The situation had come to a close, but no matter how I looked at it, I’d clearly come out on the losing end.
My calf muscles had been pushed to their absolute limit. I couldn’t even stand properly. The tendons in my arms weren’t in great shape either. I could immediately tell I’d broken at least two bones crashing through the roof bare-bodied.
If I stayed like this, things were bound to get worse. That’s how much it hurt.
[Adel Bliss] → [Adel Bliss (Rage Demon)]
◆ Unique Trait: Shape Transformation (Active)
◆Time until reversion: 3 minutes 58 seconds… 57 seconds… 56 seconds…
In the end, I just went ahead and transformed. Sally had already seen me in this state, so there didn’t seem to be much point in hiding it anymore.
More concerning was the fact that the duration had already dropped to just four minutes.
And perhaps demonization wasn’t the be-all and end-all after all. This trait had reattached my severed arm before, but now, even basic recovery was slow.
“It’s fascinating.”
“Is that so?”
“But still… those horns? Where else would I get to see actual demon horns?”
“……”
Thankfully, Sally didn’t seem particularly bothered by the transformation. Well, it’s a world of magic, after all. A change in appearance probably doesn’t raise many eyebrows.
Still, the fact that I looked like a demon might be worth worrying about… But after poking and prodding me a few times, she seemed satisfied.
“Hmm. You may look like this, but it still feels like you’re human. I like it. You look scary, but also… reliable.”
“How touching. I’m practically in tears…”
Seeing her return with a bright, smiling face, I let out a quiet sigh of relief.
At this point, I could probably consider Sally an ally….at least to some extent. Of course, I couldn’t completely let my guard down about the organization she belonged to, White Ship.
Still, she was the second person after Camilla that I felt I could trust.
Considering the second main episode surrounding Tane was about to begin, this was actually a pretty encouraging development.
At the very least, these two might hesitate to attack me. No matter what I ended up doing.
That’s when it happened.
Thud!
There was the sound of the front door opening with a bang.
“Adel Bliss!! Are you alright?!”
“……”
I quickly undid my demon form and turned to face the door, where Henry soon burst in.
“……What about Sally White—!”
The moment he got that far, our eyes met. He looked at me, then at Sally, then back again before scowling and asking,
“…Where’s the demon, and why are there two cockroaches instead?”
“Cockroach? Is that how you talk to the person who rescued one of your people?”
“The way you’re clinging together, you look just like insects about to mate.”
I shrugged. It wasn’t intentional or anything. My legs just wouldn’t move.
“Sally White.”
“…Uncle Henry… hehe.”
“You alright?”
“Yep! Totally fine!”
I gently pushed Sally off and stood up. There was still a little pain when I put weight on my feet, but not enough to keep me from moving.
Demonization really did function like a rapid regeneration ability. I mean, it’s a body that doesn’t die even with a hole through the heart. This level of recovery might be expected.
Of course, I didn’t actually have the power of a real demon. When I activate it for healing, my stamina drains like crazy.
“Sally wasn’t infected. She’s clean. You and I both just went through hell for nothing.”
“…So it seems. In that case… more importantly, Sally White. Why did you cut off all contact and disappear?”
“W-Well, you see…”
Sally glanced at me just once, a meaningful look as if asking how much she was allowed to say.
Seems like she was prioritizing my privacy.
“…It was kind of like… running away from home.”
“…Running away?”
Even without seeing his face, I could imagine the expression Henry was making. He sounded completely dumbfounded.
I added a word, watching Sally avert her gaze.
“Sometimes, having a unique trait is like that. You end up suffering from side effects no one else could even imagine. Maybe it’s some kind of backlash from emotions twisted by her ability.”
“…What?”
Of course, I had no idea if that was true. Probably not, to be honest.
“Ah! Y-Yeah! That’s what it was! I was just… suddenly super depressed!”
“…You could’ve said something sooner.”
Sally wasn’t clueless. She immediately caught on and rolled with my offhand explanation.
As I listened to the two of them go back and forth, I dusted myself off. At this point, my school uniform was in shambles again. Maybe I should just buy ten of these in advance. Every time I get a new one, it ends up torn and filthy.
