5.11.

"Arch.."

"Forgive us Your Highness! We were wrong!" one of the majin got on his knees. Following that, the two other demons followed.

"So, what were you doing here?"

'They know who I am, somewhat.'

Sequencee wasn't sure if they knew the demon empire had a lord out in the human empire, or that his aura was sending them enough of a message to elicit such a revered response.

"Y-Your Highness, we were making plans to spread fear amongst the people."

"Plans to spread fear? And for what reason is that?"

"To show the humans just how foolish they are!"

"Shut up if you don't have anything proper to say Fauz! Y-Your Highness, we are gathered here today to meet the team leader to carry out operations on our end."

"What operation?"

"Bombing the surrounding area of the colosseum."

'That's crazy.'

"Who is your leader?"

"That we don't know."

Sequencee noticed a crudely drawn map on the table. He walked up to it and gave it a glance.

'These are the different groups, and the sites for the bombing? They'll be using hex magic for this, it's been a long while since I've seen this.'

"Do you have any idea what long term goal your leader has to execute something as risky as this? I don't see any reason why one should incite war."

"Your Highness, are you not aware of the sufferings the humans have put us in? To take good soil for themselves while we the demons are left with all the remnants!"

'So they know I'm the outcast demon lord.'

"Tell me when the operation is going to begin."

"When everyone has gathered."

"Your Highness, could it be that you're.. actually in support of the humans.."

"I've been living with humans all my life."

"Traitor!"

"Fauz?!"

The majin lashed out. But before he could do anything, he tripped on a trap and his feet was incapacitated by reinforced ice. He grabbed the side of the table to balance himself.

[Paranormal Magic: Telekinesis]

The table exploded into shrapnels and fired towards Sequencee. The bubble barrier reflected everything back.

"HIKKH?!"

Surprised, Fauz quickly commanded the shrapnels to stop, but the momentum of the initial acceleration was too great. He braced himself from death– it didn't come. Sequencee had evoked a barrier membrane protecting him.

"Tsk."

[Weather Magic: Squall]

The incubus punched the air in front of him, causing a powerful pressure of screaming wind to be sent Sequencee's way.

The items in the rooms were thrown into disarray, trigger traps released.

Sequencee who remained unharmed watched the three demons lay half conscious on the ground.

'That was idiotic.'

Sequencee pressed his ears a couple times to resolve the buzzing sound. It was also at this time that spatial magic reacted a few presences approaching.

He turned around to find the mother and son pair from earlier falling into the room from the stairs.

"What.."

Sequencee quickly ran over to check on their condition. The mother's head was bleeding profusely.

'Damn it..'

Sequencee tried to pry the child away from the mother so that he could provide the necessary treatment, but the mother's arms only tightened.

"N-No.. save him.. please save him.." she muttered in delirium.

Was it because the pair reminded Sequencee of his own past, or was it because he had developed a soft spot for mothers? Whichever it was, his heart wretched for the two.

"If you die here then there no point," Sequencee croaked.

The telekinesis system user, regaining consciousness, fired the debris towards them. It bounced off the membrane barrier surrounding him.

Sequencee, desperate, used whatever basic healing magic he could to treat the wound on the mother's head. He wasn't sure if it was effective in any way. At any rate, he would have to abandon his current mission to bring the mother to the hospital.

"Mother.." the child's voice called out.

"Nell, are you alright Nell.." the mother's voice sounded broken.

"Mother.. let me talk to him."

"Y-Yes Nell, anything for you.."

She hesitantly shifted the child in her arms to face Sequencee.

'What in the..'

It was a girl.

She– Nell had pupils reflecting his image in a hazy shade of black.

"It's an honor to meet you, Your Highness," she smiled.

".. Who.. are you?"

– Possession.

"Has Schwii not told you anything about me? How disappointing," she looked amused. "Quite fortunate that the maid abandoned you. I had to go all the way to prepare this girl for your sake, you know?"

"..."

"Nothing to say? Why not introduce yourself?"

"Save her please.. you're the only one.." the mother who was holding the child begged.

"Yes. If you give me what I need, I promise I'll leave the child in peace alright? Time is ticking, the mother might die from intracranial hemorrhage if you don't bring her to the hospital."

"What do you want," Sequencee growled.

"Two things. I want to meet you in person, that is first. Second, I want you to stop the maid from disturbing our plans."

"What do you intend to achieve if you attack the humans?"

"What do I intend to achieve? War of course."

"Against The Sovereign's better judgment?"

"The Sovereign doesn't care either way. He's too busy to mind, right? After all, humans and demons alike are just pawns in his eyes– let's not get out of topic. We have something more important.."

"..."

'The hell is up with this discrepancy of information? Schwii said father was a lot kinder than most would imagine him to be.'

"What? You don't believe me? Should I tell you a story then?"

Sequencee hesitated to say yes out of concern for the mother's condition. He was considering taking both of them out of this room. However, he wasn't sure if he had the capability to bring them out safely.

'Iona, where the hell are you?'

"Try and guess why Schwii was sent to you. Why when he could've sent anyone else, or when he could've sent you help much earlier, he chose Schwii specifically? And at such a late time too."

