Chapter 77 — Even Better at Acting Than Me?
"Lord Elias, this way, please."
"You will be staying in the highest tower of the manor—the very tower where Lady Leiya resides."
Having just left Theodore's sight, Elias followed Butler Pierre deeper into the castle, passing through three winding corridors.
They arrived at the base of the tower, where the two stepped onto a massive square stone platform faintly glowing with light.
The deep-blue runes carved into it were instantly recognizable to Elias.
Levitation magic.
A floating lift, then.
More precisely, a mana crystal imbued with levitation magic.
But its sheer size—
"Steward Pierre," Elias remarked casually,
"a mana crystal this large is quite rare."
"Haha, indeed," Pierre replied with a practiced smile.
"Lady Leiya is General Theodore's only daughter. Her mother passed away at childbirth, so the general has always doted on her."
"Especially after Lady Leiya fell gravely ill, the general designated the entire main tower as her private residence for her protection."
"To make it easier for her to move about, he ordered a massive mana crystal excavated from the southern mines and transported to the Holy City."
"It was then carved and polished by master craftsmen, and personally enchanted with levitation magic by the great mage Serie herself. That is how this floating platform came to be."
Hearing the old dwarf's name, Elias's lingering doubts quietly dissolved.
He had been wondering whether this mana crystal, too, might have been tampered with by mental magic.
Now he knew there was no need to worry.
Anything under her magic was almost impossible for other spells to contaminate.
That said…
The care Theodore showed his daughter was truly meticulous.
He had even set aside his friction with Serie and invited her to personally enchant the crystal.
So this is what they call… fatherly love?
As the floating platform rose steadily upward, Elias asked one final question.
"Steward Pierre, forgive my curiosity—but what exactly is Lady Leiya's illness?"
"…Sigh."
Pierre shook his head, his expression heavy.
"No one knows."
"Even the priests of the Holy City were unable to determine the cause."
"All we know is that after that great illness, Lady Leiya never truly returned to how she was before."
"…It must be said," he added softly,
"that there are some things in this world beyond even the Goddess's power."
Elias chuckled inwardly.
Unable to see the truth themselves, they dragged even the Goddess down as an excuse.
Especially in an age of total war—any doubt, any anomaly, could simply be blamed on the demons.
What a pity.
That father, blinded by love, had instead allowed demons to cloud his sight.
At this point, even if the Goddess herself descended to tell him the truth…
he would never believe it.
Elias could not help but sigh once more.
The old dwarf truly was shrewd.
She had sent in a demon who did not understand love—
to tear open the truth with merciless hands.
---
"Lord Elias, beyond this door is Lady Leiya's private chamber," Pierre said softly.
"Your room is next door—the slightly smaller door."
"There is a voice-transmission tube inside. It allows Lady Leiya to contact you easily.
Especially at night, you must remain attentive to her voice."
"If there is nothing else, I shall take my leave."
"—You've worked hard, Steward."
Pierre disappeared at the end of the corridor.
Elias remained where he was, quietly staring at the door to Leiya's room.
The wooden door looked simple and old-fashioned,
yet it was layered with dense offensive and defensive enchantments.
Just standing before it, Elias could feel the turbulent mana coursing through the runes.
…Heh.
What an ironic sight.
The lengths Theodore had gone to—
pouring every resource into protecting his beloved daughter—
never once suspecting that the very thing he was shielding… was—
---
"—Elias?"
"Was that you just now?"
A gentle voice came from behind the door, snapping Elias back to the present.
"Lady Leiya," he replied calmly.
"It is I."
"Do you require anything?"
As Elias focused his gaze, he suddenly realized—
ordinary clairvoyance magic couldn't see through this door at all.
Heh…
So even this door bore the old dwarf's personal handiwork?
Theodore truly had spared no effort.
Unfortunately—
This level of precaution won't stop me.
Elias activated Far-Sight, letting his vision pass through the corridor window, circle halfway around the tower exterior, and re-enter through another window.
Inside, he saw a snow-white figure.
Heh…
One small oversight.
He watched as Leiya slowly approached the door—
then stopped, lifting her thumb to her mouth.
Was she hesitating?
Or thinking about how to continue playing human in front of him?
After all, during the medal ceremony, she had already witnessed his strength—
the abnormal power capable of isolating the Guide to Paradise Magic.
---
"Um… Elias…"
"Although you are now my personal guard… I'm still unfamiliar with you."
"So I'd like to speak through the door.
Even if it's discourteous… you understand, don't you?"
Elias narrowed his focus.
From the faint crease in her brows, he caught a trace of fear.
…Oh?
That expression was unexpected.
Was she intimidated by his power?
Or deliberately acting frightened?
For the first time in a long while, even Elias—the demon—found himself uncertain.
"—That is perfectly fine, my lady," he said evenly.
"Please speak freely."
"Well… I wanted to ask…"
Leiya's hands twisted restlessly. She suddenly pressed a hand to her chest.
"I heard you defeated many opponents in the arena… including Lord Erwin."
"I want to know… the rumors about what happened to him—are they true?"
Elias's gaze darkened.
Testing me?
"Lady Leiya, I will answer honestly."
"The rumors are true."
"Erwin lost both his hands due to his own arrogance."
"More precisely—his hands were severed, then reattached."
"They may appear intact now, but the agony of that moment was very real."
"—Ah…!"
Leiya covered her mouth, as if she herself felt the tearing pain.
Her face twisted, tears shimmering in her eyes—
like a startled deer trembling in fear.
Watching that expression, Elias felt a rare stir of doubt.
Could such a complex reaction… truly be acted?
In all his thousands of years, he had never seen acting this refined.
It might even surpass his own.
…Heh.
It seemed that among demonkind's younger generation,
there were talents worth noting.
---
"Elias… I…"
Her voice trembled as she spoke, as though forcing herself to remain composed.
"I cannot accept your cruelty."
"…Oh? Is that so?"
Elias laughed softly—
especially hearing such words from her mouth.
"Then what would you have me do, my lady?"
There was a pause behind the door.
"At the very least…"
"Now that you are my guard… please do not use such cruel torture again."
"Even toward ordinary criminals—or animals—I cannot bear it."
"Elias…"
"If you cannot accept this…"
"Then resign."