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There’s the statue of a devil right in the middle of the road which is a pretty good annoyance to Taizu, but it might be pointless to tell a Demon Lord that. 

I tried reading the stone monument for now and what was carved there was ‘Pile up parchment’. 

When speaking of parchment, what comes to mind would be the parchment that Dyuvuleori gave me with the first problem. 

I obeyed the instructions and put it on top of the statue. Letters showed up after a while and disappeared.

And then, a new problem appeared.

I retrieved the parchment and the statue of the devil melted on the ground without a sound and disappeared.

It is most likely made to disappear once it gives you the riddle. I am glad this object doesn’t just remain endlessly in place.

I confirm the new problem for now. 

{The northern devil said this: Head to the south path.

The eastern devil said this: Advance through this path. 

The southern devil said this: Head to the west path.

The western devil said this: You should not head north.

You weren’t lost. No matter which devil you believed, the result was the same after all.}

“Next would be over there.” 

“Instant answer, huh. How about hesitating for a bit?” (Ekdoik)

“Even if you tell me to hesitate… Did you understand the previous problem?” 

“I thought of it while knowing the right path, but it doesn’t really click.” (Ekdoik)

“Rather than a riddle, it is more like a puzzle that you need to follow the process of after all.” 

Since the opportunity has been presented, let’s have Ekdoik solve it. I think back on the question of before. 

{Devils hate silence and hate balance even more. 

Devils hold gems that are worth 10 gold coins. 

But the lives of the devils are only worth 1 gold coin.

The scales that measure worth have an apple on the west and a sword on the east. 

The apple has a worth of 1 gold coin and the sword is worth 10 gold coins.

The dying devils that have offered their everything have entrusted their fate to the scales.}

The 1st column denotes the action criteria of the devil; the 2nd and 3rd column denotes the components of the devil; the 4th denotes the current situation; the 5th supplements the situation; and the last one would be the result.

The scales measuring worth mean a scale that tilts with the worth of things as the standard. 

Judging from the worth of the apple and the sword, the first one would be west at 1 gold coin and east at 10 gold coins. 

The devil offered everything and died. In other words, we can judge that it placed its gems and life on the scale. 

Devils hate silence. Meaning that it placed things on the scale to move it. 

In order to make it move in that state, the devil would need to place its gems on the west. By doing this, there would be a worth of 11 coins in the west and the scale would tilt there. 

As for where its life would be placed on, if it is simply a hate for silence, it could place its life on the east to make the scale move again. 

But with the column that states it hates balance even more, it means that it hates the scale lining up. 

That’s why the devil didn’t place its life east and left it west. It prioritized silence over equilibrium. 

Thus, the scale would be tilted west and you would need to head west. 

“That’s basically it.” 

“So you can go through each condition as you process it, huh. I see, that makes sense.” (Ekdoik)

We head to the direction and we find the statue of a devil again. 

In the case you are wrong, you wouldn’t find a statue, so considering that, it would mean that messing up a single question would incur a heavy time loss. 

When I am even a tiny bit uncertain, I should pay careful consideration. 

“By the way, how did you solve the 2nd one? From what I saw, it looked like a question where you had to see which devil to believe.” (Ekdoik)

“No, that’s a problem where you have to deduce from the answer. If you weren’t lost and the result would be the same no matter the devil you believed, that’s basically like an answer of sorts.” 

If the result is the same no matter the devil you believe, it means they are wrong. 

Basically, all the devils are lying. Therefore, the direction is narrowed down to one. 

I placed the parchment on top of the statue again and read the new problem. 

“This is a logic puzzle too. In other words, over here.” 

“You are progressing pretty smoothly, Comrade.” (Ekdoik)

“Marito and Mix would be able to solve these problems. It might be a bit difficult for Ilias and Rakura though.” 

Looks like the pattern to these problems is that they are logic puzzles. There’s no need for prior knowledge when it comes to logic puzzles. 

What’s important is being able to go through the sequence that connects to a single answer. 