"Like hell would I know."

"Great. Then answer this, why would Schwii gain if you stopped antagonizing your own family?"

"Her mother would be released from prison."

'Why is he asking me this?

"Had she revealed to you the reason why her mother was in prison to begin with?"

"She was framed."

"Framed? Was that what she told you?" Nell's smile grew wide.

"Yes.." Sequencee felt a premonition.

"Who was it that ordered your mother to be killed?"

"She said it was a misunderstanding.." Something felt off.

"No, it's not," Nell shook her head, "Even if it was a misunderstanding, there was a person behind the order given."

"The black knight.."

"Nope. I gave you a hint, hadn't I? Why was Schwii's mother imprisoned?"

'Schwii's mother, imprisoned..'

"Naive. To think there exists a demon lord so naive," Nell cackled ominously, "To think you'd so easily be persuaded by her lies. The Sovereign wasn't wrong to have sent her to you."

'Schwii's mother ordered my mother to be killed..?'

"Why..? Why would her mother.. do that?" Sequencee didn't want to believe it.

"How many wives do you think your father has?" Nell's hazy eyes tilted upwards in glee, "Don't you get it?"

'Think Sequencee.. think.. there's no way what he said can be taken as facts.'

Nell's smile widened at his dilemma, "Was this information valuable? Was it good enough of an exchange for the two conditions I have asked you for? Of course, I will promise to release this girl if you would comply. Could you promise me that?"

'What did Schwii tell me about these people? Nothing. She told me to stay away. Why did she tell me to stay away? Because this was what she was trying to hide?'

"And since you're curious about the whole reason for this war, then you better come and meet me in person. No maids allowed."

"I can't agree with the second request. If you know this much, you should understand that I'm the heroes' acquaintance," Sequencee glowered.

"Listen here you wimpy demon lord, the two heroes need to face the demons to grow. If you keep babysitting them, they'll stay weak and flabby."

"..."

"What? You think I'm trying to support the hero by killing people? Of course not, why would a demon do something like that? Unless he's an idiot. I'm just stating facts. It's not fun to fight them when they're weak and flabby."

'Weak?'

"Look. Sacrificing a few lives here to save more lives in the future is a noble deed is it not?" Nell puffed out her cheeks.

"..."

"Listen you wimp, be obedient and just listen to what your elder has to say."

"..." Sequencee lowered his head, his fist clenched tight.

"Not convinced huh? Then I'll have no choice but to take this child as hostage then," Nell took out a knife from her pocket and held it up to the mother's neck.

"N-NO!! Save her! Save my child!" the mother shouted.

"So until the whole operation ends, you'll have the maid stop bothering me. Do we have a deal?" Nell smiled brightly.

"..."

"Deal?"

This person communicating with him through the victim– had crucial information about the truth.

'So.. Schwii had been lying to me?'

Something was crumbling inside him.

"Your Highness. I'm sorry," he felt a soft touch on his shoulders.

'Huh..?'

Sequencee felt the girl's arm in his hands go limp, the horrifying screams of the mother, the blood that spilled to the ground. Vision flickering, distorting, the sounds of buzzing grew in his ears.

Two blue lights sublimated from the two corpses, disappearing the moment it touched Sequence's mana.

{SOULS AVAILABLE: 42.4}

"Your Highness. I'm sorry," the voice echoed again.

Their mission here was simple: to stop the demons from disturbing the tournament so that a larger conflict can be prevented. It was impossible to achieve a perfect result. Sequencee was no hero, he knew that.

Schwii had vehemently warned against his participation in Iona's job. The only reason why Sequencee was able to bypass Schwii was because of Iona's spite, knowing that Sequencee needed souls to grow stronger.

Sequencee turned around and collected the ectoplasm of the other three dead demons.

{SOULS AVAILABLE: 44.8}

Sequencee had been aware of the brutal realities of what must be done in order to maintain peace in the shadows. It was a world which Sequencee was not suited for, so he understood well that it was his obstinacy that got him into this situation. He witness something he shouldn't have.

"Iona, where were you earlier?"

"Handling the archdemon above."

Alongside the table which had been smashed to bits, the maps and any written documents had also all been destroyed. There was nothing of value here Iona could use.

"There are still more that hasn't arrived."

"Then we shall ambush the others above when they arrive."

"And Iona, who was the one talking to me earlier?"

"I'm not certain however, I believe it is Schwii's ex-fiance. Were you surprised by anything he said?"

"Yeah."

Seuqnecee didn't know what to believe anymore.

"How much of it did you hear?"

"Did he say something provocative?"

"Yeah. I need to talk to Schwii later. Let's go."

Iona felt an unsettling air about his listless response. The truth was that she had just arrived to assist him. She didn't get the chance to tune into the conversation.

Just before Sequencee headed up the stairs, he turned back to look at Nell. Liberated from the suffering of this unfair world, she had a happy smile on her face.

…

[Illusion Magic: Universal Haze] -> [Illusion Magic: Universal Haze]*

Cost: 40

[Confirm/Deny]

"Confirm."