Chapter 99

SIDE: Alfred

I have been given an important mission by my master. For the past few days, I have been training the girls in the labyrinth, but perhaps I am more suited for cases like this one. Still, nurturing the next generation is not a bad thing. The girls I rescued have become so strong that they are almost unrecognizable, and this is quite interesting.

They have become as strong as lower C-rank adventurers in terms of ability. Although they still lack in technical and strategic aspects, their basic abilities have improved considerably.

Fortunately, they seem to have the motivation, and if they keep up this pace, they should be able to grow into quasi-elite adventurers. I also need to train them in the principles and skills of being maids. If there is someone suitable for this, I will discuss it with my master later...

I just probed for their presence, and although they are cleverly hiding, I have found their location. However, the fact that I couldn't find the location of one of the second-tier beings suggests that there are some capable modern demons. Should I be pleased about this...? Well, sensing my presence is still a long way off.

I don't know what this one is thinking by being in the imperial capital, but I will investigate it later.

"Well, I've actually come to the place where the demon is..."

I thought it would be in the slums or somewhere, but it's in the middle of the noble district and the commercial area. It's a perfect location with a lot of foot traffic, and it's not strange for nobles to be there. ...To prepare such a prime location, the dark guild must be a more powerful organization than I thought.

The building looks like just a mansion at first glance, but there is a large space underground. It will take time to completely destroy this organization, and there will be many inconveniences. It might be easier to bring it under control.

Fortunately, the top is a demon, and a little 'talk' should make them understand. Hehehe, the prospect of a battle after a long time has got my blood pumping... if it comes to that.

Of course, there are sturdy-looking men guarding the gate. There are... hmm, about 300 in this compound. This number is no problem for me, but it's not worth making a big deal out of it.

"Hmm, what should I do... Oh, they are loading something... people, perhaps. Slaves or kidnapped people. In any case, this is perfect. I'll use this as an opportunity to observe the situation."

I set the coordinates for the jump inside that carriage.

'Spatial Leap'

"Whoa!"

"Someone just appeared!"

Oops, I startled them. But if I cause any more commotion, it will be troublesome, so please be quiet.

Snap!

"Wh-What? (What?!) "

"?! (I can't speak?!)"

"Please be quiet. I may be suspicious... or rather, I may be suspicious, but I am not your enemy, so please don't worry."

I startled them by using a silence spell with a finger snap. It's an old habit. My master can cast spells without incantations, but it seems that modern mages need to chant, so times have changed.

Still, are these people slaves? There is a wide range of ages, from young boys and girls to the elderly, so it's likely. The only thing that stands out is that some of them are not humans but beastmen or dwarves.

Most of them are quite attractive, so they were probably illegally gathered.

Oh...? Those long ears belong to an elf, no, with that amount of magic power, a high elf, perhaps.

"Wait, could you be 'Ezermia'?"

"Is that so? Knowing my name means I must be famous! This is a pleasant surprise."

Ah, that's right... This person has a poor memory. It's troublesome when they remember, but it's also sad when they forget.

"It's me, Alfred."

"Alfred? ...Ah, the baker!"

Which Alfred is he mistaking me for? He really has a poor memory.

"No, I'm the demon Alfred."

"The demon Alfred... Ah, I remember. Al, right? ...But I heard you died in the great war. You were actually alive?"

Great war...? It hurts my head, but it's possible that there is some restriction on my memories. To learn about the past, I will help Ezermia.

"By the way, Ezermia, why are you here? You should be able to break these anti-magic handcuffs easily."

My memories of the past are vague, but I remember her clearly. As a high elf, her lifespan is quite long. She has lived for thousands of years, but in human terms, she is still in her late 20s.

Demons have long lifespans, but they are only about five times that of humans, so 400 to 500 years is about the limit. It's a pleasant surprise to meet someone who knows me. I must thank my master for this opportunity.

"Actually, recently, elves have been frequently kidnapped. I've been catching and dealing with the kidnappers, but it's endless. So, when I visited an elf village, they asked for help, and I had no choice but to come to take out the boss."

Kidnapping elves... They have always been popular as slaves because of their beauty. And for a demon organization to be doing this, it really shows how low the quality of demons has fallen.

"That's quite a story. I also have some business with the top of this organization. Our interests seem to align, so how about we work together?"

"Hmm... That's a good idea, but I'll rescue the kidnapped people, and you take care of the boss. That way, it will be more efficient, right?"

Hmm, that's true... Let's do it that way. Although rescuing the kidnapped people wasn't part of my original plan, it's not a bad thing to help. Besides, once the rescue is complete, I can take Ezermia with me.

"Alright, let's do it that way. Oh, we're almost there. I'll go straight to the top's location without being detected, so I'll leave the rescue to you. If anything unexpected happens, just send out a magic pulse, and I'll come as soon as I can."

"Understood. I'll send a pulse when the rescue is ready... Can you help with the escape, too?"

The number of people to be rescued is unknown, but we'll manage. The problem is where to teleport them... Ah, there's a house in the slums that the thieves used.

That distance shouldn't be a problem.

"Sure, no problem. I have a place for the escape. See you later."

Snap!

