Chapter 451 – Performance Scriptwriter

000

Bang! Bang!

A thick layer of smoke and the sound of collapsing bricks echoed throughout the castle.

Then, the boy, who ran up the wall with a light movement, rotated in the air and blew off the head of the moving armor in front of him with a single flash like lightning.

After the empty helmet rolls on the ground, he hurriedly turns to pick it up.

The boy’s wooden sword pierces the armored body.

To be precise, the core of the Living Armor hidden inside the armor was easily pierced like a biscuit and shattered.

It was said that a person without a mouth could not scream, but Sasha and Amelia seemed to hear the screams of the monsters at the horror unfolding in front of their eyes.

“What is it? Is it only shiny on the outside? Is there anyone with a better taste to deal with?”

When the boy pushed off the pierced living armor with his foot, he put his wooden sword on his shoulder and flicked his hand confidently.

Living creatures standing around –

Living Armor, Living Swords, Gargoyles, Golems…

The monsters in charge of guarding the castle looked hesitant and seemed to be weighed down by the force of the boy in front of them.

Tumble, Tumble. A boy who walks forward without hesitation towards the frightened monsters.

The chandelier lighting up the landscape of that hallway swayed from above…

Like. As if he had waited, as soon as the boy arrived right under him, he suddenly jumped. And the chains connected to the ceiling break and fall towards him.

“Kyukyakkak! You got caught, you stupid kid!”

Even that chandelier was a mimic monster.

When the candlesticks, like sharp spears, broke upside down and seemed to be aiming for the boy’s head.

Kwajik! While making a sound, the center of his body

The only gap created by the candlesticks was pierced by the boy’s wooden sword.

There was no need to apply force, because the body of the falling chandelier already had enough force called ‘gravity’.

“Keep, eh… Ek…”

The guy let out an unsightly scream, and the fire attached to his candlestick spread throughout his body, then melted away and disappeared.

Before being engulfed in such fire, the boy swung his wooden sword and threw it at the monsters who were frightened of him.

“Ha…”

The boy let out a sigh.

At that sigh, when the monsters flinch and tremble-

“Okay, now. You guys, get out of there.”

They shook at the boy’s voice as if he was bored or disappointed! And moved sideways so fast that I couldn’t see my feet his.

As it was, he emptied the hallway and even gestured for me to go ahead.

The boy looks away from the cowards with excitement, then looks back with a grin.

Two people standing there.

A hunter in a blue cloak and a crusader in platinum armor.

—The girls who took the form of .

“Let’s go, Sasha. Amelia. The kitchen over there looks suspicious.”

Looking at this plain smile, both of them felt desperately that he was enjoying the adventure itself, but-

Sasha and Amelia turn their heads away from the walking boy Cleon and look back at the place he has passed.

There- of course, the walls of the castle are blown here and there with traces of battle.

The window was completely gone, so the wind from outside was blowing in.

A burning badge, fragments of monsters scattered on the ground.

“… Was Cleon from five years ago this kind of personality…!?”

Amelia covered her head as if she could n’t hide her astonishment at Cleon’s destructive chariot-like move that surpassed her recklessness in her.

“I-I don’t know…? It’s because I don’t know Mr. Cleon at that time either…”

Sasha is the same as Amelia.

Looking at Cleon, who goes through the dungeon of the Devil Castle with all his might without any worries and thoughts.

It reminded me of the time I entered the castle of demons just before.

001

The three people who passed through the ‘unreachable travel road’ with the power of opening Caliburn’s space, immediately put a huge wall and gate in front of them.

From the outside, it was a huge door that looked like it was made of wood, but like the road we passed through to get here, it was made of an unknown material.

As Sasha’s imprint puts her hand on her door and examines it, her eyes glowing once more, Amelia looks around as well.

“Are there guards on the top of the castle wall? If you try to open the door, arrows will be poured from above…”

“It’s possible…But I don’t feel any sign of it right now. This door doesn’t have any special magical measures, and it’s locked with a normal lock… So you might need a key.”

However, I don’t see anything plausible around me.

It would be strange that the key was outside the door, though.

“Then, jump over the wall?”

Once again, the gaze of the two heads towards the top of the castle wall.

The height is about 5m.

It wouldn’t have been a height that couldn’t be jumped if leg strength was strengthened with magical power, but if there was an ambush above it, it might be aimed at landing.

Two people shaking their heads.

Soon, Amelia was talking healthily while clapping her hands.

“Let’s explore the surroundings a bit! If it’s an adventure, after all, exploration is the basis!”

Sasha agrees with Amelia.

Somewhere, there must be a hint to break through this door.

This place is a world of mirrors where common sense doesn’t work very well.

