305 Reincarnated Council

The treehouse currently occupied has four floors.

Whether the term "four-story" applies to a house carved from within a tree is irrelevant at this moment.

The first floor is the dining hall.

Several tables are placed, with matching chairs arranged accordingly.

Currently, however, the tables have been pushed to the edges, and only the chairs remain, arranged so each person sits where they choose.

Kudō instructed that the tables be removed, as they obstructed our conversation.

The reincarnated individuals are seated in a half-circle around me, waiting for the discussion to begin.

Yes, around me!

Why me?

Why not Oni-kun as the center?

He was the one leading the conversation just moments ago—just continue with that flow!

Yet Oni-kun quietly yielded the central position to me and took a seat one step back, to the side.

His eyes convey it clearly.

I am the one who should speak.

Fine, then.

There's no need to go out of your way with something so strange!

Uuuh...

That's exactly why serious types are useless!

Strict disciplinarians can't adapt when it matters.

Using透视, I observe Oni-kun seated beside me without moving a muscle.

Not a twitch.

He shows no intention of moving until I speak.

Troublesome.

I glance toward the opposite side of Oni-kun, seeking aid.

There, a Vampire Child with a sullen expression.

No movement from her either.

This won't work.

Worse, getting her to speak might only complicate things further.

I look straight ahead.

There, Kudo-san, arms crossed, legs crossed, staring directly at me.

Sharp eyes even in a previous life—still a striking woman with elongated eyes in this one.

Her gaze is so piercing it feels like a direct stare-down.

Do you have a Pressure skill?

And beside that Kudo, the teacher sits restless, fidgeting.

Gaze darting in all directions, body shifting in response.

The uninitiated reincarnate, knowing nothing, is untouched by tension or such feelings.

But perhaps the one who knows too much cannot settle—uncertain what will happen next.

From the reincarnate’s perspective, it truly should be incomprehensible.

Understandable, then, that one would seize upon an offer to discuss, driven by need for explanation.

Yet from the teacher’s perspective, the situation shifts slightly.

The teacher seems to know the Vampire Child and Oni-kun are affiliated with the demon faction.

When the imperial army was expected to arrive, two reincarnates—supposed to be in the demon camp—appeared.

No wonder confusion sets in.

The teacher fainted during the battle with Yamada-kun, so there are too many unresolved questions—how the fight ended, why two reincarnates appeared in the demon faction camp—making coherent thought impossible.

Moreover, the teacher has been subjected to Potimas’s influence, rendering judgment on what is correct or incorrect impossible.

The abundance of information, unlike other reincarnates, causes greater confusion.

Yamada-kun and Oshima-kun not being present here might be, in a sense, correct.

They are not here.

Yamada-kun remains unconscious, and Oshima-kun appears to be attending to him.

Hasebe-san was reported to have been highly agitated and is currently under forced sleep.

These three continued fighting after the teacher collapsed and have some knowledge of subsequent developments.

Especially Oshima-kun, who remained conscious until the very end.

They’re essentially stakeholders, after all.

Their situation differs significantly from the other reincarnated individuals who were merely caught in the crossfire.

Even if explaining the circumstances, their presence alone ensures the situation will escalate.

All other reincarnated individuals—except for the bound Kusama-kun and Ogihara-kun—display varying attitudes, but they are listening attentively.

The others seem willing to hear us out, at least.

Now that Yamada-kun’s group is absent, this is the ideal opportunity to bring the rest under control.

Yet the atmosphere feels like being surrounded on all sides.

To my left: Oni-kun, motionless as a statue.

Opposite: Vampire Child, arms crossed, expression sullen.

Directly ahead: Kudo-san, pressing me with an expectant glare.

The teacher keeps glancing at me restlessly.

All the other reincarnated individuals are staring fixedly.

Can I run?

No?

In this situation, with everyone watching so intently—there’s no choice but to explain.

Can’t do it? Is that right?

Eh… eh…

So, in a situation like this, should I start with a seasonal greeting?

Today’s auspicious day?

No, that’s not it.

Actually, where should I even begin?

The reincarnated ones know nothing at all. I have to explain everything from scratch.

But where does “one” begin?

Should I start with the origin of this world? Or the system?

Eh… but explaining that all at once would be like waking someone from sleep with a sudden shock. It’s not what they’re currently interested in.

What is it that the reincarnated ones want to know most right now?

Thinking about that… yes, perhaps this?

“First, you are currently captives of the Demon Clan.”

“Huh?”

Kudō’s expression flickered with shock, then hardened into a frown.

The other reincarnated ones stirred uneasily, voices rising.

Ah… wrong approach.

“Silence!”

Oni-kun rose to his feet, clapping his hands sharply to calm the reincarnated ones.

"Everything is fine. Being a prisoner doesn't mean anything drastic. More accurately, it's closer to protection. You can relax on that point. As I said earlier, we have no intention of harming anyone. So even if you say something strange, please just listen until the end. Understood?"

The murmuring reincarnated ones quieted, responding to Oni-kun's earnest tone.

Tawara-kun and Kushiyama-san remained alert, even as they settled. The others, at least, seemed willing to listen.

Phew. Oni-kun, good job.

Even living in the elven village, the demon race still feels like an enemy to the human race—feared as such.

It's only natural to be disoriented when suddenly told you're now a prisoner of the demon race.

Yeah… mistake. Mistake again.

It's good that Oni-kun interceded.

"Um, so what does that mean exactly? You're collaborating with the demon race?"

Kudō-san asks, pressing a hand to his forehead.

Normally I'd just nod in affirmation, but this time, I understand that a mere nod isn't enough—something's wrong.

Something, something has to be said!

Ah! Uu! Oo!

...Well, I didn't really want to do this, but there's no alternative.

Time to set pride aside. No choice but to proceed.

Switching modes.

"Yes. Incidentally, the three of us here are not human."

Opening my eyes as I speak.

The Evil Eye is fully deactivated. I've ensured that even a direct gaze won't trigger any abnormal reaction—but still, the transmigrated ones inhale sharply upon seeing these eyes.

The Vampire Child and Oni-kun also drew in sharp breaths at the change in my aura, but I ignored them.

"We three are cooperating with the Demon King for a specific purpose. Details will be explained later. For now, verifying the current state takes precedence."

Words flowed smoothly, without hesitation.

Even as I spoke them, I was surprised by my own voice.

I possess memories that are not my own.

Those memories belong to Wakaba-hime—D’s provisional form.

Using those memories as a foundation, I reconstruct Wakaba-hime’s personality.

This is the Wakaba-hime Mode.

In this mode, I can speak my thoughts exactly as they form.

After all, Wakaba-hime was not skilled at speech—so being unable to speak would have been unnatural.

Yet this mode is, essentially, me pretending to be D.

Me—pretending to be that D!

What humiliation—what utter humiliation!

That’s why I don’t want to do it!

But if I don’t do this, I can’t speak properly!

Thus, endurance.

"First, I assume you’ve heard that the Empire’s army attacked this elven settlement. Our Demon Army launched a surprise assault from behind the elven village while the Empire’s forces, led by Yamada-kun, served as a decoy."

A murmur spreads among the reincarnated.

Among them, the teacher’s expression is particularly grim.

"Can you tell me the details of that story?"

At that moment, a figure descends the stairs leading to the second floor.

Ah—.

He’s here.

The one who should have been unconscious and bedridden—Yamada-kun—has appeared at this exact moment.