X looked at the two demons with an indifferent expression.
The two demons' stiff movements proved that they had fallen for X's lie.
'Good, they fell for it completely.'
'Berith, the 28th Rank demon' was a suitable identity to impersonate.
Because he had appeared briefly in the original story, and he was a demon who could never appear at this point in time.
'He was originally the demon who possessed Faron, but Faron's entire episode was scrapped.'
Furthermore, X had stated the two demons' true names correctly.
It wouldn't make sense unless he was a fellow demon or a superior one.
So they had no choice but to be deceived.
However, they weren't completely fooled.
'Is Andras still suspicious?'
Flauros, even after his initial look of astonishment, still showed panic in his actions.
On the other hand, Andras wore a mask, so her expression was unreadable, but her subsequent gestures and atmosphere grew more cautious.
'Well, this is to be expected. Who would believe someone who suddenly showed up claiming to be here for surveillance.'
Of course, it was a reaction I had fully anticipated.
Rather, the fact that they were this suspicious was proof that it was working.
'They might doubt the title of Inspector, but they won't doubt that I'm a demon. They've likely never even heard of such a position.'
When there's a big light and a small light, the small one becomes invisible.
So they wouldn't have the luxury of wondering whether I was a demon or not.
While they're too busy doubting the bigger light, I must keep shaking them up.
X shot back at Andras in a calm tone.
"It seems you're suspicious. Well, that's reasonable. The position of Inspector has never existed until now."
"Oh my, I wasn't thinking that at all... But now that you mention it, I am curious. Indeed..."
Andras covered her mouth, chuckled, and asked.
"May I ask under whose orders you have come?"
It was an obvious question to ask.
Whose orders they were had to be confirmed.
Because he might not be an Inspector, after all.
'Of course, I came fully prepared.'
X answered as if it were obvious.
"My direct superior is Lord 'Amon.' Under Lord 'Baal's' command, an organization called the 'Inspectorate' was recently established."
Baal is the 1st Rank, and Amon is the 7th Rank demon.
They were unfathomably high-ranking demons, far beyond the likes of Andras.
'Especially since the true names of these two are top-secret.'
At the mention of their names, Andras's hand trembled slightly.
She had never imagined those names would be spoken.
"Lord Baal and Lord Amon, you say..."
Just dropping their names isn't enough; I have to hammer it in.
"The Century-long Plan is upon us, after all. I believe there's no harm in being more and more cautious. It's a pain that the workload has increased, but it can't be helped."
He states a perfectly plausible reason.
Now, doubting the Inspectorate could be interpreted as, 'I'll be careless even with the Century-long Plan at hand.'
Knowing this, Andras's brow furrowed.
'Is it real?'
She wasn't convinced.
Berith's appearance at this exact moment seemed far too contrived.
If he was going to conduct surveillance, he could have come much earlier.
"Still suspicious?"
As she was thinking this, Berith casually remarked.
Andras couldn't answer right away.
As if he had fully expected this, X spoke not to Andras, but to Flauros.
"Let's ask Eren, the Head Butler. How long has it been since 'I' came to this mansion?"
"...Three months."
"How do you know that?"
"I select all the servants myself."
"Why select them yourself? Couldn't you have left it to any other suitable butler?"
"Because, depending on the circumstances, it was necessary to dispose of them, so careful selection was required."
"I see. Thank you for your answer."
At that answer, Andras had no choice but to retract her suspicion a little more.
According to Flauros's words, it meant Berith had been conducting surveillance on the mansion for the past three months.
'A fact that's advantageous to me is more effective when spoken by someone else.'
I currently have the appearance of a 'servant.'
That appearance perfectly matches the servant Flauros remembers.
I'll use the misconception that I've been conducting surveillance for three months as is.
"Andras. Have your doubts been sufficiently cleared?"
Andras didn't answer.
Instead of an answer, she let out a deep sigh.
"Hoo... I see. I understand."
"Good, if your doubts are cleared, I have a few questions..."
"Before that."
Andras cut X off, raising a hand to her mask.
She slowly removed the mask, revealing her face.
The face of Imperial Princess Beatrice was clearly visible.
X frowned at the sight.
"What's the meaning of this? Are you asking me to go easy on you after seeing your face?"
