Chapter 64

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

"That's... ridiculous..."

The boss was dumbfounded, watching the demon-like monster laughing loudly on the monitor. Not just the boss, but everyone in the VIP seats, and even Watanabe and Fujita, who had been restraining themselves, turned their attention to the monster.

Actually, monsters that understand human language are not that rare. If they were originally human, it's natural that they could recognize human voices. Even dogs and cats can distinguish human voices. If a monster's body, including its brain, has grown to a massive size, it would be strange to think they couldn't understand human language.

However, it is generally believed that monsters cannot speak human language.

This is not due to their vocal cords or internal organs, but simply because they lack rationality.

The term "monster" refers to creatures that have lost their former appearance and rationality after being infused with magic power. Therefore, monsters do not speak.

So, what are we hearing now? The answer is that the words are being spoken by a rational being inside the monster.

And a being that possesses rationality and the ability to control monsters is generally called a "demon."

The boss was speechless, not only because a demon had appeared at the school, but also because it happened while his students were in the middle of a battle.

On the other hand, I could remain calm because the demon appeared in a place that didn't directly concern me. After all, I have no grudge against either monsters or demons. If they cause trouble in a place that doesn't involve me, I have no interest in getting involved.

The same goes for this demon that appeared in the arena. It will likely be eliminated by the security forces. If they can't handle it, the boss or his superiors will take it down to uphold the honor of the First Division. There's no need for me to get involved.

However, it seems the boss has no immediate intention of ordering the immediate extermination of the demon. Instead, his mind seems to be swirling with confusion, asking "Why?" and "How?"

It's understandable, but as a commander, he can't afford to be in such a state.

"Boss... Lieutenant. Is it okay if I don't give Watanabe and Fujita the order to retreat?"

The boss, who was only monitoring the situation on the monitor, was clearly flustered. The two students facing the demon must be even more so.

"Ah, yeah, that's right!"

The boss has the authority to give direct orders to the two students. Therefore, he must give them instructions before panicking.

(No, in this case, it's more like permission, right?)

He can't order students to fight a demon. On the other hand, if they retreat without orders, it would be considered desertion.

To prevent this, the boss needs to give them the freedom to act.

"Watanabe! Fujita! The match is suspended! The security forces will take care of the monster, so retreat immediately when reinforcements arrive!"

"Understood!"

The two students, who received the order to retreat, which was announced so that everyone in the arena could hear, accepted it without resistance.

Of course. They probably don't think they are better than the security forces, and their equipment consists of blunted melee weapons and paintballs.

If they tried to say something heroic like, "I'll hold them off here!" it would only cause confusion and make the boss look bad.

Moreover, even if they ignored orders, they could face punishment after the incident. Given that the opponent is a demon, the likelihood of them being killed is high.

If they can think this far, they should understand that the best course of action is to retreat quietly.

The only question is whether the demon will let them go. But that should be fine.

"Hmm? Running away?"

The demon, who heard the order to retreat, only muttered this and didn't move.

(That's expected.)

After all, the boss made sure the order was heard by everyone in the arena, including the demon. If the demon didn't hear it, it would be a problem.

The evidence is the demon's words when it appeared. If those words were true, the demon doesn't want to fight "kids who only know soft play."

Therefore, if Watanabe and Fujita retreat, the demon won't pursue them. That's why the boss used the speakers instead of individual communication.

Now, the security forces who will face the demon are in danger, but they are professionals and must do their job.

By the way,

"What do you think the demon is here for?"

The demon's presence here is not surprising. It was likely brought by a coexistence supporter among the VIPs.

Monsters that were originally human have a human-like appearance except for the parts where they absorbed magic crystals, so they can't be detected without a thorough inspection.

Moreover, VIPs' companions are not subject to strict checks, both now and in the past. Therefore, it's not surprising that a demon is here.

In fact, it wouldn't be strange if there were more.

The sudden appearance of the demon-like monster is undoubtedly because the demon extracted it from its magic crystal. The monster was in the crystal because it is not a living creature but a "mech" for the demon.

You might wonder why a demon would have a mech. The technology for mechs was developed by military and scientists to counter the demons' combat method of entering large monsters to fight.

Therefore, it's natural for the demons, who are the originators of this technology, to possess a mech. If they decided to cause trouble here, it's natural for them to come out after boarding their mech.

