I was Caught up in a Hero Summoning, but that World is at Peace (WN)

<Author’s Notes>

As previously announced, this is an extra chapter around Death King’s executive subordinates, Pleiades. It’s scheduled to be a two-parter.

In the Land of Death, located in the northern part of the Demon Realm, in the castle of the Death King Isis Remnant, her servants were preparing for tonight’s Christmas party.

A woman carrying a huge table with one hand enters the room, which seems to hold quite a few people. She had short, iridescent bob hair, antennae sprouting from her head, and beetle-like wings on her back.

She is over 190 cm tall and carries six swords on both hips, giving her the air of a warrior.

After setting the table in the center of the hall, the woman…… One of the Pleiades, Death King’s executive subordinates, known as “Celestial Blade Star”, Sirius, looked around and called out to a woman a short distance away.

[Sorry, Rasal. Do you have a moment?]

[Unnn? What?]

At Sirius’ call, “Earth Bound Star” Rasal Malfik, who was working in a jet-black robe with a hood hiding her face, turned towards her and tilted her head.

She had a slightly petite build of about 150cm, but on her back, she carried a huge coffin that was over 2m tall, and the fact that she was wearing all black made her release a unique sense of intimidation around her.

[I’ve brought in the big table, but I’m not good at setting it up…… Sorry, can you handle this?]

[Ahh, alright. I’ll take over that. Sirius, you take over mine and bring in the chairs for everyone.]

[Umu, got it.]

[Thanks.]

Although Sirius and Rasal are both members of the Pleiades, they are usually on bad terms and often fight with each other, but this time, they made sure to not fight and cooperated with each other.

Watching such a scene from a short distance, another member of the Pleiades felt moved and muttered.

[My, oh my, they don’t seem to be fighting today. That’s really great. If they had quarreled and delayed the work, I would have been scolded by Head-dono.]

A woman with long purple hair, a white pointy hat, and a robe of the same color, bearing the appearance of a witch…… “Far North Star” Polaris chuckled, sounding like she was having fun.

She was the second oldest member of the Pleiades, after the head Iris, and was in charge of the preparations for the event in Iris’ stead, who was currently cooking their feast.

(T/N: I can’t find the word to use in english, but this sentence says that Polaris is the second member to join Pleiades. This doesn’t necessarily mean that she’s the oldest age-wise.)

[That’s right~~ It’s great that they’re cooperating with each other. I’m relieved too.]

Responding to Polaris’ murmur with a relaxed tone was a woman with bluish silver hair and crystalline flowers. It was Spica, a Blue Crystal Flower spirit, and a member of the Pleiades known as the “Crystal Flower Star”.

She was dressed in a pure white dress and looked like an elegant noble lady, but her tone was somewhat peculiar.

Spica, after answering Polaris’ words, moved her gaze and called out to the other member of the Pleiades, who was floating in the air, working on something at a fairly high place.

[Eul, what about that side?]

[Well, I guess I would like to add a little more decorations. Spica, can you add some more flowers?]

[Yeah~~ Easy task~~]

With a raise of Spica’s hand, a large number of Blue Crystal Flowers appeared around her. Thereupon, they were received by ten white tails extending out from the floating being’s behind.

The one who is decorating with her ten long tails and dexterously moving both hands is the “Fox Monster Star” Eulpecula. She has semi-short white hair with a lot of curls, and a petite body of about 130cm. There are fox ears springing out of her head, and her face looks somewhat young.

Eulpecula, dressed in a peculiar outfit of a miko uniform-like upper clothing and a skirt and leggings on her lower half, quickly finished decorating and landed next to Spica. When the two of them stood side by side, they looked like sisters, partly because of their similar hair color.

[Well, that’s about it.]

[Yeah, great work. You really have good taste, and I’m happy to be your supervisor.]

[Polaris was mostly just watching though…… Imma tell Iris.]

[Oi, oi, give me a break. If you do that, I’m not going to be able to attend the party…… Haahhh…… I admit, I’ve just been looking at everything and not working myself. I’ll just work a little harder from here, okay……]

Soon, the large hall was beautifully decorated and ready for the party.

[Unnn, everything looks fine. Everyone, good work.]

[It looks like Iris’ side still needs time.]

[There are five of us here after all. I guess you could say that it’s inevitable.]

[Guess you’re right. If there’s anything we can do to help her, how about we———– Ah!?]

As they discussing about Iris, which took a longer time than them due to the manpower ratio, Eulpecula turned around in the middle of her words, as if she had noticed something.

