“A human girl. Did Belial already cause some kind of trouble?”
“Um… well, I couldn’t think of anyone else to consult, so I apologize, but… I have something I’d like to ask you.”
“…You seem unusually hesitant this time.”
The phantom of a demon projected through a magic mirror that connects to another world. With silver hair and light blue eyes, the beautiful demon Lucifuge , who could easily be mistaken for an angel. Normally, summoning such a powerful king would be forbidden, but he had previously offered to help if I needed advice about Belial, so I boldly summoned him.
Since this wasn’t a formal summoning, it was just a projection, not his actual physical form.
“I’m sorry. It’s hard to explain… The thing is, I suffered a small injury the other day.”
“Hmm.”
“I was shot at with an arrow, and Lord Belial, enraged, incinerated the attacker on the spot.”
“…Human girl, that is the nature of demons. Just because Belial is kind to you doesn’t mean you should expect the same for others. Especially when a contracted partner, even slightly, gets injured—it’s a grave insult to his position as a king.”
Lucifuge ’s tone was slightly exasperated, as if to say, “Don’t make me explain the obvious.”
I understand that much… But just as he paused, Lucifuge seemed to realize something and added:
“No, if it were any other king, perhaps they’d brush it off, claiming the contract doesn’t demand such devotion. You should recognize how much you mean to him.”
“Ah, thank you. But that’s not the issue. Afterward, he said he wanted to repay me…”
“Repay? Well, he’s surprisingly serious about his contracts.”
Is he not serious about anything else? Setting that aside—
“…And then, he said… as repayment, he’d embrace me.”
“…Repay…???”
“Is that normal behavior!? I firmly refused, but he wouldn’t understand…”
“No way…”
Lucifuge ’s voice showed a slight tremor of disbelief. It seemed this really wasn’t normal.
“N-no, thanks to the universal sigils and seals, I managed to fend him off, but I’d like to know how to handle such situations in the future.”
“…Call him here for me, will you?”
Oh, looks like he’s going to reprimand him! I’m glad I asked for help. Though he smiled, there was an icy atmosphere.
I knocked on the door to the next room and called out to Belial.
“Lord Belial, Lord Lucifuge is calling for you.”
“Hm? Lord Lucifuge ? I’ll be there at once.”
I deliberately didn’t mention the reason.
“What is the matter this time?”
“It’s not ‘what’s the matter.’ Did you really say you’d ’embrace her as repayment’?”
“Is that what this is about? I extended my compassion to her, yet she brought out universal sigils and chased me away. Truly, what a strange woman.”
As I pressed my ear against the door to eavesdrop, I heard Belial blaming me as usual.
Why can’t he understand…
“I don’t intend to interfere with the terms of contracts, but attempting to violate a rightful contractor… That’s a different matter altogether, isn’t it?”
“Violate? How improper it sounds. To unite with me would be the greatest joy imaginable, would it not?”
“To say that with such seriousness makes it all the worse. Let me teach you something: forcing yourself on someone without their consent is called violation.”
“That makes it sound as if I were trying to forcibly defile an unwilling woman…!”
As expected of Lucifuge !! He managed to explain it in a way even Belial could understand…!
They must have known each other a long time.
“Have you finally realized? That’s why she came to consult me.”
“Impossible! There’s no way anyone would refuse a union with me!”
“…We’re going to have a long talk about this.”
Since it seemed the lecture was far from over, I left the scene feeling lighter at heart.
Still, to react like that even after all this… Belial’s unwavering nature is truly something else…
After leaving the house, I visited the street stall run by Alesia and Kiara.
They didn’t have any customers at the moment and looked bored. About half their merchandise was sold out. So, I decided to talk about magic, something Alesia had been curious about for a while.
“The attributes of magic are the four primary elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—as well as darkness and light. I’m most skilled in water magic, but perhaps because of my contract with Lord Belial, my fire magic has also become quite powerful.”
“Iriya , you know so much about magic. I’m so jealous,” Alesia said, clearly enjoying the conversation. Kiara, on the other hand, seemed a bit uninterested.