"No, that's not it. There's no need for us to wear masks in front of each other anymore, is there? We seem to have introduced ourselves enough, so it's rude to keep a mask on."
"..."
X realized what that meant.
It was, of all things, what he had wanted to avoid most.
'She's telling me to take off my mask. Flauros didn't seem to know. As expected of a 5th Rank magician.'
I had anticipated this development to some extent.
Since Beatrice is a 5th Rank magician, she must have read the flow of magical power from the Disguise Mask.
Not getting caught would have been best, but now that I've been found out, it can't be helped.
'Still, I can't just take it off.'
X acted even more pompous and let out a long, deep sigh.
"Haaaaah... You're really not being helpful. How long do you plan to be suspicious? Do you intend to meet Lord Amon? Or will you only be satisfied if you see Lord Baal himself?"
He threw every tantrum he could.
It would have been easier if I could make myself so unpleasant that she'd be in a 'I wish he'd just get lost' state.
But his opponent was Andras.
She smiled brightly, covered her mouth, and replied calmly.
"No, I'm not being suspicious. I simply wish for us to observe etiquette before we converse."
"You've got a silver tongue. What's the next point of etiquette? Are you planning to strip my clothes, my underwear, peel off my skin, and dig into my bones?"
"Hmm, why are you overreacting like this? It's just taking off a mask."
'Gotcha.'
As if he had been waiting for Andras's reaction, X continued.
"What's irritating me right now is a matter of 'attitude'."
Andras was a little flustered by the unexpected answer.
"'Attitude'... you say?"
"How are you acting right now? I, 'Berith,' an Inspector from the Inspectorate, created by Lord Baal's command and operated by Lord Amon, am merely trying to ask you a few questions, and yet all I get is suspicion, suspicion, and more suspicion."
"No, that wasn't my intention..."
"Then let me ask you something."
X stared directly into Andras's eyes with a look full of suspicion.
"Are you really 'Andras'?"
"...Pardon?"
Andras's expression at the sudden question was quite a sight.
It was quite amusing to see the fine muscles of her face twitching, a mix of bewilderment and anger.
But only for a moment. Andras quickly regained her composure and answered calmly.
"If it's 'Demonization' you want, I can show you anytime. So please, calm your anger."
"Hmph..."
At that answer, X had to think.
'She handles that well. A demon is a demon, I guess.'
It seemed like she was speaking calmly to appease X's irritation, but in reality, this was what she meant.
'Can you undergo Demonization? I can.'
Of course, X wasn't a demon, so he couldn't do it.
If he actually demanded Andras to undergo Demonization here, things would become irreversible.
'Well, I've applied enough pressure.'
X decided to take a step back.
"Are you planning to advertise that you're a demon in a place crawling with parasites? Don't forget that the Century-long Plan is at hand. If you want to see my face, then by all means, look."
X immediately took off his Disguise Mask.
As the mask came off, the magic that had concealed his face slowly faded.
Conversely, X's tension slowly grew.
'Andras saw my face when I fought Kirke. So this is a bit of a gamble, but...'
This was the only way, so he had to rely on luck.
Still, there was one thing he was counting on.
'This has to work...!'
Soon, the magic on X's face disappeared.
Only then did Andras get to see X's face.
X prayed, believing in Andras's 'personality.'
'Please...!'
In the worst-case scenario, he might have to taste the eternal pains of hell between two enraged demons.
Andras looked at X's face.
X's real face, not an illusion.
After 'staring' at X's face hard enough to burn it into her retina, Andras's mind came to a conclusion.
'…Who is this? Have I seen him somewhere before?'
She was sure she had seen him somewhere, but she couldn't remember clearly.
To be precise, there were similar faces, but none that made her think, 'this is it.'
As Andras was staring intently at X's face, X barely suppressed his bursting tension and muttered.
"Is there something on my face?"
"...No. Forgive my rudeness."
At that reaction, X cheered inwardly.
'It worked! The change in my Charm worked!!'
What X had been aiming for was the change in his 'Charm' stat.
It was proven that when the Charm stat changes drastically, 'one might not be recognized.'
'Because when you first saw my face, my Charm was 0.1! Now it's 1.0, so I must look like a different person!'
