“Ah, you can control demons…?!”
Leviathan trembled and pointed at me.
“That can’t be!! Lady Murmur never studied at Maleficium!”
Of course, she would say that.
It’s a natural reaction.
Even players who are new to Reoa or haven’t taken the Demon King route, and only played the Hero or Normal route, would think the same way.
【Black Magic Lv. 1】
But once you take the Demon King route, the story changes.
If you learn Black Magic as a reward from ‘Rowan the Executioner,’ you can summon demons.
Of course, its efficiency isn’t exactly high, and it’s not a spell meant to be used from Lv. 1, but the fact that you *can* do it doesn’t change.
“Murmur can do it.”
“Lies! Lies! Lies! Lady Murmur is lying right now!”
Leviathan shouted fiercely and swung her hand wildly.
The tentacle following her hand swung at me mercilessly, but I easily blocked the attack with a summoning spell.
— Thump!
“Ugh…”
I wasn’t hit, but my body, which had been recklessly using mana, screamed in pain.
I knew this future was coming, which is why I pushed myself to reveal that I could control demons. But since the main story has been twisted so much, Leviathan doesn’t seem to have any intention of running away.
“Lady Murmur can’t possibly control demons! Even if she’s the blood relative of the Demon God, that’s impossible!”
Leviathan, shouting furiously, wasn’t about to run away. Instead, she looked ready to knock me out and drag me to the Demon King’s castle.
The more I thought about the situation, the more I realized how incredibly tangled it was.
First of all, Leviathan is under a ridiculous misconception.
“Murmur isn’t the blood relative of the Demon God, but it’s still possible.”
“Lies! More lies!”
Is it because of Aunt Colette?
I don’t know why she’s under such a nonsensical misunderstanding, but I, Murmur, am absolutely *not* the blood relative of the Demon God.
This fact is so clear and certain that there’s no room for doubt or worry.
Murmur *cannot* be the blood relative of the Demon God.
“Murmur is…”
— Clang!
Before I could finish, Leviathan swung a mana sword radiating intense heat.
This is getting hard to block. My wrist is screaming.
“Lady Murmur is the blood relative of the Demon God! She’s the daughter of the great and noble Demon God! I know it! We know it! We can tell just by looking!”
So, I’m absolutely *not*.
Having devoured every page of the Legend of Academy setting book, including the bonus pages, I can confidently say this one thing.
What is the blood relative of the Demon God?
It refers to a demon with the blood of the Demon God, Armonia, flowing through them.
And all the ‘blood relatives of the Demon God’ were killed long ago, wiping out their lineage.
“Come back with me…! Let’s go back! Lady Murmur!!”
This is a fact.
This incident was so significant that even the neutral demons joined the Demon King’s army.
If there were any living blood relatives of the Demon God, the ‘Seven Sisters of Paradise’ would have gone to serve them.
They’re not suffering through this ‘pilgrimage’ for no reason.
And beyond all this situational evidence, there’s an even clearer and more obvious fact.
The true identity of Murmur, the small demon saved by the failed hero, is…
“Focus on Leviathan!”
“Ugh…!”
The mana sword radiating heat narrowly grazed my cheek.
It’s no use!
She’s not an opponent I can fight while organizing my thoughts.
Considering that the first event with the Seven Sisters of Paradise is a ‘Super Event’ and the final event of the Elementary Section chapter, there’s no way I can handle this with my current growth!
“Ugh, ugh…! Mu, Murmur…! Hang in there!”
I anticipated this situation and asked Nicasia to come with me, but things have gotten too tangled.
Honestly, when the tentacle slammed into the mana pillar, I thought I’d be flattened into a pancake, but somehow Nicasia is holding on.
It doesn’t make sense for the spirits I can summon to hold up the pillar…
In the end, I’ll have to deal with Leviathan somehow.
“No need to hang in there! Lady Murmur! Just stop playing around!”
Leviathan stepped back slightly and swung her tentacle at me again.
I didn’t block this attack and instead threw myself toward Nicasia.
Given the opponent, fighting head-on would mean certain defeat.
But using the ‘Bloodberry Heirloom’ isn’t an option either, as there’s no way I can match Leviathan’s strength or swordsmanship.
