“Dislike.”
A delicate girl, dressed in an outfit so cute that no one could imagine a man wearing it, opened her mouth to speak.
The girl who spoke was nestled in the arms of a healthy and beautiful young maiden, resembling a doll being hugged by a little girl.
In reality, Aruki, who adored this young girl like a doll, immediately issued an eviction notice to the two upon hearing her refusal.
“She said no. Leave.”
“I didn’t come here for permission.”
“And I’m telling you. I won’t say it twice. Leave.”
Aruki glared at Kail with blazing eyes, seemingly not caring whether he was the Guardian Captain of the Empire or not.
It was the confidence worthy of an Aura Master. If it had been someone ordinary standing before him instead of Kail, they would have had no choice but to give up and turn away.
“Feyna. Don’t think we’ll treat you like a girl just because you’re wearing that outfit. You’re dead. Seriously.”
“What do I care? Get lost. Listening to you two is worse than dying.”
“Oh ho- worse than dying, huh? Want to try really dying?”
At Kail’s threat, Feyna shrieked and clung to Aruki. Seeing Feyna’s reaction, Aruki immediately embraced her and glared at Kail and Merlin.
Kail, who had been threatening her just moments ago, couldn’t bring himself to press her too hard after seeing Feyna’s girlish reaction.
After all, she looked completely like a little girl on the outside. Intimidating such a girl wasn’t exactly a comfortable act.
Of course, Merlin didn’t care much.
“—Aruki. This is also addressed to you. If you don’t cooperate, we’ll have no choice but to subdue you. Surely you don’t want to be separated from Feyna forever?”
“…But there’s nothing I can do if the leader doesn’t like it.”
“…Hey, you. You’re forcing me to change her clothes.”
“That’s something even the leader likes, right?”
“It’s fine. Just for a moment. Just give us a bit of your time. We’ve helped you so much; surely you can do this much for us?”
Merlin was a man who delighted in Feyna’s suffering. There was no way he’d stop just because Feyna screamed like a girl.
Eventually, Aruki, having heard their near-threatening request, reluctantly handed Feyna over. Once in the hands of Kail and Merlin, Feyna screamed shrilly like a girl, but the two, knowing her true identity, weren’t about to be deterred by her cries.
“Alright—just step inside and answer a few questions. Dislike it? Then die here. The choice is yours.”
“You crazy bastards… Worse than demons…”
“That’s right, believe that you wouldn’t want to be handled by someone worse than a demon.”
In the end, Feyna had no choice but to cooperate with the two. It had been predetermined ever since they arrived.
Having wasted time and gotten smacked on the back of the head, Feyna slightly frowned as she spoke to Kail’s Demon Sword—Apophis.
“Hey, Apophis.”
[……]
“You gotta be kidding me! Am I going in there? You know I regain my original body in soul form, right? Are you serious?”
[……Feyna? Is that you, Feyna?]
Apophis, who had been silent upon seeing the appearance of a young girl, quickly reacted upon realizing that the girl touching her was indeed Feyna.
Her voice sounded like that of someone reuniting with a long-lost family member or lover after more than ten years. Hearing that voice, Kail realized how much Apophis loved and cherished Feyna.
But only for a moment—Feyna shrugged as if asking what they wanted to ask now.
“—The method to summon a demon. Or how to get to the demon realm.”
“…Did you hear that? Do you know anything about either of those?”
[Huh—? I thought you came to see me… So you came to ask about that?]
Though Apophis responded with disappointment, she soon noticed that the person she was speaking to was different.
[Kail Meyer. Judging by the talk of contracts with demons—it seems you’ve lost someone, haven’t you? Someone very precious to you.]
“Yes. So do you know? Yes or no?”
[I do. But… I don’t think it’s possible with this body?]
Apophis chuckled, acting as if she couldn’t do anything while still under seal, taunting them to release her bindings.
It was a metaphorical expression implying that Kail shouldn’t listen to her. Common sense dictated that no one would release a demon sealed within a Demon Sword… At least, not unless Kail was a complete idiot.
“Alright. Let’s release it. Merlin?”
“Sure.”
[Uh, uh—?]
However, this man seemed stupider than Apophis expected as he attempted to release the seal. Shouldn’t even a sorcerer intervene when their master acts like this? For some reason, neither hesitated to undo her seal.
