He came to his senses a little later.

At least, that's how he felt.

He woke up to the sound of voices murmuring.

—It doesn't smell, right?

—Devil. Where did you wash?

—I washed in a nearby stream.

—What about your clothes?

—I changed. Schmitt brought them. So, do I smell like blood?

Sniff, sniff.

—A lot.

—...Really?

—Yeah. You have to wash properly, devil.

—Tsk. I scrubbed hard. It's all because the smell of those guys' blood is particularly disgusting. Why on earth would you eat the blood of a magical beast?

—Ah.

—What. Did you eat it too?

—N-no! I didn't eat it.

—That sounds like a lie.

—It's true. I just tasted a little to make a magical beast-specific poison.

—Was it delicious?

—No. It was gross, gross.

—That's a relief. If you eat a lot of that, you might suddenly grow horns on your head.

—? Isn't that a good thing?

—? Why is that a good thing?

—It's cool.

—Cool my ass.

He slowly opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was the dark night sky. It seemed to have become night already.

A reddish campfire was burning a little way off, and three people were sitting around it, talking.

At that moment, a rustling sound interrupted the conversation of the two people. It sounded like clothes brushing against each other.

Rustle, rustle.

—Did you kill them all? I saved this one. The others didn't seem to know anything, and they couldn't communicate, so I just killed them.

Ssk, ssk.

—Yes, member Schmitt. I know cross-examination is important. But what can I do if this is the only one who can speak human language?

Ssk...

—What can I do? I have no choice but to filter what I hear... Ah, just stay still for a moment.

Sssk?

—The spirits here keep bothering me, asking for a contract. These guys tracked that guy down while I was safely returning Lady Ophelia.

—Where?

—Here. Right in front.

—Huh. I don't see anything.

—Schmitt probably can't see it either. Hey, deer. It was good that you gored that guy on the hill with your horns. Yes, I'll acknowledge your contribution. You've made a very distinguished contribution. But that's that and this is this. A contract should be made carefully. Don't you know?

The black magician listened to their conversation and checked his condition.

His hands and feet wouldn't move.

'Am I tied up?'

No.

It was as if the muscles in his limbs had hardened and wouldn't listen.

His paralyzed limbs refused their owner's command to move.

In the meantime, the conversation continued.

—Let's start by interrogating that guy.

Ssk?

—We're almost there anyway. It's highly likely that there won't be any more attacks, so there's no need to ask about the next invasion plan... I'll just dig into their identity.

Ssk, sssk.

—I know. I'm not expecting much. But there might be some useful information, right?

—Devil. Can I give him poison?

—Do you think you can?

—Hing.

Ssk.

—What if that guy doesn't know anything either? Well... I'll just take out my anger on him.

'...Take out my anger?'

At those words, the black magician's heart sank.

His already stiff body became even more rigid.

Gulp—

He swallowed dryly without realizing it.

At that moment, the murmuring conversation stopped.

Was the sound of swallowing too loud?

Goosebumps ran all over his body.

He closed his eyes tightly and pretended to be dead.

'Please... please...'

When he slowly opened his eyes, three faces were grinning down at him.

In the darkness, golden, green, and red eyes were flashing with a strange light.

The man who was emitting an eerie, bloody light raised the corners of his mouth.

"Did you have a good dream?"

The nightmare was right in front of him.

"We were just talking amongst ourselves, leaving the guest out."

"Hwaaaak!"

Ashuban covered his ears and muttered at the man's scream.

"Wow, what a good voice."

And then he poked the area around his jaw joint with his fingertip.

"Hwaaa..."

And then, as if by magic, his voice died down.

Gasp, gasp—

His lips moved, but no words came out.

'What is this...'

Ashuban said with a slightly tired face.

"Mr. Jeffrey. Let's be quiet. We can't have a productive conversation like this."

The man called Jeffrey gasped.

Ashuban, who seemed to have understood, said.

"I didn't have a proper name to call you, so I gave you one. I hope you like it."

Gasp, gasp.

"I don't know what you're saying."

"Devil, I think he likes it."

