《Dual Life ~Hiru wa Yuusha Party, Yoru wa Maou Gun~》 CH 1 Golden color spreads as far as the eye can see, wheat crops which have reached the harvest time are blowing and swaying with the wind. When you look over the field, there is no human to be seen harvesting the crop. Wheat harvest is even a specialty of this village and plays a key role in earning a livelihood for the villagers. The wheat is harvested, then grains are removed, and then the grains are coarsely ground into flour with a windmill to obtain the wheat flour. The completed product is then purchased by the peddlers with money and then the money is exchanged for goods necessary for living. In this peaceful village, such a simple, as well as peaceful life, has continued generation after generation. In such a rural area, the sound of a fierce battle that is not similar to its peaceful atmosphere is resounding in its outskirts. ¡¸These ugly pigs! You guys, don¡¯t let even a single of these orcs escape¡¹ A woman wearing armor who looks like a female knight while holding a sword screams out of rage as she cuts a pig-faced monster called orc. ¡¸Zenobia, you¡¯re a little too far ahead! If you don¡¯t bring them all together a little more, it won¡¯t be possible to wipe them out with magic. I sure don¡¯t like these orcs either, but you need to calm down a little. ¡¹ The girl who warned the female knight¡ªZenobia, has a neutral face that can be mistaken to be of a boy at first glance. ¡¸Sorry, Julia. When I look at these guys, blood rushes to my head. ¡¹ Zenobia apologized to the neutral looking girl-Yulia while cutting through the orcs with the sharp sword, she retreated and stood side by side with Yulia. Dozens of orcs gathered around the two girls and obscenely stared at them. ¡¸ Falsa-Dono! Isn¡¯t the magic finished yet? It¡¯s creepy to be seen with such a vulgar look. ¡¹ ¡¸ I¡¯m also at my limit. Fal-Ani, hurry up! ¡¹ The two girls were already reaching their limit and urged the person at the back who wore a black robe to finish up. ¡¸ Sorry to keep you both waiting! It is ready, Get away from them! ¡¹ The man dressed as a magician in a black robe¨D¨D Falsa¡¯s both hands were covered in flames. As soon as the girls jump back and retreat, the flame hit the group of orcs. ¡¸ Burn everything down, Firestorm! ¡¹ Dozens of groups were wrapped in a storm of fire in an instant, the orcs drew their last breath while their bodies burned. By the time the nice aroma of roasted pork enveloped the area, the Orcs had ceased any movement. ¡¸ You both seem to have been a little injured. Heal! ¡¹ When the girl in the nun¡¯s uniform who was standing by the side of Falsa, casts magic on the two girls who had been fighting the groups of orcs until just before, their wounds were healed in the blink of an eye. ¡¸As one would expect from the restoration magic of the saint-Sama of the church. It feels safe even if one is injured. ¡¹ ¡¸yes, as one would expect Palmina-Dono to be. The speed of the healing of injury is unbelievable. ¡¹ ¡¸ hehe, you both praise me too much. Beside rather than me we were able to easily exterminate the orcs thanks to Falsa-Kun ¡¹ The girl in the nun¡¯s uniform- Palmina gives a quiet laugh and turns her face towards Falsa. ¡¸ I didn¡¯t do much. It was thanks to Palmina who defended me with the Barrier magic, and to Yulia and Zenobia who attracted the attention of Orcs. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to cast my magic power alone. ¡¹ ¡¸ Still, The Magic of Fal-Anni is amazing! I¡¯m doing my best in training magic, but I¡¯m simply not your match! ¡¹ ¡¸ Yes, even in the royal palace, the reputation of Falsa-Dono is very high. He is the rumored magical genius who climbed up to the head of the Imperial Magus at a young age. ¡¹ Falsa answers with humility, but both Julia and Zenobia praise him with a look of respect. Maybe uncomfortable with praises, Falsa tries to change the topic while scratching his head. ¡¸ Rather than that, the villagers will be able to harvest the wheat. It is good that we came to this village before the harvest season was over. ¡¹ ¡¸ That¡¯s true. Thanks to us, they can harvest it, Let¡¯s eat bread made from freshly milled wheat. ¡¹ Julia proposes to three people in a little playful manner. This peaceful village was troubled because it could not harvest wheat due to the invasion of Orcs. It was thought that this year¡¯s harvest was hopeless, at that time four people coincidentally arrived in the village and nominated their name for the subjugation. ¡¸ We just did what we were supposed to do as a hero, so don¡¯t get carried away with it. ¡¹ Zenobia poked Julia¡¯s forehead with her finger. Of course, it¡¯s as a joke as always, so the power is very weak. ¡¸ Boohoo, Pal-Ane. Zenobia is bullying me. Even though I did my best. ¡¹ Julia continues her pranks further and buries her face between Palmina¡¯s voluptuous breasts while acting spoilt. ¡¸ Yeah yeah, Julia-Chan did her best. There, there. ¡¹ Palmina has a smile overflowing with affection, worthy of the name of the holy woman while patting the head of Yulia who looked like a cute 3-year-old younger sister. ¡¸ Um the three of you, shouldn¡¯t we report to the village chief soon? We have to request the villagers to deal with the Orcs too, if we don¡¯t move quickly the sun will set. ¡¹ The three of them finally start moving when Falsa urged them with an exasperated voice. It is good that they are good friends, but with that in mind, Falsa takes it to lead them. ¡¸hey hey, Fal-ani. Can¡¯t I stay in Fal-ani¡¯s room tonight? ¡¹ On the way, Yulia proposed while looking at Falsa¡¯s face with an innocent face. Although it is uttered by a sixteen-year-old girl, it seems that there is not much sense of discomfort because of her neutral appearance and petite body. ¡¸ He, hey Yulia, it is improper to stay in a man¡¯s room! A lady should carry herself modestly! ¡¹ Zenobia rebukes while appearing flustered. Her face is tinged red and as can be seen, she is weak with this kind of topic. ¡¸ Zenobia you are dis¨Cgu¨Cs¨Cti¨Cng. I just want to know the magic training that Fal-Ani is doing, what are you thinking about? ¡¹ ¡¸I, I did not¡­¡­I did not, that¡¯s not it¡¹ When Yulia grinned and refuted, Zenobia put both of her hands on her face and crouched down. Seeing such a situation Palmina¡¯s smile doesn¡¯t fade, and Falsa laments that it has begun again. ¡¸ Yulia, don¡¯t be too harsh on Zenobia. And besides, I can¡¯t teach my training to others. It¡¯s not even secret to you who is a hero. Furthermore, a girl staying in a man¡¯s room can¡¯t be said thoughtlessly even as a joke. ¡¹ ¡¸yee-s, I¡¯m so-rry. I¡¯m sorry Zenobia. ¡¹ That image of gently rebuking Yulia, when seen by an outsider, will judge them as a pair of an older brother and younger sister apart by some years. ¡¸ You both look like real brothers and sisters, I¡¯m jealous. I want an Onisan like Falsa-kun, too. I wonder if it should be nice to call you Falsa-oniisama ?¡¹ ¡¸me too£¡i also want to have a reliable oni-sama like Falsa-dono £¡Fal, Falsa¡­¡­Aniue¡¹1 Wherever three women gather it is noisy while remembering the proverb in the east, Falsa sighed again. ¡¸It¡¯s a very attractive proposal, but my body would not be able to hold on if I have three Imoto. Julia alone is too much trouble; I don¡¯t want to think about anything more. I beg you both to let it remain as it is. ¡¹ Yulia¡¯s childish appearance and spoilt behavior are enough, rather if Zenobia and Palmina are added he will lose his sanity, hiding such thoughts Falsa pleads. ¡¸ Well, did Fal-ani think of me like that? It¡¯s heartbreaking. It¡¯s not easy to heal my broken heart! ¡¹ ¡¸ Oh, that¡¯s too bad. But certainly, if you have three Imouto, it would be hard. Then, if that is so is it better if I be your Onee-san? ¡¹ ¡¸I, I can be an Imoto or ane or¡­¡­ I don¡¯t mind anything¡£of, of course, if Falsa-Dono wishes I can be his, wi, wi, wife too¡­¡­¡¹ As the conversation grew more and more complicated, the four noticed that they had arrived in front of the village chief¡¯s residence. As he can¡¯t deal with them anymore, Falsa leaves the three of them and knocks on the door. ¡¸Village chief-San, Oak¡¯s suppression has been completed, and we have come to report it. ¡¹ Falsa raised his voice so that it can be heard throughout the house. Without taking much time loud footsteps can be heard from inside, and then the door was opened vigorously. ¡¸ Oh! I¡¯ve been waiting for you. Come on in Please. Can you tell me more about it? ¡¹ A man with a good physique invites the four people inside the house with an impatient appearance. The village chief looked around 5o years and a little thin-headed. The four of them enter the house as prompted, and sit down on chairs lined up in front of a table in a room that seemed to be the living room. They sat in the following order, from the back Julia, Falsa, Palmina, Zenobia on one side and the other side, they sat it in the order of the village chief, his wife, his son, and his son¡¯s wife. ¡¸In that case, please allow me to give the report, the extermination of the orcs group settled on the outskirts of the village has been completed without any problem. There may be some remnants left, so we¡¯ll patrol around for a few days, but it probably wouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡¹2 As soon as Falsa reports on behalf of the group, a shout of joy broke out from the village chief. The time of harvest had come for the village, but it didn¡¯t progress normally because of the orcs settling near the village. It is a heavy burden for the villagers to do the subjugation, but it costs a lot to hire adventurers, and it takes time to request the lord. When he was worried about what to do, it could be said that the arrival of the hero party was a godsend gift. ¡¸ But dozens of orcs corpses have been left as it is. I¡¯d like to ask the villagers to help us with the processing¡­. We have to collect the corpses and purify them before they become undead. ¡¹ ¡¸ Of course, all the village men will come out and help. The harvest was delayed because of the Orcs. There is no word to express our gratitude for solving the problem. Oi, circulate the message to gather at the outskirts of the village tomorrow morning. ¡¹ After the village chief replied to Falsa¡¯s word with a smile, he instructs his son to contact the villagers, the son left his seat after bowing without any objection. In these small villages, a communication network is established in advance, and the head of the family or the eldest son is usually the liaison. ¡¸ Well, it¡¯s very helpful, as you can see, our party is full of women. Further, as can be seen, the only man of the party me is not very good with manual labor. ¡¹ Falsa takes his white and thin arms out of his robes and thanks the village head with a wry smile. In fact, he is not so powerless, but he thinks it is a remark that will decrease the ill feelings if you say so. The other three are not familiar with these subtleties, so the one responsible for negotiating is Falsa, not Yulia, who is a hero. ¡¸ I can¡¯t bear to have a beautiful woman deal with the body of an orc. As you can see, this is a place with only fields and everyone is used to heavy and dirty work, so please be relieved. Haha ha ha.¡¹ The village chief returns the words with a hearty laugh. Originally, nobody wants to help in the processing of the orcs corpse as it is smelly and dirty. However, when it came to the combination of the three beautiful people and the seemingly powerless Falsa, it has often become cooperation like this until now. Falsa continues to talk with the thought that men are easy and tolerant when they face beautiful women. ¡¸ Well then, I will guide you again tomorrow morning. We¡¯ll patrol around while you work, so don¡¯t worry. And I¡¯m sorry to ask, but would you please let us eat bread made of freshly milled wheat? My hero seems to want to eat bread made from fresh wheat, which is a specialty of this village. It¡¯s her growth period, so I¡¯d be happy if we could have cheese and milk together with it too. ¡¹ Falsa uses an unnaturally serious tone to say the request but then its contents were a huge let-down. The village chief was taken aback for an instant, but immediately passed on a smile and start to speak in a skill full manner. ¡¸ Ha ha haha! certainly, Yuusha-samma has a small stature. If you don¡¯t eat a lot and grow up, you won¡¯t be able to get rid of the demon king. I¡¯ll tell the owner of the inn to make tonight¡¯s meal luxurious, to express my gratitude. ¡¹ The meal at the inn last night was very tasteless for Falsa as well as for the other members. It was because the whole village was abstinent as the Oak destroyed the fields and the food storage. Since they destroyed the group, he hoped the food to be a little luxurious. However, to directly tell that to the owner of the inn themselves is the same as backing themselves in a corner, Falsa adorned it as a joke while also winning over the village chief. Julia, who was used as an excuse for the talk, blushed and stamped Falsa¡¯s foot repeatedly under the table. Although it is due to her bread remark, it is still embarrassing for a girl of her age to be considered a glutton. ¡¸ Fal-ani idiot, idiot, idiot. I¡¯m a hero, but I am now going to have a strange image. ¡¹ Although she managed to raise a protest in a voice that could be heard by Falsa next to her, Falsa continues to talk the chief while feigning an innocent look. Zenobia is folding her arms and listening solemnly while giving a smile. The hero party is still operating normally today. [ 1. TL NOTE: Aniue is an honorific way of saying older brother ] ¡ü [ 2. TL NOTE: In the first sentence ¡°please allow me to give the report¡± it is said in a formal and polite form/manner.] ¡ü CH 2 The conversation at the village Chief¡¯s house was over, and the three people, Julia, Zenobia and Palmina were eating on the first floor of the village inn. Falsa¡¯s negotiations were worth the effort, the quality and quantity of dishes were beyond recognition compared to yesterday¡¯s food. ¡¸ umm, delicious! I might be the luckiest hero in the world to be able to eat such a delicious dish¡¹ Julia smacked her lips while selling the words ¡°best in the world¡± and ¡°hero¡± very cheaply, as the bread crumbs fall all over the table. She had already eaten a considerable amount, and there were many empty plates piled upon the table. ¡¸ Hey, Julia, why don¡¯t you compose yourself a little? A lady should behave more gracefully during the meal. ¡¹ Zenobia who is unable to just watch chides Julia to pay attention. She says so while handling her knife and fork skillfully, and ate the dish in front of her neatly. ¡¸ Julia-chan eats attractively. Just looking at her makes me feel full. ¡¹ Palmina, covering her mouth with her hand, looks at Julia and smiles. Originally, she does not eat that much, so she spends most of the time looking at the exchange between Julia and Zenobia during the meal. ¡¸ Zenobia is too strict with manners. It¡¯s not a dinner party of the noble¡¯s, so let me eat freely while we are traveling. ¡¹ To increase their knowledge and gain experience while training as a hero party, they are traveling while subjugating monsters on the way. However, because they are supported by the kingdom to which they belong, there are many dinner parties they have to attend with nobles who rule the territory from which they are traveling. Unlike Zenobia, who grew up as a nobleman¡¯s daughter, and Palmina, who received strict discipline in the church, Julia, who was born in an ordinary rural village, was not good with such strict manners. ¡¸Manner is not for pretentiousness, but are important in everyday actions. Even if no one is looking, you must always be conscious of it¡­¡­ ¡¹1. Zenobia¡¯s drawn-out fault-finding begins as usual, but the person in question Julia is not bothered at all while giving half-hearted reply she continues having her meal. ¡¸Even so Fal-ani shut himself up in his room earlier than usual. Even though he went through all the trouble to somehow succeed in getting an extravagant meal, right? ¡¹ Julia ignored Zenobia in the middle and began conversing on a different topic. Although Zenobia looked a little glum, she did not mention anything regarding Julia¡¯s attitude because she too is worried about the person who has become the topic of conversation. ¡¸ Certainly, although Falsa-Dono shuts himself up in his room after dinner, today he did so much earlier than usual. ¡¹ ¡¸Falsa-Kun¡¯s school is supposed to start training after the sun sets, but it¡¯s still a little bright outside. I wonder what¡¯s wrong with him? ¡¹ Following Zenobia, Palmina also pondered with her hands on her lips. Commonly the group of people called magicians have various training methods according to their school. To raise their magical power¡ªit is like spiritual strength to use magic ¡ª some schools do so by sitting under waterfalls or schools that continue to perform magic until they lose consciousness, anyway, there are many diverging paths. This is mainly because the phenomenon of magic is still an unknown force, and has not been structured properly, as a result of which each school insists on the method that they think is correct to be right. ¡¸ He said it is a secret of the school and he cannot tell me either, so I also don¡¯t know what kind of training he does. I wonder if there¡¯s something different than usual. I am get ©` ting bore ©` d. ¡¹ Julia looked up at the ceiling while shaking her limbs. That appearance combined with her physique, made her seem like a child who was throwing a tantrum. Although Zenobia frowned when she sees Julia in such a way, but doesn¡¯t rebuke her in particular as she similarly is worried about Falsa¡¯s situation. ¡¸ Hmm, if you¡¯re worried so much, why don¡¯t you take a peek at it secretly? Just kidding ¡¹ Palmina oddly suggests to both of them jokingly, but of course, she must not have meant what she said. However, the two people look at each other at the same time and then nod. ¡¸¡¸¡±That¡¯s it! ¡¹¡¹ Surprisingly, Julia and Zenobia hit it off and quickly left their seats and started moving. Palmina makes a little troubled face, but it seems she too is equally worried and follows after the two of them. The large amount of food still left at the table will be cleaned up by the innkeeper and his family later. In a private room on the second floor of the inn, Falsa was talking while facing a crystal ball. ¡¸ Hey wait a little Tart-Chan, to call for me so suddenly it is not convenient for me. At least you should have informed me in advance.¡­¡­¡¹ With an incredibly troubled face, Falsa tried to spin his words. Then, a few seconds later, the crystal ball shines and a female voice echoed across the room. ¡º It is the imperial order of Mao-sama there is no use of complaining to me. Moreover most of the time, Mirage-Sama forces work on me and leaves the castle unattended, so the communication is delayed. I knew this case by noon, but no matter how many times I tried to contact Mirage-Sama¡¯s communication ball; I didn¡¯t get a reply¡­¡­.. ¡»2 ¡¸ All right, all right I get it. I am in the wrong, Tart-Chan. After I change my clothes, I will directly transfer to the Demon king¡¯s castle, so report them so. ¡¹ Falsa seemed tired from the bottom of his heart and interrupted the voice from the crystal ball ¡ª communication ball and replied. ¡ºI will respectfully obey. Well then, I will report it like that. Also, my name is Astarte, not Tart-Chan. Please stop calling me with strange names. Or else I will complain to Maou-Sama of power harassment. ¡» ¡¸ oh-, that might be a good idea, if you can get me demoted for it that will be even better. Please, by all means, appeal to the Maou-Sama, Tart-chan. ¡¹ ¡º ¡ª! Anyway, please go to the Demon king¡¯s Castle as soon as possible. I am busy unlike Mirage-Sama, so I will be hanging up now¡» The shine of the contact ball disappeared, and the silence pervaded the room. Falsa puts the contact ball in his robe with a sigh, takes out a mask and begins to put it on his face.3 ¡¸ I wish Tart-Chan can be a little more flexible. But then again, it is a fact she is working for me, should I give her some delicious strawberry tarts as an apology next time. But¡­ why did things reach this point? At first, I just wanted to earn a little for living¡­ haa. ¡¹ Falsa remembered the time he joined the Demon Army and sighed deeply. Originally, he lived freely in a remote area, while eating away the fortune left by his parents, but it didn¡¯t last long. He was confident in his magical skills inherited from his father, as there was no other way to earn a living and so he entered the division of demon king army which was rumored to have good pay, he planned to live in moderation. ¡¸ I was good at doing little chores or work like that, but why was I made one of the four heavenly kings? I wonder where I went wrong. ¡¹ While complaining, Falsa holds his right hand in the air and suddenly makes a rift in the space. Without any hesitation, he puts his arm into the rift and takes out a sickle with a huge blade and a jet-black cloak and puts it on the floor. ¡¸ To not expose that I am a half-human, I have to put this strange disguise, also there is nothing wrong in being a little careful. OH, I have to take off the lens before I put on the mask. ¡¹ Next, he took off his robe and threw it into the rift, whereas he put on the black cloak that he had just taken out. And then he took off the mask and temporarily held it between his armpits, then he put his fingers into his left eye, and then something like a small, transparent convex lens stuck to his fingertips. The lens is taken out in a well-practiced manner and is carefully put into the container taken out from the cloak. The left eye from which the lens is removed is completely red looking like it will burst into flame, while the right eye is dyed black like it will swallow everything. ¡¸ I wish this color lens could be more flexible. I wonder if someone from the Imperial court mages will be able to develop color lens technology that can hide the black eye. ¡¹ While grumbling complains he puts on the mask again, the hole for the right eye of the mask is filled up so that no one can check its appearance. The right half of the mask is a smiling face and the left half is a crying face when combined with the black cloak that was worn and the scythe that was larger than his height, whether it is a joker or a grim reaper, it can be said that it is an unusually complex appearance. ¡¸I am ready now; I should get going ¡£Gate£¡¡¹ When Falsa again holds out his right hand into the air, it creates a larger rift in the space than before. He lifted the big scythe on the floor with his left hand and walked straight into the rift. At the same time, when Falsa¡¯s body completely vanishes together with the rift from the room. ¡¸Fal-Ani! I have come to visit you©`£¡¡¹ Soon after Falsa¡¯s disappearance, Julia barged into the room without knocking. Zenobia and Palmina also followed in the back, and the two entered the same room a little late. ¡¸ What? Did he go out? I thought he was in the room all the time? ¡¹ ¡¸ Hey, Julia! Weren¡¯t you going to sneakily peek into the room?! Is there anyone who barges in without knocking? Huh? Is Falsa-Dono absent? ¡¹ ¡¸Jeez, you two barging in as you please even if he gets angry it is irrelevant to me ¡£¡­¡­huh? Falsa-Kun is not in here. ¡¹ The three people look all around the room, but of course, they couldn¡¯t find Falsa. After checking under the bed and even in the closet and realizing that there was no one so the person himself would not know of this incident, they left the room in a hurry. Then, silence came with the sound of the door closing, and it became the master of this room until the next day¡¯s morning sun rose. CH 3 Falsa, who had just disappeared with the spatial rift, appeared in a land far away from the village. It was a room in the Demon kings Castle, given to Falsa ¨C no, Mirage one of the Shitenno (four heavenly kings) of the Demon Kings army. ¡¸phew, I have ¡­¡­arrived. Where is Mao-sama? Well, I will just ask the nearby subordinates. ¡¹ Falsa who changed to Mirage exited his room and started wandering around the castle while asking the whereabouts of the demon king to the passers-by. All who were called out responded uniformly with a tense face, and when they parted, they gave a deep bow to Mirage After asking around, people told him that the Demon King was in her own room, but Mirage walked in a carefree manner without appearing to be in any hurry. ¡¸ Hmm, if her whereabouts were not known, I could have used it as an excuse to be late. Usually, many don¡¯t know where she is, then why is it that at a time like this, it is known by every subordinate. ¡¹ His face underneath the mask cannot be seen, but he would surely be making a vexed expression. This attitude does not seem to be the way one deals with his own superior. It is unknown whether that very sluggish manner of walking represented Mirage¡¯s unwillingness to work or whether it represented his heart of not meeting the Demon king. Along with such futile and trivial resistance he arrived in front of the Demon King¡¯s room and called to the security guard protecting the door. ¡¸Heyy¨C,you¡­¡­there, Yes you. Mao-sama summoned me, can you let me enter the room. ¡¹ It was an unfamiliar face, so Mirage didn¡¯t know the other party¡¯s name. On the other hand, the soldier who was spoken to looked suspiciously at Mirage. ¡¸ I beg your pardon, but can you take that mask off? I can¡¯t let anyone pass through who¡¯s face I don¡¯t know. ¡¹ The request to Mirage¡ª the suspicious character who wore a mask and a black cloak along with carrying a large scythe was quite reasonable. However, for Mirage the mask is something that hides his identity, and cannot be removed. ¡¸ Well, don¡¯t you know me? I can¡¯t take this mask off. I have also received permission from the Demon King, so could you convey it to him first? ¡¹ Mirage responds to the words of the soldier very calmly. The mask, black cloak, and the large sickle were synonymous to his identity, he guessed that perhaps this un-familiar soldier was a newcomer, and thus changed his request. ¡¸ I can¡¯t leave this place, so I won¡¯t do that. ¡¹ With a complete look of distrust, he turned towards Mirage and rejected his request of conveying his message. Why was there only one soldier in the first place? which was supposed to have been guarded by two, when Mirage remembered this, another soldier came running from the back of the hallway. ¡¸ Oh, senpai, you finally came back from the toilet! This suspicious person is making an unreasonable request of allowing him to enter Mao-Sama¡¯s room with his face hidden. Is it okay if I drive him away? ¡¹ When the novice soldier asked the senior soldier, the senior soldier¡¯s mouth repeatedly closed and opened while his gaze repeatedly shifted between Mirage and the novice soldier. ¡¸Fo, fo fo fo,you fool £¡This person here is one of the Shitenno (four heavenly kings), Shadow Mirage-Sama£¡What suspicious person, this idiot! Mirage-Sama, it seems that the guy was rude to you while I was away from this place, I¡¯m terribly sorry! Hey, why are you not apologizing too!¡¹¡¹ The Senior soldier forces the head of the new soldier down and apologizes to Mirage. After a while, the new soldier also understood the gravity of the matter and began to rub his head on the ground. ¡¸I, I, I, I, I¡¯m, I¡¯m terribly sorry¡­¡­ please, please, please forgive me. I¡¯m very sorry. I¡¯m really sorry. ¡¹ The new soldier repeatedly apologizes to Mirage, while his body is shaking and various liquids flowing through his eyes and nose. Certainly, he was a little inflexible, but Mirage thinks that there is no fault of the new soldier who does not know anything about because of how Mirage looks like, rather if it really is a suspicious person than it is natural for him to deal with the other party as such. Among the Shitenno (four heavenly kings), Mirage is particularly eccentric, it is not an exaggeration to say that Mirage was seated on the throne because of his ability to provide logistical support rather than the front line. It is still better for the senior officers who have served the Demon King for many years, but for the ordinary soldiers, they know nothing but the name of the one of the Shitenno (four heavenly kings) Mirage. ¡¸ No, I didn¡¯t introduce myself so, it can¡¯t be helped. Let¡¯s think of this as an unfortunate accident and let¡¯s flush it down the drain. ¡¹ It may sound a little arrogant, but Shitenno (four heavenly kings) is the next highest-ranking officer in the army after the Demon King and it can be said that they are big shots among big shots. Mirage knew with his position that if a senior member of the Demon Army responded humbly to his subordinates; the other side would be frightened. ¡¸Thank you very much for your generosity.¡­¡­ Mao-sama ordered to let Mirage-Sama directly pass through when he comes. Please, go ahead. ¡¹ Filled with a sense of guilt about having done something pathetic, Mirage set foot in the Demon Kings chamber. ¡¸ Shadow of the Shitenno (four heavenly kings) Mirage, has come as fast as possible to answer the summon of Mao-sama. What order does my king has for me this time? If it is Mao-Sama¡¯s command, I will give my life to complete it. ¡¹ Mirage shouted these words towards the canopy bed, without any sincerity in his voice while speaking. If they were alone, he would be a little more casual, but because there were several maids in the Demon King chamber, he had to be considerate, as he had to keep their reputation in mind. That is why he readily put his hand on his chest and gave a deep bow as soon as he entered the front room. ¡¸ Mirage you have arrived. I want to talk to this person in private, everyone withdraw from this room. ¡¹ The dignified voice of a woman echoed from the inside of the thin cloth hanging from the canopy, and the maids began to leave the room as ordered. The maids left the room with their heads bowed down to Mirage, and at the same time the door closed, the woman¡¯s voice was heard again. ¡¸¡­¡­ Did the others leave? ¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s okay now, Mao-Sama¡¹ When Mirage replied in a soft tone, the thin cloth fluttered and began to whirl. ¡¸oh¨C, you came late again Mirage-Tan£¡I¡¯ve waited for you so long.¡¹ In a tone different from the previous one, from behind the thin cloth a young beautiful woman¡ª the Demon King jumped out. She jumped into Mirage¡¯s chest, rubbed her head on it for a while, and quickly stretched her left arm out onto Mirage¡¯s mask. ¡¸ I won¡¯t fall for that move. How many times do you think has it been? I say change it a little and please practice some more. ¡¹ Mirage caught the left arm which had crept up from the blind spot firmly while declaring to the Demon King in an exasperated tone. CH 4 Ever since joining the Demon Kings army, Mirage has never removed his mask in front of others. Even in front of the Demon King, the ruler of demons, it remained the same, instead of her giving permission and it is the proof of Mirage¡¯s ability. ¡¸As usual, Mirage-Tan is so mean. I¡¯m so curious about this face which has such beautiful eyes. I wonder ¡­¡­¡­ if you will let me see all of it on the bed£¿¡¹ Demon King said in a tempting tone and looked towards Mirage, those ruby-like red eyes stole a side glance at him and then turned towards the bed. It was such a tempting offer that 10 out of 10 ordinary men will fall for it, but Mirage, with a sigh, pushed the Demon King¡¯s shoulder away from his chest. ¡¸ Well, I won¡¯t expose it even on the bed. Don¡¯t say such nonsense, just get right into the main subject. I heard that there was an emergency. ¡¹ In fact, he was the one who was searching for an excuse to be late, but it was a common occurrence for him to ignore his own faults. ¡¸Are all the men of the Shadow Demon tribe so ingenious. Well, let¡¯s talk about work. The Demons living in the West have rebelled and have now holed up in a fortress. It¡¯s a pretty robust fort, but it¡¯s a shame to break it. And the rest¡­¡­.you should have understood£¿¡¹ Shadow Demon tribe- is one of the Demon tribes and Mirage¡¯s father was also from this tribe. From the start, it was a rare tribe in the Demon species, with a very low fertility rate, in the Demon Kings army which is the conflation of all kinds of demons, only Mirage has the blood of Shadow Demon tribe. In the Shadow Demon tribe, there is a tribe limited magic called inherent magic. ¡¸ You¡¯re sending troops inside the fort with my transfer Magic, aren¡¯t you? I don¡¯t care about it because it¡¯s the usual job, but I think other Shitenno(4 heavenly kings) can also deal with it. You won¡¯t particularly mind them breaking in through the front right? ¡¹ Transfer magic ¨C that¡¯s the name of mirage¡¯s inherent magic. As the name suggests, it is a magic which allows one to transfer oneself and others to different places freely, and it is said to be dream-like magic even among the many rare magic. There are very few Shadow Demons themselves and although there are records of Shadow demon enlisting in the Demon King¡¯s army, but they had a very short effective range or they were able to move only themselves and as the handling of the transition magic itself is so extraordinarily difficult, that it is treated as a semi-legendary magic. ¡¸About the other Shitenno (4 heavenly kings), Aho that savage is still obsessed with attacking the human territory, and the other two are ¡­¡­¡­¡­.. out of question. They will just decide to destroy the fortress. As such to handle such a delicate operation I can only call the Shadow Mirage-Tan. ¡¹ The Shitenno(4 heavenly kings) is often called by two names depending on their ability and character. The Shadow comes from Mirage¡¯s use of transfer magic while fighting, the savage comes from the character of the possessor of the name. Mirage reminds himself of the faces of the two remaining Shitenno (4 heavenly kings) and is convinced that they are not good with small details and are the type to push forward with force. And not wanting to think anything about the other partner Savage, he completely wiped his existence from his mind. ¡¸ You could have entrusted it to our Tart-Chan. What I¡¯m saying is that she has the same power as the four heavenly kings, and she is also good at using magic. In fact, more than half of the fame of the name Shadow is her achievement. ¡¹ Mirage recommends his subordinates and tries to avoid doing the job somehow. It was said that rare inherent magic holders will be paid more, and he had been treated as a convenient carrier since he spoke about the existence of the transfer magic at the time of the interview. This resulted in rising of Mirage¡¯s merits and military achievements, also the number of people and distance that can be transferred is incomparably powerful to the Shadow Demons that were enrolled in the past, thus in this way he climbed up to the rank of one of Shitenno (four guardian kings/ four heavenly kings). Although it is already too late to think about it, but Mirage¡¯s dreams of retirement will drift further away if gains more military achievements from this. ¡¸At first, I didn¡¯t mind Tart-tan and contacted her, but she recommended Mirage-tan instead. When I considered the time, it takes to travel from the Shadow castle to the fort, I felt that it was better to use Mirage-Tan¡¯s transfer magic to quickly carry out the operation. Some soldiers are taken prisoner, and it is better to save them as soon as possible. So, I called out Mirage-Tan. ¡¹ Mirage agrees that Tart-Chan opinion is reasonable as there is certainly quite a distance between the Shadow castle¡ªthe castle of one of the Shitenno (4 heavenly kings) and the mentioned fortress. However, if she had accepted the request, then her merits would have increased, and yet when he thought about a serious person like Tart-Chan who only thinks about getting a perfect result, Mirage let out a gloomy sigh as he saw his chance of escaping disappear. ¡¸ah¡ª, I understand. so, are the soldiers gathered at the training ground as usual.? ¡¹ Mirage¡¯s creed is that you should avoid all the things that you don¡¯t need to do with all your power and to do what you have to do quickly. It was not because he was very serious, but originally, he had wanted to maximize his reading time, which was his hobby, as a result, his evaluation increased for completing his work quickly, but he still hasn¡¯t noticed that. Of course, he hates doing the same work twice, if we have to define his working style it would be ¡°quick skilled¡± (ÇÉËÙ ) ¡ª made by blending the words ¡°slow and elaborate¡± (ÇÉßW) and ¡°rough and ready¡± (×¾ËÙ) ¡ª and this ability is the cause that he is appreciated even more. 1 ¡¸ I have already sent in orders for the soldiers to be on standby, I¡¯m counting on you. I have prepared lots of mana potions. Somewhat around several hundred, although it might be a little terrible ordeal¡¹ Mirage has considerably understated the effect of his transfer magic. Originally, not wanting to overwork, to live at ease and enjoy the comfort and slow down while working, he reported this ability to his minimum thinking it would not be a problem, but from the perspective of others, it was still considered a threat. Mirage¡¯s full magic power can transfer about 100 people at the same time, and if one person is there then the effective range is the entire area within the demon territory, the range is inversely proportional to the mass to be transferred, that is the ability of his recognized by others. However, even if the number is a hundred times more there will be no problem for him, and if he sets up a magic mark ¡ª-a mark which is carved out of magic¡ª- then he can also move to any place in the world, not just the demon territory. It¡¯s just that Mirage who has out of standard Magical power has to put on a performance of drinking Mana potion¡ªa medicinal solution that helps in restoring mana¡ª a very bitter thing as he had under-reported with the desire of earning money effortlessly. It can be said as a result of lying for ease has resulted in him having to drink a large amount of the bitter liquid every time, he uses transfer magic. ¡¸ah¨C, it seems you were already prepared¡£¡­¡­well then, I am going to excuse myself¡¹ Remembering the taste of the bitter Mana potion which was not suitable for drinking, Mirage bowed to the Demon King and turned around to leave, while slightly regretting his own decision. ¡¸ I¡¯m counting on you ©`. Anyway, I¡¯m really glad I found Mirage-tan©`. Look forward to your reward©`. ¡¹ It was the Demon King himself who knew the power of Mirage and promoted him to the position of four heavenly kings. No matter how powerful one¡¯s inherent magic is, it is not easy to become one of the Shitenno(4 heavenly kings), as it can be said that the heavenly kings represent a racial faction in the Demon king army. Actually, the other three heavenly kings, except for Mirage, belong to the races with the greatest number of demons, and all the predecessors were also from the same race as well. In such a situation, it can be said that it is because of the recommendation of the Demon King that Mirage was selected as one of the four kings, completely disregarding the other party who was seen as the next of the Shitenno (4 heavenly kings) by others. The unfortunate thing for Mirage is that the Demon King doesn¡¯t truly have an ill will, she thinks that it is regrettable for Mirage¡¯s true abilities to remain hidden and thus she took such actions. ¡¸ I don¡¯t need any more money. If it is a reward, I want you to dismiss me from the four heavenly kings or give me a long vacation. ¡¹ Leaving the Demon King¡¯s room, Mirage faced toward the training ground while thinking how many times it is going to be today, let out a big sigh and disappeared. If the person who had been regarded as the next of the Shitenno (4 heavenly kings) would have heard this, he would certainly have been infuriated, but for Mirage it was his true feelings. ¡¸ I wish that the Demon King makes Tart-Chan one of the Shitenno (4 heavenly kings). I think she¡¯s much more serious than me and is better suited to the position of Shitenno (4 heavenly kings). I wonder if that will make Tart-Chan soften her attitude a little. ¡¹ To steal the seat of next in line of the Shitenno (4 heavenly kings) Astarte and command her to be the subordinate of the person who stole her position Mirage, can be said to be the deed of the Demon King. CH 5 About six hours after Mirage arrived at the training grounds did he finally transferred the last soldier. ¡¸fuuuu, it¡¯s done at last¡£¡­¡­ I drank too much of that Mana potion, my stomach feels bloated. ¡¹ As he rubs his stomach, Mirage sat down at the spot with a completely exhausted look. Originally, with Mirage¡¯s ability, transferring a few hundred soldiers is an easy task to carry out, so he shouldn¡¯t be tired here. But, because the effects of the mana potions are slow and not instantaneous, it is necessary to pretend to wait for the recovery of magical power. Surrounded by a few hundred brawny demon king¡¯s army soldiers, he pretended to be meditating by drinking mana potions after he transferred several of them, and over time he repeated the same action several times. The training ground is not at all small, but the temperature and humidity of the surroundings naturally rises when a few hundred people gather. Most of the soldiers are male demons who have a peculiar odor, on top of that having to drink the bitter liquid uncountable number of times, Mirage¡¯s pain is hard to describe. ¡¸ But¡­ I still can¡¯t take a rest. I have to go back to the castle and finish the reports. ¡¹ When Mirage says he will go back to the castle, he is referring to his castle, the Shadow Castle. The Shitenno( 4 heavenly kings) are the heads of a large army, and there are always many documents for their approval. Although to some extent, it is usually handled by the deputy Astarte, but there are many important cases where the stamp of Mirage, one of the Shitenno( 4 heavenly kings) is needed. ¡¸haa¡­¡­Gate¡¹ While letting out a voice that sounded tired, he creates a big rift in the space and started moving. That figure hanging his head appeared so pitiful that it can be hardly related to the dignified image of the Shitenno(4 heavenly kings). Mirage, who disappeared from the training ground of the Demon Castle, reappeared in his office in the Shadow castle. ¡¸ Good morning, Mirage-Sama. Has the Demon King¡¯s order¡¯s been fulfilled? ¡¹ As soon as Mirage arrived at his office in the middle of the night, he heard the voice of a girl filled with sarcasm. The owner of the voice is dressed in a military uniform and is continuously moving her hands while dealing with the documents on the table. Although she spoke to Mirage, who had transferred, her gaze remained fixed on the documents before her. ¡¸un, Good morning, Tart-Chan. I just finished transferring the soldiers to the fort safely. Anyways, That¡¯s an awful lot of documents. Should I help you? ¡¹ Mirage replied to Astarte, the girl who was clearing out the documents while making a grumpy face. Sarcasm has become so every time thing, that now there is seemingly no excessive-reaction to it. And when it comes to Astarte, who is regularly burdened by his responsibilities, Mirage acts carefully in his way. ¡¸ Well, since originally these documents were meant to be handled by Mirage-Sama, I would by all means like to ask you to do it. ¡¹ He was just being considerate, but it seemed he stirred up a hornet¡¯s nest and Mirage¡¯s next words seemed to have stuck in his throat. ¡¸ Well, it is unavoidable since it is an Imperial order from Mao-Sama and speaking of unavoidable ¡­¡­¡­¡¹ Unusually, she follows-up and Mirage felt relieved. ¡¸ If you had responded to the call from the beginning, this would never have happened, what do you think of that Mirage-Sama? ¡¹ The reality was not so sweet, and Astarte¡¯s eyes, who turned to Mirage, at last, appeared considerably cold contrasting to its original blazing red color. However, he concluded that there was room for rebuttal and as such he boldly confronted Astarte. ¡¸ I¡¯m sure tart-Chan is right, but the working hours of the demon army are decided from sunset to sunrise or vice versa in the first place. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any reason why they should be investigated for overtime. ¡¹ Mirage spoke to Astarte in a tone of voice which made it easy to imagine him having a proud smile behind his mask. The working hours in the organization called Demon King Army is determined by 2 shift system, in case of exceeding it, overtime is paid separately. As most of the Demon tribes don¡¯t require sleep, such a system where the salary is quite high and the working hours are shorter than other jobs is quite rare, so it is very popular among the demons. It can be said that one of the main reasons that Mirage joined the Demon king army was because he was attracted to its short working hours. ¡¸ It is true for the ordinary soldiers, but Mirage-Sama is one of the Shitenno(4 Heavenly kings) and is in an administration position. According to the Devil King Army¡¯s labor laws, 41st Article 2nd clause, those in the supervisor or administrative position are excluded from the application of working hours, rest as well as holidays. That is to say that Mirage-Sama is habitually violating Military law. ¡¹ Mirage wonders why this young lady can recite the meaningless Demon King army laws-the law applied within the Demon army and also was surprised about not hearing anything related to that. ¡¸ Huh? there wasn¡¯t such an explanation when I became one of the Shitenno (4 heavenly kings). No, Mao-Sama is an evil person. As one would expect from the greatest of all the evil. ¡¹ Although it is a demon, not a person, Mirage glossed over it and changed the topic. 1 In the first place, if there was such a rule, Mirage would not have become one of the 4 heavenly kings¡ªno, he wasn¡¯t going to be from the beginning but would have resisted more intensely. ¡¸ I don¡¯t know what place Mirage-Sama worked in before you joined the demon king army, but this is the same for all places, not just in the army. Working hours may differ, but the treatment of those in an administrative position is common in most countries whether they are Demons or for example sake humans also. ¡¹ Since Mirage lived off of his parent¡¯s fortune, he had never worked until he joined the Demon King army. Even when he started working as a Human¡ªFalsa, as he had no intention of climbing up the ladder, especially the Administrative position so he didn¡¯t go out of his way to know about their treatment. Even when Falsa became the head of the imperial court mages, although he was rather busy during the daytime, the people around him were careful not to force work on him at night as they feared his magic power. These circumstances have also helped him, it is possible because of this that he can work as a different race during the day and night, though it has also resulted in him having no time for himself. ¡¸Aaa- is that so, I didn¡¯t know that. Without knowing it, I seem to have caused Tart-Chan trouble. I apologize for that, and I¡¯m very sorry. ¡¹ It was quite funny in his outfit, but Mirage bows down to Astarte in a sincere manner. On the other hand, Astarte is surprised that Mirage, one of the Shitenno( 4 heavenly kings), apologized obediently to his subordinate, her grim expression a little while ago collapsed, and her red eyes are wide open. ¡¸ Nnn, in the first place the Mao-Sama has not questioned or judged any fault in you so it is not necessary to apologize to me. It is necessary to obey the law, but I also know that at times it is not all. If it is Known that, Mirage-Sama one of the Shitenno( 4 Heavenly Kings) bowed his head to me, I will be berated. I will also forget about this matter, so please raise your head quickly¡¹2 After clearing her throat, even though Astarte¡¯s words contained her spite, and also as one would expect she was a little uncomfortable as she kept rattling on. Although Mirage doesn¡¯t like to work, he doesn¡¯t like to bother others. In particular, his lazy side is greater, but because he happens to have a feeling of guilt, so he cannot help but reluctantly continuing his current lifestyle. ¡¸ I am glad hearing you say so. Let¡¯s put the papers away for now. ¡¹ Mirage takes about half the documents at Astarte¡¯s desk, sat on the chair next to her and begins to check the contents of the documents. Astarte stared at such an appearance of Mirage, rather awkward to be cut off. ¡¸umm¡­ I don¡¯t want to say this in this atmosphere, but that document has nothing to do with Mirage-Sama. If you want to help me, please let me handle it. I don¡¯t want you to make arbitrary decisions without checking it.