The Knight Chapter 37: The Tales of the Flames, a Dark Souls + Monster Girl Encyclopedia Crossover fanfic

Chapter 37: The Tale of the Flames

Empire of Dragonia, Main Capital.

...

"I'm glad Arcturus had that potion made which could last for a week," Ash said while walking through the ship's cabin. "If it weren't for him... you and Olivier would've endlessly tried to hound me down without being kissed."

"Oh shut up, Ash! Saying such things from our last incident makes me feel uncomfortable." Sasha said in annoyance while looking away from him with arms crossed until a wild blush appeared on her cheeks. "B-But then again... I won't throw off my dignity as a woman!... Unless they turned me back into a depraving succubus."

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Heart of our Empire~! Dragonia's Capital City!"

Lythia announced loudly to the newcomers and foreigners alike when the airship broke free from the thick clouds over the airspace. Ash and Sasha looked down from the wooden taffrails of the ship to see a vast city in the distance that stood on an enormous mountain. Varieties of dragons, wyverns and other types of aerial mamono species flocked over the skies and many airships ranging from frigates and man-o'-wars docked in the harbours. Such sights awed the tourists, such as monster couples and single humans.

The former priestess of the Order breathes out in awe of their magnificent city and stood near Ash's side while holding tight by his left arm.

"It's bigger than the city of Lescatie..." Sasha said while turning up to Ash. "So this place is where the Red Queen lives."

"Precisely, but we shouldn't do any abrasive acts, or else they will suspect us," Ash responded quietly. "So let's enjoy some temporary sightseeing and go straight to their main castle to meet our client."

Their airship docked at the harbour and the crew brought down the bridge until passengers exited the massive transport before they were greeted by their tour guides. They appeared in various species; Dragons, wyverns, Wurms and some lizardmen were among the group. Shortly after their arrival in the main capital, the companionship from the Federation followed Lythia through the busy streets of the city, the Dragon Winged Street. The place is crowded with people and large domesticated beasts such as the Demon Realm Boars and giant horses, which carried a lot of packed goods on their backs.

While taking a tour, Daniella saw a bikini armour displayed behind a glass window of a blacksmith's shop. The dhampir blushed to imagine herself if she were to wear an armour set like that to please her boyfriend while Reginald cocked his eyebrow in concern.

'Why were they selling those in a blacksmith shop? They could've handed it over to a model store,' Reginald mentally questioned. 'That set provides poor physical protection if they're up to face a distorted dungeon.'

"Oh gee, what's up with these people's obsession with bikini armour going into battle?" Elen complained. The dhampir of Farron twitched her eyes towards a row of explicit sets and then pointed her thumb. "We've already seen a lot of retards who think they can simply traverse the Farron Swamp while wearing that!"

"Whoops! Excuse me! Coming through~!"

Lythia called out to the people to pave the way for the adventurers from the federation while the sight of an enormous wolf captivated the people's attention near the pedestrian side and the civilian crowd were in awe to witness a colossal sword carrying on its back as he accompanied the strange fellowship of humans and monsters. Sif raised his brow at the awestruck mamono and their husbands in question. Even deep within the realm of monsters, the existence of his kind was not known.

"Right over there is the Castle of the Red Queen~!" Lythia points her fingers up towards a massive walled building. That castle alone reminded something of Ash. That place shares a familiar resemblance to that of Sens Fortress, although it was bigger. But not as big as Lothric Castle. "Our leader, Queen Deonora, is a Red Dragon. And Red Dragons were the most powerful dragon species in the existence of our kind! Centuries ago, before Dragonia, there was the Dragai Empire. They considered it as the most powerful nation because they employ Dragon Knights to overwhelm their powerful foes!"

"I learned the history of this Empire when I was young. There has been a revolution that took place. Am I right?" Junayd asked, and his question astonished Lythia. Thus he explained the history. "The story I've heard... The old empire was once ruled by a king and the Geytar nobility. Once the empire grew in its lust for power, a Revolutionary Hero named Dell Walker grew sympathy with the oppressed common folk and allied himself with a Red Dragon, the first queen of Dragonia. The rebellion was a success after a failed execution of Dell Walker and overthrowing the tyrannical rule of their old king. Thus establishing the empire of Dragonia, we know today... however, no one knows the fate of the last ruler of the old Empire, Julius Ridgerike Drake."

"Wow... I never thought you knew much about our history!" Lythia spoke up, surprised by his explanation. "I thought the people from the Federation are so oblivious to us."

"Well, except for a certain group of people." Junayd made a cocky smirk while crossing his arms. "But let's continue our way until we can meet the sister of the Red Queen."

"O-kay~ Then let's go!" Lythia then optimistically raised her left arm and marched towards the castle. "To meet the Royal Dragons, we go~!"

"She looks too optimistic for a tour guide," Reginald whispered to Elen, and his dhampir sister agrees. "So by the way... is that a colosseum?"

Lythia turns around and saw him asking while pointing his finger towards a large round infrastructure on the other side of the mountain, which stood on the outskirts of the capital.

"Oh? That's the Arena of Dragonia, which stands on the Hills of Couples." Lythia informed Reginald with a proud smile. "It is one of the symbols of pride in Dragonia. A place that teaches every warrior who comes across our lands and displays their strengths! Especially, if a human man comes in for a challenge, chances of getting a wife are highly possible~!"

Elen felt unpleasant while hearing this. "You said getting a wife... don't you mean...?"

"When a man and a mamono display their powers during a tournament..." Then Lythia paused for a while until she blushed with a lustful gaze towards Reginald as she explained the last details. "Then they will surely connect and deepen their love so they could present themselves to the Demon Lord or the Lilims for a glorious reward of endless pleasures~!... Fufufu~! Don't you find that great~?"

"Wait... then that whole thing about the tournament is just some sort of an enormous blind date event?" Gerome raised his eyes with an incredulous look on his face. "But it only restricts other sorts of fighting, which may cause minor injuries or other nasty stuff?"

"Yup! That's the whole thing! Then of course I didn't know how did you accurately describe what a "blind date" is. I thought humans weren't so educational." Lythia said with a nervous smile, as her face flushed with embarrassment. "If you want to take part and show your strength, then you might gain the attention of stronger mamonos who will seek you~!"

"Yeah. Thanks, but no thanks," Gerome replied while waving his hands in rejection. "I'd prefer to live in my old style. Where I can put my strength to practical use. Either to help someone in need or defend those who cannot fight back. Then, of course, I'd want to test my strength against my rivals in a friendly spar and without the lovey-dovey things that were involved."

"I see. Then that's a shame." Lythia then gave out a disappointing sigh and then smiled at him again. "I get that you're a human. But in this place, we don't hurt anyone. Even if they're bad guys, then we have to show our own love~!"

"Hmph... luring warriors for this so-called tournament?" Sif raised his brows in mild concern before the Greatwolf tilts his head in disappointment. "Nothing more but a waste of energy. Especially when you're up against mere hollows that your land is struggling against."

Lythia felt her rage deep within her had grown after that insult. The wolf has made a mockery of her beliefs. Little did she know that Ash and his group agree that the massive wolf made a point about displaying strength for love is not everything that could solve anything against the grim world of reality.

Arcturus couldn't help but tilt his head sideways in discontent. He would like to display his strength to test out against some opponents he would encounter and earn some rewards. But in the Mamono Realms, that would mean getting unnecessary marriages.

As the descendant of Hero Artos, he had grown up as he learned some lessons from his Tutor, Ilassa, who taught him the ideals of the mamono mingling with traditional and carefree human lifestyles. Such culture, which had stayed true to its meaning of value and the symbolic efforts made by the individuals who had been built from the scratch, has been degraded into a symbol of lust and depravity under the occupation of lustful monsters.

Therefore, he didn't want to see them change into degeneration. They only made things to contribute to their Demon Lord's ideal Love Paradise rather than what the tradition was meant to be.

The traditions of tournaments were meant to display the strength of fighting individuals, not just for love, but for anything that a warrior fought for which was held dear to them. For the worth of their own value, fame, honour or anything. Even earning the respect that their opponents gave them in return.

"Jeez... I never imagined how these guys are way too soft, even for a psychopath who already killed someone senseless and couldn't comprehend their understanding," Arcturus uttered while looking down with a doubtful look while Elaine and Olivier, both the human musketeer and the orc knight of sunlight heard him and they agree with their nods. "Then again... I'm not sure if anyone in the afterlife would appreciate the country's own kind of justice here to see their killers who could get away from their crimes."

"Shh! Not so loud, Arcturus!" Elen hushed sternly. "She won't appreciate it if you told her that!"

After Lythia finished explaining the information about Dragonia's Arena and Tournament. The group continued their way following their guide until they arrive at the path leading to the queen's castle.

...

"What!?... Why not!?"

...

"Why can I not become the Commander of the Dragon Knights!?"

...

Dragonia, five years ago.

...

"This is unacceptable!"

Deonora sat on her throne. Her eyes stared down at an enraged dragon knight who was held down by two other high-ranking dragons. This black dragon looks up to her queen with eyes shaken with spite, and the Red Queen's frosty glare remained emotionless.

"This is outrageous. It's unfair!"

"Alti... I say this once again: you cannot become the commander of the knight's order." The Red Queen said with an unpleasant tone. "I know your desire to raise among the ranks... but that will only throw you into the face of death while finding the dragonslayer."