Her ears perked up and her tail was wagging, as if she was anticipating something, so the other could immediately tell what she had noticed.

Immediately after, the door to the hall where the event was being held opened, and their master, Isis arrived.

[……Everyone…… Good work…… Is the venue’s preparations…… finished?]

[Isis-sama!]

When Isis appeared, Eulpecula ran up to her with a big smile on her face, her tail vigorously wagging behind her.

[Yes! We finished…… I- I decorated that side, is it alright?]

[……Unnn…… They’re neatly done…… Eul is a good girl.]

[Ehehe, I was just doing my job as Isis-sama’s subordinate.]

When Isis reached out her hand and patted her head, Eulpecula smiled, looking as if she was melting in her touch, while her ten tails happily wagged behind her. That scene itself…… looked like an infant being spoiled around her mother, making the onlookers smile.

As Isis continued to gently pat Eulpecula’s head, she moved her gaze to the other members of the Pleiades and spoke.

[…….Well then…… I’m going to…… pick up Kaito, okay…… We’ll also do some shopping…… so I think we’ll take some time before going home…… but the party will start at the scheduled time……]

[Understood. Please enjoy your time.]

When Polaris replied on behalf of the group, Isis nodded in satisfaction, before slightly waving her hand and disappearing with Teleportation Magic. After a few moments of silence, as if she suddenly remembered something, Polaris spoke.

[Speaking of which, this is something I heard from Head-dono but…… I heard that Isis-sama and Kaito-sama are going to prepare presents for each of us. Perhaps, that’s what she was talking about when she mentioned shopping.]

[Is that so!? Geez, Isis-sama and Kaito-sama are so kind…… but we’re the one who should be entertaining them, so they don’t really have to be that considerate…… but I love that part about them too!]

[That’s right~~ They’re really nice.]

As if her tension had been boosted by Polaris’ words, Urpecula muttered happily while her tail wagged behind her, and Spica, seeing this, agreed with a smile.

In such a harmonious atmosphere, Sirius brought her hand on her chin, as if she was thinking about something, and after nodding once, she spoke.

[……I don’t think Iris-dono will be late, but I think it would be better if someone helps her. It looks like everything is done here anyway, so I’m going to help Iris-dono———— Unnn?]

Sirius was about to walk towards the exit, saying that she would help Iris with the cooking, but she immediately stopped when she felt someone pull her back.

Turning around, Sirius found snow-white tails clutching her hand…… “tightly clutching her hand”.

[……Oi, don’t do anything unnecessary, roach.]

Thereupon, with a voice so dreadful that it was hard to imagine from how cute and excited she had been just now…… No, the voice Eulpecula spoke just now definitely held killing intent. Veins were popping out of her forehead, and her expression made her look as if she was a devil from hell.

[I’ll say this to you now…… If by any chance, even if there’s only a 1 in a million chance that it happens, that those “trash” you’ve created should end up in Isis-sama or Kaito-sama’s mouths…… I’ll freaking kill you.]

[……Ah, yes. I’m sorry.]

Exposed in Eulpecula’s overwhelming anger, Sirius turned pale and respectfully nodded.

[……Hmmm, I would have to agree with her on this one. Every people has things that they are good at and aren’t good at, so I’d rather you don’t participate in this. Mainly so we can enjoy our meal.]

[Polaris!?]

[She’s right~~ This isn’t something I can support you either.]

[You too, Spica!?]

Putting aside Polaris, even Spica, the calmest and gentlest of the Pleiades, agreed with Eulpecula with a wry smile on her face, shocking Sirius.

Sirius’ inability to cook really is bad, so the reactions of those around her are normal…… but the person herself thinks as if she can cook fairly well.

In such a situation, there is no way that the remaining member of the Pleiades wouldn’t join in…… pouring oil into the fire.

[Kukakakakaka! Well, it can’t be helped. You don’t have to be depressed, Sirius. It’s just wrong to expect you to do something as advanced as cooking when your whole body is made up of muscles.]

[……Guess you’re right. Well, I guess I should be proud that I’m more decent than a certain carrion woman who only knows how to mix carrions and more carrions to make zombies.]

[……Ah?]

[……Hahh?]

Of course, having been taunted by Rasal, there’s no way that Sirius wouldn’t snap back. With the situation turning like that, as usual, sparks instantly flew between them, and they each took up their weapons and moved into a fighting stance.

[……If you’re going to fight, do it outside. If anything happens to the decorated venue, I’m sure the scary Head-dono will blast you away.]

