Chapter 17

Chapter 17

A FEW HOURS LATER, I was on my way to Relis City Hall to meet Zatow Brauze, chairman of the city council. As I looked out the window of the horse-drawn carriage, peering at the hustle and bustle of the city, I mulled over what Ild had told me.

The area around Lake Ryuse was originally part of the Ryuse Kingdom, a vassal state to the Shrendal Kingdom. However, when the Ryuse Kingdom had collapsed during a period of civil unrest forty years earlier, a group of powerful merchants and nobles in Relis had come together and declared independence to form a city-state.

Relis was governed by its city council. Those who were eligible to become members of the council were the heads of each of the city’s guilds—mostly wealthy merchants—as well as members of the noble families who were party to Relis’s declaration of independence. (Clara’s uncle, Duke Andell, was one such person.) As you might expect, the council was split into factions, which constantly vied for power.

Zatow Brauze was the head of the Merchants’ Guild, and had, for many years, reigned as the top man of the mercantile faction. According to Ild, he was one of the few people with a position of power in the city who considered the interests of all of its people when he made his decisions. Well, I thought, Brauze is the head of Ild’s guild, so I assume his praise is somewhat biased.

Regardless, as my primary objective was to present myself as harmless, or better yet, useful to the city and its interests, Zatow Brauze was the perfect person to speak with. If all goes well, I thought, I may be able to convince him to let me be involved in the city’s anti-daemon countermeasures…

I was still lost in thought when the carriage stopped in front of the city hall. The building possessed an overpowering presence, looming out over the city’s central plaza. The entrance was flanked by two statues: one of the city’s guardian deity, the god of mercantilism, and the other of the winter goddess, Ashginea, who protected humans from daemons.

“So, you are the great magician, Geo Margilus. We were expecting you. Please, come in,” said an attendant, who led me to a reception room.

“Welcome, Great Wizard. I am the Relis City Council Chairman, Zatow Brauze. I apologize for calling you here on such short notice.”

Brauze was a middle-aged man with a magnificent beard. He bowed deeply toward me, but in his mannerisms, it was clear that the bow was out of courtesy—not in any way an admission that he stood below me.

“I am indeed the magician Geo Margilus of Castle Getaeus. It is an honor. Forgive me for not paying you a visit earlier.”

I could feel my hands sweat as I gripped my Staff of Wizardry. Brauze reminded me of Captain Sardish of the Calbanera Knights, in that both had an almost overpowering presence and majesty to their character. The only difference was that Sardish’s gravitas came from being a veteran of the military, and Brauze’s came from being a veteran of both political and economic spheres. Brauze would easily rival any of the business elites I’d encountered working in Japan. It was difficult not to be overwhelmed, and I had to constantly remind myself of the role I played: I am a great and powerful magic user. I am a great and powerful magic user.

After we greeted one another, Brauze invited me to sit down at a table (in a gorgeously elaborate chair, no less). He soon followed suit.

“I have heard of your great accomplishments from Sir Alnogia and Sedam. On behalf of all the citizens of Relis, allow me to thank you for destroying the daemons’ nest.” Brauze motioned for a secretary, who wheeled out a small chest on a cart. The servant opened it to show me its contents. It was filled with gemstones and gold coins.

“Our gratitude is greater than what can be expressed in monetary terms,” Brauze continued, “but we would appreciate it if you accepted this small token as part of our thanks.”

“I only did what should be expected of any mage, but I appreciate your show of thanks and will gratefully accept.”

Normally, I would not have had the courage to accept such a large amount of treasure, but Ild had cautioned me earlier not to refuse. According to Ild, exchanging gifts was a matter of course among the powerful, and my refusal would be an insult.

“That I am glad to hear,” said Brauze, smiling. “Now I have one less thing to worry about.”

Brauze picked up a hand bell from the table and rung it. As the secretary left the room, a young woman entered, pushing a cart with a tea set. She had chestnut colored hair tied in a bun, and wore a long black shirt and skirt, as well as a white apron and white gloves. She looks just like a French maid, I thought, staring.

“We have some fine canel leaf tea, if you would like—or would you rather have wine to drink?” asked Brauze, interrupting my trance.

Sorry, guy… I thought. It’s not that I’m not interested in having tea, this is just the first time I’ve ever seen a real, old-school, European-style maid…

The graceful way the maid went about making our tea suggested a high degree of skill.

“I did hear that you were looking for servants,” said Brauze. “If you would like, I could—”

“No, that’s fine… I have Ild looking into that for me,” I said, cutting him off.

If I stare any more, Brauze is going to get a wrong idea about me, I thought, trying to refocus my attention.

“Among the younger generation of our guildsmen, Ild is one of the very finest. We are most pleased to see you on good terms with him. Truly, this must be thanks to Ashginea’s divine providence.”

“Yes, he has been very helpful to me, and I am grateful. Unfortunately, I cannot repay the favor by helping him in his business endeavors.”

“Oh, but of course. So grand a magician, working in the professions? Even wishing for such a thing would only court Ashginea’s anger,” Brauze replied.

While not serious on its surface, this exchange was another matter Ild had cautioned me on: “Some of the guild members likely suspect I plan to use my relationship with you to my advantage, to rise in the ranks of the guild,” he said. “I am sure Chairman Brauze has similar concerns, so I would appreciate if you dispelled those suspicions.”

To address those likely worries, I stated my intention was not to get involved in any business matters. From Brauze’s softened expression, I seemed to have played the right move.

“I am sorry to have kept you waiting,” said the maid, who proceeded to pour tea into expensive-looking cups of fine porcelain.

I had to admit the tea had a more fragrant aroma to it than the sil tea Mora usually prepared for me.

“These leaves can only be found in the Canel region of Shrendal. While you are in Relis, I hope you use the opportunity to enjoy specialties from all corners of the continent.”

“Yes, I have enjoyed many such already,” I said.

Brauze took a light sip, almost as if he was testing for poison. I saw no particular reason to be suspicious and so took a larger sip of the light brown liquid—and could not help but make a face.

“Does the tea not suit your tastes?” said Brauze. “Canel tea has a somewhat stronger flavor to it than sil tea, after all.”

“N-no, it was just more delicious than I was expecting…”

The truth was that it wasn’t as good as I expected it to be, but Brauze seemed to be enjoying it, and I didn’t want to do anything offensive, or suggest I was a country bumpkin that couldn’t discern good tea from bad, so I steeled myself for another sip.

Our conversation carried on like this, vital information interspersed with everyday small talk. This sort of dialogue flow was partially out of my area of expertise—less the habit of a businessman and more that of a politician. However, Brauze played along with my slightly stilted school-presentation-ish speechmaking, and I was grateful for it. The art of political speech aside, unless he was deliberately trying to deceive me, Brauze seemed very open to my plans, and I felt that I could expect others in the city to react the same.

“Therefore,” I explained, “I would like to support the city and unify its people in their fight against daemons.”

“I see. I think that is a wonderful plan,” said Brauze.

“Daemons are the bane of all humanity. If it is to protect humans from daemons, there’s nothing I won’t do, and no effort I won’t endure.”

“Your words are most heartening; I will convey your intentions to the other guilds and council members. I imagine they will be overjoyed when they hear of your plans.”

“If there is anything I can do to help concerning the city’s defenses, please let me know,” I said.

“Yes… Again, thank you for your offer of support. There is much that I cannot decide on my own, so as far as this matter is concerned, I will discuss things with the commander of the guard, and…then…” Brauze’s face suddenly went pale, and his elbow fell against the table.

I rose from my chair. “Are you all right?”

I suddenly remembered a scene a couple years back when one of my coworkers at a restaurant started hyperventilating and fell to the ground.

“Urgh!” Brauze vomited and fell to the floor.

“Hey!” I shouted, running over to Brauze. “Can you hear me?!”

Is it poison?! I thought frantically. It has to be, that’s the only thing that makes sense. I looked over my shoulder and scanned the room, but naturally, the maid was long gone.

Chairman Brauze, who had just moments before been in complete control of the conversation, was now moaning, blue in the face.

It felt like I was living a scene out of a television drama or video game. As absurd as it felt, I knew that poison was the only explanation. One of the windows in the room was wide open, where I suspected the maid had escaped.

Brauze continued to moan.

“A-are you all right?” I said, reflexively, even though I knew the question was stupid.

The first thing I did was lift Brauze’s upper body and rub his back in an attempt to prevent him from suffocating on his own vomit. It was only then that I realized something odd. I drank the same tea, didn’t I?

“Lord Margilus… A-are you…okay?”

“Yes, I seem to be fine… Does this mean my resistance to poison successfully nullified the effect?” I wondered aloud.

In D&B, a player character’s resistance to poison grows stronger as the character’s level increases. At Level 36, most poisons are nullified with a success rate close to 100%. It’s not a very flashy ability, I thought, but it’s pretty incredible, when you think about it…

“Chairman Brauze?!”

When I turned in the direction of the voice, I saw Brauze’s secretary in the doorway, stunned.