And if it was a monster that ruled it, there was a high possibility that it had a disorganized structure.

‘Anyone looking at this place, please find it… A castle built. If so, it might be more strange that there is no way to get in.’

Sasha coolly analyzes the situation and calmly surveys the surroundings of the castle wall.

One thing that stood out was that there were several trees standing near the castle wall that looked like children’s toys with colored paper and leaves attached to logs.

It was so colorful that it would hurt your eyes to look at it, but it seemed like an appropriate place to hide something.

“Sasha. I care about the bushes over there.”

When Amelia raised her hand, Amelia was pointing in the opposite direction from where Sasha was looking.

Certainly, there is a bush that doesn’t exist anywhere else – no, is that a plant?

When the man-made fake grasses caught Sasha’s eye, she nodded.

“It seems that traces of something can be felt on both sides… Let’s explore both sides. First, the bushes-“

While saying that, Sasha tried to move her body her.

“Sasha, Amelia.”

But then, after arriving at the castle gate, break through. Cleon, who was looking at the castle gate, calls the two.

“Yes?”

“Can you step back for a moment?”

When Cleon said that, both Amelia and Sasha had a bad feeling for a moment, but she said ‘No way’ and took about five steps back as Cleon said.

After confirming that the two had spread enough distance, Cleon took a deep breath and raised his left hand.

Then, the mana gradually gathered there, and Lila’s specialty, fireball magic, came to mind.

“…Cl, Cleon?”

Amelia calls Cleon by name. Cleon doesn’t care about that and throws a fireball toward the sky with a whimper.

Naturally, Amelia and Sasha’s eyes follow the fireball, but-

Soon, Cleon held up a wooden sword with both hands and—

Like, let’s take a posture like a baseball bat-

After grasping Cleon’s intentions of his, he took five more steps back than the first five.

Then he quickly fell down, closed his eyes, and covered his ears the next moment.

Kang! With a cheerful sound, the wooden sword wrapped in magical power collided with the fireball.

Two bang-!!

With an intense explosion, flashes of light, explosions, and the aftermath of the explosion shook Amelia and Sasha’s bodies.

Soon after, with a strong gust of wind and the thick smoke dissipating, Cleon approaches the two lying face down.

“Ha ha! Look Amelia, Sasha! The gates exploded like popcorn!”

Hearing Cleon’s joyful voice, the two slightly raise their heads—

There, as Cleon said, the center of the ‘what used to be a door’ had swelled up and burst open, leaving only fragments attached to the gate in tatters.

Amelia and Sasha both turned their heads towards Cleon, looking at the same result as when Layla excitedly hit her magic her.

There was only the figure of a boy with a wooden sword slung over his shoulder with a smile as if asking if he had done well.

However, the smiling face with dark tanned cheeks and body parts seemed somewhat reckless.

“Cleon-san…! It’s too dangerous! How can you destroy that much magic at such close range!”

When Sasha hurriedly got up and wiped away the charcoal stains on Cleon’s face her with her fingers, Cleon waved his hand her as if it was okay.

“Sasha, don’t worry. I’ve properly protected my body.”

“Even so!”

Sasha, who spoke firmly, was like an older sister who was admonishing a young boy according to her current age relationship with Cleon.

As Amelia looked at Sasha like that, she immediately approached Cleon and brushed off the soot from her clothes.

“Wait, even Amelia…”

Maybe she felt like she was being treated like a child, but Cleon tried to stop Amelia by turning her body around her.

Amelia holds onto Cleon’s body and talks quietly.

“…From now on, you can’t do such dangerous things. Cleon. At least, please give us a word of advice.”

At Amelia’s low voice her, which seemed a little angry, Cleon shut her mouth and calmed down.

After a while, Cleon’s face and clothes her became clean.

Fortunately, as Cleon had said, nothing was damaged and there were no problems with Cleon’s body her, so the two of them let out a sigh of relief as they fell.

“…Anyway, the door’s open. Then go inside… Cleon?”

When Cleon, who had been a little quiet since earlier, was curious about Cleon’s face her hanging down with his face blushing, she called out his name her.

With a swish, Cleon turned and veered toward the castle.

“Uh, let’s solve it quickly and go back. If I stay in this world for a long time, I think I’ll get weird.”

After Cleon said that in a slightly trembling voice, he strode widen his stride and walked inward.

Sasha and Amelia follow Cleon with their eyes.

“…Something. It seems that Cleon-san is more strongly influenced than we are.”

When Sasha says that, Amelia nods her head.

“Is it because it’s from the dark horse clan… Or is Cleon actually wanting to have a free adventure like that…”

If – if it’s the latter.

