◆
"So, as I was saying, we're heading to Connie’s village now..."
Sylpha, Ren, and Shiro all nodded at my words.
"Of course, we shall accompany you, Master Lloyd."
"We have to save the villagers as soon as possible! Right, Connie?"
"On!"
In all honesty, they usually just get in the way, but since I can’t use magic while the Demon Sealing Vessel is active, having Sylpha and the others around is actually quite helpful.
The village was supposedly over a hundred kilometers away, but with Shiro, we were likely to arrive in about a day.
"I’m counting on you, Shiro."
"On!"
Shiro set off energetically with everyone on its back. However, I couldn't help but feel that its speed was slower than usual.
"...Whine."
Shiro let out a weak whimper. I wondered what was wrong—was it feeling unwell?
"Ah, sorry. I think I’m the heavy one."
Saying that, Connie hopped off Shiro’s back. The moment she landed, her feet sank into the dirt with a heavy thud. Seeing that, Ren’s eyes went wide.
"T-That backpack looks incredibly heavy... It’s massive. Just what do you have in there?"
"Magic Tools, regular tools, measuring instruments... a bit of everything."
Come to think of it, she had been stuffing all sorts of things into her pack before we left. She carried it as if it were light as a feather, but it probably weighed well over a hundred kilograms. Connie could manage it because of her Magic-Housed Constitution, but it was a nightmare for Shiro to carry.
"But how will you keep up? Shiro is surprisingly fast."
"It’s fine. I have this."
Connie pulled a single board out of her backpack. When she tossed it into the air, it floated softly.
"The Magic Tool I made, the Air Jetter. I used this to get here in the first place. It’s pretty fast, so I think I can keep up with that little one."
"Heh, a Magic Tool engraved with a Levitation spell formula, huh?"
Now that I thought about it, she had arrived in the city before us when we first met. As Connie stepped onto the board, it sank slightly under her weight, but it managed to maintain its buoyancy. She kicked off the ground a few times, and the Air Jetter began to accelerate rapidly.
Ho, even with someone as heavy as Connie on it, it flew at impressive speeds. Connie's Magic Tool crafting skills were truly something else.
"On! On!"
Seeing this, Shiro chased after Connie, refusing to be outdone.
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Two days after we continued our journey, the village finally came into view beyond the rocky mountains.
"That's my village over there."
"Oh, finally."
Under normal circumstances, the trip would only take half a day, but we were frequently stopped by monsters and other obstacles along the way, so it ended up taking two.
"What are you talking about? It's because Lloyd was doing experiments the entire time..."
"Was I...?"
I looked away from Ren, who was eyeing me with suspicion. It was true that I had been conducting activation experiments with the Demon Sealing Vessel every time we took a break, but it couldn't be helped.
How it behaved when the limiters were removed, the effects on humans without magic, its efficacy against monsters, just how much mana it could erase, whether there were other power sources besides Earth mana... and so on. There were so many things to try.
Normally, I would have wanted to spend a few more days on it, but everyone was giving me such cold looks that I reluctantly cut it down to the bare minimum.
"W-Well, thanks to that, we know it's safe to use on people."
"Even though it's the Progenitor's Magic Tool, you never neglect thorough verification. Truly, that is just like Master Lloyd."
Connie followed up for me, and Sylpha nodded with a knowing look. I won't deny that some of it was for my own curiosity, though. Besides, no matter how much you verify something, it's just a test. In the end, we'll have to see what happens in the heat of the moment. Now then, I wonder how it'll go... I'm looking forward to it.
◇
"Oh, if it isn't Connie-chan! You're back from the academy?"
As we approached the village, a man who looked like a gatekeeper called out to us.
"Duncan, I'm home."
"Welcome back. Are those kids friends you made at the academy?"
"Yeah. ...Um, how is my mother?"
"Ah, she seems stable for now. Go see her right away."
"Thanks."
Connie gave a small bow and then ran straight ahead. She must be very worried.
"Haha, what do you think? Connie-chan is a good girl, isn't she?"
As we watched her go, the man called Duncan spoke to us.
"That girl has been brilliant since she was little. To save our village, which has suffered from illness for years, she studied non-stop. Thanks to that, she was even able to attend that William Academy. I'm sure her studies are busy, and city life must be fun... yet she rushed home for her sick mother... Ugh, what a kind girl Connie-chan is...!"