Hmm… Well, this doesn’t look good, does it? Is this supposed to play out in such a way that I’m framed for murder?

I surprised myself by how calm I was about the whole thing, but part of that was because I knew exactly what I needed to do if there was poison involved.

“D-don’t make a fuss!” Brauze yelled to his secretary, heaving. “Don’t let anyone come close!” He turned to me. “L-Lord Margilus… Th-there must be a plot against us…”

“Don’t worry, I know. Now let me heal you.”

“Th-this is not the will of the people! Th-they would never seek to poison you…” said Brauze, as he moaned in pain. “Wait… Did you say…heal?”

It was clear that Brauze’s primary concern was protecting the people of Relis (from my wrath, it seemed) and not himself…but he stopped, mouth gaping, as he realized I did not seem to be angry, or worried at all about his condition.

I reached inside my Infinity Bag and took out a silver ring. I then touched it to his body and uttered an activation command.

“Dispel all poisons from this man’s body.”

“Urgh… Oh?”

The ring was a magic item called a Medical Ring. It allowed the user to cast a maximum of three cleric spells a day. Once I cast Dispel Poison, the color quickly began to return to Brauze’s face. Brauze’s secretary, who had been frozen stiff, came running to his side.

“Chairman! A-are you okay?!”

“Y-yes, I’m fine… It’s like nothing ever happened… Lord Margilus, are you also a priest?”

“Unfortunately, no. I was only able to heal you because I happened to have this magic item with me.”

For good measure, I activated the Medical Ring once again to use another spell to restore Brauze’s stamina.

“Wh-what incredible materia…” Brauze stared in amazement as I wiped his mouth clean.

His health returned, Brauze suddenly looked up, as if remembering something, and yelled at his secretary.

“What are you doing?! Someone just attempted to poison Lord Margilus and me! It was that maid! Don’t let her get away!”

“Y-yes, sir!” The secretary hurried out of the room, giving orders to the guards and nearby staff.

I paused a moment before I spoke. “Well, nobody got hurt, so…”

“My apologies, Lord Margilus! We will catch the criminal, no matter what!” Brauze prostrated himself on the ground before me, yelling his apologies. “Please contain your anger!”

It appeared Brauze was still genuinely afraid I might obliterate Relis with a meteor shower in retaliation. Well, I thought, he doesn’t know me that well, so I can’t blame him for being overly cautious. However, although his pleading made me feel uncomfortable, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of respect for the man. After all, despite having maintained a sense of unyielding strength throughout our talks, he was willing to throw away his pride for the sake the city. This is a man who truly cares about his city and its people, I thought.

***

It took me a while to get Brauze to stop apologizing.

I told him several times that I was not angry and had no intention of doing anything to the city before he finally listened to me and was visibly relieved.

Once Brauze was back to normal, I was able to discuss plans for moving forward. First came the issue of the maid: The city guards initiated a search but were unable to find any trace of her. What they were able to find was the original maid, who had been locked in a closet. It appeared that the assassin had assaulted the maid as she was on her way to bring us tea and switched places with her. Although it appeared that the assassin had escaped through an open window, there were no witnesses who saw her escape. The maid’s uniform, stolen by the assassin, was found discarded in an alley adjacent to the city hall.

The assassin had been able to thwart the guards and escape unseen by any member of the public in broad daylight. This is no amateur, I thought, and that was not the only problem. She didn’t even trigger my Detect Enemy spell. What could this mean?

“Who does she think she is, Fujiko Mine?”

Not only was she undeniably skilled, she was attractive, even wearing that plain and modest maid uniform. She seemed just like the heroine of a certain famous animated series about a renowned thief.

“I have already ordered all of the guards to commence inspections at all of the gates and internal checkpoints in the city. We will not let her get away.”

“Uh… Yeah, sounds good. Yes, please do that.”

“It would be one thing if they were only targeting me, but for the assassin to make an attempt on your life as well… That is unforgivable.”

“So, you think that the aim of whoever’s behind this was to kill me?”

“To be honest… I am not certain,” Brauze said, shaking his head.

The fact that Brauze and I had scheduled a meeting that day was easily discernable upon investigation of the city council or city hall. Given how skilled that fake maid assassin was, it was no surprise that someone might order her to kill two targets instead of one. However, it’s definitely harder to target two people at once, so there must be a reason, I thought.

“The deeper I read into it, the more I think whoever is behind this wanted to put a rift between you and me.”

“I see. The best-case scenario for them would be if both of us were killed, but even if both of us survived, there would be ill will between us.”

“Yes, I believe that was their aim.”

“Do you have any idea as to who might be responsible?”

“I do know of someone who would wish to assassinate me… However, I do not have enough evidence to merit a formal accusation.”

“Hmm…”

I already knew, from what Ild had told me, about the rival factions of merchants and nobles on the city council. If this incident was only part of a power struggle between the two factions, I didn’t want to get involved. However, I thought, the fact that the attempted assassination occurred in my presence suggests I am also a target, and if I am, then Ild and Mora may be in danger. I was not about to take a chance on Ild and Mora’s lives.

I wanted to find the assassin—this fake maid—as soon as possible. However, I had charged my spells for the day with a defensive outlook in mind. I hadn’t prepared anything that would be useful for tracking down an assassin.

I had no choice but to depend on Brauze for the time being.

“I will leave the investigating to you, but I want you to let me know if you find anything,” I said.

“Understood. You will be the first to know.”

For the first time that day, I felt that I was the one in control of the situation. The possibility that Ild and Mora were in danger drove me to take charge more than I usually would.

“Forgive me, but I believe I should get going,” I said.

“I understand. Again, I am terribly sorry about what happened today,”

Brauze looked as if he wanted to continue discussing countermeasures with me, but I couldn’t stay there all day. Even if it was unlikely that Ild and Mora were in danger, I had to take proper precautions.

“Oh…before I go—and I must stress to you that this is for the purposes of investigation—could I borrow that maid outfit the assassin used?”

Brauze said nothing but put the clothes into a box and handed it to me. His expression did not change in the slightest. No less than a professional could manage that, I thought.

***

After I left the city hall, I clambered into the carriage that was waiting for me and cast two spells: Fly and Move Outer Plane. After a word to the driver, I phased into the outer plane and flew out of the carriage, up into the sky.

The combination of flight, coupled with the freedom to ignore obstacles in the outer plane, meant that I could travel very fast.

My first stop was the Sorcerers’ Guild. The only people—rather, the only person I could think of who might wish to bring me harm—was he whose authority was threatened by my very existence: Heridol Sylem, president of the Relis Sorcerers’ Guild.

I did not know if the guild office had any sort of security system based on sorcery, but in the outer plane, there was nothing that could stand in my way. I was definitely trespassing, but if Heridol was the mastermind behind all this, I knew it would be useless to try to arrange a formal meeting.

I was able to enter Heridol’s office without being noticed. Heridol sat at his desk working on paperwork with a frown on his face. This isn’t the time to care about being impolite, I thought and returned to normal space, appearing right in front of him.

“Lord Heridol, I’d like to have a word with you.”

“Excuse me but I’m—wait, what?!”

As I expected, I took Heridol by surprise. He immediately leaped from his chair and grabbed his staff.

“M-Margilus?! How did you… What are you doing here?!”

“My apologies, Lord Heridol, but not long ago, someone tried to assassinate me with poison.”

“Assassinate? What are you talking about?!”

In my hand, hidden in the sleeve of my robe, I gripped a magic item and stared directly into Heridol’s eyes. The magic item carried the effect of Detect Enemy; anyone who harbored hatred or a desire to kill me would appear to give off light… Heridol seemed greatly perturbed, but the magic item did not change his appearance.

“So, you were unaware? I just assumed any person who wished to kill me might also have attacked the guild, as we are on such good terms with one another.”

“Unaware?! What does any of this have to do with me?!” What is he on about?! Is he trying to lay blame on me for something to show that he’s better than me?!

Well, my ESP Medal seems to be working without any issues. Heridol doesn’t seem to have any resistance to it. I listened to his thoughts echoing within my mind. So, he really does know nothing about it…

“I see. Then I apologize for interrupting you. While I’m here, though, do you have any idea who might wish me such harm?”

“Lord Margilus… You are a hero who defeated a legion of daemons. I seriously doubt there is anyone who hates you…” Me! Right here! I hate you! Stop getting in the way of my dream of becoming the leader of the anti-daemon resistance! Not only are you a threat to my dreams, your so-called magic makes a mockery of all sorcerers and their arts!

“I see… So that’s how it is.”

So, Clara was right about him, I thought. At least Heridol’s hatred of me is not strong enough to trigger Detect Enemy… Although Heridol hated me for something I had no control over, as someone who hadn’t uttered the word “dream” in decades, I could not simply dismiss his hatred as petty. The strength of his hatred only emphasized the years of his hard work I was endangering with my magic.

Now that I know he does not mean me, Ild, or Mora any harm, I thought, I should prepare myself to talk things out with him later and address his concerns. It’s best for everyone if we reconcile…but for now, I have other problems to deal with.

