“I don’t know much about magic, but… this is truly amazing. This must be because of your skill, Master, right? I’ve never heard of an ordinary mage being able to do something like this.”
“Of course you haven’t.”
Rowy’s nose rose even higher.
“You’ll be even more surprised when we go down.”
“What else is there?”
At those words, Rowy, who had already stepped onto the stairs, glanced back at Van. Then he laughed, hehe, with an expression that said he was dying of excitement.
“Well, there’s a mage’s research lab.”
After all, isn’t it the case that mages are most excited when showing off their research achievements to others?
* * *
Stare. Rowy’s eyes sparkled brightly as he looked at Van, expecting something.
“…Well.”
Van opened his mouth under that pressure, but… no further words could come out. Van first pretended to look around Rowy’s research lab, glancing about to avoid the situation.
“……”
Rowy’s research lab was different from what he’d vaguely imagined—it wasn’t particularly impressive. A bookshelf filling one wall and a desk piled with papers written with magical formulas, that was all. This research lab, looking no different from an ordinary study, wasn’t even hidden. The research lab located openly where it connected to the underground waterway would probably have been discovered by Van yesterday if he just hadn’t suddenly fallen further down.
‘If that had happened, I might have… met that yesterday.’
…If he’d seen this alone, wouldn’t he have thought he was dreaming? Van looked at what was before his eyes with a distasteful expression—that is, at the demon. Dark red leather, horns sprouting from the forehead, wings covered with a membrane, pupils grotesquely split horizontally. This typical appearance of a demon was all too familiar to Van, who had devoted his life to demon extermination. However….
[Master, Master.]
…He swore to Elion, Van had never dreamed he would see a demon kneeling before him shouting “Master.”
[Master, Master.]
Flap flap. A voice that wasn’t human continuously called out “Master.” Van was dumbfounded by that surreal sight.
‘…Does this make sense?’
For a demon to follow a human’s commands… is that possible? Van was at a loss for words at a situation where all common sense was being destroyed.
‘Come to think of it, he dealt with that Demon Vessel we met before without any magical tools either.’
In the case of the Demon Vessel, since the body was human, it was actually inaccurate to call it a real demon. However…
‘This is a real demon.’
It seemed to be a lower-class demon, but even so, a demon was a demon. The existence of demons, with their unknown powers, unkillable even when killed, was no different from a calamity regardless of rank. To control such a demon this perfectly meant literally that Rowy’s power was completely overwhelming this demon.
‘It’s frightening.’
Feeling goosebumps somehow, Van rubbed his arms unnecessarily and examined the demon closely. The demon moved around weakly according to Rowy’s gestures, and each time, the bracelet floating above its head emitted a silver light. It was Rowy’s magical tool. A silver ring, a blue jewel. It had the same appearance as the ring-shaped magical tool Rowy had shown him before, so it was easy to recognize.
‘He said there were five magical tools in total. If with just one he can control a demon to this extent, then if he gathers all five, just what….’
Van looked at Rowy with newfound eyes. And Rowy… was still waiting for Van’s praise with sparkling eyes.
“How is it? Hm?”
Since Van remained silent, Rowy began to press him. Snap, when Rowy snapped his fingers like that,
[Master. Master.]
“Hm? How is it?”
[Master. Master.]
The demon kept flapping its mouth open and closed. Van looked at the demon with an indescribable expression. How is it? Well….
‘It’s too pitiful….’
Van, born with the mission of demon extermination, felt compassion for a demon for the first time in his life….
“Hm? How is it?”
…He couldn’t say the demon was too pitiful, so Van barely thought of something else to say.
“Uh, well, this demon was living in the castle?”
“Mm-hm, I found it near that summoning circle in the basement. Ah, I didn’t summon it!”
Rowy hastily waved his hands. At those words, Van nodded roughly. Seeing that Van didn’t seem to have anything to say, Rowy glanced at his mood and snapped his fingers again.
[Master, Master.]
“So, how is it?”
“Pardon? Ah….”
