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༺ Raid On The Commoner's Dormitory (2) ༻
"Grooowll!!"
One of the demonic monsters rushing in the front took a giant leap and flew straight at us.
"…Hmm."
Soon it extended its sharp claws, and upon seeing this, I quickly reached out to the sword that I recently bought in the back alley, but…
– Clank!!
Serena, who suddenly stepped forward, easily blocked its claws with the fan in her hand, and in the next moment, she lightly waved it.
"Shrieeek!!"
Soon afterwards, the demonic monster was flung away helplessly and collided with its rushing companions. The monsters who witnessed this scene began faltering.
"How dare-?"
Serena, who stared at these demonic monsters condescendingly, flapped her fan in a relaxed manner, and then launched an attack infused with lunar mana towards them.
"Gro-Growl…"
"Squeal… Squeal…"
Thus, the demonic monsters, swept away by her lunar mana, faltered and began collapsing one after another. Soon, only silence lingered in the dormitory's lobby.
"What do you think? I'm amazing, aren't I?"
As I stared at the scene in a daze, Serena asked me a question with twinkling eyes.
"…Not really."
"Ugh."
After responding bluntly to Serena, I tried to ignore her sullen expression and muttered to myself.
'As expected of Serena. She has already completely mastered the Moonlight family's arcane skills at this point in time.'
The 'Moonlight Ducal Family,' one of the three 'Ducal Households' of the Empire, is a 'Family of Assassins' that guards the night of the Empire.
Perhaps that's why the Moonlight family, which symbolizes the moon, uses ❰Lunar Mana❱, which is most suitable for 'Assassination', because it is subtle and quiet but also secretive and fatal at the same time.
Like the radiant and overwhelming ❰Solar Mana❱ of the Sunrise imperial family that symbolizes the sun, and the sparkling and beautiful ❰Stellar Mana❱ of the Starlight family that embodies the stars, it possesses the abilities suitable for that family.
Of course, compared to the solar mana, which constantly generates explosive power, and the stellar mana, which can produce a tremendous burst of power in an instant, its destructive force might be lacking… However, lunar mana, which secretly digs into opponents like poison, is just as fatal in a different sense.
– Rustle…
While I was immersed in such thoughts, I noticed that the monsters slowly disintegrated into ashes. Seeing that sight, Serena spoke with a sullen look on her face.
"…If you had continued training with Lady Isolet and myself, this wouldn't have been a problem for you."
Of course, I can annihilate these demonic monsters with one swing of my sword.
I just didn't bother doing it in order to hide my power from the assailant and Serena.
– Swoosh…
Anyway, seeing the demonic monsters collapse, I was about to get a move on and begin searching for the assailant in earnest. However, just then I heard a familiar noise from behind.
"…Excuse me for a moment."
Kania was absorbing the dark mana flowing from the crumbling demonic monsters.
"…Ugh."
Watching this, Serena's brows furrowed as she hid behind my back and used her fan. She began driving away the dark mana spread everywhere around her.
"Here, absorb it all."
"…Thank you."
Kania frowned slightly in response to her actions, then began absorbing the dark mana several times faster than before.
"…Oh my, the stray cat seems to be angry."
"I don't care, so get away from me."
"Yes."
As I freed myself from Serena, who was clinging to my back, I heaved a sigh and began examining the two alternatively.
'…It would be nice if the two of them could just get along.'
Serena has known from a very young age that Kania is a warlock.
I don't know how she figured it out, but it's probably because she was a born genius, and as such, I asked her to keep quiet about this.
Fortunately, she followed my instructions and didn't reveal Kania's identity, but since the day she found out, she and Kania have not been on good terms.
I never understood the things they always bickered about.
"…Huh?"
As I was reminiscing about that, Serena, who was standing behind me, suddenly tilted her head with a puzzled expression.
Serena's reaction meant that something must have happened, so I rushed to where she was standing. However, when I arrived there I didn't notice anything special, but then—
"…Graffiti?"