“I’m sorry to press the matter, but could you please try and search your mind a little bit deeper? You know far more about this city than I do. I’m not asking out of concern for myself; what happens to me is beside the point. My greatest worry is that harm is coming to those who are close to me.” I bowed my head.

Heridol gave a deep sigh and then brought his hand to his chin as he began to think seriously about my question.

“Rumors of you have flooded the city. Anyone who believes even ten percent of what they hear would be crazy to pick a fight with you. It would have to be either someone who firmly does not believe in your powers, or…” Heridol furrowed his brow. “You defeated a legion of daemons… So, if anyone hates you, it’s the daemons…and the daemonists…” Could it be? Are there still daemonists around, and in Relis? I saw Heridol shudder. If there are…they may be after me as well…

As I held my ESP Medal and felt Heridol’s fear rise within him, I, too, was thrown into a dark mood.

Although Heridol grew paler with each passing minute, he explained the daemonists to me.

“As the name suggests, daemonists are a cult of fanatics who worship daemons. They see the destruction of the world by daemons as salvation. Their activities include offering sacrifices to daemons and other rituals in which they seek to become more like daemons themselves. It is said there are daemonists in all social classes: from the slums to nobility, even in the clergy…

“I hear they still have a presence to the north in Shrendal,” continued Heridol, half talking to himself, “and to the east in the newer kingdom of Ferde, but…the daemonists in Relis should have been wiped out in the war we had ten years ago…”

As Heridol was of the Faction of Conquerors, the group that viewed sorcery primarily as a means by which to defeat daemons, it was no wonder he was so disturbed by the daemonists.

“But if there really are daemonists in Relis…” I began.

“Then they would certainly hate you, and far more than I do…” Heridol spoke confidently, his mixed feelings evident upon his face.

Although it was an unenviable position to be in, hated by a cult of fanatic daemonists, it was still a position I had stolen from him, so I could empathize a little bit…but only a little.

“Thank you for that information, Lord Heridol. Again, let me apologize for intruding. I promise never to do so again.”

“Yes… Please don’t.”

My reconciliation with this man, a youth overflowing with hopes and dreams (or so it seemed to me), could wait for another time. I’d save making reparations for my intrusion until then.

If there really was a cult of daemonists in Relis, it made sense that they would want to get rid of me, one way or another. And if they’re so deranged as to worship daemons, I thought, there’s no telling what they might do. My concerns about Ild and Mora suddenly seemed to carry a lot more weight.

I have to go. Now.

***

I left the guild and started to make my way back to Ild and Mora’s home.

In games and novels, it’s a common motif to see a heroine or friend kidnapped or killed while something else has the protagonist’s attention, I thought. I may be overthinking this, but if I’m not… Call me a worrywart if you would like, but I was overcome with a desire to confirm that Ild and Mora were okay.

Using the outer plane, I made a beeline for Ild and Mora’s home.

Commerce Street is, as its name suggests, a street lined with shops and full of people, so it should be relatively safe… I assumed all the witnesses would be a problem for a theoretical attacker, but when I got to Commerce Street, I could sense that something was wrong. There were very few people outside, and when I arrived at Ild and Mora’s home, it was dead quiet. The few people I saw looked anxious, and the outer walls and windows were damaged.

Was I too late?

“Mora! Ild!” I shouted as I ran inside.

“Mister Geo!”

“Mora!”

Mora leaped into my arms with a force that could be mistaken for a tackle. When I reflexively hugged her back, I noticed she was shivering.

“Are you all right? Where is Ild?” I asked.

“Lord Margilus!”

The moment I saw that both Ild and Mora were still in one piece, I gave a huge sigh of relief. My worst suspicions had missed their mark. We all sat down in the living room to share what had happened to each of us that day.

While I was out, not long ago, Ild explained, two women broke into their home and tried to kidnap Mora. The two entered undetected and knocked Mora unconscious, but as they were about to make their escape one of them was bound by “something invisible” (Mora’s invisible demon). When that happened, the woman who was bound let out a cry, which alerted Ild and his servants. Upon seeing Ild summon his djinni, the other woman lost her will to fight and ran. The damage to the walls and windows I’d seen had been caused by the djinni as it tried to pursue her.

“So that’s what happened… I am just glad you are all right,” I said.

It seemed the Invisible Demon spells I’d cast earlier that day had paid off, as well as my decision to leave Ild with my djinni ring. I gave another sigh of relief.

“You were the one who protected me, right? Th-thank you very much!” said Mora, with tears welling up in her eyes.

“Not only once, but twice now, you’ve saved my daughter. You have my deepest gratitude…” said Ild, bowing his head.

“But if it weren’t for me—this would have never happened to you,” I said.

The fact that Ild and Mora were targeted meant that whoever was behind the assassination attempt was trying to get at me, and not just pursuing some power struggle between political factions in the city. There was not enough evidence yet to say whether daemonists were involved, but when I told Ild and Mora what Heridol told me about them, Ild agreed it was a definite possibility.

“You often hear rumors of daemonists performing sacrificial rituals deep in caves under the city,” Ild explained. “But that’s beside the point—”

“Yeah! It’s not your fault, Mister Geo!” Mora interjected. “You did nothing wrong!”

“It is as my daughter says,” Ild continued. “You have nothing you should feel bad about.”

As I patted Mora’s head (she was still clinging to me), I tried to collect my thoughts.

So, this is what it means to become a great magic user—a hero, I thought. Whether I want to or not, I have an outsized influence on the lives of those around me. This may be one of the reasons why mages in stories always seem to live alone in high towers, away from other people.

Is protecting them as I pursue my goal of protecting humanity from daemons something I can truly accomplish alone?

“I’m sorry—or rather…thank you. I will not let anyone lay a finger on you two, or anyone else in this home.”

That’s right, I thought. Even if it’s almost formulaic for the people a hero cares about most to get hurt, there’s no reason I have to play nice with those rules.

Although one of the invisible demons did bind one of the intruders, she was still able to escape. If those two women were anything like that fake maid, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, I thought. It was a mistake not to have Psychometry and other spells useful in gathering information charged today… Tomorrow, I’ll focus my spell charges on defense, information gathering, and tracking. If it comes down to a fight, I should be able to rely on my Staff of Wizardry and other magic items…

Then I remembered another option open to the Great Magic User Geo Margilus for adventures that took place within the confines of a city.

“There’s somewhere I want you to take me tomorrow,” I said, taking out a leather bag filled with gems and gold coins.

“Where?” asked Ild, with a puzzled look on his face.

“The Adventurers’ Guild.”

It was an option only open to high-level characters: hire an army.

***

When I woke the next morning, I immediately set to work charging the spells I needed for the day and cast one of them right away: Psychometry.

Psychometry was a spell that allowed the caster to retrieve the memories of inanimate objects or places—the sort of cheat-like spell that makes game masters cry. Needless to say, the object I cast the spell on was the maid outfit the assassin had worn the day before.

The process required me to meditate while holding the object, which, for obvious reasons, is not something I would have liked to see caught on camera, but that was the least of my concerns.

The image of a woman dressing herself in a maid outfit was projected in my mind. Conveniently, I seemed to have struck on the moment the assassin was changing into her disguise. I also saw a different woman in her underwear passed out on the floor. She must be the real maid.

I focused on the woman who was changing, and the details slowly came into focus.

She’s rather—no, very attractive, isn’t she? I thought. Her skin was dark brown, nearly black. She had long violet hair, with thick lips the same color, and golden eyes. Of all the women I had seen since I arrived in Sedia, she was the one who looked the most like she belonged in a fantasy setting. Her ears were long and pointed, too. There’s no denying it, I thought. She’s an elf, and a dark elf at that…

I already knew from what Sedam told me that elves and dark elves existed in Sedia as two separate species. Just as in many fantasy settings, dark elves were ostracized as an evil species. There were even some regions that considered dark elves just another form of daemons. It was a relief for me to know, however, that Sedam did not buy into that perspective. “It’s all just discrimination, really,” he said. But if I remember correctly, I thought, he also said they were a rare sight around Lake Ryuse…

While I was lost in thought, the dark elf woman had finished changing and drew a complicated symbol in the air with her fingers. It must be some form of sorcery, I thought, and, sure enough, once the symbol flashed, a fair-skinned maid with chestnut-colored hair stood in place of the dark elf.

“So, that’s how it is… Well, it’s not surprising. Female assassins are often dark elves in fantasy settings. It’s standard fantasy fare…” I said, thinking aloud.

As the effects of Psychometry wore off, I rubbed my temples and came out of my trance.

“What were you doing, hugging a thing like that, Mister Geo?”

When I opened my eyes, I saw Mora glaring at me with a frown on her face. She seemed particularly fixated on the maid uniform I was still holding.

Speaking of standard fantasy fare, this is a scene I could do without…

***

After breakfast, Ild, Mora, and I got a horse-drawn carriage to take us to the Adventurers’ Guild. I planned to submit job offers for the protection of Ild and Mora and for the apprehension of daemonists in the city. In other words, I was playing the part of what would normally be reserved for NPCs in an RPG.

