And then...
　Amu and I escaped the dungeon safely.

　We blew the exit door with Ash Flower and blew up the dirt above us, startling the teachers, but no one was injured, so there was no problem.

　When we were brought back to the school, the teachers asked us what had happened, and we told them the truth.
　I'm not going to be able to get out of the dungeon with a magic circle in the forest, but I managed to escape by defeating the boss.
　I'm not going to be able to tell you what to do, but I'm going to tell you that I'm not going to be able to tell you about my magic and Amu's curse, and I'm not going to tell you about it. Because it was inconvenient to tell.

　It seems that the teachers didn't know that there was a dungeon underneath the temple.
　Probably no one in this city knew about it. Normally, if they knew a monster like that was inside the city walls, they would be too scared to live in a place like this.

　The magic circle in the forest was already gone.
　It seems that it was designed to disappear once activated. It's well planned.

　The culprit is unknown.

　I thought that after something like this, there would be another uproar about the closure of the school, but this time the school was closed for three days and that was it.
　I don't know who did it, but I'm amazed that they'll continue. I'm sure there's a lot going on.
　Well, they didn't close it down after the Demon attacked, so I guess it's too late now.

　It's been seven days today since then.
　Amu and I finally got back to our normal lives.

Excuse me.

　I say to him as we descend the stairs to the basement of the research building.

I've come to return that which you left for me. Dr. Cordell.

　The vast basement.

　In the vast basement of the room, on the pale white magic circle that covers the floor, Cordell raises his binoculars.

You are Mr. Lamprog?　I'm sorry, does he owe you anything?　More importantly ... how did you get here?　I thought I had it locked.
Sorry, I melted the locks. The spellcasters are in the wards now to warn of intruders. We'll talk about your belongings later. I'd like to ask the doctor a few questions today.
...Is there something I didn't understand in class?

　Laughing a little at Cordell's joke, I briskly walk through the basement.

'How's the ritual going?　The "teacher
....
Amu is still going strong.
How much do you realize?
'Come on. But I thought it was strange. Even though the demon race is skilled in transference magic, I didn't think they could invade an imperial city by themselves and prepare a magic circle that large. Then there was the dungeon incident the other day. It's possible that it was a leftover from the attackers... but if you think about it, it's normal to have an insider.

　Cordell sighs.

'I wonder if, by any chance, that attacker was defeated by you?　Good grief. I don't know who it was, but that's why I told you not to send me a half-assed one.
He was very high and mighty, though.
So how did you know it was me?　I'm sure you didn't leave any evidence.
Well it's just a hunch.
I think I've been sidetracked.
It's a long story. So, sir I think we're ready for you to show your true colors.

　Cordell chuckles.

'Is that a joke?　Unfortunately, I'm human. This is the real deal.
So the demons use human spies?
There's some demon blood in it, though. That's about it. Just like the Empire uses demon spies.

　I knew the human side is doing that much too.

''Did the demon race know about that dungeon as well?
No, I found that one. I trawled through the old documents. There were no human entrances or exits, so it should have been impossible to escape.

So you saw through it, huh?
Is this a trick you invented yourself?　If that's the case, then the teacher must be a genius.
I'm glad you see the value in this.

　Behind the round glasses, Cordell squinted his eyes.

"It's a revolutionary 'curse' that incorporates a light-attribute ritual technique that has never been seen before. From far away, it can disguise itself as a disease and ensure that the target is killed.
....
In previous experiments, every skilled sorcerer and the strongest warriors have died for no reason. It was painful. I'm still holding out for now, but I'm sure that this brave man will suffer the same fate. The dungeon is not really important to me.
....
There's just one drawback, though. It takes a long time. And if you're interrupted in the middle of the process, it will undo all the work you've done. So... you're going to die.

　Cordell waved his wand and --- countless magic circles appeared in the air.
　In that light, an otherworldly sorcerer pushes up his round glasses.

'This is my workshop. Of course I've prepared for this much. I think I'll let this place be otherworldly and run away so that you can talk to someone else. I'm sorry, but you'll have to watch in hell as I make my triumphant return with the honor of killing a hero.
Oh, but first, do you have a minute?

　I raised my hand to interrupt Cordell's speech.
　Cordell frowns and shuts down at the lack of tension in his voice.

'You said earlier that there was one flaw, but actually there are two more.
What...?
'Did you notice that?　The 'curse' isn't on Amu right now.
What are you talking about...
He's the one who's cursed now.

　I unlocked the art of invisibility.
　What appeared in front of me was a half-melted, pitch-black, human body.

　When Cordell saw it, his expression was stiff.

'Curses are difficult to target. Normally, we use the target's name, hair or nails to bind them, but........................Sensei has set up some interesting conditions. One who has been bathed in demon blood, huh?

　The magic circle on the floor, in the center of it, was a jar filled with a black liquid.
　Perhaps that was the blood of a daemon.

I'm sure that Amu defeated the demon during the attack. Could it be that me and Yifa, who were in the high seat, were also targeted?　If that was the case, it was a close call. But because of that, I was able to transfer the curse to this Hitogata.

　The black human gadget was the one that had switched positions and bathed in that foul-smelling liquid when Cordell had tipped the jar over.
　Demon blood.
　It was the first thing I tried when I tried to transfer Amu's curse, and I was surprised to find that it worked easily and counter-intuitively. Well, it was because I was suspicious of Cordell from the beginning.