"Well, there seems to be something suspicious."
While I was inspecting the enormous graffiti painted on the lobby floor, Serena suddenly turned around and began heading somewhere.
"…That's the dormitory manager and the maid, isn't it?"
"Yes, looking at their nameplate… I think so."
I followed her and found the manager and the maid both collapsed on the floor under a toppled desk.
"They are not dead, just unconscious. Even if I don't measure their pulse, I can sense the slight tremors in their muscles…"
"Well, if you know why they're in such a state, explain it to me concisely."
"It's magic. They fell into slumber because of a spell."
After hearing Serena's explanation, I sent her away and fell into deep thought. Soon afterwards, I spoke to Kania, who was standing next to me absorbing dark mana.
"Kania, can you infiltrate their subconscious space?"
"D-Do you know about that black magic spell?"
"Of course, I know. I know everything about you."
When I said so with a smile while looking straight at Kania, she broke out in a cold sweat and looked embarrassed for some reason. Upon seeing her expression, I added.
"Ah, if it seems too hard, no need to do it. It takes a lot of dark mana and is quite the dangerous black magic spell."
Kania stared at me for a moment, then smiled and spoke.
"No, it's fine. I'm overflowing with dark mana right now because I absorbed quite a lot from these monsters."
"…Thank you, Kania."
After hearing my words, Kania lightly nodded in return and immediately began infusing dark mana into the unconscious maid.
As I was looking at the scene curiously, Kania suddenly frowned and hurriedly withdrew her dark mana.
"…I don't think it's possible."
"What do you mean?"
Seeing Kania shaking her head in denial, I inquired with a puzzled expression, and she replied with a serious look on her face.
"…I don't know. Something like an unknown force is preventing me from infiltrating their subconscious space."
Upon hearing her words, my expression distorted.
"…The Demon King really is crazy."
"Huh?"
"It's impossible for your 'Subconscious Invasion' magic spell to not work… unless the 'Demon King' intervened."
"Then… you mean the Demon King is here now?"
When Kania asked with a shocked expression, I slowly shook my head in denial and answered.
"No, it's not… She probably shared her power with the 'Assailant'."
"Pardon? Not an executive or a servant… but with an 'Academy Student'?"
Having said that, Kania had an expression as if she didn't understand, and I also spoke with an incomprehensible look.
"That's why I told you. The Demon King is crazy. Why the hell did she do this? Why? Just Why?"
I've been speculating hard about the scenario that seemed to be out of sync for a long time, but soon, Kania asked cautiously.
"Young Master, just in case… the quest didn't fail, right?"
"Uh, it didn't fail yet. The main quest window is still there."
"If that's the case… it means that both the assailant and the Demon King still didn't achieve their goal."
"Yes, I'll have to stop this as soon as possible. And, after I stop the assailant, I should immediately take his place. So, Kania, I have a favor to ask of you."
"Yes?"
"…Share some of your dark mana with me."
As I left the table after Kania shared some of her dark mana with me in bewilderment, I heard Serena's voice from upstairs.
"Come here!!"
Upon hearing those words, I quickly went to the second floor and saw Serena staring at me.
"…So, why did you call me?"
"I'm going to tell you what I deduced."
Having said that, Serena waved her fan, and all the doors of the dormitory next to us began disintegrating.
"…This."
Soon, behind the disintegrated door, I witnessed a sight where many academy students were lying unconscious.
"I'm sure all the other floors are like this. I've defeated ten monsters on my way here so far, but I didn't sense any human presence."
"…Hmm."
As I put my hand on my chin and fell in deep thought upon hearing her conjecture, Serena continued explaining.
"Well, this is probably too big and too malicious for you to orchestrate… from now on, I'll assume that the reason you're here is to prevent all this from happening."
"…I get it, so what's your point?"
"Why were there no casualties?"
