I’m in a tight situation, stuck between a rock and a hard place. Tyvera’s catching on to Sue’s expansive knowledge of demon nobles, and it looks like the other party members were starting to question her identity in response. On one hand, I could come out and reveal the truth, but my party will be on edge and totally suspicious of Sue, leaving them not focused enough to concentrate on tomorrow’s quest. On the other hand, I could keep quiet, maybe put my [Deception] skill to work and come up with a lie that could be a lid over the simmering pot, but who knows how long we could keep Sue’s identity a secret before it all boils over? She might still look suspicious to Tyvera and a few other party members, too, and them keeping on their toes around her could also disrupt their focus in tomorrow’s quest.

At a loss for what to do, I turned on my [Hyper Thought Processing] and [Hyper Perception] skills to speed up my thinking speed. This is to give me time to consult with the only one who can keep up with my thoughts.

<Nyra! What the fuck should I do?!> I yelled in my mind.

<... About what?> Nyra asked, sounding clueless.

<They're catching onto Sue's identity! Should I do something?!>

<I don't know. You may have made the deal to keep her secret, but do you still want to at this point?> she asked.

<I … honestly don't, but if I don't hold my end, I may lose the chance to meet the Demon King!> I argued.

"Well, Korangar is my birthplace, and everyone knows how dangerous it can be for those outside of it, demon or not" Sue answered Tyvera while shrugging, snapping me out of my talk with Nyra, "Not just on the threats of violence, but how one can get betrayed or screwed over at the drop of a hat. Scams, shady dealings, muggings, rumors of all that and more being headed by the very nobles who are supposed to serve its people. Is it so strange that a local like myself has gotten around so much to avoid falling victim to the dangers of the darker sides of Korangar?

“Because I’ve gotten around in Korangar, I’ve heard rumors here and there about Chaos Barrage, what they stand for, and their possible coup against the Demon King,” Sue continued, “So, yes, I admit I leaked some of that info to Jinma during our talk earlier, but that’s because I was worried for his safety when we get to Korangar. Just him being there as a human will make other demons target him like a disposable punching bag. I don’t doubt his strength, of course, but you never know what may happen in that city. So, I wanted to warn him, and maybe ask him to see if there’s something we can do to stop the coup, too, because I still love my birthplace and I want to make it better than it is right now. You could say that’s part of why I wanted to follow you guys in the first place. Does that answer your question, Tyvera?”

Sue's case was sound, and I didn't sense any hint of a lie with my [Intuition]. Some of her arguments were also mentioned when I interrogated her earlier, and thinking back on it, she also handled herself surprisingly well, even with the emotional moments Nyra reported to me. Right now, according to that perverted mood reader, Sue wasn't the least bit anxious. She was confident in her argument. 

Whether Sue has experience being questioned like this or she has some skill that helps weigh arguments into her favor, I just keep learning more and more how dangerous this fake Arch Imp can be. Are there more locals like her in Korangar, too? Is their underground really thriving with crime?

I recalled my experience living on Earth, especially with my previous employer, the loan company Heaven's Cerberus. For better or worse, I might feel right at home in Korangar with how much crime I was exposed to back in Ikebukuro.

Tyvera considered Sue's argument carefully, the Harpy's stiff face softened, "I guess … when you put it that way, it wouldn't be strange. I wasn't born there, and I had the safety and comfort of the skies to help me get by. Sorry for not thinking of your stance on this, Sue."

At Tyvera's apology, the rest of the group relaxed a bit.

"It's quite alright, don't worry about it," Sue said while waving her hand dismissively before turning to me, "So, we know we have Noire counting on us as she stands on our side. Yukino's a bitch, but we're gonna need her to spill the info on what Chaos Barrage has planned before the end of tonight. On top of all that, we'll need to make some final preparations for tomorrow's quest. What should we do next, Jinma?"

