Chapter 17. Rinne Rindvel (3)
The bustling Imperial Capital, reminiscent of a city that never sleeps.
If I turned east from the center, not too far away, there lay a vast slum.
The reason this slum formed was straightforward: the Adraton Empire expanded not through "negotiation" but through 'force'.
Excessive conquest wars.
Though mostly victorious, the bloodshed during the process and the new subjects unable to adapt to the Empire's culture and system gathered in this place, away from the capital's center.
Most likely, this social structure wouldn't change during the current emperor's reign.
Thinking that, I glanced at the sign beside me marked 'Sector 034A'.
'So this is it.'
It was the sector where reports of demon sightings had surfaced.
After reading the sign, I took out a rough map given to me by a man named 'Biden'.
They say, "In the absence of a tiger, the fox becomes king," right?
The slum was an area where the royal family had little involvement.
The man named "Biden" was part of a criminal organization acting like a king within this slum.
They knew almost everything happening in the slum in detail. Of course, they seemed to know vaguely what had happened on this Sector 034A.
The map briefly outlined the incidents and accidents in the vicinity.
"How did you know?"
As I was scanning the map and trying to confirm some locations we had noted before arriving, Rinne, who was following, spoke to me.
"What are you referring to?"
"That there were other people hiding in that house."
Rinne's emerald eyes were filled with doubt. At the same time, there seemed to be a reluctance about asking anything.
"Are you curious?"
"Yes, please tell me."
Surprisingly, she nodded honestly.
Rinne Rindvel.
She believes that there are points to emulate from anyone.
No matter how infamous Yulian might be, his skills are the real deal.
She prioritized 'phenomena' over 'people', and she was asking to learn from Yulian, whom she immensely disliked.
I didn't mind such an attitude.
Of course, it would be better if there was no hostility involved.
"It's mana detection."
"Mana... detection?"
"Every life, every object, every phenomenon, and everything in existence is imbued with mana. And mana tends to react strongly to other mana."
"Mana reacts to other mana."
"Before entering the house, I used 2 out of 38 'mana veins' to send out subtle mana around, to confirm where the enemies were hiding."
"Like a bat's ultrasonic?"
I nodded at Rinne's words.
"To think that's possible..."
Watching her murmur to herself, I sneered internally.
In fact, this method wasn't primarily used by "Yulian" but by 'mages'.
Being familiar with the settings of 〈Let's Kill the Demon King Now〉, I knew this was a way to detect the surroundings.
'Though I didn't expect it to be this easy.'
Perhaps Yulian's immensely abundant mana made it possible.
Ordinarily, knights detected hidden enemies purely with their instinct or sensing presence, but I wasn't the perfect "Yulian" at the moment.
Hence, I had to find a way this could work.
"Did you ask that man earlier about the housing situation instead of the incidents on Sector 034A?"
Perhaps still curious, Rinne spoke again, eyeing the 'map' I was holding.
"We came to investigate whether demons appeared on Sector 034A, not who lives here, right?"
"Of course, it's for that purpose."
"... For that purpose?"
I smiled, but she frowned instead.
"How much do you know about 〈demonization〉?"
"Do you take me for a fool? When the remnant thoughts of the Demon God Barbatos parasitize a creature, and that person becomes a 'demon'?"
"Who said humans couldn't undergo 〈demonization〉?"
"No one's ever told me that... It's societal common sense. I've never seen such a case."
"It would be rare to see. A very rare case."
Rinne pursed her lips.
I continued speaking.
"Even though it's a slum, we are close to an area dense with resonance stones from the Imperial Capital. For a demon to appear here naturally is improbable. Small animals are too tiny, making growth inconvenient."
As I continued, Rinne's expression hardened.
"What are you trying to say? According to your words, there's neither a natural nor parasitic occurrence? The slums have no entity suitable as a demon's host?"
"That's not the case. Aren't there hosts all around here?"
As I surveyed the area once more, bewildered realization dawned on Rinne's face.
"So, Sir Yulian, are you saying there is a human undergoing 〈demonization〉 in this district?"
"Yes."
"That's ridiculous!"
