Slowly getting up, I made my way to the dining room with Arthur’s support.
Now, I’m in the middle of enjoying a table full of prepared meals.
“Lady Shekina, are you enjoying the meal?”
Wiping my mouth, Arthur asked while offering assistance.
Of course, it’s delicious. It wasn’t some grotesque dish made by demons.
“Mm. Tasty.”
“I wondered where we could put humans to use, but it’s fortunate to use them for Lady Shekina’s pleasure. Truly fortunate.”
Quite a frightening statement from someone with such a gentle-looking face. I didn’t want to hear more, so I speared a piece of steak with my fork.
“Arthur, you should eat too.”
Arthur widened his eyes for a moment before shaking his head.
“Huh? No, it’s okay. I don’t need to eat.”
“Still, eat. Eating can make you feel good and improve your mood.”
“Hmm… Well, just one bite then.”
“Good.”
Arthur cautiously took the steak I offered.
“Oh. It’s actually quite delicious!”
“Hungry? You want more?”
“No, I’m fine. Please, Lady Shekina, enjoy.”
Despite saying it’s delicious, he doesn’t eat. I feel a slight sense of disappointment.
“I’ve been out of practice eating for so long. I’ll practice and eat more later.”
The reason I ate strange dishes. The lack of a notable chef in the demon castle.
“It’s fascinating that you need practice for eating.”
Ganesha asked while chewing on something.
“Well, how do demons eat if they don’t eat normal food?”
Demons don’t consume regular meals.
What do they eat then?
Thinking it’s essential information, I casually asked.
Arthur smiled lightly and answered.
“We consume magic. To be precise, it’s not eating but absorbing magic exposure.”
“There’s no magic in the human realm.”
“Yes, that’s right. That’s why we are always in a state of hunger.”
It seemed quite pitiful. Being hungry every moment. I get annoyed when I’m hungry for just a few hours.
‘Perhaps…’
Could I use the ‘Connection Gateway to the Demon Realm’ I created yesterday?
Well, I can’t do it right away, but it’s a thought.
“But it’s okay. I can live without eating for at least fifty years. I might become quite weak, but as long as I return to the Demon Realm, it’ll be fine!”
“Hmph, I see. Hard work pays off.”
I share the same goal as you. Your success is my success.
‘Well, then. I guess I should look into black magic, as the system mentioned yesterday.’
It’s bothersome and troublesome, but I have no choice. Once I complete the main quest, I’ll be free!
“Where’s Sebastian? I need to ask him about the Ice Wall.”
So, I decide to inquire more about the Ice Wall from Sebastian, the one who can use black magic. Even with a silence spell, he should be able to provide some information.
“Hmm… that guy.”
However, Arthur’s reaction was odd. He seemed awkward, avoiding my gaze, and hesitated.
“Why? Where is he?”
“Um…”
Arthur avoided my eyes and answered,
“In prison.”
In prison? Where?
I opened my eyes wide. Why would Sebastian be in prison?
My heart raced; after all, I was the one who brought Sebastian along. If he messed up, I might be implicated too. Anxiety surged.
“What did he do? What kind of trouble is he in?”
“Oh, no. It’s nothing like that. It’s okay, Lady Shekina.”
Arthur reassured me, smiling warmly.
I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief at his words.
“Just locked him up because he was annoying.”
“……..”
“No issues, so don’t worry.”
“……..”
Again, Arthur looked remarkably non-demonic. He resembled someone from a passing human village, with slender features, fair skin, and a constant smiling face that put people at ease. In short, he seemed harmless.
Every time Arthur said something out of the ordinary for a demon, I was surprised and thought, ‘This guy is a demon too…’
I deliberately ignored Arthur’s cheerful face, turning my gaze to the plate.
“I’ll call for you after the meal. Enjoy your food.”
“Mmm…”
Playing with the salad, I casually asked,
“If he’s annoying, can’t you just hit him?”
Instead of an answer, Arthur just laughed brightly.
Why is he laughing? It’s creepy.
“Eat your carrots. Don’t be picky.”