Alto-Eris clenched her fists after hearing Deonora's refusal to make her a commander. She had been training under the tutelage of Death Sentence for years and raised her status among the ranks. Up to this day, she had waited long for this moment to become the head of the Knight's Order to defeat the Dragonslayer. But alas, her wish for that promotion was all for nought, and asked why... why did her queen do this?

"How did this happen...? Why do I not become the head of my Order...?" Alto-Eris trembled as tears trickled down her cheeks. "I've done so many tasks to complete my training and attain the strongest weapon which Dragonia has ever made! But do I not deserve to earn such rank!?"

"... Death Sentence spoke a lot about you... your ambition and your behaviour. It speaks ill for everyone around you." Deonora then speaks out as she slowly stood up from her throne. "Despite the achievements you've done in your training... My point still stands... I will not allow you to become the leader of the Knights."

Alto-Eris fell speechless when she heard the words of her queen who had jabbed her heart with a sharp knife but made with words. She has the wish to avenge her mother and restore the pride of Dragonia. Then the Queen's decision for her purpose as a knight felt like nothing more but a betrayal.

"You... You can't do this to me...!" Alto-Eris uttered in disbelief. She tilted her head to refuse to acknowledge the Queen's words, "Please, your highness. Reconsider it and we can end the fear that brought into our-"

"Enough of this, Alti!... Your father feared for your life. Your mentor too," Deonora intercepted as she raised her voice. "You will remain forever a knight in the order to protect the kingdom and I will consider that you shall not leave this kingdom!"

Alto-Eris was shaking as her heart grew in rage. She heard enough and the queen openly states that Deonora has grown so cowardly in her heart ever since that fateful year that brought fear to her homeland. With the strength of anger she mustered, she freed herself. Thus grappling and throwing the Dragon Knights aside and charged toward the queen until another pair of knight guards barged in from the flanks and tackled Alto-Eris to the floor. Restraining her arms and wings with all of their strength.

"Attacking the Queen is a criminal offence!" The Dragon Knight, to her left, restrained Alto-Eris as she pressed her claws against her back. "Your highness, she needs to be restrained!"

"I will... I will find that wretched Dragon Slayer who killed my mother! Mark my words!" Deonora reeled back with a dreadful look on her face. She has never seen the amount of rage inside this Black Dragon, and her determination for revenge is endless. "You can't let me just stay here while he's out there!"

At this moment, the Queen's icy glare grew tenser and raised her voice once more. "Alti! I order you to stand down! Are you willing to risk yourself for meaningless revenge!?"

The young dragon knight tried to pry herself from the guards until the queen raised her hand. Pointing down towards Alto-Eris.

"You are, from now on... stripped from the rank of Knight Major!" Deonora spoke coldly, and Alto-Eris felt another knife of betrayal jab through her back. The Black Dragons fell silent and her knees collapsed in defeat. "Take her away and lock her up!"

"Yes, your highness."

The two dragon knights responded as they nod and then dragged the disheartened dragon away from the throne hall of the Red Queen. Deonora then gave out a long, stressful sigh while sitting back on her throne and massaging her temples. What will the family of Alto-Eris and her mentor think about this unsuspected incident?

"At least... it's for the better she remains to stay." Deonora said while looking down, tilting her head sideways in regret. "What will her mother thinks of this when she was still alive...?"

...

Dragonia, Royal Castle. Present Day.

...

"... This is my fault..."

"Big sister, there is nothing we could do about her!"

"I should have heeded Ornstein's warning years ago!"

"Deonora, please! Calm down and we can find her."

"Draconlinde... I'm getting too worried for Alti...!" Deonora said regretfully in a worried tone while looking down at her younger sibling, Dracolinde gently pats her right shoulder to comfort her older sister. "It's been over a week... and there is still not a single word about her yet...!"

"I pray for her well-being, dear sister," Dracolinde said in a hush. "Fortunately, The Goddess of Life and Death found nothing about her fate and she's still alive."

As Dracolinde tries to comfort the Queen of Dragons, a knight entered the throne room and then kneeled in front of the royal dragons.

"Your highness, pardon for my intrusion. We received a message from the Tourist Travel Bureau! A group of adventurers has come fort into our domains." The Dragon Knight said while bowing down. "They heeded our call for help to cull down the strange monstrosities that terrorised our empire for weeks."

Upon hearing the words of the dragon knight, Dracolinde felt a relieving sensation in her heart and then raised her arm.

"Good, I would like to greet them."

...

"... Damn... this place is quite big," Arcturus said while letting out a whistle. "Is it really necessary to pile your gold in the hallways? Thieves might steal them."

"Oh, don't worry! We dragons have an acute sense of smell," Lythia informed him before making a lustful gaze towards the Knight of Sunlight. "If you dare try to steal them... then we might ravage you in our prison~!"

"Um... yeah, about that. I think earning a coin or two as a reward will be better than stealing." Arcturus nervously replied with a laugh while sweat rolls down his face. "Yeah! It's better than that!"

Lythia and the Fellowship of Gaul arrived in front of the gigantic doors, guarded by a pair of Dragon Knights. Lythia made a salute to greet her fellow sisters-in-arms, and they responded back respectfully before opening the doors, leading into a wider room filled with larger piles of gold and jewellery. For Ash Cyrus, piles of gold like these could be a common sight in some ancient ruins such as the Profaned Capital, but he couldn't understand why the dragons would pile these up all across the place.

'A display of their wealth and power? Perhaps it might be the case.' He mulled with concern.

Ash knew Dragons in this world were extremely greedy, unlike the Everlasting Dragons that had spoken in the tales that they do not show any interest in wealth, and these mamonos had a habit to protect their most valuable treasures... only to please their chosen partners so that they could make themselves like rich noblemen. If Patches were here, Dragonia will be on his hit list next to the Order states in which he will despise the overly greedy people and the religious fanatics of the Clergy of the Order.

"Ah, greetings!"

Ash perked up from his thoughts and turned his attention towards a peculiar dragon mamono at the end of the room. She stood upright while crossing her arms as her posture radiated with pride and authority. Thus, she looked down upon the foreign adventurers while Lythia bowed to the young sister of the Queen.

"Your highness, these adventurers came to heed our calls for help," Lythia spoke formally. "They came from the Kingdom of Gaul, a state belonging to the Federation."

"Hmm... most of them did not emit fear. How unusual... except those two." Dracolinde smiled mischievously when she points her claw finger toward Olivier and Sasha, who hid behind Gerome, Elaine, and Ash. "Hahaha! How typical of those two... and you, warrior, what is your name?"

Ash noticed the red dragon had her gaze aimed at him, and the Astoran responded. "My name is Tarkus Berenike, your majesty."

"Tarkus Berenike... hmm, your name sounds like it might befit a warrior~" Judging from the tone of his voice made Dracolinde blushed, and it grew deep red on her cheeks. She can sense the knight, in no doubt, can be her potential mate. "I can sense your body is radiating with mysterious power... but... it's empty. Did you try to cover your mana from our senses?"

"Umm. No, your highness. I do not know the mystery of my own origins either." Ash replied honestly with a lie, and Dracolinde raised her eyes in confusion. "Any mamono I've come across perceives me as a... strange man."

The sister of the red queen tried to detect any lies behind his voice, and it didn't respond to her question. This confuses the red dragon beyond her understanding, and she can feel the strange radiance behind his bulky armour is indeed a powerful warrior that reeks of power and bravery, akin to a hero. She likes to have a man such as him, and her tongue darts across her lips with lust.

"I see~! If you can help our kingdom to chase away these unknown forces, then I would like to reward you~!" Dracolinde said in a sultry voice which caught the astoran knight off-guard. "I bet you are worthy to become my husband~! Oh, my sister would be extremely jealous if she finds this out~"

The group reeled back in surprise as they turned their attention to Ash with their dumbfounded expressions. Is the sister of the red queen trying to flirt with him? While at the same time, Sasha was hearing this, to her dismay. The priestess in disguise stepped to his left side and hugged his left arm tightly while expressing a jealous pout towards the dragon. Dracolinde raised her eyebrow in surprise and then she narrowed towards the Priestess in displease.

"Oh?... and who is that?" Dracolinde asked in an unamused tone while pointing her finger toward the Maiden of Lescatie. "I never expect another woman is with you all along."

"This is Reah Thorolund, my assistant." Ash introduced her. "I and her have been working together for some time."

Dracolinde knew when a man had someone with a beloved partner with him should've best been left alone. That was the rule in the Mamono world where love is absolute. But despite this, the red dragon couldn't help but felt a painful pang of jealousy sting in her heart as her desires grew for this man, for unknown reasons. Normally, she would've left these feelings alone. Yet strangely, in fact... it never leaves.

'Just what is this...?' Dracolinde felt her heartthrob with heat. 'This can't be right... I need to end this talk quickly!'

"I see... Lythia, bring them to the guest rooms." Dracolinde ordered the knight as she raised her hand while breaking her gaze away from the bulky knight. "Treat them with care and respect. They are our guests."

"Of course." Lythia bowed.

The dragon knight then stood up straight and guided the foreigners to their guest room. Once they left the room, Dracolinde was the only person inside. She felt her heartthrob increase while her desire for this man was slowly taken over like some phantom possessing all of her body and her delicate skin grew in heat. The Red Dragon felt her knees shaking and her breathing became heavy.

