【Priestess, did something happen?】

Equa, the Chief of Serhang, read the subtly shifted atmosphere of the village before and after the chat.

The Chief of Bigabol didn't seem to notice, but as a village native, he was different. Something had happened.

【I will tell you now.】

He had asked the Priestess, seizing the moment when the Chief of Bigabol was conversing with his companion.

The woman, who had been the Priestess since before he even became Chief, bent at the waist slightly and whispered back. He knew he shouldn't let it show, but it was something that made him want to jump out of his skin despite himself.

【W-What did you say?】

【Please calm down. You must not let it show.】

【R-Right.】

Equa barely managed to straighten his posture. However, his pounding heart did not easily calm down.

Of course, a warrior who draped black mana over himself like clothes and overturned the forest like a gale!

He had already thought he was a truly remarkable warrior despite being an outsider after hearing he killed Chibineong. But having heard this as well, that outsider was no longer merely a 'remarkable warrior'.

If that warrior had been a denizen of the Great Forest, he would have been called a 'Hero'.

【I wish to... converse with our guest. Of course, the Chief of Bigabol is curious about him too, so we would have to invite him to a place where everyone is present, but... c-could we get his permission?】

Equa had become Chief at a young age due to the early passing of the previous Chief. Though he was acting suitably for his position, he could not bring himself to erase his admiration for heroes.

For the first time in a while, the Chief showed a small greed as a young boy. If the Chief of Bigabol hadn't been visiting, he would have been clinging to the Priestess's waist, begging her.

Truth be told, even now, the fact that he had to see him together with the Chief of Bigabol was incredibly disappointing.

【That is...】

【I-Is it difficult?】

【... He expressed his intention to leave early.】

【That's...】

The fact that the Chief of Bigabol had expressed his desire to converse with the outsider was no longer important.

Since they owed him such a great debt, it was their job to persuade the Chief of Bigabol. Drawing out any more consideration from their guest would be shameless.

But, but...

Equa could not hide his regret. He had wanted to converse with the great warrior! He had wanted to see his dignified appearance as he drove out the warriors of Zatab...!

【Is there any problem, Chief of Serhang?】

【N-No. Now, let us go. They say the preparations at the arena are complete as well.】

However, the boy could not remain a boy. Equa quickly put on the face of a Chief and attended to the Chief of Bigabol.

【Priestess, please do your best to assist our benefactor so that he lacks for nothing until his departure. I trust you, Priestess.】

【Do not worry.】

It was time to move to the friendly arena.

"It really does eat mana..."

The Archmage and I closely examined the Jahukayas we had caught.

More accurately, only the Archmage was observing the snakes while I just held my spot in the back, acting aloof.

For reference, three of the four snakes were locked individually in cages woven from wooden slats. The remaining one was let loose in an enclosed room, currently undergoing active observation.

Even if they ate mana, they couldn't eat leather, dirt, or wood, so there was no worry of them escaping. Also, I was here just in case it attacked the Archmage.

—What is going on here.

"Ah, you finally checked."

—Did something happen?

"Something did happen, but I don't know whether to call this good news or bad news."

—What is it?

The Archmage began a conversation with White Wind through what looked like a crystal ball.

Was it because of the mana wafting from it? The snake, which had been gobbling up the mana orb the Archmage had made like a pigeon pecking at breadcrumbs, approached the Archmage.

STOMP.

"Were you hoping to commit suicide?"

No, man. If you see a snake coming, move. Don't just stand there.

You scared me into stepping on the snake with my foot.

"I knew you would save me, so what does it matter?"

Is this human serious??

—What's with that snake?

"It's a snake that eats mana."

—... What?

"I don't know if it was created in the same way as the snake we killed. However, I confirmed with my own two eyes that it eats mana. Ah, for reference, we captured four of them, so you don't have to worry about losing them this—"

—Bring them right now! You said you confirmed it eats mana?! Could you perhaps show me that one more time—

I tuned out White Wind's rapid-fire shrieks and checked the snake stepped on by my foot.

I stepped on it hard because I was in a rush, but its head didn't pop, right? Ah, no. It's alive.

I carefully grabbed the tongue-flicking snake and placed it in its dedicated container. The snake hissed and kept trying to poke its head out.

Looking at it more, it's kind of cute.

—They're mass-producing mana-eating snakes!? Aretheycrazyaretheycrazy?!

"You failed your spacing."

—What are you talking about!

If it eats mana, will it eat mine too?

I clumped some mana together at the tip of my finger with the feeling of forming a mana spear. Black mana gathered into a round ball.

If I stretched it out long and fired it from here, it would become a mana spear. Not that I made it with that intention.

CHOMP.

The snake bit my finger and the mana at the same time. Hey.

"What are you doing?"

My concept is ruined if I get caught playing with animals, right?

I casually pulled my finger out of the snake's mouth—it bit the gauntlet part, so it didn't hurt, nor was it hard to pull out—and closed the lid.

Since I had my back to the Archmage, she probably didn't see me get my finger bitten.

—I'll send people too, so hurry and return!

"Understood."

Since I'd be anxious just closing the lid, I tied it one more time with a string like I did with the others. The gift bundle for the Magic Tower was complete.

"Now then, since I've made contact, let us hurry and leave."

Uh, is it okay to leave without saying goodbye? To the Chief, the Priestess, or the Chief of Bigabol? I thought it was bad manners to leave without having a conversation, so we couldn't go?

"Since you went this far for them, they won't demand any more. No matter what happens to the alliance, Serhang won't be able to blame us either."

Hmm, I feel like I understand, yet I don't.

Listening to the Archmage's words, I picked up the bundle. Normally, I would have made my companion carry everything, but since my companion happened to be the Archmage, I just carried it all myself.

We can't have our Mage falling ill.

