Wataru, Aria, and Résistance quietly followed behind Sebas. Just as they had imagined, the interior of the mansion was spacious, the epitome of luxury. It was clear to see that everything was of the finest quality, from the carpets in the hallway, to the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, to the paintings on the walls. Simply put, this place was certainly a step up from Jacob’s mansion.
“I—I feel a bit nervous...” Wataru and Résistance heard Aria whisper quietly from behind them.
“Yeah. It’s crazy that sweet digs like this are in a wasteland. Who in the world owns this place...?” Résistance furrowed her brow in suspicion as she watched Sebas’s back.
After a short while, they finally arrived inside a great hall at the center of the mansion.
“Now, inside here, if you would.”
“Whoa! This place is huge!!”
Wataru did as Sebas asked and found himself overwhelmed by the vastness of the hall. Oddly enough, there wasn’t a stick of furniture in the room; there wasn’t a single table, chair, or anything else. The room was completely bare.
The only object of note was the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, which lit up every part of the room with a sparkling glitter. After walking them to the center of the room, Sebas suddenly turned to the three and said, “Sir Wataru. I am fully aware that you have come here in search of an orb.”
“Ah, you know already! Sweet! Hand it over!” Wataru’s face wore the stony determination of a Nio as he expressed his demand, making it intimidatingly clear that there was not the slightest room for compromise. However, Sebas remained unfazed and merely shook his head.
“The orb is a treasured heirloom passed down from generation to generation among the members of the House of Evil... I cannot give it to you so easily.”
“The House of Evil...???” Wataru tilted his head to one side, confused at the unfamiliar phrase. Résistance, on the other hand, opened her mouth in surprise.
“Th-The House of Evil...!?”
“Do you know what he’s talking about, Résistance!?”
“Yeah!” Résistance nodded firmly in response to Aria’s question. “The House of Evil is well-known within the Wind Continent’s underworld as a guild of assassins.”
“A-Assassins...!?”
Of course, this is just what we’d expect from Résistance. As one of the former Four Masters serving under the Demon Lord, she knew a great deal about the underworld.
“All members of the House of Evil receive special training from a very young age. They are all, obviously, professional killers. Expensive, but I hear they’ll perfectly execute any mission they’ve been paid for...”
She began to peer out into the furthest reaches of the vast hall as she continued. “It makes sense that this mansion would be way out here, then. An assassin’s guild would want to have their home base in a remote place like this wasteland.”
Sebas beamed in approval. “The lady seems quite familiar with us. With that explained, please allow me to proceed directly to the main topic of discussion.”
“The main topic of discussion...?”
“Should you wish to obtain the orb... you must defeat the heiress of the House of Evil, Lady Elphabelle.”
Wataru sneered and clenched his fists in fearless anticipation!! “So, a one-on-one! Of course!! I finally get to go all out!!”
Wataru’s frustration with this quest for the six orbs had been building as he faced ridiculous challenges like a hotdog eating contest and a novel-plot judging! But now, he at last had the chance to meet an opponent face-to-face in battle!
“Am I to understand by this reaction that you accept this arrangement?”
“I accept!!” Wataru roared, slamming himself to the ground and cranking out ten pushups per second in preparation! To him, this was the best warm-up exercise imaginable!
“Careful, Wataru. Like I said before, everyone in this House of Evil is a monster.”
“Just how I like it!!!!!” Wataru shouted, jumping back to his feet at the speed of light! “—Yo! Where’s this Elphabelle person!?!?”
“...She has been in this room since the moment you arrived,” Sebas said with a crafty smile!
“Are you for real!?”
At that very instant, a little girl jumped down from the massive chandelier that hung above them! At 160 centimeters, she was on the small side compared to Wataru! Her bright orange hair was styled in a short bob! But perhaps the most eye-catching thing about her at the moment was the two-meter-long axe she had on her back!
“Allow me to make introductions. Above you is the heiress of the House of Evil, Lady Elphabelle of House Evil.”
As she fell through the air, the little girl—Elphabelle—grabbed the axe off her back! She heaved it downwards, slamming it right at Wataru at the very moment she landed!