Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou - Chapter 543

Chapter 543

Abyss Lord’s Summer Vacation Arc The Seventh Wife is Amorphous

Author’s note: I’m sorry. There wasn’t enough time and I rushed so I couldn’t conclude the story really well and the upload got a bit late!! This is the last chapter of abyss lord’s summer vacation arc. Hope all of you enjoy it!

There was one helicopter heading to the sky northwest.

It was clearly not a civilian helicopter. It was a heli that seemed to be for military use customized to have great speed and flying range. The emblem of shield and magic wand crossed along with the letters of MCB were drawn on its side.

Inside that heli, a whisper reached the ear through the headset.

「Even so, I still cannot believe it. How can Inspector Richard be the mastermind……」

The one who muttered those words were Agent K who was sitting on the opposite seat. He raised his gaze that was fixed on the tablet he was holding and looked at Kousuke who was gazing at the scenery outside the window.

「His career until now is splendid. He’s a bit, no very independent in taking action, and also disobedient against his superior, and the number of punishments he received because of that is absurd but……he has continued producing result for more than thirty years.」

「MCB’s data is also splendid. Even the information of his reputation has been uploaded in this short time. You guys literally gathered all these in one night.」

Kiyotake who was sitting beside Kousuke nodded while looking at the same tablet.

「He’s also greatly trusted by civilians. Not only that, even the outlaws are holding respect for him.」

「Yes. he has no fault as a detective. The more people trust you, the easier it will be for you to carry out your investigation. In fact, we can gather the information about his reputation level this quickly is also partly because of that.」

「Aa. But……now that we know about his true identity even that is……」

「……Yes」

Inspector Richard’s hidden face, no, his true face was of a genuine magician, one that was in a different level from the “awakened” who obtained their ability recently.

There was no doubting the fact that he had dirtied his hands with horrifying crimes behind the scene. If he was already able to control supernatural phenomenon like sorcery this whole time since a long time ago, it shade a new light to his high arrest rate and how he had so many helpful acquaintances.

「He worked as detective, for more than thirty years……was it because it was convenient for him?」

Agent K looked down gloomily.

He recalled their first meeting. He was concerned for a little girl while trying to measure the adults around the girl based on their behavior and speech. He also considerately refrained from smoking in front of Hinata.

Despite having his gun destroyed and then surrounded by clearly strange people, he became defiant and questioned them instead. That grit of his, the sharpness of his gaze.

To K, the inspector’s figure was worthy of respect.

「That rage when he talked about Tim Seacrest……was it just an acting?」

「I wonder……at the very least, Hinata-chan judged that he wasn’t lying. That was why we didn’t interrogate the inspector with our trick of the trade even though he arrived at that timing.」

Yes, they could do it if they felt like it. Using the strongest interrogation method “Villagerization” that was in Kousuke’s possession.

When the situation became explosive due to the inspector threatening them to talk, Hinata looked over her shoulder and exchanged gaze with Kousuke in order to convey that.

Her gaze wandered for a moment before Agent J replied also because she received “telepathy” from Kousuke. He told her to observe.

「The inspector, no, Richard Hill is without a doubt the black robed man. I left behind my clone for ascertaining that. My clone was investigating the underground secretly even after everyone left.」 ṛＡ𝐍𝙤𝐁ЕS̩

Actually, Kousuke and co had been slightly suspecting the inspector since the start. That suspicion grew into certainty was because of what happened just before the fight against the “beast monster” inside the church.

Kiyotake folded his arms and knitted his eyebrows while opening his mouth.

「……Even the “someone clad in black coat” that the inspector said he saw, is also impossible if we think carefully about it.」

The “beast monster” couldn’t get out from the church. It wouldn’t be able to maintain its form even if it got out. And the villagers had transformed into ghoul. That village was deserted.

Then, what did the inspector see?

If what he saw was actually real, why was it he alone noticed an existence that even Kousuke and others didn’t sense?

Such thing. It was impossible.

「In addition, the inspector wasn’t attacked……」

Agent K muttered with a sigh while recalling the observation he heard from Kousuke after J and others left the scene. Kousuke nodded.

「That beast was hungry. That was why, it was fixated with the higher quality food within the group. But, yes, it was terribly hungry. If only one person went in then it shouldn’t be picky.」

It was the inspector who first stepped inside the church. And yet why didn’t the “beast monster” attack the inspector?

Its ambush capability managed to snatch even Kousuke’s arm. It would take only an instant for it to bite a civilian to death. It could also use “teleportation” and “godspeed”, so it should be able to kill the inspector first before attacking Kousuke.

「Thinking naturally the answer is simple. It’s because Inspector Richard is the summoner, and he also know the way to not get attacked.」

「That’s, true……taking that into consideration, his reaction when he saw the ghouls, and also his reaction when the beast got defeated……the nuance is different from what we thought……」

He wasn’t surprised by the ghouls’ existence. He was surprised seeing the ghouls got completely neutralized.

His surprise toward the gravity magic must be genuine, his shocked state after that, and his repeated muttering of “impossible”……was surely because he had never even dreamed that the “beast monster” would fail in dealing with Kousuke and others.

「Just what kind of organization that cult is, and what is their objective. Why did Richard go back to the village that should be abandoned already for throwing disturbance into our investigation……」

Kousuke also folded his arms and stared outside the window just like what he did before. He narrowed his eyes to sort his thought.

「You left him at large in order to make sure of that right?」

「I even got hit by NRL(Neura*yzer Limited)for real for that. As expected that made got a bit of cold feet.」

Kiyotake plopped his hand on Kousuke’s shoulder. K smiled wryly. The core of memory disposal using NRL was “soul magic”. Just in case, the headquarters had also been provided with Neura*yzer for returning the memory, but if it was Kousuke he could return the memory back to normal with his own magic.

K received that explanation beforehand through “telepathy”, even so it was still scary.

Inside Agent K, feeling like wanting to give up on his job because of his pathetic showing didn’t exist at all, rather he was filled with nothing but fighting spirit that he would definitely make a comeback.

There, Kiyotake jerked in surprise. He took out an amulet from his chest pocket, held it between his fingers with sword handsign, and closed his eyes.

He was taking grasp of the situation at the other side through the “Shiki” that Takehiko was sneaking in.

「It looks like they’ve entered Detroit.」

「We’re scheduled to arrive in less than one hour. The following squad is scheduled to arrive 1300. First, we need to check the base for the following squad. The headquarters has at least arranged for a place, but it’s not like we’ve a branch here.」

It was one of the reasons for K’s memory disposal. He would become a member of the surprise attack when it was needed, and also to coordinate with MCB’s assault force as the field commander.

Two platoons (generally a platoon consisted of around thirty until sixty people, but in MCB’’s standard one platoon was ten people so it would be twenty people) was scheduled to enter the scene using transport heli.

Considering the number of strange incidents occurring in Detroit, there was no guarantee that Richard’s comrade or monsters like ghoul weren’t lurking around, so they also took harm to civilian into consideration.

