Instead, I’ll Give You Cute Executives(2)

Whether going here.

“Wooow…”

Or going there.

“Hyaaah…”

Exclamations burst out at everything seen wherever we go.

Like a pot placed on high heat in real-time, Shati’s emotional spring was continuously overflowing every time we moved inside the museum.

“This is a magic circle brought from a ship outside the underwater kingdom built 1,500 years ago, skilled in curse magic and in many ways…”

Even now, Shati couldn’t close her open mouth at the guide’s explanation standing behind and listening.

Magics completely different from those she usually encountered were endlessly digging into Shati’s mind, so her knowledge and magical skills were literally growing in real-time.

Of course, that doesn’t mean Shati was only focusing on the things displayed in the museum.

No matter how enjoyable it was to learn new knowledge and magic, she had to pay attention to calming her legs that were trying to move on their own, as it was clear she would really be expelled if she acted individually like before.

‘Pina is…’

“Ugh, no. If I move on my own, I’ll definitely be expelled…”

‘Just like me.’

Looking ahead, it seems Pina was also struggling in her own way to calm her legs that were trying to be dominated by the desire for knowledge.

While feeling a sense of kinship with such Pina, Shati turned her head to the opposite side and.

“Wah…! When did you come here?!”

“Well, just now. Don’t mind it. I’m just interested in the contents of this museum and wanted to take a closer look.”

She shouted in surprise at the sight of Isolde who had somehow come to her side.

She really approached from the side without making any sound, and I hadn’t even noticed.

Isolde answers with her usual expressionless face and cold tone to Shati who asks in surprise.

Come to think of it, I had forgotten for a moment, but Isolde was also a mage.

Because Isolde was one of the extremely few mages in this group including Meiyel, Pina, and Shati herself, Shati nodded her head in understanding her words.

“Well, this museum is really interesting after all.”

“Yes.”

After all, it would be strange for a mage not to be interested in the exhibits of this museum.

And if one is interested, it’s natural to want to look closer.

Unless one uses a sword like Arin beside her, if one can’t enjoy looking around this museum pleasantly while using magic, they’d be disqualified as a mage.

In fact, even on Isolde’s seemingly expressionless face, there was a very faint smile. A smile that probably no one else noticed.

It was a smile that Shati could grasp because she had always observed Meiyel, who was expressionless like Isolde every day.

Shati smiled for a moment looking at Isolde who agreed with her words that the museum was enjoyable, but soon turned her head forward again.

“This concludes the explanation. I hope you have a pleasant viewing.”

“Then let’s go see the next thing. Next is… that one.”

The guide who had been explaining until now disappears towards the bathroom.

Aria leads the front row of children by waving her hand, leaving such a guide behind.

And Shati followed the guide’s back with a disappointed expression while walking along the front row.

“Ah, I didn’t hear that last part properly…”

“I have a recording, so I’ll let you listen to it later.”

“Oh, really?! Thank you!”

Shati had a disappointed expression because she hadn’t properly heard what the guide was explaining from the middle, but soon smiled brightly at Isolde’s words that she would let her listen to the recorded content later.

Was it because she felt a sense of kinship at the museum that she usually didn’t feel, or because of her heart that was not just burning vigorously but raising pillars of fire?

Whichever it was, Shati expressed her gratitude again and again for Isolde’s appearance and consideration that felt different from usual, and to Shati’s shower of gratitude, Isolde let out a short hum and waved her hand.

“That’s enough thanks. In the first place, the reason I’m sticking close like this is for something else besides interest…”

“Something else…?”

“I have no intention of telling you that far.”

When Shati asked back at her words about something else, Isolde cleanly cut off her words.

Seeing that appearance, it didn’t seem like she would tell at all, so Shati nodded her head while stroking the pink part of her hair, which was half ash-colored and half pink.

If she doesn’t intend to tell, what can I do?