I've activated stealth and presence concealment, so I shouldn't be detected unless something extraordinary happens. There's no sign of my presence being noticed, and the security seems lax. Perhaps in this era, even third-tier demons have no enemies. Still, it's arrogant. As a demon, it's frustrating to see how much they have degraded.

I shouldn't waste time, so let's get going.

"The two third-tier demons are in the largest room on the third floor, so let's start there."

Fortunately, there doesn't seem to be any security near the room where the third-tier demons are. I'll jump to the door in front of the room.

'Spatial Leap'

"Here we are."

"Ah, ah!"

"Hey, hey!"

"...But I'm getting tired of this toy. The slaves should be arriving soon, so I'll go find a new one later."

Sigh... They are so engrossed in their affair that they don't notice my presence... It's truly pitiful. It makes me feel sick to think of them as my kin.

Click

"Excuse me for interrupting your intimate moment. You two must be Belias, right?"

Two on one with a woman, you have some unusual tastes. At this point, it's more about discipline than education.

"Who are you! How did you get in here!"

"Damn, what are the guards doing? Humans are useless... But you said we are Belias? ...You seem to realize we are demons."

Hmm. The short-haired one seems short-sighted and unintelligent, but the long-haired one seems to have some brains. However, the fact that they don't attack despite recognizing me as an enemy suggests they are somewhat cautious.

Since this is the first time in a while that I've encountered a relatively strong opponent, let me test my current strength.

Snap

'Black Veil'

"This is... the Black Veil, right? It's quite an old-fashioned spell."

"Isolating us from the outside world means you have a lot of confidence in your power."

You know this spell? Still, calling it old-fashioned is insulting. This spell consumes a lot of magic power, but its performance is unparalleled.

"Yes, I was born recently and was looking for an opportunity to use my power. Don't worry, I won't kill you. ...Though you might wish you were dead."

"Hey, we're being mocked, right?"

"It seems so. Let me shatter that confidence."

"Hehe, shatter it, you say. I'd like to see you try."

"Damn you...! Die! Black Lightning!"

"Black Flame Ball!"

Hmm... This is the magic used by modern demons? I've never seen these spells before, but their power, speed, and range are all mediocre. They might be enough against humans, but against my master, they are far from enough. Let me try taking a hit.

BOOM!!!

"Huh, that was nothing!"

"True. Just talk... No, that's strange. The Black Veil hasn't been dispelled. He's not dead!"

"This is all you've got... A paper tiger at best. Even third-tier demons have fallen this far, and it shows the quality of the Demon King's vessel."

"What?!"

"We can't let our supreme master be mocked!"

Ah, you are somewhat normal in that you are angry about your king being mocked. I'm a bit relieved. But...

"That's enough. My attack is over."

You don't have the skill to see through my attack.

"What? I'm still fine?"

"...I've seen this guy somewhere before..."

Snap!

It's too late to recognize me now. Still, it's surprising that modern demons know me. I must have become quite famous.

"AAAAA! My, my leg...?!"

"You, you... gah..."

Hmm, they fainted. In the old days, demons wouldn't have been stopped by such an attack, but they have become quite fragile. Perhaps they no longer have the motivation to fight, and they don't train themselves.

"Avoiding a fatal wound, the Demon's Blade was a bit excessive."

This technique, which cuts as soon as it is activated, cannot be stopped once it is activated. Since I activate it with a snap of my fingers, it's almost impossible to stop.

Well, I have a good grasp of this body's performance. It's about 80-90% of my prime. My master, who can summon me to this level, is almost beyond human.

These are demons, after all. I don't think they will die from such injuries, but I'll restrain them and lock them in a barrier just in case. I should also heal them a bit.

"Oh, you've noticed my presence, have you?"

However, they are coming towards me instead of running away. They are worthy of being second-tier, or perhaps it's because they are the top of this organization.

"Who are you? ...No, from your presence and magic power, I can tell you are not just anyone."

"What? I heard that an organization was causing trouble for my master. And when I heard it was led by a demon, I came to put a stop to it."

"Master? To have such power and still serve someone... No, wait. Could you be one of Owl's people?"

You have good instincts. You don't become the head of a large organization for nothing. You seem to have a good grasp of my strength, so this should be more enjoyable than before.

"That's right. My master is in great distress, so I came to have a little 'talk.' While I'm here, I'd like to know who put out the assassination request and why a demon is running an organization. Black Veil!"

"Black Veil, an isolation barrier... I understand your purpose, but I can't answer and won't answer. I won't let you interfere with us! Dark Spears x 10!"

Oh, to cast ten simultaneous incantations at this speed, that's quite impressive. You must be a top-tier second-rank demon, perhaps even on par with a lower first-rank demon.

A spell of this power might be too much to block with just a snap of my fingers. Let me get a bit more serious!

"Powerful move, but I'll return it to you. Yata Mirror!"

To have your own spell returned to you is a rare experience.

"?! Dispel!"

To be able to dispel it, you are somewhat capable. Since you've come this far, let's dance more!

I made a mistake with the posting date, sorry! I just made a simple addition error!

I'll update slowly.

I'd be happy if you could rate and bookmark it.

Thanks to everyone, I won the [Net Novel Award] and will be published by Futabasha.