The Demon Lord Is An Angel
Chapter 332: In For An Enny...

Chapter 332: In For An Enny...

If there was one benefit to his moonlighting as Ghostheart, it was that Kir was something of an expert in how to navigate the sewers of Norneau.

It helped that the city had been centrally planned - by Lumin - to have an efficient system of outflow pipes that ran beneath the main streets. A constant downward flow of water was maintained by magically siphoning water up through pipes that extended past the promontory on which the Academy was built, and because waste was pumped underneath this flow, the whole sewer was relatively clean except for the dust, damp, and spiders.

The drawing process also enriched the water with mana, so lighting wasn’t a problem because glow moss proliferated along the seams of every wall.

He was able to direct Darlae on where to take Brigit in order to reach the academy without notice, and she promised to use the secret exit in the basement as soon as she could get Brigit away and on her feet.

"Are you sure you know where we’re going?" Kassin asked.

Even though Kir tried to talk her out of it, Kordia had insisted on coming along. And because she’d insisted, Kassin insisted... So Kir had relented.

"Yes, we’re going to the glideway tower," Kir said.

"The glideway!" Kassin sounded more excited than scared. "I’ve always wanted to ride..."

"Don’t your people have airships?" Kir asked.

"Only four. And they’re so slow..."

"The glideways are faster... but can we get a glideplane that can cross the entire continent?" Kordia asked.

"I’ll show you soon," Kir said. "I have a few extra tricks that most planemakers don’t."

"Of course he does," Amarena grunted.

Bowbo, meanwhile, was pinching up clumps of moss and munching away happily. Had Kir been more attentive, he might have noticed that Moshui and Azalee were behind the sloth demon.

A half-hour of walking was all it took to bypass the four city walls between Kir’s house and the Fifth District. And then a few more twists and turns in order to reach the glideway tower.

There were several ways Kir could have gotten into the tower - he’d designed all of them - but only one that would let him get everyone inside, especially Bowbo.

That, unfortunately, was the front door.

Kir put his ring away and shifted into war form, shifting Mimzy into a mask that covered most of his face. Cimbing up one of the drainage chambers, which was unfortunately layered in detritus and garbage, he took a look at the situation on the surface.

Through the grate he spotted a trio of the white-limbed individuals, their wings fanned out as they blocked the doors. A small crowd of concerned-looking people were gathered closeby, and Kir recognized several of the tower’s employees.

"They must have kicked everyone out before closing it down," Kir said as soon as he got back. "I spotted three angels at the front. I can’t be sure there aren’t more."

"Let me look," Amarena said, pushing forward. In short order, she returned. "Those are Elevated. I’m not sure what that means aside from having those strange white limbs."

"Aha!" Moshui suddenly shouted. "I did it! I did a thing!"

Everyone turned, but it was only after Bowbo finished his ponderous rotation - still chewing on moss - that they saw what Moshui was talking about.

She’d attached the severed hand to Azalee’s wrist.

"Moshui what the fuck!" Kir growled out, keeping his voice low so that it didn’t echo.

"What? It works! Look!"

Azalee held out the hand and opened and closed it.

"How did you even..."

"I dunno, I just sort of poked it on and it kinda did its own thing. Which was a bit funny because I was pretty sure it was a left hand but then it righted itself... heheh..."

"I think it’s cool," Azalee said.

"It’s a thing of Heaven," Amarena said. "We should cut it off..."

Azalee immediately went into hiding behind Moshui.

"Hmmf?" Bowbo looked at Amarena, his face darkening as he chewed harder.

"No one’s cutting off anyone’s hands!" Kordia said.

There was a sound from further back in the sewer, a splash in the water that made Kordia’s ears automatically turn in its direction. Kir saw nothing when he looked, but given everything happening, it was better to be safe than sorry...

And evidently Amarena felt the same, because a moment later sheblurred as she suddenly sprinted back the way they came and disappeared around the corner.

A moment later, a large, stooped figure was shoved out into the open, Amarena following as she drew one of her swords and held it to the neck of-

"Encke?" Kir said, approaching. "What are you doing here?"