'Wh-what is this?... this can't be!' Dracolinde's mind spoke in a quivering tone as her eyes widened in disbelief. 'Why...? My feelings for that man... shouldn't be this strong!'

Dracolinde isn't sure how her senses have gone haywire to the point of falling in love with a man she just met. What was it? Was it his appearance, as a powerful male? The fierce radiance of his aura alone? No... it made little sense as if that mysterious person is devoid of mana. Then what magic did he use to mask himself from her senses?

"Hah~!... Hah~!... H-Hah~! Tarkus~! I-... I can't resist my urges~" Dracolinde breathes out with a moan and pinkish hearts appeared in her eyes. "So, please... I want to make you my husband~"

'Perhaps I can share my love with Reah, teehee~!'

Dracolinde collapsed her knees to the floor and spreads her legs wide, exposing her red panties. Then she moves her soft claws. Her right arm grabbed her right boob and played with her nipple while her other arm dug into her private parts to enjoy the sensations of lust. Thinking about him.

But little did she know, the younger sister of the red queen was being watched by another person. In another room, Queen Deonora had observed the entire scene of her younger sister through a magic mirror. After meeting up with the adventurers and leaving her room, all she has to do is to masturbate alone. The Red Queen gaped and fell speechless in disbelief to see her sister had fallen easily for the person she just met.

"Dracolinde... just... what are you doing...?"

Deonora swallowed a lump through her throat once she saw Dracolinde sit on the floor and continue to rub her private parts, despite under her observation. The Red Queen couldn't help but felt betrayed in her heart. For hundreds of years, she tries to find a husband. Deonora felt how jealous she became every time she sees the weddings of her fellow dragons. Until now, seeing her sister easily fell to this knight truly baffles her, beyond her comprehension.

"But wait... wasn't that female human his closest partner?" Deonora realised that the green-haired woman, Reah Thorolund, has feelings for this man. "Just what is my younger sister even thinking?!"

Seeing Dracolinde doing this unforgivable act, which is against the ideals of the demon lord's love, is a form of cheating. It was the vilest thing that humans do to steal the love of others. She and the rest of the mamono race knew this and wouldn't go for a man who already had someone that loves him. She needs to know this man, Tarkus, a mysterious individual who made her sister for doing this act.

...

"I never knew the sister of the Red Queen is flirting with our fellow Astoran!" Junayd chuckled with a brash smile. "But do not fret about it. I've seen even stranger things in my fair shares of journeys I'm experiencing."

"Tell me about it." Ash groaned while rolling his eyes behind his helmet and then looks down at Sasha. Both of her hands still held firmly on his left arm. "You can let go."

Sasha then looks away with a shy demeanour. "No."

"Ugh, Sasha..." Ash groaned. "Just don't worry about it, there are no-"

"Still no." Sasha intercepted before giving Ash a jealous glare. "I-... I won't let my knight leave me."

"... You're being childish," Ash said blankly before Sasha's face grew furious with red.

"D-don't accuse me of being a child!" Sasha retorts with a pout, while her hands on his left arm gripped even further. "Let's finish the quest and leave this place as soon as possible!"

"Talk about jealousy. Sasha is really clingy on him." Daniella whispered to Reginald, expressing her regards to Ash and Sasha. "I'd say, those two really are a cute couple."

While everyone was unaware of Daniella's whispering, Sasha's ears were sharp and upon hearing that; she couldn't help but feel ashamed. Ash heard it too and made a disoriented sigh behind his helmet. The group followed Lythia through the hallways and stopped at the nearest door.

"Okay, through this door is the guest area," Lythia said once opening up the entrance. "We made it more comfortable for our dear visitors, so enjoy~!"

Once the group entered through the door, they all stood in amazement as they did not expect to see the luxurious displays of decorations, golden statues and a single fountain in the middle of the area filled with doors as if they were in a five-star hotel. A group of dragon and wyvern maids came forth to greet their guests while bowing to them, with accommodation.

"Welcome~! Honoured guests!"

The group remained stunned for a while until Gerome made an eerie cough. "Well... at least we get food for free here, then."

...

Meanwhile in Anor Londo.

...

"...Mhh?... Elt?"

Wilmarina slowly opened her eyes while yawning as she is sitting up from her bed. Thus, to her confusion, she finds herself in an unknown room and slouched to the windows to her curiosity in order to find out where she currently was. When she opened up, she saw her answer; the sight of Anor Londo. The hero succubus couldn't help but whimper in dismay when she saw a pair of Bell Gargoyles flying in the air and a line formation of Silver Knights marched across the streets.

"I-I'm still in this accursed place..." Wilmarina quivered while closing the window and slumped down to the floor as tears broke out. She didn't forget the unimaginable pain. She remembered how the Silver Knights easily dispatched her with no effort, even her status as a hero. "I want to go home..."

*Clack~!*

The hero succubus stopped crying once she heard the clicking sounds of metal.

"E-... Elt?"

Wilmarina went to the door and opens it slightly to peek out in caution until her heart stops once she sees the tall Silver Knight walking past the room's entrance. She immediately closed the door without making a sound and stepped back further away; hoping that the knight would move on.

"Elt... where are you...?" Wilmarina called out for her lover in a meek tone, but he was currently not present in the room. "Where did you go...? Why did you leave me here?"

The Dark Hero was alone, afraid and powerless. She was considered the strongest monster in all of Lescatie after Druella bestowed upon her the power of monsters after turning into a succubus so that no one could thwart her path for the sake of Love and her newfound loyalty to the Demon Lord. She knew that the entire world is in their favour and the Order will shake under her boots if they ever threaten her closest friends and her beloved Elt.

However, in reality, the world did not favour their cause, and it was something she did not anticipate. She thought that giving these strange beings some love would make them loyal to the Demon Lord, so they too shall experience the love of all monsters and bring themselves to support their new purpose to make the world their paradise of endless pleasures.

...and they refused.

Instead of accepting love, these beings did not emit any spirit energy or anything that drives them. They are, in fact, hollow. They do not seek pleasure or indulge in the love of monsters. None of them didn't see love as worthy to make them accept, and they were beings with the sole purpose of killing anything in sight. In this place... this distorted dungeon made her powerless.

She came to realise that the powers of the monster's love did not help her bring down the grim world she was against... were reality. Fear now replaced her own overconfidence in happiness, and the succubus swore she can sense death was all over the place; waiting for her to make the next step that will probably lead to her death.

Wilmarina dreads with fear in her heart. She couldn't believe Hel, the Goddess of Life and Death would do this to her and she knew the deity sided with the Demon Lord. If she ever dies, then she will be revived without problems. But this death she felt was another one, completely malevolent, and did not see her own life being worth living. It sees her as nothing but a fledging pawn who desperately clings herself to the ideals of depraving love in the midst of a dangerous world.

"... Elt... I-I'm going to find you..." Wilmarina swallowed a lump through her throat and went for the door with caution. "Please... don't leave me behind!"

The succubus slowly opened the door and peeked out for a second time to see if the coast was clear. This time, there were no silver knights around, and to her relief, she stepped out while closing the door behind her.

"Right... then, his scent..." Wilmarina then looks up and then followed the path where he had left off. "His scent is all faint... is this place cleaning out his trails?"

The Hero Succubus continued to follow the path while taking the corner to the left. Thus, she took a nearby spiral staircase leading somewhere up to the next floor. However, to her dismay, she reached the end of his scent and Wilmarina felt her heart slowly throb with fear and worry as if Elt was nowhere near being found. Heck, she hasn't even reached a ten-meter distance from the room where she had started.

"His scent is gone...!" Her eyes widened in disbelief. "This can't be... where did he go!?"

'Concentrate, Wilmarina!' Her mind spoke out loud while breathing calmly. 'Some magic covered his scent, and he's somewhere here in this place. I need to keep finding him or else we'll be forever trapped in this godforsaken city!'

The dark hero continued her way upstairs until she heard the sounds of wood being carved by someone. But that sound itself is suspicious in her ears. Her senses did not detect that someone was friendly or foe. Wilmarina went up and stick close to the wall once she reached the exit. Once she peeked her eyes out, the succubus saw a giant. She had seen giant golden knights during their escape since the first day. As for now, this creature was even larger than the rest and he appears to be minding his own business while making some strange wooden carvings.

The succubus grew suspiciously. She would rather sneak through this being as soon as that giant wouldn't notice, despite whether to be a friend or foe. At least the carving sounds can mask her steps.

Once she took a few steps from her hiding place, the giant raised his head as he noticed someone was trying to sneak through his quarters.

"Oh, what do we have here? Someone tries to sneak through, I see." The giant speaks which caught Wilmarina by surprise. "Now... what is an unlucky fellow such as thee, to step into the City of the Gods?"

Wilmarina grew speechless. 'The giant can speak? And his voice speaks out that he's clearly male!'

After a few moments of silence, the giant cocked his eyebrow in confusion behind his helmet, filled with raisins.

"Hmm? Thoust doesn't have any words to say?" Upon hearing that, Wilmarina perked off from her thoughts and looks up at the giant in disbelief. "Hm, by your reactions alone, you thought of me as a foe, yes?"

"N-No! No, I w-wasn't sure if you were an enemy!" Wilmarina babbled out while waving her hands in surrender. "P-Please, I'm just trying to find my husband!... W-Well, I'm separated from him while he's trying to find a way out."

