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After the support in the valley was complete, we returned to the Academy.

The next day after returning to the dorm. I found myself lingering in Shione’s quarters, reminiscing about the things I had witnessed firsthand in the past.

The ruins of civilization lay thoroughly destroyed in the kingdom, the main stage of the dungeon we were set to conquer. The fourth enemy we encountered was undoubtedly branded with the name ‘Demon of Gluttony’.

Unlike the status window that has been newly granted to me, what I had back on Earth was merely a tool that expressed objective truths in texts and numbers. The fact that the quadrupedal beast was indeed a demon was undeniable.

The words left behind by Evan Feiosha stuck in my mind and refused to fade away.

“Ha…”

That Demon of Gluttony was currently an odd presence that one could not easily label as good or evil within the kingdom. Those who worshiped the beast seemed to be devoid of anything better to occupy themselves with. They entertained the idea of using black paint to turn the greyish creature into a demon.

Now they’ve even started trying to artificially create demons with their own hands. If you’re going to go mad, at least be a neat kind of mad. Isn’t that hard to believe?

“Still, thinking about it—”

The Demon of Gluttony, capable of wielding powers absorbed from the creatures it devoured.

If Evan’s words were to be taken as truth, and assuming its disposition could change depending on how much it consumed, then the being that had yet to be completely tainted pitch black by the cultists might manage to handle a bit of divine power.

Moreover, if that shaman received a portion of the beast’s inherent power through some trick, then even with its affinity for magic, the conditions could be met for it to utilize divine power.

“It was divine power, but they mentioned that it was very weak.”

Furthermore, it was Evan Feiosha, who personally touched the shaman’s divine power, claiming that while it was indeed divine, it was at a level weaker than a typical priest.

Given that, one could even view it as an accomplishment that could swallow a few priests and take off.

If they succeeded in raising a monster with such unpredictable potential into a truly demonic being, I could easily see the power-obsessed cultists reveling in delight.

“Well, I guess only our Sion-like priests ended up feeling sorry for themselves.”

In any case, the fact that old man had used divine power only meant that he must have killed priests to absorb their strength.

Our brother-in-law as well. That overrated Feiosha spirit, too. Those priests, who were of good standing and held promising futures, must have suffered more than others because they were targeted.

Moreover, because the Demon of Gluttony took action to please itself, my golden vacation was also flying out the window.

“Ha…”

With a deep sigh, I lifted the teacup placed before me.

The pungent aroma of herbs cleared the turmoil in my mind.

It was a tea that Shione, who had a sweet tooth, was reluctant to drink, so I had never seen it before. It was said to be a high-quality tea leaf that the Great Forest elves cultivated with care, and surprisingly, the fragrance wasn’t bad at all.

“Ray?”

After coming down from the mountains.

The torture of the demons we bound and even knocked unconscious must have begun.

I could just wait in the dorm for information while relaxing.

“…Ray.”

With royal knights and wizards present.

Now that the big events were over, the remaining remnants said they would take care of the cleanup themselves.

Though it’s not perfect, I felt a bit at ease knowing I could return to some semblance of normalcy.

With the royal knights and wizards on hand, the main forces of the enemy must have been dealt with. It wouldn’t be a chore to wipe out the remaining remnants in pieces.

However, I was soon going to have to shift my focus elsewhere.

“If I keep ignoring it, I might turn into a demon.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“…Want to know?”

With a sly expression and a tongue peeking out just enough to moisten her lips.

It seemed she wanted to imitate a succubus. In the end, it felt like a little devil trying to mock me, but I quickly tucked my tail between my legs.

“I apologize.”

Even looking like that was dangerous if it changed in an instant.

Eventually, after receiving those five words, Shione nodded, as if showing kindness.

“By the way, what were you thinking about so intently?”

“I was pondering what Evan’s spirit mentioned. There were some things troubling me.”

“…Well, the divine power and that demon story is quite a lot to wrap your head around.”

“And we’ve also heard stories from the World Tree, haven’t we?”

Shione quietly nodded her head.

It was not something one should randomly voice out loud.

After a moment of organizing her thoughts, Shione carefully began to speak.

“The Church isn’t entirely bad, but it’s better to be suspicious. I could use a bit more time to think. I suppose it would be good to investigate this further when I have the time.”