'No matter what conditions you're aiming at, if they find out, this is what you'll be doing. You didn't notice that at all, did you?　The curse doesn't know from the person doing the magic what the target is doing. In a previous life, it wasn't uncommon to hear of a woman who continued to curse a man she resented even after he died and eventually turned into a demon. Besides, the aim is also easily missed. There were even techniques that took advantage of the ease of dislocation, such as Inugami and poisoning.
'A previous life...?　Jesus, what are you talking about?　How did you know about my art...
Now, before we get to that other flaw,

Demon calling...

　I pull out the daemons I caught in the Battle of Galeos from phase.
　The red patterned daemon floating above me doesn't move a muscle. It seemed to be dead. Unlike demons, monsters that are highly dependent on their bodies can't withstand their phases.
　Well, it's not a hindrance right now.

　Cordell's eyes widened behind his round glasses.

''Wha, Ark Demon!
Here's what I'm going to do.

　I use my shikigami and tear the daemons' corpses apart with all my might.
　Blood and guts rain down on me in droves.

What the...?
I'll go further.

　After chanting the mantra, he burns the black Hitogatas with the air of fire.

'Yes. With this, the curse has been transferred to me.

　I can feel the power flowing into me.
　Mu, this is quite strong.
　Poor Amu had to endure this?

　As for Cordell, he has a stunned expression on his face.
　That's right. If this continues, I'm just a crazy person.

'Silly ... have you lost your mind?　How can you take my curse on your body and get away with it for free...!

　I hear this and pull up my mouth.
　That's the way it is for both of us, right?

　I keep my voice firm.

"We worship the great goddess Izanami,

　The words are filled with spell power.

The gods of mourning and convergence, the eight pillars of the gods of thunder, the gods of lightning, and the yomotsushikome, sit in the land of the gods of Hades ). Curses, curses, and grudges of all kinds...

　It bends the laws of the world and alters the curse that is directed at it.

The curse bends the logic of the world and changes the curse. Sir.

　Suddenly, Cordell coughed up blood.
　It was not an unusual amount. A terrifying amount of blood, as if his heart had been squeezed out, flowed down from Cordell's mouth and stained the magic circle on the floor.

　The sorcerer of the other world is in agony.

''Nun........gore, ha.......''
'The biggest drawback of the curse. It's easy to return. It's what's called a curse back.

　I explain to Cordell, who falls to the floor, as I walk around the room.

When the curse is returned, it becomes many times more powerful than the original curse and attacks the surgeon. Listen, doctor. A curse is not a technique that can be safely used from a distance. It's a dangerous jutsu that can turn around and put you in a tight spot if your opponent has the knowledge or hires a surgeon.

　I continue to tell the sorcerer, whose eyes and nose are bleeding and whose breath is fading.

The reason your experiments worked so well is simply because they didn't spread in this world. This is the extent of the jutsu that will become obsolete once a countermeasure is created. Unfortunately........sir. Are you listening to me?　The "teacher

　There was no longer any movement in Cordell.
　The otherworldly sorcerer genius had died in a sea of black blood.

　I look down at his corpse and say, "Well, it's amazing that you've developed a spell-casting methodology from scratch.

I think it's amazing that he created a spell-casting methodology from scratch. But...

　He sighs and mutters softly.

"Curses are my specialty, you know.


****


　Still, though.

'It's really pleasant to return that spell.

　This is the reverse of the Shinto curse reversal verse (Sakanori) that my master often used. It's a bit long, but it's also great for otherworldly magic. It's amazing.

It's very unusual for Seika-sama to use the word 'Norito'.

　Yuki says, peeking out of the inside pocket of his jacket.

'Yeah. That's the easiest thing I can use to return a curse to myself, but it's been a long time since I've been cursed.'

　Onmyoudou is a spell system in Japan that combines Shinto, Buddhism and Taoism, and has a wide range of techniques that can be used.
　In fact, it is a trivial matter of Sanskrit for Shingon, Chinese for writing on the tablets, and Japanese for celebratory words. Naturally, there are some systems that are not used at all, depending on the tastes of the practitioner.
　The system to purify and exorcise spirits is strong, but Shinto. The spells are long and dull.

'By the way, there's something I don't understand Yuki.
What is it?
'Seika-sama seems to have suspected that human ever since you returned from the labyrinth... how did you know?
'Yeah. When I was observing the situation on the ground before I escaped, I saw a pollen on that man's jacket. It was the same flower that was growing near the transference magic circle.
Pollen, sir?　How do you understand such things?
Pollen reflects UV light. A bee's vision can see it very clearly.
What are... ultraviolet light...?
The bottom of the rainbow is purple, right?　But there's actually a color further down the line that people can't see.
Oh, wow.
'That's ultraviolet light. Well, it's just a literal translation of an ancient Greek word. There's a lot of stuff that birds and bugs can see.
Heh.

　Yuki gives a distracted sigh.
　I'm not sure I understand.

　Well, at any rate.
　It was a concern for me, but now I'm able to take care of the insider to the demon tribe.
　We can finally start school life as normal.

　There's only one more problem at hand.
　I look down at the monster's blood stained clothes and mutter in frustration.

"....what should I do with my clothes?