At the same time, the explosion activated at point-blank range.
From that smoke and flames, a black figure rushed out.
Diablo clicked his tongue in his mind.
「The activation was slow!?」
Maybe due to his physical condition──It took a bit of time between his chanting of the magic to the activation of 《Flare Burst》’s explosion.
Sasala darted her eyes about from what had happened so abruptly.
「Wh, wh, what……!?」
「That’s what I want to know! This thing, it is really a monster!?」
The black figure that took a distance of several steps and confronted him was, a giant monkey densely covered in thick hair. It was a bit taller than Diablo.
It had a Japanese sword with a crescent moon engraved on the pommel at the ready.
「Grrrrr……」
It made a low growl.
Rem shouted.
「Diablo! Isn’t that the 《Evil Monkey》!?」
「Ahh……We heard a story about it.」
He remembered how the carriage store Dwarf had warned them.
Sasala gulped.
「Wh, why……!?」
「It seems that it attacks when it sees that an Adventurer is strong. It would seem, that you were targeted, Sasala.」
Earlier, just before she came thrusting with her spear──
It coming from behind her, and slashing with incredible speed, is what Diablo had seen.
Sasala shook her head left and right.
「No……no……the one that was targeted, wasn’t me, desu……」
What came out on her face wasn’t the gallant ambiance that she had when she was in stance with her sword, but her usual timid-looking side. Although she held a spear in hand, she wouldn’t stand up.
──Is the the type that is weak in actual combat? Or maybe……
At any rate, it seems that harm has been brought to other Adventurers as well.
「We haven’t taken up the quest, but should we hunt it?」
Diablo was about to fire his next magic.
The large monkey densely covered in thick hair──The Evil Monkey nimbly jumped back.
「Giiiiiiia!」
It raised a strange shout.
Just like that, it ran away into the mountains trees.
He didn’t chase after it.
Honestly, he wasn’t in a condition to fight against a formidable enemy.
「Good grief.」
「Uuu……」
Sasala was still sitting down on the ground.
Rem and Shera rushed over.
「……Diablo, are you alright?」
「It kinda had a strange feeling to it, didn’t itー. It felt like it was different from wild animals, Demonic Beasts, and Demonic Beings, didn’t it?」
That’s right, that thing was different.
Diablo thrust his sword into the ground.
「Sasala, I will ask you, once more. That Evil Monkey, is it really a monster?」
「Th, that is……」
「Under certain circumstances, I had seen the Master Swordsman.」
「Eh!?」
She gulped.
「Why, does the monster that is called the Evil Monkey and that is attacking Adventurers……Why does it have the Master Swordsman’s katana?」
Rem was surprised, and Shera tilted her head.
Sasala’s shoulders trembled.
「…………」
「Earlier, you asserted that you were not the one that was targeted. You know something. What are you hiding?」
*Guh* She gritted her teeth.
Did she intend on not talking no matter what?
Rem squatted down beside her.
「……Sasala, it would be best for you to talk now while you can. It is because this person known as Diablo becomes dreadful at times. If you keep hiding it, he will make you taste a shame that will last a lifetime.」
「Hii!?」
So she still held a grudge over how he had played with her panther ears to get her to talk about her secret on the first night they were together.
With a smile, Shera placed a hand on Sasala’s back.
「It’s fine! Although Diablo has a mean-looking face, and a mean way of talking, he is a good person that saves everyone!」
「B, but……」
「You have some circumstances, don’t you?」
Sasala nodded.
「Um……Th, the matter of all this, could you keep it a secret, from the people in town……」
「Un!」
「……I promise.」
Diablo also nodded.
He didn’t have a preference to spreading other people’s’ secrets.
Breathing a sigh as if she had given up, Sasala stood up.
「As you have, already guessed……the Evil Monkey……is the previous Master Swordsman. My foster father……desu.」
「……How, did he become like that?」
「Th, that is……」
Shera grabbed Sasala’s hand, who was still hesitant to speak about it.