What’s important to Shati now is only gratitude towards Isolde who said she would tell her the content she missed later, and interest in the unknown thing to see next.

“Alright, next is this magic engineering…”

“Um, Professor!”

Therefore, Shati tried to listen to Aria’s explanation about the magic engineering miniature device she was introducing, but someone raised their hand in front of Shati.

The person who raised their hand was none other than Kana standing in the front row.

Kana spoke to Aria with a somewhat anxious appearance while supporting her leg with one hand.

“Professor… could I possibly use the bathroom…”

“Hm? Ah, the bathroom.”

As expected, she looked somewhat anxious because she urgently needed the bathroom. Fortunately, the bathroom was right next door.

And when Kana said she would go to the bathroom, somehow Shati also felt a signal coming slowly.

Moreover, since the museum was very large, if she didn’t go to the bathroom right next door now that the signal had come, there was a possibility she wouldn’t be able to concentrate properly later.

The moment she thought that far, Shati raised her hand without hesitation following Kana.

“Professor Aria, would it be alright if I also went to the bathroom?”

“You too?”

When Shati also raised her hand, Aria’s expression hardened slightly. It seemed she was worried about sudden departures during the progress of the schedule.

But isn’t it a human habit that when there’s someone who wants to go to the bathroom, others rush together?

“Ah, then could I go too…”

“Riana’s going too? Then I should go as well.”

“Then perhaps I could also…”

“This is a complete mass exodus.”

After Shati raised her hand following Kana, Riana also raised her hand, and when Riana raised her hand, Arin, and following that, Pina also raised her hand.

When five people, half the number, raised their hands like that, Aria’s expression literally froze.

…Is it so difficult to let them go to the bathroom?

For a moment, seeing Aria’s face, Shati had such a thought, but it seems Aria herself also thought that not letting them go to the bathroom was too much.

Aria pressed her brow for a moment as if considering various things, then gestured to Isolde and Morgan and said:

“I’ll give you about 5 minutes, so go. Isolde, Morgan. You two follow them.”

“Okay.”

“Got it.”

Isolde and Morgan walk forward without a moment’s hesitation at Aria’s words.

As they go ahead saying to follow, an inexplicable solemnity is visible from the two, so Shati wondered if going to the bathroom was something that had to be done with such a sense of mission, but before that question could find an answer, Shati had no choice but to follow Isolde and Morgan.

“Bathroom…”

Because the bathroom was more urgent for now.

---

“…Will it be alright? Sister.”

“Of course, there’s no problem.”

After sending off Arin, Shati, Kana, Riana, and Pina to the bathroom with Isolde and Morgan as escorts, I whispered quietly to Mu while commanding the extra students who were waiting quietly.

It seems the students felt doubtful about my overly protective appearance when sending them to the bathroom just now, but this overprotection of mine was all for a reason.

That reason was none other than because demons had been caught in the detection net Mu had spread.

Of course, they hadn’t come inside, and were detected outside the museum, but because I knew that demons were aiming for something outside the museum, I tried to keep the students together as much as possible if possible.

If they were separated, the students might get involved in whatever the other side was preparing.

However, no matter what, it was too much to block even physiological phenomena, and since the bathroom was nearby, I first sent them to the bathroom with Isolde and Morgan as escorts, but looking at Mu, it seems the uneasiness was unavoidable.

“Don’t worry, Mu. The great generals and elite demons alone who came here won’t be able to succeed in anything. Moreover, if Isolde and Morgan are with those who went to the bathroom, they’ll be able to respond easily.”

“If it’s sister’s words, there’s no need to worry…”

Yes, whether Idea comes directly or not, there’s no problem as long as we’re here.

Moreover, if Isolde and Morgan are together, they’ll easily subdue demon great generals.

Therefore, I reassured Mu who seemed to be worrying about the students who went to the bathroom, and when I said so directly, Mu nodded once and stopped her feet that had been rolling anxiously.