And just like that, Sue controlled the flow of conversation back to the main topic as smooth as silk before passing the baton to me. I feel like I should talk to her about this, but that will have to wait.

Using [Hyper Thought Processing], I quickly think over our priorities. Preparing for Yukino's arrival tonight is important, of course. We prepared a lot the day before we left Dondegarm, but it's crucial to double-check everything we have for tomorrow and buy what additional essentials we need with the new intel we have gained. Preparing meals and snacks for a number of days in the dungeon would be good, too, and with my maxed out [Cooking] skill, I can whip something up within minutes, but we'll need to get ingredients first. 

I also needed to keep an ear out for Noire's signal on the Messaging Crystal. I was told communication won't work if the Messaging Crystals are too far apart, so I have to be in Palocaesy by the time Noire makes that call. After I meet her, whatever Nyra has planned, I'll have to make this business quick before Yukino's arrival.  If only she had a smartphone like I do, then we can share contacts and call or text each other without restrictions. Though, can I even make phone calls in this world? Putting those thoughts aside, I have to get all my personal businesses done first before Noire makes the call.

One of my personal businesses is going to a church like Obina wanted me to do. I don't know what difference going there makes than me talking to her through the bracelet, but I certainly needed a second opinion on everything I'm going through right now. 

My other personal business is that I still need to ask Sue several questions that I couldn't get out earlier because of our appointment with Noire. I also needed time to clear my head for a bit, especially when I felt like I was about to kill her in some moments. Even now, I’m still not sure whether letting her live was the right move, hence why I’ll need to hear an opinion from Obina about all of this.

I also wondered if one more person in our party, Ren, should be aware of Sue's true character, especially considering some of the behavior I’ve seen from her so far today. I haven't checked her status, but as a Thief, Ren could have [Intuition], as well, though I don't know how high that is to catch hints of lies from my [Deception], even with its high proficiency. If this Werewolf is able to catch more hints from my lies, I'm worried about her losing trust in me, and that’s the last thing I want from anyone in my party right now. Plus, with how tense Ren was knowing we may face Chaos Barrage soon, she may feel safer if she sticks with me. Heck, how much that group involves her is all the more reason she should be filled in on what’s really going on.

I inconspicuously checked my smartphone, seeing the time that’s adapted into Raiza’s standards thanks to whatever ethereal magic Obina blessed into it when I came here. I may have woken up early, but so much has happened this morning, and it’s only a few hours into the afternoon now. There’s a lot to do, but we should have everything ready by tonight.

With my plans set, I filled my party in on our next course of action before we all acted on it immediately, splitting into two groups. Erizora, Kalline, Tyvera, and my familiars will take my Magic Item Bag to double-check its contents before heading out to restock what we lost. I also wrote up a list of new items and ingredients for them to look into while they’re out. Thank you, [Language Conprehension], for letting me write in this country's language fluently. If there was anything they couldn’t find in Palocaesy, Kenaka or Mametama would let me know through our master-familiar telepathy and I’ll see what compromises we can make. In the worst-case scenario, there's the shop on my Champion Bracelet to buy stuff from if there are no other alternatives. There was some stuff I’ll need to get from there, anyways, so it all works out.

Meanwhile, Ume, Ren, Sue, and I headed off to a private location in town. We were going by Sue’s direction, by the way, as it seems she has more experience in Palocaesy than the rest of us. It could also be that she has some connections in The Dark Wind who filled her in on this info in case the need for discreet discussions arises. Either way, I was uneasy following this fake Arch Imp’s directions, but if this country’s royalty really wants to see me, I doubt she’d lead me to someplace with a high enough danger to put my life at risk. We were heading to this private location to get one of my personal priorities out of the way: questioning Sue. I also needed to see if we could fill Ren in on her secret.

Just as I was thinking of how to bring up the question along the way, with Ren and Ume up front while Sue and I were in the back in a square formation, the fake Arch Imp caught my attention by poking my side. I turned to her and she lightly tugged on her own ear, giving the tell that she wants to talk through [Telepathy].

