After the lengthy meeting, we regrouped at a quiet café.
Changing out of my formal attire, I returned to my usual casual clothes. The business at hand was complete, and in truth, I could have simply used Spatial Movement to return to Eterna. Yet, Souei had not returned with the culprit, and a subtle unease urged me to remain a while longer.
The meeting had been exhausting.
The prince of Ingracia, Elric, had barged in mid-discussion. There was the middle-aged Gavan, pulling his schemes like a desperate puppeteer, and a host of councilors aligned with him. Their plans collapsed spectacularly, leaving them in stunned silence.
Gavan, a noble who should have commanded respect, had been apprehended by the magical inquisitors, dangerous operatives I had no need to underestimate. The other councilors, though shielded by diplomatic immunity, had their corruption laid bare by the ledger I provided. Their nations would judge them; disgrace and ruin awaited.
They trembled under the weight of their misdeeds, and yet, it was deserved.
Though I had not interfered directly in the chaos, some nobles still regarded me with condescension. Were they innocent, I would not act. But the ledger revealed every one of them to be rotten to the core. This was an opportunity to excise corruption. The ledger had been sent — justice, impartial and inevitable, would follow.
I sipped my coffee, letting the weight of the morning settle.
"Thankfully, Hinata and Shuna acted first," I remarked. "As the Demon Lord, it would have been… inappropriate for me to engage directly."
"I wasn't angry, Atem-sama," Hinata said with a calm but sharp smile. "I merely found their diplomatic arrogance intolerable. They needed a lesson in manners."
"Same here," Shuna added, her voice precise, almost scarily synchronized with Hinata. "If I had truly become furious, those nobles would not exist anywhere in the world, not a trace left behind."
I nodded, acknowledging their lethal precision. "I see."
"To be honest, this was an enlightening experience," Benimaru chimed in.
"Hm?"
"I was so enraged, my mind went blank. Had Shuna not intervened, I would have incinerated every human in that chamber."
"Phew!" I nearly spat out my coffee.
Benimaru had appeared calm and observant. I had assumed he had grown more disciplined, but no — his rage had simply overrun him. Praise would have been premature. Had he acted, humanity itself could have become our enemy.
"Oi! That is absolutely not acceptable!" I warned.
"Hahaha, just joking!" he laughed, yet I sensed no jest. His eyes betrayed the seriousness behind the mirth.
The matter of councilor selection remained. A candidate of prudence and integrity was imperative.
I finished my coffee as Souei approached.
"Atem-sama, I have apprehended the culprit," he reported.
As always, Souei executed flawlessly. Competent, precise, and deadly in efficiency.
"The culprit was formidable," he continued. "She refused to reveal her name, though she did refer to you as 'the master of the asshole demon.'"
I considered the remark. Professional assassins rarely identify themselves on a mission.
"Was she referring to Diablo?" I asked.
"Most likely."
Indeed. Diablo had not reported this, a reflection of his peculiar standards. Razen, though powerful enough to be a Majin, would be considered a 'cheap shot' by his measure. My observation of Diablo's behavior confirmed the idiosyncrasy of his judgment.
I poured another cup of coffee, focusing on details. Shuna, Hinata, and Benimaru enjoyed black tea with cakes. Even Benimaru? Perhaps I should have a slice as well — fruit cake seemed appropriate.
Souei, ever precise, simply ordered hot coffee, causing the waitress to blush as he received it without comment. Handsome in demeanor, calm in execution — this man was a paragon of competence.
"—That is how events unfolded," Souei concluded.
I shared the full details of Souei's reconnaissance through Telepathy Net. Every move, every trick employed by the culprit was accounted for. Despite the enemy's skill and beauty, Souei had methodically extracted information.
It reminded me of old games where one could manipulate outcomes, feigning weakness while securing victory. Souei's approach was similar — deceptive, meticulous, and focused on intelligence gathering. Praise was deserved.
"Excellent work, Souei. Truly exemplary," I affirmed.
"I employed techniques learned from Atem-sama," he replied. "Feigning struggle can often yield critical insight."
Ah, yes. I had instructed him in such methods — a tactic borrowed from observation of espionage media. My internal apology for calling him 'sinister' seemed fitting.
"Ahaha, effective, indeed," I added.
"Not complete yet," Souei cautioned. "Three of my Clones were eliminated by her."
"I see. Regardless, we now have leverage."
"Yes. I will handle all interrogation procedures."
Hinata interjected, her voice calm yet sharp:
"I hesitated to mention, but it will surface eventually. Souei-san's opponent, that woman, was one of my subordinates. Her Skills were highly dangerous. Lamar was defeated because of her precision and speed — bullets appearing almost at contact, no chance to react."
