Demon Lord: Erotic Adventure in Another World

Paul's doubtful eyes narrowed briefly before he pulled out two runic shards, small pieces of wood with a circular pattern carved into them. It almost resembled a sun constructed of curved bars, and that's when he spoke.

"Here's your flash spell. What do you want me to do?"

"Toss them."

"...what?"

"Toss them at the knight's brother."

Simon's teeth shone in the dark with his ridiculous smile, but Paul promised to trust him, no matter how stupid and useless this idea seemed.

'What does he plan to do?

This light won't stun them or anything.'

However, the knights approaching them wouldn't give more time, and so Paul shook his head and, with an irritated grunt, tossed them towards the knights.

"Damn it Simon!"

"Hahaha!"

"On three," Simon whispered, shifting his weight low.

Paul grunted in reply, flipping the two carved runes between his fingers.

The mage didn't know what his brother planned to do, but if the princess got into trouble because of them, then he would beat the living hell out of this muscle-brained fool.

"One."

Boots crunched gravel.

"Two."

The closest knight raised his blade, tilting his head, maybe realising something was off.

"Hey! What are you—"

"Three!"

Paul hurled the rune with a flick of his wrist.

A blinding white light exploded midair.

"Oh god, my eyes!"

"Argh... it burns!"

Immediately after the gleam of the white flash spread further, causing all the guards to cover their eyes and groan in pain, the leading knights with their swords drawn dropped their blades to cover, rub and fix their eyes.

The knights stumbled back, shielding their faces just a moment too late.

Simon didn't wait.

He exploded forward, blades flashing. His left cut through one man's thigh, and his right deflected a panicked sword swing, and with his offhand, he cut the second knight's throat.

The knight fell with a shout.

"So what's your plan?" Paul asked.

"RUN!"

Before he could understand, Simon dragged his arm and flung through the city streets at high speed. They veered into a narrow path between two brick buildings. Paul slammed a rune onto the wall as they passed; seconds later, the stone collapsed in a controlled blast, buying them time.

"You okay?"

Simon nodded, panting hard but grinning. "Yeah. Remind me never to doubt your cowardly magic again."

"It's called tactical retreat." Paul huffed, one hand holding his ribs. "I think one of them grazed me."

Simon glanced down. Blood soaked the side of Paul's robe.

"Can you keep going?"

"Only if we find a place to hide."

They turned the corner and found themselves in a market filled with commoners, strange sights and exotic scents.

***

The sound of whistles and people rushing echoed behind them, so the pair slowed down and blended into the crowd as best they could.

'Thank god it's a human market...'

A night market, the speciality of Baltimore, where the people would gather and enjoy cheap wine and food leftover from the harvest after the storage buildings were full.

Because of the efforts from Asmodeus, Avandar and Yuina, the supplies of Baltimore doubled in return for remaining completely neutral... thus the people who lived in the villages near the city could afford to attend the special lunar fair.

'Pauls fucked...'

"Stay upright," Simon grabbed Paul's shoulder, and winced. You're bleeding through your ribs. If they see it—"

"I know." Paul slipped a rune from his sleeve and pressed it under his robes. His fingers traced a brief symbol, and a numbing cool spread beneath his skin. "Fuck! How did that kid endure this stupid use of magic!?"

Paul didn't heal the wound, but froze it like he saw Asmodeus do in the past...

"Ngh... Simon, that kid we raised, he's one crazy little bastard."

"You only realise that now?"

"... I'll handle the glamours. You keep us moving," Paul said through clenched teeth.

Glamours were elemental spells of the illusion school of magic, simple acts of deception that placed a mask over a person's body.

Right now, Simon and Paul looked like a loving couple from the West.

Well-tanned skin and dark hair, nothing like the past bald mage, and his rough, roguish friend.

Simon nodded and adjusted his pace and form, keeping his arm near Paul to pull him away immediately. He wouldn't abandon his brother. Not because he was a hero. If Paul's wives found out, then they would beat him to death, along with his wives.

"How many do you think followed?"

"Too many, Paul... it's as if they were waiting for us, but your flash trick was like throwing water on a wasp nest... they are so pissed."