Good thing I brought the ‘Old Sword’ considering the opponent is a changeling.
“Still playing around? I’ll finish you off!”
As expected, Leviathan lunged at me with her mana sword, swift and precise like a lion hunting prey.
“Leviathan still underestimates Murmur.”
I channeled mana into the ‘Old Sword’ in my hand.
The blade was chipped, rusted, and even the hilt was loose.
This seemingly useless piece of junk hides a wonderful secret.
Just like how a hated and despised demon can become a splendid hero.
“Murmur will tell you. You who were born evil!! Reveal your true form!”
“What…?!”
The Old Sword, radiating a pure white light, clashed with Leviathan’s mana sword, creating a small shockwave.
“Wh, what… what’s, what… h, how… wh, what?!”
Leviathan took a step back, clutching her body and trembling in agony.
“Th, this can’t be! This is impossible! H… how?!”
“Don’t fight in Fenex’s form.”
“Lies! Lies! Transformation Magic…! H, how?!”
Leviathan’s skin began to glow purple and crumble like dust.
Naturally, the ‘Transformation Magic’ was dispelled, and Leviathan’s true form was exactly as I had seen in the setting book.
Long sky-blue wavy hair, a badge with angel wings on her chest, and blue eyes.
Even her pure white naked body matched the setting.
“Th, this can’t be… h, how… how can you undo Transformation Magic…! How can you do this…!”
“Only the Hero can, right?”
“Ee, eek…! E, eek!”
Leviathan trembled violently, placing her hands on the ground and backing away.
The ‘Old Sword.’
This precious item held by Murmur, who was saved by the Hero, is the remnant of something that was once the ‘Hero’s Sword.’
Now, it can’t even be called a sword, and it can’t cut anything, but it can still fulfill its original purpose.
“…Cough.”
A small cough, and bright red blood gushed from my throat.
No need to follow the game this closely.
“Y, y, you’re crazy! Lady Murmur, you’re crazy! Why are you doing this?!”
Leviathan pointed at me with her finger.
“Th, the Hero’s Sword…! You used its power?! Then, die! Lady Murmur, you die too!”
“Murmur knows.”
“You know?! You know? Really know?! That sword was made to kill us! It was made to exterminate the descendants of Nectar!”
“No. The Hero’s Sword isn’t like that.”
I tightly gripped the Old Sword with my trembling hand.
“It was made to protect precious people.”
Leviathan looked at me, opened her mouth, and spat out black blood.
“Cough…! Cough!! Ugh…!”
It’s over now.
Leviathan’s Transformation Magic was forcibly dispelled.
From head to toe, the ability to perfectly transform into ‘another’ was gone.
【All stats reduced by 99%】 With this debuff, she has no choice but to run.
“Go back. Never appear before Murmur again.”
“Y, you’re not going to kill me?”
I nodded.
“Heh, hehe… he, hehehe!! Lady Murmur is still soft.”
With a strange laugh, Leviathan awkwardly created a mana sword and quickly slashed her own wrist.
— Drip, drip!
“Lady Murmur! I told you!! Lady Murmur will return to Maleficium today!!”
“…So you added your own blood to the magic circle.”
“Right! Can’t you feel it? Soon… cough! The gatekeeper demon Gabriel will appear!”
It wasn’t just bravado, as the magic circle where Lady Jepar lay began to glow purple.
“Mu, ugh…! Murmur! Run away!”
Nicasia, drenched in cold sweat and holding up the mana pillar, shouted.
“Murmur has no intention of running.”
“Don’t, ugh…! Don’t say nonsense! Run away! There’s still a plan!”
“If Murmur runs, you’ll let go of the pillar, right?”
Nicasia bit her lip and nodded.
“Heh, hehehe… That won’t kill a demon… In fact! With the royal blood added, Gabriel’s power might even increase!”
“Nicasia, Murmur said it. Murmur can control demons.”
“Th, that’s… just bravado, Murmur.”
Nicasia gave me a slightly affectionate smile.
“Murmur doesn’t lie.”
How could I run away in front of a friend who truly cares for me?
I knelt on the ground and fumbled with the magic circle.