“How about asking Sion about any doctrine? The Church’s scriptures and teachings are said to be written down from the words of God’s messengers. We might be able to glean hints from there.”

“Good idea. Sion must have returned to the family, so we can ask him after he gets back.”

Ah, right. I almost forgot to mention that.

“There’s something I need to tell you. It seems Sion hasn’t returned to the family yet.”

“…Sion is still here?”

“It seems the wounds are quite deep, and he plans to go back only after being treated by the academy’s priests. I learned this from a knight who was escorting Sion last night.”

Upon hearing that Sion was still at the Academy, Shione showed a moment of surprise.

Well, I too had thought he’d safely returned to his family. However, it seemed he was still staying here for some reason—whether it was unfinished business or because of his injuries.

With that gaze of hers, as if questioning why I hadn’t said anything earlier, I could only sheepishly shrug my shoulders and avoid her stare.

“Ha… The Divine Faculty’s dormitory isn’t in normal condition either. He must have found a different place to stay. I think I should go check on him later.”

Shione said so.

These days, with the magic she just started properly learning.

Seeing she had gone through two battles when she expected none, it seemed like she had accumulated quite a bit of stress.

“By the way, I should get a well-made bowstring to use properly.”

The bowstring currently attached to my elven bow was merely prepared as a precaution.

The new bow I received from Fletta. It was made by the elves, reflecting their deep sincerity not only in the bow’s body but in the string as well, and it was top-notch quality.

It would be disrespectful to string a poorly prepared bowstring onto such a fine bow.

“I can’t give up on the feel.”

If possible, I want to find one with various effects attached and use it well—it’s satisfying for both my mood and when pulling back the bowstring.

“It’d be nice to check out the commercial district of the Academy.”

The elegant shops I saw while riding in the carriage.

Since this place is where knowledge and various skills are honed, it would only make sense that there are shops lined up for those who shoot bows—whether they be hobbyists or dedicated archers like us.

“Now that I think about it, I haven’t really gone out for fun with Shione.”

Almost all my memories with her consisted of fighting in wars, covering each other’s backs and shooting arrows, or enduring camping in shabby bases. Most were memories of sleepless nights preparing for battles.

Even the accessories I had gifted her back then—knowing she’d hide them under her bed in a small box because they couldn’t be left tarnished while traversing battlefields.

Now that I’ve had a little extra room to extract information from the academy’s masters, it would be nice to have some fun, just the two of us, spending a little money like nobles.

With a small smile, I called out to Shione.

“Princess Shione.”

“Ray, why are you suddenly smiling? Did something get stuck on my lips…?”

She had, without my notice, sat in front of me, munching away at the pastries on the plate.

Covering her mouth slightly while looking me in the eye, I said,

“How about we go out on a date for the first time in a while?”

“…Really?”

“Our last proper outing was when we went to see the plum blossoms, and I don’t think we’ve gone out together since then. With Epheana likely busy for a while, and it’ll take time to gather more information, I figured it’s a good chance.”

Shione’s azure eyes began to sparkle.

It seemed like she never imagined I would propose a date; her expression changed from disbelief, to shock, to sheer delight like a whirlwind.

Adding to her excitement, I said,

“There weren’t any plum trees at the Count’s, right? So when we went out for spring outings and saw the blossoms, it made you extra happy. Since there are many nobles in the Academy, we should be able to see a variety of flowers at the flower shops in the commercial district.”

Shione’s hobbies, reading novels and flower viewing.

With just one of those touched, she’d feel like she had no regrets even if she died.

If Shione had a puppy tail, it would have been wagging in the sky by now.

“Let me get ready right away—uh…!”

Bang—!

As she tried to dart up, pushing her chair back, Shione’s knee collided with the table, producing a dull thud.

“Oh.”

Pastries splattered everywhere, tea spilled over.

On top of that, she lost her balance and tumbled sideways, having banged her knee.

Covered in crumbs and lukewarm tea, she looked like a puppy that had just been caught in the rain, yet she was still smiling.

“…Are you okay?”

“I-I’m fine… I was going to wash up anyway…!”

But there was no way to avoid the embarrassment.

Her ears, peeking from her silvery hair, turned red, and she shyly averted her gaze as she asked.

“…So when are we going out?”

 

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