《I was the weakest of the four heavenly kings. I reincarnated, so I hope for a peaceful life》 1 Prologue I can''t stop the blood. There was a huge hole in her chest, from which blue blood was flowing down incessantly. My flaming crimson hair was now hanging down weakly from the massive amount of blood. A party of young men with black hair looked down on me as I fell to my knees. The party of brave men, that''s what we demons called them. But ...... is ......! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. The previous blow had gouged out my torso, and blood continued to flow back from my lungs. A flashback to the seemingly deadly blow flashed through my brain. I am a low level demon. I was born as an ogre, a low-class demon, and a kobold, a goblin, an even lower-class demon among them. Goblins are born in large numbers, but their strength as individuals is low, and many of them don''t live to adulthood. So I worked hard to survive. It''s not that I want to become strong and oppress the weak, but purely for myself to live in peace. In addition to training, I chose nutritious foods to eat, avoided fighting strong opponents head-on as much as possible, made friends, and steadily built up my ...... ingenuity. In the end, my friends and I rose to the top. I''ve been a goblin, an ogre, a champion, and now a lord. When I became the Demon Lord, I was approached by the Demon Lord himself and invited to join the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army. At any rate, I had more than 100 companions and enough strength to crush a small country. I guess they valued our strength as a group more than my own strength as an individual. The demon king didn''t say so, but ...... well, he said that one of the Four Heavenly Kings was killed, so I guess it was timing. I was looking for peace and refused at first, but the people around me forced me to do it. I had increased the number of friends I had in order to survive, but this was the only time I regretted it a little. However, it wasn''t that I absolutely hated it, and I eventually accepted the challenge because I thought I might enjoy it. However, the other Four Heavenly Kings didn''t seem to think well of me. "He''s the weakest of the Four Heavenly Kings," "He''s a disgrace to the demon race," "He''s just a lowly person who got lucky. and so on. It was true that the other Four Heavenly Kings were all born demons of the highest rank, so they must have been very uncomfortable with me being a lowly demon. I didn''t mind it, but my subordinates often got angry when they heard it. My second-in-command, in particular, tried to fight me every time, so I had to be careful not to overhear him. Thinking about it, I think I started to feel a lot of trouble at that time. I began to spend my days trying to make as little noise as possible. Then one day, a group of heroes attacked to defeat the Demon King. I was ordered to intercept them first. That was fine. But the other Four Heavenly Kings had sent my men to defend the castle. My strength is as a group, not as an individual. The timing was too good to be a coincidence, so I''m sure it was their work. They didn''t like me very much. That''s how they set it up, to kill me when they didn''t like me. ---- So I confronted the heroic party alone, and up to now. They look down on me as I crawl on the ground, but keep their weapons at the ready. Their strength is top-notch, and I''m all wounded. Plus, I''m outnumbered. It looks like we''re done here. I''m sure of it. "Yuck, yuck, yuck. ...... I couldn''t help but laugh. The brave men, seeing me laughing at their predicament, backed away, as if they were creeped out. I walked up to them, dragging my feet. "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡That''s great, brave men!¡¡But one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army, the Demon King Ranga!¡¡We can''t just let them beat us so easily!¡¡I''ll fight with all my might! I declared, and put all my strength into my stomach. I put all my strength into my belly. The sound of flesh creaking slowly and the wound closing up. As I released my magic to the fullest, my muscles bulged further and the third eye on my forehead opened. That''s how I fight when I''m at my best. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! I kick the ground with a mighty scream. With each step I took, the rocks I had been using as a foothold shattered into pieces. I clench my fist tightly and raise it. The hero also readied his sword to intercept me. Geeeeeeeee! Swords and fists meet, and a shockwave blasts out from them. The final battle had begun. The brave party and I, each and every one of us, gave it our all in a deadly battle. ---- I lost my life. 2 I was reincarned. "---- morning, huh? I slowly sit up and look at my reflection in the window pane. A small, soft hand, pure white skin, black hair, it was definitely the figure of a human child. I look at my reflection, which has become familiar to me, and mutter to myself. It''s been ten years since then, hasn''t it? Scratching my head, I get up from the bed. After being defeated by a hero, I was reborn as a human. As an ordinary child from a very ordinary family among humans. I still have the memories and abilities I had when I was a demon king, but I can hardly use them in the body of a human child. But it was fortunate that he was reborn as a human. In the world of demons, power is everything, and the weak are despised and either eaten or used. So I had no choice but to become strong. But in the human world, I could live a peaceful life if I could get around. In my previous life, I was lifted up by the people around me and fought against strong enemies, but this time it will not happen. ---- I will live this life in peace and tranquility. With renewed determination, I slapped my face with both hands and looked around the room. This humble room with a wooden floor and a small study desk is my room now. I stood up and put on my pants and sleeved up the ragged clothes I had stored in the closet. I opened the door and went down the stairs to the kitchen where there was a stove. He put a piece of fire stone in the stove and lit it on fire. This is a kind of cinder that is produced when a magician smelts magic stones, and the common people use it to make fire. I could have used magic to light the fire, but of course I wouldn''t have done that. There is no such thing as a 10-year-old who uses magic. I put some oil in a frying pan and start cooking the dried meat I bought the other day. As soon as you hear the sound of oil splashing, put in the eggs that you also bought. Cover the pan with a lid and keep it warm for a while, and the fried egg is ready. When I put it in the plate, a nice smell softly tickled my nose. Oh, that''s a good smell. Ranga. A middle-aged man with disheveled clothes stepped into the kitchen. The man yawns loudly as he walks up to me and puts his hand on top of my head. He put his hand on my head, stroked it and ate the fried egg I was cooking. This man is my father, Daryl Valiant. He is a city guard, a slacker who likes to drink and gamble, and divorced his mother three years ago. He''s been living in this house with me ever since. When I see my father munching on a fried egg without noticing my disgusted gaze, I make an annoyed face. "Oh, no, Dad. You can''t eat my fried egg without permission. I said, raising my voice slightly and using childish words. Adults want children to be weak and adorable. If you respond to them, they are less likely to make waves. Over the course of my long human life, I''ve learned, and my father has fallen right into my act. He didn''t seem to notice my thoughts at all and laughed gaily. "Gahhh, men get bored wilder than that. Ranga, if you''re a man, don''t be a pussy! You''ll be able to get a lot more out of it than you think. But my father doesn''t seem to like my attitude. Yes, the former demon lord Ranga had become a legend as a powerful enemy who single-handedly tormented the heroes. Alone and without a weapon. It is said that he is still popular even today because of his fair and honest fighting style that is not typical of demons. ...... It''s hard to say that the other Four Heavenly Kings simply hid their weapons and dispersed all of their men. I''m off then! Have a good day! Dad finished eating and went to work before I did. As I saw him off, I packed my breakfast and started to get ready. "Well, let''s go. I put on my cheap leather shoes, opened the door, locked it and ran out. "Good morning, Ranga. "Good morning, Ranga." "Good morning, florist! Good morning, flower girl! Oh, Ranga! It''s a beautiful day! Good morning, butcher! Good morning, butcher! I hope you sell a lot today! "Good morning, butcher! I hope you sell a lot of meat today!" I greet people on the street as I go through the shopping district. It''s good to be friendly with your neighbors. They can be your allies in case something happens, and sometimes you can get some leftovers. They are all very nice people. After passing through the shopping district, our destination came into view. ---- Gruyere Church Seminary. This is a school where the church takes care of the children of the city. In addition to reading and writing, the school teaches simple sports and the basics of social life. As a former demon, it''s been quite useful for me to learn about human society. "Good morning, Ranga! Good morning. Ranga, let''s kick some balls! "Oh, I''m not going to lose! We exchanged innocent greetings with the kids as we walked into the school. Shortly after I entered the classroom and took my seat, the church bell rang, signaling the beginning of class. A few moments later, the door rattles open and a woman dressed as a nun walks in. Sister Clare. She is the homeroom teacher for this class. She slowly looks around at everyone and then smiles. "Good morning, everyone! "Good morning, Miss Claire! As if in response, the children raised their hands in unison and responded cheerfully. Ms. Claire looked at them with satisfaction and nodded. "Yeah, yeah, everybody''s fine! So, let''s spend another happy and hardworking day under the blessings of God. "Yes! "Okay, let''s begin the lesson. First, open your theology textbook to page 27: ---- The Lord said, "To go through the darkness, let your heart be lighted. ...... Ms. Claire opened her mouth elegantly and began to read the textbook as if she were singing. Most of the theology content was about honoring God. Do good works. Forget the evil heart. ...... The textbook concludes with the words, "Give thanks to God," which is just like a seminary. Still, it is ironic that I, a demon, should be attending a seminary. "Okay, then, Ranga-kun. Please read the rest of this article. The next thing I knew, Professor Claire was staring at me and smiling meaningfully. Apparently, she saw through my blank stare. Everyone else laughed, too. But that didn''t mean they weren''t listening. I was certainly thinking, but only briefly aware. "The Lord said. A wind rises from the valley floor and sweeps the sky. Then a loud whistle will sound from above, and the world will be filled with love. That is the gospel. Thank God for that. As I finished reading the rest of the story, the classroom fell silent. Curious, I asked Ms. Clare. "Um, can I go now? "Yeah, yeah. ...... I''m going to go on to the next chapter, then. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. Ranga, that was an ancient text, wasn''t it? When did you learn that? (Ah, ......) Renton''s words finally convinced me of everyone''s attitude. Perhaps Ms. Clare had given me a difficult problem to warn me of my stupidity. However, she must have been stunned when I solved it so easily. The ancient text was a common language of the demon tribe, so I must have read it in a normal way. It was just a coincidence! My dad knew about it and told me about it. (Really? Ranga''s father is an archeologist? That''s awesome! (Hahahaha ......) I laughed at Renton''s words and faked it. I can''t help but show my demon habit. It''s not easy to act like a normal kid. 3 Training That''s it for today''s class! Everyone. Have a safe trip home. "Yes, sir! The children replied cheerfully, got up from their seats, and left the classroom as if they had been released. A little later, I also gathered up my textbooks, tied them together, and went to Ms. Claire to bow. I''ll be back in a few days." "Bye, Miss Claire. ...... And I''m sorry I''ve been so absent-minded today. "It''s okay, Mr. Ranga. It''s a good thing I''m not a teacher, because I''ve been punished for trying to test you. It''s my punishment for being a teacher. I''m still a novice. Ms. Claire smiled, then closed her eyes, clasped her hands in front of her chest, and assumed a penitent posture. She is a saintly person who never doubts anyone and is popular among children. I''m still not used to being treated like a child, but I felt good to be treated that way by this person. "Be careful on your way home. "Okay. As I said goodbye to Ms. Claire and left the school building, I saw a group of children gathered in front of a bush on the grounds. Curious, I walked up to one of the kids and spoke to him. "Hey, what''s going on?¡¡Hey, what''s up, guys? "Oh, Ranga. It''s a cat. It''s in the bushes. I looked into the bushes and saw a black cat. I wondered if it had wandered in, with its beautiful fur and gold and silver odd eyes. It was a beautiful black cat with a well-shaped face. The cat was yawning carefree, but was looking at everyone so that it could escape at any time. It was the typical behavior of a stray cat. Then, Renton, the boy who had spoken to me earlier, crouched down in front of the black cat and moved his finger. "There, there, there. Come here. But the cat shows no sign of responding, and doesn''t even look at Renton. Undeterred, the black cat glanced at Renton, who was pawing at him, and rolled his eyes. "Meow! As if it had noticed something, the cat made a small mew and jumped towards Renton. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. What?¡¡What? He''s taking my treat! It seemed that the cat had only found the dried meat in his pocket. With a quick pounce, the cat climbed up the church wall and turned around. "Meow! With a mocking purr, the cat jumped down and ran away. "d*mn it! Renton stomped on the ground in frustration, but the cat was already far away. Everyone is consoling Renton, who is feeling down. Poor Renton, but I don''t think you should keep dried meat in your pocket. I left. I left the place and went not to my house, but to the stone wall surrounding the city. I avoided the straw bundles that had been placed in the gap between the houses, and found a hole in the wall through which a child could pass, and slipped out. "Yoo-hoo! Outside the city, there is a desolate land. I could see dead grass growing everywhere, tangled into a ball, rolling in the wind. I put my hood up tightly and proceeded to keep an eye out for people around me. If they find the kid, they''ll take him back at once. After a while, I saw something moving in the shade of a rock. You''re at ....... The creature was a cloudy, dusky-colored mucus called Zell. A demon is a being that has been shaped by the magical power that overflows from the depths of the earth to the surface. A demonic creature that avenges people. My goal is to fight this thing. A certain amount of strength is necessary for a peaceful life. There are many ways to train for this, but in the end, actual combat is the most efficient. What''s more convenient is that when they see humans, they will gladly attack them, so there is no pain in their hearts. "Surreal......! This Zell was no exception. When it recognized me, it turned its internal eyes toward me. Red eyes full of hostility. I''m not sure what to make of this. Attacking from all directions, I prepared to face it. "Shaaaaah! I put magic power into both of my palms and lightly flicked the tentacles that came out like a supple whip. With a poof, the tentacle''s whip changed course and slammed into the ground. Sensitivity is good. Let''s start by getting used to it. Poof, poof, poof... Zell''s attack is repelled. Keep playing. Each time you do, your attack speed increases. "Shoe ......? Finally, Zell seems to have noticed something strange. The moment I touch Zell, I cast a light spell to improve his physical abilities. He''s no match for a mere Zell, but if I raise his basic performance like this, he''ll be a good training ground. The battle between me and Zell gradually increased in speed, and became invisible to the casual observer. A series of dry clicks sounded like "clap, clap, clap, clap. "......? Zell''s tentacles slipped through my hands as I tried to defend myself, and snatched at my cheeks. While I was frightened, two or three more shots were fired. It seems that the other side''s speed is starting to exceed mine. The magic power circulating in my body can no longer keep up with my body control. I can see how inexperienced my magic control is in actual combat. The control of magic power is the lifeline of a physical demon like me. It''s easy to say, but it''s much harder than it sounds. It is very difficult to make a perfect blow in succession with speed, excess, density, and shape. Even when I was a Four Heavenly Kings, I could not say that I had mastered it, and even more so now that I have the body of a child. The series of movements that allow the flow of magic power to spread from the torso to the arms and fingertips is extremely slow. I''m consciously trying to move the magic up a tempo now, but this only works for low-grade demons. My simple physical abilities are not up to par, and I can''t move my body as expected. My current fighting level is even lower than that of the lower demons. "Shhhh! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. ---- Of course, you don''t have to give it to me. I grabbed it easily and stopped it. I grabbed it easily and stopped it. "What the ......? The tentacles wriggle around, trying to escape, but they can''t. It''s the irregularity of the strikes that makes it difficult for me to read their movements, but there''s no way they''d be able to take a readable attack like that. When I put my strength into the wriggling tentacles, the ends of them swell up distortedly. Don''t get carried away, okay? "---- The tentacle bursts open with a bang. The tentacle falls to the ground, bounces a few times, and then disappears. "Gishi......ishi......ishi......! As it regenerated its lost tentacles, it took a rhythmic step toward Zell, who was backing away. It sprouted countless tentacles and made desperate attempts to resist, but ignored all of them and moved forward. Even though he has enhanced his physical abilities, he is still a low-level demon, and his specs are too different from mine to do any real damage. At close range, I put magic power into my fist and take another step. I took a short breath and exhaled ----. "Huh! At the time of breathing, I put magic power into my fist and pierce the center of Zell. The core of the blow penetrated the mucous body, and the aftermath of the impact caused Zell''s body to ripple. The waves were small at first, then gradually became larger and larger. ---- Finally, Zell could no longer hold his shape and burst. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. I''m not ready for ....... I''m not sure what to make of this. It''s still not enough. I guess I''ll have to keep practicing for a while. Besides, this training is also meant to weed out the demons. It is not uncommon for a large number of demons to gather and destroy a city. "...... Oops, I''d better get home. My dad''s not coming home. I muttered, and rushed off towards the city. 4 This is everyday Sneaking through a crack in the wall, I entered the city and hid in the shadows, taking off my hood. Checking left and right, he returned to the street as if nothing had happened. I took a break from the crowd. Hmm, it seems that no one is suspicious. I head straight for the market. As soon as I entered the market, a butcher''s man called out to me. "Hey, Ranga! Are you coming home now? "Yes, I''m going home to make dinner. Meat, please! You''re doing great every day. I want my son to learn from you. Here, I''ll give you a discount! The uncle cut the meat into pieces and put it in a package. I put the hefty package of meat into the shopping bag and paid for it. Wow, thanks, Uncle! "That means no problem! "That''s good! You''ll have to do me a favor in return! "Yes, sir! I thank him and go to the next store. "Hey, Ranga! Are you on your way home? Do you want to buy some vegetables? Yes! Yes, ma''am! You''re so good! I''ll serve you. I received a similar welcome at the greengrocer''s. I received a similar welcome at the grocer''s store. By the time I finished shopping and exited the shopping street, my shopping bag was tightly packed. "Phew, they''re nice people. Thank goodness for ....... It''s not that heavy for me, but it''s not a normal kid. It''s harder than you think to carry a heavy ...... load. I pretended to walk like a limpet as I headed home. When I got home, I put on my apron and started to prepare the food. I cut up some vegetables and fry them with meat, then add water and bring to a boil. When the pot was boiling, he added some seasonings and made a soup full of meat and vegetables. ......, it''s delicious. This is a nondescript stew that I made when I was still a low-ranking demon, running around on the battlefield. It''s a great way to get a good idea of what to expect. ...... maybe. "Hey Ranga! I''m home! Just as I was finishing it, my father came home. He walked in with his big toe and sat down in a chair. "Dad, are you home? "Yeah, I''m hungry! Do you have any food? It''s just about ready. I poured the stew from the pot into a bowl and offered it to my father with a spoon and some water. My father''s thick eyebrows twisted into a grimace. "...... Hey Ranga, another stew today?¡¡It''s all about the vegetables. "It''s nutritious. And there''s meat in it. Don''t complain, just eat it. It''s not that it''s tasteless. Mogumogu......, but you know, sometimes I just want to eat meat on the bone!¡¡You know what I mean. It''s not polite to talk while eating. It''s not polite to talk while eating.¡¡Ranga, you''re acting like a mother! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. "I don''t care if you''re not popular. "Huh, kid, mind your own business. Don''t get cocky. He clucked his tongue in disgust. Even my father is sloppy. That''s why your mother ran away from you. "I ate it, I ate it! I ate it! My father ate the stew in spite of all his complaints. He wiped the dirt from his mouth with his sleeve and stood up. He wipes the dirt from his mouth with his sleeve and stands up. "Well, now that I''ve eaten, I''m going to bed!¡¡I''ll be up early again tomorrow! You''re always up later than me, what are you talking about? What are you talking about? "Good night. Good night!¡¡You''d better study hard too! Laughing, my father went into his room. He took a bottle of sake with him. At that rate, he''d probably be drinking in bed for a while. I cleaned up lightly after eating, and unfolded the homework assigned at school. It was simple math and dictation, and I finished it quickly. By this time, I could hear the rumbling of snoring coming from my father''s room. He seems to be sleeping well. Well, let''s practice controlling magic, shall we? I fill up a glass of water and hold my hand over it. In the center of his palm, he floated a tiny particle of magic power, invisible to the naked eye, and slowly dropped it on the surface of the water, creating ripples. Okay, you''ve done it. This is the basic practice of controlling magic power to create smaller, but more reliable, magic power at the targeted location. If you don''t control the magic well, it can destroy various things, and if you do, it will be very noticeable, so this training is especially important. After my father goes to bed, I do this everyday. There are several magic control exercises, but this one is simple and easy to cover up if he wakes up. I breathe quietly, and increase the amount of magic power. As I drop more and more grains of magic into the water, ripples are created in two or three layers. The size of the ripples are all the same. As a result of his daily training, his control of magic power had become reasonably good. And just when things were going well, the surface of the water shook. "......! It seems that the particle of magic power was too large, and the fall speed was too fast. I hurriedly tried to fix it, but it was too late. The water in the glass overflowed. ...... is not good enough. I wiped the spilled water on the table, refilled the cup, and resumed my training. This is what happens when you''re not careful. This is the result of my previous life of letting my power get the best of me. The practice of controlling magic power at home is more compact and simple than the practice outside. You''ll get bored and tired fast. When the frequency of failures increases and my concentration reaches its limit, I lie down on my bed. As soon as I put on the covers, I started to fall asleep. That''s it for today, this is my "current peaceful day. I hope that tomorrow will be just as peaceful. I fell asleep, thinking such thoughts. 5 Black cat And another new morning has come. I get up with a big stretch and quickly get ready for breakfast. "Good morning, Ranga! Good morning, Ranga! I''m off!¡¡Hahaha! My father also woke up soon and ate the breakfast I prepared for him as usual, then quickly left. Why don''t you wake up early once in a while and cook at least one meal for your son? I locked myself in the house and headed for school. Well, it''s another day of hard work. And the class goes on without a hitch: ---- The bell rang, and the morning class was over. It''s not much of a class, but it''s tiring to act like a normal kid. It''s hard to find the right balance between too good and not good enough. I heard my stomach rumbling from exhaustion. "Heh, you''re hungry, Ranga? "Heh, are you hungry, Ranga?" Renton spoke from behind me. "Yes, I am. It''s lunchtime. Me too. I haven''t had anything to eat since last night. ...... Why is that? Didn''t your parents get you anything? Tsk, I pulled it out. It''s for today''s school lunch! Renton poked his finger at the menu on his desk, and today''s date was marked as hamburger. Normally it''s just bread and soup, but today we''re having our once-a-month feast!¡¡And it''s Claire''s homemade hamburger steak!¡¡You''ll be punished if you don''t come hungry! The school lunches here are basically simple, but once a month, the sisters prepare and serve an elaborate meal. On Ms. Claire''s day, in particular, the food is very popular with the children and is a big hit. As she did so, the children in the lunchroom handed out trays to everyone. With a click, a tray was placed on Renton''s desk. "Oooohhh! A hamburger! Instantly, Renton''s tension reaches a crescendo, and he stands up and starts shouting at the top of his lungs. Stop it, it''s embarrassing. You''ll make me blush too. In the meantime, a tray was placed on my desk. The main dish was a hamburger steak, the bread was buttered, and there was corn in the soup. Not only the hamburger steak, but also the usual bread and soup had been given an extra touch. It''s not Renton, but it''s something to get excited about. After serving the food to everyone, Ms. Claire joined her hands on the podium. "And now, everyone, thank God for ----. "Bon app¨¦tit! I join hands with her and bite into the bread. Mmm, the richness of the butter enhances the bread. The soup is also delicious. There''s a big difference between having the ingredients and not having them. I eat the bread and soup alternately as if biting into them. "Mogumogu...... Hey Ranga!¡¡I''m not going to eat it.¡¡If you don''t eat it, can I have it? "Don''t be silly. "Don''t be silly. I''m the kind of person who saves the fun for last. The spoon prevents that. I''m not one to begrudge a once-a-month feast. Renton clicks his tongue and pulls out his fork. After enjoying the bread and soup, I was about to start on the hamburger steak. "Meow! I heard a cat purring at the window. It was the black cat that had been in the garden the other day. It was a black cat that had been in the garden the other day, and had taken up residence because everyone was feeding it. The moment I looked at it, it jumped. The next thing I knew, the hamburger had disappeared and was in the cat''s mouth. When I realized what had happened, my expression turned angry. "Bastard ......! But it was only for a moment, and a small amount of magic power leaked out impulsively. It''s the kind of magic that makes even the children around me shiver and react. The cat jumped up, all the hair on its body standing on end. "Meow! Oh, no. I''m not sure what to do. Oh no, they took your hamburger steak, didn''t they? Who''s going to let him get away with this? ......! I''m not the kind of person who gives up a once-a-month feast. I ran out of the classroom and ran towards the fleeing cat. "Hey, Mr. Ranga!¡¡You can''t run in the hallway! Excuse me! I''m not going to let it get away. I''m not letting you go, you f*cking cat! "Meow! The cat zigzagged down the hallway, occasionally looking back at me as I chased it. If I use my magic, I can catch it quickly, but if I use it in a place like this, I''ll be in big trouble. d*mn it, I''ll just have to catch it. If I could just push him over the edge, ......! I''m going to narrow down the cat''s range of movement as I run towards it. All right, all right,...... keep narrowing the distance,...... now! I pounced on it with all my might, but it jumped on my head and landed behind me in a triangle jump. I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to make of this. "Meow. The cat meows and starts running again. I click my tongue and chase after it again. I chased after it again. I was forced to struggle in the chase against the unusually agile cat, ducking, dodging, and running away again and again. The cat was headed for the schoolyard. If it goes outside, we can''t handle it. I''ll have to catch it on the stairs! I jumped down the stairs with both hands outstretched to catch the cat running down the stairs. But no. My hands cut through the air and the cat darted out. d*mn it! Far beyond my crawl, on the wall, the cat has started to eat a hamburger. What a humiliation, I haven''t been humiliated like this since the last time I was eaten at the Demon Lord''s castle dinner, when he ate the last of the fried death fish I had left. Oh no, he''s getting away. I noticed that Renton was behind me. He looked at me with a half-amused, half-disappointed look on his face and smirked. I came after him because he looked interesting, but I''m sorry. I''ve already eaten my hamburger, so I can''t help you. "......, give me a hand here, Renton. I''m going to give that cat a good beating. Hey, hey, hey, hey. I''ve had it with that cat too. Let''s work together and make him pay! Thanks. I shook Renton''s hand tightly. "Meow. "Meow. The next day. The next day, the cat who was basking in the sun purred carefree. It was scratching its face with its paws, purring and looking sleepy. Suddenly, he noticed something and turned his head toward a tree standing in the corner of the school building. Under the tree was a small piece of meat. "Nya......? The cat stood up and approached the lump of meat, wagging its tail in curiosity. The cat circled around it as if on alert, but did not take its gaze off the meat for even a moment. Heh heh ...... you''re getting close. On top of the tree is Renton, holding a large woven basket in his hand and smiling wryly. Yes, the plan is to use the meat as bait for Renton to jump down and capture him. The woven basket has a small gap in order to make it easier to hold, but it doesn''t matter once he has it down. The cat drew a circle and gradually approached. Renton watches for the right moment to jump down. Slowly, the cat approached ---- and took the meat in its mouth. "Now! Renton is about to jump, but the cat, as if it had already noticed, jumps out quickly. Straight up, in a straight line, in the direction of ---- me, ??????. "Meow! I''ve been waiting for you!¡¡You cat bastard! The cat froze in surprise, and I easily held it. The capture is complete. Hey, you did it, Ranga. Thanks, Renton. I clapped my hands together and purred. There was a gap in the woven basket Renton was holding, and I was waiting in that direction. I figured that this cat, with its keen eye, would aim for the gap and slip through. If I could catch her intact, so be it, a double trap. NEEEEEEEE! The cat was writhing and flailing about. The cat is writhing and flailing about, but if you hold its arms and legs, it can''t escape no matter how you move. "Well, what do we do with it? Ranga. Are you going to turn it into a hamburger? No, I''m not going to do that. He''s learned his lesson now. I''m gonna let him go. Nya! Meow! Meow! As if it understands my words, the cat flails wildly. It''s as if it wants me to let it go. "You''re so naive, Ranga. Well, you''re right, it''s a cat. It''s not like they can understand each other. Love thy neighbor, amen. Oh, you can''t be serious with a cat. "Meow! The cat nodded, as if to say, "Yes, yes. It''s glaring at me and wagging its tail like it wants to be put down. Don''t worry, I''ll get you down. I''ll do it right now. I made the cat face me and stared into its eyes. "And ----? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work. Oops, I startled it too much. I put the unconscious, jerking cat down on the ground, and gave it a slight nudge. "Nya...... nya...... nya...... nya£¡£¡£¡£¡ The cat woke up and was in a daze for a while, but soon woke up and jumped up and ran outside the church. You can go now. Don''t steal people''s meat again. I waved my hand sternly and Renton called out to me fearfully. ...... Are you feeling a little scared right now? It''s your imagination. I dodge Renton''s question. Anyway, the cat won''t misbehave again. I guess the matter is settled. 6 Reunion After a few days of this happening. I was walking home with Renton on our usual way to school. Then, Ms. Clare said... As we were walking along, vaguely wondering what to make for dinner, a girl suddenly jumped out from around the corner. Her beautiful, lustrous black hair was long, and her bangs were carefully trimmed. She was wearing a white dress with long sleeves and an ankle-length skirt. Her shapely lips were tinged with a hint of pink, and her large eyes were a brilliant crimson. The girl''s appearance clearly drew the eyes of those around her. "Well, well, what''s the matter, little one? Do you want something from me? The girl had caught Renton''s eye as well. "...... Renton called out to the girl, but she ignored him. "Hey! It''s not a good idea to ignore her. What? The girl still wouldn''t make eye contact with Renton. Rather, her eyes were fixed on me. The girl''s eyes began to grow moist. And then ---- "Ranga-samaaaa! She hugged me vigorously. Renton was in disbelief. I was also more than a little upset. "Aaah!¡¡Ranga-sama!¡¡I''m so glad to see you!¡¡I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who can''t stand the smell of ...... Ranga-sama!¡¡Haha, I''m enchanted. ...... The girl sniffs as she presses her head against my chest. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. "Hey, hey, hey ....... Renton''s mouth puckers up, and he finally opens it. "What the hell? I''m not sure what to say. In the alleyway. In the alleyway, a girl kneels down at my feet. I hurriedly pulled her into the alleyway because she stood out, but I was right. The girl kept her eyes down and said. "Please forgive me for my abruptness, Master Ranga. Stand up for now. If people see you like this, they''ll think you''re ...... Amira. What? I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to make of it. Her name is Amira, and she was my second-in-command during the time of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army. Her race is the Queen of Blood, the highest class of vampires. She can manipulate blood to turn it into various weapons and can use her countless magical eyes. Although she is not good at direct combat, she is an auxiliary type with many versatile abilities. However, it seems that these abilities are now almost useless. "But I''m surprised. I didn''t know you had been reincarnated as well. Oh, my God!¡¡The moment I was killed by the hero, I thought of you strongly, strongly!¡¡I''m sure that thought reached you!¡¡I''m not sure what to make of this. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one. That''s why I''m scared. The other day, I sensed the faintest hint of Ranga-sama''s magical power, so I immediately rushed over.¡¡I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. I''m sorry I''m late! "Oh, ...... that time? It seems that the vampire sensed that the cat had leaked a little magic in anger. Vampires are sensitive to the smell of blood and magic. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. "Hey, Ranga!¡¡You''ll have to introduce me to her later!¡¡I''ll see you tomorrow! In the alleyway, Renton was waving widely. I''ve been fooling around with the idea that I''ll ...... explain it later, but I''m sure he''ll be asking a lot of annoying questions tomorrow. It''s depressing. Amira turned around and gave Renton a sharp look. "That man seems to be watching our every move. ...... Do you want me to turn it off? I don''t need to delete it! I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to make of it. We''ve grown stronger together, we''ve evolved together, we''ve walked together, we''ve been comrades in arms. He was basically good, but for some reason he had a lot of faith in me, and was always being feted. At the time, I didn''t feel bad about it, so I joined the Demon King''s Army just as Amira put me on, and before I knew it, I had risen to become one of the Four Heavenly Kings. It''s also a result of throwing yourself into battle after battle, bloody days with no time to rest your mind. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not, but I think it''s a good idea. ...... In other words, he''s taken me for a ride, and my peaceful life is far from over. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time with us. It''s ....... It''s nothing!¡¡...... ehehe. I was a little surprised when I saw Amira smiling shyly. I''m not sure what to make of it. It''s a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find anything you like. A twisted smile worthy of a blood lord who has repeatedly fought in blood-soaked battles and used every means at her disposal to turn those who stand in her way into blood. It was something completely different from the pretty smile of today. (Is it possible that this guy has changed a bit?) He had said some disturbing things to Renton earlier, but that was all. Until now, he could have slaughtered him without saying a word. Maybe he became more mature after being reincarnated into a human body. ...... Let''s see what we can find out. I started to make small talk with Amira. I''m sure you have a family if you''ve been reincarnated as a human. What are you up to now? "Well, my mother and father died in the war. But don''t worry about that. I was very young, so I''m not shocked. That''s a tough ...... story. No, compared to when I was a kobold, human infants are adored by everyone. Fortunately, I was blessed with a good face, so I didn''t have much trouble. The gatekeepers of this city let me in easily after I told them about myself. That''s what Amira said with an easy smile, but it''s not that easy. I shook my head with a bitter look on my face. She says it wasn''t much trouble, but it wasn''t that easy. I''m the same way, so I understand that the human world has its own difficulties. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had to deal with this. "Master Ranga ....... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I''m sure you''re right. ...... It''s a very good idea. I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that if I were you. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one. I''m so happy to see you again, Ranga-sama. "Yes, I am. That''s what I''m thinking. I think so too." At my words, Amira''s face lights up. "Really?¡¡I''m sure you''ll be by my side again, won''t you? I''m not sure what to say. It''s harmless to be around her. This is what a girl looks like. Amira can''t be that bad. If not, she''s just a nice guy. I''m glad. I can be with you again, Ranga-sama!¡¡I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. ...... Hmm?¡¡I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. I''m not sure if you''ll be able to find a way to get the best out of it. Let''s fight, win, rise, and conquer the world! You can do it, Ranga-sama! I will do everything in my power to make sure you don''t fail this time! I''ll do my best to make sure I don''t fail this time. I''m not sure what to make of it. It''s no good. ...... I''ve got to do something about this. I''m not sure what to do. "......". I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I can''t do that. "What ......? I''m not sure what to do. I just want to live in peace. I have no intention of taking over the world. If that''s your intention, ...... I''m sorry, but I can''t be with you. I don''t know what you''re talking about, Mr. Ranga. ...... I don''t know what I''m talking about,....... I''m not sure what to say, but I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to say. See you later. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. I turned my back on her and walked away. Behind me, she kept looking at me as if she wanted to hold on forever. 7 Abduction "You''re not following me ......? When I turned around fearfully, I saw that Amira had folded her knees with a stunned look on her face. I was relieved to see that she didn''t seem to have the energy to follow me. What a horrible person to be born again. I mean, did you really plan to let him take over the world? It''s true that there were times when I thought, "Ranga-sama is capable of being the king of the world! "Keep it up and we''ll take over the world! Ranga-sama! But he wasn''t joking, he was serious. Too scary. It''s best not to get involved with him. ...... I feel a little sorry for him. When I glanced at him again, he was frozen in the same outfit. I was worried about whether I should leave her like that, but I could feel a certain amount of magic in the current Amira. It seems that she has been living alone since she was a child, and she can protect herself. So I thought, and I went home. ...... I''m tired. I''m tired. I''m sorry. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not. I gave Renton a cold stare, but he didn''t seem to mind at all and slapped me on the back. So, what''s up with that girl? What''s with her? She''s so cute. What''s the matter with her calling me "sir"? You''ll have to tell me more about it. Ranga-sama? "......, you''ve got the wrong guy. He thought I was the one looking for him. No, no, no, don''t say that. There''s actually something going on here, isn''t there? That Ranga is actually the illegitimate son of royalty? No. Idiot. What a bore. I''m not sure what to make of this. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. During class, I suddenly thought of Amira. It''s hard to imagine that she''d back down so easily, given her personality. That''s why I''m on the lookout, but I can''t seem to find any movement. I''m not as good as Amira, but I can sense her magic to a certain extent, so I can tell when she''s approaching. ...... This silence is eerie. In the end, the school day ended without incident and it was time to leave. "Ranga, let''s go home! As I was walking down the street, Renton called out to me from behind. He''s smiling with a carefree face, but on second thought, it might be dangerous for him to be with me right now. There''s a chance that Amira might do something to you. If something happens, I''ll get involved. I should probably just say no. "Sorry, but I''ve got things to do today. Leave me alone. Oh, come on, man. No, see you next time. I''ll make it up to you. Shit, that''s boring. When I refused, Renton clicked his tongue unhappily. I refuse, and Renton clicks his tongue sullenly, kicking a pebble in the back alley. "Geez! Shortly after, Renton''s scream rises. I started to run. That alleyway is the one we passed the other day, it''s not surprising that Amira has something up her sleeve. "Renton! As I stepped into the alleyway, I saw Renton being tangled up with two huge men. "Hey, kid, you kicked a rock and it broke my leg! Don''t look at me like that!¡¡Are you going to give me a bensho? Hey! ...... Apparently, the pebbles they were kicking hit those guys. What, just a bunch of punks? I breathed a sigh of relief. But Renton looked completely terrified. "Excuse me! I''m sorry! "If I was sorry, I wouldn''t need the police!¡¡Go call your parents! I walked towards Renton, who was shouting pitifully, and stared up at the two men. What''s the matter, kid? You know this guy? Are you going to Benshaw for me? Oh, my God! "What''s the matter, kid? I''m not sure if that''s what you''re trying to say ...... or if you''re trying to say "compensation" instead of "reimbursement". I call out to the guys with a dumb look on my face. "Hey guys, the kid is apologizing. Let''s forgive her. "Huh?¡¡Apology won''t heal my leg!¡¡It''s broken!¡¡It''s Benshaw! And then he walks up to me with his self-proclaimed broken leg. "You''re walking fine, brother. You can''t lie to me. "...... ah? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. "Are you crazy, you little shit?¡¡Get the f*ck out of here unless you want to get yourself killed! I knew it, but I knew it, but ...... I let out a sigh and glanced toward the alley. I think it''s your brothers who should go away. What? The moment the man grabbed my collar and tried to lift me up. Hey, I heard some voices! What''s going on? The guards who were patrolling the area walked by. I immediately shouted. "Wooo!¡¡Help me!¡¡I''m gonna get killed! "Geez, you little ......! As soon as the guards noticed us, the men left us and started running in the opposite direction. Oh man, I knew the route and time of the guard''s patrol just in case something like this happened. d*mn it! Don''t you ever forget that! I''ll make sure you get benched! I patted my shoulders as I watched the men leave. "Are you guys okay? "Yeah, we''re fine. Thank you, guards! I thanked the guard, who returned the salute politely. "Have a safe trip home then. "Yes, sir. Good man. The guard went back to work as soon as he was sure we were safe. "Huh. Be careful out there. Renton. "Oh, yeah. I''m sorry, Ranga. Renton slumps down, and I reach out to him. As Renton took my hand, I suddenly felt a strange sensation. At that moment, Renton grabbed my arm firmly and fitted something with his other hand. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that.¡¡I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one. Immediately, my whole body relaxed. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. (The restraining ...... bracelet ......! This is a very expensive magic tool that can bind the movements of the person it is attached to. It''s not something that can be found in the marketplace, as it can enslave even those with high combat power. I''m not sure what to make of this. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. 8 Dangerous Deputy "...... this, this is ......? I got up, holding my aching head. In front of you is a white curtain, the room is surrounded by wooden walls and luxurious furnishings. I tried to stand up from the soft bed, but I couldn''t do it. A restraining bracelet is still attached to his right arm. ...... Apparently, it wasn''t a dream or a vision. "You''re awake! Master Ranga. I''m not sure if she noticed my groaning, but Amira came running from the back and hugged me. