Chapter 101 : Plant Demon (3)
Plant Demon (3)
"Pram, what are you doing here?"
"......"
When she turned around, Louis was listening intently to Pram, wearing a bright expression.
Pram, who had just been raving about Louis, instantly froze.
"Um...."
"......"
A silence settled between Pram, who was struggling to come up with an answer, and Louis, who stood silently.
Pram's mind whirred frantically, sensing that the wrong word could blow everything up.
Thinking hard was always hard work for Pram, who usually preferred things simple and easy.
The fact that she was thinking so desperately now meant she truly felt her survival was at risk.
"I thought I just heard something strange?"
Louis broke the silence first.
Pram was still trying to figure out what to do, and the other squad members bowed their heads in silent prayer for her.
They all knew how perceptive Louis was.
To have chatted like that near him was no different from asking to be killed.
"Pram, did you forget how good my hearing is? If you're thinking of making excuses that I heard wrong, you better wake up from that dream."
"......"
Yes.
This was a mess Pram had brought upon herself.
She had disregarded the common sense all the squad members knew, and this was the result.
There was no one to blame but herself.
Tears threatened to come.
"Y-young master. Lately, I've been... under a lot of stress. It's already been four years since I've been fighting only monsters in the demon realm. Come to think of it, I haven't actually had a real chance to relax or have fun lately."
Having gone this far, Pram couldn't turn back.
She put on the most pitiful face she could muster, aiming to earn some sympathy with her act.
"Young master, you know how hard I work for you, right? Facing those hideous monsters, and prisoners ugly as those monsters... I think it's made me dizzy."
"......"
"But when you're beside me, I get strength out of nowhere! So really, thank you! You're an angel, young master!"
With these subtle compliments, she tried to slip away from the conversation.
Pram thought it was a flawless plan, but it didn't work.
"Just a moment ago, you said you'd just call me 'Louis' from now on, so why didn't you?"
"Ah... That's because..."
"Explain yourself. Elder Sister~"
The word that came from Louis' lips was so shocking it nearly made Pram cough blood.
The squad members who'd been clearing the monsters nearby also looked appalled.
"Elder Sister. Do you like it now?"
It was a term he often used for Silia, but because Silia was a mature adult, it didn't feel wrong.
But Pram never once thought of herself as being above Louis, despite being older.
"Colok! Colok!"
That sense of dissonance twisted Pram's insides.
Even though she was called elder sister, it didn't feel good at all. Only a strange fear crept in.
"I have nothing to say."
In the end, Pram surrendered.
"But seriously, I am having a hard time. You may be used to it, young master, but... I'm still not used to that environment."
The environment of the 7th Legion where one couldn't survive without fighting.
Pram had only managed to adapt by sheer force of will.
She wasn't as strong as Rio, but she reached a level where she could easily hunt mid-rank monsters in the demon realm.
But unlike the belligerent Rio, Pram was innately an ordinary girl.
Her true nature was to care about fashion and enjoy socializing.
Enduring that stifled her all the time—it was never easy.
"I've been fighting all this time, suppressing what I want. Of course, I'm not the only one, but honestly, I can count on one hand the times I could really let myself rest. Seriously, what's that nonsense about how the fortress can't function without us!"
Over four years, the special task force had grown into a unit no one could rival.
They had the highest authority within the 7th Legion.
As people carrying out key missions for a nation, they'd achieved great things—but the position was never easy.
As the squad members grew stronger, their workload naturally increased.
The team was made up of people with the oddest powers in the legion, so their assignments were also diverse.
Without even realizing it, their free time shrank.
"It got especially intense since last year! Before that, at least I could relax with a cup of tea in the lounge."
"......"
"And looking at magazines full of handsome oppas healed my spirit. But now, with more work, all I see are dried-squid-looking, orc-faced criminals—I'm losing my mind!"
The fact that Pram had endured so well until now was admirable. She was burdened with a heavy responsibility at a young age thanks to possessing such strength.
"I thought there'd be a chance to rest at the academy event... Even if it was just surface-level, I thought I'd at least get a break. But I guess I was greedy."
Pram sighed heavily, regret hanging in the air. Her desire for rest was sincere, for once her frivolous side was gone.
"Sorry for acting up, young master. I'll get back to my duties."
Just as she resolved to set aside her wants and resume fighting monsters—
"Trying to sneak away?"
Louis caught Pram by the arm.
Perhaps he didn't like how she was switching her attitude after talking behind his back.
'Is he going to scold me again?'
Louis put his hand on Pram's neck with a serious look.
Thinking he'd lose his temper as usual, Pram shut her eyes, resigned.
But when she felt something being hung around her neck, she opened her eyes slightly.
"I haven't given you this yet, so where do you think you're going?"
Louis was placing a pendant around Pram's neck. Surprised by Louis' unusual behavior, Pram opened her eyes wide as soon as she saw the pendant.
"This is...!"
"You said you wanted this, right?"
Pram's true nature was that of a girl who hadn't even reached adulthood.
She loved dressing up but couldn't often indulge it due to life in the 7th Legion.
Louis, as the person in charge of her, knew her heart well.
"A gemstone pendant engraved with the Moon Goddess. It's a high-priced accessory that's sold only for a limited time during academy events. This is the one, right?"
The moment it hung around her neck, Pram felt a shock to her core.
Had she ever received such a gift from someone before?
In four long years in the 7th Legion, she'd almost never been given a present like this.
What her heart wanted wasn't overwhelming strength, nor delicious food, nor recognition.
She just wanted the right to be like a girl.
