Chapter 36

After escorting the private soldiers of the earl's family and Lilianna to the knights, we were greeted with an overly grand welcome by the captain, who seemed to have been briefed on the situation in advance. It turned out that not only had the investigation into Lilianna's case made significant progress, but the investigation into the earl's family had also advanced considerably. This must have been welcome news for those who had been working hard on it. It seems that the investigation into the earl's family had been secretly ongoing due to the trouble Lilianna had been causing. Of course, with demons involved, there must have been unnatural influxes of people, which made it understandable to keep an eye on them. However, it seems they had been unable to catch any significant leads until now. This time, there was no way to talk their way out of it. The knights had finally obtained a just cause.

Still, given the nature of the story, it seemed impossible to be genuinely pleased.

"What's going on? Everything seems to be moving so smoothly, and I don't really understand the situation..."

"We don't have the luxury of taking our time right now. Given the sudden nature of the situation, we need to act quickly."

Currently, we were racing towards the earl's residence with a knight squad. The captain, who was preparing hastily, was now organizing the troops. Our job was to buy time until the captain arrived. While it was true that we were being used, I could understand why they wanted to involve foreigners who could revive even after death, and we were also curious about what would happen next, so we had no objections. I was a bit concerned about Lilianna and the others left behind at the knights' headquarters, but it was much safer than leaving them at home. With Christoph there, they wouldn't be treated badly.

"The evidence is solid, and we have a good reason to move in. Our job is to keep them from escaping by drawing their attention."

"Will they run if we go in?"

"I don't think they'll give up their stronghold so easily... but if they do run, it will only reveal their hideout. The back is already covered, right?"

"...I'd rather you didn't ask such difficult questions."

Running alongside us was the squad leader who had accompanied us during the escort. He was chosen because he was familiar with our movements, but I was surprised by his enthusiasm in participating in such a thankless task. It seems that Christoph's charisma was even greater than I had imagined. While we could claim to be representatives of the knights, it would be difficult for us to detain anyone on our own, and asserting our legitimacy would be challenging. In that sense, his selection was very helpful.

Once we got close enough, we switched to walking to catch our breath before heading to the earl's residence. While I wasn't out of breath, Rino, Aoi, and the knights in armor were. Without proper formation, it would be difficult to handle a surprise attack, so we moved towards our destination while maintaining our formation. As we approached, Kui looked up at the building and sighed.

"It's huge..."

"Isn't that what noble houses are like?"

"It's a mansion in the capital. The main residence is bound to be grand."

In other words, this was the main residence, not a villa. This meant that this house was the earl's stronghold, and it was likely where the demons were created. While there was no need to search for evidence at this point, there was a high possibility that various things were left behind. To prepare for future measures, it would be wise to secure any documents.

"It looks ordinary."

"If it were flashy, it would stand out. When you need to act in secret, it's natural to blend in."

"Yeah, if it looked creepy, it would definitely raise suspicion."

I chuckled at Kui's words and looked up at the mansion we were heading to. The building's size was not much different from the other mansions in the area. The garden seemed slightly larger, but it was within a margin of error. At the front gate, two guards stood on either side. While the presence of guards was common in other houses, it wasn't unusual. The problem was that they were hostile towards us.

"Who are you?"

"This is the residence of Earl Feib. Entry without permission is not allowed!"

I glanced at the squad leader, who stepped forward with a stern expression. He showed the knights' emblem on his chest armor to the guards.

"We are representatives of the Kingdom Knights, sent by Captain Christoph Stoner! It has been confirmed that Earl Feib is involved with demons! Concealing this is considered treason against the knights and, by extension, the state!"

"Based on what evidence are you making such claims?"

"Kreis Feib's transformation into a demon and his attacks on people have been witnessed by many residents. There's no way to deny it!"

Given the scale of the incident, there was no way they could deny it. Moreover, the young master's statement confirmed that demons had been frequenting this house. In a different era, this could have led to immediate execution. However, the guards' refusal to back down led me to step forward.

"What are you, ki--gah!?"

"That's enough, obstruction of justice."

I didn't know if such a charge existed in this world, but wasting time here was pointless. I accelerated and grabbed one of the guards by the face, slamming his head into the gatepost. I held back to avoid killing him, but he passed out from the impact. I then glared at the other guard, who froze under my gaze. Without hesitation, I punched him in the face.

"Alright, no one will complain now."

"Kuon-sama!? You--"

"In an emergency, there's no time for formalities. Come on, let's go."

With the authorities on our side, there was no need to fear criminal charges. While going too far might be unwise, this was an emergency, and they would likely turn a blind eye. I grinned and kicked the iron gate. The lock broke, and the gate swung open. As we stepped inside, I looked up at the second floor terrace of the main building, where a middle-aged man was watching us.

"What impudent visitors. You seem to have no sense of propriety."

"There's no place for propriety when dealing with demons. Are you still trying to pretend to be human?"