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. "Oh, Amira! Oh, thank God. I was worried when you didn''t wake up for a while. I''m sure you''re hungry! I''m preparing your breakfast now, so please wipe your face and wait a moment! She handed me a towel that was steaming hot. The towel was steaming hot to my liking, and I wiped my face as she offered it to me. Then he glared at Amira again. ...... You''ve been very rough with me. Where the hell are we? You''ll have to explain everything to me. "It''s an unused nobleman''s villa. And of course I will explain it to you. I will not hide a single thing from my master, Lord Ranga. After coughing, Amira began to talk eloquently. I was devastated for a while when Ranga-sama refused me. Then a street thug approached me. He said, "You''re pretty," and "Let''s go out for a while," or something like that. At any rate, I charmed them and made them my servants, but to my surprise, they were dealers of illegal magic tools, and they were carrying the Binding Bracelet. When I saw that, I thought, ''That''s right, let''s kidnap Ranga-sama! I thought. Amira''s eyes sparkled as she began to talk about something noisy. I''m not sure if she''s getting excited or not, but the tone of her voice is getting higher and higher. The reason why Ranga-sama doesn''t need me is because he doesn''t realize that he is the king of the world. When he wakes up, he will surely need me!¡¡Convinced of this, I first charmed Ranga''s schoolmates and instructed them to put on the Binding Bracelet. The rest, as you know, is history. Ah!¡¡I''ve returned your friend to the city with his memory scraped clean, and I''ve also written a note to Ranga-sama''s home, so don''t worry! Amira smiled and said so. Her face was colored with ecstasy and madness. I''m sure she used Renton as a puppet to set me up. ...... Amira is a very dangerous person. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. I''m sorry. I was in the middle of preparing breakfast. Amira said, and ran to the back room, and came back with a tray after a lot of banging. The tray contained toast with a fried egg on it, potage soup, milk and salad. There was milk and a salad on the side. I was so hungry that the meal looked very tempting and I gulped it down. Doesn''t it look good? Yes, Master Ranga. Please suck on it. "Oh no! Oh, Amira! Amira took my chin and forced me to open my mouth. You don''t have to be shy. It''s only me and Ranga here. In addition to that, there is a powerful warding around it, so not even a beast can come near it. "How the hell did you break that? Well, it''s not much, but I had to use some force. ...... I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It seems that you have been practicing voluntarily. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace. "How do you like it, Master Ranga? I hope it''s to your liking. ...... It''s ...... good. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. I''m so happy! I just bought a lot of fresh produce at the market. I just bought a lot of fresh food at the market. The breakfast is just in time, but I''ll serve you something better for lunch, so you can count on me! Please enjoy your meal. Again, I ate the bread that was offered to me. It was humiliating to be forced to eat it, but it was so delicious that it outweighed the humiliation. You know exactly what I like. "You''ve eaten well. I''ll take your plate down now. After finishing her meal, Amira lowered her plate with satisfaction. In the back room, you can hear the clatter of cleaning up. (Well, what can I do? ......) Now that I''m alone, I''m thinking about how to escape. Amira said she had bought some food. That means she''s not planning to leave the house for a while. Not much time to escape, huh? (For now, let''s put some effort into it. ---- Hmm! I grabbed the restraining bracelet in my right hand and put all my strength into it. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do with your time. I''m not sure what to do. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. With both hands full of thick books. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Ranga-sama! Now it''s time for you to study! Boom!¡¡With a heavy thud, a large number of books were placed in front of me. I was speechless when I saw the pile of books, which must have been about a hundred. "...... What the hell is this? "It''s a book about kings. "It''s a book about kings. I hope you can learn how to be a king by reading it! It''s a bit of a lot of books, but I''m sure Ranga-sama will make it his own in no time! I''m sure of it! On the spine of the book, there was a list of things related to kings, such as "Imperialism", "Kings of Various Kingdoms", and "The Way of Kings". Where did you get all this stuff? You can''t even find them in a bookstore. I found a lot of them in the library of this villa, so I borrowed them. Amira stuck out her tongue adorably. I''m not sure if it''s really a nobleman''s villa or not,....... I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m sure it''s not a royal family. I''m not sure.¡¡Let''s read it!¡¡Let''s hear it!¡¡Which one do you want to read first?¡¡This one?¡¡That one?¡¡Or that one? I let out a sigh as Amira fussed over the various books in her hands. "...... I don''t like books. I''ve already told you that I''m not going to be a king. "That''s not the point, sir. My rejection was met with a smirk from Amira. I feel an indescribable eeriness in her cheerful tone. No matter what path you take, you will be the king of the world, Ranga-sama. No matter what you say, no matter what you want, it is your destiny. Nothing can stand against it. "No, so ---- "But I didn''t expect you to be so stubborn. The old Ranga-sama would have listened to my words, saying, ''Oh, dear, I can''t help it! ...... Apparently, Ranga-sama has become quite lukewarm after being reincarnated as a human. It seems that you need a rough treatment. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. I had a bad feeling about this, but then she pulled out a dried giant caterpillar and held it out to me. "Yes! It''s a dried caterpillar larva! We used to eat them as rations during the war! It brings back memories! Please eat this and remember the days of battle when you were a demon!¡¡Come on! I''m sure you''ve heard of it. She grabbed my chin, forced me to open my mouth, and tried to force it in. This caterpillar is certainly nutritious, but it tastes like shit. I had no choice but to eat it because there was nothing to eat on the battlefield, and it was not something I liked to eat. As I backed away, Amira came at me. "Stop it, you idiot! I don''t want it! What are you talking about? Come on, come on, come on!¡¡Please, don''t be shy! No, no, no. ......? I managed to resist, but my nose was filled with the same scent. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. ...... That worm still has its guts. What? ...... Kun Kun, it''s true! For the first time, Amira listened to my words. She sniffed the caterpillar and frowned. You''ll get sick to your stomach. Or do you want me to have a stomachache? "I''m sorry, sir! Pointing out how poorly she handled me, Amira hurriedly bowed her head. Then she took the dried caterpillar and ran to the kitchen. Phew, I managed to get through it. I shouldn''t have bothered to eat such a ghetto food in this day and age. To my relief, I hear Amira giggling in my ear. ---- reminded me of something from a long time ago. Do you remember? I remember when I used to try to prep the tang bugs and fail. Well, ...... I don''t know if that ever happened. I don''t remember that at all. Yes, it did. I was in trouble and Ranga-sama helped me out. ...... Hehe, I was so happy. ...... It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. I''m not sure what to do with it. It''s done. I''ll dry it again and we''ll eat it together later. "...... He had a big smile on his face that said nothing. The bloody knife in his hand was inexplicably mismatched. That''s right! If you don''t like to read, I''ll read to you! And if you start with an easy to understand book, I''m sure you''ll like it! Let''s read this one first! The book that Amira held out to me was "The Kings of Childhood". Without noticing my disgust, Amira unfolds the book in front of me. "There was a country called Altreo. It was ruled by a beautiful and wise queen. I''m not sure what to make of that. ...... Amira began to read aloud. Listening to her left to right, I turn my thoughts to escape. Now, I don''t know what to do. 9 Overwhelmed "Night ......? The room is silent, and outside the window is pitch black. I plucked myself up out of bed and fumbled with the restraining bracelet. The surface slides open to reveal a keyhole. ...... Okay, I knew it was there. It''s a good idea to have a keyhole to unlock the door. The key is a piece of metal that glimpsed on Amira''s chest. I''m pretty sure I''ve seen it before in an antique shop. If I can get it, I can escape. ......! I got out of bed, opened the door and walked into Amira''s bedroom. I walked through the hallway and opened the heavy wooden door to find Amira lying on a canopy bed. She was breathing heavily, as if she was tired from reading a book. I''ve been calling her for a very long time, and I''m deeply afraid of her patience. I killed the signs and crept up to Amira''s bed. ...... Apparently, she''s sleeping well and shows no signs of waking up. I grabbed the edge of the blanket and slowly lifted it up. There was Amira, sleeping in a disheveled state. When she turns over, the body thrown on the bed wriggles distressingly. "......" "...... You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. It''s a shame, because she''s quite lovely when she''s not talking. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. This piece of metal attached to the end of Amira''s necklace is the key to the restraining bracelet. I slowly reached out to touch the key, so as not to wake her, and she grabbed my ---- hand. I''m not sure what to say. Master Ranga. With the words, Amira''s eyes widened. She got up and started to pull me closer. You can feel the pressure on your wrists, just barely. (Strong ......!) I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. Gently, but strongly. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I''ve got you now. I can smell the seductive scent of Amira''s neck as she whispers in my ear. I wondered if it was some kind of perfume, but my nose started to itch. You''re not supposed to ...... act like a thief!¡¡...... is also fine. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why. Let go of me. ......! I''m not sure what to say.¡¡You''re so cute, Ranga-sama. Don''t worry. Don''t worry. I''ll lead you gently. ...... Amira whispered in a sweet, inviting voice. Her reddish lips slip from my ear to my cheek and move to my eyes, right beside me. She slowly meditates on her moist eyes and brings her face close to mine. "No, no. ...... I can''t hear you. I can''t hear anything. "From ....... What?¡¡What?¡¡What is it, Ranga-sama? I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. "----, you''re annoying me. It''s a good idea. At the same time, she bounces her hips as hard as she can. I''m not sure if she was shocked by my words or not, but her hands loosened for a moment and she lost her balance and floated in the air. I''m not sure what to do, but I''d like to know what you think. You''ll be able to dodge it, but that''s not the point. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. As I roll with the momentum, I flip the key, pick it up with my left hand, and insert it into the restraining bracelet. With a cracking sound, the restraining bracelet cracks. At that moment, my strength returned to me. "...... Yes! I filled both my arms and legs with magic power and felt them. I was convinced that everything was in order and that my true power had returned. I''m sure I''m back to my full potential. I''m sure you''re not the only one. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. It''s not that I''m not a fan of this kind of thing. I''m not sure if I''d be able to do that if I were you. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing and how you''re going to do it. I''m not sure what to say.¡¡I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to say. You''re still lifting me up at times like this. I''m not a bad guy, but... "But!¡¡I''m a bad person for giving up! Amira''s eyes glow suspiciously in the darkness. Charm Eye. This is a unique skill that she was born with, and it turns anyone who looks into her eyes into a fascinated puppet with no will. Yes, just like Renton the other day. "I didn''t want to charm my beloved and respected master, Ranga-sama, but I didn''t want to turn him into a puppet, but I had no choice!¡¡But don''t worry, I''ll deactivate it again when I reattach the bracelet!¡¡I will throw the key into the abyss so that it can never be removed again! The flickering magic power concentrated on Amira''s eyes, and a dazzling light was released. A scarlet flash pierces the darkness and captures ---- me. I''m not sure what to say. I lowered the hand that had been raised to guard against the glare. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I''m sure you''ll agree with me. I''m sure you''ll agree with me.¡¡I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that works for you. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. I''m not sure what to do with it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I had suppressed it until just now, but there is a powerful ward on this house. The wards themselves emit powerful magic power, so even if I release the power, it won''t be detected. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. You can''t possibly ...... do that!¡¡50000......100000......500000Well, it''s still going up! It''s still far from its full potential. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. "Well, the magic value is 10000000......!!! Amira''s eyes widened and her legs trembled. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. I''ve had my fair share of training. I''ve had my fair share of training. World domination aside, you still need to be strong to live. But it''s too much, too ......! But that''s too much !" I said to the demoralized Amira, holding up my fist. "Come on, Amira, I''ll shoot you right in the face. Guard it as best you can. ......! Ha, ha, ----! Before I could finish my sentence, I closed in on Amira. In a flash, the magic power rushed from my axle to my torso, through my shoulders and arms, into my fists and into the arm that Amira was holding up. "Or ...... is ......? Zudon!¡¡In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a few things you can do. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. The sound of an explosion echoed.¡¡The sound of an explosion echoed. As she slammed into the wall, she sank deep into it, creating several large cracks like spider webs in the wall. Oh, that''s quite a sturdy wall. It looks like they''ve put up a very powerful ward. The wards deployed on buildings are proportional to the strength of the walls. If it was this strong, my power would not have leaked out. I''m afraid I''ve done the owner of the house a disservice, ....... The furniture is shattered, the walls are damaged and will need to be repaired. I''m sorry, owner. If you''re going to hold a grudge, hold it against Amira. 10 Lost A few pieces of wood crumble and dust rises up. The shadows shimmering in the ---- shadows, Amira stumbles to her feet. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to stand up, even with the reduction,......, but it looks like she''s been working out for a while. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. You''re still going for it. I brace myself to continue the battle. At the moment, Amira''s body wavered and staggered. She collapses----!¡¡I tried to hold her, but she lunged at me. Oh no,---- I''m not sure what to do. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with your loved ones, you can call us at the web site. It seems that she had no intention of attacking me, and I was so disappointed that I lost the will to fight back. Aah!¡¡Ranga-sama is still wonderful!¡¡You''ve been training for some time now, haven''t you?¡¡And with this kind of power!¡¡I felt a glimpse of the Ranga-sama of old!¡¡I felt it!¡¡I could not help but come! "Oh, oh. ...... I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. It''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. I don''t know what you''re talking about, but ...... I''ve won, haven''t I? Yes! I lost! I''m not sure what you''re talking about. I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. That smile is terrifying. It might be better to leave this place quickly. But first, let me remind you. ...... I''m telling you, I''m not going to take over the world and I''m not going to listen to you. Okay, you got it? Yes, sir! Yes, of course! The loser must obey the winner, because that is the law of the demon tribe! I''m sure you''ll understand. Then I''ll go. Yes! Have a good day! I''m glad you understand, though the subtle gaps in the conversation are a little creepy. I feel like I''m being listened to strangely. ...... Anyway, let''s go home. The sun is already setting. I''m sure my father is worried about me. Well, I''m tired. I left the cottage, which was a bit tilted by the shock of the previous day, and headed home. By the time I returned to the city, it was dark. By the time I got back to town, it was getting dark. It was quite late. Didn''t I prepare a meal? It would be troublesome if my father was angry. ...... Thinking about this, I opened the door with trepidation. "I''m home. ...... "Hey, Ranga, you''re home! Ranga!" My father greeted me with a drink. I was relieved to see that he wasn''t that worried about me. "I''m sorry for worrying you, I''m late. He puts his hand on my shoulder as I bow my head. It''s okay. It''s okay. Every boy has nights he wants to spend alone. And I''m not worried about you. And don''t worry, I left you a letter. On a piece of paper on the table, he wrote that he was going to spend the night at Renton''s house. In my handwriting, that is. How can Amira even copy my handwriting? By the way, did you have a girl come to pick you up?¡¡She''s pretty, with long black hair. "......? Pick up? Kuro hair? A girl? A bad feeling runs down my spine. I''m back. When I turned around at the sound of a familiar voice, I found Amira there, the one I had just left. And for some reason, she was wearing a maid''s outfit. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. I''m sorry. It''s a good idea to take a look at the web site and see if you can find any useful information. I''m not sure if I can keep up with the conversation, but my dad and Amira are having a friendly conversation. "Oh, I see you''ve met Ranga. Amira. Yeah, we had a little chat and got to know each other. I didn''t know you could call me that. I didn''t expect you to do that!¡¡Ranga! No, no, no, what''s going on here? What''s this all about?" My father looked at me with a dumbfounded expression. What, you didn''t hear? I''m not listening!¡¡Not a word!¡¡Not one bit!¡¡Not even a little! I don''t know what''s going on. My father began to explain to my confusion. This girl is Amira, she was supposed to live here with her family but her parents were killed by a demon on the way. So I''ve decided to take care of her. Hey, Amira. "Yes! I was astonished when I saw Amira with a big smile on her face. What the hell are you talking about? "That''s fine. It''s a good thing I''m in a man''s club. And you''re going to throw her out into the cold with no one to care for her?¡¡I didn''t raise you to be such a cold man, did I? "No, he''s ----. I was about to say something and stammered. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. I''m not sure if this is the reason why she backed down so easily. She thought that if she stayed with me, she''d have plenty of chances to scare me off. When I gave her a "you got me" look, she put her hands over her eyes sadly and started sniffling. No, I understand how you feel, Ranga-sama. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m so excited. ...... I understand. I''ve procured a maid''s outfit with my last bit of silver, but I don''t want to cause you any more trouble. I''m going to leave. "Hey, calm down. Amira! Ranga just hasn''t sorted out his feelings yet, but I''m sure he''ll accept you soon! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. d*mn, he''s still weak against women''s tears. I don''t know if you''ve been duped by a bad woman. ...... No, you''re being cheated on right now. My father hugged my shoulders and whispered to me. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure it''s a good idea.¡¡Your friends will be jealous. Besides, you don''t have to wake up early to make dinner, and you don''t have to clean the house anymore.¡¡What''s wrong with that? Dad''s words are full of problems: ...... Although, hmm . I poke and prod, but I think. Amira''s a badass, and I don''t know what she''s capable of. It''s probably easier to deal with her if she''s within earshot. I let out a sigh and nodded in resignation. I sighed and nodded in resignation, "......, okay. It''s my dad''s house, why don''t you do what you want? Of course I can, but I''ll have to ask my roommate''s permission! My father smiles broadly and slaps me on the back. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. "Are you sure you want to go to ......? Of course I''m sure. A little maid lady? I let out a big sigh as my father bowed to me in a deliberate manner. Yes, yes, it''s nice to meet you, Amira. "Yes!¡¡I''m so happy to be here!¡¡Daryl-sama, Ranga-sama! Amira hugged me again. I don''t know what to do. 11 Maids Work "Wake up, Master Ranga! It''s morning! I hear a voice on my bed. Judging from my stomach, I don''t think it''s my usual time to get up. I wonder who''s waking me up. ...... Dad? No, Mom? I put the covers back on and rolled over in my sleep, thinking in my sleepy head. "Mnya, it''s still early. ...... "Oh no! No, it''s not! The sun is up, Ranga-sama! I jumped up at the sound of the call. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. "Good morning. It''s a beautiful morning, Ranga-sama. "Aa...... Mira......? Yes, yes, it''s your faithful maid, Amira. Master Ranga? Oh, yes, I remember. I remember now that Amira came to live with us yesterday. I get up from the bed, holding my aching head. "Oh no, Ranga-sama, you have a headache? I have just the right medicine for you. "Oh, thanks for the ....... It''s hard to say that the source of the headache is Amira herself. I''m not sure that the source of the headache is Amira herself, but she looks at me quizzically with the medicine in her hand and smiles. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that there''s nothing strange in there. I''m not going to try to use drugs or magic on Ranga-sama now that he has admitted defeat. It''s true that ...... looks like a very common over-the-counter medicine. I''m not sure what to make of it. As I said the other day, I''m not going to throw myself into the fray, no matter what you say. You can live with me, but you have to understand that. "Yes, I understand! When I reminded her, she agreed. As if she knew that I was suspicious, she added an explanation. I could see that you were the same as before. So I''ll just be happy to have you by my side, Ranga-sama. Not yet! "...... Not yet, huh? No!¡¡You''d better hurry or your breakfast will get cold. I don''t know what to say, but there''s no point in asking more questions. When Amira took me into the living room, I could smell the delicious aroma. There was grilled fish, herb soup, and fresh bread on the table. The table was set with grilled fish, herb soup and fresh bread. "Oh, this looks delicious. "Oh, this looks so good." Looking at the breakfast laid out in front of me, I get excited. It''s nice to have a meal you don''t make yourself. After watching me sit down in my chair, Amira leaves the room. I''m going to go wake up Master Daryl, so please eat first. I''ve called out to you several times. ...... Are you tired? My father, you''re still as lazy as ever even when the maid comes. Leave him alone, he''ll wake up. No, sir!¡¡A maid can''t disrespect her master''s father! ...... Oh, well, be careful, won''t you? What? Yes, I understand. Amira nodded her head at my words and headed for her father''s room. As I watched her go, I sipped my soup. Ah, it''s delicious. I hear the sound of walking in the hallway. Then I hear a few knocks on the door, then the sound of it opening, and then ---- Thud! Boom! Thump! Clatter! I heard the sound of things collapsing. Oh dear, I knew I''d done it. I took a bite of bread and headed for my father''s room. "Hey, Ranga-sama! Amira was propping up the crumbling furniture with a pathetic voice. I knew this was going to happen. I popped a piece of bread into my mouth and started to pile the crumbling furniture back up. When I opened the door, it suddenly collapsed. ...... "The entrance to my father''s room is like a light puzzle. The entrance to my father''s room is like a light puzzle, and if you don''t enter carefully, things will collapse. Why is that? My father''s room is so dirty that it looks like a storage room that has been abandoned for decades. The only person who can walk in it properly is my father. He was still snoring even after all this slamming. ...... Hmm? What''s wrong with you guys? But then he suddenly woke up. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on this subject in the following article. My dad''s stuff could have crushed Amira. It''s time you cleaned up your room. "Well, it''s tidy enough. Nothing is wasted, everything is efficient, functional and calculated. What the hell are you talking about? It''s a chaotic space where nothing is wasted, inefficient, or non-functional. You''re the only one who thinks so. Hey, Amira. "You are right, sir. My words were immediately affirmed. With a smile that said nothing. "Oh, you''re on Ranga''s side, Amira? I''m shocked, Uncle. Do I have to clean this up? "Ranga-sama is right, sir. Why? "By all means, sir. The father persisted, but Amira shook her head with a smile. Amira would not budge, even by leverage. I''m not sure if he sensed this, but he gave up early. "...... Huh, okay. I''ll clean it up. I''ll clean it up. I''ll take care of it when I get home from work. Yes!¡¡Breakfast is ready, please come this way. I''m afraid you''re smiling, Amira. My father came to the table and started to eat with gusto. "Ooh! Yum! Yum! This is delicious, Amira! Thank you very much. Thank you, Daryl. You''re a good eater. The father finished his meal quickly. "Thanks a lot! I''m off to work! "One moment, sir. He was about to get up, but Amira stopped him. "Why? Amira. Wash the dishes, please. And wipe up your messes. What? Wait a minute. I''ve got to go to work now. ...... Can I please? He smiled, a powerful smile that said nothing. My father backed away under the force of it. "...... Wow, I get it! He quickly wiped the table, washed the dishes, and left in a hurry. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your money. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. If it wasn''t for you, Ranga, I''d have killed you a hundred times. "No, don''t kill him. "No, don''t kill him," said Amira with a cool face. I''m afraid she''s going to do it. Well, good. Then all we have to do is educate them. Just like our troops used to be. In the days of the Four Heavenly Kings, the men in my unit did everything under Amira''s direction, from cleaning and caring for the weapons to preparing and washing the dishes. My motto was, "Wipe your own ass. Anyone who disobeys will be punished severely. Now, I''m going to clean up and go to school. I get up and start washing the dishes. "You''re the master, Mr. Ranga. You know exactly what I mean. No, I don''t want to get a scary look on my face. "Oh, I don''t think so. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. By the way, that rule applies to me, too. My father came home and made me clean up my room right away. Not only that, but he started to do a little housework. He didn''t listen to a single word I said to him. ...... I guess I''m glad that Amira came along. 12 Transfer students My name is Amira Lilingla. It''s nice to meet you all. Amira bowed, and the classroom erupted. Renton stood up and shouted with joy. After all, Amira is going to the same school as me. I guess the church can''t just leave a child with no one to take care of her. I guess the church can''t leave a child without a home. "So, the seat next to ...... Ranga-kun is available. Take good care of him. "Thank you, Ranga-sama. When she took the seat next to me, Amira smiled happily. "Hello, Amira! Nice to see you again! I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. The other day, Amira seemed to have forgotten that she had been passed over. And forget that she had been made a puppet with her mesmerizing eyes,......, it''s fine to be optimistic. But Amira hates pushy men. I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''ve never heard of it. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work. ...... As she prayed and watched, Amira smiled at Renton. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. I''m sorry. I''m not sure. I''m not sure. You remembered me! I''m honored! He answered in a normal way. He even remembered Renton''s name, which he didn''t seem to be interested in. I''m surprised. "So, Amira, you''re moving here! I feel like I''m doomed! Where do you live? Where do you live? Let''s go hang out later! And then Renton suddenly starts picking up girls. This guy just stepped on a land mine. He rushes to stop him, but Amira''s face is calm. You''re giving me the willies ...... "I''ve been staying at Master Ranga''s house. I''m working as a live-in maid. But then a bombshell was dropped. "What the hell? "What? Renton kicks off his chair and stands up. The others came up to Amira with curious looks on their faces. "You two live together? Siblings? Brother and sister? Cousin? In response to the barrage of questions, Amira dropped the bomb again. It''s a family affair, so we''re not related by blood or anything, but he''s the one I gave my ...... body and soul to. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. Dr. Claire was among them. "What? What''s going on? Are you two having an affair? It''s not naughty. In fact, it''s a healthy, if not ...... very precious relationship. So you''re getting married? Marriage? That''s ...... very scary, but I''ve always wanted it to be that way. ...... I''m an adult! The commotion is getting out of hand. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. "No, no. I can''t. I can''t. You''re still a child, but you''re doing something radical ...... that even I haven''t experienced yet. ...... Oh! God! Forgive me! I''m not sure what to do. It was completely out of control. I don''t know, I don''t know. I don''t know... The commotion subsided to an appropriate level, and today''s class was over. Ms. Claire looked tired from start to finish, but ...... I hope she''ll be back tomorrow. I''m not sure what to make of it. If you''d like to play with me, I''d be happy to. Everyone''s eyes light up at the unexpected comment. Especially me. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who''ll be able to help you out with this. ...... I don''t know what the hell is going on here. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do. The first person to raise his hand was Renton. "Me too! "Me, too! One after another, everyone gathers around Amira. Oh, she''s popular. Thank you very much. By the way, what do you guys usually do for fun at this school? "Well, ......, there are many things, but if you have this many people, you should play tag! It''s the hottest game right now! Hey, guys! "Yeah, yeah, yeah." "Sansei! Everyone agrees with Renton''s answer. "Well, that sounds great! Sounds fun! Let''s go outside! Yay! As I watched them leave the classroom in a hubbub, Amira held out her hand. "Come on, Ranga-sama, let''s go. ...... Oh. Getting along with everyone is the first step to peace. There is no reason to refuse. I took Amira''s hand and followed everyone, and we played the hottest game of the moment. "Hmm. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. ...... Well... In the evening glow, I''m on my way home with Amira. It''s not surprising that Amira got along well with everyone and blended right in. It was a bit of a miscalculation that she gave me the nickname "Ranga-sama". ...... What are you up to, Amira? Do you actually like children? I do like children. They''re innocent, pure, and straightforward. Amira smiled and continued. "That''s why they''re so easy to stain and control. They''re perfect for Ranga-sama to train as his servants. "Hey! "I''m just kidding. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''ve been so impressed with your work. I''m not sure what to make of that. 13 Night Training In the night, I woke up. I woke up and looked at the bed next to me and saw that Amira was sleeping. (...... seems to be asleep) She was going to live with us, but we were poor and there was no room available, so she was going to sleep in my room. Of course I was against it. Of course, I was against it. I thought it was wrong for a man and a woman to share a room. But I was kicked out of the room, saying, "It''s fine, they''re just kids. Amira, by the way, was naturally overjoyed. I''m not sure why I bothered to do this. The reason why I woke up in the middle of the night is because of my daily routine of defeating demons and training. I couldn''t go with Amira on the way home from school because I would stand out. Now that everyone is asleep, the gatekeepers will be less strict and it will be easier to escape. "Well, let''s go ....... I whispered to myself and got up, trying not to make a sound. "Where are you going, sir? Master Ranga. Amira woke up unconsciously. Her eyes were wide open. I''m not going to sleep, d*mn it. "I''m going to the ...... bathroom. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. I''m sure you''re not the only one. I''m sure you''re not the only one. I''m sure there''s some kind of secret training! That''s exactly what it is, isn''t it? You''re right, that sigh is a hit! I''m sure you can guess exactly what it is. ...... You''re a horrible person, you know that? I''m sure you''re not the only one. Do you mind if I follow you? You''re not going to follow me even if I say no, are you? ...... Do what you want. I''m glad you and Ranga seem to be on the same page. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. I know what you''re trying to say. I know exactly what you mean. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. As she left the house, Amira raised one hand while whispering, "Oh. I followed her and walked down the street at night. After a while, I arrived at the usual loophole. This way. I''ve made a loophole. "I see. ...... You''ve hidden it with straw. I removed the straw and walked through the hole in the wall and out of the city. "I''m hunting demons in the wilderness. Follow me for now. "Yes, sir! As I walked through the wilderness with Amira in tow, I spotted a writhing mass in the night. It''s ....... But defeating a demon like this isn''t ...... Not much training, is it? We''ll see. Zell must have noticed me approaching, because he turned his eyes inside me. Amira stays back, and we face each other. "Shoo! Zell''s whole body sprouted tentacles and he came at me. I lightly fought it off and cast a body-strengthening spell as usual. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ...! I''m not sure what to make of this. I''m not sure what to make of it. This one''s low on population. I''m a little out of my depth here. "Amira, would you like to take over? Are you sure? Yeah, but ---- keep your head up. I got close to Zell and landed a moderate kick. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I have. "Shuuuuuuu ......! The eyes of Zell and Amira meet. It looks like he''s targeting Amira this time. Amira is also in a fighting stance. I''ve nothing against you ......, but this is a good opportunity to show Ranga-sama that I''m a capable deputy. "Shhhh! I''m not a fan of your work, but this is a good opportunity to show Ranga that you are a capable deputy. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. It''s a good idea to keep your hands clean and dry. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do. You can either use your magic to guard against it, or minimize your exposure to it, ...... or both. Oh no! You''re being reckless! "Shhhh! GISHA! A rain of tentacles rained down on her. Amira cloaked her hands in magic power and desperately resisted, but gradually became unable to prevent them. That''s it. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. "Master Ranga, ......! I''m sorry. I pushed you a little too hard. It''s a bad habit of mine to unconsciously impose my senses on others. It''s not as if Amira can easily handle the training I''m doing. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. "......, so goodbye. "---- While Zell was speaking, I slammed my fist into the center of it. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one. "...... Huh, are you okay? I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. Oh, thank you, ....... She took my hand and her body was wet with Zell''s mucus. "Oh, don''t worry about it. ...... I mean, I''m sorry. I''m sorry. No, I''m sorry I wasn''t strong enough. You''ve been practicing like this every day, haven''t you, Ranga? ...... Don''t get me wrong. Don''t get me wrong, you just need a certain amount of power to live in peace. "A certain amount of ......, sir? Amira gives me a blank stare as she says this. I think this is normal. I''m not sure what to say. I''m impressed. "Oh, oh, ....... I felt absurd at Amira''s dumbfounded but respectful words. 14 Night Training, 2 We need to get that slime off for now. There''s a river nearby. Let''s go. I''m sorry. It was my fault. I''m still not good enough. I''ll have to train harder. ......! Amira was burning with the will to fight. I may have motivated her unnecessarily. Anyway, we got to the river near the city. Come on, come on in. All right. ...... By the way, don''t look, okay? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. Right in front of me. What are you doing?¡¡What are you doing? What do you mean, she''s taking off her clothes? ...... "I''m taking off my clothes, sir. If you don''t want me to look at you, you should change where I can''t see you! "Hmm, you''re as naive as ever. I love it when you do that. A hand on her lips and a seductive smile on her face. I''m sure you did it on purpose. It''s a shame. I''m sorry to hear that. It''s a shame." Amira remains naked as ever as she talks. You ought to be ashamed, ashamed. "Only for you, Ranga. Amira winked and went into the shade of a nearby rock. She was a real pain in the ass. After a while, the sound of her clothes stopped and the sound of water began to fill the air. He seemed to have started bathing. Don''t look at me, please! And don''t move from there! A demon appears outside the city. It''s hard to believe that Amira would be able to outrun these demons even though she''s naked, but her human body is vulnerable. I''m not sure what to make of it. So I waited behind a rock. "Don''t look at me! I''ve got nowhere to hide, nothing to hide, and I''m completely naked and vulnerable, so please don''t look at me, because you can see all of my important and extreme parts! "Shut up! You didn''t see it! I''m not looking at it!" she replied to the strangely persistent Amira. I''m not sure what to make of this. I''m not sure what to make of it. Don''t you know the word "flag"? He said something that I couldn''t understand. What the hell is he talking about? What are you talking about? ...... I''m telling you, I don''t look at it from the beginning. It''s a tragedy that you can''t understand how ...... people feel. But as a king, you don''t need to know the hearts of fools,....... I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. Just get it over with. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it. It''s not like there''s any elegance to it at all. And so on. She dried her wet clothes with magic and came out in front of me. If you can come out right away, don''t make me wait. I''ll be back. I''m going to start my training now. Yours. "Ha! Once again, I walked through the wilderness with Amira in tow. Amira has less control over her magic than I thought. She''s going to drag me down if she doesn''t, and that''s not something she wants. So I''ll train. For my own peace. After a short walk, I spotted Zell. "Well, let''s see what he''s got, shall we? "Okay, ......! "Okay, I''ll see what I can do. I''m not sure what you mean by that. You can''t be sure who will come to you if you exert too much magic, even in the wilderness at night. Hold it down more. "Yes, sir! I''m sorry! If you exert too much magic, you might be detected even from a distance. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea for you to use it, but it''s a good idea. I''m going to teach Amira how to control her magic at this time. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do that, but I''ll try. "Put the minimum amount of magic in both palms and repel Zell''s attack. Yes! ......! She replied cheerfully and headed towards Zell. Zell fights back with his tentacles. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. The first, second, and third ...... seem to be going well at first. "......! But around the seventh time, Amira''s movements started to become suspicious. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. This seems to be the limit. "Okay, that''s enough strengthening for Zell! Try to fight as long as you can in that state! "...... Yes! The exchange between Zell and Amira began. The tentacles are struck down with a magic-filled hand and continue to fall, fall, fall. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. The accuracy of this technique is gradually decreasing, and you will find yourself on the defensive. I''m not sure what to do.¡¡I''m sorry.¡¡I''m not sure what to do.¡¡Ranga-sama! "Not yet!¡¡Stick it out until the very end!¡¡If you don''t push past your limits, you''ll never be strong enough! Heee!¡¡It''s too hard for me, an intellectual brainiac! Just hang in there! It''s all about spirit! I encourage the whining Amira. Amira is getting soaked with Zell''s tentacles, but it looks like she''s nearing her limit. "Oh, you can''t take it anymore? "Yes! "...... Okay. Okay, take him down. "Fugghhhh! I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. I''m not sure what to make of that. Hmm, he flew. "Huh, huh, huh. ...... Amira threw her body to the ground and slumped. "Hey, are you tired yet? "Master Ranga''s ...... training is ...... a little ...... tight. I''m a little sluggish, but I''m trying. There are very few people who can keep up with my training. There were only a few in the squad besides Amira. "Well, you did good. I''m embarrassed, but I''ll give you a compliment. Amira''s face lit up. "So, ...... would you stroke that ...... head of yours, please, ......? "No, thank you. "Eeee! It''s terrible! I''m not sure what to do. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. I''ll be back. After a while, we finished our training and went back to the city. It was still the middle of the night, so we crept into the house, trying to keep our footsteps down so as not to wake my father, and went to bed. But there was no need to worry, my father slept through the whole thing. "...... Mr. Daryl, there''s no sign of him waking up. You have no sense of urgency. I wonder if that''s enough to be a gatekeeper. Well, there are other gatekeepers, so I''m sure he''ll be fine. As soon as I put on the futon, I felt sleepy. I get sleepy easily after physical exercise. "Lord Ranga... It''s a long night. I won''t let you sleep. ...... mnya As I listened to Amira''s sleepy voice, I began to breathe in my sleep. 15 Demon invasion And in the morning. I woke up as usual on my way to school. There''s a lot of noise in the shopping district. I saw a butcher''s man in the crowd and called out to him. "Uncle, what''s wrong? "Hello, Ranga. And Amira... ...No, it seems that a demon has invaded the city. A demon invasion is a terrible thing. There''s a huge warding around the city. That''s why weak demons can''t get close to it. Despite the fact that there are even gatekeepers,......, something must have happened. Oh, my God, that''s terrible! Oh, I don''t know what the hell the gatekeepers are doing. ...... Oh! I''m not referring to Ranga''s father, though! I''m not talking about Ranga-kun''s father!" He shook his head at the hurriedly mending uncle. I''m not talking about Ranga''s father. I''ve got school. Have a good day. After saying goodbye to the uncle, Amira and I headed off to school. I can''t believe there''s a demon in town. Have the wards been broken? No, if that''s the case, there should be more demons approaching and there should be a big commotion. The gatekeepers are running around the city, so it must have gotten in from somewhere. However, most of the demon scouts and very powerful demons that seem to be getting inside don''t show any signs of doing so. Perhaps they got in through a crack in the wards. It''s nothing to be concerned about. Oh! "Hey, Ranga!¡¡Amira!¡¡Are you at school now?¡¡It''s my day off. We ran into Renton coming back from school. Renton showed us a piece of paper that he must have gotten at school. It said that the school was closed today because of a demon. "So, why don''t we go catch some fish in the river? Renton said with a wink. I let out a sigh in reply. "It says here that students are to stay home and study on their own. ...... What are you, an honor student? You''re an honor student! I''m implying that you should play with caution! You can''t sense that from this text, but ...... Renton will come at you regardless. I''m sure you''re aware of that. The Seine. The fish there are big and delicious! "Oh, fish? The fish are big and delicious! I''ve been having trouble with the high price of fish in this town. If you can get it for free, that''s great. Let''s catch a lot of them and keep them in the fish tank. "Oh! That''s a good idea, Amira! That''s a good idea! Really? Then let''s keep the fish in your house. I''ll build you an aquarium. Oh! Nice idea, Amira! That''s a great idea! No, are you listening to me, Renton? Your house is about to be remodeled without your permission. What are you going to do without parental permission? I''ll take yes for an answer. Renton, you''re quite a sight. One day soon, I''ll appoint you First Officer of my unit. I don''t know what it is, but I''m honored to be Amira''s first! Renton continues to agree without really understanding. The conversation between the two of them is absolutely mind-boggling. We arrived at the Seine, having decided to catch some fish. We arrived at the Seine River, where there was no sign of the usual guards. "Whoo-hoo! Renton grabbed a net and a bucket and jumped into the river. After enjoying the cold water, he fills the bucket and hands it to me. Ranga, take this one!¡¡I''ll get you a bucket full in no time! Good luck! I''m on it!