novelraw Chapter 60 : Chapter 60
Chapter 60 : Chapter 60
Chapter 60. The Seven Archdemons (1)
The demons left.
Rude screamed his head off, asking if I had gone mad.
“Do you even know what you've just done?”
“Of course I do. I made a master-servant contract with the demons, didn't I?”
“It's not that simple of a problem! Demons are dangerous!”
He had looked dumbfounded when I told him I had met Mammon, but this time, he emphasized that making a contract with all the great demons was something that could never be permitted for a Hero.
Anonymous chimed in.
“Those beings are cunning and betray people as easily as they breathe. They are not to be trusted.”
“Isn't that why I had them write a contract?”
A verbal promise could be easily overturned, but this was different.
‘Because demons are the ones who abide by contracts more than anyone.’
For demons, a contract was an absolute promise engraved on their souls.
If anything, humans were more likely to break contracts.
‘The problem is that people are afraid of the consequences and don't go as far as writing a contract, but not all demons are swindlers.’
Moreover, these were the great demons, the highest-ranking among demons.
If they violated the terms written in the contract, their very souls would be annihilated.
‘This was common knowledge in the game, but surprisingly, not many people know this fact.’
Well, even in the game, there weren't many opportunities to meet demons until the ending.
It was advanced knowledge I knew only because I was a veteran player who had seen numerous endings.
“To face Primus, I'm willing to do even more than this.”
“I just hope your decision was a wise one.”
I told him not to worry and headed to Noemi's room.
I needed to soothe the feelings of my sulking youngest daughter.
***
“Are you in there?”
“...Yes.”
Unlike usual, only her answer came, and the door didn't open first.
When I carefully opened the door, I saw Noemi looking at a magic book.
“It seems you were studying.”
“It's not like I know all magic just because I'm me.”
“That's admirable.”
I approached her side and casually threw a question.
“By any chance, have you seen any Future Foresight related to the Lombard Kingdom's attack or the visit of the great demons?”
Noemi's face darkened rapidly.
“Is that why you came to my room? Unfortunately, I haven't had any Future Foresight recently.”
With those words, she averted her gaze and focused on the book.
This was the first time I had seen Noemi so thoroughly sulking.
I gave a bitter smile and tried to appease her.
“You still seem to be upset about me leaving you behind, don't you?”
“...”
“I couldn't help it. I couldn't take you, a wizard, with me when I didn't know what kind of magic devices they had.”
“I'm stronger than my sister.”
“That may be true. But I want everyone to become strong.”
Noemi looked at me with an expression that said she didn't understand.
“What does that mean?”
“Because I don't want any of my daughters to get hurt. To achieve that, they need to gain more practical experience, and you've already achieved a brilliant military record. This time, it was just Adel's turn.”
“You're neglecting Iris, aren't you?”
“Iris left here on her own two feet, so it's a problem I can't do anything about. But you and Adel are different, aren't you? Iris is probably getting stronger in her own way. That's what I believe.”
Noemi slowly nodded her head.
“I understand. But from next time, you absolutely have to take me with you. Otherwise, I don't know what I might do.”
“Of course. I promise.”
“I can't trust a verbal promise. Please write me a contract.”
Huh? I'm not a demon, though?
But it wasn't a difficult thing to do, so I took out a sheet of contract paper and asked.
“What should I write?”
“Hmm. I'd like you to write that if a battle breaks out in the future, you must go with me unconditionally.”
“What? That's not what we talked about. As I said before, I want my daughters to grow up evenly.”
“Then, at least let me be by your side. It's okay to just watch, right? I'm confident in my defense magic, too. Please?”
Noemi looked at me with sparkling eyes.
I felt like I was about to be crushed by her powerful gaze attack.
In the end, I wrote down exactly what Noemi said in the contract.
Noemi, holding the contract, was so happy that she just kept looking at it endlessly with joy.
‘Did she want to be acknowledged by me?’
