Volume 8 Chapter 5 A Little Demon Extermination
The next day. At breakfast, Alex asked me for a favor.
"Huh? Demon extermination?"
"Yeah. I'd appreciate it if you could help me out. A stray demon is living in ruins not far from this city."
Alex took a sip of his coffee and then chuckled, "Puha."
"It seems that a nearby village is in a bit of a mess, so I'd like you to help them out."
"Hmm?"
This was the first time I'd seen Alex's kingly side, and I was impressed that he actually cared about his people.
Alex continued,
"It's not a difficult opponent for the Wade Party to handle. However, it would be better to have a safe exposure to demons and their demon sorcery before you actually face them."
"Ah, so it's a 2-for-one kind of deal?"
"Well, yeah. I don't want you to be taken by surprise when you first encounter them in Nilfheim. So, think of it as a 'sorcery' training session with a casual stroll."
If Alex was going to the trouble of setting up this job for me, I had no reason to refuse.
"Alright. Sure, I'll go check it out."
"That's great. I'll give you some allowance later, so go have some fun when you're done."
I nodded. As I was about to head back to my room to get ready, Alex stopped me.
"Oh, before you go," he said.
"Hmm? Oh yeah. Is there anything else?"
"No, I was just wondering if you know what a demon is."
"...I guess I don't really know."
I had a vague idea that they were enemies of humanity. Also, the main race that lives in Nilfheim?
When I told Alex this, he nodded and said, "Yeah, that's pretty much it."
"But I want to emphasize that demons are truly 'enemies of humanity.' They eat humans and have no qualms about cheating and killing them."
"I get it. They sound like really nasty enemies."
"Even though I'm not an expert, I can tell you that demons are our absolute enemies. Just remember that. And Nilfheim, where you're going, is crawling with them."
"Alright, let's go meet them and see what they're like!" Alex pushed me out of the room.
And so, we dressed up in our adventurer gear for the first time in a while and left the city with a leisurely pace.
"Ah, this is nice. It's cool and breezy around here, and it feels good to walk around."
My steps were light as well. I was so relaxed that I almost started humming a tune.
"It's been a while since we've acted like adventurers in the Wade Party, huh...!"
"Yeah, Ice. We can finally stretch our legs."
Lately, we've been fighting in intense battles, from organized battles to wars and political struggles. So, it's been a while since we've been able to move like adventurers. I stretched my arms and started walking ahead.
"Clay, is this the right way?"
"Yes, Wade-kun. If you go straight ahead for a while, you'll find an animal trail leading to the ruins on your right. It's straight until then."
"It wasn't straight at all, sorry."
I felt a bit apologetic for causing him trouble. Then Clay chuckled.
"No, I don't mind. Ah, I feel like it's been a while since I've talked to Wade-kun. Your conversation pace is refreshing."
"Hey, don't compliment me...wait a minute. Isn't that a unique way to compliment someone? Do you ever compliment someone's pace in everyday life?"
"Heyyyy. Can you guys stop flirting? There's a lonely wife here waiting for her husband~."
Toxy hugged me from behind. She puffed out her cheeks playfully and looked up at me from her side.
"Hahaha. Toxy, are you jealous?"
"...I'll be jealous, Clay. I'm the wife."
Toxy hugged me while turning her gaze away. What a cute little thing. I couldn't help but pat her head.
"Hmm~...it's reassuring to have Wade pat my head."
"I know. Me too."
"Sandra, it's my turn now, so be patient for a little longer."
"I'm bored without a toy."
"Did you just call me a toy, Sandra?"
"I didn't say that, Toxy."
To mimic Toxy, Sandra clings to Toxy's side and peeks out with a mischievous face. While thinking that she's just a kid, I also pat Sandra's head.
"Hmm... it's quite... not bad..."
"You're popular with 2 wives, Wade-kun. How does it feel?"
"Sorry, but it's like dogs and cats."
"..."
Toxy releases her adorable mode without saying a word and blushes, then starts walking normally. On the other hand, Sandra stays close to me and continues to be petted.
"Nyaon. Great victory."
"I think Sandra is the strongest."
"Hehehe... Everyone seems to be having fun."
By maintaining her position as the only one I can pet, Sandra declares her victory. While watching this, Ice smiles calmly.
While playing around like that, we come across a beast trail. We exchange silent glances and regain our sense of tension as we continue.
After walking along the beast trail for a while, we reach the ruins as Alex described. It's a moss-covered, decaying stone ruins. It looks like it could collapse at any moment, but we're not members who would get hurt even if it did collapse.
However, it's not a place where we want to stay for long. I look at Ice. Ice nods. We understand each other.
"Ice create."
Using a curse spell, Ice creates 3 small ice birds on her fingertips and sends them flying. The birds enter the ruins.
"...I found something. What should we do?"
"Alex said 'practice against demon sorcery.' It would be best to observe by directly engaging."
'Understood, leader.'
