How’s that? Could this defeat the giant dog? Maybe, but…
‘What on earth…? A huge tree stump suddenly disintegrates… And the ground… Was that magic? Explosion and gravity manipulation…? And this invisible wall is no ordinary magic wall! Is it actually immobilizing space? But it can’t be…’
The voice in my head is mumbling to itself.
‘Hey, is all of this your doing?’ it demands.
Now it’s asking a direct question. It’s getting hard to ignore.
I do a triple take of my surroundings.
There is absolutely, unquestionably no one around. Just the big trembling dog.
I forgot to mention: I’ve constructed a radar barrier to monitor a hundred-yard radius of my area. I don’t want another demon creature sneaking up on me.
An alarm is set to ring if as much as a single ant intrudes. In fact, bugs and birds have been coming and going all this time, and the alarms are getting maddening.
I create two more barriers to conduct a more detailed investigation.
One is an environmental screener.
With me as the center point, it spreads out slowly and reacts to any object that isn’t a plant or a rock.
The other is an applied X-ray vision barrier.
Wherever the environmental screener responds to something, I send out a tabular barrier and connect it to one in front of my face that displays the image.
Any time something gets caught on radar, I send out a tabular barrier.
There goes a bunny. Oh! And there’s a deer. Oh? And dogs? Quite large for dogs. They’re smaller than this giant dog here, but I see a whole pack of black, wolf-like beasts. Tails tucked between their legs─are they frightened?
‘What’s that floating thing that looks like a window? Hey! Answer me!’
I ignore the voice in my head and continue to give my attention to what is triggering my radar.
Those are…the soldiers who just abandoned me. They don’t seem to be breathing. In fact, it’s a pretty gruesome sight of them covered in blood from head to toe.
I’ve always had an incredibly low tolerance for gore, but for some reason, it’s not bothering me now. Setting that aside…
There is no sign of anyone who looks capable of speaking a human language.
My hypothesis:
A ghost?
‘You’re deliberately ignoring me, aren’t you? The Flame Fenrir right before your eyes is speaking to you!’ the irritated voice presses.
So animals can talk in this world? Wild.
I notice this dog is speaking in a resonant, womanly voice. Is it a female?
This reclusive slacker boy here has basically never interacted with a three-dimensional female, aside from his mom. Sudden anxiety sets in.
★
The animal can talk.
Given its size, it must be a demonic beast─and since we’re in an alternate world, nothing should come as a surprise.
The trouble is, I’m a socially awkward shut-in.
Then again, that’s not a human. I should be fine. I hope.
I like dogs and cats and hamsters and such. This might be manageable. Minus the one fundamental problem.
“Bah, goo.”
I am unable to communicate. I am a wee baby.
‘You can’t talk? From what I’ve seen, you seem quite capable of rational behavior…’
Doesn’t mean I’m going to give up. I’ve got my nifty Barrier magic.
I try to visualize a barrier in my mouth that would input my thoughts and convert the air vibration into voice-like sounds. This can’t possibly work, I think. That would be just too convenient.
“Pleased to meet you.”
Bingo. It sounds high-pitched and distorted, like a voice-changer, but I now have a voice.
‘Gross!’ the dog exclaims.
Not a hit with the audience.
‘Excuse me, my apologies,’ the dog says. ‘It’s just surprising to hear a weird voice coming out of a baby’s mouth. Then again, I just saw you running around and flying in the air. At this point, your voice shouldn’t be such a shock.’
The red-furred Fenrir bows its head.
‘Now, if you’re capable of conversation, answer me this. What… I mean, who…are you? You look like a newborn human, but…’
An introduction seems appropriate. My name is…Reinhardt or something? Too long. New name.
“My name is Haruto. I was born a prince of this country, but was abandoned at birth due to my laughably low mana level.”
I abbreviate my name to make it sound Japanese.
The red rover’s eyes widen.
‘A prince, you say. Son of the Flash Princess Gizelotte and Orteus? You do bear the royal insignia on your chest… But never mind that! You say your mana level is low? I can sense staggering mana from your body. As boundless as to surpass every man─no, the sum of every god in history.’
“According to the measuring instrument, my max mana level is a 2.”
‘That’s absurd!’
Say what you will but that’s all I got. I have no further explanation to offer.
After a long pause, the dog starts mumbling to itself.
‘Hm, I see. After trying to feast on you to replenish my mana, it’s only natural for you to be vigilant towards me. There must be some reason they’d abandon a newborn baby deep in the woods. Oh?! Could you be…’ she gasps.
The dog interrupts its melodramatic monologue, eyes widening.
‘…the Demon King reincarnated?’
How? I was an antisocial Japanese shut-in in my past life.
Considering my circumstance, it probably isn’t wise to admit that I’m a useless mob. If that’s what this dog wants to think, I might as well let it.
