Before Finding the Black-Market Merchant
The witch Manuela had warped the ground around the dungeon and hidden its entrance. Once Yujun—the place's main force—was gone, it could no longer function as a dungeon at all.
"Done."
Manuela let out a thin breath.
"Was it always this simple?"
"Magic's just like that."
For the first time in a long while, Yujun, Paranet, and Do Jiyun stepped beyond the dungeon. Being outside did not mean the day was bright. This was the Demon Realm, and a gray sky and thick, stagnant air were there to meet them.
Do Jiyun spoke first.
"The ground right outside the entrance is a complete wreck. It had a bit of atmosphere at first, at least."
She was right. The dozens of trees that had stood there were split and shattered, and the grass had been trampled until nothing kept its shape.
"A ridiculous number of demons came through here in a short time. Of course it looks like this."
So Yujun said, and without lingering, he, the others, and Manuela headed straight for where the black-market merchant Rozent had been—by way of Paranet's Space Movement.
Manuela called the coordinates. Paranet cast the spatial magic.
Whooong—!
True to its EX+ rank, the spell was endlessly useful. They arrived in a dark cellar thick with a musty stink, dust heaped on the wooden planks, and papers scrawled with illegible script strewn everywhere across the floor.
"Rozent isn't here?"
"He was here until just two hours ago."
Manuela's voice had gone serious.
"So where did he go?"
"Wait."
She closed her eyes. The scent of mana Rozent had left behind. The place that scent still led.
"I'll give you another set of coordinates."
"We can actually find him this way, right?"
"Yeah. He won't keep moving forever."
"All right. Call them."
"Seventeen……"
That was when it happened.
BOOM! KRA-KOOM!
An explosion erupted right beside them with no warning at all. Yujun's reaction was instant; he snapped a shield into place.
"W-what?"
Do Jiyun blurted it out, startled—and in that same moment several presences registered on Yujun's senses.
"To think that filthy witch actually came here……"
"Just as he said."
"How in the world did they find this place?"
"She's a pureblood witch. What can't she do?"
"Let's finish this quickly. Witches are relatively weak in a fight, so that blast ought to have knocked her out."
Four high-ranking demons. Fearless, they closed in on Yujun's group.
Yujun was about to draw up his mana when Manuela caught his wrist. He looked at her—what are you doing?—and she whispered.
"I've got an idea."
Yujun gave a quiet nod.
Tadak!
The four high-ranking demons rushed in. Pitch-black energy poured from Manuela's hand, and the jet-black force slipped into their noses before they even noticed it. The four, who had come within arm's reach, stopped all at once.
"……"
"Done."
Manuela wore a satisfied smile.
Yujun asked.
"What did you do?"
"Just domination magic. From this moment, those four are no different from my puppets."
"……A cheat like that exists?"
"Yep."
Witches handled a truly astonishing variety of magic. The domination spell she had just used was a kind not even Ancient Magic could replicate. He was a little envious.
"Dominate them, and then what?"
"I'm going to find out what they were thinking, laying a trap here."
"Nice."
Manuela stood before the four fully dominated demons and laid a hand on one high-ranking demon's head. Then she repeated the same gesture, one after another, before turning back with a satisfied face.
"Already finished?"
At Yujun's question, Manuela nodded.
"Rozent knew we were coming here."
They had inferred that much from the demons' chatter. What mattered was what she said next.
"And it looks like he really did join hands with the Demon King. More precisely, Rozent was someone who moved according to the Demon King's will."
"……So Rozent was the Demon King's subordinate."
"Yeah."
"Then he approached you with an agenda from the very start, didn't he?"
"I can't say for certain, but I think that's probably it."
It was what he had expected from the beginning. Someone in Rozent's position scamming a pureblood witch over a bit of money made no sense. Of course there was a hand behind it.
"We've found out the Demon King is involved. What should we do?"
Do Jiyun asked.
Yujun did not hesitate.
"Might as well pick a fight."
"For real?"
It was not Do Jiyun who looked at him with worry, but Manuela.
"Against the Demon King, I can't be much help. The matchup is bad for me, and he's far stronger than I am."
"And you still managed to rob him just fine?"
"……Ugh."
Manuela had nothing to say. She clamped her mouth shut.
"Anyway. We just go straight to the Demon King's Castle?"
"W-what? Th-that seems far too hasty."
"Why? If we only chase Rozent's trail, we'll keep walking into their traps. Isn't going straight to the Demon King's Castle more efficient?"
"You're not wrong. But isn't it too dangerous? Finding my money first would……"
"There's something more important than that petty cash. We're going to the Demon King's Castle."
Yujun knew the danger perfectly well. But if he could not accept risks like that, growing quickly would be impossible.
Above all, there's a high chance the Transcendent Stone is in the Demon King's Castle.
But the witch threw cold water on his resolve.
"We can't go straight to the Demon King's castle."
"Why not?"
"You think they call it the Demon King's Castle for nothing? It's where the Demon Realm's Absolute Being resides. The watch has to be airtight, and they've layered every kind of barrier around it. You can't even get near the castle."
