Damn it, I messed up... Bad…

I stood up, quickly scanning their surroundings for any signs of the Demon Lord with his sight.

No good... This darkness... It's all dark mana... And I can't sense any shifts in it that signals the location of the Demon Lord...

If only I could've stopped his casting... Now, dealing with this mess... Now it would be even harder for me to deconstruct this (no doubt) Grandmaster-level spell...

"Hey Hugo, can't you do something about this magic of his?"

Behind me, Sherry had stood up as well. She had an annoyed look on her face, scarcely visible under the blanket of darkness that surrounded us.

Wait, that's odd... Is the darkness not a complete one? We can still see a few inches off our faces. It's like being in a dark room instead of being blind.

Where's the light coming from?

"So much for you stopping his spell." She put one hand on her hip, giving me an inquisitive look.

...Ouch, Since when is she such a sharp-tongued girl?

She's right though. I should be better than this. At this rate, I'd be dragging her down.

"I can't use my technique from before again by the way. It drains my aura a lot. If I overdo it, I won't be able to move just like back then after I escaped this place the first time."

Ah, so that's why.

"Don't worry." I gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll do something against this darkness." Whatever that something is, I'll think about it later.

"This darkness... it's not just some normal darkness like in a moonless, cloudy night. I think he can use it to teleport around."

"You mean, similar to Felicia's Shadow Merge spell?"

"Maybe. I don't know. You're the expert on magic, Hugo." She gave me a questioning look.

I'm not a magic expert though... Myrilla or Felicia would fit that definition better. I'm just good at one kind of magic and that's it, unlike them who probably know all sorts of magic. Especially Felicia. If she were here, she might be able to figure out the true nature of this spell. After all, she's the expert in—

My blood froze.

The mana around me swirled, gathering towards a certain spot.

"Incoming!"

Sherry's hair came alive, forming the cocoon once more in a flash. My Wind Wall snapped into existence, bracing itself for the incoming attack.

A massive wave of darkness crashed on top of us, nearly breaking my wall in a single hit.

I gritted my teeth, reinforcing my cracked spell with every mana I could spare. Sherry screamed as she too strained to keep her cocoon from shattering.

Dammit! As expected, my Thanatos isn't that effective against him! He can just regenerate his ruined organs!

Just when I thought everything was lost...

Silence.

The assault stopped.

Oh... Oh thank God...

"Haah... Haah... Haah... Haah..."

Sherry was panting, sweat dripping down her body from top to bottom. Her legs were shaking and she looked like she could fall at any second. Quickly, I grabbed her body to help her steady herself.

"Sherry, are you alright?" I asked her.

"Urgh,  I'm... I'm fine... I can still fight if that's what you're asking. I'm just... a little dizzy, that's all."

"Don't overexert yourself. I'll handle this."

"Handle this?! You can't handle this!" She grabbed my collar and pulled me down to her height. "Your magic would've crumbled without my help!"

"R-right..."

She released her grip with a huff. Turning her gaze away, she gripped her sword with both hands.

"Stay back."

"Huh?"

"I'm going to slice through this spell."

"Wait, I thought you said you couldn't —"

"I can. It's just that... I might faint after. I'll leave the rest to you, Hugo, if that happens." She glanced at me with a firm look.

"That's a bad idea! Look, just give me some time to undo his spell."

I sat down with my legs crossed, closing my eyes before I spread my raw mana around.

Come on... Come on... There's gotta be a weakness that I can exploit here...

A surge of mana started gathering once again. Dammit! He's going to fire his spell again! "Sherry! Four o'clock! That's where he's standing right now!"

"Got it!"

Aah, screw it! I'll just fire all my raw mana in that direction in one fell swoop! That should give her a clean path to him!

"Hold on! Let me clear the path for you!"

I opened my eyes and aimed my left palm to the southwest. I then focused all my raw mana at said palm, from my head all the way down to my feet.

"Line Deconstruct!"

A surge of concentrated raw mana leaped out like a raging flame.

In the form of a massive white beam that obliterated the darkness in its path.

My eyes went wide. My jaw fell to the ground.

W-WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!

Sherry, not realizing the beam wasn't really part of my plan, chased after it.

It brought her right to where the Demon Lord hid.