As expected, a homunculus-like response that would believe even black is white if I say so. Recently, it seems that tendency has somewhat faded, but it’s probably an issue that arose while growing, so it shouldn’t be a big problem.

I slightly leaned my back against the wall after seeing Mu who had calmed down at my words and was now yawning lazily with complete peace of mind.

‘I don’t know exactly how they’ll come out, but.’

At least they should know that we can grasp their movements from this side.

With such thoughts, I closed my eyes while leaning my back against the wall and slowly expanded my sense.

“Hmm…”

Unlike Mu in Meiyel’s form, I can’t use magic like detection nets, but instead I could feel presences to some extent with a warrior’s own sense expansion.

Of course, this would be inferior to Morgan who can sense demon energy as a fellow demon, but at least I can detect the actions of those demons gathered in the secluded place outside the museum.

But of course, it’s not like reading every single finger movement like martial arts masters.

All I can know is only where these sensed presences are moving.

However, even this alone was enormously helpful in responding to the demons’ actions, so I focused on the demons’ presences felt within the expanded sense.

I concentrate and concentrate in order to draw my sword immediately if they make any rash moves.

“Well, I’m confident no matter what they do.”

At most, they’re just level 70 to 80 demons carrying out actions. I muttered softly while caressing the sword hilt and.

That this was my arrogance and carelessness was made known to me by the explosion sound that followed.

Kwaaaaang…!!!

“An explosion?!”

I abruptly got up from leaning against the wall at the explosion sound heard from far away.

The extra students I was commanding and others in the museum also seemed surprised, as they looked towards where the explosion sound came from.

This confirmed that the explosion sound I just heard wasn’t a mishearing.

And unlike others who were looking in the direction the sound came from normally, I approached Mu who was looking at something else using magic and asked:

“Meiyel, where did that explosion just now occur?”

“Right in front of the entrance of the Library of Records… It’s blocked by a considerably strong barrier now.”

“Damn it, is it Idea?”

No matter how I thought about it, there was no one but Idea who could cause an explosion loud enough to be heard from the Library of Records to here and cast a barrier strong enough for Mu to call robust.

As expected, it seems Idea sent only her subordinates here and attacked the library.

Come to think of it, what Idea originally aimed for was the Library of Records, so it wasn’t greatly different from the original story, but causing an explosion at the Library of Records right away was an unexpected situation.

Originally, Idea had tried to quietly sneak in with her subordinates and just take the books from the library but failed.

And since the reason Idea failed to steal the books was unknown, I couldn’t know properly and became quite anxious that she might steal the books from the library along with the change of attempting an attack first.

Therefore, I glared towards the Library of Records while spitting out curses and at the same time asked Mu one more thing:

“Meiyel, what about orders to Isolde and Morgan?”

“I’ve done it. Even if they couldn’t disobey due to the contract, judging by the lack of resistance felt, it seems they had no intention of betraying from the beginning.”

“That’s fortunate to hear.”

I was worried that Isolde and Morgan might be planning to escape or betray at an opportunity, but fortunately, it seems the two intended to follow us from the beginning.

It was quite unexpected, but in the current situation, I could only express it as fortunate, so I then ordered Mu:

“Then leave Yujia and Kama’s duplicates here on autonomous action. Is teleportation to the Library of Records possible?”

“It’s possible if we go outside the museum. Then 『Duplicates, protect the students.』”

“Good, everyone pay attention. You stick with Yujia and Kama. We’re going to where the explosion occurred.”

At Mu’s words mixed with magic power, Yujia and Kama that Mu was directly controlling begin to act on their own.

The top priority order Mu had inputted was to protect the students. Probably, it would be nearly impossible to lay hands on the students with just these two duplicates.

Even if their combat power is lowered by changing to autonomous action, they have the skill to fight equally with demon executives.

“Yes, yes! Professor!”

“P-Please come back safely…!”

“You mean wait here, right?”