<What is it?> I asked, starting the talk.

<First, I want to say thanks for following through our agreement and not blurt out my secret,> Sue said.

<... Why would you say that?>

<When Tyvera was getting onto my case, you looked conflicted as to whether you should reveal everything to everyone,> she explained.

My back broke into a cold sweat, <Was it that obvious? And doesn’t me looking like I’d break our deal make you warier of me?>

Sue shrugged, <Not a lot of people can catch non-verbal cues, but I have a keen eye for these things, and I’m especially starting to get a better read on your tells, Jinma. As for breaking our deal, I know I don’t have a lot of your trust right now, and under dire circumstances, I anticipated you would choose to keep the trust of your party than little-old me. After what I’ve done, I can’t get mad at you or blame you for making that choice.

<Which is why, should something like earlier happen again, you don’t have to worry. I’ve learned to talk my way out of these things pretty well over the years, so I can hide my secret by myself just fine while you stand by in your safe spot and relax. In the worst-case scenario that I do get found out, I’ll make sure to take all of the blows that come with it and not let your party lose faith in you. I know a lot of stuff happened and we didn’t have a lot of time to talk about the finer details of our agreement before we got to Noire’s cottage, so I’m getting this out here now while we have this chance to talk. Are you okay with these conditions?> Sue asked me.

I blinked in surprise, having trouble coming up with the words to answer.

<Damn, she must have really thought this out. There’s some anxiety, but she’s full of determination to see through her part of the agreement,> Nyra informed me.

<... My [Intuition] isn’t sensing any lies, but I’m not sure how well I can do that through [Telepathy], so I can’t really relax and take you for your word that easily,> I told Sue after some thought.

Sue nodded, <I understand, you may do as you will, but know that I’m going to put in the work to get your trust back and tell as much of the truth as I’m able to you. That said, I’m assuming we’re going to my suggested private spot so you can ask me more questions, right?>

<You got it,> I answered.

<And what about Ren? I thought you might have her be with Kalline’s group, instead,> Sue said.

<About that, our agreement to keep your secret only extends to Ume and my familiars right now, right? I’d like to include Ren into our small circle, too.>

<... May I hear your reason as to why?> she asked.

<Ren’s a Thief. I haven’t checked her whole status yet, but it’s likely she has the [Intuition] skill like I—and maybe you—do,> I explained, <Though my [Deception] is high, it seems she’s still catching onto hints of my lies, somehow, and she’s getting anxious of being left out. Moreover, with her brother and her former pack being part of Chaos Barrage, the same group staging a coup against the Demon King, Ren’s more involved in this than you may think, and she’s more on edge now after learning what we’re dealing with. Ren’s like my second-in-command, especially being the ‘alpha female’ that looks after the other slaves under my ownership. I want to make sure she knows I still trust and depend on her, and that she’s not alone in facing whatever complications may come from confronting her brother.>

Sue took a moment to think before sighing, <I suppose your reasons are valid, and I’ve also noticed how sharp Ren can be at times, too. Under your care, she may surpass even Noire at some point, so it may be better that we fill her in on this now.>

My eyes widened, <Really? Ren surpassing Noire? Even though the latter has multiple classes?>

<There are ways to get around that disadvantage,> she explained, <Everyone in your harem has that potential, too, but seeing Ren’s loyalty so far, by the time she gets to her peak of strength, I wouldn’t make her an adversary if I was a normal demon.>

Getting around multiple classes, and everyone in my harem has that potential? What does that mean? 

So far, to get multiple classes, I know there’s leveling up as a Brawler in my case. Being a noble with a peerage granted to them by their monarch was another way through Beelzebub’s and Noire’s cases. Even Eugus has a case with his [Class Privilege] skill that I’m still unsure of how he got it, maybe being a guild master was part of it? What other ways can someone get multiple classes? And is it really so simple for everyone in my harem to be capable of the same thing? 

