Chapter 272: Compete for Affection

“————”

Just as the crimson horn fell from Diere’s forehead, Diere’s roaring suddenly cut off.

The air was no longer trembling.

Magic power stopped erupting.

The shaking canyon had returned to piece, with only a bit of dust still yet to fully settle.

“You did it?”

Airi raised an eyebrow.

“S-success?”

Vivian, Lumia, and Melika perked up.

Shien also paid attention. He extended a hand to catch the horn that fell from Diere’s head while looking intently at her.

As this went on, the terrifying aura coming from Diere disappeared little by little. The rampaging power within her was also slowly disappearing.

At the same time, Diere’s level, which had nearly reached max, started falling. It dropped down to level 60 not soon after.

Only then did the crimson glow in Diere’s eyes finally disappear as she completely went lax.

Shien hurriedly reached out to catch Diere as she fell toward him.

The lava like heat that was coming from the girl had also faded.

After noticing that point, Shien finally let out a sigh of relief, carried Diere in his arms, and landed before everyone else.

“Diere!”

“Diere!”

Lumia and Melika immediately hurried over in a panic.

Vivian however moved to Diere and felt her forehead. Only after discovering that her temperature had dropped down did she finally relax as well.

As for Airi, she had already returned to Shien’s side and had withdrawn her dragon wings.

Only, at this moment, the girl in question was staring at the unconscious Diere with a rare interest. She was looking intensely at the Holy Sword in Shien’s hand for some unknown reason.

“Alright, Diere should be fine now.”

Shien finally addressed everyone.

“Since the power converted by that horn won’t be causing any burden on the user’s body, Diere should only simply be sleeping now. She should wake up soon, right?”

At the very least, that’s what Shien had determined after hearing Diere’s breathing calm back down.

“I-is that so?”

“Thank goodness…”

Lumia and Melika also finally breathed a sigh of relief and showed an expression of joy after escaping a crisis.

Vivian also broke out in a smile once more.

Vivian could clearly imagine just what would have happened after if not for the fact that Shien happened to arrive just in time.

“Thank goodness you’re here. Otherwise, after Diere had used the power of the [Horn], there’s no way we could have stopped her.”

This is why Diere’s unique skill was so terrifying.

So long as she had the time, then Diere will turn into an invincible monster sooner or later. Even the three great goddesses and the six great Demon Lords may not be able to stop her at that point.

Should that happen, then a horrifying existence comparable to the Demon King may end up appearing in this world.

As for her and her friends, they may very well have ended up killed by the rampaging Diere.

Should that happen, there’s no way that Diere would have been able to live with that.

As she thought that, Vivian was shaken by fear.

Thus, Vivian then turned to Airi.

“Thank you very much for holding Diere back, Miss Airi.”

Vivian solemnly thanked Airi.

“No need for thanks.” Airi however was nonplussed. She even returned a smile, “Although I couldn’t get up any energy at the start, I really am glad I came this time. Otherwise, I would have missed out on a lot of interesting things.”

With that, Airi turned toward Diere again.

“I really never expected that girl t have such potential powers. Mortals really have been blessed since ancient times. Humanity especially, the vast majority of them are so weak, yet every once in a while, there would appear some geniuses and prodigies that not even us gods or demons can match. Even Heroes have always been humans, with none of them appearing as members of other races. It truly does defy thought.”

It’s obvious that Airi had gained some interest in Diere.

After all, this is an existence capable of becoming even stronger than her so long as the conditions are satisfied.

If not even an existence like that can get Airi interested, then no one would be able to make Airi interested.

Of course, the thing that Airi is most interested in is Diere’s Oni transformation unique skill.

(This unique skill might be unexpectedly similar to my own [Dragonization].)

Thus, Airi’s interest in Diere rose.

However, compared to Diere…

(I’m even more interested in that guy’s power.)

Airi gave Shien a very meaningful look.

The Holy Sword in his hand might be shining with brilliant light, but Airi could tell that its power is still being restrained.

In other words, the power that Shien gained from unsealing it just now wasn’t the full capabilities of that Holy Sword.

However, Airi could also clearly sense that, even so, the power that Shien’s Holy Sword was releasing was by no means lesser compared even to the former Hero Mitra.

In other words…

(That’s guys’ potential is greater than all the past Heroes of history, as expected. This includes that Mitra as well.)

As she thought that, Airi’s interest in Shien increased by several times.

On the other side, Lumia and Melika, who had finally relaxed, finally started considering the Holy Sword in Shien’s hand and what it meant.

“U-um… Mister Shien…?”

While staring at the Holy Sword in Shien’s hand, Melika hesitantly spoke with a questioning tone.

“Could the sword in your hand be…?”

Melika was both shocked and uncomprehending.

“It’ so similar…”

Even Lumia ended up whispering to herself.

It’s so obvious that it doesn’t even bear thinking on. Those two girls had both recognized the Holy Sword in Shien’s hand.

The Holy Sword’s outward appearance is just too magnificent and recognizable. It’s basically impossible to not recognize it when faced directly with it.

The reason why Lumia and Melika’s words were so hesitant and uncertain is because Shien’s Holy Sword still had two other seals on it. Since it’s not fully unsealed, there does still exist some covering on its appearance, so it’s not yet fully exposed yet.

“Ahaha…”

Shien laughed dryly a couple times before resealing the Holy Sword, letting out a cough, and speaking.

“Well? It looks just like it, right?”

Those words were practically implying that “this is an imitation, a counterfeit.”

Lumia and Melika rather wanted to scream out rebuttals at that.

Counterfeit?

Where the heck could such a powerful counterfeit be bought? How about you introduce it to us two then?

If you can show it, we’ll buy it all. How about it?

Of course, Lumia and Melika knew that the reality is that Shien doesn’t want the two of them to pursue this topic any further.

Even Vivian off to the side shook her head at the two of them, signaling for them to stop asking any further.

Given that, Lumia and Melika stopped asking about it.

However, the way they look at Shien had changed.

Melika especially had a glint in her eyes.

Shien was a bit intimidated by that look of hers even.

(… If things continue on like this, then likely as not, this elf girl will also come around to compete for affections soon enough.)

Shien grumbled to himself as he tightened his hold on Diere, who was still in his arms.

(Let’s just first take care of the matters with this girl first.)