Afterwards, Frondier first sent Baal back.
Since a considerable number of low-ranking devils had already died here, Agoris would hesitate to make any further sacrifices.
Baal was essential to explain the situation to them.
"You're letting me go just ?"
Baal, on the contrary, doubted Frondier.
"We're on the same side now, aren't we?"
Frondier said with a grin. A smile given to a devil, too friendly.
"...Do as you please."
Marco, who was watching, spoke.
"There's no such thing as being on the same side with a devil, Frondier. They only join hands for momentary gain. Otherwise, you either submit to them or rise above them."
Baal is not currently under the influence of Frondier's devil power.
Baal is one who was defeated by Pandemonium and expelled. Frondier just forcefully brought him back. So the two are not in a submissive relationship.
Frondier doesn't completely trust Baal either.
But in a situation where their interests are clear, trust is not particularly important.
Unless he's an idiot, Baal will know better what to do now.
"Worry about yourself, Marco."
Frondier said to Marco.
"I let Baal go, but you won't be like that."
Marco is still Satan's subordinate. Still.
Moreover, since Frondier revealed Marco's situation to Baal, it's difficult for him to return to the 72 devils.
Marco raised both hands.
"I have already surrendered to you. That's why I told you all that information. Isn't that right?"
"But I haven't used devil power on you yet."
Devil power, which allows one to determine the superiority of power and make someone their own more reliably. Frondier contemplated using it on Marco as well.
But Marco shook his head.
"That won't work. The devil power itself will work, but you won't be able to expect the effect of submission from it."
"I have already received devil power from Satan. Devil power cannot be overwritten."
"...Even if my power is stronger than Satan's?"
At that, Marco laughed. It wasn't that he was looking down on Frondier, but rather that his curiosity was piqued.
"I'm curious too. Which side's power is stronger. But even if you are stronger, it's the same. If such a thing were allowed, devils would break off their submissive relationship every time a stronger devil used devil power and serve the new devil. That would be a mess."
Once a devil receives devil power, the power of other devils does not work on them. If such a thing were possible, even if devil power were used, one could not trust their subordinates. Who knows when another devil might snatch them away.
"There's only one way to use devil power to make me submit. Kill Satan."
"...The order is completely reversed."
"Hahaha. That's right."
Then let's give up on using devil power on Marco and finish what I have in mind.
"You will come with me ."
"To my friends. I need to tell them exactly what you just said."
Marco tilted his head at those words.
"You're going to let me meet other humans? It will only make your situation difficult."
The people of the Empire do not tolerate devils.
If he were to tell them everything that has happened so far, it's obvious how Frondier's image would be affected.
They would say he has become a devil's ally, or a worse devil who controls devils.
"I can't solve this alone anyway."
After the situation was settled, Aster contacted Frondier again.
Both were able to finish their tasks without any problems.
They asked about each other's well-being, breathed a sigh of relief, and Aster let everyone hear Frondier's voice.
Frondier said from the other end of the phone.
─Then let's meet. The place is the mansion you guys went to.
At those words, Aster and the others looked at each other.
Sybil, who was listening next to them, said.
"The mansion, you mean the one where all those devils were gathered?"
─Yes. It will be easier to explain there.
Frondier's voice was no different than usual.
But they all felt an inexplicable anxiety.
The people they met at that mansion were definitely all devils. However, they cooperated with Aster's group, and that was undoubtedly due to Frondier's power.
Then how on earth did Frondier do it?
A human cooperating with devils, it was difficult for all of them to accept.
─Yes, I'm fine. I'll explain everything.
Since Frondier asserted so, the others couldn't refute anything.
The location was a bit far, but they all wanted to meet Frondier.
Except for Elodie, no one here had met Frondier since the war. Of course, there was Selena, but she had only seen him a week after the war ended and hadn't seen him since.
"Okay. See you there."
The call ended, short if it was short.
Aster's group checked each other's faces. They checked for injuries, observed each other's condition, and their eyes gathered their hearts together.
With Aster's declaration, they all moved.
Of course, the devils in the abandoned house were all dead.
Aster didn't leave a single one of the devils here alive. Even the devil that Lunia had restrained with the rune.
When they arrived at the mansion, Frondier was already waiting inside. Along with other devils.
Of course, it was very difficult to understand. How could Frondier, who was at the western end beyond the barrier, arrive faster than them?
They didn't know that Frondier had a portal connected to the cabin. And from his cabin, this mansion was closer than it was for them.
Of course, their joy came before such questions.
Their faces brightened at the sight of Frondier. Looking at them, Frondier smiled back.
It was a comfortable smile that he himself hadn't made in a long time.
"Frondier! How have you been?"
"Why aren’t you coming to Constel?"
"I heard you became Ria Lis' knight? There were scary rumors."
"When are you coming back? What about Constel?"
The people who approached Frondier all threw a word or two.
Frondier, a little flustered by the barrage of questions after a long time, explained slowly.
Then soon, he turned his gaze to Aster.
"Aster. It's been a while."
"Yeah. Thank you so much. Thanks to you, we saved Lunia."
Lunia, who was next to him, turned her gaze away as if a little embarrassed.
"No. It's because of me that Lunia was kidnapped. I'm glad you're safe, Lunia."
Lunia, who had been hesitating a little, muttered in a small voice.
"...You can't blame yourself every time your comrades are in danger."
"I heard you've become as skilled as Aster, so I'm saying this."
This time, Lunia spoke while looking directly at Frondier.
"Strong people can't help but hurt their comrades. Because enemies will target the people precious to them. If you feel guilty every time, there will be no end to it."
