The Archmage showed no signs of arriving, but that wasn't a reason for me to skip the examination.

Thus, as soon as I finished my meal, I went down to the Magic Tower to get my body examined. Since it wasn't an examination for making a custom seal, there was no need to spam my skills.

"To know if mana is involved when a wound heals..."

"Even so, for us to inflict the wound is a bit─."

SQUELCH!

"Aaaagh!!"

"Waaaaagh!!!"

I just had to inflict a wound on my body.

What, it's a bit weird to inflict it myself? But since today's spar was pushed up and done yesterday, there were no more excuses for me to get injured.

So what else could I do? I had no choice but to do it myself.

In front of the mages, I dragged the sword piercing my forearm in a long slice.

I felt it scrape against the bone, but it wasn't a big problem. With how many mages were here, there was no way they couldn't fix this.

It was better to do it properly in one go rather than make a tiny cut, preventing them from observing it and making me lose face. It didn't hurt anyway.

Even though everything else felt like reality, getting hurt was somehow unrealistic—whether it was because my senses were dulled, or because the thought that I was still using a game character's body dominated my mind, I didn't know—and it wasn't particularly scary either.

"A-Are you all right..."

I actually found these mages stranger.

Though it was the people from other branches who had said it, weren't mages the ones who made all sorts of proposals, asking to research me, to sign an experiment roster, and do this or that?

And yet, when the opportunity actually came, they were hesitating like this.

I wondered if only this branch had kept their conscience intact, or if the ones who proposed those things to me were simply exceptionally remorseless. It made me unnecessarily curious.

"Check it."

But curiosity was curiosity, and a wound was a wound.

Keeping my eyes on the HP window, I rolled up my sleeve. Pulling back my coat and shirt revealed bandages, but I silently unwound those too.

Because I had stabbed my left arm instead of my right, so revealing it didn't matter at all. Haha!

"Wow, how intense."

At that moment, White Wind approached with light steps. While the other mages were stealing bewildered glances at my wound, White Wind straight-up shoved their face right next to it.

Behind White Wind stood the mage with the businesslike attitude who had been in charge of me last time.

"I don't see any mana yet..."

Well. Maybe it's because my HP is still in the safe zone? It was a wound that would heal perfectly fine without threatening my life as long as it was treated.

"Do you only draw on mana when your life is hovering on the brink?"

I was thinking something similar in that regard. It was quite obvious, really. After all, a power that only appears when you're on the verge of death is a common cliché, isn't it? Though I didn't have any skills like that.

SPIN.

I twirled the dagger I had used to cut my forearm between my fingers.

Where was the spot again that supposedly guarantees a slow but certain death when stabbed?

"You're going to stab yourself?"

"If necessary."

"I'm going to get scolded."

"Are you afraid of that?"

"No."

Was it the lungs, or the liver? I don't know.

Since stabbing either would be a fatal wound anyway, wouldn't it elicit the desired reaction? I had a skill that nullified death once, and with this many mages around, I wouldn't die anyway.

Thinking that, I unfastened my coat and shirt.

"If you touch my right arm, I will kill you."

"Okay!"

Suddenly, the thought occurred to me that my companions would scream if they saw this.

It didn't affect me at all since it felt like I was experimenting on a game character, but my companions... especially DeB, would probably go, 'You're self-harming again, Boss!'

"If you're going to do it, lie down here. It's easier to observe."

But what could I do when it really didn't feel like attempting suicide, but rather draining a game character's HP?

Besides, even assuming I was living with a sense of reality, if I didn't resolve this now...

I stopped my thoughts right there. I had finally relieved my stress, so there was no need to deliberately pile it back on. Overthinking drives a person crazy.

What I needed to think about now—no, what I needed to do—was to empty my brain as much as possible and live according to the flow of the situation. Doing the best I could at each given moment.

"Can I cut the bandages?"

"Suit yourself."

"Ah, should I give you some anesthesia?"

My senses were dull to begin with, so anesthesia was unnecessary. And I didn't really care whether my chest was exposed or not.

Thus, I answered with actions instead of words.

'This crazy bastard is doing it on purpose.'

The white bandages soon began to stain crimson.

"Are you awake?"

I didn't know when I had blacked out.

I lifted my somewhat heavy eyelids. My body felt a little stiff, but it wasn't enough to be a big problem.

In fact, the complete lack of pain in the areas where I inflicted the wounds made it feel exactly like waking up from a sleep endoscopy.

"The examination is complete. As expected, it's true that when your life is in danger, you draw in mana to sustain your life."

I blankly touched the skin of my stomach through the opening in my shirt. Since the bandages had already been restored, I couldn't touch my bare flesh.