Seeing her loudly deny it, I realized that at this point, the fact that humans could be a subject of 〈demonization〉 wasn't disclosed yet.
"The belief that humans don't undergo 〈demonization〉 is societal common sense, but it's merely a 'groundless assumption'."
"... Suppose that's true. Then what does it have to do with housing conditions?"
Explaining everything one by one was a bit bothersome, but it was an undisclosed fact, so it was necessary to explain.
"Humans starting to undergo 〈demonization〉 typically experience high fever. This map contains details of houses managed under the slum's organization, 'Six Fingers', that have taken antipyretics."
Fluttering.
I waved the map in my hand.
"Three places took them in a week. It should suffice to check only these places. We can finish this within a day."
With her face full of dissatisfaction, Rinne silently questioned, 'What if it's not the case?'
"If not, from the next day onward, I'll act according to Ms. Rinne's wishes."
She truly was a troublesome young lady.
***
There was no gain from the first and second houses.
On our way to the third house, Rinne, with an oddly pleasant air, spoke up.
"Finally."
Her words had multiple meanings.
She might be getting triumphant over her previous claim that humans couldn't be subjects of 〈demonization〉.
But as mentioned earlier, any living being could undergo 〈demonization〉.
It was only that humans had a lower likelihood than other creatures.
"It looks like it's over there."
Checking the map, Rinne pointed to the household at a distance.
A normal-looking family house from the outside.
But as we approached, the increasingly pungent scent of incense made me frown.
The lanterns illuminating the grim mansion.
The fuel being consumed seemed to be some unidentifiable substance, not refined oil, causing a strange odor.
"It smells awful..."
Even Rinne frowned.
Leaving her behind, I knocked on the 'last house' door.
"Is anyone there?"
There weren't any responses from inside.
About to knock once more,
Creak—
The door slowly opened, wood scraping as if it had been neglected for ages.
"Wh-who?"
What appeared was an old woman with snowy white hair.
No horns, no demon's distinctive sticky residue, and she even retained her rationality. She indeed wasn't involved with 〈demonization〉.
But.
'Fear.'
The 〈Color of Negativity〉 visible above the old woman's head was familiar. Her slightly anxious gaze and stuttering speech were additional clues.
And the faint unpleasant smell wafting from inside the house.
This wasn't the scent of incense.
It was the blood scent mingled with the stench of a demon, which I had reeked enough of during the prior "Resonance Stone Escort Mission".
—Buzz.
My eyes stung as if bloodshot, and the tip of my nose tingled.
'Yulian's' latent combat instinct starting to boil.
It was the same sensation I felt when facing the bi-horned demon previously.
'There is.'
Inside, there was indeed a demon.
The suspicion of 'demon sighting' noted in the directive now became a certainty.
I tried my best to calm the boiling emotions.
"We're from the Imperial Family's exclusive agency, 'Blind Eyes'. We need to search the house, could you cooperate?"
"B-blind eyes...?"
The old woman's eyes bore bewilderment.
And soon changed to hostility.
"G-get out now! Get out of my house right now!"
Swish, the old woman attempted to close the door.
Slipping my foot into the door crack, I stopped it from closing. Then, pulling the handle strongly, the door opened almost effortlessly.
'Family consists of one elder and her young son.'
An ordinary person undergoing 〈demonization〉 wouldn't withstand the impulses sent by the Demon God's residual thought.
If it wasn't the old woman before me, then her currently absent son was suspicious.
"Ugh..."
As the door fully opened, the horrid scent of blood struck me like a tempest.
Rinne too inhaled the breath, stammering with her hand over her nose.
This much indicated that there was indeed a 'demon' inside the house.
Moreover, one fact came to light.
The old woman neglected the demon feeding on humans, or—
'... Fed humans to the demon.'
The dining table had two sets of dining utensils and two bowls set. It was exceedingly peculiar.
For two family members, the son in the process of 〈demonization〉 wouldn't be capable of a human-like meal.
So what did the two sets of unsoiled knives and forks on the table signify?
'Horrifying.'
I moved towards the source of the smell.
The deepest part of the house, a door with a lock.
"A-ah, my son, his mind isn't right! S-sometimes he acts rough but he's normal!"