"It's not your fault. It's because they decided to go with you. Everything is their own responsibility."
Frondier's eyes widened slightly at those words. His hands trembled involuntarily and he clenched them.
"...Wh, what! I wasn't really that close to you, so I guess I'm a little wronged in this case, but!"
Then Lunia turned her head again.
Frondier smiled at that.
Lunia became blunt again.
Frondier looked at Aster.
"You really have a good eye, you."
Lunia lowered her head at their conversation. Her face turned red.
"Well, let's stop that kind of talk and get down to business."
It was none other than Dier Aigar who saved her.
"Senior Frondier, even though we've gathered some information, there's still a lot we don't know. Can you tell us? What's the situation now?"
Frondier nodded at that.
"Yes. I'll tell you everything."
Saying so, Frondier looked around the inside of the mansion.
"Actually, the reason I called you guys here is because I have something to say to these devils as well."
"...As expected, everyone here is a devil."
Dier looked around nervously.
Then suddenly, his gaze went to Marco.
"...I've never seen that devil before."
Frondier looked at Dier at that.
"...Wait, are you saying you remembered all these people?"
"No. No way. How could I remember them all? But I've never seen that man before."
...Then you did remember them all? Is it a little different?
Someone raised their voice.
It was Sybil. She pointed at Marco and burned with hostility.
"The devil Aten and I fought! Satan's devil!"
"...Yes, that's right. There's no mistaking it."
Aten agreed and raised his guard as well.
Frondier looked at Marco.
Marco sighed at that.
"I wanted to fight, but it's me who got hurt. Especially by that woman named Sybil. I was burned, electrocuted, and all my limbs were blown off. That wasn't a fight. I was unilaterally assaulted."
Hearing those words, Sybil shouted.
"Hey! You! As expected of one of the 72 devils, you're good with words! What do you mean unilateral assault! It didn't even hurt!"
"What are you talking about? It hurts a lot. Just because I can regenerate doesn't mean I don't feel pain."
"Liar! Why would someone who doesn't die feel pain!"
"I'm not lying. You know that too."
"That's not evidence!"
She was right. Listening to their conversation, the other members of the group also gradually assumed fighting stances.
"Wait, I'm sorry, but Marco has surrendered to me right now. There's no need to fight."
Aster's voice changed as he asked back.
"What's the point of him doing that?"
"He's a devil. That alone is enough reason to kill him. But that guy is the leader of the devils who attacked Constel. Is there any reason to forgive him now that he's surrendered?"
Frondier remained silent at that.
Aster's words were the truth. Marco was the leader of the devils who attacked Constel.
The fact that they weren't seriously injured was just a result, and Robald Lieff, who wasn't here right now, was injured.
Humans detest devils. The fact that they are devils is a clear reason to eliminate them.
"Get out of the way, Frondier. You said he doesn't die? Let's test how far he can regenerate."
Aster's hand reached for his sword. Marco's eyes lowered at that.
Of course, even with Aster's strike, Marco wouldn't die, but he had no intention of taking it lying down. It was true that he felt pain.
The reason Marco was following Frondier now was because he was the only human who might threaten his life right now.
But there was no reason to follow Frondier while enduring this much. So many humans, and all of them were extraordinary individuals.
In this situation, if he were caught once, it would literally be a hell of repeated regeneration and destruction.
Then Frondier called Marco. He reflexively looked at Frondier.
"Go to sleep for a while."
For a moment, Marco didn't understand what that meant.
And when he did, it was too late.
"──You, you son of a bitch,"
Marco collapsed. Suddenly, to the point of being absurd.
Everyone was surprised by the ridiculous sight and looked at Frondier.
"Wh, what did you do? Frondier?"
Elodie asked in surprise.
Even for her, with her excellent magical ability and perception, the scene just now was too strange.
"...Everyone, I have something to say. To the devils in this mansion as well."
Frondier said so and looked around at the devils in the mansion.
Thanks to the considerable tension that had already built up, everyone was looking at Frondier.
"The devils from the west, Agoris, will not come."
"My friends here and I stopped them."
The devils momentarily held their breath and looked at Frondier at those words. They stood still in a silence that seemed to stop their breathing, and then,
Finally, they knelt down and bowed their heads towards Frondier.
The sound of numerous devils in the mansion kneeling simultaneously echoed through the hall.
"...Frondier, what on earth..."
Aster looked at Frondier.
Seeing his gaze gradually fill with suspicion and hostility, Frondier let out a small breath.
'...Well, I knew it.'
Even if it's pain you're expecting, it hurts.
"Aster, and everyone."
Frondier said, looking at Aster and his companions.
"I'm going to save the devils here. Including Marco."
"...Are you serious?"
"Yes. And that's how we'll stop the war."
Aster drew his sword. The tip of the blade was pointed at none other than Frondier.
"...Devils are enemies. There's no need to save them. We shouldn't."
"Sorry, Aster. You know this too. I don't forgive my enemies. That's the same even if they're human."
He knew how devils were perceived in this Empire.
And because of the devils who attacked Constel, he knew what they thought of devils as a whole.
But until just a while ago, Frondier had fought Manggot.
Even if their leadership was devils, Manggot was entirely human.
Frondier had fought devils, but he had also fought humans, and even opposed God.
That's why he said it.
Even though he knew the Empire's perception.
"Devils are no different from humans."
Aster gripped his sword with both hands.
The tilted blade tip was in a straight line with Aster's gaze.
Elodie shouted as if trying to stop him.
Aster's stance was resolute.