"So, who is Lamar?"
"An ex-'Three Martial Sages' subordinate of mine. Defeated by Glenda, he now serves her."
The danger of her Skills was undeniable. Even trained operatives could not evade such a threat.
"She sent a Clone flying — a grenade, perhaps?"
"Yes. It appeared non-magical. Likely, she reconstructed it using mana, akin to a memory-based weapon. Skill like Weapon Specification allows replication of weapons from memory."
Impressive. Sniper skills and memory-based weaponry. The imitation was not perfect, but potent.
"She may be an Otherworlder," I noted. "Her construction of weapons aligns with memory-based replication."
Hinata eyed me suspiciously.
"How do you know that?"
Busted. My knowledge of Solarys, Sovereign of Wisdom, remained secret. I feigned ignorance.
"It's instinct. At my level, instincts sharpen naturally," I explained. Admiration flickered in Benimaru and others, though I kept a discreet eye on Hinata.
"Very well. Can I interrogate her?" Hinata asked. "Sare and Grigori are missing. She may know their fate."
I nodded. No need to hide information — Glenda's pride had been shaken, and she would cooperate if sensible. Handing her over to Ingracia was out of the question.
"Are you coming with us?" I asked Hinata.
"Indulge me," she agreed.
Decisions regarding Glenda's fate would follow her demeanor.
We switched venues quietly, with me settling the bill, as always. Hinata had attempted to slip hers to me, but I did not mind — generosity or irritation was trivial compared to the world's larger matters.
On the way home from Ingracia, I pondered all that had transpired.
"Eh, Head Knight—!"
Once we met up with Souei's 'Clone,' we returned to Eterna together. Glenda, who had been in his custody, stirred awake and immediately shouted upon seeing Hinata.
We were not in a formal interrogation chamber but in a standard reception hall. Benimaru and Souei stood alert beside me, while Hinata observed quietly. Shuna had prepared tea for us, a subtle touch of civility even in the midst of interrogation.
"Long time no see, Glenda. You seem… in one piece," Hinata's voice was sharp, cold, cutting like a blade. Her gaze held no mercy. Glenda, startled, trembled for only a moment before regaining her composure.
"Hmph! So it comes to this. Kill me if you must. That's the way it always goes when a spy is caught, one way or another," she declared, holding her head high despite the situation.
"Silence," Souei interjected, his voice icy. "You will answer Atem-sama's questions, nothing more."
Raising an eyebrow, I noted Souei's readiness. "Shall I remove her limbs to make her more… cooperative?" he asked pointedly.
I clenched my jaw. No, that was not going to happen.
"No," I said firmly. "Even if we have the means to heal her, that is unnecessary."
"I see," Souei said, misinterpreting. "So you propose we allow a little pain, to teach her a lesson?"
"No! I mean we do not overdo it!"
I groaned inwardly. Shuna nodded politely, trying to support my restraint, while Hinata's sharp eyes never left me.
I had no intention of harming her beyond necessity. Glenda was not so stubborn that coercion was required; negotiation could yield more truthful answers.
"Very well. Glenda," I began, my voice calm but carrying the weight of authority, "pleasure to meet you, I am Atem, Demon Lord of Eterna."
"—I am Glenda. Subordinate to Hinata-sama, one of the 'Three Martial Sages,'" she replied with composure, understanding that resistance would accomplish nothing. Her eyes betrayed a glimmer of calculation.
I knew she had encountered Diablo and had survived — that alone proved her cunning and her will to live. Why she had betrayed Hinata remained a question. Even if she could not reveal her employer's identity, other details might surface. I intended to extract everything possible.
"You were tasked with assassinating Prince Elric?" I asked.
"Yes."
"And the plan was to frame me so the Western Nations would expel us, correct?"
"Perhaps. I did not inquire into motives. I only follow orders."
Her honesty, albeit cautious, was refreshing.
"Then let's proceed," Hinata said, her sharp tone causing Glenda to tense.
"What are you going to ask?" Glenda inquired warily.
"You were placed in charge of the trade hub cities, operating freely, under the instruction not to trust merchants lightly. Yet, you were bribed from the beginning, correct?"
"No comment."
"You intended to betray us from the outset. Acting under orders?"
"—No comment."
I studied her carefully. "Your employer likely controls the council from the shadows. Who is he?"
"…"
"I have observed you for some time. When the council moved, their knowledge of Western Holy Church actions was suspicious. There is a traitor, and you were the prime suspect. If you name your employer, I may temper judgment."
"Didn't I say? No comment!"
"Very well. One final question. Do you believe in Luminas-sama?"