Also, this was a suggestion from Agent K. He was predicting the development of the situation in the future. He showed his pathetic side due to the array of supernatural phenomenon, but originally he was so excellent that he got assigned to an extremely secret force of the military despite his youth.

J’s extremely satisfied expression when he listened to K secretly suggesting the next move they ought to take really left an impression in their mind.

Getting back on topic.

「Z already finished acquiring the documents regarding the investigation of strange incidents in Detroit. It’s uploaded in the tablet so please take a look.」

「Roger. I’m thinking to investigate others places that the inspector aren’t bringing J and Takehiko to. Nine cases out of ten, Richard is involved after all.」

「Well, father is there. He definitely won’t bring him to any place where magic is involved.」

「Right. The villagers’ words that there’s no time……the numbers of strange incidents that doesn’t care about being conspicuous……I’m a bit scared because we don’t know what he’ll do at the critical moment. The scariest thing is if he do a technique that’s harmful to human body like what we found in Banwitch’s underground. It’ll cause harm to ordinary people.」

Investigating the enemy’s base and objective was also important, but what they ought to be wariest to was damage to the civilians.

It was also possible that he would run while the civilians were getting harmed by terrorist act. There was also a risk of such thing activating when Richard got caught, or perhaps his comrade would sense his capture and cause something.

That was exactly why they were going with the strategy of J and Takehiko sticking close to Richard while Kousuke and others were taking different action.

「Well, J and Takehiko should be doing their part to casually throw Richard off balance, I guess that he’ll show his true color before long.」

「In his position, he’s definitely nervous when Mister Endou will return back here after all.」

「Like the saying, if you’re going to do something then do it while there’s no oni present.」

「Who’re you calling oni?」

Kousuke smiled wryly while also turning his gaze down to his tablet.

Like that,

「But, if possible I hope nothing will happen until the official day I’m due to arrive here.」

If his little sister and Vanessa were here, they would surely tsukkomi-ed him 「That’s a red flagg!!」. Kousuke muttered those words even while getting the premonition that it was simply a frail hope.

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Around the time when J and Takehiko separated from the inspector in Detroit Police Department, and Kousuke’s clones were investigating and making preparations in case of unexpected situations together with K and others.

When it was a few hours after noon at Japan, Kousuke and co finished their fairy world trip and returned home to Endou family home.

Each girl with their respective organization had been instructed to report “as quickly as possible” about the fairy world, but as expected they had no will to move right away when they had just gotten home.

The snacks and tea leaves who were given to them as souvenir from the fairy world were spread out. Everyone was talking animatedly about their holiday memory while relaxing on the living room’s sofas (the number of guest had increased drastically so Endou family had procured big sofas) each in their own way. Time passed like that.

Even Zhu whose loyalty stat toward her motherland and seriousness toward job had reached max value was immersing herself in the aftertaste of experiencing a grand world. In an out of character way, she was flopping bonelessly *gudee~~* on the sofa of Endou family home.

She shrewdly secured the sitting position beside Hinata. Perhaps it was just their imagination, but it felt like the heart distance between the two had been shortened compared to before the trip.

Hinata too in her own way felt like she was naturally accepting that shortened distance. Occasionally they would show photo to each other, exchanged opinions about something, and in the process of doing that their distance shortened even more. They looked completely like sisters.

And when Rana teased them, both denied it perfectly in sync. Kousuke and others laughed seeing that.

Amidst such happy circle,

(U-uwaa……Detroit is scaryyy……too many cases~)

The face of mental mini Kousuke was spasming from the feedback of his working hard clone.

(In addition, what is this? It feels like the whole city gives off this uncomfortable feeling……no, nope nope. I’ve spent a lot creating clone with autonomy. Let’s leave it to him while here I’m relaxing♪ relaxing♪ I absolutely won’t become like Princess Liliana!)

Main body? Main bodyyy!? Are you theree? That voice from the clone was ignored while the shutter in his heart was shut to give the impression of closing store.

Time passed in the blink of eye as all those were happening and when the outside had gotten completely dyed orange, Endou family’s dad and mom, Hidekazu and Misato who were going out in vacation together with Fujiwara family’s Taisei and Chikage also returned home.

Both of them had completely merry appearance of aloha shirt, short pant, straw hat, and sunglasses. Apparently they had a lot of fun. 「「We’re baack~~♪」」 Their voices were also really cheery.

Fujiwara family’s sevant, a man nearing old age was carrying the two’s suitcases with a friendly smile. He said to Hinata 「I will come back for pickup tomorrow in the morning」 and bowed before leaving. As expected from a servant of Fujiwara family. He was really stylish.

The door of Kousuke’s house was the same like Nagumo family house. It had been turned into a “Gate”. It had a dial type key attached. Someone registered could dial in the number and open the door to connect to the destination “Gate”.

And so, Chikage and others should already know that it was possible for Hinata to go back anytime but……

Perhaps, this was that. Perhaps it was on way they were emphasizing the connection between Fujiwara family and Endou family. Kousuke thought that while glancing at the limousine outside the window.

In any case, it was time for dinner.

Hidekazu and Misato had heard that Kousuke and co would be relaxing in their home today, so the two also decided to eat at home in order to have a happy family circle.

「And you know, it was just amazing. It was Okaa-san’s first time getting on a cruiser that big, and yet to also wear something like dress……it was embarrassing but, Chikage-san really took care of me yousee?」

Misato talked with an expression like a dreamy maiden. Apparently the celeb vacation made her felt the same like when Kousuke and co went on their star travel with the gods.

「Umm, that’s……Kaa-san, you were pretty then.」

「Oh geez, really dear! We’re in front of the children! ……But, you yourself also looked cool you know? Remember, like when you caught a really big fish. You fought it for almost half an hour and when you finally fished it up, all the servants applaused so loudly.」

「L-lay it off. We’re in front of the children.」

It seemed, the parents of Endou family had also deepened their relationship through the extraordinary trip this time. No, they were married couple, so perhaps it ought to be described as them recalling their past passion.

Kousuke and Manami felt somehow tickled seeing their parents flirting. Rana and others were watching warmly, or perhaps radiating longing or envy.

The atmosphere felt a bit awkward for the son and daughter, even so they enjoyed dinner in relaxation while telling each other about their trip. It was a happy family time.

There wasn’t any awkward pause and a fulfilling time passed……

(Hey, Kou-nii. If Sou-nii see this scene, he――)

(Don’t say it, little sis. Or rather, he isn’t coming home even though he know our return date. He must know that it’ll become like this and avoid it. Don’t send him any photo by mistake or anything okay?)

(Ah, sorry. I already sent him.)

(Are you demon!? Just because you’ve become Ibaraki Douji’s master you don’t need to turn your heart into oni too you know!?)

(What’s with the feminine tone?)

She immediately took out her smartphone, but there wasn’t any reply at all from her big brother Sousuke. Scary.

In exchange, Kousuke’s smartphone range. It was a photo of a desk with only Niss*n cup noodle and tuna mayo onigiri on it. There wasn’t any comment attached to the photo. Scary-.

