Esther met with Aster.
Because Aster had come with proper paperwork prepared, there wasn’t any particular friction up to the point of meeting Esther.
That alone lightened Esther’s mood a great deal. Aster was a far more proper man than a pitch-black brat with no manners or sense.
“Hello, I’m Aster Evans.”
Even that greeting was courteous, and he already possessed a dignity on par with a knight of the Imperial Palace.
No, maybe that was because of his looks. In any case.
But Aster hadn’t come alone.
“Mm, I’ve heard a lot about you. But, the one next to you?”
“Hello. I’m Dierre Aiger, a second-year at Constel.”
A strange boy bowed his head.
Seeing Dierre, Esther tilted her head.
“If you’re a second-year at Constel, you’re Aster’s junior by two years?”
“No. By one year.”
“Aster, didn’t you graduate?”
“Graduation is soon.”
Aster answered with a wry smile.
In truth, he had already finished all the third-year classes. All that remained was to wait for the graduation ceremony. Unlike Agoris, it was already winter here, and the end of term was just ahead. It wouldn’t particularly matter even if he said he had graduated.
“You’re both so straitlaced.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, I mean I like it. Being straitlaced matters, mm.”
Muttering something the two couldn’t understand, Esther nodded. In fact, she herself was also very straitlaced.
Until not long ago, that creed kept getting bent, but now there’s no chance of that.
“So what brings you here? The hope of the continent and a prison don’t pair well.”
“Sorry. This guy insisted we had to come.”
Aster pointed at Dierre.
It was unexpected to Esther. She had been sure it was Aster’s own will. The junior next to him was just brought along for the experience.
Dierre spoke.
“Yes. There was something I really wanted to verify no matter what. So I borrowed Senior Aster’s name.”
“An audacious junior.”
At Esther’s words, Aster said,
“If my name is of use, then it should be used. I trust Dierre.”
“I see.”
At Aster’s words, Esther nodded as if convinced, and Dierre’s eyes sparkled as if moved.
“So what do you want to verify? It’s not about me, I trust.”
“Yes. There’s a criminal I want to meet.”
“Who?”
“A demon called Marcosias. He’s imprisoned here, right?”
At those words, Esther’s eyes sank.
If it had been some ordinary person saying such a thing, she would have kicked him out on the spot, but the other party was Aster.
And this junior called Dierre—judging by his way of speaking and face—was full of sincerity.
Of course, that didn’t mean she could just grant permission.
“I’ll have to hear you out first.”
At Esther’s words, Aster and Dierre looked at each other. They nodded, as if having made up their minds.
“......It’s about Senior Frondier, actually.”
“......”
The moment the name “Frondier” was heard, Esther’s expression hardened. No—rather than hardening, it grew grim. She seemed to be pretending otherwise, but.
“......What about that Frondier?”
Her voice came out very grim as well.
Dierre flinched a little but spoke stoutly.
“......In truth, he’s been branded a demon and left the continent now, but that’s close to a frame-up......”
Esther lowered her head.
With both hands clasped, the thumbs pressed against each temple.
At the rapidly darkening mood, Aster spoke, a little flustered,
“Uh, if you listen calmly, I’m sure you’ll understand—”
“I know.”
“Pardon?”
“I know it’s a frame-up.”
At Esther’s words, the two were surprised. She knew? How?
And if she knew, why was the mood like this?
“Rather than ‘know,’ it’s the natural conclusion when you look at the circumstances.”
Esther was one of the most recent people to have met Frondier before he was branded a demon. With her elder brother Atjie and—
She still remembered Frondier as she had met him here in Obsidian. That face annoyingly slick to the point of vexation, behavior that could bounce unpredictably, a wicked smile so intense it was hard to believe he was of House Roach.
But there was one thing she knew for certain.
Frondier is not a demon. He was more earnest than anyone in eradicating the danger within the Empire. More so than she, the warden of this Obsidian.
