"I take it calling you a 'Majin' would be correct?"
The man looked momentarily stunned by my question. He lowered his gaze and brought a hand to his chin.
"...Hmm. Not only did you find this place, but you even know about the Majin. That is quite surprising. I was led to believe that very few even within the Cult possessed such knowledge..."
He murmured to himself, seemingly lost in thought.
"It doesn't matter what I know. I want an answer to my question."
"Ah, forgive me. You asked if I was a Majin, didn't you? No, I am not. I am merely here as the Doctor’s assistant."
"Ozwell McCloud’s assistant, I see. In that case, you must be a font of useful information. I happen to be in a foul mood today. It would make my day if you’d just cooperate and talk. Will you?"
"I doubt the knowledge of a lowly assistant is worth much, but hypothetically, what would happen if I were to refuse?"
"The fact that you've been put in charge here means you condone everything that happens in this place. If that's the case, I have no reason to hold back. You called me the White Demon, so you must know what my Ability can do. I’ll break you until you're on the verge of death. But don't worry—I'll use my power to return you to 'normal' immediately after. And then I’ll do it again. Over and over, until you spill everything. I hope your mind can withstand it, even if your body can't."
I let the words fly, heavy with killing intent, venting all the frustration I’d built up. My emotions must have bled into the local Ice Seirei, because the temperature around me plummeted instantly.
Most people would have been trembling in their boots by now, but the man before me didn't even flinch. He took my bloodlust head-on without so much as a change in expression.
"That... sounds like something I truly couldn't endure. My, my, what a terrifying princess you are, 'White Demon'."
"Then are you going to talk?"
"No, I think I'll decline. The alternative sounds far more interesting."
The man gave me a wide, seemingly innocent smile. I hadn't expected him to be a chatterbox, but to refuse simply because it sounded 'interesting'?
I hadn't pinned much hope on him cooperating anyway. If he wouldn't talk, I’d just have to beat the words out of him.
Having settled on a plan, I immediately invoked 【Ice Javelin】. I intended to impale his entire body. Magic circles manifested around him, and a barrage of ice spears lunged at the man while he remained seated.
The spears were aimed to pierce his limbs while avoiding his vitals—at least, that was the plan. But before they could reach him, they vanished, as if the air itself had swallowed them whole.
"...Hmm. So this is the magic of the 'White Demon.' It really is fast. Dealing with this might prove to be quite the chore."
Wait, what just happened?
He hadn't dodged. He hadn't blocked. It felt as if the space around him was connected to another dimension, and the ice spears had been sucked into it.
Whenever I encountered an inexplicable phenomenon, an Ability was usually involved. But I had never heard of one like this.
Amunzaas was the premier organization when it came to information on Abilities. It had been founded by my ancestor—an associate of the King of Special Ability Users—and we now had the Fairy Queen on our side. Titania had briefed me on the Cult's bases and their known Abilities, but there had been no mention of anything that could do this.
『...No way... This is impossible... How could the Cult have that...?』
I was stunned by what I'd seen, but Titania sounded even more shaken.
Titania, what's wrong?
I reached out through our mental link. Ever since my Seirei Eyes synchronized with her, I had gained the ability to use telepathy with fairies—a privilege normally reserved for those with the Seirei Command Ability. It was more exhausting than speaking out loud, so I rarely used it, but in the presence of an enemy, I decided it was the wiser choice. It didn't seem like the man realized Titania was present yet.
『...I was too optimistic. This is the absolute worst! Shion, get out of there! Run, now!』
Titania, who was usually the picture of composure, was screaming at me to flee. I didn't understand the cause of her panic, but if she was this desperate, the situation had to be dire. I wanted to demand an explanation, but that would have to wait.
Understood. I'm pulling out.
『I’m sorry, Shion... Right now, I’m worse than useless. I can’t do a thing. Please... you have to find a way to survive!』
What do you mean by—!?
Mid-thought, a flash of light caught the corner of my eye. I focused on it and saw a blade of water-like substance closing in on my throat.
I leaned back to dodge. At the exact moment it passed my neck, the tip morphed into a human hand, and the blade itself transformed into an arm. It didn't lose its momentum; the liquid hand reached out and clamped down on my windpipe.
"Guh... ack..."
『Shion!?』
The thing squeezed with the strength of a real person trying to strangle me.
If it's water-based, I'll just freeze it—! Wait, my mana!?
I tried to construct a spell formula to freeze and shatter the thing, but I couldn't. The mana had vanished from the air around me. I couldn't perform a Mana Infusion.
"How dare you attack Papa! I won't let you!"
A voice rang out from in front of me. The arm gradually grew a body, eventually taking the shape of a girl who looked no older than ten.
Is this... is she the Majin?
『I’ll save you! Just hang on a little longer!』
Titania’s voice echoed in my head as I struggled to breathe. I felt her manifest her power through me. Blades of wind sliced upward, gouging the ceiling. The heavy debris fell directly onto the girl’s arm, physically severing it. The force holding me vanished, and the severed limb lost its shape, splashing onto the floor like ordinary water.
