smile while he did it, like the good wife she should be.

But, she hated it. She didn't want her first time to be with him.

But, she had no choice. Her sister needed her to be a good wife to him. And so she would.

The door bolted open, causing the girl to jump from her seat.

"Here I am, darling! Hehehe, let's play!"

He came.

The orc prince made his entrance. A green creature, barely as tall as her, entered her sight with a lustful grin. He wore an open vest embroidered with gold and mithril, exposing his belly to the world. As for down there, he opted to wear a pair of loose puffy trousers, embroidered with ruby and sapphire instead. The crotch area was quite snug, however, exposing his raging erection right into her eyes.

His name was Zilge Naturia. He was the only son of the sixth wife of the Demon Lord of Wisdom, Ulum Naturia.

Without waiting, he threw himself at her, pushing her down on the bed.

She closed her eyes. She let him undress her, all the while feeling his erection pressing down on her stomach.

Do not resist. Be a good girl and wife. Be useful to your family. She repeated that mantra over and over in her head.

He tore her dress open, the flimsy material offering no resistance in the slightest. He then pulled at her bra, sending a surge of pain to her back as the thin garment bit into her skin.

He couldn’t even figure out how to unclasp a bra properly.

With his orcish strength, her bra gave out as well, freeing the suppressed mountain of flesh that were her breasts. To her horror, she could hear his labored breath. She even felt drops of his saliva touching her cheeks.

No good. She could feel her eyes watering. She couldn’t cry. That would offend him. That would tell him that she didn’t want this. It would be an insult to his manhood.

Do not resist. Be a good girl and wife. Be useful to your family.

The mantra did not work. Tears began to escape from the corner of her lids.

“Eh, what are you crying for? You should be happy! Being a bride of a prince like me!”

“Although, I do love the sight of a crying girl in my bed!”

As his hands began to squeeze and grope her breasts, as his mouth began to suck on her earlobe, she too began to actively sob. There was no crowd that she had to please. It was only her and him now.

Yes, when she first arrived, the Demon Lord quickly formed a parade for her, showing to his subjects that she would be a future princess of the country. There, she sat along with the orc prince, smiling and waving her hand to the happy populace all while wearing the most extravagant dress.

However, at the same time, he groped her breasts and ass shamelessly. And none of the citizens minded. In fact, they cheered for him.

She was being sexually harassed in public by their prince. And they loved him more for it.

She couldn’t blame them. She was soon-to-be his wife after all. To the demons, this might just be a showing of how affectionate they were. Demons were supposed to be more open with their sexuality after all.

And so, she kept up her smile all the way through.

But here, when there was only him, she was no longer a beloved princess.

She was a pleasure slave, only here to fulfill his carnal desires.

He never cared about her as a person. He only cared about her as an object — as an attractive woman to copulate with.

He was not like him in the slightest. He might be a pervert but he always saw her as her own person.

In fact, he was the one who wanted her to be free. From her family. From this. To become her own person. Not to chase after her delusions.

But he’s gone now. He’s no longer in this world.

This was now her fate. Her unchangeable, immutable fate.

“It doesn’t have to be that way, you know!”

She froze. Who, who just spoke? That wasn’t the prince’s voice at all.

She opened her eyes.

And saw a little fairy staring back at her.

https://pin.it/6ALn3vX

----------------

Hugo

I activated Haste, increasing my speed considerably with the downside being the constant drain it put into my mana.

I knew I would need it for sure. The speed of a Demon Lord was still too fast for me to deal with normally.

Super Boom Cannon didn't work. At least not if I just fired it directly like that.

I still had other options though.

First, I could just snatch Sherry away. If I had to guess, she should be nearby now, watching me. I would dispel this fairy illusion and then we ran away from this crazy woman. No need to fight.

Of course, that wouldn't work. Not when Sherry hated my guts. She must be, after learning about Felicia.

And besides, I wanted to prove myself to her family, that I was worthy to take the hand of their daughter.

No choice but to fight.

That's fine. I want a rematch with a Demon Lord after all.

I bolted backwards, putting as much distance as I could from her. That hair of hers was trouble. She could easily surround me with them. If Sherry had been able to use them in our spars, I would never have won for sure.

She chased after me, her pitch-black hair flowing behind her like a storm. She lifted her sword and slashed it towards me, sending an energy wave of pure black in my direction. The wave destroyed the flowers it passed through, leaving only a deadened earth behind.