Only, apart from that,
“Frondier and I don’t mesh physiologically. Like sworn enemies from a previous life. Setting aside that guy’s rights and wrongs, he’s someone I can’t stand. Just thinking of him makes me angry.”
Of course, Frondier wouldn’t think that at all.
If anything, Frondier extended unconditional goodwill to her, which only made her angrier.
“So what about it? Do you want me to acknowledge that Frondier was framed?”
“Ah, no. It’s not that—like I said, the important thing is Marco.”
“That demon, why?”
“In fact, before leaving the continent, Senior Frondier shared vision with Teacher Malia.”
“......Malia. The matriarch of House Roach. Sense-sharing is a famous bloodline magic.”
At first Esther didn’t feel that was a big deal, and then,
“......Wait, then right now.”
Realizing what that implied, she lifted her head.
“Yes. As for what situation the continent to the west from here, ‘Agoris,’ is in, Teacher Malia is obtaining information immediately.”
This was the tacit promise that Frondier and Malia silently conveyed to each other.
Frondier would show, with those eyes, the appearance of the western continent unknown to the Empire,
And Malia, sharing those eyes, would acquire all the information.
What Frondier would do with the information Malia obtained—no one knew. He didn’t decide such things in the first place. That was Malia’s job.
Therefore, there was no mention of it.
“According to Teacher Malia, demons have infiltrated Agoris more deeply than expected. Because in the Empire, we’ve never imagined a world where demons naturally exist, our thoughts haven’t reached that far, but over there looks quite different from what we imagine.”
“Different, how?”
Having heard what Frondier had seen—namely, what Malia had seen by shared vision—Dierre and Aster had organized the content on that basis.
They conveyed that organized content to Esther. The instability possessed by the country called Palma, the possibility that demons had infiltrated deeply, demons impersonating gods.
“......So, how is that connected to Marco, who’s in this prison now?”
“I think the possibility is high.”
“Why? According to investigations, Marco is Satan’s subordinate. He’s long since broken off from the 72 Demons.”
Bang!
“Because of that very thing! Ah—no, I’m sorry.”
Without realizing it, Dierre leaned forward and even slapped the table. When Esther flinched back a little in surprise, Dierre’s own face reddened and he straightened his posture.
“Why did Marco leave the 72 Demons and become a subordinate of Satan. We still don’t know the reason.”
“Well, true. Even if you ask him, he won’t answer.”
Marco is the “demon who always speaks facts.” In addition, he’s the demon who makes you acutely realize that “facts are not always the truth.”
For such a Marco to say nothing and exercise the right to remain silent means it’s something he cannot answer half-heartedly.
“I think that reason is related to this matter.”
“Just hearing that doesn’t tell me. Are you saying it’s just intuition?”
“No. I’m not Senior Frondier.”
At that, Esther tilted her head.
Where did Frondier come from here?
“I’ve thought it through enough before saying it. But to prove it, we need that demon.”
“.......”
Esther quietly looked at Dierre.
Judging by the conversation, he was the type whose head turned well. That part resembled Frondier.
Straight eyes, a face as if draped in innocence, gestures and manner of speaking that sparkled with purity.
“......Thank goodness there aren’t two of that kind.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing. I’ll allow a meeting with Marco. Instead, I’ll accompany you. He’s a demon—you never know what he might do. He could wag the very tongue of a demon and deceive you.”
“That’s exactly what we want! It will be reassuring if the Warden is with us!”
Hmph, of course.
Esther nodded. Even if they were the same age as Frondier, there were such different kids. Right, this is the norm. Kids who aren’t even adults yet are this frank and pure and bright.
—Don’t worry. You always think only good thoughts.
......Frondier had said something similar too, it seemed—anyway.
“By the way, who ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) will speak with Marco?”
“Me, of course!”
Dierre answered confidently. At that, Esther glanced at Aster.
In the look asking, Will that be alright?, Aster only shrugged.
Instead, Aster said,
“Sorry to barge in and make this kind of request.”
