I don't want to be a heroic spirit

There was a reason why Nero said this, because when she became an adventurer, the counter girl Luna told her that there was someone who came before her and had higher magic power than her.

As a servant, although Nero's magic power is only B, which is far from the conventional highest A and the extraordinary EX, it is not low. After all, if her magic power is low, she will not be able to use treasures like inherent barriers.

Even Huihui, the first genius of the Crimson Demon Clan, has no more magic power than hers.

The only one with a higher magic power than her is most likely Aqua, the goddess brought down to the mortal world by Kazuma.

Nero said that he might not have been an adventurer as long as Kazuma and the others. This is indeed the truth, but Kazuma probably won't believe it.

Because the strength Nero displayed didn't look like that of a rookie adventurer.

Do you want an explanation?

It doesn't seem necessary.

Kazuma was about to leave with Aqua. The two of them mustered up their courage and prepared to make a name for themselves as adventurers. However, right after they left the Novice Village… no, before they even left the Novice Village, they were nearly wiped out by a giant frog that even novice adventurers could deal with, leaving them severely frustrated.

Looking at Kazuma and Aqua covered in slime, Nero thought of Megumin who hadn't found her teammates yet.

"I have a suggestion for you all. Find one or two more teammates. While more people will reduce your share of the commission, it will make defeating monsters easier, and your personal safety will be guaranteed... Four people is the best combination."

Kazuma had already thought about recruiting teammates because his only teammate Aqua was so disappointing. Unexpectedly, Nero also said so. This made Kazuma more determined to find new teammates after returning.

Before dragging Aqua away, Kazuma secretly glanced at Nero again.

Her hair was as smooth as sparkling golden sand, and she was wearing a bright red dress with gold lines embroidered on the hem and sleeves, which made her look very expensive at first glance. The boots on her feet were also golden in color.

She is really a super beauty, and her beauty does not look like that in real life at all.

Although the way he speaks is a bit strange, for someone like Kazuma, this is actually his cute point.

The glare makes Kazuma feel difficult to approach.

When talking to the other person before, Kazuma was so nervous that he almost bit his tongue.

If she were in his previous world, she would surely have a slew of admirers, right? Perhaps the line of people wanting to speak to her would stretch from Japan to the United States. A mere mortal like me, with nothing outstanding about me, wouldn't even be allowed to speak to her, right?

It's sad, but only the truth can be sad.

Honestly, this Miss Nero is the goddess, right? She's beautiful and reliable, and her words are convincing. The one next to me is actually a fake, right?

Thinking this, Kazuma glanced at Aqua beside him.

If I sell this thing, can I get Miss Nero as my teammate?

Nero didn't have the ability to read minds, so of course he didn't know what Kazuma was thinking at the moment, and he didn't know that the other party was comparing him to Aqua.

She was in a daze, wondering how Alice and Youyou were having fun together in town.

The reason why Nero let Youyou join the team was certainly not because he was impressed by Youyou's combat power. In fact, although this team only had Nero and Alice, their combat power definitely exceeded that of all adventurer teams in the world.

Alice is the strongest human being in this world, and Nero is a powerful servant with a record of fighting against awakened ones. She even suspects that her team can directly rush into the Demon King's Castle to fight the Demon King.

She let Youyou join the team because she wanted to find a friend of the same age for the two of them.

In the eyes of many people, Alice is first Her Royal Highness the Princess, and then Alice, which makes it impossible for Alice to make a real friend. Youyou has been living in the Crimson Devil Village where everyone has a Chunibyo syndrome. As the only normal person among them, she also cannot make friends.

Huihui could probably be considered Youyou's friend... but that tsundere Huihui never admitted it.

"Hmm! I hope they can become good friends. After all, both Alice and Youyou are very well-behaved children."

Nero brought Alice out to fulfill Alice's wish. Her wish to become an adventurer has been fulfilled, but making friends is also Alice's wish.

Nero, who was deep in thought, suddenly fixed his gaze.

Because she suddenly felt a strange magical power... and the object was approaching this side at high speed.

A huge shadow covered Nero and the others, forcing them to look up.

Huge fleshy wings that block out the sunlight, and dark skin that exudes a metallic luster.

