Pielott was looking at something.
The ground, the ceiling, the walls, the inside of a castle. A whole world.
A world not so different from where he was.
But it was a world with somewhat higher saturation.
Pielott wasn't inside that world, just looking at it.
As if peeking inside a stage with its curtains drawn.
He could see the stage, but he couldn't get on it.
'...Where is this?'
Where is this place?
Pielott blankly observed his surroundings, caught between comfort and drowsiness.
Pielott was in a castle. And in front of him stood a man.
Pielott's gaze was low, looking up at the man.
'Am I kneeling?'
Why?
A question arose, but his body wouldn't move.
Or rather, it was more like he couldn't even attempt to move.
The man stood in a vast space, in the lavish center.
The man had wings.
Wings like an angel's, but at the same time, far too black.
'...That man is...'
He had heard from Frondier.
Satan.
Pielott was now looking at that man.
He was facing Satan.
The man's mouth opened, and a voice rang out.
─Is Belphegor still in Nastrond?
It was Pielott who answered.
─Yes, he is.
Pielott realized that he was speaking on his own.
But it wasn't his voice.
'...This isn't me.'
Pielott realized.
He wasn't here of his own accord.
He was merely watching Satan through someone else's eyes.
─There's still no report of his death?
─All the observers who went with Belphegor are dead. No one has gone to check since then.
─Hmm, I see. They all die the moment they step foot in there.
Satan nodded as if convinced.
─Well, that's not important right now. Baal is the problem.
─What are your orders? Baal seems determined to go to war with God.
─Hmph, even if they're determined to do so, I don't really want to do something like that.
Satan smiled leisurely.
─Using a war with God as a threat. It's ingenious, but Baal's playing a dangerous game. Or is this the extent of the King of Hell's thinking?
─...Lord Beelzebub would be angry if he heard that.
─Hahaha. That's because he hates Baal.
After saying that, Satan fell silent, seemingly lost in thought.
─I'll have to call them all.
─By all, you mean...?
─All seven deadly sins. This calls for a meeting.
─...Lord Satan. Perhaps...
Pielott didn't know whose perspective he was seeing through.
But judging by how they could personally converse with Satan, it must have been a devil of considerable rank.
─There's a simple way to avoid a war with God.
Satan spoke, with a smile full of kindness.
─I just have to become King.
"Gasp!"
Pielott jolted awake.
"Gasp, gasp... Huh?"
When he came to his senses, a completely different scene unfolded before his eyes.
He was in bed, neatly tucked in.
"Ah, you're awake?"
He heard a voice and turned to see Carla.
"Ah! Headmistress! I, ugh!"
Pielott tried to move slightly towards Carla, but a sharp pain made him wince.
"Don't move yet. You haven't fully recovered."
"Not fully recovered... Ah, I see."
Only then did Pielott remember.
The desperate battle against the devils, and before that, the arrow that pierced his abdomen.
Carla spoke.
"They said the poison has been completely removed. It's a miracle, whatever it is. You have amazing recovery abilities, Mr. Pielott. Once the wound on your abdomen heals, you'll be back to your original state."
Pielott was relieved at those words.
Perhaps his recovery ability was high, but there was no doubt that Hypnos had helped heal his body.
He wouldn't say it out loud, but he was a bit of a clingy God. It was almost embarrassing.
'The poison is completely removed... Well, I did turn it all into aura and consumed it.'
Besides, it wasn't poison but demonic energy from the demon realm.
As he thought about it, Pielott came to his senses again.
"H-Headmistress. About that, there's something important I..."
Pielott stopped mid-sentence and looked around.
Carla was the only one here. He couldn't see anyone else, nor sense any other presence.
"W-Where is everyone else? Senior Frondier, for example?"
The dream he just had, it was definitely more than just a dream.
Pielott had, for some reason, glimpsed an important memory. He had to tell Frondier.
And frankly, he was hoping for some praise from Frondier, so he was disappointed that he wasn't there.
"Ah, Mr. Frondier..."
Carla gave a wry smile.
"He went to negotiate."
"...Negotiate?"
"Yes. He said he had to settle things regarding this incident, and as soon as he confirmed your safety, he left immediately."
As expected of Frondier.
Pielott had fainted after experiencing that hell, so he had no way of knowing how much the situation had changed in the meantime.
It couldn't be helped that they were busy.
Pielott nodded in understanding.
Then, looking at Carla, he asked.
"Headmistress. Was I... of any help?"
"...Yes?"
"I thought I fought quite hard."
Pielott recalled his battle.
It was a horrifying experience. He never wanted to go through that again.
More than being hit by the arrow, more than being engulfed by demonic energy...
The experience of vomiting mana like crazy was the most agonizing.
Pielott chuckled.
"It must have been nothing to Senior Frondier, right?"
"...Uh, well..."
Carla tilted her head, not quite understanding what Pielott meant.
No, she understood, but was he being serious?
Carla pondered, "Hmm," trying to figure out what to say.
And what came out was exactly how she felt.
"...That's not the issue here."
"What?"
"In a way, you might say you've added fuel to the fire."
"What?!"
Pielott was shocked.
Could it be that Senior Frondier was disappointed that he fainted?
That he collapsed after defeating just a few devils?
'...As I thought. This is also due to my lack of skill.'
Pielott clutched the blanket tightly and nodded several times.
***
Crash!
"What did you just say?"
Baal slammed his fist on the table.
Naturally, there was no longer a table in the room.
However, Baal's anger didn't subside as he remained consumed by rage.
"I told you not to touch him!"
Baal was looking at a Wizardview. A cutting-edge magic tool connected to a communication function. He could see the person he was talking to through the Wizardview.
Charon stood on the other side.
[The information was wrong. His disciple's resistance was stronger than expected.]
"You crazy bastard! I gave you information on Frondier to avoid him! How many times did I tell you?!"
[Is the King of Hell afraid of a single human?]
"That's because you don't know Frondier!"
[Don't worry. The plan is proceeding smoothly. The capital is now in a state of complete opposition. There won't be a war for the time being. Just sit back and watch the conflict unfold.]
"This is not the time to be..."
Click—
The Wizardview went dead.
And so did Baal's patience.
"That half-witted monkey!!"
Baal wanted to smash the Wizardview in his rage but stopped himself. If the communication line was cut off, it would be a real problem.
Baal walked over to the closet and hurriedly put on his coat.
"Damn it. At this rate, I have no choice but to cut off all dealings with Charon and retreat. Frondier will think it was Charon acting on his own..."
Caw—
His movements and words abruptly stopped.
The sound of a crow reached his ears.
[Baal.]
The crow spoke.
The voice emanating from the crow's beak belonged to someone Baal didn't know, both in tone and manner.
But Baal knew instinctively.
This was a declaration.
[This is a message from my master.]
The master of this crow.
It went without saying.
[From now on, I will kill the 72 devils in reverse order.]
"......!"
[Before I kindly lay out all their heads before you, come to me.]
How arrogant.
How could he be so arrogant towards the King of Hell?
[Even if I sever all your limbs along with their heads, it still wouldn't balance the scales.]
Yet, faced with that arrogant voice, Baal could only break out in a cold sweat.
[My disciple has been hurt.]
The crow simply spoke, not waiting for Baal's response.
As if his answer no longer held any value.
[The justification for war is more than sufficient.]
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