“No need to be sorry. I wanted to meet you too, Aster Evans.”
“Me?”
“I figured if kids like you increased, the number of criminals in the world might decrease a little.”
Then my work would decrease a bit too—hahaha. Esther laughed without adornment. But Aster still wore a wry smile.
“It would be nice if that were so.”
“If you perform as a pro, it surely will be.”
“Lately I fear it might not.”
At those words, Esther’s eyes grew a little wide. Soon she understood what Aster meant. She asked, quietly,
“......Because of Frondier?”
“......Yes.”
Aster spoke honestly.
“These days I think about it. A guy like that was saddled with the crime of being a demon and left the Empire, but as you must feel too, Warden, the number of criminal incidents is slowly increasing. The Empire is peaceful, and yet a ferment of unrest is seething. Even if I become a pro and carry out missions, will I really be able to reduce criminals, or will they only increase all the more......”
“Idiot.”
Esther answered immediately.
“The one they called the pride of Constel is more of an idiot than I thought.”
“An idiot......”
“Don’t worry. I’m praising you.”
“That was praise?”
“Of course. Idiocy matters.”
Saying so, Esther looked at Dierre.
“What do you think? Junior. Is Aster’s worry something worth worrying about?”
“......No.”
Dierre spoke while gauging the mood a little.
In truth, when he was only with Aster, he hadn’t been able to say it, but since Esther asked, he couldn’t not answer.
“The way Senior Frondier has done things, to be frank, is far from a way that reduces criminals. It’s far more drastic and rough.”
“D—Dierre.”
“And I’m sure Senior Frondier knew that.”
Dierre recalled something Frondier had said.
It wasn’t something Frondier had said to Dierre, but words he had conveyed to Aster.
—I wasn’t there beside those guys when it mattered. When Constel was attacked, on the field trip, too. Because of my own selfishness, I failed to look around me.
Before the Manggot War broke out, Frondier had said it to Aster.
Dierre, who had been next to him, heard it too.
It had surely been persuasion to ask Aster to lead, but Frondier had a clear awareness of himself.
Frondier does not solve problems by a leader’s method.
He isn’t some hero who leads people forward and smites evil.
Frankly speaking, as long as the problem was resolved, Frondier seemed not to care whether his existence became known or not.
“......That senior always acts as if he were a thorough outsider.”
***
Marcosias. Nicknamed Marco.
One of the 72 Demons, and currently a demon who serves Satan.
He lost consciousness due to Frondier’s demonic power, and is currently imprisoned in Obsidian.
When the three, led by Esther, arrived before him, Marco lifted his head.
“Is it time.”
“Don’t babble pointless, meaningless nonsense.”
Esther treated Marco with an attitude opposite to how she treated Aster or Dierre.
“Oh, you two—we’ve met.”
Marco smiled brightly at Aster and Dierre.
At a glance, it was truly a clear smile with not a cloud in sight, which made it all the creepier.
“Hello.”
There, Dierre bowed his head. It was exactly the same as when he had met Esther.
“We’ve come because we have a few questions.”
“......”
Marco looked quietly at Dierre. Whatever he thought, his expression stiffened somewhat, then soon turned kind.
“All right, what do you want to ask?”
“Why did you leave the 72 Demons and become a subordinate of Satan?”
At that question, Esther, who was standing behind, was flustered.
If you ask like that, of course he won’t answer.
“Well now. Why indeed.”
As expected, Marco had no intention of answering.
At that, Dierre quietly blinked, and then,
“When Bael said ‘war,’ did he mean a war with the gods?”
“......What?”
Marco looked at Dierre, wondering what on earth he had just heard.
“Bael seems to want to fight the gods—why is that?”
“......”
Marco stared at Dierre, too dumbfounded even to blink.
Dierre tilted his head as if he didn’t know why.
Of course, Bael had never said anything like that to Dierre.
No—he had never uttered such talk in the first place.
Dierre was lying right now.
To a demon.
