I searched the place where the demon tribe was and where the villagers were controlled, but there was no trace of why the demon tribe was in this village.


　It's not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you can get a good idea of what to expect.

It's a good thing that the miasma is so dense that it doesn't seem to have any miasma after being activated, so it's not surprising that it's been purified and blown away.
　Lionel spreads his hands out happily and waves his face to the side.
　I know I've asked the wrong person.

'I crushed it before I did any rituals, so I'm sure it's fine Nya. It's not Luciel-sama's fault if the truth never comes out.
　It was no longer possible to find out if there was any trace of it in the first place, but it was all my fault.

''That's right. I hadn't felt the enemy was that strong since the red dragon. If the demon tribe didn't play during the battle, and if Luciel-sama and Lionel-dono hadn't been able to rush over, I would have died with Keti by now.
　

''Kefin, we're about to tweak Luciel-sama a bit more here, Nya.
　It looked like Keti was laughing and trying to channel Kefin's story.
The fact that Keti and Kefin really could have been dead if the wounds sustained in this battle had been made by the demon race playing with them makes me wince.
''I suppose so, but it looks like the villagers have woken up.
　Hearing Kefin's words, I turned my attention to the villagers and sure enough, I could see them turning over in their sleep.

''I don't know how this situation will appear to them. Just keep the sword in its scabbard.
　I tell them that and put the area barrier back up.
　This way, in the unlikely event of a surprise attack, if I don't get killed by a single blow, I won't die.
　With that in mind, I call out to them.

''Villagers, are you all right?''
　After calling out to them a few times, the villagers wake up in turn.
''I am Luciel, an S-class healer belonging to the Healer's Guild. Are you clear in your consciousness?
　As I continued to call out to them, the effect slowly began to take effect, and the villagers' consciousness gradually awakened.
　And as soon as they saw me, their faces paled.

''Luciel-sama! When did you come in?
It's Lady Luciel.
The squire is here.
　When one of them awoke, one by one, their consciousnesses were awakened, and for some reason they had to get down on their knees in front of me.
　It seems that some of the villagers remembered my face.

They said, "You don't have to get down on your knees. It has been less than an hour since I visited this village. When I rushed to the entrance of the village to find out what was going on, I saw that you were controlled by the demon tribe, and I defeated the demon tribe and hurriedly used my recovery magic to heal you. But still, what happened?
　When I asked him that, one of the men walked up to me and began to get down on his knees again in front of me.
　He was the village chief of this village, I remembered.

'Actually, the children are being held hostage in my home. We were threatened by a man claiming to be a demon tribe...''
Threatened?
"...I can't remember a time since you told me we were going to do the ritual...
　The village chief looked troubled, and it didn't look like an act.
　Even the lie-sensitive Forenoire didn't respond.

'Does anyone know who it is? I don't think you're going to go into a hypnotic state all at once, do you?
　But no one raised their hands.

　If he was a demon tribe that was good enough to play with Keti and Kefin, maybe he could control the villagers all at once.......
''I understand. The village chief should go check out the house. Keti, Kefin, take the village chief and go check on the children from inside the house. If they have become demons, let them come to term.
Ha!
　I made sure that Keti and the others were heading to the village chief's house and decided to check with the villagers to see how long they had lost their memories.
　Fortunately, the villagers were still alive to hear what was going on, so I started asking questions, glad that we had decided to go on an expedition to Meratni.

'I'm sorry that you are all so tired, but can you tell me how long you have been manipulated and what you remember before and after? Tell us what you all remember about the process of the demon race capturing the child.
　He didn't know why the demon tribe had been hiding in this village, but he was sure that someone had guided them in.

　However, no one appeared to testify to that.
　On the contrary, the village chief who had just testified that he had been threatened by the demon tribe had spoken up and said he didn't know the story.

''As if...?!
　I've been watching this happen lately.
　It was after the dark spirit's power was used in the dwarven kingdom. After the dark spirit's power was used in the dwarven kingdom.
　But at that time everyone's memories were tampered with by the dark wave except for me, who has no tolerance for it.

