DSB 94

Yutis didn’t like Illa. At first, he hadn’t cared much, but the more time Illa spent alone with Lebel, speaking to him with that sly look on his face, the more Yutis’s opinion of him fell.

Even after learning the reason, his feelings didn’t change.

But Illa smiled calmly. He was sure Yutis would accept the proposal if it meant killing Norman.

“Not just anyone can kill a demon. But you’re different, Young Master. You’re a being who’s beyond the limits of humankind. If Lord Michael gives you a bit of help, you can destroy the demon.”

“I’m called a demon’s spawn, and my wife is a demon. You’re saying an angel will help us?”

“Lord Michael only punishes those who disturb the balance of the world. And I already told you. Lord Michael and Lord Lebel know each other well.”

Illa deliberately left out anything that could be used against him. But Karon, who knew everything, revealed everything.

[He asked you because Lord Lebel refused him.]

“…Lord Michael hopes you’ll accept this offer. If you receive his blessing, the demonic energy inside you will stop your transformation into a demon. You won’t have to suffer by turning into a monster.”

“Demonic energy…?”

“Didn’t Lord Lebel tell you…?”

Illa faltered. He looked unsure whether he should say it or not.

“…I’ll hear it from my wife.”

“That would be best. In any case, Lord Michael doesn’t intend to oppose either Lord Lebel or you, Young Master. Besides, this land worships Lord Michael as its god. He wouldn’t wish for it to fall because of demons. You heard him yourself.”

“…Yes, I did.”

Michael had personally appeared before Yutis and spoken to him. Through Illa’s mouth, he had said one thing:

‘I like this land. But if the demons are left alone, the North will fall into chaos. So use the power I give you to destroy them.’

After that, Michael had asked if he would accept the offer, but Yutis had remained silent. Then Michael said he would give him time to think and withdrew.

“You’ll one day rule the North, Young Master. You’re the perfect one to receive the blessing.”

But Yutis stared at Illa, his eyes cold.

“Illa, I’m not blind to your god’s intentions. If he plans to use my wife through me, he’d better stop.”

Karon had always said Lebel was an extraordinary demon, and even Norman had tried to take him. Furthermore, he was close with Michael, a being called a god. So wouldn’t Michael have gone to Lebel first?

What Karon said only made it more convincing.

His wife was someone who refused anything he didn’t want to do.

Illa flinched. Michael might not have listed Lebel among the demons to be destroyed, but the demon of the North was included.

Michael believed that if Yutis moved to hunt demons, Lebel would move as well. Once Yutis found the northern rift, he wouldn’t sit still, and naturally Lebel would help him.

Things had changed a little now. Michael had learned that Lebel had met with the Celestial God, he received power and promised to seal the rift. So the rift issue would be resolved, but the demon was still a problem.

No one knew what the northern demon was planning. It was safer to cut off the roots of disaster early. Furthermore, new demons born from human greed were starting to appear more often, summoned into the mortal world by those seeking power.

‘Considering the demons that have run rampant in the Middle Realm, it’s best to create a human who can fight them,’ Michael had said.

Illa agreed. And the only human who came to mind who could fight demons right now was Yutis.

Even if those demons had borrowed human bodies, he had defeated both Karon and Norman.

“If you receive the god’s blessing, you’ll never turn into a monster again. The unpleasant rumors that follow you will disappear too. And it’ll show the Empire how powerful the North is. You’ll gain the strength to stand beside Lord Lebel as his equal.”

When Yutis didn’t respond, Illa mentioned the one name he knew would stir him. Yutis frowned.

“Do you think Norman will give up that easily? He failed this time, but next time he’ll come with a more careful plan. Demons are cunning, so it’s better to stay cautious.”

Yutis gritty his teeth, just remembering Norman trying to escape while holding Lebel in his arms made his vision burn red.

“I doubt he’ll ever give up on my wife. So you’re saying I should grow stronger?”

“The more means you have, the better it is for you, Young Master.”