¡¹ It¡¯s not clear who is the boss. Mirage returned the document without saying a word, and received an alternative bundle and resumed the confirmation. The sound of pressing of the stamp, writing of letters and rubbing of paper resounded in the office for a while. CH 6 How much time has passed since Mirage began to scuffle with documents? On the desk, there was a pile of approved documents, which was asserting its existence. ¡¸ This is the last one¡­fuu-h, it¡¯s finally over. What about Tart-Chan? ¡¹ Mirage asked Astarte sitting next to him while doing loud stretches. His voice lacked vigor and gave a slightly dull impression perhaps because of the fatigue. ¡¸ I¡¯m done with it too¡­but Mirage-Sama, it is time for sunrise soon will you be alright? ¡¹ Astarte tells Mirage while looking out of the eastern window of the office. If it was usual Mirage, he would have gone home before Astarte pointed out, but today he seemed to have been concentrating so much that he forgot about the time. ¡¸ What? Oh, it¡¯s true. Tart-Chan, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m going to have to leave soon. Tart-chan should also go home once in a while and show your father your face. Well then, that¡¯s it for today. Gate ¡¹ Mirage chanted the transmission spell in a hurry and disappeared without waiting for Astarte¡¯s reply. Astarte who was left alone in the office was dumbfounded and creased her white forehead while muttering something. ¡¸ If Mirage-Sama can do a little more work, then I can also return home, but would you¡­¡­.. ¡¹ There was no answer to the voice that had been released into the air. Astarte stared at the void and thought about something for a while. The morning sun gradually came in, and Astarte¡¯s face was illuminated, making her beautiful hair shine more radiantly. Without knowing the words of Astarte, Falsa had returned to the room of the inn in the farming village. The reason why he transferred again after changing clothes in his room of the Shadow castle beforehand is to prevent his identity from being exposed by an unforeseen situation. Although Julia¡¯s group and Mirage one of the four heavenly Kings are not direct acquaintances, he doesn¡¯t know where the information will leak out, so he always pays attention when he comes back. The transfer magic itself can be called a new cover-up spell or a training spell that has been kept secret in the school and will be possible to deceive others, but it is impossible to do the same for conspicuous objects such as the mask or the scythe. It may be left in the memory of the other person and become a notch that connects Falsa and Mirage at some point in time. And the opportunity to see the use of that prudence came soon. ¡¸Oh! Oh! where had Fal-ani been until morning? I¡¯ve been here for a while, but the fact that you showed up now means you haven¡¯t returned to your room since yesterday, right? ¡¹ When suddenly called, Falsa¡¯s shoulder shakes, but he turns timidly and confirms the owner of the voice behind him. ¡¸It is a bad thing to sneak into other¡¯s room, Julia ¡¹ Falsa spoke back to Julia who was on the bed very coolly to not let her feel his agitation but was wondering how to deal with it in his head. ¡¸You can¡¯t deceive me by changing the topic like that. Where Have you been without telling us? Every day, you used to stay in your room saying you were training your magic, but it was really to sneak out by yourself. ¡¹ Julia has always been strangely sharp, Falsa recalls when he met her but continued to carefully spin his words. ¡¸Certainly¡­ as Julia said, I was out of my room every night. ¡¹ When Julia heard the words, she looked a little surprised, perhaps because she didn¡¯t think that he would admit it so easily. And then confirming Julia¡¯s facial expression Falsa further continued shrewdly. ¡¸But I can¡¯t talk about it in detail. I also have one or two secrets. Julia too would not like it if someone delves into yours carelessly, would you? Julia should best understand this as you are the person who has known me for the longest time right? ¡¹ Staring into Julia¡¯s eyes, Falsa sits down on the bed. Falsa placed his right hand on Julia¡¯s head and began stroking it slowly and gently. ¡¸Mu¨C, that¡¯s how Fal-Ani caresses my head when you are trying to deceive me. I don¡¯t feel particularly bad about it, but I think this is a little sneaky. ¡¹ Julia puffed up her cheeks, while her mouth looked displeased. However, when Falsa¡¯s hand brushed over her head two or three times more, her mouth loosened up, while she leaned her head over Falsa¡¯s chest. ¡¸I¡¯m a bad adult, right? sometimes I also lie and sometimes I also deceive. ¡¹ The distance between the two is quite close, but the situation looks more like a brother and sister than a relationship between a man and a woman. This continued for a few minutes, Julia who was enjoying her head being stroked in a relaxed atmosphere suddenly opened her mouth. ¡¸Speaking of which¡­Does Fal-Ani have a dream? That you want to do in the future. Or are you satisfied with the fact that you are already the head of the Court Mage? ¡¹ Dreams¡­ at least I would like to quit as the head of the court magician right now, Falsa thought. ¡¸ Well¡­ I want to live in a quiet place like this village in peace. Wouldn¡¯t it be wonderful to spend time reading every day? ¡¹ While Falsa¡¯s face is genuinely happy, Julia makes an unpleased face, it is mainly because of reading. ¡¸I know that Fal-Ani likes to read, but from my point of view, it¡¯s just torture. ¡¹ Falsa recalls that Julia was not good with books and studying anyway and that she frequently skipped the magic theory classes he taught. ¡¸It¡¯s been five years since then. Julia, a hero candidate, is a real hero, and I, a court magician apprentice, have become the head of the court magician, we both have become remarkable. ¡¹ Falsa looked up at the ceiling while smiling wryly and added in his heart I didn¡¯t want to be great. Falsa¡¯s first job as an apprentice to a court magician by chance was to teach Julia¡¯s group, the hero candidates. The relationship has not changed much even now, and as a teacher dedicated to the hero, he accompanies her on her journey. Zenobia teaches swordplay, Palmina teaches Holy magic, they are boasted to be an elite of their respective kingdoms assigned to teach Julia every day. ¡¸Hey, Fal-Ani, can¡¯t we skip today¡¯s morning magic training? I¡¯m so sleepy. I¡¯ve been waiting for you. ¡¹ When Falsa was absorbed in his thoughts, Julia made a ridiculous proposal to her lecturer, Falsa. The usual Falsa would have flatly refused her, but things were different today. Along with the transfer of soldiers, he was also so much concentrated in finishing of the documents that he forgot about the time. He had accumulated fatigue ¡ª mostly mental fatigue from the transfer from soldiers ¨C, so he wanted to get some sleep and was considering that. Most demons originally didn¡¯t need to sleep, but in the case of Falsa, things were a little different. Falsa has his mother¡¯s black hair and right eye, but the Demons don¡¯t have a black eye. Even if they are of a different tribe, all of the demons uniformly have red eyes. On the contrary, there are no species with red eyes in the human race, so the color of the eyes is the easiest way to distinguish between the demons and the human race. It seems that his mother was of the human race, but by the time Falsa became aware of his surroundings, she had already passed away. Falsa does not know what he was, but anyway he was born between the father of the shadow demon race and the mother of the human race. As a result, Falsa did not need long sleep like the human race but instead had to take a short nap, so he took a nap every day for a little while before sunrise. However, since he came back late today and the accumulation of fatigue was greater than ever, it was natural for him to accept the proposal. After that, the two continued to sleep with innocent faces until Zenobia and Palmina arrived, as they noticed that Julia was not in her room. Especially, Julia who seemed to have drifted off in her dream, embracing Falsa as a pillow with a happy face. CH 7 ¡¸ What are you two doing! Don¡¯t you know that a man and woman should not share the same seat! And You, you, you are sharing a bed and sleeping together! Outrageous, it is 1000 times more wrong! I envy you ¡­¡­ no, it is disgraceful! ¡¹ Julia and Falsa were made to kneel on the floor, while they received Zenobia¡¯s preaching. Wrinkling her forehead, she combined it seems some eastern proverbs while earnestly admonishing them, she seemed to be doing so but at the same time, it did not seem like it. Meanwhile, looking at the scene of the two sleeping together and fuming Zenobia, Palmina had a happy expression on her face. ¡¸ Zenobia, come on now please forgive me. My delicate and beautiful foot is hurting¡¹ Julia speaks to Zenobia in a childlike manner, somehow trying to mend the situation. Zenobia faltered a little and while wondering if she overdid it, further seeing the gap, Falsa chimed in to land the final blow. ¡¸What can I say, I don¡¯t think we are guilty of anything, in particular, you are exaggerating it quite a bit isn¡¯t it so? Besides that today is the orc processing after this ¡­¡­¡­.we have to go to the village chief house soon, the villager must be waiting for us. How can you consider yourself to be a person worthy of being a Knight if you fall behind the promised time? I believe we must properly do our work. ¡¹ Although the words that were spoken were very questionable, Falsa questions Zenobia with a very sound argument. This is because he knows that Zenobia is stricter with rules and morals than anyone else. ¡¸ Well, sure, if we stay like this, we¡¯ll be late¡­I can¡¯t help it this time¡­But the same thing is forbidden in the future and should not happen again! ¡¹ Though Zenobia seems to be reluctant to do so, she prioritizes her chivalry as a knight and releases them. ¡¸uu©`¡¢my knees hurt©`¡£Pal-Ane©`, can you use Heal©`¡¹1 Julia ran up to Palmina, trembling in her steps and hugged her as fast as she could. ¡¸Now, Julia-Chan is like a spoiled child, Yes, He¨Cal¡¹ Palmina smiled at Julia and gently stroked her head while chanting the spell ¡­¡­¡­without any problem. Julia was a little puzzled, as Palmina continued stroking her head without saying anything. ¡¸well©`, this is a very good Heal ©`. It¡¯s certainly healing ©`¡¹ Julia seems to be enjoying the famed Heal as much as she was feeling good with the strokes. ¡¸ow-ow-ow¡­¡­really, I am not very good at this kind of punishment. My body is very delicate, as you can see, and I will have a lot of trouble if I don¡¯t take care of it. ¡¹ Falsa, who let out a little ¡­¡­ no, a rather exaggerated painful voice stood up while rubbing his knees and spoke to Zenobia in a reproachful way. In the first place the bodies of Demons are much stronger than humans, so no matter how much of a Half, it is not going to be this way and it seems to be an act of light revenge from him.2 ¡¸um¡­¡­, I, I¡¯m sorry. I may have gotten a little too angry. Falsa-Dono is a mage and is different from me or Julia. ¡¹ Zenobia apologized to Falsa while flinching. Not only the Knight Zenobia but also the Hero Julia has trained more and has more strength then they appear to have. ¡¸No, I was careless too. ¡­¡­ but I don¡¯t want to say that I will not participate because of the injury, so is it ok for me to entrust the patrolling to Zenobia and Julia? I can¡¯t move around much but, I think it will not be a problem for me to guard the villagers and Palmina. ¡¹ Here, it is nothing but Falsa trying to dodge doing the patrolling. In either case, while Palmina and the villagers are working, someone must keep a lookout so that no monsters come near them. Although the Orcs were exterminated just yesterday, so there should be little danger, but it is just a precaution. In patrolling you have to walk around, while in the other you just have to watch the surroundings of the working villagers and be a little vigilant, so of course, the latter is a lot easier. ¡¸yea¡­h, as we have the physical strength, we will do the patrolling, while Falsa-Dono can stand guard beside Palmina-Dono. ¡¹ Falsa¡¯s stress on his physical weakness gives him easy consent. In the first place, they have traveled so far together and it is unnatural if you think a little about not having strength at this point, but Zenobia seems to have not realized it. ¡¸Well, I don¡¯t mind. It is better to look round than to sit still. ¡¹ In the first place with Julia¡¯s character, she is not suited for the role of a guard where you have to stand at a place and be vigilant of the surroundings. When the division of the roles was completed, they went to the village chief¡¯s house and joined the villagers. When they arrived at the place where the Orc¡¯s had been exterminated yesterday, the villagers dug a large hole under the instructions of the village chief and began collecting bodies of Orc there. Orc¡¯s are fairly heavy labor as they are very smelly and big, but everyone is working hard. ¡¸Well, they¡¯re all very serious. I thought I¡¯d have to do some work, but the villagers here work very hard. ¡¹ Falsa spoke to Palmina who was standing next to him while vigilantly watching his surroundings. He thought that if he was a villager, he would do his best not to participate. By the way, Julia and Zenobia have already started their rounds, so they are not here. ¡¸That¡¯s right¡­¡­¡­ surely that is so because the village chief-san is an excellent leader and the villagers trust him. You don¡¯t see this kind of person often. ¡¹ Palmina replied with heartfelt admiration. Saint Palmina-she is also a priest of Fortuna who believes in the Goddess Fortuna. It is because of her unique magic ability that she is praised as a saint, the Purification magic used on the orcs, the Healing magic to cure injuries and illnesses, and the Barrier magic used to protect Falsa yesterday and so on are the things she deals with. The three magic together is called Holy magic and only those who have received the Divine protection of the Goddess Fortuna can use that, also most people who have received the Divine protection can only use one of the magic. But Palmina can use all the three Magic and Julia the hero is also under the Divine protection of the Goddess, so Palmina accompanies them on this journey as the Holy magic instructor of Julia. So, to say, both of them are Julia¡¯s magic teacher and are also excellent magicians. ¡¸ I talked to him yesterday and felt that he was a kind-hearted person but if Palmina says so then he must be quite a person. It¡¯s a waste of his talent to be in a rural area like this. ¡¹ The saint Palmina¡¯s ability and beauty gave her the chance to interact with many people. At times seriously ill big -named merchants or nobles trying to be friends with her or royalties whose life has been saved by her. While working as a priest, she was also invited to various dinner parties and social circles and as she has participated in may missionary work, her eyes for judging people has nurtured. The fact that Palmina is truthfully praising him means he is quite a talented person, including his personality and ability. ¡¸Don¡¯t praise me too much now, Falsa-Kun¡­¡­. the village was able to withstand the Orc¡¯s attack because of you. ¡¹ Orc is not only a monster that ravages rice fields and food but also captures women for breeding. That¡¯s why women hate it, and that¡¯s why it¡¯s quite dangerous for such creatures to settle outside the village. It would be not unusual for people to flee, but when Falsa¡¯s group had visited the village, the villagers had united to minimize the damage caused by the Orc¡¯s. Of course, it was not possible to win by force, but they had managed to gain time by working out various ideas such as setting up traps to keep them away and so on. ¡¸This is a very good village, and I would like to live in it. ¡¹ It¡¯s a quiet and ordinary village, but it¡¯s a more comfortable village with the village Chief in the center. Although Falsa said so with half seriousness, Palmina took it as a joke and laughed a little at it. ¡¸Fufufu, that¡¯s true, that kind of life might be good. ¡¹ The Court mages are the elites of the elite in Mages. In such a situation, Falsa is the head of the Court mages¡ªthat is, the top of the elites. His status in the royal palace is such that he can speak directly to the King, equal to the status of the Prime minister and the Head of the Royal Knights and the likes and his authority has entered at least the top five among the kingdom. Also, with the Imperial court Mages a group of Mages, with the greatest military strength, there very few people who can harm Falsa. It is usually unimaginable that Falsa, who has such a position and power, to live in the countryside. ¡¸I¡¯m not joking. Although it is better now that I am traveling like this but when I am at the royal palace, I am so busy that I feel dizzy sometimes. ¡¹ To the Falsa who let out a sigh like usual, Palmina spoke gently. ¡¸But that¡¯s the evidence that Falsa-Kun is needed by others. It¡¯s a thing to be proud about. ¡¹ Between Falsa and Palmina, Falsa appears to be the older one in terms of age at a glance. Regardless of his actual age, Falsa, who is tall and slender, has white skin and black eyes appear to be in his early twenties or even if estimated highly in his mid-twenties. On the other hand, Palmina is nineteen years old, even if you only consider her appearance there will be no more than 3 to 5 years of difference but, she calls out Falsa-Kun in a surprisingly intimate way. When a person who doesn¡¯t know the two of them hears it, he or she will just guess that they are a couple, but of course, that is not the case. ¡¸Still, I am nothing in front of Palmina. I am just an ordinary Magical fool, but Palmina is someone who everybody yearns for, the beautiful saint-Sama¡¹ When Falsa jokingly teased Palmina, she puffed up her cheeks and looked up at Falsa¡¯s face. ¡¸You¡¯re so mean to make fun of me, Falsa-Kun, if you keep on saying such weird things, I will tell Julia-Chan about it. ¡¹ Usually acting as the Hero party¡¯s Onee-San, Palmina is quite docile and amiable, but when she and Falsa are alone, she shows a face appropriate for her age. Even though Falsa thought it would be noisy when she told Julia about it, he enjoyed this peaceful exchange. It is only a little later that you realize that the villagers who have completed their work are seeing such an exchange between the two people. [1. TL NOTE: I have highlighted the name of all the Magic spells by making it Bold. If there is any that I missed hope you understand and mention it in the comments, I will fix it.] [2. TL NOTE: Here Half means that he is a half-demon, so he should be physically strong.] CH 8 Late at night, in a room in the Shadow castle, one man and a woman sat on a luxurious bed. The man¡¯s upper body is exposed, and his face is covered by a mask, so he will surely be judged as a mere pervert if he was seen by a stranger. The woman is dressed in a military uniform, and she was caressing the man¡¯s body with her icefish like white hands. 1 The distance between the two of them is naturally close, and the woman¡¯s hand runs around the whole body of the man from the neck to the shoulder, from the chest to the waist as if making sure to feel everything one by one. The expression of the woman is very serious and she seems to be quite concentrated in pressing the neck of the man with her thin and dainty fingertips, holding the chest and his back with both her hands to check the thickness of his chest and caressing around his well-defined abs. At first glance, it seems that, that the girl feels a fetishism for the man¡¯s muscles and the man seems to be entertaining her hobby. ¡¸Tart-Chan, did you not say it will be over soon? ¡¹ The half-naked pervert wearing a mask¡ªMirage of the 4 heavenly kings¡ªcalls out to the woman with muscle fetish¡ªhis Adjutant Astarte. ¡¸No, just a little more¡¹ Astarte doesn¡¯t accept Mirage¡¯s words and continues to touch his body. Her gaze is fixed towards his body without even looking at his face. ¡¸But¡­¡­ still it is a little embarrassing, I think it is should be fine now and you don¡¯t have to go so far about it. And the corners of my chest feel a little sore. ¡¹ Mirage tried to twist his body in objection, as he was feeling a tickle from Astarte¡¯s smooth hands touching his body. Also, perhaps because Astarte is focussing on his abdomen, that her head is very close and the front ends of her two silvery glistening horns have prickled his chest many times now. ¡¸¡­¡­Mirage-Sama you know, I am not doing this because I want to, but because I need to. ¡¹ Disgruntled by Mirage¡¯s words, Astarte finally turned her face towards him and looked at him, which led to them having a very little distance between them. That face is stiff as ever, it seemed like she is not the person who has been caressing his muscles till now. It is not an exaggeration to say that the two seemed to be like a pair of couple up until now, but it seems that their circumstances are a little different than it appears to be. ¡¸ Tart-Chan, I understand your obsession with Illusion Magic, but you know, I don¡¯t think it is ok for a man and a woman to this. If your father gets to know about this, he will behead me with my scythe. ¡¹ Mirage makes an exaggerated gesture of cutting his head and persuades Astarte. Her father seems to be so frightening that his voice trembles a little. ¡¸My father doesn¡¯t matter, it will not be a problem if Mirage-Sama doesn¡¯t say unnecessary things. And since Mirage-Sama is often absent, so I end up having to use Illusion Magic¡¹ ¨CIllusion Magic, as the name implies, it is a magic which makes others perceive a vision that does not exist. It sounds like very powerful magic, but in most cases, it¡¯s a little bit of one-shot magic. In the first place, even if you say you are going to show an illusion, it is not as easy as it sounds to be, as you have to directly influence the other party¡¯s brain to show them an illusion. Because the image of the caster who deals with the magic is reflected as it is, so it fails even if there is a little bit of confusion and even if it succeeds, I will become a vague illusion if the caster is weak-minded. It is not usually possible to have a complete image in one¡¯s brain. That is the magic that anyone can use, but when it comes to the level of deception, there is seldom anyone who can handle it. If you push it to the extreme, it will be as difficult as Mirage¡¯s Transfer Magic. ¡¸I¡¯m very grateful for that. For Tart-Chan commanding the Army when I am away and doing things in place of me. ¡¹ It¡¯s solely because of Astarte¡¯s Illusion Magic that Mirage needs to only stay at night. And half of the successful Battles of the Shadow Army is the contribution of Astarte, as she commanded the soldiers using the illusion of Mirage or she used illusion to show that Mirage has transferred to the battlefield to raise the Morale of the Army. Mirage believed because of these circumstances that, Tart-Chan has contributed more than half to his alias as Shadow and his achievements as the 4 heavenly kings. ¡¸That¡¯s right. I¡¯m just doing something for visual and auditory sense, when I start working on the sense of touch, I will further increase my range. Since Mirage-Sama is so often absent from the castle, I think it is my duty as your subordinate to give my full effort. Can you understand my hardships a little? ¡¹ Few people are so serious about their jobs. Originally, Mirage should be seriously listening to Astarte¡¯s teachings, but in his mind, he was still thinking that she should replace him as the part of the4 heavenly kings as usual. ¡¸a¨C, yes, thank you so much. Oo, I almost forget about this, here this is a present for Tart-Chan.¡¹ Mirage took out a large box from a rift in the space and handed it to Astarte. After dealing with the orcs in the Day, Julia and her hero party left the village on a carriage headed towards the city where the lord of the region lived. However, it takes a few days to reach with a carriage, so they planned to stop and stay in a town on the way. The party who had already finished their first day of travel and arrived in the town was wandering around the town after lodging in, which is where Mirage who was acting as Falsa, brought Astarte¡¯s favorite sweets as a present. An earlier talk was about how to use things to make others happy. ¡¸Stop trying to gloss over things with this. Honestly, it is shallow and vomit-inducing. If you have time to pick something like this, how about doing your work for that amount of time. ¡¹ Astarte said coldly to Mirage but did not seem showing any sign of letting go of the box. This is how Mirage is often scolded every time he gives a gift, but it has never been turned back. Mirage¡¯s, as well as Falsa¡¯s presents, are secretly popular, as they have an unexpected sense of giving the gifts that meet the other party¡¯s desires. ¡¸Mirage-Sama, Astarte-Sama, Demon King Castle has contacted us, May I come in.¡¹ The voice of the Messenger rang out, as he knocked at the door of the room. The message from the Demon castle probably came through the communication ball in the office.2 In fact, the communication ball is a very precious tool and can be used to communicate with the other communication ball using magic.3 In the Demon Kings Army, two pairs are distributed to each of the 4 heavenly kings, one pair is used between the Demon Castle and the respective Heavenly Kings Castle, and the other pair is given to the Heavenly King to be used freely. In the Shadow Army, Mirage and Astarte have a paired communication ball and Astarte handles the communication between Demon castle and Mirage. Also, some of the extra communication balls are in the Demon Castle, and may sometimes be carried by the soldiers if necessary, but only the 4 Heavenly Kings carry them all the time. In this world where there are very few people who can transfer like Mirage, the tools that can be used to communicate with distant places is that rare and precious. However, as both of them were in Mirage¡¯s room right now, other soldiers should have responded to it. ¡¸Please, enter. ¡¹ Astarte answers without a moment¡¯s break and the door of his room is opened. Of course, Mirage is naked from the upper body, and they are sitting quite close to each other on the bed. It would be a great problem if the Messenger sees his boss ¨C also one of the four heavenly kings and his deputy ¡ª in such a state. However, Astarte did not give Mirage any room to dress up, nor did she move away from him, and responded to the arrival of the messenger. CH 9 The messenger entered from the open door while raising his voice. ¡¸Excuse my impolitiness¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Illusion¡¹ Astarte muttered while looking towards the door covering her voice under the Messenger¡¯s voice. ¡¸Mirage-Sama, Astarte-Sama, please allow me to give the message from the Demon Castle. ¡¹ The Messenger saluted towards an empty space and took out a letter from his pocket. Mirage and Astarte are still on the bed, but he is talking in a completely different direction as if they are invisible. ¡¸Yes, certainly, this is the content. ¡¹ Then he handed out the letter he held in his right hand, and let go of it. Naturally, the letter flutters down and reaches the floor with a rustling sound. However, the messenger doesn¡¯t seem to be aware of the situation at all and he just again saluted in the space. ¡¸Then I will excuse myself. ¡¹ Whether he was talking to a transparent person, or acting alone, or seeing some sort of hallucination, the Messenger left the room as if he had finished his work. There was a moment of silence in the room with the closing of the door. ¡¸Just now¡­¡­ was that you Tart-Chan? ¡¹ Mirage asked Tart in an impressed tone. ¡¸Yes, thanks to you, it worked out pretty well. I won¡¯t know until I try it out with a large number of people, but it seems to be practical. ¡¹ Astarte responded with a straight face, then she got up from the bed and went to pick up the letter on the floor. Her attitude was as if nothing special had happened, but the way in which the Messenger had been sent away was clearly not an ordinary one. ¡¸It¡¯s frightening ¡­¡­in such a short time¡­¡­. Tart-Chan is indeed a genius. ¡¹ It is unusual for Mirage to be trembling as well as admiring at the same time. The strange appearance of the messenger was due to Astarte, who cast Illusion Magic as soon as he entered the room. What he saw was the figure of Astarte and Mirage standing in the room, the two people on the bed were completely invisible to him. He saluted towards the illusion of Astarte and Mirage and handed the letter to the same, up to now Astarte¡¯s Illusion Magic made the subject feel a sense of dissonance after a little time has passed. Like when the messenger hands the letter to them, he touches the fingertips of Mirage¡¯s illusion, at that time he should be able to tell the oddness, as he will not feel his body temperature. So, Astarte had created an illusion by acting upon the 3 of the 5 senses of the Messenger, that is the sense of sight, the sense of hearing and the sense of touch. ¡¸I¡¯ve been touching Mirage-Sama¡¯s body for quite a long time now. And because we were alone, I was able to concentrate. ¡¹ A few hours after Mirage¡¯s return to the Shadow Castle, Astarte had confined him in his room and has been continuously touching this body. This made his image vivid and misled the messenger, but as Mirage mentioned earlier this has already reached the level of a genius. Even if it just affects ordinary people, the Illusion Magic has a very high difficulty level and it was not just influencing the sense of sight but the sense of hearing as well as the sense of touch, that is on three senses. Moreover, as far as the sense of touch is concerned, it took only a few hours or so to create a perfect image. Mirage was deeply impressed by the fact that none of the Imperial Court Mages could do this. ¡¸still¡­..this, am I being excessively careless?¡¹ The thing is that Mirage has never allowed anyone to catch up with him in terms of magical use. Of course, since he concealed his real abilities, they are not recognized by others ¡ª yet he is still considered to be a magical prodigy¨C but he has never seen anyone who has magical powers equalling himself with his true power. It includes the hero Julia, the saint Palmina, the Demon King and the other Heavenly Kings. Naturally, it is not only Magic when it comes to actual battles and victory or defeat is known only after the battle, but Mirage realized just now that someone is catching up with him in terms of magical skills. It is difficult to sublimate the Illusion Magic, and it is the result of Astarte¡¯s tireless efforts and overflowing talent. In response to such an Astarte, Mirage, whose expression is not visible due to the mask, is shaking with joy. His natural character was lazy, but Mirage¡ªFalsa¡ª turned worse as he learned about the powers of common mages, after he joined the Demon King¡¯s Army and became an Imperial Court Mage. He always stood at the top without any effort ¡­¡­. which also resulted in his current situation. You might think that kind of environment might have aided in him losing interest in his work¡­¡­no, laziness, cumbersomeness, procrastination was originally Mirage¡¯s thing, it is not the same. ¡¸You¡¯re joking. I am aware that I am still not strong enough. It¡¯s no use trying to fan it up and skip work.¡¹ Mirage has used various ways to push his work on Astarte such as flattering, coaxing and so on. For Astarte, it¡¯s no wonder to think in response that he was trying to do the same again. ¡¸No¨C, I don¡¯t mean to leave when I say so, but anyways¡­. when did you train up to that point? Although it¡¯s because of me, I think that I have been very busy.¡¹ ¡¸Nothing¡­¡­ I just thought of making time for it and I somehow managed to do so. That and I made the illusion like Mirage-Sama every day and thought to not lack in training. ¡¹ Among the Shadow soldiers, Astarte is the only one who knows about Mirage¡¯s absence. In other words, it was a daily practice to create Illusions of Mirage. Under these circumstances, it is no wonder that Astarte is often harsh on Mirage. Since he has put his subordinate through such hardships, that it will not be strange for her if he changes his mind before long¡­ ¡¸But with that much ability, you can replace me as the part of the 4 Heavenly Kings right away. How do you like it? Why don¡¯t you tell the Demon King? This isn¡¯t flattery, and I think Tart-Chan¡¯s Illusion magic will be recognized. I think it¡¯s probably the best ability in the Demon King¡¯s Army. ¡¹ In other words, Mirage has a lazy personality regardless of his surroundings. But his evaluation of Astarte¡¯s magic seemed genuine and his voice was serious. She looked at Mirage, who was unusually serious, for a moment, and then regained her composure and said. ¡¸Don¡¯t be ridiculous. If I were to become the Four Kings¡­ Yes, I will when I cut off Mirage¡¯s dirty neck. Please wash your neck and wait until then. Rather, what was written in the letter was a summon from the Demon King to both of us. I¡¯m going to prepare a little, so I¡¯m going ahead. Please wear your clothes and wait for me in the office. ¡¹ She swiftly left the room with Mirage staring at her back. But Mirage was not aware that, Astarte whose back was turned towards him was smiling which was quite unusual and rare. Astarte had an innocent smile, like the smile of a child who was praised by her parents. CH 10 The shirtless pervert with a Mask¡ªoriginally Mirage¡ªwhen he sees Astarte leaving the room, re-clothes himself, puts on the Black cloak and then transfers to the Office. Several of his men were busy with paperwork in the office, but when they saw Mirage, they all stood up and bowed to him. ¡¸oh-, I don¡¯t mind it so be at ease, I am heading towards the Demon Castle after this, so I will be here for only a little while. ¡¹ Mirage let his subordinates sit down freely and waited for Astarte to arrive, at his seat. The subordinates returned to their respective jobs after replying in a firm tone. It was awkward, Mirage thought, under his mask, probably with a frown on his face. It doesn¡¯t mean that he was in a bad mood, but it was simply just that he could not stand the atmosphere in the room. No one works in this office except for the time when Mirage and Astarte are away. Furthermore, Mirage himself does not have much contact with his subordinates, and the main commands are often given by Astarte¡ªor Mirage created with the Illusion Magic. Moreover, in contrast to Mirage who is from the Shadow Demon tribe, a minority tribe of demons, most of the soldiers of the Shadow Army, consists of the demons with silver horns like Astarte. Basically, the demons often form a clique with those from the same tribe, and few people actively try to communicate with those from other tribes. Further, Mirage is like the clouds above for them, one of the 4 Heavenly Kings. Besides, so-to-speak, for them he was an outsider who pushed aside Astarte who was considered to be the next in line for the position of the 4 Heavenly Kings and took it for himself. Such circumstances have coincided, and Mirage has not yet been able to casually speak with anyone except Astarte. And the subordinates in the office are also working, so the air in the room is quite heavy. ¡¸I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting. I¡¯m ready, let¡¯s go there right away. ¡¹ Mirage felt that it was a voice of an angle which washed away the tense air that has been brewing for some time, as soon as Astarte came to his office. Mirage didn¡¯t realize whether 5 minutes or 10 minutes, an hour or 2 has passed, due to him being so much concentrated in the awkwardness. ¡¸Well, then, let us go at once, Astarte, here. ¡¹ Mirage calls Astarte in a dignified voice, and she followed his steps obediently. They both understand that their subordinates are watching them, so there was no idle banter like usual. Mirage grabbed Astarte¡¯s little hands who came near him and then made a rift in the space with his free right hand. The hand felt quite cold and comfortable, but Mirage would never say it out loud as he thought he will be yelled at if said so, while thinking so both of them transferred to the Mirage¡¯s room in Demon Castle. ¡¸Please release my hands now, if you touch it for too long my skin will become rough. ¡¹ As soon as they arrived in Mirage¡¯s living room in the Demon Castle, the cold voice of Astarte echoed through the room. Her attitude is almost as if the incident of her touching Mirage¡¯s whole body never happened a while ago. ¡¸Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Let us go to Mao-Sama at once. ¡¹ Mirage, on the other hand, seemed accustomed to such an attitude and, without any concern, let go of Astarte¡¯s hand, turned towards the room door and began walking. After that Astarte also followed and they headed towards the Demon King. ¡¸By the way, do you know where Mao-Sama is? I still have her letter. ¡¹ Astarte asks as she sees Mirage moving on without any hesitation. ¡¸umm-, I feel that she should be in her chamber since she called me and Tart-Chan together. ¡¹ Demon Kings Chamber is where Mirage was summoned the last time. Mirage thought it would be the most comfortable place for them to talk, although it would be a different story if other people were present. ¡¸That¡¯s right. You know quite a lot about Mao-Sama. ¡¹ Astarte responded in a flat tone. Her red eyes remained staring at Mirage¡¯s back. ¡¸Yeah, well, I¡¯ve been with the Demon King for a long time, and she has taken care of me for one reason or another. ¡¹ The Demon King had selected him as one of the Four Heavenly Kings, but even before that, she had her eyes on Mirage. It is natural to pick on other¡¯s habits when you are acquainted for a long time, but Mirage still pretends to not know where she is, to find an excuse for skipping. He is working more seriously than usual because he came with Astarte this time. If he is by himself then it is ok, but he would not take any action to frustrate Astarte. ¡¸I see. What was with that atmosphere when I entered the office? Have you still not been able to communicate with your subordinates? ¡¹ Astarte who seemed to be not interested in listening about it changed the subject and begins to ask about the scene in the office. ¡¸No-, I¡¯m just not very comfortable. I¡¯m thinking of doing something about it, but¡­¡­it¡¯s not so bad¡¹ Even though one of the reasons for that is because he pushed aside Astarte who was going to be the next of the 4 Heavenly Kings, but he is hesitant to say that to the person herself, so he gives a vague reply. ¡¸ When I saw that scene, I thought everyone was treating Mirage-Sama as if you were not there. As one would expect of the Shadow, your presence is like an illusion. ¡¹ Astarte, who is even more harsh than usual, says words that gouged Mirage¡¯s heart. Although Mirage is the leader of the Shadow army and is active on the battlefield, he has very little contact with soldiers on the administrative side. Therefore, it can be said that he did not have a strong presence in the castle, except for his appearance. ¡¸Don¡¯t say such a good thing, I¡¯m quite concerned about it. ¡¹ Mirage continued to walk along while dropping his shoulders and Astarte continues to follow him with no change in her expression. The two walking figures together created a strange atmosphere that was somewhat distant, but still close. ¡¸oh, Mirage-Danna¡­¡­. and Astarte-Ojouchan, Is it an order from the Demon King? You have to work hard. ¡¹ They walked in silence until they reached the Demon King¡¯s Chamber and one of the two guards standing there cheerfully spoke to him. ¡¸Good work, Captain, And you¡­ that was just a bad day. ¡¹ ¡¸than, thank you very much. ¡¹ The soldier who spoke to them looked like a cow and looked like a veteran with many scars. He is called the captain; he is the commander of the Chief guards directly under the supervision of Demon King and he is one of the few who can be said to be a friend of Mirage in the army. For a long time, he was in the Demon King¡¯s army and is trusted by his subordinates, and naturally, he was given an important position by the Demon King. Though the 4 Heavenly Kings are higher in status within the Demon Kings Army, but they have merits and presence that cannot be placed below the 4 Heavenly Kings and the Demon King. Originally, the duty of keeping watch over the room was to be left to his subordinates, but he himself wished to do so and when he has time, he comes over just like now. ¡¸ha, ha! I¡¯m very sorry about that time! I am sorry for my rude behavior, I didn¡¯t know about Mirage-Sama of the 4 Heavenly Kings. ¡¹ The other guard was the new soldier who had fainted last time. Perhaps he had been told in advance that Mirage was coming, and he seemed calmer than before, but his voice was still very excited and loud. There are wrinkles between the eyebrows of Astarte standing behind Mirage. She doesn¡¯t like noisy people, and she likes to be quiet. ¡¸ Oh, yeah, I don¡¯t care about it, so let¡¯s calm down, we¡¯re often summoned by the Demon King, so if you remember us, then It¡¯s fine. ¡¹ Mirage¡¯s response is softer and more flexible than the last time. Since they had a relation with the Demon King and the Captain, the soldiers of the Chief Guards have a more relaxed attitude. ¡¸Haha¨C! Thank you, very much and good luck! Please, Mao-Sama is waiting for you. Mirage-Sama of the 4 Heavenly Kings and his Deputy Astarte-Sama are visiting! ¡¹ With a little comical speech, the new soldier opens the door of the Demon King¡¯s room and prompts them inside. Mirage smiles bitterly under the mask and Astarte enters the room with an uncomfortable and fed up expression. CH 11 ¡¸aah! Tart-Tan I have been waiting for you for so long! You are so cute fu-,ha-,fu-,ha-. Yes, Tart-Tan¡¯s fragrance. And her silky hair too. Ah, yes, this! this is it! ¡¹ As usual, when the maids left the room, the Demon King immediately jumped at Astarte, hugged her and stroked all over her body. Astarte, who is quite short, tries to pull herself out of the Demon King¡¯s breast, but she continues to show her love without any care. ¡¸um, that¡­¡­Mao¡­¡­.Mao-Sama¡­¡­that, calm¡­¡­please calm down¡­¡­.¡¹ Every time Astarte tries to separate her face from the Demon King¡¯s breasts, she is pulled back and is unable to speak properly. ¡¸ah, yes this is the best. Tart-Tan is the best. Why don¡¯t you get rid of this lukewarm military uniform and come do some good things with your Onee-San? Huh? Huh? It¡¯s ok, yes you are the best. It¡¯s okay, I will be gentle with you. Tart-Tan you can just count the stains on the ceiling. And leave everything else to your Onee-san? ¡¹ As she spoke, her bright red eyes twinkled, and the Demon King pulled Astarte towards the bed. Her eyes, which usually seem to be narrow and closed, are now wide open, which shows how serious she is. ¡¸um-, Mao-Sama. Since Tart-Chan is also troubled, let¡¯s get down to business. Or if you don¡¯t have any work for me, is it ok if I go home? The thing is I want to return home. ¡¹ While revealing her true feelings, she does not even look at Mirage and says: ¡¸What, Mirage-Tan also wants to join us? I don¡¯t particularly mind that, rather I recommend it! Simultaneously having the faceless Mirage-Tan and cute Tart-tan is the best. Both of them completely naked¡­¡­gehaa!¡¹ When Astarte, who was caught between the breasts of the demon king, twists her fist into the Demon King¡¯s stomach, the Demon king lets out a voice that women should not let out and then collapses. As the Demon Kings grasp loosens, Astarte adjusts her breath and then quickly hides behind Mirage to use him as a shield. ¡¸Tart-Tan¡­¡­.really¡­¡­.her fist is unlike¡­¡­¡­.one would expect from that girl ¡¹ Mirage remembered that girls or Astarte¡¯s father and was able to guess the power in that fist. Although he has now retired from the Demon King Army when he was active, he wielded formidable power, remembering the past, Mirage instinctively shudders. The previous Mirage was devoted to fighting completely with magic, Astarte¡¯s father who was unable to stand it, gave him experience with close-combat repeatedly. As a person, he can respect him very much, but it¡¯s inevitable that he fears him a little bit. ¡¸huh, huh, fuuu. Mao-Sama please stop joking around. Let¡¯s please get to the main issue. ¡¹ When the calm Astarte urged her, the Demon King stood up and took out a letter from her pocket and handed it to Mirage. When Mirage sees the seal stamped on the letter, he opens his mouth as if he understood the general situation. ¡¸I see, is it a work to be the representative of Demon King Lilith? It¡¯s going to be negotiation with some tribe. Is it so dangerous for it to require both of us? ¡¹ Demon King Lilith- That¡¯s the name of this perverted woman or the most powerful person in the Demon King¡¯s Army. Once upon a time, the demons of different tribes used to have long-lasting battles among themselves The demons had a big racial difference among themselves, they differ greatly in their appearance and character, and their lifestyle differs from tribe to tribe. As a result, the conflict among the tribes was constant and the place where the Demons lived was chaotic, but it was Demon King Lilith who put an end to this. With the powerful demons of that time, she established an organization that became the predecessor of the Demon King¡¯s Army, one by one merged different tribes through negotiations or force, as well as establishing laws and meditating ethnic conflicts, these are few of the many of her achievements. Gradually the people started calling her the Demon King, and she is still feared. While there are still tribes that are against the Demon King, it can be said that the regions under the rule of the Demon King Army have been much more peaceful than before. ¡¸That¡¯s right, I want you to negotiate with the Wolf Demons in the Northeast. It¡¯s just between Rafa and Mirage-Tan¡¯s territory, but since it¡¯s about negotiating, I thought it should be done by Mirage-Tan. And if you are together with Tart-tan, you don¡¯t have to care about who your opponent is, right? ¡¹ The Wolf-Demons¨Cthey have sharp teeth, claws, wolf-like heads, and have an incomparably accurate sense of smell. They also have a terrific physical strength and it is possible to say that they are a tribe specializing in close-combat which can be seen from the fact that they have repeatedly caused damage to Demon King Army when they have conflicts with them on numerous occasions. Red eyes are common as characteristics of the Demons, but many tribes have an animal like traits like this. The team leader mentioned earlier is from the Cow Demon tribe with characteristics of the cow, and there are many other varieties like Pig Demons, Cat Demons, Dog Demons and so on.1 ¡¸Of course, if the two of us go together, we wouldn¡¯t have a problem, but would the Wolf-Demons be willing to negotiate? No matter how I think about it, we will kill each other.¡¹ The combination of Mirage and Astarte and the combability of the two is the best in the Demon King Army. No matter how much of an expert you may be, if a small gap is created with Astarte¡¯s Illusion Magic, of course, you will prefer to temporarily stabilize yourself without getting involved. If there is even a slight gap, it is possible to leave the place with Mirage¡¯s Transfer Magic, so the two people are often assembled when the opponent or the place to go is dangerous. And this time the Wolf Demons are a strong and war-like race and can be categorized as dangerous opponents. ¡¸I don¡¯t know, but we¡¯ve sent the messenger to say that we are going to negotiate. