Akatsuki Translations

Who was the strongest among the Four Heavenly Kings in the Demon Lord’s army? 

This kind of topic is not limited to the Demon Lord’s army but is a subject of debate in various matters, leading to different opinions. 

In the case of the demons, individual strengths and weaknesses are clear and can vary depending on the conditions. Therefore, it is difficult to definitively say who is the strongest. However, the existence known as Mirage of Illusions was highly respected. 

Although there were hidden efforts secretly carried out, from the perspective of others, Mirage had achieved a remarkable rise in the Demon Lord’s army and had become a genius among geniuses, breaking through the barriers of his race to reach the position of one of the Four Heavenly Kings. 

Moreover, Mirage was seen as someone who could manage two of the other Four Heavenly Kings, Rafale and Bedivere, and enjoyed great trust from Demon Lord Lilith. 

Due to these reasons, there were rumors among some powerful individuals who were aware of Mirage’s abilities that if he were to go all out, he might not just be one of the strongest of the Four Heavenly Kings but possibly the strongest in the entire Demon Lord’s army. 

Highly praised as he was, Mirage himself was currently resting on the bed in his private room at Mirage Castle. 

Like on previous occasions, he wore a mask, but his upper body was bare. 

“Uh, Tart-chan, I know you said something similar before, but you’re a girl, and I’m a guy. You should be a little more mindful of that…” -Mirage 

“Is Mirage-sama suggesting I’m acting inappropriately?” -Tart  

“No, it’s not like that, but…” -Mirage 

Mirage expressed his dissatisfaction to Tart, who was straddling him, but she promptly dismissed his concerns with a question she already knew the answer to. 

If by any chance Mirage were to lay a hand on her, he would face the wrath of her doting father, a fact he was well aware of. 

However, the situation was still problematic, Mirage couldn’t help but think that. 

The origin of this issue dated back to when Mirage teleported to the executive office of the Illusion Castle. 

Astarte had already heard from Demon Lord Lilith about Mirage’s vacation and the matter of the ruins investigation. The moment they met, Astarte began expressing her anger. 

From interfering with her plans to messing up the schedule, from not being conscious enough as one of the Four Heavenly Kings to wasting the vacation that the Demon Lord graciously gave him, Astarte had a lot to say about Mirage’s shortcomings. She launched a barrage of criticisms one after another. 

However, Mirage understood that Astarte was concerned about his well-being, so he found her display endearing and affectionately referred to it as “Huffy Tart-chan” in his mind. 

Astarte, on the other hand, didn’t realize Mirage’s true feelings and continued her scolding, but eventually decided to cut it short. Before doing so, she made Mirage swear three promises. 

First, to remain in Illusion Castle quietly until the next morning. Second, to stay within Astarte’s sight for at least one day during the holiday. And third, to assist with magic training. 

These were intended as a punishment for Mirage, different from the two previous promises he made to obey anything Astarte said. 

As a result, Mirage would spend the night resting in his room after explaining the situation to Bedivere and the others. But late at night, Astarte, who had finished her work, visited Mirage. 

“I’ve come to practice magic,” Astarte declared, and at that moment, Mirage realized he had been deceived. 

In Mirage’s mind, magic training meant simulating combat in a practical form. He assumed they would do it at some point during the holiday. However, what Astarte meant by magic training was using illusion magic. 

Illusion magic was a powerful magic that affected the five senses. Initially, it was limited to visual and auditory illusions, but now it extended to touch. However, the problem arose with the sense of smell. 

Until now, there were no races in the Illusion Army with an extremely keen sense of smell. However, due to a recent incident involving the wolf demon clan, it had been decided that they would join the Mirage Army. This meant they would have to deceive even their sense of smell, and Astarte, being serious, couldn’t just ignore that fact. 

Moreover, since their recent touch verification didn’t go over well with Mirage, she planned to use one of the promises he made to do this. 

With this perfect opportunity presented by Mirage’s vacation, Astarte skillfully incorporated her own convenience under the guise of punishment. 