I had already cast several spells and used numerous items on Ild and Mora’s home for protection, but it would not do to keep Ild, a merchant in charge of five caravans, locked up at home all day. I wanted to get this over with before it started to affect his business.

“Before we arrive at the Adventurers’ Guild, there are a few things I would like to confirm,” I said, speaking to Ild.

From what Ild had told me the day before, Sedia’s Adventurers’ Guild was significantly different from the ones I knew from games and novels. The basic concept was the same: Individuals and groups submitted requests to the guild if they had problems they wanted adventurers to solve, and the guild itself initiated quests involving exterminating dangerous monsters and exploring dungeons. However, it was not an open organization where anyone could walk in, register as an adventurer, and then pick a request off a bulletin board to try and fulfill.

There were five ranks of adventurers in the guild: the president, advisors, leaders, members, and trainees. There were still parties made of a leader and other members, but unlike in other settings, the leader of a party had an elevated status and more responsibilities coded into their position. The relationship between a leader and a member was similar to one of a master craftsman and an apprentice. The leader of a party had final say over all decisions, and it was his or her duty to teach the other members and coach them in their techniques. Advisors were specialists, and their job was to instruct other members in their field. There was one for each area of expertise pertinent to adventuring: fighting, scouting, espionage, and so on.

The guild president presided over all requests made to the guild and decided which requests would be assigned to which leader. As for monster extermination and dungeon exploration, leaders would collect information about possible quests and present them to the guild president for approval.

In other words, the Adventurers’ Guild was exactly the same as a carpenters’ guild or tanners’ guild or any other guild of specialists.

“All right, I think it’s time we get going,” I said.

“O-okay,” replied Mora.

“Understood,” said Ild.

After the carriage pulled out onto one of the main city roads, it was time to move on to the next phase of our plan.

The carriage was not taking us to the Adventurers’ Guild. After the events of the previous day, I thought it safe to assume we were being watched. I wanted to create a diversion, so I instructed the driver to drive around aimlessly for the next few hours. Meanwhile, we would use Move Outer Plane to slip out of the carriage and make our way to the guild undetected.

Fortunately, it wasn’t hard to find the Adventurers’ Guild on our own, but compared to the Sorcerers’ Guild, the building was a lot plainer. The only way to distinguish it from other guild offices was the sign above the door. We had notified the guild that we were coming, and when we arrived, an elderly man who introduced himself as the guild president led us into another room, where ten party leaders were waiting for us. Sedam was among them.

“Welcome, Lord Margilus. Once again, I am Guild President Rekt, and these are the leaders of the finest parties our guild has to offer.”

I looked around the room. Before we’d left Ild and Mora’s home, I cast Sense of the Adept on myself, which caused information about each person I looked at to be displayed over their heads. Guild President Rekt’s information read: Human Male, Age 65, Level 8 Rogue.

As Sedia did not have a real level system, Sense of Adept’s level measurement was no more than a rough estimate of what level these people would be in a D&B game. The class measurement was also the result of shoehorning a person’s abilities into one of the four D&B classes. For example, the person with the highest-level display in the room was Sedam, which Sense of Adept measured to be a Level 9 rogue. However, Sedam was really more a mix of ranger and archer. Of course, I did not need a level reading to know that Sedam was dependable, but it was a relief to see that several others in the room had a similarly high grade.

The guild president should have already explained my offer to the leaders, I thought. Now I just have to play the part…

“I am the wizard Geo Margilus,” I said, trying to maintain the appearance of majesty. “I come to you today because I believe you are brave and passionate adventurers. Although the mission I request you fulfill is a difficult one, I ask you to lend me your strength.”

“Hey, you’re that guy that can send meteors flying like ‘Bam!’ right? You mind showing me what you’ve got?”

As the guild president was beginning to speak, one of the young leaders cut him off, his voice brimming with sarcasm.

The man who spoke had both of his feet up on a table and was playing with a knife in his hand. Sense of Adept’s measurements read: Human Male, Age 23, Level 6 Rogue. His was one of the lower levels in the room.

“Cut it out, Shaup!”

“Stop being so disrespectful!”

Some of the other adventurers barked back at him, but Shaup did not seem to care.

In an adventurer’s line of work, rebels like this Shaup are probably more the norm than the odd one out, I thought, as I saw that some of the adventurers, rather than criticizing him, were nodding in agreement, or staring at me with suspicion.

Given that the guild president was mum on the matter, I suspected that he was fully content to let Shaup stand on the front lines, so to speak. It gave him an opportunity to judge my reaction.

When I looked at Sedam, he shot a glance toward Shaup and raised one of his eyebrows. Although the time Sedam and I had spent together thus far was short, we had both fought daemons together. I easily interpreted his signal as: “Go right ahead.”

“So… You’re saying you want me to cast a spell of some sort?”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. You hard of hearing, old man?”

Sorry kid, but this old man isn’t in the best of moods right now. Ild and Mora were in danger because of me, and my patience had worn thin. Plus, this was a good opportunity to show everyone in the room I was serious.

“All right then… Open, Gate of Magic!” I began casting my spell.

If I fumbled, it would have been the height of embarrassment for me, and this whole effort would have backfired, but fortunately, my dice roll in the spellbook archive was successful.

“As a consequence of this spell, I change this man into an abominable pig. Transform Other.”

“Huh? What the hell are you on about? Hurry up and summon meteorrrrnk? Oiiinnngk? Oink! Oink?!”

Transform Other is a spell that allows the caster to transform someone else into an animal or monster. The chaotic energy from the spell entered normal space and enveloped Shaup. You may be capable enough to be a party leader in Sedia, I thought, but if you’re only Level 6 by D&B standards, there’s no way you can resist my magic. Shaup’s form began to warp as if he was made from multicolored clay. Some parts expanded and others contracted, until a few seconds later, a piglet stood where Shaup had sat.

“Oink! Oink!”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t quite catch that. You said you wanted me to do something with meteors?”

Shaup, now an energetic little piglet, darted back and forth across the floor. The other adventurers, including the guild president, were all silent. Even Ild and Mora appeared mildly horrified.

First the Calbanera Knights, then the Sorcerers’ Guild, and now this… It feels like I’m going around threatening everyone with my magic like I’m part of a protection racket. Maybe I should re-examine my moral compass…

“Guild President,” I said.

“Y-yes, sir,” he replied.

“Did you hear what Shaup was trying to tell me? I would like to oblige him, if possible.”

I felt a little bad, but if these adventurers were going to work under me, I couldn’t risk any of them underestimating me again, so I decided to give the trembling guild president a little extra push.

“P-please, forgive us!” he said, falling to his knees. Many others immediately followed suit.

“We’re sorry!”

“I-I told him to stop!”

“Please don’t turn us into pigs, Lord Wizard!”

There were only three exceptions, and Sedam was one of them. Come on, Guild President, I thought, under normal circumstances, I should be the one showing you respect, not the other way around. Stand up, please.

Only three, including Sedam, remained standing.

“Lord Margilus,” said Sedam, with a smirk on his face as he took a politely orchestrated bow, “I did tell them about you, but it appears I did not do a very good job of conveying your greatness. I must take some responsibility for the indiscretion of my colleague. I apologize.”

“We will make sure that Shaup pays for his rudeness, so could you quell your anger just this once on our behalf?”

“We are truly sorry.”

I looked at the two others besides Sedam who were unmoved by Shaup’s transformation. Sense of Adept measured each respectively as: Human Female, Age 30, Level 7 Cleric; and Human Male, Age 38, Level 8 Warrior.

“Hmm…”

With these three acting like the adults in the room, I felt a little embarrassed about my short-tempered reaction.

“He asked to see my magic, and so I showed him. That is all,” I said. “Do not worry, I am not angry, and…in good time, I will return him to the handsome young man he was.”

“Th-thank you very much,” said the president.

“Well then, let’s get down to business, shall we?”

“Y-yes, go right on ahead.”

After that, no one dared to interrupt me with snark.

“And that is the situation we find ourselves in,” I explained. “Therefore, I want you to, first and foremost, protect my two friends and their property, as well as determine the mastermind behind this plot.”

“If I may confirm…” The guild president spoke timidly. “You want to prioritize the first item?”

Both Ild and Mora, but especially Mora, looked uncomfortable as the adventurers in the room all looked their way.

“Of course,” I replied.

“However, I foresee it will be difficult to properly conduct investigative work without compromising their safety…”

“That only applies if I were to hire one party, correct? I plan to hire all of them.”

“F-forgive me if I am being rude, but it would cost a considerable amount of money to hire all ten parties…”

“A considerable amount, you say? Is this enough?”

I’d thought this might happen, and had prepared my answer. I stood up and upturned my Infinity Bag.

“Mister Geo?!”