¡¡Whoo-hoo-hoo! Renton swings the net around. But there''s no way you can catch fish with such a crude method, and the net only drains the water. "Mugugug ...... d*mn it! Renton is screaming in frustration. "We''ll never catch it, even if we try until nightfall. Moving your feet in the water will strengthen your hips. Moving your legs in the water will strengthen your back and give you a better sense of where to aim, even if you don''t catch any fish. I told you not to turn everything into training. ...... But it''s no fun to come all the way here and not get anything. I''ll give you a little help. I picked up a pebble that had fallen at my feet and put some magic into it. I threw them into the river. A few pebbles fell into the river, one upstream and one downstream, and began to emit a faint light as they sank into the water, creating ripples. "Master Ranga, what was that stone ......? It''s a stone that has been maliciously infused with magic. It''s ...... light, though. But small animals are sensitive to hostility. I''m not going near that stone. ...... As I had planned, the fish would not approach the stone I threw at them at all. That means I''ve given them nowhere to run. Naturally, the fish have no choice but to migrate around Renton. "Ooooooh! I don''t know what it is, but a lot of fish are coming! I don''t know what it is, but a lot of fish are coming! It seems that the fish have no way to escape in a small area, and after a while the bucket is full of fish. "Hey, how about it, Amira! Marry me and I''ll feed you a bowl of fish every day! "Well, Renton''s wife will be lucky to have you. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out, Amira. Renton doesn''t seem to mind, and proudly shows her the contents of the bucket. As I was watching them smiling at each other, I felt a presence from across the river. "!¡¡Ranga-sama! "......, did you feel it too? I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do that. What?¡¡What?¡¡What''s the matter with you? Renton, who can''t sense magic, is puzzled by our reaction, but there''s no time to explain. In the meantime, a presence crawls along the bottom of the water and approaches us. A single Zell emerges from the rising water. This is the monster ...... that invaded the city, but its size and magical power are far from that of a mere zel. I''m not sure if this is the same one that Amira blew up,....... I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m sorry about that. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. He must have absorbed the fish and other living things in the area and recovered. ...... Well, what''s done is done. It''s my fault for not checking to see if it''s gone. Anyway, let''s get this over with. "But Renton is ...... I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one. I''m sure you''re not the only one. I''m not sure what to do. It''s easy to defeat Zell, even though he''s been enhanced, but if he sees it, all hell will break loose. "Shall I stun him?¡¡You can charm him, but once he''s been charmed, it''s hard to charm him again. Right. Oh, my God!¡¡What are you talking about?¡¡Let''s get out of here! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. "Whoa!¡¡It''s a demon! He heard the voices of the guards in the distance. It was the ...... father who appeared from the top of a small hill built along the river. 16 Vicariously "Whoa! It''s Ranga and Amira! Why are you guys here? "Dad ......! My dad spotted us from a distance and rushed over to us. He was wearing a full-face helmet that almost hid his face, and his usual armor. Apparently, he was on patrol. It''s a shame ...... that my dad found me, let alone the other guards! "Oh, hey, Ranga! It''s your father, isn''t it? Well, ...... yeah, but... Oh, thank God! Hey! Help! Help! Hey! I''m coming! Dad, noticing Renton''s call for help, rushes down to the riverbank. "Come on! I''ll deal with you, you demon! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''ll deal with you, demon! I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with that. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Die, you bastard! With a roar, my father launched his thrusts, but Zell was not intimidated at all. In no time at all, Zell had the upper hand. "d*mn, this Zell is so strong. ......! If it was just Zell, even my father could probably get rid of it, but the opponent was strengthened by Amira''s magic. My father was being driven back by countless tentacles. "Hey! You guys better run! My father shouted, and Renton huffed. "That''s right, Ranga! Get over here! "Hmm, ...... that''s right, ....... It''s not good. ...... I could have fooled Renton if he was the only one, but when he''s got his dad with him, it''s not good. In any case, Renton took me by the hand and I went backwards. I hid behind a rock to see what was going on, but the flag was getting worse. Seeing his father struggling, Renton began to panic. No wonder. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. But even so, as you would expect from a reliable guard, the father does not give in. "...... Nooooooooooooo! He managed to catch the blow of the tentacle, but the rock wall was closing in behind him. It''s not going to be easy. It''s not good. ...... We have to do something. ...... I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. We''re going to be killed! We have to go help them! We''ve got to go help them! It''s wiser to run. Amira stops him. It''s a good argument, but it''s hard for Renton as a child to accept. But... ...... "We should run and get help. That''s better. The two argue. Think, there''s got to be a way ...... something ......! I''ve been thinking about this for a while, and I''m getting an electric current in my brain. I''ve been thinking about it for a while. ---- That''s it! You can use this ......! Amira, you and Renton get out of here. Go get help! What are you talking about, Ranga? You''re coming with us! I''m not gonna take your hand. "...... Renton. What? What''s up? Hurry up. Renton is rushing me, but he seems to have noticed my serious face. He waits for me to speak again, and then says in a heavy tone. I''m staying here. Take care of Amira for me. "Ranga ...... you ......! Renton seemed to sense immediately what I was trying to say. I mean, take Amira and run. Renton nodded and took Amira''s hand. "...... Oh! I got it! I''m not sure what to do. And then he starts running. Renton is simple, but he''s not stupid. If you give him an excuse, he''ll at least understand the priority of what needs to be done. "Master Ranga: ...... He looks back at Amira with concern in his eyes and nods. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. ...... Take care. He said. I nodded back and looked back at my dad. In the meantime, my dad was pretty much cornered. He''s been hit by Zell''s tentacles so many times that his armor is sticky. He was out of breath, and blood could be seen seeping through his armor. You can see the blood seeping through his armor. Still, he has not lost his fighting spirit, which is quite impressive. The father still stared at Zell with hatred. "Shhhh! Zell swung his tentacles down at his father. There was a sickening sound, and my father was blown away. There''s a nasty sound, and my father is blown away as hard as he can. What? He hits the shore, sending up a cloud of dust. "Dad! Renton''s voice echoed throughout the area. I''m not sure what to make of it. ---- Okay, not yet. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m going to try. I heard the sound of flesh creaking and the ground slowly sinking in. I unleashed the full force of my ---- power. With a single step, I stitched my way through the gaps in Zell and plunged into the dust cloud. In the thick smoke, my father''s eyes are rolling. I took off my full-face helmet and ...... saw that he was still breathing. I breathe a sigh of relief as I quickly remove my armor. I thought he was ...... a sloppy old man with all these scars, but now I''m kind of impressed. I''m not going to get too sentimental about it. I took off the armor and put it on ----. It''s a little big, but ...... yeah, I can manage it. It''s a good thing my dad is small and I''m tall for a 10 year old. It''s a little ......, well, a lot bigger, but it''s not impossible to move. No problem then. I put on my helmet after wrapping my whole body in armor. A full-face helmet with body-hugging armor and a spear in my hand. No one would know who I was. I also hid my dad in a corner and put him on ....... That''s it. When I''m ready, the smoke clears. "Shoe ......? In front of me, Zell looks surprised to see his prey rise from the deadly blow he dealt him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Dad! Renton shouts in the distance. He seems to have mistaken you for his father. Good. Now all I have to do is defeat him as the gatekeeper, Daryl. I raise my spear and turn to face Zell. Now let''s start the counterattack. 17 Demon Cross "Shoooooo ......! I''m not sure what to make of this. It seems that the speed ...... of the body has not only been strengthened, but has also become stronger and larger by eating the creatures around it. But no matter how enhanced it is, it''s still just a zel. If I fought it normally, it would kill me instantly. ...... I''m not sure what to say. Good luck! I''m not sure what to do. Renton thinks I''m his father. He can''t just kill me instantly. It''s too much to ask after all the struggles he''s had. I have to win the fight as naturally as possible, without any sense of discomfort. Oh man, this is gonna be hard. "Shaaa! Zell attacked me, unaware of my difficulties. I swung the spear in my hand to cut off the tentacles. The tentacles that had fallen to the ground were disappearing in droplets. "Gishi......? Zell, whose attack was easily blocked, seemed to be confused. I''m not sure what to do. It looked a little unnatural. ......? "Oh! I''m not sure what to say. You''re moving so differently than before! But Renton didn''t seem to notice at all, and cheered for me. But Renton doesn''t seem to notice and cheers. I''m not sure what to do. I walk up to Zell with ease. Zell swings his tentacles at me to keep me away, but I slash them all away as I go. One step, then two, then three, and I''m right on Zell. I look up slowly, and Zell squeals louder than ever. "Shhhhhhhhhh! With a roar, a tentacle ---- shot out from his body, and that was his last stand. I swung out my spear at once, and the slash split Zell''s body in half, up and down. But it''s not over yet. I aimed at the core of the eye that had escaped to the top, and this time I swung my spear down. You can''t defeat this kind of irregularly shaped demon unless it has a core somewhere in its body that can be destroyed. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ---- A flash of lightning split Zell''s body into a cross and the core also broke in half. I watched as the core shattered into pieces and slammed my spear into the ground with all my might. Whoa, whoa, whoa!¡¡and a shockwave blew up, causing a huge cloud of dust to rise. A huge cloud of dust rises up. This way, Renton and the others can''t see us. I''ll just go to ...... while I can. I take off my armor and put it back on my father. I hide behind a tree before the smoke clears. "Father! And then, without a care in the world, I run up to him. I picked him up and told him to be careful. I''m super busy. Renton and Amira come running after me. "Dad!¡¡Are you okay? ...... hmmm, what the ...... hell ...... My father wakes up, holding his head. Renton hugged his father, who was in a daze, seemingly unaware of what had happened. "Dad! That''s great! That''s awesome! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea or not. I''m going to ...... the demon? "Yes, Master Daryl. "Yes, Master Daryl, you defeated that demon. Maybe because you were so absorbed, you don''t seem to remember. Amira adds to that. Nice follow-up. "Yeah, that''s great, Dad. I''m surprised that you were able to defeat such a demon. I''ll give you a little extra credit. "That''s right! I was blown up and thought I was going to die, but then I got up and killed the demon with one blow! Probably because we were there, he couldn''t show his strength. Dad, you were so cool! Yeah, that''s my scenario. I''ll pretend to be my father, defeat the demon, and then pretend that it was my unconscious father who did it. ............ He looked at us with envy and listened to our words with a puzzled look on his face. "Gahaha! You''re right, you''re right! I knew it. I knew it, I knew that''s what my father would do. Thank God my father is so simple. My father laughed and sat back down. "Of course, the reason you looked like you were struggling was to draw the demon''s attention to me! When I saw that you guys had escaped, I finally decided to fight for real! "Oh! I knew it! That jumonji slash was amazing! "Yes, indeed! That''s the Onion Cross, a secret technique passed down in my family for generations! ...... What the hell is the "Demon Cross"? It''s just a random attack that just happened to turn into a cross slash. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. "The Demon Cross! That''s cool! "Yeah! I know, right? "Yeah, yeah! The spear is squishy! It''s really squishy! Renton''s words made my father look at his spear. The spear couldn''t withstand my attack and was bent limp. Sorry, Dad. I didn''t mean to offend you. "......, oh no. I''ll get yelled at by the captain. ...... "Well, well, well, you fought to protect us. I''m sure the captain will forgive you. I hope so. ...... The father looked depressed and let out a big sigh. 18 Captain Deki After that, the guards were alerted and rushed in. They asked me, Amira and Renton a lot of questions about the battle between my father and Zell. "...... So, your father defeated the evil demon! Renton was excited and told it like he saw it. The watchman nodded his head repeatedly in disbelief. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that ...... Daryl, the lazy, drunken, number one guy the watchmen don''t want to be held by, is ...... Hey, that''s a terrible thing to say, Dad. It''s even sadder that it''s mostly true. It''s even sadder that you''re mostly right. Oh, no, it''s not that I don''t believe you, okay? It''s not that I don''t believe you, it''s just that if three people saw it at the same time, even if it was a child, there''s no doubt about it. ...... Hmmm, that Daryl... ...... I''m not sure what to say. I''m sure you''ll agree. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. Hmmm ...... Well, I''ll have to believe it when I see this scene. I''m not sure what to make of it. The fierce fighting had left the area riddled with potholes. I''m half to blame for this. I''m sorry. ...... Well, yes, thank you, boys. The guard saluted us and went back to his unit. Still, he seemed to believe us in the end. It was a good decision to show Renton the fight. The testimony of Amira and I, his own people, would have been considered a lie. "Hey!¡¡That''s enough!¡¡How long are you treating me like a criminal? Daryl-dono, I''m just listening to you. I''m not treating you like a criminal. ...... Shut up!¡¡Hey, let''s go home, guys. The father raises his voice in irritation. I''m not sure what to say.¡¡I''m not done with you yet!¡¡We have to write a report! As the guards hurriedly stopped him, a man approached. "Hello, boys. You can''t act like that to the hero who saved the city. A man with slightly long golden hair tied back. He''s about 20 years old, tall, and quite handsome. The man was wearing the same armor as the guards, but his helmet had a white line on it that represented the captain. "This is Captain Gaelio, sir! I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. The man ---- Gaelio responded with a smirk and turned to us. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m sorry, guys, for asking so many weird questions. I''ll give you some candy. I''ll give you some candy." "Hey, it''s not fair of you to try to catch us with candy. Renton looked at the candy Gaelio had taken out and grumbled. I''m sorry, I''m sorry. So you don''t want the candy? "If you insist, I''ll take it. ...... But I''m taking it as soon as I can. Then don''t complain. Come on, you guys. Gaelio gave us candy too. Gaelio gave us candy too, with no malice or ulterior motive in his face. I took the candy and put it in my pocket. "Thank you, big brother. "Haha, good boy. But I''m the same age as Daryl. I have a wife and kids. I don''t mind being your uncle. "What? We all shouted in surprise. "The same as your father? ......35? I can''t see it! He looks like he''s about 20! "Yeah, Gaelio, you''re cool! I have a bit of a complex about my baby face, but ...... thanks you guys. With a somewhat complicated face, Gaelio chuckles. I''m not sure what to make of this. I''m not sure what to make of that. It''s ....... What do you mean? I''m not sure if he noticed me staring at him or not, but he looked embarrassed. "Well, Daryl! It''s amazing! I heard that you defeated the demons that invaded the town! What''s ......? Gaelio nodded his head. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. I''ve always thought that Daryl is a very capable man! His normal work attitude is a bit ...... dodgy, but he''s always been a top performer in practical training. I thought he was a man who could do it when he had to. But to be able to defeat a demon all by yourself,......, I admire this Gaelio. "Ah, ......, well, it wasn''t much, though! Gahahahaha! The agitated father laughs loudly, seemingly in a good mood . It''s really simple. ...... And Gaelio seems to know how to handle his father well. You''re the boss. I''d love to hear all about it!¡¡How about a drink at the bar tonight?¡¡I''ll buy you a drink! Oh!¡¡You''re right, Captain Gaelio!¡¡...... Well, you do know how to talk!¡¡I wanted to show you my Demon Cross! "Oh, ......, is that a special move?¡¡I like that. I''m excited. Let''s meet again. "Hahaha!¡¡You can''t lose! My father was embraced by Gaelio and returned to his squad, looking satisfied. He seemed to like the "Onijushi" a lot. 19 Party ---- It''s been a few days since then, and the city has returned to normalcy. The only thing that has changed is that Renton has become addicted to playing chanbara. I''m not sure what to say.¡¡"Demon Cross! Kiiiiin!¡¡Renton swings down his wooden sword, and I catch it lightly. So today, it''s another game of chanbara with me. ...... Well, if I don''t play with him, someone else is going to get hurt. Aah! I''m not sure what to make of it. But Renton seems to be unhappy that his attacks are all being blocked. I''m sure he''s going to complain if you dodge ....... I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this, but I''m sure you''ve seen it. "Oh, right. That reminds me of my business. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. "What''s the matter, Ranga? It''s still early. I''m sorry, but I''ve got things to do today. When I apologized, Renton''s lips twitched. "Mmm. ...... I don''t blame you. You''ll have to make it up to me later! I''ll be back. Ranga, Amira! I said goodbye to Renton and headed straight home. It''s still early, but my dad is there, and he''s dressed in unusually nice clothes. I''m home. "Oh, you''re home, you two. Well then, get dressed quickly. We''ll be out in a minute! Yeah! Both Amira and I changed into the clothes we had prepared and left the house. We''re headed to the fort where the guards always gather, and there''s going to be a party here today. The star of the party is my father. He was awarded for defeating the demon that invaded the city and protecting the child. "Gahhaha, you should be thanking me, you two! "...... haha. I could not help but laugh dryly at my father''s boisterous laughter. We arrived at the fort. When we arrived at the fort, we were greeted by Gaelio. He bowed his head reverently in an acted movement. "Oh, you''re here! Heroic Daryl-dono! He then closed one eye. His theatrical movements came naturally to him. It''s a good thing I''m good-looking. The father smiles embarrassedly as Gaelio encourages him. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s a bit of a jerk. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one.¡¡I''m not sure what to make of that.¡¡You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace.¡¡Instant kill!¡¡I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. I''m not sure I can compete with you, Captain ....... I''m looking forward to seeing more of you! The father looks annoyed, but he seems to be very happy. He must have been very pleased with me. Well, let''s talk about it inside. Everyone''s waiting for you, so come on in. "Oh, yes!¡¡Come on, Ranga. ...... Yes. Gaelio led the way into the fort, and inside was a glittering party hall. In a large hall, there were several round desks with sumptuous food on them. "Wow, ......! The sight made me and my father shout out. On the plate on the table were mashed potatoes, beef stew, a salad with alternating tomatoes and cheese, and in the center of the salad was a large shrimp. In the center of the salad was a large shrimp. Seeing something like this, I was really excited. I always eat simple homemade food. Please don''t hesitate to eat. "Delicious, delicious! It''s awesome! Before Gaelio could say anything, my father was devouring the food. d*mn, that''s not classy. Gaelio sees this and smiles dryly. As I looked on in amazement, Amira muttered to herself beside me. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. No, I''ve never been to one before. I''ve never been to a party like this before." "Was Daryl too sloppy to be invited? I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure how I feel about that. I''m not sure what to say. Gaelio interrupted our conversation. "The commander of the knight order that protects the kingdom is here on an inspection tour. This is a welcome party for him. When I told him about Daryl, he said he''d like to meet him, so I invited him. ...... Oh, so you''re just a bonus, huh? "Don''t tell Daryl, okay? Gaelio puts his index finger to his lips. Delicious! Yummy! My father, oblivious to our conversation, was devouring his meal. He was devouring his meal so fast that he almost lost his plate. ...... is so bad, we''re going to run out of food. "Aaah! I''ll have some too! "Haha, go ahead and eat. I took the opportunity to start eating a sumptuous meal. Amira, with her mouth full of food, said happily. I also bit into a prawn from the top of my head. I''m not sure what to make of this. "......Refn. "Mmm, I love the spiny texture of this shrimp! I was enjoying a blissful moment, when suddenly a chill ran down my spine. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I stopped eating and whispered in Amira''s ear. I stopped eating and whispered in Amira''s ear, "...... Did you feel anything? Amira. What? I''m sure you''re not the only one. Mmmm. It''s ...... nothing. It''s no good, this guy can''t seem to sense anyone but me. While I was searching for a sign, I heard a coughing sound coming from above the stage. "Well, everyone. I hope you''re enjoying the party. The owner of the voice was Gaelio, and his clear, resonant voice drew everyone''s attention. After confirming this, Gaelio nodded in satisfaction and continued. "Thank you for your attention. Well, what a surprise today! The Commander of the Royal Knights is here today! Everyone, please welcome him with a big round of applause! "Aaahhhh! Crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle. Amidst the thunderous applause, an old man with white hair appeared on the stage. Dressed in ceremonial dress, with several medals hanging from his chest, he cast a glance at the audience with narrow eyes. I couldn''t help but look away. I looked away because the faint hint of magic was something I knew well from the past. (Why is he here, ......? I''ve seen that sign before. The Deathlord Levanov. He''s one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army. 20 King of death, Levanov The Lord of Death, Levanov. He is what is known as a High Immortal "Rich". The High Immortals are a race of famous necromancers who have turned themselves into the undead in search of immortality, and Levanov is an older version of them. The Levanovs are a race of even older immortals, the High Liches, if you will. They''ve been the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army for more than a hundred years before I was born. He may or may not have lived longer than the Demon Lord. His character is very foul and he has a bad temper. After all, he has survived for hundreds of years in a demon society where power is everything. Using his subordinates as shields is a piece of cake. He will get down on his knees and tell hundreds of lies in order to survive. He was the only one to return alive from a battlefield that had been wiped out. He used to say, "Live to win. (He probably fought the heroes after that, but I''m not surprised he''s still alive ....... One of his necromantic arts is to take the corpse of another and make it his own body. That''s probably how he took the body of the Commander of the Order. The magic power mixed with the distinctive smell of death, no doubt. I''m sure he pretended to be killed by the heroes and survived. (But that bastard, why is he in this place ......? I don''t think so, but did he notice me? I don''t think so. He''s a magician type, so he''s not good at detecting magic from a distance. Basically, I''ve been living with very little magic. And if he senses magic, he''ll notice me right away. If they did, they would show it a little. (Then it''s really a coincidence ......? We need to be on the lookout anyway. I instructed Amira to act as usual to avoid being noticed, and I did the same. Like a child, I focused on my meal and kept my ears on Levanov. Levanov is giving a speech as Marshal of the Order. "The honor of knighthood is not something to be wielded lightly, ---- because ...... ......That''s a great performance by the way. He plays the role of a mild-mannered old man who is far removed from the original Levanov. No one will doubt that he is the Marshal of the Order. "Well, that''s enough of the old man''s boring stories. It''ll only make everyone sleepy. A lot of laughter erupted. He mixes soft talk with hard talk to create a sense of urgency. You know how to give a speech. You know how to give a good speech. ...... Oh, well, it''s the birth of a new hero that''s going to break everyone''s boredom. I''d like to introduce you to the hero who just saved the city. As the crowd buzzed, Levanov held out his hand toward them. "Daryl, come forward. "Yes? At Levanov''s words, the old man who had been eating his dinner stood up as if he had just eaten a bubble. Noticing that everyone''s attention was focused on him, he scrubbed his dirty mouth, stood up and hurried to the stage. Perhaps he was nervous, but his movements were awkward. I''m scurrying around. It''s embarrassing. People around me were yelling at me, and my father was responding with a friendly smile. "Well, ......, that''s not good. Tahahahahaha ......". Levanov clears his throat and turns to face his father. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a medal with a cross on it. "...... Sir Daryl. You risked your life to save the city, to save your children, to defeat the demons. I''m proud of a hero like you. Please accept this medal. When the father saw the medal Levanov presented him, he saluted reverently and straightened his back. "...... Ha! Thank you very much, sir! He then accepted the medal. As I watched the whole thing, I understood. Levanoff was licking his father''s eyes from top to bottom as he focused on the medal. (...... I see, Levanov came to see my father. ......! There are many people who can defeat demons, but there are few who can do it alone and with overwhelming power. There are many people who can defeat demons, but few can do it alone and with overwhelming power. Levanov could not leave such a situation unattended. It''s clear that if left unchecked, he will become an enemy to himself. He came to the city by chance to see if he could give his father a medal. If he is easy to control, I will add him to my staff. If not, I will kill him as soon as ---- possible. (The expression on Levanov''s face reads: ......) The utmost contempt for the lower life forms. He took one look at him with a mocking, disgusted look, then looked down at his shrinking father and snickered. It was a small gesture, but I''m sure of it. As far as I know, Levanov is the only one who ever made such a low face. He seemed to have figured out that my father was a demon slayer by some fluke or mistake. ...... Well, it''s not hard to see that he''s just a regular guy to the casual observer. Levanov''s face immediately returned to that of a marshal. ...... So, continue to strive to set an example for the Guard in protecting the city. "Yes, sir! Yes, sir! The conclusion I came to was to leave it alone. I guess my father decided to leave it at that. When he stepped down from the stage, he smiled embarrassedly while being chided by his colleagues. "Whoa, old man, you can''t concentrate on eating here. I''ll leave you now. With a round of applause, Levanov disappeared behind the curtain. I''ve got to go to the bathroom. "Oh!¡¡Ranga! I said to Gaelio, and I followed him. Me too! "You too, Amira! Amira immediately follows me. The women''s room is over there! Gaelio''s voice echoed in vain behind me. Even if he doesn''t notice me, it''s dangerous to leave him behind. Feeling a strange connection, I went after Levanov. 21 a grudge He said the restroom was that way. "In that case, Master Ranga, you''ve passed the men''s room. "...... has gone into hiding. "Oh, dear. I''m not sure what to do. I went around the back of the hall, towards the back door, and found ...... it! It''s Levanov. He''s with his retinue. I hide myself behind a pillar and wait for him. I hide behind a pillar and look in. General. "Oh, good, good. I''ve had a nice change of pace. Thank you. Thank you for saying so. Would you like to go back to your lodgings now? I think I''d better. I''m a little tired. There''s a carriage for you. This way, please. Levanov and his retinue disappear through the door. She grabbed Armira''s arm and stopped her as she ran after them. "...... Why are you stopping me, Master Ranga? There''s only one luxury hotel in the city, so there''s no need to risk going right after them. I''ll take another route ahead. "Ha! The Royals, the only luxury hotel in the city, is a historic hotel where His Majesty the King has stayed during his visits. Most of the celebrities and rich people who visited the city stayed here. In particular, Levanov and his friends were in large numbers. For security reasons, this was the only place to stay. We went out the other side of the door and jumped on the roof under the cover of night. I, of course, and Amira, too, leapt with our magic reduced to the absolute minimum. I rolled my eyes at her. "Oh, you''ve gotten much better at controlling your magic. Amira. It''s the result of Ranga-sama giving you a lot of shove! I''m not sure what to do. You only did a little bit of that the other day. However, it''s quite a feat to get this much done with just that. After jumping across the rooftops, Amira and I arrived in front of the hotel, where Levanov was waiting. So, Amira, can you ''hear''? "Of course I can! I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. This is simply my original technique of listening very carefully. I call it "listening ear" for convenience. If you focus your attention on a certain area, you can hear what is being said there. If you concentrate your attention, you can hear Levanov talking to himself. That man ...... was apparently just a common guard. His voice is cold and low, like it''s coming from the depths of the earth. This is definitely Levanov''s way of speaking. And the content is just as I had guessed, he''s just come to see his father. As I patted my chest, the following words came to my ears. But that wave of magic ...... must be Ranga, that cheeky little bastard. I''m pretty sure he''s hiding in this city. ...... We must find him at all costs. His words startled me. You noticed me? ......? But then why did he not seem to notice me at that time? But my question was soon answered. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. The words "villa," "vandalism," and "......" immediately struck me. The villa Levanov was referring to was the place where Amira had previously been kidnapped and held captive. I stared at her, and she bowed her head hurriedly. I''m sorry for the inconvenience!¡¡I''m sorry, Ranga-sama! I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''ll follow up with Amira, who is pouting. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure if I should have kept her around after all. I let out a big sigh and listened to Levanov''s monologue again. The boy is definitely in this city. ...... We must find him and eliminate him. ......! I felt a bubbling sensation down my spine. Levanov''s going to kill me,......? When I heard those words, my mouth twisted involuntarily. Levanov was my enemy when I was the Four Heavenly Kings. He was always trying to get the other Four Heavenly Kings to think less of me. He must have been the one who set me up. The thought of that made me angry. Fine. Go ahead and kill him if you can. I''ll avenge you. ......! "Master Ranga, ......? Amira muttered as she realized my intent to kill her. I stopped and watched Levanov enter the hotel. I stopped and watched Levanov walk into the hotel. ...... Anyway, once we know where he is, we''re in business. We''ll get rid of him first thing. "One moment, Master Ranga. Amira stopped me as I tried to sneak in. "...... What''s going on? "Levanov seems to be a very important human being. It''s a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web and also to make sure you''re getting the most out of it. If anyone sees the scene of his murder, he''ll be hunted. It''s a far cry from the peaceful life you want, Ranga-sama. At Amira''s words, the blood that had been rushing to my head began to rush down. Yes, it was a bit of a no-brainer, if you think about it. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. ...... I scratch my head and turn to Amira. "...... You''re right. I was too hasty. No, I was way out of line. She bowed reverently. But then she looks up. "I don''t mean to be rude, but I have an idea. "Hmm? I''m not sure what to say. There''s no escaping the cannibal''s nature. The mortals are looking for fresh souls. ...... There is no doubt that Levanov, tired of the sluggish souls of King''s Landing, will want the hearty souls of the countryside. "......! I see. You''re going to expose that? "That''s very perceptive of you, Ranga-sama. I was convinced by Amira''s words, but I soon realized the problem. But ...... you need to find some conclusive evidence to do that, don''t you?¡¡He''s the most cautious of the Four Heavenly Kings. I don''t think he''ll be that easy to crack. ...... That''s why I''m here. Amira continued, her tone strong. I''m going to break into Levanov''s room and find some hard evidence. Amira''s eyes shone, strong and mysterious. 22 Bomb The next day, when I went to school, Ms. Clare stood in front of everyone with a sad face. She said, "...... Naja hasn''t come home since yesterday. If you see her, please let me know right away. If you see her, please let us know right away." She said this with a sorrowful look on her face, and urged us to be careful. Don''t follow strangers, don''t play alone, etc. Everyone listened intently to Claire''s earnestness. (It was probably Levanov.) The soul of a child is Levanov''s favorite. Especially simple country children. For the Levanoffs, based in King''s Landing, it would be like snacking on something delicious while traveling. The damage will not end alone. (If we don''t do something as soon as possible, the number of casualties will only increase: ......! I don''t mean to be so auspicious as to protect the people of ...... the city, but I don''t feel good about losing my friends who go to school with me. It''s an act that disturbs my peace of mind. I can''t let that happen. I renewed my resolve and headed for the enemy territory with Amira. After school... After school, Amira and I arrived at the hotel "Royals". The entrance is guarded by two guards hired by the hotel, and a trace of magic power can be traced to ...... the top floor, where Levanov is. "Fools and smoke like heights," he said. It''s not easy to break in, is it? The other day, even though it was late at night, there was a guard standing guard. The guards were standing guard, probably all day and night. Security is tight, and it won''t be easy to search Levanov''s room under these circumstances. There''s no point in doing this. Let''s just climb up from the outside and try to get closer to the room. "Fool, if we work our magic this close to the room, they''ll sense us right away. No matter how slow he is, Levanov is still the Four Heavenly Kings. I''m not sure what to make of it. Especially since I''m a former demon and Amira''s magic is very similar. I''m sure Levanov won''t be able to miss a hint of magic very similar to that of the Four Heavenly Kings Ranga. What do you intend to do then ......? "Well, watch and see, I have an idea. I have an idea. "Whoa, it''s Ranga!¡¡What the hell is going on? We left the hotel and ended up at Renton''s house. We left the hotel and arrived at Renton''s house. In the garden pond, Renton was feeding the fish he had caught earlier. I pity ...... that he is doing what Amira said he would do. "You know that thing we made for fun a while back? Do you still have it? "Hmm, that. It might be in the warehouse. ...... I don''t know. I want that one. You mind if I take a look? Yeah. Come on up. You, too, Amira. What about ......? I left a curious look on Amira''s face and headed to the warehouse with Renton. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. There were puzzles, fishing tackle, Sudoku, stilts, ...... and various other toys scattered about the room. These were things that Renton and I had made for fun. I can''t put them in my house because it''s too small and my father is too noisy. I rummage through the toolbox in the back. "There''s ............! What I pulled out was a short tube, just big enough to grab with my hand. Lenton peeked at it and shouted. "Oh, this brings back memories. I didn''t know you still had it. I thought we''d run out! Yeah, I was saving it in case something happened. That was fun! "That was fun!" Amira tilted her head as she watched us all having a good time. "Guys, what the hell is that ......? Instead of answering the question, Renton and I grinned fearlessly. Late at night. Late at night, in the silence of the night, when the trees and grass seem to have gone to sleep. I was hiding my breath between the houses across from the Royals. In my hand was the short cylinder I had obtained from Renton''s house during the day. I fasten it to the ground and light the soft rope that extends from the top. He quickly leaves the scene and watches from the shadows in the distance. With a crackling sound, the fire climbed up the rope and went into the ...... tube. The next moment. Whoa, whoa, whoa! With a flash of light, an explosion rang out. The explosion went high into the sky and the blast scattered the garbage around. Voices began to be heard from the houses and people started to come out. From the hotel across the street, there were guards and hotel staff. "Okay, just as I planned. ...... The smell of gunpowder tickled my nose, making me swallow a little. What I brought from Renton''s house was a bomb. When he was a Four Heavenly Kings, a human soldier taught him how to make them, and he and Renton used to make them for fun. We used to throw them into the river to stun the fish, or shove them up the frog''s butt. ...... Hmm, I was young. The area quickly became a riot, and many guards began to gather. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. And then I left. A few days later A few days later, ...... I took Amira to visit the Royals again. The place was a deserted back entrance, but of course there were guards. It seemed impossible to break in normally. "I''m going to get everyone out of the hotel now. You''re going to go into Levanov''s room and steal something incriminating. "How is such a magical thing possible? I''m not sure if it''s possible, but I''m sure it''s possible. ...... Massive hypnosis using magic or magic tools?¡¡Or a high level magic eye ......?¡¡But that would give Levanov ...... I don''t think so. So it''s not both. In the first place, I don''t have mass hypnosis or magical eyes. What I do is much simpler and more effective. "Well, we''ll see. And be ready to sneak right in. "Huh. ...... After a few moments of waiting with a skeptical Amira, the entrance began to get noisy. When she saw people coming out of the door, she rolled her eyes. "Oh, what a surprise. ......!¡¡What the hell kind of magic trick did you ...... do? "I set off an explosion in front of that hotel the other night. And I sent a letter right away. I sent a letter to ...... saying that I had planted a bomb in that hotel. When the employees saw the letter, they let the guests go, and here we are. The other day''s bomb was a decoy. Showing that makes the threatening letter more realistic. Of course, there''s no bomb in the hotel. Now go. You''ll lose time looking for it. "Yes, sir! After confirming that Amira had entered the hotel, I went around to the front door. The lie in the letter will be exposed soon. I''ll have to stall for time to make sure no one comes back until then. ...... When I went around to the front door, I found the employees checking the escaped guests. Among them was an old man ---- in luxurious clothes, Levanov, standing there looking bored. 23 Anti-demonyo panukala In the event you''re looking for the best way to get the most out of your business, you''ll want to take a look at this website. It seems that he''s looking for something ......, or perhaps the Four Heavenly Kings Ranga¡¶Ore¡·. So you can buy some time by using it as bait. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. I saw a suspicious person over there! The people in the room reacted to my voice and rushed over to me. "Are you sure about that? "Yes, he ran that way! I answer loudly to the approaching guards. Levanov turns away, but seems to be listening to me. Okay, you''re listening. Let''s see, dark skin, short black hair...¡¡He had something growing on his forehead, and he looked suspicious to me! He was referring to the physical characteristics of Ranga, the Four Heavenly Kings. Levanov''s ears perked up when he heard that. "My goodness! I''m not sure if it''s a demon ......, but I can''t let this happen!¡¡Report to Captain Gaelio immediately!¡¡Until then, we''re on high alert! "Ha! The guards reacted to my words in the same way. The area around me immediately began to panic. "Hey, did you hear about the demons? "That''s scary. There are demons all over the city, it''s getting really noisy lately. The townspeople who had gathered there began to feel uneasy. Then, a man came forward. "Ee!¡¡Really!¡¡Ohon!¡¡Oh-ho-ho! The man who appeared, coughing repeatedly, was ......''s father. Oh no, it''s not a good idea to meet him here. That''s what I thought, and I hid my body. He didn''t even notice me and raised his voice loudly in front of everyone. "Ladies and gentlemen!¡¡Please don''t worry!¡¡Demon or not, I''ll get rid of it in no time! Boom!¡¡Everyone in the room was taken aback by the proud father. As silence enveloped the area, one of the people seemed to notice him. You may be Daryl from the Onion Cross, aren''t you? "Mm ......, was that what you were called once? My father nodded with a look of satisfaction on his face. No, you haven''t. When did you get that nickname? But when the man hears this, his face turns bright. "I knew it!¡¡My son is a fan!¡¡I''ve heard that he can kill any demon with a two-strike kill, the Jumonji Slash! The man clapping his hands in excitement was Renton''s father. Renton''s father is spreading the news to strange places. "Guys!¡¡It''s a good thing that Daryl is here.¡¡Demon or not, he''ll take care of it in no time! "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Renton''s father''s words were met with cheers. It seems that father and son both have a tendency to talk too much. Dad, don''t look so happy about it. In the meantime, Levanov began to move quickly. He said, "Where does he think he''s going ......?¡¡That''s not the direction I pointed. What is he going to do? I followed Levanov, trying not to be noticed. Levanov was heading for the alleyway. As I pursued him, hiding in the shadows, he suddenly stopped and began mumbling incantations. ...... darkness, heavy clouds, deceiving mist, death-carrying wind, be my puppet and conquer. sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign sign As Levanov spread his hands, countless black mists melted from his palms into the sky. I''m pretty sure that''s ...... the magic of releasing a mist messenger. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. It''s not easy for Levanov himself to move, as he is a conspicuous presence. The only thing left to do is to get rid of it. I confirmed that, and went after Levanov''s messenger. The messenger is wandering around at a slow speed, searching. The people in the city don''t seem to notice it. This thing has very little fighting ability, but it''s also very hard to see. But if you''re good enough, you can make it visible by gathering magic power in your eyes. And if you do this, you''ll be able to see them normally. ......! I caught up with the messenger and sprayed him with the ashes I had prepared. And then you can clearly see a blurry mass floating in the air. It''s very hard to see this messenger with the mist body, but it''s not completely invisible. A demon has a variety of abilities, but with a little ingenuity, it can be anything you want it to be. The ash-covered demon walked out into the crowd without even realizing it. "Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Naturally, there was a scream. "It''s a demon!¡¡There''s a demon! Go get the guards!¡¡Now! What?¡¡What?¡¡! The messengers seemed to be confused by the sudden commotion. Gradually, the guards gathered and the battle began. "Whoa!¡¡What''s with this guy!¡¡He''s not that strong! It''s true!¡¡Come on!¡¡Get him! I''m not sure what to make of this. They''re weaker than Zell once you can see them. I''m not sure what to do. ...... Okay, we''re good here. I''ll go after the next one right away. "Yeah! Similarly, I shower the next demon with ashes and expose it. The townspeople find it and report it. The guard defeats it. This is repeated several times. ...... "Hmm, I guess that''s it. When I saw that the last user was defeated by the guards, I let out a big breath. I''m sure Levanov thought that the city guards were good and the lower level wizards were useless. ...... So now, Levanov, what''s your next move? It''s a good idea to have your human subordinates look for it, or you could even send out a higher level messenger ....... But that could cause chaos in the city. It would be risky for Levanov. Another possibility is ....... "What''s ...... likely to be? Suddenly, you turn around at the sound of a voice. Standing in the corner of the alleyway was Levanov himself. 24 Clock My gaze crossed with Levanov''s. Levanov''s soft expression from the party was gone, and he was glaring at me with sharp eyes. You''re ...... the girl who was screaming in front of the hotel earlier, aren''t you?¡¡What the hell are you doing here? Levanov approached me in a suspicious tone. I thought it was going to be a messenger or at most a lieutenant, but I didn''t expect ...... it to be him. (You can''t fight in the city like this. ......! I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. In fact, if you''re not careful, you could be wanted on a continental scale. We''ll just have to fake it somehow. "Hahaha ......, I''m lost ...... "Huh?