Perhaps among my daughters, Noemi had the strongest desire for recognition.
Whatever the case, I was glad that Noemi's mood had improved.
It wasn't easy to cater to my daughters' moods, but this was the real charm of PP.
Seeing Noemi's smiling face, I felt a decade's worth of indigestion go down.
***
The demons who left Frank's mansion were able to quickly approach the Lombard Kingdom's army.
Not as fast as the dragons, but their wings allowed for swift movement.
“There are certainly a lot of bugs.”
“Indeed. How long has it been since we've seen so many humans?”
“What should we do? Should I go down and cause a ruckus?”
At the belligerent Satan's words, Lucifer shook his head firmly.
“It hasn't been long since we regained our physical bodies. We won't have the same power as before.”
“Even so, it's just a few demons and human soldiers. Shouldn't it be easy?”
“What if someone accidentally dies? Can you handle it?”
The condition Frank had given was that the demons didn't matter, but not a single human was to be killed.
To achieve that, they needed to use their heads rather than their strength.
The youngest, Belphegor, spoke up with a look of annoyance.
“It would be great to just kill them all, why is this so troublesome?”
“The more troublesome it is, the greater the pleasure you'll feel when you succeed.”
“Do you have a good idea?”
Lucifer smiled faintly and nodded his head.
“In the East, there is a saying, ‘Yi Yi Zhi Yi.’”
“What's that supposed to mean? Don't use difficult characters and explain it simply.”
“It means to control another enemy using the power of one's own enemy, without using one's own strength.”
“Ah, just speak so I can understand!”
Despite Belphegor's nagging, Lucifer explained kindly.
“Didn't he say some of them are demons? All we have to do is help them regain their true forms.”
“You mean, break their human transformations?”
“Yes. Then, things will proceed on their own.”
Asmodeus' face turned wicked.
“You mean to make the humans flee on their own, surprised by their comrades who suddenly turned into demons?”
“Bingo. Then, without us even having to step forward, they will self-destruct.”
“That sounds good. If we show ourselves, Primus might appear.”
“Hmph. He's not here. If he were, he would have shown himself immediately.”
Despite Lucifer's bold declaration, Leviathan asked with a frightened face.
“That's all well and good, but what if the demons harm the humans?”
“What does that matter?”
“Have you forgotten already? Frank said not a single human was to be killed, didn't he?”
“Huhu, naive Leviathan. That's why you won't do.”
“What did you say?”
“Where in those words is there a clause that says demons can't kill humans? We can't kill them with our own hands, but demons are not included in that. This is the completion of the ‘Yi Yi Zhi Yi’ I mentioned earlier. We just have to watch from behind.”
Leviathan praised Lucifer with a look of surprise.
“Indeed. You are truly a genius. You're worthy of being the eldest of us great demons.”
“Keke. You only realize that now? From now on, just trust and follow me. Don't think about playing solo like someone else.”
As his brothers nodded, Lucifer showed a pleased smile and concentrated magic power in one hand.
It wouldn't be as strong as in his prime, but this would be enough to break the opponent's disguise.
Soon, the area below began to turn into a scene of chaos.
***
The fatigue of the Lombard soldiers marching toward Tournai had reached its peak.
They had been marching for days without proper rest.
Then, someone rubbed their eyes and said this.
“Huh? What's this? Am I seeing things right now?”
“Huh? You too?”
“D-Demons!!”
The orderly formation was instantly broken.
Those who had the faces of comrades just a moment ago had instantly turned into demons.
“Uwaaah!! Everyone, run! The demons have appeared!”
“W-What! What's happening?”
The demons were just as flustered.
“We are not enemies! Where are you going, throwing away your weapons! Get back here this instant!”
“You bastards, I could chew you up and still not be satisfied!”
The startled demons scrambled to stop the soldiers from deserting, but the unannounced appearance of the demons spread fear in an instant.
“Don't run away! Tournai is right in front of us!”