“If everything’s settled, I’m heading out. Try not to go around kidnapping people next time.”
“…Wait, Adel Bliss.”
As I turned to leave, Henry stopped me. I frowned slightly, but he waved his hand.
“It’s nothing like that. Even if nothing happened in the end, the fact remains that one of our people owes you a debt. I intend to keep the promise I made earlier.”
“…Promise?”
Henry continued.
“Yeah. I said I wouldn’t ask for help without offering something in return. I’m sticking to that.”
“…Oh?”
“Is there something you want?”
Ah, reward time.
***
I couldn’t hold back a smile at Henry’s words.
Come to think of it….this was a thing. Like an event clear bonus.
A reward from the White Ship, huh… In the game, this was always a sweet deal.
Especially when it came to someone they had identified as an “ally”, I remembered that they tended to be particularly generous with their rewards.
I paused for a moment to think.
What do I really need right now?
I had to go over that point carefully.
I’ve already compiled a list of high-level magic books… but I’m not sure I can get them immediately. As for high-level magical tools, those are clearly hard to come by. If I can get help with that, the timing couldn’t be better.
Currently, there are three main ways I can get stronger:
1. Acquiring magic through the NP system.
2. Obtaining high-level magical tools.
3. Collecting demon forms.
Among these, the most feasible options for now were high-level magic and magical tools. As for demon forms… that wasn’t something I could just ask for and expect to receive instantly.
“……”
But of course, I didn’t want to give up any of them.
Wait a minute.
Something suddenly came to mind, and I snapped my fingers.
Come to think of it…wasn’t this still the very beginning of the main scenario?
If that was the case… that might still be around.
“Hey, by any chance, do you guys have an old book you recently acquired? Probably something that came from the northern territories.”
“An old book… can’t say for sure. We’ve got tons of that kind of stuff. Especially from the north. Most of it’s just useless records.”
“Hmm. It’s probably the thickest of them all, like a hardcover… something like that.”
“…We’ve probably collected around a hundred such old books. If that’s the kind of thing you want, I might as well give you the whole lot. No one besides scholar types like you would even be interested.”
“That’d be perfect.”
Henry nodded, and I quietly suppressed my excitement.
If that book’s among them… I’ll be guaranteed at least one explosive high-damage spell.
As I mentally drafted out new plans, Henry added:
“I’ll have those records sent to your room. But just that much? It’s hardly enough.”
“Oh really?”
Truthfully, it was more than enough. But from their perspective, it probably felt like handing over junk.
“Then… maybe a few magical tools? Could you also get me a secret magic book, if possible?”
“A secret magic book, huh. I’ll have to look into that. And as for magical tools…anything specific you’re looking for?”
“As long as it’s high-level, I’ll take whatever.”
Nothing particular came to mind right now. If I could, I’d ask for the staff my family sold off… but that one was probably way too expensive.
“Then take this.”
With that, Henry reached up and tore something from around his neck. He handed it to me.
It was a necklace.
“This necklace temporarily amplifies your mana output. First Rank item.”
“Ooh.”
“Not sure if it’ll be useful for someone with your constitution… but from what I can tell, you use mana waves to enhance your body. If it turns out to be completely useless, feel free to sell it.”
I grinned. I hadn’t expected much, but I got something surprisingly decent.
“I’ll gladly take it.”
“Sorry for the trouble today, Adel Bliss.”
“……”
I just shrugged at those words.
Truth is, this is how things should’ve gone from the start.
Sally was never supposed to go missing out of nowhere.
I have no idea why something so different from the original storyline happened. But if there’s been a change from the original, it’s only my survival.
In that case, I guess I do bear some responsibility for her depression. I just haven’t figured out exactly where or how I affected things.
It’s not like I intended to take responsibility. Honestly, part of the reason I stepped in was because I figured if I left it alone, it’d just become a hassle later and it’d be a lie to say that wasn’t true.
“Don’t worry about White. She’ll be back in a few days.”