Its sturdy body looks like it could easily defeat an ogre, and its horns and fangs make it look particularly terrifying.

There is no doubt that this is a demon.

Even though he didn't know much about the demons in this world, Nero could tell that this was a demon.

But she couldn't understand what level the demon in front of her was.

The huge demon landed on the ground, and the flapping of its fleshy wings created a wind that bent the weeds.

The demon lowered his head, and his eyeless eyes swept over Nero, who looked calm, Aqua, who was motionless for some reason, and finally Kazuma, whose face turned pale with fear.

Then, the demon slowly opened its mouth...

"Oh, sorry, did I scare you guys?"

...The other party seems unexpectedly polite?

Chapter 273: A moment of silence for the demon caught between two goddesses

Nero showed a surprised expression.

Although this demon in front of me looks very ferocious and scary, it seems... to be a good person?

"Ah, well, please don't be afraid. My name is Host... Actually, I'm searching for a giant, dark monster in this area. Have you seen it?"

As if afraid of scaring Nero and the others, the demon who called himself Hoster spoke in a gentle tone.

Kazuma and Aqua didn't say anything, so it was Nero who spoke.

"A pitch-black, gigantic monster? Are you looking for a Rookie Killer? There are plenty of them in the forest."

When Hoster mentioned the huge dark monster, Nero's first reaction was the novice killer he had defeated in the past few days.

It is a monster that is completely black and looks like both a tiger and a leopard. It is called the Novice Killer because it is very cunning and often appears near a large group of novice monsters such as goblins or gnolls. If a novice adventurer comes to attack these novice monsters, the Novice Killer will appear and kill these novice adventurers.

That is, a monster that is good at using bait plans. Goblins and kobolds are its bait, and novice adventurers are the prey that are attracted to it.

"What rookie killer? That's not what I'm looking for."

Nero didn't know if it was an illusion, but he seemed to see a hint of disgust on Hoste's face.

"It's Lord Wobak! It's Lord Wobak I'm looking for. I came here because I smelled the nostalgic scent of Lord Wobak, but I didn't see him at all... That's why I wanted to ask you guys."

Wobak?

Nero felt... like he had heard this name before?

Hoste sniffed it again, then looked at Nero with some surprise.

"Strange, Lord Wobak's aura... seems to be emanating from you? Now, what is your relationship with Lord Wobak?"

"Even if you ask... I don't even know who the Lord Wobak you are talking about is." Nero frowned slightly.

This feeling of having some impression but not being able to remember it at all, as if you are just one step away from the truth, is really uncomfortable. The key is that the more you think about it, the less you can remember it.

"Think about it, the smell on you is very strong and fresh, almost like you got it this morning."

Hoste bent down and looked at Nero, saying pleadingly.

"But I've never seen anything that meets your requirements, whether it's a creature called Wolbach or a giant black monster... The only one I encountered this morning was..."

At this moment, Nero was stunned.

She hadn't interacted with many people this morning. Besides Alice and Youyou, there was also Huihui and Huihui's familiar, a black cat with a pair of small wings named Chomusuke.

Because Huihui always forgets to feed Chomusuke, and a few days ago she left Chomusuke alone because she went out to do a commission to find her teammates... She locked the cat in the room for the whole day and almost starved it to death.

Youyou feels that Chomusuke is too pitiful and that Huihui is too thick-skinned, so she lets Nero take care of Chomusuke.

With the help of [Emperor's Privilege EX], he obtained the [Animal Conversation] skill, which made Chomusuke close to Nero all of a sudden. He would take a nap on Nero's shoulder or head whenever he had time.

Relying on his vague memory of the original work, Nero remembered that this cat named Chomusuke did not seem to be an ordinary cat, but the half of an evil god, the tyrannical part of the god of tyranny and laziness.

"...I think I know what you are talking about."

Nero said with a complicated expression, "Among the people I know, there's a Crimson Demon girl named Huihui. She has a black cat named Chomusuke... That black cat should be the one you're looking for."

"Chomonosuke? Black Cat? And... the Crimson Demon Clan?"

Hust touched his chin and thought for a while.