¡¡That''s not good. I''ll give you a lift. His expression is kind, but his eyes are not smiling at all. He''s probably going to take her to a deserted place. If that happens, a fight is inevitable, and I don''t want that. "No, thank you. I can go home by myself. ...... "That''s not going to happen. It''s the role of adults to protect children. "No, I can go home alone." "That''s not going to happen. d*mn, he''s not going to let me off that easy. I don''t know what to think. ...... did you really see the man you were talking about? Yes!¡¡Yes, I did! But I''ve got my people looking for him secretly and they haven''t found him. ...... Is that true? What''s a subordinate? A subordinate is a subordinate is a subordinate is a subordinate is a subordinate is a subordinate. I''m not sure what to make of this. "......, you have a very sharp eye. I''m not sure what he''s thinking. I try to make up for it with an amiable smile. "Oh, haha, really?¡¡I think it''s normal. ...... No, it''s the kind of look a child can''t have. Levanov was definitely suspicious of me. One step closer, and then another. Slowly, slowly, he reached out to me. ---- I had no choice, I had to do it. I made up my mind and took a deep breath. A moment before I put all my magic power into my body,---- I''m not sure what to do. Levanov''s hand stopped. There was a strong magical force emanating from the direction of the hotel. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. "...... Mmm, okay. I''m sure you''ll be fine. I''m not sure what to make of it. ...... Hmm, thank God. That was Amira''s doing. I told her to release her magic away from the hotel when she was done. I thought the slow Levanov would mistake my magic for that of his second-in-command, but I was right. I wiped the sweat from my forehead as I watched Levanov leave me behind and quickly leave. "Master Ranga! "Ranga-sama!¡¡Are you alright? I ducked out of the way of Amira who was jumping at me. A little while later, I met Amira again. You''re not being followed, are you? Ugh. ...... It''s okay. I took the route you told me to take. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. I''ve been instructed to go outside the city after releasing the magic and return through the forest to disguise the smell and presence. She must have done that faithfully, because there were leaves on her head. And Levanov''s presence was still in the vicinity of the hotel. No sign of pursuit. "...... Hmm, it certainly doesn''t look like we''re being followed. So, Amira. Let me get to the point. "Ha, evidence to convict Levanov as a demon!¡¡Yes, it''s here! I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to make of it. This is a piece of clothing that has been soaked in Levanov''s magic. Look at this rich magic!¡¡I''m sure you''ll understand that he''s a demon! I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. I''m sure you''re not the only one who can sense the magic in ......? Oh, ....... I''m sure you''ll be able to understand what I mean. "No magic or anything like that. It is only ordinary people who will hunt down Levanov. The proof has to be obvious to everyone. "What about these magical tools at ......?¡¡I have a wand, a crystal, and a tarot. She took out the magic tools she had stolen from Levanov. But I took one look at it and shook my head. "...... No. You can find all of these magic tools in any small town. It''s not conclusive. I was hoping to find some evidence, but I guess I''m not so naive. I looked again to see if there was anything else I could use. ...... ...... Hmm, what''s this? You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. I''m sure you''ll agree. Actually, there are no cats in the demon world. In fact, there are no cats in the demon world, or rather, there are basically no animals other than demons. The only exceptions are livestock for meat. It is a harsh world where it is eat or be eaten. This is a watch made by a skilled craftsman of the demon tribe who saw a cat when he came to the human world and thought it was cute. It was a rare sight for the demons who had never seen a cat before, and it became popular among the nobles for a while. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. Heh. You are a ...... It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. This might be useful. Put your hand on your chin and think about it. ...... No, but you did a good job!¡¡Amira. "Huh?¡¡What is it?¡¡I''m not sure. I''m not sure what to do with it. But that''s not enough. ...... There''s a place I want to go. Follow me! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. As I run, I gather my thoughts. If I''m right, there''s bound to be a thing. To turn my prediction into certainty, I headed to the barracks where the ---- soldiers were stationed. 25 Swear by the Moon "Whoa, guys, this is a work area, you can''t go inside. I was about to enter the barracks when I was stopped by the gatekeeper. d*mn, I don''t have time to be stranded here. I have an important matter to attend to at ....... Amira glanced up her skirt so that only the gatekeeper could see her. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. The gatekeeper sees this and erupts in laughter. I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do that when I''m older.¡¡You''ll have to wait until you''re older to do that. "Mmm. ...... Amira was nudged in the head. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I think it''s a good idea. The watchdogs are healthy, and mature women are their type. I have something important to do! No, no, no. Go play over there. No, no, no. Go play over there." They jump up and down to appeal like children, but that''s no good either. The gatekeeper wouldn''t let me through no matter what. But just as I jumped, I spotted a familiar figure. "Aaaaah!¡¡Gaelio-san! Gaelio seems to have recognized my voice. Gaelio seems to have noticed my voice, and is coming towards me with a smile and a wave. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m not sure what to do. This is Captain Gaelio! When the gatekeepers realized that Gaelio and I were acquaintances, they hurriedly saluted. I took the opportunity to run past the guards to Gaelio and whispered in his ear. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. Did you ever hear of ......? Hmm?¡¡Yeah, ......, that might have been the case. After pondering, Gaelio answers. ...... I knew it!¡¡Then this watch might be useful. Thank you, Gaelio! If you need anything else, you can come visit me. I waved to Gaelio and ran off. I''m sure I can corner Levanov with this. Now I just need to set up a place to denounce him. I need my father''s help to do that. I get home. When I got home, my father was just putting on his armor and going out. "Hey Ranga, Amira, are you home? Is Dad at work now? Yes, of course. We''ve been on the road a lot lately, with demons and kids going missing. I''ve been on the road a lot lately. You''re right, I can see the fatigue on your face. "That''s a lot of work. Master Daryl. "Heh, that''s what I do, that''s what we do. "That''s what I do, that''s what we do," he said, his mouth tightening and looking straight ahead. The words of a proud sentry. My father had become the face of a man protecting the city. "It''s your classmate who''s missing, isn''t it?¡¡Well, I''ll take care of him!¡¡After all, he''s the new hero of this town!¡¡Gahaha! Laughing hysterically, my father pats me on the head. My father''s face is full of confidence, different from what I''ve seen in the past. He must have gained confidence after defeating the demon and being treated like a hero. I feel awkward doing this to my father, but I have to ...... do it. I call out to him with a mysterious look on my face. "...... Dad. "Hmm, why? My father''s eyes were sleepy. "Huh? He sits down on the floor, his legs shaking uncontrollably. As he closes his eyes, he can see Amira''s shining blue eyes. When Amira closed her eyes and then opened them, the glow had subsided. "...... Is this what you wanted?¡¡Master Ranga. Yeah, it''s good. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. ---- One of Amira''s magical eyes, the Eye of Sleep. I''ve had it unleashed at maximum power. Now my father will sleep for three days and three nights. Now all we have to do is gather everyone together in his name. Wait for me, Levanoff. I''ll finish it now. ......! I look up at the moon with determination in my heart. 26 Denouncing The city guard had gathered at the fort where the party was held before. I had used my father''s name to gather them together. They were all puzzled, not knowing why. "Hey, who''s the one who gathered us? "Isn''t that Captain Gaelio? No, I have no idea, but ...... I don''t have a clue, but I''m sure someone can explain it to me. ...... Oh, someone just walked in. As the voices grew louder and louder, the great door opened. It was Levanov who came in. He slowly looked to his left and right, then stepped out into the center of the room. "Mm......, what''s going on, all these people ......? I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not, but I have. I''m sure you''re right.¡¡Didn''t you gather us together? "Well, I was summoned as well. "Well, who the hell is ......? Looks like it''s about time. On the second floor of the fort, lurking behind the curtains, I stepped onto the landing and clapped my hands. I clapped my hands as I walked onto the landing, all eyes on me downstairs. "----, that''s me. "Sir Daryl? All eyes were on me in my father''s armor. Okay, so they think I''m my father. I''m too far away from everyone, and the backlighting makes it hard to tell that I''m just wearing the armor. By the way, I changed my voice with a magic tool that Amira got for me. There is nothing wrong with that. Yes, I''ve been thinking a lot to prove that Levanov is a demon disguised as a marshal. Levanov has lived for many years as a marshal of the Order. He''s not going to turn tail so easily now. I''m just a kid. I''d be laughed at if I pursued him. Then what about my father, who is now a hero and has more say? With enough evidence and the right methods, he should be able to push him over the edge. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one. What the hell is going on, Daryl-dono?¡¡We don''t have a lot of time on our hands either. We have to find the girl who went missing! Why don''t you tell them you know who did it? What ......? My words sent everyone into a tizzy. "Who the hell is that?¡¡I don''t think so, but ....... Yeah, no way. It''s here. There''s a killer in here. What? ......! The noise became louder and louder. One of them steps forward and stares at me. "Hey!¡¡Don''t play dumb with me, Daryl!¡¡Don''t tell me you''re doubting your own people!¡¡It''s not a mistake! My father''s colleague shouted in anger. It''s only natural for the guards protecting the city to be angry when they''re told that one of their own is guilty. I tried to calm him down and quickly spoke the next words. "Wait a minute. I said one of them, but that''s not exactly right. The killer is a demon who killed and replaced one of these people. The word "demon" brought a look of astonishment to everyone in the room. No wonder. The demon race is an existence that exists in the depths of the demon world. Basically, they are not seen in the human world. "Demons......?¡¡But if a demon invaded, it would be noticed!¡¡At the very least, it''ll cause a big stir!¡¡You''re a guard, you should know that! Yes, but the demon tribe came in head on. But the demon tribe came in head on, receiving a big welcome from us. ...... There''s a guy here who came to town just a few days ago. And since his arrival, kidnappings have started to happen. ......! No way. ...... Everyone seemed to have an idea of what was going on. All eyes were fixed on ---- Levanov. "Do you know this? I took out a book and dropped it downstairs. Gaelio picks it up and flips through it. This book is ...... a book about exploring the demon world? Yes, it''s a book about what happened when the hero went to the demon world. The book is a biography of the demon world at the time, written by a hero who defeated the demon king and returned. The book describes the daily battles, the characteristics of the various demons, their fighting methods, their behavioral patterns, and much more, making it an interesting read that quickly became popular. The book is distributed to all soldiers and knights, especially those who have to fight demons. I secretly read one of my father''s books, and it was an amazingly accurate description of magical creatures. It is still in bookstores more than ten years later, and is a huge best-seller. "It''s right here in the book. A demon race with the ability to kill people and take over their bodies. Please turn the pages. As I said, Gaelio began to flip through the book. The sound of flipping through the pages echoed in the silence. From page 500 onwards, the highest-ranking members of the demon race. Nobles, captains and lieutenants are listed, and Amira is also mentioned. The further back you go, the higher the rank, and you pass the entry for Ranga, the Four Heavenly Kings. "There, page 589. My hand stops flipping through the pages. On it is written one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army, the Death King Levanov. In one of the ability columns, it says that he can take over the bodies of those he kills and make them his own. So, the one who kidnapped the children and replaced them with the Marshal of the Order is ---- Death King Levanov. You! I slowly lifted my right arm and thrust it straight at Levanov. 27 Stuffed A silence enveloped the area. Levanov laughed as all eyes were on him. "Whoa!¡¡It seems that the hero likes to joke! After laughing for a while, Levanov glared up at me. His eyes were sharp and cold. "......, but you are too paranoid. People who are delusional are dangerous, even more so when they have power. This needs to be dealt with. "Mr. Levanoff! The man from the guard, who had just shouted, stepped in between us. "I''m sorry, sir!¡¡Our idiot was talking nonsense. ...... Hey, Daryl!¡¡Now apologize to me! The man glared at me as he bowed repeatedly to Levanov. I think he''s called Vago or something. My dad used to bring him over for drinks sometimes. Apparently he''s worried that I''ve lost my mind, but ...... I shake my head. No, that''s not how it works. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. He glared at Levanov and said. Vago gasped at my determined words, "There is no need to mend ---- any longer. "Daryl ...... you ...... shit!¡¡I don''t know you!¡¡You idiot! He spat wildly and sat down on the ground. He may not talk much, but he cares about his father. When my dad got divorced, he was the first to ask for advice. I chuckled at Vargo''s friendship, but returned my gaze to Levanov. That''s why. I''m not going to change my mind about you being a demon. I''m not going to change my mind about you being a demon. ...... Hmm, nonsense. If I''m a corpse, how do you explain this bloody face and body?¡¡The corpses are pale, bloodless bodies. "Those are low grade undead. If a higher level demon race takes the time and effort, they can create an undead that has all the functions of a human. Its performance is so exquisite that it is almost identical to the real thing. They bleed when stabbed, and their organs move. It''s impossible to tell them apart by sight. Vago raised a counterargument to these words. "Hey, hey, hey, that means you can''t prove that the General is a demon! "Do you have any proof that the General is a demon? "Yes, yes! He took one look at everyone who was making a fuss and nodded. Of course there is. I stood up and began to walk and talk slowly. The higher demons can manipulate human corpses almost as if they were alive, but there is one thing they do. Don''t waste your time, just tell me the rest! Calm down, please. I waited for the noise to die down, then opened my mouth. "It''s restoration. It''s repairing the wounds from the killing process. Sometimes it also repairs unnecessary parts. Do you remember the battle on the Langreed Plains ten years ago?¡¡The General led a division against an army of demons. At that time, the General was attacked in his left leg, and he was on a stick, right?¡¡But he doesn''t look so bad now. ...... At my words, they all fell silent, as if they had realized something. Levanov, who was being pursued, laughed it off. "Ha, that''s silly. After ten years, most wounds heal!¡¡My left leg has been healed for years! My left leg has been healed for years!" "Oh ......, is that so?¡¡Your left leg is healed? Yes, that''s what he says! Is there any mistake? Oh, my God! Levanov was very clear. Everyone looked at Levanov in disbelief. "Oh, come on, ......, that''s ....... "Oh, ......, that''s not ...... for real. The whispering begins. "What the hell ......? I''m not sure what to do. "General, are you sure that the injury to your left leg is completely healed? "I''ve said so many times!¡¡There is no mistake. "Well, ......, that''s odd. I remember the battle of Langlade very well, because I was there with him, but it was his right leg that was injured. ---- I''m sure you''ll be able to understand what I mean. The voice that leaked out indicated that he had made a mistake. The upset spread quickly. No, no, ......, that''s rude. I''m sorry, I just misspoke. Levanov cried out and tried to make up for it, but the suspicion that had been cast upon him could not be removed. I''m going to continue this trend and go after him. "Misspoke?¡¡That''s just not possible. Wounds on the battlefield are a warrior''s highest honor. At a feast, we talk about our old wounds. There''s no such thing as a mistake! Boom!¡¡He taps the railing as if to intimidate. Silence prevails. There was no one left who had laughed at my words before. Levanov''s face turned bitter. It was the first time he had ever shown this expression. "...... Nonsense!¡¡You can''t just treat people like they''re demons just because they use a word!¡¡It''s a very cowardly and vile act!¡¡I don''t need to explain myself any further!¡¡I''m busy, I''m going home! I''m busy, I''m going home!" A few guards stood in front of Levanov as he tried to flee. I''m busy! Let''s hear a little more about it. Vago led the way. The rest of the guards followed. "Yes, sir. We''re too dumb to understand the details, but we do understand what Daryl is saying. We''ll beat the shit out of him when we find out he''s being a jerk. Stick with ....... Levanov had no choice but to return in front of me with the guards on his left and right. Well, it looks like the tide is turning in my favor. I took out a burlap sack and put it in front of everyone. "Lastly, take a look at this. I opened the bag and pulled out a black, round, hairball-like creature. It wriggled its body and then turned its head toward the others. It had triangular pointed ears, brightly colored eyes, and a long tail. The creature suddenly appeared, and everyone was surprised and confused. It''s a ......! "Yes, it''s a cat. It''s a cat." The cat in my arms glared at me sullenly. 28 Investigation This is the black cat I punished a few days ago for stealing my food. Now she''s feeling sorry for herself and has become quite attached to me. "Hu ......! The cat tries to claw at me as if to protest, but if I grab its arm, it won''t bite. The cat flails about and I pick it up again. All right, all right, you''ve got him now!¡¡Yeah! "Cat ......?¡¡A cat? What the hell is a cat doing at ......? Once again, a murmur fills the area. The guards are tilting their heads at the sight of me holding the cat. Then Vago spoke up. "Well, I get it!¡¡Cats have long been known to love the presence of evil!¡¡So you''re saying that if the cat gets close to the General, it''s a demon? He shook his head in reply to the smug Vago. I''m afraid not, not at all. In a world where magic exists, there are many cursed superstitions like this. But it''s just like making a sacrifice to reassure the majority of people. But it is like making a sacrifice just to reassure the majority of people. If you want to create a depression, it''s not something I should do. "What?¡¡Then what the hell? Vago raises his voice, I turn to the book of demon world exploration and answer. It''s also written in this book, but there are no cats in the demon world. Basically, small animals are used as food by demons. Furthermore, they are afraid of the magical power of demons and never approach them. Demons can''t touch cats. A pitying voice echoed around. "What a pitiful creature the demon race is! "It''s ...... sad that they can''t even play with cats. I''ve been thinking about this since I was reincarnated, but I''ve noticed that humans are really fond of small animals. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why. The cat is glaring at me with a cheeky look. I''m sure you''re not the only one. ...... But that''s why demons don''t understand catcalls. If you''re not a demon, you should be able to tell us how ...... this cat purrs. Levanov smiled triumphantly at my words. There are no cats in the demon world. Cats don''t get close to demons. But I have a clock that purrs with a cat''s voice. He seemed to be saying, "You''re a fool if you don''t know that. ...... To Levanov, I asked, "How about ? "How about ......? Ha! That''s ridiculous!¡¡Do you know the cat''s meow?¡¡You know exactly what it sounds like. Yes, you do. ...... Of course, you''re not going to make any mistakes this time, are you? Of course. You can''t make a mistake with something that everyone knows!¡¡The cat''s meow, it''s ----. What''s that? Levanov took a deep breath and exhaled at the same time. It''s ''cock-a-doodle-doo''! It''s ''Cock-a-doodle-doo''!" He said it clearly, unequivocally and without hesitation. The words were clear, unambiguous, and unstinting, and they were heard by all present. The incredulous look in Levanov''s eyes was a testament to this. "Did you hear what I just said, ......? "Oh, yeah, ....... Yes, I definitely heard it. ...... But then again, I didn''t think so. ...... I''m sure Vago, Gaelio, and everyone else didn''t expect to hear those words. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''ll help. What the hell?¡¡Is it strange for a cat to say ''cock-a-doodle-doo''? Levanov seemed to be completely oblivious to the strangeness of the question. Instead of replying, I slapped the railing.¡¡Instead of answering, I tapped on the railing. "No such thing as a ''cock-a-doodle-do'' cat! "----? "What ?" exclaimed Levanov in astonishment. The cat slipped out of my hands, jumped down and meowed. "Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, ......! Levanoff shakes his head and calls out the word "na". There''s no excuse for what he''s doing here. This is the first time I''ve ever seen such a thing. But why did the General make such a mistake ......? The reason is this. This is the reason why I took out a cat clock from Levanov''s room. This is a clock that was sold in the demon world. This is a clock that was sold in the demon world. Cats are very rare in the demon world, and they were very popular for a while. There is one thing wrong with this one." ...... When he pressed the head of the cat, the clock made a silly sound. It is said that a demon craftsman went to the human world, saw the cat, and made this clock. It is said that a demon craftsman went to the human world, saw a cat, and made this clock, but he must have mistaken the crowing of a nearby chicken for that of a cat. This cat clock cries "cock-a-doodle-do". The cat''s clock crows ''cock-a-doodle-doo''." ...... No, Levanov answered, not knowing that. "Oh, my God, ....... It''s impossible to say that he misspoke. The fact that there is no doubt about it is driving everyone away from Levanov. "Yes, I admit that I was ignorant!¡¡But what does that have to do with demons?¡¡But how does that lead to demons and child abduction?¡¡That''s just circumstantial evidence!¡¡Isn''t that right? And yet, Levanov continued to plead his case. It was so disgusting that everyone in the room was shocked. You''re a stubborn ...... who just said you''re sure ....... But Levanov is right, this is still a lot of speculation. However, this guy''s bad luck is to be expected, and if you wait a little longer, a little longer, you will receive definitive proof. ...... "Enough of this!¡¡I don''t need to be bothered with any more of your boring stories! I hurriedly called out to Levanov, who raised his voice and turned on his heel. "No, no, no!¡¡Levanov! "Levanov. ......?¡¡I don''t know that name!¡¡I''m busy. I''m busy. I''m going home! I''m busy!" Levanov tried to stop himself from going to the door, but stopped. No, no, no. I can''t let him know who I am. I can''t stop him by force. I can''t stop him by force. And if he escapes out of the city, he''ll never find me. Just when I was about to give up... "Sorry to keep you waiting! The one who opened the big door and came in was Amira. Standing next to her was a familiar girl ----, her missing classmate Nadja. It looks like you made it. She looked up at me and gave me a wink. She was being held captive in the Marshal''s compound!¡¡I''ve just broken in and rescued her! I''m sorry for the inconvenience ....... I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. I''m not sure what to make of this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. When she found out that the house belonged to Levanov, she thought it was where her missing classmate Nadja was being held. And my prediction came true. Aaaaah! Nadja pointed at Levanov and shouted. It''s him!¡¡I saw him in that house! Levanov tries to duck, but Nadja follows. Right, left, right... After witnessing the unpleasant exchange of ......, I said in a calm tone. ---- Well, there''s no excuse for that now, is there? I''m going to be the one who''s going to be the one who''s going to be the one who''s going to be the one who''s going to be the one who''s going to be the one who''s going to be the one who''s going to be the one "Reveal yourself!¡¡"Reveal yourself! The Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army, Levanov the Death King! In the silence, Levanov was looking down. But gradually, his shoulders began to shake. "......! A voice leaked out, and then. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha £¡£¡£¡£¡ Levanov''s laughter echoed throughout the area. 29 Relative "Ssshhh, ssshhh!¡¡Hahahahahahahaha! Levanov was laughing like a madman. Levanov was laughing so hard that everyone could only watch from a distance. Levanov''s laughter continued for a long time. "Hee-hee ...... koo-hee!¡¡Oh, dear, oh dear, oh dear. I never thought I''d be discovered by a commoner like you. After laughing for a while, Levanov''s face turned pale, his eyes glared sharply, and his mouth split wide open in a distorted expression. It was exactly the same as the demon ---- army''s four heavenly kings, the Death King Levanov. Gaelio, who noticed the strange form, pointed his spear at it. The rest of the guards followed suit. You ...... what''s wrong with you! I''m not sure what to make of this. "Funny ......?¡¡Yes, it''s funny. I can''t help but laugh at your stupidity!¡¡If you pretended not to notice, you would not have lost your life. ...... Why are you in such a hurry to die?¡¡I''m not sure what to say.¡¡I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. What?¡¡What do you mean? "Don''t you know what I mean?¡¡What do you mean? "You, you! All the enraged guards surrounded Levanov and thrust their spears at him. There is no escape. I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to make of that.¡¡Don''t let them get away! You''re a fool!¡¡Foolish! Levanov laughed and poured magic power into his body. And at the same time, a roaring vortex of magical power erupted. "Aaaaahhhh! Aaaaaaaaaaaaah! The overwhelming shockwaves sent the guards into a tailspin. The only ones holding back are Vergo, Gaelio, and Amira. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. I''m sorry.¡¡I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to do. "Vago ...... stick ......! Gaelio is barely able to stand. Levanov stomped on Gaelio''s head with his foot. I''m not sure what to say. I''m sorry.¡¡I''m not sure what to make of it.¡¡I''m not sure what to make of it.¡¡I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that.¡¡I''ll be back! In the event that you have any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. I''m not sure what to make of it. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. "Foolish, isn''t it?¡¡I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before.¡¡I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s had it.¡¡I''ll tell you how he died.¡¡Let me tell you how he died? He found me infiltrating the army and recklessly challenged me to a fight. Of course, there was no way he could win, and I beat him back easily. But I wondered about that. If I had just let him go, he wouldn''t have died needlessly. I asked the dying man. But what he said was a masterpiece. "For the sake of justice, I will not overlook a villain like you!¡¡It is my duty as a knight to fight even if the odds are against me! Yeah!¡¡Kuh-hee!¡¡Hee-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Levanov''s triumphant laughter echoed throughout the area. The ridiculous laughter continued for a while. ---- "...... Huh. And then a smile was heard. The owner of the voice was Gaelio, who was on the ground. "...... What''s so funny? "I knew you were who I thought you were, General. It''s a good idea to keep your eyes on the prize. He didn''t care if his beautiful blond hair was torn and his cheeks were smeared with dirt. The Marshal''s actions are very noble!¡¡As a knight, I will do everything in my power, even if it is beyond my power!¡¡That''s what a human being is supposed to do!¡¡I would do the same thing if I were in your shoes!¡¡I would do the same if I were in your shoes! ...... Demon tribe, we humans will not bow down to people like you! With that, Gaelio spits in Levanov''s face. Levanov''s eyes widened in disbelief for a moment, and he wiped his cheek with his left hand. His temples twitched as he felt the slickness. "...... you! In anger, Levanov stomped on Gaelio''s head. Again and again, and again, and again. "......! It''s not enough. I''m not going to do it yet. If I jump out now, there''s a chance Gaelio will find out who I am. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. "Go to ......!¡¡Amira-chan, Daryl-san ...... while you still can ......!¡¡Call ...... for help. ...... After saying that, Gaelio closed his eyes. He must have lost consciousness. As if satisfied, Levanov looked down at Gaelio. "Kuh-hee, you talk a good game, and now you''re like this!¡¡You''re a fool, you''re a fool, you''re a fool!¡¡It''s your turn to be ...... happy, it''s your turn to be ...... happy. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. ----, but I''m already gone. "What ......? He took Gaelio in his arms and set him down at a distance. "That''s cool, Gaelio. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. You are the perfect captain of the guard. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. It''s a great move, but you''re only human ....... I was about to say ---- that, when Levanov''s expression changed. You''ll notice it immediately. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. What the hell is wrong with you guys?¡¡I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not going to stand next to my master if I''m intimidated by ...... your magic. I''m not sure what to do. Levanov seemed to notice this. "You''re not ......! That''s right, it''s been a while. Levanov ----. I, too, unleashed my magic in response to Levanov. The magic that I had been controlling and suppressing was released at once. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. 30 Battle "...... I see, that''s why. That''s it, demon boy. That''s it. Dying old man. Levanov and I stared at each other. There was a buzzing sound between us, like sparks exploding. This is not a metaphor or anything. It''s the sound of our magic power colliding with each other. It''s a rare phenomenon that happens when two wielders of the same rank collide. The whirlpool of magic power grows around them and becomes a battlefield that blocks out anyone who gets in its way. In this situation, Amira is no longer a hindrance. "Take the others and stay back, Amira. "Yes, sir. As if she knew that, Amira also did as I said, taking the guards and falling back. In the midst of the roaring magic, Levanov and I are slowly measuring the distance between us, waiting for the right moment to strike. "But I''m surprised. I had already confirmed that you were definitely dead through the messenger, hadn''t I? "Confirmed? I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one.¡¡I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to make of it.¡¡It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. I''m not sure what to say. "......, you''re talking nonsense. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. I''m not sure if I can take it with my poor body like that!¡¡Shadow Ball! A magic bullet is released from Levanov''s right hand. It''s an intermediate level of magic. But this is nothing to worry about. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. "......?¡¡But how about this!¡¡I''m not sure what to do. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your money. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to do.¡¡Why doesn''t my magic work? I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. I''m sure you''re aware of that. I''ll tell you what. Then he swung the spear in his hand and thrust. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to do. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. ---- It has nothing to do with the soul of the original owner. So, I can only return the body to its owner. In other words, I will return it to the dust as quickly as possible. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with that. Levanov, who has managed to regain his position, swears. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ---- The Shadow Crush is one of the strongest forms of dark magic. But I was undaunted, I swung my spear and charged in. "Ohhhhhhhhhh! The slash with a burst of energy sliced the giant magic bullet in half. High level magic bullets do not have much strength until they stabilize. In other words, they are not powerful immediately after they are generated. Normally, I would not have used it this way. However, as it turned out, Levanov''s experience in actual combat was close to zero. He doesn''t know how to use magic or what magic to use in battle. In other words, he is an amateur with a huge sword. No matter how good the weapon is at killing with a single blow, if the wielder is not good, there is no way he can hit the target. He walked right past the magic bullets that were dissipating and came right at Levanov. He swung his spear straight at the vacant torso and reamed it out. The response came late. The slash ripped deep into Levanov''s body and fresh blood spurted out. I''m not sure if you''re a fan of this or not, but I''m sure you''ll like it. This is a great way to make sure that you get the most out of your time with your family and friends. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. Each time I was stopped, decoyed, or discarded ......, my body was scarred and my men died. You can say that it''s too late now, but it doesn''t mean the grudge is gone. There are plenty of reasons to get rid of this guy. When I think of it, my heart fills with murderous intent. Levanov''s whole body shuddered in response to my swelling murderous intent. "---- is over. "Huh? Levanov lets out a small scream at my murderous intent. "No, wait!¡¡No, wait, please! Please! Levanov''s words stopped me in my tracks. "...... What''s the matter? You''re begging for your life now? "Help me!¡¡We''ve been fighting together since the Four Heavenly Kings!¡¡Hey!¡¡I''ll do anything!¡¡I''ll save your life. ...... We''ve been fighting together, ......?¡¡I think you mean you''ve been working behind my back. No, no!¡¡I''m the kind of guy who''s good at logistics. That''s why I''m ...... I''ve been dragged down by you, but I don''t recall ever receiving any support from you. It''s a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web and also the internet. You can find a lot more than just harassment,......, you can also call it hostile behavior. I can''t allow that to happen. He thrust his spear down on Levanov''s finger. The thick, wrinkled finger blows off and rolls away. Levanov screams in anguish, his voice muffled. You''re the one who set me up when the heroes came, aren''t you? It''s a good thing I had a messenger to watch me, because there was no sign of the others, right? You''re wrong!¡¡I think highly of you, ----. "I really don''t like that little devil. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. I''m not sure what to make of it. In the event that you''re not sure what to do, you may want to check out the following tips.¡¡I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. Amira said to the pale Levanov. "This is the whole story of how you tried to frame Master Ranga. I had a demon watch you just like you did. And I''ve been recording this to report to the Demon Lord at ......, though I never intended to use it. "Goo, goo, goo, goo, ......! In the event that you''re looking for the best way to get the most out of your business, you''ll want to take a look at the following. Then he rubbed his head on the ground. I''m sorry,......, I''m really sorry for what I did,......, so please,......, just spare my life.... ... A voice quivering with confession. I looked down at it in silence for a while, then turned away. "Master Ranga! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. Oh, ......, you''re going to help me, ......?¡¡I''m sorry, I''m sorry ......! He took one, two, three ...... steps away from Levanov, who bowed again and again. Then the magic moved, shimmering. "Kuh-hah-hah! Levanov jumped at me, screaming. "You fool, there''s so much room!¡¡I''ll put my arms around your neck and drag you out by your spinal cord. "Master Ranga! Amira reacted and quickly tried to protect me, but a moment later. I had already cleaved Levanov''s torso. I''m sure you''re not the only one. Levanov''s body was split in two, and he spat out a lot of blood from his mouth. I''ve known what you''re going to do from the beginning. Get down on your knees or whatever you can to create an opening and attack from behind. I''ve seen Levanov''s men attack the enemy like this many times. Subordinates are more like their superiors than one might think. Levanov lets out a desperate roar, but it''s not over yet. A black blur overflowed from the wound and was trying to escape from me. That thing is the soul of Levanov. Of course I couldn''t let it escape. I regained my grip on the spear I had swung out, turned my wrist and swung down from the top. If you''re not sure what you''re looking for, you can always ask for help. I''m sure you''re not the only one. But you can rest now. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. 31 Such an ending There''s no sign of Levanov anymore. It seems he''s completely vanished. He was a pain in the ass to the end. "Good work, sir. Mr Ranga. ...... Oh, you too. Amira. ...... And everyone seems to be all right. "It''s Ranga-sama''s life. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. "...... I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. Apparently, he''s awakened. As I try to reach out to him, I realize. Now I''m wearing my dad''s armor and pretending to be him, but no matter what, he''ll know if he sees me at such close range. Oh shit, what should I do? While I was in a panic, Amira pulled out something. "Master Ranga, over here! As I panicked, Amira held out a sleeping father to me. I''ve brought it in case something like this should happen. "I don''t know where you''ve been hiding it, but you''ve done it, Amira! I took off my armor and put it on my sleeping father. I''m sure she''ll wake up soon, now that some time has passed. I''m sorry for everything at ....... I''m very grateful for Amira''s support. But if you don''t hurry, people will wake up. ...... In a rush, I managed to finish putting the armor on my father. I''m sure you''ll be able to figure it out. It''s a little out of shape, but there''s no time to fix that. I propped him up against a pillar and let him stand. He''ll wake up in a while. I''ll take care of the rest, Amira. "I''ll take care of it, Amira. I whispered and left the rest to Amira and hid in the shadows. After a while, Gaelio came up holding his head. "Oops. ...... "Are you okay, Gaelio?¡¡Gaelio-san. Amira supports Gaelio as he gets up, holding his head. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. What about that demon ......? I defeated it. I''m sure you''ll be glad to hear that. ...... Daryl-sama. I''m not sure if this is a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. When she saw him, her face lit up. "Oh, ...... Lord Daryl, ......!¡¡What a wonderful man you are! Gaelio ran up to his father and hugged him on both shoulders. That seemed to wake him up. "Squishy ....... Gaelio supports him as he stumbles around with sleepy eyes. I''m sure you''ll be fine.¡¡I''m not sure what to say.¡¡Is the wound sore? I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that.¡¡What the hell is this ......? "---- Excellent work, sir. Master Daryl. It was Amira who interrupted my father''s words. I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. I''m not going to let you get away with this. He even managed to kill a demon that no one had ever beaten before. ...... I''m utterly amazed. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m not sure how you can be so full of lies. He''s really good. I''m glad he''s on our side. "It''s true, Daryl!¡¡You''re really amazing! Gaelio goes along with it. I knew you were amazing, but I didn''t expect you to be this amazing!¡¡The atmosphere was so different from usual!¡¡So that''s how serious Daryl-dono is!¡¡I''m honored to see the "Onijushi" in action!¡¡What? I hugged my father''s shoulders, who still hadn''t grasped the situation, and praised him. He''s not a bad person either. ...... It''s easy to believe or something. ...... Too pure is also a bad thing. As you do this, the other guards and Vago wake up. I''m not sure what to make of that. I''m surprised you''re not only strong, but smart enough to spot a demon disguised as a human. That''s impressive. That''s right!¡¡I thought it was a lie when I heard about ...... killing demons that entered the town, but I guess it''s true. "That cross-shaped slash is the rumored ''Demon Cross''?¡¡That was a hell of a slash! Surrounded by people, my father was cheered up and cheered up. The others were just as pure as he was. My subordinates are like their superiors. ...... I remembered what I had said earlier. My father was the same way. At first he looked confused, but then his mouth began to relax. No, no, it''s not a big deal!¡¡Gahahahaha! It soon turned into a big smile. It seems he''s getting carried away. I let out a sigh. "The demon tribe is just a little thing in my hands!¡¡That''s how it is! He waved his spear crosswise. I held my head. How could he get so worked up over something he didn''t remember? The excited guards began to cheer. "Yes! "Demon Cross! "I hate you, big hero! The raising of the head begins, and my father floats in the air again and again. I''m a little worried about the ...... city guard, though, because they all don''t even suspect my dad. I''m sure you''ll agree that Ranga was a very good actor,....... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. In any case, with Levanov defeated and my identity undetected, I think the matter is settled. 32 Peaceful daily life visits ---- A long, long night had dawned. Gaelio immediately reported the incident to the capital, and Levanov''s crime was quickly exposed. There were countless bones of children lying in his house, and it seemed that he had brainwashed his own men to kidnap them. Even if he was caught, it was because of his subordinates who had gone mad. ...... He is a dirty man to any extent. In the event that you''re not sure what to do, you''ll be able to find out more about the best way to do it. A few days have passed since the incident. A few days have passed since the incident... "Well, I didn''t think that a demon was disguised as a general. I had no idea. I didn''t think that our gatekeeper would be able to see through it and defeat it. "Daryl-san? I heard that he found and defeated the demons that came into town before. He must have been protected by a great person. The whole town was abuzz with rumors about my father. The body of the knight marshal was respectfully buried, and peace returned to the city. On our way to school, Amira and I heard a lot of talk about our father. "Master Daryl''s reputation is going through the roof, isn''t it? It''s a small town. ...... In the countryside, where there is nothing to do, rumors circulate very quickly. My father''s nose is all over the place, and he goes to neighborhood gatherings every day to be served drinks. He seems to be very popular with the children, and they often ask him for his autograph. Yesterday, he came home late at night in a good mood. I hope he doesn''t get too carried away. ...... Oh well, I guess it''s impossible. "Ooooooh! Langer! It seems that one of the initiators has arrived. It was Renton who came running up to him with a cloud of dust in his eyes. "Hey, look at this!¡¡I got my dad''s autograph again! Renton proudly shows me his father''s name written on his back. I couldn''t do anything but look dumbfounded when he showed it to me. Oh, ....... I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that your father is being treated like a hero.¡¡I''ll tell you what, I''m the first fan!¡¡Just because I''m your son doesn''t mean I''ll give you up! Renton elbowed me in the side of the head and grinned. No, I''m not happy about it. I''m rather embarrassed. "Demons!¡¡And to defeat the Four Heavenly Kings!¡¡That''s amazing!¡¡I admire you!¡¡...... Hey Ranga!¡¡What are you doing moving ahead? I''m going to go ahead and leave Renton behind. I''m too embarrassed to go any further. Ranga-sama, your face is red. "Shut up! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. ...... But Amira, isn''t Levanov''s bastard a little weak? I''m not sure what to say, but Levanov is one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army. I''m sure he can''t display his true power in a human body, but that''s the same for me. In fact, as a child, I should be at a huge disadvantage. But the reality is the opposite. I was at a disadvantage, but I overpowered him. "......, are you sure you didn''t notice? "Hmm? I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. It must be the result of a great deal of training!¡¡If Levanov can''t show his true strength, he''s no match for him!¡¡Yes, of course! Amira replied with an enraptured look on her face. You think there''s not much difference?¡¡That''s absurd. I''m sure you''re not the only one. (Why ......? No, wait...?) As I pondered, a thought occurred to me. When I was the Four Heavenly Kings, I spent most of my time training my subordinates and had to keep my own training to a minimum. But now that I''ve been reincarnated in a human body, I''ve been training only for myself for the past few years. I''ve been training only for myself for the past few years, using the rational mind of an adult, efficiently, in the body of a growing child. That''s how the various cogs clicked together and made me grow tremendously, like ......? (......Well, not really.) I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what you need to do. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that works for you. The fact that he won so easily suggests that Levanov was weakened for some reason. Either his body didn''t adjust, or his body was at its limit. ...... Anyway, it must be like that. I concluded and shook my head left and right. "Hmmm, you are as humble as ever, Ranga-sama. If you really wanted to, you could have the world in your hands. Amira, who was following behind me, was saying something disturbing. She''s still talking about world domination. Scary and persistent. Let''s scatter them for now. That''s what I decided and I started to run. "Ahhhh, wait, Ranga-sama! I waved off Amira who was chasing me, and suddenly looked up at the sky. Beyond the drifting clouds, I could see Dr. Claire ringing the bell on the roof of the church. The beautiful sound of the bell ringing echoed through the city. At any rate, another day of peace and tranquility was about to begin. 33 a new life --I was once the demon king Ranga, one of the four heavenly kings of the demon army, but after being defeated by a hero, I was reincarnated into a human body. I was once lifted up by my friends and threw myself into battle, but I''ve always wanted to live a carefree life. I don''t want to live like that again. I don''t want to live like I used to. ...... I hope to live a peaceful life this time and act like a normal kid, but one day I meet Amira, my former second-in-command. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why. I also reunite with Levanov, the King of Death, who was also one of the Four Heavenly Kings. He was the one who framed me in the past. I managed to defeat him while pretending to be my father and hiding my true identity, but ...... well, it''s hard to live a peaceful life. It''s hard to have a peaceful life. "Alright!¡¡This is our new home! Daryl, my father, shouted loudly. In front of us was a house that was bigger than our old ramshackle house. We''re living in a new house!¡¡Don''t forget that, kids. Haha. ...... You''re good. Dad. I smiled back at him with pride. My father rose to prominence when he defeated Levanov, who was disguised as a military leader. Well, it was a replacement me who defeated him and put my father to sleep. I don''t know how you can be so high and mighty when you don''t remember what happened. I''m not complaining, because that''s what got me to move from my old ramshackle house to this one. It''s a rented house, though. ...... It''s so nice. It''s so spacious, it''s worth cleaning. Amira, a silver-haired girl in a maid''s uniform, says happily. Amira came here as a young girl with no family and is now working as a maid in exchange for being taken care of by us. "Wait a minute, Amira. I''ll take care of the moving, so you and Ranga can go shopping. I''ll take care of the moving. Dad winked meaningfully at me. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. "Oh, well, well, well, well. You''re right. Yes, yes, yes!¡¡Yes! In an instant, Amira''s tension rises. I had a bad feeling and tried to run away, but she grabbed my arm tightly. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. Let''s eat a lot of healthy food, and a lot of it too. Don''t worry if you get so excited that you can''t sleep at night as a result. I''ll take care of you gently even if you get a raging erection and go out of control. It''s okay if you get a little rough with her. ...... Yikes! I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. I''m not a fan. I''m not sure what to make of it. Amira has always had a soft spot for me, but she''s heavy. She''s sick. She''s twisted. She''s a waste of a beautiful girl who should have kept her mouth shut. Ha-ha-ha!¡¡You''re so popular with the girls, Ranga!¡¡Come on, just go!¡¡You''re a man, so you''ll have to pay for it! "...... heihei. I took the coin purse from my father and went out into the city. "Hey Ranga! "Oh, Master Ranga, where are you headed? As I pass through the shopping district, Amira asks me. This is where the middle class shops. It''s pretty expensive, right?¡¡That''s why we''ll continue to shop downtown. I''ve moved to the middle of the city, where the middle class lives. It would certainly be more convenient to buy nearby, but it is more expensive. Even a carrot is about 10% more expensive than buying it in the downtown area. One or two would be nothing, but for the three of us, it''s a lot. "Ranga-sama, you''ve become like a housewife. ...... Hey me, ....... ...... Leave me alone. I''ve always lived with my dad and was in charge of the household budget. I''ve been living with my father for so long that I''ve developed a small-town sensibility. Besides, I''ve always been indebted to everyone in the downtown area. After passing through the main street in the center of town, I found myself in my old downtown. I walked to the familiar shopping street. "Yes!¡¡It''s Ranga-chan and Amira-chan!¡¡You''ve been living in central Tokyo since yesterday, but you came all the way here to shop? The man who spoke to me was a fishmonger. I smiled and rushed over. "Yes!¡¡I came all this way because Uncle''s fish is delicious! Oh, come on, you''re so cute. Ranga-chan. Ranga-chan." The fishmonger''s uncle seemed to be happy with his sales smile. A child''s body comes in handy at times like this. "Today''s specials are yellowtail and flounder! "Well, I''ll have those, then! Thank you!¡¡Take some of this for your housewarming! The old man then added three large shrimps to the package. Thank you!¡¡I''ll be back! I''ll be back!" "Heck, no problem!¡¡Keep up the good work! "Yeah! I waved goodbye to the fishmonger with a big wave. Huh, I got a pretty good deal on that one. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for and how to get it. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m not sure if it''s vomiting blood or nosebleeds, but there''s a bit of blood leaking from your hand. I''m leaving ...... you. I''m not sure what to say. No, no, no. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. 34 Hes a beast man. "Thank you, grocer''s maid. "Oh, my God, you''re my sister, you''re so cute. Here''s an extra one for you, take it! I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. When you call a woman, it is better to call her sister. It''s worth remembering. "Yes, thank you. Here''s your change. That''s your change." That''s when she was about to hand over the change. --"Deadly. It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. "Ranga-sama! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. The figure leaps over the building with its long arms and legs, and holds my coin purse in its hand. When the figure realizes that I''m looking at it, it smirks. d*mn, pickpocket. "I''m going after him, Master Ranga! "Okay, I''ll catch up with you soon. I''ll catch up with you in a minute." I saw Amira run off and reached out to her. Are you okay? I''m okay, I''m okay, I''m okay, I''m okay, I''m okay, I''m okay, I''m okay, I''m okay, I''m okay. Yeah, I think she snatched my coin purse. I''m going to go tell the military police. Oh, my God!¡¡Oh, my God!¡¡Do you want me to go with you? I''ll be fine. --I''ll get it back. I mutter, and leave the grocery store. I run slowly, make sure everyone''s eyes are off me, and leap. In an instant I''m on the roof, running in the direction of the fleeing pickpockets and telegraphing to Amira. "Amira, have you got her? I''m sorry, sir. I''m sorry. He''s pretty quick, ...... but I''ve cornered him in an alleyway in the third district to the north. We''re in pursuit. Even though she has her eyes, I can''t believe that Amira can''t catch a single pickpocket. She''s no ordinary person, judging by her physical prowess. I''m on my way. Keep an eye on him. Yes! He broke the telekinesis and sped north to the third ward. "Master Ranga, we''ve been expecting you. She stood alongside Amira, who was running. I saw a small shadow out of the corner of my eye. It was moving between buildings at a very fast pace. I see, it has the physical ability to jump around in tight spaces at will. Amira, who didn''t know the area well, would have a hard time. But that''s as far as it goes. "Thanks for your help, Amira. I''ll take care of the rest. With that, I kicked the roof as hard as I could. The scenery flows at high speed and I close the distance. "Hee hee, that girl was persistent, but after all this time, ......". Shortly after that, I heard the man''s sneer. I was already close over his head. I lifted my right foot and swung it down at the man. Thump!¡¡There was a dull thud and the heel drop sunk into the man''s cervical vertebrae. And with the momentum, he slams into the ground. He landed and looked down to see the man twitching and twitching. Apparently, he can''t get up. "Huh, huh, that''s great, Ranga-sama. ...... Amira, out of breath, caught up with me. As I took a closer look, I finally realized who this man was. The man has bristly hair on his arms and pointed ears. He has sharp fangs and his body is a size larger than a normal adult male. He''s a beastman. A beastman is a half-human, half-beast race born between a man and a demon. They are characterized by high physical strength and often have a short temper. The beastmen, who have mixed with various species over the years, have different abilities depending on the beastmen that appear in their appearance. With this face and the ability to leap around buildings, this man seems to be a beastman with a strong ape beast demon in him. Some live with people, some live as demons, and some live only with beastmen. Some live with people, others live as demons, and still others live alone. Like this man, they live in the dark world, doing things like banditry or being hired by evil people. "What should we do?¡¡Ranga-sama, do you want to get rid of him? You know, sometimes you just say the most horrible things. ...... We can just tie him up and roll him over. Fortunately, this is a patrol route for the guards. If the guards find it, they will take care of it properly. But still, beastmen. You remind me of someone I don''t like. --The Beast King LeAnn, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army. He''s a lion beastman who rose to the top of the beastmen hierarchy by leading them around like a woman. He was annoying like a human knight with his pride and manners. The nickname he got from his personality was the Knight King. I remember that he didn''t like me very much, and he kept on getting involved with me. I''m the type who fights hard. I guess Leanne didn''t like me being polite. I don''t want to see him again if I can help it. As I was absentmindedly thinking about this, I noticed that Amira was staring at me. "...... Ranga-sama, didn''t you just think about another woman? "Gosh! The question was too sharp, and he coughed involuntarily. I''m not going to let Amira miss that. "Aaaaah!¡¡You''re right, aren''t you!¡¡You''re talking about that big blonde woman, right?¡¡You still can''t forget the woman from the past, can you? Who''s the old girl? I don''t remember going out with her. I''m not sure what to make of it.¡¡I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that.¡¡Ranga-sama''s unfaithful! I''ll tell you what, I''m not dating you either, okay? I''m sorry.¡¡I was going to make it an established fact in the heat of the moment. ...... You tried to pretend we were dating on the spur of the moment, but that''s not how it works. I didn''t know there was such a ranking. I''ve never heard of it. I''m sure Amira was the only one who voted in that ranking. Let''s just go. Before she wakes up. Yes!¡¡Let''s get back to our date!¡¡I heard from a friend of mine that milk tea with black soy potatoes is very popular these days. Let''s go together! "...... Yes, yes. This guy''s starting to look like a human being. Amira led me to a cafe where I had a cup of milk tea with black soybean sweet potatoes. The chewy texture might be addictive. I drank it happily with Amira on my way home. 35 For adults convenience "Oh, Ranga, you''re late! It was evening when I got home. I was kept company by tea and cake after that. Thanks to that, it took a long time. On the contrary to my depressed state, Amira was full of energy. I''m back!¡¡I''ll be right back for dinner, Daryl-sama! Hey, Amira, did you have fun? "Yes!¡¡Very much! Amira responds with a big smile on her face. What a great smile! I''m sure you''ll have a great time. ...... haha. I can''t help but let out a dry laugh. Leave it alone, d*mn it. Girls have so much energy. I''m so tired. I can''t wait to take a bath, eat and go to bed. Welcome home, Ranga. Amira. Sorry to bother you. Gaelio. I walked in and there was Gaelio, the handsome older brother. He''s my father''s boss, a young captain with a beautiful wife and a cute son. On top of that, he is a skilled swordsman. Gaelio smiles and squats down in front of us. "Oh, you''ve gone on an errand?¡¡That''s great. "Yes, Gaelio, what are you doing here? "I brought you a housewarming gift. I brought a housewarming gift for everyone. There was a huge basket of fruit on the table. Oh, it''s gorgeous. Apples, bananas, grapes. I''m a fruit lover. I grew up in the forest in my previous life, so it''s like a taste of home for me. However, fruit is expensive in human society, so it''s hard to buy. I''m very happy. "Wow!¡¡I like fruit!¡¡Yay! "Haha, I''m glad you like it. I''ll buy you some more sometime. Amira bows her head beside me. Thank you, Mr. Gaelio. Would you like to join us for dinner? "I''m sorry, Amira, but my wife is waiting for me at home to prepare a meal. I''ll see you next time. Gaelio smiles briskly. Hmm, he''s handsome. And a loving wife, what more could you want? I''ll see you next time. ...... Ah, Daryl, please take care of that matter. You can count on me. He had some other business to attend to. My dad is slapping his chest and laughing. I don''t know what it is, but I hope he''s not taking cheap shots at ....... Well, it''s none of my business, so I guess it doesn''t matter. But I''m hungry. Amira, can you make me some food? "Okay, Master Daryl, please wait a moment, Ranga-sama. I''ll be waiting for you, Daryl-sama and Ranga-sama. The result was grilled fish, thickly sliced steak, and creamed shrimp. "Wow!¡¡This looks delicious!¡¡You''re the best, Amira! I''m glad you like it. What do you think?¡¡Mr Ranga. Yes, it looks delicious. You''re still the best cook I''ve ever seen. I remember you used to feed me elaborate dishes in my previous life. ...... But be careful, if you''re not careful, he may try to get you to eat something ghetto to give you more energy. This guy tried to make me eat a bug once. "Delicious!¡¡Delicious! Following my father''s gulping, I ate it too. "Delicious! Amira stares at me as I gobble it up. "How do you like it?¡¡Ranga-sama. It''s so good. You''ve improved your skills. "That''s good, because I''ve worked hard to earn your praise, Ranga-sama. ...... You say the cutest things. It''s a good thing you''re not a runaway. ...... I''m sure that''s difficult to do. It''s a good idea to take a look at the web site and see what you can find. I''ll be back. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I asked my father as I peeled a banana after dinner. "Oh, it''s a security mission. I heard there''s some kind of important meeting in the next town, so we''ll be leaving next week. Wow, that''s a lot of work. So you''re on duty. It''s tough being a watchman. But that''s good, because I can relax without my dad. I''ll spend my time practicing and reading books. What are you talking about? You should go too. Of course you''re going, Amira. What?¡¡Why? What''s the point? You guys can''t live on your own. Kids are supposed to be with their parents. What about school? You''ll have to take a day off. I''m sorry you won''t see your friends, but only for a little while. Besides, maybe you can make friends there. And with that, he pats me on the head. Hmmm... I''ll let you decide. But come to think of it, I''ve never been outside the city in my entire life. Running away from home is not a bad idea, but going outside the city might be interesting to see. All right, all right. That''s all you need to know!¡¡Tell your teacher when you go to school tomorrow. It''s the day after tomorrow. And it''s so sudden. ...... Didn''t Gaelio tell you earlier? No, I forgot. I just came to get your answer! That''s what I thought. He''s a solid guy, so he probably said it a long time ago. My dad puts his hand on my head in disgust. "Hahaha!¡¡Time moves faster in the adult world than you think! You''re just too punctual for your own good. I let out a sigh while watching my father''s laughing back. 36 Farewell for a while "...... So, Miss Claire, can I take a break from school for a while? "If that''s the case, of course it''s fine. God bless you, Amira, and Darryl. The woman in front of me, dressed in sisters'' clothes, makes a cross on her chest. The rosary swayed and glittered on her ample bosom. This woman is a sister and teacher at the seminary I attend, Gruerne Church, and is our homeroom teacher. She is a kind person who always keeps a gentle smile on her face and is very popular among the students. I''m sure you''ll like it. ...... Please, Amira, bow your head. ...... please. But for some reason, Amira doesn''t seem to get along with this teacher, and she doesn''t even try to hide her aura of unhappiness. Even now, her cheeks are puffed up and she refuses to make eye contact. Dr. Claire is smiling unconcernedly. Dr. Claire smiles unconcernedly, "Hmm, be careful, both of you. "Yes, excuse me. And so the declaration of the long vacation is over, and we leave the teacher''s office. "...... you, why are you looking so grumpy? I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to say. What the hell is she talking about? I''m not sure what to make of this. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one.¡¡It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for.¡¡It''s true that I''m a bit ...... modest now, but I''m no less than I used to be!¡¡There is a lot of potential here.¡¡I''m sure I''ll surpass that woman in time! I''m sure I''ll surpass her one of these days!" "......, yes, I was looking at you, but that''s because I was looking at your chest. "Legitimate excuse? Amira seems to be in shock for some reason. It''s not an excuse. In the first place, in your previous life, you wore a dress with a wide chest opening, and you deliberately showed it to me. Even when I ignored you, you persisted, persisted. Don''t be silly, I''m going to say hello to my classmates. I won''t be seeing you for a while. "...... Oh, you''ll need that, too. You''re really thoughtful, Ranga-sama. That''s normal. If you want to live a peaceful life, it is essential to be attentive to your surroundings. If you want to live a peaceful life, you must pay attention to your surroundings. This is especially true in human society. Incidentally, I cherished such connections in my previous life as well. Thanks to that, I was treated as an oddity. "Come on, I''ve got to get ready to go when I get home, so go to ....... Hey!¡¡Hey, that''s Ranga! As I was saying this, a pair of boys and girls walked up from across the hall. The lively-looking boy is my friend Renton, and the plain-looking girl is Nadja, a friend of Amira''s. "Oh, how do you do, Nadja? And Renton. Hi, Amira, you look lovely today! Hello, Amira. And you too, Ranga. Renton waves cheerfully, and Nadja spreads her skirt in a theatrical gesture. Renton runs up to me and puts his arm around my shoulder. What the hell were you doing in the faculty room, Ranga? Oh, I had to take a break from school for a while for parental reasons. I''m here to report it. Really?¡¡How long? Well, ...... I think it''s been about ten days, but ...... My dad says, but ...... I don''t really trust his word. I told Dr. Claire that I''d need a couple of days more. I''m going to the next town over. "I''m going to the next town over to escort my dad to work. He''s working as an escort. Oh!¡¡I might get to see Daryl of the Demon Cross in action!¡¡d*mn!¡¡I want to go too! Renton is stomping on the ground in frustration. This guy became a believer after watching his father fight. ...... In fact, he only saw me fight in my father''s armor. It''s a convenient way for people to misunderstand me. So I''m taking a break for a while. Tell everyone I said hello. "Can''t be helped. Don''t forget the souvenir! Are you going to ...... too, Amira? Amira nodded her head in response to Nadja''s question. I''m going to miss you. Will I miss you?¡¡I''ll miss you, Nadja. "......!¡¡No, parting is not forever. I will look forward to the day we meet again. Good luck, ''my friend Amira''. The two shook hands with each other. "...... Hey Ranga, what''s up with those guys? "Come on, ....... Nadja sympathized with Amira''s mature way of speaking, and they became friends. She likes books, and is into theatrical exchanges. And Amira is going out with her. It''s a world that Renton and I can''t understand. "d*mn it, I can''t play with Ranga for a while... This is so boring. Nadja. Yeah, but I''m not averse to spending time with you. She talks like this. You''re going to lose a lot of friends. ...... Come on, it''s cool!¡¡And I only do it in front of you guys! Renton teases, and Nadja glares at him a little annoyed. "Yes, yes, yes. I mean, let''s play cards, it''s our break time. "Huh, I don''t mind, but don''t complain if you get ...... killed instantly, okay? What the hell?¡¡Prepare yourself! The two of them ran off while having this conversation. ...... Those two are surprisingly close, aren''t they? Yeah, I''m jealous. "What''s that? The two of us who were left behind smiled at them and left the school. 37 Detective Unite? "Hey, Ranga, you got a minute? It was the next day, the day before I was to leave tomorrow. Renton called out to me as I was returning home from school. You''re going away for a while tomorrow for your father''s reasons, right? Actually, there''s one thing I need you to solve before you go. I''ll take care of it. You know what?¡¡Ranga. Nadja''s with me. I don''t know what this is about, but it''s a favor from a friend. I can''t just say no. What''s that? At my answer, their faces brightened up. "Actually, there has been a case of shoes being stolen in the classroom recently! Isn''t this some kind of prank? No, we thought so at first, but when we asked around we couldn''t find any connection between the kids and the theft. That''s because we both looked everywhere. We''ve been looking all over for them, but we can''t find them, so we''re in trouble! ...... Wait a minute. I hold my head in my hands and ask them. Why are you two doing this in the first place?¡¡Did someone ask you to do that? They grinned at me for some reason and whispered in my ear. "...... Heh, we''ve actually formed a detective squad! "What? I don''t understand. I couldn''t help but let out a squeak. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure you''ll be able to do it.¡¡You''re like a detective in a story. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. "Yeah, a great detective who uncovers mysteries, that''s really cool!¡¡So I took Renton up on his offer.¡¡I made this for you. Isn''t it cool? He shows me the badge on his chest. It had the symbol for a detective hat embroidered on it. There''s one for you, too. Of course, there''s one for you too, Amira. ...... No thanks. God, these guys are acting like children. No, they''re kids, but... "Well, I understand the situation. I don''t know if I can help you, though. What are you talking about, Ranga? You''re so smart!¡¡Come on, please! ...... Well, don''t get your hopes up, okay? I''m counting on you, Ranga. Ranga. The two of them look at me with sparkling eyes. I''m not sure if you''re expecting too much, but ...... please, make sure it''s something that a normal kid can solve in a normal way. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. "Here it is!¡¡Our shoes have been stolen! The shoe box is located at the entrance of the school, and anyone can come and go. Anyone can steal them if they want to, but ...... there is no reason for an outsider to steal a child''s shoes. The city is rich enough. It''s not a specific thing that is stolen, and it''s not a prank. ...... Well, let''s take a look at it anyway. I''m going to take a closer look around the shoe box. I don''t know who the killer is, but the evidence is always there. I looked inside and under the shoe box, on the ground and in the hallway, and found ....... I crouched down on the ground and picked up a few hairs that had fallen there. These hairs are ......, well, this time of year, I''m sure ......, and a smile creeps into my mouth. What did you find out?¡¡Ranga. ...... Oh, I think I know who the shoe thief is. Oh, no!¡¡You''re amazing, Ranga! Yeah! The two of them looked at each other happily at my words. I left the school and went to After leaving the school, we went to the mountain behind the school. "Hey Ranga, is there a thief here? "Yeah, I''m sure. I answered Renton''s question as I walked ahead. We are currently tracking the footprints left by the thief. There''s not much left, but if you focus your magic on it, you can faintly see the traces. The footprints led to the middle of the mountain. "Hey, still Ranga. I''m getting tired. ...... Shh. I silenced Nadja and hid myself in place. What the hell? Renton, be quiet. Look straight ahead, under the big tree. The big tree. ...... What Renton found was a shoe. There were a bunch of them. "Oh!¡¡That''s great, Ranga!¡¡My shoes are here too! But why are they here ......? You''ll see what I mean. Be quiet, both of you. They nodded their heads and waited quietly as I had said. I waited for how long before I heard a rustling of dead grass at the base of a tree. I restrained Renton with my hand as he tried to speak. A little fox jumped out from the base of the tree. Another fox cub, followed by its parents, crawled out. "Whoa, a fox! Renton and Nadja whispered. The two fox cubs walked straight to the shoe and bit it. "Whoa! "Gowan! Gowan! The little foxes run around with their tails wagging, biting the shoe violently. They were slamming the shoes into the ground, throwing them, fighting over them, and making a mess of them. If you look closely, you can see that the shoes have been chewed to shreds by the little foxes. "Hey Ranga, what''s that thing doing? "That''s hunting practice. It''s the fox''s parenting season. The parent foxes steal human shoes for their children and use them for hunting practice. "Hunting?¡¡Why shoes then? "Some say it''s because the smell of human feet is similar to the fox''s favorite food. Like the smell of rotten fruit. I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that works for you. ...... is what my uncle, a hunter who lives nearby, said. By the way, when the Demon King''s army came out to the human world, they were often beaten up at first. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Incidentally, there was also a man who captured a fox and ate it, using his shoes as bait. Wow, you really know your stuff. Renton snorted in admiration. "The rotten fruit of ....... Nadja looked shocked. She seems to be worried about her leg. Just so you know, when I say it smells like rotten fruit, I mean to an animal''s nose. So there you go. What do we do now?¡¡Do you two want it back? I''m sure you''ll be able to figure out what''s going on. I''ll take it back. And so the three of us descended the mountain empty-handed. "Are you sure you didn''t take it back, you two? Don''t ask me that. The little foxes are practicing their hunting like that. That''s enough. Yeah, and you won''t be able to wear them when they''re all torn up like that. Yeah!¡¡Hahaha! They are laughing at each other. Let''s keep this between us, okay?¡¡If the adults hear about it, they might destroy the foxholes. "Oh!¡¡That''s a great idea!¡¡That''s a good idea, Ranga! I don''t mind, but ...... you should put a lid on that shoebox or something. They''ll take it again. I know. Do you really know what you''re doing? Anyway, it''s all over. Well, I''m going home. I don''t want to stay too late, or Amira will cry while I''m preparing dinner. Hey, Nadja, it''s ....... "Yeah, right, Renton. They looked at each other and then turned to me. Ranga, I want you to be the leader of our detective team! "What? It was the second time today that I heard a real voice. Come on, I turned you down once. "Because you can solve a case like this in no time!¡¡I can only think of you, Ranga!¡¡Ask Amira to join us, okay? No, no, no, but I''m busy with ...... my own work. Of course, only when you''re free! Yeah, yeah, just once in a while! This is why children are so pushy. And they don''t take offense or read the air. If I say anything more, they''ll just push me away. I let out a sigh of resignation as the two of them closed in on me. ...... Okay. Only when you''re free. "Oh!¡¡I got it! That''s your buddy''s badge!¡¡Make sure you give it to Amira. Hi. ...... I take my and Amira''s badges and put them in my pocket. I take my and Amira''s badges and put them in my pocket, but they stare at me as if they want me to put them on right away. I had no choice but to put it on my collar in an inconspicuous place, and they seemed satisfied. Okay, I''ll leave the detective work to Amira. I made up my mind and left the place. 38 Now to Alecia And today, finally, is the day of departure. I woke up early, probably because I was excited. I got ready and went to the living room, where Amira was cooking, humming to herself. "Good morning, Ranga-sama. Oh, good morning. She turned her head to look at me and flipped the frying pan, and the omelet turned around and landed on the plate. Don''t look at me like that. The food will be ready soon, so I''ll go wake up Master Daryl. Dad''s still asleep? Yeah, I''ll go. You concentrate on the cooking. Thank you, sir. I can''t have you sleeping in on a day like this. When I entered the bedroom, I heard loud snoring throughout the room. He was completely asleep. I don''t know how he can sleep so soundly on such an important security mission. He''s a big man in a way. "Come on, Dad, wake up. Wake up early or you''ll be late. Hmm ...... in five minutes ...... It''s not five minutes. I know you don''t always wake up like that. I don''t care, I pull the pillow out. Still doesn''t wake her, but that''s to be expected. Next I rip off the covers. Still doesn''t wake her, but that''s to be expected. Next I roll her out of bed and drop her on the floor. Still doesn''t wake him up. "Geez, ...... d*mn, you''re especially stubborn today. ...... You reek of alcohol, and you drank a lot the other day. I can''t help it. ...... It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!¡¡What is it?¡¡Is that a demon?¡¡Daryl, the Demon Cross, will take care of it! I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. ...... Good morning. "Oh, ......, it''s morning already? This is what I call a real wake-up call. This is the last resort when you don''t wake up. I''ve already asked your permission. "Come on, hurry up or you''ll be late. "Oh!¡¡It''s already late! My father finished changing his clothes and ran to the living room where breakfast was waiting. After finishing his breakfast at a frightening speed, he went back to his room and started slamming around again. Apparently, he is now preparing to leave. "Hey, you guys better get ready to eat and go. It''s been ready since yesterday. I exhaled a sigh and bit into a piece of toast with a fried egg on it. Daryl''s in a hurry. "Yeah. I''m not a child. I gulped down the toast and sipped my coffee, which was full of milk and sugar. Hmmm, my head is filling with nourishment as I clean the dishes. "Hey Daryl!¡¡Are you ready to go? I hear a voice outside the house. I look out the window and see Gaelio waiting for me with his carriage. "Good morning, Ranga. Is Daryl getting ready? "Good morning, Gaelio. My father is just packing up his things! Okay. Well, I''ll just wait here. Why don''t you wait inside?¡¡There''s coffee. Thank you, I''ll take that as a sign. With a wave of his hand, he leaned against the carriage, opened a book and began to read. You''re so serious, studying in your spare time. Amira, we''re going to get in before you do. "Yes, Master Ranga. Lock the door and pack your things into the carriage. We get in, and a little while later my father comes out. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry. Sorry, Captain Gaelio. "That''s all right. I''m the one who asked for it. Gaelio then smiled, without a trace of displeasure. He''s a real piece of work. I wish my father would drink some of that. All right, let''s go! ...... Why is Dad in charge? Anyway, the carriage starts to move. Through the main streets, out of the city, and into the wilderness. The carriage rattles along. We walked through the wilderness, rocking and rattling. This was a street where peddlers came and went, and we occasionally passed people who looked like travelers. The town had long since disappeared from sight, and the vast wilderness continued. My father was snoring heavily, and Amira was slumbering. I was getting bored of looking at the scenery, so I talked to Gaelio. "Hey Gaelio, you''re on guard duty, but there''s only two of you, Dad and Gaelio. "Hmm?¡¡Yeah. We have our own city to guard, but this time it''s more convenient to have a small group of skilled men. After all, we''re dealing with a beastman. Beastmen?¡¡I''ve never heard of such a thing. It is true that a mere soldier is not very useful against a beastman with high physical ability. They are naturally no match for a one-on-one fight, and they can run away quickly when you try to surround them. Against such an overwhelmingly strong opponent, hitting a lower-ranked soldier will only reduce their numbers. Therefore, the theory is to attack with the same rank. The number of troops is important only when the opponent is of the same rank or when you surround and defeat a demon of low intelligence. If that''s the case, then it makes sense that it''s just the two of them. ...... ...... Are you sure you''re heading in this direction, towards Alethia? "Oh, how did you know? I knew it. Alesia is a city that used to be near the territory of the demon tribe. It was said to be the fortress of mankind with its solid walls. Dad, when you said it was a neighboring town, I thought it was a half-day carriage ride to Sur, but it takes three days to get there by carriage. It''s really far away from here. You don''t usually call it a neighboring town. And you said you were dealing with beastmen. Near that town is Gnosis, home of the Beast King Le?o. ...... You think this is an important meeting? I thought this was going to be a casual security mission, but now it''s starting to smell a little fishy. I''m not sure what to make of this. My father was snoring carefree, as if he didn''t care about my heartburn. 39 Journey "Mm. Suddenly, I felt a presence ahead of me. A mixed feeling of hostility and malice. It''s like something''s trying to kill us. "...... Master Ranga. Oh, it''s a demon. I''m not sure what to do. It seems there''s a demon far ahead. But it''s not much of a demon. It''s too weak to cast a spell, and it''s too far away to be noticed. There''s no need for us to deal with it. Let''s leave it to my dad and the others. "Right. Yes, sir. I''ve never seen you two in combat before, and if you''re going into the danger zone, it''s better to know what you''re capable of. I might have to step in and save you in a pinch. It''s a long way, though. Gaelio, who''s driving the carriage, doesn''t seem to notice from this distance. My father is snoring loudly, and the road ahead is rocky with poor visibility. Rather than being attacked there, it would be better to intercept him here, where he can see all around. Dad, wake up, wake up. ...... Huh?¡¡What''s going on? Ranga. I had to go to the bathroom. ...... Let''s stop the carriage for now. That''ll make it easier for them to attack us. That''s the least I can do. Captain Gaelio, do you mind if I take a bathroom break? "...... Ah, yes. Then I will stop the carriage. When Gaelio stops the carriage, I run into the shade of a nearby rock. Now, let''s see what you''ve got. I look for any sign of demons and wait for them to attack. "Hey Ranga, you''re not done yet? --But it''s not coming. I can hear my father''s voice urging me. If you''re going to attack me, do it quickly. Ranga, hurry up! Wait a minute. ...... I''ve got no choice. I''m going to have to force it to move. I picked up a stone at my feet and threw it at the pack of demons. I''m not sure what to do with it.¡¡There was a distant thud. Okay, it hit. I''ve got good control. The demon seems to be confused, moving left and right. But it soon realized that it had been attacked by us, and started to move towards us. What''s that?¡¡There''s an explosion in the distance! "Sir Daryl!¡¡There''s a demon approaching! Okay, it''s going according to plan. The demons are coming towards us in a cloud of dust. The weakest type of demon is the mucous type, Zell, and the weakest type of demon is the goblin, about the size of a child. Three of each, I suppose, is a good test. "Captain Gaelio, we''re coming for you! Yes, I''ll have your back, Sir Daryl! Roger that!¡¡Ranga, get in the wagon now! Yes, sir! As I hurried back, the two of them took up positions to protect the carriage. A few moments later, a cloud of dust closes in on them. "Gee! "Piggy! Two demons, a goblin and a zel, attacked from within the smoke. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I let out a sigh against the sound of sword fights. ...... Huh, it''s started. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. Yeah, but not as strong as us. Gaelio is fighting with a cool face against three demons. My father was also a bit wounded, but he was wielding his sword and overpowering them. This is probably due to his daily training as a guardian of the city. Both of them showed no signs of being confused by the demons. They could probably fight an ordinary beastman. It looks like we don''t need to mess with them. You''re right. ......? When I turned my attention to the distance, I felt another presence approaching. This guy is a lot stronger than Zell and the others. It looks like he''s the master. I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who''d like to know more. "...... Amira, I''ll be out in a bit. If anything goes wrong, just cover it up. Yes, sir. My dad''s fight is going to take a little longer, and they won''t notice me fighting from that distance. I sneaked out of the carriage and kicked the ground. Accelerating at once, I left the scenery behind and sped through the rocks. Soon I reached a huge shadow lurking behind a rock. A jelly-like behemoth with a pitch-black body. This is Raziel. "You''re the master? "SururuRuruRuru...... Rajsel noticed me and pointed the core at me. Immediately, countless eyeballs appeared on the surface of the core. All of them are looking at me at one point. "Shoe ......! A hole opens up in the clay, and the surrounding area swells up. Immediately afterwards, a black liquid is spat out with great force. It''s poison. It''s a poison. It doesn''t work even if you eat it, but you don''t want your clothes to get dirty, so you dodge it. I didn''t expect it to dodge. I''m not sure if they were expecting me to duck, but they were upset and extended their tentacles to chase me. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''ve seen it before. The tentacles and the poisonous liquid kept me away from Rajezel, but I didn''t care and slowly approached. Rajsel is backing away, desperately repeating his attacks. I''m not sure what to make of it. It''s ...... useless, though. "Ah!¡¡What is it? For a moment, it moves at high speed and disappears from Rajsel''s sight. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. Basically, blows are ineffective against the Zell species. The jelly-like body absorbs the impact and channels it throughout the body. The larger the body, the higher the absorption rate, and ordinary blows are almost ineffective against a Zell of this size, let alone a small one. Therefore, I would normally use magic to attack him, but if I used magic too openly, he might find out that I am a reincarnated demon. If I were to be noticed by a major power, they might send a brave and powerful man or an army, which would threaten my peace. So I''m going to beat him with the usual blows. Phew! I let out a short breath and slammed my fist into Rajezel''s body. It felt as if I had struck him with a rubber band, and my fist sank into him. Rajsel''s body, pushed away, inevitably tried to return. But before he could, he stepped forward and struck a blow. The body bounced back and stretched further. "Yes, yes, yes. As if I was digging, I fired my fists in succession, pushing Rajsel''s body into the ground. The next thing I know, Rajezel''s body has more than doubled in size, and the part protecting the core has become so thin that it''s barely noticeable. I strike a blow to the nucleus, which is now defenseless because the protective membrane has disappeared. It''s over. "Piggy......? It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. I''m not sure what to do. But it''s been a while since I''ve seen a big one. It was good training. "Oops, I''d better get home before my dad''s fight is over! I rushed back to the carriage. "Oh, man. Oh, man, it''s getting late. I came back quickly, but I couldn''t make it in time, my father and his men had finished fighting and were resting. That''s a shame. It seems they were stronger than I thought. Hoping that Amira had a good excuse, I hurried over from behind the rocks. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one. ...... Apparently, Amira was fooling around with the fact that I hadn''t come back from the bathroom yet. I''m not sure how long you''ve been in the bathroom. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve seen it before. Let''s just talk about it. "I''m sorry I kept you waiting. "Don''t worry about it. We wanted to take a break, too. "You got a big one?¡¡Heh heh. "...... The question was so vulgar that I couldn''t help but keep a straight face. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why. I''m not sure what to say. This area is a pathway for a very powerful demon called Raziel. He''s worried about you guys, so he''s rushing you to get away from here. He didn''t forget to follow up on his father. He is a very good man. "That''s right, Raziel is very scary. It''s a monster that can swallow a whole cow. Ranga might be eaten in a single bite. "Haha, hey Daryl, don''t scare him too much. ...... Gaelio chuckles at the sight of his father scaring him. ...... But maybe, just maybe, Rajezel won''t show up. ...... Why is that? "I don''t know. Well, let''s get going. I get in, and the carriage starts to go. By the way, as I predicted, there was no Rajsel in the carriage. 40 Arrival in Alecia And so the carriage ride goes smoothly. Life outside the city is a little inconvenient, but it is fun. At night, we build a fire and eat around various pots and pans. We wrap ourselves in sleeping bags around the fire and go to sleep. In the morning, we eat a simple breakfast by the fire and drive the wagon again. In addition, I sometimes went out and came back to kill demons. The further you get from the city, the more powerful the monsters become. There were orc lords and gai lizards and kobold leaders. Just the thing to train with. Sometimes it''s good to be outdoors like this, reminiscing about the old days. Three days after leaving the city, I saw a huge wall across the wilderness. That''s Alesia. We are almost there. The stone walls had been pierced by many arrows and had been repaired many times. The soil was so hardened by the passing soldiers that not even grass could grow. It reminded me of the history of battles over the decades. In a previous life, when our Demon Lord''s army planned to invade the human world, heroes from all over the world, led by heroes, stood here. We also challenged them many times, but never succeeded in the end. So we have never set foot on Alethia. ...... It is ironic that this has now come true. While I was thinking about this, the carriage arrived at the gate. A strong man, the gatekeeper, stood in front of the carriage. "Hello. My name is Gaelio, captain of the Amor Guard. I''m here on a security matter. ...... ...... Oh, I''ve heard so much about you. Come on in. The man gives us a sour look and asks us to go inside. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. I''m the one who brought you here, shouldn''t you at least give me a little welcome? Seeing the man''s attitude, the father swears. It can''t be helped. For the guards of this city, Gaelio and his men have taken their jobs. It''s no wonder they don''t enjoy it. The guards of this city are proud of having protected the city from the invasion of the demon race until now. It''s no wonder they feel their pride has been hurt. I think you should be prepared for the harshness. I understand the feelings of that soldier. It''s annoying to have other soldiers join in the defense of the fortress you have been defending. This is especially true when there is room to spare. That''s why the Demon King''s army often split up. As I nodded my head, Gaelio called out to me, rolling his eyes. I''m not sure how you know all this, but I do. I''m sorry, that was a bit childish. "Oh, hahaha!¡¡Well, I did that in class recently. I heard that the city of Alethia was preventing the invasion of the demon race. I also learned that other soldiers joined the defense and fought with each other. "Well, you''re studying well. I''m impressed. "Master Ranga is very good at history class. This is nothing to be surprised about. Nice follow-up, Amira. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. ...... Hmm, I think I managed to fool him. The carriage passes through the gate and enters the city. Contrary to the dullness of the city walls, the city of Alethia was full of life. Beautiful statues were erected here and there, and people were walking the streets in gorgeous clothes. The stores were fashionable, and there were lines of people waiting for food. There is a shopping district in our city, but it is ten times more crowded than the one in our city. Hugh, so this is Alethia!¡¡This is a gorgeous city!¡¡I love it! The father looks around and whistles. He looks at a woman who is wearing a swimsuit with a lot of skin color. You dirty old man, your mouth is slack and loose. It''s a good thing that ...... there are so many beasts in town. I said something that I had been feeling since I entered the city. The town is full of beastman children playing with human children, and the adult beastmen do not look like rogues, they look like they are living a serious life. In other words, there are beastmen living here. It''s a sight you don''t see in other cities. "Oh, there are a few beastmen living here. There are a few beastmen living here, and orphanages and hospitals have been built for them after the war. "Wow, the big people in this town seem to be very understanding. Ordinary cities don''t have the resources to allocate infrastructure to beastmen. The wealth of this city and its understanding of beastmen must have miraculously brought it about. It''s a miracle that the conference was even organized. "Yes, I respect him too. He took advantage of the fact that he had been at the forefront of the war against the demons and marketed it as a tourist attraction. They had plenty of supplies, so they developed quickly. That being said, the statues standing in line are all those of the heroic party and other heroes. It''s not so creepy to see the faces of those who once fought. I heard that a beastman came to the city shortly after the war and tried to help. Thanks to him, the people in the city have a certain understanding of beastmen. "Really? During that difficult time, huh? There were quite a few respectable beastmen. Ah!