"Is it only that spatial movement doesn't work? Or is approaching itself impossible?"
"Both."
"We can't even get near the Demon King's Castle?"
"If you want to, you'd have to invade a duke's territory."
"There are ducal territories around the Demon King's Castle?"
"Yeah. Two of them. One duke is no different from the Demon King's subordinate."
"Didn't you say before that the dukes of the Demon Realm are constantly eyeing the Demon King's seat?"
"Mostly, yes. But one duke gives his full loyalty to the current Demon King. He's actually the Demon King's favorite, so he receives considerable privileges."
"How many dukes are there in total?"
"Four. You can consider one of them on the Demon King's side."
"And the rest are enemies?"
"Enemies…… I'm not sure I'd go that far, but their relations are very bad."
"Hmm."
If they played the present situation between the dukes and the Demon King well, the whole matter might come apart more easily than expected.
Yujun spoke.
"So first we have to go to a ducal domain."
"Yeah."
"Better to go to the land of a duke who isn't on the Demon King's side?"
"That would be wiser. Oh—and the current Demon King isn't showing much zeal for invading the Continent, so he doesn't have a great deal of support."
"The Demon Realm has approval ratings?"
"Not exactly. But as things stand, the odds of a rebellion are high."
"The demons would be the ones rising up?"
"One of the dukes will incite them. There's already talk that things are moving in secret."
"If you know that much, wouldn't the Demon King know too?"
"Probably. But from what I can see, he's such an easygoing Demon King that he doesn't seem to be preparing much."
"What's the name of the ducal domain we're going to?"
"Jonas."
"Jonas? And the duke's name?"
"The duke's name is Jonas. The territory is Jonas Territory as well. It's named after whoever rules the land."
"Jonas is the duke preparing to rise against the Demon King?"
"I can't be certain, but he's the most likely. He picks a fight with everything the Demon King does and gets in the way."
"And he hasn't been executed?"
"The power and strength Jonas holds are what protect him. His martial might is even comparable to the Demon King's."
"Comparable to the Demon King?"
"Yeah."
"The other dukes too?"
"Yeah. But the duke who's a step behind the Demon King is precisely the one currently on his side."
A short conversation, and he had a rough grasp of the situation. He had no great interest in power struggles. Still, if a situation could be used, it was best to use it to the fullest.
"Do you think Jonas will accept our proposal?"
Do Jiyun, who had been watching in silence, asked.
"Who knows. We'll find out when we see for ourselves."
An office steeped in refined luxury. That was where Duke Jonas usually remained. He was one of the few dukes in the Demon Realm, and slight of build for a demon—and now he found himself receiving unexpected guests.
A witch, and three undead. Not an especially strange combination. What was strange was the presence radiating from one of the undead, keen enough to set even him on edge. That was the surprise.
"You said you had something to say?"
"That's right."
It was not the witch who answered, but the lich—the very undead Jonas had marked as dangerous.
"Undead. Are you a Lich Lord?"
"That's right. Good to meet you."
"Hmm. You are hardly what one expects of the undead."
"I get that a lot."
Ordinarily the dead—the undead—carried a ghostly chill and a gloom in their speech. The lich before him was a little different. It felt like facing the living.
"So what is this about?"
"I have a proposal."
"A proposal?"
"It concerns the Demon King."
Jonas's eyes widened. Yujun spoke again.
"Are you suggesting treason? Absurd. I am quite satisfied with the present situation. I have no intention of daring to rise against His Majesty the Demon King."
Jonas said it with a firm face. Yujun knew full well the words were nothing more than a probe.
"Don't make it so grand. For now, I'm only saying we should be on the same side. You needed every spare hand you could get right away, didn't you?"
"……"
The undead lich, Yujun, had already looked into Jonas to some extent before coming. Silence hung for a while. Then the corner of Jonas's mouth lifted, just slightly.
"You have come to the right place. I welcome you."
"Oh……"
Jonas's expression had turned favorable. To think it would go this smoothly. Yujun smiled back.
"There is one thing I am curious about, however."
"Curious about what?"
"Can you truly be of help to me?"
"You already know, don't you?"
"That is how it feels. Still, I would like to test that power once. Would you find that acceptable?"
"My power? No reason not to. It's what I wanted, if anything."
"Remarkable confidence. I like it."
Best to strike while the iron was hot. Yujun's group and Jonas headed at once for the great training ground prepared within the castle.
"May I confirm it myself?"
"Of course."
"All four of you may come at me at once."
"No. I'll do it alone."
Jonas's expression turned subtle.
"You mean to face me by yourself?"
"Yeah."
"Are you not taking a duke of the Demon Realm far too lightly?"
"I'm not sizing you up. I'm betting on myself."
"I should like your skill to match that confidence."
Jonas was famous, even among the dukes, for his skill with magic. Of course, demon that he was, his close combat outstripped his spellwork—but his magical ability was nothing to dismiss. Or so Manuela had tipped him off.
If he's good with magic, that works out.
He was already transformed into a Lich Lord, and confident in magic besides. He was curious what would come of facing the duke with magic alone.