Just when I thought he had started mumbling proudly to himself, Duncan suddenly burst into tears. What a busy man. ...Maybe I should just leave him be.
When I tried to follow Connie, my shoulder was gripped firmly.
"Wait a sec. It's been a while since they've had some family time; let's give them a bit of space. I'll show you around the village instead. Can't have Connie-chan's friends being bored, after all."
"...Hmm, that might not be a bad idea."
Besides, I was curious about this village too. It was a land filled with Earth mana; I felt an indescribable, powerful pressure here. I was also curious about the villagers' symptoms, so getting Duncan to show me around seemed more interesting than following Connie.
"In that case, I'll count on you, Duncan."
"Yeah! Leave it to me! ...Or so I'd like to say, but on second thought, walking around this village might be tough for outsiders. Maybe it's better if you wait quietly?"
Duncan said, looking us over. This village was built on top of a rocky mountain, likely using the rock walls as a natural deterrent against monsters. There were elevation changes everywhere, and regardless of safety, it looked like a difficult place to live. Plus, our group consisted of a woman, children, and a beast. It made sense that he was being considerate. However—
"No, it's not a problem."
"On!"
Shiro replied energetically, as if saying that if I got tired, I should just hop on its back.
"Is that so? Then it's fine."
Though he looked skeptical, Duncan began to lead the way.
About an hour had passed since we started walking. The village was narrow but long, and we had to traverse rough stairs carved into the mountain. It was indeed a chore to move around. It was no wonder Duncan had been so persistent about it.
"...I'm surprised. I didn't think you'd be able to keep up so easily."
Sylpha was perfectly fine, while Shiro carried a collapsed Ren. I had been floating slightly with Levitation, so I wasn't tired at all.
"Even so, there are surprisingly many energetic villagers. I thought there would be more people suffering from the disorder," Grimo remarked.
Now that he mentioned it, I did see people walking around here and there. I thought there would be fewer of them, so it was unexpected.
"There are several places where Earth mana is strong, but with this kind of Magic Disorder, people remain relatively healthy while they are young. However, by continuing to be bathed in mana that exceeds their bodies' capacity, their lifespan is shortened," Jiriel explained.
"Come to think of it, there are a lot of young people. You're quite knowledgeable, Jiriel."
"Yes. Faith has always been strong in lands like this since ancient times, so they have often caught the attention of those in the Celestial Realm."
Lands filled with Earth mana occurred due to strong ley line flows, the remains of great figures who possessed powerful mana, or buried legendary treasures. There were many such storied places. People living in such areas naturally tended to be very faithful, and Jiriel, being an angel, seemed to have been closely involved with them.
"...However, this is a land that isn't very well-known even in the Celestial Realm. This area is under my jurisdiction, but I have no memory of it."
"It's not like there are faithful humans everywhere. Actually, this village feels more like us Majin, don't you think? Like that over there."
In the direction Grimo was pointing, deep in the canyon, there was a stone monument. The strange aura I felt from it did indeed seem closer to the nature of a Majin.
"Hey, Duncan, what's that?"
"Ah, that stone monument has been there since before the village was founded. It seems monsters won't go anywhere near it. ...What? Going there is out of the question. Even for villagers, entry is strictly forbidden. Don't give me such a disappointed look, it's still a no!"
Muu, I was turned down. How disappointing. Well, I can just go take a peek secretly at night when everyone is asleep.
"It seems they are finished."
In the direction Sylpha was pointing, Connie was walking toward us, waving her hand. The person beside her was a frail old man.
"Village Chief! Is it alright for you to be up?"
"Ho-ho! Connie is back home. I can’t just be lazing about in bed when she's here."
The Village Chief thumped his chest, but his legs were wobbly. He didn't look alright at all.
"Connie, how was your mother's condition?"
"It wasn't that bad... but maybe there isn't much time left. That's why I asked the Village Chief for permission to use the Demon Sealing Vessel."
I see, so that's why he's with her. But I wondered if the villagers would object to us doing something so suspicious.
"Ho-ho! To be honest, I didn't really understand much even after she explained it, but Connie is doing it for our sake. Naturally, I believe in her!"
The Village Chief thumped his chest again and tottered once more. He really shouldn't do that.
"Even so, that young girl is quite trusted. She must be very well-loved."
"Not at all. Master Lloyd is not to be outdone. Even after all the things he pulls every single time, he is loved so much that they wouldn't mind if he were the apple of their eye. That is no small feat."
