ZAP – Chapter 109: Eugene’s contract is discovered

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“You have formed a contract with the Demon Lord Erinyes-sama, right?!!” (Miguel)

A Demon Lord believer discovered that I have formed a contract with a Demon Lord.

This is not good.

“Can you please tell me your esteemed name?!” (Miguel)

“Uuh…” (Eugene)

Is it okay to tell him my name?

The name Eugene is not known outside the academy, but it is different if it is Santafield.

There’s few people who don’t know the name of the right arm of His Imperial Majesty, the Imperial Sword, Jubei Santafield.

It is a rare family name, so he would most likely discover my identity immediately…

I would trouble Pops.

“The Holy Knight Captain just before called you Eugene. The son of the Imperial Sword has the same name. In that case, you are…” (Miguel)

(Not good…) (Eugene)

He is practically on the door.

(Hey, Eugene, don’t you think there’s no choice but that now?) (Eri)

(Haah… I don’t feel like doing it.) (Eugene)

But there’s no other option.

“Your name was Miguel…right? It is true that my name is Eugene.” (Eugene)

“Eugene-sama, please guide us—” (Miguel)

“Miguel-kun.” (Eugene)

I grabbed his hand.

His hands are slender like a girl.

“Y-Yes, what is it, Eugene-sama?!” (Miguel)

The boy is looking at me with shining eyes like a puppy.

(I feel bad…) (Eugene)

(What are you getting all soft for? Your contract with me, your name, and your identity has been discovered, you know?) (Eri)

That’s right.

I can’t just leave him be.

“There’s something I want you to promise in the name of the Demon Lord Eri.” (Eugene)

“Yes, of course! I will obey any order, Eugene-sama!” (Miguel)

“……”

To think he would one-sidedly say that before I even brought out the conditions.

Are you really a mage…?

This is convenient, so I will keep on like this.

“Activate the word curse contract: Miguel can’t say anything inconvenient about Eugene Santafield to a 3rd party.” (Eugene)

“Hau!” (Miguel)

The whole body of the boy shook.

It is a bit of a lighter curse spell compared to the one I used on the friend of Airi, Camilla.

I do feel bad about it, but it would be troubling if he were to spread that I have a contract with a Demon Lord.

“Haah… Haah… Haah…”

The boy is breathing heavily.

I think his body is feeling sluggish because of the effect of the curse, but…

“E-Eugene-san!” (Miguel)

The voice of Miguel still sounded excited.

“Yeah, I feel bad about it. But I can’t have you spreading around that I have a contract with a Demon Lord…” (Eugene)

“This is the best! To think you would cast a curse of Erinyes-sama on me! I will treasure it for the rest of my life!” (Miguel)

“……Eh?” (Eugene)

“I want to brag about it to everyone in the village! But I can’t say it! I will keep it in my heart! Aah, what a wonderful day! My gratitude to Erinyes-sama and Eugene-sama!” (Miguel)

(To think he would thank me for casting a curse on him…) (Eugene)

(Uwah, fanatics are scary~.) (Eri)

Even Eri is taken aback.

That’s your believer, you know?

At that moment…

“Ooi, Eugene-kun, are you okay?!”

Someone called me from afar.

Captain Jaqueline and the still fainted Lily.

{Miguel-kun, run.} (Eugene)

I whispered this to the boy.

{Eh, is that okay…?} (Miguel)

{My mana and stamina are empty anyways, so I would lose if you were to fight back.} (Eugene)

{But… I will follow your order, Eugene-san…} (Miguel)

{It wouldn’t be good if a Demon Lord believer were to be caught by the Holy Union.} (Eugene)

{…Understood. I will pay back this debt some day.} (Miguel)

Miguel took distance from me, shouted ‘Summon Griffin!’ and a Griffin showed up.

Could it be that Griffin the other day was summoned by this boy too?

“Wait!!” (Jacqueline)

Captain Jacqueline shouted, but it seems like she doesn’t have the stamina to catch up.

*…Flap! …Flap! …Flap!*

Miguel flew off on the back of the griffin and grew smaller into the horizon.

◇◇

“…You let him go?” (Jacqueline)

Captain Jacqueline muttered.

My classmate leaning on her shoulder was dead limp, but she is breathing normally.

“What would have happened…if that Demon Lord believer were to be caught?” (Eugene)

I tried asking out of curiosity.

“Right. He would most likely be imprisoned in the ‘Persuasion Room’ for 100 days, and several clerics will give religious talks to convince him. Fufufu, there’s no one who hasn’t awakened to ‘the truth’ after entering the Persuasion Room.” (Jacqueline)

“……I-I see.” (Eugene)

I am dumbstruck.

Caldia is scary.

I am glad that the boy escaped.

“Eugene-kun, the persuasion is just peaceful talk, just so you know! There’s no violence at all! Please don’t worry.” (Jacqueline)

Captain Jacqueline added this hurriedly after seeing my expression.

I think that’s too late.

“Anyways, let’s go back to report this. I will carry Lily.” (Eugene)

“Aah, thanks. It doesn’t seem like there’s any danger to her life, but it looks like it will be tough for her to walk on her own.” (Jacqueline)

I received Lily from the captain and carried her small body on my back.

She is light even with armor on.

“Uuh…”

I could hear the pained voice of Lily every now and then.

(I want to let her rest quickly.) (Eugene)

The captain and I dragged our heavy bodies and headed to the base.

—Half a day later.

It had gotten completely dark by the time we returned to the field camp.

A number of bonfires were burning.

A few barrier stakes were stabbed on the ground around the camp so that monsters don’t get close.