¡¡Look, Master Ranga!¡¡There''s a statue of Ranga-sama in the square over there! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. The statue depicts him holding a large sword in the face of a brave and battered man. Hey, wait a minute, why is there a statue of me? You''re Ranga the Demon King. You''re the demon king Ranga. You''re very popular in this town because of the way you fought against the brave. I remember you saying something like that. My father even named me after the demon king, ......, to make me a brave man. I didn''t hear that they made statues of him. I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why I''m here.¡¡It''s not quite as dignified as the real thing, but it''s not bad. I want to see it up close and personal! But Amira was very excited. But Amira is very excited. Her eyes are twinkling as she talks about the episode in detail. I''m so embarrassed, so embarrassed. If I had a hole, I''d go in it. "Oh, you know so much. Do you like the Demon King, Amira? "What? !¡¡Oh, my God!¡¡I wonder if I can take that statue home!¡¡I''d like to have it in my bedroom! Gaelio laughs and says, "Haha, you''re funny. Gaelio is laughing, but I''m pretty sure he''s not joking. This guy could do it. Seriously. "Oh, Ranga, this demon king is the source of your name.¡¡Aren''t you glad you got to see him for the first time? My dad gets in my face, but I ignore him. Of course I''m not happy at all. I''ve seen enough of the old me in the past. As I breathed out a sigh, I heard a bell ringing in the distance. It seemed to be lunchtime. Oops, it''s already noon. We''ve arrived a little early. Let''s have lunch here before we go. "Oh, that''s a good idea, Gaelio-dono. I was dying of hunger! I was dying of hunger! Amira, after you finish lunch, you can take your time to look at the statue of the Demon King. Maybe you can find a miniature statue in a souvenir shop? Yes!¡¡Yes, by all means!¡¡Let''s go together, Ranga-sama! "Hahaha ...... A dry laugh escaped my lips. I felt like I could do whatever I wanted. When I went to the restaurant, I found the Oni-O lunch set, Oni-Meshi, and Oni-Drink, which I didn''t understand. It''s just too much business. Moreover, the souvenir shop even had a replica of my old sword. Oh man, I really don''t understand human thinking at all. 41 Former, Fierce General The carriage driven by Gaelio left the city and proceeded to the forest on the outskirts. As it leaves the city, we begin to see soldiers here and there. Not only humans, but beastmen as well. There are some familiar faces here and there. That''s the Beast King''s army. They''re probably worried and unhappy if only humans are guarding them, so they''re guarding themselves. "Where are we going?¡¡Captain. The meeting will take place far from the city. We don''t want to upset the people of the city. Most people don''t have a very good feeling about beastmen. Most people don''t have very good feelings about beastmen, and the people of this city are no different, if not better than other cities. The way they looked at the beastmen in the city was not a good feeling. There are beastmen who are serious and understand how to interact with people, but they are basically short-tempered and violent. But a meeting with such a beastman. I wonder what they will talk about. ...... You''re not going to start a war, are you? I''m sure you''re not planning on going to war. "Hey Gaelio, what do you want to talk about at the meeting? "Idiot, you don''t need to talk about anything else. Ha-ha-ha, that''s fine, Daryl. It''s nothing to hide. Ranga, what''s going on is a peace conference. Humans and beastmen have been at odds with each other for a while now. We''re talking about stopping that. The representatives will talk to each other and try to get along from now on. "What?¡¡Is that so? Gaelio''s words startled me. A peace between humans and beastmen?¡¡That''s unthinkable. "Hey Ranga, why are you so surprised?¡¡The war''s over, they''ll make peace. What are you talking about, Dad? This is a city that''s been on the front lines of war for years, not someplace else!¡¡How can you join forces with someone you''ve crossed paths with many times? "Oh, ...... yes, that''s true ....... I''m sure you''ll agree with me. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. "You know a lot, Ranga. Did you learn that at school too? "Yes, I did. Yes, I did. Haha. ...... Wow, they teach a lot of details in school nowadays. Careful, I''m talking too much. I''m an old timer. "Ah!¡¡I can see the building now! The building came into view just in time, so I turned my attention to it. It''s a magnificent mansion with a blue roof, and it looks like it covers a lot of land from here. In the center of the building is a clock tower with a huge bell. From the direction of the bell, it must have been the bell that rang at noon. "Oh, there''s the client who called us. His name is Hannibal. He''s a former hero of the Great War and the ruler of this city. -Hannibal Garland. A hero who led the city''s many defenses during the Great War. He was a man who believed in being tough on others and even tougher on himself, and he fought bravely, or rather recklessly, standing at the front lines himself. In addition, he never neglected his command, and the heroes and heroes from all over the world followed his advice quietly because of the way he saw the big picture. I''ve never met him in person, but I''ve glimpsed him from afar. He was tall and muscular, and his figure with a huge spear was heroic even though he was an enemy. Moreover, he is a capable man who can develop the city like this once the battle is over. Let''s see what kind of person he is. ...... As I waited in anticipation, the door of the mansion was thrown open with great force. "Oh!¡¡I''m so glad you''re here!¡¡It''s a good thing you''re here, Gaelio, Daryl and his sons! What came out of the house was a fat old man. The top of his head was completely bald, and a few strands of gray hair were swaying unsteadily in the wind. For all intents and purposes, he was just an ordinary old man. I''m sure this old man is not Hannibal. ...... "Ha, presumptuous, Amor Guard, Captain Gaelio Vincent. I''ve just arrived. Sorry to keep you waiting, Hannibal! --That''s right. I didn''t know this old man was Hannibal. There''s no sign of the old man. Where''s the general? When Gaelio saw him saluting Hannibal, his father hurried to follow him. "Ah, Amor Guard, Daryl Valiant. We''re here, sir! We''ll follow suit and bow. "Ranga-Variante. Amira Lirinra. When Hannibal saw us bowing, he looked puzzled for a moment. But then he immediately burst into laughter. "Ha-ha-ha, don''t be so sure. I''m the one who summoned you. I''ve prepared a guest room for you. Come on in, come on in. Hannibal turns away defenselessly to show us in. So unguarded that it''s unnerving. It''s somewhat disconcerting. "That''s Hannibal ......, he changes all the time, doesn''t he? Oh, you don''t look anything like him. I talk to Amira in secret. The old Hannibal was like a blade that could be cut with a touch. Now he''s this. ...... Change is change. My father seems to be looking at Hannibal and wondering. No wonder. It''s hard to believe that such a fat old man is the Hannibal of the textbooks. As I was thinking about this, Hannibal, who was walking in front of me, suddenly turned to me. Are you surprised to know that I''m Hannibal? "No, no!¡¡No, not at all. ......! Hannibal laughed out loud. Hannibal laughed hysterically. "Ha-ha-ha, no problem. I''m used to it. I''m used to it.¡¡I''ve been told so many times. Hannibal then slaps himself on the stomach. The belly rippled. But I''m proud of this belly. But I''m proud of this belly, because it means I don''t have to fight anymore, and I can eat a lot of good food in peace. It was really hard during the war. There were many days when we couldn''t eat and had to kill each other, and when we came home there was no food. When I was asked to help organize this town, I was the first to gather food. I''ve been starving ever since then. That''s how we got here and that''s how the town grew. So I don''t care what people say about me. Hahahaha! Hannibal laughs merrily. After he had finished laughing, he narrowed his eyes and continued in a rather serious tone. If we can make peace with the beastmen, this peace will be more secure. Will you lend us your strength for that?¡¡Gaelio-dono and Darryl-dono. "Ha ......! The two of them hurriedly returned the salute as Hannibal''s soft but stern eyes stared at them. I see, it''s not just the belly that''s big. The size of this vessel, the overflowing intellect, and the charisma. This person is without a doubt the fierce general Hannibal. sir. "Have you returned, Master Hannibal? When we entered the villa, we were greeted by several maids. They were maids with ears and tails. To our surprise, they were all beastmen. Do beastmen work for humans in this house? You could have left the welcoming of guests to us. At the center of the group, a beastman with long ears like a rabbit''s, who was probably the leader, complained with a troubled face. What are you talking about? It is my job as the owner of the house to welcome guests. That''s non-negotiable. "Well, ......, that''s fine, but the merchants are getting tired of waiting. "Oh, I''ve been calling for you, haven''t I? I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. ...... Gaelio-dono, Darryl-dono, I''m sorry, but I''ll be going now. Mizuha, show our guests around. "Yes, sir. Hannibal left us in the hands of the beast he called Mizha, and retreated to the back room. Mizuha led us through the house. The inside was quite large, and it was difficult to reach the place we wanted. Gaelio called out to Mizuha to pause her. "You seem to be as busy as ever, Hannibal-dono. "Yes. "Yes, but he still wants to do everything himself, which is a problem. Why don''t you just leave it to me to pick you up? Mizzou let out a sigh, as if to say, "I''m in trouble. But there was no disgust in her face. There are people who hire beastmen in the city of Amor, but most of them don''t do well. Beastmen have a lot of pride, and many of them take humans lightly. But these women are different. They respect their masters as masters and treat us as guests. ÈËég¤Î¥á¥¤¥É¤ÈºÎ¤é‰ä¤ï¤ê¤Ê¤¤ÊËʤ֤ê¤À¤Ã¤¿. ¡¸¤³¤Á¤é¤¬¤ª¿Í˜”¤Î¤ª²¿Îݤˤʤê¤Þ¤¹¡¹ °¸ÄÚ¤µ¤ì¤¿¤Î¤Ï¤ä¤¿¤éºÀÈA¤Ê²¿ÎݤÀ¤Ã¤¿. ¥Ù¥Ã¥É¤âÈý¤Ä¤¢¤ê¡¢ÇÞ²´¤ê¤Ë¤ÏÊ®·Ö¤¹¤®¤ëŽÚ¤µ¤Ç¤¢¤ë. ¡¸¤ª¤ª¤Ã£¡¡¡¤¤¤¤²¿Îݤ¸¤ã¤¢¤Í©`¤«£¡¡¡¥Ù¥Ã¥É¤â¤Õ¤«¤Õ¤«¤À¤¼£¡¡¡¤Ê¤¡¥é¥ó¥¬£¡¡¹ ÔçË٥٥åɤË×ù¤êÞz¤àÓH¸¸¤Ë¡¢°³¤ÏÀä¤ä¤ä¤«¤ÊÒ•¾€¤òËͤë. ¤ä¤ì¤ä¤ì¡¢×Ó¹©¤«¤Ã¤Ä©`¤Î. ¡¸¤ªšÝ¤ËÕÙ¤·¤Æ¤¯¤À¤µ¤Ã¤¿¤è¤¦¤ÇÐÒ¤¤¤Ç¤¹. ¥¬¥¨¥ê¥ª˜”¤ÏÏò¤«¤¤¤Î¤ª²¿Îݤˤʤê¤Þ¤¹¡¹ ¡¸¤¢¤ê¤¬¤È¤¦¤´¤¶¤¤¤Þ¤¹¡¢¥ß¥º¥Ï¤µ¤ó¡¹ ¡¸¤¤¤¨¡¢¤ªšÝ¤Ë¤Ê¤µ¤é¤º. ¤½¤ì¤Ç¤ÏºÎ¤«¤¢¤Ã¤¿¤é¤ªºô¤ÓϤµ¤¤. Ϧʳ•r¤Ë¤Ïºô¤Ó¤Ë²Î¤ê¤Þ¤¹¡¹ ¥ß¥º¥Ï¤Ï¤½¤¦ÑԤäÆÉî¡©¤Èî^¤òϤ²¤ë¤È¡¢²¿Îݤ«¤é³ö¤ÆÐФä¿. ¥¢©`¥ß¥é¤¬¥Ù¥Ã¥É¤ËÇÞÜž¤Ö¤È¡¢Ä¿¤ò¼š¤á¤Æ°³¤òÒŠÉϤ²¤ë. ¡¸Ë½¤¿¤Á¤Ï¥Ù¥Ã¥ÉÒ»¤Ä¤Ç¤â¤è¤í¤·¤«¤Ã¤¿¤Î¤Ë¡­¡­¤Í¡¢¥é¥ó¥¬˜”?¡¹ ¡¸¥¢¥Û¤«¡¹ °³¤Ï¤¿¤áÏ¢¤È¹²¤Ë¡¢¤½¤¦·µ¤¹¤Î¤À¤Ã¤¿. 42 a great meal I was relaxing in my room for a while when I heard a knock on the door. Here you go. When my father opened the door, he saw Mizuha standing there. Gaelio is standing behind him. "Master Daryl, I''ve come to call you because your meal is ready. "Oh, thank you. I was already starving!¡¡Let''s go, Ranga, baby Amira. Yes! Mizuha took me down the long corridor again. It''s a huge mansion by the way. There are trees around it like a forest, and there are several annexes outside the window. The house looks like a castle. Money is where it''s at. My father said in an impressed voice. In the annex near the clock tower, there are some important people, the beastmen with whom you are meeting. Please do not cause any trouble. I know!¡¡Mizuha-san. Do you think Daryl is such a rude man? I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work. ...... By the way, Mizuha, I''ve been thinking about you since the first time I met you. What do you think?¡¡I''ve been thinking about this since we first met.¡¡What are you doing, Ranga? What are you doing? I pinched my father''s foot as hard as I could when he started hitting on Mizuha, I don''t know what he was thinking. You really have no idea what you''re doing, do you? Mizuha replies to her father in a soft tone. "I''m sorry, but there''s a chance you might have trouble with our customers. ...... There''s no such thing as trouble. It''s only a gentleman''s conversation. ......¡¡Stop it, Ranga! Pinch him again as hard as you can. The father rubbed his feet and Gaelio laughed at him. I was led to this place. I was taken to another large guest room. This room was also huge. The distance from one end to the other is about the same as my house. There were a number of round tables lined up, and on them was a sumptuous meal. People in fancy clothes were chatting and laughing while occasionally picking up the food. It''s a standing-room-only party for the participants of the conference, so please feel free to deepen your friendships or indulge in the fine food. Mizuha bowed and went to the other maids. I can''t believe it.¡¡This looks delicious! My father seemed to get excited when he saw the food. There were boiled whole shrimps, roast beef with lots of sauce, and a pie in a cup that I couldn''t understand. I guess you could call it sumptuous. I''ve never seen these dishes before. I''ve been on a poor diet, and I''m drooling with pleasure. Whoa!¡¡They''ve got mangoes and bananas! They''re tropical fruits, and they''re rare and expensive. I can''t wait to try them. I can''t wait to try them. "Hmm, what''s so unusual about the food here?¡¡Poor people. Just as I was about to start eating, I heard a voice behind me. When I turned around, there was a man with a scar over one eye. He was dressed in thick armor and had a large sword at his waist. He was wearing a little perfume, but it gave off a somber atmosphere that did not match the place. He said, "A countryman will never be able to taste this. Taste it carefully. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to fight me?¡¡What are you doing? The man''s words were met with a pale, stern look from the father. You can take it as you will. You can take it as you will, but I''m going to dust you off. Who''s throwing sparks?¡¡You''re the one sprinkling it on me! The two are staring at each other, almost grabbing each other. They''re already fighting. I rush to stop them. "Hey, Dad! "Shut up, Ranga, it''s a soldier''s fight. I understand that, but I''m telling you to pick your spots. But the father has a point. It''s his fault this guy picked a fight. He''s got his hand on his sword, ready to pull out. It''s a touch and go situation. ...... It''s no use. I''ll let him back off. I walked around behind my dad and focused solely on the man standing in front of me and unleashed a killing intent. "......!¡¡You''re ......? Instantly, the man''s face, which had been relaxed until a moment ago, turned pale. This man is also an expert in his own right, but only on a human level. He seemed to have been completely cowered by the intimidating feeling I gave off. The man backs away, and my father closes in on him. "What?¡¡Now you''re freaking out? "......!¡¡That''s ridiculous. ......! The man still tried to fight back, but... "Will you stop? The man who was standing there was Han Han. It was Hannibal standing there. "What are you doing, Miguel? What are you doing? "It''s Mr. Hannibal. ......! "What are you doing, Miguel?" "Mr. Hannibal, !" The man called Miguel put down his sword when Hannibal reproached him. I''m sorry. Miguel is the head of security for this conference. He''s the head of security for this conference. He''s a little upset because I suddenly asked Gaelio and the others for backup. Please forgive him. Hannibal apologized, and Miguel followed suit. I''m sorry about ....... I said those words because I wanted to see what you were capable of. I hope you can forgive me. I''m sorry," said Miguel, bowing deeply, as if his previous attitude had been a lie. But I understand what you are capable of. So the name ''Daryl the Demon Cross'' is not a fluke. I apologize for my rudeness. I am truly sorry. My father''s eyes rolled back in his head, as if he had been caught off guard. Apparently, he was testing me, deliberately. "I''m sorry. I''m Miguel Gordon, the captain of the guard of this mansion. Once again, Gaelio-dono and Daryl-dono, I ask for your cooperation. Miguel offers his right hand for a handshake. ...... Oh, yeah. That''s what I''m talking about!¡¡It''s a good idea. If you know what I''m capable of, I''ll let you off the hook! My father took his hand with a grin on his face, not too pleased. ...... It''s so simple, in a good way and a bad way. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea.¡¡Hahahaha! Hannibal hugged them on the shoulders and laughed gaily. "Father, may I have a word with you? He looked at the voice and saw a man in white standing there. He was tall and thin, with a soft expression and a look in his eyes that was somewhat similar to Hannibal''s. "First, let me introduce myself. My name is Nerval. Nerval-Garland. I am Hannibal''s illegitimate son. "Oh, Nerval, welcome. Let me introduce you, this is my son Nerval. He''s a doctor by trade. The man who introduced himself as Naval batted his head slowly and gracefully. He looked like just a gentleman, but his appearance gave off a certain atmosphere. He is a doctor and seems to be wise. It''s a pleasure to meet you. Daryl-dono, Gaelio-dono. "Oh, you''re Hannibal''s son!¡¡It''s nice to meet you too. The father hurriedly took Nerval''s hand. "Hmm, since you''re here, does that mean you''ll be attending the ...... meeting as well, Nerval? Even though he was his son, he would not be able to casually participate in a meeting of this magnitude. Nerval smiled and replied to his father''s question. Yes, I too am very eager to coexist with the beastmen. Nerval has built several hospitals and orphanages for beastmen who had nowhere else to go after the last war. In addition, his wife, who passed away a year ago, was also a beastman. ...... Didn''t he also receive some kind of peace prize?¡¡Recently, he seems to be studying medicine for beasts in order to save them, and he goes back and forth between the hospitals he has built. But the Demon Lord''s army is much more advanced in medicine for beastmen. But the Demon Lord''s Army is much more advanced in medicine for beastmen, though they rely heavily on the books they''ve seized. After the Demon Lord''s army was defeated, various books and magical tools were handed over to the human side. He must be using them to study medicine for beastmen. "Well, that''s impressive. My father is always impressed. Indeed, it''s a great achievement to be able to do so much for a beast that is still deeply discriminated against. Nerval shook his head in admiration. My wife is dead and I have nothing better to do. Besides, I love the beastmen. Nerval smiles softly. I love beasts ...... and building orphanages and hospitals for them is a great thing. The maids who work here are also from the orphanage. That''s how my son is. It was then that I was approached by the Beast King for a peace conference. Nerval''s dead wife had told me many times about it, so I decided to go ahead with this meeting.¡¡She was a really good wife, too good for my son!¡¡Ha-ha-ha! I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. ...... I don''t care what you say, I''m getting hungry. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. It''s going to be a long story, and I can''t tell you that I''m out of here. As I held on, biting back a sigh, Gaelio put his hand on my shoulder. "Ranga-kun, Amira-chan, are you hungry? "Yes!¡¡Yes, yes! I''m starving. Nice follow-up, Gaelio. There''s no way I can''t pick this up. Amira and I nodded immediately. "...... So we''re going to go around. Are you ready?¡¡Sir Hannibal. "Oh, of course. Have a good day, Gaelio. "Yes, excuse me. Let''s go then, you two. Gaelio urged me and Amira to leave. Oh, hey, I''m with ....... Daryl, if you don''t mind, may I ask you a question? "Ugh ...... gee ......, haha ...... no problem, but ...... My father is looking at me with a grudge, but I''ll pretend he didn''t see ....... "Well, I''m glad you two are here. Hannibal is a good man, but he''s a bit long-winded. Shall we just eat first? "That''s surprising. Gaelio, you seem so serious, but I didn''t know you had it in you. "That''s a secret. Gaelio put his finger on his mouth mischievously and winked. It''s a good thing I''m not the only one. I''m all about you, Ranga-sama. "...... I see. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''m not the only one. In any case, I was finally freed and enjoyed a sumptuous meal. 43 Beast King, Leanne "Mr. Ranga, this fish is very tasty! "The meat here is also very tasty! Amira and I were taking full advantage of our status as children and enjoying a sumptuous meal. It wouldn''t be the same if we were adults in a position of power. Gaelio seemed to be taken aback by our eagerness to eat, and ate elegantly. "Mmmm, you''re happy, Ranga-sama. "Oh, you don''t get to eat this kind of delicious food often. Eat up. By the way, when I was the Four Heavenly Kings, I couldn''t eat as much as I wanted even when I attended parties for greetings and such. I''ll eat for my previous life too. "By the way, Ranga-sama, don''t you think it''s a little strange? "By the way, Ranga-sama, don''t you think it''s a little strange?" said Amira, who had her mouth full of food. "What''s wrong? What is it?" "This party is supposed to be for tomorrow''s meeting, right?¡¡But none of the beasts are here. That''s because tomorrow''s meeting is the big one, so aren''t they having a strategy meeting now? I''m sure this party was held to unify the participants. If you listen carefully, you''ll hear a lot of talk about tomorrow''s meeting. Perhaps the beastmen are having the same discussion right now. Besides, there''s no point in having a meeting if you have to attend a party like this before it. "Well, that''s good to know. Ranga-kun. It was Gaelio who suddenly called out to me from behind. You scared the hell out of me. It''s bad for your heart. I''m just wondering if that''s true. Haha. ...... "No, I don''t think you''re wrong.¡¡I''m sure you''re right. ...... Look at that. You can see the mansion on the other side of the window when Gaelio points at it. Some sort of beastmen were gathered there, and they seemed to be having a dinner like us. Most of the faces were unfamiliar to me, but there were some I had seen before in the Demon King''s army. Nyarev, a tiger beast who was in the assault team. He was a violent but manly man, and in a sense the most beastly of men, as he would be the first to cut you down on the battlefield. Gurv, a werewolf in the Intelligence Unit. This is a man who is calm and intelligent, and who has been able to eliminate traps and ambushes ahead of time. Both were important figures in the Beast King''s army. Both of them were important figures in the Beast King''s army, and they must have been recognized for that, so they were promoted to be able to attend parties like this. But those guys haven''t changed a bit. Beastmen age extremely slowly, and even now, decades later, they still look almost the same as before. When I saw a woman surrounded by them, I couldn''t believe my eyes. "Hey, hey, hey, that''s ....... A tall woman with long, upswept blond hair. You will find a lot of people who are looking for a new way of life. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. Her mouth was closed in a straight line, and her neck was so well-muscled that it was hard to believe she was a woman. She was dressed formally, but her well-developed body was visible even through her clothes. She was a healthy beauty, but she was more of a beast than a beauty. At the very least, she has an overpowering atmosphere, and none of the beasts around her seem to regard her as a woman. --I had seen her before. It was the Beast King LeAnn, one of the four former Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army. She''s the representative of the beastman side, Le?o-Barbarossa. She is the representative of the beastmen side, Leanne Barbarossa. She used to be one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army, but now she is running around trying to mediate with the humans. It is said that she is the one who negotiated this peace conference. "Really? I was so surprised that I couldn''t help but raise my voice. The Beast King''s Beast Knights are one of the most battle-hardened groups in the demon army. LeAnn is the kind of brave guy who would fight at the head of such a group. He was the kind of guy who would say, "A knight, even a king, should lead the way," and then charge headfirst into the fray. I couldn''t believe my ears the moment I heard that Leanne was going to ...... make peace, but things change when they change. Hannibal was the same way. Maybe age makes you round. I''m not sure what to make of that. "It is true that the Beast King Le?o was once so brave that he was called the Knight King. But after the war was over, he worked hard to reign in the world as if he had changed his mind. He calmed down the beastmen who still wanted to fight, made them turn swords into hoes, and taught them how to live in a civilized manner. To live with people. That''s why the Gnosis are so much more rational than the beasts. "Wow, ......, that Leanne ......, she''s so ....... In other words, they can talk to each other. It is true that it is impossible for a beastman to be a human maid, as far as I know. However, Gnosis and Alethia are two cities that have been neighbors since the end of the war. If they don''t cooperate with each other, it will be difficult for them to develop. That''s probably why Le?o taught the beastmen to do so. If you think about it, it''s probably true, but ...... you''ve convinced me. So I''m not so surprised by this peace conference. ...... Oops, modern history is still out of the scope of the class, isn''t it?¡¡Please keep what I teach you a secret from your teachers. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. Gaelio winked at me, apparently believing me when I said that I did it in class. What can I say? He''s just a nice guy, isn''t he? As we were talking about this, LeAnn and I suddenly met each other''s eyes. I gasp at the same piercing gaze as before. And then Garv''s hand closed the curtains of the window. I can no longer see what''s going on in the room. Oh, it''s closed. Too bad. It''s a shame. ...... Well, I''m going to go visit Daryl. I''ll have to take over for him soon. Gaelio said, and went to his father. I''m sure he''s hungry after all the time he spent with Hannibal, he''s a really nice guy. But I wonder what kind of wind is blowing when Leanne makes peace with ....... What''s wrong with you?¡¡Master Ranga. As I peek out the window, Amira comes up to me with food stuffed in both cheeks like a squirrel. On top of that, she was also holding a plate piled high with food in both hands. While I was talking to her, she kept moving her mouth. You''re being too greedy. I let out a big sigh, feeling silly for taking it so seriously. I let out a big sigh. "...... Oh, it''s nothing. I was surprised that Leanne was here, but it''s none of my business. Peace or no peace, what do I care? I don''t know what it is,......, but I think it''s time for dessert!¡¡I''m a sucker for sweets! I don''t know what it is, but ...... it''s time for dessert! I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I''m not going to eat anything sweet. ...... Oh, oh, ....... Oh, yeah, that''s all I can say. "Don''t you eat, Ranga-sama? Don''t underestimate me. I have enough left for dessert. Of course, that part was calculated. Amira smiled as if relieved. You''re right, Ranga-sama. And so Amira and I ate all the desserts at the party. 44 Beast King Reunites The party''s over and we''re going back to our room. I''m full, full, full. We were very satisfied with the tropical fruits that we could eat. "That was delicious. Ranga-sama. Amira''s stomach had also swelled up. She lay down on the bed and rubbed her growing belly with satisfaction. You''ve eaten too much, no matter what. "They''re letting us use their bathrooms!¡¡Come on, let''s go! Yes, sir. It''s going to be a really big bath, so look forward to it! My father is very proud of me. "Come on, Ranga, let''s go in together! I''m in! I''m going in!" He dropped a handkerchief on Amira''s head as she hugged him, and we headed for the bath. "Wow, it''s really big. We were led to the most luxurious baths I''d ever seen. It was lined with marble statues and several large bathtubs that could hold many people. The baths were filled with floating roses and herbs, bath salts, bubbles, and all sorts of other goodies. "Hey, Ranga!¡¡There''s an open-air bath over there! "Dad, you''re getting too excited. My father''s tension was at its peak. I understand, but let''s at least hide the front. It''s a nice ...... bath, though. I let out a breath as I watched my father jump into the large bath. After all, a large bath is the best. By the time I got out of the bath, I was in a great mood, a feeling I couldn''t experience in the small baths at home. "......? While I was changing, I suddenly felt a presence in the courtyard. I looked and saw the shadow of a man running in the dark. The thick silhouette looked like Hannibal. "Hannibal ......?¡¡Why at this hour ......? He seemed to be in a hurry to get to ...... someplace, but that''s none of my business. "Hey, why don''t you get dressed? Ranga. Hi. My father called me and I quickly changed. As I waited at the exit, Amira came out in her bathing suit. Her long hair was still a little wet, and her neck was moist and sweaty. Her cheeks were flushed and she looked like she was dreaming. "Hmm, that was a very nice bath. It''s a pity I couldn''t join you, Ranga-sama. "Don''t be silly, let''s go home. We''ve waited too long, we''re getting cold. Why do women take such long baths? We returned to our room. We went back to our room and changed into our nightgowns. But my father had changed into his work clothes. I''ve got a meeting to prepare for tomorrow. Miguel has summoned me. You guys can go to sleep first. "Yeah, good luck. Dad. Good night, Mr. Daryl. Good night. Dad said and left the room. I wonder if he was here on business. Good luck, Dad. Well, I''m off to bed. ...... Amira? "Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Suddenly, Amira''s shoulders begin to shake. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. Good night. But I immediately replied, and lay down. I''m sorry, but I don''t have time for your jokes. "I''m not joking!¡¡I''m serious! I''m serious!" "That''s even worse. I''m not joking! I''m serious! "Yank! I''m not sure if it was a good hit or not. She''s completely dizzy from the hit. You''ll sleep until morning. "Kyuuu ...... I pulled the covers over Amira and crawled under my own covers. Oh, man, he''s a noisy one. Well, I think I''ll go to bed, too. That''s when I lay down on my side. Then I heard the sound of a bell ringing: ....... "...... so late at night? I remembered that it had rung in the afternoon too. But I don''t think it was this small. And I don''t understand why it rings so late at night. Maybe the wind blew or a bird or something hit it. ...... Oh well, I''m off to bed. I put my doubts aside and went to sleep. I put my doubts aside and went to sleep. "Gosh, gosh, gosh, gosh ...... The next morning, I woke up to the sound of my father snoring. The next morning, I woke up to my father''s snoring. I thought I was used to it, but it was enough to wake me up. Amira was also dozing off in a fit of giggles. The sun is just rising now. It''s early morning. The clock on her bedside table read five o''clock. "Ahhhh... ...... I stretched and got up. Now I''m going to get dressed and do my daily training. I find time every day to do a little combat training. Strength is essential to the peaceful life I want. As a child, it''s hard for me to find free time to train. So I have to do it in the early morning or late at night, when I''m not seen. I don''t mind if I don''t do it at least when I''m in a mansion, but I feel uncomfortable if I don''t do it because it''s part of my routine. Well, at this time of day, it''s probably only the maids who see me, so I don''t think I''ll be bothered that much. I walked outside unnoticed and went out to the garden. I breathed in and out the morning air. After a few deep breaths, I slowly let the magic fill my body. He took a few deep breaths and then slowly let the magic flow through his body. "It''s a man''s yard, so let''s keep a low profile today in case anyone sees us. At a very slow pace, he readies his fist and thrusts. Then he readies his fist again and kicks it slowly into the air. This repetition, as if in a performance, is what is called "kata" training. Kata is one of the most important aspects of martial arts, and the power of a technique varies greatly depending on how well it is practiced. It is the training of this "kata" that allows for the efficient application of force, lean body movements, the smoothness and speed of the flow of magic power, and the ideal blow that comes out of it ...... in a precise procedure. In practice, of course, the kata is performed at high speed, but in doing so, the kata tends to break down. By daring to do it slowly, you can reconfirm the movement, and by deepening your understanding, you can improve your skill. It is a simple but highly effective training. Incidentally, Amira is not very good at this, so she is not good at physical combat. She has a lot of magic power, but she has no sense of movement, so she''s not good at moving her body in tandem. "Hmm. After a while, he began to sweat. This training is unassuming, but surprisingly hard. Let''s take a break. As I look around, I suddenly realize that this place looks familiar. By the way, Hannibal was in this area the other day. I think this is where I saw him from the bathhouse. I looked for his footprints and found them. Since it''s a good opportunity, I''ll take a walk and follow them. "Is this the ...... annex? After following the footprints for a while, I arrived at the house where the beastmen were staying. I wondered what they were doing there in the middle of the night. The footprints led to the back gate. ...... Is something there? As I approached the back gate, I stopped at the sign of someone. I looked behind the gate and saw someone standing in the courtyard. Who''s there? Suddenly, the person calls out to you. I''ve been out of sight, but I didn''t realize it. ...... No, of course not. The person is the former Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army, the Beast King LeAnn. I let out a sigh and walked out of the room. 45 Hes surprisingly...? I emerged from the back gate and confronted Leanne. He looks straight at me as if he''s going to shoot me, and my spine bubbles up. I feel the air tremble. What are you, a child? ...... But that quickly loosened when he saw me in my child form. Apparently, he doesn''t realize that I''m a former Fourth Heavenly King. "What are you doing here, boy? Haha ...... I was just walking around and wandered in. ...... Well... It''s all beasts here. There''s probably people over there. I''ll take you there. And so Leanne approaches me. When did you become so nice as to give directions to a kid you don''t know? But there''s no reason to go along with Leanne. And the beastman has good instincts. I''m sure they won''t recognize the old me, but you never know. I hurriedly waved my hand and refused. "No, thanks!¡¡I can go home by myself!¡¡Besides, you were training with your sword, right? LeAnn reacted to my words with a twitch. "...... Why do you know that? It''s easy. It''s easy. You''re dressed for movement and there''s a lot of grass under your feet. And you''ve got swordflies on your palms. Besides, it''s probably the same kata training I was doing earlier. It''s a way to channel the power into the ground to see how powerful it is. The grass was all over the place, trampled and overturned. It''s obvious they''ve been at it a long time. LeAnn, who had been listening to my narrative, laughed at me. "Hmm, this is surprising. I''m surprised you could see through that. You''re good, kid. "Haha, I know what you mean. I''ll give you a guess. Boy, you are a martial artist, aren''t you?¡¡I''ve seen that you''ve been taught by some pretty good masters. LeAnn says with a proud look on her face. "Right. That''s great, sister. Well, you''re half right. My dad taught me a few things, but nothing really useful. But if I don''t, I''ll have to make up an excuse. "Well, my guess is as good as mine, isn''t it? I was momentarily taken aback by Leanne''s carefree smile. He smiles like this. When he was a Four Heavenly Kings, he was always sullen, but he''s become much more rounded. While I''m admiring her, LeAnn sits down at the same level as my eyes. "My name is Leanne. Leanne-Barbarossa. As you can see, I''m a beastman. I know. You''re the Beast King. We had a brief glimpse of each other yesterday, remember? Oh, you''re the boy I saw through the window. I''m sorry about that. I''m sorry about that. ...... But you''re not surprised at all when you''re dealing with beasts, are you? Yes, I know that some beastmen are good. Some beastmen are good. Leanne''s fine. I think you''ll be a good friend. LeAnn said and held out her hand for me to shake. You really are a different person than you used to be. Or maybe he just likes kids. Of course I shake his hand. "By the way, boy, what''s your name? "Ranga. What? When he heard Ranga''s name, Leanne''s face tensed up for a moment. I hastened to add. My father liked the Demon King, so he named me after him. It''s just too much, hahaha. ...... "...... I see. I''m surprised. Actually, I once fought side by side with the Demon King Ranga. It''s a name that I have a strong connection with, so I got upset. "Oh, really? I see... Careful, careful. Leanne used to be an enemy of mine. You''ll have to be careful who you say your name to. "By the way, Ranga, it''s a good thing we''re here. I''ll show you something good. Le?o said and put his hand on the sword at his waist. Why is he suddenly trying to pull out his sword? Is it possible that he sensed something from me with his beastly sense of smell? Maybe it''s time to settle old scores? LeAnn pulls out her sword without regard to my retreating back. --It''s a black blade with a red, suspiciously shining edge. The hilt is embedded with magic stones and decorated with dragon claws and fangs. The red and black color of the sword was familiar to me. "The demon sword, Kibaou. It''s the sword that the demon king Ranga, who gave you your name, once used. --The Demon King, that''s exactly the sword I used to love. I''ve been looking for it before the battle with the heroes, but I couldn''t find it, so I assumed someone had hidden it, but why does Leanne have it? You can''t be sure that he was the one who hid it,......? I''m not sure what to say. But in the battle against the heroes, the demon king could not use it. He was the most hated of the Four Heavenly Kings. The other kings hid it. So it was Levanov. He''s the one who set me up back then. It''s no wonder he hid the weapon. When I found out, I tried to find and deliver the Demon King. But in the end, I couldn''t get to him in time, and by the time I got there, he had run out of steam and been defeated. "Heh, heh ......, yeah, what the heck ....... It was an astonishing fact. At that time, I believe LeAnn was leading an army against the humans in the castle. I''m not sure what to make of it. "I wanted to save the Demon King and my allies. I wanted to save the Onion King, my ally. I ran hard to do that ......, but I couldn''t make it. And you came to me alone? And to save me? ......?¡¡I can''t believe I''m saying this, but it looks like he''s telling the truth. I challenged the heroes to battle alone, but they were no match for me and I lost. The only reason I still have this is to remember my weakness at that time. To remember my allies who fought and died alone against the brave men. Leanne grasped the Demon Blade King and continued to speak. "After the war ended and the Demon Lord''s army collapsed, I led the beastmen to live. However, the barren land of the Demon World could not provide enough food for all the beasts. Then I looked next to me and saw that the human city was very rich and full of food. If it had been me, I would have fought to take it. I would have sacrificed a lot of people and worsened the situation of the beastmen. Or worse, they would have perished. That Demon Lord wouldn''t do that. He would have chosen the path of least sacrifice and most of his men would have survived. ...... I was troubled by this thought. I wondered what he would do. ...... As a result, I thought it would be best to make peace with the humans. It''s true, if I were in the same position, I might have done that. The demon king''s army has been destroyed, and there is little reason to stay in the demon world. Then, the most efficient way is to coexist with humans. But it must not have been an easy decision. After all, they had been killing each other until now. It''s unlikely his men would have been so willing. --I''m sure Leanne went around trying to convince them. Hard, earnestly, patiently. If the chief beast king did so, no matter how bloodthirsty the beast king''s army was, they wouldn''t be able to ignore him. But I can''t believe that the proud LeAnn would do such a thing. ...... Things change when they change. I''m sorry to hear that. "Yes, but there was one person who agreed with me. My sister, Syria. -Syria, I roll my eyes at that familiar name. Even though she was the sister of the Beast King Le?o, she had a very gentle personality. She was a woman who treated everyone with kindness and equality, and seemed to embrace everyone like a holy mother. Not only the beastmen, but even the other members of the Demon King''s army would give her a glance. That was the Beast King''s sister, Syria. She worked here in Alethia to be a bridge between the beastmen. I''m sure she went through a lot of hardships at first, but she never complained. Thanks to Syria, the people of the city understood that there were good people among the beastmen. A few years later, someone asked Syria to marry him. It was Nerval. "What?¡¡Well, Nerval''s dead wife is ....... Yeah, in Syria. A sad expression appeared on Leanne''s face. I''m not sure if you''ve ever heard of this, but I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I''m not sure what to make of it. I had some thoughts, but I continued to work for peace so that her death would not be in vain. Nerval also swore an oath to the late Syria, and he built hospitals and orphanages, and did his best to help the beastmen. His persistent efforts finally bore fruit, and this peace conference was realized. For the sake of the beastmen and for the sake of the deceased Syrians, ...... we will make this conference a success. ......! LeAnn is looking straight ahead. You can''t help but be taken aback by that dignified expression. I don''t know what I''m talking about when I say "......". I don''t know what the heck I''m talking about. I don''t know what the hell I''m talking about. I''d appreciate it if you wouldn''t tell anyone what I just told you. Yes, of course! "Good girl. Le?o smiled and put his hand on my head. It was a strange feeling to be stroked by the Beast King. I''m not asking you by name, Ranga, but ...... is the Demon King angry that you took his sword without permission? No, I''m sure the Onion King doesn''t mind. I''m sure he doesn''t mind. On the contrary, I''m sure he''s happy that you replaced it and tried to deliver it to him. I don''t think he''s going to use it anymore, so I think it''s better for Leanne to keep it. ...... Well... I hope you''re right. Yeah. I''m not sure what to make of it. I was surprised that Leanne thought of me as an ally. I thought he hated me for sure. The fact that he had come alone to save me at that time was a bit touching. In any case, the Demon King would have been taken away by the heroes if he hadn''t been killed, and I have no complaints if Leanne uses it. "Ranga-sama!¡¡Where are you? Amira''s voice echoed in the gloomy air. It seems she''s come looking for me. "Well, it looks like you''re here. You''d better get going. "Okay, bye!¡¡Leanne! I waved to Leanne and ran off. 46 Incidents, outbreaks Ah!¡¡Master Ranga!¡¡I didn''t know you were in such a place! Leanne and I parted ways, and I soon met up with Amira. "Oh, morning training. The usual, right? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m not sure what to do.¡¡It''s my fault for not waking up. ...... You''re busy being depressed when you''re upset. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. I don''t go out of my way to talk to her. It''s too much trouble to deal with her. Even if I don''t wake him up, it''s still a bother. As I was thinking about this, Amira approached me at a fast pace. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. ...... Are you a dog? I am amazed at Amira''s mysterious sense of smell. You didn''t follow me here by scent, did you? "Ah!¡¡I''m sure you''re right.¡¡I''m not sure if you''ve met that big blonde woman. Well, we ran into each other earlier. I''m going to explain to you what happened. Amira listened excitedly. "So... I must have misunderstood Leanne. Now that I''ve talked to him, he''s a lot nicer than I thought. When I finished my explanation, Amira was mumbling about something. "...... I see. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. I''m not sure what to make of it, but it''s a good idea.¡¡I''m not sure what to make of this.¡¡I''m not sure what to make of this. I''m not sure what to do. ...... I''m not sure what to do. ...... I''m not sure what to make of this. It''s a scary guy. I remember when Amira and LeAnn were fighting over something. They were always talking about who had the better results. They were always arguing over who had the stronger troops. I remember we were always competing. The only saving grace is that Ranga-sama is a bit grumpy. I can hear you mumbling to yourself. Who''s nippy? Who''s nippy? But Ranga-sama, it''s time for breakfast, so let''s hurry back. "Oh, well, we''d better hurry. Breakfast must be splendid. The breakfast must be sumptuous. You can''t miss it. I hurried back to my room with Amira. Dad was still sleeping when I got back. I hear him sneaking in, but he doesn''t seem to notice. It''s a good thing he''s a deep sleeper at times like this. As I breathed out a sigh of relief, I heard a knock at the door. Mr. Daryl, it''s time for breakfast. Please come to the cafeteria. I immediately responded to Mizuha''s call. "Yes!¡¡I''ll be right there!¡¡...... Dad, wake up early! I''ll be right there! ...... Dad, wake up! I tried to shake him awake, but he wouldn''t budge. ...... It''s times like this that I get tired of how deep my dad falls asleep. I''m not sure what to do. I''ll force him to wake up. "Hey! I put my hand on his neck to encourage him to wake up. I put my hand on his neck to wake him up. He woke up with a thud. "What?¡¡What''s going on? Good morning, Dad. It''s time for breakfast. I smiled at him as he hurriedly looked from side to side. I smiled at him. This time, like the other night, there was food on the table. There was yogurt, dried fruit, bread, butter, and jam. It''s not a big meal, but it''s what I like. "Please enjoy your meal. "Yes! As soon as Mizuha said that, I went to the table and started to pick up the food. Yogurt with dried fruits and jam. Mmm, sweet. It''s so sweet. It''ll soak into your body after your morning training. "The bread is delicious, Master Ranga. It''s soft and fluffy! "Oh!