"Humm... That is truly unfortunate. This city, once home to the gods, is now long abandoned and teeming with hollows." The Giant Carver said with a solemn tone. "I have no clue how long t'twas' in this place and the last time I've remembered... I was in Oolacile. But I kept myself busy doing my work. It makes me some great joy to see someone else with a sane mind."

"Then... um... since you are friendly... may I ask of something?" Wilmarina then asked, and the Giant turns his attention to her. "Have you seen my husband? He might have gone through this place, right?"

"Mmmh... I'm afraid I did not hear anyone that comes across me." The Giant answered, to her dismay. "Perhaps he might have seen my friend who was somewhere else around this city of Anor Londo."

Hearing his words of hospitality made her breathe out with relief. Chances of her husband might have met another friendly giant are possible. However, there was one thing which makes up some questions. Who were the gods of this city? Does the Chief God know that this place exists? Ever since growing up in her childhood where she heard stories spoken by her caretakers when, in her time as a human, there were no mentions of a place called Anor Londo.

And to her concern, who builds this place in the midst of a Dragon Empire?

"This place... it was said to be the city of the gods." Wilmarina then asked out for him another question. "Why was it abandoned and... what are hollows?"

"The Gods have abandoned this place from a long, distant time." The Giant said while continuing his carving. "Hollows are the undead, those who had lost their purpose and seek to devour the souls of the living. You should haveth known about the history of the Great Lords and the Kingdom of Lordran, yes?"

By hearing his question, Wilmarina tilts her head sideways. "Um, no. Just who are they?"

"Oh, by Lord Gwyn. Thoust do not know the tales of First Flames?" The Giant then questioned out in surprise as he stopped his work. "The Three Lords and the Everlasting Dragons?"

Wilmarina stayed silent for a while before answering. "Uhh... no."

"Hm, thou art strange. Anyone knows such tales ever since they were children." The Giant said while slowly putting down his knife and carved wood on the floor before leaning his head down to Wilmarina, giving her a curious look. "From which lands thoust hailed from, dear visitor?"

"I-uh... I come from the nation of Lescatie." Wilmarina answered meekly. "It's currently a demon realm, b-but I do not act as a genuine monster!"

"Hmm, thine scent confirms that thou art a strange being." The giant points it out. "Even though I am blind. I have good ears and senses."

"I'm a succubus, a type of monster. But I do not harm anyone." Wilmarina said as she spreads her wings while keeping her left one closed. Then she looks back up at the giant, expressing her friendly reaction. "I'm Wilmarina Noscrim. It's nice to meet you!"

"Hawkeye Gough, one of the four knights of Lord Gwyn." The giant, now named Gough, introduced himself. "It's nice meeting thee as well. For a long time, I haven't been 'tis talkative... So, thou want to hear the tales of the Lords and the First Flames?"

Wilmarina nodded. She would like to hear some information from hearing the giant's tale and this mysterious city alone. Plus, her realisation that this giant is blind. Then she answered with her voice.

"Y-Yes! I would like to hear it!"

"Very well. Then I shall tell thee the tales of the Gods and the Flame." Gough felt pleased when hearing her answer. "Hear ye' 'tis tale. That shall not be forgotten to thee."

Wilmarina then sat on the floor until Gough tells the stories of the legends for the succubus that were told in his old realm.

"Eons ago, the world was formless and covered by fog. Teeming with Archtrees, Gray crags, and Everlasting Dragons. In the era of the ancients, the dragons at their time ruled the entire world... until the Flames came forth. And from that flame, disparity emerges."

Upon hearing the words of his tale, Wilmarina felt a wave of emotions that overwhelmed her senses; filled with fear, dread, happiness, and so on. She never had this stunning experience in her life while hearing the story. Something extraordinary and it wasn't any story that mentions the Chief God or the first Demon Lord, yet those words speak older than the history she knew.

"Heat, and Cold. Life and Death... and, of course, light and dark. And from the darkness, they came and found the Souls of Lords within the Flames. And from those souls, the first Lords achieved great power and use them to change the course of history."

"... So... who were these lords?" Wilmarina asked while raising her left hand.

Gough then turns his attention across the room and shows her three huge wooden statues that stood beside the walls. The giant then points at the first lord, which depicts a being with its body made up of a collection of skeletons wrapped up in rags.

"Gravelord Nito, the First of the Dead."

Wilmarina was surprised to hear about this. 'The first of the dead? Which means this city had once been a God of Death living here. That doesn't make any sense! Hel has been there since the beginning of time and how was this lord the first of the dead...?'

'Oh, what am I thinking right now... I should move on to listen to his unusual tale.' The Dark Hero shakes her head aside and listened to Gough's story.

"The Witch of Izalith, the Great Flame Sorceress and her daughters of Chaos."

Wilmarina saw Gough pointing towards the next statue, which depicts several cloaked figures and then turning his finger to a peculiar statue that looks like a bearded old man who stood proudly with a strong posture while two statues of silver knights stood by his side.

"Gwyn, the Great Lord of Sunlight and his faithful knights."

The Gough turns to another wooden statue, a fourth one. This time depicts a shrivelled, naked humanoid figure holding a small flame.

"And the Furtive Pygmy... so easily forgotten."

Wilmarina raised her brow in question. 'Who is the Furtive Pygmy and why was he easily forgotten? Just what did he do?'

"The Souls of Lords splintered themselves from the Flames and granted them unfathomable powers." Gough then explained, which made the succubus drawn to his story even more. "Gravelord Nito gained the Soul of Death for being the first among the dead. The Witch of Izalith discovered the Soul of Life. Gwyn inherited the Soul of Light from his predecessor and the Furtive Pygmy... achieved the Soul of Dark."

Wilmarina seems interested when she heard the mention of the Soul of Dark. She knew something worth mentioning from mamono researchers that having the soul of the dark could be related to monsters... right?

'Then what power does the Pygmy possess?'

"And with their strength, they challenged the dragons. Gwyn peeled off their rocky scales with his miracles. The Witches burned down the Ancient Archtrees with their great fires. Nito unleashed a miasma and granted the dragons their death. Then Seath, the Scaleless Dragon, betrayed his own... and the dragons were no more." While the succubus was really drawn to his tale, she felt uneasy from hearing that. A race of dragons driven to extinction? Such tales will be an affront to the dragons of Dragonia. "And thus... began the age of fire... but soon as the flames will fade..."

"... Only darkness remains."

Once he said those words, Wilmarina felt a painful pang in her heart after her senses caught a nauseating wave of death and many more negative emotions assaulted her core. The former hero lets out heavy breathing, and the giant looks down at her with concern and worry.

"Art thee alright?"

"I-I'm fine... it's just... w-what was that?!" Wilmarina then spoke up in fear. "'Only darkness remains'... what does that mean?"

"Hmm... legends speak that in one day, the age of darkness shall come," Gough said while looking down solemnly. "The descendants of the Furtive Pygmy will inherit the world for theirs to rule."

"And... who are his descendants?" Wilmarina then asked once more as she felt a shiver through her spine. "I-... I need to know who?"

"His descendants... is humanity." Dark Hero Wilmarina fell speechless at his answer. She did not expect the owner of the Soul of Darkness was the creator of humans in his tale other than monsters, and she did not expect that at all. "The Furtive Pygmy, the first Dark Lord, used the power from a fraction of the Dark Soul to create life. Thus created humanity and raised them in the darkness... thou seem to be surprised by this, art thee?"

Wilmarina was a bit shaken as her eyes were dilating in disbelief. It is in contrast to the Order's teachings and knowledge of the ancient history of humanity; the first Chief God was known as the sole creator of humanity under its divine light while the monsters are created in the contrast to light, darkness. And those two races were a part of the world under the same god since the dawn of time. But hearing the giant's tale of his world brought a feeling of trepidation through her skin and her monsterized soul.

'There was another human race that was born from the darkness and raised by a Dark Lord?' The succubus cupped her chin while in deep thought. 'Was that even possible?'

Then the succubus swallowed a gulp through her throat, now thinking about the possibility of all things which connect the origins that Ash Cyrus... a descendant of this Dark Lord.

"I have one last question..." Wilmarina began asking while slowly raising her hand. "Do you know... about the Kingdom of Astora?"

"Hmm? Astora?... hmm... Ah! That kingdom, yes. I know about it." Gough answered as Wilmarina sat in deathly silence. The giant knew of that kingdom and the connection confirms it. "A kingdom of noble knights and skilled craftsmen, I heard. What else thou shall know about it?"

Wilmarina paused for a while until asked another question one last time. "I heard it's a human kingdom... could they be perhaps the descendants of... the Dark Soul?"

"... Yes, they are. Every human is born with the shard of the Lord Soul of Dark," Gough answered truthfully. "But do not mistake them as beings of pure darkness... they are more than that. I know of a human named Ash Cyrus, a warrior who had bested Knight Artorias and freed him from the corruption of the Abyss, putting him in a peaceful rest that my dear friend truly deserves."

Ash Cyrus... that name brought back into her mind. This Astoran... this Silver-Blue Knight... is a human born with the soul of the dark? Is that reason he is a complete anomaly to the world and not even the gods knew? But how did he beat the Fallen God when he is a human of darkness? Darkness is a part of being a monster and meant to be a part of love, but why does his existence deny them? The Love of Monsters, everything that the Demon Lord had wished for the peaceful paradise their world deserves.

'Why does he never accept it?'