"Alright? You're Jeffrey from today. I don't know if there will be a tomorrow."

Ashuban held out his hand to Schmitt.

"Dagger. A small one."

A small dagger was placed on Ashuban's palm.

Ashuban spun it in his hand and looked down at the man who had become Jeffrey overnight.

"Thanks to you guys, our friends were quite hurt. We were almost wiped out, you know? Hahaha, you troublemaker. To attack us at night with magical beasts."

Ashuban playfully pinched Jeffrey's cheek and laughed.

And then suddenly, thwack! he slammed the dagger down next to his ear.

Jeffrey's hair stood on end as he saw the dagger stuck in the ground, trembling.

The devil smiled.

"It'll sting a little."

"...!"

Jeffrey. He was a black magician who dealt with darkness.

He wasn't afraid of death because of the black magicians' principle of regarding death as returning to Ketel's embrace.

But the process of getting there was unbearably frightening.

Jeffrey did his best to open his mouth wide and convey his intention.

'I'll tell you everything!'

"What?"

'Ask me anything! I'll answer everything I know!'

Ashuban frowned.

"This bastard. What is he saying?"

He patted Jeffrey's cheek and said in a low voice.

"Hey, Jeffrey. I'll release your acupoint, so speak quietly. It'll only hurt our ears if you scream. What happens if it hurts? Our mood will worsen. What happens if our mood worsens?"

"...."

"Do you understand?"

Nod.

"Good. I'll release your acupoint."

When he released the acupoint, Jeffrey coughed a few times and then said in a determined tone, enunciating each word.

"I'll talk."

"About what?"

"If you ask me anything, I'll answer everything I know."

"...Ah."

And then the expressions of the three people turned cold.

For some reason, they seemed a little disappointed.

Jeffrey was flustered.

'What, what is it? I said I'd tell them everything. Why on earth?'

Ashuban crossed his arms and looked down at Jeffrey.

"I'm very disappointed, Mr. Jeffrey. Are you going to throw away the organization you've been a part of for so long like a worn-out shoe? Are you going to surrender before we even start? Where's your loyalty? You're weak."

"Weak!"

Schmitt nodded as if in agreement.

Jeffrey made a dumbfounded face.

"No, what on earth are you..."

Ashuban muttered as he rolled up his sleeves.

"We'll fix your rotten mental state."

Jeffrey realized that the situation was going strangely.

"W-wait a minute."

He hurriedly blurted out.

"I said I'll answer everything I know, right? Ask me. Ask me!"

But they ignored Jeffrey's determination.

"Hmm... shall we start with this? Ah, is it too vulgar from the start?"

"Devil, can I feed him this?"

"I told you not to give him poison. He'll die right away."

"This isn't poison!"

"Then what is it?"

"Um... what should I say? It's a kind of stimulant! If you eat it, all your senses will become twice as sensitive!"

"Oh, that's good."

"Shall I feed him?"

"Feed him."

"Hehe."

Jeffrey shouted.

"It's an interrogation! Shouldn't you be asking me something! Where are the guys who torture before even asking!"

"This guy has a good voice. Do magicians usually have good voices?"

They forcibly opened the mouth of Jeffrey, who was shouting something, and poured the potion down his throat.

"I said I'll tell you everything, why this unnecessary— Uuuuup! Puuup! Cough, cough!"

Ashuban looked at Jeffrey, who was drinking half of the potion and spitting out the other half through his nose, and then he asked Linda.

"How long do we have to wait for the effect to kick in?"

"Um..."

Linda thought for a moment, and then she spread her hands and began to slowly fold her ten fingers.

"D-damn Sherwood bastards..."

Ashuban watched the scene and then looked down at the trembling Jeffrey.

The smile that had been on his lips was gone without a trace.

"Are you scared?"

It was a terrifyingly cold tone.

Only then did Jeffrey realize that the man in front of him was angry.

"Thanks to that damn potion you guys spread, it's a mess these days. If you've committed a crime, you should be punished."

Jeffrey's pupils dilated.

"Unfortunately, God seems to be busy."

