The Demonic Retainer Buried In Darkness

“…! Miss Petra!”

“Everyone! Are you all right?!”

“Y-yes… but our memories are hazy. What on earth happened to us…?”

When Jonah entered the mansion with Petra, the servants—who until a moment ago had not been seen at all—appeared one after another with puzzled expressions.

“We’ll explain later. For now, please search for the head butler.”

“Y-yes, understood!”

Petra briskly gave instructions to the servants.

The servants probably judged that this would spare them unnecessary worries and help them regain composure. They immediately followed the orders and searched the mansion.

“The town seems noisier than usual…”

“There’s a possibility that, like Petra and the others, the town’s residents were being controlled. At worst, even the soldiers defending outside Gratz.”

‘Apostasy’ Taromati, who managed to control humans on such a large scale.

Although that epithet is far removed from religion, Jonah felt that the ability to brainwash and subjugate people was almost like a religion.

However.

“I will never forgive this.”

Because he was exposed to the absurdity of an inescapable death, Jonah loathed such injustice more than anyone.

Someone who would artificially impose such injustice could not possibly be forgiven by him.

They continued the head butler search with all the servants, but his whereabouts remained unknown.

Afterwards, with the cooperation of the residents, they expanded the search to the whole town, but there were no reports of finding him.

Jonah thought he might have already left not just the mansion but Gratz itself, but he quickly shook his head and dismissed the idea.

Even during the previous attack on Gratz, ‘Apostasy’ Taromati chose a method that would make Duke Lanberg suffer the most. Surely Taromati would not give up and would target this town again.

…No, he would be aiming for Jonah, the one Duke Lanberg has taken an interest in.

“…Miss Petra, I’m going to get a bit of night air.”

“…? O-okay…”

Jonah left the mansion and walked to an unfrequented spot… behind the shed at the back of the garden.

Of course, to lure out the enemy.

Then.

“For a child to come to a place like this alone is careless.”

Who appeared was the head butler.

At the turn of events he had expected, Jonah smirked.

“You too. You must know so many people are searching, yet you seem so calm.”

“That’s my line. I was careless earlier, but I am a demon and the right hand of the great Taromati. I will not fall behind mere humans.”

“How kind of you to introduce yourself unasked. Are all demons like that?”

“…!”

Provoked by Jonah, the head butler showed a severe expression.

But this man was not the ‘Apostasy’ Taromati he was after.

In any case, Jonah’s ancient magic was too powerful, which was precisely why he could not use large-scale magic.

“Now… with your blood, I’ll offer it to Lanberg. I hope she will be pleased, like she was with Daniel…!?”

“Shut up.”

While the head butler, regaining his composure, was basking in pleasure, Jonah quickly drew a magic circle.

That same spell that buried Zarichu the Hunger, a senior officer of the Demon Lord’s army, into darkness.

“O root of darkness wandering the abyss, manifest before me, become the guide to lead to the end of the world, and drag down the vile demon servant who befriends the despicable.”

A jet-black magic circle, melting into the darkness, rose above the head butler.

To deliver the judgment of death to this sinful man.

“【Dunkelheit】”¹

The ground turned into bottomless darkness, and countless black hands reached toward the head butler.

They were ready to drag him into that darkness where their comrade ‘Hunger’ Zarichu awaited.

“Ugh…!? This is…”

“It’s useless. Unless I release the magic, the black hands will pursue you forever.”

The head butler desperately tried to shake off the clinging black hands, but as they came at him one after another he could no longer keep up, and his limbs were bound.

After that, there was nothing left but to be toyed with in a world without light.

“There are a few things I want to ask before you go. You were the one controlling Petra and the others, right?”

“……………………”

“If you don’t answer, it’ll just be the end for you.”

“…!”

Hearing Jonah’s words, the head butler widened his eyes.

Perhaps, if he answered the questions, the worst could be avoided.

No—no matter how fearsome a magic user he was, he was after all a child. If he could be tricked and a gap exploited, he could be finished off.

With that intention.

“…I don’t have that much power. It’s all by Lord Taromati’s power.”

“I see. Then next… where is the ‘Apostasy’ Taromati?”

“Ugh…!?”

When Jonah asked in a low voice, the head butler couldn’t help but groan.

This man was inferior to the Demon Lord’s army’s chief officers, but he still served as the right hand of an officer.

Nevertheless, the head butler was intimidated by the small boy in front of him.

For the first time, the demon realized he had been mistaken in thinking himself more cunning and more capable.

That he was far no match for this boy.

“W-well…”

“If you don’t hurry, I won’t be able to do anything about those hands.”

“Eek!?”

At Jonah’s words, the head butler looked around and realized that before he knew it, the darkness had swallowed his body up to below his knees.

If this continued, he would inevitably suffer the same fate as Zarichu of ‘Desire’. Realizing this, the head butler—

“Lo… Lord Taromati is in the underground cave about two kilometers north of this town!”

“Thank you. I’m glad you’re an honest demon.”

Jonah nodded with satisfaction and showed a carefree smile.

“Now, please, quickly, release me right now!”

“I don’t know.”

“Hey!? That’s not the deal!”

As Jonah turned on his heels, the head butler shouted loudly.

A look of fear filled his face, which had by then transformed into an ugly bat.

“Bye-bye.”

“W-wait! Please wait! Waaaaaaaaiiiittttt!!!!!”

The head butler… the bat demon, stretched out his right hand toward the receding Jonah.

But his plea, and his outstretched hand, were all dragged into the darkness.