CH 32

Exposure.

“Now, today’s session of the National Assembly is now adjourned is what I would like to say, however, I have an urgent matter to raise with Councilor Nasu.”

I have been brought to the National Assembly by Ryo onee-chan’s father, albeit clandestinely.

In all honesty, being brought out of the blue to a place I have only watched on the news up until now, evokes no emotions other than bewilderment. Nevertheless, today I have been appointed the role of conducting searches to identify any non-humans who might be mixed up in this venue through ≪Personal Analyze≫. In that case, the only action I can take is to fulfill that role.

I mean, first of all, I myself am not a human being… but I shouldn’t say that, right?

Even so, who is this person that Uncle Nasu has brought with him? I didn’t see him in the car on the way here.

This is where it all starts. I need to concentrate.

“Councilor Nasu. Please introduce our guest.”

“Yes. I have brought with me today an official of Labyrinth X-J2… no, I should put it this way: the administrator.”

“Huh!” “No way…” “That’s absurd…”

“Now, let’s invite him to join us. This is the ‘King of the Devouring Black Fog’.”

After saying this, the door to the Diet opens, and a small child composed of a fog-like substance enters and makes his way to the platform to deliver his speech.

Eh? That one is a Demon King?

“Now, if you all would excuse me for this appearance of mine for various reasons, ladies and gentlemen of the assembly.”

“This is a Demon King…?” “No way, no way…”

“Ah, I understand that you have a lot to say, but I am a veritable Demon King. The name of the dungeon I rule is ‘White Fog and Black Swamp Forest’. I suppose the name you guys assigned to it is Labyrinth X-J2. Right. For now, you can refer to me as the Fog King.”

“!?”

“What I hope to relay to you this time is about the Demon King and the kin.”

Fog King-chan? You are a Demon King? No, maybe it’s better to say Fog King-san. The complexion of some of the council members changes when they hear his voice.

“Well, this is a piece of information that could be a lifeline for me as well. Therefore, I’ll be misleading you to a certain extent, but I’ll tell you this much. We Demon Kings are capable of creating our own demons called ‘kin’ from human beings.”

Eh? Then… Kurokiri-san is…

“W-what does that mean…?”

“It means exactly what it sounds like. And most of the kin have an appearance roughly the same as you humans do.”

…

“!? I-If that’s the truth, then that’s a very grave concern…”

“S-so you’re pointing out that monsters could be living among normal people.”

“Oh my god…”

“I’ll warn you, you don’t need to hunt down and detain a kin that hasn’t committed anything. It depends on who’s the master, and I’ve done nothing more than preventing information leakage.”

“As if I’d believe that!”

“I guess so. So monitoring suspicious people is fine. However, a kin is basically no different from a human being. You should remember that. And if you lay a hand on my kin without any particular crime… do you understand the consequences?

A chill crawls across my spine. But I think this is the truth. In fact, I am a kin of a certain Demon King, yet I have not received any orders to do anything.

Oh no, I have to concentrate. I have to proceed with the analysis… huh? This person…? Something is disrupting my ≪Personal Analyze≫…?

“You… What do you desire from us by delivering such a message…”

That’s right. There is no doubt. This person is…

“I have a certain objective. To attain that goal, I’m operating the labyrinth. Ideally, I want to kill, be killed, help, and be helped. Well, it would be preferable to have humans governing the country. That’s why I’d like this subject to be spread around the world if possible.”

a kin!

“And apparently, someone really did blend in.”

With that, Fog King-san turns to the councilman, whom I have identified as a kin.[i] Eh, huh? Why? Well, okay. At any rate, simultaneously with that, the people around that council member pull back all at once.

“Hah! It’s a false accusation!”

“My bad, but if you want evidence, I have the right kind of proof using my skills. Besides, I mentioned it earlier. A kin is no different from a human being. Therefore, it is unnecessary to restrain them when they have done nothing. Ah, but if you ask your master and get their approval, then at least provide me with the name of your master and the name of the dungeon. In any case, there must be a means of communication for such an eventuality, right?”

“Tsk…! That’s… eh, ah, gah!”

The councilor who is a kin suddenly begins to tremble, and his face becomes somewhat vixen-like.

“Excuse me. My name is ‘Hundred Beast Clad Fox Princess’. I am the master of the labyrinth you call X-J3, the ‘Fox City of the Beasts of War’. Did you say you are the Fog King? You have a very appetizing manner of doing things, aren’t you?”

A female speaking with an old man’s voice is so creepy… but that’s not the point.

“It makes no difference to me. So, the fact that you’re displaying your face to me like way suggests that this old man’s sole purpose is to collect information.”

“Well, perhaps the goals of mine and yours aren’t so different. Frankly speaking, I have no intention of ruling the country. Unless someone causes unnecessary harm to my kin.”

“I see. By the way, have you informed anyone of your goal?”

“Of course not.”

Fog King-san and Fox Princess-san (the councilor controlled by her) mutually deepen their smiles.

“Then I’ll be leaving without further information to disclose. Well, humans. Let me be excused for this time.”

“Then I shall do the same.”

With those remarks, Fog King-san vanishes from the scene, and the councilor, who is being manipulated by Fox Princess-san, reverts back to his original face.

“This is utterly unanticipated…”

In my ears, I can hear Uncle Nasu’s mutterings, which are tinged with perplexity.

T/N:

[i] For those who don’t get why Chirito is confused that Kurokiri is facing the councilor suddenly after he identified that the councilor is a kin, that’s because Chirito doesn’t know Kurokiri is his master. And it’s not explicitly stated, but let’s just assume Kurokiri has some sort of power that can know who’s the kin are after Chirito managed to identify with the use of his skill since a lot of things are omitted in Japanese novel