The searing heat of mana seeped into my body through each finger.
“Gatekeeper Demon Gabriel, Murmur has a request.”
“Y, you can’t possibly…”
The warmth I felt at my fingertips had turned into a burning pain throughout my body.
【Gatekeeper Demon Gabriel】
The status window is as kind as ever.
It’s telling me that I’m about to do something utterly ridiculous.
『Murmur… cannot yet control this demon.』
“Gabriel must grant Murmur’s request.”
The magic circle emitted another burst of purple light.
My fingers felt like they were burning, and my chest felt parched.
『Murmur… cannot yet control this demon.』
“Murmur has a wish.”
Even moving my tongue to speak was painful.
“Y, you can’t… do it! Give up! Do you think the Gatekeeper Demon Gabriel will obey us?!”
Leviathan coughed up blood and shouted.
“He’s the demon guarding the land where the Demon God is sealed! There’s no way he’ll listen to us!!”
“Murmur… can do it…”
“That’s impossible! If that were possible, why would my sisters and I have suffered so much?!”
Listening to Leviathan’s screams, I tightly gripped the magic circle with both hands.
Another burst of mana struck my body.
My horns began to heat up uncontrollably, and my vision blurred.
『Murmur… cannot yet control this demon.』
“Murmur…! Run away, even now!”
The magic circle, nearing completion, was radiating mana in all directions.
In this state, if the summoning fails, the Academy will explode, or if it succeeds, a massive storm will occur.
So, I have to say it.
I have to make a wish that will force the Gatekeeper Demon Gabriel to acknowledge me, Murmur, as his master.
“Murmur…! Wishes for Gabriel to heal Lady Jepar!”
I shouted, enduring the pain of my throat burning.
“Hah, haha… What… is that for a wish?”
Leviathan laughed mockingly.
“That kind of wish! There’s no way he’ll grant it! Are you stupid, Lady Murmur? Here, you should ask him to kill me or lend you his power!”
Amid the loud laughter, the magic circle emitted another burst of purple light.
“…Lies.”
“Murmur said it.”
The purple light formed a massive gate, and from within, a being with black wings reached out its hand to me.
Of course.
What kind of being would the Demon God’s closest confidant, who hates sacrifices, be?
A demon with a heart as warm as the Demon God, Armonia.
“Why did you make such a wish?”
Gabriel’s voice was as beautiful as a harp’s melody.
It was too dazzling to even make out her appearance, but I know she’s a pretty lady.
“…Murmur thinks that a mother being killed in front of her beloved daughter should never happen.”
“You have the right to make a wish for yourself.”
“Murmur doesn’t need that. Even if Lady Jepar deserves punishment, she shouldn’t die like this.”
Gabriel silently looked down at me.
A slightly eerie silence followed.
『You have dominated the Gatekeeper Demon Gabriel…!』
My hand tingled slightly, but that was all.
『Murmur can now summon the Gatekeeper Demon Gabriel!』
Is the price for summoning such a powerful demon really just this?
In the game, you had to make a more altruistic wish, didn’t you?
『The Gatekeeper Demon Gabriel… … has granted Murmur’s wish!』
As the status window appeared, Gabriel vanished into a purple light without a word.
I thought she’d at least give an answer!
“Wh, what… what just, h, happened? N, no way? Were you talking to yourself?”
“Cough…”
Next to the bewildered Leviathan, Lady Jepar coughed heavily and writhed.
Her complexion wasn’t fully restored, but she had clearly moved away from the brink of death.
“Th, the magic circle… stopped? Wh, what happened? What did you do?!”
“Yes, Gabriel granted Murmur’s wish and left.”
“Y, you… talked…? You talked to her?!”
I smiled and pointed the Old Sword at Leviathan.
“The Gatekeeper… d, demon… you dominated her in one go…? That’s the true blood relative of the Demon God…”
“Leviathan, Murmur has a question now.”
“Ee, eek… Lady Murmur…!”
“Do you want to see Murmur really angry?”
Even though I felt like I might pass out from a nosebleed at any moment, I pushed myself to keep up the bravado.
* * *
『You have acquired a new trait!』
【Gabriel’s Jealousy】
