10. The Grim Reaper Laughs at the Moon…

“What are you?”

Abruptly hearing a voice, I turn around.
There I saw old man Mackenzie buried under the floor, while being healed by Sharon’s healing magic.

“What happened gramps? Did someone play an embarrassing prank on you?”

“YES, YOU!”

He says in an angry voice.

I did?
Finally, the me who could only see the fly till now returned to my senses.
Slowly, the events up until now return to me.

Ah… Damn~.
I hit a higher-up of the guild with all my might…

Despite appearances, demi-lich possess extraordinary strength.
Maybe it’s because we are half-corpses.
We can fully make use of the abilities which were limited when we were humans.
This has continued on for many generations, resulting in the birth of demi-lich with monstrous strength.
Well, [Instant Death] is much more convenient, so I’ve never showed my physical strength in actual battle.
Almost no one knows of my monstrous strength.

I keep it under control normally, otherwise I could kill a normal person with just a shoulder tap, but my blood began to boil when I saw the fly and as a result, I lost control.
That being said, I’m glad he’s a sturdy old man.

“Are you okay, gramps?”

“No need to care about me this late! Well, I understand you ability now… You pass. It was a perfect single strike.”

Oh…
I don’t really get it, but it looks like I passed.

“Would that be alright, Mackenzie-sama?”

Carla questions him.
She couldn’t hide her bewilderment, seeing her senior buried in the floor.

“There are some difficulties points, but he seems like a fun adventurer. Besides, I saw soul in that one hit.”

What the hell are you saying, gramps.
What’s with seeing my soul? I’m a demi-lich.

“Master!!”

Immediately, or should I say as usual.
Pafimia jumps into me, while wagging her tail.
With an unavoidable quick hit, I had no choice but to be overwhelmed by the softness of her immature breasts, and the fluffiness of her fur.

“Go away, Pafimia, it’s too hot!”

“Eeeh! It’s okay if it’s just celebrating!”

Sticking to people (though I’m a demon), is apparently celebrating.
I think, humans should be a bit more modest.
Even Luviana is much more quieter, and much more girlish.

“Congratulations, Capua-sama.”

Unlike Pafimia, Sharon sincerely congratulates me.
There was a smile on her face, but she also seemed a bit solemn.
Her interlocked hands were still trembling slightly.
It seems that she was worried about me.

“My bad, Sharon. It seems like I made you anxious.”

“T-that is…”

As I stroke Sharon’s head softly, her face reddens in embarrassment.

Then, old man Mackenzie throws a silver badge in my direction.

“Take it, Capua young lad. You’ve proven yourself worthy of it.”

Old man Mackenzie says so with a straight face.
Seeing me receive the badge, Carla and the other adventurers begin to panic.

“Mackenzie-sama, t-that! Is the proof of being a silver ranked adventurer!”

“Oi oi, seriously?”
“The newbie’s a silver rank!”
“This is the first time I’m hearing such a thing.”
“Damn. Damn.”

They begin making a fuss.
I picked up the silver badge lying on the floor.
After examining it steadily—

“Don’t want it. It smells like an old man.”

—I throw it away.


GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!


A sound resembling someone dying with agony, spreads inside the guild.

“He threw the proof of being a silver ranked adventurer.”
“This time’s newbie is crazy!”
“What a sinful guy.”
“Damn. Damn.”

They begin making a fuss again.
Even Pafimia, Sharon, and Carla were utterly speechless.
But the one who was the most angry, was Mackenzie.

“Are you turning down being a silver class adventurer? Lad, what’s wrong with you!?”

“That should be my question.”

“What?”

“You tested me yourself, because you doubted my origins right? There’s something wrong with someone who gives such a suspicious guy the silver rank class. If I were a bad guy, and used this badge for evil, how will you take responsibility for it?”

“T-that’s…”

“I would have given myself the iron rank, and put myself under observation… Then it might not be too late, correct?”

“Muu… But still.”

Mackenzie still isn’t convinced.
Just like his body, his heart is tough to the core.

“I miraculously won against you, but honestly I have no confidence. Besides, I’m still level 1.”

“Wh-! Level 1? What lies!!”

Mackenzie yells at me.

“If you think I’m lying, ask Sharon.”

“It is true. Capua-sama is level 1.”

Sharon speaks truthfully.
As expected of the “Priestess of Prophecy”. No one doubts her words.
The guild becomes noisy again.

“If he’s level 1, then silver rank’s too dangerous.”
“But he’s so strong.”
“I feel like it’s a waste.”
“Ah… but it might be better to observe him for a bit.”
“Damn. Damn.”

Sharon’s words. The whispering of the crowd.
After taking them all in account, Mackenzie finally shakes his head.

“Fine then. If you insist this much, then you shall start at iron rank.”

“Yeah, thanks gramps.”

Mackenzie is convinced.
But then, an opinion comes from an unneeded place.

“No, master! Master will adventure with me.”

“That is not possible, Pafimia-sama, you are already talented enough to be above bronze rank. If you want to form a party, it would have to be from the same bronze rank, or an iron rank adventurer with more than 3 years of experience…”

Carla explains apologetically.
However Pafimia wouldn’t back down from this much.

“Eeeh… Then, I’m also fine with iron rank.”