I opened my eyes wide when I heard those words. Meanwhile, Serena fanned herself and continued speaking.
"In this dormitory full of demonic monsters that are hostile to humans… strangely, there were no casualties. I'm sure they would have been able to break through the wooden doors easily and enter if they wanted to do so."
"Not to mention, even the manager and the maid, who were lying defenseless on the first floor, were fine."
Suddenly, Kania appeared behind me and replied to her. Seeing this, Serena frowned slightly, then coughed in vain and continued speaking.
"Ahem, anyway, considering that… it seems like there is someone who is controlling these demonic monsters."
"…That guy must be the assailant."
"Yes, and the reason that the assailant would put everyone in this dormitory to sleep and then release the demonic monsters to get rid of the intruders, while at the same time not harming the unconscious students—"
After hesitating for a moment, she quietly pointed to the lobby on the first floor under the railing.
"… See that graffiti we found earlier?"
"Yes, why…"
"There is a similar form of graffiti here."
Having said that, she pointed to the ground, where there was a graffiti similar to the one drawn on the first floor.
"What's interesting here is that the graffiti on the first floor and the one on the second floor where we are now, fit together perfectly."
"Then…"
"Perhaps, looking at the interlocking pattern, if these graffitis continue up to the top floor… they will eventually take the form of a 'Magic Circle'"
Having said that, Serena took a deep breath and began speaking with a serious expression.
"The reason I came up with… after seeing everyone being put to sleep, and seeing that the assailant is trying to prevent variables like intruders as he doesn't want to make the number of people involved unclear…it seems like a magic circle that needs to be performed on such a large scale–"
"…Shit."
Before she could even finish her words, a magic circle that was supposed to sacrifice a large number of 'healthy children' for the purpose of awakening the Demon King's powers flashed through my mind. The Succubus Queen I met in the back alley was earnestly preparing that very same magic circle.
Now that I took a second look at the shape of that graffiti… it's slightly different from the magic circle the Succubus Queen prepared back then… it seems even more malevolent and larger.
So, the real purpose of the 'Assailant' and the 'Demon King' who raided this dormitory is…
"–and it can be nothing other than a sacrificial magic circle."
"Let's quickly break through to the top floor right now."
As soon as Serena finished speaking, I gave her the order and rushed to the top floor.
"Young Master, why are we going to the top floor?"
"The magic circle gets completed on the top floor. Perhaps the assailant will activate the magic circle there. So, we need to rush there and stop it…"
"Rooooarr!!!"
"…Damn it."
However, just as we reached the third floor, we got surrounded by countless demonic monsters.
"…I'm in a hurry."
"Young Master, please step back."
"Sigh… they're going to crumble away anyway."
When I bit my lips anxiously, Kania and Serena clenched their fists and began glaring at the monsters…
– Schwiiiiing!!!
In the end, unable to bear it any longer, I drew my sword and slew the numerous monsters in an instant. Meanwhile, Kania and Serena looked at me in amazement.
"Y-You… How did you…"
"I'll explain later. For now, come with me."
Revealing my real skills in front of Serena was quite the 'negative,' but because of the ❰Absolute Obedience Magic❱, I'll be able to make excuses somehow… It's dangerous, but it doesn't matter since as a last resort I can erase her memories.
Right now, the lives of the commoners in this dormitory are more valuable than that.
"…From now on, we'll start breaking through. So, keep up with me."
Having said that, I swathed my body with stellar mana and began heading to the top floor at full speed.
"Y-Young Master?"
"Frey! You're way too fast!!"
I can hear their screams in the background, but now the lives of the hundreds of commoners are more important than that, so I decided to ignore them for now.
.
.
.
.
.
– Roar!! Roar!!!
"Damn it, these bastards… Where the hell did they get this kind of power!?"
"Hey, Stop!!"
"Fufufu… Hehehe… You've come all the way here… Why are you telling me to stop…?"
