Yesterday, I was informed by Rini, Ekvar’s familiar, that a man had visited my house while I was away. So, I asked Alesia and Kiara at their street stall if they had given him my address.
Ekvar had told me to wait, but he had already reported on the situation of the military state Trantinel in the Norsanus Empire the previous evening. Since it seemed like he still had business with the country, I came ahead.
“A thin man came by and asked if he could buy a lot of potions. He ended up buying one as a sample. It seemed like he was stocking up for some town supplies. I wonder if it was a mistake to tell him…?”
Alesia made a regretful expression.
Craftsmen who have their own homes and workshops often invite customers for business talks, and if they place large orders, the customers may even come to pick up the goods. Especially for someone like me, who has a contracted demon and keeps protective forces, it’s usually not dangerous, so telling him the address seems normal.
“I see. It’s fine. Thank you.”
“Ah, that’s him!”
As we were talking, the man in question seemed to have arrived. He had been the one to visit my house, and when he found me not there, he must have come back to check on the stall.
“Could you come with me for a moment? A friend of mine, who came for purchasing, is waiting by the carriage.”
I walked with the smiling man. It seemed the carriage was located at the outskirts of town, but we were heading toward a less crowded area between the east and south gates. I had thought it would be closer to the inn where I was staying.
Suddenly, I sensed someone running up behind me. I turned around and was knocked off balance. At that moment, I felt a tug around my waist, and it suddenly disappeared.
My item box was stolen!
I saw a man running away with a knife, having sliced through the belt and taken it. Was I being targeted…?
“A thief…! Wait!!!”
I tried to shout, but my voice caught in my throat.
Standing ahead of the man who had run off was someone I should not have seen here—a senior man who was supposedly captured and under house arrest.
He wore a luxurious robe, had a short white beard, short gray hair, and gray eyes. I recognized him instantly. It was… the Grand Mage of Egdualum!
“Is this alright?”
“Good work. It’s been a while, you peasant girl! Because of you, I was captured…!”
The man who had taken my item box now glared at me with hatred.
“You were captured because of your own crimes! Give it back!”
As I tried to run and take it back, the man who had previously pretended to be a negotiator grabbed my arm. It was a trap!
Before I knew it, several men had gathered around me. I tried to break free, but they held on tightly, and another man grabbed my other arm.
“There must be some secret here. Otherwise, how could a lowly girl like you even become a court mage, even as an apprentice!!”
He said, rummaging through my item box violently. There were dangerous items inside… I couldn’t let a man like him have them!
“Let go! Let go! Don’t give that to someone like him!”
Despite my struggles, my arms were tightly held, and I couldn’t budge.
“Someone…!!”
The men, hired with money, pressed their hands over my mouth to stop me from making any noise.
But I had already sent a signal to Belial, so he would surely come. There was no way he would lose to these guys!
“Behave, little lady. Looks like you’ve angered someone dangerous, huh?”
One of the hired men laughed and spoke to me.
I bit his hand in protest, but he slapped my cheek.
“…Ugh!”
“That hurt. It’s better for you not to resist!”
As I was mocked and beaten, the Grand Mage pulled something out of the item box.
No way… This is the worst.
My face went pale, and my body began to shake.
“…A ring? A ring with the name of a god carved on it. Is it some kind of talisman?”
The Grand Mage inspected the ring, turning it from different angles before putting it on his finger.
It was a counterfeit of Solomon’s ring, the one that controls angels and demons…
“Stop! Give it back…!”
“Oh? Seems like it’s something precious to you. Let’s see, what kind of magic item is it?”
He admired the ring, shining it in the light.
I was unable to move, being held by two men, and couldn’t do anything. Struggling only made their grips tighten painfully.
“Don’t touch it! It’s not yours!”
“…You’re a cheeky girl. In the name of the holy El Shadai, I call upon this ring!”
The Grand Mage invoked the ring using the name of the great god. I didn’t know what powers this ring had, so I couldn’t be sure how much strength it would manifest.
Belial had already been signaled…! What a disaster!
“Oh, the magic power is overflowing…! But this is…??”
The Grand Mage realized the ring’s magic didn’t enhance spells. He became suspicious, and just as he was about to investigate, Belial arrived.
“Ilya! Are you alright!?”