As its name suggests, the magic item Infinity Bag allows the user to fit an unlimited amount of items within it, as long as all those items are within a certain size. When I turned the bag over in front of the adventurers, a river of gold, platinum, and gems poured out and formed heaps on the floor.

As I looked at everyone’s dumbfounded faces, I could not help but feel a little joy in the experience of, as we might say on Earth, “slapping them in the face with a wad of cash.” Although this was more like “punching them in the face with fistfuls of gold.” Sure, it felt a little wrong, but it was for a good cause.

“Mister Geo! Mister Geo!” Mora said, trying to get my attention with a loud whisper. She was making an X with her fingers as if to say, “That’s enough!”

It wasn’t just Mora. Ild looked a little worried, and while Sedam looked mildly amused, his look told me I should wrap it up.

“I haven’t counted it, but will this do?” I asked.

The guild president vigorously nodded.

***

“Oink! Oink!”

The piglet Shaup raced around the piles of coins. If it weren’t for Mora, those piles might have grown into a whole mountain range.

I reached into my Infinity Bag and felt around. I knew I’d had over three million coins in my bag to start with, and I could hardly notice any difference in the amount. Even so, the guild president estimated there was more than one hundred thousand coins on the floor.

Ild planned to pay Sedam’s party three thousand gold coins for Mora’s rescue, so assuming it would normally cost about that much to hire one party, one hundred thousand was significantly more than enough to hire ten.

“Let me know if that is insufficient,” I said. “However, if the payment is adequate, I would like to get right down to business and discuss strategy.”

“Y-yes, sir. Understood.”

The guild president joined the party leaders to discuss how they might complete my objectives. Immersed in their work, it was hard to believe these were the same people from before, but as should be expected from professionals, they immediately coalesced behind a plan. The high-level warrior and cleric from before would head a team of four parties tasked with protecting Ild and Mora; meanwhile, Sedam would direct the investigation effort with the remaining six parties.

“I’ll go check first with the Rogues’ Guild,” Sedam said, and then turned to me. “I’d like to take Shaup with me…do you mind changing him back?”

“The spell should wear off on its own after six hours, though I could if you need me to.”

“Oh, in that case, leave him be,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ll take him later, as-is. If I show him changing back to the guys at the Rogues’ Guild, I’m sure they’ll be more willing to talk. I’ll tell ’em you’ll turn ’em into pigs if they don’t cooperate.”

That Sedam, dependable as ever, I thought. I’ve only been in this city a few days. If I were to try to track down the assassins and whoever’s behind them on my own, I couldn’t possibly pull it off. It’s best to leave this to Sedam and the others.

Speaking of others… “Where is Clara?” I asked Sedam.

“Clara’s a sorceress—both sorcerers and priests are treated differently from other classes when it comes to their involvement in adventurers’ parties.”

As both priests and sorcerers had very specialized abilities, they were generally not allowed to register at multiple organizations concurrently: e.g., A sorcerer could not be part of both a sorcerers’ guild and an adventurers’ guild. Clara was a member of the Sorcerers’ Guild, and that was where her priorities lay, so her participation in Sedam’s party was irregular.

“Lord Margilus! Whether it’s dark elves or daemonists behind this, we’ll catch ’em!”

“Yeah! Don’t you worry, just leave it to us!”

As the adventurers left the guild to start their work, they left me with words of encouragement. The investigation team would start by gathering information from the Rogues’ Guild, the slums, and other locations around the city. Then, they’d conduct a sweep of the sewers and other locations that might be used as hideouts. The guard team would rotate parties to monitor Ild and Mora and their home so that they would always have guards ready to defend them.

After I signed an official contract, Ild, Mora, and I left the guild.

***

On our way back from the Adventurers’ Guild, we stopped by the city hall to see Zatow Brauze.

Although Brauze appeared to be in fine health, he simply would not stop apologizing for what had happened, so I told him that instead of wasting his breath, he should focus on catching the culprit.

“Indeed. On my honor as a representative of Relis City, I swear we will catch the perpetrator.”

“The perpetrator is one thing, but I would like you to capture the mastermind behind her as well, especially after my friends were targeted. I don’t want to leave any loose ends that will come back to bite us later.”

“So…you are suggesting there is a connection between the one who poisoned us and the ones who tried to kidnap Ild’s daughter?”

“Chairman Brauze, I have a favorable opinion of this city and its inhabitants. I understand those involved in this are a very small subset of the population, so stop equivocating and speak plainly to me.”

“My apologies… Yes, that seems likely.”

Once I was convinced Brauze and I were on the same page, I made a small “donation” to serve as encouragement for the city’s efforts. There were about fifteen hundred guards employed by the city, and I expected each would be able to take home a nice bonus the next time they were paid. On the ride back to Ild and Mora’s home from the city hall, I could already see the guards energetically involved in questioning people at the city’s checkpoints.

***

“Mister Geo, don’t you think you’re being wasteful with your money?”

“Um… Well…”

As soon as we returned, Mora confronted me. I should have seen it coming. As a merchant’s daughter, of course she would be sensitive to the cost of things. It didn’t help that even I thought my actions that day were a bit childish, so her words hit hard.

“Now Mora, Lord Margilus is doing all this to protect us, you know,” said Ild.

“Well, I know that, it’s just… I hate causing Mister Geo so much trouble…” Mora turned back to face me. “I’m sorry, Mister Geo! You have already done so much for me, and all I do is keep getting in your way and holding you back…”

I need to be more aware of the consequences of my actions, I thought. All the money I spent is nothing more to me than a number on Geo’s character sheet, but that’s not the case for the people of this world. I should have known that shelling out all of the that money would have made a responsible person like Mora uncomfortable. I knelt down in front of Mora, so that our eyes were level.

“I’m sorry for making you feel that way,” I said, finally. “You said you were getting in my way, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It is because you choose to call me by my name—by who I am, instead of what I am, and treat me like a normal person—that I am able to stay grounded in this world. If, for instance, you were to cheer me on for what I did today instead of rebuke me, I shiver to think what would become of me.”

“B-but…”

“That’s why I feel that if it’s for you or your father’s sake, money should be no object. I think of you as family.”

I would never have been able to utter such a cheesy-sounding line in my previous life in Japan, even if I meant it. But, I thought, this world is a little simpler than Japan, and here I wear the mask of a great and powerful magic user. I should be allowed a few lines like this, right?

***

I didn’t like the idea of being away from Ild and Mora for long, and didn’t know the city well enough or have the right connections to investigate on my own. Aside from accompanying Ild whenever he had to leave for something work related, I spent the next three days cooped up in Ild and Mora’s home.

Which is not to say that things were uneventful. In that time, Ild and Mora’s home was attacked twice by rogues who were apparently hired by dark elves, and an uncharted waterway was discovered in the sewer system, to name a few things. Whatever happened, the adventurers handled everything smoothly. I didn’t need to raise a finger.

There was one other thing that happened, which I was unaware of until after it was over: A group of dark elves attempted to kidnap Clara. When I learned what had happened, I realized I should have considered her as a possible target, as I was close to her. However, in my mind, Clara more closely fit the role of someone I could count on, rather than someone who needed protecting, so the thought had slipped my mind. In a way, I was right: She was able to hold off her attackers and keep them at bay with her sorcery. However, she might not have been able to escape if it were not for help from one of the investigating parties, which came to her aid at the last minute. I shuddered to think about what might have happened otherwise.

I got an earful from Clara about it later, but when I offered to assign one of the adventurer parties to guard her, she refused. “I’ll show them what it means to make an enemy out of me!” she cried, and joined up with Sedam’s party to help with the investigation.

Finally, on the fourth day, the efforts of the city guards and the adventurers bore fruit. The dark elves’ hideout was found in an uncharted area of the sewer system. In the struggle that followed, the adventurers successfully managed to capture one of the elves alive.

“Why?” I muttered, looking down at the dark elf brought before me at the Adventurers’ Guild. “Why does her outfit have to show so much skin?”

***

Fifty years ago, a dark elf was born to the Haiklus tribe, and given the name Reyhanalka, meaning “beautiful shadow.”

Every dark elf tribe specializes in a certain trade, with all members of the tribe expected to serve the roles assigned to them flawlessly and without complaint. Reyhanalka’s tribe was no exception. Haiklus translates to “saboteur,” and from birth she was trained in the ways of assassination and sabotage. Upon completing her training, she was given five assassin subordinates and the title of Rue, meaning, in their tongue, “leader of assassins.”

Reyhanalka Haiklus Rue served many masters in Sedia’s criminal underworld, until one day, she carelessly let one of her subordinates die. The sight of that subordinate’s lifeless eyes as she lay in her arms left a splinter in her heart that would fester for years to come.

Twenty years ago, when the tribe relocated to the Shrendal Kingdom, there was a “master” who irrevocably changed Reyhanalka and her tribe’s fate. As to who this master was, she could not remember. From the moment she looked into those terrifying golden eyes, all her memories were clouded and muddled.