"Cough... wheeze..."
I gasped for air the moment I was free, then immediately leaped backward to create distance.
That was close. Thanks, Titania.
『Don't thank me. That was literally everything I could do.』
"Due, come back to me."
"Okay, Papa!"
The girl the man called 'Due' didn't even flinch at having her forearm crushed and severed. With a bright, innocent smile, she trotted back to the man. As she ran, a fluid substance writhed where her arm had been, and her limb was fully restored. She looked like a perfectly normal little girl again.
Due hugged the man’s left arm, clinging to him like a child to a parent. The man stroked her hair, but his focus was entirely on me.
"I must say, I’m impressed. To think you could still use magic in that state. It seems there is still room for improvement in our designs. Thank you for the valuable data, 'White Demon'."
The man spoke to me without even looking down at Due.
"What... what is this...?"
The words slipped out as I stared at the scene, both with my physical eyes and my Seirei Eyes. Were they really father and daughter? That bothered me, but what truly terrified me was the total absence of mana in Due’s wake.
Mana existed everywhere in this world. The labyrinths caused some local fluctuations, but on a global scale, it was omnipresent. A place where mana didn't exist—as far as I knew, there was only one exception in the entire world.
If that exception applied to the girl in front of me...
The realization hit me like a bucket of ice water, sending a shiver down my spine.
Titania, that girl... she couldn't be—
『...Yeah. It’s exactly what you think. She’s nowhere near the level of the original, but she’s a threat nonetheless. Especially to me.』
I wanted her to tell me I was wrong. But her answer confirmed my worst fears.
『The Guardians of the North and South Sanctuaries... the beings the Master created specifically to kill fairies. Or, as you know them now, the 100th-floor bosses of the Great Labyrinths. There’s no doubt about it—she’s a Majin designed to replicate their 【Mana-eater】 ability.』
"【Mana-eater】..."
The man’s eyes narrowed when he heard my whisper.
"...An atavism of the 'Witch,' truly as troublesome as the reports suggested. Due, I have an important job for you. Will you do it?"
The man looked down at Due for the first time. Her eyes sparkled, and she practically bounced with excitement.
"Yeah! Anything for Papa!"
"Good girl. First, I want you to kill that silver-haired woman. Once that's done, leave this place and head for the Hitia Duchy. I want you to massacre every human you find in that country."
What... is he saying?
I understood the words, but it wasn't the kind of order you gave a child. Then again, I shouldn't have expected anything less from a monster associated with the Cult.
"...What about you, Papa?"
"I have other business to attend to, so I can't go with you. But if you do your job well, we’ll see each other again someday."
"Really?! Then I'll work extra hard! Make sure you come see me soon!"
"...Yes, of course."
The man stood up. As he stepped away from Due, his body began to shimmer like a mirage.
"—! You’re not getting away!"
Even if Due had the 【Mana-eater】 trait, it was clearly imperfect. Its influence only extended a few dozen centimeters from her body. As long as I kept my distance, I could still use magic. I had a million questions, but I couldn't let that man escape.
I invoked 【Stillness】 to lock him in a block of ice.
But faster than my spell could manifest, a dome of water-like substance appeared around the man. The moment my mana touched it, it vanished into nothingness. Magic was a phenomenon powered by mana. Without mana, the spell simply died.
The dome vanished, and the man was gone.
"You tried to hit Papa again, Silver-hair!"
"Silver-hair, huh? I’m starting to think I have too many nicknames. Orun still calls me 'Woman in the Robe,' too."
I forced myself to sound calm as I addressed the fuming girl.
『Shion, you'll be killed if you stay here! Run! You’re a mage; you have no hope of winning this!』
Titania’s voice was frantic.
"Ahaha... You're right. If I fight her, I have almost no chance of winning."
I didn't bother with telepathy this time; I spoke the words aloud. Due watched me with a bewildered expression, likely wondering why I was talking to myself.
"—But I can't run."
『Why?! Her 【Mana-eater】 isn't complete! If you stay back, you can use your magic! Why take the risk?!』
Titania was right. Most people would have agreed with her. This wasn't the time to be a hero.
But I couldn't let myself walk away.
"I can't. Whether she kills me or I escape, her next stop is the Hitia Duchy. I have to stop her here. My family is entrusted with governing that land—I have a duty to protect my people. I leave all the actual politics to everyone else anyway, so the least I can do is put my life on the line when it counts."
I stated my reasons, but in my heart, I was looking further back.
Back to my origin.
Thank you for reading to the end. I apologize that Shion's POV lasted longer than I'd originally planned. Her episode should conclude in one or two more chapters. Additionally, Volume 3 of the light novel will be released on September 2nd! Details regarding store-exclusive bonuses and more are available in the activity report, so please check them out if you're interested. Thank you for your continued support!