[.......]
[The reason I came here in person is because you crossed a line I permit.]
["Are you out of your mind? I’m connected not only to the nobility but to this nation’s royal family, even to King Palma himself. If you pull anything foolish with me, you’ll spark something you can’t handle."]
["I see. Then allow me to tell you one thing as well."]
Frondier let his voice grow more insinuating, while thinking, So the king here was named Palma, huh.
["If you pull anything foolish with Carla, you really will trigger something you can’t handle."]
["......!"]
["You see, I want to build a society where humans and demons can coexist. For that, however, several prerequisites are needed. Demons like humans, but humans dislike demons. So even when entering human society, one must make preparations to avoid being hated, don’t you think?"]
Even as he said it, Frondier thought it was a spectacular piece of nonsense.
Humans and demons cannot coexist. Even if it were possible, that does not mean they can be mixed within a single social structure with no issue.
Just as you don’t keep a dog and a monkey in the same cage, there are clearly realms the two can never understand about each other.
He knew it was nonsense and said it anyway. To look more like a demon.
["Preparations—what kind of preparations......?"]
There, Lady Achaia’s expression changed.
["Don’t tell me, gathering information on nobles was......!"]
["You’ve caught on."]
She had not caught on at all.
Frondier gave a dark smile as if it had all been his design.
["You seem to think that was a task Carla only just began at Atlas."]
At the tone of his voice, doubt flickered in the lady’s eyes. The premise she’d held till now was crumbling. She wore exactly that look.
And to drive the wedge home—
["When do you think I began collecting information of that scale?"]
["......Lies......."]
They were lies.
["Do you truly think the connections you boast of will be more effective than the information I hold?"]
Lady Achaia herself had said she was connected even to the king.
That was meant to imply the king and royals might side with her—but conversely, it meant that if she made a grave mistake, the impact could reach the royal family itself.
["......What is your goal."]
In the end, the question came from her. It was practically a declaration of defeat.
["I can’t tell you that."]
Because Frondier didn’t know either.
["Atlas is where my son studies. What on earth is happening here? Why is Carla gathering information on demons? And what’s the point of collecting and trading information on nobles?"]
Lady Achaia was worried about her son. Most of the nobles aligned with her likely felt the same. Many were probably thinking of withdrawing from Atlas once this was over.
From Frondier’s perspective, that was a bit troublesome. He still needed his position as an Atlas teacher, and if Ias left Atlas and his assessment dropped afterward, it would be hard to continue as a teacher.
["Do not worry."]
So Frondier said,
["Nothing will happen at Atlas. I’m moving precisely to ensure that."]
["......What is that supposed to mean."]
["Coexistence between demons and humans—I mentioned it."]
["That nonsense."]
It was nonsense.
But there might be someone who believed it wasn’t.
Frondier decided to be that kind of person.
For a little while.
["We demons are currently divided."]
'We demons. The moment he said it, gooseflesh prickled in his inner armpits.'
["Divided......?"]
["Just like humans. I believe there’s no need to fight humans."]
["......And yet you store up information to threaten nobles?"]
["Is that a problem?"]
Of course it was a problem, but Frondier tilted his head as he asked.
Demons tended to act like this. Frondier was getting better at pretending to be one.
["......As I thought, we can’t have dealings with the likes of you. You cannot understand humans. You lot."]
And it landed perfectly.
So perfectly that Frondier felt a faint bitterness.
["In any case, watch and see. You must not interfere yet."]
Saying so, Frondier withdrew.
He exchanged pleasantries with other noble ladies, offered Lady Achaia the same formal greeting, and took his leave.
A televoice flew after his back.
["Don’t tell me—you’re one of the 72 demons?"]
After a brief thought, Frondier replied,
["I’m on friendly terms with Bael."]
***
For now, the immediate fire was put out. Probably.
When I reached the gym, my sixth sense had already caught several spells primed to go off.
With Lady Achaia at their center, I managed to persuade her enough to let the current situation pass without incident.
Whether she took it as persuasion, I can’t say.
Either way, this is only buying time. Left as is, Lady Achaia and her collaborators will squeeze Carla again after a brief lull. By then, the more she knows of my existence, the harder it will be for me to block her.
It must be settled before that.
"Good. Time to find Carla again."
I am imitating Carla’s mastermind.
Partly to lure out the real mastermind himself, and if he does not move, to profit by taking his place.
Carla is someone who can be used. As the mastermind was already doing. Since he had the system set up nicely, I can play mastermind as long as the real one doesn’t appear.
Then the first priority is contact with Carla. It makes no sense for Carla’s mastermind to be unable to meet her.
From her perspective, the one doing the threatening simply changes to me; from ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) mine, I get to take the fruit another would have taken.
'First and foremost, the petrification must be solved.'
I hadn’t known before, but Carla’s reason for avoiding me is undoubtedly tied to the petrification. I’m relieved to learn she wasn’t avoiding me simply because she disliked me.
'Come to think of it, how does the original mastermind handle Carla’s petrification?'
I’m curious about that too—but I’ll handle it my way.
And I have one suspicion about it.