Thanks to my charge, we arrived at the top floor in a matter of minutes. However, it was already in chaos.
– Spark!!
"Lady Ferloche! Are you all right?"
"T-There's no problem at all…!"
Arianne's barrier and Ferloche's white shield were blocking the gushing dark mana.
"Couughhh!!"
"I heard you're suffering from mana exhaustion? Don't overdo it!"
"Th-This is nothing… nothing at all…"
Eventually, the fireball summoned by Irina and the golden flare emitted by Clana collided with the incoming dark mana, causing a massive explosion.
"Heupp!!!"
Then, the moment the aftermath of the explosion was about to devour everyone, Isolet's sword slash dealt with it. And as such, the identity of the 'Assailant' who was dealing with this party of strong people on the top floor was revealed.
"…Isabel, it was her."
Isabel, who was taken away by the Imperial Knights yesterday, was simultaneously wailing and smiling like a deranged maniac.
"It's no use!! I've said it many times… the moment 'Frey' arrives, you'll all die!!!"
Then all the people who were confronting her frowned at the same time. Even Kania and Serena, standing next to me, began looking at me in bewilderment.
'…She sacrificed her soul.'
Watching this scene, I was able to figure out what the situation is now.
It seems that she had dedicated her soul to the Demon King in order to obtain 'revenge' by placing the blame for this incident on me, and in exchange, she received a portion of the 'Demon King's Power'.
"Stop and surrender! You have no chance of winning!!"
"…If you keep spewing out dark mana like this, eventually you will run out of life force."
Of course, it's only a portion of the 'Demon King's Power,' so it won't be long before she runs out of steam.
"Eh, that's impossible! I only need to activate this magic circle here today! Then I'll officially become a member of the Demon King's Army… and the rest, my master, Lord Frey, will take care of it!"
The Demon King probably bestowed this power upon her, so she would activate the 'Power Awakening Magic Circle.'
If that magic circle is activated, everyone in the commoner's dormitory will be sacrificed, and the Empire will be engulfed in a rebellion led by the enraged commoners. At the same time, the Demon King who has awakened the ❰Blessing of Doom❱ will finally be revealed to the world.
She is under a constraint where she can't appear in the world unless she awakens the ❰Blessing of Doom❱.
'…The Demon King sure used her brain rather well.'
To receive power from the Demon King, one must give up everything and pursue only one purpose.
Isabel, who must have been in contact with the Demon King's army from a few days to a few weeks prior, probably met the requirements after I caused her downfall not too long ago… Because of this, she turned the 'Raid Incident,' which was supposed to occur on a smaller scale, into a 'Large Scale' incident just so she could make a favorable impression on the Demon King.
"F-Frey!?"
"…That guy."
While immersed in such thoughts, the people who had been fighting with Isabel for a long time finally noticed my presence.
"…Wait, what? Lord Frey?"
Then Isabel, who had been merrily selling my name until then, began staring at me in bewilderment.
"Ah…Ahhh…Ahhhh…!!!"
Then suddenly she moaned and rushed at me.
"…Huh"
"This filth."
Then Kania and Serena turned cold and tried to block the way…
"Lord Frey!! Please forgive me!!!"
Isabel, who stopped right in front of me, suddenly knelt down and slammed her head on the floor with all her might.
""...…""
Soon, the people who were watching this lunacy without even thinking of attacking her turned their gazes towards me in unison.
'…Is she crazy?'
Of course, I was also puzzled because I had no idea why she was suddenly doing this, but soon someone's voice resonated in my head.
– Frey Raon Starlight, associate of the Demon King's army.
'…Who is it?'
As I was perplexed by this sudden situation, the black crow sitting by the window in front of me winked.
– I'm a lowly servant of the 'Great Demon King.' It's a pleasure to meet you.
Then the voice resonated again in my head, and only then did I remember who the crow was.
'…Yes, this crow was the true culprit behind the raid on the commoner's dormitory.'
