DSB 95

[Lord Lebel was there!]

It was a name that made Biakin react. He jumped to his feet.

It was the name of a demon he had once read about in an old text as a child. The book, seemingly written by someone who had made a pact with a demon, contained the name of that demon who never lost a single battle in the wars against angels.

[When I went north, he was possessing a human body. Using that body was the right choice! If I’d stayed in the imperial palace, I would’ve realized it sooner!]

Norman, still in the lingering emotions as he circled around Biakin, shouted roughly, unable to hide his excitement.

Biakin soon regained his composure and sat back down.

“So the summoning succeeded…?”

[Yes!]

Lebel’s change occurred just before he left for the North. He noticed something strange then, but he assumed it was the shock of being sold as a monster’s bride that had caused him to change. He also heard rumors of a suicide attempt, so he didn’t doubt it.

He don’t know how it happened, but at that time, the demon ‘Lebel’ must have possessed that body. The timing was just bad.

At that time, Lebel was already on the verge of being sold to the North.

“I told them not to send Lebel to the North.”

Biakin was the only one who opposed sending him to the North as a bride. But everyone agreed, and with the Emperor having the most say, the decision was already made, so there was no way to stop him.

Everyone said Lebel was stupid and useless, but Biakin was different. Of course, there was no denying that Lebel was outwardly useless, an idiot and a fool.

But Lebel was unusual. Biakin recalled the moment he’d first noticed his extraordinary nature.

When the emperor summoned a priest to heal Lebel, the priest, upon touching him, flinched and backed away. He skillfully controlled his expression and unleashed his divine power, but his fingertips trembled.

The sight was almost frightening. Even to the young Biakin, the priest’s demeanor was strange. What could possibly made him afraid of Lebel, who sat silently, like a doll?

There was another issue. Even if his mental state explained his vacant behavior, there was no reason divine power shouldn’t have worked when he was physically hurt, like when he bled from a fall or caught a cold. Yet the priests’ power never took effect. Their eyes filled with fear as they looked at the one being their abilities could not touch.

Finding their behavior strange, Biakin once asked them about it.

‘W-we’re not sure ourselves.’

None of them gave him a clear answer. They only said they didn’t know, which frustrated him.

‘Perhaps God sensed something wrong. After all, this power is granted by God Himself.’

When he heard that, Biakin’s eyes lit up. If God sensed something “wrong,” then what could that mean? The first thing that came to his mind was demons.

And that was when he began to realize Lebel was connected to them.

Biakin had long been interested in demons. The empire, though vast, was weakening with each generation.

To make the nation strong again, overwhelming power was needed.

There were tales of demons destroying kingdoms, but also of rulers who rose to the throne after making contracts with them.

Biakin believed that if he, as crown prince, forged a pact with a demon, he could make the empire strong enough to swallow all neighboring nations.

At that time, the northern territory sharing the border with the empire had been growing in power. It was only a matter of time before they, surviving in a barren land filled with demonic beasts, set their eyes on the prosperous empire. The spark of war had long been smoldering.

[Human, you must bring him here quickly.]

“Didn’t you say you knew him? Why couldn’t you bring him?”

[He refused to come with me. I’m sure he’s bound by a contract with that human.]

“He’s already made a contract?”

Biakin frowned. If Lebel was already contracted with someone else, the plan would fall apart. He was supposed to be the one to gain power through a contract with him.

He had searched for a demon and found Norman, but he hadn’t entered into a contract with him for that very reason.

[It’s not a complete contract. Normally, a demon must form a pact with a human to act in the Middle Realm, so it’s probably bound through that human’s ‘marriage.’]

“But that doesn’t apply to you.”

[I wasn’t summoned into the Middle Realm, remember? From what I saw, Lord Lebel was using that human’s demonic energy, so it’s likely true. How dare a mere human bind Lord Lebel…!]

“So he can’t leave the north, then?”

Norman fell silent. Biakin realized that beyond the matter of contracts, Lebel’s attitude toward them wasn’t friendly.

“…Considering when he was summoned, he probably hates the empire.”

Lebel had been scorned as a fool and treated like less than human, sold off to the North as a sacrifice.

“I must’ve made a terrible first impression.”

