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Yotsuya Miko might have a special body, but before becoming a demon she'd still been just an ordinary girl.
To truly understand everything about demons, a detailed, hands-on lesson was unavoidable.
And when it came to this sort of thing, Edgar had plenty of experience.
Using his vast knowledge, he guided her step by step, leading her deeper into the vast sea of demonic arts.
But even he had overestimated how much Miko could take in.
Lost in that ocean of arcane power, she slipped toward unconsciousness.
"Miko, this won't do. Bring back the will you had at the start."
Edgar frowned, but he didn't stop.
He knew that some opportunities only came once. If she failed this lesson now, she'd get lost again the next time without a doubt.
He didn't give her a chance to refuse. Covering her mouth, he hardened his resolve and forced the knowledge straight into her mind.
No one knew how long it lasted.
Miko's eyes suddenly flew open, as if she'd glimpsed the very root of magic.
"This… this is the real… secret?"
It felt like she was swimming through some boundless ocean, and her mind was flooded by a single overwhelming emotion.
Every cell in her body activated at once, rising and evolving at a speed she could almost see.
Yuuko Kanoe watched all of this with her fists clenched so tight her palms were soaked.
She never imagined that Miko, who had been an ordinary human until recently, could have this much potential.
Breaking past her limits again and again.
It hit Yuuko right where it hurt.
"If even Miko can have this level of will, then so can I."
She'd already made up her mind yesterday. Now that she'd seen Miko's transformation with her own eyes, there was no backing out.
"Looks like you've found your resolve."
Edgar snapped his fingers.
A crisp sound rippled through the air, and faint waves shimmered like water.
He didn't need to do anything more. Now that Yuuko was resolved, she craved the knowledge on her own.
But when the demonic path descended on her, she finally understood what Miko had gone through.
Her reason felt like it was being devoured, her consciousness thrown into the abyss of magic.
The torrent of arcane knowledge crashed over her like a storm, so powerful she instinctively slipped into her ghost form and floated upward.
No one knew how long she drifted there.
Eventually, she too glimpsed the secrets of the demonic arts.
Magic surged into her endlessly, filling her to the brim.
But when it came to knowledge, a person was never satisfied.
"Stronger… I need to get stronger."
Yuuko's hunger for magic knowledge became downright greedy.
She lost count of how many times she felt she'd reached her limit, only to force herself through and find there was still room to grow.
Finally, she burned through the last of her strength.
[Yotsuya Miko]
[Level: 15]
[Yuuko Kanoe]
[Level: 16]
Edgar nodded at the floating panels.
Not bad.
Miko had gained six levels. Yuuko had gained five.
"On top of that, my own magic has increased a bit. I can faintly sense the edge of a bottleneck coming."
He checked the experience he'd gained and then glanced toward the group of familiars watching him from not far away.
"…"
Shiho Miyano and the others didn't even have time to react before Edgar's presence washed over them like a divine pressure from above.
"Alright. You've rested long enough. Time for you all to work harder too."
—
Gun Brave World
Edgar's figure appeared in the palace.
Time flowed differently between worlds, but the difference was small enough not to matter.
Right now, it was noon.
His familiars were in the middle of lunch.
"Master, you're here!"
The moment Edgar arrived, Freya and the others lit up with excitement.
In a flash, Leone leapt forward like a clingy cat and wrapped herself around his arm.
She swayed it back and forth, whining, "Master, I've been working sooo hard lately."
Keeping a straight face, Edgar pulled his arm free and patted her on the head. "Alright, let's talk business first."
Thanks to his main-world familiars—who had pretty much drained him—he was currently in a rare sage-like state.
"Business?" Leone blinked and stared at her master.
Was this really him?
And also…
She sniffed the air.
So many women's scents.
Damn. Case closed.
Those cheating cats in the main world.
"Alright, give me a rundown of the situation."
Edgar sat at the head of the table and glanced over each familiar.
Najenda spoke first. "Master, the kingdom's plans are going well. None of the nearby nations can stand against Esdeath's army."
"The only issue is finances, but with the Empire supporting us, it's not a problem in the short term."
Norne nodded. "According to my calculations, our resources can sustain the campaign long enough to conquer the surrounding nations."
"In fact, if things go well, some may even surrender ahead of time."
"Unless…"
"Go on," Edgar said casually. "I have time. The earlier we solve problems, the better."
"Yes, Master."
Norne continued, "I'm concerned that Brannica and the demon race might intervene in the war. That could complicate things."
Long ago, the demon race fought against the Kingdom of Geola. For strategic reasons, Geola abandoned Brannica and the southern border towns.
Brannica, desperate to survive, negotiated with the demons.
In the end, it became a city where humans and demons coexisted.
"That's definitely a problem," Edgar murmured, rubbing his chin.
If he remembered correctly, the original storyline involved that place too.
"In that case, let's go have a look. If anything happens, we'll deal with it directly."
The moment he said this, Esdeath and the others sparkled with excitement.
"Master, I'm going!" Esdeath declared.
"…"
Edgar suddenly realized something.
Having too many familiars wasn't always a good thing.
"I have a suggestion!" Chelsea smacked the table. " Aside from Esdeath, Norne, and Najenda, everyone else will draw lots to decide who gets to accompany the Master."
"What!? Esdeath, Norne, and Najenda glared at her.
Their combined pressure made the entire dining hall tremble.
Everyone knew: without a good explanation, Chelsea would not be walking out of this room unscathed.
But Chelsea stayed perfectly calm.
"I'm not targeting you three," she said. " But it's still wartime. Can the kingdom's campaign run without you?"
The three women froze.
Right. That… was actually true.
Esdeath handled the conquests. Norne handled strategy.Najenda handled finance and logistics.
Everyone else could leave. But those three really couldn't.
Realizing this, the three of them suddenly looked miserable.
Who knew how long their Master would stay this time? What if he left right away?
They'd lose out big time.
The three exchanged glances.
If that was the case…
They had to make it count.
In perfect sync, their eyes turned toward Edgar.
"..."
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