The crow, labeled as the 'Demon King's Pet,' has the ability to grant the wishes of the nobles involved in the 'Raid on the Commoner's Dormitory' scenario and collect their souls in exchange.
– That woman made a wish to join the Demon King's Army. In other words, she is your direct subordinate.
According to the crow, Isabel's wish was to 'Join the Demon King's Army,' rather than getting revenge.
So now, she seems to be doing her best to make a positive impression on me, who has already been in close contact with the Demon King.
– Today, in an hour, the magic circle will be activated to awaken the Demon King's power.. and sooner or later, they will appear in this world. For now, talk to that girl and buy me some time.
The crow implored me in a desperate tone. As expected, Isabel alone wasn't good enough to stall for time.
– I haven't forgotten the loyalty you showed to the Demon King's army thus far. So, if you cooperate, I'll bestow upon you infinite glory in consideration of today's work.
Having said that, the crow opened its beak and began urging me. Upon seeing this, I took a few deep breaths, then spoke to Isabel.
"I mean, I've been paying attention until now…"
"Leader, I apologize! I'm so sorry!!"
When I said that, Isabel shuddered in fear and screamed earnestly.
In reality, I was way too bothered to pay any attention to her.
"No way… you were…?"
"Sigh, as expected… At this point, I thought he had something to do with the Demon King."
"…You filthy bastard."
As soon as I pretended to know Isabel, everyone on the top floor charged at me. Kania also got a rough idea of the situation, as she quietly clenched her teeth and began attacking me.
"Hold on!! Wait a moment!!"
As soon as the enraged girls charged at me with a cold look on their faces, Serena stepped in front of me and exclaimed.
"…Serena?"
"I-It's been a while…"
"…I missed you."
When Irina, Ferloche, and Clana saw her, they looked pleased.
"Perhaps! Lo-Lord F-Frey took the lead in slaying the demonic monsters in order to save everyone!"
But when Serena shouted urgently, they quickly mumbled with an icy look.
"…Lady Serena, I guess she didn't return."
"That's really unfortunate."
"…Tsk."
Feeling the chilly atmosphere, Serena hurriedly turned her gaze towards me and asked.
"You!! Tell me the truth!! You're not behind this… right?"
However, as soon as I drew my sword and observed everyone with a relaxed expression on my face, Serena stopped speaking and began glaring at me.
'…Are you racking your brain again?'
Knowing that this expression on her face only appears when she ruminates, I touched the 'Stone of Domination' in the pocket with my hand, thinking that I should get to work before things went wrong any further.
""Roooooaaaaar!!!"
The next moment, all the demonic monsters in the commoner's dormitory began rushing to the top floor.
– What, what!? What's this!?
'…What is it? This is the hidden power of the Stone of Domination.'
Eventually, as the bewildered crow's voice resounded in my head, I answered quietly to myself, then touched the 'Stone of Domination' once more and put him into a state of hypnosis.
While that guy is an actual testament to the Demon King's resurrection, I need to protect my political position. Thus, making it seem that I was threatened to become the mastermind behind this incident. In addition, I need to pretend that my mind was being manipulated.
Therefore, I think I should use the crow whose pupils appear to be dazed and its beak wide open.
Only then will the Empress, who is in a cooperative relationship with me, and the Sun God Church, who I had been religiously paying bribes to, be able to protect me.
"Muahahahaha!!!"
After organizing my thoughts as such, I burst into a peal of evil laughter, then immediately emanated dark mana that Kania had absorbed and infused in my body in advance. I then exclaimed enthusiastically.
"For the return of the Demon King!!!"
As such, everyone present on the top floor prepared to launch an attack.
'…This time around I'm going to be out cold for at least a week, aren't I?'
It seems that the moment has arrived for me to become the final boss of the 'Raid on the Commoner's Dormitory.'
You can read 505 episodes for $10. p.*atreon.com/Astrid02