I had played the game Empire of Kohoenbach to the point of exhaustion.
A total of 20,000 hours of playtime.
That’s right. 20,000 hours.
Assuming I spent 10 hours a day immersed in the game, that’s 2,000 days. Which, when converted to years, is well over five.
All that time, devoted solely to the game. Naturally, I came to know its settings so thoroughly that I practically wore them out.
So when it comes to the methods used by the demon worshippers in the game, I don’t just recognize them. I know them so well they make me sick.
[Demon’s Seed].
Even in the game, it ranked among the most sinister. Its essence: a method of transforming a human into a demon.
However, because it rewrites a person from the very foundation, it came with a high failure rate and required an extended preparation period. It was an inconvenient method full of conditions.
One of its key weaknesses was that the signs felt by the host of the seed were very clear.
The first symptom: their hair suddenly turns brittle and dark.
The second: the appearance of a mark somewhere on the body.
“……”
I recalled the first day I possessed Adel. The day I woke up in the infirmary.
Realizing I had become Adel, the first thing I did was check my body.
Understandable, really….After all, I had become the “madman Adel”. It wouldn’t be surprising if I were under a curse or two.
Did I take off my shirt? Yes, I did.
And then, I found it.
On the left side of my chest.
Right where the heart should be….an image of a black flame.
“…….”
The Demon’s Seed.
Even so, I didn’t panic that much.
Well… I can just get rid of it.
As mentioned earlier, the Demon’s Seed was a method I knew all too well.
I already knew how to remove it.
I also remembered how to suppress it, neutralize it, absorb it… I could list more than a dozen ways off the top of my head. I even knew how to use it as a stepping stone to grow stronger.
But after looking into it a bit more, I ran into a minor problem.
It’s too late to just get rid of it. It’s about to bloom.
The possession had happened too late.
Still, even that wasn’t a big deal. There were still ways.
It was simple. Just go through the transformation to some extent, then come back.
The process itself was, of course, complicated but I knew plenty of ways to speed it up.
──That’s where the real problem lay.
…To return to being human, I have to become something else first.
That, exactly.
To return to my original state, I would have to take on a demonic form at least once.
In the Empire, demon worshippers were executed on sight.
And those who attempted to resemble a demon in form were treated even more harshly.
Even if they survived, they would be captured, subjected to brutal torture, or used for live experiments.
No one would believe talk of “returning” later. In this world, the common belief was that once the Seed of the Demon bloomed, you were lost forever.
In other words, the moment I mutated, being labeled a demon worshipper would be unavoidable.
And the only one who knew a way back… was me.
So… my survival condition could be summed up like this:
Do not die during the time I’m in demonic form.
My desire to maintain a good relationship with Camilla came from this very reason.
Because in the original story, the one who killed “Madman Adel” was Camilla Bliss.
If it weren’t for Camilla, the elite among elites, the genius even within Class A of the Knight Department’s second years—
If I could have just a little time… I would be able to survive.
Originally, I hoped Camilla would develop feelings of fondness toward me.
Enough fondness that she wouldn’t be able to swing her sword at a younger brother who had become a demon worshipper.
But that was no longer possible.
That left only one remaining way to buy time.
To kill Camilla when she came looking for me….the me who would become a demon worshipper.
That was the only option left.
I had once considered the idea of simply hiding outside the academy to buy time.
…That was before the entire academy fell under a blackout barrier and my room was trashed, all because I went out just once without permission.
[We do not forget you]
I muttered as I erased the chilling message with a Clean spell.
“Disgusting bastards.”
***
Tane Academy’s next day began as if nothing had happened.
The professors were displeased about last night’s incident, but that was all. Among the students, it had simply become fresh gossip.
Of course, investigations were likely happening beneath the surface to find the culprit… but there probably wasn’t much evidence left.
After all, Blackout barriers were meant for exactly that. To leave nothing behind.
“Student Adel Bliss? Adel Bliss? Did he not attend?”
“Professor Quinoron called him earlier.”
“Ah. I see. Understood.”
I began moving more proactively.
Until now, I had believed there was still plenty of time before the original episode began, so I had taken the approach of growing quietly without drawing attention… but now, I realized it would be better to raise my stats as quickly as possible.
