The Demonic Race’s village seemed similar to the villages in Grasis, yet oddly different.
Grasis and the Demonic Race’s land are situated right next to each other, so they must have unknowingly influenced each other over the years.
“This place has a strange vibe…”
Da-eun, who was looking around, shared her impression.
“They’re smiling, but it feels like there’s something lurking beneath. Do you think something happened?”
“Who knows?”
Even if you ask me, I have no way of knowing.
“Is there actually something that even the all-knowing Kana doesn’t know?”
“…Are you teasing me?”
“No, not at all!”But she didn’t seem serious about it.
Just as I sent a suspicious look Da-eun’s way, the man leading us down the street began to speak, sensing my discomfort at the stares directed our way.
“It’s probably because it’s rare to see someone who appears perfectly fine.”
“A perfectly fine human, you mean?”
“Yes. Most of the humans we’ve encountered are those who’ve succumbed to Magi and are on the brink of death, or those who come charging at us with reckless abandon.”
“…Ah.”
The man didn’t elaborate further, but it wasn’t hard to guess what he left unsaid.
Whatever it was, it probably wasn’t a pleasant memory.
Da-eun must have thought the same as me because her previously chattering mouth went quiet.
Somehow, the atmosphere grew heavier.
Within this thick tension, we arrived in front of a building where the man finally stopped.
“…We’ve arrived.”
“And this place is…?”
“This is the Lord’s Manor.”
“A manor?”
I looked up at the building.
Compared to the surrounding structures, it was larger and more ornate.
That much was true, but it didn’t carry the same grandeur one might expect from a place where someone important lived.
If I had to describe it, it felt more like the home of a well-off merchant.
Creaaak.
At that moment, the manor’s door swung open.
“I’m telling you, I’m not a lord, and this isn’t a manor…”
The voice came from inside the manor.
The person who appeared as the door opened was a woman with a languid look in her eyes, her tone matching her appearance.
Her already pale complexion, characteristic of the Demonic Race, was accentuated by deep, dark circles under her eyes, making her look as if she might collapse at any moment. ȑаＮộ฿Ɛṣ
Between her disheveled black hair protruded two long, black horns. They were significantly larger than the horns of the man who guided us.
“Her horns…”
However, her right horn was only half as long as her left, as if someone had snapped it off.
“Ah, this…?”
When Da-eun murmured while looking at the jagged edge of the broken horn, the woman raised her hand and lightly touched the damaged part.
“It got cut off.”
“…Would it be rude to ask how it happened?”
“It’s not something to be embarrassed about… This is my proudest scar.”
Her face bore nothing but pure pride as she spoke.
“It happened while I was fighting a Dimensional Creature in Laxia… It was quite a formidable one… But I took it down with my own hands, of course.”
She puffed out her chest as she said that.
It was quite a proud stance, but considering she looked younger than Da-eun and her tired expression, it didn’t come off as imposing.
Much like the manor she lived in.
“My Lord, perhaps it’s best if we head inside first.”
“Ah, shall we?”
The longer we lingered in front of the manor, the more eyes were drawn toward us.
It seemed news had spread about the appearance of humans, as the number of Demonic beings hovering around us clearly increased.
Noticing the cautious atmosphere, the woman gestured towards us.
“Come in…”
“Then, I’ll take my leave.”
“Mm, thank you…”
With the man leaving, it was just us and the woman left in the manor.
The woman who led us into what seemed to be a parlor paused as she lifted the teapot.
“Would you like some tea…? Ah, but maybe humans shouldn’t drink this…?”
“Huh? Why not?”
“Because the tea leaves are infused with Magi… You seemed fine on the way here, so it might be okay, but you never know….”
“Ah, that could be a problem. Then I’ll just have water…”
“I’ll drink it.”
“…Hm?”
At my words, the woman looked at me curiously.
She glanced up and down at me, from head to toe, and then focused her gaze back on my face.
“If you really want to, I won’t stop you… But it’s a bit bitter; are you sure you’ll be fine?”
“…Is there anything sweet?”
“There was, but I’m all out…”
“Then I won’t have any.”
“I see… And what about you?”
“I’ll have some, please.”
In the end, only Celine was served tea.
A fragrant yet slightly bitter aroma filled the parlor.
Click.
“Phew… How about we start with introductions….”
The woman placed her teacup down and spoke with a long sigh.
“My name’s Artisha… Call me Arti or Tisha, whatever you prefer….”
With a slow, deliberate tone, Artisha took a sip of her tea.
“I’m Joanie. Feel free to call me Joanie.”
“Canaria.”
“I’m Celine. Pleased to meet you.”
Following her lead, we introduced ourselves.
Artisha, who barely reacted to our names, picked up the teapot.
Drip, drip.
