"Devil. Aren't you curious about what I've been doing?"

"Not curious."

"Hing."

Shushruta poked my side.

"It's been more than ten times already. Just say you're curious."

I looked at Shushruta, who was walking next to me, and reluctantly opened my mouth.

"Linda. What have you been doing?"

Linda, who was clinging to my back, chirped in my ear with a much brighter voice.

"Yeah! You know, I learned a lot from the red-haired sister!"

"What did you learn?"

"I learned this and that. I mainly learned various poisons. I learned a poison that doesn't hurt, and I learned a poison that hurts a lot."

I understand the poison that hurts a lot, but what's a poison that doesn't hurt?

When I asked, Linda answered like this.

"Yeah, a poison that doesn't hurt is a poison that doesn't hurt!"

"...."

In the end, I had no choice but to guess on my own.

Is she talking about a poison that paralyzes without killing?

Linda tapped my shoulder and said urgently.

"Ah, and and. I also learned a good poison."

"A good poison?"

"Yeah! A good poison!"

I scolded Linda.

"You fool. Where is the good poison?"

Linda insisted.

"There is! A good poison! A good poison is also called a medicine."

"You fool, how can poison and medicine be the same?"

"The red-haired sister said that poison and medicine are only a hair's breadth apart. That poison and medicine are originally one in essence."

"Ah, really?"

I can't refute Scarlet's words.

Because everything my sister says is right. Because there is no one smarter than her.

At least as far as I know.

...Is this guy shamelessly bringing my sister into this?

Linda, with Scarlet on her back, explained triumphantly.

"Originally, there is no distinction between poison and medicine. But people have made a distinction, saying this is poison, and this is medicine."

"Hmm."

"If you use too much medicine, it becomes a poison, and if you use poison at the right time, it becomes a medicine. She said it's a very natural law of nature. Don't you know that, devil?"

Linda chided me.

I could see Shushruta, who was walking next to me, holding back her laughter.

Should I just throw her?

"...Be quiet."

Linda, possessed by Scarlet, whispered in my ear.

"A well-controlled poison is a medicine, and an uncontrolled medicine is a poison..."

"Don't you get your face out of here?"

When I waved my hand, Linda lightly dodged and giggled.

"I'll treat you if you get hurt, devil."

"No thanks. I'd rather ask Shushruta than be treated by you."

Shushruta glared at me and raised her voice.

"Rather? What do you mean, rather?"

I changed the subject.

"We've rested enough, right? We're running again."

And then, as I went ahead, Shushruta grumbled and followed me.

After running for a while, Shushruta got angry.

"You fool! That's not the way!"

"No, why are you getting angry?"

"Hmph! Why do you keep going ahead when you don't even know the way? Just follow me."

"Yes."

Even while following Shushruta, Linda continued to chatter in my ear.

It seemed she was pouring out all the words she hadn't been able to say.

Is this... revenge for forgetting to bring her?

'I think my ears are going to bleed...'

I can't even hit her once because she's clinging to my back like a cicada.

Just as I was thinking that I might get a Qi Deviation at this rate, Linda finally shut her mouth.

When I glanced at her, she was sleeping on my shoulder, drooling.

"Snore..."

What a good life.

To think that she's sleeping on my back while I'm running my ass off.

The skin where her saliva touched was tingling more than before, and it seems that her poison skills have improved while learning from Scarlet.

Why do these guys get stronger day by day when I don't see them for a while?

I should just throw her into the river.

The Heavenly Demon laughed slowly.

[The Poison Demon has returned as a famous doctor.]

I snorted.

"A famous doctor, my ass. If I get treated by this one, I'll be on the verge of death right away."

[Hmm. My thoughts are different.]

"Eh. Why?"

[There is nothing wrong with what that girl said. Originally, there is no drug that is not poisonous. All drugs are poisons. Any deadly substance can become a medicine or a poison by adding or subtracting the amount.]

"Hmm."

[In the end, the difference between poison and medicine is not due to the properties of the substance, but how people use it. Since she was a master of poison, she will also be proficient in medicine.]

