Act 17

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A brilliant imperial capital reminiscent of a city that never sleeps.

Turning east from the center, not too far away, there existed a vast slum.

Without going into the reasons for its existence, the root cause lay in the Adratan Empire’s choice to annex other nations by force rather than through agreement.

Excessive wars of conquest.

Although most were victorious, the resulting losses and the inability of new citizens to adapt to the empire’s culture and systems meant they gathered here, away from the heart of the capital.

It’s likely that this social structure will not change during the reign of the current emperor.

Thinking this, I looked at the signpost next to me marked “034A Road.”

‘This must be it.’

The road where a demon sighting was reported.

Reading the sign, I took out the map I received from a man named “Beiden.”

As the saying goes, in the absence of tigers, foxes reign supreme.

The slum area was a sector largely ignored by the royal family.

This man, “Beiden,” was a member of a criminal organization that ruled over this slum.

They were well aware of most of the incidents that occurred in the slums. 

Of course, they seemed to have a vague idea of what happened on this road, 034A, as well.

The map also briefly mentioned incidents that occurred in the vicinity.

“How did you know?”

As I briefly scanned the map, intending to check a location I had noted before arriving here, Linne, who was following, asked me.

“What are you referring to?”

“That there are other people hiding in that house.”

Doubt clouded Linne’s emerald eyes, along with a hint of reluctance to ask the question itself.

“Are you curious?”

“Yes, please tell me.”

She nodded honestly, somewhat unexpectedly.

Linne Londebell

She believes there’s something to learn from everyone.

Even from Julian, notorious as he may be, his skills are genuine.

Prioritizing ‘phenomenon’ over ‘people,’ she detested Julian but still sought to learn from him.

I didn’t mind that attitude.

Of course, it would be better if there were no hostility.

“It’s mana sensing.”

“Mana… sensing?”

“Every living being, every object, every phenomenon, the entire universe, is imbued with mana. And, mana naturally reacts to other mana.”

“Mana reacts to other mana.”

“Before entering the house, I used 2 of the 38 ‘Mana Veins,’ the ‘Major Veins,’ to gently release mana into the surroundings. This allowed me to detect the positions of those hiding.”

“Like the ultrasonic waves of a bat?” Linne asked, and I nodded in agreement.

“That such a method is possible…”

I chuckled to myself, seeing her mutter to herself in wonder. 

In truth, this method was more commonly used by ‘wizards’ than by ‘Julian.’

Being somewhat familiar with the setting of “Let’s Kill the Demon Lord,” I knew that it was possible to sense the surroundings in this way.

I didn’t know it would be this easy, but probably because of Julian’s overflowing abundance of mana.

Originally, knights would use their unique intuition or the sounds around them to locate hidden enemies, but I wasn’t a perfect ‘Julian.’ 

So, I had to make do in this manner.

“But you asked that man not about the incidents on Road 034A, but about the living conditions, right?” Linne seemed still curious, opening her mouth again.

Her gaze was directed at the ‘map’ I was holding.

“We’re here to investigate whether demons have appeared on Road 034A, aren’t we?”

“Of course, that’s why we’re here.”

“For that reason?”

When I smiled, she frowned.

“How much do you know about ‘Demonization’?”

“……Do you take me for a fool? It’s the phenomenon where if the malicious will left by the demon god Barbados parasitizes a non-human living being, that being becomes a ‘demon,’ right?”

“Who said that humans can’t undergo ‘Demonization’?”

“That’s the social consensus. There’s never been such a case 

before.”

“It would be hard to see. Because it’s a very rare case.”

Linne closed her mouth.

I continued, “Even though it’s a slum, it’s a place adjacent to the capital, covered with resonance stones. It’s difficult for demons to spontaneously appear in such a place. Small animals aren’t suitable hosts because of their size.”

As I spoke, Linne’s expression hardened.

“What are you trying to say? According to you, there’s neither natural occurrence nor parasitic occurrence? Because there are no suitable hosts for demons in the slums?”

“That’s not true. Isn’t this place full of potential hosts?”

Looking around, confusion filled Linne’s eyes.

“That means, Sir Julian, there is a human in this area undergoing <Demonization>. Is that what you want to say?”

“Yes.”

“That’s ridiculous!”

Seeing Linne loudly deny it, it seems that at this time, the fact that humans can also be the subject of <Demonization> has not yet been revealed.

