A Reincarnated Demon’s Life of Wonder

...I tripped. 

While I was fidgeting due to my current weakened stats, I didn't focus where I placed my feet and tripped. And got KO-ed. Have I been reduced to back when I was a Grey Demon or something?

This all comes down to the night after the day we sent boss-spider-san to the ice age and I stupidly thought it was safe to take the [Poison Immunity] skill, but it turned out to be the final straw on the camel's back.

I got slapped with the Waning ailment.

Waning refers to the waning of the soul due to it being overloaded with skills, which turns out to be like the proverb I just used. Skills can be seen as equipment for the soul, which allows it to access the latent power in it that all souls have. However, I've over-equipped my soul! Like how a child cannot wear a solid iron plate-mail, my poor soul couldn't handle the stress of the skill-festival I have going!

So yeah, after getting struck by intense pain in both body and mind, but it's probably only in the soul, I lost access to multiple skills, almost all my stats got reduced by 50% or more, with only the MP being somewhat better, and even my regular flesh-and-blood body's weaker than before, even when not counting the loss of stats and skills. 

My motor nerves seem to have weakened. And sometimes, my legs suddenly give up on me. Forcing an SPD/DEX-hybrid character like me saying farewell to their legs is just sick. Then there's the fact that Waning makes it impossible to use magic. As if sealing Darkness Magic and Light Magic wasn't bad enough...

So, I have to wait until my soul gets better. But until then, I'm stuck in a body that's, if you put it nicely, faulty to a fault! And yes, I already know it's not a nice way to put it, but the situation is that bad!!

Just getting a single skill is enough to kill me at my current stage. Buying it with Skill Points, leveling up my classes, or a title, every possible way leads to the grave!!

However, not using my skills will give me some breathing room and recover from the "disease". It's just a matter of time. On the other hand, it is a matter of time! I'm only holding out since I've got pain-resisting skills, but anyone else would have died simply from the shock. Around 80% of the known victims of Waning died due to that and not Waning itself. I'm so close to losing it here!

Luckily, I know exactly what I need. A level-up, or better said, having my soul elevate to a next plain. As long as it's not heaven or hell...

But how am I supposed to farm EXP like this? The answer to my question is [Party]. It shares the EXP Ice-guy and the fallen angel gets with me, so all I need to do is to force them to battle monsters while I'm standing on the side-line. 

I even semi-forced them to take Sub Classes so they would get interested in improving them with bloody battles. Ice-guy got Angler and turned into a fishing nightmare, but the fallen angel turned into a crafter with Craftsman. Didn't have any high expectations of her, but it still annoys me. 

Even arriving at Plain Island's a plan to get the two of them to farm EXP. The monsters reported by the fishers of this island are said to be stronger than those you can find close to town, so they've got more EXP. Having a sort of vacation here to get Ice-guy fishing was the main goal, so why did it end up with me being challenged all of a sudden? I've got no luck in my life...

---

...? I'm awake! Ouch! Damn body...

Whoa, I think I saw my life flash before my eyes when I was out. I've still got my legs? Check. Am I transparent? Nope. Alright, no ghost-demon Garami yet!

And... where is this? An attic? At least not heaven... sorry. It should be hell there, right? From the window, I can see that night's fallen. I was knocked out for that long?

And what's up with this place? It's covered with junk... wait, are those swords? They're not broken, but... they're trash alright. Some have horrible quality, some are almost broken, and some have too strange abilities that make them worse than a cursed weapon.

Whoever collected these must be a real... hmm? It doesn't hurt? And these bandages, and this smell...

"You're awake? You need to be more careful if you're that ill." - ???

That voice!? The guy from before... or girl? Woman? ...Definitely woman.

A blue-haired woman that could easily succeed as a model was walking up the stairs leading to the attic. It's the little angel's bodyguard from that time. Her name was... Milly? I can't remember. In that case, [Identification]-sensei, do your thing!

EEEEEHHH?! Wha-what the heck's this supposed to be?! A hero? Is this the holy hero of some fantasy legend?! Huh, what's...

"Um, hello?" - Mira

And I got lost in thoughts. But this time, who can blame me?!

"......Thank you." - Garami

"For what?" - Mira

Damn, just get it already. I did, despite being slow. 

"Oh, you're welcome." - Mira

...Guess she's not as slow. I mean, this situation is the kind where she nursed me back to health, right? And she did a damn good job. These bandages have some medicine on them, by the smell of it. 

"How are your body? You're affected by Waning? Then those ointments should relieve the pain somewhat. Just don't go and think that you're safe now. Those are simply painkillers." - Mira

Yeah, thought soooo-ooiiii!! Why're you on the Waning-secret?! You didn't have professor [Identification] in your skill list! Wait, is it this guy?

...Why do angels and spirits get so many unfair sight-related skills? My poor [Magic Vision] is feeling like a cheap knock-off. The fallen angel's skill shared the second effect, but the first one was to observe "divine power", whatever that is.

"...Don't tell anyone." - Garami

What's done's done. Better try to minizine the damage-

"Sorry. I already mentioned it to your friends." - Mira

...Minimize... the damage...