(Let’s show my face to Aniki’s place later. I also have a lot of souvenirs for him after all, like preserved food or sake the gods gave me……)

He couldn’t stop praying for his big brother Sousuke’s happiness. That was why,

「Manami. Don’t tell Aniki anything about Ibaraki Douji. Especially his quarrel with Aziz.」

「Aa~……………………………Fuh」

「Absolutely don’t mention it okay!? Absolutely don’t!」

「I get it, I get it~ (flat)」

Just how would Sousuke-niisan felt when he realized that even his little sister was starting to get popular? The answer to that was clear to see from the little sister’s expression. 「I’m, curious-」 Her expression said. Oni. Perhaps, Ibaraki Douji too was attracted to this side of Manami……

It was then.

「Oou!?」

Kousuke let out a strange voice.

「W-what is it, Kousuke? Don’t startle us like that. Right now, I’m talking about how I, yes, this – E – mi – ly! Chased away the war goddess approaching Kousuke with impure thought using the violence of sound argument! ……Did something happen?」

A war goddess talked to Kousuke just how suitable she was for Kousuke, full of confidence. So Emily-chan Dangan*onpa-ed the goddess, just how not suitable Kousuke was for her.

There were other gods from the same myth around them, so that must be her form of consideration in order to not incur their displeasure but……

I manage to cut off the relationship from forming! How’s that? Kousuke! Amazing right? You can praise me you know?

Emily-chan said with a smug face. It went without saying that Kousuke-kun who had just listened to the many points of why he wasn’tworthy being listed up on and on in a logical way gave her a pat in the head with tearful eyes.

Of course, as parents Hidekazu and Misato wanted to listen about it in detail by all means, however, Emily immediately noticed Kousuke’s unusual expression and straightened her expression.

「Something happened to the clone wasn’t it?」

As expected from Rana. She was really sharp. Kousuke nodded. He also sighed.

「My bad, I’ll leave for a bit.」

「W-wait Kousuke. Just what in the world happened?」

「You’ve just returned back. And we’re in the middle of dinner……」

「Kou-nii. Didn’t you decide to prioritize family time?」

His family looked at him with bewildered expression. Meanwhile, *puff* a clone was created.

「That was my plan but, it looks like things are a bit bad at US. At this rate……hundreds of thousands……perhaps even millions might be harmed depending on the situation.」

「「「…………Yes?」」」

Endou family’s reaction was very typical.

But, for Rana and others who had experienced getting involved in incident with damage on such scale, it was something quite possible to happen. Not to mention that this was the extension of a case where a whole village got turned into monster. They immediately straightened their expression even while feeling comforted by the reaction of Endou family.

「Is there anything we can do to help?」

Hinata asked with her expression in Onmyouji mode. Kousuke nodded briskly while briefly speaking of the situation that the clone shared with him.

「There are strange energy flows from various spots in the city. Perhaps, it’s some kind of ritual. It’s comparable to a giant magic circle or something……?」

「Uwaa, it’s a development like in manga or movie……」

「These are people who change a whole village into monster. This sounds like something they might do……even the demon worshippers, there were several organizations of them scheming something like that in the past.」

Vanessa’s expression spasmed, while Claudia knitted her eyebrows.

「It’s unclear what their objective is. But, there are reactions from the places where strange cases happened in Detroit so……well, it’sdefinitely not a decent ritual by all means.」

The atmosphere became quite heavy, but Kousuke instead relaxed his expression to show composure like there was no problem at all.

「Although, it’s simple to stop it. If the starting point is destroyed the energy flow from there is stopped, so I’ll go there for a bit to flood them with clones and destroy them all.」

The problem was the number of the starting points. According to the information his clone shared with him, it was like “when you try ascertaining the hacker’s position, countless transmission sources appeared in the monitor and threw the observation into chaos”. It was a situation that seemed like a movie plot just like Vanessa said.

It was impossible to separate which was dummy and which was the real starting point. The reaction came not only from Detroit but from the whole Michigan state even, so Kousuke who was able to do human wave tactic as well as pseudo flight with his gravity magic going personally would be the most efficient way to deal with this.

「For now, everyone can wait at home. MCB’s force has also arrived……if, a situation that surpass my expectation happen and I need help then I’llcall.」

Even Kousuke wanted to prioritize his time with family just like Rana and others wanted. He said his words with such thought, and knowing that the situation was still not that pressing, Rana nodded with a smile to change the atmosphere.

「That’s true. Kou-kun who can constantly share information with everyone about the destruction of those starting points will have easier time by going alone……I understand.」

「Yep, everyone, let’s enjoy the dinner. I’m also leaving behind my clone.」

Apparently he produced the clone for that. At the same time it would also served as a communication line.

What a convenient thing, everyone thought with a wry smile. The atmosphere too had finally softened. The air of happy family during dinner had returned.

「Hero really has it hard, Kou-nii. Safe travel.」

「Well, it’s not that hard. The real one’s stomach won’t be filled no matter how much the clone eat right? We’ll leave some of the food so eat themlater.」

「Be careful okay? Don’t do anything reckless.」

The little sister and parents also smiled wryly at their busy brother/son while giving him their farewell.

Kousuke nodded to them and activated the teleportation to switch with his clone at Detroit.

*Shun-* Kousuke vanished.

In exchange, *Shun-* a clone appeared――

「Fuh, watching the dawn from a skyscraper is not ba――ah」

He was saying something. While standing with his arms folded like a model, and looking down below through his sunglasses.

Of course, he only found the dining table there.

Rana and others stared at him, while clone Kousuke-kunlifted up his head *gigigi* like a rusted doll.

「……As expected from you Kousuke-san. You were doing the hero move of pointlessly standing on a skyscraper while looking down on the city right!?」

「Eh, Vanessa. Isn’t that something a villain normally do……」

「S-stop it you two! Any man will want to do that kind of move at least once no matter who!」

Hidekazu-otousan followed-up for his son even while turning bright red from the secondhand embarrassment, but seeing the mother’s exasperated face and the little sister covering her face with both hands while writhing in embarrassment, and Aziz and Hinata-chan and others looking like they were at a loss for word made it painful to keep staying there instead.

Furtehrmore, the clone even said 「Ah」 there.

In other words, he was totally exposed that he was doing it while in his plain state, not in his abyss lord mode.

「I want to disappear already……」

The clone said that and vanished *Puff*.

Of course, now it was the clone who was left behind for the happy family time who wanted to die from embarrassment. The main body who had that information shared with him also rolled around on the skyscraper’s rooftop now.

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The time returned to now.

「And, after rushing here, Richard, I’ve obstructed your plan.」

Lousuke was telling about what happened behind the scene while Richard and others were moving around. Of course, he hid about the chuuni move where he looked over the city from a skyscraper.

Inspector Richard clicked his tongue.

「Haa……as I thought, I got suspected since that time huh. Even though I never even dreamed that the “Hound” would actually get finished off, I still shouldn’tlure you guys too clumsily like that.」

「Aa, no, about that……the suspicion itself was already there since the start you know? It just changed into surety from you luring us into the church.」

「……What did you say? I shouldn’t have shown anything suspicious that time……could it be, it was my timing of arriving at the village?」

Kousuke looked somewhat awkward. Inspector Richard looked dubious even while speaking out his guess.

