"Leme-san is a very good [black mage].

　Mila cut him off.
　I have that pride in myself, so I won't deny it or be humble.

''Reme-san seems to have an obsession with [Brave Man], what is it about him that appeals to you?

Where is...

　That's cool.
　In my home village, where there was no entertainment, dungeon attack was a valuable pleasure.
　You can't form a party if you don't have a 【Brave Person】. That's how special 【Brave Man】 is.
　An existence that I can only think of as being loved by God. There are individual differences, but whether it's magic or martial arts, they improve at a rate far exceeding that of ordinary people.
　He is special in terms of the density and results of his efforts.
　They stand out from everyone else on the other side of the screen and defeat their enemies without regard to their numbers or size.
　You can't help but admire them, can you?

'Is defeating a demon in itself cool?　Or is it a flashy, good-looking activity?　Or name recognition and accolades?　Would you enjoy slaying a demon directly?

　It wasn't until he told me that I realized that the longing in me had not taken a clear shape.
　Or, more precisely, that I had lost sight of a clear form.
　What Mira-san just said was the element that attracted me to my childhood and the future I imagined.
　Yeah, I wish I could have fought directly and defeated the enemy myself. I would show off my fancy swordsmanship and bring out the flames and ice. I'd walk around town and people would notice me and congratulate me on my achievements. I'd live a life of excitement, fighting last minute battles in dungeons.　
　It's a kid's dream. A vision of a future that is good for me and full of good things.

Reme has no intention of showing the adventurers his power. That's why he was kicked out of the party and had to leave. Is it correct?

Well.....

I'm sure finding a new party won't change that.

Yes, sir.

　That's right. It's terrible that I was in the fourth place party in the first place and couldn't find the next one over the course of a few weeks. If it had been any other member other than me, I wouldn't have been able to pull it off.

''The adventurer industry is very much hostile to [black mages], isn't it? I think the rule of limiting the party to five members has added to that.

　There is no denying it. I think you're right.

''At this rate, even if you can find the next party, Leme-san, you will never be able to become a hero. Anyone would realize that by looking at the treatment of the [Black Mage] in Adventurers.

　That's right.
　No one in [Black Mage] would think that he would be a selling point for the team.
　On the contrary, there are probably more people who are in trepidation about when they will be kicked out.
　There is no future for the adventurer [Black Mage].
　We knew that.
　I just couldn't give up, even though I knew it was something I knew.

''Will becoming a demon change that?''

　I don't say it out of expectation, but simply as a question.


'It will change,'


　Mira assured him.
　Her expression was serious, without any gestures that might have intrigued a man's emotions.
　I knew that there was nothing underhanded, she just put her thoughts into words.

''Reme-san, what is a brave person? I'm not talking about [job title (job)].''

　The brave. Courageous. A person who will not be frustrated by any hardship and will always be able to win.
　No, there is a definition of brave that is more strongly engraved in my mind.
　It's a word I just received, but it's already a treasure.

　--'A person who is able to work for what is right, not honor, is what should be called a brave man.

　But what is the right thing to do in this case?　

'The number of adventurers is increasing every year, but the demons are not. That would be true. The more brave parties that are active, the more demons that taste defeat every day. Are we the prey that exist to be hunted?

''No way. The dungeons are thrilling because of the scary demons, and the strong demons are there to support the brave men and women. Demons are equal to adventurers. I never thought of them as prey.

　Mila let out a delighted smile for a moment.

''Yes. It's because of you like that that I decided to call out to you. You're kind, Reme, with a strong heart and magic.''

　Finally, I think I'm starting to see what she's talking about.

'We need it, too. So that people can be excited and energized by the exploits of adventurers. Sub-humans need the symbolism of demons.'

''I understand that. But there's a [Demon King], right? It's like the [Brave Man] in adventurers.

''That's true. But there is a big difference between the [Brave Man] and the [Demon King].

''Different points ... oh, I see. --[Demon King] is an existence waiting in the deepest part.

''That's right. ''The [Brave] is always the hope of appearing on screen, but the [Demon King] can only appear if the enemy reaches the deepest point.''

　Unless you ignore the theory like your mentor did, and then the dungeon attack itself becomes boring this time.
　In fact, you can't even complete a dungeon attack. If you lose, it's over; if you win, it's clear, so it's over after all.

''Even if I work here as a demon, I'm still a [black mage], right?　Hope can't be an exaggeration.

''It's because you are a [black mage]. Your magic torments the adventurers, but the viewers won't be able to understand it well. But enemies and companions are different. The sight of your friends evacuating an enemy that has clearly slowed down, that's all the viewer will understand.

　The attack on the Demon King's Castle, which is renowned as the highest difficulty, is highly noteworthy.
　That's where the demons, who are not floor bosses, make adventurers leave in a clattering manner.
　Some sub-humans are hesitant about becoming a demon, but when they see the images, they may think that they too may be able to deal with the adventurers.

''-- With my magic, can I give other demons a place to play an active role?

　Originally, 【Black Mage】 is that kind of 【Position(Job)】.
　But my former companions didn't rely on my magic.
　Is it different here?

'If you're a demon, hiding your identity is normal. If it's as a mysterious 【Black Mage】 rather than a Reme, wouldn't it be a problem if your abilities were exposed?　Of course, if you want to keep it under wraps, we'll take care of it.

　As a [Black Mage], I know that the work environment is better for a demon than an adventurer.
　I also know that there are those who can be encouraged by my deeds if they are here.

''I can't give honor to an individual named Reme, nor can I give you the position of being on the side of the brave. Nevertheless, it's up to you to save us. May the demons who live hard do well tomorrow. May the sub-humans we have not yet seen see that it's okay to eat the leading role sometimes, not just the loser.

　Mira has found hope in me.
　When was the last time I had such high expectations?
　I'm sure I must go back to my childhood, before the [job title] was known.
　Reme-san," she calls out to me.
　Taking a deep breath, she said, "Please, our bravery.


"Please, will you be our brave?


　With a thud, my heart jumps high in the air.
　Although it's not the way I dreamed of it when I was a child.
　Is there a place where I can be a [Black Mage] and be a hero?
　Being able to help my friends and contribute to their victory.
　There might be someone who would be cheered up by watching us fight.
　Of course, that would mean disappointing the fans who want the brave side to win.
　But there have been people who have been discouraged by only the brave side winning.
　It's just that my position will change. Now it's up to me to choose it.


''Thank you.''


　I found myself answering the question.
　That day.
　I was kicked out of the world's fourth-ranked party of brave men and women, and I succeeded in finding a new job.
　My workplace is the Demon King's Castle.
　My place of work is the Demon King's Castle and my position is chief of staff.
　My job is to think about what's necessary to turn away the party of the brave, and to carry out that task.
　The position (job) is 【Black Mage】.
　His goal is to become an unknown hero.
　While anticipating the future of clashing with my best friend's party, I had no hesitation in doing so.