Humans in this world fear demons.
Perhaps because demons are evil.
Because demons corrupt humans.
Well. That wasn’t the only reason.
Humans feel an instinctive, primal fear toward demons.
Like how a newborn baby that fearlessly touches flames bursts into tears at the sight of a snake.
The fear of demons that have existed since ancient times may very well be imprinted upon the humans of this world.
And people are also afraid.
Afraid that they themselves might become demon worshippers. Afraid of losing themselves to the power that overturns human notions and the subconscious from the very foundation.
Because they are afraid, they seek atonement.
Confession carried out at the Imperial convent was fundamentally based on this fear.
They sincerely worry that somewhere deep at their core, emotions like those of a demon might exist.
And so they believe that the prayers of a pure nun, who has devoted her entire life to faith, will erase such feelings.
So wherever a demon has appeared, a nun will always come and pray.
Whether within a human heart or at the scene of an incident.
Wherever it may be.
Former nun.
Current member of a demon-worshipper hunting group.
Sally White was crouching somewhere.
……
Harun, the satellite city of the Magic Tower territory.
The headquarters of Harunsdel.
At the hour when all the direct descendants of the merchant guild had boarded the ship for their regular meeting.
She clasped both hands together and quietly closed her eyes.
“……Sally. Do you confirm it?”
Sally White possessed the detection ability to firmly declare that even the demon form Adel once showed was “not a demon”.
In other words, her skill as a nun was by no means poor.
“It’s just as Adel said.”
She opened her eyes and spoke.
“It’s the trace of a demon.”
In effect, it was no different from a nun’s solemn affirmation.
At that, Henry nodded and spoke.
“So that’s how it is, Captain.”
He was addressing someone else who stood there.
“……”
Breward.
The leader of the “White Ship” organization.
An elderly man with an impressive beard.
“……You said the one connected to the demon is the eldest son of Harunsdel?”
“To be precise, it’s the eldest son’s shadow guard. I was told the name is Drei.”
“……A shadow guard?”
“That’s what Adel Bliss said. It’s a name I’ve never heard before…… Do you know it?”
Breward muttered at Henry’s question.
“As far as I know, there is only one way for a human to hide within shadows.”
“……And that one method would be?”
“To engrave magical markings across the entire skin using the blood of a monster and thereby turn oneself half into a monster.”
“……!”
“Monstrification. That’s what the technique was called.”
His eyes sank deeply.
Looking at the ship floating far away on Lake Harun, Breward murmured quietly.
“If what that child Adel said is true, then it’s no different from saying that a human who underwent monstrification has even gone so far as to become demonic. If so, this is a bigger matter than I thought.”
“……Th-Then we must hurry and assist—!”
“I was going to without you saying so, Sally. But……”
He looked at his two subordinates.
Henry, whose expression had stiffened at the gravity of the situation.
And Sally, who seemed even more restless.
“You two have something else you must take care of. I will go alone for support.”
***
Tap, tap, tap, tap……
Someone was tapping their finger against the table in the conference hall.
“They’re late.”
The ship floating on the lake, the Encounter.
The conference hall for the regular Harunsdel meeting.
He was looking at a seat that was still empty.
The name placed there was that of the third in line for succession, the youngest daughter of the Harunsdel family.
[Lady Irina Rodnina Harunsdel]
“I was told she boarded the ship.”
“That is correct. Aide Deran personally attended to her.”
“……Is she still throwing childish tantrums?”
Menemen muttered. His expression appeared displeased at first glance.
That was the signal. The many collateral family members seated there began murmuring.
“Hehehe. How could she……”
“At this rate, she’ll arrive later than the head of the family.”
“She used to be so bright when she was young……”
Menemen smiled inwardly. It was quite a pleasant feeling to see the executives begin to read his mood from merely a single remark.
It seems that man is doing his job properly.
Even with Harunsdel’s intelligence network, they had been unable to uncover the true identity of the man, Butler Adel.
Whether Adel was even his real name aside, one could not help but acknowledge the man’s capability itself.
The list of medicinal ingredients he demanded from Harunsdel. Even when it was shown to the family’s professional magic pharmacist, they said they had no idea what it was meant to create……
And yet, the bastard had succeeded as if to show off.
He had produced a drug with effects worthy of high-grade goods.
Once this is over, I intended to kill him too…… Who would’ve thought he was a magic pharmacist.
Medicine does not discriminate by status. Just like alcohol, dangerous drugs work on everyone….from the lowest commoners to the upper class.
So if they could only obtain his method of manufacture, Harunsdel could grow even further than it already had.
Still, that was something to consider later.
Menemen opened his mouth. The executives’ heated criticism about condemning Irina as unfit to be an heir had ripened just enough.
“At this rate, we have no choice, Drei.”
“Yes, young master.”
“Regrettable as it is, we should remove Irina’s seat. If Father sees this……”
It was then.
Flicker, flicker……
Pop.
Suddenly, the light in the conference hall vanished.
“Hmm?”
“A blackout?”
Darkness arrived without warning.
“…What’s going on?”
“Hmm… What is this, all of a sudden?”
But a meeting was a meeting. None of them showed their panic openly.
Menemen pulled out a luminous magical tool.
Flash.
Lights bloomed here and there.
The executives present also took out their own magical tools.
“……You there. Run to the captain’s cabin.”
“Yes!”
“State my name and see that proper measures are taken. If something like this happens when the head of the family arrives, it won’t be the captain who loses his head…it’ll be you. Understood?”
“……Y-Yes, understood!”
“……Tsk.”
One figure hurried out.
And the executives watched him go with uneasy expressions.
