"Where are you planning to merge this power?"
"Will the power in my body attract the attention of this city's mystical community?"
Lucius asked mentally, quickening his pace to leave the area.
After all, until he fully integrated the power, he was just an ordinary human. If he crossed paths with cultists or the like, it wouldn't end well.
Carrying a divine artifact so brazenly in a city with a strong mystical presence? That wasn't the mark of someone harmless.
"Strictly speaking, what's inside you isn't power but faith—human emotions and memories, more akin to a concept," The loli demon explained, sounding pleased. "Until it's transformed into power, no one in this world can likely sense it."
Lucius's face remained impassive, and he didn't respond, his steps growing faster as he wove through the streets, heading straight for the inn where he was staying.
"You don't need to be so nervous," The demon said, sounding bored, perhaps because Lucius was ignoring her.
"That woman earlier had no guard up against you. She probably thought you were useless, so she didn't bother using any tricks on you."
As she spoke, she idly scratched at the black horns atop her head.
"Unless she checks the city's surveillance system afterward, there's no way she'll track you down from this distance."
Her delicate, pale face showed a hint of displeasure at being ignored, making it hard to connect her to the menacing demon she was supposed to be.
"So, she won't catch up for now? That's a relief," Lucius said, exhaling deeply.
He'd been on edge, and the sudden relaxation nearly made him stumble.
"Such a coward," The loli demon mocked through their mental link, her tone merciless.
"I'm a cautious guy… I know that well," Lucius said, gripping the sealed bottle containing the demon, his expression steady. "Cautious, but not cowardly. That's a good thing."
"Tch." The demon let out an irritated sound.
She didn't want to admit it, but he had a point.
The next moment, Lucius's face stiffened, his arm tensing under his sleeve.
From the outside, though, he maintained his relaxed demeanor.
"You said the power I absorbed from that beast tooth shouldn't be noticed by this world's mystical community, right?"
Lucius's heart raced, his grip on the bottle tightening.
"No question about it," The demon replied, her tone sharp at his doubt. A dangerous glint flashed in her dark golden slit-pupil eyes. "Like fish that live underwater and never notice the water itself."
"One side can reshape the world through collective consciousness but survives by stealing power from the other."
"The other could wipe out entire races with a flick of their hand, yet they're chained and warped by unconscious human will."
"People who haven't even grasped the basics of this world—how could they sense a power great enough to be called 'divine'?"
"But it seems someone from the mystical side has noticed me," Lucius said, exhaling slowly to calm his racing heart.
He turned, adopting an innocent and puzzled expression, and looked behind him.
"Um, miss, you've been staring at me," He said. "Is there something you need help with?"
"It's not you she's noticed—it's me," The demon said, mimicking his innocent look.
She blinked her large eyes. "More precisely, it's this bottle sealing me."
"That's even worse, isn't it?"
"You think my identity is so low that it could be recognized by this world's humans?" The demon huffed, inexplicably ruffled.
What a strange sense of pride, especially after their earlier bickering.
But if neither the power in his body nor the sealed bottle could be detected, Lucius relaxed slightly.
The figure that appeared beside him was a silver-haired knight maiden, dressed in an unusual outfit.
With silver hair, blue-green eyes, a refined face, and a spirited air, she was undeniably a charming girl.
But Lucius wished she hadn't noticed him.
One of the original story's heroines, a genius of Italy's Copper-Black Cross magical association: Liliana Kranjčar.
"Judging by your outfit, are you part of a theater troupe?" Lucius said, eyeing her old-fashioned attire and the knight's sword at her waist. "Did you get separated from your group? I'm just a tourist, so I don't know where the local theaters are. You might want to contact the police for help."
"Sorry to interrupt, but I'm not a lost underage actress," Liliana said, pausing briefly before explaining.
Her gaze, however, remained fixed on the sealed bottle in Lucius's hand.
"Still, that bottle looks rather unique. Could I take a closer look at it?"
She asked politely.
It seemed the bottle's appearance had caught her attention.
But Lucius's expression, both inwardly and outwardly, showed clear reluctance.
"I'd rather not."
Handing over the bottle sealing the demon to someone else—even a pretty girl, even for a few seconds—was something Lucius strongly resisted.
"I study ancient artifacts, so I was curious about that bottle. My apologies for being forward," Liliana said, a flicker of embarrassment crossing her face before she regained her composed demeanor.
While she might show a clumsy or naive side in the anime, here she was every bit the exceptional knight prodigy.
After a slight apology, she turned to leave.
She'd been too sensitive, it seemed.
Liliana sighed inwardly.
But watching the girl, Lucius's mind suddenly sparked with an idea.
He called out to the charming maiden.
"Wait!"
She stopped, puzzled.
"This bottle is a souvenir I bought, but I don't understand the writing on the cap," Lucius said. "If you know anything about such scripts, could you tell me what it means?"
***
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