The man in front of him really looked like a red devil who had come up from hell.

"I'll judge you instead."

Slowly, Linda's last finger folded.

An unbearable fear constricted him.

Was the effect of the potion kicking in?

Fear came closer than ever before.

It came right up to his nose and poked its head in.

It was staring into his eyes with blood-soaked, reddened pupils.

Before Jeffrey could even scream, Ashuban's acupressure poked the area around his jaw joint.

"Hehe."

Three crescent-shaped smiles looked down at him.

Feeling a deeper despair than ever before covering his eyes.

Jeffrey let out a silent scream.

***

Clip-clop— Charrrr—

The place where I am now is on the roof of the leading carriage.

The long procession of carriages was peacefully heading west.

It was a pity to have lost one carriage, but the bride was more important, so it couldn't be helped.

We had just passed a city a little while ago.

The road was getting wider, and the number of people and carriages coming and going was gradually increasing.

We were getting closer to the capital.

The end of the long journey was in sight.

"Leader."

I looked to the side at the calling voice.

Camus, with a black eyepatch, was looking at me with his one eye from on top of his horse.

"Where's your coat? Aren't you cold?"

Camus was wrapped up in a coat.

I answered solemnly.

"How can a man be defeated by this much cold?"

"Leader. Don't be a fool and put on a coat. You'll catch a cold."

"It's not that cold."

"Is it because you don't have one? If you don't have one, I'll get you one."

"It's okay. Colds only come to the weak. A coat is a sign of weakness."

"...Tsk."

Camus clicked his tongue and shook his head, looking forward.

By the way.

The weather was really getting colder.

But it's not a lie that I said it wasn't cold.

At some point, I stopped feeling the cold and the heat.

Was it when the level of the Snow Branch Blue Flame Art reached the seventh level?

I'm not sure.

What does the timing matter? What's important is the result.

[You've reached the state of being impervious to cold and heat.]

"Hmm. I guess so."

I don't know what it is, but it seems like a good thing, so I nodded.

[Do you know what it means?]

"What does it matter what it means? What's important is that I've reached the state of being impervious to cold and heat."

[Aigoo...]

I was lost in thought, listening to the Heavenly Demon's low sigh.

Apart from the fact that I couldn't feel the cold, the weather was gradually getting colder.

Winter must be approaching.

'...Winter.'

I sat on the roof of the carriage and was lost in thought.

It was because of what Jeffrey had said before he died.

Our Mr. Jeffrey didn't seem to be in a very high position in the organization, so he didn't know much.

Still, I managed to get some information...

First, the purpose of the Dark Heaven Cult.

They are guys who are secretly working with the absurd goal of bringing the demon god to the ground.

'The advent of the demon god.'

To think they had such a grand dream. I didn't expect it.

But these fanatics seemed to seriously believe it, so I couldn't help but laugh.

They say they'll dye the blue sky with black darkness by manifesting the demon god on the ground...

I can't understand why they want to bother the pretty sky that's just sitting there.

The grand plan they mentioned was a ritual for the advent of the demon god.

And they attacked us to advance it.

There are all sorts of crazy people in the world, so let's just move on.

The magical beast transformation and magical beast control are the results of the black magicians of the Dark Heaven Cult's long research of their doctrines.

It's a part of the demon god's abilities, but it's just a speck of the main body's abilities.

After that, I asked where their base was, if they had any other plans to advance the grand plan, and so on.

Jeffrey left a meaningful word and then vomited black blood and died heroically.

'The monster wave in the north... soon... keuk!'

It seems there was some kind of secret-keeping magic cast on him.

The Dark Heaven Cult.

A fanatical cult that has been secretly working and is now slowly coming to the surface.

It seems they have spread their magical beasts far and wide.

"The north..."

I put that information in my head for now.

While I was thinking hard about Jeffrey's last words, the carriage moved on smoothly.

And then the procession came to face a huge city wall in the distance.

Camus let out a cheer.

"We're here!"

Milgard, the capital of the Maia Kingdom.

The long journey had come to an end.

(End of Chapter)