The red-haired demon, Belial, appeared from the sky, his red eyes matching his hair, and his cloak billowing in the wind.
“No, please… don’t come!”
Belial saw me being held by one of the armed men, and he saw the old man in the robe holding my item box. He quickly judged that this man was the leader. But he didn’t notice that the Grand Mage was wearing Solomon’s ring.
To make matters worse, he rushed toward the Grand Mage without hesitation.
“…You’re the source of this! Prepare yourself!!”
Flames erupted from Belial’s side as he sped toward the Grand Mage, overtaking him.
The Grand Mage staggered back in panic.
“That… is that a demon!?”
“Impossible, I can feel an immense power! Don’t come closer, stay away! Stop, you demon…!!”
As the Grand Mage shouted, an even stronger magical force emanated from the ring and transformed into controlling power.
Belial’s body froze in mid-air, right before the Grand Mage’s eyes. The flames dissipated just before touching him.
“Nu…!? What is this… Could it be…!”
“This… is the power of this ring!? Can it control demons! So that woman was using this power!”
The Grand Mage stared at the ring in satisfaction and then fixed his gaze on Belial. His ruby-red eyes twisted with irritation as he smirked.
“Tell me your name and title, demon!”
“…I am… Belial… I am a king!”
The ring’s power was strong enough that even Belial couldn’t resist. Despite not chanting the proper incantation, he was compelled to announce his name and that he was a king. The Grand Mage widened his eyes in shock and then grinned with immense joy.
“A king! A king, you say…!! This is the first time I’ve seen a king of hell! That woman was using this ring to control him! What a troublesome woman! But now, I can make this king my servant…! Hahaha, I will build my kingdom!!”
“Stop! I didn’t do anything like that! And building a kingdom!? Using a king to wage war is a violation of the summoning code!!!”
The Grand Mage glared at me with dark contempt. Belial stood firmly on the ground, gripping his hands tightly.
“I don’t care about the code. What can anyone do to someone who commands a king!? What a foolish woman…”
“Well then, what are you going to do, employer?”
A man next to the Grand Mage spoke to him.
“Right, I’ll move and plan the next step. Haha, I’ve got a wonderful piece on the board! You can do whatever you want with that woman. If possible, make her suffer and kill her.”
“…Sounds good, we can do whatever we want, right!!”
The men around us cheered with delight. It was disgusting…
“However, be careful. That woman is a mage. Let’s go, Belial!!”
“Tch!!”
Belial glanced back at me with concern, then flew behind the Grand Mage. The power of the ring was something he could not defy. But this wasn’t the time to watch him retreat.
The men began to pull me away, intending to take me somewhere. My arm, gripped tightly, ached.
“Let go!!!”
Once again, they covered my mouth, preventing me from screaming for help…!
“Shut up! We’ll entertain you later!”
“Mm—!!!”
I was struggling to escape when—
“Ekvar, over here!”
It was Lini, Ekvar’s familiar. The usually timid and shy girl shouted and appeared around the corner.
“Iriya!!!”
“Iriya-san…!”
Two others appeared after her.
Ekvar and Zieghardt! Were they searching for me!?
As they approached, the men standing in the way immediately drew their swords and attacked without a word. It seemed the Grand Mage had used money to gather many people. Upon realizing that the two were swordsmen, the men wasted no time and drew their swords to strike.
Zieghardt swung his sword and defeated one before the attack came, then blocked a second sword strike, quickly glancing at the third attacker.
What happened next before Ekvar was nothing short of unbelievable.
The enemy’s weapons and armor were easily shattered by Ekvar’s sword, which had magical power boosting its attack strength. The enemies’ bodies were sliced in half instantly, their remains scattered into four lifeless corpses.
“You all… won’t be forgiven!! From here on, I need not hide my identity! From the Kingdom of Egdoarm, Crown Prince Ekvar Croas Karlsloar! By the command of His Highness, I will rescue the target under my protection and eliminate anyone who stands in my way with my sword! Not a single soldier shall remain alive!”
Ekvar raised his sword, tapping his heels, swearing an oath of knighthood.
The men hired to ambush me and Zieghardt now faced him as well.
“Hey… that guy’s dangerous! What kind of sword is that? His body… was cut in half…”
Several men around Ekvar, holding weapons, recoiled in fear and fled.