[ [ ………………….. ] ]

After hearing Polaris’ words, Sirius and Rasal glared at each other and moved of the castle with their swords and coffin respectively.

A little while later, a thunderous roar could be heard from within the party venue, making Polaris sigh as she laid down a Barrier Magic, preventing the venue from breaking.

[Good grief. Well, I guess it can be said that they’re just as usual…… Now then, with the work done, let’s have some tea……]

[I see, what a great timing that is. If you’re free, help with the cooking, Polaris.]

[Head-dono…… Since when have you been there…… No, no, I’m going to enjoy my tea time now.]

[Cut with the bullsh*t and get your ass over here.]

[Head-dono, aren’t you being a bit too strict to me!? I’ve just taken on the important role of overseeing the venue……]

Before she knew it, Iris had arrived at the venue and just like that, she grabbed Polaris by the scruff of her neck and took her away.

[What, you probably just watched the others in the first half, and you only joined in after someone pointed you out.]

[……This is quite the problem. I can’t say anything back because all of it is true. If that’s the case, I at least demand that the method of transportation be improved. Putting aside whether you have a higher standing on me or not, the maiden that I am isn’t comfortable with a method of transportation that involves my buttocks sweeping the floor.]

[I see, in that case……]

[Okay, Head-dono. I’m sorry. I’ll stand and walk. So, please stop trying to blast me away with magic…… I’d like to excuse myself from being cooked along with the other ingredients.]

After seeing off Polaris, who was also taken away just as usual, Eulpecula and Spica, who were left behind, looked at each other.

[Eul~~ What should we do?]

[Yes, we’re not as bad at cooking as that idiot Sirius, but we’re not really that good at it…… so even if we help, we’d just be in the way.]

[Guess you’re right~~ We’d just drag them down.]

[Then, let’s just do something else. We still have some time to spare, so why don’t we prepare our present for Isis-sama and Kaito-sama?]

As a side note, Eulpecula and Spica are good friends. The innocent and cheerful Eulpecula and the carefree and gentle Spica are somehow compatible in terms of personality.

[That’s a great idea~~ I’m sure that they’ll definitely be delighted.]

[That’s right! And then, if things go well, they might pat my head again…… Ehehe.]

[Since the two of them look good together~~ maybe we should get them matching gifts.]

[Hmmm, if it’s accessories or flower wreaths, we could easily make it. Let’s make it together!]

[Yes~~]

Unlike the other pairs, this pair seemed to be enjoying themselves as they discussed what kind of present they wanted to give.

<Afterword>

Additional details about the Pleiades, longer than the main story

① Black Violent Star, Iris Illuminus

She is the leader of Pleiades and is everyone’s mother. The member she’s closest with is Polaris, being that she is also the second oldest of the group. Even though she finds Polaris a bit of a handful in a different way than Alice, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t like her.

I’ve already talked about her a lot in the main story, so I have nothing more to add.

② Far North Star, Polaris

She is the deputy head of the Pleiades, basically assisting Iris with her duties.

She was born with Limited Future Sight, which allows her to “know the consequences of her actions before they happen”.

She is a Demon who was saved by Isis when she was dying about 14,000 years ago, but as a weak Demon at that time, she was frightened by Isis’ magic power of death and ran away from her.

She deeply regretted that she hadn’t even thanked the person who saved her life, and wanting to use the life that Isis had saved for Isis, she settled down on an uninhabited island in the far north of the Demon Realm, and spent all her time training with the dream of one day apologizing to Isis and becoming her subordinate.

After spending so many years acquiring the power of a peak Count-rank, she was happy to finally be able to become Isis’ subordinate…… but in the futures Polaris saw through her ability, for some reason, she could only see “the result of hurting Isis’s heart, making her sad” when she tried to become her subordinate.

(At that time, Isis’ heart wasn’t composed enough to accept subordinates, where her eyes are only set on her first wish, someone without any power who would accept her, so being accepted as her subordinate would be quite rough.)

Polaris’ ability is limited, so although she knows the result, she wasn’t about to know “the process ending on that result or the cause of why such a result occurred”, so she was stuck, unable to understand why she would make Isis sad by trying to become her subordinate.

She continued to train during the day, wondering if her power was still lacking, and at night, she continued to use ability to figure out how to become Isis’ subordinate without causing her grief but…… the “result” she saw didn’t change, causing her distress.

But one day, the result that was visible suddenly changed from “hurting Isis’ heart, making her sad” to “Isis refusing Polaris’ request to become her subordinate with an apologetic expression on her face.

