Chapter 61 (2/2)

“Margils-dono, please hold out your right hand, palm upwards.”

Obediently following the expressionless Diviner’s instructions, I stick out my hand. He then places a crystal ball on top of it.

Inside the slightly warm, transparent orb is a dark red ma.s.s. That must be the Shadow Demon blood that Kanbelis had mentioned.

“............”

Which reminds me, I didn’t ask how the blood is supposed to react if I’m guilty.

Kanbelis at my left swallows his saliva, while Leid at my right readjusts his grip on the handle of the large sword on his back.

“........... So, how is it……?”

“This is……”

Unable to bear the silence anymore after several tens of seconds, I speak out to the Diviner, who is peering intensely into the Sight Demon.

At that moment.

The clump of blood, which is about the size of the tip of a thumb, twitches.

At first, the movement is slight. However, it quickly grows violent. Up, down, left, right, the clump starts rampaging randomly within the crystal ball like pinwheel firework.

The slight warmth that I had been feeling in my hand is quickly replaced by coolness, and a faint film of condensation is beginning to form on the surface of the crystal ball.

“...... What does this mean?”

“I do not know. I have never seen this kind of reaction before.”

At Kanbelis’ alarmed question, Kyuil replies with excitement.

“Margils-dono, are you feeling anything?”

“...... Muu?”

Kyuil seems to be gauging something as he has his eyes half-closed while asking me his question. I’m still unsure of exactly what is going on, but as I focus on the rampaging Shadow Demon blood and what I feel through my palm……

“...... Unease…… and fear, perhaps? …… I feel this ‘blood’s…… repulsion and fear towards myself.”

I have no other way to explain it than ‘instinct,’ but I honestly describe what I feel. Kyuil nods, then takes the Sight Demon back from me and stores it away in a breast pocket.

“What does that mean? Is he Shadow Demon or not?”

Leid presses Kyuil with irritation in his voice. Kyuil looks towards Kanbelis in a daze.

“If he had been affected in any way by a Shadow Demon, then the Shadow Demon blood would have accepted him as brethren and thus spread out in an attempt to a.s.similate with him…… in other words, the Sight Demon would have become dyed completely red. However, this reaction…… it has never been heard of before. The only answer that I can present is that ‘I don’t know.’”

I think over the meaning of Kyuil’s answer for a while, but…… um, so what does it mean?

So he can’t say for sure that I’m not a Shadow Demon?

“In that case, then we can’t lay a hand on him.”

“War General, do you intend on defying the Miko’s orders?!”

“It is not the Miko who gives us orders, but the Council of Elders. Also, the Miko was acting a little strange.”

For some reason, Leid and Kanbelis begins quarreling.

Leid is insisting that regardless of my true ident.i.ty, I should be dispatched immediately, solely because of the Miko’s prophecy. Kanbelis is retorting that they cannot do that so long as there is no solid proof that I am a Shadow Demon.

To be honest, it’s all quite complicated…… should I simply be happy that I wasn’t judged to be a Shadow Demon?

“Sorry for the wait. We shall now announce the verdict of the trial.”

After leaving me alone for a while as they argued back and forth, finally Kanbelis comes back over.

“In regards to whether or not Gio Margils is a Shadow Demon or a Demonist, the trial shall continue due to a lack of evidence.”

“...... ‘Continue’?”

“Now, we will head straight back to the War Tribe’s ‘Inn’ — what we call our base — and report the current situation. When we receive new instructions from the Council of Elders or the Miko, then we will be back.”

“...... That sounds like quite a leisurely process. Are you sure it’s alright like this?”

They are leaving the verdict unresolved due to the inexplicable reaction of the Sight Demon, but I myself know about a pretty incriminating piece of evidence — the Door of Wizardry.

Having been convinced of my impending death, frankly speaking, I want to tell them about it. But well, yea, let’s not.

“Of course, we are aware of the possibility of you suddenly transforming into a Shadow Demon due to some stimulus. As such, we will be garrisoning this Head Warrior Leid and 10 of our warriors here at your castle.”

“To monitor me?”

“That’s right. If anything does happen, know that Leid will immediately behead you without hesitation.”

“...... Exactly how I’d like it.”

Would it be strange if I said that this actually makes me feel rea.s.sured? With his level, he could probably kill me with a single blow if I wasn’t using any defense spells. But of course, this is only if it ever comes to that.

Oh right, there’s also the reparations that Claura mentioned.

“............”

I can’t do it. I don’t have the audacity to demand an apology or reparations while still feeling guilty.

“Also, if you ever come across a different lot of Shadow Demons or Demonists…… at your discretion, you may use the warriors however you wish for the sake of protecting people.”

“OI!”

“A-, are you sure?”

Leid is surprised, but I’m surprised too.

While putting his absolutely distasteful helmet back on, Kanbelis smirks.

“Personally speaking, I can’t imagine a crybaby like you being connected to any Shadow Demons. Think of it as payment for your trouble.”

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