“It wasn’t too difficult with the sense of touch, but this time I’ll completely replicate Mirage-sama’s body scent since it’s the wolf demon clan,” Astarte said, bringing her face close to Mirage’s neck area and sniffing the scent carefully. 

Though this was merely supposed to be part of her training to approach the essence of illusion magic, not some weird fetish act, Mirage couldn’t help but feel that this situation was dangerous. 

Astarte stood at about 150 centimeters in height, while Mirage’s stature towered above 180 centimeters. 

Though not as extreme as Bedivere among the Four Heavenly Kings, the difference in their heights was akin to that between an adult and a child. 

“Uh, Tart-chan, your breath tickles, and, uh, your horns are touching me like before.” -Mirage 

“Please bear with it; I’ll accompany you until tomorrow morning. If you’re tired, you can go to sleep like this.” -Astarte  

There was no way he could sleep in this situation, and Mirage knew that. 

Although Astarte was small, she was still age-appropriate for an adult in the demon race. She was always busy and serious about her work, and since she was young, she had been helping her father. The sight of Astarte earnestly doing her best despite her small size was endearing enough that some older soldiers treated her like their own daughter. 

To Mirage, she was someone who had a special place in his heart as the precious daughter of one of the former Four Heavenly Kings, and in terms of rank, she was his subordinate but his senior in terms of time spent in the army, but considering the age gap, she was like a beloved younger sister. 

However, now Astarte had positioned her small buttocks on Mirage’s lower abdomen and was moving her face to sniff his scent, causing her bottom to sway in the process. 

Despite being clad in military pants, Astarte’s small and adorable derriere displayed its softness to the fullest, forcibly reminding Mirage of her femininity. 

“Oh, so you intend to keep this up until morning… By the way, I wonder how my scent is? Truth is, I’ve been a little curious.” – Mirage 

To avoid unnecessary thoughts, Mirage chose to engage in conversation with Astarte. The last thing he needed was to react inappropriately and create disturbances in their future work. Moreover, Astarte’s already cold demeanor could transform into something akin to the icy tundra with just a misstep. 

And unwittingly, Mirage blurted out a topic Bedivere had mentioned earlier—about his own scent—and immediately regretted it. 

If Astarte were to call him “old-smelling” or something of that sort, it would undoubtedly take a considerable amount of time for Mirage to recover. 

Especially since Astarte was prone to uttering cutting remarks. 

“The smell… Yes, it’s different from father’s. With him, there’s always that… um, uncle scent, but with Mirage-sama… I’m sorry, I can’t find the right words.” -Astarte 

“Oh, I see. That’s alright then.” Mirage 

With Astarte’s words, he felt relieved that she didn’t perceive him as having an aging smell, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but think about her father, which wasn’t a topic he could discuss with Astarte. 

Aging odor, in human terms, usually starts to occur around one’s thirties to forties and is an unpleasant presence that primarily shocks fathers when pointed out by their daughters. 

Due to their slower physical decline compared to humans, demons only start to experience aging odor after their children have matured, and they often go unnoticed since people hesitate to point it out. A child-like Astarte would also not point it out, even if they noticed it. 

Especially because Astarte held a deep respect for her father, she wouldn’t dare to mention such a thing directly to him. 

In this world, there were countless things that one might be happier not knowing. 

“That it was a sudden question. Is there anything on your mind?” -Astarte 

“No, actually, earlier, Bedi told me that the bed I used had a smell. It made me a bit worried if I had a strong body odor.” -Mirage 

While they continued their conversation, Astarte brought her nose close to Mirage’s body, moving from her neck to her shoulders and underarms. 

A girl in a military uniform, sniffing the armpit of a half-naked man wearing a mask would give off the air of a criminal no matter how many times one saw it. 

However, upon Mirage’s provocative remark, Astarte suddenly stopped moving and looked at her with serious eyes. 