Kousuke told the inspector the answer bluntly.

「……It’s instinct, I guess.」

「…………Ha?」

「It’s instinct, yep. Hinata-chan you see, she told me secretly. She got a bad feeling from looking at you. The hit rate of Hinata-chan’s instinct is crazy, so, yeah.」

「……………………」

It was a long silence. Him pretending to be worried for Hinata, and him considerately not smoking in front of her were all pointless. The cause for that was “instinct”.

Hearing that, well, no wonder that he became unable to form any word.

「My acting never got found out even after nearly fifty years though. My confidence is smashed into pieces now.」

「No, it was perfect. Even Hinata-chan herself was half unsure, and if it was just us there then nobody would notice. Especially when you talked about Tim-san……it didn’t look like you were lying at all. You made us unable to even imagine you as the killer.」

Kousuke wasn’t lying. He said those words half also for asking confirmation about it. Richard didn’t try anything to deny it and only shrugged.

「Well, that’s because that was my honest thought. The trick is separation. I do it perfectly between my detective self and magician self. Aa, in that sense it’s not true that nobody found out. After all Tim noticed it. He was really a capable and good guy.」

Inspector Richard was a superior and his partner who he respected and trusted more than anybody else. However, that was exactly why he felt a sense of discomfort.

At first, it was really just a slight discomfort. But once he noticed, Tim Seacrest was truly capable, and as someone who had learned about investigation from a veteran detective like Richard more than anyone else――he found out the truth that was hard to believe, the truth that he didn’t want to believe.

In wanting to deny it, just how much he had run around giving it his all investigating until exhaustion?

But, the more desperate he became to deny Richard’s involvement with the case, the more the worst truth came to light.

And then, Richard too was able to read what was going on inside the heart of his young partner, therefore,

「He was a really good guy. Before reporting me to the internal audit, he talked to me one on one. He must’ve wanted to persuade me to turn myself in. It was really convenient.」

「Don’t screw with me!! Do you really think nothing of it!? Don’t you have human blood flowing inside you!?」

Agent J was furious. He almost rushed forward but K put him in full nelson to stop him. But, K’s eyes also couldn’t hide his anger and scorn.

「I cried you know? I had to kill a real good guy like that, my own important partner. I killed him as a magician, and cried as a detective.」

「……You’re mad.」

Takehiko’s grave voice sounded like it was plainly showing how the man called Richard lived.

Surely, he really wasn’t lying. Both “Inspector Richard” and also “Magician Richard”.

It was a perfect mental control. It was a dual personality where it wouldn’t even be an exaggeration to call it personality switching. It was an aberrant way of living, but that was exactly why he was able to work as an excellent detective for thirty years while also being a coldblooded magician behind the scene without anyone noticing.

It was to the degree that even Kousuke and others wouldn’t even suspect him if not because of Hinata’s instinct. In a sense, it was a super first-class skill.

「Let me ask a question too.」

Richard smiled bitterly at Takehiko’s words while asking back.

「I also made an effort to make it looked like the underground’s backdoor was used right? If the mastermind entered underground and then came out from there, the “possibility of someone was there” shouldn’t be able to be dismissed easily. My eyewitness testimony too should also be consistent enough. And yet, K faked dropping out and MCB force got dispatched, aren’t you guys narrowing down the suspects to just me a bit too quick?」

He was hoping to get lucky and they would follow that direction thinking that perhaps the mastermind escaped that way. And yet, Kousuke and others didn’t even show any sign of hesitating.

Not only that they even put the investigation of the underground at the backburner and obediently followed Richard’s suggestion to go outside.

And then, Kousuke’s group immediately returned home without even making any advance arrangements first.

And yet, the strategy of J and others this time.

It was impossible to carry it out unless they were convinced that Richard was the black robed man and gave no thought at all to the possibility that there was other mastermind.

「Yeah, I was certain. Because, we returned home right away so I could freely investigate the empty underground.」

「……So you secretly returned back there huh?」

「No, I was there the whole time. My clone thatis.」

「……」

A clone switched with the main body and vanished when rescuing Agent H and M. Actually, the clone didn’t vanish. It only pretended to do so while going invisible.

While others looked after H and M, the whole time the clone kept following behind Richard who was wandering around investigating the underground. Kousuke and co obediently got out of the underground was so one clone could investigate the underground without reserve.

And above all else, it was because Kousuke had the method to obtain information for certain.

Kousuke took out sunglasses from his pocket and twirled it on his finger.

「You see, this thing is called Urd Glass.」

「Urd Glass……?」

「Yes――it’s an artifact, no, in a term that’s easier for you to understand it’s a sacred treasure that enable you to see the vision of the past.」

「Tsu!?」

Shock colored Richard’s face before understanding spread out next.

「With the robe’s concealment effect, I couldn’t find your true identity underground. In the worst case, I thought I’d have to follow the past black robed man until outside the village but……perhaps because all the villagers turned into ghoul, you quickly removed the hood inside the backdoor’s passage right? it really cleared up things.」

「……Nothing I could do at all about that huh.」

That kind of cheating investigation was being done while waiting with Agent J and others for the reinforcement from MCB to arrive. He could only threw his hands up against that. In fact Richard actually threw his hands up.

And then, he smiled self-depreciatingly, or perhaps hatefully at Kousuke with a glare and spat out his words.

「You guys keep getting in my way. Really you guys are real piece of shit――you damn returnee!!」

「! ……As I thought you knew huh?」

It was an organization based on a village that boasted a long history. As expected, there was no way a real magician like Richard didn’t know about returnee.

「Yeah, naturally. Even though I pulled back after seeing other organizations meddled with you guys and got turned into volunteer group……You guys also got in our damn way in Amai’s case that should be unrelated at all to you guys.」

「Wait, Amai? Don’t tell me, Amai-san? Amai Anju who’s working as bus guide atJapan?」

Richard scoffed. Apparently it was true. Kousuke’s eyes widened.

「Don’t tell me, the incident at last Christmas was also you?」

「That’s right. I used that mind controlledguy.」

「That thing you used on us just now……certainly, civilian who has no resistance to spell won’t be able to oppose it. Especially human who doesn’t has strong will, it’ll be even more effective.」

Takehiko recalled that repulsive feeling of his mental getting eroded and grimaced.

The Christmas last year, there was the incident of the Christmas Four facing against a man in black clothes. Apparently the one who manipulated that man who became an invalid was Richard.

「Even though I aimed at the time your main force isn’t in Japan, even that ended in failure.」

「Wait a second, while we aren’t in Japan? Don’t tell me, you also attacked during the trip?」

「Yeah, targeting Amai. Geez, just what the hell is the deal with Japan. Half couldn’t even use sorcery but, my subordinates were still quite well-trained you know. But how in the world a high school girl beat them up with just wooden sword? Since when that country changed into such demonic den?」

「O-ou……」

Perhaps he really couldn’t stomach what happened, or perhaps he was resigned to his fate. Richard was exposing a tired expression even while gritting his teeth. Kousuke didn’t know what to say in response.

