Alice continued to insist that she was human, but there was no way the demon race would coincidentally single out Alice and deceive us for no reason. The most convincing proof was that Alice could use dark magic.
"Fine. I know a few dark magics. If you chant one and nothing happens, I'll acknowledge that you're truly human."
"Okay!"
After that, I took Alice to a plain far away from where we had been. Before leaving, I saw Grace sitting on the ground looking unwell, with Jacob taking care of her. Was something mixed up here?
Putting that aside and focusing back on Alice—back when I read books on ancient dark-elemental magic, there was a magic I'd always wanted to see with my own eyes.
"First, chant it with me: Black Hole."
A black hole is a black sphere with incredibly strong gravitational pull. In truth, though, a black hole isn't a physical object—you can't touch it. But we can't truly confirm that, nor dare to, because once you get close, you'd be pulled in and erased from this world.
There was also a note saying that only the caster would be spared from being sucked in, so there was no need to worry about digging your own grave. Still, I needed to put as much distance as possible between myself and Alice, or I'd get dragged in too.
"Bleck hon?"
"It's "black hole." Pronounce it properly."
"Brack ho?"
"Try again. Black hole."
"Bek ho?"
"Are you doing this on purpose?"
That was the third time already. At that point, the only explanation I could think of was that she was messing with me. But Alice looked completely serious.
"I'm not! I'm really trying!"
"Fine. Again."
After repeating it more than ten times—so many that I was about to lose my mind—Alice finally managed to pronounce it correctly.
To avoid getting caught up in it, I retreated far behind Alice and lay flat on the ground, pressing my entire body down. Just in case, I stabbed my sword into the earth and gripped the hilt tightly.
Then Alice raised her hand and shouted the magic name.
"Black hole!"
In the next instant, an enormous black hole appeared. Alice's face drained of all color—this was undeniable proof that she was a half-demon.
"I… I successful?"
The pull of the black hole bent the grass toward it, and I could see chunks of loosened soil from several meters around being sucked in. I felt my body starting to lift—wasn't this pull way too strong?!
And wasn't this black hole way too big?! Crap—I forgot to tell Alice to adjust the output level. I shouted at her in a panic.
"Alice, cancel it now!"
"O-okay! Waaaah—!"
The moment Alice canceled it, she was blasted upward by an intense burst of wind pressure, her body flying into the air. Startled, I ran toward her with the wind and positioned myself beneath her, catching her as she fell.
As for why there was such a powerful gust—it was because when the black hole vanished, that space instantly became a vacuum. Air rushed in at tremendous speed to fill it, creating a violent pressure wave.
And the larger the vacuum, the stronger that pressure becomes. That was why Alice was sent flying.
After catching her, I gently set her back on the ground. She was incredibly light, and with how much fabric her outfit had, it was only natural she'd be blown away like that.
Having just experienced flight, Alice was overwhelmed by all kinds of negative emotions. I tidied my wind-tossed hair, then went to retrieve my sword before returning to her side.
She seemed a bit calmer now, so I spoke to her.
"Can you accept this result?"
Alice looked dazed. After staring at me for a while, she finally spoke.
"...What result?"
"The result that you're a half-demon."
The moment I said it, Alice clutched her head in despair. She looked utterly pitiful—anyone who didn't know the situation would probably think I was bullying her.
"I… I'm really not human… then will I be killed…?"
Her voice trembled as if she were sentencing herself to death. I couldn't understand it. She hadn't done anything wrong—why would she be killed?
"Why? Have you done something bad?"
"But I'm a demon."
Hearing that triggered my lecturing habit. I crouched down and spoke to Alice.
"That way of thinking isn't right. How can you kill someone just because they're a demon? What if they're a good person?"
"But the temple says demons are enemies of humanity."
The temple again. Honestly, not a single word from them was worth trusting. Having lived a past life in a country of many races, I couldn't accept that kind of thinking.
"But humans and demons can live together peacefully. You yourself are proof of that."
"Me?"
Alice was the best possible outcome of peaceful coexistence between humans and demons. But she didn't seem to understand, so I decided to ask about her parents.
"Did your parents get along well?"
"I don't know. I've lived in the temple as a saintess since I was little. I've never met my parents."
What a pitiful child. Brainwashed by the temple from a young age, to the point she'd grown into a naive, clueless girl. Still, Alice must have been curious about her parents.
"Then did you ever try to look for them?"
"Archbishop Osferen said my parents were already gone."
"You…"
"Karen, what was that huge black sphere just now? It looked terrifying."
"Saintess… is the Saintess really a demon? And I swear I just saw her flying—was I imagining things?"
Just as I was about to speak, Jacob and Grace interrupted me. Their timing was almost too perfect. All I wanted to do was tell Alice that the archbishop's words couldn't be trusted.
I stood up and answered them.
"Alice is indeed half-demon, and that large sphere was dark-elemental magic. As for what kind of magic it was, I'll explain later."
"Alice?" Grace frowned. "Karen, didn't you used to call her Saintess?"
"Yeah, why did you suddenly change how you address her?"
"Ah—now that you mention it…" Alice said, brightening as she stood up and joined the conversation. "The Brave did call me by my name earlier."
I pointed at myself and said to Alice,
"Alice, I have a name too. Don't keep calling me 'Brave.'"
"Then what should I call you?"
That was such a strange question. Based on what I'd just said, the answer should've been obvious. I replied to the airheaded girl without much emotion.
"...My name."
"Understood, Mr. Karen."
Then I glanced between Alice, Grace, and Jacob. Ethefelis still hadn't returned, and quite a bit of time had passed. Was the forest that large, or had she run into a tough fight?
I was worried about Ethefelis—but not worried enough to rush out and act. The fact that the king had chosen her meant she had the strength. I decided to trust that and put my mind at ease, at least a little.
"...Alice, how did you know we were here?"
"Archbishop Osferen told me."
All right, that confirms it. We being watched.
Grace turned to Alice with a question.
"Osferen—the archbishop, right? How did he know?"
"I don't know."
Of course she didn't. Alice was just a piece on the board, acting on the archbishop's instructions. There was no need for her to know more. I cut in.
"We'll know once Ethefelis comes back. Let's return and wait for her."
As we walked back, Jacob pointed at Alice and asked me,
"Karen, what should we do about Alice now? Send her back? If she doesn't say she's half-demon, no one would know."
That question startled Alice so badly she clung to my arm.
"I don't want to go back. I want to stay with Sir Karen."
Lina, I'm sorry. At that moment, I wanted to hear what Alice would say, so I didn't push her away immediately. And I was wearing equipment on my arm, so I didn't feel anything inappropriate—please don't worry or get angry.
I pulled my arm free right after and stepped several paces away before answering Jacob.
"We'll announce it after Ethefelis returns."
Everyone needed to be present. I didn't want to repeat myself two or three times.