Subjugation

First, I hoped Orca would draw its attention by any means necessary.

That’s what the Teacher had said.

Following the Teacher’s instructions, Orca decided to torment the giant before her.

…The fact that she was enjoying the sight of that enormous demon’s suffering more than expected would remain her secret.

“Kwaaaaah…! What are you doing, Haze! Betraying your own kind?!”

“No, hey! Are you trying to get me killed by saying my name?!”

“Traitors siding with clergy deserve death!”

“Ugh… I really don’t know anymore!”

Stones small enough to hold in one hand were thrown using her own strength.

Larger stones required Haze’s assistance as Orca continued harassing the demon.

Her targets were eyes and groin.

According to Haze, while its size had increased, its defense remained unchanged.

Targeting structurally vulnerable areas proved effective.

“Ugh, that must hurt… Hey, could you tone it down a bit?”

“My apologies. This is all I learned thanks to you.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. You’re too useful. I’ll take my anger out on your friend instead.”

To survive back alleys as a child without guardians, one couldn’t afford to be picky about dirty tricks.

Drawing from that experience, Orca relentlessly hurled stones at areas guaranteed to enrage the demon.

“Grrr…! I’ll eliminate you first, you annoying pest!”

“Hoo, finally paying attention? Such concentration deserves praise.”

“What…?!”

As the demon turned to eliminate Orca first, a knight aspirant leapt like lightning.

“Kwaaaaah! M-my arm! Gaaaah!”

“Ugly bastard, didn’t they teach you not to lose focus during battle? Then again, why would His Holiness the Pope know about fighting, right?”

“What… What was that just now?! What did you do?!”

“How’s our next-generation Sword Saint? Awesome, isn’t it? Perfect timing – He just got new gear recently, so he’s stronger than ever.”

“…Orca, aren’t you enjoying this too much?”

“Ah, sorry. Haven’t done this in a while. It’s kinda fun.”

Wheeeet.

Orca whistled toward the boy who’d severed a massive arm.

Unlike his usual half-armored appearance, he now wore complete armor.

Aside from his short stature, she thought he looked genuinely cool.

“Looking sharp. Gonna keep wearing that?”

“I’d like to, but probably not. It’s surprisingly uncomfortable.”

“Really? Unexpected. Thought you’d wear it everywhere.”

“Isn’t wearing armor daily weird anyway?… More importantly, shouldn’t we deal with that demon first? Seems furious after your taunting.”

“You think… you think this can kill me?! I won’t die!”

“…Unbelievable. What is that, a lizard?”

When the demon’s clearly severed arm began regenerating, Orca frowned in disbelief.

Ugh, disgusting. What the hell is that?

“Don’t think mere attacks like this can kill me!”

But this too was within expected parameters.

The Teacher had said demons were fundamentally immortal.

Naturally, we never thought one ambush would end things.

Ambushes are most effective when striking the enemy’s blind spot – obvious but true.

“…Are you sure this’ll work? Seems unbelievable.”

“Not sure. I heard legends about Sword Saints cutting the sky, but Eileen’s recent return to swordsmanship makes me doubtful…”

So, from the demon’s perspective after suffering one ambush:

The taunter would seem like bait, the ambusher the real threat.

Who’d imagine this ambush was also bait?

“I’ll crush you!”

As the enraged demon raised its foot to crush us, the collapsing building’s screams ceased.

A momentary silence, as if time had stopped.

Through that silence came a slicing sound.

“What the f…”

-Schlik.

“…Unbelievable. It actually worked?”

“The building… split in half…”

The absurd spectacle left everyone speechless.

Falling debris, the colossal demon, Anastasia’s barrier, the grand hall’s walls.

Every object along an invisible diagonal line was cleanly bisected.

“Huff… huff…”

“Eileen!”

“D… dying. Can’t… more. Rest.”

“Wheeeze! *Cough* *Hack* D… dying here… Water?”

“Here. Drink slowly.”

Excited by the spectacle, two people rushed toward its creators.

