Adam's Truth

The next day, I secretly summoned my tutor, Adam, to a corner of the courtyard.

(I can confide everything to him. I want him to become my comrade and fight alongside me.)

"What's the big news? Everyone's talking about your achievements. I'm so proud of you, your mentor."

He and I sat down by the fountain and began a long conversation. Then Adam's face contorted in pain.

(I've never seen him make that face before. I wonder what happened.)

"...I'm sorry, Susie. I can't help you."

"Why……?"

Adam took a deep breath. After a moment of silence, he murmured.

"The Principal of Survival...is my father."

"Huh? Really?"

I blinked many times. If this is a dream, I want to wake up.

"I can't defeat my father. I respect him."

"...Respect...? I'm the Demon Lord, you know?"

I was breathless and nearly slipped and fell from the fountain. That Adam... the son of the hateful demon king?

Are you saying he knew everything and still agreed to be my tutor?

"I can't accept my father's black magic either...but I can't stop him. Besides, he's a good father to me. He took the place of my deceased mother."

"But you told me so many times that black magic is bad for me. That it would come back to haunt me, that it would lead to my ruin!"

"I want you to stop too! But... there are reasons for it."

Adam was in agony and grasped Susie's hands.

"It's better not to talk about this blindly. I'll keep quiet too. But there's nothing I can do, Susie. I'm sorry."

Adam loved touching the earth.

His specialty in magic is terrain manipulation, 'earth.' It's the ability to sense and extract mines and resources lying dormant underground using magic—a type of magic favored by the privileged class.

Adam then disappeared, flying off to another island for his practical training.