Biakin muttered, frowning. But he had never treated Lebel badly. When they met at the imperial palace, Lebel had swatted away his hand, but Biakin hadn’t shown any hostility.

[That’s it! Offer up their lives as an apology!]

Norman shouted, as if he had finally found the answer.

“That’s easy enough.”

Biakin had already sacrificed an entire territory for the demon summoning experiment. It was for the sake of the mighty empire, so he felt no guilt. Sacrifice for the greater cause was only natural.

“Have you forgotten our deal?”

[We agreed to cooperate only until we find Lord Lebel. Whether he chooses you as a contractor or not depends entirely on him.]

“That’s enough for me. But to sever the contract, we’ll have to kill Yutis.”

[I was just caught off guard because I didn’t expect him to be able to use sword aura.]

“What?”

Biakin’s eyes widened. That was a technique only sword masters could use, the highest level of mastery. Even within the empire, no one had ever reached that level.

Now there was one more reason he had to die.

A sword master was said to possess the power to stand as the martial pillar of a nation. They could cut through magic, and no ordinary knight could stand against them. If they wished, founding a kingdom on their own wouldn’t be difficult.

[He’s still human. This time, I’ll win! No matter how many times he cuts off my head, I’m a demon, I won’t die. So…]

Norman went on rambling, but Biakin wasn’t listening. His thoughts were complicated.

“…First, I’ll prepare you a body.”

Biakin considered what kind of vessel would suit Norman. Even though he had lost once, Norman was still the only one who could stand against Yutis.

“To bring Lord Lebel to the empire, we’ll need someone who can leave a good impression.”

One person came to mind. He couldn’t recall other names, but that one name was etched in his memory.

He remembered him because, among humans, he was strong. And coincidentally, his swordsmanship was on par with Yutis’s.

The power a demon could use depended on the vessel it occupied, and this one would be perfect.

“Since he’s skilled with the sword, his body is strong enough to endure for a long time.”

[Oh, that sounds good.]

“More importantly, what about what you found during your investigation in the North?”

[Someone was tailing me, so I couldn’t finish it properly.]

“You were followed? Don’t tell me…”

[Not by that human. It was one of the subordinates who served Lord Lebel, in the form of a demonic beast. The same demon I mentioned earlier who interfered with me.]

“Is he hostile toward us?”

[Hardly.]

Norman snorted, dismissing the thought, but Biakin sighed. It was obvious they had already offended him.

“…He really isn’t easy to serve.”

[Of course not.]

But Biakin wanted to get his hands on him.

“We’ve made no progress until now, but finding him alone is already a major success. I’ll start making preparations to receive him myself.”

[Ah, and on the way back, I saw demonic beasts moving toward the empire. Karon must’ve ordered them. They were all bastards.]

Biakin exhaled slowly. Karon must have been the name of that subordinate serving Lebel. It seemed they’d angered him enough for him to send demonic beasts toward the empire.

Then an idea occurred to him.

“In that case, we’ll use it.”

[Use it how?]

“Our goal is to summon him. If his power has weakened, the summoning shouldn’t be too difficult.”

[He’s under contract with another human, so summoning him directly might be impossible.]

“A contract is still magic. If that bond was formed through marriage, then undoing it is simple.”

The contract that certified their union was in the emperor’s hands. Burning it might not guarantee the bond’s dissolution, but it was worth trying.

He had prepared much for this moment. He would try everything.

***

[Lord Lebel! I thought… I thought you were going to die…!]

“Karon, stop crying. I’m fine.”

Lebel stroked Karon’s head as he wept uncontrollably. The sight of him coughing up blood and fainting must have shocked him.

Illa was there as well. Though he had checked Lebel’s condition, he didn’t seem surprised.

Perhaps Michael had already figured everything out. Of course, someone like him wouldn’t have failed to notice the fragments of both demonic and divine power.

“You can rest easy now. Your body’s balance is stable.”

“I won’t collapse just from using my power anymore.”

Lebel smiled, satisfied, and nodded.

“That’s not true. You mustn’t forget that this is still a human body. You have to restrain yourself, or you’ll collapse again.”

“Tch.”

Illa’s tone was gentle but firm. Echoing his words, Karon and Yutis also urged Lebel to take it easy and rest.

It seemed like the overprotection would continue.