I Got Reincarnated as the Villain and Saved the World, but After the Ending I Was Betrayed and Exiled. I Just Wanted a Peaceful Life in the Frontier, but for Some Reason My Former Companions Started Chasing Me with Yandere Eyes… - 11

Chapter 11: What Lurks Deep in the Forest

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Despite the commotion at the Adventurer’s Guild, we followed behind Elena, who led the way with her staff glowing. Apparently, she was using a magic detection spell to guide her way.

“This way, deep into the forest. There are traces here of him using a special skill.”

“A special skill? What kind of skill is it?”

“Ah, the man possesses a skill called the Evil Eyes, which devours magic… This spell is meant to detect it.”

“…Huh?”

Tia stared at me in surprise, and I hastily averted my gaze. 

Crapppp… There goes my secret identity!

Wait, why did Elena make such a perfectly tailored spell that could only be used to detect me?Did she really want me dead that badly?

“I see… Elena-san, do you know what kind of woman that Phantom person liked?”

“Let me think… He liked big breasts. He’d act all cool, but his lecherous grin always gave him away. He was truly an infuriating man.”

“I see. Then I’m in the clear… Master, I think I’m feeling a little faint~”

After confirming her own abundant chest, Tia stumbled and pressed herself firmly against me. The soft sensation almost made me grin.

Ah… I’m going to be charmed…

“Ufufu, it’s true. Still, knowing my chest works better than my cuteness is leaving me feeling a bit complicated.”

“We’re on a quest! Stop trying to charm me!!”

I brushed off the little-devil-like smile she gave me and moved ahead to cover my embarrassment. Before long, we arrived at a very familiar place… This was the spot where I had used the Evil Eyes to defeat a troll.

“I see… This is the place. A few days ago, perhaps. The trace of magic is still strong here.”

“Ah, but if it was a few days ago, wouldn’t that Phantom guy have already gone somewhere else? If he’s hiding his presence, it means he’s running from something, right?”

“…That’s true. But it’s the first lead I’ve had in so long… I couldn’t stop myself from coming, even if it was for nothing…”

When I saw Elena mutter this with such a pained, clinging look in her eyes, a slight ache pricked at my chest. Surely, it was just my imagination.

“But why did he suddenly use the Evil Eyes, I wonder…”

“Maybe… He wanted to show off to a cute adventurer?”

“Ah… Indeed. He was like that. He’d strike pointless poses and recite incantations even though he didn’t need to do all that to activate his Evil Eyes.”

“Guhah…”

The merciless reveal of my black history made me clutch my chest with a groan.

Come on, the Lelouch pose from Code Geass is cool! And chanting makes it even cooler! Everyone’s tried mimicking Bleach chants before, right?!

“Master… It’s okay. When I was around ten, I made up my own original magic spells too… And everyone still said I was cute, so you’re safe!”

“Don’t try to comfort me… It just makes it worse…”

That’s different, Tia-chan. That’s like when you see a little girl in a PreCure costume and call her cute.

“You two… Tell me, do trolls appear around here often?”

In contrast to our banter, Elena’s face was serious as she peered deeper into the forest. Was there something inside? Cold sweat trickled down my back.

“No, they don’t usually show up. That’s why I told the Guild they should investigate…”

“I see. Gustav, good thinking… There is likely a demon in this forest.”

““What?!””

It was only natural that Tia-chan and I cried out in shock. Demons were far stronger than monsters and every demon should have all returned to the Demon Realm after we killed the Demon Lord.

“No, I mean, don’t you think that’s impossible? Demons are equal to B and A-class monsters. If one was here, the adventurers sent to explore would…”

“She’s right, Elena-san. Besides, you were the ones who defeated the Demon Lord.”

“Aye, we did indeed kill the Demon Lord. And demons cannot survive in this world without the magic the Demon Lord supplied to them…”

Elena groaned in disbelief. But I felt the same way. After all, I had personally slain the Demon Lord myself.

“Still, I’m not senile enough to mistake demonic magic for something else. You two, I’m submitting a change to our quest: investigate whether there’s a demon deeper in this forest. You’re free to refuse. If so, I’ll go alone!!”

“Elena-san, you’re a sage!! Are you seriously saying you’ll go in without any frontliners?!”

No one knew the magic power of “The Great Sage” Elena better than me. Yes, she could probably take down one or two demons on her own with magic.

But only if she had a party. Casting magic strong enough to kill a demon required time to chant, time someone had to buy for her.

“There’s someone I once failed to protect… Back then, I made a promise. If I ever found them again, I’d save them no matter what.”

“You think that person is here? Taking on a demon alone is insane.”

“I don’t know. But they are not someone who would ignore danger to the people nearby. That’s why I must go. Call it self-satisfaction under the name of atonement. You don’t have to help.”

With a self-deprecating smile yet eyes full of determination, Elena began chanting. From her bag, a pen and paper floated out. The pen scribbled words rapidly, and turned into a bird that flew away. I knew what she was doing. She was sending a report to the Adventurer’s Guild.

Damn it… After exiling me, she has to go and say something this cool…

It was Elena who changed the request so suddenly. No one would blame us if we just turned back. In fact, if she was hunting me to kill me. Letting her die fighting the demon would make my life easier. But the memories of my days as Phantom whispered to me.

Could I really leave her alone?

“Master… I want to follow Elena-san. Because abandoning a hero isn’t cute at all. Don’t you agree?”

Though she wore her usual charming smile, Tia-chan’s body trembled. Of course she was trembling. She might end up fighting a powerful demon. She had to be scared.

And yet she said she’d go… Probably because she saw my hesitation. She was pushing me to decide.

“Tia-chan, thank you.”

“What for? But you could praise me as a good disciple and pat my head, you know.”

“Fine, fine. Tia-chan is a cute and capable disciple.”

When I patted her head with a wry smile, she melted with happiness. Comforted by her, I turned to Elena.

“Letting the Great Sage charge in alone would get us in trouble, maybe even executed. So we’ll come too. But you’d better make the reward worth it.”

“Oh, truly?! You’re such a kind lad. You may pat my head as well.”

“That’s…That’s a bit too much for me.”

“Muuu…”

When I politely refused her as she removed her hat and offered her head, Elena looked slightly disappointed. In any case, we headed deeper into the forest.

Before long, we heard something like a scream. A bad feeling hit me, and we rushed ahead—only to find the adventurers we’d met at the Guild counter, Yggdrasil’s Branch, facing off against a demon.

No… “facing off” wasn’t right. They were being utterly overpowered. The young heavy knight lay collapsed in a bloody heap. The priest girl had wet herself and fainted. The mage girl bled from her forehead and barely stood by leaning on her staff, and Gyamel, clad in mithril armor, hung his limp right arm while holding his shield shakily with his left.

“Oh, come on. You picked a fight with me and this is all you’ve got? Entertain me more!”

The demon—a humanoid with bat-like wings—wore a mocking grin. But that wasn’t the important part.

“Impossible…”

“The demon can speak human language?!”

Demons had ranks, with a clear standard: those who merely understood human language were upper B-rank, but those capable of conversation were upper A-rank. The demon before us wasn’t just any demon. 

It was one strong enough to reside in the Demon Lord’s castle. Even with our old party, we wouldn’t dare lower our guard against such an opponent…

Could we win without using the Evil Eyes? I swallowed hard as I glanced at Elena’s grim expression.

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