However, I didn't feel the distinct contours of a wound, nor was there any pain. Thanks to that, I was at least certain that I was perfectly fine.

"However, we did confirm about two things that are a bit strange... Let's head out and I'll tell you then! You need to put your seal back on and fix your clothes, after all."

Ah. Right. I need to put the seal back on.

I checked my mana, noting that the first digit had changed back to a 2. There was also something rolling around inside my sleeve near my forearm, which was probably a fragment of the seal.

"For reference, since your chest was already exposed, I examined your heart area too, and that part is perfectly fine as well! No need to worry!"

Saying so, White Wind gave a brisk thumbs-up. That made it feel even more like a sleep endoscopy. Hearing that my heart was examined also gave it a bit of a health checkup vibe.

"Though the news you're about to hear probably won't put you in a good mood!"

But what did that mean all of a sudden?

"Boss..."

"D-Demon Knight..."

"Comrade, are you awake now?"

I understood White Wind's out-of-the-blue remark ten minutes later.

It seemed the rest of the party had arrived while I was getting examined here. They must have seen the process too, considering their complexions were poor (excluding the Berserker). Akata didn't seem to be present, likely due to the nature of the setting.

"Boss, you clearly promised..."

"This time, this matter is..."

But as long as Akata wasn't here, that was the end of it.

It wasn't just once or twice that my concept had prioritized demons over my own life. If the kid hadn't seen it, what did I have to feel guilty about?

Besides, while my choice might not have been right, it wasn't wrong either.

After all... who knows if brushing it off carelessly wouldn't return as a huge disaster later.

The choice I made was certainly one that showed no regard for myself, but that didn't mean I deserved to be reprimanded for it either.

Because this world is by no means a fairy tale, there are inevitably unavoidable best choices like this.

"You..."

And just as I knew that, the Archmage knew it too.

For that reason, instead of saying anything to me, she led the two people who wanted to speak back behind her.

"Let us find a somewhat better method next time."

But you haven't forgotten that we fought earlier, right?

"It is none of your concern."

Feigning hostility, I followed behind White Wind. The place White Wind led us back to was the reception room from before.

"Like I said earlier, our hypothesis itself was correct. You won't die easily. The demonic energy dwelling in your body—that mighty mana—will hold onto your life to the bitter end."

White Wind flopped down into a seat and abruptly launched into the explanation. The others entering the room looked even more on the verge of tears at those words, but not the Berserker or me.

"Oh, so you're practically half-immortal, comrade? That's great!"

"No... that's not what they meant..."

"Is that not what it means?"

I see... So that's why I survived even when I threw my body around so recklessly.

I had thought it was either the system forcing it or just plain good luck, but apparently it wasn't either.

"However, while observing the state of your injury, we discovered one, or maybe two, problems."

A marionette set down some refreshments.

"Did you by any chance make a contract with a demon?"

No one touched the food. My brow fiercely furrowed, and all sorts of groans spilled out from behind me.

"You'd better have a proper basis for the question you just asked. If not..."

I shouted inwardly.

"I will crush your neck."

'Wow! The secret lore is finally dropping!'

"Hmm. So that's how it is. Then again, there's no way you contracted with a demon."

Even though I was definitely oozing bloodlust, White Wind maintained a nonchalant attitude. Rather than me being less intimidating, it felt more like White Wind was completely engrossed in other thoughts.

"The reason I asked just in case is that the demonic energy showed an extremely bizarre form."

"... A bizarre form?"

"First of all, we have no way of knowing whether the mana used to keep you from dying was initiated by you, or if the demon in your body intervened to prevent its host's death. We were simply leaning toward the former because it didn't try to take over your body using the opening when you were weakened."

While Kimchi Dumpling behind me gave a small nod of agreement, White Wind flipped the topic with the word "However."

"The demonic energy, not the mana, was doing something more. Not only was it healing your body, but it also took on a flow that sought to restrain and bind something."

Stopping short upon hearing that, I reflexively furrowed my brow. Restrain, bind. These were words I had grown quite un-fond of while playing this game.

"I don't know what it was targeting. It's a method I've never encountered in my life. But that's... no matter how I think about it, it doesn't seem like something you did unconsciously, right? If you had the ability to suppress a demon even in a life-or-death situation in the first place, there's no way you'd be in this state now."

"Then the demon—"

"Exactly."

"But if the demon did it, that's strange in its own way. It's totally out of character for it to use its power elsewhere when it should be jumping at the chance to take over your body."

That was true. Healing my body was one thing, but doing something else instead of taking over was better seen as a hidden scheme.

"Ultimately, it means this takes priority for the demon over taking over your body... If you aren't bound by a contract, then it's highly likely an issue of benefit. The only problem is that even with my knowledge, I can't clearly define this action. In other words, we can't figure out what kind of effect this will have on you."