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re suspicious, but as the Demon King Army has dealt with it formally, I can¡¯t ignore it. Even if I want to, I can¡¯t talk about it unless I¡¯m ranked as a 4 Heavenly King. ¡­¡­. Mirage-Tan, Tart-Tan, please take care and I¡¯m relying on you. ¡¹ The Demon King, Lilith, puts her hands together and bowed her head towards Mirage and Astarte. Originally, it was possible to top-down it as an Imperial command from the Demon King, but she has taken an attitude that does not show any difference in position, whether it is her personality or whether it is because she is feeling guilty for giving a dangerous mission is only known to her. No matter how compatible Mirage and Astarte are, there is a possibility that Mirage will be taken out by surprise. Despite being trained¡ª- to be accurate forcibly trained¡ª¡ª Mirage, who is a half-demon has physical ability lower than ordinary demons and his opponents are those who are specialized in close combat, so if he is caught in a situation where he is not able to use Magic it will be terrible. It¡¯s also possible that they will suddenly be attacked from behind and die. Of course, it¡¯s okay to not worry so much because they cannot be done in so easily, but there is no absolute thing in this world. Since the Demon King Lilith has been leading the Demon King¡¯s Army for so long, she has experienced the sudden and unexpected deaths of the people close to her many times. ¡¸Don¡¯t do that, Mao-Sama. A King should not bow to his subordinates. Whatever orders you give me, this Maniac Astarte will fulfill it, even if I have to put my life on the line. ¡¹ Astarte declared in a very serious manner and gave a deep bow with her hand upon her chest. It is an act very similar to that of a military officer. ¡¸Likewise, Shadow Mirage, will give my life to fulfill your orders. ¡¹ This was as perfect as ever, with his hands on his chest and his head down, as if his usual manner was an illusion. Mirage thought that even though he didn¡¯t like to work, he could agree with Lilith¡¯s philosophy of creating a peaceful country and a peaceful world. Above all, he hates conflict and wants to live peacefully, in a quiet and calm place. ¡¸Tart-Tan¡­¡­.. Mirage-Tan. ¡­¡­¡­I love both of you¨C, I love you¡ª. Right, why don¡¯t I take both of you as my bride? Marry me¨C, I will provide for you¡ª¡¹ The Demon King Lilith was moved so much that she hugged both Astarte and Mirage together and patted their head. Incidentally, in a good mood her tufty¡ª covered with the same brown hair as her hair¡ª tail swayed left and right vigorously, again and again, to ascertain that texture. No one would think that this is Lilith, the Demon King who carried the unification of the demons. So sweet, that she would be seen as a friendly single woman. ¡¸Mao-Sama, I¡¯m a man, so I can¡¯t marry you. ¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t want you to provide for me¡­and Mao-Sama is of the same sex¡¹ With a somewhat astound, but still glad voice, both of them were hugged for some time by Lilith, the Demon King. In the Demons Territory ¨C commonly known as the place where the Demons who are still in conflict live. At this moment, however, there was certainly a peaceful time in this place. CH 12 ¨CBurning flame and smoke. The beautiful golden fields are stained with black color and turned to ash over time, and the houses that stand side by side collapsed one after another. The traces of the village have already disappeared¡­No, the only thing remaining was the little girl who crying just now. Her red hair reminiscent of her lively personality, but now her eyes were filled with despair and she could only stare blankly at the scene before her eyes. ¡¸Cruel! You didn¡¯t tell me about having such a negotiation! You asked me to lend a hand as a colleague, but what the hell is this! ¡¹ Suddenly, a masked man appeared and yells at the man called Cruell. Half of the face on the mask was crying and the other half of it was smiling, but his true face hidden behind the mask was probably filled with anger. ¡¸Kuku Kuku Kuku¡­Ah ha ha haha! What are you so angry about? ¡ªhum! I¡¯m helping my future colleagues who would be harmed by these Trash! It can be said that I¡¯m doing a very honorable thing. ¡¹ The handsome man called Cruell¡ªwith golden hair, red eyes, and clear features, who, if there was no golden horn on his forehead, would seem like a prince of any country¡ª replied to Mirage in a peculiarly prolonged voice. In Cruel¡¯s left hand is a man who seems to be a villager. He is barely identifiable as a Man from his body, his face is dyed in blood making it unrecognizable and it seemed that he has been gruesomely tortured which can be concluded from the various scars on his body seen from the gaps in his clothes. And around him were men with similar golden horns with the little girl trying to run away. ¡¸Don¡¯t fool me! What you¡¯re doing is genocide! Do you think this kind of thing can be forgiven? And¡­ and¡­. isn¡¯t that the girl¡¯s Father in your hand! Why¡­.such¡­¡­.thing¡­. ¡¹ The masked man seemed more and more angry when he compared the man who was grabbed by Cruel with the red-haired girl. His grip on his sickle got stronger, his whole body trembled and blood began to trickle from his hand. ¡¸Oh, you¡¯re a little too serious. Look! Look! Look at this girl¡¯s despairing expression.! Really¡­ Really wonderful! Excellento! I want to slice! Slice, Slice, Slice! That face! That flesh! That body! And then I want to listen, listen, listen! That despaired voice! That shriek! That scream! ¡¹ Cruel threw away the man he was grabbing just now, grabbed his shoulders and looked up at the sky with an ecstatic expression.1 His red eyes were brimming with madness and he was drooling. ¡¸I¡­¡­.I¡­¡­..if I Knew that such thing¡­¡­. from the start¡­¡­.¡¹ The masked man cursed his actions. It was none other than himself who transferred Cruel and his subordinates to the village. The red-haired girl was not afraid of him, a person wearing a suspicious mask, instead pulled him with her little hand and showed her around the village. He cleverly led the conversation, got the location of obscure places from her and placed his Magic Marks there. The masked man was told by his colleague, that the entire village will be taken captive, not truly understanding his colleague¡¯s character, in such a peaceful village¡­. without questioning, he took action. ¡¸Now, it¡¯s time to go to the Main Dish! On tonight¡¯s menu is this girlssssssssss blood! Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa! As vivid as a wine, the Mellow fragrance of the blood! Irresistible, Irresistible, irresistible! Congraaaaaaaatuuuulaaaatioooonnnnnn!¡¹ As if he had begun to get excited at the thought of the horrible show about to begin, he began to approach the little girl step by step, with his lower body bulging out. ¡¸st,stooooooooooppppppppppp!¡¹ Falsa sprang up from his bed shouting, and his forehead was covered with large beads of sweat. ¡¸HA, HA, Ha, shit! The dream of that time again¡­¡­. I wonder if it is because I met him yesterday¡­¡­¡¹ With his breath in place, Falsa recalls the events of yesterday. After having an audience with Lilith at Demon Castle, he encountered one of the Heavenly Kings, the Brutal Cruel, on his way to his room.2 Falsa fully aware that he does not want to be reminded of the other party¡¯s memories gave a short greeting and transferred to the Shadow castle with Astarte, so it didn¡¯t make any sense. Thus, in this way, this event causes him to continue his life of changing between a Demon and a Human. He has thought of running away many times, but the scene of that time has burned into his eyelids and has become a wedge for him, slowly eating into his heart. 4 Heavenly King of the Demon Army Or the Head Magician of the imperial court, Demon Or Human, The Demon King Or The Hero, Falsa has still not found his answer. ¡¸Fal-Anii¨C! I heard a dreadful voice, are you alright? The scream was audible in our room. ¡¹ Julia knocked at the door and called out to him. He was unconscious, but his voice was so loud that it could reach the three people in the next room. Falsa got off the bed and slowly headed towards the door. ¡¸nn, aa, I¡¯m sorry. I had a very strange dream. In the dream, Julia was eating a whole cow, and it was very hard to stop her. ¡¹ When he opened the door, he found the three¡ªJulia, Palmina, and Zenobia¡ªlooking at him with a worried expression, so Falsa smiled and jokingly smiled. ¡¸Hmm-! We were so worried about you, and it was just seeing an absurd dream! Besides I am not that much of a glutton! Also¨C¡¹ ¡¸What, it was such a dream, I thought if something happened as the voice right now felt so real. ¡¹ ¡¸ Worried about Falsa-Kun both of them quickly jumped to their feet. I came out of my room to stop them as soon as I could ¡­¡­¡­ And you saw the rest. ¡¹ They say back to each other, but if you look closely, you can see that all three of them had just woken up and came. Julia is wearing blue pajama and a nightcap, and for some reason, she is holding a pillow. Zenobia was dressed in a black lacy negligee with a hint of skin, adding a feminine touch to her look, but also a hint of elegance. And the biggest problem that Falsa sees is Palmina. The shirt is stuck tightly over her body emphasizing the abundant twin hills, and the valley, which you can see from the opened collar button, is like an abyss, drawing in the eyes of all the men. She is trying to hide her breast by holding a barely sufficient shawl, but the action feels much sexier because of the little skin that can be seen through. The two white peaches, which were filled with the blessing of the rich earth and which were cultivated carefully for 19 years, reminded one of the forbidden fruits that appeared in the Mythical Age, sacred and filled with dreams and hope of the world. ¡¸hey! hey, hey! Aren¡¯t you looking too much at Palminas breasts! Even though I am wearing such cute pajamas, Fal-Ani has only looked over there! Why, why, all the men only like boobs in the end! Fal-Ani you Boob Magician! Pal-Ani you Boob monster! ¡¹ Outraged Julia throws her nightcap and pillow at Falsa, and began protesting by stamping her legs on the ground. She started shaking her silky hair and started behaving like a child. ¡¸Th, that¡¯s, why I hate those filthy men! Falsa-Dono also holds interest in Breasts like that¡­¡­ truly, if you like to see it that much, just saying I can give it a little consideration¡­¡­..¡¹ ¡¸Oh my, it must hard for you, right Falsa-Kun. Not being able to be lewd? ¡¹ With a sigh, Falsa exclaimed in his heart that it was a terrible misunderstanding. It was true that he had eyes on Palmina¡¯s breast, but it was not that he had some wicked feelings, he was just reflexively following Palmina¡¯s hand with his eyes, which moved the shawl. It was by a chance that his gaze was previously there, and a large hill was built about that, so there is no way he has a guilty conscience, really in no way. Falsa who doesn¡¯t know who to point at kept refuting in his mind. It was already too late to say so, and d Falsa has determined from his previous experience that he has no choice but to endure until the fire cools down. Falsa, who was able to regain his usual mood thanks to Julia and others, quietly thanked his companions in his heart. The three of them were not aware of the inner feelings of Falsa, and this scene continued until the innkeeper scolded them¡ªmainly Julia¡ªfor making a fuss. That day, a drop of hope scooped him up when he was on the verge of scattering, and the eyes of Falsa, who saw that hope, were very gentle and sad. CH 13 ¡¸Then I and Pal-Ane will be heading to the church. You two don¡¯t do any weird thing when you are alone! ¡¹ That¡¯s what Julia, who wears a hoodie shaped like a cute cat ear, reminds Falsa and Zenobia. The time was already between noon and evening, and the Hero party has arrived in a new town. After settling the commotion in the morning, they left the inn and started moving in a carriage and their journey proceeded smoothly, without any bandits or thieves. As they were at a distance to be able to arrive at the city where the Feudal Lord lived by tomorrow, and as they have found an inn without a problem, so they had decided today to be a free-day. ¡¸Don¡¯t, don¡¯t talk nonsense! £¡I, I, I and Falsa-Dono such, such¡­¡­¡­¡¹ Zenobia refutes Julia while blushing from her face and even ears. Falsa seemed to be used to it, and he didn¡¯t seem to care about it. ¡¸Yes, yes, we won¡¯t do any weird thing, so go to the church quickly. I entrust Julia to you, Palmina. Also, Zenobia if you are going to take her rattling seriously every single time, Julia is just going to amuse herself from this. ¡¹ ¡¸Yes, leave it to me. Now, Julia, let¡¯s go. ¡¹ ¡¸mu¨C, I really want to play with Fal-Ani too. Goddess-Sama too, can¡¯t you be a little more flexible as well, isn¡¯t ok for you? ¡¹ Julia is pulled along by Palmina even though she complains. They were able to use Holy magic under the protection of the goddess Fortuna, who is revered by the Fortuna religion. There are still many unclear points about the magic techniques, and the correct method of training varies greatly from sect to sect. The Fortuna religion teaches that their prayer to the goddess, that is their faith increases the effectiveness of the Holy Magic and so it is natural for their followers to attend churches and temples daily. The Fortuna religion is also a regional religion in this province, so most people follow this religion except for the Non-believers. Even if they are not holy magicians, their followers go to church and pray, and even Falsa and Zenobia, who are not so religious, visit the church once a week. ¡¸Well, Zenobia, let¡¯s take a look around the town. It¡¯s not such a big town, but there are many peddlers, we may find something interesting. ¡¹ The place where the two are now is a post-town located at a distance of a day by carriage from the capital city, where Feudal lord of the region resided. It is not an exaggeration to say that this is a town for the merchants and travelers like Falsa¡¯s group who are headed towards the capital to lodge and as a consequence many peddlers are moving around the province that stay here. In such a place where merchants and travelers come and go, a Market place is naturally opened and not surprisingly it is filled with a lot of hustle and bustle. Stalls of peddlers are lined up with various local specialties and special products, and there are even some suspicious items that one doesn¡¯t know the use for. Some of it was excavated, and Falsa aimed at magic tools and ancient books that were from the ancient civilization among them. Of course, there is no chance that there will be any rare and expensive magical gadgets like contact balls or magic books designated as national treasures, but there will often be enough items just to enjoy the feeling of treasure-hunting. ¡¸um, Yes. I also wanted to look around the stall. Let us go now. ¡¹ While still slightly flushed, Zenobia, who calmed down a little bit, began to walk with a somewhat cheerful expression. ¡¸Well, where shall we start looking? Let¡¯s start from the east and then we will look at all of it. ¡¹ Ten minutes after they had parted from Julia and Palmina, they had reached a large circular square. Many stalls are open in the square, and some of the shops sell food, so the scent that makes people hungry is spread in the environment. The travelers and the inhabitants of the town looked at the various stalls with interest, and the merchants, spoke loudly, to call in their potential customers. To put it in a bad way, the square was so lively that it was noisy. ¡¸Y, Yes. I don¡¯t care what place it is if Falsa-Dono wants to see it, I¡¯m ok with it. ¡¹ Maybe because she is alone with Falsa, Zenobia seems to be a bit out of tune. Seeing this, Falsa grinned and spoke gently. ¡¸Are you so nervous with me? When I first met you, you were more¡­ you know, you didn¡¯t give a soft-frail person like feeling like this! I¡¯d be happy if you wouldn¡¯t be too worked up about it. It¡¯s a waste if you don¡¯t enjoy your free time. ¡¹ ¡¸Th, that time¡­¡­.forget about that. That was just Youthful vigor. But Falsa-Dono has a point. Th, then Falsa-Dono¡­¡­. I, I would like to ask you to be my Escort. ¡¹ Even though she was a little agitated by remembering the time when she met Falsa, still Zenobia gently held out her right hand forward. However straight face she makes it can be seen that she is embarrassed, her turning her face to the side can be said to evidence of her lack of experience related to the opposite gender. ¡¸Very well, My Lady. Although this Falsa is unworthy, can I have this opportunity to accompany you? ¡¹ With an elegant bow, he took the right hand of Zenobia and proceeded inside the square. One was dressed in a black robe, and the other was wearing an Armor which was at quite a distance from elegant, but their actions were certainly of nobles. But it didn¡¯t take long before they couldn¡¯t keep such graceful manners in the crowd and remained simply by holding hands together. ¡¸Mister, gives us two of that grilled Skewers no make it four, and then 2 of the Sausage over there, after that, one of that soup, and then¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Master, I will have broiled Lamb and, an eastern Noodle, and then fried shrimps, oh, that Nikuman also, umm, I will have 2 of that. ¡¹1 Half an hour after they began to walk through the square, Falsa and Zenobia decided to try out the food at various stalls. They couldn¡¯t find any items that they liked and were just wasting their time, and that being the case¡­¡­ they decided to try out the food of different stall, which turned out to be a great hit. There were many stalls, ranging from typical home-cooked dishes to rare dishes from the east. As a knight, Zenobia naturally eats a lot of food because of the intensity of her training, and Falsa also has quite an appetite, regardless of his appearance. Zenobia, who is particular about manners, also ate food on the spot like a regular customer in the stall. Actually, this was not the first time for them to go out and eat together, and it is something that was done several times when they lived in the capital. Falsa remembered about the time when they first went to a stall as this and Zenobia got confused about eating a skewer. ¡¸Falsa-Dono, this is very delicious, too. It is something from the east called Nikuman, it¡¯s soft wrapping, and the splendidly blended juicy and hot ingredients, create a wonderful harmony. As I thought Eastern cuisines cannot be looked down upon. Here I will share one with Falsa-Dono. ¡¹ Who would think that this girl, with food in her hands and her cheeks full of Nikuman, would be the daughter of a great nobleman? The previous nervousness has already faded from her face, and it was apparent to everyone that she was enjoying it from the bottom of her heart. ¡¸Which one which one¡­¡­., oh this, it is very good. This skewer is also quite delicious, try eating this, yes, aa-hh.¡¹ Falsa smacked his lips after having the Nikuman, and as if returning the favor held out a recently purchased skewer in front of Zenobia¡¯s mouth. It¡¯s just a matter of giving consideration to Zenobia, whose both hands are full, but it¡¯s not the same her. Once or twice, Zenobia¡¯s eyes alternate between the skewer and Falsa¡¯s face, and then, as if she was determined, she took a bite from the skewer. ¡¸m, mu, delicious. This skewer is ¡­¡­ not bad either ¡¹ The figure mumbling and chewing with her face down is neither a Noble nor a Knight but just only a girl. Of course, Falsa didn¡¯t have any other intention, but it didn¡¯t matter to the receiver. For a while, the two shared and finished the food they had bought and had similar conversations over and over at the end of the square. Occasionally, the girl was seen withdrawing her hand several times from trying to offer him food to his mouth, but it was the man only who didn¡¯t know about it. CH 14 The two people who had finished eating, resumed the tour of the stalls as they had nothing to do and went to areas that they had not explored much. ¡¸There are a lot of handcrafted things around here. There are a lot of things from the east, but every one of these seems to be of high quality. ¡¹ ¡¸Yes, certainly the quality is as good as to be in line with the shops in the Imperial capital. It¡¯s rude to say this, but these items to be lined up in a street stalls seems¡­¡­¡¹ As Falsa admired, he looked at the merchandise lined up at the stalls and muttered, and Zenobia agreed. It¡¯s natural for Zenobia as she a Nobles daughter so she has a deep understanding of both art and craft, as for Falsa, it¡¯s said among some of the collectors in the Imperial capital that Falsa¡¯s approval will be the next trend. ¡¸Oo-, Ni-Chan, Ni-Chan, yes, that black-haired Ni-Chan with the beautiful girlfriend! ¡¹ A vendor from a stall calls out to the two when they were looking around some different stalls. Zenobia was born a noble so her skin and hair were very well maintained. Although she is a knight and is constantly wounded, the Healing magic erases all the scars and the care for hair and skin is not missed as a lady so that they don¡¯t become rough. It can be said that Zenobia, in the eyes of others, is a noble female knight who is as graceful and beautiful as in the story. ¡¸What do you want to do? It looks like there are a lot of ornaments. Would you like to have a look? ¡¹ As far as Falsa could see, most of the products at the stall are items for women, such as silvery hair ornaments or necklaces. Falsa thought very calmly that he could probably buy a present for Zenobia, who was next to him. He then judges that the decision should be made by the woman, Zenobia, not by a man, and entrusts her with the decision. Of course, he also has to consider if Zenobia is interested in it or not, and still it can be said that one should not forget to add some proactive words. ¡¸Beautiful¡­¡­ girlfriend¡­.hu! W, well, it seems we have just a little bit of time left, let¡¯s look through this last store. ¡¹ The time is already in the evening, and the surrounding scenery is beginning to turn red. Considering Julia¡¯s character, it is unlikely that she should be late for dinner, so it would be time for her to return to the inn. However, Zenobia who is treated like a girl is a little excited, so she is easily taken in by the merchant¡¯s words. ¡¸Ok! That¡¯s settled! Now, these are all the silverwork from the East which are currently in trend! All the things you can¡¯t make in the workshops around here. Here, take it in your hand and look it over. ¡¹ With Zenobia¡¯s approval, the merchant¡¯s words became more cheerful and recommend his products one by one. Falsa nodded in his heart that the craftmanship was certainly high. Recently, the articles from the faraway country and region called eastern land have become popular. This is notched down in the travel journal¡¸Il Millione¡¹written by the adventurer Marcus, which drew the attention of nobles in the imperial capital. It is said that the number of things Marcus saw in the east exceeded a million, and among them, the best information was written down in the journal, but the truth is not clear. However, at the same time that this book became popular, all the merchants went to the east and spread eastern products, mainly to the Nobles and the fashion continued to the present state where the eastern products were sold in stalls. The fact that it started from the Noble dilettantes and spread to the street stalls where commoners could also buy it, is a testimony of its attraction to people. ¡¸Just like you said, all of these are fantastic. Still, where did you get all this stuff from? ¡¹ When Falsa inquired the street vendor about it, the street vendor brought his face close to Falsa so that his voice is not leaked in the surrounding and tells. ¡¸Well, to tell you the truth, recently a major trading company in the regional capital has gone bankrupt, and their stocks are being sold for a very cheap price, because of this way, I was able to get these products at an incredibly low price. Apparently, the company had been collecting eastern products from all the parts of the country on the order of the Feudal Lord, but suddenly the feudal lord decided to use another company and the deal fell apart, there has been a rumor going in around the imperial capital that the Feudal lord and the other company conspired together to make the company go bankrupt.¡¹ When he listened to the merchants and stole a glance at the price tag of the silverworks, it was certainly set considerably lower than the market price. When Falsa went around the square, he felt that there were many eastern products, and he was convinced that this was the reason. However, when Falsa thought about going to the capital and meeting the rumored Feudal lord, he let out a sigh and felt that it will troublesome. ¡¸Hey! Ni-Chan, You got such a beautiful girlfriend, so don¡¯t make such a sour face, Look, here, select one. ¡¹ After being cautioned by the merchant about his inner thoughts being shown on his face, Falsa quickly looked at Zenobia and saw her gaze fixated at one item. Zenobia¡¯s gaze was on a silver hair ornament, the so-called Barrette, which had a particularly beautiful shine among the lined-up products. ¡¸You mind if I pick it up for a moment? ¡¹ ¡¸Hmm? Of course, please, please. ¡¹ After confirming with the merchant, Falsa picks up the barrette and started examining its details carefully. Although Zenobia was a little surprised, her eyes remained fixated to the Barrette and she moved towards Falsa. ¡¸Hmm-, although it seems to be made in the motif of a butterfly, the work with the Kirikane pattern is done very carefully. And the blue color on the wings, combined with the silver makes it quite a fine article¡­¡­Yeah, I think I¡¯ll take one of these. Is this enough money? ¡¹1 Falsa then handed some gold coins to the merchant and buys the barrette. ¡¸Hey Oni-Chan, this is too much. This much will buy you two more of these barrettes¡¹ The merchant, who had confirmed the quantity of the gold coins, exclaimed in surprise and told Falsa. He is very honest for a Merchant thought Falsa and again replied while smiling. ¡¸In my opinion, among the silverwork here, this barrette was the best, and it is worth it. Besides, if it is a gift for a woman, wouldn¡¯t it be worth it? ¡¹ When Falsa said so, in an open manner, the merchant¡¯s eyes opened up wide in surprise and then he began to laugh. Zenobia was so stunned by Falsa¡¯s action that she became speechless. ¡¸Hahaha, that¡¯s certainly true. Nii-Chan seems to understand that very well. Nevertheless, it was me who gave the price, because I could get too many of it ¡­¡­ well, this silver necklace and earrings ¡­ I¡¯m going to give this as a bonus. Don¡¯t be so rude to say that you don¡¯t want that? ¡¹ The merchant grinned and pushed some other items to Falsa and Falsa received them with a wry smile. Apparently, this merchant has a very good character. ¡¸Well, thank you very much for that¡­¡­.Zenobia, stop being dazed, we have to get back to the inn soon. ¡¹ ¡¸fuu what? Oh, that, let¡¯s go right now. ¡¹ A little flustered, Zenobia started following Falsa while speaking in a faint voice. ¡¸Nii-Chan and Ojou-Chan, keep getting along together. ¡¹ When the merchant cheered them with a loud voice towards their departing figures, Falsa made a familiar troubled face and Zenobia started to blush and muttering something as usual. ¡¸Zenobia, come here a little. ¡¹ A few minutes after leaving the square, Falsa invites Zenobia to a deserted alley. Zenobia, who seemed to have no idea what was going on and even though she had her doubts, she still followed Falsa¡¯s instructions with no hesitation and entered the alley. ¡¸look! You might as well, put on this Hair-ornament I brought earlier. It¡¯s a present from me. ¡¹1 Falsa shows the silver barrette he just bought to Zenobia and makes a suggestion with a slightly mischievous face. ¡¸Wa, wait Falsa-Dono, it, It is true that I had my eyes on this Barrette but this you know, I mean I think that I can¡¯t receive a present like this from you without any reason or rather we are not in that kind of a relationship. At times like this, we have to greet each other¡¯s parents properly and improve the relationship between the two families and¡­¡­. ¡¹ Although Zenobia is full of absurdity when it comes to sudden events, Falsa ignores that and talks again. ¡¸Zenobia, I bought this because I thought it would look good on your hair. So, without thinking about complicated stuff, can you accept is as a gift from a friend? Or did you not think of me as a friend. If it is so, I am disappointed.¡¹ When Falsa pretends to be feeling down, Zenobia hastily begins to correct him. ¡¸No, no! That¡¯s not it! That¡¯s not the case! Yes, you are my friend, we are friends so it is normal for us to exchange gifts. Yeah¡¹ When Zenobia replied, Falsa put his hand on the back of her head and removed her hairband in a familiar manner. ¡¸oh, to, to start ¡­¡­. so, suddenly¡­¡­¡¹ Zenobia lets out a cute voice as soon as her hair which was wrapped up together at the back of her head is lowered and her long hair fluttered in wind with a golden shine. Up until now, her hair was styled in a ponytail which gave her a more chivalrous and dignified appearance like a knight, but by freeing her hair like this gave her a more feminine appearance and if she was not dressed in the armor, she would surely look like a noble lady. No, in this look, it would not be strange to call her a Princess Knight. ¡¸Here, all done ¡­¡­ and. Yes, suits you, Zenobia. ¡¹ Twisting her hair from the top to the side and fastening the barrette near her ear, Falsa nodded in satisfaction and took his hand away from Zenobia¡¯s hair. ¡¸um, Fa, Falsa-Dono, thi, this is too much for me¡¹ Zenobia¡¯s face is dyed red like an apple, her mouth opens and closes rapidly, and she seems to be so agitated that she can¡¯t turn around. ¡¸Well, why don¡¯t you just calm down? right, you can check in this mirror. I think it looks very good. ¡¹ Overlooking Zenobia¡¯s state, Falsa took out a hand-mirror from his pocket and urged Zenobia to check her hairstyle and barrette. ¡¸ye, yes, yes I understand, I¡¯ll check, I¡¯ll check. ¡¹ Despite being agitated, Zenobia uses the hand mirror to check her hairstyle. In the mirror, a butterfly, with its shining silver-blue wings, flew gracefully across a golden meadow. ¡¸What do you think? I thought silver and blue would go very well with Zenobia¡¯s golden hair¡­¡¹ Falsa calls out to Zenobia, who is solidified while looking in the mirror. ¡¸Ah¡­ That¡­¡­ I¡¯m very, very, happy. Falsa¡­ I¡¯m most happy that you chose it for me. Of course, this silver work is wonderful, but I¡¯m happy that you kept my hair color in your mind, I¡¯m really, really, happy. ¡¹ Zenobia, who changed the way of addressing him in an emotional state tells Falsa and stares at his face with moist eyes. ¡¸I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re pleased. Remember to be good to me in the future, Zenobia. ¡¹ After saying so, Falsa reached out his hand to the head of Zenobia and stroked her golden head. ¡¸A, aaa, fuaaa,fuaaaahuuuuu¡¹ When Zenobia realized that she let out a weird voice, like a puppet whose strings have snapped, she leaned directly on Falsa¡¯s chest. ¡¸Wait a little, Zenobia? Hey Zenobia?¡¹ Falsa shakes Zenobia who is on her chest and calls out to her, but she seems completely unconscious and gives no response. As soon as Falsa began to ponder of what had happened, a frighteningly cold voice echoed from behind him. ¡¸Fa¨Cl¡ªan¡ªiii! What are you doing here? While we¡¯re not looking! In the back of a deserted alley! In such close contact with Zenobia! What are you doing? I want you to teach us so that we can understand it, too? ¡¹ AAh, he doesn¡¯t want to turn around, Falsa really doesn¡¯t want to turn around. CH 15 ¡¸ Now, will you give me a convincing explanation, Fal-Ani? ¡¹ The four returned to the inn because Zenobia had fainted, but Julia¡¯s anger did not subside and she began interrogating Falsa in his room. The evening had already passed, and it was almost night. There are only two people here, Julia and Falsa because Palmina is watching over Zenobia who has passed out, in the women¡¯s room. ¡¸Well, we haven¡¯t done anything wrong. A while ago¡­ I guess Zenobia just got over-excited. I¡¯m surprised, too. That¡¯s really all.¡¹ From Falsa¡¯s point of view, she fainted just after he gave her Barrette as a present, so there¡¯s no way he can explain it. However, Julia does not seem to be convinced, and she does not intend to loosen her grip on the investigation. ¡¸N-oo, I¡¯m sure Fal-Ani did something unnecessary. To begin with, there have been many times when Fal-Ani has played with girl¡¯s feelings without being aware of it. I remember it was same with the Princess-Sama, that young junior mage was also the same and there were others¡­¡­. ahh, the more I remember the angrier I¡¯m getting! Fal-Ani is a natural womanizer! Philanderer! Enemy of women! ¡¹ Julia looks back on Falsa¡¯s past actions and seems to be even angrier. As for Falsa, he was thinking of a completely different thing, that if he didn¡¯t finish with this scolding soon, then he will receive a lecture from Tart-Chan also. ¡¸un, um, Julia, can I have a moment?¡¹ Falsa clears his throat lightly and then looks straight into Julia¡¯s eyes and asks. ¡¸what, what is it, making such a serious face, I will not be deceived by that! I will see through Fal-Ani¡¯s technique of making girls fall for him! ¡¹ Although Falsa internally refuted that he had no intention of showing such a trick, he didn¡¯t mention anything to not make the conversation longer. ¡¸Julia¡­ actually, I have a present for you. Will you accept it? It¡¯s an earring made of Eastern silver that will suit your lovely rabbit-like hair¡­¡­ You see, there¡¯s a little sapphire at the end, which is perfect for Julia, who likes blue. And Julia wearing this will look even more attractive. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll make you look more mature than ever before¡­ What do you think? ¡¹ Falsa activated his forte the strategy of glossing over things for the time being. This man¡¯s senses are uselessly top-notch, his ability to choose things that suit the other party is abnormally high. From among the free gifts he received from the merchant a few minutes ago, he instantly picked out one which seemed to suit her and handed it to her with a beautiful speech. ¡¸um, um, this, this is how every time Fal-Ani¡­¡­Fal-Ani¡­.., try to trick me, this is Fal-Ani¡¯s tricks, I can¡¯t be fooled so easily.¡¹ Contrary to her words, Julia¡¯s cheeks became red and her body started shaking. Of course, as Falsa, who can efficiently do what is necessary, decides that this is the time to attack and tries to wrap it up. ¡¸I¡¯m not such a dishonest person. I thought that it would look good on Julia and that you will like it. If you don¡¯t like it, it¡¯s too bad, but you can just throw it away. ¡¹ The thing about this half-Demon man not being a human being may not seem trivial but the thing about there being no lie in his words is much severe than that. In fact, he got it as a gift when he brought Zenobia¡¯s barrette, but the way he said it, it sounded like he had chosen it for Julia. It is much harder for the other party to find the truth when the lie is mixed with the truth instead of lying about the whole situation and making it up. Whether he does so being fully aware of it or he does so unconsciously, Falsa uses this principle cleverly and thoroughly. He doesn¡¯t use words like ¡¸buy¡¹or ¡¸choose¡¹which can be considered as a lie, so a situation is created where the other party misunderstands on her own. ¡¸I, I¡¯m not supposed to do such a thing! But, if Far brother chose it for me and bought it with great pains¡­ Well, I¡¯ll forgive you this time. It¡¯s a big mistake if you think that you can fool me with this trick! So, don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m forgiving you out of my own will! ¡¹ Despite this, Julia¡¯s expression is slack and loose, and she seems to be engrossed in the small sapphire earring in her hand. Falsa exhales with relief that he managed to deceive her somehow and proposes to Julia to be left alone. ¡¸fuu-, well anyways just you forgiving me is most important. After this I am going to seclude myself in the room, as usual, so Julia should go to her room now. ¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­you are going to sneak out again, but today I¡¯m very forgiving. I¡¯ll listen to you. But there is one condition! ¡¹ Julia looked up at Falsa¡¯s face while raising her index finger. ¡¸Condition? I don¡¯t mind if I can do it, but is there anything I can do? ¡¹ When Falsa asked with an expression of not knowing what is going on, Julia snorted and sat down on the bed in the room. ¡¸Well, Fal-Ani come here and put this earring for me. And I will flush today¡¯s matter down the drain. ¡¹ Julia patted the space next to her, and although taken aback, Falsa slowly sat down on the spot with a bitter smile. ¡¸When will Julia¡¯s spoilt behavior be fixed? I¡¯m sure no one will think that you are the chosen hero. ¡¹ ¡¸uh tsk! Fal-Ani¡¯s words are unnecessary! Come on, quick, quick. You don¡¯t have time, do you? I know everything. Isn¡¯t this a profitable exchange for Fal-Ani anyway, you just have to pamper me a little? ¡¹ As one would expect of Julia, her intuition was very sharp, Falsa was both impressed as well as grateful for that. Even though Julia has been concerned about Falsa¡¯s night activities after the last incident, she decided that she would not step into it without his permission and as repayment for not prying further into it she asked him to pamper her. Perhaps it is out of Julia¡¯s consideration for Falsa, and naturally, it is also her true feelings that she wants to be pampered. ¡¸Fuu¨C, it seems I¡¯m no match for Julia. Well then¡­ Come here.¡¹ When Falsa, who turned his body towards Julia, beckons her, she slowly put the back of her head on his chest and eventually completely entrusted her body weight on him. And then Falsa stroked Julia¡¯s head several times and started decorating both her small lovely ears. Perhaps a little ticklish, Julia started shaking while remaining in Falsa¡¯s arms. ¡¸Hiyaa, still¡­¡­ my ears¡­..Hiyaa! My ears are a little bit of my weakness¡­¡­.it¡¯s ticklish, aaaaau¡¹ ¡¸Hey, Julia, if you move too much, I can¡¯t put it on. Can you hold on a little longer?¡¹ ¡¸Even so¡­¡­AHh! ¡­¡­un,aa,FA, Fa..l-Ani,there¡­¡­.Ah,soooo¡¹ Whenever Falsa¡¯s finger-tips touched her ears, Julia would tremble and let out a little scream, but she did not seem to be resisting on purpose. It appears that Julia was weak when she was touched on her ears, and the sound that leaks out of her mouth is starting to gradually change into a seductive voice. Julia is speaking in a voice that is sure to be misunderstood by others, and Falsa is concentrating on getting things done as soon as possible. However, what they are thinking in their head is a completely different thing, and it seems that there will be no opportunity for both of them to comprehend that. CH 16 The sun was setting, and the whole place was covered with darkness, and a small carriage lit up with a little lamp was running along the road. Two people are sitting in the coachman¡¯s seat, one is a girl with two conspicuous silver horns who is using one of her hand to hold the small lamp and is checking some documents on her lap with the other. The other is a suspicious-looking person, wearing a strange mask and black cloak, and is holding the reins of the horse. Their true identity is Mirage, the Shadow of the Four Heavenly Kings from the Demon Army and Astarte, his Deputy. ¡¸Hey, Tart-Chan, why don¡¯t you stop checking them documents while we¡¯re moving? They say reading something in the dark will worsen your eyesight, moreover, this carriage is shaking a lot, so it is very difficult to sign them ¡¹ ¡¸If I take up on your offer Mirage-Sama and not finish some this while moving, then I will have to work in the day also¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­it is a very terrible suggestion. ¡¹ Astarte curtly rejected Mirage¡¯s suggestion. The two had been working on the documents while taking turns on driving the carriage. At present, several Magic seals have been marked on Mirage¡¯s and Astarte¡¯s desk in their office of Shadow Castle. Mirage is repeating the process of taking the documents his subordinate¡¯s left on the desks with Transfer Magic and then returning them to the desk once they were finished. The subordinates in the office received the documents and put new ones on their desk again. ¡¸I can¡¯t say anything back when you say that¡­I never thought that I would be pressed to do paperwork until the time we are traveling for negotiation¡­..haaah. ¡¹ ¡¸At any rate, it can be said that Mirage-Sama¡¯s Transfer Magic is quite convenient¡­¡­ No, it is very useful¡­¡­..No, it is extraordinarily useful magic, so isn¡¯t it natural to use it effectively? ¡¹ With the imperial command of the Demon King from yesterday, they were heading to the area where the Wolf Demons lived, but the situation in the office becomes not very good when the 2 top members of the Shadow Army leave the castle. Of course, if it is just a few days, it is not impossible to make up for it later, but that¡¯s based on the premise that Mirage can work even during the day. Since he is not able to do that, Astarte proposed this method so that his work would not be hindered and made it known to the soldiers of the Shadow Army. Basically, it¡¯s just the matter of exchanging documents, but if a problem arises, a letter is supposed to be attached to the document. Mirage and Astarte both have a pair of contact ball, in case one of them losses the crystal ball and have taken all possible measures they could. ¡¸Tart-Chan, you really can¡¯t hide your true thoughts at all. Well now, I¡¯m already used to being treated as a convenient carrier in the Demon King Army. I suppose you have already noticed but¡­¡­..¡¹ ¡¸err, it seems like the bandits. Even though we are already delayed because of the regular latecomer Mirage-Sama and now these troublesome things come.¡¹ Even though most of the Demon territory is ruled by the Demon King army, still there are appearances of bandits and monsters on the roads. The situation here is the same for both the demons and humans. And both Mirage and Astarte continued to talk in a relaxed manner, not appearing to be in any particular panic. It goes without saying that Mirage was delayed in the evening due to his lecture with Julia. ¡¸What should we do? I think Tart-Chan is better at dealing with this.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ don¡¯t impose anything on me like that. Well, we don¡¯t have time, so I¡¯ll deal with it.¡¹ As soon as they decided, about ten bandits rushed out of the darkness. ¡¸oooi you, if you value your life, then that carriage¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡¸Illusion de Fleule¡¹ ¡¸Leave it¡­¡­.! And, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!¡¹ ¡¸uwaaaaaaa! Stop! Stop it! ¡¹ ¡¸hiiiiiiiiiiiiii, he, hel, help¡­¡­..