One Afternoon
I was home alone when it happened.
“Excuse me, is there a devil and their contractor here?”
“…Pardon? Do you need Belial?”
When I opened the door after hearing a knock, there stood a devilish girl who looked about twelve in human years. She had light green hair with horns protruding from her head, brown skin, and bright green eyes.
“Are you the contractor? Here’s an invitation. There’s a Sabbath coming up. It’s kind of like a casual gathering, so if you’d like, feel free to join us. It’s in three days.”
“Well, how kind of you. Thank you very much. I’ll definitely consider attending.”
I bowed slightly and accepted the letter with both hands. The devil girl smiled shyly.
“You’re the first person to be so polite to me. You’re quite unusual.”
“Am I?”
I invited her in for tea, but she declined, saying she was only here to deliver the letter. She quickly left, mentioning she still had other stops to make.
On the evening of the Sabbath, I headed to the venue in the forest with Belial. By the way, I had previously been teased by Lucifer, so Belial told me not to call him “Your Excellency.”
As for Equvar, he had left two days earlier, saying he had an adventurer’s job to do. Coincidentally, it was in the domain of the earl who had previously caused trouble. Apparently, there was a suitable request there.
This particular Sabbath was being held deep within the forest, away from prying eyes. Since it was my first Sabbath, I didn’t know what to expect.
When we landed nearby and descended from the sky, I noticed other attendees—humans and devils alike—walking toward the venue.
“Good evening. Are you here for the Sabbath?”
I greeted a middle-aged woman, who smiled warmly and nodded.
“Yes, and you’re a new face, aren’t you?”
“It’s my first time attending. I’m a bit nervous.”
“A first-timer! You’ve picked a great day to join. Guess what? The King is supposed to be here tonight. Isn’t that exciting?”
I instinctively glanced at Belial, but it seemed he hadn’t been informed by the host.
“The King, you say? I’m curious to see who they are.”
Led by the excited woman, I followed her to the Sabbath venue.
At the entrance, the invitations were being checked. Though, the process was quite casual—just a quick glance.
Inside, several tables had been set up with food and drinks. Sheets were laid out on the ground, while at the back, there was a luxurious chair upholstered in leather that seemed out of place in the forest. Beside it stood an ornate side table, apparently for the King of Hell.
There was also a beautiful chair, likely reserved for the demon lord’s contractor. On either side of it were three additional chairs, with a small round table in front of them.
As I wondered what Belial should do, a man who looked like a butler—perhaps in his fifties, with a refined demeanor—approached us.
“Good evening to you both. Are you by any chance a titled individual? If so, please feel free to take that seat over there.”
I see. So, the extra chairs were prepared for unexpected dignitaries. But what if the Demon King were of the same rank as Belial? There was only one main chair.
“Well then, I’ll take the seat,” Belial said, smirking haughtily and walking elegantly toward the chair. Other attendees glanced at him with admiration, whispering, “Who is that?”
Oh, please… don’t let anything troublesome happen.
I sat down in the chair next to Belial, and immediately, all eyes in the venue turned toward us.
One particularly excited devil stepped forward and knelt before Belial.
“Could it be… Lord Belial?! I can’t believe you’re here at this Sabbath!”
“I was invited, you see. I happened to be bored, so I decided to come,” Belial replied with an air of nonchalance.
“The King we were expecting tonight… could it be Lord Belial?!”
This statement caused a stir among the crowd.
Indeed!
There were now two kings. This was bad. I panicked, thinking we needed another chair, but there was no time to prepare one.
At that moment, two figures descended from the sky into the center of the venue.
One was a tall, muscular man with a bald head, wearing a luxurious coat. Supporting him with her arm entwined around his was a voluptuous woman in a revealing evening gown. Her long, black hair gleamed, and she was stunningly beautiful.
“Good evening, everyone. Thank you for the invitation. My darling and I are thrilled to be here.”
“You’re the most beautiful one here, honey. Tonight is going to be a wonderful night!”
A devil and a human couple? “Darling” and “Honey”! It was the first time I’d heard such endearing nicknames.
“To think you call yourself a king. And it’s you… Asmodeus, is it?”
“…It’s you, Belial! I thought you’d returned to Hell!”
Ugh, this is the worst! They seem to be on bad terms!!
Everyone around us looks uncomfortable… but no one can possibly stop two Demon Kings.
“Darling, what’s the matter? If it’s a friend, introduce me.”
“He’s not someone you need to concern yourself with, Honey. We’re the guests of honor tonight!”
“…Hah. Guests of honor, you say? That’s laughable. Still the same old lovesick fool.”
“And you’re still dragging around a flat-chested girl! Jealous of my voluptuous beauty, are you, you lolicon!”
What is this treatment of me!? I mean, I’m not exactly big, but I wouldn’t say I’m flat-chested either! And for the record, I’m 24 years old!!
Their ridiculous insults only escalate…
The woman called “Honey” approaches me, looking a bit bewildered.
“You’re his contractor, right? Do you have any idea what’s going on here?”