“You two don’t have much magical power, though… Teaching you is fine, but Alesia , you love magic so much—it’s a shame this part is difficult for you.”
Unfortunately, it seemed Alesia would only be able to handle beginner-level spells.
“Excuse me, young ladies.”
The person who addressed us was a man in his fifties, dressed like a butler or someone in a similar role. He wore a cleanly laundered blouse paired with a vest, was slender, and stood with impeccable posture.
“Welcome!” Kiara greeted him energetically.
“Actually, the other day, I came across an impressive talisman. Upon inquiring, I was told it had been imbued with magic by a certain craftswoman named Iriya , who is often found here. Therefore, I hoped to seek your assistance.”
It seemed he was referring to the water-element-enhancing and magic-amplifying talisman we had created at the guild.
“That would be me,” I replied.
“You are the one! My master has instructed me to enhance this gem with wind-element magic. We are prepared to offer a generous reward, so may I entrust this task to you?”
The man took a magnificent emerald, set in a silver ring, from a small box.
“What a splendid gem! I’d be honored to work on it without requiring payment,” I said, thrilled as I accepted the jewel. Overflowing with magical energy, it was perfect for enchanting. This was going to be fun!
“When should I return to retrieve it?”
“There’s no need. I’ll do it here and now.”
“Here… now?”
I borrowed an empty spot at the stall, spread out a piece of paper with a drawn magic circle, and placed the ring on top.
“Oh most exalted one, El Shaddai, hear my voice. O wind from the heavens, the gentle breeze through the forest, bring forth your grace. Fill the ship’s sails, sway the ripened grain, and gather at Esagira.”
As I chanted with a strong focus on the pentagram, a white pentagram appeared within the green emerald. As the light faded, it seemed to be absorbed into the gem.
The man, Alesia , and Kiara all held their breath, their eyes fixed on the jewel.
“How does this look? Since it’s such a remarkable gem, I imbued it with care and precision.”
The man stared at the finished product for a while before hastily pulling out a cloth and wrapping it carefully.
“To think you could accomplish such an enchantment with such ease… What an extraordinary talent you have!”
“You flatter me.”
Since he hesitated to take it, I was momentarily worried that he might not be satisfied. Alesia and Kiara were just as happy about the compliment as if it had been directed at them. It made me happy, too.
As I tried to return some of the excessively high payment he offered, Belial appeared, looking displeased.
“Iriya ! What’s the meaning of tattling on me?”
“I didn’t tattle; I sought advice.”
“Did something happen, Belial?” Alesia asked.
“Just a small issue,” I answered vaguely.
The man, now watching us, began trembling as he spoke.
“Could it be… Is this gentleman a demon?”
“Indeed, he is. I have a contract with him,” I replied.
“Such talent! My master employs a mage who is also contracted with a demon, which is why I felt something familiar.”
He explained that he had asked out of curiosity, sensing a noble aura. It seemed his master also employed a mage contracted with a demon of rank.
Summoners are usually mages as well. Summoning demons requires not only magical power but also the ability to turn it into a binding force for control in emergencies.
After securely storing the gem, the man left.
As I returned home, I saw Sieghart walking away from the door.
“Lord Sieghart, were you looking for me?”
“Iriya , you’ve just returned. I came to thank you for the other day and apologize for my parents’ rudeness.”
It must have been about the blizzard dragon incident.
“Iriya ’s magic was amazing! Sieghart was so surprised. I wish I could have seen it!”
Silphy, perched on his shoulder, chimed in excitedly. She’d been to my house alone before, so she seemed to be getting used to things. However, as Belial returned a little later, Silphy quickly hid behind Sieghart.
Sieghart handed me a letter of apology from the viscount couple, who were apparently quite anxious. Maybe I had gone a little too far.
“Don’t worry; I’m not angry. Honestly, I just needed to say what I wanted to feel better,” I said with a wry smile and added, “If I had held back, Lord Belial would have been scarier. Please let them know that what happened was mild compared to what it could have been.”
“True… upsetting him would be far more dangerous,” Sieghart agreed.
I felt I could talk with Sieghart more easily now.
It’s like the saying goes—after the storm, the ground hardens.