“Why yes, I am the Demon King.”
‘I see. You’ve succeeded after all. So that’s why you helped us escape, and stayed behind alone to…’ The dog begins to tear up.
‘Ingenious, though,’ it continues. ‘Reincarnating from the womb of the woman who took your life─the Flash Princess. I know not your ploy, but I am in awe.’
As soon as it perks up, it narrows its eyes suspiciously.
‘Still, it is odd. If you are the Demon King, why do you not recognize me? Your manner of speech is different too.’
What a snoopy dog. Fine then. A diversion.
“Aah, my head… Who am I? I…I can’t remember!”
How’s that?
‘Hmph. Perhaps the aftereffects of the reincarnation magic have muddled his memory? Even on the Demon King, the mystical techniques of the ancients must have taken a heavy toll.’
Oh, good. The dog’s buying it.
‘I care not if you have forgotten me. If my fate is to die by your hand, it is my honor. Go on. Boil me, roast me, slaughter me─do as you will.’
The dog lolls on the ground, belly up.
I know this one! It’s the submissive pose!
Huh?
This is when I finally notice something isn’t right with her (?).
“You’re…injured?”
One side of the dog’s body is slathered with dark red liquid, darker than the fur.
‘Oh, this. I was in a brawl with some demon-hunters. Right now, I am using almost all my mana to hold the wound closed, but I won’t last for long. My strength lies in offense─I am no good at healing.’
The dog seems to laugh dryly.
So that’s why. The reason I managed to imprison this magical creature with my measly level 2 magic is because she (?) is not at full capacity.
I peer at the dog’s side. The gash is hidden by fur, but it sounds like it’s a serious wound.
I wish I could heal it.
I wasn’t treated kindly by humans in my previous life either, but I did find animals comforting. Especially furry ones.
But the moment I heal it, it could bust through the barrier and attack me.
It’s a demon, and demons are evil, right? But this one seems nice, based on our conversation.
I don’t know. I just don’t know.
My people skills─including the skill to judge a person’s character and their intentions─are abysmally poor. And this is a dog, for Christ’s sake. Not a damn clue.
But I do like fluffy creatures!
After a moment of wrestling with myself, I decide to negotiate.
“Um, if I heal that wound, will you let me go?”
‘Let you go?’
“Yeah. No. I mean… Anyway, would you… It would be nice if you could promise to keep your distance from me.”
‘As Demon King, you do have healing powers…’
Unfortunately, I can only use Barrier magic. With no medical knowledge, could I really come up with something so convenient like a healing barrier? A healing pod or something?
If what I’m healing is a physical wound, maybe there is a way to work with it.
The dog, still lying belly up, is contemplating.
‘First and foremost, you’re a human now. Do you trust a demon like me to keep my promise?’
“Are demons generally liars?”
‘Some are malicious. Like the ones who betrayed you─or the Demon King, rather. But I am a proud Flame Fenrir! I would sooner die than break a promise!’
After seeing the dog make this declaration in a submissive pose, I start to think that maybe it can be trusted.
‘Wh-What’s this?! My wound…has closed?!’
The first thing I do is take a closer look at the wound under its fur with a scanning barrier.
It’s pretty deep─all the way down to the organs. I’m amazed this dog’s still alive.
Then I prepare multiple barriers to connect the severed parts, pull them tightly together, and seal it shut.
But all this does is hold the wound together with a bunch of barriers.
Next, I stick tape-like barriers to the outside of the severed muscles and organs, and erase the first barriers. I do this with each individual capillary too.
Performing all these intricate operations simultaneously is pretty mentally exhausting. But I don’t feel my mana decreasing much. It’s weird, though─I do feel it being consumed.
Anyway, I bet there’s still a better way. But this’ll do for now. I make a mental note to investigate it later. In case I need it for my own injuries.
Come to think of it, there’s something I’ve been wondering about.
I ask the dumbfounded dog, “What’s your name?”
‘Never mind that. What did you just do?!’ she snaps. ‘I mean, my apologies. Given what you just did for me, I should express my gratitude first. Thank you. Now, permit me to ask… What did you just do?!’
“Um… Healed you?”
‘The fact that you said it with a question mark makes me very nervous, but my wound does seem to have closed. Although this feels different from healing magic…’
It feels like a hassle to go into detail, so I repeat my question instead. “What’s your name?”
‘You really want to know, don’t you? My name, huh. You ask so impetuously. You seem to have forgotten this too, but the name of each demon incarnate has special significance. You, in your human form, have no right to know…’
“Okay. Flay it is.”
‘Whaaaaa?!’
The dog freezes, still belly up.
“You don’t like it?”
It said so itself that it’s a Flame Fenrir. It would be weird to call it a dog. I figured I’d shorten its clan name…