TRUE ABILITY Chapter 72

Roles and...

A sleek black ponytail sways before my eyes, reflecting the moonlight streaming through the bay window.

"……"

There is no conversation.

I follow Fia-san’s back in silence as she leads the way down the dark corridor we had come from.

The main purpose of this gathering was supposed to be an introduction and a meeting with the other executives. But in the end, there was hardly any conversation between us before everyone mysteriously vanished at the sound of Lloyd-senpai’s enigmatic call of "Dismissed!"

I still have a vivid memory of my own bewilderment amidst the sudden gusts of wind, and Fia-san’s amused smirk as she watched me.

According to Fia-san, that's just how things are done here.

Trying to make sense of it would be pointless.

I’m just a newcomer, and I know nothing about the dark side.

For now, my activities in the dark side will begin under Fia-san’s guidance.

Before I pursue the mystery of the missing stray gods, Lloyd-senpai has ordered that I first learn the basics of the dark side from Fia-san.

Given my original goal, I should be in a hurry, but honestly, I’m grateful for this.

I appreciate it, I really do, but…

"……"

Fia-san walks in silence, without saying a word.

There are many things I’d like to ask, yet I hesitate to speak.

…Could it be that she didn’t want to be my mentor?

…It’s possible. While the other executives are on missions related to the missing stray gods, Fia-san has been assigned the task of mentoring me. It wouldn’t be surprising if she found that frustrating.

Just as I was beginning to worry—

"…Yuno-kun."

Fear stops in her tracks as she whispers this.

"Yes, this name is easier to call."

She turns to face me, her sharp eyes gazing directly into mine.

"……"

…No, seriously. Now that I look at her again, she’s unbelievably beautiful.

I’ve heard rumors that elves are all good-looking, and I can’t argue with that.

"There are many things I need to tell you, but first—congratulations on your appointment as 'Ein'."

"…Thank you."

"You don’t look too happy."

"Well… yeah, that’s true."

Honestly, I can't bring myself to care about rankings or positions.

To put it bluntly, I don’t really care at all.

"Becoming an executive immediately after joining, and not just any executive—ranked number one… I understand why you’d be confused. I bear some responsibility for not telling you in advance. If I had predicted that Zwei would be on our side… No, that’s just an excuse. If I had been stronger, things might have been different. And…"

Fia-san gives a small shake of her head before looking at me once more.

"I won’t tell you to understand everything right away. But one day, you will come to know—the weight of the name 'Ein' and its meaning."

Her voice isn’t loud. Yet there’s an undeniable gravity to her words.

"……"

It’s something I’ll have to think about.

Dark Side, "Shadow Moon" executive, and its number one rank.

Even I can tell it’s an extravagant title.

But right now, I don’t feel it at all.

"What exactly does an executive do? It’s hard to grasp when I’m suddenly told, 'You’re an executive now'…"

"Of course. That’s why I’m here. Let’s walk for now."

Fia-san resumes walking, her gaze turning forward.

Our footsteps echo softly.

"Shadow Moon is an underground organization of a hundred elite members, with Lloyd Mertz at the top. On the surface, we preserve the legends of the gods’ actions. At the same time, we handle matters that are inconvenient for the country in secret. You knew that much, right?"

"……"

I nod vaguely, waiting for her to continue.

"In principle, when something threatens the nation’s stability, the Knights’ Order is the first to respond—dealing with bandit attacks, monster outbreaks, and the like. Adventurers sometimes take on these tasks as well. Then, what about us?"

Fia-san glances at me from the front. She’s prompting me to think.

"…Intervening in conflicts between nobles, perhaps?"

She gives a small nod at my response.

"That’s right. Armed conflicts between authorities—if things get out of hand, we must put an end to them."

"……"

Put an end to them…

I recall the scent of blood when I first met Lloyd-senpai.

I already know how these conflicts are 'settled.'

Cold sweat trickles down my back.

I tell myself that this is just a trial appointment… it’ll be fine.

"But that alone isn’t a problem. There’s no need for Lloyd-sama or the executives to personally intervene in most cases. Every member of the organization possesses a high level of skill. A noble’s private army is no match for us."

…I see.

Now I understand where this is going.

Everything she’s explained so far has been about the purpose of the dark side. And now, she’s about to tell me—

"—You know about demons, don’t you?"

Saying this, Fia-san stops and turns to look at me.

"…Demons."

Of course, I know.

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t.

The reason today’s gods are called "Heroic Gods" is inseparable from their history.

The great war between demons and gods—the gods' victory led to the peace we have now. That is the accepted truth and legend.

"Neither human nor god. And yet, they possess a form similar to ours and wield immense power. A higher-tier monster—no, it would be more accurate to call them Fiends. Their combat ability is, to put it bluntly, monstrous. Even if ordinary knights or adventurers joined forces, they wouldn’t stand a chance."

Her phrasing makes me pause. It sounds as if demons still exist.

"…Have you seen one before?"

At my question, Fia-san solemnly nods, closing her eyes as if recalling a memory.

"Only once. It started as a trivial factional dispute between nobles. But by the end, we had lost half of our dark side members. If not for the previous 'Ein' and Lloyd-sama, we would have been wiped out."

"……"

I’m speechless. I struggle to fully grasp the weight of what she just said.

"How do you know it was a demon? Couldn’t it have been a vampire?"

Fiends… They’re almost mythical, but vampires—creatures that feed on human blood—are known to exist. It would be more believable.

"The gods themselves identified it. They declared it to be a 'demon'."

"…I see."

That was simple. Indeed, if the gods say so, one has no choice but to accept it.

…So they’re an inconvenient existence for the gods.

"After that battle, Lloyd-sama strengthened the organization. That’s how the Ten Executives, known as the 'Numbers,' came to be. The qualifications for being an executive are simple: possessing an extraordinary ability, and the combat power to defeat a Fiend one-on-one."

Fia-san’s gaze pierces me.

"You were chosen. With the title of 'Ein,' the strongest in the dark side."

"…So that’s my role?"

"Of course, that’s not all. Executives also handle powerful monsters, not just Fiends. But if you’re asking about the core duty of an executive, this is the answer. And this is just my guess… but I believe Lloyd-sama has another purpose in mind."

After hearing that, I recall my past conversations with Lloyd-senpai.

The mysteries of the world… and an organization created to uncover them.

That’s likely the real reason, with an official justification layered on top.

As I ponder, Fia-san chuckles.

"There’s no need to be so scared. Like I said, I’ve only seen a demon once. Honestly, we’re not that busy. Most of what we do is dictated by Lloyd-sama’s own interests. Though, this current mission might require some resolve."

"......"

Demons, huh.

Higher beings who were defeated in their struggle against the gods.

Their existence is widely known throughout our world, always accompanied by fear.

And just as the gods have names, it is said that the powerful demons of the past had names as well.

Among them, the Great Demon who once ruled over monsters, the Demon King Satan, is particularly famous.

And then... let's see.

Of course, it's just a story from myths and legends, but—

There is one name I know. A Great Demon said to exist in this world even now.

If I recall correctly, his name was—