But before she could even lay a hand on him, the beam reached him first.

Swallowing him completely, his snake failing to absorb my spell.

The darkness disappeared. The forest from before returned to our sights.

Only for the whole pocket dimension to shake and tremble, cracks appearing in mid-air one by one.

Shit, the whole space is collapsing!

Before I could yell to warn Sherry, however, a dizzy spell assaulted me, forcing me down to my knees.

D-damn it, used all my mana there... I have to... drink that potion Felicia gave me...

I reached down to my pocket and took out a tiny, palm-sized vial. Inside was a blue liquid, which I promptly drank after popping out the cork keeping it in.

In an instant, I could feel my strength coming back.

"Sherry!" I yelled. Quickly, I erected a Wind Wall around me, just in time for her to come back before the dimension shattered completely.

Bringing us back to the room from before where they kept Victoria hostage.

I looked around. No sign of the Demon Lord anywhere.

Did we do it? Have we won?

And what the hell was that beam I just cast?

"I've underestimated you, human."

My eyes jolted upwards.

There, a mass of darkness floated in mid-air, shaped like the Demon Lord we just fought.

Shit! Even after that, he's still not dead?!

"To think you managed to best my grand spell... And that attack... You should have not known about it..."

"Tell me, Hugo Greenwood. Have the Heavenly Dragon chosen you as the Hero? Or perhaps one of Her companions?"

W-what? What is he talking about?

"The Heavenly Dragon didn't do anything!" Sherry yelled. "He became strong on his own!"

"Impossible. You could not have used the same spell that she used... unless... you learned it from her..."

The same spell? Wait, is he talking about that beam thing?

"Tell me then. Have you met with a silver-haired high elf? She's short in stature and an immensely powerful mage."

Ilymhhra. He's talking about Ilymhrra!

"...I see. Judging by your expression, you've indeed met her."

"It all makes sense now. Why you are so strong."

"Well,  if you think I'm her disciple, you're wrong." I gave him a smug smile. "I just copied what she did, that's all."

"...There's no need to lie, human. I am happy that I finally have the chance to use my full strength against one chosen by a former Hero's companion."

Heh, he doesn't believe me, does he?

Still, all this time, he's being holding back... ha... hahahahahaha... a Demon Lord's strength really is something else...

The mass of darkness began to convulse and grow in a grotesque way, as if it couldn't settle in a single, humanoid form.

"I am a Naturia. The one of two that is left. My power is to use the strength of others as my own by eating their hearts."

"However, for my wives, whom I have made a bond and pact with, I have no need to do such a grotesque thing. All their hearts already belonged to me and I could use their strength the moment they departed from this world."

Wait, is he saying that he's able to—

Butterfly wings sprouted out of the humanoid shadow's back. His legs then merged into a lamia's tail but with the end splitting into fins like a mermaid's. A single, crimson eye formed on his forehead and large fangs jutted out of his mouth. Spider legs grew out of his arms, wriggling independently from the main abdomen.

In short, he was taking in all the characteristics of his wives we had killed.

Turning into a horrifying abomination in the process.

This is it! This is the final boss' final form!

...Wait, what am I standing for? I have to kill him before he finishes his transformation?

I dashed forward with Graceful Step, charging my Super Boom Cannon as I did. I also readied my time magic, Accelerate, so it would finish in an instant.

I didn't care it would drain my mana significantly. I had to finish him while I had the chance!

"No! Not enough! I still need more power!"

My heart sank.

I realized my mistake.

Behind him, hidden away from my sight before, was Victoria. I couldn't attack him without risking hurting her as well.

It was all he needed to attach himself to her, swallowing her into his own mass.

"VICTORIA!"

Damn it damn it damn it! I have to— I have to do something! Anything!

I can't let more people die on my watch!

Images of Layla, Lily, Byron, and Felt flashed within my mind as I frantically tried to dispel the darkness, praying it would make it disperse away from her.

N-no! It's not— it's not working! He's still—"

"Oh dear! What do we have here? A naughty little Demon Lord trying to absorb my poor child?"

Huh? Whose voice was—

With a blinding violet light, a pink-haired woman with butterfly wings manifested behind the mass of darkness.

