Uruzola territory--the town of the demon tribe. This town doesn't have a name, apparently.

　The town is located in a large forest area, spreading out adjacent to the trees, as if passing through a dense concentration of large trees.
　The town has a lot of depth, and on our first visit to this country, Lisa took us on a quick tour of the town, but that's only a small part of it, and I heard there are many more places and facilities like the magic school and the coliseum, for example, besides this scene in front of you.

　That's how vast this town is, but when I heard that, I knew that the girls - that is to say, the Ninaju tribe - didn't deliberately choose a place where they could easily encounter Lisa-san. Or so the thought had crossed my mind.

　What am I thinking about now?　The bottom line is that the girls were only after Toa from the beginning.
　Lisa said "we've been spotted", as if they'd never seen the Toa before, but the information had already been leaked, and the goal was probably the Toa from the start.

　And we are on top of a certain treehouse.
　We were sitting at a table in a liquor store facing outdoors, having a light lunch, drinking and eating meat.
This is a beer garden, so to speak.

　Even though it was still daytime, the shop was filled with many demon tribe members, and the sight of each one of them pouring booze into the air with gusto was spreading.

　Lisa's words of tolerance towards the beastmen are still not a lie.
　But I have a feeling that the number of beastmen is still far less than the demon race.
　Since this is the country of the demon race, can you say it's natural?

Good thing money is common to the human world, huh?

　For the first time I realized about this place, I only have money in the human world.

Is it common?

　In front of me was Nem's figure, who tilted his head as he said that. There is also the figure of Toa to my right.
　Sufilia didn't follow.

''Master, what's wrong with Sufilia?''

　I told Toa earlier in front of the castle's entrance, but I didn't explain it to Nem.
　But I didn't say anything that dramatic, and there was no way I could say it.

'He said he's studying in the storeroom.

Are you studying?

'Come to think of it, you never told me what you were studying, did you?

　Following Nem, Toa takes an interest as well.
　Do they both feel uncomfortable that Sufilia didn't follow them in more than a little way?

I've heard you're studying magic.　That big library is full of valuable grimoires and documents, right?

'Not much?　I never really liked books, so I haven't been in that room much...

　Really, what kind of life was Toa living in that castle before he met me?
　All I heard was that he was talking to Lisa, or that he was talking to Pixie, or something like that.

'As I recall, Sufilia can use trifurcation, can't she?

You think so?　I haven't seen them actually make it yet either, but what the hell am I learning about...

　Has the magic tool I gave you, "Saint's Wrath," been altered as well?
　Well, that one was used less and less as the magic grew, and now that Vel could call on it directly, he didn't need it.

'Are you human?'

　Then I heard that voice from the seat next to me.

'Huh?'

So you're human?　Isn't it?

　It was, of course, a demon race.

　A demon race with slightly reddish skin. It has two horns on its head.
　They are well-built, large and muscular.

''Yes, I'm a human, right?''

　I knew from the tone of voice that he wasn't a pleasant demon race.

'I knew it, so?　Where did you come from?　You don't think it's Greberg, do you?

Graysberg?　No, it's not, though?

'Hahaha!　No, I'm just kidding, forget it?　Then what is it?　Detritus?

Dames Aldan.

'Dames ... oh!　That country. Don't tell me you didn't come through anywhere?

　So many questions..........

'I went in directly through the transition.

　Then, in response, the man checks each of our faces as if he were examining them.
　And for some reason, the subtle expressions of doubt on his face cleared up, as if he had taken it upon himself to convince us.

Oh, I see. I beg your pardon, I didn't expect Toatrica-sama to be in this place...

　The man smiled bitterly and apologized for his words and actions, which were nothing to blame, and bowed his head.

　But now that I think about it, it's strange that the princess of a country blends into the lives of ordinary citizens and casually comes out to the town like this.
　Is it because this is a magical country?　Or is there something wrong with Lucius-san or Electra-san....

"You're the one that Lisana has brought with her, aren't you? My name is Jaws. I don't have to remember, but I live around here. Are you a white cat, my friend?　Another rarity.

'I'm not a little guy!　Nems are nems!

Hmm? .........hahahahahaha!　It's bad. So, Nem, is that it?　How do you do?

Yes, sir!

　Nem is quick to let his mind wander.

'I'm........Masamune.

　For a moment, I almost said Nito. It was probably because I had more opportunities to say my name that way than anything else.

'Masamune?　Well, what kind of name is that?　I've rarely heard of such a name, even for a human, but are you from a gag country?

　That question again?