“Hiiik!!”
The demons' desperate shouts echoed in vain.
No one listened to them.
The demons watching from the sky burst into laughter.
“Keke, this is fun. Don't just stand there, move more actively.”
“Yeah! Who's going to listen if you just talk. Push the humans harder.”
Did one of the demons hear those words?
Or was it an action that came out of desperation?
Eventually, some of them started cutting down human necks, and the situation only worsened.
“Shit! I thought something was strange from the beginning! What kind of war is this in the middle of winter!”
“If you don't want to die, shut up and just run forward!”
“Uwaaah! S-Save me!”
The majority of the human soldiers ran toward the Lombard Kingdom they had come from, and the demons, having started the slaughter once, did not stop.
On the contrary, as time passed, more mountains of corpses were piled up.
Lucifer engraved each scene in his eyes and muttered to himself.
“Working under Frank might be quite fun in its own way.”
Where else could he see such a spectacular sight?
Indeed, the scene of bloody slaughter was always a pleasant picture to behold.
***
At that time.
Adel was wandering alone in the forest where the battle with the demons had taken place.
“Please, you have to be alive.”
Her father had said he would be fine, but Adel was worried about Alvarez.
Alvarez had become an undead because of her carelessness.
It was unfair enough that he died, but she couldn't just pretend not to know, even if he had become an undead.
Just as she was about to feel dejected, thinking she would end up empty-handed again today.
Something came into her sight.
As she approached it, what she saw was the body of Alvarez, with only his upper half remaining.
“Ugh!”
Adel quickly covered her mouth, unable to look directly at Alvarez.
His lower waist was gradually growing, as if a tree was extending its roots.
“A-Are you okay?”
“I'm fine.”
“What in the world happened?”
“I'm recovering my body.”
“Does it not hurt?”
She asked out of concern, but Alvarez replied as if it were nothing.
“The undead do not feel pain.”
Adel bit her lower lip and knelt down as if to tell him to get on her back.
“What are you doing?”
“Can't you tell? Get on my back.”
“There's no need. It might take some time, but I'll walk on my own two feet once my legs are healed.”
“Eek. Just do as I say! It's an order from a superior officer!”
Alvarez tilted his head and got on Adel's back.
“Why are you going this far?”
“Because I couldn't protect you.”
“I betrayed you.”
“Anyone can make a mistake once. You're paying for your sin enough as it is.”
“It's hard to understand.”
“Be quiet. You just have to do as I say.”
Adel gritted her teeth and walked through the forest.
Each step was heavy, but her expression remained serious throughout.
An comforted Adel, but she moved on silently.
No matter what anyone said, Alvarez was her subordinate.
And at the same time, one of her few childhood friends.
How much time had passed?
Her whole body was drenched in sweat as if it had been raining.
His body was heavier than she thought.
No, it might be more accurate to say it was getting heavier.
She couldn't hear his breathing, but a strange heat was transmitted through her skin.
“Just a little more to go.”
Adel gritted her teeth and moved her feet.
But with every step she took, Alvarez's body sank heavier.
It felt as if something was pulling him toward the ground.
Then, at that moment.
Thud!
Adel felt something heavy fall from her back and stumbled forward.
When she turned around in surprise, “Alvarez!” He was lying face down on the ground, motionless.
But something was strange.
‘Black mist?’
A jet-black aura was emanating from around his body.
She had experienced countless battles wielding a sword, but she had never felt such a cold and evil magic power.
It was not just simple magic power.
A black mist that writhed as if it were a living being.
It enveloped Alvarez's body and then seeped into him, as if swallowing him.
“What in the world is this…”
Her instincts were warning her.
To run away.
To not get any closer.
Yet, Adel suppressed her fear and took a step closer.
Poof!
Adel instinctively pulled her body back.
Sharp, black, thorn-like things had shot out from Alvarez's upper body.
The black mist that enveloped him condensed, and gradually began to form a shape and grow.