It’s only a possibility, but I can’t leave it unconfirmed.
'She was in the gym just now, and she’s vanished again.'
I’d seen her speaking with nobles, but while I was talking with Lady Achaia, she slipped away again.
It’s a brief break after the bout. It seems she intends to avoid me every time a break comes.
Well, that’s her business.
"Time to make this comfortable."
Carla avoids me because I might turn to stone. Probably.
So once she learns there’s no need for that, she’ll stop avoiding me.
'Carla is a monster. At least for now.'
I felt something from Carla that I don’t feel from humans. Unlike with Lirih or Arald, where I felt nothing, I sensed something distinct from Carla.
That must be my senses recognizing her as a monster.
My sixth sense sends a clear signal at Carla’s presence.
Ordinarily, it would be warning me of the threat of a monster.
But to me now, it simply points out exactly where Carla is.
Following that sensation, I strode on—
"......Huh? No way!"
Behind a building where you’d truly expect no one, in a thicket of brush, I found Carla.
"You’ll get hurt if you stay in a place like this."
I approached and spoke to her. Naturally, Carla retreated by the same measure.
"H-How did you find me?"
"I put a tracker on you."
"......!"
"I’m joking."
I told Carla as she hurriedly patted down her clothes. With her cheeks slightly flushed, she turned her head away.
"W-What do you want?"
"You’ve been avoiding me, Principal."
"I haven’t been avoiding you."
"You just asked how I found you."
That meant she’d been running.
"......."
"At this rate, it will never end."
Tap!
I made a light leap and closed the distance to right in front of Carla.
"N-no! I’ll be going now! I just remembered something important!"
Grab!
I caught her arm as she tried to flee.
"My business is important too."
"Then go do your work! Why are you grabbing me!"
"This is important right now."
"W-What are you talking about!"
Face reddening further, Carla shook her arm with determined vigor, but there was no way that delicate body could pry off my hand.
"Look at me, Principal."
"N-no! I can’t!"
Of course she wouldn’t look at me.
And right now, in truth, it is dangerous if she looks at me.
Until I confirm what must be confirmed.
"I—I just remembered something urgent! Urgent and important!"
"My business is urgent and important as well."
At my reply, Carla pressed her lips shut as if to say she would argue no further.
I quietly watched her like that.
—Frondier, you’re weak to women, aren’t you?
Damn it.
Fwoosh!
"Kyah?!"
I tightened my grip and yanked Carla toward me.
Carla hadn’t originally worn sunglasses.
If sunglasses were one of her measures to block petrification, then ordinarily she could control it without needing such things.
But in front of me, she always wore sunglasses.
Which means there’s a condition under which her control fails.
Whether that is emotional agitation or physical shock—
I have to draw something out.
Anything.
"Principal."
I addressed her by her title.
'Weak to women, is it. I’m never hearing that again.'
"Look at me."
"......!"
Now she didn’t even answer; she only shook her head.
But certainly—my sixth sense reacted to Carla’s power.
This was clearly no ordinary magic. An alien power emanated from Carla’s body.
And—
'......As I thought.'
I became certain.
I knew this power.
'I’d wondered what exactly a “curse bestowed by a god” was.'
Carla had undoubtedly received a god’s curse.
Then what is a god’s curse? Is it different from curses cast by demons or humans?
How does a god bestow upon a human such a terrifying power that turns whatever looks upon her to stone?
Carla’s current state—the alien sensation overflowing from her, that radiant yet chilling light.
I had seen that light—
On Aster, on Elodie, on Senior Edwin, on Pielot, and so on.
'This is Divine Power.'
Carla wore the exact same aspect as their radiant, exalted power.
And the moment I knew that, what I had to do was decided.
'Press.'
I forcibly turned Carla’s face and snatched off her sunglasses.
Crunch!
Then I crushed them in my hand without hesitation.
"W-What are you doing! Mmph!"
Seizing Carla’s face as she protested, I forced our eyes to meet.
As though it were her final line of defense, Carla squeezed her eyes shut, but I lifted her eyelids with my thumbs.
"No! You’ll be in danger!"
"That won’t happen."
Until just moments ago, I’d thought so too. I’d been uneasy, thinking I might become stone out of ignorance.
But not anymore.
Now that I know the true nature of her so-called curse is Divine Power, the same rule should apply.
—If you use a demon’s power on a target who is activating Divine Power,
'Come out.'
Staring straight into Carla’s eyes, I unfolded a demon’s power.
In this process, Carla could be put at risk. I have a certain expectation, but it isn’t 100%.
But as I said, Carla is not my comrade or anything of the sort.
If Elodie witnesses this, she won’t be able to say I’m weak to women.
'Come out, Atena.'
The power Carla cannot control—petrification. Hence it is called a curse.
Then can Atena, in fact, control it?
No—granting that she can, can a “god” evade this situation?
'No. Impossible.'
In that instant, I saw the scenery around me change. I smiled.
A tree sprang up. From there, grand trees thrust out branches in every direction, growing to form a forest.
Before I knew it, Carla had vanished, and I alone stood watching the forest that filled my surroundings.
'Pandemonium opens.'
