Chapter 10
The Fallen Angel
Part 2
From a distant hilltop, I watched the auction venue. It seemed everything was over, as the audience began streaming out one after another.
Those who had managed to make purchases, and even those who hadn’t, all looked satisfied.
Perhaps they were aware that they were simply reaping what they had sown, and could imagine what awaited them next. Even though the true suffering hadn’t yet begun, the people being led out all wore expressions as if the world was ending.
Among the buyers emerging outside was the demon who had taken the woman I gave the soup to earlier.
The demon forcibly dragged the woman into an inconspicuous, secluded spot, pinned her against a wall, and began tearing her clothes. As she cried and screamed, the demon reached for her with a satisfied look.
…There was no need to watch any further.
Even though it was a secluded spot, many among the passersby noticed her crying and screaming, yet not a single one tried to help.
I spotted the man too; he was being dragged away by his hair by the demon who had purchased him. What happened after that was none of my concern.
“It’s all over. You’ve worked hard too.”
I spoke to Number 13, who was behind me.
After that commotion in the ‘Gran Kokuma Empire’, I properly saved and cared for him. I removed all the human chemicals flowing through his body and the brainwashing demon blood injected by Dia. Despite this, Number 13 looked at me with a face full of anger.
“My, oh my? I saved you as promised, yet you’re still dissatisfied?”
“As promised? After doing this to my arm!?”
He swung his arm up as if to show me his right arm.
The arm wasn’t swollen from the chemicals, and the vein-like patterns that had surfaced were gone. The only difference was that everything from the wrist down was severed and missing. As a culled demon, he probably couldn’t regenerate it either.
Of course, I returned his hand to him, but he said he didn’t want it and threw it away somewhere.
“I merely kept my promise and removed all the bad things from your body. You severely injured Ruki, who had no intention of attacking. He could have died if things had gone slightly wrong. You don’t need such a wicked arm, do you?”
“Ruki… Who’s that? Don’t push your delusions on me!”
“Have you forgotten him because your interaction was so brief? Well, no matter. Ruki is my friend. And they’re not delusions. When I touch the memory storage of my creations… their heads, for example, I can read memories even they themselves cannot recall. I have confirmed both Ruki’s memories and your own.”
Number 13 gritted his teeth, wanting to say something.
Realizing he could neither harm me nor do anything about his arm, he let out a loud click of his tongue.
“You’re insane…”
“I’m well aware.”
I grinned, but Number 13’s displeased expression didn’t seem to change. Ruki told me I ‘look scary with a blank expression’, so I’ve been trying to smile ever since, but it’s quite difficult.
Ah, I wonder if seeing this might improve his mood a little.
I gathered magic in my palm. I created a crystal that projects images from memories I’ve seen.
“Here, the fate of those guards you hated so much. See this and cheer up.”
I projected the memory footage from when I provided the soup until their purchase was confirmed onto the crystal. Number 13 initially looked disinterested, but soon began staring intently at the crystal in my hand. He watched unblinkingly, gently stroking the crystal as the humans, utterly despairing, cried, screamed, and begged for mercy.
His previously displeased atmosphere had completely vanished. It seemed he liked it a great deal. When the memory footage finally ended, Number 13, unable to hide his excitement, spoke.
“…I want to see it again!”
“Sure. I’ll set it to loop for you.”
After adding a loop function to the crystal, it started playing the footage from the beginning again.
Number 13 snatched the crystal from me and brought it close to his face. Each time a crying, screaming human appeared, his cheeks flushed with exhilaration, he grew excited, and stared with rapturous eyes. He gazed at the repeating footage intently, over and over again. Glancing at his lower body, I saw his lower abdomen was heated, and the zipper area of his pants was bulging.
“You’ve fallen in love with their suffering cries, haven’t you?”
When I said that, Number 13 flinched violently as if I’d hit a nerve.
He neither confirmed nor denied my words.
He just curled up his body and ignored me, as if he had withdrawn into his own world. This was unexpected, but it seemed Number 13 was very pleased, so it’s safe to say his suffering had been rewarded.
“I’ll give that to you as a commemorative gift of your first love. Take good care of it.”
“…Yeah.”
Number 13 finally replied in a small voice, and after that, he said nothing more. He just kept staring at the crystal as if possessed.
Judging my presence here was no longer necessary, I left the spot.
I used a gate spell and returned to the human world from the demon world.
It felt like I had been gone for quite a long time.
Checking the clock set to human world time, it was just a little before the scheduled time. Good, my time adjustment was perfect. If things proceed according to plan, Akatsuki and Dia should be arriving soon.
As I was wondering what to do while waiting, a line of light appeared before my eyes, and from it emerged a single sheet of paper.
It was the communication magic letter I had given to Ruki.
I once held a fairly important position, so reports used to arrive incessantly from my subordinates every day. Unlike carrier pigeons, this method took no time and had no accidents. This communication magic I created back then is very convenient, and I still use it occasionally.
‘To Haru,
You haven’t returned for a very long time, are you okay?
I’m probably worrying over nothing, but I’m concerned you might have gotten caught up in some strange trouble.
It would help if you could let me know around what time you think we can meet up.’
It was written in such clumsy handwriting.
It seems Ruki had been studying writing, but he’s not used to it yet; the characters look like wriggling worms.
“Ruki, you’re such a worrier. Even though I’m far stronger, really.”
It wasn’t an important matter, and the content was trivial. If a report like this came in, it would be at a level I’d discard without replying. Even so, for some reason, reading the words made me feel warm inside. I took out a pen and wrote my reply in the blank space at the bottom of the letter.
‘To Ruki,
Thank you for your concern. I’m fine, no problems health-wise.
I think I can meet up with you by evening.’
After checking the content, I visualized the letter reaching Ruki, and it disappeared as if absorbed by a line of light. I hadn’t told Ruki, but I had asked Akatsuki and Dia for something special.
I wonder what kind of reaction he will have when he receives it.
Just imagining it makes me happy.
I couldn’t help but look forward to it from now on.