Ekvar’s gaze remained fixed on me, though there was still some distance. I could tell the hands of the men holding me were trembling. One man close by, trembling, placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, and as soon as he saw Ekvar move, he panicked and drew his sword, aiming it at me.
But before he could get close, Ekvar’s sword made a whooshing sound, and the man’s arm, holding the weapon, fell to the ground with the sword still in his grip.
“Ugh… ahhh! It hurts, my arm…!”
“Monster! When did he get here…!!”
Ekvar’s speed increased, and those men who had already shrunk back couldn’t do anything.
“…Let me give you a choice. Leave now, or fight me.”
Ekvar’s sword was pointed at the neck of the man who had been holding me. His eyes, filled with fury, intimidated even the men who had become used to such rough matters.
“…We’ll leave! We won’t do anything else! P-Please, help me…”
The men quickly ran off, leaving behind their fallen comrades.
The rest was left to Zieghardt’s subordinates.
“Ekvar… What should I do? This is my fault…”
I was saved, but… the tension broke, and tears began to fall down my cheeks.
Ekvar gently patted my head with his large hand and pulled me close to his chest, his forehead lightly touching mine as if concerned about the blood on him.
“…Sorry, it was our negligence. It’s not your fault.”
“…But… Belial-sama…”
“…Anyway, let’s return to the house. I want to hear everything in detail. Zieghardt, could you join us?”
“O-Of course…”
Zieghardt, still confused by the sudden turn of events, had only been helping me locate my whereabouts in case the men targeting me came after me.
Now, things had escalated drastically. Lini, sensing Belial’s magic, had figured out where we were.
The plan was to return to my house and explain everything in detail.
Ekvar pulled out a pristine handkerchief to wipe my tears, but the droplets kept flowing down my cheeks, staining the cloth.
“…Master! I sincerely apologize… I never imagined things would turn out this way.”
As soon as I entered the house, Sebirino appeared right behind me and suddenly knelt down again.
“…Sebirino.”
“It was exactly as Lord Equvar predicted. The Archmage bears a severe grudge against you, Master, and it seems they have been tracking my movements…”
“The Archmage!?”
Oh, that’s right. I have to explain this to Sieghart from the beginning. While we’re familiar with the situation, no one in this country knows about it.
The Archmage, who had been under house arrest, reportedly bribed various parties and managed to escape. Since it was a day without scheduled interrogations, it took at least an entire day for anyone to notice the escape.
The exact timing of their escape remains unclear. With their wealth and influence, they likely persuaded their guards to turn a blind eye. Even after the discovery, confusion delayed reporting the situation here, and by the time communication was established, it was already too late. A series of missteps.
“Placing guards who can be swayed by money… those fools!”
Equvar spat the words bitterly, a far cry from his usual lighthearted demeanor. He slumped deeply onto the sofa, resting a hand over his face.
“Master, perhaps you should rest a little. I’ll handle the explanations and call you if necessary…”
“Thank you, Sebirino… But it’s my fault. This happened because I created such a thing…”
Sebirino placed a hand on my back, urging me to head to my room. His hand was slightly cool, his gentle touch offering comfort.
“Tools are meant to be used. Those are your words, Master. The blame lies with the one who used it, not you.”
“I agree. This is Egdoarm’s issue, not yours. You’ve left that country behind—there’s no need for you to burden yourself with guilt. Rest assured, this failure will be appropriately rectified.”
Equvar’s familiar, Lini, who appeared as a young girl with horns and a tail, came over and took my hand.
“…Come on, let’s go. Cheer up, Ilya.”
When I hesitantly turned to Equvar, he gave a small nod with a forced smile.
“…Okay. Sorry…”
I couldn’t find the right words to say.
But, yes… I think I need some time alone.
Back in my room, Lini sat quietly a short distance away.
I must have worried her. Still, her kindness was a comfort.
How did things end up like this?
Even though Equvar warned me to be careful since I was being targeted, I underestimated the situation. I thought there was no need to worry because the Archmage had already been captured. I was far too careless.
This is my fault.
Because of me, Belial has to obey such a man…
The thought filled me with unease.
“A-um, Ilya, that’s getting a signal.”
When I turned to look, Lini was right next to me, pointing at my ruby with her finger. It was the jewel Belial gave me first, capable of communication.
