I arrived at the training ground.
According to Henry's testimony, Diera should be cleaning weapons.
It was probably about time to release her.
If she stayed too long, others would grow tense.
Diera's true identity had been kept secret at first.
However, her frequent slips of the tongue had turned it into a half-public fact.
Realizing it was impossible to keep hidden, I'd also stopped caring.
The dragonkin Diera was the previous Demon Lord resurrected by my ability.
That was the understanding within the military.
Therefore, she was treated like a high-ranking officer.
The reality was different, but correcting it was troublesome, so I left it as was.
So far, there had been no inconvenience.
She herself seemed to have no resistance to being mistaken for my subordinate.
I walked through the training ground.
At this time of day, almost no one was around.
They were either taking a break or training elsewhere.
After wandering for a while, I discovered a strange weapon.
It was a tank, but its exterior was covered in scales and armor.
Moreover, unlike a normal tank, three gun barrels were mounted on its upper section.
The two on the left and right were magic cannons.
Looking closely, multiple gun barrels peek from gaps between the scales and shell-like plating.
It seemed designed for multi-directional firing.
(What kind of tank is this...)
I was bewildered.
This was not among the weapons deployed in the Demon Lord's army.
I had never seen anything like it in the research lab either.
I couldn't understand why such a tank was here in the training grounds.
"Oh, you've come to meet me! Don't be scared now!"
Diera's face popped out from behind the tank.
She came running toward me.
Following behind her was Yura, the Great Spirit's fragment.
A rare combination.
It seemed the two had been doing something together.
Diera, now in front of me, puffed out her chest with a proud expression.
"Rest easy. Weapon maintenance and ground leveling are already done. Right now, there's no possibility of me being scolded... in other words, I'm invincible!"
"More importantly, what is this?"
"Oh ho, so you are curious after all. Then I shall tell you."
Diera giggled happily, suppressing a laugh.
Then, with wide eyes, she pointed at the tank transformed into an abomination.
"This is my dedicated machine—the Demon Dragon Rasetsu-go!"
"..."
"It's the Dark Dragon Rasetsu!"
Interpreting my silence in her own way, Diera repeats the shout.
When she still sees no reaction from me, her brow furrows with concern.
"Your response is rather muted. Why is that?"
"Yura, explain the situation to me."
Cutting the exchange short, I call over Yura, who seems more likely to have a coherent explanation.
She nods quietly.
"Accepting the master's instruction—I will relay the sequence of events."
According to Yura, this tank was built by the two of them, her and Diera. The foundation was the tank that was destroyed in the previous mock battle. Diera was free to come up with ideas, and Yura made them reality, modifying the vehicle.
"Explanation complete. I executed the plan after hearing that tank modifications would encourage the master."
"Is that so?"
This time I direct the question to Diera.
Diera nods, as if stating something obvious.
"Men are fond of things brimming with romanticism, are they not? If I show you this tank, your spirits will soar to the heavens!"
"Have you ever seen me in such a state?"
"Hmm, come to think of it, I don't believe I have..."
Caught by my straightforward observation, Diera crosses her arms and falls silent.
Sweat trickles down that face. I decided to press the attack further.
"What was your true purpose in modifying the tank?"
"I-I was envious of the special golem Yura possesses...! So I wanted one of my own. I figured if the tank couldn't be repaired, I was free to tinker with it as I pleased..."
"..."
Watching Diera confess with such difficulty, I felt a headache coming on.
It seemed she had used my name to persuade Yura.
And gotten her to help with the tank's modification.
This was the one time her cunning ideas actually worked.
She was a troublesome predecessor.
Meanwhile, Diera, growing frantic, started listing excuses.
"W-well, Yura is equally guilty this time! She was an accomplice!"
"I object to Individual Diera's claim—I was deceived. The majority of responsibility lies with you, Master. Please give her a severe reprimand."
"What, you plotted against me...!?"
Diera and Yura began an ugly argument.
Fearing this would get out of hand, I stepped in to mediate.
"Stop fighting. I won't punish either of you. However, if you ever do something like this again, get permission beforehand. Unless it's something extreme, I won't forbid it."
"Kuhaha, the current Demon Lord is quite tolerant. In my era, your head and torso would have been separated by now."
Diera, fully recovered, burst into laughter.
The attitude from moments before had vanished without a trace.
Since a little threat was needed to make them reflect properly, I decided to let them know just how things stood.
"...Is that what you want?"
"Absolutely not! I'll resist with everything I have!"
Diera darted behind Yura's back and pushed her forward to use as a shield.
Yura, for her part, looked utterly annoyed by the whole affair.
It was quite the pathetic scene.
I didn't want to believe these were once my sworn enemies.
Suppressing the lament in my heart, I addressed Yura.
"Diera caused you trouble, I'm sure. Leave the rest to me."
"Accepting Master's instruction -- it was no trouble at all. It was enjoyable."
"I'm glad to hear that."
It seemed Yura had also thoroughly enjoyed the tank modifications.
If she truly hated it, she wouldn't have gone along with it this far.
Her claim that she had fun didn't seem to be a lie.
The modified tank was also useful. It was stable as a weapon and had become quite an interesting piece of equipment.
It was worth taking to the lab later to show the Director; it had reached a completion level worthy of that.
She would surely be eager to analyze its internal structure herself.
Discovering Yura's unexpected talent was another gain.
As I was considering these things while observing the tank, Diera clapped her hands.
"I had arranged to meet with you, but has the policy for the Demon Lord's domain been decided?"
"Yeah, it's been decided."
I relayed what had been agreed upon in the meeting room earlier.
Having heard me out, Diera nodded while stroking her chin.
"Hmm, hmm. Abandoning the Republic's territory to focus on consolidating your hold... Not a bad plan."
"Other nations might also intervene in the old Demon Territories. I'd like you to be cautious about that."
When I warned her, Diera snorted.
She licked her lips with a feral expression.
"You say that to me, of all people? I may have been beaten by you twice, but the former Demon Lord's power has not waned."
"That's not it. I'm saying don't go overboard. You know about the Defense Mechanism, right?"
Meeting my gaze, Diera's expression immediately soured.
She seemed to be recalling some unpleasant memory.
"...Of course I know. Those lot are exceedingly troublesome. It's best not to get involved with them."
Diera, the former Demon Lord, apparently did possess knowledge about the Defense Mechanism.
Perhaps she had received some kind of warning during her wars against humanity.
Her former goal had been the restoration of demonkind.
It should not have been a valid target for the Defense Mechanism's punishment.
They must have kept their distance and tacitly acknowledged each other's existence.
Diera kept that bitter expression for a while, but then looked at me and turned serious.
She immediately puffed out her chest and burst into loud laughter.
"Of course, I could annihilate them if I so desired! Having transcended death twice, I have achieved tremendous growth. Even the Great Spirits or the Dragon God—I would crush them like infants!"
"As expected of the former Demon Lord. Such bold words."
Just then, a flat voice cut in from the side.
We all turned sharply toward it.
Slightly levitating there was Yura, enveloped in an enormous magical power.