"So there's no information to be gained externally, after all."

Meanwhile, the Meister reached a conclusion after a long while. His face hadn't changed from when I first met him. It was calm and monotonous.

"Then the only way to get information is to study this thing itself..."

No, it seemed there was one thing that had changed. His purple eyes were sparkling with interest.

"This is fun."

To earn the title of an artisan at a young age, one must be able to feel amusement even in such a daunting situation.

Well, for me, who was curious and wanted to know the identity of the equipment, it was only a benefit.

"First of all, you. Tell me if you regain any lost memories about the equipment. I don't expect them to suddenly come back to you, but just in case."

In the meantime, the Meister pulled out a piece of paper and a pen from his clothes and began to scribble something down.

"Additionally, regarding the property of this returning to you, I think I'll need your cooperation with that as well."

"Cooperation."

"If you don't want to, I won't force you. It's not like I bought your equipment, and it's not like I have the money to buy your cooperation anyway."

However, I couldn't quite tell what the contents were. Normally, a Korean translation would pop up over the writing so I could read it... but for this guy, the translation wasn't showing up properly.

"But you'll do it, right?"

To say I couldn't decipher it because the letters looked flipped, well. It wasn't like the translation wasn't popping up at all, either.

It was just... it only looked like something along the lines of '@$%#@so#$@@#'.

"... The results must be shared."

"Stating the obvious."

Why was it popping up like that? I narrowed my eyes slightly and stared intently at the writing underneath the translation.

"Alright, then next... let's coordinate our schedules."

And then I realized. Compared to the writing I had seen so far, the shapes were heavily crushed and cursive. Was he perhaps just a terrible writer? Was that why it couldn't be interpreted?

This was truly absurd.

"Do you happen to have time tomorrow?"

"In the morning."

"Then would it be possible to meet at the Magic Tower in the morning?"

At the Magic Tower? Not the workshop?

I slightly raised an eyebrow before nodding my head. I was scheduled to go to the Magic Tower right after lunch tomorrow anyway. I judged that it wouldn't be a loss to go starting from the morning.

At the very least, it wouldn't be a loss in terms of my route.

I was a bit reluctant to visit the Magic Tower itself, but that was because of the madness unique to mages... their craziness... anyway, stuff like that, so it wasn't a big problem.

"Then we'll meet at the Magic Tower at this time tomorrow."

"Confirmed."

So I smoothly made the appointment. The Meister was a type who was clear about drawing the line, which made it very comfortable.

... Or maybe it was just comfortable because he was someone who didn't know about me and my persona. Since I was in a situation where I couldn't even have an official conversation this long with my party members.

Well, even so, ever since that Dorf-something city, I'd become unable to completely drop my persona even in front of strangers.

BANG!

"Just what in the world did you bring!"

"Wait, Sage Karl. Please calm down..."

"To the research ward, right now...!"

"Sage!!"

Regardless of how easily the appointment had been made, the events of the following day didn't pass by so easily.

As expected, the Magic Tower was a tower of nutjobs... no, eccentrics.

* * *

"The Demon Knight is running late. Do you suppose something happened..."

"Surely not. He's probably just running a bit late."

"Even so..."

"Isn't he just sleeping in?"

"Oh, come on, surely not."

Even the Archmage, who had been listening to the conversation, raised a doubt at the Berserker's words, saying, 'Surely not.'

If he had been unconscious for two weeks due to an injury, that would be one thing, but a Demon Knight simply sleeping in was completely unimaginable.

"Why surely not? The Demon Knight can sleep in too."

"That's true, but..."

Of course, just as the Berserker said, the Demon Knight could very well sleep in. A person couldn't be perfect at every single moment.

Furthermore, hadn't the Demon Knight secretly shed tears three cities ago—though unfortunately, the reason was still unknown? Even if it didn't seem fitting, it could certainly happen. Since there was a precedent, it was a reality they had no choice but to accept.

"Separate from knowing that, it's just unimaginable, that's what we mean..."

"Fair enough."

But how to put it... what doesn't fit just doesn't fit. Just as the two words, the Demon Knight and a smile, did not match.

In the end, everyone became unsettled with worry.

"Ah, he's coming."

"More importantly, why is he coming out of the Magic Tower...?"

Fortunately, before their brains could be occupied by thoughts of naps or other imaginations, the Demon Knight slowly revealed himself. It was a Demon Knight dressed somewhat differently than usual.

"Boss, your clothes..."