Am I going to get scolded…?
“Why isn’t it connecting already? Are you crying by any chance?”
“…Your Excellency, I’m sorry. This is all my fault…”
“I’ve told you not to call me ‘Your Excellency.’ Listen closely. That ring and its power are not absolute. If he lets his guard down, I’ll outwit him. You just stay put.”
Belial’s tone was surprisingly calm, as if nothing had happened. Was he trying to be considerate of me?
“But…”
“Fool! I’ve made a contract to protect you; you don’t need to protect me.”
“But this is… my responsibility…”
I knew that the ring had the power to command demons. I never imagined it could be stolen from my item box.
Only Sebirino and I knew of its existence among humans.
“Let me say this only once. You are a great mage, a truly exceptional summoner, and a master craftsman of magical items. Therefore, you are worthy of the title ‘The Thrice-Great Trismegistus.’ That is my declaration. Hold your head high. Whose contractor are you?”
“…The King of Hell. Lord Belial!”
“If you understand that, then stand proud. Until next time, foolish girl.”
The magical energy faded, and the communication ended. I sat holding the ruby, staring at it in silence.
I am the contractor of the King of Hell.
I had resolved to live true to myself, without losing to anyone.
…But what was that about being called a “foolish girl” at the end!?
When I returned to the guest room, the three were quietly discussing something. They must have been careful to keep their voices low so I wouldn’t overhear.
“When I arrived, the Archmage had already started moving using flight magic, with Lord Belial inexplicably following him. The Archmage doesn’t have that kind of power. I suspect he’s using some sort of talisman… I think I saw energy leaking from his finger.”
Equvar, with his hand on his chin, recalled the situation. His anger seemed to have subsided, and he was now calmly analyzing.
“I saw that scene too when I was on my way here. I hid to avoid being noticed. It was undoubtedly the Solomon’s Ring you and I had researched, Master. You had created a replica and kept it. It was supposed to have about seventy to eighty percent of the original’s power and wouldn’t exert full control unless the correct name was used. But its capabilities exceeded expectations…”
As Sebirino explained the ring, Equvar grimaced.
“What were you thinking, creating something like that? You should have at least informed me! It’s incredibly dangerous…”
“You had no plans to use it, Master, and you believed it was safe as long as it was in the item box. To think someone would steal it and even locate that specific item…”
The three sitting on the sofa all wore grim expressions. If the Archmage had taken control of a demon, it was an extremely dangerous situation. What he might do was all too clear.
He would undoubtedly use Belial to regain his power, even if it meant killing countless people…
“In that case, bringing demons or angels with us is risky. If things go wrong, they could strengthen his forces. We’ll have to handle this ourselves.”
Equvar drummed his fingers on the table in irritation as Sebirino spread a map before him.
“First, we need to pinpoint his destination…”
“If that’s the case, I can find out. Since the contract is still intact, I can sense Lord Belial’s location.”
When I stepped forward, the three turned to look at me.
“Ilya… are you okay?”
“Yes. I won’t let that man use Lord Belial. I’m his contractor.”
I approached the table and looked at the map. By the way, Equvar didn’t add “Miss” to my name. Is he still in military mode?
“I think it’s around here. I don’t think they’d camp out, but… is there a place nearby where they could shelter from the weather?”
I glanced at Sieghart, who nodded while still looking at the map.
“There’s an old, unused castle on a hill in that area.”
A castle near the border of the Kingdom of Chenkaslar and the Republic of Wastent. Did they spot it while flying this way? Are they planning to use it as a base?
“Then let’s go. Sieghart, could you stay here? If I die, Lini, who is under contract with me, will know. In that case, take her to inform Duke August of the situation and alert all nations to a state of emergency.”
Sieghart nodded quietly.
It was a dangerous situation—an ill-intentioned human commanding a demon of royal class.
Belial said he’d outwit them, but there’s no guarantee it will happen quickly.
“…By the way, Sebirino, isn’t it strange how quickly you arrived?”
“I was in the neighboring country on the other side of the mountain range. With flight magic, it was easy. Currently, Egdoarm is experiencing a shortage of gaokerena, and I was exploring new import sources.”
Is that really a job for a court mage…?
He must have insisted on coming here. Honestly, that’s a bit much.