'No, no I'm afraid not ... but more importantly, Mr. Jaws, you know a lot about humans, don't you?

　I thought it was just right as I continued this incomprehensible conversation, which could be described as barren, and I was eager to ask a question.

'Me?'　Well, I get to go to the human world a lot.

'Do you know a lot about this area as well?　For example, the Ninagawa tribe that was causing problems there yesterday?

What are you?　You want to hear about them?　I don't think you should be messing with them, huh?　They can't communicate with anybody. It's not an exaggeration to say that they're emotionally unstable, and the only one I could get behind is Cassandra. It's a good thing that there's no advantage for us to understand each other. In other words, it's our loss to get involved.

I mean, why do you hate those girls so much?　What the hell did you do?

　Then the man looked me in the eye as I asked him that, and then he was convinced, as if he were realizing something on his own. When this man is convinced, his emotions have a habit of suddenly becoming calm.

''Since Lisana-sama said she was brought here, I thought... well, that's fine. It's not like I'm being kept in the dark about it. But just to be sure, don't tell me you heard it from me, okay?

Okay, I'll keep my mouth shut.

Everyone knows the story. Younger people don't know about it, but all the demons around my age know about it.

　That being said, I still have no idea how old you are.

"Lisana-sama and the current chief of the Ninaju tribe - Maricias were both from the same magical school. They entered the school at the same time and had the same grade. Maricius had his own problems and didn't graduate, but if it weren't for what happened, he'd be a good demon by now. Well, that is until that day when I didn't know what they were really like. Now I see that it was impossible...

What's going on?

　That's the problem. Neither Mr. Lucius nor anyone else will tell me about it.

"It's not easy to tell a human being about this. Maybe they won't understand it right away. That's why no one wants to talk to you.

Eh....

　What do you know about me, Mr. Jaws said with a grin on his face.
　And as soon as he said that, he told me.

'I drove one demon tribe to suicide.

Suicide?

'Yes, but even now, Maricias continues to deny it. As soon as he entered the school, Maricias was not only the same as the other students, but he was liked by both boys and girls at first sight. After all, she's just that good-looking, right?　And they had the Snake School of Swordsmanship. Maricias was also skilled in swordsmanship.

Swordsmanship and, hence, magic?

　So Toa asks. Perhaps the alcohol is getting to him, but his tone is familiar to Mr. Jaws, whom he has never met before.

'Yes, I am. Maricias was also excellent at magic. And in the beginning, he was respected by everyone. Looks are important, you know.

　Mr. Jaws returns his gaze to me.

'So do humans, right?　It's the same with demons. It's the same for demons, forcing their selfishness on beautiful things. I'm sure you've got a lot of people in your life who would like to see a strong, kind and generous demon who is good at learning because of his or her good looks, but no one is that perfect. In fact, when I opened the box, Maricias didn't have much of a talent for magic.

'What? ....but just now.

Of course I could do magic, right?　But the Ninaju tribe, with their snake ancestors, were born with little magic.

　I've never heard of that before.
　Well, you could say Xiao Tong is an exception.

''That's why the serpent people have mastered the sword arts. "Maricias' magic is only average for demons, right?

Hmm? .... well, that's the thing.

'I'll explain it to you in order. What I've just told you was almost unknown to me at the time. Maricias was respected by everyone, but that was drowned out by Lady Lysana's presence. The Rickman clan, Lady Lysana you know about the Rickman clan, don't you?

Well, just a little bit.

''Well that's fine. Back then, Lisana-sama's magic power far surpassed that of Maricias. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this. No way in hell is this going to happen with magic.

But Maricius had swordsmanship, right?

'Yes. But somehow Lady Lisana was also skilled in swordsmanship. One day in a mock battle. Maricius was defeated by Lysana. The Rickman clan is the strongest of all. That was the moment they showed me. But I later found out that Maricias was the least skilled swordsman of the Ninagawa clan. It was even inferior to his fellow Ninajuans, Emo and Doma, who he later made his own disciples. But his magical power, which was average for the entire demon tribe, was powerful among the Ninaju tribe, and that's why the two of them admired Maricias so much.

　So that's what Lisa said about the "swarming" that followed.

It didn't take long for things to happen. Maricias and his friends are looked at by everyone around them, but it's his own fault. Maricias and his friends will be looked at by those around him, but this is of his own making. Maricias changed his friendly attitude and only hung out with his own people, not even talking to them. And then one day one of his students jumped off the clock tower.