I chewed on the Heavenly Demon's words for a moment and then asked.

"Master, do you also have some knowledge about poison?"

The Heavenly Demon answered in an arrogant tone.

[Of course. I am well-versed in all fields. Medicine is no exception.]

"But why didn't you teach me?"

The Heavenly Demon snorted.

[Would you learn it even if I taught you? You can only learn medicine if you have the right disposition. With your temper, you would have given up in less than a day.]

"Aha."

Now I see that the Heavenly Demon was also full of wisdom to see people and look ahead.

"As expected of my master."

[Be quiet.]

The scenery of the two gusts of wind running changed from mountains and forests to fields and plains.

To the far east, a mountain range with the majesty of nature was spread out, and to the west, it was generally flat with rolling hills and valleys.

In any case, it was a green landscape that was pleasant to the eye.

We, who were running between the two great natures, were two moving lines, and if we stopped, we would become dots.

As we were quietly crossing the great nature, Shushruta suddenly slowed down and came to my side and called me.

"Ashuban."

"Why."

"I've never seen one before, but what is a spirit user like?"

It seems she was curious about spirit users.

I replied nonchalantly.

"What do you mean, what are they like? They're the same as us. There's not much difference."

"Really?"

"Just that they talk to themselves a lot?"

"Like you?"

I thought for a moment and then said.

"No, much more than me. My master is not the talkative type."

Hud would often mutter to herself whenever I saw her.

She said she was talking to the spirits.

I can't see them, so how would I know? From the side, it looks like a crazy person muttering to herself.

So at first, she had a hard time because a rumor spread in her family that she was talking to ghosts...

I think that was also one of the reasons why she ran away from home.

A strange person cannot live among ordinary people.

This is all because spirit users are so rare.

Magicians are also rare, but they are no match for spirit users.

Most people have never even heard the term 'spirit user'.

Even I had no idea such a thing existed before I met Hud.

"What exactly is a spirit user?"

I sneered at Shushruta's curious question.

"Is there anything that the great princess of the Thieves' Guild doesn't know?"

Shushruta pouted as if her pride was hurt.

"There is so little information about spirits and spirit users..."

"Ahem! Then I will personally give you a lesson, so open your ears and listen well. You foolish thing."

"Nonsense..."

"What did you say?"

"I said I would listen carefully."

I had a staring contest with Shushruta while running.

This one. Her way of speaking is getting worse and worse.

Who did she learn it from?

There is a high probability that Boris is the culprit.

I'll have to give him a flick on the back of the head when I get back.

Anyway, I explained about spirits and spirit users to Shushruta, who couldn't stand her curiosity.

"According to Hud... there are many spirits in the world, and they all have different appearances. Spirits are souls that dwell in nature, and I heard that they all have different attributes."

"Attributes?"

"I mean, the various attributes of nature. Wind, earth, fire, water, light and darkness, and so on. Things like that."

"Aha."

"It's extremely rare for people to be able to see the spirits, and some of them make a contract with the spirits through communication and become spirit users who can borrow their power."

Of course, I couldn't see the spirits either.

The same goes for the mercenary corps members.

I know that only my sister could vaguely see them, but I heard that she couldn't communicate with them.

If the Red Witch is at that level, then that's all there is to it.

You really have to be born with an overwhelming talent blessed by the heavens to become a spirit user.

And Hud was a spirit user with a unique talent among them.

If someone made her angry... the wrath of nature, a disaster, would descend there...

***

We ran without much sleep and arrived at the city of Byford, located in the southeastern part of the Maia Kingdom, on the morning of the third day.

It boasted a magnificent city wall, as befits a major city of a count's domain.

The city was in a festive mood.

People were walking the streets, chattering loudly, and on one side, women in colorful clothes were spinning and dancing.

When I heard the sound of clanging, I saw that a sparring match between knights had also become a spectacle.

On one side, a puppet show was in full swing, and kids were sitting in front of it with sparkling eyes.

