On the Day of the Quiz, at the Duke’s Mansion
“Well then, let me explain the rules.”
Lucifer began his explanation with a cheerful smile.
“A certain man will be arriving shortly. You will step into the magic circle and ask for his name and title. If he answers, you win.”
“Isn’t that more of an interrogation than a quiz, Lord Lucifer?”
Belial voiced his dissent, but Lucifer ignored him and walked right past with an indifferent air.
“Well, then, let’s borrow the venue, Duke.”
“Y-yes. Please, use it as you wish…!”
The Duke, an embodiment of noble beauty and dignity, appeared visibly nervous at the visit of such a high-ranking demon. He resided in the royal capital and had graciously offered me his protection here in Chenkasler, assuring me that I could rely on him at any time.
Hannes, the court mage, seemed captivated by Lucifer’s elegant stance, while Kimejes, the Marquis-level demon contracted to him, was overwhelmed, thrilled to host the great King of Hell, Lord Lucifer.
Before the demon who was the subject of the quiz arrived, we moved to the magical experimentation facility to prepare. Apparently, the demon would descend onto the balcony, so we left Hannes and Kimejes behind in the room.
The facility was now reinforced with sturdier barriers than before, and both the floors and walls had been fortified.
“What a splendid facility. Unlike Belial, I won’t do anything reckless, so you can relax.”
Ah, he’s referring to the time it got destroyed before… Belial cast a sidelong glance at me.
Considering that the demon to appear would likely be of kingly rank, no matter how strong the barrier, it would surely be easy for them to break through.
This time, since we wouldn’t be using magic, we all gathered in the spacious magic activation area. There was a specialized chamber, isolated from external influences, where the mage typically entered. I stepped into the circle after properly drawing it and followed the procedure. Everyone else stood a little farther back, near the rear wall. Perhaps to have a better view, they spread out to the left and right instead of standing directly behind me.
The demon would appear, and I was to ask for their name and title, just like a summoning. I prepared by activating the universal seal.
“Spirits, inhabit this seal. Universal insignia, unleash your boundless power.”
“Ah, the universal seal. That’s quite well-made.”
Lucifer acknowledged its quality, raising my hopes that it might work on the demon set to be our quiz’s challenge.
“As expected of my master… The power rising from it is so potent that it takes on color…!”
Sebirino had started calling me ‘master,’ but his flattery was overly exaggerated.
Before long, Hannes and Kimejes returned, guiding the demon in.
“Lord Lucifer! At your command, I have arrived promptly. Please, order me as you see fit!”
With a booming voice, a tall man appeared. His long, deep green hair was tied in a slim bundle at the back, though not all of it was grown out. A white cloth wrapped around his waist, falling to his feet, and a silver ornament adorned his neck. His jacket, matching the color of his hair, bore intricate silver embroidery.
“Well, thank you for coming. Now, please stand there. The rules are simple: she will try to guess your name and title. You may resist but are not to attack. Understood?”
“As you wish. I shall break through any tricks this girl employs!”
The demon laughed confidently, radiating an intense presence that confirmed his kingly status without needing to be told. Even Belial appeared slightly displeased, and Kimejes looked tense, as if fully aware of the danger this man posed.
The Duke, his two attendants, the mage Hannes, the demon Kimejes, Lucifer and Belial, Ekvar, and Sebirino—all these people watching made the atmosphere incredibly tense.
“…Hey, woman, hurry up and start.”
He seemed impatient. I pointed the summoning staff directly at him, focusing my authority.
“With the authority of the great names Agla, Sabaoth, and Tetragrammaton, I command you. Demon, reveal your name and title!”
The burst of energy surged like wind toward the demon. Although his hair swayed, his expression was unimpressed. I repeated the command.
“In the name of the Most High, reveal your name, demon, and speak swiftly!”
“…Hmm, impressive. I see why you summoned me. But you’ll have to try harder than that!”
The demon clenched his fists, and I felt the flow of energy severed. The wind abruptly ceased.