¡¹ Some of the bandits tried to stop the carriage by coming in front of it, but they began to scream and shout for help as soon as Astarte used her hands to cast her magic spells. The same goes for those who were about to attack the carriages from the side, and those who were approaching from behind, each one of them went down. ¡¸¡­¡­windstorm¡¹ Then Mirage blew off the bandits in front of him by wind magic, and the carriage went on without slowing down as if nothing had happened. Astarte resumed her paperwork and Mirage used transfer magic to retrieve two test tubes filled with liquid. ¡¸Here, Tart-Chan, Mana potion. This is specially made by me; I think it is easier to drink than the ones in the market. ¡¹ Saying so, Mirage handed one of his special mana potions to Astarte and then gulped down the other one himself. Astarte who was staring at the test tube doubtfully, gulped down the potion as if decided after she saw Mirage drinking it. ¡¸uhu, uhu, fuuu¡­¡­¡­ truly, that peculiar bitterness and the tingling sensation that lingers in the throat have been greatly diminished. The flavor has also become a little sweeter. And I feel that the speed of recovery of magic is also quite high¡­ when did you develop such a thing? if it has such a quality, I think that it should be mass-produced even in the demon king army, but why is it not announced? ¡¹ ¡¸ I¡¯d like to do that, too, but the materials required for this are quite rare, so it is not suitable for mass production, also the consolidation of the mixture and magical power requires considerable skills. Up until now, I thought that I was the only one who could make it, but¡­¡­ I will teach Tart-Chan later. Your control of Magic when using the Illusion magic the other day and Combined magic just now was almost perfect. I think it won¡¯t be a problem for you at all Tart-Chan, considering the level you are at now. ¡¹ The technique of simultaneously using two magics to create new magic ¡ª Compound Magic ¡ª naturally requires a long time and an unusual rare talent to master it. Simultaneously using different magic at the same time is the pinnacle of the art of magic that requires a high level of skill, and it can be said to be the ultimate goal of a Mage¡¯s life. Further, the difficulty of compound magic greatly increases with the level of the magic combined, and Astarte combined her specialty Illusion magic and her tribe¡¯s inherent magic Brainwashing magic. Both Illusion magic and Brainwashing magic are magic techniques that use magic to influence the other party¡¯s brain and are extremely difficult to control even when used alone. At the same time, Astarte, who used it quickly and simultaneously against several distant opponents, has grown her ability to an immeasurable domain. ¡¸Like I told you yesterday, even if you flatter me like that, I will not decrease your work while we are on the move. Besides, when I compare myself with Mirage-Sama, I can say that I am still immature and have got a lot to learn. Also, it consumes a lot of magic and there are a lot of other things I have to improve, like its effective range and the number of people it affects at a time. ¡¹ ¡¸Tart-Chan is too serious. Even so, your skill has improved quite a lot compared to the time we first met. The name of the Maniac Astarte is going to become more and more popular. ¡¹ Maniac¡ªit is the alias of Astarte. Like with the bandits a while ago, those who were affected by Astarte¡¯s magic, have a fear of an object planted in them and then that fear is amplified using the Brainwashing magic and then they are made to experience that fear using the Illusion magic, usually leading to the subject fainting before letting out loud cry of agony. Making an opponent experience madness without even laying her hand on them has led to her being called as Maniac, but that given name is quite contradictory with Astarte¡¯s character, who loved tranquillity. ¡¸I don¡¯t even like that alias very much and¡­¡­. besides that to catch up with Mirage-Sama¡¯s hidden strength, I have to work harder. ¡¹ As usual, she responds in an expressionless and calm manner, but when he hears those words Mirage became tensed. ¡¸Oh, aha, wha, what are you talking about, Tart-Chan? If it is about the magic techniques, then I think that we are almost at the same level, or are you saying that you want to surpass me. I¡¯m very confident in a lot of magic techniques, but the important thing is its comprehension and application. ¡¹ Although agitated and almost dropping the reins, Mirage refutes Astarte with a dry laugh. Mirage thought that Astarte¡¯s recent ability has already surpassed the skills that he had shown in the Demon king¡¯s Army and that the day of the change of the 4 Heavenly kings was near. ¡¸I¡­ How many years do you think I¡¯ve been working under you Mirage-Sama? You¡¯re indeed hiding it pretty well, but I can tell that Mirage-Sama¡¯s ability is at a much higher level. This is could observe while working beside you. Of course, I think there is some reason, and honestly, I would like you to be a little more active with that power¡­but I have already given up on that. As I have already realized that Mirage-Sama is an excellent example of a good for nothing and useless boss. If you suddenly become serious, I will get goosebumps. ¡¹ Saying that Astarte stares at Mirage with reproachful eyes. Mirage was surprised and wondered why were there so many women with such sharp intuition around him, first there was Julia and now Tart-Chan. At the same, Mirage is very grateful for that and that is why he can¡¯t determine his answer. The Demon Falsa or the Human Falsa, the girls around him only know of one side, but the time when they become aware of the other side will soon and at the time their relationship will surely break. Mirage has a vague sense of unease that it was not long before the time when he would be forced to choose between being one of the 4 Heavenly King and the Mage of the Hero party. ¡¸Well ¡­¡­¡­ok. Thank you, Tart-Chan. I¡¯m very happy to have such an excellent subordinate like you. ¡¹ Perhaps he saw Julia¡¯s figure overlapping with her in some way, as Mirage began to stroke Astarte¡¯s silvery soft hair as well as her horns automatically without thinking. Astarte shoulders shook for a moment, but she resumed her paperwork as usual with an expressionless face, while Mirage continued stroking her hair with his left hand and grasping the reins with his right hand as he stared blankly into the darkness. In the dark, the carriage kept on going, relying solely on the light of the lamp. For a while, only the sound of little rusty wheels screeching resounded around the two of them. CH 17 The Fouche region is located in the southeast of the territory of the kingdom where the Falsa¡¯s group is traveling. The wheat-producing village where they had exterminated the orcs is located in the south-eastern part of the Fouche territory, Falsa¡¯s group was heading towards the capital of the territory which is located at the center, that is the group has traveled northwest from the farm village. In the capital of the Fouche region, which is similarly named Fouche, at the Manor of the Feudal lord a banquet was held in which the neighboring Nobles were invited. On the first floor of the Manor, in the hall, many people gathered, including many nobles, merchants who had connections with Feudal lord, and even his retained Mage, gathered together, and listened to the greetings of the lord. On the table, there are rows of gorgeous dishes, and it is obvious at a glance how much effort the Lord had put into tonight¡¯s dinner party. It is like a buffet system, there are small round-tables placed everywhere in the hall and all chairs have been placed close to the wall. Judging from the format, the gathering will be mainly for the networking of the participants. ¡¸Well then, we thank Fortuna-Sama for guiding our Hero-Sama and this meeting¡­¡­..Cheers. ¡¹ Wearing seemingly expensive jewelry, the Feudal lord of this region, who appears to be in his forties held his glass up high for a toast. He has a fine beard and although his body appears to slightly weak, still he appears to be firmer than the Orcs. Following the Feudal lord¡¯s words, the participants held up their glasses and the feast started with a similar toast. ¡¸Well now, for a Feudal lord of a rural area like me to greet Lord Speke in person makes me so nervous and I don¡¯t know what to say. ¡¹ ¡¸HaHaHa, Viscount Fouche must be joking. I am just an upstart with Magic. When compared to you, who is the head of the historic Fouche Family, I am so embarrassed that I can¡¯t walk with my big face. ¡¹ 1 The feudal lord of the region, Viscount Robes de Fouche, who had just made a toast on the platform, called to Falsa just after the Banquet began, and the conversation between the two began. Falsa is not dressed in black as usual but is dressed in formal attire and has properly groomed his hair, so from the perspective of the people around him, he looked like an elegant Noble. ¡¸Ha haha, as one would expect of sir, who is the youngest person in history to become the head of the imperial court mages. However, to be made Viscount in this generation, sir must be quite extraordinary¡­¡­ Are your parents perhaps an Eastern Noble or something? ¡¹ ¡¸No No, my parents were ordinary people who were born and raised in ordinary families. My mother had Eastern blood, but my father is from this country. The etiquettes of the nobles are a result of me learning it inevitably after I was appointed as a court mage. There are still many things that I haven¡¯t learned, so please be patient with me when I am rude. ¡¹ Falsa bowed to Viscount Fouche with his hand on his chest, and it was so refined that it did not seem like something that has been learned by a beginner. The reason why Viscount Fouche judged Falsa to be from the east is probably because of his black hair and black eyes. Black hair itself is not uncommon, but, when combined with black eyes, it is a characteristic of people living in the east, as mentioned in the book ¡¸Il Million ¡¹about the east, so this has become a common-sense among the trend-conscious Nobles. ¡¸Well, Lord Speke seems a rather humble man, if you have such a perfect etiquette than I think you should not have any unfavorable comparisons about yourself in the imperial courts. Now ¡­¡­. would you please introduce me to these beautiful ladies behind you? ¡¹ Viscount Fouche remarks as he looked at the three people standing behind Falsa, namely Julia, Zenobia, and Palmina. Although It has already been decided that the dinner party will be held this evening by the exchange of the letter which had been done in advance, but now is the first time that Viscount Fouche and Julia¡¯s group of three have met face-to-face. It was already near evening when they arrived in the capital of Fouche, and Julia¡¯s group was in a hurry to get ready, so only Falsa had met him in person before the Banquet. ¡¸I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t notice this. I will introduce you immediately. Julia-Dono, please come here. ¡¹ Following the voice of Falsa, Julia slowly approaches them. An elegant blue dress with a little femininity and the already slender waist of Julia was further drawn in by the corset. And the breasts appear to be a little bigger under the influence of the correction underwear, moreover, the dress itself is designed with a lot of lace around the breast, it seems to be skillfully designed to deceive so that one can¡¯t tell the original size at a glance.2 There are also Fashion accessories are worn around the neck and hair, insisting on its existence to the extent that it is not unpleasant and the most important thing is the sapphire earrings presented by Falsa. This was worn with the strong wishes of Julia, and even though it is somewhat inferior compared to other expensive ornaments, but when combined with the color of the dress it didn¡¯t break the overall balance. ¡¸Viscount Fouche-Sama, I am very thankful for such a great reception. I am the hero of the current generation, Julia. ¡¹ Julia pinched both ends of her dress, pulled her left foot diagonally back, and bowed with her back straight while bending her right knee lightly. Courtesy, is the common greeting of women, not only in this country but also in the surrounding countries. Judging from the actions of Julia, she can be said to be the daughter of some noble, but this is the result of the guidance of the other three people. Falsa, Zenobia and Palmina, the three instructors of the Hero, teach not only swords and magic but also history, economics, mathematics, religious science as well as such etiquettes. Even though she had considerable difficulty with etiquette among them, she had come to a level where it was not a problem for her to greet others in this way. ¡¸ This is ¡­ this is¡­¡­, when I heard about Hero-Sama, I imagined a more heroic person¡­. that¡­¡­turning out to be such a lovely Ojou-san. Excuse my impoliteness, I¡¯m Robes de Fouche, it¡¯s nice to meet you. ¡¹ Viscount Fouche, perhaps surprised to see Julia¡¯s appearance, is at a loss for words, but as one would expect of a Feudal lord, he quickly recovers himself and returned the greeting in a noble¡¯s manner. However, his eyes repeatedly look at Julia¡¯s hair, and his feelings of interest and puzzlement are evident. ¡¸I think Viscount Fouche is acquainted with the next person, Miss Zenobia, please come here. ¡¹ Falsa thinks that too long a contact will cause faults to appear, and he immediately begins introducing Zenobia. It is not unusual to introduce Zenobia, who is a noble¡¯s daughter and a knight first, rather than Julia, but since she is a hero, the standard order becomes first Julia, then Zenobia and then Palmina. However, if the event is a gathering of church officials, then the order becomes first Julia, then Palmina and then Zenobia. And Falsa who is male and holds a peerage acts as an escort in any event, so it is common for him to be the first one to be greeted. Of course, since he is entangled with three beautiful women every day, he has become used to the scorching gazes of those around him, which he is bathing in even now. In fact, the surrounding nobles and guests were waiting for Viscount Fouche, who was the host of the banquet, to finish greeting the Hero party, the guest of Honour. Of course, he was able to hear them, but his gaze was naturally directed towards the three beautiful people. It is no wonder that the young head of the Imperial Court mage, who accompanies these three people, gathers many gazes of envy and jealousy. ¡¸ I¡¯m the eldest daughter of the Ctesiphon family, Zenobia de Ctesiphon. It¡¯s nice to meet Viscount Fouche, hope you are doing well. ¡¹ ¡¸oo! Do you remember me? I¡¯ve met you at the ball in the imperial court. That little adorable Ojou-san is now the leader of the White lily Knights, and the exclusive instructor of the Hero-Sama, well haa, time goes by quickly. Is your Father Marquis Ctesiphon doing well?¡¹ Wearing a black dress with a wide-open chest and back, and with her proud long golden hair down, she indeed looked like the daughter of a great aristocrat. Although there was a lot of skin exposures, it was not vulgar at all, but instead, it emphasized her elegance and it fully brings out the dignity and beauty of the Zenobia who is tall for a woman. There were also several pieces of jewelry that were proudly chosen by Zenobia herself from several places, each one of which emitted a unique radiance. Naturally, just like Julia, she is also wearing the Barrette which Falsa gifted her. Besides, Zenobia and Viscount Fouche have met in the past through the Marquis Ctesiphon, Zenobia¡¯s father. Zenobia was a child at that time, and she hardly remembers it, but it was rude to forget the people they once met according to the noble¡¯s etiquette. In fact, they don¡¯t even remember each other¡¯s faces, but since there are a lot of troublesome rules for nobles, they meet each other with a tacit understanding. Like the exchange between Falsa and Viscount Fouche just now was nothing but them using polished words to uplift the other party, this is one of the tacit understanding of the nobles for greeting each other. The presence of Zenobia, who was the daughter of the great noble Marquis Ctesiphon and the head of the White Lily Knights, one of the royal knights, would not fail to attract the interest of Viscount Fouche, Falsa sighed in his mind that the conversation was likely to be long. CH 18 ¡¸ To tell you honestly, I have been troubled because he is a little too well. Even now when there is a spotting of a Demon or a bandit in the territory, he charges in the front and leads the soldiers on his own to exterminate them. He says that he has retired from the order of Knights, but I don¡¯t understand what it was for. ¡¹ ¡¸Hohou, if I remember correctly, Marquis Ctesiphon should already be over fifty years old. He is still active Huh, as one would expect of the one called Fierce God. I¡¯m also letting my son be in charge of everything in the territory, so it¡¯s like a Half-retirement for me too. By the way¡ª¡ª- ¡¹ Zenobia¡¯s father, Marquis Ctesiphon, is nicknamed as Fierce God because of his strength, he has led the Kingdoms Army many times as a general and has brought victory in many battles. Originally, the Ctesiphon family is a Military family, and most of its descendants including Zenobia, are the member of Royal knights. Currently, he had to announce his retirement in consideration of his age and live in his territory as a Marquis which he rules, but as Zenobia said with a wry smile, he continues to put himself in battles. ¡¸ ¡ª Viscount Fouche, when a married man monopolizes a beautiful woman, the bachelors will begin to complain. May I move on to the next introduction? ¡¹ With a joking remark, Falsa tries to end the long-running conversation of Viscount Fouche and move on to the introduction of Palmina. It is natural for a Noble to try to make a connection with Zenobia, the daughter of a Marquis and the Leader of White lily Knights, but it is time for greetings right now. Until Viscount Fouche, the host finishes talking to them, other guests can¡¯t talk to them, so if he takes too long talking to them, he will be frowned upon by the guests. Falsa austerely wrapped it as a funny story of him monopolizing a beautiful woman, he saved the face of Viscount Fouche by doing so and him taking such approach was perhaps also mixed with his real intention of finishing up such trifles quickly. ¡¸Oops, what did I do, it seems this mouth unintentionally became very fluent, seeing Miss Zenobia¡¯s overwhelming beauty. ¡­¡­. Sir Speke, please continue ¡¹ Whether or not Lord Fouche understood Falsa¡¯s intention, he decided to accept his proposal. ¡¸And now, Miss Palmina, please come this way. ¡¹ Palmina who had been kept waiting for Julia and Zenobia, walked forward slowly, step by step, with a smile on her face. Wearing a white dress, which gives an impression of being neat and clean, and in contrast to Zenobia, her dress had very little skin exposure. The ornaments were also worn at a bare minimum and those also appeared to be very plain at a glance. This is not to say that Palmina is financially troubled, but she is keeping her dogma as a priest of the Fortuna, that is, she is a believer. ¡ª- Thou, shall not waste time on wasteful extravagance, but guides those to the goddess who strays¡ª¨C This teaching has been handed down from time immemorial to the followers of Fortuna, and the wasteful extravagance here does not mean that money should never be spent. It is a surprisingly realistic doctrine that, instead of spending money in vain, you should use it as per the circumstances or occasion, and if there is a person who is in trouble near you, you should help him or her to the extent that you can afford to. Therefore, the quality of the dress and the ornaments themselves are prepared for the occasion, but they are kept in the range that it is not viewed as wasteful by others. ¡¸Thank you for inviting me today. I¡¯m Goddess Fortuna¡¯s priest Palmina. This meeting is due to the blessings of Goddess-Sama, I thank you for this fate. ¡¹ Palmina bows with her right hand against the necklace on her chest and pinched the end of her dress with her left hand. Her figure was as beautiful as if the goddess herself had appeared in the mortal world, and in an instant, she attracted the attention of those around her. ¡¸Oo, I have heard rumors about the saint-Sama of the church and¡­¡­. how beautiful she. Oops, that was rude. I am Robes de Fouche, the ruler of this territory. It is the blessing of Goddess Fortuna-Sama, that we can meet Saint Palmina-Sama¡¹ Viscount Fouche, though never a pious believer, read the atmosphere of the occasion and greeted Palmina imitating her. The charm of Palmina makes you automatically think that it is natural to do so. The people in this venue also realized now that the reputation of the saint Palmina is more than just a rumor. ¡¸Although I¡¯m a little sad to say this ¡­¡­., there are a lot of people waiting to greet you all, so I¡¯m going to take my leave now. ¡¹ After greeting Palmina Viscount Fouche cuts himself up and left so that it does not become the same as the conversation with Julia all over again. Starting with the departure of Viscount Fouche, nobles and merchants, who had been waiting on the side, began to flock around her one after the other. ¡¸ I have an eighteen-year-old son, who is a devout believer of Goddess Fortuna¡­¡­..¡¹ ¡¸My son is a member of Kingdoms Knights; he is filled with sincerity and Chivalry¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸AAah, in front of your beauty, the goddess Fortuna will also be jealous¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸My chamber of commerce makes a large donation to church every year, and I am proud to support Goddess Fortuna-Sama¡¯s financial aspects¡­¡­ ¡¹ The most popular one, after all, is always Palmina. Originally, in a banquet of nobles it is standard for the host to be greeted first followed by the highest-ranking nobles, but in a buffet like this banquet where there are low-ranking nobles below the rank of Viscount it does not apply. Most of the people here are barons, quasi-barons or knights less than the rank of a viscount and some people among them were merchants also who had both money and power. Therefore, it becomes a little complicated if you decide superiority or inferiority among them, so the banquet becomes free for all after the host¡¯s greeting is completed. Given such circumstances, it is self-evident that Palmina, who is the embodiment of an ideal woman, is being approached for marriage one after another. While bringing up the proposal of marrying their son, many are staring at Palmina¡¯s breasts, the lamentable nature of a man. Her large breasts, which could not be usually hidden in the loose-fitting Nuns dress, were pushed up further by her dress and hid quite an extraordinary destructive power. However, Palmina did not look displeased facing such obscene looks and responded with a familiar smile on her face. ¡¸Ufufu, I¡¯m grateful for your proposal, but I¡¯m still in training. Now that I have devoted myself to Goddess Fortuna-Sama, I shall not be able to marry anyone. ¡¹ Although Palmina refuses by saying that, the people around her do not seem to be disappointed, and on the contrary, Palmina¡¯s popularity increases. A reason, that splendid elegance, a reason, that the firm upholding of sense of virtue which is rare nowadays, a reason, that contrast of reserved personality with that ¡°making one unable to hold back¡± breasts is truly artistic. There seem to be some perverted characters mixed in too, but even so, Palmina¡¯s smile didn¡¯t fade away. Whenever Palmina smiles, she closes her lips lightly, her eyes are half-closed, and her eyebrows are slightly lowered to give a tender impression. This is one of the manners taught by the nuns in the church, and for Palmina, who had lived in the church since she was a child, that expression seems to naturally come to her. No matter how unreasonable or rude the other party is, Palmina never gets angry or becomes frightened or shy, and smiles without taking a step back. Somehow, she came to be called a saint by those who saw such a bearing of Palmina and her extraordinary power of Holy magic. ¡¸ I would very much like to cross swords with Zenobia-Dono once. If I win, I wish to go out with you. ¡¹ ¡¸I think I am more suited to the Ctesiphon family, who can be said to be the symbol of the military than such a man. Zenobia-Dono, let¡¯s walk the rest of our life from this point on together. ¡¹ ¡¸Zenobia-OneeSama, let¡¯s not talk with such violent people, we can just go over there and talk. ¡¹ The second most popular is Zenobia. Although she does not have an elegance like Palmina while she is holding a sword, it seems there are still many men as well as women who are thinking about marrying her, both because of her beauty and strength as well as her family lineage. The men talk about how suitable they are standing next to Zenobia while clasping a sword, while the women are looking at the dignified Zenobia with an admiring gaze. ¡¸I am very happy to hear your offer. However, I am still training, and currently, I am only thinking about wielding my sword. And it would be very pleasant to have a private and female bonding conversation with you beautiful women, but this here is a place for socializing. It is a lady¡¯s etiquettes to not only pay attention to those of the same gender but also to those of the opposite gender. ¡¹ As a girl from a Marquis family, as well as a knight she was handling the situation appropriately, and her appearance is very different from the usual. Unlike her time with Falsa, she responds to men without any nervousness and treats women in a noble and dignified manner. The men looked a little disappointed, but the women looked at the Zenobia with an even more passionate look, as if enraptured by her manners which seemed to be like of the princes and knights from those stories for women. In this way, there is no end to the people around Palmina and Zenobia, but the other two members of the Hero party, Falsa, and Julia, have disappeared from the venue at some point in between this. CH 19 The head of the imperial court mages, Viscount Falsa Speke. Although he is a young man who stands at the top of the Mages in the kingdom, he is by no means well-received by all the nobles. Of course, there are some friendly people also like the court magicians, some members of the Royal family and people of the order of Knights, but the so-called upstart Falsa is hated by those historical Noble families who valued the bloodline. These nobles are the so-called pureblood or the pedigree, they believe that they have the high-class ¡¸blue blood¡¹ flowing through them and that ¡¸polluted blood¡¹ flows through the commoners, nobles with a little history and upstarts like Falsa. The origin of the pureblood faction comes from a legitimate reason, that the upstart nobles like Falsa often behave in a rude and impolite manner. Since there childhood they received high-class education as a noble, and only after they were filled with substance were, they considered to be genuine nobles, not just a sham¡­¡­..originally, this idea was mainstream. 1 However, before long, this idea has become a mere formality and now it has transformed into a distorted sense of values that emphasized the history and bloodline of the family. ¡¸Isn¡¯t it lonely, sitting here all alone by yourself, Ojou-Sama? ¡¹ Falsa who was surrounded by women a while ago somehow managed to slip from the banquet hall using his eloquent mouth and went to the courtyard. Where a girl in a blue dress sat on a bench with her legs crossed and he called out to her in a gentle and yet a little pretentious tone. ¡¸not particularly¡­¡­. it always the same, so I don¡¯t feel lonely. Rather is it okay with Fal-Ani to slip out like that? Since you were infatuated with being surrounded by those beautiful girls, so I thought you didn¡¯t care about me. ¡¹ Julia replied, looking a little sulky. Although Falsa is not well received by the nobilities who value bloodline, he is very popular among the noble ladies with his young age, tall height, his social standing, and power as well as his handsome face added together with those black hair and black eyes which gave a mysterious air to him. Mostly men gather around Palmina, both men and women around Zenobia and Women around Falsa, the three splendidly meet the demand of three kinds of people. ¡¸I haven¡¯t forgotten about Julia since I met you. I can excuse that, but I don¡¯t remember being infatuated. I hope you wouldn¡¯t make such a baseless accusation. ¡¹ Sitting next to Julia, Falsa replied while gently stroking her soft white hair as usual. It seems like a conversation between lovers, but Falsa doesn¡¯t have that kind of intention and Julia seems to understand that. ¡¸That¡¯s the way of speaking of Fal-Ani which keeps creating a misunderstanding and the number of victims keeps increasing. Really, you will be stabbed by a girl someday without even realizing it. ¡¹ Even though Julia was criticizing him; she rested her head on Falsa¡¯s shoulder while holding her knees with a happy expression. If he is ever stabbed by anyone from behind, it would certainly be Julia, Falsa thought about a very disturbing thing. ¡¸¡­ yes, I suppose I must be prepared to be stabbed. I think I often gather grudges. ¡¹ ¡¸As long as you are conscious of it, it¡¯s Ok, but Fal-Ani really has to be careful. I think that the Black-bellied Princess is the most dangerous of all. ¡¹ Julia and Falsa¡¯s words are the same, but their meanings are completely different. However, Falsa changes the direction of the conversation by going along with Julia¡¯s interpretation so that she doesn¡¯t realize that. ¡¸It¡¯s tough for her to hear that she is a black-bellied princess. But as Julia says, if I remember correctly, ¡¸ she is black to the core ¡¹. ¡¹ A laugh arose between the two and the somber atmosphere just now blew away. The Black-Bellied princess is the First princess of this country, the benefactor who helped Falsa to become a court magician ¡­. no, she is the culprit and, in a sense, the person who brought Falsa and Julia together. They do not hate the princess, but they call her Black-Bellied Princess because they recognize her ability. Of course, hell will break loose if she hears about this, but since this place is far from the imperial capital, there is no need to worry about it. ¡¸Speaking of which, are we going back to imperial capital once after this? I¡¯ve seen many places, but it¡¯s the best place to live. ¡¹ ¡¸Yes, as soon as we are done with our task here, we shall move towards the Imperial capital. But that depends on tonight as Zenobia and Palmina are still gathering information now. ¡¹ Although there is no one around them, Falsa still speaks to Julia secretly. He also activated anti-intelligence magic secretly to prevent eavesdropping by magic, not wanting to take any chances. ¡¸I feel a little guilty. We are here idling around in the courtyard, leaving everything to the two of them. ¡¹ ¡¸¡­. Julia, although it is a delicate subject to talk about here, I¡¯ve already finished collecting information. ¡¹ When Falsa replied with an awkward expression, Julia¡¯s face was filled with wonder. ¡¸ Huh? When? Where? How? I know Fal-Ani works fast, but this is too fast! Are you going to say that Fal-Ani¡¯s womanizing skills have improved even more without my knowledge? ¡¹ They arrived in the city near the evening and had to take part in the banquet soon after that. That¡¯s why Julia thought that they practically didn¡¯t have time to gather information at all. So, she suspects that Falsa might have seduced the maid of the mansion. Falsa sighed, thinking he didn¡¯t have such extraordinary skill. Julia jolted Falsa¡¯s shoulders impatiently and tried to find out the truth, and his expression turned into an expression of disbelief. ¡¸Well, calm down a little, Julia, I didn¡¯t gather any information in that short time, either, but I happened to pick up an interesting rumor, and I probed on that line. I will tell you about it in detail after Zenobia and Palmina join in, so please excuse me for not telling me right now. ¡¹ Falsa gently pats Julia¡¯s head as if he was looking at his troubled sister. Even though he was using the anti-intelligence magic, Falsa decides that it was not a topic to be talked about in the open courtyard and upon realizing that it, Julia calmed down. ¡¸ Well, then it will be a little later. It¡¯s not good to stay in the courtyard all the time, so why don¡¯t we go back to the hall now? If Fal-ani is with me, I¡¯ll be all right. ¡¹ The banquet is still half left and there is a long way to go, so they can¡¯t stay out forever. Of course, Julia and Falsa both understood it, but Falsa thought it was surprising that Julia would say so herself. As Julia¡¯s presence attracts a curious glance from people in many places, she behaved as inconspicuously as possible until now. Since Julia herself was also reluctant to appear before the public, Falsa was concerned about her and came looking for her in the courtyard. It is rude to the organizers to leave the banquet for a long time, and this, of course, lowers Falsa¡¯s reputation. However, Falsa thought it was all right to give up on such a reputation for Julia. He doesn¡¯t do what doesn¡¯t have to do and does what he has to do quickly, but he understands that trust and reputation are more important in human society than in demons. Even if he wants to do things quickly, there are 50 thousand things he can¡¯t do without trust, however, Falsa prioritizes Julia over his creed. It is not affection or love or any fickle feeling, there are darker emotions behind it, Falsa till now and in the future, will continue to treat her similarly, so that Julia doesn¡¯t sense that. ¡¸If Julia is okay, I don¡¯t mind, but is it okay? You don¡¯t have to overdo it this time. ¡¹ ¡¸ Yes, thank you for your concern. But I¡¯m fine¡­ I don¡¯t care what happens if Far brother is next to me like this! ¡¹ Contrary to Falsa, who looks worried, Julia smiles and clings to Falsa¡¯s arms. It seems she is planning to return to the venue like this and spend the rest of the time with Falsa. How will it look to the people in the banquet, a little Hero and her guard wizard, a man, and woman who have pledged love, or else a close relationship between a brother and sister? However, Falsa does not seem to care about it and goes to the banquet hall with Julia holding his arms. No one here could ever know that this appearance of the two will be passed down to the future generation and that it will become a famous scene in the play ¡¸Disguised Wizard and the White Hero¡¹. CH 20 Almost around midnight, three females and a male were gathered secretly in a room in the feudal lord¡¯s mansion. ¡¸Well, I have finished setting up the ant-intelligence magic, so let¡¯s organize the information that everyone has gathered. ¡¹ The room is dim as only a little lighting was used, but it didn¡¯t concern them, they were sitting on the sofa in a relaxed manner and Falsa was dividing the space. Even though it was already late at night, he still seems to be acting as Falsa. Palmina sat on the left of Falsa, her feet closed and her hands on her lap, smiling as usual. And, Julia who sat face-to-face with Falsa was jumping up and down to check the feel of the fluffy sofa and Zenobia who is sitting diagonally to him had her arms folded and eyes closed. They were dressed in black robes, nuns dress, leather jacket and hot, and Armor for battle respectively. And in Julia¡¯s ears and on Zenobia¡¯s hair, the silvery shining ornaments, which they had put on for the banquet, were secretly asserting their existence. ¡¸ By the way, Fal-Ani¡¯s magic invocation is as fast as ever. I thought about it when I was in the courtyard too, how often have you been using Anti-intelligence magic. Is there something that you are guilty of and don¡¯t want us to hear? ¡¹ Anti-intelligence magic, as its name suggests, magic used to prevent others from listening to one¡¯s conversation. Voice is sound, the sound is sound waves¡ªwaves travel through the air¡ª, the true nature of this magic is that it creates a disturbance in the waveform itself and absorbs a large part of the sound¡ªor more precisely the magic affects a substance by drastically increasing its attenuation coefficient.1 In plain language, it is a magic spell that creates a sound-proof space anywhere. Falsa had invoked it onto the walls in every side of the room, as well as to the floor and ceiling, to be fully prepared for the current meeting. The room is more like an anechoic chamber or a soundproof room and the four of them were surrounded by a unique sense of floating. ¡¸I don¡¯t have anything ¡­¡­¡­ that I am guilty about. I just use it frequently for work. I think Julia should know that as well, right? ¡¹ Falsa responds with a little joke to Julia¡¯s questioning. As far as the invocation of magic is concerned, it is commonly accepted fact among the modern-day mages that it gradually becomes faster with repeated use of a magic earnestly. Originally, it is common to take time while chanting to refine a magic like the time with the Orc subjugation, when Falsa took time to chant¨Cactually acted ¨Cthe Flame Magic. However, naturally, there is no reason to wait patiently for the magic to be refined while facing an enemy, and those who are famous Mages tend to emphasize the speed of invocation. Of course, the more large-scale the magic is, the more time it takes and each of them is increasing the invocation speed of the magic they are good at. And as an imperial court mage or even as noble¡¯s retained mage, it is essential to master anti-intelligence magic, as it is used not only for inter-country meetings but also for many important occasions such as confidential conversations between royalty and nobles. ¡¸ Ufufu, Julia-Chan, don¡¯t bully Falsa-Kun too much. Indeed, Falsa-Kun is also at fault for giving presents to two girls at the same time, but let¡¯s talk about work now. ¡¹ Palmina¡¯s remark froze the atmosphere in an instant, and silence took over the scene. Julia inadvertently put her hand close to her ear to hide its presence, and Zenobia, with her arms folded, remained motionless¡­ no, her knees trembled slightly, and a drop of sweat ran down her cheeks. Falsa, who was facing towards Julia, also became solidified and was thinking about the best way to get through this situation. ¡¸HUh? What¡¯s wrong with the three of you? Don¡¯t mind me, you can proceed with the talk. ¡¹ Palmina, with her usual smile, leaned her head to the side with her forefinger on her chin. This gesture is very cute and has a charm different from what Palmina shows herself to be in public, but for the other three people, this seems to be intimidating. Julia and Zenobia are naturally aware of each other getting the earring and hair ornament¡ªthe barrette respectively. It¡¯s only natural to be very interested in seeing an ornament that one has never seen before, moreover, when it was especially worn at the banquet. However, there was a tacit understanding among the party of one man and three women that no one would start a topic that would cause unnecessary feud among them, which caused a misunderstanding to be born. Julia and Zenobia both had thought until a while ago that Palmina had received something from Falsa in the same way as them. Palmina never shows a flippant attitude, always acting like a saint, smiling quietly even in a room without the eyes of others, reading the Bible or praying. Therefore, Julia and Zenobia thought that even if she got something from Falsa, she would not expressively admire it in public, nor would she wear that the banquet, so although they were curious about her present, they didn¡¯t probe deeply about it. However, as far as they heard earlier from Palmina, Falsa gave nothing to her alone, so how on earth did Julia and Zenobia¡¯s actions thus far look like? Wasn¡¯t it normal for her to think, that the two were boasting about the present from a man, which she didn¡¯t receive? ¡¸A-,nn-,nnn, Pa, Pal Mina-San, would you mind me making a small proposal before proceeding to talk about work?¡¹ Falsa repeatedly cleared his throat, then turned towards his left to face Palmina and began to speak. Falsa was the only one who would be able to hold the scene, with this thought Julia and Zenobia watched the two of them closely, while completely erasing their presence. It seems that Zenobia, who is a first-class warrior, and Julia, who can be said to be her disciple, erased their presence perfectly and seemed like an object. ¡¸Oh my, Falsa-Kun is speaking strangely. Are you nervous? ¡¹ ¡¸That, since there¡¯s such a pretty woman sitting next to me, it would be strange for a man not to be nervous. ¡¹ It seems that Falsa has returned to his usual style, as words began to come out from his mouth with a jaunty rhythm. With Palmina, Falsa believes that he can¡¯t deceive her like Zenobia and Julia. It¡¯s not that Zenobia can¡¯t use a certain degree of rhetoric from her experience as a Marquis¡¯s daughter, but her pride and character as a knight hinder her, which doesn¡¯t allow her fundamentals to be bent, and this inflexibility is a flaw, which she is aware of. Julia¡¯s character is na?ve and free-spirited, so she doesn¡¯t care about the details, and easily show her emotions. Both have easy-to-understand characters and their attitudes towards Falsa are lenient, so putting it in a bad way, they are very easy to handle. ¡¸Falsa-Kun you are quite good. Don¡¯t lie to me that you are nervous sitting next to me when you can fully grab any girl¡¯s heart. ¡¹ However, Palmina alone is different and in a way the worst, she is good at discerning people, yet doesn¡¯t reveal it and no matter how unpleasant a person is with her, she always maintains her manner as a saint. Her face as a girl, which Palmina only shows to her close people, appears occasionally in this group of 4 people. But as Palmina doesn¡¯t completely disintegrate her attitude as a saint, it is very difficult to understand the feeling held by her. In the current situation, she might only be a little angry for being the only one left out of the group, but she seems even more frightening, as they are not able to perceive the extent of her anger at all. Palmina, whose tone of voice is no different from usual mixed, only with a little sarcasm, appears to be sulking a little and seems like a woman holding back her feelings of jealousy. A person¡¯s psychology is quite a fascinating thing, it is strange for one to feel more fear than necessary of the person whose bottom line cannot be seen. ¡¸I think Palmina knows the best whether it is a lie or not. If you check my eyes, you can clearly see what¡¯s in my heart, can¡¯t you? ¡¹ As he spoke, Falsa took Palmina¡¯s hand naturally, wrapped it in his own hands, and looked into her eyes. Usually, Julia and Zenobia should protest around here, but Julia is sitting on the sofa, huddled up, and Zenobia is sitting like a statue with her arms folded and eyes closed. They seem to have decided not to disturb Falsa and leave everything to him. ¡¸¡­¡­. I don¡¯t know, Falsa Kun¡¯s eyes are shining strangely. And I¡¯m feeling a little embarrassed when you hold my hand like this. ¡¹ ¡¸I will not let you look away, nor will I let you escape from my hands until you believe me¡¹ ¡¸ I¡­¡­.I think Falsa-Kun will be stabbed by a girl someday. I advise you to confess before you commit too many sins. ¡¹ ¡¸There are so many things to confess, but I think there is one thing that I have to confess to Palmina right now. ¡¹ They keep on looking at each other and talking as if they are lovers talking about love. And then when he was able to get to the main point, Falsa resolutely decides in his mind. ¡¸Palmina¡­¡­. excuse my rudeness¡¹ ¡¸what rudeness¡­¡­. Kyaaaa!¡¹ As soon as he says so, Falsa puts his hands behind Palmina and draws her body towards him. Palmina who appeared to be hugged by Falsa was plunged onto his chest while she let out a cute little scream. CH 21 ¡¸u, um, Falsa-Kun? Calm down a little, ok? It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like you or anything like that, but I think we should give a little more time to understand each other. Of course, we are already acquainted, but this is too sudden, we can first start off by exchanging letters and then build our relationship gradually from there and I hope¡­¡­. ¡¹ Palmina raised a few hasty protests, which are rare, but she does not seem to be showing any resistance. The figurehead Julia opens her eyes wide, while the statue Zenobia has deep wrinkles between her eyebrows, but neither of them moves any further. Seeing that some trouble might occur in this situation, Falsa moved his hands from the back of the neck of Palmina to her shoulder and started to slowly push her while pulling away from her body gently. ¡¸Huh? What? Falsa-Kun? ¡­.. aaa! That¡¯s what it was. ¡¹ Palmina finds a glistening sliver object on her chest and lets out a voice of understanding. ¡¸I¡¯m sorry Palmina that yours was the only one which was late, but I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. I wanted the two of us to be alone before giving this to you. It would have been better if the timing had been a little different¡­ what do you think? ¡¹ It was yesterday that he brought Barrette as a present for Zenobia. Then Julia¡¯s interrogation began and after he gave her the earrings, he started moving with Astarte as one of the 4 Heavenly King Mirage, to the Wolf-Demons territory. However, because of being late for the scheduled journey, he returned late by transfer magic and as a result, his schedule for today was almost deadlocked. He rushed towards the regional capital of Fouche after transferring, but was unfortunate enough to meet monsters and bandits on the way and so they arrived quite later than expected. After reaching the Feudal lord¡¯s mansion, the women were busy taking bath and changing clothes, then just after that, the banquet started and so there was no time for Falsa and Palmina to be alone together. Falsa thought that the situation was also important for giving presents and intended to time it, but his miscalculations were Zenobia and Julia. ¡¸I wanted to wear this necklace and attend the banquet¡­¡­¡­ what do you think about that, Falsa-Kun? ¡¹ With the exception of Palmina, the other two appeared at the Banquet wearing Falsa¡¯s present and are still wearing it, and it seems that she is sulking because of that. ¡¸I know that you are just playing with me. As I can assure you that you won¡¯t wear an ornament unfit for the occasion. ¡¹ ¡¸But still, I am a little hurt. Falsa-Kun is such a bad boy, you first hurt a girl and then abandon her. ¡¹ Palmina who had turned sideways said so with a sullen expression. Even though Falsa thought this was unusual behavior from her, he scratched his head and made another suggestion. ¡¸It¡¯s true that I gave you a feeling of alienation¡­¡­ well, how about going to watch Palmina¡¯s favorite play when we return to the Imperial capital? This unworthy, Falsa Speke will escort you Ojou-Sama. ¡¹ Falsa stood up from the sofa, moves in front of Palmina and Kneels while saying that. Then he took Palmina¡¯s right hand, slowly brought his mouth close to its back, and kissed it Originally, this gesture was performed by upper-class people and was an expression of the highest level of respect from men to women, but now it is just an old custom that can only be seen in a play or at a ceremony. However, Falsa went as far as practicing it in front of play-loving Palmina and acted like a knight who was loyal to the princess. ¡¸Hmm, I will give you 25 points. Since I don¡¯t have other options, I will just give you barely a pass. ¡¹ ¡¸Well, I¡¯m glad I got a passing grade, but can I ask you why you deducted 75 points? ¡¹ With Palmina¡¯s announcement, it seems that this time¡¯s turmoil has been settled. And as for Falsa who was proud of his conduct, asked about the details of the grading of Palmina, as he wasn¡¯t convinced about the evaluation he got. ¡¸There are 2 points for the deduction. First, you forcibly came closer to me and hugged me so minus 30 points for that. Second, you similarly kissed the back of my hand Minus 20 for that. You are not supposed to touch the body of a woman who you¡¯re not dating. ¡¹ ¡¸I understand the reason for the deduction, but then the calculation doesn¡¯t add up correctly. Where did the 25 points go? ¡¹ There was a reason for Falsa¡¯s forceful hug, it was a mental calculation from him to make the other party incapable of making a calm decision by such unpredictable action. As a matter of fact, that was a correct decision in that situation, from the point when he shifted her attention by hanging the necklace around her neck, Palmina¡¯s emotions changed from anger to surprise, and then further transformed to Joy. The change in emotion two times¡ª to be precise three times as she was surprised two times¡ª- was enough to diminish the anger which existed initially in Palmina, and the result of it is her current state. However, this resulted in her calming down, and given Palmina¡¯s personality, it was inevitable that his points were deducted. ¡¸The twenty-five points, you see, are a secret to the bad boy, Falsa-Kun. I¡¯m looking forward to the play at the Imperial capital. ¡¹ Palmina with a mischievous smile on her face was from her usual saintliness and looked everything like a 19-year-old girl. Falsa thought in his mind that he couldn¡¯t have done anything better than this against her, that¡¯s when the figurehead suddenly began to move. ¡¸Wai, wai wai wai, wait a minute! What do you intend to by ignoring us and creating such a nice atmosphere huh? What exactly decided that Fal-ani and Pal-Ane will go out! ¡¹ ¡¸that¡¯s, that¡¯s right! Both Palmina-Dono and Falsa-Dono suddenly made a promise, What the heck just happened here? It seems that Palmina-Dono was angry just a while ago, but what¡¯s with the atmosphere right now! I am not able to understand it at all! ¡¹ It¡¯s no wonder the two of them raised a voice of protest. Looking from the side, they saw Palmina getting angry, Falsa hugging her to give her a present and then promising her a date. ¡¸aa-, Both of us were deceived by Palmina. In reality, she wasn¡¯t that angry, she was just enjoying our reaction, right Pal Mina? ¡¹ ¡¸tee-hee, it¡¯s simply useless to realize it now Falsa-Kun, but when did you start to notice? I am seriously surprised. ¡¹ ¡¸Since when you ask¡­¡­. I suppose I was suspicious from the beginning, you said with a conviction that you wanted to attend the banquet, wearing the necklace. Considering Palmina¡¯s character, it was odd for you to talk about it sarcastically, and the matter about wearing it to the banquet was far from impossible. Now, when I think about it, it is true that you were a little upset about being ostracized, considering Zenobia¡¯s and Julia¡¯s actions, but I don¡¯t think Palmina is petty enough to get that angry just because of that¡­¡­. but I was flustered at first. ¡¹ After Falsa¡¯s explanation, Julia and Zenobia¡¯s mouth were opened wide and they had a blank expression on their face. It may not be surprising, that they were covered in a cold sweat as they witnessed the exchange (farce) between Falsa and Palmina up close. However, Julia, who has a good intuition, noticed something strange again and raised her voice over that. ¡¸I understand that you two were playing a farce halfway through the exchange, but then I don¡¯t think Fal-Ani must invite her to the play, right? You could have ended it there when you noticed it. You certainly did not have to especially give in to Pal-Ane¡¯s desire ¡­¡­ no!? ¡¹ ¡¸¡­. Pa, Palmina-Dono! Don¡¯t tell me that is what you were aiming for from the start!? Just before returning to the Imperial capital, did you use the action of me and Julia!? ¡¹ At the words of Julia, Zenobia also noticed an incongruity in Palmina¡¯s actions and exclaimed in surprise again. While facing Julia and Zenobia, Palmina¡¯s usual saintly smile has returned and she is not shaken at all. The protective wall like Saintly smile appearance of Palmina, which has been cultivated during her 19 years of age was thick and will not be shaken by the likes Julia and Zenobia. ¡¸Oh my, calm down you two. I think there is a misunderstanding, but if I hadn¡¯t acted like this, Julia-Chan and Zenobia-Chan would have remained frivolous like this for a long time, right? Especially Zenobia-Chan, wearing a hair ornament inappropriate for a Marquis¡¯s daughter, I think the sharp-sighted people would have already noticed the incongruity. Actually, some people came to me to ask about Zenobia-Chan¡¯s relationship, I think it was a little careless on your part, wasn¡¯t it? ¡¹ The Barette presented by Falsa to Zenobia is an expensive item, but it is disproportionate with her status as a Marquis¡¯s daughter. This doesn¡¯t mean that the eastern hair ornaments are not valued or are not in trend, it¡¯s just that it is common for high ranking nobles to wear more expensive ornaments with more precious gems in them. Even it is manufactured with advanced techniques, the material is completely silver, so in the end, its overall value is low. It is not an exaggeration to say that there was little sense of incongruity due to Zenobia¡¯s sense of coordination, but there are still sharp-sighted nobles and merchants. They probably thought that the fact that she was wearing an inferior quality ornament, must be a present from a member of the opposite sex who had a lower social status. There are two reasons why Falsa was not considered as a candidate here, first, it was a common-sense among the nobles and merchants that the person who is the head of the imperial court mages and a viscount will give a more expensive gift, and the second is that he had shown an affectionate relationship with Julia by linking arms with her at the banquet. Of course, only a handful of notices Zenobia¡¯s hair ornaments, but the noble society is where rumors spread like wildfire. And the so-called rumors are exaggerated to no end, and by the time it reaches imperial capital, it would have been dramatized into a tragic love story between a man of low status and a marquis¡¯s daughter who is also the head of the Knights. ¡¸Ua¡­.., that, I was careless. Palmina-Dono, I¡¯m really sorry. ¡¹ Zenobia sinks easily, leaving only Julia. Contrary to the previous situation, Falsa became a figurehead and watched the exchange between the three quietly. Falsa understands from the bottom of his heart that men shouldn¡¯t get mixed up in a discussion between women. ¡¸And Julia-Chan, you too were careless. