Vol 2 Chapter 36 – The Conclusion

And so, the day of the plan arrived.

I was absentmindedly watching the sun set from the window on the second floor of the church.

Dressed in a mismatched outfit, wearing the coat Garon-san gave me over my priest’s robes.

I could see the townspeople hurriedly evacuating.

The sun sets.

In the past, there was apparently an interpretation within a sect of Spirit worship that the sun was the King of Spirits, and the moon was the Queen.

Eventually, the mainstream thought became that things which do not exist on this earth cannot be Spirits, though.

Tia-sama laughed when she heard that.

The sun is born every time it rises, and dies every time it sets.

The moon is the opposite.

It is born every time the sun sets, and killed every time the sun rises.

To think the sun and the moon are locked in an endless killing game.

I’ve had such dangerous thoughts before.

I also thought it was a terrible marital spat.

Humans and demons.

Will we continue this killing game until one side is gone?

Where will this game of catch, throwing grudges and murderous intent back and forth, finally stop?

On the human side?

Or the demon side?

If that’s the case, I suppose I’m the ball, then.

A ball made by humans and thrown at the demons.

Balls are nice, aren’t they.

It’s not like you can’t play with them alone.

They’re good toys.

Played with, reaching the end of their lifespan and breaking, and when the seams come undone, what comes out from inside is.

—Look, it’s beginning, Nine. The start of your hell.—

Tia-sama calling out to me, and Puria landing on the window frame, happened at the exact same time.

By the time I noticed, the sun had completely set.

“Alice gave the signal! The monsters’ll reach the city in an hour!”

“Alright. Puria-san, are you ready?”

“You bet!”

“The gas valve?”

“Left wide open!”

“The windows?”

“Close ’em yourself!”

“Alrighty, shall we head out?”

“Yeah!”

We won’t be coming back to this church anymore, anyway.

Thanks for everything.

It would be cool if I could just jump onto Puria-san’s shoulder and fly off from here, but I don’t know who might be watching, and it’s more convenient if the human side doesn’t know I’m a traitor.

So, as usual, I placed Puria-san on my shoulder and walked proudly out the front door.

Right after lighting a single candle and tossing it inside the building.

After walking for a while, I heard an explosion from behind. Feeling the hot wind caress my back, I was just thinking how nice it would be if this thinned out the guards at the prison a little, when.

Poke, poke. My cheek was pecked by a beak.

“Hey, Nine.”

“What is it? Let’s get our tension up. It’s a festival, you know.”

“Come to think of it, what’d ya do with my clothes?”

“What are you saying at a time like this? I’m sure they’re burning quite nicely right about now.”

“You dumbass! That was the only outfit I had! It was my absolute best!”

“It’s fine, Puria-san.”

“What is!?”

“You’re beautiful even without wearing anyth—ouch, that hurts, stop it, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Walking leisurely with a sulking Puria-san on my shoulder, I arrived at the guard station-slash-prison to find it in an uproar.

“Hello there. Hm.”

“Mu, you. We are busy right now, word is that monsters are heading this way. You should head back to the church as well. You’ll need to accept refugees, won’t you?”

One of the guards I was acquainted with was hastily adjusting his equipment, looking as if he was about to rush out at any moment.

“Well, about that, it seems there are people planning to act like looters, taking advantage of the confusion from the monster attack.”

“What?”

“Our church was attacked as well, and I barely escaped with my life.”

“Is that true. Ah, damn it, I can see the flames rising even from here! Damn those fools!”

“I can’t go back to the church either way, so I thought I could at least soothe the prisoners I’ve become acquainted with.”

“Tch. But to leave this to an outsider, we have our pride as well.”

“Seeing you all so tense must make them anxious too. If they start rioting here, wouldn’t you be too short-handed to maintain public order in the city when things are already this hectic? I just thought I could talk to them a bit and calm them down, yes.”

“Right, it can’t be helped. Since it’s you talking, those guys will listen quietly. I’m counting on you.”

Seriously?

Is that really okay?

“Understood, please leave it to me.”

Sorry ’bout that.

Watching him turn his back and run off, I took my first clear step in betraying humanity.

Walking down the hallway, I greeted a few people I met along the way, and called out “Good luck” to the guards heading outside the city.

Descending the stairs, I entered the somewhat dim prison, my shoes making sharp clack, clack sounds against the stone pavement with every step.

“Puria-san.”

“Nn.”

With just one word, she immediately understood my intent.

She flew off my shoulder to go fetch the keys from this now sparsely populated facility.

Well then, shall I get to it.

“Good evening, everyone. Attention, please.”

In this rugged block separated by iron bars and stone walls, I put strength into my stomach and called out.

“Hah? What, it’s you.”

“Hey, hey, didn’t the storytime already end for today?”

“What, gonna tell us another erotic story? If so, you’re more than welcome, heh.”

“More importantly, the guys upstairs are being noisy as hell. Did somethin’ happen?”

Listening to the sound of the guys who had been lying down sluggishly sitting up, I continued speaking.

“Actually, monsters are attacking. This city will probably fall, you know.”

That’s a lie, though.

“Hah!?”

“Hey, are you serious!”

“The city is currently in a state of absolute chaos. At this rate, all of you will die.”

“Don’t fuck with us! Let us out, damn it, let us out!”

“That’s fine.”

“Hah? Really!?”

A commotion arose. They were all confused by the sudden danger and the unexpected hope dropped right in front of them.

“I believe I have been talking to you all about the joy of living through the teachings of God. After all, if you die, you can’t exactly enjoy the blooming flowers, now can you.”