I taunted him, and he narrowed his eyes with a snort. His lack of pretense suggested he had already assessed the situation. The man on the terrace glared at us with undisguised hatred.

"Earl Feib! You are accused of involvement with demons! Please come with us to the knights' headquarters peacefully!"

"Fufu... How kind of you, knights. Asking me to come along is quite lenient."

The earl laughed, a clear mockery of the squad leader and everyone present. I raised my alertness. His demeanor suggested that negotiation was no longer an option. This was a fight to the death.

"---[Freeze Lance]"

"《Sword of Demon Slaying》"

A lance of ice shot from the earl's raised hand. I stepped forward, activating my skill and drawing my sword in a quick motion to intercept the ice lance. As the ice shattered and dissipated, I repositioned my sword and grinned at the earl.

"There's no need to hide. Let's have a serious conversation, Earl. Do you hate me that much?"

"Heh... Yes, I do. You, the enemy of demons, and the one who destroyed my pawn. I hate you so much that I want to strangle you."

The earl's voice turned cold, filled with genuine malice. I felt the cold, real hatred and, despite the discomfort, I directed my blade and words at him.

"Hah, so the death of your son bothers you that much. For a demon, that's sentimental."

"Yes, it bothers me. He was still in the process of being enhanced. He was an imperfect pawn, but he still had his uses."

"Is that so? Then I'll retract my previous statement. You are a filthy demon. Be proud, insect."

"I'll take that as a compliment. A parasite clinging to the world with the blessing of a goddess."

We exchanged words with smiles, but the hatred in them grew with each word. There was no need for further pretense—this was a fight to the death. First, I needed to bring him down from his lofty position. I still lacked long-range attacks, so I should follow the recent procedure.

"Kui, do it."

"Sure thing---[Fireball]!"

"...[Dark Cannon]"

"[Holy Smite]!"

"[Wind Cutter]!"

Kui and the others launched their prepared spells at the terrace. Luminar joined in, and five spells hit the terrace where the earl stood, blowing it apart in a burst of flames. Sensing movement in the smoke, I immediately moved my blade.

"[Iron Edge]"

"---Sss!"

The sword technique—soft form, flowing water.

Using the spell I could cast at level 10 in [Enhancement Magic], I dodged to the side and deflected the attack from the figure that burst out of the smoke. Landing in an open area, I swung my blade horizontally, but it was blocked by a black longsword. The figure, clad in black-green armor, was a more monstrous version of the one I had seen earlier, with a grin on its cracked mouth.

"Nice work, you who cut down a baron."

"Is that your plan for a surprise attack? Try harder, Demon Knight."

We clashed weapons and took a step back, both grinning with malice. The Demon Knight, a lower rank than a titled demon, emitted a stronger killing intent than Geryon. This was likely because Geryon, while a titled demon with powerful magic, was more of a researcher and not suited for combat. In contrast, the earl, a trained warrior, had become even stronger as a Demon Knight. It was difficult to determine who was stronger.

"[Iron Skin]... It's good to see you can enjoy this. Don't die too easily."

"Hahaha! That's my line!"

As the earl laughed, several presences appeared from the surrounding buildings. Checking my position, I saw several figures emerging from the buildings. They were servants, maids, and armed private soldiers, but all had lost the light of will in their eyes and stared at us blankly. This was the same technique I had seen when I defeated the Demon Knight earlier, controlling humans. I sighed at the troublesome situation and called out to the others.

"I'll focus on this one! You take care of the others!"

"Again!? No, it's the right person for the job!"

"There's no time for complaints!"

Ignoring Kui's protests, I ran forward. The odds were against us, and the demons' fighting style, being former humans, made me grit my teeth. Deciding to fight seriously without hesitation, I charged at the Demon Knight.

---

■Avatar Name: Kuon

■Gender: Male

■Race: Human

■Level: 13

■Status (Remaining Status Points: 0)

STR: 16

VIT: 14

INT: 16

MND: 14

AGI: 12

DEX: 12

■Skills

Weapon Skill: 《Sword: Lv.13》

Magic Skill: 《Enhancement Magic: Lv.10》

Set Skill: 《Dead Point Strike: Lv.11》

《MP Auto Recovery: Lv.6》

《Plundering Sword: Lv.8》

《Identification: Lv.11》

《Life Sword: Lv.9》

《Sword of Demon Slaying: Lv.4》

《Tame: Lv.3》

《HP Auto Recovery: Lv.5》

Sub Skill: 《Mining: Lv.1》

Title Skill: 《Blessing of the Fairy》

■Current SP: 8

---

■Monster Name: Luminar

■Gender: Female

■Race: Fairy

■Level: 7

■Status (Remaining Status Points: 0)

STR: 4

VIT: 7

INT: 22

MND: 16

AGI: 14

DEX: 9

■Skills

Weapon Skill: None

Magic Skill: 《Light Magic》

Skill: 《Light Attribute Enhancement》

《Flight》

《Magic Resistance: Medium》

《MP Auto Recovery》

Title Skill: 《Fairy Queen's Servant》