Chapter 2: Avaritia, Part 3: Looks like This One’s Interest Clashes with Mine

“Yo, Medea–”

“… You picking a fight? It won’t come cheap.”

We’ve already been deployed to the base on the frontlines.

Boss’s forces are uncharacteristically excellent. Of course the commander, me, is also excellent, but even the quality of our standard devil soldiers is different from the rest. If you ask me, someone with experience fighting in foreign campaigns, it’s a matter of motivation. And their firepower is also high.

Ki ki ki, it’s all because our top’s got no desire. He casually hands out rewards great enough to satisfy even my Greed. From a normal demon’s standpoint, the salary is amazing.

On the border between territories, a vast mountainous region, we’ve been dispatched with numbers around a thousand. It’s almost all of the Third Brigade.

Compared to a human army, the numbers may be low, but the quality makes up for it. A single demon’s skills is powerful enough to match another human a thousand fold.

Our opponent is that Gluttony, and about three hundred of his followers. Ki ki ki, their numbers may be average, but with a Demon Lord personally leading it, it can’t be looked down upon. Zebul’s army is that of the Rank 5, and its name’s been spread a bit.

If you just compare numbers, we have more than three times their forces. If we clashed with them head on, we may be able to suppress them, so what’s important is their side’s Lord. Gluttony is a skillset that contains the most offensive abilities with high areas of effect. Just how large of an area can a Demon Lord attack with that? I can’t imagine it, but there’s no doubt we’ll face a large number of casualties.

Just how far we in his grasp? Our victory will be determined by just how well we estimate his skills.

Ki ki ki, well, we aren’t going to lose in leadership. I mean, she may be alone, but we have that Medea Luxeliahart, who’s always charged with guarding the castle. Ki ki ki, at the very least, her face’s good, and she’s Lust.

It’s possible that she’ll look after the survivors after the battle, and that possibility raises morale.

And now, the all-important Medea is wearing a tall white robe without a hint of sex appeal with her usual frown on her face. There’s not nearly enough exposure. It’s as if she’s a nun.

“—Girly, I think you should be wearing something a bit more romantic. It’ll directly impact our troops’ morale, you know?”

The girl scoffed at the advice that came straight from my heart.

“An unnecessary worry. Deije, I’ll say it time and again, but I’m… I hate being looked at with those eyes more than anything.”

She definitely does say that a lot. But those words really don’t seem to fit with her attribute. Are you sure this isn’t some mistake?

A Demon’s desire is by no means a simple ornament.

Changing class can build new pathways, but it’s not like it’s a straight road. Various paths branch out in all directions, and the final path taken is determined by an individual’s will. Naturally, the path trod down decides the available skills one has.

Call it a Skill Tree or series, or anything, but a general concept exists. In that sense, you can say the Demon Class has 8 different trees. Sloth, Greed, Lust, Wrath, Gluttony, Envy, Pride, and one for basic abilities shared by all, for a total of 8.

The branches on these paths can be equated to guideposts of fate. By venturing from one to another in order, you can find more powerful skills, and on the standard Demon tree, if you store EXP points and use skills, you can naturally venture forwards. But the other trees are just a little different.

The other trees let you peek deeper and deeper into the abyss by fulfilling your desires. It’s all decided by the first skill on all of them… a passive skill『Longing of Original Sin』.

Because of that skill, we can’t increase our usable abilities just by gaining levels.

By fulfilling Greed for the Greed Tree, and Lust for the Lust Tree, we can advance forward.

And in that sense, this girl’s being a bit too stoic.

Ki ki ki, how is she even advancing when she’s like that? For someone without that tree like me, I don’t have the slightest idea.

Well, anyways, I’m an amateur in her field, so I’ll stay out of it. I don’t want to say something to make her go for my life or anything.

“Ki ki ki, well, your path’s your own. At the very least, don’t hold back when fighting.”

“I know that without you telling me. I’ll be the one getting the medals this time.”

“… Oy, oy, I can’t keep quiet on that one. It’s my army here, you know.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Even if she may be strong, a lone horseman plans to monopolize the battlefield? Even a Greed like me’s surprised. In the first place, her power… isn’t for direct combat, I think.

The Shadow of Illusions, Medea.

Among Demons, of course, the most famous are the Lords, but your name can be spread regardless.

And among Leigie’s army, she’s one of the most reknowned. Ki ki ki, even I knew about her before I joined Boss’s side.

I’ve no idea why a Luxuria Attribute Demon would side with an Acedia though.

Even if she’s not direct combat oriented, she should be able to crush any normal Demon underfoot, but this is no conventional opponent. I can only say it’s a bad matchup to put her against the Devourer.

Medea takes a quick glance at the Slaughter Doll standing behind me.

Even without getting a name, the Slaughter Doll’s already far transcended the ranks of an average Demon in battle prowess. If I equipped the rare equipment I hoarded onto him, he’d really be peerless.

I guess it really does depend on the level of the caster.

But without a hint of interest, Medea turns back to me.

“I don’t need any equipment. I don’t want any treasure either. I don’t want to play with dolls, and I don’t want status.”

“Oy, oy, then what is it that you want?”

“I am Lust. All I want is love.”

I see… interesting.

That one sentence makes it clear. At the moment, this one’s far more sinful than me, who simply strives for loot and power.

So be it. This one’s cravings won’t go against mine. I’ll just leave it that for now.

For a business partner, probing any further is… unnecessary.

“So you say your cravings won’t compete with mine. Well, fine. I’ll trust those words. It’ll be dull to croak from a shot from behind.”

I give a warning.

In a Demon’s forces, just by the clashing of wills, an ally can easily become an enemy.

Ki ki ki, what’s more, Medea was the one who opposed my appointment to this position ‘til the end. You can never be too prepared.

Well, in a straight out battle, she won’t be able to beat me with my Demon Lord Class arms.

Try not to die a dog’s death as you show off your powers to me. You have something good enough to cut down a Demon Lord, right?