It wasn't as if the Demon Knight had never worn different clothes before.

During battles, he wore his usual clothes, but when resting, he would wear other clothes in his own way. Though even then, it was only to the extent of changing his inner shirt, wearing a corset instead of a vest, or changing his coat.

"Demon Knight, have you decided to affiliate with the Magic Tower?"

But right now, he was wearing a gown-like mage's robe draped over his shoulders. There was no way to know what the reason was for this.

"... It seems you arrived earlier than us?"

To think she would ever see the Demon Knight wearing that robe. The Archmage scanned the Demon Knight with a perplexed feeling.

A visitor's pass hung on the gauntlet visible through the mage-exclusive robe.

"... Well, let's head inside for now."

Seeing as he even had a visitor's pass, it seemed someone had lent him the robe to wear, but...

The Archmage recalled the implicit rule of the Magic Tower, where lending one's robe conveyed the meaning, 'This person is my guest, so if you touch them, I'll destroy you,' and made an effort to look at the inside of the robe.

This was because a mage's robe usually had its owner's name embroidered on it.

"... How did you end up wearing Karl's robe?"

The name she discovered that way was, surprisingly, one she was also well acquainted with.

That was thanks to him being the top disciple of Surging Blue Coral, and a name often mentioned as the material for the next Great Sage.

At the same time, he was an eccentric who only knew about research. An eccentric from whom it would be impossible to just happen to bump into and borrow a robe.

"Did you call me to have this kind of idle chatter?"

... But there was no way the Demon Knight would meekly tell her such things.

With a sigh, she led the party. The Demon Knight, who somehow looked to be in a bad mood, followed right behind them.

"Demon Knight, are you perhaps learning magic now too?"

"No, I mean, why would he do that..."

"But he is wearing a robe!"

"That's because..."

As a bonus, the efforts of those two trying to get closer to the Demon Knight echoed out in endless chatter again today.

"Ah, Archmage!"

"Hm? Ah, Liam, it's you."

Just then, someone hurriedly approached them. Gray hair akin to an afro perm swayed flutteringly.

"Due to an urgent request from the Lord, the Great Sage had to step out, so it seems I will unavoidably be taking charge of guiding you today."

"Is that so. Then it can't be helped."

Sage Liam pushed back his heavily curled, bushy hair as he lightly asked for their understanding.

It was somewhat of a shame for the Archmage.

She had felt that there would be nothing more certain than Surging Blue Coral personally stepping forward to examine the Demon Knight.

"So the person to be checked today is... this gentleman, right?"

However, this examination itself came from the goodwill of the Magic Tower. Surging Blue Coral's time was exceptionally expensive even among the many Great Sages.

Therefore, she chose to proceed with today's schedule rather than revealing her disappointment.

"Yes, then right this way."

Liam began to fulfill what was promised for today.

"Could you take off the robe for a moment? A disruption magic is cast on that robe, so there will be an issue with examining you as you are."

The place where I got examined was different every time, but the examination process itself was similar. I followed the mages' request and slowly took off the robe.

It was the robe Sage Karl had lent me in exchange for taking apart not only my glove but my coat as well. Though I still had no idea how this was supposed to be a fair exchange.

"... This is no joke. I never thought the day would come when I'd get to touch the Sage's robe."

"What if we take this apart just a little... we shouldn't, right?"

"Who is that guy for Sage Karl to even hand over his robe?"

"You don't know? It's the Demon Knight."

"Everyone, stop it unless you want to be dismantled by Karl."

"Yep."

Still, when I was walking around earlier, everyone was walking on eggshells and cautiously avoiding me, which made it comfortable to get around. Though it made me wonder just what kind of mage Karl was for them to back away just at the sight of his robe.

With those thoughts, I laid down on the prepared bed.

Then, several mages gathered around and began to cast some sort of magic on my body.

"Here, please refer to the investigation done in Hudelen as well."

"Aren't there not many mages who deal with essence there?"

"That's true, but since Great Sage White Wind led it, it should be trustworthy."

"Ah, if that's the case."

Ah, just listening to people talk while lying still was making me drowsy.

"There's nothing wrong with his health. Although the demonic energy levels in his right arm seem to have gotten stronger than what's in the data."

"More importantly, how does it take on this form? I heard he's wearing a seal made by Great Sage White Wind, could it be because of that?"

"Well. It's a bit strange to say that..."