“My apologies. I was simply invited with the letter, so I’m as surprised as you are…”
“This is troubling. If two Demon Kings start fighting, it could be catastrophic.”
“They’re starting to give off the vibe that they’re about to use their magic. We’ll have to stop them.”
Saying this, I took out a magic mirror from my item box and began preparing for a summoning.
“Wait… don’t tell me you have a contract with another king!?”
“No, there’s just someone who promised to mediate if Lord Belial caused any trouble. Please inform everyone that I mean no disrespect.”
“Thank you! I’ll go let the host know right away.”
The voluptuous beauty turned out to be quite reasonable. Meeting a contractor for one of Hell’s kings is rare, and I’d like to settle this quickly so I can talk to her more.
“Gate of the Otherworld, open. By the great name, project your image upon this mirror. Reveal yourself, King of Hell, Lord Lucifer!”
Tiny, sparkling lights gathered, multiplying and forming the shape of a person.
The image that appeared was of a young man with silver hair that shone brighter than platinum, clear sky-blue eyes, and an angelic beauty. He was dressed in a pure white robe, his gentle expression serene.
The surrounding people bowed their heads, sneaking glances at the stunningly handsome demon.
“Ah, human girl. It seems Belial is causing trouble again.”
“Yes… I was invited to this sabbath, but it seems he ran into someone he doesn’t get along with.”
“Asmodeus, I assume? As always, he’s a handful.”
With a wry smile, Lucifer turned his gaze toward the two.
“Both of you, calm down. Try not to cause trouble.”
He raised his voice slightly, speaking gently but firmly. However, it seemed the two, now heated up, didn’t hear him at all.
“I’ve never liked you, not one bit!”
“That’s perfectly fine. I wouldn’t want to be liked by someone like you.”
“And you call me lovesick? This coming from you—who once used the Sin of Lust to destroy two towns for fun and laughed about it? You’ve got some nerve!”
“Hahaha, unlike you, who nearly ruined yourself through lust, I know my limits. That’s not something I could replicate!”
“…You want to go, you bastard?!”
“Perhaps it would be wiser not to disgrace yourself in such a place?”
The two edged closer, brimming with magic as they prepared to strike.
…Terrifying. Lucifer’s smile was utterly terrifying.
“…Human girl. Didn’t you once use a spell to subdue Lucifuge Rofocale? Try using that to stop these two.”
“I wouldn’t call that ‘subduing,’ per se. And dealing with two kings at once… well…”
“…Or are you planning to trouble me with this?”
“N-No! I’ll handle it to the best of my ability!!”
As expected of the King of Hell, his presence is overwhelming…
I pulled out a universal emblem and a staff-like rod from my bag.
Even the voluptuous beauty seemed curious, watching me intently. It’s natural to be interested in someone else’s methods, after all.
“Spirit’s power, dwell within this talisman. Universal Emblem, unleash your great might without restraint!”
From the Universal Seal, magic so thick it was visible to the naked eye began to pour forth. A hushed, awe-filled murmur reached my ears from somewhere nearby.
Gathering that magic into the staff, I channeled it to enhance my authority over the devils.
“Agra, Sabaoth, El Shaddai!! By the supreme name, I, Iriya, command you! Belial, King of Hell, and Asmodeus, King of Hell! Cease your quarrel and be still!!!”
By invoking the divine names, I increased the compulsion far beyond what I used last time. When using the Universal Seal, I had to command with all my strength. Would it be fine to address them so directly…?
A sharp cracking sound rang out, and I could sense the immense magical energies both of them had been building dissipate rapidly. What a stunningly effective result!
The two exchanged a glance, then turned sharply toward me.
“You dare! Contracted to Belial, and you had the audacity to interrupt and command me by name!”
“Iriya! Why did you not only stop this man but me as well? It was the perfect opportunity to teach him a lesson!”
“…Should I have stepped in myself rather than relying on her?”
At the sound of the youth’s calmly irate voice, both their expressions instantly changed.
“Lord Lucifer…!”
“Lord Lucifer…!”
It seemed neither of them could stand up to him. At least I wouldn’t be the one scolded now. What a relief.
“I’m appalled by both of you. Using magic at an event like this to cause a commotion—how disgraceful.”
“Well, you see, it’s because of this Belial—”
“As if! You’re the one who provoked me first!”
“…Enough of this! You ignored me earlier, and now you object to my words as well? You both seem to have grown quite full of yourselves.”
Even though his tone only slightly sharpened, the pressure was immense—despite him being just an apparition.
Both of them shrank under his gaze and obediently apologized.
“Our deepest apologies…”
“It won’t happen again…”
“Honestly, you two. I’ve always promoted this Sabbath as a space for camaraderie. Do you intend to tarnish it? And to think, two kings of Hell quarreling like children—it’s utterly disgraceful.”
It was a rare sight to see the two Kings of Hell being scolded. I couldn’t help but find it a little amusing.
Now all Belial and Asmodeus could say was, “Yes, sir.”
