-Yeah that's right… you were the problem.
The Doppelganger clenched its fist. Asher walked out of the bushes with a cold bloodlust present in his eyes and pulled out his sword.
"I've been waiting for you."
Asher wanted to expose the Doppelganger and let it be found out by the others. He predicted that it would run away afterwards. And that in that timeframe of the Doppelganger trying to make it's escape, he would intercept it.
It was his plan, and so far it was going along as he hoped it would.
– God damn it! It's all your fault!
"Don't blame me for your deeds as a Demon."
Asher gave strength to the hand gripping the sword. The Doppelganger grinned.
– Oh, you're going to kill me?
The Doppelgänger's physical ability fell behind Charon, but made up for it with magical ability with it's demonic mana. However, Asher was a swordsman who had the physical ability to overwhelm Charon as well as years of experience in fighting with the Demons.
However, Asher was no fool and he knew it would be difficult if the Doppelganger read his memories. He felt that he had a strong mentality, but if the Doppelganger somehow escaped, things would turn for the worse.
– I was wondering how you knew so much, but it's great that you came out to me foolishly on your own two feet. It seems you know of us quite well.
The Demons were eradicated and hunted down when the Demon Lord was slain over 50 years ago. People didn't forget, but rather chose to forget over time.
But a child under the age of 20 knew them. The Doppelganger's eyes expanded as it roused the Demonic mana in the air around it.
– Show me your memory.
All of Asher's memories slowly entered the Doppelganger's brain. Asher watched the Doppelganger quietly with an indifferent expression. He knew it was inevitable so he let the Doppelganger have its moment of realization. The Doppelganger burst into admiration.
– Oh, wow. What a complete trash of a swordsman. I knew humans were bugs, but you are… you are completely hopeless.
"Hmm."
The Doppelganger was sorting through Asher's first life memories and was probably seeing just how much ridicule he faced when he first picked up the sword. Even the Demon species would know just how garbage Asher's talent was in terms of his learning with the sword.
'It must be feeling confused… right about now.'
Asher thought, as he was predicting the Doppelganger to start realizing it was looking through the memories of an entirely different person than the young man standing in front of him.
– …you.
The Doppelganger's voice, which was reading through Asher's memories, hardened.
– You- You- It's not possible! It can't be! How?!
"Are you done yet?"
– You! You!
The Doppelganger backed away in dismay. Asher shot forward and grabbed the Doppelganger's head. Asher consequently, as he gripped the head of the Doppelganger, pummeled it head-first into a tree. The tree cracked apart and exploded with a roar.
– KYAAAA!
"I may have never met you until now. But, since I've met your kind countless times, it's always impolite if I don't give you my greetings."
Asher released his hand from the skull of the Doppelganger and straightened his index and middle finger. Asher then stuck his two fingers into the sockets of the Doppelganger's eyes and ripped the eye out mercilessly
"Nice to meet you again. Demon."
***
"So what happened?"
Reika asked with a crumpled face. Asher replied calmly.
"I already explained it perfectly well. You have a knack for picking up things at a quick pace like you do with the sword. I'm sure you'll understand what happened soon."
"…how the hell can I possibly understand all of… this?"
Reika grabbed her head and ruffled her hair in confusion.
"It's just too crazy!"
It hadn't been more than a day since pandemonium had erupted in the Belturia Territory. Charon had brought Reika out to the carriage and then went back to get Asher. Suddenly, he had come back hours later looking like a disabled person along with Boros who looked extremely fatigued and in rags for clothes.
It was quite a sight to see in terms of the castle's appearance. The soldiers inside were groaning, and the Lord's room was smashed to pieces. Reika had rushed to find Asher, and when she found him, she couldn't understand his explanation at all.
"So let's sort out the events."
"Try me."
"…Balbaca was a Doppelganger?"
"That's right."
"And Boros is now the new Lord of the Belturia Estate."
"That's right. It seems you understand well."
"I don't understand what happened in between though!"
Reika gnashed her teeth.
"You said Balbaca was a great hero! But how could he be a Doppelganger? No, let's just say you're telling the truth about that. If so, then when did the Doppelganger take his place?"
"Well…."
Even Asher could not possibly know that.
"First of all, A Doppelganger is a Demon, right? Didn't they all get eradicated and pushed out of the continent?"
"That's what I thought."
But it wasn't the case. And this was an incredibly frightening development.