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    "Suzuki? What''s wrong?"


    "Uhm… an undead is summoning me. Eh… From Duma''s—— is it?"


    For a moment, she thought it was Suzuki''s way of cutting off their crystal ballmunication, but then she heard an undead roar behind Suzuki''s back.


    (What in the hell, would Duma want with Suzuki? I believe I ordered her fleet to anchor in the Imperial City''s harbor for the duration of the demon training program, but…)


    "Sorry! Well then, see youter!"


    "Ah– Suzuki. Please wait…"


    The crystal ball became dark. It seemed that Suzuki had put the crystal ball back in his pocket.


    "A-ah. I''ve got cut off. I would have liked to talk more… I —— don''t understand!"


    Serphiano''s mouth twisted into a smile.


    (<em ss="chakra-text css-0">Fu–fufu</em>! It is not good to UNDERESTIMATE the chief strategist of the Demon Lord''s army! From the bloodshed, you''d think Suzuki would have already cut off themunication! However, themunication has not been cut off yet! The image is pitch-ck, and you can''t see anything, but the sound CAN still be HEARD!)


    "This is ''n Wiretapping''! <em ss="chakra-text css-0">Fufufu</em>… <em ss="chakra-text css-0">Gobyubobobobobo</em>!"


    Serphianoughed while vomiting blood.


    (With this, you can even listen to the sounds that Suzuki makes in the toi—let! <em ss="chakra-text css-0">Gobyubo</em>! Oh no, I''m so excited, that I might lose all the blood in my body—!)


    Serphiano put her ear close to the crystal ball to hear the lovely Suzuki''s voice. And then—


    "OoOGghhH! S-SUZuKIiiII! This is an emergency notice from Lady Duma! OoOgGHhH!"


    (Wai… I DON''T want to listen to the voices of filthy undead! Shad''up undead, idiot! <em ss="chakra-text css-0">Gobyu</em>!)


    "I-it is LeiruneEHheH! It''s apparently being attacked by a big horde of demons! OoOgGhhH!"


    "Unbelievable!? Because in Leirune, Kiru, Meru, and even Uhouguru are there!!"


    "It''s said to be a group of stray demons that AREN''T part of the Demon Lord''s army! OoOgGHhH! iT''S tRue! OoOgGHhH! If we don''t get back soon, they might get wiped out! OoOgGHhH!? This is absolutely the truth! OoOgGHhH!"


    (No, it''s all lies! You keep saying, "It''s true! It''s true!" You persistent liar!)


    However, from the crystal ball, she could also hear the anxious voice of Exce.


    "L-Lord Hero! If it''s true, it''s a serious emergency!"


    "A-AH! I''m worried about Suzuknd, too! …Hey, where''s Nephira!?"


    "She embarked beforehand and is waiting for you on Duma''s ship! OoOgGHhH! Because Lady Serphiano said, we should hurry back! OoOgGHhH!"


    (I don''t remember saying such a thing, nor do I remember hearing about any of this! Geez, I''m certain of it now…)


    Serphiano vomits blood violently, her three eyes ring.


    (You have conspired against us, haven''t you? DUMA!! <em ss="chakra-text css-0">Gobyubyu</em> and <em ss="chakra-text css-0">byu</em>!!)


    ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆


    Nephira received an urgent summons from Serphiano.


    Nephira rushed, gasping for breath, to the director''s office of the training center and opened the door with all her strength with a bang. There, alone in a leather chair, Serphiano was sitting.


    "Dame Serphiano! Suzuki is missing! I knew he would be a lost child!"


    "It seems he is in a more troublesome situation than bing a lost child! Please look at this."


    Letting out a sigh, Serphiano showed Nephira the crystal ball. Unsure of what to expect, Nephira did a double take, looking back and forth between the crystal ball and Serphiano''s face.


    "This is the counterpart crystal ball, for the ball I made Suzuki holds for the sake of my peace of mind. I will now y back the audio captured by the recording function, alright?"


    "Uhm… I''m not sure I understand what you mean…?"


    "You''ll understand soon enough."


    As Serphiano manipted the crystal ball, she heard the voices of Suzuki and the undead talking to each other.


    (I-It''s Suzuki''s voice!… Eehh–? Leirune being attacked by a horde of demons…!? And, I''m waiting for him on Duma''s ship!?)


    "Suzuki! That''s not true! He''s lying!"


    "Like I said, it''s from the recording function. This is a conversation that happened a few minutes ago."


    "A conversation that happened a few minutes ago…?"


    After repeating the line, Nephira finally understood what Serphiano meant and became pale.


    "I-In other words, does this mean that Suzuki has been abducted by Duma!?"


    "Yes. That''s what it means."


    "T-That, DUMA!! My Suzuki–!!"


    Nephira''s fist mmed into the desk in the director''s office, causing it to cave in, and Nephira asked Serphiano as if she was begging for help.


    "And right now, where''s Suzuki!?"


    "The sound was cut off just as he was about to board Duma''s ship. I believe the powerful magic of Duma has cut off themunication ——— or, I infer that Duma, suspecting something amiss, has destroyed Suzuki''s crystal ball."


    "Guh–! Then, how do we track Suzuki''s trail before it disappears, a-and then, he will be together with Duma somewhere in the vastness of the sea…!"


    As if she couldn''t bear to watch Nephira restlessly chewing her nails, Serphiano fetched a ceramic pot. Then, with graceful movements, she brewed a cup of tea.


    "Let''s just calm down a little bit."


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