"I was once a human... and the monsters told me I was once a being of light," Wilmarina uttered out in disbelief and Gough listened. "When I became a monster, my soul turned to the side of darkness to free me from my suffering... so how does a human, such as him, still live with the darkness and remain what he is?"

"As I've said thee, once. Humans are merely more than darkness themselves, dear Wilmarina. Perhaps they perceive to see the light in its beauty and remain for who they are. And as far as I can tell... thoust is once a human, but thine vessel is altered." Gough said while cupping his chin as he examined the succubus. "I can sense the soul of thine human self is not of dark, but of a different light. And indeed it is. However, I can sense not one but two souls within thee."

"T-Two...?" Wilmarina then raised her eyes in surprise. The giant can sense her own life force? "How did I have two souls and are there any... differences about it?"

"That... I can tell the difference. First, thine own soul is dominant. Interacting directly with me." Gough answered. "The other, thine human soul, is locked within some prison by thine own current monster soul."

The succubus hero was shocked upon hearing that. Her own human soul was locked up? Wilmarina thought her soul would become one after it merged with her own monstrous desires for Elt. Yet the giant speaks of honest words as if they were the truth. The Dark Hero of Lescatie then shakes her head sideways in order to refuse to hear such words in her head.

"That can't be! My humanity still lingers!" Wilmarina raised her voice in defiance. "There is no way my humanity is locked up in some mental prison!"

"Oh, pardon me, thoust for my words have offended thee. I was merely telling thy truth, and I did sense it." The giant replied while leaning back with a deep sigh. "If thou art shall remain ignorant of thy own nature... then so be it."

Wilmarina stood shaken for a while before calming herself. To make sure the giant's words were proven true, she gently placed her hand over where her heart was. The dark hero closed her eyes and entered a trance, hearing her own heart beating until her eyes opened up, dilating with a shocking discovery. The dark hero somehow could feel her old soul deep within her and its radiance was very faint to sense it as if it was truly chained down by something.

'He's right... there's another soul... deep within me.' Wilmarina's thoughts spoke up in realisation. 'But how can that be?'

"This is impossible... if this is my genuine soul that was locked up... then who am I?" Wilmarina then uttered, feeling uncomfortable while questioning her new nature as a succubus. "I remember everything before I turned into a succubus... but am I the real Wilmarina that loves Elt?"

"I do not know who thee tryin' to ask, Wilmarina," Gough said, dumbfounded while scratching the back of his head. "To find thine answers... find the person who is responsible. Why not thoust a small peek into thine soul and seeketh thy truth which thou desired?"

The dark hero remained silent before turning to the statues of the four lords and her eyes were locked on the shrivelled figure of the furtive pygmy, the first dark lord and the creator of the human race from a different realm of reality. Wilmarina then looked down at her own chest while feeling the faint, fledging presence of her old soul, and she needs to know why her soul was chained down. Perhaps this person, Ash Cyrus, has answers for that and she knows he is involved in some sort in a field of magic to reverse the effects of monsterization.

He might know a thing or two, but meeting him is risky and does not hold back to kill a mamono. Not only he's just merely human, but a human with the blood of darkness in contrast to the light. And in contrast to love, it was hate, and now she sees him as a representation of the negative force that is against her beliefs of Love.

"If I ever meet him... defeating him is not an option," Wilmarina whispered to herself as her hands clenched. "I need answers first... then I will destroy him."

"Wilmarina?"

The dark hero then perked from her thoughts once she heard his familiar voice. She turns around and sees Elt, panting in exhaustion with sweat all over his face. He felt relieved to see his wife being safe and sound. Thus, he saw another giant, which caught him by surprise.

"Huh... there's another giant here, and a friendly one," Elt said before he went to Wilmarina's side. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am alright!" Wilmarina replied with a smile of relief and joy to see her husband, who finally came to find her. "I'm sorry that I've left the room, which had made you worried. But besides, this is Gough and he's really friendly!"

"Greetings, don't mind me by my appearance," Gough replied with a wave of his hand. "Thine wife liketh to hear my tales. And I heard thou desired to leave the city of Anor Londo... is that right?"

Elt and Wilmarina shared their looks and expressed their relief that this giant was willing to help them out. Then both of them nodded in response.

"Yes, please guide us out to find an exit!" Wilmarina pleaded.

"I see... I may not fit in some paths that I could traverse in this city." Gough said in distraught before lifting his finger in realisation. "But perhaps... there was someone who can guide thee to the entrance of the city."

"There was?!" Elt asked out loud in surprise as the couple felt a wave of relief and joy when there was a way out. "Tell us who they are before we could meet them!"

"Both of them were a pair of crossbreeds. We got along with each other since that day which brought us into confusion," Gough answered. "Their names are Priscilla and Yorshka. They live in a tower not far from here."

"Thanks, Gough! We'll repay you for helping us!" The Succubus Hero thanked him and Gough was pleased to hear it. "Maybe you can join the Demon Lord and she'll make your life even better!"

"I thanked thee for your offer, Wilmarina." The giant chuckled while doing his usual activity to carve wood. "But I shall decline to join thine unknown cause. My loyalty remains to the Lords that once inhabit this abandoned city. Thou might find anyone who shall join thee in thine journey."

The succubus knew this giant has many answers to her questions and knowledge about the unknown lands where the Silver-Blue Knight originated from. Surely, he will contribute greatly to the Demon Lord and make him into a fine mamono who will seek pleasures. But his existence alone is void of mana and her senses tell her he could not become one of their own due to one confusing reason.

He cannot.

That made her eyebrows raise in question. Why was his existence refused to accept the love of monsters? Is this giant the same as Ash Cyrus himself, or perhaps those two human merchants they've met before? She needed to know why, but that subject can only be discussed once they were out of this accursed city.

...

Dragonia, Nighttime.

...

"Zzzz... ZZzzz... ZZzzz~..."

Elen snored loudly while the person at her side, Daniella, was sleeping soundlessly with earplugs on. On the balcony, Reginald observed the castle's courtyard, and the moonlight illuminated some places. That is until he heard moans and faint wet sounds coming from all other places. The son of Farron took a peek to see what was the commotion going on from below, and then his face reeled back in disbelief.

"Ah~! Ahn~! Faster, Cathor~! Faster~!"

"C-Cattleya! I'm going to cum!"

"Teehee~! Dagen~! Your dick is getting hard again~!"

"G-Gah! Alia! Your mouth is too good as ever!"

In the courtyard below, he spotted dozens of dragons, wyverns, lizardmen and wurms from all branches of the Dragon Knight's Order copulating endlessly with their incubi partners. Despite they knew that one honoured visitor was observing them from the balcony and all the copulating monster couples didn't seem to care.

"By the flames... they never mind about everything." Reginald deadpanned. "Even when there's some foreign guest who's trying to sleep."

...

In another room, Sasha, Olivier, and Ash slept in the same room on two separate beds. Both the priestess and the musketeer were sleeping soundlessly despite the muffled moans coming from other rooms of copulating monster couples. Ash swore that this kind of "hospitality, serenity and generosity" that the monster realm gave him did not let him find any peace for sleeping.

"Ah~! Ha~ah~! Cum~! Cum~!"

"Give it to me~! Release it inside me~! Right now~!"

"I wish those damned people should stop." Ash grunts in annoyance while trying to sleep as he closed his eyes. 'Especially when there's someone over here who's trying to sleep!'

*Creaaak~*

Ash turned his gaze at the door once he heard it open and a sound of heavy footsteps came into their room. The Silver-Blue Knight closed his eyes to pretend he was asleep and make sure this intruder was not aware that he was already wide awake.

"Hah~... Hah~!... Ha~ah~!" Ash's ears perked up to hear someone moaning as a shadow loomed over him. "By the demon lord~! Tarkus... is this your true face?"

That voice... it belonged to none other but Dracolinde herself. Ash opens his eyes slightly and saw a pair of eyes staring at him with pupil-shaped hearts. Her breathing was warm and heavy while his skin felt her steamy breath filled with ecstasy which coursed in her body. Dracolinde carefully caressed his cheeks and turn his face around in her direction. The young sister of the Red Queen felt her face blushing furiously in joy and excitement.

Her feelings and urges toward this man were beyond her comprehension and couldn't help but fall in love with him.

"Ara ara~! You are undoubtedly handsome~!... Why would a mercenary like you have a face of a prince?" Dracolinde asked, but he didn't reply while Ash still pretends that he was asleep. "... Well, it doesn't matter~! While I do not like this, while your beloved human maiden has feelings for you... maybe it's best for her to become one of us~!"

Once Dracolinde leaned down for a kiss, Ash silently made his move. His left arm moved for his weapon under his pillow and hastily pulls out a saints talisman. Dracolinde gasped while reeling back in shock to see that he was already wide awake. How did she not notice it?

'Impossible! My senses told me he's asleep!'

But it was too late. Before the red dragon would do anything, Ash's talisman radiates a miracle before slamming a bolt of electricity into her head, thus knocking down the sister of the Red Queen from his bed out cold, falling down on the floor with a loud thud. Sasha and Olivier immediately sat up, awoke, after hearing the commotion and turn around to see Ash was alright. Then the two dilated their eyes with shock once they saw an intruder who came into their room without realising that the person was none other than the young sister of the Red Queen.

"Wh-what is Dracolinde doing here!?" Sasha points her finger toward the unconscious dragon in disbelief. "Ash?! What's going on!?"