"A-Are you already leaving?"

But it turned out I didn't need to.

Knowing we were leaving, the Serhang side attached someone to us to use as a porter. It was the hunters I had saved from Chibineong.

【We have to repay the favor at least like this. Ah, please leave the path to the border to us as well! We will escort you safely via the shortest route!】

【When it comes to guiding skills, they are the best hunters in the tribe. Please do not refuse.】

The eyes looking at me were strangely burdensome, but it was always like this everywhere I went after performing an active role, so I quickly got used to it.

Watching the two hunters take on the luggage, I enjoyed the tranquility.

No one approached, and since we didn't share a language, I didn't need to answer, making it perfectly suited for chewing on the silence.

It was the kind of silence perfect for all sorts of idle thoughts to drift in. There was nothing to focus on, no one to disturb me, and the things left to do were simple.

In other words, there was no need to needlessly read the room and make blind guesses based on the atmosphere.

Thus, I enjoyed it to my heart's content.

A bewilderment over whether the quest here was truly over with this. A premonition that if this region also had a main quest, it would definitely be tied to their power struggles. I casually fostered suspicions like whether Zatab raising mana-eating snakes wasn't somehow connected to demons.

'It would've been nice if there was a quest window.'

Then, for a moment, my thoughts twisted in a different direction. A quest window. The concern I had pushed aside finally squeezed its way through the cracks of my thoughts.

At that moment, all sounds from my surroundings became muffled. Riiing. The ringing in my ears coming through the muffling was incredibly clear.

My hand came up on its own and pressed my palm down on my ear, my temple. Unable to bring myself to press both sides, I could only press firmly on the right side.

"Are you okay?"

Two seconds passed like that, then three.

The Archmage looked at me. Even though I pressed my head with my palm, I wasn't acting like someone with a headache, so I don't know why she was saying that to me.

Did I perhaps let it show on my face?

"What is it."

I couldn't have that. I hurriedly locked away my thoughts.

At least until I was alone. I had to lock them away until I reached a place where I didn't have to worry about my life no matter what emotion I threw up.

"No, your expression..."

Oh my god. I guess I really failed at controlling my facial expression.

Ssssp. She won't stab me in the back for breaking character... right? Right??

After I desperately performed my courtship dance, no, my act of pretending to be a Demon Knight.

Ms. Archmage, whatever you noticed, please let it slide just this once. Just this once. I'll keep working hard on my Demon Knight concept from now on.

"You."

I lowered my hand and focused on the Archmage. I couldn't afford to miss a single word she said.

"If there's a problem, please tell me."

If I missed a single word... Wait, this again?

I scrunched up my face, wondering if the rush of 'Are you feeling okay' and 'Blah blah seals' was starting again. It was an action mixed with more sincerity than acting.

"It is none of your business."

"Demon Knight."

Yeah, yeah. Do you really think I don't know what you're worried about? Of course I do. I know, but.

I'm at an age where I can accept other people's nagging as worry, but if I hear it this much, it still rubs my temper the wrong way.

Even considering my concept, I would allow some level of restraint since I harbor a demon—which is why I've endured it until now—but there's a limit to that too, right? Because my temper is no ordinary temper.

"I—"

"It seems you're starting to look down on me."

Ah, shit. Come to think of it, I forgot to mention the seals again. Ah. So disillusioned.

But it's a bit much to bring it up here, right? Right. Let's put it off just a little longer. If worse comes to worst, I could just skip telling the Archmage entirely and solely get more spares from White Wind.

"I have permitted you many things. Very many things."

Instead, I took a step closer to her.

Riiing. The ringing in my ears hadn't gone away yet. That was a bit annoying. It wasn't anger, just a slight bother. A subtle irritation stemming from it.

"Do not cross the line, any further."

... So this isn't me venting my anger. It probably isn't.

It couldn't be.

A person who takes out their emotions on others because they can't handle them is too unsightly, isn't it?

So this, this is just maintaining my concept. It was about time my concept started getting pissed off anyway.

He's the one who's most vigilant against the demon, and the one who gets the most stressed over it, so how angry would he get if someone else kept pestering him about it?

"... I."

The Archmage stuttered, seemingly not expecting me to react like this.

"... I apologize."

Even so, she apologized in the end. I didn't want to hear it. It wasn't her fault.

"I feel a bit bad saying this when everything is ready, but how about we rest a little before going."

"I do not need it."

The demon isn't going to burst out. Really. We can just go, so why is she like this? It feels like the Archmage is getting more and more obsessive about safety. I guess I'd be the same in her shoes, but still.

"It is because I am tired."

Ah, I guess the one getting obsessive isn't the Archmage, but me. How awkward.

And here I thought she was delaying it because of me.

"... How weak."

I deliberately covered up the obvious truth. Either way, I needed time as well. Time to separate my emotions from my concept.

... Because once they mix, it won't be fun from then on.

【... Is there any problem?】

【No, there isn't. More importantly, would it be alright to delay our departure a little? He has a lot of pride and tries not to let it show, but it seems there are still lingering effects from the poison.】

【Of course. I will prepare a place for you again. In that case, a healer as well...】

【A healer is fine. He will surely get angry and refuse. Instead... about the medicinal tea the Priestess gave us. Could we get a little more?】

【We will give you some, of course.】

【Thank you.】

Ah, but how long are we going to rest? If we're resting for a while, can I get some shut-eye? My fatigue level is a bit ambiguous.

BOOM!

【...?!】

【T-The training grounds!】

Ah, right. I can't.

【That's where the Chief is...!】

【Send people right now! Run!】

I squeezed my eyes shut as I looked toward the side of the village where the explosion was heard.

I definitely don't have a quest window, but I don't know why quests feel so vividly clear to me.

It's slowly getting to be too much.