Though I didn’t detect any lies from Sue, I was still skeptical, but after everything I’ve been through so far, I wondered just how bad the power balance in this world really is.

With Sue’s permission granted, I used [Telepathy] to fill Ume and my familiars in on our updated agreement and how I’d bring up the news to Ren. None of them had any objections to my plan, and just as I had received that confirmation, the very Werewolf asked what we’d be doing in this private location Sue’s directing us to. I only told Ren that we had some important matters to discuss in our group, and though she looked a little tense, she seemed to understand enough on what we were doing.

~~

A couple minutes later, we arrived in what looks like the slums of Palocaesy. Unlike most of the city we’ve explored so far, this area wasn’t as clean and vibrant. Some of the buildings were old and worn out, with a select few looking like they’d collapse any day now. There were demons along the road that watched us as we passed by them, others hiding between alleys or poorly-made shelters, with one or two of them sleeping without a care in the world. According to my [Size Up], the races around here consisted of Imps, Lilims, and some subraces of Werebeasts like cats, rabbits, raccoons, and rodents. They all looked malnourished, haven’t received a good bath in months, and were drained of life.

“Master, I’m not liking the atmosphere of this place,” Ren said, “Are we really talking about something important here?”

“Sue? Is it okay for us to be here for that talk?” I asked her.

“As far as I’ve heard, not a lot of people from middle-class and above would approach this area, and many locals here aren’t confrontational or brave to take chances on things that could put their lives at risk,” the fake Arch Imp explained, “We won’t need to worry about running into unnecessary battles and we won’t get eavesdropped by someone important around here, but … I’d be lying if I said I was glad knowing such a place exists.”

The three of us looked at Sue with confused expressions as we walked.

“Seeing a place in this condition from even before the previous Demon King left, there’s definitely something going on between the nobles that he or his daughter not know about,” Sue continued with a furrowed brow, “While both of them have made efforts to make peace with the other territories in Padimon, they still put their own subjects’ safety and well being in a higher priority. There should have been progress to make places like this better, so why hasn’t anything around here changed?”

<Hmm, I’m sensing great anger, frustration, and guilt from Sue right now,> Nyra informed me, <It’s like she feels responsible for these slums to still exist.>

Huh … wonder why that is?

After some more walking, we arrived in what looks like a junkyard. Many old, discarded, broken items were spread all around us in chaotic piles. Eroded wood, warped metal, filthy furniture, broken tools, the list went on, and the place ranked like many dumpsters took a shit and vomited in the same location. Ren, with her canine sense of smell, was repulsed and even in pain from the stench as she covered her nose and mouth. Since I carried the [Werewolf’s Olfactory Sense] ability, my face contorted the same way.

Just as it looked like both of us were about to vomit from the repulsive atmosphere earlier, a light breeze blew over us, and the stench left without a trace.

“Whew, that’s better,” Ume said, “My [Air Barrier] spell usually deflects some trajectory attacks, but it looks like it also serves to keep any air inside it clean. We can breathe easier in here as long as I have this [Storm Magic] spell maintained.

“... Lady Umeiyon, you saved my nose’s life. I’m forever in your debt,” Ren said while bowing her head deeply.

I followed Ren’s example, “You’re a lifesaver, Ume, I’ll make sweet love with you tonight, for sure.” 

“Aw, don’t mention it. I’m sure you’d do the same thing here, Jin, but you went through a lot today, so I thought I’d pull some weight on my end,” Ume said.

I didn’t know a spell like [Air Barrier] existed yet, so I was grateful to have a magic specialist as my wife to think of this first. Hell, I was grateful for this world’s magic in general. I’m definitely going to cast [Clean] on us when we leave, just to keep us infection-free.

“This should be a good place for us to talk,” Sue said, “Let’s find some decent seats around here and try to get comfortable as we might be around for a while. Oh, and watch your step for any sharp objects, too.”

Orange_Rain

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