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/21/a2/60/21a260d9cb261b8a4159fccb5436e45a.jpg

Her eyes were amber while her dress was pinkish white with some green decorating it. She held a tall scepter in her gloved right hand while a tall pink crown sat on her head. Curiously, the pattern on her butterfly wings was the exact same as the pattern on Victoria's own—a mixture of green and light blue.

Before I could react, she raised her scepter, filling the room with a blinding purple light.

When the light receded, the darkness was no longer there gnawing on Victoria's unconscious body.

She was free.

"Victoria!"

I jetted forward, quickly cutting out the magic tether that was holding her in place with my anti-magic spell. And before she fell down, I grabbed her by the waist, gently bringing her down to the ground.

"Victoria! Victoria! Wake up!" I shook her body. No response. No, she can't be dead! Her body is still warm!

"Perhaps you should give her a kiss⁓❤ After all, a prince should wake up his princess with one⁓❤"

I turned around to see the fey woman from before. The wriggling darkness was beside her, stuffed into a pink sphere made out of interlocking pink wires.

What... What did she do to him? Did she just seal him? For her to do that so easily...

Just how powerful is she...

"Don't even joke about that! Hugo is my husband!" Sherry protested. "And who are you anyway?" She pointed her sword at her. "And why did you help us?"

That's a good question to ask...

But, I think I already know the answer...

"Me?" She giggled melodiously. "I'm Titania! The queen of all feys! And, of course, Victoria's mother."

Sherry raised her eyebrows. "If you're really her mother, then why didn't you come to her rescue earlier?"

"Because I can't. They put a ward that weakens any fey that comes. If I had forced myself to come here, I would no doubt lose to him." She glanced at the sealed Demon Lord. "Still, thanks to your husband, or perhaps someone else in your merry band of mortals, the ward is now completely gone. And now I can fetch my dear girl in the flesh."

She turned to face me. "Now, be a good boy and hand her over."

I hesitated. Somehow, I had a hunch that she wasn't as trustworthy as she displayed herself to be.

"What's the matter?" She giggled. "You're not taking her as your wife. Then she has no business being with you. It'd be better for her to live with me, as a fairy."

I glanced at Sherry. She looked back at me with a confused expression. Clearly, she didn't know what to do either.

"No." I narrowed my eyes. "I have to make sure that's what she wants first."

"Really now? The girl doesn't know what she wants in the first place!" She laughed. "Or else she wouldn't have been in this predicament in the first place."

She flew closer to me. She was tall, easily eclipsing my own height. If I had to guess, she must be almost three meters in height.

I gulped. There was no intimidating, murderous aura coming from her. And yet, every single hair on my body rose up in her presence.

"She told me everything about you, you know, and how it was of her own choice to be with her rotten family over with you. The fool believed it was her duty to be useful to them over her own freedom. And now, look where she ended up. If it weren't for me, she would have been dirtied by the hands of that filthy orc."

Cold sweat trailed down my forehead. That look... It was a look of pure hatred...

"Thankfully," She snapped back to her happy self. "There's no need to worry about them anymore. I've seen a certain... friend... to take care of them. They will serve the most fitting punishment to be sure..."

"Now, how about you?" She zoomed forward, her face now looming over me. "What should your punishment be, hmm? For abandoning her?"

Before I could answer, Sherry leapt forward and crashed on top of the fairy's shoulder. Pressing her blade onto her neck, she yelled, "Don't you dare do anything to him!"

"Oh dear!" She giggled once more. "I'm not going to do anything to him! He's my daughter's dear savior after all!"

"But..." She gazed down on me once again. "I cannot forgive a man who stole her heart without giving anything in return."

Stole her heart? Does she think Victoria—

"Oh yes, she loves you very much! She adores and worships you even! And yet, here, I sense no love in your heart for her. Oh, lust and desire, I can see those clearly, but love? Nonono. You already have women you love. And she has no place in it. You merely pity her."

I looked down at the sleeping Victoria in my arms.

She's right... I only desire her for her sexy body... I don't really love her like I do with Sherry and Felicia...

But, does that mean I should hand her over to this shady fairy woman?

"Wake her up first." I looked her right in the eye. "Then let her decide with whom she would want to go."

Before I could hear her answer, the ground shifted.

The castle... It was falling.