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand your feelings, but you should know that it¡¯s not good to stick to Falsa-Kun at a public place like a banquet, right? Falsa-Kun¡­¡­ is kind to Julia-Chan, so you want to be spoiled by him but think about his position a little. If you indulge yourself unilaterally because he accepts everything, then it is proof that you don¡¯t care about him. I think you must understand that he is patient with you because he cares for you¡­¡­. what do you think? ¡¹ ¡¸u, a,tha, that¡­. that¡­.. I¡¯m sorry. I behaved like a spoiled child. Fal-Ani, I¡¯m sorry. ¡¹ The saint Palmina is kind, very kind. Kindness isn¡¯t just about spoiling the other person, but it¡¯s about valuing them and sometimes they have to be treated with strictness. This time¡¯s actions of Julia and Zenobia were condemnable, and Palmina understood that Falsa will not point them out. And that is because he trusts that Zenobia and Falsa will reflect on their actions for sure and that Palmina will also scold them frankly. It was originally a gathering to train the hero Julia, but in the time, they have spent together so far, the party is functioning quite well, is it a proof that the eyes of the first princess who made the selection of the members were brilliant? ¡¸I¡­. yes, I¡¯ll accept your apology here. ¡¹ He replied in a rather offhand manner, but at this time Falsa was thinking of something quite different. Falsa speculates that it was no accident that Palmina turned her eyes to him for a moment when she spoke of Julia¡¯s matter as if trying to look through something about his attitude towards Julia. But Falsa stopped thinking about unnecessary things because he could not look into Palmina¡¯s mind, nor did he wanted to think too much. ¡¸We strayed a little from the main subject here, let¡¯s put together all the information about Viscount Fouche now. ¡¹ Falsa regains his composure, claps his hands to gain everyone¡¯s attention and goes back to the main subject. Both Julia and Zenobia seemed to have a change in attitude as they both looked tensed. Whether it was a coincidence or a necessity, that only Palmina who had her usual saintly smile remembered about her date with Falsa which was neglected. CH 22 ¡¸well, that¡¯s about it. ¡¹ The exchange of information, which was mainly centered around the three namely Falsa, Zenobia and Palmina, went without a hitch, revealing the problems related to Viscount Fouche. ¡¸At any rate¡­¡­ I thought that the corruption by local nobles is advancing quite a bit from this journey, but this one is unusually cruel. It¡¯s a noble¡¯s gratification and duty to protect their people! It is outrageous to crush a company for one¡¯s greed! ¡¹ Zenobia seemed to be outraged, as she raised her voice and forcefully hit the marble table. She struck the table so hard that cracks appeared on it and Julia opened her eyes wide in surprise. Noblesse oblige¡­¡­for her who had been learning the Nobles frame of mind since an early age, this is an unforgivable matter. To start with, Falsa¡¯s information is centered around the fact that Viscount Fouche colluded with other merchants and nobles to crush a major merchant company in his territory. ¡¸And the reason for that is that the son of the Feudal lord wanted to violate the only daughter of the companies head! Even I am enraptured with anger at this! ¡¹ ¡¸¡­.. For Julia-Chan, to say that she is furious, heaven must also be angry. ¡¹ ¡¸ya¡­..u,uwaaaaa!¡¹ Julia who looked equally angry, blushed at Palmina¡¯s calm remark and jumped onto Zenobia¡¯s lap who was sitting next to her. Apparently, she tried to used words from the east like Falsa and made a mistake. Viscount Fouche was not blessed with any children for ten years after his marriage and only after he passed his thirties, did he finally have his long-cherished heir. He doted so much on his heir, that his 17 years olds son grew to be selfish and had a bad reputation in the region. ¡¸And it seems that he has caused a great deal of trouble in the past, and Viscount Fouche had used a great amount of money and power to cover it up. ¡¹ What Palmina gathered was mainly about the reputation of the viscount¡¯s son. When she pretended to show interest in the only son of Viscount Fouche to the people who asked her hand in marriage, they only spoke ill about him. Like how he had forced the flower shop¡¯s owner¡¯s daughter into a relationship with him, how he had driven out the maid who became pregnant, how he violated a girl in front of the eye of her Fianc¨¦, when telling Palmina about this, who is a girl, they went about it in a roundabout way, and his atrocities were so many that she succeeded in gathering considerable information Although he was a noble, he could not be forgiven for his conduct like this, and for him to be left alone like this until now, it seems his father Viscount Fouche has supported him considerably. It was said that the son did not attend the banquet because he was busy violating the daughter of the head of the business company that has been crushed in his room. ¡¸ And it seems that he received a good deal of bribes from merchants for various reasons, and also imposed a sudden tax increase without reporting it to the government. It seems that the finances of the Viscount Fouche¡¯s family are deteriorating because of the wasteful habits of his son. ¡¹ Zenobia looks back on the information that she has collected while patting Julia¡¯s head on her lap. She gathered mainly about the Viscount himself, especially from the young male knights who sympathized with Zenobia¡¯s integrity, and spoke with indignation. The gossips from the Noble Ladies were also very useful, as they leaked out brief information about his family which they heard from their father and also discussed the nobles involved with him behind the scene. ¡¸He has done so much wrong; we must punish him properly! Fal-Ani are we going to raid the Viscount¡¯s room after this? In his mansion! ¡¹ *rising* Julia looked up from Zenobia¡¯s lap, faced Falsa and held her fist high, showing the influence of the book from the East that she had read recently. While smiling bitterly at Julia¡¯s childish appearance, Falsa began to admonish her gently. ¡¸Although it can happen in a story¡­¡­ if we arrest the Viscount and his son in this situation, there is a possibility that the other nobles involved who have noticed something unusual might lose their mind and revolt. It is said that a cornered rat bites a cat, and if they feel cornered, we don¡¯t know what they might do. And at that time the soldiers under them, who may have nothing to do with this, would have to fight, and the innocent people might also get hurt in this. ¡¹ ¡¸u,uuu, what Fal-ani says is right. So, what should we do in this situation? Even if we go back to the Imperial capital and report, circumstantial evidence alone is not enough. ¡¹ ¡¸Well, we should gather evidence here. I think we should focus on all the documents related to the business transactions; we might be able to get some clue from there. After all, they will not be able to dupe the transaction of money. Also, the letter written suggesting demand for bribe and orders to increase the tax for every town and village will be effective. ¡¹ Julia raises a question at Falsa¡¯s words and Zenobia answers them. This was a daughter of a great nobleman for you, her decisions were precise, Julia was impressed and looked at Zenobia with a gaze of admiration. Rare and expensive tools, such as contact balls, are not commonly used, and the main means of communication is by letter. Hence, he must have written a letter indirectly demanding a bribe from the people living away from the regional capital and the tax collector must have an order with the stamp of Feudal lord for collecting the increased tax from the mayors and village chief in his territory. By understanding the movement of money in business transactions and tax affairs, one can find an unnatural part and track down irregularities from there, but there is one problem here. ¡¸But that would take a lot of time. I don¡¯t think nobles and merchants will give the letters and deeds of trades straightforwardly. That¡¯s pretty much the same case with the tax collection order ¡­¡¹ Palmina, with her hand on her cheek, leaned her head and uttered with a somewhat troubled voice. Of course, those who are involved in the crime will not honestly present the evidence, and the rest will not cooperate with them. Even if they are not involved, if they are suspected by the Feudal lord, they will lose a place to live and work in Fouche region, that and also, they have an indecisive attitude because there is lack of certain level of trust between them and the head of the imperial court mage as well as the head of the Royal knights. For them, the feudal who is living close to them is more frightening than some big shots from far away Imperial capital. Gossip can be said to be the splendor of high society social circle, so people hear about a lot of frauds, but there are very few people who actually do something about it. ¡¸Then we can just sneak in and steal them! We are already in the Viscount¡¯s Mansion like this, so we won¡¯t have to do much, what do you think? ¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s almost impossible. It¡¯s just been a day since we came inside this building, and we still haven¡¯t figured out its structure yet. Besides it is natural to have secret rooms or safes to hide evidence of illegal things, so it will be hard to find them. Further, soldiers and mages are doing round around here and there might some detection magic placed around here. ¡¹ ¡¸When you think about it, it¡¯s very difficult¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..to gather evidence without causing an uproar. On the other hand, it¡¯s not so good to take a completely aggressive stance against Viscount Fouche either. Isn¡¯t it difficult to disempower him without injuring him? no matter what we do he will be injured. If we do that it will be like putting the cart before the horse, so we can¡¯t use that. ¡¹ The three of them sighed deeply at their uncertain future and each began to contemplate their best course of action. In the midst of this, Falsa begins to speak softly with a slightly uncomfortable expression on his face. ¡¸Um-, You three can you listen to me for a second! Honestly, it¡¯s hard to say it in this atmosphere, but can you look at this? ¡¹ Then Falsa took out a bundle of documents and letters from his pocket and spread them out on the table. The other three uniformly had a suspicious look, but when they checked the contents, their expressions turned into that of surprise. The saint Palmina¡¯s eyes were wide opened and then she turned her face towards Falsa as if asking for an explanation, following her Zenobia and Julia did the same. ¡¸ A¨C, yes, I don¡¯t blame everybody for being surprised, but I have collected the evidence of Viscount¡¯s crimes already. ¡¹ Falsa had already completed, what the three of them deemed impossible just a moment ago. Of course, there is no way to believe it even if you hear it, but there are a lot of things on the table that supports it. The three confirmed the contents again, but no matter how one saw, these were the evidence of Viscount Fouche¡¯s crimes, rather there were pieces of evidence of his other crimes as well, which were not known to them. ¡¸Fal-Ani, this is not just working fast. What really happened? ¡¹ Julia asks Falsa with a quivering voice, but it¡¯s understandable. Incidentally, the room in which Falsa and others are gathered is a room prepared by the Viscount for the ladies. Actually, Julia is supposed to sleep in this room, and Zenobia and Palmina are to sleep in the next rooms, but Falsa who is of different gender was guided to a room far away. It was a matter of course from the Viscount¡¯s side as the host, and so, the man Falsa couldn¡¯t go into the lady¡¯s room proudly, as a result of which they decided to gather together in this way, at a time when there were not a lot of people around. ¡¸Look, there was little time after the Banquet ended. It was in that gap that I was a little impolite. ¡¹ Yes, this man here, in the time before they gathered in the room, easily went through the highly guarded areas, easily found the secret rooms and safes and thus found the evidence. The most active magic among these series of actions was the Transfer magic, which he has hidden from Julia¡¯s group. Falsa¡¯s Transfer magic can be used to move to any place with a magic mark, but at close range, it does not require a magic mark at all. Its range is to all the places which are visible to him, and even if he wants to move inside a room from outside, he can do so just by looking inside through the gaps in the curtain. When pushed to the limit, by continuous use of Transfer magic as long his magic power doesn¡¯t run out, it is possible to move up in the sky at high speed and he can enter at any place with just a tiny gap through which one can peek. If he places a magic mark at the place where he has transferred once, he can repeatedly visit that place freely. Thus, with the help of Transfer magic combined with some other magic, he was able to examine the whole house and even sneaked into the houses of the merchants and the nobles who had colluded with the Feudal lord, collecting all kind of evidence. ¡¸Falsa-Dono, excuse me for questioning. I have been surprised by you many times, but this right here preposterous and ¡­¡­. ¡¹ Zenobia¡¯s meeting with Falsa has positively changed her values and ideas, but it seems that she is still astonished. ¡¸U-m, I think this is a little¡­¡­no, a very amazing thing. But¡­¡­right? ¡¹ The saint Palmina seems to be a little less impressed by Falsa¡¯s action. ¡¸Fal-Ani, you must never become a thief, you know that? If that ever happens then I¡¯ll¡­¡­ I¡¯ll¡­¡­ become a detective¡­¡­. ¡¹ Julia¡¯s shoulder¡¯s quivered and seems to have begun to enter in her wild delusions. In her mind, it is likely that the greatest thief of the century Falsa the third and the detective Julia must be fighting. Of course, she is influenced by a certain story she has read recently. Julia, who hates studying, reads various books when she has time on the recommendation of the avid reader, Falsa. ¡¸You said something terrible, but I did an amazing job, didn¡¯t I? ¡¹ Don¡¯t do what you don¡¯t have to do, and do what you have to do quickly. Although Falsa is only following his principles, it sometimes works beyond the understanding of others. From these repeated actions, he became one of the 4 Heavenly Kings of the Demon King¡¯s Army and became the head of the Imperial Court Mages in the kingdom, but it will be a little later before he becomes aware of this himself. CH 23 A few hours after the sun began to rise in the east, in a city northwest from the Viscount Fouche¡¯s territory, Falsa exchanged a temporary farewell greeting with Julia and others. ¡¸Well then, we will meet next week after you reach the imperial capital. Julia, Zenobia, and Palmina, if it¡¯s you guys then I don¡¯t have to worry, but still, be careful on the way. ¡¹ Falsa, who tells the three people in the carriage and sees them off, is going to separate from Julia¡¯s group for around a week or so. There, of course, was a reason for that, from here they just have to take the shortest route towards the Imperial Capital, that was on Falsa¡¯s part as being Julia¡¯s instructor, but his work as one of the 4 heavenly kings Mirage was still left. Falsa, who wanted at least a few days¡¯ worths of time, had to review and coordinate Julia¡¯s training plan to free up time, as he and Astarte were going to negotiate with Wolf Demons soon. For that reason, he decided that it would be more difficult to adjust the situation if he missed the timing, even though he would be heavily burdened after returning to the capital, this was how he decided to deal with the situation. ¡¸Yeah, Fal-Ani, you also be careful¡­But I was surprised that there was an audit team in this city. It¡¯s a little scary how far the Fal-Ani and the Princess have read the situation ahead of time. ¡¹ The Audit team is a mixed team directly under the royal family, consisting of a wide range of people, from wizards, knights, spies, civil servants, lawyers, to doctors. They are the so-called jack-of-all-trades, their main role is to capture the corrupt nobles and temporarily manage and maintain public order of these noble¡¯s territory. After Falsa got the evidence, he began to act to Capture Viscount Fouche and the nobles colluding with him at the same time, but he didn¡¯t send a fast horse to contact them from the imperial capital. It is clear that no matter how fast it may be, it can¡¯t make it in less than a day which takes a week in a carriage, moreover, the audit team will not be able to travel here in this short time. The truth is that the first princess, who had been informed of the plans of the journey, had arranged her troops in advance, thinking that Falsa could obtain evidence of the crimes in less than a day. It was also the first princess who recognized the powers of Falsa at a glance when they first met 5 years ago and recommended him to the be a court mage, she also was the one who directed him to investigate the scandal involving Viscount Fouche. Moreover, she is one of the members of the royal family whose abilities are recognized both inside and outside of the kingdom, to the extent that she was involved in the selection of Julia¡¯s instructor. ¡¸Umm yea, I think it will be alright if its Falsa-Dono, but you must be careful, as you are traveling alone. However, thanks to her Royal highness and Falsa-Dono, there is no need for us to worry about capturing them. The Viscount and his son will most probably be sent to the mines. ¡¹ Being sent to the mines is a very heavy punishment among those imposed on the criminals and this is so harsh that sometimes people wish to be directly given the death penalty. Also, they are made to carry heavy physical labor from the morning till night, and the meals given are kept at a bare minimum to not leave them with the strength to escape, and there is constant conflict between the prisoners behind the scene. Many of the criminals are quite violent, such as former bandits and mercenaries, so if the nobles, who are luxurious and arrogant, are sent to mines, they are surely going to be a good target of the prisoner¡¯s resentment. ¡¸Falsa-Kun, I am looking forward to going out to the Imperial capital. ¡­¡­¡­Being sent to the mines is a somewhat harsh punishment, but they cannot be defended either. ¡¹ The actions of Viscount were so intolerable that even the Saint Palmina, was forced to admonish it. Especially, the female victims will be given a certain amount of compensation, but even if the trauma of their body can be cured by magic, their mental wounds will not be healed easily. While the Auditing team is skilled at dealing with victims, but they need a reasonable amount of time and there is no guarantee that they will be completely cured. Even though she has not shown it in words or expressions, but it is certain that inside Palmina, like Julia and Zenobia, there was a lot of anger. ¡¸If it was only for bribery and tax evasion, it would have been different¡­Well then, See you again in the imperial capital. ¡¹ It was highly likely that he would be heavily fined and his ranked would have been lowered if he was just charged with financial fraud, as has been the case with the nobles who have been exposed by Falsa¡¯s group in the past. However, since this time crimes were so vicious, that it was without doubt that appropriate punishments will be given to them. Thus, after seeing them off, Falsa began to move towards the inn where he had reserved a room in advance. For the past few days, he has not been able to take a nap, but due to a tight schedule, he will have to act as Mirage of the 4 Heavenly Kings, as soon as he finishes changing his clothes. Julia and her companion were taking a nap in the constantly rocking carriage which was moving away from the regional capital, but it was not possible for Falsa, who had to work as a coach driver to know that. As he was moving in the middle of the night, it was most effective and less time consuming for Falsa, who was a half-demon and half-human and had better night vision than a human to act as a coach driver, but as a backlash of that, his body began to slump. He pretended not to let Julia and others know, but the steps of Falsa after he had parted away with the were heavy. However, he managed to get to the inn and after changing his clothes quickly, he once again began to move using Transfer magic. ¡¸Fuu¡­Gate¡¹ Mirage transferred to his office in the Shadow castle but felt his headache become more intense when he saw the girl in front of him. ¡¸Hey you, aren¡¯t you very late. You have got some nerve to keep me waiting. ¡¹ With a large green wing on his back, a girl with burning red hair approaches Mirage reproachfully. It is a red color peculiar to Demons, signifying her unyielding character and those high-up pair of eyes, are glaring at Falsa. ¡¸Yo Rafa, you look as healthy as ever. Now, will you tell me why you are here?¡¹ A girl called Rafa glares even more intensely at Mirage¡¯s questions. ¡¸What you ask, you are going to the Wolf demon¡¯s territory after this, which is close to my territory! Of course, it is natural for me as one of the 4 Heavenly Kings and the Head of the Dragon Demons to show my face. ¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­.. I checked with Mao-Sama and she said that she didn¡¯t mind it and found this interesting. So once Mao-Sama gave permission I couldn¡¯t do anything. ¡¹ When Mirage turned his eyes to Astarte, he got nothing but a merciless answer. Mirage let out a big sigh and thought that it is going to be more troublesome with Rafa involved in this. The girl from the Dragon demon tribe who rules the northern part of the demon territory, The swift wind, Rafa. She is the young head of the Dragon Demon tribe and also is one of the 4 Heavenly Kings, which has the highest authority in the Demon King¡¯s army. Basically, the 4 Heavenly Kings are selected from the demon tribes which have a large population and they only hold the top position of the tribe i.e. the head of the tribe in most cases. Except for Mirage, it is a kind of a custom for the Head of a tribe to become the 4 Heavenly Kings, as it needed for the unification of the army and the obedience of the Demons of that tribe. Most of the heads of a demon tribe are determined by their strength, so Rafa is the one who is the most powerful among the members of the Dragon demon tribe. Although the Dragon-Demon tribe is not large in number as compared to other Demon tribes, a 4 Heavenly King is selected from among them as they have an overwhelming fighting power and any individual from them can threaten any tribe. ¡¸We don¡¯t have to fight the Wolf Demons; we are going to negotiate ¡­¡­ha¡¹ ¡¸ I know you don¡¯t have to tell me that! Most of the time, Mao-Sama entrusts the negotiations to you, but understand that there¡¯s nothing you can do that I can¡¯t do! This time I will let you witness that with your own eyes. ¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ it may seem presumptuous, but I think Rafa-Sama and Mirage-Sama are both unfit for this mission. I think both me and Mirage-Sama together are the right people to negotiate this deal since Mao-Sama has also given out such orders in her Imperial command. ¡¹ Mirage thought that he and Astarte were already good enough in terms of fighting strength, adding Rafa, another one of the 4 Heavenly Kings, will lead to other party thinking that they have come to eradicate them. Originally, many of the Dragon-Demons are both intelligent and strong, they are both thoughtful and have gentle character despite their strength, but Rafa is like this and because of this Mirage couldn¡¯t help having a predomination that there was going to be a conflict in this negotiation. And then, she has unusually bad chemistry with Astarte who likes quietness, so when they meet each other the atmosphere is usually very bad. ¡¸Hold on a sec Tart, don¡¯t call me Rafa-Sama, it feels so bad. Just calling me Rafa as you used to is good enough. Oh, I forgot, we are different now you are just an Adjutant and I am one of the 4 Heavenly Kings. So, we don¡¯t need cry-baby Tart needlessly butting in.¡¹ ¡¸hu! It was Rafa who used to be a cry-baby! Did you forget that time when you broke the Dragon Demon tribe¡¯s valuable treasure and went crying with me to apologize to your father? Generally, I play the second fiddle because of this masked man without any sense or else if I want, I can behead him anytime and be promoted to one of the 4 Heavenly Kings. ¡¹ ¡¸Did you forgot the time when I helped you wash your bedsheet when you had wet your bed and were crying about it the other day. Besides, you are not required to take action, as I will send this strange black-cloaked man to the yellow river myself. My pride doesn¡¯t permit me that I lost to him.¡¹ Both their fathers were part of the former 4 Heavenly Kings, and although they were of a different tribe, they were good friends, as a result of that Astarte and Rafa who were of the same age, were acquainted with each other since their childhood. Each of them was trained by their father, who were the 4 Heavenly Kings at that time, and thus became rivals who continued to rise and stand out even after joining the Demon Kings army. There was a time when they under their parent¡¯s influence used to ridicule each other, but they have overcome that and now are splendidly performing their professional duties, and what is unfolding here now is a children quarrel. And it was normal for Falsa to be drawn in the crossfire and for the two of them to reveal their embarrassing childhood memories. The black cloak and the mask were to hide his identity, but Mirage regretted his choice of selection and felt hurt secretly at a time like this. ¡¸umm-, both of you, we are going to leave now, right?¡¹ Mirage¡¯s bitter appeal did not reach the two heated people and for a while, the quarreling of the girls resounded in the office. Mirage, on the other hand, had given up quite a while ago and sat down on his chair for a nap, and it is about 30 minutes later that he was woken up by the two when they noticed that he was sleeping. CH 24 Negotiations with the Wolf Demons 1 A small carriage was running along a road lit up by the sun. There were three people, one man and 2 women who were crammed up in the coach driver¡¯s seat, which could be said to be anything but spacious. Seated in the middle is the Shadow Mirage, one of the 4 Heavenly King of the Demon King¡¯s army, a black-haired man wearing a strange mask. He was pressed from both sides, his arm which held the reins was tight, and even though his expression behind the mask could not be seen, it certainly would be a fed-up expression, as it can be felt in the atmosphere emitted around him from his whole body. ¡¸Hey Tart, you opening the documents here is a total pain in the butt, why don¡¯t you move back into the carriage? It should be hard to shuffle, with this little space. ¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m small, so it¡¯s fine. I think that Raffa¡¯s self-assertive wings are in the way, so please step back into the carriage quietly or do you want to sit next to Mirage-Sama so much? ¡¹ A winged red-haired little girl, Rafa, sitting on the left side of Mirage, demanded the little girl with silver-horns, Astarte sitting on the other side to move back into the carriage with her thump pointing towards it. However, Astarte replies coldly to Rafa, while checking the paper on her lap. Mirage group of three, appeared in the place where they reached last time, using the transfer magic, and then proceed further North-East in a horse-drawn carriage, but one problem had arisen. Originally Mirage and Astarte were the only ones supposed to travel and the necessary goods could be brought using Transfer magic, so they only had minimum baggage to put on the carriage. As a result of which they decided to bring the smallest carriage in the Shadow castle. On the first day the carriage had been transferred together with them to the magic mark placed by Mirage near the Wolf demon¡¯s territory, but to conserve¡ª- Mirage¡¯s known¡ª- magic power, Mirage and Astarte had left the carriage in the open and returned to the Shadow castle. Since there was just an addition of one companion, Mirage decided not to change the carriage, but Astarte and Rafa began to argue about who will sit in the coach driver¡¯s seat. On the pretext of being able to do her work on the road, Astarte insisted on sitting next to Mirage with efficiency in mind, while Rafa insisted that she was the one who will be useful in case of an attack and so neither of them conceded. Considering Astarte¡¯s actual personality, it is natural for her to avoid such useless fights, but as the opponent was her childhood friend, Rafa, the children¡¯s quarrel broke out here again. Eventually, they did not decide which one of them will pull back, seeing the endless struggle of the two, Mirage half-heartedly suggested both of them to sit in the front, which resulted in the current situation. By the way, Mirage made this proposal with the intention of pulling himself back into the carriage, but it seems that Astarte and Mirage had interpreted it as all of them sitting in the driver seat. ¡¸N, it is nothing like me wanting to sit next to him! Don¡¯t link me with such strange vulgar conceptions of yours! The Wolf demons are Fast and strong, I am sitting here to protect this black bean sprout against a sudden danger. ¡¹1 ¡¸It doesn¡¯t matter to me what Rafa believes. I wonder which of the 4 Heavenly kings was the one who challenged such Black bean sprout-Sama and was defeated after that¡­¡­ If I remember correctly, it was the Dragon Demons unusually muscle-headed Miss¡­.., the one with the exaggerated alias of Swift wind. ¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ve been training myself since then, so I will not lose now! But Mao-Sama has banned any sort of duel so I can just reluctantly endure or else I would have a good rematch immediately. Even then, Tart, I can still beat you to a pulp for your impudent talking. ¡¹ Mirage can¡¯t help but giggle when he hears Rafa¡¯s comment. Aside from his real ability, Mirage, who had a thin body frame and preferred a magic-based fight, was considered to be a very weak person in close combat inside the Demon King¡¯s army. At the time when he First met Rafa, she called him a black Bean sprout as he looked very similar to that. His hair was black, his cloak black, his clothing black and he had a thin body with a fair-skin, so his nickname matched perfectly with his appearance. The thing about Rafa¡¯s defeat against Mirage, was before them becoming the 4 Heavenly Kings, Rafa had thought nothing much of Mirage who looked na?ve, but was defeated as a result of this, Mirage didn¡¯t care about that much, but for Rafa who hates losing couldn¡¯t accept that and since then he has been entangled with her somehow or other. Since, the Demon King Lilith, has forbidden duels between the 4 Heavenly Kings, saying that it was too dangerous, Rafa tries to compete with him in other things. Of course, Mirage who disliked trouble did not take it seriously, but his attitude was taken as a sign of complacency, as a result of which Rafa more heatedly competed with him. ¡¸He laughs at being called black bean sprout, as one would expect of the perverted masked man Mirage-Sama. I have a boss who is delighted when people speak ill of him, I think I am the most unfortunate adjutant in the Demon King¡¯s army. No, the most unfortunate one is the Dragon Demons Adjutant. I feel uncomfortable just imagining myself serving the Heavenly king who leaves her own work and sticks her head in things that have nothing to do with her. ¡¹ Today, Astarte¡¯s Attacks¡ª verbal attacks¡ª are shaper and even more sophisticated than usual. But is that really so?, upon hearing Astarte¡¯s remark, Falsa recalls the other Heavenly Kings and their adjutants. Thinking about the pervert in the south was out of the question, then he had a strong impression of the adjutant of the child who manages the west and likes to work at his own pace, as that guy always had to clean up after that child. ¡¸Tart-Chan, I don¡¯t know what to say myself, but I think that I am very nice compared to the other 4 Heavenly Kings. In the first place, I find it strange as to when did we become the topic of the argument. ¡¹ ¡¸Hey you all, you are saying as if I am not good! In the first, you all similarly care too much about the small details. I think it would be much easier to make them submit with my fist. ¡¹ Rafa¡¯s words may seem tyrannical, but most of the Demons believe that power is everything, so this is not surprising to understand. Up until the Demon Army was formed, the members of the Demon race were mostly primitive groups, that were fighting for territory with each other without even trying to communicate. This is because they had a longer lifespan and were physically superior to the humans, and they had many magical powers and had peculiar magic unique to their tribe, so they never felt the need to cooperate with other tribes. However, Mao-Lilith, who thought that the survival of the Demon race will be Jeopardised like this, gathered and united the demons and eventually the gathered demons formed an organization called Demon King¡¯s army. Although the number of demons who started interacting with other tribes has increased recently, they are still limited to a small part of the demons, and this does not reach the ideal of the Demon King Lilith. But it would be unthinkable for those who knew Demons of the past to see Mirage of the Shadow tribe¡ª- to be precise half-blood of the shadow tribe¡ª, Astarte of the evil demon tribe and Rafa who is of the Dragon Demon tribe coexisting with each other despite arguing. And the Wolf Demons, whom they are going to negotiate with, kept refusing to join the Demon King¡¯s Army, based on the old ideology of Demons. They are a very belligerent and proud family, who may eventually submit in front of force as Rafa said earlier, but it will take, god knows how much time and how many lives will be lost in the process. That¡¯s why even after having repeated skirmishes with the Wolf Demons, the Demon Army has refrained to use large numbers to make them forcefully submit. This is likely to be a trap, but if the Wolf Demons join the Demon army, it will have a significant impact on other demons like them, that is why it is an important task worthy of dispatching a Heavenly King. ¡¸¡­¡­..I think it¡¯s useless talking about it here. ¡¹ ¡¸ I guess they¡¯re the guide, I think we¡¯ll be on foot from here. ¡¹ ¡¸ I haven¡¯t finished talking¡­¡­ hey. ¡¹ In front of the carriage was a great forest, with several Wolf Demons waiting at the entrance. From the outside, the road extending into the forest is narrow, and it seems difficult to travel in a carriage. Mirage pulled the reins, moved the carriage to the side and stopped there. Astarte and Rafa both descended first, followed by Mirage, who while facing the Wolf Demons before him, was vigilant of his surroundings. Similarly, like Mirage¡¯s group, three demons came forward from the Wolf Demons side and were equally vigilant of Mirage¡¯s group, they stopped before the carriage and checked their surroundings vigilantly. ¡¸Are you the messenger of the Demon King? You came earlier than we thought. I am Robert of the Wolf-Demon tribe. Just in case, I am the representative of the head of the tribe, well, I hope to get along with you. ¡¹ ¡¸I am Mirage of the 4 Heavenly Kings of the Demon King¡¯s Army. Similarly, hope to get along with you. ¡¹ The Wolf Demon, called Robert and Mirage step forward to greet each other. Robert was taller than the relatively taller Mirage, perhaps nearly two meters high, his arms and legs were covered with brown and black hair, and his features very much resembled that of an animal wolf. He held out his right hand with a broad grin, showing his canines, Mirage similarly held out his right hand for a handshake as a reply. And as they shook hands a dull groan was heard in their surroundings. ¡¸Ho, you are one of the 4 Heavenly Kings, as expected of the so-called strongest in the Demon Army. I was going to crush that hand thinking that you were fooling us wearing that mask, but it seems you are the real deal. ¡¹ ¡¸ I¡¯m used to this kind of response. . . By the way, have you prepared those people hiding in the forest to test us out? To be honest, I don¡¯t want to spend too much time, so I¡¯d appreciate it if you could refrain from such unnecessary action. ¡¹ Hearing Mirage¡¯s blunt reply, Robert whose smile was getting wider and wider, changed to that of surprise and then he began smiling again. ¡¸Kukukuk,ahahaha! It seems you are the real deal to have noticed the wolf demons, who are hunting for wild monsters and animals like usual. Oi, you guys, you seem to have been discovered, so come out here! ¡¹ When Robert shouted towards the forest, Wolf demons came out of the forest in succession and stood behind him. They were about thirty, all armed with weapons, and still ready for battle. And perhaps because their presence was easily noticed, they looked at Mirage¡¯s group sharply as if glaring at them, they had an atmosphere as if they would immediately jump out to fight on any cue. ¡¸Hunn, I don¡¯t care what you are so displeased about, but if those small-fries hiding around here are your companions then you are still underestimating us too much. I can tell you that it is useless to have a lot of people. ¡¹ ¡¸We came here to negotiate but¡­¡­.. now if you act like that, we are not afraid to deal with you. If you want to be beheaded, then please help yourself. ¡¹ On Mirage¡¯s side, Rafa bumped her fists once, before taking his stance and Astarte slowly swings her big sickle, to provoke her opponent. Perhaps the two people¡¯s provocation had crossed the limit of their endurance, as some of the Wolf demons rushed forward and began attacking Mirage¡¯s group. CH 25.1 Mirage quickly falls back, stands in front of Rafa and Astarte to defend them, while holding a big sickle. Before the two people, who had been prevented from fighting, could raise a voice of protest, the Wolf-Demons flocked around Mirage quickly, making full use of their physical abilities. ¡¸Don¡¯t take us Wolf demons lightly! ¡¹ ¡¸We are not as slow as those mages! ¡¹ ¡¸Take this! ¡¹ Three Wolf Demons charge at them from left, right and front, Mirage operates the large sickle at a speed unable to be seen by eyes and thrusts its handle into the gut of the demon coming from the front. Then, he swings the sickle, to strike the head of the Wolf demon on the right with the blunt part of his blade and uses the handle again to attack the hands of the Wolf demon coming from the left making him drop his weapon. The man who was hit in the gut lay on the spot groaning; the man who was hit on the head fell unconscious on the spot, and the man who was hit on the hand had his hand broken, he was holding it with his other hand with a painful expression. ¡¸¡­¡­. Fast! ¡¹ Astarte saw the style of Mirage and involuntarily let out a voice admiration. One could not imagine from his appearance and physique, that Mirage¡¯s sickle movements would be so excellent to be able to incapacitate the wolf demons in the blink of an eye. ¡¸It¡¯s strengthening magic technique as usual. It¡¯s the same as the time when you caught me off guard, as I was careless because of your appearance. You have too much of a one-tracked mind. ¡¹ Mirage refutes in his mind that it¡¯s just normal to use it because it¡¯s more efficient to beat the opponents if they are careless rather than him having a one-tracked mind. Of course, he will not say that out loud to Rafa, or else it will turn into a prolonged argument. The strengthening magic technique Mirage is using is called Qi and chakra in the east, and it can greatly improve the operator¡¯s physical abilities, by circulating magic in every corner of his body. This is a skill that anyone with magical powers can practice, and it is a basic magic skill that can be said to be compulsory for a person who engages in battle such as the Knights. However, the effect differs greatly depending on one¡¯s skill, and in the realm of so-called masters, it is possible to strengthen your body so that you can move your arms at an invisible speed like Mirage. It is very simple and powerful magic, but it¡¯s not uncommon for a person with a low level of skill to damage his or her muscle due to excessively using it and when used for a long time, it is possible for a person to become handicapped. Also, unlike attack magic, in which magic is released to the outside of the body and exhibits its effects, the skill of controlling magic inside one¡¯s body is another difficult task and there are surprisingly few mages who can perfectly control it. It is said that to improve your skill, you have to continue using it every day, or that you need to meditate to feel the magic in your body, and there are still parts that are not yet determined. It is said that the lower the strength of an operator is, the weaker the effect will be, so training the body itself is as important as training the strengthening magic for those who focus on close combat. The first time Mirage shook hands with Robert, it was already activated, and it was thanks to that, that he was able to withstand the grip of the Wolf demon¡¯s strong body, the fact that he was able to resist Robert, who had thick arms like a log, is a testimony to the proficiency of his strengthening magic. ¡¸Come, we¡¯ll go together! No matter how strong he may be, it will be impossible if all of us go together. If we kill the masked bastard, the rest are women and children, they will not be our opponent! ¡¹ It seems the Wolf Demon standing behind Robert, is thinking of calling out the others and thinking of defeating them using numbers. As if agreeing with the voice, everyone gets ready with weapons in their hand, looking for an opportunity to attack. Perhaps because they were disregarded as women and children, Astarte and Rafa took up their stance again as if wanting to join the fight, at that time a very loud voice that shook everyone rang out from behind the Wolf Demons. ¡¸Oioi, you guys, be quiet! That masked bastard isn¡¯t the only strong one! If you put your hands on those girls, they¡¯ll kill you! If you want your life, lower your weapons, shut up and watch, you foolish bastards! ¡¹ The owner of the voice was Robert, who had restrained all the Wolf-Demons all at once, leaving them half-puzzled and half tensed. However, unable to disobey the command they reluctantly lowered their weapon and intently watched Robert to know why he asked them to be vigilant. ¡¸Hmm, unlike the guys behind you, you don¡¯t seem to be too bad. ¡¹ ¡¸Rafa, since your opponent has stopped attacking you, please stop further provoking them. ¡¹ Hearing that Rafa loosened her stance and Astarte lowered her weapon, although they didn¡¯t show any fighting intent, they were on high alert. ¡¸hey you mask bastard, who are these girls? They similarly noticed these guys hiding in the forest like you and above all they are so shrewd, they made me think that they were your lovers. ¡¹ ¡¸w! Ha! T! Lover! I am the same as this masked guy, one of the 4 Heavenly Kings of the Demon King Army, the swift wind Rafa! ¡¹ ¡¸I am Maniac Astarte, the adjutant of Shadow Mirage-Sama, one of the 4 Heavenly Kings of the Demon Kings army¡­¡­¡­ And next time you joke about being a lover, I will cut that head off of your body. ¡¹ Rafa and Astarte give out their name furiously, at Robert¡¯s lover remark. The Fact that Mirage¡¯s adjutant, who can be said to be his right-hand person and another one of the 4 Heavenly Kings had come, created a lot of disturbance on Wolf Demons side and the noise kept gradually increasing. ¡¸Hey you guys be quiet! You see, these are all young lads here, there is nothing I can do except being patient with them¡­¡­ Nevertheless, for two of the 4 Heavenly kings and one of their adjutants to come here, is the Demon Army planning to go on war with us? ¡¹ CH 25.2 Once again reprimanding and silencing those around him, Robert scratched his head and apologized, and raised more questions. It is very difficult to judge the age of demons just by looking at them, and it is not uncommon for demons to be several hundred years old, even if they look young. The growth of the demons is roughly divided into two groups, one whose body slowly grows over hundreds of years and the others whose body grows to become an adult in twenty years or so and then remains the same for a few hundred years without changing. Therefore, a demon who looks like a ten-year-old human may as be well over a hundred years old and the demon who appears to be in his twenties like Mirage might as well be near 3 hundred years old. Even though the demons, who are said to live ten times as much as humans, do not care too much about their age because of their longevity, the immaturity in youth is as easy to appear in them as in the Human children. Also, although there are differences among different tribes, they are generally fully recognizable only when they reach 200 years of age. ¡¸For two of the 4 Heavenly Kings to be here¡­¡­. well, firstly both of our territories are near yours, so we thought that it will be good for the negotiations. Secondly, I admit that we have too much power, but we were concerned that we may be attacked like the situation just now, so we would appreciate it if you look it at like that. Lastly Please take the presence of 2 Heavenly Kings, as the Demon Kings army taking the negotiations with full seriousness. ¡¹ Mirage, who found a way to make the most of the incident, tries to justify their actions while trying to make the conversation more advantageous. As a matter of fact, Rafa had forcefully come along with them and it was Mirage¡¯s side¡ª to be precise Astarte and Rafa¡ªwho have d provoked them first, the former had a good reason for doing so, the later was not completely but partly at fault, but he emphasizes on the fact that they had been attacked and makes the other party feel guilty. It is the Wolf Demons who had attacked according to the situation and this is clearly an effective way to hold them accountable for it. Mirage¡¯s way of doing things makes sense, as it¡¯s a basic principle to have a psychological advantage before going into the main point of negotiation. ¡¸It¡¯s true that our lads attacked you and we won¡¯t refute that. But the Demon King¡¯s Army also does things in a grand manner, don¡¯t they? It is better for more big shots to be present; Anyway, I will lead you to the village at once. Oi, You guys! I am going to lead them, so properly guard the place! ¡¹ Saying that he called out to the young Wolf Demons, who obediently scattered around the area immediately. Only two of them remained here, they were the ones who had come along with Robert in the beginning, it seems that Robert and the other two will be their guides. However, Mirage looked suspiciously at Robert and felt that there were some peculiarities with the current situation. ¨D¨DSuspicious, be on guard¨D¨D To hide it from Robert¡¯s group, who was in front of him, Mirage put his hand behind his back and used his hands and fingers to warn Astarte and Rafa. This is a hand-sign adopted by the Demon King¡¯s army, as it is possible to communicate easily without speaking with it, and it is only natural for the 4 Heavenly Kings and their lieutenants to learn it. ¡¸Ok, then, we¡¯ll lead, you guys follow us. The forest is quite dense, if you get lost in this, it will very hard to get out¡­¡­.. Well, I think you guys should be alright, I am warning you just in case. ¡¹ ¡¸Yes, we will bear it in mind. Then, please lead the way. Rafa, Tart, you two should follow closely. ¡¹ Without giving the slightest hint about his suspicions, Mirage replied in a plain tone, and followed Robert¡¯s group into the forest, accompanied by Astarte and Rafa. From this point onward they will be entering the forest were the Wolf Demons lived, so to speak they know this place on the back of their hand. The wolf demon tribe, which builds their settlement in the forest and depend mainly on hunting for food, are good at hiding their presence so that they are not perceived by their prey. They are the best among the demons in fighting inside the forest, using it as cover and they are a group that are good at silently killing their opponents in a single strike. There is a famous saying among the demons, that carelessly entering into their territory, i.e. the forest means death. However, the Wolf Demons who had been hiding before were easy to detect, because, they were all young and immature. Of course, Mirage¡¯s group¡¯s detection ability is also very high, but Mirage thought that a powerful person like Robert would be very hard to notice unless he was about to attack him. And then what made Mirage worry was that they were too chilled out about the fact that there were two of the 4 Heavenly Kings of the Demon Kings Army that came for negotiation. From their point of view, they should be expecting a high-ranking person to come for negotiations, but how many people will invite Heavenly king level people so easily, instead it shouldn¡¯t be strange for them to be more vigilant. It is like putting the deal in the oppositions pocket even before the negotiations, but Robert said that the situation was better with more Heavenly kings. This means that bringing in a high-ranking figure has a greater advantage than demerits, and the first thing you can think of is the assassination of the 4 Heavenly Kings. In the first place, the young Wolf Demons frankly showed their hostility towards them and the lack of understanding between the tribes also became the main reason in increasing his suspicions. Moreover, their main battle force, the supposedly skilled Wolf Demons, were the only people in front of him, Robert and the other two following him and there was no one else. ¨D¨DAttack, watch out, dispersion, caution¨D¨D The Wolf Demons have a good sense of hearing and smell, so if they were to be attacked in the forest by them and are separated somehow, then they are likely to be found by them before they find each other. Mirage and Astarte each have a contact ball connected to each other, but Rafa has the contact ball connected to her adjutant, so if they were to be separated, it will be very troublesome. At the signal of the Mirage, Astarte and Rafa became more cautious, and the party went through the forest without talking. While staring at Robert¡¯s back, Mirage kept thinking of various possibilities, without stopping. ¡¸Robert-San, I can¡¯t stay silent until we reach the village, so can I ask you some questions? ¡¹ And the first step that Mirage decided based on some predictions was to collect information through conversation. It is difficult to reach the truth by mere imagination, but if you ask unnecessary things, you make the other party extra cautious. Unlike the round one which was the previous scuffle, the curtain to the second round gently and quietly began to open. CH 26.1 Mirage knew that although the Wolf Demons appeared to a belligerent and seemingly slow-witted tribe, but they were actually a very clever tribe. The young Wolf Demons had not been so communicative in their first greeting, However, Robert here is the representative of Head of the Wolf Demons, so to speak, the Number 2. Mirage was convinced that these series of action, certainly have some meaning behind it. ¡¸Oh, Masked brother, If I can I¡¯ll answer, ask what you want. I like strong people like you. I can even tell you about the beginning of my relationship with my wife. Tell you what I got a woman better than I deserve. ¡¹ Mirage, who has been promoted from a masked bastard to a masked brother, is probably smiling beneath his mask when he hears what he says. It is not about him changing the way of addressing him, but because the Wolf Demons are a very proud tribe, and this reaffirmed that they still value their family and friends more than that. The armies of Mirage and Rafa have had frequent skirmishes with the Wolf Demons, so they know some of their racial traits, but the amount of information they can get from actually having a conversation like this is different from that they get through fighting. ¡¸ Well¡­ I¡¯m curious about the beginning of your relationship with your wife¡­¡­, but Robert-san, I hear that the Wolf Demons are good at hunting, so do they usually eat wild animals for food? You see I am quite a glutton, and I am always curious about other tribe¡¯s meals. ¡¹ ¡¸Oh, yes, for the most part. We, men, hunt big prey, while women and children catch small prey like rabbits and mice, as well as gather fruits and wild plants in the forest. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll like it or not, as it is not refined like your food. ¡¹ Since the demons were united together by the Demon King Lilith, their culture and life under the rule of the Demon Army have improved dramatically. Like humans, they have built cities, built forts, cultivated fields and commercial transactions are now carried out by using money. A long time ago, the Demons like the Wolf Demons mainly used to hunt for food, but it is no exaggeration to say that they have evolved dramatically in the last few hundred years. Therefore, the life of the Demon King army is considered to be quite refined to the Demons, who continue to live like before without changing. ¡¸I see, I used to spend time hunting when I was very young, I feel nostalgic remembering it. Running around those hills and fields, learning hunting from Father, even now when I get time for myself, I do some hunting. Every tribe has a different flavor, I am looking forward to your tribes. ¡¹ ¡¸Ho, you¡¯re really an interesting fellow, regardless of your appearance. Let¡¯s go hunting together when the negotiation is settled. Well, but of course we wolf Demons are better at hunting, gahhahahaha. ¡¹ Mirage spoke about discussable and troublesome things, leading to other party thinking about only superficial things. The words spoken just now were not completely false, but Mirage who has a lazy personality had been hunting his prey using traps and magic or sometimes directly brought food by using his transfer magic after his Father died. And even though there are situations in which he has to hunt for food, such as when he camps out in the wild during his journey with Julia¡¯s group, they are by no means voluntary. However, since hunting is part of Wolf demon¡¯s lives, he purposely used hunting stories to improve his impression and to make it easier to talk to him. Even though he doesn¡¯t hate wild food, he prefers refined meals, but of course, he wouldn¡¯t say that out loud no matter what. ¡¸Well, I¡¯d love to come with you when everything is settled. Oh Yeah, when it comes to hunting, it seems that you guys use Beastification Magic, but do you always keep the wolf form like this? ¡¹ ¡¸Oh well, that¡¯s because our magic doesn¡¯t improve if we don¡¯t use it on a daily basis. Especially for the young ones, they remain in their wolf form until they run out of magic, and as you can see I use it day in and day out. Now, I prefer to be in this form, hahaha. It makes my sense of smell and hearing sharper, which makes it easy for me to hunt, and I can say that this is the greatest magic for me. ¡¹ Beastification magic or otherwise called the Wolfification magic is the inherent magic of the Wolf-demon tribe. This is largely called the Beastification magic, because this is the inherent magic of demons with a beast like trait, and this magic tends to strengthen those traits, like it usually transforms and strengthens their body. Like Rafa, one of the 4 Heavenly Kings, is from the Dragon Demon tribe, and by transforming herself with the Beastification or Dragonification magic, she can fly around using her wings at an incredible speed. She flew from the Swift Wind Castle in the north of the Demon territory to the Shadow castle in the east, in less than a day and waited for Mirage to arrive, using that, but as expected of a Heavenly King, to be able to consume magic continuously for such long time without worrying about it. ¡¸ It is certainly a reasonable method of training. I remember using it from morning till night to train my magic. However, as far as I have heard Beastification magic consumes more magic than the Strengthening magic, it seems it¡¯s very hard for the guards to use it all the time. I suppose that the younger ones would not last more than a few hours. ¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­well, we can still fight as it is, even if we run out of magic power. Besides, for the guards, there is rarely any attack they have to face nowadays from nearby demons since the time you guys of the Demon King army has started to rule them. In the past, it was a common occurrence for us to fight with the neighboring demon tribes. I feel that the young lads these days are becoming more and more cowardly, ha I wonder if this the generation gap, they speak off. ¡¹ Mirage felt, that there, after all, was a reason behind him still using Wolfification, after hearing Robert¡¯s reply. Mirage recalled from the past reports that although the Wolfification traits are the same as Robert before him, with the whole body covered with hair and appearance like a wolf, there has been no report of them being wolfified all the time. ¡ªWol, fi, cat, ion, report, regular use, present or absent¡ª Just in case, he also confirmed with the two people behind him, but the word ¡¸wolfification¡¹ had to be written one by one because it does not exist in the sign language of the Demon King¡¯s army. ¡¸As the war against humanity is intensifying, I think that we have no other way other than to bring together the demons who are the subject of their persecution. ¡¹ ¡¸Yes, we have stronger magic and are more powerful than them in strength, but humans have a lot of advantage in numbers to waste and also have wisdom¡­¡­ so it is understandable that we have no other way. ¡¹ Astarte and Rafa respectively enter into the conversation and give a mixed answer about the presence or absence of the report to the Mirage. If they add ¡¸yes¡¹ in the conversation than it means yes, while if the add ¡¸no¡¹ in the conversation than it means no, but Rafa made a mistake for a moment, perhaps because she was bad at dealing with the situation immediately. Astarte stared at Rafa with scornful eyes at such action and nudged her with the handle of her sickle secretly, and Rafa although looking irritated, silently accepted it, perhaps reflecting on her mistake. ¡¸Hun, I wonder how many of those human beings there really, but is it really so terrible? I have heard many rumors about them from some small tribes, but what are those guys in the south doing, being so inefficient? Those Evil Demons bastards are sure taking quite a long time, I heard that they have been fighting for several hundred years now, they should have ended it by now. Well, anyway we don¡¯t care whether the human beings or the Evil demons win. ¡¹ It was about 300 years ago that the fight between humans and the demons began to intensify. Although there are various theories about whether the Demons caused harm to the Humans or that the Humans persecuted the Demons, there is no change in their long-standing struggle. And the Wolf Demons are not the only tribe, which like Robert, are not interested in other demons or Humans. Basically, the demons had little interest in other races, and mostly thought nothing about them, except for the tribes neighboring them, that could harm their territory. Their reaction is no different for the Humans also, and for better or worse, they tend to be less interested in other races or tribes. For humans, they are a group with red eyes and are associated with a strange creature different from Human beings¡ª the Demons¡ª- but the reality was like this. CH 26.2 ¡¸The greatest nuisance of the Humans is the 4 Heavenly Kings. In the end, it is me and this delicate masked guy who works properly in the Demon King Army. It affects my dignity to be seen as an equal to that savage fool! ¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t remember seeing Rafa working properly¡­however it is true that even after being from the same Evil Demon Tribe, it is a little infuriating to be treated in the same rank as that golden horn. Forgetting that the priority of the Demon King¡¯s Army is the unity of the Demons, that pervert always neglects his duty. ¡¹ ¡¸ um-, that, you two, let¡¯s not try to expose our colleague¡¯s shameful actions¡­ but I sure do understand how you feel. ¡¹ Mirage complained to Rafa and Astarte, who divulged their true feelings, but thought it would be no use now that the topic of that pervert had been raised. The southern part of the Demon territory is most closely connected to the human territory, and the main force fighting against humans is the gold horn demons of the Evil Demon tribe. The number of Evil Demons is the highest among all the demons, but they are further divided on the basis of the color of their horns, like the Evil Demon with silver horns, like Astarte mostly live in the east, while those Evil Demons with Golden Horns live mostly in the south. And the relationship between the Golden and Silver horn Demons of the Evil Demon tribe can be said to be very bad, as even in the Demon King Army, they are very careful of assigning them a mission together. Of course, if a dispute arises, it is judged by the Demon King¡¯s Army Military Law, but it is unavoidable to have a dispute when you think about them fighting each other, from a long time in the past. For Humans, the generation completely changes in a hundred years, and as a result, their ideology changes rapidly, while for the Demons, the same people continue to live for hundreds of years, so they continue to follow their old value system. It¡¯s not easy for the wedge between the tribes to disappear because those who fought in the past are still alive. However, it is the Demon King Lilith who is trying to accomplish the feat. ¡¸Kukukukukku, masked brother seems to having a hard time. Well, it¡¯s up to you to negotiate, whether or not we Wolf demons will join the Demon King¡¯s army depends on that¡­¡­ don¡¯t let me down. ¡¹ Mirage had an even more suspicious look under his mask when he heard Robert¡¯s words. The thing about the other party having an expectation means they want something related to the Demon King army, and that their original purpose was not assassination, or there is a possibility that he is acting to make it seem like that, thinking about how unexpected this change of them wanting something from them was¡­¡­¡­while considering these things he was vigilantly checking his surroundings. And of course, as one would expect, Astarte and Rafa also have not relaxed their guard in the least after their little conversation. ¡¸I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going to ask for, but if you get carried away, I¡¯ll just burn your entire village down! If you underestimate us Dragon Demons too much, you¡¯ll be sorry later! ¡¹ ¡¸¡­.. At the least, you are going to get seriously injured. ¡¹ Rafa snaps at Robert¡¯s words and Astarte followed in a fed-up tone. Nice, Rafa, said Mirage in his mind and was grateful for her accompanying them for the first time. For Rafa, who has an impulsive personality, she can inquire the other party about the things which Mirage is hesitating to ask. His own remark might change his impression on the other party, which might affect the negotiations later, but Mirage concluded that Rafa for Robert was like a child. ¡¸ You¡¯re such a lively girl. Well¡­It¡¯s not a big request, but I heard that the Demon King¡¯s Army incorporated the knowledge of many Demon tribes and humans. I just called you to lend me that wisdom. Of course, if you don¡¯t have the answers we want, the negotiations will break. ¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s¡­¡­very easy to understand demarcation. But is it alright for you who is the acting head of a tribe to do that? I think that it is common in a negotiation to reach a compromise based on the expectation of each other. ¡¹ ¡¸¡­ I know that, but it¡¯s hard to explain. Well, I think you¡¯ll understand it naturally if you actually come to the village where we live. So, you don¡¯t need to walk so cautiously behind me, as you can see apart from me, these two appear to be almost dying from nervousness. ¡¹ Since Robert¡¯s group is walking in front of them, they have their backs against Mirage¡¯s group, so they are always vulnerable. As long as they were the guide and had the intention to negotiate, they understood that there was no other way but to do so in order to gain the other party¡¯s trust, and Mirage¡¯s group knew that as well. And the other party understood that it was only natural that the Mirage¡¯s group was on guard, but the two people beside Robert did not seem to be acting as they were walking so listlessly and sweat was oozing from their back. Mirage realizes that it was only natural from their point of view as they are in a state where they can lose their life at any time and calls out to the two people behind him. ¡¸I think both Tart-Chan and Rafa should not be nervous and relax a little. Just enjoy the walk and conversation in the forest¡¹ ¡ª guard, Conceal¡ª ¡¸Well, it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯m sorry for making you guys nervous; I will relax for now.¡¹ ¡¸ I think you¡¯re being too careless, but I will follow your orders.¡¹ Mirage tells them to keep their guards on, even though he agrees with Robert verbally. Previously they were trying to make them aware of their vigilance as it would appear more unnatural if they were not vigilant, but from this point onwards, they have completely concealed it. Perhaps only Robert would notice, but Mirage judged that it would be no problem for the two others. And both Astarte and Rafa quietly followed Mirage¡¯s instructions again. Even though they say this and that about him, they understand that Mirage¡¯s insights and judgment are best among them. ¡¸You are quite scary Masked brother. Even if you look like a clown, you wear that to catch your opponent off guard. I have fought with many men, for the ones who show off their strength are usually the small fish, but the ones who are as good at concealing their strength like you are usually the frightening ones¡¹ The two people walking next to Robert still appeared a little tense, but they didn¡¯t seem to know about their actions, while the meaning behind Robert¡¯s words was that he was aware of their actions. As expected, this Robert was quite a dangerous and strong opponent, thinking so Mirage increased his wariness even more. Astarte and Rafa, also speak perhaps realizing the true meaning of Robert¡¯s words. ¡¸I don¡¯t know what you have mistaken it for, but that guys mask is just a hobby, a pastime. It¡¯s really hard to understand but he is always dressed like this. ¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s hard to judge whether Mirage-Sama has a good or bad taste. But to be honest, I think that the mask and the cloak are extremely disappointing. Even if I report that it is very unpopular among the subordinates it doesn¡¯t change. I don¡¯t understand what obsession he has¡­¡­..excuse me. I don¡¯t want to talk about it any further. ¡¹ ¡¸br, bro¡­.. brother I feel a little sorry. That¡­. they say every man to his taste¡­¡­ and your taste is quite lively, that¡¯s it. ¡¹ 1 ¡­¡­ the strong people, Astarte and Rafa, perhaps have noticed his true intentions, so they seem to go as far as mentioning Mirage¡¯s appearance. And then Robert turned around and apologized to Falsa with a sympathetic look. ¡¸I don¡¯t mind¡­¡­ it in particular. And besides Robert-san hasn¡¯t known me for that long.¡¹ Mirage repeatedly says in his heart that this is just a sophisticated technique to show off his flaws, to make the other party feel closer and reduce the distance between them, making it easier for them to negotiate. Those who saw Mirage¡¯s appearance usually had three reactions: one who looked at him suspiciously, the other who got angry with him feeling that he was just fooling around, and the last who sympathized with his bad sense of taste. At first, Robert seemed to think that he was fooling around with him, but this change when he showed his exceptional reaction and he was easily covered again by Rafa and Astarte. The whole group, in a somewhat awkward atmosphere, walked toward the village of the Wolf Demons. CH 27 Despite Mirage¡¯s worries, they arrived at the Wolf Demon¡¯s village peacefully, without being attacked by the Wolf Demons on the way. Instead, they were attacked by several monsters on the way, but they were all repelled by Robert, and the other two wolf demons along with Mirage¡¯s group, didn¡¯t even get a chance to make a move. If there was any problem, then it was that Robert would let out a loud howl every time he repelled a monster and this left the silence loving Astarte in a bad mood on the whole trip. ¡¸Here, this is our Wolf Demon Tribes Village. Oi You, has there been any changes? ¡¹ ¡¸Welcome back, Robert-Sama. There haven¡¯t been any changes in particular. ¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s the same, nothing has changed. ¡¹ There were two Wolf Demons standing guard in the front of the village, whom Robert questioned and they replied after saluting him. And these two were also in their Wolfified form, they haven¡¯t seen a single Wolf demon so far who was not using their Wolfification Magic, and the village seemed unusually quiet as far as Mirage¡¯s group could see. Mirage thought the situation of the village appeared to be strange, though the possibility of assassination became very low now, as it would have been best from their point of view to attack them inside the Forest. ¡¸Then I¡¯ll lead you to the Chief¡¯s house. It¡¯s not a good thing, but naturally, there are people inside the Wolf Demons who don¡¯t like you guys of the Demon King¡¯s Army much. If you walk around the village alone, there might be unnecessary problems, so please refrain from acting willfully. ¡¹ They started walking again and moved through the village. Robert¡¯s statement was reasonable, and it was impossible to unify everyone¡¯s will, even if they decided upon the negotiations. This experience is similar for all the demons in the Demon King¡¯s Army and Mirage, Astarte, as well as Rafa, were all familiar with this. As it is natural for the policies of a tribe as a whole and feelings of an individual to differ. ¡¸¡­.. but it¡¯s too quiet, or rather we haven¡¯t seen a single person, has everyone gone hunting? ¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, we are going to hold a banquet tonight to welcome you guys. Not only men, but the women and children also have gone to the forest. ¡¹ ¡¸Hun, I used to think that the Wolf Demon Tribe is uncivilized, but this is unexpectedly laudable. ¡¹ Robert immediately answers Mirage¡¯s question, while Rafa let out a voice of admiration. It¡¯s natural to think so, considering their daily skirmish with the Demon King¡¯s Army and their response at the entrance of the forest. In fact, Mirage too thought that it was a little surprising while doubting whether it was really so. If Rafa and others were to hear it they would dismiss him saying that he was focusing on the little details too much, but Mirage¡¯s intuition was warning him. They arrived at the village, without being attacked in the forest and the guide Robert was friendly, so he shouldn¡¯t feel this alarm, but Mirage couldn¡¯t help thinking that the village was dangerous. Their response at the entrance of the village, the words and actions of Robert, the state of the village, the 2 wolf Demons accompanying them, the unusual Wolfification, all of which appeared to be more or less alright for the time being, but to Mirage this was nothing but pretense. ¡¸Even though we have been in opposition until now, but you are without doubt an important negotiation partner. That¡¯s the least we wolf demons can do to show our goodwill ¡­¡­.th, well that¡¯s the head¡¯s ¡­¡­. the house where my father lives. ¡¹ When they were about to reach, perhaps around the center of the village, they found a wooden house, built two times larger than the houses in the village. In the end, despite Mirage¡¯s suspicion, they arrived at the Head¡¯s house without any definite conclusion, and as they can¡¯t turn back now, Mirage¡¯s group entered the house and went through the corridor under the guidance of Robert. The other two guides remained at the entrance of the house, so there is 4 of them now, including Robert, and the creaking and squeaking sound of the floor in the silence gave rise to an even more eerie atmosphere Astarte and Raffa realized that, no matter how many villagers went out, but for there to be no family member or even a single servant in the Chief¡¯s house was suspicious and they became vigilant. ¡¸It¡¯s very quiet, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone in the Chief¡¯s house. ¡¹ ¡¸The negotiations are an important matter. We have cleared out the people in advance, me and my dad are the only ones in the house currently. ¡¹ Robert¡¯s words sound plausible, but it is impossible for a head of a tribe to negotiate without a guard. It will be far more convincing to Mirage¡¯s group if they were told that they would die in this house in some way. Of course, Mirage is prepared to cast Transfer Magic at any sign of danger, but he does not feel any such thing. ¡¸This is the room where my father lives. Father, I have brought the guests from the Demon King¡¯s Army. We are coming in! ¡¹ Without waiting for a response from the inside, Robert puts his hand on the door and enters. The Wolf demons are said to be the demons who came from the east and settled here a long time ago, and so they have preserved their culture even today. That¡¯s why Robert, a wolf demon who lives in the forest and doesn¡¯t have contact with the outside world, knew about the proverb like ¡¸every man to his taste¡¹from the east. ¡¸¡­.. Excuse me¡¹ ¡¸Excuse me for disturbing you. ¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m sorry for bothering you¡¹1. Following Robert, Mirage and others entered the room and saw a set of Futon was laid on the Tatami mats, lying on which was an old person. ¡¸Good news Father, they are 2 of the 4 Heavenly Kings and the other is one of their Adjutant. I¡¯ve successfully managed to bring them here. ¡¹ Robert called out to the old man in the futon, but there was no reply. And Mirage perceiving everything, both the admired the other party and felt regretful for his carelessness. ¡¸That¡¯s enough, Robert-San. It¡¯s already too late, the Chief-San has already passed away. NO, he was tricking us to his last moment, right? ¡¹ ¡¸What? What do you mean, Mirage? Explain it so that I can understand. ¡¹ ¡¸ I can¡¯t understand the situation, either. Please explain ¡¹ Not understanding Mirage¡¯s words, Astarte and Rafa both asked for an explanation. Towards Mirage who had grasped the situation quickly, Robert grinned broadly, showing his canine and then started praising while removing his wolfification at the same time. ¡¸ Because you were on the alert from beginning to end, I didn¡¯t know when you would notice¡­I¡¯m glad I could manage it. To be honest, I was at my limit of using the Wolfification magic. ¡¹ There were many black bruises on the face and arms, and there were swellings all over the body of Robert who was smiling as he spoke to them. His complexion was pale and he was sweating to an unusual degree, which suggests that he probably had a high fever. Even an amateur can tell at a glance, that he was suffering from some kind of disease and by using wolfification he covered his whole with hair, to conceal it from them. The two wolf demons who had accompanied them acted so strangely because they were suffering from the same disease, not because they were nervous. ¡¸ I guess from what you¡¯ve done so far, it¡¯s a very infectious disease. Were the first group of Wolf demons that attacked us aiming to pour their body fluids on us? However, I don¡¯t understand why you stop them halfway through. I think it would have been more certain to turn the tables if you left the situation as it was¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Kee, ask me what I know. That geezer said something about those damn kids playing an essential role in the future of the Demon Wolf tribes. Something about the role of the elders to die. ¡¹ Although there were various ways to infect them, the Wolf demons who initially attacked them aimed to infect them through blood and saliva. They attacked him with intention of dying them in their blood and were prepared to die, but at the last moment Robert who was initially opposed to the idea stopped them and they, although bewildered, followed the instruction of their deputy chief. ¡¸wai, wait wait wait, what to do you mean! I asked you to Explain in a way so that I can understand! ¡¹ Perhaps at the end of her patience, Rafa interrupted the conversation between the two loudly. Astarte, on the other hand, perhaps thinking about what they were talking about, didn¡¯t move a muscle. ¡¸Calm down, Rafa. Currently, there is some kind of infectious disease that is prevalent among the Wolf Demons and there is no hope of curing it. So, they decided to negotiate with the Demon King¡¯s Army and call for the upper echelons like us members of the 4 Heavenly Kings to infect us in the same way. And since, we are an important force of the Demon King¡¯s Army, so they will put great effort into finding the cure. In other words, they couldn¡¯t do anything about it so they got us involved in this. Am I right Robert-San? ¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­..right, right. Absolutely right. You really are a scary person. Conversely, you coming here is going to save us. If you are so clever, then the Demon King¡¯s Army would not like to lose you. Try as hard as you can to find a cure, that¡¯s the condition for the Wolf Demon tribe to join the Demon King¡¯s Army. If you want you can, take my Father¡¯s body to examine it. This is the will of my father, the Chief, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it. ¡¹ ¡¸Wha, wha , what, are you kidding me! Are you asking us to help you find the cure after you dragged us into this yourself? I don¡¯t have obligation to do so, I will just burn this whole village down so that you guys don¡¯t have to worry about the cure!¡¹ When Rafa learns that she was deceived by the Wolf Demons, she becomes furious and transformed her body. Her whole body became covered with green scales, her body grew up many times larger, and her beautiful face transformed to look like the reptiles. She turned into a dragon itself, the legendary monster feared by all and she was so huge that she reached the ceiling of the room. ¡¸Stop it, Rafa. We are not done talking yet. ¡¹ ¡¸What are you saying, Mirage? Do you want to protect these guys wHo deceived us¡ª-¡¹? ¡¸¡ªstop, Rafa. The negotiator is me not you, so don¡¯t argue unnecessarily. Don¡¯t make me say the same thing over and over again. ¡¹ ¡¸I, I understand. You, you don¡¯t have to be so angry about it. ¡¹ After hearing the bone-chilling cold voice of Mirage, although bewildered Rafa decided to obediently follow his instruction. Astarte too was surprised by seeing his different from his usual appearance, The Mirage in front of her was emitting a very terrible bloodlust, so much so that she had unconsciously stopped breathing and was almost going to faint because of that. ¡¸Whaa, the Demon King¡¯s army has some absurd monsters. How did your leader win over such a guy?¡­¡­¡¹ The sweat he is sweating now is not only from his physical condition but from his deep fear of the masked man in front of him. He was the Deputy Chief of the Wolf demon tribe¡ª- in fact, now he can be called the chief, as his father was dead now¡ª¨C, and of course his strength was exceptional. But even Rafa, who is one of the 4 Heavenly Kings, felt so chilly that she had goosebumps against the power of the masked man, let alone Robert. CH 28 ¡¸Robert-San, where are the rest of the Wolf Demons who were similarly infected by the disease? Just to be sure, I want to check their lifestyle and condition before the onset of illness. ¡¹ The other three people were nervous, but the next words that came out of Mirage¡¯s mouth were spoken in a gentle tone. ¡¸ Ah, umm, all the infected people are gathered in the innermost building in the village. It¡¯s about time for those guys at the entrance of the forest to come back. ¡¹ With a stunned look on his face, Robert obediently replies to Mirage and tells him about the whereabouts of the sick Wolf demons. Astarte and Rafa, who were freed from the pressure, stared at Mirage while wondering what he was going to do. Demons often use medicines prepared by pharmacists for diseases and injuries because they cannot use Holy magic--to be exact, they cannot receive the protection of the goddess-like humans. Injury or common diseases can be treated with medicines distributed within the demon territory, but it is only natural that only a person with specialized knowledge can cope with a major infectious disease like this. However, from Mirage¡¯s earlier words, it almost seems as if he was going to do the examination himself, and thus it was unavoidable for Astarte and Rafa to be left wondering. ¡¸I see, well first let¡¯s go to the place where the other infected people are. And then after that, please hold a proper funeral for your father. However, to completely kill the bacteria please do a cremation instead of burial. ¡¹ ¡¸He , hey, wait a minute. I think I might be wrong, does that mean you are going examine the infected people? Let me tell you that not only in this village but the doctors in the other villages have neither seen nor heard about such a disease! It is a terrible disease that has killed many people besides my father, there¡¯s no way for an amateur like you to deal with it. ¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right, Mirage-Sama, first of all, we should return to the Demon King¡¯s castle and send out a special medical team. We amateurs will only be wasting time in vain. I have also dabbled into medical science a little bit myself, but I have never seen or heard about such symptoms, so it most certainly is a new kind of disease. It is too dangerous for us to go to a place where there are a lot of infected people, even if there is a chance of us already being infected! ¡¹ ¡¸Ye, yes. You can¡¯t solve it using magic too, no matter how much you try a demon can¡¯t use holy magic, unlike humans. You should know, how difficult it was for me to understand that.¡¹ Starting with Robert, who was a little calm, Astarte and Rafa similarly threw out questions and raised objections to Mirage. The Wolf demon tribe has many villages in this vast forest and the one in which the Chief of the tribe stays stands on the top out of all of them. Naturally, there are doctors who studied medical science stationed in every village and so if none of them could deal with, the symptoms must be very unusual. The doctors of the long-lived demon race have many years of experience and knowledge and thus are naturally aware of even the rare disease that was prevalent a few hundred years ago. The fact that these many of such doctors don¡¯t know what this was and there have been many deaths, increases the possibility of this being a new and dangerous disease. Since the body of the Demons is stronger than that of a human being and has an excellent self-healing ability, it is very unusual for a Demon to die from some injury or disease. ¡¸... I have my guess already. It is probably the so-called black skin disease, which was prevalent during the ancient era. ¡¹ Mirage answers in his usual tone, but it made all three of them very greatly surprised, especially Astarte who started asking further questions as if not convinced. ¡¸Why, why does Mirage know that? I know you like books from the ancient era, but when it comes to medical science, you should be a stranger to it. It''s hard to believe that you have an insight into a disease that is not even known to us Evil demons. ¡¹ As the Evil Demons are the most numerous and long-lived among the demons, they have a vast amount of knowledge and experience, and many of them play an active role in the science field of the Demon King¡¯s army. In fact, nearly half of the members of the Demon King¡¯s Army medical team are the Evil Demons, as they continue to conduct research day and night. Astarte is not an expert, but she remembers all the serious diseases that can kill the demons in large numbers and she always keeps the latest information about what the medical team is researching. That¡¯s why she says that she doesn¡¯t know what he is talking about and if it¡¯s about the medical field, it is unavoidable that she can¡¯t remain silent. ¡¸......My father died of an illness when I was a child. But...At that time, I was a child who knew nothing and could do nothing. It was only a week later that I found out that my father was sick with black skin disease. I only remember it because there was a description of the exact same symptoms in an ancient era book which a peddler happened to be selling in the city. ¡¹ Everyone, including Astarte, become speechless after hearing Mirages few words. Mirage, who was still a young boy, lost his father and got to know the cause of it only one week later. It is not hard to imagine how many times he would have regretted and cursed the world, about just giving it to him a little earlier. Astarte lowered her head and spoke in a quivering voice, perhaps ashamed or maybe regretful of reminding Mirage of his painful past. ¡¸I, I¡¯m sorry, I was thoughtless. ¡¹ It looked like a scene of a child regretful of disappointing her parents, and the back of the already small Astarte seemed to have shrunk even further. Mirage slowly approached such Astarte and her body trembled further. ¡¸It¡¯s been more than 200 years, and I don¡¯t mind it now. So, I will feel sadder if Tart-Chan worries about it like that. The Tart-Chan that I like is serious, hard-working, loves sweets, but is mercilessly poisonous with words. So, please don¡¯t make such a face. ¡¹ And while stroking Astarte¡¯s head gently, Mirage spoke in a persuading tone. This scene appeared like a father caring for his child and, Rafa and Robert looked at the whole exchange quietly. Mirage turned towards Robert, after determining that Astarte is going to be all right and her quivering will stop soon. ¡¸I¡¯m sorry to keep you waiting, Robert-San. I¡¯m sorry to trouble you, but you will have to lead the way for me to help. ¡¹ ¡¸o, oh, hmm. If you are really going to cure this disease, I don¡¯t mind a little exertion. To be honest, I was prepared to die, so this considerably cheaper. ¡¹ The actions of Robert were, as can be seen by the anger of Rafa, a dangerous gamble. Objectively, the negotiation can be considered as a dirty trick that harmed 2 of the 4 Heavenly kings and it would be not surprising for the Demon King¡¯s Army to destroy their whole village. Robert was prepared to offer his life as an apology for deceiving, to appeal for the treatment of the other Wolf Demons. However, Mirage instead of being angry was rather cooperative and his own bitter experience had certainly contributed to this behavior. When Mirage heard his answer, he quickly inscribed a Magic mark on the floor, and then, opened the gate from which he pulled out something like a cloth. ¡¸Rafa, I''m leaving the change of clothes for you here and when you are done you can inform me using Tart-Chan''s contact ball, I will summon you guys using the Magic mark. Well then, I and Robert-San are going ahead. ¡¹ Without hearing Rafa¡¯s reply, Mirage lent his shoulder to Robert and quickly walked out of the room. ¡¸aa--a, I had been worried about that. I usually don¡¯t like it and rarely get serious to use it, tsk. ¡¹ While saying so Rafa undid her Dragonification, leaving her without even a single thread on herself and she quickly reached out to the change of clothes that Mirage had left before. The Dragonification magic creates big changes to her body, which naturally results in the tearing of the clothes which she had worn before using it. That¡¯s why Rafa carries as much change of clothes as she can, but to not let the luggage get in the way in case of an attack, she had left it in the carriage and Mirage had taken one out from those clothes using Transfer magic. And Rafa¡¯s concern was not only about changing clothes but also for Astarte next to her. Astarte¡¯s expression is unknown as she was looking down, but several drops of water had fallen on the Tatami Mat under her feet. She was not able to notice anything about the Wolf Demons scheme; she was behind in understanding it compared to Mirage, she had a slip of tongue because of her limited knowledge and then she was comforted by the same person who she hurt by that. Perhaps the emotions swirling around in Astarte are regret, jealousy, shame, ...... and gratitude also. Mirage left on the pretext of Rafa changing clothes because he had sensed these emotions of Astarte. Astarte¡¯s was very prideful, so Mirage thought that she wouldn¡¯t like to be seen in such state by the person she considered to be her rival, but that she should be okay with Rafa, who was a childhood friend and a close friend, even though they were at odds with each other. And without needing to be said by Rafa, it is not hard to imagine that Astarte herself understood it the best. ¡¸Absolutely....... I¡¯ll absolutely....... follow...... about ¡­........ I¡¯ll show. ¡¹ While sobbing, Astarte looked up with a renewed determination. Rafa had a helpless look on her face seeing, such a state, of trying to pull herself together of her close friend. ¡¸Pooh, still you will not be able to keep up with me. I am one step ahead of the Cry-baby Tart, no matter what as I am one of the 4 Heavenly Kings. ¡¹ It may seem that Rafa is being her brash self as usual, but this is her trying to be kind in her own way. And her red eyes, like Astarte, were filled with determination. ¡¸....... I think it would be difficult for Rafa who has such a short-temper. I remember seeing Mirage ¨CSama leading the whole thing with his glib-tongue during the previous conflict. Still, I was the one who regained composure first, earlier. And in the first place, it is difficult to say whether Rafa would have been the part of the 4 Heavenly Kings without Mirage-Sama. ¡¹ Perhaps calming down, Astarte regained her usual tone and began to counterattack Rafa. Maybe because she had been confronted with an unexpected fact, Rafa replied in a flustered manner. ¡¸ How, how do you know that! That Black bean sprout should not have talked about such unnecessary things. ¡¹ ¡¸ If you think I don''t know anything, you''re very wrong. I can''t reveal the source, but I have heard about the details from a reliable source. I heard, your father and Mirage ¨CSama and----- ¡¹ ¡¸--Aaa! Aa! Stop it don¡¯t say anymore! Tart, no Tart, forgive me! ¡¹ Rafa clings to Astarte and begs her desperately showing how much she didn¡¯t want to hear it. Thus, the peaceful and smiling exchange of these two childhood friends, good friends, and foe lasted for some time, and it was only a little later that Mirage, who had been concerned about them due to the delay in communication, would complain. CH 29 ¡¸Robert-San, where are the rest of the Wolf Demons who were similarly infected by the disease? Just to be sure, I want to check their lifestyle and condition before the onset of illness. ¡¹ The other three people were nervous, but the next words that came out of Mirage¡¯s mouth were spoken in a gentle tone. ¡¸ Ah, umm, all the infected people are gathered in the innermost building in the village. It¡¯s about time for those guys at the entrance of the forest to come back. ¡¹ With a stunned look on his face, Robert obediently replies to Mirage and tells him about the whereabouts of the sick Wolf demons. Astarte and Rafa, who were freed from the pressure, stared at Mirage while wondering what he was going to do. Demons often use medicines prepared by pharmacists for diseases and injuries because they cannot use Holy magic--to be exact, they cannot receive the protection of the goddess-like humans. Injury or common diseases can be treated with medicines distributed within the demon territory, but it is only natural that only a person with specialized knowledge can cope with a major infectious disease like this. However, from Mirage¡¯s earlier words, it almost seems as if he was going to do the examination himself, and thus it was unavoidable for Astarte and Rafa to be left wondering. ¡¸I see, well first let¡¯s go to the place where the other infected people are. And then after that, please hold a proper funeral for your father. However, to completely kill the bacteria please do a cremation instead of burial. ¡¹ ¡¸He , hey, wait a minute. I think I might be wrong, does that mean you are going examine the infected people? Let me tell you that not only in this village but the doctors in the other villages have neither seen nor heard about such a disease! It is a terrible disease that has killed many people besides my father, there¡¯s no way for an amateur like you to deal with it. ¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right, Mirage-Sama, first of all, we should return to the Demon King¡¯s castle and send out a special medical team. We amateurs will only be wasting time in vain. I have also dabbled into medical science a little bit myself, but I have never seen or heard about such symptoms, so it most certainly is a new kind of disease. It is too dangerous for us to go to a place where there are a lot of infected people, even if there is a chance of us already being infected! ¡¹ ¡¸Ye, yes. You can¡¯t solve it using magic too, no matter how much you try a demon can¡¯t use holy magic, unlike humans. You should know, how difficult it was for me to understand that.¡¹ Starting with Robert, who was a little calm, Astarte and Rafa similarly threw out questions and raised objections to Mirage. The Wolf demon tribe has many villages in this vast forest and the one in which the Chief of the tribe stays stands on the top out of all of them. Naturally, there are doctors who studied medical science stationed in every village and so if none of them could deal with, the symptoms must be very unusual. The doctors of the long-lived demon race have many years of experience and knowledge and thus are naturally aware of even the rare disease that was prevalent a few hundred years ago. The fact that these many of such doctors don¡¯t know what this was and there have been many deaths, increases the possibility of this being a new and dangerous disease. Since the body of the Demons is stronger than that of a human being and has an excellent self-healing ability, it is very unusual for a Demon to die from some injury or disease. ¡¸... I have my guess already. It is probably the so-called black skin disease, which was prevalent during the ancient era. ¡¹ Mirage answers in his usual tone, but it made all three of them very greatly surprised, especially Astarte who started asking further questions as if not convinced. ¡¸Why, why does Mirage know that? I know you like books from the ancient era, but when it comes to medical science, you should be a stranger to it. It''s hard to believe that you have an insight into a disease that is not even known to us Evil demons. ¡¹ As the Evil Demons are the most numerous and long-lived among the demons, they have a vast amount of knowledge and experience, and many of them play an active role in the science field of the Demon King¡¯s army. In fact, nearly half of the members of the Demon King¡¯s Army medical team are the Evil Demons, as they continue to conduct research day and night. Astarte is not an expert, but she remembers all the serious diseases that can kill the demons in large numbers and she always keeps the latest information about what the medical team is researching. That¡¯s why she says that she doesn¡¯t know what he is talking about and if it¡¯s about the medical field, it is unavoidable that she can¡¯t remain silent. ¡¸......My father died of an illness when I was a child. But...At that time, I was a child who knew nothing and could do nothing. It was only a week later that I found out that my father was sick with black skin disease. I only remember it because there was a description of the exact same symptoms in an ancient era book which a peddler happened to be selling in the city. ¡¹ Everyone, including Astarte, become speechless after hearing Mirages few words. Mirage, who was still a young boy, lost his father and got to know the cause of it only one week later. It is not hard to imagine how many times he would have regretted and cursed the world, about just giving it to him a little earlier. Astarte lowered her head and spoke in a quivering voice, perhaps ashamed or maybe regretful of reminding Mirage of his painful past. ¡¸I, I¡¯m sorry, I was thoughtless. ¡¹ It looked like a scene of a child regretful of disappointing her parents, and the back of the already small Astarte seemed to have shrunk even further. Mirage slowly approached such Astarte and her body trembled further. ¡¸It¡¯s been more than 200 years, and I don¡¯t mind it now. So, I will feel sadder if Tart-Chan worries about it like that. The Tart-Chan that I like is serious, hard-working, loves sweets, but is mercilessly poisonous with words. So, please don¡¯t make such a face. ¡¹ And while stroking Astarte¡¯s head gently, Mirage spoke in a persuading tone. This scene appeared like a father caring for his child and, Rafa and Robert looked at the whole exchange quietly. Mirage turned towards Robert, after determining that Astarte is going to be all right and her quivering will stop soon. ¡¸I¡¯m sorry to keep you waiting, Robert-San. I¡¯m sorry to trouble you, but you will have to lead the way for me to help. ¡¹ ¡¸o, oh, hmm. If you are really going to cure this disease, I don¡¯t mind a little exertion. To be honest, I was prepared to die, so this considerably cheaper. ¡¹ The actions of Robert were, as can be seen by the anger of Rafa, a dangerous gamble. Objectively, the negotiation can be considered as a dirty trick that harmed 2 of the 4 Heavenly kings and it would be not surprising for the Demon King¡¯s Army to destroy their whole village. Robert was prepared to offer his life as an apology for deceiving, to appeal for the treatment of the other Wolf Demons. However, Mirage instead of being angry was rather cooperative and his own bitter experience had certainly contributed to this behavior. When Mirage heard his answer, he quickly inscribed a Magic mark on the floor, and then, opened the gate from which he pulled out something like a cloth. ¡¸Rafa, I''m leaving the change of clothes for you here and when you are done you can inform me using Tart-Chan''s contact ball, I will summon you guys using the Magic mark. Well then, I and Robert-San are going ahead. ¡¹ Without hearing Rafa¡¯s reply, Mirage lent his shoulder to Robert and quickly walked out of the room. ¡¸aa--a, I had been worried about that. I usually don¡¯t like it and rarely get serious to use it, tsk. ¡¹ While saying so Rafa undid her Dragonification, leaving her without even a single thread on herself and she quickly reached out to the change of clothes that Mirage had left before. The Dragonification magic creates big changes to her body, which naturally results in the tearing of the clothes which she had worn before using it. That¡¯s why Rafa carries as much change of clothes as she can, but to not let the luggage get in the way in case of an attack, she had left it in the carriage and Mirage had taken one out from those clothes using Transfer magic. And Rafa¡¯s concern was not only about changing clothes but also for Astarte next to her. Astarte¡¯s expression is unknown as she was looking down, but several drops of water had fallen on the Tatami Mat under her feet. She was not able to notice anything about the Wolf Demons scheme; she was behind in understanding it compared to Mirage, she had a slip of tongue because of her limited knowledge and then she was comforted by the same person who she hurt by that. Perhaps the emotions swirling around in Astarte are regret, jealousy, shame, ...... and gratitude also. Mirage left on the pretext of Rafa changing clothes because he had sensed these emotions of Astarte. Astarte¡¯s was very prideful, so Mirage thought that she wouldn¡¯t like to be seen in such state by the person she considered to be her rival, but that she should be okay with Rafa, who was a childhood friend and a close friend, even though they were at odds with each other. And without needing to be said by Rafa, it is not hard to imagine that Astarte herself understood it the best. ¡¸Absolutely....... I¡¯ll absolutely....... follow...... about ¡­........ I¡¯ll show. ¡¹ While sobbing, Astarte looked up with a renewed determination. Rafa had a helpless look on her face seeing, such a state, of trying to pull herself together of her close friend. ¡¸Pooh, still you will not be able to keep up with me. I am one step ahead of the Cry-baby Tart, no matter what as I am one of the 4 Heavenly Kings. ¡¹ It may seem that Rafa is being her brash self as usual, but this is her trying to be kind in her own way. And her red eyes, like Astarte, were filled with determination. ¡¸....... I think it would be difficult for Rafa who has such a short-temper. I remember seeing Mirage ¨CSama leading the whole thing with his glib-tongue during the previous conflict. Still, I was the one who regained composure first, earlier. And in the first place, it is difficult to say whether Rafa would have been the part of the 4 Heavenly Kings without Mirage-Sama. ¡¹ Perhaps calming down, Astarte regained her usual tone and began to counterattack Rafa. Maybe because she had been confronted with an unexpected fact, Rafa replied in a flustered manner. ¡¸ How, how do you know that! That Black bean sprout should not have talked about such unnecessary things. ¡¹ ¡¸ If you think I don''t know anything, you''re very wrong. I can''t reveal the source, but I have heard about the details from a reliable source. I heard, your father and Mirage ¨CSama and----- ¡¹ ¡¸--Aaa! Aa! Stop it don¡¯t say anymore! Tart, no Tart, forgive me! ¡¹ Rafa clings to Astarte and begs her desperately showing how much she didn¡¯t want to hear it. Thus, the peaceful and smiling exchange of these two childhood friends, good friends, and foe lasted for some time, and it was only a little later that Mirage, who had been concerned about them due to the delay in communication, would complain. CH 30 ¡¸ Masked, no Mirage-Danna, we will be indebted to you for the rest of your life. This is the consensus of all the Wolf Demons. No words are enough from us who deceived you, to apologize and thank you for saving our lives. The Demon King''s Army, no Mirage-Danna can use us Wolf Demons as you like, we wouldn''t mind losing our life for you. ¡¹ At the meeting hall in the southern village, the Wolf demons who had been evacuated to other villages also gathered, and centred around Robert, everyone rubbed their heads on the floor while facing Mirage. This pose is called "Dogeza", it is used to show greatest sincerity in the east. There are still many people who have dark patches left on them, but they have already recovered strength enough to move around, showing the strength of their vitality. The sight of nearly 250 Wolf demons kneeling on the ground all at once was indescribable, and Astarte and Rafa standing behind Mirage had an uncomfortable expression on their face seeing this. Although they were also energetically treating the Wolf Demons under the direction of the Mirage, it is unavoidable that the target of gratitude would be directed to the person who brought the cure. ¡¸Robert-San, everyone, I just happened to know about the disease by coincidence. So, please raise your heads. Seeing so, many people kneel down before me like this, I am at a loss about what to do. All the Wolf Demons joining the Shadow Army, is already enough to show your gratitude. Also, you guys can''t go out of the forest for some time to prevent the spread of the disease, but please bear with it as it is for the sake of eradicating Black Skin disease. ¡¹ Mirage had already predicted that the Wolf demons whose lives were saved by him would want to join the Shadow army and it was more than important to do so now/ it will probably be the most important thing now. From the first day of treatment, he used Rafa''s contact ball to report the general situation to Demon King Lilith via Swift wind Castle, and from there he received order that he could do things as he wanted. And of course, he was able to prepare the necessary material simultaneously, and succeeded in quickly making a large amount of medicine for treatment by using the Transfer magic. After the treatment is complete, the next step is to prevent black skin disease from spreading outside the forest where the Wolf demons live, so Mirage has instructed the Wolf demons to eradicate the source of the infection. ¡¸That''s all right. However, I never thought that the mice and rabbits we usually eat were the cause of the infection. ¡¹ (TL Note: on that note what do you think about the corona virus being caused by eating a bat) As Robert said, the source of the black skin disease were mice and rabbits that these Wolf demons used to hunt on a daily basis. To be precise the fleas that dwell on them were the source of the disease, they bit the mice and rabbits making them infected, and after that the Wolf Demons who touched these animal''s blood became infected. Also, when these fleas suck blood they are also infected, so it is necessary to exterminate the fleas, as well as their host, the mice and rabbits for some time. For that reason, for a while, they continue to eliminate the source of infection, along with sterilization of all the villages and treatment of the infected. ¡¸It was very hard to find out in your circumstances. Anyway, after you have completely recovered, you guys will be accepted in the Demon King Army. Later, other personnel will be dispatched here, so please report to them about the items I have told you about earlier. ¡¹ Since he had already engraved a Magic mark in every village of the Wolf demons, he planned to dispatch other personnel here using Transfer magic, for the observation and monitoring of the villagers, after reporting to the Demon King Castle. Since this disease is unprecedentedly deadly, it is essential for a medical team to collect samples for research purposes, and it is also important to observe whether there are people in the Wolf Demon Tribe who are against them. This is matter of course, regardless of whether Mirage trusts them or not, as they had been hostile towards the organisation called the Demon King Army until now. It is very likely Mao-Sama has already prepared for all of this, thought Mirage. It is unimaginable from her usual attitude, but since she was able to bring together the disorganised demons to form the Demon King Army, it goes without saying how excellent she was in making decision and executing it. ¡¸Oi, we couldn''t welcome you guys because of the treatment, but the next time, we will entertain you properly. And .... it may seem troublesome but my noisy daughter has something to say to you. Would you mind sparing a little of your time? ¡¹ ¡¸Your Daughter is it? I don''t mind............¡¹ When the Mirage readily consented to the apologetic Robert, a little girl rushed out from the shadow of the huge figure. From the standard of humans, she appeared to be a little girl of 10 or so years, with the ears and tail of a beast peculiar to the Wolf Demons, she approached Mirage with a tensed face. Next to Robert, stood a beautiful woman, who seemed to be his wife, watched her beloved daughter warmly, and it can be seen from her appearance that the girl resembles her mother. ¡¸th, that um.... Masked Oni-Chan, can you bend down a little? ¡¹ Mirage crouched down on the spot and looked at the girl who shyly uttered those words. Then the girl taking advantage of the physical abilities of the Wolf Demon tribe, quickly turns to right side, which is Mirage''s blind spot and then stretches her hand to his face to quickly fill the distance between them. ¡¸ What? ¡¹ ¡¸Na! ¡¹ ¡¸Ah! ¡¹ Mirage who thought that she was going to remove his mask, pinned his face with his hand, but when her actions where contrary to his expectation, so he let out a voice of doubt. And following Mirage, Astarte and Rafa who were standing behind, also let out a voice of surprise. The little girl kissed his exposed cheeks which was not covered by the mask and then shyly ran behind Robert. ¡¸Hahaha, see now Mirage-Danna has to take responsibility for our daughter. My daughter looks like my wife, she will definitely grow up to be beautiful, so look forward to it. ¡¹ ¡¸I''m glad to be able to thank Mirage-San. Tee-hee, I remembered the day I saw mother and father kissing for the first time. ¡¹ Though from the beginning till end, Mirage thought that he was deceiving the Wolf Demons, he really appreciated the courage of the little girl and was smiling under his mask. Having seen the happy smile of the family in front of him, he was glad that the treatment went well. ¡¸Don''t make fun of Robert-San and the Madam. Well, then we will be leaving now. ¡¹ Saying so, Mirage opened the gate and disappeared in an instant with Astarte and Rafa. ¡¸I''ve seen it so many times, it''s truly a ridiculous magic. And It is under the most terrifying guy I know.¡¹ Staring at the place where Mirage''s group had been before, Robert spoke with a smile and a dreadful expression. Many of the other Wolf Demons do not know Mirage''s abilities and are simple-mindedly thankful to him for saving their lives, but only Robert truly understood the scale of his power. ¡¸Well, where are we? ¡¹ ¡¸Right? This is not my castle, neither the Demon King Castle, nor your castle. ¡¹ Astarte and Rafa seeing that they have transferred to an unfamiliar place, looked around while questioning Mirage. It looks like a common wooden house having one room with a bed in the corner, a table, chair and a bookshelf, nothing unusual. The curtains were drawn on the window, so you can''t see what is outside and where you are and so Astarte and Rafa both have a confused look on their face. ¡¸This is my...... well this is one of my hideouts. There is something we have to do before we go to the Demon King''s castle. Tart-Chan, Rafa, take off all the clothes you both are wearing right now. ¡¹ ¡¸Wh, what, what are you talking about, you masked pervert! No way, that bed is kept there for that purpose! What nerve you have to do such a thing with both of us together! This is kind of thing is done properly one-on-one! This pervert! Lewd! Erotic person! ¡¹ Surprised by his outrageous remark, Rafa blushed and started yelling at Mirage. On the other hand, Astarte had her eyes wide open for a moment, then thinking of something, she put her hand on her outer garment and began to take it off. Her white, slender arms were exposed after taking of the garment, seeing this Rafa let out a cry of surprise. ¡¸Hey, wa, wait Tart have you gone crazy? Why are you listening to him so obediently like that? No, no way are we doing this? Bu, but it''s my first time, and it is so sudden, I''m not prepared......¡¹ Seeing Rafa who excited alone, Astarte stared at her with a stunned look on her face and said. ¡¸Rafa, what are you thinking about? Disinfecting and disposing of the clothes are a matter of course to not bring the pathogens back to the Demon King''s castle. You see, Mirage-Sama put the things that we needed and went out of the room. ¡¹ When Rafa turned her face in the direction pointed by Astarte, Mirage was no longer there, in place of him there were few clean clothes in a tub, water bottles, distilled liquors and medicines. The idea is to cleanse and disinfect their body, change clothes and also disinfect the other necessary item like the contact ball, to reduce even a little possibility of bringing pathogens along with them. This is a necessary measure, as even though a cure can be made, it will become a serious problem if this infectious disease is spread in the large Demon King''s army. ¡¸a, au, don''t misunderstand! Just now it was just a joke, a joke. Really, Tart you are too serious and inflexible.¡¹ While grumbling and complaining, Rafa also began to change her clothes. There are rows of Dragon''s scales on her back at the base of her wings and the features of the dragon were evident on her shoulders and waist, but her limbs were smooth and beautiful. Taking a sideway glance at such an appearance of Rafa, Astarte dropped a bomb in the room.1 ¡¸Rafa, now that I think about it, it seems that your breast didn''t grow so well compared to your height. ¡¹ It appears that Rafa''s earlier remark had offended her and she decided to get back at her by remarking about the body part Rafa was conscious about. Rafa paused her actions and turned towards Astarte, her expression was hardened with her mouth half-open. ¡¸I, for my case it is called being slender. Us Dragon Demons are usually slender, because the extra flesh become a hindrance when we Dragonify and fly. Moreover, we are not a childlike tribe like yours. The Evil Demon tribe can be said to be pitiable, having the breast and height like a child. ¡¹ With a snort, Rafa creepily gazed over Astarte''s whole body and provoked her in a silly way. ¡¸I''m still growing. It is not a problem as the Evil Demon Tribe is a slow growing tribe. Hmm, moreover Rafa is the one with childish behaviour, and likes to wear childish underwear, too. What is that, bear panties? Even kids don''t wear them these days.¡¹ At the end of Astarte''s gaze was Rafa wearing a plain underwear with a bear embroidered on it. It is true that, it is okay if it is worn by child-like Robert''s daughter, but it is a little awkward to be seen worn by Rafa who looks 15 --16 years old by human standard. Rafa silently walked from her spot to the corner of the room, picked up the bed while glaring at Astarte, making one wonder where did such power exist come from in such a slender arm. ¡¸Well, Bears are cute, so it''s fine ...... but you.... that mature black underwear doesn''t suit you! ¡¹ As she spoke, Rafa hurled the bed at Astarte, but naturally such attack was easily dodged by her. However, the wooden bed thrown with the strength of a Dragon demon hit the wall with a great force, and a hole in it with a loud noise, through which a half-naked Mirage in the next room could be seen. And Mirage alarmed by the thunderous noise of the wall breaking, turned in the direction of Astarte and Rafa to check the situation, so essentially that being the case there was nothing he did wrong, but there was no way such sound argument was not understood by them. After this Mirage was made to promise to listen to one of their requests, to appease the two who were enraged at him for seeing them in underwear, while he lamented that this was unreasonable as he was not the one at fault. [1.TL NOTE: here dropping a bomb is a metaphor] CH 31 The day after returning from the village of the Wolf Demon Clan, Mirage and Astarte made their way to the Demon Lord¡¯s castle. Astarte carried a stack of documents in her arms, resembling a secretary as she accompanied Mirage. Mirage suggested that they could simply use teleportation magic to arrive later, but Astarte stubbornly refused to part with the important documents and insisted on keeping them close at hand. The two of them were headed towards a room within the Demon Lord¡¯s castle known as the Throne Room. Normally, Mirage would receive an audience with the Demon Lord in her private chambers, but this time they were heading to the Throne Room, where the proceedings typically took place in the presence of others. ¡°Behold, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, Mirage of Illusions-sama, and his aide, Astarte-sama. Please proceed,¡± a voice announced as they stood before the towering doors. Two strong soldiers stood guard by the doors, presumably the palace guards responsible for protecting the Throne Room. Unlike the newly recruited soldiers from the other day, these guards were experienced and quickly confirmed Mirage and Astarte¡¯s identities. With a flourish, they pulled on the ornate door handles and the heavy doors creaked open, revealing the entrance to the grand room. Mirage and Astarte passed through the massive doors and entered the chamber. At the far end, they could see an imposing chair that appeared to be a throne. In front of it, a wide path was laid out with a scarlet silk carpet, adding a touch of luxury to the scene. On either side of the silk path stood the members of the Demon Lord¡¯s personal guard, forming multiple rows. Their presence exuded an intimidating aura, suggesting that they would swiftly eliminate anyone who dared to harm the Demon Lord. Amidst the watchful gaze of approximately a hundred soldiers, accompanied by civilian officials and what appeared to be a musical ensemble made up of demons, Mirage and Astarte walked forward with composure, undeterred by the imposing surroundings. A short distance before reaching the throne, six men and women were already standing, silently facing forward as if to halt their progress. Among them stood Rafale, and it was likely that the Four Heavenly Kings and their aides had gathered in that area. Mirage positioned himself in the space between Rafale and a petite girl, while Astarte stood behind them. For a brief moment, silence enveloped the room until a voice from the entrance announced the arrival of the Demon Lord. ¡°The Demon Queen Lilith has arrived!¡± As the voice echoed, a fanfare played by a musical band resounded in the room, and the Demon Lord Lilith slowly began to move forward on the carpet. Adorned in garments known as kimono, originating from the East, Lilith gracefully walked, holding a folding fan in her hand and accompanied by her entourage. Her presence, dressed as she was, resembled more that of a princess than a demon Lord. She adorned her head with a hair ornament called a kanzashi, crafted in the East, and her nine-tailed fox tail fluttered behind her. Mirage couldn¡¯t help but think that she resembled the legendary nine-tailed fox who had transformed into Dakki, a character from Eastern folklore. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daji Radiating unparalleled beauty, allure, and a touch of recklessness, Lilith¡¯s appearance could easily be compared to the enchanting nine-tailed fox who captivated countless men. Everyone in the audience room, including Mirage, knelt before her. However, the masked man secretly created a small gate between his mask and his right eye, calmly observing the scene without anyone noticing. Teleportation magic typically connects different spaces, so it was only natural that he could see through the gate he created. However, no one had ever used it in this manner before. The fact that he could create such a small gate, barely visible within the space between his mask and eye, required an extraordinary level of control over magical power, bordering on divine skill. The masked man simply used it out of boredom while waiting for Demon Queen Lilith to approach, preferring to use this time to read rather than engage in the formalities of the ongoing proceedings. The series of events taking place in the throne room was largely formal, and it was understandable that repetition could lead to boredom. However, if the other members of the Demon Lord¡¯s army were to find out about his actions, they would surely be furious. This audience, gathering the distinguished members of the Demon Lord¡¯s army, including the Four Heavenly Kings, was held once a year. It was considered an honor to be invited to this occasion. Not only the members of the security detail but also the Four Heavenly Kings, vice-commanders, civil officials, researchers, and even the musical band¡ªall the outstanding individuals among the demons were gathered under one roof. It was only this man who dared to observe from a hidden perspective, reading books in this prestigious setting and stealing glances at the unusual appearance of the Demon Lord. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I appreciate your presence. Feel free to relax,¡± Lilith spoke in a commanding manner, addressing those in the room. Without delay, everyone stood up, and all eyes were focused on the Demon Lord seated on the throne. ¡°The Four Heavenly Kings, you have traveled far, and I appreciate your efforts. It is not often that we have the opportunity to gather like this,¡± Lilith addressed the Four Heavenly Kings, and the demon standing at the far left began expressing his gratitude. ¡°For the sake of our Demon Queen Lilith, I, Cruel the Barbarous, shall always stand beside you, no matter when,¡± he proclaimed in an overly dramatic manner, kneeling gracefully with his golden hair flowing. He appeared more like a prince from a foreign kingdom. He was the Four Heavenly Kings¡¯ oldest member and governed the southern territories of the demon realm, commanding the golden-horned demon clan. Among the Four Heavenly Kings, he prioritized incessant invasions of human territories over the unity of the demon clans, which didn¡¯t earn him much favor from Demon Queen Lilith. However, it was a fact that he rallied the demons residing in the southern lands, and he governed a once chaotic territory within the demon realm, demonstrating his true power. Furthermore, the fearsome man known by the epithet ¡°Barbarous¡± truly embodies the word, as evidenced by the villages he devastated and the people he captured. ¡°I, the Rafale of the Gale, have already devoted myself to the Demon Lord.¡± Rafale then placed a clenched fist against her chest and stood upright as she expressed her gratitude to the Demon Lord, Lilith. This greeting was completely different from the one used by Cruel earlier. It was one of the formalities observed by the Dragon-Demon Clan, akin to the act of bowing in submission performed by the Wolf-Demon Clan. Demon Lord Lilith had incorporated various cultures and laws within the ranks of the Demon Army. Naturally, different races possessed their own distinct customs and sensibilities. In order to accommodate these differences, she allowed a certain level of flexibility. Even in such official settings, she permitted the prioritization of racial customs, enhancing cohesion among the ranks. While the Demon Army had a uniform similar to the military attire worn by Astarte, many demons sported clothing unique to their respective races. Performing such acts in human lands could lead to charges of disrespect and subsequent punishment, or at the very least, condemnation for lacking proper decorum. Mirage, who was half-human, couldn¡¯t help but feel a deep sense of appreciation for the more lenient and relaxed manners observed by demons in official settings. ¡°I, Mirage of Illusions, am determined to serve the Demon Lord with my body and soul,¡± Mirage humbly stated, placing a hand over his heart as he bowed. Mirage didn¡¯t hold even the slightest inclination towards such devotion, but he maintained a respectful facade, offering his heartfelt gratitude. Despite the comical mask he wore, his movements still exuded a sense of solemnity and poise. It was truly deserving of the term ¡°as expected.¡± As the order proceeded to the final Four Heavenly Kings, the vice-commander waiting in the background, as well as the individuals present in the room, all wore expressions tinged with worry. The fresh-faced soldiers of the personal guard who were unaware of the circumstances and those participating in such an occasion for the first time seemed puzzled by the demeanor of the others. However, they would soon come to understand the reason. ¡°Behold, the Mighty Bedivere, having been called, I jump forth! Da-da-da-daa~~~. I¡¯ve come for the sake of the Demon Lord!¡± The petite girl standing at Mirage¡¯s right side began bouncing on the spot, waving her hand excitedly towards Demon Lord Lilith. Even shorter than the diminutive Astarte, she appeared as though a small child frolicking around. Yet, from within her purplish hair, protruded large, jet-black horns. The twisted horns of the demon tribe resembled those of a goat, while the straight horns that pierced the sky were a distinctive feature of the Oni-Demon clan. From behind the young maiden, Bedivere, a sigh could be heard, presumably from her subordinate. Astarte, standing behind Mirage, furrowed her brow. Her greeting was not a traditional one passed down among the oni-demon clan; rather, it was her usual attitude, no matter the circumstances. ¡°As always, Bedivere, you¡¯re full of energy¡­ Truly remarkable. Well then, let us proceed with the presentation of this year¡¯s Order of Merit.¡± -Lilith Tempted to use more casual language due to Bedivere¡¯s behavior, Demon Lord Lilith regained her composure and uttered words that tightened the expressions of those present. Gathered together, including the Four Heavenly Kings, were the distinguished members of the Demon Lord¡¯s army, coming together for the annual awarding of the Order of Merit. Receiving one of the prestigious nine-level medals based on their achievements within the army, it was a great honor. However, Mirage, beneath his mask, displayed an indifferent expression. Normally, receiving this medal would earn respect for one¡¯s own tribe, serving as evidence of their recognition within the Demon Lord¡¯s army and leading to preferential treatment and advancements even for ordinary demons. But for Mirage, such matters were trivial. Being the only member of the Phantom-Demon clan within the Demon Lord¡¯s army, there was little room for further promotion beyond becoming the Demon Lord. Naturally, Mirage had no interest in such things; he desired vacations more than increases in salary. To Mirage, this award ceremony was dreadfully dull, but to other demons, it was a rare opportunity to receive a medal directly from the Demon Lord, whom they rarely interacted with. As a result, the proceedings were slow, and they were subjected to a lengthy time of captivity. Furthermore, the Four Heavenly Kings, including Mirage, were scheduled to hold a meeting with the Demon Lord to discuss the future direction of the Demon Lord¡¯s army. Since embarking on negotiations with the Wolf-Demon clan, Mirage had been working overnight every day. Waiting for his own medal to be awarded while battling sleepiness was nothing short of torture. Mirage had hoped that catching a glimpse of the unusual sight of Demon Lord Lilith might dispel his drowsiness. However, the effect was fleeting, and witnessing the repetitive exchanges before his only served to intensify the assault of drowsiness. Given Mirage¡¯s accomplishments, which were among the best within the Demon Lord¡¯s army, he would be called last in most cases. Moreover, the fact that he would be in front of the throne where Lilith sat drew attention to him, making it even more impossible for him to doze off. ¡°Now, let us move on to the announcement of the Order of Merit: Cross of Merit on Ribbon.¡± Finally, the announcement and presentation of the lowest-ranking medal were concluded, but it was still only the second stage. With nine levels, including the highest-ranking Grand Cross, there was still a long way to go. Astarte and Rafale, who had also been working overnight to prepare documents and reports for the meeting, seemed unaffected, wearing calm expressions. For pure-blooded demons like them, spending several days without sleep was no big deal. However, Mirage, a half-human and half-demon hybrid, couldn¡¯t afford to do the same. While half the amount of sleep compared to humans was more than enough, Mirage had already spent six consecutive sleepless nights, and his tolerance was nearing its limit. Hidden behind a mask that concealed his expressions, Mirage was gradually losing the battle against drowsiness, and before he knew it, he was embarking on a journey to the realm of dreams. CH 32 ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. One of the Four Heavenly Kings, dozing off during the award ceremony for the Order of Merit. It¡¯s unheard of! Had it not been for my illusion magic to deceive the attendees, it would have caused quite a commotion,¡± murmured Astarte, holding a vial of mana potion in her hand, as she lectured Mirage in the conference room of the Demon Lord¡¯s castle. In the end, Mirage had skillfully fallen asleep while maintaining a standing posture, and Astarte, realizing this, had used illusion magic to craft an image of him accepting the award. Mirage, on one hand, wanted to use his all-nighter as an excuse, but as a demon, it would seem unnatural, so he quietly pretended to reflect on his actions. ¡°I truly owe you, Tarte. I was lucky to be the last recipient of the award.¡± -Mirage It was the same on the battlefield; using illusion magic for an extended period against a large number of opponents consumed a tremendous amount of magical power and placed a heavy burden. However, since Mirage was the final recipient of the honor, the ceremony ended promptly after his award, requiring only a short time for the illusion magic. If it had been earlier in the ceremony, Astarte¡¯s magical power would undoubtedly have run out, and the fallen medal would have abruptly appeared at the feet of Demon Lord Lilith, causing quite a stir. If it had been for a few individuals, Astarte might have made herself invisible and retrieved the medal, but due to the excessively large number of attendees this time, she needed to concentrate on the illusion magic. ¡°But seriously, rather than us, it¡¯s rare for you to make a mistake in a public setting like this. I thought you were reliable in those aspects,¡± Rafale commented with a puzzled expression, addressing Mirage, who sat next to Astarte. The conference room was already filled with the Four Heavenly Kings and their subordinates, seated in chairs arranged before the round table. The chair in the twelve o¡¯clock position of the clock was reserved for the Demon Lord and remained vacant. Going clockwise from there, the Four Heavenly Kings and their subordinates occupied the seats, with the east, west, north, and south positions respectively. There was no predetermined seating arrangement, but due to Mirage¡¯s avoidance of Cruel, who sat in the south position, it naturally resulted in Rafale sitting beside Mirage in the north position. Mirage¡¯s discomfort with Cruel played a part, but the main reason was Astarte. The Golden Horn and Silver Horn demons had an ancient history of being bitter rivals to the point where their compatibility was the worst imaginable. One wrong step, and they could still end up fighting to the death. It was strictly forbidden in the Demon Lord¡¯s army to assign Golden Horn and Silver Horn together, which emphasized the severity of their relationship. ¡°Heeey, heeey, Miraaageee, don¡¯t you have any snacks today~? Bedi¡¯s hungry~,¡± interjected Bedivere, the young girl seated to the right, her voice muffled as she leaned forward on the round table, demanding snacks. There was no clever excuse for dozing off, and if he could deceive them with this, he thought it would be a small price to pay. Thus, he decided to go along with Bedivere¡¯s laid-back words. ¡°If it¡¯s strawberry tart, which has become a secret boom in my territory, I have it. Please, everyone, help yourselves. Since we have this chance.¡± -Mirage With those words, Mirage used teleportation magic to summon strawberry tarts and forks onto nine plates, including the vacant ones. One by one, everyone expressed their gratitude and began indulging in the sweetness. In truth, apart from Mirage and Cruel, all the members, including the Four Heavenly Kings and the Vice-Captains, were women, and they had a particular fondness for sweet treats. It had become a familiar sight that during each meeting, Bedivere would request a snack, and Mirage would treat everyone. Secretly, it had become a source of joy for the women. Astarte, who loved strawberry tarts, savored each bite while keeping their expression hidden, but her face was filled with happiness. The cause of the boom was the male soldiers of the Illusion Army who devised a plan to bring gifts in order to see Astarte¡¯s smile. As a side note, most of the soldiers, unable to approach the busy Astarte to strike up a conversation, resorted to tears as they stuffed strawberry tarts into their own stomachs. It had become a spectacle of the Illusion Castle. ¡°Oh, what do we have here? You¡¯re eatin¡¯ somethin¡¯ tasty, aren¡¯t ¡®cha? Of course, ya¡¯ prepared my portion too, right, Mirage-tan, the Napping Beauty?¡± Demon Lord Lilith entered the conference room and, with her first words, expressed her sarcasm towards Mirage. Astarte¡¯s illusion magic had little to no effect on powerful individuals such as the Demon King. Those with advanced mana manipulation skills could quickly sense the intrusion of others¡¯ mana within their bodies and deflect it with their own mana. Although it couldn¡¯t be completely nullified, they could resist to some extent. It was this natural reaction that unintentionally revealed Mirage¡¯s dozing off to a select few. Most of the Four Heavenly Kings, their subordinates, and the leaders of the security forces were familiar with Mirage¡¯s personality, so it didn¡¯t cause much of a commotion. However, it was inevitable that there would be some sarcastic remarks, such as those coming from Demon Lord Lilith. ¡°Ah, I am sorry for earlier. As an apology, besides the strawberry tart, I have also prepared Yokan[1], a delicacy from the East. I¡¯ve also brought matching green tea to complement it, so please enjoy,¡± Mirage said as he stood up and bowed his head to Demon Lord Lilith. He had flawlessly prepared himself to please her. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%8Dkan Demon Lord Lilith, as evident from her attire and fan, had a keen interest in Eastern culture and was particularly fond of items originating from the East. Yokan had become one of her favorite treats, so Mirage believed that presenting it would silence any further complaints. In the first place, the Order of Merit itself had been somewhat of an imitation by Demon Lord Lilith, loosely based on a human kingdom¡¯s system. It hadn¡¯t been such a grand affair initially. As the size of the Demon Lord¡¯s army swelled, it gradually became a ceremony of honor, much to the confusion of the one who started it in the first place¡ªDemon Lord Lilith. Incorporating various cultures and systems from both demons and humans, Demon Lord Lilith was experimenting to see if they would be accepted by the current generation of demons, sometimes starting things on a whim. ¡°As expected a¡¯ Mirage-tan, ya¡¯ truly know what I like. You¡¯re a wonderful man. Whenever ya¡¯ feel like it, propose to me, I¡¯ll marry ya¡¯ any time ya¡¯ know?¡± Demon Lord Lilith said, teasingly. With that casual remark, Demon Lord Lilith, who had taken her seat, wagged her tail happily as she began to enjoy the Yokan. Upon hearing the mention of marriage, a few of the women in the room seemed momentarily frozen while eating their strawberry tarts, but Mirage remained oblivious and started savoring his own sweet treat. As Mirage sliced through the tart with his fork, the gradual disappearance of the strawberry tart, little by little, by use of a small gate, was truly a magical sight to behold. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s start the meeting,¡± declared Demon Lord Lilith, clapping her hands. Thus, the annual meeting of the Demon Lord¡¯s Army High Command began. The contents of the meeting were not significantly different from previous years, mainly consisting of a review of the past year¡¯s events and the setting of new goals. The Four Heavenly Kings and their subordinates reported on successfully integrating various races and the number of accomplishments. They also discussed issues that had arisen within their territories and the solutions that were implemented. Due to the diverse characteristics of the demon races, while general guidelines were established, the specific methods were mostly left to the Four Heavenly Kings and their subordinates. Considering that demons had a long lifespan and were patient beings, major changes within a year were uncommon. However, this particular meeting featured several important reports. ¡°It appears that recently, troublesome individuals have emerged among the foolish humans. It seems there are impudent entities being groomed with the intent to target you, Demon Lord. As if we haven¡¯t already suffered enough at the hands of that court magician, Farsa! How far! Will these humans go! To interfere with us!!!¡± exclaimed Cruel, the ruler of the southern lands, becoming increasingly agitated as he reported, gradually adopting a peculiar way of speaking. The southern region of the demon territories bordered many human-ruled countries, leading to fierce conflicts and providing the highest amount of available information. It had been about a year since Julia was officially recognized as a hero, and fragmented information about the Demon Lord¡¯s Army was starting to reach them. By the way, Mirage, also known as Farsa, would perform covert operations to reduce the damage whenever Cruel¡¯s forces attempted an invasion, gaining intelligence in the process. ¡°Hmmm, they¡¯re aimin¡¯ to defeat me, the Demon Lord, eh? It seems humans have come ta¡¯ detest us. I suppose they desire those ancient civilization technologies,¡± Demon Lord Lilith remarked. Within the demon territories, numerous ruins from ancient civilizations lay dormant, and the Demon Lord¡¯s Army possessed many magical tools that couldn¡¯t be replicated with modern technology, such as the Communication Orbs. Enchanting objects infused with magical power, known as magical tools, exhibited various effects. These tools were crafted by magicians of both the human nations and the demon clans. However, they paled in comparison to the artifacts from the era of ancient civilizations. As a result, numerous countries, driven by their ambitions for military and research purposes, kept a keen eye on the ruins within the demon tribe¡¯s territory. This desire, coupled with the long-standing animosity between humans and magical beings, became a cause for conflict. Although the Demon Lord, Lilith, criticized Cruel¡¯s actions, she had appointed him as one of her Four Heavenly Kings, recognizing his significant contributions in defending against human invasions. Regardless of his methods, Cruel demonstrated exceptional personal abilities and leadership skills, commanding the forces against three neighboring countries simultaneously. It was undeniable that he was highly competent within the ranks of the Demon Lord¡¯s army, despite his challenging temperament. ¡°Having ancient artifacts so prevalent in our demon territory is quite intriguing. Although these out-of-place artifacts can be useful, it would be better if we didn¡¯t encounter ancient diseases like the Wolf Demon Clan did,¡± Rafale remarked, expressing an unexpectedly serious opinion. The others nodded in agreement. The term ¡°out-of-place artifacts¡± referred to the items, including magical tools unearthed from ancient ruins. They were also known as ¡°OOPArts,¡± objects that could not be replicated with current technology and were deemed to have originated from a different era. The main topic of discussion in the current meeting revolved around the outbreak of the Black Skin Disease within the Wolf Demon Tribe, which had been recently discovered. ¡°Thing is, tha¡¯ things brought about by ancient technology ain¡¯t always good. As mentioned in tha¡¯ reports gathered up by Mirage-tan ¡®n Tarte-tan, if we confirm any cases of skin darkening in each territory, we gotta swiftly report ¡®n take preventive measures. The research results from tha¡¯ medical team will be continuously updated, so y¡¯all gotta to stay informed.¡± -Lilith The infection, which had led to fatalities within a week, was not limited to the wolf demons, unbeknownst to the Demon Lord¡¯s army. The possibility of it occurring in other territories, beyond the lands of the wolf demons, needed to be carefully considered. Although the current incident happened to involve wolf demons who did not venture out of the forest, the importance of immediate action in case of an outbreak in a different location was self-evident. With a contagion rate of ninety percent within two months, it was clear that a misstep could lead not only to a crisis within the demon tribe¡¯s territory but also to a worldwide pandemic. Given the horrifying nature of the Black Skin Disease, its discovery, the establishment of a treatment method, and the prevention of its spread, Mirage¡¯s achievement in receiving the highest honor¡ªthe Grand Cross¡ªamong the decorations for distinguished service, was undoubtedly a result that everyone agreed upon. Among the Demon Lord¡¯s ranks that had endured for centuries, Mirage was only the third individual to receive such an award. However, as he had been dozing off during the ceremony, it was understandable why Astarte was furious. As a side note, it was Astarte who had devised all the congratulatory speeches using illusion magic during the award ceremony. ¡°Hey, hey, Demon Lord-sama~, what¡¯s that ¡®ho-ren-so¡¯ thing? Are we making a quiche or something?¡± Bedivere, who had delegated the reporting duties to her deputy as usual, made her first contribution to the meeting with an absent-minded question. [2] During this meeting, Bedivere, renowned for her physical strength, appeared rather clueless with her content. A quiche was a dish made by filling pie or tart crusts with various ingredients such as spinach and bacon, and it was said to have originated from a human country located to the south of the demon territory. Previously, Bedivere had tasted a quiche as a treat from Mirage and had taken a great liking to it, often requesting her assistant, a female oni-demon, to make it. Mirage had meticulously taught her the recipe in a hands-on manner. Since then, Mirage had been receiving meaningful glances from Bedivere¡¯s assistant, which couldn¡¯t be dismissed as a mere coincidence. ¡°Bedi, ¡®ho-ren-so¡¯ stands for ¡®reporting, contact, and consultation.¡¯ It means that if something happens, we should properly inform the Demon Lord. Let¡¯s make sure to follow that,¡± Mirage responded to Bedivere¡¯s question in a familiar manner. ¡°Hmm, it doesn¡¯t concern Bedi anyway. I don¡¯t caaare. But hey, let¡¯s wrap up this meeting soon. It¡¯s soooo b-o-r-i-n-g~,¡± Bedivere retorted with a careless attitude, and her arms began to flail on the round table, throwing a tantrum. Since earlier, the crease between Astarte¡¯s eyebrows had been deepening rapidly, but she held her patience, knowing that her counterpart was one of the Four Heavenly Kings from a different territory. Rafale¡¯s tolerance was already wearing thin, but her deputy, a dragon demon, somehow managed to placate her. Beside Bedivere, the female adjutant of the oni-demon tribe, also wore a troubled expression. However, it was the dozing man who made a move at this moment. ¡°There, there, Bedi, be a good girl and try to endure a little longer. If you do well in the meeting, I¡¯ll give you a reward later. So, let¡¯s stay quiet, okay?¡± Mirage lifted Bedivere¡¯s small body and sat her on a chair, placing her on his own lap. He began to comfort her, gently stroking her head. Bedivere narrowed her eyes in contentment, leaning against Mirage and relaxing. ¡°If Mira-ju says so, I¡¯ll be quiet. Bedi is a good girl, you know~.¡± -Bedivere Among the many demon tribes, the oni demons, who surpassed all others in strength, were a combat-oriented species that determined their leader through battles. They were not only superior to the dragon demons in terms of physical strength but also considered the strongest among the demon tribes. It was said that a single punch from them could shatter mountains. However, the little girl sitting on Mirage¡¯s lap was a notorious troublemaker even among the oni demons. From a young age, she awakened her powers and swiftly defeated the adult oni demons as well as the previous Four Heavenly Kings, leaving them in complete defeat. Since becoming the tribe¡¯s leader, she had been living a self-indulgent life. However, after growing attached to Mirage, she had become considerably more composed. While she continued to trouble her female assistant, she performed her duties as one of the Four Heavenly Kings to a certain extent. Mirage¡¯s lap had become Bedivere¡¯s designated spot over time, and this scene had become a familiar sight to everyone else. ¡°I apologize, Mirage-sama. I¡¯m sorry for the trouble our princess has caused.¡± -Oni Demon Assistant ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no problem. By the way, I managed to get a recipe for a dish Bedi might like, so I¡¯ll visit and teach her again¡ªYow!¡± -Mirage Whispering to each other so as not to be heard by others, Mirage and the female assistant resembled a married couple with a child. With Bedivere sitting on Mirage¡¯s lap, the female adjutant leaned against him, whether it was intentional or not, it was unmistakable that her ample bosom pressed against him However, Astarte, sitting on Mirage¡¯s left, forcefully struck his side with her elbow, and a strange sound leaked from beneath his mask. ¡°Both of you, please concentrate since the meeting is still in progress.