"To your answer, Sasha... this mamono is trying to rape me in my sleep." Ash grits his teeth in annoyance while looking down at Dracolinde. "So I've knocked her out cold."

Both Sasha and Olivier gaped in disbelief as their skin went pale as sheets of paper. They never expected Ash could bring down a dragon, especially even a red dragon such as Dracolinde, the most powerful being in existence. However, one thing that came to their horrifying realisation is that the sister of the Red Queen is knocked out cold and knows this incident will not please her older sibling.

"Ash! This is terrible!" Sasha said out loud in worry while comically curling down in fear. "If the Red Queen and her knights were here to see this... we'll be in prison!"

"I should've known... going into a mamono realm isn't really a good idea." Olivier groaned regretfully while her face tensed as she tightens her fists. "We must act fast before they'll notice what we did!"

Ash cupped his chin until his thoughts lightens up like a lightbulb with an idea. "... I have a plan."

...

"Ash.. are you sure about this?"

Ash peeked out from around the corner and saw a pair of Dragon Knights guarding the door of Dracolinde's room. Then he turns around to see Junayd, yawning while scratching the back of his head.

"All you need is to divert their attention," Ash instructed and the Carthus swordman listened. "Make sure they wouldn't notice you."

"Huh, So I should spook the hell out of them, huh... Well, I wouldn't mind doing it, hah!" Junayd said with a shrug while making a mischievous smirk. "I'm not sure how this will work out when Dracolinde wakes up and remembers this incident you had with her. Hence, you gave her a hard concussion in the head with your miracle."

"I hope she won't." Ash was sure the concussion he gave her was enough to shake off those memories. "Now, stick to the plan."

At the entrance of Dracolinde's room, a pair of dragon knights stood wide awake and guarding vigilantly to see if there are any individuals who are trying to intrude into the room of the red dragon.

"*Yawn~*... This is boring..." A dragon knight groaned with distraught while clinging tightly to her sword. "I hate this shift which our Order took as a job for us knights."

"Well, it's one of the most tedious jobs to train our patience. I heard they said it was important, which might lead us to find a husband." Her senior responded while crossing her arms. "I've been in shifts involving guard duty... and remember, it is one of the most important aspects for a Dragon Knight, rookie."

The dragon knight rookie narrowed her eyes in annoyance and rolled her eyes, sure. This duty they've received wasn't much hard work, but it is truly a boring job. The senior knight scanned the hallways until she noticed a shadow and streaks of red blur flying past under the darkness. Her senses were working to detect the intruder, however, what she received was none and a couple of blurs flew by.

The senior knight unsheathed her sword and cautiously stepped forth. She had got no encounters like this before in the past ninety years of service.

"Vilia... don't let anyone pass the door."

Vilia, the rookie knight, nods while bringing up the salute. Once her senior knight went off to catch the mysterious entity, little did she know that an invisible anomaly had opened the door and carefully closed it back without making a sound. Ash could've sworn that the Slumbering Dragon Ring and the Hidden Body spell were the most important assets he could rely on that involved stealth.

Once the spell wore off, Ash gently placed the unconscious red dragon on her bed and quickly left the room. Little did he know, a mirror was observing the situation from the corner of the room and the Red Queen was fully aware of his act.

...

Demon Realm, Royal Makai.

...

"This is supposed to be impossible..."

Demon Lord Lilith was silent when she observed the Silver-Blue Knight's action against Dark Priest Sasha through the recordings of the magic mirror. When she looks closely at their kiss and Sasha's reverse transformation, this brought a worrying question to her head.

'How was this possible?'

Lilith knew the Demonic Mana she had created over a thousand years ago could no longer alter and couldn't be destroyed. It was already in its prime and anything that tries to dissolve this energy would be meaningless.

However, her thoughts of confidence were soon shattered after hearing about the unusual existence of anomalies. First, there was Artos, the son of a human saint and a dragon, who had led Gaul to stop a monster invasion that should have never happened in history and their victory led to the creation of the Federation after her daughter Ilassa turned her back against the Demon Lord.

She knew no monster will usurp her and enjoy the fruits of love that she and her husband worked for world peace until Ilassa found something that she calls a so-called "Truth". Some kind of power that makes her own soul tremble in fear for unknown reasons.

Her thoughts were that the power of love in this energy could beat anything and everything in its way. But the existence of these people thwarted many attempts that her other daughters had tried to make the Federation into a Demon Realm. If it weren't for the existence of the unusual dhampirs which were employed by the Federation. They were supposed to be susceptible to demonic mana, but new information that her agents spoke otherwise that those were not mere mamono.

Now the second problem is the existence of Ash Cyrus and the mysterious knight figure in her dreams. Both of these anomalies reek of something beyond her comprehension. All of them were the amalgamation of the grim reality that won't bend itself to the will of monsters. Lilith knew there was something amiss and that was thwarting her powers and rejecting her desires for love.

'Why was love being rejected? Why does it want hate to live on?'

She does not want hate to exist. Hate could lead to many horrible things, such as anger, violence, murder, and war. She had lived in the previous cycle before her ascension as the current demon lord. She saw how both sides suffered and her desire wanted this Hate to be thrown off the face of the world so that everyone can achieve the paradise she made for them.

"Hate cannot live without Love... Love cannot exist without hate." Lilith's reeled back in irritation to hear his voice again. This time, he's in her head. "That is the basic fundamental rule of the world... then what purpose should anyone be driven to Love without Hate?... Without Hate that drives them... then Love will be meaningless."

"Shut up... I will never listen to it." Lilith gritted her teeth as she mentally spoke. "I will make it another way... a way for anyone who can experience love!"

"If you do that... you will live to learn that your dream is nothing more but to rule a stagnant world." The Lord of Cinder within her mind spoke and Lilith could've sworn she can imagine his face, smiling at her in mockery. "Disparity is not just power... it is everything that needs to coexist with its opposite. Without them, it would be meaningless."

"But why... ever since you came to this world... why do you not accept my gift of our love?" Lilith trembled as she looks down. "I have fate in my hands... Despite your mockery, I knew I was going to win-"

"You can't... Fate can no longer control them, and you seem to forget how Artos did to your daughter." The voice of the Cindered Lord interrupted and Lilith fell speechless. "The Flames will not grant thee a victory and stay true in its words... the world would be a better place without the reign of thine depraving love."

"IT'S NOT MEANINGLESS!" Lilith yelled out loud in rage as her fist slammed on the arms of her throne, catching the succubus guards off-guard who were present in her throne room. They witnessed the demon lord displaying a strange act, and they do not know why. "Entropy... or anything that will go against me will never work!"

"Hmph, and here I was talking into your head." The Lord of Cinder mocked as he pitied the Demon Lord. "Thou art a supreme being in this world, yet not powerful to overcome the children of the Flames. And I shall tell you one thing, it won't be Entropy... but the consequences of your actions over the past thousand years will bring you to ruin if they knew the truth behind your coat of lies. You are aware that your daughter, Ilassa, was the first to see it."

"I will no longer listen to that rebellious usurper of mine." Lilith bites her own lip in spite. "She and her small, pathetic Federation would think they could beat me!?"

"Perhaps... but Life... Death, Light, and Dark can." The Lord of Cinder replied, noticing a confused look in the eyes of the Demon Lord. "I know you wouldn't realise this."

"Death and... Dark?" Lilith then speaks in utter fear, now feeling a shiver through her spine. "Impossible... I have darkness and death on my side!"

"Who says they were the same? Hel cannot see them and neither they could see me." And thus, Lilith felt her heart fall upon hearing this. There is another? "In the future, the Dark will restore the Light of this world that was once shattered by thine own acts."

"Th-the Dark?... how?" Lilith then gaped. She knew the Abyssal Chaos were her allies or was he referring to another kind of darkness? "I will prevent this outcome... to make sure you shall experience love!"

"Good... doing it further, your fate shall be sealed..." The Lord of Cinder replied as he vanished from her head. "And abandon ye' hope for thine time shall come."

With that, he disappeared from her mind before Lilith slumped out in exhaustion while sweat trailed down on her skin. The succubus guard came to see her, and they were worried that she fell disoriented.

"Y-your majesty...?"

Lilith then turns her gaze to her knights and raised her hand. "... Bring me some water... I need it to rethink."

The succubuses exchanged their gazes in confusion before one raised a hand. "I'll go get it, your majesty."

'... I need to prevent it at all costs... no matter what.'

...

Buffer Region, Early Morning.

...

"Zzzz... Zzzz...Zzzz-h-huh?"

Artor slowly opened his eyes and rubbed his eyelids before yawning while stretching his arms apart. He turned his gaze to the windows and saw the sun's rays pierced through the blinds and wanted them to open up to see that beautiful morning sight of the mountains. Just as he stood up, a scaly tail wrapped up tightly around his left arm. He turns around and saw his fiancee, Alto-Eris, sleeping soundly as her sub-conscious tail was begging him to stay for a while.

The young dragonslayer smiled as he gently released her tail and lay it back on the bed before opening the blinds. The sunlight shines through his room and Alto-Eris felt the warmth of the sun touching her skin until waking up with a yawn.

"Good morning. Did you get a nice sleep?"

"Hmm~?... Huh?... Oh, yes~! It was a very rough day indeed~" Alto-Eris said while stretching her arms and then looking up at her lover with a warm smile. "I never expect a dragonslayer such as you to have a massive rod~"

"Uhh?... Oh, yes. This." Artor said with a deadpan while looking down on his own body, stark naked and the mamono as well. "We'd better put up our clothes before we'd head for breakfast."