Or rather, descending, as it was a smooth acceleration downwards.

"Like I said, you should give her a wake up kiss⁓❤️"

I glanced at Sherry, who was still sitting on the fairy's shoulder.

...Yeah, no. I got a better way.

"Come forth, Kiri! Rejuvenate her strength with your warm water!"

Water moisture gathered in the air, forming the shape of the fairy before she fully manifested.

"At once, Mas— L-L-Lady Titania?!"

She froze in mid-air, her jaw agape at the sight of the fairy woman in front of me.

"Hello, little one⁓" She smiled. "Are you having fun being this man's familiar?"

"Y-yes!" She stuttered, bowing as deeply as she could. "Very much so, Lady Titania!"

Whoa, I didn't expect that kind of a reaction from her.

All fey really do look up to her as their queen, huh?

"I'm glad to hear that. So many simple feys end up pledging their fealty to unworthy humans who only desired them for their power. And bodies." She gave me a slight glare. Oi oi! I never did anything lewd towards her! Well, except from when she slammed her boobs to my face... or pressed them to my body... but that's her fault! Not mine!

Kiri then moved on to heal Victoria. She enveloped her entire body inside her water before gently forcing her mouth to open so the water could enter. Once she finished, she gave another bow towards Titania before asking me to be excused. It seemed that the fey queen's presence was just too much for her.

"Sure." I smiled, patting her head. "You can go back. Good work, Kiri. And sorry, for not summoning you and Aria in the fight."

"No problem, Master Hugo!" Her eyes lit up with happiness as her wings fluttered. "We would just be a burden with that anti fey magic thingy still on. It's really terrible! It makes you all tired and sleepy and stuff…"

Yeah, which is why when I summoned her earlier, I had to put extra amount of mana in order to keep her around.

With a soft poof, she then disappeared from my sight.

"Aren't you going to climb down from there?" The fey queen spoke with Sherry. "Just because I'm a lot taller than you doesn't mean you can piggyback on me as if I'm your mother."

"S-shut up!"

Sherry jumped off in an instant, giving the older woman a glare.

Looking down at her, the fey queen giggled, covering her mouth with her gloved hand as she did.

"How curious... I never knew you Izurds fight in the nude..."

"D-don't get the wrong idea!" Her cheeks promptly reddened. "I'm only nude because my clothes got destroyed in a fight!"

"I see..." She let out a small grin. "For a proud warrior demon race, for you to be humiliated like this, the opponent must be very tough indeed..."

And thanks to that opponent, I get a nice view of her ass from here!

"U-uhhhh..."

Huh? She's awake!

I looked down to my arms and saw Victoria's eyes fluttering open. Her bright green eyes wandered for a short while, glancing up and down and up and down, until they finally stayed put, focusing on my face

Before widening rapidly as she realized who I was.

"S-S-S-Sir Hugo! You're Sir Hugo, aren't you? I-I'm not dreaming, am I?"

"Nope!" I grinned. "It's me in the flesh!"

"U-uwaahhhhh!"

She wrapped her arms around me, burying her face on my back as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Ignoring the massive soft sensation pressing into my chest like the gentleman I was, I patted her on the head.

"I thought... I thought you were dead, Sir Hugo!"

"Whoa, who says I'm dead? I'm very much alive, thank you very much!"

"M-my sister said that the Demon Lord killed you in the dungeon back then... B-but then, but then I learned that you were still alive from Mother! But I never managed to meet you back in those flower fields because I was imprisoned here!"

Her sister? Oh, that awful woman... Really, what's wrong with her, tormenting her own flesh and blood? And sending her to marry some orc prince just to secure her position? Unforgivable.

But, that's just how nobility works back on Earth. Everything is a bargaining chip, including your own family.

I'm so glad I wasn't born into this world into that kind of noble's family.

"Yeah... You helped us win against that awful Minister of Summer, didn't you? Thank you, Victoria." I smiled.

Sensing the glare coming from Sherry, I let her legs fall to the floor.

Unfortunately, she couldn't take the hint. She was still wrapping her arms around my body, crying profusely onto my shoulders.

In the end, Sherry had to come in and give her a firm pat on her shoulder to make her stop.

"Owwww!" She yelped before turning around and releasing her grip. "What was that for?" She pouted.