“T-t-t-t-t-t-that’s also impossible! Adventurers above bronze rank are rare as it is, and like I mentioned earlier there are quests which I would prefer the Hero to undertake. For that, you need to be above bronze rank!”

Carla finally begins to crack under pressure.

Seeing her, I open my mouth.

“Pafimia, you should become a bronze rank adventurer.”

“Eh… But I want to be with master…”

“Don’t you get it, Pafimia?”

“G-get what?”

Seeing me with an unprecedented serious expression, Pafimia becomes nervous.

Then, I point my finger straight at her.

“You are still inexperienced. There is too much danger in acting together with me.”

“That’s not true! I will work hard!!”

“Do you still not get it? I’m saying there’s too much of a gap in skills between us!”

“No way… Master, does master hate me?”

Pafimia asks me as she looks like she’s about to cry.
I shake my head to her question and answer:

“That’s not true. I’m saying it’s time for you to train alone.”

“Eh…?”

“If I begin showing you the ropes, you will surely get spoiled. If that happens, I might hamper your growth. You will become a Hero someday. The crisis of humanity is approaching soon and you don’t have the leisure to stray off your path and lose focus.”

“M-master…”

“If you want to adventure with me, then crawl up beside me. I’m looking forward to seeing a new you in front of me some day.”

I finally raise my thumb.

“Ma~~~~~aste~~~~er!!”

Pafimia jumps into me again.
I receive her from the front this time.
I carefully stroked her red, soft hair.

“I understand, master! I-I’ll do my best!!”

Pafimia makes her eyes shine.
Looking at her pure eyes, I secretly raise the corner of my mouth.







Ku ku ku… All according to keikaku…!*







There were some detours, but everything’s going according to plan.
This is goodbye to Pafimia and Sharon.
Pafimia’s quality is first class. Moreover, in order to reach me, she’ll work herself till exhaustion
If she gains enough battle experience, Pafimia would become able to defeat one to two executives, with relative ease.

When that happens, the surroundings won’t keep quiet.
A messenger from the royal palace will come, and she’ll have an audience with the king.
She’ll be praised as the hero, with parades in the day, and socializing in the night.
Once her dazzling royal life begins, even though she’s a country-girl, she’ll all but forget about the passerby whom she met.

In the meantime, I shall live a humble life inconspicuously.
Eating bread in the morning, working during the day, having a little alcohol in the evening, and reading books by the candlelight–I will truly live a life out of a painting!
It will be a slow-life, unimaginably greater than my demon days, where everyday was noisy, and I was kicked down at every opportunity.

Yes, this is what I wanted to achieve.

Konnichiwa, my second life!

“Sharon, I’ll work hard!”

Pafimia shares her enthusiasm with Sharon.
Sharon also seems satisfied.
She shows a smile, and sends a hail to Pafimia.

“Now, Pafimia-sama. It may be too soon, but I have a quest I would like you to undertake.”

Carla immediately starts talking about work.
Pafimia shines her eyes hearing her.

“Yep, leave it to me Carla-san, I’ll do my best.”

Yes, yes.
Good girl, Pafimia.
That’s the spirit.
Take up lots of quests, and become famous quickly.

“Actually, this request was issued one year ago, and many bronze ranked adventurers had taken it but they were all defeated instead.”

Ho…
To think such a formidable foe was near this country town.

“It might prove to be a tough opponent for the Pafimia-sama who has limited battle experience, but your skills have been deemed to be equal to any silver ranked adventurer. Would you please consider accepting it?”

“Of course, I’m the Hero chosen by Sharon after all.”

Commendable, Pafimia.
That’s it, because you’re the Hero after all.
No matter how reckless, a Hero must be able to turn all adversity over its head.

As a demon it might be weird for me to say this, but the heroes of the past, were all such miraculous idiots.

“Thank you very much!”

“Tell me about its features.”

“Yes, it’s a giant with an extraordinarily large body. Smart as well.”

Ho…
Usually when you think of giants, even their heads are filled with muscles.
Well, no matter how smart, it couldn’t compare to a strategist like me who had deceived both the Priestess and her Hero.

“It wields a dragon tooth sword…”

Dragon tooth sword, huh.
Well, I’m sure it must be a must-have weapon for giants.

“It’s also proficient at death attribute magic…”

Mm?

“It is said to possess up to 8 souls…”

“That… Couldn’t be…”

“It’s name is Vazag… A berserker with its level in 3 digits.”
 

……Mmmmmmmm? That sounds strange?

It sounds like I’ve heard that before.
 

“I won’t ask you right now, but I’d certainly be grateful if Pafimia-sama accepted Vazag’s subjugation.”

Carla surpasses being serious, and says so with a pensive face.

In response, Pafimia smiles.

“It’s fine, Carla-san.”

“Eh?”

“Vazag is already defeated.”

“Mm? What could that mean?”

Mackenzie who was listening to the story, furrows his eyebrows.
Further, Sharon also shows a bitter smile.

“Um… This is very difficult for me to say…”

“If it’s that Vazag, then he’s already defeated.”

“…What!”
“Is that true…?”

Mackenzie and Carla raise a bewildered voice.

Pafimia nods with a “Yep”, and points her finger.

“… Master did.”

She smiles care-freely.

Within a moment, loud cheers like bellowing filled the guild.
After that, when talks of raising me back to silver rank began, I was unable to make an excuse.