After being held by Kuro for a while, I pushed through the lingering embarrassment and began our customary magic practice.
I still couldn't sense my own magic power, so I was currently at the stage of learning the feeling of it by wrapping myself in Kuro’s—which she had adjusted to be visible—and moving my body to get used to the sensation.
"Hmm... At this pace, it looks like you’ll be able to manifest your own magic power in about three more days, Kaito-kun."
"Oh... wait, didn't you say a talented person could do it in a single day?"
I couldn't tell if I was making progress myself, but according to Kuro's estimate, I would be able to use magic power in about three days.
If I recalled correctly, she’d mentioned it could take as little as a day or as long as a month. I’d started learning from her the night after I arrived, so today was the fifth day. If it took another three, that would be eight days total. Did that make me average? No, if it was taking eight days even with an incredible instructor like Kuro, I might actually be on the slower side.
"No, that's only if you practiced intensely for the entire day. You’ve only been practicing for about an hour a night, Kaito-kun, so I think your pace is actually quite fast."
"Oh. Hearing you say that gives me a bit of confidence."
"Ahaha. Anyway, you’ll be using magic power soon, Kaito-kun... and because of that, I’ve prepared a present for you today!"
"A present?"
"Yep! See, we had a barbecue together yesterday, and since your Affection Level went up and triggered an Event, I’ve got a reward for you!"
"Wait... what?"
Oops. I’d let my guard down for a second and she was already back to saying weird things.
Seeing me tilt my head in confusion, Kuro continued with a smug, confident smile.
"Hehe, I know all about it. In the world you came from, there’s a culture of getting close to people from another world called 2D. When you talk to them, your Affection Level increases, and once it builds up, you get to eat together or receive weapons and useful items as a reward!"
"..."
Where did I even start with this? Why was Kuro's knowledge of my world so strangely skewed? Just what kind of route was she taking to acquire such half-baked information?
I suspected she was just mixing everything up in her head, but seriously, who was the one teaching her this?
Since she mentioned 2D and Affection Levels, it had to be knowledge from a dating sim. But the part about getting rewards once the level built up sounded more like an RPG. It felt like she was blending concepts from every genre together. In fact, she even seemed to think 2D was a literal physical realm, like the Demon Realm or the God Realm.
If she’d heard this from a past Hero, I wondered just how they’d explained it for her to remember it like this. Also, the fact that her smug expression was so cute was incredibly frustrating.
As I sat there reeling from Kuro's bizarre theories, she pulled a book from her coat and placed it in front of me.
"A book?"
"Yeah. You know that Introduction to Magic book you were reading? I tried making one my own way while watching you over the past few days."
"O-Oh... that sounds like it might be something incredible."
"Hehe, I think it turned out pretty well!"
The present was Kuro's own version of the textbook Lilia-san had given me. Kuro, being an expert in magic, had rewritten it specifically for me, taking into account my reactions over the past week and the differences between human and demon magical cultures.
I picked it up and flipped through a few pages. It was remarkably easy to understand.
If the book from Lilia-san was a dense reference manual for an entrance exam, the Introduction to Sorcery Kuro had made was like a friendly school textbook. It explained everything from the very basics with such care that even a complete beginner like me could follow it.
As expected of a High-ranking Demon, Kuro's knowledge of magic was overwhelmingly superior to that of humankind. This was so well-made it could probably be used in a professional Magic Academy. Honestly, looking at this made the other book feel like it had been written to be intentionally confusing.
This was a huge help. With this, I could make real progress just by studying it in my spare time.
"Kuro, thank you so much. But, um, there’s one thing I wanted to ask you..."
"Yeah?"
"This book... would it be okay if I showed it to Kusunoki-san and Yuzuki-san? You know, the other two who were summoned with me?"
After expressing my gratitude, I spoke slowly, choosing my words with care.
Because this book was so helpful, I couldn't help but worry about Aoi and Hina. To put it bluntly, I was lucky. Having an instructor as capable as Kuro meant there was already a massive gap between my environment and theirs.
I was sure they wanted to learn magic too, but with standard human teaching methods, it took months even for the talented. On average, it took a full year of training before someone could use magic.
But this book detailed the differences in magical culture and the fundamental handling of magic power in such a way that I believed they could learn much faster.
However, if I were to show it to them, I would have to speak with Lilia-san, who was currently our official teacher. That meant explaining that I was being taught by Kuro—and that she was visiting the mansion every night. That was why I hesitated.
From what Lilia-san and the others had said, Kuro used Information Concealment Magic on herself. She only appeared when I was alone, and when she’d invited me to the barbecue, she’d used a pseudonym and a middleman.
In other words, I assumed she wanted to hide her identity. That was why I hadn't pried into her background and why I’d kept our meetings a secret from Lilia-san.
Asking this was essentially asking if it was okay to expose her presence to the household, and I felt a heavy weight of hesitation in my chest. Lilia-san had been incredibly kind to me, but if I had to choose right now, I would prioritize Kuro. We hadn't known each other long, but she had become a vital presence in my life, and I didn't want to do anything to betray her trust.
So, this wasn't a request or a demand, but a consultation. If Kuro showed even a hint of discomfort...
"I know you're hiding your identity, Kuro, but if possible—"
"Eh?"
"Eh?"
I had gathered my resolve and turned to face her, only to stop dead. Kuro was looking at me with a puzzled expression as she pulled several more copies of the exact same book from her coat.
Wait. This wasn't the reaction I expected.
"Um, Kuro? What are those?"
"What? Oh, I thought you might say that, Kaito-kun, so I already made a few extra copies for your friends."
"Um... can I check one thing with you?"
"Sure."
"You're hiding your identity from everyone, aren't you?"
"Huh? No, not really. Why?"
"Wait, what?"
