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“Why the heck are you open at such an hour?” I just asked what I had in mind straight up. But the God of Destruction pouted at my words.

“I can answer that question, but I can’t say I like your speech.”
“Who cares, I’m a guy on the inside.”
“Can’t you give up and succumb already?”
“What do you mean ‘succumb’!?”

I retorted at her disheartening statement and waited for her answer. Sensing my frustration, she obediently gave the answer.

“It’s because I go out during the day. And the clerk is nocturnal, so it’s open at night too. Rather, it’s only open at night.”
“You’re employing people? Could it be Aste…I mean Hastur?”
“Of course not. My husband has already retired and is immersed into his hobbies. I couldn’t bother him about this.”

True, God Hastur seemed to be having fun creating magic items, but that sounded lonely in its own way. But in that case, she’s employing someone else… And they are probably some big-shot if they are acquainted with this goddess.

“Where is that clerk?”
“Now? On a meal break. I’m not so devilish to make someone work without a rest.”
“I’m pretty sure blowing up the World Tree counts as pretty devilish.”

I heard a new voice from behind.

I had taken a few steps since I entered the store, so the door was supposed to be behind me. However, the door had a bell attached to it, so I should have heard it if it was opened. I ended up shuddering at the thought that this someone managed to enter without making a sound.

“Ah, welcome back, Baa.”
“Can you stop with that name?”
“It’s a pain, so no.”

I slowly stepped forward and turned around, so as not to stimulate the opponent. I stepped forward because I wanted to take as much distance as possible. That’s how threatening the existence behind me felt.

Looking back, there stood a well-bred young boy perhaps a bit over ten. There was nothing threatening about him. But seeing him face to face, I was sure of it. This guy was a monster.

“When did you—”
“Ah, don’t worry about it. If I tell you I’m an acquaintance of the God of Destruction, you’d understand the gist, right?”
“So you’re not an ordinary person…?”

The boy didn’t respond to my question with words but a meaningful smile. It seemed like he had no intention of answering.

Still, meeting the God of Destruction was quite lucky. If she has her roots spread into this city, perhaps she also knew something about the Needle Beetles from before.

According to the information we got after the matter, that was clearly Kufar’s doing, but they were still Devil species. Moreover, monsters that only existed inside this World Tree Labyrinth.

If Kufar had some way of taking monsters out of the labyrinth, it was better to obstruct him.

“Right, Needle Beetles appeared in the northern forest, do you know anything about it?”
“…In the northern forest?”
“Yeah. Those are labyrinth’s local products, right? I felt it was weird.”

Devils were being summoned from beyond this world. And beings inside the World Tree were also ones summoned from the outside by the World Tree itself.

In other words, there were many monsters that were classified as Devils dwelling inside.

“Calling them local specialties is a bad way of putting it. I mean, their horns and skins do make for good equipment but still… What do you think, Baa?”
“Why’re you asking him?”
“He’s acting as the labyrinth’s guard too. It’s a secret though.”

She put a finger on her lips to make a secretive gesture. She was a beauty, so that gesture was quite picturesque. But neither me nor this Baa guy were naive enough to be tempted by that.

“Of course, I’m doing my work properly. As far as I know, no one has brought the monsters out of the labyrinth. I can guarantee it.”
“So he says.”
“I see… So it’s something unrelated huh?”
“I’ll investigate that myself as well. I can’t be leaving the Devil matters be any longer.”
“Got it.”

Whitey was a little unreliable, but this boy was probably alright.

Everyone with good eyes would realize that he had an aura of the strong around him. For there to be guys like him just loitering around the world other than Six Heroes, the world really was vast.

With someone like this standing watch, anyone with true ability would not forcefully take the monsters out. I was worried about Kufar taking the enslaved Devils from the labyrinth, but I couldn’t imagine that this guy would have missed that.

“They were doing something in Raum, but now they’re doing it in the north. Frankly, their sphere of activity is absurdly big. They might be doing something even here, so please be careful.”
“Roger thaat!”
“Understood. You should be careful too, okay?”

The boy answered me seriously unlike the silly response of the God of Destruction. It was our first meeting, but he was already looking dependable.

“Well, it’s getting late, so I’ll take my leave now.”
“Actually, you’re a girl too so stop walking alone at night.”
“Buzz off!”

Setting aside his uncalled-for warning.

Ba…Ba… Who could it be?¹

1. TLN: reference to Bart / Bahamut from Yuuri.