Chapter 80 (1/2)

After the battle with Mugen, we were invited to his mansion. 　 He said we could spend the night there.

”Eat as much as you want.”

”I'm sorry you had to go through all this trouble to prepare a great banquet like this.”

In the center of the table is a crab more than a meter long.

In addition, there was grilled salted fish and a vegetable salad I had never seen before, with which I was unfamiliar, were brown and thick.

”Now you are like my apprentice.”

”Coff, coff... Did you say… Apprentice?”

”In the short time you've been with me, you've absorbed almost all of my basic knowledge. Well, you're still a novice, but you certainly have a promising future.”

I am his disciple... I like the sound of that.

It's a little strange to have a demon as a mentor, but the old man is someone I respect enough to not care about his race.

Honestly, if it weren't for the 'Imitator', I wouldn't have stood a chance.

It also didn't make the fight any less complicated.

If I had fought seriously, I'm sure he would have killed me even with me using 'imitator'.

”Good for you, Master. I think Mugen-san will make a wonderful teacher.”

”Yes, I too was glad to finally get someone to be my mentor.”

Kaede sits beside me, listening to my words with a soft smile.

Before I knew it, our seats were close together and I was rubbing her tail.

Panda walks past me, and heads for the salad I was craving.

”Hey, Panda, Frau would like some.”

”Kyui!”

”Do you not want me to eat?”

”Kyui”

”Get out of the way! I want some salad!”

Frau bounces off of Panda's body and shoots out onto an empty plate.

I had no choice but to offer him the salad I had.

Frau may now be able to take on the size of a human, but she is always the size of a fairy when she eats.

It's probably because he can eat more that way.

Even Kaede felt envious, wishing she could eat a mountain without her body being affected.

”Toru-San, I brought you some meat.”

”Thank you.”

”Master, look here, I'll give you some food.”

”Oh, thank you.”

Pione, who is next to me, offers me some food, and Kaede cuts a piece of meat from the one she was eating and gives it to me.

This situation is shameful, as was to be expected.

I'm glad you both care about me.

”I think it's time we talked about the magic circle.”

”Right, I had forgotten about that.”

We all fell silent when Mugen spoke.

What we are going to hear is very important.

It is no exaggeration to say that I have come this far all for the sake of this moment.

”The magic circle located here was originally meant as an emergency escape route for the Demon King's Castle. There is a vast archaeological site in the basement of the Castle that is connected to the lower part.”

”Is it an escape route? But does Lisa know?”

''Indeed, the master is right. I don't think it's usual to leave such a place unattended.''

”Of course it's not easy to enter. There's a powerful guardian waiting on the other side of that magical portal.”

Mugen left his seat and moved to the back room.

After a while, he comes back with a piece of paper.

He offered it to me.

”It's a rough map of the underground ruins.”

”Isn't this something very valuable?”

”You fool, it's a copy. I'd never give you the real thing.”

Oh.

I thought so.

I opened the map and took a look at it.

The underground ruins appear to be eight stories high, and only the shortest route to the surface was described.

At first glance it seems that you can climb quickly, but this is still a map, I guess it will not be easy.

”It may look small, but the ruins are huge. The one I gave you is a mere replica. You can get lost, so be very careful.”

”And who is this guardian?”

”There are three of them. And the first one is directly beyond the magic circle.”

Hmm, there are three?

We may be able to beat them with a bit of a margin, but we'd better be on our toes.

”And there's a report I just received, but it seems that the Demon King's army led by the hero has attacked a country on the human side. They will be a long time coming.”

”Sain!?”

I could feel my body stiffen just hearing his name.

We don't seem to have time to take it easy.

We have to hurry and fight Lisa to protect this place.

But Mugen seems to enjoy it.

”I like the idea of fighting the hero of this generation. Well now, what's with that face? Are you confident you can win against the army this country has built?”

”There is a chance to win.”

”I don't know. There are many like me, and several of my disciples in this country. They can easily beat us.”

A grin full of mischief formed on my face, it was as if I couldn't wait to fight.

Come to think of it, the demon race was very belligerent.