I felt the entire foundation of my assumptions crumbling. I’d thought she used concealment magic and snuck in because she was a secret fugitive or something, but was that not it?
"Then... why do you use Information Concealment Magic?"
"Oh, that? My hobby is traveling around and eating, but I’m apparently pretty famous in the Human Realm, so I use it to avoid being swarmed by crowds."
"And... the reason you always bypass the Detection Barrier to get into the mansion?"
"I’m sure they’d let me in if I just used my name at the gate, but visiting a Duke’s house involves so much paperwork and formal letters. It’s a huge pain."
"Then, the invitation for the barbecue under a different name?"
"Because using the name of someone who actually lives in the Human Realm makes the process go smoother."
"..."
I see. To summarize: she used concealment magic because being a celebrity was a hassle, and she snuck in because she was too lazy to do the paperwork. She had no problem with me giving out the books or telling Lilia-san about her.
What was the point of all that soul-searching and resolve I’d just mustered?!
"Ah... um, Kaito-kun? If you're worried, should I just visit properly under my own name and explain everything?"
"Yeah. If you could do that, it would be a massive help. Actually, I wish you’d just done that from the start..."
"Ahaha, sorry, sorry. I wasn't really interested in anyone besides you, Kaito-kun, so I figured it didn't matter. Hold on a sec."
As I slumped my shoulders in exhaustion from my own overthinking, Kuro gave me an apologetic, wry smile. She pulled a small card from her coat, wrote something on it, tucked it into an envelope, and handed it to me.
"I have some things to tidy up tomorrow, so I’ll come by the day after. Could you give this letter to the head of the house?"
"Yeah, got it."
It was a formal request for a visit. I took the envelope, feeling a sudden wave of fatigue. But at least now I could be honest with Lilia-san. I’d felt bad keeping things from her, so if it was this easy, I should have asked much sooner.
The next morning, I explained the situation to Lilia-san during breakfast.
I wasn't sure exactly how powerful Kuro’s concealment was, but I managed to convey that I’d been meeting a demon almost every night and that they wanted to make an official visit. Lilia-san nodded, seemingly connecting the dots.
"I see. A Peerage-class High-ranking Demon would certainly be able to bypass a Detection Barrier, and it wouldn't be unusual for such a person to have ties to the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company."
"That company is based in the Demon Realm, after all," Lunamaria-san added. "To have become so close with a High-ranking Demon, who usually avoid humans, is truly a testament to your luck, Miyama-sama."
Their reactions were much better than I’d feared. In fact, they seemed almost relieved. Apparently, they had suspected the demon I’d met when I was lost might be Peerage-class, and they were glad she wasn't hostile.
The power of a Peerage-class demon must be truly terrifying for them to be this relieved.
"Still, a Peerage-class High-ranking Demon... your ability to pull in powerful connections is astounding, Kaito-san. If this person visits the Human Realm often, perhaps I’ve even met them before."
"Yeah, she said she was 'somewhat famous.'"
"Hehe, that's a bit nerve-wracking. Well, after the incident with the Goddess of Time, I think I can handle almost anything..."
Lilia-san gave a gentle, somewhat resigned smile as she took the envelope from me. Mentioning the "big event" she had coming up, she opened the envelope with a distant look in her eyes, as if trying to escape reality. She took out the folded card, opened it—and immediately snapped it shut.
"..."
"My Lady?"
"I... I misread that. Just now... that was... my eyes playing tricks on me..."
"My Lady? What is it?"
Lilia-san began muttering to herself, leaving Lunamaria-san and the rest of us tilting our heads in confusion. After taking several deep breaths, Lilia-san opened the card again—and immediately slammed her forehead onto the table.
"My Lady!?"
Lunamaria-san rushed to her side, but Lilia-san remained facedown, motionless. After a moment, she lifted her head, clutching it with both hands. Her face was deathly pale.
"I can't... I can't do this anymore. Kaito-san's social circle is terrifying..."
"Um, My Lady? Please, what happened?"
Lilia-san looked at me with eyes full of pure dread before turning to Lunamaria-san. With a trembling hand, she held out the card.
"Listen, Luna. Take a deep breath. Steel your heart. Then open it."
"Y-Yes, ma'am. Understood."
Lilia-san’s state was so abnormal that Lunamaria-san took her advice seriously. She took a deep breath, composed herself, and opened the message card.
Seconds later, she collapsed to her knees.
"Luna!? Luna! Get a hold of yourself!"
"..."
Lilia-san called out in a panic, but Lunamaria-san was frozen, staring into space with wide, blank eyes. She looked like she had literally fainted while remaining upright on her knees. Realizing she wouldn't get a response, Lilia-san barked orders to another servant.
Within minutes, the dining hall was flooded with staff—heads of departments and senior managers. Before my eyes, Lilia-san, still pale as a ghost, began shouting commands.
"Inform everyone immediately! At noon tomorrow, a guest of the highest magnitude will be arriving! There must not be a single moment of disrespect! Prepare the absolute finest hospitality possible! Send a fast horse to the Royal Palace at once! Price is no object for the ingredients—no, wait! Pull the ingredients and the Court Chefs directly from the Royal Palace!"
"Huh? M-My Lady? What is going on?"
The sheer scale of the orders was mind-boggling. The servants were understandably lost in the chaos. When one of them finally worked up the courage to ask who the guest was, Lilia-san stopped moving. Tears began welling in her eyes.
"They're... they're coming..."
"Who is, ma'am?"
"I said! Tomorrow at noon!! The Underworld King is coming to this house!!!!"
A scream-like wail erupted from Lilia-san, and the room fell into a deafening silence.
Dear Mother, Father—Kuro, the demon I became friends with after coming to this world. It turns out she was an even more incredible being than I ever imagined.