I thought of the demon from the setting.

And supposing I was handling a character—a demon—in this exact same environment, I pondered what would be the best move from its perspective.

"So, I will advise you right here."

Since taking over the body could just lead to another struggle for control... maybe it was looking at the longer term? Like erosion, or laying groundwork.

Or else, making me...

"From now on, do not get so injured that you shatter the seal and have to draw upon your mana. If you're going to get hurt that badly, it's better to just die."

I stopped my thoughts, which were crossing the line from speculation into wild guesses and absurdity. It had only been a short while since I vowed to prepare myself but not to needlessly buy into anxiety and despair ahead of time.

Giving up after three days was more than enough when I tried resolving to cut out high-fructose corn syrup back in reality.

"For you as well, that's better than falling to a demon, right?"

I squeezed my eyes shut instead. And opened them without delay.

"I will keep that in mind."

Basically, rather than clearing it in a near-death state, I should just die and retry. Fine, got it. Memorized!

"No, Boss. That's not something you should be agreeing to...!"

"Ultimately, we just need to ensure the Demon Knight doesn't fall! I will try even harder!"

"The Berserker does not quite understand what this means... Why would my comrade be eaten by a demon?"

"... Did we not explain it to you when we joined forces? The Demon Knight harbors a demon within his body."

"Were you not referring to his hatred toward demons??"

However, unlike me, who had obediently accepted it, the back rows were in complete uproar. I lowered my brows and simply kept my eyes on White Wind.

"The second matter."

"Huh? Ah. This one is a bit ambiguous. It's more of a singularity than a problem... The Archmage said she saw black mana when you got hurt in the Great Forest, right? But the mana we saw was closer to gray."

Huh? The color of my mana changed?

I fell into thought for a moment. It couldn't have changed for no reason, so there had to be a cause...

I tried to think of the differences between when I was injured in the Great Forest and now. The surrounding environment, the attackers, and everything else were entirely different, but that didn't seem like it could be the excuse... Ah.

CLACK.

I pulled out the orb that the Sea Dragon had given me and the Mountain Lord had fixed, setting it down.

"... What is this?"

As if recognizing its value at a single glance, White Wind's eyes gleamed.

"An orb harboring the energy of the Sea Dragon and the Mountain Lord. The Mountain Lord said this possessed the power to purify corruption. Could this have had an effect?"

"... Probably. But I want to buy this. You won't sell it to me, will you?"

Not a chance. I put the orb back away before White Wind could start drooling from the mouth as well as the eyes.

Since the color change seemed to be roughly explained by this, I just needed to be careful about injuries from now on.

"Aaaagh!! Don't put it away already! Just once, let me see it just one more time!!"

"There should be nothing more to do. I will be taking my leave."

"No, show that to me! Showing me that is your job! Demon Knight, don't gooooo!!"

Regardless of White Wind wailing or not, I mercilessly stood up from my seat. White Wind threw their body forward and grabbed my pant leg—or more accurately, my shoe and ankle—but I couldn't care less.

With indescribable expressions on their faces, the party members behind me looked back and forth between me and White Wind.

"White Wind."

"Just once, just once!!"

"How pathetic..."

"Who cares about being pathetic?! An item that is likely the only one in the world is right in front of me!!"

"Let go...!"

Ugh, please let go of me. Hoping to shake off the person clinging to my leg, I swung my leg a few times.

However, the person who had looked incredibly frail seemed to have their physical strength increased tens of times over by their greed for research. They didn't fall off easily.

"Oh man, Master White Wind, let's let go. You'll die at this rate!"

"Let go, please. I actually have more to discuss with you anyway."

"You cannot do this."

"Nooooo!!"

In the end, the Archmage, Deathbringer, and the Inquisitor hauled White Wind away. The method consisted of the Archmage sliding her arms under White Wind's armpits to lift, while the Deathbringer and Inquisitor pried the arms off me.

"No, my orb..."

"Like I said, it ain't yours, Master White Wind..."

Dangling from the Archmage's hold, White Wind shed a stream of tears.

"U-Um, Demon Knight, are you all right..."

Meanwhile, the Inquisitor stealthily approached and checked on my mood. Naturally, with a crumpled expression, I flung open the reception room door.

"Aaaagh! Catch the snake!"

"Magic doesn't work, we can't catch it!!"

"On the count of two, lift—whoa!"

"Aaaagh, it's eating my head!"

"Uwaaaaagh!!"

The outside was also a total mess—no, a snake pit. Haha.

"Oh, is everyone playing with snakes? The Berserker wants to join in too!"