Ever since meeting this master, Reyhanalka was trapped inside her own consciousness. The connections to her body were severed and replaced by black, fleshy, twisted ropes. They bound to her arms and legs and moved only by the will of her master. Dark tendrils bound her body and soul, extending from a giant figure that loomed behind her always.

This master commanded her to execute many horrible tasks, and even if she wanted to resist, the fleshy ropes would only tighten around her body, controlling her like a marionette.

Ten years ago, Reyhanalka was sent to serve the daemonists in Relis City. By that time, she had grown used to the things that manipulated the whole of her being.

If my soul were free, she thought, I would be able to move my body tens of times more effectively, but that does not matter anymore. If I leave everything to this overwhelming power that binds and controls me, I do not have to fear the consequences of my actions. I do not have to worry. I do not have to think. I need only wait until the day comes when I meet my end…

A few days ago, Reyhanalka was vaguely aware that her body was carrying out an assassination. However, to her surprise, she was unsuccessful. The shadowy figure controlling her reacted with a panic she had never felt before, forcing her to take several countermeasures. Her four subordinates, controlled just as she was, similarly tried everything to right the wrong, but all their attempts ultimately failed.

Not only that, but it seemed that the tables had turned. Their target was closing in on them. Reyhanalka and her subordinates were being driven into a corner, and it felt like the city itself was bent on capturing them.

One hour ago, Reyhanalka’s underground hideout had been attacked by a group of city guards and adventurers. The guards flooded the city like rats, blocking all means of escape, and adventurers came at them from all sides.

It was then that Reyhanalka first felt the figure behind her tremble with fear. The grip its fleshy tendrils held upon her body and soul loosened, ever so slightly; a cold pain shot through her body. It was that old splinter, the image of her dead subordinate’s eyes looking up at her. The pain freed a portion of her soul, and for the first time in twenty-five years, she fought of her own free will, fought to let her remaining subordinates escape. In that, she was successful, but she herself was still captured and bound.

Now, she felt a colorless, formless, boundless power ripping through her consciousness.

Under the intensity of that power, the figure behind her thrashed and screamed, still connected by fleshy ropes to every inch of her body—but not for long. The figure contorted and crumbled, and so too did the powerful ropes that bound her, as if it were burned away by an intense flame. What awaited Reyhanalka was freedom from her comfortable bondage. She was awash with despair.

As her body and soul’s supports gave way, she was assaulted by a fear of falling into nothingness.

“NO!” she screamed, tears flowing from her eyes.

The figure behind her was reduced to dust. Reyhanalka felt empty. There was nothing left inside of her. Her mind teetered on the edge of collapse.

But then, just as Reyhanalka felt her soul losing its form, she felt an incredible power envelope her, the same power that burned away the figure controlling her. But the power did not burn her. Instead, it gave life. It touched her face, her shoulders, her hips; Reyhanalka remembered who she was.

She was reborn.

“Ahh!” Again she cried out, but this time, with joy.

Reyhanalka was no longer a puppet, but a true dark elf again. However, she felt her title was no longer valid. No longer would she be Rue, leader of assassins, but Si, loyal servant—Reyhanalka Haiklus Si.

***

Behind me, Sedam, Clara, and the other party leaders stood, looking down upon the dark elf. She was covered in wounds, her arms and legs restrained, her mouth gagged. I could hear faint groans from under her gag, but she still appeared to be unconscious. I recognized her faint violet hair and striking features from my Psychometry spell. I was certain this was her.

But…why?

“Why does her outfit have to show so much skin?” I thought aloud.

She was dressed in a bodysuit, but that was typical assassin attire: no problem there. However, it was open in the back and around her thighs and chest—needlessly risqué.

“Do you need my help to look somewhere else?” Clara growled.

“I’m not looking anywhere I shouldn’t,” I said, sighing.

I’ve got to be more careful, I thought. Back in Japan, I almost got in trouble for staring at one of our female employees’ name tags too long because it was crooked… Anyway, this woman tried to poison the city council chairman and me, and tried to kidnap Mora and Clara. This is no time to be distracted by her outfit.

“You want us to wake her up for interrogation, Lord Margilus? A few kicks should do the trick,” said Shaup with a smirk. He was human again—at least in the sense that he was no longer a literal pig.

“She’s a dark elf,” said one of the other adventurers. “Interrogation won’t get us anywhere.”

“Then torture?” suggested another.

“Well, I suppose that’s an option,” offered a third.

It was clear most of the adventurers saw dark elves as subhuman. I understand she’s a criminal and all, but torture? I thought. Obviously, there’s no reason to treat her like a guest of honor, but as someone who grew up in modern Japan with modern Japanese values, I cannot sanction torture. It does not matter whether she is guilty or innocent, beautiful or ugly.

“Let me try talking to her. I’m sorry, but could everyone except Sedam please—actually, everyone except Sedam and Clara please leave the room?” I corrected myself midway through. Clara had asserted her plans to stay with a violent glare.

Once everyone was gone, only the dark elf’s muffled breathing could be heard.

I had Sedam lift her upper body off the ground and remove her gag.

I knelt down and shook her shoulders. “Are you all right?”

The dark elf’s eyes slowly opened.

“My name is Geo Margilus. Um… Are you feeling all right?”

She did not say anything, but lazily shook her head in response. Her golden eyes showed no sign of a conscious will.

Could she be brainwashed or hypnotized? I thought. All I knew about hypnosis and brainwashing was from games and novels, but it made sense. If she was being controlled somehow, that would explain why Detect Enemy failed to respond to her during the assassination attempt.

“Do you think it’s possible that this woman is being controlled by a daemonist?” I asked.

Clara frowned. “I have heard it rumored that when someone is possessed by a daemon, their eyes turn the same golden color…”

Bingo.

“As a consequence of this spell, I purge from you the evil infecting your mind. Curse Break.”

Curse Break is a spell that removes curses and evil spirits from a host. When I cast the spell, a gentle white light shone from my outstretched hand onto the dark elf’s face and body.

The dark elf, still held up by Sedam, began to tremble. Then she raised a bloodcurdling scream.

“NO!” Her face twisted; her back arched. Her tongue hung out as she writhed.

“What did you do?!” asked Sedam.

“What is she doing?!”

“What? Is she…? Wait! Hold on! Whoa!”

When I tried to look at her face again, the dark elf leaped forward against me. We both fell to the ground.

“Ahh!” she cried out again, and a black mist burst from her body. It vanished in seconds.

Curse Break had done its job, purging whatever was inside of her.

Did it work? I thought, a little absentmindedly, as the dark elf in my arms finally looked up at me.

“I… I-I…” she stammered.

“A-are you all right?” I asked.

The dark elf’s golden eyes had turned a faint violet. It seemed that whatever it was that had possessed or brainwashed her was fully undone.

The dazed look on the dark elf’s face only accentuated her allure—she was incredibly sexy. If she’s acting, I have to hand it to her, she’s good, I thought, but if I’d learned anything from all my years of life (and sexual harassment prevention seminars), it was to keep my eyes on her eyes and make sure I wasn’t touching anywhere that could be construed as problematic.

“Are you the one who destroyed the daimon inside of me? Are you the master of that incredible power?”

“Yes… Probably.”

“Then…then I am no longer a Rue.”

I could feel strength and will returning to her body, but I did not understand what she was talking about.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“From this point onward, I am Reyhanalka Haiklus Si. Your Si, my Olry.”

Hmm?

The fact that Curse Break had an effect on her meant that her previous actions were forced, not of her own will. Who would do that, and why? I wondered. It is something to look into, but at least the curse is broken now, and this Reyhanalka is back to normal.

“Although I was under the control of a daemon, I remember acting insolently, against your will. Not even with the bite of a thousand swords piercing my flesh could I atone for my great sins against you. I beg that you punish me to your satisfaction,” Reyhanalka said, bowing as she knelt before me, both her hands over her voluptuous chest.

When she threw glances at me from her bowed position, I felt a strong sense of obsession and dependence emanating from her. Frankly, it was unnerving.

And that’s not all, I thought, noticing that she had removed the ropes binding her arms and legs, as if it was nothing to her.

“What’s going on here?” I asked, to her as much as anyone else.

“Olry is a title the dark elves use to denote a master of higher status than Rue, who is, according to their legends, the leader of their species,” Sedam explained. “But does it really matter what she calls you? She’s saying she’ll serve you now. Isn’t that great? I’m sure it’ll be useful to have your own dark elf assassin.”

As always, Sedam showed he was well versed in all sorts of trivia. Master, though? I thought. Where did she get that idea?

“I don’t want to be the master of anyone. Now that your curse is broken, you are free… Well, sort of. You still have to answer for the crimes you have committed…”

If I remember correctly, Relis has a courthouse. If she wants to atone for her crimes, I thought, she should go through the normal legal process and serve whatever sentence is handed down to her. As long as she can prove she was being manipulated by someone else, I’m sure the courts will be lenient with her sentencing—at the very least, she should be able to avoid capital punishment.