But Eileen and Stella seemed barely conscious.

“Wow… showing an unprincely side…”

“Quiet… head pounding… Ugh, poured too much magic…”

“M… muscles feeEEEel… tearing apaAAAART! What’re you doing?!”

“Ah, sorry. Got curious if it was real.”

As Orca poked Eileen’s outstretched arm, a pale-faced Anastasia hurried over.

“T… Teacher! What is this…?!”

“Impressive, right? Told you we could neutralize it.”

The plan was simple:

First, Anastasia would reveal the demon’s identity while demonstrating leadership to gain recognition.

When the demon rampaged, Anastasia would protect people while Orca provoked it.

Then Leo would deliver a critical strike after the initial ambush…

Exploiting the psychology that “they won’t ambush again after being ambushed once” for a second decisive strike.

Though it noticed and tried to evade, too late.

No way something that huge could dodge such a wide-range technique.

“That may be…! But how do we explain this?! The Papal Court’s split in half!”

“Don’t worry. Planned for that too.”

There was a reason I’d called Orca my “hands.”

This world’s lore spoke of five legendary Agents.

Though their lineage was lost, their existence remained historical fact.

Oh my – five students, including one who’s literally the Watcher Agent?

Couldn’t ignore the developers’ setting, right?

Just claim they’re Agents appearing by divine decree! Simple.

Ah, religion’s so convenient.

Even absurd, impossible events get accepted as “miracles.”

“I… see. That’s reassuring.”

The only issue was Eileen’s slower growth compared to the final chapter, but Stella’s enhancement solved that.

Eileen knew the techniques but lacked physical capability. Enhancements enabled final-chapter skills prematurely.

Though forcing it left both nearly dead.

“Ah, Leo. Sorry, but could you mince that demon?”

“Huh? M… mince?”

“Saw it regenerate. Cut it small enough to prevent that.”

“…Understood.”

Watching Leo reluctantly dismember the demon, I muttered:

“Quite an eventful vacation.”

“…Eventful doesn’t begin to cover it.”

***

“Alright then… Let’s all rest today and meet tomorrow. Everyone’s exhausted.”

“…Won’t you rest, Teacher?”

“I’ll look around briefly. Some children seem psychologically traumatized.”

“Then I’ll help too…”

“Ah-ah. Our heroes should rest, okay?”

“…”

“Come now. Leave this to the adult. …Besides, can you really support two people alone, Orca?”

“Can’t argue when you put it that way. …Alright. Don’t stay too late.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be quick.”

Amidst the chaos of the Papal Court’s collapse, busy priests remembered to thank the students who defeated the demon.

Handing over emergency funds found in the rubble, they apologized that this was all they could offer now, asking us to rest at a nearby church hotel and return in few days.

I wasn’t uninterested in this world’s hotels. Quite the opposite – intensely curious. What were they like? Wanted to visit.

But current duties required leaving Leo behind.

“Where… Should be around here… Ah, found it.”

Squirm, squirm.

Within the demon corpse pile minced to finger-sized fragments.

A tiny bead wriggled almost imperceptibly.

…Still pretending death, thinking unnoticed?

Picking it from the pile, I spoke:

“Wow, fancy-looking bead! I’ll sell it! …Did you think I’d say that, Zvezda?”

“?! H-how…!”

“How I knew you survived?… No need to tell a dead man walking.”

“H… Haze…! That bitch! Traitorous whore…!”

Why blame others when you’re the one who never told anyone about resurrecting as beads to lure victims?

Guess demons and humans alike blame others when death approaches.

Sighing, I threw the bead down and raised my foot.

To kill it the same way it tried to crush Orca and Leo.

“W-wait! Spare me! Eternal youth…”

“Ah, sorry. Didn’t catch that. What?”

“…”

“Dead already. Wonder what it said… Should’ve spoken faster.”

…No use wondering. Already dead anyway.

I headed to treat children suffering PTSD from the trauma.

Much work awaited today.