“…”

“God preaches the sanctity of human life. Life should be enjoyable. The people here took the wrong path once, but God never abandons those who listen to His words and reflect on their actions.”

I looked around.

“You are reflecting, aren’t you? From now on, you’re going to live proper, honest lives, right?”

“Yeah, ‘course we are, heh.”

“Same here. If my family had money, I never woulda resorted to robbery in the first place.”

“Yeah, yeah. If our parents earned more, we coulda lived a bit more decently!”

They aren’t reflecting at all.

Their slum mentality is on full display.

“Then, let us make a promise. I will grant you all the right to look up at the vast sky once more. What happens after that is up to your own efforts. Do you understand what I am saying?”

“Enough with the preaching. You’re gonna let us outta here, right!”

“Hurry it up, the monsters are comin’, right! Your lectures are too damn long!”

“Understood. Then, I will open the locks now, but please follow me quietly. As expected, if you stay in this city, you’ll be caught immediately. We will stow away on a ship to Indira.”

“What’s this, a full-service escape package?”

“Yeah, got it, got it. We’ll follow ya.”

“Puria-san, the keys.”

“…”

My cute little bird silently dropped the keyring she held in her beak onto my outstretched hand with a clatter.

She had gone and disposed of the few guards left watching the facility.

When I whispered “Be careful” as she left, the way she pecked at my ear was simply too endearing.

“Then, shall we go. I’ll say it again, but keep quiet.”

After regrouping with Puria-san.

The prisoners followed me more obediently than I expected.

Eavesdropping on their hushed conversations, it seemed some of them intended to run away the moment we got outside, but seeing the guards lying covered in blood might have shrunk their courage.

Since they didn’t have anywhere to return to in the first place, it’s understandable they wouldn’t want to go out of their way to take risks when offered the bait of escaping the country.

Or rather, if they weren’t like that, I wouldn’t be walking this tightrope.

I wouldn’t, and neither would they.

In the end, slipping through the crowds confused by the evacuation due to the monster attack, we safely arrived at the harbor.

“Hello there, Captain-san. I look forward to working with you this time.”

“You’re going to keep your promise, right.”

“Yes. You will be able to properly meet your daughter later, you know.”

I’ll put you through the exact same experience, that is.

Well, whether a human who has made a living buying and selling people like me can go to the same place as your daughter, I don’t know.

“Come on now, line up. Hey there, no fighting! Don’t ruin things before our fun boat trip.”

I wanted to finish preparations quickly and depart.

Pretending to be a completely timid person whose impatience was showing now that the goal was right in front of him, I was loading cargo when Alice-san, wearing a hood to hide her fox ears, called out to me.

“Nine-sama. Please hurry. If we don’t hurry, we’ll be noticed, we will.”

“Right. Ah, that’s right, you don’t have to use polite speech, you know. Or rather, people will think it’s strange, so please talk naturally.”

“But.”

“Aroma-san will find out, you know?”

“! Got it. You’re the one who said it, no take-backs.”

“Of course. Then Puria-san, please contact the Diabolos as planned.”

“Gotcha, leave it to me.”

Alice looked up at the man in front of her, who was chatting affectionately with Puria.

While she wanted to yell at him not to speak Aroma-sama’s name, at the same time, feelings of gratitude welled up undeniably for allowing her that casual attitude.

It would be fine if her current state was found out; rather, she wanted Aroma-sama to notice.

Saying that to this man was out of the question, but aside from that, Alice still couldn’t hide her bewilderment at her inability to control her own mind.

Her loyalty to Aroma-sama had absolutely not disappeared.

However, whatever this man had done to her in that forest. Specifically, to the back of her hand. Ah, she didn’t want to remember it. Anyway, because of that act, she had gone crazy.

She knew it wasn’t magic, but El-sama must have had the same thing done to her.

Did this human break or steal something precious inside her?

Or was she given something?

She was, after all, Aroma-sama’s eyes and ears.

Thinking was Aroma-sama’s job, something she couldn’t do.

In that case, if this body can still retain its loyalty to Aroma-sama, I will at least not take my eyes off this man.

I will record every suspicious detail without exception.

So that someday, when this incomprehensible technique or brainwashing is undone, I can convey his true nature, his danger, and if possible, his weaknesses to Aroma-sama.

I am a woman who dedicated her body and soul to Aroma-sama, Alice Crux.

That, I will never lose.

Because you’ll love me, won’t you, Nine-sama~?

Even if I betray you, you’ll never abandon me, riiight~?

That’s our contract, right?

Right, Nine-sama?

And so, carrying the hopes of the former prisoners, the ship set sail.

True to his word, Nine granted them the right to look up at the sky, letting them taste the refreshing sea breeze.

They continued to savor an unprecedented sense of liberation right up until the moment they arrived at their destination.

That was why they never noticed the deeply hooded young girl repeatedly casting suspicious spells on the captain, the helmsman, and the lookout.

They continued to believe that their future lives would surely be brilliant, right up until the ones who came to welcome them showed their faces.

The monster attack that occurred in the capital of the Ista Nation, Tiamaria, and the simultaneous mass prison break of heinous criminals, were reported to various countries with shock, the details remaining unknown.

A short while after that, rumors were plausibly whispered that high-pitched sounds, overlapping in layers as if they were death agonies, echoed for days on end.

Because of this, the incident became known as the ‘Pied Piper of Tiamaria’.

That was the first footprint left in the history books by the human who would later be called the ‘Demon’.