Still, I shouldn't fall asleep, right? I kept my eyes closed and forced away the sleepiness. It was because I thought the mages might happen to let slip a useful clue for me.

"Doesn't this form resemble a Demon Contractor more than a zombie?"

But this was a bit much.

"If you move—!"

CRUNCH.

"Heup."

While lifting my body, I inadvertently put strength into the hand I used to press down on the bed. A gauntlet mark was left on the bed made of metal.

The mages, who were frailer than iron plates, all shut their mouths at once. It seemed they had a bit less guts than the Hudelen mages here.

"Did you just see that? The demonic energy fluctuated."

"I saw it."

"I saw."

"Was it purified by magic power? I couldn't see it properly."

"Uh, when I saw it, I don't think it was."

"Hmm. Then when he uses it instinctively, is the demonic energy itself being used?"

... I stand corrected. It wasn't that they had less guts, they had more. Their eyes were completely crazed.

"Just one more time! Just one more time, please."

I debated whether I should interrogate them about the term Demon Contractor, or if I should meekly listen to their request. And then I eventually chose the latter.

Since I'd heard similar things in Hudelen as well, I figured it would be better to just accept it on my own this time.

"..."

Still, I'd have to make a super pissed-off face.

I meekly followed their request while feigning a vicious expression.

Once with the right arm, once with the left arm. Weakly, strongly. The mages put their heads together and began to whisper amongst themselves.

"Hey, this is really strange. If he didn't make a contract, how could the demonic energy be concentrated only in his right arm?"

"To say the right arm is the core... right? There's no way Great Sage White Wind wouldn't know that."

"If the right arm was the core in the first place, she would have had him cut off his right arm a long time ago. It's true that a demon is simply residing in his physical body. It's just that the demonic energy generated by the residing demon is all being driven into his right arm."

Then, a story I had heard once before also popped up. It wasn't a very important story.

To sum it up, even if I cut off my right arm, the demon inside my body wouldn't disappear, so there was no need to purposefully suffer a loss.

This was the exact reason why I hadn't even thought about cutting off my arm in the first place.

"To say it's because of the seal... they say the demonic energy was concentrated only in his right arm even before that, so it can't be that either."

"You're telling me this isn't the effect of a real contract? Didn't he just use his right arm as a vessel to contain the demonic energy when he made the contract?"

"... Ben, watch your mouth. Unless you want to be murdered by the Demon Knight."

"Oh."

More importantly, did that guy really want to fight with my persona? I glared intensely at the guy babbling about contracts until my veins popped.

It was a good thing he only said the distribution pattern of the demonic energy looked like a Demon Contractor's; if he had outright called me a contractor, there would have been a bloodbath a long time ago for the sake of my persona.

"... Then did he really instinctively drive the demonic energy into his right arm?"

Still, separate from their immense passion for research, perhaps they knew their lives were precious, as they stealthily distanced themselves sideways like crabs.

"Isn't that a bit strange. They say contractors keep their demonic energy separated in order to use it at high purities, but... if he's going to substitute the demonic energy with magic power to use it anyway, there's no need to gather all the demonic energy in one place."

"... No, maybe it is meaningful. According to the Archmage, as time goes on..."

Thanks to that, the sound reaching my ears also grew softer bit by bit. It couldn't be helped, but it was a shame. I thought I might be able to get something this time.

BANG!

Just at that moment, the door to the room where I was being examined burst open. The Hero's party waiting at the entrance stood up in shock—except for the Berserker. Since she seemed to have already noticed.

"What's this."

"Meister! For a mage to go around opening doors so carelessly...!"

"Well. Normally I would be respectful too, but is there a need to do that when you guys have laid hands on Sage Karl's guest?"

More importantly, why the hell did the Meister come.

"Sage Liam, you know it too. That touching the person someone lent their robe to means you are prepared to die."

"It's a misunderstanding. And that's something for Karl to come for personally, why are you..."

"Who would be faster, Sage Karl or me. That's the only reason I came. And as for a misunderstanding, he said a strong signal came from the robe?"

"We didn't even touch the robe, so why did a signal...!"

Uh... well. I think they did touch it?

The eyes of the Meister standing in front of the door rolled, and my gaze also moved to one side. Naturally, Liam also turned his head to the corner, following the Meister—since I was in the back, he couldn't see my gaze move.

"Ah, hahaha..."

One of the mages was holding Sage Karl's robe and laughing awkwardly. It was obvious just by looking that he was the culprit.

"You...!"

Liam clutched his head.