“If that is what you desire, I will gladly follow your orders… However…” Tears welled up in Reyhanalka’s eyes. “I am your Si! I would murder a babe of my own tribe if you so commanded me! If you desire influence, I can infiltrate and bend whole organizations to your will. If you command me to die, I will commit suicide before your very eyes. If you desire this filthy body of mine, I will give it to you gladly, but please…please! Do not say that you do not want to be my master—anything but that!”

“What is with those ominous and erotic examples?! Why are you so hellbent on becoming something like that?!”

“Something like that?!” Reyhanalka cried out in despair. I could see her grow visibly paler as the blood drained from her face. She fell to the ground, bereft.

“Calm yourself, Lord Margilus.” Sedam slung his arm around me and led me to a corner of the room. “You don’t have to be so harsh,” he continued, lowering his voice to a whisper.

“But Sedam,” I said, “She’s acting like she wants to be a slave. I can’t just—”

“You’re mistaken,” said Sedam, cutting me short. “A slave is owned by her master, and must serve them regardless of her own will. With that in mind, let me ask you: Is there anyone forcing her to bow down before you? She wants to serve you of her own free will. The least you can do is show respect for that desire.”

“But can’t we just be friends or something?” I objected. “I don’t see why I have to be anyone’s master…”

“What are you whispering about over there?!” snapped Clara.

“Wait, what? Ow!”

Clara grabbed my right ear and pulled hard. She looked furious. I could practically see horns on her head.

“I can’t believe you! You said you were going to break a curse on her, but I bet you just added another layer of brainwashing with your magic!”

“That’s not what I did!”

“I never thought you were such a dirty old man! You should be ashamed of yourself!”

“I’m telling you, this is all just a big misunderstanding!” I insisted.

“If you didn’t brainwash her, then this act of hers must be a ploy to seduce you! Stop falling for it!”

Whether she believed me or not, Clara showed no sign of calming down. Obviously, if I had brainwashed Reyhanalka, Clara’s anger would be more than justified, but I’d done no such thing.

“Please, madam, wait!” The one who came to my aid was none other than Reyhanalka herself. She came between us and knelt before Clara.

“Madam?” said Clara, confused.

“I have not been brainwashed, but even if I was, it would not matter, for I have no greater desire than to serve my Olry! So, madam, I beg of you. Please do not be angry with your husband.”

“M-my what?!”

Let’s review the facts.

Currently, Sedam, Clara, and I are in the process of interrogating a dark elf who attempted to kill me and kidnap Mora at the order of an individual we assume is a daemonist…right? So why is this dark elf suddenly trying to be my slave, and Clara suddenly supposed to be my wife?

“Th-that’s not—I mean, I’m not… W-we’re not in that kind of…” Clara stuttered.

“You do not have to hide it,” said Reyhanalka. “I can say for certain that a man as powerful as my master could not possibly tolerate such verbal and physical abuse from anyone other than his wife.”

Really? That seems like quite a leap, if you ask me…

Clara was apparently too flabbergasted by that argument to speak, her face bright red as she fiddled with her long hair. Moments ago, she seemed ready to explode. Now she looks like she could cry at any moment. I sighed silently. I’m the one that’s going to have to deal with her when she rants about this later…

I’ve got to put a stop to this before it gets any more out of hand.

“No, Reyhanalka—Clara is not my wife, but a friend and trusted companion of mine, as is Sedam,” I said, pointing as I introduced both.

“Y-yes! E-exactly!” said Clara.

“He is right, my good friend’s Si,” seconded Sedam. “Pleased to meet you.”

“I apologize for jumping to conclusions,” Reyhanalka replied.

Although I’d been able to successfully defuse the tension between Clara and our captive, so far, our interrogation had yet to yield anything significant. That has to change.

We need to hurry up and extract any information we can from Reyhanalka and use it to catch whoever is behind this plot, I thought. There are other dark elves still on the loose, and the longer we wait, the more we risk letting the mastermind escape.

“Why do you think our Margilus is your Olry?” Clara asked Reyhanalka. She spoke quietly, as if the previous outburst had exhausted her.

“For decades, my actions were ruled by the daimon lurking in my soul. I only tried to assassinate Master Margilus because I was under its control. What I find most repulsive is that, over the long years, I had grown to accept the daimon’s dominion over me… However, it rules me no longer. Master Margilus just now released me from it with his awe-inspiring power.”

“Daimon” must be the word she uses for daemons… I thought. Does this mean daemons have infiltrated society and are plotting to overthrow it? Or was Reyhanalka being controlled by daemonists using daemonic powers? Either way, her story suggests a broader conspiracy is in play…

“Words cannot describe the fear I felt when my daimon was extinguished, nor the intense gratification I felt when I realized I was being saved. Dark elves value the preservation of their tribe more than any individual’s life, but when a dark elf owes someone a debt of gratitude that they feel eclipses even the fate of their tribe, they will call them Olry and serve them as their Si.”

“Well, that makes sense, don’t you think?” Sedam glanced at Clara and me.

“I suppose dark elves are entitled to their own customs…” said Clara, not entirely convinced.

This is Sedia, not Japan, I reminded myself. Sedia has its own system of ethics, and I have no right to force Japanese morals on the people of Sedia. But even so, I don’t know about this…

“So,” I said at last. “I take it you will cooperate with us, then, right?”

“More than that… I pledge to you my undying loyalty and—”

“Yes, yes. Can we talk about that later?” I said, cutting her short. “First, I need you to provide us with information about whoever was controlling you, so we can find out who it was that wanted me poisoned. If the other dark elves working with you are also being controlled, I would like to help them as well…but once we catch whoever is responsible, you must all stand trial before the city. Once you have paid your debt to society, if you still wish to serve me…then, and only then, do as you like.”

That should work as a compromise, I thought. Getting the information we need comes first. After that, the trial and sentencing should give Reyhanalka some time to think things over. I’m sure she’ll change her mind about being my servant.

“Good for you,” said Sedam.

“Well…if it is your heartfelt desire to pledge your loyalty to him, I suppose I cannot stand in the way of that,” Clara conceded.

“Thank you! Thank you! I promise you, I will be useful!”

In Sedia, apart from the obligations of loyalty that came with one’s birth—such as to their family and their country—it was fairly typical for some people to willingly devote themselves to another person, organization, or cause. I had seen that while I was working with the Calbanera Knights, but I had yet to fully accept it.

My struggle to accept this cultural difference was one reason I could not help but have doubts about Reyhanalka’s true intentions. However, there was a simple way to clear that doubt, as underhanded as the method felt to me.

***

In the end, I decided I would use my ESP Medal to confirm Reyha’s testimony. (Her name was long and hard to say, so I decided to shorten it from then on.) When I explained my ESP Medal to Sedam and Clara, they did not seem to like the idea that I could read minds, but Reyha herself enthusiastically consented to its use.

“Let’s get started then,” I said. “First question: Erm… Was the one responsible for brainwashing you and your companions a daemon?”

“The one who first put me in that state was a human…I think. However, behind the power that rendered me thus, and within the being I was bound to for so many long years, I sensed the presence of a daimon. I can never do enough to repay you from rescuing me, even if I serve you for the rest of my life.” How disgraceful it was for me to yield so completely to another… But being able to let go, in and of itself, offered a form of salvation to me… Right now, before me, is one whose power greatly exceeds the power of that daimon… Oh… How I wish to be dominated, bound, and forced into submission by that incredible power…

I had to catch myself from stumbling.

“Are you all right?” Clara asked.

The dizzying kick I felt from Reyha’s pure and unfiltered loyalty (was that really the right word?) was almost enough to knock me off my feet.

When I was younger, there were times I felt willing to take on more work than was reasonable, if it was for a supervisor I respected. So, on some level, I understood the desire some have to sacrifice themselves for others…but the intensity of Reyha’s desires put her in a completely different dimension.

“I-I see… But you must understand: Although you say you pledge your loyalty to me, it is difficult for us to take you at your word. How do I know this is not part of an act to aid in your escape?”

“I would never do such a thing! Nothing is more natural than a Si pledging her undying loyalty to such a worthy Olry as you, my master! If you doubt my sincerity, I will tear out my heart and show you that it bleeds in the truest red you shall ever see.” Woe is me, for my Olry doubts me! The only one I have to turn to—the only one I should turn to, does not believe me… Rather than live like this, I wish he would end my sad and sorry life right this instant!

“You…don’t have to do that. I get what you mean.”

As frightening as it was to admit, whatever Reyha felt, whether it be loyalty or devotion or something else entirely, she was not trying to hide it. Although her words, taken at face value, were an oversimplification of everything simmering beneath the surface, I had already witnessed more than I needed or wanted to.

While it certainly was uncomfortable experiencing others’ hostility toward me, like with Heridol, Reyha’s amity (there was an understatement) had gone far beyond what I was comfortable with. From my perspective, all I’d done was cast a single spell for her sake. If that is all it takes to sow the seeds of emotions powerful enough to change the course of someone’s entire life… I shivered at the thought.

As silence fell, Clara looked at me, then Reyha, and back again, with a mixed expression on her face.