It looks as if there’s several avenues leading to the answer by matching the conditions, but by matching all that’s written down in the problem, that gets further narrowed down. 

At times, even the information of ‘knowing the answer’ can become a piece of information that could serve as the key to solve the puzzle. 

For example; let’s say there’s a problem where you have to bring out an answer from within many people with liars present. 

From the information given alone, you know that A is an honest one, and you can’t tell which ones are the liars. 

But in the case where A is an honest one and the answer gets branched out into many possibilities, you won’t be able to know the correct answer with just A being the honest one. 

In other words, by knowing the answer, you can exclude A as the honest one. 

You must not forget that the important point of logic puzzles is that everything written in the problem becomes a hint. 

“Woah there, it seems like they are beginning to turn into problems where several routes are assumed. It was the correct idea to bring more parchment just in case.” 

I read the new problem and write the many possibilities down on the parchment to make them easier to see and process. 

And then, I eliminate the mistakes and lead it to the answer.

“Alright, over here.” 

“That was pretty fast. Or should I say it is as if you are used to it?” (Ekdoik)

“Yeah, rather than saying I am intelligent, it is more like I killed time in my world with logic puzzles.” 

“I see.” (Ekdoik)

You could say it is going well, but it is a match where I don’t know how many questions there are in total. 

I should hurry as much as possible. 

I solved one problem after the other, until I reached the 7th problem. The route turned from the main street to the back alleys and it got busy. 

It is on a scale where the size of the statue was eye-catching. I will be able to manage somehow while I am still confident about whether I am right or wrong in the problems, but it gives me shivers just thinking about the possibility of getting it wrong. 

A decent amount of time has passed since we began. Even if it is in the morning, it is a time where a decent amount of civilians are beginning to show up. 

At the times when I found the statues, there were places where they would see the statue and a crowd would be formed. 

At worst, there’s also the choice of searching for them from a high point. 

“The next path is over here, but…it is a back alley, huh. We will be reaching a point where we can see the plaza as we advance through here, so if there’s a statue, it would be there.” 

I advance through the back alley. It is not that popular of a path to begin with, but because of the noisiness of the city and the peaceful timeframe, it is a notch more silent than normal. 

It has been a while since I have walked around the city in such detail. Since the time I went around searching places with Rakura to set barriers in the capital, I guess. 

It is not like I don’t have any other connections with vagrants aside from Gazen, but because there’s no person who is as useful, I don’t really utilize them. 

“Speaking of which, has the map of this city already entered your head?” 

“Of course. I endeavored to grasp the terrain in the surroundings at the time when I was sent by Raheight here after all.” (Ekdoik)

“And that’s why you appeared later.” 

“Yeah—wait, don’t move.” (Ekdoik)

Ekdoik suddenly deployed his chains. There’s also many chains creeping about in the surroundings. 

I won’t ask what happened.

When Ekdoik moves suddenly, it is because of that. Something obviously has happened.

Making any clumsy questions would just serve to hamper the concentration of Ekdoik.

I direct my attention to the surroundings too.

“—Hostility. Is this from a Great Devil—hm?!” (Ekdoik)

Ekdoik looked up and I directed my gaze there matching him, and I saw something raining from above. 

I couldn’t react immediately, but Ekdoik used his chains to repel the falling objects. I confirm the things that fell on the ground. 

“These are…stakes?” 

There’s several stake-like objects in a warped shape on the ground. It is an unbalanced shape, but the objective of that shape is to gouge something. 

I feel like there’s some other objective aside from wounding and killing though…

Is what I thought as I moved my gaze, and the state of Ekdoik was weird. It seems as if his movements are dulled.

“This…is…” (Ekdoik)

“Mine right arm becomes many stakes and ties the ones who they pecked at to the ground.” 

A single Great Devil shows up from the shadows of the back alley. He resembles Gugugeguderstaf, but his right arm is made up of several stakes stacked up. 

A part of it is missing, but that must be the stakes scattered on the ground. 

