Not long after the Primordial Demons Jonne and Viole arrived, their subordinates reached the truce ground as well.
Just as Blanc had her right-hand man, her Scribe, and me,
Jonne had brought a cute girl who looked like a delinquent student, along with an old gentleman wearing a sword at his waist like I did,
while Viole had come with an elderly butler sporting an impressive Kaiser mustache and large horns, and a horned young man dressed like a chef.
"Now then, shall we begin?"
In the most intact section among the shattered spaces, Blanc summoned a long table, sat down gracefully, and lifted a teacup.
"Hmph. Is tea time really what matters right now? Hurry up and tell us the information already."
"I agree with Viole. I'd like you to get to the point, Blanc."
Blanc's leisurely attitude immediately started irritating Jonne and Viole, both of whom had very little patience.
"Hehe, aren't you two a bit fierce? Well, fine."
Brushing off their killing intent with ease, Blanc pointed at me and continued.
"I'll ask you directly. Don't you sense anything strange about this child standing behind me?"
"...?"
...Why am I suddenly the topic here...?
When I sent Blanc a look that said exactly that, she only smiled with her eyes, as if telling me to just accept it.
"Huh? Come to think of it, I haven't seen that face before."
"...Hmm~ Not a bad face. Looks fairly strong too."
Jonne's eyes widened as if she'd spotted something fascinating, while Viole narrowed hers as though admiring a work of art.
"But I don't see anything particularly strange?"
"Hehe, don't just look at his appearance. Look at his soul."
Blanc answered Jonne's question with a deep smile, as if she already knew exactly how the two of them would react next.
"...! What? Why doesn't his soul have a color?"
Viole noticed it a step faster than Jonne.
"Huh? Why wouldn't a soul have a color? Even dead creatures have soul colors... And he's an Arch Demon, isn't he? He should have a color based on his lineage."
Jonne quickly succeeded in sensing my soul as well.
"......"
The demon subordinates standing behind Jonne and Viole also stared at me like I was something bizarre.
Their eyes practically said, "What kind of mutant is this guy supposed to be?"
'I don't know either... Staring holes through me isn't going to make me know...!'
As I grumbled inwardly, Blanc, seated before me with her chin resting on one hand, spoke again.
"The reason I interfered with you two last time was because your subordinates happened to be fighting in the place where this child was living. I had no intention of disrupting your battle, but I couldn't very well stand by and watch my servant's residence be destroyed, could I?"
"...That was his residence? It was far from the land you rule."
"This child isn't the type who enjoys fighting like we do. He dislikes unnecessary conflict, so I graciously allowed him to live outside my governed territory as a special consideration."
Blanc toyed with the two demons by skillfully mixing truth and lies.
"But what does that have to do with the information you said you'd share?"
Unlike the simple-minded Jonne, Viole still looked unconvinced as she threw out the question.
But she was not dealing with a demon you could win a war of words against.
"Oh my, but I already told you the information, didn't I? The mere existence of this child practically reveals one of my important hidden cards."
"......No. That's not enough."
At Viole's refusal, Blanc's smile only deepened.
"You should at least change your expression before saying that. Even now, I can see it in your eyes. You both want to have this child."
"......"
Demons were the race most closely tied to the soul.
More than the dragon race, the highest spiritual lifeforms. More than the angels dwelling in heaven. More than the spirits, the wills of natural energy.
Of all living beings, demons were the ones who studied souls the most and held the greatest fascination with them.
That was what demons were.
From near the dawn of creation until now, Viole and Jonne had never once seen a soul like his. There was no way they wouldn't be intrigued by it—wouldn't want to possess it.
They were tyrants who could only be satisfied after obtaining whatever they desired.
"...Tch, fine, I get it. You're right—I want him. A soul like that is obviously worth studying."
"Same here. I want to test whether I can dye his soul in my color."
Though Viole wore an irritated expression, her eyes gleamed, and Jonne grinned fiercely as both their gazes fixed on me.
'......Damn it, I'm seriously screwed.'
Those demons' obsessions were no joke...
While I quietly listened to the three of them talk and thought exactly that, Viole suddenly threw a question at me.
"So, what should we call you?"
"......Are you referring to me, Lady Viole?"
"Yes, that's right. Or do you have a proper name?"
"...No. I don't have a name. You can... call me Hairo."
Just as I did with Blanc, I answered as calmly as possible and bowed my head. Viole responded with a sly grin.
What is with her? Why is that so terrifying...?
"Hehe~ This is interesting. Any chance you'd like to become my butler?"
Just like in the original story, Viole hid her cruel true nature behind a cute smile as she leaned toward me.
"Well..."
She looked up at me with the expression of a child pleading with an adult, and she was so beautiful it almost felt like I ought to say yes.
That was, if I hadn't known what she was really like.
"Hey, Viole! Don't cut in line!"
Jonne shoved Viole's face aside.
Then she thrust a fist toward my chest.
"You, join my side. I'll make a special exception and teach you [Nuclear Magic]."
She looked at me with a hearty smile, her beauty rivaling Blanc's, but right beside her, Viole had dropped the cute expression entirely and was pouring out venomous magic power. At that point, I wasn't thinking about offers at all. I was just scared.
'.........She looks genuinely furious...'
They had called this place a truce ground, but the atmosphere felt like a real fight could break out at any second, and the cold sweat wouldn't stop.
'...If things go bad, maybe I should just run...'
Right then, Blanc, who had somehow moved to my right side, wrapped herself around my arm.
"Hehehe, that won't do. This child swore he would serve only me. Isn't that right?"
Ploomp...
...!?
'B-Blanc? Their stares just got even scarier...?!'
I was distracted for a moment by the soft sensation, something I had never experienced in my life, but the happiness of that softness vanished instantly when I felt the combined gazes of three queens who could each wipe out a nation with ease.
"Hmph. There's no need to follow a selfish woman like her. Becoming my butler would be far more fun."
"Hey. The only things you'd get under those two are a few poison spells and some curses. My [Nuclear Magic] is obviously better, so join me instead."
"Hehe, ignore those girls. You need only remain my servant."
All three of them made their offers as if they had planned it in advance.
Every one of them wore a chilling smile.
"......"
...Seriously, why is this only happening to me...?
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