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Chapter 35

It had been a while since Ritter’s incredibly bizarre greeting.

According to Leonhart, the purple bud and Ritter were maintaining an appropriate distance, but I didn’t have the courage to look into the purple bud’s memories. I always check with Honzo directly, but the responses from the child sprouts are gestures only. Without reading their memories, I can’t understand the details.

(Noel always seems to understand what I’m trying to say just from my gestures. That’s really hard to do…)

I can sense vague emotions, but if I want to know specifics, I have to synchronize and read their memories. …But the more I think about it, the more terrified I am of what I might see. It’s all because Ritter said, 「This isn’t a game.」

I never imagined there could be someone with such a perverse fetish who gets genuinely serious about a Mandragora, harmless monster or not.

(Well, my old world had a genre called 「furry」 so maybe Ritter’s like that…?)

I can’t relate, but it seems like people with unusual preferences, whether they’re called something–philes or something–ists, exist in every world.

Even if I can’t understand that kind of emotion, I won’t deny it. Everyone has their own tastes. The existence of different people creates diversity, and just rejecting them isn’t right. …I’m also a bit different from normal, so I’d rather not get weeded out. Mandragoras are part of diversity too, probably.

I was lost in those thoughts, sipping the tea Noel had made for me, when the lily-of-the-valley growing above the front door chimed. This house was built to be soundproof, so we can’t hear knocking. That’s why I commanded the plant to ring a bell when someone stood near the entrance, both from inside and out.

「Someone’s here. I’ll go check.」

(Okay, thanks.)

Noel headed to the front door and opened it. When I glanced over, I saw Leonhart standing there and felt a small twinge of discomfort. He often drops by to make sure everything’s okay, but he’d already visited just an hour ago.

Maybe something happened? As soon as I thought that, I had a bad feeling about the opposite direction and turned my gaze there. My eyes can perceive a wider field than humans, but unless I consciously focus, things can appear blurry.

And what I saw reflected in the magic mirror wasn’t Leonhart, it was a human who strongly suspected I wasn’t a demon. The moment I recognized that figure, a scream rose up inside me.

「Huh? Leonhart-san…?」

「…You can’t hide it once you’re seen like that.」

「Ah. Magic-user-sama…?」

The person in disguise seemed to realize the mirror had revealed their true form. The air shimmered like heat distortion, and Leonhart’s image vanished, replaced by Nikolaus in a robe. Noel watched the transformation in surprise.

「So it was magic. I thought the scent was different from Leonhart-san’s.」

「Heh, I see. I didn’t think about the scent. That would give it away.」

「Hehe… yeah.」

He must’ve taken that as praise, Noel wagged his tail happily. He seems to admire demons, so he also seems fond of Nikolaus, who’s a magic-user.

Without invitation, Nikolaus strode into the house, sat in the chair across from me at the table, and Noel went to prepare tea for this uninvited guest.

(That was terrifying. If not for the mirror, I might’ve been fooled… I should thank Ilai.)

Ilai told me that if I set up the magic mirror to face the entrance, I’d be able to spot anything in disguise. I’m really grateful for that gift.

「Well, it’s working properly. So I guess you’re not some monster in disguise after all.」

(…Huh?)

「Since you’re using my gift, I assume you like it?」

I tilted my head, confused. The mirror was a gift from Ilai. I received it a few hours after Nikolaus showed up. Why would he say it was his gift?

「Why? Because you gave me something unnecessary, so I returned the favor. …After I went back to the castle, I found a merchant headed to Bit Village. Thanks to your potion, I had more than enough magic power to use teleportation magic too.」

So after returning to the castle, Nikolaus met a merchant bound for Bit Village, passed the magic mirror to him via Ilai, then teleported the mirror there himself.

In hindsight, I should’ve realized, only demons are likely capable of crafting enchanted mirrors like that. It was made by Nikolaus.

(So he still suspects me…! Enough to send that mirror on the very same day…!)

I’m seriously glad I evolved my body into a human form. If I were just using illusion magic to disguise myself, the mirror would’ve reflected a Mandragora, and I would’ve definitely screamed. I mean, I am the one who’d be screaming.

「There was once a suspicious person rumored to be a demon, who turned out to be a monster. Back then, mirrors became popular as protective charms. I just gave you one of the leftovers. It’s not a big deal.」

Apparently, there was once a monster that disguised itself with magic or skills to lure in and prey on humans. Hearing that story from Nikolaus, it felt like he was asking me directly, 「Aren’t you a monster too?」 I nearly broke into a cold sweat. …Well, I don’t have sweat glands, so maybe I should say I nearly condensed.

「Too bad you’re not a monster. If you were, I’d take you back with me.」

(Hiiiii…!!)

Nikolaus stared at me through the mirror. Of course, the reflection showed me smiling brightly, but I wasn’t enjoying myself at all. I was terrified. I wanted him to leave already.

「Ah, right. Here, take this.」

(…Um… What is this…?)

「I can make my own magic recovery potions, so don’t underestimate me.」

Nikolaus pulled out a small vial containing blue liquid, likely a magic recovery potion. It seems he didn’t appreciate me offering one as a bribe last time. Maybe it bruised his pride. I definitely misjudged that move. I want to bury myself in a hole, but not dig my own grave.

「I’ve been growing Mandragora too. Still have plenty of ingredients. I don’t need your help.」

Then it hit me.

I create potions by structuring them around myself as a core ingredient and reproducing plants through my diversification abilities. I can synthesize them internally.

But when humans make potions, they need materials.

And the main ingredient in magic recovery potions is… M-A-N-D-R-A-G-O-R-A.

So that vial Nikolaus is holding contains liquid made from,

(This guy is terrifying…!!)

I’m sorry for running my mouth about diversity. No one can accept everything, and that’s okay. Just… please leave already.

There are people we can’t understand. Showing a Mandragora a potion made from Mandragora, imagine doing that to a human. It’s awful. Way too awful. …You mad scientist!