''Lionel, the village chief's house. You will all have to wait.

　I didn't follow, I poured my magic power into the illusion staff on the spot, activating the sanctuary wards at once.
　

''Lionel was able to do something like that?''
　As I muttered that, I was also activating the sanctuary circle for the villagers who had assembled.

''I didn't know you were still here...''
　Towards the villagers who began to suffer, I didn't hesitate to throw the holy dragon spear that I poured my magical power into without hesitation.
　The moment I transformed into a form like the first demon tribe in agony, the holy dragon spear stabbed deeply into the chest of the demon tribe and it fell down with a scream.

　The villagers were confused by the suddenness of my actions, and some of them started screaming, but when I turned into the sword of illusion and cut off the limbs of the villagers who had turned into the demon race, there was no one to scream due to the brutality of my actions.
　My body moved surprisingly well, and I felt like I was being manipulated, but I had an unmistakable feeling that my sense of danger had been awakened.


''Now, demon tribe, why did you come into the village of the St. Schuler's Cooperative Kingdom, a village that is close to the center of the city?''
Gah!
　I didn't care too much if I vomited blood or not, and my wounds healed a bit after I healed my extremities.
　It turns out that recovery magic works for the demon race, and purification magic and state recovery magic can also have normal potency, which is different from the undead attribute.

''I'm not a holy knight, but if there's a demon race that's trying to destroy a village this easily, I think it's my mission to defeat them.
Huh ... hah, then why don't you just kill him?
Don't you want to live?
I'm gonna die of my injuries anyway.
I'll take out the magic stone in your chest before you unleash your magic, so self-destruction is not recommended. And I'll make sure you don't die.

　I heeled over the cut on my limb and the bleeding stopped.
'I have no grudge against the demon race. Even if we didn't co-exist, I didn't intend to interfere with them to survive. In this era where there are no brave men to begin with what is the use of war in this era where there are no demon kings?
Then why did you kill my people?
'On the contrary, let me ask you, what would you do if I went to the demon territory and brainwashed an entire village?'
..........
''That's the answer but more importantly, are you a pure demon race?''
..........
Maybe they were originally in an Imperial testing facility?
?
　The blood drained from his impatient face at once.
'I won't make it bad...? Middle heels, high heels.
　He cast a recovery spell with a chant break, but the demon race did not recover.

''........How did it die? To really lose your life is a worse quality than a pledge it's now a curse of sorts.
　There's a curse that I can't lift after I cast the dispel... I feel that I'm going to have to listen to the dark spirits, not Estia, but the dark spirits.
　A small voice speaking in whispers overlapped, and it felt like a small murmur.
　That's when Lionel, who brought the charred blackened corpse, and the injured Ketty and Kefin came back.

''........You're still here too?''
''Ah. Lionel and the others weren't there, so I took them down by surprise in one fell swoop when they were suffering in the Sanctuary Circle. Did you find out what it was over there?
　I cast Area High Heels to recover the three of them, and then listen to them as I cast another state recovery spell.
''.........No, instead, the children were safe. It looks like they were trying to transport them somewhere, but........
All right. I'll talk to you later.
Ha!

　I turn back to the villagers and open my mouth, checking each of their faces.
''Everyone, the demon race has been defeated, so you may return to your homes. I'll be at the village chief's house today, so if you need anything, please call out to me.
　
　I don't think it's a good idea to stay at the village chief's house, but I'm sure some of the villagers have been treated by me, so I can at least talk to them.
　I thought about that and made it a priority to return the children to their parents.


　After lighting the lights at the village chief's house and confirming that the child was gone, I decided to take a breath.
''So what is this mess?''

