Chapter 78 - Episode 21: "Your Plan Was Half-Baked, You Demon!"
Good day. I am Violia Nico Fortesia.
I am currently talking with a demon.
Apparently, this demon contracted with someone and is now burning the noble district for the incomprehensible goal of "attacking this town first and then letting the contractor take the credit, making the contractor a hero."
I think the idea is quite interesting. In short, they want to raise their own reputation by solving the evil deeds they themselves committed behind the scenes, right? Including the use of a demon, it is quite a rare thing.
"I see. But is that contractor strong enough to defeat you?"
"What are you saying? There is no way a mere human could defeat me. However, it is arranged that if the contractor attacks, I will receive it without dodging and flee without any further assault."
I see. Then even if the House Hornbone bastard or the Royal Family bastard is a weakling, it will work out.
"It must be hard, being forced to go along with such a farce..."
However, being made to enter such a contract, even a demon seems to have it quite rough...
But this situation, which is unlucky for the demon. It is not bad for me!
"But the protagonist of that farce does not have to be your contractor, does it?"
"...What do you mean?"
"No. So, I thought it might be fine if the one who defeats you and saves this town is not the House Hornbone bastard who is the contractor."
It was not certain that the contractor was someone from House Hornbone, but when I tried saying it as a bluff, the demon reacted a bit. It seems I was mostly right!
"Hearing those words, it sounds as if you are trying to defeat me."
"Oh. I know my place reasonably well. I do not think I could win in a head-on brawl with you."
Well, I would not win in a brawl. If I started fighting poorly, I would surely be roasted crisp as well.
Because the opponent is a demon. It is not an opponent one can win against so easily. In terms of strength alone, is it several times that of a dragon?
...Therefore, if I think I shall kill this fellow instead of the House Hornbone bastard and become a hero, I cannot do something as stupid as starting a battle like this.
"So, good day, Mr. Demon. It must be hard for you to be forced into a contract with a trivial human, but please do your best to burn the noble district."
So, a temporary retreat! With an elegant bow, I quickly left the demon's presence!
There, I think.
How can I kill that demon instead of the House Hornbone bastard...?
While watching the demon lose interest in me again and start burning the noble district, I think.
First, regarding the demon's contractor, it is almost certainly Fawn Tart Hornbone.
When I said "the House Hornbone bastard who is your contractor," the demon reacted and did not correct me. Generally, it seems certain that someone from House Hornbone is the demon's contractor.
And among them, the one who wants "honor" the most is Fawn.
There are many nobles who do not know that he fell into slavery, but if things continue like this, his engagement with the Royal Family will undoubtedly be canceled. And the fact that he is covered in debt and scandals must already be a well-known fact, and to escape from the seeds of dishonorable rumors in the noble district, he must want to achieve a great feat here.
...So, I decide to look for Fawn Tart Hornbone.
Because he can land "one blow" on the demon.
And after letting him land "one blow," the demon will, surprisingly, "flee without any further assault."
Doesn't that mean that as long as I handle the stalling well, I can beat it up unilaterally?
Of course, I must make sure that Fawn does not get the credit...
Hmm, what should I do?
"Violia, what happened?"
While I was thinking, I was called out!
"Oh, Doran! You have come!"
Ah, the right person at the right time!
"I felt a bad presence."
As expected. The sense of smell of a werewolf is not to be underestimated!
"...So, what is the situation?"
"Yes. I am about to hunt that demon. Would you be willing to help me?"
When I pointed to the demon and said that, Doran answered with a grin.
"Of course."
In short, if Fawn attacks, that one blow will surely land.
And once Fawn lands a blow, the demon will stop further assaults and flee, as we discussed.
...In other words, after letting Fawn land a "clearly weak blow from an onlooker's perspective," if we make sure the demon cannot escape, we can beat it up.
So, we immediately found Fawn. He was in a back alley one street away from the main road. He was in a quite easy-to-understand position.
It seems Fawn is waiting for the time when there are many onlookers around the demon. We are watching him from another hiding spot while he is hiding and watching the situation!