While the image of a girl his junior flying the flag of “Down with the demon god!” flashed in the back of his mind.

Anyway, for Kousuke to not be contacted at all about it meant that she must have managed it herself somehow.

「The book……if only I got my hand on the book, I wouldn’t need to go with this kinda roundabout method and yet……」

Kousuke quietly narrowed his eyes in response to Richard’s muttering.

「Say, Richard-san. Just what in the world are you, no, you guys? Just what are you planning to do that you drag not only a village but even a whole city into it?」

Richard and his group was too “real” for a mere cult. They were an organization doing their activity with genuine sorcery as their playing card within the long, long history.

Normally they would live as ordinary people and built a solid position within society while doing something behind the scene and passing down their will.

And yet, they attacked Japan, and caused numerous strange incidents in Detroit.

「Seeing Banwitch made me thought. Hiding in the shadow of history is what your organization considered as the most important thing. And yet, you guys are standing out too much recently. It was just a matter of time for Nagumo to mark you guys. ……It’s like, you guys don’t have the leeway to even care about that anymore.」

Richard made that eye once again. The eyes of a tired old man, and yet there was madness in them.

「Guess so. This is the end anyway. If you want to know then I’ll tell you.」

As expected, it seemed Kousuke’s presence was the finishing blow for him. He leaned on the wall in resignation and took out his smoke from his pocket. He used fire from his fingertip to lit it up and inhaled deeply.

The commotion outside also coincidently calmed down at such timing. Rana and Vanessa went down to the underground.

As precaution against Richard’s magician ally, Hinata, Zhu, Claudia, and other members who could deal against such were working in concert with Kiyotake and others. For physical combat MCB’s force and Hidzuki alone were enough so the two left earlier to come here.

Just in case they took position at the entrance to block the escape route while grinning at Kousuke.

Seeing that, Richard’s expression became even more resigned and he sighed while taking one more puff. Fuuuh~, he exhaled tobacco smoke and started talking.

「We don’t have name. After all name is something that show existence. If forced to say then we’re just “Us”. Just as you guessed, us put importance in keeping our existence hidden above all else.」

People who didn’t have name, not even a base, and spent most of their life as ordinary people.

They had places like Banwitch and this underground facility as storage for things related to sorcery but, they kept their visit even to such place at minimum.

But, their history was ancient. He said that their beginning could be traced back to BC era. They were descended from unbroken line of ancient magician, and knowledge and technique were engraved into their brain and body right after they were born using secret magical techniques.

「We can’t choose our way of life. This isn’t about will. Since we were born, it was engraved into us so we live like that. That’s “Us”.」

「And your objective……? For what such thing isdone?」

「You’ve found out a little right, at that underground. Yes, everything is for the “god of gate”.」

「And what’s that “god of gate”?」

「The messiah.」

Richard lifted the corner of his lips cynically in respond to Kousuke’s question, while his strangely lightness eyes wandered at empty air.

「It’s a really, really old saying. “The end of the world” will come one day. “That existence will open the gate at the coming day to depart to a new world”, they said.」

「The end of the world? That doesn’t sound peaceful.」

Agent J looked at Richard doubtfully. Of course he would. The scale of the talk exploded so big too abruptly. To him it must sounded like a mere nonsense that occult cult often proclaimed.

「Specifically how? What’s the cause?」.

「I don’t know what’ll be the cause or anything. The end is the end, that’s it. Nothing more nothing less.」

J reflexively turned his gaze at Kousuke and others. This guy, is he making fun at us? His expression said with vein pulsing on his forehead.

Richard noticed that and scoffed.

「At the very least our honorable ancestor at the ancient time believed it. he received oracle from the “god of gate”, bestowed with power, worshipped it……and then, he continued to offer sacrifice in order to gather the strength necessary for the god to depart. In order for the god to accept him as follower when the god open the gate and depart.」

Apparently that was the origin of “Us” and the sorcery that Richard used.

They even used secret sorcery to engrave that worship and purpose to their babies so the act wouldn’t cut off until the “coming day” arrived. Perhaps, even that power was something bestowed from this so-called “god of gate”.

「In that case……Nagumo might mark you guys though……」

Kousuke too didn’t think that Hajime who was searching using his compass for dangerous element in society right now would miss them. He considered Richard’s story with half-convinced.

「I don’t know much about what kinda power the returnees’ boss has though. Well, just like you said, staying hidden is the most important thing for “Us”. Perhaps it’s thanks to that.」

Richard said that despite being magician, they were firmly forbidden from directly using sorcery to kill or kidnap.

Because doing so might cause unnaturalness. Unnaturalness would bring out of place feeling and without fail caught the eye of the influential people of that era.

Therefore, they fundamentally covered up murder by making it look like the victim got dragged into accident or crime, or commit suicide, and manipulated information to make their kidnapping victim looked like they voluntarily ran away.

And those things could be accomplished even without using sorcery or the like. For example, they caused gang war, or cornering their target socially to weaken their mind, etc……

They overlapped cautiousness on top of cautiousness, used every bit of their ingenuity, thoroughly concealed any sign of supernatural power like sorcery, and even when they used it it was only for assistance to the end.

Naturally they also strictly picked their target. Someone who would rarely be noticed even if they disappeared, someone who wouldn’t trouble anyone with their disappearance, that kind of people.

Apparently those too were all instructed by their god. Their god simply just hated to stand out no matter what.

「Could it be, you work as detective is also……」

Richard wordlessly shrugged in response to Kousuke’s words.

A detective would have easier time manipulate or conceal an investigation’s true state of affairs depending on the situation. His other comrades too were surely planting their roots within society to have the “surface appearance” that lived proper life. They had the social status to make it easier for them to offer sacrifice.

The compass didn’t catch them as “dangerous element that required to be dealt with” during its search was perhaps because they were the same with the majority of the “awakened”, they were judged to have the talent but they were only one of many and weren’t a threat. Because of that their organization might also be judged as just a typical cult.

「How dare you live looking like an upstanding citizen despite everything.」

「I’ll make sure to erase your amazing career record after this. Your high arrest rate must be because of the dirty play you did behind the sceneanyway.」

As fellow agents Vanessa and Agent J must be offended to Richard who said he became a detective for the sake of crime. The two’s eyes were burning with anger and disdain.

「……In the first place, what’s that “god of gate” thing? Which mythology he camefrom?」

Takehiko asked, in order to also calm down J and others who looked like they were going to beat Richard up even now. He was someone knowledgeable about mythology due to his family background and his occupation, but god who protected gate was quite common so he couldn’t specify which one could it be in this case.

But, the answer that came back from Richard was something that didn’tfit any of Takehiko’s expectations.

「It ain’t a god from any mythology. It’s a visitor from outside this universe……is what we’retold.」

Kousuke and Vanessa and also Rana twitched. The three exchanged gaze for a moment. Richard too seemed to notice just from that. That the three had an idea about it.