"I-I g-got lost..." Kir’s student stuttered.

"Drop the act, mage," Amarena ordered.

"I-I’m not acting..."

"Encke," Kir softened his voice. "You saved Moshui, so for that you have my thanks. Whatever your story is, you can tell us."

"Wait..." A look of recognition crossed Amarena’s face. "Enny?"

"How do you know that name?" surprise raised Encke’s voice.

"It was the name your mother, my teacher, used for you. Warmancer Ha-"

At the mention of her mother, Encke’s whole demeanor changed. Kir got the sense she would have straightened fully if she could, but the sewers were barely tall enough that he could stand fully. Encke was taller than Kir by over a full meter.

"Don’t you dare act like that woman cares about anything but her mission," Encke interrupted, her face angry.

"Says the woman on a mission of her own?" Amarena scowled back. "She said you were watching a criminal. I should have guessed it would be him," Amarena gestured vaguely at Kir with her sword. "And now she could be dead. Icegart is under attack by the Duke of Pride."

Encke’s face grew uncertain as Amarena bored into her with her eyes.

Kir crossed his arms, unsure of how to read the situation since Amarena seemed two steps ahead of him. But there was one safe conclusion. "So you’ve been spying on me," Kir said.

"Yes," Encke admitted.

"For whom?" Kir asked.

"I... don’t know their names. All I know is the coin is good and they want me to keep an eye on you."

Kir ran a hand down his face. The mess was getting bigger, and his one relief thus far had been the utter silence of the man in his head, although he could tell Kiryu was watching intently.

"Bet you it’sLumin and her cult," Kiryu commented as soon as Kir’s thoughts turned to him.

Kir ignored him.

"Do the people you work for have something against me?" Kir asked.

"Not that I know of," Encke replied. "I was only to watch and give weekly reports..."

"Then why save Moshui?" Kir asked.

Encke tensed. "I didn’t know you’d left this morning... when I came by, she was being attacked so I... reacted. It was an impulse I’m clearly paying for..."

"No good deed goes unpunished," Kir sighed. "So what now? I’m leaving the city. If you want to do your job, you’ll have to follow me."

"Every other time you’ve flown out, I’ve just waited near the tower," Encke held herself at the elbow. "I don’t have instructions for this..."

Amarena put her sword away. "Encke, come with us. When she cast me toward Norneau, she... did something... I can promise to try and save her but I don’t know how or if..." Amarena shook her head. "This could be your only chance to make things right..."

A long silence followed.

And then slowly, Encke nodded. "I’ll go with you..."

"More friends?" Bowbo asked, smiling in a big, oddly endearing sort of way with teeth stained by bits of glowing moss.

"More friends," Azalee confirmed, touching him with her new hand.

"Okay," Kir said. "That simplifies things. I’ll distract the angels- I mean Elevated. When they’re out of the picture, all of you make for the top of the tower."

"How do you plan to do that?" Amarena asked.

"Easy," drew Kangetsu out of storage in rifle form and cycled the barrel.

Five minutes later, a series of loud bangs sounded on the other side of the tower.

A magically amplified voice shouted "She’s over here! The demon!"

"Go check it out," the lead Elevated ordered, and his two subordinates ran off as he continued to guard the door, looking in the direction his men had run off in.

From his vantage behind another drainage slot, Kir watched as only two of his targets approached before he took his shots, planting both ice rounds dead center on the chests of the Elevated as they ran in his direction.

As a result, both of them wound up on their backs, and it took only a few more shots to completely encase their legs. Barring some extraordinary ability with fire, that would at least keep them pinned for a few minutes...

A scream tore his attention away.

Swearing, Kir was running back to the drain nearest the front door when he heard the screams intensify.

He arrived to find the lid removed and Amarena standing over the unconscious Elevated as Bowbo ducked into the building.

Running up to her, their eyes were drawn to a trio of new enemies taking wing.

"Up the tower. I’ll take care of them at the top." He suddenly felt a hand on his neck as Amarena stepped behind him. "What are you doing?"

"Keeping you from snapping your neck, because there’s no way I’m letting you fight these fucks by yourself."

A moment later, the whole world blurred.