"So, as I was saying, I’ll be heading out to the Demon Realm for two or three days starting tomorrow."
"Is that so? You certainly do travel to all sorts of places, Kaito-san."
It was the twenty-second day of the Month of Water. With my visit to Isis-san’s castle scheduled for the following day, I had stopped by Alice's General Store.
My purpose wasn't shopping—well, not exactly.
Alice nodded at my explanation before tilting her head, her face hidden behind her opera mask.
"But why come all the way here to tell me that? Ah, I see! Kaito-san has finally succumbed to my charms! You're so lonely at the thought of being apart from me that—"
"No, that’s not it at all."
"Could you at least try to throw me a bone here!?"
As expected, Alice’s guess was completely off the mark. I had a different objective in mind.
I quietly closed the distance between us and spoke while giving her a firm glare.
"Listen. While I'm gone, don't you dare go wasting your money on gambling or anything else, okay?"
"Eh? Ah, no, well, you see..."
"Do you hear me!? If I come back and you tell me you're broke... there will be consequences!"
"Ow, ow, ow! Kaito-san, my cheeks hurt!"
I gave the cheeks of this idiot—who I was certain hadn't learned her lesson—another firm tug to drive the point home. Seriously, the moment I took my eyes off her, she squandered her money. Unless I kept a constant watch, even a stable income wouldn't mean a thing for her.
After lecturing Alice a few more times, I turned to leave, but she hurriedly pulled something out of thin air.
"Wait, Kaito-san!"
"Yes?"
"If you’re going to the Demon Realm, I have a highly recommended item for you!"
"..."
I didn't know whether to call her business spirit tenacious or just plain annoying. Letting out a deep sigh, I looked at the book Alice held out with exaggerated flair.
"A book?"
"Indeed! This is Alice-chan's Special Demon Realm Guidebook!"
"A guidebook?"
"Yes! It’s a masterpiece that covers everything from scenic spots and monster-infested danger zones to recommended places for a food tour!"
For someone with no business sense, the products she recommended were always surprisingly high-quality. Honestly, I actually did want a guidebook for the Demon Realm. The "Alice-chan's Special" part made me feel vaguely uneasy, but still...
"So, how much is it?"
"Since the Demon Realm is vast, they’re divided by region. These four volumes will be perfect for the central and northern regions you’ll be visiting this time. It’s thirty R for the four-volume set! How about it?"
"I'll take them."
"Thanks for your business!"
In the end, I lost to Alice’s sales pitch again and purchased the set. Still, each book had quite a few pages, so three thousand yen for the set seemed like a fair deal.
Inside the mansion of the Ducal House of Albert, Lunamaria spoke to Lilia, who was currently occupied at her office desk.
"Miyama-sama should be arriving at the Gate soon, wouldn't you say?"
"I suppose so. I told Sieg to return here after escorting him that far."
To visit Isis's castle, Kaito had finished his preparations this morning and headed toward the Gate connecting the Human and Demon Realms. As they discussed this, Lilia suddenly stared into the distance. Sensing her thoughts, Lunamaria murmured.
"The only one Miyama-sama hasn't encountered yet is... the Dragon King-sama."
"Please stop. I don't even want to imagine it."
"Well, I hear the Dragon King-sama never moves from the mountains in the southern part of the Demon Realm. Since Miyama-sama is visiting the north this time, there is surely no way they will run into each other."
"I hope you're right..."
The two women exchanged words, both feeling an ominous premonition that Kaito might end up befriending yet another of the Six Kings. Lilia covered her ears as if to block out the very thought. Seeing her mistress's pained state, Lunamaria gave a wry smile and headed toward the door.
"There is no use dwelling on the worst-case scenario. I'll go brew some black tea."
"Luna, thank you."
After thanking Lunamaria as she left, Lilia slowly leaned back into her chair. After a moment of silence, she gazed at the magic tool placed on her desk—the Calculation Magic Tool she had received from Kuromueina the other day under the "pretext" of it being a sample.
"Truly, Kaito-san is such a handful. Just when I think I've returned one favor... he gives me two more."
Gently touching the magic tool, Lilia blushed slightly and smiled with genuine warmth.
Yes, she had realized the truth. When Kaito had observed her working before, he had been staring intently at her as she struggled with her paperwork. She knew exactly why he had conceived of this magic tool and had it made.
"Sieg’s voice... and now this magic tool... I am doing nothing but receiving things from Kaito-san."
Holding the magic tool in her hands and hugging it softly, Lilia murmured with a smile she rarely showed to the world—the smile of a girl in love.
"You are truly a cruel person. You startle me, you trouble me... and yet you are so kind and straightforward. You make it so I can't think of anything but you."
The voice whispering quietly in the empty room was filled with a wealth of deep emotion.
The twenty-third day of the Month of Water.
I was currently standing before a gate inscribed with a massive magic circle. This was the Gate connecting the Human Realm and the Demon Realm, and apparently, one could travel from here to various other gates throughout the Demon Realm.
To enter the Demon Realm, one normally needed an entry permit, and it supposedly took at least ten days to have one issued. However, I had the card that the Phantasm King, No Face, had given me. Furthermore, she had gone to the trouble of obtaining it in my name. She had likely used her transformation to get it issued for me.
In a way, I didn't like how it felt like I was dancing in the palm of her hand, but just as she had said, I was fortunate that I didn't have to wait for the permit to be processed.
"Welcome. May I see your permit?"
"Here you go."
"Everything is in order. Which gate will you be heading to today?"
"To the Forest City Yugfressia."
"Understood. Please, step this way."
Guided by the attendant, I stood in the center of the large magic circle. Immediately, the circle began to emit a powerful radiance, and the scenery changed in an instant.
From a stone gate to a wooden one... Having arrived in what looked like the heart of a vast forest, I found the person I was meeting without even needing to search.
"Welcome, Kaito-san. Welcome to the Demon Realm... to Yugfressia."
"Lilliwood-san, hello. Thank you for your help today."
Lilliwood-san, who had previously offered to guide me if I ever visited Isis, had volunteered to be my escort today just as she had suggested. As one of the Six Kings and a pinnacle of power in the Demon Realm, having someone as knowledgeable as Lilliwood-san as a guide was truly reassuring.
Dear Mother, Father—Nearly two months have passed since I came to this world, and now, with both anxiety and expectation in my heart, I have set foot in the Demon Realm.
In the mountains of the southern Demon Realm, a massive shadow took a step forward with a thunderous roar.
"Magnawell-sama!? Where are you going?"
"It is nothing. I simply shall not miss my chance. No matter how much I may ponder over reports and rumors, in the end, I cannot measure his worth without seeing him for myself."
Hearing the words of the High Ancient Dragon who had called out in shock, their master, Dragon King Magnawell, spoke in a voice that vibrated through the earth itself. He declared that if he were to judge the boy's value, it would be pointless unless they met face-to-face.
"He has already met five of the Kings... and just the other day, he even repelled the threat of the War King. Hahaha, how interesting. It has been a long time since I felt my blood stir like this."
"I shall accompany you."
"Do as you wish. Now then, shall we go to see the face of this youngster named Miyama Kaito?"
With a quiet but intense interest, the largest beast in the world proceeded forward, shaking the very earth. He went to judge with his own eyes the true value of the Pole Star of the Otherworld, which now shone more brilliantly than any other in this world.