　I know there was a battle, but it was a really bad one.
I brought him in for guidance, and he attacked me from behind, Nya.
''As expected, it's not that we were in danger, but we were attacked as well... If the demon race hadn't started suffering after the outside glowed blue-white, we might have died.
''When the two of them managed to attack the demon tribe that was mimicking that old man, they slashed him from behind.
"Lionel-sama attacked me and I managed to save myself. But then the house burned down and I was in a panic.
We were both putting out a fire and it was a surprise when the roof blew off.
'Yes! Lionel. What is that flaming attack that came from that great sword?
'There was a weapons enthusiast in the Church Order who taught me how to use it.
I'm glad you told me.
'He told me it was because he was a follower of Master Luciel. He smiled proudly, saying it was because he was a follower who would restore the prestige of the church.
Well I'm just a coward. Alright, let's go to dinner.
""What."

　Before entering the house, they tucked them, including Forenoire, into the hermit's stables, and after awakening the men in the carriage, they decided to release them since they were sure they weren't the demon race.
　After putting the unconscious Estia to bed, I handed all the children over to their parents, and that was done just a few moments ago.

　I cast a cleansing spell on the table and lay out the dinner.
'When we're done with dinner, we'll explore while we clean up the village chief's house.
""What."
　Then they sat around dinner.

'Did Ketty and Kefin notice anything in the field when they were doing their first battle?
He had a dubious wand and a jar.
　The wand and the urn ... what is the ritual?
...There's no such thing?
As the magic Master Luciel unleashed wrapped up, the wand, the tsubo, and the magic circle disappeared.
A magic circle?
　I don't think there was any such thing, but did the Sanctuary Circle really drown out everything?

'I couldn't find it earlier, would you like me to check it out in the morning?'
　Lionel's voice brought him back to consciousness and he continued talking.
'Yeah. Is there anything else that's on your mind?
'Come to think of it, no one was suspicious of the man we thought was the village chief. Perhaps it could be mimicry.
'That's what I've been wondering, too. It's not normal for Forenoir to be unable to make a decision...........
'I know. Me and Kefin didn't notice it because of the smell or the sensation.

　Forenoir, who might be a spirit, doesn't notice, and Keti and Kefin, who are beastmen, don't notice.
　Is that really possible?


Well, it's almost certainly Imperial again.
　Lionel is startled, then shoots me something of a stifled look.

''........do you know anything about it?''
'Remembering the relationship with the demon tribe that Lionel and the others were investigating at the time, wasn't the demon tribe I defeated originally in an Imperial experimental facility? I asked him, and that was all it took to kill him. That was a curse.
...Are you really going to create a demon race?
　What I felt from Lionel was not only as a warrior, but I didn't want to admit that my homeland, the Empire, was tainted with darkness.
　Such feelings were overflowing.
　In times like these, if you say something that seems a little hopeful or fun, it will help a little.
　I felt like someone had taught me that.

'I don't know. It just seems pretty sucky as it is, and I'll really think about my strength to protect myself.'
Are you setting up a private army?
　Kefin took a bite right off.

"Yeah. 'Yeah, because you'll be going to the Empire one day.'
"...why?
　Lionel, who knows my personality, would naturally think so, but the demon race showed up in a place that wasn't even Imperial territory.
　I don't think the situation would change much no matter where I am.
　If that's the case, there's only one thing I want to do for Lionel and the others.
''The cause of Lionel and the others wanting to be in a position of being slaves will be resolved once they get to the Empire, right? I don't want the people I trust to be slaves to me forever.
"...I suppose it can't be helped. But if we go to Meratni, then back to Rockward, then to Nerdal, then to another country, I don't think we'll be able to marry in the foreseeable future.
　Just when I thought I was a little distracted, I was returned with a vengeance.

''Don't........drop bombs out of the blue from places that have nothing to do with it!
"Lionel is worried about you. I think the St. Schuler's Cooperative also allows polygamy. I'm not going to make you wait for a man. I'll attack Lord Lumina as soon as possible.
　Just as I'm feeling the meow meow, more kefin support comes in.
'Yes. Don't think you'll get another chance.
　His snort was harsh and Kefin seemed to be telling himself that, but I was so close to his face and mentally damaged, I cut the conversation short and gave him instructions.
''Don't tell me because I'm thinking about that story properly. And since there may be an attack tonight, I'm asking you to search for and protect the enemy.
""What."
　Thus, after a strangely tiring dinner, we began to clean up the village chief's house.