Moments later—the seal on the Demon Sword was truly undone, and Apophis regained her freedom.
[…]
Never in her wildest dreams did she think regaining her freedom would be this easy. All the suffering she endured inside the sword felt utterly futile.
But that feeling of futility was short-lived—Apophis soared through the building and into the sky.
[Kail! As a special favor, I won’t kill you!]
Her nightmare-like demonic body was untouchable by any physical existence, buildings included.
Ascending to a height where the entire city was visible, Apophis began unleashing the nightmares stored within her.
She was the embodiment of nightmares that had destroyed countless cities and nations. Now free from her seal, she wouldn’t foolishly fall into traps like before.
[Uh, ugh—!?]
Apophis felt a force pulling her back, crashing her back into the building.
Confused by what could possibly be pulling her, she turned to Kail Meyer, who had pulled her back.
“Where do you think you’re going? You haven’t answered yet.”
[You, you—don’t you know the value of your life?!]
Kail had pulled her back. Realizing this, Apophis roared and charged at him.
She couldn’t understand how he managed to pull her, but at most, he was just an Aura Master.
There was no way he could defeat her—the living embodiment of nightmares!
Bam!
[Kyaahh!?]
Apophis screamed as she was struck by Kail’s fist. Something unknown, not an Aura Blade, was imbued in his punch.
What was that—and how could he hit her? She couldn’t comprehend any of it, but one thing was certain.
—Oh no, this isn’t good.
She couldn’t win against Kail.
Apophis broke out in cold sweat as she stared at Kail.
He cracked his knuckles and slowly approached her.
[S, spare me…]
“Too late.”
Whoosh—.
Kail’s fists began pounding Apophis’s entire body.
***
[S, so… the way to summon a demon is…]
“Try calling one.”
After receiving a full-body massage from Kail, the tamed Apophis introduced him to the demon summoning methods she knew.
The easiest way was to subcontract the job to another demon. Some demons acted as intermediaries for contracts, like contract brokers.
Fortunately, Apophis knew the name of such a demon and successfully summoned him to their location.
[—Was it you who summoned me?]
“Yes.”
[I am the Contract Demon. Tell me the name of the demon you wish to contract with.]
The revealed Contract Demon smirked as he looked at Kail.
[Just remember, the price is steep. Since you’ll be paying commission to two demons.]
“Does it work on credit?”
[…Credit? What do you mean?]
“I’m not looking to contract with a demon, but to crush one. When I find that demon, I’ll pay you.”
[That’s not allowed. Demons are forbidden from coveting each other’s souls. It’s a rule.]
“But that guy’s not a demon—he’s a god.”
[…A god?]
Kail recalled the name Hermes, which Mercurius had mentioned. The messenger god from Greek mythology.
How he fell and became a demon was unclear—but he was a being coveted by many demons.
[Then that’s a different story. Alright, human—but be careful. If your story turns out to be false…]
“So what? You’ll kill me?”
[Exactly. If you fail to fulfill the contract, your soul will belong to me.]
A demonic offer. But Kail didn’t refuse it.
After all—either he would die, or that guy would die. One of them was destined to perish anyway.
“Fine. The contract is established.”
***
“How beautiful…”
Mercurius observed and fondled the soul of Sera that he had collected. A top-tier world soul, a human soul from Earth.
A flawless soul rarely seen in lower dimensions. Because of this, human souls were sold at exorbitant prices to divine beings from other dimensions.
Though Mercurius had expended considerable power to obtain Sera’s soul, its value was enough to offset all losses.
“It’s almost a shame to sell it.”
As he admired the preserved soul, Mercurius noticed the air suddenly tearing open with a “thud” and “whoosh.”
Frowning as he looked toward the tear, a bizarre-looking demon poked its face out.
[Mercurius, Mercurius, Mercurius.]
“…This is.”
[Found you.]
The Contract Demon opened its maw to reveal a gate. Emerging from the gate, Kail smirked as he looked at Mercurius.
“Winning and running away isn’t in my style. Kid.”
“…I didn’t expect you to be such a foolish creature, Kail Meyer.”
“Heh—still spouting nonsense, huh?”
After the brief exchange—Kail immediately swung his sword.