Could it be that he is the one holding Cleon in bondage?

Amelia’s thoughts run through her head her, but she just shakes her head.

“Cleon! Don’t go too far ahead!”

And, calling Cleon by name, he chased after him.

002

After that – the inside of the castle, which Cleon and I rushed into, attacked the three people while pouring out monsters from all directions, as if one castle was a gigantic monster.

On the stairs, in the hallway, in the room, in the kitchen.

Utensils fly, vases fall, curtains flap, and the bed moves.

If you attack the castle breakthrough route with a straight attack method, it will take a lot of time and consume your stamina, but-

Even if it’s a bit violent, Cleon will definitely catch and deal with the monsters from the front.

And, with Sasha’s arrows that support such Cleon from behind.

Amelia’s holy hammer smashes the monsters.

Like before, if Cleon showed too much strength, the monsters would get scared and open the way.

Even so, he says he is experiencing a thrilling adventure.

It will definitely be a memorable adventure.

Amelia thought so…

“Ha!”

The three return to the castle lobby to find the hidden key in the kitchen and climb the stairs.

In such a situation, when Cleon swings his sword toward an empty place, the path hidden by illusions opens.

The achievement of an atmosphere resembling a theatrical stage was that a different space, like the back of the stage, was spread out beyond it.

“This…”

Sasha was also surprised by the appearance of such a vision, and when she looked inside, she could see that something like a ‘facility for creating things and monsters’ was operating in a dark place, with clattering noises reverberating continuously.

“A-Are you making monsters?”

“It’s not exactly a monster, but something like golems that imitate monsters. I’ve felt a sense of incongruity ever since I was outside of this castle… I’m pretty sure I found the key to the central staircase in the kitchen earlier.”

As Cleon said, he put his foot down the path he had opened, and the two followed him.

Then, in a dark space, twilight magic lights were installed here and there, barely lighting the road.

At the end of the road you will see something like a staircase.

“You’re sure, what do you mean?”

When Sasha, who had followed him, asked Cleon that question, Cleon answered with a smile.

“Yes. This Demon Castle is a castle built to be attacked.”

“…?”

When Amelia tilts her head at Cleon’s words, Cleon talks to Amelia.

“I think it’s natural that such things are passed down in the stories and legends of adventurers… But originally, a castle like this is a ‘place that shouldn’t be attacked’. Isn’t it?”

“Ah… Sure. Right.”

If this was the capital of the royal capital.

If the key to an important passage is hidden in a place like the kitchen, the defense manager’s head would fly off immediately.

“Yes. However, this castle is thoroughly designed so that you can aim for the final floor of the castle by repeating ‘exploration’ and ‘battle’ to solve the mystery. At least, in my opinion.”

“It’s really a castle that only appears in novels… Then, the owner’s purpose here isn’t to drive away the visitors-“

“Yeah. I’m going to make it to the top floor. Well, I might have blown some of the riddles with my own power…”

As Cleon thinks so, he starts climbing the stairs.

“And. He must be at the end of these stairs.”

“Maxwell’s Devil…”

Cleon nodded at Sasha’s murmuring.

“…Let’s get it done quickly and leave. Everyone will be waiting for you.”

“…Yes!”

As Cleon said.

Although, it’s a bit disappointing not being able to go on the adventure you’ve been dreaming of.

It might be a bit cowardly to achieve that—in a truly dreamlike world.

Sometime outside.

If you can roam freely.

At that time, if possible, with Cleon- and precious colleagues.

And, follow Cleon up the stairs- open the topmost door-

“Where are you coming in, you idiots!”

Gyaaaaagh! A demon with wings clinging to the screaming cat’s head was flapping its wings vigorously.

Her appearance of her, which looked like a child’s toy or stuffed toy, made her shoulders feel a bit weak.

The place where the three arrived was clearly in front of the throne of the demon king.

And a man was sitting on the throne, staring blankly straight ahead with unfocused eyes.

Judging from the fact that a hideous atmosphere prevails around him, he must be a human who assumes the role of a demon lord.

“Hey hey. How are you going to do it, customer! This kind of thing is not in the script!”

However, as if to block Cleon’s accident, the devil suddenly jumps out in front of Cleon.

Cleon reflexively swung his wooden sword.

“Hee!”

“Oh, sorry. When you see a demon, it’s a reflex…”

The devil, who managed to avoid Cleon’s sword attack by a piece of paper, looked at Cleon and spoke in disbelief.

“What, what! Are you a real hero!? Why are you holding something like a holy sword?”

“No, I’m not a hero, but…”

Cleon looks at the terrified demon for a bit and then asks.

“Are you Maxwell’s devil or something?”

