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Chapter

487. National Project

Zilbagias has been centralized from the Narou version to Kakyoum. Thank you for your continued support.

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Demon Lord Goldgias chewed on Spinethia’s words.

――That youngest brother said, ‘If it’s necessary, Father will teach you’, didn’t he?

(If Zilbagias really wanted to keep the card of necromancy hidden, he wouldn’t say it that way…)

It was fine to just insist that it was confidential. Yet, the fact that he ultimately left the final decision to the Demon Lord meant—

“Did Zilbagias really say that?”

“Y-yes…”

Spinethia nodded a bit uncertainly at the Demon Lord’s insistence.

“…I might not have the exact words, but it was something like that.”

“Hmm.”

At least Spinethia didn’t seem to be lying. This means Zilbagias must have said something close to that. We could assume he had the intention to reveal necromancy if it was necessary.

――On a side note, Zilbagias thought, ‘I’ll leave the judgment to the Demon Lord, but the purpose of researching necromancy is extremely sensitive because it’s for dealing with Enma, so unless it’s absolutely necessary, I doubt he would mention it.’

Moreover, instead of saying, ‘If it’s necessary, Father will teach you,’ Spinethia, pressuring him with her royal status for a disclosure of confidential information, was met with, ‘Then perhaps you might hear something from Father.’

Spinethia could also be said to have twisted Zilbagias’s statement to fit her own needs, but she genuinely interpreted Zilbagias’s words that way and had no ill intentions whatsoever.

Thus, the Demon Lord couldn’t read any malice from Spinethia and decided to simply trust her words—

(After all, the current situation where there are no other necromancy researchers aside from Zilbagias isn’t ideal for the Demon Lord Kingdom.)

Countermeasures against Enma. With Odigos’s disappearance causing contracts with demons to become unstable, it’s even more necessary to keep an eye on the undead faction.

The possibility that Zilbagias left some information disclosure opportunity for Spinethia was probably considering emergencies.

(Really, he has been thinking about the country…)

The Demon Lord felt a pang in his chest.

However, due to various circumstances, he was forced to exile that unique expert (6) abroad, and to the best of the Demon Lord’s knowledge, there was no successor decided yet.

“……”

Thinking about it again, everything was too harsh. The Demon Lord placed a hand on his forehead as if to withstand a headache and let out a heavy sigh. And Spinethia watched nervously, fearing she might have offended the Demon Lord.

“…Alright.”

The Demon Lord raised his face and lightly clapped his hands.

――The sounds around vanished entirely.

For a moment, Spinethia felt a sense of illusion as if her hearing had been taken away. But she quickly realized that the sound of her own breath and even her heartbeat was echoing back—it was just the Demon Lord’s overwhelming magical power that had deployed a soundproof barrier.

When the Demon Lord exercised his powers, even the most mundane spells appeared to be something entirely different.

“I can tell you what Zilbagias was involved with. However, there’s one condition.”

“…Yes.”

“In the interest of fairness, I cannot reveal that condition beforehand. You can either accept the offer without knowing the condition or choose to walk away, pretending you heard nothing. Make your choice.”

…That’s unreasonable. It’s like jumping into a bottomless pit. The Demon Lord laughed leisurely as he leaned back in his chair in front of the hesitant Spinethia.

“Now, what will you do, Spinethia? Do you still want to know?”

“…………I want to confirm, but the information I’d get would be…?”

“Of course, it must not be spoken of to anyone.”

The Demon Lord’s expression tightened.

“To anyone. Not even to Aiogias. There are no exceptions.”

Spinethia’s heart raced.

Until now, she had relayed all useful information she had learned to Aiogias—that was her role as a prince of the Demon Lord.

But this information—

Would be a secret even from Aiogias! With the Demon Lord’s seal of approval!

A quiet thrill coursed through her. As just a pawn, without any real standing—

To hold such information. It was a forbidden temptation of sorts. Perhaps the Demon Lord was just being dramatic, and it wasn’t that big of a deal. But for Spinethia, that was irresistibly alluring.

“I accept the condition. Please tell me.”

Barely thinking, Spinethia voiced it.

“Oh? How bold of you.”

“Well, yes.”

Having tasted both the feeling of having messed up and achieving something, Spinethia felt unusually refreshed.

(Ha ha, this is interesting.)

And the Demon Lord regarded her favorably. Though usually acting thoughtfully, Goldgias was originally the type who just wanted to swing a spear at the front lines without thinking.

“Fine. Then first, I shall reveal one of Zilbagias’s cards. In exchange, if Zilbagias asks you about your card, I will unconditionally disclose one piece of information for you.” —That is all.

…Spinethia blinked in surprise.

“Huh, is that all?”

“That’s all.”

“It doesn’t seem like much…?”

Frankly speaking, Spinethia didn’t have anything that would cause trouble if discovered.

It was already known that Spinethia was from the Sauroe Tribe and her bloodline magic was “Hunting Domain” and “Name,” and there was no way to hide her contract with the “Demon of Gluttony.”

Just like Rubyphia and Diagias, Spinethia was also the type who wouldn’t mind her cards being revealed. In fact, demons with a certain rank usually had their hands revealed by their actions on the battlefield.

It was unusual that, even after rising to Marquis, Zilbagias had still not revealed his contracting demon.

“Indeed, it’s not much, but it was a necessary condition. Also, the fact that I cannot reveal it beforehand has significance. If I had first stated, ‘If Zilbagias asks, I will disclose one of your cards,’ it would make it clear that this incident is related to Zilbagias’s abilities, and it would also show that ‘Zilbagias is hiding some kind of card.’ And you would be able to take that information back.”

“Oh… I see.”

So that’s what it meant to ensure fairness.

(So, does this mean Zilbagias’s contracting demon will finally be revealed?)

Spinethia couldn’t help but start feeling excited.

“Then I will tell you what Zilbagias was doing—”

Just as he began speaking, the Demon Lord fell silent.

“…Spinethia. Please expand the barrier.”

“Huh? Even further?”

Isn’t Father already using, likely, the world’s strongest soundproof barrier?

“Yes. While the soundproofing is fine, I want something that blocks all senses, including sight.”

“Ugh… Understood.”

So strict? She thought, but stood up, spun around once, and expanded her “Hunting Domain.”

At a glance, nothing seemed to have changed, but a dome-shaped barrier of magical power enveloped the two.

“Now, you can no longer see inside from outside. Sounds, vibrations, and magical power should not pass through.”

“Wonderful. Then—”

The Demon Lord produced a small flame in the palm of his hand.

He quickly expanded it.

No, that wasn’t fire. It was “magical power of fire” before it ignited. Even so, Spinethia, who was engulfed in it almost instantly, felt as if every inch of her was being licked by a fiery tongue.

“Alright.”

Filling the inside of the barrier with the magical power of fire for just a moment, the Demon Lord nodded as if relieved.

“Sorry for the wait. Now, let me tell you. Zilbagias has been learning necromancy from Enma, and the fortress is a research facility for that.”

“…Huh?”

Spinethia froze at the utterly unexpected information.

(Wait… why?)

It was a “why?” in various meanings.

Why was he learning necromancy?

Why was it necessary to treat that as state secret?

Why go to such lengths to deploy a barrier just to convey it?

“――And Zilbagias is seeking a definite method to annihilate Enma.”

But with the Demon Lord’s next words, the sense of “bad news” shot up.

(What!? Could it be—!?)

The blood drained from Spinethia’s face.

Could it be… that there’s a sign of rebellion against Enma?

(No way! I can’t go to the front lines now!!)

Who would deliver the food without the transport capacity of the undead—!?

 

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