"Don't blame me here though. Telling someone's party members when their leader knocks themselves out is standard procedure. They went to sleep at the inn at the harbor, so you can meet them tomorrow." - Mira

Yes, you're absolutely right~... Unreal. Or, it's night already? Unreaaaaal. 

"Now, to the self-introductions. As you may remember, my name is Mira Aureola, a D-rank adventurer and currently, the bodyguard of the little brat that's this farm's idol-like angel." - Mira

Just as I remembered. And you, don't call your client a brat. 

"...Garami. E-rank." - Garami

The incident with the boss-spider allowed me to rank-up. Having the party leader as an F-rank is, you know...

"I knew it! That ranking was wrong after all," said Mira, looking pretty pleased with herself. What's she talking about?

"Remember when we first met at Velantas? Back when you helped me take out those maggots that tried to take the little lady? I knew that you couldn't be a lousy F-rank." - Mira

Ah, thanks for the good reviews-

"Someone that defeated the Disaster of Water being an F-rank? No way, right?" - Mira

"Ye... EEEH?!" - Garami

How did she know?! Only Gust and maybe Moles and co should know about that!

"? You did defeat that snake made of water? I saw the battle through this" said Mira, while taking something outta the pile of swords... a telescope? Sure, you could watch the battle from this island with that, but that's no proof I was participating in... ah.

"That robed fellow back then, it was you, right? The one who shaved off parts of the water serpent with some black snakes of their own? That's a Dragon Slayer Extra Skill, and your soul has an incredible aptitude for the Darkness attribute and having draconic attributes despite being a demon." - Mira

Riiiight. This one got those nasty eyes of her. No wonder. I even used the same robe when I met her for the first time. With all those shreds of evidence, it's easy to guess the answer. 

Then, what to do? Deny her theory and say it was someone else? Or accept her statement and try to figure out what she wants?

"...Then what if I was? Theoretically?" - Garami

"Nothing much except giving my thanks?" - Mira

"......What?" - Garami

"Why the surprise? They are called Disasters because they have the potential to destroy the world. What's wrong thanking someone for stopping one of them?" - Mira

Crap, sound logic! Jokes aside, Glavras was such a dangerous foe. Ignoring the natural laws of this world, which is the World System, and converting almost any material to water? That's a guy you wanna get rid of, okay.

"...No prob." - Garami

"So it was you then. Pleased to make your acquaintance, hero." - Mira

Hero? Me? You gotta be joking.

"On another note, that Flugel-girl you traveled with mentioned that you are using a strange shortsword. M-may I have a look?" - Mira

That thing? Why does she wanna see that? Rather, your eyes are scary. Back off!

Whether she guessed my question or not, the humanoid spirit started to tell her story.

"See this room? It's the place that Ben's allowing me to live in while guarding his little girl. And as you can see, I have a small love for swords." - Mira

"Small"? Small for who? A titan?

"Come on, just a look! I won't do anything bad to her, so just a look! Or, let me see how sharp she is! There's nothing to worry about!" - Mira

Your attitude is worrying me! Stop panting, stop drooling, stop looking like an old man in front of a bombshell woman! Karate-chop!

*Smack*

"Ouch! Damn, I almost lost myself there." - Mira

It's not "almost". You lost yourself more than a rock and roll-festival!

"Swords-pervert." - Garami

"...Yes, I love swords, so what?! I love famous swords and money more than anything in this world-!" - Mira

"Above people, fairness, dreams, and hope?" - Garami

"-Urgh! W-well, I get that stuff like that's important as well, but, you know..." - Mira

That's good. If she was a heartless incarnation of greed, then things wouldn't proceed smoothly. Not that I think too highly of those things either. Just a certain amount.

...Something feels off.

"A-anyway, Garami was it? You give off the same feeling as me. Our strengths and weaknesses are probably the same as well-" - Mira

"I don't go full pervert over swords." - Garami

"Stop singling that out every possible moment! I'm going to cry!" - Mira

You're already crying.

...Yeah, something feels off here.

"What I want to say, is, how about we work together?" - Mira

...Why? Despite me looking confused at her, Mira started to talk about her good points.

"I got trained in the Solomar warrior school, and while my main class is one that only shows its worth when advanced, I am already strong enough to reach the D-rank for adventurers." - Mira

She's not wrong. Squire is a strange class without any skills to offer, but once it evolves into a true Knight, it's leagues above other Special classes. It's no easy fellow to use either, so this spirit-woman's got talent alright.

Wait, did she just say "Solomar"?

"What's your connection to the Demon King?" - Garami

If my gut's right, then the organization's not related to that guy in any good way possible. They're storing power while making a big deal outta it's "Belial" and not "Solomar" that's helping folk while crushing bad guys.

"Hmm, my father used to be a guard for the Solomar army, but he died during an accident while on duty. Not that I blame the country for it. Being a guard's that kind of a job." - Mira

...That's... pretty cold of her. Did she and her dad have a bad relationship? 