Various foods were being sold on the street, and I also saw women with smiling faces handing out headbands made of flowers.

Since they always had a smiling face, I thought they would answer well, so I cautiously approached a middle-aged woman who looked kind and asked.

"Excuse me, may I ask you something?"

"Oh my, what a handsome customer."

"Haha, I'm a little."

"Oh my, and even cute young ladies. Take this first."

"Ah, it's okay..."

"It's free, so don't refuse."

Only after we had each placed a wreath on our heads like a laurel crown could we get an answer.

"So, is there some kind of festival going on?"

"There's a succession ceremony today. It's a glorious day when our young lord formally inherits the family from the lord."

"Aha. When is the succession ceremony?"

"It's scheduled to be held in the square in the afternoon. Please come and see! Our young lord's beauty is amazing. She's as mysterious as a fairy."

"Hmm. Is that so..."

"What?"

"Ah, it's nothing. Well then."

The afternoon.

There were only a few hours left.

There was no time to waste.

I immediately advanced to the lord's castle.

But although I passed through the city walls easily, I couldn't pass through the lord's castle.

It was because the stubborn guards didn't believe me at all, even though I claimed to be Hudmilla's close comrade.

It wasn't something I hadn't expected.

I had no choice but to retreat from the castle gate and walk around the castle, looking for a way in.

"Look there."

Shushruta said, pointing at the top of the castle wall.

"Do you see that faint membrane?"

"Uh. I see it, I see it."

"It's a magic barrier. If you even touch it with your fingertip, an alarm will go off loudly. The security is not to be taken lightly."

"Is there a way in?"

Shushruta answered, munching on a chicken skewer.

"When night comes, we can hide in the darkness and go in. I'll go in first and disable the alarm, and then you can follow me."

"But the succession ceremony is in a few hours."

"That's true."

I looked back and forth between Shushruta and Linda, who were munching on bread or chicken skewers.

They looked just like tourists, munching on street food with wreaths on their heads.

Linda kept scratching her head because the wreath was making her head itchy.

Just take it off if it's itchy.

I had definitely advanced straight to the lord's castle without looking at anything else, but these guys were already munching on street food.

When did they buy it?

Shushruta, who felt my gaze, held out the chicken skewer she was eating.

"Want a bite?"

"No thanks. Let's go in now, so eat up quickly. I'll give you 30 seconds."

Shushruta's eyes widened.

"How are you going to sneak in in broad daylight when the security is so tight?"

I looked at Linda, whose chewing speed had doubled, and replied nonchalantly.

"Forgot? We didn't come here to sneak in."

"Then?"

"We are a special unit that has come a long way to overturn the succession ceremony."

I created the Snow Branch Blue Flame Art and warned the guys.

"Stay back a bit. It's going to be loud."

Shushruta, who was taking Linda and backing away, asked with an anxious face.

"What are you going to do?"

I grinned and strode towards the castle wall.

"It's nothing. I've learned something fun."

Fwoosh— Saaaa—

A blue flame in one hand, a white cold air in the other.

I held enough of the two energies in both hands, and then slowly narrowed the distance.

As the energy that had bloomed in both hands was dense, the repulsive force was twice as strong as the last time I had tried it.

Believing that it would show a spectacular sight, I put more strength into both hands.

The distance gradually narrowed, and the two opposing energies collided.

Crackle!

As if cold water had suddenly been poured into a heated pot, the two reacted loudly.

Shushruta, who heard the sound, was terrified and backed away even further.

Although it seemed like it would explode in my hand at any moment due to the tremendous repulsive force, I desperately trapped the two energies in my hand.

The guys who had been pushing each other away began to spin.

They gradually accelerated.

Kiiiiiiing!

By the time the rotation speed reached its limit, I threw it at the castle wall.

Watching the ball of brilliant light made of blue and white fly towards the castle wall, I smiled with utmost satisfaction.

Explosion is art.

KWAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!

Ah, a fantasy.

The Heavenly Demon is stuffed in my head, Chapter 195