Chapter 8
"What!?"
"A Demon?"
"A newbie Demon!?"
"Ms. Regina's Kin has arrived?"
At the word 'Demon', the gazes of the Receptionists and Veteran Adventurers who knew Regina Gura's true identity simultaneously turned to her.
Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, Regina Gura was just as bewildered.
"Eh?"
What is a Demon?
The source of sin that fell from the Goddess's Shadow.
A living disaster with records of destroying an entire kingdom just to grant a Contractor's wish.
An incarnation of desire that morbidly loathes boredom and pursues only pure pleasure.
...Or so they are known to the world, but anyone who has ever faced the race of Demons staying in Dungeon City would define them like this:
A small and cute hedonist or a diligent Madman.
They possess an outstanding beauty that surpasses even the Elves, who are said to resemble the Goddess the most among existing races, and their bodies are generally as small as a Child's to reduce the Magic Power burden on their Contractor.
They sometimes run wild when it comes to concepts related to their origins. However, they are fundamentally diligent, curious, and more 'pure' than any other race.
Because of this, Demons are popular enough in Dungeon City to rank first among races people want to befriend.
But now a new face Demon is coming? How could anyone hold back?
"Grrr, I can't hold back! I will be the new Demon's personal footstool!"
"I wonder what kind of cute person will come? It would be nice if a male came this time."
In Dungeon City, where the only entertainment was watching an Adventurer get drunk, cause a ruckus, and get beaten by a Guard, the appearance of a new Demon made the hearts of Adventurers and Receptionists flutter.
Except for one person—no, one Demon. Except for Regina Gura.
'There are no Kin around the Guild! I cannot feel the status of their origin!'
From birth, a Demon's status is determined in proportion to the influence their defining concept—their 'origin'—has on the Middle Realm.
However. Nothing was detected at all.
Even when expanding her senses across the entire Bastion, she could only feel the status of the friends she already knew!
Despite her cute appearance that naturally evoked maternal instincts, Regina Gura was a Demon with a considerably—no, a very high status.
Just seeing that her Contractor was a Worker of God, an existence beyond the heavens, showed just how powerful and dangerous she was.
And she was absolutely certain.
There were no Kin nearby.
'But then. What on earth did they see to be so sure it's a Demon?'
Demons usually borrowed their Contractor's Magic Power to sculpt an avatar to operate in the Material Realm.
That appearance generally resembled the Contractor depending on the traits of their Magic Power. Because of this, most Demons took the form of the Human Race, the race that accounted for 99% of Demon Contractors.
Unless one was a high Tier Appraiser or a Demonologist, distinguishing between a Demon and the Human Race was extremely difficult.
However. They realized it was a Demon despite just being ordinary Adventurers?
'If just being a slightly beautiful Human Race makes them a Demon, then the crazy Alf at the counter five down is a Demon too!'
Curiosity swelled up for the first time in a while.
An existence that wasn't a Demon, but was called one.
She wanted to see exactly what it looked like!
With that in mind, Regina Gura carefully stood on her tiptoes and stared at the center of the commotion.
But the atmosphere was somewhat strange.
"Why. Why is everyone so terrified?"
In front of the Guild's main entrance, which was left wide open for ventilation.
The Adventurers who had rushed out to see the Demon were all frozen stiff, looking up at the sky.
It was as if they had been petrified.
Pupils dilated to their limits in pure shock, and a sticky sense of fear emanating from their trembling fingertips.
"Hey, what's wrong with everyone?"
A Veteran Adventurer called out to them, but there was no reply.
They merely kept their gazes fixed on a single point, trembling slightly in terror.
At that moment, a slightly alien sound, unlike the flapping of a Bird's wings, could be heard—as if shaking off a Beast's Leather in the empty air.
—Swoosh!
"...The smell of blood?"
Along with the mysterious sound. The scent of blood and death, the lingering scent of those who had lost their warmth enveloped the Building.
—Click.
A small but clear footstep that rang out in time with the beating of a Heart.
A long, black silhouette that lightly landed on the ground.
"Ah."
"Haa...."
This wasn't a sigh of admiration. It would be more accurate to say it was fear leaking out from their subconscious.
'...How on earth. How does that look like a Demon? Has everyone gone blind?'
The arms of The Dead stretching endlessly to both sides, the branches of original sin woven with transgressions.
A bizarre Crow's Head shedding a murky glint from its eyes, as if its origin was twisted.
A black Leather Coat of unknown material draped over a long, gaunt body.
It was not Human.
Nor was it a Demon.
It was something far more primal and foul.
If anything, wasn't it closer to That which was sealed by the Goddess?
A single tremor multiplied to two, then three, eventually encroaching upon the entire Guild.
After all, fear was like a disease, highly contagious.
—Click.
Turning its incredibly ominous black wings into ash and scattering them in the wind, That slowly stepped inside the Guild.
—Click.
With every heavy echo of its footsteps, an innate terror was forcefully drawn out.
"Is this the Adventurer's Guild?"
An ominous voice, sounding as if it echoed from the void, viscously seeped into their minds.
"Eek!"
Jolting back to her senses at the horrifying voice that seemed to defile her soul, Regina Gura frantically used her Authority to uncover its true identity.
[Failed]
'Eh?'
It failed. Why?
Never before had she failed to seek out information.
Even those Sub-Administrator punks couldn't hide from the eyes of a Demon!
'This makes no sense! Hand over the information! System! This... This is ignoring the authority of Regina Gura!!! It is unacceptable!!!'
