DSB 128

“What can he do even if he noticed?”

“No, that’s true, but…”

“Harvan is a man of few words. Even if he suspects your true identity, he’ll be cautious because he owes you a favor.”

“That might be true of Lord Teruo’s disposition, but…”

Merick’s eyes widened in shock when the contract was canceled. He’d finally found a human soul he liked, only to have it snatched away.

[Lord Lebel, this kind of treatment is…!]

[I’ll give you something else instead. You don’t seem to be the type to collect human souls indiscriminately. You just liked that particular soul, right?]

Though not as powerful as Yutis, Jorsen was still a strong human, and his soul shone brightly.

[My castle holds many dazzling things. Far more precious than that human’s soul. If you handle this matter well, I might even give you something better. You understand, don’t you?]

Merick fell silent.

Lebel, who had distinguished himself in the war between angels and demons, was offered all kinds of precious things.

Though he rarely ventured out afterward, his wealth never dwindled over hundreds of years. Because of this, rumors abounded that all kinds of treasures lay scattered beneath his castle.

[And wandering around hidden in a human body was inconvenient. I used my own power to bring you here so you could move about freely. You can explore the human world to your heart’s content before returning to the Demon Realm.]

Merick realized his body hadn’t vanished even after the contract was canceled. Not only had his physical form been summoned to the Middle Reall, but Lebel’s power now allowed him to maintain this state indefinitely.

[…I will serve you diligently.]

Merick pledged his loyalty to Lebel, kissing the back of his hand.

Merick had a connection with Lebel long ago, but it wasn’t a special one. Their only link was having fought together during the war with the Celestial Realm.

Nothing really changed. Just like back then, he only had to obey his orders.

[I expect nothing.]

Lebel gave a smile.

At that moment, Yutis slapped away Merick’s hand, which was holding Lebel’s.

Merick acted as if it was a world of just the two of them, whether his neck got cut by the holy sword or not, and he even kissed the back of Lebel’s hand. Yutis’s gaze couldn’t help but blaze fiercely.

Moreover, though they seemed to be exchanging glances and conversing for quite some time, Yutis couldn’t hear a single word.

“My wife, what is the demon saying? If he utters anything strange, please tell me. I will deal with him right now.”

Truthfully, he wanted to kill him right then. How dare a demon kiss his wife’s hand?

Lebel tapped Yutis’ shoulder.

He had already heard the plan to use the demon to probe Norman’s thoughts, so killing him made no sense.

“He says he’ll cooperate.”

[Of course!]

Karon burst through the door with his head, making a grand entrance. His frame was small, but his presence was thunderous.

He walked forward and glared fiercely at Merick.

[That’s the demon wandering around the castle last time!]

Merick had made a contract with Jorsen, so the demon’s scent Karon had detected that day was his. That was why Lebel could be certain Jorsen had made a contract with a demon.

“Karon, that demon lived longer than you.”

[What does that matter?! Lord Lebel, this is truly outrageous! Is one demon not enough for you?! What possible reason could there be to borrow the power of another demon?!]

Karon jumped up and down, fuming.

He’d rushed over, sensing the demon’s aura, only to find some strange creature swearing allegiance to Lebel.

A white leech, a white lizard, and now even some skinny skeleton, who knows where it rolled in from…!

[Just because he lived longer doesn’t mean he’s stronger than me!]

“I know. He’s weaker than you.”

[Then why…!]

“Norman knows you.”

Lebel picked up Karon and stroked him.

“And I have something else to ask of you.”

[Huh?]

“You must summon the demonic beasts.”

“What? Wait, hold on! Why the demonic beasts?!”

Damian, whose head had been throbbing, was sitting quietly in a chair resting when he heard the mention of demonic beasts and turned his head around.

“You said we’re going to war with the Empire. Since they claim demons are the reason demonic beasts are invading the Empire, we should give them what they want. And if he didn’t kill the demonic beasts Karon sent, Norman would have done something.”

“You… just how far do you intend to go…?”

Lebel tilted his head, looking perplexed.

“Wouldn’t it be better to crush them completely?”

While Damian stood there with his mouth agape, Lebel asked Edmund.

“Father-in-law, what exactly should we do?”

“Shouldn’t we just do as you suggest?”

“The master of the North is you, Father-in-law, so we must follow your will. Ah, but saying we shouldn’t mobilize demonic beasts is out of the question.”