“I see. If it’s the Crimson Demons… Indeed, that makes sense. Thank you for the clue. It seems that if we want to find Master Wolbach, we have to find this… Megumin, right? The Crimson Demon girl named Megumin… Oh, right! Since you know Megumin and Master Wolbach, then could you…”

Perhaps Host wanted Nero to bring Megumin and Chomusuke to him? But he didn't have the chance to finish his words.

"Ultimate Holy Exorcism—!"

“Ua ...

A bright beam of light enveloped the figure of the demon Hoster, and an extremely painful wail came from inside.

Nero glanced at the beam of light, then turned to look at Aqua who had just shouted the name of the move. At this time, Aqua was still raising her hand, and it was obvious that the beam of light was released by Aqua.

"What are you doing?!"

"Kazuma! Kazuma! Let me go! Otherwise that damn demon will come out!"

Aqua was strangled by Kazuma again.

"What are you doing, you idiot? The atmosphere was so good just now, why did you suddenly go crazy and attack others?!"

"Why?! Those are demons! Demons! The kind from hell that laugh evilly while trying to take your soul! If left alone, these demons will become a greater threat than the Demon King's army!"

"But...but that demon looks so scary, he must be a very powerful demon. What if you anger him and cause us to die here?"

After the beam of light dissipated, Hoster's figure emerged.

Although there were no obvious scars on his body and only some black smoke was rising from him, Nero could feel that the aura of the demon in front of him was much weaker than before.

Exhaling a puff of black smoke, Host said weakly, "This... this stinking woman is actually a high priestess? But... that's not right. Even the high priestess's magic shouldn't have this much power... Just one shot almost sent me back to hell."

The demons that come to this world from hell are not actually their real bodies, but only their shells. The real bodies remain in hell. Even if they are killed, they only lose a body and then return to hell. Generally speaking, the higher the level of the demon, the more bodies it stores.

After thinking for a while, Host walked past Nero and headed towards Aqua and Kazuma.

"I don't enjoy fighting. If possible, I prefer to resolve problems gently... But you're too dangerous, and you were the one who attacked first. So, although I'm reluctant... I must finish you off here, unknown high priest."

Hoste's words made Kazuma look horrified.

"It's... it's all your fault! Who told you to suddenly attack them? They weren't hostile to me, so it's normal for them to get angry after you did that! It's over, it's over, I'm really going to die this time! It's your fault, apologize to them quickly! Maybe if you apologize, they'll feel better and let us go!"

"What a joke! You want me, a goddess, to apologize to a wicked demon? That's more disgusting than letting a frog eat me!"

"You've been eaten by a frog! So apologize to me now!"

"I do not!"

Hoster is not an ordinary demon, as can be seen from the fact that he can withstand Aqua's magic of breaking magic, but he is still far from Nero.

If Nero wanted to save Kazuma and Aqua, it wouldn't be difficult.

However, she had no chance to save anyone at all.

Suddenly, a black shadow appeared and rushed straight towards Host at an extremely fast speed.

With Nero's eyesight, she could clearly see that the black shadow was actually a girl with short silver hair, a scar on her cheek, and a flat body like a boy.

The silver-haired girl who suddenly appeared seemed to have only the devil Hoster in her eyes. Her face was frosty and she held in her hand a silver dagger that was obviously not simple at first glance.

"Destroy all demons!"

"Where did you come from again... It hurts! What's wrong with this dagger of yours? Is it enchanted? Or is it some kind of cursed item? Why do I feel paralyzed the moment I touch it? I sense the intense resentment of a demon-slayer from it!"

"Don't you dare open your mouth, you mere demon, and pollute the air here! I want you to die!"

"Listen to me, you crazy bitch! You..."

"Ultimate Holy Exorcism!"

Taking advantage of the moment when Kazuma was distracted by the silver-haired girl who suddenly appeared, Aqua seized the opportunity and raised her hand towards Host.

“Again?! Aa ...

Chapter 274 Caught by Darkness

Hurst ran away.

It's really outrageous. Facing the relentless pursuit of two goddesses, this demon can actually escape alive.

That's right, the silver-haired girl who suddenly appeared and attacked Host without a word was also a goddess. Her name was Chris, and she was the incarnation of the goddess of luck Eris in this world.

And she is Aqua's junior.