(Isis’ mentality changed after meeting Kaito)

Sensing the hint of possibility, she used her ability even more and continued to seek the future where she could become Isis’ subordinate…… In the end, she was able to see that the action of “waiting in place” would lead her to “becoming Isis’ subordinate along with a woman with hair of two colors, black and gray”, so she suppressed her impatience and continued to wait for Iris’ arrival on the northernmost island.

Her wish was fulfilled, and she was able to express her gratitude and apology to Isis and became her subordinate. In the beginning, she had mixed feelings about Iris, because she honestly wanted to be “Death King’s Head subordinate”…… but once she had a mock battle with Iris, she approved of her being Death King’s Head subordinate and started calling her “Head-dono”, and their relationship started going towards a good direction.

She adores Isis to the point of fanaticism, believing that her life exists for Isis’ sake. However, she isn’t someone like Pandora, whose loyalty can be observed by others, and was instead like Ein, who is loyalty quietly laid within her heart, so it is hard for people to notice her.

③ Fox Monster Star Eulpecula

Not only is she the last member to join the Pleiades, she is also the youngest among the Count-level, high-ranking Demons at the age of 119. She is an overwhelming genius who has outgrown the 700-year record of World King’s executive subordinate “Cherry Blossom Princess” Blossom, and has risen to peak Count-rank in just 80 years, the fastest time in history for a Demon who is supposed to grow slowly.

According to Alice, “In terms of talent alone, she’s one of those bug characters along with Lilia-san”.

When she was injured and collapsed when she was a monster, she was found and treated by Isis and Kaito, who happened to be passing by. (This is after she temporarily overcame her magic power of death in the Intermission Chapter: Challenge to the Magic Power of Death)

At that moment, in order not to give her unnecessary burden, Isis held hands with Kaito and applied Recovery Magic while suppressing her magic power of death, so both Isis and Kaito’s magic power entered her body.

It wouldn’t have mattered if it was just that, but due to her original talents and characteristics, she adapted to the magic power of death and became attached to Isis and Kaito.

Exposed to Isis’ powerful magic power, her dormant talent blossomed. She quickly evolved into a Demon and acquiring knowledge and power like a thirsty sponge absorbing water, she became Isis’ subordinate.

She loves Isis and Kaito, and is a sweet and obedient child in front of them, but her attitude changes when they aren’t around…… In particular, she repeatedly plays pranks on Sirius and Rasal, such as slamming pies into their faces as they pass each other, or dropping giant snowballs on them when they are fighting each other, which is why Sirius and Rasal call her an “evil fox”.

Perhaps, because of their compatible personalities, she was closest to Spica among the Pleiades, and they often play together.

She wears a miko-like outer garment, skirt and leggings, which makes it look like she’s wearing a modified miko outfit.

④ Crystal Flower Star Spica

Spica is a Blue Crystal Flower spirit. She is a calm and relaxed older sister who makes people feel at ease just by being around her.

Her tone of voice is a mixture of Kansai dialect and Kyoto dialect, and her outfit is that of a western dress, although she sounds like she would be wearing Japanese clothes.

She first bloomed in a place close to the center of the Demon Realm…… “The Forbidden Lands”, and as a result of the residual magic power of the Six Kings that flowed from the Forbidden Lands, she gained a lot of power and as a result, a spirit dwelled within that flower.

However, that didn’t mean that she did anything in particular. She moves around the Demon Realm, lazily swaying with the wind for several hundred years, and as if she remembered something, she would move to another place to sway with the wind again. She is a genuinely laid-back person.

Isis found that Blue Crystal Flower blooming in a wasteland by chance, and brought it back without knowing that it was inhabited by a spirit, because she felt sorry for it to be blooming in such an empty place.

At first, due to her magic power of death, she thought Isis was an evil being and never showed herself, wanting to escape when she saw an opening…… but as she learned more about Isis, realizing that it was just a misunderstanding, she showed Isis her appearance as a spirit.

Later, when she learned about Isis’ deep attachment to Blue Crystal Flowers, she took a liking to her and eventually decided to take root in her castle and became her subordinate.

As is the case with other Spirits, she is better at defending than attacking, and her sturdy defense has earned her the nickname “The Fortress of Chalk”…… However, she doesn’t like fighting in the first place, and she is more proud about her ability to make Blue Crystal Flower bloom as much as she wants.

