"Why... why are there Demons in the capital???"

Aerin stared in shock at the chaos unfolding on the streets.

"I TOLD you I had to handle something urgent!!! When I left the palace last time, I saw Demons mixed in with the Empire’s delegation!"

"Those Empire bastards are behind this again!! Why didn’t you say something sooner???"

Tia fixed me with a stern glare.

"I thought Demons were totally common here!"

*Which manga or novel doesn’t have a Demon or two?*

"Tia, don’t be mad. Pupil’s cluelessness isn’t exactly new."

Aerin was defending me, but her words felt oddly off.

"Never mind! To the palace—NOW!! The King and my uncle are there. We must find the caster and stop this summoning circle!"

Tia chanted the wind-enhancement spell [Wind Swift Shadow], boosting her speed, casting agility, and attack pace. The moment the magic flared, she leaped out the window toward the palace.

"Aerin! Follow me!"

Aerin donned her armor and sprinted ahead of me.

"Onii-chan, carry me~~~"

Just as I jumped, Phyllis pounced onto my head.

Demons immediately lunged at me the moment I landed on the street. I yanked a katana from my inventory and slashed.

"Ugh! Why not just use me to smash them, Onii-chan??"

Phyllis grumbled from my shoulders.

"Could you phrase that less... suggestively?! Your flashy design would cause trouble."

*A giant purple sword with eyeballs? Yeah, no second one like you in this world.*

"Husband! Aerin! Ignore these weaklings! Find the caster and shut down the ritual!"

Tia shouted ahead.

"Eh?? But what about these Demons???"

Aerin’s face twisted with worry.

"This is the capital! Skilled adventurers are everywhere. They’ll handle it!!!"

Tia vanished around a corner without looking back.

"She’s right! Stop the summoning circle first, or these Demons will never end."

I urged Aerin to catch up.

Demons kept swarming me, but I cut them down effortlessly. All were low-tier—around level 35. Adventurers here should manage them fine.

Chaos reigned at the palace gates. Guards clashed desperately against a tide of Demons. Higher-tier ones had appeared too—several level 60s stood out in the fray.

"Husband! Find the caster! Aerin and I will locate the King and my uncle!!!"

"Wait!! How do I find the caster??"

"Their mana output will be massive during the ritual! Just track the strongest mana source!!!"

Tia dragged Aerin up the steps and disappeared down a corridor.

*Strongest mana source...? Should I switch to assassin gear?*

"No need~ Leave it to me~~ Onii-chan, take this corridor down below."

Phyllis pointed confidently from my shoulders.

"Eh? You can do that??"

"Hmph~ Of course! Stop treating me like a toy. Even an 'RBQ' can help their master when it counts!"

"Hey!! What kind of analogy is that?!"

I sprinted down the indicated path.

"'RBQ' isn’t your favorite topic~~~"

"Sorry, my bad—please don’t say stuff like that in a loli voice!"

"Eh??? Onii-chan’s just a pervert who loves hearing pure lolis say lewd things."

"You’re not pure! And you’re a Darkblade, not a loli!!"

"Mmm... Onii-chan’s got a tsundere trait too..."

Phyllis led me to a deep basement. Magelights lined the walls, keeping the corridor well-lit. At the far end stood a vault-like gate—and before it, a tall black-haired man.

"That’s him!!! The strongest mana source here!!"

Phyllis pointed from my head.

"That’s not exactly human, is it..."

A status window popped up: *Upper Demon Arcato*. Before I could read more, another window appeared.

*Huh? Someone else?*

Collapsed before the gate lay a figure:

[Name: Perina (Critical)]

[Level: 70]

[Class: Assassin]

[Equipment: Royal Silvermoon Dagger]

*Perina?! What’s she doing here?! Critical condition?!*

I sprinted toward the gate. A crimson-haired girl lay in a pool of blood—it was Perina, the "undergarment thief" from Landton City.

"Tch. More pests to deal with."

The Demon Arcato turned, his face twisted in annoyance.