But still… even if I say that the current Sally, who hasn’t yet learned how to wear that chilling expression behind her always-high energy, unlike the Sally White from the original, didn’t bother me…
That’d be a lie too.
Of course, from my position as someone who’s become Adel, the fact that I was being watched was unpleasant.
But I’m fully aware that it was her energy that helped me reach Camilla in the first place.
So today was, in a sense, a way of repaying a favor.
A return for that brief moment of comfort she gave me in this unfamiliar world.
“That’s good to hear.”
***
The northern lands. The land of snowfields.
A region long known for its extreme cold.
Students pursuing the battle magic or monster subjugation courses at Tane’s Academy sometimes visit the area at least once. It’s a place that, since ancient times, has developed various techniques to repel magical beasts.
Even means you’d never use against other humans have long been accepted and adapted in the North.
In the game, that madness was often compared to the Second World War in the modern world. A land where you’d find magic tools so twisted, you’d wonder if humans really came up with them.
What I asked Henry for was one of the schematics for such magic tools. The records of a mage once renowned for his magical beast subjugation spells. A book barely preserved during a disaster that occurred long before the Empire ever existed.
Snowfield Subjugation Log.
Among the magic books I organized earlier, it was the final journal left behind by the same mage who wrote “What Increases Destructive Power”.
Whether it was senility in his old age or something else, the log is full of outrageous ideas and dangerously unstable magical structure modifications.
Originally, this magic was supposed to surface later in the story, during the suppression of the mass demonization incident at the Harken facility.
My goal is simple.
I get my hands on that insane piece of writing which could easily end up killing people earlier than intended.
And by using NP, which has an absolute effect when it comes to identifying and acquiring magic spells, I would learn the spells. Or I could even directly engrave the magic into my skin.
Once I’d finished absorbing everything written in the book…
I’d discard all the dangerous spells and return the rest to “White Ship”.
It’s not a difficult task.
This kind of manipulation would certainly lead to deviations from the original storyline… but by that point, I wouldn’t be in a position to obsess over the plot progressing as intended.
I was now certain of it. What truly mattered was my own strength. Even if I stuck rigidly to the intended path, things would eventually go off course anyway.
I checked my NP first.
◆ Seen through someone’s unique trait!
◆ Made contact with part of a secret organization!
◆ Magic Application: Intermediate achieved!
◆ NP + 120,000
“Not bad.”
Considering I was still in the early stages, this amount of NP income was impressive. The future of this character I was building was something to look forward to.
Though this time, it’s not a character. It’s the real me…
I continued checking the system messages. I skipped over the minor stat increases until something new caught my eye.
◆ New stat unlocked (New)!
◆ Self-Control +1
…This one’s pretty good.
Self-Control isn’t bad at all. Thinking back on how this stat was unlocked brought a wave of pain, but the reward was worth it.
If the Perseverance stat reduces the chance of spell incantations being broken, then Self-Control is the stat that allows you to forcefully construct a spell even in the worst possible environment.
Since battles were bound to keep happening, it wasn’t a bad stat to have.
“Hmm…”
I had more than enough NP.
Unintended as it was, I’d also come to understand the resilience of this demonized body.
At this point, I was starting to want to learn some high-level magic.
The spells I’d learn from Snowfield Subjugation Log would be kept as trump cards, so I needed something more publicly visible as an achievement.
That wasn’t all.
Maybe I should properly learn swordsmanship too.
Gaining demonization had been unexpected, but it would be a waste not to put this body to use. If I learned swordsmanship, it could be quite useful.
…Come to think of it, it’s about time for the cross-department exchange to be mentioned.
As I thought things over, that particular event came to mind.
The Cross-Department Exchange that was held at the end of the semester.
It wasn’t the end of the semester yet, but it was about time for each department to start selecting their internal representatives.
“……”
The Cross-Department Exchange.
The moment when the “Madman Adel” exits the stage, and the next part of the story begins.
It marks the beginning of the second scenario.
It bothered me that the small episode “The Demon of Justice and Execution” hadn’t wrapped up yet, but that would naturally be resolved once Tane’s headmaster returned… so it shouldn’t be much of a problem.
I’d better start preparing.
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