Grimo and Jiriel were nodding as if impressed. Good grief, praising me won't get you anything. ...Wait, why are both of you giving me such cold looks?
"Anyway, the center of the village would be best to activate that Magic Tool. Come, let us head to that stone monument."
"Yes, Village Chief."
We followed behind the Village Chief as he tottered along the mountain path.
"—Master Lloyd," Sylpha whispered in my ear, walking right behind me. "I can sense a faint killing intent from somewhere. Of course, I won't let them lay so much as a finger on you—but I would ask that you prepare yourself mentally."
Sylpha spoke in a serious tone. Heh, I didn't feel anything myself, but there might be something that only a master like Sylpha could sense. But to be that good at hiding their presence and to be someone Sylpha would be wary of... just who could it be? It would be a problem if my experiment were interrupted.
"—Alright, here I go."
Right by the stone monument at the center of the village, Connie activated the Demon Sealing Vessel. With a mechanical hum, the device began to absorb the Earth mana. Simultaneously, the magic nullification from the Reversal Spell Formula took effect. The surrounding mana began to fade away.
"O-Ohhh... this is amazing!"
"The mana that was tormenting us is disappearing..."
I could see the mana of the Village Chief and the gathered people thinning out. The area of effect was exactly as planned, covering the entire village, and the Earth mana hadn't decreased to an extreme degree. In other words, the Demon Sealing Vessel was operating perfectly. Peace would likely return to the village with just occasional adjustments.
Hmm, and my own mana had also weakened considerably. It was quite an interesting sensation. The mana wrapped around me was dispersing as if dissolving into the air.
"Heh, so this Magic Tool doesn't work on us. Master Lloyd's mana has been suppressed to the point where we actually have more than he does right now."
"Umu-mu... if it's now, I could take over Master Lloyd's body... No, no! There's no way... But still..."
Just as I thought Grimo and Jiriel were muttering something, a sharp metallic ring echoed through the air.
Clang!
Looking back, I saw a spear pointed at my back, which Sylpha was blocking with her sword. The person holding the spear was Duncan.
"D-Duncan! What are you doing?!"
"Have you lost your mind?! Put that spear down!"
The villagers were thrown into an uproar. Duncan was staring at me with clouded eyes, a suspicious smile on his face.
"Kuhaha. To think you could block this strike. For a human, you're quite something."
His tone was completely different from before. Sylpha knocked the spear away, adjusted her stance with her sword, and narrowed her eyes.
"...So it was you after all. No, more accurately, I should say the one inside you."
"So you saw through me. Honestly, I thought that brat was the only one I needed to be wary of."
Duncan pulled his sword from his waist, his lips curling into a distorted smirk.
"L-Lloyd... that's...!"
"Yeah, his body has been taken over."
As beings made of mana, Demons are capable of possessing and controlling human bodies. Previously, Jade, the founder of the Assassin's Guild, had his body stolen by a Demon. It meant that Duncan had been taken over in the same way.
"But a Demon targeting me here... Is it one of those? The Demon Army something-or-others..."
"The Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army! How can you forget that?!"
That's right, that was it. It couldn't be helped. I had other things to do, and I wasn't that interested. I nodded at Jiriel's words.
"Besides, that stance is the strongest style in the Demon World, the Tenma Itto-ryu! And speaking of sword masters among the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army—isn't that the creator of the Tenma Itto-ryu and the man hailed as the strongest, the Sword Demon Ganjit?!"
Heh, you're quite knowledgeable, Grimo. Come to think of it, you used to be their subordinate. Indeed, the way Ganjit moved his sword with such ease was truly the mark of a master.
"Ho-ho, I am honored that you know of me. Indeed, I am one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army, Sword Demon Ganjit. I apologize for a surprise attack lacking both honor and courage, but since it is something that must be done, I shall proceed regardless of your convenience—Hah!"
The moment he finished speaking, Ganjit's arm disappeared. His sword was swung with such speed that it seemed as if it had vanished. A single horizontal slash cut the surrounding rocks clean in half. However, the villagers and those of us on that line were completely unaffected. That was because Sylpha had blocked it.
"Langris Style Twin Sword Arts: Dragon Entangle."
Sylpha used both the Majin Slayer and Shiraichimonji in a crossed defense. Even so, the sheer impact of the blow had driven Sylpha's feet deep into the ground.