「Yes, if forced to say from which mythology it’s from, then I can only say from “fiction mythology”. The world in general call it something like “Cthu*hu Mythos”.」

「……Do you seriously believe something like that?」

Takehiko’s expression became increasingly dubious, but Vanessa and others opened their eyes wide thinking 「Don’t tell me it’s really real?」.

「It’s the opposite. People don’t believe in their existence from learning about it at fiction mythology. It’s because people know of their existence that a new mythos got written.」

In other words, the original text of Cthu*hu Mythos wasn’t fiction, but nonfiction. Of course, interesting elements were needed in order to spread it to the world so some fiction entered it but, the event that became the model of the story and setting certainly existed.

「But, the search with the compass didn’t……」

Kousuke muttered. If the compass couldn’t detect it then it didn’t exist. In that case, it definitely was just a fancy idea Richard and his comrades had……

「In this world, there’re definitely gods who came from outside the world. Monsters too. Those guys have existed since a long time ago, far before even the ancient time, before humanity was born even-. They’ve been lying in hiding this whole time! Before the world end, they’re using us humans as pawnin order to gather strength for going to the next world!」

「O-oi, Richard?」

Richard who was instead acting calm perhaps because of resignation was breathing harder. His body was shaking, his eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was getting rougher like Kousuke and others didn’t enter his sight.

「Aa, I can see it! I can see iiitt! The end of the world! It’s flowing inside my head this whole time, all this time! The land and sky crack, blackness……no, is it black? I don’t know! There’s nothing! It’s “nothingness”! Nothingness spread all over the world……aah, I understand-, my god! The great god of gate! I offer it! I shall offer it! The time is approaching!! Please take us with you! We’re your faithful servant! That’s why-, that’s whyy――」

Everyone was swallowed. By the terrific madness radiating suddenly from Richard. Coupled with the gap from his calm attitude until just now, the atmosphere felt too strange and abnormal.

Richard’s mind wasn’t simply sick. Their instinct was pleading at them, that there was a repulsive sensation of something.

「――”Soul Repose”」

「Tsu」

Richard started scratching his head with deathly desperation, as though trying to chase out something from inside his head. Kousuke finally moved when blood even started trickling out.

Richard returned to his sense with a gasp and eyes wide open. He stared at his nails that were dyed with blood.

A beat passed and he laughed self-depreciatingly. His expression looked tired as expected.

「If you want to doubt the existence of gods then feel free. It’s not like it bothers me. But, if I’m speaking of the fact that I know, they exist. There’re also other organizations than “Us” worshipping other gods after all, the conflict with the Explorer who tried to stop “Us” the worshippers has also continued for long since the ancient time.」

His composed way of talking sounded eerie instead. Just like how his detective and magician selves came and go, this man might be moving between sanity and madness constantly in his everyday life.

In the end, was that merely a type of mental disorder, or else was it because the meddling of a god who really came from the outer space?

「Fiction mythology is a type of warning book from the Explorers. The gods from outer space cannot be approached. Those who approach will have their mind thoroughly harmed. After all they aren’t something that human can endure.」

That was why, Explorers couldn’t give direct warning or prove their existence, nor would they even if they could. And most of all, the gods didn’t wish for that. They who simply disliked standing out would never allow the Explorers to do such thing.

That was why, the Explorers propagated their story only as “fiction” in the end. They subtly modified the fact, however, they kept it to the degree where people would be able to protect themselves with it rather than being completely ignorant. So that the knowledge could spread through the next generation even if they died.

The fierce and gruesome conflict between the Explorers and Worshippers also occurred in the process of that, Richard said.

「Really, nothing goes well ever since you “returnees” appeared. You see, I got this thought when I saw your strength. “The end of the world”, the cause of that……maybe it’s actually you guys.」

That time, Richard unconsciously muttered 「You’re……」 before he immediately reworded it as 「Just what the hell are you」 was surely because of that.

Are you the one who’ll destroy the world? He surely wanted to ask that question.

「Someone who want to end the world won’t do something like saving a city from being sacrificed.」

Agent J objected in exasperation in Kousuke’s place. Richard scoffed but didn’t argue back.

「There’re a lot of other things I want to ask but, for now, this is the last question.」

「What’s this?」

「Uoh!?」

Richard’s shoulders jumped because a voice suddenly came from the side. When he reflexively became on guard while turning his eyes that way, he found another Kousuke there. It was a clone.

His hand was holding old paper. There were about three pieces of yellowed paper. Their size was a bit smaller than A4 paper.

「Wai-, Kou-kun? Is that thing okay? I’m feeling a really bad feeling from it though, isn’t it dirty?」

「Yeah, that’s why I’m telling my clone to hold it. Inside that room at the back, a strange looking statue……statue? I found that kinda thing made of stone. It looks similar with the statue we saw at the village but, it occupythe majority of the room. Like bubbles overflowing when you put in too much detergent. These papers were stuck on it.」

Kousuke pointed his thumb to the door behind them. The unlocked room at the back apparently contained such thing. While they were talking, a clone naturally went inside to investigate.

「And? What’s that distasteful statue part 2? Why are “this paper scraps brought out from underground the village” were stuck on it?」

「……I planned to buy some time but,. you’re a real shitheelhuh.」

Richard spat. He looked irritated from the bottom of his heart. It seemed he was talking honestly to them was just to buy time for what was happening inside the room.

But even that plan was crushed. Richard discarded the smoke that had gotten really short and grounded his foot on it.

Like that, he was going to say something with despair coloring his expression……

It was at that moment.

*DON*

「Eh?」

「What?」

Kousuke turned around in surprise. Agent J squinted his eyes to look. At the iron door at the back.

*DON, DON-*

There was another impact sound. The iron door was shaking. Like it was being hit by something from inside.

「What’s going on? When my clone entered just now there wasn’t anyone……」

「Ha, haha, to think it succeed! My effort to buy time wasn’tpointless!」

Richard’s face was colored by madness once more. Before they could question him about what was going on, *GAANN* even louder impact sound rang out. The iron door got slightly warped.

One second, two seconds passed.

They wondered why. They didn’t feel the presence of anyone at this point. And yet, everyone including Kousuke and Rana got goosebumps and held their breath.

――Tekeli li li

Perhaps the wording would be like that if the sound was expressed with letters. It was hard to describe somehow, if they were forced to say, it sounded extremely unpleasant like a bug entered into their ear and crawled around in there. Such crying voice made everyone unconsciously closed their ears.

Right after that, *slurp* that flowed out from the gap of the warped door.

It was liquid with iridescent color that made them felt like their mind got eroded from just looking at it. It was like it had its own will. A part of it stretched like a squirming tentacle with the tip circling around at the surrounding. Like it was making an observation.

「What, is, that……」

Takehiko’s voice was trembling when he unconsciously spoke. And, nobody was able to answer that question. No, there was an answer that crossed Vanessa’s mind, but a foreign sensation that gave no presence pressured her and her voice wouldn’t come out.

In exchange, a voice filled with madness echoed inside the room.