"After that, I was pretty much a street rat. My mother died before I was a year old after all. No other family members to go to either. If dad's old colleagues didn't find me in time, I would have died in some back-alley. Even if I didn't, my fate wouldn't be pretty." - Mira

Solomar... the country of demons... scary. Not sure if I wanna visit that place. But that's where the organization's headquarters are, right~. There'll be a time when I have to go there~. Unreal~.

"Since I had a talent with swords, dad's old friends had me enter the Solomar Adventurer School. It's a facility operated by the Adventurers' Union to train brats into adventurers or whatever they wanna be. Sometimes, the nobles try to win over talented students. I was one of them, so I decided to leave the country. To summarize, I'm grateful for some of the people there, but I've got no attachment to the country itself." - Mira

"...Then, what about Belial?" - Garami

"Belial? You mean the former duke family?" - Mira

"Former?" - Garami

"You didn't know? The current Demon Lord demoted them for an accident or something and executed the head of the family back then. They also demoted the family to the status of baron after that to boot." - Mira

"...Was it really the Belials who did the mistake?" - Garami

"What, so you did know about it. That's right. The real culprit was the Demon Lord. He made one of his worst opponents take the fall for an accident he created. It's an open secret for those in Solomar." - Mira

A demonic country indead~. Think I just stumbled over one of the organization's main goals here. If not, then that "leader Firis"-girl is one warped person.

"Why all the questions?" - Mira

"...just got a little sidetracked. Then, why do you wanna join up with me?" - Garami

Ah, I see.

"Why wouldn't I? Someone that's able to beat a freaking Disaster is bound to get up in the world!" - Mira

"So, you're planning on riding on my coattail?" - Garami

This girl... 

"And I'm capable of helping in any way possible. Not to be repetitive, but I reached D-rank even without a functional class." - Mira

I can talk normally to...?

"...Hey." - Garami

"Do I have to answer such an obvious question?" - Mira

She's brutally honest! 

"...Why me?" - Garami

"Why... Hmm... maybe your aura?" - Mira

"Huh?" - Garami

"It feels like I could work well with you. I can't express it well, but I feel going with you will lead to lots of profit." - Mira

Honest to a fault. Well, that's fine. She's got something that makes me not freak out like I do when talking to strangers. Is it because she's similar to Gust (like an idiot)? Or because she's so true to her desires?

"......Three conditions. Then  I'll accept." - Garami

In any case, I seriously want her as a right-hand man. Greedy or not, she's a good find as long as she stays loyal. And she said it herself. She's exceptional. 

"Yay~! Then, those are?" - Mira

"First: you have to join the organization under my command." - Garami

"...You're working for someone else?" - Mira

"Belial Private Army." - Garami

Mira looked confused for a moment, before she became aware of what I had said, for then turning pale like a ghost.

"I-if I had said anything bad about those guys..." - Mira

"Nothing much would happen. I'm only a trainee. Not too interested in the boss' revenge or whatever. Probably gonna get dragged into it some way or another." - Garami

"A-alright. That's good." - Mira

"Not sure about my friends though, so be smart with your mouth." - Garami

Mira couldn't do anything but nod with a pale face.

"Second: you need to expect some unreasonable orders if the situation forces me to." - Garami

"That's... pretty reasonable. Being an adventurer sometimes leads to situations where strange orders are needed." - Mira

"Not only then." - Garami

"Hmm?" - Mira

"Trash those trash swords." - Garami

"NEVER! Not my children!" screamed Mira while holding several of her 'children' in her arms while crying. Seriously...

I retrieved my shortsword from the Storage and held it up so Mira could see it. She looked at it with sparkles in her eyes.., wait, did her eyes shine just now? Don't tell me her eyes turned to Sol-signs?

Spirits are damn strange. No, she's a Sprite, was it? Humanoid spirit creature?

The only reason why she didn't come closer was that she tried to keep her trash swords safe from me.

"This one was made by customizing a certain cursed sword. We can do the same with everyone here as well." - Garami

"Then say that sooner!!" shouted Mira. And stop rubbing your face with the swords. Be glad they're sheathed.

"Third: Go and get your weapon upgraded by Armveil when we can move back to town." - Garami

"*Sniff*, eh... I can?! Y-you mean t-that newest master smith in town?!" - Mira

"He's part of the group-" - Garami

"Miss Garami! This Mira will do her best serving you as your sword!" - Mira

"...Just don't shout. Also, you need to wait until you've finished being the little angel's bodyguard. By the way, how long are you supposed to work for them?" - Garami

"We renew the contract each week, but with that Alf-guy barging in, Ben was worried whether I wanted to continue or not, so this is a good opportunity. Those guys can't complain when I've protected the little lady for so long..." - Mira

"Those guys?" - Garami

"Ah, a group of people I owed a debt to. They again had a debt of honor to Ben, so they wanted me to guard his little girl as a compensation for the debt." - Mira

"And the reason for the debt?" - Garami

".........the casino." - Mira

"...Condition #4: I'm gonna be in charge of your wallet from now on." - Garami

"N-no waaaaaay~!" - Mira