'He hasn't turned into an incubus after cumming inside me over ten times,' Alto-Eris said mentally while raising her brow in concern. They had sex for an entire day, and she remembers how exhausting it can be every time he came inside her. She wanted to display her dominance over him, but his massive meaty spear immediately turned the tables in his favour. 'I thought today, he'll turn into one... then I guess the Lords are a completely different race from what I thought. The lack of mana, and his presence radiates that of divinity... just what exactly are the Lords?'

Once the dragon sat up from her bed, Alto-Eris felt something unusual in her body. As she looks down, she saw a slight bulge on her belly and was amazed that the egg inside her had grown significantly in one night after hours of long sleep. From what she can tell, it might take a few weeks or a month until she can lay an egg and wait for the next eight months for her child to hatch upon birth.

It might be weird for her to imagine that a baby Lord will be born from a dragon egg. Then... she needs to think of a boy's name in case a son will be born.

"Probably later." Alto-Eris shakes off those thoughts as her belly groans with hunger. "Ah!... I'd better eat right away."

...

Dragonia, Main Capital.

...

"Good morning~!"

The companions entered the dining room while being greeted by the dragon maids that stood in a single row next to the walls beside them. The servants prepared the tables with a grandiose display of their cuisine, and Ash was glad that most of them were human food and safe to eat, while some reeked of foul fish coming from the monster dishes.

Dracolinde came into the dining room with a yawn while greeting the companions with a friendly smile.

"Oh, good morning~! Have you all slept well?"

"W-well, we did sleep. But we heard a lot of noises, haha!" Arcturus spoke up with a nervous laugh.

"I'd like to be frank, they were noisy," Gerome said casually as Elaine agrees.

"But Elen is the loudest." Daniells said meekly while pressing her fingers together, but her words did not please the daughter of Farron.

"What did you just say?" Elen spoke coldly while giving Daniella a pair of daggers, as the former agent immediately hid behind her boyfriend. "Don't think that you can hide behind my brother to save your own hide, you wench!"

"Eeek! Reginald, please tell your sister that I did not mean it!" Daniella pleaded, and Reginald gave out a stressful sigh.

"Can you two please.. just stop?" Reginald groaned while waving off his hands dismissively.

"What an unusual group... Well, the servants and our knights had been raunchy for the entire night. I mean, that's normal around here~!" Dracolinde replied to Arcturus. At least they were satisfied before turning her attention towards Ash, Sasha and Olivier, which the three of them jerked up while the Red Dragon raised her eyebrow in confusion to see their unusual behaviour. "Huh... what's with those looks?"

Ash, who noticed this, then got the chance to speak while pointing his thumb at Arcturus. "We... just had the same night as them."

"I see, at least you don't act all suspicious- Agh!" Dracolinde said while a sensation of migraine hit her head and massaged her temples, groaning in slight pain. "Hnngh~!... I-... I just had a sudden headache when I woke up... I feel I don't remember what happened last night."

Ash, Sasha, and Olivier breathe out in relief. The priestess knew the mamono race can sense the lies behind every voice, except for Ash and the others who do not emit any mana. Dracolinde then told them to take seats to dine in until a dragon knight came into the dining hall and whispered to Dracolinde in her right ear.

"The queen wants to meet him?" Dracolinde asked in surprise.

The dragon knight nodded. "Yes, she wanted to meet that man, Tarkus."

"Huh? Strange... but alright, as the majesty wishes." Then Dracolinde turns to Ash and then calls out for him. "Ahem. Tarkus~! The queen wants to meet you~!"

Ash did not expect this. Was he invited to see the queen in person? His companions fell speechless once they heard this and, as for Sasha, she grew worried. She realised that the Red Queen has something to do with Ash. After all, they haven't met the Red Queen of the Empire. She grew nervous if the Queen was aware of what they had done last night and prayed for Ash's safety.

"This is a surprise..." Ash muttered, dumbfounded while standing up from his seat. "Does the queen wants me to talk to her?"

"I suppose yes, the Queen hasn't met any foreigners in person from the past twenty-six years," Dracolinde said with a nod. "But in this case, as the Queen wishes, she wanted to meet you... send him to her chamber, Militiana."

The dragon knight, Militiana, bowed to the red dragon in response. "Certainly, madam."

...

Half an hour later, Ash went through the door and entered an enormous hall. The pillars, floors and some parts of the walls are filled with pale, beautiful polished marble and the windows were adorned with artistic depictions of dragons from a long age during the times of the former demon lords. At the end of the hall, he saw a woman with the beastly traits of a lizard, another red dragon.

Deonora laid her eyes upon the tall warrior of iron known as Tarkus, and indeed he was quite taller than an average human man. As far as she could tell from her younger sister, this man could be counted as a mysterious anomaly in this world, unlike the person she heard it from eighty years ago, a legendary hero of Gaul named Artos, who was the son of a dragon. She can sense his lack of mana, but his appearance radiates power. Yet one thing that came to shudder her soul in fright is that this man... is filled with darkness instead of light.

"I presume you are Deonora, the Red Queen of the Empire." Deonora perked from her thoughts and looked down at the warrior. Ash then greeted the dragon queen with a polite bow. "I am Tarkus Berenike, a mercenary from Albion."

"Tarkus Berenike... I may have a question." Deonora then spoke whilst she leans forth. "Are you aware that there was a sound of lightning last night?"

Hearing her words made Ash fall into complete silence. At this moment, the Silver-Blue Knight never had expected to hear her question that might ring some bad bells. Therefore, he would need to come up to tell some better lies.

Thus, Ash answered in an honest tone. "No. I was unaware of it, your highness."

"... I see... such sounds brought up a terrible memory that racked my head when I was asleep." Deonora sighed before asking again. "Last night, I've seen you were carrying my sister into her room... care to explain?"

That question truly caught him off guard and needed to think up an answer, fast.

"I... found her somewhere in the hallway," Ash said blankly. "Your sister, she had a bottle of alcohol in her hand and was drunk while sleeping... so I carried her back to her room."

Deonora sat there for a few seconds of silence while Ash remained calm. He couldn't feel hope and was only confident in himself to make sure his lie would work. If it doesn't, then their return to Gaul would be bloody-

"I believe you." ... He couldn't believe she easily accepted that. Thus, the Queen speaks out in admittance. "I know. Forgive my sister's rude acts last night. She is truly fond of drinking alcohol."

'Well... that went better than expected.' Ash breathes out in relief. Truly, mamono can sense lies through mana, but he and his friends? It's another story.

"So, Tarkus. You came to our lands to help us out and explore that dangerous place?" Ash nodded, and Deonora smiled at his answer. "Very well. I believe you are brave enough to face those horrible monstrosities. My knights will send you to that place where no one should step in."

"... have your knights known the name of a place?" Ash asked. He knew that whenever someone enters a distorted dungeon, the name will appear in thin air to recognise the recently discovered place.

"Yes, they know... they say it was an abandoned city which is built like a maze, a place teeming with tall knights which can bring down a hail of lances and golden giants of unknown who can bring deaths of many unfortunates," Deonora said while clenching her fists in regret. Did Ash hear that right? Tall knights can bring down a hail of lances and golden giants? That will mean one thing.

"The city they called it... Anor Londo."

...

Chapter 37: Ends

AN: Alright, I've spoken to someone in the MGE Community is that the small smut story of Alto-Eris from Chapter 36 is her first smut in the MGE Community. Also, for those who don't know about Dracolinde, she is a canon character who appears in MGE: Side 1,5 - Wilmarina's Honeymoon.

Also, another small piece of information for those who did not know; Alto-Eris is canonically a commander of the Dragon Knights. Since this story greatly diverged from the Canon Timeline of MGE, the chapter reveals she did not rise to such rank because Deonora knows what will happen to her and for a good reason; An abuse of the rank and sending more knights to their deaths against the Lordran Dragon Slayer

Then, as the winner of the votes will be decided what gender should be for the child of Alto-Eris and Artor... I'm going to this on an American Election Way.

Seems like C) has more votes in the minority than the B) and A) vote majority. So the winner is C).

*Opens up the Box* AAAaaaaannnd!... They're twins... fraternal twins. Both male and female~!

Memory Fragment Unlocked! Would you like to read it?

- Yes / No

- Yes!

... loading...

...

The Knight Sidestory: How I met your mother.

Gaulian Alps, Monster Era Year 998.

...

"Dear goodness, the alps are as treacherous as the locals said." Solaire scrunched his eyes behind his helmet while bracing the cold blizzard that brushed against the mountainside. "It's been almost a year in this strange world filled with maidens under the guise of beasts. I haven't given up yet to search my sun since now."

Solaire wrapped his hood around his helmet as he stomped through the deep snow to search for shelter. While he was mentally praising for the sun, a miracle responded to his desperate needs.

He saw a cave in a distance and his mood heightens before going in. The Knight of Sunlight breathed heavily and relaxed for fresh air in relief.

"Well, just my luck to find shelter." He muttered under his helmet before pulling up a quest sheet. "So... the locals told about the treasure is somewhere in this place..."

The Knight folds the sheet and put it back in his small pouch before he noticed a tunnel that leads to somewhere.

"Strange... There is a tunnel in this cave." Solaire mused to himself curiously, while rubbing his chin underneath his helmet. "What path could this lead me into...?"