“Yes, yes! I am Maxwell’s Devil! An existence created by Maxwell, the great seeker of truth!”

Cleon’s eyes twitch at those words, and Sasha frowns as well.

As if Amelia couldn’t just ignore that remark, if she put strength into her hand her holding her hammer.

In an unusual atmosphere, when the devil rolls his eyes and tries to keep an eye on the party, Cleon’s hand quickly reaches out and grabs the devil’s torso.

“… I thought it looked like a doll. It’s a real doll, right?”

While saying that, Cleon presses the devil’s face in his hand and then stretches it out.

The feel in the hand is a stuffed toy that is infallible.

In other words, it was what it looked like.

However, in the middle of that stuffed toy, I felt something hard.

“Wait a minute! It won’t hurt if you touch it that hard!”

A demon making a fuss while screaming.

“This is the core.”

And, when Cleon, who noticed that it was the devil’s core, tried to destroy it by giving power to his hand as it is-

“Now, wait a minute, Cleon! We should also ask the identity of the person sitting on the throne!”

“Huh? Ah. That’s probably… The manager of that general store.”

As Cleon says so, he looks at the demon in his hand his, and the demon nods violently.

It’s strange that there is only a head, but the head is nodded.

“Have you taken control of this mirror world?”

“Yeah, that’s right… In the mirror world, it is possible to read what the person entering wants and make it a reality… If I control that power, it is also possible to create ‘the world the person wants to enter’…”

A demon talking to Cleon while holding his lifeline his.

“…Then, is this the world that man wants?”

Of course, that was the case, so when Cleon asked, the devil nodded once again.

“That’s right… That man wants a world where he reigns as the Demon King and defeats the heroes… But, even though he has the role of the Demon King, there are no humans who can play the role of a hero “He made you heroes and brought you here. I was going to come… But it came out through the back hole like that!”

Script killer! Kill the writer! Looking at the cat with the same reproach, Cleon narrows his eyes.

Those eyes seemed to be thinking about when to explode…

“Hee!”

“Oh.”

The demon escaped by twisting Cleon’s hands vigorously, and flew to Sasha and Amelia’s side.

“You’re your man!? Try something!”

“Uh, he’s our man…!”

Amelia talks in embarrassment, but Sasha stays quiet for a bit, then nods her head and talks to Cleon.

“Mr. Cleon. First of all, wouldn’t it be a good idea to ask this demon what exactly he is related to ‘Maxwell’? Then, we can get information about the regressors…”

To Sasha’s story, Cleon nodded slowly as if he understood.

“…Well. Is that so?”

“You, seeing that you know Maxwell-sama too, aren’t you a regressor?”

“Can’t we be regressors? Didn’t Maxwell say he made you?”

When Cleon talks so sternly, the demon shrinks his body.

“Yeah, that’s right. I was created as a result of Maxwell-sama’s experimentation of wanting to experiment with an ancient monster manufacturing method. After that, I infiltrated this mirror world to help Maxwell-sama and simulate the descent of the beasts.. .”

The devil sighs heavily.

“Maxwell-sama forgot about me, so I was sold to that man’s shop in a forgotten state. I was so assimilated into this world, I couldn’t go outside… That it was successful.”

“…It was a relationship that wasn’t as big as I thought.”

In response to Cleon’s accurate comment, the devil tries to rampage, but Sasha catches him tightly.

“That’s all you guys can do! If Maxwell-sama remembers me, you guys won’t be able to do it in one hand-“

“Maxwell is dead.”

If Cleon were to interrupt the devil’s words-

The demon stops his speech and looks at Cleon with a dazed expression.

“…Yes?”

“Maxwell died while trying to bring down the Beast. He fell at the hands of a hero.”

Speaking as Cleon knew, the demon trembled in Sasha’s hand-

“…?”

Sasha feels that her own hand her is getting more and more open.

“Eh?”

“Sasha! Get away from him!”

As he tried to look down at his hand her, Cleon shouted, “What’s going on?”, And Amelia’s hammer struck the body of the demon in Sasha’s hand and blew it away.

The stuffed toy monster that flew away continued to roll on the ground, gradually growing larger and larger.

And then, at some point, it grew to the point of reaching the ceiling-

Just like that foolish figure, it became the size of a house and filled the throne room.

“Yo, I can’t forgive you guys!!

“Eh, he’s spitting out lines like a demon king…”

As Amelia looks at the black stuffed toy that has grown so big, Cleon smiles and says ‘heh’.

“Well. A guy of that size is better than bullying a weak guy. Let’s go, Sasha! Amelia!”

Saying that, she raised her wooden sword and leaped at the demon.

I believe that the courage of Cleon, Sasha and Amelia will save the world!