Being under a contract and fully aware of my intent, his resistance was strong. This was turning into quite the high-difficulty quiz…
Realizing that this wasn’t enough, I retrieved the Jupiter talisman from my item box.
“That talisman…!?”
Hannes leaned to get a better look at the object in my hand.
It was the Third Jupiter Talisman, designed to protect against demons and spirits while enhancing control over them. A circular tin plate engraved with blue patterns and magical script. The upper edge of the circle featured a hexagram surrounded by the phrase, ‘Trust like a mountain, unshaken.’ The center was divided into quarters, two segments containing the names of great deities, while the other two bore symbols of Jupiter.
I held it high and chanted to activate it.
“O emblem of righteousness and beneficence, extend my will to the heavens. O King of the Skies, merciful Benefic. Third Jupiter Talisman, lend me your strength and subdue the unyielding.”
The talisman released a powerful surge of energy. I funneled the mana from the universal seal into the talisman, combining their forces to direct relentless control toward the demon. Manipulating these two sources simultaneously required precise mana handling, akin to balancing liquid without spilling a drop.
Closing my eyes to focus, I concentrated solely on the flow of power. The demon’s overwhelming energy pressed against the barriers of the magic circle. I honed my focus on the core of his power, aligning my dominance to penetrate it.
“By the great authority of Eheieh Asher Eheieh, demon, reveal your name and title! Answer my questions in full!”
“…Damn… Fine! I am Baal! The foremost among the kings directly under His Majesty, Emperor Satan!”
I did it! He answered!
Though considering the time it took, the combined method isn’t very practical. It risks failure if interrupted or disrupted mid-preparation.
“Impressive, using both techniques simultaneously. Truly remarkable.”
“To manipulate such power so effortlessly… How exalted my master is!”
Lucifer nodded in approval, and Sebirino’s praise was as exaggerated as ever.
“A king… the foremost!?”
The Duke gasped in astonishment, his attendants Hannes and Ekvar equally dumbfounded.
“To combine the universal seal with a planetary talisman… Such an application is unheard of. Lady Iriya , you’re extraordinary in both crafting and practice!”
Belial seemed faintly pleased, though he stayed silent—perhaps wary of the situation.
“Curse it all… I, of all demons, was bested!”
“Now, now, Baal. Have you forgotten the rules?”
Lucifer’s words didn’t reach him. Wait, is he not planning to intervene?!
“Let the storm rage and celebrate this banquet! I am Baal, the mighty one! Lightning’s radiant spear, fall into my hand!”
With a thunderous crash, a yellow flash of light materialized into a golden spear in his hand.
Wait, this wasn’t part of the plan! A high-ranking demon wielding lightning magic? His attack power must be insane…!
“Lord Baal, please calm yourself!”
Even Belial seemed flustered.
Looking back at Lucifer, I found him smiling as he erected a robust barrier around the area. His expression said, This is your problem now.
This was all orchestrated, wasn’t it? Surely he wanted to see me deal with this chaos…
“Let my raging passion become a howling tempest! Annihilate them, Raitei (Thunder)! Vanquisher, Aiyamur!”
Baal invoked his spell. I wasn’t sure how much I could block, but I wanted to believe that it wouldn’t kill me. Using the Universal Emblem and the Planetary Talisman, I fortified the magic circle’s defenses as much as possible. Rather than deploying a defensive spell now, this seemed like the more practical approach.
“The beginning and the end. In the name revealed by the sacred Tetragrammaton, may the isolating wall of the magic circle reach the peaks of the highest mountains!”
The lightning Baal released crackled as it rushed toward me, tearing through the air. It struck the invisible wall of the magic circle with a resounding crash, creating a tremendous vibration.
A blinding yellow light flooded my vision, so bright that I couldn’t keep my eyes open. This magic was far more powerful than anything humans could produce. Tiny, crackling sparks surrounded the brilliant flash, illuminating every corner of the room and casting deep, defined shadows.