“So, how about it? The little lady means what she says, right?”

Meanwhile, Sedam was clearly having a great time at our expense.

I’ll admit, despite being past my prime and less interested in the opposite sex compared to my younger years, it was not as if I was incapable of feeling attraction. It did not help that I now knew Reyha’s obsession was not an act—it made it harder for me to dismiss what she was saying, and Reyha was a beautiful and enticing woman. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t happy to have her interested in me.

But…you understand, right?

“I still find it hard to accept…but yes, she does,” I replied, finally.

“So, you believe me?! Thank you so much!” said Reyha, her eyes sparkling as she knelt down before me.

So, she didn’t run over and hug me, I thought. (For the record, I was glad she didn’t.) It was a welcome sign that Reyha desired acceptance more than affection.

“This is fine and all,” Clara drawled, “but shouldn’t you ask her about who was controlling her and her companions? You know, the mastermind we are trying to catch?”

“Good point,” I admitted, turning back to Reyha. “I understand your memories may not be very clear, but if there is anything you can remember that might help us, please let us know.”

“Of course,” Reyha replied.

I decided to return my ESP Medal to my Infinity Bag. I had already heard more than I needed from it, and if I could help it, I hoped I would not have to use it for a while—but as I turned, Clara caught my eye.

“Just so you know, if you ever use that thing on me, our relationship is over. Do you understand?!” She glared, hands on her hips, face flushed.

I have to admit, I felt a surge of relief upon hearing Clara say that. Her reaction was the most human out of anyone in the room—it helped ground me in reality, even in this fantasy world.

“Wh-what?” Clara said, when I didn’t answer. “Hmph! I bet you’re wishing I was like that dark elf right now, a woman who would do anything you say!”

After the weight of Reyha’s dark and obsessive loyalty, Clara’s harsh words were like a cool, refreshing shower.

“No,” I said finally. I looked up at her. “Thank you, Clara. I hope you never stop berating me like you always do. Please, don’t ever change.”

“Wh-what did you just say?!”

Although the remainder of our interrogation of Reyha was not without event, it’s best I simply summarize the rest. Reyha was cooperative, and provided us with all of the information she could remember.

Reyha described the one who’d controlled and commanded her to assassinate me as a thin man who appeared to be of the nobility. His home was adorned with a family crest that contained a sword and sail. As soon as Sedam heard that, he clapped his hands together and said he had it. There was someone the Adventurers’ Guild had labeled a person of interest who met all the criteria.

His name was Knave Corbal, a baron who held a seat on the city council. Corbal was infamous for being a thorn in the side of the mercantile faction, from the city council chairman down to the rank-and-file members.

There had been unconfirmed reports of persons gone missing near Corbal’s estate, as well as reports of suspicious figures entering and leaving. One maid testified that she witnessed a ceremony honoring daemons being held at the estate, and the list went on and on. In response to these rumors, the Adventurers’ Guild had conducted its own investigation, which concluded with a high degree of confidence that the rumors had a significant element of truth to them. Reyha’s testimony was just the cherry on top.

“This settles it,” Sedam said. “Corbal is our daemonist.”

“So, shall we get ready to storm his estate?” asked Clara.

“I’m coming with you!” chimed Reyha.

“With what warrant?” I said. “I seriously doubt the law would stand for us to conduct an extrajudicial interrogation and arrest. Even if we’re convinced, we don’t have the authority to act on our suspicions alone.”

First, we need to notify the Adventurer’s Guild and city guard of our suspicions, I thought. Then we will ask both to take measures to locate Corbal, prevent him from leaving the city, and stake out his estate.

After I explained my plan, Sedam, Clara, Reyha, and I headed straight to the city hall. Although I knew it was short notice, I demanded an audience with Chairman Brauze and the captain of the city guard.

When the chairman and captain arrived, looking flustered, I explained that Knave Corbal was the mastermind behind the assassination attempt and that there was a very high chance he was a daemonist. Although Corbal was a political enemy of Brauze, it still shocked both him and the captain that someone so high up in the ranks was steeped in the worst of Sedia’s taboos.

“I would never have guessed it to be him…but it appears that there is little room for doubt,” said Brauze.

“In addition to the testimony from the dark elf,” said the captain of the guard, “there is an abundance of circumstantial evidence obtained by the Adventurers’ Guild that corroborates her story. I believe we should move forward and arrest Lord Corbal on suspicion of orchestrating an attempted assassination and participating in daemon worship.”

“Hm… What do you think, Lord Margilus?” Brauze asked. “Is that acceptable to you?”

Under normal circumstances, it would be absurd for someone of Brauze’s stature to ask for confirmation from someone like me, but I could tell he already knew what I was thinking. Yet again, I was impressed.

“Of course, I have no problem with you arresting him,” I said. “However, I fear that Corbal will use strange daemonic powers if cornered. As a countermeasure, I would like to be involved in the effort to arrest him. I also think it would be a good opportunity to show the people of Relis that I am on their side.”

“Ch-chairman?” the captain stammered. “Is that okay?”

“I am overjoyed to hear you say that,” said Brauze. “At the risk of being forever in your debt, by all means, lend us your aid! Captain, please do not hesitate to involve Lord Margilus in all aspects of the arrest, nor hesitate to seek his aid.”

“Yes, sir.”

Sedam, Clara, and Reyha stood by restlessly as the chairman, captain, and I carried on with our conversation. From the perspective of those used to taking immediate action, my groundwork must have seemed as slow as molasses to them.

However, from the perspective of one used to the Japanese legal system, events were moving at a breakneck pace: the decision to arrest Corbal was finalized in a very short time, and with no complications. It was another reminder that there was a vast difference in values between this fantasy world and modern Japan.

“Chairman,” I said.

“What is it?”

“Thank you for trusting me.”

“Having witnessed your actions over the past few days, it was a very easy thing to do,” Brauze replied. “Anyone would, if they knew enough about you.”

In other words, in a world like Sedia, where science and the law were less developed (though “less developed” is an oversimplification of the complexities of nation-states, and a phrase I prefer to avoid), the most important currency is not a physical object, but trust. You could even say that a nation’s traditions and authority structure were aimed at building that essential element of trust among individuals.

As a counterexample, if the citizens of Relis thought I was one to heed the law only when it suited me, I would have very quickly lost the people’s trust. Chairman Brauze understood that it was my aim to show I respected the law of the land, and agreed to help me.

“Lord Margilus, as for that dark elf…” The captain turned to me, hesitant.

“Yes, I almost forgot,” I said, turning to the captain. “I will hand her over to you and the city guard. I would like for you to arrange a public trial to have her answer for her crimes.”

The room fell silent.

Reyha’s hands were bound, if only for appearances’ sake. She had insisted that I, not Sedam, do the binding. Although Reyha clearly expressed delight at having me bind her hands, I didn’t notice. Not one bit. That’s my official position.

One other thing I did my best to ignore was the fact that Reyha was determined to kneel by my side whenever I was stationary, only moving when I did. However, my ignoring her did not make it any easier for the captain of the guard.

“But, Lord Margilus…” He frowned. “As far as I can tell, she appears to now be acting as if she is your servant…”

“This and that are unrelated,” I said. “As unfortunate as it is, Reyhanalka has committed crimes in this city, and it is only natural that she should answer to the city’s laws.”

It wasn’t as though I didn’t feel sorry for her. Especially after having her feelings of loyalty directly conveyed to me, I felt a slight pang of guilt for handing her off to the authorities.

If I were to dismiss Reyha’s crimes and claim her as my servant or Si, I was sure no one (other than Clara) would complain. However, if that happened, her debt to society would go unpaid. It was not enough for me to forgive her. Even if she was brainwashed, I thought, it is likely she has killed others in the past, long before that. It is not up to me alone to decide how her debt should be paid.

“If that is what you wish…” the captain said. “We normally hold trials at the end of the month—in ten days. Until that time, we will hold her for you.”

“At the trial, she will require a lawyer and guarantor,” he continued. “May I assume you will be her guarantor?”

“Hmm? Uh… Yes, absolutely.”

Guarantor? I thought. I did not know how the legal system worked in Sedia, but I was not against aiding her case. In fact, I would be more than happy to argue on her behalf, I thought. Hopefully, she won’t get more than a few years of prison and hard labor…

“Just so you know…” I said, “Reyhanalka was brainwashed by a daemonist’s daemonic sorcery, during which she committed crimes against her will. She has reflected on her actions and has expressed her desire to make amends. If you could help me make sure that is considered during the trial, in regard to her sentencing, I would greatly appreciate it.”

Did I go a little too far? I thought, immediately after I finished. If I throw too much weight into her case, my efforts could backfire and even lead to a harsher sentencing…

“Don’t worry, we know. Rest assured and leave the matter to us,” said Brauze.

“I will let all the guards know she is to be kept comfortable until her court date,” the captain added.

Comfortable? I thought. Something about their responses seemed…off. Sedam had said nothing throughout the entire thing, but had a blatant smirk on his face that I should have noticed earlier.