「Haha, that’s “The One Who Follow”. A fully-fledged monster of myth! My plan B after stealing the book and the sacrifice ritual failed!」

「That stone statue huh. No, it wasn’t a stone statue but sticky liquid huh……」

――Tekelili Tekeli Li

Crying voice that felt like it directly encroached into the brain resounded. J and K, and Rana and Vanessa too were grimacing. They backed away step by step.

Right after that, the iron door was blown away with a thunderous sound. Rana and Vanessa were on its flight path, so Kousuke quickly got in the way and averted its trajectory by kicking it away with a midair spinning kick.

In that moment.

「※※※※※※＊＊※※＊※※」

It was Richard. He was single-mindedly chanting something with a shrilly voice.

「I won’t let you!」

The clone moved right away and knocked the back of Richard’s head. Normally the attack would definitely render the target unconscious.

But, perhaps because of his madness, or perhaps because of sorcery, Richard didn’t faint even though his eyes became unfocused. He laughed like he was going to split his mouth open.

「Listen-. That, has no……limit! It’ll, guh, propagate……without end! It started rampaging right after getting summoned……a part already……got away-. Even now it’s attacking someone somewhere else! But, if it’s me……I can control it if it’s now!! The scrap of “Corpse-eating Scripture Ritual” is for that!!」

He must be referring to the paper scrap that he went out of way to take from the village. The clone looked at the paper scrap he was holding. He activated flame element magic without hesitation to burn it to ash.

But, the iridescent colored liquid showed no signs of stopping. It seemed that the paper scrap was unrelated with controlling it directly.

Rather, perhaps it perceived Richard who tried to chant something as enemy. The liquid rushed out from the back room like tsunami.

「――”Severance Calamityyy”!!」

What Kousuke immediately fired was a large black sphere about as big as a basketball. It was the gravity magic that possessed violent sucking force and brought about crushing pressure inside it.

The iridescent colored liquid that tried enveloping them got sucked in like a joke.

But, just as Richard said the iridescent colored liquid showed no sign of flinching. It flowed out endlessly from the back room. No matter how they looked at it, the amount was surpassing the volume of the stone statue the clone saw in there.

「Everyone! This way! Get behind me!」

This place was underground. In addition around this time the platoons above were searching the inside every nook and cranny of the building. “Black Sky Destitution” would be too destructive. It would be too dangerous too use that here no matter how much he squeezed down its effectiveness.

That was why, “Severance Calamity” should be the optimal solution but……

「O-oi, Mister Endou! Is this okay!?」

「It’s, it’s okay, everything’s alright!」

Agent J and Rana and others crawled on the ground to escape behind Kosuke, but the sticky liquid tried to circle around over the room’s walls and ceiling. It didn’t stop there. It was also trying to get outside from the entrance. Everyone watched it with twitching expressions.

「Ah, Kousuke-san! Isn’t that air vent over there!? It’sdefinitely flooding into there right now!」

「Eh!? Seriously!?」

「I’m sending telepathy to Hinata-chan right now. I told her to evacuate the platoons above from the building.」

「Nice job Rana!」

「Enough of that just set me free! I can control it if it’s now! If you do that――」

「Enough of that, just stay quiet」

Kousuke rendered Richard unconscious for sure this time with the electric ability of his glove artifact.

He mentioned that this was his plan B after stealing the book and the sacrifice ritual. In other words, he obviously planned to use the iridescent colored monster and do things similarly for sacrifice or whatever.

It must be within Richard’s plan too that he couldn’t use “Black Sky Destitution” in this place. That was why he kept insisting that he was necessary so they could survive here, but that was naïve.

Kousuke had no intention to let him do that, nor he needed it.

「Fuh, I don’t know if you’re really a monster from myth or whatever but, I won’t let you do as you like. Let’s go, us!」

「「「Yeehaaww!!」」」

「Kou-kun! Here-, sunglasses!」

「Thanks!」

Rana-san quickly put sunglasses on him from behind. At the same time, the clones he produced used gravity magic to counter the sucking force while scattering.

They took position at the air vent and the entrance, then each of them activated “Severance Calamity”.

Furthermore, he pulverized the wall with the back room using the glove artifact’s “Space Crushing”. It was so he could swallow the liquid’s main body in one go before it propagated.

――Tekeli Li!! Tekeli Li!!

The wall crumbled and the back room came into view. That place was completely filled with extremely dense liquid shining in iridescent color.

That liquid attacked all at once. Apparently it considered Kousuke, no, the abyss lord as a threat. It approached with force like flash flood and propagation speed that was incomparable from before.

The clone that destroyed the wall was swallowed instantly and vanished.

「I, revive!」

「With energetic Abyssgate-chan――」

「「This isn’t the time to screw around!」」

J and K got really angry. The two of them still hadn’t gotten used to abyss lord’s mood……

The clones also activated “Severance Calamity” while charging forward. They got swallowed by the liquid and revived once more before charging ahead. Then repeat.

「Endou-kun, is this thing really endless!?」

Even with the terrifying power of gravity magic “Severance Calamity”, they couldn’t see the end at sight at all.

He considered whether this thing had some kind of core like slime and its propagation would be stopped as long as that core was crushed, but in the first place its thickness was too great and its propagation speed was too fast that the clones couldn’t go until further inside. The liquid’s ability wasn’t at all inferior compared to the “beast monster”.

「This is……it feels like I’ve certainly read it in some book……yes, it’s more like division rather than propagation? Just like Kousuke-san!」

「Can you stop treating me like inhuman thing every time you got the chance?」

Kousuke’s base personality came out when Vanessa pointed that out and he got a little bit shaken up.

Unbelievably he was experiencing for the first time “Severance Calamity” was reaching its maximum limit.

“Severance Calamity” was different from the “annihilation” of “Black Sky Destitution”. In the end it only “compressed” what it sucked, so no matter how much it compressed there was no way it could continue to absorb without limit.

Of course, the maximum limit of “Severance Calamity” would increase in proportion to its size, but their location right now was too unsuitable. But of course, a situation of this degree wasn’t sufficient to corner the abyss lord.

「Then we just need to make a lot of them small things!」

「「「The great me arrive slipperily!」」」

Kousuke increased his coolness depth and produced even more clones. They performed multiple simultaneous casting of “Severance Calamity”.

Raging wind blew violently. The iridescent colored sticky liquid bubbled intensely and increased its propagation speed even more but……

「Fuh, don’t ever think you can win against this great me in battle of quantity.」

Just as he said.

The equilibrium was finally broken. A step, then another step. The lords who were lined up in a single line deployed using “Severance Calamity” as a shield in front of them while advancing.

That crying voice came out again from the iridescent colored slime, however, this time it sounded somewhat like a scream.

From what they could see the volume of the slime was decreasing. Finally the slime that had overflowed from the room had gotten completely sucked in.

Like that, the clones stepped into the back room and finally absorbed the slime until only half the amount when it was fossilized remained.