There was nothing to think about. Every part of Illa’s proposal favored Yutis. Especially if it meant he could stop turning into a monster.

“What will you do?”

Illa asked with a smile, realizing that Yutis was beginning to think positively.

His wife received power from gods far greater than the angel Illa served. Even if he couldn’t use all his strength because he was a demon inhabiting a human body, he was still stronger than him, who was only human.

Yutis never intended to be a burden to him. Besides, his wife had once been a figure loved and respected by demons, so it was very likely that someone would come after him now that he lived in a human body.

If he’d been able to handle Norman alone, Lebel wouldn’t have coughed up blood.

“I can’t leave anything that threatens the North alone.”

He hadn’t completely killed him last time, so this time he would finish it for good. Illa smiled in satisfaction.

“Lord Michael holds you in very high regard, Young Master.”

“Spare me the flattery. You and I are only working together because we both want something. Just make sure my wife doesn’t get hurt.”

“Of course.”

If Lebel found out that Yutis had been drawn in, he would be displeased, but since much of it was for his sake, he wouldn’t complain. Neither Illa nor Michael had any intention of turning Lebel into an enemy.

***

Norman fled far away. He’d spent over ten years in that body and quite liked it, but it was better than dying.

He hadn’t known Yutis could wield sword aura. He hadn’t seen him use it three years ago, not even during the war, but it seemed he had grown stronger since then.

‘A mere human…’

He felt humiliated for a moment at being defeated by a human, then clutched his throbbing head, unable to understand why Lebel hadn’t taken his hand.

There was no way a great demon like him could have developed feelings for a human. There must be a reason he couldn’t leave with him.

Norman had admired Lebel, so he knew every rumor about him.

Lebel was fundamentally gentle but not the type to sacrifice himself for others, nor to cherish anyone.

There was no way someone like him could’ve fallen for a mere human. So the only explanation was that he couldn’t leave because he would die if his contractor did.

Since Yutis was his husband, the fact that he was married must mean that their “marriage” acted as a contract that bound him to him.

When he had first been summoned, he’d been weak and frail, but after the marriage, the contract was sealed and he must have received demonic energy from Yutis, which slowly restored his body.

For demons, contracts were absolute.

The best way to break one was to kill the contractor, but that was difficult right now.

Norman headed toward the place where his accomplice was. Since he traveled in soul form, he reached the Empire quickly.

Arriving at a much warmer and grander castle than the North, Norman went to Biakin.

[Hey, human!]

Having lost his body and reduced to a soul, Norman shouted rudely for Biakin.

Biakin was reviewing documents late at night when he saw the shape of the soul appear before him and recognized it as Norman. His eyes widened.

He immediately realized something had happened. For Norman to appear in soul form meant something had gone wrong with his body.

“What in the world happened in the North…?”

Then one person came to mind. The only human capable of fighting a demon was Yutis. Biakin clicked his tongue.

He and Norman weren’t bound by contract, only working together out of mutual interest. The only demon Biakin wanted to form a contract with was Lebel, the one even other demons revered.

Norman had wanted to summon Lebel into the human world too, which was why they had joined hands.

“Don’t tell me the young master got you?”

[If I’d been just a little stronger, that bastard wouldn’t even have been a match for me!]

So he lost. A demon, defeated by a human.

Biakin looked at Norman pitifully as he complained about his weak body and lack of power.

Weren’t demons supposed to have enough strength to destroy entire worlds? There were demons who had wiped out distant kingdoms, yet the one before him didn’t even have that kind of power.

From the moment Biakin had first seen Norman, he’d instinctively known that this demon wasn’t strong.

That was why he had offered up his people’s lives to help the demon grow stronger, only for him to end up defeated by a human.

[If that other demon hadn’t interfered… Anyway, that’s not what’s important now!]

Biakin frowned and looked at Norman. He didn’t realize it, but he didn’t sound angry about losing to a human.

It was the voice of someone excited, like he’d just discovered a great treasure.