Despite having survived my greatest crisis to date, the rest of the journey went smoothly. We completed our circuit of the sprawling ranch and returned to the spot where Noin-san was waiting.
As we arrived, Noin-san—who was still cradling Rin—approached us with a noticeably pale face.
"W-welcome back. Um... I could hear Magnawell-sama’s voice even from here... Is... is Zwei-sama with you?"
"Of course not! If she were here, I’d be running for the hills!"
I caught Rin as she fluttered from Noin-san's arms into mine, eavesdropping on their exchange. It seemed Noin-san was just as terrified of this "Zwei" person as Fia-sensei was. Seriously, what kind of person was she?
"Is this Zwei-san really that scary?" I asked.
"Well... it’s not so much that she’s scary as..."
"Zwei-sama is, how should I put it, a person who is incredibly rigorous with both herself and others," Noin-san explained with a troubled expression. "And, well, if you ever do anything to disparage Chrome-sama’s dignity, you’re in for a harsh, grueling lecture..."
The way they both danced around the subject made it clear she must be truly formidable.
"Big Sis Zwei is the most senior member of our family, excluding the Six Kings and Big Sis Ein," Fia-sensei added. "She’s easily the hardest worker among all of us."
"Working hard? What exactly does she do?"
"Well, Chrome-sama is one of the Six Kings, right? About a fifth of the Demon Realm is recognized as her territory. But, as you know, Miyama-kun, Chrome-sama absolutely hates things like governing or ruling."
"That’s true."
Kuro was a being of immense power, yet she never considered herself superior to anyone. While she could show dignity when required of a Six King, she fundamentally disliked standing above others. To her, Noin-san and Fia-sensei were family—equals. "Lordship" was perhaps the word that suited Kuro least in the entire world.
"And so, Big Sis Zwei is the one who governs that land in Chrome-sama's stead. It’s a fifth of the entire Demon Realm... as you can imagine, she’s in an incredibly busy position."
"I see. How do the other Six Kings handle their lands, then?"
"Lilliwood-sama and Magnawell-sama manage their territories properly. Megiddo-sama doesn't manage his at all, but his subordinates are so competent that they make it work somehow. As for Isis-sama... well, since no living things can settle in her land to begin with, there isn't anything to manage. And Shaltier-sama... we don't even know where she is, let alone where her land might be."
I stayed silent, knowing full well that Shaltier was currently hiding right behind me.
In any case, it seemed Zwei-san functioned as a sort of proxy Lord. Based on Fia-sensei and Noin-san’s reactions, she was clearly a very strict individual.
Noin-san offered a small, weary smile. "If Ein-sama supports Chrome-sama publicly, you could say Zwei-sama provides the support from the shadows. She is a very dependable person."
"Hmm, just from hearing about her, she sounds like a serious, diligent worker. Why are you two so afraid of her?"
"She’s scary..."
"Extremely scary."
I waited for them to elaborate, wondering what could possibly be so frightening.
"Zwei-sama is simply... uncompromising. Especially regarding one's personal appearance and conduct."
"And her lectures are long," Fia-sensei groaned. "Incredibly long. She prioritizes family in her own way, which means she’ll cancel her other appointments just to sit you down and lecture you for hours on end."
"I... I see..."
"When I first met her," Noin-san said, staring into the distance, "I think I was so nervous that I introduced myself while wearing my full suit of armor. She proceeded to crush that armor into scrap metal with her bare hands, forced me into a formal kneeling position, and gave me a three-hour lecture. It was terrifying."
"..."
"And when I finally went home for the first time in a thousand years recently, she caught me," Fia-sensei added. "She beat the stuffing out of me and then lectured me for five hours. I was in tears by the end, and not because I was happy to be home."
That was... horrifying. I understood now. Zwei-san was the "demon teacher" type. To be honest, that was the type of person I was worst at dealing with. I was fairly slovenly myself; if I ever met her, I felt like I’d be in for an eternity of scolding.
"I mean, I know Big Sis Zwei only gets angry because she’s worried about us," Fia-sensei admitted.
"Yes, it’s a sign that she cares deeply for us, and I am grateful for that," Noin-san agreed.
"But... those lectures... they’re just... a bit much..."
The two of them spoke in perfect unison. Just the thought of sitting through a multi-hour lecture was enough to make me shudder. I wondered if I would ever meet her. If I did, I certainly hoped I wouldn't do anything to provoke her.
Dear Mother, Father—It seems Zwei-san is an incredibly diligent, hard-working, and rigorous individual. She cares for her family and provides them with strict guidance. Just as I suspected... she really is the teacher type.
Inside a strictly functional office, a woman sat at a desk, processing a mountain of paperwork.
Her hand moved across the documents without a moment's hesitation, digesting an extraordinary volume of files in the blink of an eye. After clearing the entire pile in mere minutes, she set down her pen and sighed to herself.
"Things are proceeding smoothly. With so many influential figures attending the Six Kings Festival, my schedule is finally manageable."
As she spoke, the woman opened a drawer and withdrew a high-end, black-lacquered card. She held it delicately with both hands, a small, soft smile playing on her lips as she gazed at it.
"The Six Kings Festival... he is undoubtedly there. If it were possible, I would love to catch even a glimpse of him. Perhaps I shall pay a visit..."
After whispering those words, she carefully tucked the card back into its place, picked up the stack of processed documents with ease, and stepped out of the office.
The protagonist of the festival did not yet know that the card this usually emotionless woman had been gazing at—like a young girl admiring a hero—was inscribed with gold lettering that read: Kaito Miyama Fan Club Member No. 8.
Serious-senpai zero: "Let's see... according to the manual... Return to Origins?"
[Serious Power has become 0.] [Serious Power has been multiplied by 10.] [Serious Power has been multiplied by 100.] [Serious Power has been multiplied by 1,000.]
Serious-senpai zero: "Wait, wait, wait! Zero multiplied by anything is still zero! I... I mean, should I be happy that I'm not in the negatives anymore, or should I be depressed that I'm still at zero? This is... frustrating!"