"I'm Sherry." She glared at her, with her eyes especially focused on her breasts. "Sherry Greenwood. I'm his wife. Surely, he's told you about me?"

"Sherry? Ooh! I remember that name! It's the childhood friend Sir Hugo loved to talk about! You're the whole reason he started his journey in the first place! Aah, to think you two are now reunited once more! I'm happy for you, Sir Hugo!" She turned and smiled at me.

Blinking out of the charming view that was her breasts bouncing, I turned my gaze towards Titania, who seemed to be amused by Sherry's display of jealousy.

"You don't mind that I killed two of your ministers?" I asked her. "The Minister of Summer and The Minister of Autumn."

"Oh, I don't mind. You never really killed them. You simply returned them back to nature. I'm sure that both of them are somewhere inside my fairy forest, frolicking as newborn feys. And besides, I'm not really fond of either of them myself…"

Well, that's a pleasant, and oddly convenient surprise...

"Now, dearie." She turned to face Victoria. "It's time to make your decision. Do you wish to go with me or him?"

"E-eh?" Victoria swiveled (flashing her green panties in the process). "W-what do you mean, Mother?"

"Go with this man and abandon feyhood or go with me and become a true fey. That is the choice you have to make, my dear."

"But that's… that's unfair! I want to be with you both!"

"Yes indeed. That is quite the unfair question you've asked her, is it not? But you have a point. If she yearns for Milord's love, then she's out of luck, for it belongs to me and Sherry already."

The coy womanly voice came from none other than Felicia, who suddenly appeared from the far, shadow-covered corner of the room.

"What? Felicia? Where did you come from?"

"A secret passage, Milord." She smiled. "Though I see now that even with that, I'm already too late to the party." She eyed the fey queen and the sealed Demon Lord hovering near her.

Unlike Sherry, her clothes were mostly intact, with only some burn marks and torn fabric at the edges. And whatever wounds she might have sustained, she must have healed them off with her potion.

"Oh, I was the one who deactivated all the defense runes in this flying fortress. And yes, it was me as well who told it to descend. In just a few moments, it will land and our good lizardmen friends will be able to come to us. Though, I imagine that won't be necessary." She admitted with a proud smile.

"Great work, Felicia!" I gave her a smile. She loves being praised after all. "How about the others? Do you meet them on your way here?"

She shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. I came here directly from the control room underneath the grand library through the secret passage. If they were to come here, they should arrive from where you did, Milord."

"Hmm, that's not good… I haven't seen them either…" Myrilla should be with them though… I can only hope that they're alright…

"So," Felicia walked up towards Titania, her staff tapping the floor as she did. "You're Victoria's mother, I presume."

"Indeed I am," The fey smiled. "And you must be Felicia Myne. Hugo Greenwood's other wife." She glanced at her daughter as she spoke those words.

"Oh, you seem to know a lot about Milord. How curious…"

"Of course!" She giggled. "He's the man my daughter loves after all!"

"L-l–l-love?" Victoria turned beet red. "M-Mother! It's not like that at all!" She protested,waving her arms in a panic as she  glanced repeatedly at my direction as she did. Heh, how cute…

Felicia turned to face the half-fey, who proceeded to take a step back as the redhead woman rapidly approached her. Heh, Felicia can be really scary sometimes…

Though, thinking about it, all the women I'm acquainted with are like that…

Then, without hesitation, she pinched her cheek.

"O-ouch!"

"You really are quite the handful, aren't you? You rejected Milord's help back then. And now, he had to do all of this to save you. Do you know how dangerous it is to fight a Demon Lord? If he had lost his life in the process, I'd kill you before I kill myself."

Whoa, must she really go that far?

…Yeah. I can totally imagine her doing that. Sherry too for that matter.

"Answer her question." She glanced at the fairy queen. "Do you want to travel with us or do you want to be with your mother instead? And I won't take a half-arsed answer. It's about time you learn how to be straightforward with yourself. What is it that you want, Victoria Fay Relfatia?"

"I… What I want…" She averted her gaze, looking towards me instead.

Hey, don't ask me. It's your life, isn't it?