“…Well, it would be unbecoming to spoil the Sabbath with further discord. Human girl, would you care to officially invite me to the Sabbath? It’s been a while since I last enjoyed its atmosphere.”
“Ah, um…”
When I glanced at the host, he eagerly nodded. Refusing was clearly not an option.
“Would it be all right if I performed the summoning?”
“Your technique was impressive. I’ll leave it to you.”
I’d rather someone else be chosen, but with all eyes already on me, there was no escaping it. I had to do this, embarrassing or not.
“Thank you. I’ll get started right away.”
I prepared the tools, drew a circle and pentagram to mark the coordinates, and inscribed the four names. With my heart steady, I began to chant the incantation.
“Answer the call. Open the sealed gates of the otherworld, and emerge from the void. By the supreme name, I summon thee, King of Hell, Lord Lucifer!”
A pillar of radiant light erupted from the circle, stretching heavenward. From within, the dignified and breathtaking figure of Lucifer emerged.
Even the illusionary projection had been stunning, but in person, his presence was overwhelming—majestic and divine, almost as though he weren’t a demon at all.
Sighs of admiration rippled through the crowd, and some even started worshipping him for reasons beyond comprehension.
“Impressive… No resistance in the summoning. You’re quite a skilled summoner.”
He praised me! Even the voluptuous beauty next to me was astonished and clasped my hands in delight.
With Lucifer seated on the lone ornate chair, Belial and Asmodeus took their positions on either side, and the grand Sabbath officially began.
The event was vibrant and lively, with drinks flowing freely and performances like dancing and singing dazzling the crowd. For many, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase their talents before the three Kings of Hell, leading to fierce competition for their attention.
Endless greetings came their way, leaving no room for disputes. With Lucifer mediating, there was little chance of any conflict arising between Belial and Asmodeus.
The highlight was Lucifer’s participation, a rarity that sent waves of euphoria through the attendees. While few dared approach him, the sheer sight of his elegance was enough to leave some on the verge of fainting from happiness.
The event’s host even approached me, his face glowing with gratitude.
“Thank you so much! I truly feared the worst, but this has turned into an incredible gathering!”
“It’s a relief to hear that. We owe everything to Lord Lucifer.”
“No, no, your summoning was perfect! To think you managed to suppress the powers of two kings…”
“It’s thanks to the Universal Seal, a powerful talisman I possess.”
“I’ve never heard of such a talisman. It’s truly remarkable!”
I also had the chance to converse with other demon contractors.
Attendees at the Sabbath tended to have well-established contracts with their demons. Some without contracts, or those seeking to form one, also used it as a networking opportunity. Occasionally, new contracts were forged at these gatherings.
Those without invitations had to either accompany someone who had one or request one directly from the host. However, anyone arriving with a contracted demon could participate uninvited.
It seemed demons welcomed uninvited guests, as long as they were with a contractor.
“Now then, human girl. Since you performed a summoning for me, I should reward you.”
Lucifer’s sudden suggestion drew envious stares from those around me, including a smug look from Belial.
Refusing would surely upset him, so I cautiously asked, “A reward…? What might that entail?”
“Anything I can provide. I suppose Belial can give you treasures, so choose something else.”
Treasures from Belial? Was that really on the table?
I pondered deeply before responding.
“If I may humbly ask, I am a maker of magical artifacts. I’ve been troubled about which type of seawater to use for making Amrita. If you have any insights, I would greatly appreciate your guidance.”
“Amrita, you say? That’s quite the undertaking. For that, seawater from areas like the Dead Sea or other salt lakes rich in magical energy would be ideal. If it’s too salty, dilute it as needed.”
“Oh, thank you so much! I’ll definitely give it a try!!”
I clasped my hands in joy. This was invaluable information!
There were no salt lakes near Egdoarm, so I hadn’t considered that possibility.
“…You don’t want me to simply provide it for you?”
“Belial and I will search for it together! I feel like flying there this very moment!”
“…She’s quite an unusual girl, Belial.”
Lucifer watched me joyfully react while Belial gave a wry smile.
“I don’t fully understand her myself.”
The Sabbath continued until dawn, and I even found others who shared additional insights about the Dead Sea, making it an incredibly fruitful experience.
Lucifer gave the closing remarks.
“My apologies for the sudden intrusion. This has been a delightful Sabbath. Please continue to foster harmony among yourselves.”
He smiled warmly as he turned to Belial and Asmodeus, whose strained smiles couldn’t hide their discomfort.
The participants sent him off with thunderous applause and cheers as I performed the ritual to send Lucifer back to Hell, officially ending the Sabbath.
One misunderstanding did arise—someone thought I was Belial’s lover. I quickly corrected them. The voluptuous beauty shared that she had persistently attended Sabbaths to find a demonic lover and eventually succeeded with Asmodeus. What a story!
Her profession, she revealed, was “witch,” a title still recognized in certain southern regions of the continent, though it faced discrimination in others. It was a challenging path.
We shook hands and promised to stay in touch. She also shared that she couldn’t fly, so Asmodeus carried her in his arms—an experience she found blissful.