“Arm of Tying, Hasharyukudehito, huh. What are you pulling here?!” (Ekdoik)

“What an obvious thing to ask about. It is in order to fulfill mine ambition.” (Hasharyukudehito)

I don’t know the reason why, but it seems like this is a surprise attack from the Great Devils. 

I paid attention to the surroundings of Ekdoik and noticed that one of the stakes is piercing the ground where his shadow is. 

Tying you to the ground… It is like the shadow bind that ninjas use?

I don’t know how much he can seal the movements of someone, but we have to hurry and remove this. 

I take a step in order to approach the stake. 

But a bad feeling ran through my back the moment I did. When I looked back reflexively, there was one other Great Devil. 

That Great Devil had a giant mouth on its abdomen. It reminded me of the greatsword that Girista used, but the moment I recognized this, that mouth turned into a size that was far bigger than the overall length of the Great Devil. 

Or more like, no matter how you see it, it is trying to devour me.

“I’ve got you, human.” 

The giant mouth covered my vision and I lost consciousness.

———

Mine name is Stomach of Perplexion Feibyushasu. Mine stomach can capture any being inside an alterspace. 

The ones caught inside mine stomach can’t get out without my permission. The more they struggle to escape, the more complicated the maze of the alterspace will become.

It is also impossible to save them from the outside, and if you injure me, the injury will be transferred to the captured one. 

A power that can use someone as a scapegoat or a hostage. 

With this, the Purple Demon Lord won’t be able to attack me. 

Moreover, I can send my mind to the alterspace as a separate self. 

In the alterspace, mine will is the strongest. I can apply mine strength as I wish, and it is also possible to inflict pain. 

I will make the human she is so attached to a hostage, have her undo all the restrictions of the Pawn Mask, and steal away all the power it can give. 

If I bring Hasharyukudehito into the same state, there would be 2 Great Devils on the same level as Dyuvuleori. The situation would make a complete turn. 

Of course, I have no intention of making Hasharyukudehito an equal. I heard about it. This human is from the same planet as that Hero Yugura. 

Yugura boasted legendary power due to his wisdom.

In other words, there’s a high chance the inside of this person’s head has the wisdom of Yugura’s planet too. 

If I obtain this, I can become the strongest even amongst the Great Devils. Maybe even be able to fight on equal or higher grounds than the Purple Demon Lord. 

Outside there’s the human raised by Beglagud trying to begin a battle with Hasharyukudehito.

But if I were to take this one hostage, he would also stop resisting. 

Let’s steal away everything I can steal in that time. 

I could tear off an arm or something to threaten the Purple Demon Lord.

I send my mind into the alterspace and direct my attention there. 

The human must have regained consciousness, he is looking around. I don’t know if him not wandering around carelessly is due to him being careful or a coward.

“Looks like you have regained consciousness, human.” (Feibyushasu)

“…Tell me your name, Great Devil.” 

“Mine name is Stomach of Perplexion Feibyushasu. This space is inside mine stomach. This is the space where I am absolute and almighty.” (Feibyushasu)

“Is this action an order from the Purple Demon Lord.” 

“What a foolish question. This is mine ingenuity -one of making you a hostage and stealing the power of the Purple Demon Lord.” (Feibyushasu)

“I see, so there really were Great Devils who were dissatisfied with being made to do one-on-ones.” 

He is a perceptive human, but his eyes of defiance are somewhat displeasing. 

Let’s double the gravity he feels.

He staggered and went on his knees with just that. 

What a feeble being. A laugh leaked out just from that. 

“Be careful with what you say, mere human. Your life can be crushed with a single whim of mine.” (Feibyushasu)

“Then a warning from me too. My body is even more delicate than that of a child, so be careful not to injure me too much, you could accidentally kill me.” 

What a condescending brat, but it seems like he is not lying. 

Even this degree of a gravity attack is making him show actual pain. 

The mana I can feel is also way too faint. Are you telling me this really is a resident of the same planet as Yugura? 

No, I will be able to know immediately once I investigate. 