Use everything available.
Everything I can.
For example, things like making the most of my position as a “gifted early admission student”.
“…A-Amazing. Adel, this phenomenon is considered inexplicable in the current academic field…”
At Professor Quinoron’s office.
I was facing Professor Quinoron in a secluded part of the Magic Department. It was a location where even secretive conversations could be held safely.
“If it’s this… here, take a look.”
“…My goodness. Something like this only appears in high-level magic… No, wait. Right, there’s no need to categorize things strictly by magic level…”
“Exactly. In magical theory, symmetry refers to the preservation of the original form when transitioning from one phase to the next. But interestingly, when a structural axis exists, magical symmetry also…”
This was the knowledge about magical structures I had unintentionally revealed during a recent class. I was now explaining it in detail to Professor Quinoron.
It wasn’t a difficult task.
First, I asked Professor Quinoron to accurately draw a magic structure formula.
◆A modifiable spell structure has been detected.
◆A modifiable spell structure has been detected.
◆A modifiable spell structure has been detected.
When I quietly observed the drawing, the NP system recognized the magic structure formula.
◆A modifiable spell structure has been detected: Flam Hasta – Would you like to acquire it?
Using the system that shows both the pre-modification and post-modification structure formulas to help gamers understand, I checked both formulas, and from there…
◆[Total Magic Structure Analysis] activated…
A trait activated.
A trait that thoroughly analyzes all things magical. With this, even if the opponent is a professor, I can easily pretend to be an expert.
As if to prove that, Professor Quinoron was nodding enthusiastically….almost as if he were about to dive into the paper.
“…To share such an idea so openly… So this is what Tane’s early admission students are like. Remarkable. I’ll make sure to list your name as a co-author on my paper, Adel.”
“No need. I only added a little finishing touch.”
“N-No, not at all!! This is an incredible shift in perspective!!”
“Well, I’m sure you would’ve figured it out soon enough, Professor.”
It was true. Professor Quinoron would’ve completed the paper on his own even without my help.
After all, most of the knowledge I had memorized came from papers written by Professor Quinoron himself, according to the setting.
Of course, there’s no way he would know that now.
And given his personality, he wouldn’t just take this kind of advice without offering something in return.
“Hmm. Still, I’d feel uneasy just accepting this. Is there anything you want? If it’s within my power, I’ll help.”
“…If you insist, how about this?”
I looked around at the items filling his office.
They were a bit crude, but they clearly bore magical engravings. Odds and ends that still carried traces of the maker’s warm touch.
“Professor Quinoron, you were affiliated with the Harunsdel Merchant Guild, correct?”
“…Yes. I’m in charge of magical tool research there.”
“I heard you’ve been focusing on your research with support from the Merchant Guild. And in the process, a lot of magical tools end up being discarded… How about giving some of those to me? I have a few things I’d like to experiment with.”
Magical tools slated for disposal.
I was trying to obtain them under the pretext of experimentation.
Of course, the real goal was to increase my fighting power using the Shifter trait.
“Would something like that really be enough as compensation? As far as I know, there’s even a fee for disposing of magical tools…”
“Hmm… In that case, what if I took a few tools that are still in good condition?”
“I see… if it’s something like that… very well.”
As Professor Quinoron nodded with a kind smile, I cheered inwardly.
Perfect.
I rose from my seat.
“Well then, it seems our deal is settled, and since it’s almost lunchtime, I’ll take my leave.”
“Yes. A deal, huh. I like the sound of that.”
As if something had just crossed his mind, Professor Quinoron suddenly looked back at me.
“By the way, Adel….did you come up with all this on your own?”
“…I’m a bit lacking, as you know. I just thought of ways to make up for it…”
“Is that so? But this is incredible. Enough to make your magic disability seem irrelevant. With a brain like yours, perhaps someday… who knows?”
“……”
“I hope you have a pleasant lunch, Adel. I’ll have the magical tools ready after class.”
“…Thank you. I hope you enjoy your lunch as well, Professor.”
Creaaak—
The hallway.
I glanced outside for a moment then turned around.
Maybe I’ll eat lunch alone today.
Sally’s cheerful voice was nice, but I just wasn’t in the mood right now.
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