So he was saying he’d stick to his own plan no matter what?

“You’re thorough. Very thorough.”

Damian shook his head.

***

Merick headed for the Empire. Facing an unknown demon was far easier than antagonizing Lebel.

The moment he arrived in the Hestro territory, he sensed Lebel’s power embedded in the land.

There was no mistaking it. A demon too weak to do anything was unlikely to set foot in the domain.

Truthfully, Merick knew Lebel resided in the Middle Realm even before he was captured. Finding him was purely by chance, though.

Why was that Great Demon Lebel, who supposedly never left his great castle atop a small fief deep within the Demon Realm, in the Middle Realm? Wandering around out of curiosity, he learned of the events that had unfolded in the North during that time.

Therefore, Merick was certain that the figure called ‘Lebel Hestro’ was the real Lebel.

And now some demon dared target him? Did they not even know he was a demon? Merick wondered, though he roughly guessed the situation, as such things were common even in the Demon Realm.

It worried him how many creatures, wherever you go, don’t know their place. Especially these days, they’re far too self-willed.

‘Even I cannot serve him.’

The unexpected problem was that the one he had contracted had drawn Lebel’s ire. Had that not been the case, Lebel would likely have sensed his presence and left him be. But what happened among humans before the contract was beyond Merick’s control.

Because of that, he was singled out by Lebel and dragged out, so it felt unfair…

But more importantly, it was Norman now.

Merick had no intention of heavily intervening in the human world, but he knew demons occasionally went too far.

War, of all things? No, the war itself wasn’t the issue. The problem was that the target of that war was Lebel.

‘I have little interest in wars between humans, but I cannot ignore Lord Lebel’s command.’

Unlike before, it was a trivial command, but the gains were substantial. 

He was, after all, a demon with clear principles.

Merick organized what he had heard about the demon named Norman.

Having once dreamed of the same things as Norman, deceiving him seemed unlikely to be difficult. And failing to persuade a single young demon would be a blow to his pride.

Though threats were involved, since Lord Lebel had chosen him, he intended to prove his worth by doing his absolute best.

Merick stopped in the sky, smelling the scent of blood. Hidden from view, no one could see Merick with his black wings spread.

He silently observed the weak humans dying at the claws of demonic beasts. Heavily armed knights were nearby, yet they didn’t bat an eye at the people’s agonized screams.

At that moment, Merick, being a demon, saw other things. The souls of the dying humans were being sucked away somewhere.

He watched where they flowed, and then someone spoke.

“What are you?”

Merick had concealed his form so humans couldn’t see him, but a demon couldn’t fail to sense the aura of another demon. Merick revealed himself.

‘Just as Lord Lebel said.’

Merick was certain the figure before him was Norman. He appeared human, but within lurked a demon.

“What are you doing lurking around here? I killed every demon in the Empire…”

“Where else? I came from the North.”

“I didn’t know there was a demon like you in the North.”

Norman was referring to demons possessing physical bodies, unlike others who maintained only a spiritual form.

“The North is rich in demonic energy. And there are plenty of demons there. As you know, demons are more efficient than humans, right? That made gathering power easy. Aren’t you the same as me?”

Merick was certain Norman had grown so strong so quickly by devouring not only human souls but also the power of other demons.

“…This is my territory. Don’t trespass.”

Norman remained on guard at Merick’s remark, which revealed he’d caught on to his secret. Besides, he couldn’t fathom why a demon that powerful would approach him.

Merick simply shrugged off Norman’s warning. He wasn’t about to be intimidated by such a petty threat.

“You seem to have been to the North too. Let’s not be enemies when we’re in the same boat. I’ve no interest in worthless souls.”

Norman was particularly on guard because he feared Merick might snatch away the human souls he’d painstakingly gathered.

But what Merick coveted was clearly the vibrant color of a strong soul. He couldn’t care less about the bland, featureless souls of ordinary humans.

“I’ve already gained enough power. I’ve no further desire. Besides, I’ve lived long enough. Power that lets me roam the human world freely is sufficient.”

“Then go your way. Don’t worry about me. Unless you want to die like the other demons.”

Norman knew Merick was a demon hostile to Yutis, like himself, but he couldn’t lower his guard. He scanned him with narrowed eyes.

Merick let out a small laugh. Norman was annoyed, but he didn’t want to waste energy needlessly.

Considering the great task ahead, it was better to conserve his strength as much as possible.