I can understand that much.

However, I don't understand why the demon chose to appear at this moment. I have my own theory, but I'd like to hear the boss's thoughts as well.

"Or... what do you think?"

I asked, but... maybe the boss needs time to think. If so, sharing my thoughts might not be bad. I can think about it too.

"The audience and VIPs are being evacuated, but the demon isn't actively moving. Therefore, its target is not the audience or VIPs."

If the demon's target was the audience or VIPs, it wouldn't make a grand entrance. It would either kill the target before appearing or attack before the evacuation began. So, the demon's target is not them.

"Right."

"Furthermore, the demon allowed Watanabe and Fujita to retreat even after interrupting their battle. Therefore, it doesn't see them as enemies."

At this point, it's clear that the demon's target is not to eliminate promising members of the Seventh or Third Divisions.

"Right."

A hint is the demon's words before it appeared: "Aaaaaah! It's so tedious!" The only answer that fits is:

"I think the demon was originally here for another purpose, but the low-level battle it saw in front of it triggered an impulse, and it couldn't resist coming out."

That's how it is.

"I'd like to say 'What nonsense,' but given the demon's behavior, that's the only conclusion."

Exactly. Demons are known to be proud and impatient, which supports this theory.

"Assuming that's the reason it appeared here, what do you think its original purpose was?"

"Eh? You're asking me?"

You know, right?

"Just in case. I might be wrong."

The boss looked around. Ah, he wants everyone to understand, not just us.

Yeah, communication is important. It's better to explain before anyone goes off the rails.

"First, if the school facilities were the target, a regular day would be fine. There's no reason to choose a day with strict security."

"Right."

"If the VIPs were the target, it would be strange not to attack them now."

"Right."

"So, the demon's target must be something that is definitely here today but may or may not be here on a regular day."

"Right."

The people listening to us seemed to understand. I might not need to say more, but I'll continue until the boss says it's okay.

"The key is the demon's words."

"Was it 'I'll show you a real battle!'?"

"Yes."

"In other words, you think the demon is a low-ranking member sent to observe something that is not usually seen but is definitely here today, and the demon is confident that it can fight a demon."

"Exactly."

Not exactly a low-ranking member, but that's the gist of it.

Of course, the demon must have some considerable strength to appear so boldly. It might even be powerful enough to wipe out everyone here.

Even if that's not the case, it might have some means of escape.

But if the demon doesn't think it can die, it wouldn't do this, and it wouldn't be allowed to.

"...Why English?"

To the boss's question, I replied, "It's for style," and looked at the monitor, expecting the security forces to arrive. The monster was still standing there, not moving.

(At this point, it's clear it's waiting for something. Probably...)

Seeing the demon standing still, surrounded by security forces, I was confident my theory was correct.

"Huh? What about the new model? These guys can't beat me, no matter how many there are! I'll let them go, so bring out the new model, hero!"

"Ah."

The demon's direct mention of the "new model" confirmed my theory.

Yes, the demon and the one who sent it are after me.

Specifically, they want to test the performance of the new model, which was designed to fight large monsters, suffered some damage in the last major offensive, but ultimately managed to take down over 20 large monsters, and was scheduled to be unveiled today. (Not the prototype, but the first production model.)

"What do you think we should do?"

The military is an organization that thrives on doing what the enemy hates. Now that we know the enemy's goal, we don't need to fulfill their wishes.

However, I am a military officer serving the palace. If ordered, I must act.

"...Wait a moment."

The boss, the only one with the authority to give me orders, started communicating with someone. I don't mind waiting. In fact, I'd be happy if the security forces took care of everything.

I hope for an order that will preserve my peace.

"But it's probably not going to happen."

Hearing snippets of the boss's conversation, I realized the situation wouldn't go as I hoped. The appearance of a demon is a major embarrassment. To recover, we need a significant impact, like a decisive victory that can be spun as a trap to capture the demon.

"A battle, no, a hunt. That's the level of impact we need."

Honestly, I don't like the combination of "hero" and "hunt," but as a military officer, I must do what is asked of me.

"But... what can I do?"

"It seems I won't get the outcome I want. I knew it."

Hearing the boss's conversation, I decided to take some precautions. I sent a message to the garage, where Ms. Saikou was waiting, asking her to prepare the weapons and check the mech so that we could respond to any orders to deploy.