“Humans do not undergo <Demonization>. You said that’s the social consensus, but that’s just an ‘unfounded hope’ that it would be so.”

“……Let’s say that’s true. Then what does that have to do with the housing situation?”

It was a bit annoying to have to explain everything one by one, but since the fact had not yet been revealed, there was clearly a need to explain.

“Human beings who begin to undergo <Demonization> experience high fevers. What’s written on this map are the houses that have obtained fever reducers from the organization overseeing this road, ‘The Six Fingers’.”

Flap.

I waved the map I was holding.

“There are three places that have been targeted in a week. Just looking around these places should suffice. It can be done in a day.”

Linne’s face, full of discontent, followed with a ‘What if it’s not?’.

“If it’s not, then as Miss Linne wishes, we’ll act separately starting from the next day.”

She really is a troublesome lady.

***

There was no gain at the first and second houses.

On the way to the third house, Linne opened her mouth with a somewhat pleasant nuance.

“This is the last one.”

There were multiple meanings implied in that.

A little earlier, she must have been feeling triumphant, believing her statement that humans could not be targets of <Demonization> was correct.

However, as I mentioned earlier, all beings can be subjects of <Demonization>.

Humans just have a slimmer chance compared to other beings.

“It’s over there.”

After scanning the map once, Linne pointed to a house far away.

It looked like an ordinary house from the outside.

But as we approached, the smell of incense became stronger, and I frowned.

The lanterns illuminating the gloomy mansion used fuel that was not refined oil but something unidentifiable, emitting a strange smell.

“The smell is awful……………”

Linne also frowned.

Leaving her behind, I knocked on the ‘last house’s door.

“Is anyone there?”

No answer came from inside.

Just as I was about to knock again,

Creak!

The door slowly opened, making a sound as if it hadn’t been maintained for a long time.

“Who, who is it?”

What came out was an old woman with white hair everywhere. 

There were no horns, no demon-like mucus, and she seemed to be maintaining her sanity, which clearly meant she was unrelated to <Demonization>.

However,

‘Fear’

The <Color of Negativity> revealed above the old woman’s head was familiar. 

Her somewhat anxious gaze and hesitant way of speaking were just the tip of the iceberg, and then there was the faint, unpleasant smell wafting from inside the house.

This wasn’t the smell of incense.

It was that smell I had encountered numerous times during the escort mission of the ‘Resonance Stone’.

The smell of blood mixed with the scent of demons.

-Zing.

It was as if my eyes were inflamed, and the tip of my nose stung.

The fighting instinct dormant within ‘Julian’ began to stir.

It was the same sensation I felt when I faced a Bicorn demon before.

‘There is one here.’

There was definitely a demon inside.

It was the moment the ‘suspected demon appearance’ written in the directive turned into certainty.

I did my best to suppress the rising emotions.

“I am from the ‘Closed Eyes’, an exclusive organization of the imperial family. I would like to search inside the house, could you cooperate with us?”

“The, The Closed Eyes…?”

The old woman’s eyes widened with bewilderment.

And not long after, it turned into hostility.

“Get out, get out right now! Leave my house this instant!”

With a whoosh, the old woman tried to close the door.

I put my foot in the door gap to prevent it from closing.

Then, with a strong pull on the handle, the door opened all too easily.

‘The family members are one elderly person and his young son.’

A common person undergoing <Demonization> wouldn’t be able to resist the impulses sent by the residual thoughts of the demon.

If it’s not the old woman in front of me, the son who is currently out of sight is suspicious.

“Ugh….”

As the door fully opened, a terrible smell of blood hit me like a storm.

Linne must have smelled it too, as she sighed and covered her nose with her hand.

At this point, it was certain there was a ‘demon’ inside the house.

Furthermore, I could deduce one more fact.

This old woman had either neglected the demon feeding on humans,

Or

‘…provided humans as food for the demon.’

There were two sets of eating utensils and two bowls on the dining table. 

This was too strange.

With 2 family members, and if the son was undergoing <Demonization>, he wouldn’t be able to partake in a human-like meal.

“What could the two knives and forks on the table mean?”

“How terrible.”

I moved towards the source of the smell.

At the innermost part of the house, there was a door locked with a padlock.

“Ah, my son is just mentally ill! He just acts out violently sometimes, but he’s normal!”