Therefore, I pulled Mu’s arm, leaving behind the students who straightened their backs and answered my words.

“Then Mu, we’re going to the Library of Records. Let’s stop Idea.”

“Okay.”

I didn’t expect her to move first like this and didn’t think she would do such an unexpected thing, but the situation itself wasn’t bad.

No matter how Idea tries to steal the books, it should take about 10 minutes. That was more than enough time for us to arrive at the library.

So now that we’ve grasped that their king Idea is at the Library of Records, all that’s left is for us to move there and subdue the king.

“Then I’ll teleport. 『Teleport』.”

Therefore, at my words that we’re going to the Library of Records, Mu first executed teleportation magic to the outside of the museum to see the coordinates to the Library of Records and.

It didn’t even take 10 seconds to realize that was the wrong decision.

Flash──!

With the teleportation magic Mu activated, the view blinked for a moment and the view that was full of walls and exhibits unique to the museum just now contained the buildings and sea of the underwater kingdom.

“We’re out!”

“Yes, Mother. Then I’ll teleport straight to the Library of Records.”

And as soon as we came out of the museum, Mu started calculating the coordinates to the Library of Records built far away, with a speech pattern changed to honorifics in a place without people, at my words shouted right after coming out.

“Damn it, it’s completely on fire.”

While Mu was calculating the coordinates, I narrowed my eyes and examined the situation of the Library of Records built at the end of the straight-line distance.

The situation clearly visible after coming out of the museum.

The explosion earlier was more powerful than expected, as the area around the Library of Records had turned into a sea of fire, and magicians of the underwater kingdom who seemed to be soldiers were trying to extinguish the fire, but all the water they were spewing was blocked by a translucent barrier and couldn’t pass through.

We need to quickly go there and clear the flames with Meiyel’s magic or whatever and enter the inside of the library.

“Mu, hurry… Mu?”

Therefore, I tried to urge Mu who was calculating the coordinates, but when I turned my head, I unconsciously lowered my voice at the sight of Mu looking at the exact opposite direction of the library, in other words, the museum we just came out of.

And I also turned to look at the museum following Mu who was showing such a strange appearance, and couldn’t help but close my half-open mouth.

“Mother… it seems even the students are in danger.”

When I closed my mouth, Mu who had been blankly looking at the museum finally groaned and said.

I agreed with Mu’s words.

No, not just me, but anyone else who was called and saw this would have to agree with Mu’s words.

“Damn it… To think those demon bastards. I can’t believe they prepared something like this.”

Wooong───

A purple curtain devouring the museum along with an unpleasant vibrating sound.

It was a curtain that I was seeing for the first time in reality, but it was a curtain that remained in my memory because I had been hit by it many times when playing in the demon realm in the game.

The curtain that envelops the museum and then inflates into an oval shape, the Isolation Barrier.

A skill that completely cuts off inside and outside, internal and external, the Isolation Barrier. It seems this was what the demons outside were aiming for.

If Mu and I were inside, it would have been a barrier we could easily break with force, but being outside, there was nothing we could do unless someone inside killed the caster of this barrier or the caster directly released the barrier.

In other words, this meant that the students we left inside the museum and we were completely isolated.

Isolde, who knows how to use teleportation magic, could easily bring the students out of the barrier, but the caster of the barrier wouldn’t have cast the barrier without thinking of even that.

In fact, the proof is that no one has come out until now.

In the end, I forcefully turned my gaze away from the Isolation Barrier and shouted at Mu.

“We have no choice. Mu. Anyway, since there’s no way to get in, we’ll have to believe that Isolde and Morgan will somehow manage and we need to do what we need to do right now.”

“…Yes.”

Mu also nods as if understanding at my words.

Then Mu rebuilt the teleportation magic that she had briefly cut off earlier, piercing through Idea’s barrier, and the next moment, the bright light of the teleportation magic swallowed us.

And at both the library and the museum.

Their own fierce battles raised the curtain on the prologue.