She usually spends her time relaxing, having tea with Isis and the other members of Pleiades, or with Isis’ permission, growing Blue Crystal Flowers in a part of the Land of Death.

Among the Pleiades, she gets along with Eulpecula the most, and she loves her like a sister.

As a side note, the place where Spica was growing the Blue Crystal Flowers was the place that would later become “Crystal City”, the city ruled by Isis, and the large amount of Blue Crystal Flowers that Spica grew became a tourist attraction and symbol of the city.

Regarding her personal thoughts about what had happened, she is just happy that so many people like the Blue Crystal Flowers.

⑤ Celestial Blade Star, Sirius

An Insectoid Demon that only pursued her own strength. She was confident in her strength and called herself the best swordsman in the Demon Realm. But one day, she was defeated by a mysterious swordsman, and with that humiliation in mind, she continued to train herself for many years.

(T/N: She’s a Humanoid Insect.)

She perfected her ideal swordsmanship, and wishing to fight an overwhelmingly powerful person, she visited the castle of one of the Six Kings, Isis, whom she could easily meet in person, and asked Isis for a fight.

It resulted in her disastrous defeat, but seeing Isis was so kind and strong that she was willing to accept her sudden request and even worried about her when she was defeated, she wanted to become her subordinate.

In short, it was something like “I fell in love with your strength, Big Sis! Please make me your lackey!!!”

After that, although their circumstances are somewhat similar, Sirius, who is a proud knight who fights fair and square, and Rasal, who is the complete opposite and thinks that winning easily, even by using cowardly means, is justice, were like cats and dogs, fighting with each other almost every day.

However, it doesn’t mean that she truly dislikes Rasal. She recognizes her abilities and cooperates with her when she should.

She is still searching for that mysterious swordsman who defeated her in the past, but has yet to find any information about her , even though she was a very strong person. However, she isn’t in a hurry to find her, for she believes that as she continues to train under Isis, the day of her revenge will eventually come.

As a side note, when a certain Transcendental Beauty saw her from a distance, she murmured “……No, you’re mistaken…… I just happened to be in disguise at that time and was fooling around with the sword I just made…… I’m not a swordsman, okay?” or something like that……

⑥ Earth Bound Star Rasal Malfik

A super-elite loner and transcendental hikikomori necromancer-cum-sorcerer…… She had been holed up in a cave doing research for a long time and had no interest in the outside world, so she had never attended the Festival of Heroes and even though she knew they existed, she had never even seen the Six Kings.

It’s on a level that she only comes out of her cave once every few thousand years, and not holding any interest about how she was apparently a Count-level, high-ranking Demon, she forgot about it.

After many years, she had finally completed the research she had envisioned and left her cave. And as she searched for her next goals, the thought “For the time being, I heard that among those Six Kings whatever, there was someone self-conceited that they dare call themselves the Death King disregarding my opinion, so let’s make her see who is worthy of being the Death King” came to her mind, so she attacked Isis’ castle without knowing who she was or what she was capable of.

She was expecting her to be about even with her, or maybe even a little better, but when she saw Isis appear, fully clad in her magic power of death……Muttering “She’s the real deal……”, she decided to “bow down in a dogeza right from the start”.

As for what was in Rasal’s mind at that time…… It was “I thought the Death King was a necromancer just like me, but then, I saw something that looked like the concept of death given form itself. There’s no way I can win against that.”

As a result, the flow of the situation made her say something along the lines of “I’m here to be your subordinate”, and ended up being her subordinate, living in Isis’ castle.

While she was dismayed by Isis’ naivety, who welcomed me with open arms, she thought it was the perfect place for research because of the large amount of rare books and her new master being sweet and naive, she became a hikikomori in Isis’ castle and began to research at her leisure, without doing anything that would be considered as a subordinate’s duty.

However, Isis herself was so happy to have a new resident, and she didn’t even complain about Rasal isolating herself. Even though she was supposed to be her master, Isis came to visit her with gifts, and she taught her when she didn’t understand something……

Before she knew it, she had somehow become moved by Isis’ kindness, swearing her allegiance to Isis, and this time, she began to work diligently as her subordinate…… Well, she didn’t have that much work to do anyway, so she still spends most of her time for research.

She often clashes with Sirius because of their different values, but just like Sirius, she doesn’t really hate her. Saying “She’s an annoying woman, but I’m a little jealous of the way she lives, which is something I can’t do for the rest of my life”, she recognizes her, and cooperates with her when needed.

Incidentally, she always carries around a huge coffin, which inside seems to be the same as a magic box, containing all the undead she made.