“Sir Julian! Instead of barging in, we should explain the situation first…………!”

“Is explaining the situation really necessary in this circumstance?”

“Still, this is too forceful!”

“No, on the contrary, it’s principled.”

“We’re not here to exterminate, but to investigate based on a report! At the very least, some explanation is needed…………!”

“Look at that table.”

Linne turned her head to look at the table.

“Two sets of dining utensils, one side untouched but the other neatly empty.”

“You said earlier that there are two family members

“・・・・・・”

“If someone is capable of a proper meal, they wouldn’t be locked up in a room with a padlock.”

Unable to rebut, Linne closed her mouth.

“Inviting neighbors over for a meal, drugging them, and then feeding them to the ‘demon’ locked in that room, I suppose.”

“Impossible.”

Linne’s face was stricken with disbelief, while the old woman hurriedly approached the locked door.

She hastily searched her pockets, pulled out a key, and unlocked the padlock.

“Run away, my son! Quickly, get outside……………!”

Crack─!

From the opened door, a monstrous mouth instantly lashed out and bit off the old woman’s head.

Linne was speechless at the brutal scene.

Meanwhile, my mind was rational.

Just like when I had fought a Bicorn demon before, the character ‘Julian’ possessed instincts that allowed calmness even in such situations.

The demon, possessed as if by a spirit, was devouring the old woman’s corpse. Slowly, a horn was forming on its head.

“A demon!”

Linne quickly drew her sword from its scabbard.

Noticing that the demon had only one horn, she leaped forward and swung her sword.

Her body was obviously stiff.

She must have been startled by the sudden appearance of the demon.

Screech─!

“Ugh…….”

The wildly swung arm of the demon struck Linne.

Seeing the blurring aura of the sword, a certain flaw that the character ‘Linne Londebell’ carries came to mind.

‘A greater number of mana veins than others’

She must handle mana in her own way, not by methods known to the public, but it seems Linne is currently unaware of this. 

There are problems in many aspects. 

If left as is, it’s only a matter of time before Linne falls victim to a demon.

‘There are various reasons, but this is a mission entrusted to Julian.’

If there are casualties in the mission, especially if ‘a disciple of the Sword Saint’ gets injured, it will attract public attention. 

This is troublesome for me. Suspicion mixed with interest is absolutely unacceptable for me, who must play the perfect ‘Julian’!

Kyaaaak!

When the demon lunged at Linne again, I kicked off the ground and kicked the creature’s head. 

Accompanied by a horrible scream, it slammed into the wall. 

It’s not dead yet. 

Because I could feel the presence through the rising dust.

“I don’t need help…..!”

“No need? It’s a matter of concern, isn’t it?”

I drew my sword and aimed it at the demon, leaving her muttering complaints behind. 

Meanwhile, a concern suddenly surfaced.

‘Has Linne ever seen the <Moonlight Sword> at this time?’

Currently, the <Moonlight Sword> is in an imperfect state, unlike Julian’s. 

If Linne knows about the power Julian possesses and sees my imperfect <Moonlight Sword> in such a situation…

‘…Does this add credibility to the rumors of amnesia?’

While I was pondering, the demon I had slammed into the wall charged at me. 

I had to slay it without using the <Moonlight Sword>. 

Of course, it didn’t cut through the demon’s body as cleanly as it did with the Bicorn demon because a demon’s body is as hard as metal, and it requires ‘mana’ to cut through.

Kraaaak!

However, Julian, or more accurately ‘I’, was able to cut through it without using aura. 

The newly acquired trait <Insight> allowed me to identify weak spots that could be cut without using mana. 

By placing my blade on these paths, I was able to inflict continuous minor wounds, if not fatal.

“It, it can’t be… Without any aura.”

Linne muttered to herself in a startled tone behind me. 

I was equally astonished. 

To cut through a demon’s body without any aura. 

After several exchanges without using aura, the demon’s body turned into tatters.

Kieeek, Kieeeeek─!

The demon’s scream filled with terror. 

After a short while, it stretched out on the ground, dead from excessive bleeding.

“You could have ended it quickly with the Moonlight Sword, why didn’t you use it?”

“Because it’s more fun this way.”

The crazed, narrow-eyed villain. 

Recalling the lines he had uttered made me realize once again what a mad character he was.

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