She poured the tea into her empty cup and asked us,
“What brings humans to a place like this…?”
“We’re heading to Laxia.”
Pause.
“…Laxia…?”
The tea pouring into the cup came to an abrupt stop.
“There’s only one Laxia I know of…”
“That’s the one. Laxia, the homeland of your people—the Demonic Continent Laxia.”
“Hmmm….”
The fatigue vanished from Artisha’s face, her eyes sharpening instantly.
From beside me, I faintly heard the sound of someone swallowing nervously.
“Whether you can get there or not is one thing, but… why do humans want to go there…?”
“You’re really cautious.”
“Of course, I’d be wary if someone as powerful as you said you wanted to go to Laxia…”
“Mm, that’s a valid point.”
Her words seemed to pierce right through my power level.
A stranger suddenly appearing, claiming they want to visit Laxia—her homeland, no less—was bound to raise suspicion.
So instead of lamenting her distrust, I swiftly got to the main point.
“We’re here to help fulfill the wish of your people. …Would that be a sufficient answer?”
“…That’s not something humans should know about.”
Thud.
“How on earth did you come to know that?”
Artisha set down the teapot, her eyes brimming with unmistakable wariness.
Ominous Magi began to seep out from her broken horn in ominous streams.
What a hassle.
I brushed away the Magi with a casual wave of my hand, as if swatting away a buzzing mosquito, and called for someone who could vouch for my identity.
“Celine.”
“Yes.”
Understanding my intention perfectly, Celine unleashed a level of divine power she had never displayed before.
The golden waves pushed back the Magi that had filled the room.
Seeing the divine power gently repel the Magi as if soothing a child, Artisha’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“This amount of divine power… Are you some kind of saint?”
“Not yet.”
“…But you have the potential to be….”
Artisha nodded her head in understanding.
“Yes… If that’s the case, it makes sense….”
Bringing Celine along was a great decision.
There’s no need for lengthy explanations—just show divine power, and they’ll accept it without question.
Of course, my main goal was to protect our group from the effects of Magi and to prepare for any unexpected situations, but having such versatility is always a good thing.
“Wait a moment!”
“Hm?”
Shin Da-eun, who had been shuffling her feet nervously since she felt left out of the conversation, suddenly jumped in.
“What exactly is this ‘wish’ you mentioned?”
“Huh?”
Artisha turned her gaze to Da-eun as if to ask, “Who is this?”
Even though Da-eun flinched slightly under the coldness of Artisha’s stare, she held her ground and stared back.
“The other two seem to know, but… you don’t?”
“I’m just following Kana’s lead. Even when I asked, I was told I’d find out later, so how would I know?”
“Talking about other people’s circumstances without permission is rude.”
“…Don’t throw logic at me like that in a moment like this!”
Why was she yelling?
Da-eun really has a temper sometimes.
I asked for Artisha’s permission.
“Can I explain?”
“Sure, I don’t mind….”
Artisha granted permission more easily than I expected.
I thought she might hesitate a bit, considering that the Demonic Race sees their departure from Laxia as something to be ashamed of.
Since I’ve gotten permission, I should start explaining before Da-eun starts sulking.
“The original name of the Demonic Race is ‘The Purifier Clan.’”
“The Purifier Clan?”
“Yeah.”
Hearing this would naturally bring up more questions.
“What do they purify?”
As expected, Da-eun’s reaction was typical and straightforward.
“Magi.”
They purify Magi and convert it back into ordinary Mana.
That’s the destiny and duty given to the Demonic Race—the Purifier Clan—by Edel.
In the world of Silia, there’s an energy called Mana.
People often think of Mana as a means to grow stronger or as a convenient power source, but in truth, Mana is more like the air that living beings need to survive.
The problem is that, like air, Mana can also become polluted.
As it flows through various life forms and as time passes, Mana becomes contaminated and turbid. When it becomes polluted, Mana adversely affects living beings.
Edel, aware of this, created a system.
A system that gathers polluted Mana, purifies it, and releases the purified Mana back into the world.
A cycle that encompasses the entire world of Silia.
“That polluted Mana is what people commonly call ‘Magi.’”
“Then… the Demonic Continent Laxia is….”
“Yes, that’s right.”
It’s the final destination of the system Edel created.
The place where polluted Mana is purified and returned to its original state.
That’s what the Demonic Continent Laxia truly is.
If you think of Magi as waste, then calling Laxia a landfill wouldn’t be entirely wrong.
Although, people probably didn’t know that when they started calling it that.
“And the ones responsible for handling that massive purification were—”
“It was us—the Purifier Clan.”
“Doesn’t seem like much after hearing it, huh?”
Shin Da-eun, who had been listening to my story with a blank expression, blinked her eyes.
“…No, it’s actually a big deal.”
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