The Unaware Harem Adventure Tale of the Strongest Enchanter ~~I Don’t Know My Companions’ Faces or Identities, but I’m Pretty Sure They’re All Guys~~ - 34. Y-You’re Disgusting

34. 34. Y-You’re Disgusting

We returned via teleportation to the guild master’s office in the guild.

Immediately after, the building shook violently.

Outside the window, a massive number of Slimes erupted from underground and fell like rain.

Screams echoed from the people.

“What is this… Umbrella is…”

At the sight outside, Avril was momentarily at a loss for words.

“Shouldn’t we help guide the residents to safety? We’ll help too.”

“I’ll handle that. You go after the demon. He’s probably still watching from somewhere. We need to defeat or seal him before he causes any more damage.”

“Got it. Leave the demon to us. Just hold out until reinforcements arrive.”

“Reinforcements?”

“I just did the same thing you did. If we both make it out safe, let’s meet again later.”

“Right, I’ll leave it to you… Unknown.”

When we stepped outside the guild, we could see even more clearly how dire Umbrella’s situation was.

Slimes were bursting out everywhere. They were falling directly onto the townspeople.

Even if they were just Slimes, they had considerable weight.

They broke through roofs and attacked people inside homes.

I spotted a man struggling to breathe with a Slime stuck to his face.

The swordsgirl rushed over and slashed only the Slime’s core stone.

Then the thief girl pulled the coughing man into a dome-shaped barrier that the mage girl had cast.

“Lux, over there.”

“Trying to watch from above, huh? He hasn’t noticed us yet. Let’s use this chance to buff up.”

“Please do.”

“……”

“What’s wrong, Zain?”

“N-Nothing…”

Sensing something odd from Zain, I applied buffs to the two of them with my short staff.

The enemy is likely a formidable foe. A tough battle is expected.

To be extra safe, I used handwritten sigils to grant six buffs:

‘Speed Up’

‘Protect Shield’

‘Magic Shield’

‘Attack Up’

‘Magic Up’

‘Element Boost’

Buffs complete. But the problem was how to lure that guy down to ground level.

None of us could fly.

For ranged attacks, we only had Felice’s flame spells.

Zain could technically use light magic. But it wasn’t on par with holy magic.

I guess I’d have to figure something out.

I reached into the magic storage at my waist.

“I-I’ll… bring him… d-d-down… t-to the ground.”

“Can you really do that!?”

“Y-Yeah… b-but, don’t be surprised.”

Surprised…?

Zain stepped forward, crouched, and gathered power.

*Fwoosh.* From their back emerged large white wings.

At the same time, a white tail grew from their lower back.

“…White wings. Are you… a demon?”

“S-Sorry… for hiding it.”

Zain looked down in apology at the shocked Felice.

But I grabbed their shoulder and praised them.

“So you could fly! Then there’s no problem! Lure that guy away from the town and bring him down! I’ll support you!!”

“Y-You’re not mad?”

“Why would I be? Everyone’s got things they’d rather not say. One or two secrets are normal. Sure, I was curious about what you were. But now I get it. You’re not him—you’re you. Zain is Zain. A member of Unknown. Let’s finish this pain-in-the-ass job and get back to Avantale.”

“Exactly. Zain-san is Zain-san.”

“Yeah.”

Tears spilled from Zain’s eyes.

They wiped them with one hand. They then spread their wings wide and took off into the sky.

“Look, Bell! Zain-san looks like an angel!”

“I had a feeling… They finally revealed their true self.”

“Shining in the light… so beautiful.”

Zain soared upward, spread their wings wide once, and paused mid-air.

People looked up at them. Light broke through the clouds and shone down on them.

Right then, a group of covered wagons rumbled through the main street.

From them leaned the ecstatic adventurers of Avantale.

“Hell yeah—Slime Hunt, baby!!”

“Hunt ‘em, hunt ‘em, hunt ‘em all!!”

“Money, money, money! Gather materials and get a fat bonus!”

“I gotta buy my kid a toy! I’ll hunt till I drop!!”

The wagons turned down alleys, splitting up across the city.

Several wagons stopped nearby. And familiar faces jumped off joyfully. They were rushing toward the Slimes.

Thanks, Guild Master. Much appreciated.

Zain and the man locked eyes.

“I suspected from your mana wavelength—you are a kin after all. But what is that filthy, undemon-like color? Honestly, I hate to admit we’re the same race.”

“I-I’m… not y-your ally. I’m a member… of Unknown!!”

“Would a demon ever side with humans? Then die here—Pain Flame.”

Flames engulfed Zain.

But they burst from the fire, healing themself as they ascended rapidly.

The man flew after them.

Nice. That’s the way.

“We’re going too.”

“Right.”

Felice and I chased after Zain and the man as they soared through the sky.

◇

Even after reaching the forest outside the town, the aerial battle continued.

Zain evaded the man’s attack magic with sharp turns.

“You’re trying to draw me away from the town, aren’t you? Fine, I’ll play along. It’s been a while since I fought one of my kind. That stinging sensation you don’t get from fighting humans—I’ll enjoy it.”

“Y-Y-You’re disgusting.”

Zain’s kick was blocked by the man’s arm.

The man immediately countered with close-range attack magic. It engulfed Zain in flames.

Burned, Zain fell into the forest.

Felice and I rushed to the spot where they landed.

“You okay!?”

“Y-Yeah…”

Zain, likely slammed into the ground, used holy magic on themself as they stood up.

They folded their wings back and stored them.

The man gently landed on top of a nearby tree.

“You people are truly troublesome. Messing up my plans, wasting my time. As I said earlier—that land is my domain. The people and buildings there are all mine. I’m free to do as I wish on my own land, am I not?”

“Domain? Since when?”

“Roughly… a thousand years ago.”

“A th-thousand years!?”

“I gathered humans as food and labor to build that place. In other words, I am their master. If their master returns, it’s the servant’s duty to welcome him, don’t you agree?”

“You don’t care about the will of the people in Umbrella?”

“What a foolish question. Of course not. Even if I danced and ate a baby right before their eyes, I’d be completely justified. Ahh… just imagining it makes me hungry.”

The man licked his lips with a long, dripping tongue.

“Ah yes, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I am Abiros, an Archdemon with the rank of Baron. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Abiros grinned sharply and bared his jagged fangs.