And why won’t he give a proper answer?
I’m scared…
But confronting Arthur is a daunting task.
“Mmm… I’ll eat everything…”
I quietly ate the carrots.
Real eyes are indeed scary.
I thought so as I ate.
***
After finishing breakfast, I went to the training ground to digest and get some fresh air.
Sebastian asked me to call him here, so I just have to wait.
“One, two! One, two!”
“Hey, you’re falling behind! Pick up the pace!”
The demon soldiers of the 1st Legion were running on the training ground.
They should have finished their morning exercises around the time I had breakfast. Why are they still running?
Just when I started to wonder, I found the reason.
“Martin…?”
Martin was energetically running at the front.
Why is he over there?
“Come to think of it, I didn’t see him this morning either.”
He should have been sleeping in a corner of the room as usual.
“Well… maybe the Demon Lord is here for training.”
Thinking like this, it made sense that he was running on the training ground after three years.
“Well, showing off in front of the superior is a good strategy.”
Muttering to myself, I sat on a nearby bench.
The cold wind still brushed against my cheeks. Looking at the dull sky, it seemed like it might snow again today.
Although I’m covered with a heat-protecting spell, the constant gloomy sky was getting boring. I wished for some spring flowers and clear skies.
‘If I eliminate the demons inside the ice barrier, will the weather improve?’
Of course, I can’t do it with my current power!
‘I need to practice magic.’
I attempted to create a mana circle, but it didn’t work as well as I thought. I have enough magical power, and my knowledge is perfect, so why isn’t it working?
What could be the problem?
As I pondered over it…
“Hey, Shekina!”
The demon soldiers from the 1st Legion, done with their running, waved at me.
Wow. Seeing them after the Demon Lord, my heart feels somewhat at ease.
They are at least friendly to me and, being somewhat foolish, easy to handle.
Yes. Today, I’ll play with you guys…
“Wow! Shekina secretly sneaked out of the castle, got caught by the Demon Lord, fainted, and was brought back! Shekina is here!”
…That’s a bit much.
“Shekina! I bet on whether you died or not! I bet you died! I lost the bet!”
Crazy people. Mad people.
Shaking off the part of me that just tried to see them favorably, I shrugged my shoulders.
“You bet on me dying even though I’m perfectly fine? Where’s your conscience?”
“We don’t have a conscience!”
“Boldly admitting it…”
The weirdly speaking, pink-haired demon approached me and plopped down beside me, resting on the bench.
“But you were worried about Shekina, right? You were so worried you couldn’t sleep?”
“Me? Worried?”
“You’ve done a lot, right? Enough to develop these dark circles? Home appeared on my perfect appearance, so you should take responsibility?”
If only he could drop the strange way of speaking, I might have been more grateful, but despite the content of his words, he was just too annoying.
“Did you just say I have a perfect appearance? Don’t you have a conscience? You look ugly right now.”
“Yeah, you, number 452, are noisy. I’m at least better than you.”
“Hey!”
“You’ve been beaten up so much? Interesting. I’ve never been beaten up before.”
Ignoring their fight, I leaned forward and spoke.
“Hey, I have something to ask you guys.”
All three demons looked at me.
“How do you learn magic?”
Despite their craziness, they are elite demons from the 1st Legion. I thought they might be able to help me with my questions.
“I have plenty of magical power, but I can’t create a mana circle. I don’t know what the problem is. Can you help me?”
The demons looked at each other, then grinned.
“Demons don’t create mana circles. We use innate magic. Each family has different magic they can use.”
“Homunculus is the same. We can use the magic we’re born with. Like Nisha’s summoning, Pardes’s alchemy, or Merdes’s sword skills.”
“Aren’t you using summoning, Shekina?”
So, demons and homunculus can only use ‘predetermined magic’ they were born with, thanks to their innate powers or the power of the Demon Lord.
Here’s the problem.
‘Cause I am…’
A human.
Thankyou for coming to this sites and read my translation, enjoy! Sorry if theres still have any mistake on the translation. See you on the next update!
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