Also, his physique had changed while being trained by Rockswell, so it was natural that Andras wouldn't recognize him.
Besides, Andras's personality also played a part.
'She quickly forgets the faces of humans she has no interest in!'
Because those two factors aligned, Andras was absolutely unable to recognize X's bare face.
'That took ten years off my life. Phew...'
Slowly calming his excited heart, X got to the main point.
"Then, may I ask a few questions? It seems the banquet is about to start, so shouldn't we finish up these minor things quickly?"
Andras mulled over X's words once before sighing. Soon, she replied as if she had no choice.
"You speak wisely. You may ask anything. I will cooperate to the best of my ability."
"Thank you. First, depending on the case, I may ask some 'obvious questions.'"
"Obvious questions...?"
"For example, things like 'What did you eat yesterday?' to 'Is your name really Andras?' They are procedural questions, so just answer without getting flustered."
"Understood."
X asked the first thing he wanted to know.
"First, where did you procure the 'Demonization Accelerant'?"
The whole 'obvious questions' bit was for this.
It was groundwork to make Andras naturally answer a question that would otherwise make her think, 'Why is he asking this?'
Thanks to that groundwork, Andras answered normally.
"About a week ago, on Monday, we received massive support from Lord 'Baal.' One of those items was the 'Demonization Accelerant.'"
"A week ago Monday would be March 8th."
"That's correct."
That was a date X remembered precisely.
'It's the date the plot changed.'
He'd need to find out later why it was that specific day. X continued with his questions.
"Good, nothing unusual. What were you planning to do with the 'Demonization Accelerant'?"
"The plan was to turn the Empire's high nobility into demons to create chaos."
"In what way?"
"There were several plans, but I was thinking of an 'Indiscriminate Massacre.' Both to draw attention away from the Hell Gate Ritual, and to gather the sacrificed souls."
"...This is also in order."
'If the nobles don't become demons here, the bloody Masked Ball scenario will probably trigger.'
Fortunately, he had already tampered with the Demonization Accelerant. All that was left was to stop the Indiscriminate Massacre.
X asked his next question.
"How did you lure the nobles? It must have been difficult to attract so many high nobility through ordinary means."
"I told them I had a 'Magical Power Awakening Potion.' There's no shortage of humans born as nobility who are treated like parasites because they lack Magical Power Sensitivity."
X realized what Marlyn, whom he had met at the Ring Circle, had been trying to take out.
It was a sample of the Magical Power Awakening Potion.
"They wouldn't believe it with words alone, so I distributed a very small amount of samples. Most of the budget was spent on that."
"...The effect seems to have been certain."
"Huhu, it's human nature to crave it once they've experienced Magical Power, even for a moment."
His curiosity satisfied, X organized the information.
'The Demonization scenario is blocked, I have to deal with the bloody Masked Ball later, and what's left is this.'
"What was kept in the Iron Cages in the basement?"
The biggest worry was the 'large-scale attack on the Academy.' The paper with the date and location of the attack had been burned, so he couldn't get the information.
Fortunately, Andras provided that information.
"They are the demons we received as support when we got the Demonization Accelerant. Most of them are low-grade monster-type demons, so I was wondering what to do with them, but then an interesting idea came to mind."
"And what idea was that?"
Andras replied with an innocent smile.
"To attack the Empire's Academy. It's a nest of parasites where all sorts of nobles have gathered, so killing them in droves is sure to send the entire Empire into an uproar."
It was information he had fully expected.
X nodded in understanding and continued his questions.
"A fine idea. But wouldn't it be dangerous if the 'Crown Prince' were attacked? Our goal has always been the Descent of 'That Being.' We are not doing this to destroy the Hell Gate or some insignificant human country. The Crown Prince must remain alive for the Century-long Plan."
"Of course, I've taken that into full consideration. As the Imperial Princess, I know the Crown Prince's entire schedule. Naturally, I plan to aim for a time when the Crown Prince is absent, when I can kill the most humans."
"And when is that?"
This was the very information X wanted to hear.
X focused on Andras's lips with all his might, so as not to miss a single word.
And the information that came from Andras's lips was beyond X's imagination.
"Tomorrow."
It was a hopelessly insufficient amount of time for X to prepare.