Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

79 – What Is Your Affinity With Me?

An Avatar can only be operated in a space full of Magical Energy.

In other words, it’s basically the inside of the Dungeon.

When using an Avatar for working in a dangerous area, a method of scattering a large amount of Magical Energy in the space beforehand is adopted.

If the Magical Energy is left just like that, it will automatically diffuse, so with this method you must always scatter the Magical Energy.

If you don’t do these methods, for example, when walking inside the town using an Avatar, it will break down in about thirty minutes.

「That’s…amazing.」 

Nicola stopped moving her spoon and said that.

We’re talking about the matter of increasing the number of Avatar modification items.

「Ahh, even though it is said that it’s difficult to misuse an Avatar, it’s still a technology that allows you to become a different person if you want to. These organizers aren’t ordinary, even if it’s limited, they still managed to ease the restrictions.」

The Hero Show should have been organized for about twenty minutes with that in mind. If they want to hold it longer than that, they have to either distribute more Magical Energy onto the stage or hold it inside a Magical Energy space in the first place.

The generator is only deployed in institutions that have passed a strict inspection, but if it gets misused…

Even if it’s for only about thirty minutes, criminals who『If he gets killed, he disappears』『If he gets arrested, he disappears』『Whose identity cannot be identified』would be created.

The reason why no major modification in appearance is allowed during the Avatar creation stage is to prevent people from becoming a『different person』.

But this time, modifications were allowed on the condition that the Avatar and the Registration Card would be recorded by the tournament management.

In order to associate the specially made Avatar with the person using it.

「Fellow is an amazing person, huh? I thought he looked strong.」

「Is that so?」

「Yeah. He’s a Majin, but he probably has accumulated a lot of Magical Energy in his horns. His Magical Energy signature was just like an ordinary person, but it was too natural. That’s the part that made it very unnatural.」

「Ahh, so you think that he was suppressing his Magical Energy?」

「It’s just my intuition though.」

You’re probably right on the mark.

He is supposed to be a Demon King, so he should have the ability to generate enormous amounts of Magical Energy.

Those who can do this probably would not waste their precious Magical Energy.

Since he looked like an ordinary person, he was skillfully concealing it.

「He is…a bit similar to Lem.」

「Eh?」

「Lemegeton’s and Lem’s pressure of Magical Energy are completely different. A person that knows Lem probably can’t even believe that they’re actually the same person. That just means that you usually hide it that well, right?」

「Ahaha…」

Concealing Magical Energy is similar to closing a water tap. It’s like, there’s a lot coming out, but then it’s forcefully restrained so that only a little bit would come out and maintained at that level.

「There’s something like…a sign? That’s not right. How should I describe it? It’s like I get a similar feeling from Fellow and Lem.」

I’m surprised.

That’s probably because both of us have horns, so we belong to the same family of horns.

I didn’t verbalize this to her, but Nicola perceived it.

With the exception of Fenix, who I’ve been with since I was little, she’s the second person to suspect this, following the first person, Aerial.

…Although, it’s rare for a Human to be able to meet both the Demon King’s bloodline and me.

But, even if she’s a Hero, she shouldn’t have been able to notice it that easily.

Technically, it should’ve been something that Aerial and Nicola don’t even know.

This is why I have no choice but to think of this as something like a sixth sense that goes beyond common sense.

「I don’t know about that. Since I’ve never met Fellow.」

「You’re right. Sorry, I said something weird.」

「That’s okay. What about your older brother and the other party members? Did they feel the same sense of discomfort as you did?」

「No. They didn’t seem to be suspicious of the relationship between Lemegeton and Fellow.」

…Then, is it because Nicola’s intuition is sharp?

「I see. I guess the association is from the commonality that we are concealing our Magical Energy.」

「That might be the case. Our conversation got sidetracked, even though you were talking about my Avatar.」

「It’s partly my fault because I asked you, but let’s get back to the main topic.」

「Okay.」

「About Nicola’s Avatar-」

「About that, I have a little idea.」

Nicola’s idea was the same as what I was thinking of.

「Well, if that’s the case, then it won’t be weird to use Earth Magic and I also think that the way of fighting is suitable.」

「I’m relieved. My brother was the one who did all the intelligent stuff, such as dividing the roles, so I was wondering what to do if I had missed the point.」

I see, that might be typical of Philip.

A Hero is not omnipotent. Even Fenix has some things that are not suitable with his personality.

Philip chose to develop his strengths rather than supplementing his weaknesses, and Nicola implemented it.

The results are showing and I also think that that method is effective for a party.

「As the Silver Prince, you might have encountered some unexpected situations, right? But as far as I can tell, you’ve always been a refined Hero. You also have the ability to think properly. It’s just that you’re not going the way that your older brother had created for you.」

I had reviewed their footage of when they booked the Beginner’s Dungeon after I decided to become her partner in the tournament.

After hearing my words, Nicola blinked her eyes and showed shy emotions that slowly arose.

「Th-thank you.」

「No problem. Since the direction for the Avatar is decided, next is-」

「Today, too, the two of them are getting along well.」

Scribble scribble scribble.

After eating the pancakes, Cashew used her pen to write on the memo.

She seemed to be doing her mission.

I laughed as I wiped the crumbs on Cashew’s cheeks with a handkerchief.

◇

After that, in the basement of the Union.

「Yeah…yeah…I see. Certainly, this strategy would be useful if it’s used in this tournament, not in a Dungeon Clear? I guess it’s not a strategy? Tactics?」

「When it comes to the category of Black Sorcerer, it would probably be something like this. Basically, it’s like the tactic would rely on Nicola’s support.」

The foundation was decided.

「Please take care of me. For that part, I will protect Lem.」

「Please take care of me as well. I believe that you will coolly protect me.」

It’s necessary to move together in earnest from here on out, so we showed each other what we can do.

「I can’t use this technique too often. It’ll prove most effective the first time it’s used, but after that, it’ll no longer be effective.」

「There’s no way…」

「Thank you, but it’s a fact. That’s why I want to use that one time on Philip and his group.」

「The Big Four Furcus will also participate, right? Is that okay?」

「I’ve thought of an idea to beat Furcus. Although, I would need Nicola’s cooperation and the rest would be a gamble.」

「If it’s a gamble that gives us the possibility of winning against one of the Demon King Castle Big Four, I’ll take it.」

We looked at each other and laughed, then after a while, we left the training room.

「Ah, it would be better if we go back separately.」

Nicola said.

「Ahh, that’s right. Just in case, I’ll go back a little bit later.」

「Okay. Then, see you later.」

She raised her hand and said goodbye.

「Lem?」 

At that time, an Adventurer who was passing by turned to look at me.

Actually, it was Fenix.