The Knight of Sunlight unsheathed his sword and went through. Ever since he was cindered by the Flames, the entity itself gave him a new chance to find his sun in this new world. But for that, this will mean a new challenge.

But of course, challenging the wild native inhabitants of the new world is strange for him and many flee due to the presence of his power once he brought up his miracles.

"If it were another mamono, it's best to knock them out cold," Solaire muttered with a disappointed sigh. "None of them would hurt anyone and I expected to be challenged by something hideous, not maidens with their selfish desires of pleasures."

Once he reached the end of the tunnel, he saw a bright glow at the end and stepped through the cavern. Upon entering the area, he saw a vast amount of gold and other items filled with riches, piled up in hills.

"Huh... The treasure hunt is easy than I thought." Solaire rubbed the back of his helmet in bewilderment. "I bet the locals will be happy to see this amount of wealth and it will surely help out their poverty."

"As if you should get past through me!"

Solaire perked up in surprise to hear another voice and saw a flying winged figure landed on top of a pile of gold. It was a Dragon Mamono which he read it earlier from the Encyclopedia. She has a long beautiful flow of brown hair and her reptilian yellow eyes gazed down on the Knight of Sunlight with a ferocious look and showing herself to the human man with pride and arrogance.

"Speak of your name, human." She growled. "A thief such as you shall be punished if you dare to steal anything that belonged to me."

Solaire looked down and saw a scroll with a seal, indicating that it belonged to some nobleman. He heard the words from a local messenger that he lost a scroll while on his way. Solaire picked up a scroll and show it to the dragon and she is not amused that he didn't listen to her.

"I believe this belonged to someone else," Solaire said casually to the mamono. "Probably... Most of these things around here don't belong to you either, then why hast thou accuse me of a thief?"

"Y-You dare to denounce me, you wretched human?!" Solaire flinched once the Dragon yelled an outrage to demand respect. "Know your place for my kind is never equal to you!"

"If Lord Gwyn and his Silver-Knights were here;, Thine arrogance alone should be your last," Solaire replied haughtily while crossing his arms. "A man such as I, an adherent of the Sunlight, shall nay bow to thee."

"Grrrr! We'll see about that!" The dragon hissed before making a fighting stance whilst raising her claws. "You will be my partner and demand the respect I deserve. My kind has been always the rulers of this world!"

"In this world, you can..." Solaire talked back with determination. "But in my world, the Lords brought them to their knees."

The dragon grits her teeth in fury when he mentioned about her kind was brought down by the Heroes of the Chief God. Yet from Solaire himself, those words spoke of a different story. He remembered the tales of the Lords that brought the Everlasting Dragons into extinction.

"I will make you eat your words!"

The dragon spreads her wings and charges at the Knight of Sunlight, yet Solaire raised up his talisman and called forth his miracle. A lightning spear materialises on his right hand and it shocked the Dragon once she sees a phantom of someone appear behind the human Knight. A 10ft tall humanoid depicting an old man, staring down at her with a menacing glare before he raised up his arms and forms a lightning spear similar to the human knight.

Both Solaire and the humongous phantom smashed their lightning spears in a synchronous movement and the miracle shattered the ground like an earthquake before its lightning caught the dragon, sending a spasm of miracle-imbued electricity in every inch of her body.

"AAAARRGGH!"

The dragon screamed in agony before dropping down unceremoniously to the ground. Her body is paralyzed and couldn't move.

"D-damnit! I thought that was just some mere lightning!" She groaned out loud in pain before looking up at Solaire with a pleading look. "S-stop it! It hurts! Don't you have any shame to hurt a woman?!"

"I'm sorry, but I prefer a woman who apologises after disrespecting someone of no ill intentions." Solaire waved off his hand in rejection. "A dragon such as thee should know any merits and patience."

"P-Please! Just stop it! I will do whatever you want!" The dragon begged as she struggled while the lightning miracle coursed through her veins. "J-just get your riches!"

Solaire was pleased to hear that and nods.

"And... I will give you pleasures with my body!"

... Thus, he raised his brow in confusion and surprise when he heard that.

"... Pardon?"

"Please, I will become your wife and make your life even better! So please, stop this!"

He was unsure of this until the realisation hits him in the head when he remembered reading the Dragon section in the Encyclopedia is that the Dragons will become partners to strong warriors and heroes who will become their husbands.

"Oh... I never knew how your submissiveness came that fast."

Once the electric surge within her have stopped, she breathes out heavily and then looks up to Solaire with a pained expression before cowering herself at the knight.

"I-I'm sorry for mocking you! I won't do it again!" She curled up in fear as she apologised, while her tears streamed down. "Your magic hurts! Then please don't hurt me again!"

Solaire went speechless. He doesn't have any words to say and her behaviour truly confuses him; when she first appeared to him, the dragon was extremely proud and then became meek in an instant in a mere blow of his miracle. The Knight of Sunlight kneeled down to her while the dragon quivered in fright once he got close to her. Solaire admits he felt sorry for the dragon girl.

"Um... Hey, next time. Be more benevolent. Alright?" Solaire said while pulling down his helmet, carefully lecturing the dragon with his kindness. "An unbenevolent welcome is never right to greet someone with no ill intent."

Hearing his words made her heart throbbing with sudden warmth until the dragon then looks up and a blush appeared on her cheeks once she sees his true face. His eyes were clear blue and has blonde hair, yet the facial characteristic of his face was strong, which made her think he was some sort of a handsome prince from an unknown kingdom and a seasoned warrior as well.

Judging by the looks of his armour, it doesn't seem he's affiliated with the Order. There was only the symbol of sun with a face on his chest armour and his attitude towards the mamono isn't hostile either.

'What a strange human...' The dragon wondered herself in curious. 'Yet his scent is something... off.'

"My name is Solaire, Solaire of Astora." Solaire introduced himself to her with a gentle voice. "What is your name, dear dragon?"

"U-um... uhh, It's Catherine." the dragon, now named Catherine, stuttered out her name with an embarrassed look. "It's nice to meet you as well..."

"So Catherine... Why don't we embark on a journey together for a jolly cooperation?" Solaire asked her out while the dragon is bewildered by his offer. "After all, thou hast no ill intent. But I believe you might learn one thing or a two from us. So what do you say?"

Catherine was then left speechless before looking down with a flustered expression and then turning her gaze away from him in a shy manner.

"W-well... since you defeated me... I ended up pairing with you." Thus she slowly looks up to him with a brightened smile. "So... I don't mind it either; then I accept it."

...

City of Ansur, Eight years later.

"And that is the story of how I met your mother."

Solaire finished his story and looks up at the boy with a curious look on his face.

"So... after you beat mom, you went on an adventure with her, right?"

"Of course, my dear son! We shared a wonderful experience with your mother!" Solaire laughed proudly while gently rubbing on top of his son's head. "Now go to sleep, Artos, before it's getting late."

"Alright, dad." Artos replied with a nod before wrapping himself in a blanket and closed his eyes.

"Goodnight, Artos."

Solaire then blew the candles, and the lights went out. He stepped out of his son's room and carefully closed the door behind him.

"But mommy, I wanna hear more about your adventures with daddy~!"

Solaire heard a voice behind him and turns around, he saw Catherine went from around the corner while grabbing her daughters by their hands. One is a young dragon mamono and while the other is a human girl.

"Yeah~! I want to hear more of it mommy~!"

"Tomorrow, my dear little Gwen." Catherine smiled at her youngest daughter, a human named Gwen. "It's getting late and we also need to sleep too."

"Jeez, I hate that it's getting late." Catherine then turns to her eldest daughter, a dragon mamono, who crossed her arms with a grumble. "I wished it's never late at night!"

"Remember what your father told you, dear Eleannor." Catherine lectured her while raising her index finger before gently rubbing on top of Eleannor's head in comfort. "You need to have some patience."

"Ugh! Okay..." Eleanor grunts in defeat.

Once Catherine led her daughters to their room, she carefully closes the door once the two little girls went to their bunk beds to sleep. Thus she noticed Solaire is leaning against the wall near her side.

"Well... Did our little girls were having fun listening to our stories?" Solaire asked.

Catherine then smiled. "Oh yes, dear. They also find you were a funny knight in our good old days."

"Ah yes, those good old times and I never get old with it! No matter how old I can get!" Solaire laughed himself with pride while Catherine snickered at his comedic act of display. "Well then! Off to our lovely bed~!"

"Oh! Solaire~!" Solaire caught his dragon wife off guard and carried her in his arms in a bridal style. "Goodness me~! It's been years you've carried me like this since our wedding~!"

"Hah! Indeed. We are a happy family after all." Solaire smiled. "Ever since Artos was born, I have never seen you happier that-"

"-I gave birth to a son." Catherine interrupts to finish his sentence while returning with a smile to her husband. "Including Gwen. I never expected that we were so blessed that you made me give birth to humans. Oh, how I wonder when the Demon Lord and Queen Deonora would hear about this."

"Hmm... Nah, I prefer our family to live a peaceful life which we intended." Solaire said. "Would you agree?"

"Huh... Yeah, I think that's better for our children." Catherine agrees before Solaire went off to their bedroom with her. "So what will the mamono be thinking about the existence of our children?"

"Hmm... Well, I think only the Flames know what future they behold." Solaire said with full of confidence. "I believe that one day... Our children will do some greatness from now on."

...

Sidestory 1: Ends