“Hah, if Mirage-sama’s body odor is a problem, I would be the first one to point it out. Besides, there’s no reason for me to smell you like this. Actually… no, that’s not necessary. I don’t need to let the foolish and ridiculous Mirage-sama hear about it.” -Astarte 

“Well, I’m curious about what you were going to say next… but, well, I guess it doesn’t matter if everything’s fine.” -Mirage 

“By the way, there’s something I’d like to ask you too, Mirage-sama. Do you have any plans to get married to someone?” -Astarte 

Astarte sighed as if mirroring Mirage’s demeanor, speaking with a cold tone. 

Mirage knew that Astarte was fully aware of what she was like. Despite her cheekiness, Mirage was relieved that Astarte was reacting like her usual self. 

Even if some information did reach them, it would likely be from the far south, the lands of Cruel. Moreover, the knowledge of the marriage proposal between Zenobia and Mirage was confined to a very select few, consisting only of trustworthy individuals. 

While Astarte should not have had access to such information, there was one possibility that crossed Mirage’s mind. 

“Could it be that you heard something from the Demon Lord?” -Mirage 

” Yes, you apparently asked the Demon Lord how she felt about marriage while you had her naked on the bed, straddling her. Upon the Demon Lord asking about if you and I had plans to get married, you promptly responded that something like that would never happen, even if you had to die.” -Astarte 

Mirage sighed as he realized that the Demon Lord deliberately created a misunderstanding with his words. She had probably used it as an opportunity to tease Astarte. 

It required a considerable effort to reproduce others using illusion magic, even for a married couple or family. While she could deceive perceptions to some extent, during the award ceremony, many demons had been tricked by illusion magic, and Lilith’s illusionary ability was acknowledged to be of an extraordinary level, even without affecting Lilith herself. 

Given that Lilith was the one Mirage asked about marriage, it was only natural for her to find it suspicious, and at least half of it was meant as a joke, a mischievous desire to see how it would play out. It seemed that the prank had been successful. 

“Apparently, there are some misunderstandings, but Lilith was naked because we were performing an oil massage, a practice from the East. It was quite well-received, and if you’re curious, Tart-chan could also… ow! Ouch, that hurts, Tart-chan!” -Mirage 

“Such actions of making me strip naked are sexual harassment! I feel uncomfortable and displeased!” -Astarte

Mirage tried to explain the actions she had taken with Lilith, but as expected, she was accused of sexual harassment and had her side painfully pinched. 

Despite the unjustness of being the one who was already made to strip naked, Mirage quietly accepted the situation, all the while thinking that it was rather unreasonable. 

Astarte, who seemed to emit a somewhat strange atmosphere around Mirage, finally reacted in her usual manner, giving him the comfort he always found in her. 

Originally, Astarte was not the type to engage in physical contact with the opposite sex, so the idea of straddling Mirage’s body was beyond what he would have expected from her usual demeanor. 

During their previous session involving touch, she could smell him just by sitting together on the bed, but this time, she had pushed him down onto the bed without warning. 

However, the reasons that led her to such actions were known only to Astarte herself. 

“By the way, it seems I’ve caused further misunderstandings, but it’s not necessary to be fully naked; just arms or legs would do. As for the Demon Lord… you know what I mean.” -Mirage 

“…If that’s the case, you should have said so earlier. I’ll ask you about the method later, but what about marriage?” -Astarte 

“That… Well, it’s hard to explain. I don’t have immediate plans to marry someone, but I am getting up there in age. Watching Louveteau-san and his wife, and their daughter the other day, I thought to myself if that kind of thing is what happiness is. I’m truly glad I could help them… really.” -Mirage 

Astarte’s simple acceptance with just the one word “Demon Lord” indicated that she was quite familiar with Lilith, the Demon Lord. As Mirage spoke about Louveteau, the current leader of the wolf demon clan and his family, they seemed to have become happier and more harmonious since Louveteau’s recovery from his illness. 

For Mirage, who had grown up without knowing his mother’s face and lost his own father at a young age, experiences with family were scarce. That was why he desperately worked on healing the wolf clan; he didn’t want children to experience the pain of losing their parents at a young age. 

