Chapter 71

Anyway, I answered Clyde's question.

"I only have money."

Clyde immediately looked at me with a disdainful gaze.

I said in a slightly cowed voice, "…Now that I think about it, I do have a minimal level of labor."

"By the way, I remember your magic ability test results weren't bad this time. The magic you used just now seemed quite useful too."

What are you trying to get me to do by bringing up my magic ability?

At that moment,

Clack clack clack clack!

A very peculiar sound came from somewhere.

"Hey, the dog is going over there!"

"Stop right there! Woof woof!"

It was Revi and her friends again.

I lowered my gaze and watched as a palm-sized dog model approached, making a clacking sound.

"Hey, big sister!"

Revi was the first to spot me.

Revi greeted Clyde, who was standing next to me, with an awkward expression.

"Hello, senior…!"

Clyde didn't respond, giving a look that said, "What do you want?"

'No wonder you don't have any friends…'

I clung to his sleeve, worried he might leave, and said to Revi,

"Clyde may not look it, but he's quite shy and doesn't greet strangers well."

"Ah… He really doesn't look it."

"What nonsense are you spouting-"

Before Clyde could say anything, I raised my other hand and loudly greeted the girls.

"Hey! How are you, friends? How have you been?"

Revi's friends were the same group I had seen in the library before.

"Hello, senior!"

They glanced at us with eyes full of some kind of expectation.

"You're here again today."

"Sure enough, it wasn't a mistake."

Just as the misunderstanding was getting more unpleasant, Clyde said irritably,

"Let go, this."

I pretended not to hear and picked up the dog toy that was passing by.

It was a toy made with exquisite craftsmanship but didn't look like it was for sale.

There was only one person who could make such a toy.

'Has Damian already started making toys?'

"Where did you get this?"

I asked Revi, just in case, and got the expected answer.

"Senior Damian gave it to me. He made it following the trend of wooden dog toys. Isn't it cute? It moves around on its own when you charge it with magic."

"Are you close to Damian?"

"Not really, but we're in the same social club, the Art and Culture Club."

It was natural for Damian to approach Revi according to the scenario.

However, I hadn't been too concerned about it because there was no risk of a dangerous development until Revi awakened as a White Mage.

This toy didn't appear to be a cursed doll that amplifies negative thoughts, the 'Heart Doll.'

'Even so, it's not a good sign that the toy caught my eye.'

Seeing my serious expression, Revi asked with a grave look,

"Is there something wrong?"

There was indeed a problem.

Damian's toys would be distributed to the candidates for demon contractors, and the moment they have bad intentions, they could easily summon a demon.

'The first demon was supposed to appear at the school festival in May.'

But I had in mind that the demon could appear much earlier.

All scenarios had progressed faster than the original.

The appearance of a demon is like a tsunami.

It seems to be coming from a distance, but once you notice it, you're already in the demon's sphere of influence.

'Still, it's not too late, so I should do what I can to prepare.'

I maintained my serious expression and told Revi,

"Do you know Mimosa? If she finds out you received something from Damian or that you're in the social club with him, she'll tear you apart. I mean it, she really bites people with her teeth."

"R-Really? Even a princess would do that…?"

"I've seen it happen."

"Ah…?"

Teresia would have done it.

It was a logical inference.

"Anyway, Damian is a very dangerous senior."

At that moment, Clyde, who had been quiet, suddenly chuckled.

Revi nodded seriously.

"Actually, it was a bit burdensome. When Senior Damian talked to me, I felt some threatening gazes."

"Damian is everywhere. Be careful."

"Okay! I'll keep that in mind."

"Playing around, are you?"

The last comment was from Clyde.

At that moment, Revi's friends stealthily approached, linked arms with her, and pulled her back.

They whispered to Revi in low voices, scolding her.

"Come over here quickly, Revi!"

"Even the student council president is giving you a look, telling you not to waste time."

"What? Is that it?"