Voices other than mine overlap. I nod and take the lead.
Following the guidance of the ice bird that returned, we step into the ruins. Thud... our footsteps echo. The air feels chilly, and the humidity is high.
The atmosphere of the dungeon. It gives us a moderate sense of tension. We steadily eliminate our footstep sounds and move as if we don't exist.
Along the way, Ice says,
"It's a little brutal, but that's how it is."
We all nod in agreement. With that, I enter the room, unable to imagine what kind of situation is suitable for the expression "a little brutal," with a question mark floating above my head.
There was a small hell.
Men and women resembling humans were devouring countless humans. A man with horns was biting into the abdomen of what seemed to be a villager, while a woman with a tail was roasting and nibbling at the legs of what seemed to be a villager.
"The surface is nice. Certainly the Demon King's aim. Hateful humans are nothing but weak, and it's an all-you-can-eat and torment paradise here."
"Hey! Our village was so poor, but here there's plenty of food and toys, it's like being pampered."
The woman who swiftly consumed the flesh from a leg casually tossed the bone behind her. Behind her, a pile of human bones, presumably the remains of those devoured, had been stacked into a mountain.
I didn't know the exact connection, but it quickly became clear that these 2 were enemies to humans. And so, our task was simple.
"Who's going, everyone?"
"Should I do it, Wade? It's better for the evildoers to suffer and die."
"Then I will too, Wade. I can't stand the sight of something so sickening."
"Then, I'll leave it to you."
In response to my question, Toxy and Sandra stepped forward. With deliberate footsteps, they made a sound against the ground, causing the man and woman to react abruptly.
"Wow, extra meals――Nope, these are enemies."
"No, wait, it's still additional food. Weak humans like them who can't even measure up in strength, come to offer themselves to be eaten by us."
The demon man and woman stood up. Their grinning expressions were twisted, and they seemed completely different from the former Eiosnight, even as demons—except for their sorcery.
It was a magical technique that I knew almost nothing about.
Let's take a look at what it is and see their skills.
"Let's go, Sandra. Lightly strike to gauge their reaction. If there's nothing interesting, crush them. That's okay, right?"
"Understood."
"Only 2 women coming at us? How foolish. As the Demon King said, humans truly are a despicable race."
"Heheh, let me show you your place?"
The 4 faced each other. Unveiled malice. From the extent of that, you could understand their strength.
Then the two woman spoke.
"You guys are not even worth silver. You're just bugs from our perspective, nothing that an ordinary person can even compete with."
"Don't talk big, you human sc*m!"
The male demon ignored the 2 who had stepped forward and shouted at them.
The weirdest thing was that the guy touched his own throat. And at the same time, light leaked out of his mouth.
The male demon's voice echoed through the ruins, loud enough to hurt our ears. But this kind of sound bomb was several levels below Moruru's Dragon Voice. It was used in a weird way, but it wasn't a threat. He just grumbled, "Shut up."
But thinking it was an effective blow, the male demon lunged at them. I didn't even take a stance.
That's because I trust Toxy and Sandra.
"I've seen enough of your sorcery, and I'm going to kill you."
As the male demon tried to slip past me, Toxy swiftly stabbed her sharp poisonous finger into his throat and pulled it out. The male demon collapsed without even feeling the pain.
"N...o, way...?."
The male demon convulsed and then quietly breathed his last. In the quiet resolution, the female demon asked the male demon in a trembling voice, "Wh...at are you kidding...? What are you doing...?."
"Hey, the opponent is just a weak human...? So, don't try to act like you're defeated, we won't fall for that.... So, get up quickly, please... please...!."
"'Indra'"
Sandra took a stance and chanted a mantra. Sandra's Swadisthana chakra activated, and the baby in the chakra opened its eyes.
"Okay, hurry up and use your demon sorcery. I'm only thinking about finishing this up quickly and cuddling with Wade."
"I don't know about that."
"My husband complained before the enemy."
Everyone was chuckling. But the female demon was not in the mood. Realizing the death of her mate, she trembled and put her hand to her chest.
"―――Thisssssss!"
Just after a loud heartbeat sound, the female demon disappeared. However, she had only moved at high speed. In fact, there was not a single member of the team who could not follow her movements.
"Okay, that's it."
Sandra, who was about to be attacked by the female demon, had taken her position behind her faster than the female demon had moved. She grabbed the female demon's backhand and chanted a curse.
"Spark―――."
But a stronger blow.
"―――Burst out."
Bzzz! With a loud explosion, lightning shot out from the center of the female demon. The female demon was instantly charred and collapsed on the spot.
In the midst of this, the female demon wove words.
"Die, scum, human...!"
The charred body shattered into pieces from the impact of falling to the ground. We looked at each other and understood what kind of atmosphere demons and sorcery had.
"I see, the path to Niflheim is apparently a path where only enemies of humans exist."
Alex, you sneaky bastard. You really gave us a feel for the temperature of the demon world in a leisurely way.
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