I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [259]

Early the next morning, Nero and Alice arrived at the Adventurer's Guild to take on more quests.

Yes, just the two of them—Yunyun, who had joined their party the previous day, was absent.

The reason?

"Well!" Nero began with a flourish. "Last night, as I was passionately performing my serenade, Yunyun, bathed in the splendor of my angelic voice, fell asleep in blissful delight. Surely, she must have been dreaming of roses, her face glowing with happiness. But who would have thought that even by morning, she'd still be in such a deep slumber?"

"Um… Sister Nero, I really have to ask… Did you check if she was still breathing before you left her room?" Alice asked, looking up at Nero with concerned blue eyes.

Nero blinked in confusion, her emerald gaze wide and uncomprehending.

"Ah! I seem to recall hearing something about this before… that powerful lullabies can put people into such deep sleep they might… pass away. So, are you saying my melodious voice rivals that of such lethal lullabies? Don't worry, though—Yunyun was alive when I left. She seemed to be having an intense dream; her temperature was rising, and her breathing was quickened. But her vital signs were perfectly fine."

Alice couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Yunyun.

Still, experience was the best teacher, and after enduring Nero's singing firsthand, Yunyun had probably gained a deep understanding of its… unique power. Surely, she wouldn't make the same mistake again.

"By the way, there seem to be a lot more monster subjugation quests today," Nero said, gesturing to the increased number of parchment requests on the quest board. "Isn't this supposed to be a beginner town? Why are there so many monsters?"

"I don't know… I've never been to Axel before, but it does seem a bit strange," Alice replied, her gaze falling on several requests to defeat One-Strike Bears, Novice Killers, and Ogres. "Claire taught me about monster behaviors. In this season, we should mostly see weak, abundant creatures. The stronger ones that roam in winter are usually dormant now. We shouldn't be seeing multiple One-Strike Bears or other high-level monsters."

Even though Alice had spent her life as a sheltered princess, her knowledge of monster habits far exceeded Nero's as a visitor to this world.

"Ah, if you're curious about that, I can explain," a smiling waitress said as she approached, her demeanor warm and approachable.

"Typically, the monsters inhabiting the nearby forest stay deep within it. Occasionally, weaker monsters wander to the outskirts, and Adventurers handle those easily."

The waitress touched her cheek, her expression turning troubled.

"But recently, rumors of a powerful demon spotted in the forest have spread. It seems the monsters in the forest's depths are terrified, causing them to flee toward the town. That's why there have been so many subjugation requests lately. It's quite troubling…"

"A demon?" Alice's eyes widened in surprise. "Why would a demon appear here?"

"We don't know either," the waitress admitted before excusing herself.

After the waitress left, Nero turned to Alice. "So, what's the deal with demons in this world?"

"Demons aren't native to this world," Alice explained. "They come from a place called Hell and are enemies of the gods from Heaven. Their conflict has been an ongoing stalemate for ages."

"Sometimes, demons are summoned here. Other times, the stronger ones find their own way. Those who arrive on their own are usually incredibly powerful."

"Hell's emissaries, enemies of the divine…" Nero mused, her voice soft. "In other words, Satan? Intriguing…"

Nero couldn't help but reflect on her own history. In life, she was often compared to the Beast of 666 and the Whore of Babylon, infamous figures tied to apocalyptic lore. Within the Fate universe, the Sixth Beast—an amalgamation of these entities and Nero herself—was born from consuming a "savior," becoming an apocalyptic monstrosity known as Draco.

Curiously, Nero recalled an old anime called High School DxD, where the Beast of 666 and the Great Red Dragon were portrayed as separate beings…

When she glanced back at Alice, Nero noticed her companion's brow furrowed in deep thought.

"Does it bother you?" Nero asked.

"Huh?" Alice blinked, startled out of her thoughts, and met Nero's gaze.

"Are you worried about the demon?"

"Mm…" Alice nodded, clutching the hem of her dress tightly.

Whether from compassion or a sense of royal duty, Alice couldn't ignore the idea of a demon roaming freely in the nearby forest.

"Demons are inherently 'evil,' after all," Alice murmured. "It's hard not to imagine them scheming something terrible."

"Interesting… A demon, huh? Sounds like it could be fun. Let's go have a look," Nero said with a grin.

The plains near the town were their first destination—a relatively safe area frequented by beginner Adventurers. However, beyond the plains lay the forest, home to stronger monsters and now the rumored demon.

Since encountering the demon wasn't guaranteed, even with Nero's high Luck stat, they decided to take on a few monster subjugation quests while searching.

"Extelion!"

Alice unsheathed her legendary holy sword, a family heirloom passed down through generations, and swung it at a hulking creature before her.

The monster—a grotesque abomination with the head of a teddy bear and a body as muscular as Escanor at high noon—was a One-Strike Bear, known for its terrifyingly lethal attacks.

Yet Alice's radiant slash cleaved it cleanly in two.

Watching her in action, Nero nodded approvingly.

"Impressive! As expected of my dear sister. If I keep slacking off, I'll be overshadowed!"

With a gleam of determination, Nero turned toward five approaching One-Strike Bears. Her sword, the Aestus Estus, shimmered with fiery red flames as it cut through the air with a resonant hum.

"O Spring of the Saint! O Sword of Flames! Dance gloriously!"

---

"..."

- Gardevoir

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