Chapter 77

“Heeheehee, hehe, hehe, hehe……!”

“Uh, could you please stop making those weird noises?”

Rostia, in the research lab, was fumbling over my bare torso, letting out strange moans.

“Heeheehee, put yourself in my shoes. Could you stay quiet if you were me? A once-in-a-lifetime, miraculous specimen right before your eyes! And I’m the only one in the world who gets to see it, touch it, and study it. How could I not be excited?”

“If I spread rumors about Lady Rostia of the Rostia Magic Tower acting like this, the tower’s reputation would plummet instantly. I guarantee it.”

“Hehe, I know you won’t. Do you think there are many Archmages out there who’d feed you, house you, and even collaborate with you? If others found out about your current condition, they’d probably tear you apart and study your pieces as specimens.”

“…… Please don’t say such horrifying things. I know you could do the same to me if you really wanted to.”

“You underestimate yourself far too much.”

Rostia slapped my body with a loud smack.

“You know exactly what state your body is in, don’t you?”

“Yes. Even though my daily life is filled with rigorous training, my body shouldn’t be this tough.”

“‘Tough’ doesn’t even begin to describe it. At the very least……”

“Ouch……!”

Rostia used her mana-infused finger to slice my skin.

“That hurts! Why are you suddenly cutting me?”

“Look at this. Does this make any sense to you?”

The wound she had just made was slowly but surely healing right before our eyes.

“Even when you reinforce your body with mana, it’s almost as strong as steel. Is this even a human body?”

“I am human. Well, it’s hard to say that with confidence now, but as long as I feel human, I guess I still am.”

My voice unintentionally grew somber.

Hearing that, Rostia slapped the freshly wounded area again.

“Ouch, why are you hitting me again? We’ve already proven that the wound heals immediately!”

“You’re talking like the world’s already ended! Even if you’ve seen the end of the world in your past life, aren’t you running around now to prevent it? Or at least delay it? And you *are* human. Even if Riana is practically your sister, do you think a Demon would treat a human so warmly?”

“True. I do seem a bit too nice for my own good.”

“I think so too.”

“Ugh…… Honestly, I don’t like being called nice.”

“You don’t like being nice? What kind of nonsense is that?”

“What do you think is the most perfect modifier that comes before ‘nice’? I think it’s ‘foolishly.’ Being nice means people can easily take advantage of you if they want to. That’s why I once dreamed of becoming a bad guy.”

“Hmm, is that how you see it? It’s true that being foolishly nice isn’t good. But from what I see, you’re not nice.”

“If you’re just trying to force a compliment, it’s fine.”

“I’m not forcing anything. From my perspective, you’re not nice. But that doesn’t mean you could ever be a bad person either. So, to find the right word…… Ah.”

After a moment of thought, Rostia snapped her fingers.

“‘Virtuous’ fits you perfectly.”

“Haha, that’s not bad.”

“From now on, think of yourself that way. Besides, how could someone who doesn’t mind being called virtuous ever be a Demon?”

“Right? I hope so. Even if I become something other than human, I don’t want to be a Demon.”

“You brat…… Stop moping already!”

Rostia slapped my back with a loud smack, but it didn’t make me feel much better.

I’m a human affiliated with the Vanguard, an organization that fights Demons to protect this world.

But every time I kill a Demon, I absorb their power.

It’s as if I’m not defeating Demons, but devouring them and growing stronger.

“Anyway, let’s try an experiment.”

“What kind of experiment?”

“You’ve absorbed the Power of Demons, right?”

“Yes. This is the third time.”

“That Power of Demons isn’t as visible to me as it is to you, but I can definitely feel a faint, eerie aura growing stronger around you. It’s true that your body grows stronger each time you absorb a Demon’s power. But you don’t know how to use that power, do you?”

“No, I don’t.”

“That’s what this is for. Perhaps you already know how to use that power.”

The idea that I might know how to use a Demon’s power…

Becoming stronger is generally a good thing.

But this time, it felt different.

“I’m not sure if that’s good news. In fact, I think it might be better not to know.”

“Why, are you afraid? That if you start using that power, you’ll slowly drift away from being human?”

“……”

“Bingo. You act all cheerful and composed on the outside, but inside, you’re soft and overly nice.”

Rostia raised her hand again, but this time, instead of slapping me, she gently patted my back.

“Worrying and preparing is a great attitude. But don’t let it shrink you too much.”

“Yes. I know I shouldn’t shrink for the sake of the future. But I can’t help feeling afraid, maybe because I’m still human.”

“Good, very good. No matter what happens in the future, no matter what path you take, hold onto that fear. It’ll keep you from straying down the wrong path.”

“…… Thank you. It’s clear that someone who’s lived as long as you have gives advice with a depth I can’t match. Every word feels like it’s carving itself into my heart.”

“Hoho, do you think I became an Archmage for nothing? You can admire me more if you want.”

“I do admire you, but there’s also a warm, grandmotherly vibe that makes you feel like a neighborhood elder…… Oof.”

Before I could finish, a full-powered strike from the Archmage sent me sprawling to the floor.

“If you’re feeling better, get up! We don’t have time for this! Your vacation is almost over, so you should make the most of my help before you leave!”

“You’re right. But it hurts too much to get up.”

“Hmph, I only hit you hard enough to sting. Don’t exaggerate!”

“Ugh…… It felt like my soul was separating from my body, though…… So, do you have any ideas on how I can harness the Demon’s power within me?”

“I don’t just have ideas. I’m almost certain.”

“Certain……?”

“Yes. Don’t you realize? The most obvious example of someone using a Demon’s power has been right beside you all along.”

“Someone who’s been with me all along…… Oh?”

It hits me like a slap to the back of the head—someone who’s been handling Demon’s power longer than I have.

Someone who was raised by a Demon and trained to wield that power.

…… Riana.

“Remember what Ronos taught Riana, the situations he guided her through. What did he say back then?”

“The biggest lesson I remember is ‘desperation.’ He said that was the core of his magic.”

“Exactly. Ronos said ‘desperation’ is the core of magic, but it’s different from ordinary magic. When we humans use magic, we prioritize calculation. We have to judge how to systematically use the mana around us and within us ‘rationally.’ Do you see the difference?”

“That’s it. Ordinary magic is in the realm of ‘reason.’ But the magic Ronos spoke of is in the realm of ‘instinct.’”

“Very quick to understand. With a mind like yours, why did you become a warrior? You’d have been much more successful as a magician.”

“It’s all thanks to my excellent teacher. A student is only as good as their master.”

“Your tongue is sharp too. You’d have done well in the cutthroat world of politics. Anyway, what you need to do now is very simple.”

Rostia climbed onto a chair in the lab, sat down, and stared at me before tossing out her suggestion.

“Get angry.”

“Get angry?”

“Yes, I said get angry. As loudly as possible.”

“But how can I just get angry out of nowhere……?”

“There are plenty of situations where instinct overrides reason. Shall I set the scene for you? For example……”

Rostia thought for a moment, then suddenly waved her arm in the air.

In an instant, Rostia’s research lab vanished, replaced by a completely different, yet eerily familiar landscape.

But the scene before me was……

“Kairon.”

A voice that was once respected and dear, but now an object of hatred.

A man smiling warmly at me, speaking in a deep, resonant voice.

Standing before me was none other than……

“Commander Balthazar?”

And beside him stood another familiar face.

“Riana……?”

“Kairon, big brother.”

I knew.

This was an illusion created by Rostia.

But the visuals, even the way they spoke…

The realism was overwhelming, far too overwhelming.