'...By the way, [Odin]. Did you find anything suspicious about [Fragarach]?'
I'd been briefly distracted by that absurd ability, but this was what mattered more in the first place.
If there was some unusual energy like the unregistered [Skill] [????], or anything connected to the [Mindscape], it would definitely be an important clue.
[Report. There was nothing suspicious at all. However, I did discover something unusual.]
'...Something unusual?'
[Yes. Inside the demonic sword [Fragarach]'s [Accumulation], a large quantity of 'emotion: rage' has already been stored.]
A large quantity of rage.
It was probably the rage of whoever had wielded this sword before.
I had a strong suspicion that rage belonged to Dino, but there was still a chance it didn't, so I asked [Odin].
'Can you find out where that rage came from?'
[Odin]'s answer was—
[No. The information is far too old, so I cannot identify the individual.]
—it was impossible.
Even if the information had been recent enough to trace the source of the rage, I still wouldn't have been able to identify them unless I had met that person myself, so it was basically just false hope anyway.
Still, that didn't mean it was a completely useless clue.
If [Odin] evolved further in the future, maybe it would be able to analyze it then.
'Besides, it probably won't go as far as a rampage under normal circumstances... If I just treat it like an ability that doesn't exist until then, it shouldn't be dangerous either.'
Having roughly sorted out my thoughts, I lifted my head again and looked at Guy.
"It's certainly a fine sword."
Apparently pleased with my answer, Guy nodded and said,
"Since this is what you'll be using from today onward, if you think it's enough, then that's all that matters."
After saying that, Guy closed his blood-red gleaming eyes and fell silent for a moment.
A few seconds later, he opened them again and slowly spoke.
"Then, now that all the preparations are complete... it's about time to begin the 'plan' we've been preparing in the Jura Great Forest."
The plan.
The plan Guy was referring to was the birth of that slime I had been waiting for all this time.
And for now, all I had told Guy was that I intended to "create a new ruler for the Jura Great Forest in place of the sealed Veldora."
If I explained everything too early, it would become much harder to take anything back later.
"I've told you this many times, but inside the Great Forest, not even you can use your status as my aide. I think it's a pointless rule myself, but it is still a rule."
"Of course. I know."
In the Jura Great Forest, I couldn't use my status within the [Demon Lord] faction—in other words, my standing as the [Grand Duke of the Underworld].
That forest was, without question, one of the non-aggression zones directly designated by the [Demon Lord]s.
'Even so, Milim and [the clowns] still ran wild through the Great Forest however they pleased...'
...Anyway.
That was just because those two weren't the type to follow rules.
As Guy's closest aide, and the right hand of the leader of the [Demon Lord]s, I had to follow that rule whenever possible.
"It'll be a little inconvenient, but inside the Great Forest, I plan to move as a [Hero]. Aside from the fact that monsters will be wary of me, this identity is actually more convenient for operating openly."
I already knew Hakurou personally, that slime was a [reincarnator] who had originally been human, and aside from Veldora, there were no monsters in the current Great Forest strong enough to threaten me, so moving around under the identity of a [Hero] wasn't especially dangerous.
As I'd said before, the only real drawback was that monsters would be on guard around me.
"And as for when the plan will begin... it will probably come sooner than you expect, Lord Guy."
"Oh...? Then it'll happen within a hundred years."
"..."
Forget a hundred years... now there were only fifty left... no, not even twenty.
I didn't know if it was because I could perceive the 'souls' connected to others, but I could feel it clearly.
The soul connected to Leon, the soul connected to Shizue, and—
—the soul connected to [the clowns], and the soul connected to myself,
all drawing steadily closer to this world.
*
From the moment I became aware of that sensation, time only seemed to accelerate.
And after returning to [Ingrassia] from the frozen continent, the changes came even faster.
Shizu gradually stepped away from active adventuring and became an instructor who taught other adventurers.
Then, when she met two [otherworld]ers bound by "fate," the first real change arrived.
Hinata, who had returned from another timeline, and the majin consumed by boundless ambition, "Kagurazaka Yuuki."
Shizu's students, who would one day become key figures among the western powers.
And at the same time—
—they would also become my new disciples, the ones I would meet again in the best and worst possible way.
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