Chapter 221: Observe from a Safe Position, Devi

「Surako, do you know these people, Devi?」

Lili says intimidatingly, and Lolisla, with only her head sticking out of the shadow of the sofa, nods her head, twitching her face.

「They’re the couriers the President used to use. If the money was enough, they could do anything from kidnapping to arranging human trafficking… they were very useful」

I see… the person who abducted Chihiro was President Kurashima… then there’s no way Lolisla, his right-hand woman, didn’t know about it.

But that still leaves the question.

「Are you saying that President Kurashima is the one who kidnapped Misuzu?」

To my question, Lolisla said, “Hiiii!? Nooo, it’s not me, I never arranged for Ku-Kurosawa-san’s abduction!” And then she hid behind the back of the sofa.

（Who’s the one who trained her to be such a pain in the ass…）

I can’t go on with the story if she’s frightened every time.

Anyway, Kurosawa-san and Chihiro were kidnapped by these guys, but their clients were different. I guess that’s how it is.

「Hey, heyy, Fumio-kun, About Yamauchi-san… what’s going on with her?」

Masaki-chan, who had recovered from her stiffness, asked me with her cheeks twitching.

「I don’t know how to explain, but Torture’s recklessness has turned her into a half-human beast, right, Yamauchi-san?」

「B-beast!?」

「Oh, don’t worry, she won’t attack you, right, Lolisla?」

「Y-yes! I won’t let anything happen to you guysssss」

「That’s why, don’t worry」

「I don’t think it’s a question of whether or not to be relieved…」

Kurosawa-san said, twitching at the edges of her mouth, and Akira nodded her head next to her, her face still twitching.

Well, I understand that you’re curious, but this is not about Lolisla.

I looked up at Lili and asked her again.

「Didn’t the maids say they captured her?」

「They were trying to kidnap the saint’s sister(imouto) today, Devi」

「Claudia-san?」

「Devi, Devi, I was contacted by Unsociable(Buiso) and had Freesia and the maids intercept the kidnapping, Devi」

The story’s not getting any clearer.

I assume that “Buiso” means Shiratori-san, but why would Shiratori-san contact her for that?

And why did Lili help the supposedly hostile Saint?

And before that, why was Claudia-san kidnapped?

Who gave the order to the courier?

I guess she was kidnapped after I was surrounded by a group of men in shorts in the stands.

And before I knew, Claudia-san was nowhere to be found. Then, the only person who was with me at the time was…

「You mean the devil doll did this?」

I said, and Lili’s mouth twisted into a grin.

「To be precise, it was the person behind it, Devi」

Misuzu, Akira, Masaki-chan, Chihiro. They all have blank looks on their faces.

That’s true. I still don’t know what’s going on, and they don’t know anything about the devil doll.

I explain to everyone that Fujiwara-san has lost her “existence” to the devil doll.

As I explain, the fact that the devil doll took Claudia-san doesn’t seem so strange to me.

To begin with, Claudia-san is a “saint” who has received the blessings of the Devil’s enemy, “the angels”.

Moreover, since they knew Claudia-san and her sister(onee-san), it would be no surprise if they saw her as an enemy and attacked her.

But…

「The devil doll probably doesn’t know they’ve kidnapped a saint, Devi」

Lili says casually, and I raise an eyebrow.

「Then why did they kidnap Claudia-san?」

「As a matter of fact, a while ago, Freesia was attacked by the servants of a demon nobleman who opposes Lili, Devi」

「They are devil and beast man, Devi, led by–」

Breaking off there, Lili lowered the tone of her voice an octave.

「A(*)n(*)n(*)a(*)-(*)T(*)e(*)r(*)u(*)y(*)a(*), Devi」

Instantly, the image of Anna Teruya, looking like a cabaret girl, that I had seen when I got into the office flashed through my mind.

At the same time, I heard Kurosawa-san and Masaki-chan gasping for breath.

They were aware of how Anna Teruya was imprisoned. After all, I’m the one who falsely accused her of kidnapping members of the track and field club.

「So, when I went to help Freesia, I gave Anna Teruya a little push, Devi, and I said, “It was this Lili-sama who framed you, Devi”」

「Why again… such a thing」

Although her current expression was quite mild, Lili was probably provoking her several times more than she actually was.

「It’s simple, Devi. The purpose of the demon noble behind Anna Teruya is Lili, Devi. If it’s Lili they’re after anyway, it’d be better for them to get emotional and search for Lili with bloodlust, Devi」

「Wait, wait a minute! If there is a demon noble behind Anna Teruya, it means that Anna Teruya might have the ability to create a room like me, right!?」

「No, Devi, it’s possible that she’s been given some kind of ability, Devi, but at the very least, this ability to “create a room” is unique and can’t be used by anyone but Fumi Fumi, Devi」

（Is there a possibility that she has some kind of ability… that sounds pretty dangerous, though）

As I ponder this, Lili spins around in the air and smiles happily.

「I’ve been thinking that the reason the demon noble attacked Hinnyu(pettan) and the saint’s sister(imouto) might have something to do with Lili, Devi. And now that Freesia and the others have rescued the saint’s sister(imouto), they’ll definitely think this way, Devi. –“The foreigner sisters must be Lili’s pawns”. Then, all that’s left is to set the stage and watch them destroy each other, Devi」

「Lili」

「What, Devi?」

「You’re really a devil」

「Of course, Devi」

Lili looks like she’s about to say something, while everyone else who’s listening is clearly distracted.

I’ve gotten used to it, but when I see Lili like this, I’m really glad that we’re not enemies.

「Anyway, the treatment of these couriers, Devi…」

「Are you sending the men to Baron Moho?」

I said, and Lili shook her head.

「That Baron’s a picky eater, Devi, and these guys might put him in a bad mood, Devi, besides, these guys look like they’d be good for something, Devi, and I’d like to keep them, Devi. And the one who controls them is that foreign woman, Devi」

「I see… so you’re saying I should make her mine, right?」

「Devi, Devi. But Fumi Fumi is going to be busy from here on, Devi. So I’m thinking of calling a trainer from the demon world, Devi」

「Trainer?」

「Devi, I’m having Freesia find a suitable one from the demon tribe, Devi, but you’ll have to do most of the work yourself, Devi」