「I’ll swallow everything just like this and then even though it’ll take a bit of time, I’ll use Black Sky Destitution – Miniscule, its range narrowed down until the extreme to destroy all this materials together with the Severance Calamities. Now, monster! This is Ji Endo(The End)――」(TN: Kousuke said The End with Japanese pronunciation)

After saying that, the abyss lord started the preparation for his victory pose. It was right at that moment.

――-, asistance……ri, quest……

「He?」

A stupid voice unconsciously slipped out. Due to the voice resounding inside his head.

It was a clear soprano voice. And yet, the tone sounded strangely archaic.

「Who?」

The lord reflexively looked all around while asking.

「Kou-kun! Don’t! Someone! Someone’s there!!!」

「Kousuke-san! Below you below!」

Rana and Vanessa’s warning reached him. When he quickly turned his gaze lower, at the deepest part of the bubbling iridescent color, he could certainly see a faint outline of someone crouching and hugging their knees!

Even now “Severance Calamity” was about to swallow the figure as though to say「You’re finished!」――

「Woooaaaaaaahhh!!?」

Kousuke hurriedly weakened the power of “Severance Calamity” and took some distance.

By doing that naturally the balance broke and the slimy liquid started propagating again, but his clone charged before it could. The clone pushed and crushed the area around the silhouette while diving into the sea of slime. Even though the clone himself was swallowed, he grabbed the silhouette’s hand and put a substitution teleportation coin into their grip.

With that, the silhouette was successfully evacuated by switching it with another clone. Two clones harmoniously vanished while sending them a thumb up.

The abyss lord quickly caught the unconscious silhouette with one hand.

「A……girl?」

She seemed to be in her sixteen or seventeen. She had long black hair and pretty features that mysteriously looked both like easterner and also westerner, like something artificial. Even though she had slender body style, she was heavy to a strange degree. In addition, she was wearing loose-fitting suits for man for some reason. It made the girl looked even stranger.

「This skin color……don’t tell me it’s ghoulification?」

The color change visible on her cheeks and nape looked familiar. In that case, she needed treatment regardless of anything.

He entrusted the iridescent colored slimy liquid to the clones while Kousuke himself started applying regenerating magic with his glove artifact. The color change vanished immediately.

Then,

――gratitude

「Oou!?」

The clear and archaic sounding voice resounded inside his head once more. Right after that, the girl’s eyes snapped open. Their eyes met in really close distance. The lord unconsciously,

「Uu-」

Bent backwards while a groan slipped out of his throat. It was because the girl’s eyes were shining in iridescent color. Feeling of revulsion welled up to a surprising degree inside himself.

However, the girl showed no signs of feeling offended or saddened by the lord’s attitude that was like that.

――forgive me

She even apologized by saying that through a method that was reminiscent to telepathy. Furthermore, her long forelock wriggled by themselves to completely hide her eyes.

「Kou-kun! We’re still in the middle of combat you know! How long are you going to wordlessly stare at a slippery wet girl like that!」

「Eh!? Ah, sorry!」

He got distracted by a lot of things that he ignored it but, it was certainly just as Rana said.

The girl was slimy. The body part over her white shirt that other people mustn’t see was completely visible. Apparently she didn’t wear underwear.

He hurriedly took out an appropriate coat from his “Treasure Warehouse” and put it over the girl. He could feel the girl’s eyes blinked behind the forelock. But, even that only lasted a moment.

――Many thanks. But, it’s unneeded

The girl’s lips broadened into a smile even as she returned the coat. At the same time, the girl’s skin shined in iridescent color.

「Uhee!?」

Another idiotic voice that was unbefitting for the abyss lord slipped out. But, it couldn’t be helped. It was the same color with the slime monster and similarly caused the urge to vomit inside him.

And yet, not only the girl changed to the same color, the slimy liquid sticking all over the girl’s body vanished as though it got absorbed.

Furthermore.

「「Hiih!?」」

The girl’s neck rotated 180 degree like jelly. Apparently she did that to ascertain the situation, but he hoped she would not do such impossible movement so casually. Or rather, she was clearly not a human.

――I’m glad. It looks like the situation is under control

The lord was reflexively filled with the impulse to throw the girl far away, but he held it back with effort. Very commendable of him.

It was because she didn’t show hostility, even so the girl’s behavior and appearance were provoking everyone’s anxiety and fear excessively. Not only J and K who screamed because of that, but even Rana and Vanessa were shaken up.

The iridescent colored slimy liquid got swallowed into the “Severance Calamity” of the clones until not even a drop remained. Seeing that sight, the girl showed a relieved look from the bottom of her heart, so she didn’t seem to be the cult’s member but……

「E-err……what in the world are you」

Her neck rolled around again. Kousuke dispelled the abyss lord mode and asked the girl in his arms with a convulsing expression.

――Fumu. You don’t harbor any hostility even after I show you this much. Not only that you don’t even back away from me

The girl kept her body leaning on Kousuke’s arms while her eyes stared fixedly on him from behind her forelock. For some reason that worsened Kousuke’s mood and made him awkward.

To be honest, I want to get away……He thought, but he somehow felt that the girl was happy so it made it hard for him to push her away.

――As I thought, you’re a good person. I’m also feeling a strange sense of kinship with you

「G-good to hear that……」

The girl’s hand stretched. It wasn’t a figurative expression. Her hand physically stretched. *Nyuru*. It became like the iridescent colored tentacle.

The scream 「Hiih」 almost slipped out reflexively from him, but the girl’s voice sounded too soft so he did his best to swallow it.

The girl’s stretched arm kept moving to twine around Kousuke’s neck.

――I’ve been interested this whole time ever since that day I saw you. And for me to be saved by you now

「Eh? Umm, isn’t this our first time meeting?」

Rana and others were approaching hesitantly. Their faces were obviously filled with wariness……

However, even that changed completely by the girl’s statement right after.

――You, you with your mysterious presence. It seems my heart recognize that

「Umm, what’ve been you talking about……」

The girl was sticking increasingly closer to Kousuke. The tone of her voice was also gradually becoming heated as though she was delirious with fever.

Kousuke and J and others were confused.

But, Rana and Vanessa alone were looking like they had guessed something. They looked at each other with expressions that seemed to say Eh? Seriously!?

Meanwhile, the girl spoke.

――Please, can I ask you to become my lord?

By lord, did she mean as master? Or did she mean as husband?

Either way,

「A-as expected from Kou-kun! Even this me never anticipated it! To think, to think……the seventh wife candidate is a slime girl type! In a sense, this is a worthy find for the demon god’s right hand man!!」

I think Rana’s abnormal acceptance speed and tolerance are also considerable you know……Kousuke muttered only inside his heart while making an expression of putting things off.

「As expected the situation is like this so I’ll report, no, consult? I’ll do that to Nagumo first……」

He took out his smartphone.

He stood up. At the same time the iridescent colored girl’s lower body stretched *deroo~~n* like it was left behind on the ground. Kousuke trembled slightly seeing that the girl had really gotten into slime state.

AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

Next chapter, it’ll be intermission where the group meet up with Hajime. I’m thinking to write the various situations and stories that I can’t fully explain this chapter in there. Depending on the situation I might also tweak this chapter later so, best regards.

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