¡± -Astarte Under Astarte¡¯s intense presence, Mirage and as well as the female assistant straightened their postures, and the meeting continued without further interruptions. Of course, as a punishment for falling asleep, Mirage found himself obliged to obey Astarte¡¯s orders, and it goes without saying that Rafale, and for some reason, Bedivere and Demon Lord Lilith were also handed out obligations they could not refuse. Mirage let out a particularly heavy sigh, realizing that his reading time would be further reduced. CH 33 As the wheat harvest season drew to a close, the sun, gradually ushering in the fullness of summer, asserted its presence at the center of the vast sky, illuminating the earth with a bright and warm glow. In the heart of the Valois Kingdom, the central region, summer was never too scorching nor winter too harsh. It boasted a remarkably temperate climate throughout the year, making it a pleasant place to reside. The northern and western parts were even cooler, while the southern areas facing the sea were characterized by high temperatures and dryness. However, such matters were of no concern to the people residing in the heart of the kingdom, the Royal Capital of Valois. The houses, growing larger and more spacious as one approached the city walls encircling the capital, basked in the gentle sunlight of early summer. At the eastern entrance of the city, known as the East Gate, a man exuded an air of nobility as he stood idly, his gaze fixed upon the eastern road. With his rare obsidian eyes and similarly darkened hair, one might mistake him for someone from the Far East. Yet, his tall stature and well-defined nose hinted at a different heritage. The eldest of the guards protecting the gate approached the man, whose appearance suggested to him mixed Eastern ancestry, and spoke to him. ¡°Lord Speci¨¥s, if you will allow me, I can guide you to a waiting area. While the climate here is mild, waiting for a long time at this hour could be burdensome.¡± -Old Guard ¡°No, please don¡¯t worry about me. Besides¡­ look, they are already in sight,¡± the man, Farsa Speci¨¥s, replied, gesturing toward the road and indicating the approaching carriage to the guard. In the driver¡¯s seat, a golden-haired woman clad in armor was accompanied by a small figure, possibly a young boy or girl, whose head was covered by a hat. Apparently noticing Farsa¡¯s presence near the gate, the diminutive individual, Julia, pointed and began speaking to the woman beside her. ¡°Julia seems to be as lively as ever,¡± Farsa thought, amused, as suddenly, Julia leapt from the carriage and sprinted towards the gate with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, Julia had increased the distance between herself and the carriage. Maintaining her momentum, she threw herself into Farsa¡¯s arms. ¡°Far-niiiii!!! I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re here to greet me! Were you lonely without me? Did you eat properly? Have you managed to charm another woman?¡± Julia exclaimed, her words rapid and seemingly disconnected. Amused and slightly bewildered, Farsa tightly embraced Julia, caressing her head over the hat, and wore a smile that conveyed his genuine delight. ¡°Julia is being melodramatic, isn¡¯t she? It¡¯s only been a week. As you can see, I¡¯m perfectly fine, and it seems Julia is doing well too. I wonder if she diligently continued her magical training while I was away?¡± -Farsa ¡°Ah, ah! I¡¯m full of energy because I got to see Far-nii! And since I¡¯ve been diligently practicing magic, I¡¯d like an award! Ahh, Far-nii! Far-nii! Far-nii!¡± Julia¡¯s repeated action of rubbing her face against Falsa¡¯s chest, accompanied by the design of the cat-eared hat she was wearing, made her appear incredibly adorable, as if she were a real cat. The guards wore puzzled expressions, unsure of how to address the situation. Julia, on the other hand, was delighted to be able to seek comfort from Farsa. For a while, this scene continued, but eventually, as the carriage caught up, it was accompanied by Zenobia¡¯s angry voice, bringing an end to it all. ¡°Oi, Julia, stop this right now! I¡¯ve told you countless times that it¡¯s dangerous to suddenly jump off a carriage!¡± -Zenobia ¡°Eek! Zenobia is angry! Save me, Far-nii!¡± -Julia While chuckling at Julia, who quickly hid behind him, using him as a shield, Farsa addressed Zenobia. ¡°You seem as energetic as ever, Zenobia. It feels nostalgic, even though it¡¯s only been a week.¡± -Farsa ¡°Y-Yes. Farsa-sama, you look well too. I appreciate you waiting for us.¡± -Zenobia Although it was only a week, it seemed much longer to Farsa, perhaps because he had been pulling all-nighters every day. Zenobia¡¯s anger seemed to subside after talking with Farsa, and Julia had a triumphant expression on her face. ¡°Hello, Farsa. It¡¯s been a while.¡± -Palmina ¡°Hey, Palmina. It has been a while indeed.¡± -Farsa Palmina, who peeked out from the carriage¡¯s cargo bed, exchanged greetings with Farsa and waved her hand with a warm smile. The guards, who had the opportunity to see the Saint of the Fortuna Faith up close, were captivated by her presence. They stared at Palmina with their mouths slightly open, wearing somewhat vacant expressions. ¡°I apologize, but may we proceed with the procedures to enter to the city?¡± -Zenobia ¡°Yes, y-yes! I-I¡¯m terribly sorry. Right away.¡± -Guard Zenobia, seated in the driver¡¯s seat, called out to the bewildered guards. A few of them hurriedly inspected the carriage¡¯s cargo bed and confirmed the permit handed to them by Zenobia. The confirmation process was merely a formality since Palmina was a well-known figure in the capital city. In just a few minutes, permission to enter the city was granted. The carriage carried Farsa, who took Julia¡¯s place on the coachman¡¯s seat, and set off into the heart of the capital city. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I returned to the capital, but this area is still as quiet as ever.¡± -Farsa. The carriage, with Farsa and the others on board, traveled along the main street known as East Street, connecting the palace in the center of the capital to the Eastern Gate. The capital city was circular in shape, surrounded by outer walls. In the central area, one could find the royal palace and mansions where nobles resided. However, the eastern and southern parts were commercial districts, with numerous shops and restaurants lining the streets. Among them, the eastern district mainly catered to the nobility and wealthy, so it was natural that there were no shops loudly calling for customers. The southern district, on the other hand, experienced frequent turnover of shops. However, the commercial establishments in the eastern district, with their affluent clientele, rarely went out of business, just as Zenobia had mentioned. It was indeed a place where change was scarce. ¡°All three of you might want to change clothes before heading to the palace. For now, would you mind if we head to my house?¡± -Farsa ¡°Yes, if you are okay with it, I would prefer that as well. It would be too grand if we went to the Ctesiphon estate.¡± -Zenobia ¡°Me too~~. I also wanna take a bath.¡± -Julia ¡°May I also take you up on your offer? Going back to the church would take quite some time, and if it¡¯s alright with you, Farsa.¡± -Palmina Farsa received immediate and unanimous consent from Zenobia in the coachman¡¯s seat, as well as from Julia and Palmina in the cargo area. In Zenobia¡¯s case, she was referring to a separate residence owned by the Ctesiphon family in the capital city. Normally, it was managed by the staff, but if the daughter of a marquis visited, they would be treated with a certain level of hospitality. The same went for Palmina. If the Saint of the Faith of Fortuna¡¯s return was known, various individuals would flock to see her, causing quite a commotion. Moreover, during their journey, it was not uncommon to stay in inns without baths, so it was understandable that Julia desired a bath, as she had mentioned. Having confirmed everyone¡¯s agreement, Farsa drove the carriage towards one of his own houses. During his solo travels throughout the kingdom, Farsa acquired numerous properties, ranging from mansions in the capital to small hideaways. While he had multiple houses within the capital city, there was a reason behind it. If he casually teleported to such locations, suspicions would arise as to how he ended up in a room unnoticed. Thus, he needed to prepare unmanned residences as well. The one Farsa was heading to now was one of those houses. Though he hired cleaning staff on a regular basis, it remained uninhabited most of the time. This particular residence boasted a large bath as its main feature, which was why Farsa had purchased it without hesitation upon finding it. However, due to his busy schedule, he rarely had the opportunity to utilize it, making it a truly wasted treasure. ¡°Here is my retreat¡­ Well, it¡¯s more like a hidden getaway. I don¡¯t use it much, but the large bath is its highlight and highly recommended,¡± Farsa explained, guiding the three of them as they arrived at the estate and parked the carriage on the premises, resembling a real estate agent. ¡°Hmm, though it has a different charm from the aristocratic district, this property seems quite impressive. As expected of Farsa-sama, your discerning eye is truly remarkable.¡± -Zenobia ¡°Hmm, I wonder how many houses Far-nii actually owns. He wouldn¡¯t secretly be housing a mistress, would he?¡± -Julia ¡°I had thought it would be the same mansion we visited before, Farsa-kun. But it seems I was mistaken. Nevertheless, it¡¯s a relief and more comfortable without other people around.¡± -Palmina The noble district that Zenobia referred to was a place where mansions of aristocrats lined up around the royal palace, with higher-ranking nobles residing closer to the center. However, this location where the four of them stood was slightly before the noble district, an area where affluent merchants and other wealthy commoners resided. There were numerous residences more luxurious than those of mediocre lower-ranking nobles, and it could be said that Farsa¡¯s property, praised even by the daughter of a marquis, was indeed a desirable asset. While all three of them had visited Falsa¡¯s mansion in the noble district before, this was the first time he had invited them to a different house. ¡°Julia, I haven¡¯t been involved with any specific individuals, let alone secretly accommodating anyone. For now, could you all come inside? I¡¯ll show you to the baths,¡± reassured Falsa, countering Julia¡¯s peculiar remark as he opened the front door, inviting the three of them into the house. In fact, he had already filled the bath with water and prepared everything for immediate use. Falsa¡¯s ability to anticipate their actions, considering the personalities of the three, allowed him to perform this feat. It was a level of foresight that was not normally expected, but within this residence, there was another person waiting who exceeded even that. ¡°Ara, Farsa-sama you have finally returned. I have been waiting so impatiently. How weary I have become.¡± The speaker, adorned in a resplendent dress and with long, golden hair cascading like Zenobia¡¯s, approached Farsa, elegantly brushing the hair away from her face. Caught off guard by the unexpected presence, all four individuals froze momentarily. However, Farsa, as the host, managed to muster a voice of inquiry. ¡°Why, may I ask, are you here, Princess Aurelia?¡± -Farsa Aurelia de Valois, the very princess who had appointed Farsa as the court mage, selected Julia as her apprentice, and reigned in the corrupt nobles within the Valois Kingdom, stood before them. She was the first princess of the Valois Kingdom, not much older than Julia or Zenobia. Yet, she held the highest claim to the throne, making her the strongest contender for the future queen. ¡°Such a greeting, questioning my presence. I can already anticipate the thoughts running through Farsa-sama and everyone else¡¯s minds. As I¡¯ve come this far, I thought it would be a good opportunity for us women to bond in the bathhouse and perhaps exchange tales of our journeys.¡± -Aurelia Farsa, despite his exasperation, pondered how best to handle the situation, his mind racing. He silently wished for a respite from these predicaments. CH 34 ¡°Princess Aurelia, I don¡¯t know how you managed to find this place, but please don¡¯t leave the palace without an escort. It would be too late if something were to happen,¡± Farsa tried to reason with Princess Aurelia, though he secretly believed it would likely have no effect. Princess Aurelia, while intelligent, had a mischievous side and often caused trouble for the palace guards by sneaking out of the palace. She knew the ins and outs of the palace, and she claimed that the security was full of holes to create a sense of tension among the guards. In reality, she mostly used these excursions as a form of entertainment. Moreover, these outings also served as inspections of the capital city, allowing her to witness the lives of the common people firsthand and implement new reforms. This made it difficult for those around her to admonish her. The responsibility of guarding the female members of the royal family fell on the shoulders of the White Lily Knights, led by Zenobia. When Princess Aurelia returned to the palace after an escape, the guards would undoubtedly receive a lecture about their security measures. ¡°Farsa-sama, please refrain from calling me Aurelia. In moments like this, when we are in a private setting, call me Aura. Didn¡¯t we promise each other that on that night? Or do you dare to claim that the vows you whispered to me were nothing but lies?¡± Princess Aurelia pleaded, her eyes welling up with tears as she threw herself into Farsa¡¯s embrace, displaying an affection akin to that of lovers who had pledged their love. With an embarrassed expression, Farsa met her gaze, looking up at him. It was not difficult to imagine how the two would appear to an outsider. ¡°Hey, Princess! Don¡¯t cling to Far-nii like that! Besides, even if you speak so provocatively, I see through your little act! Now, come on, get away!¡± Julia interrupted, forcefully trying to separate Princess Aurelia from Farsa, even as she herself clung to him. Such behavior toward a person of royal status was undoubtedly disrespectful, even for the hero, Julia. However, the people surrounding the two, including Farsa, had expressions that seemed to say, ¡°Here we go again.¡± The two of them were both sixteen years old and had been at odds with each other over Farsa on numerous occasions. Princess Aurelia, who used the honorifics even when addressing those of lower status, had a particular fondness for Farsa. Not only had she appointed him as the court mage, but she had also chosen him as her personal tutor. Normally, a tutor for a royal family member would be of a certain social status and possess extensive knowledge. However, Aurelia¡¯s circumstances were slightly different. She had been hailed as a prodigy since childhood, and by the time she surpassed ten years of age, she had driven several tutors to resign with her dismissive attitude, as if she had nothing left to learn. It was during that troubled period that she met Farsa, who was traveling within the kingdom at the time. Recognizing his exceptional magical skills and vast knowledge, she appointed him as the court mage, partly against his will, and even made him her personal tutor. Farsa had his own reasons for accepting the princess¡¯s proposal at the time, reluctantly complying with her wishes. However, before he knew it, he had become the head court mage and was now referred to as Princess Aurelia¡¯s right-hand man. In the midst of political struggles within the court as the foremost Aurelia faction with the right to succeed the throne, it seemed as if the ongoing conflict before their eyes had no effect whatsoever. ¡± It¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t it? Julia-san was pampered during your journey, was she not? I have been eagerly awaiting the moment when I can reunite with Farsa-sama. It would be best if you learned some restraint.¡± -Aurelia ¡°Nah, that¡¯s a separate matter. Besides, you can never let your guard down when it comes to princesses like you who¡¯re always trying to remove the obstacles in their way. Rest assured, while I¡¯m still on this Earth, I¡¯ll never allow it!¡± -Julia ¡°Now, please refrain from being rough! To stand beside someone as wise as Farsa-sama, a lady like me is the most suitable. I wonder if the monkey should return to the mountains?¡± -Aurelia ¡°Argh! What makes you, the scheming princess, more of a lady! Being by the side of someone like Far-nii, it¡¯s the hero who can fight together with him that is the most suitable! I am more deserving!¡± -Julia Recently, Farsa couldn¡¯t help but feel like he had seen this scene of childish quarrels somewhere before. He found himself caught between Julia and Aurelia, escaping into a world of his own. There was no other choice but to let the two of them carry on since interfering unnecessarily would only fuel the flames. Based on his experience, Farsa knew this all too well. He silently observed the quarrel between Julia, the village-born hero, and Aurelia, the princess raised in the royal palace, which unfolded at an equal level, concealing their contrasting upbringings. Unable to do anything when it came to the princess she pledged her loyalty to, Zenobia was left helpless, while Palmina wore her usual smile, as if amused by the situation. ¡°Oh, Palmina and Zenobia, you should go take a bath first. The bathroom is over there, feel free to use it. Towels and everything you might need are prepared,¡± Farsa said, pointing toward the direction of the bathroom. Zenobia and Palmina quietly left the scene. Julia and Aurelia noticed the others leaving but seemed to have silently agreed that whoever left first would be considered the loser. They continued to cling to Farsa as the stalemate persisted. ¡°This is it! Since we¡¯re here, why don¡¯t we all take a bath together, Far-nii? Of course, it might be too much for a well-bred princess, but I¡¯ll be fine with you, Far-nii.¡± -Julia Even if Julia was fine with it, what about Zenobia and Palmina? Moreover, Julia herself was already sixteen, so there were various issues with the proposal, and Farsa couldn¡¯t help but point that out in his mind. Julia smirked and glanced at the princess, seemingly intent on presenting her with an impossible task. She seemed to have overlooked other issues at present. However, Aurelia responded to Julia¡¯s words as if she had been waiting for them, with a cunning smile on her face. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind at all. If you thought I would admit defeat over something like this, you¡¯re sorely mistaken. Now, Farsa-sama, please guide us to the bathroom,¡± Aurelia said, taking hold of Farsa¡¯s right arm. While Julia seemed taken aback, never expecting Aurelia to genuinely accept, her expression displayed astonishment. However, it seemed like an act of conceding defeat to pretend as if it wasn¡¯t his idea in the first place, and despite his inner turmoil, Farsa couldn¡¯t bring himself to refuse Julia. Although they were close, it should have been extremely embarrassing for Aurelia, a young girl coming of age, to reveal everything to a member of the opposite sex like Farsa. Yet, Aurelia showed no signs of agitation whatsoever. Farsa already found himself in a state of resignation, thinking that it would be futile to say anything to Aurelia. Thus, he obediently led the two of them toward the bathing area. ¡°This is the changing room, isn¡¯t it? Well then, Julia, let¡¯s undress.¡± -Aurelia ¡°Hold on, are you seriously planning on mixed bathing? Even if you two are close, I think it¡¯s inappropriate for a princess like you.¡± -Farsa As Aurelia reached for her own dress to start undressing, Julia hurriedly tried to stop her. ¡°Oh? Are you saying that you don¡¯t want Farsa-sama to see your body, Julia-san? I, on the other hand, would rather have Farsa-sama thoroughly observe mine. And if you lack confidence, you¡¯re free to run away from this place,¡± Aurelia provocatively taunted. Although Julia¡¯s expression showed her frustration, she glanced back at Farsa once, then twice. With each glance, her cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. Finally, with determination, she grabbed her own pants and made a declaration to Aurelia. ¡°E-Even I wouldn¡¯t mind if it¡¯s Farsa-nii! Farsa-nii, you better take responsibility!¡± Saying that, Julia closed her eyes and attempted to pull down her pants eagerly. However, Farsa, unable to bear it any longer, grabbed her arm and stopped her. ¡°Julia, it¡¯s not right for a girl to easily expose her skin in response to such provocation. Aurelia, let¡¯s stop teasing her like that,¡± Farsa reprimanded in a firm tone. ¡°Oh my, so you noticed. I thought you were simply keeping silent because you wanted to see our indecent forms.¡± -Aurelia. ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± -Julia. Farsa scolded Julia and Aurelia with a reproachful tone, but while one of them showed no signs of remorse, the other seemed to be oblivious to what he was trying to convey. As Julia compared the faces of Farsa and Aurelia with a puzzled expression, Aurelia grinned mischievously and suddenly began removing her dress. Startled by Aurelia¡¯s sudden action, Julia¡¯s expression shifted from surprise to a frustrated one as she quickly grasped the reason behind it. ¡°Ugh! It¡¯s unfair to wear a swimsuit underneath! I was mentally prepared to take a gamble, and yet you pull something like this! Ugh!¡± -Julia Indeed, as Julia pointed out, beneath Aurelia¡¯s dress was a custom-made swimsuit from a renowned tailor exclusive to the nobility. In the Valois Kingdom, the prevailing trend for swimwear was a tunic-like top that reached just above the knees, paired with trousers resembling cropped pants. As a result, very little skin was exposed. Although it resembled more of a pajama ensemble, it was expected that individuals of noble standing would maintain modesty when frolicking at the beach. The dresses worn at parties, on the other hand, were becoming increasingly revealing for young noble ladies. Even so, baring one¡¯s midriff or thighs was considered vulgar. ¡°I anticipated such a situation, so I prepared swimsuits for Zenobia and Palmina in advance, along with a note,¡± Aurelia explained. ¡°Now, Julia, please change into this one as well. Let us enjoy mixed bathing with Farsa-sama. My apologies, Farsa-sama, but please wait a moment until we finish washing.¡± Saying that, Aurelia retrieved a different swimsuit from a bag near the changing room wall and handed it to Julia, performing an exquisite curtsy¡ªa gesture commonly employed by high-class women. Graciously accepting the swimsuit, Farsa exited the changing room and stood in front of the door, gazing absentmindedly at the ceiling of the corridor. ¡°I already took a bath,¡± Farsa thought, feeling somewhat indifferent. ¡°This is just extra trouble.¡± He sighed, aware that if such sentiments were to reach the ears of the men residing in the capital, or even within the kingdom, he would be torn apart without a chance to complain. Though dressed in swimwear, it was unheard of for a mere commoner to engage in mixed bathing with the likes of a princess, saintess, and even the heiress of a marquis, let alone someone not belonging to the royal family. After enduring approximately thirty minutes of waiting, the voices of Aurelia and Julia finally reached his ears, and with an expression of exasperation, Farsa made his way into the bathing chamber. CH 35 ¡°Far-nii! Far-nii! This bath in this house is amazing! It¡¯s like a grand bathhouse in a palace. I could swim in it!¡± -Julia With excitement in her voice, Julia swam left and right, confirming that the tub in this house was indeed exceptional in size. The previous owner of this house, it seemed, had a great fondness for baths. They had commissioned the craftsmen to create the most luxurious bath in the kingdom, dedicating a significant portion of the property to the bathing area. As a result, the living space became somewhat cramped compared to the size of the house. However, this was of no concern to Farsa, who used it alone, purchasing it solely for the purpose of enjoying a spacious bath. Cleaning and maintenance were handled by professionals, and with the aid of magic and magical tools, preparing the bath was a simple task. Other than the fact that Farsa himself didn¡¯t have time to use it, there were no issues. Come to think of it, Zenobia, who would usually scold Julia in this situation, remained silent. Farsa wondered why as he scanned the bathhouse and spotted Zenobia, who had shrunk herself and was soaking in the bath near the wall. She seemed embarrassed as she glanced at Farsa. ¡°Fa-Farsa-sama, um, I would prefer if you didn¡¯t look this way. Even though it¡¯s a swimsuit, it¡¯s still a bit embarrassing.¡± -Zenobia Although her swimsuit was clearly less revealing than the backless dress she wore recently, Zenobia felt the need to offer such an excuse. Farsa, not wanting to embarrass her any further, quietly averted his gaze and began to soak in the bath. ¡°Phew, baths really are delightful. Someday, I¡¯d like to experience hot springs in the eastern lands.¡± -Farsa Among the books Farsa had read, there were descriptions of natural baths known as hot springs, which utilized naturally heated water in places surrounded by nature. Although he wished to visit such a place, finding the time proved difficult. He had almost resigned himself to the fact that his busy schedule would prevent him from enjoying it. ¡°Farsa-kun, you have quite sophisticated tastes. But indeed, I would also like to visit the eastern lands someday. Will you take me along?¡± Palmina, who had somehow taken a seat on Farsa¡¯s left side, suddenly asked. Even though she was wearing a swimsuit, it was impossible to hide her ample bosom, which floated in the water due to buoyancy. The fabric of her swimsuit clung to her skin, accentuating her already impactful twin peaks. The capital¡¯s dressmakers struggled with developing water-repellent treatments for swimsuits, and the improvement of technology was still sought after. It was a situation that led men to collectively agree that there was no need for such measures. ¡°¡­Yes, it¡¯s not possible right away, but someday, I will take Palmina with me,¡± Farsa calmly and composedly replied, redirecting his gaze forward. The devastatingly attractive and alluring weapons of destruction¡ªPalmina¡¯s breasts¡ªpossessed an awe-inspiring power that could make men both happy and miserable. Farsa was aware of how easily one could be thrown from heaven to hell, especially in the presence of women. However, as he looked ahead, he noticed Princess Aurelia, the first in line for the succession to the throne, who was known to be the person one should never anger, observing him intently. ¡°Ara,ara, Farsa-sama, it¡¯s quite kind of you to treat the Saintess-sama with such gentleness. To my unclouded eyes, it appeared as though your heart had been captivated by a colossal mass of fat. But perhaps that¡¯s just my imagination.¡± -Aurelia ¡°Eh! Far-nii, were you looking at Pal-nee¡¯s breasts again?! We were supposed to bathe together, but you¡¯re thinking inappropriate things! And if we go to the eastern lands, I want to go too!¡± Julia chimed in. ¡°That¡¯s right, Farsa-sama! Going on a trip with a man and a woman alone is enviable, no, it¡¯s outrageous! I shall accompany you as the supervising attendant!¡± Zenobia added, inching closer, blushing. Behind him was the wall of the bathhouse, on his left was Palmina, on his right was Zenobia, who had shamefully drawn near. Blocking his path was Aurelia, restraining his extended leg, and Julia, perched on his other leg, both glaring at him. Overall, Farsa had removed his eyesight from Palmina¡¯s chest, being exhausted with how keen Aurelia and Julia¡¯s senses were. In reality, Zenobia also had a sizable bosom, but she never made a fuss about it. It was also understandable that Aurelia and Julia, petite women with more modest chests, would be conscious of their own. As a matter of fact, the two had even competed in terms of breast size before, with Aurelia barely emerging as the victor. However, their rivalry only left them emotionally wounded, leading to the Valois Kingdom¡¯s Breast Ceasefire Agreement. (TL note: what the hell am I translating¡­) Now, they had formed an organization called the Chest Union, the most frivolous organization in the world. They embodied the phrase ¡°the more you fight, the closer you are,¡± as they were inseparable despite their quarrels. In fact, aside from the chest-related disputes, Julia and Aurelia had a comfortable relationship where they could be themselves. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not thinking anything inappropriate, and from the beginning, I intended to bring everyone along. Also, Aura, since you¡¯re the one who set this up, I hope you refrain from making any strange accusations. Sure, as a guy, I appreciate being with attractive and beautiful women like you, but I believe I have enough discretion. Besides, both of you, Julia and Aura, should remember that you¡¯re already at an age where you can get married. Also, even if you¡¯re of the same gender, it¡¯s best to refrain from mentioning Palmina¡¯s chest. She might be sensitive about it, so it¡¯s better not to bring it up repeatedly. Don¡¯t make me say such things as a man,¡± Farsa said, letting out his customary heavy sigh and speaking faster and more insistently than usual. His face had a faint blush, whether from soaking in hot water or for some other reason was unclear. However, it was evident that he was behaving differently than usual, as Aurelia and Julia in front of him exchanged glances and nodded silently to each other. ¡°Farsa-sama, it seems you¡¯re a bit flustered. You appear to be lacking your usual composure. Could it be due to the presence of those fatty apparitions over there?¡± Aura said, approaching Farsa with suspicion in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re trying to brush it off with all these explanations, but it¡¯s definitely different this time, isn¡¯t it? Ahh, well, how l-e-w-d~¡­ Honestly, just admit that you¡¯re excited by Pal-nee¡¯s ripe bosom. Or perhaps you¡¯ve finally noticed my charms?¡± -Julia The two of them closed in on Farsa with suspicious glares, their bodies drawing even nearer. The right knee of Julia collided with the left knee of Aurelia within the bath, bringing them within touching distance of Farsa¡¯s body. Realizing the precariousness of the situation, Farsa turned his gaze towards Zenobia, silently pleading for her to divert their attention. Having always emphasized proper ladylike behavior, even if it was Princess Aurelia she was dealing with, Zenobia would surely voice her disapproval at such close proximity in swimsuits. Farsa had judged as much. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just flattering me, Farsa-sama? But, if you insist to that extent, I suppose I have no objections¡­¡± -Zenobia Oh no, Zenobia was in her usual scatterbrained state. Just as Farsa was beginning to resign himself to that fact, a voice of salvation reached him, emanating from the Holy Maiden blessed by the goddess Fortuna. ¡°What on earth do you two think my bosom is for? If you¡¯d like, I¡¯d be more than happy to hear the specifics. Especially you, Princess Aurelia, we need to have a thorough conversation. In the East, there¡¯s a saying about naked intimacy, and it seems that we can have a heart-to-heart talk in the bath.¡± ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°Eep!¡± Palmina threw her words at Aurelia and Julia with a smile, but the two let out trembling screams and clung to each other out of fear. ¡°Now, both of you, come over here.¡± -Palmina ¡°Well, taking long baths makes me dizzy, so I¡¯ll take my leave here.¡± -Aurelia ¡°Oh no¡­ um¡­ this is bad! Zenobia seems to be getting dizzy. I have to help her!¡± -Julia ¡°Huh? I¡¯m still fine, but¡­ Hey, Julia, stop pulling on my swimsuit! Alright, alright, I won¡¯t force it.¡± -Zenobia Saying that, Palmina beckoned them with her hand, but Aurelia and Julia stood up swiftly, splashing water around, and bolted out of the bath. Zenobia, too, got caught up in Julia¡¯s lie and ended up being left behind in the bath with only Palmina and Farsa. ¡°Phew, that was close. Thank you, Palmina.¡± -Farsa ¡°Hehe, you¡¯re welcome,¡± Palmina replied with her usual smile, but with her hair tied up, revealing her nape, she looked extremely alluring, causing Farsa¡¯s heart to skip a beat. The demon race, due to its long lifespan, lacks the same interest in reproductive behaviors as humans do. However, Farsa is a half-human, half-demon hybrid. Though driven by desires, he never engaged in peculiar behaviors. Yet, it would be incorrect to say he lacked any interest in women. While he may have regarded figures like Julia or Aurelia as sisters, the presence of Palmina here was altogether different. She possessed an overwhelming feminine allure. It extends beyond just having a full bosom. At the age of nineteen, an age considered marriageable in this country, and possessing the empathy, kindness, and above all, intelligence, beauty, and inner strength that men seek in women, it is hard to believe that some form of emotion wouldn¡¯t blossom towards her. ¡°By the way, Farsa, Princess Aurelia mentioned earlier that Julia will soon be deployed in combat against the demons. She was called back for the purpose of participating in conferences with various countries.¡± He had anticipated this, but as Farsa swallowed hard, he realized that the moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived. The Hero is the ultimate weapon against the demon race, including the Demon Lord. They possess individual combat capabilities honed to their limits. Generally, demons are known by humans to be creatures capable of easily overturning numerical disadvantages due to their long lifespans, resulting in experience, physical strength and endurance specialized for their respective races, and an absolute amount of magical power that is deemed unfair even when compared to knights or wizards. In contrast, humans have managed to resist them through sheer numbers and coordination, but only against the forces led by the Four Heavenly Kings, with whom they share borders. Naturally, each country bordering demon territories constantly faces the threat of a full-scale invasion by the Demon King¡¯s army. Among them, the Kingdom of Valois, which shares the largest border with the demon territories, proposed the Hero Project. This project derived its name from ancient fairy tales and myths, from a time when humans and demons fought against each other. It took inspiration from the heroes who defeated the Demon Lord and brought peace to the world, aided by the blessings of the goddess Fortuna. To stand a chance against demons at the level of the Four Heavenly Kings individually, one needed to possess the ability to single-handedly annihilate enemies, offensive magic capable of easily overcoming numerical disadvantages, and sacred magic that could heal wounds and provide protection. All of these attributes were necessary. Among the hero candidates gathered, consisting mainly of orphans with strong grudges against demons, Julia possessed various aptitudes centered around sacred magic. The level of expectation placed on her was such that Farsa and the others were assigned as her exclusive instructors. Legend has it that the Hero who supposedly defeated the Demon Lord also employed sacred magic, receiving the blessings of the goddess Fortuna. In that sense, Julia could be considered a newly born hero transcending time. ¡°I see¡­ Julia has longed to vanquish the demons, after all. She¡¯ll surely face it with great enthusiasm.¡± With a hint of sadness in his eyes, Farsa stared blankly at the ceiling as he muttered those words. Farsa rarely exposed his inner thoughts, but perhaps it was influenced by the fact that it was only Palmina he was speaking to; clearly, a sense of sorrow was embedded in his voice. ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t want Julia to be consumed by revenge. Demons also have hearts like ours, and I believe that, someday, somehow, we can understand each other.¡± -Palmina ¡°Palmina¡­ does that mean¡­¡± -Farsa Farsa was about to mention that her statement contradicted the cooperation they provided to the Hero Project, which was strongly supported by the Church of Fortuna. However, he reconsidered, realizing he was in no position to judge others. Despite being a human participating in plans to annihilate the demons, he was simultaneously contributing to the expansion of the Demon Lord¡¯s forces as a demon. ¡°Keep what I said a secret, alright? Naughty boy, Farsa-kun. Well, then, I¡¯ll go ahead.¡± Saying so, Palmina pressed her index finger to her lips, winked at Farsa, and promptly left the bathroom. ¨D¨DNaughty boy, Farsa-kun¨D¨D The words she uttered seemed to admonish his own contradictory actions, leaving Farsa lost in a cycle of unanswered self-reflection, unsure of what course of action was truly right. I was able to create a decently sized backlog of chapters for this series, so from now on, it will be released on Wednesdays and Fridays. CH 36 ¡°Farsa-dono, I apologize for disturbing your relaxation, but it seems that Julia is hungry and requesting something to eat. May I use the kitchen?¡± The voice of Zenobia, polite as always, interrupted Farsa¡¯s deep thoughts, as she sought permission to use the kitchen for cooking. It appeared as though Farsa, immersed in a bath and enjoying his leisure time, had a slightly apologetic expression on his face. Farsa realized that he had a tendency to lose track of time when lost in his thoughts and reflected on his actions. Slowly rising from the bath and stepping towards the dressing room, he responded to Zenobia. ¡°If you¡¯re going to cook, I can help, and I have some preserved food stored that can be used. Let me guide you to the pantry¡­¡± -Farsa ¡°Hmm? You seem unsteady on your feet¡­ Farsa-dono, are you alright?¡± As Farsa made his way toward the dressing room while speaking, his steps became unsteady, perhaps due to feeling lightheaded from spending an extended time in the bath. He was on the verge of falling forward. Just in the nick of time, Zenobia swiftly caught him, but it was an awkward situation since Farsa, despite wearing swim trunks, was still shirtless. ¡°Hya! Fa-Farsha-jyonyo, yo- you musht maintain you-your balansh¡­¡± -Zenobia Zenobia became flustered, her words becoming incomprehensible. Farsa, his breath heavy, leaned against Zenobia, remaining motionless. Naturally, Zenobia was not wearing armor after her bath, and being in Farsa¡¯s house, she was dressed lightly. In this damp state, Farsa clung tightly to Zenobia, and it was not difficult to imagine the various difficult situations that could arise. Both Farsa and Zenobia had flushed faces, but the reasons behind their blushing were entirely different. ¡°Sorry, Zenobia¡­ Just for a little longer, like this¡­¡± -Farsa ¡°Eek! Your breath is on my ear! Al-alright, I understand!¡± -Zenobia Farsa, struggling to breathe, managed to utter words with an unusually feeble voice. The sound of his sigh reached Zenobia¡¯s ears, and she couldn¡¯t hide her own unease. However, perhaps sensing that something was different from before, she seemed to regain a bit of composure compared to earlier. Nevertheless, it was only natural for Zenobia to feel uneasy and fidgety, as she was in such close proximity to Farsa that she could feel his body warmth. ¡°¡­Farsa-dono, forgive my audacity in asking, but did something happen between you and Palmina? It¡¯s quite unusual for you to show such vulnerability,¡± Zenobia inquired, her demeanor transforming from earlier as she held onto herself. Zenobia, the captain of the White Lily Knights and the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Ctesiphon, was, of course, no slow-witted individual. It was only natural, given her position, that her mental acuity was sharp. While she sometimes acted a bit strangely when it came to Farsa, and her inflexible and serious nature often led to misunderstandings, she was undeniably a woman of exceptional talent. And as the captain, overseeing others, there was no way that Zenobia could be so oblivious as to not notice something amiss with Farsa, someone with whom she was close. If there was a cause, it would be logical to deduce that something had occurred between Palmina and them after they had finished bathing. It was only a natural conclusion to reach. Indeed, Farsa¡¯s behavior had been different from his usual self, having spent an excessive amount of time in the bath until he became flushed. ¡°It¡¯s not because of something with Palmina. It¡¯s just¡­ I can¡¯t help but think how foolish I am. Well, let¡¯s drop this topic. It will only dampen your mood, Zenobia.¡± -Farsa Farsa unintentionally let slip his thoughts, still somewhat unclear in his mind. Quickly realizing his mistake, he attempted to end the conversation. But instead, Zenobia held him even tighter, her expression filled with deep disappointment. ¡°Farsa-dono, I owe you a debt from before. You are, in a way, my benefactor. To see my benefactor troubled like this, is it wrong of me to want to be of assistance? Or would it be an inconvenience? Am I, Zenobia de Ctesiphon, merely an insignificant presence to you, unworthy of your grievances? I am regarded by Farsa Speci¨¥s as nothing more than that?¡± -Zenobia Her voice was filled with seriousness, strength, kindness, and a hint of fear. Farsa rarely revealed his inner thoughts to anyone, keeping his distance and never showing vulnerability. While this might make him appear as a person with immense strength and reliability, it could also be interpreted as a lack of trust in others. No one truly knew the real identity of Farsa Speci¨¥s, the man who had risen to become the Chief Court Magician through his extraordinary talent in magic. Farsa¡¯s moment of vulnerability presented a significant opportunity for Zenobia to draw closer to him. However, a single misstep could result in increased wariness and push her even further away. Nevertheless, Zenobia had made the decision to delve into Farsa¡¯s heart, regardless of the risks. There was no guarantee that she would get another chance like this, and above all, she couldn¡¯t overlook the sight of the person she respected deeply, tormented by their own thoughts. That was who Knight Zenobia was. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± -Farsa ¡°I see¡­ That¡¯s right. How could someone like me be of help to Farsa-dono? It¡¯s just¡­¡± -Zenobia ¡°No!¡± -Farsa Upon hearing Farsa¡¯s apology, Zenobia interpreted it as a refusal and responded with a deeply disappointed expression. However, Farsa interrupted her statement and uttered words of denial. ¡°No, Zenobia, it¡¯s not like that, it¡¯s not. But¡­ not yet¡­¡± -Farsa Observing Farsa stumble over his words, Zenobia smiled gently as if she sensed something. Then, she brought both of her arms around Farsa¡¯s head, embraced him, and slowly guided him into her chest. She caressed Farsa¡¯s head nestled against her chest and gently patted his back, resembling the tender actions of a mother soothing her child. ¡°When I was young, whenever I cried after being scolded by my father, my mother used to do this for me. The current Farsa-dono seems just like a child.¡± -Zenobia ¡°¡­To say that I¡¯m like a child is quite a way to put it.¡± -Farsa ¡°Hehe, it only appeared that way. ¡­While I have no idea what troubles Farsa-dono, I understand that you cannot speak of it to me, or rather, to us. I apologize for trying to pry it out of you earlier. However, it¡¯s true that I felt relieved, knowing that it wasn¡¯t for the reasons I had thought.¡± Farsa grew up without experiencing the warmth of a mother and lost his father at a young age. ¨CIt must never be revealed that you were born from the union of a human and a demon; whether the other party is human or a demon, it will surely lead to misfortune. I don¡¯t want you to go through such a painful experience. Those words, repeatedly spoken to him by his father while he was alive, were indeed true. In a world where humans and demons waged war, Farsa believed that he was an existence that couldn¡¯t be accepted by either side. That¡¯s why he always maintained a distance from others, never allowing anyone to cross the final barrier no matter how close they seemed to be. Wearing the masks of both the demon, Mirage, and the human, Farsa, he continued his facade. However, gradually, ever so slowly, just like when he denied Zenobia¡¯s words earlier, cracks began to form in those masks, so small that even he couldn¡¯t notice. ¡°Thank you, Zenobia. To you, Julia, Palmina, and Aura¡­ I will surely talk to you all someday. Can you wait for that moment?¡± -Farsa ¡°Hmph, what a foolish question. Waiting is my specialty. I will wait as long as it takes for Farsa-dono¡¯s feelings to settle. But please, don¡¯t make me wait until I become an old woman.¡± -Zenobia As Zenobia replied with a smile, still emanating a sense of dignity, Farsa raised his face, locking eyes with her, and asked playfully. ¡°It seems like things have turned around from back then. I thought of you all as children until recently, but suddenly you¡¯ve grown into adults.¡± -Farsa ¡°You certainly have a knack for saying things that make you feel older than you are, Farsa-dono. Well, it¡¯s true that when we first met, I couldn¡¯t argue against being called a child¡­ Please, don¡¯t remind me of that time.¡± -Zenobia Farsa spoke in a thoughtful tone, his complexion improving compared to earlier, seemingly regaining his composure. On the other hand, Zenobia, who was previously dignified, began to show a hint of embarrassment in response to Farsa¡¯s words that reminded her of the past. From the perspective of the long-lived demon race, human growth, which seemed precocious, appeared to be an instantaneous occurrence. Therefore, it was not surprising for Farsa to make remarks that made him sound older than his age. Zenobia was currently seventeen years old, but when she first met Farsa, she was only thirteen or fourteen, emotionally immature compared to now. On the other hand, Farsa was already around three hundred years old, although he presented himself as a twenty-four-year-old human, he had more than enough life experience to be considered mature. In reality, his life was mostly reclusive until he joined the Demon Lord¡¯s army, but even so, he had accumulated sufficient experiences from a human perspective. ¡°I believe the first time we met and had a conversation was during a joint operation, right? Oh, I was surprised at that time. Who would have thought that your first words would be something like ¡®I¡¯d rather deal with a monster than team up with a weakling like you!¡¯ That¡¯s why¡­¡± -Farsa ¡°T-T-that¡¯s why I told you not to remind me! Farsa-dono, you¡¯re still as mean as ever! Just when I was worried about you, as soon as you¡¯re feeling better, this is what happens. A-and besides, I think Farsa-dono was still somewhat to blame for having such an irresponsible attitude back then.¡± -Zenobia Certainly, Farsa recalled his past, and he remembered being even more careless than he is now. It had been approximately a year since Farsa¡¯s appointment as a court magician, and it was a period when he was deeply disillusioned by the inadequacy of the magical skills wielded by humans. Nowadays, the court magicians of the Valois Kingdom were hailed as the most powerful group of sorcerers among the neighboring nations, but that was a tale that began with Farsa¡¯s ascension to the position of head court magician. Up until then, the court magicians had been a gathering of individuals whose command of magic, from Farsa¡¯s perspective, could only be described as inept, and their relationship with the knightly order was also strained. Furthermore, at that time, Farsa had already achieved the goal of becoming a court magician and was somewhat carried along by the current events, which likely made him appear careless in the eyes of onlookers. On the other hand, Zenobia had recently joined the White Lily Knights and was diligently striving every day to fulfill her duties. With these two individuals meeting, it was evident that things wouldn¡¯t proceed smoothly. ¡°Well, looking back now, I suppose I was fooled by Aura. That girl really has a keen eye for people.¡± -Farsa ¡°Indeed, I am constantly amazed by Princess Aurelia¡¯s foresight. However, it is thanks to that encounter that I became the captain of the White Lily Knights and was able to embark on a journey with Farsa-dono, Julia, and Lady Palmina. It is something to be grateful for.¡± -Zenobia Originally, Farsa, like other demons, had little interest in humans and led a daily life of his own. Initially, he traveled through human countries solely driven by a sense of guilt resulting from his own mistakes, but there were no events that particularly piqued Farsa¡¯s interest. It was undoubtedly after meeting Aurelia that his life truly began as a human rather than as a demon. Born between a demon father and a human mother, Farsa had spent most of his life as a demon, making his story as a human all the more brief. Playing a part in that narrative was Zenobia de Ctesiphon, who stood by his side. Smiling at each other, the two reminisced about those days.