His longing for a family and the loneliness he felt drove him and kindled the fire in his heart. 

While he intentionally avoided mentioning Zenobia, all the words Mirage spoke were sincere, and Astarte seemed genuinely interested, listening intently. 

“…Does Mirage-sama wish to have a family?” -Astarte 

“Hmm, I wonder. I don’t really know myself.” -Mirage 

“Such an ambiguous answer is quite unusual. I assumed that’s what you were thinking.” -Astarte 

“Maybe I do want one. But, you know, I’m hesitant to think about it until I’m qualified for it. I mean, I’m quite irresponsible, and I’m always getting scolded by Tart-chan.” -Mirage 

As Astarte asked the question, locking eyes with Mirage, he revealed his crimson eyes from beneath his mask, returning a somewhat vague response. 

Ultimately, he assumed a playful attitude, implicitly conveying that he didn’t want to discuss this topic any further. 

However, Astarte, after contemplating for a moment, looked back at Mirage and spoke again. 

“I don’t understand what Mirage-sama truly thinks, but if you do desire a family, I can ask my father to introduce you to a suitable person. My father has connections with various races and might be able to introduce you to an ideal woman.” -Astarte  

“Sure, I’ll leave it to you when the time comes.” -Mirage 

“But, in that case, you have to remove that mask. I won’t accept anything less.” -Astarte 

Astarte’s father was a former Four Heavenly Kings, and despite having passed the position of the Four Heavenly Kings to Mirage from Astarte, he still played a supporting role in the Demon Lord’s army in an advisory capacity. He had wide connections with various races, which made him an important figure. 

Mirage had no intention of seriously considering someone being introduced to him by Astarte, but he agreed with her words to conclude the conversation. 

However, Astarte’s response delved into the matter more deeply than he had anticipated. 

It was rare for anyone to request Mirage to remove his mask, as he hid his true face from everyone in the Demon Lord’s army, and now that he had become one of the Four Heavenly Kings, very few people would ask for him to take it off. Only new soldiers who didn’t know Mirage or demons he met for the first time might do so. 

That’s why Mirage was surprised, and he couldn’t help but widen his eyes from beneath the gap in his mask. 

“Well, I was surprised to hear that from you. But, yeah, I’ll do that when the time comes.” -Mirage 

“Well, considering how timid Mirage-sama is to the point of wanting to hide your face, you might find it difficult for a while. Perhaps you should think about marriage after you let your assistant see your true face. Or, if I were to replace you as one of the Four Heavenly Kings by cutting off your head, I’ll expose your face, so don’t worry.” -Astarte 

Oh no, I’d be dead by then, so it won’t matter if I show my face or not, Mirage retorted in his mind, but he found Astarte’s awkward concern oddly heartwarming. 

Even though her sharp-tongued side remained unchanged, Astarte was more than just cold words. Among all the demons Mirage had been with, she was the one closest to him in every sense and had spent the longest time together. 

“I feel better somehow. Thank you, Tart-chan.” -Mirage 

“Hmph! It’s the first time someone thanked me after threatening to kill them. You truly are a unique pervert, Mirage-sama. And don’t touch my head without permission. It’s unpleasant.” -Astarte 

Feeling a bit relieved, Mirage absentmindedly patted Astarte’s head out of habit, and he was immediately scolded for it, though Astarte didn’t push his hand away, merely voicing her displeasure. 

After that, the two of them spent the night in silence. Mirage continued to stroke Astarte’s head, and she resumed the process of familiarizing herself with his scent. 

The soft feeling of her hair beneath his fingertips was soothing, and before he knew it, Mirage fell asleep, his head resting on Astarte’s chest. Similarly, Astarte, being a demon after all, must have been worn out from consecutive days of work, and she had also fallen asleep without realizing it. 

For a moment, Mirage panicked, realizing he had fallen completely asleep. However, as he confirmed Astarte’s peaceful sleeping form against his, he gently removed his mask and gazed at her with a calm expression in his eyes.