¡¡That sure is good! Amira and I enjoyed our breakfast until we were satisfied. When my stomach was full to some extent, I looked around. My father and Gaelio seemed to be talking with Miguel, the captain of the guard. Nerval is making his rounds with Mizuha. The others were also chatting with each other. But that''s strange. "Master Ranga, what''s wrong? Seeing my quizzical expression, Amira spoke to me. "Yes, I was wondering where Hannibal was. Yes, I thought Hannibal was missing. Isn''t he preparing for a meeting this afternoon? He''ll be here for breakfast, though. And the people eating are the same as the other night. If you want to discuss the meeting, why don''t you do it here? "Mm, that''s true. Why is that? "Well, maybe it''s something else. ...... Just as I was about to say this, the big door of the cafeteria opened. Standing there were the beastmen. The tiger beastman, Nyarev, and the wolf beastman, Garv. Sandwiched between the two was the lion beastman, LeAnn, the Beast King. "Hey, Beast King!¡¡This is not a meeting room! And the appointed time is noon, it''s still very early! The maids rushed over to him. It seems that LeAnn and the others were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The demons, especially the beastmen, don''t have much sense of time. "Hey, I told you it was early, Nyalev. You''re impatient. What?¡¡Garv, you''re the one who said this must be the place because there are signs of people gathering here! There is a gathering. I''m going to have to ask you to stop making up your own mind. You''re going to ......? The two begin to argue. People are laughing at them. You''re a beast, ....... Exactly. How can there be a meeting ......? "What if it suddenly goes berserk? And so on. The reaction of the humans was probably something like this. However, it''s not a good idea to do that in front of beastmen. Especially since these two are quite fierce. Nyarev and Garv slowly turned their heads towards the humans. "What the hell are you ...... doing?¡¡Are you going to do this? "They''re rude. This is why humans are so ......! Huh? All of the whisperers trembled as they stared at him with sharp eyes. I''m not sure if they know how good the ears of beastmen are. It''s a good idea to keep your eyes and ears open for the latest news. I''m not going to allow you to brawl here. He has his hand on his sword and is ready to pull out. Don''t you dare provoke me. "......! Stimulated by this, both of them started to roar. It was LeAnn who broke the deadlock. "Stop, both of you! The two of them huffed and stepped back behind LeAnn. Le?o stepped in front of Miguel and bowed. "I''m sorry. We made a mistake. Let''s get out of here now. "Uh, yeah, ....... Miguel lowered his hand from his sword with a look of disgust on his face. I''m in a cold sweat. I don''t know if I can handle a peace conference like this. Just as Leanne and the others were about to leave the room. Slam!¡¡The door opened with a bang, and a maid came in with a bang. What the hell is going on now? The maid took a breath and raised her voice. "Oh, my God!¡¡Mr. Hannibal is at ......! Everyone gulped as they sensed something unusual in the maid''s distressed voice. 47 Mysterious murder "Gaelio-dono, Darryl-dono, follow me!¡¡The rest of you, follow me! "Ha! Miguel is running with his father and the soldiers, led by a maid. My father is at ......! "Master Hannibal ......! Followed by Mizha and Nerval. We''re coming with you. Ha! Leanne, of course. Nyarev and Garv will follow. Amira, we''re going after them. Ah!¡¡Ranga-sama! I''ll follow you, too. The maid left the house and headed for the courtyard. After a short run, they arrived at the clock tower. "The clock tower is ......? Miguel tilted his head as he walked, and the maid stopped. "Oh, look at that ....... It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. Or more accurately, what was a person. The body, split into three parts - head, torso, and lower body - was lying on the ground, and a great deal of blood was spattered around it. The anguished expression on his face was that of Hannibal. "What ......? Everyone who saw the horrific scene gasped. Hannibal was dead, his neck and torso severed with what looked like a sharp blade. "Father! Nerval was the first to move. Nerval was the first to move. He rushed over to Hannibal''s body and gathered it up. But of course, nothing would happen. All that happens is that Nerval''s body gets wet with blood. "Oh, ...... father, why ...... did this happen ......! Nerval breaks down in tears as he hugs Hannibal''s mutilated body. His own father had been killed in such a horrible way. Everyone watched with a somber look on their faces. "Mr. Nerval, I know how you feel, but please come this way. ...... Miguel walked up, put his hand on Nerval''s shoulder, and urged him to stand up. "You ...... Miguel!¡¡How dare you kill your father while you''re here! "I''ll take the blame later. So please, ....... Miguel forced Nerval to step back and looked around. The eyes had regained their previous sharpness. I hurriedly hid Amira behind a tree. Miguel, the captain of the guard, will take this place!¡¡No one is to go near the body! With those words, everyone stepped back. The house is surrounded by many men and beastmen soldiers, and if anything happens, I will be notified. But the fact that it didn''t happen means that it was an inside job. The killer is in here, including the house. Miguel glared at everyone with a piercing gaze. It''s true that human soldiers, but beastmen soldiers have a good nose. And there are so many of them. There''s no way they''d let the outside in. There''s no doubt that the killer is among them. A tense atmosphere pervaded the area. "Hmm, Mister Miguel, I think I know who it is. It was my father who broke the atmosphere and intervened. He took one look at the body and then turned to Leanne and the others. It''s such a vivid cut. It couldn''t have been done by a human. It was probably a beastman. And a very skilled one at that. "What? Nyarev and Garv react to that. "Don''t be silly!¡¡I''m not sure what you mean.¡¡I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you have. "Yes!¡¡Don''t you dare be so rude! The two men were indignant and refuted him, but the father added more words. "Furthermore, ......, Beast King!¡¡I''m sure you''re not the only one. What do you think it is, a magic sword? "This is ....... I''m not sure what to make of it. It is true that with the sharpness of the King of the Demon''s Blade, this should be no problem. The father continues with a self-satisfied look on his face. "You summoned Lord Hannibal to this place early this morning. The reason is ...... well, let''s just say he has something confidential to say about the meeting. And then you show up, kill Hannibal, and come back to us with an unsuspecting face. ...... Isn''t that right? Dad''s words sent everyone into a tizzy. The image of the beastman is not a good one for everyone. It seems that even a random remark by my father would be treated as a crime. However, the father''s reasoning is clearly out of order. ...... Well, well, well, I''ll interfere a little. It''s not right. With a muffled voice, I approached the body. I crouched down and picked up the clothes. "Hey, hey, what are you doing, Ranga? "Mr. Hannibal, you''re holding a sword. "You have a sword, Hannibal, but there''s no sign of a struggle. I''m sure a man like Hannibal would at least put up a fight no matter how many times he was taken by surprise.¡¡You know, Miguel. "...... Oh, yes. It''s not an easy thing to do, even if you''re dealing with a beast king. Miguel, who knows Hannibal well, nodded at my words. Even though he''s old, there''s no way he can be beaten so easily. We had sent assassins to kill Hannibal many times before, but they had all failed. That man has a frightening ability to detect signs, and he can notice them even when they are completely dead. It''s hard to imagine that he was killed without being able to fight back, no matter how much he declined. And besides, if a beastman summoned you, you''d be wary. That''s why he was carrying a sword. "Mmm ......, well, Hannibal didn''t usually carry a sword, did he ......? Again the father pondered. He glared at me with a puzzled look on his face and gave me a scolding. I''m sure you''re not the only one.¡¡This is not a place where children are allowed to come! There you go. ...... Go home, you idiot! Yes, sir. It doesn''t really hurt, but I hold my head and pretend to be in pain as I leave. But it''s hard to believe that the Beast Lord is the culprit, isn''t it? Of course not!¡¡I''ll kill you, human! What?¡¡You''re doing it! Now my father began to argue with Nyarev. I''m not sure what to do. ...... Well, at least we''ve avoided Leanne''s suspicion. He wanted peace so badly, there was no way he''d do anything to ruin it. I winked at LeAnn, who was puffing out her chest. Anyway, we can''t leave Hannibal like this. Sir Daryl, Sir Gaelio, would you be willing to help us investigate the scene? "Of course. Of course. ...... I''d like the rest of you to return to the compound. We''ll talk to each of you later to see if you have an alibi. With Miguel''s words, we''re sent back to the compound. Oh man, I knew this peace conference was going to be tough, but ...... it''s turning out to be a lot more complicated than I thought. 48 Alibi When we returned to the villa, Miguel instructed us all to go into our rooms. He told us that we would be interrogated one by one. My father and the others went with him, while Amira and I waited in our room. "Mr. Ranga, do you think Hannibal was killed this morning? "No, probably at night. I touched the body lightly earlier, but it had already begun to harden considerably. Human corpses take a whole day to stiffen up after about half a day. If he was killed this morning, the rigidity should not have started yet. You''re very knowledgeable, Master Ranga! "And I saw Hannibal in the garden at night while I was taking a bath. And I saw Hannibal in the garden when I was taking a bath at night. I''m sure other people saw him too, and I''m sure Miguel and the others will figure this out soon enough. --The question is, who did it? It''s not the work of an ordinary person,......, who could split Hannibal into three pieces without even putting up a fight. I can understand why you might want to nod your head in agreement with your father. Anyway, we won''t know anything until we hear the interrogation. Amira, are you sure it was in the conference room? Yes!¡¡Yes! I pretended to go to the bathroom to ask about it!¡¡And I''ve installed the thing perfectly! Yes, well done. Well done." "Heh, ....... Amira gives me her head with a sloppy smile, and I reluctantly stroke it. You''ll be able to find a lot more than just a few things to do. This is the same gramophone that I used to record the Death King Levanov''s plot to kill me. Not only can it record, but it can also transmit the sound to the child unit here. But why are you doing this, Master Ranga?¡¡There''s no benefit to you in looking for the culprit. ...... Amira is puzzled by my actions. It''s true, there''s no benefit to me in finding the culprit. But for the sake of my former ally, I thought I''d help out if I could. Besides, if the beastmen and humans could make peace, it would bring me one step closer to the peaceful life I want and the world I want to live in. "Well, whatever it is, ...... the interrogation should be starting soon. Come on, Master Ranga. Thank you. I put the earpiece that extends from the child unit that Amira gave me into one ear. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. A knock came from the door. You can hear a knocking sound and the sound of the door opening. Excuse me. The first person to enter was Mizuha. Then I hear Miguel''s voice. The sensitivity is good, and I focus my attention on my ears. Mizuha, please make yourself comfortable. "Yes, ....... Haha, don''t be nervous. I''m not doubting you. I could hear my father''s cheerful voice. I don''t care what he says, he should be a little nervous. "So, tell me what happened the other night. "Okay. ...... The other night, I finished work around nine o''clock and was going back to my room. The other day I was returning to my room after work around nine o''clock at night. Apparently, it was definitely Hannibal I saw that night. So he was killed then, after all. "Yes, of course I called out to him. Yes, of course I called out to him, but he was only going to the garden. ...... I thought it would be no problem, so I sent him on his way. I went to bed immediately and woke up at seven in the morning. I knocked on Mr. Hannibal''s room, but there was no answer. ...... The door was locked, so I assumed he was still asleep, and went to wake the others. At eight o''clock in the morning, when breakfast started, he didn''t wake up, so I thought it was strange and went into the room, but Hannibal was nowhere to be found. ...... You said he hadn''t been home since the other night. ...... Yes. So I ordered the other maids to look for him, and I went to the dining room. After that, as you all know. "I see. By the way, is Mizha-san''s bedroom a single room? My father asks. Yes. The other maids have two rooms, but I, the head maid, have one. Hmm, so you could have moved ...... during the night? No, that''s impossible!¡¡There are guards patrolling the house at night.¡¡In particular, the rooms of our menial workers are located near the gate where many soldiers are. It''s impossible for us to escape unnoticed! "Oh, that''s right. Excuse me. By the way, there are guards in Hannibal''s room, but they weren''t reported. It looks like he slipped out the window. ...... d*mn, I should have been more careful. ...... Anyway, I understand. Thanks for your help. "Yes, ......, and make sure you find the killer. I will never forgive you for killing Hannibal, who was so kind to me. Yeah!¡¡I''ll take care of it! My father said briskly, and then I heard the door close. It seemed that Mizuha had finished her story. I didn''t notice anything suspicious, did you? Oh, it would be impossible for Mizha to get out. So Hannibal went out under the watchful eyes of security. What is it that makes him go to such lengths to get out? ...... That''s another mystery. "Master Ranga, the next man is coming in. The next person to come in was Nerval. "...... Miguel, do you suspect me? Nerval sounded unhappy. Nerval sounded unhappy, "Not at all. The more people we can talk to, the closer we can get to the truth. We need your help. But Miguel simply ducked and continued. This guy doesn''t seem to be just a patsy. He''s pretty good. He''s a capable man. Nerval let out a heavy sigh and began to speak. ...... I went back to my room as soon as dinner was over. You know that I stayed in my room the rest of the night. You know that I stayed in my room for the rest of the night, because there were soldiers guarding it. The soldiers guarding Master Nerval''s room told me there was nothing unusual about it. That''s what I heard. I''ve been reading for a while. ...... Oh, I heard bells ringing from the east around eleven o''clock. It was faint, but ...... I didn''t care, thinking it was the sound of the wind. After a while, I went to bed and slept until morning. In the morning, Mizuha woke me up, I had breakfast and now I''m here ....... I see, that''s very informative. Nerval''s story ended easily. Apparently, everyone did not suspect Nerval. Well, he''s my son. After Nerval left, the door opened and the next person came in. "Thank you for coming. Lord Beast King. "No problem. The one who came in was LeAnn. "I''d like to know what you wanted to do the other night and this morning. There are many guards in the building. If you lie to us, we''ll know immediately! Unlike the other two, he was blatantly suspicious. I don''t think it''s a good idea to do that. But LeAnn was unconcerned and replied plainly. "The other day I had dinner until the evening, and then I went to my room to read a book. Is there anyone who can verify this? No, it''s ....... When my father asked, Leanne clammed up. Well, as a matter of fact, it would be difficult to prove that I was alone in my room. The bell rang around eleven o''clock. I didn''t pay any attention to it. I heard it too. It was faint. The wind must have shaken it. "Hmm, that''s what Master Nerval said. Gaelio added, and Miguel nodded. "Well, that''s all right. What about in the morning then? I woke up around four o''clock and did my daily morning exercises. I got up around four o''clock and did my daily morning practice, then took a short bath and headed to the meeting. Four o''clock, that''s very early. Four o''clock is very early, when the soldiers in the house are asleep. It''s a good time to move, isn''t it? Well, it seems that Leanne is under suspicion. I think he should tell them about his meeting with me, but he''s keeping quiet because it would make them look even more suspicious. Well, if I were in your shoes, I''d do the same. If I were in your shoes, I would do the same. ...... I was thinking about this when I heard a knock at the door. There was a knock at the door. What''s that? Amira jumped up and answered. Oh, you startled me. I was so focused on the conversation that I thought I''d jump too. My heart is still pounding. "Mr. Ranga, Ms. Amira and Mr. Miguel would like to ask you about the incident. I''ll take you to the conference room. The voice was coming from Mizuha. I see. She said she''s going to talk to everyone. Of course we''re the target. I guess we can''t listen in any longer. Let''s go, shall we? Okay. Mizuha took us to the conference room. When we entered with Amira, we found Miguel and the other guards, Gaelio and my father. Apparently, Leanne''s story is over. Ranga, tell me about the day of the incident. Yes, I took a bath with my dad that day and went to bed right after he went to the security meeting. Amira was with me, so you can ask her. Hmm, did you sleep until you were called to breakfast? No, I woke up early in the morning, so I went for a walk. I woke up early and went for a walk, I think it was around five o''clock.¡¡I got a little lost and ended up at the ...... beastmen''s place. Ahahahahaha ...... At my words, my father raised his voice in panic. I''m not sure what to do.¡¡Ranga, what are you doing? "Well, Daryl, did you meet someone at ......? Yes!¡¡Leanne was practicing with her sword. He must have been doing it for a very long time, because the grass was all over his feet.¡¡I talked to him for a while and he said he wanted this peace conference to be a success. Soon after that, Amira came to call me, and when I came back to my room, Mizuha came to call me. It was past seven, I think. "I woke up around 6:30. I woke up around 6:30 a.m. Then I noticed that Ranga was not there, so I followed his footsteps. I was with her the rest of the time. Amira quickly added to my words. Miguel and the others whispered something to each other, then looked at us and nodded. "Hmm ......, I see what you mean. Thank you both, we appreciate your help. "Yes. We replied cheerfully and left the room. I followed up with LeAnn, and I hope this has lessened her suspicions a bit. At least they won''t be suspected, I hope so. We left the meeting room, hoping for the conscience of our fathers. 49 Search begins "d*mn it, who the hell killed Hannibal? In the evening, my father came back to the room, looking annoyed. After the interrogation of Amira and me, the others were interrogated, but it seemed that they could not find the murderer. Dad, what have you found out? "Oh, there is no doubt that Hannibal slipped out in the middle of the night, as several soldiers saw him do. The alibi of the beastmen is unknown. Most of the soldiers were outside the compound, so we''ll have to take their word for it. Well, the Beast King is unlikely to be the culprit because of your testimony. ...... Well, the culprit must be one of the beastmen. I''m sure many beastmen don''t want to make peace with humans, and that''s why they killed Hannibal. My father exhaled boringly. My testimony seems to have diminished LeAnn''s suspicions, but as of now, the guards seem to think that one of the beastmen went out of control. This is certainly a possibility, but ...... I hope they don''t make a hasty decision. It''s none of your business! "Well, I''m curious! "Shut up!¡¡Go to bed, kid! He seems to be very irritated. I don''t think he has a clue. If this continues, one of the beastmen may be framed as the culprit. If that happens, the truth will be in the dark. ...... Leanne''s longing for peace will not be fulfilled. I''d like to do something about it. The next day we woke up. The next day, we woke up and were taken to breakfast as usual. Unlike the peaceful atmosphere of the previous day, the air was heavy and bitter. The participants were not only humans, but also beastmen. All the suspects are gathered in this house. Well, it''s only natural to prevent repeat offenders. "Mugumugu ...... Ranga-sama, are you okay eating so little? Amira asked as she moved her mouth. She seemed to be concerned that the plates in my hands were only about seventy percent as full as they had been the other day. "Yeah, I''ve lost my appetite. Oh, my God!¡¡Mogumogu...... gobble, phew! By the way, Amira''s appetite was as usual, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel. I envy her so much. "Ladies and gentlemen!¡¡Can I have a moment of your time, please? A voice suddenly rang out in the cafeteria. Nerval was standing on the stage. After making sure that everyone was paying attention, Naval continued to speak. My father was brutally murdered in the face of the peace conference. I''m sure you must be very disappointed ......, but I won''t let it end like this!¡¡I will follow in my father Hannibal''s footsteps and make peace with the beastmen!¡¡And I will catch the real culprit!¡¡So please, lend your strength to this unworthy Nerval-Garland! Waaaahhhh!¡¡The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. I was wondering what was going to happen with the peace conference, but it looks like my son Nerval will be taking over. I guess I''m relieved that the peace will not be destroyed for now. Leanne, who was at the end of the cafeteria, also patted her chest. "Well, he''s a fine man, considering his father was just killed the other day. I guess so. Nerval was building an orphanage and a hospital for beastmen, right? He''s also a doctor himself, studying medicine for the beastmen. Maybe he''s friendly with beastmen in the first place. As I was listening to the speech, I suddenly noticed something strange. ......?¡¡Didn''t he wear gloves until yesterday? If you look closely, you will notice that Nerval is wearing white gloves. I''m sure he was just in a ...... mood.¡¡He''s a doctor. But you don''t normally wear gloves while eating. In a previous life, I learned about human manners, and I believe it was considered rude to wear gloves while eating. I can''t imagine that Nerval, who grew up in such a big house, doesn''t know that. Just when I was wondering about this, Mizuha was passing by and I asked her about it. "Hey, Mizuha, why are you wearing gloves, Nerval? "Oh, he burned his hand the other day and said he was embarrassed to show it. Hmm. A burn, huh? Does he use fire?¡¡...... No, he wouldn''t. Something''s bugging me. Amira, I need to do some research. Follow me. Yes, sir!¡¡I''ll follow you to the depths of hell! You don''t have to follow me that far. You don''t have to follow me there, but he''s unnecessarily noisy. Anyway, we finished breakfast and went out to the garden. I think you guys need to go back to your rooms. Then we were stopped by a guard. Since the incident, there have been a lot of soldiers stationed in the compound, so we can''t move freely. But of course, that''s to be expected. That''s why I brought Amira. "Uncle, look me in the eye. "Hmm?¡¡What the hell is wrong with you? I''m busy ....... The words didn''t last long. As soon as Amira''s eyes flashed, the soldier''s eyes went blank. --The eye of fascination, Amira who had high magical power in her previous life still has the eye of fascination now that she has been reincarnated. The eyes of fascination can only be used against those who are much lower than you, but you can control them like this for a few hours. He once used it to manipulate a thug to kidnap me. Although it is not possible to make him do anything that threatens his life or requires detailed commands, it is a useful technique in such cases. However, it is not something that can be used many times, as its effectiveness is greatly diminished if it is used repeatedly on the same person. "Can you let me through, please? "...... Yes. Thanks. Amira bows gracefully and walks past the soldier. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. "...... Oh. But he soon returned to the innocent expression of his age. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I think it''s a good idea. "What''s wrong? No, it''s nothing. Come on, let''s go. Yes! She replied cheerfully and ran to the garden. Well, he''s scary when he''s your enemy, but he''s very reliable when he''s your friend. 50 Clues Once we were in the garden, Amira and I went to the place we wanted to go, hiding our presence. It was the site of Hannibal''s murder, and we wanted to take a closer look at it, since we had only been able to see it for a moment. Now the body was buried, and the soldiers were gone. All right, while we''re at it. Amira, keep an eye on things. "Yes, sir. I''ll watch with the far-seeing eye. Amira''s farsightedness allows her to see through obstacles and see far into the distance. If a soldier comes near, you''ll have time to hide. "Well... You crouch down at the spot where Hannibal''s body was found. The grass had fallen over the body and blood was sticky. "That''s a lot of blood. Well, that''s understandable if you''ve been cut up like that. ......? Looking at the fallen grass, I suddenly felt something strange. The tip of the grass had been cut off. And it was vertical. Hannibal''s neck and lower body had been cut off. The slash was horizontal, so it was strange that it was vertical. And if you look closely, you can see that the blood is spread over a very wide area. It''s as if it was pouring from a high place. ...... No way! I realized a possibility and ran up the clock tower. Bells tolling unnaturally in the night, grass cut lengthwise, blood spattered abnormally ......, if I''m right, that should be it. I climbed to the top and took a closer look at the bell. As I looked at it and circled around it, I found ...... it. There were some scratches at the junction of the bell and the ceiling. ...... I knew it. I''ve got an idea how they killed Hannibal. So there must be some clues in the direction of the scratches. The direction is ...... that way. I''ll jump down from the clock tower and call Amira. "Amira, we''re good here. Let''s move on. "Yes!¡¡Sir Ranga! I run off with Amira in the direction of the scar. Soon the house comes into view. From the angle of ...... the place is Mizha''s room? I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. Mizuha seems to be confused by the sudden arrival of visitors. Amira tugs at my sleeve a little. Her face was appealing, "Would you like to use the Enchantment''s magical eye? But there''s no need. But there''s no need. Anything I say while under the spell of the spell will be erased from my memory, and the conversation we had here could be used as testimony to hunt down the culprit. You can''t just use fascination for everything. I shook my head slightly in return and looked up at Mizuha and said. I looked up at Mizuha and said, "Yeah, my dad asked me to do something for him. He asked me to check this room to see if there was anything in there. He''s busy with other stuff, so he asked me to go. So you''re Daryl''s errand boy. But what is this ''thing'' ......? I can''t tell you that yet, and I''ve been told not to. I''m sorry. Can I come in anyway? Huh. ...... Well, that''s fine then. ...... Mizuha tilts her head, but replies without getting upset. Please don''t make too much of a mess. Thank you! She opens the door and invites us in. The room is neat and tidy, not a speck of dust in sight. The curtains are thick and lacy, and there is a lamp by the window. The floor is covered with a thick carpet and there is a wooden desk at the end of the room. A magnificent bed hung by chains, shaking heavily and creaking. "Master Ranga, you got in so easily. "Yes, I''m glad to hear it. I thought I could get in by mentioning my father''s name, but it was much easier than I thought. The room didn''t look too lived-in, and I guessed that this room might have been rented. The servants take turns using the room. "Mmm!¡¡Mizuha, this bed is very strange. There are chains attached to it, and it hangs from the ceiling! Amira, who was looking around, suddenly pointed at the bed. This is a beastman''s bed, isn''t it? This is a beastman''s bed. I sleep very well in it. Mizuha smiled and replied. It seems that she saw this and thought that Mizuha was suspicious, but she was wrong. Instead of Mizuha, I''ll explain. "Beastmen can sleep calmly in a cradle bed like that. Beastmen like to use rocking beds, such as hammocks and swings. Of course, they can sleep in ordinary places, but they can get a deeper sleep in such beds. It''s a remnant of the time when they used to live in the trees. Therefore, all beastmen of a certain status use a cradle-like bed like that. Mizuha, who is given this bed, is treated well. "You know very well, Master Ranga, that''s true. This bed in particular is so comfortable that I''ve never woken up in the middle of the night. I sleep soundly until morning. "...... Oh, really? I''ve never had a problem with that," she said, puffing out her cheeks. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a great deal more information on this subject in the future. I''m not sure what to do. It''s not that I didn''t have my suspicions, too. If it was the culprit, he would have shown his face a little when he was told to check the room. If he was the culprit, he would have shown his face a little if he was told to search the room, but he let me in easily, so I guess Mizuha is not the culprit. Regardless of that, we have to trace the wound. When I went to the window, I found a scratch mark on the railing as well. There''s a scratch, isn''t there? Yeah, it could have led to another room. ...... There were no other scratches in the room, as far as I could see. There are no other wounds in the room, not even on the entrance door, which I saw first. So the killer killed Hannibal from here. Mizuha said she was asleep that night, reading a book. No alibi at all. It''s quite possible that he did it here, but ...... ...... By the way, Mr. Ranga, something smells good. "Hmm, that''s what I thought. I''m not sure if it''s a perfume or something else. I wonder if it''s perfume. But it''s strange to think so. "Beastmen don''t wear perfume: ...... Yes, the smell of perfume is too strong for a beastman with an extremely good nose. They don''t wear perfume unless they like it very much. Yes, in fact, I didn''t smell any perfume at all when I walked by Mizuha. "So it''s the residual scent of the killer''s entry. Still, it smells like something I''ve smelled before. Let''s ask him, just to be sure. Hey, Mizuha, do you know whose perfume this is? "Perfume?¡¡What are you talking about? What do you mean, it smells like ...... perfume?¡¡It''s just a little bit. ......?¡¡No, I have no idea. ...... Mizha twitches her nose, but only tilts her head. What do you mean?¡¡If even we can understand it, how can the beastly Mizuha not? But Mizuha doesn''t seem to be playing dumb, and she really doesn''t seem to understand. "Master Ranga, what do you mean? "Hmm ...... It''s strange, that''s for sure. No, it''s not strange,......? In my brain, which is repeating ...... the thought that this is how it happened, the disparate lines came together. I''m not sure what to make of it. Now, the whole mystery is finally solved. Now all I have to do is set the stage and hunt him down. I''ve got all the evidence. With all the evidence in hand, I left Mizuha''s room and headed for my room. The only thing left to do was to hang the culprit in front of everyone, confront him with the evidence, and make him tell us everything. But no one would take me seriously as a child. So I''ll do it again. The same way I hunted down the Death King Levanoff. Dad''s on break, right? Yeah, I hope he''s in his room. ...... Oh, you two. While I''m talking to Amira, I bump into my dad in the hallway. I told her not to leave the room.¡¡I told you not to leave the room. The timing of the conversation was incredibly good. I made eye contact with Amira and nodded. "Just as well. Dad, can I have a word? "What?¡¡What the hell is ...... going on? As I was about to say this, Amira stared into my father''s eyes. My dad''s face relaxed when he saw the glint in Amira''s eyes. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to do. The other party who receives the magic eye of sleep, the highest power, will sleep for three days and three nights. The only thing left to do is to use my father''s name to gather everyone together. I don''t know what you did this for, but I''ll make you regret it. 51 And hunt down (1) Everything was ready for the night. I used my father''s name to gather everyone in the house in the conference room. The security guards and maids could not get in, so I asked them to wait outside. I received a letter from Mr. Daryl asking us to gather here. ...... What can I do for you? I''m not sure what to say, but I''m going to say it. You said you found out who killed your father. ...... Do you think he''s among them? Nerval, Hannibal''s son, ponders. "...... I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one. It''s not a problem, Master Le?o, we''re not going to kill you. We''re not going to kill you. Just stand tall. "You''re as quick-witted as ever, Nyarev. It could be a trap set by the humans. If that''s the case, we''ll have to clear a path for Master Luan. Nyarev and Gurv, his aides, are breathing hard. In the event that you''ve got a lot more than one of these, you''ll be able to get a lot more. I''m not sure what to make of it. "Well, Miguel, the truth is that this kind of situation has happened before. Daryl did a great job of exposing the culprit and bringing him to justice--yes, I trust him. Gaelio nodded vigorously with a look of complete and utter trust. The culprit is among these seven people gathered here. I''m not sure if he''s thinking he can''t be found out, but he''s come out of hiding. Hey, when is this Daryl guy coming? We''re busy, too. ...... Oh, no, things are getting a little crazy. I''d better get out of here. I was watching downstairs from upstairs and slowly emerged from behind the curtain. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the party. All eyes are on me. Now I''m wearing my father''s armor, and my voice has been changed to my father''s using Amira''s magical transformer. In other words, I''m disguising myself as my father. The distance and the backlighting make it difficult to see him clearly. "What are you doing here, Daryl?¡¡You have some explaining to do! Miguel shouted in frustration. He seems to think I''m his father. I look around and then raise my voice. "As I said in my letter. I have found out who killed Hannibal! Everyone buzzed at my words. "How did you find Hannibal? "How did you find Hannibal?" "Well, who the hell are you? I waited for the murmur to die down, then raised my right hand and pointed to a person. "It was you who killed Sir Hannibal! All eyes were on the tip of my finger. The person I was pointing to as the murderer was Nerval Garland. Hannibal''s own son. "What ? "......! Nerval is upset and looks to his left and right. But he immediately glared back at me and spoke back. "What nonsense!¡¡There is no way I would kill my beloved father!¡¡This is utterly ridiculous. "Yes, it is!¡¡What are you talking about, Mister Daryl?¡¡What are you talking about?¡¡You''re not out of your mind, are you? It''s not just Nerval, Miguel also raised his voice. What?¡¡What is it?¡¡What''s with all the human rivalry? I''m not sure what to say. Humans are stupid after all. Master LeAnn. Nyarev and Gurv saw this and laughed hysterically. "...... Keep quiet. But LeAnn kept her face expressionless. The two of them shut their mouths, as if to say, "Oh, no! "That''s enough!¡¡Don''t be so silly. ...... I''m sorry, but even if it''s appropriate, it''s a joke. I''m sorry, but I''m not kidding. I''m sorry to say, but I''m not kidding. "Proof? ......? Yes, I''d like to hear what you have to say. Miguel sniffed boringly at my words. ...... Hmm, okay. But if I say anything even a little bit crazy, ...... you know what I''m talking about, right? "Of course I do. I nodded to Miguel''s words and began to explain again. Let''s start with a recap. After dinner, we all went back to our rooms. I took a bath with my son and then went to a meeting of the guard. At that time, Hannibal went to the clock tower and the bell rang around eleven o''clock. The next morning Hannibal''s body was found beneath the clock tower-- is that correct? "Yes. Miguel nodded. The others listen in silence. I thought there was something about the bell that rang that time, so I took Amira to check it out the other day. And I found something very strange. ...... Amira. "Yes!¡¡It''s not a run ......, it''s Daryl-sama! I snapped my fingers, and Amira, who had been waiting, delivered something to Miguel. It was a sheet of paper with the bell of the clock tower on it. This is ...... a photo, I believe?¡¡I''ve seen it in use in the Imperial City. Yes, you know it well. Some of the magic tools that exist in the demon world have been passed on to brave men and women, and are also being made in human society. I''m not sure if you''re familiar with it. It can output what it captures with its lens as a photograph. Basically, it is only used for souvenir photos, but it can be used as evidence in the event of an incident like this. I''m glad Amira has it. It''s one of my few hobbies to collect this kind of magical equipment. I''m glad she has it. You can see the scratches on the bell in the ...... photo. Oh, yeah. ...... It would take a lot of force to scratch a steel bell like that. A beastman''s claw, for example. ...... Hey!¡¡Are you still talking like that? Nyarev barks at Miguel''s reasoning. I''ll answer for him. No, it''s not a beastman''s claw. It''s a thread. Of steel. "A thread? ......? There''s a commotion downstairs again. I continue. "When I first saw the murder scene, I wondered. Hannibal''s body was slashed horizontally. But the grass at his feet was cut vertically. This is a glaring contradiction. So I reversed my thinking. Hannibal''s body wasn''t sliced horizontally, it was sliced vertically. What do you mean? It means this. Amira. Yes! Amira, who had been waiting for me, brought in a cart. On it was the bear doll that had been placed in the room. Amira crawls the string she brought with her to the doll''s feet. Then she ran up the stairs and pulled the string from the second floor. "Good ......! Amira pulled hard, and the string that was hanging on the ground became taut, and the bear doll was lifted into the air. The thread entangled in its neck and torso. This was the exact spot where Hannibal''s body had been cut off. The people who saw it shouted with joy. This is how it happened: ....... The killer somehow summoned Hannibal to the bottom of the clock tower and pulled a steel thread that was buried in the ground beforehand. With this method, it is possible to kill him without leaving the house. The wound on the bell may have been made at this time. The same is true for the grass that was cut vertically. Once I realized this, the rest was easy. I found this steel thread when I was searching the garbage dump. He took a bundle of steel thread from his pocket and threw it at Nerval''s feet. Nerval stared at it, and then his mouth twisted in amusement. "Huh, that''s ridiculous. This steel thread is a musical instrument string. Some of the instruments in the house have been broken recently. It''s true that they''re disguised as instrument strings. There were broken instruments all around, and the steel strings were cut short. "......, that''s enough. I will not tolerate any more insults. And even if I did hang your father with a steel thread, there is no proof that it was me!¡¡As you can see from the picture, the wound is in the opposite direction of my room! ...... As you said, heading in the direction of the wound led me to Mizuha-san''s room. There!¡¡That''s exactly what I said! I''m sure you''ve seen this before," said Nerval. Mizha, on the other hand, paled. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s had it.¡¡I did not kill Hannibal. ......! Yes, I know. She can''t be the murderer. Because she was in a deep sleep that night. ...... Isn''t that right? Yes, yes!¡¡It''s a great way to get a good night''s sleep. I''m sure you''ll agree. The cradle bed, the bedding that gives beastmen absolute peace of mind. And this is the weapon that killed Lord Hannibal. There was a loud buzz. This is the key to Hannibal''s murder, I''m sorry, but I have to stuff it. After a pause, I continued. 52 And hunt down (2) You think the bed is the murder weapon?¡¡What are you talking about?¡¡You just told me you hung him with a steel thread! I just told you that I killed him with a steel thread!" "Now, now, please calm down and listen to me. I''m sure you''ll understand. I followed the steel thread to Mizuha''s room. There are similar scratches by the window, so it''s obvious that the steel thread was pulled from this room. Now another question arose. With all due respect, Hannibal''s body is quite heavy. If you pull him normally, you''ll probably end up cutting your own hand off instead of lifting him. "Indeed, ......, I see!¡¡That''s why you''re using the bed! He seems to have noticed. I nodded and added. "Yes, that''s right. I tie a steel thread to the edge of the bed, pull it to the window, and release it just in time. That way, the weight of the bed would pull the steel thread and lift and cut Hannibal''s body. When I examined the bed, I found that there were traces of something wrapped around it. Yes, the weight of a bed with a person on it is quite heavy. It would not have been enough to sever Hannibal''s body. I''m sure you''re not the only one.¡¡I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. "Yes, beastmen have a very keen sense of smell. Yes, beastmen have a very keen sense of smell. They will immediately notice if someone enters, even if they are sound asleep. But they didn''t. Because of this. ...... Amira. "Yes! Again, he ordered Amira to take out a small bottle and hand it to Miguel. It''s ......! When Miguel saw the bottle, his eyes widened in astonishment. Suddenly, Nyalev and Garv frowned. "Yes, it''s perfume. It''s the same as the one you''re using, right? The vial is actually Miguel''s perfume. The lid was not opened, but the lingering scent alone was quite strong for the beast. LeAnn did not change her color, but she looked uncomfortable. When Amira opens the lid a little, she smells a soft citrusy scent. It''s the same smell she smelled in the room that day. "Hey!¡¡It''s so stinky!¡¡Kid, shut it right now! Nyarev barked, looking like he couldn''t take it anymore. Garv and LeAnn''s faces are contorted as well. Only one of them, Mizuha, looked unconcerned. "Beastmen with a keen sense of smell are very sensitive to the smell of perfume. The slightest whiff of it and they lose their sense of smell. It is obvious from their reaction. ...... However, this is not the case for Mizuha, who usually smells it. You can''t possibly be ...... in Mizha''s room. Yes, there was a scent of this perfume left in Mizha''s room. She probably sprinkled a little of it around the room. This means that Mizuha will not be able to smell it when she enters the room. As a maid, Mizuha often has to talk with people who smell like perfume. She would not be able to refuse them. It would not have been difficult for her to create this situation. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do with your time. It seems that Mizuha finally noticed after I told her. I''m not sure what to make of this. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. I''m sure you''ll be able to manage to summon him if you tell him that you need to speak privately about the peace conference in the name of the ...... Beast King. In the meantime, you slipped out of your room and headed for Mizuha''s room. Your room is by the window, and if you hang a rope, you can get there without being seen by the soldiers. Then, from the window of Mizuha''s room, he saw that Hannibal had come under the clock tower and shook the ...... bed as hard as he could. At that moment, the steel thread buried in the ground lifted Lord Hannibal and severed his body. ......! At my words, Mizuha let out a short scream, as if she had imagined the scene. The others, too, were buzzing with excitement. Nerval, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke up. ...... I see, I understand what you''re saying. But that''s just your imagination, isn''t it?¡¡That''s no reason to treat me like a criminal, is it? Nerval''s face was full of confidence as he continued. "It is true that there are only a few ways to get into Mizha''s room. But I''m not the only one who can use the master key to open all the rooms. Miguel and some of the other guards have access to it as well. You don''t have to follow the proper procedure to steal it. Anyone can do it as long as they have the key. Even you, Mister Daryl, for example. Yes, indeed. Everyone nodded, ...... but Nerval had made a fatal mistake. I shook my head slowly and spoke back. Yes, I certainly couldn''t have identified the culprit on this one either. Unless ...... you made a fatal mistake. "What ...... is ......? Nerval''s eyebrows shot up at my words. The first thing that struck me as odd was that you were the first to hold Hannibal''s body. At first glance, it seemed like a touching act of The first thing that struck me as strange was that you were the first to hold Hannibal''s body.¡¡For example, the steel thread that was supposed to be recovered might still be there. They were just checking. It''s not easy to cut a human body with thread. It''s not easy to cut a human body with a string, but there''s a good chance it will catch on a bone and leave evidence. Perhaps he held Hannibal''s body in his arms at that time to see if there was any evidence left. It is a basic rule that when a murder occurs, the scene is preserved and a detailed examination is conducted in the presence of a doctor. Would you, as a doctor, do such a thing?¡¡That''s why I''m starting to doubt you. "......!¡¡It''s no wonder you panic when your respected father dies! I see, I see. But there''s one more crucial reason. ...... Remember what you said about the bell during the interrogation?¡¡At about eleven o''clock at night, I heard the faint sound of bells coming from the east. I thought it was the sound of the wind, so I didn''t pay attention to it, and after a while I fell asleep. ...... Am I right? Yes, that''s what he said. Then Nerval held his tongue. He realized that he had made a mistake. The calm expression on his face changed for the first time. The direction of the clock tower from your room is west, so if you were in your room you wouldn''t be able to hear the bell ringing from the east! "Guuuu ......?! I''m sure you''ll be able to understand why. In addition, Mizha''s room is located to the east of the clock tower. So, Nerval, you definitely heard it. The bells were ringing from the east! I hit the railing, as if to convince myself. Bang!