"Sir Yulian! Instead of barging in, shouldn't you explain the circumstances...!"
"In this situation, is explaining the circumstances necessary?"
"Still, this is too forceful!"
"No, it's rather principled."
"We're here for investigation, not a subjugation mission! At the very least, we should offer a minimum explanation...!"
"Look at that dining table."
Rinne turned her head towards the dining table.
"Two sets of dining implements, one side untouched, but the other is completely empty."
"If this house's family consists of two, as you said earlier..."
"Anyone capable of a proper meal wouldn't be locked in a room."
Unable to refute, Rinne sealed her lips.
"It's probable she drugged neighborhood guests and fed them to the 'demon' locked inside that room."
"... Impossible."
Rinne's disbelief etched on her face, the old woman's hurried steps reached the locked door.
Searching her sleeve desperately, she retrieved a key to unlock the padlock.
"R-run, my son! Hurry outside...!"
Crash—
From the opened door emerged a hideous maw swiftly biting through the old woman's head.
Rinne, speechless watching the horrific scene unfold.
Meanwhile, my mind remained rational.
Similar to when facing the bi-horned demon, the instincts of the character 'Yulian' let me maintain my composure.
The demon devouring the old woman's corpse as if possessed. On its head, a single horn slowly started forming.
"A demon!"
Rinne hastily drew her sword from its sheath.
Confirming the single horn, she pushed off the ground and swung her sword.
Her body was visibly stiff.
Frightened by the sudden appearance of the demon.
Kiaaak──!
"Ugh..."
The demon's violently swung arm struck Rinne.
Witnessing her 'aura' wane, one of the issues with "Rinne Rindvel" surfaced in my mind.
'A greater number of mana points compared to others.'
She had to manage her mana through a method not widely known, yet it appeared current Rinne hadn't realized this.
Multiple issues abound.
Leaving her at this rate, it was only a matter of time before Rinne fell prey to the demon.
'For various reasons, this is Yulian's assigned mission.'
Any casualties during a mission, especially if a 'Sword Saint's apprentice' gets hurt, would draw public scrutiny.
It'd be problematic for me.
To perfectly portray 'Yulian', I couldn't afford any suspicious attention!
Kiaaaa──!
As the demon charged at Rinne again, I launched, kicking its head.
With a terrible wail, the demon crashed against the wall.
It's not dead yet.
I could still sense its presence amid the rising dust.
"I don't need your help...!"
"Don't need? It's the mission."
Ignoring her mutter of discontent, I drew my blade and aimed at the demon.
During this, one concern surfaced unexpectedly.
'... Had this period's Rinne witnessed 〈Moonlit Sword〉 directly?'
Currently, 〈Moonlit Sword〉 wasn't in the perfected state like Yulian's.
If Rinne knew of Yulian's strength, and upon seeing my incomplete 〈Moonlit Sword〉...
'I'd only lend credence to the rumors of memory loss...'
While contemplating, the demon that had crashed into the wall lunged at me.
With no choice, I fended it off without using 〈Moonlit Sword〉.
Needless to say, unlike the bi-horned demon, I couldn't neatly slice it apart.
The demon's body was as hard as metal, and slicing through required 'mana' usage.
Kraaaak──!
However, Yulian, precisely 'I', could cut it even without employing aura.
The newly acquired 〈Insight〉 trait pointed out the weak areas that could be sliced without mana.
Merely following this sword path and placing the edge there allowed me to continuously inflict minor wounds, if not fatal.
"Unbelievable... slicing without aura."
Rinne muttered in disbelief.
Frankly, I could hardly believe it either.
Slicing through a demon's body without aura.
Repeating these actions a few more times without employing 'aura', the demon's body turned ragged and tattered.
Kieek, kieeeek──!
A demon's cry consumed by fear.
Shortly after, it slumped onto the ground.
It had bled out excessively and died.
"If you'd used Moonlit Sword, it'd have ended at once, why didn't you?"
"Because it's more entertaining this way."
"..."
Recalling the lines spouted by that deranged slit-eyed villain, I realized once more how utterly crazy he was.
Clacky's Corner:
MC embracing his Yulian persona.