Symphonia Kingdom, the Albert Duchy. In one of the rooms of this
mansion where the otherworlder Kaito stays… the room he usually
used, there was a girl.
A dark grey, distinctive medium-length hair and black eyes. The girl,
who was as small as a child in the maid uniform she's wearing could be
described as strange to look at.
Her black eyes blankly stared into the empty air, seemingly unfocused,
and her expression alone could be described as eerie.
However, the girl wasn't particularly doing anything suspicious, and
was just quietly cleaning the room with actions that makes it seem like
she's well-accustomed to doing this task.
The way she wiped the widows twice, carefully cleaning every little
detail, leaving not even a speck of dust in them, gave her the
atmosphere of a skilled maid, which was a terrible mismatch with her
appearance.
After a round of cleaning, the girl brought in brand new sheets and
went about making the bed. She finished making the bed beautifully,
not missing even the slightest wrinkle in the sheets, and placed a freshsmelling flower in a vase on the table before leaving the room.
The girl's name is Illness… Despite her height of about 120cm and her
young appearance, she was one of the oldest servants of the Albert
Duchy and at the same time, one of the servants who got along well
with Kaito.
She had volunteered to make Kaito's bed and clean his room since her
first came to the mansion.
She is a servant who has been friendly with Kaito from the beginning
and was the one who often converses with him, which was very
valuable for Kaito when he first came to this mansion.
She isn't an assertive person and was often working behind the scenes,
so she does not stand out in the mansion, but she is an excellent servant
whom Lilia, the head of the mansion, trusts.
When Illness had finished cleaning Kaito's room, she went out into the
garden to the shed where Bellfried and Lindwurm were.
[…Bellfried, Lindwurm, your breakfast is ready.]
[Gaoo!]
[Kyuii!]
She is an excellent person, and is often the person Kaito asked to take
care of Bellfried and Lindwurm when he is away.
This time, she was taking care of the two beasts in place of Kaito, who
was participating in the Six Kings Festival, and the two beasts were also
quite fond of her.
[Well then, after you two finished eatiiing, I'll be back to collect your
containers, okaaay?]
After telling them in a slightly lisping tone, Illness left the shed to go to
her next task.
This was a normal scene, not particularly unusual in the Albert
mansion. It was also the same case for Illness too, as she moved with
the same movements as usual, and was about to return to the
mansion… but stopped when she heard the sound of conversation.
[…You think so? I don't know what My Lady likes about such a weak
man…]
[No, it's not like everyone places importance regarding one's
strength…]
[Really? But still… I really don't think that man suits the wonderful My
Lady…]
People who seemed to be in charge of this day's security were chatting
with each other. After listening to their conversation for a while, Illness
went back inside the mansion as if nothing had happened.
[Anyway, from what I see—– Gohook!?]
[W- What's the matter?]
[N- No, I'm sorry. It's just a little cough… Gohook…]
[…You don't look good, you know? Do you have a cold or something?]
[T- That might… be the case… I feel a bit…]
In the quiet corridor, Illness slowly walked.
[…Kuhiii.]
Alone in that corridor, a giggle leaked out of her mouth.
[Kuhihihi… This is no gooooood…"Killing them" is no gooooood…
Patience… Patience… buuuut if it's just laying her up for a whiiiiile, it
should be alriiiight… Kuhihihi.]
Letting out a peculiar laugh, an uncanny smile appears on Illness' lips.
Her unfocused black eyes looked like a bottomless darkness.
After a few moments, the smile disappears from Illness' lips and her
expression returns to the uncanny one she had before.
Just as she was about to move on to her next destination, a voice came
out of nowhere, stopping Illness in her tracks.
[…Stop and listen, you have instructions from Shalltear-sama.]
[Whaaaat~~ is it~~? "Astaroth"?]
The voice belongs to a subordinate of the Phantasmal King… He is one
of the ten leaders of the Phantasmal King Corps, a group of Count-level,
high-ranking Demons which is also known as "the Ten Demons"…
Known as the "Imaginary Informant" and the person who bestows
Demons their peerage, Astaroth.
(T/N: Astaroth's gender isn't clearly specified. I don't remember it
being clearly specified either.)
[On the Sixth night of the Six Kings Festival… In other words, tonight,
"all leaders of the Phantasmal King Corps are to assemble in the Central
Tower"… End of message.]
[Assembleeeee? Whhhhhhyyyy?]
[I don't know, I wasn't told the reason why. Anyway… I've told you about
it, so make sure to come…"Pandemonium".]
With those words, Astaroth seemed to have left and the corridor fell
into silence again.
[…My name heeeeereee… is Illness thouuuuughhh… Oh weeeell.]
After muttering to herself, Illness… No, Pandemonium started walking
down the corridor again.
[…In the Central Tower of the Six King Festival's venuuuuue…"Kaitosama" is also there… I guess I'll bring him somethiiiiiiing… Kuhii,
kuhihihihihi.]
Her uncanny, yet innocent giggles echoed in the corridor… The
Incarnation of Abominable Diseases that even pierces through the True
Blessing of High-ranking Gods… Thinking about the night, the
"Doomsday-Invoking Plague", Pandemonium let out a simple happy
smile on her lips.