It was 3:00 PM by Kaina Village time.
Jin—or rather, his Double—visited the library to see how things were progressing. Reiko followed faithfully at his side.
"How are you getting on, Sion?"
Jin was met with a mild surprise. Sion had already plowed through more than ten books.
Even with the simplified content, the total page count exceeded five hundred. Her speed-reading was nothing short of remarkable.
"Ah, Jin-sama, what a magnificent collection! There is so much here I didn’t know!"
Jin glanced at the stack of books beside her: Emergency Behandeln, The Workings of the Body, Gymnastics to Relax the Body, Cooking and Nutrition, and The Food Chain.
These were books Jin had written by simplifying complex concepts until they were digestible for almost anyone. Even so, they contained many theories that simply did not exist in this world, and Sion was greedily absorbing every word.
On the other hand, her guard—or at least, he was supposed to be—Lucas, was slumped over a book, fast asleep. His claim of being poor with letters seemed to be the literal truth.
"Haha, well, I’m glad you find them to your liking."
Jin paused there. Sion seemed to find his hesitation suspicious.
"Jin-sama, has something happened?"
"Hm? Why do you ask?"
"Your atmosphere feels... somehow different than usual."
Whether the dissonance Sion felt was due to him being a Double or because of the news he was about to share, she had clearly sensed that something was off.
Deciding it was better to be direct, Jin chose to relay the information.
"Sion, do the names All-Creation and Netros ring a bell?"
"Eh?! Where did you hear those names?"
"Well, actually..."
Jin explained to Sion that the two of them had been taken prisoner in the neighboring Kingdom of Franz.
"What did you say?!"
Sion’s shriek echoed through the library. It was loud enough to jar the dozing Lucas right out of his seat.
"Whoa! Wh-What is it, Milady?"
"Sister All-Creation was caught? That’s a lie! And Netros, too? Maybe Lucas, but Netros? I don't believe it!"
Sion shouted her denial, her tone of voice completely different from her previous refinement.
"...Sion?"
"M-Milady..."
Jin stood there, taken aback, while Lucas winced. As for Sion herself...
"...Ah..."
She realized she had dropped her facade and turned bright red.
"...I-I simply cannot believe it!"
"..."
"......"
Even when she tried to correct her tone, Jin and Lucas remained silent.
After the silence stretched on until it became unbearable, Lucas finally spoke up.
"...Milady, please stop deceiving yourself."
"...Sigh, you’re right....Jin, I’m done with that creepy way of talking."
"Y-Yeah, well, that’s fine with me."
It seemed she was a tomboy who had been wearing the skin of a refined lady.
"It’s a lie that Sister All-Creation and Netros were caught! It has to be a lie, right?"
"...No, it’s the truth. Apparently, the town chief of Inaku tricked them and poisoned them."
"Poison..."
Sion’s mouth twisted so sharply he could almost hear her teeth grinding. She squeezed out words thick with resentment.
"...How cowardly..."
"Yeah, it is cowardly."
"Eh?"
Hearing Jin agree, Sion and Lucas looked up at him as if they were looking at a total enigma.
"I mean, it’s true, isn't it? To trick and poison someone who came to negotiate. If that isn't cowardly, what is?"
"That’s true, but... I never expected to hear those words from a human’s lips."
"However, that is just my opinion as a third party. Looking at the history of the demon race, there is a background that makes such treatment almost inevitable."
Jin then explained how Marcosius had poisoned the Marquis with arsenic and how Raldus had spread the magical consumption fever.
"...So Marcosius and Raldus were doing things like that?"
After hearing the story, Sion hung her head.
"...I guess it can't be helped if people think all demons are bellicose. But please, believe me! There are clans that aren't like that!"
"It’s easy for me to say 'I believe you.' But the honest truth is that your people simply aren't trusted yet."
Jin presented her with the cold reality. Sion stared at Jin for a moment, then stood up with a look of firm resolve.
"If it’s no use no matter how much I say 'believe me,' then I have no choice but to prove it through my actions....Jin, this is the only proof I can offer!"
Before Jin’s eyes, Sion shed her clothes, exposing her naked form without a single thread of modesty.
"You can do whatever you like with me!"
Sion stood straight with her eyes clamped shut. However, her cheeks were dyed a deep crimson, and her body was trembling.
"Milady!"
"Lucas, stay quiet."
Sion silenced Lucas as he tried to protest.
"Now, Magi Craft Meister Jin! What will you do?"
＊ ＊ ＊
"...Ah—... This is bad."
On Hourai Island, the real Jin was clutching his head in his hands.
"Jin-nii, what's... wrong?"
At the worst possible moment, Elsa arrived.
"E-Elsa?"
"?"
Suspicious of Jin’s flustered state, Elsa looked at the magi-screen in front of him. What she saw reflected there was...
"...Sion-san?"
It was Sion, completely naked.
"...Jin-nii? What is... the meaning of this?"
Elsa’s voice was ice cold.
"N-No, you see, that is, well... Ah, this is it, this. I was troubled by this."
Because he was panicking, Jin's explanation was faltering and largely incoherent, but Elsa somehow managed to grasp the situation.
"I see. For now, you should... tell her to put her clothes back on."
"A-Ah, right. You're right."
Jin broke into a cold sweat, thinking that one should never underestimate the demon race; they were prone to doing wildly unexpected things compared to humans.
＊ ＊ ＊
Sion wondered why nothing was happening despite her resolve, so she cautiously opened one eye.
Jin was standing there, as motionless as if he had been turned to stone.
(That's... strange. I heard human men were weak to this kind of temptation.)
Just as the thought crossed her mind, Jin moved. Sion braced herself.
But Jin simply turned his back to her.
"Sion, I understand how you feel. I'll trust you. So please, put your clothes back on."
"...You aren't going to do anything to me?"
"No. I won't. So put your clothes on."
"...Fine."
Muttering "weirdo" under her breath, Sion began to dress herself. Lucas, who had also been facing away, let out a massive sigh of relief.
"...I'm dressed."
At those words, Jin and Lucas turned around to face her once more.
"Then let me ask you again. Sion, what do you want to do now?"