While Fawn is watching, we are also watching along with him. Gradually, the number of onlookers and people burned out of their homes increased on the main road. The audience turnout is quite good, I should say.
...This should be enough preparation.
I immediately aimed at the demon with a bow while in my full-face armor!
When I attacked the demon, the demon seemed surprised, but Fawn seemed even more surprised.
He had a face that seemed to say, "I can't believe there's someone other than me standing up to a demon," but I couldn't care less!
"O demon who harms the Royal Capital! Your barbarity shall not be forgiven!"
Dashing gallantly onto the main road, I completely stole the people's attention!
"...Do you intend to interfere with me?"
"Yes! Exactly!"
As I fluttered my crimson cloak over my armor, I threw a bottle of holy water at the demon!
"It is futile."
Naturally, the demon brushed the bottle aside. The bottle shattered with a crash, and its contents spread over the cobblestones.
"Then, with this holy silver arrow, I shall strike you down!"
Even so, I do not give up. It is just an arrow with an ordinary iron arrowhead, not holy silver at all, but I shoot it at the demon.
...But the demon dodges that arrow and further extends its arm as if to snap its fingers at me. In other words, if this continues, I am to be roasted crisp, but...!
Doran, who was lurking in the alley on the opposite side of the street, suddenly jumped out and tackled the demon!
Clearly non-human speed! And clearly non-human strength! The demon was also surprised by this!
Non-human against non-human! You should just throw a werewolf at a demon!
With Doran's tackle, the demon visibly lost its balance, so I shot two arrows in quick succession.
The arrows successfully hit the demon's shoulder and abdomen. As the demon's blood flowed, the crowd gave us plenty of cheers. It feels quite good!
...But, naturally, there is one more person here besides the demon who does not feel good.
"Demon! Leave this country!"
The one who jumped out in a hurry at our activity was Fawn. That is right. At this rate, we will take all the credit.
It was just the right timing. I think even Doran's tackle could not have prevented the demon's next move. I am really glad he came before we were roasted crisp!
Fawn jumped out while brandishing a sword in his hand and swung that sword toward the demon that Doran was grappling with...
There, he slipped on the "holy water" and lost his balance.
Yes. This is not holy water, but slime mucus! Ohohohoho! Since it was in a holy water bottle, it is fine to call it holy water, isn't it?!
House Hornbone is a clan of womanizers. Even if they play with women, they do not put effort into martial arts. Therefore, they only have a level of martial arts suitable for a general education. Naturally, Fawn, who does not train regularly, ends up rushing toward the demon with his balance still broken.
There, Doran moves.
Since Doran is grappling with the demon, if he moves his body well, he can use the demon as a shield and make it so that the tip of Fawn's sword just barely grazes the demon.
...Thus, after Fawn jumped out and landed a pitifully meager blow, the demon was dazed for a few seconds.
But a contract is a contract. The demon must stop the assault and flee after this.
...And by the time the demon remembered that, it was already too late!
"Now, this is the end!"
I drew my sword with an emphasis on appearance, slid my fingertip along the blade to coat it with my blood... and with that sword, I pierced the heart of the demon while it was still held down by Doran!
"...I-Impossible..."
Even a demon is a living thing. If you kill it, it dies. There is no way it could stay alive after having my blood driven into its heart.
And so the demon breathed its last, and what remained on this spot was me, gallantly holding my sword high, and Doran, with the face of someone who had finished a job.
And Fawn, who had tumbled miserably, and the demon's corpse!
Surrounded by the crowd, they are now! Receiving cheers!
"I have slain this demon with my own hands! Everyone, please rest easy!"
As I made a loud declaration to the people, I cut off the demon's head on the spot. Such a bloody performance is quite well-received amidst the excitement of a grand bonfire and demon-slaying.
...After raising the crowd's excitement sufficiently like this... I intend to show them one more bloody performance.
"...And regarding the other evil that has snuck into this town, I shall purge it right here and now."
After declaring that, I pointed the tip of my sword at Fawn, who was still slumped on the ground.
"He is the villain who summoned this demon."