"If you're thinking of becoming Hugo's wife, too, think again! I'm not sharing him with another woman, especially one as indecisive as you!" Sherry proclaimed with her arms folded under her chest.

"I…" Victoria turned to look at her then back at me then to the fey queen. "I… I don't know! I want to be with Mother as a fairy, freely frolicking under the moonlight with the other fairies." She turned to face me, her hands clasped in front of her chest. "But I want to be with you too, Sir Hugo! I want to go on an adventure with you!" She then looked at the fey queen. "Can't I do both, Mother? I can still visit you in my dreams!"

The fairy queen chuckled. "I'm afraid you would never become a true fey if you do that. Look inside you. You've awakened your fey powers, right? Then, call upon it. Let it overtake your mortal half."

Victoria nodded, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

A few moments later, a gentle green light enveloped her body. Wings sprouted out from her back, the very same wings that the fairy queen possessed.

This feeling… it's as if there are two Titanias now…

She opened her eyes before turning to face me.

I immediately knew I wasn't talking to the usual Victoria anymore. Her expression had become a lot more… mature, for a lack of a better world.

"Sir Hugo…" She smiled. "My human half… she truly wishes to be with you. However, I, her fey half, have no desire to. I wish to leave the world of mortals forever and dream an endless dream of the fey."

Slowly, she walked up to me, placing her hand on my right cheek.

Sherry and Felicia… they strangely remained silent, almost as if she was bewitched by her.

"I can see it, Sir Hugo… I can see the mana swirling in the air, dancing in the winds, streaming down from the sunlight… It's a beautiful, beautiful world that I can not see as a mortal…"

Her other hand grabbed my other cheek. She was now holding my face with both of her hands.

"I wish… I wish I could show it to you… But alas, you're a mortal… You can't comprehend it, the flow of this world, even if you wish to… just like my human half…"

And then, she leaned forward, stood on her tiptoes, and pressed her lips into mine.

My eyes widened. I was frozen on the spot.

It was a chaste kiss, only lasting a few moments. She retreated after, smiling at my direction.

"I see…" She clenched her hand near her chest. "My human half… You desire to be by his side more than anything else… Very well… I've decided." She turned to face the fairy queen. "Mother. Can you help me split our essence into two? Give this body to my human half. As for me, I shall create my own body with my power."

"Of course, my dear." The older woman smiled back. "That's a lovely decision." She floated forward, placing her hands on Victoria's shoulders.

"Sir Hugo." She looked at me with a smile. "Please, take care of the foolish child known as Victoria. Without me, her fey side protecting her, she would be vulnerable to her own foolishness."

"...Don't worry." I smiled back. "I'll do exactly that."

I think I understand.

Her fey half, closer to existence to Titania, possesses the same unearthly wisdom as her. And that wisdom makes her detached to the aspirations of her human self. Victoria's desire to be loved and recognized, she doesn't share that with her. She's not like Kiri or Aria either, who are far too young to possess such wisdom.

Feys are magical creatures. Her fey half doesn't really need her human body to live. She can just create her own.

A gentle green light slowly enveloped Victoria's body, followed by a burst of purple exuding out of the fairy queen. Her short skirt flapped in the wind, giving me a nice view of her green panties.

And then, almost as if her soul was leaving her body, a purple ghostly figure popped out of her. That figure slowly transformed into Victoria's perfect clone, only, her hair was bright pink, just like the fairy queen's. As for the body itself, the armor that covered its modesty disappeared, replaced by a dress.

I quickly stepped forward, catching the body before it fell to the floor.

"Well, it's time for me to say my goodbyes!" The fairy queen smiled. "This really is the best resolution. Her mortal half is happy and her immortal half is happy as well! Really, humans and fairies should never sleep together. Ah, what was I thinking, bedding him then? But he just looked oh so miserable I just had to do something…" She let out a long sigh. "Oh, by the way, you'll forget everything after I disappear. It's just how I am. Lesser minds can't hold on to the elusive presence of a fey queen after all⁓"

Eh, what do you—

"Goodbye, my human half. Goodbye, Sir Hugo." The pink-haired Victoria said, interrupting my thought, tears swimming in her eyes.

"And thank you… for everything…"

"W-wait, I haven't—"

In a blinding flash, the two of them disappeared, along with the sealed Demon Lord.