Interlude I: The Day The Hero Is Gone

Every pair of eyes locked on to the air just over the grass, where the figure of a boy had been up until that second.

Hero Luka took a powerful blow from the dragonkin swordswoman Granberia and flew through the air. Instead of falling on the grass in the court, he disappeared without a trace, just before his body hit the ground.

Granberia who was directly responsible for the blow stood still, looking on in shock. But her reaction was pale in comparison to the Demon Lord Alisfiez, who was completely stunned at the side of the court.

Next to Alice, Nero and Neris were frozen in place, not knowing what happened. Once she regained her sense, Neris slithered to the place Luka was supposed to had fallen to.

"Papa...? Where are you, Papa...?"

Neris' movements stirred the entire courtyard out of stupefaction. Murmurs and whisperings filled the mass of nobles and workers of the castle.

Several turns of head later and still not finding her father, Neris approached Granberia.

"Granberia, where's Papa?"

Granberia, met with expectant and fearful eyes of the daughter of the only man she ever acknowledged, was contronted by her powerlessness.

"Luka...I don't know..."

At the exact same time, Nero, who had not ventured into the court, instead turned to ask his teacher.

"Teacher...where had Father gone to?"

"...I...don't know either."

Tamamo had always known there will come a day that answer is the only one she can give to her pupil's question, but would never have thought it could be so soon, and in this way.

"Papa? Papa where are you!? Papa, come out!"

The people at the court look on in pity at Neris as she wandered around looking for her father. Finally, after having searched every nook and cranny, Neris went back to her mother in tears.

"Mama...Papa's gone! I don't know where he is!"

Neris clung on to her mother's waist, as Alice held and stroked her daughter's head; the animosity between them that was never serious disappeared without a trace.

"Don't be afraid. Luka shan't go anywhere. That guy promised me he will always be with me, and he did the same with you both..."

Alice's voice seemed calm, but her eyes were ladened with worry. During the past five years they had been officially wedded, they had almost never parted from one another for long. Anytime necessities required them at separate locations, Alice's mind would always imagined all the dangers, accidents or otherwise, that could befall him at any moment, without rest, until Luka was in front of her once more.

This time, when what she had always feared had transpired, the composure that had been her company throughout her life had all but disintegrated, leaving a woman who would have been a wreck had it not been for the daughter clinging to her and doing the crying in her stead.

"...Tamamo, what can you tell?"

They are both one of the people with good enough eyes to spot the mysterious phenomenon where a mirror-like object appeared out of thin air for a split second before disappearing with out a trace, taking Luka with it.

"...From what I saw, it was probably some kind of transfer magic, one I've never seen before."

"...Then he might still be around here. Granberia, find him."

"Affirmative. Did you people hear Her Majesty!? Find Hero Luka! Don't overlook anything, even a tiny spot in a corner! And don't let a word of this spread outside!"

Granberia ordered, and the soldiers training under her acknowledged the command as they all dispersed.

[...]

[...][...]

The sky had turned red. Alice and Tamamo were waiting for report in the throne room of Grangold Castle.

"Granberia, how was the search?"

"I and Grangold soldiers had searched all over the castle and the surrounding city, but found no clues to Hero Luka's whereabouts..."

"I see..."

Alice shut her eyes. Nero was in a guest room, looking after Neris who cried herself to sleep. In the throne room, aside from the three from Demon Lord Castle, were King of Grangold and Queen Ant, the two rulers of the Kingdom of Grangold.

"No one knows where that transfer magic was connected to, but if it was as far as outside the city, the user must've been quite powerful, a high-class monster of races adept at magic, such as succubus or kitsune."

"...It wasn't you, was it?"

"...Does Your Majestry see me that way?"

"Just to be certain. What about Alma Elma?"

"...I don't know."

No one in the room was completely sure of Queen Succubus' innocence, but neither did they genuinely suspected the Heavenly Knight of the wind to commit a serious offense.

"Tamamo, spread the order, find Luka, wherever he is: in a cave, under the sea, or over the cloud. And bring Alma Elma to me at the Demon Lord Castle."

"Acknowledged."

Tamamo promptly used transfer magic to teleport herself out.

"Demon Lord, I will also tell my daughters to search as well." Queen Ant stated.

"I and the people of Grangold will also help in anyway I can. If Hero Luka is still in Grangold, I promise he will be found in matter of days." King of Grangold offered.

"You have my gratitude."

Granberia stood at her place, keenly awaiting her orders.

"Granberia...You shall go find the four Spirits and ask them what they know. If it was magic so alien not even Tamamo recognized, the Spirits of Nature might have felt something."

"Understood. I will be off immediately."

"I shall bring Nero and Neris back to the Demon Lord Castle and commence a search for information in the library."

"Then I will go report my findings at the Demon Lord Castle once I am done."

"I leave it in your hands."

Granberia saluted and was swiftly out of the throne room.

Alice looked after the back of her trusted knight as she disappeared into the hallways, and felt an intangible emptiness at her side; at the absence of what had always been there, as she looked down at the Angel Halo she was holding.

'Luka...'

PBW: "Back to see the Monster World side. Of course the disappearance of Luka who's one of the pillar of coexistence would cause a ruckus."

Illias: "Struggle away, and despair, Demon Lord Alisfiez. You will never meet Hero Luka ever again!"

PBW: "Didn't you have a change of heart at the end? When you helped Luka?"

Illias: "What nonsense. A goddess is never wrong, and thus there is no need for her to change. I only helped Luka who is the son of Lucifina. I did not do it for those detestable monsters."

PBW: "Knew you'd say that..."

*Edit: Found the English names for several characters. Full note is at the end of Chapter 1