Of course, the 7th Legion didn't allow for such things.
That's why Louis' gift struck her heart like an earthquake.
"Just give me the orders! I'll show you the results you want. Young master!"
Pram instantly transformed into Louis' loyal servant.
The squad members watching her abrupt attitude shift could only click their tongues.
"By the way, that's not an ordinary pendant. I've infused it with a special power."
"Special power? Uh...!"
A certain essence within the pendant seeped into Pram.
Immediately, a holy light began to shimmer from Pram's hand.
It was a power she, who wielded archdemonic power, could never have used.
"What is this?"
"I reversed the attribute of your dark magic. Now, you're not a dark mage, but a saint."
Of course, if she went past a certain limit, it would revert to dark magic, but at least there'd be nothing to arouse suspicion.
"Now no one will give you looks for being a dark mage. So go wild."
"Ahahaha... Ahahahahaha!!! Thank you so much, young master!!"
Just then, monsters began pouring in again.
The squad members prepared to fight, but it was unnecessary.
"Prepare yourselves, damn monsters!! As long as I'm here, no one will lay a hand on the young master!!"
For the first time, Pram spoke with bold words as she unleashed her magic power.
This was originally a decay spell, emitting the power of a Great Devil, but reversed as it was now, it appeared as dazzling holy magic.
And since its effectiveness was unchanged, the scene looked like a divine strike had erased the monster horde from the world.
"I am Louis Seifert's loyal maid! Just try breaking through if you can, you lowly monsters!!~"
Now able to use her power to the fullest, Pram was unstoppable against any monster.
Even the bulky mid-rank monsters were erased all the same. Victor was dumbfounded and turned to Louis.
"Young master... what is that? Her dark magic suddenly turned holy."
"Among you, the next strongest after Rio is Pram. But do you think Rio, being a dark mage, could fully use her power here?"
Especially since this academy included nobility from the Holy Nation.
Using dark magic in a place like this was like asking to be killed.
"So I reversed it. From dark magic to holy power."
"Is that possible?"
"If you have essence left by a legendary Hero, nothing is impossible."
And the Moon Goddess Pendant wasn't just any accessory—it was a magitech device that could store and transfer magic essence.
By giving Pram a gift and stably transplanting Fredrek's essence of inverted magic into her, Louis accomplished both goals at once.
"Pram is also one of our greatest assets. Without restrictions, the monsters here will be cleared in no time."
Louis recalled Pram's fighting in the demon realm.
Four years ago, Pram had gained full mastery over her dark magic, slaughtering dozens of mid-rank monsters on her own.
Now, that power was being unleashed here.
"But young master... there's something I've wanted to ask."
"What is it?"
"Who's that draped over your shoulder?"
"Ah...."
Victor pointed to the Crown Prince draped over Louis' shoulder.
Only then did Louis put the Crown Prince down.
"Hah...! I really thought I was going to die!"
Now standing on his own feet, the Crown Prince trembled.
As the Crown Prince, now completely cowed, sat down, Louis asked Victor,
"But I don't see Rio. Where did she go?"
"She was with us just a moment ago, but she suddenly disappeared. She said she has friends she needs to protect?"
Given the situation, it was natural that the friends Rio had made might be in danger, too.
That Rio was concerned for her friends made Louis secretly proud.
Was this how parents felt seeing their children suddenly grow up?
"At least we have the barrier for evacuation, young master."
"Still, it's too soon to relax. There's a limit to how much the barrier can withstand and a limit to how many people it can hold."
That's why several identical barriers were set up throughout the city.
Elaine, who had set them up alone, had proven her competence.
"By the way, that tree has been bothering me."
A sudden earthquake and a giant tree rising from the direction of the academy's main building—a tree that looked like a corrupted World Tree—Louis could sense the evil of devils they'd fought before emanating from it.
"Young master, something's flying toward us!"
Sure enough, a hole opened in the giant tree and a grotesque monster appeared from within.
It was holding a spear, which meant that, at minimum, it was a higher-rank monster with intelligence, or something similar.
*Thud!*
The monster that instantly flew to their location landed in front of Louis. And it spoke.
[Up until just now, I could sense the energy of the Great Devil here... Was it just my imagination?]
It was only when Louis got a close look at the monster that he realized its true nature.
"A devil?"
"Wait... Isn't it just like that Palmon from four years ago...?"
Victor also recognized that it was a devil and was shocked.
Just like with Palmon, the devil exuded a menacing pressure just by standing there.
Only Louis stood calmly as usual.
"A devil? Is it really a devil?"
At that moment, the Crown Prince, having lost his composure, rushed at the devil the instant he saw it.
"It's an honor to meet you!"
[Who are you?]
The Crown Prince immediately bowed his head before the devil.
The devil looked at him in curiosity, but soon learned who he was.
[Wait, are you the Crown Prince of the Imperial Court, the one Palmon shared his power with?]
"Yes! I have waited for this day all along."
At last, having found his chance, the Crown Prince shouted like a fanatic.
"Please, let me make a contract with the Great Devil once again!! I would give everything for that!!"
Louis let out a sigh at the Crown Prince's desperate cry. As expected, this guy was hopeless.
[Hahahaha! Sorry, but I'm not the Great Devil. However, I've heard plenty about you during my conversations with them.]
"Ohhhh...! Then you must be one of the chosen few worthy of the Great Devil!"
No big shot like the Great Devil would talk about him for no reason. The devil then said to the hopeful Crown Prince:
[They say they don't need you anymore.]
"What?"
[Did you know? You can only make a contract with the Great Devil once in your lifetime.]