That said, would it work on the Darkness Bird Raum?

Lily was carried to the tent where the medics are, and Captain Jacqueline headed to the tent where the command center is in for the sake of reporting.

As for me, I was freed since my mission was over and returned to the tent.

I could feel the presence of around 2 people in the tent.

Most likely Sumire and Sara.

“I am back.” (Eugene)

“Eugy-kun!! What happened?!” (Sumire)

“Eugene, your complexion is terrible!” (Sara)

The two of them were worried about me with incredible distress when I entered the tent.

“Really?” (Eugene)

I didn’t notice myself, but it looks like I was affected by the Curse of Death of the Darkness Bird.

My tired face was reflected in the mirror.

“C-Come on, go to sleep quickly! More importantly, are you hungry?” (Sumire)

“I will get something.” (Sara)

Sumire forcefully made me lie down and put the blanket on me.

Sara exited the tent hurriedly.

(The two of them are exagge-…rating…) (Eugene)

Looks like the exhaustion has accumulated in my body more than I thought.

I fell asleep in the blink of an eye.

 

Next day.

I finished eating breakfast together with Sumire and Sara, and confirmed our schedule for today.

Captain Jacqueline has told us that all the members will be returning to the holy capital for now.

I was asked whether to get in the carriage, but my body had recovered after a night, so I returned to the capital by foot.

It seems like Sumire has already recovered.

“Uuh… I couldn’t be of use to Eugy-kun at all this time.” (Sumire)

Sumire was feeling down, but I am glad Sumire didn’t meet the Darkness Bird that was actively hunting monsters with high mana.

We returned to the capital in one day and had to stay on standby until an order came.

I wanted to move my body, so I had Sara tell me where the training ground of the Holy Knight Order is located.

I asked whether it was okay for an outsider to use it, and it is apparently fine if it is a student from the magic academy that has come as reinforcement.

I borrowed an iron sword with a dulled blade for training and practiced my swings and did military exercises.

After around 1 hour of training when my body was getting warmed up, someone approached me.

Someone I know…or more like, it is someone who has been acting together with me these few days.

“Eugene Santafield, is it okay to move your body that much?”

“What about you? Are you fine walking around already, Lily Whitewind?” (Eugene)

My Legendary Hero Department classmate.

“I came here to thank you. You carried me all the way to the base, right? Sorry about that… I ended up just pulling your leg.” (Lily)

“Not really. We managed to stop the boy’s plan because you were there, Lily.” (Eugene)

I think the chances of the boy succeeding in the summoning of the Darkness Bird were close to zero, but there’s no doubt we managed to stop it.

Also, there’s someone who made a request to that boy.

We managed to discover this plan of theirs.

Well, that boy was probably just deceived though.

“I see… You are kind.” (Lily)

Lily sighed languidly.

“You don’t seem to have any energy.” (Eugene)

Lily glared at me with half-narrowed eyes when I said this.

“You are the weird one. How can you have so much energy after yesterday?” (Lily)

“I can’t calm down if I don’t move my body. Can you be my training partner?” (Eugene)

I tried asking.

I thought for sure she was going to refuse though.

“Right… I would like to, but I am not in form yet.” (Lily)

“N-No, it was a joke. Please rest.” (Eugene)

Speaking of which, she was bedridden the whole day yesterday.

I thought this was a bit awkward and…

She smacked my shoulder.

“Let’s have a match when we return to the Lykeion Magic Academy. Just letting you know, I have more wins than losses against Sara-sama when against her without a Holy Sword.” (Lily)

“Hoh…!” (Eugene)

I didn’t know that one.

The swordsmanship of Sara is pretty good though.

“I would love to.” (Eugene)

“Yeah, I look forward to it.” (Lily)

Lily left with a soft smile.

(I guess we get along a bit better now?) (Eugene)

I have managed to get out of her cold demeanor before.

It was worth coming here then.

(Aah, Eugene is wooing a new woman again.)

“Hm?” (Eugene)

I felt like I heard the Demon Lord just now.

We are in the holy capital of Arsham that’s protected by the barrier of the Goddess.

There’s no way I would hear the voice of Eri.

And yet, it sounded awfully real.

I trained on the sword for a few hours more alone and….

“This is bad, Eugy-kun!”

“Eugene, come!”

Sumire and Sara came here panicking.

I am glad to see Sumire has recovered completely.

“What’s the matter?” (Eugene)

I asked this and…

“Calm down and listen!” (Sumire)

“It is trouble!” (Sara)

“Sumire, Sara, please calm down.” (Eugene)

The two of them are not calm no matter how you see it.

“…Got it.” (Sumire)

“…Okay, I have calmed down.” (Sara)

Sumire and Sara spoke after taking a deep breath.

“Listen here! Ulrika-chan told us this just now…” (Sumire)

“The Great Demonic Beast’s subjugation raid of the Blue Waters Federation has been wiped out!” (Sara)

It was an urgent report from the one other Great Demonic Beast subjugation plan.

■Comment Response:

>A conversation with a pagan, huh…

>Conversation (violence) (brainwashing).

-(Brainwashing)… Correct.

>Weren’t you supposed to be immediately executed if you were discovered to be a Demon Lord believer inside the Holy Union territory?

-Erinyes-san is inside prison, so her information is outdated.

Looks like Eugene was also prejudiced.

That said, there has been no one in history who has been able to endure the ‘Persuasion Room’ in 100 years, so…

No one means… ■■■■censored■■■■

■Author’s Comment:

Introducing the manga, part 2.

Sumire is cute too.

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