So this is Aiyamur, huh? Interesting.
When the king’s spell subsided, my magic circle’s wall crumbled as if its duty had been fulfilled. The tension in me nearly snapped, leaving my body weak.
“Phew… Somehow, I managed to get through that…”
“You’ve got to be kidding me… What the hell is with this woman!?”
Baal looked utterly incredulous.
Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. It seemed someone had been standing nearby, just in case. It was Lucifer.
“Baal. You broke the rules, didn’t you?”
“…Ah! M-my apologies. I lost my temper…”
Baal’s eyes widened as if realizing his mistake, and he offered a straightforward apology to Lucifer. He seemed to be a devil who was quite loyal to Lucifer, rushing to his side the moment he was called.
He called himself the First King of Hell, huh…
“Human girl, could you decipher the spell just now?”
“…Sort of. It felt similar to the kind of lightning that falls from the sky.”
“Correct. That spell was once imitated by humans, inspired by Baal’s original. Now, show me what you’ve learned.”
Whoa! What an unreasonable request!
But, well, I think I get it. I’d already been experimenting with lightning magic, trying to make it more powerful.
“Uh, are you sure this won’t hurt the king’s pride…?”
“And what about my pride, which was wounded when he broke our agreement?”
Lucifer’s smile deepened. If I refused, I’d probably be the one judged instead.
I exhaled slowly to steady myself and turned to face Baal. He was carefully observing me.
“O you who drive forth, you are the fleeting flash of light. O you who shatter, you are polished black steel. Impassioned atmosphere, combine countless blinding rays to entrust me with the spear of thunder! Break through shields of churning waves, and even subdue the seas!”
A spear-like light appeared in my hand, glowing yellow and crackling with electricity. It flashed intensely, and without a doubt, it felt like real lightning in my grasp.
“Wait, hold on! Woman…! Is this your first time seeing this spell? How can you copy it! This doesn’t make any sense!?”
“Let my raging passion become a howling tempest! Annihilate them, Thunder! Vanquisher, Aiyamur!”
As I chanted, the lightning spear was unleashed, hurtling toward Baal. Of course, its power was only a fraction of his earlier attack, but it was still more than twice as strong as the lightning spells I usually used. Not bad at all.
The lightning struck Baal with a deafening roar, filling the room with yellow light once more. Baal caught it with both hands, though it seemed to inflict some minor damage. He gave me a half-smile.
“This is insane… You’re completely unreasonable!!!”
“That was rather entertaining. I’ll consider that a success. Now, what shall we do next?”
Lucifer seemed satisfied, strolling over to where Belial and the others were waiting. I supposed it was safe to assume the danger had passed.
“If it pleases you, might I suggest a banquet? We have a rich selection of fine wines,” the Duke proposed.
Lucifer smiled kindly at him. “I’ll gladly accept. Baal, what about you?”
“I’d be honored to join! It’s been ages since I’ve dined with you, Lucifer-sama!”
Baal was now laughing heartily. Though quick to anger, he seemed to have a surprisingly easygoing personality. He strode past me with large, heavy steps.
I hope he’s not mad… He’s still kind of scary.
“You’re far too good for someone like Belial’s contractor! The next time something interesting happens, invite me too. You seem like you’d be fun.”
“Th-thank you…”
Was that a compliment?
It seems that the real quiz this time was deciphering Baal’s spell.
Lucifer must have anticipated that Baal would lose his temper and activate it. What a dangerous game this was… His ever-present smile is as devious as ever. As expected of Belial’s friend.
The Duke was visibly proud to host such distinguished guests from Hell at his banquet.
Listening to their stories about Hell and their experiences on Earth was fascinating.
Incidentally, all three of them caused destruction—castles and facilities—upon being summoned. That’s why summoning high-ranking demons is always accompanied by warnings. Marquis-level demon Kimejes looked absolutely horrified, as if he’d learned something he wished he hadn’t.