I hurriedly denied it.

"That's not it!"

Clyde retorted,

"That's exactly it."

"…??"

Ding!

[Seat 'Over-Enthusiastic Otaku' has donated 10,000 coins.]

[What? This makes me think I'm mistaken?]

Revi's friends widened their eyes and said, "Oh, oh, what do we do! Let's go quickly!" They made a fuss and bowed.

"Have a good time, seniors!"

Meanwhile, Revi was dragged away by her friends with a somewhat aggrieved look.

I was very flabbergasted.

"They're going to spread another weird rumor!"

Clyde's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Looks like your stupid brain has forgotten about spreading weird rumors about me."

Teresia, that sinful woman.

"Hmm, should I apologize…?"

"No. Don't. I won't accept it."

I was already in a position where I needed his help, and now I was in an even worse situation, which made me feel depressed.

I didn't want to end my life due to a lack of evil activity points.

At that moment, an unexpected loud noise made my hair stand on end.

Bang bang!

"Surprise!"

I shrank my shoulders and turned my head toward the source of the noise.

It sounded like something was collapsing.

"What, what, what is it?"

The noise continued.

Bang bang! Bang!

It was hard to understand unless someone was fighting or destroying the interior.

"Looks like some lunatic is damaging school property."

Clyde approached the source of the noise with an angry expression.

"Hey, wait, I'll go with you!"

I hadn't heard the answer to my request yet!

The noise was coming from a closer place than I expected.

It was the faculty library.

'Huh?'

At that moment, I instinctively felt something was wrong.

'I've been using this library for a few days, but it was clearly empty…'

Clyde burst open the door.

Swish!

"Ah…!"

We both stopped in our tracks simultaneously.

As soon as we opened the library door, we felt an unpleasant sensation, as if we were enveloped in jelly pudding.

It became hard to breathe, and the resistance felt like being underwater, slowing our movements.

At the same time, a sense of fear rose from within.

It was a strange sensation I had never experienced before.

But I had an idea of what it was.

It seemed Clyde also recognized it.

He warned in a low voice,

"It's the demon's domain."

It was the first time I faced a demon after being possessed.

"Ugh… Huh…"

From inside the wrecked library, the sound of sobbing could be heard.

It gave me the chills.

Clyde calmly cast a defensive spell around us.

He then set a mark at the library entrance to indicate the appearance of a demon.

It was exactly what we were supposed to do when we discovered a demon.

I put down the wooden dog I had been holding.

The wooden dog made a clacking sound as it moved toward something, then suddenly started spinning in place.

"…Oh."

The library, shrouded in a black fog-like aura, had a black tree that had knocked over all the bookshelves and occupied one wall.

The branches and roots extending in all directions looked like the faces of screaming spirits.

In the center of the black tree, a familiar character was trapped, only her face visible, sobbing pitifully.

I frowned.

"Delve?"

Delve was a demon contractor who summoned a demon during the festival after the midterm exams.

Clyde asked,

"Do you know her?"

"Yeah. She's also a fourth-year. Her specialty is art."

"…You seem to know her quite well?"

"No way. I've never even greeted her."

Clyde's mouth twitched as if he was about to make a comment but then changed the subject.

"Do you remember the protocol when a demon appears?"

I nodded.

"Delay the demon contractor from opening the 'dungeon' until the raid team is ready. …But this time, it might be difficult."

My gaze fell on a toy soldier entangled between the tree roots.

The toy soldier, caught in the chaos, had one leg broken.

It was indeed Damian's doing.

"Why is that?"

Clyde's question didn't need an answer.

Clack clack clack clack clack clack clack clack clack clack clack clack!!

The toy soldier started beating a small drum frantically.

"Oh no…!"

Ding!

[A demon dungeon is being created.]

Crack! Crack!

The tree instantly created a door emitting a sinister aura.

Rumble―――!!

The dungeon door opened, and a black light enveloped us.