Desperation.
No, a justified struggle to reclaim a Demon's authority continued endlessly.
[Failed]
[Failed]
[Failed]
[Failed]
[Failed]
[Failed]
[Failed]
[Failed]
[Failed]
[Failed]
[Failed]
[Failed]
In a fleeting moment, dozens, hundreds, thousands of instances of Authority touched it.
And then.
[*Error.]
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'Aaaaaagh!!!'
Her eyes were burning.
As if punishing an incarnation of greed who dared to View Taboo knowledge.
Suppressing the urge to tear out her eyes and ears, Regina Gura quietly closed her eyes.
'This makes no sense! I am scared! Please do not come this way!'
She desperately prayed that the unidentified monster, against whom her Authority was completely useless, would please go to the counter five down.
"The center is a bit quiet."
Ah! This was a major emergency!
***
"Please put me down."
Upon reaching the ground, I carefully set down my Contractor, who was squirming in my arms as if she missed the earth, and raised my head.
I saw young Adventurers collapsed on the floor, seemingly panicked by the dramatic entrance of a Crow Phantom.
I should probably land somewhere a bit more secluded next time.
"Everyone, please don't be too afraid. This is a very safe Demon who formed a Contract with me. Probably."
"Probably? That's a bit disappointing to hear."
My Contractor naturally brushed off my words and personally helped the fallen Adventurers to their feet.
In the process, the deeply pulled-down Robe gently slipped off, revealing my Contractor's androgynous beauty to the world.
"Ah!"
"Oh."
Naturally taking in that sight, the lifeless eyes of the young Adventurers began to sparkle brightly, fitting for their age.
—Click.
I tore my eyes away from the Adventurers who were looking at my Contractor with peculiar gazes and began to walk.
I retracted my Bio-Energy to shed the wings that were no longer necessary, casually brushed off the dead cells from my sleeves, and walked through the Entrance.
'Wow. There are a ton of people.'
Living people here, living people there.
It was not dried-up corpses, but living, breathing Humans everywhere I looked.
And, as I took one more step forward.
Gazes gathered on me.
—Flinch.
I instinctively almost pulled out my Automatic Pistol, but somehow managed to hold myself back. That was close.
"Is this the Adventurer's Guild?"
"I've only heard about the location too; this is my first time coming here in person."
I glanced at my Contractor, who was silently mouthing her awe, and looked around again.
The Adventurer's Association headquarters was a much cleaner and more organized space than I thought.
'Everyone looks like actors. No, would it be more accurate to say they look like game characters?'
The appearances and outfits of those who seemed to be Adventurers were too sophisticated for a typical medieval setting.
And the races were so diverse. Starting from Dog Beastmen to Cats, Lizards, Rabbits, Dwarves, Pointy-Ears, and more; all sorts of people were gathered here.
"I think the counter is over there."
At the counters stretching from the center of the first floor to the far left, people who looked like Adventurers were quietly standing in line (staring at me very closely).
"Oh. The center is a bit quiet."
"I think it's because lunchtime is approaching."
"Then, let's finish up quickly and go eat. I'd rather not draw attention because of an embarrassing rumble from my Contractor's stomach."
"I don't think it matters much since we're already getting all the attention we can get because of you, Raven."
"I feel exactly like a monkey trapped in a cage."
—Swoosh.
Before my muttering even finished, the surrounding Adventurers simultaneously lowered their gazes. Were they listening to me? How kind of them.
"Ahem! It's already mealtime! I should fill my empty stomach before exchanging my money! Ahaha...!"
"A-Adventurer, where are you going, I say! You must stop, I say! Do not abandon Regina Gura, I say!"
A large, fierce-looking male Adventurer quickly rushed past us as if he had some urgent business.
Thanks to that, a spot opened up in the center.
"A spot just opened up."
"It seems like today is my lucky day."
"Should we try a shell game?"
"Do you have any money?"
"No."
"Then, we'll do it later when we earn some."
"Sounds good."
—Click.
We arrived in front of the counter while having a light conversation. I saw a baby-faced Receptionist who looked two or three years younger than my Contractor.
Her neatly tied-back black ponytail and a precarious smile that looked like it would crumble at any moment were quite striking.
"Hello."
"Nice to meet you."
"A-Ah. Hello, I say!"
'I say? Her way of speaking is quite unique.'
The Receptionist stuttered, perhaps because she was a Rookie. Her gaze wavered unpredictably, as if she wasn't used to dealing with customers.
Despite that, her awkward smile that she maintained to the end and her small dimples were charming.
Does she usually practice smiling in front of a mirror?
Once she builds up a bit more experience, she will probably become a good Receptionist.
"T-To the Guild! W-What business brings you here, I say?"
"Do you want to know?"
Of course she wants to know, that's why she asked, you idiot.
It seems my language center has broken down from cosplaying as a Demon.
"I-I do not want to know, I say!"
That's a bit troublesome. Please be a little curious.
"N-No, I mean...."
When I quietly stared at her deep dimples because I had nothing to say, the Receptionist started babbling and her eyes began to spin.
Her raw reactions, unlike my Contractor who tries to hide her emotions, were quite delicious. This is a delicacy.
"...I'll come find you on my own once the Adventurer registration is done, so please wait near the notice board."
"Well, I'll do that."
Did she think I was bullying this little Receptionist on purpose?
A restraining order fell from my Contractor, who looked at me with eyes that seemed to say, *This is why the Demon race is....*
'I've been caught.'
How perceptive.
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