"Good!"

The market thinned toward the southern edge.

Fewer stalls, more space and a pair of guards wandered near a fountain, but their uniforms were red and trimmed with gold. City Watch.

'These aren't knights, and seem unrelated to the ones near the castle.'

"Over there," Paul said. "That alley behind the spice vendor."

Simon grunted and shifted course, leading them behind a stall stacked with pungent roots and dried herbs. They ducked into the alley, and Paul collapsed against the wall.

"Haa... okay," he wheezed.

"Rest a minute. We're unclear, but they'll search the crowded areas first."

Paul nodded, fumbling for more runes.

He spread a set of three on the cobblestone.

Defensive wards. Weak ones.

But if someone came too close, there might be issues; the pair would know it was triggered and have enough time to escape. The other two runes were soundproofing, and the second alert had a more extended range but less accuracy.

"I wish I could just heal myself using holy magic... I miss having a priestess."

Paul complained as he opened his robes, the wound bubbling with fresh blood and seemed unable to coagulate properly.

"That looks bad, Paul... need a hand?"

"No, just... hold this in my mouth and pour the potion over the wound, then add this."

Paul took out a healing potion and a white powder to stop the bleeding and help it clot.

Simon usually messed around, but with the safety of his best friend's life on the line. He became serious, focusing his eyes as he placed one hand over Paul's jaw. Then, he put a thick piece of rope in Paul's mouth, drool leaking from the sides.

"Endure, my friend."

"Nggh!"

The potion hissed as it met the wound.

Maybe the hissing was from Paul.

Paul's body jerked, every muscle tensing at once. His muffled scream echoed against the soundproof rune. Steam rose from his side like someone had poured acid on raw meat.

Simon kept pouring, ignoring the twitching and the way Paul's fingers clawed at the cobblestone.

"Almost done."

He took the white powder and pressed it over the sizzling flesh. It crackled, clung, and formed a strange crust that sealed the gash like dried wax over a broken plate.

Paul sagged, sweat soaking his robes, face pale beneath the glamour.

"Pull it out," he croaked.

Simon tugged the rope from his mouth. Paul spat blood and saliva to the side, panting like a man who'd just survived drowning.

"I am never letting you treat me again," he wheezed.

"You ungrateful bastard!"

Thud!

He slapped Paul's shoulder, causing the bald mage to turn pale, dropping to his knees with a whimper... "You... fuck!"

"I saved your life, though."

"Thanks to me. I mixed that potion myself."

Simon nodded and couldn't help but agree with his best friend.

"You also got yourself stabbed."

Paul froze.

"...Fair enough."

They stayed still for a few minutes, only the faint hum of the warded runes marking the passing time.

Simon glanced toward the mouth of the alley. "We can't stay long."

Paul nodded.

His body still ached, but his mind was clearer.

Pain had a funny way of sharpening focus.

He dug into his satchel again, pulling out a tiny stone marked with a circle of overlapping lines.

"Signal rune?" Simon asked.

"Yeah. Just in case."

He whispered a word, and the stone pulsed once, then crumbled into dust. Somewhere far away, it would alert a specific pair of wives that Paul was alive and wounded and if things got worse. They'd find him, eventually. Or find whoever dared hurt him.

Simon stood, rolling his shoulders. "Alright. What now? We keep hiding or try to cut back toward the safe zone?"

Paul looked up, eyes serious. "We need to know why they ambushed us."

"...You think it was a trap?"

"I know it was."

Paul forced himself to stand, legs shaking but steady.

"This wasn't just patrols. That knight knew who we were. The moment he saw me, he called for backup. It wasn't random."

Simon exhaled. "Shit. You think it's because of her?"

"The princess?" Paul glanced down at the blood-stained street.

"Yeah. Or because Alan has betrayed us, they know her importance to Asmodeus. That kingdom isn't stupid. They must have spies in the neutral cities."

Paul looked at Simon with wide eyes, shocked at his rare display of intellect. Touching the other knight's face, he couldn't help but ask. "Are you alright, Simon?"

"Give over, you bald cunt!"

"Hahaha, let's get out of here for fucks sake."