“……Huh?”
“Would you look at that.”
It didn’t take them long to realize that something was wrong.
The highest point of the ship.
One wall of the conference hall was made entirely of glass.
Beyond it, the surface of Lake Harun could be seen clearly.
“……There isn’t a single light?”
“I can’t see anything on the water’s surface.”
It was strange.
The surface of the lake, which should have reflected the ship’s lights and created a beautiful scene, was instead pitch-black.
And there was only one thing that sight could mean.
“…Does this mean the entire ship is in blackout right now?”
“…I-I think so.”
Silence.
Not only minor noble families but also quite a few children of great noble houses were aboard the Encounter.
If they failed to contain the situation quickly, this incident would be serious. It might even tarnish the family’s reputation.
But if there was a silver lining—
Menemen had subordinates who would take care of any troublesome matter for him.
“…Drei.”
“Yes, young master.”
“I leave it to you.”
“……”
It was then.
“No. We can’t just leave it like this.”
From within the darkness, someone’s voice echoed through the conference hall.
Light brown eyes that would normally give off a gentle impression now floated darkly in the shadows.
A woman who had boldly torn the hem of her dress and wore black protective gear over her upper body.
“Th-That person is—!”
“…Isn’t that Lady Irina?”
Irina Rodnina Harunsdel.
“You’re going to unleash a demon into the darkness? Do you intend to turn this place into a slaughterhouse?”
Her arrival.
“Isn’t that right, Brother?”
***
In the darkness.
The bridge of the Encounter.
◆ [Total Magical Structure Analysis] activated…
All around was, quite literally, a blackout.
They’ve probably started to notice by now.
They must have begun to realize that this blackout wasn’t natural.
After all, every light on the ship was out. Anyone with even a bit of awareness would inevitably figure it out.
But by now, it was already too late to do anything.
From the moment they allowed this side to infiltrate, the outcome had practically been decided.
“I wonder if they’re ready to enjoy themselves.”
The method used to cause the blackout was redirecting all the mana that should have flowed to each guest floor to somewhere else. It hadn’t been difficult.
But here was the problem.
Where, exactly, was that “somewhere else” the mana had been redirected to?
Originally, it should have been lighting the guest rooms, operating the magical elevators, circulating the bath facilities, purifying the air, and regulating the temperature—
Where had all the mana that powered this massive ship gone?
The answer was simple.
“All of it to the ship’s propulsion system.”
From this moment on, this ship could output power equivalent to three times its full speed.
I dragged a limp corpse over and sat it in the pilot’s seat. Then I poured the alcohol he had been drinking straight over his head.
“Drunk driving is dangerous, you know.”
In that state, I firmly pressed down on the pedal beneath the helm.
And the ship awoke.
Bwooooooo──!!!
The deep horn unique to a massive ship resounded, shaking the entire city of Harun awake.
The ship trembled violently.
The mana propulsion engines had begun spewing out power like mad.
– Kyaaah!
– Aaaagh!!
Screams echoed from afar.
It was a sound effect of chaos accelerating…. It was far worse than a mere blackout.
Satisfying.
Now then, it was time to drive in the final nail.
“……”
The situation was as follows:
The sudden acceleration of a ship that represents the very prestige of Harunsdel.
And it would unfold like this:
The tarnishing of Harunsdel’s reputation, a house whose main products are magical tools and artifacts.
On top of that, many of the nobles aboard would suffer the humiliation of being thrown into the water, with some left missing or dead.
Traces of a demon discovered in the course of the investigation.
And numerous eyewitness testimonies.
…A perfect scenario.
Quietly, I began to transform.
[Adele Bliss] → [Adele Bliss (Demon of Justice and Execution)]
Clunk.
I opened the door and slowly walked onto the deck.
A tall, elongated figure. A grotesque sword in my right hand. Countless thorny branches jutting out from my shoulder blades.
And above all—
A horn shaped like a seven-branched sword rising from my forehead.
A monster brought into being by those demon-worshipping bastards.
The very embodiment of a perfect demon.
“Haha.”
A strange heat took over my entire body.
Not far away, a man and a woman spotted me.
“……Huh? Th-that…… a h-horn? A d-demon?”
“Hi, hi, hiiiiik……?”
Great audience reaction.
As a little service, I gave them a crooked grin.
“───Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!”
***
Now then.
If they want to smooth this situation over, the only option is to attack me.
By eliminating me, the one bearing the form of a demon, they can somehow try to wriggle their way out of this.
If it were Menemen, he would surely want to take on that role himself.
But who would? Who would dare stand against a demon so utterly terrifying?
There is only one person fit to play the opposing role.
Shadow Guard Drei.
To stop the demon, Menemen has no choice but to send out a human who has been demonized.
The stage has been set. A stage aboard the ship, one that can draw everyone’s attention.
Now, all that remains is to wait for the actor.
……Thud!
A black-haired woman dropped down from the sky.
“You’ve come.”
Eyes sharpened with killing intent. Hair left unbound.
Even her lips were venting steam.
◆ [Total Magical Structure Analysis] activated……
In my eyes, beneath her tightly fastened uniform, I could see the magical crest shining.
A blood-red pattern covering her entire body.
A technique that appears in a relatively minor storyline of the Harunsdel episode.
The typical form of “monstrification technique”.
At the same time, what enveloped her was unmistakably the power of a demon.
A test subject of monstrification….and the product of a demonization experiment.
That is the true identity of Shadow Guard Drei.
“My kin……”
I opened my mouth toward her.
As if to announce it to those watching this way in bated silence from every deck.
“……Why do you pretend to be human?”
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