4: Secrets? What secrets?
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4: Secrets? What secrets?

David’s view:

I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about things. I didn’t think so much in the past. When travelling I’d just run, and enjoy the fun of running. My companions can’t run all day long like I can though, so we travel at a slower pace. This leaves me bored with time to think.

One big question is: Are David and Jessica living in the same world? It doesn’t seem like that should be the case, unless there’s some weirdness with the time, because both are awake while the sun is up and sleep while the sun is down. Additionally, the amount of time the sun spends up and down is consistent at all times of the year, and everywhere I’ve been to. 

However, there are some clear common points. Like how the length of the day is the same for both. How magic I learned as Jessica works as David. I actually began secretly enchanting my equipment as we traveled. I didn’t dare make horns, but I could mess with my gear, which would be a sub-par alternative in comparison, but still, much better than nothing.

Then there’s the fact that the human and demon realms are connected through the dungeons. Remembering Jessica’s lessons about how demon cities were built with the power of large magic cores which would create a city on the surface, and a large labyrinth underneath, I developed a theory: The labyrinth which is known to be how humans break into demon cities, was in fact, the dungeons humans know of. Though it is unclear why the two lands would be connected in such a way.

This whole thing is really weird…

“David, tell me the truth. How do you know magic?! How much do you know?! What are you doing to your armor?!”

“Uh, what?”

“Don’t play dumb! You’ve been enchanting your armor as we travel!”

“I’m a swordsman!”

“I’M. NOT. BLIND.”

“Eh-heh-heh. Um… would you believe me if I said I was living two lives?”

… it wasn’t a short explanation, but she really did believe me. Not because I was convincing, but because I knew too much about magic. The claim that I studied magic when I slept was more believable than anything else she could think of, even if living two lives was a crazy claim. Though I did try to avoid anything that would reveal my other life was as a demon.

“Advanced magic, especially in areas of transmutation and enchantment.” 

I didn’t tell her that, I just answered a bunch of very specific questions about spells and she somehow drew that conclusion! I don’t even understand how!

“The enchantments you were etching into your armor do not seem like they are intended for use in that way. What sort of thing are they meant for? Horns perhaps? Something attached to the body directly? A growth created through magic?”

“Uh, er, uh.”

“I’m right, aren’t I? You aren’t good at hiding secrets… hmmm… Then, do you know how to reach the demon lands?”

“I only know it’s through dungeons. I’ve heard there’s a connection point in the dungeon at the capital. Said to go straight into the demon king’s castle. It’s the route we are expected to take in the future.”

“I don’t want that, I want access to the demon magic school! I want to study all the know! I’ve spent so much time studying self-enhancement, yet you casually explained spells I’ve been struggling to figure out how to do! If you don’t help me get into demon school, then you had better teach me yourself!”

“Hey, hey, if I’m helping you, you should pay me back somehow, right?”

“I’ll repay you. Don’t worry. Just tell me how, and I’ll do it.”

“Eh? Um… well, I guess I don’t actually need anything right now.”

“Then let me know when you need something, and I’ll pay you back then. In the mean time, teach me.”

Priest’s view

Oh god, what the fuck is this?! I’ve got traitors in the party! One of them is a demon, and the other is begging to become one! What am I supposed to do?!

“Hey, I’m watching you. The mage is a close friend of mine, so you’d better not think of saying anything about this to anyone.”

“Y-you, you’ve known each other for only a few days!”

“So? We’re friends now! I look out for my friends.”

Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! I’m gonna go insane like this! Oh god, please provide this confused sheep with guidance.

… *sigh* nothing as usual. God only answers very specific prayers for healing. If not for those, I’d think there wasn’t a god at all. Yet despite my doubts, I’m considered the best priest, and have the strongest prayer results. Oh god, why must you test me so?

I cried myself to sleep that night.

*** Author note ***

I’ll admit: This wasn’t how I expected the story to go. I just thought about what David would do, and realized: Hiding magic use from the best combat mage was an unlikely thing to succeed at. In mage vs mage combat, being able to notice when a spell is used and figure out what spell it is, regardless of efforts to conceal it, is very important. Mage vs mage combat is how they chose the “best” mage. (The actual best mage evaded participation by claiming to be too old, and the actual second best mage deliberately failed the qualifications, claiming poor eyesight as their excuse. Which is why we have someone in their early twenties instead of someone a decade or two older.)

P.S. I feel sorry for the priest. They must be so stressed out.

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