I dodged it—by a hair's breadth mind you—but she sent more and more, forcing me to change the direction of my Wind Step constantly.

Crap! She's fast! As fast as Isolde!

My mind flashed back to the pink-haired swordswoman. Her aura was just as intimidating as hers. No wonder she's chosen to be one of the heroes.

The aura of that level used to be able to knock me out. But now, thanks to my training as we journeyed through the continent, I could remain standing and keep my wits with me.

"Running away won't grant you victory! Hold your ground and face me like a man!"

No thanks! That's not how I fight in the slightest!

I changed my direction in an instant, flying upwards instead of backwards. She followed, firing her hair like a shower of needles in my direction. I conjured Wind Wall, blocking all of them without moving an inch.

Whew, glad I learned Double Casting.

She jumped, forming her hair into multiple giant hands. I managed to dodge out of their grasp just in time.

It was time for my counterattack.

Accelerate! Boom Machine Gun!

The wind crystal on my staff shone as innumerable pellets of Boom Rifle formed themselves in front of me.

And then, I fired.

Her eyes widened. She dissolved her hair into hundreds of strands, each attempting to block the pellets from reaching the ground.

However, she couldn't do it. She couldn't deal with the pellets perfectly. Even when her sword joined in on the action.

One, two, three—more and more pellets pierced her body.

My new spell was a big success.

However…

Urgh! My mana!

I fell from the sky, crash landing on the flowers leg first. Thanks to my Fortissimo, I didn't break my bones in the process.

That was my limit. Two Grandmaster-level spells hastened by Time Magic. After that, I needed to recharge my mana.

I opened my Dimensional Storage and took out a vial of liquid from it. Opening the cap, I drank the bitter draught in one go.

Felicia's potion. Refilled my mana in an instant.

Now, time to finish—

A fist hit my stomach dead on.

I flew backwards, nearly losing my consciousness in the process.

I looked up and saw that it was Quania. The wounds I just gave her—that should've turned her to swiss cheese—had disappeared completely.

I know demons are durable but how can she recover this fast?! Her organs should be full of holes from all those Boom Rifles she took! She even managed to dash at me without me seeing it coming!

She's holding back! She could've killed me there easily!

I hit the ground multiple times before I finally stopped.

And when I did, before I could stand up, she grabbed me on the neck with her hair and lifted me up.

"That was a good show, human. Alas, you are still lacking. Or perhaps you are still holding back?"

I could barely breathe, let alone speak. But I tried anyway. "Those two spells… they were my best… if they can't defeat you… then I can't either.."

"Really?" Her eyes narrowed. "Then, I suppose it's goodbye."

Her hair tightened. I could feel it—my windpipe slowly being crushed. My vision began to blacken. First at the edges then slowly creeping down into the middle.

"Once you're gone, Sherry is going to marry her cousin. Rest assured that he will make her happy. More than you can."

In my mind, I chuckled. I knew it. They would marry her off to a relative. A guy from the village, an Izurd just like her. A better match than a foreign human like me.

Still, this too is part of her test. She wants to make me jealous and angry.

...Yeah. He'll be a lucky guy, marrying her. She's cute, she's earnest, she's strong, and she's honest to a fault. She might lack feminine charms but she'll never betray you. I'm sure of it.

Unlike me. Who's easily swayed by another.

"...Pathetic. You really don't love her. Not as much as she loves you."

I chuckled again. Maybe that's true. You can't love two different girls at the same time without dividing your love between them.

"Don't you dare give up!"

Huh?

That voice…

"You might be a no good two-timer but I know you're stronger than this! You want to apologize to me, right?! Then do it after you defeat her!"

It was Sherry's voice.

Why? Why am I hearing her voice? She should be watching from somewhere else.

"Fight her, Hugo! You—you can kill her if you want!"

Kill… her?

You've already lost your mother. Do you want to lose your grandmother as well?

"And you, stupid fairy! Bring me to him at once! This is just your illusion, isn't it? You think I can't destroy it?!"

A powerful wave crash landed right behind the ex-Demon Lord.

She looked behind her and saw a furious Izurd, staring at her with fiery emerald eyes and an unsheathed sword.

"Release him at once, Grandmother!"

Sherry. She had come to my rescue.