My conversation with Listy-san proceeded in a very relaxed atmosphere. In fact, out of all the Ten Demons I had met so far, she felt like the easiest person to talk to.
My initial impression of her keen insight had not been wrong. She was incredibly sensitive to the slightest emotional shifts—so much so that I began to wonder if she possessed a form of Sympathy Magic herself.
As she had mentioned, she was a master of conversation, striking the perfect balance between speaking and listening. Before I knew it, we were talking quite animatedly.
After a while, however, a look of realization crossed her face.
"Now that I think about it... who is left on your list for greetings among the Ten Demons?"
"Um, there is Phoenix-san and someone named Tiamat-san."
"Of all the people, it had to be those two. Well, if you are doing the greetings in order of rank, it was inevitable they would be last... but good heavens, you have my sympathy."
"Are they really that bad?"
I had a nagging suspicion. Alice had previously mentioned a Shitty Bird and a Shitty Snake. Since none of the Ten Demons I had met so far fit those descriptions, it was highly likely she had been referring to the final two.
Still, seeing the look of genuine pity on Listy-san’s face filled me with an ominous sense of dread.
"Essentially, every one of the Ten Demons is a head-case and a pervert. Even the vice-leader, who is technically sane personality-wise, stays wrapped in bandages like a mummy. Chris-chan... you really shouldn't associate with the Ten Demons besides me, you know? They are a bunch of toxic troublemakers who bring nothing but grief."
"Well, generally speaking, an Emperor wouldn't have any reason to interact with the Ten Demons. The only one we might encounter is Pandora-sama, perhaps during the Hero Festival."
That was a scathing review. Judging by her expression, Listy-san truly believed they were nothing but a public nuisance.
The vice-leader she mentioned was likely Pandemonium-san, whom I still had not met. Wrapped in bandages? Since she said "like" a mummy, it probably wasn't a racial characteristic... Man, that person sounds like a handful too.
"Anyway, the Ten Demons are mostly good-for-nothings... but when it comes to the title of ultimate Problem Child, the name mentioned is almost always Phoenix or Tiamat. Honestly, their personalities are so disastrous that they were shoved to the bottom of the rankings despite their abilities. My advice? Just don't meet them."
"I-I see... But since I’ve already greeted everyone else, I can’t exactly skip just those two. Do you have any specific advice or precautions I should take before I go?"
"First, don't try to see them both on the same day. Your mental health might not survive it. See them one at a time over two days. As for Phoenix, there is a high chance he will act like an arrogant prick at first... so if you can, it is best to kill him once the moment you meet. That usually makes him behave."
Wait, I was getting advice on how to say hello, right? Killing them on sight wasn't exactly in my dictionary for greetings...
"I have a lot of questions about that... but mainly, the act of killing is out of the question for me."
"True... Hmm, is there anything else? Perhaps a weapon or a Magic Tool that can inflict intense pain?"
"Intense pain? Well, I do have something, but I heard it is so agonizing that I would feel terrible using it on someone I’m supposed to be thanking..."
The mention of intense pain immediately brought the Toy Hammer I had received from Shiro-san to mind. It was a punishment item that bypassed all defenses—even working on those who felt no pain—to deliver intense agony without causing a single scratch to the physical body.
It was so potent that even world-class beings like Alice and Fate-san would be reduced to writhing messes. It was far too dangerous, so I had kept it tucked away since the day I got it.
"No, you should definitely use that."
"Excuse me?"
"Phoenix has zero respect for anyone who can't kill him. Hit him with it right away. If you don't, Pandora-sama will lose her temper, and the greeting will be over before you can even introduce yourself."
"What kind of person is this Phoenix-san...?"
I was struggling to process this. Listy-san’s face was dead serious; this was genuine advice. She was sincerely suggesting that I initiate the meeting by inflicting excruciating pain.
"Then there is Tiamat. Her brain is basically fried, so don't take anything she says to heart. It will just drain you mentally, so just let it all flow in one ear and out the other. Don't even attempt to have a conversation... Honestly, you should probably wear earplugs."
"..."
There were only two left, and yet... I felt nothing but anxiety.
Serious-senpai: "Are they really that unhinged?"
???: "Indeed. To put it simply... Phoenix = Physical Masochist, Tiamat = Mental Masochist... something like that."
Serious-senpai: "They are both just massive masochists!"