“How is it!”
“Well, it’s amazing. This is the first time I’ve seen a demon controlled this completely.”
It was sincere. At most, he’d thought Rowy had locked it up somewhere, but to think he was actually commanding it with his fingertips…. However, this didn’t seem to be the answer Rowy wanted.
“No, not that.”
Again Rowy snapped his fingers.
[Master, Master.]
Once again the pitiful demon called out “Master.” At that, Rowy made a proud expression.
“I made it! Demon language translation magic!”
“Ah.”
Ah, translation magic. So that’s what he was bragging about. So, you’ve created demon language translation magic that makes them call out “Master.” Right now you wanted to show that off with the demon kneeling down…. Van nodded with a subtle expression. It was certainly impressive. It was impressive, but… what on earth would you use demon language translation magic for?
“But this one’s a failure. It only says ‘Master.'”
“Well, lower-class demons don’t have very high intelligence.”
“…Then, if it’s about mid-level, can you have a conversation? Maybe….”
“Don’t even dream of it.”
“Tch.”
Even so, Rowy didn’t throw a tantrum anymore and glanced at Van. It was a wordless sign that he wanted to see the Holy Fire. To such a Rowy, Van nodded. Pitiful or not, a demon was a demon.
“Whatever it is, I’ll exterminate it. Demons must not exist in this world.”
Van looked at the demon kneeling before him.
[Master, Master.]
The demon was still calling out “Master.” With the demon kneeling at his feet and pointing his Holy Sword at it, Van thought. …This is the easiest demon extermination I’ve ever done. The Holy Sword, filled with the power of the Chosen Knight, heated up red. At the same time, holy flames filled the research lab.
* * *
“Amazing!”
“……”
“It’s not even magic! This is divine power?”
“……”
“Divine power! Something so ridiculous! Just now! Right now!”
“Shh, Master. You’re too excited.”
“Haa… I want to see it again.”
Rowy kept glancing at the Holy Sword with an ecstatic expression.
“I want to try it too. Could I possibly become a priest?”
My, so you want to become a priest. Van chuckled at Rowy’s absurd words.
“Just watch where you’re going. Be careful of your steps.”
Having easily dealt with the demon, the two were now heading to where the demon summoning circle was. It was to recover Rowy’s magical tool. The stairs leading to where the summoning circle was connected to the underground waterway, and Rowy kept expressing his admiration for the Holy Sword and Holy Fire the entire way down.
“So cool.”
Hmm hmm, well, it wasn’t bad to hear.
“Really cool. Amazing. How can it be so cool….”
“Hmm hmm.”
“Really incredibly cool and….”
…After spouting words of praise for quite a while like that, Rowy glanced at Van’s mood and gradually brought up the main point.
“But… by any chance, can I see it again? The Holy Fire… I guess it won’t work since there’s no demon?”
“……”
“Maybe… do you know much about demon summoning circles? I didn’t actually try to summon anything, really. I just looked at it a little….”
From the words carefully brought up while watching his mood, Van immediately figured out what Rowy wanted. You mean you want to summon a new demon to see the Holy Fire again. Van walked forward without even pretending to listen. Then Rowy stuck close to Van’s side and unnecessarily hugged his arm.
“No, I just want to at least know what the problem is…. What did I do wrong? The summoning didn’t work.”
Still getting no answer, now he even shook the arm he was hugging…. In the end, Van, unable to withstand Rowy’s aegyo-filled pressing, opened his mouth.
“Summoning with that circle is impossible.”
“Hm?”
“That’s a summoning circle that can’t be used now.”
Van glanced down. So huge it was, the summoning circle’s form could barely be seen at a glance from up here. The summoning circle drawn in vivid red light gave off an ominousness as if something would appear at any moment, but… but that’s already…. Van shook his head.
“That’s a relic from the ancient Holy War period. I thought this castle was old, but… it seems to be at least five thousand years old.”
“Holy War period?”
“Yes, from the Holy Age, during the Holy War with demons.”