¡¡There was a sharp sound that echoed throughout the area. "....... The momentary silence was broken by Nerval''s chuckle. I''m not sure what you mean.¡¡But I just misspoke. It''s not uncommon for people to mistake the direction of east and west, isn''t it?¡¡It''s not always clear which direction the sound is coming from. The sound echoes in the room, making it difficult to hear. It''s a great ploy, but it''s not really proof, is it?¡¡Hahahahahaha! Nerval''s once calm face is completely distorted, his body trembling and laughing in a pained but funny way. You''re so proud of your victory, bastard. But that was to be expected. I throw out the words I''ve been preparing. "Oh, I see, I misspoke. --"Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. "What''s so funny? What''s so funny?" I suddenly burst out laughing, which upsets Nerval. I snapped my fingers, signaling to Amira. I snapped my fingers and signaled to Amira, who stepped forward with several soldiers. These are the soldiers who guarded Nerval''s room. I would like to ask you all, did you hear the bells? No, I didn''t hear any bells. ...... No, I didn''t hear any bells at all. Mm, it was quiet, but there wasn''t a sound. What? This time, Nerval was astonished. Yes, Nerval''s room is quite a distance from the clock tower. In addition, the trees are all over the place, forming a wall. That''s why he couldn''t hear the sound of the bell. The misstatement was intentional. It was a fake to lead us to this situation. It was a fake to get us into this situation. "No, that''s ridiculous. ...... No, that''s not ......!¡¡You guys must be making a mistake!¡¡You must have heard it!¡¡You heard the bells! Nerval panicked and shouted at the soldiers. I don''t know what you''re talking about. ...... "What ......? In the event that you''ve got a lot of time and energy, you''ll be able to make the most of it. "Hmmm... Hmmm... Don''t play dumb with me, you guys!¡¡Remember what you''ve done!¡¡You low-life! Seeing Nerval barking in a horrible manner, Mizuha took a step back. Miguel and Gaelio both frowned at the sight of him. I''m not sure what to say.¡¡Nerval-san. I''m not sure what to say.¡¡I''m not sure what to say. Nerval stares at me with bloodshot eyes, and I have one last thing to say to him. The other day, you suddenly started wearing those gloves. I''ve been wondering why you''ve been wearing them while eating. ...... Did you damage them while installing the steel thread? "......! Nerval clammed up and covered his hands. But Miguel was not going to let that happen. He grabbed his hand and glared at him with sharp eyes. "Master Nerval, would you mind if I took off my gloves and showed you? "No, no, wait. No, no, no, wait. This is different. It''s ....... Leanne grabbed Nerval by the shoulders in dismay. If you''ve been in a perfumed room, you''ll smell it on your clothes. We beastmen can smell it. We beastmen can smell it. Would you like me to change Master Nerval''s room? "G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G .........! Nerval leaks a voice of anguish. He covered his face with his hands, folded his knees, and arched his back. The imposing demeanor of the past is gone, and before you know it, he has become smaller. Well, it looks like he''s finally shed his skin. 53 And hunt down (3) "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡Ha ha ha ha!¡¡Squeak squeak!¡¡Heehahahahahahaha! Suddenly, Nerval began to laugh like a madman. While everyone in the room backed away in surprise, Miguel and Leanne did not let go of his hand. "Are you admitting your guilt?¡¡Master Nerval. After Miguel''s question, Nerval, who had finished laughing, answered with a twisted mouth. "Yes, yes, yes. I''m the one who killed that stupid father. Nerval glared at me, no longer even trying to make up for it. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it. "Why did you do this? Leanne asks, her hands gripping my shoulders with all their strength. LeAnn is furious that her longed-for peace has been shattered just one step short of it. It''s the kind of look you get in battle, before you''ve slaughtered all your enemies. Oh, scary, scary, scary. Nerval''s mouth twists in a smile as he begins to speak. "...... My father was in the way. It would be a shame if he made peace with the beastmen. If we do that, we won''t be able to use the beastmen as slaves. When I first heard about this, I thought what was going on. Beastmen who''ve been killing each other for so long?¡¡Peace?¡¡I don''t understand what you''re talking about. That''s why I killed him!¡¡The King of Beasts, you made it look like you did it!¡¡...... After I kill my father, I''m the head of this house. After I killed my father, I was going to make up some random killer and ruin the peace! Nerval''s voice is ragged with desperation, and Mizha calls out to him with a look of disbelief. I''m not sure what to say.¡¡You loved the beastmen so much, didn''t you? "Love, ......? Nerval''s face contorts in displeasure, but Mizha presses on. I''m sure you''ll agree.¡¡I''m not sure what to make of that. Thanks to him, we war orphans have been able to live until now! And your late wife was a beast, too!¡¡How can you call this love if you don''t call it love? It seems that Mizuha was very much indebted to Nerval. Apparently, Mizzou has been very good to Nerval. She still believes in him after seeing him like that. Nerval rolled his eyes, but when he saw Mizha''s hard expression, he blew up. "Haha!¡¡You make me laugh!¡¡You are a beast! "Nerval-sama! "Indeed, I have built various facilities in the city to keep the beastmen alive. I''ve given them jobs and made life easier for them. But it wasn''t for the beastmen. It''s for me. ...... Mizha, let me ask you something. If you were to catch a fish and raise it, wouldn''t you provide it with water?¡¡I''ll do the same for you.¡¡That''s what I''m doing!¡¡In other words, you beastmen are my lapdogs!¡¡That''s not love. ...... Huh!¡¡You''re really making me laugh, aren''t you? And yet, ...... we were saved!¡¡I''m sure that whatever your purpose was, what you did was noble!¡¡And yet ...... Still, as if clinging to her, Mizha appeals. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I''ve been studying the bodies of beasts. I''ve been studying the bodies of beastmen, wondering how they create such strong bodies that are completely different from those of humans. That''s why I built an orphanage and a hospital. By being a doctor myself, I was able to conduct all sorts of experiments under the guise of healing. I could give them any medicine they wanted without suspicion. Thanks to you, I had no trouble with experiments. Well, many of the weaker kids died, though. Crap. Oh, no. ...... I see. So all of Nerval''s actions for the beastmen were for research purposes. The demon king''s army also had this kind of people, but all of them were insane. They were all scum who would tear apart bodies and play with lives for the sake of their own knowledge. Nerval had built an orphanage and a hospital just to stock experimental subjects. In contrast to Mizuha''s tears, Leanne''s face grew stern. Nerval, what have you done with ...... my sister, Syria, whom I gave you in marriage? I''m not sure what to make of it. Everyone in the room froze at the force of it. "Syria has been working in this city for the future of the beastmen. And I was begged by you to marry you. For my longing, for peace, smile. ......, but she died of disease a few years later. I still remember Syria, pale and thin. You said you did everything you could, is that true? "f*ck ...... f*ck ......!¡¡Of course I did everything I could. She''s the Beast King''s sister, after all. ...... Trying not to die, or kill her, is it?¡¡I''m not sure. I''m not sure what to make of that. He was a really stupid beast. He would have done anything to save the beast''s child, for the future of man and beast. He took any medicine. Underwent any surgery. Any experiment I could endure. Wha-ah-ah!¡¡Your body is as strong as the Beast King''s!¡¡He believed in me until the day he died!¡¡He never doubted me at all!¡¡It was hard to hold back my laughter!¡¡Oh, no, no, no, no! --Oh, my God. I was shocked to learn that the sweet Syrian had been experimented on and killed by such a lowlife. ...... I was shocked too, but I guess Leanne was even more so. He was so angry and sad that he froze. Nerval didn''t miss that moment. He slashed LeAnn with a knife from his pocket and shook her hand off his grip on her shoulder. Let go of me!¡¡You''re a beast! You ......!!!! You''re a beast! Don''t let him get away!¡¡Surround him with everyone! Ha! On Miguel''s order, the soldiers surrounded Nerval. In the midst of this, Nerval began to leisurely play with his pockets. "...... I grew up watching my father''s wars as a child. I grew up watching my father''s wars when I was a child. I can still remember the amazing physical abilities of the beasts I saw then. I envied them for their strength, beauty, and youthful appearance. I longed to be a beastman. Kuh-kuh-kuh-kuh ...... "You can talk all the crap you want in prison. You''ll be bound and quartered. Men, seize the criminal, Nerval! Nerval''s ears perked up at Miguel''s words. "Seize ......?¡¡I''m not a criminal.¡¡I''m not sure what you mean.¡¡You''ll be able to get a lot more than that. Nerval''s hand, which was fumbling with his pocket, stopped. The circle of soldiers surrounding him was gradually narrowing. "Of course not, don''t think you can escape. "Kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk, ......! Nerval was laughing, whether it was broken or still something else. Surrounded by soldiers and beastmen, including the Beast King. Surrounded by this many people, Nabal should have no choice. Nevertheless, I couldn''t take my eyes off Nerval. I have a bad feeling about this. Something is about to happen. ...... "Sorry, gentlemen, but I have a lot of work to do. I''m sorry, gentlemen, but I have a lot of work to do. I can''t just sit here and let you catch me. I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to run. ......! I won''t let you!¡¡What are you all doing!¡¡Get out of here! Whoa, whoa, whoa! On Miguel''s orders, the soldiers rush in. "Kich! The moment the first one tried to touch him, Nerval took out something and put it on his neck. But it was only visible for a moment, and in a flash, he was pressed down by the soldiers and knocked down. The matter is settled, then. I''m not sure how long it''s been since I''ve seen her, but she''s right next to me. But something is bothering me. ...... I have a strange premonition, I can''t stop the excitement in my heart. I still feel like something is going to happen. It seems that LeAnn has sensed something as well, and has not let her guard down. While everyone''s eyes were on him, Nerval''s body, which was being held by the soldiers, jumped. "Please be quiet! ''Yes, Master Nerval!¡¡Yes, Master Nerval! "Yes, Master Nerval! But Nerval''s body was jumping up and down even as he called out to her. Each of the soldiers holding him down jumped again and again, getting bigger and bigger. One by one, the soldiers who could no longer hold him down placed themselves on top of Nerval, but the pulsation did not stop. "Squeak, squeak! ...... Ghihihihihihi!¡¡I''m not sure what to do. Naval''s eerie laughter echoed through the room. Nerval''s voice, high-pitched at first, gradually changes. His voice became muffled, unusually low, and inhuman. It was like a beast from the demon world. ...... "Aaahhh! One of the soldiers screams and is flung away. "Aaah! Heee! One by one, the soldiers who were holding Nerval down were sent flying. Nerval was rather slender, and his muscle mass must not have been that great. It''s a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web. --What the hell is going on? A long, hairy arm stretches out from the crowd of soldiers. I''m not sure what to make of this. "Heee! What the hell was that? "It''s a monster! A deformed hand grabbed the heads of the soldiers from above their helmets. It slowly lifts them up and throws them with all its might. Thud!¡¡The soldiers hit the wall, blowing bubbles and turning white. You''re a monster, you say? Kuk......Kuk...... In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. It took one look at its surroundings with its golden eyes and wiped its mouth with its long tongue. It was a wolf-shaped beastman, but its body was so huge and its face was so different from that of a normal beastman that it had become a complete beast. The beast spread its arms out as if to confirm its own appearance and shouted in delight. This is the result of my years of research. This is the result of my many years of research. Based on the research conducted by the demon tribe, I repeated the experiment with the beastmen and finally completed the beastmaking potion!¡¡It is based on the blood of beastmen and contains various medicines from all over the world to strengthen the body!¡¡By injecting it directly into the bloodstream!¡¡By injecting it directly into their bloodstreams, they can gain power that transcends all life!¡¡Hahahaha!¡¡Hahahahaha! Miguel looks up at the frenzied beast and is astonished. "What, Nerval ...... is ......? Looking down at Miguel''s incredulous face, the beast replies. "Call me Nerval the Beast. You lowly human. With these words, the beast''s entire body was filled with magic power. The overwhelming sense of intimidation caused the soldiers around Nabal to tremble. "Aaahhhh! And then, screaming, they ran away. "Hey, you guys!¡¡Don''t run away! Miguel shouted to stop the panicked soldiers, but they didn''t stop. If they run away, there will be fewer people to test this power. And with that, Nerval steps forward. Just as I thought he had disappeared, Nerval stood in the way of the entrance. This area is closed to traffic. What? Looking down at the screaming soldiers, Nabal waved his long arms. Thud thud thud!¡¡The soldiers were swept away and blown to the ceiling. The floor was gouged out, leaving deep claw marks. The sheer force of the blow caused everyone in the room to gasp. Nerval clutched his right hand tightly as if to confirm his own power. "Wonderful!¡¡This is the power of a beastman!¡¡Hahahahaha!¡¡Oh, my God!¡¡My whole body is filled with power! Nerval, shaking his huge body and laughing like a beast who has found its prey, takes one look at us and licks his tongue. What should we do now? 54 A co-fight, and... â‘  --Nabal, the Beast God, the sight of him brings back memories of the Demon Lord''s army. During the Great War, a demon tribe succeeded in developing a certain drug. It was called the Beastification Potion, and when injected into a beastman, it had the effect of drastically changing his appearance. The beastman''s form is based on a human, but when changed by the potion, it is truly a beast. They will gain tremendous power and continue to rampage until they run out of strength. Yes, just like him now. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Miguel pulls out the sword at his waist with a burst of energy and slashes at Nerval. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea or not. "Everyone, follow Miguel! "Ha! At Gaelio''s instruction, the remaining soldiers also drew their swords. But even with more than a dozen soldiers in front of him, Nerval smiled fearlessly. The blade that he swung down pierced his huge body. Two blades, three blades, countless blades. But Nerval''s expression remains unchanged. "That''s ridiculous ....... It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. I''m not sure what to make of that. Then he twists his body halfway around. He swung his long tail and blew Miguel and the others away. "Aaaaah! "Haha! Miguel and the others were flung away and screamed in agony. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. I''m not sure what to say.¡¡This is the power of the Beast God!¡¡It''s amazing!¡¡I feel so good!¡¡I could sing a song about it! Nerval looks down at the soldiers and laughs out loud. They''re not weak at all. They''re not weak, but they''re not weak at all. ...... That power is just the beastly potion itself. And that potion''s been modified. I''m not sure what to make of it. Therefore, the use of the drug was immediately banned by the Demon King''s army and the entire pharmaceutical method was sealed, but perhaps as a result of repeated human experimentation, the reason remains. It is ironic that a human would use a drug that even the demon race did not use because it was inhumane. I''m not sure what to make of this. "Well, you''ve proven that you can''t hurt me in human form. I''m not sure what to make of it. The air shivered with the wave of magic power that I spat out with my words. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but it''s a good idea. "Oooohhhh! He grabbed the large axe on his back with both hands and swung it down at Naval''s brain. He twisted and ducked under the force of the blow, and a stream of blood dripped from his forehead. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. It''s a very good blow. "Nooooooooo! I''m not sure what to make of it. It''s a powerful and flashy fight worthy of a former assault squad. It''s a little painful if you take it seriously. The beastly Nerval also responded with sharp claws. The sound of sword fights echoed in the area. Behind him, a shadow crept across Nerval''s gaping back. It was Garv. He is lying low, hiding his presence, and holding his spear. With the stealth of an ex-intelligence unit, Gurv is completely concealed, putting all his strength into his spear and looking for an opening. I''m not sure what to say. "...... Oh dear. I''m sorry, I meant to say "moderate". Your attacks are too monotonous. I''m getting tired of it. Naval, who had been receiving Nyarev''s attacks with his claws, let out a sigh. At the same time, the great axe in Nyarev''s hand was flicked and flew through the air. He caught the attack and snapped the blade. "Noooooooo! It''s over at ....... Naval swung at Nyarev with his free arm to attack him. Naval swung his free arm to attack Nyalev, but Nyalev sneered and held up his middle finger. "It''s over for you. Go f*ck yourself. Instantly, the shadow behind Naval moved. In a moment, the shadow behind Nerval moved. Garv''s thrust with all his might went straight for Nerval''s neck. This is one of the basic strategies of the Beast King''s army. It is one of the basic tactics, but it is simple and powerful when unleashed with a high level of skill. This is one of the basic tactics, but it is simple and powerful, and has defeated many powerful enemies. I''m sure you''ve seen it before.¡¡I can see it. "What? But Nerval didn''t even look back as he entangled the spear with his tail. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. It''s a simple partnership. Well, I guess that''s the limit of a beastman''s mind. ...... "Oh no! Nerval''s arms grabbed the confused bodies of the two men. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. Whoa!¡¡A cloud of dust rose up, and a huge hole appeared in the wall. The smoke clears, and the two men buried in the rubble are throwing their limbs out sluggishly. They seemed to have fainted. "Nyarev!¡¡Garv!¡¡Stay with me! Leanne called out, but they didn''t move a muscle. Nerval slowly turned to look at LeAnn. "Now, Beast King. "Now, beast king, shall we test your strength? "......! He bit his lip and braced himself. Bite your lip and brace yourself, LeAnn. Pull out the Demon King and hold it up to your eyes. I''m very grateful to you, Beast King. It''s no exaggeration to say that this research was successful because of your sister. ...... By the way, doesn''t this figure remind you of something? I''m not sure what to make of that. Nerval''s form is the same as Syria''s, a silver wolf. In other words, this bestialization potion was made from Syria''s blood. When LeAnn realized that her sister''s blood had been used, her face twisted in anger and she spat at him. "...... you lowlife. Haha! At the same time, Nerval opened his arms and jumped at her. He ducked under the sharp claws that swung down at him. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. You''re right.¡¡I''m not sure what to make of it.¡¡I''m sure you''ll be able to find something that works for you. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. You can''t dodge them. You''ll be able to duck and dodge as well. But the speed of the opponent is getting faster and faster. The fragments of the torn cloth flew into pieces, and LeAnn''s clothes started to get disordered. And then came the limit. "Hyah! The claws snatched at LeAnn''s skin, and fresh blood sprayed out. The white skin was covered with red blood. "Hee-hee!¡¡It''s good, it''s good!¡¡It seems that even you, the King of Beasts, are no match for me!¡¡You''re a beast king, but you''re no match for me! I''m not sure if you can call it a frenzied dance, but Nerval is waving his arms around like crazy. The sheer number of moves had LeAnn on the defensive. "Hey, Master Ranga!¡¡I''m not sure what to do. ...... Ah, that''s the guy that Nyalev and Garv couldn''t even get by with two guys. I''m not sure what to do. I''d like to help you, but I don''t want my identity to be exposed. I want to help him, but I don''t want him to know who I am. Especially since he''s Le?o. As I was pondering what to do, Amira pointed at the wall. "Master Ranga, use that! Hanging on the wall was a huge bow and arrow. I see. If I stay away from it, I might be okay. Fortunately, I''m armed to the teeth. I can cover you with a bow and arrow or ......! I run for the arrow that''s hanging. But Nerval noticed and slammed his tail into the path to it. Boom!¡¡The passage collapses in a cloud of dust. d*mn, I''m hit. Nerval''s mouth twisted as he watched me cluck my tongue. I don''t know what you''re whispering about, but ...... don''t worry, Detective, you''ll be cooked slowly after I kill the Beast King. You''ve given me a lot of grief. I can''t even stay in this town anymore. I''ll take my time to make up for this grudge and make it go away. ......! Nerval''s tone was laced with a terrible murderous intent. I''d like to see a little bit of resentment. "Don''t worry, Daryl-dono. A dignified voice echoed in the area. The scarred Leanne was looking straight at Nerval with eyes that hadn''t lost their will to fight. "You''ve uncovered the truth of everything. You revealed my sister''s guilt. Now it''s up to me to defeat him. I will kill him even if it means stabbing him in the back. The words were filled with the spirit of a woven cloth. His stance was no longer the defensive one of holding his sword in front of him, but an upward stance of abandonment. Leanne''s eyes were serious. He''s going to stab her in the back for real. "Lord Ranga, ......! I let out a sigh at the appealing look in Amira''s eyes. It''s no use. I can''t risk revealing myself, but I can''t just abandon a guy who said he would protect me even if he had to stab me in the back. And Leanne is my former Fourth Heavenly King. I made up my mind and kicked the stairs. I landed next to Leanne, right in front of Nerval. "There''s no need for you to stab this guy in the back. I''ll help you. I picked up a spear that was lying at my feet and held it up. Leanne looked at me and rolled her eyes. "Daryl, Mister ......?¡¡No, you''re not ......, you''re ......! That''s the tone he used to use when he called me. Oh man, they know. I let out a sigh and put my index finger over my mouth. "Don''t tell anyone about this. I''m not going to tell anyone about this," he said, but then he smiled. ...... As always, you are a man of unknown depths. I''m not sure how I feel about that. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. But, um. I don''t feel like I can lose with this. "Ah. I also responded by filling my entire body with magic power. The two of us, LeAnn and I, blasted the area with our magic power, creating a whirling, intense pressure. I''m not sure what to say.¡¡Oh, you guys ......! Nerval, perhaps pressured by this, took a step back. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that. I''m not sure if I''ll be able to survive against two of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army. 55 A co-fight, and... â‘¡ "Ranga-sama! When Amira throws a ball of clay on the ground, it falls to the ground and explodes, sending purple smoke into the air. It''s a smoke ball with a weak but illusory effect. It only blurred her vision and voice, but if she saw me in battle, she would think I was my father. "Good luck! I nodded in reply to Amira''s words. Now I can fight to my heart''s content. I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Leanne, readying my prey. For a moment, Nerval''s eyes rolled back in his head, but he quickly regained his composure. I see, two of you is a very wise decision. But it''s the same thing anyway. But it''s the same thing anyway, because there''s no way you can beat me as a god. As far as Nerval was concerned, even the beast king LeAnn was overpowered. He would say that one more man would not matter now. That''s true. As long as it''s just one more person. Well, you''ll just have to try, won''t you? "Yeah, that''s right. Nerval grits his teeth as he watches us, completely unfazed. "...... is a boar''s mouth. All right!¡¡I''ll have your face dyed with despair in no time! With that, Nerval''s figure disappears. He is jumping in all directions in the large room with tremendous speed. "Ha-ha-ha!¡¡How do you like it?¡¡Can you see me moving?¡¡Can you catch me?¡¡You can''t!¡¡Be afraid and tremble! Apparently he was trying to scare us by showing us how fast he was. LeAnn, who was standing with her back to me, saw this and smiled. What''s so funny?¡¡What''s so funny? "No, the way you jumped up and down like a scared rabbit. I couldn''t help but laugh. "Pfft, you''re right. It reminded me of the rabbit hutch at school, where unaccustomed rabbits would jump up and down and run away when the student in charge entered. "Hey, hey, you guys! ......! Nerval''s voice quivered with anger. With a large leap, he landed on the landing of the stairs. Nerval''s body curled up and his whole body stiffened. His thick legs swelled to twice their size, and a few veins appeared. "Die! And then he unleashes all the power he has built up. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. A thud!¡¡I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. The blow of the King of the Demon''s Blade swung down and caught Nerval in the brain. Nerval jumped up and floated in the air with a shocked expression on his face. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m not sure what to make of it. LeAnn muttered with a cold stare. In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, you can call us at our own web site. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do this, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. --Nerval''s face twisted in anger as he swung his arms and attacked, but it had only just worked. I''m not going to be able to do anything about it. Ding!¡¡GAGIN!¡¡GIGGYGIGGYGIGGIN! A sharp sound is heard, and sparks fly. The two of us can handle attacks that one person can''t, but two people can. What? LeAnn, now that she has more time to spare, fires back. Of course, so did I. You''ll be able to find out more about this in the following article. "You ...... are ......! Gee!¡¡I''m not sure if you''ve heard of it or not. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. Regeneration. That''s nasty. "Syria''s healing magic must have been activated. It''s also possible that her extraordinary defensive abilities are also ....... Syria was a rare beastman healer, and was a valuable asset to the Beast King''s army with her high-level defensive and healing magic. And now he''s helping the enemy. LeAnn bit her lip in frustration. I''m not sure if this is a good idea,......, but it''s not out of our hands. I''m not too happy about it, but it''s what it is. I''ll point my palm out to LeAnn. "LeAnn, give me that. "......!¡¡Yeah, I got it! Leanne understood my intentions and tossed me the Demon Blade King. -I''m sure you''ve heard of it, but I''m not sure if you''ve seen it. I grasped the Demon Blade King that I received from Leanne, and said the words. "Wake up, Demon Blade King. Boom!¡¡The handle clicks. The hilt began to thud, thud, thud, as if blood had begun to flow through it. It began to heat up slowly, and the blade began to glow mysteriously. And the jewel on the hilt gleams like a human eyeball. The jewel on the hilt glints like a human eyeball, just like the Demon Blade King I once held in my hand. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to hear that. It''s been a long time. ...... Huh, I slept well. I''m not sure what to make of it. He''s stretching too far for a sword. I look at my former partner and let out a sigh. I look at my former partner and sigh, "d*mn, you''re still as laid back as ever. "You''ve changed so much, my lord. You look like a human child. Well, a lot has happened. We''ll talk later. There''s an enemy in front of us. What, my Lord, are we in battle? Why didn''t you just say so? I''d tell you to notice, but the Demon King is old and a little out of it. And he''s awake. It would be unreasonable to expect that much from him. "What are you talking about? Nerval, who seems to have lost his patience with the exchange between me and the Demon King, intervenes. You''ve made a mistake, Detective!¡¡Just a moment ago, the two of you were able to take my attacks, but now you have the Beast King''s weapon!¡¡Then you wouldn''t be able to take my attack! It''s true that the Demon King that LeAnn had in her hand earlier is in my hand. It''s true that the Demon King that LeAnn was holding in her hand is in my hand, and Nerval is saying that I can''t take it with just one weapon. But that''s a shallow way of thinking. "I don''t have to take it. I muttered, and swung the Demon Blade King at the arm being swung down. The red slash caught Nerval''s arm and a bloom of fresh blood bloomed. Nerval''s arm was roughly sliced open. "What? The slash that had been completely unsuccessful until now came through. This is the first time that I''ve ever seen such a thing. With the true power of the Demon Goblin King, this much is easy. However, Nerval immediately regenerates the wound on his arm. That''s some regenerative power. --But it''s useless. "My Lord!¡¡Blood!¡¡More blood, more blood! The Demon King lets out a frenzied howl. d*mn it!¡¡Calm down, ......! The King of the Demon''s hands clamp down on the King of the Demon''s blade, which is trembling with the desire for blood and the urge for violence. This is why this sword is called a demon sword. This is why this sword is called a demon sword. He is an old man now, but he used to be called the strongest of the Four Heavenly Kings, and his vicious name is the Vampire King because of his blood-soaked fighting style. In fact, he has the ability to become stronger the more blood he sucks, and although he becomes a madman in reaction, his fighting ability is well known. The more blood he sucks, the stronger he becomes. In other words, if even a single strand of blood is wounded, the ability will be activated. Once he lands on the battlefield, there will not be a drop of blood left in the area. That spirit is contained in the Demon Blade King. Even the blood that flew through the air just now was sucked into the blade instead of falling to the ground. In other words, the more you slash, the more you poke, the more you kill, the more sharp the King of the Demon Blade becomes. "Agh!¡¡Whoa!¡¡What the hell is that sword? Nerval is covered in wounds from the slashes of the Demon King. But there''s no blood. It''s being sucked out by the roots each time. And the sharpness keeps increasing. "Blood!¡¡Blood!¡¡Ahhhh!¡¡Gahhhhh! The King of the Demon Blade. I''m not too keen on using this guy because ....... He is usually an old man, but when he is bathed in blood, he reverts to his true personality. I can''t stop him even if I am the wielder. "Let''s get this over with. I muttered, and sheathed the Demon King. A cool ding sounded. Inside the sheath, the blade is filled with magic. Bending forward, he placed his fingertips on the hilt. Inhale and exhale deeply, weakening your entire body. --For 0.001 seconds, I opened my eyes, which had been closed. I take a step toward the Nerval looming before me. A moment of silence. --And then another cool ding. "......?¡¡What''s that? Naval questioned. The body was slightly out of alignment with the upper and lower halves of the body. "Oh, you mean ......? Nerval is puzzled and tries to kick the ground, but his lower body doesn''t seem to move as expected. The gap between his body and the ground grew larger and larger. His upper body finally fell to the ground with a thud. The lower half of his body is standing there, fresh blood spurting out from its cross-section. What did you ...... do? The Demon King sheathes his blade and calms down. But it takes a little while for it to completely subside, and in the meantime, it''s on a rampage. It is a technique that creates an explosive slash by releasing it. It is based on a technique called Iai that exists in other countries. It is called--Senzan. There is nothing that cannot be cut by a slash as fast as light. Even though it is ....... "Hey, hey, you''re still alive after having your upper and lower body cut off. You''re too tough. I look down at Nerval with a dumbfounded look on my face. Even a demon could die a little easier. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!¡¡Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!¡¡It is impossible for me, a god, to be here at ......!¡¡I will never accept this! Nerval barking with only his upper body . Nabal howls with only his upper body. He tries to lift up his lower body to connect them, but that doesn''t work either. It seems that healing magic is no longer effective in this situation. Blood continues to flow endlessly from the cut surface. "......, give up. It''s over, dude. "I''ll ...... not die for nothing! And with that, Nerval turns his back on me and jumps on the unarmed LeAnn. I gave you a weapon, and now it''s your turn!¡¡You''re going with me! LeAnn''s eyes narrowed for a moment as she saw Nerval approaching. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. I''m not sure that''s what I had in mind. I''m sorry, but my primary weapon is my fist. What? In the moment of questioning, Leanne''s fist caught Nerval in the throat. "What? I''m sure you''re not the only one. "Huh. He exhaled a short breath and slammed his fist into it. In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. That''s the Beast King''s Hundred Fang, a technique in which a fist filled with magical power is struck with tremendous speed. Not only is it strong and fast, but it also allows the attacker to keep hitting only the attacker by striking repeatedly while crushing the beginning of the opponent''s counterattack. Nerval tries to move, but is thwarted and left at the mercy of his opponent. It''s been a while since I''ve seen this, but it''s a brilliant move. It''s the same ...... as before, or rather, it seems to be getting sharper. Hit after hit, hit after hit, hit after hit, hit after hit, hit after hit, hit after hit. It''s just a matter of time.¡¡is a heavy, low sound. And then - with a light step - a spinning kick was thrown into Nerval''s face. "What? You''ll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m going to do it. This time, vertically. --With a slash... The light goes out of Nerval''s eyes as he is cut in half headfirst. Nerval collapsed to the ground with a thud, and no longer moved. Oh dear, he''s dead this time. Sheathing his sword, he looked ahead and saw the cross-shaped slash marks on the wall. 56 The battle is over. "Ranga-sama! I don''t know where she''s been lurking, but Amira suddenly jumps on me. She hugged me as hard as she could and pressed her head against mine. You''re hurting me. Thank you for your hard work!¡¡I was on the edge of my seat for a bit, but that''s what Ranga-sama is for!¡¡I believed that there was no way I could lose to an opponent like that! Wait, Amira, get away from me. ...... No!¡¡I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that.¡¡...... Soo-ha-ha, soo-ha-ha. I''m not going to let go of her head. I''m not sure what to say. I''m not sure what to make of this. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it.¡¡Amira. I''m not sure.¡¡I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. But LeAnn doesn''t seem to notice that. I''ve never seen you here before, and I''ve never seen you with a lieutenant. ...... You never cease to amaze me. I''m surprised, too. Oh, I didn''t get a chance to say hello. Leanne, it''s been a long time. "Well, well, I''m glad to see you too, my Lord. The Demon King nodded again and again. But why a human child? It''s a long story, so I''ll just tell you a few things: ...... I gave Leanne and the Demon King a quick rundown of what I''d been up to. It''s a long story. I didn''t know you had even met Levanov. ...... I''m sure you''ll be glad to know that I''ve met you guys. I''m sure you''ll agree. LeAnn smiled happily at my words. You''ll be able to see that they''re a lot more rounded than they used to be. You''ll be able to get a lot more than that. "Aren''t you a little close to me, Miss LeAnn? Is that so?¡¡I think it''s normal. ...... Yes, it''s close!¡¡Don''t come within a one-meter radius of me! That''s ridiculous. Do I need your permission to approach Ranga?¡¡Hmm? Leanne then put her face close to mine as if to provoke me. Before I knew it, his long, fluffy tail was wrapped around my waist. "Hey, Master LeAnn!¡¡What are you doing?¡¡That''s disgusting! Amira''s face turned red and she raised her voice. But LeAnn kept a cool expression on her face. I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand. "Hmm, you seem to be quite envious of my tail. Why don''t you grow one if you want? If I could, I would! No, you don''t have to do that. No, you don''t have to." I let out a sigh as the two of them argued. "You''re very popular, my Lord. "Shut up, shut up. I glared at the Demon Blade King and sheathed it without question. I''ll tell you what. As soon as we were done talking, I switched places with my father and had him sit down. I put on the suit of armor that I had taken off and said ....... This is how it should be. So, LeAnn, when your father wakes up, you can talk to him. "...... Yeah, I''ll do my best. Of course, I told Le?o to talk to him. After a while, Miguel and the others started to wake up. But my father was still snoring loudly. "Gah gah gah ...... Come on, wake up, Dad. I had no choice but to give him a nudge, and he woke up, cracking his nose and groaning. I''m not sure what to make of this.¡¡Why am I wearing armor ......? I''m not sure if you''ve seen this before, but I''m sure you''ve. You''re right, Master Daryl!¡¡I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who''s a fan of your work. "What about ......? He''s got a great explanatory tone, but he''s not following the story. I''ll add to that. "Yeah, it was cool that you gathered everyone here like before and said, ''You''re the culprit,'' and hunted down Nerval-san!¡¡And you and the Beast King even defeated the big wolf that Nerval transformed into. That was awesome, Dad! And by "amazing" I mean the time I dressed up as my father and defeated Levanov in front of everyone. That time, too, I stunned him and later talked him into it. ...... "This monster, me? My father looked down at Nerval''s corpse and pondered, apparently not believing it so easily. But I''m skeptical. One more push. I look at Leanne and urge her to follow up further. ............ Yeah, that was a hell of a fight. Daryl here. That was great. LeAnn is praising her father in a faltering baritone voice. You''re not a very good actor, are you? You''re not a very good actor, are you?¡¡I''m not so sure. And if you look closely, you''re very pretty. What do you think?¡¡Maybe we can have dinner later. ...... But my father didn''t mind at all and accepted LeAnn''s words honestly. In fact, he even started to pick up girls. Seeing Leanne''s confusion, I couldn''t help but hold my head in my hands. You''re too daredevil for your own good, a**h*le. "Daryl-dono! Gaelio woke up, ran over and took his father''s hand. "Excellent reasoning and fighting!¡¡It''s a shame that we didn''t get to see the end of the fight, because I was conscious until halfway through, but then I suddenly fell asleep. ......¡¡I was conscious during the fight, but suddenly fell asleep.¡¡I wish I could have seen it! The Onijushi is the name given to the cross that I accidentally slashed when I pretended to be my father and defeated an enemy. Thanks to this, I even got the nickname "Daryl the Demon Cross. By the way, I accidentally cut him into crosses this time too. ...... Anyway... Yeah, yeah!¡¡It''s not a big deal.¡¡It''s not a big deal to Daryl the Demon Cross. Oh, you''re so humble! Hahaha! The father laughs loudly in a good mood, egged on by Gaelio. I don''t know how he can be so giddy over something he doesn''t even remember. As I was admiring him, Miguel approached me. "Well done, Mr. Daryl. I knew you were something else, but I didn''t expect you to be this good. I''m sorry for doubting you earlier. I would like to apologize for my rudeness. "Mr. Miguel ...... No, no, I don''t mind. Don''t be afraid. Gah-hah. "Oh, you''re a big man. You really are a great man. Ranga, your father is a truly great man. You should be proud of him. Miguel pats me on the head. "Yeah, respect me!¡¡Gah! My dad pats me on the head, too. "Hahahaha ...... I could only let out a dry laugh at how much my father was drinking. 57 Epilog With the death of the lord Hannibal and his son Nerval, the peace conference was naturally cancelled. However, the peace conference has not completely disappeared, and will be held again as soon as a new lord is chosen. This time, it was partly because of the failure of the human side, but also because Leanne insisted on resuming the peace conference. Well, it''s his wish. I hope he''ll do his best for my peace of mind. Anyway, my father''s work was finished, and we were finally going home. "Well, thank you for your help. Miguel-dono. Miguel grabbed Gaelio''s hand with both hands and grabbed it back tightly. "No, thank you very much for your help as well. Gaelio-dono. When the peace conference is held again, please come by all means. Of course, Daryl-dono should come with you. "Yes, if there''s another incident, leave it to Daryl of the Demon Cross!¡¡If there is another incident, you can count on Daryl the Demon Cross to solve it in a flash!¡¡Hahaha! Dad thumping his chest with confidence. Come on, we can''t have this happening again and again. It''s not good luck. "Ranga. Got a minute? I turn around at the sound of Leanne''s voice. The Beast King''s army from Alethia had gathered behind Leanne as she approached. The Beast King''s army that had been visiting the city also seemed to be leaving. What is it?¡¡Mr. Le Yuan. I answered in a childish manner since I was in public. LeAnn bent down and crouched down in front of me, as if she was doing the same. "You''ve been a great help to me. I thought I''d give you something nice as a thank you. "Wow, what''s that? She was acting excited, but she had a bad feeling about it. As if LeAnn had anticipated this, she handed me the sword on her hip with a big smile on her face. That is, the Demon Blade King. See, you wanted my sword back then, didn''t you?¡¡Here''s a present for you. Please take it. "What? !¡¡I don''t want you to give me something like that! What time was that? I never heard of it! I''m not sure what to do with it. My father put his hand on my shoulder in panic. "Gah-hah!¡¡Good for you, Ranga. It''s not every day you get the Beast Lord''s sword! Then he put his face close to Leanne''s ear and spoke in a whisper. "That''s a replica of the Demon Lord''s favorite sword. I don''t know when you bought it at the souvenir shop, but ...... it''s very cool of you to give it to him as your own sword. It''s the best present I could ever give my son. Thank you very much. "It''s no big deal. Don''t worry about it. You really are a big man, Mr. Beast King!¡¡Ha-ha-ha! No, no, it''s not a replica, it''s the real thing. No, no, no, it''s not a replica, it''s the real thing. Actually, I don''t want the Demon King thrust upon me now. I''m shocked. I''m shocked. ...... I''m shocked." The Demon Blade King laments, but he doesn''t look disgusted, he''s disgusted. If you carry around something so dangerous that every time you bathe in its blood you become a madman, you never know what could happen. I just want to live a peaceful life. He succeeded in pushing the Demon King and protested in his ear to the smiling LeAnn. "Hey Leanne, are you sure you''re okay with giving me back the Onion King? Didn''t you need it? But LeAnn smiles back at my words. "Yes, but no longer necessary. I don''t need my sword to support me anymore, I''ve found a new one. LeAnn''s eyes narrow as she murmurs this. It was like a hunter''s eyes when he finds his prey. Le?o brought his face close to mine, and then... "Aaaaah!¡¡What are you doing?¡¡Master LeAnn! As Amira screams, Le?o slowly pulls his face away from mine. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re doing. "At ....... A big smile on his face. I''m not sure what to do, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. "Let''s go, Ranga-sama!¡¡If we stay here any longer, that big blonde b*tc* is going to rape us! Don''t pull! Hahahaha! LeAnn laughs happily as she watches me being dragged along. d*mn, this isn''t a freak show. My father calls out to me. "But Ranga, when did you become friends with the Beast Lord? "....... What do you mean, "what? Why don''t you tell me what happened later? I really don''t have any idea what''s going on,......, but Amira glared at me as I tilted my head. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s worth it.¡¡I''m not sure what to do.¡¡Come on, come on, come on! Don''t push me, Amira. She forced me into the carriage and sat me down in the back seat. Get the carriage out of here! "Yes, yes, my lady. He closed the curtains and urged Gaelio to go quickly. Gaelio smiled and whipped the horse, and the carriage started. I sneak a peek through the window and see that Le?o is watching us go. I waved, and he winked back. "See you at ....... I murmured, and LeAnn moved her lips and said, "See you. The carriage rattled away from the city of Alesia. "Well, I guess that''s all over now. Yes, it was a bit of a mess, but I guess it all worked out in the end. Amira replied with a complicated look. But the smile on her face suggests that she was not unhappy to see Leanne. I''m not sure if they''re close or not,......, but they''ve always been like this. But I''ve met too many old acquaintances in a row lately. I hope we don''t ...... run into each other again. "Twice is thrice, as they say. There''s one more demon lord in the army. I''m not sure if it''s the same thing. Anyway, both of them are far from the peaceful life I want. Neither of them is someone I''d like to meet. Call me heartless, but... The carriage ride is making me sleepy. I''m a little tired of ....... "I''m also ....... Ahh. Amira also put her head on my shoulder and started to sleep peacefully. I close my eyes and start to drift off to sleep. "Well, the children are tired, aren''t they? "Oh, they''re still kids, after all. In the front seat, Gaelio and his father are looking at you and saying whatever they want to say. Oh well, I just want to sleep now. At least let me see peaceful days in my dreams. I lay down and surrendered myself to a moment of peace.