Hataraku Maou-sama! (The Devil is a Part-Timer!) - 03

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Hataraku Maou-sama! offers mysteries and humour all in one neat little package, continuing to leave us with cliff-hangers that keep us coming back for more.

We find out there’s a demon (or so Yusa believes) intends to destroy both Emilia the Hero and Overlord Satan when said demon calls Yusa’s hotline while she’s at work.  This is one of the more interesting developments in the episode, building off of the magic sniper from the previous episode.  Not only is someone after both Maou and Yusa, but that someone is bold enough to tell them so.  While I hesitate to rush to a conclusion, I have to agree with Yusa that this does sound like something a demon would do.

Afterward, Ashiya helps Maou prepare for his “date” with Chiho.  Ashiya tails them—to look after his Lord, of course—and runs into Yusa.  After she gives him a run-down of the meaning behind Chiho’s choice of attire and obvious recent trip to a hairdresser (meaning that she’s romantically interested in Maou), she insists that they go to the café in which the date is taking place to get more information about the earthquakes Chiho wanted to talk to Maou about.  We find out that Chiho received some sort of (presumably telepathic) message in a language she’d never heard before but could still understand, warning of “strange incidents happening” in their world, which Chiho assumes are the earthquakes.

I think it’s fair to assume that the voice Chiho has been hearing belongs to one of Hero Emilia’s comrades who were left behind on Ente Isla.  Maou reflects that the communication method is one that he’s familiar with (Idea Link, “used to synchronize the minds of humans in different worlds to share ideas and concepts”).  He also reflects that the Sonar involved in Idea Link might manifest as earthquakes in this world.

When an earthquake occurs, trapping the three of them (and presumably Ashiya as well), Yusa puts Chiho to sleep before learning that Maou’s powers seem to have returned—he comes out of the rubble looking incredibly muscular with hooves, horns, and glowing eyes.  He claims not to know how he got like this and begins to work to free them, much to Yusa’s surprise.

I’m curious to see how and why Maou’s powers have returned, as well as to see what caused the earthquake that trapped them in the first place.  I would venture to guess that his returned powers might imply that the earthquake was caused by a demon, perhaps one of his underlings.  And we can’t forget about the (assumed) demon intent on taking out both Emilia the Hero and Overlord Satan.  Obviously, Maou and Yusa (and Ashiya, and maybe even Chiho) will be forced to team up in the future to avoid or fight this aggressor.