　Perhaps I shouldn't have let Nem listen to this kind of talk.
　But Nem seemed to be listening to Mr. Jaws with great enthusiasm. Do beastmen grow faster than they look?
　Rather, Toa turned away and stared at the table.

'Maricius was vicious and insidious in his harassment of certain students. Some of the students seemed to have seen the scene. I don't know, though, do I?　At any rate, it was a frequent occurrence and witnessed by many students. Immediately after a student jumps off, the students in turn begin to say, "Maricias killed him," as the teachers gather around, but they can't get away with it. But at that time, Maricias said to the teachers, students and Lady Lisana--"It would be worse to kill yourself, wouldn't it?" And.

....

'Maricius consistently claimed he was innocent. Later, several teachers and students blamed her. But "I just did the same thing she did. She was kind (,) to me too. So there is no evil there. She's dead, that's her problem.

Is that the problem they caused?

'It's more like Maricias than them, isn't it?　I had a bad impression of the Ninagawa family itself even before that to begin with.

　Mr. Jaws leaned back with a faraway look in his eyes, as if he was a little tired of talking.

'So it was superfluous, wasn't it?　When it became known that it was the Ninaju tribe that had caused the incident, the people of that time gathered in front of the school and their homes to protest. After that, the case became known throughout the three demon kingdoms, and there was no one who didn't know about them. Well, now that a certain amount of time has passed, the young guys don't know about it, do they?

What happened to Maricias after that?

Of course you're out. Only Maricias, though, right?　Emo, Doma and the rest of the students only had to be suspended.

　After I finished listening to the story, I still had some questions left in my mind.
　I understood that Maricias had caused the problem.
　But I didn't understand why the Ninaju tribe as a whole was thought of so badly. Even taking into account the fact that they weren't thought of well to begin with, there were still questions left unanswered.

'Well, there's still one thing I don't understand,'

What?

Even if that were the case, I still don't see why the entire Ninaju tribe is being demonized.

............right.

　But in response to my question, Joes, who had been so eloquent, said less.

I don't think you've heard anything yet.

　Part of it has to do with a hunch, but more than anything else, it has to do with the fact that this person's emotions are a little more disturbed than they were earlier.
　No, is this more excitement than disturbance?

I see.

What?

That's what the Demon King wants, isn't it? I've always assumed you were trustworthy because you have a friend in Totorica. But you've got nothing to say to me.

The point?

Why don't you ask him?　Well, it's not like the Demon Lord has gagged us, but...

　Then, as if to indicate an answer, Joes politely points to the toa with the palm of his hand. But he's at a loss for words.
　Then he stopped speaking as it was and took a deeper seat again.

''If you want to know, ask the Demon King-sama. I'm not going to bother putting you beside your precious princess. You are a human, but you are trusted in your own way, right?　I don't know why.

　Is this what all demons are like?
　As soon as he mentions something he doesn't want to talk about, he immediately slurs his words.

　Then I just say "thank you" and leave. Then somehow, Joe's got the money for the restaurant.
　But he said, "Don't worry about it," so I let him have it.

　Then we left with a fully satisfied Nem, who probably hadn't heard a word of the conversation from the middle, and Toa, who was feeling a little depressed because of the bad news she'd heard, and we left.

　Then, a few steps away from our seats, we heard Jaws' voice from behind us saying, "Oh, yeah.

'Thank you for killing Cassandra, right?　That was a real lifesaver!

...What?

　I turn around as soon as I hear that voice. But--

..........

　When I turned around, I didn't see Mr. Jaws there.
　No, it wasn't just Jaws-san.

'Masamune.......this is.......'

'Master!　They're all gone!

　-- There was no one else in the beer garden.

　It was just us there. There were only leftover plates and mugs of leftover food and drink, and there wasn't even a waiter who should have been walking the floor a moment ago.

''Let's........go.

　I had to say that.

　In my head, I said, "Thank you for killing Cassandra, right?" The only thing that lingered was the creepy tone of voice that didn't seem to belong to Mr. Jaws before, and the feeling that he had made fun of me, as if it was an aftertaste.

　Toa was just more confused and more than a little frightened by the scene in front of him than by my words.
　Nem had no idea what had happened, "What's going on!　What is the meaning of this! He was in a hurry to scurry around repeating the words "I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that".

　After that, we decided to go sightseeing in the town, looking at clothes and tools, but Toa didn't seem to leave me and didn't seem to be in the mood for sightseeing, so we ended up going back to the castle earlier than I expected.

　I wonder what it is?　Every time I go to town, I get caught up in something.
　I can't even do a proper tour of the Devil's Land.
　I'm starting to get annoyed, to say the least.