“Aside from being useful as a hostage, I will make practical use of the information inside your brain filled with knowledge of Yugura’s planet.” (Feibyushasu)

“You think I will obediently speak?” 

“It has nothing to do with your will. I can freely control this space. It is possible to freely peek at your memories.” (Feibyushasu)

I walk and grab the head of the human. 

The human couldn’t resist and even looks as if he is just allowing it to happen. 

Let’s read his memories at once.

I have no interest in the recent memories of this human.

What I want to know is the memories of this human from before he came to this world. Go back, and back, and even further back.

What, this human came from that Black Demon Lord Killer Mountain?

The picture of the Mana Eater that is even more fearsome than a Demon Lord flickered for a moment there.

But what I want to know more than that are the memories that came before that. Now, show them to me! 

“So this is the world called Earth, huh. So many people. What a dirty world.” (Feibyushasu)

I have no interest in the lives of humans. I search for the power of this world, the information of their wisdom.

—What’s this? I can’t read their writing.

The sentences, the memories, are not entering my brain properly. 

A difference in languages, huh. How impudent. 

Then, I just have to give myself the language of this human… Hooh, so that’s how Earth is pronounced.

I can read…I can understand… So this is a parallel world, huh. Wonderful! 

So demons exist on Earth and are feared, huh. 

Solomon…72 pillars…more, give me more knowledge! 

Ooh, this is…bioweapons, nuclear weapons…are you telling me humans created something like this?! 

[Warning: you have exceeded the amount of information someone in this world can know. Warning: you have exceeded the amount of information someone in this world can know. Please cut off the connection at once and erase the pertinent memories.]

An emotionless voice suddenly echoed in my head. It is not the voice of this human. 

What’s this voice? The human must have heard the same voice, he is making a strange expression.

As if I care. What I should do right now is devour the knowledge inside this human’s head.

Aah, what sweet information! 

I see, with such countless points of view, it could be replicated as if it were magic…even the forbidden would be within mine reach! 

[End of the warning. Access to forbidden information of this world through a denizen of it has been confirmed. Judged a dangerous element in the world. Requesting activation of inhibitions.]

The mysterious voice finally stopped. What in the world was that? 

But it is true that with this knowledge, I will be able to obtain power that surpasses Great Devils…no, even the Demon Lords.

“—My first job is a mere devil, huh. Makes me want to cry.” 

Someone spoke right by my side.

There was only the face and hand of a human right by my side. 

The space around it felt off, as if warped. 

This is…I see, this person is wearing clothes that assimilate with the scenery. 

The form is a robe. The face and hand that are peeking out faintly probably are not receiving its effects. 

—No, more importantly, since when was this human standing right by my side?! 

 I didn’t question at all the existence of this one. It was as if the world had recognized this person’s existence for the first time when they opened their mouth…

“You bastard, who are you?!” (Feibyushasu)

I threw the human without waiting for a response, envisioned every means of attack onto this unknown being, and made them reality. 

This alterspace is mine space. It can bring about any event and I can rule over it as the absolute being; the ultimate closed garden. 

“You attack me right after asking my name. How restless for a damn monster.” 

I made a wide array of attacks land directly, and yet, that person was still there as if nothing happened.

That’s impossible. If I were to envision them getting torn, they should be torn. 

And yet, why are they not getting torn?! Why can’t I envision their death?! 

They were observing the human that was on his knees while being thrown and smashed on the ground. 

“So this is the Earthling that Scarlet spoke of, huh. To think he actually existed. Well, don’t worry, Earthling. You are not my target here.” 

They returned their gaze to me once again. 

And then, they string words as if bored.

“Aah, I have to at least introduce myself as the duty given to me, huh. Is there even a point to introduce myself to someone who will be dying anyways? Oh well.” 

Their arm is raised. 

Their thumb was facing up and their index was pointing here; the remaining fingers were folded. 

“Colorless Demon Lord. No need to remember it, so just die without worrying.” 

Their hand flicked back in an instant. 

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