The devil's attack targeting Dier and Pielott.

This incident within Constel was not something to be taken lightly.

It was an unacceptable disgrace for Constel, which had already allowed enemy intrusion in the past.

However, in this case, there was a reason why they had to allow the devil's attack.

"...It's not just you, is it?"

The Headmaster, Osprey, had encountered a devil.

It had been about 5 minutes since their encounter. The devil was bound in mid-air, unable to move an inch.

Osprey stood still in his characteristic battle stance, thumb pressed against the center of his chest, his body and clothes spotless.

Although the devil was one of the most skilled among Satan's devils, challenging Osprey was a fool's errand.

"Keuk, Keuhehe..."

Yet, the devil laughed. As if he knew he would fail, that challenging Osprey was a reckless act.

"A devil as insignificant as you has reached me, the Headmaster. This is quite a situation, easy to understand even without seeing or hearing."

Osprey looked at the devil with cold eyes.

"Keuhehe, that's right. This place has already become our devils' stage. No matter how great you are, you won't be able to stop them all!"

The devil openly shouted. Perhaps because he was a devil of 'Wrath', or perhaps because he knew Osprey would read his thoughts anyway, he showed no hesitation.

"I don't need to stop them. The teachers and students will take care of it themselves. However..."

Squeeze-

"Keuk!"

The devil suddenly gasped, his voice cut short. From the devil's perspective, Osprey hadn't moved. He still stood motionless, thumb pressed against his chest.

"I have a lot to hear from you. That will help improve the current situation."

Although Osprey wasn't choking the devil, the devil felt a pressure on his throat that was even worse than being choked, and struggled.

‘He's even worse than I heard! This crazy old man!’

Osprey was a veteran of past wars. From then until now, he had never wavered in his position as a Zodiac. Of course, the Zodiacs respected each other and were equal, but Osprey was different.

Most people who witnessed Osprey's battles said the same thing.

He would simply stand there, and the enemy would be set ablaze, frozen, struck by lightning, or dismembered.

While all magicians conjured magic from their own vicinity, Osprey was different.

Magic was born right where the enemy stood.

"You said it yourself. You're Satan's subordinate. That's a rule the devils of Wrath must follow."

"Keuk, Ugh..."

Osprey continued to speak without releasing his grip on the devil's throat. He wasn't expecting an answer anyway.

"So, Satan's devils wouldn't reveal themselves before humans unless it was important. Because they have to introduce themselves. But if they suddenly attacked Constel, does that mean the time has come?"

Osprey had grasped the general situation as soon as the devil introduced himself.

He had heard that a devil had appeared in the Imperial Palace while he was away. According to Frondier, it was Satan, and the gate disappeared when they destroyed the Dragon Heart.

Thinking back, it seemed like Satan had taken advantage of Osprey's absence.

‘The possibility of Satan's subordinates remaining. Frondier was right.’

But Osprey had one question.

It was a thought that only Osprey, with his experience of traversing worlds, could reach, something even Frondier hadn't considered.

‘How does Satan give them orders?’

If Satan could send orders from the Demon Realm to the human world, then the most opportune time for him, whose goal was the destruction of the Empire, would naturally be during the during the war.

The Empire, already in disarray due to Manggot and the external monsters, would have been utterly crushed if Satan's devils had run rampant. Especially since Frondier hadn't considered that possibility at the time.

But Satan hadn't done that. No, he couldn't.

He couldn't send orders from the Demon Realm to his devils remaining here. So the devils who were absolutely loyal to Satan naturally remained hidden even during the war. Because Satan hadn't ordered them to move.

‘Belphegor started a war as soon as Satan returned. Even though the Dragon Heart was destroyed, I thought he was a bit hasty, but there must be something in their relationship.’

Anyway, the devils who hadn't moved then were moving now. Even though Satan hadn't descended.

There was only one answer.

"Satan already gave you orders before he came here."

"...!"

The devil's eyes widened despite barely being able to breathe.

Whether human or devil, it was extremely difficult to maintain composure while feeling threatened with death.

Osprey, judging his guess to be correct, continued his train of thought.

The main point of the order was probably 'Attack Constel'.

But the timing? If it were just that order, they would have already carried it out. Even if a specific time was designated, it wasn't a special date or period.

There was a condition. A condition for them to move.

'...The difference between Constel then and now...'

"...Frondier. Is it because he's not here now?"

Osprey muttered in a low voice. The devil's reaction was honest once again. He tried to hide it somehow, but the devil of Wrath didn't know how to do that.

Frondier had been absent from Constel lately, saying he was serving as Lily's knight.

But the devils would have received that information late. And even if they found out about it somewhere, they wouldn't know when he would return.

Frondier becoming Lily's knight, and the one month period. The time it took them to be convinced that it was Frondier who was killing the devils.

Was that around now?

‘But that's strange. Frondier wasn't at Constel during the war either. He invaded Manggot's base.’

But judging by the reaction the devil had just shown, it wasn't a wrong guess.

There was another condition besides Frondier.

"What's the other condition?"

Squeeze!

"Gah! Keughh!"

The devil let out a sound as if he were about to die. Even if he wanted to answer, he couldn't in this situation.

"Keuk! Cough, cough, cough!"

Osprey released his grip just before the devil truly suffocated. The devil, who had finally managed to breathe, coughed repeatedly and glared at Osprey.

"Do you think I'll talk! Cough, cough! That bastard Frondier deserves to suffer even more than this!"

"...You act like you won't talk, but you're doing a good job of telling me."

"What?"

"So the goal was Frondier after all. To inflict pain on Frondier. To attack Constel when Frondier is absent..."

A way to inflict pain on Frondier while he was away.

"...Indeed."

Slash-

The devil's head in front of Osprey was severed. Of course, it was Osprey's doing.

He didn't even look at the devil collapsing on the ground and turned his back to leave. He had no more business with this devil.

However.

"Excuse me."

The devil's wings, no longer attempting to hide, appeared before him.

Another devil had come to him.

"Please don't think about escaping using the space magic 'Gate'. I've already set traps on all the gates nearby."

"...Can someone like you stop me?"

"Of course not. I will die too."

The devil bowed his head politely and cleanly.

"My mission is just to buy some time, even if it's just a few minutes, or even a few seconds. When I die, the next, and the next devil will be waiting."

The devil explained everything kindly. The purpose of the traps wasn't to hurt Osprey, but to hold him back.

"...I see. You guys never intended to destroy Constel from the beginning."

"Yes, of course. How could we possibly destroy this place with you here?"

"Are you planning to take Frondier's hostage?"

"Yes. Choosing the weakest human among those he cherishes the most."

"...The weakest human."

The devil nodded.

"Aten Terst."

"...!"

"She's here, isn't she?"

The devil spoke, greedily observing the 'wrath' on Osprey's face.

Satan's orders were extremely simple.

Bind the feet of all the strong ones.

It didn't matter if they weren't winning overall.

Just one person was enough.

Because Frondier was strong against his own pain and suffering, but sensitive to the pain of those around him.

Aten Terst.

When Frondier was absent from Constel, and Aten was present.

Capture her.