"Tsk… there is no God. Faith is meaningless; money is far more tangible—"
Hinata's rapier flashed in a blink. A clang rang as my blade intercepted hers.
"Hold, Hinata! Not her neck! Is this an interrogation or an execution?"
"—I do not intend to kill."
"Liar! The bloodlust in your eyes says otherwise."
Even a moment's lapse could cost us a valuable source of information.
"Do not worry, Atem-sama. I can test her with resurrection magic," Shuna said, smiling.
"Correct. Even Resurrection, the miracle of the gods, can be applied. There is no issue."
I could not tell if this was genuine or posturing. Regardless, I would intervene.
"Hinata, step back. I will handle this."
It was time to take control. Glenda needed to face me, not just my subordinates.
I let Solarys' words flow through me. "It is futile to compel a professional assassin like yourself to speak through intimidation alone. Listen carefully. Observe, and perhaps you may learn."
Glenda squared her shoulders, determined.
"Unique Skills leave imprints upon the soul. Yours is no exception; it is deeply engraved," I continued.
"Huh… what does that mean?"
"During the council meeting, the 'desire' Skill corrupted many. Some Skills can influence the soul; you, Glenda, were affected as well."
"…What do you mean?"
"Fortune favored you. Your Unique Skill protected you from total corruption."
Glenda could not deny it; her glare softened ever so slightly.
"But even such a skill has its limits. Certain observers can detect it."
"—You mean like the 'Appraisal Eye'?"
"Yes. Similar to Demon Lord Milim's Dragon Eyes. Her glance reveals the nature of an opponent's Skills. Accuracy varies, but her perception allows discernment of Unique versus Extra Skills."
I had trained similarly, refining Analyze and Assess. I could now detect opponent Skills while hiding my own. Experience taught me that even formidable powers could be masked with strategy.
Glenda's eyes widened slightly. "I have a Unique Skill… yet I was not corrupted?"
"Yes," I said, pausing to let Solarys' guidance clarify the finer points. Activating Thought Acceleration, I accelerated comprehension for her benefit.
"Whether corrupted or not, your employer wields an exceptionally powerful Unique Skill, yes?" I asked.
"No comment… but I must admit, that is true," she replied reluctantly.
I pressed on. "During the nation founding festival, a man named Gai was corrupted by 'desire.' He was defeated by Shuna. Only some were affected. For the influence to spread widely, the caster likely remained nearby."
"…Huh."
The mechanics made sense. Rumor-enhancing Skills, proximity, and subtle manipulation all compounded the effect. The suspect could only be one individual I had already under observation.
"Have you heard of Mariabell Rosso?" Solarys asked, direct and unwavering.
"—UH!" Glenda's reaction betrayed her recognition.
"My Analyze and Assess is precise. I can detect hidden motives. One presence stood out at the festival — a girl named Mariabell."
Cold sweat formed on Glenda's forehead. "H-how did you—"
"Rosso," Hinata cut in, calm yet authoritative. "The Rosso family. That explains everything."
"EHH!" Glenda shrieked.
It was evident she realized the depth of her defeat.
"Granbell Rosso is the patriarch of the Rosso family, once a Hero. He is also the true leader of the Seven Luminary Clerics — the Sun Sage. Surely, you knew this," Hinata stated, confirming suspicions.
"Granbell… alive?" Glenda whispered.
"Nicolaus may have buried him, but the Western Holy Church's leadership for centuries suggests he survived."
Mariabell had been the caster of 'desire.' The mastermind behind this was Granbell himself.
"So, Gran orchestrated everything?" I asked.
"Yes. He manipulates powerful individuals like Mariabell for his designs."
We ignored Glenda, consolidating our knowledge. She had no further value.
"Dammit! I haven't said anything! How do you know everything?" Glenda wailed.
"You faced an opponent too powerful to outmaneuver," I said calmly.
Wisdom itself, embodied by Solarys, had exposed all.
"Even so, it cannot be helped," I continued. "You are a traitor. Your fate is deserved."
Glenda's face turned pale, moaning softly. I felt a flicker of pity. I had no intention of killing her outright, but she would likely not escape punishment if returned to Ingracia.
"So, Mariabell… really that strong?" I asked.
"—It is not strength alone. Summoned Ones like us are bound by a curse. Defy the summoner, and our souls are crushed. That is my doom," she explained.
"So it wasn't betrayal of free will," I said, my tone calm, commanding.
Hinata, though still cold, relaxed slightly. Killing intent waned. She understood the stakes.
"Indeed. Even faith in God cannot save shattered souls," Hinata murmured.
I considered the curse. Could I undo it?
«Answer. No problem. Do you wish to lift it? YES/NO»
And so, with careful precision, the curse was undone.